"Is he down here?"

"Yes, but I must advise caution."

The person gave a gentle chuckle as they continued their climb down to the thirteenth floor.
----------
He sat with a smirk watching the guards with their spears of light pointing at him.

"Look at the little army." The prisoner laughed, "power in numbers indeed."

"Quiet monster!" One of the guards, a tan skin man with brown hair, ordered, "You won't be joking for long."

"Ooo~hhoo!" The prisoner hummed, "Why is that gonna let me go? Stab me with your stolen tech pitchforks? Send some low-grade mage to banish me?" He laughed.

"You wait. You won't be as confident in the face of our liege."

"I hope you got something better than that, Kevin rat." He grinned darkly, "How Is he healing up anyway, liking his new facial scar after that lame containment spell."

"He's still speaking as if he's the most significant thing ever birthed...Though, a little more humbled."

The feminine voice took the attention of the prisoner and the guards, both turning to the entrance seeing a woman with a duo of guards behind her.

"Liege." The guards were all but awed.

"Please," They smiled before glancing her eyes to the left, looking at the captor, "let us be alone for a moment." They offered gently.

"Lady...With all respect, this-"

"I am pretty aware of what he is accused of and the rumors of his ability, please."

The patrols looked at each other before bowing low, " we'll be close if you request assistance."

"Your vigilance is appreciated." Liege smiled as she watched the two walk out the room leaving the door slightly ajar. With a silent click of her tongue, the door slammed and closed.

"Oooh! Such strength." The prisoner teased with a dark smirk as he took in their appearance as she stepped in his view.

The clicking of the heel on their violet boots that reach her knees, with the laces glowing the color of lilac. Black high-waisted, low-cuff shorts with silver latches running down to the crotch. Two leather holsters on her thighs holding what seem to be two daggers each. A black and indigo trimmed corset top displaying a pink scar on her brown waist and the ever so familiar stone on their naval.

Her hair was very long and curly, stopping at her hips, her face a bit pear-shaped and was more masculine than other women. actually, she seemed to be utterly indistinguishable from either sex.

Her nose was protruded but also button-like; her lips were narrow with some plump to them. He couldn't see her eyes as she wore a deep onyx veil over them. They were statuesque with tight curves, a bit of softness layered with the noticeable tone muscle.

Even he had to admit they were a sight to behold.

"Hello, making yourself at home?"

"Oh yeah. Very homey. You should see it; the wrist and ankle bonds are sooo~oo comfy."

"As if they could hold you?"

"Like to pretend sometimes."
He scoffed. He arched his left brow, looking at their face," can you see me?"

"Soft rose pink skin, darker hair in a messy pompadour, black shirt frayed at the hem, sleeves and the star on the chest. Light beard, thick brows, diamond-shaped eyes, blue torn jeans, bare feet. Quite tall and toned, top-heavy, especially around the chest and shoulder...."
They smirked," And your left-hand sneer, protests that I am right... I can see you perfectly, Mr. Diamond-type."

"Makes your blindfold useless, doesn't it?" He raised his right arm.

"Right hand up...Believe me, it's serving its purpose."

"And what purpose is that?" He stretched his left arm forward.

"Left-arm forward to make me mysterious." They smirked, "left arm up, right leg to the side, left leg bent, head tilted to the left side, right palm beating on your chest.

"Shit, you really can see." He sighed, putting his arms down, " So..what do you want, missy?'

"Them and they."

The culprit looked at them with an arched brow," I see...So what do you want, going to make me heel?"

"I came to the monster who broke Kevin's astral cage. I didn't expect such a human appearance. You're quite handsome."

"Thanks?" The captor arched their brow looking at them. They saw the slightest twitch of their brow...

-Clink-Clink-

His bonds dropped from his ankle and wrist instantly. He was rubbing his left wrist, clenching his fist, his curiosity growing as he watched them walk into his cell.

"You sure that wise, I might crush your skull."

Liege smirked as they encased the prisoner in a pink and cobalt cube of energy. They arched an eyebrow seeing the criminal look of familiarity and suspicion.

"What. What is this?" He glared intensely, "This mixture of energies...."

"I take it you feel a connection to the pink." They pointed to the stone embedded in their stomach.

The captive grabbed his own. "Really?"

"Human magitech." The mage smirked. "Saved my life."

"Certainly living up to her name..so that means.." He snarled, the white of his eyes becoming black, the pink turning dark as his pupils shrink, "You're Stevonnie."

"And you're..."

"..Steven Demayo..."

"Pleasure...."

"So what's you want, high mage? My origin story, my confession, My magic, my gem? Well... Maybe not, seeing as you got your own."

"I...want you to break my cage."

"What?" Steven arched a brow at Stevonnie's words.

"You heard me, break my cage."

"What for, trying to match the last one who put me in a box?"

"Just attempting to see something, call it a test of sorts. An interview.."

"An interview?"

"Well, yes. I need to see your worth?"

"My worth!!!" Steven all but roared with his mouth open as blood ran from his eyes, and his saliva trickled from the left corner of his mouth with his brows furrowed together. His left eye glowed with a haunting glimmer as his corresponding arm began to spike up.

"Yes. For apprenticeship." Stevonnie grinned.

"Don't you play with me, Stevonnie!!" The diamond warned, slamming his spiked fist into the cube, causing a slight ripple throughout the 'cage.' "You fucking human. You think I'd be your apprentice!"

"It comes with freedom."

"You think I need you to be FREE!!" Steven grinned viciously, " "LET ME SHOW YOU, THE HORROR OF A DIAMOND, YOU HYBRID!!"

"Please do." Stevonnie encouraged as Steven body surged with power before stamping on the ground, causing the cage to shatter and shards to rocket towards Stevonnie.
Steven grinned, expecting Stevonnie to duck, dodge, or be diced, which is why he snarled when he had to create several small hexagonal projectiles to intercept the returning fragments.
------------
Outside, the guards could hear the fight going on, not being able to enter as they pulled on the door with all their might.

"It's sealed by magic." A voice note from behind getting the guard's attention.

'Her eminence.' The group thought as they turned to a woman wearing a similar uniform as Stevonnie with a difference of an ankle-length halter top trimmed with frills knotted below the bust line, a mini asymmetric skort, a color scheme of Midnight blue and black. Her eyes were also blindfolded.

She walked down to the door touching it and smiled, before turning into a shadowy wisp and slipping through the bottom.
-------------------
"Tsch!" Steven kissed his teeth as he sent projectile after projectile at Stevonnie, who now bore a cobalt and pink shield-like barrier that took up the cell's width. "

"What happened to all that bravado, Steven!?"

Steven snarled, irritation forcing him to launch with more vigor and aggression as his hexagons continued to pummel the unmovable wall.

'He's tenacious; I give him that,' Stevonnie mused before feeling a familiar presence. "Ok, interview's over," Stevonnie announced before shoving the barricade forward.

Watching the menacing wall slide towards him, Steven instinct kicked in, and he screeched.

He screeched loudly and forcefully. Enough to cause Stevonnie to break concentration and the wall to dispel as they covered their ears to block the sound that shook the floor and the building.

He gained his senses a few moments after, and seeing Stevonnie vulnerable; he took his opportunity.

In a streak of pink, Stevonnie found themself in the grasp of the giant man, being lifted single-handedly by the left side of their torso.

"I must admit, this was a fun workout." Steven mocked as he squeezed a bit, enjoying the winced pain on Stevonnie's face. "But I must say no to your apprenticeship...Now how will I end you?"

"Wouldn't be my first death.." Stevonnie joked, "buu~uut. It wasn't my apprenticeship, just a recruiter." They rubbed Steven's wrist, "Please, put me down."

Steven looked at the person in their grip, their ears twitching at the tone of Stevonnie's voice.

'Was that an order?' Steven pondered, 'here I am with their life in my hand, literally, and they're giving me an order.'

"Your teacher must be someone extraordinary for you to go so far for." Steven laughed," I'll make sure to unite you two in the after."

"Steven put them down."

Steven watched as the woman from before walked into the cell and felt something inside shook.

She was shorter than Stevonnie, with softer, slender curves and a more toned body, and her outfit hugged said physique gently. Her nose was a gentle hook, a slightly wide mouth with thin, full, very slightly narrow lips. Her hair was in a top bun and dragon tail braid combo, stopping at her waist.

"Put them down."

Steven gulped not out of fear..but..something. Her contralto voice reminds him of fire, deep roaring fire.

"You should listen to her," Stevonnie told him.

Steven scowled but listened nonetheless, putting Stevonnie next to the woman.

"You ok?"

Stevonnie noded to their companion, "felt like a massage...He's more bark than he likes to show."

"That's good, don't want your wife guilting me for getting you hurt...Again."

"What kind of game is this?" Steven inquired, looking straight at the woman. "Who are you?"

"I'm the one who wants you as an apprentice." The woman turned to face him.

"Are...are you looking at me...Blindfolded? That doesn't look like it lets light through."

"I am. It doesn't. This is no game...and well, why don't you tell me who I am."
She laid her palm on his, "sure; you can sense a magic lineage by physical touch. What shade do you see?"

Steven once again felt his nerves shake. This woman, a little more than half his height, made him feel small, but not in the worst ways. He breathed deeply doing as she said, figuring maybe it would ease his mind.

'If I was to guess. She is probably a Barriga?.. No, don't feel like a reddish strength. Miller?... not bright enough. Dewey?...nope, definitely not a silver family...Laiers Bloodline? ...Doesn't seem like a strange green like that Onion kid. Not a pink like the Demayo...what pigment is this woman....'

That's when he felt it. Fright and familiarity clenched his heart, and an image of a woman and her child flashed in his mind.

He knew this power. Homeworld made nightmarish tales about this power and the family it was associated with.

Years ago... He met two of this family. A researcher and their child, part of the annual 'peace talks between the two worlds. He was a young one himself, probably a year older than the ten-year-old human girl. Who smoke gray eyes were bright as can be...He knew her for a month..before both her and the researcher...out of fear of their name...and the past of it.

Steven removed his hand, stepping back, his eyes never breaking from her. "...Midnight...M...are you fucking kidding...You're A MAHESWAREN!!?"

"I am..."

The woman stepped forward, and everything in him screamed to escape this woman that this monster would wipe him out without a glance.

"I'm not going to hurt you... Kahanni and Priyanka would hate that."

Steven froze at their names, "How do you know them? Were you close family members?"

"As close as you are to Nora and Primrose." She said, smiling sadly.

Steven sat silently for a few minutes, "what's your goal? Why do you want to make me your apprentice?"

"Because you suffered loss as well due to the prejudice from both our worlds..and I want to take steps to end it..." the determination and pride and her voice were thick as she clenched her fist and black mist seeped from them before she breathed deeply allowing a smile. "and because my older sister was excited when she talked about you."

'Her younger sister. Her second daughter.' Steven mused it over, and it wasn't hard to see the resemblance between Priyanka, Kahanni, and this one. 'Wonder if Kah would have had a coke bottle figure like her..not that her top isn't ample, just slightly more bottom-heavy.'

"37-33-40"

Steven blinked before turning to the woman

"My bust, waist, and hips." She stated casually, "one-forty-six pounds and five foot seven inches-twenty-three years of age. Scorpio, born November 10th, my left side is slightly more dominant, so my hips sway slightly towards that direction when I walk." She folded her arms, smirking, "Does that ease your curiosity cause you've been scanning at me for a bit?"

"What?.." He was at a loss for words." Sorry.."

"Don't worry about it. It happens, so about you becoming my apprentice."

"First, let me see your face...Eyes and all."

"I.." She took a deep breath, "it's a bit strenuous. I see too much, but.." She undid her blindfold and opened her eyes.

He felt he was drowning in the ebony. Those Jet black eyes shined like stars, slightly reflective of the light in the jail. Taking a moment to blink, he saw the entire layout of her face seeing how her round, deep-set eyes fit with everything else. She was an exquisite face with a sensual body image.

'With a nightmarish amount of magic, I still don't know if what I felt was her depth or her tip.' He reprimanded, but she was earnest as well.

"You're quite different from Kah."

"Always have been...." She placed the blindfold back on. "You look exactly the same as she showed...Guess even birthed gems come out of the box ready?"

"We reach physical maturity by age five. Still have to be educated, though...So yes, I am really just twenty-five...What's your name?"

"Why?"

Steven looked at her, and both she and Stevonnie looked back.

"What.." Steven could believe he is going to do this." What am I supposed to call you throughout this apprenticeship."

"Connie...Connie Maheswaren." She smiled.

'Did..did she just put a curse or spell on me....' Steven thought as he swore his heart trembled..and warmed