EPISODE 14: SOLDIER'S RETURN
Summary: One of Rush's veteran team members, Apache was assigned to the human world to collect Norma at places where Rush is unavailable…but something has been bothering him for years.
A/N: For those who didn't know from the main story, the character is not my OC but one of the readers who we would talk about some parts that made Living Hell possible with Apache's inclusion. Apache belongs to Nitro Zeus.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cross Ange or any of its characters and original plot, excluding the original characters I created for this story. This is a spin-off series of the main 'Cross Ange: Living Hell' story. So please read that before here.
Cross Ange and all its rights belong to King Records (Japan), Sentai Filmworks (USA), and Sunrise/ Bandai Namco Entertainment (Japan). This fanfiction is meant for entertainment only and not for profit. This story contains heavy language, blood and violence, and mild sexual themes not for audiences under 16-18 years old.
[Thirteen years ago…]
The Haven; a secret home to Norma and their loving family and friends exiling themselves from their heartless humanity that throws them away, and the surviving Ancient Humans of the Preservation Clan. What was the initial thought deemed ridiculous of humans and Norma co-existing together turns out to be a majorly better reality than what the humans at their former lands mocked. One of them, who moved into the Haven a few years before both the new 'Human Killer' and the Ancient Humans were rescued, was seen as worse than those who had their eyes opened to the truth of how cruel their world is and their former people outside the Haven seen as blind. He named himself Apache, with only his living uncle and aunt the only ones who both knew his real name and willingly called him by his new name, what happened to him before his arrival will be a mystery since anyone who saw him would take a slight berth out of both apprehension and worry of seeing his stoicism for someone being nine years old, but not as much as the bandaged Human Killer boy…
…the latter and what he did yesterday to convince the Haven and the Ancient Human with their Norma allies may have attracted Apache's attention mostly by his words that shot in his mind and heart:
"I don't give a shit if you people see and think if my wish is dangerous, but until I'll die trying; I'll make this fucking world go into hell the same as how they hurt us for what they think is bullshit! As of now, I shall make the world know me as the Human Killer!"
"Apache!" Apache heard a younger boy's voice calling him from behind when he was walking through the Haven streets, with his uncle and aunt's permission but omitting the reason for his walk, and turned to see the six-year-old, skinny boy he remembered he was also from Galia hurriedly following him with long, blue hair and matching eyes. "Hello!"
"Oh…hey." Apache quietly greeted, not expecting to see the kid following him. When his living family first arrived in the Haven and was given the truth of everything from the humans' discrimination to the Norma which killed his parents and baby Norma sister from the Haven founder, Apache was so distraught and withdrawn of almost living in the lie that he wasn't feeling of having a friend, especially when children his age tried to invite him for conversations or play with them. There were times when he would reluctantly accept them just for a brief time before he could walk away and sulk about his family's deaths and his weaknesses that blamed him for letting it happen instead of saving them. Although there were no hard feelings with the Haven children, Apache is not hoping to be friends when these thoughts always stick in his brain.
"Where are you going?" The little boy, who Apache cannot remember his name due to his behaviour, innocently asked after joining his side.
"…Nowhere. Just want to walk around the town." Apache stoically answered as the two boys walked down the path he wanted to go himself, knowing that the other boy would leave him if he did or didn't mention the real reason.
"Oh. I'm looking for that 'Human Killer' from yesterday." Apache almost stopped walking in surprise at hearing the boy's response. "I saw him following one of the old ladies before spotting you. Do you want to follow me and spy on him?" The kid's offer alarmed Apache to look at the boy in puzzlement. The kid figured out his plan for today. Either he is secretly perspective or he is just that innocently smart for his age? Apache can't decide. He was hoping to object to his kind offer and walk away from him to still spy on the Human Killer at a safe distance and spot…but maybe it wouldn't hurt to try.
"S-Sure…" Apache didn't even finish his answer when he was surprised by the blue-haired kid happily cheering his acceptance, like receiving a toy. "Yay!" Before he could even say anything, Apache let out a startled scream at being dragged by the hand of the surprisingly strong and energetic boy running through the streets, noticed by the other Haven citizens who initially watched in mixed surprise although some smiled their thoughts they find it adorable of their presumptions before unhurriedly going on their way.
…
"Ah, found him!" The blue-haired boy doesn't need to point it out when the two boys find the sight of the Human Killer boy accompanying the old Norma woman in her sixties from possibly the marketplaces, by the paper bags filled with groceries held in their hands, and runs a small restaurant simply titled Lodge. Hurriedly running to the only large window beside the restaurant's entrance where the front doors are opened, Apache and Blue, as what the former might call him based on his hair and eye colour, spot the old woman they believed she called herself Granny inviting the Human Killer to sit on one of the tables closer to their spying positions.
"Don't worry, young man. Let Granny here help make you feel better than you will ever feel from your former home." Apache and Blue heard Granny warmly reassure the Human Killer with the kind humane smile she always gives everyone in the Haven regardless of being human or not, one of the things that opened the Haven Mana-humans' eyes of Norma being ordinary women and girls before she unhurriedly walk to the kitchen, leaving the Human Killer to sit back and relax in his chair, looking elsewhere without noticing that he is being spied from outside.
'The Human Killer…' Apache whispered in astonishment at seeing the older boy again from yesterday's stunt, from his bandages hiding his left eye and right hand to his bronze hair and his icy right blue eye, that Apache somehow noticed with a gasp that alarmed Blue to look back at his friend in confusion and apprehension. Just like yesterday, Apache noticed the Human Killer's single eye lacked a single light of life to be a dull, blue blur as if something happened to him or he did something that no longer sees everything as entertaining or amazing as what everyone would see. That might explain why he was so harsh in not just almost killing everyone yesterday, but also the rumour of trying to kill one of the surviving Ancient Human women for trying to get her hands on him.
Making sure he will gently pull the other boy down if they were being spotted from inside, the two quietly watch the Human Killer do nothing but emotionlessly sit in boredom until the three watch Granny heading back to his table from the kitchen, holding a tray of plates filled with food she carefully places them on the bandaged boy's table alongside some cutlery.
"Here you go, deary. Everything's always on the house in the Haven, so have as much as you want." Granny guaranteed without fear or disgust of the Human Killer's appearance and bandages, scooping a generous portion of each dish onto his plate until she gently slid it closer to the boy's vision. Curiously, everyone watches the boy reaching his bandaged hand at the spoon and scoop a bit of his food, looking hesitant to try it. With a bit of gentle encouragement from Granny patting a hand on his back, the Human Killer slowly takes the first bite with a nervous swallow, as if he is trying not to show fear of getting poisoned. His single eye initially lit up in shock before staring at his spoon and his food with his slowly dark glance returning.
"…It's…good." The Human Killer noted, sounding a bit amazed for trying his new food, with him and the secret two spies watching Granny happily clap her bony hands in delight for having the young but murderous gunner staying with her, according to what Apache overheard his uncle and aunt talking about in his debut day, and trying her cooking.
"Oh, I'm so happy you like it. Come, come. Have some more and fill your stomach to get better!" Granny praised with some gentle pats of her hand against his hand before she again retreated to the kitchen, possibly making more. Apache didn't know why but he could've sworn that the Human Killer almost backed away in hesitance, fear, and anger when she patted his head the first time but slightly calmed down in surprise after the last few pats almost like he was worried that she will strike him.
"Human Killer looks sad," Blue whispered possibly to himself or Apache in sadness as the two watched the Human Killer emotionlessly resuming his lunch, surprisingly taking more than he might eat for his age. At the same time, the two spies ignored some of the people initially looking at them staring through the window in puzzlement but said nothing to continue their way. Apache agrees with him; he looks sad but tries to look confident by being brave despite almost killing the people with his gun hanging on his right hip…it reminds Apache of how he felt about this twisted world when he lost his birth family back at Galia, but the Human Killer's depression seems to be severely serious.
"Of course, he's sad." Apache curtly spoke aloud, not looking away from the stoic boy eating. "The humans hurt him to be like this; not surprised even by his parents based on his wounds. It's the same with everyone here including those who tried not to show it and be weak." He was so focused on the Human Killer that he may have forgotten about his companion initially looking at his face and left eye's scar in mixed expression…until Apache was alarmed by both the sight of the Human Killer immediately rising on his feet with his bandaged right arm instinctively grabbing his gun from his hip by whatever startled him and the cause of his reaction, by seeing familiar blue hair and short figure suddenly stood in front of him from dashing inside.
'Kid!?' Apache mentally screamed his dismay, not wasting time to run inside the café.
"H-Human Killer!" Blue did not hesitate to call the Human Killer with his arms raised outstretched, but he may have almost screamed in fear when he accidentally surprised the bandaged boy to quickly push off his seat but stand up and pull out his gun now aimed at the terrified boy. But he didn't shoot when both boys looked at the opened door and saw Apache running to Blue with his arms around the latter in a hug and slightly pulling him away from the mad young gunner.
"What are you trying to do, kid!? Get yourself killed?!" Apache scolded Blue in both surprise and anger, although he didn't get a quick answer when he saw Blue immediately grow afraid with tears seeping out of his frightened wide blue eyes that made Apache grow guilty. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you mad…" Blue sadly apologized. Apache didn't mean to yell and get angry at him, but he didn't want to admit that he was concerned for him, almost acting like a big brother trying to correct a younger sibling unknowingly or purposely doing something bad and almost hurting themselves.
"Who are you two?" Apache and Blue glanced at the almost-forgotten Human Killer darkly glaring his single eye and hovering his hand and gun at them, alarming the former to hurriedly stand and block the Human Killer's gun direction from Blue, raising his arms outstretched as a shield if the older boy IS planning to kill them like almost him killing the adults yesterday.
"Oh, no, no, no!" Luckily for Apache and Blue, the three boys turned towards the kitchen's entrance and saw Granny hurriedly but carefully dash outside to stand beside the Human Killer, reaching her bony hands and gently holding onto the bandaged boy she gently pushed him to sit down on his seat. Surprisingly, she is not afraid of the Human Killer carrying a gun but is worried about him almost shooting two more innocent boys. "Rushes, you cannot shoot your new friends! They are younger than you!"
'Rushes?' Apache wondered in confusion about his name and seeing him express a slightly angry or embarrassed pout when he was forced to release his gun now being held by Granny almost headed back into the kitchen when everyone heard a hoarse groan from the Human Killer trying to look away from Apache and Blue. "B…But Granny…"
"No buts, even if I give you a light spank!" Granny scolded what alarmed the three boys, including Human Killer for both her words and attempted stern reaction. "I'll return your gun after you both apologies to these boys and your three have lunch. I'll go make extra for two more customers!" Unfortunately for the Human Killer, Granny again retreated to the kitchen with his gun in her hands and left the three boys silently looking at each other. Blue nervously glanced beside his friend's side while Apache tried to replicate the Human Killer's cruel glare staring back at him, almost making Apache see that stare the same as the humans who spat on his dead family glaring at him, but the Human Killer looked away from the two with his eye subtly softened but remain its dull light.
"…Sorry…" Apache flinched in surprise for possibly hearing what he almost couldn't hear, assuming he heard the Human Killer apologizing which he did without looking at them and pursed his lips almost in a subtle pout. "…for almost killing you. Just don't surprise me like that again." Apache couldn't believe it. The Human Killer…is apologizing?
"…I-It's okay." Blue nervously but slowly accept his understanding, alarming Apache looking at the younger boy skipping a bit closer to the Human Killer's table. "Can we join you?"
'Why are you asking THAT? There's no way he would…' Apache mentally gasped his befuddlement, finding it ridiculous even for his age that a kid younger than him anxiously asked a murderous child older than them if THEY could join him. But to his increasing surprise, the Human Killer boy silently nods his acceptance and both watch the boy, who slowly calms down and smiles his usual kindness at anyone even someone initially outside Galia, hurriedly run beside the Human Killer's left and quickly pull a chair from the other table. "So…your name is Rushes?" Blue innocently asked the first question after climbing onto his seat.
"…My name is Rush. Granny started calling me that when she convinced Gramps to adopt me…I don't mind if it's just her. The other women were acting like annoying perverts desperately wanting to take care of me like some doll." The Human Killer, or Rush, solemnly answered after grabbing a forkful of his lunch to take a bite and grab a piece of the mashed potato from his plate to, not eat it himself, slowly hovering it closer to Blue who hurriedly took a big bite and swallows.
"Mmh, it's delicious!" Blue happily hummed in delight, which somehow or possibly satisfied Rush when his face dimmed from the scary look, but still not smiling when he again fed Blue another forkful of food, unknowingly ignoring Apache staring at them surprisingly getting along in bafflement until the three spot Granny walking back to their table carrying the tray of more food, plates and cutlery for both Apache and Blue onto Rush's table.
"Ah, that is good. Young man, do you want to join them?" Granny beams her serene happiness that never changes, as the happy-go-lucky old woman she is even when Apache first moved into the Haven, But instead of wanting to object to the kind proposition he was given, a look at both Blue and Rush's curious expressions despite the latter not trying to show it prompt Apache to reluctantly head and sat closer to the Human Killer's right and received his plate alongside Blue's from Granny. "I got extra stir-fried vegetables, mashed potatoes, and turkey pieces for you three so eat up."
"Thanks, Granny." Rush faintly nods and Blue happily raises his arms holding his cutlery in his hands. "Thank you, Granny!"
"Oh, you're welcome, boys." Granny chuckled with her gratification and headed back into the kitchen, leaving the three boys to eat their fill with Apache glaring at only Rush never showing any emotion as he eats but listening to his conversation with Blue, trying to get along with the new older kid. He couldn't believe it… he was joining lunch with the youngest but deadliest human kid in the entire Haven, not even the kid soldiers younger than possibly their ages can have the sadistically and suicidally mature mindset he had. If his uncle and aunt see their nephew eating with the same boy who almost killed them and the other people, Apache can imagine how terrified they will be with his uncle even pretending to faint or die…but he can't lose this chance. He must learn everything about the Human Killer and who or what abused him to be the way he is.
"So where are you from, Rush?" Blue wondered aloud after swallowing his spoonful of food with Rush and Apache looking at the boy, who both cannot take a hint of the slightly silent atmosphere and had food in his mouth. "Apache and I are from Galia but we didn't know each other until now."
'You DON'T have to tell him that.' Apache wished he could tell the kid without trying to be mean again, but he held his tongue when Rush glumly answered with his head lowered to not give them eye contact. "…Misurugi."
"Oh, so do you know the royal family of your former home? Do you get to talk with them?" Apache twitched his scarred eye in stoic apprehension for Blue's innocence without fear of getting scolded by an older kid. Fortunately for Apache, although he would suspect a few little signs, Rush did not yell or strike Blue when he first took another bite off his plate before taking another drink of his cup of iced water.
"…Only a few times. But it doesn't matter to me." Rush's curt response with a shake of his head after placing his cup back on the table surprised Apache and Blue but not as much as the next thing they heard from the boy who now eyed elsewhere with such a grim sneer, just like yesterday. "What matters to me…is how I'm going to destroy this world."
Apache gawked his shock at Rush for both his answer and his expression while Blue stared in fear. Wanting to destroy the world by himself? Apache knew the Human Killer said that yesterday, but is he even serious?
[Three years later/ Ten years ago…]
"Apache!" Apache was just about to leave one of the bookstores where he would pick up a book he felt like reading, and head to a nearby café for his lunch when he heard his name being called from behind and saw, what confused him, an unfamiliar boy taller than him and dressed in full red uniform and helmet hiding his head and face. By his tone, the other soldier boy sounds surprisingly casual to him, but Apache doesn't recognize or associate anyone being friendly to him…come to think of it, Apache has never seen Blue ever since they first met Rush the Human Killer three years ago. "Do I know you?" Apache asked with suspicion hissing in his mask the Haven made for him per his request, almost pulling out the blades from one of his Haven-made gauntlets as one of his three weapons in case the other will strike him.
"What, you can't recognize me because I'm taller and hiding my face?" The red soldier chortled his amusement with Apache tensing himself when the former leisurely reached his hands towards his helmet and pulled it off his head, revealing long blue hair tied in a ponytail and a surprisingly young face for a slightly muscled figure for his age. "It's me."
Apache immediately gawked his mouth open in disbelief at the soldier's identity. "B…Blue? You're so different!" Apache noted his surprise, frantically looking up and down at the muscled boy's mismatched appearance and calm smile.
"Wait, that's what you've been calling me all this time?" Red Death chuckled in his embarrassment, holding his helmet inside his right arm over it. "Well, can't blame you. Like you, I don't want to use my real name from the past. Now I am Red Death."
"Red…Death?" Apache raised an eyebrow in puzzlement for the other's new name.
"Yeah. I've been thinking about a name I might find cool. Like, the last thing you see before you die is red like blood. I know; it sounds edgy. Curses asked me if it was necessary when I first told him."
"…Does the Human Killer know who you are yet?" Apache wondered about the one person he always thought of in his mind at Red Death grabbing his ponytail from hanging behind his back.
"Not yet. I'm planning to hide my face from Rush until the time is right for me to show it as a slight tease, for someone as serious but also childish as him. I think I'll fool everyone by having a voice modifier inside to hide my age." Red Death shook his head, wearing his helmet back to conceal his face and ponytail inside. Apache pursed his lips in bemusement for Red Death casually mentioning the Human Killer's real name than his business name just like the others. As a soldier, he must be professional especially when referring to his superiors as such, but Apache couldn't help but be bewildered that Rush prefers to be casual like a person, or a child begging for attention but using violence even by his allies, than a no-nonsense and serious leader swore to do what's right. What is he?
"HUH!? You think he'll accept HER in his team!?"
Apache and Red Death heard a loud shout coming closer to their location and attracted a commotion amongst the citizens curious or annoyed when Apache and Red Death ran closer until they spotted three women in the centre of the circle of the people surrounding them, one of them who Apache does not recognize cower behind the brunette woman and the Human Killer's sole teammate. Blonde and blue-haired with empty, blank blue eyes, dressed in large dark blue robes with no shoes and her hands wield what dismayed everyone in fear of the unfamiliar woman a chainsaw that is heavily stained with crimson in the blade.
"Just because he saved you after you killed the people chasing you with a chainsaw, you think you can convince Rush to have another woman in his team when we've been here longer than you?" The female soldier angrily pointing a finger and sneering her disgust at the apprehensive chainsaw wielder continues to argue at the latter although Captain Cynical and everyone else deadpanned their irritation for her accusation. She is not the only woman of the Haven who would think of saying what she did that, begrudgingly to the men but not the women, is the norm…even if Rush hates it.
"Great another woman's fight for the Human Killer…" Apache heard one of the men closer and behind him tiredly sigh his annoyance to his friend who also nodded his pity. By their tone which he secretly shares with the others, everyone that are not obsessed with the Human Killer could only sympathize with his predicament caused by some of them. "I feel bad for the kid that most of the women here want him."
"He even made it clear; that he doesn't want romance. But they won't listen."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to aggravate you…" Everyone heard the blonde and blue-haired chainsaw woman apologizing in sorrow but trying not to shed tears, her tone is sincere and somehow received sympathizing gazes towards her although the woman accusing her of an intruder scorns her disgust and a bit of apprehension for her chainsaw yet Captain Cynical gently grasps her hands on the other's shoulders, attracting the other woman's surprise.
"Don't worry, Miss Hyacinth. She's just one of those obnoxious women of the Haven who easily gets jealous whenever our Human Killer gets along with any sane woman inside and outside here." Cynical's nonchalant reassurance, however, prompts not just the female soldier in front of them but also some of the women in the crowd who are openly Rush's admirers to sneer their anger.
"Captain Cynical's right, miss!" One of the soldiers chimed in and frantically waved his hands to get everyone looking at him through the crowd. "Our Human Killer kid is not looking for romance but he's kind enough to help us get pointers and ways to get admirers ourselves!"
"H-Hmph! Rush must be blind with only one eye to not see how much he's missing out on the moment of having a girlfriend." The jealous accusing soldier scoffed and crossed her arms against her chest, not pleasing everyone for her awful personality.
"Good that he's not interested since you and some of the women - OLDER THAN HIM - like stalking the poor kid for three years, against his will." One of the soldiers admitted with a harsh sigh, alerting the irritable woman angrily glaring back at him just when another recalled with a disgusted sneer towards her. "Plus, you snuck in his bathroom naked only to run away screaming when he almost killed you to get out of his sight." That made all the men and most of the women snigger their bemusement, Cynical shaking her head in annoyance, and this Hyacinth stared at the now blushing mad woman in disbelief with the air slightly filled with whispers directed to the embarrassed soldier.
'So that's why…' Apache shuddered his disgust about that. The rumour that she tried to seduce a SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD, despite being in her late twenties or early thirties, and how she ran away when Rush coldly and intentionally shot his gun made her a topic of humiliation for the arrogantly proud woman.
"S-Shut up! Don't tell me what I can or cannot do! The same goes for intruders like her!" The female soldier yelled her fury, alarming some of them to pull out their weapons if she thought of striking even when she pointed her finger at Hyacinth who flinched in a gasp for another accusation but, instead of being angry and offended, slumped in sadness that seep few her tears out of her eyes as if she believes it's her fault despite the false offence. "I…I understand…"
"What's going on here?" A young voice coldly demands from the circle, familiar that alarmed everyone in apprehension when the people looked behind and back away, allowing the subject of this ordeal to reveal himself, terrifying the main stalker to hiss a strangled gasp of fear unmatching the frightened smile on her face for his half-bandaged face. "Another fucking argument about me between women acting like babies?"
"B-Babies!?" The stalker's initial crush was shattered in distraught when Rush tiredly scorned his assumption of the circle, surprising Hyacinth by seeing the people in the circle almost snorting and muffling their laughs from the irritated boy. "Sorry if we were loud." Cynical apologized.
"Nah. Just this child predator being the loudest gorilla as always." Rush brushed off the stress as his reassurance when he demanded the gorilla, who again released a gasp for being verbally shot down by the seriously dangerous boy, his single eye remained the lack of innocence for years. "What's your excuse?" Initially silent for a second, his stalker grits her teeth in anger and desperation and demands the boy stoically unfazed.
"W-Why do you want some unknown outsider, who you saved last night, to be part of your team, Rush!? I can help you better than HER since I'm one of the Norma from the old Libertus, and somehow who knows you more than anyone!"
"Bullshit, bullshit…" A loud, sarcastic cough from one of the soldiers in the circle attracted everyone to follow the source before the gorilla stalker angrily yelled in his direction. "What was that!?"
"Thanks for answering that question for me, sir." Rush acknowledged in boredom, startling everyone but the increasingly distraught woman now being intimidated by her prize looking at her in such collected but furiously vehemence. "I hate stalkers and girls who waste their time thinking I'm an easy target, which I'm glad I have Cynical as my bossy babysitter." Cynical hid her displeased grin for being called babysitter from the large group of Rush's admirers. "Also…Hyacinth killed the people hunting her down with a fucking chainsaw, has medical and poison expertise, and wants to get away from her past which I respect for her dedication. What do you have that would be useful to me that can beat Hyacinth's awesomeness?" By the sound of his stalker's inaudible gasps unable to form a sentence, everyone knew she had both lost her battle and couldn't think of her response.
"Ah, there you are, Rush." Everyone heard the familiar voice of the Haven's founder calling for Rush from behind, seeing him now waiting for him to follow him with a serene smile, unsure of his reaction to the commotion. "I need to discuss with you and Cynical about your proposal of having Miss Hyacinth and Red Death on your team."
'Red Death?' Apache mentally gasped his surprise and looked at Red Death beside him when he was about to leave alongside Rush and Cynical, who the latter led Hyacinth away from the circle, with Red Death flashing a wave of his hand back at him with a smile before everyone watch Rush and his newly extended teammates following the Haven founder possibly back to the Haven Resort although everyone also watch Rush's shameless stalker desperately running after them when the crowd broke off and about to head back on their daily lives.
"W-Wait, Rush! Let me be part of your team!" Apache didn't join some of the others laughing their amusement at the idiotic woman's rejection but scowling his distastes. From what he sees, girls like her will NEVER give up and see how much they are unknowingly hurting Rush with their obsession with being his partner. Speaking of which, Apache managed to hear a group of them quietly gossiping to themselves.
"Serves her right for trying to be tough, just because she wants to work under Rush."
"Can't you blame her? We would also do what she did for a chance to serve the Human Killer."
"But did you hear what he said about girls he hates?"
"He only said that 'cause he's younger than us and mentally stuck in his past. But sooner or later, he'll grow up to be even more handsome than ever!"
"Eh? But he's covered in bandages. What if he has disgusting burn marks or scars underneath?"
"Even if he does, we can't let go of the chance to be the LUCKY WOMEN who he can pick to be his future wife." Apache felt his blood boiling and furiously twitching his eyes in irritation at this conversation. 'Can you girls do your goddamn job?' However, he only took some feet away from his initial position when he heard a group of men whispering with concern, anger, suspicion, and uneasiness.
"I know Rush promised he'd destroy this world and kill the madman himself…but are you sure he can do it?" "I know that Arzenal has that God weapon that can take him down but how are they going to find the new pilot to replace the previous one?"
"It has to be some special Norma right?"
"Yeah. But I kept thinking that Rush should have us fight alongside him instead of pushing us back by saying that 'he will kill the enemy himself'."
"Who will protect Rush from that asshole that ruined the humans back on the mainland?"
"Maybe if we prove our worth to him, Rush can see that he has nothing to worry about, and we'll be a bigger army strong enough to take him down…and get ourselves some girls who'll see how brave and more capable we are." Ignoring the last part, that conversation may have attracted Apache's attention but walk away, heading to where he wanted to go earlier before this ordeal.
Even now, Rush is persistent in giving the entire world hell and fighting harder when the time is right to fight the False God, the Ancient Humans called him…but the thought of him fighting alone makes Apache uneasy. He may have shared everyone's beliefs that Rush is trying to push people away from fighting the enemy who, based on their assumptions of his powers beyond the Light of Mana, could kill him.
'…Rush, you don't have to push us away.' Apache mentally prayed. 'We are fighting one enemy…He is responsible for everything even our families and friends' deaths with his stupid rules. We'll do this together, so you don't have to die.'
[Seven years later/ Three years ago…]
"Alright, you guys. Because you six were some of the desperate soldiers who wanted to work under me, not to mention five of you sent countless forms forcing me to read them to know how serious; I think I can give you all a test to see if you have what it takes." Apache stayed silent and paid attention to recently-elected Commander Rush in his office alongside his team of Red Death, Cynical, and Hyacinth, as well as the other five soldiers Apache remembers, and detests working with. Apache secretly scowls his befuddlement and annoyance at the large stack of papers on Rush's desk and reveals it as the other five's desperate pleas to join their superior's team. Explain their proud expressions. "As you know, ever since Gramps and every one of the Haven elected me as its Commander and ruler before Gramps's death…"
"Because we want you to be our leader!" One of the two female soldiers of the group happily interrupted Rush, trying to stroke his ego. But, his and everyone's deadpanned scowls mostly Rush's irritation alarmed her to slump in fear. "S-Sorry, Commander Rush."
"…Because of my role, the world leaders reluctantly want me to serve them as a soldier checking on the world for the Norma population that's been growing more on the mainland. However, due to the new roles, everyone gave me, it seems I will be busier than usual and I don't want people to think I will go in circles until I'll break down for some stress…."
"You're picking us to replace you as Human Killer!?"
BANG!
"Let me fucking finish, for fuck sake." Rush angrily threatened after shooting a warning shot an inch above one of the four men's heads for his interruption and assumption, sending everyone but Rush staring at the latter in fear with Hyacinth trying to wave her wide sleeves to comfort Rush and Apache trying not to show it and shaking just like the other cowards excluding Rush's team for their superior. It was when Rush leisurely hung his gun back to his belt and hip that Apache received his order alongside the five nobodies. "I want you five to head back to your former homes as on-field soldiers inspecting any sightings of potential Norma and sympathizers in places I cannot be at."
Just after he finished, Apache felt his nervous system shaken in such shivers and his eyes bulged wide in mixed feelings. Why would Rush give an order like THAT!? Apache cannot comprehend the thought of going back to Galia, where the wicked people who allowed his family to die by their rules might still be there. He can tell that if he steps one foot there…he will be a rogue Human Killer to everyone out of spite.
"W…why?" Apache's choked question collected everyone's curiosity at seeing Apache's seemingly hesitant look in his eyes. "Why…are you sending us back to the mainland?"
"Again, the world leaders want to restrict my movement to 'reduce the public's fear' but this will put more Norma in Arzenal and those assholes having their so-called entertainment." Commander Rush explained with a harsh sigh and walked around back to his seat and desk, clearly irritated as always in busy times or not. "Therefore, to piss their pants and break their peace, you guys will not only safely capture them by pretending to fight them, make sure it's convincing to fool the fuckers, but wreak havoc and act like the Destruction Clan Ancient Humans when they debuted before joining the Preservation Clan and Norma."
"So it's bombing what used to be our homes however we like to those assholes?" Another soldier remarked with sadistic glee that widened when Rush silently nodded his response.
"You guys might stay in your former homes for months or years, but I'll secretly contact or meet you up whenever I'm free to check on you guys. Make sure if you see me, call me Human Killer and not Rush. If something is happening or urgent back here, I'll call you guys to get back in the Haven. And if you guys did your missions amazingly…I'll have one or all of you work under my team as extra soldiers. Sound good?"
Apache faintly lowers his head and muses his thoughts after Commander Rush asks for their opinion. The other five soldiers look viciously pleased, known to be the most troublesome soldiers of the entire Haven with the two women as some of those obsessing over Commander Rush, luckily ignoring their red flags possibly for his safety or simply not finding the mood. A quick peek at Rush's team somehow brought Apache to spot Red Death secretly giving him two thumbs up with his helmet hiding his face, which EVERYONE but Apache surprisingly didn't know even Rush.
Is Red Death vouching for him? Apache wondered with a raised eyebrow, a bit glad that everyone did not see the shocking giant muscled boy silently guaranteeing him to pass…It's also good that no one noticed Apache faintly smiling underneath with full confidence.
"Yes, Commander Rush." Apache is the first of the group to salute his response, alarming the other five soldiers looking at him in confusion, anger and suspicion but the sight of their superior possibly pleased by his words hurriedly got them to begrudgingly follow suit. "Y-yes, sir/ Commander Rush!"
"Dismissed." Rush curtly waved them off with Apache not seeing the other five initially shooting a dark glare at him and walking away to the front door and out of the office before Apache followed after them. At least, when he looked over his shoulders, he saw not just Red Death, but Hyacinth and even Commander Rush quietly waving him encouragement for him than the others. That will make him better and confident he will do his mission.
"Hell yeah! We'll get to work under Commander Rush!" Apache heard one of the men of the group remaining outside after closing the office door, walking slower and not wanting to bump into them during their loud conversation heading to one of the two elevators.
"Whoo! I can hardly wait to prove to him that he needs me!" One of the two women, who was the one that interrupted Rush the first time earlier, dreamily squealed.
"Yeah, right. You're just gonna ogle and distract Rush." The second woman teased with a sarcastic grin, receiving a complaint from the pouting girl. "What about you? It's written in your face too!"
"…At least we know WHO will fail out of us." That sudden sentence coming from the male voice that Apache hates the most of this group, hissing in malice, attracted Apache to stop and look up to see the group stopped walking as well and glared back at him in disdain, with the speaker smirking such arrogance that made Apache tensed in anger. "What do you mean?" Apache demanded.
"Isn't it obvious?" The pseudo-leader of the group, and Apache's bully despite not remembering invoking his wrath, scoffed. "Ever since we have known you as the most stuck-up, anti-social soldier not bothered to get along with others, it's pretty clear that you making yourself a dead weight to everyone and the people who even think of caring for you…just like your family before you moved into the Haven years ago…" Just by the last part of his threat, from mentioning his late family, immediately infuriated Apache with a loud growl of rage and furiously dashed forward, grabbing his purple spear out of his scarf and back with both hands. But when he swings his weapon over his head, it clashes with the leader's baton he swiftly grabs and hurriedly blocks it from almost slicing through him, alarming the other four members backing away in shock at the attempted assault.
"Shut the hell up, bastard!" Apache furiously yelled, not caring about the other weak soldiers hurriedly aiming their weapons at him, focusing his rage on the group leader. "You don't know me! None of you don't!" Despite his warning, the bully remains arrogant with his disgusting smirk and forcefully pushes Apache away, now standing farther from the group with his weapons ready even if Rush's team could hear it outside.
"And that's a good thing with us about that. Because Commander Rush will never see you even if you prove to him. You'll pull him down with your so-called revenge." The bully's gloating which mentions Commander Rush and a cruel possibility, unfortunately, horrified Apache in anger and disbelief that the others picked on the nastily pleased leader snorted his pride and led his team away from Apache staying in his spot and into the elevators."Once we work with Rush's team, we'll make sure you'll be our servant and punching bag."
"Maybe we'll replace those older wenches to be Rush's female comrades!" The first woman remorselessly wondered aloud with her friend openly squeaking her happiness for one of the usual thoughts for some of the Haven women. "And one of us WILL be his future wife!" Once he watched that the group had left him and gone down one of the elevators, Apache's blood began boiling his rage and unconsciously clenched his hands so tightly, that his fingernails surprisingly pierced through his gauntlet-made palms that might bleed his hands.
'Neither of you know me…' Apache mentally hissed in rage, slowly and sluggishly continuing his way to the other elevator with his mind only thinking one thing. 'Only Commander Rush and Red Death do. And I'll make sure that I work by his side than you guys, who only see him as a trophy.'
…
"Rush, I don't think this is safe." Rush heard Hyacinth mused in sadness and worry beside and behind his chair. "The entire Haven knows that the soldiers you picked for this mission tend to sometimes be aggressive even to their comrades and us unless they behave whenever you're around."
"Not to mention, the two girls are grown Norma. Won't they accidentally break someone's Mana and reveal themselves to the public?" Cynical wondered aloud in suspicion.
"That's why I picked them for this test." Rush's immediate response and the sudden harsh bang on his desk made Red Death, Cynical, and Hyacinth shiver in trepidation at Rush furiously slamming both his heels and combat boots on the desk, resting his legs off the floor with his head resting on his bandaged fist above the armchair. The impact intentionally pushed and scattered the forms littering onto the floor or desk but Rush doesn't care when he looks in front with irritation. "Fuckers and bitches get on our fucking nerves by acting like the mainland humans and Destruction-clan Ancient Humans, hiding their stupid bullying by getting on our good side. What if, by some twist of fate, by the time they go back to their former homes; they may end up getting into situations where the odds are against them? Would they work something out or die in failure?"
Red Death, Cynical, and Hyacinth stared at Rush with the concern they usually express for the Human Killer who dangerously accepts his role so casually of killing humans and Norma, that they and the entire world are unsure if he is pretending or willing to sacrifice his comrades for their shared goals in wreaking havoc in their false world. But one name sparked in Red Death's mind regarding the mission.
"Wait, what about Apache?" Red Death hurriedly ask Rush now looking at the former but still in boredom. "He may act anti-social to us from his past, but he's more diligent and hardworking than those guys. Having him in the team will be beneficial for us, Rush." Rush looked away and loudly mused the suggestion before shrugging his shoulders with a brief nod, now having a tinge of hope in his voice.
"…If he can promise to follow my orders, I want him to pass than those bitches."
[Three years later/ Present time…]
'Degenerate Norma dead, attempted assault on innocent Rosenblum human'
'Explosion in Marmeria Square, only suspected terrorist dead.'
'Velda apprehended serial killer, sentence due in later.'
'Intoxicated predator, NMF killed in Endurant Union.'
'Delusional Norma gunned down in Misurugi.'
'Even after three years, you guys are idiots…' Apache harshly sighed in annoyance as he read the different headlines made in different years in his Light of Mana network, each containing a news story that Apache could recognize by their description of the five aggressive Haven soldiers that always look down on him from three years ago, and couldn't help but snort his annoyance for the irony, ignoring the sights of the moving atmosphere of his superior's Mana taking him through the Misurugi Empire from the Galia fields, where he just sent a Norma and her single mother to the harbour about to send them to the Haven.
According to Commander Rush who would visit him and give him these pieces of news during his three-year mission stationed in Galia, the five soldiers did their mission in their respective former homes with mixed but heavily negative results, which explains why Apache is the most out of the six soldiers Commander Rush prefers to visit and chat. Apart from the other four late soldiers Apache interacted with the least but still despised them for their arrogance that cost their downfalls and deaths, the pseudo-leader of the group was so focused on not saving the Norma and their families but showing off as some brutish hero to his former people that he got himself drunk and aggressively fight the NMF. Another event, that may have disgusted Apache, was the Norma who was dangerously obsessed with Commander Rush became mentally ill from Rush's, intentionally according to him, reduced or lack of visits to the point of attacking innocent civilians out of insanity only to end with Rush publicly killing her out of cold blood.
Still, out of the five, Apache is glad that the main tormentor is dead. Not only because of the memories of being a nuisance to him and certain others, he still remembers the cruel words he wished he could forget before he left the Haven: 'Commander Rush will never see you even if you prove to him. You'll pull him down with your so-called revenge.'
'Well sucks to be YOU, asshole. You're dead than what you always said I would end up because you're reckless as always. That's why Commander Rush shouldn't trust you...' Apache's thoughts however stopped when he realized something in surprise.
Other than Apache, why DID Rush pick those guys? They're known as aggressive even to their comrades back to the Haven just to get the Commander to notice them and get on his good side, despite Rush also hating them, especially to the two Norma for their harsh crushes for him. Why is it, a part of his brain felt, that Rush knew but still picked them for something as serious as this? Could he planned for them to fail or kill them for their behavioural actions or simply to eradicate them as the Human Killer he plays his part? That sounds scary…but Apache believed that Rush would do that.
'No, I'm not them! Unlike them, I succeeded and did my mission better than them!' Apache hurriedly shakes his head with closed eyes, trying to get his mind and forget those awful soldiers when he sees the buildings of the Misurugi Empire devoid of light for the night. "How long till we get to Commander Rush's location?" Apache asked Commander Rush's driver, Charlie. According to her, Commander Rush was initially at the Galia Empire but then he travelled back here. Apache could both muse for Rush's method of travelling and scowl his mixed expressions that he couldn't meet him back at Galia. But not doing the latter would've made Apache better either way.
"Just taking a corner…ah, there he is," Charlie answered just as Apache heard her sighing her relief and looked at the windshield to spot a white blur positioned beside an alleyway pathway between two buildings until the car parked beside that blur revealing to be a familiar person, initially looking at the starry sky until he noticed the car just before Apache called him after he opened the car window's to show his face.
"Commander Rush!" Apache didn't notice it but he may have sworn… Commander Rush was smiling an unusually satisfied smile but retained his usual but softened stoicism when Apache called. But Apache thinks it could be the faint darkness of the city…there's no way Rush would smile like a genuine person for no reason.
"Hey, Apache. Glad to see you." Rush's first words to Apache immediately made him glad once he backed away for his leader to leisurely climb and sat inside the car and across Apache's seat before Charlie closed the door and activated the car hovering off the road and accelerating their way to the harbour.
"Sir. I hope you don't mind that I'm happy to return to the Haven." After waiting for the right time to speak and watch a bit of Rush texting someone with his Haven flip phone, Apache gave himself the courage to inform his commander, a bit startled when the other looked back from his phone with a subtle but rare curiosity on his half-bandaged face that shifted into a faint but cruel smirk on his face.
"Great. I already told Red I'll pick you up so he'll be happy that you've done your mission better than those other fuckers. Tomorrow, we'll give you a brief of what we can do to give this world the hell they deserve. Now that you're back on our team, you might see some new changes in the Haven but it has gone better than it was before you left three years ago. I hope you'll love them as much as we do." Apache's curiosity and suspicions filled his mind for Commander Rush's words regarding the Haven's changes. He knew that he never asked out of professionalism, but Apache's expectations to assist his commander in any possible way in the future grew even making him smile his hope inside his mask.
Apache is right all along; Commander Rush trusts him all this while than the people who despise and ridicule him. "Yes, Commander!"