The Guardian and The Robin [Hyde]

The android stood by the falls observing their beauty, he had contacted Hyde through text messages. It was his turn to learn what Sentinel had done in the past, and there was only some slight concern that the android had. He knew Hyde had a strong sense of right and wrong, something that fell in such a grey area...might be difficult for the boy to decipher. Not to mention, he might lash out at him, but surely Hyde would understand...right? All the others had been fairly understanding of him, so perhaps Hyde would be the same.

Or was that too much to hope for? Perhaps it was, perhaps this would be his most difficult challenge to overcome when it came to revealing his secret. If that was the case...then so be it. He'd take his lumps as they come and just keep pushing forward. The rage, hateful stares, and looks of disappointment, but there was one that he was afraid to see.

Maria's


When he thought of her an image of Simon appeared with a sick and twisted grin. He shook his head, trying to dispel the image, every time he told his secret he was a step closer to confronting that fear of his. It was as if he was taking another step closer to Simon being right...a thought that scared the android to death. He glanced across the river and saw Simon standing with a scalpel in hand. Maria's father turned revealing the bullet wound that killed him, and merely grinned at the android. The pupils of the android dilated quite a bit as he focused on Maria's father, who tapped on his head. He drew an invisible line, "The first incision would have to be around the head you know. The brain would be a key part of her to preserve after all, I wanted her to be smart not some mindless robot like you." The hallucination began to laugh loudly, seeming to ignore the fact that he had just stabbed himself in the gut. Then again, why should a dead man care? "This operation could have saved her from pain, death, and harm. However, you a mindless robot so convinced that it was doing the right thing stopped that. Your duty was to keep her safe from harm! Yet, you failed to see how this would protect her. Such a failed creation, I should have destroyed you when I had the chance. Then my daughter would be in safe hands and safe from harm." the hallucination said to the android.

Of course, anyone who approached the android would only see Sentinel staring across the river intently, perhaps even shaking slightly. If Sentinel were capable of sweating he would be drenching his clothes in the sweat.

strength

Spoiler:

This was the first time that Hyde was contacted from his friend Alphonse for something other than missions. He was pretty excited to get a chance to hang out with his friend. Surprisingly, Hyde was actually looking forward to seeing him after the debriefing that he and the rest of the team had. It seed that he was the only one interested in what Hyde was doing with his life besides fighting shadows. The track meet was starting soon and Hyde was already on the run and training for it when Alphonse texted him, so he ended up going to the meeting place in his track suit. “Yo!” Hyde would say as he arrived at the meeting place. He tapped Sentinel on the shoulder to bring him back to reality. “Hey Alphonse, what’s up? What are you staring at?” Hyde would then look out to the river at a curious glance. He would then whisper in Alphonse’s ear. “Are you……trying to find nemo?” Hyde would then move back and have a short chuckle. “Because if you are, he’s already found. I think that movie played last night, either that or you noticed how beautiful the river is.

The hallucination vanished wen Hyde called out to him, though the android's head did not turn till his friend began to ask what he was looking for or if he had been trying to find Nemo. The android smiled softly at his friend before shaking his head, "No, my friend, just thinking of things of the past. In fact it is these past events that I would like to discuss with you today." he gestured for the red head to take a seat on a rather smooth rock before taking a seat on another rock and looked across to Hyde.

"Now, I called you here because I want to discuss something rather important about you, that it is better that you know about it now rather than later." The android sighed a bit, trying to figure out the best way to phrase what he was going to say. He didn't want to destory Hyde's perception of him, therefore it might be better to take things at least pretty slow at the moment rather than jumping into it. "Hyde as I may have informed you, is that I am Maria's last caretaker correct? Her family, or at least the immediate family, all died in terrible accidents. I have told you that at least once, right?" While the android was fairly certain that he had, but he wanted to make sure. After all he had to pose this delicately as this was a very intense anddifficult sitution for him and most likely for Hyde.

I am pretty much aware that you are in fact Maria’s only family, that could of meant a lot of things. So I found it best not to pry too much into t, you kind of serve as her step dad, even though there are many things shrouded in mystery. Then again, everything doesn’t turn out to be simple nowadays. Though, it must sound pretty tough that her family died in such tragic accidents. “ Hyde frowned, he wondered how Maria felt about this. Although, Hyde was sure that Alphonse did everything he could to protect her smile. “But what about it Alphonse? I there more to the story? Are you even ok with telling me something so sensitive?”

The android looked toward the water as Hyde asked if there was more to the story, "There is, and I've been afraid to tell you all about this for a long time, but after some discussion and a lot of thought I have decided that I can trust you all." The android said before turning toward his friend. His red robotic eyes staring directly at Hyde, there was less pain now, which was good, it meant he was coping....though hallucinations of Maria's death father suggest otherwise. "Let me make one thing clear, you do not share this with anyone. Not even Maria, are we crystal clear?" The android said looking at Hyde waiting for confirmation. That look was one of utmost seriousness, Hyde had to understand the entire burden and responsibility he was undertaking.

If Hyde agreed to accept this burden then the android would proceed on with his story. "Maria's father did not die in an accident, Hyde. I shot him and killed him the day Maria's home was burnt down. I wish it hadn't have come to that, but it did. It came down to me allowing my creator do whatever he desired, or protecting Maria. I chose the latter, not because I didn't see the merit in Simon's proposition, I just couldn't let him subject someone who I had grown so close to in a short amount of time to that." The android shook his head, and sensing the somewhat obvious question he took a pause and exhaled a bit.

"What was Simon going to do? That's a good question, but he told me his plan. He was going to turn Maria into an android like myself, but focused entirely on survival and with the tools to dispose of many threats." The android looked around before continuing, "An android like me that lacks the ability to care, feel empathy toward other, and will only see "friends" as a means to an end. Exactly the opposite of the Maria you've seen. He did it because she would be more difficult to harm, and would be more than capable of her own defense....it was a twisted. That's all I can really say to describe it." Another pause and a sigh, the android glanced down toward the ground. He felt as though this would change Hyde's perception of him quite a bit, considering how Hyde has a strong sense of right and wrong. Or at least that is what Sentinel had perceived from his friend.


The android said, letting it sink in as his red robotic, analytically eyes passed over Hyde. Trying to read his friend, hopefully his friend wouldn't report him to the police, though he doubted Hyde would. After all, his friend was pretty understanding when it came to such things.

It seemed that Hyde was going to be entrusted with a very important piece of Maria’s past, as well as Alphonse’s past. He was pretty quiet at first, not too sure as to how he would approach such a certain situation. There was also a burden on the people that would know of such things. “Alright, I’ll promise.” Alphonse then proceeded with his story, speaking towards the fact that Maria’s father didn’t die of an accident. He was murdered by alphonso himself which mad Hyde’s eyes widen just a bit, he twitched as well. However, Hyde continued to stay silent and listened to the rest of the story.

It seemed like this Simon character was planning to turn Maria into an android that would be programed to kill. This man must have been a great scientist, but Hyde wasn’t too sure why that man would subject his own daughter to such a horrible fate of a tool of war. Was it truly a move that was motivated by his own twisted reality of parental instincts? It’s true that androids would lack the ability to feel at times, but that wasn’t the case for Alphonse. However that as something that Hyde would go into later. As soon as Alphonse fully stated that he killed maria’s father, Hyde would walk over and pat Alphonse on the back.

“I know what you did, you acted out of character. If you was truly an android, you wouldn’t feel anything towards the plan. You wouldn’t feel any obligation to act in any kind of way that goes against your creator. However, that isn’t what you did, you started to feel something after all. It’s way more valuable than any kind of machinery.” Hyde could then point at sentinels chest, moreso around the area that he was expecting his heart to be. “ Right here, that’s what you have. You care for Maria, you are even raising her all on her own, you desire her to experience happiness and live a full life. You aren’t much of a murder; you managed to become a parent yourself. Doing whatever it took to protect that child...“ Hyde would then close his eyes and put his hands in his pockets. “ Murder the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. You are neither human, and it wasn’t premeditated, it was in the heat of the moment. Right? You aren’t necessarily bound by our laws, but you are just as much human as the rest of us. Heck, even more. On top of that, i'm the last person of the group that can judge you.......“

The android looked at Hyde, a bit perplexed at first, wasn't a pat on the back a sign of approval. No..wait this was the other use, an apologetic use. That was far more fitting, after getting passed that minor confusion he turned his attention back to Hyde, who seemed to be saying that he made the right thing. Much to the android's surprise he went into the code of law, he wasn't expecting that much. That was awfully specific, but Hyde's interest in law was not quite relevant at this point. Now it was his turn to respond.

"I thank you for your words Hyde, you too seem fairly understanding of the situation. That is the sign of a true and good friend, so I thank you for being understanding. Though my concern is less of the legal punishment, but I have come to seek advice on a separate issue, but related issue." The android now noted a few flaws in Hyde's argument, but he was trying. He offered Hyde a soft smile at his efforts, law was complex, there was law school for a reason. Though, the android could see that there was something clearly bugging the young man.

"What makes you think that you aren't qualified to talk or judge me on this? I called you for that very reason among others. I wanted to know where we would stand in regards to what you know about me, and it seems that our foundation for friendship has not changed at all. Why you think you are unfit to judge me is beyond me. I never anticipated such a change in behavior given how you normally act." The android said looking up at Hyde, he had a feeling he knew what this was about, but he had to confirm it first. He crossed his arms and peered at Hyde, looking over every facial detail trying to determine what was bothering him or causing this doubt that the young man felt, "Why do you think, you are unable to render judgement on me?"

A separate issue? What is it about?” Hyde was a bit curious as to what Alphonse needed advice about? There was a chance that it might be related to Maria or something, maybe he wanted to tell the truth to her? If not that, was it about the other android that his creator made? Was their last program initiated to take Maria back and destroy alphonse? However, Alphose kind of switched it back and asked Hyde why he felt that he couldn’t judge him.

“Ok, I guess it’s about time that I told you. You wasn’t the only one that was keeping secrets.” Hyde swallowed hard; he wasn’t too sure how Alphonse would take it this time. Not to say that it was more important than being an android, as well as androids actually existing. There was a hint of guilt that lied in his heart. “ Before the Ueitawa region, I was in a place called the Tokonosu Region. Its located in another world, I’m from another world. Other than personas, we had monsters, demons, gods, and we could carry more than one of them in devices to summon them. Other than that, I was responsible to bringing back treasure and provisions to the academy I was going to with other students. It was mostly a huge power struggle between this church and the military and others. Long story short, my life wasn’t great, and I killed a lot more people than you would know for the sake of surviving. “ Hyde would let that sink in a little bit. “ In one of the runs, my team was ambushed by stronger individuals, my friends was killed in front of me, and I ran away. I jumped into that rift by chance, and ended up in your world. So you see, how can I judge you when I don’t even belong here?”

The android blinked as Hyde decided to reveal his own secret, it was not entirely necessary, but if his friend needed to get something off his chest, then the android would be happy to help. Though when it was all revealed he could hardly believe what he had heard. If he had not unlocked his persona and experienced what he had then he would never have believed the tale that Hyde wove before him today. The android blinked at him, he never would have thought that Hyde had killed people before, he seemed too good natured, so his hand must have really been forced for that to occur.

The android patted Hyde on the shoulder, "That must have been difficult, but I'm sure you did all you could. Your friends would have wanted you to live if you had done all that you could to save them. If there was nothing more you could have done for them, then you did the right thing, do not let doubt cloud your mind. I'm glad I got a chance to meet you, and I'm sure your friends would want you to keep them in memory, but ultimately move on to make new friends." Damn this was going to be a crying session, wasn't it? There was no redemption anywhere in sight was there? "You can cast judgement, because I want to you to. I am asking you to cast your judgement and give advice on the situation. You will offer a new perspective given your background." The android said attempting to turn what was a bad situation into something good and happy! Taking a negative and turning it into a postive!

Right, well I just wanted to let you know. I don’t like keeping secrets from my friends. But there some people that I’m ok with telling as opposed to others. Shun and Naomi don’t know of this.” That makes three people, his attendant, Sharaku, and now Alphonse. However, he didn’t really mind it as much anymore, maybe it didn’t seem like such a big secret after all. Hyde’s tone changed completely as he tried to sound a lot happier and attend to alphonso. “Well anyway, now we are even with the secrets. I would have wanted to make it equal, so now that we are on equal footing…. What is the separate issue that you wanted advice about?”

Hyde was a pretty fair guy, he knew that it wasn’t easy for people to be open about things that happened in the past. That’s kind of why Hyde felt that he was inclined to reveal some things about himself as well in order to make them feel a bit comfortable. Since that bit was out of the way, he was curious as to what Alphonse wanted to talk about.

The android nodded in affirmation of what Hyde desired just to be on level ground, he supposed it was only fair. Granted, it seemed to treat this more like a business transaction rather a simple exchange of secrets. Oh well it is what it is. "I see, well thank you for sharing this with me, my friend. I will keep it in mind and will not disclose it to anyone, just like you have agreed not to disclose my own secret." With that the android offered him a soft smile in return, but when the topic changed to the separate, but connected issue the android nodded.

"That issue deals with an individual who does not know about this event. I have not told someone who I should have told." With a sigh the white haired android looked down and then back up. "Maria doesn't know and she has grown accustomed to the lie I told. I feel that this is not something I can keep for her, she deserves to know the truth. I...I am afraid of what will happen once I tell her. That is the issue that I needed advice on." The android said before looking toward Hyde, yes he had not told Maria yet. That was perhaps his greatest fear and concern, of her learning about it, and then not allowing him to protect her...to shelter her. To take care of her. It would break his synthetic heart if he was not able to do any of those things.

That secret is important to me, but it’s not about me right now, it’s about you and Maria. Maria is too young to understand, you should wait until she’s a little bit older before dropping the hard truth. Put it this way, the only thing that would register in her mind is that you were the one that killed her father, wouldn’t she be afraid of you for a period of time? Mean, maybe it’ll be devastating, but how much did Maria herself love her father? She didn’t know much of anything, about his plans for her, that she was being prepped into being turned into an android like you. “ Hyde would then put his hands in his pocket and take out a piece of candy.


“It’s not like I’m telling you to lie or anything but you should bide your time by telling Maria of the truth piece by piece. This is who your father really was, this is what he was going to do, and I stopped him in the only way that I could. And….im sorry….” Hyde’s words was pretty sincere at the moment, as f he was giving an example as to how Alphonse should break it down to her. “Look, she loves you; you practically served as a stand in father figure. She would be sad at first, but I know that you two are practically inseparable. “ Hyde would give Alphonse a friendly pat on the back. “Everything’s going to be alright.

The android listened intently to the advice that was being given to him by Hyde. It was interesting of how it was being contrasted with Naomi's advice, and that was to tell her as soon as possible. Here Hyde was advocating telling the truth bit by bit. Let her come to terms with each bit rather than let her know in one fell swoop. That seemed reasonable, but he was afraid that taking it step by step, would only lead to more pain and the slow bleeding of a terrible lie. Though Hyde had some truth, regardless of how he went about it, everything would work out. Maria and Sentinel had known each other for a long time, their bonds were strong, and no doubt they would overcome this challenge.

"While I'm sure that is a way to handle the situation, there are a few things I fear. I do not like the idea of spreading out the truth, I would much rather get it all out at once. I want this process to be upfront, rather than tease her with the truth. She will understand more than you think. She might not understand it all at once, she may cry, and while it would kill me to hurt her in any way. I will work with her to overcome this struggle. I do not think that slowly introducing the truth to her is the way to do it. I fear it may draw out the pain for her. What do you think about that? Do you agree that I should try to bring an end to the pain or distress it would cause Maria? Isn't that what a good parent would do?" The android asks Hyde, it was an alternative to his friend's idea. He wanted his friend's feedback on this idea before he even committed to one or the other. The android debated getting another friend's feedback since he might be very impartial to one or the other.

“Well….” This was pretty tough, Hyde didn’t notice just how dire the situation was until just now. He wondered if this is how Sentinel was truly feeling when it came to the times that he and maria were hanging around each other. Maria had no care in the world, while Sentinel had all of these worries. Hyde wanted to help his friend, that much is certain. “ You are right, that is what a good parent would do. Even though some of the things might not turn out the way that they would want, or maybe you it say things that she doesn’t want to hear. However, I’m going to make a guess and say that everything you ever done were in her benefit so far, you had the best intentions for her in mind. I’m sure that as long as you listen to your gut feeling, everything would fall in place in the end. Even if she wouldn’t want you around initially, it doesn’t mean you should stop watching over her. It doesn’t mean you should stop protecting her.  You already made that decision Alphonse…. To live for maria…didn’t you?  No matter how painful it is, or how bad it gets, even from afar, you'll continue to be her guardian angel.

Was everything he had done for Maria to her benefit? That was a question that the android wanted to know, was moving the right thing to do? What about stopping her father? He felt as though they were to her benefit...over all she had developed into a wonderful girl, hadn't she? Then again, she did not know the truth yet, perhaps it was too early to judge.... No, the android felt as though he could cast judgement upon his actions. He had devoted his entire life to help Maria grow and be her own person. Though, the end about him being Maria's guardian angel struck a chord with the robot. It was true, no matter what happened, he would not stop trying to protect her. Despite whatever she thought about him, he would protect her.

"You're right, thank you Hyde. I will always be there and watching out for Maria despite what happens when I tell her. I will try to mend our broken bonds, should it go that far, but I won't give up. Regardless of how painful this life may be or what I have to do, Maria is a percious person to me, and I won't allow any harm to befall her." The android said confidently, though he did not get a choice in living for Maria, he would bear this life for her. He would not give up and never abandon her or his friends who she seemed rather attached to all his friends as well. Though he would defend the latter because they were his friends, rather than because Maria liked them.