Chapter Sixteen-- Broken Hearts and Tormented Minds
Author's Note: Minna, I am SO sorry for taking so long on this one... can you believe I got writer's block? It's all good now... I have a good base for the next three or four chapters now! Enjoy and please review!
Damn, I hated that robot... he was so arrogant... and for him to be the favorite of Sierra was beyond me. How could... How could a robot and a human have feelings for one another? Granted, I myself felt a small affection towards her, for she was the one who freed me from Wily... and trusted me where that bastard Zero did not.
What could she see in him? It was mind-boggling to attempt to understand that... he was cocky, bull-headed, foul-mouthed, and for heaven's sake, he looked like a freaking girl! With that long blond ponytail of his... jeez. Who created him, anyway?
Just as I continued to bash at Red in the depths of my mind, someone knocked at my door. I whirled around in the small room, nearly knocking over the chair next to the small desk. I cursed beneath my breath.
"Come IN!" I yelled, but the door didn't open.
"B-blue?" said a voice from the other side. "Are you okay in there?"
It was Sierra. "Oh... damn..." I walked over to the door, cracking it open with a soft creak. "I'm sorry, Sierra. I've been a bit busy in here."
"Oh." She looked around the room with a long gaze, and I saw her trying not to reveal emotion in her features. Finally, she saw the concerned look on my face, and a tear escaped her eye... She was so weak for a human... more emotional than Wily ever was, but Wily never stirred my feelings like she did. Something tugged at my consciousness that somewhat annoyed me, but the wave of emotion flowed over me and caused my face to soften.
"What?" I asked, a little more harshly than I had intended.
"N-nothing... you just..." she trailed off, her eyes not leaving mine. I nearly drowned in her sorrowful deep-blue eyes as she stood before me... What was going on? What was wrong with her... even better question; what the hell was wrong with ME?
"What is it, Sierra?" I insisted, frowning. She shied back a bit, studying my features. She still had dark circles under her eyes from Wily's control over her, and she was thinner than when he had first abducted her... but beneath these things I saw her true strength and determination, her drive to protect others and compassion for life. It surprised me to see that in her... a human. I had only seen that kind of drive once before... in a blue robot that no longer existed.
She narrowed her eyes in pain as her intense stare bored through me. I took a small step towards her, and she seemed to suddenly snap out of her trance. Now new emotion crossed her face, more intense than anything.
"You look so much like him..." she murmured.
Oh damn... she had to say that. Now I saw that it was me that was hurting her... and a part of me NEVER wanted to do that... what was I to do?
"I... I know..." I replied. She raised a hand to my hair, twisting some gently between her fingers as her palm brushed my cheek. I struggled to retain my composure... something about her was electrifying. But... as much as I was surprised by the touch her expression didn't change... I wondered if she knew what she was doing.
"God..." she was saying. "So much like Rock..."
Unfamiliar haze drifted across my vision as I raised my gloved hand to cover hers. My cybernetic heart was pounding... and wave upon wave of feelings crashed into me again and again. But... it wasn't me that she saw...
"I'm not Rock," I whispered. "Rock is gone... forever."
She shook her head slowly. "No... he's still alive. His memory will live on forever... and I see him in you, too..."
"I'm not Rock," I repeated, more firmly. "I'm just an earlier model... a machine with no feeling and no place in this world."
"That's not true."
"It is!" I exclaimed, whirling away. "I was taken from my home long ago, and remade to be a heartless and cruel fighter... with a black conscience... if I even have one left!"
And with that I ran past her, and out the door. I had no idea where I was going... I couldn't see anything as I passed through the lab and into the outside world. Not stopping there I continued tearing down the sidewalk, trying to flee from my emotions... and my memories...
***
"Blue!" I called as he ran from the room. "Come back!"
What happened? Had I said something wrong? It didn't matter... all I knew was that Wily was out there, somewhere, and for Blue to take off like that was a horrible risk to take.
"Zero!" I screamed, not knowing what else to do. "ZERO!"
He came running in seconds, standing in front of me and seemingly looking for the aggressor. "Where is he?!" he demanded. "What did he do?!"
"No... he didn't do anything Zero... but Blue... he ran off!!"
He sighed, relaxing, and gave me a dark look. "All for the best, Sierra. I never liked him anyway, and he's probably gone back to Wily where he can tell him what he found out about us! I hope he falls in a river and rusts, that unfeeling monstrous bast--"
I slapped him across the face in a fit of anger. He just stood there, unmoving and in shock. When he finally turned his face back to mine, I saw with horror his emerald eyes wide in shock and pain. I was frozen, transfixed, my hands covering my mouth.
Oh no... what did I do? I demanded of myself. What have I done??
I backed away in frightened shock, my gaze never leaving Zero's pained one. He said nothing as his cheek turned red, and I could see the imprint that my small hand had made...
I couldn't take it... I couldn't look at him after doing that! I turned on my heel and fled out of the room as Blue had just done, tears streaming from my face. But before I could get very far a large hand grabbed my arm firmly.
"I won't let you go after him, Sierra," he said as an almost desperate plea. "It's too dangerous..."
"I DON'T CARE!" I shouted, sobbing even harder. "I WON'T lose any more friends... never again! Even if that costs me my life!"
"Sierra--"
"Let me go! Right now!" Not waiting for a response I jerked my arm out of his grasp and began running again. As my feet flew fluidly and blindly I could hear Zero's strangled gasp, and choked sob.
"SIERRA!"
I had no idea where I was going... all that mattered to me was finding Blue. I stopped at a street corner to catch my breath and hastily wipe away the offending tears that masked my vision. It was now late afternoon, and the sun had begun to become overcast with dark clouds. I gazed at the sky for a moment, sensing that it would soon rain. I had to find him, and fast, before something horrible happened to him.
I thought about his reactions back in his room... I felt so horrible about what I had said. I realized right then that I had upset him by mentioning Rock... the poor 'bot was just as shaken as I was about it! How cruel I was to bring it up... to expose memories that will undoubtedly haunt him forever. But he wasn't alone in his sorrows... he had to know that! We all were suffering from the loss... but I was somewhat comforted that he had died nobly and valiantly while trying to save us. He hadn't cared about himself... only getting the rest of us home, and I forever thanked him for it.
Rock, I thought sadly. I'm so sorry for all that I did, and also for what I never had the chance to do. I'm trying to help Blue as you would have done... but what would you do now? How I wish you were here...
Lightning, followed by a clap of thunder. I jumped, not realizing how long I had been standing there on the empty corner. I cursed at myself for wasting time, and started walking in a random direction to continue my search.
Minutes passed, and perhaps even hours, but still no sign of the red-and-grey robot. I was quickly losing any hope of finding him, because if he didn't want to be found, he could easily blend in with a crowd since his arm cannon and helmet were removed. Light mist hung over the street, dampening my skin. Soon I felt one or two drops of rain, then multiplying into a few, and then multitudes of pelting bits of falling tears of the sky. I didn't care, and barely noticed my shirt and clothes become soaked from the downpour. Did I care about the forked lightning splitting the sky and the rolling waves of clamorous thunder shaking the earth beneath my feet? No... It all didn't matter anymore.
"BLUE!" I began shouting at irregular intervals over and ver, depleting my already-reduced strength from running. "Where are you? Answer me, please! BLUE!"
In desperation I gathered my strength for a long sprint down the street, screaming the robot's name one more time as I did so. Once I could run no more, let alone speak, I became clumsy and slipped on the slick sidewalk... I fell on my side and bruised my head, and my consciousness slid... further and further, until I thought I was imagining a voice that called my name...
***
"Sierra! Sierra!" Damn... what had she done to herself? Running out here in this weather... but I knew that it was all my fault anyway. I had been too upset, too angry at the time to realize that she would come after me... her kind heart wouldn't let me just up and go like I had done. I placed a hand to her forehead, only to quickly draw it back in shock from her high fever...
"Sierra!" I shouted at her above the roar of pouring rain. "Wake up! Come on... please wake up!"
Author's Note: Hope you liked! Review!!
Author's Note: Minna, I am SO sorry for taking so long on this one... can you believe I got writer's block? It's all good now... I have a good base for the next three or four chapters now! Enjoy and please review!
Damn, I hated that robot... he was so arrogant... and for him to be the favorite of Sierra was beyond me. How could... How could a robot and a human have feelings for one another? Granted, I myself felt a small affection towards her, for she was the one who freed me from Wily... and trusted me where that bastard Zero did not.
What could she see in him? It was mind-boggling to attempt to understand that... he was cocky, bull-headed, foul-mouthed, and for heaven's sake, he looked like a freaking girl! With that long blond ponytail of his... jeez. Who created him, anyway?
Just as I continued to bash at Red in the depths of my mind, someone knocked at my door. I whirled around in the small room, nearly knocking over the chair next to the small desk. I cursed beneath my breath.
"Come IN!" I yelled, but the door didn't open.
"B-blue?" said a voice from the other side. "Are you okay in there?"
It was Sierra. "Oh... damn..." I walked over to the door, cracking it open with a soft creak. "I'm sorry, Sierra. I've been a bit busy in here."
"Oh." She looked around the room with a long gaze, and I saw her trying not to reveal emotion in her features. Finally, she saw the concerned look on my face, and a tear escaped her eye... She was so weak for a human... more emotional than Wily ever was, but Wily never stirred my feelings like she did. Something tugged at my consciousness that somewhat annoyed me, but the wave of emotion flowed over me and caused my face to soften.
"What?" I asked, a little more harshly than I had intended.
"N-nothing... you just..." she trailed off, her eyes not leaving mine. I nearly drowned in her sorrowful deep-blue eyes as she stood before me... What was going on? What was wrong with her... even better question; what the hell was wrong with ME?
"What is it, Sierra?" I insisted, frowning. She shied back a bit, studying my features. She still had dark circles under her eyes from Wily's control over her, and she was thinner than when he had first abducted her... but beneath these things I saw her true strength and determination, her drive to protect others and compassion for life. It surprised me to see that in her... a human. I had only seen that kind of drive once before... in a blue robot that no longer existed.
She narrowed her eyes in pain as her intense stare bored through me. I took a small step towards her, and she seemed to suddenly snap out of her trance. Now new emotion crossed her face, more intense than anything.
"You look so much like him..." she murmured.
Oh damn... she had to say that. Now I saw that it was me that was hurting her... and a part of me NEVER wanted to do that... what was I to do?
"I... I know..." I replied. She raised a hand to my hair, twisting some gently between her fingers as her palm brushed my cheek. I struggled to retain my composure... something about her was electrifying. But... as much as I was surprised by the touch her expression didn't change... I wondered if she knew what she was doing.
"God..." she was saying. "So much like Rock..."
Unfamiliar haze drifted across my vision as I raised my gloved hand to cover hers. My cybernetic heart was pounding... and wave upon wave of feelings crashed into me again and again. But... it wasn't me that she saw...
"I'm not Rock," I whispered. "Rock is gone... forever."
She shook her head slowly. "No... he's still alive. His memory will live on forever... and I see him in you, too..."
"I'm not Rock," I repeated, more firmly. "I'm just an earlier model... a machine with no feeling and no place in this world."
"That's not true."
"It is!" I exclaimed, whirling away. "I was taken from my home long ago, and remade to be a heartless and cruel fighter... with a black conscience... if I even have one left!"
And with that I ran past her, and out the door. I had no idea where I was going... I couldn't see anything as I passed through the lab and into the outside world. Not stopping there I continued tearing down the sidewalk, trying to flee from my emotions... and my memories...
***
"Blue!" I called as he ran from the room. "Come back!"
What happened? Had I said something wrong? It didn't matter... all I knew was that Wily was out there, somewhere, and for Blue to take off like that was a horrible risk to take.
"Zero!" I screamed, not knowing what else to do. "ZERO!"
He came running in seconds, standing in front of me and seemingly looking for the aggressor. "Where is he?!" he demanded. "What did he do?!"
"No... he didn't do anything Zero... but Blue... he ran off!!"
He sighed, relaxing, and gave me a dark look. "All for the best, Sierra. I never liked him anyway, and he's probably gone back to Wily where he can tell him what he found out about us! I hope he falls in a river and rusts, that unfeeling monstrous bast--"
I slapped him across the face in a fit of anger. He just stood there, unmoving and in shock. When he finally turned his face back to mine, I saw with horror his emerald eyes wide in shock and pain. I was frozen, transfixed, my hands covering my mouth.
Oh no... what did I do? I demanded of myself. What have I done??
I backed away in frightened shock, my gaze never leaving Zero's pained one. He said nothing as his cheek turned red, and I could see the imprint that my small hand had made...
I couldn't take it... I couldn't look at him after doing that! I turned on my heel and fled out of the room as Blue had just done, tears streaming from my face. But before I could get very far a large hand grabbed my arm firmly.
"I won't let you go after him, Sierra," he said as an almost desperate plea. "It's too dangerous..."
"I DON'T CARE!" I shouted, sobbing even harder. "I WON'T lose any more friends... never again! Even if that costs me my life!"
"Sierra--"
"Let me go! Right now!" Not waiting for a response I jerked my arm out of his grasp and began running again. As my feet flew fluidly and blindly I could hear Zero's strangled gasp, and choked sob.
"SIERRA!"
I had no idea where I was going... all that mattered to me was finding Blue. I stopped at a street corner to catch my breath and hastily wipe away the offending tears that masked my vision. It was now late afternoon, and the sun had begun to become overcast with dark clouds. I gazed at the sky for a moment, sensing that it would soon rain. I had to find him, and fast, before something horrible happened to him.
I thought about his reactions back in his room... I felt so horrible about what I had said. I realized right then that I had upset him by mentioning Rock... the poor 'bot was just as shaken as I was about it! How cruel I was to bring it up... to expose memories that will undoubtedly haunt him forever. But he wasn't alone in his sorrows... he had to know that! We all were suffering from the loss... but I was somewhat comforted that he had died nobly and valiantly while trying to save us. He hadn't cared about himself... only getting the rest of us home, and I forever thanked him for it.
Rock, I thought sadly. I'm so sorry for all that I did, and also for what I never had the chance to do. I'm trying to help Blue as you would have done... but what would you do now? How I wish you were here...
Lightning, followed by a clap of thunder. I jumped, not realizing how long I had been standing there on the empty corner. I cursed at myself for wasting time, and started walking in a random direction to continue my search.
Minutes passed, and perhaps even hours, but still no sign of the red-and-grey robot. I was quickly losing any hope of finding him, because if he didn't want to be found, he could easily blend in with a crowd since his arm cannon and helmet were removed. Light mist hung over the street, dampening my skin. Soon I felt one or two drops of rain, then multiplying into a few, and then multitudes of pelting bits of falling tears of the sky. I didn't care, and barely noticed my shirt and clothes become soaked from the downpour. Did I care about the forked lightning splitting the sky and the rolling waves of clamorous thunder shaking the earth beneath my feet? No... It all didn't matter anymore.
"BLUE!" I began shouting at irregular intervals over and ver, depleting my already-reduced strength from running. "Where are you? Answer me, please! BLUE!"
In desperation I gathered my strength for a long sprint down the street, screaming the robot's name one more time as I did so. Once I could run no more, let alone speak, I became clumsy and slipped on the slick sidewalk... I fell on my side and bruised my head, and my consciousness slid... further and further, until I thought I was imagining a voice that called my name...
***
"Sierra! Sierra!" Damn... what had she done to herself? Running out here in this weather... but I knew that it was all my fault anyway. I had been too upset, too angry at the time to realize that she would come after me... her kind heart wouldn't let me just up and go like I had done. I placed a hand to her forehead, only to quickly draw it back in shock from her high fever...
"Sierra!" I shouted at her above the roar of pouring rain. "Wake up! Come on... please wake up!"
Author's Note: Hope you liked! Review!!