Winters beginning chapter 11
Yeager 1 following the mission.
True to his thoughts Winter showed up asking Spirit for a medical examination that only she was qualified to look at.
Right now all I can think about is keeping my lungs from bursting. I've treated wounds and done medical research from many yautia, even ones that my mother Zuza woudn't allow. But never have I had the pleasure of being requested by Winter to inspect his genitals. I saw the reports and footage of how he took out a large infestation but none of it really explained why he suddenly keeled over.I initially thought it was because the Xeno hit him hard in the gut since that is what it looked like. Yet the truth is so much funnier, I mean the force generated when a hardmeat hits is enough to kill or knock most species a few feet.
Instead Winter got hit hard in the nuts, even now I can see how uncomfortable he is and I know why. Sorry Winter I can't hold it in anymore. Right then and there inside the medical room, Spirit burst out laughing like a hyena high on cocaine.
" Face palming, and now you know why I don't want anyone else hearing about this. The worst part is I think a Xeno also laughed at me because of it." Winters head held low only to now realize he shouldn't have said that.
"Bwahahaha!" Spirit's laughter only increased and now she was on the floor with tears in her eyes, her trilling was so fast it sound more akin to a tank with a broken starter then a yautja.
"You done now or do I need call another healer to check on you since if it wasn't for the sturdy walls someone would think you had lost your mind." Winter now looks at his friend with a raised eyebrow.
"Sorry Winter its just I've handled many cases like this given our world's colder climate but nothing on the spectrum of what you experienced. Tell me how did it feel, and I'm being serious this time, mostly." Spirit having finally caught her breath but the twinkling in her eyes was still there.
"Sigh... it felt like I had been hit by a large hammer wielded by Death himself, or hitting the ground in a drop pod without inertial compensaters. The pain ripped through my body and it took every ounce of will I had not to vomit in my mask right then and there. Had there not been more pressing matters I would have done just that." Winter specified in greater detail but even now his nuts hurt just talking about it.
" I see, well Winter I can have you checked and cleared in no time but I'm afraid you are going to have to give me a sample to test. To see if your still viable." This part always got the males on edge and it always made Spirit smile to watch them squirm. Despite advanced technology its rumored if such testing is still needed. Reality, it isn't but some healers still do it just because it knocks males down a peg and because it does have a hundred percent success rate.
Winters jaw dropped to the floor, she can't possibly mean that, having her look is one thing but to do that is completely different. Right now his ability to follow orders or run are at an impasse.
"How about this Winter, I'll help you." Spirit contemplated rubbing it but that would destroy her friendship real quick so she went with an alternative. Using a well done drawing, Spirit showed Winter what a first gen human yautja hybrid would look like, purple style bikini and all. At a speed even a horny Rab would be proud of, Winters ahem rod was at attention at frightening speed.
"Well well, I see someone is hard and already leaking." Spirit couldn't help but smile at this, mandibles clicking joyously.
Winter looks down after having to tear his face away from the image. "Traitor!" Grabbing the nearest cup Winter place it in front his girth and much to his shame all it took was a single touch and the cup was filled up in short order.
Seeing Winter like this was both heart breaking and funny, for one it means Winter, whether he likes it or not has a thing for hybrids. The other means Scythe will now spread a rumor around his clan that Snow will hear about. I won't mention the incident though as that would be too mean. "Thanks Winter this won't take long however do drink plenty of fluids it will help."
As Spirit exits the room to run her tests, Winter can't help but feel shameful, Kal already informed him of the hybrid called Snow and after the art Spirit showed him, it was undeniable, he was attracted to this Snow and likely hybrids in general. Thankfully human and Yautja mating is extremely rare. This must be a side effect of all his studies or from the incidents with other females. Once a female he briefly courted caused all his emotions to come out like a flood gate, one he was ill prepared for.
Exhibiting the same instances that involved stocking Spirit way back when, the female called it off and the repeat mistake only caused Winter to yet again lock himself away and cry a lot.
Since then Winter has become more distant from females aside from Spirit, Zuza and his own mother.
"I'm back and good news, your still viable and Paya, Winter it feels like depression central in here. I'm gone for a few nano cycles and already you start reminiscing about your past failures with females!" Blast it Winter half the planet thinks your a kill bot and the other half thinks your not yautja enough to court females and then there are those who think your not yautja at all but an experiment of a human turned into a Predator! Spirit roared mandibles and jaw as wide as they can.
"Sorry Spirit but I don't regret what I've become, I don't care about rumors, after all this entire planet is just one giant war machine." Winter said with his eyes narrowed at his long time friend.
"That maybe true but none of the other Yautja trained for direct combat think like you do Winter. They at least have pride in what they do and they show it. while all you do is emanate weariness, constantly aware of everything around you like some form of hawk. This makes many nervous around you and your lack of humor means you never lighten up. Doesn't help that when ever someone gives you a pat on the back you bristle like a human cat ready to pounce. The worst part is you never smile unless its with your toys or your helping a fellow yautja out with something. Yet your reputation always seems to cover up your good deeds." Spirit ranted
"Okay fine I'll try working on becoming a better Yautja but I'm not changing my attitude, much." Stated Winter as a matter of fact.
" I don't expect you too young one as that would eliminate the one aspect that makes you lethal, since you need to be calculating in order to succeed as an Elite." Said none other then Wolf himself as he decloaked.
Winter without thinking immediately stood at attention and saluted only to have his throat rapidly punched, then quickly brought to the ground faster then he could twitch a muscle.
"Winter by succeeding with the destruction on Serth242, you have reached the level where you are ready to become an Elite but now your real training begins. Your unorthodox method of taking out the infestation has made you worthy of becoming my apprentice, however unlike others I've taught, its clear you need not just physical training but mental as well. You've allowed human culture to taint your mind too much, while your tactics and weapons are impressive as well as your fighting style. You must remember you are yautja first. So If I ever see you give me that American salute again I will knock you out or hit you in the nether region worse then the hardmeats. Do I make myself clear." Wolfs voice didn't waver and its coldness could freeze the southern desert, its safe to say the wrong answer would result in extreme pain.
Winters eyes widened, Death would just assign a major hike or other workout but somehow this sounded worse, coming from one of the Councils top operatives and Wolf no less. Its now clear to see why the largest class of warship was named after him. "yes sir"
"Good" releasing his grip on Winters throat Wolf helped him up, Winter couldn't be anymore true to his name if he tried as his bare torso from head to toe was quite pale, not quite albino but still enough to add to Winters reputation as a cautious yautja. If it wasn't for the minor scratching on his armor one would think this blooded had never killed anything in his life.
"Tell me Spirit, does this pup have any humility"
Gulp "Winter has it but well its difficult to read and I've known him since we were pups" Spirit replied tepidly despite being bigger, Wolf reminds her of her father back when he was still recovering from her birth mothers death.
"hmm," Winter is now standing at attention with his eyes facing forward. "Tell me Winter, if I ordered you to kill your friend here, would you do it?"
Spirit was shocked, this heartless bastard talks more like he controls the very essence of death itself, how proud can one be.
"I would not, to do so is in violation of the code as females are not to be touched or killed unless they make themselves a threat." Winter replied without hesitation
"And if she had a chestburster in her?" Wolf inquired, measuring just how far Winter would go.
"Then I would terminate her without hesitation."
That hit a nerve no, more like a punch to the heart. Winter was in his soldier mind set right now and Wolf knew it. Only now did it occur to Spirit that the pain she felt was one left over from her crush on Winter. Winter never knew about it but that was when he wasn't cold or overly shy around females. It is said killing your friend is the hardest thing to do but seeing Winter in this state shows the truth, he may mourn later or even have nightmares but in the end he really wouldn't hesitate.
"Excuse me, I have other matters to attend to, oh and Wolf, your a bastard and don't you ever come to me if you get injured because I'll make sure your healing is as slow and painful as possible." Spirit said with venom before leaving to give both Kima and Striker an ear full.
"Feisty female, you should have mated with her when you had the chance but no matter. Here is my com number as the Council has already approved your apprenticeship with me and thus your training begins in several cycles. While what few apprentices I've trained I've done so in a year, two at the most, you however are a special case. Since to you physical punishment is a joy so instead your apprenticeship will last anywhere from a few months to years. In fact even after being cleared as an Elite you and many of my pupils will still be my apprentices, either until I die or you overcome your greatest weakness. Dismissed"
"Yes sir!" As Winter headed out he couldn't help but feel guilt at what Wolf just put him through, they say he was cold but Wolf takes the cake, to use a human saying. Many would consider it an honor, which it is but I was not taught to feel such things, instead I will adapt and improve to his methods, even so its quite evident he studied the humans as well. Probably learned their language like I have, which if true then it means unlike the previous training I've received, I get the feeling Wolf's is going to be more educational then physical.
After taking a shower, Scythe was just now being updated of the recent events by his girlfriend.
"Winter just became an apprentice to one of the most infamous Predators alive?" Scythe was shocked and proud especially given Winters age which was still quite young.
"yes and the worst part is Wolf has no concept of calling ahead, he just showed up out of nowhere and instantly Winter went to his soldier mind set just as quickly." Spirit fumed to her boyfriend and hopefully lifemate.
Scythe could already feel the tension coming from her. Generally when Winter goes into that particular mindset, its never good for anyone involved. "Let me guess Wolf did something stupid?"
" You got that right!" Spirit yelled "That short bastard had the audacity to ask him if he would kill me if I had a chest burster and Winter didn't hesitate with a simple yes."
"Oh boy this is bad, listen Spirit I'm sure Winter feels guilty about it, after all when a high ranking yautja makes requests out of nowhere, we all tend to act very differently. I'm mean talk to Kal, he nearly pissed himself just from talking to Elder Nova over the coms and I can vouch for that. Elder Nova is very forgiving but he is a scary individual if you get on his bad side. Though his son Scar does seem to be a bit of an air head, then again most yautja would be after being impaled by a queen and somehow surviving."
" I'm not mad at Winter, I'm mad at Wolf and Winters parents, which is why I'm on my way to see Kima and give her a peace of my mandibles".
Scythes eyes widened at this, if there was ever a female equivalent to Elder Nova, Kima was it. "Are you insane! Kima is as protective to Winter as Nova is to Scar, both can tear you apart with ease if pissed off." Scythe was getting worried now.
"Oh please, she's old."
"Our kind lives for thousands of years, even the Ancients could still kick my warm blooded reptilian hide and Kima is a lot younger then them! Please Spirit don't do something stupid." Scythe begged putting his mandibles together in what accounts to puppy dog eyes.
"Fine I'll try not to start anything too badly, good by Scythe I love you." Transmission cuts off.
"Wow and you think Snow would go for this male, she makes it sound like he's better then everyone else." said none other then Javelin
"Trust me he doesn't, Winter just doesn't know how to express his emotions properly hence the confusion."
"Huha sorry but I know Snow and trust me the only thing she is going to see with him is he likes me but I love scar more, boom someone gets their head knocked around because of a love triangle" Javelin put forward flashing his eye lids.
" And you wonder why Elder Ember doesn't give you command of a squad." Scythe said rhetorically. Even so the blooded hunter had a point, thanks to her family being hunted down by bad bloods Snow was always on edge and her focus on Scar is like Winters soldier mind set, only with out the killing. Why Scar rejected her is anyone's guess. After all he hasn't been the same since his chiva, his cohesion with Snow has begun to falter and the only logical conclusion is the human female that saved his life. Not that he will admit this since technically he hasn't rejected her advances out loud.
Still after one figures out how to read Winter, which isn't easy, reading others becomes a simple affair. I can tell Scar is loosing cohesion with Snow without thinking about it and Snow is too blind to see it thanks to her obsession with him. Logically if Scar does figure this out on his own, its likely he'll just need a legitimate excuse to reject her. This way he doesn't risk a dislocated limb or invoking Nova's wrath. Now whether Snow accepts it will be a whole other matter. The biggest threat is the rumor mill which keeps changing to the point that time and places get mixed up an no one can tell where the truth is anymore. Many on the ship say Scar and Snow are meant for each other, Nova included. Before his chiva, they would've been right but now subtle changes have begun in Scar, ones that are usually hard to notice but are there.
"You need a drink Scythe and I think I know the perfect place on yautja prime. Also I see the wheels turning in your head is there something you want to mention?"
"Not right now Javelin go ahead and have a drink, in the mean time I've got things to do on the bridge" Scythe gets up and leaves his quarters. "Oh and try not to screw with anything or I'll let Snow know you touched her blades without her knowing" Door slides shut
"Ha jokes on you scythe she already knows and Oh now I remember, I was heading to the healer after she dislocated my arm." Javelin opens the door and heads to the infirmary.
Walking down the corridors on his way to the Bridge, Scythe decides its best to keep quiet until more data is available, after all if there is one thing he learned from Ghost its that observing the odd quirks and behavioral patterns of others is very useful when it comes to understanding their true intentions.
This required cross referencing with Acceptance to maintain consistency, mostly, hence the rumor mill mentioned in the fine print which gave me the excuse to effectively tell a different story but not so different as to completely disregard it entirely. I don't know how much effort people go but I'd like to think I did a good job.
After all Winter has effectively been born and raised for the soul purpose of surviving and killing. All instigated by his parents without him knowing. Celsius fate has ironically given me the formula on how to do this in a very devious manner without destroying characters or continuity in the process. At least I hope So.
Lastly remember this, everyone has a breaking point, regardless of species, both sentient and non sentient, the question is how will this be vented either someone gets hurt or. Like in the Story Acceptance the good old fashion way of putting your fist into a wall, it hurts and causes some property damage but effective. Nobody is perfect but the challenge of overcoming our flaws is what makes life worth living, its hard and and emotionally painful. One of the largest however is learning to forgive, this alone is so much more difficult then apologizing. anyway sorry for the rant.
As always, like, share and review. Thank you.