#re-education

Harmonia was awakened by a sharp tug of the chain connected to her collar. She choked, coughed, and blinked against the sharp light. Fuck she hated that thing. Out of shock, she had opened her eyes way too fast and now they were filled with needles. What was wrong with her?? Was she losing her nature? Her eyes should be used to much more brightness. Please no-

“Good morning, doll.”

Harmonia groaned as she pushed herself up. Only to be pushed down to the floor again by a foot pushing down hard on her back.

“You always make such brute sounds, I can’t have that from my doll, do you understand?”, Electra drawled.

Harmonia pressed her lips together, filling them with oxygen to prevent any sounds from slipping out. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain as the charred feathers touched each other and sent waves of pain into her brain. When she had finally made it into a sitting position she looked up at Electra who was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully clothed already. Always making sure she could tower over her. She would love to get up on her feet but that would only result in Electra forcefully bringing her down again, probably on her knees, painfully. And she didn’t want to cause herself more pain than necessary. “Good morning, Ma’am.”

“Did you have a good sleep?”

“Better than I imagined, sleeping next to a monster. Urgh, I guess my body wanted me to have enough strength for today.”

Electra chuckled. She stood up from the bed, crouched down and unlocked the collar around her angel’s throat. Then she straightened up and gestured for her doll to do the same.

Shakily Harmonia came to her feet and while doing so, the demoness-Electra put a hand under her jaw and lifted it until she straightened up and they were holding eye contact.

“You think I’m a monster, Harmonia?”

Harmonia hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out the best strategy. Her inner alarm was going crazy but she just couldn’t put her finger on why.

“Come on, I give you permission, to be honest, you didn’t have a problem speaking your mind before.”

Okay, doesn’t matter anyway, it’s already too late. “Yes. I think you’re a monster.”

“Well that’s funny.”-Suddenly Electra’s grip turned more forceful, and Harmonia could feel her jaw starting to hurt-“When you didn’t even see the worst of me yet.”-The room seemed to get darker and the temperature seemed to drop with every passing moment. Chills were running down Harmonia’s body-“You think what you experienced so far was monstrous? You poor, naïve, dumb, child. Trust me on this, you don’t want to see me become the monster you say I am. Now ask me to give you breakfast. Ask me nicely or receive your punishment starved.”

Harmonia was still only looking at her, she wished she knew what to do right now, anything, but there was nothing in her mind. As much as she hated it, this time she had to admit she was…outmatched. For now. Yeah. “If-if you would be so gracious, Ma’am, might I have breakfast, please?”

“You may. Otherwise, you simply don’t last long enough.” Electra let go of her angel’s jaw and ordered her to follow as she made her way to the eating room. Once there they ate. Electra noticed that her angel barely managed to keep the food down even with her stomach grumbling through the room. She sighed. “If you puke on the table you’re gonna clean it.”

“Understood, Ma’am.”

“Listen, doll, it won’t do you any good to panic over it now. I am going to punish you for misbehaving either way, try to not make it harder for yourself than it needs to be.”

Harmonia gulps, looks down again, takes a deep breath, looks back up and nods. “I will do my best, Ma’am.”

“Good, because that’s what I expect from my dolls.”

Of course. Of course only the best is good enough. Nothing has changed since I left home. Don’t think of that now. Another thought bawled(?) for her attention. Harmonia suppressed a shiver. She could only hope that Electra wouldn’t decide to permanently injure her. Or take her wings. The angel paled even more at that thought. Suddenly she couldn’t stand living  in her own head anymore and she finished her breakfast as quickly as possible.

“Suddenly so enthusiastic.”, Electra grinned.

Harmonia dared to not answer to that and blessedly Electra let it slide.

After they were both done, and Harmonia felt like the demoness took eons to eat, they both stood up. Electra ordered her angel to follow and they went back to her bedroom. There the demoness stood in the middle of the room, facing Harmonia and the crackling fireplace. “You disappointed me, doll.”

It shouldn’t sting. It really shouldn’t. But it did.

“You can’t expect me to just let that slide, can you, doll? When you decided to betray me.”

Yeah definetly, how could I after you tortured me so nicely.

“Tell me, doll, what was going on inside your head during all that?

“What do you mean? I wanted to get out of here. You’re keeping me against my will.”

“Did you never think about anybody else? Or were you just hurting and decided that make sure you hurt me as well? And everybody else, by putting me in a bad mood?”

Harmonia just stared at the demoness.

“But that as it may, I’m sure you will learn to be less selfish.” Electra stepped closer to Harmonia. “Now tell me you’re sorry for trying to escape. And that you won’t do it again.”

Harmonia pressed her lips together. Then she spoke in a trembling voice. “ I am sorry for trying to escape. I won’t do it again, Ma’am.”

Electra sighed. That was a lie, doll.”

Before Harmonia could react a shock, strong enough to knock out a horse drove through her entire body. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground.

Electra stepped behind her and ran her finger through the angel’s thick wavy (rose) hair. Then she gripped and pulled her doll’s head up by it.

Harmonia grunted in pain as she was pulled upwards by her hair. Now she was on her knees with her head held up.

“So, another time. Tell me you’re sorry for trying to escape. And that you won’t do it again.”

“Harmonia grits her teeth. “I won’t try to escape again, I’m sorry.” Another shock travelled through her body. And Harmonia could only try not to scream. Her body had started twitching and her scalp hurt already from the strain of the pulling.

“And now the honest version, doll?”, Electra demanded.

“G-go t-to h-hell.” Harmonia stuttered.

“There you go, doll.”

After that sentence Harmonia couldn’t hear or feel anything besides the pain inglufing every fibre of her body. She didn’t know for how long Electra let the voltage run through her, she just wanted it to stop. Somebody was screaming, maybe her?

Electra let the lightning run out. Her angel was twitching violently but she didn’t let go of her. “Are you now ready to embrace the truth?”, she asked a bit too cheerful.

Harmonia could barely talk. Only incoherent stutters came out as she tried to answer the demoness.

“Tsk tsk tsk, we can’t have that can we.” She freed one of her hands from her doll’s hair and touched her forehead.

Instantly Harmonia stopped twitching so violently. Now only some involuntary flinches and pain remained.

“Now, shall we try this again? Tell me what I want to hear!”

“I’m sorry that I tried to-to escape! I won’t try it again.”

“Hmmm, why do I not believe you…” -Harmonia tensed up again, closing her eyes in anticipation of the next wave of torture.- “Oh right, because I can see that you’re lying! Hopefully you’ll be wiser next time.”

“No-no-wait!-Argh!”, Harmonia yelled as the next shock waves ran through her.

“I won’t wait, and you can’t beg your way out of this. What were you doing when I caught you?”

Through the flaring pain Harmonia pressed out: “Trying to escape.”

“Are you sorry about your mistake?”

“N-No.”

“What were you trying to do when I caught you?”

“Trying to escape!”

“Are you sorry about your mistake?”

“I’m sorry you caught me!”

“That’s not what I asked, Harmonia! What were you doing when I caught you?”

“I tried to escape!”, Harmonia basically sobbed by now(?).

“Are you sorry for your mistake?”

“I am! I’m sorry I tried to escape!” Harmonia screamed. Tears running over her cheeks.

“Will you do it again?”, Electra pressed mercilessly.

“No. No I won’t escape again!”

Electra waited a few moments before she raised her voice again. “So you tried to escape? And you’re sorry? And you won’t do it again?”

“Yes! Yes, Ma’am, all of that!”

Electra looked down on her angel, withdrew her electricity and let go of her hair.

Harmonia dropped to the ground and could only think of the burning pain her body was drenched in. Somewhere far away she registered that somebody was moving her. Then she was laying on something soft, legs maybe? And somebody, a woman was talking. She tried to focus and understand the words. Finally she could make out a few pieces. none of this…have happened if…just behaved…Wouldn’t need to…instead be nice…like this. Then she could feel how hands stroked through her hair, gently, massaging the scalp. And that was the last thing she felt.