I was walking down a road lost in thought. I didn't know where I was, nor did I know where I was going, neither did I care. I wanted to get away from this empty space. I was looking for something that could snap me out of the pain. Across from me, I saw a slightly taller reploid handing out bolts.
"Good day, sir! Want a bolt? They're only 25-"
"No. You're not a healer." I walked away.
"Huh? H-hey, wait! What do you-"
I didn't hear what else he had to say. I didn't want screws, I wanted help. To my right was a bar. I figured maybe I could drink the pain away.
I looked in and was slightly shocked by what was in front of me. A little reploid. He looked like me, but about ten or seven years younger. He was trying to climb up a stool, but he fell over along with it.
I dashed forward to catch him and hold the stool off of him.
"Whoah there! You okay?"
"Y-yes... Thank you, sir."
I picked him up and put him on the stool.
"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"
"I'm here with my dad. I'm waiting for him to get out of the bathroom."
"Okay," I said as I sat down next to him. "Bartender! I'll take a bottle of whiskey, alright!?"
I kept taking glances at the smaller reploid. He looked so innocent and kind, as if nothing had ever broken his heart, and he never felt pain before in his life. I was angered by this reploid.
"Hey mister," he said, "you look kinda familiar."
"Yeah, so do you. I don't think we've ever met before, though."
"Huh. Well, it's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Mega Man."
I looked at him, confused. That was my name.
"I'm X." I didn't tell him my full name, I just shook his hand. "Does your father come here to drink often?"
"No. This is our first time coming here, actually. We're from a thousand years in the past."
"... What?"
"Yeah. He just built a time machine and decided to test it out by coming to the future to see how the bear'll taste like-" He gasped and ducked under his stool. "Oh no, I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"
I chuckled, thinking he was probably playing some type of childish game with his dad. I realized that was the only time I ever smiled since...
"Darn it!" he cried.
He tried climbing the stool again. Fearing he might tip over again, I picked him up and placed him back on the stool.
The bartender finally brought the whiskey I ordered. Hoping it would ease my pain, I chugged it down. It didn't help in the slightest.
"Hey, Mr. X, what's that?"
He was pointing to the base of the z-saber on my waste. I figured the kid must've never seen a hand held weapon before. I took it out and turned it on.
"This is a saber."
The pain in my chest suddenly returned, along with painful memories coursing through my head. I quickly put it away and chugged the whiskey again.
Damn it, I thought, forget it! Forget about it! I don't want to suffer anymore!
"Are you alright?"
I couldn't lie anymore. I hid my face in my arms against the table.
"... No. No, I'm not alright."
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong with me is none of your business, kid."
He scooted his stool closer to me.
"Did something bad happen?"
My hands formed fists.
"Someone just died, it's not the end of the world."
"It looks like it's the end of the world to you."
My eyes began to drizzle. It did feel like the end of the world to me. I took another swing of the whiskey. I stared down at the bottle, as if that would help at all. My grip around it tightened. It hurt so much.
A small hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up and looked the child in the eye.
His eyes showed nothing but sympathy, and it was as if he could see my pain. I snapped. I hid my face in my arms against the counter, trying to block out my sobs.
"S-sir-"
"Leave me alone," I muttered. "You don't know what I'm going through. You don't know what it's like to have the only person you could trust die."
"... You're right, I don't."
"You have no idea of the hell I'm in...!"
"Right again, sir." He put his hand on my shoulder again. "I can't give you advice on what to do here. I don't know what to say."
"Then don't both-"
"So what would the dead person say to you?"
"... 'This isn't the face of the man I respect. You can't be slowed down by this detour, find another way. Keep your chin up, stick to what you believe. You must continue to fight. You're alright, there's no need to cry anymore. You're my friend, and that'll never change.' ..." I stood up and whiped my eyes.
"Did that help at all?"
For the first time in a month, I smiled with confidence and happiness.
"Yeah." I pet his head. "You're a cute kid."
He lightly blushed. "G-glad I could help, sir."
"I'm only 17, calling me 'sir' makes me feel a bit old. 'X' is fine." I left money on the counter and walked out. "Thanks kid."
The boy's father finally came out of the bathroom.
"Dr. Light. Are we ready to go now?"
"Yes. Let's start heading back to our own time. I've got something there I'd like to show you!"
"What?"
"Hee hee...! I decided to make you a brother."
"Really? You think I would want a brother when my real one is trying to kill me?"
"I'm sure this one will be different!"
"You're not programming him like Proto Man, are you?"
"He can think for himsel- Don't give me that look! This time I'm sure I know what I'm doing! Once he's awake, I'm sure you'll like him. He looks a lot like you, only a lot older. He looks like a teenager."
"So you decided to give me a big brother?"
"Uh-huh. His name's Mega Man X."
"Huh? X!?"
"Yes, why-"
Mega Man ran out of the bar and looked off in the direction I had gone.
"That man... was my brother?"
Author's note:
This is something I did because I was bored. Please review! Also, if you've read my "A life with Reploids," I think I might have an idea of a sequel for that. "MMX11." Do you think that's a good idea? Let me know! I'll catch ya chumps later.