As Fren and Kai walked out of the cell block, Fren's eyes darted everywhere. The long, white corridors stretched on, and the occasional guard passed by, their suits gleaming with advanced tech. The guards' weapons, sleek and glowing with energy, made Fren's heart race.
"Whoa... these guys look intense," Fren muttered, stepping slightly closer to Kai for comfort.
Kai smirked. "First time seeing them up close, huh? Don't worry; they're mostly harmless... unless you're on their bad side." He leaned in, whispering dramatically, "You're not, right?"
Fren gave him a panicked look. "Of course not! At least, I don't think so..."
As they turned a corner, Fren's eyes widened. Through a reinforced glass wall, he saw a row of cells housing some of the most terrifying individuals he had ever seen. Some were covered in glowing tattoos, others had menacing eyes that followed their every move. One prisoner was even shouting nonsense, banging against the glass.
Fren swallowed hard. "Uh… are these… bad Stigma users?"
Kai nodded casually. "Yup. The worst of the worst. My first time seeing this place, I was just as freaked out as you. Don't worry, though—it's normal to feel like that. On the outside, this place looks tiny, but inside, it's massive."
Fren glanced at the guards again, then at the prisoners. "Yeah, massive... and terrifying."
Kai laughed, slapping Fren's shoulder. "Relax, you'll get used to it. Or not. Either way, it's fun to watch your reactions."
Before Fren could respond, the sound of a honking horn made them jump.
The Colorful Van
They stepped outside to see Aria waiting by a vehicle. Fren blinked a few times, trying to process what he was looking at.
The van was... unique. Covered in colorful, mismatched paint and doodles, it looked like a kid had gone wild with a giant marker. Stars, animals, and random words were scrawled all over it.
Kai burst out laughing. "Oh man, it's still the same! This thing looks like a paper craft project gone wrong."
Fren hesitated, not sure whether to laugh or cry. "This... is the car?"
Aria crossed her arms, glaring at Kai. "It's a van. And it gets the job done."
Kai's laughter only grew louder. "I remember the first time I saw this thing. I laughed so hard Aria smacked me upside the head—"
SMACK!
Aria delivered a swift smack to Kai's head. "Just like that," she muttered.
Fren, trying to hold back a laugh, stepped cautiously closer to the van. "I don't know whether to laugh or—"
"Don't even finish that sentence," Aria snapped. She pointed at the van's door. "Are you two getting in or what? I'll leave you behind."
Kai and Fren panicked, scrambling to the van like kids being scolded by their mom.
Heading to Ress's Office
The ride was surprisingly smooth, though Fren couldn't shake the weirdness of being in such a colorful vehicle. As they drove, he suddenly remembered something.
"Wait, where's Ress?" Fren asked, looking at Aria.
Aria glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "He's handling some business. We're going ahead first."
Fren frowned. "Business? What kind of business?"
Kai grinned. "Trust me, you don't want to know. Just go with it."
Fren sighed. "Fine, fine..."
The Chaotic Office
When they arrived at Ress's "office," Fren was expecting some grand, intimidating building. Instead, he found himself staring at what looked like a normal house. The exterior was modest, almost plain, but the garden behind it stretched out like a small forest.
Fren tilted his head. "This... is the office?"
Aria shrugged. "Don't judge a book by its cover, newbie."
As they approached the door, a loud crash came from inside, followed by yelling.
BOOM!
The door burst open, splinters flying everywhere. Fren stumbled back in shock, his jaw dropping as he saw a giant hole where the door had been.
"What the—" Fren started, but his words died as he spotted the source of the chaos.
A chubby girl stood in the doorway, her face red with anger. "WHERE ARE YOU, AREM?!" she shouted, her voice booming through the house.
Fren blinked in confusion as the girl's gaze darted around the room. She seemed to focus, and suddenly, the curtains in the corner fluttered as if caught by an invisible wind. The girl's expression lit up. "Found you!"
From behind the curtains, a young boy peeked out, his face pale. "I don't know what you're talking about, Liesel, I swear—"
Liesel's eyes narrowed. "Then what's that on your face?"
The boy hesitated, nervously touching his mouth. "Uh... it's... a stain?"
Liesel stomped forward, lifting the boy effortlessly. "THAT'S MY BUN!" she roared, tossing him through the open door.
Fren watched in horror as the boy landed in the garden but somehow managed to perform a perfect flip and land on his feet. Liesel didn't stop there, chasing after him with fire in her eyes.
Fren turned to Aria, his voice shaky. "W-who are they?!"
Aria sighed. "Students of Ress. This happens all the time."
Kai smirked. "Oh, you should've seen me the first time I came here. I had all the same reactions you're having now. It's cute, really."
Before Fren could reply, a strong voice spoke behind him.
"And who's this?"
Fren jumped, spinning around to see a muscular woman towering over him. She had an intimidating presence, but her face broke into a surprisingly warm smile.
Kai grinned. "Oh, hey, Vanessa! This is Fren, the friend I was telling you about."
Vanessa tilted her head, looking Fren up and down. Then, to his shock, she giggled. "Aww, so this is Fren? You're kinda cute."
Fren's face turned red. "Uh… t-thank you?"
Vanessa beamed, reaching out to pat his head. "Welcome to the club!"
Before Fren could say anything else, Aria called out, "Vanessa! Liesel and Arem are fighting again. They're in the garden."
Vanessa's smile faded, replaced by a look of pure exasperation. "Ugh, not again. I'll handle it." She turned and marched off, muttering something about "unruly kids."
Kai clapped Fren on the back. "So, Fren... welcome to the madness."
Fren, still processing everything, managed a nervous smile. "Oh... okay..."
The Dominion council
Inside, Ress was seated in a chair, his usual grin on his face. Around him were eight other mysterious figures, each radiating an aura of power and authority.
To be continue..