Monster (Nanbaka!!)

1: The Routine of Isolation

It's dark down here.

What time is it?

Well...it's not like I could see the time anyways. It doesn't matter.

How long have I been here?

That doesn't matter, too.

Musashi let the back of his head hit the concrete wall behind him with a sigh. If his internal clock was right, then three weeks have passed since the disaster that was the New Year's Tournament.

...The thought made him more troubled than he would care to admit. It wasn't because he was stuck down here, either; it was because of what he did that fateful day.

He had egged Jyugo on, provoked him, into showing those blades once more.

He used his fire on the prisoner.

(He made Jyugo show his cellmates and everyone else that inhuman form of his.)

...No, not inhuman. Musashi let out a short puff of air at his thoughts, sitting cross-legged with his back against the wall.

Jyugo was, by far, the most human one out of the two of them. Even though he was made to be a weapon, even though he was empty, he laughed and smiled and snarked and cared like any other person would. He had friends to come back to, a place he could call his home.

And I wrenched that normal life from him, right in front of his eyes.

("Who's really the Monster here, hmm Musashi?")

"Shut up." The fire user said into the silence, the hand resting on his knee tightening its grasp. He heard the sound bounce off the walls, coming back to him at a quieter volume than before.

He had to make it up to Jyugo somehow.

He had to do something.

He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of boots reaching his ears, and he tilted his head to hear it better. Judging by the echoes, the person was halfway down the winding steps that led to his confinement. He let his grip on his knee go slack, forcing his body to assume its usual relaxed position as a grin formed on his face.

"If it isn't Inu-chan."

"You say that like it's a surprise, Number 634."

Musashi let out a small chuckle, shifting towards the sound of the guard's voice. "You never know when someone else might visit. What did you come here for?"

"Number 11 wanted you to head over to Building 13."

"Number 11..." Ah, he was the gambler who was always with Jyugo. The realization only made him more confused, and he sweatdropped a little bit as his grin turned wobbly with uncertainty. "Are you sure he asked specifically for me?"

"Yes. Why is that so hard to believe?" This dog, bless his soul, had disbelief in his voice at the question. Musashi almost laughed at the tone, but he was still reeling from the fact that someone asked for him.

"...It's nothing, nevermind." He waved him off, standing up with his arms crossed. "Do you know anything about why?"

"Hmm..." The guard pondered for a moment, and Musashi heard the telltale jingle of keys being drawn as the shorter man unlocked the cell. "Something about a game room?"

"A game room." Musashi repeated in confusion, his mind swirling with questions as he followed the sound of footsteps. "He asked for me...to come...to a game room."