Chapter Text
Rust watches from his position on the floor of the ring as the other Lil Bro takes a step toward his brother. No! He can't let the other harm him! He's the only reason he has to live for. Summoning what little strength he has left, he creates a sharp bone that shoots out from the ground and hits the other straight in the right eyesocket. A killing move that his owner taught him to do.
He goes slightly wide eyed as he watches the other fall to the floor, several cracks forming on his skull. He... he didn't mean to do that much damage to the other bitty... he had just been scared for his brother and reacted! Still though, he has to win this fight for his brother.
Rust walks over to the Lil Bro on the ground. He's surprised to see he's still somewhat conscious. He gives him a hateful glare. He can't afford to show the other mercy with his owner watching him.
He's going to finish this, but first he wants to make one thing clear to the other bitty. He wants to make him understand why he reacted the way he did. Only to make himself feel better though, as if doing this can justify his actions "Don't you ever try to go near my bro. I'm not afraid to kill those who do. He's not just some bitty I'll let you walk up to and hurt like me. He's better than all the others here."
Is that a small smirk he can see on the other's face? What could possibly be funny about what he just said? Maybe the other bitty is so close to death that he's finally lost it. He brings the bone down on the other's skull to end it, hard enough to knock him out to take the victory.
The crowd cheer all around him as he stares down at the other's battered frame. At the damage he just caused. He's not going to recover from this is he? Oh stars what has he done!? He's been fighting for over a month now, but so far he's only been placed in tournaments that didn't require killing. Is this a sign of what's to come for him in the future? Will all his victims end up looking like this by the time he's done with them. Or will he end up with this bitties fate as well some day.
The collar is being reactivated and he feels his magic being cut off once again. His owner reaches in and grabs him. He barely even registers it. He's thrown back into his cage where his brother Slate waits for him.
He's practically tackled by the other as he begins clinging to him and crying quietly as their owner jostles the cage round a bit as he goes to collect the money he just won from the fight. Slate inspects him to see how hurt he is. "Are you ok brother!? I was so worried when you went down as hard as you did! Is your skull badly damaged? Do you need me to do anything to help?" He keeps his voice at a quiet whisper, scared the human will hear him.
He cuddles Slate close, glad to have him looking out for him as always. "I'm fine bro. I promise... but I...I don't think my opponent is though... I think I might have... I..."
Tears fill his eyes, but he tries to blink them away as he continues, trying to stay strong in front of his brother. "Slate, I can't lie to you, I think that other bitty is as good as dead. I just.... I just killed another... I'm so sorry Slate. It's just... I saw him looking at you and I got so scared that I used that move. If you're disgusted at me I'd understand. I'm... basically a cold-blooded killer now after all."
Slate looks up at him, sadness evident in his gaze. "Rust it's ok. I'm not disgusted at you and nothing you could do will ever make me. I know you didn't mean to. I was scared when I saw him looking towards me and you reacted to that fear. I couldn't tell what he was thinking at first. But then, just before you attacked him, I felt so much loss and sadness coming from his soul. He seemed to be calling out to me in a sense. It was so strange..."
He watches the other humans around the place as they begin packing up all their stuff, not meeting Rust's eyes as he whispers. "Do you think he could have had a brother too, a Baby Blue like me?"
Rust hugs his brother tighter. "It's not very common, but he might have. It would explain why he reacted the way he did." Now he's feeling even more guilty for this other Lil Bro. Is his brother dead? Did seeing his own brother remind him of his loss? They’re pretty much the same bitty.
Their owner makes his way over to another human, who seems to be yelling at something in his hands. He’s holding the other unconscious Lil Bro in his hands and is trying to force him to wake up, poking and prodding him to see if he’ll stir.
Rust ignores the humans talking as he looks down in horror at the other bitty. His first victim. Stars he can't take his eyes off the other, at the damage he’s caused to him! The bitty is just lying on the human's hand barely even breathing, his skull badly cracked from the blow. Rust can guess that he's probably going to dust soon.
All of a sudden, he feels the cage being shaken and he curls himself around Slate, trying to protect him against the impact of being thrown around. What was the human so pissed about this time? He won the damn match, didn't he? What more did he want from them? He hears Slate whimpering in fear and tries to calm him by hugging him tighter.
Their human looks at him angrily and he tries to remain composed as the asshole speaks. "That was supposed to be a finishing move to use in the other tournaments, but someone let his anger get the better of him today. I'll teach him a lesson about that later."
Wait, what!? Why!? He thought that his owner would be happy that he used that move in the ring, since he was always encouraging it when he was being trained! He never wanted to learn a move that would be fatal to other bitties, but the human insisted. But now they're going to get punished because he used it!? Why did humans always find some way of punishing them?
He shields Slate from his owners gaze as he stares up at him in anger and fear. That wasn't part of the deal! Why did he decide that this was worth being punished for!?
Oh, it seems his owner is apparently friends with this other human and that’s why he’s pissed, because he's after greatly injuring and possibly killing that human's bitty.
Well shit.
How was he supposed to know that his owner didn't want him hurting some bitties more than others? He's pretty sure if this was any other bitty owned by any other human, he would be getting praised for finally using the move outside of training.
His owner hands a bag and string to the other human telling him to simply dump the other bitty in the trash since he's useless now anyways. That statement makes Rust pale, feeling sick knowing that this was his fault entirely. He looks away in sadness and overwhelming guilt as the other human stuffs the bitty in the bag and chucks it in the garbage.
Is that going to be him one day soon? Simply tossed out when he becomes worthless and broken?
Will Slate have to witness that happening?
His brother is crying into his ripped-up, completely torn hoodie now, obviously saddened that he can do nothing to help save the Lil Bro. A bitty that looks so much like Rust. Is Slate thinking that could be him one day too? He rubs his back in a comforting manner, a gentle reminder that he's still here.
Both humans begin walking out of the alley back to their homes. The other human carries an empty cage, another grim reminder of what he did to the other’s bitty. He's never going to be able to forget this, is he?
He's now just a dirty bitty killer.
His owner starts speaking to the other human again as they come out of the alley. "So what is this payment you were talking about earlier? I'm willing to give you whatever you need within reason to make up for the loss of Killer. He was a real good fighter, I know it’s going to take a long time to train a bitty to be close to his skill level. I'm going to give you enough money for another one as I said, but if you want something else, I can see what I can give."
The other Lil Bro was named Killer!? Rust has a feeling that the bitty didn't name himself that though. If he was truly anything like him, then the other would have hated the name. He's glad at least his owner didn't try to name them. The human didn't really care to change the names they already had before the adoption. They were given to them by other humans in the adoption center to distinguish them from other bitties of the same type. Apparently, his name is a particular shade of orange while Slate’s is a shade of blue. They kept referring to one another by those colours until the names stuck. Slate likes the names, so they kept them even when things with the human started going... downhill. At least they could choose that much, considering the rest of their lives are completely controlled by their owner.
Their owner’s friend scratches his chin in thought, before looking down at the two bitties. His eyes fixate on Slate as he tries to cower behind his brother, away from his gaze. Rust stands guard in front of him in protection, his eyes meeting the others in challenge. If the human had a punishment in mind for Slate, then he’d make sure he got it instead. He killed the other’s bitty after all, his brother had nothing to do with that.
The malicious smile that forms on the human’s face after another few seconds of staring sends shivers down Rust’s spine and he finds himself unwillingly shrinking under his gaze. If he had magic, then he’d be feeling much braver right now, but both he and the human know just how powerless he is in this situation. He’s scared stiff for what the other has come up with to look so pleased with himself after looking at them.
After another agonizing few seconds the human finally looks away from them and back to their owner. Rust listens carefully to his next few words. "Your Lil Bro took an important bitty away from me and I think it's only fair that I return the favour."
He smiles wickedly as he points a finger toward their cage. Rust feels his marrow run cold at the human’s next words.
"I want the Baby Blue bitty."