"Anne." Darcy said in a soothing voice. "Wake up, sleepy head."
Anne groaned a little, her eyes slowly rising and she yelped a bit when she saw the multiple eyes of Darcy, but then calmed down. "M-Man, I have to get used to that..."
Darcy suddenly shrunk and rubbed her arm, stepping back. "S-Sorry..."
Anne quickly sat up. "No, no, no! I didn't mean it like that! Marcy, you're beautiful no matter how you look!"
Darcy relaxed a little, smiling just a bit. "T-Thanks, Anna-Banana. I'll probably believe that eventually..."
"Marcy..." Anne said, getting up and hugging Darcy tightly. "I said I love you...d-didn't I? I don't care what you look like."
Darcy slowly hugged back. "I'm so glad you're here with me...please don't ever leave me again."
"I won't. Never in a million years will I ever leave you behind again." Anne said, parting the hug just a bit before seeing something on her bedside drawer. Something that wasn't there before. It was a box wrapped in blue paper and a green ribbon. "What's that?"
"I-It's a present." Darcy said.
Anne turned. "You...made me a present? E-Even while we're stuck here?"
"You mean I'm stuck here." Darcy said with a weak chuckle. "I...I had a lot of spare time. I-I figured you would like it."
Anne's cheeks turned pink, and she smiled shyly. "Mar-Mar... y-you didn't have to-"
"But I wanted to." Darcy said before she walked over and grabbed the present, handing it out to Anne.
The young Thai girl was blushing, but she took the present and took off the green ribbon, gently ripping off the blue paper, revealing a white box. Curious, she took off the lid, and her blue eyes widened.
Inside, she saw some kind of necklace. It was fairly small, and with very shiny purple gems circling around it. It looked like a small collar almost.
"S-Sorry if it's not the best. I had to make due with what I had." Darcy said, her orange eyes flitting up to Anne nervously, afraid that she wouldn't like it.
Anne's heart swelled, and she smiled wide, her cheeks now rosy red. "Marcy... i-it's beautiful. I... I love it!"
Darcy's orange eyes went wide and seemingly went starry. "T-That's great!! Try it on!! I wanna see if it fits!"
Anne giggled, then she took the clasp of the necklace and then she carefully wrapped the necklace around her neck, blushing as she looked at Darcy. "H... how does it look...?"
Darcy's face visibly went red (or at least she made it appear that way) under her helmet. "O-Oh, wow...y-you look very pretty...!"
Anne blushed, and she smiled, her blue eyes sparkling with happiness. "You... y-you're too s-sweet..."
Darcy giggled. "I'm just telling the truth, Anna-Banana!"
Anne blushed even more. "H-heh... I-I still need to get used to being your girlfriend..."
"S-Same." Darcy said before walking over just a bit closer...all the while The Hivemind activated the collar.
Unlike the others used for soldiers or the wildlife? This collar was a little more complex. She could've just made a simple mind control collar for Anne Boonchuy. But?
Where was the fun in that?
Anne's eyes widened and then the girl blushed, unaware of her eyes beginning to change as Darcy stepped closer.
Darcy could see the blue eyes that sparkled like the reflection of stars in the ocean slowly turn into a corrupted violet. She could even see purple veins show on her skin.
That means the "necklace" was ready for the signal anytime. Anne Boonchuy would soon be Darcy's greatest weapon... without even knowing it.
"Anne?" Darcy asked with a small smile. "Can you follow me? I have one more surprise."
Anne's heart fluttered, and then she nodded, climbing out of the bed. "Of- of course, Mar-Mar!"
Darcy smiled wide before grabbing Anne's hands and gently dragging her over to the Throne Room, but Andrias' throne was completely gone. A lot of the things that were inside it were gone. It was an empty room.
She then gently did a curtsy with the ends of her cape. "M-May I have this dance...?"
Anne's eyes widened and her face flushed, her heart fluttering once more as she looked at her girlfriend in awe. "You... you really wanna dance... with m-me...?"
"I-I've wanted to ever since I learned Prom existed." Darcy said, standing and holding out her hand.
Anne's heart was practically soaring as she slowly reached her hand out, and then interlocked her fingers with Darcy's, smiling shyly at her. "I... I'd love to, Mar-Mar... more than anything else in the world, or any world."
Darcy smiled wide before she put her other arm around Anne's waist. And sure enough, the two slowly began to slow dance.
Music played in the background from speakers, secretly from Dark Frobots in the shadows of the empty Throne Room.
Anne didn't even think about where the music was coming from, assuming that Marcy had somehow downloaded her favorite music playlist from her phone into the sound system. Marcy was practically a genius, after all, even back at home, so it wouldn't surprise her.
The two began to dance, and Anne felt at peace. She had even forgotten why she was so emotionally exhausted in the first place...in fact...what had even happened yesterday? What happened before that?
Anne hummed thoughtfully, doing her best to keep up with her girlfriend. "Hey, Mar-Mar?"
"Hmm?" Darcy asked as she gently twirled her around, while activating the collar, as if predicting what she was thinking. "What's wrong?"
...what was wrong? Anne almost completely forgot.
"Huh..." Anne muttered, looking confused. "I was going to ask you something... but now I can't remember what. Weird..."
Darcy giggled a little. "You were always pretty forgetful, Anna-Banana. But? If you remember, just ask...for now, though?" She then leaned in a little, shutting all but two of her orange eyes. Her voice seemed to echo and peer into Anne's mind...it was so melodic. Almost entrancing. "Focus on me."
Anne suddenly couldn't tear her eyes away from Darcy's, her muscles suddenly relaxing; she felt... peaceful. Calm. She knew that she wanted to ask something before... but it suddenly didn't matter anymore. Maybe it wasn't important.
Perhaps she should just forget about it and focus on her new girlfriend.
They danced for what felt like ever. And it felt amazing. So peaceful and Anne felt like they were both on clouds.
Sighing blissfully, Anne leaned forward, and then rested her hand on Marcy's chest, peacefully listening to her heartbeat; a gentle drum of beats resonating through her chest and through her ear.
Darcy leaned in towards Anne's ear and whispered. "Is this relaxing you? Is this what you want...tell me yes."
"Yes," Anne whispered, no hesitation in her voice. "This is everything I could have ever wanted, Marcy."
Darcy smirked, her normal teeth now sharp fangs as they curved into an evil smile. "Will you promise to never leave me...? Will you stay here with me for as long as I want you to...so I won't be alone again?"
"I promise to never leave you, baby. Never."
Through the shadows, orange eyes opened up and stared at Darcy and Anne, with Darcy's grin growing wider and wider.
"Welcome home...my love."
Andrias sat in the cold, dark cell, having watched the entire thing through his master's eyes.
He should have been happy. Everything was going to plan. Anne Boonchuy would make an invaluable ally in their quest. The process of conditioning was going to be slow, yes, but the results would be worth it.
But, as the king watched the scene unfold, he could feel his stomach twist up in knots, the acidity of bile threatening to come up his throat.
Not only was the only girl who made him smile being possessed by his master...but another innocent girl was just another slave. And The Core was using love as a way of manipulation.
He knew that Marcy loved Anne. He could see it in the way Marcy had looked at Anne; as if the girl was the center of Marcy's galaxy, how they'd hold hands and just seemed to be just happy in each other's presence.
...Andrias hoped that whatever fantasy Marcy was in wouldn't allow her to see what was happening. And that Anne would not remember this.
Frog, have mercy on us all.