Handler had left me alone in my new room, the intense feeling of the drugs still sending waves through my mind. I would be a good little bird for her, be formed into the sharpest blade for her. She would piece me together and break me apart at her whim, and I would thank her for it. The soft bed beneath me was proof of her forgiveness, her cleansing.

She had given me a new wardrobe, meaning that I no longer had to freeze under my sheets each night. My new blankets were thicker too, but I still kept my sheet from the cell close to me each night. It was my first gift from Handler, and I would cherish it. My new clothes were made up of some new white pilots suits, as well as what looked to be a repaired version of the suit I wore on the day I was taken in.

After that day, the food I was served went back to being laced with whatever cocktail Handler saw fit to feed me that day. It was warm now, well cooked and far better than I ever deserved. I cleaned off every speck of food from the plate each day. No waste. There was no more of that cold moonlight in my meals, replaced with her warm sunshine. Something else was added now, and I felt need coursing through my lower half. Aphrodisiacs. I recognized the sensation from a play session with Pyralis, having tried some of the liquid that I laced my artificial vaginal fluid with.

I still worried about Pyralis, but Handler continued to assure me that she was no longer my concern. She would be okay without me, because Commander Elara Callisto was dead, and I could never fill the void she left. I never wanted to fill that void. Still, I wanted my arms back. Even if she could never love me again, I still missed her. Her embrace, her comforting kisses and lovely barks.

The daily baths in her radiance continued, and yet again the moonlight was absent. Some part of me yearned for the pain of the drug, but it was quickly replaced with adoration for Handler’s light. I could feel her in the room with me, watching as I was bathed with her lessons. Sometimes her lessons seared my mind and soul, breaking me to pieces, but I tried to push through for her sake. If I behaved for her, I might be able to see Pyr again. I might be able to hold her in my arms and be forgiven for everything I’ve done.

When I got particularly needy, I tried to relieve my arousal myself, but as soon as I had a hand on my crotch, they deactivated. I hadn’t tried again since, understanding that it was forbidden for me. I wouldn’t disobey the rules.

I might be able to be a good little bird for Handler.

===

About two weeks after my transfer to my new room, Thalia had come to visit. She wore a smile on her face, and the disdain she usually held towards me wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “Hello, Elara. I hear you’ve been well behaved as of late!” She sounded overly cheery. Something feels wrong, but she shined with such a bright little flame that I can’t help but take her words at face value.

I nod in response, seeing as her eyes glance at the knife she left me, sitting on my dresser. “Did you like my gift, Ellie? I hope you did, because I have another big one right here. Handler told me you’ve been wanting them for a while,” her voice drifted off at the end. I immediately felt my heart light up. Did she have my arms? Was Pyralis okay?

As I thought about Pyr, I stared into Thalia’s eyes. Something felt different about her, as my heart fluttered at her presence. My salivary glands seemed to kick into overdrive as I almost drooled onto my bed. “I-I did, Miss. I loved your gift. It means a lot to me.” I almost slurred the words.

She either didn’t notice, or was ignoring my behavior, as she continued. “I’m glad, pup.” I felt as if I was lifting off the ground as she complimented me. “You’ll have to be really good for me today, okay Ellie? It’s a very delicate present for you. I think you’ll love it.” Thalia had a beautiful grin on her face, watching as I shook in excitement.

I couldn’t wait to see. I hoped it was my arms. I clambered out of bed, kneeling in front of her. Nothing but behaving for her crossed my mind. I would do anything to see if Pyr was okay.

“Heel, girl.” She turned, leaving the room. I quickly crawled after her, struggling to keep up pace. Thalia seemed excited, barely turning back to look at me as we headed down the hall. She took me to the interrogation room, and I immediately stood to get into the chair they usually sat me in. “Down, Ellie. None of that today.” She ran a hand through my hair, and I pressed into her touch.

Thalia led me further into the room, leading me behind the door that I wasn’t allowed behind. I paused, as she turned to look at me. “You’re allowed in today, pup. Just don’t touch anything I don’t tell you to.” I nod, pressing forward.

We begin nearing a small table, what looks like a workbench. I recognize many of the tools from the ones the medical techs used to work on my arms. I couldn’t see what else was on the table, and I sat at her feet when she stopped. She pulled something off the table, and I saw something that would have horrified me just weeks ago.

She was holding what used to be my old hands, the hands now removed. Thalia had replaced them with paws, and was looking at me with an almost crazed stare. “Stand, girl. Stay still for me, okay?” I couldn’t help but obey, frozen a little in fear. I held my arms at my side, as Thalia disconnected them from me. I felt bare, as she took the moment to giggle at my lack of arms. She put down the Imperial arms I had been given, and I felt a sense of loss at the connection to Handler. “Don’t worry, you’ll be getting these back later.” I felt relief spread through my body.

Thalia clicked in my new arms, and I noticed that the monitor was still intact. It responded to my mental commands, and immediately the display swapped to a heart rate display. Some part of my mind screamed out in relief.

She’s alive.

I started to cry, falling back down to my knees, my paws now on the ground. Thalia looked at me with a smile, crouching down to pet my head. “I see you’re loving your gift, pup. I expect some ample gratitude when we get back to your room. I’m quite excited to see my work in action.” I nodded, continuing to sob. She was okay. Pyralis was alive. I hadn’t killed her. She had to be home, safe. Fine without me.

This is where I belong. Working for forgiveness.

It’s better this way, isn’t it? Pyralis wouldn’t have to carry my sins, kill for me. I saved her from the Imperials. I saved her from me. She’d be happy, maybe move on. Doctor Preon would take care of her.

“Are you alright, Ellie?” Thalia feigned sympathy, lowering her head to see me. I looked up, face stained in tears, feeling as she put her fingers to my chin, rubbing it. “You just love this gift so much, don’t you?”

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I looked back up at Thalia, and wiped the tears from my eyes. “Thank you, Miss Hail.” She smiled. Thalia still hated Elara Callisto, but the only thing left in front of her was Ellie. Nothing but a little dog who wanted to please her, her new favorite toy. It just so happened she looked quite a lot like Ace Rebel Pilot Elara, so she could take out a bit of her anger on the toy. They’d both thank her in the end, anyways.

I jumped up and down with my front paws, crawling around her legs. Thalia continued to run her hands over my body, as I whimpered for her. I felt heat pulse through my folds, and I silently begged for more of her attention. I pressed my body to her side, nuzzling against her warm body.

“Somebody’s a little needy, isn’t she? Come, heel pup. We’ll take you back to your room, and test out those new digits of yours.” Thalia let out a warm sigh, rubbing my head before standing. My entire body relaxed as I took in the affection. She began walking out of the room, and I trotted along behind her. My new paws felt clean, new. None of the constant reminders of Elara’s mistakes that human fingers brought.

We walked back towards my room, passing by a few Imperial soldiers along the way, who looked at me with disgust. They still saw Elara, the rebel. Commander Callisto. I was better than her, though. I was well behaved, my being made anew, kept at Handler’s beck and call.

A door to our left slid open, and Thalia stepped through. My room, my home. Handler’s second greatest gift to me, just after her presence. Safety. I followed Thalia through, and kneeled in front of her as she stopped. I needed this. She knew that I needed this.

“Stay, Ellie.” Thalia walked over to my counter, picking up her.. Well, my knife. She spun it around in her hand. “I’ll have to get you a sharpening kit for this sometime. Make sure you take good care of it, so you can be graced with your work.” I nodded, careful not to speak without permission.

She approached me, holding the knife out. Wordlessly, I held my tongue out, and she placed the blade on the tip. I cleaned the knife as best I could, only taking care to keep my tongue from bleeding so as to not dirty the metal. My mouth tasted like steel, the cold metal against my tongue making me whine as she wiped it dry on my cheek. “You learn quick, don’t you?” I nodded in response, bowing to her.

I felt as the blade of the knife ran down my spine, cutting my clothes off of me. Handler would replace them, of course. I felt the tip of the blade touch my bare skin as she ran it down my back, and as soon as she finished, I slipped out of the bodysuit. As expected, I was already dripping wet. Thalia giggled a little at the sight, as I rolled onto my back to present myself to her.

“Good girl!” I felt my mind go blank for a moment, before shaking my head out, barking in response. “Hmm… roll over, Ellie!” My body moved before I could register her command, and I was quickly rewarded with Thalia’s hands running down my body. I felt the knife in her hands, shivering at the thought of it piercing into my skin. It wasn’t something I was supposed to worry about, and I felt a shooting pain in my brain as I thought about human thoughts.

My vision went fuzzy as she continued to work the tip of the blade around me, as if drawing across my body. I whimpered, feeling myself grow needier despite my growing fear. Thalia pressed a hand to the back of my head, shushing me. I couldn’t let out a sound, and froze up in fear. She was tracing the blade along my stomach now, and I kept myself from breathing, afraid that I would push my flesh into the knife by doing so.

“I know it’s scary girl, but it’s going to make me so happy, don’t you want that?” She looked as if she was in a trance herself, her focus pressing into my body more than the blade.

I nodded, feeling the knife press deeper as I shifted. “Yes, Miss Hail!” I shouted out. Making her happy was all that I needed, her forgiveness, her love. I would make up for what the Commander had done.

“Can you let her out? I’d hate to punish my good Ellie, you’re so well behaved, you don’t deserve to take her punishment.” Thalia clarified herself, at the tilt of my head. “The rebel, Ellie. I want to see her.”

Thalia wanted Elara? The traitor? The failure? The monster? Was I not good enough? I could take her punishment better, accept it. I would atone for it all. I shook my head no, “I-I want to take it Miss!” I knew that it was wrong of me to disobey Miss Hail, but I was better than Elara, how could she not see that?

“Because you’ll accept it, darling. How else is she to learn without help, pup? After all, we have to use every part of your little head, isn’t that what you want?” Thalia said slyly, a grin on her face. She wanted to hurt the traitor, make her feel the pain. I was a good dog. She needed to be trained.

===

The brightness of the world shifted, as the flames surrounding Thalia burnt out. I felt my body ache, and the splitting feeling returned to my head.

I threw up, feeling my mind twist itself to bring everything I hated, every last regret to the forefront. “Fuck you, Hail.” I couldn’t bring myself to say her name anymore. My jaw locked up as I even considered the idea, dripping her name out of my lips like poison.

Thalia’s grin fell, and I saw the usual expression she wore, back in the gray room. “There’s the mutt. I almost thought that she’d been caged, muzzled away behind too many layers of sunshine .” She slammed her boot into my stomach, before cutting up my leg as I rolled over in pain. I didn’t even brace myself for the obvious attack. No point anymore.

I could handle this. As long as Pyralis was okay. Only she mattered now. I was nothing but scraps to be melted down. I glanced at the heart rate monitor, the sight comforting me. “Thank you, Hail.” I had almost forgotten to thank her for the punishment I deserved.

“Put your hands above your head, slut.” Thalia kicked her boot into my sopping wet crotch before I could follow her command. I howled out in pain, still managing to get my arms up before she could step on my lower abdomen. “Too slow, mutt.” The name felt right to me, I was nothing more than a dog to be trained. Unfinished. Incomplete.

She pressed something on her belt, as I felt my paws clap together above my head. Electromagnets, precisely to keep me like this. “Stop playing around and fucking touch me already, Hail.” My stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies, the mix of pain and heat in my crotch making me desperate.

Thalia shook her head at me in disapproval. “We ask for our presents nicely around here, mutt.” She stomped on my lower region, a cruel smile painted on her face. “Say please.”

“ Please , fucking touch me, Hail.” I rolled my eyes. I was being obstinate, of course. She wanted to see me so much, so she’d deal with the full suite of my resistance. I wasn’t about to rob Thalia of her fun, and deep down, I knew that I’d be punished more for my attitude.

I felt another kick to my side, which I recoiled at. Thalia rolled me over with her foot, before stepping on my head. “The carpet’s cleaner than your mouth, mutt. You know how to be polite, little thing. Test me any more and I’ll make sure your tongue is going to be just as clean as the ground.” She growled a little as she threatened me, pressing my skull into the floor.

My arousal outweighed my curiosity, and desire for a deeper punishment. “Yes, Miss Hail. Please use me as you wish.” I let it out with a robotic tone, not quite meaning it. She could tell, of course, but it was good enough, as she lifted her foot off my head.

“Up, you little mongrel,” Thalia barked. I quickly stood, avoiding another beating. She knocked one of my feet out from under me, and I fell back to the ground, slamming against my back. “I said up , or did you not hear me?”

I climbed back to my feet, this time greeted with a slap to the face. My body hit the floor again, and I crawled back in front of her, standing. She kneed me in the crotch, and I fell right back to my knees. “S-sorry Miss.” I coughed up some more bile, being punished with a kick to the head for pausing. “Thank you, Miss Hail.”

Her abuse did nothing to fix the soreness still coursing through my body, and I fell back to the ground on my next attempt without her even having to knock me over. “Please, Miss. I can’t.”

“You can’t, or you won’t? You do what I tell you to do, no matter what. If I told you to slam this dagger into your stomach you’d do so, and I’d expect you to thank me, is that understood?” I nodded my head.

The pain in my legs only seemed to get worse as I got up this time, my muscles burning. “Sorry Miss, thank you.” I felt myself wobble, and steeled myself to face Thalia, stabilizing myself a little. “Please, Miss, use me as you see fit.”

She gave a small smirk, running the tip of the knife down my bare skin. I shivered in response, leading to a little prick on my side. Blood seeped slowly from the puncture, although Thalia didn’t seem to mind.

I tried to imagine her as Pyralis for a moment, ravaging my body. The idea brought no comfort, and left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn’t compare Pyr to her. Pyralis loved me, at least… differently.

“Should I slam this knife into your thigh? What do you think, mutt?” Thalia had moved the knife back to where it had broken my skin, and was now drawing little circles around the wound.

I knew the answer she was going to choose of course, and what I said wasn’t going to change it. “I’m not supposed to think, Miss.” I thought that would be the best answer to keep the damage to a minimum.

It seemed I picked wrong however, as she paused and held the knife up to where my heart was instead. “I wasn’t asking if you were supposed to think, mutt. I asked what you thought. Now answer my question.” Thalia waved the blade around my chest, cutting into my breast a little.

“Apologies, Miss Hail. I think that you should stab me in the thigh Miss. It’s what I deserve. However, my opinion doesn’t matter, Miss.” Only a partial lie. It was what I deserved, but the thought of the blade sinking into my thigh scared me. I didn’t want it. Wasn’t that the point, though?

She pulled the blade away from my chest, quickly impaling it into my upper thigh. I immediately collapsed, grabbing onto her as I fell. “Th-Thank you Miss!”

Thalia knocked me off of her, leaving me on the floor to writhe. “I expect you to keep that there for at least a minute, mutt. If not, I’ll be leaving another one just like it in your gut. God, you’re pathetic. A little stab in the leg and you collapse like a house of cards.” She spat on my chest, rubbing it into my skin with her boot.

“Who told you that your opinion didn’t matter, anyways? I hardly think that’s true, although you are a little pest .” Thalia sat down on my bed, happy to view my agony as I continued to whimper out in pain on the carpet. My blood dripped down my leg, staining the fibers. “Your opinion is part of you, little bird. Every piece has a use, don’t you worry your little beak.”

I wondered where she had picked up the bird imagery from, although I assumed she was privy to my “sessions” with Handler. I wasn’t quite sure what parts of my soul spilled out then, but she likely knew what I saw myself as. A dimly lit part of me resented that that part of my memory was being used against me.

“Yes, Miss!” I was still struggling on the floor, before I yanked the knife out. Blood poured out of the wound, and I yelped out as I went lightheaded.

Thalia sighed. “Barely a minute, you really must be desperate to have that thing stuck in you somewhere else, huh?” She didn’t get up, continuing to watch the sanguine waterfall coming out of my leg. “Carve something pretty into your chest before you pass out, and I might consider taking it a little easier on you next time.”

I knew that she wouldn’t take it easy on her favorite toy , but it wasn’t really a request. My paws were difficult to use, barely able to grasp around the knife, and I did my best to draw a little paw on my chest. I couldn’t do much better with my strength leaving me, and the lack of dexterity offered by my new hands. As I finished the drawing, I felt the rest of my energy leave me, with one thought echoing through my head as sleep claimed me.

I’m still horny.