Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

‎For as long as Eishia could remember, she was always in the center of the spotlight due to her soft doll-like features and quiet personality. Despite that, she never liked the attention, but her handler, on the other hand, loved it. 

‎Her handler would always dress Eishia up and bring her to events or into commercials that Eishia hated, but she couldn't do anything other than let her owner drag her around.

‎Eishia always cried to her brother privately whenever she couldn't handle her own emotions in public. 

‎Nigeh, their handler hated it whenever she cried, calling her overly sensitive for a doll. Her brother, on the other hand, always watches in silence, while helping Eishia wipe away her pitiful tears.

‎August, that was her brother's name. Eishia remembered him as someone energetic and brave but at the same time, he was secretly as pitiful and pathetic as she was.

‎He always stuck by her side, encouraging her to be the 'star' so that way their handler wouldn't bother to bring Eishia to unnecessary events—which often worked.

‎But despite all the encouragement, he'd sometimes tease her for how sensitive and small she was, perfect for their mother's vision of a doll unlike August, who didn't fit the Segyein's standards, so he was mostly cast away into his room or only shown in public when it came to boosting their mother's image.

‎But even after all of that, Eishia loved him dearly, she loved it when he would treat her wounds she received from their handler, wipe away her tears and sing her to sleep on nights when she couldn't fall asleep due to nightmares.

‎Eishia often said and expressed how much she loved him but she never really received it back. Not that she realized it yet, as a naïve 10-year-old who longed for his comfort and love instead of flashes of camera light shoved into her face.

‎She'd remember the days where she'd play with him till dawn on her free day or watch him draw beautiful designs of clothes, until the day when he left with the handler for the Anakt Garden entry exam. 

‎—————

‎Eishia had just come back from an event with her owner and was heading to August's room once she heard he was back after not seeing him for months when he was preparing for the entry exam.

‎Her eyes peeked around the corner of a dark hall before landing on the slightly ajar door that led to a lit room, August's room, she quickly made her way there by sneaking. (Which failed) 

‎"Eishia... You don't have to hide, y'know. Come in." her brother quietly called her out, his back facing her.

‎She blinked before breaking into a small smile, stepping closer.

‎“Auggie! You’re back—” Her words spilled out quickly, almost tripping over each other. “I went to three events while you were gone, and one of them had this huge—” She stopped in her tracks.

‎A shaky exhale cut through her voice. August hadn’t turned around yet, but his shoulders trembled ever so slightly, like he was trying to hold something in. Slowly, he faced her.

‎Her smile faltered at the sight of his expression… It was... wrong.

‎His eyes looked hollow, unfocused, like he was staring straight through her instead of at her. His lips parted, but no words came out, only another uneven breath.

‎Eishia tilted her head, her brows knitting together. “...Auggie?” She stepped closer, hesitant now, “Are you okay?” she spoke softly, tugging the edge of his sleeve.

‎For a moment, he said nothing, and before Eishia could ask again, his hands shot forward, gripping her shoulders tightly.

‎Eishia flinched, “A-August—?”

‎His grip tightened, almost painfully, as if she might disappear if he let go. His eyes were wide now, glassy, overflowing with tears that spilled down before he could stop them.

‎“You’re so unlucky,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

‎Eishia blinked, confused, “What…?”

‎A shaky laugh escaped him, hollow and wrong. “So unlucky… and yet…” His fingers trembled against her shoulders. “I envy you.”

‎Her confusion deepened, fear slowly creeping in. “I don’t understand—did something happen during the exam?”

‎At that, his expression crumpled, “I failed,” he said. The words hung heavy in the air. Eishia opened her mouth, but he continued before she could speak.

‎"'Mother', she'll force you into it in 3 years, you'll have to go through countless practices and suffer..., all b-because of me..." He said shakily as he cupped her face with his hands.

‎"A hellish place like that, our clumsy little Eishia will simply go... Poof." he muttered quietly as he brought her closer into a crushing hug.

‎"Poof..?" Eishia questioned softly as she played with the strands of August's long hair, burying half of her face in his neck.

‎August let out a weak and shaky chuckle, "Promise me something, Eishey-Weishey... Promise me that you will never let 'mother' hear your beautiful voice in that 'language', not after what I did..." he let out a shuddering sigh before burying his face into her shoulder. 

‎"I'll never get to love you again if you break that promise..." he muttered against her shoulder.

‎Without much of a choice and out of fear, Eishia could only nod softly as she slowly hugged him back, letting the quiet atmosphere seep between them.

‎—————

‎After that day, August changed, it was subtle at first but it started to become more noticeable once Eishia turned 13.

‎It started with fewer conversations,  shorter replies, he also stopped waiting for her outside her room, stopped sitting beside her during the rare quiet meals they shared. The teasing faded, then the warmth, until all that remained was a hollow version of the brother she once knew.

‎She couldn't understand why he started avoiding her. Did she do something wrong? Did she offended him? Was I really just a nuisance to him after all this time?

‎Eishia told herself that it was just because of the exam, not because of what she probably did, yeah, it wasn't her fault, if it was, he would've told her. 

‎But now that she thinks about it, he always looks… tired.

‎Not the kind of tiredness that sleep could fix, but something more complicated. His skin had grown pale, almost lifeless. Dark circles settled beneath his eyes like permanent bruises, and sometimes, when he thought no one was watching, he’d press a hand against his arm as if trying to steady himself from something unseen.

‎She tried to talk to him, to get his attention or to corner him for answers but whenever she was closing onto August, he'd always find a way to dodge or slip away.

‎—————

‎Eishia wasn't supposed to be there and she knew that, but she saw their handler bring August downstairs to the basement, it was usually prohibited for the two humans to go down there. So why would 'mother' bring August down there? Not to mention they've been down there for a while now...

‎Eisha slowly walked through the cold halls of the basement, it looked like a laboratory based on the sights she passed by. It made her sick to the stomach but she knew better than to question her already messed up owner.

‎She slowly stopped by a corner at the sight of one of the lab door slightly ajar. She hesitated before slowly approaching it, she could hear slow beeping and machines inside which made her more curious.

‎She slowly opened the door, only to be met with a horrifying sight of her brother chained onto the wall with tubes injected onto his skin, drawing out his blood into multiple blood bags. His head hung low, strands of his once-kept hair falling messily over his face.

‎Eishia's hand trembled over her mouth at the sight before letting out a quiet shaky whisper "A–August...?"

‎His head lifted slowly for a moment, his eyes didn’t recognize her. Then they widened once he realized that he wasn't, infact, hallucinating.

‎“Eish–” His voice cracked, weak, strained. “Why are you here…?”

‎She rushed forward without thinking, her small hands fumbling with the restraints, the tubes, everything that was obviously hurting him. “This—this is why you’ve been like this–?!” Her voice shook, panic rising with every second. “I’ll get you out, just hold on–”

‎“Stop.” His voice was sharper this time, it wasn't as loud as it was before but it was the same desperation he had from that day they made their promise. “You shouldn’t be here,” he whispered, his eyes darting toward the door. “If mother sees you–”

‎But it was too late as the two's head slowly turned towards the door where their handler stood, slowly clapping with her eight arms before letting out a chirping like hum.

‎Eishia instinctively moved in front of August which proves to obviously be a useless attempt.

‎“How disobedient,” their 'mother' or Nigeh mused as it stepped closer. “Sneaking into places you don’t belong… meddling with things you don’t understand.”

‎“Stop this!” Eishia’s voice broke despite her effort to steady it. “He’s—he’s not—he’s not something you can just use!”

‎"Who are you to tell me what I'm doing is wrong, human? Your older brother doesn't seem to mind, so this was simply his choice!" the handler screeched as its slimy finger jabbed Eishia's chest, making her stumbling slightly back onto August's side.

‎Eishia looked up at her owner in defiance despite the tears starting to swell in her eyes. Her arms trembling as she continues to keep them outstretched to keep August behind her.

‎August's fingers twitched weakly behind her, "Don't, Eishia..." he murmured, trying to get Eishia to stay out of it. 

‎But Eishia remained stubborn and didn't stop, "Let him go!" she cried. "Take me instead! Just let him go!" 

‎Silence filled in the cold room. August was about to stop Eishia but before he could, their handler started giggling, looking down at the two blond siblings with a mix of rage and amusement.

‎“Oh?” the handler’s gaze sharpened, interest flickering. “You’re offering yourself so easily?”

‎Eishia stiffened as she nodded tentatively, "I–If i do, will you let go of him...?" she looked up at her owner expectedly. 

‎The handler stepped closer, crouching slightly to meet her eye level. “I will consider it,” it said. “On one condition.”

‎Eishia’s heart pounded. “What condition…?”

‎The handler’s smile widened into a creepy stretch. “Sing.”

‎The word felt heavier than it should have. Eishia’s breath hitched, her tears slowly starting to descend down her cheeks. 

‎“No…” August’s voice came out strained, barely holding together. “Don’t. Eishia, don’t–”

‎A scream escaped from August's mouth as the handler activated the collar around his neck to electrocute him, cutting him off. 

‎Before Eishia could react, the handler had already cupped Eishia's face tightly in his slimy hand, its sharp nails threatening to pierce into her skin. "I said sing, you lowlife... You don't want your precious brother to die now, do you?" 

‎Tears flooded out of her eyes as she frantically tried to pull away but August's scream only became louder the more she struggled.

‎Eishia's lips trembled as she started singing louder over his screams, the handler's grip tighten as it's bloodless beady eyes stared down at the pitiful yet satisfying sight. It snorted a laugh before turning off August's collar and finally letting go of Eishia.

‎Without a warning, two servants appeared by the handler's side before getting hold of Eishia to drag her out of the cold room.

‎“Prepare her,” the handler ordered calmly. “She’ll be taking the Anakt Garden entry exam.”

‎“No–!” Eishia cried out, fighting against their grip. “Auggie–!”

‎Eishia sobbed and thrashed against the servants grip, August could only watch with a hollow expression as he hears her pleas for August.

‎The door between them finally shut, making it the last time they'll ever see each other once again.

‎—————

‎The servants dragged the thrashing girl into her room, stripping the young girl out of her usual clothing into a puffy, uncomfortable and thick dress as they ignored her cries and pleas.

‎The material scratched against her skin with every small movement, the tightness around her chest making it harder to breathe. Ribbons were pulled, tied, adjusted: too tight, too neat, too perfect.

‎“Stop–” her voice came out hoarse, barely holding together. “It hurts–please, just, stop–” No one listened. They never did.

‎Her hair was brushed, tugged, styled until it framed her face just the way their 'mother' liked. A mirror was placed in front of her for a brief moment. A doll stared back. Eyes red. Face pale. Lips trembling.

‎Eishia looked down to her trembling hands. “I don’t want this…” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “I don’t want to go…” But the room remained silent.

‎Still, tears kept falling, silent and endless, before she was led out through the halls she had memorized since childhood, every corner, every turn now feeling like something she would never see again.

‎“Please…” she tried again, her voice trembling. “Just—just let me see him one more time…” No response. The handler didn’t even glance at her.

‎Without hesitation, the servants dragged her out of the house and towards the handler's spaceship

‎The servants pushed her forward, forcing her into the seat. The door shut with a soft, decisive click that echoed far louder in her ears. She stiffens her sobs as her 'mother' starts the spaceship.

‎As the spaceship lifted up into space, Eishia pressed her hands against the glass, watching as the only place she had ever known slowly disappeared behind her. The planet became smaller as they flew away from it, like it had never existed at all.

‎“…August…” she whispered, her voice breaking on his name. No answer came.

‎Only the quiet and suffocating hum of the  spaceship.

‎Eishia sat curled into herself, fingers clutching the fabric of her dress as if tearing it apart might somehow wake her up from this. Every now and then, a quiet sob escaped her, quickly swallowed by the suffocating silence.

‎—————

‎Eishia was awaken by the jolt of the spaceship landing on Planet Anakt, her eyes were sore and puffy from sobbing throughout the ride.

‎Her eyes widened slightly once her handler attached a leash to her collar before tugging her forward. Eishia stumbled slightly, clutching the bag the servants shoved into her hands before they left.

‎Eishia kept her head low as she walked beside her handler, feeling the cold wind breeze against her tear-dried cheeks and her numbing heart.

‎Towering gates stood before her, elegant yet imposing, wrapped in intricate designs that seemed almost alive under the shifting light. Beyond them stretched a place too perfect, too polished, it was like something out of a dream she never wanted or a nightmare she couldn’t escape.

‎“Anakt Garden Academy,” the handler spoke, almost pleased.

‎Eishia stared as her vision blurred again with tears. Three years ago, those words meant nothing to her. But now, it was indeed the hell August warned her.

‎Inside the building of Anakt Garden Academy, the space was polished and too bright for the sensitive eyes. The air smelled of medicine and sweat, making Eishia swallow her fear with a hollow expression.

‎Eishia watched as some children stood by their owners and some inside glass cubbies arranged in a straight, endless line, each one pristine and identical, each one marked with a name etched neatly above the door.

‎Eishia’s breath hitched as her grip tightened slightly on her bag when she suddenly locked eyes with a girl with wild red hair and grassy green eyes. The two stared at each other for a moment as if time stopped itself.

‎Before Eishia could react, she was pulled forward, her steps uneven as she was dragged past staring eyes and flashing lights. “Move.” Her handler's voice was sharp, impatient.

‎A crowd had already gathered—paparazzi, their cameras clicking endlessly, capturing every angle, every second, of course they had. They always did.

‎“Look here!”

‎“Over here–!”

‎“Eishia–!”

‎The sound hit her all at once it was all too loud and too much. Her ‘mother’s’ grip tightened as she forced a smile for the cameras, waving gracefully, as if this were just another performance, as if this was another normal day for a shoot.

‎Eishia shrank slightly under the noise, her vision blurring at the edges. Then suddenly, she was harshly shoved forward by her handler.

‎The glass cubby door slid open just in time for her to stumble inside. The impact made her flinch as she caught herself, her small hands pressing against the cold floor and her bag slid onto the floor beside her. The door shut behind her with a quiet click. Sealing her in.

‎—————

‎Eishia kept her head down as she slowly shuffled to sit against the glass wall. The cameras flashes on her as she avoids meeting eye to eye with the cameras.

‎She felt sick to the stomach but she held it in, ignoring the other eyes of children nearby, either curious or annoyed by the commotion. 

‎Soon, not long after, all the owners finally left, one by one, leaving the children in their individual cubbies. 

‎A low rumble echoed beneath the floor as the cubbies lurched forward by the gears moving. Eishia flinched at the sound before calming down slightly, hugging her legs.

‎The light outside dimmed the further they went, replaced by long stretches of shadow that swallowed everything whole.

‎Soon minutes or even hours passed, it was hard for Eishia to tell because of how dark the void was. 

‎She wanted to cry, she wanted August to be there when she wakes up, and to tell her that this was all just a nightmare.

‎But she knew it wasn't, because if it was, then the sight of the same red hair girl from earlier softly tapping on her glass cubby wouldn't have existed.

‎The two girls stared at each other. Eishia couldn't help but wonder why was the girl looking at her as if she was someone extraordinary, someone worth being there for. It ticked her numb heart.

‎The girl's wild red hair slowly floated above her waist line that seemed too skinny for a supposed teen like Eishia. Her green eyes seemed to sparkle itself despite it's murky green color, yet it sparkled just by the sight of Eishia...

‎The red hair's hands pressed against her walls, her forehead pressed against the cold walls as she continued to look down at Eishia who slowly blinked twice.

‎Eishia hesitantly stood up before slowly placing her palm against the girl's, only separated by nothing than a thin, invisible space.

‎Eishia stared into the green eyes that seemed to light up in the dark void while Eishia's hollow pink eyes seemed to fade in it instead.

‎The cubbies shifted with a sudden, violent jolt—metal grinding against metal as they lurched forward. Then, without warning, they began to separate, dragged in opposite directions by unseen gears.

‎The motion was abrupt enough to make Eishia stiffen, her balance faltering slightly as the space around her pulled away. Her eyes widened, not in panic, but in quiet surprise—as she realized what was happening.

‎Across from her, the girl’s expression crumbled. What had once been bright and excited now wavered at the edges, like a flame struggling against the wind.

‎“No—” she mouthed silently, her free hand pressing harder against the glass as if she could stop it, as if she could hold the moment in place just a second longer. Her smile trembled, fragile and breaking, and tears welled in her vivid green eyes, clinging stubbornly before threatening to fall as the distance between them grew wider and wider.

‎Eishia hesitated as she clutched her palms into a fists against the glass wall.

‎For a brief moment, she simply stood there, watching. Feeling something unfamiliar stir faintly beneath the surface—something she didn’t quite understand, something she wasn’t used to acknowledging.

‎Then, slowly, almost cautiously, she unclench one of her fists and lifted her hand. The motion was small, uncertain, like she wasn’t entirely sure why she was doing it—She waved.

‎The girl’s face lit up despite the tears, as if that tiny gesture meant everything. Her own hand shot up in response, waving back quickly—desperately—like she was trying to cling to something already slipping through her fingers.

‎The space between them stretched further, the gap widening until it became impossible to bridge.

‎And then, she was gone, swallowed whole by the darkness beyond the glass.

‎Eishia remained still for a moment longer, her hand lingering in the air where the girl had last been. Slowly, it fell back to her side.

‎The faint warmth that had flickered so briefly inside her chest faded just as quickly, leaving nothing behind but the familiar cold. It crept back in, quiet and suffocating, wrapping itself around her like it had never left.

‎She sank down into herself, her body curling slightly as the exhaustion she had been holding at bay finally took over. Her eyelids grew heavy, her breathing softening as the dim light around her blurred and dulled.

‎The world grew distant again, slipping into silence.

‎Yet even as darkness closed in, that fleeting moment lingered.

‎Soft. Faint. Fragile.

‎Like something she was never meant to have.

‎And with that fragile echo still resting somewhere deep within her, Eishia drifted into an uneasy sleep.

‎—————

‎Eishia jolted awake once the lights blared harshly into her eyes, raising a hand slightly as the sudden brightness burned against her vision. Around her, the cubicles hissed loudly as they came to a stop, steam escaping in sharp bursts.

‎After a short while and one by one, all the glass doors slid open.

‎"Out." one of the staff simply ordered loudly, holding a clipboard as it ticked each box on it. Soon many other staff appeared to lead the children to their new dorm.

‎Eishia fiddled with the edge of her dress before looking up at the approaching terrifyingly tall staff. It smiled creepily before gesturing Eishia to follow it with its frog-like fingers.

‎Reluctantly, Eishia followed behind, clutching her arms around her bag against her chest

‎The dorms were quiet. Too quiet. Everything was pristine, carefully arranged, almost unnaturally so.

‎Eishia was led inside a room and handed a neatly folded uniform—white, simple, and structured.

‎“Change.” it cooed carelessly before leaving her alone and shutting the door behind her.

‎Eishia stared at the uniform for a moment before slowly removing the puffy dress. The fabric slid off her shoulders, light yet suffocating all the same.

‎The uniform felt… slightly better, compared to the itching dress but nonetheless, it was still stiff and still unfamiliar. But at least it didn’t itch.

‎After dressing, she sat on the edge of the bed before a different staff member entered, explaining the basic rules in a monotone voice. Rules and scheduled curfews, behavior, expectations.

‎Eishia listened, or at least, she tried to.

‎But the words couldn't help but pass through her like empty air.

‎A suddenly click around her neck suddenly pulled her back to reality once she realized the staff switched her leash collar to a mood collar.

‎Before she could ask, the staff only shushed her and explained it was only to get a track on her and make sure she stays in line.

‎———

‎Soon enough, the children were allowed outside but it looked more like a huge fake outside instead which meant they were still in cages no matter what.

‎“The garden is open. You may socialize until we call you all in again for some check ups.” The monster behind her said before nudging her forward in the cage, the door behind her repaired back into a fake wall.

‎Socialize. Eishia didn't see the point of socializing if they were all here to achieve the same purpose here but nonetheless she walked towards the fake trees.

‎———

‎The garden was vast but plain in a way that almost felt like the aliens didn't even bother to make it realistic, she supposed it was to avoid the children getting too attached to something similar to freedom.

‎Children were scattered across the space, some talking quietly, introducing themselves, laughter filling the air in soft bursts. Others sat alone, quiet and unsure, much like her.

‎Eishia could only watch them from a distance. Her eyes traced their movements, their expressions, their ease. It felt… foreign. Because how can they even smile in a hellhole like this she thought.

‎The exhaustion from the lack of sleep settled deeper into her bones while the void in her heart remained empty. So she walked farther from the children and loud noises.

‎Soon the voices faded in the background, becoming nothing but a distant murmur.

‎———

‎  Eishia spotted a lone tree that was further from the other trees and there also seemed to be no one nearby.

‎Eishia lowered herself beneath it, drawing her knees close to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs. Slowly, she buried her face into the fabric of her uniform.

‎The faint scent of detergent filled her senses. I smelt clean and artificial. Nothing like her home.

‎Her fingers tightened slightly around her arms as she stiffened her sobs “…August…” His name barely made it past her lips as she quickly forced herself to hold in the tears.

‎———

‎Suddenly, a soft sound beside her broke through it—A small huff.

‎Eishia stiffened slightly and slowly lifted her head just enough to glance over her arm. Time seemed to freeze despite the winds blowing through Eishia's short blond hair.

‎———

‎It was undeniably the familiar red, messy and bright hair along with those unmistakably same, beautiful shade of green, sparkling even under the fake daylight. It was the girl from before.

‎But this time, she was grinning widely and unapologetically.

‎Her cheeks slightly pink as she tilted her head, studying Eishia like she had been searching for her all along.

‎“I finally found you, snow princess!” Her voice burst out, full of energy as she pointed directly at Eishia.

‎Eishia blinked twice slowly, completely caught off guard. “…Snow… princess…?” she repeated softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

‎The girl nodded eagerly, her grin somehow growing even wider.

‎“Yeah! You look just like one, from the stories!” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

‎Eishia stared at her with a mix of surprise and confusion.

‎And yet, something small stirred in her chest. It was faint, fragile but warm. It caught her off guard more than anything else.

‎Her lips parted slightly and before she could stop it—a soft sound escaped her.

‎A chuckle, quiet and genuine. For the first time in what felt like forever.

‎Eishia blinked again, almost surprised at herself.

‎The girl’s eyes lit up instantly. “There it is!” she said, leaning in slightly. “You can smile!”

‎Eishia’s fingers tightened slightly around her sleeve, her expression softening just a little.

‎The emptiness was still there.

‎The exhaustion.

‎The ache.

‎But for a brief moment, it didn’t feel as heavy as she'd expected.

‎“…Eishia,” she murmured quietly after a pause, her voice still soft. “That’s my name.”

‎The girl beamed. “The name’s Riyo! I’m glad I found you, Eishia.” She placed her hand over Eishia gently with that dazzling smile on her face.

‎And somehow—Eishia was too.

Chapter Text

Riyo stared blankly at the aliens that stood before her at a menacing heights, in contrast to the human toddler. Riyo gripped the broken and limp body of her father while feeling the weight of his scissors in her other hand. His blood was splattered everywhere, including on Riyo's face and her thin trembling figure.
‎
‎Tears started to overflow in her eyes as she hugged the corpse tightly, her lips trembled before her wails gave out loudly. Her streaming tears washed away some blood, leaving her face a mess of tears and blood.
‎
‎One of the aliens before her giggled as it slowly pulled away from the crushed body of Riyo's father. "Oh you poor thing... Was that your caretaker? I might've crushed them, silly me... Oh dear, how adorable it is when your specimens weep! Come live with us, you'll definitely be loved there...!"
‎
‎Riyo couldn't understand what they were saying but it sounded like she didn't have much of a choice as one of them pulled her away from her father's body, losing her desperate grip.
‎
‎After that, it was all a blur but all Riyo could remember was the warm cloth-like tentacles gripping her small frame as it pulls her in and away from her father, cutting her oxygen into a fade as it pulls her vision darker into a dark space.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Riyo finds herself softly floating underwater in front of the same alien kind that 'took' her in, mesmerized by its beautiful hues of pink and white as it's warm cloth slowly extended towards Riyo.
‎
‎"Oh look..! Our sweet Riyo is swimming..!"
‎"Our cutie Riyo, so precious and adorable...!" They gushed in union.
‎
‎All that Riyo could think was, I'm loved, I'm finally loved... As she embraces the cloth with giggles, all her 'mothers' gather around her, praising how adorable she is and how she'll definitely be a great asset in the future.
‎
‎While wrapped in her 'mother's' warm embrace, a little jellyfish swam by. Ever the curious specimen, Riyo reached out for it and attempted to bite onto it.
‎
‎But before she could, one of the 'mother' swatted the jellyfish away from Riyo's grasp, giggling as it pulled on Riyo's cheek, "Oh, how cute, but that's not food, our precious Riyo~!"
‎
‎Riyo felt something bloom in her heart, tightening her chest, she didn't know what it was but she knew it was a strong feeling—could this be happiness? Love perhaps?—Nonetheless, she still giggled with glee, floating happily in the water.
‎
‎"Oh my... Look, she's trying to hold her breath, how adorable..!" One of them pointed out at Riyo's action of covering her mouth over her nose, bubbles slowly gurgling as she tries to keep conscious.
‎
‎Another chimed in, "Our Riyo is so adorable! Yet so pitiful... Such a shame, these specimens aren't meant to live long in water like us, i suggest we make an air bubble for our lovely Riyo...!" before it started summoning an air bubble around Riyo's body, letting her gasp for air before letting out a fit of giggles which entertained her 'mothers' quite well and getting called 'adorable' all over again.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎*SWOSH* *SLOSH* *sigh...*
‎
‎Boring... Riyo quietly muttered as she moved slightly inside her 'home' that was beginning to become too small and depressing for the growing Riyo (now 13 years old.)
‎
‎She stared into the dark sea around her  before playing with her hair out of sheer boredom. No one was there to entertain her and all of her 'mothers' were either traveling to another planet or dealing with some unattended business.
‎
‎She glances at the floating screen beside her as she fixed her long red hair into double fishtail braids. She decided to give the screen another try while she waited, she looked through endless news and media that mostly contained aliens' pets or so on when she stopped at a particular yet familiar video.
‎
‎Without hesitation, she clicks on it and watches it. There were two human pets singing on the stage, but they sang with desperation and fake-enthusiasm much like the previous rounds Riyo watched before. And just as Riyo expected, the loser gets shot in the neck, blood splattering onto the other contestant's cheek and the floor.
‎
‎Riyo only sighed disappointedly, crossing her arms as she slowly looked around, I wonder... she thought before clicking onto videos of past rounds. She knew what she was watching could cause her 'mothers' to spiral if they found out. After all, their 'adorable' daughter could never watch something as dark and horrid as this over and over again. It's unstable.
‎
‎But Riyo couldn't help herself, whenever her 'mothers' call her adorable, she hated it, not because it was embarrassing or anything, it was almost suffocating... Riyo's fingers slowly thread between the ends of her hair, looking down at her long and wild red hair.
‎
‎She remembered crying as her 'mothers' gather around her, they kept pulling on her hair harshly, commenting how 'adorable' she looked with those pitiful tears in her eyes. She kept on begging for them to let go but her sobs muted the words. She felt her vision blur to the intense headache she felt from the tugging.
‎
‎Before she passed out, she heard her 'mothers' quietly apologize, but it didn't sound genuine with how much they were giggling before they finally let go of Riyo's hair, letting her succumb to her fatigue.
‎
‎Riyo finally snapped back to reality once she felt the slight ripple in the water, she switched off the screen and undid her braids. Once everything was back in place, Shine, her main 'mother' appeared, humming gently as it held Riyo's bubble in its hands,
‎
‎"My dearest Riyo... Have you been a good girl while we were gone~?" It cooed teasingly as its cloth-like tentacles wrap around the bubble, covering Riyo's view of the dark sea and instead just hues of light pink. "We missed you so much, our daughter..."
‎
‎Riyo bit the inside of her mouth as she forced a cheerful smile on her lips, "Yes, 'mother'! It's good to see you again! It was sooo boring here without you all!" she exclaimed with a giggle.
‎
‎The alien laughed softly as well, the violet gem on its forehead glint slightly in the messy hues of pink. Riyo sighed softly before looking at the alien with a straight expression, "Mother Shine, may i request something for my 14th birthday?" she asked without any hesitation. This is my last shot to not be crushed. My last shot to be free...
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Riyo rocked back and forth on her heels as she waited patiently near the main entrance of the academy, her piles of bags were held with care by the other 3 'mothers' while she stood nearby, holding that huge grin on her face.
‎
‎Passing children and their owners looked at Riyo with curiosity and somewhat pity for how innocent she looked.
‎
‎Despite the looks, she only gaved them a smile that made them uncomfortable and turn to look away. She held back her giggles at the sight of making them uncomfortable just by her 'adorable' and 'innocent' act, she felt like in power.
‎
‎But that feeling was short-lived as Shine appeared and brought Riyo to her glass cubicle but before Riyo could simply just go inside without looking back, her 4 'mothers' huddled around her and pulled her into a warm hug, weeping softly as they clung to Riyo.
‎
‎Riyo could only stand quietly as they weep and whisper her reassurances that she honestly felt unnecessary but nonetheless she endure it till they finally let go of her.
‎
‎"Be careful in there, my Riyo... It'll only ache my eight hearts to see you gone on screen... So remember, strive for the win and return to me safety..." Shine softly cautioned through her tears, damping her tentacles as she attempt to wipe them away.
‎
‎"I promise, mother Shine." Riyo answered somberly before turning around to step inside the cubicle when her eyes and her body suddenly stopped at the sight of a particular girl.
‎
‎The girl had short light blonde hair with outward-curling wispy ends, making her soft pink eyes stand out amist the light room yet dark atmosphere.
‎
‎Something stirred inside Riyo's heart but she couldn't identify it. It wasn't the same as the suffocating feeling she had with her 'mothers', no. Instead, it felt as if the girl flickered a small spark inside Riyo's heart.
‎
‎Before the girl could muster a proper wave, she was already tugged forward into a crowd of paparazzi surrounding who could possibly be her owner, disappearing from the green eyes' sight.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Riyo twirled the scissors in hand as she stared into the dark void that cloaked her dimly lit cubicle. The warm blanket wrapped around her kept her from shivering from how cold it was in there.
‎
‎She was starting to feel utterly bored, even with all the objects and activities her 'mothers' prepared inside one of her suitcases before hand.
‎
‎Then unexpectedly for Riyo, she started thinking of home, the same home she resented living in and yet here she was, missing it.
‎
‎She wasn't in the right mind from what she can tell, so she assumed it was just because of the lack of sleep she got.
‎
‎So she reluctantly laid down against the cold glass floor, letting the blanket warm her up after a while.
‎
‎She tried to sleep but the nagging feeling of wanting to go back home lingered and eventually, she felt tears prickled down her cheeks. She tried to hold in her sobs in but she couldn't, which resulted to her sobbing quietly inside her blanket for who knows how long.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Eventually she heard another cubicle move close to her's. She slowly peaked her head out and was taken aback to be met with the sight of the very same girl from earlier.
‎
‎Riyo slowly stood up and stepped closer to the glass separating them, the girl seemed to be down, so in an attempt to pull her out of it, Riyo tapped on the glass as she hoped the girl would pay attention.
‎
‎Expectedly, the girl slowly turned to look at Riyo, tears were formed in her eyes but she slowly blinked it away.
‎
‎Riyo was mesmerized at the close up sight of the girl, she felt the familiar spark inside her heart once more as she pressed both her hands and forehead against the glass wall.
‎
‎She watched in adoration as the blonde slowly stood up and copied her actions, their hands placed on one another, inches away.
‎
‎The two continue to observe the other's eyes, from the color and from how much it seemed to contrast between the shine and dullness in each eyes'.
‎
‎Riyo smiled brightly as she felt her heart thump quickly against her chest, this was it, she finally found someone worth crushing...
‎
‎She quickly snapped out of her fantasy once the cubbies lurched forward, slowly separating the two. Riyo was taken aback, she had just met the perfect one, she couldn't just let go.
‎
‎In a pathetic attempt, Riyo tried to reach out by pressing her hands harder against the glass wall, holding back her obvious tears.
‎
‎"No—!" She yelled, echoing within her glass cubicle as she watch the girl's cubby slowly drift away.
‎
‎The girl looked at Riyo with sympathy before slowly waving her goodbye. Normally Riyo would've hated being pitied on but surprisingly she waved back desperately unintentionally.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Riyo slumped onto her knees as she stared at the direction where the girl disappeared into.
‎
‎She let out a soft sigh as she slowly resigned herself back into her blanket cocoon, tracing the round edges of her scissors as she slipped into a deep slumber from exhaustion.
‎
‎—————
‎
‎Riyo didn't like waiting, especially after promising herself to find the girl that reminded her a lot like a princess from a story book Shine once read to her.
‎
‎The moment the staff said they were allowed into the garden, she was already halfway out the door. She could hear the staff's warnings muffle from behind as she continues to run to where most of the children were gathered.
‎
‎Once she finally got there and slowed down, she was completely winded but that didn't stop her from looking around to catch a glimpse of light blonde hair or the mesmerizing pink eyes.
‎
‎Riyo spun in a small circle, her eyes scanning everything quickly, almost frantically. Her red hair bounced with each movement and her green eyes remained  sharp—searching.
‎
‎“…Where is she…?” she muttered, standing on her tiptoes as if that would help. But the amount of teens gathered around within that proximity made it extremely hard to find the exact silhouette.
‎
‎Soon, she started to jog through the field, weaving past groups of children, ignoring the curious looks they gave her.
‎
‎She checked everywhere, from the benches, the flower beds of the same red flowers and the anakt statue.
‎
‎"You have to be here, there's no way i must've imagined you..." She muttered quietly to herself before accidentally bumping into someone.
‎
‎She stumbled backward slightly as she let out a playful 'oof'. Urgh, talk about bad luck on the first day out of any days! She thought before lifting her head to meet the person she accidentally bump into.
‎
‎It was a tall boy with blond hair and a brown peek-a-boo underneath. What made him more stand out was his unique looking eyebrows which piqued her interest.
‎
‎"Ah, are ya alright, miss?" The boy quietly asked with concern as he met Riyo's eyes. He looked around her age so she simply put on a grin and gave two thumbs up.
‎
‎"I'm a-okay! I gotta say, sick features you got there. Oh, love the accent!" She teased as she mimicked gun fingers at him.
‎
‎The boy's face turned slightly flustered before switching back to somewhat attempt to be nonchalant as he cleared his throat. "O-oh, appreciate the compliment, I s'pose... Name's Zanka, ja. How 'bout you, then?"
‎
‎"Riyo! Riyo Reaper, aka, the scissor sister." Riyo teased as she watched Zanka chuckle at her playful introduction.
‎
‎The two soon got to know each other for a short while before she suddenly asked if he had saw a girl with the exact features she memorized from earlier.
‎
‎Zanka was expectedly helpful as he instead took her to the girl she's been dying to see after hours.
‎
‎Soon the two part ways as she made her way (more like ran) toward the princess, like a desperate knight in shining armor.
‎
‎She slowed just before reaching the tree, dropping down beside the girl with a soft huff as she sat, tilting her head slightly while studying her.
‎
‎The girl looked at her in surprised, not expecting Riyo to really find her in a secluded area.
‎
‎"I finally found you, snow princess!" Riyo beamed with glee with her finger pointed directly at the blonde girl as she took in the slightly flushed and soft features of the girl.
‎
‎"... Snow... Princess..?" The girl quietly repeated with a perplexed look on her face. My, even her voice suited of a princess Riyo thought as she giggled.
‎
‎Riyo nodded as she grin wider, "Yeah! You look just like one, from the stories!” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
‎
‎The blonde could only stare at her with a mix of surprise and confusion which made Riyo really want to hold back from the cuteness aggression.
‎
‎Then, the girl's lips parted slightly and before Riyo could react—A soft chuckle escaped her. The girl blinked again, almost surprised at herself.
‎
‎Riyo's eyes lit up instantly. “There it is!” she said, leaning in slightly with a chuckle. “You can smile!”
‎
‎“…Eishia,” the girl murmured quietly after a pause, her voice still soft. “That’s my name.”
‎
‎Riyo felt over the moon and immediately beamed, “The name’s Riyo! I’m glad I found you, Eishia.” She placed her hand over Eishia gently with that dazzling smile on her face.
‎
‎Riyo felt her heart thump quickly once again as she relaxed beside Eishia.
‎
‎She didn't know whether the thumping meant she was simply happy to finally find someone to crush or whether she was afraid of something, but she couldn't tell so she decided to simply play the part on why she choose to be here, to be the crusher. To be the one in control...