Story Notes: Okay, first fic on FF.N, so don't expect something brilliant. This is a one-shot, something short for my first fic.
PS: I do not actually have any of the MMZ or MMZX or MMX games, so please don't be annoyed if I've gotten some of the details wrong.
Disclaimer: I do not own Capcom or Mega Man. If I did, I'd be rich, but since I'm not, doesn't that tell you something?
Still Morning
By Altaria31
It was a cool, spring morning at MHHQ. The cold, night air had not yet risen, and a fresh wind blew across the sky. The bird were chirping their usual morning arias, seemingly cheerier this day. However, most of the humans and reploids were not awake on this fine Saturday. Most of them.
Although the wake-up call was at 7:15, and it was only 6:00, Zero, one of the greatest Maverick Hunters, was sitting on the rooftop railing. One leg was casually draped over the side of the building, while the other lay on the railing. His blond hair was in its usual ponytail, lazily brushed back from his green eyes, which held an absent, if not tired, look. Zero held a striking look, though he was slouched. He always slouched, except at meetings, and still managed to look as striking as he was. His saber was drawn, shining brilliantly in the bright sun, but it was hanging uselessly at his side. He was gazing at the rising sun, which, as his pupils were only metal, did not damage his vision in the least. He could have stared at the sun all day and not be hurt. The advantages of being a reploid.
But there were disadvantages, too. Because they were metal, reploids were sometimes regarded as meaningless, useful for being a servant only. Zero shivered. Not because of the wind creeping up behind him, but because of the vehemence of some humans against reploids. It was a matter that had happened only in the last week.
"They're useless," one talk show had decreed a mere five days ago.
"We should have never made them! They'll rebel against us!" another had said later that day.
Those shows. So open and caring at one time, yet so depressing and despising at another. And reploids were often the subjects of their anger. Recently, the media had pinpointed their subjects to the two greatest Maverick Hunters: One was X, the other was Zero. It was on a subject that had come up: Do we really need reploids anymore?
X and Zero had recently gone on a mission, one set in a power plant, only to find that the humans there had already gotten rid of the mavericks. This had reached the media, and therefore set off a deluge of reporters at MHHQ.
"Will you tell us the whole story?"
"You weren't needed?"
"Do you think of retiring?"
To this, X had tried to calm them down in a gentle voice, but Zero, more hotheaded than his companion, had shouted, "The answers to those questions are no, no, and no!"
But the media would not back down so easily. They persisted, managing to get all of the answers, and leaving MHHQ in a mess.
This is what Zero was thinking about on that Saturday morning.
At that time, the door to the rooftop opened. Zero did not need to turn around to know who it was. It was only 6:15. There was only one person-or reploid-who would wake up this early, besides himself.
"Hello, X."
X smiled. "You've got pretty good senses."
"That's what comes of being a Maverick Hunter."
X nodded. "You're right."
Zero shrugged. He wasn't the most communicative reploid. Actions spoke louder than words, after all.
X sat down next to the red reploid. He had learned long ago about what Zero was like. He was always doing things more than saying things. Perhaps this was why the two were such good friends.
"Are you still worrying about last week?"
Zero did not reply. It was the only answer X needed to know it was a confirmation.
"Hey, don't worry about it. It's going to be okay." X tried to comfort Zero, though he felt the same cold, sinking feeling.
Zero sighed. "No, X, as long as the media is out there, it's not going to be okay."
"They can't be that bad."
"You know what they're like, X. Don't pretend you've been blind this past week."
"I haven't."
"The media is against us. They're leading people astray to believe humans could get along much better without reploids."
"I know."
"Then what are you doing? I want some action, X. They won't stop unless we give them a reaction." Zero said, frustrated.
"And if we give them a reaction, say, a semi-violent one, that would give them more reason to be against us than what we've done all these past years."
Zero was silent. X was right. He always was. "Then we can do nothing." He said after a long pause.
X placed a hand on Zero's shoulder. "Look, I know you'd rather be out there, doing something, but-"
"I know, X." Zero interrupted. "But it's easy for you! You never were the fighting type. I am. The Crimson Warrior. Where do you think I got that nickname, X? From being peaceful?" Zero turned, so he and X were face to face. "It's pointless, X. If we give a reaction, we doom ourselves to the media. If we don't, we doom ourselves to suspicion. What are we to do, X?"
X was silent for a long time. Then he said, "Zero, you know what?"
"What?"
"It's still morning. There's still hope. And where there's still hope, there's a chance."
Then X stood up, turned around, and left the rooftop.
It's still morning. There's still hope. And there's a chance. X's words echoed in Zero's mind.
He smiled.
It's still morning.
There's still hope.
And there's a chance.
--Finis--
Please review! Ah, I'm so nervous...
-Altaria31