𝑾𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑺 && Bad Batch &&

🔱XXIII🌊

• Close Your Eyes •

Crosshair's eyes fluttered open and a grimace quickly found it's way to his face. He recognized where he was and it was something the inhibitor chip tried desperately to make him bitter about. "Hello." A small melodic voice filled his ears and caused him to slowly turn his head in the direction of the small sound. There, standing on the floor before him, was that child. The one his brothers had left him for. Omega. "It's you." Crosshair seethed with a roll of his eyes. "I know you're hurting." Omega said, refusing to go away and instead she persisted on annoying him. There wasn't much crosshair could do about it, he was bound tightly with his arms behind him. The expertise of his binds made him concerned for the activities between Hunter and the elemental. "And it's okay." Omega added sweetly. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "My friend is going to help you." She added as a small smile formed on his lips. "I don't need your pity." Crosshair continued to fight back. "You're just a child." Omega let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "I know you're upset." She said softly. "The chip can have that affect. But it doesn't bother me. I know the real Crosshair is still in there somewhere and Koda is going to help him wake up. You'll see."

Memories of the pain, of the burn filled Koda's head as she entered the room with Crosshair. Hunter was by her side just in case. She remembered the way he seeked to kill her without remorse like a monster. Monster. That's how she remembered this man. She didn't know him like a brother like the others did. They were all so convinced that he was once a righteous man but Koda just didn't see it. She saw the monster that tried to burn her alive. Her blue eyes looked down at him but that's when she noticed Omega at his side. Omega looked up at Koda, almost as if she could sense the tense memories that Koda was coursing through like sand in an hourglass just after it's been turned. "It's okay, Koda." Omega said softly. Koda didn't even think about it before. Omega had forgiven this man so willingly, so effortlessly. For a moment, Koda envied her. She envied the pure heart of a little girl and willing she was to see the good in everything and everyone. Her eyes moved from Omega to Crosshair. The man scowled up at her. Was it possible that there truly was another man inside of him? A man who would regret putting her and many others in harms way? She had to open herself to the possibilities of such a thing. She had to be forgiving with an open mind, other wise she would spend her life full of hatred. They may have butted heads but that was no reason for hatred. Hatred was a terrible thing, the King had always taught Koda that hatred was what caused wars. He was right. "People aren't always going to agree. They need to come to terms that their opinions will differ and move on." He had told her at one point. She didn't realize how wise he was until this moment. Koda pulled water from the air and allowed it to freeze around her fingers before looking down at Crosshair. Her expression had softened from one of pure hatred to one of acceptance. "Close your eyes." Her tone was soft but also confident like that of a mother. Crosshair found himself willingly following her instructions and he closed his eyes, his breathing slowed as he calmed himself down. Koda moved her icy fingers to press against his forehead. Two finger's incased in ice gently pressed against him and Koda closed her eyes as well as she concentrated on energy. She focused on her energy and Crosshair's energy. She found what was corrupting him and the flow of his mind and a soft white glow surrounded her ice covered fingers. She sought out the singular flame of control and with her abilities she snuffed it out.

Remorse is a sense of guilt or stress that stems from the knowledge of knowing you have done something wrong. A common simile to remorse is guilt, since they both describe practically the same thing. But neither word was strong enough to convey the amount of shame that filled Crosshair's mind as he came to. The iron latch of control the Empire had on him was now long gone and he was back to being himself. But it was the second his eyes opened and met those fierce icy blue eyes of Koda that he remembered everything he had done. Not just things he had done to Koda, but all things that he had done for the Empire. The mist had cleared and Crosshair was left with the guilt and consequences of his actions. The strength and intensity of Koda's eyes were enough to make him look away in regret. "Koda Okato." His voice was quiet but the confidence in his tone was lacking which was unlike the Crosshair that Hunter knew. "I can't begin to explain how sorry I am for what I've done. Not just to you, but to everyone." He remembered how he burned her alive and the guilt for him was almost too much to bear. "These things will heal, Cross." Hunter spoke up. "Koda will forgive, I'm sure, but she will when she's ready to. These things take time." Crosshair nodded, still reflecting on the newly found guilt with in him. "Yeah." He muttered. "These things take time."