I felt… groggy… I slowly opened my eyes and blinked, groaning and rubbing my temple with my left hand. I slowly sat up and found myself in this room with bars that had big enough gaps for any normal person to pass through. When I finally stood up I noticed there was a lever attached to this electrical box… should I pull it? Probably not, I should focus on getting out of this room. The thing is this was a square room with three walls yet one opening directly opposite the electric box, this opening was where the four bars were positioned, these bars big enough for someone to walk through, so when I took the steps to walk out of this room… I felt myself fall yet again… there was a gap between the room I woke up in and the bigger room… it’s over… I’ve failed…

  Jeremy: “Woah hey there! Didn’t I tell you to always add six inches to your usual steps?”

  I remembered that soft Bulgarian voice from the cruise! After steadying myself again I’d look behind Jermey to see two more individuals standing there… looking rather cautious of me.

  Jac: “Thanks dude… who are these two though?”

  I shared their caution, after all I was kidnapped and set in what very well may be a prison cell! After I asked my question Jeremy looked to where my gaze was directed.

  Jeremy: “To be honest… no idea! These two woke me up while I was dozing off in a room similar to yours.”

  I gazed at where he pointed, just a few feet from my room was another room, same gap in the floor, same four bars with big enough spaces to pass through, but instead it had a boiler.

  Jac: “So where did these two come from? I don’t see any other rooms like ours around… wait how come they didn’t wake me up first?”

  ???: “Because you look like a dud! I mean who wears a hoodie that’s as thin as yours and doesn’t button it fully?”

  Makoto: “Miss Yusuke, please refrain from judging our fellow classmate… Apologises sir in advance, allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Makoto Izanagi, and make sure not to forget that I’m the ultimate butler.”

  Makoto, unlike Jermey, actually had combed and slicked back black hair, a single breast tuxedo and white gloves, I especially liked his laced wingtip boots.

  ???: “Aw Izzy! You spoil me with how much attention you reward me!”

  Makoto: “Please miss, haven’t I already advised you to call me by my family name, Izanagi instead of Izzy?”

  Valentinia: “Yeah but… where’s the fun in that? Oh also heyo! I’m Valentinia Yusku! The ultimate fortune teller! Pretty I know, I’m just cute like that!”

  So this was that girlypop girl I saw on the cruise, some type of no shoulder sleeves crop top blouse? Expressive much? But then again she pulls it off well since she wears these pink tinted sunglasses shaped like hearts, and her puffy slip on sleeves, although I will have to question the existence of her jean shorts… but I suppose all can be forgiven since she has these gorgeous ribbon laced slippers, but still… rather uncharacteristically mainstream for an omani woman, especially with the clashing of rebellious western clothing.

  Makoto: “Charming miss, a thousand apologizes Mr. … What is your title again?”

  Jac: “Oh right, you two can just call me Jac Miyata, I’d rather we find a way out of here sooner than later though in case our captors come and find us.”

  Jeremy sighed as he looked around.

  Jeremy: “What about that vent up there?”

  Jeremy pointed to a vent in between the walls that connected my room and the room he was in.

  Jac: “That’s too high for any of us to reach though! It’s be a fucking waste of time to try…”

  Makoto would take a few steps towards the wall and crouch down.

  Makoto: “In times like these we must do all we must to proceed, Mr. Miyata sir, if you may I’ll elevate you up on my shoulders.”

  I was starting to like this guy, sure he was young and sounded rather dissociated with all of this, but that didn’t stop me from standing on his shoulders as he held me up.

  Valentinia: “So? What’s the verdict almighty dud?”

  I’d look into the vent… and saw… couches? And… and arm or two?

  Jac: “Furniture, and people, that’s all I can make out.”

  I would get down from Makoto’s shoulders and turn around to find an open door, which must be where Valentinia and Makoto came from.

  Jermey: “So there’s an upstairs? Looks like we have somewhere to be then.”

  I’d follow as the three went on ahead of me, I of course investigated a little, it seems like the open door led to two more doors, one opposite of it and one to its left, the one opposite of the door I was standing in front of was open and I could make out another vent at the top of the wall connecting two more rooms, similar bars, similar floor gaps, probably a similar electrical box and boiler layout if I investigated more thoroughly, however I followed the three through the closed door and we found ourselves taking stairs next to another set that we had to turn right towards going up, once we arrived at the top we opened another door to be greeted with these Greek and Roman inspired walls, floors, ceilings, definitely a mix of both cultures.

  Jac: “Hey Makoto, you and Valentinia also woke up in rooms similar to Jeremy’s and mine, were you able to look through your vent?”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Makoto: “Yes, and no, Valentinia here couldn’t make out any actual signs because something was blocking the vents' view, she claims it to be cheap leather.”

  Valentinia: “My intuition is never wrong! I’m just not always right.”

  Ignoring the fact that what Valentinia said makes no sense, we found ourselves following the hallways going right, to the room I got a good view through the vent, there were doors all with these blank plaques on them, but I didn’t bother to examine them any further as the four of us approached a double door pushing it open.

  ???: “Eek! Be away with you evil beasts!”

  Jac: “ACK!”

  I felt a carrot being thrown at my face, the sharp end to be more specific.

  Jeremy: “Woah! Woah! Chill out, we're friends! Not evil or beasts!”

  The girl resembled little red with her red hood and ice blonde hair, so maybe not a perfect resemblance of little red, but nevertheless she had a pink bow around her hair, a pink shirt, white sneakers, french braids, and a back quiver slung around her.

  Nina: “Oh! Oh I’m sorry! Please forgive me. I'm just a little worked up after the whole paralysis! I’m Nina Hailstorm by the way, the uh- umm… The Ultimate Archer!”

  Nina, despite her wavering fear, sounded almost excited? It may be due to her young stature, no older than me, but it seems like she was still easily startled and spooked.

  Jac: “I-I’m Jac Miyata, the guy you just attacked with a carrot and is currently in more pain than I previously would’ve been if you hadn’t attacked me…”

  Nina: “Hey I said I was sorry wasn’t I!?”

  Jac: “Yeah, yeah it’s fine… I get it, we have no idea where we are so it’s not like you attacked me without any actual reason… Also I don’t mean to be rude but, are you actually qatari?”

  Nina would simply stare at me with this blank expression.

  Nina: “Are you asking if my parents come from Qatar?”

  Jac: “Well, I’m simply asking if you yourself are… Qatari.”

  Nina: “And why wouldn’t I be?”

  Jac: “It’s just… I’ve never seen an Arab with ice blonde hair before, sorry this is probably coming off as insensitive.”

  Nina: ~sigh~ “Jeez this is how you talk to girls? Look I get this all the time, it’s the genetics and has nothing to do with whether or not I’m some mutant.”

  Jac: “I-I never implied that! I just mean that two beautiful things are… well rare to come by nowadays…”

  Nina would blush just a bit.

  Nina: “Oh so now you’re trying to be a smooth talker?”

  Valentinia: “…Hey wait a minute how come you never complimented my blonde hair…”

  Jeremy would sigh and look beyond this living room area and into some type of kitchen.

  Jeremy: “You can come out, we won’t hurt you…”

  From behind a paper sliding door poked the head of a girl with these dirt smudges across her face, a hard hat and wearing these fluorescent orange miner overalls with a lime green under suit and boots.

  ???: “Who are you people?”

  Valentinia: “That depends! Who wants to know? Come on! Don’t be shy! I don't bite!”

  Noir: “…I’m Nori Badger, my dirty appearance is due to my talent as the ultimate lead miner…”

  Jac: “You only mine lead?”

  Noir: “W-well no… it’s just what I’m most known for finding and providing…”

  Jeremy: “Hmm… You mine? But you don’t exactly look tough.”

  Noir would make this pouting expression as she stepped out more.

  Noir: “Look just because I don’t have the testosterone as you doesn’t mean I can’t work a pickaxe! Besides it’s all in my technique, I don’t rely on strength, I work with efficiency…”

  This was an interesting group of people… I wonder, would these five have really been my classmates?

  Makoto: “Charming meeting everyone, but perhaps we should focus on our current situation…”

  Jac: “How do we get out of here right?”

  Makoto: “Correct, where exactly were we taken? The first minute we’re on a cruise towards Sunlight Institutions, the next we end up here after the announcement.”

  Valentinia: “Do you think those three sisters had anything to do with this?”

  Jeremy: “Are you suggesting they hijacked the cruise and kidnapped us?”

  Valentinia: “Yes that’s exactly what I’m suggesting… dumbass-“

  Jeremy: “What was that?”

  Valentinia: “Nothing! Nothing!”

  Valentinia had this cheeky grin on her face as she had gotten away with insulting Jeremy, but instead of squabbling I’d rather figure out what was going on here? I’d check my pockets to try and find my phone… but I couldn’t find it, nor my letter! While searching my pockets however I felt something pressing against my wrist, so when I brought my hand up I noticed a digital watch strapped on my arm.

  Jac: “What the hell is this!?”

  Jeremy: “Oh the watches? No idea…”

  Well I’ll be damned if I was just gonna have this thing on me! I would attempt to pry it off… but that’s when I felt the bands of the watch grow cold… really! Really! Really fucking cold! This freezing kept the watch from unbuckling itself but it also burned my skin, it burned so deep that my nerves were starting to sting!

  Jac: “ACK! FUCK!”

  I couldn’t bring myself to further attempt to try and pry the watch off.

  Nina: “Woah hey! Oh crap that looks like it hurts!”

  Valentinia: “No shit, did you not see him flinch?”

  Jac: “Did none of you try to take the watch off before?”

  All five of them would shake their heads, meaning I just saved them a whole lot of pain.

  Jac: “Well then… happy of being of use.”

  No one seemed to really react to that, of course how were they supposed to? I knew that all of them were relieved that they weren’t the first ones to test out the watch, but would any of them actually voice that? Of course not… and that’s fine.

  Noir: “Hey hang on… how did you four even find us?”

  Makoto: “The vent over there, Mr. Miyata there was able to stand upon my shoulders to get a view into this room.”

  Makoto pointed towards the vent near the left corner that separated this room and the kitchen.

  Jeremy: “Well… it seems we’ve discovered all we could find in here, hey how about we search the room you couldn’t see in Val?”

  Valentinia didn’t respond to Jeremy, she just stared off in the distance swaying back and forth.

  Jeremy: “…Miss Yuskue, Valentinia…”

  Valentinia: “Oh did someone say my name?”

  Jeremey groaned and had already begun walking off.

  Nina: “Hey wait, don't leave us behind! Come on, you were in this together now.”

  Nina would take Noir’s hand and follow after Jeremy, and following the conga line of girls Valentinia would follow suit… which left me with Makoto.

  Jac: “How did you put up with her in the beginning?”

  Makoto would turn his head towards me just slightly, side eyeing me.

  Makoto: “I didn’t, I just made myself the most patient… Look at it this way, everyone is scared, frightened, and anxious about the situation we’re in, therefore it would do no one any good to start becoming the aggressor.”

  When Makoto was done explaining how he seemed so buddy buddy with Valentinia, he also walked off to follow them.

  ——————————

  I noted that within the dining room there were a few bust statues of heads I didn’t recognize, skinned animals, and a few animal skulls hung on the wall. It was like this in the hallways as well. I finally caught up to Jeremy and the rest as they investigated the room Valentinia couldn’t see into.

  ???: “Oh la, la, looks like we have visitors, monsieur clown…”

  ???: “For the last time my name isn’t clown!”

  It seems these two have already gotten acquainted, let’s see here… The man who was addressed as “clown” had black braided hair in a crown braid, although it seems his hair has seen better days with all the dye stains… at least I hope it’s dyed, besides that he had a red clown nose and some face paint that made him look more like a yeti, sure the clown aesthetic was there, but he looked really, really, really cold! He also wore a rainbow bow tie clipped between the buttons of his sleeveless clown outfit with a ruff collar, he also had a polka dot shirt along with clown shoes. Regarding the woman, she had these curling black pigtails tied with red ribbons, she was obviously dignified with her eye opening royal blue lolita dress, red heels, fishnet leggings, even her crimson eyes striked a sword through me.

  Jeremy: “Alright love birds we can measure dicks another time, but who the hell are you two?”

  The two strangers both glanced at Jeremy.

  Kanji: ~Sigh~ “I’m Kanji Hansteinson, the… ugh, the ultimate clown.”

  The monegasque woman simply giggled to herself as she parted her lips glossed in blue lipstick.

  Penelope: “Pardon the low grade entertainment, for I am Penelope Von Yoshinaga, the ultimate entrepreneur…”

  Makoto: “Pleasure, I’m Makoto Izanagi, ultimate butler for all of your needs.”

  Penelope’s eyes fluttered at the mention of Makoto’s ultimate talent, a slight smirk arching across her face.

  Valentinia: “Alright, alright, let’s all calm the intensity and figure out where the hell we are!”

  I would let the group talk amongst themselves as I observed the room. There was a paper map hanging on the wall, drawers with scrolls and records kept in them, a dining table, square seats… just actual square cotton seats that didn’t fit the Roman or Greek fashion, a chalkboard, an actual clock, there wasn’t exactly anything off about this room besides the four valves in the far end.

  Jac: “Is this just a… reading space?”

  Penelope: “Oh? What makes you say that?”

  Jac: “A coffee table, the abundance of parchments in the shelves, a few writing implements, it seems like a space for students to study for the most part… but why are there valves?”

  Kanji: “Tch~ How should we know? Look are we here to chat or are we here to escape?”

  Jeremy: “Look I get we’re all on edge, but could we please cool down for a moment? We all need to be friends here and not enemies!”

  With that, Penelope would sigh and take Makoto’s hand.

  Penelope: “Come now you, you’re my property and as my property I won’t allow these low grades to chip your value to me away.”

  Makoto just sorta… seemed really too tired to say anything against her.

  Valentinia: “Hey wait a minute! I’ll be damned if some bitch steals our personal assistant!”

  Valentinia chased after Penelope… which of course meant everyone else followed after, me included! I’m not ashamed to admit that.