Good morning, afternoon, and everything inbetween everyone! Today we get a more emotional chapter than the last few, especially because there isn't a mission in this one. Today we learn all about the characters' backstories as well as have some Liam and Lika development, especially. On with it.

Valerie

Later that night, I walked into the main room to find Viro, Marcel, Ellie, and Lika playing some sort of board game. I'd never seen it before, but it looked like Lika was winning. Marcel noticed me and gestured me over. I sat down in the chair next to the couch, with the couch itself being shared by Ellie, Viro, and Marcel. Lika sat on the floor. Apparently she found it more comfortable. Out of the blue, Lika asked, "Where are you from, Ellie?" The way she said it with clenched teeth, I could still tell she was very angry about Ellie and Viro's relationship.

"I'm from Unova." Ellie responded.

"What is your past?" Lika inquired.

"Lika, this isn't 20 Questions, okay, she doesn't have to-" Viro started before being cut off.

"My mom was killed by a robber when I was thirteen. The event affected me heavily, but I didn't stand back and let him get away with it. I found the Floatzel Morph son of a bitch that did it, and I used the slowest, most torturous, most fun method of murder. I burned him to death slowly. Ever since, I've had a fascination with fire. Only natural, I suppose, me being a Ninetales Morph and all." Ellie casually said. I sat in a bit of stunned silence. Lika went forward with her turn and then Viro cleared his throat.

"Well, if she told you her backstory, I might as well tell mine. So, first off, uh...parents died when I was six. Yeah, that happened. Edgy, right? And, uh, after that my only source of food was what I could find on the streets. That, and the food at the occasional party. I did this for eleven years, and then, one night, at a party, I met Lika. She took me downstairs, into the basement, bound me down, and raped me. It left me in a shocked state for a bit. Then I decided, 'Fuck it,' and shot up one of her father's buildings. You know, the same father involved with the crime circles. Only shot up the building because I couldn't find her. Then I was sent to prison, and, well...you know the rest." He shrugged. Marcel was next.

"Well, uh...you see, drugs were a bit of a big thing in Johto, where I came from. I didn't really get into that stuff, but I saw the effects it could have on some people. My dad had me start carrying a pocket knife around in case some junkie attacked me. Eventually, that happened. I fought back and killed him. And it felt...oddly good. And each time I attacked and killed someone after that, it gave me this rush. I can't exactly describe it, but it felt great. It eventually got to the point where I killed on a regular basis, and was one day arrested by the police. The rest is common knowledge." He coughed. We looked expectantly to Lika, who, even though I didn't know at the time, had the most relatable past, at least for myself. She shrugged and began to spin her tale.

"I lived an average life as a child. Parents who cared for me, friends who loved me...and it only got better after my father started raping me. He started when I was seven, and it felt so good, even then. For the next eleven years, we did that on a daily basis, avoiding my mother. And even then, I came back to visit every once in a while. It made me realize something: rape felt good. And I started doing it to make everyone feel the same way."

"You didn't like it at first." I whispered quietly.

"And how would you know that?" Lika snarled.

"Because..." I started, my hands shaking, "...I almost went down the exact same path." This caused everyone, especially Lika, to recoil in surprise.

"...What?" Ellie asked after a moment of shock.

"It started when I was fourteen. My parents had gone on a cruise and left my siblings and I with my aunt and uncle. And he...he did it to me. I was raped by him, and I hated every moment of it. Then it happened again, at a Christmas party. And then again, at a birthday party. Just like you, Lika, I started to like it. Then one of my sisters, Emma, she snapped me out of it. Unlike me, she had only been raped by him once, and she knew that I hated it, my mind just tried to say that I didn't. It's why I became a prison guard. Sure, I didn't put him away for his crimes, but Emma eventually stood up to him, got him imprisoned, and I was there, watching him suffer. Oddly, it was more satisfying." I looked towards Lika. "So I know you didn't like it at first, your brain just convinced you that you did. You're subconsciously pushing away the bad memories." I finished.

"...Holy shit, Val. I'm so sorry." Viro replied to my story.

"Don't be sorry. You didn't rape me." I responded back.

"Can we put this game on hold? This is too depressing." Marcel mumbled. The rest replied with nods, and got up to leave. Lika was the last one to leave, and she took a look back at me, as if she was trying to say that she was sorry for me. In the end, though, she just left without saying a word.

Ellie, later at night

I prepared myself for bed, and when I entered the room Viro And I shared, I saw Viro himself sitting on the bed in only boxers. I immediately deduced what he wanted to do. Before he could open his mouth, I sighed, "No. We cannot fuck." He pouted in response, but agreed. As we settled down and prepared to sleep, I asked Viro, "Why did you choose me over Val?" I was still somewhat curious. Viro chuckled a bit in response.

"Well, you're both pretty. I'll give you both that. But your personality is more...endearing than hers." He replied.

"Well it's good to know looks aren't everything when it comes to you." I giggled and we drifted off to sleep.

Liam

"Yeah, yeah, boss. I heard downstairs everyone talking about their backstories. I might have some useful stuff here in my notepad. Here, lemme read it to you." Bruce listed off several items concerning the interlopers' backstories over the phone.

"I'll see what I can do with this. I must thank you for the information. You're already doing a better job than Paul and Felix." I commented before hanging up. I reached down into the smaller cage next to me, and opened the gate, causing a Half-Breed of a Wimpod to scamper out. "Greetings, my friend."

"W-what do you want?" The Wimpod responded.

"I have a job for you."

And that's it for that chapter. I know it's short, but writer's block on top of school worries were bitches as always. The Wimpod is gonna be much more important in later chapters, and the thing in the large cage is going to be extremely detrimental to our "heroes." Review if you want. See you later!