[Ch. 7] Asserting Dominance

Panzram carefully looked into Ryu's eyes waiting for their color to change. He had heard what happened in the other cells and realized Ryu was using his Tamashii energy to attack the prisoners and assert his dominance. Panzram steeled himself to be attacked next, but made no face of fear.

Ryu felt Panzram's calculated stare and couldn't help but fidget uncomfortably. Ryu knew that Panzram was guarded against him and didn't trust him even a bit. He probably even thought that Ryu planned on attacking him as other guards had in the past.

Hearing the screams still sounding from the other cells, Ryu couldn't help but sigh. Of course he would think such a thing. After all, the vision mentioned that Panzram despised those blessed with Tamashii energy and Ryu had just foolishly used it.

Ryu was immediately worried that Panzram would hate him and spoke anxiously, "Ah! Sorry. It must have been loud."

Ryu shook his hand, dispelling the illusions while he laughed awkwardly. The screams went away when the prisoners realized they were in the safety of their own cells. Ryu assumed this would help him win favor with Panzram, but it ended up achieving the complete opposite.

Panzram grew even more suspicious and cautious when he realized that Ryu's eyes never changed colors. His body tensed up more as he realized just how formidable this enemy is.

Ryu noticed this and couldn't help but pout. He wasn't expecting to become friends with Panzram, but he wasn't expecting to be turned into an enemy. He didn't need friendship if he could at least be trusted. Ryu's goal was to awaken Panzram's blood and allow his desire to come to fruition. How could he do that when Panzram distrusted him so much?

He would just have to give him space in the meantime.

Ryu placed the tray in front of him, making sure not to come any closer to Panzram in fear it might make Panzram distrust him more. Ryu gave a big goofy grin and held out his hand. An apple rolled down from his sleeve and bounced into his hand dramatically. Ryu grinned, "Tada!"

The cell was quiet as Panzram continued to stare at him with an uncomfortable intensity.

Ryu coughed awkwardly, "Your food isn't that nutritious so I'm giving you this apple. Ah, but don't tell anyone. I don't want to get into trouble."

Ryu gave a sly wink, but Panzram couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with the apple. He continued to stare at Ryu silently with his cat-like eyes.

Ryu waited for Panzram to move, but he never did. His face lit up as he placed the apple on the ground in front of him, "Oh! By the way, my name is Ryu. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Ryu bowed respectfully.

No response.

Ryu stood up noticing Panzram's displeasure and decided not to push him anymore today. Ryu bowed to him again, "Until next time."

Ryu went to leave when Panzram called out to him in an icy tone, "Stop."

Ryu froze in his spot as if his words were a law that he must obey. Although Panzram's tone was deadly, Ryu's heart only raced in excitement. This was because he was thrilled to hear Panzram speak to him. Ryu felt certain this meant that Panzram didn't hate him.

Panzram growled at him coldly, "If you dare show your back to me again, I will kill you."

Kill me? Ryu thought to himself. But why? It's only my back. Is there a reason I can't show it? Oh! Panzram must be upset that I'm not paying proper respect to him. All I need to do is show him my front side when I leave instead of my back.

Ryu suddenly twirled around in a 180 to face Panzram. Then he dropped to his knees and bowed with his forehead touching the ground. "I will respectfully take my leave now."

Ryu then scooted out of the cell backward, careful not to show Panzram his backside. Then he closed the cell door, locked it, then skipped off to feed the other inmates. Screams echoed off the wall each time a man was stupid enough to attack Ryu.

Panzram stared at the cell door speechlessly. He thought to himself, what the hell is wrong with that man?! I didn't mean he was being disrespectful. I meant that turning his back on me would give me the upper hand to kill him!! Why would that idiot bow to me? Doesn't he know that I'm much lower than him in status? What is he? Some kind of idiot?

To some, the answer to his last question would be a resounding yes.

However, geniuses occasionally hid behind the mask of stupidity.

Each time Ryu walked past the cell, he glanced in to look at Panzram. Panzram met his eyes each time, causing Ryu to smile gleefully. Panzram blinked and thought to himself: Yeah. He is definitely some kind of idiot.

Panzram carefully analyzed the apple after finishing his food. He wondered just how that idiot guard tampered with it. After all, he had to have meddled with it to torture him somehow. No one would just give a prisoner an apple out of goodwill.

After a while of staring at it and trying to determine what was wrong with it, he finally bit into it. He decided the only way to know was to eat it. After finishing it and pushing his tray out of the cell, he waited on his bed for something to happen to him. Oddly enough, nothing did.

But eating it sure did seem to make the new guard happy.

After that day, Ryu continued to slip in fruit and sweets to Panzram while Panzram continued to cautiously watch Ryu. Panzram grew more used to the food Ryu brought and would eat it without questioning it. Although, he did question why Ryu got so excited when he saw him eat it.

Panzram was certain this man had a weird fetish.

As Panzram became more accustomed to the treatment, he began to wonder what could have happened to him if the prison system had treated him like this since the very beginning. Maybe he wouldn't have blackened to this degree.

He might have never killed all those people.