My first impression of my first few minutes of work was: 'What kind of crazy places did I end up in?'
Why?
Those insane monsters came to work with suits and full-face masks. Blank white identical masks, which did a great job of making me feel like I'm in some kind of alien institution.
Why did they even wear that?
How did I know? At least I could've figured out where to clock in my arrival by following them. Or at least I thought it would be an easy task until my card didn't do the job.
"You must show your watch," the one behind me noticed. "Are you new here?"
"Yes," picking up the watch out of my pocket, I put it on… Still didn't work, as if they insist on me to wear it whether I like it or not. Hence, I wore it for a minute to register, then returned it to my pocket and headed to my new team— which, as the text I've reserved said, was replaced in the 12th floor, section 9.
My first thought when I opened the office door was 'Isn't it a bit casual?'. Then, taking the whole view made me regret it.
A wide window with sheer curtains, a single red double sofa that seemed to have been there for fifty years, a blue single sofa with a strikingly modern design, a small table holding an antique lamp and telephone… and one man, sitting like a mollusk in a comfortable chair by the window, smoking.
That man turned to me with his white mask, making me wonder about what kind of expression he wore.
"So... you're the Crazy newcomer, huh?"
"Crazy?"
"No one who chooses this team isn't crazy, kid. They don't even try to put people randomly here. "
Aha—
A marginalized team. What a great coincidence...
"Why that?"
"What do you think? Why would anyone be here if not for the gemstones? This section only gets it sparingly."
His shoulders shrugged casually before turning to face the windows again.
"If you don't want to be marginalized as well, go change it. I bet that every other team would move heaven and earth to have you join them."
"Tell me about the work here first," I insisted. "The guide said that the team's [E] mission is to coordinate tasks between teams when necessary and select the appropriate members for missions. Why is it being marginalized then?"
"Because this team doesn't work until something catastrophic comes up, that's when they need it."
"So," a glimpse of hope jumped in my chest. "No work usually? no entrance to those so-called Vessels at all?"
"No," his voice carried some laughter. "This means by statement that you won't have any gems of any kind until the work comes."
"But I'll still get my salary?"
"Yes, as long as you come to work every work day."
I barely managed to stifle a shout of excitement after that.
A full salary just to show up and do nothing?! That was the absolute reward! I couldn't even hold my smile back at that point.
"Any other questions?"
"Why are you all wearing masks that don't even show your eyes?" How could you smoke wearing it?
"Masks?—Ah"
The sound of his strong laughter made me fully aware of how insignificant my question appeared to him.
"You're not wearing your system watch,"
"...?"
"It has something to avoid recognizing you by others, but we ourselves don't see it."
"..."
Ah—
Security system.
Which made things worse because why would any company need this? Ripping the world's banks or something?
"Don't want to wear it?"
"Not really."
"Wear it anyway, kid. It might save your life one day. All kinds of bad things happen."
Yes, this was exactly what kind of encouragement I needed— pure dread.
I took a breath, and wore that thing. Then, all of sudden, my vision filled with red panels and warning signs. A robotic voice repeated itself in my head.
[The mission failed]
[The mission failed]
[The mission failed]
[The mission failed]
[The mission—
It didn't end until I took off that bewitched watch and put it back in my pocket.
What on earth?
Failed what?
"You okay?"
"Yes," I inhaled softly. "Where should I take a place here?"
"Anywhere, do whatever you want."
By looking again, I found a table with a nice chair in the corner and decided to take it.
Two minutes passed before the door opened like a thunderstorm had come. A tall masked man entered and stood there, shouting.
"Team leader! Did you hear about our newcomer! Can you believe that we have a newcomer?!"
"Yes."
"I've looked at the record of the last exam, which was a real Class D Vessel, and still have chills all over my body!"
"Oh, why?"
The team leader was absolutely just playing along with him.
"If you look at him, you'll know! He had such raven hair that fell over his eyes, and yet, when they peeked out? Your whole body will freeze!"
I really did need a haircut, didn't I?
"Is that true? I can't guess."
"Through the whole Vessel, his expression didn't change once. That kind of cool green eyes are horrific when they meet up with such an expressionless man!"
I sincerely hoped that this man would leave without knowing that I've been here, but the team leader decided to make me a nightmare today.
"Johan, you'd better welcome our new kid rather than talking behind his back,"
"But he will change the team anyway. Someone at that level can't just stay here."
"He has already decided to stay,"
With a shrug, the team leader pointed in my direction. Then, with that loud gasp, I knew that I had a dramatic coworker.
An absolute drama-queen coworker, to be objective.
"Why make me yapping when he is here!" He screams with a full volume whine. "How can I show my face before him now as a senior colleague!"
"You already did?"
"I hate you!"
My dramatic unknown senior walked out, slapping the door behind him.
"He'll come in three hours with an enormous snack bag, you better take it as a settlement."
He would be such a nice guy if he gave that kind of settlement.
"I'll do it. Do we have others in the team, though? Why are they not here?"
"We are four in total now. Others tend to go play around here and there all the time... since our main mission is to know exactly what the weaknesses and strengths are for each individual out there."
Didn't you say that we don't have work, Sir?
"And how do they do it?"
"Making friends, watching Vessels records, stalking, ask— anything as long as they know what they have to know."
Aha–
Nice job... What excessive freedom!
"You are new so all you have to do is to review the reports, you'll go and find out about other newcomers later."
"Understood."
Cool. Hard job but surely comfortable.
"By the way," he continued, turning to my direction this time. "The HR team needs you. You better go before they send their dogs."
"...?"
"9th floor, section 8. Those crazy human beings can send your career to end if they decide to."
"I'm going," I stood, trying to put up a serious expression but I got depressed one. "Any special hints?"
"Don't make yourself an easy prey."
"Got it."
My way to the HR department was full of curious eyes. No one said a word but no one either made eye contact comfortable... as if they all have the same idea Johan has.
Expressionless crazy newcomer.
Wait—
Eyes?
This time I've looked at the man behind a random office to see him looking at me. With normal eyes in a normal human being's face.
'No white masks here or what? Didn't they have that 'system'?'
"How can I help you?" A semi-robotic voice took me out of my thoughts when I reached the door. "This is the HR department."
"The HR department called for me."
"Your name?"
"Nathan Vale."
"Sir Nathan, you are needed in floor 17, section 3. Our team leader is waiting for you there."
With a small buzz, I knew that his conversation had ended already with making me go through floors like a doll.
Strange enough, the white masks returned to be all over the place as I stepped out of that floor. And somehow, the floor's 17 masks were such horror art.
Demons, Jesters, animals, unknown things— all of it took the place of everybody's heads.
Insane.
"Newcomer?" The horse-faced man talked to me before reaching the room I needed. "you're going the wrong way."
"I'm going to section 8".
"Eight?!" He stepped aside, seemed to regret the second he talked to me. "Good luck! You're in the right way."
"Thank you," for making me more nervous...
The office I entered after was a replacement for an investigation room. Dark walls, one table, two chairs, big mirror window to the left.
What kind of investigation rooms? That's one question. The more important one was: Why calling me into the investigation room?
As long as I remember, I haven't done anything, yet.
"Have a seat, Dear. This may take half an hour."
A woman in a green-demon mask entered after me and closed the door behind.
"This thing is gonna be recorded." She sat down so I did. "Don't try to lie. This room will know."
"This room?"
"A green light will appear in that corner whenever you spill one. And you may have some consequences."
...
Great, that was a real investigation.
"And I suppose that this works on you too?"
"Indifferent, as they said."
Who is indifferent? Me?
"First Question, Sir Nathan." She pulled out a note from somewhere. "What are you working here for?"
"My salary."
"...?"
"My installments to be specific. I have to pay for them."
My shocking honesty made her unable to say anything for a while. As if she prepared herself for a real tamper game of some kind.
Bad for her, I wasn't in the mood to try.
"Do you work or belong to any other institution?"
"No."
I don't even belong here.
"Why don't you wear your system watch?"
"It has some error issues."
"Why didn't you report that to get it repaired?"
"It's my first day, my first hour. I haven't had the chance to ask about these things yet."
In other words: you're being unreasonable by making me sit here when it's too early.
"Okay then. Let's get to the real questions" her tone changed, making cold shivers run through my body. "How did you know about the Vessels?"
"Vessels," I repeated, unable to form a sentence. Then remembered that she too couldn't lie and decided to take this as an advantage."I don't know anything except the fact that I entered one yesterday."
"..."
She looked up to the high corner behind me, waiting for the green light to shine... but nothing happened.
And as as long as I could remember—
That was when all of my world started to shatter...