I chose... Rapture. [Faith/ Dream]

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Welcome to Rapture. A city where the artist can roam freely, the scientist can create with the sky as the limit, and the power is with the people. Such a place could never exist on land therefore it was literally built on the bottom of the ocean, as far away from the governing powers as possible. Out of every jurisdiction. The extreme of extremes. It is a massive place with buildings that tower over head and long walkways that link different areas of the city together.
Everything you could ever want you can find in Rapture. There are stores, restaurants, hotels, spas, housing units, art galleries, markets, sports centers and for those who enjoy a little bit of nighttime excitement there are bars and love-houses. Everyone is welcome in Rapture! There are no minorities. Everyone is equal. Everyone gets a fair share.
All of this is thanks to to the hard work and dedication of our founder Andrew Ryan!

At least..that's how things used to be. Before the revolution. On New Year's Eve, at 12:00 on the dot, just as the clocks were ticking down and the champagne bottles were about to be popped, explosions rang through the entire city. The whole foundation of Rapture was shaken to its very core. Those explosions marked the beginning of what would be a long battle throughout the streets between those who supported Andrew Ryan and those who supported a man named Frank Fontaine. Soon blood coated every wall on every corner of the city. The year 1959 was off to a great start.

Hundreds died and those that didn't die..were left to slowly go insane. Driven only further to insanity by their addiction to Adam; the genetical stimulant that once kept the wheels of Rapture turning.
The side-effect of this drug was both an overwhelming addiction to it and a range of horrible disfigurations due to the way the drug affected the human body. Those addicted where named Splicers and those Splicers are all that are left in this city. They do whatever they can to get their hands on Adam..even if it means killing each other. Many have banded together in order to overpower those who are weak, making them even more dangerous.

The revolution was two years ago. There are now those who are merely trying to get by and those who are trying to escape. But to escape means going through hell and back again...straight through the center of the city. Can you make it out?
Let's see, shall we?

I would have tried to focus on my feelings for Mira had it not been for the fact that we were about to get ourselves into one of the biggest battles since the civil war broke out in Rapture. Yes there had been small conflicts between the gangs and groups who now inhabited the city but the men that followed Finn Wood were no rag-tag group of men. They were an army and he probably had them hopped up on enough Adam that they would follow him to the ends of the earth if that's what he asked of them, so long as he promised them Adam once they got there.
For that reason I prepared myself for what was probably going to be the hardest fight of my life. A battle for survival of not only myself but also those who I cared about most. Mira but also the three who had agreed to help us.

My thoughts were quickly cut short as the hinges on the door gave way and the entire thing went flying across the room until it hit the wall just behind the secretary's desk. A loud sprawl of victorious yelling could be heard from outside and the first masked Splicer appeared in the doorway.
The moment he saw us he immediately charged only to fall victim to Mira's trap.
In an instant his frozen body was flung into the roof and smashed into a million pieces of ice. The same fate was met by the first few Splicers who followed him, each meeting their demise against the roof of the lobby.
But soon the traps had all been tripped and Mira was forced to replenish her Eve with a hypo. It was at that moment that I knew I would need to take on those that followed until she could get back into the fight.

I stepped forward and trained my weapon on the door only to find myself face to face with not just one Brute Splicer but four or five in succession. They had pushed their way to the front of the mass outside before squeezing in through the doorway. Each was three times my size at the very least. So large in fact that I doubted they would have been affected by the traps that Mira had put down earlier.
Without giving myself much of a chance to think, I moved forward to meet them head on so just as my instincts told me to.
The first was quickly eliminated by a barrage of ammunition from my weapon that tore through his torso but his body was thrown aside by the Brute behind him. This second Brute came at me so quickly it was all I could do to bring my arms up in a protective stance before his fist hit me and I fell back a few steps.
I managed to keep my balance though and I regained my composure, looking up at the man in front of me. Behind him more and more Splicers flooded through the doorway thinking they could overwhelm the two of us with pure numbers.
They did not expect for me to stomp my foot against the ground as a signal to the others.

From their hiding places sprung the three Sister's that had been hidden up to this point and they joined the fray, turning the whole battle into a huge mess of gunfire and the sound of metal hitting metal as they started to battle it out with the Splicers who opposed them. Many of whom were so surprised by their appearance that they could do nothing but flail their weapons at the new enemy before they were either shot or their bodies pierced by the long blades attached to each of the weapons carried by the protectors.
Even the Brutes were taken by surprise and quickly fell victim to the merciless attacks of their newly discovered foes.
"There are too many of them! Get back!" A voice cried but it was quickly silenced by a round from my gun which sent the Splicer crashing to the ground with blood soaking through the hole in his chest. His body fell still and he joined the dozen of his own that had fallen so far in the melee alone.

The battle in the room wound down and soon the very last Splicer fell to the ground with a pained yelp before he was silenced by a quick jab from a bayonet upon the weapon carried by Mel. Everything fell silent except for the sound of yelling and jeering coming from outside.
The Splicers had caught on to what we were doing and now they were going to make us come out to meet them out in the open where they had the advantage.
I stepped over the bodies of those we had killed, blood streaked across much of my armor, and I glanced around at the others.
Our plan had worked and none of us seemed to have been injured.
The reality of the situation was changing through and I knew that we had no other choice at this point.

I gave everyone a nod of my head as if wishing everyone good luck before I ran straight towards the door. As soon as I passed the doorway I launched myself high into the air above the huge crowd that appeared before me on the outside of the facility. It appeared that Finn Wood had summoned all of his muscle to find and hunt us down.
The moment they saw me the gunfire started but I was upon them, landing in the middle of the mass, before they could land a proper hit on me. Immediately I began slash this way and that with my blade while I unleashed a stream of flame from my plasmid hand, showering the Splicers with flames that caused them to scream in agony as they were consumed.
Only moments later all three other Sister's came screeching out to join the fray, meeting the army head on.
If Finn wanted us he was going to lose a hundred Splicers for every one of us he injured.

I couldn’t help but admire Echo. She was a great fighter. As I reloaded my Eve, she took on the task of taking care of the splicers that came in through the door. She somehow managed to get caught, head to head with a brute splicer. It wasn’t something I had been expected, but I probably should have. Finn Wood’s rage was probably greater than either of us imagined. She takes out the first Brute to only have another come in right behind the first. They matched her size at least double. It was now that I realized that my traps were probably going to stop loosing effectiveness anyway and to stop wasting Eve on them. Instead, I shot the Splicers as they came in with my plasmid. Echo had decided to jump into the action which made it far too risky to fire the buckshot.

The second Brute lunges at Echo and I jump towards them, taking fire on the large Splicer. By now, we’ve become a little overwhelmed and my companion calls on her friends to help. With a hard stamp of her foot they come flowing out, showering the group with bullets. One Splicer falls right after the other, over and over again until one of them catches on. They call out to the others to fall back just as he is shot himself.

The fight in the lobby had been short but confined. We were able to move around and shoot and tunnel the splicers into a single area. We had ended up on top until they caught on to our strategy and no more splicers came into the building. They could still be heard outside and I look around in the short moments of peace. It was a surprise, but none of the Sisters seemed to have sustained an injury. We had made it through without anyone being harmed. It’s a bright outlook, but the Splicers have turned the tables on us. Now it was us who were coming from the door into the unknown battle outside. There couldn’t have been many. I doubted that Finn would have brought out his entire force to capture us or kill us.

With a simple nod of her head, Echo shoots out the door. I grit my teeth, watching as she goes. The girl was being very reckless, but the element of surprise might have been the only thing on our side. I start toward the door. By the time I make it out into the street, the building was being riddled with gunfire. I run out to meet the first Splicer I see. This one isn’t a Brute like most of the others that were in the groups of Splicers. I had matched up against a Spider Splicer. The splicer throws two of her hooks at me, trying to make them sink into my flesh as I run towards her. I charge up my plasmid as I ran, unleashing it upon her. I make it to her just as she freezes. I jump, kick, and the splicer shatters. I land hard on my back, but the adrenaline of the battle keeps me going with little more than a blink.

I pull myself onto the next splicer. They are busy shooting at one of the other sisters caught in the mix. From the distance, I can’t tell which Sister it is that seems to have Splicers crawling all over her body. I jump on the splicer, making it come falling to the ground. My hands are on his head before they can shuffle out from under me. With one ruthless twist, the splicer lay still beneath my body. I wasn’t doing as much damage as the Sisters were, but each splicer I took out was one less than they had to deal with. While they dealt with the larger Brutes, I was worried about the ones that I could actually take on by myself.

It’s not long before I draw attention to myself though. Gunfire can be heard throughout the area. I turn just to see one of the splicers point their weapon at me. I unleash a vortex at them. They fire at me, but luckily they miss. They go flying back, hitting the brick building behind them hard. I was doing pretty good. So far I hadn’t used any of my ammunition and I had only used my plasmids twice. If I was able to keep going at this pace, I could take out at least thirty of them before having to reload my plasmids.

I slashed left and right, throwing Splicers off my back when they tried to climb onto me to pin me down. Every now and again I felt the stinging pain of a round hitting a soft spot in my armor but none of the rounds pierced through the padding and the strikes from the pipes and bats a number of the Splicers carried were only enough to daze me for a split second before I retaliated with a much more deadly weapon than the one they carried.
With the sounds of battle all around me it was hard to predict where the next attack was going to come from but it seemed like so long as I kept myself moving, they weren't going to be able to hit me from behind where I was most vulnerable.
With a quick glance over my shoulder I caught sight of Focus who was making very short work of another Brute Splicer.

Mel and Sam both fought with the ferocity only Big Sister's could display. They tore through anything that came before them and even though they were seen to take a hit or two every now and again, nothing stopped them from fighting on. They were formidable allies and along with Focus's expertise they made the battle much easier on both Mira and I.
They kept many of the Splicers occupied so that she could pick them off with little difficulty without gaining much attention herself.
Everything seemed to be going exactly how we wanted it to go down to the very last detail.

Just like those inside the force waiting for us outside had not been prepared to take on four fully outfitted Big Sisters. Yes they still had the numbers to take us on without immediately retreating but it was not going to be the easy battle they had been promised by their leader when they first set out on their hunt for two women.
Even the fact that they were a mix of all kinds of Splicers seemed to make much of a difference on the tide of the battle. The Brutes were much to slow to keep up with the Sisters, the Spiders were unable to use their wall climbing abilities to their advantage the way they wanted to, and to top it all off the basic Splicers made a huge mess of everything by simply firing where they thought their enemies were while hoping for the best. Not the smartest of strategies when such a large brawl was going on.

Their numbers were beginning to dwindle as they struggled to inflict at least a little bit of damage against the powerful enemy they had found themselves against. Bodies littered the ground as the death toll reached more or less fifty. Blood stained both the ground and the armor of the Sister's so deeply that it would have taken more than water to wash away the dark red color.
However just as victory seemed to be just around the corner there came a loud cry from the further down the road.
I turned my head to find that another large force was heading our way. A mass of another fifty fully armed Splicers but what made this group all the more dangerous was the man who was leading them; Finn Wood himself.

The split second I spent observing the approaching army proved to be a mistake as I suddenly felt something sharp pierce through my leg. I let out a sharp cry of pain before glancing down to find a Spider Splicer claw had easily torn through my armor like it was merely made of cardboard.
The pain was incredible but I ignored it, slicing the creature across the chest with my blade.
By the time I looked up again the force was upon us and we were now outnumbered even more than ever before.
My plasmid had began to glow and I raised it, unleashing a wall of flame that incinerated all who were near enough to become engulfed in the fire. Screams filled the air as Splicers scrambled about trying to put themselves out but it was far too late for them.
I could hear the familiar sound of electricity coursing through those around Mel and I knew she had done the same as me.

There seemed to be no end to our enemies though and I knew that soon we were going to be completely overwhelmed. We needed a way to end the battle quickly. A way to demoralize the whole army and force them into retreat.
The answer came to me when my eyes settled upon Finn Wood who was standing amongst his men simply watching the battle. He knew we were slowly weakening and it was only a matter of time before he could move in to finish us off.
I grit my teeth. Not this time.
With the last of my Eve I burned my way through another wave of Splicers before beginning to carve my way towards the man in the golden mask. I needed to finish this once and for all.

We were doing a very good job at taking care of all of the Splicers that were in the street. Well, I could say the Sisters were. I was killing as many as I could, but with their armor and weaponry, they were much more effective at killing large groups of them. It was in the design though, so it nothing less should have been expected. They were made to protect the little girls in the streets. Sometimes gangs could come upon the little girl and the Sisters had to be ready. They were made for battle like this. They were made for the intensive killing without as much as a blink of an eye. They were made to be senseless killers.

Right now, I didn’t mind such a thing. As long as I wasn’t fighting against the group of Sisters I would be glad to fight alongside of them. Their rage was great and they took it out on each splicer than came in their path. I did the same, just on a smaller scale.

I’ve made it more into the heat of the battle. Each Splicer I kill it seems that one more is there to replace it. They’re numbers are starting to thin, but it doesn’t keep us from fighting. Each second we fight is another step closer to safety. I blast away at the splicers, using my weapon and plasmids in unison. When I can, I take one out by surprise, twisting their necks hard, but being is such a group of them becomes rough. I am busy fighting with one, shooting a plasmid at it. It’s much smarter than the others, dodging the plasmid nimbly. I fire again, running at it with a ferocity I’ve never seen. Before I get close enough to the Splicer, something hits me in the back of my head, making my vision blur. It fall forward with the extra force and I feel a foot land in my gut. A Splicer had come up behind me as I fought the one in front of me. I don’t let it stop me. I unleash a vortex around me, pushing all of the Splicers that were nearby away from me. I stumble to my feet, my vision still blurry. It seemed that the splicer had hit my head in the same place that I had hit my head earlier.

As my vision begins to clear, I jump on the splicer, hitting it with the butt of my gun. The Splicer lay still on the ground, but I doubt that I’ve killed it. The possibility of knocking it out was far greater. I take in a deep breath, pulling myself towards another splicer. My eyes catch sight of Echo and I can’t help but watch her a moment. She is using incinerate hard on the Splicers and it seems that she’s trying to make herself towards a group farther off. I can’t help but stop in my tracks. Finn Wood led the next group to come and fight us. Was she running to kill Finn? I shoot the splicer that’s ahead of me. Was she trying to get herself killed?

"Echo!" I scream, but it's lost to the gunfire and war cries of all the people in the area.Instead of trying to scream again, I can’t help but turn towards her, running through the group of splicers that were still left. There were only about ten and the Sisters were taking care of them. I can’t keep from watching the girl that was far ahead of me, killing off splicers to get at Finn. It was like everything was in slow motion now. I ran, making a rain of buckshot through the splicers that had went past her and surrounded her in an attempt to overwhelm her. She was trying to save us; she was trying to keep us from having to fight them all. I wasn’t sure if she could make it through. Would Finn let her get that close? He watched the fight from farther back, enjoying the sight he saw. He did not bother to lift a hand to help fight the girls that had so badly diminished his appearance in front of his men. He did not let loose a plasmid. He didn’t do anything but watch us fight hard for our lives, like it was a little game that he knew he had already won.

With every step I took towards their leader, the Splicers fought harder to defend him from any kind of attack. I stabbed, slashed, burned, and threw any who dared get close enough to me but for every one that I killed there were three or four more to take its place.
The further I got through the mass of his men the further away I seemed to get from him. I grit my teeth and fought even harder trying to get to the man who had started all of this. The man who had caused me so much pain but I was determined to return the favor.
The hook my leg shot pain through my whole body with every step I took but I was determined to put an end to this whole thing.

Behind me the other Sister's were engaging the reinforcements that Finn had brought into the battle. Despite the display of power and the battlefield that was littered with their fellow Splicers, the men rallied behind their leader fearlessly and charged forward with much more strength than those who we had just defeated.
Mel slashed her way through a Brute when she was taken from behind by a Splicer who threw her onto the ground. He raised one of his deadly hooks when he was brutally knocked aside with a shoulder tackle from Sam who had raced to her aid after seeing her ally go down.
Knowing they were heavily outnumbered the two fought back to back so that they could no longer fall victim to the same tactic.

Finn stood where he was just watching each of us silently. His gaze watched as Mel and Sam were forced backwards by the number of Splicers they were tempting to fend off, he watched as Focus squared away with a particularly large Brute, and finally his eyes came to rest on me as I tore my way through whatever he could throw at me. It didn't take a genius to know that I was fighting to reach him.
So with a simple motion of his hand the Splicers who had taken up position around him moved away with looks of amazement on their faces.
"Die now.." He cried and with a flick of his wrist he fired a stream of lighting straight at me.
By the time I saw the bright blue light coming my way it was too late to dodge and I was hit dead on with the full force of the blast. The pain was incredible but I only staggered before I pushed on rushing straight towards him. No-one stood in my way.

"Die!" He yelled louder as another bolt left his hand and washed over me, causing me to collapse onto one knee. However I pulled myself up with a determination that only a body in over-drive could muster.
His fingertips began to glow brightly as he charged up the final blow but before he could deliver the shock he was forced to quickly turn and unleash a stream of fire at Mel who had thrown herself at him from the side.
The flames were not enough to kill but she was forced to retreat with her armor smoking from the intense heat. In the same motion Finn turned to let fly the third bolt of lighting only his target was not me, it was Focus who had moved in from the right. She fell to the ground motionless with the current still flowing through her.
Finally he turned his attention back towards me and with both his hands, one with flames and the other with lightening, he unleashed a fearsome display of power in the form of both being used at once.
I was first stunned by the electricity and then engulfed in flames, a screech of pain filled the air.

Finn began to laugh as he continued to focus all of his attention on me, all but forgetting the others whom he thought he had neutralized. Focus was on the ground, Mel was much too weak to fight on, and Sam had been injured by the Splicers.
He thought he had everything under control but there was one who he had not thought about.. Mira.
With both his hands busy he had no defense from attack.

By the time I made it through the first line of reinforcements that made their way down the street towards the others that were now advancing with me, my nose was bleeding and I had a nasty cut on my side. One of the splicers had gotten me good with a Lead pipe, but with the Adrenaline flowing through my veins, there was nothing they could do to stop me from ending their life quickly. I was being attacked from everywhere, and it was a surprise that I wasn’t hurt any further. Now I was making my way closer and closer to Finn in the crater that Echo had left in her wake. She was closer to Finn than I was and he regarded all the sisters one at a time. It seemed that his eyes never looked at me. I was just a weak girl compared to the others, what was there to fear about me?

I was determined to get to Echo before she could get hurt. She had made it to Finn now and she was squaring off with him. I didn’t want her to. I called her name out but there was no way she could hear me from where I was. I watch as she takes a bolt of electricity, barely faulting. I know that she feels it, just like she did the last time he struck her with the powerful Electro-Bolt that he used. I watch as I make my way up. The splicers have all but stopped attacking to watch their leader take on the four Big Sisters. He handles them with precision, taking care of each one that threatens to get close to him. This show is for the splicers as much as it is to put my companions out of commission. He wanted to show them that entire group that he was no one to be trifled with. He wanted to show them that not even the wrath of the Sisters could pull him off his throne.

I’ve made my way to the fight as he begins to engulf Echo in flames. Her screams fill my ears and I feel my stomach turn. My hands clench around the weapon I held. That had been the last straw. I ran around the great light that had been made by the flames. I don’t wait, running at the man that was too busy trying to kill the one person in this place that I cared about. He doesn’t even hear my scream as I lunge at him knocking him harshly to the ground. Tears fell from my eyes, but they weren’t tears of sadness or tears of fear. They were tears of complete, power induced, Adam fueled rage.

I land on top of the man, knees in his chest. Before he has a chance to react, I place my left hand on his, letting the winter blast cover his hand. Soon, it’s nothing more than ice and he can’t move it. He writhes beneath me, trying to get up. He reaches up with his second hand, hitting me with a balled up fist of fire. I feel the searing pain spread across the side of my face. I let out a quiet cry before gripping the hand and forcing it to the ground. I continue to do the same thing to the other hand, freezing it to the ground so it cannot move.

“What will you do without your hands, Finn Wood?” I don’t give the man a chance to react before I bring the butt of my gun down on the ice hand. The hand shatters into thousands of tiny pieces. He screams out in pain, his screams matching those of Echo’s. I don’t care how he feels anymore. He threatened the one thing that I cared about in this hellhole. That was unforgivable.

“What will you do without your precious plasmids?” There is venom in my words as I bring the butt of my weapon down on the second hand, breaking it in the process. Once again, his screams fill the street. All of his followers that stand in watch are silent, horrified. I showed no pity for this man. He had tried to take away my happiness. This rage was probably twice what I showed to my father.

“Oh Finn Wood, you will die tonight” I feel my hand come down on the man’s mask. I didn’t care to see what was behind it. I hit it, once, twice, three times until there is a thick red mark on the front of his mask.I didn't care if my hand was bleeding. I didn’t care if it was hurting him or not... The pain grew and swelled as the place where his hand met his forearms started to melt slowly. My tears fell on the golden mask beneath me as I watched him. He lay still, but it was very apparent he wasn’t dead. He waited, hoping that I might leave him to live without hands. He valued his life, but I did not care. I reach behind his head, gripping the black ponytail behind him. The other hand grips his chin. I watch him a moment before his neck twists, the way so many had before him had. There’s a hard pop and I feel the muscles beneath me weaken until it's like there's nothing beneath me. I drop the head from my hands, my head falling. The tears roll down my cheeks, still too enraged to think about anything.
The golden mask fell from his face, lying in the street, cracked and broken.

The moment Mira tackled the murderous figure of Finn Wood and the combined stream of fire and lighting came to an end, my body stood shakily for all of a few seconds. It teetered forward before falling backwards with a loud thump against the bloody concrete, surrounded by the bodies of those I had killed in an effort to get to the man my companion was now mercilessly killing with every ounce of rage she had within her. He did not stand a chance against the rage of a woman he had caused so much pain to. He had underestimated her and she was now teaching him the meaning of pain. He was getting exactly what he deserved and then some.
His screams echoed through the streets of Rapture until they were silenced forever. His last breath drawn looking up at the woman he had deemed as not worth his time.

The Splicers who had followed their glorious leader into battle now stood motionless and unsure of what to do. None of them had thought they were going to find themselves in the middle of a battle much less a battle in which their self-proclaimed king would fall.
Those who were furthest away from the whole mess turned and disappeared into the darkness while the others began to follow en suit. True to all Splicers the moment their leader was gone they lost all sense of control and stability.
The only ones who stayed behind were those that were unable to move they were so badly injured in the battle.

In an instant Focus was at my side looking over the smoking remains of my armor, looking for any signs of life through the horrific levels of damage that were apparent in the state of my armor. The Sister tore her helmet off, not bothering to wipe away the blood that dripped from a cut in her forehead.
Mel and Sam limped together towards the group carefully stepping over the bodies of the fallen so as not to worsen their injuries any more than they were.
They came to a stop on the opposite side of my motionless body looking down the figure before them silently.

Focus pulled herself to her feet and ran over to where Mira was still crouched over the defeated body of Finn, just as bloody and beaten as they all were. The Sister did not take the time to look at her foe as there were more important things to worry about.
"Mira, I need your help. Echo's not looking good." She whispered urgently before quickly standing and moving back towards the spot she had just left.
She needed Mira's help as the other two were already supporting one another. Neither of them would have been able to help.
"We need to get her inside." She said once she was joined by her fellow Sister's companion.

I was numb. I felt nothing. I didn’t feel the burn that ran across my face or the blood that ran down my face and mixed with the tears. I just sat there, head limp, watching the ground beneath me. There was nothing else I could do. In my mind, he had taken her from me. I couldn’t think straight. I wanted to get up and scream and kill him all over again. I wanted him to feel the pain he felt a million times over. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t have a restart. I couldn’t start any of this over. All of these people were dead all because of the man that now lay beneath me.

I hear people behind me, but I don’t look up. I don’t look up until I’m drawn back into reality. I look up, remembering the girl that now lay nearby. I didn’t want to know what kind of shape she was in. I didn’t want to know that she was dead. The girl whispers in my ear. She wasn’t looking good, but she wasn’t dead. I take in a deep breath before forcing myself up off the ground. I can’t think about anything now but the girl that lay still on the ground.

I walk quietly to meet the group. We were all battered, but Echo was the worst of them all. She had ran to be the hero…I grit my teeth, having to ignore the rage I feel. She still smokes where she is. Focus was right; she did need to get inside. I nod slowly, kneeling beside.

“I think I can get her inside if you’ll just watch me” I speak quietly, my voice hoarse. I am light with my hands, pulling them beneath her. She was still hot and I could feel the metal parts of her suit burning my skin. I can’t feel it though. I’m still too high on adrenaline to care about something like that. I force myself up, ignoring the resistance that my body gives. With her armor on, the girl is much heavier than normal. She is still in my arms as I start back down the street, walking her into the building. I step of many bodies that lie, still on the ground. We had killed many, but our loss was more than there’s. I take in a deep breath, walking quietly into the hallways.

“It’s going to be okay, Echo. We’re going to fix you up real nice.” My words were weak and my rage was now gone. I wasn’t going to be able to take her for much longer without breaking down. It was taking all I had to force myself to go on. I can’t make it farther than the room, with the door, still on the floor, with her name on it. I can’t make it to the common room in the condition I’m in. I step on the door, walking slowly and quietly to the bed. “We need to get her armor off” I speak quietly, more to myself than the others. I start to pull at the metal clasps that line her armor. I only hoped that soon I would pull her helmet off to see her smiling face. I knew it wouldn’t happen, but a girl could hope couldn’t she?

Focus watched as Mira approached them and crouched down beside the still smoking figure of Echo who still had yet to show signs of consciousness or even life. It would have been a complete miracle for the girl to still be alive after the beating she had gone though much less conscious. Still the Sister's all held hope that their friend would be alive so they nodded their heads when she said that she could carry Echo inside on her own.
They could not protest. It was not like any of them were in any state to help her with the exception of Focus, who followed along behind the two quickly.
While Mel and Sam both took their time in limping back inside, carefully looking over their shoulders to make sure that no Splicer remained hostile.

As they reached the room and she turned into it, Focus followed and began to help with the taking off of Echo's armor. She was much quicker at the whole process as she had done it many times over on herself but it seemed like the pieces of leather and the straps that held them on had melted with the intense heat making it incredibly difficult to get the pieces off.
Eventually they managed though and all but the leg plating where a broken Spider Splicer hook still lay embedded in her leg. Getting her settled in bed was the important first step to accessing what needed to be done to save Echo's life.
When the helmet came off a face smeared black with ash came into view with only a few small cuts, the expression on her face calm and quiet. She was unconscious.

Focus moved around Mira so she could get to Echo's head, placing her fingers against her friend's neck. There was a second or two of pause before she shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. She adjusted the position of her fingers yet again but the result seemed to be the same.
Echo's chest was not rising or falling even in the slightest.
"Melanie, get in here!" She cried out and a second later the still limping figure appeared in the doorway, her helmet in her hand.
She came around and looked at Focus expectantly.
"I can't feel a heartbeat.." She explained and immediately Mel came to take her place at the head of Echo's bed.

"Not good.. I need you to get back, Mira. This could hurt you." The Sister spoke for the first time since their meeting with a slight Russian accent as she tore open the front portion of her fellow protector's under-armor that had been weakened by the heat. She then placed her hand against Echo's chest just above her heart and sent a jolt of lighting coursing through her body.
There was no reaction so she did it again, sending a second jolt of electricity through the still motionless figure.
"Come on!" She urged as she charged up for a third jolt and then placed her hand against Echo's neck.
A second passed then two and then, finally, a smile came to Mel's lips.
"She's back.." Her voice came as a blessing to all.
Echo's chest started to rise and fall only slightly but it was a vast improvement from the motionlessness of before.

Focus allowed herself to collapse and lean heavily against the bed breathing a deep sigh of relief, tears of joy in her eyes. The same tears were in the eyes of Mel as she pulled herself up and moved away from the bed to give space there for Mira.
They both knew that she was the one who was there to care for their friend.
Melanie excused herself to help Sam who was still in the hallway where she had been left and soon thereafter Focus placed a hand on Mira's shoulder.
"I'm going to get our medical supplies for you both." And with that she left the room as quickly as she could manage.


(Sadly this is going to be my last post for the night. In the case that I don't see you before you leave tomorrow, I hope you have fun at the party! I'll be here when you return however late that is.)

We worked on Echo until all that remained was the under armor and a lower piece of her armor were a Spider Splicer hook pushed through to her skin. I watched it, wondering if it would be a good idea to pull it out. I wouldn’t be able to sew it up, but maybe one of the other girls could. It needed to come out of her led for risk of infection. I watched over it until one of the sisters who had been silent until now draws my attention away. I didn’t comprehend what she way saying. Maybe it was the fact that I didn’t want to believe that that strong girl that now lay on the bed could have had her heart stop on us. Maybe it was the fact that I wouldn’t let her be head. I take slow steps back until I’m far enough away, but close enough to watch. I didn’t cry anymore. Really, I wasn’t sure if I could feel anything.

It takes the woman awhile before she is able to tell us that she’s okay again. Well, okay would probably be the wrong choice of words in this situation. I could see the girls as they let silent tears fall down their cheeks in happiness. I wasn’t sure if I could be happy right now. This girl was everything that gave me hope down here in Rapture, and I hadn’t even been able to protect her. I feel myself tense up, my teeth gritting down painfully on each other. It had only just hit me now. I hadn’t protected her. I made a promise to her to protect her and now it seemed like she had already died once. I wasn’t very much of a companion. I feel my eyes close and my head fall slightly. I wasn’t her protector.

A hand on my shoulder makes me jump. I look up to see that is only Focus. She talks of going to get us medical supplies before going as quickly out of the door that she can.
“Not for me” I mutter the words quietly, taking a few steps to bridge the gap between me and the bed. Her eyes are closed and she’s breathing now, slowly, but she’s breathing. That’s always a better sign.

I can’t help but pull myself up to her head, placing my lips to her forehead for a moment. I knew that she probably couldn’t feel it, hell; she would probably be out for a while. I hoped that it gave her the same comfort that it gave me. I took in a slow breath, pulling myself away to look at the hook. It hadn’t gone all the way in, but in her extra movements after sustaining the wound, she pushed it in further. I look it over for a moment before unclasping the armor. I don’t go to pull it off yet, but with what I’m about to do, I’ll need quick access to the wound afterwards. I work diligently and silently to find something in my pack that I can place in her mouth. All I can find is some bandage. In the sudden rush of pain, I didn’t want her to bite off her tongue or something. I took the precautions necessary. I place a bottle of liquor on the bed beside her. I could use that to disinfect it. I didn’t need anything fancy, that would do the trick.

I probably shouldn’t have tried doing this until someone came back that had an Incinerate plasmid, but my Winter Blast would to just the same long enough to get someone back in here. I leaned into her led, my vision was still not all there, but I could see well enough to know what I was doing. I wrap my hand around the curvature of the hook that was embedded in her leg. I try not to think about it. I try not to think about the pain I’m causing her even though she’s unconscious. I wait, only a moment before pulling the hook from where it was. It takes a great deal of effort to get it out of her leg and the armor with one jerk, but I am careful, trying to do this as quickly as possible. I feel her jerk with the motion, and I try not to think about her too much, for fear of it clouding my mind too much.

“I’m sorry Echo” I speak as I pull the armor plating off her legs. The wound had already started to bleed, but if I could get it stopped, there would be no problem. Well, I hoped there wouldn’t be any complications. I unscrewed the cap with one hand, taking a short swig. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking. Maybe I was hoping that it would clear my mind or something. Next, I use the drink to clean the wound. There was no telling what kind of infections one could get from a hook like that. There was no telling where they had been.

I hear the sounds of footsteps behind me. I chuckle quietly; looking down at the wound I was now pressing my cold hand into the stop the bleeding. I don’t turn around to look and see which of the Sisters is behind me. I assume that it’s Focus since it seemed that she was the least bent up out of all of them.

“Here, cauterize her leg, will you?”

(It's okay, I fell asleep about five minutes before you posted. I'm going to get ready, but I'll try to post when I get done.)

Coming back to life after being dead is probably the weirdest experience a person could go through. There really wasn't a way for me to properly describe what it felt like to be dead because it was only after the third shock passed through my body that I began to feel again. It went from nothing to everything in a split second yet I was much too weak to do anything but breathe. Even breathing was a battle but I knew that I needed to keep going.
If I was alive then I was going to do everything within my power to stay alive. Even if I was to open my eyes to find that I was laying in the middle of the battlefield with bodies piled all around me, I was going to stay alive on the hope that the others had survived.

I tried to move different parts of my body but none seemed to want to move when I told them to. When I attempted to move my leg there was a sharp pain that immediately made me regret what I had done. It was then that I remembered the Splicer hook that had embedded itself there during the battle and I silently scolded myself for having been so stupid.
In fact everything I did during the battle was rash and stupidly thought out.
Charging blindly into the street to meet Finn's men head on? Stupid.
Fighting through his army to reach him? Stupid.
Allowing him to trap and unleash such powerful plasmids on me before I could so much as scratch him? Stupid.
And I was paying the price now.

Suddenly I felt something against my leg. Someone was beside me trying to tend to my wounds. I wished I could open my eyes to see who it was but they refused to open on their own so I was left guessing, wishing, hoping that it was Mira. Of course I would have been happy to see everyone standing over me but there was only one of them that I.. loved? Was that the word? Loved? Yes, yes that was what I felt for her.
There was no other way of describing the emotions I was experiencing whenever I so much as thought about the woman I had met probably a week ago but I had gone through so much with that it seemed like we had known each other for months.

My thoughts were cut painfully, literally, short when all of the sudden there was an explosion of intense pain the likes of which I could only liken to a red hot iron being pressed into my body. My whole body jolted and with them my eyes flew open and I cried out in agony but something in my mouth kept me from uttering any more than a muffled whimper.
Tears began to roll down my cheeks as my eyes searched the darkness for what was happening, still blurry from everything that my body had been through.
My very first thought was that Finn Wood had won and I was now being tortured for his amusement. This thought caused me to whimper and cry even more.

Then I heard voices I thought I recognized and my mind began to calm down though the pain was much too great for me to stop what were probably the most pitiful sounding whimpers ever to pass my lips as my eyes squeezed shut tightly.
A stinging pain had been added to the mix along with a sharp cold one and seconds later there was an intense burning sensation like the one I had felt just before everything went black.
Then everything was over and I was left shivering helplessly in the most unpleasant mixture of pain and uncertainty. However I knew that I was not captured and that was all that mattered at this point.
We had survived. We had won.

I could do little to keep her from moving. As I yanked the hook from her leg she screamed, jolting up in agonizing pain. Her screams just made everything worse. That scream is what had set me off in a blind rage. That scream was the reason that we were here. That scream… I can do little but continue what I’m doing, waiting for the Sister that walked in behind us to come and help. The longer she took the more pain she was in. I take in a slow, deep breath as I move out of her way. It was focus, but she said nothing. She simply looked at what I had done for a moment before placing her hand over the wound. I watch as the light is made and her skin is sealed like it would a hot iron. I can do nothing but watch for what seemed like the longest of times. Focus steps away to allow me space to stand in front of her. I can only nod in my thanks as I take my place.

“I won’t dress my wounds until she’s functioning again” I don’t give her a chance to offer her services in helping me. I wanted to make sure that the girl that I cared so much for was going to make it. I reach down, brushing my hand across her forehead. She still had a black, soot like substance on her face. Without a word I turn, starting for the door. It’s only now that I realize that I’m limping. I don’t bother looking down; I didn’t want to see what kind of damage I had undergone.

I limp as best I can down the hallway, making it to the bathroom. This was my first time in the small area, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. It wasn’t much, but right now I didn’t expect much. I just hoped that the water still worked. I take in a show breath, turning the paper towel dispenser, allowing it to discharge much more than I needed. I tore off a short piece, tearing off the rest and placing it on the counter. I turn on the sink, waiting a moment. There’s the sound of water and soon it begins to fall from the spout. It’s a surprise, since Rapture had no one to maintain her anymore. I shake my head, pulling the small ball of paper underneath the faucet. I wait a moment, the cold water freezing my hand. I ignore it, like I’m ignoring everything. Soon, I turn the water off, squeezing the excess water out of the towel. I have to keep myself from looking in the mirror. I know the burn on my face is worse than it feels right now. The adrenaline was slowly wearing off and soon I knew that I would be in agonizing pain.

I turn, limping back out of the bathroom and down the hall. I wanted to get her face cleaned up. I wanted more to see her eyes open. I wanted to see her sitting up and laughing. I loved her laugh. I grit my teeth, continuing into the room. It didn’t matter what I wanted. What I wanted would have to wait. She had to get better soon. I wanted her to be better. I shake my head furiously. Every time I tried to get my mind off this girl, it danced back. I wouldn’t be able to stop it, so I just walked to the bed. The water was still cool, but not incredibly cold as it was coming out of the pipe. I brush the brown paper towel across her forehead, trying to get all the black off her features. I didn’t know what else I could be doing to help her.

My mind was so stunned by it all that it could hardly think beyond telling me to keep breathing, one breath at a time. Deep and slow breaths. This alone helped improve my condition.
Though the pain was intense at first it slowly began to fade to a dull throbbing with every minute that passed and soon my body managed to calm itself down, the adrenaline rush wearing off as all of my fears faded away with the knowledge that I was not in the hands of the enemy. I was in the hands of whoever had survived the battle and that alone was comforting to me despite the fact that I didn't know who exactly that was. I knew there was a Sister in the room with me but that as all I could be sure about at this point.

My hearing and my sight were gradually coming back to me though so I knew that soon I was going to be able to see exactly who I was being tended to by. There was a distant voice and then the presence next to me disappeared for what felt like a few minutes. In that time I did everything I could to move at least one part of my body.
It was not ready for that yet though so I gave up, opting to rest instead. A few seconds later the presence was next to me yet again and I felt something cold but wet and refreshing being run across my face.
The bandage fell from my lips and I took in a slow breath, feeling the soft tingle that told me my body was busy trying to fix itself.

Focus watched the care and utter selflessness that Mira was putting into the care of her friend. It was not something she had ever seen before. At least not in the time she had lived in Rapture. Immediately she recognized that there was much more to the two of them than met the eye.
The bond between them was stronger than friendship and stronger than even relationships of love. It was a bond that was both chemical, on Echo's end without a doubt, but there were emotions involved on both ends that solidified the bond into something unbreakable.
The Sister smiled and stepped out of the room, leaving the two alone. She knew they deserved to be alone together.

Slowly my eyes began to open but this time instead of the blurry mass of darkness I had seen the first time I opened them after the sudden shock of pain, I could actually see the outline of the person who was leaned over me, pressing a wet towel to my cheeks and forehead.
I parted my lips to speak but only a barely audible whisper came out.
"Mira.." I strained to lift my arm but I could only manage to turn it palm-upwards and I hoped she would understand what I wanted.
My eyes closed again for a few seconds before they opened yet again, focusing on the figure next to me.
"Oh Mira.." I murmured as my eyes began to fill with tears.

I wasn't quite sure why I was crying again. They weren't tears of sadness though, they were tears of joy. They were tears to rejoice the face that I could open my eyes and see her. I was not dead, she was not dead, and we had not been taken captive. There was so much to celebrate in those three facts that the tears just ran down my cheeks.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again." I breathed quietly as I turned my head lightly into her touch. I told myself that once I was well enough, I was going to take her in my arms and not let her go. I was not going to take for granted that which meant more to me than anything in the world at this point; Mira.

(I was going to try and post, but I don't have time. I'll try to post on the ride up there. It might be a little strange using my phone, but I'll make it work. Sorry for the inconvenience!)

(Oh no, it's fine! Just post whenever you can and I'll get back at you as soon as I can. Which will probably be right after you do really.. Haha have fun!)

As I brushed the cold paper across her skins I was calmed. Knowing that she was alive and well was enough to put me into some state of mind that I wasn't sure I had ever been in before. I was set on doing the little things I could to keep her comfortable. I wanted to do all I could to keep her from feeling the pain. In my mind, I had caused all of the feelings that she felt. The hook in her leg was my fault. The shocks she received from Wood were my fault. Each one of them was my fault and I could do nothing to. I was weak and could do nothing to take away the pain.

I had decided now that I was probably just brushing her still face with the cloth to comfort myself. Every brush of her face cleaned it just a little. I had been brushing her face for a while and soon I had no reason to. My breathing slows and I close my eyes. I continue to press the cool cloth against her face. It was getting warmer the more I pressed it against her skin.

I feel movement beneath my hand. A quiet word escapes from the girl’s lips beneath me. My eyes are still closed and I think I’m just imagining things. I have to test it though. If she was conscious for even a few seconds I didn’t want to miss it. I open my eyes up slowly, looking down to the girl. She lay there, looking up at me quietly. She’s still weak and I can see it in her eyes just before they close. I can feel my throat start to tighten as I watch the girl. Her eyes open just to be filled with tears. My breathing gets caught in my throat.

“Echo” I mutter the word. I was at a loss to say. I just stand there, looking at her. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say at this point. I had pretty much given up all hope of talking to her for a while. I assumed that her body wouldn’t be able to take the stress of waking up and moving around yet. I watch as tears begin to fall down her cheeks. I shake my head, doing all I can think to do. I pull a hand down, running them across her cheeks. She had been crying so much lately. I didn’t like that.

“You gave us a scare, Doll” My voice cracks as I begin to speak. I hadn’t noticed that I had gotten cotton mouth. I lean down, pressing my lips to her forehead again. I run my hand across her cheeks. I can only hope that the tears that fall are joyful. If was anything other I might just lose hope. “Don’t cry Dollface. You know I don’t like it when you cry” I pull myself to my knees, grunting quietly as a sharp pain shoots up my side. I grit my teeth and watch her instead of worrying about the pain that seemed to be everywhere. The side of my face had begun to throb, my side felt like it had a knife stuck in it, and I still had blood crusted up on my nose. I didn’t care though. All I cared about was the girl that was laying in the bed.

I look at her upturned palm a moment before reaching my hand out to dance my fingers across the skin for a moment. I let my hand fall to her hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. I take in a short breath before I feel my own eyes start to well up. I won’t let myself cry. I wouldn’t let myself show so many emotions. I clamp my eyes shut, lifting her hand up so I can kiss it.

“You need to rest okay? You—you need to try to relax as best you can. I—I need you to—I need you to sleep” My throat was tightening further. The words didn’t want to willingly come from my lips. I was shutting down. I could feel it. I knew that she was okay and that was enough for my body to want to rest itself. I shake quietly, I was just so happy and yet my vision was starting to blur. I wasn’t going to sleep or pass out or even sit down. I would kneel here, beside her bed until she was able to walk and talk and be herself again. I vowed that, unsure if my body could even take such a promise at this point.

Mira regarded me as if I had come back from the dead. In fact there were so many different emotions in her gaze as she watched me that I could not figure out what she was feeling. I couldn't tell whether she was happy, sad, angry, relieved, or a mix of all of the above.
All I knew was that I was happy to see her again and now that I knew that she had survived..I felt as though I could allow myself to drift back into unconsciousness without worry. She was the most important person in my life and nothing was going to change that. If I had lost her in the fighting then I would have lost my very reason to live. Not because she was chemically bonded to me, no, but rather because she had been the one to teach me what it was like to be human.

She had taught me what it was like to care about someone else unconditionally. What it was like to laugh out of pure mirth, smile out of pure joy, and blush out of embarrassment for rambling caused by her closeness to me.
Instead of looking at me like I was some kind of monster she had seen me for the person behind the monster on the outside and she had given me the chance to show her that I was different from anyone else in the whole of Rapture.
I was not a mindless murderer hell-bent on killing everything in my path. I was a thinking, breathing, feeling person just like her.

I let my eyes focus on Mira's face as she began to speak to me quietly, telling me that I had scared them all. I could not quite understand what she meant I assumed I looked a lot worse than I felt at this very moment. My body ached and refused to move when I told it to, but nothing felt like it was life-threatening.
Her lips pressed against my forehead and her hand brushed over my cheeks wiping away the tears of joy that had fallen when I awoke. She told me not to cry but I could not put an end to the happy tears that were flowing.
"I can't help it.. I'm just so happy you're here with me." I whispered to her quietly as I felt her hand come to hesitantly touch mine.
A moment later her fingers threaded themselves through mine and I squeezed her hand lightly, watching as she brought it up to her lips.

I slowly turned my head and caught sight of the blood that stained the beautiful green dress she wore. I looked at the spot for a few seconds before I turned my gaze back up to hers, searching her face for some kind of sign that she was suffering from her injury. When I saw none I realized that she was ignoring herself in order to take care of me.
"Mira you're hurt.. You need help.." I murmured worriedly as I gave her hand another gentle squeeze.
"Please, don't just ignore your own injuries. I can't lose you..I could never live without you. I..I.." I trailed off unable to finish my thought before I heard something in the hallway.

From the hallway came the sound of metal scraping against the concrete walls. It got closer and closer until the headboard of a bed appeared in the doorway. It hit the corner once or twice before it was angled into the room just enough to where Focus came into view behind the thing.
She looked up with a small smile and continued to push the bed into the room with us, making sure to avoid both my bed and the spot where Mira was kneeled.
"I knew you wouldn't want to leave so I brought to bed to you. Mira, please, lay down." She said in a worried tone as she pulled around the bag of medical supplies she had taken from the common room where the others were resting.
"You'll recover together." She smiled hopefully.

The pain I was feeling was starting to become unbearable. In the position I was in, it seemed that I was making the feeling on my side even worse than it had been. I wanted to shift or to move, just to keep the pain away, but I wouldn’t allow myself. I wanted to be beside her the whole time, making sure that she would be okay. Echo notices the still warm blood that had soaked into the green of the dress. She was worried so much about something that I was sure was just a cut. I shake my head quietly, a small smile forming on my lips.

“You won’t lose me” I speak quietly, shifting my weight. I hear something in the hall. It’s loud and echoes, bouncing on any surface it can find to hit. I don’t turn away from her until the sound is right outside of the room. I turn quietly, seeing a bed being pushed through the door. I can’t help a quiet chuckle at the sight. They really wanted to get me into bed that bad, huh? I can’t help but smile as the bed hits the door frame once or twice before being shoved in. The sight was just something. I probably wouldn’t have believed it had it not been Focus who appeared on the other side of the bed as she pushed it through.

I had to say, if I was worried about any of the girls being untrustworthy before I wasn’t now. They all fought hard and I had nothing to fear of them. They had turned out like Echo in a way. I knew that I could trust her with my wounds, but I still didn’t want to get up. I knew that if I got up, there might be a chance I couldn’t get out of that bed for a while. There was a chance that Echo might go back to sleep and I wouldn’t be there when she woke up. Of course, I knew my wounds weren’t that bad, but you never knew what could happen.

If it hadn’t been for the plea that Echo had given before Focus pushed the bed through the doorway, I would have probably declined. I would have kept my place and not moved. I sigh quietly, giving a slow nod.

“Fine, but I’m telling you...there’s nothing wrong” Of course, there was plenty wrong with me, but I didn’t want to believe that I was as injured as I felt. I grip the side of my bed, pulling myself up with a quiet grunt. I felt old really. As hard as it was to move around, I felt like an only woman. I turn slowly, walking towards the bed that wasn’t far away at all. I pass Focus where she’s taken place near the side of the bed. I make it to the edge, sitting down quietly. It takes me a moment to get my feet on the bed, but as I do I let my body fall backwards to meet the pillow. “There” I mutter the words, keeping my eyes open. I knew that if I closed them for even a second then I would end up falling asleep and I didn’t want that. I didn’t want rest right now.

I could feel much more now that my mind wasn’t necessarily on Echo. It was in a way, but I wasn’t by her side, tending to her. I could feel the way something had stuck into my side. I wasn’t sure if it was a wound that would just not close with all the moving around I had been doing or if something like a knife blade was still in the wound. I could feel the place where Finn had hit me. I wasn’t sure how bad it was and at this moment I didn’t care. I just wanted her to get whatever she was planning on doing to me up and done with so I could sleep or do something other than get poked and prodded like some sort of farm animal. I could ignore the pain far more than they thought I could. I had been able to ignore a lot since the Civil War started. I had grown used to dealing with pain and ignoring it. This was just another one of those times.

Focus started to look over the different injuries that covered Mira's body though she mainly put all of her attention on the large blood stain that had soaked through her dress. After hesitating for a moment she reached out to gently lift the fabric, slipping two fingers into the tear the blade or whatever else had caused her the injury.
"I'm sorry but I need to get to this.." She whispered before a ripping sound could be heard. She widened the hole so she could see the extent of the wound. Focus's face showed no change of emotion with what she saw and instead simply began to work on getting everything bandaged up.

Focus was able to work quickly and efficiently to apply the bandaging, disinfectant, and everything else that she had available to her. In minutes she had done everything she could and she drew away from the bed, wiping blood from her fingers with a spare bandage she had.
Briefly she left only to come back with a wet paper towel much like the one Mira had come in with minutes before. This she placed over the side of Mira's face that had been visibly burned.
It was then and only then that she turned towards me and looked me over for a few seconds. The wound on my leg didn't seem to cause her any concern but she did apply a few small bandages here and there along the length of my body.

"I'm going to go back to the others but the two of you just need rest now.. Just leave the watching of the place to us. The both of you have done your share of the fighting. Leave the rest to us." She said this with a smile before standing. Before she could leave the room though I stopped her with a small cough.
"Thank you Focus." I said quietly which she replied to with a slight nod of her head. She wanted to leave the two of us alone to rest. So she slipped out back into the hallway.

I slowly turned my head to look over at Mira for a few seconds, reaching out towards her with my hand, bridging the gap between our beds. They were close enough together that it wasn't much of a stretch. In fact Focus had only left enough space between the beds for her to fit so that we were close together.
My hand found hers and once again I threaded my fingers through hers, gracing my hand with the comfort of her touch. It was as if her touch could make all the pain I felt go away like magic.
"I'm sorry.. It's my fault you got hurt." I whispered softly as I squeezed her hand affectionately.
I wished I could hold her the way she had held me in the cage..but my body had not yet recovered enough to move much less do something like that.

Focus quickly gets to work on my wounds. I don’t risk the chance of closing my eyes. I just listen and watch her as she works. There’s not much really there is to do. I watch as she rips the dress I wore. I sigh quietly, shaking my head. It was such a loss. I really did like that dress. Green was my favorite color, and it was probably my most favorite dress. It was my fault for getting hurt. There was nothing I could do about it now. There was no sense crying over spilt milk.

She continues her work without as much as looking up to me. That was fine. I was busying myself with my hands, trying to keep from moving my body too much. If I jerked away then that was just more moments that I would have to sit still and let her work.

She is quick at disinfecting and wrapping up my side. I can tell that she wants to fix me up as soon as possible so she can leave us alone again. I didn’t know why she felt that we needed to be alone together. I would have done the exact same thing had she been in the room or not. In the state I was in, I frankly didn’t care. I take in a slow deep breath as I feel her press the cool cloth over the side of my face. I sigh quietly at the feeling. At least the cloth would take the heat out of the burn. I can feel my eyes close as I turn slightly, trying to get a little comfortable on the bed.

She pulls herself away from us, telling us that we had done all the fighting we needed to. I want to object to her statement. The three Sisters that were in the Commons had done much more fighting than I had. If anything, I should have been the one to keep watch for any that tried to come in and attack. The other two girls, Mel and Sam had to use each other just to get into the door. They were in worse condition than I was. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a Sister like them that they thought they had to baby me. Maybe they thought that my body couldn’t take much more and I needed the rest more than they did. I give another sigh and I feel myself slowly start to close my eyes again. It didn’t matter what they thought. I was in this bed, ready to sleep. No matter what I did or said there would be no fighting them anyway. They wouldn’t let me out of this bed until I wasn’t so tired. Now that they had gotten me here I was trapped.

I look over to see Echo’s hand reaching towards mine. The small gap in between the beds is just a small space, enough for Focus to make it in between them if need be. She finds my hand in the mess of sheets and slowly folds her fingers with mine. I give her hand a light squeeze. I look to her a moment before pulling myself onto my good side so I could look at her. It was absurd for her to think that it was her fault I was hurt. I would have gotten hurt just the same whether she had ran to Finn or she had kept with the others.

“Don’t say that” My voice is much harsher than I planned. It has much more strength than I thought my body even had. I look at her a moment, letting my gaze soften. “It’s my fault for letting you run ahead like you did. My injuries are my fault. Besides…It’s my fault that I couldn’t protect you better…You deserve more from me” I speak quietly, letting my head fall backwards onto the pillow again. I look up, blankly at the ceiling. That was the first time I had ever told her that I thought her injuries were my fault. Really, they were. If I had just been a little bit faster—if I had pushed myself a little bit harder, I would have been able to save her.


(Um..I was reading the reply on my phone and accidentally hit the negative vote button on the side T_T Now I don’t know how to fix it. I’ll talk to Jade about it later to see if I can fix it. Sorry.)

Mira's injuries may have seemed very grave at first glance both Mira and Focus both made it seem like she had only had minor injuries. I knew better than to assume that was the truth though. I knew that she was going to need just as much rest as I needed. We were both in relatively severe condition or at least I guessed that we were both in relatively sever condition as I had not seen any of the others aside from Focus who herself looked to be only slightly singed.
Once we were left alone and I apologized for having been at fault for her injuries she countered me by bringing the fault upon herself.

"Your fault? Your fault?" I repeated the second question with an emphasis on the mere possibility that my injuries had been her fault. My mind could not even wrap itself around the thought of her having been at fault for my own rashness and stupidity. Did she really blame herself for the pain that had fallen upon me?
I felt a frown spread across my face as I watched my companion for a few long seconds. I was not very sure about how to react to something as just..as silly as the thoughts that were passing through her head.

"Mira.. how do I deserve better from you? Of all the things in this world that I deserve, you're the very last one. You're just so beautiful, strong, brave, and everything I could ever hope to be. And the way you make me feel.. I've never been accepted by anyone before in my life but you make me feel like I'm not just a monster created in some laboratory. You've made me feel like I'm an actual human." I trailed off with a small sigh, turning my gaze up towards the roof to let my mind formulate the next words that were going to pass my lips.

"You might not understand why or how but.. I've started to get these feelings for you that I just can't explain. Like all of the descriptions in the books I've read only they're ten thousand times more intense." I could feel my cheeks slowly start to grow a light shade of pink.
A second or two passed before I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, I'm just rambling now. We both need to rest.. if you get some I promise to do the same." I glanced across at my companion with an embarrassed smile.
Once again I had caught myself much too much of my mind.


(Gah! What does it mean?! D: Whyyyyyy..
Also, I'm sorry for the wait. We're watching the last of a movie.)

She doesn’t believe what I have to say. I knew very well that she wouldn’t agree with me when I said that it was my fault, but I said it anyway. She was lying to herself if she said that she was the cause of all of this. I take in a slow breath, watching the ceiling as she turned towards me. I can see the frown on her face in my peripheral vision. I didn’t want to see the frown that I knew she was directing at me and my comment.

The moment she starts speaking I feel my cheeks begin to heat up. She is very flattering and I can’t stop the tingles that flutter across my skin. It was something I had never felt before. I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to say anything. She didn’t have to tell me how she felt; I felt the same way and I knew exactly what she was feeling. I don’t stop her though. I want to hear what she has to say about me. For once I want to feel good. Her words relax me and I can’t help the small smile form on my lips. She didn’t know how much of what she said I thought of her just the same. Actually, everything she said was how I felt about her.

I grip her hand tighter, not wanting to let go. Now we lay here, unable to keep our emotions in. It was all because of these injuries. It had shown me exactly how close I was to losing her and I wanted to make sure she knew how I felt before the chance had ended. I assumed it was the same for her.

“You don’t have to explain yourself…” I pull myself up long enough to kiss her hand. I give her a smile, looking to her for a moment. “I’ll sleep if you will. We both need it.” I don’t let go of her hand. Instead, I turn myself facing her. I watch her a moment before giggling quietly. I can’t help but watch the glow on her cheeks. “You know your rambling is cute right? Everything about you is just…” I sigh quietly, shoving my face in the bit of cloth that was beneath me. I had forgotten for a moment about the burn on the side of my face. I groan quietly, stopping the movement and bringing my head back up with a light grimace. I turn my head, letting myself stay still, silently watching her for a moment. “Get some sleep, okay?” I give her hand a squeeze before closing my eyes, hoping myself into a greatly needed sleep.



(I don't think it does anything. I'm actually not sure what the negative/positive votes are for. I'll try to get it off though. T_T I feel like an idiot. haha
I'm getting really tired. The party was at like a big kids chuckie cheese sort of. There was rock climbing, Go Karts, Lazer Tag, and a bunch of other things. I'm super tired. I think I'm going to bed before I fall asleep at my desk again.)

What happens when you take a person who has never experienced love before, who only knows anything about love from the books they've read and the stories they've heard over time, and you throw them into a situation where they can't do anything except fall in love with the person they're faced with? You get me.
I was so very clueless about everything that I hardly knew what to say whenever it came time to tell Mira about the way I felt around her. Every time I tried to tell her something it was like I was merely telling her how I felt while letting her decide whether my words were a sincere confession of love or something else entirely.
I wished I could have been better with my words.

My inability to express myself as well as my inability to show affection the way a normal person would, though I was doing my very best, did not seem to bother my companion in the slightest. In fact she seemed to understand exactly what I meant whenever I said anything to do with my feelings for her and although she didn't say it, I felt as though she too felt some of the things I mentioned.
Just the mere thought of her feeling the same way..now that was something the books could never describe accurately.
Much less if she actually did feel the same way about me as I felt about her.

When I finished speaking I felt Mira's hand squeeze mine which drew my gaze towards her despite the fact that my cheeks were still burning a light pink color. I faced down my embarrassment and instead I chose to put all of my focus on the words that she replied with.
She brought my hand up to kiss it gently, an action that caused me to smile shyly, before she continued to tell me that my rambling was cute. This compliment alone caused my cheeks to darken and I watched closely as she turned onto her side to face me.
At one point she made the mistake of pressing her face to the pillow but she was quick to recover. Her body lay still while her gaze came to rest on mine. Together we lay in silence holding hands until she told me to get some sleep.

"I promise I will. So long as you promise to be here when I wake up." I whispered to her softly with a smile before I too allowed my eyes to close. My body was not in near as much pain as it had been while I was unconscious so it was like it wanted to take full advantage of this fact to get as much rest as it could.
I did not blame it.
The last few days had been more than enough to deserve a full week of rest, sleep, and calm. Although I doubted I was going to get all of those three things together, at least I could get them one at a time.
The very last thoughts in my head were about the woman laying next to me and I fell asleep smiling happily.

--

14 hours? 16 hours? There was no way of knowing how much time had passed since we both closed our eyes to fall asleep in order to recover from the difficult battle that had been fought. All I did know was that I woke up before Mira and when I turned to look at her sleeping face I could not help but stare for the longest of times.
Throughout the night or the time we slept not once did our hands part. I woke up holding her hand the way I had fallen asleep holding it. For what was probably half an hour after waking up I refused to allow myself to let go of her hand but I knew I had to.
Though my body was stiff and there was still a slight throb in my leg, I slipped out of the facility unnoticed only to return a little more than half an hour later with a wrapped up bundle in my arms.
I was pleased to see Mira was still asleep when I got back so I climbed back into bed, laid down on my side facing her, found her hand with mine yet again, and I watched her silently as she slept on. There was no rush. I could have watched her sleep forever.

(I remember testing it out at some point but it didn't really do anything.. though in the case that it did, I'd rather not have a negative vote )

I wanted to feel everything that was possible for me to feet at this moment. I wouldn’t have even minded the pain had I got to smile and just revel in knowing that she did care about me. I was starting to get too attached to her probably. Maybe I was so open with my feelings because I was in some strange state where everything made sense. I knew that it was the tiredness that caused it, and I knew that I needed rest. I knew that when I woke up I wouldn’t be letting myself be so open. I knew what happened when you were this open with people; you ended up hurting everyone. I would still treat her the same, but in a different sense.

I could feel my eyes slowly begin to lull closed, our hands still intertwined, bringing us close together. I didn’t want to break the bond, so I let myself relax. My the time I’m able to process what she’s said I’m too out of my mind to do any more than hum quietly in agreement. After I know that she’s quiet and still, hopefully sleeping, I let myself do the same, falling into a deeper sleep than I had probably ever had before.

---

I walked through the streets, smiling as people passed by. Each one was different, but all the same. I skipped and jumped and giggled and laughed. When I looked up, I did not see the metal ceiling of Rapture, but the bright blue sky and the sun. Oh how glorious! The sun shone down on my face, warming up every bit of me. For the first time since I had left this place, I was warm and dry. I take in my surroundings, realizing that they were much different than when I left. The buildings I thought were larger were even taller now and far grander.

A vendor on the street corner was selling hotdogs from a small cart. He gave balloons to the children as they passed. He was old, and walked around his cart a little hunched over. Even though that was the case, he was smiling because he knew that today; he had made many people happy. Now, he could go home to his wife and kiss her. He could dance with her like they always used to do when they were younger.

The whole city was alive. Not one person I saw had a frown on their face. They were all chipper and happy. You could possibly say that every person that walked down the street had something good happen to them. That was completely opposite from Rapture, but Rapture didn’t matter because I was free from that. I was free from those hells.

I turned down another street to find it blocked off. Elephants and Zebras walked down the street as if they owned the place. Children ran around, screaming about how they got to ride the camels. I can’t help but walk into the area. Children were holding stuffed animals and fake guns that they had one at the ring toss and the balloon darts. They giggled happily and I couldn’t help but giggle with them. This was the most perfect place I could think of.

You could hear people laughing from the tilt-a-whirl, and the farther down I went, it seemed that more and more rides and games popped up that people flocked to. The whole street was alive with play and joy. Those were two things you didn’t find in Rapture very often.

I walk up to a vendor, wanting to join in on the fun. I wanted to get a cotton candy, something that I hadn’t had since my second trip around the Fairgrounds. It would be nice to have something sweet on my tongue. I point to the candy that I want and the man pulls it out, leaning it towards me. I reach out, feeling the plastic pull against my skin. In a second, the man had pulled it away. He asked for money, and I searched my pockets frantically, wanting the treat badly. I found nothing in my pockets besides a small slip of paper. It had nothing on it and held no value. I looked up to the man and he shook his head. ‘Things in life ain’t free, kid’ the words ring harshly in my ears.

---

I woke with quite the jolt. I could feel the muscles in my stomach tensing up. I saw the girl beside me first, and knew where I was. There was nothing more to it. I was still in Rapture and no dream could change that. I look down to notice our hands are still held tightly together. I look down to it a moment before feeling my cheeks redden. How long had I been asleep? How long was it that I had been here, unconscious while Echo was awake? I frown at her quietly, hoping that she hadn’t been sitting here for long without anyone to talk to.

“Good morning, Dollface.” I give her a light wink before pulling my hand away from hers so I can pull myself up so I’m sitting upright. I grunt quietly. I must have been sleeping for a while. My body was stiff and did not want to move unless I fought with it.

I look down to my hand. Since I had been awake, it had turned warm in the palm. I brush it against the covers beneath me before taking a moment to examine my hand. What had that dream meant? Money. That’s what the whole thing revolved around. When we got to the surface, where would we get our money? Where would we live if we didn’t have a cent to our name? I knew I had three dollars in my back pack, but that was it. I could steal, but that was no way to start a new life. I looked up to the girl. I wanted to give her the best life on the surface anyone could have. That dream did not settle me with that idea whatsoever. I sigh quietly, looking over to the girl that was still staring at me.

“Did you sleep well?”


(I messaged Jade about it. I'll get it resolved, don't worry)

As Mira slept on I just laid there watching her quietly in the silence of the room. Every now and again I heard soft voices and movement from the common room down the hall but it seemed like everyone was still taking it easy so they could recover from their wounds. I almost felt bad for not having gone in to check on them but I knew that they could take care of themselves. In the same line of thought they knew that we could take care of each other, we had been doing so up until this point anyway.
If anything this worked better than one of them coming in to check on us every now and then. They were probably not in any better condition than we were.

My eyes moved over every dip, curve, and line her face had to offer me. Perhaps it was somewhat creepy for me to watch her as she slept but I could not help myself. Mira had come into my life and she had become my very definition of beauty. My books had always had long beautiful descriptions of the female characters involved in the story but I had never been able to picture what the words really described in terms of looks.
I could see the words now though when I looked across at my companion. The full lips, cool complexion, flowing long hair, and smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. It was all there save for the carefully stitched elegant clothing they always wore.. though a smile came to my lips as this thought crossed my mind.
Hopefully that was going to change soon enough.

My mind was drawn away from my thoughts back to the present by movement in front of me. I blinked and focused my gaze upon the woman still laying in front of me. It seemed as though she had been woken quite suddenly by something but seeing as there had been no loud sound or movement on my end, I suspected she had been shaken out of her sleep by a dream.
Slowly she woke up and her eyes focused on me, a frown briefly coming over her face. A smile came to mine while my fingers squeezed hers softly.
"Morning, Mira." I whispered cheerfully watching her as she pulled herself up in bed. My hand found itself suddenly missing her touch but I knew better than to be greedy.

"I slept pretty well but when I woke up I was a little bit restless so I got a little bit of fresh air outside.." I said while pulling myself around so I was sitting with my legs hanging off the side of the bed. I hesitated a moment before I reached under my covers and pulled out the package I had brought back with me after my morning venture outside the facility.
"I brought you something back." I held the package out for her to take from me, a shy smile on my lips.
The package was soft and simply wrapped with paper-like material and some string.
"I thought green looked so fantastic on you, I hope you don't mind.." I trailed off as my cheeks became light pink.

Inside the quickly wrapped package was a small pile of folded fabric. On top there was a simple white blouse and underneath that was a carefully sewn elegant green dress that could have at one point sold for a couple hundred dollars, for a casual wedding.
But now I offered it to her and I hoped that she liked it. It wasn't her dress like ripped and bloodstained one she wore now but it was all I could find.

(Haha it really doesn't bother me, especially seeing as I don't know that it counts for anything. But thank you all the same. )