[Damaged Soul]

Louder than Silence

(Renney's POV)

It's Dinner time. Hawk orders me to eat. I have to or else he will make me sit in front of him in his office and eat. He would definitely stare me down, which I find very uncomfortable from anyone and he knows it. I am in my room tho, rewrapping my bandages on my hands and downward, a bit up before my elbows. I have to do this or else people would be able to see my veins glow and it's too hot to wear long sleeves so...

Three gentle knocks come to my door. I open it up after slipping on a tank top. I sigh and see a nervous Scarlet. Scarlet has always been cautious with me and is really trying. I try too, but it's hard. Hawk took 20 years to get me to trust him. Scarlet has done 10. And I might as well cut her some slack. I sigh and close my door behind me. I nod to her and she gives a small smile. We walk down the hall with each other to the mess hall.

"I'm sorry, for snapping I mean. I had woken up after a testing fail and I wasn't in the best mood to really look at anyone... if you saw what was all over me..."

"Yeah, I get it. Do they still hurt?" She means the small cuts and scars. I shake my head.

"I've become immune to those. They are like mini paper cuts but I've gotten used to them..." I explain. She nods and hesitantly pats my shoulder. I use all my will power and respect for her fuel my resistance against pulling away. If I pull away, I'll hurt her feelings and I can't do that again. I wont. I need to be better than that. We get into the mess hall. I look and notice Snake Eyes at the door as always. Scarlet doesn't notice and runs to the table when they call our names. I turn and sit with Snake Eyes. He sits up, I can read his surprise.

"Hey." I greet. He nods at me. Not a speaker I suppose.

"I assume you sit here for multiple reasons. Mind if I take a guess." He shakes his head. I give a small smile and continue.

"You don't want to make people uncomfortable is the first reason." I turn in my seat and watch the people around the mess hall, "it's your respect for everyone that makes you sit away. You don't want them to be scared of the dark figure that you subconsciously portrait yourself as."

"The second reason is that you also somewhat find them annoying. They are a bit too loud, too talkative. They seem like they have their minds on the smallest of issues rather than the bigger ones. But you know the difference of course." I look back at him then, propping my elbows up. I smirk at him.

"And the last reason is because you have no one to sit with. Why try to make friends when everyone is scared of you? Alright, that's all. See ya, Snake. It was cool talking to you." I pat his head on the way out in my way that I do. The way that I treat those before who I trust, as a companion for life. It was something that came over me. The fire loosened in my skin at the feel of Snake Eyes but I ignored it. I went out of the mess hall, only to have my arm caught by...

"What's up, Snake?" I turn to him. I sense his energy from miles away, I swear it. He hands me a sandwich. I nod in thanks and start munching on it as I leave to go train. He watches me leave, I can feel his heartbeat and breath from afar too. It's odd. And weird. I read his mind as I walk away.

"She's right." His mind says. And I am. I'm always right. Why wouldn't I be? I read everything about people and everything about everyone and I'm smart like that. I have a third eye that lets me see into everything I want. I am too clever. I run to the training rooms and head to my private one, passing some regulars too. I close the door and start training up. I punch the punching bag so hard that it falls off the hook and slams into the wall. The bag opens up and all the contents in it are pouring out. It makes me pause. I gasp and hold my head as a loud ringing fills my ears. I open my mouth to scream-

[Flash Back]

"FUCKING FREAK!" He says as he cracks the whip and cascades it over her back.

"PLEASE! Don't hurt her!" I beg from afar as they hold me down. Tears flood down my dirt and dried blood ridden face. I see her cry and I hear her scream. She sobs loudly as red marks find their ways all over her small back. Her fragile and tiny form shakes on the cold wet concrete floor. He laughs as she screams and yells at every lick of the whip.

"Please..." she begs weakly between shaking and pale lips. Her green eyes glow and widen as a light crawls in through the openings on her back. The large slash marks from the whip start shining with brilliant white yellowish light. It feels warm against my eyelids as I squeeze my eyes closed. I peak to see giant wings arching upward from her back as her eyes flare. I close my eyes again since it was too much and I open them when I feel myself being moved. I am now outside of the facility. Tears still fall silently as I stare around confused. Suddenly the prison I've been living is on fire and the windows are exploding. I am actually quite a way away from it all. I see something white fly out from the top of the building and a body that is scorched and still oozing blood falls against the ground with a loud thud. I shriek at it and start full on sobbing by the flames of the building. I can feel the far away flames warm my skin even from this far away...

[Flash Back End]