This is my chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks again thereal13thfirewolf.
I do not own.
Rex was having a feverish dream. He was his younger self and he was playing soccer by himself. Kicking it against the wall of the empty hallway of the castle where his parents worked. The ball got away from him and rolled down the corridor. He gave chased but didn't get far as the ball was stopped by a black shoe. Rex looked up to see Van Kleiss.
"Uncle V!" He said happily. "Can you play with me?"
"No Rex. But maybe you can help me." He said with a smile.
"Sure, Uncle V, anything." Rex said but a sense of uneasiness started to grow in him.
"I want you to go to your father's office and get me the box on his desk." Van Kleiss said.
"T…the box?" Little Rex stammered. "But Papi told me never to touch that."
"Oh, don't worry Rex. It'll be our little secret." Van Kleiss said his smile growing stiff.
"I can't." Rex whimpered.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Rex. After all I've done for you? Don't I deserve loyalty? More loyalty than your parents?" His smile vanished. He began to grow bigger and his eyes started to grow red. The soccer ball exploded under his foot.
A frightened Rex stepped backwards before falling on his backside.
"Give me the NANITES!" His giant hand threatened to flatten him.
"AUGH!" Rex screamed sitting straight up, panting, and sweating. Looking around he realized he was lying on a bed in a darkened room. There was flu medicine and an empty cup that distinctly smelled like grape soda. For a second he was transported to a long ago forgotten time in his life. "Uncle V?" He whispered. Then his recent memories caught up to him. "Van Kleiss." He said through gritted teeth. Whatever he was to him in the past, he was no longer the same man. Standing up he tested his stability. When he didn't immediately tip over or hurl, he moved to the door. Opening it quietly, he snuck a peek outside. The sight of a long dim hall with decrepit red carpeting greeted him. The soft flicker of candles on the walls illuminated the corridor. All was quiet. "Gotta get outta here." He muttered to himself.
He tiptoed through the hallway to where he hoped he could find a way out, a window, a door, a gaping hole, anything that led to the outside so he could make his Boogie Pack and fly home.
"Going somewhere, Rex?" Van Kleiss's voice purred from behind.
Rex spun around. "Eh, hehe, no, just looking for the little EVO's room… to you know do my business." Rex stammered as he backed away.
"I see that you are feeling better. Perhaps you can return the favor." Van Kleiss said smoothly.
"How about you let me go and we forget this ever happened." Rex suggested as his back hit the wall.
Van Kleiss shook his head sadly. "We were friends once, Rex. We can still be." He pulled out something that looked like a space-aged ray gun. "Once we clear your current bad memories, we will build good ones."
"So what? You going to shoot me? How does that build good memories?" Rex asked incredulously.
"This is no ordinary gun. I've made a memory dissipator. One shot from this and all your recent memories of your time at Providence will be no more. Then we can go back to the good old days, Rex." Van Kleiss explained.
Rex looked at him in shock. "You're going to erase my memories? Dude, not cool! I barely had time to make these."
"We will fill them with the right memories and together we will build a new world for EVOs!" Van Kleiss aimed the pistol.
Rex dove to the floor when the gun fired. "Sorry, Uncle V, I'm keeping these memories. And for the record, I would never help you!" He formed his Smack Hands only for them to fall apart.
"You're still sick Rex. Not fully recovered yet. You are no match for me. Give up." Van Kleiss fired off several more shots. Rex avoided them rather clumsily. Rex could feel his fever coming back.
"You know what your problem is, Van Kleiss? You live too much in the past!" Rex grabbed the decrepit carpet and pulled with all his strength. The rug shifted from under Van Kleiss's feet. He lost his balance and flew back. Rex took the opportunity to run… straight into Biowulf and Skalamander. Rex almost slammed into them but right before he hit them he formed his Punk Busters and leapt over them. Landing behind them, he took off as his Punk Busters fell apart.
"Don't let him escape!" Van Kleiss ordered.
Rex felt crystal shards whizz past him. But he kept running, hopefully to the exit. He made a sharp turn only to hit a dead end.
"Crap!" Rex quickly turned around but found himself facing Skalamander and Biowulf. Biowulf lunged to grab him. Rex jumped and remembering his training with Six, used Biowulf's momentum against him. He managed to trip the EVO who crashed into the wall behind him knocking him on the floor. Some of the mortar around the brick crumbled. Rex noticed light streaming through the cracks. A light bulb went off in his head.
"Hey, Skally! Bet you can't hit me. You big dumb… lizard." Rex finished lamely. But Skalamander took the bait. Several crystal shards headed straight for him. Rex got out of the way just in time. The shards embedded themselves into the crumbling wall. Rex made his Punk Busters and smashed the wall which fell apart easily. Daylight streamed in.
"Adios, suckers!" Rex called as he jumped through the hole. His Boogie Pack sprouted from his back as he fell and lifted him up before he hit the ground. He smirked as he put distance between himself and the castle… until a shiver ran through him. He quickly looked around but he should have looked in front. A red hole ripped open in the sky. Rex barely had time to maneuver out of the way. A deformed hand grabbed his ankle as he flew past. Rex yelped as he was pulled into the portal and deposited back into the castle. He fell prone on the floor in front of Van Kleiss, who did not look amused.
"Had your fun, Rex? Now be a good boy and Uncle V will make everything all better." Van Kleiss held up the gun again.
"How is this going to be better?" Rex challenged him. "This isn't how you treat friends, Van Kleiss." Van Kleiss hesitated. Rex used the opportunity to throw his leg up and kick the gun from his hand. As Van Kleiss went to retrieve the gun, Rex got up and ran. Another shiver ran through his body. He paused and got ready. When a sliver of red opened up, he body slammed into the portal catching Breach by surprise. He tackled the four-armed EVO and restrained her from behind. He noticed that they were in her pocket dimension.
"Take me home Breach, if you don't want me to break more of your things." Rex threatened.
Breach screeched but a portal opened. Rex could see Six and agents talking. Rex threw Breach aside and ran for the portal. He jumped through just as it closed.
He hit face first into the dirt and slid to a stop at Six's feet. He looked up to see Six's surprised face.
"Hey, Six! You won't believe the day I just had." Then Rex promptly puked all over his shoes before passing out.
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Rex slowly opened his eyes. He quickly shut them in response to the too bright light.
"He's waking up." He heard Doc's voice. "Rex? Rex, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, Doc." Rex managed to get out. "I feel like I went ten rounds with a tractor trailer… and the tractor trailer won." Rex tried to get up.
"Stay down Rex. You had a pretty nasty strain of the flu virus." A hand gently pushed him back into the soft bed. "Your nanites are just finishing taking care of it. You should be better in another 24 hours."
"Woo hoo." Rex said unenthusiastically.
"We were worried when Van Kleiss took you." Holiday added softly. Rex turned to look at her. He was surprised to see how haggard she looked.
"Hey, Doc. No sweat. Nothing I can't handle." Rex said in an effort to make her feel better.
Holiday shook her head. "Rex, your biometrics went flat just before you were taken. Then we lost track of you. But we were certain you were in the Abysus. Six was organizing a fleet to storm the Abysus. He went behind White's back to do this. Six would never tell you this but he was pretty worried about you, too."
Rex looked at Holiday in surprise. He looked away.
"Van Kleiss, was once my friend… I think." Rex hesitantly told Holiday.
"You… you remembered something from your past?" Holiday asked.
"Sort of… just feelings and… things… vague memories… But I don't hate Van Kleiss as much as I did. He use to be… good." Rex tried to explain. "He actually took care of me when I was sick… but then he tried to erase my memories." Rex closed his eyes. "It's confusing."
He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Holiday's concerned face. "People are… complicated. There are many facets to a person. Rarely are they one-dimensional. Maybe at one point Van Kleiss was your friend. Maybe there's some good in him."
"But people change, too. And I think he's changed from who I use to know." Rex answered. "I don't think he's really a friend anymore."
Holiday patted him. "But he did take care of you so maybe part of him still is good."
"Yeah." Rex was silent for a second. "But I still have to stop him if he tries to take over the world."
Holiday smiled. "I know you'll do the right thing, Rex. I'm sure of it. I'll let Six know he can come see you now." She got up and left.
Rex looked sadly at the ceiling. He thought about lost relationships and friendships.
"Good to see you up, kid." Rex turned to see Six walking into the doorway. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, you know you can't keep me down." Rex pushed himself up.
"Got you something." He held out a can of grape soda.
Rex looked at him in surprise. "H…how did you know I liked grape soda when I'm sick?"
"You threw it up all over my shoe." Six answered wryly. "I figured you might want a refill. Try to keep it down this time… or at least aim it at Calan."
"Thanks Six." Rex said accepting the can. Even though he might have lost things from his past, he'd gain much more in his present.
"Doc, says I'll be better by tomorrow. I bet I can whip you in Call of Duty." Rex challenged.
One side of Six's mouth quirked up slightly before straightening. "You're on."
Rex smiled.
I forgot to mention that thereal13thfirewolf wrote it originally for Rex888's birthday. The rest of it should also be dedicated to you. Enjoy!
God bless.