Second chances (found family Pilot & John J. Torres)
Summary: AU where The Pilot survives and John is severely hurt after burning the engine. The encounter that ensues changes his life forever.
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Baron hit the water hard, but not as hard as the crust of his burning ship slammed into him right after. A greener yautja would have perhaps collapsed on impact or lost air and strength before they reached the surface, but Baron was far from green. His body survived worse.
Breaching the waves and bleeding, he breathed the earth air, its components almost dizzying. It has been a while since he touched the ground of this world. All that mentoring he did for the past several decades perhaps made him a little rusty, but he gave it his all in the air — only to still loose.
It felt infuriating and exhilarating at the same time. Only a century ago this humanoid species had no foot in the air (he could almost recall that era) yet today, they have practically conquered the sky. Completely conquered it, if he were to judge by his most recent encounter — the one that sent his ship crashing into the ocean.
Whoever it was, Baron had to meet them. Had to look in the eye of the human who figured out his technology in less than an hour and found a way to use it against him. Burning their own engine and sacrificing their own aircraft to take him down? Crazy, reckless, genius.
That is when he saw it; a bright red flare shot from nearby, and subsequently a tiny silhouette. There. It was time for their legendary battle to end in a final round. His skill against theirs; the final test of strength.
Or so Baron thought.
Arriving at the area the flair came from, he didn’t initially locate anything except a bright yellow backpack, but looking underneath the waves he saw them; a drifting body, swung side to side by the currents. Did they loose consciousness? The blood oozing from their shoulder was a strong indicator and Baron mentally cursed. He won’t be able to fight his opponent like this; it’d be filthy easy, a dishonourable end to prey that earned his respect.
So he swam forwards instead, catching the enemy pilot by their shirt and lifting them up to the surface, then turning them over.
Baron was far from green; he’s seen humans of various ages up close before. This…did not look like a blooded hunter. The lack of wrinkles on this human’s face and lack of muscle on their body only confirmed that creeping suspicion. This was no adult, but only a pup. Baron felt unsettled at the realisation. Too young. Too young. Who let them into the aircraft? Onto a gorey battlefield where grown warriors dropped like flies? The old hunter was taught not to judge an animal by their hide, but this was no build for a warrior. If anything, this pup appeared slightly malnourished.
And yet…they still outdid him. Crazy, reckless, genius.
…Reckless. Of course, he should have known. Such mad ideas rarely came to warriors who have grown into their skin. It is always the younglings who strive to experiment, and this was the result. If not for Baron, they’d choke on saltwater and die before any help would care to arrive.
What a waste, Baron thought. This pup will likely not survive here much longer. What a waste, this pup will definitely be taken by his yautja clan-members in the slim chance of survival, to be shoved into a fighting pit that will chew him up and spit him out. He had no chances either way and killing him would be a mercy. The Dark Warrior would gladly take his soul to the bountiful grounds, where no death exists, but what a waste, Baron kept thinking, holding the boy above water, thinking back to his own students at home; young yautja who are full of potential and too young to die.
…perhaps…no. He couldn’t take him. What would the elders say?
But what a damned waste it would be, to let such a prosperous pup go.
Baron stared into the young, tired features for a minute, torn, before deciding to make what was surely going to be the biggest mistake of his life. He activated the distress signal, pulling the teenager closer and letting his head flop onto his shoulder.
There was a first time for everything, he guessed, seeing a giant but barely discernable silhouette approach from above. Teaching a human could not be that different from a yautja.
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Author’s notes: sorry, villain-protagonist found family thoughts won and I tried experimenting with their dynamic lol 😅 I guess I take requests for Predator characters now?