When the training session was over, Surge Squadron hugged Sights tightly.
"You did wonderful today, brother. We are so proud of you." Subtle told him.
Adrenaline nodded, "You were so awesome! What made it all the better was that priceless look on Talon's face. I've never seen him that surprised!" He laughed.
Sights sighed happily at his brothers' comfort, "Thanks, I am having so much fun today! This is the best day of my life."
They all released with proud smiles.
"I'm glad." Circuit told him. "Let's get ready to head to lunch."
"I'm starving!" Flashback declared,
Patches nodded in agreement, "I could really use some 'dangerous toxins' right about now."
Vision ignored him.
Sights giggled, staying by Patches' side.
After getting them into formation, Circuit led his squadmates out of the simulator.
Patches looked at Sights, "So? Would you be willing to do this all day everyday until we are cleared to leave?"
"Definitely." Sights replied, focusing on timing his march, "This is so much more fun than laying in bed all day, folding clothes, and listening to 83 ramble about random things and how he wished he were never created because we are 'a menace to the complex.'"
Patches chuckled, "You're probably glad to finally get a break from him."
"I guess you could say that." Sights shrugged, "It's finally amazing to have a change in scenery- figuratively and literally."
Patches rubbed his shoulder, "Soon we'll be old news to you."
Sights laughed softly, "You guys are anything but that. You're so unpredictable and I love it! I've practically memorized AZ-83 though. Get up, complain about having to be a nurse droid, tidy up the room, complain more about how he was fired from Lafa's service, followed by more complaining and at least two moments of existential crisis, panic because you all returned, and finally quiet down when he goes to recharge- then the process repeats itself."
Patches smirked, "I feel bad for you. Sounds like it's pretty annoying."
Sights shrugged, "I'm used to it. I'm a good listener anyway... In a way, I guess he feels more understood when someone listens to him. I actually think he's a good and loyal droid despite how he complains all the time."
Patches ran a hand through his hair, "I never really thought about it that way... If I was going through something that bothered me, I would want to be heard out... I guess we do take that melancholy droid for granted sometimes."
Vis tapped Patches' shoulder and cleared his throat, implying that he should be heard out for his view on the cafeteria food.
Patches glanced at Vision, "Not a chance, brother." He chuckled.
"Ugh- talk about double-standard." Vis scoffed, crossing his arms.
"It's okay, Vision." Sights told him softly, "I'm sure you have valid concerns."
"Thank you, Nu- I mean, Sights." Vision corrected himself, "It's nice to hear that one of my brothers actually care."
Patches laughed.
Circuit sighed, "Patches? Vision? Do you two ever get exhausted with this bickering?"
Vision replied smartly, "Until Patches admits that my theory is not bogus or ridiculous, then I shall concede on what you claim is 'bickering.'"
"Looks like you will be waiting a long time, Vis." Patches replied.
"Just quit- please." Circuit begged, "Patches- quit instigating, would ya? And Vis- just ignore him. You two need to pick and choose your battles better, yeesh... I am not going to put up with this long-term."
"Circuit has a point. If we fight among ourselves now, we could harm our bonds." Sights said.
Sights' brothers looked at him with surprise and amusement.
"Why are you looking at me like that, brothers?" Sights asked.
"Well-" Patches began, "I'm surprised you said that... I guess small disagreements can turn into separation if continued for a long time."
Sights nodded, "We are not only brothers who are supposed to be there for one another, but also a team. A team works together... Fights hinder us from reaching our potential- which is what Talon wants, right?"
"Right." Vision replied.
Circuit was pleasantly surprised with Sights and his ability to calm down the disagreement. He continued leading to the mess hall.
"Now, we can tease one another now and again, but not to the point where it becomes serious..." Sights pointed out.
Patches sighed, "At first I was joking, but I guess I took it a bit too far- I'm sorry Vis- I only meant to joke, honest."
Vision hugged Patches from behind, "I forgive you. I guess I was a bit too pushy with my viewpoint as well."
Patches reached back and patted Vis' shoulder, "I forgive you too. I don't ever want to cause a rift between us just because of a joke. Tell me when I overstep, okay brother?"
"I will. Thank you for understanding, Patches." Vision replied, releasing.
Sights smiled, "Together, we can tackle anything when we stand as a team."
"Yeah!" Adrenaline shouted enthusiastically.
They reached the cafeteria. Many other squads and divisions were there already, eating together and discussing the morning's events. It was loud, per usual, with the echoing of voices, the clatter of food trays, the clinking of utensils, and the pattering of feet on the clean floors.
All the cadets went to get their lunches while Circuit secured a place to sit.
As Sights followed the others to get lunch, Circuit grabbed him by the arm gently. "Hey, Ad? Sub? Could you get our trays? I want to talk to Sights real quick."
The two nodded.
"What do you want to talk about, Circuit?" Sights asked, following his brother as he walked to an empty table.
"I want to thank you for ending that scuffle between Vision and Patches. I haven't seen them get along like that in a long time... You did us all a favor and I am extremely thankful. I could tell Vis was getting a bit bothered, but I didn't know how to address that situation exactly. You are a real peacemaker, Sights..." Circuit told him, hugging him. "I look forward to finally working together, with no one left out."
Sights beamed, leaning into the embrace, "I just wanted to help. I've heard lots of information from Vis on how we should act when I was still allowed to only be in the barracks, so from what I learned, I know that for a squad to be strong and effective, we must learn to accept and respect our differences and learn to work together." He paused, "I think we should be doing more group exercises, the more I think about it."
Circuit sat down, crossing his legs beneath the table, "What makes you say that?"
Sights sat beside him, placing his palms on the tabletop. "Well, for starters, when I trained with you all for the first time, I noticed that Talon and his squad were working together to tackle the targets while our squad separated and did their own things... Also, whenever you guys come back from the day's studies and training, by hearing all of you, it sounds like you all split and do your own things again... We never really work as a team- that's what I gathered at least."
Circuit blinked, then looked down, fiddling with his hands. "I always knew that we needed to improve our organization skills, but I never noticed that we needed to improve cohesion too. You're right, Sights. I should try to be more active in making sure we start acting more like a team."
Sights nodded, "You're welcome, brother. I'll be sure to help the best I can."
By now, everyone was coming to the table and taking their seats.
Subtle gently placed Sights' tray down with one hand, "There you go."
"Thanks, Subtle!" Sights replied.
Subtle nodded, finding a seat.
Adrenaline, who carried Circuit's tray more precariously with one hand than Subtle, rushed over to his brother and almost flipped the tray over if it weren't for Circuit catching one side of it.
"Ad! Be more careful, brother." Circuit scolded him softly.
"Sorry, brother!" Adrenaline quickly apologized, speeding over to his seat by Zs, who was half-asleep.
Circuit shook his head with a laugh, setting his tray down before eating.
Sights ate happily, enjoying more group time with his brothers. He leaned on Circuit, sighing with contentment.
Zs had fallen asleep, his face hovering over his tray of food.
Adrenaline smirked, putting his hands just over the back of Zs' head. He planned to playfully push his sleeping brother's face into his meal.
"Adrenaline, no!" Subtle pled.
"Adrenaline, yes!" Patches countered.
And with that, Ad quickly pushed Zs' face into his food.
Zs startled awake at this, looking confused as the food slowly slid down his face. He looked at his brothers, "Did I accidentally put my face in my food?" He asked, taking a napkin and wiping his face.
"Something like that..." Vision chuckled.
Sights found this extremely funny. He leaned on Circuit for support as he fell into rounds of helpless giggles.
Zs shrugged it off and laid his head on Adrenaline's shoulder, completely oblivious that he was responsible for the incident.
Patches and Vis chuckled with one another, "You know how I am with cafeteria food, but for this one instance, I am quite fond of it." Vis declared.
Just then, Subtle sniffed the air, "Brothers? Do you smell that?"
The other boys sniffed.
"Smells like... Smoke." Vis gulped.
Surge Squadron knew what was up when Ember smiled sheepishly and said, "Whoops-"
All the boys fled the table, and naturally, this caused enough of a scene to catch the attention of the other cadets. Where Ember sat, the underside of the table was slowly spreading flames.
"Someone do something!" Circuit told his squad in a panic.
Vision ran to the table, grabbed his water glass, and splashed the water at the area, which diffused the flames, causing a plume of smoke to rise. "There. Disaster averted."
The boys all shared a sigh of relief.
Patches looked at poor Zs, "I thought you were supposed to watch him at the table today."
"Sorry-" Zs yawned, "Ember lit before I could say anything."
"That would have been nice to know though... Man- we're going to get in so much trouble with Lafa..." Patches sighed.
Ember was already in trouble with Vision, however.
"Brother- how many times do I have to tell you that-?!"
"Fire is bad..." Ember mumbled, completing Vision's statement, "I know- I couldn't help it, Vis."
Vision began to pace, "Well, you're going to have to learn how to help it. This is getting ridiculous!"
Ember nodded, looking down, "Sorry."
"You should be!" Came the cold response from Talon, who had now joined the group, "You all are disgraces- this kind of behavior is why your division will never make the cuts when they come. You are dangerous, disorganized, disobedient, and feared by many of the cadets here." He shook his head in disapproval, "Holding you back from ever seeing the battlefield will be the wisest choice the Kaminoans will ever make with you."
Patches was about to speak, but Sights stepped between him and Talon. He looked his angered brother in the eyes and laid his hand on his chest, "Let me handle this. You know you say hurtful things when you get angry, so step back."
Patches released a deep breath, stepping away from Talon but still eyeing him angrily.
Talon looked at Sights, "Why you ever want to be with these mistakes is beyond me."
Sights looked at him and smiled with compassion, "Because, Talon. I have unconditional love for my brothers. Sure, they mess up and do things wrong sometimes, but we all have our moments, and I forgive them. We all can improve, and we will work on that as a team. We will get better at controlling our words, actions, and execution as a team too. Soon, we will come as close to the standard as we can. Give us a chance, and maybe we can be friends?" He offered his hand to Talon.
Talon's eyes were wide. He looked at Sight's hand briefly before wrinkling his nose and stumbling backward, "N-no! Never! I wouldn't dream of it!" He retreated to his table, shaken and shocked by Sights' words.
Sights turned to his brothers, "I think we can make it together, don't you?" He asked them.
The boys looked at each other before nodding with smiles.
Circuit stepped forward, "Well, looks like we are done here, brothers. Time to move out."
Surge Squadron got into formation before Circuit led the way out.