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The Dream Machine Chapter 20: Friendship “Out of the way” “Help me carry him to the bed!” “He’s been hit with a Z-saber slash in the abdomen.” Dr. Sky said as the medical attendants carried Zero towards the bed. “He’s bled a lot.” Aya had teleported them directly into the medical facility at HQ, which was only protocol if one of the people being teleported needed immediate medical attention. As she watched the medical team work on Zero, she felt a hand slipping out from her side pocket. She turned and saw Aya slip the key code chip into her own pocket. Dr. Sky looked with curiosity and concern at Aya, who, except for a quick glance back at Sky, kept looking forwards at the medical team. Putting that concern to aside for the moment, she approached the medical team, but was stopped by one of the medical staff. “It’s not as bad as it looks.” The staff member told Dr. Sky. “You got him here in time. He should be fine.” She let out a sigh of relief at those words, and nodded. “Why don’t you two wait outside while we take care of this?” Dr. Sky felt Aya’s hand on her shoulder, and the two headed out of the medical facility together. “Aya…” Dr. Sky started to ask as they entered the hallway, but stopped when she saw Signas, leader of the Maverick Hunters approach. “Commander Signas…” “Dr. Sky, Faith.” Signas nodded at the two, and then peered through the doorway that started to close. “What happened to Zero?” Dr. Sky looked downwards. “Did you go on an unauthorized mission?” “Yeah.” Dr. Sky looked back up at Signas, who furrowed his brow disapprovingly at the two of them. “It was my idea. I thought we could find X.” She glanced over at Faith, who was giving her the same look as Signas. They didn’t buy it. “I appreciate all of your efforts for trying to find X,” Signas began, “but you really shouldn’t encourage Zero anymore by agreeing to go with him on these missions.” He crossed his arms in front of him. “On the news of your return, some members immediately contacted me and asked that you be placed under house arrest…” “Gee…” Dr. Sky rolled her eyes. “Let me guess the identity of these members. Perhaps Doyle? Possibly some of the Internal Affairs committee members who don’t want this to leak to the press?” “Well, it is kind of hard to keep this kind of thing from the press.” Aya pointed behind her, referring to Zero’s injury. “Eventually the press will put this and Commander X’s disappearance together, or have the imagination to create the story from their vacant brains.” “And what do you think?” Dr. Sky asked Signas. “I’m not going to lock you up, doctor.” Signas finally smiled. “Something interesting must be going on if so many people are so worried about one seemingly harmless doctor.” Dr. Sky nodded in agreement, and then realized what Signas meant and puffed up in annoyance. “Please don’t be offended.” Signas chuckled while Aya also tried to contain her own laughter. “What you can do for now is to train to use some light weapons, so you can help Zero the next time he goes on these unauthorized missions.” “What… you mean… “I know Zero won’t stop looking for X even if I take away his weapons and court martial him. Right now all I can do is to hope he can count on the people he trusts.” The doors slid open and one of the medical attendants addressed the group. “He’ll be fine.” A collective sigh came from the three of them. “It was a nasty wound, but you guys got him here fast enough. You can see him when the engineers finish.” Aya thanked the attendant, who walked back disappeared back through the doorway. “It’s good that you got him back quickly this time… but you still haven’t told me what happened to Zero.” “It was X.” Aya started. “Zero and X fought… Zero wanted X to beat him.” Dr. Sky stared at Aya with a surprised expression. What?... wait… now that I think about it… Images from the battle flashed back in her mind, and she finally realized how Zero lowered his sword on purpose. He did throw the match. He brought his sword, knowing X had some sort of psychological attachment to it. Then he let X hit him… “He wanted X to beat him?” Signas repeated. “What sort of trick is that?” “Zero could have fought X to the death, but he knew he would lose without a strategy.” Aya continued. “They have fought before, and even when Zero was Maverick and wanted to kill X, he still lost. Physically X is the superior fighter. Zero knew the best and only way to win the battle is to use psychology. That’s why he gave X the Z-saber, and allowed X to wound him with it” “He wanted to shock X back to his senses?” Aya nodded at Dr. Sky’s question. “From the looks of it, it worked. That’s why I could hold him off using conversation alone, just long enough for me to set up the teleporter to get us back here in one piece.” “Maybe we should go find him before he has a change of heart.” Dr. Sky looked to Signas for approval, but the commander shook his head. “We already sent teams to the location you teleported from, and the place was deserted. No one was there, no one alive, anyway.” “So what do we do now? Do we keep this from the press, too?” Dr. Sky thought of the smug looks on the committee member’s faces. “The press can’t do much good right now, except have a field day with personal attacks at the rank and command of the Hunters.” Aya answered for Signas. “We should take care of Zero. The doctors must be done by now. Let’s go see him.” “Yeah…” She nodded, “let’s go see Zero.” ----------------------------------------------- Did you really think you wouldn’t kill him one day? X’s voice echoed. “I wasn’t going to kill him.” X shook his head. The dark room he was sitting in was empty, except for himself. “I wasn’t going to kill him.” He repeated. You can’t lie to yourself. I am you! I know when you’re lying to me. “I wasn’t going to kill him.” The blue hunter drew his limbs into himself, curling up tightly. “I wasn’t going to kill him.” My, aren’t we having a fun conversation. Is that the only thing you can say? “Please, just let me die. I don’t want to do this anymore.” You do want to do this. Why do you think I even exist? “I won’t do this, I won’t! You can’t control me!” ------------------------------------------ “Bull’s eye!” Dr. Sky cheered as the computer relayed the location of her last shot. She turned and looked happily at Aya, who was in the control room behind her. The scientist raised her light gun triumphantly in the air. “Good, that’s the first shot you got on the target screen at all.” Aya said, less enthusiastically. “Now let’s try consistency, shall we?” Dr. Sky stuck her tongue out at Aya and turned around to aim her gun again. Since their last mission, Aya has been training Dr. Sky in the use of a light gun, so she could earn her license to carry one with her. Today was her first day actually firing the gun. The last several days were devoted to reading the safety protocols, the gun specifics and maintenance. Usually that part of the course took two weeks, but Dr. Sky got so tired of that after a few days she went over the material by herself then demanded to take the permit exam on the spot. She passed, which is why they were here today. “Did you hear about who came back?” Two Reploids walked into the training room and into adjacent stalls. “Commander X!” “I heard that too!” The other Reploid joined in excitedly. “If I weren’t stuck here for this mandatory practice session I’d go and see what was going on! He just walked right in, and I think he’s still at the lobby!” “Sky, Sky! Wait.” Aya’s voice came over the intercom as Dr. Sky raced out of the room. The Hunter cursed, and then followed. She knew where Dr. Sky was headed. The human ran with surprising speed. Between squeezing through Hunters standing in the center of hallways and avoiding collisions at corners, Aya still hadn’t caught up with Dr. Sky. “What do you think you’re doing here!” Aya heard Dr. Sky’s shaky voice from the lobby as she approached. She groaned slightly when she turned the corner and saw what was going on. Dr. Sky and X stood about ten feet away from each other, while a lot of other Reploids stood, fixated by the drama unfolding before them. The light gun she was using for practice was still in her hand, and it was aimed right at X’s head. X stared sadly at Dr. Sky. “I came to see Zero.” X answered, with a hint of concern in his voice. “Is he… alive?” “Oh, so you came to finish him off?” Dr. Sky narrowed her eyes. “You’re not making it past me.” Several of the nearby Hunters started to move towards Dr. Sky, but X put his hand up to stop them. “Don’t.” X said to the Hunters. “She’s not going to shoot me.” X turned back to Dr. Sky. “I know what I’ve done, and even if I explain what happened to you, you probably wouldn’t believe me. I….” X stopped and searched for the proper words. “…I’m not the same anymore. I’m not here to kill Zero, and I’m not here to kill you. I’m sorry about what I did.” To Aya’s relief, Dr. Sky lowered her gun and returned it to the holster at her side. She approached X and stood inches away from him, eyes examining X intensely. “You’re sorry?!” Dr. Sky said incredulously. “What about that big speech you gave about killing all Reploids? Are you sorry you said that?” X took her hand and squeezed it lightly. “I know I can’t take back what I said to you, and I can’t finish apologizing for it…” The crowd gasped sharply when pulled her hand back and slapped X, who turned his slightly from the impact. Dr. Sky gripped her right hand in her left. She was probably in pain from hitting X’s titanium alloy helmet, but seemed to ignore it. “Zero might be forgiving, but I’m not.” Dr. Sky said through her teeth. “You can’t just walk in here with that sad puppy dog eyes and expect everyone to forgive you… Or did you forget? You just tried to kill Zero.” “X?” Aya heard Zero’s voice from behind her. The crowd instantly made a passageway for Zero to go to X. “X… you’re back?” “Zero… I’m sorry.” X hung his head down. “I…” He started to tremble, as if reliving disturbing memories. “I didn’t mean…” Dr. Sky stepped to the side and allowed Zero to walk up to X. “It’s okay.” Zero put a hand on X’s shoulder and smiled. “See, I’m fine. Welcome back.” Aya looked away from Zero and X’s reunion and saw Dr. Sky looking very concerned at Zero. It definitely isn’t good that Zero’s willing to accept X’s innocence this easily. Aya thought to herself. I guess we’ll both be keeping a very close eye on X’s every move. ---------------------------------------- “Yes, do keep a close eye on X’s every move.” Doyle said through the intercom. “While you’re at it, explore possibilities about what to do with my old friend, Azria. That is all.” Doyle leaned over and replayed the security footage of X’s return. “Looks like Azria doesn’t like X very much… maybe I can use that to my advantage?” ---------------------------------------- “The Internal Affairs Committee, or—as I affectionately call—the band of idiots have decided to clear X for duty starting next week.” Dr. Sky hit another couple of marks across the room from her. “I can’t believe they’re blinding themselves to everything. Shouldn’t they at least investigate a little more?” “The Internal Affairs Committee has always had an inflated ego.” Aya said over the intercom from the control room. “They don’t feel fit to have to answer to anyone. It’s not surprising they didn’t reveal the details about the investigation to anyone. Hey, you’re getting good at this. You hit the bull’s eye the ten shots in a row. Impressive.” Assistant bots gathered behind Aya jumped up and cheered. Aya looked amusingly at the assistant bots. “When did you guys get in here?” “Let’s just say it’s the anger working.” Dr. Sky fired the light gun at the target again. “I mean, how come Zero’s so… I don’t know…. Trusting?” “You don’t understand the relationship between X and Zero.” Aya sighed, half thinking about her own life. “A Hunter lives in the short calms between battles. If they had as much doubt in each other as you do for X, they would be wasting a lot of precious time being wary acquaintances instead of friends. It’s hard to make friend in the Hunters. Once you’ve found one, and gained each other’s trust, it’ll be a cold day in hell before you want to lose him.” “I guess I hadn’t thought of that...” Dr. Sky set her gun down at the counter and removed the targeting goggles from her head. “Well, let’s call that a day. Say… Aya? I didn’t ask you this before, but why did you take the key code away from me that day?” “Hm?” Aya walked out from the control room to join Dr. Sky. “Did you want it back?” “No…” She thought about what Aya just said about Hunters and Friendship. “Nevermind, just keep it safe, okay?” Aya nodded. “Come on, guys!” Dr. Sky addressed the small crowd of assistant bots. “Off to bed with you! I’ll see you tomorrow, Aya!” The rambunctious assistant bots kept her busy until she finally plugged them all back in for recharge, back at her quarters. She closed the door to their bedroom and gazed out at the city lights. She focused her eyes on her reflection on the window and breathed in sharply when she saw someone else’s blue reflection on the window. “X?!” She spun around, but the room was empty. When she checked the window again, she didn’t see anyone’s reflection except her own. A deep breath calmed her down a bit. “I should get some sleep.” She went to the closet and pulled out her pajamas, then checked it thoroughly for any unwelcome guests. Satisfied that there were none, she changed into her pajamas and tucked into bed. Happily, she pulled a plush toy that one of the assistant bots, Emma, made for her during their stay here. Naturally there were fewer things for them to do here than at their own lab, so the assistant bots took up new hobbies. Emma took up plushie making. “Good night, Zero.” Dr. Sky said to the toy before she closed her eyes and tried to forget about her worries. Even if it’s only until she wakes up. -------------------------------------------------- What do you think you’re doing? I want to fix all the damage you’ve done. I want to be my old self again. I want to get rid of you. It’s futile you know. X knew he was dreaming again. He looked at the other, seemingly perfect, copy of himself standing across from him. It was the part of him that wanted to destroy everything. The change came slowly, but his other voice grew louder with every Maverick he killed. Now he had a separate presence in his mind. It’s not futile. I’m still here. I can hold you back. Hold me back? One copy of X laughed loudly, his whoops of laughter pulsed through the air. Are you serious? You made me, sweet X. You want me here to do what you don’t want to do. I got this far, didn’t I? I’m already winning. You just watch. One of the X’s turned and disappeared into the darkness surrounding them. Just watch. Fan Fiction - Top |
