Quest for the Eighty-Eight Keys

Chapter Eighteen: Into the Lion's Den

WARNING: MENTIONS OF GAMBLING, DRINKING, AND CHILD ABUSE!

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As the train chugged along, making its way toward the town that secretly housed la Cour de Velours, Midnight sat with his arms crossed over his chest and stared out of the window next to him. Due to the train compartments each having just enough room for two people, he had volunteered first to sit with Lucy, something that she seemed to have been happy about. As the pair walked to a compartment, he had quickly taken notice of the glares Freed and Rufus shot him.

Now, sitting across from a sleeping Lucy, he ignored the two men who were sitting nearby, probably still sleeping, just as they were when he last looked. His hands formed fists, clutching his baggy, dark red pants. He wasn't looking forward to returning to those gambling dens. He remembered his days as a child when his "father", Brain, would drag him there and make him watch as he gambled all day and night. He was even taught a few games.

Midnight never did like going there. It smelled of alcohol and smoked drugs. There were even times when he had seen prostitutes doing what they were paid to do. It was disgusting. Why the hell did anybody allow a child to be brought in there? Midnight would never be able to figure it out.

As the memories that he had locked away for years flooded back to the front of his mind, his breathing picked up speed, becoming shallow as well. He looked away from the window and down at his lap, seeing that his fisted hands were noticeably trembling. A sudden memory of watching Brain down a bottle of alcohol flashed through his mind. Brain only drank when he was gambling, and he hated when he did.

Midnight screwed his eyes shut and leaned forward a bit more. A feeling of nausea suddenly hit him and beads of sweat rolled down his temples. He was promptly hit with yet another memory that he had tried to bury:

A young Midnight sat on the couch that was in his and Brain's assigned quarters. He stared down at his hands that were folded in his lap. His frown deepened as he unwillingly listened to the drunken laughter of patrons who walked past the closed door that was hiding him, along with the periodical screams of erotic ecstasy from both men and women.

He didn't like this place. He wanted to go back to Cobra, Angel, Racer, and Hot Eye. He wanted to leave. At the same time, though, he also dreaded when his father would return, no doubt drunk and irritable.

He gave a yawn, wanting to also sleep, but was too scared to even attempt to sleep. Just like in the Tower of Heaven under Jellal. He pulled his knees up to his chest and pressed his hands against his ears, silently praying that he would be able to leave soon. His prayer seemed to be answered when the door suddenly swung open with a loud bang that he was able to hear even through his hands that were clamped tightly over his ears.

Midnight jumped at the sound and pulled his hands away from his ears, watching as Brain walked into the room, a slight, but still noticeable, sway in his steps. The boy watched with bated breath, not sure how much alcohol his father has had and thus, how irritable he was.

When Brain took another bottle of alcohol off of the shelf at the back of the room and began drinking it in big gulps, the young mage who was peering over the back of the couch hesitantly spoke up, "are we leaving soon, Father?"

Midnight cowered behind the back of the couch when Brain fixed a drunken glare on him and stalked toward him. His father scolded, "we'll leave when I say we'll leave." He then brought a hand up and brought it down hard against his adopted son's cheek. The resulting sound reverberated through the room, as did the boy's pained yelp.

Midnight cupped his stinging cheek as tears welled up in his red eyes. He bowed his head, trying to hide the tears in his eyes and his quivering lip. He listened as Brain tsked before stomping out of the room and slamming the door closed, causing the harmed boy to jump once again.

He hated being dragged here. He hated being with Brain. He honestly didn't know which has been worse, life with Brain or life in the Tower of Heaven.

Midnight bit into his lip, almost drawing blood, as a few tears slipped down his cheeks. He could feel the searing pain in his cheek from the many slaps he would get every time he angered Brain, and he could smell the alcohol that caked each of the gambling dens he would have to go into and walk past. The reflector mage's whole body trembled as some sniffles escaped from him.

A hand rested on his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. Not being able to face whoever was touching him and needing the cool, morning air that the outside of the train would offer, Midnight bolted out of his seat and to the door at the back of the train car, throwing it open to step onto the small platform that was connected to the back of the train, his hand clenching the metal railing in an almost death grip.

He kneeled in front of the railing, breathing in the cool air as the sound of air rushing past the speeding train filled his ears. Tears continued to roll down his face and his body continued to tremble.

It took several minutes for him to regain control of himself. Midnight stood up and wiped the tears off of his face. He held onto the railing in front of him for a bit longer, staring at the tracks that the train followed. He heaved a sigh, not wanting to head back into the car and face Lucy, who was surely awake.

As the train traveled closer to la Cour de Velours, he began regretting his decision to accompany Lucy and her other two partners. However, he knew that he couldn't go back now, he couldn't allow himself to. He also knew that he didn't have a choice but to return to those cursed gambling dens. So, he took several more minutes to further compose himself before he walked back into the train car. He made his way to the compartment that he and Lucy were sharing, noticing that the celestial wizard was awake and watching him with concern in her brown eyes.

Midnight sat back down, keeping his eyes locked on the window. He was unable to look the blonde in the eye. As the minutes ticked by of Lucy not saying anything about what she had just witnessed, the two-toned-haired mage guessed that she had decided to not question him, something he was thankful for.

The conductor's voice then sounded over the intercom, "Now arriving at Narcisse."

Midnight gave a silent sigh upon hearing that familiar town name. Onward into the lion's den, he thought to himself.

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I hope you liked this chapter. Nyx will be getting another chapter next.