Chapter Text
"Aaahh~ It's good to be back in Bellia!"
That joyful claim with a hint of nostalgia came from the prideful warrior known as Seles, who just arrived on the single dock of the small Hetgaardian port town of Bellia, the place where she was raised.
Although there's not much to say about this location, Seles is very attached to what little it has, from the miners who work all day, to the baker lady she keeps bothering, the mayor and her bondage enthusiastic daughter, the orphanage where she grew up, and the blacksmith family who were very welcoming to her since she was little. And it looks like nothing has changed since last time, when she rescued the blacksmith's daughter...
"Wait, what was her name a-? Mmmmph!"
Suddenly, a slim hand covered her mouth as another one held her right arm behind, and as soon as that was done she felt how she was being dragged back.
Seles immediately tried to struggle out of her assailant's grip, but even if it looked like she could've gotten free easily by now, she was having a hard time trying to achieve it.
("Who's this person? How could they be so strong even with those slim hands?")
She decided to hold her foot down to prevent being dragged further. However, that proved to be pointless as she felt another slim hand grabbing her left leg by the thigh. The next moment, she felt how her feet leave the floor as she was being hoisted through the air.
("W-What the hell?! Is this a monster?!")
"Hmmmph! Hmph mmmm!"
Seles kept struggling some more, and even tried to scream for help, but all she was doing was wiggling in the air while making muzzled screams. No one was coming to help her even in broad daylight.
Then, the 'person' had stopped. She turned around to see the situation, and noticed that the one holding her was wearing a light purple robe that practically covered their entire body, save for the three slim arms coming out of it.
The other thing she noticed is that they both were right at the border of the dock, just one step away from jumping into the water, which looked deeper than usual.
"Nmmm! Plgh nmmm!"
Without a chance to hold her breath, both Seles and the robed 'person' fell into the water...
"Ah! No- Wait. What?"
Seles woke up abruptly from the chair she was sitting on, and took herself a moment to realize where she was right now.
She was in the dining room of the Viscant Manor, celebrating the birthday of her dear friend Eileen, who was sitting in front of her on the opposite side of the table. Aside from her parents, the other people at the table were guests from other noble families, whose elegant clothing and firm posture made Seles stand out like a sore thumb, especially with her usual white top and shorts attire she was wearing at that moment.
"Seles! Were you just sleeping right now?"
"Uhh... yeah. I was, he he. Sorry about that"
While Eileen was just mildly calling Seles out for such a small slip-up, her mother raised her voice to straight up scold her for such behavior from one end of the table.
"Ugh, how disgraceful! In all my years living in the high society I never saw an Aion so unsophisticated that she would come to a party in such rags, and even sleep in front of the host"
"I mean... I was practically raised as an orphan, so-"
Before she could finish her comment, the father of Eileen stood up from his seat with anger, and yelled from the other end of the table.
"That's enough! You need someone to teach you some proper manners"
At the snap of his fingers, Seles' chair turned around by an external force. Instead of facing the table, she was now facing a 'person' completely covered in a light purple robe that not even their face could be seen. She recalled having seen this same figure in her dream from earlier, as a sensation of unease filled her mind.
"You are..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the robed 'person' raised a firm palm covered in a white glove above their head.
"Umm... what are you do-?"
*SLAP*
"Gah!"
Seles was knocked back with the hard hit of a whip, which made her loose her footing and kneel down on the grassy soil.
"Seles!"
"That was a warning. If you don't surrender now, we'll have no mercy on you"
As she was standing up with the help of her knight companion and dear friend Chelsea, the opponent in front of them was coiling her whip when a large group of bandits appeared behind her.
Seles took herself a moment to grasp her current situation: she was in the middle of a dense forest with Chelsea and a small squadron of royal knights, facing a numerous amount of bandits led by a ruthless woman with a thick leather whip. Their chances of winning a fight against them are slim, but they also have the opportunity to not engage in a fight at all, at the cost of getting themselves captured.
"What are we gonna do now?"
As Chelsea was getting worried about their circumstances, Seles did not think twice before unsheathing her sword and voicing her decision:
"What else? We must fight back!"
The rest of the knights pulled their swords as well after seeing her determination, followed by Chelsea taking out her dual daggers.
"Big mistake"
The bandit leader stated as she cracked her whip, signaling her subordinates to attack, marking the beginning of the battle.
With all her bravery, Seles went all out on the bandits, knocking out a few of them with her Chroma and swordsmanship. Unfortunately, it did not take long for her to get immediately pinned down on the ground, with all her limbs being held by a slim hand each.
("Wait. This is...")
A sensation of familiar dread filled Seles before she turned her head around to confirm her worries: she saw a 'person' covered in a light purple robe on top of her, with four arms coming out from beneath the fabric and holding down her wrists and ankles.
"No! Let me-"
As she was trying to struggle out of their grip, the robed 'person' took out yet another hand to firmly grab her hair and force her to face forward. What Seles saw in front of her was frightening, as she was witnessing her companions getting brutally beaten, deeply humiliated by getting their armor stripped, and heavily subdued with rope and cuffs. And worst of all, she saw how Chelsea was being held up in the air by the wrists at the hands of two burly men, exposed to the hard whips of the bandit leader.
"No! Stop! Let her go!"
The bandit leader stopped her whipping to turn around and say the following words to Seles:
"This was all your fault"
Before she could experience the guilt and regret of her decisions, a small sack was placed on her head, obscuring her vision entirely...
"Mmmgh..."
As the iron door opened to emit a blinding light over Seles' eyes, she realized her new predicament: she was inside a dark room and bound to a wooden pole, with her wrists and elbows cuffed together behind it, alongside a pair or leather mittens covering her hands. Although she was standing, she wouldn't be able to move an inch as rope held her ankles, knees, waist and chest connected to the pole itself. And on her face, a large anti-chromatic ball gag was placed on her mouth.
After her view was cleared, she managed to see the 'person' in the light purple robe yet again. This time, they were accompanied by a woman who was tied up as well, only for her to be immediately tossed into the room floor before they close the door on them.
"Ow! Hey, at least put a gag on me, idiot!"
Having heard the complains of the bound woman on the floor, Seles had an idea of who she was. With the help of the dim light of the room, she was able to confirm her suspicions after she saw her bandit attire consisting of a dark brown top and shorts with a beige vest, alongside her short red hair.
"Mmrghl?"
"Uh? Oh, hi Seles! How are you doing?"
"Whht mmph ymm mmpgh hmm?"
"Yeah, it's good to see you too. Glad that at least they put me next to a friend I can talk to, heh heh"
Seles rolled her eyes in annoyance for being on the same room as this freak. Unfortunately for her, the conversation will continue as Carol accommodated herself in a position where she sat down in front of her.
"You know, getting kidnapped is pretty fun, don't you think?"
"Whht?"
"I mean, sure you lose your freedom, mobility, and sometimes they play with your body against your will. But hey, you get to visit new places, even if most of them are cells; learn new languages, even if you're gagged most of the time; and meet new friends on certain occasions. You look like you've met a lot people in rooms like this, don't you?"
"Nmm"
"Aww, come on. Bear with me on this one. In my case, there was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
Seles did not bother to pay attention to what Carol had to say. Instead, her focus was on the 'person' with the light purple robe from earlier. She has seen that entity multiple times by now: drowning her on the dock in Bellia, slapping her on Eileen's house, pinning her down in the middle of a fight then putting a sack on her head, and now bringing Carol on this room. It looks like every time this 'person' does something to her, both the scenery and the people on it change around her. How are they doing this? Was this the same entity, or are there multiple of them? What were they doing in all of those events she dreamed earlier? Is that what they were? Just dreams? What's the meaning behind those dreams she just had?
"Umm, Seles? Seles. Seeeleees..."
"Seles. What's wrong?"
Seles snapped out of her thoughts after hearing the voice of Liliana calling her. She became aware of where she was at that moment: standing up in front of the balcony inside Liliana's room at the castle, looking at the bright full moon illuminating the night sky.
"Ah, Lili. Sorry, I was just having a bad dream, I guess"
"Dreaming while standing up? Now that's odd even coming from you"
Liliana stood up from her king-sized bed, with her slim yet curved figure exposed in red lingerie. She picked up a light purple robe from the coat stand nearby and put it on to cover her body as she approached Seles, who made a sight of relief after seeing that attire.
"Heh heh, what? Were you really that afraid of me catching a cold?"
"No, it's just that robe kept appearing in my dreams and giving me nightmares"
"Oh. Do you want me to take it off now so you can have sweet dreams?"
"Well, as long as it doesn't come to life at night and throw me out of the window, he he"
After their playful chat, they embraced each other in a hug and shared a long warming kiss, which put Seles' mind at peace. Then, Liliana held her lover's face with her two hands, and looked at her with her dark brown eyes fixated on hers.
"You went through so much that it's already starting to affect you"
"Nah, I don't think it's any of that. You know I can handle anything, Lili. It's just-"
"Don't push yourself more. Please. Let me take good care of you"
Seles went silent for a moment, thinking more about what she just said. It is possible that the dreams she had earlier were reflections of the struggles she has in her day-to-day life, and just now started to dawn upon her. Maybe the robed 'person' was just a metaphor for Liliana trying to help her overcome them, even though in most of those dreams, it was acting a bit aggressive with her.
Regardless of that, Seles had made up her mind, and gave her answer to Liliana while holding her face with her right hand, covered by the long and soft dark blond hair of hers.
"Thank you, Lili. But there's nothing to worry about. You can rest easy about it"
"Well, in that case..."
After hearing those words, Liliana walked away from Seles a few steps, then extended her arms to the sides with her palms wide open, and shouted:
"Wake up!"
*CLAP*
Seles opened her eyes to the loud sound of hands clapping together. The first thing her eyes were greeted with was a set of 3 lights colored red, green, and blue respectively, arranged in a circle like a ceiling fan that was slowly coming to a stop.
The next moment, Seles felt two worrying things on her body. First, she felt the hard pressure of leather on her ankles, knees, wrists, elbows, waist, chest, and head, holding her down on the top of a cold surface. That was the second thing she felt: the chilling temperature of the metal furniture she was on touching her bare skin across her back.
"What... What's going on? Where am I?"
As Seles was trying to look at her surroundings by just moving her eyes, the three colored lights were moved away, making her able to see what it looks like a metallic ceiling, similar to what she saw in Dr. Bunt's lab. Then, two figures covered in a light purple robe appeared from the sides, looking down upon her.
"No no no. Am I dreaming again? Who are you?! What's going on?!"
"Please calm down, young lady. We don't plan to hurt you, and this is indeed real life"
One of the robed individuals spoke to her with a soft and feminine voice. Upon closer inspection, Seles noticed that the people beneath those robes were women with fair skin and what it looks like blond hair. Both of them were wearing glasses that reflected the lighting of the room, preventing her from seeing their eyes. Unnervingly, she had this ominous feeling that she has met these people before, but couldn't remember where.
"... Who are you? What do you want with me? Also, why am I naked?!"
"All you need to know is that we'll set you free after you answered our questions correctly. Understood?"
Seles did not like the exposition the other robed woman provided to her. Whatever these girls were up to, they clearly didn't seem to have the intention to let her go after simply answering some questions 'correctly'. The implication of there to be a specific answer to them made her feel uneasy, but it seemed to be the only way to get out of these restraints.
"*sigh* Alright. Go ahead, ask"
The two women nodded to each other, then one of them went to pickup a wooden clipboard and a pen as the other started to make the questions:
"First question: What's your name?"
"... Seles"
The robed woman with the clipboard took notes on her answers.
"Next question: Where were you raised?"
"... Bellia, in Hetgaard"
"It's a port town, right?"
"Yes, why-?"
"Next question: What is the proper etiquette at a formal dinner?"
"Uhh... not to fall asleep, maybe"
"Is that all your answer?"
"Yes. Where are you getting with-?"
"Next question"
Seles was confused by the approach of these questions, which felt more like a quiz for a blind date rather than an interrogation. Although, she somehow felt like she was prepared for this in a way.
"You and your friends are getting assaulted by a group of bandits. Do you fight back, or do you surrender to them?"
"Well, I fight back, of course"
"Can you please tell why?"
"Because we're being assaulted! Seriously, what's the point of-?"
"Next question: Do you like getting kidnapped?"
"Of course not! What makes you think-? Wait..."
Then, she realized: in the dreams she had earlier, she was in her hometown Bellia, she was at a formal dinner, she was assaulted by a group of bandits, and she was also asked if she likes getting kidnapped. Is almost like these dreams were preparing her for these questions, exactly in that order.
"Last question"
"No no no, wait. What are you doing to me? Are you trying to mess up with my head?!"
"Just answer this last question and we'll be done"
"How will I know if you are not making me say these things?"
"We aren't. These are all your own answers. We are just making sure that's the case"
"Why? Did something happen to me or-?"
"Last question: Who is the person you love the most?"
Seles kept quiet after hearing that question. Part of it because she wasn't sure if what she would say will truly come from her own mind, but also because it's an embarrassing thing to ask, even if like half the kingdom of Iidra knows about it. Still, with her cheeks blushing a little, she gave her answer:
"...Liliana Gladsheim"
The woman with the clipboard finished writing her notes and nodded to the interrogator.
"Very well"
"*sigh* That was embarrassing... So-"
"Turn the machine back again!"
"What?! But I answered all of your questions!"
"And none of them were correct"
"Why not?! I answer honestly! I- Mmmmph!"
While she was shouting her complains, a damp piece of cloth was placed over her mouth and nose, that had a faint sweet yet familiar aroma of chloroform. At the same time, the 3 colored lights appeared above her head once again, and started to spin around.
"Nmmm! Lgh mmph gh!"
Seles tried to struggle around with all her might to no avail, as the straps on her body prevented her to move even an inch. She also tried to look away from the blinding lights, but unfortunately they covered her entire field of vision. There was nothing she could do other than wait for the effects of the chloroform to kick in. So she waited, and waited, and waited some more, and still hasn't fallen to slumber. She briefly realized, that they're making her watch the spinning lights, whose colors were being merged into a white light, before she falls asleep.
"Nmmm... plmmgh!"
She was starting to lose consciousness. She might have closed her eyes or not, it was hard to tell with the blinding light. She lost the perception of her surroundings. Even though she still heard some voices, she couldn't make up what they're saying, if someone is speaking at all.
She wasn't awake for long and she was made fall asleep yet again. She didn't even had time to remember how she got captured by these people, or where she was before this. All she knew before passing out is that she had to get out of here by any means. So she can return with her friends. So she can return with Liliana. So she... can return... home...
📄︎
"Aaahh~ It's good to be back in Bellia!"
That joyful claim with a hint of nostalgia came from the prideful warrior known as Seles, who just arrived on the single dock of the small Hetgaardian port town of Bellia, the place where she was raised.
Although there's not much to say about this location, the pink-haired Aion is very attached to what little it has, from the miners who work all day, to the baker lady she keeps bothering, the mayor and her bondage enthusiastic daughter, the orphanage where she grew up, the prison that holds their 'special services', and the blacksmith family who were very welcoming to her since she was little. And it looks like nothing has changed since-
"Huh? Wasn't that prison in Canta-? Mmmmph!"
Suddenly, a slim hand covered her mouth as another one held her right arm behind, and as soon as that was done she felt how she was being dragged back.
("Wait. Has this... already happened?")
While Seles was having an epiphany, she felt how another pair of slim hands grabbed her legs by the thighs, then was hoisted through the air the next moment.
("This is bad! I don't like where this is going")
"Hmmmph! Hmph mmmm!"
As the distressed damsel kept struggling and screaming for help, she saw how she was moving further and further away from the shore. All she could do was noticing the light purple robe her four-armed captor was wearing by the time they were both right at the border of the dock, just one step away from jumping into the water.
"Nmmm! Plgh nmmm!"
The next moment, both Seles and her robed captor fell into the water...
"Ah! No- Wait. What?"
Seles woke up abruptly from the chair she was sitting on, and took herself a moment to realize that she was celebrating the birthday of her friend Eileen in her house. Aside from her parents, the other guests at the table were nobles whose elegant clothing and firm posture made the ragged-looking commoner stand out like a sore thumb, especially with the white top and shorts attire she was wearing.
"Seles! Were you just sleeping right now?"
The dazed Aion was about to give an honest answer to her friend until she realized she might get in trouble if they find out she was sleeping at that moment.
"Uhh... no. I was tasting the soup, you see. Mmm~, it's really delicious"
While she was trying to cover-up her slip-up by sipping her soup, the mother of Eileen raised her voice to scold her from one end of the table.
"Ugh, how disgraceful! In all my years living in the high society I never saw an Aion so unsophisticated that she would come to a party in such rags, and even start eating before the host"
"Oh... I'm sorry. I thought that-"
Before she could explain herself even after apologizing first, the father of Eileen stood up from the other end of the table and yelled at her.
"That's enough! You need someone to teach you some proper manners"
At the snap of his fingers, Seles' chair turned around by an external force, making her face a person with the same light purple robe she saw earlier in her dream, which made her feel uneasy.
"Uh... Hi?"
The robed person raised a firm palm covered in a white glove above their head, then-
*SLAP*
"Gah!"
"That was a warning. If you don't surrender now, we'll have no mercy on you"
As Seles was standing up with the help of her knight companion Chelsea, a large group bandits appeared behind their leader as she was coiling her whip.
After grasping her current situation, the Aion warrior realized that she and her small squadron of knights only have a slim chance to win against the numerous amount of bandits in front of them, but they also have the opportunity to not engage in a fight at all, at the cost of getting themselves captured.
"What are we gonna do now?"
While Chelsea was getting worried about their circumstances, the pink-haired captain thought about it a little before unsheathing her sword and voicing a strategy:
"You guys take on the goons. I will take care of their boss"
The rest of the knights and Chelsea pulled their weapons as well after hearing her plan.
"Big mistake"
At the crack of the leader's whip, a large battle ensued between the knights and the bandits, as Seles' Chroma and swordsmanship managed to disarm their boss and drop her to the ground. Unfortunately, the next moment she got immediately pinned down on the ground as well, with all her limbs being held by the slim hands of a person wearing a light purple robe.
"Hey! That's cheat- ugh!"
As she was trying to call out her assailant, she was grabbed by the hair and forced to look at her companions getting beaten, stripped of their armor, and tied up with rope and cuffs. She also saw how Chelsea was being brought by two burly bandits to their leader, who stood up from the group and picked up her whip. The fallen knight felt a gruesome sensation, as if she knew what will happen next.
"No! Leave her alone! Don't you dare to hurt her!"
"It can't be helped, girl. But remember that you did this yourself"
A small sack was placed over Seles' head as she heard the cracks of a whip through the darkness of her vision...
"Mmmgh..."
As the iron door opened to emit a blinding light over Seles' eyes, she found herself inside a dark room and bound with cuffs and mittens to a wooden pole, alongside coils of rope on the rest of her body, and a large anti-chromatic ball gag on her mouth. She also saw a person in a light purple robe dropping a familiar red-haired captive on the floor before closing the door on them.
"Ow! Hey, at least put a gag on me, idiot!"
"Ymmmh!"
"Uh? Oh, hi! How you've been?"
"Mmph nmmm..."
"Yeah, me too. But at least they put us next to each other. Isn't that cool?"
Seles rolled her eyes in annoyance as Carol accommodated herself in a position where she sat down in front of her.
"You know, getting kidnapped is pretty fun, don't you think?"
"Nmm"
"Aww, come on. Sure you lose your freedom, mobility, and sometimes they play with your body against your will. But hey, you get to visit new places, learn new languages, and even meet new friends on certain occasions. You look like you've met a lot people in rooms like this, don't you?"
"Mmmrrgh..."
"Heh heh, that grunting tells me that you did it more than once. Don't worry, there's no shame in that. Like, for example, there was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
The disgruntled captive did not care of what the chatty one had to say. Instead, her mind was on the people with the light purple robes. Every time they show up, the scenery changes around her, like from Bellia to Eileen's house, to the forest with the bandits, up until this very room. Who are these people? How are they doing this? Why do they have so many arms? Were all of them different different people or the same person on those dreams? Were those really just dreams? What do they mean, and why do the light purple robed appear in them?
"Umm, Seles? Seles. Seeeleees..."
"Seles. What's wrong?"
The distracted woman snapped out of her thoughts after hearing the voice of Liliana calling her in her room at night.
"Ah, Lili. Sorry, I was just having a bad dream, I guess"
"Dreaming while standing up? Now that's odd even coming from you"
Liliana stood up from her bed, then put on a light purple robe to cover her curved body exposed in red lingerie. For some reason, her pink-haired retainer kept looking at her with such focus that it made her blush a little.
"Heh, what? Is something the matter?"
"Mmm. Is it just me or... have you gained some weight?"
"..."
"I-I mean, in a good sense! You worked so much that you haven't eaten properly in a while. I-"
After the unnecessarily sincere Aion realized her mistake, the bothered princess walked up to her with a frowning face. After she came closer, the offended royal turned her frown into a smile, and stated:
"Look who's talking *slap*"
"Ow"
Liliana slapped Seles' exposed belly as a comeback for that comment. In all fairness, someone wearing an attire as skimpy as hers is basically asking for it. Then, she held her lover's face with her two hands, and looked at her with her dark brown eyes fixated on hers.
"You are the one who's working so much that you're imagining things now"
"W-Well... I guess you're right. But I am also your retainer, so I must be active for-"
"Don't push yourself more. Please. Let me take good care of you"
The ever-active warrior went silent for a moment, thinking more about what was just said. It might be possible that she's been working so much that she's starting to have unpleasant dreams, whether the things from earlier were just dreams or very vivid thoughts, which was concerning on itself. Then again, one could not sanely think of a multi-armed robed person slapping you in the face for eating soup.
However, the unconcerned woman shrugged those troubles off, and spoke to her partner whose long and soft dark blond hair reflected the moonlight of the night.
"Thank you, Lili. I'll take care more of myself, but only if you'll let me sleep until later tomorrow"
"That depends on whether you can endure Ryker's scolding for later"
"I'll just call Chelsea for that"
After the two of them giggled, Liliana walked away from Seles a few steps, then said:
"But before you go to sleep again..."
She then extended her arms to the sides with her palms wide open, and shouted:
"Wake up!"
*CLAP*
Seles opened her eyes to the loud sound of hands clapping together, as she watched 3 colored lights arranged in a circle slowly coming to a stop in the ceiling.
As she felt the pressure of leather straps pinning her naked body on the cold surface of the metal furniture she is on, the three colored lights moved away from her vision, followed by a pair of women on light purple robes appearing from the sides. She took a moment to remember her current situation, realizing that the experiences she had earlier were mere dreams.
"What was that?... What did you do to me?"
"We take that you remember being physically on this lab, correct? That's good news"
"What do you mean 'good news'? What are you doing to me?! What do you want?!"
"Answer our questions correctly and we'll set you free. Understood?"
"Yeah, no. That's a lie. I don't know what you want me to say, but I know you won't let me go even if I'm being completely honest with you"
"We are making sure that's the case, so please cooperate with us"
The simple-minded Aion was confused by that statement. If these people are making sure that she's 'honest' with her replies, then why do these clearly personal questions have a 'correct' answer? It made no sense to her, but also there was no point in thinking about it more since it still meant that they're not going to let her go anyway. So, might was well go along with it while she's still allowed to speak.
"*sigh* Ok. Go ask again"
One of robed women went to pickup the wooden clipboard and a pen to take notes while the other started to make the questions:
"First question: What's your name?"
"Seles"
"Where were you raised?"
"Bellia, the port town in Hetgaard"
"What is the proper etiquette at a formal dinner?"
"Umm... Not to eat before the host... Maybe bring some formal clothes... And that's it. I got nothing else"
"Okay, next question: You and your friends are getting assaulted by a group of bandits. Do you fight back, or do you surrender to them?"
"Again, I fight back"
"Can you please tell why?"
"*sigh* Once again, because we're being assaulted. Geez"
"Okay, Next question: Do you like getting kidnapped?"
"No, I don't"
While the bothered captive was answering the questions, Seles tried to remember how she got here in the first place. However, her memory was fuzzy at that moment, as all she could remember was general ideas like being in Alverona with her friends or drinking at a local bar, with no precise moment where she got captured or anything. Although, she suspected that, whatever this place is, it must not be far from Alverona. Of course, it's unlikely that these people will give her a direct answer, but she might get a few clues if she asked the correct questions.
"Last question: Who is the person you love the most?"
"...Liliana Gladsheim"
The strapped damsel blushed a little when giving her final answer. Then, the woman with the clipboard finished writing her notes and nodded again to the interrogator.
"Very well"
"Wait. Can I ask a question before you put me to sleep again?"
"Yes, but you already did. Turn the machine back again!"
"Aww, come on! That's not- Mmmmph!"
After her poor attempt to execute the plan, a slightly soaked cloth of chloroform was placed over her mouth and nose as the 3 colored lights appeared above her head once again to spin around.
"Nmmm! Plmmgh. Lgh mmph... gh..."
While the lights merged into a blinding white light as the effects of the drug started to kick in, the distressed Aion tried to focus her mind to prevent falling asleep. It is clear that these people are doing something to her while she unconscious, and she's not willing to give them the chance again.
Fortunately, Seles managed to hear that they were speaking faintly. She wasn't able to make out the words, but it sounded like they were talking about a person, some instructions, a certain event, a location... a place, maybe here or... could it be... home?...
♐︎□︎◆︎❒︎
"Aaahh~ It's good to be back in Bellia!"
That joyful claim with a hint of nostalgia came from the Aion warrior of reddish pink hair, who just arrived on one of the docks in the port town of Bellia, the place where she was raised.
Although there's not much to say about this location, the pink-haired Aion is very attached to what little it has, from the miners who work all day, to the opulent dark manor next to the inn, the mayor and her bondage enthusiastic daughter, the orphanage where she grew up, the prison that holds their 'special services', and the blacksmith family who were very welcoming to her since-
"Wait, is this Bellia or-? Mmmmph!"
Suddenly, the slim hands of a person in a light purple held her mouth and arms, and started dragging her back.
("Hold on, how do I know what they're wearing?!")
"Hmmmph! Hmph mmmm!"
While the distressed woman was questioning her awareness, she felt how another pair of slim hands grabbed her thighs, then her whole body hoisted through the air. As she struggled and screamed for help, they both moved deeper into the dock until reaching right at the border, just one step away from jumping into the water.
("... Why do I feel like I'm not going to-?")
Without a chance to breathe, Seles and her robed captor fell into the water...
"Ah! Okay, I'm fine"
"Hey! Were you just sleeping right now?"
"Uh, no?... No! No, I was just checking if I forgot something at home"
The uncouth guest covered her lack of manners in front of the host Eileen Viscant, whose birthday is being celebrated at that moment in the noble's manor. While she stood up among the other guests due to her attire, she kept a firm and elegant posture through the event, by joining the toast at the beginning of the dinner, then waiting for the celebrated one to take the first sip of her soup.
However, when she was a few spoons away from finishing her stew, the hungry Aion grabbed the plate with her two hands and drank directly from the dishware itself, with an audible gulping sound coming from her throat.
"Aaahh~ That was delicious"
Such action caught the attention of the matriarch of house Viscant, who raised her voice to scold her from one end of the table.
"Ugh, how disgusting! In all my years living in the high society I never saw an Aion so unsophisticated that she would come to a party in such rags, and even eat soup like a commoner drinking water from a bucket"
"Well, it's actually easier to finish it like this if it has-"
"Enough! You need someone to teach you some proper manners"
At the snap of the head of the family's fingers, Seles' chair turned around to face a person wearing a light purple robe like the one she saw earlier, holding a firm palm covered in a white glove above their head.
"...Please, be gentle with-"
*SLAP*
"Hngh!"
"If you don't surrender now, we'll have no mercy on you"
The pink-haired knight barely stood up after a whip attack from the bandit leader, who had a large amount of underlings behind her that outnumbered the squadron of knights accompanying the former significantly, to the point where the option to surrender was seen more plausible than trying to fight them at all.
Nonetheless, the knight had a plan in mind, and one of her companions, namely Chelsea, asked about it:
"What are we gonna do now?"
"Once I drop the smoke bomb, you and I will go directly to the boss, while the rest of you go after the rest of the goons"
After hearing the plan, the entire squadron of knights held out their weapons and kept their stance.
"Big mis-"
Before the bandit leader could finish her sentence, a large smokescreen suddenly erupted from the middle of the two groups, as the knights went all out on the bandits. Despite the limited vision, the pink-haired Aion and Chelsea managed to keep the whip holder on check thanks to the former's Chroma powers and superior swordsmanship.
However, the next moment, both of them got tackled to the ground, as a person in a light purple robe held the captain down by the limbs with their slim hands.
"No-! ugh!"
With her hair being held up, the fallen knight was forced to look at her companions getting beaten, stripped, and tied up as the smoke was clearing. Then, she saw how Chelsea was also pinned down by the bandit leader, who held her wrists together with one hand and had equipped her whip with the other, already using it on her captive who was screaming of pain each time it cracked.
"No... Please..."
"Oh, don't you cry now. You are entirely responsible for this"
As she heard the cries of her companion after each whip, a small sack was placed over Seles' head obscuring her vision without deafening her hearing...
"Mmmgh- Mmph nmmm..."
The rope-bound, pole-cuffed, and ball-gagged Aion groaned at the sight of a familiar red-haired bandit all tied up yet ungagged on the floor after being dropped by a person in a light purple robe who proceeded to close the iron door on them shortly after.
"Ow... Oh?, Hi there! How you've been?"
The red-haired bandit accommodated herself in a position where she sat down in front of the already bothered woman in the pole, who didn't even bother to remember her name.
"Getting kidnapped like always, I see. You must like this sort of thing, don't you?"
"Nmm!"
"Why not? Just think about it: you get to visit new places, learn new languages, and even meet new friends on certain occasions. Didn't you meet your friends in rooms like this?"
"*sigh*... Ymmmh"
"Hah, I knew it! Isn't it fun when you meet people like this?. Like, for example, there was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
Seles had already stopped paying attention by the time she started narrating. Her mind was trying to make sense of the scenarios she experienced earlier. Whether they were dreams or not. Whether that was Bellia or Cantamille. Whether she made the right thing on both the party and the battle. Whether or not the people in light purple robes are responsible for this or not. Those people were scary indeed, but what was truly terrifying was this eerie sensation of familiarity, like she already has met them before. But from where?
"Hey, are you listening? Hellooo. Heeey..."
"Hey. Are you alright?"
"Oh, sorry Lili. I was just... thinking about some stuff, that's all"
"Thinking about what? You are looking so distressed right now"
Liliana put on a light purple robe to cover her curved body before approaching her troubled retainer, standing in front of the window under the bright moonlight.
"What's wrong, dear?"
"I-It's nothing, really. Just silly thoughts that I-"
"Please be honest with me. You know how much I hate when people lie"
The pink-haired woman felt how upset the princess was for that answer. Although she didn't want to worry her, she knew how much Liliana cares for others, which is a trait she admires so much of her. So, she took a deep breath, then gave her honest answer:
"It's just that... I feel like no matter how hard I try to do right thing, I always screw up and end up embarrassing myself or getting others hurt. I know it sounds dumb, but it's bothering me so much that... sometimes I feel like I don't deserve this position as your retainer"
The ashamed Aion adverted her gaze after giving her response, not really proud of sharing this vulnerability with the person she loves the most. Then, she felt a soft hand touching her cheek and turning her face towards its owner, whose light brown eyes were gently fixated on hers.
"If you are not sure you can do the right thing, you can always rely on others to help you out. So don't push yourself more. Please. Let me take good care of you"
Seles thought about that proposition for a few moments. Even if the dreams or visions she saw earlier were real or not, they still reflect the reality that she ends up doing reckless actions most of the time, which end up getting herself or others affected by them.
So, the now calmed woman took a deep breath, then spoke to her partner whose blond hair with traces of orange highlighted the beauty of her face.
"Thank you, Lili. If I have trouble with something, I'll ask for help from now on"
"I'm glad to hear it"
"Actually, can you teach me how to finish a soup in an elegant dinner?"
"... Why do you need help with that, specifically?"
"Just in case. One can't be so sure about it"
"Okay, I will. But before that happens..."
Liliana walked away from her a few steps, then extended her arms to the sides. An unsettling sensation filled the pink-haired woman's body, but before she could say anything:
"Wake up!"
*CLAP*
The loud sound of hands clapping together woke up the naked pink-haired Aion strapped to a cold metal furniture as the arrangement of 3 colored lights on the ceiling came to a stop, followed by a pair of women on light purple robes appearing on her field of vision. Despite already knowing what her current situation was, she still had no idea how she got here, and even lost count on how many times has she been put to sleep.
"Is this... is this the fourth or the fifth...?"
"You might be experiencing dizziness and a bit of confusion at this point. Do not worry, that is normal"
"So... does that mean you're letting me rest or...?"
"We are going to give you a brief moment to pull yourself together, but after that you'll have to answer our questions. Once again, we'll set you free if you answer them correctly. Understood?"
The dizzied woman complied with that instruction, and took herself a moment to straighten her thoughts. Knowing that these people were trying to mess up her mind, she made an effort to remember the most important aspects of her life: who she was, who her friends were, where she was born, what she went through, and so on. Of course, she couldn't take too long on this or else they'll grow suspicions and might try something more dangerous on her, so as soon as she got the most vital information in check, she took a deep breath and said:
"I'm ready. Go ahead and ask"
"Alright, first question: What's your name?"
"It's... Seles"
There was a brief moment of silence and exchange of glances between the two robed women after that weirdly delayed answer. Noticing this, the strapped damsel made a smug expression to both of them.
"What's wrong, girls? It is my true name after all"
"... It's nothing. Next question: Where were you raised?"
"A port town named... Bellia"
"... Okay... Next question: What is the proper etiquette at a formal dinner?"
"Let's see... dress up formally, do a toast at the beginning of the event, let the main host take the first bite of the food... and always use cutlery to eat the food"
"Okay, next question: You and your friends are getting assaulted by a group of bandits. Do you fight back, or do you surrender to them?"
"Well, as long as we have an opportunity to win, we fight back"
"And what if there's no such opportunity?"
"I mean, if you're gonna put it that way... I guess we might surrender. Otherwise, my friends could get hurt for no reason"
"I see... Next question: Do you like getting kidnapped?"
"Not for the most part"
"... The most part?"
"Yeah, like-"
The untroubled captive stopped mid-sentence, realizing the absurdity of admitting there being some positives on getting kidnapped. She then conceived the fact that these people might be trying to make her more submissive, like someone who enjoys being tied up, similar to her friend Aden or that red-haired bandit whose name she can't remember at the moment. So, she pulled herself together and gave them a more real answer from her:
"Yeah, the most part being all of it. I don't like getting kidnapped at all!"
"Okay?... Last question: Who is the person you-?"
"Princess Liliana! There, I said it!"
The exposed woman cringed at the last question and quickly gave her answer before it could be said. Just because she has answered the question many times already, doesn't mean she gets less blushed every time she says it.
"Very well. Thank you for your answers, but we have to repeat the process yet again"
"Not surprised. But let me know something: where did you put my clothes and equipment so I can pick them up after we're done with this?"
"Don't worry about that. We burned your clothes and threw away your equipment to the trash"
"What?!"
"Turn the machine back again!"
"Hey! What the- Mmmmph!"
With an outburst of rage, the pink-haired damsel had the 3 colored lights spin on her field of view while being slowly put to sleep with chloroform once again.
While the intense anger kept her mind active for a while, the infuriated Aion still started to lose consciousness progressively as time passed. However, she managed to hear some words and names from the robed women talking around her: 'Lady', 'Books', 'Liliana', ... 'Sabrina', 'Head'... 'Port'... 'Home'...
⧫︎⬥︎□︎♌︎⍓︎♐︎□︎◆︎❒︎
"Aaahh~, It's good to be back-"
After a brief moment of joy, the Aion traveler who just arrived at one of the docks in the port stopped mid-sentence to realize the oddities on what she thought was her home town.
Across the place were miners and fishermen who seemed to work all day. There was a prison which offers 'special services' next to the house of the mayor, who has a bondage enthusiastic daughter. An opulent dark manor was set next to the orphanage where she grew up. Behind the inn lived a very welcoming family running a blacksmith workshop. She was very familiar with all of these elements, yet seeing them like this before her eyes felt uncomfortably out of place for some reason.
"Has something changed here...? I mean, it's been a while since I last came to... Uhh, what was it called again?"
After asking herself that question, she had a hard time on trying to remember that bit of information, which already bothered after a few seconds.
"Ugh, come on, girl. You literally lived most of your life here, how can you not remember its name?! Alright, focus. Let's see... it starts with a- Mmmmph!"
Suddenly, the slim hands of a woman in a light purple robe covered her mouth and grabbed her limbs to lift her up in the air. Then, they both moved deeper into the dock until the robed woman was just one step away from jumping into the water.
"Nmm. Nmmm!"
("Wait! Don't throw me off! I have it on the tip of-")
In an instant, the pink-haired damsel fell into the water...
"Ah!"
"Umm... Are you okay?"
"Uh... yeah. Yes, I just remembered that I forgot something at home, but that can wait later"
The formal guest snapped out of her mind to accompany the eldest daughter of the Viscant in her birthday party. After that slip up, the rest of the event went smoothly as she blended among the other guests with her firm and elegant posture, joining the toast at the beginning of the dinner, waiting for the celebrated one to take the first bite of her meals, finishing her food with the respective utensils, and even asking permission to speak if she had something to say that's fitting to a noble's activities.
However, during the dessert, the head lady of the house Viscant, made a rather insensitive remark on the pink-haired guest's appearance.
"You know, for someone with such manners as yours you seem to be vulgar when it comes to the dress code"
"Uh... Excuse me?"
"I mean, look at you! I never saw an Aion wear such rags and even dare to come to a party with them. Ugh, where did you learn your manners? Because it clearly looks like you've skipped a lesson or two"
"That's... Umm... T-The thing is..."
The ashamed woman hesitated to give answer. While it's true that she was an Aion, she was still an orphan raised in poverty, and didn't have access to some fancy clothes. But, even though in the last years she was taught the proper etiquette at formal events, she still used her usual skimpy white top and shorts anywhere she goes. Though, now she can't think of a reason for not wearing something like an elegant dress at this point, so-
"Oh, look what you did, honey. You paralyzed her with your scolding. Can I get some help here please?"
"Oh, not again..."
The lord of the Viscant family clapped his hands twice, which turned the pink-haired guest's chair around to face another woman in a light purple robe holding a firm white-gloved palm ready to-
*SLAP*
"Ugh..."
"Surrender now or I'll have no mercy on you"
Despite getting hit by a heavy leather whip, the pink-haired woman stood firm in front of the bandit leader that threatened her and the group of knights she was accompanied by. Despite outnumbering the single criminal, she still felt that they will face trouble if she decided to fight her on.
"She's alone, but she looks very confident about this. What should we do?"
After hearing the concerned voice of her knight companion, she made the following decision:
"Run"
"What? But she's-"
"I said run! You'll get hurt if you stay here. I'll face her myself"
Confused by that order, the squadron of knights fled from the scene, leaving the selfless Aion alone with the fierce bandit, who raised an eyebrow after watching this approach.
"What an odd choice you made here"
"Hey, if experience has taught me something is that you are definitely hiding a group of lackeys behind you waiting for a moment to catch us by surprise"
"Heh. Good observation"
While the pink-haired fighter had already raised her weapon to confront her, the bandit leader coiled her whip and placed it back on her belt before making her statement:
"But you made a big mistake"
Suddenly, the frightened Aion heard noise behind her, then turned around to see the all the knights already beaten, stripped, and bound by a large group of bandits who were carrying them like sacks of food.
"No... No! This can't be hap- Gah!"
The next moment, she was tackled to the ground by a woman in a light purple robe, who pinned her down by the limbs making her unable to stand up or even move. Meanwhile, the leader walked past her with a mischievous grin on her face while saying:
"You know, I gotta admire your bravery. And for that reason I'll leave you alone in your cell. Your friends, however... Well, let's just say I feel like using my whip some more"
"No. No! Please! Leave them alone! I am the one you're after!"
"And that's why I'll be hurting them, darling. After all, you are entirely responsible for what will happen to them"
As she watched the bandit leader approach to her vulnerable companions in ropes, a small sack was placed over the now pink-haired captive, as darkness engulfed her vision while she drowned in a deep sensation of guilt...
"Mmmgh..."
Cuffed to a pole, the bound and gagged Aion saw how a woman in a light purple robe dropped a red-haired bandit on the floor before closing the door on both of them.
"Ugh, this girl... Oh, hi there. How's it going?"
"Hmlmmph..."
The pole-cuffed damsel indifferently greeted the bound yet ungagged bandit while she positioned herself sitting in front of her to start a small talk.
"Wow. You look so calm for being restrained that. You must get kidnapped a lot, don't you?"
"Mmmmphh... Ymmm"
"Is that so? Well, how many times have you been through by now?"
"Mmm... Tmmgrthmm, hmm gmmph"
"Huh... can't tell if you said 20 or 30, but that's a good number! As for me... well, I stopped counting at like the hundredth time or so, but I believe that by like the 20th time you start to see the positives on it, like going to new places or meeting new friends. So, what do you say? Do you like getting kidnapped like this?"
The pink-haired captive kept silent for a moment, reflecting about her past experiences before giving her answer with a little blush in her cheeks:
"... Ymmm, hmm lmmtmph"
"Heck yeah! Captivity gal! But don't worry about it. There's nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to to stuff like this. For example, there was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
While the enthusiastic bandit was narrating her story, the distracted Aion started to think about the dreams she had earlier. It was obvious that none of that stuff happened, but what really bothered her was the way she acted in those scenarios: she forgot the name of her home town; she cared about her looks and mannerisms; and she acted carefully when she faced a dangerous opponent. None of those actions where things she would normally do, but... don't dreams reflect one's inner thoughts and feelings? Is that how she really is? And if what's happening now is a dream as well: does this mean she now likes getting kidnapped? Since when?
"Hey! Are you ignoring me?! I'm talking to you. Hey..."
"Hey. What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's... it's nothing, Lili. I was looking at the moon, that's all"
"Really?... Well, if that's the case then you wouldn't mind some company, would you?"
The woman in red lingerie stood up from her bed then picked up a light purple robe that she would use to cover her curved body on this rather breezy night. However, before she could put it on her troubled partner spoke to her under the light of the moon.
"Say, Lili..."
"Yes?"
"Do you think... I've changed?"
After hearing that question, Liliana held the robe in her arms instead of wearing it, and approached to the pink-haired woman as if she suspected that something was going on.
"What makes you say that?"
"I mean, I'm not saying that I'm a completely different person than when we first met. But I feel like I'm not myself anymore. I'm worried about how I look in front of others, I feel more scared when fighting other people, and I like-"
The damsel frequently in distress swallowed her words before admitting that she's now getting into kidnapping.
"-I don't feel concerned when I get captured by bandits or so, you know. Heck, I feel like I became dumber now, and that's definitely not a good thing. All these changes in my life just feel... odd to me. I feel like something went wrong with me, and want to go back to how I used to be... *sigh*"
She lowered her gaze thinking about those changes, not really being proud of them. Then, Liliana replied while putting the light purple robe on the somber Aion:
"I don't think those changes were for the worst"
She then rested her head on her partner's shoulder, as the latter felt the softness of her light orange hair on her neck, making her feel calmer.
"It just means that you're becoming a more sophisticated person, more cautious, and less impulsive when it comes to dangerous situations. There's nothing wrong about that. Also, remember that you can count on me if you want to become a better person. Please. Let me take good care of you"
Those words made the pink-haired woman felt reassured about these changes. It was indeed normal that people change over time, especially someone like her who went through so much just in the last few years. She looked at her partner on the shoulder, looking at the bright moon with her clear-colored eyes, knowing that she became the person she is today thanks to her, and that she wouldn't have it any other way.
"... Wait. So you think I actually became dumber?"
"Your words, not mine"
"Hey, that's so mean..."
"Heh heh, sorry. But you're just so easy to trick that I can't help it"
"Oh yeah? I won't fall for any traps from you. I'm more cautious now, just like you said"
"Yeah, sure. Anywhere before we go sleep, I-"
Just as Liliana was about to raise her arms, the now more cautious woman held them down to the sides.
"Nu-huh. I know what you're trying to do, but can I ask you to not clap your hands now. I feel like something bad will happen if you do"
"... Okay. If you say so, then I won't"
The now calmed Aion made a sigh of relief after preventing such seemingly insignificant action from happening. However, in the next moment:
"...Huh, did you see that?"
"What?"
"A mosquito!"
*CLAP*
"Ugh... come on. Just let me go already..."
As soon as the naked strapped damsel woke up, she started to complain about her situation to the women in light purple robes even before the 3 colored lights had stopped moving. She has long lost count on how many times has she been through this, dreaming the same things over and over with just minor differences each time.
"Like we said before, once you answer our questions correctly we'll let you go"
"How much longer are you planning to keep me like this?"
"As much as we need to. But you're the one responsible for when this will end"
That last statement did not sound promising, as it seemed they could keep going on for more time than what she could handle at this point. However, despite being already exhausted from all of this, she deeply believed that if she persisted through either they'll eventually get tired of her or someone will come to the rescue. So, she had to keep going on as well until that moment.
"*sigh* Alright. Ask ahead, I'm ready"
"Very well. First question: What's your name?"
"My name is..."
She paused for a good moment, as her mind was having a brief lapse.
"Sorry. I had a brain fart. My name is..."
Another pause came in. She was trying her best to remember such trivial fact while the robed women kept looking at her with curiosity.
"It's... It's...!"
Then, it dawned upon her. After one measly minute searching through her memories to come with an answer, the pink-haired Aion discovered a horrible realization:
"I can't remember my name!"
The restrained woman panicked. She felt like scratching her head or running away in terror after making this discovery, but all she could do was breathe heavily in her current state while the robed women looked at her coldly and without a concern for her sanity.
"Next question-"
"No no no! You can't do this to me! Why I can't remember my name?!"
"Calm down. You may be able to remember it once we go trough the rest of the quest-"
"What do you mean 'calm down'?! I can't remember my name! That is not normal! What have you done to me?!"
The distressed damsel struggled against her straps, despite knowing the fact that she could not even move an inch. Her despair was so much for her to care.
"Just tell us what is the name of your home town and we'll from there, okay?"
"My home... Is... Is...!"
Another pause happened, and her worries started to grow even more. She can't remember the name of her home town, or the other places she has been. She can't remember the names of her friends, or even their faces. She can't remember who she is, where she was, or what she has done. Only dread filled her mind after reaching to this conclusion:
"I. Cant'. Remember. Anythiiiiing!"
After the panicked Aion shouted with all the despair inside of her, a large burst of fire exploded on top of her, kicking away all the robed women in the room and destroying the 3 colored lights in the process.
"My name. My home. My friends. My life"
"She's out of control!"
"Quick, bring the AC ropes! Let's sedate her while she's still stuck to the table!"
While the strapped woman thrashed around violently against her restraints, to the point where she even moved the table in the process, some robed women went to pick up coils of the infamous glowing blue ropes and wrapped them around her body while another one picked up a bottle of chloroform and poured a significant amount on a cloth before approaching her.
"No! No! Let me go! Please! Lili, help-! Mmmmph!"
The combined strength of six women in light purple robes pinning her body, plus the draining properties of the AC ropes, and a good dose of chloroform were only enough to stop her strong struggles. Still, they felt the anger and despair coming out of her muffled screams as the effects of the drugs started to kick in.
"Nmmm! Lgh! Mmm gmmph! Mmmmph!"
"Did we went to far this time?"
"Lmlmmmph! Hmlmmph mmmm"
"No, she just has a strong fighting spirit. But the effects presented are normal"
"Hmmmph. Lgh mmmm gh. Plmmgh..."
"What about her memories... the machine's broken..."
"Nmmm... Plmmgh... Lgh mmmm... ..."
"... memories are still there... continue before she..."
"... ... ... Lmlmph... ... ..."
"... return to normal..."
As the voices around her faded away, the pink-haired Aion fell asleep once more, with her mind still filled with despair, incomplete memories, and the one name that hasn't left her mind. She no longer knew who she was... she no longer knew who her friends were... she no longer knew where she comes from... she was... lost...
♏︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎♌︎⍓︎⧫︎⬥︎□︎♓︎⬧︎📂︎⌛︎
"..."
Standing at one of the docks was a pink-haired woman, staring at the bustling port town in front of her where she appeared.
That's all she could tell about her current state: she just appeared on this town. She doesn't remember how she got there. She doesn't know what she's doing here. In fact, she doesn't even know the name of this place. She was lost in all senses, but what was more concerning about all of this was:
"Who... am I?"
She stepped into the port town, and walked aimlessly across its streets. She looked at the buildings, which consisted of an inn, a workshop, a manor, and a prison among others. She still couldn't tell where she was, yet for some reason she felt a sense of familiarity with this place.
So, she approached one of the fishermen at the port, who despite looking like he had a lot of work to do still had time to greet a stranger like her:
"Hey! Welcome back! Long time no see, eh?"
A small glimmer of hope soothed her mind after hearing those words.
"Oh. So you know me?"
"Well yes, of course! You're from this town! I practically saw you growing up in this town every day since you were little, eh?"
"Really?! So you must know my name!"
"But of course I know! You're the most popular person in this town. Everyone here knows your name, eh?"
"That's wonderful! So, can you tell me what's my name?!"
While the pink-haired woman excitingly anticipated an answer, the fisherman paused for a brief moment, then replied:
"Oh ho. Already starting with your weird games, eh? Sorry, but I have work to do. Have a good day"
"Wait! No no no! Just say my name! I'm not asking for anything else! Please!"
The desperate woman tried to approach the fisherman as he walked away, which felt more like running as he stepped further and further away until she lost view of him. After that, her glimmer of hope vanished as anguish filled her mind once more.
"No... No no no. Somebody, please tell me my name!"
She approached to the other townsfolk, asking them the same questions, expecting a proper answer from them.
"Do you know who I am? Can you tell my name? Please, just say my name!"
Unfortunately, she was met with the same unhelpful responses each time:
"Sorry. I'm new here"
"Why do you need me to tell you that?"
"Ugh. Get lost"
After realizing that she wouldn't get an answer from anyone in this place, she fell to her knees and grabbed her head with both of her hands, as her body paralyzed in terror.
"No. No! Nooo! This can't be happening! This is a nightmare! This is- Ah!"
Before her mind succumbed to madness, she felt a small hand touching her shoulder, which startled her and stopped her breakdown.
She then turned around to see a young woman of blond hair, likely a resident from this town. Although the pink-haired woman felt that she knew this person before, she was tired to ask for her name at this point due to all she went through.
However, the blonde girl spoke to her in a casual manner:
"Ah, sorry to interrupt your moment, but... shouldn't you be at a dinner party in this moment?"
"...?"
"*knock knock*"
Standing at the entrance of the opulent Viscant manor, the amnesiac woman knocked on the door like an indigent that was seeking shelter for the rain. She didn't even remember how she came here despite being in a different place not long ago, but at this point she wanted to distract the mind to keep herself calm and sane.
Answering the door was a woman she believed was the head lady of the Viscant, based purely on the elegant and beautiful black dress she was wearing, that made the pink-haired guest feel like she wouldn't fit in this event with the rags she believed was wearing.
"Oh my. You must be that Aion that helped my daughter when she was in trouble, right?"
A pinch of comfort soothed her mind. Not only discovering the fact that she was an Aion made her feel at ease, but she was also happy to know that she was a good person that helps people in need. It was a wonderful discovery for her.
Despite feeling like screaming of happiness at that moment, the pink-haired woman kept her excitement and spoke with manners and firmness:
"*ahem* Good evening, lady Viscant. I apologize for coming this late and showing up in this condition. May I still come in?"
"But of course, my dear. We were actually waiting for your presence to start the toast. Please come inside. And no need to apologize about anything. That dress looks good on you!"
After hearing that comment, she looked down at her body. She just realized that this entire time she was wearing a long-sleeved light purple dress that reached to her ankles. It didn't look like something you would wear at a party like this, but if the head lady approves then it was the ideal outfit for the occasion. Plus, she feels comfortable with it.
With two new discoveries about her life, the pink-haired Aion in the light purple dress joined the Viscant family and the other nobles at table to start the dinner. While the rest of the event went uneventful and no one could provide even a hint on what her name was, she still had a good time, and fitted perfectly in with the rest of the guests thanks to her elegant manners and firm posture, which is something she also discovered about herself during this and assumed she has them due to her being an Aion, who are commonly members of the high class.
Then, at the end of the dinner, when she placed the dessert spoon on her plate, indicating that she's done with the meal, she stated to the host:
"The dinner was exquisite. Please send my compliments to the chef, and thank you for inviting me to this event"
"Heh heh, no need for formalities. Thank you for coming as well! You helped me a lot back then, so if there's anything you need feel free to ask"
"Well, now that you mention it, there's something I want to-"
Before the amnesiac guest could ask more about her missing identity, a small hand tapped on her shoulder. She turned around to see a young woman of blond hair, similar to the one that told her about this party. She wasn't sure if it was the same person or a relative, but still got curious on what she had to say:
"I apologize for the interruption, but I believe it's time for you to get going"
"Huh? To where?"
Walking in the middle of a dense forest, the pink-haired Aion found herself accompanied by a squadron of knights.
From her perspective, she just appeared in this place after being in a luxurious manor just a few moments ago. Not only she doesn't remember how she got here or where they were heading to, but also doesn't know why she's with all these knights following her. While she believes that she must be some sort of important figure to have these people behind her, she also thinks that she wouldn't get a straight answer from them even if she asked them directly.
So with that in mind, she faced at the brunette knight next to her:
"So... anything we should watch out for in this place?"
"Well, according to some reports, there has been a group of bandits assaulting merchants and travelers in this forest as of late. But we don't have any goods with us, so there's nothing to worry about, my lady"
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that"
That last response didn't come from anyone in the group. Suddenly, a single female bandit appeared in front of them, blocking their path while holding a thick leather whip in her hands.
"If you don't have anything to offer me, then I'll take you instead. Some people will pay a good price for a trained knight or a pretty noble like yourselves"
The noble in question sensed that something was wrong here: although the bandit was clearly at disadvantage here, she looked very unconcerned about it, like she's the one having the upper hand here. Despite noticing this, she didn't know how to act in this situation: she wasn't sure if her role was to guide the knights during combat or stay behind them and wait for instructions. However, that will be answered the next moment when the brunette knight spoke tp her:
"Don't worry, my lady. I noticed that too. Just stay behind and we'll take care of this"
Looking at her confidence, the woman in the light purple dress nodded in response, entrusting this encounter on them.
The next moment, as two knights guarded the noblewoman, the rest of the squadron confronted the lonely bandit, who cracked her whip then fought back. During the combat, multiple bandits appeared from the woods and joined the fight, managing to pin down knight after knight during the confrontation.
Looking how things were going for them, the pink-haired woman and the two knights accompanying her tried to run away, but the two companions suddenly got tackled down by yet more bandits that appeared next to them. Before she could realize it, she was the last one standing, surrounded by criminals approaching her with ropes and sacks.
"No... No! S-Stay back"
The fearful Aion produced flames from her hands, as a dim sensation of bravery started to ignite from inside after seeing all her companions falling down in battle. As a chroma user, she felt she has the power to overturn this situation. However, before she could make her first move:
"Nu uh. I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Hearing those words, the noble looked at the bandit leader, whose foot was stepping on an already defeated brunette knight kneeling down on the ground with her back fully bent forward while her limbs were fully restrained in rope. Then, the ruthless woman took out her whip:
*CRACK*
"Aaahhhhh!"
A scream of pain came from the bound knight's mouth after her back got hit by a hard and thick leather whip.
"No! Stop that!"
"That was just a warning, my dear. If you want to keep fighting, then that's when I'll have no mercy on them. No need to worry about you, though. You are too valuable to even leave a scratch"
Looking at the dire situation at hand, the Aion felt a mixture of both guilt and fear. She saw how the knights fought hard to protect her, and fell down at the hands of the bandits just for that goal. She didn't know if she had to ran away since the beginning, or even what was the reason these people were following her in the first place. But what she was certain of at that moment, is that if she kept going, things will get worse for everyone.
So, the peaceful Aion put out the flames in her hands, alongside that sensation of bravery that she thought she had for a moment, then raised her hands over her head.
"Alright. I surrender. Please don't hurt them anymore"
"Good choice"
After saying that, the bandit leader coiled her whip and placed it back on her belt while signaling her subordinates to strip, bind, and then carry the knights.
Meanwhile, one of the bandits, who was a blonde woman, approached the pink-haired noble and started to bind her arms. While she was feeling down for this result, she still did a double take on her captor.
"Wait. Have we met before?"
"Eh, maybe. But you don't need to know that. All you have to know is that you'll not be alone in your cell"
"Huh-?"
Before the captive could inquire about that last statement, a sack was placed on her head, obscuring her vision...
"... ... ... Mmm?"
In the darkness of a closed room, the pink-haired captive fluttered her eyes as she was grasping her situation. She couldn't recall when she woke up, or even when she fell asleep since she no longer had a sack on here head, but she assumed a lot time has passed due to the complex ropework that's all over her body, alongside a pair of cuffs that bind her to a wooden pole she was in front of.
"How strange... They didn't put a gag on me..."
She wondered what was the reason she was left ungagged: either they are going to interrogate her later, they firmly believe that none of her screams would leave the room, or they were considerate and left her ungagged while she was sleeping, if at all.
"Mmm... should I still scream for help or...?"
She thought of the advantages she could take while on this state, while also considering the risks that would come with them. One wrong move and they'll put a gag on her afterwards, probably stuffing her mouth with some used clothes that taste gross on the tongue, or using a large harnessed ball gag that will stretch her mouth wide, or-
"Mmmngh... Anngh... U-Uh?"
Suddenly, the absent-minded Aion realized she was making noises while thinking of the different types of gags, moaning like she was wearing them at the moment. She felt embarrassed for a bit, but then realized how comfortable she felt while doing this, like her body was used to this type of situation and it's trying to complete the sensation, much like adding a missing piece to a jigsaw. Maybe it's part of who she was.
"Mmmngh... Anngh... Nmm, plmmgh... Hmlmmph mmmm! Mmmmph-"
"Yeah, it gets pretty boring when your mouth isn't stuffed with something"
"Aaahh!"
The woman in the light purple dress got startled after hearing that voice coming from right behind her, just realizing that she wasn't alone in the room.
"W-Who are you? S-Since when you were here?"
"A while ago, actually. I heard everything you were doing back there, heh heh"
With her cheeks blushing red, the captive tried to see who was speaking. Although she couldn't see much past her shoulders, only noticing trims of red hair, she noticed that the other woman was also bound to the pole just like her, even though she couldn't feel presence until now.
"I... I-I wasn't-"
"Hah hah, don't worry about it. I also happen to like situations like this. It's good to find like-minded individuals like you"
"I... see"
"Heh heh, you sound pretty cute. What's your name?"
"..."
The amnesiac woman thought about it for a moment. So far, even though she was able to get clues of who she is, she still hasn't remembered her name. She didn't believe she would get any answers from a random captive, but she was still willing to give it a try at least.
"I don't remember, actually. I'm trying to recover my memories even now"
"Oh, that's terrible. Can't imagine what's that like. I'm sorry"
"It's okay. Thank you for understanding, at least"
"But like: you don't remember any name at all? Or just yours"
"I..."
Before she answered that question, something came to her mind: a name. She did in fact remember a name, but it was not hers. It was the name of someone very dear to her. Someone who, after having lost so many aspects of her life, she didn't forget.
"... Liliana"
"Oh, that's a cute name"
"Yeah, but it's not mine. It's... my girlfriend's"
Despite feeling very ecstatic for remembering something crucial, the blushing Aion still felt very embarrassed for stating that.
"Aww, that's sweet. I bet she's a real cutie if you remember her just like that"
"Heh heh. She really is..."
"Hey, maybe if you tell me more about your girlfriend, you'll eventually recover your memories by just remembering her"
"You think so?"
"Yeah! For starters, how did you two meet?"
"Mmm, let's see. I think there was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
While the pink-haired captive was trying to recall how she met Liliana, she couldn't stop thinking on how much she misses her. How much she wanted to be on her side. How much she wanted to ask her for help. How she wanted to see Liliana's face. How much she wanted to cuddle with Liliana. How hard she want to call her Lili. How amazing Lili was. How cute Lili was. Lili. Lili. Lili...
"Lili... Mmmngh, Lili... I... uh?"
As the dreamy Aion murmurs those words, she slowly wakes up from her slumber. While her vision was a bit blurry, she could still see the face of the person she kept dreaming about, looking at her with a frowned eye, all confused about what she was witnessing.
"Umm, are you okay?"
"I... uhhhh-ah! Lili! I-... Eeek!"
The pink-haired woman in light purple sleepwear fully awakened from her sleep, as she quickly leaned forward on the bed she was resting on alongside her partner in red lingerie, and covered her face with both hands to hide her embarrassment. The latter grinned after seeing that reaction.
"What's wrong? You looked like you were having a nightmare, but then you started to mumble my name since the last few minutes"
"Y-You saw everything?!"
"Yeah, pretty much"
"Ooh..."
Liliana giggled after that, then leaned forward as well and embraced her partner with a comforting hug that eased her worries and made her take deep breaths while taking off her palms from her face.
"It's okay, sweetie. It was just a dream"
"Yeah... A dream..."
Hearing that word, the amnesiac woman started to question her reality at that point. If all what she saw earlier was just a dream, then why can't she remember her name right now? Why did she have to relieve some of her memories in strange scenarios like going to a party or confronting a group of bandits? Were the things she remembered actual facts or hard guesses? Why is Liliana the only one she remembers? Is this moment with Liliana real or-?
"Lili"
"Yes?"
She called out for her partner, not wanting to finish or answer that last question, as she believed this moment of peace and comfort would end if she does. With that in mind, she hugged her back, tighter than what she was receiving, and asked:
"Can you say my name, please?"
"..."
Liliana went silent for a moment, not making anymore questions or comments on this behavior. Instead, she caressed the soft pink hair of her partner, and stated:
"Just remember that I am here. Please. Let me take good care of you..."
The next thing she said soothed the Aion's mind to the point where she shed a tear that ran down on her face:
"... Sabrina"
"*sniff*... *sniff*"
"Uhh, girls? I think she's waking up again"
"Hurry! Take off the cloth and lift her up!"
After hearing that exchange, the naked Aion had a piece of cloth removed from her eyes like she was wearing it as a blindfold, then was leaned forward on the metal furniture she was sleeping on. The loose straps and ropes around her indicated that she wasn't bound to the table at all, like there was no need to pin her down and prevent her from escaping.
Aside from broken machinery and shredded papers, she was surrounded by a group of blonde women in light purple robes, some of them with their hoods down while others had a witch hat of the same color on their heads. She recognized them as the librarians from the Alverona Library. One of them was patting her in the back, noticing the tears in her face.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"*sniff* Yeah..."
Another one approaches her and gives her a handkerchief that she uses to wipe her tears. After that, another one timidly asks:
"Umm, do you... remember what we're doing here?"
"*sniff* Yeah... answering questions. Like we've been doing for who knows how many times at this point"
That librarian made a sigh of relief after hearing that answer, but the one next to her inquired:
"But, do you remember exactly why we are doing this?"
"Umm... I don't know. To make sure my memories are still intact? But I don't feel like anything's changed. So, if you excuse me..."
The pink-haired woman neatly folded the handkerchief and placed it on the side before she tried to get up from the table, but was immediately stopped by a couple of the blonde girls that held her by the shoulders and torso.
"Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down, miss. Even if you think that nothing has changed, you could still have some lost memories, so we need to make sure that everything is there"
The annoyed Aion grunted upon hearing that statement, then took a deep breath before speaking out of her mind:
"Look, I don't know what else do you want me to tell you, but I've already said it so many times before: My name is Sabrina, I was raised in a port town, I know the proper etiquette at a formal dinner, I would surrender to a group of bandits because I can't fight, I like getting kidnapped, and I love Liliana! There. Am I missing something?"
"..."
The girls in light purple attires went dead silent. They exchanged glances with each other as they stare in awe at the woman who identified herself as Sabrina just now. Then, their stunned expressions turned into smiles, and those smiles provoked giggles and squeals of joy between them, which caused the woman in question to look at them in confusion.
"Uh... What's so funny?"
"Oh. Heh heh, it's nothing. It's just that... you clearly are forgetting some important stuff"
"Oh, really? Like what?"
"Well, for starters: do you remember the name of your hometown"
"Pfft, of course. It's... uhh... oh..."
"Yup. But don't worry about it. Let's just repeat the treatment again until it's all in place, okay?"
The amnesiac woman thought about it for a moment. She knew that these people have kept her captive in this place for so long, doing some weird experiments on her mind that make her experience the same dreams over and over again. However, she didn't exactly remember why was she brought here in the first place, if she knew at all. If it was indeed to recover her memories, then what they were doing to her wasn't bad at all. Plus, that would explain why she didn't feel that desperate to escape despite being heavily strapped at the beginning of all of this, even though she wanted to return to that state.
So, the woman named Sabrina took a deep breath and said:
"Alright. Let's continue, then"
The librarians smiled at that response, then went back to work. One of then helped the pink-haired patient to lie back on the bed, while another gently placed back the cloth over her eyes.
"Relax and take deep breaths until you fall asleep. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale..."
As she repeated the breathing exercise in unison with her guide, the blinded Aion felt safer and more tranquil as she was gradually losing consciousness. Between the moments where she was still awake and starting to dream, she heard a soft gentle voice saying the following words to her:
"Your name is Sabrina"
You were born and raised in Cantamille
"Aaahh~ It's good to be back in Cantamille!"
That joyful claim with a hint of nostalgia came from the peaceful noble known as Sabrina, who just arrived on one of the docks in the small Iidran port town of Cantamille, the place where she was born and raised.
Although it's not the most concurred port in the kingdom, Sabrina is very attached to what it has, from the fishermen who work all day, to the old man in glasses she greets everyday, the prison and its special services, the opulent dark manor next to the inn, and the lonely workshop behind the inn. And it looks like nothing has changed since the last time she came to this place.
"Well, no more time to waste. I have a party to go later"
You are an elegant and sophisticated lady
"A toast for her birthday!"
In the dining room of the Viscant Manor, a dinner party was held for the birthday of the eldest daughter of the family.
Among the honorable and formal nobles, the one who stood out the most was Sabrina herself. Her firm posture, her delicate gestures, and her eloquent speech stole the attention of the people at the table, especially with the highlighting light purple dress she wore at that moment. She was the most elegant and sophisticated person at the event, more than the hosts themselves.
Then, at the end of the dinner, when she placed the dessert spoon on her plate, indicating that she's done with the meal, Sabrina stated to the eldest daughter:
"The dinner was exquisite. Please send my compliments to the chef, and thank you for inviting me to this event"
"Thank you for coming as well! Your presence was a blessing for everyone here"
"Thanks for the compliment. Now, if you excuse me, there's somewhere else I need to go"
You are a pacifist. You do not fight
"If you don't surrender now, we'll have no mercy on you"
At the crack of a whip, a ruthless bandit leader threatened Sabrina and the squadron of knights she was accompanied by in the middle of a dense forest, alongside a large group of bandits that stood behind her.
"Don't worry, my lady. It doesn't matter how many of them are, we can win this fight"
A brunette knight next to the Aion noblewoman proudly claimed that as she and the rest of the knights pulled their weapons out, ready to face the numerous criminals in front of them. However:
"No! Stop!"
The squadron looked back at Sabrina after she shouted those words, and before she continued:
"I'm not certain that we can win this fight, but I'm sure that if we defend ourselves, we'll get unnecessarily hurt. It's better if we just surrender now"
"..."
The knights stood in silence after hearing that pessimistic but reasonable statement. Moments after that, they dropped their weapons to the ground, and raise their hands above their heads. The bandit leader smiled at the outcome, then coiled her weapon back to her belt and said:
"Good choice"
At the snap of her fingers, the bandits approached the group and subdued them. Some knights were stripped entirely of their armor and clothes, some others were placed inside bags and carried like sacks of potatoes, and the rest of them were leashed and forced to walk with their legs bound.
Meanwhile, the bandit leader approached the pink-haired pacifist and started to tie her wrists while commenting:
"Don't worry, darling. You'll have company in your cell"
The next moment, a sack was placed over Sabrina's head, obscuring her vision...
You love getting kidnapped
"*sigh*... They should've at least put a gag on us..."
That complaint came from a disappointed Sabrina inside a dark cell. She was bound to a wooden pole with her wrists and elbows cuffed together behind it. Her ankles, knees, waist and chest were wrapped in hemp rope that prevented to move even an inch. Despite being heavily restrained like that, she had no gag in her mouth, which allowed her to speak, much to her discontent.
"I know, right? Even a gentle granny nun would still put a gag on you if you provoke her a little"
That reply came from a second captive behind the pink-haired Aion. Although they were in a position where they couldn't see each other, they still chatted about their current predicament, especially since both of them share the same passion.
"So, how many times has it been for you, noble girl?"
"Uh... I couldn't tell. I stopped counting after 20 or so"
"Wow! Already that much? I'm surprised they haven't locked you up in your bedroom for getting kidnapped so many times"
"Heh heh, yeah. But you know what: I love this kind of experience. The shock of getting ambushed and subdued. The thrill of not knowing where you'll be taken. The humiliation of having your body immobilized and even exposed to your captors. It's just so exciting!"
A chill ran down Sabrina's spine that made her struggle against her bindings, not to try to get free, but to feel the tightness of her restraints against her body. Her excitement was so much to that she wished she had a crotch rope at that moment. Normally, she would hide the fact that she loves kidnapping to most people, and even blush of embarrassment when is brought up, but seeing that the other captive is a like-minded individual, she expressed her honest feelings with her.
"Damn, girl. You sound like you get the best treatment on this. Can you tell me what was the best kidnapping you've experienced?"
"Ah, that one's easy. There was one time where I got kidnapped by pirates..."
For a long while after that, the enthusiastic woman narrated about her experiences as a captive. All the places she has been, all the people she has met, and all the types of restraints and positions she had been through. The more she told about her encounters, the more she smiled to the point where she couldn't stop giggling, especially since it was in these circumstances where she met her in the first place...
The one you love the most is...
"Heh heh. Heheheh. Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Hey! Stop tickling her! You'll wake her up!"
"I'm not doing anything! She just started laughing by herself!"
Two of the librarians in light purple attires were arguing against each other when the naked woman in slumber started to wake up with an unprovoked laugh. Then, she took off the blindfold by herself and clarified while raising up from the metal table she was resting on:
"Heh heh, don't worry. It was just me. I just dreamed about something really good that I couldn't help myself"
"Ah, I see... Well, you're already awake, so: mind if we get on to the questions now?"
"Sure. Go ahead"
After that confirmation, all the blonde girls in the room gathered together in front of the pink-haired Aion. One of them picked up the wooden clipboard and a pen, and started:
"Okay, first question: What's your name?"
"My name is Sabrina"
"Very good. Next question: Where were you raised?"
"I was born and raised in Cantamille"
"Excellent! Next: What is the proper etiquette at a formal dinner?"
"Well, that's a bit complicated to explain in a few words. First of all, you have to..."
While the sophisticated noblewoman was explaining all the steps and manners required to have in those types of events with such excruciating detail, the excited librarians started to smile more and more, as they were witnessing all their labor coming to fruition.
"... then you send your compliments to the chef and, finally, you give your thanks to the host for their invitation. Am I missing something there?"
"Not at all. That was a wonderful answer!"
"Thank you. But enough about that. Can we continue with the questions now?"
"A-Ah, yes. Ahem, next question: You and your friends are getting assaulted by a group of bandits. Do you fight back, or do you surrender to them?"
"*sigh* As much I hate to admit it, I rather surrender to them. Even if I have the power to fight back, not only I'll end up getting hurt myself, but I'll also have getting others hurt, and I don't want to see that happening"
"That is understandable, but still a very good answer. Next question: Do you like getting kidnapped?"
"Yes, I do... Actually, I've been wondering. Did I let myself get kidnapped on purpose, or-?"
The blonde girls in light purple clothes started to giggle and slightly laugh after she gave that answer, still with a gleeful smile on their faces.
"Hey! What's so funny? I won't answer anymore questions if you keep kinkshaming me"
"Heh, sorry about that. Okay, time for the final question: Who is the person you love the most?"
"Of course, it's Liliana herself!"
"..."
After that answer, the smiles on the librarians faces started to fade away. Some of them looked down in disappointment, white others put their palms on their face in frustration. The naked pink-haired woman looked confused about this outcome.
"Uh, what's wrong? That's the truth. Who else would it be?"
"Umm... Well... How do I explain this...? You see-"
"Wait!"
Before one of the blonde girls could offer an explanation, another one stepped right in front of her, and asked the following:
"Who is this 'Liliana' you speak of?"
Everyone looked closely to Sabrina after that question, waiting eagerly for her answer.
"*chuckles* Who else would it be? Liliana is..."
In her mind, she was picturing the image of her loved one, standing under the moonlight inside of her bedroom. Her curved and voluptuous body highlighted by a tight red dress. Her long orange hair reaching down to her waist. Her light blue eyes dearly looking at her as she gently pronounced these words to her:
"Please. Let me take good care of you"
After that, Sabrina happily stated her answer:
"Liliana is the Head Librarian of the Alverona Library!"