Let's Write a Poem

''"Greetings, Alice Kuraiokami and Steve Kame. I have come here to kill you." ''-Seno (and he did it tho)

"Let's write a Poem" is the 2nd chapter of The Dark Empire.

Official Synopsis
Alice and Steve are ready to begin the construction of the empire, but something intervened...

Plot
The chapter starts in several hours after the incident. It appears to be nighttime.

Alice and Steve arrived at Steve's Island. Alice wondered if they didn't mistake the place, due to the island itself being nothing but sand and some palm trees. Steve grinned, assuring Alice that there's something else on the island. Steve walked to a palm tree and whispered something, covering his mouth with his hand. What he has been whispering was inaudible to Alice.

After a little more than one second, a coconut fell onto Steve's head. Alice smiled, thinking that the coconut was a key. But Steve proved her wrong, cracking the coconut and drinking its milk, revealing that there was a button on the bottom of it. Steve pressed it and a stairway opened in the sand. Alice chuckled and they both went down. The path closed behind them, after something else has entered.

Alice and Steve appeared to be walking through a long corridor. There were some lines on the walls, indicating that traps were present there.

Alice wondered if they were safe there, and Steve said that he doesn't know himself, since the security system was deactivated. After a while they arrived in a lab, where Steve's technologies were.

Steve then told Alice that she has to use her powers to transform part of ocean water around the island into land, mentionning that dark matter is able to modify the molecules of materials. Alice wanted to tell him that she cannot sweat at will, but Steve pointed out the black liquid on the floor, claiming jokingly that Alice has "urinated" herself, to which she responds with annoyance. Steve then tells her that it's just liquid dark matter, noting that the part of the floor has turned into dirt. He then collected the liquid with a vacuum.

Alice was ready to go out, but Steve stopped her again. He told her that it would be better if she didn't use her powers right now, because she didn't have full control of them yet. He then started working on a stabilizer.

Alice watched as Steve worked, but after some minutes passed she already became bored. She laid down on two chairs and closed her eyes, but then she realised that she wasn't tired or able to sleep. She began thinking about it when her thoughts were interrupted by Steve's call.

Steve said that there might be an intruder, looking at a screen with footage of cameras. There was a paper note lying on the floor. Steve zoomed in, allowing them both to see the text clearly. The paper had a poem written on it.

Alice was confused, and Steve admitted that he should have armed the security system. He then said that they should go find the person who has written the poem, in hopes that they weren't here to kill them.

Alice noted that the poem was quite beautiful, and somebody behind her back approved of her statement, though noting that it is not the best time to admire it. Both Alice and Steve turned around quickly, noticing Seno standing in front of them. He greeted them, mentionning that he is there to kill them. Steve disagreed, implying that he will not succed at that task, to which Seno responded with a cold gaze, making his confidence annoy Alice a litte.

Steve wanted to unleash an attack on Seno, but he wasn't quick enough. Seno threw his sharp pen towards Steve, but Alice stood infront of him, shielding him. She tried to use her powers to stop time, but she did not succeed. The pen stabbed her in the eye, and liquid dark matter dripped on the floor. Alice pulled the pen out, and her eye regenerated quickly. Steve was delighted, noting that Alice's body is made out of dark matter.

Seno was frozen, surprised because his victims were always down on the first hit. The liquid dark matter that dripped on the floor from Alice then jumped on Seno, stabbing his back, and then forming into some kind of strips.

Seno was confused and asked Alice 'what' she is and what did she do to him. Steve studied the strips and then told Alice that she has just gave Seno powers. She said that she didn't mean to do that. Seno then got up and looked at Alice, his 'tentacles' moving slowly.

He then said that he will serve Alice because she survived his hit and gave him powers, revealing his name. She halted him, mentionning again that she didn't mean to do that. Steve, though, noted that they could use a 'police force' in the Empire. Alice looked at them both for a while, and then asked Seno if he can guarantee that he won't try to kill them again, to which he responded with "A promise is a promise."

Steve said that they had to do experiments with an uneasy voice. He wanted how much Dark Matter Alice can create in one day, and to find a way to help her control her own powers. She found it a good idea. Seno was confused on what they meant, and Steve told him that they will explain it to him later.

Steve still had to finish the stabilizer, and probably make two more. Alice wondered what the other ones were for. Steve pointed at Seno, whose tentacle slapped himself.

Steve proceeded to work on stabilizers, meanwhile Alice went to talk with Seno to get to know him better. On that moment, the chapter ends.

Characters

 * Alice Kuraiokami
 * Steve Kame
 * Seno (antagonist until the end of the chapter) (debut)

Locations

 * Steve's Island
 * Steve's Island Lab

Trivia

 * Steve's joke about Alice 'urinating herself' will later become a song.
 * This chapter, along with The Beginning of a New Era and Know Yourself, was rewritten due to character changes.