𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄 ⇢ 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄

IV.

as you walked up into the arena to start the battle, there was a hint of fear that had settled into you. what if you didn't make it out of this alive? you brushed off the thought and got into your stance. there were no rules to this match, besides no use of weapons; only fists. since your physical strength was good yet not as good as allen's, you decided to use your environment and your trickery as best as you could.

timeskip for now i'm so bad at writing fight scenes 😞

after the match, had to be carried out by a fellow agent. you looked up at the harbingers watching, and signora had a sly grin on her face, while the other harbingers had glimpsed at you with criticism painted on each of their faces.

you sat down on the sidelines to wait for your next match. you drank water and went to the bathroom so you didn't need to while fighting your next battle. you stretched out your legs and arms and glanced at who you were fighting next. since mikhail, allen, maria, and ania had been eliminated, the next contestants were either yana or sofia. dottore announced that you were to fight yana, and whoever won this round would fight sofia. since yana was a cicin mage, you knew she wasn't all that strong, but her dodging skills and manipulation skills were amazing. no wonder she had lasted that long. from watching her last battles, you noticed how she pulls the same stunts on everybody in an orderly fashion. you had memorized this and had decided to mimic her movements to throw her off, and strike her in the jaw, causing her to pass out.

you had barely broken a sweat, yet you dreaded the next match. if you won this match, you would be the balladeers assistant; a con. yet, if you win the battle, you would be treated with massive respect from the rest of your class, so you weren't sure whether you should put your all into this or not. sofia, the next person you had to fight was a very strong pyro skirmisher. you had talked to her a few times, and she was exceptionally confident and proud. her confidence intimidated you, but you wouldn't let that hold you back. you won't.

you stepped onto the arena where the final match was about to happen, and all eyes were on you. you could feel every single pair of eyes watching your every move, it felt as if their gazes were suffocating you. before the match started, you gave signora the look that you needed a few seconds and she nodded. after about a minute, dottore initiated the battle, and so you started.

another timeskip i'm so sorry 😭

you had hit a pressure point in sofia's neck, making her foam at the mouth and became unconscious. she fell on top of you and you fell with her. you lay there for a few minutes to process everything that just happened...and what's going to happen. you fought real people, your comrades at that, and so many in one day, and because of this, you have to become the balladeers assistant.

'the balladeers assistant. y/n l/n...balladeer...assistant...' were your last thoughts before everything turn black. you heard the loud voice of dottore, exclaiming: "and that is our winner! y/n l/n, who is currently passed out with sofia on top of her." he chuckles, then continues his speech— "ahh, can one of you- yeah you— get her to the infirmary? yeah i don't want her dying before she gets to meet her master. anyway, we'll dismiss in this fashion: skirmishes first, cicin mages second, mirror mages third, and agents last. if your still here after everyone has left, just leave."

dottore kept speaking as you felt yourself getting carried to the infirmary, where people with hydro delusions had put this essence on you to keep your body cool until dottore had come into the room and used a syringe to insert a healing medicine into you. within minutes, you regained consciousness and observed your surroundings.

"feel better?" dottore had asked you, but you were nervous to respond. this had been your first encounter with the doctor, and based on what signora had said about him, his 'nice guy' demeanor was a lie. he was driven mad by science and loves to experiment on anyone or anything.

he chuckled quietly and spoke softly; "you don't need to be afraid of me...right now at least. i'm tired and would like to get a nap in after this." he put his chin on his hand while he leaned on his desk while smirking at you.

"i suppose i feel better. just a bit cold, is all." you respond to his last question, and he smiles and writes something down and mutters to himself.

"may i leave?" you ask in a emotionless tone, and dottore nods his head. you got up from your stretcher and walked swiftly out the door. you hadn't been around this part of the headquarters before because you've never gotten injured, so you were a bit lost, so you decided to wander. of course, you couldn't find the dorms and groaned and sat on the ground and leaned your head against the wall.

"you lost?" an unfamiliar voice inquires. you look over to see where the voice came from, and it was the balladeer. his arms were crossed and had a sly look on his face.

"i guess so." you respond back.
"gosh, aren't you supposed to be my assistant? i can't be assisting you." every word he spat, his smirk only became wider. you glanced at him, clearly annoyed and cross your arms.

"scaramouche, don't fuck with her head right now, she only woke up 15 minutes ago and has had a long day. i don't think she needs you messing with her right now." signora hissed, causing you to turn your head and grin at her.

"hi signora, it's nice to see you after such hard work, eh?" you spoke in a joyful demeanor whilst being so tired.

"perle, you should really get some rest. take a bath, read a book, and get to sleep, k?" signora consoled you while slightly bending down to your height with her hands on your shoulders. you nodded in agreement. she then told you to just walk over to the hallway around the corner and wait for her there. you walked there and waited while something else had been going on.

signora's POV:

"i dont need you doing my fucking job for me" scaramouche snapped, while signora only scowled at him and hissed back: "i didn't do anything, i just told her that she needs to get some rest because i know she overworks herself and i want her to be energized tomorrow. how insecure can you be to think that i'm doing your job?" signora crossed her arms.

"tsk, forget it." he frowned walking away. she walked over to you where you were waiting.

your POV:

"so what did you and he talk about?" you questioned, and signora answered with: "ah, nothing that concerns you. now let's get to your dorm, hm?"

you both reach your dorm and you say your goodbyes and you do as she said. you bathed, read, and dozed off.

often, he thought of what his life would be like if he hadn't shed a tear the day he was born. of course, he knew he was the tester. yet if she knew that she would only throw him out, why did she create him?

he desired to not ever be born. he yearned to cease to exist. he only saw his life as unimportant and useless. he saw no point in wandering the entire nation yet he still did it. perhaps he was looking for a hint of hope. or maybe he was looking for someone. nobody knows, not even kuni himself. one cold night, he had a vision. a vision of alluring eyes, the color of e/c.

he then thought he didn't need to look for hope. maybe this was a sign it would come for him. yet after years of waiting, he never found it. now, he had no hope. not a single drop left

a/n: this chapter is fucking horrible i'm so sorry but anyway i didn't look over it soooo sorry if it's lowkey dookie 🫣
anyways thank you to the little supporters i have supporting this story!!! i love u all sm idc if there's only like 5 people reading this u mean the world to me 😞💗