Chapter 10: Trust Exercise

Darkness had been all that Nyoka has seen in months, her head incased in a metal mask as she was held in the air. This had been her life ever since she was sentenced to death for her crimes she committed against the organization. She was a professional thief that was usually assigned to scouting, disarming traps, and stealing high value items from dungeons.

She sighed in her prison, remembering what got her in this mess in the first place. About a year ago she got involved in the ships underbelly smuggling mana crystals and selling them off to them instead of the guild. But who could blame her? It was additional cash on top of what she usually made from her jobs? Hell, if the higher ups really cared about the underbelly then they could crush them at any point, right?

Nyoka struggled and flared about in anger “Why go after me you assholes! Go after the actual problem you cowards!” She screamed, knowing no one could hear her outside of her mask. “Stupid! It was just a bit of extra cash! Unfair! Tyrants! Dictators!” She continued in futility. She knew that once the sentence was passed all that remained was to await your death in whatever fashion they deemed fit.

Honestly the worst part about it is, you could only wait to find out what they eventually assigned you to do and with little hope to getting free. Mining would be the best bet for her, plenty of chances to escape and if you do well you could get a rare chance to buy your freedom or simply released. Worst case they send you to a frontier or hell world and out of the two Nyoka preferred the frontier, hell worlds are worlds that have fallen to demons, monsters, or simply uninhabitable except for the toughest of races.

Then there was the one with the most random results, becoming a test subject. Most resulted in the death of the selected prisoner, but if you were chosen for something that could enhance your body in a way that made you valuable enough to be kept alive? It was a slight but it was better then nothing.

“Speak of the devil…” The inside of Nyoka’s helmet lit up, words flashing in front of her that simply said [Assignment: Test subject.] She then felt something attach to her prison, lift her up slightly, and then rocket off in a direction. She gritted her teeth, being pulled at high speeds and jerked around as she was moved. All the breath in her body was forced out as they came to a sudden stop and as she was recovering, she felt herself become stripped of her rags, sprayed down, dried and then a new layer of rags slapped on her body.

Not having enough time to contemplate the feeling of being violated her body was jerked upwards, stopping briefly before being raised slowly. The bindings holding her in place snapped, dropping her as she landed all fours on the floor. Next her mask was removed, causing her to raise a hand and squint her eyes. The light in the pure white room blinding her. “Urgh…” She groaned, struggling to get up.

First she checked herself to make sure nothing about her had changed without her notice in the estimate 3 months she had been in confinement. “Tail, check. Ears, check…weight, less.” She patted her flat stomach after scratching the black cat ears that were on top of her head. “Huh, odd not to check your surroundings first when placed in an unknown area…” Nyoko froze, her tail standing straight up as she heard the unfamiliar voice and turned around.

Behind her was an elf with short white hair and blue eyes, the casual clothes threw her off a bit. She wasn’t a scientist but the metal orb in her chest suggested she might be a test subject. Another thing that threw her off was that the women was laying down on her side facing her in an extremely bored manner. “F-forgive me I have been in there for so long.” The cat women said. The women looked at her from top to bottom, Nyoka swore she saw her smirk for just a moment before she scoffed “Oh, I bet it was so bad.” The woman said sarcastically before sitting up and patting the ground besides her.

Nyoka stepped back a bit, taking a quick glance around the room. She noted that besides the woman and a door, nothing was in it. “So uh, what is the test?” She asked, only to get another few pats on the ground from the elf wanting her to sit down next to her. Nyoka loosened her shoulders with a heavy sigh before walking over and sitting down. Looking at the elf she asked again “The test?”

The elf smiled “You’ll find out soon enough, I’ve been in here for a while but they left. Something about paperwork.” She said, then tapped the ball on her chest, a holographic screen appeared in front of the girl. “Names Catherine, hungry?” She asked tapping the screen, a hole opening in the ceiling and two plates holding cookies floated down.

Nyoka blinked “So, you are a part of the testing crew?” She asked, motioning to the orb in her chest. The elf shrugged “Maybe? I was here for a few tests and this is one of the…benefits, letting me order any food I want, kinda.” Catherine picked up one of the plates, handing it to Nyoka “I’m liking the sweets, but mainly I think they are just trying to find out what all I can eat.” She shrugged.

Nyoka took the plate, picking up a cookie and staring at it “These are not, tampered with? Right?” She asked, watching the girl shake her head before taking a bite. At this point with how weird everything has been she was expecting this was some sick game to get her to eat mutating cookies, but was pleasantly surprised when the cookies just tasted good.

Catherine smiled “You never gave me you name.” She asked, Nyoka’s eyes widened, choking on her food “S-Sorry its N-nyo-“ She couldn’t stop coughing so Catherine poked her screen again, and just like last time the ceiling opened up and a glass of water came floating down, stopping in front of Nyoka who quickly grabbed it and chugged it down. Nyoka sighed in relief “Its Nyoka.” She then glanced at the screen “That thing is pretty useful, whats all on it?” She asked, leaning forward to try and read it.

The elf quickly tapped the ball on her chest causing the screen to vanish. Nyoka raised an eyebrow but Catherine waved her off “Some of the options are…weird.” Nyoka scooted away from her, placing the plate down “So there was poison?” She asked, Catherine shook her head, picking up on of the cookies off Nyoka’s plate and eating it “Just some weird stuff, like bugs, creatures. Anything technically edible.”

Catherine leaned back “So, Nyoka, what did you do to end up here? On death row? You seem…accepting of your current situation?” She asked.

The girl lowered her head, her ears laying flat on the top of her head “Well, there isn’t much I can do to change it.” She said and sighed “I may have smuggled some resources and sold them to the underbelly.” She sighed.

“Well that was dumb.” Catherine chuckled “Going up against this massive organization? Sounds like suicide.”

She twitched, grabbing a cookie and quickly eating it before standing up “Well screw them!” She shouted “If it is so bad to sell to them then why let them live right? Why am I being punished for making some quick cash?!”

Catherine raised up both of her hands “Woah, chill girl. You knew the risks right? Can’t complain that you got caught.”

“No, fuck you!” She plopped down on her butt, crossing her legs and eating another cookie. “And fuck the people who assigned me the death sentence for just a few mana crystals.” She huffed pointing a half-eaten cookie at The elf “And what did you do, huh? What injustice did they put you threw to be locked in this room?! Surely I am not the only one!”

“I killed off an entire scouting ship.” Catherine simply said.

“See? I am not the only one! What was so bad about killing…off…an…entire…” She looked towards Catherine “An entire ship?” She asked meekly.

Catherine sighed, poking her metal ball before the screen appeared “Says here it wasn’t just a few, you stole from your teammates, guild reserves, and even from machines currently using them.” She chuckled.

“…How do you know that? Why does that show that? Isn’t that just for food?” She asked, backing away slowly.

Catherine chuckled “Yup, see?” She flipped the screen around allowing Nyoka to read the screen, her face paled. The screen showed several categories, from deserts to full course meals, and right under a section called [Monster Fodder] Was a prisoner list. “See? Anything technically edible.”

Nyoka bolted to her feet, rushing to the door and started banging on it. “What’s the matter? I thought you accepted it? Not much you could do, right?” Catherine chuckled, not bothering to get up as she watched the girl try and escape.

“Fuck you! Out of all the ways I wanted to go out, being eaten alive and toyed with like this…” She hit the door one last time before slumping down next to it, then turned around, sitting up against the wall ” Fuck you.”

Catherine shrugged “You’re cute.” She smiled, still not getting up from her spot on the floor.

Nyoka faintly laughed “So what now? You fed me my last meal, and now you are just going to eat me? What are you anyways, last time I checked elves don’t eat humanoids? You a monster?”

“Honestly, you were cute and a bit too accepting of this whole situation. You piqued my interest.” She said, standing up. “If only slightly” She walked over, sitting next to the girl who didn’t bother to move. “Obviously, I cannot let you live but…” She looked towards the girl who was looking straight ahead. Catherine chuckled, patting the girl on the head, giggling again as she stiffened up. “Thanks for the experience.”

Just then, the door to the room opened, in walking Lucy who glanced around the room and located the two by the door side. “You play with your food too much.” She simply said, raising her hand towards Catherine who was sent flying to the corner, pinning her to the wall.

Nyoka blinked, slowly looking to her side, her eyes widening seeing the girl who saved her. She quickly crawled over and wrapped her arms around the women “Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!” She cried “My watery angel! My savoir!”

Lucy squinted at the girl, before glancing towards Catherine “You were authorized one death row inmate and you picked this girl to toy with?” She frowned, kneeling and patting the girl “That is indeed a very bad habit.” Catherine simply grumbled in response, unable to move. “What is your name child?” She asked.

“Nyoka my savior!” The girl said, letting go of the woman’s leg.

Lucy’s face squinted again, before she stood up and opened a holographic panel. Navigating to Nyoka’s file in the death row list she gave a heavy sigh “thievery when already on a generous salary…” The Lucy looked at the girl, then towards Catherine before smirking “This might work out.” She then waved her hand and Catherine came flying towards her, stopping in front of her and being forced to sit on her knees.

“We have your first assignment, but I feel like this will be an excellent chance.” She said, moving Nyoka in front of her and placing both hands on the poor girls shoulders “Seeing as this bad habit of yours can get in the way of our little arrangement, and as this girl has been assigned to “Test subject” instead of fodder…” Lucy smiled “This will be a good chance to increase your trust with us. Catherine, say hello to your new partner for your next assignment, along with one other person, Nyoka!”

“”What?!”” Both girls screamed, Catherine froze as lucy pointed to her “Think of this as a punishment for your cruel way of playing with people.” She huffed “You are not allowed to harm a single hair on her head and must keep her alive, meanwhile.” Lucy turned Nyoka around to face her, her hands still on the shocked girl’s shoulders “If you make it out of this alive, without trying to flee, you will be set free after this assignment is done, testing concluded.” She smiled.

Catherine tried to speak but couldn’t no matter how much she struggled, lucy sighed, loosening her power over her. “No! I do not approve of this! She is food! A snack! I selected her and you guys said I get one a day!”

Lucy crossed her arms “Yes, and you wasted that. Like I said this is a punishment”

“Fuck your puni-“ Catherine was flattened to the floor, squished by lucy’s power.

“Uhm, is she ok?” Nyoka asked.

Lucy nodded “Yes, she’s just a slime with a foul mouth and bad habits.” She then looked towards Nyoka “I sure hope you do not have such problems, certainly no more un-authorized thievery.” She smiled.

Nyoka gulped, on one hand she was glad she had a chance at freedom, but on the other hand… looking at the Catherine pancake on the floor made her wish the door never opened.