Morning Mist was wearing a thin black overcoat over tight black jeans.
Standing perfectly straight and holding her hands behind her back, she looked at him in sheer fascination.
Kai looked back at her.
He was just too curious about her Charisma'. It wasn't just a face card, true enough, but beauty still remained the greatest factor contributing toward the Attribute.
"Leaflet." Kai threw the word, expressionless.
It was true he had a thing for mature women. It was also true he had complete control over all such urges. Unless there was a benefit in it, he wouldn't even smile at someone.
Morning Mist smiled gently and threw out a paper plane towards Kai.
At a glance, it didn't look like a simple plane as it kept speeding up, flying across the room.
From Kai's side of the room, a dagger flashed and shredded the paper plane. He didn't need any parlor trick to know that he could kill this woman. It wouldn't be as difficult a task as killing Heavy Block, but it wouldn't be as easy as killing a mid-level 3rd-floor Contestant. Anyway, he had the element of surprise, and it would be his choice when to use it.
"Leaflet," Kai demanded again.
There was a finality in his voice, warning the listener that he would tolerate no further prodding.
The red-haired woman reached into her overcoat's pocket and took out a neatly folded leaflet. She threw it at Kai, but this time, he let it come to him.
When Kai unfolded it, there were rows of texts on its blank side, stating Kai's Code Name, her own Code Name, and her Main Mission, which was to act as Assistant to Probationary Captain.
That's it.
That's it had never been enough for the Blood Demon.
"Move… and die," said Kai, walking around the room.
It was a single bedroom, but quite spacious. There was a sofa set, a wardrobe, a TV sitting over a table drawer, and a bathroom. It took Kai 15 minutes to go through every inch of the entire room, searching for anything that might be out of place.
Morning Mist gawked at him all the time, her mouth opening and closing every time Kai paused and double-checked something.
When he was done, Kai returned to his position. "When did you leave this room last time?"
"I was teleported to this room 20 minutes ago," said Morning Mist, still standing straight at her place.
Kai gave the woman a deep look as she gazed at him with open curiosity. "I accept her leaflet," he proclaimed, finding no other fault.
The notification appeared then.
…
[
A temporary Party is formed between Probationary Captain, Red, and the Assistant, Morning Mist
…
Party Leader: Red
Party Members: 2
Party Privilege:
1. Members can find out each other's location using Mission Credits
2. Members can audio or video call each other using Mission Credits
…
Note: The price of these services will depend on the distance between the two members and their environment
]
…
Both Kai and Morning Mist looked at each other.
Kai knew she was seeing the same notification in front of her eyes, otherwise using Code Names wasn't Chaos' style.
"Desmond," Kai said, seeing her gaze coming out of focus.
Morning Mist smiled. "You can call me Meg."
Another notification appeared, breaking their eye contact.
…
[
For the next 3 hours, both Contestants are being locked in this room. Party Leader must carry out the following instructions:
- Go to the right topmost drawer under the TV and take out the DVD box
]
…
Kai and Meg raised their eyebrows, seeing the notification.
She smiled at him, pointing at a drawer. Kai didn't move. There were a few things he needed to take care of before going along with Chaos' instructions.
"What can you do?" Kai asked, his eyes moving from her to the window. "Tell me all your Abilities and Skills. I need to know them to plan out the Mission accordingly."
"My-my," Meg giggled. "You sure talk like a Captain already. Well, why not? I have two Elementary Abilities. Can you guess?"
Kai hadn't been a Contestant for long after his resurrection. He still knew how hard it would be to get the answer to his question, even if he were to kill her here and now. I must take a go at it in a roundabout way, then.
"If I guess them," Kai said, "you must answer all my questions for the rest of the Mission with no objection."
Meg must have found it quite amusing, for she nodded confidently.
Kai almost grinned.
He crouched down and picked the shredded paper plane. His old scientific eyes narrowed, shifting left and right across the pieces before finally resting on the window behind Morning Mist.
Closing his eyes, Kai's mind ran like a machine, searching for all plausible causes that can lead to situation and position at hand, rubbing the paper pieces between his fingers.
The next time he opened his eyes, all secrets felt naked to him. "There are folds in the paper, so minute, thin, and accurate that even if it wasn't shredded, one would have not noticed them on inspection."
Meg's smile flickered, her brown eyes glinting like pearls.
"Origami," Kai declared. "This Ability is related to Origami."
Meg chuckled, shaking her head. But before she could say something, Kai continued. "Yet, an Elementary Ability can't explain its exquisiteness. It's too brilliant for that and too devious. Wonderful! A mere 3rd-floor Contestant has an Advance Ability related to Origami. Heh! Who would have known?"
Meg's eyes had gone so wide that she almost looked horror-stricken.
"Impossible!" she exclaimed, meekly. "No 1st-Set Contestant is experienced enough to differentiate between an Elementary and Advance Ability unless they have their own…" Meg trailed off, and this time she didn't just look horror-stricken. She was truly shocked. "How old are you?!"
Kai dropped the pieces like snowflakes.
He wasn't done yet.
Kai walked towards the window and looked at the city.
Many youngsters were walking with their Pokemon, playing, and challenging each other. Street Vendors were selling fruits, and many gondolas and speedboats were traveling up the canals, carrying passengers and cargo.
"What were you looking at when I came here?" Kai asked, but it seemed like he was muttering to himself. "Any other Contestant would have been feeling anxious after getting a Mission like yours. Not you, though. You couldn't have been looking at the Pokemon. There was no desire in your eyes.
"You couldn't have been looking at the youngsters. There was no amusement on your face. No envy either. What could you have been looking at with such longing, and such regret, remorse, and guilt?"
With Kai's every word, sweat came pouring down on Meg's pristine forehead.
Her hands were trembling slightly, and she looked at Kai as if one looked at some wild beast, who had vowed to devour you next.
"What is beyond this window that one sees but yet not?" Kai continued. "A picture, I think. A picture represents not only its components but also tells a tale. What does this picture of youngsters, their pokemon, the city, and these emotions tell me?"
Kai looked at her with pity, his hazel eyes turning perceptibly gray, almost black, losing their colors. Though he couldn't control the Advance Ability from acting out own its on yet, these play of words was an inherent part of him, which got boosted by the Ability.
Meg couldn't see Kai's true appearance.
To her, his hazel-gray eyes had just become darker, gazing at her soul.
A deep sense of despair jolted her, and a touch of cold seeped into her bones. She fell back onto the bed behind her and looked up into those hopeless eyes.
"Adventure," Kai stated, breathing Meg's fear and hope. "You long for the adventure, Meg. You are a Pokemon Trainer. But it seems you have been out of the game for too long. Am I right?"