Eye Sees You

"Lunch time!" Lambda announced from one end of the training grounds.

At last! Her arm was trembling, nearly ready to detach after her countless failed attempts at crafting her first slime sword. The constant 'motivational' pep talks from 718 and 719 had nearly given her a migraine. Since slime can practically be formed into any other shape, Sherry couldn't quite grasp the logic behind Shadow Garden's insistence on learning the sword. Regardless, she was grateful for the respite.

Sherry had already been given her slime suit although the experience came in the form of another initiation rite disguised as a "magical control test" for 719 or so they said. To sum it up: they drenched Sherry in slime and 719 sculpted it into a form-fitting suit while Sherry simultaneously had to imprint her signature into it. The actual experience was a bit more visceral than that, but Sherry didn't want to relive it. What mattered is that Sherry now looked the part of a Shadow Garden member.

"720, over here," 719 beckoned, a hint of enthusiasm coloring her voice.

With no reason to resist, Sherry followed 719 and 718 out of the training grounds, blending in with the rest of the trainees. Admittedly, she was eager to finally explore beyond the confines of the training grounds and get a closer look at the city she now inhabited.

Despite her rude awakening this morning, Sherry had at least quickly figured out where she was geographically speaking. In her research, she managed to map out several Mitsugoshi transport routes, and they all mysteriously converged at the same point, the Abyss Woods. It was a place covered in a poisonous mist that was impossible to navigate for living things, and yet somehow, the vast majority of known Mitsugoshi routes congregated around it. After all, no matter how hard they tried, it was impossible for Shadow Garden to hide their distribution center given the amount of throughput Mitsugoshi has.

The sighting of the three cliffs encircling the city solidified her hunch; she was in Alexandria. Even before the loss of her father, Sherry had pored over the tales of Alexandria and its supposed disappearance into the mists of the Abyss Woods. To be standing in the heart of an authentic archaeological marvel some thought myth was surreal. Yet, it was also regrettable she was slated to annihilate it. Shadow Garden had already defiled the historic city with their countless statues of Shadow. In her eyes, it was a minor loss given the ongoing desecration.

"That's Shadow!" 719, brimming with excitement, yanked Sherry from her thoughts. For a moment, Sherry's heart skipped a beat, before she realized 719 was gesturing at a statue. "Isn't he amazing?"

"Uh huh..." Sherry forced down a lump in her throat. "What makes him so...special? Just asking out of curiosity."

The statue towered over them, a colossal, 15-foot figure forged from an unfamiliar black stone. Its humanoid shape was draped in a cloak that swallowed its entire form, hood covering its face. The cloak was a dark, ebony. The face beneath the hood remained hidden, save for a single, gleaming red eye peering out. To Sherry, it was the epitome of malevolence.

More unsettling were the Shadow Garden members paying their respects to the statue. Some bowed deeply while another clung to one of its boots, a look of bliss etched across her face. Why did they display such profound devotion?

"Shadow is our guardian, our beacon," 718 began, "His existence is the foundation of ours. We owe our lives, this city, our slime suits, and our advanced technology to him. Without him, we would have been handed over to the so-called 'Church' and amount to nothing more than guinea pigs, subjected to a truncated existence full of horrific experimentation. Our lives are a testament to his legacy." Sherry clamped down on her instinct to object.

"Don't forget about the food! Shadow's culinary genius is out of this world!" 719 chimed in, pushing open the doors of the cafeteria and releasing a tantalizing aroma.

The cafeteria was a spacious expanse under a soaring ceiling, filled with long tables and benches, already humming with activity. At the far end, a slightly raised platform was visible. She saw a line of people queued for food, with others already seated, indulging in their meals. The tantalizing smell of food hit her, and her stomach responded with a rumble. She did eat some Tuna King at Epsilon's safehouse, but before that, she'd subsisted on the bandits' stale bread. Hunger clawed at her.

Nevertheless, she mentally jolted herself, needing to remain alert. None of the dishes served here seemed familiar. Having painstakingly studied every Mitsugoshi menu and its affiliated offerings, she was certain these foods were not listed. There was a possibility that these unknown meals could contain addictive substances, another tool in Shadow Garden's arsenal to deepen their brainwashing. The layers of manipulation in this organization seemed endless. She had to navigate this territory with extreme caution.

"You see, occasionally our lunch will be cuisines that Mitsugoshi hasn't yet released to the public," 718 explained.

"And you said we weren't guinea pigs..." Sherry's retort slipped out unintentionally, followed by a quick hand to her mouth.

"Ha! It's a privilege to try all the food first!" 718 said proudly. "It's a perk of being a Shadow Garden member."

"And it's always so delicious!" 719 said, her eyes sparkling. "How can one man be such a genius?!"

"Indeed...a genius. Speaking of not that, how did you two get acquainted?" Sherry hoped the change of topic would take her mind off the tantalizing food.

"What do you mean? We met right here," 718 replied. Sherry mentally chastised herself. Of course, where else would they have met?

"We are twins though, if that's what you're hinting at, but we were separated at birth," 719 said.

"A-ah, yes, that's precisely what I was implying. Um, but based on your Numbers, did you arrive here at the same time?" Sherry ventured. Their hair was similarly dark, and they did share some resemblance. Perhaps that's what prompted her question. Her apprehension eased a bit upon their affirmation.

"I was here first," 718 revealed. "But a few days later, 719 showed up, so you're not far off. Our demonic possession did happen at the same time after all."

Sherry blinked in surprise. The likelihood of both twins succumbing to demonic possession at the same time was too improbable to dismiss as coincidence. Could such a thing be hereditary? Demon possession was scarcely reported, mostly due to families opting for discretion. She wanted to probe further, but a different question surfaced.

"Wait, does that mean you, 718, had to create 719's slime suit? That must've been... an uncomfortable experience," Sherry queried.

"Not in the least," 718 dismissed. "Reuniting with my sister was the best feeling in the world, and knowing that I crafted her suit gives me the assurance that I can guard her forever even in my absence."

"Aw, sis!" 719 said, pulling 718 into a hug. "But you got one thing wrong. I'm the one who's going to protect you forever!" Their shared laughter filled the air.

"..."

The sudden display of affection made Sherry feel... jealous.

–––

It didn't take long for the three to get food and find a table. Sherry picked something called "cheesecake". It was a slice of cake with a yellowish color and a white cream on top. Sherry was still not sure if she should eat it though.

"You're aware they serve more than just desserts, aren't you?" 719 inquired, bemused.

"Oh, I had a substantial meal before arriving here," Sherry lied. "I'm not even sure I can manage this."

"Then why did you get it?" 718 asked, her brows furrowing.

"Merely to observe it," Sherry asserted, mouth-watering. Maybe if she could deduce the ingredients, she could determine if it was safe to eat...

"Sure...," 719 smiled. "But I think your drool is betraying you."

"Huh?!" Sherry wiped her mouth. "I'm not drooling! I'm just... sweating from the heat!"

"You're sweating from the heat in a room with air conditioning?" 718 queried skeptically.

"Air conditioning? What's that?" Sherry asked. She never heard of that term before, but it dawned on her that the room was indeed much cooler than the sweltering heat outside. She was too intoxicated by the smell of food to notice before.

"See that vent up there?" 718 pointed to a grate on the ceiling. "That's where the air conditioning comes from. Cool air comes out of it and keeps the room cool, courtesy of Shadow Wisdom."

Sherry looked up and saw the vent. She had never witnessed anything of the sort before. She had to wonder what kind of magic was used to pump air in.

"Well, I– I didn't know that..." Sherry stammered in a quiet voice as she pressed her index fingers together. They saw right through her lie.

718 and 719 exchanged a look before succumbing to a fit of laughter. Sherry found herself nonplussed. Had she made a humorous comment? They didn't appear suspicious of her, but rather... For a fleeting moment, it felt as though she was back at the academy. Sherry offered a tactical chuckle, attempting to join in their mirth.

"Just admit you have a sweet tooth, 720," 719 chuckled. "Here, give it a go."

"Ommph!" 719 shoved a spoonful of cheesecake straight into Sherry's mouth before she could react. It was sweet and creamy, and Sherry had to admit it was delicious. She had never tasted anything like it before.

"So good!" Sherry exclaimed, despite herself. She couldn't help but take another bite.

"See?!" 719 exclaimed, glee radiating from her. "You can distinctly taste that Shadow Wisdom, right?"

"Urk!"

Sherry choked. What does that even mean?! Caught off guard by the startling remark, she found herself strangled by this alleged "Shadow Wisdom."

"Easy there," 718 counseled, thumping Sherry on the back until her airways cleared.

Meanwhile, Lambda strutted into the cafeteria, radiating an air of confidence as she and a handful of other slime-suited members strutted down the aisle. She sported an eyepatch adorned with a golden λ symbol, complemented by her usual military attire. A ripple of whispers spread through the cafeteria as she passed, the words eluding Sherry's comprehension.

"Why is everyone whispering?" Sherry inquired, curious about the stir Lambda's entrance had caused.

"She's wearing an eyepatch," 718 said.

Sherry reckoned that meant this was unusual. Doesn't she have a bad eye? Why wouldn't she wear one if she wanted to? Sherry couldn't help but feel like something was off about the situation. Casting her gaze around the cafeteria, she noticed that several of the trainees were stealing glances in her direction while whispering amongst themselves.

"Isn't 720 the one that back-talked Lambda?" "Yeah, she did something to her eye..."

What? Sherry didn't do anything egregious! Or at least, she didn't know what she did... but- but Lambda had dismissed it as inconsequential, hadn't she? Sherry wished she could become one with her seat and vanish. Sherry went to find solace in her cheesecake. She just wanted to indulge in its sweetness and devoid her mind of any worries. At least let her properly attack Shadow Garden first before you start gossiping about her!

Upon reaching the cafeteria's end, Lambda mounted the stage. She cleared her throat and the room fell into an immediate silence.

"Attention, recruits," Lambda began her address. "I have an announcement to make. Our enemies have developed a new weapon: Antacids."

"Oh, right..." Sherry mumbled quietly.