Akio swore the room dropped by at least fifty degrees as an odd numbness spread to encase her body. "What?"

Maybe she had heard wrong, that didn't make any sense. It couldn't be. "What!"

Opening his mouth to speak, Hawke immediately closed it and stood up, proceeding to pace back and forth. "Why in the stars did I say that aloud? Why did I tell you that?" He proceeded to rub his temples. "I don't know why I told you." Turning to face Akio, confusion was written all over his face. "Why did I tell you?"

"I have no Lizzassed clue. That's a pretty dark secret to blurt to a stranger," Akio stated, gesturing to herself. "But, how? Why?" Grabbing her head, Akio blinked a few times. "Just. . . What?"

"I was hoping that you could confirm whether or not he knows I exist. My mother was um, how do I put this? A companion that didn't take her birth control." Hawke laughed awkwardly, a slight red tinge extending from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. "So, after a night with the Commander, she became pregnant and decided to keep me. I've just been wanting to know if I'm safe. I thought maybe a weapon like yourself would know if the Commander knows of my existence or not."

Akio cringed. "Yeah, no. The Commander doesn't share his private affairs with others, especially not weapons. We're basically the monkek among the commanders and only get knowledge on a need to know basis."

Hawke rocked back and forth on his heels. "Well, this is awkward." He coughed. "Sorry about the random drop of information."

"Honestly, I'm still reeling from it. But I suppose it makes more sense for him to knock up your mom than actually loving someone," Akio stated. "No offense meant."

With a light laugh Hawke returned to his chair in the corner. "None taken.  She certainly got around."

A gentle rapping on the door instantly gained both of their attention. "Dinner is ready, will you two be joining us?" Indra's voice wafted through the wooden door.

Hawke got up and opened it. "Will we? Who in their right mind ever skips a meal?"

Shaking her head, Indra turned her attention to Akio. "Feeling any better?"

Akio stood up, walking across the small room. "Yes, much better, thank you. I would like to join everyone as well, if I'm allowed. Apparently new members are supposed to be watched? I wasn't sure if there was a different policy on eating or not."

Indra raised an invisible white brow. "No, there is not a different policy for eating." She poked Hawke lightly in the side with her cane. "What sort of new policies have been created about watching people? Are you being a creep?"

Hawke threw his arms up and profusely shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm not being a creep. Haim told me to keep an eye on the weapon, I swear." His entire face flushed scarlet. "I was just doing what he ordered me to."

Considering him a moment, Indra jabbed him in the side one more time. "Uh huh." She turned her attention back to Akio. "If he ever bothers you, you have my permission to hit him with any item in your room. Be sure to let me know." Indra hit her walking stick on the ground for emphasis. "I'll knock some sense into him."

"Stars, Indra. Just talk to Haim, he'll clear it up," Hawke murmured proceeding to disappear down the gold carpeted hall.

Indra chuckled. "I know he wasn't creeping, by the way. Just like to tease him."

Akio snorted, shaking her head. Their antics reminded her or Corwin and Arden. Those two were always messing with each other.

Akio missed them, along with the rest of her troop. Maybe someday, or in another life, she'd get to see them again.

Hawke came back, still flushed with embarrassment. "I forgot that Indra doesn't know this mansion that well. My apologies."

He extended an arm that Indra gratefully took and guided both her and Akio down a series of pathways that all looked the same.

Rock walls with statues, occasional tall windows, and endless doors seemed to make up each hall. The only slight difference that Akio noticed was some had less windows. It would be far too easy to get lost in here.

They came to the end of a hall, stopping in front of a large white door with "Mess hall" in big golden letters above it.

Akio could hear the loud chatter coming from inside. The dissonance of the several voices and different languages was overwhelming, she already missed her quiet room.

Akio wasn't looking forward to being surrounded by potential threats.

As Hawke opened the doors inward, all sound stopped. Every eye in the room turned to look at them. It was like death itself had fallen on the room and all who looked upon it were in different stages of grief.

Those at the table closest to the door grabbed their plates and scrambled to sit across the room.

Akio grimaced, but chose not to acknowledge it as her, Hawke and Indra moved toward the main table, where varieties of food had been laid out.

Hawke balanced three plates on his arm with skilled precision, filling two of them up entirely, and waited till he reached the end of the table to put a variety of vegetables on the third. He handed the plate to Indra, grabbing two sets of eating utensils.

They were cute together. Akio wondered if they were a couple, considering how much time they spent together. Maybe that was why Indra was one of the first to know about Hawke's secret.

Akio went to move forward. Another vigilante moved past her, shoving her to the side and knocking her over. "You shouldn't be here, weapon." Their eight eyes narrowed on their insect-like face.

Before Akio could get up another kicked her in the side, then spit on her face. "Evil bitch. There's no redemption for you."

Gripping her stomach, Akio coughed from the impact. Was every day going to be this hard? How long would it take her to come out of the darkness in their eyes?

"You should have turned yourself in, Six. No one wants you here," a small voice hissed, their red fur bristling as they cut past her in line.

When Akio looked up, more than ten of the vigilantes had made a semi circle around her. Gebuls, Lizz's, and several varieties that were similar to the eight eyed fellow.

If Akio fought back, it would only prove them right, but if she didn't, then she'd become their personal punching bag. "I deserve a chance. If you'll give me one, I will prove my worth."

A small Lizz that Akio recognized as Chester stepped forward, his red eyes full of fury. "Lies! I don't trust a single word out of your mouth. Did you come here pretending to be weak to finish the job? To kill me like you killed my parents?"

Oh. That was why Chester hated her.

The body count was so high Akio couldn't have singled out any particular victims even if she wanted to. Only the most recent held names. The rest were a blur of blood and screams, all forming one chaotic monster of faces. Watching the light fade from someone's eyes was not easily forgotten.

Using the table to help herself stand, Akio shook her head. "No. I didn't."

Chester scratched the scales of his neck repeatedly with his claws. "Do you even remember their names? Or what they were killed for?"

Surrounding Lizz's and Draken's looked upon Chester with sympathy.

Akio could feel the devastation circling in his eyes, the desperation that the weapon who murdered his family had the capability of at least remembering them. "No. I don't. I'm sorry." Her oi'ek pulsed a deep purple falling limp at her shoulders. "I know nothing can make up for what I've done, but I want to at least try to fight against the evil I once stood for."

Pure hatred filled Chester's gaze. "The only atonement is your death. A life for a life."

Indra stepped between Chester and Akio, placing her cane at his chest. "We don't threaten other members, or have you forgotten that Akio is one of our own now?"

The rest of the group scattered, quickly scurrying back to their tables.

Chester growled, pointing a claw at Akio. "She will never be one of our own. That weapon ruined my life and murdered my family. I will never forgive her for that."

"Akio didn't have a choice, just like my sister didn't have a choice," Indra snarled. "There's more to weapons than pulling a trigger, they're slaves to the government under the threat of death."

Indra had a sister who was a weapon? There had been another Se'li in the first batch. She didn't survive more than a turn before falling mad from the extreme surgeries and training. The experience had been too much for three of them. Only Two, Six and Three had survived. But Three disappeared a long time ago.

"If Six had made the right choice, she would've died like your sister," Chester spat, vile dripping with every word. "How can you defend a murderer?"

Indra clenched her black gloved hands into fists. "How can you condone one? Your hands aren't without stains. Neither are mine."

Stepping closer to Indra Chester shoved her backwards aggressively. "I didn't murder innocents. Like you." He glared at Akio. "Like her."

Akio reached out to keep Indra from falling into the table.

Nodding her thanks, Indra found her balance again, gripping the cane tightly in her hands.

"Chester, back off. Attacking other members is against the rules," Hawke stated, grabbing Chester by the back of his grey robe and pulling him away. "Take a walk and cool off."

Wiggling out of Hawkes grasp, Chester brushed himself off, straightening his robes. "As if Indra didn't attack me in the tunnels. You're always taking her side." Throwing up his arms, Chester turned away. "Fine, I'll take a walk."

The instant they started to move again a hit came out of nowhere, impacting Indra's arm with a sickening crack and sending her flying across the room.

That little bastard was using camouflage! Akio used the general area to estimate where Chester was and threw a series of punches, making him unable to keep the camouflage up. Her hits connected with his stomach, his jaw, and his side before she grabbed him by the arm and threw him to the floor. "Indra did nothing to you! You entitled starshit. If you have a problem take it up with me."

Done with all the treatment of the day, Akio turned to the rest of the onlookers. "If all of you hate me so much, come at me. I don't care. Let's get this over with. Because I'd rather be hit in the face than be stabbed in the back."

"Akio. . ." Hawke started, his eyes flicking to the door.

Akio held up a pale blue hand. "No. Hawke. Let them attack me. Maybe it will get the rage out of their system so they stop taking it out on other members."

Pulling herself up onto a table top Akio threw her arms out. "Come at me!"

Someone cleared their throat loudly and everyone that had stood up to engage sat down, staring at their food.

"Are you trying to start a fighting ring in my mess hall, Akio?" the deep voice of the suited Gebul asked.

Swallowing, Akio turned around and lowered herself from the table. "If it alleviates the tension in the air, yes."

Indra held her arm as Hawke helped her to her feet. The dark bruising on her skin implied more than external damage to it.

Rolling to his knees, Chester stood up, holding his jaw where bruises were forming. "Haim, it's the weapons fault, she started it."

Of course the Lizz would seek to put the blame on her. If not for his actions against Indra, Akio might've felt the slightest bit of pity. But attacking someone unprovoked was wrong. If anything, he should have hit Akio, at least then there would've been a good reason. "He's lying."

Haim sighed, turning his attention to the others in the room. "Who threw the first punch?"

"The weapon."

"Definitely Six."

Other similar replies came from the vigilantes at the table.

Lovely. They were all liars.

Raising a large black brow, Haim stared at Chester for a few moments. Likely scolding him in his head.

Chester threw his hands up. "Okay, okay. I did it. I threw the first hit, so what? Indra brought the weapon here and endangered us all. She should be punished."

Haim's whiskers twitched in annoyance."Until you can sort yourself out and not be a risk to the lives of my other members, you are confined to your room, Chester. When you come to reconsider your actions, you're on bathroom duty for the rest of the week."

Groaning loudly, Chester started toward the mess hall door, stopping for a short moment beside Akio and dropping his voice low. "You better sleep with your eyes open, Six."

"Let's get Indra to the infirmary. Akio, Hawke, come with me, please," Haim commanded, leading the way at a brisk pace.

They proceeded down another series of identical hallways. The brisk pace was difficult for Akio to keep up with as she walked with an awkward limp and drag of her deadweight leg.

Indra gritted her teeth as Hawke gently picked her up and proceeded down a steep stairway. "It's not that bad. I should be fine."

Shaking his head, Hawke continued down the stairs, getting much farther ahead of Akio. "It's broken and you know it. Stop trying to act tough."

Akio's descendant was significantly slower than the others. Her metal leg made a loud thud on the carpeted stairs for each one she stepped down from. Stopping halfway, she leaned against the railing to catch her breath. The exertion of dragging metal limbs made her body tremble, sweat dripping down her neck and soaking through her grey long sleeve pajama shirt. Heavy was an underestimate of how much her arm and leg weighed.

After a few more deep breaths, Akio took the rest of the stairs. She wasn't looking forward to the journey back up.

A door was left open to her right, full of the same pale green light as the infirmary at the other mansion. Akio stepped inside, watching as Haim ran about retrieving multiple beakers and mixing them with precision.

Following the skillful combination of five or six different ones, he handed it to Indra who quickly downed it. The bruising in her arm slowly faded.

"I'm still going to wrap it, to make sure the medicine has the adequate time to mend everything," Haim declared, gesturing toward the cabinet.

Hawke immediately walked over to it and retrieved cloth bandages for him.

Stepping into the room, Akio collapsed into the closest chair by the door, completely exhausted.

The presence from the tunnels entered Akio's mind.

Haim. Is Indra going to be okay?

The Gebul continued working, not even directing a gaze to Akio. "Yes. She has osteogenesis imperfecta. Which means her bones break very easily. I don't normally allow fighting in the group, but, thank you, for protecting Indra. Ordinarily she wouldn't let anyone get that close, I've trained her not to. Let me know if Chester gives either of you more trouble. We'll have a talk."

No wonder Indra never attacked with her hand. Akio had assumed that Indra simply preferred the cane and hidden sword, but this was why. If Indra threw a punch, would her hand shatter? Akio shuddered at the thought.

Don't worry, I'll let you know. Thanks, Haim.

Returning to the counter full of beakers, Haim began making a different concoction. "Hawke, please escort Indra to her room so she can rest. The medicine works best combined with sleep. Akio, stay here."

Akio let out a breath. Anything to avoid taking those stairs for another few moments was welcomed.

Without bidding goodbye, Hawke carried Indra out of the room and disappeared up the stairs.

I wonder what sort of special bond they have. Hawke seems to almost always be around her.

"You're thinking too loud, I can hear you," Haim grumbled, swishing red and green liquids around to combine them. "There's a way to think that keeps Gebul's like me from the noises in your head."

Raising a brow, Akio straightened herself in the chair. "What do you mean, Gebul's like you? I noticed your coloring is different but I doubt that's what you're referencing."

Setting down the beaker, Haim trotted back to the cabinet, pressing a black paw against it as a fit of coughs shook his frame. It sounded worse than the last. Bits of blood dripped from the handkerchief pressed to his mouth, splatting on the floor.

Akio stood up and limped over to him. "Are you okay?"

When the fit was over, Haim inhaled a deep breath and laughed wryly. "Could be better. Dying doesn't suit me."

"You're dying?" Akio blinked a few times. Why would someone on their deathbed start a rebellion and vigilante group?

"To make the world a better place in my absence. . . You're thinking too loud again. Stars, it's like your shouting." Haim grabbed cleaning supplies from the cabinet and proceeded to wipe the blood splatters off the floor. "And to answer your question, I'm a rare breed. If I wanted, I could practice mind control and manipulate everyone around me to do my bidding."

When Akio's eye widened, Haim snorted. "Don't worry, I'd never do that. But I could. And that's why I'm the last of my kind. The royals feared being overthrown and killed all the others."

"That spurred the last rebellion, didn't it?" Akio asked, recalling that the tensions between species were still high because of it.

Throwing the blood stained cloth into a small rectangular incinerator, Haim walked over to a sink on the far wall and washed his hands. "Yes. My species doesn't take kindly to a fear-induced genocide. Things would've been better if we won."

Haim retrieved the beaker from earlier which had changed to a bright orange, and poured a small amount into what resembled a shot glass. "Take this, it will speed up the healing in your body. Everyone's personal chemistry is different. I took a sample of your blood when Indra first brought you in to figure out what components needed to go into this."

Akio took the glass and downed it, gagging when the flavor hit her tongue.

Huffing, Haim proceeded to close everything and place it back into a temperature regulating cabinet. "Don't complain about the taste, it's efficiency that matters."

Just as he said it, Akio could physically feel the medicine working. Warm, tingling sensations spread over her wounds, sealing the skin together. "Holy starshit, that's amazing!"

The smallest upturn of the edges of Haim's snout was the closest thing offered to a smile. "I know. My mother taught me a lot about the traditional Gebul medicines, and with a lot of personal study and internships, I combined it with modern technology to create my own variations."

He paused, swiping her paw over the cabinet to lock it. "Indra, Eris, and Bolivar are my apprentices. They'll be able to pass the knowledge on after I'm gone."

Akio swallowed, setting the small glass on the counter. If Haim died, it was likely his whole organization would fall apart. They hadn't shown any respect toward her or the others in the mess hall. If not for Haim stepping in, things would've fallen to ruin.

"Just in the short time of your stay, I can already tell that you have a good heart. Despite all the acts you've committed, there's regret, hesitance. You were never made to be a killer, Akio," Haim said, still facing his back to her. "I need you to promise me something."

Coming up beside him, Akio looked up. "What is it?"

Haim turned to face her, his face grave. "Promise me you'll extend this group the same understanding and love that you gave your troop. They're all hurting, lost, and struggling to find the light in the darkness. They need someone who is going to be there, no matter what."

Akio looked into his brown eyes, but they were unreadable. "Why are you asking this of me?"

A small shimmer of desperation broke through the surface before he looked away. "Promise me, Akio."

Swallowing, Akio stood silently for a moment. Part of her suspected the reason was something far beyond her capabilities, but after all the vigilantes had done for her, no matter the cost, she owed them her life. "I promise."

Chapter wordcount: 3450

Total wordcount: 28419