ㅤ
ㅤPerhaps she would be speaking out of line for even opening her mouth, but she needed to know.

"… Why…?"

ㅤWhen she looked up, she had tears running down her cheeks from being graced with so much to enjoy freely.

ㅤ/Freely/... right. It certainly bodes something else.

"Why yer so kind to me?"
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤOh how ironic humans become when they hit their lowest low, such a short term memory they have.

ㅤAnd yet… perhaps the safest was besides the royal remnant. If survival meant bending to the queen's desires… Akane had no shame embracing it.
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤAt least it satisfied her appetite, for now. Akane already felt like some of her energy had came back to her. How thankful was she for Sonia's merciful acts.

"Mhmpf... So... so friggin' good...!"

ㅤTo revel in the queen's generosity after living through the hell she put her through…

>>

ㅤ
ㅤShe rose the jar above her head, and smashed it straight on the ground, glass flying across the room from the impact.

ㅤAkane jumped voraciously on the pieces of preserved meat splattered on the floor, hurriedly slurping in all she could.

ㅤWho knew when the queen's generosity would run out?
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤHow could she be graced by such an opportunity, and yet unable to showcase her gratitude towards Her Majesty with this poor display?

ㅤFuck it, she couldn't resist the temptation; desperate times call for desperate measures. She will leave acting all proper and respectable to pompous bitches.

>>

ㅤ
ㅤShe hobbled behind, forced to follow the tyrant's pace against her volition, eyes unfocusedly looking around the empty halls.

ㅤIt felt so cold, as cold as her cell, although it wasn't the same type of cold. It wasn't due to the environment, it was due to the dreadful emptiness of the castle.
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤAkane was too numb to the pain, too numb to even realize Sonia's grip replaced the cuff until their eyes met and she forced her up on her feet.

ㅤShe only wanted food. Food. Food. Food. Food. Food. Food. Food…

ㅤThe voracious gal didn't care about getting out, just feed her already. Gnnnhhh--

>>

ㅤ
ㅤDroppy eyes looked up at Sonia, her stare had lost any spark of life. Her fiery spirit had been broken, and her voice sounded hoarse when she forced words out to respond.

"F… Food... gimme..."

ㅤSonia was her only salvation. She was her only source of nourishment, the one who showed her mercy.
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤWhy wouldn't she simply end her suffering?

ㅤWhy was she enjoying keeping her around over anyone else? Did she... actually care for Akane beneath those despair induced impulses?

ㅤ... Who knows, who cares. She was too hungry to string any coherent thoughts, or do mental gymnastics over that.

>>

ㅤ
ㅤBut... nothing changed, and she had to fall back to saving the little energy she had left by hanging curled up in a corner, immobile.

ㅤParched lips, hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, she had zoned out staring at the wall, barely aware of the other prisoners' screams…

ㅤWaiting… waiting... waiting...
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤAt first, the hot-head was throwing tantrums, trying to break out by attacking the jail bars, to no avail. They were ridiculously sturdy for being so rusty.

ㅤPerhaps it was merely due to being hungry. Yeah, yeah, she couldn't unleash her full strength on an empty stomach. That must be it.

>>

ㅤ
ㅤ… How long as it been? Minutes? Days? Who knows, who cares. Akane had lost sense of time down in the gutter, within those dark damp walls.

ㅤNo one to punch, no way to run, no way to eat. This was hell itself for the gymnast. She could only bid her time until all her suffering came to an end.

>>

ㅤ
ㅤShe stared daggers at the guards serving the rations, utterly ignoring Sonia's presence right ahead of her. If stares could kill, they'd be dead on the spot.

ㅤShe will bark like a good mutt alright, but won't give her the satisfaction of addressing her directly… Wallow in your misery, queen.
ㅤ

ㅤ
ㅤHer stomach growled once again as her nose picked up the smell of food, leaving survival instinct take over.

ㅤAkane begrudgingly got back up on her feet, limping across the cell to grip the weathered jail bars.

"Tell yer royal pain in the arse she's full of shit, ya' hear me?!"

>>

ㅤ
ㅤYou can't survive without sustenance, after all.

ㅤShe had no pride to hold onto anymore. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time she leaves her faith in the hands of another.

ㅤNo job was dirty enough for her to accomplish, as long as it paid off in the end. Her body and soul were never hers.

>>