When We Fall

by ObCom

Part 4

Bass Leader had no need to kill the messenger, as the messenger was already dead. His face twitched as he watched the Bruiser’s camera feed over and over, but otherwise displayed no emotion. He paused, just before the tank shell ended the driver’s miserable life, and focused on his target.

Vinyl Scratch, the ever resourceful, annoyingly lucky DJ looked at the Bruiser with an entire column of tanks behind her back. Her hair was slick with sweat, her artificial eyes broadcasting a look of bewilderment and fright. Despite that, Bass Leader could see the faint beginnings of a grin. The DJ was enjoying herself.

Bass Leader closed his eyes; a gesture that went unseen due to the mirrored plates grafted over them, and rubbed his temples. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Once the DJ’s infuriating smile was banished, he opened his eyes to look at the picture, this time to look at Octavia.

His daughter looked terrible. She was close to breaking under all of the pressure that she had suddenly found on her shoulders. Forces that should never have drawn her attention were springing up around her, demons that Bass Leader had fought hard to keep their prying claws away. Bass Leader knew his daughter, despite the fact that they had never been particularly close. Her pain, her suffering, he felt all of it. For the first time since he had his tear ducts sealed, Bass Leader wanted to cry.

He put a large hand over his eyes, his fingers leaving prints across his vision. The large man did not care for anything at that moment; he simply wished that he could have protected his daughter better. His shoulders heaved once, twice, as the man indulged in emotion.

When Bass Leader was done, when he was sure his voice would not crack, he raised a hand. Each fingertip glowed blue and, in the dark van, moved with dizzying speed. If someone had opened the door, which no one would under strict penalty of death, they would have seen Bass Leader wagging his fingers back and forth. They would never have been able to tell that the man was writing, that each stroke of the digital keyboard carried the full weight of his anguish, and that each word promised to pay the recipient back a tenfold.

Vinyl’s heart had never withstood such punishment.

After the two gave themselves to the Solar Empire, Vinyl wasn’t able to turn her head without seeing white and gold armor. Thankfully, the soldiers didn’t seem to take any interest in the people who were leaving the city, although sometimes they pointed at someone and laughed. Vinyl was fine to leave them to their people-watching if it meant she got out of the city scot-free. If she had to make a complaint, it would have been about the walking. Just because the Empire had been kind enough to scare Bass Leader’s men didn’t mean that they could offer a car.

Vinyl thought back to the bus garage that she and Octavia had just left. Giant crowds of people had been corralled there for the evacuation. The elderly and the children, as always, got first dibs on the available vehicles. Anyone left behind would either get a ride in an APC or would walk. Vinyl had wondered why the soldiers didn’t call in any of those fancy transports that had been flying over the city for weeks. Hell, while they were at it, they could get the giant ship that general Rainbow Dash had shown up in. She refrained from asking the faceless soldiers. They were still dangerous and she didn’t like their reflective visors.

“Hey Vinyl,” Octavia said, tearing the DJ from her thoughts, “can we talk?”

Vinyl felt a tingle up her spine. Octavia’s innocent question sounded like a verbal minefield. A minefield that, until then, had been left untouched due to life-threatening scenarios. Even if she just wanted to talk, there was no way she would ask for permission, especially on the middle of a highway crowded with refugees.

Steeling herself, Vinyl said, “Yeah, sure. What’s on your mind?”

Octavia shifted, uncomfortable now that she had an opportunity. She looked at the throng of refugees and cleared her throat. “What happened to you after I was taken?”

Vinyl’s weak smile disappeared. How could she possibly respond to that? Did she dare subject Octavia to all of the details, including the forced augmentations, the beatings, and the executions? The DJ’s hands started to shake. She clenched them into fists. Breathing became difficult. Octavia was looking at her. Lilac eyes searching, waiting for an answer. All of the noise on the highway died. There should be no way that many people could suddenly fall silent. Was she still breathing?

Vinyl raised a hand to her mouth and coughed. “Y’know, stuff,” she mumbled.

“What kind of stuff?” Octavia raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t going to stop.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Tav,” Vinyl said, hoping to stop the questions.

“Vinyl, it obviously bothers you.”

The DJ ground her teeth and kept her eyes forward. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, making sure to regulate her breathing, and tried her best to ignore the information that her ill-begotten augments were telling her. Two unread messages begged for her attention, but those could have only come from one person and she had no interest in reading them. A hand rested on Vinyl’s shoulder. Surprised, she shook the hand off.

The action caused Octavia to stop. Vinyl blinked before realizing what she had done. She looked down. The asphalt was suddenly the most interesting thing around. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been on edge lately.”

“Because of my father?”

Vinyl nodded. Octavia stepped closer, put a hand on Vinyl’s shoulder, and steered her off of the highway. The two sat at the edge of the road and watched the people walk past. Vinyl ran a hand through her hair, refusing to look Octavia in the eye. Why did she have to ask that question now? Vinyl took a ragged breath. Maybe talking about it would make her feel better.

“A-after I came back and saw you gone, well, I got a message. Turns out your dad’s super secret plan was done and, and he was coming to get you. Sent a couple of guys, just idiots like the ones from earlier. They came around, saw me on the couch and asked where you were. Wanna know what I said to them?” Vinyl flashed a grin and hoped it looked genuine. Octavia put her hand on top of Vinyl’s and squeezed.

“I said to them, I said, well, I don’t actually remember. I thought I could say something cool, but damn, I don’t know what happened. I think I cried myself to sleep.” Vinyl paused to wipe at the tears that were forming. “I just missed you so goddamn much.”

Octavia rested her head on Vinyl’s shoulder. “I missed you too,” she said softly. “I kept worrying about you. I know what type of man my father is, and I’ve seen some of the things he’s done. I didn’t want any of that to happen to you.” Octavia raised her head and Vinyl assumed she was looking at her.

She felt a pair of warm lips press against her cheek. “I can’t tell you how happy I was to see you come for me. I was glad knowing that you were alive, but I also know that my father left you that way. Please, Vinyl, tell me what happened. I don’t like seeing you suffer.”

Vinyl sniffed and put her arm around the cellist. “Fine, if you really want to know.” The DJ shook her head and took a deep breath. She was going to force it all out.

“I woke up in your father’s evil dungeon. He was mad, so he beat me until he didn’t want to. Busted me up pretty good. But you’re right, I’m only alive because he saw me as a tool. So, after the beatings, he made me execute captured soldiers. Apparently the Empire was getting a little too close to him and he wanted to send a message. After that, he augged me. I don’t know the whole of it, but that’s why I have these new eyes. Now you can stop giving me those worried little looks I catch you doing.”

Vinyl kicked herself for the last part, but Octavia didn’t seem to notice. The cellist was too stunned to speak. Vinyl could feel Octavia’s body shaking against hers. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so blunt, but Octavia had asked.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Vinyl said, “there was nothing you could have done.”

“I want him dead.”

Vinyl froze. She wasn’t crying? “You want who dead?”

“My father,” Octavia hissed. “He doesn’t deserve to live.”

“You don’t mean that,” Vinyl said. What was she saying?

“And you don’t know what you’re talking about. I am his daughter, Vinyl, and his work sometimes followed him home. It’s part of the reason why he kept me a secret. He wanted to hide his weaknesses.”

“Alright, then what are you going to do? Go back the way we came and put a bullet in between his eyes? I don’t think he deserves to live either, Tav, but I’m not going to go on a pointless quest for revenge. If you go after him, you’re no better than he is.”

Octavia blinked and looked as if Vinyl had just slapped her. The DJ winced and said, “This morning, you kept asking me what the plan was. Well, this time, the plan is that we’re going to keep walking down this highway, and we’re not going to look back.” Vinyl stood up, brushed the dirt off of her pants, and held a hand down to Octavia. “I think that’s enough of a rest for now, don’t you think?”

The cellist still looked hurt, but a smile crept across her lips. “Oh, Vinyl, where would I be without you?” She wondered out loud and took the DJ’s hand.

“Probably in a bunker somewhere,” Vinyl said.

Octavia raised an eyebrow. “Where did you get such an idea?”

Vinyl shrugged. “I watch a lot of movies. Besides, I think it’s a good possibility, considering what we’ve been going through today.”

Octavia shook her head. “So, the plan is to keep walking. How far are we going?”

“As far as we can. Something tells me that the shit is about to hit the fan.”

“What makes you say that?”

Vinyl looked up, as if the sky could provide an answer for a gut feeling. Unfortunately, it did, and the evacuation suddenly made sense.

The remains of Camelot station was heading straight for them.

Author's Note:

A good chunk of this chapter is rough and will probably be edited later.

Comments

[Neko-sama]

Dark......so very dark.......I LOVE IT! MOAR! I DEMAND MORE!

[ObCom]

2204890

You're gonna have to wait 3 months for the next part.

[Neko-sama]

2205602GODDAMMIT!!!