The scent of antiseptic and menthol filled the air.
Her eyes opened onto Karauro, who rested his head against a chair.
He seemed different in sleep, a rare glimpse of youth in an 18-year-old navigating with survival.
The pod chimed as the green liquid drained away.
With a hiss, the door unlatched.
She grabbed a folded towel nearby, her damp blonde hair cascaded over shoulders.
In a fast-drying gown, Noose approached him barefoot.
A Holo-mirror illuminated, revealing her image: no wounds, just a faint scar.
She edged closer to him, his eyes still closed.
Noose frowned, then became annoyed by his snoring. She pinched Karauro's nose.
It stopped.
His eyes shot open, startled awake.
Noose smiled, just inches from his face.
"Have you ever heard of letting the dead sleep?" Karauro scowled.
She noted his ears flush red when he turned away.
"Thanks for the towel," her voice softened.
Karauro thought it was a deliberate provocation to irritate him.
"Wasn't—," he started, but Noose cut in.
"You’re the only one who folds them poorly," she said with a grin.
"Space," he grumbled. "Hurry up; Fey left clothes for you."
Noose stepped back, grinning—pleased with his response.
"You've been more irritable than usual, Ciro," she remarked, unfastening her gown.
Karauro sighed and turned his back to Noose.
"That's because you've been testing my patience."
Noose glanced at him. Her lips curled slightly.
"Is it because someone is here? Normally, you'd bite back," she said, curiosity lacing her words.
"That's all in your imagination," Karauro replied.
"You can turn; I'm done" Noose said calmly.
While adjusting his position, he saw a faint scar on her right shoulder.
His jaws clenched.
Noose's bracelet chimed, the Onyx logo flashing on the screen.
Verran was on the holo-call, with Holvok nearby.
"Status?" he inquired.
"Both Ash-Hive and Deimos Lab are gone," Noose replied, her expression neutral.
Karauro stood behind her.
"Sir, I have a proposal," he stated flatly.
Verran looked at Karauro.
“Still with the demands, Ciro?”
"It wouldn't be a demand if you kept me leashed, would it?" Karauro replied.
"I know Onyx depends on my 'condition,' but it has drawbacks. I propose wearing a dampener collar," he stated calmly.
Karauro locked eyes with Noose, who briefly glared at him.
"One with a timer for my Fumed beast state, or a limit to prevent total loss of control."
Verran arched an eyebrow.
"Color me surprised. Your Ruined Jackals commander was insistent on restraining you."
"If it ensures safety, then yes," Karauro replied without hesitation.
Verran raised his eyebrows and nodded.
“Okay, we’ll get our engineers to make one.
Noose acknowledged Karauro with a nod as she dismissed him.
Her gaze suggested otherwise.
Noose wrapped up the briefing.
She went over to Karauro, who had a relaxed look on his face.
"What was that?" Noose finally spoke.
"Insurance," Karauro replied nonchalantly, locking eyes with her.
"Ciro, that's not insurance; it's a return to what you began," she said, her tone sharpening unintentionally.
He stood, eyes still dulled.
"It is. I don't want blood on my hands, especially from those I care about!" His voice matched her intensity.
Noose’s eyes grew wide at his words.
His glare shifted to her right shoulder.
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She folded her arms and looked away.
Inside her was a desire to shake sense into him, yet she just scoffed.
"So, this is how you do it..." she muttered.
Just as she was about to step closer, Nera entered the small regen-pod room.
"We have 5 hours, before next Ash-Hive sweep." Nera said while looking at a data pad.
She locked eyes with Karauro’s annoyed face. "Did I interrupt you two?"
"Nope," he replied in a dull manner, moving forward.
Karauro came up to Liam’s office.
Liam sprawled on the couch, his face concealed by a magazine.
What do you want, kid? His voice was loud.
"You still have your wits, not just dust yet,” Karauro grinned.
"You're Onyx now, but that chip on your shoulder remains," Liam remarked.
"I don't—" Karauro began, interrupted.
"You do. I've noticed it since we met." Liam got up, cut his cigar, and lit it with his cybernetic arm torch.
"Carrying a burden is okay until it starts to weigh others down as well."
"People are in your corner, so consider yourself lucky."
Liam’s voice trailed off as he retreated to his desk.
Karauro finally eased his jaw.
"I'll try," he replied.
"Don't just try, take action," Liam said, throwing Karauro a set of keys.
"I'm not your guardian, but I won’t take the fall for your demeanor either."
“Rest after with whatever your gonna be busy with,” Liam remarked.
Karauro nodded and left.
---
Nera arrived at Karauro’s room in Scion outpost. reluctant to knock until a loud noise rang out from within.
“Oi, Rauro!” she shouted, but all she heard was a grunt.
She entered and saw him clutching his head, blood staining his hand.
"Yeah...I faced off against some boxes and lost," Karauro grumbled.
Nera sighed, approached him, and extended her hand.
“Anything useless here to wrap your head?" she asked.
"Some old rags in that box." He pointed to a box.
Karauro was about to get up on his own.
Liam’s words gnawed at him briefly.
He took her hand. Karauro stumbled slightly, and they both lurched toward a wall behind them.
His hand protected Nera’s head from the impact.
Karauro attempted steady himself with his bloodied hand on the wall. It slipped.
Nera caught him in her arms.
"Shit," he murmured.
His head was on her shoulder.
Nera felt him stiffen.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"Shut up, quit apologizing," Nera hissed.
"Stop dealing with everything alone," her tone was unusual to Karauro.
"Is that an order?" He smiled through gritted teeth from the pain.
"Just a reminder, you idiot," She nudged him away softly.
He sat onto his chair, while Nera wrapped his head.
She left moments later. Leaving him to finish working on his gear.
Karauro’s ear piece rang. Waking him immediately.
Noose (over comms): "Ciro, your collar is here. Be there in 5," Her tone was icy.
Karauro sighed. "Understood, Commander. Just finishing gear adjustments."
She arrived shortly, wearing Nexon-fabric underneath her jacket.
Noose wore a weary look, he saw through it.
Karauro approached her.
He raised his hand. Before she had a chance to speak.
"It's fine; you don't need to apologize. I was wrong to betray your trust." He extended his hand out.
Noose frowned in confusion.
She peered over his shoulder, searching for a hidden camera.
"You're not Karauro. What imposter has taken his place?" she said.
His lips twitched.
"Usually, people accept apologies and move on," Karauro attempted a grin.
"And this isn't usually you," she retorted.
"I regret crushing your trust in me. I'm not skilled at—"
Her finger hovered over his lips.
"Just an apology, or your usual 'my bad' would suffice," Noose smirked.
“Why do you prefer my bad habits?" He huffed.
"I prefer you to show them, not hide them. Now lower your head," she said, gripping the sleek collar.
Noose adjusted the collar around his neck and loaded the dampener vials, Karauro lifted head up, unaware that Noose still held him.
"So, are we good then?" he asked, clearing his throat.
“Yes, all good Ciro,” she said while noticing the makeshift tourniquet.
Her hands reached out, Karauro flinched.
Before she was about to ask.
“I had to fight boxes to clear my head,” He blurted.
“You have terrible hobbies,” Noose said softly.
---
Nera moved alongside Noose, while Karauro trailed behind them, holding a rifle now.
Strange white spores glowed in the moonlight.
A glint from Karauro's collar caught her eye.
Noose had informed her of his choice to limit flare usage.
His gaze remained sharp in Griever's presence; an orange glow emerged from his helmet's visor slit.
Thunderous roars echoed.
Nera followed behind Noose, along with everyone else who entered the veil of fog.
Nera's cyber-optics emitted whirring circuitry sounds.
Figures started rushing towards them, cackling.
"Cantors" Karauro's voice buzzed throughtout comms.
Rifle muzzles flashed with bullets.
She shot at one, while Karauro aimed and took a shot as well.
Each figures dropped and imploded.
He now moved in sync with her.
Noose and Ruined Jackals threw incendiary grenades, pushing the fog away.
""Above, Mid-Swarmers!" Nera heard Karauro shout.
Onyx soldiers advanced, using flamethrowers as bullets ripped into the illuminated Grievers and struck the concrete.
The Ash-Hive glowed intensely, almost like a fierce pulse.
Nera assessed her ammo. Others followed suit, while the remainder took aim.
---
Noose sensed the ground shake as something surged toward them.
"Beserkers!" Karauro yelled.
A nearby wall collapsed, debris soaring through the air.
Too late, a massive gray arm swung down at Noose.
Karauro lunged, pulling her close. They rolled several meters away together.
Permission to flare?" Karauro asked as he helped her up.
"Granted," she replied instantly.
"Wow, no hesitation—you really enjoy playing with fire," Karauro grinned.
His eyes ignited.
He holstered his rifle and flexed his hands.
Nothing.
The White Ash Berserker stood nearby, tilting its head at him.
"...Awkward," Karauro muttered.
Noose and Karauro dodged a charging Berserker.
She noticed his eyes flicker.
"Shit!" Karauro cursed.
A stinger lunged at them.
They dodged, but it was a feint—another stinger wrapped around Karauro's torso and slammed him into a wall.
Noose unloaded rounds, severing the stinger. Nera shot a wire snare, yanking Noose back.
"Why did you pull me away?" Noose shouted.
"Huh? So he can perform!" Nera yelled back.
"He can’t; something’s off with him today," Noose claimed while clenching her jaw, watching Karauro pushing himself off the ground.
A sharper pain returned into his recent wound.
Blood dripped from underneath his helmet.
He tasted metal.
You wanted Restrained, here it is boy! A voice snarled within his mind.
I thrived without you, and I can do it again. He responded to the serpent's voice.
The Beseker roared in fury and charged again.
Karauro activated his Kinetic rod module and sprinted toward it.
Spores parted.
Its massive arm swung at Karauro.
He slipped under the shadow and drove a sharpened carbon rod into the Berserker’s hand.
Then slammed a second rod into it, pinning the flesh like a nail through meat.
Karauro stabbed his combat knife in and climbed, boots scraping up its broad shoulder.
Stingers burst from its back.
His blade flashed once, twice, three times. Tendrils severed.
He wedged a rod between its armored plates and dropped a grenade into the gap.
“You’re like Taron now, enjoying blowing things up!” Nera shouted.
Her rifle barked.
“I prefer it at a distance,” Karauro shot back.
The Berserker’s knees buckled.
Karauro fired a wire from his gauntlet, hooked a pillar, and let the snare rip him clear.
The grenade thumped inside the creature.
Then it bloomed.
Wet flesh and carapace slapped the ground.
Noose stepped in close and rested a hand on his shoulder, like she was checking if he was real.
“Onyx training paid off. No flare needed.”
“A compliment? I’ll note that down.”
Blood trickled down his visor.
“Yet you still manage to get smacked around.”
She gestured to a medic. “Patch him up. We head deeper.”
