//------------------------------// // Don't hug me, I'm scared // Story: What do we live for? // by Graccodef1le //------------------------------// Camo woke up to a very nauseating smell. He climbed out of bed and crept into the hallway. He made sure to pace himself so he didn’t wake his little brother in the next room. The smell grew stronger and stronger as he inhaled the smell through his nostrils. An eerie feeling went through his spine as he descended down the stairs. He noticed that his father was rested on the living room couch blankly staring into the TV screen. The sounds of pots and dish washing echoed through the room. “Mother?” “Yes, dear?” “Oh. Okay, I was just wondering where you were.” Camo walks in on Masquerade washing the dishes. Masquerade looks up from washing the dishes with a grimacing face. “How did you sleep?” “I slept fine but, that’s not important right now. How are you and dad-” Camo is caught off guard at the crashing of dishes, “I-I’m fi-n-e dear.” Camo approaches his mother closely to see tear stains along her face. Camo is frightened when he glances to the sink. The broken dish pieces have small seams of blood soaked on them. Small slivers of silver cover the platform of the sink and the floor below. Masquerade quickly tried to mask the cuts and wash away the blood from the sink before Camo could notice. “Mother are you okay?!” Camo asks as he takes her hoofs, inspecting the shallow, but painful cuts. She nods, wiping away the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She points to the crudely built dining table, made of just a few planks of plywood \and cinder blocks. “Breakfast is ready sw-eetie.” Four camouflage green plates were nested on the table without breakfast on each one. Four She sobs from the mixture of the pain of the cuts, and the mental beating from last nights argument with her husband. Camo trots to the table and begins eating the poorly prepared breakfast of burnt eggs, soggy toast and old jam. Camo manages to eat a few bites, the taste of the breakfast became hard to bare. Camo dawns a fake smile and says, “It’s really good mother, thank you” She smiles back, appreciating the fact that she knew it wasn’t her best cooking but Camo said it to make her feel better. “Thank you sweetie, i just wish your father appreciated it more.” Silver Moons growls from his spot on the couch. “I will not eat that horrible excuse for a breakfast!” “What happened to you Silver? When we were growing up you were so sweet and compassionate, but now you are rude to everyone that loves you!” She screams as more tears begin filling her eyes. Silver replies yelling at her. “I grew up, that’s what happened! If I was more like you then we wouldn’t have a house or that disaster we call a son!” She replies back. “Don’t you disrespect my son in my house!” “You wanna see disrespect?!” He stomps into the kitchen, wrapping his hoof around Masquerade’s neck, pinning her against the wall. Camo immediately stands up, he sees the plead for help in his mother’s eyes as she stares blankly at him. “Dad let her go!” Camo yells while he apprehends them. Just before he reaches his father, Silver draws his hoof back and slams his hoof across Masquerade’s muzzle. Camo stops in shock, he feels his spine tense up and a uncontrollable rage building up inside him. Losing control of his actions he grabs a kitchen knife and drives it into his fat her's sternum. Silver moon trembles and falls to the floor. Camo steps back in horror. Drops of blood pelt the wooden floor. Silver Moon gathered the energy to look up at his son. He left Camo with a piercing look on his face before he completely passed out. Masquerade rushed to his side, "C-Camo...what have you done?" "He was hurting you...I-I had to do something...I didn't want to hurt him..." Masquerade looked at Camo with a flabbergasted face. Camo heard his little brother trotting down the steps. Masquerade said, "Just leave! I wouldn't want your little brother see his big brother like this..." "But mom-" "Just go Cam-" Masquerade broke out in tears. Smokescreen paused at the foot of the steps as Camo crept out the door. "Where are you going big bro-?" Camo didn't respond. He walks out of the shadows of his home and into the morning-sun-lighted street. Morning mist soon consumes the town of Laharlville. Camo's thoughts begin to cloud his mind as the mist thickens. Images of the recents event replays in his mind. Wallowing in his own thoughts bring him to middle of town. The looming shadow of a building causes him to glance upwards. His eyes were guided up and down by the unique stature of this building. "SSB" was engraved onto to lower-right side of the building. Camo wandered in through the unguarded gates and large doors. When he entered through the doors, the huge size of the interior compared to the appearance of the exterior, entranced him. A few moments of looking around came to an end when his sight escaped him with a cloth over his head. He lost consciousness from a hit on the head. Camo woke up from his unconsciousness but to still not being able to see. "Camo was it? Ahh...what a splendid surprise! I'm glad you could make it." The cloth was removed from his eyes roughly. His regained sight unveiled who was speaking. "Do you remember me Camo? You should." "I do. Your name is Dalek. Leader of the Sun Shine Brigade." said barely making an effort to make eye contact. "Good. You're a sharp little filly, Camoflauge..." Dalek's horn glows with green magic forcing Camo's muzzle upwards. "It's rude not to look at a person when they are talking to you." Dalek is shaken by Camo's grimacing look. "It looks like you've been through a lot, young filly." Camo was knocked to his knees by the stallion to the side of him. Dalek started to speak again, “If I remember correctly, you were the young filly that couldn’t obtain an insignia. You’re an odd one at that…What is your purpose in coming here?” “I just happened to waltz in here. I don’t know why, but I felt drawn to this place. Coincidence I guess...” “Nothing is a coincidence, my dear boy. Everything happens for a reason. It was destiny that brought you here and fate that intertwined our souls.” “I have no idea what you are talking about...but okay.”, Camo muttered sassily. “It’s very good that you came to us before we came to you. You saved us a trip.” “What do you mean?” “It’s a shame what happened to you’re father-” “What’d you say?!” “Your mother must be grieving in pain right about now. How could you do that to her? Huh Camo?” “How could you possibly have known that?” “All in do time, my friend...” Camo is overcome with rage once again and charges at Dalek with full force. The stallions behind him are to apprehend but are signaled to halt by Dalek’s order. A number of steps separated Camo from Dalek. Halfway up the steps, Camo felt a wave of magic surround his body. He was soon lifted off of his hooves and flung to where Dalek was positioned. Hovering in the air by Dalek’s magic, Camo struggled to maintain balance while in mid-air. Dalek concentrated his focus on Camo. Dalek said in a sarcastic voice, “Since you have no insignia at the moment, I can do whatever I want with you...should I have you work in the mine fields or the construction area...like your friend Quarterbacks...it’s a pity what happened to him...” “Wait?! What happened to Quarterbacks?!” “Oh...you don’t know? Oh, it was terrible Cammy!” Dalek said, dawning a foolish face. “You want answers, I have the answers you’re looking for. It seems like we are in a predicament here, isn’t it? How do I get what I want so you get what you want? It seems like you’ll just have to work for me then, apart of the Sunny Shiny Brigade.” “F-fine…” Camo muttered in a monotone voice. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you correctly, could you repeat that?” “I said fine, I’ll join your little charade….” “Ahh….splendid! I’ll put you right to work then. Tonight, we are going out on a special round. We will test your abilities there. Have you heard of Lochwind?” “I don’t believe so…” “Good. It’s better if you are completely unaware of the area and the objective so that you can focus.” “Okay.” “Since you are apart of the SSB, you will have a temporary stay here at SSB headquarters. My underlings will guide you to your room. Is there a problem with that?” Camo looked to the side for a moment of thought but shook it off and agreed. Dalek paused his magical hold on Camo. Dalek kneeled in close to Camo’s ear and whispered, “There are detailed instructions directions underneath your pillow where your quarters are. A little piece of advice for the future, “if you have to think, you will surely die, reacting on instinct, leaves you time to think about the end result later.” Camo was nudged down the long corridors and into a the small room with a makeshift bed sprawled out on floor. The stallions closed the door behind Camo. From what Camo could remember, it was still early in the morning. He rested himself on top of the sheets and under the covers. He remembered Dalek’s words and guided his hooves up underneath the silk of the pillows. His hooves stopped at the touch of feathery paper. He pulled the paper from under the pillow and read the note. Dear Camoflauge, If you are filled with doubt look over your shoulders check under your hooves. I left you a few presents, they will come in handy for tomorrow. The note disintegrated into a slither of green magic. A long black cloak and a MP7 substituted the piece of paper. Camo laid there in bed, wide-eyed, replaying this mornings’ events over and over again. “How does he know what happened this morning? What the hell happened to Quarterbacks? I guess if I want answers, I’ll just have to play his little games. He’s a weird one but, I still don’t have a reason to distrust him at the moment. I do have to look out because of what Quarterbacks mentioned about the SSB.” The plain-colored walls churned his brain to fall asleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~