Tales From Sirca Chapter 12: Aries' Wake Up Call

York took a deep breath before giving the door in front of him a light tap with his foot. Despite the rocky start and what Wash believed, Aries was actually making an effort to be civil. Although his civil is more of agreeing not to behead anyone who annoyed him, but civil. A door on a living quarter was a demand Aries had made and Wash found it easier to just give him what he wanted rather than try to reason with him. Mere moments after he even touched the door it was torn open by the six-foot-six ninja chupa, he was in full combat uniform. York wondered if he actually had any clothing or if that combat outfit is it. As he expected there was a flash of confusion then rage, Aries hadn't even been in the base long, but it only took observing to notice his seemingly random patterns and mannerisms.

Aries glared his sickly yellow eyes up at York who was already formulating an explanation, "I told him to take a break and have a drink with me."

There was conflict across Aries' muzzle.

"Why did you-"

"He was working himself ragged. He couldn't even stand."

Aries' expression shifted to what York thought was one of concern. "I did not tell him to do that."

"It's what he was doing, though."

Aries crossed his arms across his chest, just over his holster.

"He's fine. He'll just be hung over." Aries looked confused, "Had too many to drink."

The look remained.

"Drunk. Too much alcohol."

"Give him to me." It wasn't a request, but a demand from the black chupa. "I shall cure him of this poisoning."

Once again, this was no surprise to York. He complied wordlessly, carefully handing Icarus off. Aries bent his neck down to make sure Icarus was breathing, York had assured him of Icarus' condition, but he was going to let Aries do his 'check'. Icarus let out a light snore and that was enough for him. The black chupa turned away.

"Aries, meet me down at the training room I told you about. Half an hour from now if you can."

"Why," There was no edge to it, just spoken as if time was being wasted.

"We need to talk."

"I will see what I can do, York. Thank you."

Aries didn't bother turning his head, he could hear the tan chupa shut the door and walk away. He waited until his ally was out of earshot before laying Icarus down in his own bedding, in a well-rehearsed motion he grabbed his wakizashi scabbard and popped open the bottom of it revealing a secret compartment. He slid out a little black case and opened that, inside were ashen black tablets. He kept these in case of poison, but this 'alcohol' sounded enough like poison to him. He placed his things down and scooted over to the albino's side, if it wasn't for the lingering fruity smell Aries might have thought Icarus was having a pleasant dream rather than a drunken slumber. He just stared, watching his features. Watching the slow rise and fall. A murderous edge surged in his mind.

"Get rid of him," A calm voice hissed.

We will do no such thing, Aries thought.

"What do you need him for? It would be nothing to-"

It would be nothing for us to force you back into the depths of my mind.

"I'll kill you."

Were it so easy.

The voice finally shut up, much to Aries' delight.

It went away. It always did.

Aries lightly slapped his partner. "Wake up."

The albino groggily snapped awake at the sound of Aries' tone. "Ye- Yes, I'm up!"

"You have been overworking yourself, York told me."

"It was-sh, it was jus' some extra training."

"What did I tell you before? You must preserve your own life- Sit up- Going hard training is one thing, but what if we were attacked? What could you do?"

Now propped up on his hands, Icarus frowned at the floor. Aries stared at his face, but the emotion didn't seem to register.

"Dial back on training, and York needs my permission to take you anywhere. I can't not know where you are."

For the second time in the span of a few minutes, Aries sounded concerned, something Icarus even in his still slightly drunken state found odd.

"Now," Aries held one of the black tablets between his taped-up digits, "Open your mouth."

"What is that," Icarus asked taking a scoot backward.

"I made it. Charcoal tablets. They are for treating the body of poisons. Now open."

"No way. No offense, but I'm not just gonna eat some random thing-"

"Now."

Icarus shut his mouth, turning his shoulders to get up, but Aries was faster and pinned his lower half down to the floor. The black chupa gripped his muzzle tightly and forced his head up, making him look the other in the eyes. Most people would cower at Aries' intense glare, but Icarus was certainly not most people. The ninja forced his mouth open with a thumb and shoved the tablet into his mouth, realizing that Aries wouldn't let him go if he didn't eat this mystery thing Icarus swallowed it and coughed.

"Ugh," Icarus gagged, "I think poison tastes better."

"You will feel better. I make and take these all the time. Was that so hard? Now, rest. I will be back."

Aries rose to his feet, wiping his hand on his leg and turning for the door.

He nearly reached the door, but Icarus finally spoke up. "Aries... Kovich called you 'Hope.' Is..."

The air suddenly felt heavy, and Icarus began to wonder if he had crossed a line. He was curious, but Aries was a hair-trigger explosive. Even a light misstep could set him off and it seemed like that was what was happening as he stopped in his tracks.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked-"

"That name was one lost to time." The black chupa stood inches from the door. "We- I used to go by that name. It appears not as lost as it seemed."

"What happened? Why would he know you?"

"Icarus. There are... There are gaps in my memory. Long periods where I was unaccounted for, time that no matter how hard we searched for answers they illude us. I don't know the fullest extent of what was even done to me. Everything is bits and pieces, fragments. It was years before I even remembered my real name. Some don't even feel like my own."

"What about your parents," Icarus asked carefully, "Do you remember them?"

"I remember I killed them. That's it. Not what they looked like, or what kind of people they were-"

The albino just stared for a moment. "I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"Just rest. I'll be right back."

Aries walked out and gently closed the door.

---

Just like he said he would, York sat waiting for Aries - but unlike he said, there stood a taller orange female shifting a long green blade from hand to hand. He spotted her white scarf and unconsciously touched his, although his was certainly worse for wear. Aries slowed his stride and squinted; it didn't look like metal- it certainly wasn't metal. Aries stopped abruptly and took a step back, shoulders raised, eyes narrowed with his body bladed. The tan chupa eyed the chest holster and saw a glint of steel.

York popped up from his seat to intercept Aries walking carefully around a punching bag, "Hey hey hey, listen don't freak out- Now, I know I said it would be just me and you-"

Aries scowled eyes darting all around the room, "So why is she here?"

"But I figured CT would help. I'm sure you're familiar with CT?"

"I know who she is," he growled. "How would she help?"

"I heard you're pretty good with swords," CT commented. "Wash is an okay sparring partner, but the opportunity to go head-to-head with an actual swordsman is something I couldn't pass up."

York held his hands palms up as a sign, surrendering. "I figured that a little sparring would help you think."

"This- This isn't some kind of trick? For you to attack me?"

"I would never."

"I... accept. But I will not answer anything I do not want to."

"Wouldn't expect any less."

Aries cautiously approached CT in a low stance, like an animal. CT offered York a raised eyebrow, and he returned it with a hopeful smile. She rotated the blade so that the handle was held out to the ninja. He took a half step back.

"Careful, it's hea-"

Aries reached out and lifted it one-handed with ease, as if it was lighter than air. CT just gawked for a moment - not to imply that Aries looked weak - but even she took a second to get a feel for a new sword, and he just picked it up without even knowing how heavy it is.

"-vy."

Aries didn't notice or didn't care about her confused tone only caring about inspecting the training blade, running a digit along the 'blade', and making sure it was aligned properly. Lost amid his own personal inspection, Aries' muzzle wore traces of a smirk. It more resembled a traditional kodachi, although it was the wrong length. He knew it was too long and it was too weighted, although he couldn't really feel the weight in his grip.

"This, this will do," Aries gripped the handle tightly with his left hand and gave it a flourishing twirl. The black chupa opened up his stance tilting the blade forward and pointing at the ceiling held at waist level, his free right hand held at shoulder level with his palm down towards the floor.

Once again CT was surprised. "You fence?"

"A lifetime ago."

"See, you two are hittin' it off already." York took a seat on the floor.

"Second question, how much does your main sword weigh? Four- Five pounds?"

CT went and grabbed another sword for herself and got ready.

Aries shrugged, "Somewhere around twenty."

"Length."

"Five and a half feet without the handle."

CT whistled.

"That is a heavy ass blade."

"Can you two geek out later?"

Aries took a step toward the female opposing him, "You may begin."

CT darted to the left, slicing horizontally toward her opponent. Aries flipped the blade vertically, both hands on the handle, catching the incoming blade on his in the blink of an eye. He flicked the blade away, hopping back and dropping into a three-point stance with the sword bisecting CT's view of his face in an almost dramatic fashion. His movements were graceful, yet entirely aggressive.

"Let's start simple," York started watching Aries defend easily against more of CT's strikes, "Is the blue stripe fur dye?"

Aries switched gears, going on the offensive and scoring a few green slashing strikes on CT's legs. "No. Been like that since I was a child, far as I can remember."

"Son of a-" CT swiped at Aries and struck air. He stabbed forward, and the female just narrowly managed to weave her head out of the way.

"How long have you and Icarus been together?"

The ninja parried a thrust that seemed to mimic the same he had done, rebutting by rolling off her arm and knocking her back with the butt of the handle to her chest. "Many months now. I've lost count if I'm honest."

CT stumbled back, holding her chest gingerly. "Cheap shot."

"Do something about it."

She came at him fast with a swing aimed at his head. True to his nature Aries shoved his handle in his mouth, dropping to a crouch before ripping a back handspring putting the sword right back in his left hand with a powerful two-handed grasp.

"York, you mind distracting him?"

She rushed forward while York shifted his body forward slightly more seriously, "What are your feelings toward Icarus, Aries?"

CT crashed down hard with a downward slice and stopped solidly with another parry. The ninja jumped, kicking her sword hand to the side before roughly tapping the flat edge of the blade against the side of CT's head.

"Pay attention," Aries muttered, retracting away from her annoyed glare. "I believe he is an amazing marksman, follows orders exceptionally. Durable. Resilient. Couldn't ask for a better partner."

"You didn't answer my question."

Aries said nothing, only watching CT reset her footing. He shifted stances to one even she had never seen before. Staying in a slightly lowered stance he raised the sword slightly above his head, pointing two fingers from his opposite hand at her. There was this unreadable look in his eyes, face scrunched in concentration and eyes sharp.

"Icarus thinks very highly of you, you know?"

"Really?"

York watched as Aries and CT clashed again. "I would say so. He talks about you a lot. The things you say, the stuff you do. Borders on being starstruck, it's cute."

"Nothing less than I would expect from my comrade."

York arched a brow in annoyance. Aries slapped away CT's strike and slipped past her.

"Just a comrade? He idolizes you, Aries. He'd do anything you asked him to."

"Yes, as I trained him."

"You really don't see it, do you?"

Aries snarled in irritation and took a heavy swipe at CT, who leaned back and twirled away from it.

"Uh, York." CT tightened her grip on the training blade. "Tread lightly."

"What are you saying, York?"

"I'm saying that surely he told you already."

Aries leaped forth and slammed his blade down hard, bordering on overpowering CT. She swiped out one of his feet and shoved him back.

"Okay, favorite color?"

Aries stared at York, bemused, and effortlessly dodged a swipe from his opponent. "Blue."

"Lefty or righty?"

Aries twirled his blade, and with a well-aimed strike grazed CT's face. She countered by grabbing his arm and pulling him in close, clamping his arm under hers. She sliced down and the blade came to a dead stop, Aries's hand raised just above his shoulder. The training blade was slightly dug into his hand wraps but didn't actually manage to cut any of it, CT looked down at his face. Aries's pupils were pinpricks, and the yellow of his eyes looked more vibrant than ever. They forcefully separated and quickly reset.

"Ambidextrous."

"York, why did you really bring me here?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm worried about Icarus."

CT raised her sword above her head. Aries glared at York, and without looking pointed his sword at CT- the point mere inches from her throat. She held her hands out in surrender.

"Elaborate. Now."

"I need you to calm down first, okay?"

"I am always calm," he almost growled, clenching the sword harder. His voice was rough with effort. "Don't tell me to calm down- I am the essence of calm!"

York kept an even gaze at the amped-up chupa. The last thing he wanted to do was push him.

"If you're calm, you pointing that sword at CT like that isn't convincing me. Convince me that you are calm."

The black-maned chupa slowly relaxed his grip, taking forced deep breaths until it finally clattered against the floor. York carefully took a step toward Aries, waiting for a response. When none came, he got closer, until he was within arm's reach.

"Is that really all you see Icarus as? Just a partner to help you with shooting things? I remember the day we actually met face-to-face, when you had a gun to Wash's head."

CT looked perplexed, wondering when this had happened.

"You talked like Icarus meant nothing to you, and he didn't even object. He would have died right there if you wanted him to. You said you didn't care, but you traded Wash for Icarus the instant you could."

"I had to-"

"Did you? Or did you have a change of heart?"

Aries stayed silent.

"Do you know what Icarus sees you as? When he talks about you, he talks like you're invincible. Like you're the greatest thing ever, don't get me started on how he looks at you. For both your sake I don't want anything bad to happen to either of you."

Aries seemed confused now, furrowing his brow as he thought back on every interaction since the two of them had met. "Why are you telling me this?"

York grabbed Aries by the shoulders. "You know Icarus says you're really smart, but he didn't say you were so dense. Let me spell it out for ya. Ready? He loves you, ya idiot."

"What..."

Aries just froze. He looked stuck between speechless and disbelieving.

"I think you broke him," CT sighed, looking at the two.

Aries seemed to snap back, and lifted York's hands off him. "I need to think- Maybe- Yes. I need to go."

He made for the door and left quickly, leaving York and CT standing there. York stared at the door, worried.

"You think I was too direct?"

"I don't know. If what you said is true, that might not have been direct enough."

The tan chupa shrugged. "Aries seems a little socially-"

"Inept?"

"Awkward. I was going to say he was awkward. The only people he did have an emotional attachment to were gunned down in front of him-"

"So that's what you guys were talking about in there when he stormed out! What do you think he's gonna do?"

"I'm confident he won't do anything rash - just kinda hoping he does the right thing." York looked over his shoulder at CT. "I- ooh."

"What?"

CT looked down at herself. She was marked up from head to toe with green lines from the sword Aries had.

"When did he-"

"Death by a thousand cuts. Aren't you glad we don't have to fight him?"

"He didn't have to slap me with the sword."

York threw his head back in laughter.

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