The Suite Life X

13 - Darkness Rises

As everyone else looked on, a very battered Zack rematerialized in the base. The teens in particular expected him to get angry, snap at Zero, or produce some sort of response other than that rather indiscernible facial expression he wore.

"Looks like you made it back in one piece," Zero stated nonchalantly with the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face.

The boy's unoccupied fist clenched, as if intending to attack him. Zero didn't back down, his gaze turning sharper, seemingly ready to spring even as he stood there with his arms crossed.

Predictably, Zack backed down, settling for giving him a death glare, hoping beyond hope that he somehow developed laser vision in the next minute or so.

Sadly, he didn't.

Giving up on that, he practically tossed the red orb at Alia upon her request for it, asked Axl where the Repair Bay was about as nicely as could be expected, and walked off.

Sapphira opened her mouth to say something to him, but the swordsman stopped her.

"Let 'em go. He needs some time to himself."

---

After healing up, the shorter twin found himself wandering around the Base rather aimlessly, lost in his thoughts.

A three-ring circus of emotions reigned in his head, alternating between fury, sadness, and abject frustration. Between Dragoon's final words, having to fight him alone, and his so-called mentor's lack of interest in his survival, he certainly had his mind full.

What was worse, if fighting like this was so normal, what did that mean for Bailey? London? Cody...?

Eventually, he found himself at an observation deck. He stared at nothing in particular for a few minutes before an unknown voice snapped him out of it.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

A black armored reploid looking to be in his 30s with long, white hair (though not as long as London's or Zero's) and bearing a tanned complexion walked up to him.

The teen was immediately on guard. "Alright. Who are you?"

"A friend," he answered as if he was talking to an old one. "You seemed troubled, so I thought I'd stop by."

Zack stared down the mystery man, looking for any giveaways in his features, mannerisms, or anything else he could see. That was one thing out of many that separated him from his twin: he didn't trust easily.

"Is there a problem, bud?" The question was light in tone, giving nothing away. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't trust me..."

"You could say that."

The man stroked his bare chin. "Well, Cody did say that you wouldn't be the most...welcoming. He wasn't wrong."

The mention of his brother's name made him even more on edge. Just what did this guy want?

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to it." His easy smile dipped briefly before returning again. "Honestly, I consider it a nice change of pace compared to the others..."

Zack felt his fairly small attention span and patience ebbing away by the moment. "Get on with it. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Call me Black. The Hunters requested your presence. I'm here to collect you."

That figured. He wouldn't be able to avoid everyone forever, after all...

"Fine," he said simply with a sigh.

"I could escort you back..."

"I'll find my way back alone, thank you very much."

Zack began to walk off with Black in tow, but not before the latter stopped to communicate with someone in secret.