The Year of Change

Summary: Twice during every decade, robots start acting strange and humans become on edge for a whole month, especially those in the Eon family. Dealing with an unorthodox love and these new changes, Marty has trouble facing the upcoming war. Will his new friends help him or will his love be forbidden by the adults? Read to find out.

"So, how is our Young Master these days, Gaff?" Grand Master Zhang asked the next morning as Gaff sat with him in his room while he drank some green team with biscuits. The guardian looked uneasy, ready to start pacing any second now and was probably prepared to run out of the room and to his Master at the slightest hint that something was wrong. "I came here to specifically make sure he was dealing with the situation properly. After all, the Eon family was a bit different than the rest of the human kind, due to their connection with the fist through Master Eon."

"He seems to be handling it well enough." The red and white robot answered, looking towards the door again. Really, Gaff was such a worrywart. The possibility of Marty getting hurt in the span of half an hour was ridiculous on such a high security base such as the CDF's HQ. Besides, there were others with Marty at almost all times. That big boxer robot, George, was very fond of the boy and they spent a great deal of time sparing together. With his new training, Marty was more than a match for the Orange Valley Champion. Then there was that Shadow fellow. He had a dark cloud made up of his past clinging to him and his newfound friendship with Marty was a ray of light for him. He would protect the boy without a doubt. Magnum and Violet were there for him, too, without hesitation despite their own lives being at stake. And there were many other CDF and Orange Bandits robots around to prevent or at least slow down any attackers that might want the last descendant of the Eon family any harm. Not to mention Marty was no longer the helpless, little boy who had started out on this journey. The boy's protection and safety weren't to be of concern.

What was, however, was the month they were already almost halfway through.

"Did you notice any of the symptoms?" Zhang asked with slight concern. The symptoms might end up endangering the boy in a fight if they didn't help him deal with them right. "Has he been acting strangely?"

"Master Marty seems to have gone through a couple of stages already," was the answer he both expected and dreaded. "He has trouble sleeping, but I think he made up for a few days with yesterday's nap. He's had strange eating patterns a few days ago. Buttons has been complaining about their room always being so much cooler than the rest of the base because Master Marty was hot. He took in more liquids, presumably to return his core temperature to a more manageable level and he switched between lethargic and hyperactive for a while. He also seems to have grown both restless and fidgety."

"More so than other humans when the Year of Change takes effect on their robot companions?" They had to make sure, after all.

"Indeed." Was all the protector of the Fist said before finally giving into the urge to move and he stood up, walked over to the window and looked outside while gripping his sword tightly.

"Then there is no doubt." Zhang said with a sigh and a tired nod. "I have actually hoped that he would be too young for it to happen, even though he wears the Fist. After all, he's not even a teenager yet."

"Charlie surely must have told him something about all of this," Gaff said, as though trying to convince himself of this fact. "He's been around the Eon family long enough for them to tell him the other reason they were so different from the rest of humanity."

"Even if he did tell the boy," the old man countered. "Marty was far too young to learn any of this. It would have just confused or frightened him more than the situation no doubt had as soon as he was thrust into it. Think about it, Gaff." He insisted, walking over to the guardian. "He is so young and we already expect him to fight a war for us. Back then, when the Fist wasn't even a figment of his wildest dreams, such a family trait would seem frightening to him. He would be scared of his own duty."

"Marty is a brave boy and a true warrior at heart," Gaff insisted, defending his Young Master vehemently. "He would be confused, yes, but not frightened."

"He is still just a child, Gaff." Zhang corrected as he patted the ancient robot's hand. "No matter how mature his ordeals have made him. A child's emotions are unstable and unpredictable. He has time to work on that, but that is not what concerns me still. Did any of the robots ... go after him?"

"His association with me, Shadow and George kept away anyone who might have turned out to be a problem." The swordsman replied with a sigh. "I think I should go and check on my Master now."

"Gaff," the old man called when the bot got to the doors. "You yourself are not acting like you always do."

"The Year of Change has not affected me," was the crisp answer. "I feel no need to exchange code, Master Zhang."

A chuckle was his response. "The Year of Change affects everyone, Gaff. Even you. But it affects us all in different ways. While in the past you sought to hide yourself from everyone in order to preserve your coding, you are now actively seeking Marty out."

"I am doing my job," Gaff stated and hastily left the Grand Master's assigned room, no doubt heading towards Marty's location, wherever that may be at this point in time. Zhang just shook his head.

"No, Gaff. You never felt this way before and you are hiding behind your duty. You have not gravitated even towards Eon as much as you do towards Marty. You must realize this ... on your own." He mumbled to himself and closed his eyes, only to open them a few minutes later when he heard a knock. He got up, wondering who it was as he walked towards the doors to let in his guest. His eyes twinkled with delight at who he saw.

"I was wondering if you'd mind some company," Orange Mama stated and Zhang very gladly let her in, offering her tea and biscuits.

The Year of Change affected everyone.

00000

"I don't know how you can stand it, Marty," Ally admitted as the the three friends sat down at a table in the cafeteria for lunch. They were, besides Jenny of course, the youngest people on the base but both the human workers and the robot agents gave gotten more than used to them by now. "I mean, I've never had a crush before, let alone have I been in love with someone, but I usually got pretty jealous whenever someone tried taking Duke Von Rhymer's attention away from me. I honestly don't get it how you can stand all those robots coming onto Gaff like that."

"Shh, please be a but quieter, Ally!" The boy with the Fist begged, fearing someone would overhear and he'd get in trouble. "I don't want anyone to hear, okay?"

"Right, sorry," the genius apologized as she took the first bite of her spaghetti. "Still ..."

"I don't like it, if that's what you mean," Marty said as he looked down at his food, hesitating from eating it. Since this morning's breakfast, he couldn't even think about food without throwing up. He was looking at it now and he wasn't running towards the nearest bathroom yet, but that didn't mean much. He'd rather not eat just to vomit it all later. But he'll have to eat at least a little. It's not healthy to skip meals, after all. "But I know I can't really stop it, either. Besides, I have no right to be jealous. Gaff may call me Master, but I don't control him. And while I might love Gaff, he onl-"

"You like Gaff?" A startled, familiar, female robot voice said and Marty suddenly turned pale and grew very, very stiff while Ally and Buttons looked up towards Violet, who had approached their table with a plate of oil that was her ration. The purple robot looked confused and curious, but there was no scorn or disgust on her face. Of course, if Marty would just look over to her, he'd sew that. "That's ... actually kind of cute."

"... what?" Was all Eon's Heir could say as he turned to look at the female robot. "But ... isn't it ... strange that I like a robot like that?"

"We can't chose who we love," she replied as she took the seat besides Ally, opposite Marty with a warm smile on her face. "If anything, I think you two would be good for each other. He'd protect you and you'd make sure he takes care of himself."

Marty blushed at this and looked away, making Ally giggle and Violet chuckle at his reaction. It was sometimes so difficult to remember the brunet was still only a boy! An eleven year old boy saddled with a fist that carried a heavy destiny. Violet eyed him sadly as she realized that even when all of this was finally over, Marty will still be changed forever. The experiences he went through will make him years older than he actually is. His childhood ended the day he put on that Fist. And yet he was the only one who can wear it, too. Fate was not so kind towards Marty as to grant him at least a few more years of a peaceful life.

"So, what are your plans to get Gaff to return your feelings?" The robot decided to change the subject and Marty went from red as a tomato to pale as a sheet in three seconds flat as he registered what she was asking and he started waving around his hands.

"No no no no no!" The boy flailed around a bit, obviously very uncomfortable at the mere thought of making a move on his guardian. "I'm not making any moves! Besides, I'm just a kid!"

"That doesn't mean you're not a good partner for someone," the female argued back, smiling gently at the boy. "It's perfectly okay to be in love, Marty." Unknown to them, someone who was just passing by near their table heard and stiffened at what they were hearing. "It's a wonderful feeling that makes everything better in the world."

"Are you in love, Violet?" Ally asked, deciding Marty's been tormented enough. The boy's face was as red as his crush's cape and that's saying quite a bit. "You sound like you're talking from personal experience." The eavesdropping party left at that, already knowing that they can't deal with both the boy's untimely crush and possibly an assets, too, at the same time. Priorities must be made and the Heir to the Fist was it. Agent Violet knew how to keep her head in the game despite possibly being in love. The boy did not. That's what has to be dealt with first.

"I am," replied the CDF agent with a smile that was a bit different than the smiles she usually gave the kids. "I've been in love with this one person for a while now, but I think they've only recently even noticed I exist as something other than a fellow agent."

"You could just be a bit less cryptic, you know." Buttons sniffed and the female robot chuckled. "I mean, we're not going to go around telling everyone. We can keep secrets. Right, Marty?"

"Buttons, you couldn't keep a secret if your life depended on it," said individual answered and Buttons glared at him. Violet just chuckled at their antics. ''And you don't have to tell us, Violet. Just because you know I love Gaff doesn't mean you have to share who you're in love with.''

''You're in love with Gaff?'' A deep voice asked and Marty groaned as he recognized it as Magnum even before the big, blue war machine sat down at their table beside Violet. ''Well, that would explain a few tings in your strange behavior as of late.''

''How come no one seems to be concerned with the fact I'm in love with a robot?'' The Heir of Eon couldn't help but question and got strange looks from his friend. ''Well, it's not the most common thing happening around here, you know.''

''True, you're the first person who I've met that 's in love with a robot, but that doesn't make it strange, just rare.'' The captain said evenly. ''Besides, you and Gaff would look like a nice couple. You already look like you belong together. I'm sure he'd be honored to have your affections.''

Marty slammed his head against the table top. ''Yeah, honored. Because I'm his Master.''

''Hush, Marty,'' Ally chided him finally with a slight scowl on her face. ''You know Gaff sees you as more than just the Master he had to take because of a vow from a century ago. Give him some more credit than that.''

''That might be, but I'm his Master first and everything else second and third. He'll never see me as anything other than a kid he was saddled with taking care of for the rest of my life.'' The brunet grumbled and Magnum frowned at him disapprovingly.

''While I might know Gaff for a rather short amount of time, I do know that he's a honorable individual.'' The blue bot said seriously, drawing the sulking human's attention. ''Even if you are his Master, you are far more than that. No one looks after their forced Masters as well as he looks after you. His worry is true and it's not just because you're his old Master's successor and heir. If nothing else, then he cares for you as a friend and respects you as Marty, not as Eon's replacement.''

''And I'm more than happy to have even that.'' The boy admitted, telling the truth. ''Really, I am. But am i asking for too much by wanting to be with him all the time, for the rest of my life?''

''You really do love him, don't you?'' Ally asked as her friend seemed on the verge of tears. Tis was the most vulnerable the CDF agents had seen him and it has been a while since Buttons had seen his owner and friend in such distress. ''Oh, Marty. It will be okay.'' She said as she crossed over to his side of the table and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. ''Everything will be okay.''

00000

''I must say, you surprised me with this request.'' Orange Mama said the next day at breakfast, sitting at the table in her room where she preferred to eat instead of the cafeteria. She liked to eat in here with Jenny and, with increasing frequency these days, Zhang instead of feeling crowded in with all those agents outside. Despite taking a rather big escort with herself, there were far less Orange Bandits here than there were CDF personnel. "After all, I was pretty sure all you CDF personnel had some personal and general dislike towards the Orange Valley's Pit fighting tournament. You've dubbed it illegal fights, after all."

"My opinions haven't changed, Orange Mama," her companion informed her in a voice one would usually reserve for business. It suited this situation, in a way, since this could be interpreted as a business bargain. "I simply realized this might be useful for CDF's interests in this war. I'm just assuring our assets."

"Hm, yes, I see. But mind telling me what asset you are assuring that a tournament between the best fighters present would be needed? Is it that Shadow fellow? He seems uneasy around your troupes and they seem to be avoiding him. Or is it Gaff that you wish to test?" The old woman mused, although she would have appreciated an answer none the less. She would like to know what she was getting herself into, after all. The best business is run when you know what you're doing, why you're doing it and with whom you're making the deal. "If it's the latter, I can assure you that he is a great fighter."

"We have no doubt of that. This isn't a test of fighting skills, Orange Mama," the CDF agent she'd been talking with said gravely. "We're trying to see if one of our assets can keep their head in the game and on the task at hand despite developing feelings."

The old woman arched an eyebrow. "I thought you were informed that everyone is affected by the Year of Change." When she got a blank stare, she sighed in exasperation. ''I thought you said Gaff explained it all.''

''I'm afraid I don't see your meaning.''

''Everyone acts differently during the Year of Change: robots, humans, animals ... The change in the robots causes unrest among humans and unrest among humans causes uneasiness among the animals.'' Orange Mama explained simply, leaning back in her seat. ''Simply put, everyone is affected. You can't really expect anything out of anyone at this time. Everyone is simply a lot different at this time.''

''How many Years of Change have you seen, ma'am?'' Her companion asked seriously. ''Because I need to know how I can keep one of our most important assets focused on the war he's supposed to fight for us.''

''Ah, I see. You're afraid this time will have an effect on young Marty,'' the leader of the Orange Bandits finally caught on, chuckling under her breath. ''Well, I heard rumors that this might happen. There are stories that the Eon family was always rather strange at this time of the year. But, then again, what do I know about the Eons? Talk with Gaff or Grand Master Zhang if the boy starts acting strange.''

''I don't care if he acts particularly strange,'' the CDF representative in this conversation argued with a scowl. ''I just want to take his mind off of the Year of Change and his secret little crush.''

There was a short pause before the old woman could speak again, quite literally shocked speechless. ''What?''

''I overheard them talking in the cafeteria. The boy has a crush on someone,'' the other crossed their arms as they leaned back in their own seat, the scowl still on their face. ''Normally, I wouldn't really care, but this Year of Change worries me. If everyone really acts as crazy as we've heard during this time, then the boy will probably forget all about possibly fighting the General - that is still actually up for debate if it will even happen, since he's just a kid - because he's too focused on his crush. A few matches might keep his mind on track. Mostly because he'll be too busy exchanging blows with others to even think of possibly attempting anything with his crush.''

''That boy is still just a child, he won't attempt anything!'' The elder exclaimed, shocked someone would even think that. Besides, Marty had always seemed like a nice boy to her. She would never think of him as someone who'd ... act like that. ''Besides, he's allowed to have a crush. He may bare a heavy burden on his shoulders due to sharing Eon's destiny of fighting the General, but he is still a human being.''

''Don't you see this is for his protection?'' Was the argument. ''If he's too focused on his crush, he might end up hurt or worse yet, dead! If we make him focus on his mission, he will at least head out to battle with a clear head. That might end up saving his life.''

Orange Mama couldn't argue with that, so she just grunted in reply. ''Fine, I will assist with this, but only so far that I will organize this little impromptu tournament. After all, I want to see how much stronger he has gotten since he has fought in my arena.'' The orange dressed woman turned away from her guest and looked out of the window of her small room. ''But keep me out of this plan of yours. I don't want to be on the receiving end of Gaff's and Marty's anger when they find out about this.''

''Your name won't be mentioned, Orange Mama,'' Kelly promised as she stood up and left the room. Orange Mama shook her head as she studied the boy, training outside with George without the use of his armor.

What a terrible destiny he has before him and yet he now no longer even has the basest of human rights to love who he wants. ''Cruel is the fate of your successor, Eon.'' The old lady murmured to herself as she watched the boy's friends and even Jenny cheer for him every time he broke George's guard in their little spar. ''Cruel is his fate.''