Chapter Text
The chains were cold. Nine couldn't feel anything but their biting chill.
The chains were loud. Nine couldn't hear anything but their rattles whenever she moved.
The room was empty. Nine was alone.
Ever since One had taken him, Nine had been locked away in her room, with no one but their chains for company. Someone else was with them, but not in the same room as Nine. If she strained, she could hear conversations between them. Something about a rift.
Nine wanted to see who else was trapped here, but before she could so much as move, One suddenly popped into his room. Nine screamed, falling back, which made his chains rattle more, which hurt his ears. Stupid chains.
"Well, hello, Nine!" One said in that annoyingly peppy tone that meant Nine was in for a world of hurt. "You have something I want and I would quite like if you handed it over, quick and easy." Nine hissed at her, his eyes narrowing as he shrunk away.
"Yeah right, bro! As if I'm gonna just pass my power over because you asked nicely! You destroyed my home, you killed my friends, and you've kept me prisoner for math knows how long!"
One turned to glare at him, her eyes glimmering with slowly lost patience. "I will NOT be giving you my power!" she yelled again, hoping against hope that One got the message and buzzed off, at least for a little bit.
But to hope against hope means you always lose, and Nine was no stranger to losing.
One grabbed Nine's chains and gave them a harsh yank, squeezing the cold metal against their chest. Nine gave a harsh gasp, trying desperately to pull any air into her lungs. But nothing entered, and Nine thrashed like a fish on a hook. But that only made One pull harder, causing further air loss. Nine's body grew weaker, and the world began to go black.
But just before the sweet release of death washed over them, One released the chains. Nine collapsed, gasping for as much air as his lungs could take, letting his breathing slowly return to normal. And One laughed! She laughed and laughed, as if Nine choking had simply been a funny joke. Nine growled with fury, although the sound was muffled by gasps for air. One turned back to her, eyes aglow with malice. "Now then, Nine. I'll give you another chance. Hand over your share of the power. Now."
Again, Nine glared at her. "Did you really think you could choke me one time and I would suddenly cave? You have Two and Four's power on top of your own, don't you? You have the power of three algebraliens! You don't need more, especially since you're using them for evil-" Their words were cut off as One once again tightened the chains. Their lungs were again crushed against the cold metal, and Nine once again felt paralyzed against the chains' weight.
Shakily, Nine raised a hand, power glowing from it. She aimed, and took the shot. One got a laser directly to the face, and she collapsed, shrieking in pain. Nine gasped, using her power to drop her chains. The clang made Nine wince, which was the opening One needed. She raised her foot, shimmering with green and blue magic, and brought it down.
CRACK!
Nine shrieked in pure agony as the bones in her leg snapped. They collapsed to the floor, their body writhing in agony. One stood over them, eyes burning with ravenous passion. "You can put an end to the pain, Nine. Just give up your share of the power, and it'll be over." Nine looked up at her, eyes burning with furious anger. "I'll only tell you this one more time, One. I. Won't."
One laughed, a shrill laugh that tore through the air and rattled Nine's broken bones. "Then you're just as big a fool as you were back on our home planet." She stomped down on Nine's other foot, shattering it as well. "Nowhere left to run."
The two algebraliens locked eyes, One's ablaze with power, and Nine's dull and helpless. "You know, Nine, I was only asking for your power out of politeness. But I am rather tired of being polite. So I guess I'll just have to take it." Using her power, she lifted Nine into the air, laughing to herself as he thrashed and pleaded. She pulled the algebralien closer, and began draining their power.
Nine's body grew weak as One drank his power hungrily. A gentle silver glow joined the blue and green lights that already swirled around her. With the last of the power absorbed, One dropped Nine to the ground, her body rattling from the pain of his broken legs. They leaned over, limbs trembling as bile coated the floor. One gave an annoyed sigh. "I guess I'll clean that up. You aren't a good bargaining chip if you die from infection, after all." She chuckled at her own joke before teleporting Nine's breakfast to who knows where, unaware of Nine glaring daggers at her.
"You'll never get away with this," they warned, collapsing to the ground as the last of their strength faded. One laughed again, harsh and bitter. Nine wanted to cover her ears to hide from the awful sound, but found no strength to do so.
When One's laughter died down, she glared down at him, her eyes alight with a fury that made Nine want to curl up and hide. "Oh, Nine. Dear, sweet Nine." She got closer to him, until their faces were inches apart. "I already have." She floated above him, smiling that dastardly smile. "Ta-ta for now!" And she was gone.
Nine's eyes began to droop closed, and it felt the last of her strength drain away. They didn't know if he would ever wake up, especially not without her power to speed up the healing. Before her eyes closed, she sent a message out, hoping somehow, somewhere, its recipients would hear it: Four, Two, if you're out there.. help us. Help all of us.