The first thing she became aware of was the smell. It was heady and strong, sweet but tinged with something richer. So. She was waking up like this again. That was becoming far too common an occurrence. The room may have smelled like flowers, but she smelled like sex.

The next thing she noticed was her eyes. They stung, and her vision was blurry. She tried to blink it away. And stopped. And tried again. But nothing happened. Her body didn’t respond at all. If she had been able to control herself, her eyes would have widened in panic.

“Blink,” a voice commanded. Amber’s body obeyed immediately. The pain made her want to wince, but her body wasn’t hers any longer.

Her vision finally cleared, but that was more of a curse than a blessing. It let her see who had captured her. Ikora. “Blink,” she repeated, sneering.

The previous day’s events crashed into her. The raid on the basement. Their failure. Her decision.

“That’s it, Amber. I wouldn’t want you being unaware of how utterly fucked you are, now would I?” Ikora chuckled darkly.

Amber’s breath tried to quicken. Her body felt distant, relaxed where she was tense, kneeling where she wanted to run. Wait, kneeling? She couldn’t look around, but she could feel the movement of air on her skin as she looked up at her captor. Ikora’s MO. Just like Samantha.

“I intend to play some havoc with that pretty little head of yours,” Ikora sighed wistfully, leaning back. Amber saw a glint of moisture on the inside of her leg as she shifted.

Her captor pushed herself out of her chair, then started to walk slowly towards her prisoner. While her expression was playful, Amber hadn’t the slightest doubt what her intentions were.

“Oh, Amber,” she sighed. How dare she say that like she cared? “I can’t begin to tell you how worried I was. Good thing the admin overrides still worked.” She stopped just before her frozen victim, meeting her eyes.

“Still, it’s concerning that the rest stopped working,” she mused.

You’ll get nothing from me willingly, bitch, Amber snarled silently.

“Tell me,” she sighed, beginning to pace, “how did you break free of the programming?”

Damn. A direct question.

Amber’s mouth moved on its own. “I didn’t.”

Ikora stopped in her tracks. “Eh?”

Amber didn’t speak.

Ikora shook her head, chuckling uncertainly. “Uh... explain that?” Vaguer. Good.

“I never escaped the programming. I still can be activated, do not remember those activations, and am subject to admin overrides.”

“That makes no sense,” Ikora muttered. “The programming keeps you out of there. So how were you in that room?”

“Locomotion.”

“A... train? Or... wait. That’s just walking, isn’t it?” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re doing that deliberately, aren’t you.”

“Yes.” Fuck.

Ikora grinned, but her eyes didn’t follow suit. “Amber, stop trying to respond misleadingly.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Well, there goes my only weapon...

“Alright then, let’s try this again. How were you in that room? And be descriptive. Leave no relevant detail out - and don’t try to give me irrelevant details, either. It’s cute that you think you have power here, but I’d really rather cut to the chase.”

“I can hear the voice of the programming. It tells me what I can do, and what it wants me to do. I’m able to ignore it.”

“Huh. That’s... well, I guess I do know less about this than you do,” she snarled. I’m... supposed to know more? Well, even if I can’t mislead her, I guess I can still fish for information. Ikora continued, interrupting her thoughts. “How long, now?”

“Two days.” She tried to stop, but she couldn’t leave out details. “But the programming hasn’t been functional for almost a week now.”

“Two days? What, when I found you in that office, were you walking around hoping the programming would tell you where not to go?” she snorted.

“Yes. Your infosec is incredibly poor.”

Ikora blinked, then shot Amber a venomous glare. “Thank you for that. So. Why can you hear it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Ikora groaned, returning to slump across her chair. “Blink,” she said offhandedly. Amber had no choice but to watch her captor sit motionlessly, thinking.

After what felt like hours, Ikora tilted her head upright, meeting Amber’s eyes with a wicked smile.

“Amber...” Ikora trailed off. Then she laughed. “No. No, that's too easy. You don’t deserve easy. You never have. I want you to suffer.” She leaned closer to Amber, then grabbed her hair. “You deserve everything that’s about to come your way,” she snarled. “And I’m gonna make sure you never forget it.”

I don’t even know why, though.

Ikora chuckled, “Good. Keep that look, Amber. That look of confusion. I want to see it break.”

Amber fought as hard as she could to make even the slightest movement. She wanted to spit in Ikora’s face. She wanted to prove she would never give up.

“Administrator override, upload protocol.”

She felt... something. The world became distant. She felt calmer, but that wasn’t it. No, she felt... nothing. Peace was the wrong word to describe it. She couldn’t understand the feeling. Finding the words to describe it was impossible because self-reflection was impossible. Thoughts refused to form.

She heard something. Words. Commands. Ideas. New instructions. Even without coherent thought, the protocol made sense to her. Uploading new programming.

“What was it again? Uh... oh-ex-oh-four,” Ikora said, and the fog lifted. Hexadecimal? Some end-of-content character? She wouldn’t have pegged Ikora as one to make such cutesy jabs.

Amber inhaled, taking stock. She was in the same room. Her mind wasn’t clouded. So ‘upload’ wasn’t like being activated.

This is probably Ikora’s room, too.

She was still naked and cold. She wiped her eyes, then froze. Wait... did I just...

“Yes, you did,” Ikora smirked, noticing the shock on her face. “You’ll need to move properly for this next part.”

Her heart sank.

“Come here,” Ikora ordered.

Amber’s feet moved of their own volition.

“Kneel,” Ikora said, pointing to the floor.

I can’t win. I should just give up, she thought as her knees met the ground. The weight of her situation suddenly seemed to crush her. She cast her gaze across the room, trying to calm her breathing.

Ikora grinned. “Everything alright, Amber?”

“No,” she responded immediately, without a moment to spare for deception. Even her voice betrayed her.

“Tell you what. I’ll let you go if you can figure out what I’ve done to you.”

Amber didn’t believe her for a second. But figuring it out would be helpful all the same.

I’m still obeying her commands. Only difference I can tell is that I can move freely. She tested her range of motion with a few quick stretches, and found she moved as easily and fluidly as always. Then she must have modified my perception, or my thought processes, somehow. But how? She pinched herself. Pain response is normal. And I’m not itching for more. So at least I’m not a masochist now, or something. She doesn’t want me to beg to be punished. I should make certain, though...

Ikora grinned as Amber slapped herself. “Would you like a hint?”

“No,” Amber snapped. She was forced to answer, but being able to functionally tell Ikora to fuck off felt good.

Like hell I’m gonna let you taunt me.

She resisted the urge to stand and pace. The last thing she wanted was to give Ikora a better look at her body while she worked. Ok, if I were a megalomaniacal evil controlling bitch, what would I do to my victims? She imagined herself standing over Ikora, gloating at her superiority. Ikora would crawl towards her, slowly licking the inside of her thigh while praising her genius.

Well, my disdain for her is still there. And I certainly still have my... overactive imagination.

She surveyed the room. Did she diminish my intelligence? How would I even know? Her eyes found their way to the door. Could she leave? Would her legs even let her try?

If I leave, she might go after Cl... ok, no. No thinking about her. Can’t slip up and say her name. But... yeah, she thought. Yeah. I’m not about to let her know that I gave up on her convoluted puzzle. If there’s one thing I can do well, it’s solve a problem, she grinned.

She took another deep breath. Despite the absurd impracticality of the thought, she wished that... that person was here with her. She could help her fix things.

I don’t like girls.

Oh, good to hear from you again, fake-me. How’s the weather up there? she snorted, rolling her eyes.

Wait. Something was wrong with that. What was it? Slowly, she constructed another thought to test it. Uh... boobs are hot? And... she...

I don’t love her, she thought.

She blanched. I don’t love her.

This was her own voice. She was certain of it. Whatever feelings she had thought she had for... that person were just a passing fancy.

But... I know I’m right. I... why would I sacrifice myself?

Silence greeted her question.

She branched out. If that was different... She went through her memories, and pulled up two nights ago, when she’d been activated by Matt and woke up in his dorm.

I’m not going to remember that. I’ll forget that ever happened, she told herself. She nodded, dismissing it, and continued searching her memories.

Then, she froze.

“You!” she cried.

“Me?” Ikora cooed, clearly enjoying the struggle.

“You broke the voice! It sounds like... like me!”

“I couldn’t stop you from hearing it. Odd, that. But I think this will do nicely instead. You’re mine, and I won’t have you escaping me ever again.” She pointed between her legs. “Now let’s put those wonderful lips of yours to good work.”

Amber’s body obeyed.

I can’t escape. I’m never getting away from her, she thought as tears began streaming down her face. She grimaced. It takes so much effort to distinguish my thoughts from hers. How long can I do it?

Not long.

“Oh please, no waterworks. I hate it when my thighs get sticky,” Ikora scoffed.

The tears stopped, her eyes squeezing together. Amber strained the muscles around her face, forcing herself to express the pain she felt. Her expression contorted in agony, but despite everything, she couldn’t cry.

She’s taken everything from me. I’m never getting away from her again.

Her heart went cold as her lips met bare skin.

She tried to struggle, but it didn’t matter. All she could do was lick, slowly, lovingly, as she screamed her silent defiance into the void.

Ikora gripped her hair. “You’re my bitch. Say it,” she moaned.

“I’m yow bith,” Amber muttered with as much vitriol as she could muster. Maybe if she said it right, she could get her mouth to bite down against her captor’s sensitive bits.

“Good girl,” Ikora snorted, gripping tighter, and the opportunity was lost.

“Famk yu, mithteth,” she mumbled.

Ikora sighed in satisfaction, but that quickly turned to shallow gasps, then deep, heavy breaths. Amber’s body returned to her, her task completed.

She’s distracted. Can I use this? I can’t just leave, but... surely I can do something? Maybe I could attack her? That might work...

She took stock of Ikora’s state of bliss. She wasn’t asleep, but she wasn’t all there.

I shouldn’t act too quickly. I need more information.

Amber nodded. This calls for caution. I’m at my best when I’m being... careful... Had that been her? Or had it been the voice? It sounded like something she’d have thought, but now she had to second guess everything. The alternative wasn’t an option.

Ok, let’s just jump her. If I do that, this whole thing is over! She got to her feet, slowly moving towards the chair.

Wait. I should probe for information, shouldn’t I? If I attack her, she’s just going to shut me down again.

She stopped. Damn. What the hell do I do? Maybe just leave her alone? I could let her think she’s won... Ikora had fallen asleep while she’d been deliberating. But...

She has won.

She clenched her fist, dragging her fingernails across her palm. The pain brought clarity. She still had no way to differentiate the voices besides context. She couldn’t even remember which words were hers.

This could be a trap. A failsafe. So I have to attack Ikora. Any other thought has to be the voice.

She moved closer, watching the sleeping girl closely, but she didn’t stir. She’s helpless.

So, I’ll attack her. Two birds, one stone. I get to escape, and I defeat the mastermind. She picked up a discarded shirt, confident she was strong enough to restrain her.

Wait... what if there’s a failsafe? I don’t know what she put in me with the upload protocol. If there is one, attacking her would probably trigger that.

She cast aside the shirt. Damn. I just need more information. If I attack her, and she’s got something in here I don’t know about, my life will become a living hell.

Or she might find out about... her.

I should play possum. Bide my time, and strike when I find the right opportunity. She moved back to the floor where she’d woken up the first time.

Wait, what am I doing? This is the perfect opportunity! What else do I have to lose? No matter what I do, there’s going to be failsafes. I should pick something, and see it through.

Amber’s eyes widened. I know that’s you, bitch. She sneered. Alright. I can do this. If that really was the voice just now suggesting I attack her, then that means that I really don’t want to attack her. So, I should just play it safe then?

“Oh, wow. I didn’t expect it to work that well,” Ikora giggled behind her.

Amber gasped, spinning around to face her.

“Confused?”

Amber just stared her down.

“Yes, yes, very threatening,” Ikora sighed, waving her hand. “I’m still the one in control here. Don’t forget it.”

I’m not getting out of here.

Shut up. I’m not playing this game with you right now. I’m listening to Ikora.

Amber straightened.

“It’s true what they say, you know. You really are your own worst enemy. A few choice words from moi,” she made a small flourish, “and maybe a little help from your new passenger. You always had a tendency to get tripped up in your thoughts, didn’t you? Poor thing. Leave you alone for a second, and you sit on the floor for ten minutes, doing nothing.” She placed a finger to her lip in an exaggerated pout. “What to do with you now, though?”

She paused, watching Amber start to back away towards the door.

I gotta try. I can just charge her. That will work.

It won’t, though... I need a better plan. Rushing into things will only get me into more trouble.

“Yeah, I can always just figure this out later. Not like you’ll have much to do about it. So I guess I’ll just put away my toy for now.”

Amber opened her mouth to protest, but couldn’t find the words.

“Administrator override. Breaker protocol.”

Amber slumped forwards, and thought ceased.

Amber slowly drifted awake with a yawn, stretching her arms.

How long was I out for?

She assessed the situation. She was naked - of course she was. She was now sitting on a small red carpet, roughly the size of a dining table. Something smooth shifted against her neck as she sat up. She reached towards it.

A collar. She couldn’t see what color, but knowing Ikora, it would be something bright and obvious.

What the fuck? She stood up, but Ikora wasn’t there.

“Hello?” she called. She wasn’t sure whether she was hoping for an answer or not.

Nothing.

This is perfect! Ikora is gone. I can use this time to snoop.

I will need to be careful, though. Ikora will notice if I’m not careful.

Shit, what do I do?

She started pacing the small rectangle of the carpet.

I’m hungry, she thought. At the very least, I can try and see if Ikora has some food.

She stepped towards the pantry.

She blinked.

What just... she blinked again, clearing the fog on her mind. She found herself kneeling on the carpet.

What?

She stood up. The leathery texture of the collar just served to remind her how bare the rest of her body was. She took a step towards the kitchen.

She blinked.

Wha... Wait!

She was kneeling on the carpet again. She stood up and reached for the collar. Her hands searched for the buckle.

She blinked.

What? No...

Amber slumped forward in defeat. She... was trapped. She wanted to cry, but her body still refused to let her. Some part of her wanted to test every variable. Fight against whatever programming Ikora had put in her. That part of her was getting weaker by the minute.

I can’t win. There’s no point trying, she cried. She couldn’t tell if that was her or the voice. I’ve lost. This is the end.

She sat, wallowing in her misery. From where she could see from her mental cage on the floor, there wasn’t anything she could use to judge time. All she knew was that she was getting hungry.

Did I do the right thing? Is... no. Don’t think about that.

If I just wait and obey Ikora for now, everything will be alright.

I just have to bide my time. I’ll strike once I have more to work with. I’m not done just yet. I’m still strong.

But I can’t trust myself anymore.

She screamed, ramming her fist against her temples to stop the noise.

Amber awoke to the sound of a door opening. She didn’t remember falling asleep.

Finally! At least now, I can ask her some questions. She readied her best look of defiance.

Come and fucking get it.

The woman who stood in the doorway was not Ikora.

Amber didn’t recognize her - not even from the catalog, which she still had a vague recollection of. Her brown hair and brown eyes weren’t distinctive, but a face that full of freckles would have been memorable. The woman removed her clothes quickly and efficiently, and folded them into a pile near the door. Amber just stared, confused.

She didn’t give Amber so much as a wave or a look, instead turning to a closet and quickly taking out a collar and maid outfit from among several identical ones. Amber watched warily as she got dressed. The dress barely fit her, barely covering where her underwear would have been, had she been wearing any. And her eyes... they looked dead. Empty.

“Come here, girl,” she commanded.

Please, don’t make me-

She blinked.

She was kneeling in front of the... maid? It would make sense for Ikora to have one...

“My name is toy Sara. I am here to take care of you,”

Her voice sounded bright and peppy, but there was something deeply wrong with how she said it. Amber shivered in disgust.

“Follow me,” Sara ordered.

She tensed, but... nothing happened. She didn’t have to obey the order. She -

She blinked.

She leaned against a wall for support.

“Are you alright?” Sara tilted her head.

Amber looked around. She was in the kitchen.

“Here,” Sara said, holding a piece of bread in her hand. “Take it.”

Amber lunged forward.

“Ah, ah, ah! No,” she chided, snapping the piece of food back.

Please, just leave me alone.

There’s no way she will, though. I should listen to her, or she’ll do that thing again.

She wanted to scream.

“Kneel,” Sara commanded.

Just don’t do... whatever that was, she thought, bending to one knee.

Their eyes met, the food still held high in the air. Sara’s gaze was empty, despite the plastic smile on her face. She was waiting for something.

I’d rather just go blank again.

But every time that happens, I feel a little less grounded. Whether that’s psychological or programmed in, I can’t afford to dissociate. I need to obey her.

She lowered her other knee to the ground, placed her hands to the side in supplication, and looked at Sara, who nodded.

“Good girl.”

Amber lurched forward before she could process that, pleasure sparking all across her body at the words. Her muscles coiled, then relaxed, all in the span of a few seconds. She breathed heavily as the aftershocks of the orgasm faded.

Fuck me.

Fuck me!

Sara lowered her hand, and Amber snapped up the piece of bread gratefully. She was still disoriented from the sudden orgasm, but hunger overrode any other concerns.

“Come,” she said, leaving the room.

Amber slowly rose from the floor. It hadn’t been much food, but it was better than nothing, and she was starting to feel some strength return. Sara stopped in front of a bathroom door, turned, and looked at Amber expectantly.

“I’m coming,” she mumbled.

I didn’t realize our dorms had any connected bathrooms... Hm. Am I not on campus? Well, until I know more, I’ll listen to her orders, for now.

The alternative is far worse.

Sara led her inside, then pointed to the shower stall. Amber didn’t wait for her to give a command, and quickly moved to stand inside.

“Turn around.”

Amber faced the wall. She winced as the frigid water hit her. Thankfully, it warmed up quickly, and she let out an involuntary sigh of relief. It did feel nice, though. Present company and circumstances aside, the chance to relax and unwind was welcome. Would she ever get the chance to enjoy something as simple as warm running water again? The thought was a bitter reminder that she couldn’t even cry, whether she wanted to or not.

A pair of soapy hands touched her back, rubbing up and down. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Please, stop...

I can’t take this. Not something so comforting. Not now.

But... I should enjoy it while I can, I guess.

I wish I could feel like this forever.

I wish it would stop too, though. I can’t stay like this.

“Turn around.”

“Ok,” Amber whispered quickly. She didn’t dare risk anything that would get Sara to make her blank again.

“Look at me.”

Amber met her empty gaze. Was she really just following orders? Orders couldn’t be nearly as complete as this...

But I’ve seen someone activated and lucid before.

Her face showed little emotion, so this wasn’t the same. There wasn’t anything behind her eyes, no joy or hope or cruelty. And it wasn’t like...

No. I can’t think about her.

For her safety, I need to forget about her. Cast her out of my thoughts. I’m alone.

She gasped when Sara began applying lotion to her breasts. She instinctively pushed away her hands, flushing.

“Ah-ah. No!”

Amber blinked.

Sara stood before her, lotion in hand. She reached again for Amber’s breasts. Amber flinched, but resisted the urge to swat her hand away again.

“Good girl,” Sara cooed.

Pleasure.

Amber sank against the marble tile as the wave washed over her. She bit her lip and moaned. Sara paid it no mind, continuing to methodically rub her body.

“Step out.” The command broke Amber’s orgasm with an almost physical force.

With shaky legs, she stepped out of the shower alcove. She gasped, still sensitive, as Sara padded her down with a towel.

At least she’s not talking down to me.

This might be a good time to ask questions, if she’ll answer.

But if she doesn’t, I might be blanked.

I need to stay in control of myself. Getting blanked runs directly counter to that.

“Washing is finished. Put yourself away.”

Amber looked quizzical. She stared at Sara, hoping she would elaborate, but got no response. She braced herself, closing her eyes.

She blinked.

She was back on that square of red carpet.

Fuck me. I’m not even being treated like a person anymore, am I?

I really can’t afford to resist. The more I resist, the less I can resist when it counts.

She heard of folding towels, running water, and footsteps, as Sara moved from task to task. She ignored Amber, and Amber didn’t dare try to engage her.

I can’t do anything without permission...

Which essentially means I can’t do anything at all.

I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions, I’m just not confident I’m making the right choice.

So the voice is trying to paralyze me... and it’s working.

I can’t tell whether it’s me or not at all now. If it’s been speaking, it’s gotten far too good at it to distinguish.

This would be easier if I could just think.

But I can’t think. Not with the voice in my head. It’s ruined my life.

Although my life was already ruined, long before this...

With a start, she realized she’d been pacing the carpet for some time, muttering to herself. A soft fwump broke her concentration. Sara had laid out a comforter over a large portion of her carpet-shaped cell.

“You look distressed. Why don’t you get some rest?” Sara said softly.

It had no blankets or pillows. But it looked comfortable, and Amber had been standing for who knows how long by now.

That’s not a good idea. If I sleep, I can’t figure out what’s going on.

I can’t figure out what's going on if I’m sleep deprived either, though. I should rest. I need to rest. I’ll just be destroying myself if I don’t.

But the alternative destroys me too.

All my plans do is end up hurting people. Maybe...

“Amber. Sit!”

Amber instinctually knelt down on the cover. She looked up at Sara, ready to receive more commands. It just felt right to do that. About listening to her. The voices stopped when she was listening. She didn’t need to decide for herself.

“Go to sleep, Amber.”

She nodded, but thankfully, like before, she wasn’t forced to follow the command immediately. So she curled up on the comforter, pulling it around herself for warmth. She didn’t even feel all that tired, but she knew her body had to be exhausted, even if she couldn’t feel it.

She fell asleep shortly after.

She awoke to the sound of a door closing. What time was it? She was starving. Sara would feed her, right?

She grimaced. I’m getting used to this far too easily.

But the door had closed, and Sara was in the room, quietly writing something in a binder. That could only mean...

Ikora. The person she’d least wanted to see let out an exaggerated sigh as she strode into the room, shoving her purse into Sara’s waiting hands. Sara helped her remove her jacket, then bowed, moving to leave the room.

“Heyyy, now,” Ikora chuckled strangely. Was she drunk? “Don’t get ahead of yourself...”

She reached over, under the maid outfit, and started roughly squeezing Sara’s breasts. The maid just stood there, smiling politely. Does she really have to make me watch this?

Ikora shot her an evil grin, then turned Sara around, pulling at the top, which barely covered her breasts already, and gave Amber a full view of what was underneath.

I don’t like girls.

She felt sick.

After a couple of minutes, Ikora let go, and Sara walked towards the kitchen, not even bothering to adjust her attire. Ikora nodded slowly.

“I’m hungry,” she grumbled.

She followed Sara into the kitchen, and Amber heard muffled words. Something about dinner?

Sara returned to the room Amber was in. She gave a quick nod to Amber, who was trying her best to look anywhere but her chest.

“I will return with food for you shortly. Stay here,” she said, then walked off towards the kitchen.

Amber hadn’t been planning to leave the square - she wasn’t even really sure she could - but being told to stay put was oddly comforting. She didn’t have to worry about escaping, or her situation. She didn’t have to worry about what was happening. Food was on the way. Nothing else mattered. She sat back down on the comforter, waiting patiently.

It’s not like there’s anything else to do.

Ikora walked back in, collapsing into a chair with a groan. Then, one eye opened.

“Oh right. You,” she grumbled. “How was your day?”

“I’m not quite sure. I slept through most of it,” she answered without thinking.

“Sara’s been doing a good job training you, I assume?” She looked towards the kitchen and nodded.

Sara appeared only moments later. The outfit had been ruined, a tear plainly visible below her chest. One of the circlets on her thighs had fallen off, and her chest wasn’t hidden at all anymore. Amber had to suppress a surge of nausea.

“Yes, Mistress?”

Ikora just pointed towards her shoulders. Sara silently moved behind her, and started massaging them.

Oh, and you’re not even going to thank her?

I mean, not that I expected her to.

And being ignored is better than being punished.

Ikora started chuckling. Amber cocked her head, which just made her snort and start laughing harder.

“You look so fucking stupid right now. You know that, right?”

Amber opened her mouth.

“Don’t answer that!” Ikora snapped. “God! This brings me back. Watching you work through something. Remember when I replaced your coffee with whisky when you did your concentrating... silent word mouthing thing? You literally didn’t even notice until the room started spinning!”

When... we were working on the disks together?

“See! That! You stop noticing the outside world when you’re like that. I could probably fuck you, and you’d never notice.”

She chuckled. “Maybe I should fuck you. Because fuuuck meee, after the scare you gave me, I need the relief.”

She stood up, grinning maliciously. Sara moved to follow, but Ikora waved her away.

“Not now! Go wash dishes or something.”

The other woman bowed and left.

“Pretty little thing, isn’t she? She used to be the RA, you know. Not her fault she had a nicer room than me, but what can you do?”

Ikora stopped just out of Amber’s reach. “Look at you. So helpless, so stupid. I bet you never thought you’d end up like this. Stand up.”

Amber obeyed.

Ikora laughed. “And so well trained too. Feels like old times... oh, wait. You don’t remember all of that, do you?”

“When we worked on the disks together,” Amber said softly.

Ikora’s eyes narrowed. “How did you-”

“I’m not stupid,” Amber snapped, despite herself. “It was easy to figure out. You did an awful job of hiding it.”

Ikora’s face contorted in fury.

I should say something. She’s upset with me.

No, I should stay quiet, and wait for more orders. It’s safer that way.

“You think you’re just soooo clever, don’t you? Don’t answer that! Fuck you! You little tramp, going around as if you’re smarter than everyone else. Well, you’re not! You’re a whore! I just helped you realize that! I’m in control here. Me!”

Amber flinched.

“Play with your tits!”

Amber hesitated.

I’m scared.

She’s furious. If I don’t obey her, worse things will happen.

Slowly, she started to trace a finger around her nipples.

I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt me.

“Just like that. Just a whore.”

She held back tears.

“Didn’t even show... I’d had this whooole plan, y’know, but she was too busy or something,” Ikora huffed. “Doesn’t matter. Cause you know what? That friend of yours? Pinky?” Amber’s eyes widened.

“She was never your friend, you know. I made it so you wanted to go out and make friends. That way, I...” she hiccuped. “I could take them away. I made the two of you friends, after you found her for me. You really think she loves you?”

No.

Ikora stepped closer, punctuating each sentence with a poke. “I put that in her, idiot. Your entire life is a lie. Everything’s mine. I own you. I own your friends. I own everyone.”

Amber slumped down, staring off into space. Dimly, she remembered to keep playing with her chest.

“I think you need some reminding of that. Amber, fuck yourself while you repeat Clair was never my friend.” She grinned, then left, moving out of Amber’s line of sight.

She stared at the empty chair.

I won’t do it. I can’t. I need to-

Amber blinked.

The carpet around her comforter was damp.