Tales From Sirca Chapter 3: Choices and Values

"Aries, there's no way they would just be wandering around this forest. I mean, surely, they're smarter than that."

I snarled at him; this was about the tenth time he had complained about being in the forest. I could give him the fact that it was humid, and he was in full body armor excluding the helmet, but it was his choice to wear it. It wasn't my fault he got attached to it.

"Stray," I slashed away a bush in my path, motioning for the armored albino to follow.

"I know, I know. It's just..."

"Something feels off? I know. I feel it too. Be on your toes, they could be any-"

I cut away another bush and looked up from my blade walking into the pathway I created into a clearing before stopping, frozen on the spot. A short grey chupa sporting a yellow mane and a larger tan one with a brown mane and a goofy smirk stood in the clearing.

There was a voice just barely audible that seemed to sound all around me, "Kill. Alpha. Kill them. Rho. Hunt. Iota. Kill. Epsilon. Now. Sigma."

It repeated faintly until it became background noise like static. I could feel my blood boiling at the sight of the two, I knew who they were. They were a part of it. The program, the problem. I squeezed the handle of my short sword glaring, puffing out heavy angry breaths. I fought to control myself, I knew that this was a rare opportunity, and I was going to savor this.

Finally. I get to kill two of them.

"Holy shit," Washington muttered taking a step backward, "They're fucking real? I thought Jersey was bullshitting."

"Shit, you owe Jersey some money-," York ducked, narrowly dodging a sniper round from Icarus.

"Freelancer..." I growled taking a step forward.

Washington pulled a cylindrical object from his jacket, pulled a pin off with an audible click, and dropped it turning to run.

"Flashbang!" Stray shouted turning and shielding his eyes.

I did the same, protecting myself from the blinding payload. I turned back and heard retreating footsteps, I grabbed him by the back of his chest plate and threw him forward pointing.

"Get that big one. The fucking rat is mine."

Stray put the sniper on his back and tore off through the brush, I put my nose in the air and took a big sniff.

Gunpowder, plants, water, Stray- Freelancer.

I took off, following the scent until I could see him running. I could smell his fear. I picked up the pace, faster and faster until I could see and hear him clumsily pelting through. As I began closing the distance, I couldn't help but chuckle, all this running was pointless as it would only make him die tired. I was mere meters behind him when he did something that caught me off guard, he turned and pointed a pistol over his shoulder firing at me- the round struck my blade, vibrating the entire thing. I flourished the blade, placing it back in the sheath before bounding forward and tackling the Freelancer to the ground pinning him on his back. The pistol skittered off across the ground. I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the dirt. He shoved me off for a moment, scrambling to his feet before I yanked him back by the tail and laid him out with a right hook.

This was what I was waiting for. It's useless to fight us, you're too weak.

"Why do you struggle," I asked rising to my feet, relishing in his efforts to push himself up off the ground. "Agent Washington. I'm disappointed, I expected more fight out of you. You and your Freelancer friend are going to die here. Do you understand? The one on the mongoose, what was her name? New Jersey? She got lucky. Your luck's run out, boy."

"How-" I kicked him in the side, and he rolled onto his back in pain.

"I know who you all are. Here, let me help you up," I reached down and grabbed a handful of his shirt collar, "Shame what some don't understand. Determination and a lust for revenge are great motivators. Weeds out the weak."

I lifted him up off the ground and held him high enough as to where his feet couldn't touch the ground, drew my sidearm, and pointed it at his face. He desperately clawed at my wrapped arm not even managing to damage the wrapping.

"You're fucking crazy, I've never met you in my life."

"But the people you worked for; they've met me. How does it feel? Meeting your end and being powerless to the result? I have your life in my hands."

"We're fighting the same enemy," He tried to reason, but I wasn't having it.

"The same enemy," I made him look me in the eye, "I will burn this whole world to cinders until there's nothing left but glass. I intend to end the government through extermination, it's gonna be a whole new world when I'm through with it."

"So that's it then? You'll just kill everyone?"

Look at him, powerless to what's coming to him.

"You know, the files said you were smart. If only the circumstances were different-"

I whipped my head around as an armored figure crashed through the nearby brush, bouncing off the ground and landing face down.

I stared, "Stray?"

The albino's armor was scratched to hell.

He weakly lifted his head, "Aries I'm sorry-"

A large tan figure followed pinning him to the ground, "Looks like I'm just in time."

This is not how this is supposed to happen. No no no!

I turned my attention to Agent Washington.

"Hey, you don't want to do that. I don't want to hurt your friend here."

The alabaster chupa seemed to find the strength to raise his head, "Don't worry about me, just- Agh!"

The knee was dug into his spine and a new feeling bubbled up, it burned me up inside.

"York," Washington yelled, "Don't piss him off!"

"You," I swallowed hard tearing my eyes away from the pinned chupa, "You think I care what you do to him? My goal is to kill you both, he knows what his role is."

York frowned, "Is that so? We could just walk our separate ways. I can promise you, if you pull that trigger nobody's walking away from this."

"I don't care."

"Come on, just put the gun down and I'll let him go."

"Kill him then, if it's so easy," I jammed my pistol into Washington's face expecting to watch the panic set in on York's face only to be met with the sight of Stray squirming in pain under York.

"It doesn't have to be this way."

My eyes burned.

Stop it. Don't be weak. Stay in control. I'm in control, the goal is close at hand.

"Let him go," I pointed the gun between York's eyes, "Let him go or else."

Weakness.

"I think you and I both know what'll happen if you pull that trigger. Let's not do that."

"Maybe you didn't hear me," I took a second to gather my voice, "Let him go!"

"Let's trade, okay buddy?"

"I'm not your fuckin' buddy! Don't talk to me like some kid, I'll kill everyone you've ever cared about."

I tried to breathe and clear my thoughts, but the image of his face wouldn't go away.

Don't give in, he can take it.

"Just... Put the gun down... I'll let him go. Okay? We don't have to be enemies here."

York held his hands up in surrender, most likely to show me there was no trick.

I couldn't just let him go, the gun down. I would never get another chance like this. These Freelancers are the problem, they are part of the system- They must die- My enemies. But wouldn't my enemy have killed him? Yes- No-

The internal conflict was becoming too much. I could feel my body betraying my thoughts as I clicked the safety off, causing Washington to flinch but he was the last thing I was worried about. The pistol made its way back to my chest holster, York mirrored my motion of disarming by lifting his weight off the white chupa who seemed to breathe feverish light breaths and taking a step away from him.

Icarus.

I reached for my short blade, drawing it from across my lower back and pointing it a York. I threw Washington to the ground hard, charging forward. For once, I didn't feel like I was in control as I took a wide wild swing at the tan chupa missing as he darted past me, I assumed to get to Washington. I stumbled and dropped my sword abandoning it, sliding and scooping up my partner from the ground cradling him. This wasn't like me.

"I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it," I whispered, or at least I felt like I had been, I put my head to his chest and one of the many layers of tension dissipated. His heart was calm, he seemed to be just knocked out.

What the fuck is wrong with me? You're weak. This is my fault. No, it's his- he should have protected himself. Shut up!

My eyes stung now, accompanied by a blurring before a liquid dropped onto his chest plate armor. I sniffed and shook my head. The voice fell silent.

If York didn't lie, he should be virtually unharmed. We'll see.

I rose as quietly as I could to my feet, putting Icarus on my back piggyback style. I frowned, if he was awake, he would complain about how the katana was digging into his shoulder. I felt my lower back sword sheathe, wondering where it had gone.

My weapons are my most prized possessions, I don't just lose them-

"Hey," I turned to see York standing a good meter or two away, holding my short sword out handle pointed at me. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was giving me back my weapon. "I know it won't change your mind, but we could always use people like the both of you. I really did mean it when I said we don't have to be enemies."

"The next time we meet, when we do," I took my sword back and returned it to the scabbard.

"Hopefully you'll reconsider your enemies and allies."

"Just stay out of my way, and don't touch my Stray," I replied coldly. "We'll see about the future. Freelancers."

I turned and began walking.

That wasn't enemy behavior. They could have- should have- but they didn't. Even when I stopped- they stopped. What are they playing at? They work for the enemy- But the enemy would have- Are they not who the files said they are? We'll be home in a few days, I can think about it then.

I shook my head once more in abject irritation, what I knew and what happened were not lining up once more.

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.