He's gone, isn't he? BOOK 1 - Espressleine - EspressoxMadeleine

Intermission of Strategy

"WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" Madeleine cried, banging on the doors after they closed. After they won the first game, all the guards did was lead everybody back to the big room where they started. This pissed the divine Paladin off, as he was angered that hundreds of lives were stolen off of a game for money. Espresso stood behind him and crossed his arms, watching the blonde throw a fit over something he felt strongly about. Espresso thought the situation and game was idiotic, people shouldn't have to die over simple red light, green light but they couldn't get out of this situation anyways.

"Madeleine, its no use, everyone that died in the field won't return back to life by screaming and pounding on some door.." Espresso said in a monotone voice, trying not to have flashbacks at the horrors that were laid among the crowd half an hour ago. The whole room was pretty much silent, only whispers of those who were terrified. Some cookies were crying in bed, some were shaking with no sign of life in their eyes, regretting everything. The Professor had no time for mere fear, he had to focus on his survival and safety. Making sure the Paladin was safe as well came along with it, but he wasn't going to say or admit that to anyone.

The brunette went up to Madeleine, and gently pulled on his green sleeve. "You'll damage your wrists, that can be a disadvantage in this hellhole. We need to discuss what's happening, but please can you quiet down?" Espresso whispered to the blonde harshly, beginning to drag him to the bed he woke up at. The 'Intermission' sign was in bold colors again, and everyone had this time to sleep or just wait. The room wasn't as full as before, and that was a bit unsettling for Espresso.

"Can't you see what happened?! Why do we even have to talk about this?! HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE JUST DIED ESPRESSO!" He yelled, which was out of character for the male. He covered his mouth after shouting, and took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to yell.. But those innocent cookies didn't deserve such fate." The Paladin shed a single tear, but was quickly wiped away by the coffee-scented cookie.

"Save your tears, Its not worth crying over. If you show any sign of weakness here, you'll end up joining the dead in their journey to the afterlife." Espresso said, with an serious tone in his voice, he really was just trying to snap some sense into the boy. Now was a confusing period of time, but they couldn't afford to sit around and mourn while there was more games coming. This was all explained in the beginning, and Espresso didn't understand why everyone wasn't beginning to strategize about this.

Well, everyone but Latte and Eclair, who actually had some sense inside of their brains. But thats only because they had enough wits to be employed for the grand Magic Academy.

Latte walked up to Espresso, she looked quite traumatized, but Espresso could tell she wasn't succumbing to terror all that yet. "Listen, I have no fucking clue what just happened out there.. But if we don't stick together I feel like we're going to be next." Latte spoke, sitting down on the bed with the Professor and the Commander. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Using our magic in some ways could be picked up as cheating, and we could be slaughtered in cold blood. So we have to focus on our physical strengths to pull through. Madeleine, You're a Paladin for the divine, meaning you have training and combat and you're extremely well built. Professor, You are pretty sly with your movements but if you had to go in hand-to-hand combat I'd suggest going for the pressure points. Since, in all due respects you aren't the strongest in that field of fighting." Latte explained to them, she worked alongside Espresso sometimes so she picked up wise knowledge from him. She just had a bit more of an optimistic, cheery personality other than the stern, bitter Professor.

"The only thing we need to acknowledge within these strengths is that we can use them when necessary. But a problem to this as well is, we may not even need to use them. We participated in the cruel version of Red Light, Green Light.. Which was a childrens game, something a group of kids would play at recess. So since there are more games to come, would it be safe to assume that those games will also be something we played as children? Classics perhaps, but we cant wipe modern off the table? Think about Field Day, all the games hosted during those school activities are completely on the chess board here. This is like chess, but instead of pieces we are being played on a board here. We need to think out every possible income." Latte continued to explain, motioning her hands in certain ways as she spoke to help her keep her train of thought. Madeleine seemed somewhat lost, but Espresso understood her miniature rant on survival entirely.

"Questions, questions, questions and questions.." Espresso spoke, before looking at Latte. "You are very smart with your wording, Professor Latte. But you are asking questions without receiving answers. I know your answer key is extremely limited here, but perhaps if you took things slower and broke down your equation of thought you'd be able to handle such extreme measures correctly? We cannot be going off an idea without a correct fact. Theories are wonderful for this sort of game, but its life or death on the table." Espresso responded to her, looking her directly into the eyes to the point in which he was kinda intimidating.

"I understand where the both of you two are coming from, but this is a bunch to soak in right now! I know you said not to be mourning, and Ill stop for the sake of the survivors but. We should take this at a slower approach, we haven't been given any information just yet. We don't start the next game till tomorrow, and its still midday. Plus, those guards are bound to come back correct? For now we should stick to the smaller questions!" Madeleine finally included himself in the conversation, it sure took him long enough to finally include himself but whatever.

"It wouldn't hurt to do that, and you're right. Even though time is passing, it seems to be slowing down due to the unsettling aura of the room. For now we should just calm down, and focus on the fact that there are gonna be more games. We can pinpoint out some that are bound to be set in motion? Even though we can't guarantee anything we can at least put things into thought." Latte replied to him, before beginning to think of any kiddy games she had played in her childhood.

"Apologies, Ill help within discussing the matters of strategy but for the subject of brainstorming I won't be of any use here. I never played games as a child, I was devoted to studying and getting perfect grades I never even bothered to learn the names of the games." Espresso spoke, the eyebags under his eyes only seemed to get bigger as the minutes went by.

Madeleine gently grabbed Espresso's chin, making the Professor look into his Sapphire blue eyes. Espresso quickly smacked his hand away though, and the Paladin honestly expected it from the Professor so it didn't harm his feelings. "Latte, do you mind going and taking your train of thought elsewhere for a little while? Not to be rude or anything of course, but Dear Espresso needs sleep." Madeleine said with a warm smile, the Professor looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Oh! Of course, we can meet up about this later. Ill try to get a few other cookies on board with the thought of teaming up and protecting eachother." Latte spoke, walking away from the two males.

"Im not sleeping, not at a time like this! You're an absolute fool if you think il-" Espresso was cut off by the bigger hand covering his mouth, and taking his glasses off. His vision got really blurry, and somewhat annoyed his eyes so he shut them closed. He heard the annoying voice of the Paladin turn into a more soothing tune, almost a more comforting one to shut him off into a slumber.

"Rest Professor.. You won't be able to even survive the next game if you pass out." Madeleine said, a worry in his tone. He rested Espresso's head against the pillow and covered him up with the blankets, hearing a tiny snore from the Professor.
The blonde smiled, and kissed him on the forehead.

What? Its not like Espresso was going to find out about that little kiss! Plus, it was with good intention so it didn't really matter.