Rout Chapter Two: Breathe of Life .
Heavy wheezing breathes escaped the idle leathery muzzle.
Sheltered in darkness, nothing existed. A void depraved of senses.
Hey! The thought echoed, faltering into the abyss.
Clenched heavy eyelids refused to budge, quivering from the tension. The smell of cold air mixed with a hint of antiseptics, and leather made their nose twitch. Saliva dampen the inside of their mouth.
Hey!
Numbness resided, cold metal pressed against their leather stitched back. The nerves in the paws shot out, causing the fingers to jolt; Claw tips scraped the steel, making their round soft ears twitch.
Ears? Paws? What am I? Their short muzzle flicked. They shifted their lips encircles, pressed their damp fangs together, and tried once more to open their eyes.
Sharp pressing tension built in their temples. They furrowed their brows as they tried to raise their unresponsive hands.
Hey! I'm alive!
Whoa! Who are you?
You! I'm you.
Me...? How?
I'm you.
That couldn't be, you're not me...?
I'm you, you're me, we're us!
I...what am I?
I don't know, honestly.
Then...you're not me.
Why do we have the same voice?
Sudden silence chocked the emptiness. They raised an eyebrows, fuzzy soft lips pressed against one another, and their sharp claw tapped against the metal.
Ah! Why...is it cold...metal...leather? Claws, how do I know these things?
You're such an stupid piece of shit, you do realize that.
Oh-geez, I'm not alive for an hour and I already hate myself.
Don't we all?
Silence filled the void for a brief moment.
You do know you have an imagination?
Imagination? Imagine what? Not like I'm an artist or a writer...I haven't seen anything, what do I look like? What do I actually sound like?
Come on think, be creative, I have unlimited power!
The void remained the same.
It's too hard being creative,...someone else needs to do it for me.
In a blink of an eye an endless valley, and bright blue clear sky appeared; Mounds rested by the hillside below. Floral of dancing yellow and white daffodil freckled the field.
The land stretched on into a crystal clear cape with rock formations encapsulating pools of water.
I came up with this? They blinked. "Whoa!" The slit of their yellow eyes rounded from their harsh cold deep voice. "I sound like this! Holy-shit, I'm an asshole!" They covered their tan muzzle with their bulky big soft paws.
How am I feeling this? How do I know this!
"What the hell am I!" They lowered their head down, and examined their brown sutured bare body. They twisted to see their back side before they set their hands in front of theirself. "What the shit is going on?"
Their ears shot up from a distant crass German-esque voice.
"Oh, my beautiful teddy, you're almost complete." A distinct hum of machinery sung. "You'll soon be alive, don't worry little one."
"Father?" Their body eased, and eyes lax. The soothing aroma and presents of the orange weasel became intoxicating. Warmness surged through them, making them have a subtle smile.
Kriplespac's floating wooden wheelchair pulled up by them. The thrum of the thruster's flames and crackling of the tesla coil echoed through out the valley. "Hmm, only a few more minutes, yes, now my child." He shifted the chair's joystick, allowing himself to face off towards the ocean. "Do you know what you're made for?"
They faced the open space of the sea. The smell of floral mixed with salt seized their thoughts. Breeze of calrming wind made their ears sway. Their eyes narrowed the as they ruminate.
"I don't know."
"That's correct it's the squirrels." Kriplespac clenched his robotic arm into a fist. "The bastards who've taken everything from us."
I...didn't say that, is he deaf? "Why are they bad?" They scratched the side of their cheek.
Kriplespac slammed his green blood stained mitten into the chair's arm rest, making the teddy jump. "These stupid fucking shitwits squirrels will never give up!" He faced them. "Those bastards won't stop until everyone of us is dead." He lowered his head, shutting his eye and clenching his teeth.
The augmented red eye of Kriplespac settled on the teddy. "This land you see used to be my home. I used to have a good life, do good things, but then they came."
This is a recording isn't it... They faced towards the field behind them, tuning out Kriplespac. They gazed into the lush green forest below the hill they stood on. What harm could they do?
"Tell me what you feel when you see the squirrel? Long Ranger."
A grey bare squirrel materialized in front of Ranger. He stood five feet away.
Ranger blinked with the sliver of their mouth opened and upper lip pulled back to the side. A twinge surged through their mind, blood simmered, and their body tense. Sweat trickled down their forehead. Each inhale through the mouth left a trace of the squirrel's scent and taste.
"You feel the burning ire of hatred, no?" Kriplespac smirked. "Does it feel like you want to kill?"
Why am I g—can't...think. They anchored their shaking tense paws to the side of their hips, digging their claws into their skin. They snarled, letting out cackles and hisses.
"Yes, that's my good teddy, now kill the damn squirrel!"
Ranger grunted, they set their right paw over their eyes as their vision blurred. Their gut stabbed as it contorted, causing them to drop to their fours. Saliva oozed from their trembling maw. Each breath became tighter from the pressure in their chest.
"Do it now! You stupid shit head teddy!" Kriplespac slammed his metallic fist into the chair's arm rest. His seat swayed and bobbed as he yelled, "Do what you're made for you machine!"
Ranger shut their eyes, turning the lushes landscape back to the void. I don't understand Father, why? Cold sweat ran down their cheeks. "If I'm a machine...why am feeling...?"
"Do you know what they'll bring?" Kriplespec said, maneuvering himself in front of Ranger. "Everything I worked for will be gone." His dangling microscope attached to his augmented head piece loomed over them. "Is that what you want?"
Ranger open their eyes, tracking their pupils across the new enviroment.
The scenery became a landscape of ruins.
Gray clouds with dim lighting seized the sky, and chilling the land; Demolished building reached towards the heavens, bars of metal jutted out; And the topsoil left to rot, no foliage nor life could be seen.
Ranger stood in the center of the dismantled cracked road.
It's just a simulation, nothing bad will happen. Ranger hysterically laughed, breathes turning into steam, they fell back onto their rump. "W-what?" Their ears twitched from the rattle of their gear, and their pupils transfixed on a large wooden rifle on the ground to their right.
Ranger set his paws on their vest, staring down at their clothed laden body. Where did I get this? "Huh" Their vision became veiled by darkness. "Help I can't see!"
Dashing up, Ranger ran encircles and cried for help. They tripped on the rifle's stock, crashing onto the cold hard cement.
A camouflaged helmet came tumbling off of their head.
"Oh, heh. It's nothing." They smirked with his eyes closed.
Kriplespac's voice echoed, "You either fight or you die. Now prove to me you're worth living!" He maniacally laughed.
Ranger rested on their knees, staring down at the rifle behind them. They stood up, reached for their helmet, and then made their way to their rife. Ranger's purple fingerless gloved hands loomed over the gun.
Their eyes shot open from the heavy tramps of distant boots.
They snatched the rifle as they made a dash towards one of the slanted remains of a buildings that rested against another. Ranger clambered up a steep side of rubble, reaching the second floor of the structure. They made it into the far corner by an open window with buffeting red curtains
Panting and coughing they pressed theirself against the ruin's wall, clutching onto the rifle. Their tense warm body trembled, sweat trickled down their face, and back ached from the equipment's weight.
A platoon of four knee height squirrel solders ambled through the road. They stopped in the center, staring at the distant structures. One of them spoke up.
"Looks like a good resting place, you two set up camp. I'll watch." He stepped forward, making distant between him and the group. He stopped right in front of Ranger's building, staring off into the distant road.
Ignore them, just ignore them! Ranger rocked, giving theirself a hug.
Kriplespac's voice echoed out, "You stupid worthless shit teddy, Do what you're made to do!"
They lie motionless.
"Do it or I'll pull the plug."
Ranger's limp body crawled towards the window, heart beating against their chest.
"...Okay..."
Make it quick and painless. Ranger's rifle shook in their paw. They knelt by the window, peeking out to catch a glimpse of the platoon's location. They reared back in, setting the rifle by their chest before observing the soldier bellow.
"Do-dee-doo." The idle soldier held their thompson close to his chest. "I sure do hope my defenseless exposed self don't get shot in the head by a high caliber bolt action sniper rifle using 7.62 millimeter."
Ranger set the wooden forestock onto the window's frame. Their arms quaked as blotches of sweat built in their paws.
The rife wavered as they peeked through the pristine scope.
They shut one eye, setting the crosshair on the soldier's head.
Gasping in cold air, ceasing to breathe.
Finger nestling the trigger.
The mechanism clicked.
Flash of blinding yellow and white light escaped the muzzle.
The bullet whizzed through the air, tearing into the soldier's shoulder, and ripping the flesh into two.
Shit!
The soldier cried in agony, rearing their machine gun with one arm. They sprayed bullets in the direction of his squad, killing his comrades where they stood.
"...What...?"
Ranger stood with their muzzle agape, and eyes slanted. Their pupils trailed off to the side before back at the carnage. "I did it?"
Kriplespac maniacally laughed. "Yes my child you did well! Now live, live and make the teddiez victorious!"
Tendrils of darkness seeped in, grasping and choking out the world around.
"Wait, what's going on?" Ranger froze in place, they attempted to rear, pull, struggle, but their body refused.
The void wrapped around them consuming them whole.
. . .
"Do you know who you are?" Their sharp voice muffled by cloth.
Ranger's eyes open, slits going round before shrinking.
Blurry bright blinding white light shined down.
Double vision made Ranger's head spin. They lifted their heavy head with drowsy movement, stopping from the steel cold binds clutching their neck. They pulled back, slamming against the freezing slab metal rack they rested on.
"Do you know who you are!"
"Ranger." They blinked, taking in quick short breathes as their squinted eyes retracting to the side away from the light.
"Good." The sound of a pencil scratching against paper ensued. "Do you know what you do?"
"U-ugh." Ranger blinked, furrowing their brows. What did I do? They moved their mouth as if to speak, but retracted their words.
"Well?"
"I-I killed the..." Ranger stammered. "Enemy?"
The voice's heavy sigh made Ranger clamp their lips together. "It's something." They paused to scrawl. "Do you know who Father is?"
"Kriplespac."
"Good, good. Seems there's nothing wrong with your cognition."
"What's go-"
"Ah, no speaking, only speak when spoken to!"
Ranger stayed silent, their ears twitched from the faint patter of the voice's feet. The restraints against Ranger's limbs shot open, hissing as they did. They sharply inhaled, taking in the freezing antiseptic air.
"Get up, now!"
Everyone is so rude.
Ranger leaned up, clutching their sore tight neck with their paw. A sharp prick streaked across their flesh. Ow, what! They set their hands in front of theirself, staring down at their sharp claws.
"You'll get used to using your muscles." A teddy in a suited surgeon gown, and a procedure mask wrapped around their muzzle rested their back against the dim chamber room entrance. "Now get up!"
Ranger's heavy wilted body scooted itself to the side of the rack, letting their short stumpy legs loom over. They blinked, staring at the distant ground. I'm too high up! Ranger's reared back, twisting onto their bare stomach, and slipping their lower body off the table.
They kicked as their claws scrapped and screeched against the steel slab. I'm too high, I'm too damn high up! Ranger closed their eyes, their tense sweaty paws slithered as their body decline closer to the limonite tiled flooring.
I don't want to feel pain.
The surgeon shook their head. "Stupid fuck."
Ranger fell, shutting their eyes, and curling up into a ball as they did. They peeked an eye open, blinking as they unraveled. "Oh...Heh." Ranger toothily smiled, and set theirself upright.
"Let's see if your motor skills are functioning." The surgeon pointed at the opposite end of the room Ranger stood at. "Walk in a straight line, arms out!"
What am I? Drunk? Ranger stepped his way towards the end. Their ears perked up from muffled hissing and chatters in the adjacent room.
Their words made his heart stop.
"Unit malfunction, scrap it!" The voice paused. "Send it to the rubbish bin with the rest."
A sudden sharp fingers snapping withdraw Ranger from their woeful thought.
"I don't got all day, move it!"
"Y-yes sir!" Ranger tensed up, extending their arms up, and lining theirself against the wall. They took a step, heart pounding against their chest. Don't screw up... Bulbs of sweat welled against their forehead.
They took another.
Then another, body swaying side to side.
C'mon, keep it together!
They took another, setting their foot out towards the middle.
The muffled voice cried out, "I said discard this useless trash, now! Get it out!"
Ranger stumbled, wobbling and spinning their arms encircles. No, please no!
Their body went lopsided, twisting halfway.
The uneven weight pulled them back.
Fumbling onto the ground.
Shit!
With a loud thud Ranger lie sprawled out on the floor. Their stomach contorted, sinking with their heart.
The surgeon spoke with a cold stern tone, "You're scrap, get out."
No-no-no-no! Please no! I haven't lived! "B-but-" Ranger winced, shutting their eyes, and setting their shaking paw over their face when the surgeon yelled.
"Scrap, we have scrap!" They hit a red button by the door, slamming their fist against it.
A red light crept out from a hole in the center of the ceiling, flashing as it spun encircles.
A synthetic female's voice spoke out, "Congratulations, you're trash." Confetti sprinkled the room as party horns played.
Two small grunt teddies stormed in, arming their machine guns at Ranger. "Out!"
"O-okay." Ranger tucked their head in by their chest as their raised arms trembled.
Ranger stepped out into the long cramped dark corridor. A sharp cold needle stabbed into their tense back, shoving them forward.
"Move!"
Everyone so rude. Ranger paced onward, paws pattering against the freezing metal flooring. The green lights bleeding out of the other cells, warped around them each time they passed. Ranger's eyes peeked into each one, glazing over the different sizes and shapes of teddies.
"Stop!" The shifting of their gear rattled.
Ranger froze, shooting up and tensing.
They halted in front of a steel double pocket door. The metal grind and hissed as they opened, revealing a small cramped chamber with slots from top to bottom, and a small black screen in the middle.
"In, now!"
"Wai-" Ranger stumbled from their shoves, smacking face first onto the computer screen; Blunt trauma shot throughout the side of their head, flattening out their cheek. "Ugh."
The doors shut, turning the room pitch black.
Ranger's skin peeled, turning red. They rubbed their wound as their posture drooped. Ranger's eyes sagged, tears welling up.
...I'm going to be dismantled...
The chamber quaked while gears creaked. The computer screen illuminated the pitch black room with a blue light.
Ranger wrapped their tense shaking arms around theirself, clamping their eyes shut, and shutting out the world. Burning tears poured out as choked sniffles ensued.
The synthetic female voice spoke out, "Scanning."
A green faint layer of a beam splayed out, tracing the contours of Ranger's body.
"Huh?" Ranger peeked an eye open, dilated pupil darting about.
"Scanning complete." The beam died down. "LRT, light unit." Metal tendrils with large clamps slipped out of the slots, clutching Ranger's wrist, and pulling them up to the side.
"Light wear camouflage jacket." Clamps from the roof bent, pulling a long coat with foliage pattern out of a slit from the ceiling. It let go to slip a sleeve onto Ranger's arm, going to the other and doing the same. The appendages button it up before it placed a helmet with a bullet hole in the back on Ranger's head.
I could of done that myself. Ranger blushed, ears pinning back and eyes slanting.
"Faulty unit, basic carbine rifle." The claws reached once more into the slit, pulling out a worn torn rifle. It lifted Ranger's right arm, sliding the tattered strap onto their shoulder.
Thanks for the confidence boost.
"Single krotch 45, magnum." It preceded with the ritual, wrapping a a leather belt with a holster and three grenades onto Ranger.
The arms retracted back into the slots, and the computer shut off, turning the room back to black.
Ranger blinked. "Hello? Hello?" Now what?
The chamber's floor collapsed, metal slammed against metal. Ranger plunged through a chute, sliding against it, and crying while shrieking out for help.
The end of the chute illuminated, light grasping into the inside.
Ranger shot out, feet connecting with solid ground, but tripped and plunged forward. They blocked their face with their paws as they met grass, streaking across the foliage, and bring up a choking dust cloud. Ranger lie idle, body twitching and jolting.
They lifted their head up, letting the bland dry gravel seep from their mouth. Why must I suffer? Ranger blinked from the burning dust, and coughed as it entered their lungs. Stinging burning pain built around their dirty paws, and dusty face.
The cloud dissipated, revealing the sunny lush beach side.
A cool brisk breeze tickled Ranger's nose the smell of salt and flowers made them relax. Their eyes lit up from the blue shining ocean, and green cut grass. They felt the soft texture, tickling their feet.
Ranger's eyes lax, their breathing became deep and heavy. The battering of the sea side waves crashing into the cliffside below soothe their ears.
"Get up." A crass voice seized Ranger's attention. A stumpy Teddie akin to the other grunts stood overhead in front of Ranger. They looked down at him, grimacing.
Ranger open their mouth, but the words glued to their throat. They nodded, setting theirself upright, and dusting off.
The soldier nudged their head to the right, indicating Ranger's attention to the field ahead.
Four aligned teddies of different shape and sizes stood aligned to one another, watching them.
"Don't just stand there, get to it!"
Ranger dashed, clutching onto their rattling helmet.
They stopped, standing stiff next to a tall stout teddy leaning against their flame thrower's burner.
Fuck me. Ranger panted, inhaling their tang rotten egg odor of the worn rusted gas tanks on their back. Ranger's snout crinkled as they set their paw over his nose.
"Attention!" The soldier commanded, standing in front of them, and seizing the attention of the stiffen platoon. They paced in a line along the hill top with their arms crossed behind their back. "Well, well, well." They stopped at Ranger, pivoting their body before making their way back to the other end.
"This is rather odd, a group of scrap that's one of each."
Ranger's eyes trailed to the left, glimpsing at the others before fixating on the concrete garrison. Their eyes darted back when the soldier paced in their direction.
"Do you think you're worthy of Father's love? Glory? Triumph?" The soldier paused. "Then prove yourselves to me..."
"Let's see if shit stains excuse of rubbish can aim!" The soldier stopped in front of a burley bulky teddy. They pulled out a remote with a red button on it, slamming their finger against it.
"Ready!"
In the distant on the end of the cliff side a shaft shot up. A grey squirrel squirmed bounded by rope. "Let me go," his voice dry and meek. "Please."
"Aim!"
The big chinned burly fellow hefted off their shoulder a mini gun, grasping the beast with ease, they pointed the muzzles at the enemy.
Ranger's eyes trailed towards the squirrel, settling back towards the gun, and back again. Why are we killing them? They blinked, facing away. They haven't done anything, have they?
The mini gun's chambers spun as its gears roared.
"Fire!"
The gun sprayed bullets, muzzle flashing as its ejector spat shells out. The thundering sound of the gun, and steaming red cylanders clacking against the ground assaulted Ranger's ears
Muscle tore asunder and popped, flesh stringed held together by sliver of tendon and skin. His internal organs came crashing out onto the redden topsoil.
Silence ensued besides the faint steam that billowed out of the orange and red hued muzzles.
"Excellent, you might prove yourself worthy."
Ranger's eyes fixated on the heap of flesh and organs, transfixing on it. Their shallow breathes hasten as their body tensed. Why...?
"Now let's see if you others can do as well." The soldier stepped up next to a short thin meek teddy dressed in red, and hatted with a pilot helmet with goggles. The soldier pressed the button.
"Ready!"
Another squirrel tied to a pole popped out of the chute, but his fur the colour of charcoal. "Oh, I sure do reckon I've made a wrong turn some where." Their backpack with pans rattled. They flicked their nose to move their glasses up. "You fellows wouldn't know which way is France?"
The short meek Teddy unholstered their duel magnum pistols, setting them in front of their chest, and turning them to the side for a kill shot.
"Aim!"
Silence choked the moment.
The meek teddy tense hands swayed, sagging from the weight of the pistols.
"Fire!"
Bullets sprayed one by one, alternating between the pistols. The handguns echoed as the mechanism clicked, choking the fire for a brief moment. Steaming smoldering shells ejected searing the grass below.
The hailstorm seized, their pistols smoked as the glowing orange hued muzzle cooled.
"Careful there fellow, you nearly shot me!" The squirrel said, unscathed.
Ranger tilted their head to the side. A subtle smile dimpled their cheeks as they swiped their paw across their forehead, letting out a heavy sigh.
"You sky jockies are the same." The soldier closed their eyes, and lowered their head down, setting the back of their curled fingers against their forehead as they shook it. "Can't hit shit."
Jockey stood idle, their eyes wide while their sweaty brow twitched. Their coal gloved trembling hands swiped the pistol's magazine release.
"No second chances!" The soldier swung their paw through the air.
"Let me prove myself!" Jockey leaned forward, pleading, "Let me prove myself to Fa-"
"You have no right to call him Father." The soldier's cold stare narrowed. "You'll carry the ammo, nothing more." The soldier pressed the button, letting the pole go back down into the chute. "Now, let's see if you can prove yourself." The soldier stopped in front of a teddy dressed in a navy blue trench coat.
Their head leaned down, their round face shrouded by their fold up hat. They crinkled their muzzle, wiggling their black round wet nose.
"Ah, I see." The soldier eyes settled on the limp loose coat arm. "Sneeker without a blade?"
Sneeker's faint voice spoke out, "Knives."
"You won't last." The soldier stepped by, paying no heed. "You've got nothing to prove."
Sneeker leaned back as their monocle gleamed. Their eyes narrowed, staring with a cold harsh glare.
Ranger's expression turned grim as the soldier stepped near, stopping by the pungent rancid lanky teddy.
"Let's see how disappointing you are." The soldier sighed, setting their paw on their tense forehead as they press the button.
The mechanism repeated the ritual, setting another grey squirrel bounded to a pole this time female. Her voice harsh and crass, "I swear when the SHC retake France you'll all pay!"
Why do they look different? Ranger studied the prisoner, eyes trailing the contours before tracking back onto the squad. Same skin, same yellow eyes, and almost same structures.
Ranger shook their head, snapping out of their thoughts from the demanding voice of the soldier.
"Go on! Show me how useless you are." The soldier nudged their head in the direction of the squirrel.
The lanky teddy stood their, shoving their gloved pinkie finger into their nostril.
The soldier stamped their foot against the ground, throwing their fist across their chest, and yelling, "Don't stand there! Move!"
"Na." They leaned their head back, scratching below their chin before letting out a drawn yawn. Their beady eyes fixated on the soldier's tense one.
"No?" The soldier bobbed their head, snarling.
All eyes settled on the two.
The soldier's right arm swung across their chest, reaching for their holstered side arm. They whipped it out, aiming the rusted steel pistol between the taller Teddy's eyes. Their stern finger rested by the trigger. "Do what you're made to do!"
Ranger froze, tensing up. Stop them! Their heart sank, trapping them in place. Their lips clasped, but refused to budge.
"You Thermophiles are supposed to want to burn!" Their teeth clenched as their maw furrowed when the other teddy refused to budge.
That's a long name... I'm calling you Therm. Please don't die Therm I just named you. Ranger's strained their mouth open, but the words seized in their throat.
"Eh." Therm half heartily shrugged.
Do something, do something, do something!
"Ah!" Ranger cried out, their body jolted back, heart racing and pounding against their chest. Sweat beat down their forehead as they let out quick pants. Sweltering heat surged through their veins.
Ranger's body slued as they halfway faced the squad, shutting their eyes, and baring their fangs as they smile. "S-sorry," They stammered.
Four bullets fired off.
The harrowing uproar rung in Ranger's tender ears.
The red steaming cases ejected, chiming as they crash into the rocky topsoil.
Blood poured out, soaking the ground, and mottling the grass red.
Vile frisson sound of grunts ensued.
"I grow tired of you junkers." The soldier holstered the pistol, setting their stern piercing gaze on Ranger. "If you miss your target." They paused. "I'm blowing your head off," they said in a calm tone.
The smell of iron masked the rancid rotten scent.
Ranger stood motionless as their gapping mouth quivered. Their tense chest rose and dropped, inhaling with short quick gasp. They fixated on Therm, watching them writhe on the floor in agony, and clutching their gut.
"You poor excuses of beings don't deserve the thrill." The soldier pressed the button, letting another pole with a body constraint to it pop up. "You'll all die never knowing Father's grace."
"S-should I hel-"
"No."
Ranger's face lowered inward they clasped their lips, trailing their eyes away. "B-but we're teddies."
"No."
Ranger blinked, jerking their head back and furrowing their brows. "W-what do yu-"
"You're not kin, you're not one of us..."
"You're father's miss creations, failures at birth."
The soldier turned their back to Ranger, continuing.
"None of you will ever join us. You're fighting to keep yourselves alive." They halfway faced Ranger. "Nothing more than fodder."
Oh...how blunt.
"Are you going to refuse to shoot too."
"N-no sir!" Ranger fumbled with the rifle's strap, yanking it off and letting the gun dangle and sway in front of them from the strip of nylon. "Heh..." Sweat beat down their face, gulping as they set the rifle in their trembling warm damp paws.
Ranger blinked, eyes widening as their pupils shrunk. "S-sir, that's one of us."
A stubby Teddy bounded to the pole raised their marred atrocious head. Their right brow had a welt, covering their eye. Lips blemished with dry blood and torn frayed leather.
The soldier stepped next to Ranger. "Shoot or be shot." They clutched their the grip of the pistol, resting in the holster.
"O-okay, ahm." Ranger faced the prisoner, clutching their long shaking hard rifle. "I-I haven't handled anything this big." The gun rested limp to their side. "I-It's my first time."
"You hold it in your paws, point it forward, and shoot." The soldier whipped out their pistol, setting the cold stern steel against Ranger's cheeks. "Do you want me to show you how?"
"N-no. I...I." Ranger's voice became meek, "P-please don't put that in my face." Their eyes trembled, bits of moisture welled slowly becoming tears. Their quivering finger tapped against the atrocious trigger.
The soldier pulled their side arm back, setting it up in the air by their head. "Shoot'em right in the face."
I can't, I can't do this!
Ranger lifted the rifle, keeping it facing to the side.
Bile churned in their stomach.
They took in a quick deep breath, letting the cool damp briny air settle in their lungs.
Abrupt thundering shots rung out, echoing throughout the hillside. "Shoot you shi-"
Ranger's trembling paws pulled the rusted hard trigger. Their rifle's muzzle flashed, ejecting a long hard sultry bullet.
It whizzed by, piercing metal before flesh, and riving it as it pass through.
The top of the soldier's head popped as it jerked back. Warm red thick liquid oozed from their jutting veins.
The platoon stared nonplussed.
Ranger's round eyes and gaping mouth trembled. They dropped the rifle, stammering as they spoke. "I...didn't mean-" They watched the soldier's body collapse back into a puddle of their blood. Ranger stood aghast, transfixing on the others.
"That's one problem solved." Sneeker stepped up, making their way to the lifeless body. "Anyone want to give me a hand?"
"Let it rot. We'll all be dead soon." Therm hacked up blood. "We either die here or on the field, doesn't matter." They removed their blood stained gloves from their healed wounds.
"There's a chance out there. Wouldn't you want to take it?"
"No point, but wait." Therm lifted theirself upright. " Do you have that urge to kill like the others?" They tilted their head towards Ranger. "I know this pussy doesn't. But you?" Their eyes locked with Sneeker.
"We should do something about the body." Sneeker gripped the corpse with their lanky arm, tugging it, but not moving it. "If you gu-."
"Wait...you guys don't feel that..." Jockey paused. "Feeling to kill?" They scratched their forehead with their pointer finger. "But how?"
"Don't know don't care." Therm stared off into the distant horizon, gazing at the clear sky. "All I want is my life."
"But your life is meant to die for Father!"
"Enough with that crap, I'm sick of hearing it." Therm rolled their eyes. "Father this, Father that, I don't give a fuck about that twat."
I...I killed... Ranger's shoulders wilted.
"Our meaning is for lord Kri-"
"Oh shut up!" Therm shot Jockey a cold glare. "What do you think will happen when we win?"
"We'll gain our Father's love."
Therm chuckled before hysterically laughing. "You sound like an abused house wife!" Their cynical grin stretched across their long muzzle. "Oh Daddy!" They clutched their hands together, leaning their head up to the side and set one foot on its tiptoes. They spoke as a whore pretending to have an orgasm, "Oh Daddy love me, love me. Oh please." They moaned. "L-O-V-E all over my face Daddy!"
"Don't speak of Father like that!"
"Enough!" Sneeker's voice carried out. "Right now that's not a problem this is!." They faced Jockey. "You heard what they said. We're not kin."
Jockey's bits of fur shot up, snarling and baring their fangs. "I won't stand with tra-"
A slow heavy deep voice spoke, "They do make a point." They burly teddy dragged their feet, stopping beside Sneeker. "Do you wonder." They paused to take a deep slow breath. "Why they act different than us?"
"What do you mean? Are they spies!" Jockey reached for their side arm, pulling them out and pointing them at Therm. "They want to harm Father, don't side with them!"
"When you point your gun at someon," Sneeker said, "Make sure its loaded."
"Oh...Ah..." Jockey fumbled with the pistols as they attempted to pull a clip from their belt. "Come on...come on." The encasement flopped onto the floor. "Shit, hold on."
"Ha, great. We're all incompetent," Therm snide. "Might as well stand 'bout, and wait to die."
The burly teddy lifted the blood stained corpse with both hands, twisting their body to gain leverage before flinging the body over the cliff.
"What the hell was that!" A distant voice similar to the soldier rung out. The stubby soldier stormed down the garrison's long steel walkway. Their paw patters against the wavering sheets of steel assaulted their ears. "What did you do, what the hell did you just do?"
Jockey froze, letting a cynical smirk dimple their cheek; Ranger cried, and wailed like a child with their face in the ground; And Therm stood silent, waiting for the inevitable.
"We were ordered to clean up the bodies." Sneeker stepped forward, setting their hands behind their back. "So we did."
" Where's your commander?" The soldier stopped in front of them.
Sneeker's stoic expression drooped, they twisted half their body to check on the team who shrugged at him. "They...are..." their eyes darted about, checking the scenery before settling on a limp leaking pipe. "Peeing, yes." They nodded.
"And where might they doing that?" The soldier stepped forward, setting their hand on their holster.
"They went to the bathroom?" Sneeker kept up their stern stare.
"Bathroom? Hm."
"Sir they killed them!" Jockey cried out.
"Wha-" The soldier's face dimpled, indenting from the burly teddie's fist.
They flew to the side, scrapping into the topsoil.
The burly teddy stepped in front of the Jockey, towering over them, and casting an ominous shadow. They set their bulky paws on Jockey's scrunched up and wavering shoulders. Their grip tighten. "Why do you do that?"
"We're made to serve, and die for Father." They paused, taking in quick breathes. "Do you not feel that need? Are you not his children?"
"No we are not." The burly teddy patted Jockey's helmet. "We are junk, like they say."
"I'd suggest to not do that again." Sneeker unsheathed their knife. "Get'em undressed."
"I'm not helping you! I have a chance to redeem myself," Jockey said.
"In death." Therm set their foot onto Ranger's helmet, pressing it into the dirt. "Might as well give up like this guy." They pointed down at Ranger. "They got the right idea."
Cool soothing topsoil nudged Ranger's muzzle. They blinked their irritated dry eyes, pulling theirself from the hard steel case. They rested on their knees as their ears twitched from the team's vexing outburst. Ranger's impaired voice spoke out.
"C-could I help.?"
The others ignored them besides Therm.
"If you could accidentally shoot Kriplespac. That'd be great."
"I don't have good aim." Ranger faced Sneeker, watching them as they loosen the rope against the prisoner. "How...ugh. How do you..." Ranger tripped over their tongue.
"How are you incapable of being able to function?" Therm crossed their arms.
"Oh...ugh..." A bitter chill went down their spine. Why is everyone rude.
"Rhetorical question. You do know what that is." Therm received a nod. "That was another one, guess you don't."
"D-did I wrong you?" Ranger wrapped their paw around the back of their neck, rubbing it and facing down.
"Yeah."
"Can I ask how?" Ranger lifted their head, meeting Therm's crass stern glare and beady eyes. A sudden searing rush pricked their skin, making their heart race. Therm's stare made Ranger wilt.
"You're a teddy."
"Err, aren't you one too?"
Therm snarled, shoving their face an inch away from Ranger's muzzle. "I am nothing like you." Their warm heavy breaths dampen Ranger's fur.
"O-okay, sorry, sorry." Ranger's ears pinned back as their eyes went round. They jerked back, using one arm to crawl away, and the other protecting their face. "Co-could I have my helmet back?"
"Oh sure!" Therm leaned over to pick it up, rearing back up with it clutched between their hands. "What do you say?"
"May I have it, please?"
"Nope."
Therm flung the helmet like Frisbee over the cliffside. It rattled and clanked as metal met with jagged stones. A loud splash of water ensued.
Ranger sniffled, eyes watering and glistening. "W-why do you gotta be like that, Therm?"
"Therm?"
"Ah! Err..." Ranger shut their eyes, playfully smiling. "T-that's, umm—Hey why do you hate teddies?" Their ears perked up.
Ah you coward, say it's their name!
Therm slumped over, staring at Ranger with a slack peeved glare. "You're all a bunch of self centered fascist."
"A-am I one?" Ranger eyes went round, gazing up at Therm with a puppy-like stare. Their chin quivered and drooped.
"Technically..." Therm seized their words from Ranger's pathetic pang expression. They leaned back, exhaling a heavy sigh, and offering their hand in front of Ranger. "You're more of a pussy."
"Yay!—No wait, shoot!"
"It's true." Clutching Ranger's extended paw, Therm hoisted them up. "But that's a good thing."
Whoo-hoo, making friends!
"Well I think as curt and crass as you are you're adorable." Ranger paused with a dumb smile across their face. Bulbs of sweat welled, and their dimpled cheek spasmed.
"I'm going to help them out." Therm stepped passed Ranger. "Good talking to you." Heading towards Sneeker, They assisted them with the rope.
Good job dumbass. Good fucking job.
A chill heavy breeze whisked by, whistling as it stab into Ranger's sweaty disheveled fur.
Ranger shut their eyes, and let their body wilt. They picked up their rilfe before they dragged their feet, making their way to Jockey and the burly teddy. "Do you guys need any help?"
The burly teddy slowly halfway faced Ranger their body moved like a sloth, dragging with each movement. "With what?"
"Dealing with that." Ranger pointed at the unconscious soldier.
"Oh—forgot." The burly Teddy made their way towards the lying soldier.
"Undress'em before you throw'em," Sneeker yelled.
"Don't yell!" Therm pivoted half their body, checking the elongated rail balcony of the cliffside garrison. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"A moment ago you didn't care."
"Well now I do!"
The two hissed, and cackled, mocking each other as their argument droned on.
"Wait, hold on. Wait,wait,wait!" Ranger dashed up towards the burley teddy, halting them from undressing the soldier. "D-do we have to do that?"
"The stripping or the throwing? Holding the limp bare motionless body by the scruff with ease, the burly teddy waited for a command while Ranger pleaded for them to cease.
"Don't listen to them, throw the bastard!" Sneeker commanded.
The burly teddy stripped the uniform off of the soldier, ignoring Ranger's pleads. "Done." They readied theirself, rotating their shoulder.
"No-no-no-no, hold up." Ranger dashed behind them, thwarting the burly teddy. "We don't have to kill."
"Move!" Sneeker shoved Ranger with their shoulder, knocking them to the ground. Their eyes tracked the side of the garrison. "We're running out of time."
Landing back first, Ranger winced, staring up at the two. "We do-"
"You don't want them to suffer, fine." Sneeker pulled out their dagger from inside their coat, humming as it unsheathe and glimmer. In a blink of an eye the blade glided through the air, slicing the soldier's Adam's apple open. "Can't make anymore mistakes."
Blood streamed out of the gash, gushing and splattering against the topsoil, the soldier gargled.
"Not sure why you're so upset," Therm said, picking up the clothes that lie on the ground. "You're the one who put us in this mess in the first place."
"B-but I didn't me-"
"Doesn't matter. "Sneeker wiped the blood soaked blade with a rugged towel, watching the burly teddy chunk the body over the cliff, their cold firm eyes settled back on Ranger. "Right now our priority is to live, you heard them. 'We're fighting to keep ourselves alive.' " They stowed it. "Sorry." They offered a hand up. "That was rash of me."
"Yeah..." I'm used to it. Ranger waved their paw, nudging Sneeker's away. "It's all good." They said, raising their brows for a brief moment. "I understand."
"Aren't we such a functional squad." Therm shoved the disguised prisoner's back, nudging them forward. "Nothing out of place?"
The silent prisoner lowered their head down, their helmet covered most of their wounds, they raised one shaking paw, and timidly waved. Sneeker leaned forward, causing the prisoner to jerk back before freezing in place.
"Hmm." Sneeker set their hand on the prisoner's chin, moving it to inspect the injuries. "Can any of you see the wounds?" They received a no from the others. "Make sure to keep them away. Don't let anyone get close."
"So, we heading in?" Therm said, "Do we even know where we're heading."
A chilling breeze past by as silence seized the moment.
"Follow any group like ours. And stay close?" Sneeker rubbed the back of their neck. "If there isn't any, then improvise."
"Improvise, how?"
"I don't know, just..." Sneeker clamped the bridge of his nose, pressing their fingers against it. "We'll—Look, standing around isn't going to do anything, we're going to have to move."
"Grouped up? Is that the best idea you have?"
"Yeah, if things go bad...run." Sneeker paused. "Let's go, I think we shou-"
The synthetic female voice spoke out, "All units report to the mess hall, immediately."
"That's our break." Sneeker stepped onward towards the ramp, waving their shaking hand through the air, beckoning them. "Move, c'mon!" They stopped. "Wait, hold on, you two up front." They pointed at the prisoner and Jockey.
"Why...do I?"
"You're one to cause a problem." Sneeker waved them over again, trashing their hand through the air. "We need to move now!"
"I...I'm n-"
The burly teddy sat their bulky paw on Jockey's thin shoulder. "Please do what is asked. If not for us, than for you."
"I...tchah. Fine." Jockey's eyes and ears slanted, slumping their shoulders, and crossing their arms. They let out a humph when they were thanked.
The unit bundled up; The prisoner and Jockey up front, standing side by side; Sneeker and Therm stood a few feet away, keeping watch; Ranger and the burly teddy trekked behind.
They set foot onto the elongated walkway, advancing near the garrison.
Ranger wiped the back of their paw across their blemished cheek.
"You okay?" The burly teddy halfway faced them, keeping theirself ahead of Ranger.
"Yeah, don't worry about me." Ranger's eyes fell to the ground. I'm just dead weight. They faced away, watching the distorted gleaming sunlight reflect off of the distant blue.
"What type unit you are?"
"Hm? Oh...ugh." Ranger scratched their temple. "Something...ranger?"
"You snipping unit?"
"Please don't call me that." Ranger crossed their arms as their shoulders drooped. "Sounds like I'm 'machine.' "
The team stopped, being halted by a steel bypass door. A red electronic wall scanner caught their attention.
The others tinkered with it while Ranger and the burly teddy chatted.
"Aren't we?"
Ranger shook their head, clasping their straining lips. "D-do...you actually feel nothing?" Their eyes met for a brief moment before Ranger's darted away.
"I did what was told, like the voice says."
They still hear him?
"Fath—I mean Kriplespac's?" Ranger received a nod. "Did you feel...umm." They paused, tripping over their words. They faced to the side, and set their paw up in the air with their thumb and pointer finger out. "What's the word..." The sudden out burst of swearing from Therm muffled Ranger's thoughts. "Alive? Yeah...ugh, is that the word?"
"I am alive."
"No, I meant." Ranger looked skyward for a brief moment, shutting their eyes before letting out a sigh. "A thrill?"
"I felt nothing from killing." The burly teddy paused, watching the others struggle with the door. "You looked bad from killing."
"Yeah, ahm. Did you have a dream? Before you woke."
"Not dream, test. Live or not."
The door open, clanking as the locks unlatched and screeched from the metal scrapping against the steel.
"We're still being tested..."