Time: Four Hours Earlier
âYou are not my master. His voice resounded within Edwinâs head, sending shivers down Edwinâs spin. I am. Edwin looked up to stare at the room that he lived in, the bare white walls bathed with blue from the blazing lights from his phone. He sighed, sitting down on the bed that lay in the center of the room, away from the four walls that surrounded it. I am the controller of my error- I am- Edwin rocked back and forth, worry in his eyes as he kept his eyes fixed on his hands crossed on his legs. Donât worry, donât worry- Edwin clutched his head with his hands, covering his ears with his fingers as if to block out noises and sounds though there was none besides his low-toned muttering and the whirring from his phone. He was alone- but he was once again winning this small struggle. âI will never submit to one as weak as you!â The blue light disappeared, the phone closing as Edwinâs mind was once again left to himself. Shakily he stood up and out of his room, towards the bathroom that was across the hallway, though it looked as if it were light-years away.
His hand slapped hard against the light switch causing the dim fluorescent light to flicker on in the bathroom. It was tiny and cramped, far different from the houses of almost the entire population within Minimum. They lived in wide houses, built tall into the sky based on developing âcurrentâ technology. But the Errors donât; they have no place in the enforced closure of Minimum- Edwin was no better. Conceal. Donât feel. Donât let it show. He shook his head and then turned on the rusting faucet, watching the water spurt from the tap before slowing down to a small trickle down the drain. Staring at the water, Edwin lost himself in his thoughts as his phone started beeping again- but this time no blue light shone from the old blue-colored phone. Edwin looked down at his pocket with weary eyes, the bags under his electric blue eyes ever more apparent under the dim light of the bathroom. But at least it wasnât his phone- At least it isnât him.
Pulling his phone out from his pocket, Edwin cancelled the alarm clock to see the notification he had set the day before. Error Gangs Meeting- The time for the meeting was blocked, but Edwin was too lazy to scroll down. He already knew the time anyways, as he had been one of the negotiators that had been there to plan the meeting. Where is Nia and Ryota. Closing the faucet that he had opened for nothing, Edwin stepped out of the bathroom, forgetting to close the lights as he rushed down the corridor on his floor and down the rickety stairs that led to the lower levels. âNia.â Edwin knocked sharply on the only door on the floor beneath his, but before he could hear a reply, Edwin slowly bounded down the second flight of stairs heading down, his footsteps light and soft. Repeating what he did for the next two floors below Nia's- "Madoka. Lucy-Anne"- Edwin finally came to a stop on the first floor of the narrow apartment, his feet causing the old floorboards to creak slightly as he stepped down from the worn down stairs. His blue eyes flickered left and right as he took in the mess of the first floor- he had not come down since two days ago- and sighed. Whoâs turn was it to clean again?
His phone flashed a blue gleam as the voice resounded in his head again. âFool. As if those humans would-â Edwin shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the voice as soon as it barged into his mind. His eyes shone a bright blue as he felt the force grappling against his mind- but they immediately dulled down the moment the force gave up, receding once more to the back of Edwinâs mind. Edwin sighed again, his shoulders slumping slightly as he allowed his hair to fall in front of his face. He was tired; the struggle had gone on for so long. But once again, Edwin forced himself to move and ignore him. Walking up to another door, Edwin rapped twice on the solid wooden frame and coughed before calling out quietly, âRyota?â Edwin stood in front of the door, waiting for a response, as his eyes flickered to and from the door and the stairs, waiting for his two companions to the meeting to show up some time soon.
Time: Present Time
Edwin stood behind Ryota, just as all the other second-in-commands stood behind their leaders. His eyes surveyed the others present as a deadly silence filled between the different leaders that now assembled in the area. His back slouched, Edwin looked extremely calm and relaxed, but his hand lay on his buzzing phone, a sign that he was ready to enter the grid any moment upon Ryotaâs command. But Edwin was sure that he wouldnât need to- even Katerina wouldnât kick up something dangerous, or so Edwin thought. Slowly, he watched the other gangs start to assemble at the meeting area, each seemingly wary of the other groups of three there.
Edwin made sure to keep an eye on Katerina, as he knew that Ryota and Katernia rarely ever met one another without a fight. The main reason why he now refrained from playing around with his phone was because of the Leader of the Wonderland Gang, her moods unpredictable and her mind in the air, Edwin felt as if he needed to make sure to keep Ryota and Katerina away from one another.
âCommence the Mad Tea Party.â Katerina said, her trademark smirk appearing on her face. Edwin shook his head as he unleashed his Error, in case Katerina had any plans in mind. I summon thee. The words surfaced and died away in his mind, as his surroundings were suddenly covered by a light blue color. Edwinâs eyes glowed faintly, but faded fast as he took a step out of his body and into the blue grid. A frown appeared on his face as he watched the other Errors present, intent on stopping any fight or conflict that could occur. One of the members of the other groups each also activated their Errors, as always while in the truce area, as the appointed 'guardians' to make sure no serious conflict occurred in the truce area. This was where compromises were made- not fights.
The stands that surrounded the large round table started to fill as the other members of the different gangs within Minimum started to fill within the respective areas that was designated to the different gangs. The Sonic Boom members stood directly behind where Ryota now sat- and where Edwin now stood- on stands elevated higher than the ground. Separating each gang was a bar and isle- nothing more, and the members milled and murmured as the usual tension started to fill the air. Edwin sighed as he started to walk around the table though his body remained where he had stood, right where he had activated his Error. This will be another long 'meeting'...