I don't own Final Fantasy or anything related.

8/21/13

Chapter 3

They stopped at several places after the plane ride. But finally, they stopped at a cold shack in what she assumed to be some type of slum like area. The windows were cloudy and she couldn't see anything. It was cold and her toes had gone numb, but all of that was put aside once a man entered and began to scream. It was a language she didn't understand but she did know that it was best to stand up and line up with every other women. Yuffie clung to her side and they watched the man carefully. Would this be another nightmare? Would he force himself inside her as well? But what did it matter? She was already used enough, no one would want her.

The man led the outside and she noticed another line of small children. They were all from different places and their clothes let her know exactly how much money any of them had. Even the rich couldn't avoid things like this.

"Alright. Many of you speak English?" the man said. His accent was thick and hard to understand, "Don Corneo is coming to order you. You will behave, he is our best customer." He scanned the crowd, "You will be in trouble if you are not picked." That sent a murmur through the cline of women and drew a soft whimper from Yuffie.

The wait was long, but they weren't allowed to move. The man walked the lines and watched them all closely. His eyes lingered on a few women for longer then most, but Aerith was just glad he wasn't staring at her with that look. "Here!" the man pointed as a van drove towards them. The previous threat lingered in her mind, what if she wasn't picked? Did she even want to be picked? The van pulled over and two men got out. One man was shorter and shaped like ball. The sides of his head was shaved, leaving only a small amount of hair that he's gelled down into an odd curl. On one side he had a tattoo of a heart with an arrow going through it. Above the heart, the word "Love". His eyes were droopy and she felt weird when they landed on her. He stepped forward and she noticed that his shirt was unbuttoned and revealing his chest. Why would he dress like that when it was so cold? He was the type of man her friends used to turn their noses up at. The type to believe he was a ladies man despite all the evidence against it.

The man who scanned the lines looked scary. He was large and his stare was cold. He looked at her with no emotion in his eyes and it made her shiver. Despite that, she knew that he wasn't going to be a problem for anyone there. He was only a driver.

"You don't have much this time do you?" the shorter man started, "Where are the two I ordered?"

The man replied in the different language and gestured to both she and Yuffie. The man smiled and walked over to them. She was taller then him by about 2 inches. His ahnds traveled over her body before he ordered the driver to put them into the van. Aerith let herself be dragged into the van along with Yuffie. They immediately crawled to the back and sat close to each other. "What now?" Yuffie whispered.

"I don't know…" she replied, "How old are you Yuffie?"

"12..." she stuttered. Aerith swallowed, she was young. "How old are you?"

"14." she answered. Although she would be 15 in November… her heart ached as she realized she might not be with her family for it… "We're together though." she said as she wrapped her arm around Yuffie, "That's good."

"Uh huh." Yuffie nodded. They sat quietly and listened to Don's comments on the women outside. Once in a while there would be a yelp. Maybe he'd grabbed one of them too hard when they were least expecting it. Whatever the cause there was always a slap afterwards. "Do you think we could run?" Yuffie whispered.

"Don't." maybe she was scared, but she didn't think talking about running away would do any good for them. There were guards all around and she had no doubt that they'd be able to catch them if they tried to run. And what would they do when they caught her? She didn't want to think about it.

Another girl was forced into the van. She looked young, maybe as young as them. She didn't speak, instead she curled up on her side and closed her eyes. "Hey… who are you?" Yuffie asked. The girl jumped and looked down toward them, "I'm Yuffie."

"Um… Tifa." she replied. She sat up and let her hair fall in front of her face. She didn't want to be seen and Aerith could sympathize with her.

"This is Aerith." Yuffie said, "She's 14 and I'm 12." Yuffie smiled as if she wasn't in the back of a van in a different country. As if everything was just fine. Aerith didn't know how, but she wished she could fool herself like that.

"I'm 15." Tifa said quietly. Aerith looked through the strands of hair and noticed the bruise on her cheek. Maybe it was her who'd gotten slapped outside. Her hair was long, longer than most. But it was a pretty color too, dark brown.

"Your hair is pretty." she said suddenly. Tifa curled up even further and frowned.

"Thank you." she said. Another two kids were forced in as well before the door closed and shut them into darkness. The car started and she could hear Don Corneo and his driver chatting up front. They spoke of them as if they'd just purchased a pair of shoes or a nice painting. Casually, as if what he was doing wasn't wrong.

"I don't like this…" Tifa murmured, "Where are we going?" They locked eyes and Tifa sighed. No one knew, but of course it couldn't be to somewhere safe. The car ride was slow and cold, just as the wait had been. But now there was even ,more fear planted in their heads. If where they were going was anything like the places she'd been in the last 2 days, then she wished she would die instead.

Maybe she'd freeze to death. She wasn't wearing a coat and her clothes weren't thick enough to help maintain heat. Yes, she'd certainly freeze to death before anyone could touch her again. Maybe then her body could be returned to her family… The drive was over before she could come close to freezing and she was forced back out into the cold streets. "Welcome home, Honeybees." Don Corneo stood in front of them and gestured to a large building with flashing neon lights plastered above the doorway. 'The Honeybee Inn' it said, with pick hearts and bees flickering around it. It wasn't an inn, that was clear.

"The kids will work in my mansion." Don gestured to a house far behind it, "And that is also where the women stay. Let's get my bees inside and I'll explain more." Don's explanation was simple. The children, boys and girls ages 11 and under, were required to clean the house and help whomever was on duty cook dinner for the Honeybees. They were also required to help the Honeybees however they could.

The Honeybees, any child aged 12 and older, were required to perform 'special' performances with customers. They were required to strip, dance, act as servants and even have sex with whoever paid the fee. Every now and then a few would have to cook dinner for the rest of them. They would have whatever they wanted, so long as they followed the rules and kept up their schedules.

As soon as they entered the house, the kids were sent to the basement and the girls were lined up. "Now, I'll have Jon show you to your rooms." he said as he looked thewm over, "But you," he pointed st her, "Let's go."

"What?" she blinked.

"Don't argue, let's go." he grabbed her arm and led her away from the others, "I see it all the times with my other girls. That look in their eyes… You still have hope that you'll see your family."

"No…" she wanted to die. That was it, maybe she was being far too hopeful that something or someone would kill her, buy she also couldn't deny that she wanted to see her family once more before she did.

"Don't lie." he entered a room and let her go. She gasped and looked around. What was this place? There was a leash, a dog cage and even a bowl with remnants of something in it. "A Honeybee must learn their place and as of now, you'll stay here. That cage is your bed, that bowl is where we'll serve your dinner. The last one died before she was able to clean her bowl, but I'm sure you'll finish it for her." He started for the door, "I'll return my Honeybee, hopefully you'll learn and you won't have to spend too much time in here."

He shut the door and left her alone in the room. She was relieved but that lasted for only a moment. This wasn't it. He had more planned for her and she wasn't sure if she would survive it, nor if she even wanted to.

0.o.0.o.0

48 hours, it had now been 48 hours since anyone had seen her baby. How could she just have disappeared? Why did the groceries make it home without her? "I'm sure she's fine." William rubbed her arms softly, "Now, please, get some rest."

"Fine?" Minerva glared at him, "She isn't fine William. it's been two whole days! When has she ever been gone that long?" Never, that was the answer. Her baby had never been gone for more then 12 hours. Even then, she knew exactly where she was.

"Teens run away all the time, remember when Genesis was her age? He came back after 3 days. She just needs a little time." William tried. But even that sounded forced.

"We aren't talking about Genesis." Minerva snapped, "This is Aerith. She's a good girl, she wouldn't be gone for this long unless something happened to her."

"The police are doing all they can, the best thing for you to do now is sleep. You don't want to be exhausted when they finally find her." William pulled her closer to him, "She'll be back before you know it." She could tell he was a s worried as her and yet he still tried to be positive. They both knew something bad had happened to her, but maybe it was best if they pretended things would be okay. But pretending was hard when things were so hopeless.

0.o.0.o.0