Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Winged Warrior ❯ The Truth about River Musha (Part one) ( Chapter 2 )

The yelling had long faded and the memory was still fresh in his mind. He felt his face and body press against a cold metallic surfaces. His eyes still dazed and closed from the gas previously given to him. River’s head was beginning to pound seemingly against his skull. His mind was still, however, slow and was having a hard time grasping the situation. Finally he opened his eyes half way, bright lights were beating down on his back. There were silhouettes moving around beyond the radiant lights. A cold bony gloved hand crept up under his shirt; River’s first reaction was to swat the hand away. He discovered quickly that his arms had been chained down, so had his legs. He was completely immobilized and now some freak was feeling around his back. He felt the tip of a blade just barely touch his back before lifting up. He could hear the fabric of his shirt being torn open by it. “Hey buddy, I ain’t like that.” River scowled little did he know that no words had truly come out of his mouth. He felt the hand joined by yet another one, equally cold and bony. For some strange reason, River couldn’t manage to move his back or anything else, what had been in that gas?

“Bloody hell!” River could paint the picture by the voice an old man, spectacles on his crooked nose, weary eyes expecting the strong able-body boy in front of him. “Is that it?” He grumbled removing his hand from River’s back. River heard papers flipping and books being slammed. “Ah here it is.” The freak pulled a mirror up and positioned it.

River then saw it. So strangely he had never truly seen it before. A skull tattoo sat on his right shoulder blade. It had a large broadsword in it and large bird like wings on the sides of it. It was very detailed and realistic. River didn’t remember ever getting a tattoo. Wait, he thought to himself. Did this fruit loop just give me a tattoo?

His eyes widen alarmed as a large needle shimmered in the light. The crazed man who had been touch him seemed to be disinfecting it and examining it. “Oh you’re awake.” The freak finally noticed him. “Don’t worry, it’s a new needle.” The man informed. River still desperately tried to move his body. Nothing would move. Stronger hands suddenly had River by the back of the neck hooking up a breathing mask.

This alarmed River even more. What were they doing him?! His attempts to move again proved somewhat successful, his arms began to move a bit. Though, by then it was too late. That needle was piercing straight into the center of that weird tattoo. The pain of the long needle piercing into his shoulder blade then gently into the central artery burst from his head to his toes quickly. Two of the guards from before secured River from the area directly above the puncture to the air right blow making sure he couldn’t move at least that air. River let out a scream that traveled far past the metal doors into the cells waking everyone and everything in the entire building. He couldn’t thrash with the three men practically sitting on top of him. The pain and burning was so immense. He thought surely he would die. This crazy bastard punctured a main artery, how would he not die? The room began to spin as new gases oozed into the breathing mask and into River’s lungs. He closed his eyes and waited now. It was only a matter of time. His limbs were heavy again, he hoped that if he survived, it was the last time they used the gas on him.

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He heard screaming from behind him. He could tell who it was, even if his head wouldn’t turn and his eyes would not open. The two of them back there together yelling at the guards. Sam was tamer then Alex, often whimpering and begging that pain would not befall her. Alex was cursing at them and probably throwing blows. He heard a guard screaming and knew she had made connection. He couldn’t make out words but the sounds were loud enough. River felt himself pushed forward. He staggered drunkenly before hitting something. He fell straight forward, in his own luck it was a mattress.

“River.” He finally heard a straight voice. Then there was a loud slam, he could almost feel both Alex and Sam jump. “River.” He heard again, one of them was touching his face now. He didn’t know, he had never made it a point to touch Sam’s palms and he and Alex usually were in gloves when high fiving even. “Come on man, open your eyes, focus.” It was Alex, he could tell now.

“Oh god… it hurts.” He must have been mumbling. He grabbed at his head immediately. Alex watched him squirm painfully. Sam told her they had gassed him. How long had he been out? She looked at his back for disturbances, why would they want to knock him out? She stopped over the tattoo. Her eyes widened and she gasped shocked. A bump and it was slowly growing, another one lay across from it on the other shoulder blade, growing at the same rate.

“What did they do to you?” Alex asked. She reached at the bumps just barely feeling one, bone and then it twitched! “oh my god.”

“wha?” River tried to look back then he let out a gasp of pain when sitting up, gripping at his shoulder. “What the hell?” he reached his hand back. Unfortunately he felt the bump. “oh god.. oh great… what did that freak job do to me?” River yelled, his voice changed pitches as he jumped up desperately trying to reach behind himself and tear off whatever they were. “Get ‘em off!”

“River stop!” Alex grabbed his hands. “I-I don’t think you should mess with those… they move.. and..” She touched them again. “Yeah, there is bone in there.”

“oh god, what the- ahh” He fell to the floor. He then looked around, he was glad to see that they shoved them all in a larger cell. “Kill me please.” He looked to Alex. “I don’t know what he did to me, maybe I’ll lose my mind… I’m already turning into something.” River kept trying to reach around just to touch them.

“I’ll stand my ground, big guy.” Alex said putting her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. River grunted again and punched the ground. Alex jumped back a foot. He put a dent in the concrete floor, not just a crack, but a genuine dent. He didn’t even hurt his hand doing it. “Holy crap.” Sam reached for her camera anything at the moment. She knew it was useless; the guards removed their electronics while they were still unconscious. River just sort of stared. He wouldn’t say anything; the growth seemed to stop with the moment.

“Do it now.” He urged calmly, looking at Alex worried as he held up his hand, no blood no bruising, the flesh didn’t even turn red.

“What did they do to you River?” Alex replied getting in front of him and feeling his face again. Sam walked around and watched the growth continue. River’s face scrunched up more and more as the flesh in back began to stretch, it was beginning to tear. Sam tilted her head to one side just watching as Alex tried to get some answers from River. “What did they do to you in there?”

“What did they do to you?” he asked tilting his head to one side. He pardoned his well being for the moment, if this freaky mutation would make him loose his humanity. He wanted to know exactly what the guards did to her. Maybe he’d still have the sense to rip them in half.

“We fought. I was still awake when they threw me in the cell, possum is a wonderful game. I got to see you get your unconscious ass hauled away. What did they do to you?” Alex said smacking one of his cheeks. His flesh was getting hot, his eyes were starting to haze, he was likely to pass out the way he looked at the moment. “River, can you still hear me?” He nodded painfully. “What did they do?”

“They stuck a needle in my back… gassed me up… I don’t remember a lot… just that I thought that freaky old guy was gonna rape me, it was creepy.” He said through gritted teeth. “Oh god someone please kill me,” he threw his head back. His body hardened as he curled up, blood was starting to pour out of small slits where the bumps were bursting out of his back. “Ah..” he stood up and stumbled away. Sam hit the wall scared, Alex just watched him a bit more. What was he doing now? He started to breath heavily. He held his hands at the side of his head like he was gripping a ball around it. Alex finally stood up and watched not frightened of him at all. Sam on the other hand couldn’t get away fast enough.

Both fist clenched at once as blood blast back against the cell wall, River howled out in pain throwing both elbows to his side pushing his shoulder blades together. He was still breathing heavy. The pain was fading but something was different. Alex and Sam were both pale and wide eyed, both of their jaws opened. They looked as if they’d seen a ghost or a three head bull with sharks teeth about to eat him. He just looked at them confused.

He didn’t see them… there behind him.

Both had burst out of his back when he screamed, both were fully extended out. He didn’t feel them. They felt normal. He began to drop his arms taking in deep breaths still.

They stayed up.

“River…” both of them said in unison flabbergasted.

“What?” he breathed unevenly. The dark blue feathers didn’t catch his eye. Like an unkempt bird, feathers stood on end, bunched up giving them a wild course look. Finally they relaxed towards his back. It really didn’t matter what they looked like, or whether or not he could see them.

“ohmygod.” Sam began to freak out, she jumped on Alex’s back. “whatdowedo whatdowedo whatdowedo whatdowedo?” She clung frightened.

“What?” River looked behind him… then he saw them… his wings. “Holy mother of god.” He slapped himself. “ow.” He cracked his jaw back. “Someone else touch ‘em, make sure I’m not crazy.” Alex threw Sam off onto the mattress and began to approach him.

“Ow. I feel loved.” Sam grumped rubbing her back after contact. I found it! They didn’t get it! Sam took out her camera. She silently recorded the moment. River stood there calmly, his pain seemed to have subsided now. Alex gently reached forward and touched whatever had just broken out of his back.

“They’re real.” She said brushing her hand against the soft feathers. She unconsciously picked at the roughed areas. “They’re really real”

“Wonder if I can fly…” River thought looking at them.

“Science says no.” Alex said looking at him. “Unless you have hallowed bones.”

“Hello, Man with wings standing in front of you, what does that tell you about science?” River asked, looking at the wings. “Now let’s see.” The two large wings flapped off the excess feathers. Alex caught one. “Neat.” He gently took it from her. He sort of messed with it.

“Aw come on, Rivie boy, you’ll mess it up.” Alex said taking it back. “I’m keeping this for evidence later that I’m not crazy.”

“Whoa, you can’t tell anyone about me if we ever get out of here.” He said looking at her. “They’ll kill me or do more tests on me making even more of a mutant freak.” He peered back “also.” He plunked off another feather. “I have more where that one came from.”

“I don’t think you’re mutant River…” Sam said looking up from her camera screen. “Something in my head says that there is something right about you with those.”

“You know… she’s right….” Alex tilted her head to one side. “It almost seems normal to see you like this… but… I can’t figure out why.”

“Because it is normal, Alexandra.” Came a man’s deep voice from the cell door. River swerved around and looked at him. This man was very different then the guards. He gave off a fiery feeling. He too had wings, they were flame red with sparks of yellow and orange in them. The man’s chestnut brown eyes add to the fire in him. He was a deeper tan then River and also had darker hair. Their faces though were similar, but the man at the cell door had eyebrows that curled at a point giving them a devilish appearance. He scowled unhappily at him. River looked up at the man. He was a giant! He would have had to duck in the previous cells. He was at least a head bigger then River. “Hello River, I suppose you don’t remember me.”

“Well you guess right, who the hell are you?” he asked confused. The giant laughed at him, he claimed to know that he didn’t remember him then laughed at him, what a bastard, River thought to himself. “I said, who the hell are you?” River said stepping towards him. He hardly noticed that both his hands had begun to glow blue.

“Calm down, River.” The man said almost menacingly. “No harm shall be done now… In due time, all shall be revealed to you.” The giant cackled a bit. River and Alex both skidded back and Sam began to climb at the wall when both the man’s large fists erupted into flames. “By the way, they call me Blaze.”

“Blaze…” River repeated. “Why did you drag them into this?” River asked nodding back at Alex and Sam.

“In due time… all shall be revealed to you.” Blaze only released his fist quickly closing them putting out the flames. “In due time.” He repeated again. In a flash the tall slim man was gone, the door was just creaking shut again.

Suddenly seemingly yelling out of the darkness was a crackling noise, then the sound began to clear to be noticeably a loud speaker. A dinging sound rang out in the empty space.

THE HOUR IS NOW 9:55 PM. ALL INMATES MUST BE IN THEIR CELLS IN FIVE MINUTES OR RECEIVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES!

The system sounded old and dust was apparent on one of the speakers which sat across from their cell. Dust sat on top and the sides, it looked untouched for the most part. Shooting dust out with each robotic word it spewed. River sat at one end of the cell, watching the other two. “You guys should get some sleep.” He said casually, stretching his wings out again. “I’ve spent most of the day unconscious so I’m good.” He sat on the ground. He notice the lights start to dim.

“I think you should sleep anyway.” Alex sat on the mattress. “Who knows what those guys will want to do to you tomorrow.” She was staring at his wings instead of him now.

“Pfft, you want to touch ‘em while I’m sleeping.” He said joking noticing her stare. He reached up and touched them. “I don’t even know how to go about sleeping with these things. They are soft though.” His shoulders and wing twitched as he ran his knuckles over the feathers. “Heh, feels kinda nice.”

“I wanna touch them.” Sam said walking towards River. She just touched them once and it seemed like she blanked out. It alarmed both Alex and River. “Ow, my head….” Sam stumbled over to the mattress and laid down. Before River or Alex could question if she was all right, she was out cold.

“Get some rest” River whispered to Alex as the lights began to fully turn off. Alex shook her head and pointing for him to come over there with them. River only nodded and obliged, not wanting to fight anymore. He sat on the mattress, waiting for Alex to get situated. He watched as the place went pitched black. He couldn’t see his hand or anything else for that matter.

“Turn so your stomach is down.” He heard Alex whisper. He did as told and felt a hand grab his, he almost jumped back. It was the same palm that was touching his face, with a sigh, he just relaxed. He began to lie down.

“Wait, where are you people?” he felt around a tad bit. His hand landed on something soft and warm.

“Move your hand now, Musha.” Alex hissed, as if she would kill him if she could see him. River removed his hand quickly slightly confused.

“Sorry. Wait… what did I hit?” River said embarrassed, finally situating his body down on the bed, his chin against the soft mattress.

“Nothing, just go to sleep.” Alex replied. River felt her shift on the mattress beside him. Finally a bit of light seeped in through a small window towards the ceiling. It was too high for a normal prisoner to climb and too small for any of them to fit out, whoever put them in there was really thinking out their captivity. His eyes idly watched nature’s night lights brightening the room, even if it was only slightly.

Alex was still awake and on her side, towards him. He caught it with the corner of his eye but choose to say nothing for the longest time. They both lay there in the silence, awake. “it’ll be okay.” He finally breathed into the still night. “I’ll get you guys out of here.”

“What about you?”

“It’s already too late for me. I’m already a freak of nature.”

“We’re not going to leave you here.”

“It’s just not worth-.”

“We’re not leaving you here.” Alex repeated before he could even finish his protest. He just frowned to one side and looked at her with unsure eyes. “We’re not leaving you here so get it out of your head.”

“You’re really stubborn, you know that?” River raised an eyebrow. He crossed his arms under his chin and extended his wing out twice before settling them. Alex was smiling victoriously when he looked back at her again. He felt like smiling too, he wasn’t quite sure why, but everything was alright for the moment so he might as well be smiling. “Anyone ever tell you that you have pretty eyes?” River asked attempting to start a conversation about something, anything. He didn’t even realize he had said it until he’d said it even, he was just bored.

“No, why?” Alex questioned, even in the night shadow, a slight red had come to her face.

“Cause you got pretty eyes?” River said with an eyebrow raised. Of course now he knew what he was saying but didn’t have any other way of answer that question that wouldn’t seem weird. He should have expected the awkward silence afterwards. Alex turned her back to him.

“Thanks.” She mumbled. He wondered if it was him complementing her eyes or maybe she just wasn’t use to complements. He just kept wondering until he was asleep

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River shot up shocked in cold sweat. He could tell it was early seeing the promises of pinks and oranges of the small window seal beyond a light navy blue sky. He pushed his body off of the mattress and stared at it. As though contemplating flying through the small window. He knew it was useless; his torso would stop him from ever making it outside with that window. He looked at Sam and Alex. They’d have the same problem unfortunately. He was trying to think fast. They only had two more days before Sam’s mom would come back and freak out. Unless she was in on it! River dismissed the thought; Ms. Vexo wasn’t one to jail her own daughter.

He calmly laid there staring up at the sky; he saw birds flying by; their chirping reached his ears. He slowly slipped off the bed and glanced at the other two. They didn’t deserve to end up here. They shouldn’t have to be here if it was him those people wanted. He thought to himself about what exactly they wanted from him. He crossed his legs and rested his chin on his knuckles. He would talk with that Blaze guy. He’d know something.

It was almost like magic that Blaze then entered. He motioned for River to stand and come with him. River obliged and let himself be lead from the cell and out of that corridor. The world behind the door was not much different; it was lighter, larger barred windows sitting on the walls. River could get out of those, but Blaze was keeping him from running.

“So, what is this all about?” River asked as they walked towards large steel double doors. “Why did you bring me here?”

“I wanted to show you something.” Blaze smirked as he opened the doors. It was like a closed type coliseum. “You see I built this place to sustain much weight and handle a great deal of pressure.” He slapped River hard on the back. “This is where you” Blaze grasped onto River’s neck and threw him smack into a wall. River luckily turned his head just in time to hit it and not break his nose. His entire body flipped and flopped back into the wall before he slid down landing on the floor with a thud. “will die at the end of the week.” Blaze was suddenly in front of River, his heavily stomped large foot on River’s sternum. “You can’t run away,”

“What the hell is your problem?!” River screamed, “I thought you were supposed to be my brother!” He couldn’t budge Blaze’s giant foot from his chest. “What did I do to you anyway? I was minding my own damn business when those fucking bastard came in and dragged me away!” River raised his volume and was met with two quick hits across the jaw line.

“Shut up, runt.” Blaze said lifting River up by his neck setting him down and hold him still before kicking him straight in the chest. River fell back again rolling onto his feet.

“Leave me the hell ALONE!” River threw a hook into Blaze’s cheek. The giant flew back! He spun due to the force of the punch and hit the ground on his side sliding a bit. River stared at his fist then at Blaze shocked. How could he do that? He didn’t have the time to think, Blaze was getting up. He didn’t look too happy either. Then everything got fuzzy.

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Alex woke up when Blaze threw in back in an unconscious slightly beaten up River, followed by a button up shirt . She was shocked to see the wings gone. There however, were no stumps and no evidence of blood on his back, even threw the bandages around his midsection. She walked over and turned him over. He was wearing a strange necklace. It reminded her of pilot wings. She examined it, his initials were carved into the front. “Goddammit” he was awake again. “What the fuck happened??”

“Musha, would you watch that mouth on you?” Alex glared

“How about you shut up?” He pulled himself to his feet and looked around growling loudly. “I don’t even remember what happened, but I swear to god if I get knocked out on more forsaking time!” He clenched both fists. “I know how to get you two out now.” He said messing with his necklace now calming down. Alex leapt to her feet.

“I told you we’re not leaving you here.”

“That’s why I’m not giving you a choice” River said picking the shirt up and putting it over his strong shoulders furiously, he didn’t want to listen to her anymore. “Go home, report that River Musha is dead and pretend to mourn if you feel that you would if I really had died. I’ll disappear from the light of humanity. You two just have to keep your mouths about what happened here.” He stopped as the last half of the shirt was almost fully up. “You two will never have to worry about these thing again. At least I hope so.” He finished putting the shirt on and didn’t even touch the buttons. “You understand?”

“Read my lips Musha, I’m not going anywhere without you.” Alex straightened herself planting both feet firmly on the ground and glaring up at him. “And I’d like to see you even try to move me from this spot.”

“You have no idea what I can do.” He said looking at his hands concern almost seemed to spark in his face for a moment. “You have to. Trust me, please. You have to do this.” He looked at her. Alex stood unphased.

“No.”

“Would you stop being stubborn and do this? I’m thinking about your safety!” River’s voice raised as his calm began to slip from him. Her impertinent behavior towards his natural protective intentions was becoming tediously bothering to his short temper.

“What about your safety then, huh River?” Alex took a step towards him. A different time and a different place a physical fight would have broken out between the two. “Or are you completely forgetting about yourself when it comes to safety?”

“I’ve explained this already!” River’s face was beginning to turn red as his brow tightened into an angered growl. “I’m a freak of fucking nature! I have huge fucking blue wings and further more!” he threw a punch into the wall beside him creating a dent. “I can punch and break concrete and look!” He showed his uninjured knuckles. “Do you understand now!” He yelled getting in front of her and glaring down. His shining amber eyes urged her even more with an angry glow, hints of concern and seriousness trickling into the mix. The strong glare was met with the stubborn determined stare of icy blue.

“I understand.” Alex began, obviously by her tone, she hadn’t given up yet. “I just disagree.” She didn’t even flinch at the difference in stature and obviously strength. River took deep breaths; he couldn’t believe she would be stupid enough to defy him after he punched the wall.

“You’re going to go.” River warned, it was going to be battle of the stubborn. “If I have to knock you out, you’ll go.” He said scarily calm as his breaths deeply went in and out.

“I’d like to see you try to touch me.” Alex crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg. An unforgettable mischievous ‘dare you’ look graced her face. River poked her straight on the forehead. It didn’t take but a second for her to slap him across the face.

River’s hand shot up to the red swelling cheek. “What the fuck!” He growled rubbing his cheek and glaring at Alex. “Goddammit Alex, all I was trying to do was help you!”

“I told you that I wasn’t leaving without you and I don’t want your help!”

“Oh right and what do you plan to do here Alex? Rot?” River asked hands in the air. “That’s all you’ll be able to do here!”

“Why are you staying here?” She yelled.

“Blaze wants to fight and kill me!” River yelled.

“Oh yeah, I really want to go now!”

“You fucking asked!”
“You could have told me it was none of my business!”

“Oh and I’m sure you would have backed off!”

“You’re so frustrating!”

“I’m frustrating? I’M frustrating!” he clenched both fists at his sides. Finally he loosened one finger and pointed it directly at her. “You know what- you” He was stopped by Alex grabbing the sides of his face and kissing him.