**

Experience

Part 1

"Go gather some firewood so dinner can stay warm for a few more hours, okay?"

The young boy smiled and nodded as he went outside to chop logs. They lived about a 15 minutes walk from a small village. Small enough that everyone thought of each other as family.

He drags a log near his axe, when he is startled by something jumping out at him.

"BOO! haha!! Did I get you that time, Carter?"

Carter, who had almost fallen over, chuckles. "Yeah. This time."

"So you haven't been at the village for a few days. Anything happenin?"

"Oh. Nahh. Just chilling for a bit."

"That's cool. I just came to fill you in on something."

Carter looked up from what he was doing. Things don't usually happen here..

"What?"

"The knights! They're coming to the village! That's what my dad was saying anyway. I'm a little worried though...everyone has to be there next Thursday."

...

"But ...why? You know about Felix's condition...?"

"Oh..right. Ima have to ask about that."

A small bell is rung in the distance.

"Oh, that's my mum, I'll talk to you later buddy!"

"Same to you, Leonidas."

Carter grabbed his firewood and went back inside.

Father walks into the house. Carter was playing cards with Felix. Mother was cooking. Carter noticed a concerned expression on his father's face. Carter put down his hand and stood up.

"Something up?"

"Yeah...we all have to go visit the knights this Thursday.."

He looked like he had more to say, but looked away from Carter and went to his room. Mother looked over, confused.

"Mom..what's going on?", Felix asked.

"Probably something with the town council. I will speak with him tomorrow and maybe he will feel better about it. Come for dinner, my dears-" She says as she puts plates on the table.

They both come to the table.

They ran to the lines. Leonidas had followed.

"Felix too?" He whispered.

"Yeah. Hopefully it's okay."

Felix was already starting to doze off, even though he was standing. Carter and Leonidas held him up from his arms. A man in a cloak was walking down the row, observing and talking to the children. Some he dismissed, some he talked to, and some he told his soldiers to take.

He made his way closer down the row. Felix started talking in his sleep. Carter started becoming nervous and tried to shake him awake. Leonidas comforted Carter, "It should be fine, it's not very likely that he will do anything..as long as he isn't messed with..everything will be fine.."

The strange man stopped in front of them.

"What will be fine?"

Leonidas looked up at him in fear. Carter held his ground. "What is happening? What are you going to do to us-" He was cut off. "I like you. You seem smart. What's wrong with your friend here?"

"He is my brother, a-and he has-"

"Nevermind. I don’t care." He signaled for one of his men. "Kill him"

Felix convulsed and started chuckling. Carter couldn’t help but feel like something was very wrong and looked at Felix. The man tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. He signaled his men to halt immediately to observe the peculiar boy.

Felix suddenly put his hands to the man's neck. Carter watched in confusion and fear.

The man held the boy's wrists but was shocked by his outrageous strength, Carter could tell from how the man’s smug grin turned into a grimace. Felix drowsily opened his eyes and smiled.

He looked the man in the eyes and spoke in a demonic tongue that Carter had never heard before.

The man’s eyes widened and he shoved Felix off of him. Felix layed limp on the ground. The man spoke to his men hurriedly, "Gather these three and take them to base.”

Carter and Leonidas picked up Felix and carried him into the carriage while the knights watched them as though they had the plague. Carter couldn’t help but notice the scent of smoke on his brother.

Part 2

They were sat in a carriage. All three of them were on one side, the strange man on the other. Felix's head was back down, and strangely, Carter was a bit calmer. Leonidas was staring off as a few horses started moving and drug their carriage.

"Will we ever come back?", Leonidas asked, avoiding eye contact.

"Hm?", replies the man, "Yes. One day. When you are suitable for release."

Release?

Carter started thinking hard about this situation. The knights are the good guys...they wouldn't......hurt them.

But he recalls when he called his soldier to kill Felix..There might be something to worry about.

"So. Names?" The man asks.

"You first.", Carter snaps back at him.

The man chuckles. "Natz. I am a general in the knight's ranks. I will not be your general, but I am going to see you guys every now and then, our two ranks are close, your general is my younger brother. Enough about me. You first-" He points at Carter.

...

"..I am Carter Jones, and this is Felix Jones, my younger brother. We...live in the woods. Nothing that notable."

The words slipped out of his mouth..like he pulled them out of him.

"I am Leonidas Dimitris.. I have 3 brothers and 4 sisters.. All younger than me. Uhmm..My Mum is a florist..And I kinda help her..that's all there really is I guess."

Natz was thinking.

"Are you three close?"

"Oh.. Definitely. Carter helps me babysit sometimes and I help with chores...Felix is good with the fam when the sun's out...Our families are really close.."

Carter was not comfortable with just telling Natz this stuff...but he realized that there was really no choice.

After almost an hour of a silent, continuing slow ride, Felix broke the silence.

"Is..there any food..?"

Natz looked at him for a moment. "Of course."

He takes out a case and hands each of them a small, brown bag. There were 2 left over. He put the extras away.

"Go on, eat."

They all opened the bag to find a dark wheat and grain bread and a small, closed glass of water.

...

"Eat."

Leonidas took out the bread and took a bite. "This isn't..too bad."

Felix was engorging on the bread.

Connor took out the bread but could not persuade himself to eat, even though hunger gripped his stomach. He could feel Natz' gaze piercing him...was something in the bread? He decided to just drink the water.

Something cold and dizzying gripped his insides for a moment, and he spit out the 'water'.

"What is this?!"

"Vodka. Compliment from your general."

"Is he aware of our ages?!"

Natz laughs. "Doesn't matter, where you are going."

Carter notices that Leonidas had passed out, which..is...strange....

Carter falls unconscious. He dreamt of blackness.

"ᵃʳᵉ ᵗʰᵒˢᵉ ᵐᵉᵈᶦᶜᵃˡ ᵇᵉᵈˢ ʳᵉᵃᵈʸ ʸᵉᵗˀ"

"ʸᵉˢ ˢᶦʳᵎ ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃˡˢᵒ ᵖʳᵉᵖᵃʳᵉᵈ ᵃˡˡ ³ ˢᵗᵃᵍᵉ ᶦⁿʲᵉᶜᵗᶦᵒⁿˢ⁻"

"ᴳᵒᵒᵈ. ᴮᵒʸ, ᶠᵉᵗᶜʰ ᵐᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ⱽᵒᵈᵏᵃ."

"ᴬʸᵉᵎ"

"ᵀʰᵃᵗ ᵒⁿᵉ ᶦˢ ᵃʷᵃᵏᵉ ˢᶦʳᵎ"

"ᴼᵏᵃʸ. ᴵᵗ'ˡˡ ᵗᵃᵏᵉ ᵃ ʷᵉᵉᵏ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵉᶦʳ ˡᶦᵐᵇˢ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉ ᶠᵘⁿᵗᶦᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵃᵍᵃᶦⁿ, ˢᵒ ᴵ ʷᵒᵘˡᵈⁿ'ᵗ ʷᵒʳʳʸ, ˢᶦʳ· "

"ᴬˡʳᶦᵍʰᵗ. ᴾᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ ᵗᵒ ˢˡᵉᵉᵖ. ᴬⁿᵈ·· ᵇʳᶦⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ᵇᶦᵖᵒˡᵃʳ ᵗᵒ ᵐʸ ˢᵗᵘᵈʸ."

Part 3

...

I can't move.

He looks around...he sees someone familiar beside him and greets him in a raspy voice.

"H..hell..hello..."

He looks over. His eyes were swollen with tears, but he seemed to be confused.

"Do I...know you?"

..."I think so...what i-is your name?"

......

"I can't remember...it clearly..."

"L...Leo, was it?"

"Sounds right...yours?"

...

"Something with a C..Car...Connor. I think...it's so blurry.. Say..where are we?"

They both look around. Nothing is notable in the room. It is blank, white, and the only things in there are the medical beds that they are strapped to.

...

"I am...a bit hungry."

"Agreed.... Are we brothers or something? I swear..I know you so well..but.."

"I guess we are..I see what you mean..hey, your hair is strange..why is it purple?"

Leo starts laughing. "It's purple? Why is it purple? You like an old guy, yours is just white!"

Connor also starts laughing.

Marx observed the other two new arrivals. They were strange. The fact that they could still fluently speak English after going through the amnesia sequence was quite...fascinating. They even took extra precaution by altering their physical attributes, and yet they still recognize each other.

Shouldn't be too much of a problem though.

Marx leaves the laboratory and enters his study. He turns on the light, a young boy chained in his personal cell looked up at and stared at Marx, begging silently. Marx smiles. "Want something, my friend?"

"Am I,..Can I..sleep..sleep?.."

"Sure. 4 hours, but no more until next week, okay?"

"...Underss..Understood."

The boy would lay down on the cell floor, even though one of the few things he was provided was a bed. Marx sits at his desk and smokes a cigar while reading files on the new arrivals. He noticed that he was being watched by the boy.

"Can't sleep?"

...

"It's tooI feel warm..in here.."

Marx chuckles. “Get over it." The temperature on this side of the base was cold enough to support snow. He found that peculiar, and notes it to himself.

"Vodka should warm you up… or cool you down in this case...."

Marx gives him a bottle.

The boy grabbed the bottle and stared at it. He teared up a bit, even though the boy himself couldn’t figure out why he was sad.

"Перенич, boy. Enjoy your final moments while you can."

Marx himself hated this part of the process. It wasn’t fair, but,  “Life isn’t Fair.” Marx said, “At least numb your grief. I can tell that you hate me.”

The boy looked up at him with dull, silver eyes. “But...I’m.. I’m tired..”

Marx sighed. “Then sleep.”

Another failure.

Leo and Connor wake up in a new room, unbound. They sit up and observe each other.

"I think I am not hungry anymore," Leo says.

Connor nods in agreement.

They observe lookloom around the room, noticing a table, where lies a knife and a cage. They couldn't see what was in the cage because there was a cloth draped over it, but something was skittering around in there, occasionally.

Connor walks to it. "What is this?" The cage was unlocked, he observed, just closed. He hesitantly opens the cage.

A rabbit scurried out and hopped away from them and paced the cells out. Leo, in awe, runs over to hold it. "What is tHiS?? It's so fluffy!!" Connor pets it. The rabbit nips Connor in fear. Leo pulled it away when he saw.

"Yeow! It bit me."

Leo twitches, and in almost a split second, grabs the knife and almost kills the rabbit, before freezing up, dropping the knife and crying. Connor took the rabbit from Leo and put it back in its cage, confused. “I-I appreciate your concern but I’m ok Leo.”

Leo was shaking.

"W-wait..but.. I...didn't even think to do that... Did you feel that? After it bit you? Was that me? I didn’t..want that"

"What...what was.. What just happened? I think they did something to me.. Us.. Connor?"

Part 4

FelixThe boy has dreams of things...reaching out to him. He didn't know what they were, he just knew that they were bad somehow.

Marx observes the boy as he paces in his sleep. He seemed..frustrated in a way. He was curious...what would happen...

Marx put a bottle of vodka through the bars of the cell.

In an instant, Felix ran to the vodka, beat that bar with it, broke the bottle and spilled vodka everywhere, pulled Marx to the bar from his back, and to his dangerous new weapon. He woke up and stared at him with malicious golden eyes.

Marx did not struggle. He noticed how drowsy Felix was and figured that this act wouldn’t last long.

He should've been more quiet. He wanted a reaction from Перунич, not Felix.

Felix started swaying, and Marx took the bottle from him before he fell. Felix falls over and curls to sleep.

Marx had been forcing Felix to always be asleep...with a few different tactics. Mostly sleep drugs. This was the first interesting reaction so far, even though he had been asleep for almost a week straight.

Marx was so..  infatuated with this boy. He was one of the most interesting of his subjects, ever. Marx wants to...harness this boy's potential. He had become two sided. In sleep, he is extremely observant and reactive. While awake, he is just.. Weak. Sheepish. Maybe the demon is only able to control him while he is in a sleep state. sleep paralysis…... bipolorality..whatever it was. He could show some very good potential.

They live with the rabbit. They take turns cuddling with it every time they sleep, but lately, Connor slept with it more because he was always cold.

The lights are always on, so they have no way of telling time.

Connor inferred that they were underground, and that they used double sided mirrors on the ceiling for light.

Leo agreed with that, it only made sense. He’s shown himself to be the smarter one.

"What did you want to do when you were older?"

"...I wanted to protect people, my dad was a...knight. I think they were called."

"I can't remember it...but I wanted to make people happy and give them flowers, like my mum did."

"That's really nice of you."

Felix was...cold. He was in a place that he could not get out of. It was dark...empty..except for this person that followed him in the darkness. The chain's clatter seemed to be fading away, and Felix could feel that it was gaining on him. It kept getting closer every step, and though it felt like it would be forever, he knew that it wouldn't be long before it caught him.

The boy woke with a jolt, panting and crying. He felt his insides twisting.

Marx looked down on him.

"You are so weak, you know that?"

Felix doesn't reply.

Marx walks closer to the bars.

"You just take those words, why don't you fight?"

Felix looks away.

"I asked you a question, boy."

Felix grits his teeth, but doesn't reply.

"Fine then. Keep to yourself. But...I will break you, one way or another."

Felix feels a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and can't help falling back into his realm of sleep.

"It's a bit..warm in here."

"Nah. I'm just hungry."

"Same here."

The rabbit does not say anything.

They both sit in silence. In blankness.

"What are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Guess we should just sleep more."

"Agreed."

They both lie down on the floor.

Blood pressure- Normal. Fatigue- Moderately high. Tomorrow, they meet the others.

Part 5

And his men who bear scarred backs all line to face him...

Connor had this dream he remembers having before. He is screaming for his life..someone who he instinctively knew as his mother was in front of him. She was walking towards him with what looks to be a rope. He knew to be afraid..for some reason. She stopped in front of him and gave him a heartwarming smile as she wrapped the rope around his neck. Connor feels its stinging and continues crying and screaming for help.

He feels...cold.

Something gave under him. He felt himself fall, before abruptly stopping in air and cracking-

Connor and Leo wake in darkness. Pure black. Leo was panicking.

"What's happening? Where did the light go? I-I can't see!!"

Connor did not reply to Leo. He tried, but no sound came out. Connor gently grabbed Leo's arm to let him know he was there.

"Connor?! Say something!"

Connor tries his best, but falls over and coughs up something, crying in pain.

A door opens, letting in light. Leo sees red under Connor, and gasps.

A female voice exclaims, "Get up and come with me."

She wore a black robe and a mask that resembled that of a bird. Her entire face was covered.

They follow, Connor occasionally bending over to let out blood.

They were led through stone corridors, and a seemingly never ending staircase that went down. They stopped at a rather large doorway...where there were plenty of people inside. They were eating, and the thought of food almost made them both drool. The girl pushed Leo in and kept hold of Connor.

"M-ma'am? Is he coming?"

"In a bit. The boss wanted to see this one. He has an issue anyways. Go eat, boy."

Leo stares at Connor for a second and turns away hesitantly.

The girl takes Connor downstairs farther and stops at a locked room. It unlocks from the inside, and a man, obviously of authority, judging by all of the medals and badges on his uniform, drug him into the room.

There was a boy in a cell in that room. Only one cell. He couldn't really see him, he was under the bed.

Connor was sitting down on a bench that was on the opposite wall of the cell. The man observed Connor.

"So. You are this one's brother. You share a lot of characteristics with him. But...your voice is tearing you apart. Why is that, do you think?....Oh. Yeah...you are very useless without a voice. Try speaking."

"...,.,,,.,..."

"Break your voice. Say something, coward."

"..,,,..,.,ughh...hh,,,..."

Connor coughs up blood.

"Better. Let him out of you. You have been blessed by those of power. They chose you, boy."

Connor's head begins pounding. He could hear his own voice screaming in his head. He covers his ears.

"No. Let them speak to you! Listen to them!"

And...then they sing..gently..he felt drowsy. .

He felt like he was shattering..it was dizzying.. He couldn't feel anything.

The man kicked him in the gut. It hurt.. But it..the emotion Connor felt was indescribable.

He heard a boy yelling.

"Carter! Carter!!! Stop it! You are going to kill him!!!"

"That's...not my...name..."

The man grins.

Connor begins giggling in his broken voice.

"Accept them, boy. They are you. They chose you."

Connor felt as though he had just been..freed. Something left him just then. He could see. He could hear. He could breathe.

He continues laughing. The man looks down on him.

"C-carter?"

The boy watched as that...thing possessed his brother. He could see him crying in pain. His voice and pose didn't match the fear and remorse in his eyes.

The man beat Connor, and he fell over. The girl came over and threw him over his shoulder. She runs out of the room with Connor's body.

Felix was staring in shock. He just witnessed Marx break his brother...

Marx turned around and looked at Felix. Felix backed away and put his back to the wall.

"You all...are monsters!"

"Wait until you see what you become...dear Перунич..."

Part 6

Felix dreamt of blackness. There was fire that produced no light. He could see his hands..his feet..the ground. He was stepping in ashes. The smell and sounds of fire filled this void. He was saddened and terrified by it for some reason.

He woke up in a new place. He was laying down, but he could not get up. He saw a woman with long, whitegrey hair, and Natz in the room. Both wore lab coats. The woman looked over with her deep redsteel grey eyes. "He’s awake. is awake, sir." Natz looked over. "Hm. I see. His body has finally adjusted to the drug."

"Sleep time is over then."

"I will call in Estelle-"

"That won't be necessary. This is the special one."

"This is him? Phere-"

"Don't say his name yet. But yes."

Felix found himself not able to speak. His mouth was held shut by something.

The woman walked over and drug her hand down his face. Felix struggled away from her. She smelled strongly of blood and alcohol.

She smiled. "Your skin is so soft.."

Felix started welling up with tears. He felt her..wickedness. She grinned. She walked away and back to the counter, seemingly recording something. Natz had his eyes on her.

Felix guessed that they were in a relationship...judging by the ways they looked at each other periodically.

Natz came to Felix with some sort of drug. It did not look like it pierced skin, but it would not be used orally. It looked strange. There was a slightly off-clear liquid in it. Felix closes his eyes. He feels a hand hold down his arm and something pressed to it. A sudden pain shocks his body. Felix screams in pain.

The woman admires him with her piercing red eyes.

Sparks of electricity fly from the tool. Felix laughs his mind out, crying out the pain.

Leo heard screaming again. He stares down at the food he was provided.

He wasn't hungry.

A girl sat down next to him. She wore very nice, authoritative clothing. She had scrawny, poorly cut red hair, and green eyes that show no sleep.

"Hiya! I'm Creek! ...I think that's my name.."

She looked down for a second, but looked back up with an innocent smile a second after, holding her hand up. "Nice to meet cha!"

Leo shakes her hand. "I'm...Leo."

She shakes his hand violently. "Oh boy! I haven't had a friend in so long! You are the only one I have found who isn't in treatment! You can socialize! Like me! You must be in the first rank! I’m glad to meet someone as lucky as me for once!"

Leo stared at her for a moment.

"How...long were you in the white room?" He asked.

"Oh? That place? I was told 3 years! It only felt like weeks though. What about you? OH! I’m also on the happy shot right now so I’m very sorry if I’m a bit too talkative, loud, jumpyyy, a-and.."

...

Leo was just watching her. Creek giggled awkwardly, before she calmed herself down and spoke more.

"Y-you seem like a smart one. Who else was brought with you? Are they here?"

Leo recalled, "I remember...2 others. The boss took the youngest..as his pet I assume, and Connor had a meeting with Mar-"

She covered his mouth. Leo noticed everyone watching him. They had dark pearlescent pupils. He noticed that they all had white stitches up and down their face. He felt...scared.

She whispered. "Don't say boss's name around them.."

They all looked back.

"Whoa..are they okay?"

"Yeah. They are kind of just..puppets. Disposable. They have no feelings. Don't mind them. They are the bulk of the army."

"Wait, then what does that make us?"

"We are the special forces! Rank Delta! And I believe your young friend will lead us one day!"

Part 7

Connor woke to blackness. He remembers no dreams.

No one is there.

He finds his arms bound by chains..he felt something crawling up and down his leg occasionally.

He found it in himself to ignore it.

Felix felt his insides wanting to consume itself. He had not eaten in so long..but something was keeping him going. There were constant and fast light flickers..they hurt his eyes. He could feel the muscles in his eyes tearing every time he tried to blink. He would sleep with his eyes open, letting his eyes become inhumanly dilated, more.. And more.. and..more.

He saw them turn off the flicker. It was pitch black again. But...he could still see the flickering. His eyes were doing it on their own. It hurt more. His stretched eyes retracted rapidly and his irises began to rot. He started crying out of pain, which made it worse. He smells blood.

He most likely chipped his teeth from how much he grits them. They started hurting too.

All he felt was pain at this point. Hope, longing...emotion was all gone...all he was left with was confusion and pain. That was all they haven't drained out of him yet, somehow.

He blacks out. Though the flashing continued, he fell asleep.

Connor felt sudden pain. It was sharp. Quick. He smells fresh blood.

Someone was there. And has been there.

A small red light turned on above them. Just enough for his eyes to adjust and be able to see clearly in the black.

He saw a woman in a black cloak. She had a bird mask concealing her face. She sat at a table where plentiful weapons lie..she was observing a knife with fresh blood on it. She giggled.

"Mm...look. You can see now. I'm going to break you..little one.."

Connor looked at her. He saw her long white locks hanging out of her cloak. She got up and put his head in her palm. She took off her mask and looked him in the eye.

Connor stared at her red irises. "H-how long were you there?"

"Does it really matter? Ten minutes, a few hours..hmm." She giggles and runs her knife down his face. Adrenaline rushed through his body. He grimaced.

She tilted her head as she continued reading his eyes.

"You miss the home you do not remember..don't you ..?"

Connor does not reply. She looked down and sighed.

She walked around him.

Connor felt something small prick his neck..and something drug through it.

Stitchwork?

She continued this for about an hour, going all round his neck.

He could not feel it anymore.

"You should rest now. I will be back in a few hours."

She disappeared, and the light dimmed. He suddenly felt a dizzying fatigue and struggled to keep his eyes open..and fell asleep...

Leo and Creek were assigned to the same bunker. Along with some others who obviously weren't those ‘doll soldiers’. Among them were many who seemed as lost as Leo felt. He recognized one of them, by her alternating red and blue eyes.

Leo was pondering to himself when he heard his name called.

"Leo! I have a message from the boss."

It was one of those bird mask girls. She was at the door. He walked outside to talk to her.

"I have some news about Connor."

Leo nods.

"He will be suitable for release in a few weeks."

"What's happening to him?"

"That is only for the boss to know until release. Also..another thing. Your friend will be joining you tomorrow."

"Who?"

"Pherenic. He was assigned as your general."

Part 8

Creek went missing today. It was uncomfortably quiet in the bunker.

The bell rang, which called them to the cafeteria. He and the other present 4 of his rank made their way upstairs to eat.

Leo could not help but be nervous. He would meet Pherenic in only an hour or two.

He was worried about Creek as well. He spoke with one of the bird ladies. One in particular seemed to care about him, and filled him in on stuff. The current scouts had brought a live dragon to the lab and are splicing its DNA to Creek, because her genetic structure was the most compatible with it. She also mentioned that she heard about something involving my relationship with her.

He did not understand that part..except for maybe the fact that he was the only one that she could comfortably talk to.

He sat at a table. The girl with blue and red eyes sat near him.

"I don't mean to intrude..but is your friend okay?"

She spoke in a tired voice. He had never spoken to anyone in his rank other than Creek, he realized.

"I don't know, but I hope."...he replies, "I am sorry we never talked sooner.. We need to work on getting to know each other in the rank. Since we are going to be fighting together..I guess things have been a bit..."

"Confusing?", she answered.

"Yeah..how long have you been here?"Leo responds.

"I have..been since before all of the others. I don't know exact times..but from the information I have gathered..I would estimate 40 to 70 years."

Leo stared at her in surprise. She looked younger than him.

"What did they do to you?"

"I just slept through most of it. Occasionally, though, I would wear this weird eyepiece that forced me to be awake for long periods of time. First, It was slow blinking. It was light, then dark, and it repeated itself. It would flash faster and faster, and it..kind of hurts your eyes, but your ears would ring and you would have sudden feelings of fear and pain every so often. I imagine that with newer technology, that's what they are doing with Pherenic."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I was the general of the dolls for a few years, but I asked for resignation because the lights wore off and I didn't have that 'sight' anymore."

"Sight?"

She shook her head. "Anywho. I know you are Leo, but my name is Amy." She stuck her hand out to shake. She wore gloves.

He shook her hand.

Pherenic felt empty. Almost desperate for something. He heard a door open, and Marx walked in. He knelt to Pherenic to be eye level with him. Marx smiled when he saw him.

"Look at you. You are perfect. How do you feel, soldier?"

Pherenic didn’t reply and stared off blankly.

Marx patted his shoulder. "Good enough.”

He walked behind him and unchained Pherenic.

"I imagine you are quite hungry. I will have a crow lead you to the cafeteria."

The lady with a mask nodded and Pherenic walked over to her. He felt that she was scared and stared at her. He could feel more than what he remembered. He suddenly wanted her dead.

He hated feeling her fear, it made his head hurt. It started pounding.

"H-here, sir."

He hated her. The voice in his head kept repeating these words and he growled a bit. He left her a strong look of malice before walking in. She stepped away and ran off.

"Oh..Connor. That one."

The woman from before and a very young looking boy with black hair and black eyes walked into the room, holding her hand. The boy looked up at the chained Connor.

"He is so...frail. How did he get this far, madam?"

His voice sounded like multiple small children talking at once.

She replied, "Serum 4. It does wonders for his blood type."

"Are you sure though? I don’t see any compatibility here."

The woman shushed him. "Shh...I know what I am doing, little one. Now let me wake him up.”

She picked up a syringe and pricked the back of his neck, in between the stitches. He opened his eyes, to find two black eyes staring up at him.

"H..hi?"

The boy brushed him off. He was aggravated toward Connor for some reason. "I will not bother working with this until I see real progress, got it?!"

The woman nods as the boy walks away. She sighed, "Alright. Back to work now, Sweet Connor."

She bashed his head hard enough for him to fall unconscious.

Leo looked at the person walking up to their table. His eyes widened. It was Felix. He noticed bruises on and around his eyes. He was squinting, as if the room was too bright, and he looked starved. He sat on the other side of Leo. He did not greet him.

Leo watched Felix, he seemed...off. One of the crows passed him a meal. Felix saw it and twitched. He engulfed it in less than a few seconds. He stared off and gripped his stomach.

He then slowly turned to Leo.

"The hell are you looking at, you degenerate?"

Leo was surprised that the nine year old knew that vocabulary.

"I am looking at you."

Leo noticed that Amy got up and speed walked away, and when he looked back, he saw that Pherenic was actually pissed, leaning over the table, and was staring him down. His eye twitched.

"Care to say that again, weakling? I am your leader, you do what I say, you belong to ME." He stood up and looked down on Leo.

Leo looked up at him. "Okay? Cool."

Pherenic almost started growling and plopped back in his seat. "I despise you." ‘I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YO-’

“Understood..” Leo didn't pay much mind and continued eating. Pherenic just stared down tiredly, and occasionally twitched upright for a few minutes or so.

When Connor woke up, he was on his back, and could not move. He saw the woman looming over him, and she was wearing white. Her gloves were stained with fresh blood. Connor found himself unable to speak and his heart dropped.

"Sorry. There was a flaw in your procedure, and your voice will not be back for a long time."

Connor's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't help but start crying. The woman put his head in her palm and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It'll be fine. Your voice will eventually come back, just like last time."

Connor did not remember this happening before. He stared directly into her eyes with pure malice, and she chuckled. "My name is Estelle. I am allowed to tell you now. How much do you remember, from before the white room?"

He didn't say or do anything.

"Okay...what about your mother, do you know what a mother is?"

He shook his head in denial.

"Hm. What about..a tree. Trees were everywhere.."

He once again nodded 'No'..he didn't know what those words meant.

"Well. We will just have to work with what we have. Let's see..."

A malicious grin formed on her face for a moment.

"You may refer to me, Estelle, as your mother. You know that I love you ever so dearly, right?"

He stared up at her, in a bit of confusion and shock.

"I hate hurting you, but I do what I must in order to make you stronger. Do you understand?"

He nodded slowly.

Creek was escorted back into the bunker. She had wings that stuck out of her back. She tried to smile, but Leo could tell that she was hurt mentally more than physically. He approached her carefully.

"I...I am having a child..that will be half dragon. And.." She was stuttering.

Leo was appalled by the news. This was the first thing she had said to him in a long time.

"They said it belongs to you..and it will most likely kill me when it's ready.."

"Wh-what? What did they do to you?" Leo ran to Creek’s side

"They..killed a dragon they caught and merged its..something with me..I can't remember it clearly..I-I was..incapacitated.”

Leo hugged her. "I..I'm so..so sorry that this is happening to you..."

He whispered. "I will bring an end to Natz. He is the only thing Marx cares for other than himself."

"You couldn’t be more wrong.." She whispered in reply. “It’s Amy..”

Leo couldn’t kill Amy, he gritted his teeth a bit. Creek gave him a friendly smile. “It’s ok, Leo. I’ve enjoyed being your friend. That’s all I've ever really wanted. Please don’t let rage consume you, you are the one bright light I see in this horrible and dark place.” She put her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. “At least the child is yours and not some jackass’s. I will give my life for this child.” Leo started to weep and he closed his eyes. “I can’t promise I won’t kill anyone in your wake..”

Creek’s smile faded a bit. “I..I know..”

It was futile. Leo felt something within him fade away.

Part 9

Pherenic sleeps somewhere else besides the bunker. Good thing too, Leo thought, he might not survive another night with that guy in the same room for more than an hour.

Leo made an effort to get to know his other rank members. One was named...well, 'One', and another named Vi. There were two others, but they seemed to be...avoiding him.

One was particularly strange to Leo. He had a voice of that of a very young child, and reeked of death. He told him that because of his condition, his body will look different every 2 weeks or so. He didn't know what that meant but was prepared for it. He had sleek, choppy black hair and brown eyes. He honestly would look like a normal kid except for the stitch dividing his face from side to side.

Vi is a happy girl that doesn't seem to belong here. She refers to the masked women as 'birdies', and awarded Leo the nickname, "Lee ''. She said that everyone in the rank gets a 'Vi-name'. She has long, bright green hair that she puts in pigtails and braids into weird buns sometimes. She has purplish red eyes with scars going through her pupils.

When Leo asked Amy about her, she said to not trust her easily, at least not before battling with her. She is the only one in this rank that was here when X was leader. The leader preceding Marx.

Leo would've asked about X, but he had a bad feeling.

Connor stared at the gradients in the walls through the pitch black emptiness of the room he resided in.

Estelle rubbed Connor's shoulders and spoke to him in a language he could not remember.

His nose bleeds often now, and below his nose is stained with dried blood. He constantly cried. He knew that she was..hurting him somehow.

She isn't supposed to hurt us...they….. Mother?...

There are needles attached to numerous parts of his body, constantly cleaning his blood. There is one in the center of his chest, though, that pumps in a substance that keeps him awake.

A few days go by. Estelle comes in and speaks to him in this language..that he started to recognize. It began to hurt his ears, and he could constantly hear whispering now. He could not understand anyone but Estelle now.

"...you can hear them..let them call you…..”

He wanted to scream at her to stop, but he couldn't. His voice was still healing.

He felt things festering, breathing, and crawling around him.

Things that shouldn't be festering, breathing, and crawling. Things that shouldn't be there. Things he couldn’t see.

He felt them getting closer to him every time Estelle left. He was vulnerable.

Leo observed the tree by the top door.

"Oh. You probably haven't been out for a while. That is a tree!", Vi stated. She giggled. "Woaw! The uniform looks so fucking good on youu~!!" She proceeded to start skipping around Leo. He found her annoying.

They were going to a nearby village as a test.  When they got there, many of the residents saw them and scurried off. Hiding their children. "Aww..they saw us coming..", Vi says to herself.

Pherenic kicked over the center fire and spread the flame to one of the houses. He looked back at the rank as the house caught aflame and said, "Our mission is to bring back the children, and kill everyone else." Leo was appalled. ..but complied. There must be a reason.

Pherenic got everyone in the village lined up. He paced in front of them and observed them all. Vi and the other two were sweeping the village, while Amy and Leo were assigned to kill them all after the children were retrieved.

...

Leo didn't realize this until he noticed Pherenic's devilish grin.

Leo froze as many adults...parents stood in a line in front of him. Amy started walking to the right side of the line...queuing him to the left.

All the way to the left stood a woman, a mother, who was crying and screaming for her daughter, and being held back by two others who were holding back their tears. Leo stared at her, and she lashed out at him.

"I KNOW WHAT YOU DO TO OUR CHILDREN! YOU TOOK ALL OF MY CHILDREN AND MADE THEM INTO MONSTERS! I'VE LOST ALL OF MY FAMILY TO YOU..YOU-"

Leo kicked her down, and the crowd gasped. “Shut UP.” He grimaced, “Your voice is making my head hurt.” Though he was sobbing all he had, he was giggling as he looked down at the woman he hurt. She looked up at him and her eyes widened. “Leonidas!!!” She got up and hugged him. "My little florist!!" She cried with joy. Leo shoved her off. "GET THE HELL OFF OF ME YOU WETCH." She stared at him. "You.. w-what have they done to yo-"

Amy gasped as she watched him grin and stomp her skull in.

"That should shut that bitch up."

Amy stared at Leo in horror. She thought he was different...than that.

He returned to posture and glared at them all.

"so...so is this it...? This all seems sooo familiar...You people...I despise you all...you don't know what you have until you lose it..you probably think you just lost it all just now...but I unfortunately have to prove you wrong...again~.."

"no living thing has nothing to lose.."

Amy didn't have to move from where she did in that short amount of time. Leo took care of them all.

Vi blushed as she stared at Leo. He was so..so authentic~ authoritative~ dominant~ perfect~... Her mind flooded with infatuations and she grinned and blushed as she stared at Leo.

Leo seemed to “wake up” in a way. He stared at the blood on his hands and at the woman that grabbed him earlier. Who was she?

Part 10

Pherenic watched Leo. He was ruthless, as he had been previously informed, but he was disappointed that Leo was...human. Too human for his position. Much too clever and smart for his liking as well...but Pherenic did not doubt the general's decision to place him in the rank.

He continued leading the children to the carriages. Some of them sobbed, and others asked where they were being taken, and he did not answer to any of them. They were all packed into wagons and shipped off to the base, and their 5 horses were all that left. Vi, Jace and One were already at his side, while Amy and Leo were back at the village, or maybe even on their way. They waited a few minutes, and Amy, and Leo, whose hands were stained with blood, arrived, and they all started making their return, following the line of carriages.

Connor fell asleep for the first time, and dreamt of many snakes. He had been informed that he would soon be allowed to roam the cellways.

He woke in a new room, a dark laboratory. It reeked of chemicals, animals, and blood.

He saw a few cages with snakes...some looking rather deformed..near him.

He could not think straight. He saw that his hands and feet were turning black, and his heart dropped. How long were they like that? He wouldn't know.

He could feel that his voice had healed some.

Then it hit him...

What operation would involve cutting my throat open...? He had studied medicine before and had never heard of such an operation.

His head was racing..but his mind was blurry.

One of the men there picked up a snake from its cage and walked over to Connor. They were speaking in that language that Estelle did. He could understand bits and pieces of what they were saying.

"Genetic...rr....splice..DN...Y.....Body....vrrhhrr"

Listening to them was hurting his head. He flushed them out.

One of them cowered over him and pressed the center of his neck, and he found that his voice had come back, and he felt a sudden spike of energy. It coursed through his veins. He became uneasy as he felt things moving inside of him. He felt something crawling out of his ear. The man walked away, writing on his clipboard.

"What are t-the creatures.. Theyre.. Everywhere. I can hear them.. Smell them, but i can’t see them.."

"Hmm..I think since it's been..2 years since the operation, there was a demon sprite put within you and you are the only subject to ever take its power without being possessed by it."

He felt his body sink into the lab table he was strapped to.

"W...why...?"

"Don't ask why. Just...continue being interesting."

The man hooked a mask to his mouth, and he felt fuzzy....sleepy...

Part 11

Leo sat on the side of his bed. He observed the mission list that Pherenic gave to everyone.

"Excuse me..who is erm... Brook?" Amy asked.

"Just the name of the mission. We have to escort them to the Mountains to the West, to one of our…neighboring companies. That's in a year though, there is time."

"Okay. How many more children do we 'need' until then, sir?" Amy also asked Pherenic.

"The boss said a few hundred more. He still hasn't found one genetically suitable for his upcoming project."

"Well. Alright."

Pherenic took off his eyepiece. He looked over at Leo, who was very concentrated on the file he had been given.

"See something you like on there or something?"

"I...I don't know," Leo replied, "This village name..sounds so familiar..."

"Oh, the one in the East Valley? That was our home village, before we were chosen. That's one of the few things I will ever have in common with you."

The rest of the rank froze. They realized what Pherenic was doing to Leo.

"How many siblings did you say you had?"

"I..I had siblings?"

"Natz said you have seven. Your genetic structure was almost good enough for the project, so maybe your siblings are, I proposed."

"That's beyond the boundary, you little-!" The shy one held Amy back from attacking Pherenic.

Pherenic grinned. "We shouldn't fight. And besides, this specific mission is a month from now. Our entire rank will be back together by then. Don't hate me for doing what is best for our cause."

Amy growled.

After things settled a bit, Amy visited Leo in the bunker, while Pherenic was with the generals.

"...don't tell anyone..but I am thinking of running away."

"What? Why?"

"I am sick of killing! I didn't want to do all of..this. I was not picked out like you, I..I belong to Marx. I grew up like this."

"That is a bit..shocking.. But running away isn't a very good..strategy."

"You know what I mean though..you don't seem the type to enjoy bloodshed either, but you are strong. You’re better than all of this!”

"Hehe.. Not for much longer…. y=you saw why i did..”

Amy was silent for a moment. “I don't want them hurting you any more."

"They will torment you if you are caught deserting."

"Yeah. I'd rather that than kidnap children who have a life ahead of them."

Connor woke, and struggled to open his eyes. He felt different. Almost rugged in a way. He felt very cold. He felt something strange on the roof of his mouth..two..fangs? He started looking around. The lights hurt his eyes and he squinted. He felt bandages up and down his body.

As the ringing faded away, he could hear a lot of chattering. He looked around, and noticed that he was in a laboratory that contained shelves upon shelves of snakes.

"Can you understand me?" One of the doctors spoke to him. He noticed that the doctor had on a mask, and he could sense its inhumanity.

Connor just stared at him. He nodded at another doctor.

Connor felt electricity course through his veins. It hurt, but not near as much as before. His head jolted up as he gritted his teeth. He felt the voltage get stronger before he started hissing and screaming in agonizing pain. They turned it off, and Connor felt a sharp sensation in his arms and legs.

"That ought to keep your blood warm fer a few weeks. Aight. He good to go."

That doctor had not been there before. He was new.

He felt his arm restraints unlatch. He looked at his hands, they were a slight off color, and he felt his palms. They hurt to rub together, and when he looked at them from an angle, and noticed strange..crevices. His heart dropped. He felt his face and arms.

He had patches of scales growing on most of his body.

He skittered from the lab bed, away from the doctors and against the wall.

"Don't worry, you will be freed soon. First, we will get you clothed and you will meet with rank..Delta."

Part 12

Women in cloaks that wore bird masks escorted him down spiral stairs to a closet of uniforms and accessories. Connor was observing his face in a mirror that they provided him. He was fascinated by his teeth. He had short, sharp teeth. He also had retractable fangs. He observed the gritty texture of the scales on his forehead. After a few minutes or so, they tagged a uniform they fitted him with 'C. Jones', and gave him a hoodie and neckerchief. He used the neckerchief to cover his mouth. He saw himself again and sighed with a strange relief. He felt..almost human again.

Vi had been given a special, individual mission. He could tell by her strange behavior. Jace looked over at Leo and Creek. He could tell they were plotting something. He heard people going up and down the stairwell. Something will happen soon. His shadow hugged his neck.

'Somethin botherin ya?'

'Yeah. I think that the snake infestation you were talking about involves our new friend.'

'What makes ya say that?'

'A hunch, I suppose'

'Well. Ima just recede for now, then. Toodles!'

The shadow faded from around him and back to its natural state. He got up and went upstairs to the cafeteria. He wasn't hungry, he just wanted to watch who passed by him on the way there.

He knew the face. Connor. Even though half of it was covered, he had the same unmistakably piercing eyes as his brother. They stared at each other for a moment.

He sat at a table with some of the scout dolls. They were allowed consciousness, so they were unlike the others in a more 'human' fashion. He was one of the few who could communicate with them in their language of clicking without stuttering, and they liked him. He gave away all his food, and asked the latest gossip.

'(So, apparently, there's a traitor in your rank, I heard I heard. Dunno who, but Vi is going to snake them, just like last time.)'

'(Actually?! That's impossible. Vi would..shouldn't be allowed that task again.)'

'(Who knows what the maniac thinks? It's how he wanted it to be.)'

Connor was pushed into the bunker. He slowly walked to his bed and slid under the blanket.

"C-cold..."

Leo looked over. "Connor? Brother?"

Connor looked out from under the blanket.

"Don't look at me..I am horrible.."

"No..you aren't-...."

Connor got up, revealing his shedding human skin on his arms with scales under, his ragged teeth in a forced left smirk, the loose bandages draping his body, the slits in his eyes, and the tears he had shed minutes before. Leo stared for a moment then hugged him.

Part 13

The boy grabbed the limbless creature and feasted on what little meat it had to offer. It felt horrible, but at this point, he knew only one thing and that thing was to survive. He would not die of starvation, and he was sure to not let himself do so. This is what they wanted anyways, probably why they keep adding more and more of those hissing things into his containment. He continued this horrible cycle for more weeks. He knew his body was changing, but it's not as if he could just look in a mirror. There were no mirrors. He is just an animal. An animal in containment, an experiment to be fiddled with as its creator desired.

. . .

As he was released from his treatment, Pherenic was being led through the examinations of his rank. As much as he despised some of them, he was starting to pity them.  He couldn't pull himself together. Why did he pity them? They were just replaceable pawns, right? He felt as though his humanity was returning to him. It was an assumption, but he conquered that this had plenty to do with whatever had been done to his body while it was under anesthesia...or whatever numbed him for the hours he was unconscious.

One month left. The 'treatments' would be complete in one month's time.

Pherenic growled a bit. He shouldn't pity his disposable pawns...

He tore the page and left. He walked up to one of the doctors. "I want a new body. Not a replacement, One I can use along with this...trainwreck I was provided."

"But sir, those experiments are still in testing pha-" Pherenic interrupted, "I. Do. NOT. Care. Get it done. And if anyone else hears about my special request, I am going to be sure you never speak or walk again, GOT IT!?" The doctor immediately nodded and backed away a bit. The other researchers began to work on the other parts of the operation. Frantically..restlessly.

-

Pherenic was purging his weak body. It wasn’t used to staying conscious this long. His vision was fading and breathing became difficult. He clawed his arm and the pain brought him back to reality. He stared at himself in a mirror across the room. His mouth had foamed a bit in his delirium. He walked towards the mirror and observed closer. His body was aging rapidly. What the hell could he do about that?! ‘WHY AM I AGING LIKE THIS???’

He felt the creases on his face and growled a bit. He needed to rush those scientists, his time was shortening by the hour. He walked back to the labs and before he could lecture them, he froze up and collapsed.

The scientists gathered him frantically. His body was already so weak suddenly. The operation became very rushed. Pherenic’s silver eyes began to rot, making them look more near to bronze. His breathing was becoming shallow, so they resuscitated him. His body became increasingly weak by the second.

Part 14

He woke in an unrecognizable form. The men around him were all observing him. They were fascinated and afraid, even though they were the best doctors around. Pherenic looked beside him at what was left of Felix. Felix was left behind in the dying body and was watching Pherenix. Pherenic chuckled a bit as he saw the life that christened the body he was once trapped in begin to fade away. Bite the dust.

However, Felix had never had a stronger urge to be awake before his dying moment. He focused on staying conscious and trying to figure out how he could survive. Pherenic would not best him. Ho no. He would not die in his wake.

A doctor noticed that he had not died yet and was about to put Felix down before Felix forced himself into a dream state. He felt himself lift into the aether, his dying body detached himself. Since Pherenic had recently transferred bodies, he could see Felix's triumph. His eyes widened.

Felix's body was killed. He was now a freed soul. He felt awake, for the first time. He went to Pherenic and grabbed his neck. He felt his soul sync with his a bit.

'I will not let you win this time.'

The doctors frantically resuscitated Pherenic when his heart stopped. Felix suddenly merged with his soul when they both were brought back to life. They screamed in agony. The doctors were completely oblivious of the beautiful revelation before them.

The boy was released from his isolation chamber. He was wearing sunglasses because his eyes are very sensitive. One of the servants went to him with his assigned clothes. She was extremely scared. The boy looked at her.

"Is there something insufficient before you?"

She shook her head.

"Then why do you shiver?"

She didn't respond. He went to her and took the clothes gently. He could feel her eyes on him.

"Thank you for your services here. Would you kindly lead me to my assigned regiment, ma'am?"

She was less afraid of him now. She nodded and walked into the West corridor. There were plenty of others there like him but his regiment are those that stood out. He was their leader, for some reason. He looked at all of his relatives, curiously. He wondered why he wasn't empty like them. Why was he different?

The servant opened the bunker door and gestured inside. There were two of them inside. One was a short boy standing in an upright posture. He was staring at the boy. The other was sitting on her bed and swinging her legs. She was oddly linear and uniform despite her attempt to break this. She is very colorful, and her body is covered in colorful spots. His regiment is very small and odd.

The servant left. The boy observed his uniform.

"My name is Zeph, I assume. What do your uniforms call you?" He spoke to both of them.

The girl smiled faintly. "I am referred to as cat. He is referred to as Bird." Bird's large red eyes dilated in response and he nodded slightly.

"Bird is defective. He does not have the ability to speak. But that is ok! It is acceptable to be defective."

Zeph put on his uniform. "What do we need to accomplish during the 'free time?"

"Our job is to do nothing."

"Understood."

Zeph would stare off blankly for a few hours.

Part 15

Pherenix was going to sleep, or trying to. Felix was bugging him intentionally to keep him awake. Pherenix jolted upwards "SHUT THE HELL UP YOU PEST''

"Oh so you are awake?"

"I've been for the past couple of days now and you know that. It'd benefit the both of us if you would stop being a little bitch and let me get some much needed rest after that stunt you pulled during the surgery."

."Yeah. But I don't want to. I'd rather try taking over your body so I can make decisions for you. I'm going to wait until you're really sleepy to do it though."

Pherenix scoffed. "Is that what this bullshit is about? I had no choice in that matter."

"Well neither do I, you fucking donkey"

Pherenix growled and got up. "Fine. I won't sleep again tonight. But I will not let you control this body. Mark my words"

"Go fuck yourself"

Leo was growing more and more cautious of his surroundings. He was thinking about Creek. It's been about 8 months since she told him of her child, and he hasn't been allowed to see her in a very long time. He could barely eat. Connor sat beside him with his nose in the spine of a chemistry book and spoke in a slightly robotic voice.

"It'd be best for you to forget about her."

Leo stared at him. "How could you even say that?" He was furious.

Connor sighed and put his book down. "I hate seeing you like this. You're changing so much, you need to make sure you can keep a grip on your morals.."

Leo snarled "YOU DO NOT CONTROL ME"

Connor didn't reply to him. He only looked at Leo with shock. Leo was struck by his gaze and immediately apologized for lashing out.

"I'm just so worried..about her.. y'know?"

"I'm sure you are. But it's not always about you, Leo. You're starting to remind me of Pherenix."

….

"...w-what were you just reading?.."

"Just a chemistry textbook that my higher up gave me. He um.. finds me useful in his lab simply because I understand basic algebra. Unlike most of the dumbasses here."

Connor added on, "No offense."

"..None taken."

Meanwhile, Jace was taking a nap in the cafeteria. All of the blending voices had made him sleepy. Azazel, however, was excited by these sounds. He wandered and found himself suddenly face to face with Vi.

"Well HELLOOO!! I was just looking fer you!!!"

Azazel smiled and manipulated nearby sounds to speak to her.

"Oh? Might I ask why? Kekeke."

Vi giggled "I could use yer help with something! Do ya mind, ol pal?"

"Not at all. My tether is quite boring anyways kekeke~ What do you have in mind this time, you maniac?"

Vi looked at Leo. "Have you noticed how vulnerable everyone here is? There should be change!!! HEHEHAHAH!"

Azazel looked at the three newcomers. "Don't start without me mkay? Kekeke.. I'ma investigate those newbies and gather your information."

Vi smirked. "You're the best partner in crime a gal like me could have huh??.."

Azazel nodded and keked before he receded in Jace. Jace flinched awake and looked around. Vi waved at him and he waved back awkwardly before she skipped away.

Cat and Bird went to Leo and Connor's table. "Hello, brothers in arms. Would it be possible for myself and my friend to sit at this table?"

Leo looked up at her in annoyance. "Are you some sort of smart ass?"

Cat kept her neutral expression. "Is that a positive or negative trait? No matter, you didn't even answer my previous question,"

Connor and Bird were staring each other in the eyes. Connor was clawing the table a bit.

Leo raised an eyebrow and squinted a bit. "What question?"

"Would it be po-"

Leo interrupted. "YES. PLEASE. Sit."

They both sat down simultaneously. Bird sat across from Leo and stared at him instead of Connor. Connor got up swiftly and left the cafeteria in a rush. Cat watched Connor leave before she looked at Leo. "You must be in a rank here."

.."....yes..?"

"ME TOO." She smiled and continued watching him. “We have something in common.”

Leo was genuinely terrified of her, but not near as terrified as he was of Bird. His bleeding red eyes were glued to him. They followed his every movement. Leo hyperventilated a bit.

"Please stop looking at me."

Bird's pupils narrowed and he receded into his cloak a bit, his eyes still glued on Leo.

Cat noticed this. "Bird. That is not beneficial to you. Please respect our friend here." Her face still held an unnatural but trying smile.

Bird jolted up and a few feathers flew off because of the speed at which he rose. Lee fell off the table and had a bit of a panic attack. He curled up on the floor and tried to calm himself. He could still feel his eyes. Those..eyes.

Bird stared down at Leo. Cat stood and went to him. "You.. you seem to have malfunctioned?.."

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!"

Cat was unmoved. "That is insufficien-"

"FUCK OFF!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I DON'T WANT HELP!! LOOK AWAY FROM ME!!!"

Cat's smile faded. "As you wish. I apologize for interfering with your meal." She got up and walked away.

Bird sat next to Leo and hummed in his extremely torn and soft voice. Leo was shaking. Vi watched with contentment from a distance.

He's so perfect~~..

Part 16

Connor and Amy left the bunker for a small retrieval mission. Just needed to grab some chemicals. They went to a nearby desert village where their merchant was residing. Amy was taking careful notes of Connor. He wasn't the confused, innocent boy that Leo was describing all those months ago. He was frighteningly intelligent and quick to his senses. They went to the merchant and paid for all the chemicals. They loaded their bags with all of the jars, pouches, and jugs of chemicals and substances of all kinds and started their return to base.

Connor never spoke a word. 'Was he even able to speak? Why would he avoid her like this?' Amy was becoming a bit anxious.

Connor stopped walking and looked back at Amy. "You cut your ankle."

.. Amy didn't even notice that she had cut her ankle somehow because of how focused she was on her thoughts. "U-um.."

Connor put his bag down carefully and took some bandages out of his pocket. "Give me your ankle." He got on his knee. She raised her ankle for him. He wrapped it tightly with bandages to stop the bleeding. He put up his bandages and stood. "Let's continue"

Amy stared at him for a moment. "Y-yeah sure.. thanks"

Connor didn't respond. In fact, he didn't speak again until they got back to the base a few hours later. Amy was worried about him. Connor was growing cold.. and that's extremely dangerous.

Someone that smart needs to be limited by human sympathy or bad things are destined to happen. Or be created.

Vi went to Bird's bunk room. Bird stared at her.

"So. How'd it go?"

Bird didn't respond. He only blinked.

Vi smiled. "I assume you successfully got the message to Leo?"

". . ."

"Excellent."

Bird tilted his head a bit. "...."

Vi sat beside him and talked quieter. "Just keep doing your thing. It's crucial that the next step goes smoothly."

Bird nodded.

Part 17

Leo woke up in his bunk room. Amy had taken him to his bed, and Connor stayed beside him when he found out about his episode. Leo felt very weak.

Connor looked at Leo. "I heard about what happened. I've requested that I be by your side more often so I don't have to ditch you like that. If I had known.. I would've stayed by your side"

Leo chuckled. "I have no idea what came over me to be honest. I feel perfectly fine now, don't worry about me."

"You were asleep for 4 days Leo."

Leo didn't respond. He rubbed his head.

Connor sighed and looked away. "I'm about to go on a long source mission, and you have to stay here. Please avoid rank alpha."

"Alpha? That bird guy is in rank Alpha huh?"

"Yeah. They're an experimental rank composed of dolls that are self aware."

"Creepy."

"Agreed. I'm glad we got to talk, I have to leave in an hour and I won't be back for a week or two"

Connor grabbed his satchel and got up. "Rest easy."

He left. Leo looked at the meals left on his nightstand and grabbed the one that was still hot.

He realized that he was having.. Bad thoughts.

The shopkeeper was haggling with a teenage girl with red hair. The teen had been talking him into trading with fake gold. She finally got him to break and she got a high quality blade set. She ran off with it, as well as his wallet.

She was an excellent pickpocket, but she wanted to be more. She was watching the soldiers from the black crusaders and she has for as long as she can remember. She wanted to be in their ranks, but they never really picked up teenagers for some reason.

She watched a kid that was about her age loading children onto a wagon caravan. He has a scythe on his back and golden, snake-like eyes. The two soldiers got in the front carriage.

This was her chance.

She ran to the carriage and jumped on it just before it took off. She smiled. She was going to be one of them.

Part 18

"Natz and Marx got into a very heated argument last night kekeke." Azazel was talking to Vi again.

"Oh, what about?"

"Natz was supposed to take leadership years ago but wasn't fit, and Marx won't give his position up I believe."

"Is that so?" Vi's head filled with schemes and she smirked. "I can't believe our luck. Marx will meet his end very soon~"

Azazel chuckled and returned to Jace, who was asleep, innocent, and oblivious. Vi walked out of the bunkroom to talk to Natz, who happened to just pass by the door. Vi grabbed his sleeve. “Heyoo!”

“What the hell do you want, Victoria?”

“This is more about what we both want,”

“Commander.”

Natz raised his eyebrow. “I’m listening..”

The girl followed the blonde into the bunker. She was the oldest captive there, and she was surprised she made it this far. He led all of the children to a laboratory and into individual, clean, blank rooms. The girl snuck out and continued following the blonde.

“Uh excuse me?”

The blonde looked behind at the source of the voice. “How can I help you?” He has a tired and bored voice, but she could sense his intelligence just by the tone of his glare, and those strange eyes.. Were glued on her.

“I want to be a soldier here like you”

He stared at her for a moment before he broke into laughter for almost a minute. “Wait, are you actually serious?”

She was embarrassed now. “W-well yeah, you guys are the most powerful militia around.”

“Well, I can’t put you in a rank because of how you got here, but the best I can do is let you be a uh..”

He thought for a moment, “..Lab assistant..?”

“Why can’t I be a soldier like everyone else?”

“Because I just had a conversation with you and I don’t have the heart to.. Put you through what I’ve been through.”

“I’m strong enough-”

“Trust me..”

“Fine. Well.. since I’m apparently your ‘Lab assistant’ now, I should introduce myself. I am Rei.”

“I’m Cor- Connor. Ugh it’s getting more difficult to speak for me now, apologies.”

Rei laughed, “Sounded like you almost called yourself Corn.”

Connor didn’t respond for a moment. “Please don’t call me that.”

Rei wouldn’t listen. “It has a nice ring to it, plus you match the colors.”

“Uggghhhhhhhhhhh” Connor couldn’t help but laugh at his nickname.

Amy, Vi, and Leo were assigned on a bounty mission taking place in a few days. Zeph observed all the lists and noted that his rank was assigned to follow them on their mission and note any unusual behaviors… He wondered if there were suspicions of betrayal among his ranks. He put the clipboard back in its place and went into his bunkroom. He noticed Cat, but Bird was nowhere to be found. “Do you know where Bird is?”

“I do not”

“He should be in this room, per rules. Rulebook states.”

“He knows the rules. I’m sure he has a viable reason to be absent at this time.”

“Of course. Though, I will interrogate him later on if he is up for it.”

“I understand.”

There was a moment of silence. Cat broke the silence, “I found a joke book while cleaning my side of the room. I can recite some of the jokes for you later during our next freetime.”

“That would be a sufficient passtime. I would like that.”

Cat looked at him and tilted her head a bit. “Are you smiling?.. Like a human?”

He looked in the mirror at his neutral smile. He smiled a bit more in reaction. “It seems I am. Is.. is that bad?”

Cat looked at him with wonder. “No.. it means that we could still be human”

“Human, huh..” He laughed a bit. “Satisfactory..”

Part 19

Their mission began. Amy, Leo, and Vi went to the city with intentions of killing some locals to instill fear.

Leo was very negligent to go on this mission, not because he didn't want to, he just found that his presence was unnecessary for such a cumbersome task. Vi, however, was extremely ecstatic. Amy followed behind them. She seemed to be avoiding Leo for some reason.

Leo and Vi moved farther ahead because Vi wanted to talk to him.

"You know Amy is Marx's kid right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Marx has a group of spies watching our every move, as well as Amy. I think he's planning on killing us both."

Vi couldn't help but smirk, before she forced herself into a neutral expression to look at Leo.

Leo made eye contact with her before he gulped and looked around. "W-what the hell should we do then?"

"See how Amy is clutching her sword? She might attack us soon." She had made her voice quieter and timid.

Leo was getting extremely paranoid. He was about to ask Vi to cover his flank before she ran ahead to the city, giggling. Leo began hyperventilating and he heard Amy's sword's steel scrape the sheath as she readied it. Leo felt nauseous as he became conscious of her presence like a weight on his chest. He acted fast. He took out his dagger to be as fast as possible and threw it at her. He saw the shock in her innocent eyes for a moment before the blade struck through the middle of her neck. She hadn't even touched her sword, it was clean in her sheath. Had he heard things? He frantically ran to her. He felt his head getting lighter. He reached for her just before she choked on her own blood and fell to the ground..

Zeph stared and teared up. He watched the death of an innocent. He wiped his eyes.

"Bird. Run back to the base and tell the commander what happened."

Cat watched Bird retreat before her attention was directed back towards the tragedy before them. Leo let out a cry and picked up Amy's lifeless body. Vi confronted him and gasped.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?! WHY DID YOU KILL HER? SHE'S OUR ALLY LEE! OH My gOD WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?!"

Leo was shaking in fear as tears ran down his face. "I-I.. I didn't mean t-"

"YOU MURDERED MY BEST FRIEND AMY! YOU'RE A MURDERER! MURDERER!!!"

She gave him a look of shock and disgust before she ran past him back to base.

Leo was just frozen there, trying to make sense of what happened. He pulled the knife out of Amy's neck with shaking hands.

"T-there.. you can b-breathe again now..right?.."

“..Amy?..”

Part 20

Bird had written the details of the incident on his arms since he cannot speak. He did so while he marathoned back to the base, so the words were messy, but Marx could make it out just enough.

“Tell me it doesn’t say Amy. Is that my daughter’s name?! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!”

Bird used ink to create a near perfect image on the wall of exactly what happened just an hour or two before. But… He changed a few details to his liking.

Leo tackled Amy and stabbed straight through her neck in an act of defiance towards you, Marx.

Bird smirked as he watched Marx melt down.

He killed her, Marx! HE KILLED HER IN COLD BLOOD, MARX!!

Bird was giggling with his rough and damaged voice.

Marx threw everything off his desk in rage and grief and left his office. Bird hummed happily and sat in Marx’s chair before resting his boots on his desk, a crooked smile stuck on his face.

I succeeded~

Connor left the laboratory, reeking of chemicals. There was a huge fiasco among all of the residents of the base. Marx was missing.

There was a desperate search and rescue mission forced to most of the ranks, others were told to hunt Leo.

Connor was planning to run away soon with Leo and Rei. His last straw was what lay dormant in the vial that he gripped so tightly in that moment when he heard that Leo had murdered Amy.

He..what?

This couldn’t be the truth. Someone had to have framed him. He had to find Leo before everyone else. He rushed outside and towards where the incident happened. He panicked and rushed. He ran past a couple of scout groups, Who were compelled to follow him.

After about half an hour of sprinting, Connor’s legs began to weaken until his senses were suddenly heightened by the scent of blood. His pupils narrowed and he could see Leo in the distance on the outskirts of the city. He ran as fast as he possibly could to retrieve Leo and escape.

Connor skid to a halt in front of Leo, panting. “Tell me exactly what happened so I can hel-”

“Get away from me, Connor.”

“..Excuse me?”

“I killed her, Connor. I don't want to kill you too.”

“Someone put this in your head. I don’t believe you could hurt anything dear to you like Amy was. Who killed her?”

He couldn’t believe that Leo killed her. His mind flashed back to his faint memories of the rabbit that Leo nurtured all those years ago, back in those blank white rooms. Back before their reality was choked into this.. Horrific danse macabre.

“It was me. I swear on my child’s life that I was the one who brought Amy’s life to an end.” He put Amy’s cold body on the ground and closed his eyes. “I murdered her. For no reason.”

Before Connor could reach out for him and help him, the scouts that followed Connor rushed Leo like an angry mob. Connor tried to file through them but with little success. The mob rushed off with Leo at their discretion, leaving Amy behind. Connor was going to chase after the mob before he looked back at Amy. He felt her eyes on his back. He sighed and stopped. He picked up her body and walked to the plains nearby, tears streaming down his face. He took out his scythe and cut into the ground to lay her body to rest.

Natz left Marx’s office and the chaos silenced awaiting Natz’s response.

“Marx Ivanov, my older brother, is dead. He hung himself after hearing the news of his daughter’s death.”

The crowd roared with outrage and tried pushing past Natz, but rank alpha held them back. Vi left Marx’s office and pushed through the crowd to go elsewhere.

Natz growled loudly. “SILENCE”

“I will fill in for his spot until the next in line is ready to take up office. Now disperse.”

The crowd grew loud again and most of them went to hunt down Leo.

-

Connor had managed to trick the entire organization. He swapped Leo with a random human he found that had his face and put a wig on him. It was so stupid that it actually worked.

He put Leo in one of the blank rooms to keep him from hurting himself. He was trying to escape Connor’s lab to submit himself to death. Connor was constantly holding back tears. Leo wouldn’t even talk to him.

Rei saw this and was trying to help Leo come back to his senses while Connor worked. Natz brought Marx’s body to Connor, who was just appointed head of the research and medical department. He found it.. Interesting that everything went so smoothly after Marx killed himself.. Connor decided to perform an autopsy on Marx. Marx’s body laid on his work desk. Connor took the temperature to compare it to the official time of death, when he realized that the body was too warm to be-

Marx grabbed Connor’s neck with claws and ripped flesh from his body. Connor gasped for breath and found that his voice was stolen with it. He rushed to his tools and operated cheaply on himself in an attempt to save his own life. He seared the wound and found that he could breathe again after doing so, but it was really fucking painful. He couldn’t bear it for much longer. He stared at Marx as his vision blurred. He wrapped bandages around his neck. And stood up shakily. Marx, only alive because of his overbearing wrath. He watched Marx scratch the rope engraving in his neck as he walked away from him as Connor fell unconscious to blood loss.

Epilogue

Pherenix returned to the base after a tradeoff mission that took a month’s travel. Natz greeted him rather than Marx.

“I was worried you wouldn’t return.”

“I was just sending information to our distant work partner. What would put me in danger?”

“A lot of bullshit just happened. Long story short, you report to me now.”

“Marx is.. Dead?”

…

Felix was laughing in joy and singing happy songs. WOOHOO THAT BITCH DIED?! HELL YESS!! HALLELUJAH!!! THERE IS ONE LESS COCK SMEAR ON THIS PLANET NOW!!!

Pherenix groaned. “I’m just going to go rest. Where is Connor? I have some important documents for hi-”

“Declared deceased last week. Went missing on the same day as Marx.”

“That's a shame, who replaced him?”

“Well, he already had a next in line, he is currently being developed.”

“..developed?”

“Connor invented a cloning process, as well as.. Hehe, my new favorite weapon.”

He tossed a small box to Pherenix and said, “You should try enhancing yourself with this.”

Pherenix opened the box to reveal a large syringe that contained a black liquid labeled ‘Anthracylin.’ He closed it and put it in his pocket. “I will. Anyways, how soon is Brook now?”**