Sitting before that horned figure, Skyler tapped his fingers lightly on the table, tilting his head to the side as he questioned why she had called him there.
With her face hidden by the darkness of the room, the figure, whose voice was feminine, explained that she wished to find someone important who was of no interest to her. Interlacing his own fingers, Skyler said he was growing more curious, wondering what exactly he was dealing with.
Without hesitation, the woman gave a soft laugh. From beneath the sleeve of her black and purple kimono, she pointed at the man's face, clarifying that he had no idea who he was dealing with and that he should do what he was PROGRAMMED to do.
Skyler raised his fingers to his face, adjusting his glasses as he asked why she had used the word programmed. The woman, shrugging, said it was not important, one day he would understand.
When she stood up, the man before her did the same, asking why she was leaving. The woman stepped closer, emerging from the shadows, revealing an unmistakable beauty.
Her smile was gentle, but not naïve. As mentioned before, she wore a kimono that did not reach her shoulders, and of course, her horns, not very large, and her purple eyes shimmered softly.
The woman reaffirmed her goal, saying that no one would get hurt. When she touched the doorknob, Skyler asked her once more:
"I know when something is mysterious. I'm seen that way more often than I'd like. So, allow me to know, what are you, miss?"
"If you refer to my race, dear, know that I am not something human, but I am far from being a demon. That is the only hint I shall give you."
With nothing more to say, she left. Skyler found himself deep in thought, reaching a conclusion...
Could there really be a mixture of a human and a demon in this world?
In a familiar apartment, Alice searched for the name of the woman who accused Vector. To avoid disturbing her, Luciana was making a nice dinner, while little Flowey sat in a chair murmuring incoherent words.
Lhrariane Des Montes
That was her accuser, a rich and famous businesswoman in NeonyRain, known for her self-help books on overcoming fears, addictions, and other issues.
Of course, her name filled the news all over the internet:
One of the great names of Neonyan literature, Lhrariane Des Montes, achieves justice for the sexual assault committed by Vector Sybenkiosk.
That was what the article said. The details of her evidence were consistent enough to make Alice doubt the truth, but she still hoped she was doing the right thing.
The criticism, insults, and condemnation toward her friend tightened her heart with the weight of injustice...
But, interrupted by the smell of dinner, her stomach growled.
Well, physical needs would come first.
Grateful for the meal, Alice ate on the couch while continuing her work. Lucy ate as well, feeding Flowey, who obediently accepted the food.
The woman's location was obvious due to her fame and, most of all, her limited access to the horizon. But Alice needed to dig deeper, much deeper...
No one knew how much time had passed. She had searched for photos, videos, everything suggested that Lhrariane Des Montes was not a bad person...
No, in fact, she seemed perfect: she studied, exercised, worked hard, was determined, honest...
Alice couldn't believe it.
But now her mind screamed for rest, and her body shifted to the side, resting on someone's lap without realizing it.
It was Lucy. Her hands gently stroked her friend's hair. The child was already asleep, and only Alice was still awake. With a sigh, Lucy said they could continue the next day, there was no need to rush so much.
Alice's eyes lowered until they closed completely for the rest of the night.
The next day, Vector put the poorly made prison food in his mouth, forcing himself to swallow. That feeling was familiar; he had grown used to it, but it was still horrible.
Then other inmates sat in front of him, all staring with disdain. The leader of the small group looked at him with a malicious smile, calling him "Woman Abuser."
Vector denied it, saying he would never commit such an atrocity. But the leader slammed both hands on the table to intimidate him, warning that those who lied about their sins would face punishment worse than the original.
As Vector stood up to leave, a hand grabbed his shoulder, and by reflex, he punched the leader in the face. The larger man laughed, praising his strength as he prepared to strike back.
Vector dodged, landing another punch in his stomach. The other inmates rushed toward him, but he started taking them down one by one.
What began as a small fight turned into chaos as more prisoners joined, ending with the guards storming in to stop it.
Vector was beaten violently but fought back with equal force. One of the guards came with a spear, but Vector grabbed it, striking the man's face with the handle.
The larger prisoner got up and kneed Vector in the stomach. Vector fell, gasping, the leader raised his leg to crush him, but Vector dodged, wrapped his legs around the man's neck, and slammed him to the ground, a cracking creck echoing through the prison.
Seeing the situation far beyond control, the prisoners stepped back while the guards rushed in, seizing Vector to drag him to solitary confinement.
In Vector's mind, he recalled what Skyler had once told him: "In formal situations, control yourself. In lawless places, defend yourself until you neutralize, or kill, if necessary."
Perhaps he had gone too far by killing the leader of one of the prison gangs.
Thrown against the wall, Vector, covered in wounds, coughed blood, exhausted and unwilling to stand.
But just as he prepared to rest...
A slap touched his face. Strangely, it wasn't strong, it felt familiar. When he opened his eyes, the half-woman, half-demon figure stood before him, a purely sweet smile growing on her lips.
"Long time no see, little brother?"