"So that's how it happened?"
Sat in the psychiatrist for his weekly meeting, Ragna rolled his eyes at the lady writing notes on her clipboard.
"That's what Genzai told me happened."
"And how does that make you feel, Ragna?"
Thumbing his palm, Ragna looked at the thin black glove covering his right hand, Ragna chewed on his lip as he weighed up his responses. "How does that make me feel. My god uncle brainwashed my father for years, caused me to lose my right arm and embedded an artefact in my chest that would kill me if removed. Oh, I'm over the moon, I love reminiscing on it every week with you."
"Would you say that makes you angry? You lost your father, leaving you an orphan, you don't speak about your father much. Why is that?"
Looking away, Ragna really hated these. "It makes me furious, the authorities never caught Ozen ten years later. They never found any leads, the case went cold within weeks, and I told you I don't want to talk about my father. I know he was brainwashed, but he still helped Ozen for so long."
"From everything you've told me, it seems that after your father was freed from Ozen's control. Your father Crio fought tooth and nail to protect you. How could you not see that your father obviously cared for you-"
Done with talking about his father, Ragna stood up.
"Ragna, please, we are not finished with this week's session. You're still booked for half an hour."
"Oh yeah sure." Continuing to leave the living room, Ragna opened the front door, looking back with a faint smile, he shouted. "I'll see you next week, miss!"
Letting the door slam behind him. Ragna rested against the door, sliding onto the ground. Pulling his hood up, Ragna hid his face under the hood.
"Why does it always circle back around to him? Why does she keep asking me whether this or that makes me angry..?"
Seeing a shadow eclipse him, Ragna looked up, his friend Cass looked down at him.
"It's probably because you punched a guy in the face and fractured his jaw." Holding out a hand, they both smiled. "And now everyone thinks you have anger issues."
Taking her hand, Cass helped him up.
"I'm starting to agree with them." She winked.
Shaking his head, Ragna sighed. "What are you doing here, Cass, the test isn't for another hour."
Looking at him, Cass coughed. "Ragna, the test is in an hour."
Hearing this, Ragna quietly whistled. "That's not a lot of time- Wait, I don't have enough time to run home and grab my equipment. I can't just turn up to the centre with just my fists."
"Oh, Ragna." Tossing a small bag to him, Cass smirked. "What would you do without me. I've already packed all of our equipment into that little hand me down. Benefits of living in the same apartment wouldn't you say."
Putting his hands on Cass' shoulders, Ragna's smile beamed down at her. "Ohh Cassidy, I could hug you right now, but I suppose that can wait until after the test." Grabbing Cass' wrist, Ragna started pulling her down the street.
--
Half an hour later, the duo arrived at their location.
Looking up at the exam centre, Ragna looked at the bag Cass had given him.
It was a 2nd level artefact, the bag had a fairly common effect on it. It was larger on the inside than it was on the outside.
"Ragna," Cass called from the entrance. "No time to reminisce on how thoughtful I am for grabbing your things. Get your butt over here."
Hurrying over to her, they stepped into the centre.
"Oh…" Looking around, Cass was visibly confused. "There's no one here?"
Equally confused, Ragna checked his phone. "We still have thirty or so minutes, unless my phone is wrong. Anyway, let's check-in."
Approaching the front desk, Ragna took a few steps forward. Looking at the three ladies at the front desk. Ragna noticed their blank stares, a faint shiver running down his spine.
"Excuse me miss, we're not late, are we?"
Staring at Ragna the lady smiled.
"What for dear?"
Glancing at Cass, she shot him back a confused look. "The test? To become a Traveller?"
"Oh, the test." The lady laughed. "Of course. If you just take that elevator to your right." Pointing to an elevator on the left of the front desk, she continued. "That will take you to your testing location."
"Oh, thank you. Don't we need some form of authentication, paperwork of some kind?"
Simply shaking her head, the lady held a hand towards the elevator. "That will take you to your testing location." She repeated.
Lightly grabbing Ragna's arm, Cass pulled him to the elevator. "Come on, these guys are giving me the creeps."
The door to the elevator opened as the two of them approached it. Stepping inside, the elevator pinged.
"Participants approved, moving to the thirtieth floor."
Turning around, Ragna could see the three ladies staring at them as the door shut.
The elevator lightly shook starting its ascent.
"Something's wrong, Cass, I can feel it."
Stretching her arms in the little room she had, Cass shook her head. "Don't overthink it, dummy. Yeah, those three were weird but." Starting to tie up her hair, Cass shrugged. "Everyone's got a little weird in them, especially you. Can't be too judgy."
Glancing at Cass, Ragna scowled. "I'm not judging anyone. They were literally just staring at us in unison. Come on, Cass, you can't say it isn't weirding you out, this place should be bustling with wannabe Travellers-"
The elevator suddenly shuddered to a stop, the lights flickering.
Looking at each other, Ragna checked what floor they were on. The sixteenth.
"Cass, are you ok?"
Grabbing Ragna's arm, Cass nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing even happened. Probably just a problem with the centre's power."
As the elevator shook harder, Ragna sighed. "You just had to say it."
The lights shut off dropping the duo into pitch black.
Feeling the elevator begin to drop. Cass called for her friend. "Ragna!"
"Cass!" Grabbing Cass, Ragna shielded her as the elevator sped downwards.
Quickly taking the bag from Ragna, Cass scrambled to reach inside it.
"Got it."
Ragna didn't get the chance to see what she pulled out, as the elevator crashed at the bottom of the elevator shaft, knocking Ragna out cold.
--
"Ragna! Ragna wake up!"
Jolting up, Ragna and Cass' heads met.
Falling onto her butt, Cass held her forehead. "Ow! Idiot, what was that for?"
The red emergency lights still flashing. Ragna stood up. "How long was I out?" Ragna asked, holding out a hand.
Shaking her head, Cass took his offer. "Only a minute or two."
Feeling something on his left wrist, Ragna looked. "Hey, Cass?" Holding up a cuff, Ragna asked. "What's this?"
Cass smirked at his confusion. "That Ragna is what saved our asses, or well. It was more my genius that saved both of our asses. It's the special artefact I was saving for the test, but there's no time like the present, I bought it recently. They told me that, that artefact makes the wearers skin as hard as iron. Sadly, it only lasts for five minutes, and it has a cooldown of ten minutes. But eh." Shrugging, Cass leant against the elevator. "It worked, didn't it."
Moving his body slightly, Ragna winced. "I'd say thanks, but everything hurts. I imagine, even being made out of iron, falling fifteen or so floors is going to hurt."
Rubbing the back of her head, Cass apologized. "Sorry, I made you take the brunt of the impact, Ragna." Reaching inside her bag, Cass pulled out two vials of red liquid. "Here, one of these should fix your bruises."
Taking the healing potion from Cass, Ragna nodded as he pulled the stopper out. "Thanks, Cass." Downing the potion, Ragna could feel it start to take effect as his aches went away.
Taking the vial from Ragna, Cass downed her own potion before placing the empty vials back inside the bag.
"So." Ragna postured, seeing that the elevator door was slightly open. "Where do you think we are?"
"Heavens if I know. From how far we fell, I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't in the lowest basement level the centre has. I tried the door before waking you up, wouldn't budge."
"Sure it didn't." Reaching out with his right arm, Ragna effortlessly pushed both of the doors open.
Stepping into a corridor, the only thing that lit up Ragna's view was the emergency lights still blaring in the dark.
Wrinkling his nose, Ragna could smell something foul.
Peeking her head out of the elevator, Cass joined him. "Soo, where to?" Cass asked, not noticing the smell.
Taking a moment to think, Ragna's thoughts were cut short as a man's scream echoed from the left side of the corridor.
Startled slightly, it took only a moment for Ragna to regain his composure. Looking to Cass, she nodded. "Let's go see who needs our help this time." She winked.
As Cass started running down the corridor, Ragna followed close behind.