Before Beasts, There Was Lightening--7

Don't You Dare

He was worn. The cold had been beaten off, helped along by his new strength, stitches done and bandaged, and the ship underway under Max's direction and a Ray holding an 'Ocean Navigation for Dummies' and an owner's manual of the ship. The tiger had always been more prone to pick up mental endeavor's after Hillary and Kenny. It probably had something to do with growing up in an isolated village where children learned to read for entertainment long before they had access to TV.

But even as the chilly, blustery evening fell down, and an afternoon of being wrapped up on a bed, chasing sleep, it never came. And as all sleepless people know, that is when the brain get's busy, and not usually in an upward direction.

Kai's companion was none other than the Marshal Scientist. He looked through the glass at him with his impassive, narrow eyed sneer, with a background of melted bodies behind him—and fire. Everywhere the air combusted and green turned black.

'There are plenty of other fire elemental bit beasts out there, none of which were conditioned and raised to be serial killers.'

He'd see the dummies they were given in the Abbey, with red marker outlining where major arteries were. A little boy with a shock of rare, bright red hair stood in the doorway, mouth and face scrunched up with a scream no one would ever hear, and Kai hadn't known what to do, and the sympathy had hurt worse than the beatings ever could. Boris told them to keep walking when he saw a girl had curled up in the snow, like blankets. His first kill hadn't been human at all, but a brown rabbit he'd been given to raise, same as the others. His first mission had been for his grandfather. They told him the man wanted to kill his grandfather. Kai thought he was protecting him, even though he feared that he had simply stopped caring.

Because he couldn't care anymore, otherwise he'd always see the tiny Tala in his doorway with that silent, open mouthed scream.

And breaking in through the movie roll or memories, like badly timed ads, were the images of today, when he had become exactly what the Marshal said he was...and that dark voice in the back of his head that sang sweet songs of naps in the snow.

Finally, he couldn't bear it anymore. He hadn't felt it all while he'd been in the air, above it all. Not now.

It didn't help that that the first thing he saw on opening the door was ocean. Cold, black ocean. He wouldn't even have to wait for the cold to pass so the fatigue would come on. He didn't have to wait to fall asleep. In that regards, becoming fire made it all that much easier.

He limped to the railing and hung his hands over it. Sea spray tickled his palms and fingertips. It didn't feel like pain. It felt nice.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

The darkness pulled back, hissing at his new companion, who came towards him with the click-clack of nails and tail.

"Couldn't," Kai gruffed.

"That sucks. You looked like you needed it. Still do."

Tyson came up next to him and leaned his elbows on the railing much like Kai was, dangling his hands toward the sea below.

"Watching Max and Ray isn't nearly as funny as it was the first twenty minutes. They were like screaming chickens then, it was great. But now they're all quiet and focused, and Ayah's still gone exploring the ship. Think she might have holed up somewhere."

A twinge of concern broke through Kai's heavy thoughts. Ayah's welfare was more important than his, after all. At least to him. "Is she okay?"

Tyson shrugged and sniffed. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we've gone through a helluva lot of stink. I'm not even sure I'm okay. I mean," he leaned forward so his chin was in the crook of his arm. "I just saw my best friend being hit by a missile by people who were supposed to be our allies. Heck, by just freaking people. Human beings, with the same humanity as me. The poking and the prodding and the aggravation I could have handled with some time to beat the crap out of them, but seeing that..."