Rogue(Discontinued)

Chapter One

I awoke in darkness, as always. We didn't get much light other than the dim lamps that hung on the outside walls of our individual stone prisons.

I sat up, letting my hands roam over the rough surface that was my floor, stretching my aching back. The Royals always gave speeches to unallied Zeroes about how they would be taken care of if they just joined the Sector.

I wonder how many Zeroes actually gave up their freedom, unknowingly landing themselves in a dungeon like this.

From the information I had gathered from 61, I had been born in the palace. My mother had been captured for being in allegiance with the Dissidents and she was held here in this very cell until I had been born. She had died just as I was pushed out of her. I had never seem the world outside of this palace. That is, if you don't count the barren stretch of land that the Battle Zone was built on.

And I don't.

I crawled to the bars that kept me locked in. I managed to slip my right arm through with some effort and tapped on the wall.

There was a shuffling sound and a few moments later, a face appeared peeking through the bars in the cell opposite me. I was barely able to make out her features from the scarce light. The guards would be down soon to re-oil the lamps.

"Hello, dear girl. Are you alright?"

I tried to get closer to the bars, but the collar around my neck was chained to the floor and it yanked me back. I coughed as it cut off my breathing for a moment. "Yes...137, I'm alright. I just wanted company I suppose."

137 sighed. "Can't sleep either, dear? It's fine. Do you have a match today?"

I nodded, but then realized she probably couldn't see me. "Yes," I answered her. "It's supposed to be against six of the General Force's best men."

"96...promise you'll just get it over with. Don't let them scratch you up."

"All I need is to break my chains and get my gloves off. I'll be fine."

"You've been doing this for far too long, dear," 137 said, chuckling humorlessly.

"That's what happens when you have a Purpose like mine," I mumbled.

137 slammed her fist against the bars. "Damn those creatures. They're the reason we're in here anyway. If yet would've left our kind alone, the war would never have started and we wouldn't be rotting away in the basement of a Royal's palace!"

I heard some sleepy groans and chains rattling. "137, calm yourself. You're waking everyone up."

Another sigh. "I'm sorry my dear, but you don't even know what it's like to be on the outside. I remember when I was your age and I could see the sun and feel the grass beneath my feet. I had a name, not a number. I...I don't even remember my name now."

I wanted to reach out and comfort her but, of course, it was impossible. How could I console her when I had never know the world she had? All I knew was the hell we were in now.

I remember 61 told me that a few guards had died trying to pick me up before they realized that my skin couldn't be touched. I had to be covered at all times or they had to have their armor and gloves on. I was kept away from the others. They kept me in a special room until I was about three and after that, they locked me up in a cage or stuffed me into some closet sized room that they left me in for days. I remember those days myself...beating on the door, screaming for hours...throwing the food they gave me on the walls just so they would hear the noise and open the door so I could breathe...and then one day they just took me out, sealed a mask on my face, and forced me into the Battle Zone.