We all are animals anyway

ROBERT POV

Rob slowly opened his eyes, woken up by Zelda moving around under his arm. Looking down he saw her blond hair styled in a French braid.

Was Zid able to teach her how to braid hair like that? if I remember correctly, she didn't know, and wanted to learn how.

Upon closer examination his eyes open wide in fear, he noticed the fucking monkey tail. Robert yelps sitting up, the explosive reaction woke Zid, who yawns and lazily turns around only to realize his sister is nowhere to be found. Zid notices Li's exalted demeanor. Then the pieces start falling into place on the Pirate's head, Zid quickly performs a floor kip and walks away from the Engineer. Being hugged during his sleep by another male brought him a lot of shame, an emotion he was not used to feeling. This caused his head to start spiraling in panic. Then Rob snapped his fingers.

Smiling sheepishly, Robert extends his hand for a shake "What happens in Australia" he says.

Zid sighs chuckling "Fucking stays in Australia" Zid exclaims as he shakes Li's hand.

Clapping is heard by both of the brothers as they turn their head to the source. Link is slowly clapping at them; he slowly glares at each one smirking and stops clapping. He then starts placing his left arm on his raised knee, and his right hand on Zelda's head as she lays on the floor hugging his other leg.

"Glad you solved everything like adults"

He fucking saw and heard EVERYTHING... how come I didn't notice him when he woke up? Oh... right, he said he was not going to sleep, I thought he was joking. Who the fuck stays up all night willingly? According to what I know of SWORD so far, this can't possibly be part of their training. That means Link had been doing shit like this on his own since before being hired by the agency. WHY? what happened to him? what kind of situation forces a child to remain vigil all night?

Wait, why is Zelda sleeping on Link? She was supposed to be sleeping with us… but she left, causing this humiliating situation to begin with. She doesn't deserve to continue to sleep peacefully after this… the fucking Princess will have to answer to ME.

Li squints his eyes and slowly crawls towards his sister. Once he got close to her feet, he started tickling them. Zelda gave a hard kick witch Rob masterfully avoided; she sat up scared checking if she had an animal crawling up her feet. She then stared at Rob furiously.

"Why would you disturb my peace of mind like that?" Zelda asks clearly angry.

"I don't know... maybe because YOU disturbed mine" Li answers bluntly.

Zelda stares at him in shock "WHAT? How could I? I was sleeping"

The Engineer produces a clicking sound "Well yeah, but you were supposed to be sleeping between Zid and me, not hugging Link's leg?" Li yells demandingly.

"Ow... that, I am sorry, I had to piss. When I came back, there was no space for me between you both anymore." Zelda says with a sheepish smile.

All right, that sounds plausible.

Link gives the princess a side glance full of disdain, it was a very brief moment, but Robert noticed.

What the fuck was that? did he just... she IS LYING. That must be the reason

[expect a medic from SWORD to visit you any moment now, I swear I am not lying about ANY of this... I hate lies and liars]

That is what he told me when he left my house back in Huston. And I believe him.

Li squinted his eyes at the Princess, but could not really formulate his next sentence. Fortunately, Zid intervened.

"Honesty is the best policy you know?" Zid tells Zelda lifting an eyebrow at her.

Haha Zid knows she is lying too, good.

"Why would-" she stops mid-sentence and looks down between her feet. The Princess closes her eyes tight and takes a very deep breath. "ALL RIGHT, let's put all the cards on the table... I woke up from a nightmare, it was very cold and Link was alone by the tree. When I sat up to look at him, I got scared, he didn't seem to be breathing... I mean his eyes where closed, what if he passed out?... As I said, it was a cold night, I left the both of you to go check on Ziel out of concern all right?" Zelda says looking away from all of them.

"THERE, those are all my cards, YOUR TURN, how much did you enjoy the hugging session?" Zelda asks trying the sink the dagger deeper, she pissed at them for forcing her to speak.

This fucking bitch just had to give one last blow, because why the fuck not. She did come clean at the end though; I respect that... But I don't understand why she even lied about it in the first place? Was it that she didn't want us perceive her as weak or something? [Zelda yells irate as she starts throwing objects at Link] Wait, wrong question. She didn't want to reveal her concern for Link... why? What IS the story between those two?

Link half smiles and looks at his duplicates waiting for them to answer to the Princess, Zid starts wiggling his eyebrows and approaches Li very seductively. Robert squints his eyes and stops Zid's approach by holding his shoulders with both hands, Robert then half smiles.

What the… oh, I see, you want to dance. Then let's dance

Robert lovingly puts a lose hair strand of Zid behind his ear, then produces the most captivating smile he can muster.

"Maybe" Robert answers Zelda as he coups Zid's face and tries to caress the pirate's lower lip with his thumb. But the rover bites said finger.

Argh!!! Robert complains and examines his finger.

Zelda kept staring clearly mortified by the interaction between her brothers, Link just burst out in laughter watching her distress, and Rob's bleeding thumb.

"Not sorry, you were taking it WAY TOO FAR bro" Zid exclaims grinning.

Zelda relaxes once she notices it was an improvised act meant to shock and mock her. She raises her eyes to the sky and mouthing blasphemies.

Chuckling "yeah, sorry about that, got inspired" Robert says smiling.

"I cause that on people, so don't sweat it... where to now Link?" Zid asks.

Link told them that he requested information on their current location, since they were staying only for 3 days, and one of them was already spent. Turns out there are three plantation farms close by, they had to choose one since time was limited. Zid immediately suggests the Barley farm, claiming that it was managed by two sisters, they may not catch the criminals but if they could at least guard the girls for the next 2 days, he will consider it a successful mission and accept the donor's program.

He better accept it. That way he will be economically and medically taken care of. Releasing us from the burden of having to constantly worry about him... well, at least I would worry, he seems and moves fine, but THAT WEIGHT IS NOT HEALTY.

ZID POV

Well... right now we have been walking in silence, but I have been having so much fucking fun. Zelda is still angry at me and Li. Because we basically made her admit to have feelings for Link... or at least that is what I think the problem is, could be wrong though.

Been trying to make up with her but she is a hard cookie, and that has been one of the most delightful parts of this journey for me. I have been improvising scenarios that will force her to talk to me... my favorite so far is when I came across a tarantula and caught it, since she didn't even flinch, I decided to pushed it further and attempt to eat the arachnid in front of her. Was not going to really do it of course, but I got what I wanted… she screamed swatting the critter from my hand, then began to yell at me for even attempting to eat it, then left my side pissed that I was just staring at her grinning like a mad man. Hate to admit it but I can't stand her silent treatment. I needed her to react to me, to insult me at least or something.

The group kept walking when suddenly Link stops and asks them all to stop by lifting a palm, then places a finger on his lips to request silence. Then after a few seconds he starts running REALLY fast. Li grabs Zelda's hand and pulls her to ride on him piggy back style, then starts running behind Link. Zid just gives chase to all of them confused.

What the fuck is happening, did Link found the criminals?

Zid caught up with all of them really fast, they appeared to be crouching. Link had his index finger on his lips, still requesting them to be quiet. He opened the foliage a little to see. In front of them was a barley field, not big but not small either, about the size of a soccer field. On the edge opposite to them was a small house. The door was kicked open from the inside, a man came out zipping his pants and grinning proudly as he heard the girls he left behind sobbing, then another man entered the house closing the door. Terrified screams were heard and then a hard slap. They all knew what was happening in there, Zid was about to jump into action but Link tackled him to the ground hard.

"What the fuck? We need to save them, YOU NEED TO SAVE THEM, ISN'T THAT YOUR JOB"

POW!!!

Link connected a punch to Zid's cheek bone and answered irate.

"I AM NOT SHIELD; I don't save people. I execute them, engrave it on your fucking head" Link says in a low menacing tone.

The scared pleas of one of the girls was heard, followed by the sound of a man yelling and smacking them, which only fueled the girl's fear making them shriek in terror. This only caused the assailant to lose his patience and start beating them with something, a metallic tube judging by the sound.

Zelda dropped to the ground covering her ears, her whole body was shaking violently in fear and impotence. She started rocking herself as a cascade of tears dropped from her eyes. She was biting hard on her inner cheek to contain her own screams.

"And HOW do you plan on executing them genius?" Zid exclaims in a low tone.

"The only way it can be done... ambush. I NEVER just rush in, no matter what is happening and to whom, if I enter the scene imprudently, I am essentially giving away my position and granting some of them the opportunity to flee. I CAN NOT allow that; I have to rid of EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM... it has to be done in a way where they won't even see me coming, so they won't have time to warn the rest. Do you understand? Can I count on you?"

NO, I mean, I do understand the need to remain undercover, but how can you stay here knowing a rape is taking place and not do something to stop it? This motherfucker is not my brother, he is a fiend, a complete sadist, a-

BOOMM!!!

A gun shot is heard, followed by the loud bellowing of one of the girls. Zelda covers her mouth and weeps in sorrow. Li frowns and looks at Link.

"Am I allowed to use my gun now?" Robert asks with a neutral semblance.

"YES, go around the back of the house, anyone that runs your way trying to escape, you put a bullet between their eyebrows... If they are not trying to run away" Link draws a dagger from his boot and hands it him "you end them with this, to avoid alerting the rest with the sound of a shot"

Robert nods grabbing the dagger and starts heading to the back of the cottage. Zid stares at Link, who only raises an eyebrow. The sound of a heartbreaking low cry is heard. It was Zelda, she was afraid for the girls, and found it hard to contain her whimpering... watching the Princess like that disturbed Zid, it brought back the memory of the dream where Zelda had been...

Zid started beating his own head hard with his fists. Zelda yelped scared for her brother, she started to crawl towards Zid to stop him, but Link grabbed her arm and pulled her away, he remained stoic, waiting patiently for Zid to come out of his inner struggle.

Then, as if by magic, it all fell into place, Zid didn't knew who or what he was, his existence had been hell on earth so far, but none of that mattered anymore. All he cared about was the light he was able to see at the end of the tunnel, a light that glimmered promising that HE HAD A PURPUSE, a role to play in all this mess. Zid stopped hitting his head and rolled his neck, then he heard men laughing. He opened his eyes knowing what his purpose was: he wanted ALL of them DEATH.

"What do you need me to do?" Zid asks in a neutral tone.

Link smiles.