(A/N: I hope everyone is ready for this chapter because I definitely know that I am. Fair warning though, many points in this will be emotionally moving, but isn't that what you expect after everything so far? I think so.
So, with that in mind, I would read cautiously if I were you. I know I've been keeping these chapters pretty light-hearted, but I'm not fooling this time. The reason why I say that is because XL's problems will finally be explained throughout the next couple chapters. Don't say I didn't warn you.)
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Kevin was able to put the Rust Bucket into light speed and they were finally on their way to Augstaka. While most of them were relieved, XL was not, he was beyond devastated that he had left his home for the second time.
He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to fully recover from this departure, hell, he never even recovered from the first one nearly ten years earlier. Nobody could ever understand how he felt, not even his 'father'.
He had been crying in the same spot for what felt like hours before he was able to calm himself down enough to move. Dried rivers of tears were left behind when he walked away.
He went into the back and changed out of the Plumber suit. When he looked at it and saw how much he tore off the body armor it made him realize just how much of his sanity he lost for the sake of saving a group of people who aren't even sure if he could be trusted. At least he had the peace of mind knowing that at least one did.
He came back into the cockpit and put the remainder of his clothes back on. A few people were staring at him, but he didn't care. If they want to see what he went through for the majority of life, let them. It wasn't like it never happened before and he knew there were no chances that it wouldn't happen again in the near future.
He was about to put all the items he took out back in his pockets when his stomach suddenly emitted a sour grumble. He held his stomach and made his way out of the cockpit.
Once he was out he made a beeline for the restroom. He opened the door and practically collapsed onto the toilet; kneeling directly in front of it on the floor.
He positioned himself above the toilet bowl and held onto the sides and seat. He opened his mouth and started coughing, the hot liquid contents of his stomach soon poured out of his mouth and into the water inside.
He was finally done and lifted his head up, his throat felt sore and raw. He felt very sluggish on the inside, although thought it was because he was still quite shaken up about leaving Soron.
"Feeling better?" an all too familiar voice asked.
He looked behind him by lifting his arm and looking under. He saw Slade standing there, his mask was still off, he was glad.
Instead of standing up, he moved his body around so he was sitting next to the toilet. He had a feeling he might still need it.
"What are you, staking me?" he asked sarcastically, the sluggish feeling he felt was prominent in his voice.
He might be glad to see him, but he usually needs a little time to recover when he vomits. As a result, he usually seems to be a bit ill-tempered and crotchety for a little while, but typically only for a few minutes.
"I repeat my question," Slade spoke. He might be a patient man, but now his patience was beginning to wear a little thin.
"You have an eye, how do I look to you?" he questioned.
He wasn't affected by how he referred to the fact that he had only one eye, not at all; how he lost it was his fault after all. He has only ever seen him with the single eye, he never saw him with two, he lost the other before they met for the first time.
He looked at his current condition, scanning over every detail of his body. He saw that his head and neck were drenched, the bleak lighting caused his skin to glisten. He wasn't sure if it was due to tears, sweat, or a combination of the two.
He could see his chest rising and falling at a rather quick pace, which wasn't surprising to him. If he had just upchucked the entire contents of his stomach he figured he would be out of breath too.
His clothes were also telling, they were slightly disheveled. His shirt was slightly bunched and wrinkled, while his jacket was just barely holding onto his shoulders.
Overall, he looked tired and virtually unable to stand on his own at the moment. He even had dark circles around his eyes that were more prominent now than before.
He sat down on the floor next to him, grunting as he did. "I won't lie, you look like crap."
He didn't have the strength to get upset with him and laughed good-naturedly, "No argument here, I feel like crap."
He then suddenly asked him, "Tell me honestly, how did it feel when you gave in to your primitive instincts?"
"Truthfully, I don't know," he admitted. "I don't remember any of it. I have no idea if it was an eternal rush of euphoria or if it just felt natural."
He found that a little hard to swallow, but he wasn't going to question him about it. Adrenaline can do very unordinary things to the mind - to put it carefully.
He then saw him grab onto the toilet seat and thought he was going to vomit again, but he instead used it to steady himself as he stood up. He was a little wobbly on his feet, but he was able to make it to the sink without falling to the floor again.
"You better get back to the cockpit before they notice both of us are gone," he told him, turning on the sink.
He did have a valid point, if Robin noticed both of them were gone, that obsessive spiky-haired Titan might get suspicious. And not just him either, most of the eight heroes would probably be suspicious. Slade left the bathroom without sparing a glance at his 'son'.
He finished washing up and dried off his hands and arms. He watched as every wipe left an irritated abrasion that disappeared almost instantly. It was an unfortunate reminder of the fact that he had lost his protective layer of mucus, which was a problem. He just hoped and prayed that no one would notice, that was the last thing he needed.
He finished drying off and turned off the water. He left the bathroom and went back into the cockpit.
He put all of the items back into his pockets, but left his music player out. He finally sat down in his seat and put his shoes back on.
He put his headphones back on and started to look through it for a song. It took him a little while but he eventually settled on "Send the Pain Below" by Chevelle.
I liked...
Having hurt
So send the pain below
Where I need it
You used to beg me to take care of things
And smile at the thoughts...
Of me failing
But long before...
Having hurt
I'll send the pain below
I'll send the pain below
Much like suffocating
Much like suffocating
Much like suffocating (I'll send the pain below)
Much like suffocating (I'll send the pain below)
You used to run me away
All while laughing
Then cry about that fact
'Til my returns
But long before...
Having hurt
I'll send the pain below
I'll send the pain below
Much like suffocating
Much like suffocating
He felt someone tap on his shoulder when the song was about halfway through. He looked up and removed his headphones, the person was Raven.
"Yeah? What is it?" he asked.
She cracked a small, soft smile, "These."
A couple of stacks of something flat surrounded by her dark energy powers were set in front of him. She released her powers and let him look at them.
A wave of nostalgia came crashing down on him when he saw the first picture he picked up. "I remember this," he uttered. He placed a hand over his mouth and his eyes started to get watery, he felt like crying.
"You remember what?" Beast Boy asked as he came up to them. He saw the picture in his hands, "Hey, who's that?"
"That's me and my nephew," he answered, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "My sister was trying to get a picture of him, but he wouldn't sit still, so she asked me to hold him in place."
Gwen then got up and went over to them. She started to look through the pictures and showed one to him, "This is the one we were most intrigued by."
"That's a mandala," he tapped on the intriguing design, "it's out of Hindu mythology." He then tapped on the woman in the picture, "And that's my mother."
"She's very beautiful," she commented with a smile.
"Yeah, she was," he replied with a frown in a soft, low voice.
"Don't get all emotional on us," Kevin remarked.
"Kevin!" his girlfriend scolded with her hands on her hips.
"No, no, it's fine," he assured. "I- I really should learn how to control my emotions."
It was difficult to tell if he was being sincere or not. Not that they thought he was lying to them in a deceptive way, but in a manner that suggested he was actually trying to convince himself of his own statement.
His voice was shaky, as was his body, and he felt cold on the inside. He was nervous, that was obvious, but as for why no one knew, no one but him.
He then stood up and did something no one expected. He wrapped an arm around Raven's shoulders and pulled her in a hug.
"Thank you," he uttered gratefully, smiling softly.
Surprisingly, she didn't get upset and push him away, but returned his embrace. "You're welcome."
He pulled away from her and sat back down in his seat. Then went back to looking at the pictures she gave him.
"Hey, how come when I hug you, you push me away, but when it's him, you hug him back?" Beast Boy complained.
'Okay,' he thought. He had a feeling that an argument would be ensuing shortly and he was not in the mood to hear it.
He put his headphones back on and finished the song he was listening to. It was by a favorite band of his after all. He wasn't exactly sure what it was that he liked about it, he just did.
...Much like suffocating (I'll send the pain below)
Much like suffocating (I'll send the pain below)
Much like suffocating
I can't feel my chest
Anymore...
Drop down
Closing in...
I can't feel my chest
Drop down!
I liked...
Having hurt
So send the pain below
So send the pain below (Much like suffocating)
(I liked…)
So send the pain below (Much like suffocating)
(Having hurt)
So send the pain below (Much like suffocating)
So send the pain below (Much like suffocating)
So send the pain below
The song ended and he could hear Beast Boy's screams when it did. He shook his head and looked through his playlist for another song.
It wasn't long before they finally made it to the planetary system Augstaka. After everything they had gone through to get there, it was like they had just discovered the Holy Grail and got rewarded for their efforts by Him.
They descended into the atmosphere and made their downwards. Ben pressed a button and requested permission to land, which was granted.
They landed on the runway and Kevin slumped back in his seat when they did. He was very relieved now that they finally arrived, the same could probably be said for everyone else.
Ben got up from his seat and told everyone, "Get your jackets on, it's time to go."
"Is it really that cold here?" Cyborg asked.
"Yes," Ben, his team, and XL all answered in unison.
"Nobody knows better than us," Kevin added.
XL stood up from his seat and zipped up his jacket as high as it could go. "If there's a spare jacket no one wants, I want it."
"Hey, why should you get it?" Beast Boy complained again.
"Because I called it," he responded with a smirk. He mentally added, 'And because I need to keep warm without my protective mucus.'
They left the cockpit and everyone, with the exception of Slade and Starfire, put on a jacket, or at least something to help them keep warm. Unfortunately for XL, there weren't any spare jackets left for him, but there was a scarf, which he wrapped around his neck, it was better than nothing.
They went down into the cargo hold and the hatch opened for them. They left the Rust Bucket and went outside, where Reinrassig was waiting for them.
"I have been expecting you for some time," he greeted them in a slightly pointed manner.
"Yeah, well, we got a little sidetracked," Ben replied casually. "But, hey, we're here now!"
He was about to say something else when XL suddenly exploded into a coughing fit. He looked down at the ground as he continued his coughs. He started to tug at the scarf around him, as if it was the cause of this sudden attack.
His coughs soon ceased and he began to rub his tender throat. "I'm sorry," his voice sounded raspy and weakened, "my lungs just need to adjust to this air, it's very dry."
"It is alright, Xilo, I am not infuriated," he assured.
He was a little taken back when he addressed him by his real name. Most people just call him by his alter ego or a nickname, only his 'father' and close friends call him by his birth name.
Reinrassig turned around and started to walk towards the building in front of them. "Follow." They did as he told them and followed him.
As they did, they discovered that Augstaka really was as cold as they were told. Vapors were even coming out of their mouths and noses as they breathed and talked.
Cyborg rubbed his arms and shivered, "It really is freezing here!"
"Yeah, we wouldn't lie to you," Kevin uttered.
They entered the building and discovered that it was some kind of clinic. There were beds as well as observation and testing equipment and even what looked like medications.
A Highbreed with red limbs and a red face, blue eyes, and charcoal black body with white highlights came up to them. He held what looked like a tablet in his hands, but it was thin like a cell phone.
"Hello, I am Heilen, I am a doctor here," he introduced himself, "which one of you is Xilo?"
XL stepped forward, somewhat timidly, "I am." He was rubbing his arms when he did and stopped only momentarily to raise a hand in a bit of an awkward manner.
He took notice of this and asked, "Are you cold?" He nodded. "Are you anemic?"
"I don't know," he answered. "I have always had a weakness to the cold."
"Perhaps I could give you an injection," he suggested.
He perked up when he heard that and he looked very nervous and distraught, "I-Injection? As in, sh-sh-sh-shot? N-N-Needles?"
He suddenly felt light-headed and fell backwards. Slade caught him before he hit the ground, but he was barely conscious.
"That's strange," Robin spoke in a soft voice.
"What is?" Beast Boy asked. "His fainting? Or his apparent fear of needles and doctors?"
"How about both?" Slade remarked.
Heilen made a gesture that looked like he was "holding his chin" before he turned to his Supreme Leader, "I would like to conduct tests as soon as possible."
"Agreed. Be sure to inform me of your findings," he told him.
He nodded, "I will once I do."
Reinrassig then addressed the others, "Come with me."
"Why? Are we going to talk about her?" Kevin remarked.
He knew exactly who he was talking about and was not amused by his tone of voice. He clenched his fist and growled, "My courtship is none of your concern!"
"What's he talking about?" Beast Boy whispered to Raven.
"He's engaged," she answered simply.
"It's a long story, we'll fill you in later," Ben muttered.
Heilen decided it was best to change the topic before his Supreme Leader lost his temper, he addressed Slade and asked him, "Can you assist me in getting him to a bed?"
He didn't answer verbally, he answered by picking him up in his arms and walking to one of the beds. The doctor followed him and started to take notes once he was on the bed.
Reinrassig took the rest of them into a room while they waited for his report. The room itself was roughly the size of a cafeteria in a hospital on Earth.
Meanwhile, Heilen was finished with his notes and put the tablet down. He called out to an assistant and they brought him an elongated device with a light on the tip. He picked up the tablet again and attached the device to the bottom of it.
Slade gave him a suspicious look when he started to move it along the length of his body. He didn't think it was to hurt him, but he still wanted to know what the doctor was doing to his 'son'.
He noticed this look and explained to him, "This is a body scanner, all I plan to do is scan him for anything concerning."
The light at the end of the device turned on and he slowly moved it along the length of his body several times. He looked at the results of the body scan and found something very suspicious, several things that were very suspicious. This definitely needed to be reported immediately.
He opened the door to the room Reinrassig took them to. They were waiting around for something to happen and looked to be bored. Some of them occupied themselves by filling their stomachs with food provided to them.
Robin noticed him standing by the doorway, "Did you find something?"
"One could say that," he answered cryptically.
"What does that mean?" Ben questioned, growing concerned.
He could have answered right then and there, but there was an additional person who also deserved to know. And he was with his patient, awaiting his return.
He turned around and began to walk away, "Come with me."
One by one, everyone followed him out of the room and he led them to the bed where the 'father' and 'son' were. They hoped that he was not about to tell them any bad news, that was the last thing they needed.
"Well, give us the bad news," Kevin uttered monotonously.
"I conducted a body scan and the results revealed inflammation in his esophagus, an indication of prolonged problems with the stomach," he explained. "Specifically, it appears to me that he has been vomiting repeatedly for a prolonged period of time, possibly many years."
"How do you know this?" Robin asked.
"There are signs of irritation in the upper and lower esophageal sphincter as well as his pharynx," he answered. "His stomach is empty as well and I found trace amounts of organic and inorganic materials in his digestive tract, food he was able to digest before he fell ill. If I had to estimate, I would say he vomited at least once within the past hour."
"Well, he was coughing when we first arrived," Ben uttered, "could that have something to do with it?"
"No," he responded, "it is possible that his vomiting could have been a factor in his coughs, however, coughing would not cause this amount of inflammation and irritation."
"So, wait, you're saying that he threw up sometime in the past hour and that caused him to start coughing?" Kevin sounded very frustrated and confused.
"I cannot say for certain, I will have to conduct more tests to know with absolute certainty," he claimed. "In the meantime, I know a way to help his stomach."
"What would that be?" Gwen inquired.
He knew they wouldn't appreciate the answer he was about to give them, but they were the ones who were asking. "Blood. He needs blood."
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(A/N: I hope this is a good place to stop for now. I know there's not a lot of humor in this chapter, but that's the point, none of what these guys are going through is humorous. So, because of that, I think this is probably one of my more favorable chapters.
Just like I said in the beginning, the next couple of chapters will be a little sensitive in the medical area, so you might want to avoid them. I'm sorry if I got something wrong with Heilen and his assessment, but I did my best. Yet another reason why you might want to avoid the next few chapters.
For those of you who are wondering about Reiny's courtship, he is engaged in my story "No More Chains", this takes place after the events of that story. I've wanted to put in a little allusion to that story since the day I finished it a couple months ago. Feel free to check it out if you want.)