The Next Age Chapter One Part Two
In the kitchen, breakfast was just wrapping up. Since the days when Dr. Light had been alive, Roll had fixed breakfast every morning without fail. It was a tradition. By the time Xavier had gotten to the table though, there wasn't much left for him to eat. He sighed. It was his own fault. His father, Ryoga, was cleaning his plate, Rock was helping Roll gather up the dishes and all of Xavier's half-siblings had already left to start their day. Rhythm, Zero's mother, still sat at the table though, patiently awaiting the arrival of her son.
As if on cue, Zero darted in the moment Xavier walked over to sit down. He was never found too far behind his best friend after all. He grabbed himself a chair and the box of cereal on the table before Xavier had even sat down. Of course he also reached for the sugar bowl…. Zero had a sweet tooth the likes of which Xavier had never seen. If he were human, all of his teeth would have rotted and fallen out by now.
"Good Morning mom, morning dad, morning daddy Rock." Xavier said, greeting his parents.
He too his seat and reached for the last of the food on the table. It was cold….no matter, he didn't have much time to enjoy it anyhow.
"You're a bit late this morning, still planning to go into the lab?" Ryoga asked.
"Yeah…." Xavier answered with a nod.
That was the whole reason he was in a hurry to eat, so he wouldn't miss his lab shift.
"Don't forget, you've got training today too, Xavier." Rock reminded him, looking up from helping Roll wash the dishes. "I need to go over the basics again with you okay?"
"Training? Today??" Xavier asked.
Oh man……I completely forgot……… He thought to himself.
It had only been six months ago when Xavier had gotten his weapon upgrade installed. Rock had been preparing him for several years, seeming so anxious for the day when he'd have someone to teach his skills to. Xavier, however, had been completely against the idea. It was true that he had grown up always admiring Rock, wanting to fight injustices and evil, defend the innocents and all the other stuff that went with being RockMan but he had also admired Zor and his ability to heal the sick, bring life back to the dying and uncover the mysteries of technology. From working in the lab and learning Robot biology, Xavier had gained a great respect for life. A Plasma Canon was a weapon used to take life. In the lab, he had helped treat injuries caused by one and he was completely against having that kind of an upgrade be a part of his body. When he had told Rock how he felt, Rock had sat him down for a long talk explaining that he too wasn't fond of the idea but had realized that it was a necessary evil. More often than not, he had ended up using his canon on inanimate objects instead of living things or even just as a threat with no intention of firing it at all. He said it was only a tool for fighting evil and only it's owner could decide how it would be used.. Xavier had still been uneasy about it though. Why did he need a Plasma Canon? He had his martial arts skills and he thought that would be enough. Rock had quickly reminded him of how ineffective they would be against someone who was fully armed though and promised to teach him how to aim correctly and how to strike without doing lethal damage. With reluctance, Xavier gave in. He knew it would make Rock happy if he did and he also knew that if he did intend to someday follow in Rock's footsteps, he would need the weapon upgrade and the training that went with it. A defender of the innocent needed something to defend them with after all though he swore he would only use it sparingly. Of course, after he had had it installed Zero immediately wanted one too…Thankfully, Zor knew Zero lacked the responsibility to have any sort of weaponry and denied the request.
Xavier sighed. He just wasn't in the mood to train today, he still felt weary and wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed…still, Rock would be upset if he didn't show.
"Okay, I'll be there." Xavier replied taking a deep breath.
"Good." Rock spoke with a smile.
This, Xavier swore to himself, was the last time he was going to stay up until four in the morning playing Street Fighter Five with Zero. Nevermind the seven other times he had promised that he wouldn't, this time he meant it….really!
While this was going on, Rhythm was cheerfully greeting her son Zero as she did every morning and as for Zero? Well, he was busy chomping down his cereal if you could even call it that with all the sugar he had poured onto it.
"Zero dear, you really shouldn't put all that sugar on your food. It isn't good for you!" Rhythm scolded but Zero just shrugged it off.
"Mom, you know Fruity-O's just don't taste right with out three or four spoonfuls of sugar on top." He reminded her.
Rhythm sighed and shook her head in dismay. There was just no reasoning with him over this, Zero did what Zero wanted to do. Perhaps he had inherited that from his father.
At least the things he was stubborn about were ones that really didn't matter to anyone else like letting his hair grow long, staying in his Robot form, using his thrusters and overdosing on sugar every morning. Bad habits and all, Rhythm still loved her son dearly even if she thought he needed a little discipline. He was her only child…..
Xavier finished his breakfast quickly and got up from the table. He didn't have a moment to spare! As it was, he'd be getting to the lab in the middle of morning assignments. Being late meant he'd probably get stuck with whatever was left, most likely clean up duty.
"The early bird gets the best assignments." His supervisor, Yoru, would say whenever he complained. "Get here on time and they'll be yours."
Of course, no matter how early Xavier got there the best assignments always went to Kari. It was no secret that Yoru favored her and was trying to start something with her. Xavier really couldn't blame him, Kari was cute. She wasn't as cute as Vyctori though..
It was still a bit unfair though. If only he could get the chance to prove himself, then they'd see him as more than just a kid. Once that happened, maybe he'd get to do more than just clean up or do rounds or play gopher for everyone else.
Xavier gave a quick wave to his parents and Zero.
"Be back at one!" He said and darted out of the kitchen.
Zor's lab was linked to the Hakari Tower, the place Rock and his family called home, by a glass walkway leading from one building to the other on the fourth floor. Xavier HATED having to cross over it. You could look straight down and see the ground below and it was a well know fact Xavier wasn't fond of heights, he was always afraid that he would fall. He didn't have time to go downstairs and use the labs main entrance today and that meant despite his fear, he'd have to use the walkway. Taking a deep breath, he quickly darted across the bridge facing forward, concentrating on making it to the other side.
The walkway lead Xavier over to the labs main office where all the techs hung out, got their assignments and took care of the labs private matters. He made a quick turn down the hallway and used his passcard to open the door to the technicians office.
"Xavier, you're late." Yoru remarked as soon as he entered the small room.
Xavier glanced up to the clock - 9:05 am.
Great……clean up duty again. He thought to himself.
Kari and Vyctori were both already there along with everyone else and all the clipboards had already been passed out, all except the one Yoru still held and Xavier KNEW what assignment that one had on it. He sighed and walked over to his superior disappointedly.
"Xavier Light-Hibiki reporting for first shift. Sorry I'm late." He spoke.
"Probably up playing video-games again." He heard Kari whisper to Vyctori who nodded in agreement.
"Xavier, you've got to get here on time. A good technician is always on call and never late."
"I know, I'm sorry." Xavier said apologetically.
"All I've got left this morning is clean-up duty." Yoru continued, handing the clipboard he held to Xavier.
"I'm never going to learn anything just cleaning up all the time…." Xavier said with a groan of disapproval.
"The early bird gets the best assignments, Xavier." Yoru reminded him in a stern tone.
Xavier glanced over the paper. The lab in section three needed to be mopped. Maybe he'd get lucky and run into his half brother, section three was pretty close to Zor's main lab where he did all of his work. Sometimes Zor would come and excuse him from duty so that he could assist on a project instead or pull him aside to teach him. That's how Xavier had learned about Energen. Zor had told him it was a force that radiated from the planet itself. Once in a great while, it got trapped in crystal formations underground. In that form, as an Energen crystal, it could be used as a super energy source but such crystals were very rare. Energen had another use, it could be focused upon and drawn into ones body in much the same way "Magic" or "Mana" could be on other worlds and used to create various effects. Zor had taught Xavier to focus his energy to heal. He couldn't heal too much with it though, maybe seal off a few minor cuts, nothing major or life saving, not yet at least. Zor had been very surprised Xavier had learned how to channel Energen so quickly but it was nothing new to him, his father had been teaching him to focus his chi for years. Xavier was always anxious to learn more but Zor never seemed to have any time these days. Being the youngest intern meant everyone else's training came first and that they were more skilled and higher ranked than he was.
With a heavy sigh, Xavier made his way to the supply closet and grabbed a mop and bucket. This was getting him nowhere. He'd never be like Zor if all he ever learned how to do was menial labor. He was sure Dr. Light had never made Zor mop the floors. If Xavier had wanted to be a janitor, he would have signed up for it!
He walked to section three with little enthusiasm, noting the lab itself was empty when he arrived. Grumbling to himself, he filled the bucket with water from a nearby sink.
Maybe I really should have just stayed in bed this morning……. He thought to himself as he began to mop.
As he was working, a couple of technicians walked by busily chatting away about their experiments and their patients. That wasn't really unusual, nothing worth stopping to listen to until he heard the sound of someone rushing down the hall.
"Lara, Zor's been trying to page you! He's holding an emergency meeting in the office." One tech said.
"Alright, tell him I'll be there in a moment." Lara's smooth and serious voice replied. "Any idea what it's about?"
"I don't know specifics, just something happened out by the Skull Castle ruins again." The tech spoke.
"Again?" She questioned.
"Yeah, something about those Enforcers who vanished the first time around?" The tech said, sounding unsure.
"I see…I'm on my way." Lara said.
As the sound of their footsteps faded off, Xavier paused to think. Skull Castle..Dr. Wily's fortress. He remembered hearing about an incident that happened there back when he was a little kid. The public files on it weren't much, they just noted that a passage had been found under Skull Castle and that it was empty but Xavier had accidentally overheard Rock and Zor discussing it once. The things they were saying certainly suggested that more than "nothing" had been found there. That was where they had found Rhythm. He remembered Zor had been worried about her while Rock had been more concerned about the technology they had found and Forte's men, both of which had mysteriously vanished. What could have happened there now? It sounded like just the sort of thing Xavier would be interested in hearing more about. Checking to make sure no one else was in the hallway or watching him, Xavier set down his mop and snuck off towards Zor's office.
The door was shut tight by the time he arrived which turned out to be a good thing. Had it been open, he might have been spotted. Glancing around to make sure no one was coming, Xavier pressed close to the door hoping to be able to hear something. The sound was slightly muffled but it was better than nothing. He could make out what they were saying if he concentrated hard enough.
"I'm glad all of you are finally here." Zor said, calling things to order. "I'm sorry to call all of you away from your shifts but I just received some disturbing news from Haven. Lady JadeTail informed me early this morning that the bodies of two robots were found in sector 80 several miles outside of the city by her Chargers. Forte identified them once they were brought back here as two of his men….The same two that have been missing for sixteen years. They were both last seen guarding the passage at Skull Castle. The file in front of each of you is a detailed account of the incident. I know some of you weren't working here then so please go over them while I'm speaking if you wish."
The sound of rustling papers was heard followed by low murmurs Xavier couldn't quite make out.
"These files are all highly confidential. My father didn't think it would be a very good idea to make them public knowledge. If you'll turn to page five, you'll see that there was some unidentifiable technology found that vanished along with the two enforcers. We have no idea who took them, why or even how. I'm hoping to find some information in the memories of the deceased but I doubt there's any salvageable functions left. Whomever or whatever did this destroyed part of every system in their bodies, it's almost as if they tried to destroy any way we would have to identify them as the Enforcers who vanished or any part that we could've used to learn the attackers identity……but, I still don't understand why the bodies were left where they were easily found and after all this time. My father and Forte want a full-scale investigation of the area. I need three of you to accompany me. This is strictly on a volunteer basis and I can assure you Forte's best Enforcers will be there to protect us however keep in mind we still have no idea what we're dealing with and it could be dangerous so don't volunteer unless you feel you're prepared for it. I'll brief those who do decide to accompany me further. I'll need the rest of you to stay here and try to learn as much as you can from the bodies. I want to know what killed them. Document any and all information you can retrieve from their processors no matter how unimportant it seems. Alright, I'll need to know who's coming with me now by a show of hands."
There was silence, only the sound of shifting chairs and rustling papers. In that moment of quiet, Xavier felt his heart jump. A mysterious enemy, unknown technology…that was certainly more educational and interesting than mopping floors! It sounded like something he definitely wanted to be a part of. He was dying for a field assignment, an adventure, anything! His martial arts and Plasma Canon could come in very handy, no other tech could defend themselves as well as he could. That had to count for something.
"Alright then." Zor spoke, bringing Xavier's attention back to the meeting he was listening in on. "Lara, Kouji and Lune, come with me. Sariah, take the other to lab section ten to get to work on the Enforces. This meeting is dismissed."
At those words, Xavier quickly sprang to attention and rushed to hide behind the door as it opened, waiting for Zor to come out. He was the last to exit as always.
"Go on ahead Lara, Forte is waiting down at Enforcer base. I need to lock up here." Zor said.
Lara nodded and lead Lune and Kouji off down the hallway while Sariah took the rest of the group in the opposite direction. Now was his chance! Zor was busy punching in his lock code when Xavier emerged from behind the still open door.
"Hi brother, what's up?" Xavier asked, acting all innocent.
"Oh! Xavier, you shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" Zor said, a bit surprised by his half-brother's sudden appearance.
"Sorry." Xavier apologized with a slight smirk.
"Well..At least you seem to be in a good mood. I missed you at breakfast this morning." Zor remarked, reaching over to shut the door.
"Yeah, I was a little late." Xavier said with a sigh.
"So what brings you down to this end of the lab?" Zor asked, making sure the door was now securely locked.
"Well…I was just passing by when I kinda sorta accidentally overheard you talking about a field mission and it peaked my interest…" Xavier began, careful not to say exactly how much he had heard.
"You were listening in?? This is a serious matter Xavier, the public isn't even suppose to know about this!" Zor exclaimed. "If I had intended for you to know, I would have invited you to the meeting. You know better, you should be on duty right now."
Xavier hung his head in mock shame and sighed deeply, rolling his eyes.
"He gave you clean up duty again?" Zor asked, noticing Xavier's reaction. "I told him to put you on as robotics aide this week, please don't tell me he didn't and you're wandering the halls out of boredom."
But Zor really didn't need Xavier to confirm it, he could tell just from his brother's reactions that his suggestions to Yoru had fallen on deaf ears. Zor made a mental note to have another talk with Yoru about this after he returned later. Xavier had too much potential to be mopping up spills all day, he might get frustrated and give up if that's all he ever got to do.
"Kari's robotics aide today I think." Xavier said with a slight hint of anger, not too happy to learn one of the better jobs an intern could have was suppose to be his. "But..At least I'm available for other assignments. Hey, why don't you let me tag along with you and the others? I could help out, collect samples and even carry the equipment for you."
"Absolutely not. That area is dangerous and it's not a place for kids or inexperienced techs." Zor replied firmly.
"I'm not a kid anymore, I can handle it!" Xavier insisted.
"I wouldn't feel comfortable putting you in that situation with your experience and I really don't think your dad would want me to either. You shouldn't have heard any of that so please, just forget it alright?" Zor spoke, walking past Xavier and starting down the hallway.
"Brother!!" Xavier called out, hoping for a final chance to plead his case.
"The answer is no, you're too young and inexperienced. Maybe when you're older and better trained but not this time." Zor said, pausing to look back. "Go back to your assignments, we'll talk about this later."
"But-"
"No buts Xavier, I'm not changing my mind. I'm sorry, I'll see you at dinner."
And with that, Zor stepped around the corner and disappeared from sight.
"Damn it……." Xavier swore, clenching his fist.
This was yet another missed opportunity. No biggie, right? Probably not. Still, something inside of him said that they were going to find something big, something important and he hated not even getting the chance to be a part of it. There wasn't much he could do about that though, chasing down Zor and begging more was only likely to get him suspended. With a heavy sigh he went back to sector three to finish mopping up. No one had even noticed that he had been gone.