NightinKites

Chapter 2.5: Kite Training

"Red!" Apo shouted for the fourth time, surrounded by monsters and hostile animals. "A little help here? Oh no," Red heard Apo almost whine as he fell prone again.

Red sighed. Apo was really testing the extent of their friendship. In fact, Red wasn't sure if he technically was allowed to be friends with someone outside his own faction. He ran through the group of monsters, dragging them away from his downed friend and picking them off one by one.

"Thanks man, I owe you another one! Oh, oh no-" Red heard Apo shout from across the tiny island.

Red groaned. How many times had he saved Apo? What number was he on now, five? He finished off the last skeleton and hopped over the tiny island's only bluff. "You know, I think I'm starting to understand why they didn't want you in Kites," Red deadpanned, tapping the side of his gun thoughtfully against his hip.

Apo's shoulders went rigid. "What?" he protested, turning his back to a skeleton and a better hidden poop throwing monkey. "Ow! Ohh, I don't feel so good."

Red aimed, one-shot the skeleton, and motioned for Apo to keep moving. He didn't, though. Apo just stood and stared at Red, shifting his grip on his axe. Red groaned in frustration, pushing Apo out of the way of another poop volley. "Kite rule number one! Keep moving!" Red shoved Apo, who fell down the beach and into the water. At least he managed to land on his feet this time, Red thought to himself.

"Red! Was that really necessary!?" Apo spluttered, swimming back up to the beach. Red ignored him, dodging poop missiles. "Fine then," he heard Apo sulk, then splash away. "I'll keep moving. I'll keep moving so fa-" Red didn't notice Apo's voice fading as his friend got further and further away.

"See, you can't let them hit you," Red explained, eyes trained on the monkey. "You gotta dodge and weave. Dodge!" Red called out as he shifted back and forth. The monkey barely missed him. "Weave!" The monkey barely missed again. Red shot the monkey. It was a shame to waste precious ammo, but it had to be done- Red wasn't sure if he could take out the monkey in close quarters, and he definitely couldn't without catching some poop as well. Red wanted to look cool in front of his friend. He took out the monkey in a few quick shots. Damn, he looked cool doing it, too. "And that's how it's done," Red bragged, turning around to face an empty beach. "...Apo?" But Red's friend was gone.

Red glanced around, then started following the footprint trail left in the sand. He frowned. Wasn't he supposed to be coaching Apo on how to be a Kite, so they could be in the same faction? But Apo hadn't been listening. And Red had had to save his little friend six times now. Could they actually be friends, Red asked himself again. A Nightingale... Red remembered what Bek said on the first day. 'I don't need friends. I'm a Kite. Kites don't need anything.' Kites especially didn't need saving all the time, Red frowned. Maybe he would be better off without Apo.

"Hey," murmured Apo right next to Red. Red flinched in surprise, then very carefully did not react. Red stared down at the little pirate. The truth was, the two were using Apo as the bait while Red picked off the monsters one by one. If their roles had been reversed, Red probably would have- he carefully didn't finish that thought. Red was a Kite and didn't need anyone.

"Apo," Red sighed, "Nightingales aren't doing you any favors."

Apo took a step back, then dug a toe into the sand. "I know."

"Why did you choose them?" Red pressed, not noticing some of his frustration leaked through.

Apo turned away, looking out to sea. "Uhm, I..."

Apo paused, and Red filled in the blank. Apo must have chosen them because - what was Nightingale faction about again? The journey and family? How stupid. How soft. But Apo had said he wanted into Kites. He had said he wanted to be friends with Red. But if he really wanted into Kites, why hadn't he just chosen Kites? Why did they have to be in different factions? Suddenly, Red couldn't bear Apo's hesitation a moment longer. "You chose wrong," Red informed Apo.

Apo turned back towards Red, stunned into silence.

Red noticed Apo's eyes were green like the ocean. "This training isn't working, Apo. You're getting worse. Your faction is making you soft. You're so stupid," Red sneered, unable to stop. "If you really wanted to be a fighter, you would have gotten into Kites." If you really cared about me as a friend, you would have stayed with me. Red watched Apo's eyes harden in pain. Yes. They would fight, now. Maybe then he'd be able to switch.

"I-" Apo stopped again, grimacing in disgust. He took a step back from Red, looking him up and down. Then Apo looked down at the sand between them. "...You're right. I'm fucking stupid."

Their words hung between the two friends like cannon balls suspended in flight. Red felt the moment stretch out, seeming to go on forever. This isn't what he wanted.

Apo glanced up at Red through his eyelashes, head tilted down in what Red could only assume was shame. "I'm sorry I thought this could work." Then Apo turned away and sprinted down the beach, back to their boats, back to the isles, back to his stupid family faction that was making him soft.

Red ran after him, stopping at the edge of the beach. "Apo," he called, but Red knew Apo wouldn't hear. "...I didn't need him anyway," Red told himself. "Kites don't need anyone. That's what Bek said." Only, he wasn't sure if he believed it.