With several yards of fabric neatly folded in hand Radio Walked through a fairly empty terminal. He was trying to clear his head, telling himself all the stress and bickering was just from all the holiday fuss… The station was usually pretty crowded with the holiday so close but today it was…eerily quiet… Soft shuffling sounds in the distance of sprites darting about or the surge protector zipping about seemed spookier than usual.
Perhaps it was only because of his own nerves but just about everything was terrifying to him.
As he walked something caught his eye, a faint hint of yellow in an alley way. He stopped to look a bit closer.
Could it be?
It WAS! The Sprite’s missing helmet! Radio beamed with surprise and happiness.
… But how did it GET there..?
Bending down Radio took Byrd’s pack off and charged him with holding the fabric while he went to retrieve his helmet. He trotted into the alley to pick up the missing headgear. He missed the security of his helmet so badly and the beanie- headphone combination simply didn’t provide the same comfort.
As he pulled off the hat and headphones the sprite noticed a rather…odd looking crack in the wall at the back of the alley. It seemed to hum with a low tone and Radio couldn’t shake the feeling something was now peering at him from the other side.
He squinted at the wall, trying to see better in the darkness to no avail. Any sane part of him was urging him to turn back and run the other way but whatever kept him standing there wanted to know what tat humming sound was.
Suddenly his bad leg began to glitch and he lifted the foot to try and relieve the tingling sensation as a frustrated puff passed through his nose. He decided then that it was just the quietness of the station playing tricks on his tired mind and turned to look back at Byrd while he waited for his leg’s glitch to settle.
It was then the crack in the wall groaned, moved even, and the sound sent cold shivers up the sprite’s back. a sudden and crippling fear droped into his gut like a block of ice as he slowly turned to look back at the wall. His ears rang with a peircing sound as well as his own heart drumming loudly.
when he finally faced the wall again it ripped open with a heavy glitch of flashing color and distorted spaces.
The monster that erupted from the wall let out a deafening, high-pitch scream as thick jaws, lined with thin, black, needle-like teeth snapped out.
Radio’s voice-box squealed in terror. His glitched leg fuzzed horribly as he tried to run, waving his arms at Byrd to get a head start.
Unfortunately the first step was as far as Radio could get, his bad leg gave out completely and it wasn’t but an instant before the insectoid monster was on top of him. It’s large, spined, forearm swept the sprite into a wall with one restrained stroke. The jagged Limb easily tore into the sprite and rendered him immobile.
Radio gasped for the air that had been forced from his lungs as tears fell in waves. He couldn’t process what was happening, it was all too fast. The only thing he could think to do was to wave desperately at Byrd to run.
The small hybrid child just wailed in fear, calling his father through screaming tears.
The beast jerked it’s head to look at the tiny Virus, antennae flicked as it seemed to size up whether or not Byrd was a threat. Finding nothing of interest, the monster was quick to disregard the tiny hybrid and return it’s focus to Radio.
“BAAAPAAAH!!!!”
The toddler cried, watching in horror as the Monster used it’s spined limbs to delicately drag it’s live prey back inside the glitched wall…
And just l as quickly as it had appeared the beast was gone…. Everything was gone, to Byrd, His whole world was gone.
Radio walked alongside the tall virus, looking up at him with a constant swirl of different emotions. He looked so angry, a scarred and torn mess; but also strong and durable. The way he held the frail sprite’s hand as they walked was so gentle and he always smiled when he looked down to meet the other’s gaze.
Cradled against his chest in the crook of his other arm was Byrd. Fast asleep and idly teething on the plain plastic button fastened to the other Hybrid’s coat. Radio felt like this was how he had wished things to be. ‘He’ll never be like this, he doesn’t even want to try.’ the thought put a cold feeling in his chest. He felt terrible.
“What’s wrong lo… Lemonade? ” The marred virus asked. Picking up on Radio’s discomfort easily.
The sprite shook his head dismissively, he didn’t really want to talk about it and completely missed the near slip of word.
“Do you need a minute to gather yourself before we go in?” He asked, this time stopping and bending down to Radio’s level. Again, the sprite shook his head and reached up to pat the Virus on the head.
Radio let go of his escort’s hand to unlock his front door and step inside. The twins and Gage were waiting in the kitchen. It looked as though they had been up for days fixing the trashed home.
“RADIO! ” Icarus gasped, shooting up from the table with a sharp scrape from the chair being pushed back on the tile floor. Indie and Gage got up moments after and pensively waited as the older twin rushed to hug their yellow companion.
Radio hugged Icarus tightly and let the twin lift him from the floor slightly. Before he could be let go he felt Indie join the hug and Gage soon after.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I won’t ever do it again! ” Indie cried, already sobbing like a baby.
“ I’m sorry too, I… Don’t mean to get so angry… ” Gage muttered.
Radio sniffled a bit as he tried to hug and pet each of their heads.
“ I’m really Glad you found your friends. I’ll be really glad to see you guys back t-” Indie was cut off by the Virus giving him a silent gesture to shut up. However, Radio caught exchange and he felt something was wrong… they were hiding something.
He pulled away from the hug and signed at everyone 'what are you not telling me?’
-So… I’m actually not /home/ but I’m with some friends that I had before my accident. I bumped into one at a petshop game. I went there to feel better and someone I used to know spotted me. I went back to his game to meet everyone they’re all really nice but there’s a Virus too? He said he’s only half virus so I think that means he’s like Byrd? He’s really happy to see me and I don’t even remember anyone here. I was also supposed to give this half virus a name? Apparently I never got to it and now I feel really bad… He’s been going by Rig but I don’t know what to do if he still wants me to think of something… I woke up with him sleeping on the foot of the bed. I don’t know what to think of all this. I still don’t want to go back but I should go and let Icky and the others know I’m okay... I think Rig is gonna walk with me so I won’t get lost. -
