Nosedive slowly washed the dishes as he stared out of his home's window. His back felt as if it were on fire from the recent beating that he had received.
Outside, several building were still smoldering from recent fires.
The skies were dark from all the smoke that droid factories emitted.
It had been four years since the Saurians took over Puckworld. Three years since the Resistance began. Two years since he was left all alone with Canard.
And one year since Canard officially became a traitor.
Nosedive wiped away a tear and then stared at his hand that bore the Saurian mark. Property of Dragaunus's soldiers. More specifically, Canard. A slave in his own world to his own species.
He began to rinse the dishes as his mind wandered to a more romantic notion. . . What if Canard was really playing at being one of Dragaunus's goons. And only pretended to treat him bad? And that he was really helping Canard in secret meetings?
Or better yet. He imagined a Puckworld without a Saurian invasion. A world that his family still existed in, alive and well. Surrounded by friends. If only. . .
If he were a hero in another world. . .
The front door slammed opened and Nosedive flinched. Shit, he thought to himself. I'm not done yet! He's going to fucking kill me!!!
"Nosedive!!" bellowed Canard's voice. "Why is this place still a fucking mess?!"
Nosedive rushed into the living room, eyes wide in fear. "I-i'm sorry. . ." he stammered. "I. . . I was j-just about to start that."
"Are you patronizing me?" Canard snarled, in a low voice.
"N-no, no!" Nosedive responded, heart beat racing wildly.
Canard stalked over to him and backhanded him.
Nosedive bit back a cry as he fell back, smashing his head against the wall. Stars exploded in his vision, and he couldn't help but let out a pathetic whimper.
Canard laughed. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. A strong family known for their generosity, and bravery, reduced to a scrawny, snivelling, stringy-haired hatchling." He leered. "It excites me to know that I helped reduce them to this."
Nosedive bit back another cry of pain as Canard hauled him up from the wrist, dragging him to his room.
Nosedive went along without fighting back. This had been the weekly ritual ever since he was branded. And he knew better than to struggle. The pain didn't last as long. Unfortunately, the act never was quick enough.
Nosedive let out a rush of air as he was thrown to the bed face down.
He let out a small sob as he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
"If only your father could see you now," hissed Canard, with manic glee. "Let's fuck..."
X
Nosedive slowly opened his eyes, mentally assessing personal injuries. So far the pain was the usual, so nothing that needed immediate medical care.
Canard's snoring insinuated deep sleep, as did the stench of alcohol in his breath.
Nosedive grunted as he pushed himself up, rolling Canard to his side. He got up from bed and quietly gathered his clothing to cover himself up.
Nosedive made his way to the bathroom to clean up, not bothering to look back where Canard lay unconscious to the world.
He stared at the mirror.
His once vibrant and fluffy hair was now stringy. His eyes looked sunken in. His feathers had lost their shine. Even his beak looked dull. He hated himself. He hated his world, he hated his life, he hated every damn thing.
And yet. . .
No matter how many times he thought about ending it. . . he couldn't. He was too afraid.
"You're pathetic," he told himself.
Then his hatred turned to anger. "Fine. If I can't kill myself, the least I can do is run to the streets and die there!"
With a sudden burst of energy, Nosedive walked back into his room and began to stuff clothes into what had once been his school back pack. Then he walked out the front door and onto the streets, under the cover of the night.
X
Nosedive shivered as his stomach growled. His second night out and he had no idea what to do.
Nosedive let out another sniffle as he passed a pile of rags.
He let out a yelp as a scaly claw grabbed his ankle.
"Got a smoke?" asked a raspy voice.
"N-no," Nosedive replied, looking down.
At his feet lay a withered Saurian. "Oh well," he said with a chuckle. "Things'll kill me anyhow. You new here, ain't cha?"
Nosedive slowly nodded.
The Saurian laughed. "You have no idea what you're in for. Face like that. . . use it to your advantage." With that, he rolled back up under his rags and began to snore.
X
Hunger can make any being go to the extremes. Even sell themselves just for a bit of cash.
Nosedive slowly ate the remaining half of a burger from earlier in the day, trying not to think about where the money had come from. It made him angry to think that he had taken the advice of a homeless Saurian.
Speaking of which, Saurians were funny creatures. As far as he could gather, there were three types. The ones that ruled Puckworld, greedy and evil, the ones the protested the treatment of the slaves, who were either with the Resistance or in a jail, and the ones that were neutral.
The neutral ones who liked their lifestyle but felt guilty enough to be generous when paying.
Thanks to a neutral kinky couple, he had enough to last him a month. If he was careful.
Nosedive crumbled up the wrapper and tossed it into the dumpster.
Life on the streets wasn't easy, but at least he didn't have to deal with Canard. He just wished he could find a trace of the Resistance. Not that they would accept someone like him to join the ranks. But maybe they knew where he could find shelter.
It was hard trying to buy stuff with a brand on his hand. Most of the times, he chose to order from crowded places, in which the employees were too harried to pay attention.
The only risk lay in that someone would recognize him.
Yesterday, for example. . . one of Canard's Saurians had been standing next to him for ten minutes. But he didn't notice Nosedive.
Nosedive nearly had a coronary right then.
A runaway slave was punished severely, to the point of death.
Nosedive wanted to be completely dead before being recaptured.
Nosedive sighed as he retreated back to his sleeping place.
Most back alleys were perfect. A lot of them had so much junk behind them that they served as personal alarms and hiding spots. He had met a few homeless beings, but kept to himself. It was stupid to befriend a being that was likely to die within the week.
He settled down behind his dumpster, pulling up a thread bare blanket over him. He closed his eyes.
A strong breeze brushed his face, causing him to open his eyes.
Wind that strong was unusual.
Curiosity got the better of him, and Nosedive crawled out of his spot to investigate. Not far from where he lay, he was awed by the vision of a small glowing orb. Tendrils of electricity wrapped around it, and suddenly, it began to cackle and grow.
Nosedive stepped back, mouth agape.
There was a sudden rush of gale forced winds, a loud boom, and a blinding light. The sound of someone yelling.
Then it was gone, and something collided into him.
Nosedive grunted at the weight as he was slammed to the floor, flat on his back.
He moaned and opened his eyes, forcing himself to sit up.
Two pairs of eyes met.
The face in front of him looked strangely familiar. The duck was wearing a strange outfit that looked like a white armor with a teal body suit underneath.
Then he recoiled as the other did the same thing.
"You're me!" they both shouted.
To be continued . . .