The Next Age Chapter Three Part Three
Xavier flopped down on the bed, hoping whatever punishment his parents were deciding on was survivable as he stared at the ceiling. He hadn't really done anything that bad, had he? Well….aside from disobeying his parents, going to a restricted area and leaving his best friend in a strange city by himself.
His gaze wandered to the top bunk bed. Empty. Zero was in Arasa alone, without him. It had been the first time Zero had seemed so…independent. He had to talk to Rhythm in private about that. He had to find out if what Zero had said was true, if Blues really was beating him Xavier swore he'd see to it that the bastard never hurt Zero again, family or not he wasn't about to let something like that go on.
There was nothing much for him to do without his television or video games except reflect on his experience and so he reached under his bed for his journal. Might as well write the whole thing down while it was fresh in his mind, regrets, excitement and all.
The knock at his door sometime later started him from his reminiscence. It was probably his mother come to ask him the usual questions or tell him it was dinnertime already. He called for her to come in and she did, coming to sit at the edge of his bed with a concerned look on her face. He almost didn't want to face her, knowing she was disappointed in him.
"Why did you run off Xavier?" She asked him.
He sighed, closing his journal and setting it off to the side.
"I wanted to see what was out there mom. No one would listen to me, they just kept saying I was too young so the only way I could go there was to sneak off. I'm sorry for making you worry but I had to do it.." He replied, not even meeting her gaze.
"I'm very displeased that you made that decision. The Outskirts are dangerous. You endangered your own life as well as that of your best friend and now Zero isn't even here with you. I can only hope he's safe where he is." Roll spoke with a heavy sigh.
Xavier bowed his head, staring at the floor.
"Xavier-Chan, the reason Zor didn't let you go is because he cares about you and didn't want to see you get into a situation you weren't ready for and couldn't handle." She spoke soothingly.
"Mom…I'm not ten anymore." Xavier said in a quiet voice. "If I were a human, I'd be an adult already."
"But you're not Xavier." Roll pointed out.
"I know.." He admitted reluctantly.
"Don't be so impatient to grow up, you'll have the rest of your life to be an adult but only this little while to be a child." Roll urged. "I don't want you to do anything else like this, I was so worried about you. You're the only child your father and I have been able to have together. I don't want to lose you because you felt you had to prove yourself to the world."
She leaned over and put her arms around him, giving him a short hug.
"No more stunts like this, okay?"
Xavier sighed, returning her hug with some reluctance.
"I'm sorry mom..no more stunts, I promise." He said.
"I hope you mean that."
"I do.." Xavier sighed and in a way, he really did.
Running off on his own hadn't been even half as fun as he had always thought it would be, he didn't like being solely responsible for everyone and worrying his family. At least he had proven himself somewhat. He had seen the ancient ruins up close just like he had dreamed. That was enough.
"I'm glad you feel that way and I hope you've learned your lesson." Roll said and pulled back from her son. "Dinner's going to be ready in about an hour, you can leave your room but don't go outside, understand?"
Xavier nodded.
"Alright mom, I've got a few things I want to go do, is that okay?" He asked.
"As long as you don't leave the Tower. That means no trips to Zor's lab either." Roll informed him.
He nodded again. He wouldn't need to leave the tower anyhow, the person he needed to speak with lived just upstairs after all..
Rhythm Wily was pacing her small apartment one floor above where Rock and his family lived. It had been a present, a temporary shelter until she moved to Konranken with Blues. It wasn't very large or luxurious but it was enough for her and her son. In seventeen years, she had made it her home.
On her walls were pictures of Zero at various points in his life, as a baby, a toddler, a young child….they seemed to haunt her as she paced back and forth. She wasn't sure her son was safe right now. Rock had told her to go upstairs and try to relax while he decided what to do but she just couldn't. Zero had run off before and it pained her everytime. He was off in some strange ruins right now, left there by Xavier! She had trusted Xavier not to do anything to hurt him and now he had gone and left him somewhere by himself. How could he?
The door creaked open slowly and Xavier poked his head in.
"Auntie Rhythm…I need to talk to you." He spoke in a serious tone.
She turned sharply at the sound of his voice, not wanting to see him but not wanting to be rude either. He didn't wait for her to answer.
"I have to ask you something about Zero." He added, stepping inside.
"Xavier..now really isn't the time, I..I.." She stuttered nervously.
"I have to know before he comes home" Xavier insisted. "and I thought I'd better ask you before I went to my parents."
Rhythm gazed at him confused, biting her bottom lip softly.
"Xavier? What do you mean?" She asked.
Xavier took a deep breath. He really didn't want to confront her with it like this but what choice did he have? With Rhythm, it was hard to be anything but blunt if you wanted her to understand you. He had to come out with it for Zero's sake.
Rhythm..does uncle Blues beat Zero?" Xavier asked.
Rhythm recoiled in shock at the words, acting as if Xavier had struck her in the face.
"Xavier!! How can you even say something like that!?!?" She sputtered with a gasp. "He would never do anything like that to Zero! He loves Zero! Where did you ever get an idea like that??"
"Zero told me." Xavier answered softly.
"Zero??" Rhythm spoke nervously. "But..but he loves his father, why would he say such a thing about him?"
"Look..I've seen the bruises and Zero's always telling me how much he hates his father, he wouldn't come back with me because of it." Xavier spoke hesitantly. "He came to my room a few nights ago beat up..he told me he had run into something but I could tell he had been punched.."
"Well you know how the kids are to him." Rhythm quickly protested. "Probably got in a fight..that's all.."
"If he had, why didn't you notice? You were with him in Konranken all day!" Xavier said, growing a bit hostile.
"Xavier, I won't have you saying these things about Blues in my own home! He loves Zero, he'd never hurt him!" She objected with a hint of both anger and fear. "Zero is making up stories again, he's confused and he just wants attention."
Xavier shook his head.
"I don't think he is this time..maybe in the past but not now." Xavier spoke solemnly. "Auntie Rhythm…I've got to tell my parents about this, if he really is beating Zer-"
"He isn't and that's enough!" Rhythm shouted, stunning Xavier into silence. "Zero is lying and he..he just wants you to fall for it! Blues is a good, kind person and your parents know that! I can't believe you'd do something like this while Zero is missing, get out! I want to be alone!"
Xavier went to speak but he knew it was futile. Rhythm was on the defensive, acting nearly hysterical. Whether it was from the mere suggestion or the fact that it was true was something Xavier couldn't be one hundred percent sure of. He showed himself to the door without another word not knowing quite what to think. Should he mention it to his parents? No, he couldn't, not until he had proof. They weren't exactly going to believe him without Zero to back it up anyhow.
Until then, all Xavier could do was wait and wonder what exactly Zero was doing right about now. This had to be the worst day of Xavier's entire life……
For Zero, this was the best day of his life. Immediately after Xavier and Kiara had left, he had been whisked off to a grand ancient hall decorated with ancient paintings and art where he was served breakfast at a very fancy table, Repliroids waiting on him hand and foot and bringing him anything he desired. It was the best meal he had ever eaten.
After that, Storm Eagleed had appeared and to take him on a guided tour of the entire city. Zero wasn't one for tours guided or otherwise, he preferred to find things on his own when he felt like it and not hear the long boring stories behind the placement of every weed and stone. He ignored most of Eagleed's descriptions about the various places instead looking around to find high places where he could perch later. It was amazing how boring a guided tour could make an ancient ruin. History and speeches were really Xavier's territory, he was the tech after all, He loved those long monotonous historical programs. Zero was in a good mood so he didn't let Eagleed know how tiresome he found the whole thing.
Eagleed seemed to like and respect him, that was something Zero had never experienced in his short life. No one had ever looked up to him or treated him as more than an equal. He didn't want to ruin that even if the guy was a little stiff and boring….well, they were all kind of stiff and boring to Zero but he would teach them how to have fun in the modern world. They could all hang out together, it was better than going home to face punishment and a world where no one liked him. Thinking of that made him wonder if Xavier had gotten home alright and if his parents really had killed him. He certainly hoped not, that wouldn't be spiffy at all. He chuckled to himself at the thought. Poor Xavier was probably going to be grounded forever!
By mid-afternoon, Eagleed had finished showing Zero around the city and returned the grateful and very bored robot to the tower where Lord Sigma was waiting.
"Ah Zero. I'm so glad your back. I trust you enjoyed the tour of my fine city but now I need to speak to you a bit about your world." Sigma spoke, offering him a knowing smile.
By this point, Zero was dying to do something, ANYTHING, besides listen to Eagleed drone on about the city.
"Sure!" He said, brightening up. "Guess that's why I'm here after all, right?"
Sigma seemed pleased with Zero's answer.
"Excellent. Now if you'll just follow me up to my office, I have many things I'd like to ask you about." He spoke and moved to start down the passage behind his throne, motioning for Zero to follow.
"Are we going back to that room again?" Zero asked, thinking of the place he had slept.
"No, this is someplace different. I think you'll enjoy it." Sigma replied.
Zero shrugged his shoulders, having no idea where he was headed but walking behind Sigma slowly, glancing about the strange hallway until they came to an old looking elevator that looked extremely out of place.
"It's perfectly safe Zero." Sigma spoke, noticing the young robot's reluctance to set foot inside of it even after he himself had. "There aren't any stairs here, I'm afraid this is the only way up."
Zero frowned. Something just seemed wrong about that elevator. It wasn't necessarily that it was dangerous, no, it was something else. He shook his head, more odd thoughts that he couldn't explain, and stepped inside with out any more hesitation. The elevator hummed as it came to life, moving up several floors in less than a minute until it came to it's destination, stopping smoothly as the door hissed open and Lord Sigma stepped out with Zero following him more curious than ever.
The cold steel walls of this new area seemed lifeless and uninviting compared to the well-decorated and very elegant surroundings of the throne room below. Zero shivered, not liking the way the place felt, that was until Lord Sigma lead him into a large room, an office filled with various knickknacks and books but there was something else, something that drew his immediate attention. With wide eyes, he walked to the large picture window at the end of the room. The view was breath taking, overlooking the entire city from what seemed to be the perfect vantage point and he couldn't help but stand there, staring outside and feeling oddly at peace all of the sudden. It was almost familiar in a way.
"Do you like the view, Zero?" Sigma asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Zero replied, shaken from his thoughts.
"Yes…I knew you would. You like high places, you like the world spread out below you." Sigma spoke.
"How did you know?" Zero asked and turned his gaze to Sigma, giving him a puzzled look.
"It's obvious by the way you gaze outside. You want to be above things with the problems of the world far below where they can't reach you." Sigma told him. "I know a lot about you Zero. I know things you don't even know yet."
"But…how?" Zero stuttered. "I didn't even meet you until yesterday!"
Sigma walked to where Zero was, each stride was long and straight like the steps of a nobleman.
"We have awaited your arrival for many years Zero. It was foretold in the past that you would come and we have been preparing for that day for a very long time." He spoke.
"Me? You were waiting for me? I don't get it. I'm…I'm nothing." Zero said confused.
Sigma chuckled softly in amusement.
"If only you knew half of what I know." He said. "You are much more than you think, it's no accident that you came here at this point in your life."
"Is this where I find out I'm the legendary hero destined to save the world?" Zero asked.
Sigma cocked an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry….just reminded me of Lizard Search four. What you said kinda sounded like the speech Cara gives the hero when they meet. It's corny, everyone keeps telling the guy he's going to save the world. I wonder if he ever goes 'Yeah right" and walks away." Zero said with a sigh, turning to look out the window once more. "I'm not suppose to save the world, am I?"
Sigma chuckled again.
"Zero you are still so young, there is so much we need to share, so much we need to learn from each other. Start at the beginning Zero, tell me about your life and your world."
Zero looked out over Arasa. The Repliroids roamed the city as if it was still whole, going about their daily business undaunted. He really didn't want to think back to his life in Hakari but he almost felt like he had to. He had been granted permission to stay for the purpose of educating Lord Sigma after all. Zero took a deep breath.
"Well..I was born in Hakari city about sixteen and a half years ago. That's where Xavier's parents live. His step father founded the city but that's a very long story, kinda hard to explain too." He began.
"You were born? As a human would be? Most curious…..I didn't know machines were capable of human like reproduction. Were you also conceived in the same way a human would be?" Sigma inquired.
"I guess." Zero answered, shrugging his shoulders. "My mom and dad got it on."
"Got..it on?" Sigma asked.
"Ah….they…um..had sex." Zero said, blushing a bit.
"Sexual relations…I see and are you also capable of having sexual relations and reproducing?" Sigma questioned.
"Well..I..um..I..guess so. I'm..um..I'm not sure." Zero replied nervously.
"Could I examine your reproductive organs? I admit, I'm most curious about how such things function on a machine. In my day that technology hadn't been completely perfected."
Zero turned a much deeper shade of red at the request.
"NO!! That's..that's private!!" He sputtered.
"Hmmn..just as modest as a human would be. Very amusing. What an odd trait for a machine to have. You needn't worry, I won't press the issue further if it disturbs you this much. I am sorry for interrupting your story, do go on."
"Um..sure…okay, where was I?" Zero spoke, calming down a bit.
"Did you also grow up as a human child would?" Sigma asked.
"I guess. That would make sense, right?" Zero replied.
"Of course it would, now tell me, how many humans are there in this city of yours?"
"Only one."
"One?"
"Yeah. Xavier's dad, Ryoga." Zero said. "he's kinda weird though.."
"So this city is completely run by mechanical life?" Sigma asked.
"If you mean Robots, yeah. It always has been." Zero answered.
"Hmmn…very interesting..so then, where are the humans?" Sigma inquired.
"Humans? They live on the other side of the world. I've never been there." Zero said with a shrug.
Sigma's eyes widened.
"Really? They've abandoned this island then?" He asked.
"I dunno why they left." Zero answered.
"I see. The island is all ma-..our kind then?" Sigma asked, his lips curling into a smile.
Zero nodded.
"As far as I know. We haven't explored everywhere yet."
"Interesting. In my time, humans owned this island and Repliroids were slaves." Sigma spoke.
"Slaves? That sucks." Zero remarked, turning back to Sigma.
"Yes, it was very unpleasant." Sigma said. "Zero, Xavier told me you were an outcast among your own people, is this true?"
Zero glances down to the floor.
"Yeah..guess so. That's what they call me." He said.
"How incredibly cruel of them." Sigma spoke with a touch of disgust. "We have no such…titles here. In our society, all Repliroids are equal. You're not an outcast here, Zero, you're one of us."
"Really?" Zero said, gazing up to meet the Repliroid lord's eyes. "You guys really think of me as an equal?"
"Of course Zero, you're one of us. You're the one we've been waiting for. Now, allow me to give you a personal tour of the tower. I'm sure you tire of talking."
"But..you wanted to know about my life." Zero asked confused.
"We'll save that for over dinner. I'm anxious to show you my dwelling. I promise not to make it too boring, you don't seem to be the type to enjoy that." Sigma spoke and turned to leave, motioning for Zero to follow him.
Zero took one last look out the window, it seemed so familiar…
"More déjà vu.." He spoke and shook his head. "I must be losing it.."
He turned quickly and left, dismissing it as his mind playing tricks on him again.
Sigma, Storm Eagleed and others are copyrights of Capcom of Japan….make a RockMan X5 DAMMIT!
Xavier, Arasa and others are copyrights of Roll-Chan Productions, the company that gives you shinier bouncier hair or your money back!
Ryoga is copyright of Manga Goddess Rumiko Takahashi..too bad she sold out to Viz =P
I don't make any money of this fic, not one red cent. Maybe a green one…..
Copyright 2000
Zero: WHAA!!!! Why did you have to embarrass me like THAT??
Well Zero, it's not like Sigma understands modesty about such things.
Zero: Ack!! At least he didn't examine me!
That's in the next part.
Zero: WHA-??
-evil grin- See ya then kiddies!
Zero: NOOOOOOO!!
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