Tales From Sirca 17: Seppuku

Aries felt rage at the accusation and stomped a foot at the shorter alabaster chupa, "I would never say anything like that!"

Icarus' enraged glare was unmoving and might as well have been made of Damascus, he stared with hatred. It... hurt him.

"Ya' didn't have to." There was something about his tone, it wasn't accusatory, it was certain. "You showed me just how important I am. I can't believe I fucking trusted you, threw me away the first chance ya got- But you know what, I'll give you the chance to explain. Tell me exactly what stopped you from coming to help me. To even look for me. To even make sure I was fucking alive. Go ahead, Hope. Tell me!"

Aries took a half-step back. He never called the ninja Hope. Never. Always Aries, or Ringtail.

What's happening- The stripe-tailed chupa thought wildly.

Aries tried to recall the events after the crash, but everything was fuzzy. Nothing was clear. He tried to speak, but his voice refused to work. Icarus squinted at his former leader, picking up his helmet and turning away with Snowpiercer in his arms. Even with his back turned, the sight of his burns were seared into the Rogue's mind.

"I think we're done here, Rogue Leader. Tell Wash I'm not coming back."

Say something, he screamed in his head.

But there was nothing that came to mind, Aries couldn't think of anything to say. There was nothing to argue. He called him out, and the only excuse to be had been that he didn't even remember it. His tail hung low. Icarus put on his helmet and walked out of the base, leaving the ninja to fumble through things he could have said. This was wrong, this wasn't how this was supposed to go. Jersey was right. Everyone in the room made themselves busy and cleared out. He couldn't care less if they heard that. He didn't care about what they think. Anger bit at Aries' nerves, fury... Then regret.

---

"Aries," The chupa protectively clutched the S7 sniper and turned his head, slightly relaxing his grip on the weapon. It was only York, who smiled on his approach, but there was concern in his eyes. "You mind if we talk?"

Aries refused to put the rifle down, but nodded. Ever since that night, almost a week ago, everyone on the base had been avoiding him. All except for York, Jersey, and Milo. Although, the bat only hung around to pester them about when Icarus was coming back around to take him on another trip. But now that York actually had a good look at Aries in the early morning forest light, he looked terrible. His fur had overgrown, the mane now a little too long for his classic ponytail, and shrouded his eyes in shadow. The eyes could actually be seen glowing in the darkness provided by his mane, the fur around his eyes seemed darkened and almost slick with some liquid. It was concerning to see the refined rebel look so disheveled.

"You doing alright?"

Aries managed to upturn the edges of his mouth, but his eyes seemed void, "I have been better. I'll survive."

"I see you, uh, rocking a new 'do. I liked the ponytail, but this is an interesting change."

"Thank you."

As nice as York wanted to be, he came out to Aries' makeshift shooting range for a reason.

"Are you willing to talk about it?"

Oh. That. Aries frowned as the memory was brought back to the front of his mind.

Aries slowly nodded, he didn't have a reason to distrust York. Dishonesty didn't seem in the muscular chupa's character, even when Aries was still trying to kill them all that time ago.

"What happened?"

He'd had time to gather my thoughts and even now couldn't remember everything, but could tell what he did know. "We'd gone out on an operation with Agent Texas. It was supposed to be clean, easy in and out to steal an experimental weapon. For the most part, the plan worked to get us in and steal the weapon. We were shot down while escaping. I prioritized helping Texas... I should have just grabbed my team and left, but I stayed to help. I heard half of my activation phrase and... I only remember flashes of blood and death. When I came down from it, I was laid out in a warthog next to the weapon in the bed. The only chupa other than me, Tex had taken with her, was our pilot, Wadeeah."

"Wad-ee-ah?"

"Foehammer. And-"

York held up a hand to stop the black chupa from speaking further, "Look, I'm sure there's more to the story- but I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm not the one you need to give the full story to. You need to get it together and go find Icarus."

"I can't."

York was dumbstruck, Aries claiming that he couldn't find Icarus was impossible. He knew for a fact that the Rogue Leader had a knack for finding people. Especially Icarus. He was half convinced the ninja had a tracking device on him.

"Can't or won't," York countered, crossing his arms.

Aries held the rifle like a small animal and looked away, "York, I can't face him. You were there, you heard him. He's done with me. He doesn't wish to speak with me further, I must respect his wishes-"

"Bullshit."

"What," Aries looked taken aback at the sudden irritation in the larger chupa's tone.

"I don't buy that. You're just going to let Icarus walk away from you? You aren't even going to try and get him back?"

"He doesn't-"

"He was angry with you, if he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have a reason to be angry. He would have just left."

Aries' next thought froze and York grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Listen. Aries, I know I can't tell you what to do. But I think you better go find him."

For the first time since that night, Aries felt something other than anger and regret.

"And you better hurry too before Sammy finds you and gives you a piece of his mind."

The shunned shinobi's eyes shone bright, "I will. I promise."

What was the emotion that got Aries to leave the base? To go pursue his partner?

It was hope.

Aries darted through underbrush, S7 sniper rifle strapped over his katana and lightly tapping against the scabbard as he ran. He cleared an overturned tree, planting his hands on it to spring himself forward. Being out with a purpose felt good. He had nothing against Andee's 'lucrative job opportunities', but righting his wrongs put a different wind in his sails. The ninja heard a signature gunshot and got low, he knew that sound profile. Careful to stay low and out of potential line of sight of a sniper, having his mission cut short here would be a waste. Aries got into a low bear crawl, only for his hand to go into an old tire track. Aries followed it around a few trees and up to a partially hidden mongoose. He lifted his gaze and there stood an almost completely overtaken Blue Army base, the foliage around and on it hid the base to an untrained eye.

Nice hideout, Stray, Aries thought, admiring the location.

The fleet-footed chupa crept inside, making extra sure his overgrown claws didn't scrape the walls or floors. It was virtually silent, all except for the sound of a crackling fire. The sound grew louder as he approached, leading him to an open door. Inside sat the fire in question, shaped into a fire pit and venting out through the crumbled ceiling of the base. An armored figure walked over to the pit and laid his rifle down next to it, Aries had never been so excited to see a suit of armor before.

Without thinking, he stepped into the room. The armored white tailed chupa spun around, drew his sidearm like a cowboy and popped Aries in the shoulder. The ninja flinched, stumbling back as his shoulder piece absorbed the painful shot, before scrambling out and hiding behind a wall. He needed that, it snapped him back into his senses.

"Aries," Icarus barked bewildered, "I know it's you, Rogue Leader."

"I see you're still sharp, Icarus," Adrenaline made the ninja smile despite being shot. "You must have come back from a job."

"What's it to ya'?"

"Icarus, we need to talk."

"Who sent you? I told you to tell Wash I'm not-"

"This isn't about Wash."

The slow crackle of the flame was only interrupted by the soft rustling of Icarus' tail weaving back and forth.

"I just need you to listen to me."

"You listen to me, Rogue. I gave you a chance. I don't want to kill you, but I told you we're done. Stay away from me... Alright?"

That sounded uncertain, Aries thought.

"Do you understand me," Icarus reinforced with a little more bass in his tone.

Aries massaged his shoulder, knowing he couldn't just let this go. Not only had he made a promise, but couldn't bring himself to walk away from Icarus. Not like this.

"I asked you a question."

He swore that the helmet wearing chupa muttered something along the lines of 'Dammit.'

There was a sound of loud hissing, then a grunt of exertion. Aries pulled out a throwing knife from his thigh belt and used it to peek into the room, he couldn't believe Icarus had shot him. But then again, it was his fault, there was no way he could have known it was Aries sneaking up on him. The room looked clear, and the fire was out, the ninja poked his muzzle around the door frame and confirmed it. The engine of the mongoose outside started up and sped away.

The brisk winds of the tundra were barely felt by the stripe tailed chupa. Not only because he physically couldn't feel it, but his overgrowth of fur kept him warm. The growing blizzard coated him in a slowly thickening layer of frost, his white scarf wrapped around his muzzle streamed behind him like a flag. He knew Icarus would be out here in Sampi thanks to York, another debt, he tried to tell York that he now owed him, but York wouldn't hear it.

Aries knew why Icarus would be out here, it was a story he told him. His friend Kris had died out here and the albino had to bury him, if Icarus was out here it was to visit the grave that the two of them had added to once Icarus' parents had died. Given the visibility, though, finding Icarus in this snowfall and fog would be like finding a needle in a needle stack. It didn't matter. Aries was willing to sift through until he found his needle, he continued forward through the trees. His light footsteps made virtually no noise as he walked, continuing on his path until he spotted a figure kneeling in a clearing surrounded by trees. Aries knew it just from the description Icarus had given him, the site of the bear attack.

This time let's not get shot, The voice in Aries' head suggested, and for once that was a good plan.

"Icarus," Aries called, drawing closer. The armored figure stood, Snowpiercer on a sling and handgun in the holster, just like how he remembered. It'd been a while since he and his former partner had been face to face, Aries had to focus harder when the helmet turned to look at him. "I have come to talk. I need to talk about what happened."

The ninja took the S7 that Icarus had given him off and gently laid it in the snow. The two stood across from each other wordlessly before Aries had to break the silence.

"Icarus. Please."

"You don't listen, do you," Icarus growled venomously, "I told you to stay away."

Aries began to approach the albino, "At least hear me out."

"What's there to hear, huh?"

"There's-"

Aries took another step, and Icarus reached for Snowpiercer. The ninja severed the sling for the rifle with a well-placed throwing knife, the snow colored chupa went for his hand gun and a throwing knife knocked it to the snow as well. The Sampi native charged Aries, but the ninja effortlessly sidestepped, ripping the helmet off his head and tossing it aside. The both turned and for the first time since that night they were actually face to face. Eye to eye.

"You really wanna do this? Right now?"

There was hatred in Icarus' voice, but it didn't reach his eyes. They were filled with shock more than anything. "If it is what allows us to talk, then so be it."

Icarus rushed Aries, taking a boxer's stance while Aries rotated his back foot to the side. The ninja lifted his forward leg, pulled his body in and lifted his arms to block. Except for the snowfall, it was silent. As if the entire ring had granted them silence and an audience.

The burned albino led with a right cross, just like he always did, then left straight. The right was blocked and the left easily parried.

Aries effortlessly threw a wheel kick that Icarus ducked under, "When we crashed, I had to-"

Icarus threw a left hook aimed for the jaw, and it was narrowly slipped.

"-Take a defensive position," Aries tagged Icarus with a kick to the midsection before swatting away another punch aimed for his head. "We were under fire and I had to make space so we could extract. I intended to get us all out. I didn't care about the weapon, we were sitting near a pelican leaking fuel."

"And," Icarus finally landed a one-two punch combo on Aries' body. The smaller chupa stepped forward, planting his foot in the snow, leapt into the air and twirled with his knees pulled in before shooting a leg out and kicking his opponent directly in the face.

Aries staggered back, bewildered. He didn't teach Icarus that, it took weeks to master an airborne three-sixty kick, and he'd pulled it off like he'd done it all his life. It made him wonder what else he had learned while they were separated.

Icarus motioned for Aries to 'bring it', and Aries stepped forth with a new attack pattern.

Aries came with an overhead left, and the moment Icarus blocked it, the smaller chupa received a knee to the chest. "Tex activated my phrase. With the little control I had left, I saw a guy aiming a rocket at you. I would rather die over letting someone even try to kill you. I took him out but, the rocket already left the weapon. From there, all I can remember is just blood and violence."

"Why didn't you go back," the albino raged, throwing a punch with every single word. Every punch connected on his opponent, and blood stained the white scarf.

"Because Tex told me you were dead!"

Icarus shot an uppercut into Aries' stomach, and he kneeled for a moment.

"She said she'd seen the building you were near collapse on you. I didn't believe her."

Icarus stood over Aries with balled fists, but listened.

"I sent Astrid out to find you and Joy. She came back not long before you did. She hadn't found you. She checked the crash site and found nothing but charred corpses out in the rain. I hailed you on radio for hours, and got radio silence. Many of our men were out there, and she must have forgotten to mention the sharpshooter that bailed her out of being pinned down. I should have just gone out myself. I do not think I even deserve to ask for your forgiveness. I should have never-"

Aries stood and was blasted with an elbow to the jaw, drawing more blood. He felt a hand rip away one of his throwing knives, he was shoved back and only caught a quick glimpse of Icarus cocking his arm back with something shining in the limited light. Aries held his hands up and the knife sunk deep into his palm, in fact, he could see the tip of the blade through the back of his hand. The ninja grit his teeth and quietly yelped before pulling it out and tossing it to the ground, Icarus' angry gaze was softer than before, but Aries hadn't noticed. In fact, Aries couldn't even look him in the eye anymore. He didn't feel he deserved to, he'd lost that right.

"This is what I deserve."

"Rogue Leader, go home."

"..."

"Please."

"..."

Icarus charged him again, throwing a barrage of punches. Most were weakly blocked, while others scored hits on the more experienced fighter. Aries threw a punch too high for his target and Icarus took the opportunity, grabbing him by the arm, elbowing the ninja in the chest before pulling off a shoulder toss. Aries tumbled across the clearing, painting a thin streak of blood across it. The taller chupa pushed himself up on all fours and hesitated to rise back to his feet, almost as if he was willing himself to stand up.

Aries rose up, but no longer held up arms to defend himself. Icarus stepped up with mild uncertainty and delivered a slow combo, Aries maybe deflected one strike while every other one landed on the mark.

The albino closed the distance, shoulder checking Aries and taking his wakizashi from him. The short sword still looked large in his hands, but he knew how to handle it. Aries had taught him. He swiped and Aries dodged the horizontal swing, Icarus tested the waters a few more times. Then suddenly lifted the sword over his head and did a cleaving slash. Aries could have dodged it, but instead raised his hands and watched as the blade lacerated his hands. The snow was given a fresh coat of warm blood, Icarus wanted to pull away the blade, but Aries had already wrapped his bleeding hands around the blade.

For the first time during the whole altercation, Icarus really looked at Aries.

Aries was a wreck. His mane and fur were unkempt, his vocal tone lacked the commanding attitude it always had. Icarus knew Aries was a better fighter hand-to-hand, yet the martial artist was currently painting the clearing. Most importantly, the weapon that was in his hands.

Aries would never let someone take his sword from him.

This wasn't the Aries he knew.

"What's wrong with you," Icarus commanded the now kneeling chupa. "Huh?"

Aries didn't speak.

"Look. At. Me."

The yellow-eyed chupa looked up and Icarus nearly lost all his steam, his eyes were watery.

"You came here, tell me your point of view, and then gave the most half-assed fight I've ever seen out of you. You're better than that. I know you are. Are you patronizing me?"

Aries ignored the frost forming around his eyes, "No, never. This is revenge for my mistake. I don't expect forgive-"

"Shut up."

Confusion washed over Aries' sad eyes, Icarus couldn't bear listening to the excuse.

"You're out here letting me beat you up and cut you to pieces in a blizzard, what are you trying to accomplish," Icarus tried to maintain his angry tone, but his voice's tone dropped off toward the end. "Cause it sounds like suicide to me."

"To atone for a grave error in judgement. I'll keep doing it until my mistake has been made up for."

"No, you won't. You'll die at this rate if you keep it up."

Aries pulled the blade down to his throat, and it was only then Icarus began to realize just how serious this was getting. "If death is the only way I can receive forgiveness, then give me death."

"You can't just lay down and die."

"I can and will," The kneeling chupa replied grimly as if it were a mere fact. "Everyone dies eventually. You get to kill the person that betrayed you."

"What? What about the Rogues? They need you."

"Samson can run the operation without me."

Icarus released the handle of the blade, it harmlessly fell to the snow. Aries didn't even get a chance to react before his reluctant attacker knelt down and wrapped their arms around him. The shinobi was confused, thinking this another attack. But nothing happened. He was not forgiven yet Icarus had embraced him. He wished more than anything to return the embrace, but didn't wish to taint the clean armor with his blood. More importantly, he couldn't understand why he was still alive. Why Icarus hadn't gutted him. Why he was still breathing.

The warmth of Icarus' head felt... nice against his neck.

"I don't understand..."

Icarus buried his face in Aries' neck even further. "You just told me that you'd die for me, then handed me a weapon to do the job. You've already nearly died for me before... But this is a different beast."

"But you haven't-"

"Forget about the goddamn forgiveness, alright? I understand you wanna do things your way, but I'm not gonna let you fuckin' kill yourself doing this, and I'm not gonna kill you. I... I didn't know you took it this hard."

"I'm sorry," Aries apologized, and Icarus squeezed him tighter. "I didn't mean to-"

"You're in no position to apologize."

An apology wanted to come out, but Aries put it to rest. The two sat in silence while the snow fell all around them, aside from the cold creeping up Icarus' spine, this was a moment he wanted to hold on to.

"How'd you even get out here?"

"Snowmobile..."

"I'm gonna have to patch up those cuts and bruises I gave you."

"I deserved them."

"No, you didn't. I overreacted, I shoulda known you wouldn't just leave me somewhere. I had time to think about the whole thing too ya know. I was a fucking dick. I was so busy fighting Tex, I think I just started to assume the worst. I got hurt and... It was just a shit situation from all sides."

"What happens now?"

"First thing's first," Icarus patted his partner's chest. "We're going to get you out of the cold and patch up your wounds. Do you feel safer with the bats or with... with people like me and Sammy? 'Cause we've got options."

"You're familiar with-"

"Yep. Turns out, getting dragged around by Milo does have benefits. He's the 'scholarly' bat. And the caves are more comfortable than you might think."

"Do you... mean the bats or the cave people?"

"Was... that a joke I just heard from you?"

Aries shrugged stiffly.

"You're already making a recovery. Second thing I have to do is get ready for the verbal lashing York's gonna give me when we get back and sees you like this. I don't think Wash or CT'll appreciate it either."

"I will explain-"

"No, I can confidently say that I have this coming. Let's collect our stuff and head out, we'll take my mongoose. I just hope he didn't send out that guy with the metal legs to come get me like last time."

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