Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Combat Zero or any of the Ace Combat series or the characters therein. This is just a work of my imagination, inspired by the work of a fellow FanFiction author, Yellow 13. This in particular focuses on the chapter "A Brother in Arms" from the story Ace's Flight, or more importantly, my take on what happened AFTER that chapter.

Key: Italics Cipher's thoughts or flashbacks

Bold Pixy speaking

Regular type Cipher speaking

The Reunion

"Yo Buddy, still alive?"

The words alone caused flashbacks. The first flash was to my television screen in the small apartment I'd been living in over in a mountain city in Ustio. I saw the broadcast by Brett Thompson. All those aces whose lives I single handedly effected. And then there was him. Pixy, my friend, and my enemy all rolled into one human package. I wanted to wipe that grin off his face when I saw him on the screen, and when he said "see you again" I looked forward to something for the first time in my life.

The second flash was to just after our first engagement at B7R, 10 years previous. I'd scored twice as many kills as him that day, and I'll never forget how pissed Pixy was when we got back to Valais. That was the first time I'd ever heard him ask me that question. To Pixy it was as if I was either dead, or part of my plane, a single entity, not able to exist in life outside of the cockpit. He couldn't have been more wrong.

The third flash was the cause of my next action. I saw myself and PJ, my wingman after Pixy had disappeared. I heard his words almost as if I were still there in that exact moment…

"I've got a girlfriend back at the base, I'm gonna propose to her when we get back."

Next came the voice of Eagle Eye, and an image that was burned into my memory forever.

"Warning, enemy aircraft inbound at high speed, all planes break!"

Then came the pinkish red beam…

"Dang it!"

Then the explosion, fragments of PJ's plane as the beam knifed through the cockpit, likely frying PJ to a crisp in his seat. I could almost smell the burning flesh inside my cockpit. I knew PJ wasn't going to be ejecting. I honestly doubted if there was anything left of him to eject. I went to the crash site later and left flowers, my own small tribute and closure at the same time, but the pain still remains to this day.

The only thing I had to remember at that point was exactly how tall Larry was. I misjudged, but only slightly. As I wheeled on him and swung, I was aiming for his nose or one of his eyes, and I caught him square on the point of the jaw, knocking him flat on his butt and sending him skidding across the tarmac for a good couple feet. The look of shock at first was quickly replaced with him rubbing his jaw and a slight grin.

"I guess you could say I deserved that."

"You think so Pixy? You think me having to console a weeping girlfriend because you killed the man she loved was something you could ever pay me back for? You think attempting to kill me is something I can forgive?"

"Look Cipher, I don't expect you to forgive me but…"

"But nothing Pixy. You should have seen the look on Marla's face when I, fresh off sortie, had to go into the squadron ready room and break the news to her that PJ wasn't coming back. It was like somebody took a knife and tore at her soul with it."

"I told the kid that flying around with all those ideals swimming in his head would get him killed."

"Never in a million years Pixy, never would I have thought you'd end up as a cold hearted murderer."

"A murderer? And what do you think you are, you hypocrite. How many Belkans went out to battle with you and lost their lives in the process? I seem to remember hearing about a chest of trophies signifying all the Belkan aces you had single handedly taken down. How many black body bags were you responsible for filling during that war? And you think you have the right to call ME a murderer?"

"None of us in that war knew what we were truly fighting for Pixy. We're all as guilty as the next guy. You, me, Bristow, Zubov, Palmer, Altman, all of us are guilty. We should all be locked up somewhere. Not venturing off to fight another war somewhere. God I know that if half of these guys knew who I was, they'd not hesitate to kill me in my sleep. How many of them lost comrades because of you and I?"

"You don't think I know half of them would peel me like an onion while trying to get me to give you up Cipher?"

"The difference Pixy, is that you have backup. Bristow, Palmer, all the people from The World With No Boundaries. I have nobody."

"That happens from time to time, buddy. You find yourself alone, flying over green pastures with the sun through your canopy, and then the next second it seems like the world is down on you. It happened with me when I joined up with them. Some of the guys in Gault Squadron wanted to kill me on the spot when I landed after the nuclear explosions. They said I couldn't be trusted, and that I'd betray them before I ever gave you up. I then watched from afar as you dispatched them all. I knew you'd be coming for me eventually, though you didn't know it."

"And PJ? What do you consider him to be then?"

"An unfortunate casualty of a battle that had to be fought. I gave him something better though, a quick, clean death. No warrior could ask for more. I did that, rather than torturing him and you by chasing him down, making you watch, and proving to him that no matter how good he became by watching you, that I'd always be better. I was Galm 2, he was just pretending to fill my shoes. And besides, I couldn't let him get in the way of the battle between you and I."

Right then, he met with my fist again, this time direct to his nose. His head snapped back and he doubled over. When he came up, he was holding his nose, which just by the looks of it, I had broken with that punch.

"He was just a kid by comparison to us Pixy, He didn't know any better. He had a life ahead of him that neither of us could have ever had. He had a woman who loved him, and because he was a mercenary, a bank account enough to support both of them for life. You know where that money went? Into Ustio's coffers because they weren't legally married yet. You nearly destroyed two lives with one shot Pixy. Fortunately because I have a heart I made sure that Marla was well taken care of after the war."

"Ever the hero aren't you Cipher? Ever think of all the mothers and fathers you left childless, or the wives and husbands who you left without their spouses? You have enough money to heal their wounds too?"

"When they were trying to kill me, they and theirs lost the privilege of my help. Simple as that. And you're no exception Pixy."

With that I walked out of the hangar, glad that none of the other pilots had been around. I think our benefactors knew who I was and chose to isolate me from the rest for my personal safety. Thank God for that. However, I had no idea how much trouble this entire half-baked scheme by this new world power would put me in…