I crawled on my hands and knees towards Daphne I couldn’t think about anything other than avoiding the pain I had just endured; I was weak and a craven; I had always been on no point trying to play the hero now.

 

“Lick it up.” Daphne said.

‘Yes, sister.”

 

 I stuck my tongue out lapped up my vomit I didn’t stop licking until her boot was clean this was the lowest I had ever sunk surely this was my rock bottom.  Daphne laughed with sadistic mirth, reveling in the degrading humiliation.

 

I don’t care to what depths I must sink to avoid suffering like that again I’ll do whatever it takes to survive until I can see Shinobu.  I turned my gaze towards Inquisitor Maya, who returned my stare with one of scathing contempt.

 

The puke consumed my senses; it clogged my mouth and sullied my nose with a scent so malodorous that it gave me the uncontrollable impulse to explode my guts all over again, but I kept the urge at bay thankfully.

 

“Good stray, keep licking till it’s all gone.”

 

I did as ordered and licked every part of her boot until it was spotless, clean and drenched in my saliva.  I’d like to say that I felt a seething hatred towards my tormentors, but at the time my mind couldn’t process anything, my body felt equally numb.

 

Daphne knelt before me and began caressing my hair gently the way a mother would with their child to sooth their fears and put them at ease using her free hand she moved my face from side to side wanting to get a closer look at my defeated expression.

 

“I love that look I wish I could gaze upon it forever, but alas we have to cut our time short,  Maya sees that she’s cleaned before being sent to the dungeon.”

 

 “As you wish Elder Sister.”

 

 

Daphne walked triumphantly out of the room, leaving me alone with the woman who just tortured me without remorse.  “Let’s go.”  Maya dragged me by the arm forcefully leading me out of the room I lowered my head towards the ground I didn’t care where she was taking me.

 

Maya was small but her grip was like a vice as though she could crush my hand in seconds, I suppose only people with no scruples about the suffering of others and monstrous strength can become inquisitors.

 

I don’t know whether Shinobu’s alive or dead Velvet’s ignoring my cries for help too so I’m all alone in this world again. Tears started streaming down my beaten face, stinging my wounds as they hit the ground.

 

 

 “It’s okay to cry, Mari.” Maya said.

“Using my name now, that’s cute.”

“I wasn’t trying to be cute.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you’re the cutest torturer I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”

“Your treatment at the hands of Daphne was beyond abhorrent.”

“That’s rich coming from the woman who tortured me.”

“Don’t misconstrue me, I’m not sorry for what I did, it’s part of my job as an inquisitor, what I’m sorry about was everything that followed.”

“Less than five minutes ago you where starring at me with pure contempt why are you trying to be friendly now?”

“My eyes were full of contempt just not for you.”

“Daphne overstepping her bounds because of her standing, aggravates me to my wits’ end.”

“You two seemed perfectly friendly to me, although I was in excruciating pain, so maybe I’m not remembering.”

“I won’t argue morality with you but I’m a professional there are standards and principles I adhere to, Daphne disregards her principles anytime her urges kick in and that disgusts me.”

“We’re here.”

 

As I raised my head, I saw that we were standing just outside the bath springs my mind flashed back to my first time bathing with Shinobu.  I walked towards the rippling waters and made my way inside, dunking my head under the waters.

 

I needed to get the scent of the vomit off my skin and out of my mouth before I came up for air after twenty seconds.  My mind felt slightly clearer, and the stench had faded though it lingered around me refusing to die.

 

“May as well have my evening bath too.” Maya said.

 

 Maya disrobed folding her clothes neatly and resting them on the exterior of the bath her small frame was covered in scars from head to toe, her breasts were smaller than Shinobu’s not that it mattered.

 

I’ve been a woman for over two months and yet I still find myself thinking like a male I guess two months can’t overwrite thirty-seven years of psychological conditioning.  The water sloshed as Maya entered and sat down on the right side of me.

 

“You should have just talked.”

    “Just shut up, okay.”

    “If you talked, the interrogation techniques wouldn’t have been required.”

    “Where’s Shinobu?”

    “She lives, she’s being held in the dungeon under the great hall, it’s where I’ll be taking you when you’re done soaking.”

“She’s alive?"”

  I felt live bleeding back into me as I clutched Maya and shook her with exuberant energy my mind returned to a more lucid state soon after and I slumped back into the warmth of the water.

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“I’ve got no reason to lie to you.”

“You’re an arrogant one, aren’t you?”

“You’re not a threat, I’m not sure what strange power you have, but it’s clear that you can’t use it now, or I’d be dead alongside Daphne.”

“You’re right, I’d happily tear both of you apart.”

“We’ve soaked long enough we should get going.”

“Yeah, I’m done.”

 We exited the waters of the bathes and dried off Maya handed me the rags I had been wearing before Shinobu gave me a nun uniform.  “These were in your room, I know they’re a downgrade from the uniform but it’s better than being naked all the time.”

 

The rags weren’t much of an improvement but I didn’t have a choice in the matter so I dressed myself in them they still smelled as ghastly as ever.  It was reassuring to know that some things never change.

 

Maya escorted me through the great hall where all the nuns and children were eating dinner. It looked like Rabbit stew got to love the consistency.  The chatter dropped to dead silence as all the nuns looked upon me with scorn.

 

One of the little girls from earlier ran over to me and tugged on my arm as I turned around to greet her worried expression.  “Big Sis Mari is it true that you and Big Sis Shi broke one of the Sacred Precepts.”  Her eyes were on the verge of crying.

 

“Yeah, it’s true, but don’t you worry everything going to be fine”

 

I ruffled her hair, trying to comfort her, but the girl ceased talking and emptied her bowl of rabbit stew over my head.  “Don’t touch me you whore.” The swift shift in demeanor and the hatred of such a small child took me by surprise.

 

A few of the other children rushed over, pouring their dinners over me too, echoing the degrading comments of the first girl.  “Even you guys, huh?” I asked as I stood back up I didn’t care that my hair was a mess or that they reviled me.

 

I was just sad to see such young children indoctrinated.  It was only now that I truly came to understand what breaking the precepts meant and the gravity of the act.  I followed Maya away from prying eyes and into the dungeons.

Maya had done me the courtesy of washing my hair with some of her water magic, it was humorous how a torturer was the capable of more kindness and empathy and then any of the other righteous cunts.

 

It wasn’t much of a dungeon, more like a long hallway with about ten rooms five on either aside. Maya guided me to the last cell on the right and directed me to enter. Much to my delight, I saw Shinobu laying on a poor excuse for a bed, which was little more than a wooden slab with a grimy blanket draped over it.

 

I felt my body come back to life and my lips shaped themselves into a grin to think Maya hadn’t been lying; I had to hold a shred of respect for her.  I rushed to Shinobu’s side, and she was in a frightful condition those bastards haven’t even bothered to heal her wounds, merely dressed them in filthy bandages.

 

Laying my eyes on her in such a sordid state was atrocious, I wished I could to take her pain and suffering away.  

“Shinobu, Hey you okay?”

 Shinobu opened her eyes they were bloodshot and swollen.

“Mari?”