Please look. Please, Ellemenie, look. Look, look, LOOK!! It’s all you want from her, but she keeps her eyes scrunched shut, even as her mouth twists in and out of a grimace and her head jerks back and forth. It’s almost like… is she trying not to look at you?? Why would she…
But if that’s what’s happening, how can you possibly do anything about it? You twist and you turn, but you can’t move from the spot. You know this, it’s always been like this. The only time you’ve been able to move is when you’ve both reached out to one another. It seems to be a mutual thing, which normally is fine, but if she’s shutting you out now, then what can you do? It’s hopeless, right?
She flinches, grimacing deeper than before, and your chest tightens. You refuse to give up. You’ve got to get to her somehow. Even if you can’t do anything to stop what’s happening, you can at least comfort her, right? You can do something!!
And so, with every ounce of feeling you can muster, you reach out a hand and do your best to psychically express your feelings. That you want to help, that you want to be closer to her, that you don’t want to be shut out. Your dream body clenches, your brain focuses all its power, you do everything you possibly can to push your thoughts and feelings her way. Of course, for all you know absolutely nothing is happening, you’ve never tried anything like this before and maybe—
Her eyes snap open, flashing in your direction, barely avoiding direct eye contact. Suddenly you’re a short distance away from her, just out of arm’s reach. From here you can tell that sweat beads her brow and color has drained from her face, and it twists you up inside. It’s more obvious than ever that what she’s going through is torturous, and more than that, that she’s been going through it for a while now.
“What’s going on!?” you sign frantically, slurring your signs together in a way that’s barely intelligible. “Who’s doing this? What can I do to help? Where are we?”
Of course, she can’t actually respond. A strap traps her arms at her sides. But her hands have a small range of movement available to them, which she uses to reach out toward you. Instantly you’re at her side, and a second later your hand is on her shoulder.
And that’s when you see him.
The man looming by the torture table has his bright blue eyes, partially hidden behind round glasses, focused on a book on a nearby pedestal. He holds it open with one hand, while the other holds a twisty, pointed metal device that hurts you just to look at. He’s a tall man, fairly young-looking too, though it’s hard to determine an exact age. Mid thirties, perhaps? At least in human years, which might not be applicable. His dark skin and long, darker hair are certainly within human ranges of possibility… But his pointy ears? Not so much.
As for the man’s face, you would best describe it as ‘severe.’ His chin is long and sharp, his brow furrowed, his mouth a long, thin, downturned line. It’s possible this man has never known joy for even a moment of his life. Or, perhaps, that he believes himself above such ‘base’ emotions. Your initial impression of him has you leaning toward the latter explanation..
“Imxach,” you say softly. Ellemenie gives a short, sharp nod.
“It is frustrating,” the man says, his voice a low, smooth rumble. “Every test confirms it. The subject’s ratio of light has increased by exactly 5.76%. And yet this should not be possible.” With a frustrated sigh, he closes the book, continuing to talk to himself as though Ellemenie isn’t there. “A significant light ratio shift should only be possible if they are involved… But that is impossible, subtlety is not their way. If it were…” His permanently furrowed brow somehow creases further. “Failure is not a state worth contemplation. It cannot be them. But then what? And why do none of my methods induce an increase in darkness? There must be an outside influence.”
Pivoting to face the table your friend is strapped to, Imxach raises the device, the pointed end facing straight down. As his arm plunges toward Ellemenie, you barely think to remove your grip from her shoulder. It’s unclear if that horrid device would serve as enough of a link to allow him to see you, but it’s not a chance you want to take.
Your friend’s face twists in pain, her teeth clenched for an agonizing few seconds. When her expression slackens, you tentatively tap her shoulder. For just a moment before you pull away, you see Imxach staring at a screen on the device, now held far above your friend’s body, the sharp tip of the thing dripping what looks like black ichor. Hopefully safe for the moment, you press your hand back to her, squeezing to convey your attempt at support.
“Not a single percentage point shifted. Not a single method viable. Still it sits at 6.7% light, 93.3% dark.” His glower shifts its focus directly onto Ellemenie now, more intense than before. “I know it is related to the contact you made at the school. If you would just tell me—”
“I’ll never—” her voice hitches, followed by a shuddering breath. “—never tell.”
Waving a dismissive hand, Imxach turns away. “You should never have been capable of forming attachments, let alone contacting an outside source. Subject #374 has exhibited similar inconvenient emotion, but at least it has remained loyal.” Placing the still-dripping device on an already crowded counter, he continues muttering to himself. “I should have committed my life to engineering… automatons would be much more reliable.”
Since his back is turned, you decide to take your chance. Pulling at the straps holding Ellemenie down, you retain one hand on her shoulder, which keeps you tangible. It seems to work! You can move the strap, but the moment you do, Ellemenie’s eyes go wide and she shakes her head from side-to-side. Slightly baffled, you pull your hands away, using them to sign at her. “You don’t want to escape?” She nods, but also shrugs at the same time, and your mind whirrs, trying to understand. “But he’s torturing you, or experimenting or something! I guess it’d be hard to run with him right there, but… will he let you back to your room after this, you think?” She nods. “So could you run then?” She shakes her head. Ugh, if only her hands were free! Maybe if you whispered as softly as possible in her ear?
To that end you place a hand on her shoulder, but recoil half a second later, as though touching a hot stove. For just a moment, Imxach flashed before your eyes, facing toward you, a hand on Ellemenie’s arm. He wasn’t looking at you, fortunately, but still… did he notice? You’re not a praying woman, but if any sort of higher power does exist, you hope it’s on your side. Unwilling to chance another close call, you refrain from touching Ellemenie again for the next half hour, the longest half hour of your life.
Eventually she is freed from the table, and makes her way out of the room on wobbly legs. Perhaps because the two of you already expressed a desire to be near one another, you are pulled along with her as she goes, slow enough that you’re able to walk by her side. Though part of you would like to hold her hand or put a steadying arm around her, with your luck that goblin woman would be there and touching Ellemenie again too, so you avoid contact. Instead you focus on your surroundings — long, high-ceilinged halls of stone, one hall after the other, none particularly identifiable. They don’t even have tapestries or anything on the walls, just sconces with lit candles, to keep things visible.
Sconces, how medieval… But also, Imxach’s weird device had a screen on it, right? You hadn’t been able to look at it properly, but it was rectangular and flat, and the light it displayed reflected in his glasses. Yet you’ve not seen technology that advanced anywhere else in your time on this planet. Admittedly, it’s been a little hard to tell exactly where this society is at, technologically speaking. They have plumbing and some sort of printing press, at least, given Ruem’s comic books. But you’ve yet to see a single screen, not even a CRT. Do they exist on Idrest, but only for a select few? Or did Imxach bring it from elsewhere?
Your pondering is cut short as Ellemenie enters her room, throwing the door closed behind her and collapsing onto her bed. Taking a seat nearby, you patiently wait to see what your friend wants from you. A good five minutes pass this way, with her face-down on the bed, her feet sticking out in the air, and you sitting on the mattress quietly. As the minutes continue to tick by, you start to think she might need prompting.
“Ellemenie? Are you…” You grimace. “Well of course you’re not okay, but I mean— Like is there anything— What would you li—”
She flops a hand out and onto your leg. You stop talking. Visibly struggling, she lifts her head to look at you. “Can you help drag me fully onto the bed? And then just… lay here with me?”
Without a word, you leap forward to do so, grabbing her by the armpits and dragging her so that her head can rest on her pillow and her legs are actually in the bed. Then you try to lay next to her, but also to give her space, and to not seem like you’re spooning her or anything. This isn’t romantic, afterall. You’re just here to be a supportive friend, so you’ve got to get your position just right to make that abundantly clear—
Flopping her arm out again, Ellemenie grabs your waist and pulls you toward her. Laying on her side, she presses her head against your chest and squeezes, then lays still, breathing softly. Your heart hammers in your chest, your face hot, but, well, if this is what she wants, then who are you to complain? You’re just going to be a good platonic friend and snuggle your sad friend like she apparently wants! While trying not to think too hard about it! Because it doesn’t mean anything, girls who are just friends snuggle all the time anyway, right? That’s a thing. You saw it in an anime once. It was a yuri anime, but the two girls in question weren’t in love, and never got together, so you’re pretty sure it cou—
The train of your thoughts derails when you hear a shuddering exhalation from near your chest, and realize that Ellemenie is gripping you tightly. Her exhale is followed immediately by sniffling, which all but confirms that she’s crying. Wrapping your arms around her, you hug her back, resting your head against the top of hers.
“It’s okay, I’m here. Let it all out, and if you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”
Her crying gets heavier and louder almost immediately, your words opening up some sort of proverbial dam. She clings to you like a lifesaver, sobbing into your chest. The shirt — or you suppose she’s said that your dream form wears a dress — that you’ve got on becomes notably damp as time goes on, but this is a sacrifice you’re more than willing to make.
“I—I—I just—” she starts to say, muffled by your body. Letting loose another shuddering breath, she tries again. “I—I’m sorry.”
“For what??” you say, furrowing your brow.
She doesn’t respond at first, at least not with anything intelligible. Eventually, she says, “I—I didn’t want you t—to see me like that.”
You squeeze her tighter. “Don’t worry about it, please! It doesn’t make me think any less of you! I could never, would never…”
There’s no response, just sniffling. After a few more minutes, that dies down, and she shuffles upward, moving your faces a little closer together. Her bloodshot eyes stare up into yours. “Thank you.”
You smile, ignoring the heat in your cheeks. “A—anytime! …I mean, you know, anytime that I’m asleep, of course…”
She gives you a short laugh, then nuzzles her head against your neck. If you died right then and there, you’d die the happiest you’d ever been. The two of you lay there in silence for a while, and as her breathing evens out, you start to wonder if she’s fallen asleep. You’re content to just let her be, despite having some burning questions in your head, but after a while, she softly speaks.
“I’ve tried to run. Before.” Pressing herself into you, she continues, “I didn’t know where to go, where to hide. He caught me within minutes.” She sighs deeply, then speaks again, voice hard. “And now he’s got some sort of light shield thing covering the only exit. I don’t know how to get rid of it.”
There’s something covering the entrance? That’s good intel. You should ask her more about the layout of the building, and if she knows anything about its location. But you feel like right now isn’t the best time, given the exhaustion evident in every word she speaks. You’ll have to save it for next time. You do have one pertinent question, though…
“Do you think he saw me?”
Her head tilts up so she can look at you. “Who, Imxach? When?”
“Well I touched you at one point and he was right there, hand on your arm. I pulled away immediately, but…”
Scrunching her face in thought, which is an absurdly cute look for her, Ellemenie says, “I don’t think so? He never seemed surprised, or acted different or anything. He’s got a calm demeanor, but if he suddenly saw another person in the room, even he would have some sort of visible reaction.”
You breathe a little easier. “Thank goodness.” After a few seconds, another concern passes through your mind. “Oh, and you don’t think that goblin girl said anything to him?”
“Eeozi? No,” Ellemenie says, shaking her head. “She avoids talking to him as much as possible. Plus, if he knew you could appear here, he’d surely try to wring some answers out of me.”
Gripping her tighter, your mind torn between the instinct to protect her and the instinct to attack the one who harmed her, you say, “That man’s a piece of work, huh? Treating you like you’re not even a person…”
Her red eyes shift to the side. “I mean yes, he’s awful, but… I mean, I wouldn’t exist without him, so it’s hard to hate him completely.”
Your mind chews on her words for a good half a minute. “Wait, so… so he’s your dad??”
“What’s a dad?” she says, shifting her eyes back to yours and cocking her eyebrow.
Explaining the birds and the bees to an adult woman in your dreams is not a position you ever imagined being put in, and you’re not thrilled about it. “Like… he raised you? And, um… helped create you, probably?”
“Oh.” She shrugs. “Then sure, he’s my dad.”
You squint. “Do you… have a mom?”
She squints back. “You need to stop saying words I don’t know as if I should know them.”
Okay, but how do you… “Like do you have another parent?”
With no hesitation whatsoever, Ellemenie leans forward and bites your shoulder. It doesn’t actually hurt, but it does take you by surprise. “I said stop that!! Imxach created me, and he also created Eeozi and the others! I don’t think he had any help doing it. Does that answer your question?”
And raises a load more. Being both Ellemenie and Eeozi’s dad doesn’t make sense, at least with typical biological means. So there has to be something else going on there. Maybe it doesn’t ultimately matter, though; Imxach is clearly a terrible father, and so you still definitely need to rescue Ellemenie from him. Also maybe Eeozi? You’re a little unclear on if Ellemenie cares about her or not, and which side the goblin is ultimately on. Wait, and Ellemenie said there are others??
“Biat? Are you okay?” Ellemenie says, poking your face. “Was the biting too much?”
“Oh, what? No! No, I was just thinking.”
She breathes a sigh of relief and settles into you again, head nuzzled into your neck. “Good.”
Once more silence takes over, and eventually, as your mind whirrs, Ellemenie actually does fall asleep in your arms. You verify this by softly saying her name and receiving no reply. Also she snores. Unfortunately, perhaps because you’re already asleep, you’re not remotely drowsy, so you just lie there for what feels like hours. Given the cute girl snuggling against you, it’s hardly the worst way to spend your time, but you still think you’d have preferred to fall asleep along with her. Eventually, your body starts to fade, like a softer version of what happens when Ellemenie looks you directly in the eyes. Halfway through, you realize what must be happening: you’re waking up.
~~~
Consciousness finds you alone and in your own bed. Normally you don’t mind those two things, but now… you miss Ellemenie. You miss her a lot. Taking a deep breath, you sit up, not wanting to wallow in your melancholy. It’s just a matter of time. You’ll be together again soon. And then you’ll figure out where to find her and how to save her. Determination wells up inside you; soon enough, you’ll strike, and Imxach won’t know what hit him.
Goddess, i hope she finds her soon
Imxach is absolutely horrible, he's clearly up to something big Abe i hope that it fails and that he gets what he f*cking deserves 
