Reaper of the Revolution

The journey back down the mountain from the castle hadn't been as bad as Cyrus was expecting. They had taken the main road while the Drumlins had taken their own path back down the mountains save for Raul who met up with Cyrus and Avery on the main road. After introductions between Raul and Avery,I'm sorry for your losses. Cyrus said sympathetically as the shorter man approached, but Raul simply shook his head, They knew what they were getting into and were completely willing. Besides, we have won here today, their losses shall not be in vain.
Did you have any idea they possessed that KAT contraption?
None, our intel didn't so much hint at it, we only knew of a scientist working under the king. We had no idea- Raul began but paused, I would be lying to you and myself if I didn't tell you I was scared when that beast showed itself. I can't thank you enough for stopping it. Had the king ever found our headquarters and unleashed that...thing...upon us... Raul didn't have to finish his thought for Cyrus to understand.
No need to thank me. He said simply and the three continued down the path in silence.

Back in town Raul took Avery and Cyrus to safe house they kept near the docks. The cellar of a baker's cellar, so a second hidden cellar if you will. It smelled surprisingly good, considering the contents of the shop they hid within. It was nice to finally sit down and take a breather after everything that had transpired earlier today. Cyrus was bruised and scratched from his encounters but otherwise no worse for the wear. Avery herself was mostly just dirty with a few scrapes from shrapnel and falling rocks throughout the castle escape. You know, I have no desire to ever go back but at least the King gave me a shower in that cell. Cyrus simply chuckled but said no more as he watched her comb her hair through her fingers. He was surprised how drawn to Avery he felt. Nothing like this had presented itself to him since his wife's death. Sure there had been the occasional lust and romp in a shady inn, but this was something else. This transcended physical desire and Cyrus was unsure how to feel about it.

Down in the cellar they were alone, just the two of them. When they had entered and gone downstairs several Drumlins were out on cots, their wounds being tended to. With the first cellar so crowded, and Avery and Cyrus's faces so well known throughout the kingdom by now, they were pushed into the sub-cellar and Cyrus was fine with that. He felt a bit guilty about involving the Drumlins, though it had been his mission and without them he surely would be dead, he didn't need a constant reminder while he watched their wounds be dressed so the alone time (save for Avery) was welcomed. So you actually built that thing? By yourself?
Look, it's not like I wanted to. It was that or be killed...or raped by his guards honestly. Whichever fear he thought would motivate me the most. I'm not a bad person.
No, no, that's not what I'm saying. I'm more impressed than anything, certainly not angry.
Hmm, good, that'd be a real buzzkill if you were angry with me. Kinda breaks the armor of this whole, "my hero" thing you're going for.
Cyrus snorted in amusement, I'm no hero, just following orders. How'd you get into cybernetics?
I don't really remember. When I was young I liked to build things and from there I just got cooler, heavier, and more dangerous "things" to build with. About three years ago the World Government got wind of my accomplishments and employed me in Marineford. It was great at first. Great pay, benefits, all the supplies I needed whenever I needed them. Until I started to realize that they had no intention of letting me go. Some of the things they had us building were...disturbing to say the least. There were rumors that they had been turning living people into cyborgs agains their will. I saw a few of the supposed creations. They were fascinatingly complex but eerily deadly and lifeless all the same. Hold on, let me find a few pictures. Avery said as she rummaged around in her backpack and pulled out a large binder. Handing it over to Cyrus in the candlelight she said, Flip to page six I believe, should be a few pictures there.

Cyrus nodded but didn't immediately go to page six, instead he flipped through the pages. Notes, diagrams, pictures both hand drawn and taken, the binder was extensive and filled with knowledge on the building of cyborgs and how they functioned. This is...extensive. Cyrus said, thinking out loud. He made it to page six and thumbed through some of the pictures, noticing what Avery was talking about. One picture would show a person, seemingly normal looking and entirely life-like. The next picture beside it would show that same person but with weapons coming out of their very body, turned into some sort of death machine like the KAT. It unnerved Cyrus, but what he saw next sent him over the edge. On the ninth page was a picture of a woman holding a child. The face of the woman was naggingly familiar, even the child seemed as though he had seen it somewhere, though truth be told the child was young enough that it could have shared characteristics with any number of other children.

Cyrus rummaged around in the inside pocket of his jacket before pulling out an old, folded and faded picture. The picture was faded, but the faces of himself, his wife and young child were perfectly distinguishable. He looked back down at the picture in Avery's binder and dropped the binder. Hey what the h- are you okay?
My-my...
Your what?
My wife! My child! Where did you get this picture? Cyrus asked, half yelling.
Oh my god, Avery said, sucking in wind in pure surprise, Uh, um...Marineford. They were in Marineford but I remember hearing some of the higher ups talking about shipping them off...
Off where? How long ago was this? Cyrus demanded, his emotions getting the better of him.
Alabasta! Avery said, coming up with the name, They were shipping them off to Alabasta about a year ago. I'd be surprised if they were still there now, but it's somewhere to start.

Cyrus nodded, calming down, his mind racing at the speed of light. Alabasta...thank you. He whispered but Avery simply nodded and regained her things. Cyrus closed his eyes, trying to block the image next to his wife and child's, they too had been turned into monstrosities and he simply couldn't let that image be remembered. For the next few hours Avery and Cyrus sat in silence.

Sometime later Raul came around to fetch them as the Revolutionaries had made contact and Avery's ship was in the bay. You never told me why you contacted the Revolutionaries. Cyrus said as he walked her to the docks.
I figured if I was building weapons for the World Government, it'd only be fair to build them for the other side too. Shake things up a bit, it's my way for atoning for creating such awful things in the first place.
By creating more weapons of mass destruction?
Hey, I didn't say I was perfect.
No, but close. Cyrus said before he could realize that he meant to keep it a thought. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two of them as they approached the ship. Finally, Avery broke it by standing up on tip toes and pecking Cyrus on the cheek.
Thanks for the save back there Mr. Hero, and let me know what happens in Alabasta, okay? I'm on your side now so there's no excuse for not chatting me up once in awhile.
Cyrus just smiled, he had nothing more to say to that and he watched Avery board the Revolutionary ship.
Alabasta. He said to himself, walking back towards Drum Island.

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