Meta and the Beast

Living Quarters

            I sit in silence, watching the twilight change into daylight on the walls as it seeps through the windows across from my cell. The light colors playing and mixing hues my main source of entertainment until a small crash alerts me to someone's presence.

Looking out through the bars best I could I call out, "Who's there?" Even though I'm not sure I'd admit it, part of me hoped it was the pale blue girl coming back.

"Hello." A voice answers me and my eyes are drawn to a man peering around a pillar on the staircase. "I'm Francisco Ramon, but please call me Cisco." He smiles lopsidedly at me and gives what I would almost describe as a mock bow. His hair is down to his shoulders like mine, however it is wavy and he has some sort of glasses infused with some form of technology if I had to take a guess that are sitting on top of his head. His skin is tan, but his hands have a coal like black covering them which is also creeping around the edges of his neck by his hair line.

"Hi" I greet him back, my eyes narrowing slightly while I watch him come closer to the bars. "I'm Ronald, uh, my friends call me Ronnie." I tell him, watching as he produces a key just like the one the girl had.

"Nice to meet you Ronnie." He smiles again before unlocking the door, opening it wider so that I could step through. "That's Barry." He ads as an afterthought, jabbing a thumb back at another man who is leaning against the same pillar Cisco had just peeked around that I hadn't seen before. He has red tinging his skin instead of black, and there are yellow streaks in some places across the space of his skin that is visible.

"Wait, I thought I had to be locked up?" I raise an eyebrow, confused now even as I slide out of the cell.

"Well, technically you're supposed to be yeah." He grimaces, "but her highness Madame Snow, has been gone for a few years now and I know she-"He gestures towards where the blue girl was standing earlier, "doesn't truly believe you belong in a cell. If she had authority to change the laws she would, but she does not have that yet." He explains before continuing on, "By law you are still required to be our prisoner, but-" he pauses and a sly look crosses his face, "that doesn't mean we have to force you into a cell, now does it?"

"Then where am I staying? Don't get me wrong, I'm quite relieved I will not be required to stay in a cell, just confused." I reply, as I consider his words about the laws.

"Your room, duh." He says simply and beckons me to follow him.

"Are you sure we should be doing this Cisco?" Barry looks between us, an apprehensive look on his face.

"My own room?" again I raise an eyebrow at Cisco before hearing what Barry said. "Wait, doing what?"

"Yes, your own room. What, did you think we were going to make you sleep in the stables or something?" He scoffs, but smiles easily.

"Letting you out of the cell." Barry says simply. Harder to get a word in when Cisco keeps talking.

"Uh, I'm not sure what I was expecting to be honest." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly as I reply to Cisco, avoiding Barry's gaze.

He laughs at my awkwardness as I follow him down the spiral staircase I came up through, Barry trailing after us. We walk through old looking, yet still ornate, hallways and I keep wanting to stop and study the structures of the building, but Cisco and Barry urge me on. "You'll have plenty of time to study and learn the layout of the castle later, after you've gotten some rest."

Finally, Cisco stops at a door and we both follow him inside. My mouth parts slightly in surprise as I look around. This room is absolutely enormous, and elaborate. Much nicer than I could have ever expected. "Wow. Is this-?" I don't even finish my question as I move about the room.

"Yeah," Cisco nods and gestures around the room with a grin, "Your own room. Pretty nice, huh?"
"Yeah." I look back at him, still reeling with the surprise. Detailed trim around the floor and ceiling, an intricate design on the window and walls, high and decorated ceilings. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the castle, maybe a bit more taken care of though. There is much to do to fix up or clean what I've seen so far.