No Turning Back (A Socksfor1 AU)

Count the Deceased

(DUSK POV)

"Nadwe?"

I stood behind Nadwe, who was turned away from me. His arms were crossed, and he refused to utter a word to me.

"Nadwe, I'm sorry-"

"You're sorry?" Nadwe said, "A bit too late for that. You've been lying to me. You've killed people. You're a demon for crying out loud!"

"If I told you-" I started to say, but Nadwe held his hand up.

"What? If you told me your cover would be blown? You wouldn't be able to walk among us as human and kill us off one by one?" Nadwe sighed, "Muffin- or, should I say, Dusk- you and I can never be friends. I'm sorry if that disappoints you, but I don't care. Leave me alone."

And at that he trudged off, leaving me and my broken heart behind.

No. Not Nadwe. He's been my best friend ever since I came. Sure, he had thought I was his friend, Muffin, but it really felt like we were friends.

How could that end this way?

I leaned against the siding of Meme's house and looked up depressingly. What a crappy day. At least Socks didn't kick me out as soon as he found out who I was.

"Dusk? You okay?"

I turned to see Meme walking towards me. I turned away.

Leave me alone, I told him telepathically.

Meme sat down beside me. "Dusk, we're on the same side here. Tell me what's wrong."

I wrapped my wings around me, blocking my face from Meme's view. After about fifteen minutes of Meme trying to get me to talk, he just gave up and left. I sighed in relief.

I stood up and flew to the roof, sitting down up there. Not even the warm sunshine brightened my mood. And usually it does.

I laid down and looked up at the blue sky. No clouds penetrated the blue void above me. Sometimes I wished Xero were a bit closer so that I could actually see it. When Vizor and I left, I was only about five. I don't remember my home planet all that much, and wish I did. Vizor refused to talk about it, too, making it even more frustrating.

Wait a minute. I could ask Socks now.

I sat up and glided down to the ground. When I didn't see Socks anywhere, I flew back up to look around. That's when I saw him. He was standing with Dino on the dirt path connecting Meme's house with the rest of the small collection of houses in the clearing. I glided down and landed nearby, startling Dino.

"Dusk? You scared me!" Dino said. Socks patted his shoulder.

"You get used to it when it happens all the time," Socks said, chuckling, "What do you need, Dusk?"

"I..." I sighed, "I want you to tell me about Xero."

"Are you not... From Xero?" He questioned, "I mean, there are other planets, of course, like Sahyron, Firos, Etherioum, Deoxyribon..."

"No, I'm from Xero," I said, "But... When I left, I was too young to remember."

"Oh," Socks said, a flicker of remorse in his eyes, "I know how that feels."

"You do?" I questioned.

"That's a long story," Socks said.

"Ah, got it," I said.

"Anyway," Socks continued, "I'll tell you about Xero."

"Mind if I listen?" Dino asked, "I'm curious to know what life is like on another planet."