Chapter Text
It had been a long day. At least, that’s what it felt like. Every day felt like a long day. The pair could barely keep out of trouble in the year they’d known each other. They were only kids, it was unfair that they had to clean their own scraped knees, skinned arms, and bloodied knuckles. The only comfort they could turn to was each other, their shoulders pressed together, hands interlocked tightly like a lifeline. Arin’s head resting on Sora’s shoulder, the rest of his weight leaning into her, as if the effort of holding himself up was far too much to handle in that moment.
Sora just hoped he wouldn’t notice her crying. Silently wiping her face with her free hand, trying as well to wipe away the dust adorning her cheeks and the dried blood above her lips. She couldn’t let Arin see her crying, she felt all too responsible for the fight, so crying about it, no matter how much her face hurt, felt selfish.
“Are you ok?” Arin’s voice cut through the silence, “You got hit pretty hard…” he added, as if Sora didn’t already know that, her hand brushing stingingly against the darkening bruise on her cheek.
She took a moment to compose herself, making sure her voice wouldn’t come out soft and wobbly, “Yeah, are you?” she responded quietly. She felt Arin’s grip around her hand tighten slightly. He took a moment longer to respond than he usually did, squeezing Sora’s hand silently.
When he responded, he wasn’t even responding to his friend’s question, answering with another question, “Do you think things will get better?” he asked softly, like he was unsure the answer of his own question.
The question hit Sora like a truck. Took her back to her little room in Imperium where she asked herself that exact question day in and day out, while things got increasingly worse for herself. She turned her head, looking down at their interlocked hands, she wouldn’t comment on it, but she could feel Arin’s hands shaking. She didn’t want to tell him it was unlikely things would get better for kids like them. But she didn’t dare lie to his face either. So she stayed silent.
Arin seemed to understand, deciding on his own answer with a soft sigh, “Just promise me we can stay together,” he mumbles, “I don’t think I could handle losing you too.”
Sora nodded wordlessly in agreement. From the moment their friendship began, Sora couldn’t stand the thought of being away from him. They protected each other, that’s just what they did. They were each other’s family now, “I promise.” she let her head rest against his, “I promise we’ll always stay together.”
Those same words rang throughout her head as she knelt there next to her best friend. She wouldn’t leave him behind, she would never. Not even when she was struck in the face and thrown to the ground next to Arin by Imperian guards. Not even when they were dragged to their feet and forced to the palace in front of Empress Beatrix by the ruthless Imperian guards. Not even when the bitter taste of the blood filled her mouth. She would do it all again for Arin.
“You are two of the most… infuriating children I have ever had the displeasure of meeting.” The Empress’ presence was looming, imposing. As it had always been when Sora had lived there. It didn’t help that she was clearly agitated, frustrated by the fresh defeat she’d suffered. Sora couldn’t help but grin, getting captured by Imperian guards wasn’t exactly a good thing, but getting to watch the ‘Good Empress’ throw a fit about getting beat by a couple of kids was satisfying.
“Infuriating…” Sora repeated, “Not quite the adjective we were aiming for, we were hoping for more of a…I don’t know, Arin?” she craned her neck to look at her friend next to her, flashing him a cocky smile.
Arin returned her smile, “Maybe uhh, irritating?” he offered, tilting his head a bit, “Or frustrating?”
“Those mean the same thing!” The Empress snapped. She let out an annoyed huff that was just music to Sora’s ears. If they couldn’t attack her, annoying her was the next best thing. She watched The Empress pace for a moment, “ Whatever!” She shouted, stopping in her tracks and taking a deep breath before folding her hands in front of her stomach and forcing an unsettling smile, “If I had it my way, the two of you would be dead where you knelt,” she said, her voice laced with fake sweetness, “In fact, I would have been happy to kill you both myself!” The Empress’ already strained smile seemed to tighten a bit more, giving her a downright unstable look that sent an icy chill up Sora’s spine, “But of course you might be so lucky. Dr. LaRowe still has use of you and alas,” The Empress sighed, tilting her head, and yet not dropping the strange smile, “I am not one to hinder technological advancement.” She turned on her heel and dismissively waved at them, “She should be around to collect you, I suspect. I can’t look at you anymore, you two make me sick.”
Sora’s mouth had a sour taste- aside from the blood- at the thought of having to face her old idol again. The memory of her betrayal still stung even all these years later, and she would willingly fight to avoid seeing her again, “What the hell could she want me to do for her now?” Sora spat, her fists clenching. She felt physically disgusted even by the mention of Dr. LaRowe’s name, her stomach twisting itself into knots while her heart rate quickened, “Doesn’t reactivating the Photacs feel a little redundant?” she let out a short, nervous laugh, shifting uncomfortably in her place on the floor. She risked a glance over to Arin, but he was looking at her, his face holding an expression of concern. He could always tell when Sora was scared and god was her fear spiking in that moment.
“Sora,” he said softly, reaching his cuffed hands towards her as a comforting gesture. A bit of a nervous smile stretched across his face, “Sora take a breath,” he instructed.
Sora forced herself to inhale deeply. The warm, if a little nervous, smile on his face did help to relax Sora just a bit until the Imperian guard, previously standing stock still and silent behind him, used the hilt of their laser sword to strike Arin across the face with a sickening crack. Sora’s breath caught in her throat and she let out a choked cry, “Quiet!” The guard snapped, stepping back to his still position.
“Arin?” Sora gasped, frantically scooting towards him, “Arin, look at me,” she said firmly, reaching her own hands towards him. Arin lifted his head, looking at Sora. The fresh gash across his cheek made Sora recoil slightly, “Oh god,” she mumbled, lifting her hands to cup Arin’s chin.
Arin smiled weakly, wincing when Sora’s thumb brushed too closely to the fresh wound, “Still look cool?” he joked quietly, chuckling softly at his own quip.
Even Sora couldn’t help but grin a little bit at him, “That’s not funny,” she replied quietly, “It’s ok. When we get out of here, I swear I’ll-”
“You’ll what, Ana?” The sickeningly familiar voice made Sora’s stomach drop, all the color draining from her face. She couldn’t bring herself to turn around and face the woman approaching her. What would be the point? She already memorized every single detail of the woman’s face when she was a child. Even thinking about her made Sora shiver, “Ana dear, you’re a smart girl. Get up.” As if she were under some sick spell, Sora got to her feet. Still completely paralyzed with fear. She knew the face that would meet her when she turned around, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to see it again. No. She knew. She didn’t want to see her again, “You, uh, guard.” The woman appeared in Sora’s peripheral vision, making her tense up. She closed her eyes to avoid looking at her, trying hard to fight the tears she knew were approaching, “Help me…escort these two to the…” she scoffed, “What did they call it? The monastery?”
“Yes ma’am!” Sora stepped back, startled by the guard’s voice, her eyes opening at the right moment to see them grabbing Arin by his arm and hoisting him to his feet.
Something about the way they manhandled Arin made something in Sora’s gut alight, “Let him go!” She snapped, stepping towards the guard, towards Arin, “Don’t fucking grab him like that!” She forced herself in between the Imperian guard and her best friend, glaring the guard down, “Don’t you dare fucking touch him again,” she growled. Thoughts of how she would brutalize the guard for what they’d done to Arin flashed through her mind. What she would do had they not cuffed her…
An annoyed sigh escaped the doctor, “Leave it,” she instructed. There was a click and it suddenly registered to Sora that the guard had been reaching for their sword again, “Just get them to the monastery, that is all I’m asking you to do.” The click of her footsteps walking away was a relief to Sora, until the guard she was threatening grabbed her wrist and shoved her in the direction Dr. LaRowe was heading.
There wasn’t much use in fighting, Sora rationalized. They were in the brunt of it now, fighting would only get them so far, and Sora really didn’t want to add another permanent injury to her tally. So she followed. Glaring holes into the back of Dr. LaRowe’s head, thinking of all the different ways she could kill Dr. LaRowe. All the hatred boiling deep in her stomach just made her even angrier.
“Sora,” Arin whispered, leaning in so she could hear him better, “You can’t reactivate the Photacs.” As if Sora didn’t already know that.
“I know,” she replied in a whisper.
“No matter what Sora, promise me,” Arin demanded, “We don’t stand a chance against them, you have to promise-”
“Yeah, whatever, I promise!” Sora hissed quietly, slightly annoyed. Did he not trust her? She knew what she was doing. Don’t reactivate the Photacs, put up one hell of a fight. That was the working plan.
They were led out of the palace, the sudden sunlight made Sora squint, looking at the pavement to shield her eyes, “Let me tell you, I was shocked to discover the new architecture in the middle of our city,” Dr. LaRowe stated. Sora scoffed, muttering carefully crafted insults directed at the doctor under her breath, risking a glance upwards. The new building looked all too out of place. It stuck out like a sore thumb, while the rest of Imperium was sleek and polished, the monastery looked jagged, colorful compared to the corporate, soulless city, “But after being filled in on the situation that went on out here while we… tussled inside, well I just had to know more.” Dr. LaRowe stopped in front of the large doors of the monastery, “Something about…” she paused, looking over her shoulder, her gaze meeting Sora’s, making her freeze up in fear, “A giant portal?”
As they were led into the building, Sora started putting together the pieces. Something something, technological development, and the doctor’s sudden interest in the weird portal. Sora scoffed to hide a laugh, she wants me to reopen the portal.
“I trust you already know where I’m going with this Ana,” the name made Sora’s eye twitch. It felt like a petty dig at her, which also felt unnecessary, seeing as Sora was paralyzed just by the sight of that wretched woman.
“How could I not,” she managed quietly, “Talking about a big portal while leading us into the structure with the big portal, yeah it’s not exactly subtext.” Sora quipped, earning a faint chuckle from Arin.
“You always were the smart one, weren’t you?” Dr. LaRowe smiled, tilting her head. She used her right hand to adjust her glasses before tucking both of her arms behind her back, “So I assume you know what I want from you, Ana?”
Sora looked away, taking in a shaky breath, it was better if she wasn’t facing the woman, “Yeah, no can do doc, I won’t do it. You aren’t exactly the most convincing person either.”
The unexpected, and chilling sound of Dr. LaRowe’s chuckled echoed through the building, “Right, how could I forget. I could only get you to do things under threat of those dragons, right?”
Sora bit her tongue, still avoiding looking at the woman. She nodded, “And well, all of your dragons went through the big portal.” Her voice was far less confident than she wanted it to be. She wanted that woman to stop staring at her.
“Exactly. I don’t like playing games, so let’s just cut to the chase, shall we?” She took a few steps so she was standing directly in front of Sora, her shadow looming over the shorter girl, “You are going to get this portal working,” she asserted darkly, “Or we are going to kill him.”
This grabbed Sora’s attention, her eyes widening in horror as she watched the guard that followed them grab Arin’s shoulder and force him to a kneeling position on the ground, activate their laser sword, and hold the blade against his throat, “Wait, WAIT!” she shouted, stepping towards them.
“You have one minute, Ana.” Dr. LaRowe announced.
Sora spun on her heel to face the doctor, her hands trembling now, “Stop! Leave him out of this!” Sora protested, taking a few heavy steps towards the doctor, “Please! I-I can’t do it! I don’t know how it works!” she pleaded. There was a quickly growing lump in her throat, “Dr. LaRowe PLEASE!” She shouted, looking over her shoulder at Arin. He wasn’t matching her gaze this time, his focus was on the glowing blade against his throat, his face an expression of unmatched terror. Sora looked back at Dr. LaRowe, her eyes quickly filling with tears, “I can’t!” she repeated, broken by a choked sob, “I don’t know how , please he’s all I have!” she begged. She dropped to her knees in front of the doctor, clasping her hands together, “I’ll do anything, anything just please, please don’t hurt him!” she cried. Sora couldn’t focus on Dr. LaRowe with the flooding tears blurring her vision. Memories flicked through Sora’s head, the first time she and Arin met, the first time they’d entered the mech race, every single time Arin had convinced her to climb onto the roof and watch the stars while he pointed out every single constellation he could name, all the times they would find themselves cuddled together after a particularly long night. Her best friend. Her best friend was about to die.
Almost miraculously, Dr. LaRowe held up a hand, stopping the guard from finishing him off. Sora gasped in a breath, blinking tears away from her vision. Dr. LaRowe crouched down so her face was level with Sora’s. The smile on her face was patient, almost kind. But it badly masked a darkness that almost killed Sora’s best friend, “What was that, Ana?” she asked quietly, tilting her head mockingly, “You’ll do… anything?”
Sora took another gasping breath and nodded, “Just… please don’t hurt him…” she pleaded weakly one last time.
“My dear,” Dr. LaRowe’s sick smile widened, one of her hands lifting to cup Sora’s chin, sending a shiver through her body, “That was the correct choice. We are going to do amazing things together.” Dr. LaRowe stood up, abandoning Sora on the ground. She looked towards the guard and nodded towards the monastery’s entrance, “Take them to the cells. I think that’s enough for today.” Without sparing another glance towards her former student, Dr. LaRowe walked out of the building, the echoing of her footsteps fading.
Sora leaned forward, slightly folding into herself before a heavy sob racked her body, she gasped again, blinking away more tears. She looked over her shoulder, searching for Arin. The pair made eye contact and Sora could see that he too had been crying.
She almost lost him. The only family she had left. After she promised they would never be apart, she had almost lost him and nothing she could have done would have prevented it.