Lion's Cry
Second: Connection
by Lady Virgo
"And from your
broken eyes I
had seen my soul
reflected in you"
///
It wasn't very late by the time Slash returned to Skull Fortress but no one really paid much attention. In fact, the only ones that even noticed his absence were Ring, Crystal, Freeze and those few that they had told.
And two that they haven't.
As Slash worked his way towards the 7th wing, he found someone waiting for him.
"Well, well, well." Pharaoh said, leaning against the wall. "Look who finally decided to show up. You weren't in your usual sulking grounds. Where were you?"
Slash narrowed his eyes as the dark-haired robot. "What business is it of yours?"
"We have some business to discuss."
"And what 'business' might that be?"
"The one dealing with the blatant vandalizing of an Enforcer."
He scowled, partially turning is face from his elder. "It was practice and he was coming at me intent to do damage. I got to him first to keep me from taking any hits."
"You hit him any more," Pharaoh said, his bright eyes narrowing dangerously, "they would've had to replace his whole arm."
"Then be glad that I left it salvageable."
As Slash began to walk away, Pharaoh held out an arm to block him.
"I think you're missing the point here, Slashy." He said with a decidedly cruel grin. "We take care of our own. You damaged him good, so you should know the procedure."
As Pharaoh took a step forward, Slash took an unconscious step back.
"What sort of… procedures?"
A hand encased his wrist like a molten shackle, twisting and pinning it behind his back as another arm wrapped around his waist, pinning the other arm to his body.
"Procedures," a husky voice whispered in his ear, "that you should be well aware of by now."
Slash shivered and cursed himself. He knew the rules well when it came to the Enforcers. No one, especially non-Enforcers were to touch another with violent intent unless specified by Pharaoh, Magnet or Wily. No one was to harm an Enforcer outside of training without painful repercussions. And anytime either Pharaoh or Magnet punished anyone…
It was always together.
In front of him, Pharaoh purred evilly, approaching, sure-step. Behind him he could feel Magnet chuckled. Though much shorter than Slash, he was, nonetheless impressively strong.
He began to sweat, the two pressing against him, hands clawing at his body, eyes threatening to break his very soul. Klaxons in his mind blared 'WRONG!', wailing in his trembling body.
But, as Pharaoh nipped at his jaw and down the line of his neck, as Magnet nuzzled his shoulder, what could he do?
Something in his mind began to slip. His skin crawled, throat constricting as teeth played with his ear. He couldn't keep track of what they were doing to him, the world began to fade away. Slash clenched his jaw. He vowed not to give them pleasure of his struggling, of begging. His eyes shut tight the as last vestige of his strength left him.
Until Magnet rocked his hips against his backside.
…And something within him gave away.
Eyes snapping open with a rumbling growl of thunder, his pupils were like pinpricks of black lost in shinning gold.
He barely gave the two time to react. One minute, he was standing there, taking it fearfully, the next, he jolted forward, cracking Pharaoh with a head butt, giving Slash enough room to reverse the grip Magnet had on his wrist. With a strength the two Enforcers never imagined him to possess, he held Magnet's arm, hard enough to crush the armored layer and swung out, catching Pharaoh in the jaw. On the follow through, he redirected, smashing the underside of his chin with an upsweep and a spin kick, too fast to be seen, sending the Egyptian crashing into the bulk head, cracking an imprint on the wall, smearing it with blood.
Slash turned to Magnet, who pressed against the opposite bulkhead, gripping his shoulder painfully. In the clawed Robot Master's hand, Magnet's arm still crackled with electricity, the biceps crushed from impacting on Pharaoh.
He winced, internal fluids spilling around his fingers. What… What /was/ this guy?
"If you ever come near me again," he growled low in his chest, "I'll kill you both." He didn't even wait for a reply, just threw the disembodied arm back to its owner, turned on his heel and stalked off leaving Magnet shivering where he sat.
Those eyes… Those eyes were meant for a killer. One that had no remorse, no hesitation.
Magnet scowled as he pulled himself to the comm unit on the wall. What sort of monster had Wily created?
///
In Skull Fortress next to nothing is left unknown to anyone. Even if one should choose and fight to be blissfully ignorant of what was going on with the others or had previously, they were all subject to the ruthless gossip that floating in clouds around them. Next to nothing was ever left buried and those that were never stayed dead for long.
Except for this.
Neither Magnet nor Pharaoh wished for such a stunning defeat to be made public. Power was their only vice and they'd do their damndest to make sure it wasn't taken away from them. Bad enough it had to be shared between them, but…
The only other that knew what had happened was Ring, but, when Pharaoh had regained consciousness, he was quick persuaded not to tell anyone else as he fixed them up. Though Ring wasn't one to like keeping secrets, he knew better than to talk, especially when it concerned these two. After all, he lived in fear of Magnet and respected Pharaoh as his brother. He had said, as he finished reattaching Magnet's arm, that it would be a good idea to let it alone for a while. They'd just have to pass it off as being damaged from another fight between the two Heads.
But, amazingly enough- or perhaps not, the one disinclined to speak of it the most was Slash. After all, he had no friends to tell, he wasn't talkative to begin with and he most certainly didn't feel it to be an event to brag about.
Perhaps it was the fact that no one had heard of any 'punishment' coming to Slash for the damage he did to Skull that made the others give him a wider berth. Or maybe his eyes had become that much quicker to glow. Whatever the reason, Slash had come to feel much more antsy and irritated in the fortress. He had a taste of the real world and he wanted more than ever to stay out there.
And he had a promise to keep.
For a couple weeks, Slash would sneak out during the late afternoons after practice to head down to the park. Every time, Sierra would be sitting at the same bench as the first day and smile at him, becoming accustomed to his footsteps. It was risky, being out of the fortress for several hours at a time, but Slash didn't care much. But, just to humor his cautious self, he kept an open channel in case someone was calling for him.
Sierra, however, never asked him any questions. She didn't wonder where he lived or what he did or why he spent so much time with her and eventually Slash stopped asking about her, either. They just sat and talked and enjoyed the process of being. It was soothing being with her, he had come to find. She was very intelligent for a child, very enlightening and in many cases she knew more than he did.
And, as time went by, Slash had come to realize the importance of money.
And the substantial lack he had.
He had seriously considered pick pocketing, but brushed it off as being too risky and immoral.
But he scoured the fortress for old, useless junk that no one bothered with anymore, pawning them off for a low, yet decent price. He had even gotten into the random business of repairing small things at the thrift shop. He didn't care much for doing it, or getting paid, but… money was needed and he wanted to make Sierra happy.
She never asked where the money came from, she never asked why he spent it on her. She just smiled like she knew everything and thanked him. And it was fine by him, because he loved watching her smile.
One day he had stayed out much later than he expected, the sun beginning to dusk. He offered to take Sierra home, the child beginning to nod off slightly. She smiled at him with sightless eyes and accepted.
Her house was on the others side of the residential area, he had found as he carried her on his back. He felt bad for making her walk all that way, too dangerous for a little girl. Especially one that was blind.
"It's all right." She said, small hands gripping lightly at his hair. "I don't mind. It's fun."
"It's fun to walk all that way?"
"No. But it's worth it. It's fun with you."
Slash grinned at her over his shoulder. "Thank you. I try."
"You're so kind to me." She snuggled against his back. "Do you mind if I call you 'niisan'?" Her arms reached over to hug his neck. "I've never had an older brother before. Could you be mine?"
He couldn't help but blush slightly. "I-I've never had anyone call me that…" granted, he never had anyone call him much of anything… "But… I'd really like it. I'll be your brother. If there's any problems or anyone bothering you, I'll take care of it, okay?"
"Okay!" She beamed, placing a childish kiss on his cheek.
He chuckled at that, bumping his head lightly against hers and they continued the route in silence. They didn't need words when they were content with being with the other.
It was those times that made Slash happy.
And the other Robot Masters eventually came to realize this and overcame their fear of him.
"He's back again."
"I wonder where he goes."
"I don't know. But it must be nice, he always comes back so happy."
"What, absolutely no one knows where he goes?"
"Nope. He just kinda disappears."
"That's annoying…"
"Hey, maybe if someone where to follow him…"
"Already asked Shadow. He refused to do it."
"Not surprised. He's not much for gossip or talking of any sort."
"Hey, you don't suppose…"
"What?"
"That… Slash got a beau?"
It was that suggestion that set Skull Fortress afire with talk.
Could it be? Nah… who in their right mind would be involved with /that/ guy? So cold and cruel… But, many had to admit, whenever he returned, humming to himself, smiling slightly, he was rather handsome.
He looked much better happy than he did whenever he was scowling, definitely.
But it still left the question on /who/ it could be.
A group of Robot Masters, ones that really didn't know when to keep to themselves, decided to find out, once and for all.
"Okay, we all know how Slash is," Drill said, "his conversation skills must be so bad the best way should be to trick the answer out of him. Make him stumble and just blurt it out without him realizing he had."
///
"Yo, Slash."
"Hm?"
The drillmaster leaned over his younger, peering at the book he was attempting to become engrossed in.
"What're you reading?"
"Nothing I haven't read before." Came the reply. Drill frowned to himself. Getting Slash to talk enough to verbally trick him was going to be tough.
So, he decided to get a bit more straightforward.
"You've been pretty happy recently."
"So I have."
"Any particular reason why?"
"None that would concern you."
That line of conversation stopped dead right there.
Okay! Let's try that again!
He thought for a moment.
"You're happy for some reason, right?"
"Could be."
"Have you found someone special?"
"You could say that."
Drill grinned. "I don't suppose I'll have to guess who it is."
"Go ahead."
All right! Pay dirt!
"Right, is it-"
"I didn't say I'd tell you if you're right or wrong, though."
Well God damn…
They regrouped again. "Okay, anyone else have any other ideas?"
"Well," Centaur thought, "why doesn't someone just follow him around?"
///
He sighed tiredly. Slash could really move…
It's been an hour and Slash had been maneuvering around the thick wooded training area. He moved like a monkey, or a cat. Or some sort of odd hybrid of both.
But really… Centaur thought, his equestrian body ill made for forest maneuvers, it seemed more like Slash was taking him on a wild goose chase.
He let out a yelp of surprise as something splashed against his legs, some sort of… red, gloppy thing…
"Eww..!"
"Be glad that's the only thing I'm doing to you." Centaur looked up and notice Slash, leaning against a tree trunk opposite him. In his hand he tossed a fist-sized capsule he kept within several hidden compartments in his armor. Centaur grimaced as he tried to move his legs in the glue- like mess.
"I don't appreciate being followed, Centaur." He said. "But for the record, you want to not be noticed, don't step so heavily." Slash grinned cheekily before he turned to leave. "Later."
The part-horse scowled, mucking about in the glop. "No /my/ fault I'm heavy set…" he grumbled before calling his friends to help him out.
///
"All right… third times a charm, boyos."
"Seduction could work."
The others goggled at him.
"What!?"
"How the hell would /seduction/ work? Who'd wanna seduce /Slash/?"
"Think about it!" Gemini said. "If we did it in front of everyone, Slash would get too flustered and either he would say something or the guy he's seeing would give himself away!"
They mulled over the suggestion.
Hell, he came up with it, he could go through with it.
During, of course, the dinner hours.
As was his usual, Slash sat on his own, picking through his tray. Gemini nodded to the others, scattered strategically around the mess hall, before he made his move on the clawed Robot Master.
"Ne, Slashy?" He ask, standing behind the other, chin resting on his shoulder. "What're you thinking about?"
Beneath him he felt Slash tense. "Nothing you'd be interested in."
"Aw, you can tell me." The other grinned, reaching up to play with the ends of Slash's long hair.
He growled. "Is there any particular reason why I should?"
"Because?" He giggled, throwing his arms around Slash's neck, nuzzling cheek to cheek. "Oh, come on! It's been two weeks and you haven't come close to anyone!" Gemini lowered his voice, blowing into Slash's ear. "If you're lonely, I can help you out."
His teeth grazed softly against the outer rim of his ear…
The next thing Gemini knew, he was on his back on the tabletop, and his throat rudely introduced to Slash's claws hovering a hair's width away. One thing about all the Robot Masters was the fact that the power in their armor was an amplified, larger version of raw talent they could use without it. And, asides from still being abnormally fast and strong outside his armor, Slash's claws were also equipped directly into his wrist.
He shivered, fangs gritted. "Don't touch me." He growled. "Don't anyone /ever/ fucking touch me like that!" He sent a glowing glare to Gemini, then to everyone else in the mess hall before he turned and stalked out.
The group shook themselves out of their shock as Gemini sat painfully up.
"Well… that didn't go well."
Gyro let out a huff, hand cupping his chin. "Why don't we just /ask/ him?"
///
"Hey, Slash?"
"Yeah?"
The group of five Robot Masters stood in front of him.
"Could you just /tell/ us who's making you happy."
"I could," he replied, then turned his back to them all, "but why would you care?"
They looked at each other, a bit uncertain.
"We're just… curious. That's all. I mean, it's nice that you're happy. We just want to know who's the cause." Centaur said, rubbing his head.
Slash cast them a sideways glance. "Do you really wish to know?"
"Yes."
"We promise we won't tell anyone else, either!" Gemini nodded emphatically.
"Personally, I don't really care who you tell." He turned to face them. "But, since I know you won't leave me alone until I tell you, fine. The one who makes me happy…"
They waited with baited breath…
His brown eyes smiled.
"A human."
And he walked away, leaving them in a speechless wake.
Second: Connection
by Lady Virgo
"And from your
broken eyes I
had seen my soul
reflected in you"
///
It wasn't very late by the time Slash returned to Skull Fortress but no one really paid much attention. In fact, the only ones that even noticed his absence were Ring, Crystal, Freeze and those few that they had told.
And two that they haven't.
As Slash worked his way towards the 7th wing, he found someone waiting for him.
"Well, well, well." Pharaoh said, leaning against the wall. "Look who finally decided to show up. You weren't in your usual sulking grounds. Where were you?"
Slash narrowed his eyes as the dark-haired robot. "What business is it of yours?"
"We have some business to discuss."
"And what 'business' might that be?"
"The one dealing with the blatant vandalizing of an Enforcer."
He scowled, partially turning is face from his elder. "It was practice and he was coming at me intent to do damage. I got to him first to keep me from taking any hits."
"You hit him any more," Pharaoh said, his bright eyes narrowing dangerously, "they would've had to replace his whole arm."
"Then be glad that I left it salvageable."
As Slash began to walk away, Pharaoh held out an arm to block him.
"I think you're missing the point here, Slashy." He said with a decidedly cruel grin. "We take care of our own. You damaged him good, so you should know the procedure."
As Pharaoh took a step forward, Slash took an unconscious step back.
"What sort of… procedures?"
A hand encased his wrist like a molten shackle, twisting and pinning it behind his back as another arm wrapped around his waist, pinning the other arm to his body.
"Procedures," a husky voice whispered in his ear, "that you should be well aware of by now."
Slash shivered and cursed himself. He knew the rules well when it came to the Enforcers. No one, especially non-Enforcers were to touch another with violent intent unless specified by Pharaoh, Magnet or Wily. No one was to harm an Enforcer outside of training without painful repercussions. And anytime either Pharaoh or Magnet punished anyone…
It was always together.
In front of him, Pharaoh purred evilly, approaching, sure-step. Behind him he could feel Magnet chuckled. Though much shorter than Slash, he was, nonetheless impressively strong.
He began to sweat, the two pressing against him, hands clawing at his body, eyes threatening to break his very soul. Klaxons in his mind blared 'WRONG!', wailing in his trembling body.
But, as Pharaoh nipped at his jaw and down the line of his neck, as Magnet nuzzled his shoulder, what could he do?
Something in his mind began to slip. His skin crawled, throat constricting as teeth played with his ear. He couldn't keep track of what they were doing to him, the world began to fade away. Slash clenched his jaw. He vowed not to give them pleasure of his struggling, of begging. His eyes shut tight the as last vestige of his strength left him.
Until Magnet rocked his hips against his backside.
…And something within him gave away.
Eyes snapping open with a rumbling growl of thunder, his pupils were like pinpricks of black lost in shinning gold.
He barely gave the two time to react. One minute, he was standing there, taking it fearfully, the next, he jolted forward, cracking Pharaoh with a head butt, giving Slash enough room to reverse the grip Magnet had on his wrist. With a strength the two Enforcers never imagined him to possess, he held Magnet's arm, hard enough to crush the armored layer and swung out, catching Pharaoh in the jaw. On the follow through, he redirected, smashing the underside of his chin with an upsweep and a spin kick, too fast to be seen, sending the Egyptian crashing into the bulk head, cracking an imprint on the wall, smearing it with blood.
Slash turned to Magnet, who pressed against the opposite bulkhead, gripping his shoulder painfully. In the clawed Robot Master's hand, Magnet's arm still crackled with electricity, the biceps crushed from impacting on Pharaoh.
He winced, internal fluids spilling around his fingers. What… What /was/ this guy?
"If you ever come near me again," he growled low in his chest, "I'll kill you both." He didn't even wait for a reply, just threw the disembodied arm back to its owner, turned on his heel and stalked off leaving Magnet shivering where he sat.
Those eyes… Those eyes were meant for a killer. One that had no remorse, no hesitation.
Magnet scowled as he pulled himself to the comm unit on the wall. What sort of monster had Wily created?
///
In Skull Fortress next to nothing is left unknown to anyone. Even if one should choose and fight to be blissfully ignorant of what was going on with the others or had previously, they were all subject to the ruthless gossip that floating in clouds around them. Next to nothing was ever left buried and those that were never stayed dead for long.
Except for this.
Neither Magnet nor Pharaoh wished for such a stunning defeat to be made public. Power was their only vice and they'd do their damndest to make sure it wasn't taken away from them. Bad enough it had to be shared between them, but…
The only other that knew what had happened was Ring, but, when Pharaoh had regained consciousness, he was quick persuaded not to tell anyone else as he fixed them up. Though Ring wasn't one to like keeping secrets, he knew better than to talk, especially when it concerned these two. After all, he lived in fear of Magnet and respected Pharaoh as his brother. He had said, as he finished reattaching Magnet's arm, that it would be a good idea to let it alone for a while. They'd just have to pass it off as being damaged from another fight between the two Heads.
But, amazingly enough- or perhaps not, the one disinclined to speak of it the most was Slash. After all, he had no friends to tell, he wasn't talkative to begin with and he most certainly didn't feel it to be an event to brag about.
Perhaps it was the fact that no one had heard of any 'punishment' coming to Slash for the damage he did to Skull that made the others give him a wider berth. Or maybe his eyes had become that much quicker to glow. Whatever the reason, Slash had come to feel much more antsy and irritated in the fortress. He had a taste of the real world and he wanted more than ever to stay out there.
And he had a promise to keep.
For a couple weeks, Slash would sneak out during the late afternoons after practice to head down to the park. Every time, Sierra would be sitting at the same bench as the first day and smile at him, becoming accustomed to his footsteps. It was risky, being out of the fortress for several hours at a time, but Slash didn't care much. But, just to humor his cautious self, he kept an open channel in case someone was calling for him.
Sierra, however, never asked him any questions. She didn't wonder where he lived or what he did or why he spent so much time with her and eventually Slash stopped asking about her, either. They just sat and talked and enjoyed the process of being. It was soothing being with her, he had come to find. She was very intelligent for a child, very enlightening and in many cases she knew more than he did.
And, as time went by, Slash had come to realize the importance of money.
And the substantial lack he had.
He had seriously considered pick pocketing, but brushed it off as being too risky and immoral.
But he scoured the fortress for old, useless junk that no one bothered with anymore, pawning them off for a low, yet decent price. He had even gotten into the random business of repairing small things at the thrift shop. He didn't care much for doing it, or getting paid, but… money was needed and he wanted to make Sierra happy.
She never asked where the money came from, she never asked why he spent it on her. She just smiled like she knew everything and thanked him. And it was fine by him, because he loved watching her smile.
One day he had stayed out much later than he expected, the sun beginning to dusk. He offered to take Sierra home, the child beginning to nod off slightly. She smiled at him with sightless eyes and accepted.
Her house was on the others side of the residential area, he had found as he carried her on his back. He felt bad for making her walk all that way, too dangerous for a little girl. Especially one that was blind.
"It's all right." She said, small hands gripping lightly at his hair. "I don't mind. It's fun."
"It's fun to walk all that way?"
"No. But it's worth it. It's fun with you."
Slash grinned at her over his shoulder. "Thank you. I try."
"You're so kind to me." She snuggled against his back. "Do you mind if I call you 'niisan'?" Her arms reached over to hug his neck. "I've never had an older brother before. Could you be mine?"
He couldn't help but blush slightly. "I-I've never had anyone call me that…" granted, he never had anyone call him much of anything… "But… I'd really like it. I'll be your brother. If there's any problems or anyone bothering you, I'll take care of it, okay?"
"Okay!" She beamed, placing a childish kiss on his cheek.
He chuckled at that, bumping his head lightly against hers and they continued the route in silence. They didn't need words when they were content with being with the other.
It was those times that made Slash happy.
And the other Robot Masters eventually came to realize this and overcame their fear of him.
"He's back again."
"I wonder where he goes."
"I don't know. But it must be nice, he always comes back so happy."
"What, absolutely no one knows where he goes?"
"Nope. He just kinda disappears."
"That's annoying…"
"Hey, maybe if someone where to follow him…"
"Already asked Shadow. He refused to do it."
"Not surprised. He's not much for gossip or talking of any sort."
"Hey, you don't suppose…"
"What?"
"That… Slash got a beau?"
It was that suggestion that set Skull Fortress afire with talk.
Could it be? Nah… who in their right mind would be involved with /that/ guy? So cold and cruel… But, many had to admit, whenever he returned, humming to himself, smiling slightly, he was rather handsome.
He looked much better happy than he did whenever he was scowling, definitely.
But it still left the question on /who/ it could be.
A group of Robot Masters, ones that really didn't know when to keep to themselves, decided to find out, once and for all.
"Okay, we all know how Slash is," Drill said, "his conversation skills must be so bad the best way should be to trick the answer out of him. Make him stumble and just blurt it out without him realizing he had."
///
"Yo, Slash."
"Hm?"
The drillmaster leaned over his younger, peering at the book he was attempting to become engrossed in.
"What're you reading?"
"Nothing I haven't read before." Came the reply. Drill frowned to himself. Getting Slash to talk enough to verbally trick him was going to be tough.
So, he decided to get a bit more straightforward.
"You've been pretty happy recently."
"So I have."
"Any particular reason why?"
"None that would concern you."
That line of conversation stopped dead right there.
Okay! Let's try that again!
He thought for a moment.
"You're happy for some reason, right?"
"Could be."
"Have you found someone special?"
"You could say that."
Drill grinned. "I don't suppose I'll have to guess who it is."
"Go ahead."
All right! Pay dirt!
"Right, is it-"
"I didn't say I'd tell you if you're right or wrong, though."
Well God damn…
They regrouped again. "Okay, anyone else have any other ideas?"
"Well," Centaur thought, "why doesn't someone just follow him around?"
///
He sighed tiredly. Slash could really move…
It's been an hour and Slash had been maneuvering around the thick wooded training area. He moved like a monkey, or a cat. Or some sort of odd hybrid of both.
But really… Centaur thought, his equestrian body ill made for forest maneuvers, it seemed more like Slash was taking him on a wild goose chase.
He let out a yelp of surprise as something splashed against his legs, some sort of… red, gloppy thing…
"Eww..!"
"Be glad that's the only thing I'm doing to you." Centaur looked up and notice Slash, leaning against a tree trunk opposite him. In his hand he tossed a fist-sized capsule he kept within several hidden compartments in his armor. Centaur grimaced as he tried to move his legs in the glue- like mess.
"I don't appreciate being followed, Centaur." He said. "But for the record, you want to not be noticed, don't step so heavily." Slash grinned cheekily before he turned to leave. "Later."
The part-horse scowled, mucking about in the glop. "No /my/ fault I'm heavy set…" he grumbled before calling his friends to help him out.
///
"All right… third times a charm, boyos."
"Seduction could work."
The others goggled at him.
"What!?"
"How the hell would /seduction/ work? Who'd wanna seduce /Slash/?"
"Think about it!" Gemini said. "If we did it in front of everyone, Slash would get too flustered and either he would say something or the guy he's seeing would give himself away!"
They mulled over the suggestion.
Hell, he came up with it, he could go through with it.
During, of course, the dinner hours.
As was his usual, Slash sat on his own, picking through his tray. Gemini nodded to the others, scattered strategically around the mess hall, before he made his move on the clawed Robot Master.
"Ne, Slashy?" He ask, standing behind the other, chin resting on his shoulder. "What're you thinking about?"
Beneath him he felt Slash tense. "Nothing you'd be interested in."
"Aw, you can tell me." The other grinned, reaching up to play with the ends of Slash's long hair.
He growled. "Is there any particular reason why I should?"
"Because?" He giggled, throwing his arms around Slash's neck, nuzzling cheek to cheek. "Oh, come on! It's been two weeks and you haven't come close to anyone!" Gemini lowered his voice, blowing into Slash's ear. "If you're lonely, I can help you out."
His teeth grazed softly against the outer rim of his ear…
The next thing Gemini knew, he was on his back on the tabletop, and his throat rudely introduced to Slash's claws hovering a hair's width away. One thing about all the Robot Masters was the fact that the power in their armor was an amplified, larger version of raw talent they could use without it. And, asides from still being abnormally fast and strong outside his armor, Slash's claws were also equipped directly into his wrist.
He shivered, fangs gritted. "Don't touch me." He growled. "Don't anyone /ever/ fucking touch me like that!" He sent a glowing glare to Gemini, then to everyone else in the mess hall before he turned and stalked out.
The group shook themselves out of their shock as Gemini sat painfully up.
"Well… that didn't go well."
Gyro let out a huff, hand cupping his chin. "Why don't we just /ask/ him?"
///
"Hey, Slash?"
"Yeah?"
The group of five Robot Masters stood in front of him.
"Could you just /tell/ us who's making you happy."
"I could," he replied, then turned his back to them all, "but why would you care?"
They looked at each other, a bit uncertain.
"We're just… curious. That's all. I mean, it's nice that you're happy. We just want to know who's the cause." Centaur said, rubbing his head.
Slash cast them a sideways glance. "Do you really wish to know?"
"Yes."
"We promise we won't tell anyone else, either!" Gemini nodded emphatically.
"Personally, I don't really care who you tell." He turned to face them. "But, since I know you won't leave me alone until I tell you, fine. The one who makes me happy…"
They waited with baited breath…
His brown eyes smiled.
"A human."
And he walked away, leaving them in a speechless wake.
