Beaten and Battered

Terra was standing in her cell. Looking into the mirror, Slouched over on the sink. She coughed heavily, coughing up blood into the disgusting sink. She wiped her chin and looked up at the mirror. She had a terrible scar running across her face. Her clothes were stained and worn. She was wearing the shirt the jail made her change into. It said "go to jail" with the monopoly man on it. Integer had to have a sense of humor about this. She was wearing baggy black pants and no shoes. It was fine though because she preferred no shoes anyway. She had started to lose her muscular figure that she had been upholding since the days of the hand. Her hair was not cared for at all. She got rid of her braids. She had made a ball out of dirt and grass. She laid back down on her bed. Making it there with a distinct limp. She had ripped off part of her bed sheet and wrapped it around her rib. Hopefully it will heal right. The pneumonia didn't help either.

Terra: Day 10.

She threw her ball up and down. Catching it repetitively. She was counting out loud as she caught it. 5,6,7,8. She heard the click of a sword out of nowhere. She got a quick flash of the fight between her and Ivan. Him clicking out his sword, And then her getting a scar across her face. The ball fell down and hit her in the chest. Very close to the ribs. Another flash. Of Beck firing his arm into her side. The ball broke into pieces. And she didn't even feel her wound. She stopped moving for a second and then jumped out of bed and slammed her fist onto the sink in a surge of anger. Through her rage she held back. Then turned and pathetically kicked her bed. She felt her rib hurting more and more and fell into a coughing fit. She stumbled over to her toilet bowl. Almost falling and coughed blood into it. She fell back and laid down on the ground. Dragged herself back to her bed and weirdly drifted off to sleep. She just wanted it to be over.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A member of a newscast walked through a crowd of people shouting questions. He broke through the crowd to find Jilaya standing in the middle.

Newscast man: Mrs. Springer, we'd like to know about how these cells operate. How do you treat the prisoners? Do you suppress their powers? If so, how?

Jilaya: Of course. We treat the prisoners like any other prison. And we are forced to suppress their powers. After all, they could easily get out if they had their powers. We use a state of the art energy pulse throughout the facility. Like an EMP.

Newswoman: What about the disappearances that are linked to the jails?

Jilaya: Disappearances? Well there are two answers to that question. They either willingly join the military service or we send them to a rehabilitation program after their sentence is up.

Another Newsman: What about the recent arrest of the so-called terrorists known as the blue coats? Terra Lorenz, Amala Acosta, Leon Los, Millie Koruba, and Amelia Ashi.

Jilaya: They've freed criminals, attacked my house and family and even managed to kill multiple of my men in cold blood. They chose this path. But they didn't ask to be butchered.

Another Newsman: From what I've heard from Detective Themis, the murders of your soldiers couldn't have been by everyone.

Jilaya: They were still involved no matter what.

Another Newsman: Detective Themis thinks the blue coats were locked up without probable cause. They deserve a proper trial!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A nameplate was sitting at a desk. Reading "Det. Themis." A man sat with his feet on the desk. He was reading an article on his phone and smoking a cigarette, even though there was a clear no smoking sign in his room. His phone went off and he picked it up immediately. He had a yellow collared shirt on and jeans. He had black hair that was long. Coming down to his ears. And past his hair was a black beard.

Themis: Hello this is Detective Themis.

Caller: We got you passage into the security footage. Come check it out.

Themis: I'm on my way.

Themis walked down a couple blocks. As he walked the sun got hotter and he heard lightning in the distance. He walked swiftly into a back alley and into a small security room. He took out his keys and opened the door.

Themis: What do we have today? A breakthrough? Fucking tell me it's a breakthrough.

There were a couple of spanish men who looked almost identical. Brothers probably. They had nametags and uniforms that looked like they were from a tech store. Luis and Diego were their names.

Luis: We found security camera footage of the murders Integer claims everyone took part in. We can prove that they had nothing to do with it! It was only that speedster.

Diego: You might like this though. She went completely off the grid. She can't be found anywhere on earth. Or in the MFI sites or facilities.

Themis: I don't like it at all. But Integer wouldn't want to admit it. What a cunt.

Luis: This is enough evidence to prove her wrong. We should present it!

Themis: Don't celebrate yet. We aren't done. We have to get it into the media.

Diego: Just post it on twitter. Done.

Themis: We will be fucking butchered by the cunts. They'll track us down and try to kill us. We have to be like a needle through a thread. Work our way through. I have a plan. Which might involve eventually posting it all over the media. Let's check out these videos.

Diego pressed a button. Showing the fight at the gas station where Mary was killed.

Themis: Clearly the shadow squadron attacked first. That speedster is actually wearing a blue coat. She's one of the only ones. Besides the wizard. These people are being falsely labeled as the blue coats. What about the other ones?

Themis saw the killing of Fleet, and then Erica.

Themis: They were all killed by that crazy ass speedster. Time to go get some justice. I'll be back. Hopefully.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra sparked awake. She was in her old house. Upstairs in her bed laying down. Possibly just waking from a sleep. She felt the small but homely bed she was laying on. Like the size of her bed in her cell. But much less soggy, dirty and bloody. She felt like herself. But was in the body of her child self. Her grandmother came up the stairs. And walked into her room.

Grandma: Terra. Did you not hear me? I said dinner's ready.

Terra coughed her brains out real quick. Still stuck with pneumonia.

Grandma: Oh, you're sick. Sorry. You should rest up. Save your strength. Just remember. You'll make it through this. You always do.

Terra: That's what you always say. This time I might not be so lucky. I lost. I'm going to die here. But at least you're by my side.

Terra turned over. And her grandmother wasn't there. She was back in her cell. Alone.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie was in her cell doing push-ups. She had a similar outfit to Terra. And her robotic arm was removed. She, unlike Terra, retained her figure. Though Millie used to train less than Terra. She got up and wiped the sweat off her brow. A man walked past her cell. With the same red eyes of Integer's soldiers. He was a huge dude with body armor.

Man: Working out? I see, you're trying to keep your figure in this cruel place. I don't like people with hope. Even though you're already missing an arm.

Millie: I don't like people with small dicks. So get the fuck outta my face.

Man: Oh? It bites. I love my job.

The man opened Millie's cell door. He was so towering that he blocked the door. Much taller than Millie. Millie realized he had the number Eight on his shin

Millie: You want to torture me? Do what you must.

Eight: Well in fact, I do want to torture you. But now you made it boring.

Eight took out a baton and swiped under Millie's arm and got her into a quick submission. Chicken-winging her arm. He made her walk with him down the jail block. Until they entered the control tower. He brought her into a tourture chamber and let her go. She was standing across from him.

Eight: How about we have a little dance. If you kill me in this battle. The keys are all yours.

Millie: I don't have a choice, do I?

Eight: No.

Millie: Then I'm going to win.

Eight passed Millie a long sword.

Millie: So you want to lose?

Eight: Evening the odds. Show me how cruel you can be!

Millie whipped the sword at Eight. Who punched the sword up and into the roof.

Eight: Dumbass!

Millie ran at Eight and grabbed the hilt of the sword in the roof and threw out two kicks while simultaneously taking the sword out of the roof. She cut herself across the hand. And held it out at Eight. Eight grabbed Millie by the arm and pulled her in and kneed her in the stomach

Eight: Powers don't work here doll!

He punched her up in the air and grabbed her by the leg and slammed her into the ground. She dropped her blade. He stomped on her back and kicked her in the ribs.

Eight: The program calls you cell 38. But your name is Millie. We're both called numbers. But we have real names. You can call me Monger, Made it up myself. I think we can have lots of fun together. Battles for days!

Millie: This...seems like a one-sided relationship. You're a fucking child!

Millie stumbled to her feet.

Monger: Well, I've been told I'm very in touch with my inner child.

Monger took out two halves of a scissor. A scissor blade if you will. He flipped them so they weren't on the sharp end. He swung one at Millie. She ducked under and kicked him in the leg. He swung his other blade and hit Millie in the side. Sending her flying across the room. He ran right up to her and slashed his blade up on the sharp end lazily. Millie moved to the side. He cut off lots of her hair effortlessly. She moved to the side and threw a kick at his head. Which he blocked with his blade. He pushed her leg back and kicked Millie in the stomach. Pushing her against the wall once again and stabbing his scissor into the wall. Which Millie dodged. He left the scissor there and swung his other blade at Millie. She ducked under and grabbed his blade out of the wall. She swung it at him hard. Right at his neck. He raised his blade and blocked it. And swiped his blade under Millie's hand making the cut from earlier deeper and taking his blade back. He stuck both the blades into the wall and around Millie. If she even slightly moved. She would be decapitated. Monger laughed in her face.

Monger: Even with one arm you are still skilled. I like you.

Millie: At least you gave me a workout. You're trying to make me hate it here. But it wasn't bad.

Millie was expecting more shit from Monger. For her head to be cut off even. But he smiled and brought her back to her cell quietly.

Monger: If anyone asks. This never happened. You were just tortured.

Millie: I'm pretty sure I was tortured.

Monger shut her cell and left.

Millie: Ugh...what the hell…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Jilaya was sitting in her house. At her desk. Four walked in behind her.

Jilaya: Hi Four. Are you doing okay?

Four: Y-yes. I just wanted to tell you something. It's about Detective Themis.

Jilaya: Ugh. Things have never been this bad. What about him?

Four: He's got everyone pandering for a trial for Terra and her friends. You have to make a statement.

Jilaya: Alright. I guess I do.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Jilaya walked into the control tower in front of the camp. She met Monger there.

Jilaya: Everything going fine here Eight?

Monger: Of course ma'm. You need something?

Jilaya: Yes. I need Terra Lorenz.

Monger: Gotcha.

Jilaya: You don't need to get her. Send Fourteen.

Monger: You know I own this site, right?

Jilaya: And I own every site. So send him.

Monger: Of course.

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