It hurt.

Having your skin punctured over and over to reach the depths of your tissue really hurt. A needle kept burrowing itself into Serah’s skin at breakneck speeds, slowly trickling down her cheek while all she could do was grit her teeth and bear the hellish experience. She knew what she was in for ahead of time, but nothing could prepare her for the grueling agony she had to endure. How much longer was this torture going to go on for? It felt like ages ago it started, with no end in sight.

[color=82ca9d]“...C’mon, Ser. It’s not [i]that[/i] bad,[/color]” the muscled woman seated next to her plainly commented. She lifted the tattoo gun from Serah’s face, then shoved a small, handheld mirror in front of her.

[color=00aeef]"Cypher… couldn’t you be a little more careful?! What would my boyfriend think if he saw how barbaric you were with my face… honestly!"[/color] the energetic girl replied. She wanted to puff up her cheeks in defiance, but the burning aftertaste of the freshly painted image clued her in to let it rest a little before trying to massively alter the shape of her visage. Even talking made it sting a bit more than usual. Serah took the mirror from Cypher and turned her head slightly to the right, to inspect her new tattoo. It was a pink heart with ribbon-like wings.

[color=00aeef]"Mou… it’s super cute, but the jumper really ruins it. Being back in my normal clothes would suit this so much better..."[/color] she complained.

[color=82ca9d]“Knowing the way Boss smothers you, Ser, I don’t think you’d have any problems getting [i]those[/i] in here as well.”[/color]

Serah turned back and giggled. It was weird to think Cypher looked so scary back when Serah was transferred into the prison… well, everyone did, really. Despite the prison being female inmates only, Serah didn’t know women could look so… butch and augmented. The one she’s staring at is practically a cyborg! Half her skull and the entire right arm, all the way up to the shoulder, is entirely cybernetic. The constantly adjusting red orb of an eye and otherwise buff physique didn’t really help matters. Serah got to know them, though. Not just Cypher, but everyone else too.

[color=00aeef]"Thanks for this, Cypher... It means a lot-"[/color]

[color=82ca9d]“Cut the crap. It’s your birthday, ‘least I could do was give you a gift. Especially now that I won’t get to see your cute face around soon,”[/color] the rough woman said with a wink.

[color=00aeef]"Oooh, don’t remind me! It sucks I’m the first one to leave! You all deserve so much more than me, and it’s only a few days until I have to say goodbye!"[/color] Serah complained. She threw herself backwards on the bed they were both sitting on, staring up at the light on the ceiling. The light illuminating her prison cell. It was weird how this facility had separated beds instead of bunks for the inmates, but it’s not like it got any more comfortable. Even the bunks back at base laid less like they were made of solid steel- and they literally [i]were![/i] [color=00aeef]"I’m not sure if they even [i]want[/i] me back after what I did, but… I’m going to show them the new me. No use in being hung over what’s already happened!"[/color] Serah said. She heard the buzzing of the jail cell’s barrier field suddenly vanish and shot up to look. A guard was there, staring wordlessly at the inmates.

[color=82ca9d]“Looks like that’s our cue to go,”[/color] Cypher remarked while pushing herself off the bed. Serah scooted up as well, following along with the guard’s orders. Strangely, every cell was empty on the way to wherever they were going.

[color=00aeef]"Hey, what’s up with that?"[/color] she whispered to the other woman, who didn’t bother to comment. Eventually, the two were lead to the door of the dining hall. When it slid open, Serah was greeted with a loud cheer. [color=00aeef]"...huh? What?"[/color]

In front of her were nearly all of the other inmates. Some older, some younger, but all of them with a visage that matched the severity of the crimes they were put in jail for. On one of the tables in the middle were a few cakes. They were circled around a bundle of coloured candles, tied together, like you’d see inside of the birthday cake of a small kid. It took Serah a few moments to process everything over the loud singing and cheering everyone was doing, but before it could all sink in, she felt a strong tug pulling her into a hug.

[color=8882be]“Happy birthday, princess!”[/color] a deep voice congratulated her. The owner of it ruffled her already messy hair and the girl had trouble breathing from being pulled so tightly against someone’s body. She eventually managed to wriggle free, gasp in some air, then looked up at this mysterious entity. Not that she didn’t know already; this overly affectionate display wasn’t a first. It was none other than 'Boss' herself. Ring leader of the local mafia voluntarily become inmate, pulling the prison’s strings more than they pulled hers.

[color=00aeef]"M-Mara… did, did you do this?"[/color] Serah stuttered.

[color=8882be]“Of course, princess! I would’ve done even more if I could,”[/color] the older lady, ridden with alien-like tattoos and various scars, replied.

Even if Serah reminded her so much of the daughter she lost, Mara went too far for her sake… it wasn’t fair. But even Serah’s not dense enough to see she reignited the flames in that woman’s heart, long after she’d resolved to waste away in here. Another inmate, half their head shaven with the other forming a fringe over one of their eyes, their face full of piercings, approached Serah soon after. They gave her a small, woolen doll in the form of a little red robot.

[color=e25353]"Made you a doll of that robot-thing you talked about. I don’t remember a lot of it, but I tried making it the way you told me it looked."[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Ah…! No way, you tried knitting Atty?!"[/color]

The little doll didn’t look exactly like Serah’s framewerk, being a lot more cube-ey than the real thing, but this woman, Tanya, did include two pairs of comically oversized, orange bat wings. Sure, it didn’t look like the real thing, but Tanya only picked up knitting from Serah a short while back. The girl thought it could help with the anger issues that got her locked up in the first place, and now the woman made her something so nice...

But it wasn’t just Tanya. Everyone who Serah helped gave her something. Rally, with scars all across her body from drug and alcohol consumption, who Serah recalled stories with about the greatest drunken pilot she’s ever seen, gave a drink she had stashed for emergencies. Axia, a teenager her age struggling with parental abandonment, confided with Serah’s personal struggles long ago and now gave a portrait she’d drawn. Serah recalls when she started being called ‘princess’ by the boss, after helping out everyone here. It made her sad to go, to leave everyone behind like this. Just when they got a new lease on life.

[color=8882be]“Hey, princess,”[/color] Serah heard. She whipped her head back around to Mara. Her eyes widened.

[color=00aeef]"This is... one of the newest mini holos!"[/color] she whispered, looking back up to the older woman.

[color=8882be]"Couldn’t let you go without a gift of my own, right?"[/color] she replied with a wink. Serah was beginning to crack up.

[color=00aeef]"E-Everyone… thanks for my best birthday ever!"[/color]