Uh yeah...had to change the rating just in case... My mother thinks I'm too
paranoid of censors and things that may be inappropriate towards certain
age groups, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right? So, anyway, just
thought you'd like to know of the limes in this chapter, so if you're a
Rock fan that will become irrationally annoyed and filled with ire, don't
take your wrath out on me, okay? I warned you, so you're reading at your
own risk from this point onward.
Oh yeah-one more thing-sorry about whatever happened to chapter one. Guess I made a mistake while I was uploading the chapter-unless it was a...*gasp* HACKER!!!!!!!
8. Beginning of Romance
"You okay, Rock? Patrick said something was going on in that room last night..." Devin cited, hurrying to keep up with the boy, who was running unusually fast.
"Yes, I am fine, thank you, Devin," Rock countered brusquely, keeping up his pace.
Devin slowed a little to keep gait with Sam, who was just behind Rock in the moving group. "Something's wrong-he's never that polite," Devin whispered to Sam.
"Best leave him alone, it was most likely just a misunderstanding-you know what Patrick's like."
"Yeah, but still, it's mighty suspicious, I mean-"
"Devin! Is that you talking? Concentrate on getting to the scene and gossiping later!" reprimanded Sanguine.
Blade hastened forward to the head of the group with his sister. "Where are we headed?" he managed to gasp between pants.
"Parliament buildings reconstruction site. Another robot's gone haywire, as usual. What a way to jumpstart your morning, eh? Okay, men, right around the corner!"
Sanguine led them around the block corner and stopped dead in her tracks, causing Spike, who had been right behind, to collide with her. Yet, she didn't move on the abrupt impact as she gasped and stared at the scene before her. The others had now stopped, too, and they stood gawking in a throng.
"My Lord..." gasped Fornax.
"That's one hell of a mess..." uttered Patrick, half out of breath.
"We have to fix this?" whined Dactyl in disbelief.
Sanguine continued to gape a moment longer before her skeptical expression morphed into one of determination. "Of all the robots...the welding one...Oh well, come on, men! We won't let a mere raging fire bog us down, will we?"
"Yes, we will," Rock spoke up.
Sanguine, who had began to run towards the fire whipped around. "You, Rock? You, Rock of all people say that? We can take down these robots without being burnt alive. We just have to be careful, that's all."
"Yes, and we will be careful by waiting for the fire brigade robots to arrive and put the fire out before we move in."
"Then what was all the training for? All the simulations that prepared us to deal with fires? All for nothing, is it?"
"We can't afford to be reckless."
"This isn't being reckless-"
"Hey, if you two are done bickering, would you like to take a look at the fire, now?" Patrick interrupted.
Sanguine turned back around. The flames were now spiralling higher into the sky. She glanced down to the foundation of the scaffolding, seeing one person being burnt alive as they had been pinned under a steel beam. Their screams were horrible, and now a life had been lost because of the Marduks' hesitation.
"I don't care what you say, Rock! We're taking those robots down, no questions, and that's an order!" With that, Sanguine drew her gun and shot down the nearest robot that was spewing flames into the air from burners on its arms.
The robot exploded from the gunpowder and fire combination, sending mechanical parts flying in every direction as Sanguine shielded her face. She turned around, however, when she heard a cry of pain from behind her.
Blade held both hands to his right cheek as he grimaced. Sanguine and Rock turned, Sanguine not knowing what to do.
Rock advanced on her. "See what your volatility has done? If you had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Oh, really? Did you not hear the screams of pain and cries for help from that person trapped under that beam? He was burnt alive because you didn't want to condemn those robots while the fire was still young! Now that we've had to wait, it's only got bigger, making the job harder!"
"That person deserved to die."
"Oh, he deserves to die now, does he? Then what is our very purpose as Marduks if these people rate the death they suffer? If that innocent life deserves such a violent death, then so do you, Rock!"
"Will you two just shut up? Blade's fine, it's only a mere cut to the cheek! Sanguine's right-let's take care of those robots so that we can prevent more innocent lives lost!" Fornax ordered, taking charge and running into the fire as he drew his gun.
The other Marduks followed him, some hesitant at first. Sanguine and Rock glared at each other a moment longer, the orange flames reflecting in their sunglasses. Finally, they both parted in different directions into the fire.
"Spike! Help!"
Spike whirled around to see Nusku surrounded by a wall of flames that were enclosing quickly around him. Spike looked helplessly around for something to aid the boy with. Nothing but flames and debris.
"Spike!"
Spike glanced around frantically. "I-I don't know...Don't shoot or the gunpowder will only catch on fire!"
A yell. Nusku curled closer into himself, into the tightest ball he could manage. He clutched his burnt hand to his chest, feeling the heat against his black hair-the dark colour only augmenting the unpleasant warmth. "Nusku..." Spike's cries were becoming faint and distant amidst his tears of fear.
The heat was right at his back, now-oh why hadn't he seen this coming? If only he hadn't been so wrapped up in taking down that robot... His boot...the boot was on fire-he could feel it along with the rest of his body. He heard a voice screaming in pain though he couldn't be sure it was his own...and then...water... Running water... He suddenly felt cool all over...wet...and he saw steam billow out from in front of him...
Then he felt himself being lifted up from under his arms. "Nusku! Nusku! Are you alright?" A gasp. "Your hand, Nusku!"
Nusku looked up to see Spike kneeling before him and an unfamiliar face hoisting him up. It was a man-he wore a black helmet with a dark eye visor and black turtleneck jumpsuit with a bulletproof vest over it with a strange symbol on the left breast. He had black gloves, combat boots and a strap draping across his chest-a part of a holster for the machine gun that was at his back-the bullets for which were hanging from a belt at his waist.
"The boy's burnt his hand-looks like a second degree," the man ordered after quickly examining Nusku's hand.
Nusku was pulled to his feet though he felt dizzy and nauseous. "There are symptoms of smoke inhalation," he heard the man yell.
Nusku coughed and managed to lift his head. All around him was steam and water pouring from an unknown source behind him. There was debris from the scaffolding and destroyed robots that littered the floor. He turned and caught a glimpse of his left hand-the one that had been burnt. His eyes widened in shock and he felt sick staring at it. His glove had been near completely burned of except near his wrist and his skin was covered in dark red blisters. Where the glove had been burnt near his wrist, the materials had begun to amalgamate with his skin, creating a sudden change from the peach colour to mahogany brown.
He was picked up by the man and carried through the remains of the remains. He could see that the water was coming from four water robots (A/N: you know the ones that were at the fire at Laughton's lab?). He was carried to an area in the street in front of the building where all of the other Marduks were standing.
Spike hurried past him and to where Blade stood fiddling with the bandage that had been applied to his cut. Orion held his bandaged forearm where his sleeve-obviously partly torn-had been rolled up his right upper arm. Fornax was lying comatose on the ground and being propped up by one of the same uniformed people that carried Nusku while Sam's left pant leg had been scorched and his leg bandaged. Everyone was in a sober mood, even Sanguine and Rock had stopped fighting. All looked worse for the wear.
Dactyl looked up from where he sat quietly on the ground beside Devin, and on seeing Nusku, leapt up. "Nusku!" he exclaimed before immediately jumped back from the man and Nusku in fear. "What happened to your hand?!"
"It was burnt by the fire. Out of my way, please," the man replied, carrying Nusku to another uniformed member.
Spike glanced around at the uniformed people and then turned to Gerra, who had been consumed by a reverie. "Who are these guys, Gerra?"
Gerra shook his head to clear it and whirled to Spike. "What? Sorry- Didn't 'ear."
"Who are these black-uniformed people?" Spike repeated, casting shifty glances at the nearest one passing by and leaning towards Gerra as he lowered his voice.
"The Nin-agal. They were the ones we were told about at the ball, remember? The political party o' Suzerain Castor."
"Yeah, but what are they doing here? I thought their job would have been...well, like something...political...or like what the Marduks do..."
"Nope. They act as a police force to Metropolis, 'pparently. They're the ones that do the things like enforcing the rights o' the citizens and handlin' uprisals."
"Has Rock already introduced us or anything?"
Gerra shook his head just as Rock stood up from his seat on the floor beside Patrick and strode over to the man that had brought Nusku out of the fire. Gerra and Spike watched as the man turned to Rock and took off his helmet to reveal brown hair and grey eyes.
"I don't know how I can thank you for this. I owe you one," Rock told the man.
"It's a pleasure, Rock, don't mention it. The Nin-agal is always willing to help out the Marduks-anytime. We highly esteem Duke Red. But my question is; why are you thanking us? I heard that you were no longer the Marduk leader-not even a member of the Marduks."
"You obviously heard wrong, then. It's true I'm no longer the commander, but that doesn't cancel me out as a member. Which reminds me-my Father asked for me to introduce the new recruits."
"Ah yes, get the squadrons familiar with one another." The man glanced around at the incapacitated Marduks. "Uh, maybe I could meet with them personally another time..."
Rock looked to Sanguine, who sat on the ground beside Devin. He motioned for her, and she sauntered over to him, exhausted. He rested his hands on her shoulders as he presented her to the man. Sanguine, too lazy to shrug his arms away merely took of her sunglasses and stared tiredly at the man.
"This is Sanguine Algethi, the new leader as appointed by my Father."
"I see. I thought females weren't admitted into the ranks of the Marduks?"
"Sanguine was an exception." Rock took one hand away from Sanguine's shoulders to point to the others in turn. He pointed to Fornax, who was still out cold. "That blond man's Fornax Derringer, rank 04. That black- haired boy with the burnt hand is Nusku Bell, rank 11. The young redhead is Dactyl Mouse, rank 12. The other blond-the one with the slight beard and longer hair is Gerra Varlet, rank 08. The purple haired one with the glasses is Spike Briar, rank 10 and the brown haired one with the cheek incision is Blade Algethi, Sanguine's brother and rank 09. You know Devin Halberd, Patrick Sin, Sam Winchester and Orion Blasé."
"What about the others-like Ray, Gill, Deimos, Lance-them?"
At Rock's obvious silence, the man made a short, "Oh...the Ziggurat..." before extending his hand towards Sanguine. "My pleasure, Sanguine. Name's Mintaka, leader of the Nin-agal and chief bodyguard of Suzerain Castor. Helmets off!" he ordered the Nins, and the four of them swiftly obeyed the order. "We're small, now, but we hope to recruit new members just as the Marduks did. The revolution levelled us-who would have thought that ZONE-1 citizens could be so destructive?"
"They've been oppressed for so long it's only natural that they'd start a rebellion fuelled by their anger," Rock answered from behind Sanguine with blatancy.
"I suppose you're right...but we were also taken out by the Ziggurat in trying to get ignorant residents to safety. The five of us are the only ones left." Mintaka said as he motioned to the one nursing Fornax-a female with her long blond hair tied back in a ponytail low on her head and blue eyes. "That's Charity-the 'nurse', if you will." He then motioned to a man with wavy greyish blue hair and grey eyes. "Nautilus, our firearms and explosives expert." A younger male, seemingly eighteen or so with black hair that had red streaks in it, glasses and green eyes stood talking to Nautilus. He bore a similar resemblance to Spike. "And then Augur-you'd believe he's psychic sometimes the way he can piece a crime scene together." The fourth member stood surveying the remains of the fire and tending to the water-bots. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes. "That's Pan, the brawn of our operations. He's like a boulder you wouldn't want to try to stop once he's got going - quite useful with recalcitrant crowds.
"So, the Nin-agal is a riot squad as well as a forensics team. We're the elite-there hasn't been a case yet that we haven't solved. We're able to carry out both occupations since the city of Metropolis is so well- contained. There's hardly any crime rate. We're currently looking into the assassinations of Boon and Lamp, but no clues have turned up just yet."
Sanguine cast a nervous glance at Rock, who remained poker-faced. "Keep it up. The assassin, or assassins, have to be out there somewhere. Anyway, we'd better be going. Until we meet again, Mintaka," Rock saluted, ushering Sanguine away. "Gerra-take Fornax for us, would you?" he called to the man, who nodded gruffly and sauntered over to where Charity and Fornax were. He made a nod towards the surprised Charity, before lifting Fornax's limp body off the ground and hurrying after the rest of the Marduks-who Rock was leading back to the Ziggurat.
Charity got up from her kneeling position and stepped over to Mintaka to join in surveying the departing group as she dusted her peeled off her gloves. "The Marduks seem to be shifty characters, nowadays, eh?"
"That's right," replied Mintaka. "Rock and Sanguine were nervous when I brought up the topic of Boon and Lamp."
"That only proves they're somewhat guilty," urged someone from behind them. They turned to see Augur approaching them, an accusing scowl on his face. "Isn't it obvious? I've never been able to trust that Rock, myself, anyway. I mean-he trusts Duke Red-a big mistake right from the get-go."
"I agree with you, Augur," Mintaka answered, turning back to the retreating Party. "But we mustn't make mere assumptions-even though it was Rock that killed Dr Laughton, burnt down Laughton's lab, and destroyed Metropolis with the destruction of the Ziggurat-which he instigated."
****
Duke Red took one look at his worn-out Marduks and felt at a loss for words. "Dear God...What in the name of mortality happened to you all?"
Rock answered succinctly. "Robots, Father. I've told you what a nuisance they are. Just worthless pieces of junk."
Duke Red ignored the comment and turned away from them and to the window of his office, disgusted. "All I can say is that Devin, Fornax, Rock and Sanguine had better be together by tomorrow-what with the political hearing and all."
"There's a political hearing tomorrow? Why weren't we told beforehand?" questioned Rock.
"I told you beforehand-at dinner last night," Duke Red replied without turning around. "Oh-that's right-you weren't there. Well, you know now. You are dismissed."
"But Father-"
"You are dismissed," Duke Red repeated, firmer this time. "Sanguine, I suggest you do some studying about the subject. You may want to, also, Fornax."
Both nodded, Fornax having woken up by now before following the others out the door.
***
Sanguine tapped her pencil against the library desk as she propped her head up lazily and stared at the book on the table in front of her. She sighed and glanced over at Fornax, who sat a few tables away, reading intently. She turned to the window on the left side of her head and squinted through the bright sunlight of sunset for a moment and then turned back to the book.
"Why should I have to study... Back home I always passed with flying colours without studying...why should this be any different?" She cast another look around the Ziggurat's library. It was littered with shelves and the table area which she sat in. The only windows were on the wall to her left-which the wall was actually made of. The windows stretched from the high ceiling to the floor and the light that shone through them was interluded by bookshelves.
She went back to tapping her pencil against the table, this time shielding the side of her face from the blinding light. Yet it wasn't long before she was interrupted again, not this time by boredom, but by something that suddenly blocked out the light against the side of her head. She turned to the shadow, expecting to see Fornax to say he was leaving or something, but it wasn't him. It was someone else - Rock in his Marduk uniform and without his sunglasses on. He stood there silently, not saying anything nor moving.
She clicked her tongue and turned back to the book. "Can't you see I'm busy? Go away."
"Come," he answered simply before moving out of the light and walking around the table towards the exit of the library.
"I'm not talking to you. After all, I might squash a bug with my reckless feet," she snapped, making the falsetto of a male's voice with her last few words.
"Fine then." Rock started to leave after a quick shrug of the shoulders.
Sanguine pretended to ignore him for a couple of moments and then shifted her glance to make sure he wasn't looking. On seeing that he couldn't care less whether or not she came, she jumped up and grabbed her bolero and hat from off of the chair and hurried after him. "Wait, Rock-I'm coming!"
Rock stopped and looked over his shoulder just as she caught up with him. "Changed your mind then, have you? A wise decision."
Sanguine paused halfway through putting on the bolero. "What do you mean 'a wise decision'?"
Rock continued walking again. "You'll see."
The two took a sole elevator up some considerable levels, which made Sanguine feel uncomfortable. She could sense that Rock was angry with her, and being alone with him wasn't the smartest of ideas if his anger had reached a certain level. However, it would have been the perfect time to get at him-he had his back to her since he stood right in front of the door, staring at it. She didn't want to use mere hands-she didn't have the strength to take someone of his stature down. She had her gun-but she couldn't.
Finally the doors parted, and Rock stepped out. The hallway was narrow and only half-lit. Again, there was no one around-why was it that he liked deserted areas? He led her down the corridor a little to the right before coming to a steel door. He opened it and immediately Sanguine was thankful she had brought her jacket. She followed him out the door and across the catwalk, glancing in slight fear through the railings at the city almost a kilometre below as she shivered from the cold brought by the winds of the altitude.
They were leaving the main building of the Ziggurat and heading to the west tower across the catwalk-another area that no one visited. The surmounting evidence kept telling her to turn back-he was oblivious to her presence-she could turn and run, but fear kept forcing her forward. They went through another steel door and into the west tower. Rock ascended two flights of staircases before they came to the inside of a small cabin. He paused to put on his sunglasses before opening the door and in an instant Sanguine knew why.
If the light had been bright in the library-it was blinding up here. There was an excellent view of the whole west side of the city. The sunset's light reflected off of the water in the harbour and warmed her face, despite the winds. She smiled absent-mindedly as she stared at the city bathed in golden light. She felt her eyes becoming watery though she didn't know why. Could it possibly that it was so beautiful?
She heard footsteps approach from behind her and then Rock appeared to her right. They were silent for a moment, each staring at the area in the horizon. Finally Rock broke the impending silence. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Sanguine hesitated with her answer. "It's...It's more than beautiful..." Tears were welling up and threatened to flow.
"You mean like you?"
Sanguine blinked back the tears and turned immediately to Rock. "I don't get it... This morning you were yelling at me and saying how I hurt people with my recklessness while now you're saying I'm more than...beautiful?"
Rock smiled and looked at her through his sunglasses. "Yes, that's right. I have an image for the Marduks, you know."
Sanguine started to blush and therefore turned away, rocking on her feet as she clutched her jacket even tighter to her. Rock moved behind her and slipped his hands around her waist, making her remove hers from her chest. "Cold, are you?"
"N-Not anymore..." she stammered, not knowing where to place her arms.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry..." he said quietly, resting his head on her right shoulder and pulling her to him. "We should really be working together. You were right about risking our lives to save others-that's our job as Marduks."
She glanced back to the sunset with nervousness, this time, feeling him running his hands over her stomach-massaging it. After a few more moments of heavy breathing and blushing, he began to push her forward and closer to the edge of the tower. Right at the edge she could feel the updraft from the building as she scrutinized downward in apprehension. Suddenly, she felt the hands retreat from her waist and impact against her back, pushing her forward and off the edge. A thousand things ran through her mind but the prominent one was that this was it.
Falling forward and feeling the zephyr even more, she felt her left arm being grabbed and she was jerked back upward. Rock held her in a tango position, leaning over so far that Sanguine's loose hair touched the ground. "Watch yourself."
Sanguine stared at the sunglasses in surprise at what had just happened, at a loss for words. "I-I...Y-You!"
He lay her down gently on the ground before kneeling down on one knee and straddling her with one leg. He watched her shocked face as he reached into his shirt and pulled out the pendant. He took it off and held it dangling in her face. "See this?"
She nodded slowly, her eyes still wide with fear.
"It was given to me by my Mother. My real mother-not Duchess Red. It was an heirloom of the family, and my mother told me to give it to someone I trusted-someone who would treasure it the way the Homes did."
"The Homes? Then your real last name is Home? Rock Home? You lied to me!"
"You got it." He leant down to hover over her face. "And so what? You've lied to me. If I give this to you, you'll treasure it, right?"
Sanguine surveyed the pendant of green jewel and feathers, then turned to Rock, who was in her face. "Yes, I will..."
Rock took his leg away and pulled her up. He placed the pendant around her neck. "There. Consider it yours."
Sanguine looked down at it, fingering it delicately as Rock smiled at her from behind his glasses. "Thank you...A rather fine piece of jewellery...Handsome...Just like the one I received it from," she said, looking up at him with a smile.
He reached out and pulled her up, returning to the stomach massaging, this time Sanguine placing her arms over Rock's and leaning on his head as she gazed at the sunset. Rock buried his head in her hair, taking in its sweet smell. Her stomach was even, and succumbed to wherever his hands ventured.
Sanguine then lifted her head away from his. "How did you know to bring me up here?"
"I loved it, and I thought you would, too. I take it you don't come up here often? I saw the tears in your eyes."
Sanguine hesitated. So he had seen. He wasn't supposed to. He wasn't supposed to see her cry. Thinking of what to say made her oblivious to the hand creeping up her stomach-further to above the stomach.
Rock lifted his head and turned his head towards hers. His mouth hovered near her neck before it caught an extra fold of skin. He smiled on hearing the whimper of uncertainty. He felt her hand touch the top of his head, only making him sink his teeth in harder and suck on the fold of skin. He cupped his hands around them, feeling their weight and then let go of her neck, headed for her cheek, though he hesitated at the last moment.
She pulled his hands down and extended her arms outward, away from their bodies. "There...Standing like this you can feel the wind and it's like you're flying..." She breathed in deeply.
Rock raised his head too look at the sunset and closed his eyes, feeling the wind against his face. It truly did feel like flying... "Hey!"
Sanguine had let go of his wrist for a brief moment to take his sunglasses off before she returned to holding his wrist out. "A man who hides his eyes is afraid to show the world who he really is." She threw her head back and rested it on his left shoulder. "Now I'm falling."
He gazed at her closed eyes for a moment before returning to the fantasies. "I'm still flying...like a persistent bird soaring to meet my parents..."
He then felt himself being pushed downward. He sat down behind her at first, his legs around her. She pulled their arms into her stomach and curled into them. "Please don't talk about your parents."
"Why not?"
"It hurts me to talk about them as much as it hurts you. I've cried enough for one day. And you sound like my brother-and he was the one that tried to kill them. He's the one you really remind me of-not my father-and I don't want to confuse you with my brother."
Rock gasped and leant forward into her ear and withdrew his legs from around her instead to put them on her right so that he sat beside her. "What do you mean he tried to kill them?"
Sanguine curled into a tighter ball. "I'd rather not talk about it right now."
Rock pulled away, though she wouldn't let go of his arms. "Okay, then...I thought girls were supposed to cry."
She then let go of his arms and sat up to bury herself in his chest underneath his outstretched arm. "Maybe tomorrow."
She lay his sunglasses in his lap. He looked down at them, but then thought better of it and left them off. He tightened the hand she held in hers so that he held her closer of his own free will. He smiled at the one buried in his arms and looked back up at the sunset.
He never thought he'd have someone nestled in his grip since the day his parents died. That day it had all been taken away-he felt there would be no happiness even though the Reds had showed affection at first. It just hadn't been the same. He couldn't kill someone that had brought everything back to him.
This attitude would have to go.
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm too sensitive...I was crying when I wrote that last paragraph. Rock's story is so sad when you really think about it...and listening to sad songs while typing doesn't help... -_-'
Oh yeah-one more thing-sorry about whatever happened to chapter one. Guess I made a mistake while I was uploading the chapter-unless it was a...*gasp* HACKER!!!!!!!
8. Beginning of Romance
"You okay, Rock? Patrick said something was going on in that room last night..." Devin cited, hurrying to keep up with the boy, who was running unusually fast.
"Yes, I am fine, thank you, Devin," Rock countered brusquely, keeping up his pace.
Devin slowed a little to keep gait with Sam, who was just behind Rock in the moving group. "Something's wrong-he's never that polite," Devin whispered to Sam.
"Best leave him alone, it was most likely just a misunderstanding-you know what Patrick's like."
"Yeah, but still, it's mighty suspicious, I mean-"
"Devin! Is that you talking? Concentrate on getting to the scene and gossiping later!" reprimanded Sanguine.
Blade hastened forward to the head of the group with his sister. "Where are we headed?" he managed to gasp between pants.
"Parliament buildings reconstruction site. Another robot's gone haywire, as usual. What a way to jumpstart your morning, eh? Okay, men, right around the corner!"
Sanguine led them around the block corner and stopped dead in her tracks, causing Spike, who had been right behind, to collide with her. Yet, she didn't move on the abrupt impact as she gasped and stared at the scene before her. The others had now stopped, too, and they stood gawking in a throng.
"My Lord..." gasped Fornax.
"That's one hell of a mess..." uttered Patrick, half out of breath.
"We have to fix this?" whined Dactyl in disbelief.
Sanguine continued to gape a moment longer before her skeptical expression morphed into one of determination. "Of all the robots...the welding one...Oh well, come on, men! We won't let a mere raging fire bog us down, will we?"
"Yes, we will," Rock spoke up.
Sanguine, who had began to run towards the fire whipped around. "You, Rock? You, Rock of all people say that? We can take down these robots without being burnt alive. We just have to be careful, that's all."
"Yes, and we will be careful by waiting for the fire brigade robots to arrive and put the fire out before we move in."
"Then what was all the training for? All the simulations that prepared us to deal with fires? All for nothing, is it?"
"We can't afford to be reckless."
"This isn't being reckless-"
"Hey, if you two are done bickering, would you like to take a look at the fire, now?" Patrick interrupted.
Sanguine turned back around. The flames were now spiralling higher into the sky. She glanced down to the foundation of the scaffolding, seeing one person being burnt alive as they had been pinned under a steel beam. Their screams were horrible, and now a life had been lost because of the Marduks' hesitation.
"I don't care what you say, Rock! We're taking those robots down, no questions, and that's an order!" With that, Sanguine drew her gun and shot down the nearest robot that was spewing flames into the air from burners on its arms.
The robot exploded from the gunpowder and fire combination, sending mechanical parts flying in every direction as Sanguine shielded her face. She turned around, however, when she heard a cry of pain from behind her.
Blade held both hands to his right cheek as he grimaced. Sanguine and Rock turned, Sanguine not knowing what to do.
Rock advanced on her. "See what your volatility has done? If you had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Oh, really? Did you not hear the screams of pain and cries for help from that person trapped under that beam? He was burnt alive because you didn't want to condemn those robots while the fire was still young! Now that we've had to wait, it's only got bigger, making the job harder!"
"That person deserved to die."
"Oh, he deserves to die now, does he? Then what is our very purpose as Marduks if these people rate the death they suffer? If that innocent life deserves such a violent death, then so do you, Rock!"
"Will you two just shut up? Blade's fine, it's only a mere cut to the cheek! Sanguine's right-let's take care of those robots so that we can prevent more innocent lives lost!" Fornax ordered, taking charge and running into the fire as he drew his gun.
The other Marduks followed him, some hesitant at first. Sanguine and Rock glared at each other a moment longer, the orange flames reflecting in their sunglasses. Finally, they both parted in different directions into the fire.
"Spike! Help!"
Spike whirled around to see Nusku surrounded by a wall of flames that were enclosing quickly around him. Spike looked helplessly around for something to aid the boy with. Nothing but flames and debris.
"Spike!"
Spike glanced around frantically. "I-I don't know...Don't shoot or the gunpowder will only catch on fire!"
A yell. Nusku curled closer into himself, into the tightest ball he could manage. He clutched his burnt hand to his chest, feeling the heat against his black hair-the dark colour only augmenting the unpleasant warmth. "Nusku..." Spike's cries were becoming faint and distant amidst his tears of fear.
The heat was right at his back, now-oh why hadn't he seen this coming? If only he hadn't been so wrapped up in taking down that robot... His boot...the boot was on fire-he could feel it along with the rest of his body. He heard a voice screaming in pain though he couldn't be sure it was his own...and then...water... Running water... He suddenly felt cool all over...wet...and he saw steam billow out from in front of him...
Then he felt himself being lifted up from under his arms. "Nusku! Nusku! Are you alright?" A gasp. "Your hand, Nusku!"
Nusku looked up to see Spike kneeling before him and an unfamiliar face hoisting him up. It was a man-he wore a black helmet with a dark eye visor and black turtleneck jumpsuit with a bulletproof vest over it with a strange symbol on the left breast. He had black gloves, combat boots and a strap draping across his chest-a part of a holster for the machine gun that was at his back-the bullets for which were hanging from a belt at his waist.
"The boy's burnt his hand-looks like a second degree," the man ordered after quickly examining Nusku's hand.
Nusku was pulled to his feet though he felt dizzy and nauseous. "There are symptoms of smoke inhalation," he heard the man yell.
Nusku coughed and managed to lift his head. All around him was steam and water pouring from an unknown source behind him. There was debris from the scaffolding and destroyed robots that littered the floor. He turned and caught a glimpse of his left hand-the one that had been burnt. His eyes widened in shock and he felt sick staring at it. His glove had been near completely burned of except near his wrist and his skin was covered in dark red blisters. Where the glove had been burnt near his wrist, the materials had begun to amalgamate with his skin, creating a sudden change from the peach colour to mahogany brown.
He was picked up by the man and carried through the remains of the remains. He could see that the water was coming from four water robots (A/N: you know the ones that were at the fire at Laughton's lab?). He was carried to an area in the street in front of the building where all of the other Marduks were standing.
Spike hurried past him and to where Blade stood fiddling with the bandage that had been applied to his cut. Orion held his bandaged forearm where his sleeve-obviously partly torn-had been rolled up his right upper arm. Fornax was lying comatose on the ground and being propped up by one of the same uniformed people that carried Nusku while Sam's left pant leg had been scorched and his leg bandaged. Everyone was in a sober mood, even Sanguine and Rock had stopped fighting. All looked worse for the wear.
Dactyl looked up from where he sat quietly on the ground beside Devin, and on seeing Nusku, leapt up. "Nusku!" he exclaimed before immediately jumped back from the man and Nusku in fear. "What happened to your hand?!"
"It was burnt by the fire. Out of my way, please," the man replied, carrying Nusku to another uniformed member.
Spike glanced around at the uniformed people and then turned to Gerra, who had been consumed by a reverie. "Who are these guys, Gerra?"
Gerra shook his head to clear it and whirled to Spike. "What? Sorry- Didn't 'ear."
"Who are these black-uniformed people?" Spike repeated, casting shifty glances at the nearest one passing by and leaning towards Gerra as he lowered his voice.
"The Nin-agal. They were the ones we were told about at the ball, remember? The political party o' Suzerain Castor."
"Yeah, but what are they doing here? I thought their job would have been...well, like something...political...or like what the Marduks do..."
"Nope. They act as a police force to Metropolis, 'pparently. They're the ones that do the things like enforcing the rights o' the citizens and handlin' uprisals."
"Has Rock already introduced us or anything?"
Gerra shook his head just as Rock stood up from his seat on the floor beside Patrick and strode over to the man that had brought Nusku out of the fire. Gerra and Spike watched as the man turned to Rock and took off his helmet to reveal brown hair and grey eyes.
"I don't know how I can thank you for this. I owe you one," Rock told the man.
"It's a pleasure, Rock, don't mention it. The Nin-agal is always willing to help out the Marduks-anytime. We highly esteem Duke Red. But my question is; why are you thanking us? I heard that you were no longer the Marduk leader-not even a member of the Marduks."
"You obviously heard wrong, then. It's true I'm no longer the commander, but that doesn't cancel me out as a member. Which reminds me-my Father asked for me to introduce the new recruits."
"Ah yes, get the squadrons familiar with one another." The man glanced around at the incapacitated Marduks. "Uh, maybe I could meet with them personally another time..."
Rock looked to Sanguine, who sat on the ground beside Devin. He motioned for her, and she sauntered over to him, exhausted. He rested his hands on her shoulders as he presented her to the man. Sanguine, too lazy to shrug his arms away merely took of her sunglasses and stared tiredly at the man.
"This is Sanguine Algethi, the new leader as appointed by my Father."
"I see. I thought females weren't admitted into the ranks of the Marduks?"
"Sanguine was an exception." Rock took one hand away from Sanguine's shoulders to point to the others in turn. He pointed to Fornax, who was still out cold. "That blond man's Fornax Derringer, rank 04. That black- haired boy with the burnt hand is Nusku Bell, rank 11. The young redhead is Dactyl Mouse, rank 12. The other blond-the one with the slight beard and longer hair is Gerra Varlet, rank 08. The purple haired one with the glasses is Spike Briar, rank 10 and the brown haired one with the cheek incision is Blade Algethi, Sanguine's brother and rank 09. You know Devin Halberd, Patrick Sin, Sam Winchester and Orion Blasé."
"What about the others-like Ray, Gill, Deimos, Lance-them?"
At Rock's obvious silence, the man made a short, "Oh...the Ziggurat..." before extending his hand towards Sanguine. "My pleasure, Sanguine. Name's Mintaka, leader of the Nin-agal and chief bodyguard of Suzerain Castor. Helmets off!" he ordered the Nins, and the four of them swiftly obeyed the order. "We're small, now, but we hope to recruit new members just as the Marduks did. The revolution levelled us-who would have thought that ZONE-1 citizens could be so destructive?"
"They've been oppressed for so long it's only natural that they'd start a rebellion fuelled by their anger," Rock answered from behind Sanguine with blatancy.
"I suppose you're right...but we were also taken out by the Ziggurat in trying to get ignorant residents to safety. The five of us are the only ones left." Mintaka said as he motioned to the one nursing Fornax-a female with her long blond hair tied back in a ponytail low on her head and blue eyes. "That's Charity-the 'nurse', if you will." He then motioned to a man with wavy greyish blue hair and grey eyes. "Nautilus, our firearms and explosives expert." A younger male, seemingly eighteen or so with black hair that had red streaks in it, glasses and green eyes stood talking to Nautilus. He bore a similar resemblance to Spike. "And then Augur-you'd believe he's psychic sometimes the way he can piece a crime scene together." The fourth member stood surveying the remains of the fire and tending to the water-bots. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes. "That's Pan, the brawn of our operations. He's like a boulder you wouldn't want to try to stop once he's got going - quite useful with recalcitrant crowds.
"So, the Nin-agal is a riot squad as well as a forensics team. We're the elite-there hasn't been a case yet that we haven't solved. We're able to carry out both occupations since the city of Metropolis is so well- contained. There's hardly any crime rate. We're currently looking into the assassinations of Boon and Lamp, but no clues have turned up just yet."
Sanguine cast a nervous glance at Rock, who remained poker-faced. "Keep it up. The assassin, or assassins, have to be out there somewhere. Anyway, we'd better be going. Until we meet again, Mintaka," Rock saluted, ushering Sanguine away. "Gerra-take Fornax for us, would you?" he called to the man, who nodded gruffly and sauntered over to where Charity and Fornax were. He made a nod towards the surprised Charity, before lifting Fornax's limp body off the ground and hurrying after the rest of the Marduks-who Rock was leading back to the Ziggurat.
Charity got up from her kneeling position and stepped over to Mintaka to join in surveying the departing group as she dusted her peeled off her gloves. "The Marduks seem to be shifty characters, nowadays, eh?"
"That's right," replied Mintaka. "Rock and Sanguine were nervous when I brought up the topic of Boon and Lamp."
"That only proves they're somewhat guilty," urged someone from behind them. They turned to see Augur approaching them, an accusing scowl on his face. "Isn't it obvious? I've never been able to trust that Rock, myself, anyway. I mean-he trusts Duke Red-a big mistake right from the get-go."
"I agree with you, Augur," Mintaka answered, turning back to the retreating Party. "But we mustn't make mere assumptions-even though it was Rock that killed Dr Laughton, burnt down Laughton's lab, and destroyed Metropolis with the destruction of the Ziggurat-which he instigated."
****
Duke Red took one look at his worn-out Marduks and felt at a loss for words. "Dear God...What in the name of mortality happened to you all?"
Rock answered succinctly. "Robots, Father. I've told you what a nuisance they are. Just worthless pieces of junk."
Duke Red ignored the comment and turned away from them and to the window of his office, disgusted. "All I can say is that Devin, Fornax, Rock and Sanguine had better be together by tomorrow-what with the political hearing and all."
"There's a political hearing tomorrow? Why weren't we told beforehand?" questioned Rock.
"I told you beforehand-at dinner last night," Duke Red replied without turning around. "Oh-that's right-you weren't there. Well, you know now. You are dismissed."
"But Father-"
"You are dismissed," Duke Red repeated, firmer this time. "Sanguine, I suggest you do some studying about the subject. You may want to, also, Fornax."
Both nodded, Fornax having woken up by now before following the others out the door.
***
Sanguine tapped her pencil against the library desk as she propped her head up lazily and stared at the book on the table in front of her. She sighed and glanced over at Fornax, who sat a few tables away, reading intently. She turned to the window on the left side of her head and squinted through the bright sunlight of sunset for a moment and then turned back to the book.
"Why should I have to study... Back home I always passed with flying colours without studying...why should this be any different?" She cast another look around the Ziggurat's library. It was littered with shelves and the table area which she sat in. The only windows were on the wall to her left-which the wall was actually made of. The windows stretched from the high ceiling to the floor and the light that shone through them was interluded by bookshelves.
She went back to tapping her pencil against the table, this time shielding the side of her face from the blinding light. Yet it wasn't long before she was interrupted again, not this time by boredom, but by something that suddenly blocked out the light against the side of her head. She turned to the shadow, expecting to see Fornax to say he was leaving or something, but it wasn't him. It was someone else - Rock in his Marduk uniform and without his sunglasses on. He stood there silently, not saying anything nor moving.
She clicked her tongue and turned back to the book. "Can't you see I'm busy? Go away."
"Come," he answered simply before moving out of the light and walking around the table towards the exit of the library.
"I'm not talking to you. After all, I might squash a bug with my reckless feet," she snapped, making the falsetto of a male's voice with her last few words.
"Fine then." Rock started to leave after a quick shrug of the shoulders.
Sanguine pretended to ignore him for a couple of moments and then shifted her glance to make sure he wasn't looking. On seeing that he couldn't care less whether or not she came, she jumped up and grabbed her bolero and hat from off of the chair and hurried after him. "Wait, Rock-I'm coming!"
Rock stopped and looked over his shoulder just as she caught up with him. "Changed your mind then, have you? A wise decision."
Sanguine paused halfway through putting on the bolero. "What do you mean 'a wise decision'?"
Rock continued walking again. "You'll see."
The two took a sole elevator up some considerable levels, which made Sanguine feel uncomfortable. She could sense that Rock was angry with her, and being alone with him wasn't the smartest of ideas if his anger had reached a certain level. However, it would have been the perfect time to get at him-he had his back to her since he stood right in front of the door, staring at it. She didn't want to use mere hands-she didn't have the strength to take someone of his stature down. She had her gun-but she couldn't.
Finally the doors parted, and Rock stepped out. The hallway was narrow and only half-lit. Again, there was no one around-why was it that he liked deserted areas? He led her down the corridor a little to the right before coming to a steel door. He opened it and immediately Sanguine was thankful she had brought her jacket. She followed him out the door and across the catwalk, glancing in slight fear through the railings at the city almost a kilometre below as she shivered from the cold brought by the winds of the altitude.
They were leaving the main building of the Ziggurat and heading to the west tower across the catwalk-another area that no one visited. The surmounting evidence kept telling her to turn back-he was oblivious to her presence-she could turn and run, but fear kept forcing her forward. They went through another steel door and into the west tower. Rock ascended two flights of staircases before they came to the inside of a small cabin. He paused to put on his sunglasses before opening the door and in an instant Sanguine knew why.
If the light had been bright in the library-it was blinding up here. There was an excellent view of the whole west side of the city. The sunset's light reflected off of the water in the harbour and warmed her face, despite the winds. She smiled absent-mindedly as she stared at the city bathed in golden light. She felt her eyes becoming watery though she didn't know why. Could it possibly that it was so beautiful?
She heard footsteps approach from behind her and then Rock appeared to her right. They were silent for a moment, each staring at the area in the horizon. Finally Rock broke the impending silence. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Sanguine hesitated with her answer. "It's...It's more than beautiful..." Tears were welling up and threatened to flow.
"You mean like you?"
Sanguine blinked back the tears and turned immediately to Rock. "I don't get it... This morning you were yelling at me and saying how I hurt people with my recklessness while now you're saying I'm more than...beautiful?"
Rock smiled and looked at her through his sunglasses. "Yes, that's right. I have an image for the Marduks, you know."
Sanguine started to blush and therefore turned away, rocking on her feet as she clutched her jacket even tighter to her. Rock moved behind her and slipped his hands around her waist, making her remove hers from her chest. "Cold, are you?"
"N-Not anymore..." she stammered, not knowing where to place her arms.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry..." he said quietly, resting his head on her right shoulder and pulling her to him. "We should really be working together. You were right about risking our lives to save others-that's our job as Marduks."
She glanced back to the sunset with nervousness, this time, feeling him running his hands over her stomach-massaging it. After a few more moments of heavy breathing and blushing, he began to push her forward and closer to the edge of the tower. Right at the edge she could feel the updraft from the building as she scrutinized downward in apprehension. Suddenly, she felt the hands retreat from her waist and impact against her back, pushing her forward and off the edge. A thousand things ran through her mind but the prominent one was that this was it.
Falling forward and feeling the zephyr even more, she felt her left arm being grabbed and she was jerked back upward. Rock held her in a tango position, leaning over so far that Sanguine's loose hair touched the ground. "Watch yourself."
Sanguine stared at the sunglasses in surprise at what had just happened, at a loss for words. "I-I...Y-You!"
He lay her down gently on the ground before kneeling down on one knee and straddling her with one leg. He watched her shocked face as he reached into his shirt and pulled out the pendant. He took it off and held it dangling in her face. "See this?"
She nodded slowly, her eyes still wide with fear.
"It was given to me by my Mother. My real mother-not Duchess Red. It was an heirloom of the family, and my mother told me to give it to someone I trusted-someone who would treasure it the way the Homes did."
"The Homes? Then your real last name is Home? Rock Home? You lied to me!"
"You got it." He leant down to hover over her face. "And so what? You've lied to me. If I give this to you, you'll treasure it, right?"
Sanguine surveyed the pendant of green jewel and feathers, then turned to Rock, who was in her face. "Yes, I will..."
Rock took his leg away and pulled her up. He placed the pendant around her neck. "There. Consider it yours."
Sanguine looked down at it, fingering it delicately as Rock smiled at her from behind his glasses. "Thank you...A rather fine piece of jewellery...Handsome...Just like the one I received it from," she said, looking up at him with a smile.
He reached out and pulled her up, returning to the stomach massaging, this time Sanguine placing her arms over Rock's and leaning on his head as she gazed at the sunset. Rock buried his head in her hair, taking in its sweet smell. Her stomach was even, and succumbed to wherever his hands ventured.
Sanguine then lifted her head away from his. "How did you know to bring me up here?"
"I loved it, and I thought you would, too. I take it you don't come up here often? I saw the tears in your eyes."
Sanguine hesitated. So he had seen. He wasn't supposed to. He wasn't supposed to see her cry. Thinking of what to say made her oblivious to the hand creeping up her stomach-further to above the stomach.
Rock lifted his head and turned his head towards hers. His mouth hovered near her neck before it caught an extra fold of skin. He smiled on hearing the whimper of uncertainty. He felt her hand touch the top of his head, only making him sink his teeth in harder and suck on the fold of skin. He cupped his hands around them, feeling their weight and then let go of her neck, headed for her cheek, though he hesitated at the last moment.
She pulled his hands down and extended her arms outward, away from their bodies. "There...Standing like this you can feel the wind and it's like you're flying..." She breathed in deeply.
Rock raised his head too look at the sunset and closed his eyes, feeling the wind against his face. It truly did feel like flying... "Hey!"
Sanguine had let go of his wrist for a brief moment to take his sunglasses off before she returned to holding his wrist out. "A man who hides his eyes is afraid to show the world who he really is." She threw her head back and rested it on his left shoulder. "Now I'm falling."
He gazed at her closed eyes for a moment before returning to the fantasies. "I'm still flying...like a persistent bird soaring to meet my parents..."
He then felt himself being pushed downward. He sat down behind her at first, his legs around her. She pulled their arms into her stomach and curled into them. "Please don't talk about your parents."
"Why not?"
"It hurts me to talk about them as much as it hurts you. I've cried enough for one day. And you sound like my brother-and he was the one that tried to kill them. He's the one you really remind me of-not my father-and I don't want to confuse you with my brother."
Rock gasped and leant forward into her ear and withdrew his legs from around her instead to put them on her right so that he sat beside her. "What do you mean he tried to kill them?"
Sanguine curled into a tighter ball. "I'd rather not talk about it right now."
Rock pulled away, though she wouldn't let go of his arms. "Okay, then...I thought girls were supposed to cry."
She then let go of his arms and sat up to bury herself in his chest underneath his outstretched arm. "Maybe tomorrow."
She lay his sunglasses in his lap. He looked down at them, but then thought better of it and left them off. He tightened the hand she held in hers so that he held her closer of his own free will. He smiled at the one buried in his arms and looked back up at the sunset.
He never thought he'd have someone nestled in his grip since the day his parents died. That day it had all been taken away-he felt there would be no happiness even though the Reds had showed affection at first. It just hadn't been the same. He couldn't kill someone that had brought everything back to him.
This attitude would have to go.
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm too sensitive...I was crying when I wrote that last paragraph. Rock's story is so sad when you really think about it...and listening to sad songs while typing doesn't help... -_-'