WARNING(S): nothing objectionable, I think.
Pairings: Nope. Some mildly fluffy X.
AN: Ah, look, an update.
Unlaced
Chapter 7
The Hippo and the Jackal
—
His little buddy looked decidedly puzzled when he came in for dinner, his face stamped with an almost horrified expression. What had him upset now? Zero turned to stab a forkful of the pasta he'd just finished warming up, stuffing it in him mouth before turning his attention back to X.
"What's the matter, X? Your arm isn't giving you trouble, is it?" He'd favored it early this morning, but after breakfast he'd seemed well enough, and Zero'd seen him off with a nanite patch for good measure.
"I'm alright, Zero," X deflected his concern with a smile. "I'm a little worried for my nephew's mental health is all."
"Nephew?" He lifted an eyebrow as he pushed a plate toward X's chair. Which of X's crazy nephews were causing problems now? "As in our new Commander nephew? Or one of your other nephews who went insane?"
X did an excellent impression of a kicked, orphaned kitten. Zero immediately felt guilty. Why was X so good at making him feel guilty? "Sorry," he apologized quietly, though he still felt the slight at Colonel was justified.
The elder android settled down to eat, giving him a stern look over the table. Zero knew he forgave him—this time. Next time, however, X might withhold food; he'd have to go back to eating fast food and microwave dinners. He smirked at X and then promptly ignored him for his dinner.
They ate in silence; X knew better than to try dragging anything out of Zero when he was eating. But once most of Zero's chicken and pasta had been devoured, X piped up. "Any luck with the recruits?"
"Nope." He sneered. Bumbling idiots all of them. "I'm letting one of my lieutenants take over the tryouts until we get transfers." Which would be in the next few days, with any luck.
"I can't take on apprentices like you; I don't have the patience for wide-eyed children—"
The girl. "Ah…."
X, ever patient with his faux pas, brushed it off. "Ah, well, don't think I'll be doing that much anymore, anyway."
Zero looked down at his plate again. He stepped on X's toes without fail these days. He couldn't even hold a conversation with the 'bot anymore!
"Zero," a hand slid across the table to touch Zero's right hand. "It's okay. Stop beating yourself up over everything."
Zero flashed him a forced grin. "Come on, X, I'm incorrigible, you know that."
X sighed at him, patting his wrist once in strained affection before withdrawing his hand.
The meal continued in silence until X pushed himself away from the table abruptly. Zero jerked and looked at him expectantly. X took his plate to the sink before coming back to lean on his chair. "Well, you may not be going to the tryouts, but I am. I'll be back later, Zero."
Zero debated stopping him, but he was gone before he could get the words out. Well, he could bring up his dreams later. He'd inconvenienced the android enough lately.
*~I~*
Iris glanced around the gym anxiously, letting her bangs fall over her eyes as she tried to hide her face. She just needed to wait until the lucky Reploids were named on the bulletin board, and then she could slip out. A rookie running out before finding out her placement was suspicious to say the least.
She'd traded in her usual outfit for a set of basic Hunter trainee's armor, and braided her hair. Iris had avoided the other hopeful Hunter rookies, scrambling to be recruited before the transfers came in within the next few days. She hadn't even given out her name. No one recognized her as a Repliforce—former, Repliforce soldier, and no one approached her. She had one of the earliest knock out times out entire group for sim training: Iris suspected the only reason she'd lasted as long as she had was because she had hung back behind the other simulated Hunters.
Like a coward.
She didn't understand her sudden reluctance to fight. She'd just been in a war mech, hell-bent on destroying the Crimson Hunter. And that was the problem, wasn't it? She didn't want to feel that anger again.
Iris gripped her saber nervously as the other rookies milled around her, their attention centered around the bulletin boards spread throughout the room. A group of them passed by in front of her and she ducked her head slightly, just to be safe. She wanted to get out of here now, but it would be suspicious to leave before the names were up.
They'd been through the sims training and now their performance was being evaluated, all that was left was the waiting. Iris knew her presence here was mere formality: She had a place on the unit. And, if anything, that made her feel more guilty and uneasy. Her uncle could just as easily let her slip in quietly at training one day, there was no reason for her to be here. What if someone brought up that she hadn't done well in the sims? Would her uncle get in trouble for—
There was a presence at her arm, sudden, but big. Iris turned, squeaking as she nearly ran into another Reploid. This one was large, blue, and designed after….a hippopotamus?
"Hi!" The other Reploid chirped, her voice unexpectedly high, and her enormous face alight with glee. "I'm Taweret."
Iris blinked up at her, taken aback by her openness and sudden appearance. She remembered this Reploid from her short waiting time before a sim room had opened up for her. Taweret was unexpectedly coordinated with her substantial bulk, she hardly moved like a rookie. What was she doing talking to her? Had Taweret recognized her?
"Ah, hi," she responded tentatively. "I remember you. I'm….my name is Iris."
Something like recognition flickered in the bestial Reploid's brown optics. "Oh, I've heard of you. Formerly in Repliforce, right?"
Iris almost hopped up to cover the other female's mouth. She glanced around, afraid someone had heard her name spoken. "….Yes."
"Don't worry," Taweret smiled as reassuringly as a bestial Reploid could. "I'm not angry with you. I thought you looked a bit worried. Are you afraid you won't make it into the Unit? A lot of rookies don't; just train hard and if you don't make it this time you can try again another year!"
Iris glanced at the floor, guilt welling up in her again. "….I made it in."
Taweret looked taken aback, confused by her conviction. Then she brightened. "Oh! You're an apprentice!" This wasn't an appropriate response to finding out that a traitor and former Repliforce soldier was trying to work their way into the ranks of the Hunters.
Her uncle hadn't used quite the same term, but it was apt, wasn't it? She nodded in reply. Iris was more than a little wary of this overly exuberant Reploid. Iris couldn't believe that Taweret wasn't really angry with her, jovial by nature or not.
Taweret opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by the names of lucky Reploids appearing on the bulletin boards in bright white letters. Iris ran out of the training center while the others were distracted by the announcements.
She walked hastily down the hall, away from the others; she wanted out of here before people saw her name and started asking questions.
"We seem to be doing a lot of running lately, aren't we Iris?"
The young Reploid whirled, unpleasantly stunned by the unfamiliar voice. She didn't recognize this Reploid: He was jackal-like in design, his sleek head was pale tan with delicate ears that twitched at the slightest sound. He didn't look amused.
"C-can I help y—?"
"What are you doing here?" He cut her off, his fangs flashing. He wasn't particularly angry but he certainly wasn't pleased. "Shouldn't you be dead?"
Iris flinched. She shouldn't be surprised that someone had finally recognized her, but she was. "I…I was pardoned."
"I bet you were. I saw your name on the list, Iris," he seemed to be making up for all the skepticism she thought Taweret had been lacking. "Who in their right mind let you back into our ranks?! Let alone the 17th—"
"I did, Arta." X said as he stepped around the corner to stand between the two of them. "She's my apprentice and she's fully reformed, I assure you."
Iris looked between X and….Arta? They seemed to know each other, and X didn't look very upset with the other Reploid. X grabbed her by the wrist and stepped away, "We can talk about this later. I'll see you in training, Arta."
The canid Reploid nodded reluctantly, giving her one last pointed look before turning away himself. Iris was pulled along down the hallway beside her uncle. Were they going somewhere or was he just trying to escort her out of the line of fire? X gave her a quick smile but didn't say anything.
The pair wandered through HQ, apparently taking the long way around to the residential area and X's home. It looked the same as she remembered, if a little larger and even more out of place. Was Zero there? They lived together, if she recalled correctly. But her uncle wouldn't take her in there if Zero was there, right?
"Uncle?" She piped up finally as they stepped up to the front door. She felt safer now. "Who was that Reploid that talked to me? Arta? He seemed to know me."
X paused after she spoke, his hand still clamped around her wrist. He turned and looked at her, his expression one of remorse. "He's the younger brother of one of my lieutenants, Dingo. Dingo died at the Sky Lagoon."
AN: I tried to write the sim training scene, I really did, but my brain fought me. So, I have a new chapter of Ars Moriendi that's almost ready, and several chapters of fic tentatively titled "Empire Dreams" (named after a song I was listening to when I got the plot bunny for it) as well as working on the Fallen Angel fic(s)….all while being fairly badly depressed and with anxiety on the side. Fun. Really though, I'm getting better at writing more.
My writing's still not up to snuff, I know, but reviews are appreciated.
