V

You felt more at ease once you had left the mess hall and the prying eyes of those around you. Those stares had left you with goose bumps up your arms.

Next, Fang had shown you where the fighting pit was that Reno had mentioned earlier. It wasn't exactly what you had expected but close enough. Blood stained the floor of the pit. Rotting flesh and other unidentifiable parts littered the ground.

You were also right on time for the start of a battle.  In the pit was a tall, slender, muscular man with the strangest purple eyes. His hair was long and purple hair, also adorned with feathers and tribal beads, with a long, purple and black headband to hold it back. His opponents were three growling gorgonopsids. Saliva dripped from their mouths as they advanced on the man like a pack of snarling wolves.

    "That can hardly be fair. It's three against one." You commented with a furrowed brow, leaning against the railing. 

Fang let out a small chuckle causing you to turn to her. She didn't look away from the fight as she spoke. 

    "If there's anything that you'll learn about this guy it's the fact that he's just as much as a monster than they are."

A gorgonopsid on the right lunged only to be dodged swiftly. The second gorgonopsid did the same only for the man to grip its jaw and top half of its mouth. The beast struggled violently in the man's iron grip. 

You weren't sure if you had imagined it, but the purple haired man's eyes seemed to glow slightly as he let out a deep growl of his own and ripped the beast's mouth in half. You flinched ever so slightly at the action. It dropped lifeless at his feet with a hanging jaw spilling a pool of blood. Roars and cheers erupted from the prisoners watching. 

He barely evaded the attack of the third gorgonopsid as it swiped an abnormally long clawed paw at his throat.  He grab it by the same paw and broke the creatures whole leg in the process. As if it were nothing than a mere chicken leg, The purple haired man ripped the whole leg off from the shoulder joint, blood spraying from the wound. 

This man was lethal. 

He dropped the leg and moved onto the last opponent as he let the other die slowly from blood loss. 

"I'm guessing that because he's unarmed, they don't give you weapons?" You half asked, continuing to watch the gore filled battle.

"Nope. Guards don't wanna risk a thing so no weapons." Fang answered simply. 

He threw a fist at the last one's muzzle. It throat rumbled with a bubbly growl and bit down on his arm, and what surprised you was that he didn't even blink as if he didn't feel a thing. The man kicked the creature sending it flying into the caged wall, earning a whimper from its throat. 

He strode over to the cowering monster and crushed its face merely with his foot, leaving a gooey slick red mess where the head used to be. 

The fight finished and all three gorgonopsids lay dead at his feet, and everyone cheered and roared.

Everything seemed to stop suddenly as his purple gaze captured your own (e/c) one. You breath caught in your throat as a unnerving shiver ran down your spine. 

He tore his gaze away and left the pit as if nothing had happened.

"His name's Caius Ballad." Fang said as she noticed your awe.

"I'm gonna be straight with you newbie, you don't look much like a fighter to me, I wouldn't go near the fighting pit if I was you." Fang said simply walking away from the viewing point.

You groaned inwardly. It seemed you would have to get used to constantly getting insulted by this brown haired woman, you also thought that she shouldn't be underestimating you. 

"One more thing before I leave you. Avoid the guards too. They can be just as messed up as any rapist, murderer, drug dealer or thief here. Especially-"  

In the midst of your conversation, Fang was interrupted by someone.

    "Especially who, Fang?" Fang turned with a scowl on her features, to a smirking spiky red head who looked vaguely like Reno. His sharp emerald green eyes regarded you with interest. Something about this guy seemed off. Something very off. Everything about him screamed trouble.   

"Yo." He greeted casually, as if he and Fang were lifelong friends. 

"What the hell do you want, you ass?" Fang hissed. 

"Well you know me, just up to my 'no good ways' and checking out all the new fresh meat we have nowadays." He quoted, his eyes flashing mischievously at you. His voice was honeyed, as if he were covering up something dark and lacing it with something sweet. Although Fang seemed to resent the newcomer, he was handsome, you gave him that.

"I'll advise you to leave Axel. This isn't your Wing. Do I have to remind you that this is Wing A, you belong to wing C!" Fang said in a low and dangerous voice. 

"Oh Fang!~" The Reno lookalike chimed sauntering over and throwing an arm round your shoulders much to your discomfort. "You're like a panther ready to pounce on its prey when you speak like that. Honestly you frighten me sometimes." He mocked. 

Fang did look ready to attack him. Her hands were balled into fists and her jaw was clenched. 'Axel', merely chuckled at Fang's pissed reaction and turned his predatory attention towards you. 

"So kitten, I see you and Fang have been introduced and she's shown you the ropes. The name's Axel, got it memorised?" He asked with a toothy and devious grin.  You gave him a blank look, not really sure how to reply. 

"I bet Fang hasn't told you about the Hierarchy yet has she?" Axel mused.

With a frustrated sigh, you shoved him off and took a step away from him. 

"She's told me the basics, like to stay away from assholes like you." You shot at him. Axel's smirk grew wider at your words. Fang looked up, surprised by your outburst.

"You're a feisty one, eh kitten? Well I'll give you some good advice, and I don't usually give out advice for free, but since it's your first day I'll give ya discount of 100%." He offered leaning forward to look you straight in the eye...just as Reno had done. Were you sure that they weren't brothers or something? 

"Go on..." You urged, not really interested in what he had to say. 

"If you go round calling guys here 'assholes', you'll find yourself in some sticky and probably unwanted situations, kitten." He chuckled at the 'asshole' part, which caused you to roll your eyes. The nickname he had given you was starting to get on your nerves too. "Let me tell you something. There's a hierarchy here in this prison just as there is in a village, town or city. The higher and middle class convicts are the ones I would watch my mouth around." 

"And how do I tell if they're this 'higher or middle class' you're talking about?" You questioned with a disinterested expression. 

"I should be charging you for extra info, but because I am the most generous guy in the world," He sniggered, his eyes flickering to a ticked off Fang who mumbled something along the lines of 'lying bastard.' "I'll give you this for free as well. They're pretty easy to identify, they'll possibly crowded in the middle of a gang, or will look big and muscled enough to take down a berserker singlehandedly. Revealing their names will cost you and I'm thinking you don't have any kind of payment. So possibly in the future if you still want to know, seek me out later on." He finished, still with that cocky smirk plastered on his sharp face and an amused gleam in his green pools. 

"How do you expect me ever to pay you when practically no one in this prison has any coin whatsoever?" You demanded. 

Axel kept his close distance to you, and brushed a hand lightly under your chin, lifting it slightly. 

"Obviously I have no need for any kind of coin, so my clients always have to find their own way of paying me." Axel hummed. He backed off and swivelled around on his heel, lifting a hand in the air as a goodbye. 

"Thank Pulse that sly bastard has left. I'm sick of him prancing around this place like he owns it." Fangs seethed next to you. 

"Well at least he doesn't know my name." You said relieved. 

"Oh, he will find out, you can count on it. Somehow he knows just about everything in this bloody place. And, as I've been lecturing you about keeping your distance from just about everyone in this place, he's the one I was going to warn you most about. Do not get involved with him, and no matter what, and don't ever get indebted to him. Honestly if you ever have to owe him 'payment', it will most likely be the end for you." 

You looked at the brunette perplexed. 

"What do you mean, 'the end'?" You asked. Instead of answering, Fang shook her head and walked off, leaving you alone and confused in the corridor.

I think because I've actually planned this story out (for once in my life XD) that updates might be more frequent :) Possibly one each weekend, MAYBE. Happy days! And yes there is a reason why I haven't revealed much about the reader/you. It's all about the plot ;) -Rikki