Chapter Text
The groan of a loud, metal contraption ground against his eardrums, the floor under his feet vibrating violently as he became conscious of his surroundings. The walls around him shook in the same way as the floor, as if the room itself were moving, and when he opened his eyes he was met with the glare of a harsh, blue-tinted light. He held up a hand to shield his face, quickly realising that he must be in an elevator, before glancing down at himself. His suit, coat and shoes were in perfect condition, and he ran a hand through his hair to find that it was clean and neatly brushed. That was strange. He hadn't remembered doing anything to it, before… before…
Actually, he didn't remember doing anything at all. He remembered nothing before the elevator.
Tilting his head down away from the glaring spotlight, he instead focused his attention on the walls surrounding him. They were plain and undecorated, save from a brown, wooden border that was level with his shoulders, but that alone didn't give him any clues to where he was. The floor beneath him was grey and smooth like marble, so reflective he could almost make out his own face staring back at him. But that didn't tell him anything either.
He jumped in surprise when the elevator squealed to a halt, throwing him off-balance slightly as he was jolted forwards. The sound of the machinery died down and was quickly replaced with the small ring of an elevator bell. He straightened out his coat with a frown, watching dubiously as the metal door slid open with a squeak.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly stepped outside.
The first thing that caught his attention was the change in colour. The blinding light of the elevator was quickly replaced with the warm, orange glow of a narrow corridor, and he glanced upwards at the source of light – a large, square panel in the ceiling. The eerie corridor before him was dimly-lit, turning at a right angle round a corner. He didn't dare to walk any further.
The second thing he noticed was a strange ornament above his head that glinted in the light and caught his eye as he turned around. Mounted above the entrance to the elevator was the head of a smiling, golden devil. Its teeth were pointed and bared in his direction, and its black, glassy eyes stared at him with what could only be described as malice. The man gulped, directing his eyes away from the odd decoration as an uneasy feeling crept up his spine.
The third thing he noticed – and he wondered, suddenly, why he hadn't noticed this sooner – was the dark-haired young man standing on the other side of the corridor, staring directly at him. His hands were buried in his black trenchcoat pockets as he casually leaned against the wall, his eyes were latched onto the redhead’s with a strange, curious intensity.
The shorter of the two men took a quick step back, his hands tightening into fists as the stranger continued to watch him quietly.
“Hey, you!” he called, readying his posture for a fight. “What the hell is going on? Who are you?”
The brunet simply sighed, pulling his hands from his suit pockets to give him a half-hearted shrug.
“Don't ask me,” he replied. “It looks like I'm in the same position as you. Where are we?”
“How the hell am I supposed to know? I've never seen this place before in my life!” The shorter man sighed, letting one hand unfurl and rest on his hip as the other straightened the fedora on his head.
“Look, I have places to be. The only way we're going to find a way out of this place is to look around, so either come with me or stay here. I don't care,” he grumbled, stepping forwards down the corridor. It was only a second later that he heard a second pair of footsteps catch up to his own, and he turned his head to see the dark-haired man calmly striding alongside him.
“I guess you're coming with me, then?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“It's not like I don't have places to be, too, you know,” the taller man replied, folding his arms across his chest with a pout. “Let's just find an exit already.”
“Tch. Whatever.”
As the two men rounded the corridor they were greeted by the gentle sound of running water, and they turned their heads to see a small, shallow pool sitting beside the hallway. The surface glistened under the light of the small paper lanterns above their heads and giant bamboo shoots poked up from the sparkling water, their branches swaying gently in a non-existent breeze. The leaves brushed against the taller one's cheek as he walked past, and he glanced across the water at the strangely picturesque scenery. The shorter man kept his eyes on the floor, glaring down at his feet as he walked. They passed the pool in silence and walked further down the hallway, leaving the sound of rustling leaves and trickling water behind. When the redhead looked up from the floor, his eyes widened in surprise.
At the end of the hallway was an enormous, circular room with a fifty-foot crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Its long, tendril-like decorations and domed, glass top gave it the appearance of a jellyfish, resembling the strange aquatic creatures that were being kept in a large glass tank nearby. The stands that surrounded the outside of the room were empty, save from several display mannequins sat a few seats apart in every section. From where the men were standing, a dark red carpet led towards an out of place, dimly-lit bar in the centre of the room. The wooden seats were decorated with green velvet and illuminated by several glowing lanterns hanging from the top of the bar, and behind the counter stood a well-dressed man with oddly-cut white hair. His long fringe cascaded over one eye, while the one that was visible almost glowed with a shocking intensity.
What the hell…?
The redhead gulped when he caught sight of the man's blank, stoic expression. Turning his head slightly, he looked at the other person by the bar. Standing watchfully by the white-haired man's side was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties. Her long, dark hair fell just past her shoulders and matched her the colour of her outfit almost perfectly, save for the single white stripe in her bangs. She wore the same expressionless mask as the bartender.
At least, the redhead assumed that he was the bartender. Who else could he be?
His thoughts were interrupted when the white-haired man cleared his throat.
“Good evening. Please have a seat.” He leaned forwards, offering a polite bow to his two customers. “Welcome to Quindecim.”