Something Better

Chapter 18

(contains flashbacks)
Sheph had left the booth and entered his place with a huge grin. For some reason a hero out of everyone that could show up showed up, and took his number!
Immediately he pulled out his phone as a familiar ring tone met his ears.
"What is it Rorie?" He asked the phone. A laugh answered him. and he grinned.
"Me and Phae want to hang out." She replied. Sheph perked.

He screamed, and clutched his temples. Dark clouds covered the area as he did so, and rain began to fall on him. He failed to see the ship fly above him.

"So, what'd he look like?" Phae asked with a raised eyebrow. They all sat on his couch, the moon was out and a game played quietly on the T.V. Sheph blushed.
"Tall."
"Ooooh yeah."
"Dark blue eyes."
"Daaymn."
"Silky but rugged voice." Phae was basically leaning over Rorie to hear more.

"Why?" He screamed into the open air.

(Graphic) May trigger some)
Kyle's brain could only display three emotions for him as he ran past the petrified german shepherd with Mark's body slung across his back. Fury, Fear, and Confusion. 'Why would he sacrifice himself for someone like him?' Kyle thought with sour tones. He jumped in the air as the ship dipped towards  him. Outstretching an open hand he caught Nik's free arm, and with a grunt Nik pulled them both inside. 

"Are we leaving the dude-"
"I need silence, Nik." Kyle exclaimed angrily as he stormed through the back of the ship's wall. 
'It's because you thought you liked the fool, isn't it Mark .' Kyle thought bitterly as he entered the medical section of the ship.

"Should we grab the dude on our way out?" Nik asked plainly looking away from where Kyle had exited. Autzen merely shook his head as he silently gazed at the control panel of the ship.
"He might need something at the base." He said simply. Nik's face flattened.
"We both know Kyle couldn't deal with having odd amounts of supplies scattered in different sized bottles and shit like that." Nik replied as he rummaged through his back pockets. Finally he found a small box, and slowly pulled a cigarette out of it. Autzen stared at him for a bit with a tired look before he responded.
"I'm not surprised you'd think that Nik." He said while Nik slowly lit the cigarette with a lighter that he'd stored in the box. "But in truth we know nothing about him compared to how we know each other. Even Mark told us more about himself." Autzen finished wistfully. Nik scowled and took a drag from the cigarette before he removed it from his mouth. He crossed his arms.
"Maybe he didn't tell you anything, but he told me loads of crap and such." Nik replied as aloof as he could, exhaling smoke into the enclosed space. Autzen chuckled sadistically.
"Really?" He pushed.
"Yeah, lot's." Nik continued taking another puff of tobacco. He glanced at Autzen nervously. He hated that foul, sharp laugh of his.
"When?" The question took Nik by surprise.
"When we hadn't met you yet, smartass." Nik sneared. In response Autzen laughed devilishly. "Oh! You must mean all the times you were an ass as he pleaded with you to join him and become a hero? Because 'without you I'll fail the last wish my teacher gave me'." He mocked manically. The cigarette fell from Nik's fingers. "All the times you ignored his power, and his attempts for friendship. And hated him, for being the only one stronger than you in the whole school. That he just 'came in one day and decided to make a fool out you'?" The words took the air out of the tiger. "Yes I'm sure he tells you more than he tells me." Autzen finished sarcastically.

Kyle set mark down on the medical table as quickly as he could. Laying him on his stomach. From the other room he began to hear raised voices.
"Not now, please." He begged as rustled through bottles that lined the shelves. The ship jerked to the side suddenly, sending him, and the bottles flying to the side. 

"Take that back you tiny fuck!"  Nik exclaimed taking a step towards Autzen. who'd finally turned to look at the enraged tiger.
"I'm not the one that wants to take it back here, dumbass." Autzen retorted smoothly. Nik roared.
"Don't you dare act like you know how I felt."  He almost screamed as he charged at him. Autzen didn't react as he was picked up out of the chair, and slammed against the wall behind him causing the entire ship to get thrown to the side. Autzen only kept the same plain look that the visor gave him pointed at the tiger. Nik continued to roar into his face with glassy eyes.
"You could never understand what was in my head the entire time." Nik exclaimed with tears welling in his eyes. "You could never understand what I was." He dropped Autzen who simply let himself fall against the wall, his visor concealing the tears that welled in his eyes. Nik fell onto his knees, then onto his back. He began to sob as he gripped his legs shakily.
"Was." Autzen mocked quietly with a despaired chuckle. " You mean 'am'." He continued in a whisper. "People like us won't change. We never will, and we never were someone." He finished as he slowly fell onto his side. 

Kyle regained his balance with short breaths, and stumbled back to the mess that were the shelves, and himself. His hands shook as thoughts of his past started to force their way into his brain. "I won't lose you, dammit." He said desperately as he finally found what he was looking for. Spinning towards Mark tears flew from his eyes as he rushed towards the jackal. 
He stood over the jackals back wound. A large wound of burned fur and flesh greeted him openly. Kyle's breath caught in his throat as he opened the bottle of teal liquid and poured it all over his hands. With them he pressed his hands into the wound, instantly the semi dry blood cracked, covering his hands in dark, dark red. He screamed as Marks body twitched slightly. 
"I Won't lose you like we lost them! " He cried again as the wound began to glow a deep teal.