Chapter 21: Trouble

CW: Verbal/physical abuse.

"Hey," Teela tugged at his wrist, "let's go, Adam, we'll be late." Adam's eyes moved in every direction as the red-headed girl lead him into a hallway teeming with other kids. He overshot excited to land squarely in overawed. Children who looked like him, children who almost looked like him, and many children who did not at all look like him. All dressed in the same clothes as him and that seemed almost silly.

"Teela," he said gesturing to the hall around them as a she led him along, "who?"

"I don't know all of them," Teela said, giving him another strange look, "why would I? They're kids in our year. Other squads. Cadets."

"Ka-dets." Adam frowned, remembering kindly Vultak's odd speech pattern. "Ka-det…Adam?"

"Duh." Adam grinned.

"Kadet…Teela!"

"C'mon, weirdo," Teela said. Adam slipped forward to keep pace with her, twirling his wrist so they could hold hands. Teela practically threw his hand back in his face. "If you can keep up you don't need my help. Follow me and do what I say." Adam nodded and, almost instantly didn't listen when they stepped into the stairwell. He heard mean laughter and went to his haunches on instinct.

"What now?" Teela peered between the railings. A green-skinned, white-haired boy was surrounded by three other kids on the landing beneath them. He recognized the boy from the group Teela had brought him too. What was his name?

"Oh," Teela's voice fell, "Avery got separated from Roja again." Adam squinted at the gathering.

"A-ver-ee," he whispered. Three human children were keeping him hemmed into one corner, Avery hopping up to grasp at something in the hand of their leader. Avery looked like he was stumbling too, eyes all narrowed and uncertain. Teela huffed.

"Like you need three people to gang-up on him," she said, "and taking his glasses is just low." 'Glasses'. Adam turned, made circles around his eyes with his hands. Teela nodded. "He can't see without them." She squinted like she was in the dark to demonstrate and Adam growled a little in the back of his throat. Taking someone's seeing-glasses wasn't a very nice thing to do.

"Why?" Teela shrugged.

"Cuz they're bored? Cuz maybe Roja beat one of them up and they want payback? Who knows? And who cares?" Teela said, Adam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She had turned away like it didn't bother her, but he caught the way her face fell. She didn't like it either. "Adam, let's just go. If Roja left Avery behind that's her fault."

She moved Adam to his feet and hurried him along the stream of kids going downstairs. Everyone was walking by Avery and the three mean kids like they weren't even there. That suited Adam just fine, it meant no-one was watching him. He slowed a step, darted out suddenly, a tiger cub leaping, shoved the leader so he stumbled, snatching the seeing-glasses away from them in all in one movement. He darted back up the stairs, sticking out his tongue at the three boys.

Teela was going to kick his stupid, blonde backside all the way to Weapon Basics just as soon as she saved it. She slid between Adam and the crew-cut kid, socking him in the mouth with a swift, unconcerned jab. He clutched his fattening lip, eyes watering.

"Get lost, wuss," she glared at his back-up, "and take these two wimps with you." Crew-cut opened his mouth to say something and snapped it shut at her quick movement. "Now!" They hurried off down the steps, Teela turned to see Adam rubbing at his own lip in sympathy.

"Teela…" he said, sounding almost ashamed. She plucked the glasses from his hand and tossed them to Avery. A second of desperate fumbling later and her squadmate blinked at them both with growing surprise.

"Teela?" He was thunderstruck. "You got my glasses back?"

"Don't look at me," Teela griped, "Adam was the one who cared about your stupid-"

"Hi!" Adam hopped forward, Avery backed up in response but slowly, shyly smiled at his blonde-haired rescuer.

"Hi," he said, "Adam, right?" Teela rolled her eyes at the broad, twinkling grin Adam gave. He thumped himself on the chest twice. "Thanks, Adam." Avery looked at Teela. "Roja had to run on ahead. You know how Sgt. Coral always picks on her so she wanted to-"

"Did I ask?" Teela said. "Tell her this doesn't change anything from earlier. I'll be waiting for her at Free Period if she's not too much of a coward to fight me."

"Uh," Avery shuffled in place, "but…but she didn't write that note you showed me. She wouldn't do something like that." Teela snorted and showed her teeth in a sneer, she jabbed her finger into Avery's shoulder.

"As if that matters," she said, "I'll find out who did that, Avery, don't you worry." She suddenly snatched the front of his shirt. "Wait. How come you're so sure? Did you see someone else do it?"

"No! But Roja didn't!"

"If you're just saying that cuz you're scared to snitch," Teela growled, "you better rethink who the scariest person in our barracks is!" She felt the anger, the embarrassment, and loneliness from earlier surge through her again, crushing and lifting her at once, leaving her trapped in the middle. "Got me?"

"Teela!" Hard fingers jerked her back by the shoulder. Adam was frowning hard at her, so much so that his dark eyebrows came together. "Ah?" He nodded at Avery, shaking his head at her like she was crazy. She flicked his hand off, leaned towards him, challenging, Adam drew back without moving his feet. "Stop," he said, softly.

Something about his gentleness made her feel stupid and mean. This was Avery, after all, he was totally harmless. Besides which Teela had a strong reputation for ending fights, not kicking them off.

"You wanted to get involved," she said, "we're gonna be late."

"Hey," Avery gulped, "uh, could I maybe go with you guys?" Adam grinned again, nodding. Teela simply wanted to get on with her day, but not without letting Avery know what she thought of him.

"You're such a wimp," she sighed, "stay close. And don't let anybody steal your glasses this time." Avery's gave her a nervous smile and squeezed by to walk forward with Adam. The blonde leaned in to knock his shoulder against hers, eyes twinkling with approval.

"Happy now, Adam? Gonna try to solve everybody's problems today?" She flicked at the wild fringe of hair peeking over one of his big ears, giving as good as she got. Adam ducked back, face lighting up with playfulness, head darting like he was daring her to try again. Sgt. Vultak had insisted all this would somehow make her better Force Captain. How? He doesn't listen to me. He's wasting time!

Teela wasn't one to give up at the first sign of trouble, however, she'd carry on for the sake of the mission. She shoved him aside without any real effort and rolled at her eyes at the sight of him hopping backwards down the steps on one leg, changing feet in a display of grace that she refused to acknowledge.

This had better be worth it.

This is so not worth it. Catra rolled her badge around the plastic table top with one hand, face buried deep into her forearm.

Her sensitive nose wrinkled as the burnt smell of coffee. A fresh pot was ready and already giving her a headache. The Sergeant's Lounge was, like everything in her life, a disappointment. Forbidden ground for her entire childhood and, surprise-surprise, it was just like any other room. Thin carpeting, a few uncomfortable chairs, and the stench of coffee.

A woman's annoyed laughter made her ears flatten. "Thanks, Dow, it's all down my shirt!" She kept chuckling as Catra heard the soft shuft-shuft-shuft of napkins drawn rapidly from a holder. "Lucky my coffee is cold."

Coffee. It will be punishable by death when I run things. She poked a claw under her headpiece, scratching a nervous itch. She was bored, angry, and worried. There, she'd admitted to herself if never anybody else, she was worried about Adam. She thought hanging out here, maybe curling up and taking a nap on what, she'd been promised existed by older Cadets years ago, was the most comfortable couch in the world squirreled away in the sacrosanct lair of the Sergeants. All lies. Evil, evil lies.

"Baby tooth," the woman snickered, "you're sick."

"It was!" snapped another Sergeant, meanest looking one to sweep through the Lounge so far. He had one ear and a sharp, grating voice. "The smart-mouth had a tooth loose. It was an open-hand slap and half what he deserved. Talking back to a Sergeant. Remember old Gor? That Selkie who trained us up when we were kids?"

"That jerk. Been in the ground how long? Fifteen years now?"

"Aye," Dow said, "some Rebel arbalist did Etheria a real favor during King Micah's last battle. Shame I wasn't there to see it. But that's it exactly!" He slurped his drink. "Gor wouldn't give you a warning. One wrong look and pow!" The countertop rattled under a heavy fist. "Broke a girl's nose at his worst, knocked her out cold. Then they finally moved up to the oldest Cadets."

"That what they're doing with you?" The woman asked. Dow laughed.

"Naw," he said, "naw, Blast looks after us. Does right by us. Real easy on that. 'Sides which, just an open-hand slap. Nothing to make noise over." Dow clicked his tongue. "Cadets these days don't know how good they have it."

Catra was on her feet before she knew what it was she was planning. She slipped between the Sergeants, vaguely aware of their conversation stopping, wrapped her fingers around the plastic handle of the coffee pot, seeing a distorted reflection of their faces in the round belly.

She pictured it shattering across Dow's shoulder or maybe tossing the hot water straight into his face. That would be fun. And when the inevitable screams of pain started, she'd lean down and smile. Maybe comment on how it wasn't nothing to make noise over.

She couldn't do that however because that was a short route to Blast calling off their whole gambit. So, she offered them both a smile and nodded at the small plastic housing of the boiler.

"They got any more of these around?" Dow sneered.

"You'll be lucky," he said, "not but one coffee pot for the entire Admin Building. Colonel Blast isn't that nice."

No. Not like you, you one-eared sadist. Her claws made the glass whine as they dug into them. Just a baby tooth.

"Good," she said, yanking the plug from the wall, gathering it up in her arms, and shouldering her way outside. Without changing the expression on her face, Catra obliterated the coffee machine against the stone walkway. The glass pot she deposited into a trashcan with a loud shatter.

"Well," croaked an old voice, "I was gonna take a break in the Sergeant's Lounge but I'm guessing there's no point to that now." Catra turned, coming out of the haze. "Why don't we take a knee, Cadet, and discuss what…Catra?!"

Her mouth dropped open, eyes flickering over the pinions of enormous wings.

"Sgt. Vultak?" Her brain began to function again. "You're still…"

"Teaching?" The old man offered with an arch of one downy eyebrow.

"I was gonna say alive." The old harpy's mouth worked quietly.

"Yeah," he said, "you ain't changed at all. What are you doing here, kid? And why did the coffee-maker get the worst end of your mood?" Catra winced at what she'd done, now fully in command of herself. She'd gotten angry, so keenly angry that her mind had sharpened into a point of pure violence.

"I don't like coffee," she offered. Vultak's sharp eyes had wandered down to the badge on her belt and he gave her a salute. Catra grimaced. "Oh, just don't."

"Force Captain, huh? Heard it'd gone down like that." He tapped a finger at his chin, then his face hardened. Catra tensed, searching her few memories of the Academy for some hint as to what problem he was about make for her. Vultak hadn't ever done more than raise his voice…she paused. No. He'd done much less than that.

Catra had taken her share of abuse from the Sergeants over the years. Some she remembered, others she buried deep, and most, by sheer numbers, she'd forgotten. Vultak never laid a hand on her. Never ratted on her to Shadow Weaver. Vultak had been alright, she knew that, but she'd never before thought about the ways he'd chosen not to be actively awful.

Weird. She thought. Why didn't I think about that back then? Kids didn't always appreciate what people did for them. Catra learned that much from Shadow Weaver's frequent diatribes against her but surely, she'd have recalled a Sergeant who didn't actively fill her with dread.

"Force Captain?" His voice was a croak of reproach. "How much danger is Squad 88 in?" She blinked. "See, zoologist as I am, I had a special interest in whatever 'thing' attacked Horde Square the other month. Heard about a hundred different stories. Couple details more consistent than others." He gestured at his face. "Blonde hair? Blue eyes? Certainly not eight-feet tall. Remember something about you taking down our mystery monster. Magic beastie, I figured, but a magic-user? That's beyond even my guesses."

"They're fine," she said, "Adam's harmless." She wouldn't need to remake her argument from earlier, Vultak relaxed. Huh. Someone taking me at my word. That's weird.

"Good," he fixed her with a look, "do I get an explanation as to why you've brought him here?" Catra scowled at the judgement in his voice.

"Classified," she hissed.

"Oooooo," Vultak waggled his fingers, wings fluttering for full effect, "well, if it's classified…" he scratched his chin, worked a kink out of his shoulder, "…you sticking around til he's finished with instruction?" Catra shrugged, offering a small nod of her head. "Why not visit the old Ferocious Fauna instruction room? I'm done for the day." He grimaced off in the direction of the faux castle atop the muddy mound. "Colonel Blast decided my after-lunch group would be better served with a surprise run through the Battlefield."

"Why would I do that?" Catra's tail flicked. "So, you can wheedle intel out of me?"

"Yeah," Vultak snorted, "I got this plan to climb the ranks at my age. Surprise everyone. Look, say 'no' if you want to, Force Captain, but five flights of stairs are a big commitment when you have knees as bad as mine. I'll just as soon call it an early day and see you in another two or three years. How's that?" Catra found herself admitting, little as she liked it, that she had no better plans.

"Fine," Catra said, "but no long-winded stories about animals."

"How bout you agree not to get all bristly and complain about everything?" He grinned. "Nah. Then we'd just be staring at each other silently the whole time. Fair enough. Come on. Tell me what you been up to since you got that badge." Catra opened her mouth. "Unless that's classified? Alright, then you can just tell me what's on your mind."

Catra didn't plan to…but then she didn't stop following the creaky old man. She threw a look behind her, looking at the wreckage of the coffee-machine. Stupid. What good did that do anyway?

"No," Teela groaned, "that's still on backwards!" Adam found himself spun around, the hard-leather cinching tight around his chest. He coughed a little at the constriction, trying not to squirm at the feeling. This was even worse than long-sleeves. He was turned back around with little care or gentleness. Teela certainly was strong.

"And your shin-guards upside-down." She knelt, dressed in the same kind of black gear she was stuffing him into; vest, shoulder-guards, odd shelled gloves like big mittens, and sleeves of tough material to cover his legs. She shoved him onto the bench, his armored body make a loud thwacking sound.

"Stupid helmet!" She shoved the metal-mesh cage off her head, growling when her hairband was pulled away and her red-hair fell in her face. Down the bench one of the other children caught sight of gaudy gold plastic and nudged another child sitting beside them. They were both faceless behind their helmets and armor.

Adam squinted as they whispered to each other and he noticed, though Teela didn't, that one began to slide slowly down the bench, black boot slipping forward to stomp on the hairband where it lay on the floor.

What was wrong with everybody here? Didn't they know not to take things from people? Adam turned to warn Teela but then remembered the way she'd punched that boy in the stairwell. She was strong and she was short-tempered too.

She'd seemed nice enough when they first met, worried and confused maybe, but she'd stood up for Adam when that red-skinned, horned girl had been shoving him around. He frowned, suddenly hating himself for judging Teela harshly. He'd cracked that poor girl across the nose with a practice sword. He wasn't much better at being nice. Good time to start.

He slid down the bench, bumping into the armored kid and offering a thin, challenging grin.

"Hi!" he said, all friendliness and glinting eyes. Teela meanwhile was spluttering at him for moving away. She paused her rant and scowled.

"What, Masi?" Masi scooted away.

"Uh, nothing," he said. The other child was holding their stomach, laughter pealing out from behind their cage-helmet.

"You," Teela said to Adam, "hold still." The shin-guards slid into place, pinched terribly, and Teela stood up to fix her hair. "Keep all this stuff on. I know it's hot, but Sgt. Coral will hit you where you armor doesn't cover. She's…"

Teela trailed off, eyes flickering up behind him. Adam curled his legs to his chest and circled around on the bench, gasping at the person leaning in the doorway. A tall, slender snake-woman with a flat, angular head. Her snout was hazard yellow, her eyes and lower jaw jet-black, and her sinuous throat bright red before the color pattern started up at the bottom of her neck. Her eyes cut at Teela sharply.

"I'm…?" She asked with a fanged smile.

"Sir!" Teela clicked her heels together, saluting. Adam saluted from where he sat, and the woman's scaly lips turned downwards. Teela shoved him off the bench to his feet. "Cadet Adam is our Thirteenth Cadet for the day. Orders from Colonel Blast."

"How very interesting," the woman said, "and what squad are you coming from, boy?" Her heavy boots clicked as she stepped into the room, looming above them both.

"Ah?" Adam cocked his head. Coral's face creased with annoyance.

"Colonel Blast didn't-ow!" Coral's hand flashed out and, to Adam's horror, gave Teela a short clap on the temple. He waited for Teela to snarl, pounce, and bear her down to the floor however much bigger the woman was. He was amazed to see Teela's eyes flash briefly then grow empty and sad. She kept her hands by her sides.

"Was I asking you, Farce Captain Teela?" Teela's cheeks turned bright red and she shook her head, red-hair swaying.

"No, Sergeant Coral, sir," she said, "I'm sorry for speaking out of turn." Adam was so busy watching her he jolted when sharp fingers tugged his ear hard. He was forced to turn, a growl starting to build up low in his throat.

"Not a good start, Cadet Adam," she said, pulling him to his feet, making him stumble as she led him outside. She unclipped a small black box from her waist and spoke into it, Adam curled his toes and fingers in at the pressure on his poor ear, she had yet to let go.

Adam. The voice rumbled up from his mind. Adam? There was a deep resonant growl of fury inside his mind as the Other One awoke for the first time in weeks. Fully aware and very unhappy. Kick her behind her leg, she'll let go when she falls.

Nooo. Be good. He thought back.

She has no right to do this to you!

Shhh.

"He has that little look in his eyes that means trouble, but he hasn't done anything exactly," Coral was sounding oddly worried, "no, sir, I can handle it but I…no! No, I understand, Colonel Blast. I'm sorry to waste your time." Adam whined as she twisted her fingers, shooting him a glare as she put the box away. "Go put a helmet on, Cadet, and don't give me any more trouble." She released him and he hurried away.

"Here," Teela said without looking up, ashamed by the angry pink of Adam's abused ear, she helped him get his helmet on, "she's really mean. Just don't make trouble." His fingers were gentle, even though the leather of his practice gloves, when the touched the spot she'd gotten slapped.

"O-k?" he asked, she could see a little of his eyes through his practice helmet and they were so concerned for her. She pulled away, the smarting spot on her temple flaring as she forced her helmet on.

"I'm fine," she lied, "come on, we've got to get our shields." She didn't bother leaving him on his own for that and before two minutes had passed, they were shuffling into the line their squad made on the turf outside Building 04. Sgt. Coral strode back and forth before them, a practice-longsword twirling nimbly between the fingers of her left hand.

"I told Sgt. Kolm we're still on shield work the other day and he laughed, Cadets." Coral grinned at them. "Laughed at all of you. The winter is coming on soon. You'll be Fifth-Years in the Spring. Still on shield work." She stabbed the sword into the turf, hands crossing on the pommel. "I train my special way. I train shields first. Know why?"

Teela chewed her lip, glancing at Adam from the corner of her eye. He was already squirming, huffing a little as his fingers tried to worm bits of his armor open to cool himself. She shouldn't care. She shouldn't mind. It wasn't her fault if he got himself in trouble…

"Cuz if you can't use a shield to keep yourself alive out there," she tossed her head towards the left, encompassing all the Rebel Kingdoms of Etheria with that small gesture, "that's one sword, axe, stun baton, or spear we've wasted. So, we'll do shield work until I'm satisfied each of you can stay alive long enough to swing a sword." The sword came up with a deft yank and she snatched it in her off-hand before twirling the blade around to point down the line, green metal gleaming in the sweltering daylight. "You first, Cadet."

Teela's breath caught in her throat, certain Adam had been picked, then the figure next to him stepped forward. Roja's practice helmet was special, made to cover her face with long, rattling mesh to provide some protection to her reptilian profile. She walked forward, her shield a green triangle clutched to her chest.

"Try not to shame the snake clans too badly, Cadet," Coral said, falling into a stance. There was no secondary check. No 'ready, get set, go'. Roja had barely turned around before the practice sword swung at her. Teela gasped as the shield met it with a resounding crash of metal on metal. Roja was quick. Coral advanced, long, telegraphed swings at first, giving the girl time to read and react. Then, in an instant, the Sergeant was attacking for real.

Roja gave her absolute best. Her knees took the force of the heavy swings, her arms trembled with every shock, and yet each time Coral's sword sliced down the shield was there to deflect.

"Go," Teela heard Avery whisper. He looked especially puny in his armor, but he was bouncing up and down, hissing excited encouragement. "You can do it, Roja, go!"

"You know that doesn't help right," Teela said, jealousy bubbling in her stomach. No one cheered her on, she bet, not that she needed that. Avery either didn't hear or, she'd be outraged to think, ignored her. He actually laughed softly in delight as Roja took a step forward to meet the middle of Coral's blade with the rim of her shield. The Sergeant grunted as she was repulsed and stomped heavily to keep her balance.

"Enough!" Coral yelled. Roja dropped stance immediately, her breath rasping out from exertion. "Adequate, Cadet. You know how to cower well enough. Back in line." Teela smiled a little.. Roja had turned to go back to Avery, a pearly-white grin obvious even inside her mask. Her red tail whipped sharply behind her and Teela's stomach chilled as Sgt. Coral's eyes flicked towards it, glittering. She shifted forward.

"Ah!" Adam saw it too and shouted. "Rrr-Ro-ha!" It was no use. The heel of Coral's boot trapped the wriggling red-scaled appendage like a giant worm, right at the tip. Roja shrieked, instinct making her run forwards, but she only pulled her tail taut.

"Oooo! Stop! Ow-ow-ow!" Her voice was thin and warbling, almost like she was going to cry. Coral's boot moved aside after a few cruel seconds. Roja stumbled forward, shield clumping to the turf, curling her tail around to hug the tip tight against herself in a fetal ball. "Owwwwwwww!"

Teela's hand snagged Avery's belt as he tried to move forward.

"Don't be stupid," she hissed, "you'll just get in trouble."

"That's not fair," Avery croaked sadly, he was tearing-up for sure, "that's not fair."

"Maybe that'll teach you not to strut around like you've conquered Brightmoon, Cadet," Coral said, "you're a long way from battle-ready." She toed the girl's side with mocking tenderness. "Come on, Cadet, show us all you can walk it off." Roja stayed hunched as she moved away, stumbling without her tail to balance her, wrapped tightly around one hand, the other dragging her shield along limply. "Future Force Captain, you're next, show me what's so special about you."

"Adam," she said, "stay here. Ok?" The boy was silent, helmet turned towards the Sergeant. Teela walked forward like she was approaching the Beast Island Ferry, trying to remember all the lessons hammered into her about shield-work. She wasn't as strong as Roja but she knew how to move.

It began as it had with Roja, sluggish, textbook maneuvers, no fancy tricks. Sgt. Coral was a jerk, but she was out to train them for battle. Still, Teela got no warning before the soldier began bringing her experience into play. She was no slouch, Teela had heard the stories about Coral's time in the 17th Infantry. She fought at Darkspur Castle, when the Horde conquered the Hinderlands. The petty king who ruled there went down with a thousand master swordsmen, fighting to the last. She had to be better than everyone.

Teela yipped at a hard backhand swing that nearly tore her shield from her hands. Past the rim of her shield Coral smirked at her. Teela ground her backfoot against the turf, watched the Sergeant's shoulders, hips, and yellow-black-red striped tail shift her weight around. The sword rose high, she took chance to plant her Sergeant on the ground with a good push.

She surged forward, saw Coral's smirk split into a grin, then felt the kick against her shield. Teela's knees buckled. She wriggled like a trapped she-wolf, grunting and baring her teeth, face turning hot at being so easily tricked . The boot pressed down on her shield, not quite squashing her but not letting her move.

"Now, if the Rebel you were fighting is finished laughing at you, Cadet Teela, he'd kill you." The boot disappeared, she stood up on shaking feet, frustration building up inside her until she thought she'd explode. She walked back to the line.

"Now let's-"

Small feet stomped out of line.

"Ah!" Adam rushed forward, shield raised, and Coral's flicker of surprise curdled to a sneer. She stuck out her foot not bothering to take stance. Adam went sprawling, helmet clicking audibly on his shield underneath him.

"Terrifying," Coral said, "now get back in line, Cadet." Adam stood up, lifted his shield and growled at her, Coral breathed hard through her nose, "If you want to…" Adam got up, holding his shield all wrong again, Teela all but dying inside for someone to stop the inevitable. Coral's nonchalant contempt simmered away, rage crossing her face.

She rang the side of Adam's head with the flat of her blade. When he tried to run at her again, she turned sideways and shoved the sole of boot against his back, laying him out. Adam got up, turned roaring at her, wordless and petulant. Coral strode forward both hands on her sword, raising it up overhead, Adam crouched behind his shield. All wrong, way out of proper stance.

Teela thought over the next twenty seconds for a long while after it happened, but she still couldn't make sense of it. One moment, Adam awaited a bashing from the practice-sword, the next he'd firmed his feet, adjusted slightly, a moved a single toe-length forward. Teela gritted her teeth in sympathetic pain as Coral's swing came to close, her left wrist smashing hard against the rim.

Coral choked in confusion, stepping backwards in shock, and, by chance, Adam's foot found the tip of her tail as it swung round to balance her. She shrieked louder than Roja and fell hard on her back, bu the Sergeant hopped to her feet in a flash, confused agony make her eyes narrow. If her squad hadn't been wearing helmets, Teela expected she'd see her own expression repeated. Mouth open. Eyes the size of hubcaps, bouncing between the Sergeant and the boy holding a shield like he barely knew which end was up.

Thanks. Adam was grinning quite wide under his cage-helmet. He had a bruise forming on his chest from falling but the ache was worth it. The mean lady looked like she'd woken up from a deep sleep to someone punching her in the snout.

Troublemaker. The Other One scolded fondly. Should've done what I said before. You could've knocked all her teeth out. Adam grimaced at that. Stay safe…I can't…talk more now…Adam, remember the sword…

"Bye," he said quietly. Coral picked her sword, twirled it once before clutching at her left wrist. She fixed venomous eyes on him and Adam tensed. She worked her wrist and jabbed her head towards the other kids. Adam backed away, facing her the whole while, until he was slotted between Teela and Roja.

"Roja?" he asked. "O-k?" Roja cocked her head at him.

"Yeah," she whispered, "I'll be ok…what's your name again?"

"Adam," Adam said, grinning all the while under his helmet. He knocked shoulders with Teela.

"Like you planned that," she scoffed, "lucky break that's all."

"Next. Avery!" Coral spun her sword and brought it down on the boy's shield. Her eyes bulged in agony as the shockwave of the blow ran through her injured wrist. Teela giggled to herself quietly.

"Pair off!" Coral yelled, her injured hand flexed and shook. "Pair off and practice, Cadets." She stalked past the line as the children shuffled around to obey, Adam and Teela facing each other. The girl huffed and put her shield aside.

"No, no, no," she said, patient this time, "Adam, you're holding it all wrong." She adjusted his stance, how he took the weight, and pressed the rim down past his eyes. "You're not hiding, you're defending yourself." She jogged at him, crashing their shields together. Adam growled playfully, testing his strength against her own. When someone wasn't yelling at you or trying to hurt you, this was kind of fun.

"Sir," Teela huffed and puffed, saluting Sgt. Coral, "I put the shields away." Coral scraped the whetstone along her sword, making Teela's ears throb. She sat underneath a small window into the equipment room, where Teela could see the rest of the squad taking off their gear.

"Am I dismissed?" Teela asked, sweltering in her practice armor. The Sergeant looked up sharply.

"You're the worst of the bunch, you know that?" Teela dug her fingers in the palms of her thick gloves. "Worst of the sorry lot. You're all put together, Cadet Teela, but you don't mean any of it. Think you're smart. Think you're going to be in command someday." She hissed angling the sword to point at her. "I can just about see the steam coming out of your ears. You're angry! You've got guts to get angry with me, little girl, I'm your superior officer."

"I'm sorry, sir," Teela said through clenched teeth, "I can't help it."

"Shut your mouth for once," Coral snapped, "and maybe no-one will feel the need to shut it for you. Future Force Captain. What garbage." She glanced up towards the window, scowling. "Go on, girl, get out of my face." Teela saluted, barely holding back her anger.

Avery was loitering around the corner of the building and blocked the equipment room door with his small body. "Wait-wait! Don't go inside!"

"Move, Avery, I'm in no mood." She looked around. No-one had come out yet. She heard someone yelp. "What?" She grabbed him by the front of his armor, glaring into his face. "What's going on?!"

"Coral told us to," Avery babbled, "Sgt. Coral said we had t-to teach Adam a lesson! He was being disrespectful, and-" she tossed him aside and threw her shoulder into the door.

The cowards. She'd take them all on if she had to, but she wouldn't let this go, it wasn't a fair fight. Teela stumbled into the locker room as a punch landed and a boy howled in pain.

"Ssssstay down," Roja hissed, "or elssse!" Cadet Max scrambled to get away from her. Behind Roja, Adam was backed against the wall, poised to spring forward, eyes huge with shock. She ran over and he let his shoulders sag, starting to smile.

"Teela," he said.

"Sgt. Coral-" Ivy began.

"Outside!" Teela rounded on the others. "Outside right now!"

"I'll tell her you made us leave if she asks," Masi whined.

"Now!" Teela kicked him hard in the shin and the boy went hopping away, yipping like a dog. She looked at Roja next, the big girl nodded. "You stood up for him?"

"He helped Avery out," Roja said, "I didn't do it cuz he's your friend." Teela paused at that. Adam. Her friend? The whetstone's harsh scrape drew her attention to the window. Sgt. Coral was listening. "She'll kill us when she finds out…"

Overcome with the unfairness of it all, Teela hurled one her gauntlets at the floor, it made a heavy slapping noise and Adam cried out at, shocked back into a ready stance. Something tickled the back of Teela's mind under the whetstone's noise. She took off her other gauntlet.

"Adam," she whispered, "act like you're hurt!" She slapped a bench, a sound not unlike a punch landing. Roja tilted her head sideways, eyes narrowed in confusion. "You too! Hit something, make noise! Adam, hurry up and say 'ow'."

"Ow?" he asked. She slapped the bench and curled over in a pained grimace. His eyes lit up, not quite understanding her reasons but comprehending the little game. "Ow!"

"That's right!" Teela yelled. "Think you can just make our squad look bad?" Roja, grinning slightly, kicked a locker. Adam managed to make a huffing, wheezing sound that overlapped enough to be believable. Roja got carried away and threw her shoulder into it, making the whole row of lockers shake with a metal warble.

"Go easy," Teela hissed, "she expects him to look roughed-up not dead!" Adam moaned in mock-pain, yelped in fake-terror, and blubbered in deceptive-sadness. Every other second his face was bright red from keeping his lips shut against laughter.

"Stop!" Teela whispered, holding down a smile. "If you laugh, I'll laugh, and then we'll really catch a beating." Even Roja seemed to be chuffing slightly, clasping her mouth at one point to convulse with silent giggles. Teela could hardly blame them. The whetstone fell silent after a few minutes.

"Ok," Teela said to Adam, pushing him to sit down in the corner, "now act like we just kicked the Rebel out of you." She grimaced, cringing and holding at her arm. Adam nodded, grinning. "And don't smile." Adam crumpled so suddenly into a little ball of theatrical pain Teela worried he was really injured. Coral strode in like a general arriving at a disappointing frontline, eyes cutting at the two girls saluting her.

"The others?" What good was her plan now? She'd get it for insubordination and disobeying a direct order. All for Adam. What was the point? She had to fight down the urge to admit it right then and beg for leniency.

Leaders lead. Coral's distaste for her squad was obvious and maybe obvious enough to be a blind spot. After all, she'd spent all last Saturday learning about war-ruses in Future Force Captain's Training. If an enemy thinks you're nothing to fear, that you're incompetent, you never ever let them think otherwise until it's too late to help them.

"They kept getting in each other's way," Teela said, "so I sent them out." Coral looked at Adam. If she made him stand up she'd realize he was sporting no bruises despite his loud moaning. "Roja stayed. I didn't want her to."

"You're not the boss of me, Teela!" Roja hissed.

"I'm gonna be," Teela turned, "and you'd be lucky if I was!"

"Alright," Coral said at last, "no fighting in my equipment room." That was a laugh. No fighting but twelve-to-one beatdowns were fine. They stood at attention, awaiting her judgment. Coral reached out with both hands, Teela tried not to flinch away. She was surprised when the swordmaster's cruel, calloused hand petted her hair. Roja had gotten a touch under her chin.

"My girls," Coral said, with slight fondness, "maybe there's some hope for you yet." Teela hated how good it made her feel to have the Sergeant's approval, even over a lie. She tried to do things right all the time. Why was she only getting any kind of praise when she hadn't earned it? Coral had already forgotten them in favor of looming over Adam.

"I do hope you transfer into the squad, Cadet Adam," she said, "I think I can make a soldier out of you yet." She glanced over at Teela. "Cadet, get out of your gear then make sure this one doesn't go running off to hide somewhere."

Twice now she'd been made responsible for him. She saluted, stone-faced. Coral dismissed Roja and nudged Adam with her boot. The boy curled in tighter on himself like a roly-poly and the Sergeant gave Teela a parting tap on the head that made her, once again, feel sick and happy at the same time. When they were alone, Adam poked his head up slowly.

"Just stay quiet in case she hangs around," Teela began to fiddle with the chest-piece of her training-armor, "once I get-oh!" Adam slid up behind her, face the picture of concentration and began plucking the ties loose for her. "Thanks."

"Tee-la," there was big grin even in his whisper, "thanks."

"So, we get lunch next," Teela mimed eating then rubbed her stomach, "after that it's free period." Adam licked his lips. Food. That sounded perfect, he'd worked up an appetite. He wondered how Catra was doing, if she'd join them soon. He wanted her and Teela to meet each other, there was so much alike in them he thought they'd get along for sure. "Just around…no!"

"Ah?" Teela didn't hang around to answer him. Adam was forced to follow behind her as she sprinted to a set of double doors in the side of the big building. She was fast, and by the time Adam skidded to a stop next to her, she was already pounding one fist against doors.

"Hey! Hello? Open up!" Teela groaned. "This isn't fair. I'm sooo hungry." The door swung out, driving them both backwards a few steps. The babble of many voices in loud conversation rushed out and upwards like hot-air. Cooking smells filled Adam's mouth with water. Barring their way, however, was a heavyset man in a stained apron, tattoos crawling up his neck.

"You know what I'm gonna say," he sighed, "so don't bother asking."

"Our Sergeant made us stay late," Teela said, hands on her hips, head arched back to look the man in his eyes. "It's not our fault we weren't here on time. You gotta let us eat!"

"The rules say otherwise," the man scratched under a thick graying beard, covered by a hair-net, "sorry, kids, you come late you don't eat. You'll be on time tomorrow, I bet." He pulled the door shut, Adam snapped out of his trance as the sounds and smells stopped suddenly.

"Jerk! We're hungry," Teela kicked the door, then hopped back one foot, "and now my toes hurt!" Adam tapped her shoulder. "What?!" He drew away, palms raised in surrender, and Teela crossed her arms. "I didn't mean to…I'm just mad. What's up, Adam?" Adam patted his stomach and nodded at the door. "No. They won't let us. Anybody who shows up late doesn't get to eat. It's how they keep Cadets from goofing off." Her stomach growled. "But we weren't. This sucks."

His nose twitched and his eyes slid to the left. The smell was still there, weaker, but now that'd he caught it…

"Teela," he beckoned. He pressed himself to the rough stone wall and angled his nose toward the hazy sky, sniffing loudly, wolf-pup on the hunt. Teela sniffed twice behind him.

"I don't smell anything. Hey, wait up!" Adam followed the smell, grimacing slightly at a sudden sour odor. "Gross." Teela's voice was nasally, her hands clapped over her nose. "That's a dumpster, Adam, I'm not that hungry."

"Ah," Adam said to himself, moving around the edge of a green, squarish metal box. Another big door stood behind it and, acting almost on premonition, Adam ducked back as it was kicked outwards. Another grown-up in a white apron backed out, dragging two huge black bags with her, muttering to herself all the while. She shoved the door open far enough to stand, kitchen smells billowing out, and rubbed at her lower back. Teela's fingers grabbed Adam's shoulder.

"Adam," she whispered, nose pinched shut, "don't do what I think you're gonna do!" Adam grinned at her, slipped away from her grasp, and slid past the woman into a wall of hot air. He pressed behind a metal box more worried about getting knocked over than caught.

It was noisy. The chatter of children waved through an opening over a long countertop, a background for the clanking rhythm of pots and pans. He jumped when someone spilled out a tray of small utensils, an avalanche of metal-on-metal. Every time someone shouted, and they shouted a lot in the hot kitchen, he expected someone to grab him.

His nose was overwhelmed. The burnt stench of iron pots that had seen one too many fires. Sharp dish-soap thrusting up either nostril. A gust of sweat when someone hurried by his hiding spots. The ever present haze of something meaty, cheesy, and delicious.

There! A bowl of something with a big spoon still sitting inside it, all alone on an empty countertop. It was fate. It was the will of some kindly god. He darted out, snatched it up, and huddled back under a table, watching the sets long legs in gray trousers pass by on every side.

Nothing. A smile curled slowly on his face. He'd done it, he was still the sneakiest thing around, here in this kitchen or back in the old gray castle. It was nothing to creep back the way he'd come, unnoticed by the bustling people in their strange white aprons. He pressed against the door and shoved. A thin line of outside light mocked him for a second. The door made a loud clicking sound as it shut.

"…uh-oh…"

Adam pushed again; the door hardly budged an inch further. He threw a nervous glance towards the kitchen, someone was bound to shout any second and he'd be in real trouble. He threw his whole back against the door, nearly dropping his prize in the process. It swung outward a few fractions of space further and he pressed his shoulder hard into it.

Move! He shoved. Move-move-move! There were footsteps nearby. Coming for him? Moooooove! Light and space jumped on him as the door pulled outward all at once, his shoulder hit something that went 'oof!'. The door clicked shut and Teela steadied him, then turned him about to push him forward until they reached the far side of the building to get well out of sight.

Adam's chest ran with warm feeling. She'd gotten him out of another scrape. She really was one of the best people he'd ever met. He offered a shy smile at the way she was looking him over, copper eyebrows pinched together.

"You are soooo lucky," she said, "so lucky I'm looking out for you." She sniffed and looked down at the bowl of food. "Casserole." Adam frowned, working the word over in his head. He presented it to her, eyes bright with hope. Teela backed away, fingers twisting together as she looked around them, as if someone was about to spring out of the stone or the fake-grass or down right out of the sky.

"We shouldn't," she hissed, "stealing from the mess-hall is wrong. Good soldiers don't do stuff like that." Her stomach growled and she shot him a dirty look when he started giggling. "Adam, you have to follow the rules! I…I didn't want to let anybody beat you up cuz it wasn't fair and…" she licked her lips when she looked at the food, "…and it's not fair we don't get to eat but…"

"Ah?" Adam cocked his head. He frowned at their liberated meal and placed it on the ground, shoving the bowl away with the toe of his boot. "No?" Teela shrugged

"If…you wanna eat I guess you can," she waved her hand at the food. Adam crossed his arms and shook his. "Not without…me?" She pointed at herself, something new entering her eyes as she looked at him. Surprise...and something softer. Something hopeful.

In the old gray castle, Adam didn't eat without his green cub however little they had. Teela deserved it either way, she'd helped him after all. If she wouldn't eat…Adam picked up the bowl and made to hurl it away.

"Wait!" Teela grabbed his wrist. "I guess…if we eat it all there's no evidence, right? And we need energy to perform at our best." She took a last look around for any observers. "I…ok! Ok. Let's eat."

Teela clapped her hands clean of any little bits of noodle or meat as she stepped away from the trashcan. She felt pretty pleased with herself for thinking to ditch the stuff they stole in front of one of the other buildings. Nobody would be any the wiser of their little insubordination and that was a strange, exciting thrill Teela had not at all expected.

Breaking the rules wasn't quite so scary if you had someone to break them with. She almost skipped back to Building 04. Adam had done her a good turn and that meant she owed him one. She paused.

Or does he owe me one still for Coral? And for calming down with the worm thing? Well. We'll say I owe him one for now but he owes me one too. She grinned as she realized there was a lot of things they could do together now that they were on Free Period. She could teach him how to Catch the Rebel worked, they could scrounge around the hiding spots to see if anybody had left chalk stolen from the instruction rooms. She'd never had anyone to train…to play with that she could remember. She'd spent most of her time in the last year doing laps around the building to increase her stamina. Alone.

Not for today at least. She wasn't alone for today.

More Cadets milled around when she returned. Adam had taken a seat next to one against a lamppost. A small, green-skinned boy. Avery was more fidgety than ever. Teela frowned, a little unhappy that whatever time she'd have to spend with their temporary squadmate might get cut short.

"Teela!" Adam's voice wasn't the happy chirp she'd expected. It was sudden, afraid, and far too late to matter. The world went sideways, she bit her cheek as she hit the ground and couldn't struggle free before a weight settled atop her. Long white fangs glinted, a red gullet hissed hot breath into her face.

"You broke hisssss glasssesss!"

"Get off!" Teela tried to swing her leg up and kick Roja in the back but the other girl was simply too large, too heavy. Scaley fingers dug into her shoulders and slammed her against the turf. Adam sprang up, Avery pulled him down with a cry of protest.

"Stop!" He yelled at Adam. At Roja. At Teela. At the whole world for the all the good it did. "Stop fighting!"

"You bully!" Roja snapped. "Why can't you leave usss alone!? Avery told me about that note and whoever wrote isssss right about you, Teela!" Worse than the threat of violence was the sudden sense of the other Cadets, her squad and strangers, circling around them to watch. A shape in black-armor at the corner of her eye. A bored trooper leaned against a water fountain and watched without interest.

"Nobody likessss you! Nobody ever will!" The punch landed on her cheek, hard. It'd leave a bruise for sure.

"Hit her again!" Bobby yelled. Teela wailed as the next blow knocked her hairband askew, leaving a dull throbbing at her temple.

"I ssssstood up for you! I helped you! You are the worssst!"

"Roja, cut it out, I told you she didn't mean it!" Avery grabbed at his friend's raised fist. Teela blinked, seeing the spiderweb crack in the left lens of his glasses. That was his second pair of the year, he wasn't allowed any replacements until the calendar changed in a few months.

In the meantime, he'd struggled to see, to read, to participate in everything. Some Sergeants would understand, most wouldn't care a bit. There was a long, horribly unfair few months ahead for a boy who'd never really done her a bad turn. She'd condemned him to it by hurling him around earlier, when his closest friend was trying to protect Adam.

Nobody likes you. Why would they? Her sudden desire to cry vanished when she felt Roja snatch her hairband away.

"Give that back!" It was her trophy, the one thing she'd earned for all the running she did when she felt alone. Her chosen reward for being the fastest Cadet in her year, officially. It was all she had. All she was. "Please, Roja!"

The snap was too small and flimsy for how badly it hurt. For a moment Teela thought the ground was shaking then she realized it was only her chest trembling with the urge to start sobbing. Her gold hairband was in two useless pieces, Roja hurled them away to the laughter of the crowd around them.

"Roja!" Avery was horrified.

"So?" Roja stood up, annoyed by Avery's scolding. "So what? Her hair gets in her face. You can't see! She deserves-"

"I don't want you to hurt people for me!" Avery shoved her, she hardly budged, but her face twisted up in confusion. "You're my friend cuz you're not a big jerk like everybody else."

"Awwww," Bobby crowed, "Teela's crying."

She was, she realized belatedly, her cheeks were red-hot except for the tepid lines of her tears. The hazy sky was blurry. Funny she didn't feel embarrassed by it, even as the chorus of around her took up the calls. 'Crybaby'. 'Wimp'. 'Wuss'. 'Weakling.'

Voices she knew, eager and ecstatic to tear her down, voices she didn't, simply glad it was her and not them. She'd been those voices, more often than she liked to think. Mean voices. Loud voices. Voices that didn't dare speak to her when she needed someone.

She was utterly alone, for all the people clamoring around her.

Roja turned away to plead her case to Avery, Teela's boot bit down on her tail, then kicked her knee to topple her. Avery, broken lens reflecting a dozen different shards of light, wheezed as she kicked him in the stomach. Teela scrambled onto Roja, the training they'd beaten into her possessed her like a bloody battle-spirit.

She wanted Roja to hurt. She wanted anyone to her but Roja was closest. She ducked a feral slash from the girl and swung her elbow. There was a soft crunching sound. Roja's hands clenched hard into her snout and she squealed.

The tenor of the watching voices changed, but they all still shouted encouragement. Teela wanted to turn on them next and make them all hurt. Because somewhere inside, even as she doled out her revenge, she absolutely hated herself.

She didn't like hurting people. That wouldn't make anybody like her…but if no one did already, what was the harm, really? Friends don't win wars. But strength does. Meanness does. She cocked her fist back. She would win wars.

The world shifted again as someone tackled her. They rolled over each other across the turf until she got the advantage and smacked their foreheads together, sending a terrible slap of pain through her aching head. The person below yipped, reached out and took her hands in their own…linked their fingers together, squeezed reassuringly.

"Teela…" she blinked, rubbing at her eyes, sniffling, growling as her hair fell in her face like red curtains hiding her away, "Teela?" She felt sheepish as she saw the bruise on Adam's forehead, peeking out from honey-blonde bangs in a harsh red bump. "Teela. Stop."

Not a command. Not a threat. Not any of the words she was used to hearing. So calm. So sure. So confused but willing to be kind.

"O-k?" Adam asked.

"She…" Teela hiccupped, "s-she broke my hairband…"

Adam rubbed at his forehead, wincing as he felt the bump forming there, trying guide Teela to her feet with his free hand. A thin, pale man in a white apron, lounging a moment before on the far side of the building, walked over to take in the commotion.

"Moons of Etheria!" He yelped. "Rudd! Mess-Sergeant! Come quick!"

"Forley?" A big-bellied man in a white bandana stepped out of the door. "What's up, lad? Those Cadets are hungry today so break's over-oh, Hordak's long, pointy ears!" He put two gnarled fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. Two men came out from the kitchen, aprons flapping, questions bursting from them. "A fight, boys, and a bad one at that. Tul and Forley, go help them two on the ground." The big man, Tul, inhaled sharply as he took Roja into his arms, sitting her up to see the damage.

"Rudd, she's lost a tooth." He squeezed her shoulder. "Oh, lass, I know. I know it hurts."

Forley had righted Avery and was rubbing small circles into the boy's back. Avery was dry heaving, his glasses gone and face wet with tears.

"Deep breaths, now, deep breaths. It'll pass."

"Hey!" Adam jumped. A black-haired, horribly scarred man had shoved the armored trooper to the ground, jabbing the short stump of a missing finger at his green visor. "Enjoy the show, did you?" His lips peeled back in a rictus smile. "Want to keep it going, boy? Show these kids how two real troopers fight? I want your unit number, turd-for-brains, and-"

"Logen!" The big-bellied man said. "Leave off and help me here. Lassie, you best stop fighting me and calm yourself!" Teela squirmed in his grip, Adam rose up to help her, but the nine-fingered man pulled him away by his elbows.

"Easy, son," he said, "Mess-Sergeant Rudd has her handled." He lifted Adam's bangs with his maimed hand. "Got a nice little goose-egg growing there, but I've seen worse."

"Ooooh!" The Mess-Sergeant howled.

"Rudd?"

The Mess-Sergeant crumpled a forward onto his knees, face pinched with agony. "Her boot caught me in the…just get over here, Logen!" Teela had a strange, distant look in her face that gave way to horror. She backed up, hands curled to her chest, almost trembling with fear.
"I didn't mean to! I-I-I was just…"

"Stay right there, Cadet," Logen helped his friend to his feet. "Alright, Rudd?"

"No. But I'll live. You." He wagged a finger in Teela's face. "You got about one more chance to do right, Cadet, and that starts with telling me why you've gone berserk on everyone. These are your comrades! Your allies! How can you treat them like this?" Teela looked around, swallowed sharply, and reached up to adjust a hairband that wasn't there, her fingers fumbled. The hair got in her face and she began to cry. Heavy sobs that wouldn't stop coming,

Adam ran over, the nine-fingered man making a grab for him but stopping short. His arms wrapped around her and squeezed her tight.

"Teela," he said, "o-k. O-k. Shhh. O-k…" There was a brief moment of hesitation before she squeezed him back and pressed her face into his hair.

"I didn't," she gasped, "mean too. I wanted… I wanted to…I'm sorry, Adam. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Maybe we let this go?" Adam heard the nine-fingered man whisper.

"A tooth, Logen. She knocked out that poor girl's tooth."

"Kids fight, Mess-Sergeant, doesn't mean they need-"

"Oi!" Adam and Teela hugged each other tighter, turning to look at a man with one ear. He surveyed the gathering, shooting them both a nasty grin. "Fighting outside training. Hardly proper soldiering."

"We've got this," the Mess-Sergeant said.

"Ain't yours to get, old man," the one-eared man turned on them, "you're both about to do some real crying." The Sergeant unbuckled his red belt, wrapping it twice around his hand, leaving a long snake of it trailing. "Get these two round back. Anyone else want to go with 'em?" The other kids were quiet and stared unanimously at the ground. No one but Adam noticed the last person arrive.

"Sergeant Dow," the Colonel said, "we've discussed your enthusiasm already this week. Stand down." The Sergeant threaded his belt back around his waist. "Gentlemen," he sneered at the aproned men, "clear out. That means back to the kitchen, Tul." The big man, cradling Roja to his chest frowned at her.

"She needs the medic, sir," Rudd said, "they should all go-"

"Cadet Roja goes," Blast snapped his fingers at the tropper, "you take her. Get her back in time for afternoon instruction. I don't see any broken limbs." Colonel Blast pointed at Adam and then Teela. "You two? Come with me for a little walk upstairs."

Somehow, Adam felt, the one-eared man with the belt would've been better company. Teela took his hand, grip slack, and led him.

"Let's go," she muttered, sniffling the last of her tears away, "before we get in more trouble."