Whumpril Day 23 - Tumblr Posts

Whumpril Day 23: Smoke

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Earning: Major character death

Summary: Hunter hears a noise that the other batch members can't and he makes a risky move because of it.

  Nothing good ever happens with old, decrepit, abandoned buildings. Today was no exception. The Bad Batch had been given a mission for Cid and they intended to get it right. The street was lined with strange sights; old buildings and some metal fence around some one of the taller buildings.

    As the five walked down the street they looked around unsure. The smell of smoke lingered. The structure at the end of the street, the one with the fence around it was certainly on fire. The flames rose but the batch never gave any mind to it; they didn't need that building, so why should they care?

    The smoke overwhelmed Hunter's mind. It was all he could smell. He never liked the smell of smoke; not on the battle field and not when Corsshair smoked.

     Then Hunter stopped walking. "Finish the mission." Without further explanation, he took off towards the building.

    "Hunter!" Omega yelled after him.

    "Where is he going?" Echo quickly looked to the others. Hunter jumped the iron fence.

    "Is he?" Wrecker began.

    "Going into a burning building? Yes, yes he is." Tech finished.

    "But why?" Omega asked panicked.

    "He likely heard something we cannot. We should finish the mission as we were instructed to." Tech continued to walk.

    "Alright." Echo drew the word out unsure if they really should. But Hunter knows what he's doing right?

     Hunter broke down the door. He needed to locate the sound he heard. The smoke stung his eyes and the heat felt dangerous. He knew it wasn't as bad as it felt sense his senses were enhanced.

    It was hard to see. His eyes watered. Smoke entered the man's lungs making it hard to breathe. That feeling was suffocating. The firey walls felt like they were closing in. Hunter had to be quick.

    The clone rushed though the building to the second then third floor. He tripped up one the stairs and fell. His arm broke the fraggel stair. He pulled it out of the wood and didn't bother to look at the damage. He probably wouldn't be able to see it either way.

     Finally he reached his goal; a crying child. He crossed the room and kneeled down to the child. "Hey kid." The child looked up at the clone and slightly backed away. "I'm not going to hurt you." He coughed then continued talking, "come on."

    The boy grabbed Hunter's leg. The man picked up the child and started taking him out of the room. He navigated the smokey maze of the building. When he found a way out he was greeted by his family.

    Suddenly Hunter running into a burning building made sense. He always did have a soft spot for children. Wrecker walked closer to him and took the child quickly.

    Hunter looked at his family. "We need to find a hospital or something for the kid."

    "I already found one. This way." Tech lead them to a hospital. The group dropped the child off and explained what had happened. As much as Hunter wanted to stay and make sure the boy was alright, they were fugitives. He couldn't stay.

    Just as they walked outside of the hospital, Hunter collapsed. Tech realized he had forgotten to make sure Hunter was okay. He may not have been touched by the flames but he was by the smoke. Sometimes things like that just go right over your head.

    "We don't have what we would need to take care of him. Get him back inside. We will deal with the doctors if necessary." Tech walked over to his brother.

    "What's wrong with him?" Omega asked.

    "Likely smoke inhalation."

    "Tech how are we going to pay for this?" Echo asked begrudgingly.

    "Cid owes me a favor." Tech answered.

     Wrecker gently picked up Hunter and carried him inside. Tech stayed outside and called Cid and Echo and Omega followed Wrecker.

    The doctors did what they could but the damage to Hunter's lungs was to much. He died later that night. The staff didn't dare turn them in. His family intimidated them. They held Hunter in high regards, regardless of his status as a 'tratior'.

    Children cry, buildings fall and good people die. It's never quite fair. Even if Hunter was able to avoid the obvious danger, the smoke that hung in the air was an enemy of its own. One that even if he had thought about he would have faced regardless.