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After entering the new communal living home, Arina broke off from the group, bidding Grace farewell before heading into the gym to check out the new workout space. She quickly noted that every piece of equipment looked brand new and state-of-the-art. “I wish I could have had a gym like this one back home,” she muttered, brushing her fingers over one of the elliptical machines. She looked around for a few minutes before thinking it was time to do something else. Maybe she could find Grace and spend more time with her. Her lips curled into a smile at the thought as she made her way to the door. She stopped in her tracks as she placed her hand on the door handle.

Am I too needy, though? Am I going to start annoying her? She thought to herself, pulling her hand away as she fell into a state of rumination. As soon as she arrived at Mollusk Match, she promised herself that she would make a new best friend that she could rely on. One that could also lean on her for support when needed. Grace was cute, funny, and intelligent. Beyond that, she had accepted Arina as a friend and seemingly formed a quick bond with her.

She walked away from the door and sat on a workout bench, resting an elbow on her knee as she placed the side of her head against her hand. Her heart rate gradually picked up as she recalled her conversation with Grace a few days earlier when they discussed needing to interact with Phoebe and Ella. Something about needing to support each other in a larger group since they were all in it together. Arina tightly clenched her knee, taking a slow breath. She’s definitely right; we should stick together. She reasoned that Grace and I couldn’t support one another while ignoring everyone else. Now that they were in this larger communal home, making friends rather than enemies would be more critical than ever before. Her sleep quality had been tenuous as of the last few days, so she would also try to focus on getting a proper night of rest as soon as possible.

She ran through the plan she had solidified, repeatedly going over the steps. She would give Grace her full support and trust. If she said they needed to befriend someone or another, she would nod and go along with it. Sure, Grace screwed up in the first round, but there was nothing she could have done about that. Arina knew quite a lot about the world and got good grades in school. She thought she could fill in Grace’s knowledge gaps while relying on Grace’s quick wits and intelligence. It helped that Grace was so damn cute as well.

Arina’s cheeks turned red when she recalled their cuddle session from earlier. Her lips curled into a smile, remembering the positivity and warmth Grace brought into her life. She then recalled Grace chatting with Phoebe and Ella, smiling and engaging in conversation. “I’m glad Grace is branching out. I want what’s best for her,” she said in a gentle voice, trying to ignore the dull pang of adrenaline that permeated every cell of her body.

She’s just so cute. It’s not like I’d ever keep her all to myself; it’s just… She shook her head, trying to stay calm. Since her transformation kicked in, she had been repressing new urges that seemingly manifested from nowhere. Her canines had sharpened into small fangs, and her sense of smell had improved significantly. Now, whenever Grace was near, she was constantly aware of her dear friend’s lovely, feminine scent. When they cuddled, the fragrance lingered on her until she was showering.

Arina released a startled yelp and jumped upon hearing a scream from outside. She stood and rushed to the door, creaking it open. Some girl with huge tits was having some kind of issue. It looked like she had been trying to fight with Grace but had to stop herself due to transformation-related complications. Before long, Grace left for the bathroom.

I should get something to eat so I can get some energy back, Arina reasoned, sighing as she stepped out of the gym and headed toward the kitchen. Lingering thoughts of Grace still lingered in her head. It would be nice to pounce on her and pin her down… She grinned, knowing better than to actually act on such a desire. She knew it was these recent changes causing her to have increasingly impure thoughts. Previously, she considered herself pure, gentle, and somewhat submissive. Seeing Grace struggle so much with her peculiar transformation, it was impossible to admit out loud that she actually kind of enjoyed the building sense of confidence and assertiveness that seemed to increase within her every day.

“Hey! Why don’t you join us for some food?” Phoebe waved to Arina, who was still sitting with Ella.

Arina blinked, turning her head to stare at the two girls. She hesitated, seeing the tasty-looking food both of them were eating. “Well, I wouldn’t want to impose if you’re eating lunch together,” Arina gently responded.

“Nonsense,” Phoebe sighed, shaking her head. “You’re our friend now, right? I promise we won’t bite when Grace isn’t around.”

Arina’s cheeks flushed again, thinking about how she wouldn’t mind if Grace was prone to biting. Or maybe she could do the nipping herself. No! I can’t feel like this right now! She let out a small huff and then brightly smiled. “Thanks! Sounds good, then… I should probably get something to eat,” she warmly stated, walking into the kitchen.

Arina was immediately impressed with how many different appliances they had available. “They even have an air fryer; that makes my life easier,” she laughed. She opened the nearby pantry and then one of the fridges. Her first thought was to make a light salad. She wasn’t strictly a vegetarian, but she tried to eat veggies whenever possible since she was prone to feeling bad for the poor animals that died to make meals.

She pulled out some salad supplies, laying them out on the counter as she looked down and just stared. Okay, make a salad now. You can do it, she tried to pump herself up. It didn’t take long for her to realize how impossible it now was to make veggie-only meals look appetizing. This part of her transformation left her concerned and a little disheartened. I need to eat. This isn’t really the place or time to worry about morals, right? She asked herself. She finally conceded, grabbing the salad supplies and putting them away. She then pulled out some sandwich supplies and deli meats to make a sandwich instead.

After closing the panini press, the smell of meat and spices soon flooded the kitchen. Oh god, that’s going to be amazing, she grinned, salivating as the savory smells assaulted her sinuses. Her heart rate picked up while she licked her lips in anticipation. She wanted to open the grill and devour her meal right then and there. Without thinking, she moved her hand forward.

What am I doing? Relax… She pulled away, turning from the grill as she crossed her arms. Staying in control was more complicated than she thought it would be; how bad would it get after losing another game or two?

“Hey, that smells good,” Phoebe chimed with a smile. “When you’re done, can you grab me a diet coke from the fr-- wait…” She scrunched her nose and thought for a moment. “What the fuck am I doing? Why am I worried about dieting? Grab me a regular coke, please,” she insisted.

“Oh, sure!” Arina responded, happy for the distraction. With her sandwich thoroughly grilled, she put it on a plate, grabbed a couple of drinks, and walked over to the table to sit with Ella and Phoebe. “Here you go.” She handed the glass over.

Arina began to eat, engaging in some small talk with Phoebe and Ella, who also chimed in while remaining quite reserved. It took every ounce of willpower not to shove her food into her mouth in seconds. With great control, she managed to keep her pace slow enough to match the others.

“Oh, man!” A dark-skinned girl with a pixie cut suddenly groaned, causing the three at the table to turn and look.

“Gotta piss so bad. I’ll be back,” she waved to the girls eating before entering the bathroom.

Arina stared at the closed bathroom door. It suddenly occurred to her that Grace never left. Was she okay? She took a bite of her sandwich, tapping her foot as she tried to stay calm and collected. Did this other girl really just have to pee? What is she doing with Grace in there? She winced, picking up her pace as she more quickly devoured the food in front of her.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow, turning from the bathroom door to Arina. “Hmmm…” She put the finger on her chin. “Arina. You’re pretty close with Grace, huh?”

Arina’s eyes immediately turned toward Phoebe. Her first instinct was to feel defensive. What does that mean? What is she getting at? No-- just relax. She weakly smiled and let out a small laugh. “Yeah. I guess she’s my best friend here. But I’ve been thrilled to branch out and make other friends. It’s easier when there are more people around, you know?”

“Uh huh-- yeah, totally,” responded Phoebe. She raised a hand and scratched her upper arm nonchalantly, some of her skin breaking away to expose emerald scales beneath.

Arina let out a slow breath, trying to stay focused and ignore Phoebe’s scales. “So, umm…” She hesitated, her adrenaline slowly spiking. Why do I feel this way? She lamented before forcing herself to smile. “What do you think of the food here?” As she asked, her eyes turned back toward the bathroom. They were still in there; what were they doing? A pang of anger welled up within her.

“Yeah, it’s not bad. Better than I ate before I came here,” Phoebe snorted, finishing the rest of her food.

“Ish-- ish pretty good,” Ella added, keeping her eyes averted from the other girls as she spoke.

“I’m happy to hear it….” Arina’s words trailed, her eyes still locked on the bathroom door. Is everything okay in there?? What if that girl is doing something to Grace. She tightly clenched her knees, the whites of her knuckles clearly showing. Maybe I should go in there. 

Arina quickly stood. “I’ll take care of these dishes in a bit. Thank you for lunch!” She laughed, closing her eyes with a slight grin. Without waiting for a response, she made a b-line toward her new target.

“Okay? Yeah, bye, I guess….” Phoebe replied, watching Arina speedily walk away. She had only eaten with them for a couple of minutes. “Wouldn’t kill you to stay for five minutes,” she muttered.

Arina either didn’t hear Phoebe’s last comment or was too focused to put the words together into a coherent sentence. Her legs began to tremble as she walked, her vision growing slightly blurry. “What is this?...” She groaned, placing a hand on her forehead. A wave of exhaustion gradually spread through her as she lamented that she had hardly slept the last few nights. I just need to make sure Grace is okay.

After Arina made it halfway to the bathroom, the door opened, and that strange, pixie-haired girl stepped out and closed the door behind her. “Yo!” She waved to Arina with a wide grin before sauntering off without any stress.

“Oh, hey…” Arina weakly replied, slowly turning her head as her eyes followed. She gritted her teeth, ignoring her urge to rest as she decided to chase after this girl.

Once the mysterious woman stepped into the theater room, Arina approached the same door and stopped, staring as a confused look spread across her face. Why was she doing this? Chasing this girl down who probably just had to relieve herself? She understood that feeling any semblance of jealousy or anger in this situation was messed up. She just went into the same room as Grace; that’s it! I need to chill! She almost lost herself but managed to hold onto her sanity. “Maybe I can make a new friend, though,” she whispered. If she approached this girl with good intentions, it was acceptable to talk to her.

Arina opened the door and stepped in, closing the door behind her. The room was dimly lit with leather recliners and couches sitting in a half circle before a massive screen. The furniture rose higher the further back they were, just like stadium or theater seating should be.

She looked around slowly and carefully before spotting the mystery girl standing in front of some type of terminal with a screen attached. She carefully approached, raising a hand to wave. “Hi! I’m Arina, by the way. I don’t think I caught your name.” Her nostrils flared slightly as she stood near the girl. Something smelled strange and familiar, but what?

“Oh?” The young woman turned to face Arina with a massive grin. “I’m Uma! Nice to meetcha. How are you doing? This terminal lets us pick movies, so I’m trying to figure out how it works.”

“I’m doing… Okay, today, I suppose. Also, that’s pretty neat. What were you thinking of putting o--”

Uma cut Arina off mid-sentence. “I like old black and white films. Let’s watch this one! I can’t pronounce the name,” she giggled, clicking a few more buttons. She reached over and grabbed Arina’s hand, pulling her toward one of the couches. “Sit with me! Right here,” she insisted, plopping onto the couch as she patted the spot right next to her.

Arina wasn’t expecting Uma to be so-- enthusiastic. When her hand was grabbed, she felt funny. A chill went down her spine before she felt a mild sense of irritation. But her hand was freed before she got too upset. “Yeah, okay!” Arina replied, sitting next to Uma. “Are you a fan of movies?” Arina quietly asked.

“Not particularly, just some of the old ones! I can’t even read these subtitles,’ she laughed, looking at the screen as the film started. “I think they’re speaking French and these subtitles are also French. I think I chose the wrong options… Oh well! Who really cares, right?”

Arina laughed slightly. “I guess that’s fair, I--” an image of Grace manifested in her head. Something was wrong. Smells she usually associated with Grace, especially since her nose got stronger, came off of Uma. “Actually, I have a question,” she said in a low voice, staring intently at her conversation partner. “My friend, Grace, was in the bathroom for a while last time I checked. Did anything seem wrong while you were there?” As she spoke, she stifled a yawn, raising a hand to rub one of her ears. It was hard to remain focused.

“Grace, huh?” Uma’s bright smile distorted into something more sly. “I’m pretty sure she was taking a big dump in there. I wouldn’t worry.”

Arina closed her eyes completely, resting her head against the back of the couch as she let out a low sigh. “That’s good to hear. You smell like her, so I wasn’t sure what to think….” She blurted the sentence before she could stop herself, immediately regretting it. Her eyes shot open, her cheeks turning beet red. “W-- Wait, I just mean….”

Uma blinked and then burst out laughing. “Hahaha! You’re hilarious. You’re joking around with me, right?” Uma asked, slinging an arm around Arina as she pulled her close. “The whole bathroom smelled like Grace; she made sure of that… You should try to relax. You seem tired as hell from what I can gather.”

Arina winced as Uma pulled her close. She didn’t want to be cuddled or touched by her. “Do… Do you mind?”

“Oh, sorry! I guess I shouldn’t get your scent all over me,” Uma pulled away. “Why don’t we just enjoy our movie? This would also be a great place to nap,” she purred.

Arina didn’t respond, opting to keep her eyes closed while stewing in her mind. The couch was large enough for her to curl up on her side, resting her head against the soft, padded couch arm. As the throws of sleep overtook her, a thought lingered. What was Uma’s last comment about? Getting her scent all over her? Was that how she smelled like Grace? No-- no, she had to be overthinking it. Soon enough, she passed out and went into a troubled dream.

A young woman with tanned skin sat hunched over on an uncomfortable metal chair, sniffling as she wiped tears from her face. She placed her hands over her face while ignoring the tight, metallic cuff on her left wrist, slowly shaking her head back and forth as she silently begged to be anywhere but here. After a couple of minutes, she let out a deep, ragged breath and sat up, pulling her hands away as she looked around the room.

No matter how many hours passed, her surroundings remained sterile and unflinchingly bland. A row of bright fluorescent lights illuminated the snow-white walls and floor. The only fixtures were a white toilet in the corner and the metal chair she sat on, which was also painted white. Even the door in front of her only had the barest features and was barely noticeable against the void-like hellscape of the cell she was stuck in.

When the door began to open, she jumped, startled at the sudden noise that cut through the cicada-like humming that never stopped emanating from the light above. A tall man with slicked back, dark hair, and a massive beard stepped into the room, holding a chair. The girl immediately noticed the SOU government uniform he wore, signaling to her what she already knew. No allies would be coming to help.

He walked into the room holding a chair that matched the girl’s and closed the door behind him. Turning his head toward the captive, he smiled warmly and sat the chair down. “Out of curiosity, how long have you been here, Arina?” He asked in a smooth, tenor voice.

Arina met the man’s gaze. Despite his smile, she felt a great deal of coldness within his icy blue eyes. “I--” she stammered, shifting her eyes away from him. “Who are you?...”

“I’m Rorick. However, my name is of little consequence,” he curtly responded. He then tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck with a content sigh. “You’ve slept twice, and we have provided you with nutritional supplements three times. So, how long do you think you have been held here?” He placed a hand on his chin, his smile widening as he read his prisoner’s expression.

Arina trembled, clenching a hand over her wrist as the whites of her knuckles showed. She didn’t want to answer him, but she was desperate to get out of there. “I--I don’t… I don’t know,” she weakly responded. “Two or three days?”

Rorick raised an eyebrow? “Two or three days, huh?” He let out a small laugh. His eyes then shifted to the corner as he briefly contemplated before turning his attention back to Arina. “I’ll cut to the chase. You know what you did was wrong. Don’t you?” He asked with a hint of disappointment.

Arina’s heart rate picked up, adrenaline surging through her. “I didn’t… I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t want to…” She squeaked, tightly closing her eyes.

“We always have a choice, Arina. Your life and the lives of your family were in no danger. The situation had nothing to do with you. Yet, you engaged in illegal, sociopathic acts. You realize you’re putting your entire family in danger, don’t you? Do you have any grasp on the concept of consequences, Arina?”

“N-- No!” She cried, turning to face Rorick with a look of faltering defiance. “She was my friend. I-- I knew I would never see her again! She didn’t do anything wrong!” Arina yelled, growing more animated by the second.

“Mia is a criminal, Arina. She did something bad and broke the law just like you did. What right do you have to question the will of the SOU government?” Rorick asked as his smile slowly disappeared.

“Mia is my friend. I couldn’t-- I couldn’t just let it happen,” she stated pleadingly, her resolve from moments ago quickly fading.

“I looked into your supposed friendship with Mia. You knew her for a month, barely long enough to have the faintest grasp of who she is as a person,” Rorick continued, brushing his fingers through his beard. “Don’t you think getting attached to someone who is essentially still a stranger is a little unhealthy?”

“She isn’t a stranger. She cares about me…” Arina murmured in response.

“If she cared about you, she wouldn’t have dragged you into a mess like this. I assure you that Mia was fully aware of what she was doing when she committed her crime and when she asked you to help.”

Arina remained silent this time, unsure of how to respond. There was nothing wrong with wanting friends-- wanting to believe in others, right? She made the right choice… Right? She put a hand over her face, finally speaking with a barely audible whisper. “I didn’t want to be alone anymore…”

“If you’re afraid of loneliness, then you really made the worst possible decision, my dear,” Rorick sighed, shaking his head. “Please tell me. What did Mia tell you? What do you know?”

Arina hesitated, biting her lip as it quivered. After a few long seconds of silence, she spoke. “She only said she didn’t do anything wrong and needed my help.”

Rorick intently stared at Arina, eyes narrowing. “Oh, really now?” He asked in a cold monotone before changing the subject. “Do you know why we keep captives in cells like these?” He only waited a few seconds before continuing, noticing that Arina either checked out of the conversation or couldn’t muster up any words. “It’s hell, isn’t it? Twenty-four hours a day, just a brightly lit, white room to keep you company. No bed, no entertainment, no interesting smells or textures.”

Tears streamed from Arina’s face as she hung onto Rorick’s every word. He was entirely correct; it was hell. She had no grasp of time. She could barely sleep on the cold floor, especially with the bright, white light that flooded the room.

“You said you didn’t want to be alone. Yet, because you defied the law, you’ll keep rotting away in this room without company for as long as we see fit.” Venom dripped from Rorick’s every word.

Arina shook her head slowly, her whole body shaking as she looked at Rorick with a look of pure desperation. What did until they saw fit mean? How long would she be here? She opened her mouth to speak but only succeeded in silently mouthing like a fish gasping for air.

“Try not to die here for the time being, okay?” Rorick jovially insisted, his lips curling back into a wide grin.

“N-- No, please… How-- how long? I’m sorry, I-- I know I was bad… It was wrong of me. I deserve to be punished, so please,” Arina pleaded, quivering. Her conviction from a couple of minutes ago was shattered. She thought she had been placed into a holding cell. That she would only be here for a short stay before getting transferred to prison or god knows where. She was utterly alone here; every minute passed in this cell was an eternity spent in purgatory.

“Come on now, Arina,” Rorick sneered. “You have to know I have no intention of answering that question.” With that, he stood up, picked up his chair, and walked toward the door.

Arina panicked, eyes widening as she watched her captor head toward the door. She couldn’t do this; there was absolutely no way she could spend even another day here without losing her mind. “N-- NO!! Please!” She quickly stood, her chair falling over with an unceremonious clank. Before Rorick could react, she sprinted forward and grabbed the back of his sleeve in desperation. “I-- I will be better! Please! Please just take me to prison-- I have a right to--”

Smack! 

Arina barely had time to register what happened as a mighty blow struck her cheek and sent her reeling back. She collapsed onto her butt, raising a hand to her now-blooded cheek in horror. It hurt-- Arina hurt. Mentally, emotionally, physically-- on all levels, she felt a deep pain that permeated every fiber of her being. She met Rorick’s disdain-filled eyes, his fist raised and smeared with a small amount of her blood.

“You forfeit your rights as a human when you become a felon,” Rorick simply stated, pulling a handkerchief from his front pocket as he began to clean his hand. “You had good grades in all your classes, so I’m sure you already knew that.” With that, he opened the door and walked out without a second glance, closing the door behind him.

Arina stayed on the floor, staring stupefied at the closed door. Was this really her life now? How long would she be here? If they did eventually let her out, she knew she would simply be transitioning from one layer of hell to the next. “Oh god…” She choked, weakly clutching a knee to her chest. Would she die here all alone? All her greatest fears were manifesting into reality before her eyes, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.









CHAPTER END

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