Chapter 8: Nathan and Rider: Siblings of Sort

Destiny and Fate have read and re-read and find out that it might be soon that they both have to face their brother. Rider was relieved that she has talk to her brother. Something inside of her break her fear and walk into his house and chat with him. She noticed that Renee has been watching with some angry expressions on her face. It was bothering her. And the letter that was written to her was no other than Renee tries to keep Rider away. Rider sighs as she smiles at her brother's picture. She got up and left the apartment.

"I finally can talk to you after all these years. I am glad that I did," said Rider. It was a good day and Rider had called Axl to meet her in her favorite digging site where she has found Dr. Scorpio's underground laboratory where Axl was in. She also called her brother, but Renee answered. Renee smiles as she said that she will give the message to Nathan. Nathan heard in the background and left. Axl has showed up early as Rider see Axl.

"Why do you want to bring me here?" asked Axl as he looks at Rider. Rider smiles at Axl.

"Oh I promise my brother that I will him see you for the first time. I thought this place is ok since it is out of the noisy innerspace and it gives my brother some chance to see things outside of innerspace," said Rider. Axl smiles as he is now excited to see Rider's brother who is a human.

"I will try to be in my best behavior," said Axl as he has a smirk on his face. Rider looks at Axl.

"You better or you will be hanging from the ceiling again," said Rider. Axl knows she will do it but he get kisses when he does hang there. Rider and Axl sits on the floor waiting and someone shows up. It was a man who looks like he is in his late 60's. He has white hair and brown eyes. Rider looks at the man. The man smirk and started to throw hooks and chains at Rider. Rider tried to dodge it, but it was no use she is caught. The guy shocked Axl with an electric force field and looks at Rider.

"So you have escaped from me again. I told you it was inevitable. I take it you did not believe me. I have been waiting for this in years to do to you," said the guy as Rider now knows whose voice is that.

"Marco," said Rider as she tries to break out of the chains. Axl was not happy at his condition and tries to move. Marco grabbed one of the harpoons and shove it on the shoulder of Rider. Axl saw this and tries to concentrate to move. He have to do something or Rider will be hurt. He did not want that. Rider was in huge pain. There was another harpoon shoved on the other shoulder and now both shoulders were bleeding.

"You cannot hug anyone anymore. Now take away your eyes again," said Marco. Axl is now trying to focus on breaking the force field and that is placed on him as he tried to break free. He broke free and fire on Marco's weapons. He did and knock it off of his hands.

"No more," said Axl as now he looks at Marco. Marco looks at Axl with an angry look.

"AXL," shouted Rider as she was in pain but want Axl to leave or he will get hurt. Marco notice Rider's voice and concern and it give him an idea. Marco move behind Rider and then he launched a second chain which now wrapped around Axl. Marco find him no longer a threat. He kept the chains around and smirk at Axl.

"I take it Rider this guy you care about as much you did with Nathan," said Marco. He was wrong about that. Rider cares for Axl more than Nathan.

"Just leave him alone. It is me you want not him," said Rider. Marco has a smirk on his face.

"I am going to let you see how much pain he will tolerate before he dies," said Marco. Rider now has fear on her face. She did not want Axl to die or get hurt. The first harpoon now was on Axl's left shoulder. Axl screams in pain. Rider now have tears coming down her face.

"STOP IT!!" shouted Rider as she started to cry for help. The second harpoon was now in right shoulder. Axl again squeal in more pain.

"STOP IT!!!" shouted Rider as she can't take it anymore. Marco was not done. He had another two harpoons on Axl's legs. Axl started to scream louder as it was now hurting him more. Rider tries so much to break free of her chains and she did. The last harpoon was ready to hit Axl's chest where his mechanical heart is located.

"Now for the last part, the heart," said Marco as he have the harpoon ready and Rider did something.

"Great Phantasm, Noble Phoenix," said Rider as the huge white phoenix came out of Rider and descended on Marco. Marco was being burned. He moved around running then started to roll in the ground. Rider got to Axl and free the chains off of him.

"Axl, I am sorry," said Rider as she pulled each harpoons off of him. Axl smiles at Rider.

"Hey no problem, I rather go through this than seeing you hurt," said Axl as his arms and legs were bleeding. Rider pulled the harpoons off of her arms and legs as she is still bleeding. Axl could not take the pain as much as Rider. He fell to the ground as Rider tries to protect Axl. Marco got up and all the skin he suppose to have reveal a sub armor. Rider is shocked.

"Oh yeah. When I was searching for you, Rider. I lost almost everything. A scientist within my company made me an offer I can't refuse. I have now figured out that humans can become reploids. I put my brain waves into a reploid body who does not have anything and become one. That is why I am faster than before and stronger. I have to hand it to him. I now can do anything I want with you. And you can't do anything you want with me," said Marco.

"You are wrong. When you were human I cannot even touch you. You implied the rules of robotics to every reploid that works for you. I have to put up with you torturing me because I cannot harm a human. Well now you are no longer human, I can hurt you," said Rider.

"I am still consider a human even though I have a robotic body," said Marco. Rider looks at Marco with anger eyes.

"That does not make you human. That is implied that you want to be something you are not. Humans have hearts and feelings. They can do things what we reploids cannot do. Sure we are stronger, faster, and do more things that a normal human can do but we can reproduce. You lost that factor. So you no longer a human. You are a reploid with no feelings or remorse of your actions," said Rider. Marco laughs as he pulled out his chains and harpoons.

"Well my dear, you think you can stop me then go ahead. You will be dead this time around," said Marco. Rider closes her eyes and calls out her chant.

"Great Phantasm. Noble Phoenix," said Rider as the bird heals all of Axl's wounds and once again flies towards Marco. Marco again was on fire and he laughs. Axl felt a warm feeling and all his pain went away. He got up and saw Rider fighting Marco. Rider cloaked herself as Marco smiles.

"I can see you," said Marco as one harpoon flies towards Rider. Rider tries to dodge it but failed. She has another wound on her on top of her two wounds on her shoulders. Rider pulled the harpoon out and chant once more.

"Great Phantasm, Pegasus flight," said Rider as the light shape of a Pegasus came out of Rider as she uses this chant. The light uses some waves of wind and light to hit Marco. The light that hit Marco severely damage him. Rider is now breathing heavily as she has all of her powers drained. Rider collapsed as she tries to catch some air.

"Stupid fool you are now dead," said Marco as he lung at Rider. Axl pulled his gun and shot Marco at the forehead. Marco flew backwards as he is now dead. Axl put his gun away and raced towards Rider.

"Rider, Rider," said Axl. Rider looks at Axl and started to cry. Axl kneeled down to her.

"I am sorry Axl," sobbed Rider quietly to Axl. Axl saw a guy coming and from what looks like a human.

"SIS," shouted the guy. Axl knows this guy must be Rider's brother. Axl looks at him.

"She is hurt. She needs medical attention," said Axl. The guy nodded as he pulled out his radio.

"Can I see that radio," said Axl. He gave it to Axl as Axl tries to call the Guardian HQ.

"Nathan," said Rider as she looks at her brother. Nathan looks at Rider almost in tears.

"Sorry I am late. I just got the message when I just got out of the shower," said Nathan.

"Ok I just reached Guardian HQ. I will explain everything when we get there," said Axl to Nathan. Nathan nodded as the three started to teleported to the base. Rose comes in and takes Rider to the medical ward. Nathan and Axl followed Rose as Athena on the base to check up on Fefnir to see if he goes to find Axl's porn, which she finds out that Axl throws them away and was about to head on out until she see Rose pushing Rider in a gurney and Axl along with a human following Rose. Athena followed them and hope to get Rider some help. Rider has some hole marks where the harpoons hit her and Athena was in shock to see them.

"Who did this," said Athena. Axl came up to Athena and pulled a seat to the human.

"I might as well explaining. Rider and I were waiting for her brother. We both look at a place were a guy came and started to use chains on Rider. He also have the nerve to put me in a force field electric barrier that shocks me. Rider has the two hole marks on her shoulders from a guy who has white hair and brown eyes," said Axl.

"That is my father, Marco. How he would know where to find Rider after all these years. I haven't seen him after I left," said the human.

"Well anyways after he harpooned her shoulders, I broke free after he tried to harpooned her eyes. I shot his weapon and he comes after me. He chained me up and Rider just saw me getting tortured with the harpoons. I probably would have died at the final one where he was about to shove it to my mechanical heart. I know Rider save me and takes the chains and harpoons off of my body. I was bleeding heavily. She chant something and healed me. She was about to get killed when I shot him on the forehead. All I know that he is no longer human after Rider and I saw the sub armor that he has," said Axl.

"He finally turned himself into a reploid. After all these years. My mom would have stopped him. But she is dead so he raised me. Now I felt bad. I wish I could have been there sooner to help her out," said the human.

"Well, there is nothing we can do but wait until Rider's recovery. I will continue to work on her eyes as she is now unconscious," said Athena, "I did promise her that I will fix them and I am going to keep that promise." Athena shooed Axl and the human out as she started again fixing Rider's eyes.

"Sorry for not introducing myself, I am Nathan," said Nathan to Axl. Axl smiles at Nathan.

"I am Axl," said Axl as he and Nathan shake hands. Nathan sits down in look of depressed.

"It is ok. She will recover. She is one tough lady," said Axl as he knows from experience.

"I just can't help but think what I could have done to help her. She did help me escape my father's mansion but she got caught. I wrote to her almost every time. When I graduated, I was happy and gave her a letter. A letter that I do not know that it cost her eyes. The last letter I sent out someone wrote to me that she had died. I have believed that for years. It was not until yesterday when I saw her and thought I saw a ghost. Then again, reploids do not become ghost. They become cyber elves. From that point I wanted to know what had happen to her," said Nathan.

"Well a lot of things happen. When I first met her, she would use me as a punching bag. She becomes so defensive and sometimes it irritated some people. Before we even become a couple she has this desperate look as she wanted to share something with a person. She shared me all of her story. I felt horrible and sad what she has to go through. Not that my past was any better. Though I know she has people that truly cares about her. I did not have any. Sure I had people to talk to. Some are friendly and some are not. Though I never thought that she and I have one thing in common. We both have escape something we did not like. It was then I started to fall in love with her. She probably did the same at that time or not but I know I was. When I decided to ask her out, most people tell me that I will be in a scrap yard. I didn't. I started to know that in that hard shell she puts up so much is a sweet kind lady who just want someone to be with," said Axl.

"I am glad that she did find someone. Not everyone could find that. She wants to hide. When someone tries to hurt her she want to hurt back, if she can't because they could of kill her she puts up with it," said Nathan.

"I noticed," said Axl as he remembers Archer who slaps Rider in the face. He still hates Archer for doing that.

"Well I hope you give her the much love she needs. I know that I may be her brother, I do want to see my sister to be happy," said Nathan.

"I do promise that. I also promise that she won't get hurt as well," said Axl. Nathan looks at Axl.

"Thanks for taking care of her all this time," said Nathan. Axl looks at Nathan and smiles.

"No problem. I will continue to watch over her and protect her when she needs it," said Axl. Rose comes up to Axl and Nathan.

"Rider is just fine. She will be up pretty soon," said Rose. Axl and Nathan likes to hear that news. Both guys went to Rider's bed and sit at a chair. Athena just wiping her hands.

"Oh Axl, I finished installing Riders eyes. She cannot cry for two hours, if so she will damage her eyes," said Athena.

"Ok, thanks," said Axl as he looks at Rider. Nathan sits in the chair and felt depressed.

"Who is he?" asked Athena as she never saw this guy before. Axl looks at Athena and Nathan.

"This fellow here is Nathan, Rider's brother," said Axl. Athena did remember that Rider did explain about her brother. She smiles and approach to Nathan.

"Hello there I am Athena," said Athena. Nathan looks at Athena and has a tad smile.

"I am Nathan," said Nathan as he looks at Athena. He still has his depress look and Athena notices it.

"I am assure of your sister will be fine," said Athena. Nathan smiles a tad again and went back to his depression look.

"He is sentimental right now," said Axl. Athena notice this and smiles at both Axl and Nathan.

"Well if any of you need me I am going to be at my house," said Athena as she left the room.

"Weird reploid," said Nathan. Axl did find Athena weird at first but he knows that she is no harm.

"Well if I can say that to her. Athena Halsberg is pretty unpredictable like the weather," said Axl. Nathan shot up.

"The Athena Halsberg. The scientist who discovers that Reploids have DNA," said Nathan. Axl nods his head yes.

"Wow. I never thought I met her here," said Nathan. Axl never understood why some people in this timeline find Athena's work so popular.

"Stick around and you are going to meet people around here that you think it is rare," said Axl.