Bree slowly closed her book with a nonchalant look. She licked her pink lips once, holding the book tightly against her chest. Her pink lips felt extremely dry and crusty to her. Sliding her tongue along the dryness again, she winced. Dry cracks were splitting the skin of her full lips, creating a yucky feeling. Her mind tried to think back to last time she used chap-stick. She couldn't remember. She couldn't even remember the last time she brushed her teeth. It's not like it mattered though. Bionic humans couldn't ruin their teeth, or dirty them as easily as regular humans could. It was another perk of being bionic. And even though she no longer had a bionic chip inside her, her body structure still gave her those bionic 'health abilities'.
Likewise, not having to brush your teeth didn't mean it prevented your breath from smelling. It just meant that her teeth wouldn't get damaged, so she guessed that her breath probably smelt of rotten salmon by now. Maybe even worse. She shuttered inwardly, giving herself a reminder to brush her teeth afterwards.
Continuing to just stare at him through the glass with unblinking eyes, Bree slid her cylinder capsule door open. Her toes stopped at the edge, teetering, as if she was still debating on whether or not she should come out of her prison. The prison she locked herself up in, mind you.
Kaz stared into her brown eyes for a minute. He reached a hopeful hand out to her, before letting it drop to his side when all he got in return was a look of carelessness. Through his own defeated brown eyes, Kaz looked like he wanted to scream desperate words at her.
Come out of your solitude!
We miss you!
Please!
Bree felt amusement fill her stomach when Kaz opened his arms out towards her. She was quick to just roll her brown eyes and shove him out of her path. "I need to brush my teeth!"
That was the only response Kaz had gotten from her before she was out of her room, across the hall, and into the bathroom with the sound of the door slamming behind her.
"O…ok then." Kaz murmured, feeling utterly shocked at what just transpired here. "Does that mean Bree is joining us for dinner tonight or…?"
''''
Kaz doesn't need to be so dramatic. A hug? Really? It's not like I came out of my capsule because I suddenly think I'm good enough. Or because I suddenly disagree with what Chase said to Skylar. I'm only coming out because I'm bored. That's all. And I'll be sure to keep out of everyone's way too. Even Skylar's—my replacement. I'm not needed on missions. I'm not needed anywhere. Chase has made that abundantly clear. I'll interact with the television, and only the television for all I care. I'm just so exhausted of being left inside my capsule.
Stabbing her brush back into the toothbrush holder, Bree took a deep breath. "It's time." She mumbled, touching her lips with her fingers. Feeling that irritating dryness still, she hurriedly dug into the opened drawer and pulled out her strawberry chap-stick. She smeared some of the clear, fruity contents over her mouth. Smacking her lips together, Bree smiled slightly in relief, "Well, at least this chap-stick is still mine!"
''''
Skylar jumped and twisted her body around, swiftly kicking up her right leg. Her foot hit the dummy in front of her, but it only knocked it slightly off balance. She landed on the ground in a crouch, her palms smacking against the floor. Skylar let out another frustrated groan, "Ugh!"
Chase squeezed his eyes shut in aggravation, willing himself to take controlled breaths. The two have been training in mission command for six hours; since after breakfast, and Skylar still couldn't seem to straighten out her leg.
Squeezing the bridge of his nose, Chase mumbled, "And her leg is still not straight."
Chase stepped towards her. "I've seen your kicks before," He shook his head, giving her a bewildered look, "and most of them are even better than my own kicks!" He shot an indirect compliment at her, crossing his arms, "So what's the sitch?"
Skylar narrowed her caramel-colored eyes at him. "Maybe my "sitch"," She used her fingers as invisible air quotes, sneering at him, "is that you haven't let us eat lunch and it's almost five, Mission Leader!" She finished, growling.
Chase gaped at her. "I completely forgot about lunch!" He defended himself.
"Yeah, I bet!" Skylar snapped.
He sighed, "Skyla—"
"I'm done!" Skylar cut him off, raising at hand at him to get him to stop talking.
"I'll be…somewhere else." She sent him an angry look.
"And don't even think about finding me, or I'll show you how big of a Space Witch I can really be!" Skylar hissed through her teeth, her angry look not subsiding. Then she left mission command through the hyperlift with her super-speed, mumbling her annoyances.
Chase rolled his eyes, smirking, "Bionics can go without eating for two whole days, but apparently Calderian's can't go without eating for six hours." He snickered, "What complete humans."
Skylar's not a human though. She's an alien.
Chase's mind reminded him.
Then she should act like the non-weakling she claims to be then, shouldn't she.
Chase's eyes turned slightly murderous. It was almost like the more he kept believing Skylar was prioritizing her eating over her training, the angrier he became.
Because Skylar needed to train.
Because Oliver needed to train.
Because Kaz needed to train.
Because EVERYONE needed to train!
To Chase, everyone needed to keep training until each team member could honestly say to his face, "When we face Roman and Riker, it will end for them. I don't think it will, and I don't hope that it will. I KNOW it will!" If they couldn't say that to him, then their ass better be in Mission Command training.
Chase only hounded Skylar more severely because she had more powers then everyone else. She actually had more powers than all of then combined. That was something Chase had found out about her. There were powers that Skylar still had yet to discover. Chase had done his research on Calderian's. And because she had more powers then them, it was her job to train and master each and every one of them. However, Chase's approach towards Skylar hasn't been very pleasant at all.
In fact, Skylar would say it was quite hurtful. Also, he's been acting a bit intimidating, if she was being honest with herself. And if she didn't whole-heartedly believe that she could protect herself if he ever were to become…god forbid…violent with her, she'd even mumble to herself that his actions scared her sometimes.
Chase definitely hasn't noticed, but he changed throughout those eight months without his sister. He had changed without Bree's calming influence on him, and it wasn't for the better…at all.
It had created an unsettling feeling in Skylar's stomach.
It was a disturbing feeling that has been heightening ever since Bree had lost her bionics.
And it made her incredibly nervous, fore she honestly didn't know what Chase could actually be capable of.
Skylar didn't know him.
''''
"Hey!"
Startled, Skylar spun around with her hands balled into fists in front of her. The tuna sandwich that was in her hands lay crumbled on the counter. Seeing as it was just an overly eager Kaz though, Skylar lowered them back to her sides, "What Kaz?" She sighed, trying to pick up her now destroyed sandwich. "What do you want?"
Kaz grinned. "You won't believe who's joining us for dinner tonight?"
Skylar turned towards him with an aggravated look. "If you say you adopted a pet pig, and that's who might be at the table with us, then you should be fairly warned that I'll most-likely kill you!" She threatened, stuffing the rest of her sandwich in her mouth. Swallowing, Skylar finished with a pointed stare, "So I would choose your words wisely, pig-man."
Kaz rolled his eyes, "It's actually Bree," He raised his eyebrows, smirking, "so I wouldn't be so quick to accuse me, Skylar."
Skylar looked astounded. "What..." She trailed off.
Skylar searched his eyes for any sign of dishonesty, which was stupid because why would he lie about this?
Tilting her head, she murmured in disbelief, "Are you serious?"
Kaz stared at the counter for a minute, trying to gather his own thoughts, before searching for her confused eyes, "I'm just as surprised as you are," He admitted, whispering, "but I guess I am."
A tiny grin displayed on Skylar's face. "This is amazing."
Kaz breathed a sigh of relief. "It really is."
Then he broke out laughing because the happiness just overwhelmed him. Kaz laughed so hard that he had to grab onto Skylar's shoulder to support himself "It really is." He said again without thinking, still chuckling.
Skylar joined in herself, hugging Kaz and laughing, as she shared this wonderful news with one of her best friends.
After a while their laughter subsided, but the happiness they felt only seemed to heighten. Kaz pulled away from her, still displaying the biggest grin she had ever seen on his face.
Skylar looked up at him with warm eyes, "I hope this works out for you, Kaz." She smiled. "I know we don't always act like we're the best of friends," Skylar snickered, "but I do love you." She admitted.
Skylar bumped his shoulder with hers, "I want you to find happiness too, you know."
Kaz stepped away from her with a withdrawn look in his brown eyes.
He crossed his arms in defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about?"
Skylar raised her eyebrows. "Bree." She stated like it was obvious.
Kaz still seemed unbelievably oblivious. He was so clueless that Skylar wanted to roll her eyes at him. And she probably would've too if she wasn't relishing in complete happiness.
"You obviously have feelings for her." Skylar pressed on. "I can see how strong your feelings are just by looking into your eyes, Kaz." She shook her head at him teasingly, poking his shoulder. "You like her."
Kaz glared at her, smacking her prodding finger. "I don't have feelings for her!"
This time Skylar did roll her eyes, adding a snicker in. "Whatever you say, Kaz."
"I don't have feelings for Bree!" He retorted again.
And again, Skylar waved his denial off. "Like I said, whatever you say, Kaz." She walked away to the living room couch, rolling her eyes while smiling.
Kaz plopped himself down on a stool, pouting. "Like Skylar knows how I feel." Kaz mumbled to himself, scowling.
"I barely even know how I feel."