Syzen was expecting a slap but not that hard.
”Ow… that hurt way more than I expected. Anyways, Greek and I can control the Zodiac Constellations and use them as magic abilities” he answered quite calmly, no longer saying anything ‘inappropriate’.
Noel nodded and went inside without a word.
”By the way, one last thing. Thank you so far, this isn’t as bad as I thought” he mentioned, sitting down by the wall.
Agent U seemed to ignore Syzen's first remark, but she smirked, enjoying this.
"Strengths, weaknesses, and fears," she said, ready to finish this.
Noel's cell was on the smaller side, but there hadn't been much for Agent U to use against him. It was like a modern prison cell, metal bed bolted to the wall and facilities in the corner.
Soldier S nodded, understanding.
"There was a lot of restructuring recently, because of the higher-ups not liking the number of characters dying. Most of us are actually trying to make this place livable…" He shrugged.
Syzen shrugged.
”Strength; I’m friendly towards everyone. Weakness; I’m friendly towards everyone. And I’m afraid of the dark and being left alone” he answered all immediately.
Noel nodded.
”Livable is one thing though if I could choose I’d want the bed my Author made me. That shit’s comfy… anyways, thanks again. I’ll see you around” he said before standing up, running and jumping onto the bed, curling up in its sheets.
Agent U looked over her paper once, chuckling to herself when Syzen mentioned being left alone.
"We're done here," she said, standing up and taking Syzen by the arm. She led him out to the hallway, where Soldier K was waiting alone. They nodded to each other in silent agreement, Agent U letting go of Syzen's arm and disappearing back into her room.
"Let's go," K said, grabbing ahold of Syzen.
Soldier S nodded, closing the door. A few minutes later, an opening appeared at the bottom of the door, just enough to slide in a tray. On it, as Soldier S had said he would get, was a strawberry smoothie with whipped cream.
Syzen sighed a bit. So it wasn’t actually necessary to answer truthfully was it? Otherwise Noel would’ve gotten into something bad when he talked about his sexuality. Everyone knew that.
”I’m guessing you’re taking me to my cell?”
”Thanks, I’ll repay you when I have the time” Noel muttered while kneeling down to pick up the smoothie, slurping in the first bits as soon as he picked it up.
He looked around the cell, looking for something mildly interesting.
"Nah, figured we might go for a lovely stroll through the gardens." Soldier K rolled his eyes, leading Syzen down the hall.
"The only way you're not going to your cell right now is if you volunteer to get your ass kicked in the training room."
There was no reply to Noel, the tray being pulled out when the smoothie was removed from it. There wasn't much in the room; there was the bed, the toilet, and sink. However, in the shadows of the bed was a notebook and pencil. Perhaps they had been knocked off when Noel had jumped into the bed?
”Sounds like every other Sunday to me, sure” Syzen replied without much hesitation. He was, though, internally relieved that there was an option that involves him being with someone else.
Noel, having lived in the shadows for so long, noticed the notebook and pencil almost immediately. He walked over to pick it up, taking another slurp of his smoothie.
”Alright, something ‘mildly interesting’” he sat down on the bed, opened the notebook and started flipping the pages, reading each page carefully.
Soldier K smirked a little, changing their course. "Then I don't see why not." Soldier S was at the end of the hallway they were just walking down, jogging to catch up with them.
"His cell's the other way," he noted to Soldier K, raising an eyebrow.
The notebook had various spawlings in it. At the beginning, there were simple doodles and spirals, the work of someone who was extremely bored. The next page, however, had the words "Only use this for emergencies," written in large, bold letters. "Why? Who are you?" Was written underneath, but there was nothing written in response to that. This continued on for several pages, the small loose handwriting adding questions, and the larger handwriting telling saying this such as "f-ck off," "If you continue you're going to the training room," and "Your rations are being cut in half if you don't stop." Eventually, the writings of the smaller version started growing more… abstract. Talking about the cell, the loneliness. Eventually, they looked like the sprawlings of a madman, going on and on about how their Author would save them, they were going to come for them any minute. And then- nothing. They just stopped.
"Oh no no, I'm not going to my cell. You know how that went last time. So I told him that I'd rather get beaten by other people than to sit in a room questioning my sanity for God knows how long for the second time" Syzen regarded as he turned to the soldier taking him to the 'training room'.
"Now bring me to the Colosseum!" Syzen spoke out loud, he seemed… unnaturally excited.
Noel read through the notes quietly, mentally noting down the series that was in front of him.
"Poor soul…" he whispered to himself before picking up the pencil and started to write on the empty page next to the last.
"Day 1. Already, I hate the atmosphere. This place is giving me the chills I had when I was talking to Julian, and that's saying something. I met a Soldier who treated me quite nicely though so that's a plus. He also got me a strawberry smoothie, cheers to him. The interviewer was undoubtedly not what I was expecting. Perhaps I'd have something more to saying tomorrow or tonight"
Soldier S listened to Syzen speak, sighing.
"If that's what you'd prefer." He didn't seem bothered by Syzen's mindset, but the solider leading him most definitely was.
"Why the hell are you so perky about being beaten?" he mumbled under his breath. Still, he led Syzen down the halls, Soldier S following out of curiosity. Most stayed as far away from the training room as possible.
Nothing happened for a few moments after Noel finished writing, but then words appeared underneath in the same large, tight script as had been seen in the previous pages.
I'd ask if you knew how to read, but if you didn't I wouldn't have to deal with this. This notebook is for emergency purposes only. The last part was underlined several times.
Syzen shrugged. He was expecting something bad from the so-called training room but who cares at this point. Better than being left alone at least.
"So, how have you been since we last met younger douche?"
Noel was honestly a bit surprised with the text but decided that at least he'd have someone to talk to, even if they would be annoyed.
"Who are you?"
"You know, I didn't miss you when you disappeared," Soldier K snapped back. "The year was going perfectly fine until you and the other showed up and put everyone on edge." He led Syzen down the same hall the waiting room was in, continuing past it to the end. Double doors were situated there as well, heavily reinforced.
Who I am doesn't matter. The words were written in ink, and the period on the sentence continued to grow, as if the person was digging their pen into the paper and letting the ink flow out.
”I’m gonna be honest with you, this reminds me a lot of… eh… a vault, which is not good” the Constellation warrior gave somewhat of a nervous laughter.
Noel was starting to have fun with this.
”Who were you?” he rephrased the question, hoping the ‘person on the other side’ would answer this one.
"That's the point," Soldier K said. He reached forward, grabbing the handle and pulling the door open with much force. The room, unlike what the name might suggest, was more like a pit. The concrete walls were at least two stories tall, one way mirrors set high up to observe. Soldier K pushed Syzen in, not following.
"Have fun," he said with a smirk.
That doesn't matter. Who are you? There was a pause between the sentences, as if the other person had paused.
Syzen shrugged and looked around.
”Well doesn’t this just remind me of the Arena?” he was waiting for someone to appear when he spoke, leaning against the wall.
”I am a lost soul by the name of Noel Y’bneth. My duty is to encage sinful souls and lead them to the land of the dead” the Viscount wrote down, smiling a bit.
Soldier K closed the door, locking it. After a few minutes, a figure appeared in the middle of the training door; a woman, with long black hair and a white dress.
"Let's get this going, shall we?" A chipper voice sounded through the intercom in the room.
Wonderful. Well, not you're duty is rot in this cell. A fit of laughter could be heard from the other side of the wall. It seems whoever was talking to Noel was a prisoner as well.
(Should I wait for the others or should I keep going?)
(You can keep going!)
(Also also, this is to everyone: @ShadeStar, @Icefire, and @Altrince_is_in_the_Umaru-chan_cult are the only ones who are going to be continuing from here on. ShadeStar and Icefire, I do have something for you to do now!)
Words appeared in Cicada's notebook, though they came hesitantly.
Hello? What is this?
Eventually, for Aron, the door to his cell was opened again. A figure stood outside it, a shorter man.
"I've been asked to fetch you," he said gruffly.
Cicada saw the words on the notebook and pulled out a pen to return. Her handwriting was mixture of flourishes and chicken scratch, Magic notebook connecting to other notebooks. The question is who not what.
Oh! Who are you? The handwriting appearing in Cicada's notebook was neat, easily reabable. It could have easily belonged to the popular girl in school.
Cicada, She wrote back. The handwriting looked of some store clerk, but it was much to neat for that. Probably someone more high ranking, Who are you?
My name's the writing stopped for a moment, hanging there for a minute before starting up again. Crow. Crow Arrings.
Aron narrowed his eyes, standing and watching the man. "To take me where?" He asked slowly.
"Doesn't matter," the man said. He stepped into the room, making sure there was no way Aron could dart past him. Obviously, word of his escape-attempt had spread quickly.
Pleasure to meet ya Crow, Cicada responded. She shuddered slightly remembering the dark birds and how often she had mistaken them for the demon-like creatures that inhabited her world.
Crow's handwriting changed a little, the words more slanted and… off.
Which Agent did you get? They asked.
Agent A, I'm guessing you got the same? Cicada saw the change and thought it slightly strange, but she wasn't going to say anything.
No. I don't have an Agent. There was hesitation between the "I" and the "don't," as Crow was thinking.
Really? Cicada responded back lying on the bed now, Then how'd you get this notebook?