Aqua

"Hey, you went through the old Basic, right Double D?"

I barely nod as I chew on the tough piece of bread that I had tucked away in one of the pouches I keep latched under my armor. My sunglasses flash as the orb above glints off of them. We're sitting, relaxed on a hill, staring down over a small area just near Viands Village. My helmet is holding up my boot clad feet. I'm leaning back against the hill, and if I close my eyes, just right, I can imagine myself by the Chicago lakefront.

The Field Museum is back behind me, the lull of visitors and tourists sound like a hive of bees happily going about their business. They walk too and fro, some going to town, some going to the lake, and some going to the Adler Planetarium. I sigh with a content illustration of lowered blood pressure. My heart rate slows. I can feel my body relax. Suddenly the smell of the lake is so real and so intense I open my mouth in surprise. Then the memory hits:

"Come on Dulfer, you're lagging behind and we're going to go visit the little fishies without you!"

I glance up from the view of Lake Michigan and watch as Mabon and Jag saunter off toward the Shedd Aquarium. For the first time in months we all had a day off together. The only weird thing we had not done yet was visit every attraction we could visit in Chicago in one weekend. The Aquarium was the final stop. "We're going to go broke from this," I shake my head and pull out the pass we had been using since Friday. Just one more click and we would all be finished. "When are we eating dinner? I'm hungry."

Jag's smirk reminds me of Dad, and I chuckle to myself. Jag and I could be twins if we didn't have an age difference between us. Mabon, though, he was on his own with those ugly looks. Yeah, Jag and I got the looks. Mabon got the brains. This thought made me chuckle, and Jag looks up from his spot near the counter. He really does remind me of Dad more, and something in me twirls a moment. As kids, our Father is someone who's always huge. Bigger than life. That was nothing different for me. He was the best. Now I get to see him in Jag, and feel him in Mabon.

As we head into the Aquarium with the families, school groups, and other visitors, we get lost in the throng of it all. Just three guys looking at fish. Just three guys who happen to be brothers. Just three guys who loved as families do.

"Double D?"

"Sorry, kid, what did you ask?" I glance over at the guy. He's not like Jag or Mabon, but something in him fit. For once I didn't mind hanging out with someone here. But I still stayed back emotionally. I stayed back so that pain wouldn't be brought if something would happen. Pain would mean caring, and I didn't want to care about anyone anymore. After all, who was left to care for? Mabon and Jag, hell, they could be dead or half-alive as some weird Bane experiment, or who knows what.

"I was wondering if you did well in basic?" The kid was hesitant, his eyes traveling off into the distant cliffs.

"I did just like everyone else. Screwed up here. Screwed up there. Shot the right Thrax. Blew up the right spot," I shrug and lean back again. "It was a small ride to the bigger picture."

When the kid didn't say anything I glanced over toward him. As I did so, I caught her silhouette against the backdrop. I swiftly sit up and stare at her. It's the same woman. The same armor. The same aqua color. She swiftly heads over the crest of the hill to the other side and is out of sight in seconds. With a quick yelp I get up and take chase. "Hey, wait!"

As I hit the crest and prepare for a speed run I am shocked to a dead halt. She's no where to be seen. "What the hell...?"

"Double D you forgot your helmet!" The kid had caught up with me, but I didn't turn to take anything. I was watching for her...a sign, a location, anything. The kid watched with me, wondering what it was that had me all hyper. One of his pistols was drawn. "What was it? A Thrax?"

I slowly take my helmet from him and try to collect my thoughts. "No, no," I carefully tuck the helm under my arm, showing him there wasn't a threat. "I thought I saw a...friend."

The kid looked as awkward as I felt. "A friend makes you bolt like that?"

"Well, I hadn't seen her in some time," I try to come up with an excuse to my reaction. The mention of it being a woman made the kid smile some knowing guy smile, and part of me was relieved, because that meant he understood my reaction. The other part was he thought it was a woman in my life. He nudged me with a grin and nodded a lot more than he should have.

"Double D, alright, dude with the chicks."

The comment actually had me chuckle. I hadn't chuckled in a long time. With one last glance back over the empty hill I shrug. "Come on, lets go get some real food," I wave toward the village and start walking with him down the slope.


As the two travel down the rough hill toward Viands Village the blue armored female uncloaks from a location nearby. A quizzical tilt of the head highlights her form as she studies the retreating males.