Demosthenes left Yuki and Yumi alone as he went ahead. The dungeons in the Palace were naturally heavily restricted. Yuki’s mere presence as an accomplice to Eudokia’s schemes made it very difficult. The soldiers guarding the entrance had strict instructions regarding Yuki.
Once alone in the hall, Yumi’s face went a little more red than it had been. Considering her proximity to Yuki the whole time, she had been doing very well to keep her emotions in check. But alone with no one watching them, it was hard not to fall into fantasy. Especially given what she told him.
However, it did sort of bother her. Something she never really got clarity due to the situation at the time. ‘I don’t know how he feels about me. It seemed that my confession snapped him out, but he’s never said nor did anything to acknowledge it.’ She stared over at him. Naturally, his mind heavily weighed on the situation of his friends, a concern that she didn’t plan to ignore. However, she didn’t know when her next chance might be. ‘I need to know… Is it all just one sided?’
The thoughts and uncertainty made her even more nervous. Just the thought of the confession made her blush. ‘I can’t believe I did something…so…bold…I never would have done that before…’ At the time, she was desperate and wasn’t sure if she was going to live or die. She didn’t care much about how she acted. She just didn’t want to have it end unsaid.
Yumi had been staring at Yuki for so long that she lost track of time. A full face of red and sweat building made it look like she had a fever. She had an almost unblinking stare. It was only a matter of time before Yuki actually noticed. She wasn’t exactly being subtle about it, despite her efforts to the contrary.
“Yumi? Something on your mind?”
“YU-ki!” She nearly choked on her words as she jumped. Knocked out of her own world was a far more jarring experience than she expected. “Sorry, I mean…what?”
He looked at her confused. It made him jump a little startled by her near screaming voice. “You okay? You’ve been staring at me for quite a while. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m feeling a lot better today.”
“Huh?” Her mind locked herself hard into a single path that she had forgotten that he was still recovering. “Oh right, no!” As bad as it sounded, it was an unimportant subject to her immediately. “You definitely seem to be able to walk around on your own today, unlike last night.”
“Yeah, my body is actually cooperating with me today.” He flexed his arms a little to show off his confidence. “So what is it then?”
Yumi pushed her fingers together only delaying things further. “I have a question for you...” She wasn’t sure what she wanted suddenly even though she was so set on things a moment before. Actually saying it was impossible. “…or maybe answer…I mean from you…”
“An answer? You’re not making a lot of sense, Yumi.”
‘Please don’t be this dense, Yuki! You know how hard this is for me?!’ She wanted to slap him for just not understanding what she wanted. Yumi clenched her fists up as a small sign of resolve. “I want to know your answer to what I told you before!”
Yuki tilted his head, staring at her. ‘Answer?’ He tried to think about when Yumi wanted an answer from him. It had to be something recent, but he couldn’t come up with something. “What are you talking about, Yumi? Things have been a little crazy the last couple of days. Maybe if you refreshed my memory.”
Her whole face went red thinking about her confession. ‘Repeat that to him!? I can’t do that! That’s not something you just repeat!’ Yumi felt her legs buckling. It seemed that he forgot or maybe never heard her in the first place. A sudden pain struck her heart that felt worse than any injury.
However, all she was doing was delaying again. She needed to tell him something. A part still hoped he would remember if she jogged his memory. The reality was that he was brainwashed at the time. So maybe it was just buried under everything. “Well you know, during your fight with Eudokia. Or rather before.”
“Before? The first thing I remember from then was seeing you collapsed on the floor. Everything between the end of my fight with Demosthenes to that point is a blur. I’ve tried to remember, but it was like I wasn’t even awake.”
Yumi sank back against the wall. ‘So he really doesn’t remember.’ She felt defeated. Even though it wasn’t Yuki’s fault, she just wanted to punch him for not remembering. ‘I’ll never be able to tell him again!’ It felt like it was all over.
“So what was your question?”
Demosthenes returned to the hallway. “I rearranged the guard duties to people that I trust. But you don’t have much time. So hurry quickly.” He motioned to them, despite neither moving in any meaningful way.
Yuki stared at her, not planning to leave her hanging on an answer. However, she didn’t have the guts anymore. The moment was gone and would never appear again. “It’s nothing. If you don’t remember, don’t worry about it.” She turned away from Yuki, needing to see something else other than him. She needed to get her emotions in control.
“…okay…”
Chapter 279 – The Other Side of the Wall
The prisons were about what they expected. The Palace on the surface looked extremely well maintained. And it was, for those that were meant to live and work in it. Those not meant to be there, the criminals had conditions worse than even those in the underground slums of the Capital. A feat that actually surprised Yuki.
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Most of the cells remained empty and in severe disuse. Being that they were designed for criminals, it was unlikely they really worried about the care or maintenance so long as it held them. However, it surprised Yuki to see that the cells holding Fumiko and Haruo looked brand new and didn’t even look like they belonged with the rest of the prison.
Haruo’s cell seemed very normal compared to the others. It just looked like it was made today. The metal and cement that ran around had no age to it compared to those around. The significant difference was the amount of metal used to reinforce the cell. Even the cement around the walls looked to be supported by metal framing.
Next to him, Fumiko’s cell was the one that looked completely out of place. It was sealed up with no holes anywhere, despite that somehow air still reached her, as she was alive. A clear thick polymer of some sort seemed to be attached as the cell’s door and wall with thick metal bars running through for more strength. Then inside faint lights of a strange writing that didn’t look like anything Yuki had seen before hovered on all sides.
Yuki turned to Demosthenes for some answers. “What the hell is this? Why are they being treated so differently?”
“Because they are not normal humans,” the General answered. He pointed over to Fumiko’s cell. “She makes use of magic, namely flames, but also metal. They’ve specifically crafted the cell to completely negate any magic use. It’s a general catch all since we don’t know what type of magic it is to specifically cancel it. So on top of that they constructed a cell that can withstand her fire and any impact from the inside.”
Moving over to Haruo, the more simplistic nature of the cell became apparent based on his previous description of Fumiko’s. “His has been strengthened to handle the significantly greater physical strength he possesses. Any of our normal cells they’d be able to escape from. So it’s insurance, extreme as it might seem.”
He leaned forward to the wall that divided their two cells. With each eye, he could see one of the cells. It frustrated him that they were left in such a condition. ‘Damn…’
“Also, I trust that you understand the current situation you are all in, that making any aggressive actions could only make things worse. The entire prison prevents the usage of our powers. The special restrictive seal prevents our powers from altering anything in here and a second layer of protection negates the activation of our powers as well.”
“Why are such extreme measures needed?”
“Most of the criminals that the Council handles are MPs, not normal citizens. Only extraordinary cases that involve the state when involved with normal humans are these cells used.”
“Don’t we still present a risk?” asked Yumi. Everyone else on the outside also had special powers. Which meant that they could still break them out.
“You’re all under my protection right now, tenuous as that is, since I have my position thanks to the previous King. I’ve aligned myself with the Council to maintain my position in the Palace. So any actions you might take affects me. I’ve assured them that I’ll handle problems that you present to the country.” Despite his often stoic and emotionless face, he very easily knew how to create a dominating presence when he wanted. He had been nothing but strict and professional in front of them. Yet it was clear that his goal was the safety of Atlantis and his loyalty sat there.
“Even though I’ve beaten the top two MPs Atlantis has to offer,” Yuki commented as though to stir the pot in an unneeded fashion.
“For which, you’ve sustained significant damage to your body. It’s going to still be a bit before you’re at your peak. Right now you're less of a threat than your friends.”
Yuki glared back at Demosthenes in a duel of wills. It seemed to be mere posturing on his part, but Yuki had his reasons. It told him where Demosthenes stood. He had trouble trusting or understanding someone that he didn’t know where their loyalties lied. It gave him what he needed to know.
Shrugging the whole thing off quickly, Yuki turned away from the old man. “Well, it’s not my plan to break them out of here and run. Though it did cross my mind initially. Unfortunately, things here in Atlantis aren’t resolved yet. If I just leave now, my new problems will just follow me home. I plan to leave here when everything has been settled. So you can trust us not to make any aggressive actions.” Yuki immediately rethought his promise, remembering who his friends were. “Well I won’t. Just don’t show Saki or Seiji this. If they do anything I’ll stop them myself. I’m not interested in creating anymore of an international incident, even if no one knows this country exists.”
“I’m pleased to hear that.”
With things made clear with Demosthenes, Yuki walked in front of Haruo’s cell. He knocked on the metal bars. Inside, Haruo seemed asleep or at least his eyes were closed. Yuki suspected that the guy really didn’t care about his situation to try to escape. He would just wait. “Hey, Haruo, you awake.”
Slowly moving his body, Haruo stood up acknowledging. As anyone knowing Haruo would expect, he didn’t try to do anything overt. He casually approached the end of the cell. “Yuki.”
“Still bad with holding a conversation I see,” he joked. Unfortunately, it went over about as well as he figured. “Just hang tight in here. I know it’s not ideal, but I’m working on getting you guys out. Things are just sort of complicated right now. But I’m not planning on giving up.”
“I know.”
A flat, almost disappointed expression came over Yuki’s face. Even if it was expected he still hoped for something more out of Haruo. “You really know how to show your confidence in me, Haruo. You’re even more stiff than the old man.”
“Yuki!” Yumi reprimanded. She smiled nervously at Demosthenes in the hopes that she softened any offensive Yuki caused. Sadly, there was no clear sign if it succeeded. She didn’t even know if he was offended by Yuki’s comment.
He dismissed Yumi’s concern with a hand wave. “If any of Eudokia’s stories she told me were accurate, this guy is loyal to a fault and as long as you don’t insult the King or the country, he’s not going to take any personal offense.”
“You should still be more polite!”
“It’s fine. He’s had to deal with eccentricities of the last King, he’s used to being called stiff at this point I’d imagine.”
Things reached a nail biting point for Yumi. “…Yuki…” Yumi stared up at the Atlantean, nervous by how unresponsive he was to anything Yuki said.
“You would be correct in your assessment. In many ways, your personality does remind me of the late King.”
“See, it’s not a problem.”
“I’m really sorry, Demosthenes!” apologized Yumi, since Yuki clearly never planned to do so.
Demosthenes declined her insistence. “It’s alright. I suspect part of it is also an outlet for him to vent his anger towards me. It’s perfectly reasonable for him to be angry.”
“Tch, way to kill the fun.” Yuki moved on over to Fumiko’s cell. He poked his head around trying to figure out how he was supposed to talk to her. “Hey.” Motioning over to the old man, he pointed at the clear wall. “Can she hear me through this?”
“Yes, you will be transmitted through to her.”
“Hey, Fumiko! It’s me! Sorry it took me so long to get down here to see you. It’s been a complicated couple of days.”
Fumiko approached the edge of the cell. Her eyes briefly glanced beyond Yuki, but then snapped back to him. It was only for a moment, but her expression changed harshly at what she saw. “I know about most of it already.”
“You do?”
“Yori’s kept me informed on what’s happening up top, both of us.”
Yuki knocked his hand into palm, understanding why Haruo seemed to understand everything going on. He did give some of the credit to Haruo as he seemed like an intelligent guy. “Explains a few things. So then you know that we’ll be working to do everything to get you out of here. We’re not leaving until all of this is settled and we have an apology from those Council bastards!” He knocked his fists together as a promise to Fumiko.
She smiled a little glad to see him looking better. Too much had changed since they all started. ‘Some things never change at least…’ However, things quickly made a change for the worse as she got a new message from Yori. “What?! Are you sure?”
Confused, Yuki wasn’t sure why Fumiko was so upset. “What’s wrong?”
“I just heard from Yori. The Council has decided to move up the trial to this afternoon!”
“What?!” shouted Yuki and Yumi, equally in surprise. It was supposed to have been tomorrow. They barely had any time to recover. Things just kept getting worse.