Waking Up

   The second boy opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was he was not in the castle. The second thing he notice was his legs and arms were bound. The room he was in was lit by candle light. It was dim but there was enough light to tell the walls were brick.

   "Hiya", said a voice that had recently become familiar with the second boy. The boy sat in silence. The face attached to the voice spoke again. "I've been feeding you y'know."

  "Ironic", the boy responded quickly without thinking. 

  "In what way?", said the voice. The voice moved into the light, confirming the boy's suspicion. It was the scythe wielder from the castle.

  "Well you said you were going to be the man who kills me didn't you, or do you have an evil twin lurking around here?" the boy who was now far from the castle said tiredly. 

  "He's not around here or evil but..", the scytheweilder stammered off. "Oooo! I did say though didn't I! It was so cool wasn't it? I'm gonna be the man who kills you! Ha. Wasn't that cool", he said gushing over his own coolness.

   "Where am I?", the boy said ignoring the scytheweilders comments.

   "Guh", the scytheweilder said briefly looking toward the ceiling. "You..we! are in a room. Together and that's what's important cus now we can talk". He said charmingly but seriously.

   "Talk about what", the boy said skeptically. 

   "About the weather, the sun, anything but my mother! Ha", the scytheweilder said awkwardly. "So what's your name kid?". 

  The boy thought to himself thinking the scytheweilder could hardly be any older than him. Than he thought about his name, what was it.

  "I don't have one.", the boy said.

  "Sure you have one, what'd they call you at that castle in which you lived?" the scytheweilder asked. He was now sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. 

  "The prince's boy was all I was to be referred to as." the second boy said. 

  "For real?", the scytheweilder said. He made the motion of wiping tears from his eyes, though there were no tears.

   "Well if your gonna live here your gonna need a name. Hmmm", he thought to himself. "Ooo I just got back actually from a bastion so how about Bastian? Do you like that kid?"

   "I do", the boy said. Something felt weird. The scytheweilder gained a serious expression.

   "So. How do you feel about the sun?", the scytheweilder said seriously. 

  The boy,who was know labeled Bastian recalled his previous conversation with the prince. But since then something had changed. He felt different, no, he was different. Though he didn't know why.

  "I like it.", he said unsure of himself. At this the scytheweilder hopped up and smiled. 

  "Okay it worked!", he said cheerfully. 

   "What did?", bastian asked.

   "Oh of course you wouldn't know", the scytheweilder said slapping himself in the face jokingly. This individual was very animated. "You had a nasty lil trick played on your brain. It was a control trick. Made ya' have a weird moral compass and extremely obedient. Or that's what the old man said anyway."

  "A control trick as in..?"

  "Yeppers! Them royals who have the gifts of control. They got ya real good kid." the scytheweilder said. He then began to undo the boy's restraints. 

   "I imagine thats a big thing to think about. Haha", the scythweilder's laugh was awkward and sympathetic. "Anyway let's go grab a bite. We'll walk and talk sound good?"

    "Sure", Bastian said. Though he had just been told of the lifting of the trick he felt a strong freedom. He also felt an uneasiness. Had his whole personality, his moral compass, himself; could it really have been a trick put in his head?

   "Oh by the way!", the scytheweilder said cheerfully, but then he hestitated for a moment. He looked bastian in the eyes. They were a beautiful and deep blue. "My name", he said, almost in an intimate way. "My name is Abrie Gatz!" he then smiled sincerely. Bastian thought his smile was cute. Not in the way of an attractive girl. But in the way of a young child full of innocence. Bastian felt a comfort.

   "I like that name!", Bastian said. He raised his voice, though it wasn't very deep to start with, while trying to match Abrie Gatz's enthusiasm.

   "As everyone should, I named myself that", Abrie proclaimed proudly. 

   "You named yourself?", Bastian asked confused.

   "Well renamed. But yeah!", Abrie said in a sad cheerful way. "I gave myself a new name when I got banished". 

   "Banished. So you're an invalid?" Bastian said. The response he got was a fist to the face. Abrie had a slender body, but like the rest of his appearance that was deceitful. He was strong.

   "We don't use that word around here.", Abrie said seriously and offended. 

   "My apologies", Bastian said bowing so show his sincerity. 

   "Ew, don't bow", Abrie said. Bastian was confused at this. Was this not proper? "Anyway your a 'invalid' to". Abrie stuck his tongue out at the word invalid as if it caused a distaste in his mouth. 

   "I am", Bastian said confused. 

   "Well yeah, couldn't you tell by the way you were treated? The prince kicked you after you protected him. He wouldn't do that otherwise." Abrie said. There was a certain sadness, or maybe empathy in his voice.

   Suddenly Bastian was drowning in memories. Memories of abuse, negligence, and punishment. He for the first time in his life saw himself as different from the prince. He felt sick. 

   "Anywayyyy", Abrie said. "Let's go outside this cramped old cell and I'll show you around. I've been meaning to see what's on today's menu anyway!", he said rubbing his stomach. It was now that Bastian had notice what Abrie was wearing. Abrie was sporting a womanly dress-like attire that was thin and went down to slightly above the knee. He then wore some sort of long jacket atop this. The jacket was very flamboyant. Having patches on it. Each had a different message. The one placed in front of where Abrie's heart was said three words.

'Equality or Death'

Abrie walked towards the door and opened it. The tall man was there. He had an axe in his remaining arm. 

   Abrie, a man who was not tall by anymeans and maybe on the shorter side stood on the tips of his toes. The tall man bent down slightly. Abrie whispered something to him and then giggled. Abrie motioned Bastian toward him and the tall man and they made a little group. 

They began to walk.