Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 42: BOW DOWN, BREAK

Crack... Crunch. Crack... Crunch.

The Baron broke open another walnut. When he had been alive, he had adored the taste of nuts. Now that he was dead, he could not digest food, but he still liked the taste, however faint it was.

He peered down to meet the pitch-black pupil of the giant octopus. The rainbow iris glistened. Her colour had changed back to the purplish orange it had been before he had tampered with it. They were adrift upon the ocean like a raft

The Baron's eyes moved sideways to where Naozumi Akano sat with a tentacle wrapped around him. Since the day the Baron had become a Break, he had failed to understand why the Face Eater kept Naozumi around. The creature was not worthy of the same esteem as he, the Baron, was held. He was a broken piece of a once whole being.

For what was he still holding on?

When Breaks got too old, they would turn to dust. Yet Naozumi, despite deteriorating to the point of incompetence, still clutched to life.

In front of his eyes a window opened. Sachiko stuck her head through.

"Finally," the Baron scoffed, "Do you know how long I have been waiting?"

Sachiko gave him a snide smile, crinkling the loose skin of her empty eye sockets. "I don't care." She stepped out, walking across the octopus to where Naozumi was. He was staring out at the ocean, dazed. "How have you been, Red?" Naozumi glanced up at her. He did not say anything. Sachiko giggled. "That's okay. You do not have to answer." She pulled Naozumi out of the tentacle's grasp and pushed him through the window. She turned back to the Baron. "Coming?"

The Baron stood, patting the octopus. He said, "Stay." Then he followed Sachiko through the window.

Naozumi was on his hands and knees now, in the Red Room. The Face Eater was sitting on his chair, staring down at him silently. Naozumi refused to meet his eyes, instead finding something curious on the floor.

Despite there being no lights, a red tint had fallen over the bodies in the room, like a filter over a picture.

The Face Eater scoffed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back on his chair. "You never change."

A rueful smile crossed Naozumi's lip, but he stayed wordless. Eyes trained to down.

"Tell me?" the Face Eater said, "Why do you choose to stay? All the others of your time have gone on to hell." He leaned forward, a derogatory grin crossed his lips. "That includes your loyal dog."

At the mention of his old servant, Chiga, Naozumi's eyes almost seemed to mirror some semblance of recollection, but it quickly faded away.

The Face Eater bared his black teeth. "Pathetic."

Naozumi glanced at one of the corners of the Red Room. He rose his chin, "Who is she?"

"That's Mitsu," Sachiko answered. Naozumi stared at her as if she was a curiosity. Then he turned back to the floor.

The reason the Baron and Sachiko were able to be so close to the Face Eater was because both had the ability to create new Breaks. The Baron could create the brainless, lesser powerful, monsters. Sachiko created intelligent Breaks like those here in the Red Room.

Mitsu regarded Naozumi in silent scepticism.

She had become more comfortable in her new body. She was able to move easier and speak in her normal voice.

Sachiko came to stand next to Mitsu. "Don't let him bother you, he is always like this." She tapped her temple with a finger. "He's slow."

"Why?" Mitsu asked.