Warning(s): murder, vomit, blood, (in the last part), self-dislike
It was one of those days, one of the ones where the fire teams were lead out into the surrounding forest for whatever reason.
They were each given a little panflet with dozens of plants and herbs on them.
They were told to try and find atleast three of the plants, and wandered around the area for a bit.
Kamlyn finished quite quickly, circling all three of the ones he'd found and then going to help Kahsbi, who was far less observant than the other.
"How do you tell them all apart!?" Kahsbi asked, flabbergasted by how her friend was capable of finding the smallest of details.
"Look," Kamlyn said softly, "This one has three leaves. The other had four."
"How do you see that!?" Kahsbi insisted, eyes wide as she looked at the boy in disbelief.
Kamlyn shrugged. "I dunno. Just sorta comes naturally, it's easier for me than others I guess."
Jay was wandering around the forest, as he'd also just finished his assignment.
He gasped gently and jumped backwards with a scream. His blue eyes were wide, peering into the bushes he'd just backed away from.
"What's wrong?" Kira asked, coming forward to stand next to him, veiling their concern behind her emotionless facade.
Jay was breathing a bit heavily, but didn't seem scared like before. He looked curious.
He pointed into the bushes. "Look."
Others also began to gather around, the outburst having caught the majority of peoples attention. They looked deep into the bush, some squinting to try and see.
"Oh!" Kaze said as if shocked, though it was hardly past an act. He was a bit surprised, but not as much as he was pretending to be.
The boy went forward and crouched down in front of the bush, reaching out a pale hand.
Some people gasped as a kitten came from the bushes. He was limping slightly, his minty green eyes shining.
His brown fur was splotched with honey-colored spots, and a bit messy and ruffled from the bushes.
There was a small bee on the kittens ears, which didn't fly away even as the kitten flicked his ear.
"Hi," Kaze smiled softly as the kitten placed it's paw on top of the boys finger, sniffing curiously.
The kitten tilted it's head and tried to bite through the material of Kaze's finger, but the material was too tough.
The kitten purred and pressed up against Kaze, rolling around on the ground on his back.
Amber came and sat beside Kaze, reaching over to gently scratch the cat behind his ears.
She smiled, "Quite the cute little thing. Isn't he?"
Kaze nodded in agreement.
Kira was looking over Kaze's shoulder, eyeing the kitten. The kit purred and patted over yo her.
He pressed into their leg, blinking his big eyes up at her, the bee coming to land on his back again.
Kira smiled and reached down to stroke a hand through brown fur, a feeling of comfort coming with it.
Jay looked at her, eyes a bit surprised and his head tilted to the side. It seemed like he was studying their face.
Odd, he thought, She's smiling. But it's not her usual smile. She looks happy.
Kira looked happy. She was smiling, she felt happiness. She was scared. So terrified of the joy she felt, and they were close to tears, eyes clouded and unfocused.
Kira was snapped harshly back to reality by the kittens soft mewl, and she became aware of her hands tightening around the small creature. She was hurting it. She felt like vomiting.
Before she could throw the kitten to the ground in a fit of self-disgust, she forced herself to gently put it down.
The kitten made a happy noise and turned away from the girl, bounding up playfully to Amber and curled around her legs.
Amber laughed and crouched to his leg, allowing the kitten to nuzzle her on the nose.
The kitten purred and rubbed up against Xiuying, who seemed confused on what to do. Kai came up to the kitten, offering a hand for it to sniff, which it did.
"What are you doing?" Colleen questioned, confused.
"Letting it sniff my hand," Kai replied, "I always had to do that with dogs."
"That's a cat," Xiuying said matter-of-factly, confused as to why Kai didn't know what a cat was.
"I know," Kai said, brow furrowed. He frowned.
"Oh."
Xiuying looked even more confused now, but the awkward situation was interrupted by Aayan.
Aayan laughed under his breath, "Guys, let's calm down. Cats sometimes need to sniff a person to trust them. That's what Kai was doing."
Xiuying nodded, and a yell from the suprivisor came.
"All of you! What's with the doodling, you have an assignment," the commander scolded as he strode towards the group.
He looked down to the kitten, who was pressing into the gentle warmth provided by Kai's hand.
The commanders face went ridged, and he reached to pick the kitten up gently, who only meowed and batted at his nose, completely oblivious.
"What the hell!? How did this thing get in here."
Amber cleared her throat and stepped forward, taking on a serious deminer.
"Sir, may I suggest that the creature may have jumped onto a ship that was bridging supplies?"
The commander hummed lowly, before nodding curtly.
"That's probable. Very good, 417. You've been taught well."
Amber smiled proudly, standing up just a little bit straighter than he already had been.
The commander sighed again and looked down at the kitten in his hands, eyes narrowed.
"What are we meant to do with this?"
Ace was the one to step forward this time, keeping an air of respect.
"Sir, should we dispose of it? It could pose as a distraction," the boy suggested.
Addison looked flabbergasted, and she bounded forward to protest her brothers idea.
"It's a kitten! There's no need to dispose of it. Just send it off back to Earth."
The entire group began to spit their own ideas and thoughts out at the commander, and argued among themselves about who was right.
The commander looked angry. "QUIET! Soldiers do not fight like this, they respect one another. Disappointing. I will decide what to do with the thing. All of you head to lunch."
At lunch, Ace had done what he always did. Picked on them, ridiculed them, and tried to grab Kamlyn. However, that action was quickly interrupted by Kahsbi shoving him backwards with strength she didn't know she possessed.
The rest of the day passed normally, with Ace being the jerk he always was and the trainees going through each other their classes.
Amber hadn't been at lunch very long earlier, as she'd gotten permission to go somewhere else for whatever reason.
However, he was at dinner. They approached the table with a sly grin in place and sat down next to Kaze.
"Hey kids."
"Hey," came the in-unison reply from the team.
"So, about that kitten," she leaned over the table so the rest could hear her as well, "I convinced the commander that it would be good for trainees mental health to have a kitten wandering around the base, and he agreed!"
"Cool," Jay said, his eyes seeming to sparkle.
"That's awesome!" Kahsbi giggled, "It'll be a real nice sight to see around base."
"Was a cute little thing," Aayan remarked quietly.
"I'm not much of a dog person, but he was really cute," Kai stated as he took a bite of his food.
"He was kinda nice looking," Kaze said under his breath.
Kamlyn and Kira nodded their agreement, opting not to speak.
The team made small conversation for the rest of dinner, before being sent off to shower like every night.
The night was silent, their dorm only filled with giggles due to a dumb joke from Kai.
Kira was the first to drift off, exhaustion finally taking it's toll of them.
Her prayers that there would be no nightmare tonight went unanswered.
"Ezra?"
Elijah's tiny voice drifted through the halls of the manor, as he observed his brother staring blankly at the ground.
It wasn't the first time the teen had gotten like this, and it always scared his siblings. It happened very frequently after...the incident. With Destiny.
They'd learned it was best to leave him alone during episodes like these, as he was in an almost comatose state. He only gave very short, curt answers to anything he was asked.
However, he'd been in an episode for a while now. Elijah was worried, and he needed to he sure his brother was alright.
Elijah approached timidly, wrapping a hand around the hem of his suit.
The touch caused Ezra to wip his head around rapidly, black eyes contracted and looking menacingly at the child.
"You," the older breathed heavily, though his voice was breathy, as if he'd just run a mile.
"It's your fault...it's all your fault...She was trying to protect you."
"E-ez? Are you talking about...the accident? D-destiny?" Elijah's voice began to shake on the last word. He hated talking about his twin sister, especially since she had died attempting to protect him from their father's wrath.
Ezra suddenly shrieked with rage and brung his closed fists down hard atop his younger brothers head, knocking him to the ground as he screamed and cried for him to stop.
He didn't stop. Ezra kept going. It was all a blur. The blood on his hands, the horrified shrieks of pain, the feeling of ripping flesh beneath his hands.
"Ezra?"
Kaze's small voice brung Ezra back to his senses, and the terror caught up with him, crashing down on him like a wave.
Ezra looked down at his hands. Blood. His brothers blood. So much blood. On the ground too, surrounding Elijah's mangled body.
Kaze looked up at his brother, confused.
"Ezra, why did you hurt Elijah?"
It hit him all over again. He had done this. He hurt- no, he killed his brother. Murdered him in a fit of rage.
He was a monster. Just like his father. A devil in disguise, just like his father had always wanted him to be.
He felt the bile rise in his throat quicker than he could even make a single attempt to stop it.
Ezra turned away, bloody hand clasped over his mouth as vomit spilled through his fingers, the blood splattering his face.
Tears flowed at an unnatural pace, his chest heaving as he fell to the ground and his knees landed in the pool of blood.
"Ezra...?" Kaze's voice was more timid now. Ezra was scaring him. He couldn't help but vomit once more at the thought.
Ezra barley managed to lift himself up on his trembling knees, sobs still tearing from his mouth.
Ezra didn't notice that he'd practically slammed into his father as he frantically tried to leave the room, though the man didn't seem to notice either.
"Dad?"
Dajjal sighed, sparing only a quick glance over his shoulder at his eldest son.
He turned to the bloody masacaer, and sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if he was annoyed.
"Kaze, go to your room."
"B-but, is Elijah okay? What did Ezra d-"
"ENOUGH. Don't stutter, it makes you look weak. I said go to your room, this is Gods will."
Kaze shut his mouth quickly, and nodded before scampering off to his room.
Later that night, shrieks of pain, hatred, terror, and any other negative emotion possible rang throughout the house.
Along with it came the anguished scream only a mother could muster after she'd lost her child.
Kira leaned against the door frame to see the scenes that had taken place, observing. She went unnoticed.