Kyle and the Princesses of Power

Chapter Four: Falls

On the next mission it was relatively easy to slip away given no one actually wanted him around them. It usefully helped that everyone was doing a different task and as such they all would probably assume that he was with someone else. No one would be able to stop him (although he didn't really think that anyone would want to).

Kyle kept on walking, looking over his shoulder regularly. No one was following. There was no sign or sound of the Horde, the Rebellion or civilians. He was alone, so very alone.

It thankfully wasn't silent. He could hear birds chirping and the sound of leaves underneath his feet. One bird, a small one with dark brown feathers, a blue belly and an inquisitive expression flew down and circled his head a few times. He paused. If he was going to die then he may as well enjoy one or two more simple pleasures like watching a bird. When he stopped moving it flew down, landing on his finger. This was weird...It didn't seem to hate him. Something didn't hate him. Why?
"Hi..." he said awkwardly, gently running a finger over its soft head. It chirped in a seeming response. It was nice to have something go okay, to have something be nice. It was also making him uneasy. Things couldn't go well. It wasn't natural. The bird chirped gain then flew off, again circling his head a few times.

Something nice might have happened but it wasn't enough to convince him to not to follow through with his plans. Although he still needed a plan on how to do it. He had left, rather foolishly in his opinion back at the Horde. There were always berries but he didn't know which were poisonous and how many he would need. He could just black out and be found by someone...the consequences for that would be not good.

There was a sound beginning to fill his ears and he kept going forward out of curiosity. It got louder and louder until it completely echoed around. The trees suddenly broke into empty space and he blinked at the sudden and unexpected brightness that burnt against his retinas. Only a few dozen metres from him was a drop with a large waterfall. He swallowed, chest tightening like an elastic band was being pulled tighter and tighter. He suddenly felt very sick, his stomach churned and there was a sour taste in his mouth. He tried to walk forward but was frozen in place.

He tried to be less scared, he wanted this didn't he? He weighed it up. Life had flowers and...apparently cute friendly birds. Death had no more being hurt, no more being ridiculed, no more screwing up, no more Horde.

Kyle's fists clenched tightly and tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. He walked slowly forward, eyes stinging. He felt warm tears running down his cheeks which he didn't bother to wipe away. No one was around to see them and even if they were...he'd hopefully be gone before they could make fun of him for it.

Kyle took the transmitter off of his sleeve and threw it to the ground on the right. He wouldn't be needing it anymore.

He looked down. Hopefully the fall would be enough to kill him. If it wasn't he be unconscious fast. There were certainly more painful ways to go. So why was he hesitating? Three steps forward and he would be at the edge. Four steps and no more anything. He tried to move but again his legs were locked in place and breathing was difficult. He couldn't seem to get air into his lungs and black dots danced across his vision. Kyle felt more tears fall and a small part of him thought about just heading back to where the others were. He now wasn't sure if he was more scared of the jump or being around the others.

A sound not in place with the others made him jump. He quickly turned around, wiping the tears away with his sleeve.

It wasn't the worst that he expected, that being Lonnie, Rogelio or worse, Catra. It wasn't as bad but it was still bad.

It was someone that Kyle was familiar with from both many missions and a kidnapping gone wrong. He had a dark complexion and darker brown hair. His eyes were locked on Kyle, an arrow latched on his. Bow. He was not thrilled to see him again.

Kyle considered it for a second. If he couldn't muster up the ability to jump then maybe he would get lucky and be impaled...Then again the arrows were usually trick ones. On the other hand the momentum may knock him off the edge. Bow himself, unfortunately, might have realised that because he wasn't firing.
"Where's the rest of the Horde?" he asked, voice level but expression cold. Kyle considered that. He probably assumed that Kyle was a distraction or part of a larger group. The second part...technically yes he supposed.
"Two, maybe three miles that way. Not really sure what they're doing," he said without hesitating. "So go with your Rebel friends and go stop them and leave me alone." He sounded nearly as bitter as he felt still resenting the fake agreement of friendship. It had felt so close...it was the one chance he had ever had...

Bow didn't look convinced although he lowered the bow slightly.
"Then why are you here? A distraction?"
"They probably have no idea I'm here..." Kyle murmured, Under the sceptical look he took an unconscious step backwards. Only three more to go.
"Hey... be careful of the edge," Bow cautioned, lowering the bow completely. Kyle swallowed hard, eyes flicking to the edge and then back to Bow. He took another step backwards: Bow's eyes widened slightly and his mouth opened slightly in shock. "Oh... No! That...That's not a good idea!" Kyle tilted his head slightly, wondering why he sounded so panicky, almost hysterical.

"And why not?" he asked, the tears pricking at his eyes again.
"Because that can't be the answer!" Bow said, letting the bow fall to the floor. "I mean...What about your friends?"
"I don't have friends," he stated. "The Horde sucks at anything to do with that and I can't do anything that benefits them so why would they like me?" He sounded far steadier than he felt as he said that but it made yet more tears streak his face. Maybe it wasn't actively dying he wanted...instead it was simply that he did not want to live.
"Hey... If it is friends you want I'll be your friend," Bow offered, sounding almost desperate to get Kyle to listen. His eyes were wide, expression earnest. Kyle knew better than to believe him.
"I am not falling for that again," Kyle muttered, breaking the eye hold with Bow.
"Again?" Bow questioned. That...hurt more than Kyle thought it would. Then his expression widened further. "...Kyle..."

Kyle nodded slightly.
"Why am I even talking about this with you?" he half asked Bow, half asked himself. "You don't care. You're probably just trying to be the hero."
"No!" Bow protested. He took a step towards Kyle. He responded with a step back, heels feeling the change in surface slightly. Bow froze immediately, hands up in a peaceful manner, expression pleading. "I just don't want to see you die. You don't deserve that."
"But I want it," he muttered. He took a half step back. Half his feet were over the edge. It wouldn't take a step now, just a slight lean...Then nothing.
"There has to be something you want to live for!" he exclaimed. Besides flowers and birds? No, not really.

"Wait...Is this just a repeat of last time?" he asked, pain twisting his insides at the reality that anyone caring slightly would be a ruse. "You're just trying to distract me until your rebel friends show up!"
"No!" Bow exclaimed but his expression flickered.
"Figures..." Kyle whispered. "I'm such an idiot..."
"Come on...Come away from the edge. Please?!" Bow begged, eyes wide. There were even tears pricking at them. "You...You really don't deserve this, Kyle. Please!" Kyle didn't move from the edge. "I don't want to see you die."

Kyle swallowed the bile and blinked away the last of the tears that he had.
"Then don't look," he said. Then his eyes turned to the edge once more. "I'm sorry..."

And he let himself fall.

For a second he was aware of Bow, hand reached out to try grab him but just missing. The wind and water roared in his ears. He didn't scream. Didn't panic. He just took a breath of relief that finally, finally, it would all be over.

He hit the water hard and felt several of his bones crack. Pain shot through him but he wasn't dead or unconscious. He could feel the current pulling him along and further beneath the surface. He didn't hold his breath, the pain too white hot to think.

The black dots filled his vision again. He felthimself smile for the first time in a long time...then nothing.