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Wind was… Very angry with Suns, at the current moment.
Their usually calm demeanor was getting difficult to uphold as they thought of everything that had happened between Suns and Pebbles, everything that they were previously not aware of.
They knew, of course, that Suns was not telling them the full truth during therapy sessions, it was not that hard to see. What they didn’t expect, however, was the blatant disregard Suns had for any sort of boundaries, and all the lies that they spewed while being 100% convinced they were right.
It made them want to crush all pearls within their chamber in their hands.
They could… Forgive them for past mistakes, however, as Suns clearly regretted at least some parts of their behavior, and they were willing to attempt to correct that behavior.
What Wind could not excuse, however, was what they did despite knowing they were in the wrong.
Going to Pebbles structure, despite being told not to.
Breaking boundaries left and right.
Having to be screamed at by both NSH and Pebbles to finally get it through their skull that they should leave.
What was even worse, however, was the fact they did not plan to stop.
In the latest therapy session… Suns admitted that they were going to attempt this again, but this time be more “convincing”, whatever that meant. No amount of telling them to cut their shit was working, they were too stuck in their own ideas to listen.
…Was going over to their can personally to stop them a bad idea? Maybe.
But Wind already built the maintenance module for themselves a while ago, they started the moment Pebbles shared the files, in fact. They already had a vulture for quick transport, and their cans were so close together that it would take at most one cycle to go over there.
So they did.
Wind removed their pearl necklaces first, leaving them in the can, and used some black fabric to tie the robe a bit higher, so it wouldn’t drag behind, but they didn’t really prepare much other than that.
Maybe also took the metal claws that they created for fighting creatures that could try to stop them, but that was that.
They simply… Went.
Clearly, their timing was perfect, as just as their vulture landed on top of Suns’ can, they could see that they themselves were preparing to leave.
Wind quickly left the vulture to their own devices, and walked over quietly to where Suns was as they dug through a bag that was leaning against a brick wall.
“Where do you think you are going, Suns?” Wind questioned, now standing behind them, and they found at least a little bit of joy in the way Suns jumped in surprise, immediately turning around as they got up from where they were crouching.
Now, they were standing on even ground, similar in height.
Suns clearly didn’t have the same smart idea to leave their red pearl necklaces behind as they traveled, and the pearls clinked together at the sudden movement.
“Wind- Oh my void, you scared me for a moment.” Suns deflated a bit, clearly more relaxed now. They truly shouldn’t be, if they knew what was best for them. “I didn’t expect you to visit. I was just planning to leave, in fact. Maybe you could visit some other time?”
Suns tilted their head, and Wind only stared, squinting at them with suspicion.
“...I thought I warned you not to go anywhere near Pebbles if he does not wish to see you.” Wind stated dryly, then tilted their head a bit in the direction of the bag on the ground. They were right outside Suns’ city walls, so there wasn’t much other than empty space in that area, which meant that Suns clearly was already on the way to leave.
Wind’s words made Suns straighten, puppet tense once again.
“And do not try to convince me this is not what you are doing. I got incredibly good at reading you after all this time.” Wind’s voice was strong, commanding, but Suns refused to back down.
“I have to! I have to… Fix my mistakes. I made a few missteps, I admit, during our last conversation, but this is why I have to go. To make sure that my voice is heard!” Suns seemed… Very persistent.
“I thought I told you that he does not wish to see you. ” Wind insisted, voice sharp and cold.
“I am aware of that fact. I do think, however, that it would be for the best if I could get him to hear me out. I have so much to say…”
Dear Void below, Suns was digging themselves into a deeper hole than they already were in.
“He isn’t going to listen to you, Suns. He made that fact clear plenty of times, and what you are doing right now is blatantly disrespecting him and his autonomy as a free iterator.” Wind was doing their best to keep calm right now, but they had this conversation at least twenty times already, and Suns was still not getting it.
In fact, they still seemed offended at the mere idea of what Wind was accusing them of.
“I’m not disrespecting him. I respect him plenty, in fact!” Suns argued, antennae going down as they stared at Wind, eyes almost desperate. “I simply believe that some decisions he makes are not correct.”
“Does that mean that you believe his boundaries are not correct either? Do you believe that as long as you do not personally agree with his choices, that they are free to be disrespected?” Wind took a small, slow step forwards, head tilted, eyes still half lidded. Internally, they were getting more pissed off as time went on.
Suns seemed conflicted for a moment, vision flickering between Wind and the deserted area around them.
“I wouldn’t use the word disrespect. Questioned, is what I would use.” Suns started, but they sounded unsure. “I simply believe that I know better what is best for him. Even if he refuses to see it, I am simply trying to help.”
Wind stepped around a big rock that was between them and Suns, making painfully slow movements.
“That doesn’t change the fact he is not willing to even look at you. How are you going to help if he ends up throwing you out again?” Wind questioned, but it was also a way to get more information. To see if Suns had any sort of plan to make Pebbles listen, if he were to attempt to kick them out again.
“Ah well… I have some measures to prevent that this time. Trust me, I know what I am doing. I will fix my mistakes, and then everything will be alright-”
“Seven Red Suns.” Wind stopped them, now standing barely a few feet away. Their eyes finally snapped open, toxic purple digging straight through Suns, who still attempted to hold their ground.
They truly did hold a firm belief they were correct, didn’t they?
“I believe that you should stop right this instant, before things get out of control.” Wind said, voice low. Threatening, almost. Too bad Suns didn’t seem to see it.
“I have everything perfectly under control. Believe me, please.” Suns sounded almost desperate, but it was clear underneath that that they were not going to budge. “I know what I am doing. I have a plan, this time.”
At this point, Suns was slowly driving Wind insane.
Maybe it wouldn’t have been this bad if it was their first conversation of such nature, but no. Suns was consistently ignoring anything that Wind tried to tell them when it came to Pebbles for a long while now.
Wind lost count of how many times they heard similar phrases, and it made their hands turn into fists under the cloak that shielded them. Unbelievably irritating.
Their constant nagging insistence to break boundaries of Pebbles in particular - Pebbles who Wind knew was not doing well and definitely did not need to deal with any of this - made them want to lash out.
So they did.
In a flash, they surged forwards, purple eyes focusing on one point in particular. Metal claws screeched against the brick wall and Suns froze. Wind’s hand just barely missed their neck as it slammed into the wall right next to them.
“I said to stop this nonsense at once.” Wind growled, wide and toxic-purple eyes staring right into black voids that were Suns’ eyes.
Suns seemed surprised for a second, but then put up a wall of defiance, and Wind could see the moment they subtly shifted into a defensive position.
“I am afraid that I cannot. I am doing this to help.”
“He can get help from people who are not you.”
“But I caused this! I have to-” Suns started, only to wince at the loud scraping of sharp metal against brick as Wind’s fingers slowly closed.
“What you have to do is turn around, go back into your chamber, and understand that there is nothing that you can do now. Understood?” Wind tilted their head again, still staring right through them.
Of course they refused to listen.
“...You cannot prevent me from fixing my mistakes.”
“I can. And I will.” Another almost-growl, voice low.
“If you want to threaten me, it is not going to work. I am not afraid of you.” Suns started, but they were unsure. There was an air of confidence with how they held themselves, though. They were clearly confident in their own personal skills, but had no idea of Wind’s possible skillset, which made them hesitant.
The screeching of metal against brick got louder.
“Since you refuse to listen, you are right. Threatening you won’t work. But I can force you.”
That last word was barely a whisper, and Suns’ eyes widened as Wind lunged forwards with their remaining hand, in an attempt to grab them by the neck.
Suns managed to dodge it in the last moment, rushing to the side, but Wind was just as quick as they pushed themselves away from the wall, eyes glowing in toxic purple.
Wind lunged again, only to be this time met with a clank of metal, stopped in place by a pair of weapons that Suns picked as their defense. Two sickles, made out of blood-red metal, crossed in an X as they blocked Wind’s attack.
“...Is it truly what you want? To fight me?” Suns asked, and attempted to shove Wind’s hands off of their weapons. The claws scraped against metal, and Wind held on, the puppet strong enough to withstand the sharpness of the blade as they pressed their fingers deeper into the blades.
Wind pressed forwards, forcing Suns to take a reluctant, shaky step back. Suns’ arms started to shake slightly from the pressure of continuously pushing back.
“I am doing what it takes to protect my friends.”
Suns was forced to take another step back.
“I am not planning anything to hurt Pebbles! I only want to help!” Suns insisted.
Wind only growled, and pressed further, grabbing one sickle with both hands. Immediately, they bent it in half, and Suns froze momentarily, shock clearly written all over their face.
It was enough for Wind to swipe again, and this time, the dodge came just a bit too late. Metal flashed in the sunlight as a string was cut, multiple necklaces of red pearls scattering to the ground.
There was a small scrape in the metal of Suns’ puppet, right on the cheek.
There was significantly more uncertainty and fear in the air, now. Suns was finally starting to take Wind seriously.
Suns rushed to the side, in an attempt to distance themselves from Wind and their claws, but they quickly pursued.
The broken sickle dropped to the ground, but when Wind grabbed their cloak, metal claws ripping right through the delicate red fabric, they turned around, throwing the other one right at Wind’s face.
It brushed right past them - just barely avoided, as Wind could feel it brush past the base of their antenna - and the purple eyes focused further, now just two small purple points against a dark void with just one target - Suns.
Suns attempted to take a few steps back again, but their legs caught on a rock, which left them tumbling down and into the dirt, right onto their back. A cloud of dust rose as they stared up at Wind, and there was finally fear in those eyes.
Good.
“I do not want to fight you.” Suns said, still defensive.
“I do not care.” Wind replied, standing over them, blocking out the
actual
sun and casting them in a shadow.
Suns immediately rolled over, scrambling to get up, and Wind moved their leg up before slamming it down over their back, right where the metal was the most thin and delicate.
Suns’ whole body seized, a burst of pained static rushing through their speakers as the metal bent with a sickening crunch. It looked uncomfortable at best, incredibly painful at worst. Wind crouched over, one leg still pressing them into the ground, while they placed their clawed hands over Suns’ antennae.
The grip was strong as they dragged Suns head upwards by the antennae, leaning over, ignoring how Suns was clawing at the ground, trying to crawl away from their anger.
“I will always protect those I believe are being wronged. It does not matter how close we were before, I am not one to sit there idly and let you do anything you want without consequences.”
The other clawed hand moved to rest against Suns’ neck, sharp metal fingers resting against the metal there, and Suns immediately froze. The sharp edges of the claws wedged themselves between the metal places of the neck, pressing against the blue membrane underneath, just enough to cause a little bit of cyan to spill.
A clear warning not to move.
“I- I didn’t expect there would be no consequences.” Suns gasped out, and the fear was finally hitting them with full force. It was clear, in the flickering eyes, the involuntary twitches, the way their hands gripped the dirt as if it was going to save them. “I dealt with… A lot of consequences, in fact. That is why I am trying to fix it.” Suns flinched as the claws dug deeper. Slightly more cyan spilled between the cracks.
“You are being ignorant, is what you are doing.” Wind sneered, and leaned closer, just enough to speak right into that stubborn bastard’s head. “What you are going to do is turn around… Go back to your chamber… Reattach to your umbilical… And think very deeply over your actions. Got it?”
Wind slid one claw from one end of the neck to the other in a line, right between the metal plates, feeling the cyan spill. It wasn’t as dangerous to damage the neck membrane as it was to normal creatures, but it definitely sent a message.
They could hear the fans whirring and feel the rushing of the coolant underneath their fingers, clear signs of poorly hidden distress.
“...Got it.” Suns finally forced out, and Wind stared at them for just a moment longer before releasing them, both hands moving away at once.
Suns immediately deflated, face hitting the dirt with a dull clunk as they let themselves drop. A little bit of tension left them at the fact they were no longer being held in such an uncomfortable position, but they were still clearly shaken up.
“Good.”