Ragdoll

Ashara

I stayed in my room crying for who knows how long. Selling Keith? It was almost unthinkable! He had been in the family for so long now that I couldn't imagne life without bringing food down to him, our witty back-and-forth banter, or sewing him up, although I hated doing so.

Then again, I thought bitterly, I would be sewing someone up, just not Keith, but instead a random stranger Doll that I wouldn't even want to get aquinted with if it wasn't him. Let alone have my father ruin their lives because of it.

Sooner or later my father called for me down in his study, and I had no choice but to quickly put enough makeup on my eyes to make it look like I'd just poked myself with something.

I quickly walked to his study and was met with a merry looking Father, which is never a good thing.

"Ashara, I have wonderful news!" He said standing up out of his great leather chair.

Oh joy, wonderful news to him means hell for my nerves and Keith's life. "Yes Father?" I said as brightly as possible, I rubbed my eye for effect.

"Do you recall our earlier conversation about Plush?" He asked picking up a manilla folder and flipping through documents.

I nodded. "About getting a new Doll and selling Kei-...Plush, correct?"

He nodded this time. "Yes, well, I have found the perfect girl for our new Doll! And shes arriving this very moment!"

My heart leaped, he'd already created one?! And he wasn't even sure if he would keep her!? How dare he! Take someones life away so fast.

"...go take her to the cell."

Father's voice brought me out of my murderous thoughts. "Excuse me Father? I wasn't listening."

He smiled. "Go get in your blue cocktail and show the girl the training arena and then take her to the cell. Until we can figure out whether she is serviceable or not, she will share the cell with Plush."

And with that, I was dismissed.

Amelia

Amelia was guided out of the vehicle by two doctors. She kept her head down, not having the heart to look for her new owner. Amelia hadn't understood the Ragdoll Program. She thought she had signed up for life, not glorified slavery.

Only when the doctors stopped did Amelia glance up toward her new owner. She glanced down quickly to hide her shock. A girl, younger than Amelia, was waiting for her. Amelia had expected some old, snivelling aristocrat. But a girl?

"You're Mr. Camble's daughter, I presume?" asked one of Amelia's doctors. Of course, thought Amelia. She's only the old, snivelling aristocrat's daughter.

"Yes," replied the girl quickly. "Father sent me to fetch her."

A wave of irritation washed over Amelia. She was nothing to these people, a swatch of fabric that could do as it was told. Amelia was something to be fetched, picked up after, or sold at the whim of her owner.

More words were exchanged between the girl and Amelia's doctors, but Amelia payed them no heed. Soon enough, the doctors were retreating down the driveway and only Amelia and the girl were left facing each other. Amelia stared stubbornly down at her left foot.

Moments passed. Amelia wondered why nothing was happening. She glanced up once again at the girl.

"What's your name?" the girl asked cautiously. Amelia snorted.

"Should be on the file those doctors gave you," said Amelia gruffly.

"Well, yes," replied the girl. "But it only says your new name. Patch. But I'm talking about your birth name."

Amelia stared at the girl for a long time. No one had asked Amelia that since her operation. "Amelia," said Amelia slowly, still staring suspiciously at the girl.

Mackenzie Bones/Glitter Bones

Mackenzie kept her head down as the two children on either side of her yanked her arms back and forth, arguing over who got her for the day. She wasn't anything special, and she knew that from actually studying herself in the mirror when her brother's family was out. Had he not sewn her mouth shut there would have been a whole lot of screaming at the kids on her part already. "Children, dinner!" Mackenzie's brother's plump wife yelled to the children, who threw her off with a scream, getting her caught in a thorn bush.

As she painfully crawled out she heard her brother's loud guffaws of laughter. The thorns pulled at her soft fabric and she glared at her brother with button eyes. "You're just... lucky... I bleed stuffing you dirty hound!" Mackenzie spat, her brother picking her small, plush body up by a pigtail and raising her up to his level, which happened to be extremely high off the ground considering Mackenzie was only a foot tall, if that.

"Oh shut up Glitter. You better get ready, Tabatha's tired of the kids fighting over you, so she wants you gone." Her brother smiled maliciously. "You're going into the fighting ring tomorrow." What?! She hadn't fought in this state since she'd been like that!

"And how do you suppose I do that?!" She screeched, eyes ablaze when her brother shrugged.

"Figure it out." And with that he dropped her back into the thorn bush.

Ashara

I felt bad. This new girl seemed so frightened and upset. "Amelia," she said, finally answering my question. I smiled, in hope of making her less weary of me.

"Amelia, hi, I'm Ashara Camble. My father wanted me to show you around where you'll be, and I just wanted to say that, I'm so sorry."

Amelia looked up at me, one of her eyebrows raised. "Sorry?"

I nodded, a frown playing on my lips. "My father doesn't see how awful all of this is. He already has another Doll, one you'll actually be staying with, Keith, hes thinking of selling him. Its barbarious and I hate to see someone like you get sucked into it."

Amelia raised her head, "O-oh," she seemed truly taken aback. I smiled again. "T-thank you," she said cautiously. I nodded. "Don't worry, I'll make it as painless as possible for you like I'm doing with Keith. C'mon, I'll show you around."

I put a hand on her fabricated shoulder and guided her forward. She didn't seem to bed, but I still didn't want Keith to be sold. Who knew where he would end up.

Kieth-

We don't feel pain. Unfortunately there is a runner up... fatigue. The idiot professor ran me for hours in the training room today, my stuffed limbs were limp.

I crashed on my little make-shift bed of hay and scrap blankets that Ashara brought down for me. So... tired...

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I was woken by the metal doors to my cell. I sat up and saw in the poor light, two figures: Ashara and someone knew.

"Kieth? You awake?"

"I am now," I groaned and got up. "Who's you're guest?" I don't know, should I be offended or grateful that Ashara brought someone down to see me? Was I a pet to show off or did she realize how lonely it was here?

"This is Amelia. She'll be staying with you for a while?" she answered.

Staying with me? Why would- I gave the other person a hard look and stepped back, shocked. She was a ragdoll.

"Um..."

"I'm really sorry about this, but Father doesn't have anywhere else to put her." She was keeping something from me. Her right eyebrow was twitching.

"Really."

"Um... hello." The ragdoll, Amelia finally spoke. I've only seen ragdolls a few times before and they were attacking me, so I did feel some resentment and warning flags were going off in my mind. Why would Mr. Camble buy a new doll and not make preperations for her? I was going to be sold.

But did Ashara know? She must not have; she would never let that happen. Maybe it's better she not know and I just dissapear.

"Hi, what's your name?"

"Which one?"

"I guess both," I shrugged.

"Um... Patches or Amelia," she answered.

"Welcome to the pizza party," said grimly and sat back down on my bed.

**Chupatoasta? If Mackenzie/Glitter's mouth is shut, how can she talk?**

Jonah

He approached apartment 207, his apartment. Is was oddly quiet. Usually when he came home Alasdair was blasting some kind of music. It wasn't fr his enjoyment either. It was just to annoy the neighbours. Opening the door cautiously, Jonah peeped his head through, the silence unnerving.

The apartment was dark. There was no lights on and the light that peeped through the shut blinds set an eerie glow upon the place. There seemed to be no movement, no random barrage of rude comments coming from Alasdair either. He quietly closed the door behind him and walked carefully past the kitchen, and around the small sofa. There, sitting in on an old fashioned wooden chair in the corner was Alasdair. Jonah felt himself let out a sigh of relief.

He walked towards Alasdair, still confused by his behaviour when he heard his muttering and then he realized what he was doing.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Stupid can-opener. If I could just throw that ridiculous thing off the balcony I would..." His mutterings were barely audible as he stitched up his arm carefully.

"Don't tell me you tried to cook me dinner again," Jonah smiled, letting out a soft chuckle.

Alasdair barely looked up for a moment, but then steadily continued his work in messily stitching his arm. It was silent until he finished and then he looked up finally at Jonah with narrowed eyes.

"Why do you have to have so many sharp things in this place! Like the knives, why in god's name do we have so many knives! It is pointless, you never have anyone over. And then there is the scissors. Don't get me started on those scissors!" Alasdair was just a bundle of anger at this moment in time, but it only made Jonah laugh even more.

"You know, you are just like a younger brother to me."

"But if you counted how long I have been living in this stupid body, I am older than you kid, now do what you have to. And fix that light bulb while your at it."

It was Jonah's turn to be confused, he warily asked, "And what happened to the light bulb?"

"It just burnt out okay!"

"Are you sure you weren't playing with it?"

"I am telling you the truth, it just burnt out! I am not some retarded emo kid who is begging for death." Alasdair was on his feet now, restlessly walking around the apartment, obviously getting annoyed.

"Well, I guess cutting yourself would have the same effect now, right?"

"Not funny, okay. That is not funny."

Jonah unscrewed the light bulb from the lamp and ambled over to the small closet to see if he could salvage a new one from inside.

-------------------

~Incognito

Maria~~

Maria flicked her hair back and quickly formed it into a soft pony tail with her agile hands. The office of her father's was ahead and she was closing in at a fast pace. Soon she boomed through the door.

"Dad?!" Her face was contorted in pure rage a rare emotion for her, "You fired Emily didn't you?!"

He didn't answer her question, he simply flipped to the next page in his lab report.

"Didn't you?!"

He finally looked up after a quiet lull, his glasses glinted with content.

"I simply boosted the poor girl to a higher position, she was polluting your mind with images of becoming something your mind doesn't deserve," He didn't look her in the eye.

Soon enough Maria burst back through the doors, and flew down the hallway. Tears fell down her face, she hated Dr. Clementine and his insistence on her following in his footsteps. Her fist met a wall with a slam and a voice spoke right after the hall fell quiet again.

"Do you have a problem?" A voice spoke over her hunched body.

Madison/Hush

He wanted to see her, the big boss man wanted to see her, and he wanted to know if she was talking yet.

Madison cringed as she was dragged up the stairs to the office. She wondered for a minute what this guy's name was. She had certainly never been told, and no one seemed to have the authority to say it either.

"Is she talking yet?" the big man asked when a scrawny little guy tossed Madison into the room. "You talking yet, girl?"

Madison stared blankly at the man. No, I am not speaking, nor will ever be speaking to you, sir.

"Doesn't look like it, boss," the scrawny man said.

"I didn't ask you, I asked her," he said. "Now, little hush-doll, if you aren't going to speak I'm going to have to get rid of you. I doubt anyone will be as kind to you as I have been."

Kind? Well I suppose in your world locking someone up in a cage in a dark basement could be considered kind.

"Speak, doll!" he yelled.

Madison just stared at him, unwavering. She didn't sign up for this life, it was forced upon her. She didn't see why she had to do anything in this situation.

The man finally grew tired of yelling and leaned back in his chair. "Sell her to some moneybags who'll make some use of her in the fighting rings," he decided.

The scrawny man grabbed up Madison and dragged her back out of the room. She couldn't help but feel a sense of victory. Sticking it out had been easy, and now maybe she could move up in life. Or maybe the fighting rings would kill her. Either would be an improvement.

Ashara

I faked a smile as Ameila sat down on the floor. I would have to bring down some more hay for her.

All in all she didn't seem like a bad kid, sure at first she was bitter but hey, who wouldn't be?

"Keith," I said as brightly as possible for the moment. "Could I talk to you?"

He raised an eyebrow but got off his little bed and followed me into the dark, cold hallway.

I took a deep breath. "Father is thinking of selling you."

Kieth nodded. "I figured if he already bought another Doll..."

I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. "I have to stop him Keith but I don't know how...but I can't let him take you away from me!"

Kieth's eyes grew large, and I felt myself blush. I'd just said way too much.

((would anyone mind if I joined? already asked in DT))

Kieth-

Awkward! "Um..." Real smooth genius. Say something. "...well... your Dad wants to sell me because I'm good right?"

Ashara nodded, still a little shocked at what she just said. I don't know if I ever noticed it before, but she looked really pretty in the light-- whoa, where'd that come from?

"So I'll just lose tonight."

I don't think she liked the idea so much. "Are you nuts? If you lose, my father will lose much more. He'll have you worked to death in the training ring for insolence. I don't want you dead either."

"I've taken a lot worse than the training ring. I'll be fine."

She was shaking. Why did I have the urge to hug her, to comfort her and assure that everything was going to be alright? Stop it Kieth, you're a ragdoll. She's human. These feelings were forfeit when you signed on to this trip through hell.

Alasdair

With a sign of relief he tied of the cut, smirking at his sewing job. Better than usual but not seen greatly in Jonah's eyes. Jonah has always had the greatest patience for such things as this and it was usually his sew up jobs that were the best. Alasdair just didn't like admitting it.

He turned back towards the kitchen where the half opened can of chef boyardee sat complacent on the clean counter. Of course it was clean, it was rarely used. If Jonah at he usually did so outside of the house at a nice place on town. He never failed to invite Alasdair though which was the same as it had always been.

"So what do you feel like for dinner, Ali?" Jonah called from the living room where he was relacing the lightbulb. "I'm feeling Italian."

"No, not Italian," Alasdair wrinkled his nose rather hotly. "Greek would be good or Thai."

"Thai sounds perfect."

"I'll go start the car..." Alasdair headed for the door, striding in long, excited steps as if he might actually get away with driving the car. He knew his chances were hopeless but even still he dove for it.

"Alasdair..."

He grumbled, turning his eyes towards Jonah who stood in the hallway, hands on his hips.

"I know, I know. You're driving."

"Get a coat," he grumbled, turning to find his own. Alasdair only glared peevishly as he unhooked the fine coat Jonah had bought him. "You do realize I dont feel cold, ever, right?"

"I know, but I still want you to wear a coat." Jonah turned his eyes towards his watch, hair falling longishly into his face.

"I'm not a child."

Ashara

I groaned inwardly. Why the hell did you say that outloud?! Now everything seemed intirely diffreant to me. Keith looked differant, he seemed differant, obviously my saying that had made things awkward but...that wasn't it. It was something else.

I looked down. "I can't watch you go through all that Keith, its bad enough as it is! I should tell my father what a monster he is... how evil hes become. It'd be easier than watching someone I..." I felt another blush threaten to rise to my cheeks and quickly changed my sentenace. "...care for so tortured. Let alone a complete stranger who was suckered into this and was sold against her will!"

The urge to touch him washed over me, to lay a reasurring hand on his shoulder or to do something...and before I could demolish that feeling, I found myself stepping forward and wrapping my arms around him tightly, tears beginning to wash down my cheeks.

Amelia

Amelia watched as Ashara and Kieth walked out into the hallway. She looked up at the ceiling again, her mind wandering. So this was to be her quarters? They were anything but grand.

Bitterness washed over Amelia. She threw a glare toward the doorway where Ashara and Kieth had only just walked through. With only a moment's hesitation, Amelia was at the edge of the door frame, listening. She had no loyalty to these people. Amelia was not guilty.

Amelia caught only pieces of the conversation, but she understood enough to learn that Ashara's father planned to sell Kieth for quite a profit, and that Ashara was less than pleased. Kieth planned to lose a match in order to stop himself from being sold.

"I can't watch you go through all that Keith, its bad enough as it is!" was Ashara's responding protest. "I should tell my father what a monster he is... how evil he's become. It'd be easier than watching someone I.. care for so tortured. Let alone a complete stranger who was suckered into this and was sold against her will!"

Amelia sucked in a breath and stepped back. Torture? Amelia had no high hopes for her new life, but torture?

Amelia's gaze shot up toward the ceiling again. Her breath quickened as Amelia inspected the seamless concrete. Kieth may do what he wished. Amelia was leaving as soon as she found a way out.

Amelia finally resigned herself to the fact that the only escape seemed to be right through the front door. Her only hope would be the element of surprise; no one expected her to run, from the way Ashara had left the cell door open.

Anger filled Amelia, replacing the initial fear. How could they treat ragdolls like this? Amelia only needed to listen to the tone in Ashara and Kieth's voices as they talked about Kieth's future to know it was true! Amelia felt every inch as if she was still human, albeit a human in a rather large pillow. It was as if Amelia had fallen into a horror story cooked up some Halloween night.

Amelia wasn't about to stick around for the ending.

Throwing all care to the wind, Amelia ran. She plunged into the dark hallway, shoving aside the forms of Ashara and Kieth. Amelia ran up flight after flight and down flight after flight of stairs, barely remembering the path to outside. She wrenched open the front door, cold night air blasting into Amelia's face. Amelia kept running, leaving the open door behind her. She scaled the estate fence and slid down the other side. Amelia heard a soft ripping noise as her shoulder got caught on some imperfection on the fence.

With a thud, Amelia landed on the other side of the fence. There was a low rumble of thunder, and a light rain began.

**Oy. Sorry for the cheesiness, but I had to get Amelia to do something besides sit there. Maybe this will get the plot moving a bit.

Madison/Hush

One of the man's henchmen, one Madison had never seen before, drove her away from that terrible place. Inside, she was rejoicing. Finally, she would be free of that man. Of course, she was going to the fighting rings.

She had a plan though. She would throw the first fight. If she was lucky she'd be killed during or after. Then her soul would be forever free. No one would be able to put a hand on her again.

"Hope you like the fighting rings," the man driving the car said.

Madison didn't even aknowledge his words. She leaned back against the passenger seat and stared out the rain-streaked window. There were metal handcuffs around her wrists, though she wasn't sure why. It's not as if she was particularly stronger than this man here.

"We're here," the man driving said as he stopped the car.

They were down at the docks from the looks of the surroundings. How amusingly stereotypical. The man came around to Madison's side of the car and dragged her out by the chain on the handcuffs.

A man stood near a stack of crates. He looked too respectable to be in this place. Madison didn't get her hopes up though, no one who bought ragdolls could possibly be respectable.

"You got the money?" the man who drove asked.

"Yes," the stranger said. He handed over a stack of green bills. The man who drove flipped through the money and tossed Madison towards the stranger.

"Her name's Hush," he said, his tone bored. "I'll warn you, she's not tough, and no one has ever heard a word from her."

"I have a good feeling about her," the stranger said.

The man who drove shrugged and went back to his car. Madison and the stranger watched him drive away. When he was out of sight, the stranger turned toward Madison.

He leaned over and removed the handcuffs from her wrists. "You're free," he said.

Madison stared at the man. Free? Had he just said free? He couldn't mean it...could he? She couldn't tell if he was serious or not, so she continued to stare at him hoping he would explain himself.