I leave Scarlet and meet the others

You back away, staring at her as you chat for a few words longer. “I was serious about being your friend. If you need to talk, don’t be the stranger you want these guys to be to me.”

She wiggles her fingers, her eyes watching you behind the flame of her lighter. Scarlet finally smiles as you turn your back. She mumbles through a grin as she turns her back to you and the rest of the circus. “Cute idiot.”

Sevens saw you first and approached you to shake your hand. You expected him to say something, but he didn't. He just shakes your hand and gives you an odd look like she doesn't recognize you, though he knows he should.

“Sevens,” you say. “How are you feeling?”

”Decent at best. That Scarlet bitch rode the rest of the gang to the dirt when you left. Unfortunately for Softspot, not the kind of riding he was hoping for either.”

You shrug. “She seems like the type that’s more likely to peg a man rather than to let him take her to bed.”

Half-Gob joins the circle, with Arabella close at the end. “I’ve got a lost fox here. Do you guys know the owner?”

”Stop that,” Arabella says with a neutral voice, apparently unsure how far she can push her attitude with the Japanese Contractor. She quickly approaches you and stands behind you, putting distance and protection between her and the others.

”Something wrong?” You whisper to her, and she shakes her head.

”I just don’t like so many people at once,” she mumbles low enough that no one can hear her. Good for her, you guess. You inquire about the twins, but Arabella shrugs. “Staff. They seem fascinated with the whole concept of working here for some reason,”

You rock your head side to side in thought. That wasn’t a bad thing to hear, but you can‘t help but wonder why Arabella is taking it so poorly. You consider bringing it up here and now but then go against the idea. That wasn’t a topic that should be brought up with so many others around.

Sevens perk up, chewing on something. It wasn’t the peanuts that Scarlet was partaking from earlier. Still, after glancing at what he was spitting on, you saw the remains of sunflower seeds. You glance at him and see him chew, spit, and then repeat the process until Half-Gob addresses him.

”You got paired with Fifth-Finger, didn’t you?” She asks him. He nods. “I’ll give you trade, you Softspot.”

”Don’t count on it,” he says. “Scarlet made it obvious that we weren't allowed to trade members. Probably because she wants to keep Warren for herself.”

”Yeah?” She spits. “I don’t blame her. He’s the best choice aside from me.”

You glance at Softspot, who takes silent offense, but whatever happened to him during practice stifles any retort. It was a really humbling experience for him. Who knows what Scarlet said about berating and notching these guys down to where they are currently?

Sevens looks at Fifth-Finger and shrugs. “We can handle ourselves fine. I won’t deny you got the least flattering team member, but at least he’s dependable.”

Half-Gob scoffs. “We’ll see about that.”

“So, these are our teams then,” you interject now that Arabella has been quiet since getting behind you. “I love the chemistry we all share and our equal dependence on each other. Really puts my weariness at ease.”

Softspot comes in. “Here, look, see? That’s what I’m saying. We are a solid group with great training, lots of confidence, and endless support from each other. I’ll take a bullet for Half-Gob, and I know she would, too,” he looks at Half-Gob for support, but she looks away. He continues, keeping the same enthusiastic voice that annoys you. “After this weekend, we’ll be working with each other like a well-oiled machine, day in and day out.”

No one says anything to Softspot because no one wants to say how unincredibly stupid that is. You don’t suspect half of these guys will stick around once the first chance to leave pops into the light. The rest of the night is spent patrolling with the others. Scarlet talks to Half-Gob and the others privately. You even see her discussing something with Arabella. You add that to the list of subjects to talk to Arabella about when you get a moment with her.

When it is time to disperse, Scarlet gathers you and the fox girls to return to your rooms. You doubt this involves “team building” because you know her fear of the hotel. Safety in numbers and all that jazz.

The elevator ride is silent but otherwise eventful until you stop at the floor below yours. You and the fox girls shuffle to make room for whoever else might be coming in, but when the doors open, there’s no one there. Mikko leans out to poke her head out to see who might've pressed the button, but Scarlet snaps at her. “DON’T. Stay inside,” Scarlet is pale and bangs her head against the wall, mouthing what seem to be prayers. The elevator doors close. She’s the first one out when they open again, speed-walking to the rooms.

She unlocks her door and steps aside to let the others in, but stops Arabella from stepping inside. “Your master wants to talk to you.”

Arabella flinches and turns to you, ashamed she needed Scarlet's help to notice you were waiting to speak to her alone. “Right,” she says. Her eyes flutter, and she walks towards you. “I’m sorry, master. I don’t know why I didn’t think about speaking with you before turning in for the day.”

You’ve off the panic and tell her not to worry. You push your door open and turn on the lights. It’s cold here… However, you aren’t investigating the stories this place has for ransom. You’re here with Arabella, who falls into your bed with a loud groan.

”I hate it here,” she says.

”Why?”

”I just do,” she Arabella says, rolling to her stomach to look at you. “I guess it’s nice we’re being paid, but it’s still missing the substance I thought it would have when we got here.”

“And how are the twins holding up?”

Arabella closes her eyes and lays her head on the sheets. “Can’t master just focus on me for a while instead?”

You’re surprised to hear this and sit at the foot of the bed. You place a hand on the head and rub it behind her ears, which makes her softly moan. “You don’t feel like I’m giving you enough attention? Considering everything we’ve done here already?”

She crawls up and rests her head on your lap, inhaling you softly before she nods. “I feel like they’re more…I think they’re ready for life without support.”

You don’t answer. You can hear the beginning words of her next sentence before she even speaks, and after a few seconds, she indulges you with more of her thoughts. “I’m not ready to live without a master…without care… or guidance… Without you…”

Arabella rubs her face against your lower stomach. “I just want to be with you, master. I’m not as independent as you paint me to be, and now that I’m doing stuff with you, I think I’m actually scared.”

You scratch behind her ears some more and murmur some inaudible thoughts. You weren’t sure how you were supposed to respond to that. You grimace and lean back. You weren’t expecting Arabella to be so… young in her feelings. Mikko and Gwendolion adjusted better than you could have hoped, and Arabella slid further down the rest.

”What do you want to do about that, Arabella? I can’t exactly have you become a contractor who helps me, and only me, whenever I work.”

”I know that, but… I don’t know. I just like… having this much freedom, doesn’t that make sense?”

It doesn’t, and your hesitated response is enough for Arabella to know you don’t get it. She huffs. “I thought you weren’t going to understand.”

You lay on your back, not feeling the point in arguing. Of course, you didn’t understand growing up as an enslaved person or being a mutant. Did she expect you to even in the slightest? “Is there something I can do to help?”

You feel her shake her head. “Scarlet probably wants to be with her and others again tonight, so I shouldn’t stay long,” she sighs and walks her fingers along your waist and up your stomach. “10 minutes…Is that enough to finish what I didn’t earlier today?”