Ra-Ra-Rasputin~

"That means I agree to do it."

He blinked as a blank expression cleared his face, a sigh coming quickly afterward.

"Yes, of course— Why!?"

"Well maybe because I was soul-napped by some obviously evil organization that will probably do more than ask nicely if I refuse to be their profitable killing machine…"

Silence settled into the air as a trailed off, pausing for a moment to give some suspense.

"... or maybe I'm just a sociopath who loves murder, who the hell knows!"

Taking in a deep breath, there was a moment of quietness between us before the doctor suddenly turned to walk down the hall.

"Well I'm happy with your enthusiastic compliance, let's chat about the specifics somewhere more… comfortable…"

He only took a few more steps down the hall before I took off after him.

It was quiet as we walked, our footsteps seemed silent amidst the buzz of fluorescent lights from above.

"So…"

My voice seemed to boom as it broke through the silence and hum of lights.

"... why the glasses?"

He continued walking, not making any indication that he had heard me.

" The glasses are to help your eyesight…"

He trailed off, tilting his head upward before continuing.

"... and your eyesight is so poor due to the ritual."

For a moment I flattered in my steps, his words confusing me.

"... So this miraculous ritual that can steal a soul from anywhere in the multiverse… has the downside of poor sight?"

As I finished talking, he staggered a moment, before letting out a deep laugh befitting his voice.

"If only… No, the downside isn't poor sight, or any one thing really… the downside is different every time we perform the ritual, anything from poor eyesight to the inability to speak, we've even had some subjects that had dangerous mental disorders and whatnot…"

As he spoke, I began to understand what he was saying, essentially-

"... essentially, the ritual forces some sort of 'defect' onto the body, completely irreparable and irreversible."

It dawned on me at that moment, just how lucky I was, of all the things I could have been afflicted with it was shitty eyes that got me. But…

"You're probably thinking how lucky you are, but also wondering why I knew you'd have poor vision, right?"

He didn't wait for an answer from me, tilting his head to the side just far enough that I could see the corner of his mouth lift up in a sly smile.

"When you do this for as long as I have, you get a sense for this sort of thing, heh."

For the rest of the walk, both of us remained silent as I thought over what the doctor had told me, everything. Despite my 'enthusiastic' agreement, I was a bit worried about my new… career path…

It was only a few moments later when the doctor suddenly stopped.

Turning to the left, he stepped forward again, pushing through one of the many doors within the hall.

Following him through, the door revealed a small hallway, and at its end, an elevator.

Continuing his stride, the doctor walked up to the elevator and jabbed the up button.

A quick moment passed before the elevator's door slide open, revealing its bland inside.

At the same moment, we both stepped in and turned around, the doctor again jabbing a button.

Again, as it always seemed to do, the silence set in, other than the occasional shake or rumble of the elevator.

"So… what's your name? I doubt you want me calling you 'The Doctor' forever."

He glanced at me, his eyebrow lifted and a small frown of confusion on his face.

"You usually introduce yourself to someone when you meet… Oh well, you can call me Doctor Briar, and you…?

Despite his nonchalance, he seemed a bit upset at the fact that I only now asked his name.

"Salem Von Hellsickle."

Doctor Briar let out a scoff in an attempt to mask his own amusement at my name.

"Well… pfft… little Salem, it's nice to meet you, I look forward to working with you…. Heh."

The whole way up the elevator he stood there, a smirk plastered on his stupid face…

Eventually, the elevator halted, and Doctor Briar stepped forward, just as the elevator doors slide open. Again we were met with a short hallway and a door. Following him as he strode forward, he stopped shortly before the door, turning around to face me.

A smile grew on his face as he pushed open the door, in an obviously showy way. But what I saw beyond the door was nothing too impressive, a large and comfortable-looking office space. Yet, as my eyes wandered the room and landed on the full wall window, I strode forward, pressing my hands against the glass as I saw the other side.

A city stood below, an ordinary city like any other, with tall buildings and wide streets, people filling the streets, and for a moment, a bit of normality returned to me. But that didn't last forever, as the normal city I saw, the city with tall buildings, wide streets, and people, was encased by a jagged cave wall, enclosed in darkness only dimmed by the artificial lights from above.

"Please… Keep your hands off the windows, they get dirty easily."

I stepped back a moment turning to the doctor, an obvious look of confusion on my face.

"What… what is this place?"

That same grin seemed to come back again, he was excited.

"This, my dear, is Rasputin… The secret underground city, as well as the name of our obviously evil organization."

Questions still filled my mind, so I spoke them.

"Then those people…"

"Are all part of our organization. Rasputin isn't just any shadowy organization, we're the shadowy organization that controls other shadowy organizations. We are the lies amidst the lies between the lies hidden behind the lies among the truth. Something like that takes a lot of manpower."

Silence.

"So… where does that place you?"

His smile seemed to widen, even if it really didn't, he was excited to answer more questions.

"That places me, and you, as some small side project that is relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things!"

Silence, again, but this time I didn't break it, mulling over what exactly this meant.

Not only is this an organization powerful enough to steal souls from across the multiverse, but for that to only be some unimportant side project…

"Well since we're somewhere more comfortable, let's talk business!"

Doctor Briar, again, seemed to excite himself, over what I'm not sure. Though I am sure that this doctor, well… he's a pain in the ass.

— — —

500 words less than last time, sorry!

Anyway, I'm not coming up with excuses but, don't expect much from me in the next few weeks.

Along with conducting research for this, its also coming up on finals week, and honestly, I'm not doing too hot right now.

Wondering if anyone liked that little bit I put in near the end there about 'The lies amidst the lies between the lies hidden behind the lies among the truth.', honestly my favourite part this chapter.

Other than that, I'll stop talking now since I have the habit of saying things I don't actually mean…

Fucking~

Love~

You~

Bitches~