Disclaimer:
Rockman X and all its characters do not belong to me. The reploid anatomy design is my own creation. I thought it up to explain certain human-like actions and abilities that reploids in my stories might display. Please don't sue or steal. Thanks.
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Reploid Anatomy 101 – Digestive System------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The way to a (reploid's) heart is through his stomach.
...Unless you're trying to kill him, then it's easier to go through the chest.
The synthetic digestive system acts as a secondary power generation system by breaking down food the reploid eats into its component molecules and extracting the nutrients and sugars for use in the circulatory system. The elements of the food that cannot be used for the energy conduction and transfer in the circulatory system are collected and diverted to the plasma fusion generator where they are converted into plasma for use as fuel in the fusion generator. The result is that, despite the fact that reploids can and do eat, they don't need to use the 'little 'ploid's room' as there is no waste material from the energy extraction process.
Despite this, reploids do not have to eat, though most find eating to be an enjoyable experience. The addition of the nutrients and plasma fuel is not necessary for the reploid to function. However, the power flow and efficiency of the circulatory system is increased when the extracted nutrients and sugars are added. Also, the plasma generator does not require the extra plasma fuel from the waste material from the food. Every plasma fusion generator has a built in plasma particle collector that continuously extracts plasma molecules from the surrounding atmosphere and stores them in the plasma fuel cells. A similar collection method is employed for plasma based weapons systems including but not limited to various plasma busters, cannons, and blasters. When a reploid's energy levels are severely depleted, eating is often used as an easy and enjoyable method to replenish their plasma fuel cells and increase energy output.
When food is ingested by a reploid it is held in the synthetic stomach. Bio-chemical compounds produced in the stomach are used to break down the food into its molecular components. Nutrients and sugars are then filtered out of the stomach and transferred to the circulatory system. While the remainder, is collected and diverted to the plasma fusion generator.
The circulatory system is a combined system of interconnected arterial tubes that flow through a mechanical pump that maintains a constant flow of a mixture of coolant and nutrient-rich energy conduction fluid throughout the reploid's body. The liquid carried in the reploid's 'veins' serves as a coolant and lubricant for the reploids mechanical and energy systems as well as providing a conduit for energy flow to many of the more delicate systems of a reploid's anatomy. This includes the numerous neuro-electrical stimulators and sensors distributed throughout the synthetic flesh that serve to register the sensation of touch to the reploid's processors as well as to imitate the shift and flex of muscle movements.
The digestive system includes safety measures in the form of the emergency system purge. The emergency system purge is an automated response to a dangerous substance detected in the digestive system. If the sensor systems detect a dangerous concentration of a substance in the digestive system, it will automatically purge the system to avoid further damage. This occurs when high quantities of a substance that can cause damage to the systems is detected; or when a harmful substance that can cause direct damage to the reploids systems is ingested. This includes chemicals that would cause the bio-chemical compounds to become unbalanced or block the nutrient filters, high concentrations of acid or base chemicals that could eat through the synthetic stomach and cause damage to other internal systems and circuits, and chemicals that could cause disastrous imbalances to the circulatory and coolant system that would result in damage to the neuro-electrical stimulators and sensors. All of these instances result in an emergency system purge to clear the chemical threat from the synthetic stomach. Since there is only one direct path into the synthetic stomach for solid food, that's also the path the contents of the synthetic digestive system take when being purged. This results in the reploid throwing up.
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Rockman X, Maverick Hunter, Commander of the 17th Unit, stared dubiously down into the bowl in front of him. It looked like chili. It smelled like chili. But he was sure there was a catch somewhere. Glancing up to make sure Zero wasn't watching, he discreetly focused his sensors on the bowl in front of him. Hrm... Sensors said it was chili as well.
X lifted his spoon and poked warily at a lump of what he assumed was a bean and said, "I'm still not so sure about this."
"Relax, it can't be that bad." Axl sat beside him at the table, in his civilian clothes like X and Zero. "Besides, it smells pretty good." Axl picked up his spoon.
"You've never seen him cook before." X muttered as Zero dropped into the seat across from them and plunked his own bowl on the table.
"So... What do ya think?" Zero asked as he picked up his spoon and gestured at their bowls.
"Er... It smells pretty good." X ventured.
"You mean you haven't tried it yet? Come on, it's not that bad! I got the recipe from Rodriguez over in the 24th. Besides, I worked really hard on this. I'm sure I got it right!" Zero frowned at his best friend as X poked dubiously at the bowl with his spoon.
"Well I think it looks great!" Axl smiled as he scooped up a spoonful and took a bite. X watched him warily, waiting for a reaction as he chewed.
"Well?" Zero grinned hopefully at the younger reploid as he swallowed the bite.
"Wow! This is really great, Zero! And here X was saying what an awful cook you are!"
"He did, did he now?" Zero turned to glare at X who swallowed and cringed before glaring at Axl.
"Yup," Axl grinned obliviously as he continued to eat the chili. "Everyone in your rec room was warning me off of trying your latest creation. X was saying how you could burn water and just about everything you made was totally inedible. Even Jynx mentioned how it was probably because you're a bachelor and all. Not even the sense God gave a monkey when it comes to the kitchen."
X winced again and started digging single-mindedly into the chili as Zero turned his blue-eyed glare onto his best friend. "Inedible, huh?" Zero glared at X as though his eyes might shoot lasers and burn a hole in his head.
"Eh heh." X winced and smiled helplessly. "You got to admit, Zero, most stuff you've tried to cook ended up a disaster. Half the time you cause a fire and terrorize the kitchen staff, and the other half it turns out tasting awful."
"Hmph. All I needed was a little practice. Now, you see? All that practice paid off." Zero nodded smugly as he folded his arms across his chest.
X blinked and then looked down at his half empty bowl. "Huh. This is pretty good. Spicy though. What's it called again?"
"Well, Rodriguez' recipe was a little bland when it came to spices, so I added a bit more zip to it. I call it, Zero's Emergency Klaxon Chili!" Zero grinned proudly as he proclaimed the name in a booming melodramatic voice.
"Well, Rodriguez is human, so I guess they can only handle things so spicy. Can I have some more?" Axl asked as he held up his empty bowl.
"Sure thing kid!" Zero grinned as he snagged Axl's bowl and stood up to ladle some more of the chili from the large pot he had set on the end of the table next to them. "At least somebody appreciates all the work I put into this." Zero grumped as he sat back down and glared at X who just grinned sheepishly at him.
Axl grinned and pulled the bowl over to him. Just as he lifted the spoon to take another bite, a weird expression crossed his face, as he froze in mid-motion. Then his face twisted into a grimace as he shifted uncomfortably on the bench before hissing in a breath and dropping his spoon with a clatter.
"What's wrong?" X asked as he turned to his friend in concern.
"You all right kid?" Zero asked, concerned, as he leaned forward.
"Nnnng... I... I don't feel so good." Axl groaned as he bent forward, his left hand twisting in the front of his shirt over his stomach.
"Do you think you need to go to the med ward?" X asked in concern as he stood up and laid a hand on Axl's shoulder. Just as he leaned over Axl to try to get a look at his face, X felt his stomach lurch and a weird sensation of an aching, twisting feeling flooded through his stomach. He hissed in surprise and bent forward, his hand reflexively going to his own stomach.
"Hey man, you all right?" Zero asked in a worried tone as he stood up. "What's wrong, X?"
X groaned as the lurching ache intensified. "Urrrng. I don't..." he abruptly cut himself off as Axl lurched to his feet, his hand clamped over his mouth as he bolted across the room for the trash receptacle up against the wall. A burning, lurching sensation filled X's throat as his stomach seemed to abruptly flip itself inside out. X spun around and sprinted for the trash receptacle beside Axl's bent over form. His own hand clapped over his mouth as the chili decided to take a round trip tour of his digestive tract.
Axl groaned miserably from where he was bent over the trash receptacle after emptying the contents of his stomach with extreme prejudice. He coughed and spat then glanced over at X who was currently wheezing and hacking out the last of lunch. "X," he wheezed, "remind me never to eat anything Zero cooks ever again." X nodded emphatically as he spat and grimaced at the colorful mess in the trash receptacle he was currently bent double over.
Zero blinked over at his two best friends as they lost their lunch into the trash receptacles. Then he turned to regard the chili in its titanium-alloy pot. "Hmm. Maybe I made it too spicy. After all, it did eat through the other two pots while I was cooking it."
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The End
Owari
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Please review. Tell me what you all think of the 'reploids can eat' explanation and example.
Feed me please. I'm so very hungry...