The mysteries began before Xander had even been born. Not long after his mother became pregnant, she would feel regular, sharp pains. Far more excruciating than would occur during a natural pregnancy. As he gradually developed at a seemingly normal rate, his little kicks and bumps would leave dark bruises on her belly.
Every time she ate, her stomach would clench tightly, as if giant hands were pushing down on her.
Any drink, even the freshest of waters would feel like nails scraping down her throat.
It got so bad, at one point she considered getting an abortion. The fact that it wasn't a planned pregnancy didn't help either.
Already in a tight situation with their families on both sides, they didn't dare contact them for help. Doctors would tell her she was exaggerating, thanks to having an already confirmed history of delusional behaviour. Only his father believed her, watching helplessly as she suffered day after day.
Until finally, her water broke. Three weeks early. While being rushed to the hospital by a terrified and frantic husband, the pain overwhelmed the fragile woman beyond belief. She passed out within minutes and was dreary throughout the birth. Though she couldn't ever forget that pain.
Screaming while giving birth was, of course, perfectly normal. All babies born are a wonderful, yet agonising birth.
But Xander's mother had never imagined pain like this. She was utterly silent, hardly able to breathe, nurses trying to force oxygen in her constantly. With bloodshot eyes, all the broken screeches of bloody agony seemed trapped in her chest.
Even so, the moment she held her little boy for the first time, she didn't regret a single moment of it.
Nothing about him seemed particularly different at first, other than how eerily little he cried.
The small, black dot went unnoticed by anyone. Neither his parents nor the doctors gave it any consideration. Just a mole, they thought, nothing more.
While they loved him with every fibre of their being, the tiny youth only brought further problems once they arrived home. The doctors had been suspecting that Xander's mother had been bruising her own body in distress, even mentioned perhaps having the child removed.
However, it was exactly nine days after the birth that the worst of it came.
While changing him into his new, handsewn baby clothes, his mother's eyes were drawn to the dot on her baby's chest.
It was different.
Though the change was slight, she noticed nonetheless. Tiny, pinprick lines moving outward from the dot.
That evening, while she rocked Xander to sleep with a hushed lullaby, there was a loud knock at the door. Immediately, she was unnerved.
They didn't talk to other people in the neighbourhood, they never had guests.
A salesman, perhaps?
Who was she kidding, it must have been close to midnight already.
She stood atop the stairs, holding Xander tight against her chest while his father hesitantly opened the door.
There stood three utter strangers. Two men and a woman, all unusually tall with broad shoulders. Wearing smart clothes, tight, grey suits without ties.
She didn't remember much of what they said, but each word she could sent an icy shiver down her spine.
"Don't panic, we don't want to hurt you." The tallest man spoke like a robot, no emotion behind those shadowy eyes, "So long as you comply, there won't be any problems. Just hand over the child and we'll be on our way."
Of course they refused, praying that this was some sort of twisted joke. But the strangers insisted.
"You don't know what he is. You've noticed the markings, right? You must give him to us or we'll have to take him by force."
His mother later realised what the stranger meant by the markings, forever an indication of her child's uniqueness.
Xander's father tried to slam the door in their face, furious at the very notion they proposed. However, with remarkable reflexes, the stranger grabbed it halfway.
"...very well."
With no effort, he threw the door off of its hinges, sending Xander's father flying back, hitting the wall and denting it.
His mother screamed, fleeing toward the bedroom and slamming the door closed behind her. In her terrified, frantic attempt to open the window, praying she could climb down safely and reach the car, the strangers had already caught up, pulling her back with such force that it tore her nightdress.
Her desperate pleas went unnoticed as the strangers reached for her beloved child.
But nobody was taking Xander away that night.
Before the tip of his finger even made contact with the crying baby, the first stranger flew back in a flash of blinding light, through the damaged door and tumbling down the stairs, breaking his neck on impact at the bottom.
His mother couldn't breathe, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Just before the woman could cry out to her companion, her husband appeared behind them with his old baseball bat, swinging it with all his force, knocking the second man out cold.
He grabbed his wife's hand without hesitation and, together, they fled. Over the unmoving body at the bottom of their stairs, out into the pouring rain and toward their car.
With unbelievable speed, the woman was able to catch up just as they threw the car doors open, raising her hands with a desperate expression.
"Please!" She begged, water trailing into her nervous eyes, "You have no idea what you're dealing with! He's dangerous!"
But they didn't listen. The car had already started as she spoke, and the two sped down the road.
Things were never the same after that night.
It wasn't easy, in fact, far from it, but they found a new home. Somewhere far away.
Considerably smaller, but it served them well.
As time ran past them, it only became more blatant that they had to keep Xander hidden.
If there was any chance that those strange people could come for him again, they would be prepared to protect their child at all costs.
His mother never mentioned what she had seen alone that night. When one of them reached for her baby, and something seemingly retaliated.
Some mythic, brilliant force she never expected to understand.
Though she wasn't sure how, she knew her child was special.
And she wasn't going to let anybody try to hurt him again. Years passed, and Xander grew into a beautiful boy, full of personality and energy. Though he was definitely timid, finding joy in the simplest of things, his parents did all they could to teach him. Give him the closest version of all experiences any other child would have.
Like ink spreading across wet paper, the markings only grew larger and larger. Until his chest was practically covered, their pattern brilliant and complex.
They never kept anything from him. He always knew what happened when he was a baby, about the people that tried to take him away. And he understood why he had to stay hidden, taking extreme care to cover up his mysterious markings.
Because the three of them knew he was different. And those markings showcased that more than anything else.
And if those strangers, assuming there were more, ever found him again...
His parents could never take that risk.
Xander learned fast, taking in every shred of information his parents bestowed upon him. School at a young age had never been an option, so they had taken it upon themselves to educate him to the best of their abilities.
He had always been shy, no matter how much his parents tried to build up his confidence. By the age of thirteen, he was apprehensive to try anything new. Any slight change to the routine, anything unfamiliar was too much for him.
So, not wanting him to be stressed or uncomfortable, they stuck to what they knew.
Cooking meals with his father, gardening with his mother, taking part in all the home's chores without ever being asked.
His room was spotless, filled with little things he'd seen in magazines and begged his parents to buy.
Small toy cars, figures of cartoons he didn't know, posters of movies he'd never seen, (he just liked the way they looked) fancy Christmas lights and hundreds upon hundreds of books.
Xander picked up reading remarkably quick. Since that day, he'd get through at least five every month.
This, of course, slowed down a little as he got older, finding more things he was interested in, but his parents were extremely proud nonetheless.
His favourites had always been adventure books. Tales of exciting battles, exotic locations, swashbuckling action and the lot.
He'd often dream about taking part in such a glorious adventure himself.
Xander would spend many lonely days watching the other children from his window. All playing, laughing together, having fun.
Coming home in their friend groups, wearing a matching school uniform.
Not long after turning fifteen, he sat down and had a serious conversation with his parents.
"I...want to go to school..."
He began, looking away from their startled reactions.
"I can take care of myself! I promise, I'll keep my marks covered up, nobody will ever see them!"
His parents spent the night thinking carefully.
Xander was a brilliant boy, they knew he would excel in any school. He could use friends to build his confidence, and they had always pushed him to try new things.
He was sensible and always did as he was told, they trusted him.
So, it was decided. Xander would start school that year. But under the strict rule that he couldn't travel alone. Either his mother or father had to drop him off and pick him up, right from the school gates, no further.
And it was absolutely fantastic.
His parents had never seen him beam so bright as they did when he first wore his uniform, waving goodbye to them from the gates.
Frankly, it brought tears to their eyes.
He went through all the best and worst parts of the school. Aced his tests, got along with teachers. A few kids picked on him for getting picked up every day even though he didn't live far, but he didn't mind.
Xander didn't really make any friends, though a few friendly people in his classes would talk with him and invite him to join them at lunch.
But if he was honest, his favourite days were the quiet ones, in autumn in particular. When all the kids would flock away from the classrooms for their sandwiches and the teacher ran for her seventeenth coffee, he would just sit alone.
In a silent classroom, staring out the window. Quiet wind brushing by, the sun slowly crawling down the sky, illuminating the clouds into brilliant shades of pink and orange.
Those were definitely his favourite.
Every day gave him new experiences that he cherished, no matter how minor. And he appreciated every single minute he spent away from the home that, while he loved, had kept him trapped for so many years.
That was, until that one, awful day.
Six months after turning seventeen.
It seemed like any normal day. But couldn't have turned out further from it.
Xander began writing down notes as the teacher rambled on until his pen slowed down.
He was in pain.
Clutching his chest, he collapsed to the ground, a loud ringing tone in his mind muffling all other sounds.
Then, the very moment the teacher turned away, telling a student to get the first aider...
He killed her.
As if he were watching through someone else's eyes, Xander leapt up and knocked the defenceless woman to the ground, digging his fingers into either side of her neck.
He had always liked his teacher. She was kind and patient, always greeted him with a smile.
But right there, as if someone else were controlling him, he killed her on the spot. In front of all his beloved classmates he'd spent so much time getting to know.
His fingers sank beneath her skin, a growl emerging from what no longer seemed like his own throat as he felt her warm, wet blood envelop his fingers.
Before anyone could make a run for the door, he gripped the insides of her gargling neck and tore the old woman's head straight from her body.
Most of the students didn't know what to do. Some cried, some screamed, one girl even fainted right there.
But in the split moment, one of them finally had the guts to make a run for it, Xander was already on the move.
Leaping toward the door like a wild animal and catching the boy halfway through, who screamed out as his body was crushed against the doorframe.
And the whole time, throughout it all...this, violent, scary version of Xander...
Was smiling wider than ever before.
At this point, Xander's memories grew weak. Only glimpses remained. Flashes of terrified faces, bloody, mutilated bodies, people he'd grown to care for spread across the school in several gory pieces.
Recalling the memories made him sick.
The last part he could see was fire.
Lots and lots of fire.
The entire place ablaze in a brilliant glow of amber red.
That was when those men showed up, just as Xander began to regain control.
As they dragged his barely conscious body into the open air, he heard many of them talking.
"None of them survived."
They said.
"We'll have to torch the whole school, make sure there's no trace. Quickly, get him out of here."
And that was it.
He awoke in a cold, black van. Sat across from an old man, ready with his pen and paper.
In such a short amount of time, his life had truly come to an end.
"...that must have been awful for you...I'm so sorry..."
Said Eden dolefully, holding her arm tight while looking down.
"That's really harsh...none of us had an experience quite like that..."
Wilbur sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I...don't know what came over me..." Struggled Xander, "I don't know why I did it...or why I just suddenly changed..."
"We do." Kalmin spoke with a stoic expression, "Like Eden said, it was your switch."
"...my switch?"
Xander echoed.
"Yes..." Eden began, leaning forward with her hands clamped together, "You shouldn't feel bad for what happened. You had absolutely no control. You see, there's a major hindrance that comes with having an Emblem. There's...another side. An evil entity that also resides within your body. We all have one. For the most part, we can keep them restrained. But sometimes, they get too strong and they...take over."
"Y-you mean...like a split personality?"
Xander frowned.
"Not quite. The only thing you and your switch share is the physical body. Your mind, your thoughts and emotions, they're nothing alike. And while we wish we had full control of them...well, while they haven't quite been at your level, Xander, we've all had bad experiences because of them that we regret. But you always have to remember, it isn't your fault. You didn't hurt anyone, he did."
Unsure of what to say, Xander simply looked down, mindlessly gripping his chest as he always did while uncomfortable.
Another person inside his body? The very idea sounded terrifying.
Not only that, but he was expected to try and restrain the awful being? Xander hadn't a clue how he'd been doing it before that day, or why things had changed so drastically.
"No need to worry. We'll take care of you." Wilbur smiled, patting his back, "Besides, at least it was just you joining us. Normally, they bring in at least three, right from the Maze."
"What?"
Exclaimed Xander.
"Wilbur, he didn't need to know about...that..."
Eden said quietly.
"Hey, we shouldn't keep anything from him. He's one of us now." Said Wilbur firmly, turning to face him, "Listen, the guys who put us here, the ones in charge? They're messed up, kay? Usually, they won't consider adding anyone to the unit until they have a few new contenders. When they do, they take us away to a place we call, the Maze. It's a huge building underground, full of twists and turns and complex designs. They shove all the new guys and us in there, play the frequencies and-"
"Wait, frequencies?"
Xander frowned, only feeling more confused.
"Oh, they have particular sounds they play that can force a switch out." Eden explained, "Though they use it sparingly. Sometimes even inside this building, whenever they want to test two particular switches against one another to make sure they're still up to standard. Don't worry, it doesn't happen often."
"Yeah, anyway," Wilbur continued, "Basically, they bring out everyone's switch and just leave us in there for a few hours. It's a test, to see who is the strongest. In other words, who is the most useful to them. Whoever lives, gets brought back here. All these guys have been routinely tested and survived over and over, but I've only had one. The one I was able to survive through, which landed me a spot in this lovely shithole. Luckily, they haven't been finding anyone lately."
"Hold on, so if this is how they decide who goes in here, how come I didn't have to do it?"
Xander asked.
"You wiped out an entire school in, like, two minutes." Scoffed Kalmin, "Pretty sure that says you're plenty useful to them."
"I think we should change the subject!" Eden huffed, "So, Xander, what does your Emblem look like? Can we see it?"
"Uh...I suppose so..."
He murmured awkwardly, lifting up his shirt.
The group studied his chest when he did, making the timid boy extremely uncomfortable.
Xander had never thought it was much to look at. A swerving mix of curved lines all twisting over one another, protruding out from the centre of his chest.
Suddenly, Emi gasped.
"Oh! Xander, we match!"
She cheered excitedly, pulling down her dress just enough to see the top of her Emblem, but not too far down as to expose her chest.
He was quite surprised, the patterns (at least what he could see) appeared to be a perfect match, even the placement was remarkably exact.
"Woah, that's weird. I don't think I've ever seen two people have the same Emblem. Your placement is pretty cool too. Though I think it looks better on a dude's body...no offence, Emi."
Smiled Wilbur.
"What about the rest of you?"
Xander asked, curiously.
"Well, you've already seen mine..."
Eden said, showing it more clearly. While the assembly of dark shapes on her lower right arm was similar to Xander's, they were very clearly different.
It was the same with Wilbur, whose Emblem was in a similar spot, only on his left arm.
After a bit of convincing, even Kalmin showed his. Pulling off his shirt and turning around. Wilbur and Eden's were fairly small, taking up just over half of their lower arms from the centre. Xander had thought his and Emi's were quite large, taking the rough amount of space of a large dinner plate. But Kalmin's definitely beat them all, spreading out across his shoulders and almost all the way down to his lower back.
Something else Xander noticed was that they all seemed to be the same colour. Appearing black from a distance, if you looked closely, the markings were actually a dark blue, much clearer under bright lights.
"So...how long have you been here?"
Xander asked.
"Well...do you mean in this building or captured by those men?"
Eden spoke with a slightly sad expression.
"Oh...did they keep you somewhere else?"
"Before they had made this place, yes." she explained, "Both Emi and Bliss have been with them so long, they can't remember any life before."
Xander couldn't help but glance at Emi, who was now looking away with distant eyes.
"Kalmin and I joined when we were fairly young, but can definitely recall our old lives. Though only a little. For a long while, it was just us three. The place wasn't professional at all. They simply kept us in the very lab where they ran all these silly experiments, trying to learn about Emblems. Even from a young age, we were forced to fight against others of our kind. We were their top choice, the ones who always came out alive. Eventually, they didn't want us in the lab, so they moved us here."
"Wait a minute..." Xander frowned, "You three? But, didn't you say that Bliss was there at the same time as Emi? What about her?"
Eden hesitated, uncomfortably fiddling with her skirt.
"...Bliss was...always a little more...difficult. We didn't see her much at the lab. And when we were transferred, they kept her there for many more years. Only when Wilbur was added did they finally decide to let her join us. But as I said, she doesn't come out of her room or talk to anyone. I cook her food anyway and leave it on the table. It's always gone by morning, so I know she's eating at least. Still, I can't help but worry..."
"Why don't you invite her to join us? Perhaps she's just shy?"
Suggested Xander.
"Doesn't work." Kalmin frowned, "She won't open her door for anybody. Don't think anyone's heard her voice in, like, a year."
"I feel so bad for her, she's always alone..." Emi sulked.
"Well, if it's what she wants, then it's best we don't bother her." Eden said, standing up, "Now, does anyone fancy anything in particular for dinner?"
"Oh man, I'd kill for fresh fish and chips." Kalmin groaned, rubbing his stomach.
"I think Xander should pick."
Emi gleamed.
"Good idea." Said Eden, that sweet smile back on her face, "Well Xander? What would you like to eat?"
"U-um..." He thought carefully, "...my...my dad always made spaghetti on Wednesdays..."
"Spaghetti it is then!" Eden grinned, "Come on, Emi. You can help me in the kitchen."
Xander watched the two girls make their way to the hall, Kalmin following close behind to sulk in his room until the food was done.
Wilbur was the only one who didn't move, only leaned back further into the sofa with a slow exhale.
"...it must be hard. Being torn away from your family like that."
He spoke sadly, staring forward.
Xander didn't answer, just watched his own twiddling thumbs.
"...you know, unlike these guys, who were taken at a super young age...I get it." Wilbur sighed, "I don't remember my parents. But from day one, it was always me and my brother, Christian. He was...heh, let's just say, not the best role model."
"Why not? Was he...mean to you?"
"No, no, nothing like that. He would do anything to keep me safe. Problem was, he'd always go too far. He...he could never see any limits, Chris. Utter wildcard. He did drugs, a lot. Had this big group of awful friends, I hated every single one of them and he knew it well. Never brought them to the flat. He didn't have a job. Now this, this was the icing on the cake for me. Only the year before we were separated did I find out how he was getting money. You wanna know how?"
Wilbur turned to him with a half-hearted smile. Xander nodded.
"Not only did he sell drugs, which I already thought was bad. But, turned out, he'd been robbing houses with his cronies. Helpless old men and women, took their money, sold their valuables. All to pay for my bed, my sheets, my clothes, the toys I had played with growing up. I could never quite look him in the eye after I found out. Any material possession just felt...dirty."
"...I'm sorry..."
"Nah, nothing you need to be sorry for, kid. Life did it to him. We were in a rough patch pretty much from the get-go, he just did what he thought he had to. Even if he was a piece of shit for it. How he managed to avoid getting caught for so long, I'll never know. Then, one night, we're sat talking when suddenly, there's an aggressive knock on the door. Open up, they yelled. We knew who it was. These guys had almost caught me twice already. He moved quickly, pushing the chairs against the door while telling me to go out the window. As always, I did what he said. He followed, helping me down. By the time we'd made it into the alley, they already had us surrounded. He said he'd never let them take me, and then..."
Wilbur's words faltered, his eyes distant.
"...I couldn't move quick enough, it was all my fault. He attacked them, told me to run. But they caught me, stuck a needle in my neck and covered my mouth, dragging me away toward their van while I kicked weakly. He yelled to me, beating them down, trying to get to me. Just as my world became a dizzy mess, the last thing I remember...he cried out my name moments before they slammed his head against the wall. He collapsed to the ground, blood pouring over his eyes...yet still...he crawled along the ground, trying to reach me...then, I was gone. That's the last time I..."
"...he clearly cared for you a lot..."
Xander said sadly, thinking about his own parents.
"...he's in jail now..." Wilbur scoffed, his head now hung low, "Those assholes searched the apartment, found a bunch of stolen stuff. Took him to court and he's been locked away since. I, uh...I remember Benson giving me the letter saying I finally had visiting rights. He just looked at me and said...sorry. God, I hope he's alright..."
Xander felt guilty for not having anything to say. After a few moments of painful silence, Eden called through from the kitchen.
"Hey, Wil! Can you come and reach these dishes for me?"
"...coming!"
With a quick breath, Wilbur immediately returned to his usual smile. Pausing in the doorway to give Xander a reassuring wink.
While Wilbur helped Eden dish up the food, Emi skipped into the main room and sat down beside him.
"Are you alright? You look kind of down."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine..."
He didn't look at her.
Emi curiously watched his expression, tilting her head until her maroon curls fell from her shoulders and hung loose. As she did, her eyes caught the large bookcase and she quickly perked up.
"You said you liked to read, right? Have you looked at any of the ones over there?"
"Hm? Oh, no, not yet..."
"What kinds do you like?"
"Um...anything really. Adventure, mystery, thriller..."
"Have you read...the Count of Monte Cristo?"
Suddenly, Xander looked at her.
"I love that book!" He gasped.
"Ooh! Do you remember that part where they throw him into the sea in that bag with the chains and stuff!?"
"Oh my god, that's like, my favourite part!"
He grinned wide for the first time in that place.
"Aww, you have a dimple on your left cheek!"
Emi giggled.
"I-I do?"
Xander turned away, covering both cheeks with his hands. Nobody had ever told him that before, how had he never known?
"It's good to see you smile. I know you've been kind of sad since you arrived." She smiled sweetly, tilting her head again to look at him, "I mean, understandably so, of course. But, I think people should always try to focus on the positives. For example, think of all the new books on that shelf that you haven't read yet!"
"It's a pretty impressive collection, I don't think I've ever quite seen a bookshelf that big. But, don't you get bored of them? Since you've been here for so long, you've probably read them all a hundred times, right?"
"No worries! Benson brings new books all the time and takes away any we're bored of. Though, nobody else really likes to read here. There's quite a few I haven't read yet still there, maybe we could read a few together sometime?"
"...yeah. That'd be nice."
Xander smiled with soft eyes, to Emi's delight.
Just then, Eden and Wilbur carried the dinner plates through, setting up the table.
Sandwiched between Wilbur and Emi on one of the larger sofas, Xander happily began to dig in.
While Eden's cooking was definitely exemplary, it could never live up to his father's food. There was just nothing like a real family meal.
However, it was nice enough, while Kalmin didn't say a word, the others all chatted throughout, making sure to include Xander whenever they could, especially Emi.
Things were assuredly more friendly, and he felt more at ease, even if it was only slightly.
But every time Xander began to relax, that crushing reality always hit him hard.
The fact that this was it, forever. He could never go home, he could never leave. And that, no matter how nice it was, in the end, he'd always be a prisoner in that building.
Until the day he died.
*****
"Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you."
Emi read out loud with a smile, with Xander listening intently beside her.
It felt eerily similar to when his mother had read him the exact same story many years ago.
The Count of Monte Cristo had always captured Xander with its brilliant wording and captivating story.
"I always liked that part." She sighed peacefully, "It's harsh, but so empowering. Do you have a favourite quote?"
"Hmm..." Xander thought carefully for a moment. Several lines and paragraphs ran through his mind, but one seemed to yell a little louder than the others.
"Hatred is blind; rage carries you away; and he who pours out vengeance runs the risk of tasting a bitter draught." He smiled, looking at her.
"Ooh, I just got chills with the way you said that..." she giggled.
"Alright kids, bedtime." Eden chuckled, appearing in the doorway, "Especially you, miss Emilia. You were up far too late last night. I thought you were going to help me with some early gardening tomorrow?"
"Oh, alright..."
Emi sulked, closing the book and dragging herself over to the bookshelf.
Xander did too, following the pair through the hallway. He saw Emi walk into the bedroom beside his, meaning they were neighbours.
"Night, Emi."
He waved meekly, relieved when she turned in the doorway and waved back with a sweet smile before closing her door.
It was only then that Xander noticed something about the bedroom doors. In fact, something about every opening in the building.
"Hey, Eden? What are those?"
He frowned, pointing the large, metal clamps positioned in each corner of the doors and doorways.
"Ah, I wouldn't worry about them. They're just a precaution."
She smiled, beginning to wash the dinner plates.
"...a precaution...for wh-"
"I see you're getting along with Emi."
Eden spoke sweetly, keeping her eyes on the pots while Xander stood awkwardly behind her.
"Ah, y-yes..."
He couldn't help but examine the place, this being the first time he had actually set foot inside the kitchen.
It was an impressive size, at least double that of the one back home.
Perfect white tiles lining the floor and polished sides.
Eden was clearly the mother of the building, and obviously, she liked keeping things clean.
"I haven't seen her smile like that for a while..." She sighed wistfully, "It warmed my heart, truly. You know, Emi and I have been there for one another practically since the beginning. We're very close, her and I."
"Oh, really?"
Xander found this odd, seeing as the two girls hadn't appeared to spend much time together since he'd arrived.
"Indeed. Why, I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for her. Oh, the memories flood over me many times a day. You couldn't even imagine. This tiny, curly-haired little thing, reaching out her hand and asking if I wanted to play with her...she was like a pure ray of sunshine in that dark, dreary place. But, Xander, I must tell you...Emi is a...unique young lady."
"Wh-what do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is, she isn't like you and me. Like any human nor like us at all." Eden turned to face him, leaning her back against the counter, "She has a certain, let's say...gift, which makes her stand out to us. Now, while you may not understand yet, Emi is very, very precious to us all here. And I...well, we wouldn't know what to do should something happen to her. So, what I'm trying to say is...you must treat her as though she were a precious gem, understand?"
"I-I'm not quite sure...what is her gift, exactly?"
Eden's smile dropped slightly as she glanced to the ground, "Ah, well...Emilia is something we call...a Nexus."
"Nexus..." Xander echoed, "What does that m-"
"Oh, goodness! Is that honestly the time!?" Eden gasped, hastily putting away her clean dishes after catching sight of the clock on the lefthand wall, "Come on now, to bed with you. We'll talk more in the morning."
"...a-alright. Goodnight, Eden."
Though he wanted to press for answers, Eden clearly wanted to get to bed as soon as possible, almost slamming the bedroom door behind her.
Xander could only sigh, sat on his bed for a lonely, long while, doing nothing more than thinking.
He always became emotional at night, but this situation had made things far, far worse.
Too tired to cry, he grabbed his pilot jacket, now the only reminder of home, and held it tightly, curling up on top of the covers and soon drifting to sleep.
This, however, didn't last long. Not even long enough to dream, and Xander would always dream.
No, instead, not even a full hour later, he found himself grumbling awake with a dry mouth and parched throat.
He felt too shy to ask for a drink during dinner, even though he hadn't actually had even a sip of water since the incident at school.
Struggling to stand in the pitch-black room, Xander fumbled around, feeling across the wall beside the door for his light switch.
When he found it, the halogen bulb almost blinded him, turning on immediately without a seconds hesitation or flicker.
Rubbing his eyes, he stepped out into the hallway with a hushed yawn, being careful as to not make much noise and wake anybody.
The kitchen was just past the bathroom, he knew that much, even though a throbbing headache made it hard for him to think straight.
Just as Xander passed the entryway to the bathroom, something caught his eye.
There was someone there, someone he hadn't seen before.
It was a girl. With perfect, half-cast skin and a cute, chubby frame. Her hair was black, but dip-dyed a deep navy blue almost three-quarters of the way up. It was short too, barely passing her chin.
She didn't notice him, instead, she was focused on the sink, with the water running quietly.
Like a deer in headlights, Xander couldn't move. He had no idea what to do.
Should he introduce himself or just continue on to the kitchen?
She was clearly busy, but every few seconds let out an agitated huff, so perhaps she needed help?
After a dry, nervous gulp, Xander took a step forward.
"Um...hello?"
She didn't jump or panic or spin around, only tensed up, freezing in place.
"...you must be Bliss, right? We haven't met yet, my name is-"
"Why are out of your room?"
Hissed the girl, still unmoving.
"Oh, uh, I was just grabbing a g-glass of water." Xander chuckled quietly, "What about you? What are you doing there? Is anything I can-"
The moment he took a few steps forward, Xander realised the awkward situation he had put the two of them in.
Her arm was in the sink, covered in scars with five deep, bleeding cuts that she had clearly been attempting to clean.
Her forearms, upper arms, even the back of her hands had scars on them.
Uncomfortable memories flooding back, Xander mindlessly gripped his chest, reminded of his own self-inflicted scars.
Only, it didn't seem as though this girl had been trying to remove an Emblem. In fact, he couldn't see one at all.
Xander didn't know much about this particular issue or people suffering from it, therefore had no idea how to react. But he did know that he had made this poor girl's night much more difficult and wanted to help in any way that he could, hopefully without becoming more of a bother.
"...uh...I-I saw where Eden keeps some bandages...I could grab some while you...finish up..."
"...sure..."
She muttered, still not turning to him.
Surprised that she hadn't yelled at him to mind his own business, Xander quickly went into the kitchen and began rummaging through the draws.
Bliss, now alone again for a short moment, sighed a long and tiresome sigh into the bathroom mirror.
It had happened before, someone walking in. When Eden did it, she merely apologised and left, never speaking of it again. Though, she did start leaving out little gifts to help at night. Antibacterial creams, plasters, just simple things.
And while Bliss wanted to appreciate it, this wasn't enough for her to want to talk to her. To any of them.
But this kid, with that trembling voice and nervous stutter, he seemed far more uncomfortable than she was, and she couldn't help but humour the guy. In fact, his wavering voice and timid nature was almost funny in a sort of sweet way.
"Here, I'm not sure how much you'll need, so I brought the whole thing a-and some scissors. You know to cu...snip...it...to the...right length..."
His fumbling words and fruitless attempts to relax allowed Bliss to giggle quietly before turning to him with a light smile.
"...thanks."
She said, taking the bandages and scissors.
Once she did, Xander realised why he hadn't noticed her Emblem.
It was on her face.
Pretty much covering her entire left cheek and trailing slightly down her neck. Bliss had a cute, round face with a soft, cherry chin and button nose. As well as deep, dark blue eyes. Like the ocean at night. Outlined by the dark shadows beneath them, clearly she didn't sleep well.
He stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do with himself while Bliss dried off her wounds.
Not wanting to stare, he instead took the chance to admire the bathroom. It was large, probably the same size as the kitchen. With a toilet on the back right which had a railing to its left. Next to that was a wide sink then a towel rack.
Then, on the far left, was an old-style Japanese bath. Oversized and square, large enough to fit five people at least. It was made from what looked like pale brown bricks, matching the floor of the bathroom which was a stark contrast to the plain white of everything else he'd seen.
Once Bliss began to wrap her bandages, he noticed her struggle to do it alone.
"...would you like some help?"
He offered, even though his hands were shaking.
Bliss was hesitant, but eventually nodded, allowing Xander to wrap her arm up nice and neatly.
While never having to actually do it until that moment, his mother had taught him many years ago several important details of first aid.
"Um...Eden says you don't come out of your room much..."
He mumbled.
"Pfft, nice to meet you too." Bliss smirked, "No, I don't. Only at nighttime. When nobody else is around."
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry...d-do you want me to go?"
"You know what, you're alright." She huffed, pulling her sleeve back down, "I don't think I mind you."
"O-oh?"
"Yeah. You didn't panic. Didn't freak out, ask what's wrong, why I did it...so, thanks for that, I guess. Plus, I don't seem to hate talking with you right now."
"Well, why don't you come out in the daytime? We could talk more, plus, everyone is super friendly."
"...no, they all just think I constantly need help. Like they need to be wary of me every second. The way their eyes would dart at me every other...ugh, I just can't stand it. Besides, I prefer it this way." She shrugged, stepping into the hallway, "Any-who, it's pretty late. You should probably get to bed. After you've had your glass of water, of course."
"Right, uh...goodnight, Bliss."
"Night...oh, I didn't catch your name?"
"X-Xander."
"Cool. Night, Xander. Maybe we can talk again, a little more. When I'm feeling up to it. You'll know where, or more, when to find me."
She waved slipping into the room at the very end of the hall.
After taking a deep breath, Xander returned to the bathroom to wash his face, staring into the mirror for a silent moment.
He hadn't thought much about his looks. His father's dark blonde hair and his mother's rare grey eyes. There wasn't much else to him.
Rubbing his cheeks, Xander couldn't help but think...
Hiding his markings had always been such a big deal...he couldn't imagine what things would have been like if they were right there on his face.
Now, the place really seemed empty. And after finally getting that sweet, sweet cup of water, Xander found himself wandering around, taking it in.
His eyes caught the cameras this time. One in the main room, kitchen and hall. Thankfully, none in the bathroom or bedrooms.
None he could see, at least...
At last, he was able to check out that third opening. Past the kitchen and the bathroom, the one part he hadn't seen.
Though there were no lights turned on now, there appeared to be a gentle, white glow resonating from it. And as Xander stepped inside, he was furious with himself for not exploring sooner.
While he definitely had a fair few questions to ask about it in the morning, he could definitively say this was his favourite part of the building.
The walls were cream, slightly darker than the carpet which was so incredibly soft and comforting against his toes, he feared he may have been swallowed up by it entirely.
Inside were many items. Including a grand piano, climbing frame, treadmill, another bookcase, a small glass set of two chairs and a table that was sat right before giant, see-through doors, taking up nearly the entire back wall.
To his surprise, they were already open. A subtle breeze brushing against him as he stepped closer.
Past them was a huge area, at least the size of a medium field. Purely stunning with a clear pond in the centre, surrounded by large, colourful stones. Beds of flowers of all kinds, finally explaining how on earth Eden and Emi were gardening in such a place, with trees outlining the vast area of grass.
There was only one bit that made it feel a little less magical.
The trees had been put there for a reason, as a futile attempt to cover up the painful reminder of their imprisonment.
A fence. All around and over the top of the outside area, still keeping them locked in tight.
But Xander didn't want to think about that. Instead, his eyes lit up when they found an outdoor swing seat. Black with a cover overtop.
He had one very similar in his own backyard at home, and couldn't help himself sitting in it.
Leaning back, his toes barely skidding the ground as he swung gently back and forth, Xander stared up at the moon, high in the sky behind the fence.
Finally at ease, he closed his eyes with a smile on his face, able to almost fully relax. The whispers of wind in his ears, the rustled song of the leaves in the trees.
Like a lullaby, sending him into a quiet, peaceful sleep.
*****
"...I suppose I can understand, it is remarkably calm out here, especially compared to inside. I'm surprised you didn't catch a cold, sleeping in a place like this. Goodness, Eden would scold you properly if she found out..."
Xander awoke gently to Emi, sat beside him on the swing chair, quietly talking to herself.
"I'd say it's best not to tell her. She is a control freak, but nice by all definitions. Plus, she's already taken a shine to you, so I just know she'd be worried about you catching a cold. I don't mind though. I've slept outside before. Sometimes, I think it's good to just...get away from it all. In whatever minor way we can..."
"What...what are you doing out here?" Xander asked between a wide yawn, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As he did, a soft blanket fell into his knees. He didn't remember taking one out with him that night.
Emi turned to him with a smile.
"Oh, you're awake! Good. I heard you go out last night and talk to Bliss, but I didn't hear you go back to your room."
"Y-you were awake then? I'm sorry, I hope I wasn't too noisy..."
"No, no, don't worry about it. I don't usually sleep well. Once Bliss went back to her room, it went quiet for a while, so I decided to check that you were alright. I found you out here, fast asleep. You just looked so calm that I couldn't bring myself to wake you. So, I grabbed a blanket and decided to join you. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. But you didn't have to stay out here, were you able to sleep?"
"I was, actually. Since you arrived, I have to be honest, I've struggled. I...heard you crying. A lot. Knowing you were having a hard time made me so uneasy and...seeing you fast asleep, even with a smile on your face made me feel so much better."
"W-wait, you heard me?!" Fretted Xander, "Was I really so loud?! Oh god, I didn't think...so all the others probably-"
"No, I'm sorry, I should have explained!" Interrupted Emi, raising her hands while Xander panicked, "I would have been the only one to hear you, I swear, you were incredibly quiet. It's just one of my abilities, you see. All my senses are sort of...hyper sensitive. I'm certain no one else has any idea. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything..."
"...still...that's so embarrassing..." He blushed, turning away and covering his face.
"Not really." Emi smiled, reassuringly, "I'd expect anyone to be emotional after going through what you did. And don't worry, I'll keep it between you and me. I promise."
"...thanks."
"So! You finally got to see the best part of the building, huh?" She grinned wide, holding out her arms as if presenting it, "Gorgeous, isn't it? You see all those flowers over there? Eden and I planted those all by ourselves. And the blue ones just to left, Kalmin actually helped us with."
"It's lovely..." Xander breathed with a smile, really able to take in the bright colours during the daytime.
"And we had the pond built about three years ago. We aren't allowed any fish inside, but I just love sitting near it on sunny days. And watching the way it ripples in the rain, ah man, it's seriously the best."
"What do you mean you had it built? So it wasn't here already?"
"Nope. You saw the piano and stuff back there, right?" She said, pointing behind them, "Well, they didn't just come from nowhere. While we naturally don't like the people who put us here, we all have to admit that they're pretty cool sometimes. Whenever Benson comes around for inspection, each of us is allowed to ask for one gift. And it can be anything! Well, anything within reason, of course. Kalmin has a TV in his room, we bring it out some nights and watch movies together. Eden asked for the piano and I have a violin, so we play together sometimes. Kalmin has an acoustic guitar too, and he's really good, even though he doesn't play it often. For something big, like the pond, we all had to ask together. Same with the redecoration in the room behind us. And with some convincing, they came out and installed it for us. So, any ideas what you'll ask for first?"
Emi spoke so fast and enthusiastically that Xander could barely keep up with her.
"Uh, n-no...nobody told me about any of this...I'll have to think a little first."
"That fine, but do tell me if you get any ideas! Usually, we just ask for clothes, since they don't give us many options here. This time, I want a really pretty dress that I saw in a magazine a few days ago. It's blue and has little embroidered daisies all around the edges."
Xander twiddled his thumbs, thinking carefully. This whole gift thing opened several new opportunities, he wished he'd known about it sooner.
"Could I...ask for a phone?"
He said, meekly.
"Sure! Though you could only have pre-installed games that you pick. We aren't allowed Internet here and any way to communicate with it would be disabled."
"Oh...nevermind then..."
Emi's smile dropped as she tilted her head.
"...you wanted to call your parents, didn't you?"
"...yeah..."
"...I'm so sorry. Wilbur gets emotional a lot too. He even attacked Benson when he found out he couldn't communicate his with his brother at all. Y'know, once he was in jail."
"Poor Wil, he...wait, how did you know that I knew about his brother?" Xander frowned.
Emi smiled again, tapping her left ear.
"Super senses. I wasn't being nosey or anything. Just happened to overhear. You were only in the other room after all, and Eden can really droan on sometimes."
"Ah...well, it doesn't matter." Sighed Xander, noticing a small moth on the armrest beside him, "...I think...I'll ask for some pen and paper. I've been thinking a lot lately, and writing down my thoughts always used to help. I'm sure it would make me feel better."
He said, letting the small creature crawl onto his finger and lifting it up to get a better look.
Its wings were pretty, with complex symmetrical patterns made up of different shades of brown, with some faint auburn red mixed in, almost like Emi's hair.
"That's a nice idea. Eden's been waiting for his next proper visit, since she's desperate for new gardening tools. You see, the ones we use right now have-"
Suddenly, Emi let out a panicked yelp and jumped to her feet, stumbling away.
"What, is everything okay?!"
Xander panicked.
Emi pointed toward the seat.
"It's, it's the bad thing! The uh, um...ah, shoot what's it called..."
His eyes darting all around, Xander couldn't see anything dangerous.
Stomping her foot and clicking her fingers, Emi was desperately trying to find the right word.
"The...the furry fly! Brown, fluffy, fat butterfly thing!"
"...you mean the moth?"
He frowned, looking down at the harmless little thing.
"Yes! Kill it, quickly!"
"Why on earth would I do that?"
Before he had even finished his puzzled question, the moth had already flown away.
"Those are bad things!" Emi frowned, "They're bad omens, that's what Eden said. They only ever show up before something bad happens!"
"Oh, come on. Moths are harmless." Xander chuckled, "I even think they're kind of cute."
"What are you two doing out here?" Eden asked, appearing in the doorway wearing a pale blue dressing gown, "...are...are you both wearing your clothes from yesterday? Didn't either of you get changed?! Oh goodness, come on, both of you get inside take those dirty things off. I'm going to wash your clothes right away."
After sharing a quick glance between each other, Xander and Emi followed Eden back inside, closing the glass doors behind them.
After getting changed and handing Eden their clothes, the pair made their way toward the main room.
"Oh, Emi?" Eden poked her head around the corner, "Come on, you always sit and talk with me in the morning."
"I think I want to stay with Xander, we were having quite a nice conversation. But just let me know if you need help."
Emi smiled, crossing her arms behind her back.
"...oh...alright then..."
Xander tugged on his clothes while Eden disappeared once again. Emi wasn't joking when she said there wasn't much variation. All he found was another plain button-up, a little larger and looser this time, and some dark maroon trousers.
Emi, on the other hand, wore some tight denim shorts with white embroidery along with a white tank top she had tucked in.
He could see part of her Emblem now, as well as a little cleavage, but he made sure to avert his eyes.
If his mother had caught him glancing, she would have smacked his head right there without hesitating.
He found a magazine from dad's secret stash once. He only looked at it for a moment, honestly, but she caught him and was absolutely furious. With both of them, actually.
"...are you sure you'd rather talk with me than Eden? I mean, I'm not very interesting..."
Xander muttered meekly.
"That's strange." Giggled Emi, "I happen to find you very interesting."
She strolled toward the wall, stepping onto it effortlessly and began to walk sideways as if it were nothing. Xander had almost forgotten she could do that. Tilting her head back, she smiled at him.
"Do you want to sit on the roof with me?"
"I-I can't do that..."
"Are you sure?" She beamed, reaching out her hand, "Come here."
Hesitantly, Xander walked forward, wiping the nervous sweat from his hand before taking hers.
"Go on. Step on up."
She chuckled, her eyes twinkling.
Xander gulped, feeling as though he were being tricked.
If he really tried to walk up the wall, he'd fall to the ground for sure.
Then again, Emi didn't seem as though she was messing with him.
Tapping his foot against the wall, Xander let out a sharp gasp as Emi suddenly yanked him up.
"What are you doing?!" He panicked, grabbing her other hand to steady himself.
"What are you doing, Xander?"
It took him an embarrassingly long moment to realise he was stood face to face with her.
On the wall.
Sideways.
He gripped her hands tighter, immediately growing anxious. But Emi was completely at ease.
"It's okay, I've got you." She soothed, "Just walk. I promise, so long as you're holding onto me, you won't fall."
With baby steps, Xander let Emi lead him all the way to the top of the roof, where the two of them sat down cross-legged.
Looking down at the ground below them made his stomach turn, so Xander tried to keep his eyes on Emi.
"...your hair..." He frowned, "It doesn't normally look like that."
Emi's hair was hanging down, her deep copper curls all reaching toward the ground.
"Ah, it's like this whenever I bring something else up. Just myself keeps it normal, but I sort of...hang if I want to take anything with me. Honestly, I wanted to bring you up here since you arrived."
"Is that why you didn't wear a dress? And...tucked your shirt in?"
"Yup. It's nice up here, don't you think?" She asked looking around, "It's good to get away from the others once in a while. Spend some time alone."
"Don't they notice you up here?"
"Did you, when you first walked in?"
Emi smirked.
"Ah, you're right..."
"Ugh, I fucking hate waking up...worst part of the day..."
Kalmin walked in, sporting some serious bedhead.
"Good morning, Kal!"
Emi gleamed.
He glanced up at the two of them, only sighing before he fell into one of the sofas.
"He's not always grumpy, I swear." Emi whispered, giggling quietly, "He's actually been super to sweet to me before. You know, this one time he-"
"Hey!" Eden called through from the kitchen, "Should we have pancakes for breakfast? You love those, don't you, Emilia?"
She looked at Xander.
"Do you like pancakes? I'll have something different if you-"
"Attention, emergency warning!" A booming voice suddenly called out from the microphones in the cameras. "A test will run in thirty seconds. All but Eden and Wilbur, go to your rooms immediately!"
Emi scrambled to her feet, dragging a confused Xander along behind her as everyone seemed to panic.
Eden ran into the room.
"Everyone, go, now!"
She yelled.
Wilbur ran out, meeting her in the main room while Xander, Emi and Kalmin rushed toward their bedrooms.
As they did, Xander noticed large metal sheets slide across all the entryways, those mysterious clamps sealing them all shut tightly. It happened on the other bedrooms too. Even the hallway, separating them from Eden and Wilbur.
"Hey, don't worry!" Emi spoke quickly, "It won't last long. Just stay calm, you'll be alright. I promise."
"What doesn't last long?!"
But she had already disappeared. Xander did the same, collapsing onto the bed as he heard those clamps seal down on his door.
"All subjects are secure. Wilbur, Eden, please prepare yourselves. The frequencies will play in just a few moments. Good luck."
"Frequencies?!"
Xander gasped to himself.
They couldn't be serious, this couldn't be happening.
There was just no way.
Then, the entire building was filled with a dreadful sound. Xander couldn't help but yell out and cover his ears, the note was so painful, ringing through his entire body.
As his breaths grew quicker and his chest tightened, he heard an even more frightening sound.
Screams.
Cries of agony from the others.
They were all changing.
Each of them, all turning into the dreaded switches.
He clutched his Emblem, terrified.
He didn't want to change, he didn't even understand it yet.
With tears rolling down his face, Xander fell down to the floor, still covering his ears...
And braced himself for the pain.