"The people on this ship need to fight and take control over the vessel! Your idea is shit, we can't just sit it out and wait!"
The charming boy's original, composed appearance took a turn for the worst, his face contorting into one of rage and pure disdain towards the girl across from him, who also was nowhere near tranquil.
"My idea is shit?! You're suggesting that we charge into a death trap without knowing how many casualties might come with it! We should remain calm and get along until we land on the planet, then we'll all at least have a fighting chance!"
The blonde girl held her arms out and motioned to the crowd, trying to seem like a pope or a leader of some sort.
"A group that is strong is a group united, sharing the same belief and the methods of how to make that belief come true! Isaiah, do you really want to lead these people to their inevitable doom?!"
A crazed expression appeared on both the boy and the girl's faces, one riddled with the lust of the power they have over each of their groups.
*****
Theus, Caylie and Ronan walked over to the middle of the fight, closest to where the boy and the girl were, in order to hear both sides as much as possible.
"Caylie, you watch Theus. I'll check out… dammit, is that boy really this much trouble?!"
Theus snuck away to the center of the commotion, leaving the safety of Caylie and Ronan. He was interested in what the main leaders had to say to one another, ignoring all social norms and instead pushing right past everyone, straight to the center of the yelling.
Not that he had any idea what social norms were anyways.
Theus stood behind the blonde girl, calmly listening to what they were arguing about without a care in the world. Meanwhile…
Caylie and Ronan split up to view the opinions of the different sides the people were taking, trying to get a general idea behind the reason for the outrage between the two. What they heard however, was mindless followers on one side, and maniacal believers on the other.
When the majority from each group was questioned, neither group could even form a coherent reason.
"The boy seems strong and passionate, plus he looks like my idol crush too! I wonder if I have a chance with him…"
"That girl must be an angel given to us by God. He answered our prayers! If we follow her, we follow the will of the Lord!"
Ronan and Caylie regrouped at the edge of both crowds, where they originally were, and began sharing what they heard. Ronan threw his hands over his head in distress, messing up his rather short hair.
"The boy's group are all sheep! They're just following him cause he's good looking! What's up with the youth on this ship?!"
Caylie folded her arms at the comment, and pointed at the people who were of similar age to Ronan who were also following the boy. Ronan gave a frustrated look at the ground, then calmed himself while Caylie started explaining hers, once again, with a rather serene tone despite the situation.
"The girl's group are all led on by a frenzy she shared amongst them, talking about a 'peace' that they can bring over the ship if they follow her lead. She's turned her whole group from scared to fanatical. It's dangerous.
Ronan held his face in his hands, then uncovered his face, turning towards the girl and her people.
"If it's anybody we can slightly control, it'll be hers. She's got no power in leading whatsoever…"
Just as Ronan pointed at where the girl was, he saw the girl looking away from the argument against the handsome boy, focused on something else. The screaming dulled down, then came from Ronan's mouth instead.
"That kid… He ran into the middle of it?!"
He turned to his side, where Caylie was originally standing, only to see her not there. Sucking his teeth, he pushed through the brunt of the crowd, wanting to ensure Theus' safety above all else at the moment.
Theus was grabbed by the collar of his space-suit harshly, being lifted by the other boy with detest and arrogance filling his eyes.
"Are you serious?! Can't you tell that you're in the way?! I, Isaiah the Ruler, am bringing down this measly girl from her own delusions of leadership! She's completely unfit for it!"
With a confused and irritated look on his face, Theus began wildly swinging at the boy's arms to try and free himself.
"Put me down and let me speak! I didn't even do anything you cocky bit-"
Theus was thrown to the ground, with him landing roughly on his back. When he readjusted himself to face towards Isaiah once again, he was already on top of him, a heart-broken look plastered across Isaiah's face with fists hammering into Theus' face.
Every word was accompanied with a punch to Theus' skull.
"Who… the fuck… do you think… you are?!"
Theus' nose was bleeding, an eye was swollen, and his teeth were threatening to fall out of their sockets. He had nothing in mind but the preservation of his body and the safety and protection of himself.
And so, IT carried his will out for him.
Theus felt his mind rupture as a long but thin, violet tentacle sprouted from the palm of his right hand. His eyes rolled back as he spasmed along the metal flooring, his right hand slamming against the hull of the ship from the force of the tentacle launching out of his hand, with the tentacle wrapping around Isaiah's body and squeezing it until his face bloated due to the pressure. Theus was horrified, a ghastly expression written across his face.
"N-no! Please, stop! This isn't what I wanted!"
Heeding his command, the tentacle unfurled itself and shot back inside Theus' palm, leaving a small hole in his skin.
Isaiah was left gasping for air and holding his chest on the ground alongside Theus. He gave Theus a fearful expression, and turned towards his people, ready to direct an order.
Until the blonde girl finally spoke, who maintained her composure throughout the situation, although barely.
"Everybody, calm down! The tentacle retreated back into the hole of the ship!"
Dumbfounded, Theus glanced around, looking for the hole the girl was talking about. Then, he quickly crawled back, away from the supposed "hole," covering up his wound on his hand.
'That fool really thinks it came from the ship, thank god!'
Theus winced in pain as he felt the remains of the tentacle slipping back into the confines of his brain. Along with the adrenaline fading, he started to feel the stinging on his face from Isaiah's punches increase tenfold.
Isaiah wasn't in great shape either.
Theus saw Isaiah holding his chest tightly. It looked as if he was trying to hold and mold his broken ribs back together. He vomited blood profusely, being done in by the tentacle worse than he had done to Theus. Due to the tension and rush of the situation, Isaiah believed the girl's observation, shifting all the leftover hatred onto the supposed tentacle of the ship.
Yet the girl's eyes weren't drawn towards the wounds on Isaiah. Instead, she focused solely on Theus.
Shooting her gaze towards the people now, the girl spoke out loudly, determined to reach the entire population of passengers with her voice.
"I know we're all in a crisis currently, but we all have to remember to stay calm and try our best to get along and form an alliance with one another, a common goal!"
Despite her voice being both beautiful and inspiring, it wasn't powerful enough to reign the people in.
"T-tear this piece of shit apart and find that tentacle!"
Hearing Isaiah's rally, they united over a common goal. Harboring their previous unused bloodlust originally directed at one another, they instead began ripping the ship apart.
The growing madness spreading among the ship continued to escalate, yet this time, it posed a serious risk towards Theus.
The secret of his Desire was at stake.