I have no idea how long I was in there. Ila visited me every day, keeping my inner fire alive by taunting me. I wouldn’t have said it then, but it was a good thing she did, because without that bit of spite in my heart my spirit would surely have been broken. Different groups of animals came each day, trying to pry this “information” out of me. Why couldn’t they have realized I had no idea what they were talking about? One day, Ila brought someone with her. It was a caribou, so tall he had to duck his head in order to get through the doorway. Ila looked uncomfortable near him, and I wondered why. My face had been scarred with red lines, as well as my arms. I was already very thin. If the sight of me caused emotional pain, neither of them showed it. I stared ahead with anger, waiting for her to humiliate me in front of this stranger and bracing myself for infliction and promising myself I wouldn’t cry. But the lynx didn’t move towards me until the caribou nudged her. She gave him a look, and then began circling me. My gag had been removed many days ago, but I found no need to speak. I didn’t look at her, but I’m sure she stared me down. Finally she spoke. “Prisoner.” 

I clenched my teeth. “What do you want?” It was the same phrase I’d used when we first confronted each other. 

“My associate means you no harm, aid.” The caribou’s deep voice was gentle, but I flinched anyways.

“If you meant no harm,” I said coldly, “I would not be sitting here right now.” 

Ila gave a short laugh. “She will not bend, Olan. We’ve tried everything.” 

“Everything?” Olan’s voice was suddenly sharp. “Look at this girl! Throughout her stay here, she has been shown no mercy and brutalized at any excuse! Like we are monsters! No, Ila. You certainly have not tried my ways.” Ila stiffened. She looked at him a cold hard stare for a good full minute, then turned her back. 

“You may try, Olan, but it will be to no avail. The aid will not succumb to anything. I will be training the new recruits in the Ember wing for an hour. You can come cry to me there when you fail.” Her words were rushed, and when she finished she was panting with anger. Then she drew herself up to her full height, and exited the room. 

Olan stared at her retreating figure for a while, as if saddened. Then, he slowly looked back at me. I readied myself, but it was not insults and harsh words that he spoke next. “Tell me, aid,” he said, his voice smooth but tired. “What does Catastrophe mean to you?”

“Catastrophe?” My sarcasm dripped venomously. “Do I look like a dictionary to you?” 

To my surprise he smiled. “No, you most definitely do not. But I am just asking you to tell me what you know. What is your experience with Catastrophe?”

It would be some time before I realized he was saying Catastrophe with a capital C. “Catastrophe,” I repeated, calming down. I closed my eyes. “I guess most right now would say catastrophe is the war between the Brazen Inquiry Guild and the animals.” With that, my words poured out, painting a picture of who I was. “To me though… Catastrophe is when your parents care more about your powers making money than what you want to do.  Catastrophe is when your little sister doesn’t remember you’re there. Catastrophe is when you don’t feel like a person anymore. Catastrophe is when you run away and the reward for your capture is enough to by a house. Catastrophe is when you have people constantly stalking you. Catastrophe is when you can’t trust anyone, and never will again. Catastrophe is when you become an empty shell, void of emotion. Catastrophe is when you are…” I paused, and suddenly my voice hardened again. “Catastrophe is when you are kidnapped by a bunch of savage animals and locked up for creatures to take it out on you.” 

Olan looked at me with sorrow, his brown eyes full of understanding. “I apologize for the actions our organization has inflicted on you, Karina Kanvas. I hope we can make it up to you.”

I could feel tears burning in my eyes, but I changed my weakness to anger. “How do you even know my name?! I haven’t told it to anyone here and no one even cares! All you beasts call me is ‘aid,’ ‘girl,’ and ‘human.’ Why this sudden kindness?!” Despite my efforts, sadness poured down my face. I lowered my face in shame as my words caught in my throat and I began sobbing. I had broken my own promise. After a few moments I calmed down. I felt Olan’s warm breath on the back of my neck. “Sorry,” I whispered, once my voice was steady enough to speak. I didn’t know why I said it, but it felt like the right thing to do. Silence draped upon us, and no one spoke for at least an hour.

“Karina,” Olan said softly, breaking the silence at last. I kept my head down, staring at the floor. “You have done nothing wrong.” 

“What do you mean, the aid has done nothing wrong?!” Ila’s voice was indignant. Both of our heads snapped to the doorway. “Have you joined him, Olan? Has this siren changed your path? Come to your senses!” Olan stepped towards the door.

“What I mean is that we have made a mistake.” 

hey guys, totally not winging it right now… any suggestions for this plot?

 I will be posting on this thread because I am too lazy to top my old thread. I will start off from where I stopped last RPing.

I woke at four hundred hours. There was no clock in the room, or window to give me any indication of what time of day it was, yet my internal clock was instinctive. It took me 0.5 of a second to remeber where I was and what I was doing here. 

I was scheduled to complete Catastophe's challenge today. I felt no trepidation, but then again I had never felt anything. I knew that the Professors had placed their full confidence in me, and I knew that I would fufill their expectations.

I got up from the floor and brushed my jumpsuit off. I had checked the bed that night for any traps or poisons, but even after finding nothing I still slept on the floor. I had been told to never trust anyone ever, a fact that seemed important to remember here. 

Quickly braiding my hair, I thought about today. I had some idea of what Catastophe would do. He would probably ahve me fight someone, someone who would be sure to beat me. Or so they thought. . I would have to be ready, as he most likely wouldn't want to give me any time to prepare. 

Finishing my braid, I dropped down to the floor and begin stretching. The stretches were part stretch and part exercise, meant to warm my muscles up before exerting myself. I didn't think that Catastrophe would be kind enough to allow me time to prepare for whatever challenge he had prepared. I had to be ready.

I continued to stretch, and as the time wore on I began doing more complicated positions. 

I estimated it was around six hundred hours when the door opened. I was in the middle of a complex handstand when the door opened, and I lowered myself to the floor when I had heard the person gasp in surprise. 

Straightening, I faced the person who entered. It was another lady, slightly more angry looking than the last one. Her black bun was pulled up tightly to the top of her head, yet for all the tightness it was still a little lopsided. Her face was pinched and shrewd, with calculating eyes and lips that were drawn into a thin line. She wore the uniform of a guard, a red sash over a plain black suit of armor that I knew was bulletproof. 

"You will come with me," the lady snapped, turning around and walking away before seeing if I followed. 

I walk out of the door behind her, and we went down the same hallway towards the throne room. I had memorized the route in the previous trip, yet I still refreshed myself on the way in case I had to make a quick escape. 

We entered he throne room from the same entrance as last time. The sun had not yet risen, so the only light in the room was shed by torches on the walls. 

Catastrophe was sitting in his throne as always, but surrounding him were what looked like advisors, all seated on large wooden chairs. There was small chatter when we entered the room, but it ended as soon as Catastrophe noticed us. 

Catastrophe stood, watching me as I walked towards the dias with the guard. She dropped down into a low now when she reached it, and I followed suit. 

"Hello 99" Catastrophe said. 

I didn't respond. 

"I said hello 99", he repeated. 

"Hello," I replied. 

I heard a sharp intake of breath by the guard beside me at me not calling him your majesty, but if Catastrophe cared he didn't show it. 

"Good," he said. "I'm glad you can at least recognize when people speak to you. I was afraid that the scientists had forgotten to program you with conversation skills."

There were small chuckles in the group of advisors, though I knew they laughed not because they thought the comment was amusing but because they wanted to appease the king. 

"Today this experiment will show us what she can do," Catastrophe said, addressing the advisors and court officials. "We will put her up against our most talented fighters, and see how well she fares. If she fails, then no harm done, at least to us. If she succeeds, however, we will find ourself with a valuable new asset."

He leveled his cold gaze on me. 

"For even I know the mistake of judging by appearance."

Shoot! Sorry! I forgot to post the part where Catastrophe introduces the person I was supposed to fight. So sorry!!