Hello! I return bearing another chapter! Sorry for the slight delay, northern automail construction for A-kon has demanded my attention for the last week. Thanks Jay and Cold Flame96 for the excellent and loved reviews!
Cold Flame96, Ed and Winry do play vital rolls later on (not too far off from right now actually! ^-^). Though Knil sees more of the Brothers than Winry, Winry is as crucial as them. That's why they're the main characters.
Now with no further ado, I shall release the cliff hanger ender!
"-If you agree to fight, we'll let you go free. " My ears involuntarily went from flattened to pointed in a split second. His pale hand slipped between the bars. "Do we have a deal?"
I couldn't believe this arrogant bastard. My freedom in exchange for killing people in battles that I probably wouldn't live through anyway. All on top of helping the people who destroyed my chance at a some-what normal life.
I stood up and stared down the white cloaked man. "There's nothing you can offer me to make me throw away my life in exchange for helping you people!" I shouted in pure rage.
Pentu stood up, a full head taller than me, and now stared me down. "Well that's too bad. We were hoping you would take the position, but I guess one of those other two will do just as well." He trailed off as he left.
I had to get my temper under control and sending a fist into the steel bars helped immensely. Though I had to bend it back after I made a large dent in the metal. I flopped onto my bed, face down, and curled up in as tight of a ball as possible.
Kitten popped up in my mind, and she was almost as mad as I was. Knil, we cannot stay here anymore! Her pissed off but concerned mew shifted my attention to a mental conversation.
I know that! You heard him as clearly as I did.
She was silent for a moment. What if we accept his offer after all? It does not sound all that terrible.
Are you crazy? We'll be sent straight off to war! There's too big of a chance that we won't survive!
Would you listen and think a little longer on the matter? Together, we can overpower three men, sniff out poison, hear through thick metal doors, and see better at night than a normal human. There is no reason for us not to.
The cat had a point. I sighed and agreed to her plan. Uncurling from my warm ball of body heat to see the clock, the hands gestured it was about ten at night. Since my food would be brought in a few minutes, I sat up and watched the door until the gruel arrived.
The metal hinges screeched when some odd assistant of Pentu's came in. He didn't look much older than me, sadly enough. The kid set the full tin bowl down after picking the empty bowl up. He obviously heard enough about me, because he just barely acknowledged my existence with a slight glance.
"Hey kid." I spoke up just as he was about to leave.
He spun around on his heel with an extremely irritated look covering his face. "I'm no kid!" The boy shouted.
I couldn't help but laugh, his retort had just proved he is a kid. His face scrunched up like a five-year old throwing a fit too. "What's so funny?" He stomped his foot just to finish up his little fit.
I finally stopped laughing long enough to answer. "This little temper tantrum you're throwing! You say you're not a kid, but you're clearly acting like one. It's hilarious."
Steam seemed to shoot from ears. It baffled me how pissed I just made this kid. There's always a turning point in every conversation that could make it better or worse, and that point was right now. I quit laughing hysterically and put my hands up in false peace. The boy relaxed his body, albeit only enough to not look like he was going to kill me.
"Look. I need to talk to Pentu. Tell him to get his pathetic ass in here pronto."
He relaxed more at my sudden change of conversation. "Alright." He replied after a loud sigh.
"Also, how long will you be here?" The question just seemed to pop out; it didn't even cross my mind.
The boy gave me a skeptical look. "Hopefully longer than your other keepers. Why the question?"
"No reason." Then I raised an eyebrow. "Longer than the others? Let me guess, there's also a horrible rumor to go along with the job."
"Exactly," The kid smirked. "they say the white-haired cat chimera has chased off more keepers and assistants than all the others combined."
This time I managed to keep the laughter to a series of small snorts. "Jeez, and here I thought I was the nicest chimera here."
"Yeah sure Knil." He turned to walk away, but then he stopped. "By the way, what's your real name? I know that you couldn't have had a name like that outside the lab."
"Never had one." That was all that I cared to say. "How 'bout you, kid?"
He visibly tensed back up, then quickly relaxed once more. He turned sideways and smiled. "It's James."
James turned back around and left. I could tell by the way he walked that he had a wide smile spread across his face, and that somehow made my day a bit better. I stood up and wandered around my cage. Even though it's a cage in a room with thick concrete walls and a safe-like steel door, I can still stretch my legs . I heard familiar footsteps and Pentu strutted right into my little world. The man seemed to ooze the scent of blood, death, and deception.
I pivoted on a heel and halted his words with an open hand. "Let's get one thing straight, bastard, I'm not doing this for you people. I'm going to fight for my freedom, and mine only." I pointed a thumb at myself for emphasis.
A huge smile spread across his disgustingly pale face and pressed his hands together. "Excellent! I knew you would change your mind. I'll go tell the general now."
I rolled my eyes and growled. "Whatever, just get the hell out of here. Your stench is making my skin crawl."
Pentu chuckled and slammed the door shut. The ever present fluorescent continued their annoying yet calming buzzing tune. I fell back onto the cot and face-palmed with both hands.
"What did I just do?" I mentally was kicking myself in the ass repeatedly.
You just saved our lives. Kitten reared her white and gray spotted head.
"Wait, correction, what did you just do." I groaned inwardly.
Did Kitten make the right choice? Will Knil live through her first battle? You'll find out in the next chapter!
Heads up so you don't get confused! I'll be switching to a third person POV next chapter to see how well I can write it. If it gets too suckish, I'll cease and desist then continue in various first person POV's. Be sure and warn me if it takes a down hill turn!
Oh, and another note, I do have anonymous reviews turned on, so you have no excuse not to review or ask questions; unless you can't think of anything nice or helpful to say. So get to clicking and typing my wonderful readers!