:THOMAS:

Trey's been acting weird. Has he always been busy up here? Must be. On the surface though, I guess that makes sense. Things are always serious. And there's always some kind of danger lurking about.

It's frightening, but at the same time, it's a thrill. It makes me feel more alive than I have since we were moved below the ground in the first place. And that's hardly a time I can remember very well. So this all seems new. I ignore the people staring at me and watch Nina playing with the children with this other girl. I think her name was Lexie? She's the sister of Trey's man crush.

I have to admit, while I didn't lie about not being against it, it's certainly something I didn't expect. But I guess that means I can go after Lindsay without worrying about the bro-code.

Wait, what? I shake my head. Now wasn't the time for those thoughts.

Everyone's fascinated with Nina, the kids are reaching out to touch the plastic suit, tugging her arms. I sit behind her, and for some reason, none of them approached me. Though I see a few staring with wide eyes. It's unnerving. Sean, of course, is having none of it, sulking over by the wall. Glaring at anyone who comes near. What did he do, I have to wonder, that made Trey single him out earlier.

Trying to escape? I smile slightly at the thought, Sure, first step: Escape. second step: Come running back for safety.

"Lexie!" The door behind us bursts suddenly. "Trey told me to come here and—oh..."

When I looked up automatically, my gaze is met by a pair of very familiar blue eyes—Oh my goodness... "Kytes?" He's still got one hand on the doorway, and the look on his face is priceless.

"T-Tommy? Brother?" He stammers, in a little squeak of a voice, which I can hardly place as the one that came from my shrimpy little brother. He's tall now! And he has a muscle tone, almost like Trey's. "How... but.. you... what?"

I stand up, speechless, and can't help being pleased to realize that I'm still taller than he is, if only by a few inches now. His hair is still blond, raggedly cut, like Cody's. His skin's lighter than that of the other two, but it's tan, darker than mine or Nina's. And on the top of his head is Uncle's old fisherman bucket's hat that I gave him before I let Trey and the guards take him from me—

"Kytes," I say again, finding it hard to keep emotion from my voice. I hadn't even realized, until now, exactly how much I missed him. Taking the few steps forwards that close the distance between us, I grabbed him in a fierce hug. "Kytes!"

My brother... My baby brother... No longer a baby, after all this time. And I'm sure he's gotten more reliable, I bet he no longer needs me to check under his bed for monsters. I bet he could fight that monster. I embraced him tighter. A lifetime would never be enough to make up for our lost time.

But strike me down with Lightning if I don't try.

"Tommy!" Kytes lets out a strangled, half-choking sob and clutches me back so tightly that I find it hard to breathe. "I thought you—I... I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Well, you thought wrong," I give him a half grin, teasingly pulling the front part of the hat down and over his eyes. "we're here to stay. At least, that's the plan."

"You..." Kytes grunted, fixing his hat."Wait, we?" He repeats.

Then, his gaze travels past me. I noticed Nina had stood up when I greeted Kytes, and is watching us silently, the expression on her face a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, and a number of things I can't identify.

"Nina," Kytes says softly, and the tone of his voice is very different from the tone he greeted me with, or even the tone I greeted him with.

"Kytes," Nina replies the same way.

They stay where they are for the moment, gazing into each other like star-crossed lovers. I rolled my eyes discreetly at the potential for high drama. Jeez, no.

Then Nina suddenly laughs out loud and runs across the room to grab my brother in a hug that outdoes even the one I gave him. Then again, I'm related so one would hope it wouldn't be the same.Kytes is caught off guard momentarily, before wrapping his arms around her as they swing around in place, laughing hard.

"I've missed you so much!" She tells him, half-laughing, half-crying. "I never even got to thank you for the way you—"

"Don't," Kytes's eyes look a little watery, too. "I like it up here, anyway. It's not like I'm sorry I did it. Besides, seeing you here like this is worth it and more."

"Oh yes!"

I half expect them to kiss, even through the plastic suit, but they pull away instead, and I look around at the rest of us.

"Kawaii~Totemo kawaī!!" One of the girls beside Lexie gushed, even though I had no idea what she said, till she translated it herself in English, at least I think it's a translation. "Very cute!"

Lexie chuckles. "Yeah, too adorable for words." Kytes and Nina blushes.

"What a waste of precious time and energy," Sean mutters, not at all impressed with what just happened.

I scoffed. "At least it's making us happy," I retorted, my good mood not even spoiled a bit by his bratty act. "I don't think I've even once seen you smile. Do you even know how?"

His eyes flashes with indignation. "Of course I do! I know how every part of the human body works! How dare you insult my intelligence like that!"

"I wasn't insulting your intelligence," I said dryly. "I was insulting your lack of humanity. Have you ever actually enjoyed something or just smiled because you were happy?"

"What do I have to be happy about?" Sean asked coldly. "—I'm forced to watch you people and your pointless, unprovoked display of—"

I laughed. "Unprovoked?" I shook my head. "you don't know anything about the situation," I glanced back at my brother and Nina but they look content to let me handle this. "you know Nina was slated to go to the surface seven years ago. Kytes and I had an Uncle. He wasn't even a consideration for release. But do you know what happened? Do you?"

Sean stares at me. For once, he actually seems to be listening. I take that as an open invitation.

"Nina was sick," I go on, staring him down. "not just a cold—though that probably would've been just as bad up here. She would have died, no question. Kytes knew that and he volunteered to be sent up here. Instead of her, they cared for each other that much. They haven't seen each other since then—and that was years ago. This is the first time they've spoken to each other in all that time. And they have every damn right to be as emotional as they are."

Sean flinches slightly. But I'm not done yet. I'm on a roll, in fact.

"You sit there like you're so high above everyone else, passing judgment on people who have been through a hundred more times more than you're enduring right now, and you think you have the right to complain?" I scoffed. "Grow up! Do you think they had a choice of whether or not to come up here? No, so stop acting like a spoiled child and start concentrating on trying to make yourself happy!"

"Happiness is a waste of time," he says sulkily.

But it lacks much of the conviction he puts into it before. His tone is slipping, too. The cold has shifted to a tone much like that of a pouting child who's lost his favorite toy. It's a start, I guess.

"Everything's a waste of time for you," I rolled my eyes and looked over to Kytes, who is giving Sean a curious glance. "That's Sean Spring. Sean, this is Kytes, not that you'd care though."

Kytes moved forward and holds his hand out. "Nice to meet yo—" Nina stops him.

"Sean doesn't like being touched." She explains.

Sean added, "Not by savages who lives up here." I'd cheerfully wring his neck if we weren't trying to preserve his life.

He did not just call my brother a savage.

At that point, Sean is saved from the possibility of being punched in the face by Trey and a large group of other kids, coming into the room. When the room is filled just enough so we don't all suffocate, the rest stay outside, with the doors left opened. They give Nina, Sean and myself a couple of interested looks, but since everyone's pretty much seen us already, it doesn't last long. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Cody going over to sit near Sean. He looks up at the still-sulking boy who ignores him, and smiles. I shake my head, looking away.

I don't know how he manages to be nice to Sean when the guy's such a pain in the neck—scratch that. A pain in everything. But it's kinda amazing, too. Like how Kytes can put up with my cynic remarks and pessimistic attitude. I can be a real emotional handful if I wanted to be.

"Okay people," Trey says loudly, clapping his hands to get our attention. He already had most of it though. Everyone shuts up, even that kid from earlier who made fun of him and Corrin. "We're going to outline the plan for you. I want everyone to listen close and do what you're told, not a single question. We don't want any casualties."

I'm amazed. He's a born leader. I used to have to lead him out of trouble. But now... wow. He could get these kids to do what he says, no grumbling, or question about it. I concentrate on what he's saying as he outlines the plan that is supposed to get us all out and past those monsters, er, or monster trees—so to speak. It made me wonder whether Trey planned it. It seems pretty risky.

"Trey! Is that safe?"

"Sure it is, Joseph."

"Did Rhys plan it?"

"Hazel," Trey huffed indignantly. "it doesn't always need to be Rhys's plan for it to be a good one. I planned it." They looked skeptical. "Who wants no meat for meal times?"

"Wow! Good plan!"

"You guys," Trey sighed. "don't worry, it has Rhys's approval."

The kids made a collective release of breath in relief. I snickered at the robotic unison earlier. Maybe some things don't change after all.

"Anyway, moving on—"

I wait until after the meeting's over before going over to talk to him. He seems upset... Was it something I said? I remember the way his expression and moodchanged, when I spoke to him before he left. Close to tears almost, and that's totally out of character.

"Trey?" I called, getting his attention.

He looks tense. "Hey, dude, what is it?" He plays innocent. "What?"

"I upset you. Like I did when I asked about your parents, not knowing about them dying. Come on Trey, I've known you growing up." I held his shoulder, he's warmer than usual and wonder if he has a fever. But he seemed fine during the meeting. "I still know when you're upset."

Trey sighed, "Yeah, maybe," Absently, he raises his hand to the bandana on his head. "but you don't know me as well, now, Tom."

"Hmm, did Corrin dumped your sorry ass?" I try for a grin.

Trey gave me this look, "Oh now don't start using that against me," He smiles peevishly then it died down immediately.

Okay, true, something's had to have changed but we can't change completely. There's no abnormal features in him like horns, fur, or a tail. He leaves me to go help his Second-in-Command. I don't follow. Honestly, he doesn't need someone tagging along if that someone has no help or experience to offer. It made me almost envious, just a bit. Those two both have experience and they know what to do, they probably know how to work together well.

I can't help the feeling of being replaced.

So the first part of the plan goes well. I don't see what the others are doing up front, but it's obviously working. I'm in the middle of the group with the littler kids and the people taking care of them. Kytes in nearby, hovering over Nina protectively, and Cody is somewhere behind, probably trying to do the same for Sean.

"Hey, Thomas, what's up?"

I turned to my left and see a boy with red hair and another boy who looked to be his twin on his back. They look vaguely familiar—then it clicks. "Meeko? Lori?"

"Hey he remembers!" Meeko laughs. "Sorry you guys had to come in the worst possible time. Most of the other groups come when we just got out of danger and settled in a base. But at least it's exciting, right?"

Lori shakes his head. "Only you'd think a life or death situation can be exciting," Then he smiles at me. "All the same, Welcome to Surface R. Hope you'll find a way to like it as much as we have."

"Uh, yeah. Me, too." I smiled a bit. I forgot how different in personalities they were.

Then there's a shout for us to get moving and we do it right away. "Later!" Meeko adjusts Lori on his back and rushes forward faster, despite the extra weight.

Can they all do that up here? The kids don't even put up much of a fuss—they're probably used to this sort of thing though. The trees are worse than I'd imagined. Not as bad as the bear but not far from it, and there are a lot more of them. They look like ordinary trees—giant, ordinary trees—but they're moving around too much to be considered normal. If anything is that up here, anyway. Their vines and roots whip around their body, and only fire keeps them back. Whenever a vine gets singed or burned away, they make an awful screaming noise—like they're in pain.

I try not to look at them; it's one of the most horrible things I've ever heard or seen.

"How much more?" Nina yells, her voice is strained with tightly controlled fear.

"Not much!" Kytes replies, holding her protectively and gripping this survival knife I would have freaked seeing him hold years ago. "It'll be okay! We've survived worse, trust me! Just keep moving!"

We moved faster. There's a lot of shouting and sounds like people are fighting, it's the kind of atmosphere that breeds fear and panic. The only reason I can keep from screaming or something because the younger kids aren't. I wasn't gonna be shown up by younger kids. I can't even hear Sean complaining. The smell of smoke is overpowering. My eyes water with it. They've started lighting fires in the back as well, everyone and the trees have started to close in behind us. I don't like how it's uncontrolled—the wind makes the flames seem to bend towards us, trying to follow.

It's terrifying. Nothing to say about how my parents died, I feel like I'm in a horror movie.

"Trey!" Someone shouts—It sounded like Corrin—and a chorus of tree-shrieks sounds from around us. "No, be careful!"

I looked up and my heart nearly stops.

In front of us, cutting us off from Trey's little advanced group, is a wall of flames. It circled around, catching on the wood from the mutant trees, engulfing about half of them. Now we have to stop, because we were completely surrounded by fire. Nina gasps a little and Kytes clutches her arm, pulling her close. Behind me, Sean's half fainted, leaning over Cody almost. The former energy source of the machine is greatly affected by the waves of heat coming from the flames—which isn't a surprise, considering the intensity of temperature and the fact that he's used to a controlled and stable environment.

The heat fans over my face, making the plastic of my suit stick to me. A little hotter, just a touch more, and it could melt completely.

I flinched.

"Kytes, how are we going to get out of here?" Nina cries, her voice creaking in panic.

My brother gives a reassuring smile, "Fire isn't a problem, especially when we have Trey. He can handle it, no problem."

I frowned. But how would Trey be able to deal with something like—

There's a strange cracking noise, and the fire blocking our path in front splits in half and is thrust to the side by some unseen force. Flames ablaze. With fierce intensity to either side of our group, but in front of us is a clear path to safety. And standing in the middle of the path, with his arms extended to either side and a look of strain on his face.

Trey...

"Get going!" He yells to the group. "NOW!"

Everyone starts moving as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Which was probably the case, for them. As for me though, I get my feet working even though I feel a bit in a daze, passed the leader of this group, my best friend, still standingat the center of the path as kids and teens alike stream around him, arms extended, face tightly set in that expression of unnatural strain. I finally understand, at that moment, just how much people can change had changed—

And the most significant change Trey has undergone.

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