Booted footsteps echoed loudly as Fettelite tried to quickly walk through the hallways of the Castle towards his General’s office. Running was not permitted, as he had been told multiple times, and he knew that more of than a few people would enjoy punishing him with a stuck-out leg, sending him crashing to the ground. So, he quickly walked as fast as he could to the arranged meeting.

For once, he wasn’t exactly anxious to see his General. There was always a sort of lingering mood hovering above his head during the meetings they had. Was he doing well enough? Was the General going to keep helping him? Would today be the day that their arrangement would suddenly be canceled, and he’d be forced to properly fill his quota with the starseeds, the very souls of people to further the Negaverse’s power. Normally those thoughts plagued his mind the entire time they were together and while he fulfilled his part of the contract.

Not today however! One could even say there was a particularly excited bounce in his step as he entered the office and closed the door behind him. It snapped lock, and the older man at the desk barely looked up from the paperwork he was working on.

“You’re late, Fettelite.” The man did not bother to look up from his paperwork, only waving a hand to the couch that he had brought into the office before. Fettelite didn’t need to be told what to do, he had going through this so many times before already. Shoes off, hat off, and sit quietly until the man was ready for him. Yet even as he sat there, knowing he could get punished for speaking out, he just couldn’t hold back his excitement.

“I’m sorry sir! I just got distracted! I was on a walk with someone today and they told me the Negaverse has a whole apartment building thing! Like…. Somewhere where I could live and not be in the barracks anymore! He said he’d help me figure it out so I wouldn’t have to be so lonely in here anymore! And then you wouldn’t have to go out of your way to bring me in and out of here so often! I just really really --”

“Fettelite.” The General cut the young man’s ramblings off, his icy glare turning from his paperwork to the Lieutenant sitting on the couch. “You are not supposed to be bothering other people here, remember? You have no right to be associating with those who do their work properly. Perhaps if you fulfilled your duties on your own, people would be more willing to associate with you. Did you not think of that?”

That bright and excited smile quickly faded from the lieutenant’s face, replaced with guilt. His general was right, if he had been competent at all, this meeting wouldn’t even be happening… He wouldn’t be here putting his general at risk by helping him with his responsibilities… None of this would be a problem if he just wasn’t so damned useless. The general seemed to take the slightest of pities on the man and only sighed, letting his pen drop. Fettel’s job was to bring him comfort of sorts. Comfort in exchange for letting him get away with not getting the starseeds he was ordered to. A warm body in exchange for ensuring he didn’t starve, and that he had a way in and out of the only home he had. Despite what anyone said, both the General and Fettelite had agreed to this, and the surly older man wasn’t about to let some loose-lipped Negaverser ruin what he had going for him.

“Either way, what is this person’s name? I’ll have to talk to them, apologize to them for your ignorance and not knowing your place.” The man stood this time, loosening the front of his uniform and going to sit beside his lieutenant.

“Zinkenite sir… I think it was a Captain… Maybe…? O-or a General… Something like that, someone stronger than me… He was kind, and let me talk my nonsense. It was nice, like I had a friend! I really like him, and we had tea! That’s why I was late, I was within him, and I had a good time, but… You’re absolutely right, sir, I messed up…” Fettelite’s hands were between his knees now, eyes cast down to gaze at the floor between his feet. A happy smile returned to him once again as he fondly thought about the time spent with the General King. Trying out Chalk or Chai or something, talking and talking and talking, with the older man graciously listening. Honestly, it was bliss compared to every other day that had passed since joining the Negaverse and being trapped within its dark confines.

A moment later the general’s icy-cold hand touched his cheek and for just a few seconds Fettelite nuzzled into it, taking in the touch with a fondness he didn’t often show in this situation. Just the very thought of his new friend made him feel warm and fuzzy all over, and it gave him the feeling that tonight he would actually enjoy being together with the general. Fettel’s gaze returned to meet one that seemed far more angry than anticipated, and a cold dread settled in his chest. That hand trailed his cheek, towards his temple, then gripped tightly to his snow-white locks of hair, pulling them taunt and forcing him onto his back with a pained yelp.

“You keep speaking, Lieutenant. You talk and you talk and I asked you for nothing more than his name. I thought you told me once that you could follow instructions. While you are here, with me, you think of only me. You are distracted tonight. And we can’t have that now, can we?” The words were so harshly hissed into the young lieutenant’s ear, forcing a frightened whimper from him though he dared make no other sound. Another sharp tug backwards then he was thrown roughly to the ground.

“I’m so very sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to upset you, really! I just… I was so happy to make a friend here! N-not that you’re not my friend! I thought it would be okay to make another, I didn’t mean to bother them, honest!! I-I won’t do it aga—AH!!” In the next moment, he felt that hand on his hair again, sharply snatching his head back. He could just feel strand after strand being pulled out and a throbbing headache beginning to form. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling his body pulled through space and arriving in that same dreaded spot in the park where he was left abandoned time and time again.

This time the General picked him up by his hair and threw him into the bushes nearby. The young lieutenant could feel the sharp, jagged branches piece and scratch his skin, and as he tried to scramble to his feet, they cut through his socks and left them damp with spots of blood. That fear from before gripped his heart even tighter. Every inch of his body ached already and by the time he got to his feet, the General was more than a few feet away.

“I tire of your blathering and stupidity. I think for tonight, our deal is off. I desire neither your company nor your body tonight, so you will fulfill your quota on your own while I clean up this mess you’ve caused me. I’ll come get you at daybreak. I expect a proper starseed this time, Fettelite. I’m sure you won’t let me down tonight, will you?”

“S-sir!! Please, wait!! I-I promise it won’t happen again! Please, don’t leave me here alone!! I-I can’t! Please!” Yet it was too late, and just as quickly as the general brought him here, the general left him alone again in silence.

“No… I’m... I’m sorry…” For all the times he had be left behind here before, none had felt so cruel… He had been happy! Fettelite wanted to be close to someone and wanted to enjoy his time with the General, but instead was punished!

None of it made sense to him. Was it truly that wrong to find any joy while he fulfilled his obligations and paid back the debt he owed to the Negaverse…? The more he tried to find his way, the more it felt like it was true…

It took quite some time for his sobbing to stop, and for him to rise to his feet once again. He had no choice but to do as the general said… Gods, how he was going to get a starseed…? How was he supposed to do any of this…? And barefoot too? As much as he just wanted to curl up and keep pitying himself, Fettelite knew that the General wouldn’t let him come home until dawn, hours and hours away.

The energy, sure, he could do that, but he had no idea how he was to get a starseed. There was no way he could just kill someone like that…

With one last sob, he rubbed his eyes and started to head towards the faint streetlights in the distance. As bad as it hurt, he was going to do this… Somehow. Someway… Maybe he’d be able to prove that he wasn’t useless for once.


Word Count: 1563