It’s been around about a month since then, but things aren’t really going as I had expected them to play out. First of all, Issei has completely shut himself off from everyone, not even acknowledging the other prisoners, or even the guards for that matter, and instead only muttering something to himself while he goes about his day on autopilot. He’s like an empty shell, I honestly can’t recognize him as the same guy who joked about all sorts of things just a couple of weeks ago. When we’re in the cell together, he just goes straight to bed and sleeps until our shift begins. When we’re hard at work cleaning the entire prison, he only does his job dutifully without saying a word to anyone.

Even when we’re at the cafeteria with Lee, who constantly keeps pestering him in trying to start a conversation, the most they’ve managed to do is make some small talk. It’s understandable that he’d be shaken up over the news of what had happened to his friend, not to mention all that pain he endured from the whipping, but what happened to all that drive to burn this place to the ground? The will to save Othelia, whom he clearly cherishes greatly? Has he lost it all over time? Maybe he’s just insecure about a plan he’s been brewing up, or maybe he’s lost all motivation after hearing who we’ll be facing, but as his friends and subordinates, Lee and I need to find a way to get him to cheer back up.

“So that’s what you called me over here for?” Lee leaned his back up against the wall, “Damn, you’re really gonna take away my precious lunch hour today just because you wanted to discuss this in private?”

“Hey, I’m also losing out on today’s lunch, but I think this situation with Issei is more important. He’s really scaring me when he’s like this, it’s completely and utterly unlike him to be this secretive and quiet. What do you think we can do to make him feel better?”

“Sigh, listen Meil – sometimes a guy needs some alone time, y’know? I understand where you’re coming from, but it’s in every male human’s nature to want to isolate themselves from everything after taking such a hard blow like he did. Usually I’d advise against you butting in this time.”

“You too? Don’t tell me you lost your drive as well?”

“No no.” He gave me a wry smirk as he moved his pointer finger from side to side, “Well, I did say that it’s in every male human’s nature to want to isolate themselves, but there’s one more thing you should learn about us guys. Another trait characteristic about us – When men see others suffering over something, we just can’t help but butt in until the problem is resolved.”

“Wait, so you’re saying you’ll help me?” I smiled, “Lee, I knew you’d be on my side!”

“Heh, don’t get me wrong, kid.” He stuck his tongue out with a smug smile, “I’m gonna burn this place down with or without you. It’s just gonna be way easier with comrades is all.”

Lee’s not being honest with himself. Sure he says that, but no matter who you asked, they’d surely tell you that he was just as worried about Issei as I was. Still, I’m glad he’s not being selfish or heartless in the least about this, I really wouldn’t want to grow to hate someone as kind as him.

***

“So what’s the plan?” He asked as we made our way back to the cafeteria, “Wanna try getting him drunk and have him blurt out all his worries?”

“You have alcohol on you?”

“I buy some from Bryce on the regular. Nothing too fancy, but I guess the guards respect him for being the top dog so much that they give him some good rum every now and then.”

“Is that what he was beating you up for back when we first met?” I asked, “He mentioned something about you owing him quite a lot.”

“Yeah, you kinda caught us in a bad time.” He chuckled.

Geez, now I kind of feel bad for Bryce. I fended him off without hearing out the full story, so I guess I just kind of beat him up for no reason. I sure hope Lee pays him back one day if he hasn’t already…

That being said, we entered the cafeteria and sat ourselves down to where Issei was supposed to be waiting for us, but the seat was empty. Not paying it too much mind, we had chuckled a bit after realizing we both forgot to grab our trays and food, so we got up from our seat and approached the lunch guy.

“Oh, there’s Issei!” I tried calling out to him, “Isse-!”

“Hey, your voice…” Issei questioned one of the guards standing in front of him, “It’s you. You’re the guy I heard in that room with Othelia.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about kid.” The guard shooed him away, “Now scram! Don’t forget who here has a gun and who doesn’t! WHOA-?!”

Without the slightest hint of restraint in his movements, Issei tossed the guard to the ground before viciously beating him up over and over. The barrage of punches would leave even the most distinguished of warriors to shame, as Issei didn’t stop for even a moment.

“Ora!” He yelled with all his might, “Oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraora! Orrrrrrrraaaa! Damn, now I know why Jotaro uses that as his battlecry!”

“Kid! What the fuck are you doing?!” Lee tried to intervene.

“Stand back, Lee-san!” Issei took the gun out of the badly bruised guard and waved it around the room, “I’ve got a bone to pick with this guy, so I want all the inmates here to hold off any reinforcements from showing up! Otherwise, I’ll shoot indiscriminately!”

“Dude, you need to calm down!” I tried inching closer toward him, only for him to shoot a bullet mere centimeters in front of my feet.

“M-kun, step away.” He then finally pointed his gun to the guard on the ground, “And you. Where is she? How can I get to her?”

“Guh…” The guard wasn’t even fully conscious at this point, “She’s…? Huh?”

“Answer the damned question!” Issei put the gun to the guard’s jaw, “Where is Othelia?!”

“I ain’t… telling.” The guard chuckled, “But if you… really wanna know somethin’ about her… She’s got a really great body! Every one of the staff here have used her at least a dozen or so times-!”

*BANG*

Echoing throughout the cafeteria was the sound of the bullet passing straight through the guard’s mouth. The scene was a bloody mess, and everyone could no longer see Issei as anything less than a crazed murderer. Just then, the reinforcement guard’s showed up.

“What the-?!” They began pulling out their AFPs, only for Issei to point his at them, “Tch!”

“Don’t you dare try anything funny!” Issei pointed the smoking tip of the gun at them, “From now on, I call the shots! Try and punish me all you want, but just remember that you guys aren’t the only ones that can shoot at the enemy team whenever you please anymore!”

“Uppie, what do we do?” One of the guards asked an older subordinate, who seems to be their head honcho, “We can’t just leave him with the gun like this, can we?”

“Tch, of course we can.” The head guard clicked his tongue, “Do you see what they did to Garry? Come on, let’s go.”

Leaving as quickly as they had arrived, every one of the inmates had now redirected their attention to Issei. There were only two outcomes that could happen at this point. Either they all gang up on him and try to steal his gun, or they begin respecting and fearing him, crowning him the leader of the pack.

“Wooooooooohoooooooooo!” Bryce suddenly lifted him up over his shoulders, “Way to go, little man! Didn’t think you had some fight in ya’!”

“Hah, eh?” Issei chuckled nervously.

“Yeah! You were all like “Where is she?! BAM!” and then “WHAPOW!” It was honestly sick! And that rush of attacks you did before popping a cap straight through his dirty Carmen skull! Where’d you learn all this stuff?”

“Ah, it’s something I learned from a show I watched…” He scratched his cheek, lightly blushing from the sudden praise.

As if following Bryce for finally breaking the ice, every one of the inmates swarmed around him, praising him for killing one of the guards and giving them a chance for freedom. This was it, this must’ve been what was bugging Issei this entire time! With his actions, not his words, he showed us a path to victory!

“But damn…” Issei donned a troubled expression after we were once again seated, “I still don’t know where they’re keeping Othelia at. I shouldn’t have fired so quickly.”

“So why did you fire?” I asked.

“It’s just… When I heard what all he had to say about her, something inside of me just snapped. Like I didn’t even care anymore. My first kill… It didn’t at all feel as nauseating as I had originally thought it would.”

“Nauseating?” Lee joined in as he chewed on his grub, “How so?”

“Well, when a friend of mine killed two guards when we were robbing a mansion, it really did a number on him. He threw up everywhere, and could barely even focus on hiding so the other people of the mansion don’t find us. Ugh, who knows, maybe it’s just the adrenaline that’s talking, but I honestly don’t feel the tiniest bit sad after hearing that bastard guard say that about Othelia.”

“Right, but at least we’ve got a clue out of him.” I pointed out, “It’s that, the thing he said to rile you up. Don’t get offended now, but he said that every one of the staff used her.”

“M-kun, don’t remind me…”

“No, please listen! I’m saying that we now know that she’s being kept somewhere where even the ugly fat janitors can get to her!”

“You’re not helping, kid.” Lee tapped me on the shoulder before elaborating on my words, “Basically, Issei, what our friend Meil here is trying to say is that we can rule out role exclusive rooms and the like. She’s most probably hidden away somewhere where we could get to her, like a basement or a hidden room. This means the security around her will be lax.”

“Oh. Oooh!” Issei’s face began to shine, “You’re right! So that means that we might be able to find her if we just snoop around long enough! Plus, after my display here with the guard, they won’t be able to punish us like they did me and Meil that time!”

“See? Now you’re starting to sound like a real leader!” Lee fingergunned.

“A real leader?” Issei pointed to himself in disbelief, “Of what?”

“Why, the revolution of course!” He jumped from his seat, “And you’re the one who started it! Now everyone knows that fighting back against the guards is a valid option, so all we have to do now is ride the wave and continue pushing the offensive!”

“But, is it really alright for me of all people to lead the uprising?” Issei sounded unsure of himself, “I’m a selfish person. I prioritize my own safety ahead of others’, so I think someone with more experience like you would be a better fit.”

“Sigh, even if that were the case, do you really think the other inmates would listen to me? Someone who tried to fight back against the guards and got shot in the foot because of it? No, kid, it’s gotta be you.”

And with that, negotiations for the revolution have concluded successfully. Today’s battle was sudden, but it proved itself successful, as we had not only gotten motivation from Issei’s actions, but also a bit of intel on Othelia’s whereabouts. The respect Issei got from the other inmates also skyrocketed, and to top it all off, he got himself a nifty handgun, making him pretty much invincible from the guards, as long as he stays alert. Now all that’s left is for us to do our best as well!