-Luca-

My chest was hurting. Why was it burning so much. It felt like I was being hollowed out. Like my insides were being eaten by a hungry worm. It hurt so much, but I couldn't move. It was as if I was in the middle of surgery and was still awake.

I woke in a soft bed. It was… not like a mattress. It was far too fuzzy. There was also a strong sweet scent. My eyes were being molested by the rays of sunlight trying to pry them open.

I wanted more sleep, but the light was persistent. The longer I laid awake, the more my mind began to race. This couldn’t be my bed, so out of curiosity and the constant bombardment of photons. I began the process of waking.

Opening my eyes, I saw some strange purple fabric. I tried touching the stuff, only to feel what felt like a plant. What was going on? I sat up stretching my arms and yawning. As I did, the purple fabric around me spread out like a blooming flower.

Actually… it really was a blooming flower. I took a look at my surroundings and found myself on top of a hill. A really big and round hill. Like creepily round. Surrounding the area and taking up the whole horizon were giant purple walls.

Were they petals? Only then did it hit me. This entire place was inside a flower. “Holy crap… a flower in a flower? That’s like… flowerception.”

Clumsily, I made my way off my fuzzy bed. It wiggled as I crawled. As soon as I tried to step off I fell head first. Not wanting to hit my head I rolled forward landing on my back instead.

The fall was odd. It shouldn't have happened. It was like the ground moved away at the last second. Almost like the time I was walking home and didn’t realize I was about to step off the curve. I was aware this time, so it must have been my legs playing tricks on me.

I sat up and glanced at my feet accusatorily, only to realize I was a lot smaller than I remembered. Wait a sec! I recognize that scar! I ran my finger over the tiny scar on my leg from when I fell off of uncles roof while playing with my idiot cousin.

This body was the one I left in the old world! “Yes! I’m me again! I never ever want to be an adult again! I’ll stay small forever and live off the government until I die!”

The clothes I wore weren't anything I’d ever seen before. It looked like the fairy costume I wore on Halloween last year, but instead of green it was white and far more comfortable. The fabric was stupidly soft—like wearing a fuzzy blanket. Was this thing made of cotton balls or something?

Where the hell was I? “Shadow! Help!” I continued to call to my guild mate, but she didn't answer. I felt tears begin to build and started to cry again. No one showed up. Not even when I’m back in my child body they still wouldn't come.

How could they just abandon me? I was an unsupervised child. What if something happened? I felt pain in my chest causing me to realize something did happen.

I continued to sob while hugging my knees to my chest. Chief was so mean. How could she hurt me like that. How could she kill Vincent like he was a monster. She made him go all dusty on purpose. Must be some kind of magic or something. All just to hurt me.

After who knows how long I felt something brush up against my legs. I looked down and saw a blonde cat. I sniffed up some snot as I stroked the little guys back. It started purring and rubbing up against me.

This made me happy. “Hi little fella. Where did you come from?” Just then a butterfly flew by catching the cats attention. It ran after it in hopes of a hunt. “Wait up!” out of fear of not wanting to be left alone, I ran after my new bestie.

The ground felt pretty solid. Actually, I think it was dirt. I couldn't tell at first because the grass looked too green. I'd never seen grass this shade before. It was so vibrant.

The blonde cat darted when it saw I was running after it. I found myself getting winded and had to stop. I rested my hands on my knees, as I tried to catch my breath.

“That’s right…. I’m really weak in this body. Short limbs are the worst.” I had no choice but to watch as the kitty got away. Darn, I had already named it too. Mr. Fuzzels.

To my surprise It stopped and began hissing. At first I didn’t understand why, but then I noticed someone standing there, or something standing there. When did they get here? Before the cat, stood the silhouette of… I wasn’t sure. It was tall and wide.

I couldn’t make them out. They looked like a blurry shadow to me. I wish I had my glasses. On the other hand not having my braces was very nice. The shadows moved like a flame slowly shrinking down until they resembled an actual person.

I panicked as I recognized them, “Chief?” my tears started to flow again as I saw her standing there. The shadows had somehow manifested as the person I used to trust.

Her black hair and red eyes were highly recognizable. The horns while being a new addition fit her perfectly for what she was. A monster. A demon. The devil incarnate. Moe Hitler.

“Go away! I don’t want to talk to you!” I cried. There was no excuse for what she did. She was evil. She needed to be locked away, or killed, or have a pineapple shoved up her butt for the rest of eternity—like in that one super inappropriate movie my brother showed me.

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Chief smiled and laughed. She stepped forward stepping on the cats skull and crushing it against the ground. It tried to cry out, but was instantly silenced. “You monster!” I cried.

“Shut the fuck up, brat!” She stepped forward as the kitty turned into light and vanished. I was thankful for that since I couldn't handle anymore blood.

“Chief, just leave me alone. I don’t want to talk to you.” I said fearfully.

Alice was right. Chief hurts people. She’s evil. She killed Vincent and now she’s back to hurt me again. She won't stop. Even though she killed me, she still followed me here. Where ever the hell this was.

I pressed my hand over my chest. I could still feel the pain I felt when her hand went right through me. It burned even now.

As chief got closer, I took a step back, but it wasn’t enough as she seemed to close the distance between us so quickly. Her hand reached out grabbing me by the wrist. “No!” I cried trying to pull myself away.

Annoyed with me she twisted my arm all while smiling like a possessed doll. “Does this hurt?” She sweetly asked.

“Ow! Stop it!” I begged. She was so strong, but why? There’s no game system here! She looked younger than I did!

She grabbed me by the hair and began to drag me. “Come on, we have work to do. I don't have all day.” She commanded, as she dragged me down the hill.

“No! Please! I don't wanna go! You’re hurting me! It hurts!” I cried.

“Shut up, and stop calling me that. I’m not Isaac. This looks like a thin spot.” She pulled me forward causing me to face the ground, as it crumpled away, and opened up.

I held my hair hoping I could relieve some of the tension. The hole in the ground revealed a hollow cavern underneath. “What is this?” I cried.

“Isn’t it obvious, I’ve hollowed out your soul.” She said smugly.

“What does that even mean!” I cried trying to break free. “let goooo!”

“This again. I suppose your memories aren’t what they used to be. Go ahead try to remember anything from a year ago.” She said.

“I… what are you talking about!” I sobbed.

“Stupid bitch!” She kicked me in the face knocking me on my back as she ripped out a chunk of my hair.

I screamed in pain hoping for it to finally stop. How could anyone be so cruel. I was so afraid of her that I started pushing myself away. Out of fear I couldn’t even stand, much less run. I kicked and scooted my ass back as far and as quickly as I possibly could.

Even though I was in a horrible situation, at least I had some relief in that this wasn’t chief, but why did she look like chief, If she wasn’t chief? Did that mean chief wasn’t actually a monster?

Maybe she’ll still come to save me. I had to try. Even if I wanted to stay quite, I could never stop myself from calling out to her. “Chief! Chief!” I cried.

The demon girl laughed. Then yelled “Isaac help! This poor girl is being attacked! Are you really going to just leave her in my hands?” She looked around as if searching for someone.

“Are you jumping out a window, or perhaps throwing a plate of sausages at me? What about a rock, or a blade made of pure quintessence? No? Oh, well. I guess he doesn’t care about you. He’s busy saving someone more important. Poor little Lilly.” She mocked.

I went silent as the thought started to sink in, that chief probably couldn’t hear me. “Shut up! Just go away! Chief will come and she’ll beat you up! You’ll see!” I cried hugging my knees once more.

“No one is coming. Isaac doesn’t care. Shadow doesn’t even like you. She cares more about Isaac than she does about you. Why do you think she mothers him and doesn’t treat you the same. You’re the actual child yet she takes better care of him than you.” Said the demon.

“No your wrong!” I cried shaking my head.

The demon suddenly appeared next to me almost whispering in my ear. “What kind of adult let’s a child get so drunk…. Unless… she doesn’t give a crap about you. Your entire guild abandoned you. Instead of making sure you were okay. Your so called friend decided to save herself and left you behind.” Said the demon.

“No, its not like that! Shadow and I got separated when that monster fell over the city!” I cried.

“Oh, Lilly.” She shook her head. “Are you really that naive. You were right next to her when it happened. Are you really going to tell me she couldn’t reach out and grab you? I think she cared more about Alice’s safety than yours. Stop lying to yourself.” Said the demon.

“Stop talking!” I yelled lashing out with a slap. The demon caught my arm in her hands and broke it in half, causing me to let out a scream, “aaarrrrrrrrgh!”

“How rude! You’re a rude child Lilly! Why are you making me hurt you?” She said. “Stop making me do bad things to you! Can't you see I'm trying to be your friend!”

I kept screaming, my arm in so much pain. The demon grabbed it again causing even more pain to radiate as she twisted the two broken half’s causing my arm to turn all the way around and the broken bone to rub against the other.

The skin turned purple as the bone poked it’s way out. There was no blood. Instead white light began to break off and float away. The pain was so bad as she played with the two half’s moving them around all while giggling like a little girl.

“Be quiet or I’ll break the other one and give you a toxic blood infusion!” She yelled as a sharp black stinger protruded from her mouth dripping with a greenish yellow acid. I knew it was acid not just from experience, but because it started melting the grass as soon as it touched it.

Shaking my head rapidly, I did my best to shut up, even though I was in so much pain. I couldn't imagine having such potent acid running through my veins. “That's better Lilly. Good girl. Now tell me do you remember anything from a year ago?” Said not Chief.

Not wanting to be hurt again, I thought about it. A year ago? It felt… fuzzy. There were echo’s and shadows, but I couldn’t recall any of it. Wasn’t there important people there? What was it? My… something.

That was odd. I had memories of stuff not that long ago. Like right after I got out of that flower I thought about some… people. I couldn't remember what the memory was. What was going on!

A flash of a memory came through. A night where master held me. I wanted to go home and apologize to my family. Those shadows, they were my family. Why can’t I remember their faces, what they sounded like, or even how many of them there was.

“What… why can’t I remember.” I cried.

“Good. Now how about a month ago? Can you remember that?” said the demon.

I tried but shook my head.

“Good! Now what is the earliest memory you have?” said the demon.

I was afraid to answer, but it came out anyway. “I… logged into TEO.”

“Perfect! Now for the next part.” The demon grabbed me by the broken arm causing the horrible pain to go up by a million percent, as she dragged me towards the hole.

“Stop, please! I'll go wherever you want!” I cried.

“Oh, Lilly. Of course you will, because we’re friends, but first I need to make sure you’ll never betray me.” The demon released me. Leaving me to look into the empty world.

“I wont betray you! Please just stop hurting me!” I cried.

“Not good enough. Let’s give it another 10 years and we’ll see where we’re at.” She kicked me in the back knockng me into the hole.

Chief… please… save me.