Tres Iques + Abel Nightroad

Cold Comfort

Abel Nightroad flinched as he heard Esther's voice echo in his head as he slowly walked along the Iron Maiden. Her voice in his head was as high-pitched and frightened as he remembered. That one painful word continued to vibrate through his skull.

Monster.

Abel paused in his step along a quiet corridor. "Monster...is it?", he asked aloud. His long hair covered his face, but tears were slowly becoming visable as they ran down his chin to the floor. Abel sat down against a wall and continued to cry until his sobs could hardly be considered quiet.

"Father Abel sure is taking a while. I wonder what's wrong...", Sister Kate said to no one in particular. The usually, bumbling, happy-go-lucky Priest seemed rather down as of late.

Tres Iques stood up. "I shall go to confirm Father Abel Nightroad's condition.", he said as he walked down the corridor. His optic sensors were damaged, but with his specially-made glasses, he could make out things for what they are.

Tres walked until he saw Abel sitting against a wall. The Priest was trembling and making heart-wrenching sobs.

Heart-wrenching if you were HUMAN.

Abel continued to sob sorrowfully. His pain seemed to come from deep within...as if he was experiencing a pain of years past all over again. He didn't even notice when Tres walked up to him until the fellow A-X Member knelt down in front of him.

"T-Tres...?", Abel managed to croak out, even though his throat was sore from crying.

"Positive. Please give me an explanation for your current condition. Your stress levels and tear-ducts are at their peak."

Abel wiped away the tears on his cheeks and looked down. "I'm okay, Tres." The android Priest didn't relent. "Negative, Father Nightroad. As indicated earlier, your stress levels are maintaining higher levels than normal health. Please re-instate your reason."

Abel looked up at his comrade. "Do you hate me?"

"Negative. I am a machine. I have no emotions." Abel sighed a relief as another tear escaped his eye. "Oh, good. You're about the only one who doesn't...all because of my powers." Tres seemed to take Abel's response into thought as he said "Continue."

"Tres...The reason I'm sad is...Esther called me a monster."

Tres continued to stare at Abel as the android removed his enhanced glasses.

"It's all I am, isn't it, Tres? Just some monster." Tres noticed Abel's tear-duct levels were rising again, but said nothing. Abel put his head in his hands again. "I'm sad I scared Esther...and I'm so afraid she'll start to hate me. She probably already does... After all, who wouldn't hate a monster?"

"Father Abe-", Tres started, but froze when Abel embraced him. He knew that's what it was, because he'd seen humans do it with others they cared for.

"Please explain."

"I'm sorry...", Abel whispered as he hugged Tres tighter. "Please... Just let me stay like this awhile." Tres didn't respond, so Abel almost let go until he felt Tres's arms around his back. They felt cool to the touch on his bare back, so he guessed he was running a fever. With his body, who knew?

"Positive. We are currently facing no threats. We have also lost trace of the Inquisition Aircraft."

Abel buried his face in Tres's robe and his sobs immediately came back. This time they were more vocal since someone was listening to him.

"Why does it seem that nothing I do helps anyone?! All I do is cause problems! I'm worthless! A worthless monster! I can't even protect the ones who mean dearly to me!"

"Negative, Father Nightroad. A 'worthless monster' would not have been able to save hundreds of lives. Also, a 'worthless monster' would not be crying over the felled victims."

Abel flinched and sat up as he looked into Tres's damaged eyes. "You have prevented my body from breaking countless times. The most recent one from the account when the Baron of Luxor damaged my Optic Lenses. I may not be able to function up to par, but I am not broken."

Abel's eyes widened as he listened to his android friend.

"You have saved Sister Esther Blanchett from fatal injuries and myself from breaking. That is not something a 'worthless monster' would do, Father Nightroad."

Abel smiled and hugged Tres tightly once more before he let go and stood up.

"Thank you, Father Tres. I'll be okay, now."

Tres scanned for any damage alerts, but all were in normal range.

By Abel's smile, Tres dropped the issue and headed back the way he came. Abel nodded to himself and went back up front as well.

Later he would confront Esther to see if she hated him as much as he thought she did.

Thanks to Tres, Abel might have just enough courage to do it...

-END-