The Two-Faced

"COLLEAGUE?! NO! I'M YOUR SUPERIOR! YOU'RE SENIOR! I ADMIRE YOUR SELF-ADMIRATION!" He exclaimed in reply.

He followed it with a booming chuckle.

"Tsk! you'll see my brilliance one day!" Pip haughtily replied.

The man was cheery, lively, and undeniably full of vitality. His radiance of livelihood was overwhelming, so much, that it was bearing all over his body.

"Anyways here's the boy, just in time, I brought him earlier than the expected schedule," Thalwar told the lively man.

There was something odd about his face, especially his eyes, somewhere deep down I knew I had seen him before. I kept eyeing him curiously to which our eyes caught each other.

"Good job! I expect no less from my junior!" He gestured happily towards Pip,

"Aha! so you are the boy?" He heavily emphasized the word 'the'.

He moved away from the elevator platform then swiped something on a nearby table, which I assume was some sort of apparatus.

"EXCUSE ME! If you don't mind! not that you can say no though," He chattered.

with his right hand, he started examining me, nodding and agreeing to himself auspiciously. The tool he took from the nearby table was a large magnifying glass that he used to inspect me more.

Raising my arms, opening my mouth, lifting my shirt.

"Wait! excuse me!" I abruptly said.

I hurriedly distanced myself, I felt embarrassed by what he did. I fixed myself, as he continues to eye me curiously.

"SHY ARE WE?!" He told me.

I felt my cheeks flushed red.

"Sorry! but you surprised me! I don't even know you!" I replied.

"WHAT?! YOU DON'T KNOW THE LEADING MAN OF ALCHEMY?!" Shouted Pip, completely bewildered by my words.

"HUSH MY JUNIOR! IT LOOKS LIKE OUR TEST SUBJECT HAS FORGOTTEN ME ALREADY!" The man held a hand towards Pip, indicating to stop his mild hostility.

"Maybe this will jog your mind."

He then sauntered towards me with confidence. He took a nearby flask that contained some kind of liquid to which he deliberately poured onto his hands then messily jumbled his fine slicked-back, free-flowing, mid-length hair.

Right after, I saw his whole persona had taken a huge turn. The cheerful, happy-go-lucky, and loveable character, became horrifyingly sinister.

His hair now had covered his countenance, only allowing his eyes in between the strands. Finally, he then arched over, like a crooked old tree.

As our eyes met through the eerie vines that lined his face, right then I knew who he was.

"See... You... Later..." He then drearily mouthed.

"Mr. Curio?!" I uttered finally realizing.

I felt my skin crawl, remembering his exact words from that time. I couldn't forget it.

"THE ONE AND ONLY! IN THE FLESH!" He proudly said.

As he went into an emboldened state, like a shiny golden statue his aura of livelihood flourished. Leaving the dreary presence he once wore to the past. He brushed his hair back, leaving a slicked-back fresh new look, a straightened stature, followed by a radiant smile.

I couldn't believe my eyes, this person was the same dreadful character from before. It was like staring at a whole new person.

"What's wrong my test subject? feeling a bit dreary? or surprised?"

I watched him carefully, it was as if a new soul had inhabited his previously gloomy appearance. His cheery demeanor was enough to bring false warmth in this terribly cold room.

"N-nothing," I replied.

"I see! get yourself comfortable and acquainted with your peers..."

He then pointed towards the many apparatuses surrounding us. Right then, I saw Pip from behind, pulling out the large draped object from the lift. It had stood almost reaching the ceiling, it bumped into one of the hanging Viscorr lamps from above.

Meanwhile, Epicurio pulled open a shelf, it clanged loudly, indicating it's metallic contents. My eyes wandered around as I sat in the middle of the room, looking at the strangest items around. That peculiar weapon still caught my attention.

Soon, I felt a bit chilly. Rubbing my hands together for a bit of warmth, yet those two moved around unfazed by the cold.

"Why is it so cold in here?" I asked.

"For regulation of certain biological objects you nitwit," Pip scoffed.

"Alright mister knows it all," I thought to myself.

He then glared at me, making it seem like he knew what I was thinking. I turned away in response.

"Are we ready?!" Epicurio voiced.

I turned around and then saw him carrying a large serrated blade, I fell on the floor to my surprise.

"W-What is that for?!" I trembled.

"Why, this won't hurt more than an ant bite!"

"N-NO!"

I desperately tried moving away from my would-be attacker, the terrifying blade he wielded was at least sixteen inches. Soon, I ended up crawling into the farthest corner of the room.

My back was against the wall as I saw the psychotic scholar, closing the distance between us, grinning with amusement.

"No! stay away from me!" I pleaded.

I rose a hand towards him with my other hand covering my face out of fear. Finally, I saw him take a big swing to which I closed my eyes as a result.

I felt a sharp pain on the palm of my open hand, I reopened my eyes only to see him walking away carrying a small test tube with a bit of blood in it.

"Now! that wasn't so bad was it? Pip! treat our poorly wounded test subject!"

Pip then grumbled, but ultimately took to my aid. I saw a small cut on my palm, no longer than an inch. He kneeled to my level then proceeded with the first aid.

"Heh! you wuss, he only wanted a blood sample," He haughtily said.

The level of attitude on this person was off the charts, I didn't knew that he only wanted a blood sample. Anyone would be scared seeing that huge thing. Despite his uncouth demeanor, the way he tended to my wound was the opposite.

It was gentle, careful, and was restrained in a professional way. His eyes had a sort of kindness towards them, I wish he retained this kind of front instead. I wonder how people manage to get along with him.

I ignored his words of mockery yet again, even though it was quite jarring.

"Don't harass the test subject with your crude behavior!" Epicurio said.

"Fine, fine," Pip sighed.

I stared at him as he continued to cleanse my wounds and wrap it in a gauze. He saw my prying eyes then continued to dress my cut.

"Got something to say?" He said.

I nodded.

"I just wanted to thank you," I replied with sincerity.

"Thank you for what?"

He patted his slightly dusted knees as he stood.

"For saving Madame--"

"Let me stop you right there," He interrupted.

He held out his hand, gesturing that he'd help me stand. I took it.

"I do my job regardless of what other people say..."

"B-but I just wanted to show my gratitude," I argued.

It felt like he was unwilling to accept any gratitude for what he had done. It was frustrating. He turned his back and made his way towards the draped object again.

After a while, they had me perform simple tasks that recorded my overall physique, from my height to my weight. Curio took the lead in making me to the physical testing while Pip stood in the background jotting down notes on a chart.

As I stood while Curio took my measurements, I could see a peculiar shadow from behind Pip, though the room was brighter than the outside, it was hard to tell. It slipped between the lift and towards the large draped object in the back.

"Hmm! most average!" Curio exclaimed.

Curio took my attention from the shadow moving within our midst or was it my imagination.

"Most! average indeed!" He kept muttering himself as he kept measuring with a measuring tape.

"Heh! Looks like everything about him is all but tall tales!" Pip with yet another patronizing tone.

"ALRIGHT! that's about it for the physical exam! Did you get everything Pip?" He gestured the ever condescending character.

"Down to every detail, nothing slips my senses." He replied arrogantly.

As Curio was about to stand, in the back I saw the same creature from the depths of the Black Market. I couldn't believe my eyes, how did it get here? why was it here? but It didn't matter.

What mattered was how to stop this impending disaster from happening, it's hands were in a position ready for a big lunge. My tongue was stuck, my legs were stiff, I could only watch as it came looming over Pip from behind.

"Don't even think about it Wesley," Pip sternly said.

"I thought I had you there," Wesley replied.

I stared at the monstrous appearance of the character as he timidly lowered his head while brushing the back of his head. He caught my eyes then deliberately went to a state of shock.

He was awestruck, his mouth went wide open as he stood pointing towards me. Both of the scholars saw this.

"You know each other?" Curio politely asked.

"THAT THING! THAT THING ISN'T SUPPOSE TO BE HERE!" He kept pointing insistently.

I saw the fear in his eyes, as he kept shiveringly pointing towards me.

"Then what's the matter my dear subject?" Curio asked the grotesque looking man.

"I-I SAW HIM! HE W-WAS DIFFERENT! B-BUT I SAW HIM!"

"THAT DAY! THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MURDERED! ONE WAS ENJOYING EVERYTHING BUT I HAD NIGHTMARES!"

"CHAOS! EPITOME OF CHAOS!" He continued.

He was hesitant but went strong with his words, each was struggling for him to describe. I could see the fear in his eyes.

"SCREAMS OF THE INNOCENT, ALL RESOUNDING INSIDE MY--"

He slumped on the floor within seconds before he finished his sentence.

"Took you long enough my junior, our subject was getting out of hand," Said Curio.

"Subject experiences fear--Alright duly noted. For your information! it was the right amount of time since I had to extract necessary findings!" Retaliated Pip.

I was at a loss for words, I didn't know what bothered me the most. Was it the fact that the creature acted like an ordinary human being or was it the fact that it knew what had happened?

His words made me remember that horrid day, I felt like gagging in disgust but couldn't. I was mortified at the thought.

"Are you alright?" Curio asked.

"I-I'm fine, don't worry." After, I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

Curio looked towards Pip then he nodded back. Pip then proceeded to carry the lifeless body on the ground towards the lift.

*Growl!*

"Pip! Looks like our subject has awoken from his slumber! Proceed with emergency protocol!" He barked.

Pip then laid the lifeless body on the floor again then proceeded to the large draped object. To my surprise, the large thing had been moving underneath the cover.

"What's happening?!" I questioned them.

"STAY PUT! THIS WILL ONLY TAKE A SECOND!" Curio shouted.

As they went towards the draped object, it's cover had slid off because of the scuffle. There revealed that same purpled mass from the Black Market, I recognized that skin from anywhere.

"WHAT IS THAT DOING HERE?!" I shouted.

"PIP! LOOKS LIKE THE FEAR AND PARANOIA WOKE OUR SUBJECT!"

"Their cognitive connection is definitely tied! We need to counteract or reverse the effects somehow!" Pip replied.

"LET'S SETTLE THIS GIANT FIRST SHALL WE?!"

They went to work trying to calm down One, who was deliberately trying to escape his strapped position.

"DOC! WER ARE YAH! GIT ME OFF DIS!" One shouted with all his might.

The nearby objects were flung around due to the struggle, Pip was trying to tie down One with rope, in hopes of restraining him. Meanwhile, Curio was brewing something from the nearby apparatus, the intensity of his focus was filling his face with sweat.

Meanwhile, I didn't want to wait anymore just to see One get free from his shackles. I ran towards the heavy iron door.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Shouted Pip.

"I'm getting out of here!" I hurriedly replied.

*Snap!*

The thick leather strap that held One's head had snapped due to his excessive struggling. He was turning his head left and right. While I took to the iron door that didn't budge open no matter how much I pulled on it's latch.

"Why won't this open?!" I thought to myself.

I turned to look again, hoping, that it had calmed down. As I did, I saw him directly staring at me with bloodshot eyes, veins popping from his face with gritting teeth.

"DER U AR BROTHER! DOC HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!" He shouted.

Soon the insistent struggling had doubled, the clanging of apparatuses grew louder while glass tubes fell to the floor. I grew desperate trying to open the latch but it didn't even budge.

*Snap!* *Snap!*

What I heard was something I could only discern as the rest of the thick leather straps that held him proper. Each snapping took to my nerves, making my skin crawl as I struggled to open the door.

"FINALLY DONE!" Curio shouted.

"Took you long enough," Pip scoffed.

"YOU CAN'T RUSH GREATNESS!" Curio replied back.

I could only hear their conversations while I squatted down the corner of the door while waiting for the best. Soon the noise had died down, I turned to look at the mess and saw that everything was at peace.

Pip took towards me while patronizing me yet again with his words of mockery. I calmed down after seeing that One was unconscious, I sat down on the nearby stool.

I questioned the scenario and how was both of the monsters here. Curio explained that these creatures were captured and had been subjected to experimentations.

They needed to know how or what turned them into such beings. Any more questions I had asked were ignored and answered by the chilling air of the laboratory. Later pip took both of the creatures to the lift, then proceeded down.

"We'll be seeing him later, now to another matter," Said Curio.

He took to the same shelf from earlier, taking something from it. What came out was a long rod of Viscorr and odd-looking goggles. He wore the goggles then neared me while indicating that I should stand.

"Over there! stand over there!" He pointed towards the open space where One was.

I saw the wheel tracks on the floor, it left a trodden path on the powdery substance that littered below my feet.

"Now I need you to channel your Corr," He said.

He came approaching with the Viscorr rod in hand while wearing the odd-looking goggles.

"What for?" I asked.

"Just do it," He replied politely.

With his request I closed my eyes, mustering every bit of Corr that I could possibly muster. My imaging of the Corr building within me was steadily rising, I could feel Curio's presence as he held the rod against my body.

The power was steadily rising until I saw a vivid image inside my head. It was the face of my late father. He was bloodied, cold, and beaten on the ground while I heard the agonizing voices of the wounded people from the background.

I breathed heavily, cold sweat was running down my back as I opened my eyes in shock.

"What's wrong?" Curio eyed me with curiosity.

"I-I can't," I told him.

"I see..."

He took his goggles off then placed the rod on the nearby table. On the chart that Pip left he began to write while wearing a blank expression. It was displeasing to see his unfazed look as if it was a grave matter.

"W-what--"

"WELL! LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DONE!" He interrupted.

As he slammed his hand on the table.

"What about?" I didn't know what to ask.

"What about what?" He asked while wearing a dumbfounded look.

"Look... We're going to need you here every now and then so don't forget to stop by." He continued.

"Don't forget because if you do, Knights will come running after you!"

He then chuckled while insistently pushing me out towards the entrance. As he grabbed on the latch that I previously couldn't open, had budged then led me outside. How did it open? I could never know...

Outside, I saw Sera staring at me quite surprised. I couldn't look at her face so I turned away.

"Hi..." she said softly.

Meanwhile, Curio saw her then went into a adoring mood, like how a doting father would be to a beloved child.

"YOUR HIGHNESS! A pleasure to see you again! what can I help you with!"

"Oh! I'm just here to see Wesley!" She said shyly.

"You know I can't let you in here your highness!" Curio replied.

"B-but you let me in last time?" She pleaded wearing puppy dog eyes while playing with her hands.

She looked so adorable that even I couldn't resist not looking at her. But I resisted as I gritted my teeth. Meanwhile, Curio wasn't so resistant; What I saw was a thirty-year-old man losing face against a cute teenager as he let her in.

I passed by her then proceeded to make my way outside. Thinking of how to survive another day at the fort without garnering more enemies.