"Hey, Troyard. We're going out."

What. Out?

Slaine couldn't believe his ears. It's been about a year since his confinement, and the only "out" he had experienced was leaving his chamber for a brief visitation from that damned Kaizuka. He never once left the building. Besides, where could he possibly go? The world thought he was dead. Havoc would break out if the public learned of his living existence.

Today, Kaizuka visits him in his cell. Different from the usual room of transparent walls.

"Did you hear me?"

Slaine's eyes move toward the speaker. He's still dumbfounded but finds the ability to respond. He refuses to, however, out of spite. Kaizuka takes it as a 'yes.'

"Change into this. Hurry up."

A drawstring bag is pushed into Slaine's hands. Opening it - fingers pulling at the edges ever so slowly - he finds casual clothing. Navy blue trousers. Black socks and shoes. And a white long-sleeved button-up.

"I didn't know what you liked to wear, so I went with what seemed similar to a Versian uniform. Don't worry about the size. I went through your medical files to get your measurements. I also took the freedom to…"

Slaine blurred out the younger man's words. Of course, Kaizuka looked through his files. Not that Slaine had any power to stop him. When it came to Kaizuka, privacy did not exist. Mentally sighing, he begins to tune back in.

"… found that your reproductive organ is slightly on the smaller side of the average scale."

And he regrets it.

How does he even have records of that? I haven't even measured it myself!

"In other words…"

"Okay! I get it! I'll change."

Slaine removes the pieces of clothing from the bag and leaves them on his bedding. As his hands move to the bottom lining of his top to lift the clothing above his head, he pauses – eyes narrowing expectantly at Kaizuka.

"You're going to stand there and watch me?"

"I see no reason not to. My presence will not hinder your physical ability to remove clothing."

"You can give me privacy."

"You are going to have guards watch you anyways. Plus, I have seen you bare when…"

"Just go!"

When it came to Kaizuka, privacy did not exist. Typical.

"…"

"…"

"… Fine. It will give me some time to finish up a few things."

Without further comments, Kaizuka leaves Slaine to the prisoner's task. Victory?

When Slaine had dressed, two guards escort him out the building. Hands and feet cuffed. He finds the surrounding area deeply shaded by trees. It's dark. He finds Kaizuka waiting beside a black military vehicle. It also appears Kaizuka had changed his clothing as well – from his usual military uniform to jeans, a white shirt with blue stripes, and a yellow cardigan. If it wasn't for the eye patch, he would look like a normal teenager.

The guards leave while Kaizuka arranges Slaine to sit next to the driver's seat. In a matter of seconds, they depart.

The first minutes of the drive are deadly silent. Time goes slowly as Slaine amuses himself with the scenery beyond the window. Hands still cuffed. Feet are free. It's been so long since he's seen the outside but his view is heavily covered by the continuous shade of trees and their fully leafed branches – fragments of light piercing through the gaps. He imagines what the sky would look like beyond them. Free. Limitless. The complete opposite of him – a prisoner. He could not get closer. He could never go back to his childhood where he suffocated from lesser chains. Now, he had to deal with the man who refused to kill him. He desired to reject the driver of interaction and compliance, but occasionally, his eyes would move to glance at the demon's reflection.

"Sorry."

Slaine's eyes widen in surprise at the sudden break of silence. His head immediately whips away from the window to fully look at Kaizuka.

"I couldn't convince them to completely remove your binds. The handcuffs must be uncomfortable."

Slaine is dumbfounded on how to react to Kaizuka's strange concern, so he doesn't and turns his head back to the side window to avoid any potential eye contact.

"...Where are you taking me?"

"You'll find out when we get there."

He is about to he retort when a straight blast of sunlight hits his eyes and engulfs his sight. His eyes quickly clench shut, waiting for a chance to readjust. Slowly, they open. The trees are gone. Completely. All he sees is that sky. That blue sky his princess loved. He becomes enticed. Falling into loving remembrance.

Kaizuka remains silent for the rest of the drive.

Slaine doesn't notice when they park on a sandy beach – eyes still planted on the view above him. As a result, Kaizuka is forced to open the prisoner's door to get attention, and only then does Slaine fully realizes his surroundings. He was confused and slightly suspicious when he was first asked to change clothing, and the area refused to give him answers. He doubts that Kaizuka had taken him out to have a fun beach day. It wasn't in his character.

After Slaine hesitantly exits the vehicle, Kaizuka reaches into one of his cardigan's pockets – revealing a small ring of differently-sized keys. Taking the smallest, he unlocks Slaine's handcuffs and removes them.

"I thought you couldn't get permission."

"They won't know."

He's speechless.

"She'll throw a fit too…" Kaizuka softly mutters under his breath.

Slaine, however, does not quite hear him. He barely catches the ending; he's afraid of finding out what it means.

"You're not afraid that I might run off?"

"You won't."

Again, speechless.

Kaizuka's level of confidence is too high for Slaine's comprehension.

"Well then, shall we go? We're almost to the meeting place."