Axiom Fic {Chapter 1 - Remembering the Past}
The warehouse in Zone 4 where he was building his stage for Project: Jerrica, he lazily looked at his raspberry zinger and coffee that lay just above his notes. The argument he had with Roxanne played heavily on his mind. He knew he made a mistake and it was time to push forward. Looking back wasn't something that he was accustomed to doing considering how badly his past had hurt.
He wanted to correct his mistake. With the tiny mirrors scattered throughout his workstation, putting the small pieces together was only a small step to something larger and far more grand. It was like putting together a giant model kit only the glue was the flux that the welder would create to hold the steel and aluminum sheets together. His mind was filled with possibilities. He thought about how he should have approached the situation and the what-if's.
Gingerly, he placed the small reflective mirrors down and stepped away from the workstation. His mind wasn't clear enough yet to perform this delicate task that required a great deal of concentration; concentration that he didn't have at this moment.
Looking up at the sky-line, the stars were shining through the dust covered port. He made the effort to find a way to the roof. At least talking to the stars made him feel a little closer to the truth that he knew of as a child. The stars held wisdom. Wisdom that he wished he could tap within himself.
The rusting ladder offered some sturdy footing for the slender alien. Normally he would have worn his cape to do such things but the work required a lot more freedom of movement and his cape was only as fire resistant as the material would naturally allow. Wearing rubber kept him from shocking everything he touched.
The night sky allowed him the sense of feeling appreciative of how vast the universe really was in comparison to himself. He wasn't alone anymore but he still felt alone. He never realized how isolated he was until he looked up at the sky. Gravel on the roof broke the silence. Each step shifted the gravel under his feet. Large green eyes reflected the ambient light from the adjacent buildings. His hand absently caressed his arm. He hated feeling hated and alone. He was much more than just the villain. He didn't want to admit that Roxanne was right from the beginning. He was too proud to admit his faults but wasn't that the job of the villain? To be the opposite of something good was his lot in life, or so he originally thought.
The light offered a little hope to the alien. "Mom, Dad, I should have told you this, I really messed up. I mean, I didn't mean for it to happen but it did. I lost my best friend and the girl that I have known- well, tormented is more like it- I, well, she hates me now. I don't mean the hating that comes with my station. I'm talking the hate that really really burns that she doesn't want me around anymore. What do I do?" Never before had he felt so lost.
His talk was returned in silence but that silence was broken when he heard a couple arguing below. Peering over the edge, he watched the entire scene unfold. His thin hands gripped the concrete barrier as he listened closely. The argument was over and it resulted in a kiss under the dim light from the streetlights.
His eyes lit up. "That's it!" He exclaimed. I'll go to her and prove to her that I'm not the bad guy! Oh," then it occurred to him about Metro Man, "that can be complicated." How were they to fix what they never had if there's that issue to compete against?
He still had a lot to think about and one of the deciding factors in his case would have to be his persistence. He can't simply walk away, could he? Even if it was something that she wanted, could he bring himself to do it? "What do I do?" He folded his arms and leaned over to put his chin on the back of his hands, one leg crossing over the other in thought. "I remember when we first met. She was in college, I was an upcoming rising black star of villainy, Metro Man was the shining ray of hope for Metrocity, those days were the best." He breathed a sigh.
"Roxanne had her hair in a French twist and she wore a green jacket with a white blouse and black slacks. She was so cute then and she still is. To me, she's timeless. She always was. Anyway, as I was saying, she had an interview with Metro Man. No one interviews the villain. I saw the way he looked at her, that irritating wink that he gives to everyone like kids get candy on this Holloweenie day. He was always tossing around little things like that and the crowds...women, men, babies, they would go nuts over it. I rolled my eyes. How cheesy! I mean, of course it was so maybe that's why he was so famous.
"Still, I was there and I saw it all. I had just completed my Disguise Generator in the form of a classic watch. A handsome piece, I might add. Back then, it was a Swatch and it lasted only as long as the battery would allow. I hadn't discovered the use of rechargeable materials that allowed my own bio-electrical pulses to charge it. It was its maiden use and the disguise I chose was the librarian's assistant who had huge teeth. Not exactly a shining example of charm but it was all I could get at the last second. It was better that way actually since he didn't really seem all that impressive to begin with.
"I made my way to the auditorium in a hurry. The crowd consisted of the journalism majors that were either needing to attend for a grade or simply because it was Metroman making an appearance. Honestly, it was the most boring hour of my life. The only good thing was watching Roxanne work. Oh, she had a way of making people think with her nosy reporter skills. She was really good even back then.
"After the interview, I made my way to the back. I felt the watch power down. I knew that I had mere seconds to act. Backstage, I used the dark to my advantage. The watch died and I was in the cover of the darkness. I was close enough to smell her perfume. Lavender. It was the same scent that stayed with me for years and I couldn't get enough of it. If I couldn't make her mine, since there is the unwritten rule that villains never get the girl, I could at least make Metro Man act. So I grabbed my bag and put it over her head. The closeness I had at that moment was fleeting at the time but enough to make me move to a more secluded area in the shool. I knew the perfect place. The attic was always a good place. It was dark and it offered all that I needed which included the chair and rope. So I tied her down and waited.
"Her words to me then stung slightly but later I grew accustomed to her sharp taunts and wit. I lived for it." His hand made a fist as he lifted up from the barrier. "She was at first afraid of me until I proved to her that I didn't intend any harm. Not to her. If anything had happened to her, I would never forgive myself. It was a dangerous game then and it finally ended. It's over. And now because of it, I have lost her." He lowered his hand and let it drop to the side. His face turned toward the stars again. "Without Metroman, without Roxanne, I'm without a purpose. Sure I have made at least three friends here and two of them are women. I can't begin to talk about the shame I feel for ruining Roxanne's life the way I did. I don't know what else to do. Do I continue being the bad guy and just leave things be or do I tell her how I really feel? I need to tell her how sorry I am...but I'm afraid it's too late."
He looked down at the gravel that covered the roof of the warehouse. He toes the shifting rocky surface absentmindedly. "She'll never forgive me. Things simply can't go back to the way it was. It's not so simple as a misunderstanding that can be corrected with a few words and some flowers. Somehow, it all seems so cheap. She has way more class than that.
"The day she came to me- well, as Bernard actually- I never felt so elated. Then we kissed. We actually kissed! It wasn't a simple peck. This was one of those lingering kisses that stopped the world. I had a hard time breaking free. I think she did too which really forced me to stop and think about what I was doing. I couldn't lie to her, so that's why I'm here now. I told her the truth. After talking to Ratchet, I realized that I had to come clean with the truth or else she would have discovered my secret in perhaps the worst possible way. It came so close...so close to intimacy that time that I didn't understand what Minion was talking about until that point.
"Is such a thing possible for us? I mean would we be compatible? Even as I was disguised as Bernard, holding her hand wasn't a problem since I was wearing gloves even if there was an illusion that I had bare hands. If I had held her hand that day in the park, maybe the blow wouldn't have been so hard. Maybe she would have discovered me sooner. Maybe if I hadn't killed Metroman and I had told her everything that day things would be different. Perhaps too different."
He knew that he was talking out loud and to himself. He was alone up here at the top of the House of Pizzazz. It was a symbol of a kept promise. Something to a stranger from another world that he wanted to change for the better. If he started here, he could move to prove to Roxanne that he can do this. He can be normal and live a normal life. He only had a taste of what it was like when he took on the Bernard persona. He let out a loud sigh. "Oh, who am I kidding. She wouldn't want to be with me. She hates me."
As much as the word stung in his chest, the situation between him and Roxanne was something that he couldn't control. It would ultimately be up to her to accept or reject him completely. Resigned to his fate, he lowered himself off from the roof to continue his work.
The warehouse was as bleak as his outcome. His footfalls echoed through the vast expanse that could accommodate both mechanoids and humanoids alike. The stage was the only thing that was his in this place. This was only his second day being away from Roxanne and the time apart was something that was needed for both side, he hoped.
With a determination that he hadn't thought he had, he continued his work on the sensors and the laser reflectors. He hadn't slept now in two days.
He wanted to correct his mistake. With the tiny mirrors scattered throughout his workstation, putting the small pieces together was only a small step to something larger and far more grand. It was like putting together a giant model kit only the glue was the flux that the welder would create to hold the steel and aluminum sheets together. His mind was filled with possibilities. He thought about how he should have approached the situation and the what-if's.
Gingerly, he placed the small reflective mirrors down and stepped away from the workstation. His mind wasn't clear enough yet to perform this delicate task that required a great deal of concentration; concentration that he didn't have at this moment.
Looking up at the sky-line, the stars were shining through the dust covered port. He made the effort to find a way to the roof. At least talking to the stars made him feel a little closer to the truth that he knew of as a child. The stars held wisdom. Wisdom that he wished he could tap within himself.
The rusting ladder offered some sturdy footing for the slender alien. Normally he would have worn his cape to do such things but the work required a lot more freedom of movement and his cape was only as fire resistant as the material would naturally allow. Wearing rubber kept him from shocking everything he touched.
The night sky allowed him the sense of feeling appreciative of how vast the universe really was in comparison to himself. He wasn't alone anymore but he still felt alone. He never realized how isolated he was until he looked up at the sky. Gravel on the roof broke the silence. Each step shifted the gravel under his feet. Large green eyes reflected the ambient light from the adjacent buildings. His hand absently caressed his arm. He hated feeling hated and alone. He was much more than just the villain. He didn't want to admit that Roxanne was right from the beginning. He was too proud to admit his faults but wasn't that the job of the villain? To be the opposite of something good was his lot in life, or so he originally thought.
The light offered a little hope to the alien. "Mom, Dad, I should have told you this, I really messed up. I mean, I didn't mean for it to happen but it did. I lost my best friend and the girl that I have known- well, tormented is more like it- I, well, she hates me now. I don't mean the hating that comes with my station. I'm talking the hate that really really burns that she doesn't want me around anymore. What do I do?" Never before had he felt so lost.
His talk was returned in silence but that silence was broken when he heard a couple arguing below. Peering over the edge, he watched the entire scene unfold. His thin hands gripped the concrete barrier as he listened closely. The argument was over and it resulted in a kiss under the dim light from the streetlights.
His eyes lit up. "That's it!" He exclaimed. I'll go to her and prove to her that I'm not the bad guy! Oh," then it occurred to him about Metro Man, "that can be complicated." How were they to fix what they never had if there's that issue to compete against?
He still had a lot to think about and one of the deciding factors in his case would have to be his persistence. He can't simply walk away, could he? Even if it was something that she wanted, could he bring himself to do it? "What do I do?" He folded his arms and leaned over to put his chin on the back of his hands, one leg crossing over the other in thought. "I remember when we first met. She was in college, I was an upcoming rising black star of villainy, Metro Man was the shining ray of hope for Metrocity, those days were the best." He breathed a sigh.
"Roxanne had her hair in a French twist and she wore a green jacket with a white blouse and black slacks. She was so cute then and she still is. To me, she's timeless. She always was. Anyway, as I was saying, she had an interview with Metro Man. No one interviews the villain. I saw the way he looked at her, that irritating wink that he gives to everyone like kids get candy on this Holloweenie day. He was always tossing around little things like that and the crowds...women, men, babies, they would go nuts over it. I rolled my eyes. How cheesy! I mean, of course it was so maybe that's why he was so famous.
"Still, I was there and I saw it all. I had just completed my Disguise Generator in the form of a classic watch. A handsome piece, I might add. Back then, it was a Swatch and it lasted only as long as the battery would allow. I hadn't discovered the use of rechargeable materials that allowed my own bio-electrical pulses to charge it. It was its maiden use and the disguise I chose was the librarian's assistant who had huge teeth. Not exactly a shining example of charm but it was all I could get at the last second. It was better that way actually since he didn't really seem all that impressive to begin with.
"I made my way to the auditorium in a hurry. The crowd consisted of the journalism majors that were either needing to attend for a grade or simply because it was Metroman making an appearance. Honestly, it was the most boring hour of my life. The only good thing was watching Roxanne work. Oh, she had a way of making people think with her nosy reporter skills. She was really good even back then.
"After the interview, I made my way to the back. I felt the watch power down. I knew that I had mere seconds to act. Backstage, I used the dark to my advantage. The watch died and I was in the cover of the darkness. I was close enough to smell her perfume. Lavender. It was the same scent that stayed with me for years and I couldn't get enough of it. If I couldn't make her mine, since there is the unwritten rule that villains never get the girl, I could at least make Metro Man act. So I grabbed my bag and put it over her head. The closeness I had at that moment was fleeting at the time but enough to make me move to a more secluded area in the shool. I knew the perfect place. The attic was always a good place. It was dark and it offered all that I needed which included the chair and rope. So I tied her down and waited.
"Her words to me then stung slightly but later I grew accustomed to her sharp taunts and wit. I lived for it." His hand made a fist as he lifted up from the barrier. "She was at first afraid of me until I proved to her that I didn't intend any harm. Not to her. If anything had happened to her, I would never forgive myself. It was a dangerous game then and it finally ended. It's over. And now because of it, I have lost her." He lowered his hand and let it drop to the side. His face turned toward the stars again. "Without Metroman, without Roxanne, I'm without a purpose. Sure I have made at least three friends here and two of them are women. I can't begin to talk about the shame I feel for ruining Roxanne's life the way I did. I don't know what else to do. Do I continue being the bad guy and just leave things be or do I tell her how I really feel? I need to tell her how sorry I am...but I'm afraid it's too late."
He looked down at the gravel that covered the roof of the warehouse. He toes the shifting rocky surface absentmindedly. "She'll never forgive me. Things simply can't go back to the way it was. It's not so simple as a misunderstanding that can be corrected with a few words and some flowers. Somehow, it all seems so cheap. She has way more class than that.
"The day she came to me- well, as Bernard actually- I never felt so elated. Then we kissed. We actually kissed! It wasn't a simple peck. This was one of those lingering kisses that stopped the world. I had a hard time breaking free. I think she did too which really forced me to stop and think about what I was doing. I couldn't lie to her, so that's why I'm here now. I told her the truth. After talking to Ratchet, I realized that I had to come clean with the truth or else she would have discovered my secret in perhaps the worst possible way. It came so close...so close to intimacy that time that I didn't understand what Minion was talking about until that point.
"Is such a thing possible for us? I mean would we be compatible? Even as I was disguised as Bernard, holding her hand wasn't a problem since I was wearing gloves even if there was an illusion that I had bare hands. If I had held her hand that day in the park, maybe the blow wouldn't have been so hard. Maybe she would have discovered me sooner. Maybe if I hadn't killed Metroman and I had told her everything that day things would be different. Perhaps too different."
He knew that he was talking out loud and to himself. He was alone up here at the top of the House of Pizzazz. It was a symbol of a kept promise. Something to a stranger from another world that he wanted to change for the better. If he started here, he could move to prove to Roxanne that he can do this. He can be normal and live a normal life. He only had a taste of what it was like when he took on the Bernard persona. He let out a loud sigh. "Oh, who am I kidding. She wouldn't want to be with me. She hates me."
As much as the word stung in his chest, the situation between him and Roxanne was something that he couldn't control. It would ultimately be up to her to accept or reject him completely. Resigned to his fate, he lowered himself off from the roof to continue his work.
The warehouse was as bleak as his outcome. His footfalls echoed through the vast expanse that could accommodate both mechanoids and humanoids alike. The stage was the only thing that was his in this place. This was only his second day being away from Roxanne and the time apart was something that was needed for both side, he hoped.
With a determination that he hadn't thought he had, he continued his work on the sensors and the laser reflectors. He hadn't slept now in two days.