[center][h3][b]Thirteen[/b][/h3]
[i]Interactions: [@Majoras End][/i][/center]

Fear.

That's all the small boy could feel as the consciousness gradually returned to the muscles in his body. His heart was pounding in his fragile chest, trembles coursing through his hands and fingers. [b][i]Am I alive? Did I survive? Did I die?[/i][/b] Even though his thoughts were frantic, his expression remained neutral as always. Even the thought of death wasn't enough to change that.

Slowly, the deep black eyes blinked once, twice, until the blur cleared and he could see he was on a hospital bed. [b][i]Oh... right. This place. I came here... to be stronger.[/i][/b] The dark eyes lowered to his hand, as he clenched it in and out of a fist. He didn't feel any different, besides a distinct throb of a headache in his temples. The boy touched them lightly, screwing up his eyes from the pain. [b][i]Was this... all a scam?[/i][/b] A coldness encased his heart, but it was quickly broken as footsteps were heard entering the room.

A female researcher gave a relaxed smile of relief at the sight of the boy up on his feet, she coming over to speak with him.

[color=pink]"Ah, thank goodness! We were so worried when you fainted. Are you feeling alright now?"[/color] He hesitated to meet her eye to eye, but nodded anyways. [color=pink]"Oh, good! We thought your body had rejected the serum. Let's take a look at y— huh?"[/color] The researcher paused as she gazed at him head on, a puzzled look crossing her face. 

[b]"I-...Is something wrong?"[/b] The quiet thing stuttered out in his gentle, raspy voice.
[color=pink]"No, it's just... well, here."[/color] The researcher dug into her coat pocket to fish out a small mirror, handing it to the dark haired boy who was careful not to touch her as he accepted it. With a flip of the top, he gazed into the mirror curiously. Same blank face. Same girlish cat eyes. Same full lips. Wait, what was that? Under his left eye, there was a fairly large marking. It almost appeared to be a tattoo, the Roman numerals "XIII"... the number 13.

To the boy's surprise, he didn't shudder just from seeing the number. So, he was cured? The researcher seemed comforted that he wasn't put off by the strange mark, and delicately retrieved her mirror. [color=pink]"Well, its good to see the serum worked, at least your body accepted it. Your head might hurt for a while, considering we had to inject it in the vein there. Can you stand?"[/color]

The boy pushed himself onto his feet, fumbling for the scarf around his neck as he stroked it to calm himself. [color=pink]"Since you didn't have a name, we are going to refer to you as "Thirteen" now, is that alright?"[/color] A nod. [color=pink]"Good! Well, let's bring you to the waiting room to meet the others."[/color]
[b]"O-Others?"[/b]
[color=pink]"Of course... you're not the only one participating in PHOBIA. This way."[/color]

Thirteen, as he was now called, trudged along behind her so that the researcher wouldn't try and put her arm on his shoulders as some would do in an attempt to comfort him. That only made him more anxious. 

They entered the room, and with a quiet discussion the researcher left. He was alone. Thirteen's dark eyes trailed over the others here. Some were quite frightening in appearance, monstrous even. Was that from their experiments? Thirteen touched the mark under his eye lightly. He got off easy...

The small boy put himself in the corner, quietly praying no one noticed him enter late. He didn't like talking with people. Thirteen entered just in time to hear the doctor's introduction. He curled himself up tighter, suddenly wondering just what kind of mess he had gotten himself into.