The Circled Cross
Class was all but over for the day, for her first class with Marcus, Skye quickly realized just how bad a hand-to-hand combatant he was. He was clearly afraid to attack, was even more afraid of being hit, and had a serious problem with following through. He was a nice person, kind of fun to talk to, when she could actually get him to talk, and seemed to be fairly in need of a friend. Because of all these different factors, Skye took it upon herself to take him in and teach him whatever she could...even be his friend, which was easy enough considering how friendly Marcus was. Unfortunately after her classes her job for her new friend's father began again. Her next mission seemed easy enough, an intelligence officer;she'd hoped to find one along with her mechanic, unfortunately she hadn't actually run into the kind of nerds she had been hoping for along with the mechanics. They were muscle headed brainiacs, which meant there was room for error in some way. In her own mind, if she wanted an intelligence officer she wanted all brain, the smartest thing she could possibly find...unfortunately for her, these types often escaped more physical players such as herself...
She knew there had to be someone of that grade intellect somewhere on the campus, if not within the city itself. In recent weeks someone had been actually hacking into public databases in order to isolate and finger dirty Enforcers in the local precincts. Never once did the person slip up, never gave away their location, and never gave any hint other than a symbol. A massive black circle with a cross through it's center. That was the kind of person she needed; smart, accomplished, and cocky enough to leave behind a symbol so everyone knew who was responsible. She could find pilots once the new flight test scores came in for her flight class. There had to be someone like that, and if she had any hopes of finding them, it would definitely take someone with some smarts to find them, and since she already had a set level of knowledge about a certain egg head, he seemed just fine for the job at hand...
"The Circled Cross," Art nodded as he walked form his current location to his desk, "course I've heard of 'em who hasn't? He's brought down more dirty officials in one weak than the entire military has all year. Why do you ask?"
The canine sighed heavily, "I just need to find someone...beyond good with computers."
Art grimaced a bit, "I'm good...I mean really good but, I'm afraid I am not on that kind of level with computer tech. My specialty is and always has been flight mechanics."
"So there isn't a prayer in finding this Circled Cross guy either is there?" Skye asked.
Art shook his head, "Now I wouldn't go that far. At the speeds he seems to strike, I'd say he's using some sort of Sub-space synaptic up-link," he said as he began to go over some papers on his desk, "see there's a difference between normal subspace links and synaptic links is the fact that with a subspace link, hardware is actually used more than anything else. With a Synaptic link, your mind is the computer. Through a complicated neurological system the mind is booted up like a computer. When the person is in that state however, they're pretty much a vegetable until they unplug themselves. Mostly used by cripples, and …... people who like their porn to be a little TOO interactive."
Skye gave the toad a disgusted look, "Okay that's just sick."
"That's what happens when you give horny nerds technology unfortunately," The toad shook his head, "hmm...well there aren't a whole lot of IP logs with a Synaptic link, but, if you cross reference the data left behind, it tends to leave an unmistakeable pattern. I helped LCI get a lock on that signal but, every time we found it, we lost it again."
"What does that mean?" Skye asked.
Art shrugged, "Whoever he is, Circled Cross can access any mobile network while he's on the move. Which means that he's clearly handicapped, but, at the same time he must have some killer gear on him. Possibly self-made, if not self-modified."
"You never found any pattern in his movements?" She asked.
"None," Art replied, "it's a little more difficult to track a Synaptic link like that. All I can tell you is that this person either has a good mobile connection, or he's staying near open public links which is most likely the situation. Hackers usually don't have much money or power and use their gifts as a way to gain that power over others."
Skye sighed, "Didn't help much but, I think I got enough. I have some stuff to go over, so thanks Art."
Art shuffled the papers in front of him, "No problem Skye. Hope to see you again soon, you're a breath of fresh air compared to the windbags in the Professor's Lounge. For some reason I don't really fit in there."
"That's something I was meaning to ask you," Skye said, "why are you teaching here? You can't be that much older than I am."
Art chuckled, "I was waiting for that. See I graduated when I was twelve. Cornerian University of Higher Learning. Because of the statement made by my blowing through every course put in front of me in any given field I was eventually asked to teach here because they couldn't find a suitable replacement for the old professor of this class. My dad Professor Slippy Toad taught this class for...'bout six years. He recommended myself for the job, and the Academy decided to let it fly. So, to wait out my own graduation, I teach the advanced aeronautical engineering classes, on top of assisting another professor with her Physics class. The Academy has asked me to keep around once I graduate, but, teaching just doesn't seem to be my life's ambition."
Skye sighed with a nod, "Well that's good, I happen to think you should always follow your dreams. Even if they seem unreal, having something to believe in gives you hope for the future right?"
"Not exactly philosophical but, I like it..." Art smiled, "...aim for your dreams and dream big huh? I'll remember that. Good luck with your search though, I'd suggest you start with the computer labs on the far end of the main campus. I think you'll find that computer nerds and the normal kind you find around here are two completely different breeds."
"Thanks for the tip." Skye sighed.
As she stood outside the canine pulled her orange goggles down over her eyes; she paused for a moment as she unfolded her new T-board, which she'd recently painted to look like her wrecked one. She wondered if the Circled Cross was even a person, some things weren't too applicable about him, or her. However, she only had six more days to find the other four that she'd been asked to; after finding her intelligence officer, she still needed two pilots, and a combat specialist. She figured that she could actually find her two pilots by picking the two top pilots from the Academy's graduating flight classes. She liked the idea of finding a combat specialist, but, the others seemed to be bothering her immensely. Skye sighed as she took a running start before lowering the board she held and leaping onto it, causing her to speed off. Feeling the wind on her face, and in her hair always seemed to help her think; however, her main thought at the moment was of the Circled Cross. There was something peculiar about the idea of doing things that were so illegal, and then leaving your signature for people to follow; especially when the person leaving the clues behind was actually pointing out the massive amount of corruption in the Enforcer ranks. Most Enforcers at this point in time would have given anything for even the slightest clue as to who was ratting them out to the council...
Her thought process was always elevated when she was on her board, but, above all else something bothered her about this whole job that Fox had sent her on. Of course there had to be some kind of point to it, after all she was familiar with Fox's past, she'd studied every mission the Star Fox team had ever actually completed, the most solid truth of the whole matter was the fact that they never actually failed at a mission. They had the only known spotless record of any mercenary group anywhere. Something actually broke her concentration as she moved through the section of campus that led from the cafeteria to the main buildings of the Academy. It was a strange sort of fox, before seeing his fluffy tail, she could have sworn he was a cheetah, as his golden brown fur was covered with dark circular spots surrounded by matching rings, even his face was marked like a cheetah. He stumbled away from a group of familiar miscreants allowing her to now see a familiar black feline; the instant sight of the known bully caused her to growl to herself. Her constant worry about failing at Fox's request was getting on her nerves, and Robert Caruso always seemed to be a fair enough outlet for her angers...
The panther didn't seem to notice anything until his eyes met the goggle covered green orbs of the flying female that had leaped from her T-board into his direction. Before the feline could respond to the projectile female he found himself laying on his back with her perched on his chest, her hands tightly pulling at the collar of his shirt...
"I am so sick of your constant SHIT!" She shouted, "has there ever been a day in your life that you didn't act like that lowlife dad of yours?"
The panther quickly swung his hand at her with his feline claws fully extended only to have the canine jerk his hand down into his own right pectoral causing him to cry out in pain as the unsheathed claws bit into his flesh...
"I hate cowards," Skye bared her teeth in menacing fashion, "if you're gonna attack someone, at least have the balls or brains to do it yourself!"
Caruso suddenly rolled over striking her across her cheek with his elbow causing her to roll onto her back and then back onto her feet...
"I was hoping I'd get the chance to pay you back," He said wiping his bloody claws on his shirt, "you just don't fucking learn."
Skye smiled, "I don't learn? How many times do I have to beat your sorry ass like the puss you are before you get it into your fucking narrow head? You couldn't beat me if you were sixteen feet tall and shot fire from your fuck'n eyes."
"We'll see." Robert smiled.
Though she leaped at the feline, Skye was surprised by the fact that he did not move only to have something strike her across her tone abs, tearing the air from her lungs. The collapsible metal shaft that the feline held came down again, this time across the back of her right thigh, causing her to buckle to one knee. The final blow she neither saw nor felt, as the strike came down across the back of her head, she instantly crumpled to the ground. Several more attacks hit her, but, there was no feeling to any of them, the world spun, colors mixed together in a misshapen void of odd shapes as everything seemed to morph together as the world grew dark...
The darkness of her mind was filled with images that she couldn't readily understand. Strange visions of a wolf standing atop a cliff. A tall, strong looking gray wolf looked out over a glowing blue moon in the sky before looking down to the bundled infant in his arm. Though she couldn't make out any details, it was clear that the wolf was saying something to the bundled up baby. As she finally however began to recall the beating she had taken by the armed panther, the images faded into total darkness, only to be replaced by a light, angelic voice...
"...kay?" It cut in as her hearing seemed to come back to her, "are you awake dear?"
Fighting to force her eyes open, Skye finally opened her eyes to see a world of color and fading images slowly become less and less vague. Before her sat a sapphire furred vixen, she was a gorgeous woman, with dark green eyes, and long blue hair that seemed slightly darker than her fur. The white patch of fur that traveled down her front was cut off by a lightly colored tank top. She wore a strange looking golden circlet that held a bright red jewel at the center of her forehead...
"Who?"
The vixen smiled as she rested a wet rag on Skye's forehead, "Krystal dear. Call me Krystal..." She smiled, "...Marcus and my husband found you. You are at our home in the country at the moment. I told him that they should have taken you to a hospital but, I am afraid they both share a fear of hospitals..." She chuckled, "...despite how often Fox has woken up in one. Tell me luv. Who did this to you?"
Finding it impossible to open her right eye, Skye rolled her heat toward the vixen, "Robert Caruso, he could never beat me..." She paused, "...but, he had a baton. I didn't see it until it hit me."
"Lemont claims that he hit you several times before you blacked out," Krystal sighed, "you are a very strong young lady. Where I am from that would have caused every male from miles to heard toward you like cattle."
Skye chuckled before wincing in pain, "For some reason I don't think my face can possibly look all that pretty at the moment."
Krystal sighed as she removed the rag from the canine's face, before replacing it, "Fox told me that you stopped Robert from hurting Lamont. He wanted to thank you, but, he is not comfortable with females, he left rather quickly."
Skye gave the vixen an odd look, "Lamont?"
"The fox you were attempting to help," Krystal pointed out, "his father is a dear friend of mine. He is often ridiculed because he inherited his mother's markings. She was a cheetah if you hadn't noticed."
"Oh I noticed," Skye replied, "he was different but, nobody deserves to be beaten because they're different."
Krystal chuckled, "That is very kind of you to say. His mother died when he was only a child, and his father is called away very often. Creed loves his son, but, his work is very important. That does not stop him however, from visiting his son as often as he can. Lamont usually stays at the Academy but, often enough he will stay with us for a day or so."
Skye simply lay there unwilling to make another attempt at moving from her spot, "I should thank all three of them."
Krystal shook her head with a smile, "Marcus seems to think very highly of you, as does Fox for that matter. You seem to have a gift for first impressions."
Skye suddenly looked toward her legs where she found the vixen's glowing hands running over her injured thigh, "What the hell? "
Krystal chuckled as she pushed the young canine's head back to the pillow, "Better to simply not ask dear, Marcus, please bring your friend something to drink...she's been unconscious for hours, luv," She said looking back to Skye, "you my dear do not know when you should call off your dogs. Trust the word of someone that knows, Robert Caruso is no different than his father, he is simply much more vindictive."
Skye scoffed as she pulled herself to a half seated position, "You know Caruso's dad?"
Krystal sighed heavily, "I may have..." She paused, "...dated him...once...or twice. To say that Panther Caruso has a silver tongue is a dramatic underestimation, Panther could literally talk his way out of, or into anything...well almost anything."
Skye chuckled before placing a hand on her ribs, "I guess he had a thing for you then?"
"He tried to kill Marcus's father more than once," Krystal chuckled, "in the end I actually took Caruso to prison, I think that was when he doused the flame he carried for me. I remember that day," She sighed, "that was the day I finally managed to pull my head out of my ass and realize that I was only being a Bounty Hunter in order to hide from the way I felt for Fox."
"You were a Bounty Hunter?" Skye asked with a shocked look, "but...you're beautiful. Why?"
Krystal placed a hand on her cheek in an attempt to at least hide some of the blush that had set in, "Thank you dear. And to answer your question...I'm not sure. I think I was just afraid of what I felt for Fox, though it didn't help when he pushed me away."
Skye smiled, "Did you ever meet Kursed?"
Krystal laughed out loud, "You could say that," She replied nodding her head, "so you're a fan of hers?"
Skye nodded, "Oh yeah. She was a female but, she was the best there was. Exactly what I wanna be."
"That is...very flattering," Krystal smiled, "most people hated me when I was going by that name."
Skye almost instantly froze before looking to the vixen and laughing, "That's a good one Mrs. McCloud."
Krystal lifted her leg up onto the foot of the bed before pulling up her pant leg until her calf was in view, "This look familiar?" She asked.
Just above her ankle on the meat of her calf was a black tattoo; it was the image of a intricate upper case "K" with a crescent shape around it, "Oh wow..." Skye froze up again, "...either you're Kursed, or you really wanted to convince people with that gag."
Krystal sat back as she pulled her pant leg back down, "I wasn't really in my right mind when I changed my name. Fox hand sort of rejected me at the time, I was distraught. When a Cerinian gets like that, it is a fair assumption that something bad will happen. We can be..." She scoffed, "...pathetically stubborn. When I started drifting, Fox came looking for me. Panther found me. Like he usually did, he said all the things that a lady in that situation wanted to hear. Like an idiot I gave him his second chance, only to be..." She paused, "...unpleasantly reminded of his overpowering Libido. Unfortunately, when Fox found me I was with panther...he took it the wrong way. Possibly because, I sort of kissed Panther as soon as I noticed Fox had entered the room. At that time nobody even knew who Kursed was. I eventually ran into Fox again, he was managing a bar in Kew City. We met, and by the time we realized who the other person was, I realized that I still loved him."
Skye looked to her covered legs, "It's funny...you're not what I expected."
Krystal chuckled, "Don't tell me, you expected some ruthless, cutthroat," She said, "no rules, no morals. Get the job done kill the other guy right?"
Skye shook her head, "I'm not sure what it was I was expecting," She said, "but, I meet you, and you're nothing like the person from the stories my mom used to tell me."
Krystal laughed, "Of course not. I was a different person then," She sighed, "listen luv. People change, constantly. You can choose to remain who you are now or change for the better or for the worst," She sighed, "but, I happened to learn that love changes people just as much, if not more than time does."
Skye thought for a moment, "I'll remember that. So how's that kid doing?"
Krystal nodded, "Lamont will be fine, he is much more resilient than he seems. I will send him in to thank you when he comes out of the guest room. You should be well enough to visit a hospital soon. If you'd prefer it though, you are more than welcome to stay here for the night."
"I don't wanna be a bother any more than I already have been," Skye replied shaking her head, "I'm not worth that kind of fuss."
Krystal chuckled as she stood up and headed for the door, "Nonsense," She said, "any friend of Marcus's is more than welcome here."
As Krystal made her way out of the room, the injured canine found herself struggling to sit fully upright, until finally she found herself in a seated position. Though it pained her ribs to sit in such a way, she felt far less helpless than simply laying on her back and waiting for someone to wait on her hand and foot. It took some time for Marcus to get back to her with her drink; however, instead of just a drink, the blue fox brought with him a tray. The tray had set on it a bowl of thick stew, some type of bread that Skye was uncertain of, and what seemed to be a bit of fruit, aside from a steaming mug that turned out to be hot chocolate. Quite hungry, Skye began to dig into the meaty stew causing Marcus to chuckle...
"You must love spicy food," He said, "it's a dish from mom's home world. The first time Lamont ate it he nearly drank an entire gallon of milk."
Skye stopped for a moment, wiping her forearm across her face, "This is great. Your mom is a great cook."
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, "Um...actually..."
Skye smiled, "You cooked this?" She asked causing him to nod, "humph. Most guys I know don't know or wanna know how to cook."
"Dad says a good soldier is apt and able to suit his own needs on a battlefield," Marcus replied, "he's a great cook too. Mom is okay at cooking but, she grew up being taught to fight and kill, not cook and clean. Society on Cerinia is kinda backwards compared to Corneria."
Skye chuckled, "Sounds like my kinda place."
"I thought it would," Marcus replied, "look...pretty soon we're gonna have a week without classes. The Academy needs to do it's annual check-up, and they're planning on doing it at the beginning of next month."
Skye nodded, "I know...what's your point?" She asked going back to her stew.
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I was, sort of hoping to ask if you'd..." He thought for a moment, "...help me pass my CQC course."
Skye sighed as she leaned back having finished her food, "Sure," She replied, "on one condition..."
Marcus almost leaped out of his seat, "Anything!" He half shouted.
Skye laughed, "In your only...what four days of being at the academy?" She paused, "you managed to literally leave every single person in your flight class...light-years behind you. That makes you the best pilot that I have ever heard of. Yet your dad, tells me that you haven't been allowed to do any kind of training," She sighed, "first of all, I wanna know how you got so good, and second I want you to make me a pilot."
Marcus scoffed, "You've been in the flight training courses for almost two years. You are a pilot."
"Don't play stupid with me Marcus," Skye sighed, "you've seen my flight scores and so have I. I'm the laughing stalk of the whole fucking academy. I can fly, but, only as long as I'm going in a straight line."
Marcus sighed before nodding, "Fine...you know what it takes for my score in CQC to meet passing standard."
Skye shrugged, "Yeah, you have to win one sparring match against someone, either your grade, or higher. In your case, apparently you'll just have to go with higher. It would help if you could find someone...gotta be someone that makes you...well mad, more than mad, someone who's face just pisses you completely off."
Marcus shook his head, "Only one person I know in that class that can even start to make me mad."
"Let me guess..." Skye sighed.
Marcus nodded, "Robert Caruso."
"You know what?" The young female said scratching her chin, "this could work out good for the whole class actually. You know what happens to the student that finishes CQC at the bottom of the class right?" Skye shook her head, "course you don't you only just started the academy. Well, it's tradition that the very lowest score of the entire class, is forced to take the class over again...and being held back in the academy, is much worse than having your ass kicked by a girl over and over again. It's a blemish on your record, which means you'll be the last to be included in any military activity, last to be enlisted. For military officers it's like having a disease...nobody wants anything to do with you at all..." She smiled through whatever pain she might have felt, "...which means pretty boy's little lady games."
Marcus was stunned, "Come to a screeching halt..." He smiled, "...no female in his own grade level would want anything to do with him anymore..." He paused, "...but, I could never beat Robert, he's only a mid level fighter but, I'm still not even considered journeyman."
"Good..." Skye smiled, "...then we wait for my face to heal, and I help you beat lil' Robbie Caruso's ass like the little bitch that he is."
It took little time for Skye's injuries to heal; unfortunately according to local Enforcers, without any type of physical evidence or confession from Caruso himself, there was little they could do about her assault. It was something that pissed her off to no end, but, thanks to Marcus's parents they had a perfect place to commence Marcus's training. The first few days of their time off of class was spent trying to teach the young Cerinian that it wasn't quite so horrible to be hit, unfortunately this left the young fox with a deal of bruises to explain to his mother when he would return home. Unfortunately, days passed, and though the blue fox made progress it was far too little. Finally it came down to something that she wasn't certain was going to work...
"Okay," Skye said as Marcus stepped into the small training room that Fox had made out of their family's basement long ago, "normal measures haven't been working too well, so..." She said holding up a pair of large black boots, "...time to do something drastic. From now on you'll wear these, day in and day out..." She said tossing the boots to his feet, "...each one weighs in excess of fifteen pounds. You'll do our morning runs with them on, you'll train in them."
Marcus looked at the boots wide-eyed, "Huh? Why? I thought you said I've been making progress."
Skye nodded, "And you have..." She replied, "...you can take a hit, you don't flinch at the idea anymore; but, let me be honest...you don't exactly have your dad's power. Krystal said that Cerinian males are naturally weaker...physically than other males. This explains why it is you're so good at flying, and so horrible at fighting. You're just not built right for it. So instead of trying to make you stronger, I'm gonna make you faster. Faster than Caruso...even faster than me. I want to make your foot speed everything and more than what you dad's is..." She laughed, "...but, let's take this one step at a time. First let's work on getting faster than me. Your upper body can come later."
Marcus finally strapped the boots on, "Wow..." He said taking an experimental step, "...this is gonna take some getting used to."
Skye smiled, "Marcus what's your favorite kind of food?"
"Burger I guess..." Marcus shrugged.
The canine held up a small plastic card, "My treat if you can walk there. All you can eat, whatever you wanna eat."
Having heard time and time again that a male's weakness was always his stomach, Skye realized that the saying was apparently true. Surprising as it was, Marcus began to walk his way up the stairs and out the front door of his home. It was clear to her after this outburst just how much he actually loved his burgers, but, then again she could put a few away herself at any given moment; and though he complained almost the entire way there, eventually Marcus dropped down onto the small metal stool next to a little table, where Skye joined him. After a moment of sitting there a rather young little fennec vixen who's petite body was wrapped in a light blue apron approached their table...
"Um can I take..." She paused, "...oh, you're Summer...from the Academy aren't you?"
Skye looked the vixen over for a moment, she had light golden brown fur over most of her body, and short very curly red hair that reached just to her shoulders. It was as she stood there that she looked to the blue fox sitting across from Skye...
"Oh...hi Marcus."
Marcus took a few deep breaths, "Hi, Jenny...how's Miss Fara?"
Jenny sighed, "Still really misses dad. It's really hard to believe it's actually been three years already. Could you tell your dad that I wanted to thank him for visiting so often? It might not seem like it but it really means a lot to her that she can call your mom and dad friends."
Marcus nodded, "Don't worry I will."
The vixen suddenly chuckled, "Sorry, I forgot my place for a minute. What can I get you?"
Marcus held up his hand, "The Carnivore...meal."
Jenny chuckled, "Are you sure? That thing is two pounds of meat and that doesn't count the fixings."
"Everything on it extra fries." Marcus added.
Skye shook her head, "Sounds like a great deal but, I'm afraid I can't compete with that. Black Top special...extra large fries. Anything to drink other than soda."
It was as they waited there that Skye chuckled tossing Marcus his regular boots, "You earned the right to wear these on the return trip. I honestly didn't think you could do it."
After about an hour of sitting there taking their time with their meals, Marcus sighed heavily, "It's gonna rain."
Skye looked around, "I don't see any clouds," Suddenly a clap of thunder caused her to drop her burger.
Marcus looked to the canine before looking to the sky and back to her again, "You're afraid of lightning?" He asked.
Skye seemed to keep her eyes toward the horizon, "I was struck by lightning once..." She replied, "...I was six years old...I was in the hospital for weeks."
The rain suddenly hit in a torrential downpour, "Holy shit!" Marcus shouted, "The Academy is right around the corner, we need to get out of this rain."
She wasn't certain about any of this but, seeing as how they were so close to the Academy Skye was in no great hurry to stay there in the rain. Rushing through the streets she was constantly forced to look behind her to make certain that Marcus was still behind her. Marcus however, found that his painful legs were causing him to fall even further behind, as every time a roll of thunder sounded the young female in front of him would gain a sudden burst of speed. Once inside the dorm building, the two shook off somewhat, while Skye rubbed her arms...
"Damn that wind felt like it was blowing right through me."
Marcus nodded, "Where is your dorm?"
Skye looked around, "Fifth floor, just follow me."
Luckily the dorm building was the not on the agenda for the searches that were being undertaken. Marcus tried to ignore the fact that his legs streamed at him to make him stop, he felt as though his legs were locking up. His muscles were all incredibly stiff, his thighs were in knots, and his calves felt as though they were solid bricks. Lugging himself up the stairs seemed to a simple cruelty, as Skye seemed to look back to him every once in a while to make certain that he was still there. Oddly, Marcus wasn't surprised by the lack of decorum when they finally stepped into the young canine's room. The room was strange, with a bed against either of two walls. One side of the room was heavily decorated with posters and pictures, while the other was nothing more than a bed with a few books resting on a shelf inside the headboard. The difference between Skye and her roommate must have been like seeing night and day at the same time...
"Snow is out staying with her folks for the next week," Skye said tugging her shirt over her head and throwing it into a small container in the corner as she walked into the room, "she's pretty quiet most of the time, but, she's a sweet kid," She said turning around to find Marcus frozen, before she realized that she'd not been wearing a bra, "Oops..." She chuckled pulling a towel from her closet and covering herself, "sorry, force of habit only having a female roommate," She said as she began to dry her fur off, "not like it's a big deal anyhow..." She said as she continued to dry herself off.
Marcus finally managed to shake his head as she bent down hiding her breasts from his sight, "Well...they are very distracting."
Skye stood up tossing the towel to him, "You can't tell me you haven't seen a pair before," She chuckled, "most guys your age at least know what the internet is."
Marcus shook his head as he began to dry off his head, "No...um..." His face was burning a bright red, "...porn actually makes me really uncomfortable; and something about the pictures that you can find, just...have no substance."
The canine nodded, "I guess I see what you mean..." She said as she pulled a fresh shirt from her closet which she then pulled down around her torso, "...I've always wondered why it was that guys can get off just by staring at a girl's body. I've always been a little jealous of those girls though. They never do anything but shake their tits for a camera, and everyone loves them for it. I guess I'll eventually finish filling out..." She chuckled, "...but, if a guy ever stares at me the way people stare at your mom...I'll probably pull their eyes out of their head."
Marcus chuckled, "Yeah I'm pretty sure you would."
Skye studied his face for a moment, "You know, Marcus, you're alright. Most guys would have reacted differently to that...I didn't mean to embarrass you, I'm just not used to being around anyone other than Snow," She said smiling as she pointed a finger at him, "but, don't let it get into your head that you'll ever see them again, and if any of your friends start talking..."
Marcus paused for a moment in drying himself off, "I...I don't have any friends. You're the only friend I've got."
Skye looked him over, "What about Jenny?"
"I've only talked to her once or twice..." Marcus replied.
"That Lamont kid?" She asked again.
Marcus shook his head, "He's too withdrawn...he doesn't socialize with anyone other than mom or dad."
Skye sat on the foot of her bed, "I'm...sorry I didn't know."
Marcus shook his head as he continued to dry off, "Most of the other cadets ignore me because I...I can...I'm a Telepath. People look at me and automatically think I'm trying to invade their minds."
Skye half grinned, "Okay, mind reader. Tell me something that I have never told another person."
Marcus sighed as he tossed the towel into the hamper she had thrown her wet shirt into, "You love Jonathan and Myra very much but, you've been trying to find your real mom and dad since you were ten. It's hazy but, I think it has something to do with not knowing who you really are."
Skye stared at Marcus with amazement for a moment, "There's always been something different about me," She sighed, "I don't fit in with normal females. I realize that I'm more aggressive than normal, I always have been. I'm stubborn, thick headed...everything mom and dad aren't. Pain doesn't even make me stop, instead it just excites me. They have no idea who my mom and dad really are, and I'd never want to put them through something like me wanting to know where I come from."
Marcus shook his head, "I think it's your right to know where you come from. Obviously your parents cared about you, or they would have taken more drastic measures than to leave you at an orphanage."
"Then why leave me to begin with?" She asked, "you don't know what it's like to go through your life wondering why your own parents never wanted you. To wonder whether or not you're actually worth anything."
Marcus shook his head, "You can't think like that though. You're the best fighter I've ever seen, dad talks about you all the time. Sometimes I wonder if he doesn't wish you were his son instead of me..." He laughed, "...dad always had this hope that his first son would be just like him. Instead, in turn out his exact opposite. The only thing he and I even have in common is the fact that I can fly."
Skye nodded, "Yeah, but at least you know your dad loves you. He wouldn't trade you for anything, or give you up," She scoffed, "sorry. I tend to get like that sometimes. I'd lend you some dry clothes but, you're actually smaller in the waist than I am..." She said patting her right breast, "and thanks to these I have a bigger chest than you. So pretty much anything I wear is bigger than you."
Marcus realized she was changing the subject, "Don't worry," He said shaking his head, "one plus side to being a Cerinian. We don't get sick."
Skye smiled, "Wow. I wish I were Cerinian."
Marcus shook his head, "Trust me, no you don't. People judge you because you're different, because they're afraid of you, because you're smaller, or bigger than they are. Just think about how they would treat you if you could read their minds."
Skye sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"I think I should hurry home and get out of these wet clothes," Marcus said, "I'll just call my dad when I get down stairs."
As he headed for the door Marcus looked back over his shoulder, the room was so lonely, he wondered how she managed to keep her sanity at all. It was as she began to lay down that a blue hand pulled her to her feet...
"Come on," He said pulling her to her feet, "I'm pretty sure it's not good for your sanity to spend so much time alone."
Skye chuckled, "Where are we going?"
"My place..." Marcus replied, "...you can have my bed I'll sleep on the sofa. At least until your roommate gets back."
"I don't think so..." Skye retorted pulling her arm from his grasp.
Marcus shrugged his shoulders, "Fine..." He said sitting on Snow's bed, "...then I'll stay here with you. Either way, I'm not gonna leave you alone."
Skye sighed, "Why are you doing this to me all of a sudden? I have done nothing but try to help you."
"You're my friend Skye," Marcus replied, "but, you've been all to yourself for so long you've forgotten what it's like to let someone care about you. I can see it in your mind right now that you think every person you get close to is eventually gonna abandon you, just like you think your parents did. Dad's always taught me that a friend should be as close to you as family. That and mom says I tend to latch onto people quickly."
Skye chuckled as she shook her head, "Alright I get your point, but, I'm not sleeping in your bed. I'll take the sofa."
Marcus laughed, "Fair enough," He said, "that only leaves about a week so I'll go call dad and have him meet us in front of the building."
Skye chuckled as he left the room, "Besides, now I'll be able to wake you up earlier every morning for your training."
Though the idea of waking up earlier than ever sort of got to him, Marcus made his way downstairs where he then waited for his father to arrive. The McCloud household was always willing to accept a guest, in fact Krystal often claimed they did not get enough of them. In the end the solution to the situation at hand would make everyone a little happier...
