Critical X(Private)

".... You should impose an age limit." Michael said frowning. "No one gets in until they hit a certain age...." he paused at the door. "I'm sorry for your loss." he said sincerely. He bowed his head slightly before leaving.

Michael was hit by a wave of fatigue. He'd really pushed himself hard...

He sighed, stepping into the elevator.... some food, he decided, would do him good.

When Xanthus had found him he grabbed Michael blind folded him and led him along saying, "Got a surprise for you and yes it involves food." He walked him along and when Michael was sat down seconds later the blind fold was whipped off and Rei who stood there smiled and said, "Tada!!" On the table were at least six different dishes. One with Sushi the other with rice and some other assorted things. Rei smiled and kissed his forehead saying, "This is my apology for what I did to you. And dessert is to come after so eat up."

Michael blinked at the array of food and chuckled, standing up. "Come here." he said, hugging Rei. He couldn't help but forgive her instantly. She'd obviously gone through alot of effort to make the meal- and some how pulled Xanthus into it as well.

"Thank you." he said, sitting down, hoping she would join him.

Rei smiled and sat down saying, "Your welcome I love you Michael and I'd never hurt you on purpose." "Oh is that sushi don't mind if I do." Said Kai walking by swiping one of the pieces off the plate. Though a fork stuck into the wall by him when Rei hurled it saying, "That was a warning next time its your hand Kai!" He gave a nervous laugh and backed it off after that.

Michael laughed, feeding the first peace to Rei. "Eat and relax." he said, taking a piece for himself.

"Xanthus.." Liz called, stepping into the cafeteria. She was covered in mud and blood. "I need your hand with something." she said frowning.

Xanthus ditched the apron he was wearing and walked after Liz worried. Stepping out into the hall with her he said, "I heard the news..... I'm really sorry you had to go through that...."

Rei meanwhile could feel the tension. Kai what happened the area seems depressing now?" Said Rei. "I'd rather not ruin your meal but if you insist. We lost someone today Kena died earlier this afternoon on a mission." Said Kai. "Oh... that's horrible...." Said Rei looking sad. "Yeah it was bad out there... I heard the last of the transmission the kid was giving and he was taken out quite quick though... Let's just say that's all you need to know I kinda got sick after hearing it..." Sad Kai. "Here have some more then if you threw up like you said its best if you get something in your stomach." Said Rei holding out a dish to him.

"Your cooking is great." Said Kai tasting another piece. "I had Xanthus help me. You going to be alright though...?" Asked Rei worried. "Yeah it comes with the job sadly." Said Kai.

Michael frowned. "It shouldnt have to be a job a little kid has to deal with." he muttered, losing his appetite suddenly.

----

Liz frowned. "Yeah, me too." she sighed. "That stupid kid wouldnt let anyone help..." she said, her voice cracking slightly. "I could have--- I should have.... The whole thing should have ended differently." She sighed, leading him to her room. She began to strip down.

"A kid has no place on a battlefield, no matter how strong they are."

"Michael eat your food I don't want my efforts wasted." Rei said softly. "Also he made that choice the boy lost his parents in a raid when he was five and spent four years jumping the ranks after he was brought here. He chose his path and we had no right to stop him." Said Kai.
-------
Xanthus just slipped his arms around Liz not caring she was beyond filthy. He just rested his chin on her shoulder and sad, "At least he didn't suffer... That kid was the best student I ever had and the only one to pass me in terms of power." He kissed her softly and pulled away.

Liz wiped her eye furiously, refusing to cry.. She sighed. ".... Come with me under the water?" she asked. "I don't want to be alone."

-----

Michael shook his head, taking another bite. "I was that age and faced with a tough choice too. At that age your too young and stupid to really know what you're doing.Training is one thing.... Zane has no business sending children out to fight monsters."

"And you have no business questioning me brat." Said Zane walking by swatting Michael across his head lightly. "I did as he wished me too. The kid was alone had nothing to live for. He begged me to teach him how to become stronger. I merely granted that boy his wish so I'd appreciate it if you stopped bashing me for something that was not my choice." Said Zane.
----
Xanthus nodded and stripped down before following her into the bathroom. Once under the hot water he just hugged her close and stroked her head letting her know it was okay to cry.

Michael frowned. "I think I preferred it when we never saw you and you hid in your office." he got up. "I'm not afraid to speak my mind to you." he added, frowning. "As the adult you should have taken the responsibility to say no to a kid." he said boldly. "Maybe if you had, he would have lived long enough to see his teens."

---

Liz let her head rest against Xanthus' shoulder, eventually allowing herself to break down and cry into his neck, hugging him tightly. "I should be used to death by now.." she cried. "I thought I was over letting it bother me like this..."

Everyone was fast to clear out aside from Rei who stood up. "Its time you learned your lesson... You have a lot of balls to say I hide when I'm caught up in more work then you realize. There's been weeks where I don't sleep at all. Don't you EVER call me a coward in any way!!" Said Zane as a blast of wind shot through the area. "Zane said, "Let me show you what your power can really be like in that hands of an elite...." Zane just touched the wall and said, "Forest prison!" Before Michael could react trees shot up in all directions and he was captured by some vines and a monstrous man eating plant appeared ready to swallow him. It had slime oozing from its mouth along with razor sharp teeth. It gave a loud roar which shook the area and Rei was hiding behind a table. "That's amazing..." She said in shock.

Michael glared, his signature move shooting form the ground, harpooning and killing the man eating place. He cut himself loose form the vines, grabbing a fist full of them like a whip. He took down one tree and managed to escape the prison, glaring. "If you were any good as a leader you would take criticism and not try to just deflect it."

"I can't stand smart mouth kids who think they know everything about me!" Yelled Zane as he snapped his fingers and a devastating lightning strike came down and struck Michael directly frying everything around him. Watching him collapse Rei ran over crying, "That's enough I know he went far Zane but did you have to kill him!" "He's not dead.... Now if you excuse me I have a funeral to tend too..." Said Zane turning to leave.

Michaels eyes stayed closed but his hand shot out, grabbing Zane around the ankle. ".... I'm not done...." he gritted his teeth, attempting to move the rest of his body. The electrical current was all thrown out of wack, making function a job in and of itself at the moment.

He forced one eye open and looked up, glaring.

Zane just looked at Michael and smiled saying, "Well look at that... Kid you're hellish strong to not be knocked cold from that. I think you got Kena's job congrats." "Eh!" Said Rei and Zane picked Michael up. "Where you taking him?" She asked. "To Joel he needs to sleep for a while and rest his body," Said Zane leaving the cafeteria carrying Michael on his back.

Before Zane picked him up, the blond went slack, fatigue finally grabbing him and pulling him into sleep.

Zane passed Yuki in the hall, on his way to the medical bay. "What happened?" the biomancer asked, startled. "I felt that power surge-- was there an attack-?"

"No that was me deep frying the rookie on my back Yuki." said Zane laying Michael down. After a check over Joel let him rest. Rei just sat there through the night and was slumped over the bed asleep by the morning.

When Michael finally came to, he winced.

His entire body hurt- even in places he didnt know he had.

"Damn it..." he mumbled, sitting up. "Feels like a semi truck just ran me over..." he frowned, rubbing his arms. His fingers still tingled form that bolt.

He looked over to Rei and frowned, closing his eyes for a moment to recall last nights events. really, after a bright flash of light, everything was black.

Rei laughed and kissed him saying, "Aw poor baby you need to rest." Xanthus came walking in saying, "I heard Zane wiped the floor with him pretty hard." "Yeah it was tough love though. Zane would never seriously hurt him." Said Rei.

"You know that pins and needles feeling you get when you leg falls asleep? Body wide right now..." Michael flinched slightly when she kissed his cheek. It made his entire face tingle. It would pass, but damn, Zane got him good.

Liz giggled and poked Michaels leg, laughing when he made a funyn face.

"Oh stop it Liz he's had enough to deal with and doesn't need you to make it worse." Said Rei. Joel walked over and made Michael sit up he rubbed his arms back and tried to get rid of the tingling. Clapping a hand to the boy's back he said, "Get up and walk it off. Rei be a dear an help him around."

Michael felt like another small bolt had hit him. "Bastard..." he all but whined, climbing to his feet with Reis help. "Now I know why the ancient Greeks feared Zeus so much.."

Zane who walked in smirked saying, "I take that as a compliment." "OK let's not encourage him anymore now move those feet." Said Rei helping Michael shuffle along. Xanthus just laughed as the boy toppled forward and Rei steadied him.

"Just how many volts run in your average lightning bolt?" he swore, blushing with embarrassment. He shouldn't have needed help to walk.

"Enough ti power the city of Tokyo for an entire week." Liz said simply.