Two Dearest Friends

Deadly Nightshade

"SALLY!"

The ragdoll jolts in her bed at the sound of screaming. She peels the blankets off from her figure and stands up wearily. She knows who the voice belongs to and why he is yelling her name. Even if she made it back to her room without any issue last night, she knows her disappearance didn't go unnoticed. She is going to receive her punishment, any second now...

The sound of footsteps makes her think twice. Her despair comes back when she sees Igor open the large door. He releases his grip on the steel and turns. He is twitching and fiddling around with his hands as per usual.

"Master want to see Sally...Come, now!"

He takes her blue hand in his gloved one and starts leading her. She is still in her pajamas, which is a raggedy version of her normal dress. She never wears her black heels to sleep, so she's able to feel the cold touch of the ground beneath her heels. It gives her chills and she feels everything in her go out once she steps into the Laboratory.

Doctor Finklestein is turned to the entrance and waiting grumpily. Beside him is a metal template that she recognizes far too well. It's the exact surface he created her on. The same place she was first brought to life. The one he uses to work on her whenever something is imperfect - or "wrong". In the pit of her stomach, she feels something fall. He must know she was gone last night. Why else would she be brought down here?

Fink's small finger is tapping the end of his armrest until he sees his assistant bring her in. She can recognize his look of impatience from a mile away. She takes a step back to try and escape, but is held down firmly by Igor. The small man has a surprising amount of strength, but then again, she doesn't feel very strong right now. As if she's going to break any second.

"...Doctor...?" She asks nervously.

"I'm just performing a checkup, Sally. Nothing to worry about."

She watches as Igor latches the belts on her body while Finklestein tightens one. The template moves upward before she is completely laying flat in front of the Doctor. He undoes one of her stitches and she flinches at the touch of his cold hand. It isn't unusual for him to add touch-ups to her. Whenever he does, it's to fasten all of her stitches and make sure she has enough leaves inside her. Her suspicions are confirmed as he takes some of them out and observes them without a word.

She taps the metal beneath her, suddenly feeling impatient. "How long is this going to take?"

"You do not speak unless you are spoken to, do you hear me?" He snaps, making her deflate. He sighs before observing the leaf in his hand. "-Crispy, but not fragile. Good. In a few months I'll have to replace them."

Igor scribbles some notes down on a clipboard. The Doctor continues the check-up without another word. During the examination, she starts to feel discomforted. It comes from somewhere in the pit of her stomach that gradually spreads to the layer just above her leaves. She twitches and begins to feel antsy.

The Doctor holds her down firmly, passing a quick glance. He continues sewing her hand back on until he feels the rest of her body move. He throws down the needle in agitation and turns to her sharply. "Stop moving!" He orders.

"I...I can't help it!" She defends weakly. "I feel-"

"I didn't create you to feel. I made you to serve. Now either you sit still or I'll send you to your room right now."

She goes silent and endures this feeling until he's finished. It's peculiar, she finds. She's never had an issue before laying still for awhile, but now her body keeps moving and there's a tightening in her chest that makes her want to stand. The walls feel like they're moving in on her and she wants nothing more than to go outside, where there are no walls to suffocate her.