Chapter 3
"He's stronger than anticipated…"
"We gave him a massive amount of tranquilizers, he should be out…"
"Oh well, we prepared for this. No doubt his fighting spirit will keep him alive for the time being, Let's begin. Shall we?"
Bad's eyes snapped open that moment.
He sat up in bed, trembling at the memory that became a dream, but he wasn't dreaming. Slowly he peered down at his hands, and saw nothing but metal staring back at him. He sighed with discontent to it all. "They planned this, this whole time…" he said to himself.
The world has become so cold and gloomy in his eyes. Nothing was the same. Not even his own sister.
The last time he saw her, Bad tried to feel something, emote anything at all to let her know he was still himself. But not a tear came from his eyes, his embrace wasn't even warm let alone settling for her as she wept for him.
When she cries, he cries, but he had no tears to offer her.
Yet since then, Zenko hasn't come to see him once. Was she terrified of him? Or ashamed that her brother became a cyborg?
He didn't know.
Slowly, he got himself out of bed and decided to walk about for a bit.
Alley has informed everyone at the Association about this, they knew better than to approach him or bring up anything to do with the Neo Heroes.
He doesn't even want to see the news that sings their praises.
Yet as he walked the halls, he tried to feel something. He saw Garou and his family talking it up, Garou became a grandfather by the looks of it as he held the two children Suiryu and Alley had. The twins were happy, bouncing baby boys. 'Must be nice,' he thought to himself but moved along.
He found Pac eating away in the cafeteria oddly. "Shit, that guy got fat really fast…" he said aloud.
"Where do you think you're going?"
He paused as he swore someone was yelling at him, but when he turned his head, he saw two serpent like women slithering ahead of him. They were confronting Tempest of all people. "We saw you! You were serpent weren't you?" one shouted.
"I was, yes, why do you ask?"
"Well… we're interested in you," said the other.
Tempest tried to be a polite as he could and explained that he has a girlfriend. "I assure you I am content in my relationship…"
"Where we come from a male can have more than one mate!"
Tempest appeared a little flustered. "With all due respect ladies, this isn't your home world. Here, we prefer one mate." He explained.
They pouted to him. "Or are you just not interested in us?" one muttered.
He smiled warmly. "You two are lovely ladies, but please understand. I am in a relationship with one female, and this is the only female I wish to be with."
They sighed aloud. "What is with these males? They don't know they can have more than one mate?" they slinked off defeated with the notion.
Bad tried to feel something.
It was funny… wasn't it?
He didn't even know anymore what was what, or how to feel about certain situations. The longer he remains in this state, the more he feels he is losing himself…
#
Later that night.
Pac went to bed, but sleep has not been coming to him. His mind and body are consistently connected to Zenko, and she hasn't been happy the moment he took her in.
'Bad, I want my brother back… I want my big brother…' was all he heard at night resonating in his head.
He tried to sooth her, rubbing his belly and explaining to Zenko that Alley was working on it. 'She's isn't rushing it since she wants to be sure that Bad has everything back to normal. Please, just a while longer…' he said gently to her.
But then he would cry.
He emoted everything she felt, and the tears were a constant reminder that she is thinking and worrying about her brother and what has become of him. Pac knows Alley can fix it, he knows it's just a matter of time.
But also, he wishes it would happen sooner than later. The longer Zenko is in this state, the more he worries for her and the child she carries. "I have to make things right for her," he said to himself. "I just wish I knew how."