Mega Man Zero: The Heart Never Dies
Chapter 1: Prelude for disaster
September 27, 2387
Neo Arcadia, Underground Supply Base.
Zero looked at Leviathan laying there. His had about 27% of his energy left and his right arm was in bad condition. However he had more important things to worry about
"You okay Iris?" he asked without turning his gaze from Leviathan
"Yeah I'm fine"
"Good, now as for you." he said looking dead at Leviathan with his saber at her neck.
"Mission Complete, lets get out of here." Ciel interrupted, saying that they got the data on Neo Arcadia's new plans for Reploid destruction.
".I'll let you live for now." With that he sheathed his saber, turned and walked away. However Leviathan wasn't done with him.
"I won't let you get away!" and with that she threw her spear at Zero.
"Zero, move!" Ciel raced toward him hoping to get there in time. Zero turned around to see the spear coming straight at him and he braced himself for it. Iris was frozen with fear and couldn't move. Maria saw what Ciel was doing and tried to stop her but was to slow.
"Ciel don't!" However it was too late. Ciel pushed Zero out of the way of the spear but was to slow to get away and the spear impaled her in the abdomen. The momentum of the spear was too great however and it went straight through Ciel and Impaled Maria, who had been chasing after Ciel the whole time, in the Leg. Iris could only watch in horror as Ciel fell. Zero rushed over to her and checked the wound. It was too much to be repaired, she was dying.
"Ciel talk to me, Ciel!" Ciel slowly opened her eyes and looked at Zero.
"Zero are you okay?" Zero nodded, even in her time of death she was still thinking of others and not herself. "Good." She said as she coughed a few times.
Iris at the moment was having a battle for her mind trying to decided to save Ciel or to let her die and have Zero all to her self. Finally she decided to save her. This woman had brought Zero back and cared for him, as well as helped him to try and get his memory back. She deserved to live.
"Maria, do you have a program called M.Recover in you system." Iris said her voice cracking.
"Yes I do," She replied after doing a quick search "but how would you know." she asked amazed that Iris would know about something she didn't even know.
"Never mind that right now just get over here. Hurry!" Maria limped over to where Ciel was with the Spear still in her leg, ignoring the pain she waited for Iris's instructions.
"Now place your hand on her forehead and activate it. Make sure you have a firm grip on it though."
"Okay, but just so you know I only have enough energy to this once."
"I thought as much." Iris said while holding her head
"You okay?" Maria asked
"I'll be fine, just have a headache"
All this time Zero had be cradling Ciel and stroking her hair saying it was going to be alright, however what helped make Iris's decision to save Ciel however was that she saw something that few people ever saw. Zero, the Crimson Hunter, The Great Destroyer, and Legendary Hero, was crying. Crying because he loved her, even though he may never have admitted it to Ciel point blank, Iris could see it in his eyes, he truly loved her.
Maria was using the M.Recover but, when she first started to use it she was shocked. She was felling everything Ciel was as well as knowing what she was thinking.
"Iris what's happening to me, I, I, I."
"That's the M.Recover. What you're doing is preserving her mind. Her body will die but her mind will live on." Iris looked around for Leviathan; she was going to give that Guardian a piece of her mind. She unhooked her own buster and replaced it with a dark looking one that caught Ciel attention.
"Is that the Iron Buster" She asked gasping for breath in between words, Zero's eyes lit up at the mention of those words.
"Iron Buster?" He murmured to himself "Where have I heard that before?" Zero's thought were suddenly broken as Iris spoke again
"Yes it is one of the last gifts Ben gave me. I was one of the few people who could wield it with out it taking over me" Ciel could feel herself slipping away and had one final request before she left this mortal chain.
"Zero, Please take care of my children." She asked through labored breathing. "Please promise me."
"I will, I promise on my honor." Iris jumped back at this statement; usually Ben was the one that promised on his honor, not Zero. She then suddenly realized something this was not the same Zero she knew so many years ago. He was different, very different.
"Thank you Zero" She gasped and opened her mouth to say one last thing to Zero "I love you, Zero Omega" and with that she breathed her last breath and her eyes rolled back up into her head as she gave up the ghost.
"Ciel, Ciel wake up please, I can't do this without you, I need you, Ciel!" He cried as he rocked her body back and forth on his arms trying to get her to wake up.
---
September 27, 2387 Neo Arcadia, Command Chamber
Leviathan clutched her wounds. She had taken her chance to warp out when they were distracted with Ciel. She was furious, Zero was the only person ever to best her at combat, and it made her seethe.
"I'll get you for this Zero. Now that Ciel is dead destroying the resistance will be easy." She smiled as she looked at monitor to see Zero cradling Ciel and that one Reploid Maria clutching Ciel's head.
"Enjoy your victory Zero; it will be your last."
---
September 27, 2387 Neo Arcadia, Underground Supply Base.
Maria could no longer feel anything coming from Ciel and removed her hand as if she knew what to do. She then placed her hand on Zero's shoulder trying to comfort him. Suddenly a compartment opened in her arm and a chip popped out. Maria took it out and examined it closely.
"This is a.." She was interrupted by Iris cursing and a loud siren going off.
"She must have gotten away and set the self destruct system for this area. Everyone start running!" She yelled as she prepared to warp out. Maria trying to get Zero to leave Ciel's body and escape but he wouldn't.
"This is for your own good Zero." And with that she proceeded to knock Zero out with a well placed hit to the neck. As Zero crumpled to the floor she picked him up and activated her warp generator giving a nod to Iris, and with that they left the base as it started to explode
---
Three weeks later October 18, 2387 Resistance Base, Outskirts
Zero was sitting on top of one of the many buildings that surrounded the Resistance base. No one had taken the news of Ciel's death well, but Zero was still pondering what Ciel had said to him before she died, those words haunted him still, why couldn't he just say it as well he knew he loved her, so why couldn't he just say it. Finally he stood up and looked up to the stars.
"Ciel if you can hear me," He paused trying to get the words out "I love you"
"and I love you too, Zero" Zero Turned around at the sound of that voice, the voice of the one who he swore was dead, the one who had been there for him when he needed her, the voice of.
"Ciel?" He gasped as he looked at her, she looked just like always did, alive and well.
"But how?"
"You can thank Iris, Maria, and some guy named Ben that you used to know. The M.Recover that they were talking about was a program that converted a person's conciseness into a Reploid Control chip."
"You're a."
"Yep, I'm a Reploid now" Zero couldn't contain himself anymore he ran over and hugged her as hard as he could, thankful that she was alive. However as they looked into each others eyes there faces grew closer tell they passionately kissed.
Iris and Maria looked on form another building at the two.
"You could have had Zero all to yourself but, you chose to save her why?" Maria asked
"Maria, if there's one thing I have learned it's that the heart never dies. Even if she did die Zero would still love her. That's why" Iris replied looking at them with a couple of tears in her eyes knowing that Zero loved Ciel broke her heart, but bringing them back together filled her with joy, and the tears she cried were of happiness for Zero and Ciel. "May the two of you live happily" and with that she turned to walk away "Iris where are you going?" Maria asked with intrigue in her eyes, wonder how she knew so much about her and where she was going.
"To disappear for now, Maria, to disappear."
"Left me come with you please, you seem to have the answers I'm looking for."
"Maria, I'm going to tell you what I told Zero when he asked me about his past, you need to find the answers yourself I can't help you, but I will tell you this, your father was the one to show me all this. Until we meet again Maria." And with that Iris, one of the last Maverick Hunters and the one with the keys to the past left in a trail of blue and red fire as she warped off to parts unknown.
Zero looked at Leviathan laying there. His had about 27% of his energy left and his right arm was in bad condition. However he had more important things to worry about
"You okay Iris?" he asked without turning his gaze from Leviathan
"Yeah I'm fine"
"Good, now as for you." he said looking dead at Leviathan with his saber at her neck.
"Mission Complete, lets get out of here." Ciel interrupted, saying that they got the data on Neo Arcadia's new plans for Reploid destruction.
".I'll let you live for now." With that he sheathed his saber, turned and walked away. However Leviathan wasn't done with him.
"I won't let you get away!" and with that she threw her spear at Zero.
"Zero, move!" Ciel raced toward him hoping to get there in time. Zero turned around to see the spear coming straight at him and he braced himself for it. Iris was frozen with fear and couldn't move. Maria saw what Ciel was doing and tried to stop her but was to slow.
"Ciel don't!" However it was too late. Ciel pushed Zero out of the way of the spear but was to slow to get away and the spear impaled her in the abdomen. The momentum of the spear was too great however and it went straight through Ciel and Impaled Maria, who had been chasing after Ciel the whole time, in the Leg. Iris could only watch in horror as Ciel fell. Zero rushed over to her and checked the wound. It was too much to be repaired, she was dying.
"Ciel talk to me, Ciel!" Ciel slowly opened her eyes and looked at Zero.
"Zero are you okay?" Zero nodded, even in her time of death she was still thinking of others and not herself. "Good." She said as she coughed a few times.
Iris at the moment was having a battle for her mind trying to decided to save Ciel or to let her die and have Zero all to her self. Finally she decided to save her. This woman had brought Zero back and cared for him, as well as helped him to try and get his memory back. She deserved to live.
"Maria, do you have a program called M.Recover in you system." Iris said her voice cracking.
"Yes I do," She replied after doing a quick search "but how would you know." she asked amazed that Iris would know about something she didn't even know.
"Never mind that right now just get over here. Hurry!" Maria limped over to where Ciel was with the Spear still in her leg, ignoring the pain she waited for Iris's instructions.
"Now place your hand on her forehead and activate it. Make sure you have a firm grip on it though."
"Okay, but just so you know I only have enough energy to this once."
"I thought as much." Iris said while holding her head
"You okay?" Maria asked
"I'll be fine, just have a headache"
All this time Zero had be cradling Ciel and stroking her hair saying it was going to be alright, however what helped make Iris's decision to save Ciel however was that she saw something that few people ever saw. Zero, the Crimson Hunter, The Great Destroyer, and Legendary Hero, was crying. Crying because he loved her, even though he may never have admitted it to Ciel point blank, Iris could see it in his eyes, he truly loved her.
Maria was using the M.Recover but, when she first started to use it she was shocked. She was felling everything Ciel was as well as knowing what she was thinking.
"Iris what's happening to me, I, I, I."
"That's the M.Recover. What you're doing is preserving her mind. Her body will die but her mind will live on." Iris looked around for Leviathan; she was going to give that Guardian a piece of her mind. She unhooked her own buster and replaced it with a dark looking one that caught Ciel attention.
"Is that the Iron Buster" She asked gasping for breath in between words, Zero's eyes lit up at the mention of those words.
"Iron Buster?" He murmured to himself "Where have I heard that before?" Zero's thought were suddenly broken as Iris spoke again
"Yes it is one of the last gifts Ben gave me. I was one of the few people who could wield it with out it taking over me" Ciel could feel herself slipping away and had one final request before she left this mortal chain.
"Zero, Please take care of my children." She asked through labored breathing. "Please promise me."
"I will, I promise on my honor." Iris jumped back at this statement; usually Ben was the one that promised on his honor, not Zero. She then suddenly realized something this was not the same Zero she knew so many years ago. He was different, very different.
"Thank you Zero" She gasped and opened her mouth to say one last thing to Zero "I love you, Zero Omega" and with that she breathed her last breath and her eyes rolled back up into her head as she gave up the ghost.
"Ciel, Ciel wake up please, I can't do this without you, I need you, Ciel!" He cried as he rocked her body back and forth on his arms trying to get her to wake up.
---
September 27, 2387 Neo Arcadia, Command Chamber
Leviathan clutched her wounds. She had taken her chance to warp out when they were distracted with Ciel. She was furious, Zero was the only person ever to best her at combat, and it made her seethe.
"I'll get you for this Zero. Now that Ciel is dead destroying the resistance will be easy." She smiled as she looked at monitor to see Zero cradling Ciel and that one Reploid Maria clutching Ciel's head.
"Enjoy your victory Zero; it will be your last."
---
September 27, 2387 Neo Arcadia, Underground Supply Base.
Maria could no longer feel anything coming from Ciel and removed her hand as if she knew what to do. She then placed her hand on Zero's shoulder trying to comfort him. Suddenly a compartment opened in her arm and a chip popped out. Maria took it out and examined it closely.
"This is a.." She was interrupted by Iris cursing and a loud siren going off.
"She must have gotten away and set the self destruct system for this area. Everyone start running!" She yelled as she prepared to warp out. Maria trying to get Zero to leave Ciel's body and escape but he wouldn't.
"This is for your own good Zero." And with that she proceeded to knock Zero out with a well placed hit to the neck. As Zero crumpled to the floor she picked him up and activated her warp generator giving a nod to Iris, and with that they left the base as it started to explode
---
Three weeks later October 18, 2387 Resistance Base, Outskirts
Zero was sitting on top of one of the many buildings that surrounded the Resistance base. No one had taken the news of Ciel's death well, but Zero was still pondering what Ciel had said to him before she died, those words haunted him still, why couldn't he just say it as well he knew he loved her, so why couldn't he just say it. Finally he stood up and looked up to the stars.
"Ciel if you can hear me," He paused trying to get the words out "I love you"
"and I love you too, Zero" Zero Turned around at the sound of that voice, the voice of the one who he swore was dead, the one who had been there for him when he needed her, the voice of.
"Ciel?" He gasped as he looked at her, she looked just like always did, alive and well.
"But how?"
"You can thank Iris, Maria, and some guy named Ben that you used to know. The M.Recover that they were talking about was a program that converted a person's conciseness into a Reploid Control chip."
"You're a."
"Yep, I'm a Reploid now" Zero couldn't contain himself anymore he ran over and hugged her as hard as he could, thankful that she was alive. However as they looked into each others eyes there faces grew closer tell they passionately kissed.
Iris and Maria looked on form another building at the two.
"You could have had Zero all to yourself but, you chose to save her why?" Maria asked
"Maria, if there's one thing I have learned it's that the heart never dies. Even if she did die Zero would still love her. That's why" Iris replied looking at them with a couple of tears in her eyes knowing that Zero loved Ciel broke her heart, but bringing them back together filled her with joy, and the tears she cried were of happiness for Zero and Ciel. "May the two of you live happily" and with that she turned to walk away "Iris where are you going?" Maria asked with intrigue in her eyes, wonder how she knew so much about her and where she was going.
"To disappear for now, Maria, to disappear."
"Left me come with you please, you seem to have the answers I'm looking for."
"Maria, I'm going to tell you what I told Zero when he asked me about his past, you need to find the answers yourself I can't help you, but I will tell you this, your father was the one to show me all this. Until we meet again Maria." And with that Iris, one of the last Maverick Hunters and the one with the keys to the past left in a trail of blue and red fire as she warped off to parts unknown.