OBSOLETE

Chapter 6

Watching the silent departure of his successor, Croe could only stand in silence. He could feel Kevin's golden eyes burning through him, could hear the silent accusations. Listening the echoing footsteps of the retreating Warsmanv2, the same message repeated along with them in the robot's mind in a terrible mantra.

I have signed my own death warrant.

Stepping into the hotel room he shared with Kevin, Lord Flash watched the Brit quietly. The entire trip back had been in silence, the aged android didn't know what to say.

Once they were inside, the young man crossed his arms over his broad chest and turned his golden gaze to his mentor. "We should get started on your training."

A soft sigh escaped Croe as met the gaze. "Comrade…stagnation has rendered me obsolete."
Kevin tilted his head slightly. "What?"

"Training won't make me stronger, not anymore. I have reached my peak," Lord Flash said as he looked down at the luggage by the bed. "That robot, Warsman2, has been sent here to take my place. He is here to destroy and replace me because…because my stagnation hinders my ability to fight the newer and stronger generation and therefore I have lost my usefulness… It…" His voice faltered. He felt a strange sadness, as if realizing that he was compelled to a terrible and unavoidable fate. "It is the way of objects…to be replaced when no longer needed…"

"You're wrong!" Kevin placed his hands on Croe's. The robot kept his optics fixed on the suitcase lying by the bed. "There is something that you have that objects don't."

Lord Flash remained quiet, listening to his protégé. The hands slid from his shoulders to his neck, lifting up to his chin and tilting Croe's head up to his gaze met his protég's. To the robot's surprise, there were tears in the golden eyes.

"You have a family." Kevin pulled the android into a hug. Staring at the coarse fabric of the Brit's jacket, his voice was caught in his throat as his companion continued. "You can't let yourself die, Lord Flash, because you are still needed."

"What can I do…?" Croe whispered, his voice thick.

The youngest of the Mask heritage released the hold, his eyes burning with determination. "We'll think of something."

This is it.

Everything felt so surreal.

Warsmanv2. Standing at the center of the ring. A silhouette against the rising sun.

A grim reaper standing before the gates of heaven.

Kevin stood by the apron, ready to give advice. How strange it was. Their roles had now reversed.

Was he going to die today?

Was death by the hands of this machine the fate he was compelled to?

Did this mechanical being lack any weakness that Croe was capable of exploiting?

Casting a nervous glance at his protégé, the robot's hopes were renewed when the Brit flashed a thumbs up.

Climbing into the ring, Lord Flash stared death in the face.

They will find a way.

Author's Notes: And thus begins the fight between the obsolete and the advanced. Will experience triumph? Or will the new, updated model replace the old? I hope to have the next chapter up soon, but unfortunately I can't make any promises. Hope this chapter was worth the wait!