FireLeaf

Chapter Forty-Two- Flashback

Four headed back over to Announcer. He lit his hand with a blue glow and pressed it against Announcer's spine. 

"It's done." he said to Announcer, "I just reboosted your CPU."

Announcer slid off the desk and put on his shirt. "Thanks." he answered.

"Microphone!" X said, running into the room.

"X..." Four whispered when Announcer didn't respond, "He's not Microphone anymore, remember?"

X looked sad. "Oh, right. Even though it's been five years already, but... I keep forgetting..."

They both looked at their friend, who had been reduced to a cyborg.

"It's not your fault, Four." X comforted him, patting is back as he looked down.

"Yeah, it's not my fault that Microphone was beaten half to death." Four replied bitterly.

X glanced over at Announcer. Four knew that X was still thinking of Microphone.

Four closed his eyes. He remembered the day that Microphone almost died...

He was surrounded.

Four backed against the wall. The gang closed up around him. Four clenched is fists and his eyes flashed. But the couldn't use his power. Not if he wanted to lose his closest friend.

"Four, you promise you won't use your powers on anyone anymore?" X had said.

"Alright." he had promised.

Now he regretted it.

"We're going to take you down, demon, once and for all." S sneered. "Now that we gathered an army..."

Four glared. But he didn't attack. He couldn't break his promise to X... he wouldn't... he'd rather die...

Four gasped in pain as S slashed a knife across his stomach. He tried to staunch the flow of his blood. He couldn't heal himself without hurting these people. Yes, he did want them killed, but X said that he shouldn't hurt anyone... no one at all...

The second blow slammed onto his eye. Four doubled back, his tail lashing for balance. 

"DIE!" W yelled.

Just then, Microphone slammed into W's back, knocking him over.

"Four, RUN!" Microphone screamed.

Four tried to steady himself as he watched Microphone face off all fifty people at once. He was able to knock out a few with his voice, but they started putting plugs in their ears.

"We knew you'd try to rescue him." Asteroid sneered, "So we're ready to take you down, too..."

Microphone gritted his teeth. "Four, what are you waiting for?! RUN!" 

Four felt so helpless. He spread his wings as he shot into the air. Blood was still spilling from his gut, but now he could heal himself. His wound closed up and he teleported to his dad.

"Dad!" Four screamed.

Infinity did a double take at him in shock.

"Four?"

"Dad! I need your help!" he cried. "My friend! Microphone!"

"Why aren't you using your po-" Four cut his dad off.

"PLEASE!" he begged. This was the first time he saw his dad shocked into speechlessness. "A-alright." he said. 

They teleported onto the scene. Microphone had a huge gash on his chest and he was barely breathing. 

"SCRAM!" Infinity let out a blast of radiance, and instantly, the people who ganged up on them were slammed into the walls of the alley.

"Microphone!" Four had cried.

He then took Microphone home, where X was waiting for him. Then, out of anger, since X was the one who made him make that promise, he had beaten X until he was almost dead, and Two, who tried to stop him, also... 

Something we would never forgive himself for...

Four heard Two's voice in his head. 

Four, stop! 

"Four?" X's voice made him shift back into reality.

"It is my fault." Four said, "I shouldn't have been the jerk I was... I shouldn't have beat up anyone who angered me..."

X patted his back. "You can't change the past. But you can change you present."

Four smiled at him. 

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Four called. 

It was Golf Ball. She looked very nervous, very scared...

Everyone is scared of you.

"Yes, what is it?" Four asked in the nicest tone he could manage.

"C-can I u-use the WiFi for Boom?"

"Of course." Four said. "And... sorry about earlier."

Golf Ball looked at him in surprise. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Thanks, Principal Four!" she said. Then she left, closing the door behind her.

"Nice job." Announcer said.

Four looked at his friends. Announcer, who technically died for him, and X, who wasn't mad at him anymore even though he had hurt him greatly.

Maybe life was okay after all.