It took three days before Serenity deemed me fit enough to continue with Kathrine's tests, though she did so hesitantly, with a firm warning to do my best to take it easy as I was not as strong as I should be. Kathrine obviously was furious with me but had left me alone to recover with my Audino friend's guidance but had been putting an immense amount of pressure on the timid Audino to hurry up and deem me better. It was obvious we'd fallen behind her schedule and she'd been forced to cut out some of the tests she'd planned on doing, promising the ones left over would not be pleasant on my part, even though only two or three remained.
I sighed to myself as I exited the medical wings bathroom where I'd been allowed to prepare for today since I'd been staying here for the past three days rather then in my usual cell. Twirling an elastic through my slightly dampened hair to keep it up in a high ponyta-tail I observed the room to find Shadow was waiting outside, most likely ready to escort me to today's test. As usual, I didn't know what it was but I'd no doubt find out soon.
Shadow didn't say anything, he simply gestured for me to follow him with a firm nod of his head.
With a second sigh, I followed The Voice of Darkness, keeping my head down to avoid eye contact and hopefully a conversation. Unfortunately, Shadow didn't seem to pick that up, or if he did, he ignored it. "Kathrine's furious with you." He smirked, obviously amused by the fact. "Cyrus too, they've been bickering nonstop since you fainted."
"Tell me something I don't know." I muttered, keeping my head down while fiddling absentmindedly with the mechanical device locked on my wrist. The black cuff had been place back onto my wrist since, according to Silver, I put up force fields in my sleep and bordered on destructive when I had nightmares. I wasn't yet sure if Silver or Red were going to be hurt since I hadn't told Kathrine that I was incapable of doing the Healing Test before it started and I hadn't seen either of my friends since Silver had been returned to his cell a few hours after he woke me up. Though it wasn't my fault I'd fainted, I thought I could handle it and I certainly didn't think I'd faint from exhaustion half way through the Arceus damned test.
"I could tell you a lot of things you don't know." My opposite smirked, severing through my thoughts. "Doesn't mean I will."
I decided not to respond this time, glancing up now and then to try and figure out where we were going but I had no luck, even when we entered the room in which Kathrine waited. Red was standing next to her, looking very uneased with the situation as I walked in. Not waiting for anyone to say anything, I took my boyfriends side, feeling more comforted by his presence and no doubt he felt the same. Though I was worried as to what he was doing here.
With out giving a hint to her intentions, Kathrine turned and entered another room behind her. "Come on you two, we have work to get done."
Red took hold of my hand, without a word, giving it a reassuring squeeze before we followed Kathrine into the room together. It was pretty much empty with the only exception of what looked like a large mechanical coffin. I retreated timidly into Red's arms, shifting slightly in discomfort as I did. I didn't like the looks of this at all.
"This machine is, appropriately named, the Anti-Movement Chamber. I'm sure you can figure out from the name what it's for and what it tests." Kathrine turned to face Red and I with a smirk.
I bit down on my lower lip. The name alone was intimidating and the several things that popped into my head in response to the name were things I really didn't want to go through.
"The chamber is designed to monitor your every body function while you're inside, from your body temperature down to the most slightest shift in position, not that you'll be moving much anyway. The moulds inside have been designed to fit your exact body shape through scans you have unwittingly undergone since you arrived and will prevent you from moving more then a few millimetres." Kathrine explained. "The chamber is soundproof and itself emits its own light which won't be enough to put any strain your eyes at any point but bright enough so that your fear of the dark will not impact on the data collected during the course of the test."
"How long will I be in there?" I questioned, looking over the intimidating piece of machinery as I shrunk further into Red's arms.
"That is up to you." Team Rift's leader answered, smirking ever so slyly. "You could be in there a week, a day, an hour or even a minute. However, fail to meet what is expected and your friends will be punished for you lack of effort."
"What is expected of me then?" I asked, biting down on the tip of my tongue as I looked up at Red for reassurance.
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Kathrine retorted, folding her arms over her chest. "For now we need to go through a practice test to make sure all the systems work properly so nothing can interfere with the results when the time to do the actual test comes. Please lay down." As she said this two grunts opened the top half of the machine.
I took a step back, huddling closer to Red who seemed completely unsure of what to do. "But--"
"Not buts, get in. You will be perfectly safe so there is no reason for argument." She interrupted firmly.
"How can you be sure if you haven't even tested it!" I demanded. "I could get stuck in there for all I know!"
Kathrine sighed deeply. "That's why the chamber doesn't use mechanical locks, instead it is held shut with simple latches that have to be undone manually, in no circumstance will you be trapped in there longer then you want to be." She explained, pointing out the two sets of latches that sat out either end of the machine. "This is only a test run so you won't even be strapped down, now stop being such a child and get in Emma."
"I am a child for Arceus sake! How old do you think I am?" I glared at her as Red wrapped his arms around me protectively.
Kathrine simply sighed, pulling a Pokéball off her belt, letting out her Absol. It's midnight black fur radiated it's dark aura as sickly green eyes wavered emotionless at me and Red. "Get in there now or Absol will deal with Red much like he did the rest of your Pokémon." The slyness in her tone was sharp enough to make me flinch though I tried to hide it.
A slight growl came as my momentary response before I looked up at my boyfriend for a few brief moments. "Can Red wait here for me when I get out?" I sighed in defeat, still not letting my boyfriend go.
"If you get in right now, yes." Kathrine responded evenly.
With a defeated sigh, I complied. "Fine." I spat, hugging Red tightly for a moment before letting him go.
"I'll be right here okay?" The ruby eyed trainer smiled reassuringly, lightly kissing my forehead after I nodded.
Following Kathrine's instructions, I sat in the machine, slipping myself into the moulds. Red came to my side, offering a final hand squeeze before I eased myself back, listening absentmindedly as Kathrine ran through the list of safety details. My boyfriend carefully fixed up my hair so it didn't fall outside the skin tight casing as she did. He lightly caressed my cheek, giving me a reassuring smile, knowing I was nervous about the extreme movement restriction.
"An oxygen mask will encase your mouth and nose, assuring you are breathing correctly at all times. You will not be permitted to eat anything while in the chamber, which is why you will eat all meals prior to the actual test and not be made to stay within the chamber for more then one week and the test will automatically come to a close if your vitals drop lower then a specified point. Water will be administered through a straw that will lower from your oxygen mask when you ask for it. To make sure you don't choke on it has a special valve that only allows water to pass when you manually suck it out." Kathrine explained, looking over sheets of paper clamped to a clipboard. "These procedures will all be tested today to make sure they work correctly for the actual test when that time comes tomorrow."
"Great." I muttered sarcastically as Red took a step back as instructed by Kathrine while a set of grunt began to close the chamber, ordering me to keep still. Just before it shut completely, one of the grunts paused to fit the oxygen mask in place. I fought off the temptation to bite him and instead squeezed my eyes tightly shut.
When my eyes flicked open, they were met by a soft glow of light from the closed chamber. Letting out a soft breath, I tested the limitations of my movement. As Kathrine said, a soft lighting filled the chamber that was bright enough that I wouldn't be panicking about being left in the dark but soft enough that it wasn't any strain on my eyes. True to Kathrine's word, I could hardly move a muscle.
"Emma?" Red's staticky voice met my ears. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah..." I replied hesitantly, my eyes darting around for the source of sound. "How?"
"Small speakers near your head and a small microphone in the mask." He explained. "Kathrine thinks you'll be more agreeable if I talk to you rather then her."
"Looks like she can get something right."
"I am still here Emma, don't think that our little set of rules don't apply while your in there." Kathrine's voice came through sternly.
"What did I do?" I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as the only real movement I could manage. I pouted to myself as I continued to test the extent of my movement limitations. The most I found I could move was curling my hands into fists but other then that, I had only a few millimetres, no more then a centimetre to move. I soon found myself biting my tongue as a deep sense of claustrophobia settled deep in my chest, squeezing my lungs with a sickening twist in my stomach.
"Emma, you okay? Your heart rate went up." Red's voice came through, concern clearly entwined in his tone.
My first instinct was to shake my head but when I realised I couldn't I answered. "No. I can't do this Red, it's to tight... I feel like I can't breath."
Kathrine said something I couldn't hear in the background which Red responded to but again I couldn't hear.
"Kathrine said that if you do everything correctly then it won't take more then ten minutes but it's good experience for the actual test." Red didn't sound too convinced but was trying to sound reassuring. "You'll be fine, okay, I'm not going to let anything hurt you."
I again tried to move my head in attempt to nod but was soon reminded I couldn't. I sighed deeply, struggling to relax or get comfortable, neither came easily. Red spoke me through the entire thing, what was being tested and why as well as relaying orders from Kathrine. He also just spoke to me in general, a lot of it just random nonsense meant more to reassure me he was there and soothe my ache to move freely again but by the end of the twenty minute test, my heart was racing in my chest and I was struggling to breath properly.
Red and Kathrine let me out as the test run finished and I bolted up so fast I hit my head on the roof of the machine. My boyfriend cuddled up to me, sitting on the edge of the machine as he took me into his arms, running his fingers gently through my hair which had become partially damp with a nervous sweat.
"Are you by any chance claustrophobic?" Kathrine questioned, narrowing her eyes in my direction.
I nodded softly. "Somewhat... it's more... it's only when I know I can't get out of an area that it happens." I sighed, snuggling in closer to Red. "I've spent so long going in and out of cells and chains that generally I can keep it under control but having every movement restricted is... something else."
Red wrapped his arms tighter around me, resting his chin a top my head, no doubt only remaining quiet because Kathrine told him to before letting me out of the chamber.
"Though," I continued. "You should know that. I seriously doubt you haven't gone through my bag yet and the small stack of medical documents I was carrying with me detailing pretty much every mental condition I've had in my life."
"I might see about making the moulds a little bigger..." Kathrine trailed off, ignore what I'd just said somewhat, obviously thinking deeply before turning to the other grunt in the room. "Take the other prisoner back to his cell, Emma still has other work to do today."
Despite the fact I really didn't want to, I hugged my boyfriend quickly goodbye. Under normal circumstances, I would has argued for Red to stay with me but I figured that if I just do what I'm told now then I might be able to keep Silver or Red outside the chamber when the actual test comes to pass.
Red returned my hug wordlessly before he was lead away. He waved sadly before he was removed from the room and I was lead though another by Kathrine. This room was once reminiscent of a police interrogation room, only a little bigger and my guitar leant against the table on one side.
"Accoring to Shadow The Voice of Purity gains power through expression certain emotion, memories or feelings through song. Since tomorrow's test will be... exceptionally difficult and you're supposed to be taking it easy due to you incident the other day." She said the last sentience bitterly. "I'm simply going to give you a moment person or such for you to express through a song of your choice. Using your guitar is optional but preferred."
"You know, you might learn more about The Voice of Purity if you actually ask her about her powers rather then her polar opposite." I sighed deeply, for once in my life, singing was just about the last thing on my mind. I'd hardly touched my guitar in weeks, much less sing a word but as usual, I didn't have much choice. Taking up one side of the table, I picked up my wooden instrument and gently caressed the strings.
Kathrine explained the senario, basically asking me to some up my current feelings about being here, more specifically towards her or Cyrus as my parents. She allowed me a few minutes to go through the songs I knew in my head, trying to find one that I felt fit. It was hard. I have so many mixed emotions going through my head, my hate towards both Cyrus and Kathrine but yet my detained desire to impress them and gain their pride. It was sickening yet an urge I had no control over. Again, I sighed, choosing a song that somewhat related to my feelings towards Cyrus and Kathrine.
"I'm caught up in your expectations
You try to make me live your dream
But I'm causing you so much frustration
And you only want the best of me
You're wanting me to show more interest
To always keep a big bright smile
Be that pinky little perfect princess
But I'm not that type of child
And the storm is rising inside of me
Dontcha feel that our worlds collide?
It's getting harder to breathe
It hurts deep inside
Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away
And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry but just won't get it out
The silent scream
Tell me why you're putting pressure on me
And every day you cause me harm
That's the reason why I feel so lonely
Even though you hold me in your arms
Wanna put me in a box of glitter
But I'm just trying to get right out
And now you're feeling so so bitter
Because I've let you down
And the storm is rising inside of me
Dontcha feel that our worlds collide?
It's getting harder to breathe
It hurts deep inside
Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away
And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry but just won't get it out
The silent scream
Can't you see
How I cry for help
Сause you should love me
Just for being myself
I'll drown in an ocean
Of pain and emotion
If you don't
Save me right away
Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away
And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry but just won't get it out
The silent scream
My silent scream..."
~*~*~*🌸*~*~*~
Word count: 3003
Soooooooo tired. You would not believe how fucking hard Year 12 is! ARCEUS!!!
I just realised how bare my room is without all my Pokémon stuff... mainly cause I packed it all up into a box at the end of my bed because my mum said I needed to grow up. Then she yells at me for doing that since I've apparently wasted so much money on that shit. *sighs* just can't win. For now I'm leaving it down since I'm changing my room around and at least it's out of the way for now.
Anyway, please please please remember to vote and comment! I need the motivation to do stuff.