Chapter Eight: A Conversation With Fire

(*Disclaimer: The letter in this chapter from the character Naomi Moonfall was written by the character's creator, @hpgeekgirl_14 Necessary edits for grammar and punctuation were made by me.)

This time, Elizabeth wasn't allowed to leave the infirmary for several days. She even had new glasses by the time she left. Same frames, new lenses. Thankfully, no incident had passed. Elizabeth spent that week recuperating. Trois visited her every other day and Cell Thirteen visited her a couple times as well. She was touched by how much her fellow inmates cared. Hajime came in once to ask her about what happened. She was terrified to explain, but she did. Hajime may be terrifying in his own right, but she could trust him. She made sure to include the part about Elf coming to silence her so that Hajime would know the dangers of blabbing.

Now that Elizabeth was free to go back to her cell, she didn't want to. Her cell meant isolation, and isolation meant danger. As she was walking back, escorted by a guard, Seitarou came up to her with an envelope.

"Your friend replied," Seitarou explained, handing her the letter. "Don't worry, we've already been through it. Nothing bad is in there."

Elizabeth took it, thanking Seitarou. When she got back to her cell, she opened it.

Heya Idjit!

It's nice to hear from you again. I was beginning to worry that you've forgotten about me. Okay, not really, but anyways, I'm glad to hear you're doing well.

Since we last saw each other in Greece, I've been in and out of roughly seven prisons. I am now in a "high security" prison called Devil's Gate in Australia. It's not as bad as it sounds but it's definitely no Nanba from the rumors I've heard. The food is god awful and there's nothing to do during free time. Those are my only two complaints, though. I'll definitely be out of here soon enough. Who knows? Maybe I will end up in Nanba one day.

As for this Inmate Fifteen and this Elf character. . . all I know of them are rumors that spread around the Thai prison when inmates went missing. Based on what you've wrote though, I can't help but assume they're true, especially since the one about Fifteen's shackles is. Here's what I've heard. There are rumors of an organization doing human experiments on inmates from around the world, which would explain the "specimen". These experiments are supposedly an attempt to create horrid weapons. Human weapons of mass destruction. Elf, I'm assuming, has something to do with this organization. What exactly it is, I don't know, but what I do know is something you've probably already figured out. Elf is a dangerous man (if you'd even call him one), whether he is working for an organization or not. Please be careful!

On a lighter note, I'm excited to hear that someone's sparked your interest. Trois sounds like a cool guy, past the pervert bit, especially with the fact that he was arrested for an illegal flamethrower. That's definitely not a story you hear every day! I hope we see each other again sometime soon. In the meantime, enjoy Nanba Prison. It doesn't sound too bad.Yours truly,Assbutt (Naomi Moonfall)*

Naomie's reply hadn't assured Elizabeth all that much. If anything, it had made her more anxious. Human weapons of mass destruction. Is that what Elf wanted Elizabeth to be? A weapon of mass destruction? Not if she could help it. Maybe Nanba would notice that she tended to be getting attacked a lot and put extra security by her cell. Hopefully. In any case, she had to get this letter to Hajime as soon as possible. That meant using her bobby pins.

---

"Hey, Hajime!" Elizabeth said, walking into the guard room.

"Jeez!" Hajime jumped, knocking some papers onto the floor. "I thought only Fifteen would give me this kind of trouble."

"I promise I'll go back to my cell, I just have to give you this." Elizabeth held up the letter.

"You better get back to your cell," Hajime growled, going up to her and putting handcuffs on her.

"Hajime, come on," Elizabeth replied, holding out the letter. "Please. I went to prison with this one girl who told me to write to her if I ever needed her. Well, I sent her a letter a little over a week ago, right before I got attacked, and I just got her reply. She told me a lot about the guy who attacked me."

Hajime's eyebrow raised in interest as he dragged Elizabeth back to Cell Twelve. "Really?"

"Yes. She says some really important stuff. Just promise me you'll read it. And maybe post a guard outside my cell in case of another attack."

Hajime rolled his eyes as they reached Cell Twelve. He took the letter. "I'll read it. Afterwards, maybe I'll consider adding some extra protection."

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied as the cuffs were undone and she was forced back into her cell.

Hajime read the letter back in his office and his eyes widened. Mostly at the part about the human experimentation part. So that explained the specimen part, as well as why Six-thirty- four and Fifteen had mysterious powers that seemed to be geared towards attacking people. Weapons, that's what they were supposed to be. What kind of sick fuck would take inmates to experiment on? I mean, why it was inmates it made sense. They were society's outcasts, after all. But why human experimentation, he had no clue. Maybe it was sort of Angel of Death type of thing. Whatever the case, the Warden needed to know about this.

Two hours or so later, Hajime was standing outside of the Warden's office. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Momoko's voice as a response.

Hajime entered her office and stood at attention. "Warden, an issue has come to my attention. The same issue I informed you about last week."

"The one involving Number Seventeen's attack?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Seventeen sent a letter before her attack and she was sent this response."

"Does it contain sensitive information?"

"Yes. There was nothing that Seventeen couldn't read, so she was given this and she gave it to me. I suggest you read it to take stock of the situation."

Hajime handed Momoko the letter, their hands touching slightly. Momoko's heart beat insanely fast, glee spreading through her as she accepted the letter. She maintained her professional manner, however. She read the letter, her eyes widening at the same part about Elf and human experimentation.

"So our source here is another repeat offender?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I had Seitarou look her up. This inmate and Seventeen have spent time together in previous prisons, always breaking out together until they got separated sometime between Seventeen's imprisonment in Greece and her imprisonment in Russia."

"We're trusting rumors on this?"

"Rumors that seem to have quite the basis in fact. Fifteen's swords, that was a rumor among inmates. Apparently this Elf character was also a rumor."

"And is there any record of prisoners from a Thai prison going missing?"

Hajime nodded. "I had Seitarou look that up for me as well. About eleven months ago, several prisoners disappeared from a prison in Thailand. One that this inmate had been in at the time."

"Do you think we should have this inmate transferred here for questioning and safety matters?"

Hajime shook his head. "Devil's Gate is almost as secure as this prison. If she escapes, she'll be sent to another prison somewhere far away from here. This letter provides the information that we require."

"I see. In any case, tell Kenshirou about this. You two have been investigating this, correct?"

"Yes, Warden."

"Then make sure he knows about this. Also, set up a meeting between Number Seventeen and Number Six-thirty-four. To be observed, of course. We should have them discussing what happened to them, try and pick up the similarities between stories."

"Yes, Warden."

"Thank you, Hajime. Let me know if anything else goes on."

"Yes, Warden Hyakushiki."

With that, Hajime left and leaned against the wall. The Warden was so terrifying!

Meanwhile, Momoko was squealing like a fangirl when her OTP finally kissed. Hajime touched her! And he had used her name!!!!!!!!!!! She couldn't believe it!

"OMG OMG OMG!!!"

"Well you're certainly enjoying yourself," Mitsuru's voice came from behind Momoko.

Momoko turned. "Oh, hi Mitsuru."

"Did Hajime touch your hand again?"

Momoko blushed. "Yes. He also called me by my last name!"

"Well how sweet. Maybe next time he'll call you by your first name!"

"I hope so!" Momoko squealed.

In Building Five, Trois had a ridiculously happy grin on his face.

"What's the news, Trois?" Honey asked. "You look very happy."

"Elizabeth," Trois admitted, his face getting a pinkish tinge. "I never realized just how amazing that a woman could actually be, personality wise. She's a very interesting person."

"Sounds like you're in love," Honey blatantly stated.

Trois immediately began blushing. "What?" he squeaked. Then, back in his normal voice, "No, that's not true! I just like her as a friend. That's all!"

Honey scoffed. "Sure, Trois. Besides, Elizabeth would never fall for a guy who asked her the color and shape of her brazier! She'd obviously fall for me instead."

Trois chuckled. "You asked her the color and lace percentage of her panties, Honey. Also, you explode into anger at anything that slightly annoys you. Women typically don't find that attractive."

"I do not!" Honey exploded into rage. His hair became arrows. "Elizabeth is going to fall for me! Just watch!"

"Any time you're around her, you're fighting with Uno," Trois reminded him. "When will you realize that you and Uno are one in the same?"

"That oaf and I have nothing in common!"

Trois scoffed. "Honey, you're acting uncouth."

"I am not!" Honey flipped Trois off.

The next day, Hajime came into Cell Twelve to find Elizabeth reading. It was the bloodstained book that had been found in her cell, The Hobbit.

"Seventeen, come with me," Hajime instructed.

Elizabeth looked up. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," Hajime told her. "Officer Yozakura and I have set up a meeting with you and his inmate, Number Six-thirty-four. He's had experience with the same man who attacked you."

"Oh, alright," Elizabeth said, marking her spot in the book and standing up.

She followed Hajime outside of her cell and to the same interrogation room that he had used with the inmates of Cell Thirteen several days prior. It had been set up with a one-way mirror so that Kenshirou and Hajime would be able to watch the conversation and mediate if need be.

"Officer Yozakura and I will be observing your conversation," Hajime told her. "You and Number Six-thirty-four will have five minutes to talk and then we'll be taking you both back to your cells. Do you understand?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Soon enough, both Elizabeth and Musashi were sitting in the room across from each other at the table.

"You must be Musashi," Elizabeth observed.

"And I've been told that you've been attacked," Musashi replied.

Elizabeth nodded, despite Musashi's eyes being covered, if they were even there. "That's true. My name is Elizabeth. Jyugo told me about you, he said that you were like him."

"That is also true, Elizabeth," Musashi stated. "Heat has always been a part of me. One day, in school, I spontaneously combusted and survived. This Elf man, he framed me, burning my house down and killing my parents, which ended up landing me in prison for arson and murder that I didn't commit. Elf did this by disguising himself as a student and spreading rumors about me. I was put through horrible testing, giving me the power to control flames."

"Pyrokinesis."

"Exactly. After an unfortunate event, I was given an inhibitor that stops me from using my powers. It controls my body temperature and stops it from getting high enough for me to summon flames. Now it's your turn. Tell me your story."

"I got myself into prison by robbing places. Lots of them, for thirteen years. To be honest, I lost count of all the places that I had robbed. I got arrested at fifteen and I've spent the last two years prison hopping across thirty prisons, not including this one. I'd heard rumors about Jyugo, which now I find to be true. Never one about a guy named Elf. I was never at the right place at the right time, I suppose.

"One night, I needed to get some air to think clearly. I went up to this outdoor balcony area and Elf grabbed my ankle. He yanked me down and stopped me from screaming. He took out this huge knife and used it to cut my stomach. He wanted to use me as a specimen, he said that I would be good, I think. Then, about a month or so later, I was attacked again. This time for blabbing. I think that Elf intended to take me away this time. If I didn't stomp for help, Hajime never would have come. This time, he slit my throat and I would have died if Hajime hadn't gotten there so quickly."

"Hmm. So there must be something about you worth experimenting on. Do you know anything else?"

"Only what my old acquaintance, Naomi, told me through a letter. I'm assuming that that's how I got this meeting."

"What did she say?"

"Naomi told me that an organization has been taking inmates for human experimentation. When she was in a Thai prison, many of the inmates went missing and this must have been the cause. I think Elf might be a part of this organization. It must be his job to find potential specimens and bring them to this organization."

"The man with the scar."

"Who?"

"He's the man who runs this. The man with the scar does the experiments. Jyugo has his swords, but he was a test subject, to figure out the kinks. When I saw him, he had the same ones, except he could summon them at will no matter what."

"Jyugo mentioned something to me about him. When he first had them, he couldn't control them or what he did with them. Now he says that he can. Something must've happened to him that made him be able to."

"I don't know what it would be."

"Maybe another attack by Elf? In many cases, something traumatic can trigger something."

"Possibly. And damn, you're getting very brainy on me."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I like to read and I got my hands on a Psychology book at one prison. Did you know that the process of numbering inmates is to dehumanize us?"

"Interesting. Anyways, back to the topic of Elf. Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"Sorry, I tend to nerd out when I get interested in something. And not that I can think of."

"Well I've got a question."

"Shoot."

"How did you know to talk to Jyugo? Did someone tell you?"

"Elf mentioned a Specimen Fifteen. When he called me Specimen Seventeen, I put the pieces together. I cornered Jyugo one day when he was alone so I could get some answers out of him."

"Alright time's up, you two," Hajime said, opening the door. "Seventeen, come with me back to your cell. Six-thirty-four, go with Officer Yozakura. He'll take you back to your cell."

As Elizabeth walked back to her cell, she thought about what Musashi had said. Clearly, they went after him because of his spontaneous combustion, but why her and Jyugo? There was nothing special about them. Nothing that made them unique, nothing that made them stand out. Only the fact that they were both escape artists. What made Elf want to go after them?