BOOM
The front of the carriage exploded. Panic erupted everywhere. Geometry-shaped passengers ran out like misaligned ants facing death. Some leapt from the benches, surging down the aisle, shoving the newspaper man.
BOOM
Now the upper aisle, and the final sound of the large aisle lock had broken! Damn, what was really happening?! Caia rose from her seat after the crowd of geometries scattered. The upper aisle lock shattered. The chaos around her deafening. Even the detached carriage had not stopped. She could feel the hysteria of the passengers in the rear.
The panicked geometries made it hard for Caia to focus. She forced her amygdala to process hypotheses. Who was this? Whose doing was this? Was this terrorism? Mischief? Or a… monster?
Her irises spun with anticipation—assessing, summarizing scenarios.
Crack. Crack.
The woman disguised as a man—whose hands had released the neck of the tall hat man—had jumped out the train window. For a moment, short brown strands of hair were blown by the window wind. Leaving the tall hat man sitting like a rock, slumped like a boulder, grotesque bulges writhing inside his jacket.
Disgusting lumps and bulges began gnawing at the poor man's fate. "Hel—" his voice vanished amid pus spurting like a fountain with tears from dead eyes. His briefcase was gone.
Damn, mutation.
Caia didn't even have time to notice. Who was the woman disguised as a man, really? She shouldn't have been indifferent just to avoid involvement in this mess.
Instead, they forced her in without consent. Before she could assess the brief events, a hand grabbed her wrist. The polyester doormat gripped her hand precisely—no slip.
"Hey—" Caia tried to speak but was silenced.
"Hello."
"Quick introduction. I'm Faaz."
The annoying newspaper covering his face had been trampled by the geometry mob. His face…
"You're the storyteller, right?" the man added, pressing.
"Yes…? Wait, how do you kn—"
"I'm an actor." Cut off again. Damn, Caia nearly huffed.
The melting hands from the hat man's robe made the situation even more urgent.
"Quick," he urged.
Caia didn't even have time to admire the handsome face in front of her.
"Okay, okay, it's urgent." She hurriedly pulled out a slightly worn book from her bag.
"Very worn," he commented.
Alright, not handsome.
"You have no right to comment." The book opened with transparent pages. "Just one episode," She added.
"You don't even have an actor collection—" he interjected.
Indeed, Caia's book only contained transparent sheets without contracts. "Quiet, Not your business." She pulled the paper.
---
Actor Contract – Single Episode
Parties:
Director: Caia Ainsley
Actor: Faaz
Episode: [Geometry Slayer SSSSS]
Duration: [3 Minutes]
Brief Clauses:
1. Activation: By signing, Actor enters Story Formula. Actor's emotions and will are sealed; body fully controlled by Director.
2. Duration: Effect lasts only during the episode. Post-episode, Actor's consciousness returns to normal.
3. Director Rights: Director may dictate all Actor's actions, positions, and responses during the episode.
4. Prohibition: Resistance strengthens binding.
5. Safety: All Actor interactions are safe from external interference.
6. Responsibility: Director must ensure Actor's physical safety during binding.
7. Consent: By signing, Actor unconditionally accepts all above conditions.
---
Caia had signed. Actor hadn't. He touched the sheet, and in an instant, black ink appeared where the transparent paper had been.
"What kind of title is this," he muttered, placing his finger on it. A green glow spread from the text; his signature appeared. "Feels like two copyrights broken just from the title."
"Tch." Caia pulled it back, only to see the man raise his hand, signaling insistence.
Crack
Crack
A massive spiked hand emerged from the previously neat jacket. Howls followed. Mutation was absurdly fast.
Frog-egg-like eyes grew on his bald head. One eye pressed against the tip of his hat—then exploded. Howls erupted; geometries panicked, some leaping out windows. Carriage still in motion
Slipping the contract back into her old book, Caia's eyes glowed green again. Her irises spun like dynamos. She raised the open book above her.
Then a massive stage formed. The man's eyes, formerly dark, turned green; his expressive face vanished in one sweep with the flipping pages—his once plain clothes became a full white suit. His previously sweaty black hair streamed freely in the window breeze.
"There's an actor!"
"There's a Director!"
"We're safe."
The relief and resignation of geometry passengers reached Caia's ears. But the man's body remained hollow. As if he couldn't hear, couldn't see—his soul gone. Facing the mutated monster.
Ah… so this is his form… Caia saw the man claiming to be Faaz.
Before the papers could fly, covering her view, The carriage transformed into a bustling street. Nighttime lights cast the crowd in shadow.
Caia's eyes shone brighter.
"Action, this is my stage,"
[The world shifted. The mythic old man with a hoe now on the busy street. Youth roamed free.]
A double white sword-gun floated in the air.
[The triangular man wore a rope around his neck, with the square woman pulling it. Thinking to save the triangle man, the old man followed the square and triangle.]
One precise slash. The white sword split the large carriage into two. One side full of geometry passengers. One side, the stage. The cut edges released static black dust. Caia felt the fear radiating from the geometries.
[Yet instead of saving, the old man froze to see the triangle and square begin a passionate encounter in the street corner. Outraged by the shapes' coupling, the old man raised his hoe.]
Strong hands in white gloves held the gun steady against the monster. Its eyes blinked like a display doll.
[The old man slashed the geometry couple with full concern and precision]
BUM
A huge explosion erupted, striking one of the monster's enormous, delicate eyes. Yet the man remained steady. Fresh blood splattered the empty street.
[Over and over]
Repeated Consecutive shots shattered each part of the monster without emotion in pieces. Caia couldn't even count the intervals. This actor… was insanely strong! Behind the stage, her iris was even in awe.
[The geometry couple lay scattered. The triangle became two right triangles, the square split into six precise rectangles. The old man snorted, "Every place has rules. Safety only exists for those who follow the rules." The rulekeeper said.]
The explosions ceased. The man, his green eyes still glowing, walked forward. Careless of his shoes stepping on red stains. The monster lay unrecognizable. Its exploded eyes scattered. The body no longer human. Only the black hat remained, now stained with dark blood, remained with a small inside photo of a family of three.
His empty green eyes stared at the disgusting remnants and the photo, devoid of emotion.
"Cut." Caia closed her book.
BOOM
Stage power ended. The night street with its skyscraper accents vanished, leaving only torn paper and scattered lumps on the floor, half a carriage thrust forward, with grating screeches.
Caia gripped a bench. The man, formerly in the luxurious white suit, had returned to casual clothes, leaving only white gloves, no weapon. His green irises returned to black. He was hurled back, hitting the carriage front with a thud—bones clashing.
Ugh. That must hurt.
Laughter erupted. From him. "What kind of script was that?" His laugh didn't stop; the carriage vibrated with it.
At least it paused when Caia nudged his left shoulder. "You fractured your shoulder," she said.
Ah… no. Caia had opened her magical bag that could produce anything—even a large first-aid kit and a cold thermos from its small mouth. He understood; the bag worked hard. Caia began first aid.
He chuckled, intrigued. "Seriously, what kind of story?"
"Writer's unrest," she said.
"Restless?"
"Yes. Actor, many stories are born from experience."
"So… all the geometries having sex? Brutal. Did you hate math before?"
"Believe it or not. Aligned knowledge is salvation."
Then the carriage fell silent. Quite a while. The man only watched Caia tending to his shoulder—helping him lie down, opening his collar slightly, compressing his shoulder with a very cold object.
"Your name?" the man asked.
"Contract shows it. Won't meet again."
"Name?" Persisted.
Ugh… "Caia." Relutant.
"Caia," He repeated. Unique
"Oh, and my name isn't Actor," he quickly added.
"I know, but you are the actor."
"Yes, but my name is Faaz." He answered again. He seemed unwilling to stop until Caia called his name.
"Like a bellbird." Even her green irises rolled in annoyance.
"Yes, so say my name quickly."
"Too complicated."
"Az."
"Az." Caia fell into Faaz's trap.