A Heart Between Us

Chapter 14: Hunger

A Heart Between Us

Chapter 14

Hunger

The lights were dimmed in the room. All of the people within the Zeppelin was in another room watching something they called 'last man standing.' Echo slowly stood up and reached onto the desk where there was a large fruit basket filled with apples and oranges. It took a bit of effort, but he was able to plucked up a single apple and bit into it. Quickly eating half he handed the rest to Kairi who ate it including the core.

"What do you suppose they're doing?" Kairi quickly wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Echo curled up into a ball.

"They bet on who's going to be the last man standing in the maze. It's how I'm here. I'm a champion of the previous one. My gift...life. But it's a life only a fool would hold. But it was this...or death." Echo said let Kairi curl up next to him. It was getting cold within the room.

"Why do people do these things Echo?" She yawned.

"Greed. Humans...are that way. Money is what they want and they want to use said money to buy things they don't need. Then they want more money to do the same as before. Buy things...but they've already bought as much as they can hold in their pockets. They need people to hold the rest. That is why they began to create slaves." He ran his fingers over her head. Kairi looked down at him. "You said your father is a nindroid?" Kairi yawned again taking his hand in hers.

Echo looked at her almost lovingly. "Yes...he is."

"Is he nice?" He asked. Kairi thought about it.

"He's strict with me when I don't do what I'm supposed to. Like my chores or study. But that's expected. I'll get lazy and my own home will look horrible and I'll be stupid one day if I don't. But even after he scolds me he picks me up and doesn't hurt me. He just...wants what's best." Echo yawned closing his optics.

"I don't remember my father. I remember the smell of the ocean and that's all I really remember of my childhood." He said putting his head on her legs.

"Oh...isn't that adorable?" They both jumped and looked around as the lights came back on. Echo held Kairi close to his chest. He wasn't sure why he felt a connection with this young girl. Perhaps it was in his programming to protect, or perhaps he knew the only other nindroid was his brother. This was his baby girl. He would protect her.

"It's time Echo...time for you to...suit up." Dr. Brill walked over and snatched him up from the floor. Kairi fell to her hands and knees.

"I'll come back for you...I promise."

"You won't even remember she exists when we're finished with you." The door closed with a loud snap. Kairi was left in the room alone. She pushed herself into the corner covering her ears as she could hear Echo's cries as they tortured him. It was close to dawn when she realized who walked out of the room. Steam coming off the red and black armor that he wore.

"E...Echo?" She stood up touching his hand. He turned to look down at her. His bronze eyes now red. He slapped her hand from his.

"He's no longer Echo. Hum...he needs a better name. How about...Mr...E." Dr. Brill smiled at his newest creation.

"What did you do to him?"

"Given him a purpose to me." Brill laughed. Kairi charged at Dr. Brill. Mr. E grabbed her by the hair and threw her into the corner.

She felt dazed. What did she do? What should she do? She watched as Mr. E walked out of the room in a fluctuation of colors as she dizzily stood there.

"Please..."

(0)

Cole ran along with Nya, Lloyd thrown over his arm. Red liquid flowed through an injury to his side. A machine raced behind them with blades attached to springs flopping all over its body.

"Lloyd what the hell made you think using Spinjitzu on that thing would work!" Cole yelled. No answer. of course. There leader was out cold and in horrible condition.

"There!" Nya ran at what looked like a tiger pit.

"It can't get over that!" Both Cole and Nya used airjitzu to jump over the pit. The machine fell right into their trap, making grinding noises as the buzz saw hit the spikes inside.

"How's he doing?" Nya asked as Cole put Lloyd down on the floor.

"Not so good." Cole said ran his fingers over Lloyds sweaty forehead.

"We need to find a place to stop for the night and let him rest."

"The other side of this pit is fine we can just keep clear of that thing." They walked around the other side of what looked like rails for a railroad track.

"Here we go Lloyd...let's get you to sleep." Cole said taking off his hood and placed it onto his forehead. He curled up beside Lloyd and Nya curled up on his other side.

(0)

Zane and Kai lay on a small mound of leaves on the other side of what appeared to be a broken down machine that had just attacked them. But this ones treds were messed up and there were swords sticking out of it. Zane wasn't sleeping but he was in a power down mode to conserve energy. The lights above them dimmed telling him that either the others were trying to sleep too, or they were dead. He pulled Kai in tighter. It was going to be an interesting night. His optics dimmed and he too tried to get some sleep.

Red eyes watched him from behind another machine.