Author's Note: In a departure from my regular topic, which, I admit, has been relatively untouched lately, I give you the first chapter in the first part of a prospective duo of stories based around MegaMan Zero and Mega Man ZX. It actually took me awhile to get this down, and it's my first real foray into Mega Man fanfiction, so it may seem a bit different from my Pokémon ones (or not, I don't know). If so, that's only because it's a total shift in style and is something I will eventually overcome.

So. We all know how Alouette looks up to and respects Ciel as a big sister, if not more than that, but how did this relationship begin? Where did the two meet? What was Alouette like before Ciel formed the Resistence and broke off from Neo Arcadia, and later still what was her job within the Resistence while Zero was off saving the day? That's mainly what this story is about. I hope you enjoy the first chapter of the first "book" of the Legacy of the Sky duo.

Chapter names will signify the narrator.

Three plus signs (+ + +) indicate a timelapse.

Italics denote thoughts.


Part I - Dawn Sky

Chapter 1 - Nameless

My first thought was that I was cold.

As the pod opened around me, hissing out its compressed gasses, all of my systems came fully active, and I looked around with all the wonder of a newborn as the glass shifted back and I subconsciously took my first step in the world.

I shivered, not understanding what it was I saw. There really was nothing that could describe my first real look at the world.

I was looking out at--and standing amidst--the ruins of a building complex that looked as if it had been torn apart by a viscious monster, then set aflame. There were scorch marks at irregular intervals along the floor and walls, and great patches of the cieling were missing. My mouth closed again as I stared, uncomprehending.

What happened here?

I shivered again.

I began to walk, trying to find something--anything--that wasn't destroyed. I sensed a great hollow space beneath my feet--obviously I was not on the ground floor. I passed great rends in the metal walls, rends that were letting in horrid drafts. It was winter outside--or close to it. I continued to walk aimlessly, lost, hearing no sounds other than the thudding of my booted feet on the floor and the gusts of wind.

A horrible thought occured to me then, and its suddenness and force caused me to stop dead. I had known the season. But how? What were seasons? How was I faced with nothing but an endless sorrow if all twelve minutes, fourteen-and-a-half seconds of my existence had shown me nothing but...?

In short, how did I know what I knew?

What did I know?

What was knowledge?

Somehow, all of it was wrong--I had never known anything else, and yet this sensation of knowing things without cause was frightening and terribly enfeebling. I collapsed to the floor, clutching at my head and shivering, now from both the cold and fear of myself.

A moment later I had another thing to fear.

A humming erupted behind me, and my cold, methodical, mechanical mind assured me that it was a 2202 Hangar-model beamsabre that vibrated inches away from the back of my head. I froze, gasping.

The first spoken words I ever heard, in a clear, harsh tone, were "Who are you?"

A lighter voice, female, and with a kind of vibrant sonic "glow" that told me instantly the speaker was not a Reploid, spoke a second after, "Sage, don't hurt her!"

"She wasn't here when we came in, Doctor," said a third voice, also female, but undoubtedly Reploid. "I would have known."

"She could be a threat," said the first voice.

"Sage!" barked the second, sounding exasparated. "Your specialty is scanning Reploids. Tell me, is she designed for combat?"

There was a pause. The one called Sage, almost grudgingly, said, "No."

"Then deactivate your weapon! Can't you see she's scared out of her wits?"

"Like a newborn..." said the third voice.

I shivered.

"Doctor," said a fourth, a terribly mechanical and emotionless voice. "I believe this was the Reploid girl contained in the one unbroken pod."

"The systems were all dead," began the first, but the Doctor overrode him.

"We turned the generator back on fifteen minutes ago, Sage. Perhaps her pod regained power at the same time."

I heard the Sage's weapon hum slightly at it was moved. "She could be unstable. She is a threat to you, Doctor Ciel, and my duty as a general of Neo Arcadia is to protect humans from any percieved threats."

"Harpuia! Stop!" cried the first voice. I heard the Hangar hum in motion again. "Override! Tau Zeta Phi! Stand down, Harpuia!"

The humming returned to normal as the blade idled, then died out altogether. "As you wish, Doctor Ciel."

My eyes were shut tight and I was shaking, still waiting for the blow that would end my life so soon after it began, but it did not come. I heard footsteps walk around in front of me, and something crouched down to my level.

"Hey..." There was a light touch upon my chin. I started at this first sensation of touch, but there was no force behind it; the hand moved toward my cheek, stroking gently, and I opened my eyes. The human female was in front of me, her kind blue eyes radiating concern for me. I swallowed, then shivered again as a draft passed by.

"Oh, you poor thing, you must be freezing!" she gasped quietly, and took off her own pink jacket and laid it over my shoulders. I began to feel slightly warmer. I tried to say something, express some kind of thanks, but all I managed to do was tear up and sob. Very gently Ciel placed her arms around me and pulled me to her. "There... You'll be alright now, I promise."

I cried against her.

"You're in a lab that got raided by Mavericks. It looks like you're the only thing they left untouched."

Maverick. Noun/Adjective. Archaicly, any Reploid or Mechanniloid that carries a virus which causes it to attack humans or other Reploids senselessly. The virus has since vanished, but because of the free-willed nature of Reploids any one that chooses to attack humans or otherwise become irrationally violent the term is still used today.

I shook my head, trying to ignore the awful knowledge.

After a few moments I calmed down, and stood up with Ciel, looking away from her embarrassedly.

"My name is Ciel," said said she after a moment. "Do you have a name?"

I opened my mouth to respond and realized I had nothing to say. I looked up at her and blinked.

"Can you talk?" Ciel asked again, more slowly.

I blinked again, needlessly, then, embarrassed, looked away from her again. Hesitantly, I opened my mouth again. "I can talk," I said quietly. "I know lots of things, and I don't even know why... But... I don't know my name..."

Ciel's expression was one of extreme sympathy. "It looks like maybe you were in the middle of a diagnostic when we woke you up or the power went out, one of the two. I'm sorry..."

"Doctor," said the fourth voice, "we should leave. There is a functioning transerver two rooms to the north."

"Very good, Phantom," said Ciel. "I'll be bringing her with me--" Here she gestured at me-- "so you go ahead to the transerver and I'll meet you there."

"Very well," said Phantom.

"Leviathan, you too."

"Yes, Doctor," said the third voice.

Two Reploids dashed past me, one in purple and silver armor and nearly invisible eyes, and the other covered in blue armor with a large halberd attached to her back.

"...Why?" I breathed finally.

"Why?" Ciel stroked my hair. "Well, I can't just leave you here, can I? You're the only one here, the entire complex has been gutted... You'd be awfully lonely. And you don't even know your own name."

"Name..." I said quietly, looking down. I stood back up, as did Ciel.

"Maybe you'll remember in time?"

I said nothing.

Ciel reached out and grabbed one of my hands--or rather, grabbed my hand through the sleeve of her jacket, absurdly large upon my too-small body, and I followed the first human I'd ever met as we left the building where I'd spent my first moments of existence.