Chapter 3
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left you took my
shining star?
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Don't leave us here alone
-Pink- Family Portrait
Duke Red, one of the most influential men in the former city, behind-the-scenes politician, had always had a sharp mind. He honed it on the egos and opinions of others, puncturing pride like a needle through soap bubbles. He also had the rare ability of manipulation, the ability to mold people like clay in his hands. It was an uncommon person that resisted being bent to his will, but with enough time, even the unwilling could be twisted into dependance. /Like Rock,/ he thought to himself, /that boy could barely survive a few days without me. He's completely devoted./
Duke Red did, of course, feel a slight amount of guilt at what he had put the boy through, but it was disregarded and relegated to the back of his mind. It did not do to dwell on the misfortune of others. There were more important things to accomplish, such as rebuilding his dictatorship over Metropolis. Duke Red had been planning and plotting for some time, creating plans and ideas, schemes and brainstorms. However, each plan had one fatal roadblock.
Himself.
He was in the hospital, unable to reach the larger population. And even so, who would want an invalid as their leader? He would be able to seize control once he had healed, but Duke Red was not a stupid man. He knew he was blanking out large swatches of time, coming back to reality in other rooms or in different places. The city must be taken, and in his mind, the sooner the better. Before his-affliction-was common knowledge.
That was where Rock came into the picture.The boy, though still largely useless, was young and strong. Only a little past sixteen, he could easily represent the Duke. With Duke Red's reflected "heroism", carefully worded speeches and pre-planned acts of generosity and aid, it would be simple. Effortless, even. The masses would trust him, and the trust would be transferred to Duke Red himself. The Duke was quite proud to have thought it up. It had only one flaw, and it was easily remedied.
Rock.
He would have to be convinced, as an unwilling person was of no help to Duke Red. The Duke allowed himself a brief moment of regret at his own actions toward the boy, but they were quickly squashed. /Rock WILL help me,/ he thought to himself, /he has no choice. And I have the perfect way to seize his cooperation./...The bruised sky is crimson-blue and the yellowed grass is crunching underfoot, for there has been no rain in months. All that can be seen for miles is the expanse of dead plants and blood sky. The house is there, standing near, the dog running free and snapping at insects, but-
where-
where is-
-buzzing fills the air, look up and see a thing, metal and harsh light falling, the whine gets louder and louder andlouderandlouderand-
Wake up-Rock had been brooding alone in his small room for nearly a day. Nurses and doctors alike were rebuffed, and he just wanted to be left alone. Lying on his back, he stared up at a long crack in the ceiling. He imagined that he could see out, into the world outside, perhaps to the sky. But it didn't matter.
Nothing mattered.
Rock knew Duke Red would never forgive him for the destruction of the Ziggurat, and so could never hope to be called son again. He lay morosely, not even shifting when yet another orderly came in to disturb him.
The orderly shifted from foot to foot as Rock didn't make the slightest motion of surprise or greeting. "Er..." he began, "hello, Rock, is it? My name's Simon. I-"
"Go away," growled Rock, not bothering to make eye contact, "why won't you people just leave me alone?" Simon blinked, surprised at his vehemence.
"Well," began Simon, "we're just trying to help. I was sent in to..." Simon grinned lopsidedly, "cheer you up a bit, I guess." Rock turned and stared at him disbelievingly for a moment.
"Cheer me up?" he stated, incredulous. "Do you even have the slightest idea of what's bothering me? The vaguest idea?"
Simon looked blank.
Rock looked back at the ceiling. "I didn't think so."
Simon cocked his head to the side, leaning forward. "Does it have something to do with your father?"
Rock sat up slowly, looking angry. More than angry.
"What," stated Rock, his voice cold and furious, "do you think you know about my father? Do you think that it's some loving family that will just accept me back after all I've done!?" Rock's voice rose until he was fairly screaming at Simon, who was stepping backwards, unprepared for Rock's verbal barrage.
"Do you think I deserve to be welcomed back? Do you think I ever did? Do you think he will ever forgive me? Because he won't! I don't deserve forgiveness!" Tears were winding down Rock's face as he cried out the last few words. He looked at Simon a moment, then turned away. Drawing his knees up to his chest, Rock wrapped his arms around them and buried his head in his knees, muttering something unintelligible.
Simon stood, stunned, by the closed door. He took a few steps towards Rock, unsure of what to do and listening to Rock's quiet sobs. He left one hand on the bed frame, resting the other uncertainly on Rock's shoulder.
Rock didn't seem to notice.
Simon tried a weak grin. "Hey... you okay?" he asked carefully, not wanting to be screamed at again. "Anything I can do?" He leaned close to Rock to hear the answer, almost lost in folds of cloth. His unruly blond hair brushed the side of Rock's face.
Rock raised his head slightly, looking down at the bland sheets. "He won't forgive me," stated Rock with quiet certainty, "I know he won't. I've done too much wrong. He'll never..." He trailed off, sighing slightly. "I can't be forgiven. Not for what I've done. Not ever."
Simon looked concerned. "But- that's not true!" he exclaimed, "your father, Duke Red- he's been asking for you to come see him. It's hard for him to get around now, so-" Rock cut him off.
"He asked about me? He- he really did?" Rock's face broke into a radiant smile. "You aren't just trying to make me feel better? Can I go see him now?" Rock looked so eager that Simon couldn't say no.
Rock levered himself out of bed, using the frame as support. He could stand on his own, but his sense of balance had not yet returned. Rock felt his knees begin to collapse. Simon caught him, put an arm around him and held him up before he fell. They made their way down the hall like that, Rock clinging to him on unsteady legs.
/Why,/ mused Simon, /do I always pick the short straw? Am I just completely unlucky, or is it-/ he recalled Alice twisting her hands oddly as he picked a straw.
Simon frowned. Rigged. He just knew it.
Damn.It had been interesting at first, but Duke Red was tiring of the hospital staff's attentions. It had come to a point where he wasn't left alone for more than five minutes, and he was ready to consider killing someone.
/Useless incompetents,/ reflected Duke Red, regarding the city through the rather large window adorning one wall. /if I employed them, they would all have been fired yesterday. Especially that overbearing, kowtowing, vapid excuse for a nurse-/
"Oh, Duke Reed!"
Duke Red winced.
Carefully schooling his aristocratic features into his usual facade, he turned to see the newcomer. /Well, speak of the devil.../
"Hello," said Duke Red neutrally, disguising his annoyance. "Erika, is it not?"
"Oh, it is!" the short, brown-haired nurse gushed, her braid flying, quite obviously enamored of the Duke. "I came to check up on you! After all, you might need something at any moment. I should come to see you as often as I can! You might need me!" She waited for Duke Red to respond, gazing at him adoringly with moist blue eyes.
Duke Red looked about for an escape route. Finding nothing, he tried to find a way to rid himself of this- woman. "So," he said slowly, "Erika... how are you this fine day?"
"Wonderful!" she simpered. "It's always a beautiful day when I get to attend such handsome patients. All the other nurses are jealous of me- my patients are simply the best." She fluttered her eyelashes at Duke Red, who was beginning to wish he'd died in the ziggurat collapse. "But I should be the one asking you questions, silly!" she looked at him suggestively. "Do you need a sponge bath?"
Duke Red choked and couldn't hold back his look of horror. He decided to move quickly. "Did you hear that?" he asked, glancing off into mid-air, "they've just called you to intensive care. You should get down there."
"But I didn't-" began Erika. Duke Red cut her off, spinning her around and fairly pushing her out the door.
"You'll have to hurry, don't want to keep them waiting!" said Duke Red, smiling. "I'll see you again soon. Goodbye!" And he shut the door in her face.
He turned and leaned against the door, running one hand through his blonde hair. /Ye gods,/ he thought, /that woman should be dropped off a building... preferably a tall one. Why-/ His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door at his back. Duke Red groaned, preparing for another onslaught of Erika.
He opened the door, sure he was going to regret it.
Rock stood there, clad in an ordinary hospital robe and supported by a familiar-looking young man. Rock looked up at him with a strange mixture of hope and desperation. Simon led him in, past Duke Red, leaving him standing next to a convenient chair Rock could grab for support. Simon looked from one to the other.
"I'll just leave you two alone then," he said, walking out and shutting the door behind him.
Rock looked down at his feet, as if afraid to meet the Duke's eyes, resting one hand on the top of the spindly wooden chair. Duke Red noticed he looked uncertain. Rock didn't move or speak, seeming to expect hatred and derision. The longer the Duke remained silent, the more Rock trembled.
Like a dog expecting to be whipped.
Duke Red watched him contemplatively, judging the best moment to strike. Just make the boy trust him, and the rest would come easily. So easily.
"Rock," he began, just the right amount of compassion in his voice, "it's good to see you again. I've missed you..." Rock didn't look comforted by this. In fact, he was trembling worse than ever. Duke Red spoke again, this time with a small amount of real concern. "Rock, are you all right? You're shaking..."
"I'm sorry!" Rock burst out, bringing his head up, "please, please forgive me for the things I've done, I've done so much wrong, and I- I've hurt you- It's all my fault, and I- just- I just want-" Rock trailed off, wrapping his arms around himself, tears trickling slowly down his face, and continued softly, "I just want to be forgiven, but..."
Duke Red was mystified. This wasn't going quite as planned. "But... what? Why can't you be forgiven?" he asked, hoping for a quick resolution. Rock said something so quietly Duke Red couldn't make it out. "What did you say?"
Rock swallowed, making no attempt to dry his eyes and again looking fixedly at the floor. "I... don't deserve it." he repeated. "You shouldn't forgive me, I'm nothing, I'm no one next to you," said Rock miserably. "I can't- I can't do this anymore..."
Duke Red was tiring of Rock's juvenile display of emotion."Rock, listen to me," he said, getting his attention. "You are not nothing," /you're worse/ "those last few moments on the Ziggurat, you saved my life. I forgive you... my son."
Rock smiled slowly, unaccustomed to happiness. Wiping away his tears on a sleeve, he looked truly hopeful for the first time. Duke Red opened his arms, and Rock ran to him, stumbling only slightly, burying his head in the Duke's shoulder like a child. Rock clung to him as if the world would end.
Duke Red hadn't called him son or touched him save to hit him in six years.
Duke Red allowed himself one vicious smirk behind Rock's back. Rock always had been easy to manipulate.The green-haired boy, almost shorter than the pile of machine parts in his arms, walked up to the cashier. Dumping the load onto the purchase desk, he went back for more. The cashier looked on in amazement that the diminutive boy could pay for, let alone carry such an amount of parts. when the boy came back to the counter for the last time, the cashier couldn't help asking just what he was doing with such an abundance of things.
Kenichi smiled. "I'm building a robot."