TW (Trigger warning)!!!
Mention of injuries /blood.
Panic attack.

Ralsei's POV.

Kris was still sitting against the wall, slightly trembling. 'What did he dream about? I never saw him like this?' The Rudinn guarding our cell started chuckling. "Hehehe... You poor Lightners... We were told to keep you imprisoned for eternity.... too bad! Would have loved to see you guys punished! Although that girl sure did get some punishment. Hahahaha!!" Still laughing, he walked away. I rushed towards the gate. "H-Hey! Wait! What do you mean by that! Where are our friends!?" The Rudinn just brushed me off, leaving me with no answers. 'Was he talking about (Y/n)? What happend after I was knocked out?'

Sighing in defeat, I turned my attention back to Kris, who did not move from his position. I approached him. "Well, this is a fine how-do-you-do, isn't it, Kris? Hehe-he..." I tried to lighten the mood but it didn't work. Kris was still hugging his legs close to him. "Imprisoned for eternity...Sounds like it might take a while..." I mumbled to noone in specific this time.

Fiddling with my fingers, I glanced around. "... and Susie and (Y/n)! Where are they?!"

"I... don't.... know..." Kris muttered quietly, I almost didn't hear it. I got very worried. Not only about our missing friends but also about the way Kris was acting. He's usually very calm and focused but right now... well.
I carefully walked over to him, not wanting to spook him further before I kneeled down in front of him. "Kris... I know this whole situation is very upsetting but we need to find them... before they get hurt!.... or uhm, Susie hurts someone else... Maybe there's something we can escape with in here...?" I tried my best to sound reassuring but it's actually quite hard to do that if I have a hero pretty much breaking down in front of me.

I noticed Kris taking a few deep breaths and the trembling stopped. He then proceeded to stand up, looking as calm as ever, even though there was an upset aura around him.

Kris, quietly walked to the gate and rattled the bars to possibly get them open but it sadly didn't work.

Together, we checked the whole cell for anything that could help us. But aside from a pair of shackles, which we took with us, there was nothing useful. Just some random moss in a corner, which I could swear I saw Kris staring at a bit too long for some odd reason.

He then walked back over to me, shaking his head. "... So you couldn't find anything..." Kris looked to the ground with a defeated expression. I decided to try and cheer him up a bit. "Well, Kris! Let's not give up hope just yet! I'm sure Susie and (Y/n) are fine... somewhere..." I then remembered something and I smiled sadly. "But, um, if we don't make it for some reason... Then I just wanted to say, um... I... I'm glad (Y/n) and I were able to meet..." Kris glanced towards me, listening to what I had to say but before I could finish, I was interrupted by an all too familiar voice.

Author's POV

"Hey, idiots! Can you shut up!? I'm trying to concentrate over here!!" Ralsei jumped in surprise and he and Kris turned towards a wall where they assumed they heard the voice coming from. "S-Susie!? Where are you!?" Ralsei called our loudly, leaning his ear against the wall. "I dunno prison? Seriously though. We're out of our cell. I sweet-talked the warden into giving me the keys." The two perked up at that, looking at each other with confusion. "Susie!? Really!? How?"

"Uh..." Susie turned around to look at the warden, who was beaten up and knocked out in a trash can. "I, uh, 'invited' him to visit the trash can. Anyway, now there is a puzzle in the way." She answered. "Okay! Solve it, Susie!" Ralsei called cheerfully and Susie doubtfully glanced at the puzzle. "I... um...dont do... puzzles..." She called back, trying to not making it sound like she was dumbfounded.

Ralsei furrowed his eyebrows in thought, the he remembered something. "Hey, Susie! Isn't (Y/n) with you?! Maybe she can help you solve the puzzle!" Kris slightly perked up at the mentioning of his doll, internally begging that she was alright. "Uhm..... about that...." Susie glanced back at the girl laying on the ground, still unconscious.

"She's, uh... out of order... at the moment..." That was an understatement and Susie knew it. (Y/n) had multiple cuts and bruises all over her. A black eye visible as well as a trail of blood escaping her mouth. She seemed to be trembling and withering in pain and Susie couldn't blame her. "Huh? What do you mean?" Ralsei asked again. "The guards outside must have beaten her up or something. Looks nasty. She's not awake..." Susie got quieter towards the end, honestly feeling bad for her. Not that she would ever admit that.

Kris froze when he heard that, clenching is fists in anger as just stared at the ground in front of him, his body shaking with fury already.
"Oh no! How bad is it!" The prince called out worriedly, not noticing Kris's behavior. Susie scanned (Y/n) defeated form once more. "Uh, pretty bad... cuts, bruises, black eye, lots of blood... the whole program... Surprised she's alive at this point..."

Ralsei's breathing hitched in his throat, trying not to let his worry distract him. "Oh gosh... okay... uhm. Susie listen to me. I know puzzles aren't your thing but you need to bring (Y/n) to me so I can heal her as soon as possible. You saw us do it before! You can do it! I know it! I believe in you!"

As Ralsei was yelling this, Susie looked at the puzzle then glanced back towards (Y/n). Furrowing her brows in determination, she stepped closer to the puzzle, typing in the password written on top. It took her a few tries before she heard a bang and the gate opened behind her. She had done it. "Yes!!! I did it!!!" She cheered excitedly, kind of proud of herself that she was able to solve this one on her own. A smile grew on Ralsei's face. "Great! Now come and free us!"

"Alright, alright! Just give me a sec!" Calming down from her victory, Susie turned to the still unconscious girl and slowly lifted her up. "Ok.... hold on..." She mumbled, trying to ignore the whimpers of pain as she moved her. Being careful not to move her too much, Susie managed to get (Y/n) on her back, so that she was carrying her piggyback style. "Mmmm- n-no... s-stop" Susie heard her mumble in her sleep. "Shhh. it's fine. You're good. We just gotta get you to Ralsei and and then you're going to be your annoying self again." Susie had no idea if that helped but she didn't hear anymore wimpering, so she assumed that (Y/n) had relaxed a bit.

Ralsei's POV.

I was happy that we were now one step closer to freedom again. "I'm proud of Susie. She solved her first puzzle, all on her own. If that isn't improvement, I don't know what is, hehe." I didn't get an answer, so I glanced back at Kris only to find him looking furious. "Kris? Are you, worried about (Y/n)?" No answer.

"Well, so am I. I can't imagine what must have happened but I'm sure Susie will take good care of her until I'm able to heal her." I tried to reassure him but I don't think he was listening to me, he just mumbled something I couldn't quite understand. "Kris?...." I approached him. "... my fault... my fault.... it's my fault... she's hurt.... she's hurt... my fault...." This went on and on. I stepped closer towards him. "W-What? No, it's not your fault, Kris! It's no one's fault... she'll be fine, I pro--" I wanted to lay a hand on his shoulder but he didn't let me.

He pushed me. So hard that I stumbled and landed and the floor. I stared at him with widened eyes. "K-Kris..." I could see his eyes, they were glowing a bright red and he was sweating a lot. He sunk to his knees, clutching his head as if he had a headache. "No No No No No No No No! NO!! Leave me alone! Get away! U-Ugh!... Shut up! She's not dead! Not dead! I didn't--! I didn't do this! Leave me alone!! I didn't kill her! NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

I was completely paralyzed as I watched Kris losing it. He continued to rant. It almost sounded like he was arguing with someone. "No! It wasn't me! It was them!! --...." Kris paused for a moment, as if he realized something. "T-That's right... It's their fault.... They did this.... They hurt her...." His voice got deeper in the last part, making it sound dark and threatening. A shiver went down my spine.

"They hurt her... They hurt my doll!... They'll pay... They'll pay! IL kill them? I'll kill them all for doing this! Noone hurts her! Noone! They'll die! Die! Die! They'll all die!!!" At this point, I was terrified. Hearing Kris talk like is not only scary but very sad too. 'This isn't Kris... He's mad about what happened to (Y/n). These aren't his real thoughts. He's angry and sad... He wouldn't say these things otherwise.... right...?'

Weither that was the case or not, I needed to calm him down first, so I did the only thing I knew how to do that.

Opening my mouth, I began to sing. My voice echoed against the stone walls. Kris stopped talking and his fast breathing slowed down until it was calm again. His eyes rolled up as his eyelids closed and he fell over, a deep slumber consuming him.

Once I was sure he was deeply asleep, I stopped singing and hesitantly sat up to check on him. Despite the tears streaks in his cheeks, his expression was calm and relaxed. I sighed in relief. "I'm sorry, Kris. I hope you feel better when you wake up..."

It might take a while until Susie found us and putting Kris to sleep was the best option at the moment. 'He shouldn't torture himself with these kinds of thoughts...'

Carefully, I turned him on his back, in hopes in making him more comfortable. He didn't even stir when I did that. 'He must have been exhausted...' Sitting next to him, I took the long end of my pink scarf and threw it over him as some form of small blanket. It wasn't much but it's the best I can do right now. I curled up in a ball next to him, similar on how he sat earlier and I let my thoughts fill my head as I waited. 'I hope Susie and (Y/n) are alright... I wonder what they're doing right now....'

~To be continued~

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