Hello, My lovely readers! How are all of you? I would like to thank you all for your support as usual! By the way, do you guys prefer longer chapters?
Replies (guest): Sapphire2112- Thank you so much for another heartwarming review XD You always make my day! I know the Solidad thing was very sad, and I hate to do it to Drew, but I had to. I hope you like this chapter too!
Enjoy! Feel free to drop those reviews!
Getting to the Institution from the train stop was easy. It was barely a ten minute walk into the forest where it stood, and when May had first seen the building she was honestly surprised it wasn't more hidden. For all of the man's warnings to stay as inconspicuous as possible, it's hard to believe that this building is the real deal. After all, it's practically out in the open.
"This is the place, huh?" Drew comments, raising an eyebrow at their escort. May's glad she isn't the only one thinking it. The man nods.
"Wow," Ash breathes, practically glowing.
If it resembles anything, it would have to be a box, not the kind one receives on the anniversary of their birth, but rather like a cage. It's tall, that's for sure, and stretches up until the roof becomes completely shielded in the gray clouds above. Around the Institution is a huge gate, and if they're trying to keep intruders from entering, they're doing a pretty effective job. May's sure nobody could get passed it, after all, she had just witnessed a bird get electrocuted upon contact with the barrier a few minutes prior. Something that really strikes May as odd is the fact that there are barely any windows. She supposes that it's not too much of a surprise, especially considering the place's surroundings: void of any sunlight, and looming clouds above that suggest nothing close to pleasant weather (if it's like this everyday, she guesses no one would have a need to look out them). Still, it's odd. It seems that when they built the establishment they had no intention of making It look pretty.
"Upon entering this building," the man begins, breaking the three of them from their gazes, "you will be given a chance at survival. There is no room for messing around. The owner, Howard Caprice, has no patience for slackers; even though he may look calm on the outside, on the inside he is nothing close to the word."
May gulps. She hadn't realized before, but standing there in the shadow of the great building, awaiting the mysteries that lie ahead, she can't help but be afraid. Her gaze shifts toward Ash and Drew. The emotions going through Ash's head are obvious: he's determined. His brown eyes shine with raw motivation, and if May were the type of person, she'd be insanely jealous. She's far from ready to face what lies behind those gates after all. As for Drew, his expression is masked. May just wishes she knew what he was thinking.
"I'm going to enter the code to get in, and from then on you are by yourself," the man finishes.
May's heart sinks to the bottom of her chest. "What?" she asks, crestfallen.
"Bringing you here was my only job, May. There are others like you out there that I have to find too."
"But I thought…" she trails off. What had she thought? She guesses she imagined he would be there with them to guide them along the journey. He was the one who found her, and it's not like she knows anyone else. Her parents are God knows where, and every increment of her past life has vanished. Sure, Ash and Drew are with her, but that man is like an anchor to her. He's wise, and kind, and without him...how will she know what to do?
Drew frowns. "May-" she's surprised he actually got it right- "you had to have known this would happen sooner or later. You can't expect him to hold your hand forever."
"I know that Drew! It's just…"
"It's okay!" Ash says cheerfully. "You'll have us with you."
It doesn't make May feel better.
Campbell - the man, as May knows him - places his hand on her right shoulder (the good one). His hand is heavy, but it does not strain her. He speaks. "May, this won't be forever. I'll see you again, but for now you have to focus on getting better. This is your once chance at living. I know the concept is...hard for you to grasp, especially all things considered." She knows he is referencing to her memory loss. "But as Drew said, I won't be here to hold your hand."
Her chest tightens. "I understand," she says, "but the least you could do is tell me your name." May feels as though she deserves to know. It's already odd that he hasn't told her yet, and if he really is leaving, well, she would like to remember him by something more than just a picture of his face.
Campbell sighs. "In my profession, revealing your identity will get you killed." Solidad flashes in his mind, and his fist clenches itself at his side. He buries the thought; there's no time for mourning right now. Campbell walks away from the trio then, moving in the direction of the gate. There is a small number sequence that he presses into the system, and with a great groaning sound, the gate begins to open. He shoves the three of them inside. "One more thing you guys: you have to find something to fight for. Without it, you'll never last."
There is another groaning sound, and the gate begins to close.
Howard Caprice looks down at his watch. The new arrivals should be coming any minute now, and he would like to prep his workers before they arrive. Campbell briefed him on the advent of three new children, but he wasn't the only one to check in. There will be a number of them arriving, and they deserve a proper welcome. While he is sure his staff understands this, it does help to go through it as a group to make sure everything is clear.
Howard clears his throat. "I want you all to be briefly explaining a bit about yourselves at the initiation today," he tells his staff, raising his voice to get their attention. Speaking of the staff, it should be noted that there isn't a great deal of them. This upsets Howard immensely, because running the place takes a lot of work, and having fewer numbers means more of that for him. Still, the one's he does have are loyal, and hardworking, which makes up for it. There are five in total, and they all run a different course.
"Oh gee," one of the members, a young lady with bright orange hair, says with mock excitement, "how absolutely thrilling.' Her last word drifts from the previous high lilt to a flat deadpan. "Seriously? What do they possibly need to know about us?"
A grin slips it's way onto Howard's features. This girl is one of his most strategic staff members, who (despite her age) knows the ropes of the institution like the back of her hand. She's quick, spunky, and not afraid to speak her mind; the novices arriving will be scared to death.
"Perhaps who you are and what you teach would suffice," offers another member - a tall well dressed fellow with, strangely enough, bright green hair.
She blows air out of her mouth in annoyance. "Yeah, well they'll figure it out as soon as they attend my lessons! Why should I waste my breath?"
"Come on, Misty," another member addresses her, his light brown skin glowing a rich caramel color under the overhead light's reflection. He smiles knowingly at her which causes Misty to send a heated glare his way. Howard watches in amusement at their exchange. The young man continues, "You and I both know that this initiation is your favourite part. After all, you love scaring the living hell out of all the debutantes. So why complain?"
"He does have a point," muses the green haired one.
"I don't care!" she screams.
Howard moves his gaze at the other two who have yet to speak: Cynthia, and the institution's professor, Oak. Yet again, two more valued members. Cynthia, watches the others with interest, her grey eyes set forward, and a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Her companion beside her smiles fondly, emphasizing the wrinkles around his face.
Howard tries to forget the previous day's events, which left him depressed at his desk, and Cynthia a fuming mess (after he threw that vase, she had a lot of curses to offer him). The truth is, they've never truly seen eye to eye, but he needs that in a confidant. He needs someone who, at the end of the day, can shed some light onto the other side of the coin; someone who can offer him a bit of knowledge alongside a different opinion. Most of all, someone who can stop him when -and if - he ever turns away from The Institution's goals. He's thankful to have her aboard, really he is, but at the same time it proves to be quite aggravating.
Meanwhile, at the coalface, Misty is still screaming.
"You two are really starting to get on my nerves! Do I need to bring out Staryu?" she threatens, her eyes locking onto their bodies like they're targets. The two men blanche.
"No ma'am!" they say in unison, clutching onto each other for life support. Misty smiles triumphantly.
"Good!"
"Alright, alright," Howard jumps in, "there's business to be done. Misty, I hate to tell you this, but you'll have to introduce yourself, whether you like it or not." She pouts. "Now, Brock-" the dark skinned man looks up, "-please go get all of our guests, and bring them to the auditorium." Brock gives a quick salute before marching off, Misty in tow.
"And me, sir?" inquires the green haired man.
"Cilan I would like you to get the dinner ready. I'm sure all of them are quite famished. You can introduce yourself at a later date. Ah, just don't tell Misty." Cilan nods, suppressing a grin, and exits the room with a flourish.
Howard turns to meet the gaze of Cynthia, her eyes piercing. "I'll be off then, I'm sure Brock needs help," she tells him.
"Sounds good."
"The professor wants to talk to you anyway. See you soon." The blonde haired woman leaves him then, and Howard turns his head towards Professor Oak, who's frowning face suggests anything but good news.
May stares bewildered at the scene before her. She hadn't expected the inside of the building to be so...extravagant. The trio (May, Drew, and Ash) had only made it through the front door, before they were stopped dead in their tracks by the sheer beauty of the place. While the outside may seem poor in taste, what lies behind the doors of the Institution is anything but. There is a rich red colored carpet that trails itself down the middle of the room, landing right at their feet, and tracing itself right back up to a large staircase made out of white marble. The floor itself is also made out of the material, and it's polished to a fine shine that they can see their reflection in. Ash smiles goofily as he gazes down at his own, while Drew checks his hair - May can't help but roll her eyes at that. Her gaze drifts upwards. The ceiling of the room is breathtaking: an intricate painting of a group of men and woman dancing in a circle takes up its expanse, all of them as naked as jaybirds with nothing but a long piece of fabric tied at each other's wrists. Hanging down from the ceiling as well are glass chandeliers which May is sure must have cost a fortune. They look as expensive as they are breakable; wearily she spares a glance at Ash. From what she's already seen from him (he had smashed a hole through a wall on the train) she can guess that something is bound to break when he is around. Drew must have sensed this too, because he quickly takes a step closer to the raven haired boy. "Where is everyone?" he asks, eager to get Ash away from all of this glass and expensiveness.
"I have no idea," Ash remarks, "it looks deserted." Indeed it does. Their voices seem to echo throughout the entire room and beyond - like the place is hollow.
May frowns. "This place is definitely weird," she says, and instinctively wraps her arms around herself. She has a bad feeling about the place, or maybe it's just the way her shoulder is tingling, like it does before a burning fit. She knows she isn't due for another one for a while, maybe a few hours if she's lucky, but at the same time they are impossible to predict.
Before any of them get too restless waiting there (and before Ash ends up breaking something) footsteps sound off in the room to their left. They whip their heads in unison to the sound, and as they do a man appears in the doorway. He has fairly dark skin, a warm smile, and a friendly aura. "Hello," he greets. Behind him, a woman appears, all blonde hair and stormy eyes. She peers down at them with an amused smile.
"I believe we all have some proper introductions to make?"
They sit in small room with nothing but chairs stacked up in every corner. Most of them have a plastic sheet over them to keep off dust, and others have been unwrapped for the occasion. May chooses to sit on a red one, the cushion made from a rubbery material that sinks in as she sits. It's an odd room, branching off from one of the million different hallways the Institution contains. They had a brief tour of the first floor, which was supposed to give them an idea of the layout, but it only made May feel lost. She guesses that even if she spent a year exploring the different rooms, hallways, and passageways, she'd still never find her way around.
The man and woman who led them into the room stand in front with smiles planted on their features. May shifts uncomfortably.
"Welcome," begins the man, "to the Institution." He spreads his arms out wide in a theatrical gesture. "You were probably given a brief overview of the place by your escort, am I correct?"
"Um...not really," Ash says, and May and Drew nod in agreement.
"Actually, not at all," continues Drew.
The man up front almost falls over. "Eh!?" he exclaims. The woman sighs.
"Why do we pay these people?" she mumbles.
"Well, I suppose he did say something," May assures the man. "I mean, well, he told us that we can get better here."
"I suppose that's better than nothing, but still...I wish he would have at least warned you about some things."
"Warned us?" A wave of nervousness crashes over May's body.
"What do you mean?" Ash asks, tilting his head to the side. He seems more curious than anything else.
"Well," replies the woman, "while it is true that you can better yourselves here, it is also true that you may die trying. In fact, it's probable that you will." She paces a little, her heeled boots clacking with every step. "I'm sorry to say that this place is dangerous, and there is no safety precautions to prevent you from getting hurt. What you all are dealing with is beyond the normal human's ability to control."
"But death?" Drew asks.
"Yes." The woman's gaze is sharp.
"That being said," the man cuts in, "you should also know that there is a possibility you can live."
"And if we don't want to take that chance?"
"You shouldn't be here then. But as the dean will tell you, it's not like you-" the sound of a door slamming open breaks the man from his speech.
"Brock," comes a voice from the doorway. In walks a tall, well aged man with greying hair, and wild looking eyes. "I think you better leave that to me. I only told you to introduce yourself after all." Behind him drifts a girl around the same age as the three of them. She looks pissed, and May can't help but wonder if she's hurt too.
The man, Brock as they now know, stands up straighter as he sees his superior approach. "Sorry, sir-" he turns his gaze back towards May, Drew, and Ash, "-you're right. Let's start over then. My name is Brock Slate, and I work in the medical department here at the Institution."
"So you're like a nurse?" asks Ash. The raven haired boy looks uncomfortable, but it could just be the fact that the girl who entered beside the man keeps sending him heated glares.
"You could say that, yeah."
The blonde woman speaks next, "And my name is Cynthia. I'm the second head of this Institution-" she sends a glance in the grey haired man's direction, as if challenging him to correct her. When he doesn't, she continues, "-and also one of the teachers here."
"Teachers?" inquires Drew.
"How else will you learn to get better?" snaps the girl near the door. May shrinks a bit as she looks at her. The girl has bright orange hair, piercing sea-blue eyes, and a scowl on her face. Her arms are haughtily crossed over her chest, which is covered by a yellow short-sleeved blouse. May glances down at her own apparel, which she had completely forgot about. She is still wearing her escort's shirt, and it makes her heart heavy to think about how he had left so suddenly.
"Now now, Misty," scolds the grey haired man, "there's no need to get snappy with people. It was a fair question."
"Whatever."
"Are you going to introduce yourself, then?"
The orange haired girl groans, but reluctantly gives in. "Name's Misty. I'm one of the teachers too. You'll learn what I teach soon enough, I think it's best not to overwhelm you with so much information right now."
"You work here!?" splutters Ash. "But you're so young!"
"You got a problem with that, shorty?" she growls, clenching her fists.
"No!" he yelps, his face growing red.
"Good."
"Alright you two," Cynthia cuts in, "clearly we are getting a bit out of hand. That's enough bickering." Misty is still glaring, but the intensity lessens. She mumbles something under her breath, before backing up against the wall. "Maybe we should just get on to the whole point of this meeting."
May, Drew, and Ash send each other weary glances. "Which would be?" they ask. Honestly, they're wiped out from all of the traveling they've done, but still, they understand that this is important. There's so many questions they need answered.
"Perhaps I can assist you with that," offers the grey haired man. "My name is Howard Caprice, and I run this fine establishment." He smiles arrogantly. He and Drew will get along swimmingly, thinks May. "I simply wanted you to meet the kind people who will be with you for the entire course of your stay here. My staff will assist you in the process of eliminating whatever evil is lurking in your veins. Get along well with them, won't you?"
May glances at the three of them - Brock, Cynthia, and Misty - before resting her gaze back onto Howard. She doesn't know what to think about the three of them yet. Sure, Brock and Cynthia seem nice, and Misty, well, the opposite, but it's too early to make any snap judgements. Howard, on the other hand, is a mystery entirely. Her escort told her he'd help, but also that his calm exterior isn't close to what lies brewing inside.
"But that is not all," Howard continues, "I'm here to tell you that there will be an initiation. You need to show me that you have what it takes to be here. There will be three parts to this. First, you will be given a week trial to test out the waters: attending classes, learning the basics, and trying to understand yourself. Second, you will be doing some field work, which you will be prepped for, of course. Finally-" he licks his lips, "-you will have an interview with me. I will ask you a simple question, and after taking in consideration all of these things you've completed, well, we shall see if you still have what it takes to survive."
"What happens if we fail?" May finds herself asking.
"My dear, you should hope it doesn't come to that."
"I have something to ask you," Drew says, sitting up straighter in his seat. Before he speaks, however, his fingers suddenly clutch onto the armrests forcefully. May can see the almost pained look on his face, and the beads of sweat that have began to accumulate on his skin.
"Well?" Howard asks.
Drew swallows hard. His eyes have began to water, and his body seems to twitch ever so slightly.
Not good.
"Aren't you going to say something?"
Drew opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. He sits there gaping like a fish, until the wave suddenly hits him, and his body erupts into a burning fit. He rolls onto the floor, clutching his chest in agony.
Understanding flits itself across Howard's features. His eyes darken. "Everybody, out," he orders. No one protests.
They spill out into the hallway as fast as they can. Drew and Howard are left in the room, and May forces her head away from the door. She shuts her eyes tightly, trying not to picture the commotion going on inside. "Drew," she whispers, worriedly.
She doesn't think she'll ever get used to the way things are.
"You've been hurt by something," explains Howard, after he returns with Drew, and they've all settled down in the cafeteria with a plate of warm food. Drew looks down at his plate with a detached look on his face, and May wishes she could comfort him.
They've decided to continue on with the meeting, but May just wishes she could sleep. Her whole body is exhausted, and even though she can't see the sky, she knows it must be dark. Howard's voice is powerful, however, and she can't help but focus on it as he explains what the marks are in more detail. "What you've been hurt by is not of this earth, not human anyway. Truth is, you've all been infected. This is the term used by the Branders, and I suppose by a lot of people really."
How could something "not human" hurt us? What does he mean exactly - a monster? May wonders.
Howard continues, "you all can't remember how it happened, am I right?" None of them contradict him. "And in some cases, it wipes out every memory you may have had before its occurrence." He turns his gaze towards May. "Isn't that right?" She nods. "You see, sometimes in traumatizing situations you tend to forget these things, or your mind doesn't let you remember. The whole situation becomes some kind of coma dream. You can't perceive it as real. This is your body's way of keeping out terror. However, there are some things you can't keep out, no matter how hard you may try. These marks are the proof."
"So what does all of this mean?" Drew asks, exasperated. His cheeks are blazed red, and his breathing unsteady. He's still recovering, May guesses, and swallows hard at the sight of his discomfort. He seems almost embarrassed. "What I want to know is how are we supposed to get better!? You never told us! How can we trust this Institution, anyway? Have you ever even cured somebody?"
Howard's eyes harden. "I know that the aftermath of a burning fit can mean irritableness, but that's no way to talk to someone who is offering you their help."
Drew stays silent.
"As for your question," he goes on, "yes, we have cured people. Many, in fact. That being said, there have also been people who have died here. Cynthia has already told you this, no? Drew, I am offering you the best information that I can give, and with it you must decide for yourself if you can trust our establishment." His voice rises. "After all, the reason it was created-" he lets out a shuddering breath, his composure suddenly breaking, "-excuse me." The man suddenly breaks away from the table, disappearing into another hallway.
May, Ash, and Drew send each other confused glances. "That was...odd," comments Ash between a spoonful of his dinner. May nods her head in agreement. Silence envelops the cafeteria then, and it passes far too long for May's liking. Drew must be stuck in his thoughts, and by the glare on his face they can't be good, as for Ash, he seems to stick to his food. Luckily before the awkwardness persists, Misty comes by. She plops herself right on one of the seats with a loud bang.
"Hello there," she greets, balancing an apple in her hands. "You sure got Howard worked up." The silence continues. "Wow, okay...you all sure are great for conversation. Is this because I scared you? Honestly, I was just angry is all, Cynthia tells me I'm moody - WHICH I'M NOT, YA BLONDE WITCH - but she's just judgemental. Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about the dean, he has a bunch of issues he needs to work out. You'll learn more about this place soon enough, anyways." She stares at them intensively. Her blue-green eyes are quite pretty, May observes, and she does have a nice smile when she isn't yelling at them.
"Thank you," May tells her, speaking up for once. "We appreciate it."
"No problem, I'm just sorry we got off on a wrong foot. Okay, but seriously...STOP EATING LIKE A DAMN PIG!" she yells at Ash, causing the raven haired boy to squeak.
"Sorry," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his head.
She sighs. "Maybe I should show you to your dorms."
Howard stared at Drew's form with a stony look on his face. The boy was going through a burning fit, his body writhing from side to side in such a disastrous, hurting way. There were no words exchanged, Howard being far from the type to comfort. The only sounds, in fact, were the screams that racked Drew's body, painful to the ear.
Howard was used to this.
After the fit passed, Drew stayed on the ground as straight as an arrow, his chest facing upwards, and heaving itself up and down sporadically.
"Heartburn," observed Howard. "That's what it feels like, doesn't it? I'm assuming this from the mark's location - on your chest. Don't look so surprised, anyone with eyes can see the way you clutch the damn spot, it's obvious." Howard calmly walked over to Drew's body. The green haired boy stared at him wearily. "Take your time getting up, there's no need to strain your heart anymore. Cardio will be hard for you, but it's something we must overcome. Strain will be put on your body here after all."
Drew's body tried to heave, but there was nothing to throw up. "Why are you rambling things about cardio? What does that have to do with anything?" he choked out.
"My bonny lad," Howard said condescendingly, "it has to do with everything." He rolled his eyes. "Training to get better requires physical work."
"What kind of training are we talking about? How do you plan on helping us better ourselves? Do you have a cure, a solution, a-" his body tried heaving again.
"I said calm down. Take your time. After all, we have much to discuss. Your questions will be answered, but mine will too." The boy knew what happened to Solidad, after all.
The green haired boy didn't move for a long time, and Howard couldn't help but think that these kids wouldn't last for a second.