Some Wings Must Bleed

Chapter 80 - A Bird In a Cage

I pulled my hair up and fiddled with my outfit before leaving my room, greeting Leorio with a lazy wave and soft smile. He nodded at me before continuing to tap on his phone and I made my way to the kitchen, eating the piece of cake he had gotten me. I missed Kurapika, but had grown quite fond of Leorio and I's routine, finding enjoyable simplicity and freedom in being this way. Soon enough Leorio placed his phone in his pocket and slang his briefcase over his back. "You ready?" He asked.

"Yup!"

"Let's go get you a phone."

. . .

"I can't believe Kurapika hasn't gotten you a phone with all the time you've spent together. Granted, he'd probably never pick up anyways, the jerk..." Leorio grumbled, his nose high in the air and eyes carelessly closed.

I smiled, feeling the rain hit my already damp head as we made our way down the sidewalks of Glam Gas Land. "It's not like I'd know how to work one anyways, there are too many buttons."

Leorio looked down to me. "Well do you know how to work a typewriter or computer?"

"Well, yeah, of course."

"It's basically the same thing."

"Well, whatever. There are still too many buttons."

"So stubborn..."

I shrugged and scanned the area, the rainy atmosphere seeming darker than usual. "Is it just me, or is it a bit gloomy today?"

Leorio looked up to the sky and extended his arm, his palm facing towards the clouds as rain occasionally dropped onto it. "I mean, it's raining, but not more than usual." He responded.

Yeah, but everything feels off for some reason...

"Never mind, It's probably just in my head." I muttered.

Leorio's eyes lit up and he smiled slightly. "There it is! That's where to get a beauty like mine!" He exclaimed, beginning to jog to a small shop that stood on the edge of the street.

The scenery was less busy now, the flashy and large buildings vanishing from view and and replaced by rather ordinary ones. A cart caught my eye as I slowly caught up to Leorio, my gaze on the odd vehicle. "What in the- Leorio what's that?"

Is that...

Miriam?

The very distinct old woman was being shoved into a cage attached to the large truck, her gaze hopeless through her large circular frames. I looked back to Leorio for a moment to see him arguing with the salesman over some overpriced gadget.

I don't have time for this...

I sprinted for the prison like trailer, suddenly thankful for not having to wear a long dress. "Excuse me! What's happening right now?" I questioned rather loudly, hoping someone would answer.

Upon actual inspection, there were about fifteen people standing around the truck, most of them in handcuffs and being shoved into the large cage attached to the trailer. A man in a uniform looked to one of his colleagues and stepped closer to me. "We're takin' the people who couldn't pay their debt to work." He answered firmly.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Well that is my friend, the one with the glasses. I'll pay whatever debt she needs."

"Not acceptable. You can't pay off someone's debt unless it's their money you're using. We can't have the economy falling apart now can we?"

I huffed. "But then, how is she supposed to pay her debt?"

The officer scoffed. "You work it off. She's a worker of the government now."

"What, a slave?"

Another bigger officer walked up to us, his gaze moving from his partner to me. He pushed up his unnecessary sunglasses before speaking. "Ma'am, is there an issue here? We need to get moving-"

"But I will gladly pay her debt. I can account for her! She is a good woman who would always pay her taxes and loans!"

The first man shrugged and patter his colleagues back before walking back to the truck. "Sorry ma'am. She would need to be free to have money transferred to her for that to work. She needs to pay off the loans by self acquired money." The large man explained, turning back to his partner, who was already back in the vehicle and looking at some list.

"There's no way to do that? I have the money!" I stated again, hoping that the big man would be more sympathetic.

"The law is expecting this many servants of state. If we don't have this many, it'll be a whole mess and-"

"... Take me instead."

"... What?"

"Take me. I'll switch with Miriam and my tall friend over there will get her the money she needs and then come and get me. Take me instead."

"Ma'am with all respect-"

"Can't you see that Miriam is old and fickle? She works hard day and night to have divine fabrics yet the law apparently treats her like a slave! I will not stand for this. If it's only until her loans get payed, I will gladly stand in for her."

The large man looked to the one manning the vehicle again and nodded, taking the large keys out of his pocket and beginning to unlock the big cage that sat on top of the trailer. Miriam came falling out of the container and rushed to me, hugging me like we had known each other for years. "You, you are an angel sent down from heaven. I don't know why you are doing this, but the lord has shined brightly on me today. He has sent me a saint. Bless you."

I smiled as the guard took Miriam's handcuffs off, putting them on me instead. "You just take care of yourself now. My tall friend over there is Leorio, and he's a doctor. Tell him what I told the officer, okay?" I told the woman, gesturing to Leorio.

"Oh! The man who's sprinting over here right now?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

I turned around and saw Leorio booking it just about as fast as he could straight at me. "(Y/n)!" He yelled, his arms pumping and face rather aggressively determined.

Whoopsies.

"Release her at once!"

"Leorio, it's fine."

"No (y/n)! This is not some Glam Gas Land tradition! They are taking you into servitude!"

"Yes, I'm aware of this. See to it that Miriam is taken care of, she'll explain the situation."

"What?! No way in hell I'm leaving you here!"

"It's fine, my credit card is in my purse and the code is taped onto the back, you'll have the money to-"

"But Kurapika took your credit card!"

Oh.

Oh shit.

Oh hell oh bitch oh lord up above I-

"Well fuck. Call him." I stated blankly.

Leorio gawked at me as the officer led me into the cage. "You- you're an idiot! You're too selfless for your own good!" Leorio spat.

"Shut up and get Kurapika, stupid Leorio!"

I was in the cage now, watching as the metal door closed once more and I was left feeling cold and uncomfortable. There were many people standing around me, mostly men, and I felt all of their eyes right on me.

It's all in your head it's all in your head it's all-

"Hey! Pretty lass!"

Authors note: OHOHOHO THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.