A calm, ragged sigh escaped his chapped lips, pale yet stained of crimson from the night prior. He wiped at it from the corner where it was stationed, having forgotten that place in particular was swollen for a while now. He turned his head to gaze out the dirtied, moist window, salivating at the warmth of the light source from above that peeked out from the fortress of ashen clouds.

He closed his eyes, pondered and replayed the boring routine just ahead; that man would soon arrive. He was always seething, his face flush with embarrassment and irritation. His attempts to rouse fear in his subordinates drowned in failure each day.

Echoes of footsteps made their way to Hiro's ears and his expression fell solemn. He sat up from his uncomfortable bedding, leaning forward so his shoulders slumped in a lazy manner. His forearms were draped across his thighs and the backs of his hands drooped downward, his head followed their lead moments before the shadows of figures approached his filthy quarters.

Locks and gears squeaked; they were shifted about methodically, but Hiro paid no heed. The door slammed open, banging against the wall that pleaded for mercy in response. "Get up, worthless dog." The voice of his owner was rough and demanding. He had no time nor the patience to tolerate the likes of the thing that was before him, caged in a room that made claustrophobia inevitable to possess.

It didn't take long for Hiro to look up, replying to the sweet and endearing sound of his unofficial "title". A wry, egotistical smirk found itself across his bloodied lips, "I appreciate the compliment, beautiful master."

No sooner had he finished speaking, did he receive a crystalline wine glass thrust at him, shattering upon the side of his head.

The scarlet liquid ran downward like a river of blood, though the impact was more than enough to create another scar to the collection Hiro had marked in his body. He was numb against the throbbing pain of glass shards that were embedded in his flesh, and it was no surprise his master was aware of it. The mere fact he knew caused the elder man's jaw to clench. His anger had risen impossibly more as his bodyguards stood nearby, not alarmed by the abuse brought down upon the dog before them.

Milliardo grasped a tiny remote that was stashed away in his tailored jacket, activating the controls by the simple push of a button. The thick, metallic collar equipped to his neck made a quiet sequence of beeps and the lights on the front  blinked back and forth. Jolts of electricity caused Hiro to jerk onto the floor; his knees slammed onto the concrete and he was forced onto the ground against his will.

He had almost bitten his tongue as he resisted the urge to curse, holding it in as he twitched. Sparks caressed his exposed skin, and Milliardo couldn't help but step forward, confident Hiro wouldn't speak out of term again.

The tip of his fine, leather shoe urged Hiro's chin upward so he could see the one that controlled him. Milliardo waved the remote in the air as if it were his trophy, "I'm tired of your witty banter, 41R0. Anything that comes out of that tainted mouth of yours is but gravel to me."

His slave narrowed his eyes until his intensified expression became amused, a sudden change in attitude. Milliardo twitched as he shoved Hiro away from touching his fine shoes by smacking him, turning away and stalking out the door. He pushed another button his remote, the collar responded and dragged an unwilling young man out the door.

The wine from earlier still hadn't dried, dripping from the tips of his matted and unkempt locks of ebony. A pair of rusted cuffs were snapped onto his wrists as he expected by one of the guards. "Let that be a warning to you, boy." Milliardo spoke over his shoulder as he led his unwilling servant down the tower's steps, his voice bouncing off the walls of the hollow vicinity.

Hiro remained non-chalant as he walked, hearing nothing but the shackles upon his limbs, and the chains banging against one another. It was the sweetest sound he had heard all morning.