Flug walked down the hall with the drugged Nun-ja girl in his arms while Demencia limped next to him and gripped her injured arm.
"So, what are you going to do to with me, ya gobshites?" Sadie asked spiritedly.
"That's for Black Hat to decide," Flug answered. "But for right now, you are going to be put somewhere safe and secure where you won't cause us any more problems. Your fate will be figured out later."
Sadie groaned dramatically and complained, "Ai, man. I can't stand the suspense. It's killing me. What's gonna happen? Do I get to fight you some more? That was so much fun! Especially the part where I got to fight the tart one on one!"
"Don't remind me," Flug said with an eye roll. "She's still bleeding."
"Shut up, you little brat," Demencia spat at her. "You're our prisoner. You're supposed to be scared!"
"Too bad!" Sadie said, moving her head around to emphasize her happiness. "I'm filled with the joy of the Spirit and your drugs!"
"Will you quit moving?" Flug pleaded. "You're hard enough to carry when you're not moving around."
At that moment, 505 walked by and noticed Flug carrying someone. He instantly peered over his dad's shoulder to see who he was carrying. She was a girl, a kid about Melanie's age. Out of curiosity, 505 stared inquisitively and started following them.
"Oh, 505, don't worry," Flug reassured his bear. "She's just an intruder we spotted breaking in here. She's superpowered and put up a big fight, but we've subdued her with tranquilizers. So, she's completely safe to approach…"
"Yeah, I flew away, shapeshifted a few times, and summoned animals to attack them," Sadie said with a smile. "It was loads of fun."
505 looked at the girl and then at his dad in concern.
"It was rough, but we're okay now, buddy," Flug reassured. "We don't know much about this girl yet. We don't know her name or exactly what she was doing, but we think she was trying to help Melanie."
505 perked up with a smile in his eyes and grunted, "Bauw?"
"She's one of the traitor's friends," Demencia added spitefully. "She's a Nun-ja!"
"How do you do?" asked Sadie, tiredly raising her arm towards the bear. "You're the bear from YouTube, aren't ya? Melanie and my other sisters are big fans. I'd shake your hand, but I don't have feelings in my limbs yet."
505 reached over and took Sadie's hand so he could shake it. But when she leaned forward, Sadie fell out of Flug's arms and onto the floor. Her legs buckled under her immediately, and she was on the floor while 505 still held onto her arm.
"My apologies," Sadie said from the floor. "They drugged me to capture me, so my limbs are still numb."
505 was shocked and turned to his father who sighed in frustration.
Demencia was about to kick the girl, but she backed away when Flug pulled out his tiny pistol loaded with tranquilizers.
"Oh, don't worry, buddy," Flug reassured 505. "It'll wear off soon. This was just to capture her without hurting her. But why don't you take care of her while I get Demencia patched up? Does that sound good?"
505 nodded eagerly and picked Sadie up off the ground in his soft arms.
"God be praised, you are so soft," Sadie said, rubbing her head against the bear's fluffy chest. "You're much comfier than that bloody mad scientist."
Flug rolled his eyes while Demencia wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Come on, Flug," Demencia said playfully. "I want to be carried too!"
"Get down!" Flug argued, allowing Demencia to land on the ground. "You're too heavy! I swear! You're like a three-year-old sometimes."
"Carry me!" Demencia pleaded, jumping into his arms again.
Flug sighed and reluctantly carried Demencia, struggling under her weight all the while.
Meanwhile, 505 smiled at Sadie and carried her off down the hall. He knew just where to take her.
"So, where do we go now?" asked Sadie.
505 grunted as he gestured down the hall and continued his pace. Not having anything else to do, Sadie looked around at her surroundings.
There were numerous portraits on the wall of Black Hat from different eras, each looking more impressively stylish and threatening than the last. There were also numerous doors and openings to more rooms than Sadie could count. She couldn't see what was in any of those rooms, but in some of them, she knew her animal senses smelled blood despite their being no sign of violence.
Sadie gulped silently to herself and began to tremble as she prayed silently in her head.
Before she hadn't had time to feel scared, but now, almost completely paralyzed in the arms of an enemy, Sadie began to feel fear and sheer powerlessness.
505 found the stairway and began heading upstairs when he noticed Sadie shaking in his arms. Realizing that she was afraid, 505 held Sadie in a hug and started rubbing her back as he walked up the steps. He then started humming something low, like a lullaby.
Those actions were enough to get Sadie out of her head for the moment. She found herself relaxing into 505's shoulder and calming her breathing as they reached the floor they were supposed to be on and continued down the hall.
How could 505 exist in a place like this? Sadie thought to herself. He was too kind and too gentle.
Too tired to think, Sadie shrugged and relaxed against 505.
Gradually, the two of them reached Melanie's bedroom.
505 opened the door, and Sadie saw Melanie sleeping in her bed.
Sadie's eyes lit up and she called out for her friend, "Melanie?! Melanie?!"
505 covered Sadie's mouth.
In confusion, Sadie looked up at 505 who made a shushing gesture and shut the door behind him.
The bear then tiptoed across the room into the bathroom, shut the door behind them, and turned on the light.
Sadie looked around in even more confusion while 505 sat Sadie down on top of the toilet seat and turned on the water in the bathtub.
When the tub was done filling up, 505 checked the water to make sure it was warm enough. Once he was satisfied with the result, he picked up Sadie, removed her dirty clothes, set her naked body in the tub, and began bathing her.
The whole thing happened before Sadie realized what was going on. She felt embarrassed at her nakedness and her paralysis as 505 proceeded bathing her as gently as if she were still a baby. She felt tense at first as 505 washed her from head to toe, but soon, she felt herself relaxing in the warm water.
Sadie was still a bit confused at 505's kindness, but it was nice that at least he was treating her kindly. She even started feeling a bit calmer about the situation even though Black Hat, the Nun-jas' worst enemy, was basically in the same building as her.
When the bath was done, 505 dried Sadie off, brushed her hair, and went to Melanie's room to get a clean bra, underwear, t-shirt, and shorts for her to wear.
Once the clothing was on, 505 helped Sadie use the toilet and use some mouthwash before he carried her back into the bedroom where Melanie was still asleep.
"Is she okay?" Sadie whispered.
505 nodded, and much to Sadie's surprise, he tucked her into bed next to her sleeping friend.
Sadie almost wanted to cry.
She looked up at 505 and said, "Thank you so much! Are you sure you're actually evil, me boyo?"
505 put his paw to his mouth and made a shushing motion.
"Okay," Sadie whispered. "Before you go, I need you to do me a massive favor. Super important, it is. Could you please help me send a message to my parents? It'll be just a quick text. No big deal. I just want to let my parents know where I am. My phone is in a pouch in my Nun-ja uniform. Could you get it for me and type a message please?"
Wanting to make Melanie's and his potential new friend happy, 505 nodded happily.
"God bless ye," Sadie whispered. "You're amazing. This whole experience might not be so traumatizing after all."
505 picked Sadie's phone out of a pocket in her uniform along with its charger.
Sadie then gave the passcode to 505.
Once the phone was unlocked, Sadie directed him to where the messages were.
"Are you ready to type the message to my parents?" asked Sadie.
505 nodded vigorously.
Then Sadie dictated, "Okay. Mum and Dad, I have been captured by Black Hat's minions and imprisoned inside his manor with Melanie. I'm so sorry for this. I know I should have waited to get more help, but I was too reckless. I am being treated well so far but I don't know how long that'll last. I don't know how long I'll have to communicate either, so listen. You need to contact Lucy and the other sisters to tell them what has happened. They'll know how to save me and Melanie. Don't try to reply to this message or contact me much more or they could track you down too. I will try to escape but I don't know when we'll see you again. Please keep us in your prayers. I love you so much. I'm sorry for everything and I'll stay alive until I can see you and my sisters again. Love, Sadie."
Sadie had to repeat parts of her message several times, but 505 managed to type it out. Once he allowed her to read it through to make sure he got everything right one more time, the bear clicked send and the message was sent away.
505 smiled and showed Sadie her phone to show that the message had gone through before plugging the phone into its charger on the bedside table next to Melanie's.
"Thank you, 505," Sadie whispered.
505 grunted a 'you're welcome,' pet Sadie's head, walked to the door, and with a final wave, shut the door behind him, leaving the two girls alone.