Captivity (Private)

[ZX-MetalMonster]

It poured down that night and Einar could feel his soaked clothing stick to his skin as he was lead by a pair of guards to the large prison gate that opened partially before them. The two men dressed in the sleek black uniform of he city police had a simple task, to lead him from the vehicle that had transported him and a handful of other criminals to the massive walls, the borderline between the prison and the free world for another set of guards to collect. He had learned quickly that in this place, the police, the jailors and all similar functionaries all dressed in similar uniforms and equally twisted in their own ways, were part of the same 'justice' machine. If it hadn't been for his mission, Einar would have done his best to avoid them and remain invisible in their eyes. However, with how things were, getting to know them more closely was unfortunately necessary.

 

He, along with the other new prisoners was processed quickly at the entrance, their identities noted, crimes written down. Afterwards they were lead again, now over a large courtyard that had been dissolved into mud and puddles by the rain. Einar memorized every detail of the area, every information that was offered to him as they walked. There were old, crumbling buildings set in rows on either side of the yard and a towering structure that was clearly the guards head quarters. He noticed also the integrity of the wall that was to keep them inside and how it had no gates besides the one he'd just passed through.

 

Not unlike the courtyard, the large chamber he was commanded into was poorly light and it made Einar wonder if perhaps the jailers had a secret method or knew a trick that helped them see and keep track of their prisoners in the near darkness. The hall of the building contained a staircase that seemed to extend up to the roof and most of the dim light came from above, close to the top of the stairs. Along the walls on each of the three levels there were enormous cells filled chock-full with men who even at this hour continued to make a horrible racket. The space altogether seemed enormous and sounded like it contained hundreds of criminals but Einar recognized from the shape of the building that another identical chamber must exist right beside this one.

 

Without receiving much attention from his fellow prisoners or adding to the existing commotion, he was placed into one of the cells after his hands were freed of the shackles he'd been restrained with. He made his way through the sea of men and tried to drift closer to one of the walls of the cell but lost interest in pushing on once he reached a group of men who were less rowdy and were scattered on the floor, sitting and laying down. With some reluctance, he sat down as well, and knowing that he wouldn't be given a chance to sleep or rest until he become use to the crowd and the disorder he busied himself with thought of his comrade in stead. He wondering where the man might be in this large place and now that he'd seen it all with his own eyes, worried of what might had already happened to him before he'd been sent to break him out.

[Raychu]

It was raining, the water leaking down from the small crack on the ceiling. Every time the water hit the ground, it echoed the sound through the room, making it almost impossible for Pierre to sleep. He looked around the dark room he was in, his eyes locking onto the men that stood outside his door. He was kept in isolation, too afraid the man would going into a fit of anger and possibly kill his potential roommates. No one had even stepped foot inside the room since he had been put into it. They had reasons though, no one wanted to be locked inside a room with a monster. One outburst and that may as well be the end of your life, or so they say. He wasn't intentionally violent, it just happened to be the only thing he was good at being. He wasn't always this way, he was a much nicer boy when he was young, things change though, they always do. His just changed for the worst.

 

The rattling of the chains started to sound louder than the small drops of water. He began to tap his foot on the ground, the cuffs on his ankles sounding every time he did. Pierre wasn't usually a nervous person, he was just anxious, being trapped in a room alone, day and night can do that to you. A kick in the door cause his foot to freeze up, in the motion of doing another tap. The guards outside hated it when he tapped his feet, they couldn't stand the rattling of chains forever. It's not like the blonde cared much, they weren't the ones locked in a room with nothing to do. You didn't even know the time of day. The only reason he could tell it was morning or night was due to the internal clock he had. When he needed sleep and when he woke up. Sure he couldn't tell the time, at least he could tell the time of day somehow.

 

Being locked alone, isolated from any human being could cause extreme stress and discomfort. If there was anything he could to cause the men standing outside the door that same feeling, he would do it. Pierre began to tap his foot once more, humming a small French tune he had once learned from his parents. The sound of more kicks came from the other side before a sigh, the man surrendering. His eyes dropped on the two men. Where was the third? He always had three standing outside his door. One of the left and right and one in the middle, where was the one in the middle? He could clearly make out the faces of the two men, knowing they were the same guards as before, number three was missing. Pierre didn't like that very much, it meant something was changing in the upper area. More criminals were found. The third guard was ripped away from his cell, having other matters to attend to. Some people may have brushed it off, not the blonde. This meant one less guard, one more opportunity for escape.

 

The clanging of metal trying to be broken rang through the air, through his ears. His eyes weren't once taken off the men as they looked around almost frightened to hear the loud sounds coming from the monster's room. Sometimes it was a gift to be able to have amazing vision in the dark, if that gift caused you to end up in a prison of course. The cuffed around his wrists and ankles weren't small ones, they knew he could break them without working up a sweat. These ones were specially designed for him, this metal chunks that were almost impossible for even him to break. Pierre would admit hey we're durable, that didn't mean the chain was just as good. More banging insisted from the other side of the door, orders for him to stop being shouted. So he did. He wouldn't be going anywhere right now, there was no hope. Until the metal rusted, he would be stuck here, watching and waiting.

 

Pierre sighed as he laid back, the footsteps sounding through the corridor just outside his door. It was almost painful to have such accurate ears, never wanting to sleep, wanting to be able to hear anything and everything. At some point someone might say something useful that he can use again them, that was until then of course. He wasn't a patient person, somehow in a room alone you learned to be. In this room it was quiet on the good days, loud on the bad. It was loud today, raindrops leaking through, missing guards. It so sky felt like something wasn't right, something bad might happen. He didn't like this feeling of dread just from a few incidents. Being in a room alone dis cause paranoi and insanity, he was on the brink of both of those things. If anything, he couldn't see good things until they happened at that moment, always brining himself down with the bad. This just didn't feel right, even if he was going crazy.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Just as he'd expected, Einar couldn't fall asleep that night but made sure not to waste all those hours lying on the ground soaked. To say it was uncomfortable in the cell was an understatement, he shared the space with a few dozen other inmates and as there was no window anywhere close, the air was stale and he struggled for oxygen. He knew the jailers, though willing to keep them in these conditions, wouldn't be so cruel as to kill them by suffocation, there had to be fresh air being brought into the building somehow. However, while his logical mind understood this another part of him was afraid and he began to panic. This was a new issue, perhaps a sort of phobia he hadn't had a chance to experience before but he tried his best to calm himself. Involuntarily, he transformed into a ball of tense muscle, coiled on the ground but was quiet and allowed none of the rising dread to show on his face. A number of prisoners nearby gave him puzzled and curious looks and it brought him to his senses and he hurried to cover up his unexpected weakens. Taking a shaky grip of his shirt, he pulled it over his head and folded it over his arm to hold it against his chest. It would had been easy to explain his strange behaviour and the way he trembled as side effects of the low temperature and his clothes being wet.

 

A minute later he stood up, having regained some of his composure and forced himself to walk up to one of the other men to start up a conversation and try to extract some knowledge about where his comrade might be and the prison in general. His voice started off weak, changed by the remnants of his illogical fear, but grew more bold and louder as he realized he had to compete with many people who were yelling in the background in order to be heard. Even once the others could hear him clearly though, most of them brushed him off but after enough attempts he learned of the lone chamber where they had isolated a man who he assumed was his comrade.As Einar was tired and did wish to rest even though the crowd wouldn't allow him, he stopped at that, happy with how much information he'd gathered so far. He tried to get to the wall again and this time managed to and was glad to at least have something to lean on once he sat down.

 

It was not until the next day that he felt motivated enough to work on his assignment again and once the jailers lead them out into the courtyard he felt much more confident in himself and could speak more skilfully. Many prisoners refused to communicate with him now as well but he drifted along the courtyard, going from one man to the other until he came close enough to where the south side of the wall should had been. It puzzled him to discover the wall was not as complete as he'd first evaluated but had a large part of it missing. Curious he approached this opening and found barbed wire blocking the way and on it two signs. One was a warning that beyond that point there were mines and the other was a reminder to whoever continued forward that no one would come after them. This was the discovery that Einar had been hoping for and with an actual grin he returned to the more busy part of the courtyard ready to set his now nearly complete plan in motion.

 

With no warring, he approached a stranger, a man he'd neither asked anything nor had a conversation with and hit him with enough strength to knock him down to the ground. The man grasped his nose that must had been broken by the strike and stared up with wide eyes, stunned. His friends however weren't as slow to process what had happened and soon three of them were up against Einar. The point of the otherwise unnecessary fight was to attract attention and cause trouble so he wasn't reluctant to begin exchanging hits with more than one opponent. Soon though the guards appeared and dished out a beating for both sides of the conflict. As Einar continued to act like a wild animal even after that the guards repeated their initial solution and once it failed for a second time they did what Einar had hopped for and dragged him away from the other prisoners and inside one of the many identical buildings.

[Raychu]

The morning was dreadful, he woke up probably many hours before they decided to serve him breakfast. He would have been lucky to sleep in a bit, however, that was not the case for him. His internal clock decided it was time to get up, going back to sleep was not allowed. He had a couple of times he had overslept breakfast, they didn't care. Maybe if he was a normal prisoner they would've woken him up and make him eat, being in isolation changed a lot of that. They didn't care what he did, as long as he wasn't trying to escape. That was only what he was ever trying to do half of the time. Other than that, he was good and patient to be served his food or to wait until it was time for bed. He was almost going crazy in here, losing any sanity he had left from having so very little interaction with anyone, if he had any at all besides the occasional kicks on the doors. No hellos, goodbyes, or goodnights, silence.

 

Pierre did his occasional questions of if he could go for a walk, go into the courtyard, have something to do. Here was no response besides grunts of irritation. It was a conman schedule for him to ask each question in the day. What time is it? When will lunch or dinner be here? Will I ever be put with the others? Etcetera. He may have n her gotten an answer before, it was still worth trying to him. He was a persistent person. Sooner or later the man's persistence will make one of the guards crack and he'll get something out of them, something. Even if it was just screaming or yelling, he was fine with that. Pierre would have finally broken the dreadful silence that inherits the room. Anything that he could get to fill his ears and remind him he was still living was good enough for him in the end. He wasn't a picky person when it came to living.

 

Whistling a tune, he looked around the room over and over. It was lit by the small light shining through the the cracks in the stone wall. To anyone it could be a small ray of hope for escape, not to him. Pierre could barely walk as far as the door with all the shackles he had to weigh him down, standing even became an issue with how heavy they were. Even if he were to get out of the shackles, the openening was too high up for him to reach, even if he was a tall man. That light that brought the room to life was nothing more than a source of something hat allowed him clearer vision. There was no hope that he felt from it. None. It was even pointless to hope in here, you didn't hope, you acted. He would break the cuffs at some point, he would burst his way out somehow, it was always just a matter of when. Today, tomorrow, three months from now, maybe two years. Time was nonexistent in a place like this. You just waited and acted.

 

The sound of the chains being drug across the ground caused one of the guards to tense. It a lays demes when Pierre stood up, they would almost go into a panic. Because of how strong he was, they were so very scared of him. He tried to use it against them before but they aren't as worried when he was in his shackles, if he were to be taken out, then they would be more submissive towards him. He studied everything they did, anything that he could use against them at any point. It was the only way to start to find something to help him escape. If he had to blackmail a guard, even if he was the one locked in the cell, he could make his argument very persuading. He was that kind of guy, that's why no one wanted to talk to him. It's why everyone feared him. Not just because Pierre was strong, no, he was tactical and attentive. His eyes followed, watching for any sin he could hold against someone. It was a very scary thing to be constantly watched.

 

The sound of footsteps was coming from outside the door. He looked through eagerly, walking until the chains held I him back, looking through the small space the bars on the door allowed for him. There were another set of footsteps, not the usual one for a single guard. Two people? Why were there two? There were already three guards on watch, did he really need two more to make sure everyone was safe? How ridiculous. He wasn't that strong. The chocolate eyes wandered the small amount of vision he had, seeing another prisoner, walking towards his cell. He was amused. Someone else was being put into the isolation room. Wasn't there only one room? He had only seen one that was meant for someone who was a monster with strength, someone like Pierre. Why was such an innocent looking boy being of into his cell? No matter, this meant he might actually be able to talk and regain some sanity he had lost form living in his own thoughts too long. Pierre quickly shuffled back to the bed, sitting down, being obedient and nice for once. He couldn't waste this golden opportunity by doing something reckless and stupid.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Even with his poor pain tolerance Einar was much more resilient than most other men and in the rush of the brief fight he failed to notice what damage had been done to him. It was only later, while he was being led inside, that he noticed blood dripping from his chin. He felt a light pain in more than one spot and couldn't determine on feeling alone where the wound was so he reached up and tried to find the source of the bleeding by wiping away the blood. However, it turned out that by then the entire right side of his face fad become dirty and he could only sigh and try not to be bothered by the blood for now. He was confident he wasn't badly hurt but that he'd just noticed the blood a bit late and had given it too much time to accumulate.

 

He tried to focus in stead on the building he'd been brought into and the corridors the guards were leading him through. He only hoped the prisoners he'd talked to in the courtyard were right and that there really was only one place he could be sent to now.

This building, though similar to the one he'd spent the night in on the outside was vastly different and was a labyrinth of hallways internally. A surprising amount of time passed by as was directed up stairs and along a confusing route to one of the upper floors where more jailers were guarding a door. It seemed like the place that had been described to him and he was hopeful, almost smiling despite how bizarre that would seem in his situation.

 

The door was unlocked and Einar pushed into the dark room with incredible speed, so much so that he couldn't resist glaring over his shoulder at the guards just as they closed the door behind him. He'd never liked being thrown around and having to pretend he was there for a petty crime and not not being able to revolt when he was treated badly ticked him off especially. However he reminded himself why he was in the prison in the first place and his expression become more gentle and gaze less harsh as he looked around the room his eyes searching for his comrade.

 

The space was dark but no more than the poorly light cell he'd been kept in previously. Here, it was quiet and there was enough space for at least half a dozen men even though only the two of them were there. Einar knew being brought to this place was meant to be punishment but it looked almost like a reward to him. He was ignorant of the effect such an environment would have on him if he were to spend weeks trapped there alone.

 

As soon as he caught sight of his comrade, he brightened up and whatever anger the jailers had induced in him dissipated. He didn't know this man, he'd never talked to him or even seen him, but he knew who he was looking for and now that he'd found the other it mean part of his mission was already complete and he could begin helping someone who was like himself. He couldn't stop himself from smiling but as he took a step closer he was blank on what to say. With only a door separating them and guards he couldn't simply say who he was and explain to the other man that he intended to break him out of there.

-"Hello." He said in stead, sounding strange in his attempts to keep his enthusiasm from dripping into his voice. "I'll be staying with you, for a while." He explained and watched the other man's expression carefully, hoping to get some idea of what he was thinking now.

[Raychu]

The door creaked open, only to be slammed shut once the new prisoner was thrown in. The reactions of the other was almost hilarious to him, even deciding to shoot a glare when the guards were long gone. Pierre shuffled, the chains making noise to fill the silent room. The other seemed to be looking around curiously, as if he was trying to find something. The older man didn't know what he was doing, it seemed to have peaked his interest though. The other was obviously younger than he was, curious to see if the other inmates they had were around the same age. Though, he needed to get to actually see. His eyes wandered out the door, seeing if they were looking to see the interaction. Was this a test for them to see if he got violent or not? Maybe they were considering letting him out. No, that's extremely wishful thinking, he knew better than to do that.

 

Finally the stranger had realized there was someone else in the room, his mood seeming to brighten? What a weird guy. When the other spoke, the tone he kept seemed so forced. Was this supposed to be an act of some sort? What was wrong with this kid? He was forcing a face that anyone could see through. Just like the other, Pierre was staring at every detail of his face, trying to figure out the difference between his mood and voice, they just didn't match up. He shrugged it off, deciding it would be best not to overthink it, that could give him a headache. He nodded when this unknown person satiated he would be staying in the room with him for awhile. What did the kid do to end up on extreme lockdown? Honestly, he seemed like an innocent person, here under a mistake that had been made by someone else. You can't be sure to judge a book by it's cover though.

 

Pierre's face didn't show much of what he was thinking, not showing any kind of expression. No anger, sadness, or joy, just w straight face. Being locked in a prison cell like this, it was a bad idea to show any kind of emotion they could possibly use against the person. He didn't want to be that person making rookie mistakes. Though, it was like that before he got caught and shoved into this hell hole. He never showed his face even then. Masking your emotions masked your true nature and personality. Then no one could catch you. It was only by mistake did he allow himself to be caught, one he beat himself up for everyday. Now he was being held in a prison cell, probably going to rot in it for eternity.

 

"Hm, alright. Not that I'm going to complain about it," he said in a hushed tone. No matter how softly he spoke, somehow the guards had heard, kicking on the door. He sighed, laying back, closing his eyes. He remained silent. There was many questions he wanted to ask even if the guards got upset by it. He just didn't know how to ask them, it was like in a short span of time without interacting he became socially inept. Now he didn't know what he was supposed to say or do, if anything at all. Maybe the other wanted to remain in utter silence, how was he to know that? Pierre was just confused. He finally had a person in front of him he could talk to, instead, he just closed himself from the other. What if his his stutter decided to act up because he was so anxious just about talking? What if he said something stupid to scare the other off? These were risks he wouldn't take.

 

The room was silent and cold, a chill running through him for the first time in forever. Someone as finally in there, able to watch his every move, causing a certain nervousness he didn't feel when he was alone. How could this other be proved innocent, he still could be someone who was working with the men of the prison, this could be a joke to get his hopes up. His hopes that he might actually maintain some of the sanity he had left by conversing. Was he showing that weakness of his? He turned over on his side, once again, the chains rattled through the thick silence. He stared at the prisoner, his eyes not moving from him once. "Your name?"

[ZX-MetalMonster]

The click of metals links pulling one another in a string drew Einar's attention and his eyes focused on the shackles that had been put on the light haired man. The restraints seemed heavy and durable and prompted Einar to wonder if the other had tried to escape without assistance or perhaps shown his strength and hurt one of the prison staff. He himself was restrained in no way other than by the walls and sturdy door of the cell. Apparently, the jailers didn't consider him as much of a threat and while it was true he was younger and not as strong or skilled as the man he was locked up with, he was a danger. However he was glad to be underestimated, he knew this wouldn't be the only time the wardens poor judgement would grant him more freedom.

 

He considered again that difference in power between himself and his comrade and tried to calculate it more precisely as he continued to move closer to him. He could see and even more clearly sense that he wasn't trusted from the way he was watched and the unpleasant atmosphere that settled in the room. The knowledge that he could be badly hurt and the possibility of having to fight this man continually took away part of his focus and even made him somewhat reluctant. His expression changed and he no longer brandished a naive smile but didn't frown or seem in any way unpleasant either. When he spoke his voice was still calm and collected but now casual and altogether he came across as more genuine.

 

-"Einar." He introduced himself and because he was beginning to catch onto the behaviour of the guards at the door, employed the same hushed tone the other had used to question him. He hoped to keep the peace between them so once only a few steps separated them he moved to the side in stead of progressing further forward. With a soft, inaudible sigh, Einar seated himself on the ground and leaned on the wall expecting that this would make him look like less of a threat if nothing else.

 

-"I've heard about you, not much but I'm sure it's all true." Even though it was impossible for him to be direct he could try to hint at his reason for being there, he only had to be careful not to give into his curiosity and begin questioning his comrade about how he'd ended up imprisoned.

[Raychu]

"Einar," he repeated softly, his eyes opening. The tapping of footsteps towards the bed didn't alarm him, it did make him wonder what the other was doing by moving so close. "Pierre." He stated his name, the kick at the door demandin for silence. Even if they threatened with the kicks, they wouldn't dare enter. The kicks were meaningless to him. They threw the stranger in the room, it obviously meant he was going to talk. It was the guards' mistake. Could he trust Einar? Would something happen in the room that would make him fight? If that was the case, he would lose. Being shackled, he could only kick and punch so much. The other had the freedom of movement. If this was a test to see his strength, he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing anymore than they already did.

 

Pierre turned his head to look at the other, seeing that he was sitting down. The space between them was little, not much delegated them but a few steps. He studied the other's features, finding he was quite different from someone you'd expect to be locked up in containment with a superhuman. Just why was he in here? If it wasn't for the purpose of being tested, did he just kick up too much of a fuss? Would that really warrant him being locked up in here as punishment? That didn't seem right to him, that just couldn't click in his mind as being what had happened. Being locked up in this prison cell didn't seem like much of a punishment for a misbehaving prisoner. It seemed pointless for hem to stick someone like that in here. Were they hoping he would scare the other to cause him to behave so he wouldn't come back? Einar didn't even flinch when he was thrown into the room with one man. Hat should make anyone suspicious, not the younger boy.

 

"Oh? Rumors about a guy who had extreme strength? Or are the tumors different from that?" He murmured his question, sitting back up. That would explain why the other didn't seem as fazed by him as much as you would expect someone to, then again, it was just a guy locked up in solitary confinement, it didn't mean that much. Still, of the rumors went around about his strength, it almost bothered him how they would know. He never even got to see any of the other prisoners. Was information being sold in this hell hole of a prison? Most likely. People will do anything for money, greed was an amazing human trait. Somehow, no one could never have enough, whether it was money, food, etcetera. People just wanted more and more. He included himself in that, though he wanted to be greedy with freedom. He should've been before he was caught and trapped.

 

"You're a strange person, Einar," he spoke the name again. Another kick came from the door, a loud grumble of annoyance. At one point he yelled shut up. They kicked the door harder, never entered though. He didn't explain why the other was strange, not bother to go into detail about things. Though, he was meaning how fake the other originally acted, or the chopped sentences with mysterious meanings. Naturally, he started to analyze everything the other was doing to figure him out, though he was a complete mystery for him to solve. Nothing he did seemed real, everything so fake, but s fake that he felt like he understood. Pierre wasn't the kind of man who easily caught onto things, he was slow when it came to hints. If anything were to ever get through his thick skull, it needed to be said outright.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

After the guards interrupted them multiple times and seemed to grow more annoyed and complained in addition to kicking the door, Einar actually started to become accustomed to them. He quickly figured out that they wouldn't dare to come in and cause trouble, the only thing that concerned him was that they might force him out before he even manages to show the other man why he was there. From what he'd learned from the other prisoners, whenever someone became too violent they were brought here primarily so they would be alone and unable to cause a bigger conflict in one of the large cells or the courtyard. He already seemed calm and collected now though and that was enough for him to be sent back.

 

With his comrade having pointed out how odd he was being, it gave Einar a chance to be honest with him for a moment and speak with no hidden meaning behind his words.

-"I'm not so strange, I just don't know how to talk to you." He answered and feeling more comfortable stood up again to cross the small distance that was left between them and sit beside the other. He had so little contact with others of his kind that a mission that involved communicating with someone like this was somewhat special and he had things he would have liked to say and ask unrelated to escaping. Even if they were left alone with no one to hear and observe them he would have had trouble expressing himself correctly.

 

-"I know about your strength, and I've been told about a few other things as well." Einar explained though he intentionally left out where he'd gathered the information.

-"We might as well talk about something else though..." He suggested and looked into the other Pierre's eyes before glancing towards the door beyond which the guards stood, hoping this would be a clear message. "...they did a good job of restraining you, your strength doesn't matter much now." He added so the jailers wouldn't become suspicious and lead him out or even worse take him to be questioned more thoroughly about the circumstances under which he'd ended up in the prison.

 

-"Did they put you in here right away or were you in a big crowd like everyone else first? It's so peaceful i here." Einar asked and the last part of what he said came out so quiet it was barely more than a whisper. Besides that personal comment the question was meant to help him figure out how much of the prison his comrade knew and if he was aware of the few weak points in it's defenses that they could abuse to their benefit.

[Raychu]

"I guess that is true. Speaking in fragmented sentences isn't the way," he grumbled, rubbing the temples of his forehead. Pierre didn't know how to deal with Einar either, never meeting someone who acted this way. It was hard for him to just suddenly adjust, especially since he's gone so long without human contact that he really can't figure out what he's supposed to be doing. How was he supposed to socialize? That was something he never truly knew how to do, he just went with the flow, if it was fully of rough waves carrying him to random places. He was extremely excited he was being presented with a golden gift, begging allowed to socialize with Einar freely, minus the part that included irritated guards kicking their door. He was wasting this chance by being unfriendly with the other, trying to figure out how he was meant to be. He wanted to conform to the other's personality so they could get along, nothing of the sort could happen. The other wasn't showing who he actually was, putting on some sort of mask to help protect his true identity.

 

Pierre shifted himself away from Einar as much as he could, practically hanging off the bed. He felt odd when there wasn't a distance between him and people, wanting to put a large gap between them for their own safety. He feared for the people who were near him, knowing he was just as dangerous as any kind of military weapon. Perhaps he was even deadlier than that. He was a human who was trained to kill, now that trained dog was locked up in prison, being restrained to a wall. Every amount of strength he had meant nothing now, he couldn't do what he had done before. No amount of rage could break the chains, for once, he was the vulnerable one having to bow his head for mercy. He was the one who was in the weaker position, dumbfounded, no idea what to do, where to go. He just sat there pondering all those questions. He didn't hunk there was any place he could go. He couldn't get rid of the main things keeping him there, the steel chains. He didn't know any direction of the prison. And he had nowhere to run to, unsure where they were even located.

 

"My strength would be an obvious thing to hear about," he replied in a quiet voice. Other things? Just what other things had Einar heard? This wasn't right, there were so many hidden things he just like t wrap his head around. The new prisoner really did speak in so many riddles, Pierre's head beginning to hurt from over analyzing them, trying to figure out what they meant. He wasn't the kind of guy that was meant for riddles, only being confused by the hidden meaning behind the other's words as he spoke his nonsense. When their eyes met, he felt like he knew what the other meant, but he could t wrap his head around it. Hearing the restrained comment irked him and he yanked on the chains for noise. Sure, he dousing break them, that didn't mean his strength was completely useless. Einar was close enough, he could've given him a pretty good hit without the restraints holding him back. He felt like he was being mocked by the other when he brought up being restrained, as if he was making fun of him being in the weak position. Pierre would not stand for that, he would force the other into a corner if it continued on.

 

"Maybe I was in a big crowd before I got here, I'm unsure. Byhe time I woke up and could clearly remember anything, I was already in here, locked in by the cuffs," he said, feeding into the question that was rad only given to him. His sharp ears picked up the small sound of the other saying it was peaceful. Was that actually true? Was it that bad down in the yard? He yearned to go into the yard with other prisoner's just once, now that was being shaken off, worried it was a dreadful place to be. He didn't want to go a place where he may possibly get too angry and decide a nice lunch would help fix everything he didn't want to deal with. That would be idiocy from other prisoners. Maybe it was a good thing he was locked away from them, it sounded horrid with all the fantasies he was creating in his mind about the other people here. Though, only Einar could actually say whether or not it was good or bad. "Stop speaking in riddles." He demanded. If the other was worried about the guards, that would be no problem. The older man put a finger to his lips, insinuating he needed to speak in an extremely hushed tone if he wanted no one else to hear, hopefully the other understood it with no problem.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Einar saw clearly that he was overstepping boundaries and enraging the other man now, obviously none of what he was trying to hint at was being understood. He wasn't sure though if it was because he was communicating very poorly or because the other was not putting enough effort into understanding him or was incapable of it. Whatever the reason was, Einar knew he had to find another method to speak truthfully with his comrade. He also made a note to himself to be more careful with how he moved, he already regretted reducing the distance between them so much as it obviously resulted in them both feeling uneasy.

He didn't mind the closeness himself until the older man warned him by tugging on one of the chains. Einar didn't flinch but from how quickly he redirected his gaze to the source of the noise and grew tense it was apparent he was alarmed.

 

Embarrassed that his plan was executed so poorly that the older man demanded he stop, Einar looked to the side for a moment and shifted nervously. "I'm sorry." He said and it was an apology for many of the things he'd done wrong so far.

Seeing the other male's gesture, he initially though he wanted him to stay quiet and not annoy him any more but after a moment it clicked in his head that he would still be heard even if he spoke very quietly. Reluctant, unsure if the realization he'd come to was the correct one, he watched the other man with a steady gaze as he started to speak in a whisper.

 

-" The prisoners don't know that much about you, but I wasn't lying before. I've heard some things about you outside of this place, from other people who are as strong as you." He started and continued to watch the other man to confirm to himself that Pierre really did want to hear more from him. He was also curious how he would react to the information now that it was all said simply and not in some sort of code.

 

-" I just want to help you." Einar added and met the other man's eyes again, trying to show him that he was now being truthful. He was eager to be understood and for his comrade to trust him enough to accept whatever help he could offer him. He was aware he'd started off badly but he hoped to get to know this person more than just through the few words they'd just exchanged and there was also his mission that was equally important to him.

[Raychu]

Pierre felt guilty when the other was obviously alarmed by the sound of the chains. It was his intention for him to make the other cautious, yet he still felt bad. Einar wasn't a bad kid, he just needed to watched the way he spoke. There was a reason he put a distance between them. It made him feel like he was safer to be around then being close where he could accidentally hurt someone without meaning it. That kind of situation had happened before, he regretted it every single day until she was able to tell him it wasn't his fault. He knew he had strength like a monster, it didn't mean he was a monster all together. He couldn't help the superhuman strength he was stuck with. He was the unlucky fellow who was chosen to have a curse put on him. No matter how he looked at it, this was a curse, not a gift. It made people fear him. He feared himself when he was near innocent civilians. This was a power he couldn't escape, no matter how hard he tried, he was stuck with this until the day he was sent to the grave.

 

That's what this was about. Pierre's attention was drawn away form the other speaking when he said that he and heard the information from other people like him. They didn't necessarily like him, he wouldn't assume they sent Einar to help him out either. This meant the other was helping him all on his own, not because he was ordered. That trust that he refused to give in the beginning was coming out a bit more now. With the other not speaking in the confusion riddles, he was able to understand and actually put trust into the words being spoken. It was easier to be blunt with him than to try and make him understand with the subliminal messages behind everything they said. He didn't care to understand anyone at that point, they would have to deal with just speaking outright. This situation did warrant for the other to try, obviously worried about being heard by the guards.

 

Their eyes met, locking onto one another. Help was something that almost seemed surreal when you're locked up in a prison alone for months on end. Now he had a hope in his room, a hope that was moving around freely. If they worked together, they both could get out. That's all he wanted, was to be free and see the outside world once more. No one wanted to die in a prison, especially not a dreadful once such as this. He's heard of there being better prisons out there, this just happened to be one of the worst. At some point he could possibly be transferred, glad that may not happen with having the younger kid there.

 

"So you've heard other things about me? I'm curious, are they bad?" Pierre spoke loud enough for the guards to hear so they wouldn't get nervous with the silence that was emmitting from the room. They may have disliked the interaction between the two prisoners, that didn't mean they wouldn't get nervous with the sudden lack of talking when they were just talking minutes ago. He was curious to know about these mysterious things anyway. The other was still meant to speak in a hushed tone, though he'd also need to come up with a quick lie to say to appease the guards. Pierre knew how to work around this kind of thing, now he had someone to work with to make it complete.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Einar knew the guards weren't watching them carefully and that he could communicate his thoughts by rearranging his features as long as he was subtle. While still gazing into his comrades eyes he smiled softly, too carried away to be shy or feel awkward. A similar expression was what had made the other man be suspicious of him and call him odd before but he couldn't resist showing how glad he was upon finally finding a way to communicate with the other. He could also feel the atmosphere in the room become less uneasy and was sure he was noticing hints of his comrade's suspicions fading away.

-"Yes, they've mentioned bad things." Einar admitted, and even though this answer was primarily for the guards he wasn't lying or making things up. "Some of the others praised you though, mostly for your ability as a fighter. Altogether, from everything I've been told, I wouldn't say you're a bad person." He added in a quiet voice, only for the other man to hear.

 

Thinking again of their issue, Einar allowed his eyes to focus on the chains that provided an added obstacle to them escaping. The restraints seemed ridiculously thick and resilient, giving him reason to worry and wonder how they could possibly remove them without finding a key. The thickness was most likely calculated to counter the other man's strength but he was curious if both of them pulling would provide enough force to break some of the links. He didn't dare to reach out and tug on one of the chains though, partially because he feared the jailers would notice and take him away and partially because he was unsure what the older male would think of the action.

 

-"Have you tried to escape on your own?" Einar questioned hoping to be warned of other things that they would have to overcome when trying to get out together. He was sure that even locked up and isolated in this room the older man knew more about the prison itself and how it's personnel worked simply because he'd been there for far longer.

-"I'm not sure how many times they will bring me here before thinking of a better punishment so is there anything you want me to do, anything important you couldn't do on your own?" Einar offered finally, having lost track of time he was paranoid and expecting someone to interrupt and separate them at any moment before they could even exchange any useful information.

[Raychu]

"Bad things? I'm not surprised," Pierre said loudly, only to returned to more of a quieted tone. "You're the first person to actually say that to me. Should I be flattered by that? I'm not. It's hard to believe it when I've been called a heartless man all the time, an apathetic monster." He let out a sigh, shutting his lips tightly as he began to think. He leaned his head back, letting it rest against the wall as he stared at the ceiling. Hearing the other way he wasn't a bad person, he appreciated it, though he still didn't believe the words being spoken. You can only allow yourself to believe so much when people constantly insult you, tear you down, ignore the feelings you may possibly have. He had no feelings according to them, he didn't care what he did. They assumed him to be a murderer who just sought to seek blood. This was untrue, he hated violence, he hated bloodshed, he couldn't help who he was though. This wasn't something he wanted, he was just given it. That was that.

 

"No. As I've said before, when I woke up, I was already here, the cuffs on me," he said as he pulled on the chains lightly to produce the noise. "I tried to pull myself out of them, they are just too strong. No attempted mistakes." He yanked on the chains once more, earning a loud demanding voice yell at him through the door to stop. He had he upper hand just by being in the room, he had the upper hand being chained. This induced fear into the guards, this made them weary of the man that sat within in the room. He was dangerous, this they knew, this caused them to cower just by hearing the chains move. The guards weren't trained properly, they reacted without thinking. If he threatened their very existence, he may as well be considered dead. They would pull a gun with no hesitation, the instinct of survival, the defense of one's life. The fear they held, swarmed their very minds, their souls. Fear was them, they were fear.

 

"Bring me something? If you could find something long and thin. I think I can remove the cuffs without the guards' key if I have something to replace it," he said in a much more hushed tone. He didn't need the buffoons outside the door catching onto his plan. This was the only shot he had to get out of the prison, this was the only hope he had. In his moments of despair, in his moments of hopelessness, a ray of light shown through the door. An angel sent from the heavens to save him. Now he had something, someone to believe in and out trust in them. He didn't have to believe he was going to be stuck inside the prison for the rest of eternity, the rotting corpse laying among the cold ground. This was the only chance he had left, he couldn't waste it, he couldn't be too hasty. This would take moments of changing at a time until they were given the perfect oppurtunity to escape from the building.

 

Pierre reached out, grabbing Einar's hand as he looked at the younger boy. He lightly shook the hand, as if they had just made a deal. It was if they had, a deal for a deal. He would most likely owe the other something in return once this had gone by, that was okay. This handshake didn't just represent this unspoken deal, it was the shake of friendship for him. He couldn't say he had just made a potential friend to the guards. Silence was the key in this prison, the sharpest ears hearing everything. He would always remain silent, even if it meant the point never got across. He was prepared to be unheard, this could be said at a later time, the time that they would escape.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Only now Einar began to question what it was so horrible that the other man had done that had earned him all of the insults and animosity he mentioned. He stood by what he'd told him, he believed he was a good person. However he also admitted, though inwardly so to spare his feelings, that he knew little about the older man. With luck though they would have an opportunity to get to know each other and he was hopeful that his initial opinion of his comrade would turn out to be precise.

 

Einar wondered as well though about the circumstances under which the other was placed in the cell. If the jailers knew to put on the shackles before he woke then the older man must had done something that clearly displayed his strength.

Einar himself had intentionally broken the law with the intent to be thrown into this prison. He'd spent some time in the city that surrounded the institution and made sure to steal repeatedly and then make his crimes known to the police. Though he'd stolen a great amount he could had gotten himself arrested in much more violent ways, so in a way he'd chosen the most subtle way to come in.

He wasn't afraid of being put under lock and key and placed in the same space as true criminals, however he hadn't imagined the prison would be like this. Now what he hated most about it was the way the prisoners were at every moment stuffed together in tight places like some sort of animals about to be slaughtered.

 

It caught Einar off guard and he first gave the older man a puzzled look when he took his hand but as the hold turned into a handshake he smiled again. Oddly enough for someone who'd done his best to come up with a method to communicate through code, he didn't think too deeply about the meaning of the touch. The first information he drew from it was the most significant to him, he knew after this contact that the other man trusted him now.

-" I'll do everything I can not to disappoint you." He felt the need to make the promise. There was no guaranty that everything would go as plan and that they would make it out but he knew he would give it his best. Besides, it was his own freedom on the line now as well.

[Raychu]

"Don't push yourself, recklessness can get you caught quick," he stated smoothly. Pierre had experience with this first hand. Everything was wow thing he knew. He was too reckless and got himself caught, now he had to pay the price. The best he could do was give some advice to the younger boy. If anything, he needed to give him an oversight of pushing himself could take you farther than you meant to go. Now he was dealing with the problems and trying to find his way around what he did. Now he regretted every single moment of it. Sitting in a room alone was driving him crazy, now there was a noise that calmed him. Einar was a present sent down from the heavens, he was something great, something he didn't want to let go of. He finally had the chance of freedom in his grasp, he would take it slow, he was sure they would succeed.

 

"Thank you, I guess," he murmured softly, trying to figure out if this situation even called for a showing of gratitude. Right as he said that, the door was opened. The guards were cautious of coming in when they had to get so close to Pierre, grabbing Einar slowly. For his own amusement, he yanked on the chains for effect just as he had done to Einar to warn him. It was his way of showing I'm dangerous, don think you can just come near me on your own time. The guard had clinched and stopped, giving a quick glance to their extremely dangerous prisoner, before leaving with his only source of light. He gave a quick nod to newly found helper, before the door was closed tight. Now he was alone again, he had nothing. The silence was already killing him, he wanted the younger boy back to be able keep his sanity. Time ran up so quick, it hurt him.

 

All there was left to do was wait for Einar to return. Who knows how long that could take, he still would wait. He wouldn't doubt the boy anymore like he had in the beginning, he trusted him now. Waiting may have been as painful as dying, that didn't matter, he would suffer if it turned out well in the end. Time was moving slowly once more when there was nothing but mere silence filling his room. Every now and then he moved, the chains moving with him. Nothing that could entertain him, could ease this craving to hear another human voice once more. He just wanted someone to call his friend and be able to talk naturally to, he wanted to share his life and hear about another's. He was old, they didn't mean he didn't crave the feeling of a friend.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Einar found himself conflicted upon hearing the other man's advice, unsure if he should smile and be thankful that his comrade was looking out for him or be embarrassed that he'd made it sound like he would do something careless. While he had intentionally drawn attention to himself so he would be brought into this special cell he knew the importance of carefully choosing his actions and making himself invisible in the crowd. In this prison especially it seemed easy to hide oneself thanks to how many prisoners there were and how loud everything was in general.

 

Einar didn't have to think long about how to reply to the rest of what the older man said. His automatic response was a friendly smile and he parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by the guards who'd decided his punishment of being locked with the dangerous prisoner was over. The jailer who was clearly unhappy to be forced to venture inside gripped at his arm and pulled him along towards the door. He noted his comrade's warning, the metallic clang of his restraints as he tugged on them, but knew that this time it wasn't he who was being threatened and felt no fear. He glanced back striving to feel close to the other man even as he was being led out but already now he could no longer allow his true thoughts to show in his expression.

 

His way back to the building where they had originally placed him was uneventful minus for the few comments from the guard who followed him. He'd lost his sense of time while in the isolated cell not because of the room itself but because of who he'd met inside and how nervous he was for most of their conversation. Only when he found himself outside again did he get some sense of how long had actually passed and realized it wasn't much. He then finally noticed how difficult it must had been for his comrade to be kept in the small space with no hint of what time it was. He was sure minutes seemed to stretch into hours under such conditions but soon enough he found that his own time was passing slowly once he was locked away in the suffocating crowd again.

 

As soon as he was given a chance, Einar began to search for a long, thin object that could be of use to the other man and in the meanwhile wondered how he would manage to visit him for a second time. It proved to be difficult to find something so specific when he was among people who weren't interested in helping him or even talking to him. He hoped to work on his mission without pause but after another couple of hours the sleepless night and the stunt he'd pulled to get special punishment caught up with him. Being as stubborn as always, he tried to ignore the exhaustion and continue pushing through the crowd in search of the object he needed but eventually he had to admit it to himself that he was tired. He made his way to one of the walls of the cell and reluctantly, afraid that someone would crush him, placed himself on the ground where he rolled up defensively. It didn't take long after that for him to fall asleep despite the loud chatter that still filled the air and gave no hint that it would dye down soon.

[Raychu]

It was another long, dreadful day. No matter how happy Pierre had become from seeing his ray of hope from Einar, he still dreaded the days he lived in this cell. He wanted to be down with the other prisoners, he needed interaction to prevent him from going mad. However, he wasn't so fortunate. He was stuck up in the solitary cell, rumors of his strength spreading among the other prisoners that were withheld here. He couldn't say he wad quite happy about this, instead, it really irritated him. He didn't like being talked about when they didn't know anything. They only knew what the guards would whisper, which wasn't all true either. Those were lies, dramatized situations. He could hear the small chit chats among the door, he heard the story of his human strength and how he got in here. It never happened that exact way, that was just a story to make them look better. He caused more damage than not trying to fight back and prevent the men from capturing him. Even if he failed, many of the men who attacked were severely injured, though, they don't dare to mention that. They had a lie of a reputation to uphold.

 

Pierre was extremely aggressive when they attacked him, when they knocked him out with a metal pipe. Noses were broken, lips busted, ribs broken. None of the men got out of the attack unharmed, they all got out with more than a scratch, lucky to even be alive without remaining in a hospital bed. This was assumed why he was holed up in a room alone with extremely large cuffs to hold him from much movement of his arms and legs. He only displayed his strength in hopes to get out unscathed and to make it away before he was caught. He had the disadvantage by not having a weapon on him. They used a metal pipe as their weapon, they held the upper hand. When he woke up after being knocked out, he was already restrained, his hair soaked in blood from the back of his head. Nothing too severe, he was just fine. Aside from the head injury, it could've been much worse. Unlike Einar, he saw nothing of the building. That's exactly how they wanted it.

 

The day passed much faster than it usually did, the food seeming to come in and out more than usual. Was this a special treat? He only got three meals a day, usually without dessert. There seemed to be sweets on the platter served through the slide in the door, which was odd. He wouldn't overthink it, that would only induce an unwanted headache, however, it still lingered why they had done it. Was it his behavior from today? Not possible. He only did what any normal person should have done, been cautious yet attempt at being friendly. You don't trust much when you are locked in a prison. Not many would. Being over trusting and naïve would only take you down.

 

Nightfall came faster than usual. Pierre wasn't tired as he stared down that metal door that blocked him and freedom. Had Einar found something yet? It might be impossible, he didn't know how secure this prison was. They could possibly have made sure nothing of use was around. It didn't seem like a likely possibility, they didn't exactly secure him great besides the cuffs. Pierre was a special case, no one wanted to deal with him at all. He was too dangerous. It's almost hilarious they'll capture him and fight with all force, however when he's locked away in a prison cell, having the disadvantage, they are scared senseless to attempt and deal with him. What fearful people. He used it against them too. He teased and mocked them by rattling the chains as often as possible, it got under their skin. He didn't do it with any real purpose besides entertaining himself. When the guard came in to collect Einar, that was the first time they got close enough for him to see their facial expressions when he spooked them. It was amusing, ironic almost.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Having drifted far from the front of cell where some natural light could be observed, seeping into the crowded building from somewhere above, Einar had little idea of what time it was when he woke up or for how long he had slept. Unknown to him, throughout his sleep he'd been pushed and unintentionally tugged around by the other inmates as they moved about the cell but the rough treatment hadn't been enough to wake him with how exhausted he had been. Evidence of every accidental hit he took remained on his skin however in the form of bruises and now, as he pulled himself to his feet he could feel each of them. A quiet, pained groan slipped by his lips while he tried to stretch despite the sea of people who surrounded him and now he started to wonder when they would feed them as he was sure he'd skipped more than one meal the previous day. With this simple question added as another thing he didn't know about the prison he started to go around in search of a friendly face again hoping to gather more information and if he had luck, find the kind of object his comrade had asked him to bring the next time they met.

 

Unlike the previous time he had attempted this when he'd only come across hostility from the other prisoners, Einar now managed to find a small group who were willing to talk to him and not only so he would go away sooner. The three men, as he soon learned, were all arrested on the same occasion for participating in a protest. Knowing that they received the same punishment as himself who did much worse things puzzled Einar but another thing he learned from them was that in the cells of this prison murderers and petty thieves were easily locked together. Some prisoners did receive special treatment but only on account of their social standing or the connections they had with the jailers. Those were held in separate, almost private spaces and were often allowed to bring along personal belongings thanks to which their sentences became more similar to hotel stays.

Einar would had been upset with the injustice if he hadn't realized a great opportunity upon being informed that these protected persons were let into the courtyard along with the rest of the prisoners every day. He doubted they would willingly converse with him or help him but he intended to make use of their privilege to bring in objects from the outside world even if it turned out necessary to threaten them.

[Raychu]

Pierre awoke in a fairly good mood. One of the best he had been in for awhile. Having Einar out there put him at ease knowing someone cared enough to help him escape. How or why he didn't know yet. He was most curious to know why. He never thought that someone was even remotely worried for him. He wasn't liked among the people he was meant to hang around with, they let him get caught, it was a surprise a complete stranger actually cared. This was a whole new feeling that actually made him feel comforted. Even the guards were in better moods not having to deal with his usual routine of hounding them with his questions. Each time he asked, he got the same response. Now he had no reason to ask. Even if he was going to be locked up in a solitary room, Pierre no longer felt alone. He felt there was someone here who was meant to save him. This should make anyone feel as happy as he did, even if it was a rare emotion for him to feel. It didn't show either. He never showed his emotions as simply as a normal person. That didn't meant it wasn't detectable either. His eyes weren't the perfect state of emotionless, just his face.

 

It wasn't easy having to just sit around all day. This was a continuous thing Pierre had to go through, find little ways to entertain himself until there was his meals. Even talking wasn't an option with how guarded the men outside his door were. He tried a few times, only to find out no matter how many times he was polite, they would be nothing but snarky in return. It's not like he could blame them, he was a fugitive... a dangerous one at that. If they said one thing wrong, it could compromise everything they have in seconds. He didn't stop trying to talk with them to waste time, after the futile attempts, it turned into scaring. He'd hit the door a few times to get a jump out of her guards as he watched them through the bars.

 

There was a rookie on the job with one of the older men, his nervous habit of biting showing how this was affecting him. If Pierre had one thing, it was being able to read body language and emotions without looking rice. He couldn't display these emotions but he knew how to read them. Almost like he could put together a puzzle without a picture on the pieces. This didn't matter at all. He was watching the boy, wondering how to manipulate him. If he could just get a pencil and a paper. Or even have the boy pass along the message to Einar. Hidden in code. He wasn't stupid enough to reveal his plans. How to manipulate this rookie guard.