Hello! I have returned from the grave of procrastination and mental health to bring you the revamped telling of my main OC's story!
This is Connections, the first of multiple arcs in this book of sorts, usually coinciding with each season of the TV show. Connections covers Season 3/Rebooted.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the story!
It shouldn't be like this.
I shouldn't have to live with my parents' friends because my parents were killed. That sorcerer shouldn't have decided our village was the perfect one to terrorize, and then think my parents were enough of a threat to eliminate. My parents shouldn't have felt the need to defend themselves- to defend the village. To defend me.
I shouldn't have been so moved by this chain of events (that shouldn't have happened in the first place) I sought to avenge my own mom and dad, and free my village. I shouldn't have to live with the burden of sending a man to the cursed realm.
But of course life isn't governed by what we think should and shouldn't happen. And if life decides to completely screw over a girl before her 16th birthday, then that is what it will do.
Well, that's enough of attempting to be profound. I have a grave to visit.
"I'm headed to the cemetery," I announced as I entered the living room of the Warner's home, a house I shouldn't be living in.
Daniel Warner, the man that shouldn't have to act as my dad, looked up from his book. "Okay. You sure you don't want one of us to go with you?"
"Yeah, I'm fine alone," I replied. I actually would have loved the company, yet at the same time I couldn't be vulnerable around them. Even after over a year of living with them, I still held back every sorrow, every secret. But the thought of opening up shot panic through my whole being.
Anxiety. Another thing I have, but shouldn't.
"See you later, Lin," Michelle, aka Mrs. Warner, called as I slipped out the front door.
I tried to shake off the emotions as I climbed on my little motorbike and drove out of town. At least the weather was nice, and made the drive pleasant.
I walked the all-too-familiar path through the cemetery towards my parents' grave. A handful of flowers in my clutch, I stood in front of the stone marking the burial place of my mother and father.
This wasn't in my hometown cemetery. After the... Invasion, there was not quite enough room for all the fallen. Since my Mom and Dad were not originally from there, they were taken here, their birthplace, to be laid to rest.
I set the flowers on the ground over their bodies. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," I softly said. I tried to visit whenever I could, but I could never seem to manage a regular time. My mental state would make it impossible to even think of facing their gravestones at times.
I sank to my knees as a wave of sorrow washed over me. Tears came into my eyes but I didn't stop them from falling. I buried my tearstained face in my hands and sobbed. I didn't understand. Over a year had passed and I still cried almost every time I came. Why did it hurt so much?
I never heard the footsteps approaching or saw the person draw near. I only felt the hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn and see who was there. It was a teenager, appearing to be a year or two older than me, by my own guess. He had blond hair cut into a flat-top style, blue-gray eyes, and skin even lighter than my own fair complexion. I recalled seeing him a few times before, later on in my series of cemetery visits.
I finally remembered to speak. "Ummm, hi."
He cleared his throat while sitting down next to me. "I am sorry to bother you, but you have been crying for over seventeen minutes and thirty-seven seconds. May I ask what is wrong? "
"I... Have?" I asked, surprised at both the amount of time I had apparently spent in tears and the fact that he had... Counted?
I looked at him. We had never spoken before, had only seen each other a few times in our entire lives, yet here he was, trying to help me. He must have read my reaction, for he opened his arms. I gratefully fell into them with another round of tears.
The arms that held me were strong, yet so gentle, and it seemed like I could feel his kindness and understanding through them. The reassurance coming from his embrace alone could have moved me to tears, if I wasn't already crying my eyes out.
He glanced at the names and dates carved on the headstone. "Are these your parents?"
I nodded into his white shirt. "It's been fourteen months," I sobbed, "Why does it still hurt so much?"
"The loss of someone who is at all important to you creates a permanent change in one's life. I can relate to your situation."
I pulled away from him. "Is that who you're here for too? Your parents?"
"Not exactly... You see, I am actually an android. The grave of the man I come to visit is my creator, who passed away a few months ago. It may sound strange, but he treated me like a son, and as I am designed to be as human as possible, I grew very attached to him..."
I was shocked. Had he not just told me, I probably never would have guessed he was a robot. Yet another surprise for today. "So I've lost my parents, you've basically lost your father... It seems we have a connection."
He blinked. "A... Connection?"
"I mean, something in common," I corrected myself. "That probably wasn't the best way of saying it."
"A connection... " he repeated, as if stuck on the phrase.
I checked the time on my phone. "Oh gosh! I need to get back." I stood up to go and so did he, only now he looked a little shy or maybe... Nervous? "What's wrong?"
He looked at me. "I was wondering... Could we meet here again?"
"Sure, why not? I'll try to be back in... Two weeks."
"I will be there. "
"Great! See you later... Oh, heavens, I don't even know your name!"
"I am Zane."
"Linda, but please call me Lin," I held out my hand for him to shake. He blinked a bit at my insistence on my nickname but he shook my hand just the same. I then left, waving goodbye for as long as he was in sight. I almost smacked into a tree on the way, but I didn't care.
When I came up the path, Zane was waiting for me. I jogged over to him, smiling. "Hey Zane!"
"Greetings, Lin." He smiled in return, but it faded and he looked away from me.
I didn't let it go unnoticed. "Hey, what's wrong? "
He turned back. "It is nothing, just... I-I do not know how to explain it."
"Well I happen to be terrible at explaining just about everything, so go for it."
Zane sank to his knees. "It is just that... I had a minor malfunction in my system earlier this morning, and my friend had to fix it, because my father was not there to... It seems so small, but yet it is bothering me so much."
"Well the first day after my parents died, I cried over locking up the house without them. It doesn't make sense, but it's always the little things that matter to us most..." I knelt next to him, pulling him into a hug.
I could feel moisture on my shirt as he began to cry into my shoulder. Wow, I thought, his creator clearly spared no details.
"It appears I have so much to learn still about being human." Zane sniffled.
I held him for a while, not speaking, just letting him release his emotions. Hadn't he just done the same for me three weeks ago?
Finally he pulled back. "Thank you, Lin."
"Anytime, Zane," I said. I stood and held out a hand to help him up, which he took. After he was standing, we still held each other's hands until we realized what we were doing. Zane and I let go, turning away and blushing slightly.
"Would you like to see something?" Zane asked, clearly trying to break whatever tension we had created.
"O-oh, sure," I replied. I faced him again and stared in shock as Zane created a small geometrical shape out of ice that he produced from his hands.
"You have… ice powers?" My mind was racing with thoughts and questions, but that was all I could get out.
"Why, yes."
My eyes widened with a sudden realization. "Wait… are you one of the guys who trained the Green Ninja?"
"Indeed. Would you perhaps like to meet him? And my other friends?"
"You sure? Is that even okay?"
"Of course, why else would I have offered?" His smile was gentle, but it could have melted the coldest of hearts. Mildly ironic given his ice powers.
"I- I'd love to," I said.
Zane and I got on our bikes and headed back. I looked at him as we drove through the city towards wherever he called home. He was a friend I shouldn't have made. And yet, I'm so glad I did.
Before you ask, no, I don't know when I'll be uploading the next chapter. But I will do my best to make it soon. Also I am just now realizing how short this chapter is. *sighs* that's what I get for simply editing an old piece of writing I guess. Expect longer chapters in the future.