Part Three

A Chapter by Ellary™

N/A

Pt. 3

Stayne's shoes clicked down the hall on his way back. It was nice for him to talk to another outsider, after having all that time surrounded by just the Queen. Stayne would visit Abri as much as possible, just to ease the pain a little.

Stayne isn't Stayne's real name. The Queen already stole his real name; making it impossible for him to return home, no matter how much he wanted to. Stayne placed his cold hand on his chest, wishing that he had the warm 'thump' like he should, but not a noise nor movement came from his empty rib cage. He clenched his jaw shut, as he walked into the open room where the Queen dwelled.

"Good work, Stayne!" She clapped her hands as he entered. "I have another mission for you." The Queen squinted her eyes shut. "I want you to get close to this girl -- find out her real name for me." Stayne didn't want to give this same pain to someone else if he had the choice. But since his lack of heart, he couldn't refuse. "Go now, don't slack off, get started right away."

"Yes," Stayne bowed, and returned the way he had just come from.

Stayne knocked lightly on Mia's door, but there was no answer. He cracked the door open a tad, but he didn't see anyone.

"Abri?" He pushed his eyebrows together; by force. Human emotions were hard to do since he's heartless. He crept into the room farther, but all he noticed were the balcony doors swung open.

When he reached the balcony, Mia stood there.

"Abri?" He proceeded to say.

"Oh!" She spun around at the sound of his voice. "Y-you changed? When?" Mia observed his too-big grey striped sweatshirt, that flopped over his hands, and normal-human jeans. Stayne shrugged.

"I do believe we haven't quiet been properly introduced," Mia held her hand out to him, "Mi--" Mia's eyes expanded, she tended to forget her name was a secret. She shook her head annoyed at herself. "Forget that-- It's Abri. Abri Rona."

"What is your real name?" Stayne squinted his eyes, simply doing his job. Mia popped her lips together, and sighed.

"I'm afraid that doesn't concern you." Mia tilted her head as a sign of light hearted-ness. "Even if it is a dream, I'd prefer to keep my heart." Mia smiled.

"A dream?" Stayne half-laughed. "Well, hate to break it to you, but this is as real as it gets."

"Right," Mia slouched her cheek on her hand, which was balanced on the balcony railing, "because holographic castles and queens who steal hearts exist." Mia gazed far down from her view.

"I wish I had that innocents." Stayne scolded himself; he was actually trying to do what he was told, but he just couldn't help but be himself. "When I first got here I had that same state of mind." He pushed his hand through his hair. Mia shrugged; she did find it kind of strange that she totally interpate everything he said. We've all had dreams -- we all know that it's never this clear.

Mia's hand was left hanging, he had never shook her hand after her little screwed up introduction. She put it down awkwardly, glancing at Stayne.

"I suppose I could tell you, since I seem already off-topic enough, and there's no doubt you think this is a dream." He hesitated for a minute, then adjusted his form. "Any time I touch someone, I learn their whole life story -- of an outsider anyway. That's why I didn't shake your hand." Mia shook her head disappointedly, only to be interrupted by a low ring of her favorite song, coming from her pocket.

"A phone call?" Mia anxiously pulled her phone from her pocket, glancing at the collar ID before flipping the phone open hesitantly. "Merrill?" Mia's voice sounded speechless, as her older sisters voice seemed to slip from her lips, out of releaf.

"Mia!" Her sister said loud enough that surely Stayne could hear. "Where are you? Are you okay? Did you run away? I can't believe you're still alive! 3 whole years!" Her sister was slurring her words together, out of curiosity and concern.

"Well, as of right now, I'm dreaming, but otherwise I'm okay." Mia smiled to herself, surprised she'd actually dream of her sister, who was always stealing her clothes, and other properties without asking.

"Mia Blakey! If you were dreaming don't you think you'd be -- well -- awake by now!?" Her sister was having a bad habit of screaming into the phone, and Mia was having the habit of counting how many times it would take Stayne to catch her real name. "J-just tell me where you are! Please come home, Mia, Mom and Dad are so depressed, you couldn't imagine. You're hurting this family so much." Mia could tell that Merrill's voice was just on the verge of cracking.

"I'm at The Empire of Saint Grooms." Mia mumbled, half laughing.

"This is no laughing matter, Mia! Please don't tie this serious matter in with one of your arcade games!" Merrill was naturally impatient, more so right now.

"I'm not kidding, Merrill, I'm dead serious. I'm really in the Empire of Saint Grooms. I'm being held hostage by a Queen who wants to steal my heart, and her--" Mia paused, trying to figure out a word for Stayne, "her 'sidekick' is standing right over me, and if he finds out my real name he'll tell the Queen, and she'll steal my heart! So try to contain yourself, and I'll tell you how to get here."

"You know what, I don't care if your in a Palace, or with a prince or whatever! Just tell me how to get there!" Mia's simple task which she asked of Merrill was not being fulfilled.

"Okay, Merrill, you know Dad's old arcade?" Mia hesitated, as she heard Merrill sigh with annoyance.

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