Darkest Before Breaking Of The Dawn

Pyroclastic Flow

A pale-face figure seated by a bar between Hala's City Hall and the 'bounty-mapping' spot observed the screen intensely with squinted black eyes until... Eureeka! The mangy rodent's face flashed on the massive screen.

"Ah! There you are!" Came a gratingly cold yet mildly interesting observation as they spoke allowed to themselves. "And with a hefty reward for your capture! Hmmm....." He mused silently in thought, a pale pointed finger rubbing their chin while the other hand stroked the cold glass of liquor.

"Perhaps I do have more of a financial incentive to track you down and risk confrontation with your Guardian friends after all!" They noted eagerly before another sinister thought came to mind. "That and the other more painful, vengeful incentive....." They added soon after with more sinister intent.

"It's been five days since this bounty went out and you still haven't been found. I could have sworn your so-called friends would have sold you out for millions to the Nova Corps by now! Perhaps you're right. Maybe they do have more integrity and loyalty than you after all!" He pondered curiously to himself.

An entire week had gone by without news nor the appearance of the rodent. An entire week since the old eye-tech surveillance installed in the mongrel's beady little eyes since birth had shown any live footage activity.

"I wonder where your Guardian friends are hiding you....." The ex Half-World scientist sinisterly wondered to himself.

Unbeknownst to him, a Human male and female Zehoberei in disguise rushed hurriedly away from the scene, equally unaware of his presence. Much less how much of a key player in all this he really was. "I wonder if you are awake yet....."

Twenty-two days earlier.....

"It's morning. Are you awake yet?" A cold, unforgiving voice was heard nearby. Forcibly drawn away from his semi-conscious state by the unwelcome presence, Rocket startled awake with a rasping gasp. His dry bloodshot eyes blinked open, momentarily blinded by the white lights of the room.

For the entire week, seven whole days Rocket counted in his raw damaged mind, his 'host' had made it blatantly clear why he was here. And true to his word, he was slowly dismantling Rocket. Little by little. Piece by piece.

Having his sleep constantly interrupted throughout the night with random beatings and barrating, Rocket had tried to lull himself to sleep by counting the painful slashes on his chest and belly. Afterwards he decided to count his sore bloodied clawless finger tips for a change.

But it all only managed to distract him from the crippling fear that also kept him up at night. A fear yet again set on destroying another new morning, he soon realized. Feeling the heavy vibrations of his feat approaching closer, Rocket instinctively curled protectively tighter into himself, frozen in one spot.

He would have curled into a ball if it weren't for the pain in his ribs and his back keeping him mostly immobile. He was still, until the overwhelming fear took hold again the moment boots became visible a short distance away.

His steadily shallow breathing became panicked gasps, hands about to curl into fists until the pain in his fingers kept him from doing so. Rocket's shuddering increased against his will as his feet approached his head.

"Rodent? I'm talking to you...I know you're awake, rat..." His tormentor's voice called to him, eliciting Rockets ears to flatten as he cringed at the sound. "The things I'm going to do to you this morning..." He gleefully exclaimed at him.

Soon Rocket was unable to keep himself in that same spot for long as adrenaline driven from panic soon drove him into 'fight or flight mode.' With a broken whimper, he rolled himself back onto his front, moaning heavily at the pain in his belly and back as he did so.