InsaneJournal

WHO: Envy, Emma Franklin and Jonah
WHEN: Wednesday
WHERE: Envy's creepy little hobbit hole
WHAT: Envy has been keeping Emma prisoner and Jonah finally wises up from his kidnapper letters to find her.
WARNING: Creepy ass Envy
Status: Incomplete



Envy liked sneaking in little creepy notes to Jonah that gave him a handful of clues, but the Virtue was too stupid to understand them as quickly. It gave Envy plenty of time to destroy Jonah's world around him. His comfortable little home, his little girlfriend, his friend. It was curious to see how far he could make the Virtue fall before he broke into a million pieces, which took some time. Virtue's were tough like rawhide. They wouldn't bend or stretch unless someone else was being hurt, then they felt it their duty to rescue the world. It was one of the most disgusting things about them.

Eventually, Jonah came to Envy's bait. He had a girl in his possession that the Virtue would be curious about. The difficult part for Jonah was that he'd expected it to be Zoe, since Envy had tampered the most. He hadn't thought that Envy would have picked someone else to torture. The old dilapidated building the Sin lived in closed in around Jonah as he came inside. It was cold and dark. More importantly Envy had preyed on Jonah's mind, digging out all the little pieces that he thought made him brave and noble and shattered them. Jonah was too self-righteous. He judged, he put himself first because he thought his way was best. And while Jonah thought he was two different people at times, especially in this form---to Envy Virtues were all the same, and Temp wasn't any different. He was just a knight on a white horse that needed to be dragged in the mud.

Jonah wasn't greeted at the door, he was meant to lead himself by the nose in this giant maze. He'd get lost and Envy would be waiting to see how much he had drained goodness out of this perfect specimen. How far would it take for Temperance to fall in this weaker state? Only time would tell. Meanwhile he busied himself "primping" Emma who he'd had for weeks. He closed her chin in his hands tightly as he spoke with that evil grin on his face. "Company is here, let's see if he can find you."

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Emma had gone through Hell. And even that was an understatement. Never in her life had she ever expected to be the victim of not only abduction, but of torture. Although she had put up quite a fight at the beginning, she did eventually break. She allowed Envy to hurt her because she saw absolutely no way out of this. She was stuck and no one would be coming to her rescue. There were no such things as heroes in this day and age. Just people with empty words and promises that meant nothing without action. She was completely and utterly alone. After all, she was only (mostly) human.

Even when that glimmer of hope tried to creep back up, a shining beacon amidst a sea of black, she continually told herself there was no way out of this. She was tired. Her body ached from pain and neglect, unable to stop herself from shaking. Anyone who knew her wouldn't recognize her as the ever-energetic and adventurous girl she was before. No. She was broken. That other girl was gone.

Emma barely had the strength to look up when Envy spoke to her. The words took a while to sink in. What did he mean by 'company'? Had he brought someone worse than he? Emma wasn't certain of her feelings about this new turn of events. Either it meant she was about to get much worse or someone was trying to find her. Admittedly, she had given up any hope of being found. So naturally, she took it as something far worse than Envy. She gave no indication of excitement that someone was coming to save her. Instead, her head sunk when he let go. Eyes closed as she waited for whatever horror was in store for her.
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Envy stood behind her, combing her hair back with his fingers. It was bloody and greasy for the lack of proper hygiene. "The one I want to see. The one I want to destroy." It was exciting for a Sin to knock down a Virtue, there was a distinct amount of pride in it.
Jonah felt the walls closing in on him. Even when he called out to Envy there was nothing but the ricochet of his voice against the open air. It felt hopeless and Jonah was sure whatever sight he found was going to hurt him inside.

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Emma still couldn't wrap her mind around who he was talking about. The one he wanted to destroy? Did that mean-? Someone was coming to help her. Or to try and help her at the very least.

It was just enough. However tiny, it was still significant. A spark of hope. That light amidst pitch black. She didn't care who was coming. If Envy wanted to destroy whoever it was that meant she had an ally in whoever it was. So she took in a deep breath and yelled as loudly as she could. "Here!" It wasn't incredibly loud due to the shear hoarseness, but it would do.
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Her scream while faint was noticeable. Temperance had kept an open eye and ear out for anything that didn't just sound like the draft of wind through broken windows. He hurried as best he could to find where it came from, but he hoped whatever sound had been made would have a follow up. Envy was making this a rat in a maze chase and he hated it. This was not how human beings should be treated and he was determined even if he didn't leave this place tonight that she would.

"Hello?" Temperance called out, his voice far more booming through the empty twists and turns than hers. He hoped at least he could get another lead. Sin or not, Temperance was not going to be afraid.

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The sounds were still so distorted that Emma didn't immediately recognize Temperance's voice. Perhaps if she had the chance to listen to the echoes she could figure it out, but she was still hopped up on whatever Envy had been pumping her full of that nothing seemed to make any sense. The shear hope of being found was enough for her to struggle, make even just a little noise even if it wasn't much. The chair, or whatever this thing was that she sat on, scrapped loudly against the floor as she struggled to move. An inch here. An inch there.

"Help me," she called out, even though it burned her throat to talk. "Please," she said in desperation.
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There was enough of a rustle to make it out, but it took some time before Temperance found the one responsible. As he approached the door, Envy laughed, holding her down before she tried to jump right out of the contraption he had her in. He'd kept her there the first time he found her and subsequently nights after when he wanted something to play with. She wasn't only girl in this place, but she was the only one that brought something even more exciting.

"Oooh, I think your knight is here." His eyes shone giddily, like he was about to make a sacrifice. He took the flat part of his blade and let it slide up her arm where the cool metal just barely trimmed the hairs to leave smooth skin. It made her arm pimple with goosebumps. "Do come in Virtue....I've been waiting too long." Envy had waited quite some time, but he had patience. It made the outcome that much more exciting.
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It was the combination of Envy holding her down and utter surprise to see Temperance at the door. She may still be drugged up but there was no denying who stood there. "Jonah?" She was completely flabbergasted by his sudden appearance.

"Get off me," Emma tried to struggle against Envy but it was no use. She was far too weak at this point to do much of anything. He had taken nearly every ounce of energy, so she just slumped back in hopes that Jonah could get her out of this.
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She could fight him all she wanted but Envy knew he'd drained her off almost everything. That hope she held now was revolting abs he made sure to flick the knife towards her face. He still had control.
Jonah stood there his heart shattering into a million pieces. "Envy, what have you done?" His voice shook because one deserved the abuse. "Let her go please." But the Virtue's pleas fell on deaf ears. Begging or making deals wasn't his style.

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Sure enough, Emma stopped soon after. Her energy drained, her spirit crushed, she was in no condition to fight anymore. Her only weapon now was hope.

Emma's head sank from exhaustion. Yes, just let me go. What did I ever do to deserve this? Whatever Jonah's plan, she wished he'd hurry up because she wasn't sure how much longer she could endure being there, tied down like a beast.
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Jonah approached Envy cautiously. He wasn't sure what the Sin would do if he wasn't calm. Envy flicked the knife away taking in just how tall his next victim was.
"Untie her." Jonah demanded. Envy complied but with a maniacal laugh. "You think I really wanted her?" Envy scraped the rusty knife against his chin. "Virtues are always so hopeful. I wonder how long it will take to break you?"

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As soon as Envy pulled away, Emma felt a sense of relief. The knife away from her skin, there was one less threat down. One to go.

Emma watched Envy closely, disturbed more by that laugh than possibly anything else he had done. Sure, he had physically and mentally harmed her but that laugh was terrifying. It was inhuman, insane. Slowly, she tried to stand up but immediately found that her legs couldn't hold her just yet. She was still very weak and everything was very wibbly wobbly. Instead, she sunk to the floor, rubbing her wrists and smearing her own blood everything she touched. She was more surprised by what Envy had to say. "So I was bait?" Just to get a Virtue there. Just because she had known him. It explained everything he had said up to that point.

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"No you were a toy until I found something better to play with...." Envy said as Jonah tried to help her to her feet. She'd been here so long in and out of Envy's drug den her muscles weren't working properly. Envy pointed the knife at Jonah. "You know I've never skinned a Virtue." He ticked the knife side to side slicing the air as if there were something there. "Do you bleed the same as everyone else?" He was curious, but this was his house and he could still make this hell before they got out of there. If he let them leave.
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Emma threw Envy a hateful look. She was no ones toy. No matter how drugged up and messed up he had made her in those past few weeks she was no ones toy. She clung to Jonah, both physically and mentally. He was literally the best thing she had felt since being there. Her mind was no where near what it should be, but his presence was enough to help her feel less groggy. It was quite an effort, but she did finally stand after what may possibly have been several minutes. She used Jonah as a support because her legs still felt wobbly, though it seemed she had a death grip on his shirt and she clung to him. Even with that slight relief, they were still there and she took Envy's threats very seriously. Was he really going to hurt Jonah? Or her for that matter?
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Jonah had already been through this with Zoe, except Envy had mentally messed with his roommate. Between he and Greed they had tried to help her. Jonah did what he could to temper Emma's mind. He could give her some peace but he could not take it away, he wasn't Envy's opposite. "You're weak, Virtue." Not enough to break though, but slowly Envy had started to break down that self-proclaimed boy scout. The Virtue's were not without their faults, especially not Temperance. Yet, there was still more of Temperance to destroy. Part of Envy wanted to see the other side of him, his more defiant, female side. "This isn't your strongest form." He twirled the knife in his hands again as Jonah tried to back up with Emma glued to him. "Idle threats Envy?" Jonah swallowed that heavy knot. He was trying to stand up, but this Sin was dangerous. "I don't make threats I don't carry out. Don't try to make a bet either with your self-righteous bullshit. I'm not Greed."
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Emma couldn't honestly say she understood what was being communicated between them. She heard their words but she didn't know enough of their history to have any idea what Envy was talking about. Strongest form? Her mind went wild with possibilities. How could Jonah possibly get any stronger? Maybe Virtues turned into unicorns or dragons, something powerful, when they were provoked. She had no idea. She knew her father turned into a younger version of himself for some reason. She tugged at the back of his shirt because it was hidden from Envy while the other hand was in clear view. It signaled getting the heck out of there. She would find the strength to run.Emma couldn't honestly say she understood what was being communicated between them. She heard their words but she didn't know enough of their history to have any idea what Envy was talking about. Strongest form? Her mind went wild with possibilities. How could Jonah possibly get any stronger? Maybe Virtues turned into unicorns or dragons, something powerful, when they were provoked. She had no idea. She knew her father turned into a younger version of himself for some reason. She tugged at the back of his shirt because it was hidden from Envy while the other hand was in clear view. It signaled getting the heck out of there. She would find the strength to run.
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"I know you aren't Greed. He's actually more pleasant than you." Those words just made Envy cackle, but it died about as quickly, his face turning to stone as he threw the knife and it breezed passed Jonah's ear before wedging itself into the wall. "You want to leave?" Envy asked circling the chair he'd had Emma strapped into, his finger gliding down a smear of fresh blood. He laughed again, muffled as he slipped the finger into his mouth to taste that coppery flavor on his tongue. "I'll let you leave now, but you Virtue----you've started to change. It's not time to kill you yet." He snorted taking a step closer to them and slapping his foot against the wooden floorboards to make them both jump. "You know where to find me." He slouched in the seat with a leg crossed over the other, his fingers drumming against the side. "It'll be you in here sooner or later." Jonah needed a little more prep time.

Jonah knew better, Envy was no slouch. This wasn't over, all that mattered was getting out of this now. "She's innocent Envy." He stepped back a few more steps with his arm holding Emma as tightly to him as he could. "If you can't walk I'll carry you," he promised her softly. He had to get her out of here. Envy rolled his eyes waving his hand. "You're disgusting like this. I'll let you marinate a little longer. Then nothing can save you."

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Emma had resorted to silence because every time Envy answered her it made her cringe and feel sick to her stomach. Her mouth did drop in disgust when he stuck his finger in his mouth and tasted her blood. That was hers! She had to fight back the urge to slap him because you just don't drink blood. That was disgusting. It was enough for her to block out everything else that was happening, so that when Jonah spoke to her this time she snapped out of her internal rage to shake her head. "I'm fine," she reassured him, though overall she clearly was not fine. She had been carried there, she would walk out. Even if now it was under completely different pretenses.
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Jonah kissed the top of her head. She was a tough girl, he couldn't imagine what she'd been through, but once she was away from Envy the more they could assess the damage. He needed to get her out, to a hospital. To her family, who must be worried sick. Jonah swallowed another heavy lump in his throat and backed out until they reached the edge of the stairs and then he made his first big mistake. He turned his back on a Sin, and he knew deep down this would come back to haunt him. Envy was not going to let this go until he had done as he pleased. There was no bartering with him like with Greed, this was pure malicious hate.

Now there was just a looming shadow in the back of Jonah's mind, it would without all doubt lead him to his death. It wasn't like he could disappear for good, but Envy was not going to make it pleasant. Jonah helped Emma down the stairs carefully. "You're safe now...." he whispered. Once they were outside the dark, dreary run-down hospital Envy called home he felt sick to his stomach. There was so much Sin twisting around in his system that he felt lightheaded. He had to pause once they started to walk because he wasn't sure he could stomach it all. It wasn't like being around Greed as often as he had for Zoe's sake. This was different. This was intentional.

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The farther Emma got away from that room and away from Envy the better she felt. Well, better in that she wasn't in his direct control anymore and she had her free will back. But the farther they got the worse she began the feel physically. She started to notice a limp and when she noticed that she was more aware of her pain. All her focus had been on getting out of there that she had forgotten her wounds temporarily.

With every step they took down the stairs it seemed to get worse and her grunts became audible cries of pain. She could barely walk by the time they got far enough from the old hospital that she could longer feel Envy or his grip on her. "Jonah, I don't think I can go on," she said, trying to sound more calm than she really was, but her panic was pretty evident. She couldn't stop now. She'd finally gotten out of that hell hole. She needed to get home. She needed to call her mom, her dad. But instead she sunk to the ground. "I think my ankle is broken," she said with panic as the pitch of her voice rose too.
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"Give me a minute," he wasn't sure he could carry her when he felt his head spinning out of control. He still let her cling to his shirt, he just had to catch his breath. He'd been dropped off by a taxi. Maybe it was time he finally invested in a car because it could have been useful here. Once he could hold himself up he gave Emma a soft smile, carefully picking her up. She was so tiny compared to the tower that he was. He was careful, he knew she was in pain but he needed the fresh air. "I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner." His eyes glazed over as he blinked the tears back. How could he have been so selfish and careless to notice that Envy was toying with him?
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Emma nodded in response. Her breathing was short and fast, and the fact that she was panicking didn't help. She would soon start to hyperventilate if she didn't get control of herself. Here she was, feeling like they were stranded and nowhere to go, and all she could think about was her own pain. It didn't even cross her mind that maybe Jonah was going through something too. After all, he had gone there to help her so her mind wouldn't allow her to think of much else. It wasn't until he picked her up that she began to calm down. He was keeping his promise. Her head sunk in against his chest as he carried her, eyes closing from exhaustion. "You didn't know. No one knew," she said quietly.
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"I knew in my gut something was wrong, I just couldn't figure it out." He tried to lighten the mood at least a little, "In my mind I thought that you just didn't want to talk to me. That was selfish of me." If he'd been out of his own head for a few days, away from Greed and Zoe he might have figured it out sooner. "I blame myself," which again was a selfish thought that would later beat him down. She slipped from his grip a little and he carefully repositioned her in his arms. He hoped she didn't hate him for this, for being used like this. Though, by Envy's words it seemed she was a target long before Jonah had been.
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Emma was silent for a while. It was her own fault that she was in this position in the first place. If she had just noticed Envy's hints she probably wouldn't have gotten caught up in any of this. She'd be okay. She'd be at her dorm room right now, sleeping and preparing for graduation. Graduation! She hadn't once thought about her thesis or her class. Her professor probably thought she was slacking off, when that was far from the truth. "I'd be less passive aggressive if I didn't want to talk to you," she said through gritted teeth. "Don't," she said, "If anyone's to blame it's that lunatic."
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"What did he do to you?" He needed to know, so he'd know if he could ask for the help of his sisters. Kindness might be able to wash away any influence he may have left, but Temperance was using some of his own to help her stay calm. It was necessary in this situation. As a counselor he spent his time listening to people that had problems. He gave them his advice...but this....he didn't know how to feel about it. Or if he could give her any advice than as a friend.
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Again, Emma was silent. Having to relive the last few weeks would be difficult. She wanted to go to sleep, just drift off and not have to think about it. But then, "He drugged me. He hit me. Played mind games. Broke my ankle, obviously," she said with another cry of pain as they continued on. No matter how careful he was, there was absolutely nothing but pain meds that could stop this. "That's all," she said with effort. It meant that Envy didn't sexually assault her. Thank the immortals. Or not. She didn't know who to thank right now. "How much farther until we get to the nearest hospital?"
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"A few more blocks," he assured her in a whispered tone. "I'm sorry, I need some air and I'm sure you do as well before they start poking you with needles." Jonah's legs would only carry him so fast at the moment, but finally they reached the ER. They could contact her family and get this situated. Jonah would stay with her though as long as he needed to. He wasn't going to leave her alone.
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Emma nodded in response. She didn't want to talk right now. She had done enough screaming and crying and breaking down over the last few weeks that she just needed some quiet right now. Just being in his presence was enough to calm her down. But when they reached the hospital she caught a glance of her face on a missing persons board. She was suddenly more alert. That meant someone had been searching for her all this time. Maybe not full blown searching but at least people would know. She braced herself for what came next, because she knew what ER's were like and boy were they stressful. Within minutes she was in one of those uncomfortable ER beds with a nurse prodding her. When the nurse asked her if Jonah needed to leave she shook her head frantically, "No, he's staying. But when can I call my parents? I need to call them." "We can get someone on the phone with them now," she waved another nurse over, "just give us the number."
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"I'm not going anywhere," Jonah promised her with a squeeze of her hand. He watched them with a calm face, but inside he felt like his insides were in peril. He was fighting back all the nasty thoughts Envy had unleashed in his head. He needed to see his sister after this he told himself, but right now all he could think about was Emma.

"Just stay calm sweety," the nurse said as the other one took the numbers to contact her mother and father.

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Emma held up as best she could. The last time she had come to the ER her father had had a heart attack. She had avoided hospitals altogether since then. Even now she was feeling like she was having a panic attack. She closed her eyes and waited as the nurses did what they could for the pain until the doctor could come set her ankle.

The nurse asked if Emma wanted to talk to her parents but shook her head. She was about to break down. "Just tell them I'm okay and I want to see them."
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Once the rush of nurses and needles and poking were done, Jonah was sitting by her bedside. He didn't want her to worry, she had people who loved her. His thumb ran across her knuckles softly, apologizing in a whisper again. He felt horrible. He'd seen Zoe destroyed by Envy, now this, it was tearing him to pieces.

The nurse informed the girl that they had contacted both of her parents. It would be a matter of time before they showed up. "Do you want me to stay?" Jonah asked. He didn't want to be in the way.

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It wasn't until the doctor was finished setting and wrapping her ankle that Emma felt any relief. The pain was dulled by medication, but her fear had also subsided. She was much more calm and relaxed than she had been in weeks. She felt safe, even if it was only because she was on a different drug. She never let go of Jonah's hand; it was the only comfort she could find in all of this.

She nodded and answered very quietly, "Yes." She was eager to see her parents, but she didn't want him to go.
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She seemed hardly able to keep her eyes open once the medication set in. Medication was double edged sword, but in this situation it gave Emma more relief than harmed her. There were limitations the human body could have on such things, he was just concerned considering all the medication Envy had pumped her full of. He'd seen cases where people had gotten addicted and easily abuse what was supposed to help them. He leaned down to kiss her knuckles. "I'll stay as long as you want me to."