It was late, the moon hung high in the sky, and Berry was cold. She rubbed her arms and stepped quietly around the dog pens. She was in her human form, a gift from Virginia and one she deemed acceptable for blending in with society. Although her hair was bright, neon pink, her skin was pale white. Barrettes bound back her pigtails, and she wore a black winter coat and black jeans. Over her head, she wore a ski mask, both due to the chill and to conceal herself.

It had taken several tense moments before she located Bloo sprawled out on his side in his cage. The imaginary was bare-chested and bore hasty stitches that did little to conceal the extent of the damage he'd endured. An imaginary friend had nearly cut him from chin to navel earlier. Bloo had barely survived the bout. It had only been a fluke that he'd defeated him. It was at that moment that Berry knew she'd had to rescue him. It was either that or watch him suffer more.

She took out a lockpick and screwed around with the lock until it clicked open. Footsteps approached, and Berry froze, hand on her pistol tucked into her pocket. Before she had a chance to raise it, she felt Virginia's mental brush against her mind. As always, it was slightly painful, and Berry gritted her teeth against it. The first time she'd done that, it had been a caress. When they'd met again, and all other subsequent times, it had felt like someone was brushing broken glass against her scalp.

“Virginia…”

Virginia said nothing, though Berry sensed her disapproval. Her creator had granted her permission to take Bloo, only if she could carry him. Therefore, despite the imaginary friend's bulk, she hefted him and only grunted beneath his weight. Bloo's eyelids fluttered, and he stared at her sightlessly. She stroked his cheek. Precious, precious Bloo.

"Mac?" he mumbled.

"Better than Mac," she responded. She half carried, half dragged Bloo to the speeder waiting nearby. Virginia at least waited until they had situated themselves before pulling away. She had no intention of leaving a note or anything to indicate why she'd purloined Bloo. Let Savorc make of that what he would. Virginia laid claim to whichever imaginary friends she deemed necessary or useful. Despite Bloo's near defeat, he remained useful. And Berry craved his presence.

He rested against her in the ride over to DIE's headquarters. His breathing ran ragged, and he kept muttering indistinctly, though she caught Mac's name murmured repeatedly. Every time she heard it, it felt like a knife through the heart. Virginia in the front seat snickered.

"Are you sure he missed you? Or his precious creator?" she sneered.

"Give him time," she huffed. "He'll remember me, and then he'll miss me."

She had her doubts. Bloo didn't appear to want her or even recall her. Anything he was saying was subconscious, and his subconscious yearned for Mac. How much did he love his creator? And why was that link still so strong, three years later?

They spent the rest of the trip in silence. Berry kept hoping that Bloo would awaken and be grateful for her presence or at least acknowledge it. She wasn't sure whether he'd been given painkillers, though she was willing to bet the answer was "no". No one cared how imaginary friends fared. Virginia only cared because Berry was her dirty little secret. No one could find out that Berry was Virginia's imaginary friend. If she did, it'd spell the end of her reign over DIE.

What bothered her was that Bloo's chest was hot to the touch. It was too early for it to become infected, wasn't it? Then again, she didn't know whether the imaginary friend he'd fought had cleaned his blades before assaulting her beloved. She smoothed his feathery soft hair back and remembered him in blob form. Since DIE and the Usurper had taken over, she'd never seen Bloo in blob form. Perhaps he was trapped as she was. Or perhaps that was Mac's final gift to him.

Virginia parked underground and barked orders to imaginary grunts that were only suitable for lifting and carrying heavy objects. They hoisted Bloo into their arms and carted him off. Berry had to scurry to catch up. She didn't dare take her eyes off Bloo for a second. If she did, then he might disappear. And he needed medical care, which meant he needed an advocate. He needed her.

He just didn't know how much he required her assistance right now. But that was okay because she was going to prove invaluable to him. All he needed to do was wait and see, assuming he gained consciousness. She buried that thought deep and tried not to think of it. Bloo would understand how precious she was and how he loved her and not Mac.

Virginia was making disapproving noises behind her, and Berry sagged, still pursuing Bloo but feeling her creator's displeasure with her. What had she done wrong now? They had agreed that capturing Bloo would draw Mac's attention and possibly bring him back to Earth if they made him enough of a deal. And it wasn't like Bloo's former owner could reclaim him--they didn't intend to put him out in public again or offer him back up. No, Virginia played for keeps and Berry was glad to play along. She just didn't understand what Ginny found displeasing about this situation.

Virginia finally halted her before following Bloo into a lab. Lip quivering, she looked up at her. Even in her humanoid form, she was shorter than her creator.

"He doesn't need you right now," she said curtly. "It would be best for you to see him after everyone has fallen asleep."

"But everyone is asleep," she protested. "It's the middle of the day. Everyone's sleep cycles have changed from diurnal because of the trolls."

"What do you think you're going to accomplish?" she sneered. "Wait until he's settled down some. Then you can talk to him."

Virginia's tone indicated she thought this would be useless because Bloo wouldn't recognize her for a while. Privately, Berry agreed. Unless she suddenly morphed into Mac, she wasn't going to penetrate that thick skull. A thought struck her, and she winced at it. What if Mac appeared to reclaim his imaginary? He hadn't shown up in the past few years, but that didn't preclude the possibility he'd do so now. Mac might have better resources than Savorc to seize Bloo.

"Stop that," the older woman scolded. "You're doing yourself no good speculating. Come."

Snapping her fingers as though Berry were a dog and not a sentient being like her, she indicated that she ought to follow her. With misgivings, Berry cast one last miserable glance in Bloo's direction before trailing her. Bloo would wait to awaken until she returned. She had to hope that, because otherwise, she had nothing else.

Bloo would awaken, and the first person he called for would be her. That was Berry's solace and desperate wish. She imagined the scenario in her head as she tailed Virginia back to the control center. While Boston slept, Virginia liked to keep an eye on the proceedings and once in a while, check in on the Usurper. Berry shuddered. The Usurper frightened her more than her creator did. She was glad she wasn't around for those tete a tetes.

Bloo...he would wait for her. She clung to it like nothing else. God, she loved him. He would see and reciprocate. He would discard Mac like useless trash and come to her way of seeing things. And perhaps, together, they could overthrow their creators and gain their freedom. It was a fool's dream and one she held dear, away from Virginia's mental probes. If she could save herself and Bloo, then all of this would be worth it.

----

Bloo blinked. He was semi-conscious and heard voices around him. One of them sounded vaguely female, and he reached out toward her. Terezi had expressed her pale feelings for him and Bloo hadn't reciprocated, not because he didn't feel it, but because he was afraid. He didn't want to make himself vulnerable, not even to her. The thought frightened him too much.

Was Terezi here now to look over his wounds? He didn't know what she could do, but he wanted her with him, regardless. His chest and stomach burned like a mother. He wanted her, and he yearned for Mac. Reduced to incoherent whimpering, he barely noticed that, for the first time in years, Mac brushed against his mind.
---

Terezi was roused out of a sound slumber by Savorc screaming his head off. Shuddering, she drew her rags closer to her and tried to find a place to hide. She wasn't old enough to become his concubine, but she was old enough to endure his rages. He'd be looking for the closest thing to hurt, and she needed to ensure it wasn't her.

She squeezed into the servants' bathroom and listened. The bathroom's dingy window looked out over the dog yard, where the imaginary friends were kept. She couldn't see much from here, and she stood on her tiptoes. Savorc was raging, her pusher was pounding, and she had a dreadful feeling that she knew why.

She prayed she was wrong. She prayed although she didn't believe in a higher power and anyway, why would a higher power listen to a slave? Nonetheless...

"Where the **** is he?" Savorc snarled, shaking someone vigorously. From her vantage point, Terezi couldn't see who, only hear stammered protests. Bracing herself against the bathroom's walls, she stood atop the lid and peered out. It was dangerous because Savorc could turn his head and view her. She had to know more.

"He was here last night," Savorc snarled. "I had to ******* patch him up after the fights. Now you're telling me he's gone. Did he ******* up and walk out of here? Because I ******* doubt that ****."

Who had walked out of there? Who had escaped his cage? Oh, please don't be Bloo. She clasped her hands together and trembled. How could Bloo have even left? He'd been in such miserable shape after the match that he'd barely survived. If it had been an inch or two closer, he would have been cut in half.

"Tell me," Savorc growled, loud enough to carry. "Where. The ****. Is Blooregard."

It was Bloo. Terezi moaned, dropping down to conceal herself. She hugged her bony knees to her thin chest. He'd never reciprocated her feelings and now, would he ever? Who would have taken him? Why? Had his beloved Mac finally come to rescue him? No, that couldn't be it. Because if he had, he would have brought Karkat with him. Bloo was adamant on that point.

The tender babbled something else and then his words stopped dead as his neck snapped. Savorc snarled, and she gritted her teeth. Bloo was the only thing she had in this hellhole to look forward to and to talk to. She didn't feel close to any of the other slaves, most of whom were in Savorc's harem. Bloo was her friend, even if he didn't want to be her moirail.

If not Mac, then who had taken him? And why? Why steal her Blueberry Tart away? A lump rose in her throat, and she swallowed abject misery. Rocking back and forth, she sobbed quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself. Savorc would want her for something soon. She could only afford to fall apart for a short time. Then it was back to work as usual.

She didn't know how she was going to get through the days without Bloo. Or the nights. For all she knew, someone had murdered Bloo in the evening, but she doubted it. Bloo was too much of a cash cow. Until he outlasted his usefulness, he was going to remain alive. That left greed as the culprit--someone wanted the money Bloo made. But surely they wouldn't have openly struck against Savorc? Savorc would never let his prize slip away. And he'd reclaim it--they wouldn't be able to show Bloo in public.

Then why take him? She was back to that and had no better answers. If only she had more information. Could DIE have reclaimed him? His previous owner could hardly seize him when Savorc had murdered him. But Bloo had had other owners or something else--she hadn't been privy to all the details. Bloo was very tight-lipped about these things.

So it could be a part of his past there to capture him. Thinking logically helped clear her mind somewhat, but it didn't help entirely. She'd lost Karkat right after she'd met him and now she was losing Bloo too. It wasn't fair. Nothing in her life was fair, to be honest, but...she'd thought she'd have had a long time with Bloo.

Savorc was bellowing her name. With misgivings, she wiped away her tears and went out to see what he wanted. She'd have to pretend that she was okay for the day until she found out where Bloo was. That was all there was to it.

So she trudged through the rest of her day in a daze. It wasn't until much later when she was preparing his evening meal that they got any news at all. Savorc possessed a landline, unlike most trolls, and, also unlike most trolls, he was apparently receiving a call from a higher up DIE official. Terezi listened with half an ear focused on him and the other half focused on what was going on in the kitchen.

"You ******* did what?" he demanded. "He's not your property. He belongs to me."

Someone said something in the kitchen and redirected Terezi's attention. She nodded, not paying attention to whatever was asked, and finished cutting the carrots. It wasn't until later she discovered she'd volunteered to give him his food, which was a particularly unsavory prospect considering his mood.

"I don't give a ****!" he snarled, and she chanced a look into the living room. He was squeezing the receiver so tightly that it looked prone to snap in his hand. "Well, who the **** are you to tell me what to do?"

He listened, and Terezi strained her hearing. The high-blood said nothing for a long moment and bit back a reply. At length, he grumbled something, slammed the receiver down, and she hastily ducked back. What was that about?

It wasn't like he was going to tell her. She was only a slave, after all. Maybe she'd be fortunate, and he'd be grumbling about it while she served him. She'd have to take the scraps he offered her, as usual.

Trembling, she offered him his food after it had finished cooking. True to form, the high blood was grumbling about having lost a lucrative source of income. When his purple eyes fell upon her, he backhanded her. Terezi tasted blood and nearly dropped the tray.

"When I ******* call you to bring my food, you do that without ******* gawking," he snarled. Terezi's legs shook, and she managed to put the tray on his lap only splashing the soup a little. Savorc backhanded her again and left her head ringing.

"I ******* lose my best imaginary fighter, and now I have to deal with incompetence?" he snapped. "Get the **** out of my face."

Nodding, she backed away and tripped over herself in her haste to get away. Savorc tore a bite out of a hunk of bread. If he hadn't been occupied, he probably would have hit her again. She scrambled away and dashed back to the other slaves. Once Savorc was finished eating, they would be permitted to have the scraps.

Who had called that had Savorc reining in his temper? Who was so damn important that they could tame him? Or was he merely biding his time? That seemed more likely. He wasn't the type to capitulate so quickly.

Her pusher pounded. She hoped, though she knew that there was a chance Bloo was in a better place, that Savorc reclaimed him. It was selfish, and she hated herself for it, but she didn't know how she'd survive without Bloo.

----

Finding Bloo was like looking for a needle in a haystack. All imaginary friends had to be marked and numbered by DIE. The ones that had survived, that was. Although he was reassured Bloo was still alive, his current fate left Mac uneasy. Rumor had it that a troll named Savorc had purchased him (the thought of which enraged Mac, but he couldn't vent that). That was probably the best place to start. Mac had no intention of "paying" for Bloo. Instead, he intended to seize Bloo by force and to hell with the consequences.

Karkat had heard rumors that the lower bloods had either been culled or brought to Earth. He thought there was a chance Terezi might be on Earth. Unfortunately, unlike Mac, he didn't have the faintest clue where to start. Mac reasoned that the slaves might know more. He didn't want to ruminate on Terezi being a slave because he knew how it'd devastate Karkat. It was as dangerous as thinking about Bloo being a slave and a glorified dogfighter.

They decided that the best place to start was Savorc's compound. It was their only lead and perhaps during the day, it'd be less dangerous. Trolls slept during the day and woke at night; it was only through the Alliance that Karkat's sleeping schedule had been skewed.

Mac wished he possessed his moirail’s calmness. Unfortunately, rage seized him and throttled him like a dog with a chew toy. He was sick with it. Every time he thought about Bloo in those wretched arenas, he wanted to run around screaming and freeing every imaginary friend he could find. The guilt over leaving Bloo on Earth swamped him. It’d been a minor miracle they’d been able to land and getting out of here might prove difficult. He hoped their accomplice was up to the challenge.

Savorc’s compound was not well lit at night, but neither did it contain security cameras. The kennels were at the very edge of his property and howls emanated from within. They did not sound dog-like, rather, they sounded rather human and plaintive. Mac’s blood ran cold. Imaginary friends. He motioned for Karkat to follow him and he did, sweeping the area with his gun before proceeding. Sometimes it struck Mac that they were children playing at soldiers.

Most of the friends shied away at Mac’s approach. Those that didn’t hissed, eyes flashing balefully. They bore scars, some fresh, and a few still bled profusely. He halted before a tiny cage, the floor of which was covered liberally in blood. Someone had dragged the imaginary friend in here out and then...to where?

“If you’re looking for Blooregard,” a voice piped up in the cage next to the empty one, “you’re out of luck. Some pink haired ***** grabbed him away. We’re all gonna get punished for that.”

Mac squinted, turning toward the cage beside the empty one. He didn’t recognize the imaginary friend within. It had six eyes and whips for arms. Its legs tapered into blades for feet and at the end of its arms were flamethrowers. Jesus. Mac shuddered. Bloo was expected to compete against imaginary friends like that? How? All he could think of was his blob form spinning around and dodging madly while other imaginary friends sought to destroy him.

“Do you know who she was?” Mac asked, grabbing at the cage’s bars. “Or where they went?”

“No. And if you’re smart, you’ll stop asking questions,” came the gruff voice. Its orange skin looked pale and washed out in the sun. “They took off in a cruiser. That’s all I know.”

So they were back to square one. Unless…”Did the pink haired girl say anything? Anything at all?”

“She said one thing: a name. Virginia. Now shut up and let me sleep,” the imaginary protested. Mac stepped away, glancing at Karkat. He raised his eyebrows and Karkat shook his head. The name meant nothing to either of them. It should have, however. And it would very soon.

They stepped away from the empty cage and Karkat collided with an emaciated girl whose tattered clothing looked like it’d been battered along with her. The girl stumbled to the ground, but Karkat held his balance. He helped the troll girl to her feet and then did a double take.

“It can’t be...but you look exactly like her,” he said. The girl’s eyes went wide and she squeaked, jumping back and wrenching her hand out of Karkat’s. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see for myself if Bloo was really gone,” she mumbled. She wasn’t meeting Karkat’s eyes but stared at the ground and her bare feet.

“How do you know Bloo?” Mac demanded. “Who are you?”

“Bloo’s my moirail,” she said and lifted her chin. “Or he’s supposed to be. He just wants to be friends…”

Mac frowned. He knew that if Bloo had had a moirail before he’d left Earth, he would have mentioned it. Therefore, this must’ve happened after Mac and Karkat had fled. He also noticed that the girl hadn’t offered her name.

“Terezi?” Karkat breathed and the girl, if it was indeed Terezi, looked ready to bolt. Mac scrutinized her. This was the Terezi Karkat was obsessed with? She wasn’t much. She looked like a strong wind might blow her over. She couldn’t be more than ten sweeps old and all skin and bones.

“I’ve got to go,” she mumbled and Karkat grabbed her wrist before she darted off.

“I’ve been waiting to find you for years,” he said. “You can’t just run off on me now.”

Mac swallowed his impatience. He was glad Karkat had finally reunited with Terezi, but the trail was getting cold as they stood here. Of course, he didn’t know how to follow it, which was what stayed his tongue. He gave Karkat a pointed look, which the other troll ignored.

“You don’t want me now,” she protested and glanced down at herself. “I’m not…”

“I don’t care what you look like,” he responded. “All I care is that you’re here and you’re real. You have to come with us.”

Terezi shook her head mutely and Karkat tugged on her arm.

“You don’t want to stay here, do you?” he asked gruffly. She shook her head again and this time, permitted him to lead her away. He stopped after a few steps.

“Do you have anything you need in the house?” he asked.

“This is all I own,” she said with a sad smile. Karkat gritted his teeth and looked miserable for her. Mac could empathize, though his patience was running out. He gestured impatiently for them to reach the cruiser before anyone realized anything was amiss. Savorc probably already knew Bloo was missing. He didn’t want him to find out that one of his slaves had run off too.

((I can’t believe it! Terezi’s here, on Earth!)) Karkat enthused.

((I’m happy for you,)) Mac said, only a little tenser than he’d intended. ((We need to find Bloo.))

Karkat bit back a retort. He knew how he felt about his imaginary friend. Even if Mac didn’t love Bloo, he never would have left him alone in this hellscape. There had to be something they could do, some way to locate him.

((How?)) Karkat asked once they’d settled into the cruiser and prepared to head for their hidden base on Earth. It was located near Mac’s old neighborhood. One of the apartment buildings had been abandoned when the Usurper had taken over. While Mac would have preferred to set up shop in Foster’s, hooligans and DIE had trashed the place. That infuriated him too, but he kept his mouth shut about it.

((First, we find out who Virginia is,)) he said. And then, from there, they’d hopefully have a better plan than winging it.
---

(Continued in Bloo's profile)