A/N: I will be working my bum off tomorrow (thank you finals), so this is going up now. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall
Kestrel leaned her head back against the wall, eyes wide. "Holy crow," she whispered, bring her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. "That's... Crud. That's..."
Kina nodded and curled her arms around Nano Double D. "I know. It... I've never wanted to hurt anyone so much as I did at that moment."
"And how do you feel about Kael right now? He's the one who did this to you, right?"
She sighed and stretched out her legs. "I don't know yet, Kes. I'm still trying to find out where I stand."
Kes narrowed her eyes but said nothing. To think she'd liked the guy...! Unconsciously, she clenched her fists. She wasn't even the one hurt and it ticked her off.
At that moment, a loud crash from the other room alerted them to the fact that Wilt had woken up and found one of his charges missing. The red Imaginary Friend ran out into the hall, panic on his face, before he looked down and saw the two girls.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, if I did! It's just, you were gone, and I panicked, and... Oh, sorry, I'm not trying to blame you or anything! Sorry..."
Kina held up her hand and smiled. "Don't worry about it, Wilt. I'm sorry for giving you such a scare."
The Friend smiled and glanced at the little nano in her arms. "Hey, where'd he come from?" he asked, kneeling down.
"I don't know. I was trying to find out. When I woke up, he was curled up on my stomach," Kina explained, patting the nano's head. He nestled deeper in her grasp.
"That's Socks."
Wilt, Kina, and Kes looked up. Standing in the doorway to the other room was Devon, face pale and drawn. Kina leaped to her feet, followed closely by Kes.
"Devon! Are you okay?" she asked, moving towards him.
The boy nodded slowly, although his eyes were dark. His brown hair was mussed and there were still smudges of dirt on his face, but he looked at her and smiled faintly. "I think so. For now. That's Socks. He was my brother's Nano Double D. See? I can tell because he's glitched. His socks don't match. One's orange."
She looked. "So it is. But how...?"
"I dunno. I had his Nanocom with me, but it's broken." Devon sighed and patted the nano on the head. "It looks like he likes you."
"Devon, could Socks speak before?" she asked, staring down at the nano. He looked back up at her, an odd look in his eyes.
"Yeah, of course. He doesn't now?"
"No."
"Weird." Devon ran a hand through his hair and looked down. "You know, if he's glitched even more, like he can't talk, and can't go back into the Nanocom... I think you should take care of him."
"What?"
"Well, he obviously likes you, and...I owe you." The boy smiled sadly. "After...after my brother got injured, everything gets all blurry. Until I met you. Then, I mean, everything's still all blurry, but I could hear your voice really clearly. You pulled me back. So, thanks."
Kina blinked and held Socks a little tighter. Her brow creased, she struggled to find words, but Devon leaned on the doorframe and closed his eyes.
"I'm really tired," he whispered.
Wilt was at his side in a moment. "It's okay, I've got you," the Imaginary Friend said, supporting him as they walked back into the bedroom.
Kestrel stood beside Kina and watched them go, door closing behind them. She glanced at her friend. Kina's eyes were closed, her hands still cradling Socks, her posture ramrod straight. As Kes watched, her eyes snapped open and she walked towards the door.
"Where are they holding Kael?" she asked, opening the door.
"Probably in Double D's house," Kes answered, jogging along beside her. "Why?"
Kina had a dangerous look in her eyes. "We're going to pay him a visit."
"So what do you think?" Ben crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, staring at his companions. Edd looked away, troubled, but Dexter spoke first.
"The scientific potential he represents is astronomical. Even just through interviews, he can help me gain insight into Fuse's situation and perhaps reveal the best method to defeat the monster," he said, eyes gleaming. He continued muttering under his breath, occasionally making small gestures with his hands. The other boys decided that it might be best to ignore him.
"I stand by my assertion that killing him doesn't feel right. Especially now that we know he has human emotions," Edd explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "It appears that he truly regrets what he has done. Perhaps we should forgive the sins of the past?"
"Forgive him?" Ben ran a hand through his hair. "No offense, Double D, but you weren't there. You didn't see the aftermath of that battle. I did, and I've got the one who made it happen in that room. What do you think I want to do?"
"Kill him, obviously," Edd returned. "I still think-"
"I watched the last of our men get killed! Alex Greymane was injured right before my eyes! Do you have any idea how...!" Ben growled and spun, punching the wall and leaving a mark in the plaster.
"Ah, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't deface my-"
"Rather it was your face?" Ben spat through gritted teeth, but, after a moment, sighed and relaxed slightly. "Whatever. Tal, what's your take?"
He was silent for a minute, thinking it over. Finally, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ben, but I think it'd be better if we kept him alive. He's or more use to us that way?"
"Explain." The three looked up as Dexter keyed back into their conversation. He nodded. "I believe I have a similar idea to yours."
"What if we used him as a spy? Kind of a double agent. Had him feed false information to the enemy while giving us what he can find out about Fuse?" Tal asked, leaning back against the wall. "I mean, he's pretty much asking for forgiveness, and he's not under Fuse's control anymore, so..."
"We might as well use him," Dexter finished, nodding again. "I am in favor of this plan."
"As am I," Edd agreed, then looked sheepishly at Ben. "Ah, and you?"
The boy looked away, anger still clear on his face, but he threw his hands up in the air and sighed. "I'd be outvoted anyway. Go ahead. Just keep him away from me."
"Keep who away from you?"
The boys looked up, meeting the confused gazes of Kestrel and Kina. Quickly, they explained Kael's confession and their decision to the girls.
"Well, that is..." Edd began, glancing at Ben out of the corner of his eye. Ben saw the look and grinned.
"Yeah, that's right. Kina, I think we should do whatever you want with him." The boy smiled and met her startled gaze. "So what do you want?"
Kina blinked and swallowed. "I... Right now, I want to talk to him," she stated.
Kael still sat at the table, eyes downcast. He heard a small noise at the door and looked up, eyes widening. Kina stood in the doorway, the small nano from before peeking up over her shoulder. She met his confused look with one of pity, but didn't move towards the chair across from him.
"Hello Kael," she began, leaning against the doorframe.
"H-hi," he managed, mouth suddenly dry. "I-is that a new nano?"
She glanced to the side, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah. His name is Socks." She slid her gaze back to Kael's face. "He used to belong to Alex Greymane."
Kael paled and quickly looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes.
"I'm sure you are," she responded, returning her gaze to the side of the room. "They told me about what you said. About your past and everything."
He looked up.
"Kael, you hurt me. Badly. You betrayed the trust I gave you. You betrayed everyone. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that," Kina said, voice hard. But she closed her eyes and her lips curved into the tiniest of smiles. "At the same time... Even knowing all of that, I can't help what I feel. I can't help but still love you."
Without looking at him again, she turned and left the room. His mouth hung open in her wake. He swallowed, blinked, and looked back at the table, the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks. The faintest hint of hope growing in his heart.
Kina walked out of the room and met everyone's gazes with a tight smile. "Go ahead and do whatever you want with him," she said. "Just don't kill him." With that, she left, Socks still trailing behind her.
The boys and Kes exchanged a glance. "So, who wants to tell him?"
"I nominate Tal." Edd inclined his head at the startled boy. "It seems fitting."
"Sure," he answered, and stepped back into the room. Kael glanced up sharply, fixing him with a distrusting gaze.
"What is it?" he asked, stiffening as Tal walked behind him. His eyes widened when he felt the bonds on his wrists release.
"We're letting you go on the condition that you work with us. You do whatever we ask of you," Tal explained, sitting in the chair across from him. "That is, if you agree. If you don't, Ben will kill you. He'd enjoy it, too."
"I'm sure. Yes, I'll do it," Kael said, closing his eyes, a light smile on his face. "Of course I'll do it."
"Good. You're free to go. Talk with the others, I'm sure they've got something for you to do already," Tal said, thinking immediately of Dexter.
"Wait."
He looked up at Kael, raising one eyebrow. "What?"
"Why didn't you kill me? I mean, you answered that, kind of, but... You hate me. You should have done me in when you got Kina back," he said, staring at his hands.
Tal shook his head. "Maybe. But... What I said was true. I owed you. Kina wouldn't have liked it. And in order to make up for what you've done, you have to live. But..." He trailed off, looking away.
"But what?"
He looked back, grinning. "Well, you're kind of a...kindred spirit, I guess. Supposed to fight for Fuse but deciding to work against him."
"What the heck are you talking about? Isn't your name Lightsworn?"
Tal laughed quietly. "Not much of a fusion, are you. Fusion Eduardo caught on almost immediately. Yeah, I'm Lightsworn now, but my father... He was Darkyn."
Kael's eyes widened as Tal grinned again and stood. "I guess that's why I really hated you, too," he added. "And, at the same time, didn't."
"Then..."
"I respect you now, Kael. And I admit it. If this didn't make Kina totally hate your guts, I haven't got a chance. So..." He stuck out a hand. "Friends?"
Kael hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grasp it. "Yeah. Friends."
Tal left the room, nodding to the others. "He agreed."
"Good. I will talk to him very soon," Dexter said, clapping his gloved hands together. "Until then, I have an idea. Perhaps we should move the base of command out to City Station. It will negate any information Kael leaked, provide a central base of command with transportation to other main hubs, and give us an easier point of defense."
"Agreed. Let's do it." Ben turned and walked out, followed closely by Dex and Edd. Tal shook his head and followed the three, thinking. He still had Kina's locket. He should probably give it back to her.
Kestrel stopped and looked back at the dining room as Kael exited. Her eyes narrowed and she turned to face him, hands on her hips.
He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. "Ah, can I help you?"
In a moment, she was in front of him, slamming him back against the wall. Even though she was half a head shorter than him, she still kept him there, pinned.
"You think you've got everyone fooled, don't you," she hissed, eyes filled with rage. "Well, you can't fool me. If you so much as think of betraying us, or if you even look at Kina the wrong way, I will kill you. Don't doubt it."
Kael said nothing, pressing himself back against the wall. Kes's nostrils flared as she shoved him one last time before roughly dropping her hold on him and walking away.
Kael leaned back against the wall and let out a long breath. He rubbed his shoulder and looked after her, watching her until she left the house, slamming the door shut behind her. He tilted his head back against the wall, slid down it, and put his head in his hands.
A/N: THE END
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...of this arc, that is. The next should begin on the 18th of December, when...well, you'll find out.