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It had been weeks since you’d found and captured the little… whatever it was. You’ve started to grow bored of it.
Well, not bored, but tired of it. It hasn’t been able to give you any new information, though you’re sure there’s much more to learn from it.
Your threats of death and dissection don’t seem to scare it anymore, though it doesn’t want death as it still eats and drinks the provided food and water.
Now that you’re thinking of it, you’re pretty sure you forgot to give it food today. You could just give it food in the morning but… well, you’re fairly bored and aren’t doing anything else right now.
You get up and leave your room, walking into the spare room where you keep it and things relating to it. You flick on the lights, before pausing.
It got out?
But no, this one looks different and there’s still a figure inside the cage?
Oh. There’s two of them.
You come to the realization as the one outside the cage starts to run. But not fast enough.
You slam your arm down in front of it, before it can even get to the edge of the table where its little escape rope is. As it tries to stop and run the other way, it’s feet skid out from underneath it and it falls onto its side. Before you can make any more moves to catch it though it rolls over and extends a hand out with a cry of “wait!”
It’s, admittedly, shocking enough to make you pause.
“I’ll let you take me if you promise to let An- let her go.” It gets between and through heaving breaths.
“Callie, NO! No no no, you can’t- you can’t you can’t- no, no Callie please no-“ the other one (An? Ann? Some other lengthening of that short sound?) starts babbling and crying various objections while you process this. It’s the first you’ve heard it speak in days.
“...And why should I not just catch you and keep you both?” ‘Callie’ (you think that’s its name?) takes a shaky breath before responding.
“I’ll answer any of your questions fully and honestly, whenever you ask them.” Oh, now that’s a good sounding deal. You consider this while ‘Ann’ continues to sob out ‘no’s and ‘don’t’s and ‘please’s while clutching at the bars of the cage.
“Mmm, see that’s a good offer,” you pause for effect, “buuuut, how do I know you won’t just not answer, hmm?” You’re already planning on agreeing, of course, you’re just having a little bit of fun first. And you must admit, the panicked wide eyed look ‘Callie’ gets while it stutters in its frantic attempt to come up with a reason is kind of cute.
“I’m kiddin’, you’ve got a deal. I’ll trade you out for your little friend here,” you scoop it up and bring it a little closer to your face before whispering, “misbehave and I’ll make sure you regret it.” You feel it give a full body shiver in your grasp while you open the cage and trade the two out. ‘Ann’ struggles weakly, pushing at your fingers, still sobbing and trying to protest the trade.
“Okay, first question,” you start while shutting and locking the cage, “before I let ‘em go, what’s your little friend's name? You almost said it earlier. ‘An’ something. Or is it just An?” You watch ‘Callie’ try to suppress a sob before choking out,
“Anna. Her name is Anna.”
“Well, Anna, I better make good on our deal then. Here, I’ll even get you your little hook and string. Wanna say bye first?” It just continues to sob as ‘Callie’ whispers out a sorry and walks to the other side of the cage. After a second you shrug, and walk out of the room.
‘Anna’ has almost calmed to quiet at this point, though it does nearly scream and starts loudly crying and yelling when you drop it in a large Tupperware container with holes poked in the lid.
“Now now, no need to be so upset. I’ll get a second cage all set up and ready for you soon enough. You won’t be in there for long. Let’s just hope your friend makes good on its promise and I’m sure you’ll be right as rain!”
You walk back to the room holding ‘Callie’ and sit down in front of its cage.
“Now, let’s get started, shall we?”