TO thought that they had re-entered the old sewer system, but a few things told them it wasn’t. There were stairs leading in and out of the water along the edge of the river that flowed through the tunnel. Sediment had built up over the years, but even so, they could see the blue-green tiles that covered the bottom.
“... This wasn’t a sewer before, was it?” DH asked after a while. TO wanted to ask, but they didn’t want to ask Flit or snout. They didn't want to talk to them at all.
“It wasn’t.” Snout said, sounding far too relieved that the silence had been broken, “one species that lived here before colonization primarily lived in these tunnels-”
“And the King Decon moved them afterwards as part of the optimization plans.” TO said. “I found that out before I came down here.”
They hoped that their sharper tone would end the conversations. It didn’t.
“Moved is an interesting way to put it.” Tham said. He kept back from the others, his hand resting on his hip not too far from his multi-gun. “King Decon systematically eliminated them.”
“Officially, it was the Arkanian government.” Snout said, taking over the conversation, “But King Decon approved all the orders related to them. The species that lived down here- another semi-aquatic species- died off after colonization because of health issues, which the planetary leadership at the time stated to result from living underground.” Their ears pinned back, “That, of course, was a lie. They wanted to use the tunnels for their own water system, which they couldn’t do without basically destroying the underground city. Saying that they were dying because they lived underground was just a way to get them to move out.”
DH waited, their gaze flicking between TO and Flit before they spoke. “... What was making them sick?” they asked.
“The government said it was an unknown gas leaking from the ground.” Snout said. “Again, that’s false.”
“And how would you know that? If official documents say that it was a gas leak, then what proof do you have to say otherwise?”
“Civilians keep their own records.” Snout said, “Diaries, letters. Some digital, some physical. Arkane was still using paper back then, so some records survived, and people like Vik salvaged some digital records.”
“.. And what do those say?” DH asked.
“Well, it was a lot of different things.” Snout said, sickness, pollution, food-shortages. As people got sick, they left thinking that maybe the government was right about the gas. There were ‘arrangements’ made for them above ground; houses without windows and a sensor to tell them when it was dim enough to go out, and there was talk of creating a covered city, but that never happened. Being above ground exposed them to more sickness, so the ones that left the tunnels didn’t last too long. Then there was talk of violence - and there are some criminal records that officially exist, talking about altercations between them and the surface-dwellers - their words, not mine.”
“It all built up, and they died out slowly. THe last one only died a few hundred years ago.; the last of the Ambyatara.”
“You’ve probably seen images of them.” Flit added as they opened up their chip. To TO’s surprise, they showed an image of the Arkanian government house, and zoomed in on the combat scene over the entrance; a dramatic scene showing several species - led by a hawklike person, fighting a giant sea-monster. Among them was a creature with long legs, muscular arms, webbed feet, and a pointed face framed by prongs that fell around them, three on each side.
“They killed them, but they called it a ‘tragedy’ and have them in art everywhere to ‘honor’ them.” Snout said with a huff, “I guess it’s easy to honor a race you oppressed if they’re all dead now.”
They wanted to question all this. All the information they were giving them, though TO knew that Flit and Snout weren’t lying, they also knew that maybe they had simply read false information.. That was always possible! But that wasn’t their first thought. Their first thought was to wonder if the same would happen to the Legless in Arkane. If all the legless here - people like Lendulin- were to die off because of their living conditions, would that be considered a ‘failure to thrive’ and treated as a tragedy?
Somewhere nearby, TO heard a door open. They spun, their wings puffing up and their ears twitching as they located the source of the sound.
“Relax.” Snout said, “There’s people moving about all over the place-“
Maybe, but that didn’t mean that TO could just allow someone to run up on them. What if it was an insurgent waiting for a chance to kill them? They were certain that insurgents like Tham would be more than happy to see TO and DH dead, but there was little they could do if enemies attacked them while outnumbered and unarmed. They only hoped that Flit and Snout would defend them as well.
Thought of defending themself flew from their head as GiDi rounded the corner and came to an abrupt stop as they saw TO.
“GiDi.” Tham said, their voice strained, “You should have stayed away longer.”
GiDi wasn’t listening to them. Their eyes locked with TO, staring for a moment before they took a step back, their wings tightening around their arms, their ears flicking down as they looked away.
“Yes, but…” They glanced back up at TO and DH, then looked away again. “I just wanted to check on them. I’ll go back-“
Before they could turn and leave, TO wordlessly strode towards them. They heard flit say something behind them, but paid the older synth no mind. Why would they care what Flit said?
GiDi took a step back as TO approached, but didn’t run. Instead, they braced themself, their wings tightened around their arms just as TO Grabbed them and pulled them in tight, embracing them and wrapping their wings around their smaller friend.
“We were so worried about you.” TO whispered, holding GiDi tight.
GiDi tightened in their arms, then relaxed as they wrapped their arms around TO, buried their face in their chest, and started crying. They kept saying something over and over, but TO couldn’t make it out.
It didn’t matter.
GiDi had joined the insurgents and had plotted to have TO and DH captured by them. Even so, GiDi was their friend. Their family. Even before everything that Flit and Snout had told them, GiDi had always been family.
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DH came up next to them, grabbing both TO and DH together, their wings wrapping over both of them as GiDi shook and cried in TO’s arms. GiDi had been upset before, but they couldn't remember them being this shaken and upset. They had seen them angry, of course, and worried, but not like this. They gently scratched the back of GiDi’s neck, trying to calm them.
“It’s ok.” TO whispered, “Whatever it is, it’s ok. We’ll sort it out. I promise.”
“I thought you’d hate me.” GiDi finally choked out, “I thought… I wasn’t sure what training did to you after I left. I thought you’d hate me. I know you’d never hurt me, but I thought-”
“We’d never hate you.” DH said. “You’re our friend. We love you, moron.”
TO was still confused. They didn’t know how GiDi could work with the insurgents, but that didn’t matter right now. GiDi was alive and safe, and they were with them again. For the first time since they were in training, they could help their smaller friend again. They could hold them and make sure they were ok, and make sure GiDi knew that the only thing they had ever felt for them was love, worry, and absolute sorrow when they left the center.
Flit and Snout said they were GiDi’s parents, but TO and DH had done more for them in their training than Flit and Snout had.
Movement from the corner of their eyes drew their attention. They had been so focused on GiDi that they had paid no heed to their surroundings, and it was only now that they realized GiDi hadn’t come along; that Pearla had followed them, and was now standing awkwardly by the corner, watching them.
“You.” TO hissed, “You set this up! That’s why you told us to go to that party!” The memories flooded back to them now. “You insisted we go. You told Lendulin to give us those tickets-“
“TO.” GiDi wiped at their eyes, and gently pushed away so they could look TO in the eyes. “She did it for me, because I asked her to.”
“… And I’d do anything for GiDi.” She said, a dull flush rising over her cheeks as her tail curled up on itself.
GiDi stepped away from TO and DH, and walked back to Pearly. Ears low and flushed, they awkwardly curled their hand around hers as their wing draped over her.
“TO. DH. You’ve met Pearla…. But I want to introduce you to my mate.”
Their mate. TO’s ears flicked in confusion for a moment, then narrowed as they glared at Pearla.
“Now it makes sense.” They hissed, “You got GiDi involved in all this” They took a step forward, “You dragged them into-“
Tham shouted from behind them, but before Tham could react and before TO could finish their sentence, GiDi was before Pearla, their ears back, their lips curled, their wings puffed out. Seeing GiDi behave so aggressively towards them took TO by surprise, and TO stopped in mid-stride.
“It’s ok.” Pearla said, putting a hand on GiDi’s arm. Instantly they relaxed and looked back at Pearla, their ears flicking the way their own did when they looked at DH; with that same lovesick adoration. “And they’re just confused. This is a lot. Just be patient with them.” She put a hand on GiDi’s cheek, and instantly GiDi’s hand cupped over hers.
“They’re your friends. Family, right? They’re confused; it’s all a lot I think.” They smiled, they glanced back over to TO. “And I didn’t drag them into anything.” She said, “You’ve got it backwards. I’m involved here for GiDi. Before I knew them, I had no dealings with the insurgency.” She shrugged, “So, maybe you could not look like you want to kill me? I only tried to help GiDi.” She glanced aside. “And not get a couple of synths too focused on me.”
“But you knew our language. Only insurgents know our language-“
“I taught her synth-speak. She wanted to know, so I taught her before she even knew I was a synth.” They took a step forward towards TO, their ears relaxing a little, “TO… I trust her as much as you trust DH. She’s done nothing but help me since I landed here.” Their ears dipped down. “So if you’re happy that I’m alive, thank her. I’d probably have been killed long ago otherwise.”
“I don’t think I helped that much-” she started, but GiDi cut her off.
“You did!” They said, taking her hands, “And if you hadn’t been around… I would have been all alone, and I probably would have… I don’t know, I would have eaten something bad, or got on the wrong side of local authorities, or gangs, or who knows what! I didn’t have any means of defense, no means of communication-”
TO realized, as GiDi said that, that they had to have landed here without a chip. If the chips tracked them, and Flit got them out of the training center, then they had to have landed here with no chip.
They came here with no chip, armor, or weapons. TO didn’t know where Flit had been, but GiDi said they would have been all alone. The idea of being lost and alone, unable to understand the language properly and having no resources to draw on to keep themself safe and warm and protected made TO want to hold GiDi tight all over again.
And Pearla had saved them from that.
TO took another step forward, their ears relaxed this time. Though GiDi watched them carefully, they didn’t stand in front of her like they had before.
“... I don’t know what you’re doing with the insurgency.” TO said, “But you helped GiDi, and -” They glanced once more at their smaller friend, “GiDi seems to adore you, so…” They dipped their head slightly, “... thank you for that.”
She laughed, flushing, “It was nothing.” She said, “I swear, no matter who they were, I couldn’t-”
“You’re the secret partner!” DH suddenly exclaimed, drawing everyone’s attention. TO was confused, and even Pearla seemed lost before she suddenly realized what DH was talking about.
“Obviously, I didn’t tell Petra or Lendulin anything.” she grumbled. “They figured something was distracting me… even before we were in a relationship of any kind! I was just rushing home all the time and staying home to help GiDi and keep them company. They assumed the rest…”
“And wound up being right.” GiDi said, grinning.
“And if they knew, I’m sure they’d have said the same thing I would have.” Tham said, “That you can’t just take random people into your home-”
“They were hurt, and didn’t want to go to the center, or the authorities; not an uncommon request around here.” She huffed at Tham, “Can you drop that already? It worked out.”
“Whatever.” Tham grumbled, “Let’s just get to that other one, and get back. I feel distinctly outnumbered here.”
“Other one?” GiDi asked, glancing back at TO, “What other one?”
“Avery is here.” TO said, “And they’re not doing well, so we’re going to see if we can help.”
GiDi nodded, and turned to Pearla, “You’re coming too?”
“Maybe I should hang back. Too much all at once, right?” She slid over to Tham. “Meanwhile, I’m sure my big brother here can escort me to the common area.”
“I’m escorting these two, to make sure-”
“It’s fine; Flit and Snout and now GiDi are with them-”
“They’re all synths though-”
“And you’re saying you don’t trust GiDi?”
They frowned, glaring between the synths before they huffed and powered down their gun.
“Fine.” They grumbled, “Let’s go back to the common area, then.”
“Excellent.” she said, then before she took off, she rushed back over to GiDi, brought herself up on her tail so that she matched their height, and kissed them quickly.”
“Got you some privacy with your friends. Try to help the other one.” She said as she ran a thumb over GiDi’s blue-flushed ear - a gesture that made TO flush and look away, “The more synths we can help, the better.”
“I’ll do my best.” They said, kissing her back quickly before she let go of GiDi’s hand and rushed towards her brother, who was leaning against a wall, his eyes rolling.
“See.” GiDi said as they joined TO and DH, “She just wants to help.”
TO still didn’t understand entirely, but there was a simple fact that helped them make some sense of the situation; GiDi and Pearla were mates. If they felt for one another half of what TO felt for DH, then they knew that they’d do whatever they could for one another. If they could trust GiDi, then they supposed they could trust Pearla.
And despite everything, despite being part of the insurgency now, they couldn't imagine a situation where GiDi would actually try to hurt them.