The Next Age Chapter One, Part Three
Zero's day began with the news that Rhythm wanted to visit Blues. He had just finished his cereal when she announced her plans.
"Your father just came back from a long trip this morning, Zero." Rhythm began, smiling sweetly. "I thought we could go see him together."
Zero dropped his spoon and it hit the bowl with a loud clang.
"Do we have to?" He asked, taking a deep breath. "Can't we just leave him alone?"
"Zero dear, he's your father.." Rhythm replied, acting as if she was hurt by his suggestion.
"And he hates me." Zero interrupted and sighed.
"No,no! He just needs time to accept you, that's all." Rhythm assured him.
"Mom, it's been sixteen years. He hates me, okay?" Zero said and got up from the table. "'sides, I've got plans today with Xavier. They just got in DC Versus Square Soft at the arcade and we're gonna be the first ones to play it! We are gonna kick some butts and take some names!!"
Zero smiled broadly just thinking about it but Rhythm frowned.
"I think this is a bit more important than playing a game." She spoke. "Now put your bowl in the sink and let's go."
"No..I don't want to." Zero said. "C'mon mom, not today, please?"
"But your father loves you Zero, he misses you I know it! Maybe today will be the day he decides we should be a family." Rhythm said to him almost pleadingly.
Zero lowered his head and looked to the floor. He couldn't deny the fact that he wanted his father to accept him. His mother was really in love with Blues and he couldn't blame her for wanting them to be a family, He wanted it too, but his father always rejected them both. Her eternal optimism was both admirable and stupid at the same time. It was a silly dream she clung to and believed in. When Zero had been younger, he believed her stories of the day when his father would take them away to Konranken but now he knew better. His father hated him, always had and always would. If only he had never been born, then his parents could have been happy together. Zero really wanted to see his mother happy, that was probably why he continued to give into her pleading to see his father. Either that or perhaps it was the small glimmer of hope he still held with-in him. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about his father though, on one hand, he despised him but on the other, he secretly wanted his approval and love. Zero really didn't want to deal with the situation right now. It always ended up ruining his entire day but he knew that even if he said no, his mother would go anyhow with-out him and he couldn't let her go alone so, as usual, he sighed and gave in.
Rhythm of course was thrilled, she always was. Quickly she fixed his long hair, drawing it back in a ponytail to make him "presentable" and changed into her nicest dress. Then the both of them went down to the Travel Plaza and boarded the shuttle to Konranken. It would have been quicker to simply use the warp gate but Rhythm insisted it was too expensive and besides, she didn't trust them. The shuttle only took a few minutes, traveling quickly on its underground track, the only problem was the other passengers. Being an outcast meant stares, sometimes name-calling or worse and it always meant being uncomfortable. If you asked Zero, he'd say he was used to it and that it didn't bother him but deep down, it still hurt, even after all this time. Zero wasn't concerned about himself though. He was always afraid that the jerks on the shuttle would do something to Rhythm and that he wouldn't be able to stop them. Thankfully, though. This ride was uneventful.
Konranken translated directly from the robot language meant "The City of Chaos". It was the Sister City to Hakari, Rock's city. Blues never really wanted his own domain but when the declaration of peace was signed and the robot nation founded, Rock insisted that he take one, just in case he ever changed his mind. The area remained barren for many years until Blues decided to try creating his own city. The result was Konranken, a place of anarchy. While Rock'' city was orderly and lawful, Blues' was wild and chaotic. The Enforcers had little to no power there, people did as they pleased most of the time. Zero kinda liked Konranken just because he didn't seem to stick out there as much but the city was dangerous. A gang of kids had attacked him before. Thank the Goddess Xavier had come to find him and chased them off.
Konranken Tower was close to the shuttle station. Zero must've made this trip a thousand times with his mother and usually on one of her whims, they were never invited. He followed behind her a tad reluctantly as they left the shuttle and walked to the huge decorated doors of the tower. Rhythm never asked if she could come in, she always just let herself inside as if she lived there.
"Blues!!!! BLUES!!! We've come to visit!" She called out, stepping into his living room.
Zero stood quietly in the doorway and looked around. Blues had redecorated his home again, this was the second time this month and of course he had all the latest gadgets set up – a super DVX player, multi entertainment view screen..things Zero only could wish he had. He wondered if his father really enjoyed this stuff or if it was all for show. No one knew because Blues' private life was just that, private. At least admiring it took his mind off of what was to come…
Zero took a deep breath. This place never brought back good memories. Thank Goddess his father didn't appear to be home though. If Elistra had any mercy, he was off somewhere else, someplace Rhythm didn't know about and couldn't get to. Hopefully his mother would give up soon and then they could go back home.
"Zero, come inside!" Rhythm said, noticing her son hovering in the doorway and looking like he wanted to leave. "Is that any way to show your father you love him, he'll think you want to leave!"
"But I do." Zero replied softly.
Rhythm frowned.
"Zero, come in here."
With a heavy sigh, Zero took a few steps into the room, not wanting to upset his mother or get in a fight at the moment. Rhythm smiled at him, coming over to brush his bangs out of his face with her hand.
"There, that wasn't so hard. Now if only your father would come out to see us." She said cheerily.
Suddenly Zero felt as if they weren't alone anymore, there was someone else in the room with them. He turned around, startled, and met the shade-hidden gaze of his father.
"Dad…."
Blues always had a bad habit of appearing out of nowhere completely unexpectedly, watching silently until he was noticed. The expression on his face told Zero he was not happy to find visitors in his home. When Rhythm caught sight of him, her whole face lit up with joy and she hurried towards him, arms outstretched in greeting.
"Why are you here?" Blues asked coldly, folding his arms across his chest.
"We've come to visit you!" Rhythm said with a smile, putting her arms around him.
Blues shrugged free of her embrace, moving away from her calmly.
"Why did you bring him?" He asked, seeming to cast a glance in Zero's direction.
"Because he's your son, I thought we could spend the day together." Rhythm spoke, looking to Zero and smiling brightly.
Zero bowed his head, he knew what was coming.
"This is not my son." Blues said with a bit of disgust. "Look at him, he isn't mine."
"How can you keep saying that!" Rhythm objected. "We made love and he's the product of that. He's our blessing from the Goddess."
"He is not our blessing, he's your curse!" Blues growled. "You wanted him so keep him out of my life…Goddess only knows who his real father is anyhow."
"You're his father Blues, I swear by all that is holy that you were the only one, you know that!" Rhythm insisted.
Blues took a step towards Zero and looked him over, noting that Zero kept his head down and was constantly shifting his gaze anytime he tried to look him in the eyes.
"He's a blonde haired freak.." Blues replied calmly
Zero shut his eyes tightly at the words.
"Stop it. Don't say that about him!" Rhythm said to Blues but he just turned and walked back towards the door.
"If I did have a son…he would not look like that." Blues spoke.
"Blues! Please! We love you, I know you love us, even Zero. Please give up your childish selfishness so that we can be a family. You told me once you'd whisk me away, back when I was with Dr. Wily. I've been waiting so long, it's time, whisk us away!" Rhythm called to him pleadingly.
Blues glanced back at her over his shoulder.
"I told you what to do sixteen years ago but you had to have him. How many times did I tell you I didn't want a child? You didn't listen. You've made your bed, now go lie on it." Blues replied coldly then began to walk away again.
"BLUES!"
"Mom…let him go." Zero spoke quietly but she ignored him, choosing instead to go after him and reaching out to touch his arm.
Blues wheeled around quickly at feeling her touch, raising his hand as if to threaten to hit her.
"Rhythm, leave me alone! I don't want to have a family!" He spoke harshly.
She cowered before him, looking up with frightened eyes. That was it, Zero couldn't take it anymore. He rushed to stand in front of her, pushing his way in between her and Blues. Rarely did he ever defend anyone but his mother was different, she didn't deserve this. If anyone deserved to be hit, it was him. This was all his fault anyhow.
"Dad, we'll leave, just calm down and leave mom alone." Zero said, his voice trembling a bit.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Blues hissed, bringing his hand down and striking Zero hard in the face.
With a hurt cry, Zero fell back and to the floor from the force of the blow. He should have expected it, he should have known but it was always a shock. Part of him kept hoping his father would just walk away but he should have known better. Zero winced in pain and held his hand to his cheek, bitter tears stinging his eyes despite his attempt to hold them back.
"Take him and GET OUT." Blues ordered and sulked off angrily, not even bothering to look back.
Rhythm knelt down by Zero, filled with motherly concern, as she tried to get a look at where Blues had struck him but Zero kept turning his head away.
"Oh Zero..I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" She apologized, just like she had done a million times before.
It was too much for Zero to take. He got to his feet, ignoring his mother, and dashed off. He had to get away from all this, he didn't want to face it, not again not now. Rhythm called after him but he pretended he didn't hear her.
Zero didn't care where he was going, he just jetted off without a second thought but somehow, no matter what, he always seemed to end up back in Hakari City on the rooftop of the tower. It was his "alone" spot, the place he went to when he wanted to think or cry or just be by himself. He sat down without a word, casting his gaze out over the city. Some said Zero was two people – one was playful and free, the other was tormented. Most of the time, Zero didn't give any thought to his past or his life, he played games, enjoyed the thrill of living and didn't seem to have a care in the world. He liked being this way the best. He could blow off all of his problems and not think about them but there were times like this one when his problems refused to be ignored and sixteen years of hurt and rejection would come crashing down on him.
He remembered being a kid in school and not having any friends. The cool kids made teasing him the "in" thing to do, The older kids bullied him to no end. Even now, they still made fun of the way he looked and acted. He was an outcast where ever he went, even to his own father who refused to accept him and struck him to vent his anger. No one accepted him, no one except Xavier. He had always been Zero's friend, the only one who never tried to change him but unfortunately, he wasn't around right now. Even if he were, Zero wouldn't want Xavier to see him this way. This was his shame, no reason for his best friend to know what his father had done. He just wanted to hide from the world right now.
Zero drew his knees up close to his body and put his arms around them, almost curling into a ball. He felt so ashamed of himself, the only freak in a world full of normal people. Lowering his head sadly, he began to cry out his misery. Why was he alive? Why had he been born if all he would ever know in this life was pain? How could the Goddess be this cruel? Was his whole existence one big mistake? Some sort of sick joke? Pulling himself back together always took a while when he felt this way, inevitably, he would return to being silly and carefree. His sanity depended on it but it would probably take him all day to do so..
RockMan, Zero and Blues are Copyright of Capcom of Japan, Rhythm, Konranken and Xavier are copyright of Roll-Chan productions, take them and DIE. As always,I make no money off this, who would seriously pay for this crap?
NOTES – Some of you are probably preparing to flame me over my portrayal of Blues, before you do so, please let me say one thing. You are joining a story in progress and a lot has happened to Blues over the past 100 years. One of these things is that he ended up with a son he does not want in any way and an ex-lover who won't leave him be. He isn't exactly dealing with that in the best way.
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