Light Family Memoir

Oneshot 4 - Troublemakers

A/N - This introduces a minor OC (though I suppose I could've used someone from canon, I just don't know who exactly) that'll help with Bass and assist on some chapters later down the road, including the beginning of one multi-chapter arc that'll introduce soon enough. Essentially, it'll just be a few closely-connected chapters that'll introduce some new information and new characters. (For the story, anyways. *cough*)

If you want more of a hint, let's just say I've decided to make Zero more than just a police officer…

Also, mentions of foul language because I'm nowhere edgy enough to use actual words. Which I'm okay with, honestly. Also more mentions of their parents in a little more detail. One of these chapters I'll go without mentioning them at all, I swear.

Bailey had the worst of friends. And until tonight, his older brother had no clue that he was even associated with them.

It was later in the evening, when all traffic was starting to come to its usual night slow in the big city. The five boys- one being the ringleader of this stunt they decided to pull, the other four, that included Bass himself, being followers- were out in front of a family-owned business of which one of their whiny classmates belonged to.

Needless to say, they weren't waiting around for the store to open up the next morning.

Scattered around their feet were spray cans, ready to be used on the building without any kind of legal permission, and definitely not in a attractive way like real artists did.

Bass, of course, was having some doubts, unlike the others.

"I dunno about this. I don't think they deserves this," he spoke up at last.

"What are you," retorted the leader, who was much older than Bass and another boy of the same age as Bass, "a baby?" The others made mocking crying noises and flicked their wrists in front of their face, their fists curled up to imitate the rubbing of eyes to further drive the point home.

"No… It's just that-" He tried to reason, but one of the other teens butted in.

"Dude, you're growing soft as of late. Is that big brother of yours really making you change?"

"I'm not going soft-" His voice rose as another teen interrupted.

"Yes you are. I thought you were the 'Almighty Bass'."

"I am!" Bass growled. He was clearly getting aggravated, the boys knowing that it was the easiest to rope him into their little 'game' when he was. The kid his age piped up.

"Then why don't you show us?!"

"I will!" At last he broke, and was the first to pick up the dumped cans and spray something obscene on the wall, something that shouldn't be used by an elementary student.

The others cheered and joined in as well, writing their own slew of offensive words. The cans were quickly dropped almost as soon as they were picked up, but there was plenty to go around.

These actions were beyond foolish to suppose they could just get away with it.

Sirens and even the distant red-and-blue lights moving closer and closer down the street cued it was time to run. All the boys dropped their cans and made a mad dash away from the cars.

The boys ran in almost unison as a small pack, all except Bass, who was a few paces behind.

As they started to head across a street not far from the crime scene, one of the squad cars had caught up to them and took a hard right, breaking at one of the intersections right as the grouping of boys ran past and cut Bass right off from the rest.

The rest of the group didn't bother to look back.

The police stepped out of the car, and Bailey, in surrender of the sudden consciousness that finally kicked in, raised his hand above his head without behind asked.

He went willingly into the back seat and was taken into custody, unlike the rest of the boys, who escaped but deserved to be taken in more than the mislead kid they were fortunate enough to bring in.

Today had been a long day.

First, Zero had to take an overly-apologetic Xavier to the campus after his alarm didn't go off. Next, his parents made him do some errands for them, though he doubted they couldn't have waited. Both the grocery store and the laundromat were open well after his parents got out of work. Finally, he had to help X again with an oil leak down in his father's personal lab at the house before his dad could get home.

At the very least, they let him stay for dinner.

However, he expected his long day to end right then and there, especially as soon as he got home.

As the car cruised down the streets back to his house, his phone suddenly rang out a familiar little jingle. It was from some show his little brother liked and so he picked it up as a ringtone to identify when he was calling.

Zack picked up the phone as quickly as he could and greeted, "Hello?"

Bass's voice didn't come through the line, cueing him in on something more was going on. Instead, an older man's voice returned.

"Hello. Is this Zack Wily speaking?"

"It… is." He hesitated, and then realized why there was someone else on the line. Bass had really done it this time. "Did by any chance my little brother do something… reckless?"

"Illegal, even." The voice returned. Zack felt sickly nervous. "I'm Deputy Mack Ross with the local police department. Would you mind coming in for a few questions?"

"S...Sure." He was never quite nervous as he was now, but this was the first time Bass had been in any legal trouble.

"I'm glad to tell you that once you answer some questions, you and Bailey are welcome to go home. Both us at the department and the family involved in the incident have dropped charges on him."

An audible sigh of relief escaped his lips. "I'll be right over, then."

Deputy Mack Ross was an older man, probably in his middle-to-late 40's, if Zack wasn't being fooled by a younger look. He was, of course, rather fit and even visibly muscular. Deputy Ross's brown, greying hair was cut short, and his pale face was rather angular. Other than that, he was about standard issue as the rest of the police force with his blue uniform.

He was standing next to the metallic table that his younger brother was sitting at with a reassuring smile. After Zack thanked the other officer who had led him to the questioning room, Deputy Ross motioned for him to sit down in the seat next to Bailey.

Getting a closer look at Bass now, he saw the redness of his face and in his eyes. He had been crying. Zero gently rubbed his brother's arm, responded by a look over and even a soft smile, though obviously still strained.

"Though I do admit not talking to all the boys involved in the incident is a bit of a downfall on our part, having at least one of them with an obvious consciousness is enough. With his help, we were able to get ahold of the other boys involved."

"Other boys?" Zero raised an eyebrow, glancing at both of them, though primarily at Bass.

"Three high school and two elementary school students," Mack responded, "Bailey included. From what I understand, the other elementary student is his classmate, and the leader of their little 'gang' is his older brother." He looked over at Bass. "Right?"

He nodded in response, and quietly added for Zack, "They kinda… roped me into it."

Zack stared concernedly at Bass before questioning further. "And the other high schoolers are friends of the leader, I'm guessing?"

"It seems so," Mack confirmed.

Zack's mind was swimming at this point. The very fact that he was hanging out with boys clearly older than him made him a bit sick, as they were obviously taking advantage of him. Whether it was just to get more manpower behind their operations, silently laughing at getting him angry, or take the blame like he had tonight, it was unclear.

Whatever the case, it wasn't for a wholesome purpose.

"I did try, however, to contact your parents before Bailey told me to contact you. Any comments on that?" Zack shifted nervously in his seat, and he swore Bailey did as well. It sounded like something they'd do, however.

"They're not quite… keen on police enforcement, officer." Zack spoke up. "As for why… it's a personal matter."

The officer looked suspicious at this point. "I'm afraid you'll have to elaborate."

A sigh, and then, "Our parents hardly teach us what's right or wrong because they just don't care, and when they actually do seem to care, they yell at us, especially when we don't meet up to their expectations. I was turning out like Bailey when I was a kid, and I've been trying to break that like one of my friends and his family did for me. It doesn't help that they act so innocent when others are around."

"They freaking suck," Bass added.

Officer Ross looked interested. "So that's why you went off the other day."

It took for a moment for Zack to remember, but then it hit him.

"Wait. You were there at the cadet school when I…" His voice suddenly faded out. "...when I let my anger get the best of me."

"You were mad at your parents that day, weren't you?" Mack assumed perfectly.

"...Yeah. We got off on the wrong foot as I got ready and I took all of that with me to class…"

"...And let it all out on one of the other cadets." A nervous feeling rose in Zack's chest, afraid of being told off for his actions that day and judged for his actions. He had already received a stern talk from the commanding officer. But, the opposite happened. "If you need any help, please, I'd like to help you."

Bass and Zero stared for a good minute. It wasn't often, if not impossible, for get anyone to believe them. Their parents, when keeping up an act, said they just had "attitude issues", but it was much more than just that. Nobody ever questioned them because they didn't feel a need to get involved, or, if anything, their parents were persuasive enough.

But things were different today. Zack was an adult now, and Bailey obviously had more than an issue with just his attitude, so for once, someone saw it for what it truly was.

With a deep breath, Zero answered for the both of them. "Yes. We'd like any help we can get."

Numbers were exchanged between their phones, and then they were escorted out of the questioning room.

Finally, Bass mustered up an apology on the drive home. "I'm sorry."

"I forgive you. It's okay."

And they knew it was better than okay, because things were starting to change for the better.