Chapter 13 : Broken Will
Serges - This is ridiculous. When he is going to come out of there? Its been a week already...
X has a look of worry. He looks as if hes been in a hospital waiting room during a serious surgery , not sure of the life or death outcome...
Zero - I don't like this... hes not been the same our journey into infinity. Since...he deleted that data.
X's eyes start to water a little. Zero notices.
Zero looks down at the ground then turns his back and walks away from the others, his blonde hair bounces with determination...
Serges starts typing away on the old mans computer, trying to determine why the system fried. He had been working on the backup generator systems and found those disconnected also. He had just finished rerouting and programming a new control link as the human Wily above called out for voice command backups. Serges has some suspicions that this hideout may be compromised but he doesn't alarm the others yet. He has set up the security systems and monitoring networks around the area. He is confident no one will approach undetected. Still, he must find out if more systems are compromised. He continues typing away on the keyboard, cursing its interface as being too slow and the human Wily as sentimental. He mumbles to himself just under X's main focus of hearing. X decides not to force the volume.
He has a sense of pain. Something is wrong with Wily... seriously different this time. It's not something anyone like X can help with. No, not after ...and maybe not ever...no. X remembers how important it was not to let his train of thought go too far into possible futures. Even with his quantum network under control he is now afraid of himself on an entirely new level than before. It was his power, his fear and his anger that worried him the most before. Now, its his love, and the power of his mind to focus that love into action that scares him. X was put back together by Zero. Zero said that hes pretty sure everything was correct but on the quantum level, the possibility that something isnt the way it was is also practically a certainty. X is feeling not only broken from the usual insecurity's, but now hes got physical data backing up the fragmentation of what he feels like may be his soul. X is afraid so much that the only amount of thought that he can put into Wily's struggle is the tears he allows to swell. He feels for him. He knows exactly whats going on with Wily because on some instinctive level, hes going through his own version of hell , right now, at this very moment and perhaps deep down, hes always been going through it and now its just torn to the surface, bearing its weight back down with fresh perspective and added experience for good measure. X feels ashamed he cannot empathize more for Wily and go talk to him like Zero probably went off to do.
X - Wily...(sobs)i'm sorry I am so weak...
X stands up and gives a look to Serges is who is absorbed into the data of the computer. He thinks of Rush...who is in the room with Wily. He hasn't left Wily's side either since the incident. He almost guards the room entrance at night when Wily's sleeping, like a sentry bot. Hes going to miss him. Hes going to really miss ...well...its time to stop thinking like that. Its time to stop crying...
X - Its time to grow up!
X wipes away his tears and has that look of determination that can move the will of hearts of minds.
Serges - Whats that my boy!?
Serges barely noticed X had spoke.
X enters the elevator and presses the button...watching the doors close on a Chapter in his life...he enters the next chapter...alone...
Zero reaches the door of Wily's room... no Rush. He cracks a smirk.. Hes come to like that mutt. Hes red like me. Rush really has taken a liking to Wily also. Isn't he supposed to be the kids dog? Thomas Light. He remembers an experience in the quantum realm where he was able to travel back to watch Light and Wily when they were young at the university. He cant recall the memory but a deep seated feeling of understanding of the man remains. He knew that Light could be trusted and his intentions were pure. His creations did seem to burst with love in a way no other bots really do or have since. He knows now it has to do with Light himself, the human being. Light had raised that pup and Rock, and Roll, and X is still very much Rock with a more mature presence. Zero smirks again. Mature... Ehh maybe a teenager still. Nothing wrong with that. He is great and powerful. More powerful than he even acknowledges. Perhaps...more powerful than even I feel comfortable acknowledging sometimes...
Zero -Light... A mystery that is solved, becomes a mystery once again...ahh whatever.
Zero knocks softly on the sliding double door of the quarters showing a giant yellow W with a skull. Zero has faint memory's spurt forth of a confident , defiant Wily, in his lab coat and black glasses, Reggae on his shoulder, an army of bots behind him, gleaming with pride. He gets no answer from the knock...
Zero frowns...
Zero - Are you awake doctor?
Rush barks inside... Zero takes that as a yes.
Zero pushes the button to enter and the doors open. He finds Rush greeting him right away. His front paws lift up to press against his friends stomach. Zero reaches down and pets his head.
Zero - That's a good boy. How is he?
Rush whimpers and with his tail down, scurrys over to the bed in the corner and lays down. A lump shows a body occupying the sheets. Hes in a fetal position, completely covered under two linen white cotton sheets with a giant yellow W and skull. Two protruding duffs of hair can be seen poking out from the top of the sheets.
Zero - Father...
Zero gets no answer.
Zero - You should probably...
Zero stops his sentence. Hes not sure what to do. What to say. He eats, he sleeps, everything he needs is in this room. Replicators, showers and beds. He wanted to suggest eating, suggest showering but he knows he will sometime during each day. Why did he come in here? I saw X...i felt like something had to be done. Wily is hurting others now. My father is breaking also...what do i do?
Zero - Father...i'm .. i'm really sorry I cannot help or find something to say or do that can help you. I'm... i'm just...
Zero turns his back and walks to the far corner of the room. He kneels down, facing the corner. A sense of shame is filling him.
Zero - Have I? Have I failed you? Failed us all?
Zero closes his eyes and bites his lower lip. His bite turns to a gnash. A small trail of blood starts to flow from the corner of his mouth. The nanites in his synthetic blood stream clog and then repair the cut.
Zero feels a hand land against his shoulder. He looks over to it. Its wrinkled,dry and old.
Wily ,in a raspy unused voice.
Wily - You have failed no one...
Zero stands to face his creator.
Wily - Come, sit. We will have a talk.
Wily walks over to the bed, hes still in bed clothes. Its a black silk kimono with his trademark yellow W. No skull. He climbs back in and under the covers and sits up. He pets the end of the bed with his hand, calling Rush to jump up.
Rush - woof!
He hops up and plops down next to Wily as Wily pets his head. He intends to pet and talk at the same time...much to the delight of the robotic dog.
Zero pulls the computer chair over with him to sit reverse style in front of the doctor to listen.
Wily - Zero, my boy. I've decided to retire. I no longer wish to be a scientist nor do I wish to lead the world to some kind of Utopia for you.
His gaze turns serious.
Wily - I have decided to stay here. In this world..
