Chapter 15

I sat in the bed of the warthog silently, Jackie lay next to me with his hands neatly folded over his chest. Despite the fact that he was dead Aries had done an amazing job of cleaning him up, which only made me wonder how many times he's had to do this to get so good at it. If it hadn't been for the wraps around his eyes and holding his muzzle shut you'd think he was sleeping.

"Hey, Snowy," Jersey called back, I lifted my head up to meet the side-eye gaze of her visor. "Aries seem more angry than normal to you?"

"I don't understand."

"I mean you think he's-"

"Aries isn't particularly angry in any case, but... I guess generally," I brushed some dirt off my visor with a claw, "Yes, I think he's slightly angry."

"Icarus - he sliced a man's arm clean off. I thought that was just some movie shit, Tex couldn't even do that shit. Slightly doesn't even begin to cover that. What's up with him?"

I shrugged, and she pointed at me with an 'I know, right?' motion. She might be surprised by it, but I know my Ringtail.

Just shy of a superhero.

The surroundings around us grew less and less dense, the treeline was fewer trees and became more tall yellowing grass with flat lands.

"Aries doesn't like losing people. Every death that happens under his watch, he handles personally. Burials and informing families."

"Sounds like Wash."

I sighed. "That's the same thing York and Sammy said."

Jersey turned her head back toward the tail of the motorcycle ridden by the ring-tailed chupa, "So, what's the plan?"

"I'm thinking... We're going to take Jackie home, just like he wanted."

"Speakin' of Tex, I can't help but notice he's riding Tex's motorcycle and she doesn't even let anyone near that thing. There's one of two things going on. Either he and Tex are long lost siblings-"

I rolled my eyes at her. This wasn't the first time she mentioned this idea. For some reason, Jersey was convinced that Aries was somehow related to Tex in some way, even though Tex was older than him and Aries had an accent while Tex didn't. Or at least I didn't notice it if she did. I don't talk to her much.

"They ain't. I've been in Aries' old house, he ain't have a sister."

"-Or they're fucking."

I felt my eye twitch and something burned in my stomach.

"They ain't."

Jersey let out a hearty chuckle that almost sounded a little forced.

"I'm serious, Jersey."

She turned her head once more and shifted into neutral. "You saying there's no way? I don't know if you noticed, but Tex ain't buddy-buddy with nobody in the base. But she's pretty civil with Aries. Chatty even. I know you seen the way she looks at him."

"What I know, is that Aries wouldn't do that."

"You sound-"

"Drop it, Astrid," I growled, irritated now. What exactly was her goal here, to rile me up? Cause she's done it and I'm pissed.

"Just trying to lighten the mood."

It was silent once more and I turned my head to the sky, there was some merit to Jersey's comment about Aries seeming angry. As far as I'd known him his anger was verbal and explosive like a brick of tannerite, but he seemed almost calm. Contained even. It wasn't normal. There was no possible way that he would be so calm, it's a cover- or he's putting on an act for us.

Both options were unlikely for the ronin chupa, but what other choice was there?

The radio in my helmet popped then Aries came through clear, "Listen up. In five minutes we'll be entering Jackie's home village. We're unfortunate guests in a more unfortunate situation. Do not be surprised if we are unwelcome. Leave your weapons in the vehicle. The last thing these people wish to see is a gun. Out."

"Black tie event, and we brought power armor," Jersey muttered to herself. "If we're so damn unwelcome then why is he bothering to tell us? Surely we're going to leave after delivering Jackie to his parents, right?"

I said nothing; only observed Jersey. Her tone implied she was hoping that was the case, seems she didn't want to stay any longer than she needed to. Not out of a lack of caring, but misery. We darted past a cabin-like home, it was too late for her to back out now as we began to pass more and chupas flooded out from their homes. Aries flashed the bike's brake lights and we slowed to a safe crawl, following his tail light down the winding road until he came to a soft stop in front of a home. This one, unlike the others, only had one chupa standing out in front. If Jackie hadn't been laying dead next to me, I would have assumed that this was him. Aries killed his engine and dismounted, I moved to join him but he held out his hand for me to stay- which I did, promptly sitting back down. I looked over at Jersey who seemed to squirm under the gaze of the onlookers, the attention on her was clearly unwanted. My gaze floated back to Aries, who quietly spoke with who I could only assume was Jackie's mother. The more he spoke the more her saddened expression deepened.

By late afternoon the funeral was over, but the townsfolk didn't go home. They milled around the field that they'd finished lowering Jackie into, none seemed to want to leave. Maybe it was just because around my parts people don't want to stand out in the cold, but funerals are quick in Sampi. This had taken a majority of the day. Jackie's grave wasn't the only one there, there were plenty of marked graves. Some with actual tombstones and others with plants that most certainly were not native to Qoppa. All of these were carefully stepped around by the people to avoid disturbing them. The sun was beginning to set but there were torches lit all around for light and to keep bugs away. I traced the edge of my visor with a claw, out of everything I was more surprised that they allowed us to share a word about Jackie.

"Hey, Icarus, you seen Aries?"

Jersey's voice startled me out of my solitary gaze of the burial field, she walked up next to me- helmet off and a sharpened look to her slightly bloodshot eyes. "Aries? Oh, he chirped out a while back, he said he needed to speak to someone."

"Who could he know out here, we're- heh- we're inna middle of bumfuck nowhere- right? I mean- like..." Jersey waited for a response but I remained silent, I felt like she was dancing around something. "I feel you would know this, but if you don't I also wouldn't be surprised. But... What did Aries tell Juneau?"

"Miss Oso?" I echoed. "The truth."

"Everything?"

"Everything. She wasn't very happy about some of the events of how we've all come together, but she's grateful that he didn't lie."

"Well- that tracks... Aries doesn't seem like much of a liar. Also explains why she side-eyed me."

"Yeah."

We stood in silence for a few seconds.

"Did you and Jackie ever-"

"No. Ew, he was like a brother to me."

"Just asking."

"Have you and Aries-"

"Yes."

"How big is-"

"You're gross, you know that Jersey?"

Jersey cleared her throat, but I swore I heard a chuckle in there somewhere.

Both our radios popped once more. Hissing quietly, Jersey put on her helmet. "Back to the hog. We're leaving. Now."

"Aries," I started trying to maintain a level voice, "What's up? What happened?"

"My contact had some actionable information. Mount up."

The line went dead and I immediately started a jog back to the warthog. I could hear Jersey trailing behind. We received passing stares but nothing too concerning, they all seemed as if they didn't care whether we stayed or not.

"He usually this short with you?"

"No... Never."

I made it out to the dirt road first, where Aries was posted up with the motorcycle. Even from this distance I could make out the dark expression on his face. Brow arched, yellow eyes transfixed on something as he angrily paced back and forth. I slowed down to a halt in front of my partner, Jersey slowed her stride to join but I waved her away. Aries didn't look at me as he mounted the bike and revved the engine, he seemed distracted. More notably his claws seemed longer and thinner, like razors.

Did he sharpen them? That must have hurt.

I grabbed his shoulder, and that finally seemed to snap him out of the haze. His eyes met mine through my visor. I always felt he could see through it. I felt at ease as the conflicted look was gone. "Hey, you broken?"

The ends of his mouth slightly curled upward, "No. You?"

"No way. What's on your mind?"

"I have a plan." He sighed. "You won't like it."

"Well, we're in a rush. Just tell me when we get there. I trust it'll work out."

Aries huffed out an amused breath, dismissing me. He flicked the top of my helmet with the tip of his one-ringed tail. I turned my heel to the warthog and clambered up the side and dropped myself into the bed, loaded Snowpiercer, and Aries sped off leading our small convoy.

---

I followed close behind Aries' tail, my rifle ready but not pointed at anything. The moon shone defiantly to light up the night.

A full moon.

"Fuckin' shit, it's darker than a motherfucker out here," Jersey complained through the comms.

"Don't mind Jersey, she's a city girl," I quipped, "Darkness like this is nothing compared to the caves in Sampi."

Aries let out a rare chuckle, stopping inside the brush just before a small grouping of trees. Even in the dark, I could make out his serious expression, I turned on my night vision so I could see him better.

"So, Aries, the plan?"

He grimaced, and I instantly knew something was wrong. "My contact confirmed the location- The hideout of those guys who ambushed you and killed Jackie. I've called for-"

There was movement and a figure jumped out from the trees, and it... Smiled at us. The chupa had only landed ten yards away sporting standard-issue red army armor and a brown bag that seemed to be absolutely full. I swung my rifle around and pointed it at their chest, his toothy bucktoothed smile only seemed to widen.

"You must be lost, tree-hugger," I snarled in a voice I didn't even recognize, but I recognized what he was.

"Just as lost, hehe, as you- snow herder," he shot back with a barely contained giggle. Although short, he still stood taller than me- or maybe he was just around my height. I kept the gun trained on him. "You should point that somewhere else before we all make some very vital tactical mistakes."

I only now noticed the Assault Rifle in his hand, scratched up by his long claws. I could feel the fur on my tail bristling. Every fiber of my being was on edge, I stepped in front of Aries to create a barrier.

Aries gently guided the nose of my rifle away from the newcomer. "Both of you stand down - you too, Astrid. This is Joy, he's fairly new to you... But I met him a long time ago, back when my blades were still new. He's one of us."

He pointed to the Rogue symbol scratched carefully into the left shoulder of his chest plate. I complied and Jersey must have too, but I wasn't going to take my eyes off him to make sure. He didn't need to be near Aries, ally or not.

"Here's the plan. We're going to enter the nearby mine via elevator cable, hit the bottom, and kill everyone. I mean everyone. Spare nobody, just like how they did not spare Jackie. This is revenge. Here's the part you won't like." Aries looked into my visor, there was a conflict in his eyes once more. "Icarus. You need to take the leash. You already know the deactivation phrase-"

"Are you nuts?" I snapped at him louder than I intended. "The last time you-"

"The last time it happened I was being commanded by Kovich. If you say the phrase- I'm yours."

There was something about that wording that made my stomach do flips.

"Impose your will and it will be done."

"God, Icarus, get your head in the game. You two can be as gay as you want later, but right now there are some dudes that need killing." Jersey elbowed me in the side, and I felt my face burning up.

"Fine. But if I even sense that you might be losing control-"

"Shut me down," Aries finished.

"Let's go clear that hole then."

Aries took the lead, sprinting over the hill, past the trees only stopping when the four of us overlooked a brightly lit elevator shaft. This shaft had no cage to protect the elevator from swaying or from people falling out, one slight wrench in the plan stood near the entry point armed with an Assault Rifle. I drew my handgun and put him down with two rounds through his skull with two soft pops.

Perfect.

I darted over and scooped up his rifle while the other three stood over the hole. Aries beckoned me and I silently did so, at least a good hundred feet below us chupas with bandanas on milled around. Some actively worked the mine while others sat around chilling, as far as I could see very few of them actually had any firearms. I turned off my night vision, it was brightly lit enough down there that I wouldn't need it.

"Icarus. It's time," Aries stated with a measure of uncertainty in his tone.

I swallowed hard.

This is it.

"Contra," I breathed shakily, memories of the mauling I received flashing in my mind. "Toreador, Roulette, Lattice."

Aries recoiled, snarling wildly. His breathing became ragged, dropping to a low crouch on all fours, writhing for a few moments. I didn't like this. I really didn't like this.

Did it hurt? Was I hurting him?

Before I could get the words out he was rising up, towering over me. He was always taller than me but somehow seemed taller. His eyes quite literally were glowing in the dark, the same bright yellow they always were. He seemed to be staring at me. Waiting.

What did Kovich call him? He probably won't respond to Aries... Let's see...

"Aries?" The werewolf only tilted his head in mild confusion, which certainly answered that question. "Hope?"

He perked up to attention.

"We're your friends. Allies. Get down there and kill anyone who isn't us, okay?"

Hope slowly nodded, whipped around toward the hole, and dove in, not even making an attempt to slow his fall with the elevator cable.

"Your boyfriend is a crazy freak, you know that right?" Jersey muttered.

"Yeah, but he's mine," I shot back, "Go, go, go!"

I went down the cable first, sliding fast. Hope hit the ground in a frog pose, kicking up dust and drawing the attention of the nearest smuggler. He approached Hope with a pickaxe but my ringtail was faster, using his claws to slice clean through his throat. I opened fire as I neared the bottom of the cable, killing one of the chupas near one tunnel reaching for a shotgun. Gunfire flashed above me from Jersey and Joy, suppressing our enemy and killing those who didn't make it to cover. Hope's ringed tail vanished into the dust, I could hear screams.

I hit the bottom and dove for cover, "Split up! If you find Aries, stay the hell out of his way!"

"No problem, kiddo. I like my throat being in my body. Let's get this get-back," Jersey shouted, opening fire on a guy who sprinted for her dropping him instantly. She ran down another guy and pinned him to the wall, she didn't say anything but he was slowly overpowering her.

The guy hit her with a gutshot punch and she retaliated with a cross to his face. I ran up and she let him go, I leaped and crashed down on him with a flying punch that staggered him back into the wall. Jersey and I both grabbed a hold of him, me on the right side and her on the left. I cocked back my left and threw it as hard as I could into his midsection, she followed my hit with a right-handed haymaker. I stepped back and rocked him with a haymaker of my own, he nearly fell but Jersey forced him back to an upright position against the wall. I bent him over into a knee and pushed him back up, Jersey socked him again with a left cross this time. The poor guy staggered forward. I struck him with another leaping punch and Jersey cocked her arm back behind her leg and delivered an uppercut that send his head back with a spray of blood and dropped him for good.

"Good shit, kid!"

I split up from her running up a nearby ramp and bursting down two guys. A yell sounded behind me, I threw myself forward barely dodging the swing of something heavy, rolled over pulled the trigger. The bolt clicked and stopped, and the gun jammed. The chupa over me raised his sledgehammer.

"Oi! Suzy!" Jersey shouted, and he looked over his shoulder.

A glass bottle crashed into his face and his upper body was engulfed in flames, he immediately dropped his weapon. No matter how much he tried to pat it out it hungrily ate at his fur and clothes like a living wick. I punched the charging handle free and kicked the enflamed chupa away from me, screaming as he stumbled away. I scrambled to my feet walking up the wooden scaffold.

"Coming up behind you, kid! Joy's following up. We gotta go deeper in these tunnels."

A bandit ran at me at full speed, machete in hand. He raised his hand up and brought the blade down, I used the broad side of my gun to parry the wild slice. Retaliating with two gun butt strikes, unloading rounds in his chest before throwing him off the shaky walkway. I looked down over the side and realized there were chupas gaining on Joy, as much as I didn't like him- he was my ally now. I went to crouch to provide covering fire-

"Fuck!" My foot went straight through the rickety wood, then my body swung through until I was upside down. I was dangling by my ankle. "Jersey! I'm stuck!"

"I see," I could hear her approaching where my foot was stuck at the top of the scaffold. "Shit, I got company!"

Joy, who now was near face-to-face with me, spun around as armed chupas began to open fire on him.

"Double fuck!"

I raised the rifle to my eye. One tried to advance, but the both of us quickly cut him down. Another peeked his head out, and I painted his thoughts onto his friend behind him.

"Jersey!"

"I'm workin' on it!"

Bullets whizzed past my head and the hissing of Jersey's silenced SMGs chattered away above- below me.

"JERSEY!"

Joy shot one in the leg, and I finished him as he fell out into the opening. No matter how many I seemed to cut down, more seemed to just pop up, and I was getting low on ammo for this rifle. Joy reached for his waist and pulled something out. A frag grenade. He threw it where the bandits were grouped. I held my breath and aimed for it, my bullet connected and threw bits of them all over the place decorating it with blood and body parts.

"Good shot, Icarus," Joy hissed happily.

"I aim to-" I was dropped to the floor roughly, "Ow. I aim to please."

"And pleased I am."

The lights blinked for a moment before coming back on with a flicker.

The generator must be damaged, or we did that...

I pushed up to my feet and ran back up to where I fell through but took one last glance around the main chamber of the mine. Bodies littered everywhere, most riddled with bulletholes and other scorched and still burning. I jumped over the hole and pressed on through the tunnel, Joy and Jersey both reloaded behind me. A guy jumped out from a side path with a knife, I pulled the trigger and the rifle clicked back at me empty and defiant. I cocked my arm back and drilled the rifle into the guy's head knocking him out cold, the gun clattered to the ground and I hopped over his body now drawing my handgun.

Where's Aries?

The tunnel let out into what looked like a makeshift cafeteria, and a large mineral deposit lined the wall directly across from us.

"Corundum," Joy whispered, "Very valuable rock."

To the far right of the room was a glass window that looked like it overlooked another mining pocket. Tables were set around the room, and chupas sat at them. I tried to advance, but Jersey held me back. Now that I thought about it, they didn't know we were here yet.

"Boss, what the fuck are we gonna do?"

The peach-colored chupa with a slicked-back brown mane glared at the chupa who spoke out. He wore an impressive tuxedo with a bandana tied around the arm. "We will kill the intruders. There are only a few of them and hundreds of us."

"What about the feral one?" another piped up. This guy was larger, and wore a bulletproof vest. "He clawed out Ymir's throat in one swipe."

"Don't be a spineless pussy. I pay you idiots to kill people. He can die just like anyone else, he isn't a demon or a god! He's just a random FUCK!"

The window exploded inward, glass scattering everywhere as Hope somersaulted through it. He hit a two-handed handspring before landing in a kneeling pose, one hand on his left knee and the other planted firmly on the stone floor. Hope's arm wraps and hands were coated in blood. No wonder this place seemed quiet, he must have been slaughtering them like cattle while we had a gunfight. Most notably, his long black hair flowed freely like a black river. His band seemed to have vanished, or he lost it in the midst of combat. There was something menacing about his mane shadowing and nearly hiding his eyes, but his eyes illuminated the darkness it provided. The werewolf slowly rose to his feet while the chupas in the room slowly began to panic at the sight of the one chupa army, he glared soullessly at the tuxedo-wearing leader.

An angry smile tore across my face.

Get them, Hope. Get them.

"Stay calm," the leader muttered to the bandits nearest to him. Aries began to advance, stepping down the two steps that separated the leveling of the room with thunderously heavy steps. The leader pointed at two random bandits. "You two, go!"

The first man approached Hope at a sprint, but he was disregarded with a hefty forearm to the chest. The second approached on his right side, and the short blade was out in a flash and ran through the bandit's chest. Lifting him up into the air before pulling it out and put away just as quickly. The werewolf marched forward unbothered, tossing tables and chairs aside striking nearby bandits with them. Another brave soul pulled a knife and attempted to stab him, but Hope's arm shot out. The bandit's face was grabbed and mashed against the corundum deposit wall, his screams were ignored as he was dragged along it cutting up his face and painting the pretty stone with his blood before he was tossed aside limp like a ragdoll. Two chupas pushed their way to the front of the group with handguns and opened fire. Hope dropped to a low crouch, avoiding the gunfire. The lights flickered. One advanced and was hit with a flipped table, Hope stood tall. Another guy, opting for a small oxygen tank, ran up on the werewolf and actually landed a hit that seemed to stumble him, his head dipping for a moment. Then was thrown back as he let out an ear-splitting howl.

Now you've done it.

Hope grabbed the offender by the back of his shirt and slammed him headfirst into a table hard enough to draw blood. He began advancing more aggressively, snarling the whole way. The second pistol-wielding chupa attempted to line up a shot but the werewolf grabbed his muzzle and the wrist of the shooting arm, another ran up behind him and punched him in the back only to hurt his own hand. The shooter dropped limply when his head was twisted to an unnatural angle while the melee fighter stepped back. He threw another punch as reinforcements converged but they were not fast enough as Hope caught his punch and snapped his neck as well. The next man didn't even get close before a foot was planted against his chest with a crack and he was sent tumbling over the top of a table.

The last two remaining guards were ordered forward, the lights flickered, and the bigger chupa approached him first being punched directly in the chest. The second had managed to sneak behind Hope and grab onto his arm, he was shaken off like a leaf. Then the chupa who had been kicked rose to his feet, chair in hand. The larger bandit struck Hope with a right cross and the chair was broken across his back, dropping him to a knee. I caught a glimpse of a pistol being drawn and the lights went out.

A gunshot.

No... He- You better not be-

The lights came back to life and his three attackers stood facing each other, confused as their target was nowhere to be found. I spotted him immediately, looming behind the largest bandit who had fear written all over his crimson face. Hope grabbed his shooting arm, making him shoot both the other bandits in the head before snapping his neck.

The leader scrambled for a discarded handgun on a table near him, I finally intervened popping a shot from my own gun and a round straight through his wrist. He fell to the floor practically crying as blood shot out from the wound. The three of us ran out from our hiding spot just as Hope grabbed the leader by the neck.

"W-what-" the leader choked out, "What the hell are you?"

"Death," Hope rumbled out in a voice that was much deeper than Aries' voice before crushing his windpipe with one hand. Then he dropped the corpse, glaring at it hungrily.

I holstered my pistol and hugged the werewolf's side, "It's okay. It's not your fault."

Hope went limp for a moment, eyes fluttering. Nearly fell to the ground before catching himself and allowing me to assist him. When Aries opened his eyes again his eyes looked normal again. Still yellow, but not opaque yellow. Comforting. Recognizable.

"What'd I tell you, Icarus? You really should trust me more."

"I tru-"

Joy was cut off by Jersey, "Don't be a dick-rider, new guy. We spun back and that's what matters. We might as well take some of their shit while we're here right? I thought so, new guy- come with me."

Jersey dragged Joy off much to the confusion of Aries, "Did something happen?"

"Please," I pressed my helmet against his chest and hugged tight, "Never make me do that to you ever again."

The ronin sighed, "Well, now how can I say 'no' to that?"

I wrapped my arms tighter around Aries' waist as we sped through the flats on the motorcycle. I insisted on riding with him. There was no way I would be anywhere near that smiling weirdo.

"Aries, where are we going?" Jersey piped up. "Rebel base is the opposite way. Andee and Wash are already gonna be asking where we been for the last day or so."

Aries tensed.

You'll be okay.

He relaxed. "I feel like you all need to see something. Especially... Especially you and Icarus. Joy is merely along for the ride, but this is for you two. Both of you know already."

I raised a brow.

What could he be showing us that we both already know about?

We cruised for another thirty minutes before he slowed to a halt and killed the engine, Jersey came to a halt ten seconds later. On the right side of the worn road we had been riding on was a barren field of grey sand. I didn't even know sand could be grey. Where the sand touched, plants refused to grow as if they were afraid or respected the boundary. Twenty yards off the road, illuminated by the moonlight, was a singular headstone in the sand. Aries stepped off the bike and helped me swing my leg over the side.

A grave?

He marched over wordlessly, disturbing the sand, and only stopping once he was directly in front of the stone. He knelt at the foot of it. I rushed over, taking off my helmet before carefully taking a seat next to him. At this distance, I could actually read what was carved into the stone.

'CIF-3, Hayden, Byte, Nym, Kix, Bear, Bluey.'

The date of death was weathered away, but the names were clear as if it had just been done. I couldn't fathom when he had done this, most likely long before we ever met. I looked over at Aries, and his eyes lost their usual edge. He frowned. He didn't normally smile, but I know him. I know when he's feeling something.

Regret.

I offered him my hand, and to my pleasant surprise, he took it in his. He didn't cry, never would, but there was a visible sadness in his eyes. Neither of us spoke, and that was just fine. There was a light jangling of metal before I heard Jersey take a knee on Aries' other side. I leaned forward to look at Jersey's face, she finally took off her helmet and... She looked miserable. I knew why. Aries told me the story. Joy finally joined us but I didn't care about him. This was something the three of us shared now. Joy was the last to join us but I didn't give a fuck about him.

"Hey, uh," Jersey sniffed and tilted her head back to stare at the moon. Her eyes looked a little glassy. "You think, in Valhalla or whatever... You think they forgave me?"

"Forgave," Aries croaked questionably. "I would say... If I could, they could find it in them as well."

"I can live with that."

There was a few beats of silence.

"Do you come here often?"

"Yes."

I decided to pipe up. "I guess The House has a way of bringing people together. If they ain't messed up our lives, we'd 'a never have met."

Aries and Jersey hummed in agreement. I rested my head on Aries and listened to his heartbeat. The soft and calm rhythm put me at ease.

"Is it okay if we don't tell Wash about this part," Jersey asked, wiping her face. "I don't wanna sound like a bitch in front of the guys."

In the moonlight, I could have sworn my partner tried to hide an amused smirk from the freelancer.

"You cryin', Jersey?" I asked almost amused. "You do have a heart in there-"

"Shut up, shortstack."

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