The place was a large, clinic type room, with dozens of beds laid in neat rows. On each bed was a human being-tied up under thick straps, staring up at the ceiling blankly. 

The place smelt musty and sour. I looked around in horror.

What was going on here?

"where is she"? I asked Chio, frantically. "What happened to all these people"?

before he could answer, two fairies dressed in white came up to us. "Would you like us to take them in, Sir"? They asked. Chio looked at them blankly for a moment, before shaking his head. "I will deal with them myself. Commander's orders", he replied, "cuff them up in the meantime".

I looked at him, and he looked back at me. I understood, and waited for the fairies to collect the handcuffs from the other side of the room. 

"Sir...if you don't mind me asking, how did they come here without being handcuffed already"? One of the fairies asked.

"They believe in Mother. They have all faith in her, and do not resent becoming part of the project. However, I do not want them to change their minds last minute and flee. We must always be cautious, Malia". Chio replied. He said his words so perfectly, it sounded almost like it was scripted.

"Yes sir. I know you are not the Commander's most trusty follower for no reason". Malia said, buckling the cuffs onto us. "I am glad, you believe, humans. You are doing the right thing".

"I came here on other missions, as well", Chio stated, "a young girl was brought here, earlier today. Wild ginger, around seven years old".

"Ah yes. I had a feeling the commander would send someone to inspect that one". One of them replied. "It looks like she has it".

I noticed a flicker of anxiousness of Chio's face for the first time ever, but it quickly disappeared, and I thought I must have imagined it. He looked at the other fairy who was not doing the handcuffs.

"Ebony, will you take me to her please"?

"Right away". Ebony said, scuttling forward and leading him across the room. We were instructed to stay where we were, and so all we could do was watch.

I glanced around the room to get a good look of what exactly was happening. And then...that's when I noticed something. 

A familiar person was strapped to a bed on the far side of the place. She was a middle aged woman, with thick, curly hair and soft facial features. Her now pale blue eyes stared up blankly at the ceiling.

"Phoebe"? I whispered in disbelief and horror. 

Robin heard me and turned towards me sharply. "What"?

I raised my hands and pointed shakily towards her. Robin's eyes widened. "No..."

"What's going on"? Aladdin asked us. 

"Silence". Malia said, sharply. "Talk again and you end up like them".

Robin scowled at her, but we all kept silent. Chio seemed to know what he was doing, and we didn't want to ruin any plans he had in mind.

But that didn't stop my thoughts from racing.

First, Stilts was here, and he stood by the enemy. Now, here was Phoebe, strapped up and strangely unconscious in an evil tower. What was happening? The first two people who helped me after I met Robin when I first arrived in this world.

Why were they both here? What exactly was this place?

Several other thoughts were flooding through my head, but were all paused when the smell of smoke filled the air. Chio had used that sort of stardust smoke to choke up the fairies, and they collapsed on the ground, coughing.

"Sir! What are you doing"?! Malia wheezed. 

"Forgive me, Malia. I was taught to always practise the greater good, no matter what. And so that is what I am doing". I heard Chio's voice through the thickness of the smoke. "Just run forward, until you feel my hand", he told us, "I will lead you out of the smoke".

Robin, Aladdin and I followed his instructions and walked through, until we were out of the smoky bubble.

Chio looked at me sadly, before taking my hand. "Jess. I hope you can also forgive me. They probably used the plant itself and it must have triggered it. If I had come sooner..." He turned to the bed he stood by. 

I froze. It was Jessica.

She was not buckled like everyone else. 

But she was smaller than she was meant to be...her skin draped thinly around her bones, and her skin was a pale blue. 

"Oh...oh my god...Jessica". I gently lay my hands on both sides of her thin face. "Why? Why is this happening to you"?

"The urchin disease..." Robin said, quietly. "God, this can't be happening..."

"No. She can't have it. She just can't..." I said, my voice shaking as I spoke.

"Jess..." A weak voice whispered my name. I looked back down at Jessica and saw her eyes slowly open.

"I'm sorry...I...didn't tell you before...I've been avoiding it for so long...I just kept hoping that it would go away..." She coughed and her breathing got heavier.

I knelt down beside her and took her frail hand in mine. "Don't apologise. You have nothing to be sorry for".

"I tried to ignore it Jess...I didn't want to die...I don't want to..." She choked up again, as tears stung my eyes and trickled down my face. 

"You're not going to die. Chio...One of you. There must be something we can do"! I yelled, as Jessica kept coughing.

Robin knelt down beside me. "Listen. I'm sorry. I tried, too. But...there's no way of saving her".

I rested my forehead on Jessica's hand, as more tears streamed down my face. "This can't be happening...this little girl has so much in her life she can accomplish. How did this even happen"?!

"The raid..." Jessica whispered again. "I was shot by their urchin arrow...it didn't kill me...but it was covered in that dust...I tried to hide it before Peter saw it and got worried...I thought it would go away..."

"You're strong, Jessica. Remember what you told me? You said you weren't like any other little girl. You can fight this. I believe in you". I said, determined. She couldn't just die like this.

"I tried. I tried...I believed, too...but..."

The blue of her skin got paler and paler. 

"Jessika...I'm scared. I don't want to go"! She cried, tears welling up in her eyes. I held onto her body, and felt her other hand on my back. 

 "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't do anything to save you..."I cried, holding on tighter. 

"Don't let go of me..."She sobbed. "Please don't".

"I won't". I said. I held on to her.

And then, her hand fell limp from my back. 

To Be Continued...

Dedicated to @ezeom17. Tysm for the follow!