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This is the last content warning. Be advised.
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Focus Aizza:
Entering the room behind the two researchers dressed in white lab garbs, Aizza sent her eyes to scour the room. Almost instantaneously spotting Shin, she saw strapped to the same type of metallic table she had woken up on. The only difference was its steep angle, keeping him mostly upright.
Shin's feet were low enough that he could almost touch the ground but were separated by metal footholds coming from underneath the table that supported his weight.
He was still sporting the old and ragged clothes he wore when she met him, missing only the trash bag guise they had before their capture. She couldn't help but feel wronged that she was the only one who was stripped after being tied up.
Shin was still fast asleep, lying on the tilted table with an odd look of peace plastered onto his resting face. Though his eyebrows would make most assume that he held some sort of grudge even throughout his dreams.
Aizza recalled how he was snared, crushed, stabbed, and ultimately knocked out by the brutish elf. She vividly remembered the balled fist flying towards her own head, too, ending her own struggle. Now that most of the confusion had left, the soreness of her body, especially her face, slowly became more and more apparent.
She glanced between Shin's shoulder and chest. His bare skin was exposed by the dagger the elf had stabbed into him, though, to Aizza's surprise, the wound was nonexistent. The history of the trauma was erased. Only his torn clothing proved it had happened at all.
She reasoned that it couldn't have been nearly long enough for such a wound to completely heal. Until it came to her. Shin's special ability.
Aizza just wanted to run and wake him up, hoping he'd be magically freed and they would be able to escape. She wanted to believe that everything would surely just work out.
She resisted the urge to test the silly scenario, knowing it was only her fear overwhelming her, pressuring her to make a mistake.
The thought of leaving Shin and escaping alone never even occurred to her.
Starting to slither away from a control panel towards the back center of the room, Zeris moved towards the two who entered before her.
She wore glasses that matched the aura she gave off, one of mad sophistication. She styled her luscious purple hair in a French braid, which fell cleanly behind her shoulders to her midsection. The weaves had no flaws, and each strand perfectly aligned with the next.
She gave a mirthless scour to the two before her.
"I expect you two ignoramuses to have a reasonable excuse to give me."
The duo hesitated for only a moment.
"Well, go on, Dr. Shardea and Dr. Derwin.
I'll entertain it since we have no footage of her leaving the facility, so she's undoubtedly still here."
Her cold words froze the two stiff. No amount of preparation could defend against the pure terror the genius in front of them could instill.
Shardea was brisk to recover and present her side, reviewing the details of what supposedly happened. She convincingly placed the blame onto whoever preceded them in the room to inspect Aizza.
Zeris's indignant mood lessened; taking their lies as the truth, she lowered her animosity towards them.
Switching her unnerved eyes to Derwin, he flinched.
"Anything to add, Dr. Derwin?"
"No ma'am, we immediately reported the incident after discovering of her escape, setting the lockdown and not giving her even a moment more to freely roam about."
"Alright then.
I already have the staff out searching. Only the elevators work, and any doors opened cannot be shut manually.
She won't know how to use the elevators, so I expect her to be found swiftly. While she's more than fascinating in her own right, she has more value beyond that.
Go help in the search.
I have my own work. I must not dally any longer."
A sickening grin that seemed to stretch her lips to the limit was quickly washed away the moment it appeared.
"I will be overriding the door, only high level staff will have acsess to this room. Keep any unimportant particulars away, as I do not wish to be disturbed. If the girl is found, just release the lockdown.
Do not bother me unless it is the will of the High Lord himself."
She stared down the two she had worked with for years. She didn't dislike the two, but she didn't share any bond with them either. They were just pawns to her.
"Well then, you two are dismissed. Find the girl and restrain her.
I'm sure you and the half dozen searching along with you can do at least that much, no?"
Inharmoniously yet in sync, they chimed an affirmation back immediately.
Lightened by the fact that their 'innocence' was confirmed in Zerir's mind, their hearts were filled with relief.
"Yes!-"
"-Oh.
Do note that I'll be occupied for a day or two. After finding the girl, run the analyses you were assigned to on her.
I expect no other 'issues' to arise."
"Yes ma'am."
Both bowed their heads as low as they could manage and lifted them back. They quickly shuffled out of the room while Zeris was still in a positive mood.
Aizza eavesdropped on the conversation while she frantically tried to think. Dozens of options went through and were scratched out one by one.
She had a limited idea of what half the tools and equipment were in the room to begin with, and she could only do so much at her age and height.
As the three finished their talk, she hung on the words Zeris had commanded.
^*Did she say days?!
We'll be locked in here for so long?!
What am I supposed to do then?!*^
Zeris's tentacles, all those not used for keeping herself upright, stirred together in unison.
It was akin to one rubbing one's hands in excitement, not wanting to wait a second more.
A devilish smile adorned her lilac lips, curved upwards further than humanly possible.
"Hehh, hehh, Heh."
With her face flushing red, she heaved labored and breathy moans in a revolting manner.
"I've been waiting so~ long until I could possess you all~ to myself."
She slithered over, stroking a thin tentacle across Shin's bruised forehead with a delicate touch.
A look of ecstasy washed over her.
"Oh Darling~, I no longer have to wait weeks at a time for you!
Heeeehh Hehhh."
Drool began to form, unknowingly dripping from her impossibly wide grin. She wiped at her lavender lips without losing her attention on Shin's features.
Aizza was petrified. She felt every sense of wrong possible. She felt mental revulsion towards the sight, wishing no more than to be anywhere else.
"Oh, High Lord Herash!
He is such a beautiful man!
Giving his blessing to me, to allow me time with this delicacy of a human!
My faithful service will twicefold—no!—threefold!!!
Heheh! Hehhhhh."
Her lustful heaves were hot enough to let out clouds of steam in the chilled room.
"I'm so thankful he gave Shin to me.
I was worried he'd hog his stimulating body all to himself!
Not that I'd have any right to protest…
It's just that Shin is a better fit for me!
We were meant to be!"
The psychotic woman talked to herself endlessly. The scene made the thought of running away go through Aizza's thoughts more than once.
But she would have nowhere to go anyway. The door was shut tight and would be so for over a day.
"-I had to limit myself every visit you made.
I was told to not go beyond reason, to not push you too far!
Thank goodness you never developed any other traits. Otherwise, he may have really taken you away from myself much sooner, Dar~ling~
Now you're all mine!"
Zeris had equipped a simple scalpel from the dish of tools beside the knocked-out Shin.
Still taking in air as if she had run a marathon, she raised the elongated surgical knife to his forearm.
While readjusting the light to a new angle with one of her many tentacles, she studied his arm as if trying to find something that wasn't visible on the surface.
"Aha!"
Zeris cheered.
Zeris angled the knife with trained precision, deftly slicing a foot-long chunk of skin off in one fell swoop. The second it took to take the sliced chunk off, Shin abruptly awoke with a monstrous scream.
Aizza's heart dropped further than she thought possible. The act was so sudden, she couldn't process what had happened.
Instinctively wanting to place his hand onto the fresh wound he awoke to, he found himself locked in place, unfocused on reality as his eyes filled with tears from the pain searing his arm.
He struggled with all his might but only managed to swivel his head. His eyes were blinded by the light and blurred by his own salty tears.
He continued to sob, unable to form words as his mind failed to recover.
-Thud-
Aizza fell to the floor, trying to scream, but her yell only bounced within her head.
^*"SHIN! NOOO!" *^
Holding the slice of flesh between two finger-like tentacles that branched off her main thicker limb, she studied the separated slab of dripping skin.
She looked up, interrupted from her satisfaction by the sudden sound of Aizza dropping to the floor.
"Those useless fools better quiet down. I'll be in a very unpleasant mood if I am disturbed anymore.
Besides that nonsense, good morning Shin!"
Mistaking the sound from Aizza as the search party's, she ignored it and placed the flesh onto a clean metal platter. Droplets of blood splashed from the impact, spreading across the plate.
Aizza let out a cry that solely existed in her head.
^*Shin, what do I do? She hurt you so badly!
What am I supposed to do?*^
She felt her warm tears land on her arm as she bent over. She was trying to reign in her emotions as best she could so she wouldn't leap out irrationally.
She would have to wait for the right moment to actualize any hope of saving Shin.
- - - - - -
Focus Titian:
After recovering a part of his sanity, he mentally let out a scream as his ragged breaths continued.
*AHHHHHH! SHIT!
*What the hell did I wake up to!?
My arm feels like it was ground by a cheese grater and ripped apart raw!
I can barely see anything. What the hell is going on?!*
"Oh, pardon me Shin.
Do you mind if I call you that? We are going to be a lot~ closer from now on after all!"
Giving the suffering boy no time to process her words, let alone respond, she erratically continued.
"Ah, besides that, I wanted to ask how you are!
It's been a few days since we parted last! I made sure to pay you promptly for your services. Did you spend it well?"
"Fuck you!"
Her face went into a deep frown.
"If you have another outburst like that, I'll have to teach you some respect, Shin."
Shin sealed his lips, focusing his mind on his cut arm.
"Do you wish to respond to me, or to remain silent?
…
Ah! It doesn't matter anymore. It's your turn to reimburse me for all these years.
I'll accept no less than your whole being as payment!"
She spoke in an elegant manner, spouting words that were anything but.
Shin's eyes sluggishly adjusted to the light, making out the figure around him.
Matching the unfocused voice and words, he made his guess despite already knowing the answer.
*Is that, Zeris?
Ah, God no!
I was captured… I let my guard down!
Fucking twice in what, three days???
And of course I was right about Miss Batshit Crazy being the one after me!
No wonder they knew so much information about me.
But why'd the mental bitch only kidnap me now?
It's been over seven years!*
"You see, Shin, I felt something profound when I met you. You were what, only six, maybe seven?
Oh, when I saw those scintillating ruby eyes of yours, my heart just fluttered!
I knew there was something special about you~
I remember that day well. You offered your very own body to me for some VAL.
How valiant of you, to sacrifice your health to aid me in my vocation!
I almost didn't want to inject you with Earrisite Substrate-2, but my obligation called.
How distraught I was. It was certain to kill you off! I had to wipe the tears away before I turned to face your luminescent face, to look into your beautiful eyes and give you what you asked for.
My research had to go on, and I needed new data!
The purity of the pleasure I felt was simply rapturous when I learned of your constitution! To know you had not only survived but suffered no lasting ailments!
My very own cute little boy, one that would never break!
One that 'couldn't' break…"
*Holy. Shit.
She's beyond deranged.
I knew she had always kept a professional facade, but she was this messed up all along?*
Shin could barely push past the searing pain in his arm. He felt the warm streams of blood trickle down his arm and across his muscle tissue. He felt the warmth leaving as the cold room did its thing.
His only comfort was his speedy recovery, which started to numb the piercing waves.
"Hoho, no squirming now, or else I'll have to punish you~"
*I am so done.
What a life it was.*
Zeris continued her story with enthusiasm.
"Back to what I was saying-
I reported the find without delay to the High Lord, anticipating he'd give you to me right away. I could clearly produce so many more results with a subject like you!
How merciful he didn't deny me outright, but instead told me to observe you for a time. He didn't want to risk your age reducing your healing efficacy after testing!"
Now able to see, adjusted to the intense flare that's assaulted him since he opened his eyes, Shin could clearly see Zeris disgustingly squirming as she watched him lovingly.
Her mood switched without a moment's notice.
"He deduced that conceivably, if you had such animative vitality, you could awaken other aptitudes as well. Other abilities, that is.
A spectacular point to make, might I add.
…"
She paused as if thinking over if she should mention more.
"Can I be honest with you Shin?"
She let out a sigh.
"I was sad.
I wanted you right then, to open the gift I had just received now!
Waiting to unwrap what would soon be mine was simply torture!
…Ah, I doubt that's an experience many receive down here.
A wasted analogy, I suppose. Forgive me.
Truth be told, I was dissatisfied with our Lord's decision.
I was heartbroken that I would be stuck merely doing rudimentary tests while you were qualified to handle so much more! You deserve, so~ much~ more~"
*Guess I ended up in hell. One of the unlucky ones who got a sentence worse than death.*
Shin tried to play off the fervent fear rippling through his body. He tried resigning himself to his fate as if accepting the idea would lessen what would come.
Zeris went around the room, twirling and practically singing her following words.
"I spent years holding back Shin!
Years!
Watching you grow each and every time you came to earn a living, I felt akin to how a mother would! Raising her little hatchling, surprise overwhelmed her each time she realized just how much her baby had developed!
The only difference is that most would have to suffer the fate of their little one 'leaving the nest.' Instead, I had to wait for you to return to our nest!"
She had shuffled back up to Shin, who was no longer bleeding from the exposed wound, his coagulated and crusting blood working overtime to correct his deformed body.
Zeris' eyes filled with a madness that made him question if she truly contained a soul.
"It has all led to this moment, Shin.
I love you.
I truly do. I would even die for you!
Better yet, I will live for you!
Until your last breath, I am yours, and you are mine~
Now that I have you here safe and sound, no nests will be left.
I will show you how devoted I am! Oh, how I yearned to showcase my love to you!
I rehearsed every day in my mind as I experimented on those useless slums.
Sacks of barely usable flesh, a disease to the world.
Not forever, though. Soon the time will come…
That's besides what you need to know.
But they provided a value beyond them, at the very, very least!"
Hinting towards some unknown event, Shin barely listened to the words she spoke. His mind was in a haze, trying to wake up from this nightmare.
Zeris used her tentacles to represent objects and actions as she spoke. Making a sweeping motion, layering her tentacles to represent the numerous planes that made up the world.
She continued on her dementated rant.
"But one can find treasure anywhere in the world.
All it takes is a good eye and the blessing of fortune.
All those years, Shin, it was for us to be together. It was for this moment and all the moments we have going forward!
Both Lady Luck and High Lord Herash have given their approval!"
Being only fifteen, Shin had considerable life experience with the horrors of the world. He survived to fifteen, all alone in a city that'd prefer him dead.
He tried with all his strength, with all the numbness he'd built up over the years, to remain indifferent towards whatever life of misery he'd be facing until his death.
But in the end, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy. Tears flooded his face, not from the aches of his sheared arm but from the realization he couldn't handle it.
He honestly didn't want to suffer.
*Damn it all!
I don't want to be in this hell for the rest of my life!
I don't want to suffer.
I hate pain.
I only wanted to live. Even the bare basics were fine!
My life wasn't anything amazing, but I still went on!
I still wanted to exist with my limited freedom!
Just because I let my guard down while I was with-*
Shin's face contorted into panic.
"Where's Aizza Zeris?
Where is she!"
Shin began laboring again, reinvigorated by his sudden realization. Shin couldn't bear Aizza having been killed just because of his mistake.
Because she chose to come with him…
No, because he allowed her to come with him.
He could never forgive himself.
She was his reasonability, no matter how he tried to wash himself of it.
Zeris wangled her thinner arm of a tentacle in a disappointed manner, giving the frantic Shin a sly smile.
"Tch, Tch, Tch.
I already gave you a warning, Shin dearest.
I'd hate to punish you since I am so loving as a mother, but you wouldn't learn anything if I let you continue to be disrespectful."
Zeris held still. A devious thought formed within her corrupted mind.
"I can make a concession this time if you call me 'Mother~'"
With a giddy and girly laugh, she went on with the fantasy.
"Heehee, I know it usually takes time to bond and switch to the use of familial names, but I'll both forgive and reward you for at least pleasing my ears~"
Unregretful fury raged within Shin. He snorted and spat at the woman who held a tentacle to her face endearingly. It landed directly on her cheek.
Zeris froze with a scowl on her face for a moment.
Shin spouted out words he promised himself he wouldn't regret no matter what.
"Fuck that, you evil bitch!"
A forlorn frown materialized on her. She understood he would be a troublemaker for a time.
"I understand. Rushing such things was never a valid option.
I just wanted to hear it, even if I knew it would carry no weight.
I waited all those years. I can wait a while longer. Time is on our side.
Since you had enough courage while indeed knowing the consequences, I'll tell you the truth.
We took the girl, 'Aizza,' in. She was quite the specimen, I'll say.
In fact, she had managed to escape not too long ago!"
Shin relaxed slightly, relieving his guilt for letting Aizza tag along. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
*She's alive and free, and I have faith in her. She'll do just fine out there.
Thank God.*
Shin would be able to handle whatever he came at him now. Well, not really, but he would have one less regret. He only hoped they wouldn't bother chasing after her wherever she escaped.
Zeris had given a pause with purpose, knowing she was misleading Shin as part of his punishment.
"Ah, but she only escaped the room~
The main gates, elevators, and almost all doors are locked down. Nor did we find any logs of her escaping at the exit.
Also, adding the fact we are miles beneath Lower Tridesil, and well~
She will certainly be staying with us for the foreseeable future."
She gave him a self-satisfied smile.
Shin's airways clogged. As if a rock was lodged within them.
He fully understood what she implied. His emotions were running rampant at the thought.
"But don't be so downtrodden! As I mentioned, she's quite remarkable herself! Not nearly as much as you, but she might be good enough to keep alive for more experiments!
Rest assured, she won't be given something that'll surely kill her, not until we get our money's worth first~
If you're good enough, maybe she could join our family. She'd be cute as your little sister!
I wouldn't be against the notion as a gift from me to you~
Would you prefer her beside you or facing you?"
Zeris shuddered, bending down her flexible and heated body in bliss.
"Oh dear me~ I'm a little excited, ehehe.
It's decided, although I'm getting ahead of myself, having a daughter and a son would be perfect.
I'll just have to adopt you both~"
Another thump resounded within the room. Zeris stopped her unhinged comments shortly.
-I. Will. Mutilate. Those. Fucking. Maggots. If. They. Interrupt. My. Reunion. With. My. Son. Again.
Zeris shot her head towards the door along with the thought.
Her eyes almost seemed capable of melting the solid door itself.
Not remaining long on the thought, she returned to her one-sided speech.
"Speaking of interruptions, you're still going to be punished, Shin.
I do hope you understand my methods in due time. Truly I do~
Give me one moment as I prepare."
Shin took the chance to glare at Zeris.
"I will never love you. You're nothing more than pure filth.
The city is spotless compared to your dirty soul, you shitty excuse of a living being!"
Without the reaction Shin had hoped for, she didn't even turn around from the cabinet she was going through as she replied.
"Hush now Darling~
Anything you say from now on will only affect Aizza. How does that sound?~"
Shin bit into the side of his cheek.
"Hmmmmm~?
Awww, don't tell me you're done with your rebellious phase already~
Maybe my threat was all too effective~"
Zeris hummed wistfully as she moved the plate across the room to an odd machine.
Shin only then noticed the metal plate carrying the large strip of flesh removed from him, which caused his arm to hurt again as if it remembered the state it was in.
Whirring to life, a small tube sucked the flesh off the plate with a vacuumed pull.
The silent room now buzzed with the machine's effort.
Shin felt like puking at the sight of his own flesh detached from his body.
Looking at the wound, which was already scabbed over, sinewy tissue and muscle could be seen through the jelly coagulate.
Flexing his fingers agitated the injury while giving him the grueling visual of seeing his muscles at work.
Seeing your own insides wasn't a pleasant feeling.
Mixed with fear and outrage, his mind threatened to fade away.
Zeris pondered over the cabinet along the wall, filled with varying tools, some surgical in nature, others seeming to lack purpose.
"Aha!, perfect~"
She whisked a chopstick-like metal rod, only that it was tapered off to a razor point.
She carried herself along with light strides to Shin.
Her mood would deceive those who assumed her actions matched the cheery face she wore.
"Here we go!~"
Holding the stick's handle with one tentacle, she grabbed a clean cotton q-tip with another, dipping it into an open brown bottle of glassy solution that sat beside Shin at a portable sterile table.
"Let's clean out that ear of yours! Keep your head still please~"
Zeris began humming a soulful tune as she went to work.
She placed the cold and damp end of the cotton tip into his ear, rubbing it around the canal.
The chemical left a cool, minty tingling within his ear as if sanitizing it.
"Alright Shin, I only really know what you are able to handle with the limited experiments I've done to you. We shall slowly step up the 'intensity' until we determine your limits. Until we figure out your body's rules~
I was planning to ramp things up later, but your outburst made me remember just how strong you are!"
She brandished the metal bar, taking a swift motion to dip the tip into the solution as well.
"Since you've been behaving so well for your sister's sake, I'll give you a helpful hint while I chide you with my physical lesson~
You're gonna want to keep your head very-
-Very~
-Still."
Enunciating each word slowly, she only wanted to give Shin a fair chance. This test wouldn't give her much new information but would offer him great pain. It was a punishment, after all.
Taking the edged bar, she inserted it into his left ear. She carefully scratched around, teasing the inner walls of his canal.
Shin dared not to speak or move, worried it'd both worsen his 'punishment' and indirectly harm Aizza for 'misbehaving.'
He was on the verge of hyperventilating, trying not to move, and waiting for the sting to come.
She tauntingly continued the motions as she explored further and further into his canal.
An idea came to his mind.
*Should I just slam my head to the left and end it?
It would be so easy.
I know what she'll do to me is worse than death anyway…
What the hell do I do?!*
With rapid breaths and streaming lines of tears, Shin contemplated taking his own life. He balanced the pros and cons.
*It's either torture for the rest of my life or a quick death.
If I miss the chance now, who says she'll do something so risky again?
I can't bite my tongue, it'd just close up before I bled out.
What cons are there, that I die?
Am I really going to do it?*
A prick hit his eardrum, and piercing pain followed suit. Sacrificing every fiber of his mentality, he remained still, letting out muffled screams.
*No, I can't do this!
I can't.
I can't handle this pain every day.
I won't.*
Shin decided it was the only rational choice to make. The heated waves of pain dug deeper into his ear, swimming around as if searching for something. He felt fluid trickling through and out of his ear.
The ringing became unbearable, drilling its ceaseless tones into his spiraling mind. With the damage dealt, he became nauseous, as if he had merrily span around for minutes.
But as all this happened, he focused all his thoughts. Resolving himself, he took a look back at his life.
*I remember crying to who I think was my mother.
I was only four or five, no real idea since I was too young to track the number myself.
I don't know how I ended up in the desolate city. I just showed up almost like Aizza, only that I was younger.
I was alone and was kicked aside by everyone I saw.
I eventually found and ate rotten scraps of what I thought was once food and drank from unclean puddles of water that tasted sour.
The only reason I didn't die in the first week was my tenacious body.
It's also why I am going to be stuck in a fate worse than death.
How ironic.
The years passed as I withstood the harsh environments. I learned that Zeris was asking for 'helpers' in exchange for VAL. Accepting the job, I was able to go to a supply drone and buy what I needed.
It was the first time I purchased and ate real food.
Well, nutrition packs, but that's already a leap forward from before.
She was the one who gave me miniature lessons on how to read and write as payment for going through extra tests.
That bitch acted just her normal crazy… To think she had these thoughts the whole time…
I went back every other week to earn money. Other than that, I simply just lived.
I found my own hiding place to call 'home.'
I learned about the world mainly through articles and books. I had hobbies to occupy my time.
It really wasn't too bad.
Haha. Hahhh…
This is where it ends?
It was nice meeting that little girl. Having someone rely on me felt a little nice…
No.
No, no, no!
Forget that last part!
Shin, remove it from your head!
Forget…
It's not your problem anymore…
Forget it…
Forget...*
Zeris prodded Shin's ear, aroused by the unique faces he was making.
How she wished she could watch the chaotic thoughts running through his little head.
"Mnnnnnn~"
She accidentally let out a moan. Her face was inches from his head, flushed from her excitement as she deftly controlled the needle.
Blood was already flowing consistently from his ear. She decided it was enough after minutes of rummaging through him. Unwilling to delve any deeper and possibly cause irreversible brain damage.
She wanted a thinking son, not a babbling toy.
She pulled the needle gently away.
Any solid structure in his ear was now a detached mush. His hearing was nonexistent from that side.
Lifting it to her face, she brought her purple-coated lips to the long needle drenched with the innards of his ear.
Grinding the rod, relishing the taste, she convulsed once again from the pleasure.
*I can't forget...
This must be my punishment for leaving Aizza for death that first time.
My punishment for keeping to myself even though I could have helped at least one other person other than me. I really could have.
This is punishment for my selfishness.
I need to live so that I can at least be alongside Aizza since she's here with me.
I can't leave her alone in this hell.*
Shin's head went limp, depressed he chose to continue suffering so that Aizza wouldn't be left in perdition with the evil woman.
It didn't lessen the pain he felt.
"Huuuuuuhhh~
Shinnnn~!
You mustn't get so down over this much. We have so many more scenarios to explore~!
We have so much time to explore each other!"
Aizza had long since passed out after watching the metal rod reach into Shin's ear.
She was curled in the corner, tucked away.
Zeris had already begun getting ready for the next experiment.