Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one

Also to certain reviewers who will not be named: Homosphere- The lowest part of the Earth's atmosphere where there is an almost-homogenous composition of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (10%), carbon dioxide. It includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. AKA where you find clouds.

Veteran

Colonnello did his best to quiet his breathing as he lay face down under the thick foliage. What a SNAFU this had turned out to be. He took a moment to wish that Lal was here. Or Reborn, or Fon, or Viper, heck even Verde; anyone but Skull. The Cloud was a loudmouthed, cowardly, crybaby, and absolutely the worst person to have as backup when things went south.

For an instant, just one, the sniper considered leaving him. He had a far higher chance of getting out of this one on his own. The thought was immediately disregarded. Useless or not, Skull was arcobaleno, just like him, and no one got left behind. Though speaking of Skull . . .

The blonde's eyes narrowed as he eyed the figure to his side. Skull was acting mighty out of character. He hadn't said a word since they had been forced to flee into the woods, and he lay motionless with an ease that could only come from hours of long practice. If not for the unmistakable cloud flames that brushed against his own he would wonder if the other was an imposter.

"Stay here," Colonnello mouthed before sliding away into the underbrush to scout. A few minutes later he was back, to see Skull still in that uncharacteristic pose. "It looks clear," the blond told the other, voice no louder than a whisper. "Let's go."

Skull merely nodded, falling back into a position the blond instantly recognized from many a campaign. The pair were silent shadows as they traveled through the woods, footsteps completely inaudible. Stealth however does not entirely account for luck, so it was inevitable they turned a corner to run smack dab into one of the enemy.

The man immediately went for Colonnello, closing the distance before the sniper could bring his distance weapon to bear. In theory, it was the smarter move regardless of the blonde's skill in hand to hand combat. In practice however . . .

A gloved purple hand closed over dark hair, yanking the man away from Colonnello. At the same time a knife came around and over the pale flesh of the man's throat, the sharp blade cutting right through the stranger's carotid arteries. He bled out in seconds, not even able to scream. After a swift look around, Skull dragged the body into a patch of thick bushes, kicking dirt and dried leaves over the site to hide the blood.

Colonnello frowned but said nothing, this was not the time. Nor was it the time when Skull suddenly grabbed him, yanking him back against a tree with a strength few credited to the Cloud.

"Don't move."

The Rain stiffened as a large, heavily armed group emerged from the underbrush. What the heck was Skull doing kora? They were in plain sight. Colonnello's blue eyes widened in disbelief as the group's leader looked straight at them, and then away, as though he hadn't seen a thing. Truly, what had Skull done?

The blonde held his silence all the way out of the woods and back to the safehouse. However, the moment the door closed behind them he had the Cloud by the collar and up against the wall. "What the hell kora?"

Violet eyes looked at the other flatly before one hand came up to pry the other's fingers away. "What?"

"Don't give me that kora! I am talking about your change from lackey to war veteran kora!" Before he was a Rain, before he was sniper or arcobaleno, Colonnello was a solider. Yet before today he had never seen any signs of that in the Cloud.

Skull's face was expressionless. "I am not like you," he said. "I never chose to be a solider." Unseen horrors danced behind his unearthly violet eyes. "I did not fight for my country. Nor for a cause. I fought, because I wanted to live." He smiled. It was not a nice expression. "Is it any wonder I chose to leave those days behind me?"

This time, when Skull moved to leave, Collonnello made no move to stop him. He had a lot to think about.

Hope you enjoyed and please review. Real reviews that is. Not ones that poof into black rainclouds to hover over my head. Flamers will be shrunk and fed to my gecko in lieu of crickets.