Chapter 6 – City Y

Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing well!

Uh, I should probably apologize for the delay… I'm so sorry, but I'm lousy with time management and this chapter took longer than I expected to type up.

Also, let me thank MadJeager 00 and Maka Info-Chan for the follows – I really appreciate the support! And thank you to everyone who's taken time to read my story!

So in this chapter, we finally meet our next Class-S Hero! Who's excited?!

It was morning and Zombieman stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom that adjoined his room. He didn't move. He just stared at his reflection the same way he did on most mornings when he had the chance. Zombieman had no idea why he did it; it wasn't like anything ever changed. His eyes were still red, his skin still a greyish-white and then there was the Y-shaped autopsy scar down his torso.

For some reason he had carried one of his axes into the bathroom with him. So, acting on impulse, he used the blade to draw a few lines of blood across his chest and over the scar. The new wounds – like always – healed. The scar remained. Zombieman sighed. Sometimes, he didn't know why he even bothered. He turned away and walked out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. Pausing by the chest of drawers on which was draped his trench coat, he reached into one pocket and withdrew a lighter and pack of cigarettes. Placing one in his mouth, he put away the rest of the pack before lighting his cigarette while deep in thought.

He thought about the House of Evolution. Of Doctor Genus and his creations. The other mutants, Genus's clones… himself. Zombieman's fist inadvertently tightened as his thoughts strayed to the past. Sometimes he wondered if Doctor Genus would ever send any of his other 'creations' to try and bring Zombieman back to him.

Just then, a knock on the room door snapped him back to reality. His head turned towards the door slightly, his eyes narrowed fractionally. Carefully, he curled the fingers of his right hand around the handle of one of his axes. He tensed in anticipation of an attack.

"Yeah?" He called out, "Who is it?"

"It's me – Valkyrie." Came the slightly muffled reply.

"Oh, hang on," he said, instantly untensing.

He moved towards the door and opened it to see the older, dark-haired girl standing outside. She seemed surprised upon seeing Zombieman, her eyes widening marginally as the door opened to reveal him.

"What's up?" he asked casually.

"… Huh?" She blinked. "Oh, it's just – when are we going to see this friend of yours? I'm kind of – y'know – impatient to get back to my world." Her words were halting.

"Don't worry, we'll get going soon." Zombieman told her, "How does a quick breakfast sound before we walk to City Y?"

"Uh, sure," Valkyrie's shrug was quick – almost flustered. "Sounds good."

"'kay, then. I'll be down in a moment." He said.

Valkyrie gave him a single nod before he closed the door. He stood with his back to the door for a moment and took his cigarette out of his mouth before exhaling a thin plume of smoke. Then, he walked to the bed where his singlet lay and dressed quickly, pulling on his tanker boots last. His cigarette back between his lips, he slung his trench coat over his left shoulder as he walked out and shut the door behind him.

As Zombieman made his way down the stairs, his boots clomped heavily against and the noise satisfied him. Pausing at the foot of the staircase, he saw Toph and Valkyrie sitting at the same booth as they had last night. Talking animatedly, they looked like they could have been good friends.

Friends… He couldn't really say he knew the feeling. So did he envy them in that case? …No, he decided. He didn't. But in all honesty, he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt anything other than tweaks and twinges and sharp sensations of pain. Anger, hate and determination were nothing new to him, either.

"I've gotta be honest," Toph said, a finger in her ear, "but I have no idea what that word means."

"What word?" Valkyrie asked, "Autopsy?"

"Yup. That's the one." Toph raised an index finger for emphasis. "So what does it mean?"

"It's… you know… well…"

"And this explanation is making things so much clearer." Huffed the younger girl, slumping lower in her seat.

"Okay, well sometimes when a person dies, a doctor will carry out an autopsy to figure out how the person died – especially if the cause of death was suspicious."

"Uh-huh. Go on." Toph nodded.

"So to carry out the autopsy, the doctor cuts open the person's chest in a 'Y' shape so they can take a look inside the body." Valkyrie explained, "And then when they're done, they stitch it back up."

"Huh," was Toph's immediate reaction. "So… you think Zombieman died –"

"Yes."

" – but now is somehow alive."

"Yes."

"So he's a dead man." Toph concluded, "And everyone thought the Avatar was dead. Is there anything wrong with dead men?"

"Well, no – not inherently – I mean I do work with a living skeleton… and he's not so bad." She admitted.

"Cool!" Toph grinned, "A living skeleton?! I think I'd like to meet him."

"I think you two would get along well," Valkyrie arched a wry eyebrow.

Just then, Toph felt Zombieman slide into the seat opposite to theirs. The only reason she hadn't noticed him approaching was because her feet didn't reach the ground. Beside her, though, she noticed Valkyrie stiffen slightly. Was she really that bothered by Zombieman being dead? Toph didn't really care, but then the only 'dead' person she had met was Aang, and he didn't really count.

There was the soft clink of cutlery as plates were set down on the table between them and Toph remembered it was morning, so that meant breakfast. She was no Sokka when it came to food, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy a good meal. She sat up properly as Zombieman told them what he'd bought – perhaps mostly for Toph's benefit.

"There's an omelet for each of us," he began, "a few slices of toast and – if either of you are feeling up to it – some soup."

"Sounds like a good start to a good day!" Toph grinned and within moments, they all tucked in.

Toph was stuffed after breakfast, so the long walk it took to get to City Y was a good thing. As they walked along, none of them said a word to each other and Toph found the silence boring. Even the most tedious trips she'd been on with the rest of the gaang had at least had some sort of entertainment; Momo stealing something from Sokka, and him getting worked up about it or even just regular conversation to keep them occupied. But with this new group, there was nothing to be said. Zombieman didn't seem to be the conversational type, anyway and Valkyrie just seemed on edge.

But as they walked, Toph couldn't help but notice people who turned to stare their way – or maybe Zombieman's way? – as they did. She was also aware of Valkyrie meddling with her ring whenever their group stopped to cross a road or to let other pedestrians pass. Zombieman on the other hand, seemed completely at ease. He had his hands shoved in his coat pockets while something that smoked stuck out of his mouth.

After a few hours, they finally stopped.

They were outside what appeared to be several large, dome-shaped building. Toph could feel some activity going on inside but at the same time, she knew there wasn't anyone inside.

"We're here." Zombieman stated.

"What is this place?" Valkyrie asked, her voice inquisitive.

"This is the laboratory of another Class-S hero called Child Emperor," the man responded.

"'Child Emperor'?" Valkyrie echoed, sounding like she was frowning," Why is exactly is he called 'Child Emperor'?" Her voice was on the verge of sounding accusing.

"'Cause he's ten years old," shrugged their escort.

There passed a moment of tense, almost unbelieving silence.

"Did you say ten years old?" Valkyrie asked quietly.

"Yeah." Confirmed Zombieman.

"So he's a child?"

"Yes again."

"Hey, I'm twelve," Toph added to the conversation with a shrug.

"What makes you think he can help us?" Now Valkyrie sounded frustrated.

"Because he's smart – " began Zombieman.

"For a kid?" Valkyrie cut across scathingly.

" – for a person." Zombieman finished calmly.

"How do you know that?!" The older girl burst.

Just then, Toph heard footsteps approach and turned slightly in the direction they were coming from. The person who'd walked up to them was small – a kid – about her height. He paused beside her while Valkyrie and Zombieman exchanged banter.

"Uh, hi," said the newcomer.

"Hey," Toph nodded, "what's up?"

"Nothing much." He shrugged in response, "I was just on my way back to my lab. I'm Child Emperor, by the way."

"Toph."

"Nice to meet you, Toph," he sounded like he was smiling.

"Wait, you said you're Child Emperor?" Toph asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah," he said with a chuckle, "that's me."

"Great! Just the guy we're here to see!" She said with a laugh. "Give me a minute… Okay, folks," she said as she stepped between her two squabbling companions and shoved them apart, "you guys are making a bad first impression on that kid."

"Who…?" Valkyrie turned, sounding both confused and irritated.

"Him." Toph gestured over her shoulder.

"Oh. It's Child Emperor," Zombieman observed.

"Hi, Zombieman-san," he raised a hand in greeting. "So can I enquire as to what brings you to my lab? Any reason in particular or is this just a social call?"

"If only it was," Zombieman sighed. "Can we come inside – I'd prefer if we could talk somewhere more private."

"Of course; follow me."

And that's it for Chapter 6!

Finally we have a new character appearing – it's about time, too! So just a heads-up, I will be publishing the next chapter of my other story, Soulmate, before coming back to this.

Until next time, stay safe!