Kyllian leaned over the bridge railing to watch as a barge passed underneath him. There was something to be said about taking a day trip to the bigger part of the city. Kole was nowhere to be found, so it could only be assumed he was off in the woods or with Edith. He drooped one arm down as if to touch the water as a strong breeze twirled his cape around his legs. The winds were getting colder, reminding him of the season that brought all three of his friends together.
And what drove them all apart.
Vehicles rushed behind him on the driving strip to their busy lives as the lone Poke’child envisioned a brighter world. One where there would be no need for friends to go their own ways, and for him to be as strong as he needed to be. If he couldn’t even protect himself, though…what was the point in trying to protect them?
“Kyllian.”
He didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. That voice brought a shiver down his spine. Gripping the metal railing, he turned to see Dr. Hewitt standing a full three feet away from him, hands in the pockets of his khaki slacks and a disapproving frown on his face. And maybe fear? Definitely anger.
“You’ve been a naughty boy.”
“I didn’t start it! That man broke into my house and I dealt with it! I know human laws, they said I could-”
“No one said you could put a boy in a coma!” Hewitt shouted. Even over the noise created by the engines around them Kyllian still felt six inches small.
The boy looked down at the blood on his hands, blood he had wiped around from his mouth. The front of his Roman attire was drenched in it. It had all happened earlier that day. Kole had been gone, and it was so early, so early! Kyllian was in the garage when he heard banging in the living room and found a man no older than seventeen trying to take away his things. Their things!
He had threatened him with a metal pipe, something called a gun. Then he took a shot and broke the vase near where Kyllian stood. It had been a pretty thing, something green and ivyed, that he found in the landfill. A vase that held flowers so pretty that Chloe would have had no choice, but to stay. But I wasn’t scared…
It was true. Kyllian was too shocked to be scared. The time it took for him to react was just enough for the burglar to fire off another round and move closer, this time screaming at him to get down, put this tape on his mouth. At that moment Kyllian did what he had to; he fought back.
He had never known there was a difference in strength between himself and others. When he headbutted the boy to the ground there hadn’t been any concern about his broken ribs or the gunshot that tore through Kyllian’s arm. He reached down to bite into his arm, unaware of just how strong a Tyrunt’s bite could be. It broke through bone instantly. The screaming...he remembered that. It was what had started the fear in him.
He let go as soon as his mouth filled with blood. The coppery taste made him gag, but no matter how much came up he couldn’t get rid of the taste. Screaming, there was so much of it, so much that his ears rang until he realized it was sirens outside and the cops were busting in. There was a teenager on the floor, they were saying, bleeding out...unconscious...arm bitten in half…
They tried to catch him, but he ran. In the confusion he had run as hard as his legs could take him, and hopped on the back of a delivery truck that took him further into the city. That ride hadn’t been able to clear his head. He was so lost, and wished it was all over. Kyllian couldn’t ditch the smell of blood anymore than he could take the feel of flesh out of his mind. The bridge had looked inviting and calming, which had worked, until now.
He didn’t even realizing he was crying hard until Hewitt pulled him towards him. Kyllian wailed, wrapped his arms around the man he hated for a shred of comfort. This was something he could never tell his friends about. Kole...if Kole came home to that...He prayed, oh how he prayed, that his friend was going to be gone for a long, long trip.
“I can only take care of so many mistakes, Kyllian.” Hewitt said blandly. He kept one hand on the boys back, but made no more moves to comfort him. “If you wish to stay on your own you will have to learn to suppress this side of yourself. But….” Squatting down to look at the boy, Hewitt put his hand under his chin. “We both know the truth. You are a danger to humanity as you are. An unnatural abomination that I set free. I’ve done you as much injustice by giving you a false life than I did to everyone else by exposing them to a monster.”
Monster? Was that what he was…?
“If you wish to continue to play house with your friends you will come to the lab for weekly inspections. You cannot avoid it anymore, Kyllian.” Stepping away from the boy, Hewitt left him alone on the bridge, his cheeks burning from the ache of chilling tears.
Kyllian balled his hands into fists and stifled his tears, trying to block off his moment of weakness.
Monsters couldn’t cry.
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:47 pm
Child - Kyllian learns Charm!
“No, it’s mine! You can’t have it, I already called dibs, so go away!”
What…?
Kyllian stood with his head cocked to the side. Some girl he had never met was holding his drill and claiming it to be hers. Since when did girls even like stuff like that anyway?! “No, it’s not. I found that and fixed it, so give it back.”
His neighbors had been doing a lot more outside lately since the weather was nice and as Kyllian soon found out, while the father was a nice guy who taught the young Tyrunt lots about metal working, the daughter was a complete brat. Her mother swore it was because she was an only child. Kyllian thought it was because she’d been dropped as an egg.
He walked across the yard and stood next to the row of little hedges that separated the two properties. Holding out his hand, he gave her a look that was part exasperation, and another sheer dumb confusion. Why did girls have to be so complicated? “What are you going to do with it, anyway? You told your dad that you didn’t even like tools.”
“That was before I saw this one. It’s pink, so it has to be for a girl!” She held up the pink drill as if the color alone should be evidence.
Kyllian flushed and stepped forward with an accusatory finger pointed at her. “H-hey! That’s the only color I had for metal paint, okay? I-It’s not even pink, it’s violet!” He frowned and put a hand on his hip. She didn’t seem like she was going to give it up any time soon. If anything she looked like she was about to bolt, the way she kept clutching it to her chest. She probably had a hoard of stuff she didn’t need in that junk heap of a room. How do I…? Edith got Kole to do all kinds of stuff he didn’t want to do, so wouldn’t that work?
Ah-ha! All he had to do was sweet talk the girl and she would give it up.
Kyllian coughed into his hand, and looked at her. The air itself seemed to shift as he quite unknowingly began to Charm the poor lass. “Tiffany…” He smiled. “Can I call you Tiff? You look so pretty today. That shade of yellow on your dress really brings out the green of yours eyes.” That kind of talk absolutely nauseated him. It was so-so- so girly and fake! But it was working. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. “Can I have my drill back? If you give it back to me I promise I’ll make you a beautiful flower that will never wilt.”
“You promise?” She said in a wistful voice. Tiffany crossed the space between them and held the drill out. When he took it from her, the girls cheeks were flushed.
“I promise.”
He strutted back to his garage with a big grin on his face, and when he looked back over his shoulder Tiffany was still staring dreamily after him. Kyllian pumped his fist. “Edith ain’t got nothin’ on this.”
Unknown to him was the aggravated scream Tiffany let out once she woke from her daze, only to find Kyllian and her new toy far from sight.
Painted Moose
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Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:14 pm
Child - Kyllian has a falling out with Kole!
Kole was shut up in his bedroom. Blinds drawn, he sat on his bed in the dark, tossing his stuffed pumpkin in one hand, watching it rise and fall. Everything had changed for him. His appearance, his thoughts... Everything. He still was Kole, but.... something more now. Closing his eyes, he hung his head, trying to clear it. He was going to hurt someone... He didn’t want to. He really didn’t want to. But, he had a different problem. He hadn’t seen anyone since he’d changed, except for Edith. And, after that incident... How could he see anybody now?
Kyllian wasn’t sure why his friend was avoiding him, but it seemed like every time he had attempted to talk to Kole the other would be out or shut in his room. The first day he had given him some space, and the second, but after a while Kyllian was too worried to care about privacy.
The child stood outside of Kole’s bedroom, clad in nothing, but a pair of drawstring pajama pants that had holes in the knees. They were as close to work clothes as he could get, since all the good ones were too far out of his price range. He had smears of grease across his cheeks, and bandages on his arms, but those weren’t shop related…
Gathering his nerve, Kyllian knocked on the door. “Hey Kole, open up.” His body froze at the knock, the pumpkin sitting in his hand. Kyllian... He raised his head to look over at the door. He couldn’t open up... “You don’t want me to do that,” he murmured, eyes shifting back to the toy in his hand. Gods, he was stupid. He should have just stayed out in the woods. Damn, he’d wanted the comfort of his room though. He’d been so happy here... It was his sanctuary, but it wasn’t good for him to stay anymore, surely...
Kyllian pulled back with a frown and crossed his arms over his chest. “Hey, man, if you’ve got a cold we need to get that checked out.” What other reason could Kole have for being so shut in and have such a deep voice? Knocking again, Kyllian called out, “If you don’t open the door I’m going to do it for you. Locked or not.” He’d punched a hole in a door before and he could do it again, but he was already banged up enough as it was.
A sharp snort of a laugh emitted from the room. A cold... If only it were something so easy, so simple... His head rose a little more as Kyllian began sounding more serious. Right... Of course Kyllian would be worried. They were best friends. Would they still be after this? “A doctor won’t be helpful here, mate...” Still, he stood and walked slowly over to the door. “I swear, you’re better off out there. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His heart pounded as he unlocked the door and stepped back, tossing the pumpkin back to the bed. “It’s unlocked,” he said softly, trying to keep his mind as his own.
Chipper orange eyes rolled as Kyllian reached for the door knob to give it a turn. “Unless you’re dead and dying I’m sure we can fix whatever-“ He visibly stilled, eyes widening with barely one foot in the room. “You uh…wow.” Kyllian whistled as he looked up from where his eyes thought Kole’s eyes would have been to where they actually were. Blinking a few times he stepped back and gave his friend a good, long once over. “Is this why you didn’t want to open the door? Because you grew up?” He grinned. “You should be celebrating, not hiding.”
Kole couldn’t help the tiniest smile from his friend’s reaction. Yet, he turned away and walked over to the window. “It’s not so simple, Kyllian. ...This isn’t something to celebrate.” He could feel his frustration with the situation bubbling up. “I’ve evolved into... something not good. And... something bad.. was put into me.” He lifted a hand to chew on a long nail. How could he explain this? “I.. don’t get it all yet. ...I can’t control it all yet.” His eyes watered slightly as he thought back to the various incidents as of late. He was hardly in control. “Okay, you’ve seen me. You should leave now.”
His eyes watched Kole’s new tail with something akin to suspicion. Kyllian had seen enough picture books to understand that a spaded tail was a bad omen, but was it something he had evolved into…? “It’s only complicated because you make it that way.” He walked into the room, and put a hand on his hip. “You couldn’t control it when you were a kid either, but you adjusted.” Kyllian reached out a hand for Kole, and stilled before touching him. “Kole…Hey, we’re friends. You’re not alone in this.”
Kole’s body went still again. He was the one making it complicated? ..Was this his fault? But, he was trying so hard to keep that other part down! Why was it his fault that he’d become this- this monster?! “It’s not the same, Kyllian,” he murmured before he felt that touch. “I have to be alone!” he shouted, spinning to swat Kyllian’s hand away, though one of his arms of hair was already wrapping around the thick wrist to yank it away. “Edith tried to help me, too, and I hurt her. I scared her. I nearly-!” He stepped back from Kyllian and shook his head to get his hair to release the tyrunt’s wrist. It flicked back to act as a supporting hand over his shoulder instead. “The.. other part of me now doesn’t care about friends. I don’t want it to hurt you. ...I don’t want you to see it.”
Ever on the defense, Kyllian’s first reaction was to move away from Kole, but when he felt the hair on his wrist he pulled his lips back in a snarl. He tugged, trying to pull back as hard as he could. However, no matter how strong of a child he was, he was still that, a child, and injured on top of it all. “What’s going on with you, Kole? What did you do to Edith?!” He hadn’t seen the girl in so long…Kyllian’s heart was racing, and his tail swung fast behind him. Was she alright? When he was freed he rubbed his wrist, looking hesitantly to the teen. “There isn’t another you, Kole, that’s just you. Just tell me what you did to Edith and we can fix things.” Kyllian was hesitant. They could fix them, right…?
Kole kept his eyes away, biting his lip. What had he done to Edith? He’d scared the daylight out of her so that she’d never want to see him again. “I almost attacked her... She’ll never come near me again...” Looking over to Kyllian, his face twisted into a pained expression. “Don’t say that, Kyllian,” he begged, shaking his head as the tears finally overflowed. “Please. Don’t say that.” It wasn’t him! That part... it wasn’t him! “It can’t be me.. I don’t like it.. I don’t want it! I don’t!” His heart pounded as he backed away until he bumped into the wall. Why had he come back?! He wasn’t safe here!
“Is that really what you think of me?” Eyes lifting again, there was no more fear. They met Kyllian’s boldly, challenging the tyrunt’s words. “Do you really think I would just go around hurting my friends willy-nilly?” He snorted and straightened up, lazily brushing the tears from his cheeks and giving his damp fingers an amused look. “Friends who look at me like they don’t want to be near me anymore... Yeah. Some great friends I have~”
“You almost attacked her?” Kyllian edged. His voice was high and incredulous. Kole didn’t attack anyone! He hadn’t even raised a hand to Franklin when he tried to steal the Pumpkaboo’s girl. And that’s what she was, wasn’t she? He bit his lower lip on a loud exhaled sigh. “What do you want me to say, Kole? All I see is you; there isn’t anyone else here, but you.” Kyllian stepped closer, craning his head so that he could try to look at Kole’s eyes through all of that hair. “Stress makes people do weird things, and ya got pretty stressed, right? I’m sure ya didn’t mean ta go after ‘er, right?”
Standing toe to toe with Kole at this point the tyrunt was given no choice, but to frown. “That isn’t fair, Kole. I don’t think you would do that, but you just told me you did. What am I supposed to believe?” Kyllian was desperate to stop the tears, and almost as desperate for an understanding. Anything would be better than seeing the torment in his friends eyes. It unnerved him to have the normally meek boy standing up to him like this. “Your friends want to help you. I want to help you.” He reached out to grab his hand.
Brow rising, Kole rolled his eyes. “You gotta look beyond the surface, Kyllian. The things that go through another person’s head are not always visible, you know.” He threw his head back to laugh while squatting slightly to be more level with Kyllian. “Oh, but I did mean to. You find out things when people are afraid. About them. About yourself.” His lips curled into a grin. “Do you know what Leech Seed is? I learned that with Edith. She wouldn’t let me practice on her, unfortunately, but she helped me bring it out, being the good friend she is.” When his hand was grabbed, his hand returned the grip, growing tighter and tighter as his nails began to dig into the thick skin of Kyllian’s wrist. “You’ll be a good friend, right? Won’t you let me practice? You can help by letting me see how strong I can be. Tell that weak part to shut up and figure out that this is who he is.” His hair snapped out, one grabbing for one of Kyllian’s horns while the other reached for Kyllian’s other arm to keep the child still. His free hand held up a Leech Seed. “See. It’s not so scary a thing. Just a little seed~”
Kyllian raised his hand while shaking his head. “Yeah, see, I’m not like you Kole. I don’t get things like that, so why don’t ya help me out?” It was a sad attempt to get his friend to open up, but damn it, that laugh chilled him. Kyllian held his ground even if he did want to move away. “…Was Edith afraid? Are you upset that she ran away from you when you started being a vague jerk like you’re being right now?” He couldn’t say that he knew what Leech Seed was, but knowing he had tried to use it on Edith…Kyllian cried out, and tried to wrench his hand away from the pressure, but found he couldn’t. It was his bandaged arm, the weaker of the two, and wouldn’t cooperate with him. His lips curled, and his eyes bore into Kole’s even if his head was being whipped around like a doll. Only one other man had tried to hold him by the horns, and it infuriated Kyllian to no end. “If I thought it would help you, I’d let ya do it, Kole. But see, the thing is, ye’r not right, and that thing….it ain’t touchin’ me.” It wasn’t a threat; it was a promise. “Let me go now.”
Kole sighed softly. “Well, now, if you must know, I was the one who ran away. Weak me took over.” His gaze flicked down to the seed in his hand. “One day, I’ll be able to stop that from happening again.” He looked back at Kyllian’s determined face, grin rising again. “Well, this is interesting. The things we learn when fear takes hold...” The things that must be going through this tyrunt’s head... Wonderful. “Aw. You might think it won’t help, but I bet it will.” He chuckled and shook his head. “If I let you go, you’ll just run away. Running away isn’t going to help me. It won’t take long.” He shoved his hand forward, aiming the seed at Kyllian’s neck. “At least, I don’t think it’ll take long~” Weak me? Kole really was split into two. Kyllian didn’t believe it at first, but the evidence was starting to pile too high for him to ignore anymore. “If ya really are two…” He tensed, and puffed up. “Then the other Kole’s gonna kick yer a**!” His friend was a lot stronger than this loser, anyway! At least that’s what Kyllian was telling himself, but his bravado was falling. There was only so much a child could take before fear started to settle in. “I’m not goin’ ta run away, but I’m not gonna let ya poke me either.” It was instinct that took over for him then. The closer Kole came to sticking the Leech Seed into his neck the more his body tensed, and when his friend was close enough…Kyllian lashed out at an angle and bit his hand. Hard. Knowing full well just how massively strong a tyrunt’s bite was, he tried to hold back, but it was hard. Kole had to laugh again. “Him? Win over me? I think not.” As his hand stretched out, his eyes widened at Kyllian retaliated. He cried out as those sharp teeth sank into his hand, the seed dropping to the floor. He knew better than to yank on his arm, knowing those teeth would only tear even further. “You little piece of-” Still keeping the grip on Kyllian’s wrist with his other hand, his arms of hair went into action. One slid down from the horn to wrap around Kyllian’s face, while the other snapped to wrap around Kyllian’s neck. His tail lashed behind him, grinding his teeth to keep from screaming further. One long leg swung around to kick against the side of Kyllian’s.
He held on as tight as he dared and shook his head in response to being grabbed. Kyllian’s mouth filled with the bitter taste of blood. Reaching up with his only free hand he tried to sever the connection the hair had on his throat, but it was a failing battle. It was only when he felt the kick connect with his ribs that he was forced to let go. The air went out of him as Kyllian hit the ground, hard, and coughed in a vain attempt to get his oxygen back. Jaw hurting from clenching it so hard, Kole could barely keep from howling out as the skin of his hand and wrist was torn to shreds. He did let out a growl that was a mix of pain and success as Kyllian dropped to the floor. Those sounds of the boy straining for air that he couldn’t get were positively musical. Kole went to his knees, looming over Kyllian. “You like the taste of my blood, Kyllian?” he asked, lifting his shredded arm. “Fine. Have some more, little monster.” His raised his arm and brought it back down toward Kyllian’s face. Suddenly, the arm stopped short, just above Kyllian’s nose. “Stop...” Kole’s voice was small, meek, and pleading. “I don’t want this... Stop...” Those furious eyes turned soft and afraid, and the snarl vanished into a trembling frown. His hair released Kyllian, and he pushed himself back with his uninjured arm. He pressed his lips to keep himself from crying as he backed against the wall again. His arm hurt so bad... but he’d deserved it. His hair wrapped around his injured arm, cradling it close. He didn’t dare raise his head, but his legs shook too much for him to stand and leave. How could he have enjoyed hurting Kyllian...?
Kyllian couldn’t breath properly. Somewhere between the adrenaline high, panic, and Kole’s grip he had lost the ability. His hand hovered shakily around his throat as his wide eyes shut on the promise of another strike. When it didn’t come he hesitantly opened them to look at his ‘friend’. Monster? Was that why Kole was suddenly so mean? Did he really think of Kyllian as a monster now that he was bigger, or…was Kole the monster himself? The child couldn’t stop shaking. His ivory teeth were covered in Kole’s blood, and it went down his bare chest.
He rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand and moaned at the sight before jerking his head away to stop the rising tide of panic. Kyllian dared look at Kole, but he didn’t believe him. Something was wrong with Kole that he couldn’t fix, and he didn’t buy the soft look at all. What if…what if Chloe had been here? Or Edith? Had he done this to Edith too?!
Feeling the fear eat at his gut Kyllian stood shakily on his feet. He slowly back up towards the door and reached behind him for the door knob. When he caught hold of it he almost crushed it. “I-I didn’t…you…Kole, I didn’t…” No matter what brought it on, Kyllian couldn’t get the blood out of his mouth no more than he could rid himself of the guilt. He’d hurt Kole! But it wasn’t Kole…but it was! He lowered his head into his hands and shook it, scraping his nails across his scalp before screaming.
This was even worse than the incident with Edith. She’d been able to break from his grasp by catching him off guard. He’d been able to hold himself back from retaliating. This time... Kyllian had only been trying to defend himself. He didn’t blame Kyllian at all. It was all his fault. His fault that Edith was scared, and his fault that Kyllian was hurt. His eyes squeezed shut as Kyllian stuttered, uncertain of what the tyrunt wanted to say. And then that scream... it sent a twisted spark of warmth into his belly before it turned into a horrible icy chill that became a white fire that made him want to scream as well, but any sounds were caught in his throat. What he’d done to Kyllian.. what he’d said! He wanted to run. He wanted to throw himself out the window. He wanted to bolt down the stairs and vanish. His legs were weaker than ever though. His mouth was open in a silent cry, too many parts tearing him in different directions. His arm was going numb, his body and mind wanting to follow. What a relief it would be, to escape these emotions, escape that screaming... If he were lucky, he would never wake up...
He wasn’t a monster, he wasn’t a monster! Monsters hurt their friends, and Kole…But Kole was the monster, right? Not Kyllian? He ripped at his mouth, trying to wipe away as much of the evidence as he possibly could with sharp, shaky strokes. He couldn’t do it; Kyllian couldn’t handle the emotions tearing through him. It was a visceral reaction that gripped him. “Get out,” He murmured, turning his head to Kole. Heavy breaths puffed in and out before he shrieked, “Get out, Kole!” If he was the one to run then Kole might still be here when Chloe came to visit, or heaven forbid, Edith. He would still be here when Kyllian came home…
Kyllian stepped away from the door and held his hand up to his face to hide his shameful crying. “Just…just go…I-I don’t know…” How to fix him? How to help? I don’t know what to do.
Kole’s eyes opened just enough to look at his arm, telling his hair to move out of the way. Though, it quickly covered the mess back up again. So much blood... Good. Maybe he really would never wake up again. And then... there it was. It was almost a relief to hear Kyllian’s demand. As much as it tore at his insides, he knew.. he knew he couldn’t stay. Not after what he’d done. He shifted his legs, but they still didn’t want to support him. He dug his long nails into his legs, trying to stimulate them into moving again. It was just enough. With the blood loss and the emotional pain, he could barely see straight. He managed to drag himself along the wall to get to the door, though, once he reached the door, he paused. He took a shaky breath before straightening up as much as he could. “Don’t let me back in here. ..and don’t come looking for me later.” He almost took a tumble down the stairs, barely managing to stay upright as he left a trail of blood. Damn... Kyllian would have a heck of a time cleaning that up. Once he got outside, he didn’t get far into the woods before passing out.
“I won’t.” Kyllian said with some semblance of finality. It tore through him to say it, and the grief showed in his voice, but this time he didn’t look at Kole. He only moved when he was sure his shambling ‘friend’ had left the house completely.
He leaned against the door frame, his eyes ghosting over the remains of Kole’s bedroom and the stains in the carpet. Placing his head back into his hands he let out a sob and sunk down onto the carpet, allowing the pain to consume him.
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:46 pm
Child - Entry Three!
There was a rush to Edith as she flew across the skies. She moved towards Kyllian's house as fast as she dared, which was enough to make her coat virtually worthless. The speed as which she moved made it impossible for the cold to take her, or perhaps she was just too numb to care.
What she saw sent up alarms. Outside of the modest home was a moving truck, and humans in strange uniforms carrying out Kyllian's furniture. She hovered for a long while, just watching them, before seeing Kyllian upstairs. She glided down and landed on the porch roof just next to the window. Edith rapped on the glass with a gloved hand.
Kyllian opened the window, and ushered Edith inside. What she saw was no better than what she was looking at outside. His bed was broken down, with the mattress propped on a wall and the bed rails gone. Carpets were being scrubbed a few rooms down by more humans in strange uniforms. They didn't look like movers to her, but she couldn't put her finger on why they unnerved her...
"It's something, isn't it? How big this place is once ya move out all'a my junk." Kyllian laughed, but even to him it was fake. Something had broken in him; something that Edith hadn't noticed until then. Maybe that was why they had bonded so much in the weeks following Kole's "departure". It had been the final straw for Edith, but she suspected it was only another set back for him. Every time Kyllian moved foreward the sins of his past took a bigger chunk from him until he stood as tall and proud as a tower with no support.
Edith reached out to put a hand on his arm, and went in easy when he turned it into a hug. Kyllian squeezed her tight. In moments like this he could remember what it was like to have dreams. His goals had always been to create a safe place for both him and his friends to stay. Only one had allowed him to support them, and even now Kyllian had been abandoned. His soul ached for a purpose; a reason to keep moving every day. He had poured himself into his work, and what had that shown? A pile of...of junk. Useless creations that could no more bring him the comfort he needed than they could bring back his friends. Chloe had gone off to pursue her own goals, and Kole was grown. Into what, he didn't know, but grown never the less.
They didn't need him.
He had failed.
Edith tried to pull herself away, but Kyllian held strong. It wasn't until a few men came in to take the mattress that he let her go. She removed her phone from her pocket and texted out, "What's happening?" before showing it to him.
"Isn't it obvious?" He snickered, and reached up to ruffle her hair. "I'm movin' back...home. Got some things I left behind and I need to fix 'em. Being a good boys hard." Kyllian walked out into the hall and moved down to the other bedrooms. She noticed that the one with the pink doorknob had been opened, and all of it's contents removed. What she hadn't realized was the work he had put into it. All of the walls were a soft pink except for one; it's was lilac with darker purple trees branching up the sides. The limbs spelled out 'Chloe' in the center where they joined. Edith stopped to look at the empty room. There were nails in the walls, and indention's on the carpet. At one point this room had had furniture, and pictures; now it was just an empty promise.
She raced to catch up with the Tyrunt. He had moved on to the other bedroom; the one she knew had belonged to Kole. His room had been emptied as well, with the exception of a little wrapped box that sat near the window. Kyllian crossed the room to get it. "I don't know when ye'r gonna see ...if you'll ever want ta see 'im, but ye'r into deliveries, yeah? Maybe you can sneak this to 'im sometime." He held the present out for Edith to take. Kyllian was trying to smile, but there were so many more emotions threatening to burst out that Edith didn't know which to trust. "Doubt I'll be seein' 'im again."
His hands were shaking just enough to let her know that whatever was happening had him frightened. She had only seem him rattled twice in their friendship; the first when he had been on the ferris wheel and again after she found him holed up in the house after Kole left. Edith put the present under her arm and texted out again, "What's going on? What aren't you telling me? Where are you going?"
"Kyllian, we're all good here." A burly human stuck his head in through the doorway, and his eyes traveled to Edith. At the sight of her wings and strange appearance his eyes glinted. The sight disturbed Edith. "Whose your friend? Is she coming too?"
"No, she was just leaving." Kyllian stated sternly. The man held up his hands and walked away, leaving Kyllian to bristle alone. "Look, Edith, whatever happens do not come after me. No matter who asks you didn't see me, got it?" The way he said it said what she saw on his face; he didn't expect anyone to ask after him. It broke her heart.
"I can't keep that promise." She typed. "I want to know you'll be safe."
"I will," He nodded and for once he was deceptive enough to convince her. She had seen the bandages on his arms, the bruises under his eyes...wherever he was going had to be better than getting in so many street fights here. He told her about them every time she asked about the bandages, but she had never seen any cuts or broken ribs. "No one is goin' ta hurt me. If I'm lucky, this won't be the last time I get ta see you."
Kyllian reached out to hug her once more before ushering her to the window. "You should leave; now. I'm gettin' ready ta go myself and I don't want'cha to wait around be yer'self."
Edith nodded gravely. As she stepped out of Kole's window, which faced the woods, she could still see the strange humans milling about the yard. Now she noticed that they were murmuring, and glancing at her every few seconds. It unnerved her. She didn't want to leave Kyllian alone with them, but what choice did she have? Looking back at her friend, she clutched the present to her chest and took off.
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:20 pm
Child - Entry Four!
Kyllian ran.
He could hear the screeching cry of a Salamance above him, but he had run out of places to hide. The stadium was only so large, with just a few rocks to hide behind. Every time he ran for cover the aerial dragon would find him, and force him back out into the open.
Blood from a head wound he couldn't feel ran over his eye. Every time he wiped it back more took it's place. He had been reduced to a gray jumpsuit, with the fresh brand of 005 on the inside of his left forearm. The pain still lingered, but he had bigger worries. The Salamance would not give up it's pursuit; like him, it was being tested as well and neither wanted to face the consequences of failure.
Kyllian peered around the stone. His opponent had ceased it's circling and obeying the call of it's trainer had settled some odd feet away. She knew where he was. Even now she wasn't breaking eye contact, but she held her ground, waiting for orders. Kyllian turned back to the stone and clutched the fabric over his chest. His breathing was so ragged that it hurt. Everything hurt. He had been back at the facility for a week now, and had felt like he'd been running the entire time.
The tests were brutal. Every morning he was awakened to examinations, blood work and stress tests. Endurance came after breakfast, and then battling would take place until sundown. Kyllian hated it, but he held on to the promise Hewitt had made to him on the first day. "The first month is the hardest. Once the tests are done you'll have freedom."
He needed that. Thinking about taking down the giant Poke'mon was enough to send his mind into a frenzy. It's scaled underside was thick, but if he could get in a bite...Assuming he wasn't burnt by fire or shredded with her claws first.
"Salamance! End this with Steel Wing!"
Another shrieking roar reverberated through the skies. Kyllian turned to see the Salamance moving on him at break neck speeds, and her wings had begun to glow. He knew from past experiences that by the time they hit him he wouldn’t have the strength to fight back. There was no way he was tough enough to beat her; but he could out maneuver her.
When she roared he roared back and charged. In order to attack him the Salamance needed to be in close quarters. She banked to the left, circling with her decent and went straight for his right shoulder. If he hadn’t seen it coming she would have clipped him hard enough to break his collar bone. She was too focused on a quick victory that she didn’t notice his movements until it was too late.
Kyllian ducked down close to the ground, and leapt up just as her wing passed over his head. Before she was out of touch, he grabbed onto her wing and bit down as hard as he could. Although his bite force had been lessened in his transformation, Kyllian was still a Tyrunt. His jaws might not have had enough strength to bite through cars anymore, but it was enough to tear out a large chunk of her wing.
She fell down screaming. The humans couldn’t hear the words she was saying, but Kyllian tried his hardest to block it out. As he lay there panting his heart was collapsing. She was in so much pain; because of him. And her trainer was cursing at her from across the stadium. The child wiped blood off his cheek with the back of his hand as he stood. Kyllian made a move to go to her, but before he could assist she began to dissipate. Her trainer had recalled her to her Poke’ball, and those that had come to see a fight were clapping.
A panel of five researchers, all dressed in their finely pressed labcoats, congratulated Hewitt on his “success” while the trainer walked off. Kyllian looked down at his hands in disgust. What good was his training when all he did was hurt? These weren’t tests; this was abuse.
When they recalled him Kyllian was taken to a facility underneath the stadium in manacles. They were loose enough not to be painful, but tight enough to send the right message. If he tried to flee they would chase him. Where would he go, though? This was the only home he had now.
“You did well today. The committee was very pleased.” Hewitt cooed. The older man was scribbling notes onto a clipboard. Kyllian’s ears picked up every flicker of fluorescent bulbs as they walked through the medically clean white hallways.
“What do ya really do?” He asked abruptly. When Hewitt stopped, Kyllian looked him in the eye. “This isn’t ye’r lab; you had a lab on the coast, I ‘member that.”
“I was promoted, thanks to you. A special boy deserves a special home.” Hewitt’s smile was constant these days, and as fake as his assistants breasts. A few guards, and their Machamp guards escorted him into his “room”. It was nothing more than a glorified cell, with one wall being made of a straight piece of bulletproof glass. The white walls held no sign of warmth. His furniture consisted of a small bed, a latrine, and a sketchpad; his one allowance.
When the shackles were removed Kyllian moved as far away as he could from Hewitt. He sat on the edge of his bed and glowered at the man. Hewitt, to his credit, only sighed as a father might with a stubborn son. “Kyllian, this room is only temporary. Once the tests are done you’ll have a proper room, and you’ll be allowed to go back to crafting. I know how much you enjoy tinkering.” When that didn’t prove fruitful, he continued, “I thought you liked to fight? You used to enjoy head butting every Kingler that wormed its way into the lab.”
“I like ta wrestle. I like ta protect. I do not like ta fight.” Kyllian stated with a snort and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I thought you might be this way, which is why I called in Subject 002 to speak with you.” He waved to his assistant, who went off to no doubt get the other subject.
Kyllian had to admit; it had his curiosity peeked. Who else had been wrapped up in this business? He hadn’t seen anyone else on this floor. Did that mean that the other subject had been good enough, and had really gotten out, like Hewitt said?
It wasn’t long before Hewitt’s assistant arrived with a young man in a school uniform. His demeanor was pleasant enough, but his eyes said trouble. “Long time no see Hewitt. How’s that new hip treating you?”
Hewitt smiled and clapped the lad on the back. “Fine, just fine. Recovery time was a lot shorter than I thought it would be. I’m glad you’ve come. Maybe you can get through to him.”
The young man nodded. “Just give us about…oh, an hour alone? You’ve got this place bugged so you can check in.”
“Very well.” Hewitt motioned for his assistant to follow him, leaving Kyllian alone with the stranger.
As the young man walked into the room he began to roll up the sleeve of his left arm. Kyllian had seen other Poke’humans before, but never one older than him. It was strange; he couldn’t tell how old this man was, exactly. His body said teenager, but those eyes…they spoke of a hardened maturity.
“Mind if I sit?” He didn’t need to ask; the man sat on the bed anyway, and leaned back against the headboard. Kyllian had to turn to look at him. “I’m jealous; you’re bed is ten times softer than what they gave me.”
“If ye’r so jealous ya can have it.” Kyllian huffed. Just who was this guy, anyway? Comin’ in like he owned the place.
The man sat up in bed, and frowned. He was not unsympathetic to the kid, and seeing just how broken the boy was didn’t settle well with him. In time that too would fade. “Look kid, you’re looking at this thing all wrong. Hear me out, and if you think I’m full of s**t then I’ll leave.”
Kyllian neither objected nor did he ask the man to go on. His companion took that as acceptance to push forward. What did he have to lose?
“When I was a Poke’mon I was taken in by my trainer. He wasn’t a nice dude, and let me get beat up on a pretty regular basis.” The man leaned forward. “So when I was captured he didn’t even try to take me back. Told them to take me. Some trainer, right?” He snorted. “Then I wound up here. They fed me, trained me properly, and gave me a life. So long as you trust them, they’ll trust you, and it all works out. Even when I changed. The only thing they asked was for some tests, like what they’re doing to you.”
“These aren’t tests,” Kyllian objected. “Can’t ya see it? I didn’t want ta hurt ‘er today, they made me-“
“Did they make you bite through her wing? Did they tell you to permanently handicap her, or did they tell you knock her out?” The man interjected. He watched as Kyllian’s eyes darkened and he looked down at his feet. “You’ve got the spirit in you for destruction. See, for me, they could just release me back into the wild. Plenty of my kind running around. But you? Your kind died out 100 million years ago. “
The man moved closer to Kyllian, and the child didn’t object. When he place an arm around Kyllian’s shoulder he stilled, but when he looked up there wasn’t anything amiss in the man’s expression. The only thing he saw was sympathy. “You’re the only one of your kind. Who knows if there are others running around, there might have been other fossils, but you realize that, don’t you? Just how truly alone you are.”
An arrow pierced Kyllian’s chest. He reached up to grip the material in a clawed fist, and inhaled sharply. It was just as he feared. Everything that was wrong in his life boiled down to it; this wasn’t his time, he didn’t belong, and he shouldn’t be there.
He shouldn’t exist.
“You’re not alone here, though. We want you here. I want you’re here.” The man squeezed Kyllian’s shoulder. “Your friends? You can still talk to them, so long as you don’t tell them anything about this place. They wouldn’t understand, but we do. You don’t have to hide what you are around us. If you want to break something; do it. Break glass, punch a few noses. Hell, through a toilet across the room!” He laughed, and was pleased to see a little smile growing on the boy. “They’ve moved on and so should you. It’s time for Kyllian to make his mark on the world.”
“…So I don’t have ta hurt anyone anymore? I can help to protect, then?” He asked hesitantly. “I..I want ta train. I’m not strong enough ta help, and if I don’t work then I think and thinkin’ hurts.”
“Actually, that’s exactly why we want you. After you get through testing you’ll be able to roam around, and you’ll be trained for guard detail. When we have missions to get our hands on top secret research it will be your job to make sure we get out alive. That sounds cool, doesn’t it?”
Kyllian nodded. It certainly did sound better than sitting in his house alone, wallowing in self-pity. Here he could make a mark; he could work towards goals, and if it was as this man said, they would listen to him in time. Right now he was lonely because he didn’t have his friends, but he would write them. OR have someone who could actually write send them letters.
“Kyllian, the only one keeping you a prisoner is you. If you would just trust us, trust me, then you’ll see just how good things are here. The blood and samples they take from you? Those go to research for medicine for our kind. There isn’t much of it out there, and it might be becaue of you that lives are saved. That makes the pain worth it, right?” Kyllian nodded. “See? Not so bad.” He ruffled the boys hair and showed him the inside of his forearm. His brand had faded with time, but the numbers ‘003’ were plainly branded. “We’re brothers now; you watch my back, and I’ll watch yours.”
That bolstered Kyllian enough for him to bring his marked forearm up to the man’s. “We’ll make tha world a better place. If they don’t want me ‘round…well, I can still make it better for ‘em.”
“That’s the spirit.” When the man stood up, he passed a vial off to Kyllian. “What’s this?”
“A present from one brother to the other. It’s a potion, but you should only drink it right before you evolve. Not any earlier than that. So keep it on you at all times.”
“Why can’t I drink it now?”
“Hey now, we just talked about trust right? Trust me; you’ll want to wait.” He grinned. All three of his mouths grinned in unison and when he said his goodbyes he was pleased to see the kid relax a little. He’d left he boy with plenty to think about.
When he met up with Hewitt above ground, the older man clapped him on the shoulder. “Grade A con artist, you are. We really should pay you more, Riff.” Riff tapped his chin and shrugged before shoving his hands into his pockets. “Eh, my pay’s alright as it is. A little more wouldn’t hurt, if you want to slip some into my account, though. That shop is a piss poor source of income.” Only the underground stuff really paid, but he kept it open for appearances anyway. It was a nice place to relax after a long day, and it was where he was headed now.
As he passed Hewitt, the man reached out a hand and put it on Riff’s shoulder. “Keep an eye on the girl. If Kyllian becomes resistant-“
Riff laughed. “He’s got more weak spots than one Starly, and I’ve got the key to the whole lot. You won’t need them, though; so long as you give him a little bit of a lead he won’t notice how tight you squeeze his collar.” The boy was too simple to notice the trap he’d walked into. He waved over his shoulder, and slipped into the back of a chauffeured vehicle.
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