Bad Batch Oneshots

Sensory Overload

|#2 of Bad Batch Cadet Series|

::END TEST SIMULATION::

Hunter's hand trembled as he gripped his vibroknife hard, his knuckles ghost white. He could barely stand. His knees threatened to give out underneath him. He swept a few strands of sweat-soaked hair out of his face as he looked up at the observatory window, where two Kaminoans had been watching him.

"Next time, I want it done faster." Lama Su's voice boomed over the intercom.

"But that's... that's as fast as I can go!" Hunter sputtered between breaths. He sheathed his vibroknife and leaned against one of the pillars that was meant to be cover during a simulation. "I still don't know how to properly use my sen—"

"You should have that figured out by now, considering how many tests you've been through. I'm not going to waste my time on a clone that doesn't give results."

"I'll give you results! I will! Just give me another chance! Please!" Hunter pleaded.

Lama Su stared down at him for a moment, then stepped away from the microphone and had a few words with Nala Se. After two agonizing minutes, he returned to the microphone. "I have decided to grant you another chance. If you do not show signs of improvement by the next test, your usefulness shall be reevaluated. Dismissed."

Hunter let out a huge sigh of relief. He was safe, for now at least.

But what would he tell his brothers?

***

The rest of the Batch had already returned from the day's activities, which Hunter was thankful for. However, something was off as he walked into the room. His senses felt more sensitive rather than being dulled from hours of training.

The constant 'tap tap tap' of Tech's fingers on a datapad. The hiss from the tool Crosshair was using on his rifle. The smell of Wrecker's afternoon snack and the awful sound of him chewing with his mouth open.

It was too much.

Hunter's heart rate picked up. He grew incredibly irritated, yet panicked at the same time. The palms of his hands grew clammy with sweat. His head felt like it was about to explode. He wanted to scream. He wanted to slam his head against the wall. Maybe both.

"Hey, Hunter's back!" Wrecker called out cheerfully. "How'd the test go?"

Hunter couldn't answer him, not with the flood of smells and sounds overloading his senses. He ran to the refresher in a desperate attempt to free himself from this agony.

With the door slammed shut behind him, tears began to spill freely from his eyes. He pressed his back against the wall and sank to the floor, hugging his legs as he sobbed. His fingers involuntarily gripped and tugged on his hair in frustration.

Everything hurt.

I can't do this. Hunter pressed his forehead against his knees. His breaths came in as loud wheezes as he struggled not to hyperventilate. How do I make it stop?

He then remembered something 99 had told him. It was after his first training session, when things were particularly bad.

"If you feel yourself startin' to panic, take a deep breath and identify everything in the room." The older clone had said. "Names, colors, functions, it doesn't matter. You need to ground yourself so you don't go off the deep end, alright? Trust me, it works."

Okay. Hunter drew in a deep breath through his nose, then slowly let it out. He lifted his head and wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. Sink. It's a mess thanks to Wrecker. Toilet. Grey walls. They have marks on them. Pale lights. One of them is burning out. The floor is scuffed and dirty.

As his focus shifted to something other than his overwhelmed senses, he could feel himself starting to calm down. Relieved, he laid his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

He could conquer this.

He had to.