Young Writers Society

"Now, when meeting the Commander, do not roll your eyes or give any hint of mockery, annoyance, or even distaste. You will call him Sir, nothing else unless he deems you to otherwise. Stand tall and if anything, stoic. The Commander hates when his men do not address him with respect," the lady in front of me preaches as she leads me down an elaborately decorated hall.

"I grasped that when I first heard about him," I comment without thinking.

Before I can blink, the lady turns around and slaps me across the face, the impact shocking to say the least. My eyes are wide, though I don't turn my head back to look at her, as my face is too numb.

"It's that kind of intolerance that the Commander despises most," she says, her voice cold.

Wow, I thought Anyola was harsh. This lady is freaking scary.

Without another word, she turns back around, continuing down the hall. I follow, not wanting anymore trouble. Another reason being that I don't want anyone to see me with a bright hand print printed right on my face. Talk about loss of pride.

I look around, taken by entitled atmosphere as I study the decor. The tall walls are pure white with dark wood trim, different symbols and markings following the trim down the way, Latin phrases printed here and there. The hall is lit by bright lamp-like chandeliers, the slight blue tint to the covers giving the area a softness to it that is hard to explain.

The woman turns back and looks at me, connecting her grey eyes with mine for a few moments. They’re cold, reading no emotion as if she feels nothing towards me, before she huffs, turning back to the front as she picks up the pace. “Hurry up now,” she instructs.

Her stilettos click rhythmically as she steps, my eyes glancing at the ground in response. The floor is basically a mirror, reflecting the hall perfectly, making me feel like I'm walking through air. Maybe that was the principle behind the design, feeling like you've left the lower world to find yourself in front of a superior place, or in this situation, a superior person.

Before I know what has happened, the lady stops in front of me, thus I do the same. I look up, finding that we've reached our destination. The door to the Commander's offices is as intimidating as his title; large, the same white as the walls, almost unseen due to the blending. In front of the door are four desks, three of the desk being worked at by three beautiful young women, two being Jeweloids, the other human. They're dressed in the same black uniform, making them have a stark contrast to all that surrounds them. The lady I'm following turns back to face me, clicking some type of code into the top of one of the two handcuffs fastened around my wrists, releasing me. As I rub my wrist, the lady walks off to the vacant desk, clicking a button on the edge as she sits and the door in front of me opens remotely. I blink in surprise, taken back by the massive movement of the door. The lady looks annoyed by my perplexed actions, and gestures at me. "Go; you've already kept him waiting long enough," she instructs.

I stand there a moment, before I nod, walking at a quick pace towards the threshold.

"Wait!" she calls, immediately making me halt.

I look over at her, confused. "Yes?" I ask.

Her eyes narrow dangerously. "He hates when people hurry, it's unprofessional," she comments, "Walk in with grace, like a soldier should."

Dear God, this lady needs to drink.

I hold my tongue, taking a breath to calm my fraying nerves. "Yes, of course," I say, swallowing my true words before they can come out of my mouth, before I continue in, though this time “gracefully.”

The lady doesn't say another word as I walk in, making me happy. Though, I forget her quickly as my nerves begin to kick in. It's now that I realize that I'm about to talk to the Commander of Gelus, the man who controls all that happens here.

I'm so screwed.

I gulp right before I reach the elaborate main room. In front of me is a desk, the chair turned away from me. Behind the desk the wall is a floor to ceiling window, which stretches out about two feet from the desk on either side. It makes the outside seem like it's inside, the evergreens looking to be just beyond the glass. The sky stretches far beyond the mountains, the clouds dotting the bright blue that fades out in the distance, leading the eye right to the far off Sun, which glows dimly as the night is coming to take over its rays.

It looks like it did when I used to play with Cent in my hometown during the Summer. . . .

Pulling my eyes from the twilight, I set my eyes on one of the two giant pure white book shelves that are set on both sides on the walls. They're lined to the brim with book after book, some thicker, some larger, than others, making the collection quite outstanding. The connecting walls are a metallic light gray, black decals running down the middle, looking slightly Celtic. The wall behind me is the same tone as the side walls, though instead of the decals, there are two moss green banners on either side of the door, the Vesperian crest and a delicate border embroidered on both with gold thread.

Set around the room are large white couches and elegant patterned lounge chairs, lit by lower hanging chandeliers, pale yellow lamp shades making the clear cut lines have a bit of a warm tone to them. The majority of the room is lit by the ceiling lights high above, looking like stars in a way. The floor is wooden, but stained pure black, brightened by rugs here and there, the patterns far more detailed than one could possibly try to explain. Tables sit here and there, one having multiple frames sitting in an organized jumble, another having a single vase, and then one having a drink set prepared, the bottle filled to the brim, ready to be poured.

I really don’t want to be here.

"So . . . it appears you've had an interesting start to your career here at Gelus, Officer Jintez."

My eyes widen, and I immediately stand straight, my heart beat speeding twice as fast as it was before. I salute, trying not to look nervous.

"Sir," I say, my voice luckily not wavering.

With that, the chair turns around, and I get my first look at my Commander. He's basically what I expected from the leader of Gelus. He's older, maybe in his late 40's, early 50's, and looks to be wrinkled, but very experienced with military type things. He wears his formal military cap, which hides most of his receding grayish-brown buzzed cut hair. His eyes are an arid gray, his skin looking like leather, not old and falling apart, but thoroughly worn. The rest of his attire is like everyone else's here at Gelus, though the padding and trim is white, the fabric the same green as the banners behind me.

For a moment, my anxiety falls. He doesn’t seem any different than any man I’ve seen, hell, he seems understated in comparison to the room. Though, as soon as he makes direct eye-contact with me, I find myself regretting that thought. His grey eyes are like daggers, his entire presence staggering as he searches mine. I feel as if he can see right through me and into my soul, and my confidence breaks. I feel myself beginning to waver, though before I assume anyone can notice, he chuckles. "Relax Jintez," he says as he gestures to me.

I lower my arm, deflating slightly as I feel some of my tension flee from my body. He watches me for a moment, eyeing me in a way that I can't necessarily read. "I've been made aware that you have been the main caretaker of our new Jeweloid since she was actually taken out of the ice. Is that correct?" he asks.

Well, I wouldn't say main caretaker . . . but oh well.

"Yes Sir," I answer, trying to hold his gaze despite the sinking feeling threatening to consume me.

"And even though Major Kasami instructed you not to enter the Power Processor, you still snuck in and somehow broke into the fighting space," the Commander continues, "Is that also true?"

If you mean “broke into” literally, than yes.

"Yes Sir," I reply, ignoring the sarcastic thought.

"Then, even though you were told the Laws of Gelus, is it true that you kissed Jeweloid 009 while she was in her insanity state?"

I gulp, diverting my eyes as I prepare myself. ". . . Yes Sir," I answer honestly.

The Commander doesn't respond quickly, putting me on edge even more than before. Finally, he sighs, actually standing up from his chair, stunning me. I don't know what to do at this point. Do I salute again? Do I stay still? . . . Dear God, I can't think straight.

"Son, who kissed first, you or her?" he asks, connecting his arms behind his back.

I blink, surprised by the random question. "Uh, she did, Sir," I reply.

"Ah, I see. . . . Well then, you do not carry the blame then, she does," the Commander says, "I shall punish her when she is well enough-"

"S-Sir," I interrupt, stepping forward slightly.

The Commander looks stunned, surprised that I would cut him off in such a way. Hell, even I'm surprised, freezing in place. Why the hell did I just speak over the Commander?! Am I trying to get killed? I honestly think I have a death wish, I'm not joking at this point.

"Yes Officer?" he asks, drawing me from my inner freak-out.

"Uh . . . e-even though Jeweloid 009 was the one that initiated the kiss between us . . . I still did kiss her back, Sir," I explain as gracefully as I can, considering my racing heart, "She doesn't deserve to be punished. She didn't know what she was doing. . . . I on the other hand was in my right mind. . . . I deserve punishment."

Watching him, I come to the conclusion that I have actually stumped the Commander. He has no expression on his face, and his standing went from perfectly straight to slightly bent, his head a bit forward now. Whether or not that's a good thing is something I'm not sure of.

I stay perfectly still, waiting for my judgement. Then, it comes.

"Alright."

My eyes widen in shock, "Huh?"

The Commander looks up at me, sighing. "I said “Alright.” I will not punish the Jeweloid," he responds.

I sigh in relief, happy to know that Maggie will be spared.

"You, on the other hand, will have to serve some time for your actions against Gelus," the Commander continues, leaning over to write on a slip of paper, "Two weeks in the Detention Sector."

"Yes, Sir," I answer, "I accept the sentence and the return to Private rank-"

"Private? I didn't say anything about taking away your ranking Officer Jintez," the Commander says, cutting me off as he looks back up at me, "This situation does not call for that. You are an abled soldier who can do much more as an Officer than a Private. Your ranking stands."

I watch in shock, not prepared to hear him say that my ranking is secure. I thought for certain that I was going to be stripped of 1st Warrant Officer and be returned to a Private.

Well, I guess I have learned one thing from this experience: Expect the unexpected.

"Sir. . . ." I trail, unsure how to respond to the surprising mercy.

He watches me for a moment, before the look in his eyes changes slightly. "Besides that, I appears that you have a gift," the Commander continues, "In just little under a month of being here at Gelus, you have done what it takes most years to do."

"What is that Sir?" I ask, not following exactly.

"You came in contact with a Class Zero, and were able to put her under control," he explains as he returns to writing, "That Jeweloid, though she may not look like it, is one of the strongest soldiers that has ever stepped foot here at Gelus. She will be a key in our northern advance on the Noxcus Regime that has been closing in on the Summan territory."

His tone sparks a strange sensation in my gut. "What exactly do you mean?" I ask, feeling my tension growing some.

He chuckles, glancing up at me. "It seems that the Intel given about your protective nature of the Jeweloid wasn't wrong," he comments, "That's good, keep an eye on her. Make her feel like she's safe here at Gelus. We need her cooperation and trust if we are to advance as I wish."

"She's only one person," I comment, my brain turning off, “A very scared and inexperienced person to say the least.”

Honestly, can I not shut up?

He answers me with a sly grin, making me a bit on edge. "One person, with the power that can one day lead thousands," he replies, pausing as he thinks for a moment, ". . . Top it off with her beauty and the determined personality that has been described to me, she is an important asset."

I swallow hard, not sure how to exactly respond to that comment. The way he addresses her seems off, but I can’t place it. And, to be honest, I don't understand why he's staking so much in Maggie. She's not only inexperienced with anything involving military and strategy, but she also had no idea about the war, or why it's happening. Hell, I don’t even know if she knows what a Noxcus looks like. She shouldn't have to fight . . . none of the Jeweloids should.

"Helga."

I blink, pulled from my thoughts as I hear someone coming in. I turn slightly to look over my shoulder, surprised to see the scary lady from before walking in. The same clicking fills the quiet space, the soft sound juxtaposed by her stone expression. So, her name is Helga.

That fits way too well.

Suddenly, her entire presence shifts. "Yes Sir?" she asks, her countenance completely different, a smile on her face. The sight is a bit offsetting, and I do my best to just avert my gaze.

"Have QUARTZ escort Officer Jintez down to the Detention Sector," the Commander instructs, handing her the piece of paper.

"Of course, Sir," she replies with a small bow, before she gestures to me to follow her.

"Officer Jintez, you are dismissed," the Commander says as he sits back down at his desk, "Remember your judgement, and be content."

"I am Sir. Thank you very much," I say with a salute.

I start to turn, when I hear him speak again, “Don’t forget; your role is important to not only Gelus, but all of Vesperia.”

My eyes turn back to him, caught by his strange smile, his eyes empty. I nod, unsure what else to do as I respond, “Of course, Sir.”

"I expect to see her become a magnificent Jeweloid, make sure she doesn’t fall short of our expectations,” he says, his smile widening, “I look forward to meeting her myself.”

His words cause the strange sensation to return, creeping up my spine as strangely enough, mental alarms begin to go off in my mind. It’s probably just the way I’m translating what he’s saying, but even so, I can’t help but feel a bit wary of what his intentions towards Maggie may be. He seems to have other ideas for her, and that just makes me a bit anxious. The urge to go check up on her slowly rises in me, but considering my situation, it seems my wish is futile. I think a second more, before I salute once more, hiding my hesitance behind a strong poker-face, “Yes, Sir.”

Luckily not catching on to my thoughts, he salutes back, and with that, I turn to walk off, following Helga. Though, we don't get too far before she stops me, holding the cuffs out in front of me. I give my wrists willingly, not wanting to show a struggle in front of the Commander. With a click, I find myself back in the identity of a criminal. It's not the greatest feeling in the world, that's for sure, though I hide the discomfort, quickly following her as she continues out of the offices.

"Helga," the Commander suddenly calls again.

She turns, though I don't, feeling that I shouldn't get involved in something that doesn't involve me. "Yes Sir?" she asks.

"Once you are done, I will need your assistance with some sorting," he says plainly.

Immediately, Helga grins, her entire aura brightening. "Of course, Sir," she says, giggling a bit as she walks on.

I blink. Wow, scary and OCD, what more could someone possibly ask for?

I chuckle to myself at the thought, hiding the humor as we exit. After a few moments, I sigh, happy that the talk with the Commander is finally over and out of the way. I look around, feeling that my outer vibe has become lighter.

Though, as we pass the four desks again, I'm surprised to see one of the girls watching me. She's one of the Jeweloids, her hair bright blue, though she definitely isn't ugly. Quite the opposite to be truthful. She's quite breathtaking, her long straight hair reaching to her waist, her bangs cut right above her eyebrows. Unlike the other girls, who are focused only on their work, she seems more . . . awake.

Her blue eyes, bright as sapphires, which I'm guessing may be her codename, show slight concern . . . and fright.

I'm not sure how to explain the expression, but it is quite foreboding. I feel a small chill trail done my spine, a sensation I'm not the biggest fan of. Her eyes search mine intensely, trying to relay some kind of message in the short few moments she can. I can’t understand her countenance, only knowing one single thing; she’s trying to warn me about something, making my stomach sink.

In response to the feeling, I shake my head, not wanting to think on it for too long, at least not for now. Helga doesn't notice the exchange, nor my response, but the Jeweloid looks saddened, a hint of lingering despair in her eyes as she watches me walk on. Knowing that I'm no longer tuned in to her, she reluctantly returns to her work, losing herself in her papers before Helga and I turn the corner.

It's not long before I find myself back in an area of the base that's familiar to me, familiar faces passing me as we walk down the hall. Some smile kindly, while others look at me with concern, eyeing my cuffs. I ignore their looks though, too distracted as my mood lightens and returns to a pleasant sense of ease. As we turn the corner into the Jeweloid sector, Helga abruptly stops, catching me off guard as she looks back at me, her eyes cold again.

"You are a lucky man, remember that," she comments.

Her gaze is almost as intense as the Commander’s, but I hold my ground against her, my expression becoming a bit more serious as I return her stare. “I will, Ma’am,” I reply quietly.

For the first time, her eyes falter as watches me a moment longer, before she turns, walking up to the Control Room door and knocking with a purpose. After a few moments, I see a familiar face meet my gaze with a warm smile as the door opens.

"Isugoro, you look well," Kasami says with kindness in his eyes, a refreshing sight to say the least.

"As well as I can be, Sir," I respond with a grin of my own.

"Major Kasami, the Commander has ordered that 1st Rank Warrant Officer Isugoro Jintez will be detained in the Detention Sector for two weeks, with no change of rank,” Helga says, her tone unchanging.

Kasami blinks in surprise, though he doesn't say anything on the subject, simply nodding. "Alright, thank you for the update, Ma’am," Kasami says, saluting her.

With that, Helga nods, handing Kasami a file with my sentence papers inside, before she turns, walking off. As soon as I see her vanish around the corner, and the click recedes, I take a real sigh of relief, doubling over with the knowledge of knowing I'm safe.

"Dear God, that was too suspenseful," I comment.

Kasami laughs, patting me on the back. "Son, you don't even understand your luck," Kasami says, "The fact that you only got that . . . is beyond belief."

"Wait, Isugoro? Is he ok?"

My head whips up as soon as the voice hits my ears, my stare met by the familiar duel colored eyes that have put me in handcuffs.

"M-Maggie, what are you doing here?" I ask, looking over her.

Maggie sighs, moving her bangs out of her face as I stand straight, now looking down at her. She wears a simple black shirt with fitted blue pants, the originally original piece of her outfit remaining being her snug snow boots. Her long curled blue locks are pulled back into a high pony tail, the ends hitting her at the thighs, a few of the strands free, framing her face perfectly. She looks relieved to see me, her standing not tense at all. Though, a shadow falls over her eyes only seconds later. "Tell me, what is your sentence?" Maggie asks, "I was finally told after you left what the Law is and the repercussions for it-"

"Maggie, relax," I interrupt, holding her shoulders as I show her a reassuring grin, "Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm only sentenced to the Detention Sector for a couple weeks; that's it."

Her faces goes blank, followed shortly be an answer that stuns me, as her arms wrap tight around my waist, pulling herself close to my chest. I blink, a bit at a loss. Confused, I look up at Kasami looking to him to know what to do, but he seems just as stumped. Though, his expression reads more . . . approval of the sight.

"If you couldn't tell, she was a bit concerned about you Isugoro," Kasami says with a sly smile, handing my file to an assistant behind him.

"Oh, you be quiet Kasami," Maggie comments as she pulls away slightly, trying not to look me in the eyes. I look down at her, a warmth spreading through me as I catch sight of her flush cheeks. I grin.

“Were you worried, Maggie?” I ask, leaning over so I can see her face better.

She does her best to avoid my eyes, saying simply, “I mean, any sane person would be. But then again, no one seems sane around here.”

I chuckle, “So I’ll take that as a yes, then?”

In response, she pouts a little, caught by her own words. The tips of her ears redden as she tries and stumbles over her own words, “Yes, I was, alright? Damn, I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”

Her stubbornness is not only amusing, but it’s slightly adorable, causing me to laugh warmly, something that’s been rare for a while. "Well, I guess I'll see you in two weeks Maggie," I say, wrapping my arms around her as I give her a small hug.

Caught off guard, she looks up at me, the red in her cheeks rising as I smile. Then, to my surprise, her expression morphs into something similar to discomfort, though she dismisses her actions with her eyes as quickly as it happened, looking back down.

"Alright then," she says as she steps away from my fallen embrace, "Goodbye."

With that, she turns, walking back into the control room without another word. My eyes widen, perplexed by her. Though, after a moment, I shrug, and sigh, "She's a handful.”

"Indeed," Kasami says with a small grin on his face, apparently amused by the scene.

"Jintez, you are to come with us."

I blink, surprised to find myself jerked to the side. I look over, seeing a human soldier pulling me away from Kasami, on my other side is Sammy, the Jeweloid QUARTZ.

When her eyes meet mine, she connects for a moment, though she doesn't act on it. At least, not out loud.

You really have gotten yourself in a good amount of trouble considering how long you've been here.

My eyes widen as I hear Sammy's warm honey-like voice drift across my mind. To my surprise, I'm not taken back by hearing her. Seems that my interaction with Maggie has affected my reactions to things like this.

Yeah. . . . Life here seems to be trickier than most places.

I hear Sammy let out a small snicker, only loud enough for me to hear.

And you haven't seen anything yet. . . .

I’m perplexed by her words. What do you mean?

Sammy looks back at me for a split second, her expression much more serious than before. A lump forms in my throat, the atmosphere suddenly turned tense as Sammy takes a moment to reply to my thought.

. . . You're heading to the Detention Sector. . . . You'll understand soon enough.

Her chilled words send strange jolts of anxiety through my body that I can't quite comprehend. Looking down the hall, I have no idea what awaits me as we travel down a way I never thought I’d go down. I know that jail is never a good experience, but the way Sammy vaguely sets it up has my nerves standing on end. Though, as I think further on the Detention Sector, I guess I do get one thing out of it.

Where I'm going . . . is not going to be a great place.