Idiot Brigade

Black Sun Incident Part 1

I can't breathe, my lungs crushed underneath the rubble. I can't see, my eyes blinded by the light of the gunshots. I can't hear, my ears deafened by the screams of those I've killed and those I've sent to die. I can see no evil, can hear no evil, can do no evil. For the second time in my life, I'm imprisoned, unable to do any more harm to the world. Once again, the world is safe. That was my goal, once upon a time. How naive I acted back then, believing I could do no wrong, that I would be the savior of the people. The savior of the Changelings still trapped in Inoro. Clearing the way for a better world, one without war, without fighting, without conflict. Thinking that Inoro was the only reason that world was a dream. I shuddered, remembering the lab I used to live in. Well, "live" put it nicely. The shiny, white walls of the lab sickened me everyday. They looked too perfect. Too good. And all the cages...

"John." a quiet voice muttered from the door. I couldn't respond, my visions returning. I shouldn't think too hard on the past, but I can't stop myself. I curl over, shielding my face.

"John, please. You need to get better."

"Xerneas-"

"You will call me Dustin when we are not in a military environment." Dustin said sternly. I groaned.

"Dustin, go away. Seriously." I lifted my hand, extending my palm towards him. Focusing, I drew my Essence into a black sphere. I aimed at Dustin's blue chestpiece. He smiled sadly at me.

"Oh, come on. You really think that's going to work?" He lifted his arm out of his cloak, revealing a silver arm cannon underneath. Cords and wires attached to his shoulder from the limiter. "You know you can't beat me in a fight. Forcing me out isn't an option." I struggled to my feet, my legs weak from being dormant for so long.

"Oh, really? And how much of your life are you willing to give up just to kill me?" I gestured to the wires wrapped around his right arm. "How much? A year? Five years? All of it?" Dustin walked up to me, his face frowning.

"Well," he began. "I guess it's a draw. I shoot, I kill you, but the amount of Essence needed to do so will kill me." I nodded in agreement, annoyed at his correct assumption. I slumped back down on the floor. Dustin pointed at a cabinet in the corner.

"Why don't we play a game?" he offered. "Just like in the old days?" I half-smiled. Just like in the old days. Before I drug us all into this shit that I called a good cause.

"Alright. Grab me the box on the middle shelf." Dustin nodded and walked over to the shelf, pulling down a large, old box. Dust hovered in the air.

"Risk? And an older version, right before the Big Split by the looks of it. I recognize the Polyfirian and Israelite Empires in Eurasia, but no East Inoro and Sterebii yet." I shrugged.

"I got it from the days in the lab. Bring it down here. You wanted to play so badly." Dustin traipsed back to my spot on the floor, dropping the box in front of me. I glared at him.

"What part of 'an older version' makes you think dropping it is a good idea?"

"Hey, the game is still fine, now let's play." I began unboxing the game, taking out the white, worn die. I tossed them to Dustin, who caught them effortlessly in his hand. Smirking at his reflexes, I lifted the pieces from the box. The tiny soldiers and tanks made me smile. They looked cute, almost. I handed Dustin the blue pieces.

"Nice! My favorite color!"

"Well, yeah, that's why I gave you them." Dustin was nice enough, but sometimes he fell a little behind in the comprehensive thinking department. Oh, well, not everyone can think like I can. Rummaging through the box, looking for all the black pieces for myself, I felt a piece I didn't remember being a part of the game. Questioning what the smooth, oval piece could be, I pulled it out of the box to examine it. My hands began to shake. The oval shape, the square base. My eye glowed red. Dustin looked up from his pieces.