We both are different, but that makes us the same

But that makes us the same

"Do you like the sandwich?" Gem asked curiously, sitting across from Impulse on the picnic blanket. Impulse gave her a smile and a nod, trying to keep the honey and strawberry sandwich inside his mouth. Gem returned his smile, cheerfully enjoying her own sandwich.

The afternoon was very calm. There was no wind rattling the trees, and except for the few clouds blocking the sun, it was relatively peaceful.

Impulse glanced over to the left, seeing Tango and Zed chatting under a giant tree. Gem and Impulse had laid claim to the blanket as soon as they had arrived at the clearing. They had shared a laugh as their younger siblings protested and tried to grab it from Gem's hands, only to have failed. It was more Tango than Zedaph. Zed mostly stood away, watching the ordeal with slight uneasiness and horribly trying to hide the fact he was embarrassed. Tango seemed to take a hint, what a miracle, and grabbed Zed by the arm and led them both to a dark oak tree, all the while Zed walked along without panic. Or maybe he did squirm just a bit.

The rest of the picnic had gone well. Gem brought delicious honey and jam sandwiches, with strawberries, grapes, oranges, and apples. She had two separate containers, one for tea, for the older ones, and the other containing hot chocolate, for the younger ones. Gem and Zed had made a scrumptious looking pumpkin pie, though they couldn't eat it till after the meal.

"Why don't you ever bring your other brother?" Impulse almost choked on the sandwich at Gem's sudden question. After making sure he could still breath, he looked back at the ginger. She looked a bit worried, but he saw the curiosity in her dark blue eyes.

Impulse was getting anxious. He couldn't tell her the full truth, but she ought to know some of it.

He cleared his throat and started talking in a calm voice. "He just doesn't like people," he waved his hand in a small gesture, "He is more of an introvert than Tango and me, and he is also busy tinkering with things, you know?" Gem nodded her head, content with his answer.

"I understand," she grabbed another grape, "Zed's the same way. It was more of a miracle that Tango and him became friends," she looked over at the blonde, smiling to herself.

The picnic continued without any troubles. When Gem called the boys for dessert, Tango and Zed immediately rushed over, almost tripping over their own feet.

The four were laughing at jokes and enjoying the picnic, all unaware of the danger lurking outside the safety of the dark oak forest.

Gem was the first to notice something off.

"Did you see that?" The three boys looked the way she was pointing. Impulse only saw shrubbery and hanging branches, nothing out of the ordinary.

"What did you see?" Zed asked quietly, scanning around as if something would pop up at any moment.

"I think it was a human," she said mysteriously, "but there was something off about them." She looked worriedly back at the place she pointed. Her hands were grabbing the blanket tightly.

Impulse started to get worried. His body became more stiff and he moved to put his feet under him. Tango also looked frightened, though he was better at hiding it than Zed. Impulse noticed Zed holding Tango's hand in a vice-like grip.

Impulse decided to be the man and got up, walking slowly to the accused place. "Impulse," he looked back at the frightened Gem, "Are you sure you want to go there? What if there is someone?" She asked anxiously, looking back and forth.

Impulse gave her what he hoped was a comforting smile. "Don't worry, it's probably nothing." He turned around and kept walking to the trees.

His feet brushed across the tall grass, quivering against his leggings. He reached out a hand and touched the thick, rough bark. His hand settled on the tree. He kept it there. He stepped around the thorny bush, hissing when thorns scraped against his bare arms.