Loonatics: United

The Wrath of Tenebrous

Episode 131: Purification

Kufai arrived at the living room, carrying a bucket with hot water. "You guys getting along?"

"Yeah, this boy is interesting." Rondar said.

"Good." Kufai placed the bucket next to Rondar's feet, then he approached Ace, handing him a small towel.

Ace raised an eyebrow. "What? What is this for?"

Kufai sighed. "Be useful and clean his feet, please, they're still pretty sore. Don't let the water cool down, okay? I'll be right back." He smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

"But…w…" Ace watched him leave with a confused gaze. He stood there, holding the towel, then he glared at Rondar. Ace let out a sigh and walked towards him, then knelt down before his feet.

Rondar chuckled. "Glad you're willing to help, boy…those damn zugbulls."

"It's…" Ace sighed and lifted the legs of his pants a little bit. "…it's nothing." He got the towel in the steamy water then took it out and proceeded to clean Rondar's feet, focusing on the bruised areas.

"Kufai can change a man's heart, you know?" Rondar said. "Always for the better." He shook his head. "Back when we first met, I remember I was very intrigued by the way he spoke and acted. Unlike the others, there was a deep purpose in him, one that I wanted to discover. He didn't seek war for the sake of war, it was…the last resource to him." Rondar chuckled. "He always said that, and he was right. My people needed help and guidance, Yzerians have always been conflictive and violent…visceral, unable to organize properly. He taught us how to do that, 'take care of order and order will take care of you', that was another one of his sayings." Rondar was glaring away, with eyes of respect towards his friend. "Kufai is a man of peace, a man of God." He looked at Ace. "Listen to him, boy. He's got words of wisdom."

Ace had gotten thoughtful. "I think I'm a full glass." He shook his head. "There's not much left for me to learn."

Rondar chuckled. "Oh, boy."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I thought the same when I was your age." Rondar said. "One never stops learning, that's the truth. Believe me, Kufai is wise." Ace didn't reply back, he just kept cleaning Rondar's feet.

On the meantime, Edison was laying on the floor, resting over his quilt, glaring at the reddish brown wall, still with tears on his eyes. Someone knocked, he just ignored it. "Ed." His ear twitched when hearing Akinyi´s voice, Edison gave no response. "Ed, I know you're there."

Edison sighed. "Go away." His voice was broken.

"Please, I just wanna talk." Akinyi said. "I'm not mad at you, just let me in."

Edison thought for a moment, then he sighed and got onto his feet, approaching the door and opening it. "What?"

"Hey, I…I'm sorry." Akinyi said. "I shouldn't have said those things, they weren't true."

Edison gave her a brief nod. "Okay." He tried to close the door but Akinyi stepped in and got in the room. Edison sighed. "What now?"

Akinyi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ed, whatever you hide inside you, let it out. It's making you harm." She cleaned a tear off his face. "I can see it."

Edison stood silent for a moment. "I hid it for a reason." His voice broke even more. "You…" He sobbed. "You would hate me if I told you what I did."

Akinyi raised an eyebrow. "No, no Ed I won't hate you. I promise."

Edison sobbed. "We've killed lots of people for doing a lot less than what I did." He cleaned a tear off his face. "And you say you wouldn't hate me?"

Akinyi placed her hand on his face. "I promise." She nodded at him amicably. "I won't hate you, Ed. I won't judge you, okay?"

Edison glared into her eyes, finding shelter in them. He nodded and then Akinyi brought him to the edge of the bed, sitting along with him. Edison took a couple of deep breaths before starting to speak. "I was a mercenary." He sobbed.

"Okay." Akinyi caressed his back. "It's okay." She smiled at him.

Edison glanced down. "We finished a job, we were all about to go home." A tear ran down his fur. "Then I…" He shook his head, fighting against the strong lump in his throat. "I…I received a last command. My boss wanted me to…" Edison sobbed, another couple of tears fell from his eyes to the floor. Akinyi got him closer to her, caressing his arm gently. "…he told me to…kill children." He looked away. "They were commodities." Edison shook his head. "I said no at first, but…" He started to cry. "…he didn't care, he…forced me to do it." Edison kept crying. "I opened the container. There were about…two dozens of kids." He covered his mouth for a moment, sobbing bitterly. "I took my gun and…" Edison's cry became louder and deeper. "…I killed them all." He cried while covering his face with both hands.

Akinyi had gotten very thoughtful, picturing the scene in her mind. Edison's honest tears and sobs moved her, she felt deeply sorry for her teammate, so she hugged him strongly. "Ed." Her voice was broken, a tear ran down her face. "You're not a bad person, okay?" Edison kept crying over her shoulder, embracing her tightly. Akinyi rubbed his back continuously, wanting to give him all the comfort he needed.

The strength of Edison's crying decreased very slowly, until only a couple of sobs were left. Akinyi broke the hug, glaring into his eyes comfortingly while caressing his cheek. "Hey, it's okay." She smiled at him. "What you did…it's in the past."

Edison looked into her eyes with gratefulness but intrigue as well. "Why?"

"Why what?" Akinyi raised an eyebrow.

"Why helping me?" Edison asked. "I hit you, you should be mad at me."

"I was." Akinyi replied. "But when I saw you there, laying down, crying. I knew you were going through something."

"I go through that every day. I think about them all the time." Edison looked away with shame. "Their screams, th…"

"Hey…" Akinyi moved his lower jaw delicately, making him look at her. "Forget about it, think on something else."

"I try, believe me." Edison sighed. "It's just too hard."

"I know." Akinyi smiled at him. "You just keep trying, okay?"

Edison stood silent for a moment, looking at her. He smirked and took her hand, nodding while a tear ran down his face. "I will."

"Alright." Akinyi got onto her feet, then she kissed his forehead, making him blush. "We're gonna keep exploring with the guys later, wanna come?"

Edison nodded. "Sure." He smiled at her. "Uhm, but really, ah…"

"Hm?" Akinyi raised an eyebrow.

"We haven't gotten along since, well, the first day." Edison was glaring down. "All this is…new." He glared at her.

"Oh well, maybe I just have a soft spot for lynxes." Akinyi chuckled then she exited the room, closing the door afterwards.

Edison had gotten very thoughtful, feeling relieved and liberated, free from a huge burden he had been carrying for a long time. He smiled and then got onto his feet, exiting the room in order to meet with his comrades.

Slam was carrying a huge metallic post over his back. "A bit more to the left." The caracal he and Tech were helping commanded. "Okay there!" Slam placed the post on the ground, fitting it strongly. The four posts that would conform the foundation of the shed were now placed. "Nice!"

"Let me go get the sheets." Tech walked away from them.

Slam dusted off his hands while recovering his breath. "You guys are amazing! Thanks a lot for helping me with this I really appreciate it." The caracal said with a big smile.

Slam grunted, saying it was nothing, not really meaning it.

"Oh sorry buddy, I don't understand those growls of yours." The caracal chuckled while scratching his nape. "Uhm, would you like some water?"

Slam nodded at him.

"Okay! Wait here." The caracal left in a hurry.

Slam sighed and laid down on the grass, getting both hands behind his neck, glaring into the blue sky.