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Story Eleven - Scars of the Past Leave Marks on the PresentIt all started with a simple, innocent question or so Keith and Acxa thought."Regris, where did you get those marks from?"Initially, Regris didn't know what his youngest siblings were talking about. It was only when Keith reached up and traced one of his facial scars that the eldest recoiled. His eyes flicked back and forth between the twins and realized they were curious and honestly didn't know how loaded their question truly was. It was true he didn't suffer from a lot of nightmares anymore, but they still plagued his subconscious on occasion. However, he couldn't deny his siblings.He sat down with his little siblings in front of him. He sighed, trying to stall for time. He was trying to come up with a way to tell his story without traumatizing the pair of six deca-phoebe olds. "This isn't a happy story, but please remember that I am right here, and I am okay. Understand?"The twins nodded, worried that this wasn't a good idea. "Yes, bro," Keith replied.Regris grinned at Keith's response. "Okay. You know how the Blade of Marmora fights to free the universe from the Galra Empire. The Empire has done many terrible things to planets and to other beings, even other Galra. Now, kits have always been precious to the Galra as a whole, but there have been members of the Empire who despise hybrids. The pure blooded Galra, who despise us, are willing to...hurt them, even kits. I was one of those kits who got hurt. These marks and my ear are injuries I sustained while I was in their grasp. Mama found me when I was five deca-phoebes old, and she rescued me. Taulol and Dad were the first two Blades that accepted me." Regris smiled. He glanced around in a conspiratorial manner, causing the younger kits to do the same. He whispered, "Kolivan was the next to give in."Keith grinned. "He looks scary, but he's a big softie."Acxa gently pushed on her twin's arm with a smile on her face. "No, silly. That's Antok. Kolivan is the serious one."Regris dragged the youngest kits onto his lap. He nuzzled them, eliciting purrs from them. "They both are softies, but that's our secret.""But it's not a secret!" they insisted.%%%Later on, all the kits were in the training hall. Keith was play fighting with Lotor with Regris giving pointers, and Acxa was play fighting with her sister. Acxa managed to pin her and one of Ezor's sleeves was pushed up. Acxa noticed her thin, crisscrossing scars on her arm. Acxa cocked her head. "Sis? Where did those come from?"The three boys heard Acxa's question. Lotor paused in his fight against Keith, who had heard the question too and saw what his sister saw. His curiosity was peaked as well. He wandered over with his older brothers trailing him. Acxa let Ezor up. Regris noticed his sister was hesitant to tell her story and gathered her in his arms. "They asked me earlier. I told them my story and the reasons why we were tortured. You can just tell them the short version...or I can do it for you."Ezor looked up at her eldest brother's eyes and smiled. "Can you do it, please?"Regris gently bumped his nose against Ezor's temple in a Galran kiss (one exchanged between family members). "Keith, Acxa, do you two remember when I told you that some members of the Empire hurt hybrid kits?" At the twins' nods, he continued, "Your sister was also one of those kits. When Mama rescued her, she was only three deca-phoebes old."Regris could see it in Keith's eyes when he made the connection. His purple eyes flicked over to Lotor, which didn't go unnoticed by the white-haired hybrid. He nodded. "Yes, Keith. Mama saved me as well, but unlike our siblings, I don't have physical scars, but abandonment is still a form of hurt."%%%Krolia had been on the sidelines of the training hall with Taulol. She loved spending time with her surrogate sister and her kits, especially at the same time. She noticed when the kits paused in their play fighting. She watched as they gathered around Ezor and was concerned when Regris drew his sister into his arms, because it looked like she was about to cry. Krolia was proud of her eldest as it seemed like he knew what to do. She could just barely make out snippets of the conversation."...remember...told you...Empire hurt hybrid kits...sister was...one...Mama rescue... three deca-phoebes old."Krolia leaned a little closer when Lotor nodded at Keith. "Yes, Keith. Mama saved me as well, but unlike our siblings, I don't have physical scars, but abandonment is still a form of hurt."Krolia realized what was going on. Her insanely curious twins finally asked the one question she had hoped they never would. This definitely called for a pack meeting. The conversation was going to be rough, and that called for mandatory cuddles and snuggles for all kits.She pulled out her data pad and sent a message to her pack, simply stating 'Nest. Now. Urgent.'She stood up. "Taulol, can you help me get the kits to the nest? The one conversation I hoped never to have is happening."Taulol understood what Krolia was trying to say. The two female Blades talked at length about the curiosity of the twins, Krolia confiding in her about the one topic she hoped would never come up.The two adults walked over to the kits and surprisingly picked up not the youngest but the three eldest with Krolia holding Regris and Lotor. Keith and Acxa followed their mom and aunt out of the training hall and into the nest, their other pack members joining them shortly after. The second Regris saw Antok he reached for him. Antok plucked his kit from his mom's arms and nuzzled him. Ezor all but jumped onto Thace. Kolivan simply held his arms out for Lotor, leaving it up to the kit to decide where he wanted to be. Lotor looked between his mom and dad, truly wanting both.The two adults exchanged looks, resulting in Kolivan sitting next to Krolia and both of them nuzzling their kit.Keith and Acxa were confused as to what was going on. Their siblings seemed to be just fine earlier, but now, they almost seemed distraught. Ulaz inched closer to Taulol, the only other adult who wasn't currently cuddling a kit. "What happened?""The twins asked Regris and Ezor about their marks.""And Lotor?""Mentioned his emotional marks."Ulaz nodded, understanding the situation. He scooped up Acxa, prompting Taulol to do the same with Keith. Ulaz and Taulol nuzzled the twins, who whimpered in confusion. They were very worried that they caused this situation, a fact that Ulaz and Taulol picked up on."Do not blame yourselves, kits. This was something that needed to happen sooner or later. Your siblings have had injuries in their early childhood, but they will be okay," Ulaz reassured the kits.The kits' whimpers died down, because if Ulaz said it, then that meant it was true. They relaxed in the arms of their pack members, content to stay there for nap time.%%%Antok held his kit securely with his tail rubbing up and down his back instead of being wrapped around his waist. He usually wrapped it around the kit's waist, but since he was dealing with the trauma of his captivity, his tail being wrapped no doubt reminded the kit of the restraints he was held down by. He rumbled to the kit, occasionally murmuring, "It's okay, kit. You're safe. I've got you."%%%Thace nuzzled his daughter's head, rumbling to her as well. He kept his arms securely wrapped around her, hoping it helped ground her in the present. "You're safe, kit. You're here in the nest with your pack. I've got you."%%%Krolia and Kolivan nuzzled Lotor from both sides. His abandonment all those deca-phoebes ago resulted in him being touch-starved. He craved touch and affection, which his mom and dad were all too ready to give him. They both rumbled to him, Krolia talking as well. "You're fine, kit. You're here with your pack, especially me and your dad. Your siblings and other pack members are here. You're in our nest, safe and wanted. You are precious, and we will never abandon you."The eldest kits drifted off into an uneasy slumber as their parents held them. The youngest kits fell asleep, firmly ensconced in their pack members' arms. Fortunately, nightmares didn't plague the kits' subconsciousness.Fin