Snap!

Poppy

tw: forced drug use

***

Sky felt good.

He couldn't describe it better than that. It was like the morning's first long drink of water. It was waking up under thick blankets in a cold room. It was the wind blowing through your hair, under your clothes, giving cool relief to your skin during a humid day. It was all of that rolled into one and so much more.

He didn't know where he was nor did he care. Sky was aware he was on his back, on a pile of pillows, arms spread out, head tilted back. Did he have shoes on? He wasn't sure. There were people around him on their own pile of pillows and blankets, leaning on their hands or spread out on their bellies. There were bowls filled with food and the people idly picked at it, seemingly not hungry but eating out boredom. If they were not eating, they were smoking, dragging long breaths from colorful pipes, blowing out white smoke into the already foggy air.

How did I get here? Sky thought. He'd no memory of coming here, sitting down, taking off his shoes, any of it. When he tried his thoughts fluttered away and joined the smoke collecting on the ceiling. Was not remembering such a bad thing? He felt too good to really care.

A body sat down on the piles of pillows next to him. Sky turned to see a woman with lavender-colored hair smiling sweetly at him. "Hey honey," she purred. "It's time for another payment."

Now this Sky remembered because it annoys him so much. This was the fourth time she asked for payment. In the beginning she tried to reach into his bag and take what she needed, but Sky's bag snapped closed on her hand, catching skin and drawing blood. She wisely asked for payment from then on.

Wordlessly Sky groped down to his bag, grabbing a handful of rupees and dragging them out. He didn't count them, he dropped them into the woman's open palm.

She pursed her lips at the sight of the amount. She cleared her throat. "You wish to continue feeling good, right? I can provide but I need more payment."

Sky dragged up another handful.

"Almost there."

Sky wished she would stop talking so he could go back to his bliss. He brought up another handful of rupees of various colors, dumping them to the already impressive pile in the woman's hand. Her smile grew wider.

"Perfect..." She murmured, putting them away. From between her breasts, she pulled out a small blue stone. She leaned closer. "Here... put this under your tongue and you will feel like you're flying."

Sky wanted to tell her he already knew what flying felt like but he was already opening his mouth to take in the stone.

A large hand suddenly grabbed the woman's wrist before she got near Sky's mouth. The grip tightened, crushing the gold bracelets underneath and digging it into the woman's skin. She gasped and dropped the stone.

It was Time. There was no gentleness in his eye, no mischievous tilt of his lips. Cold fury lined every wrinkle in his face, disgust burning his entire being. He pulled the woman's arm up and away, lifting her off the floor. "Get that shit away from him."

He released her wrist and she dropped, nearly collapsing on herself. It was a miracle she didn't break an ankle on her high heeled shoes as she stumbled back, clutching her ruined wrist to her chest. "You're... you're not allowed in here! This is a respectable business!"

"I suggest you run. The moment I leave through those doors with my friend, I am razing this place to the ground."

The woman gaped. "You can't-! You won't-! I'll get the authorities!"

"I don't care."

The woman sputtered a few curse words but wisely took his threat to heart and started grabbing everything of value in the room before running off. Time turned to Sky. His face softened. "By the gods... we've been looking for you for days."

Sky blinked up at him. "You have?"

"What did they do to you?" He pressed a hand against his forehead. Sky grunted and moved away.

"Mm'fine..."

"Your eyes are bloodshot. You're severely dehydrated."

"Nnn... I feel so good though..."

"You're not going to feel so good once that stuff wears off. C'mon, up on your feet, Knight of Skyloft."

"I have a name!" He was still complaining as Time grabbed him and hauled him to his feet.