Author's Note: It's been a while since I have updated my stories. Well, here's an old Project of mine which I was formerly "Summer Spring Fall Winter". This was formerly "Project Zero" which had a mix of Zero and Freezing into Nova Form. I've since then read up on Freezing which has DEFINITELY improved a lot, although some parts had me disappointed. In short, nothing much as changed from the plotline other than the addition of the "Valkryies"... which turns normal humans into barrier riflemen. As a person who knows military tactics, this is highly ineffective in the long run. And doesn't serve to change humanity's chances against the Nova, if any, it actually decreases the chance. While I'm overall impressed at how the story has turned into a political thriller, I often feel it can take a MUCH darker turn, especially with how brutal Chevalier has demonstrated in the E-Pandora Arc. Who knows just what they could not even know or even choose to ignore. While most stories in this category focus on romance, this one will be a much more darker action and realistic story than most. This is "Project Zero"'s complete reiteration and a more twisted reattempt at retelling "Nova Form". And while Chiffon will most likely not return in this fiction, another person most definitely will.
The Legend Returns.
The Prototype
Chapter I - Loss
A week had passed without incident since Elize's break down. Wishing to preserve their best's mental and physical health, the German doctor had been ordered by Sister Magaret to take temporary leave for five days for recovery. At first, the honourable doctor refused, stating her duty as a medical specialist and mentor to the Pandoras was more important. But eventual encouraging advice from Yu-Mi and the rest of the staff convinced her to reconsider the option. The fact that an old friend would have also recommended the same to her finally caused her to oblige. Elize knew they could take care of themselves. And the students as well.
Still, the thought of that poor girl who had died alone deeply unsettled her. It had been a true wake-up call for the invincible Schmidtz, who had previously thought, because of the Pandora's iron wills and significantly stronger bodies, that all her patients would be lucky and make it through the worst alive. After all, West Genetics really had never truly lost any of their Pandoras and Limiters to the NOVA.
Her mind then went back to Chiffon and countless others. The E-Pandoras and Elizabeth.
How that stupid way of thinking had cost a precious soul.
As Elize Schmidtz walked to the V-22 Osprey VTOL, she unconsciously closed her eyes and whispered one solemn apology into the air.
xvx
Aoi Kazuya, student of still his first year at West Genetics Military Academy, found himself glancing out the window of his high-class dormitory in utter absentmindedness. The past two weeks had been extremely odd regarding events lately. To review, the classes were going through why conventional military armament was useless against the NOVA, despite the fact that all of the students knew that much by heart. Then they had been shown that gruesome video of a literal massacre. Even though Kim sensei had reassured them it was just a simulation, that training recording gone horribly wrong had shocked almost all of the student body. They were literally talking about it for days, gossiping about the soldiers themselves, what equipment they had, and whether if their weapons had actually affected the enemies inside the simulation. The one thing they had talked about the most however...
Was that girl with the long white hair.
Most of the time, they had talked how much of a fool she was for taking off her helmet in the middle of a black wasteland and getting killed like that. But really, Kazuya knew much better. Most of the time, the gossip had consisted of how unnaturally beautiful her face was and wishful thinking of actually meeting said girl. A lot of the Limiters had simply fallen head over heels with just her looks alone, fantasizing about doing...stuff. Other times, they wondered what powers that girl had. Some guessed she was just a normal human and nothing special. The counter was her very eyes and hair, no normal human had looks that mesmerizing. Like that of a goddess. So they had ranged in speculation. From an ultra Pandora that could use any type of Volt Weapon to a gun kata slinging professional. And then the anime types had come into play... Oh boy.
A bored sigh left his lips.
To Kazuya however...
A sharp rap on his door alerted him to a waiting partner.
Oh. Time already? That was fast.
Kazuya stood up from his study desk, setting down the comic book he was reading. A small smile lifted on his lips as he let the cover gleam in the bright sunlight, displaying the characters depicted upon it proudly. As he turned to leave for the door, a small thought came into his mind.
An angel in the sky.
That's what that girl would be.
xvx
Vect and his friends knew it was over from the moment their officer had shot her without so much as a second thought. Oh no, he had not just tortured and shot the poor girl, but he had laughed mad while doing so and in front of a civilian no less. Who had military authority. But that did not bother Vect in the slightest. What bothered him was the fact their sorry sick excuse for an officer had shot one of their own in cold blood quite happily and then ordered them to march out and leave their dying comrade. When Vect had tried to ask why they had left her like that five days later, the Colonel simply informed him that the "enemy was dead now". A day later, the Colonel had transferred out his post, leaving the Unit for personal reasons.
Just yesterday, he had found out Zwei had died.
It was surreal and unreal at the same time. To find out that the person whom you've made jokes with and tried to elict a happy smile from was now gone. The person who's unique voice always seemed to cheer the rest of the ruff n' tough men up. The person who tried to push away others, but ended up getting hugged awkwardly with an adorable blush upon her face. The person who had been adopted as the unit mascot poster girl. The person who, because of her silent icy yet meek attitude, had brought this entire unit of hardass baby-killers to their knees.
Zwei wasn't even trained nor in Unit 684 for more than a month, yet she brought them all together in less than ten days.
Before she had quite literally been picked up by the Unit, they had been an in-fighting bunch of washouts with fancy uniforms and weapons, not even worthy to hold rank and more likely to shoot each other than the enemy. It was worse since they had been under Colonel Choi's command for more than a year, who had personally relished the brutality of his own unit. Vect had thought those days would never end. Then, like some goddess from the light, a frail young girl expressed her wish to join simply because she was lost and had no else to go. They had all instantly fell in love with her, accepting her with soup and a blanket hug. Well okay, maybe not that sickeningly sweet. But still, the Unit tried everything they could to make her comfortable and happy.
She was gone now, taken by a Nazi motherfucker who had fled like a coward.
A notebook was silently passed along and into his gloved hands.
Gazing solemnly at the open page, he couldn't help but give a sad smile.
There she was, with little angel wings and donning a black jacket with battle duster. Her eyes held a fiery determined gaze to them, a small pout ever present against those cute lips of hers. In her left hand was an elaborate staff which practically screamed "Ragnarok Legend". To further cement the point home, her shoes were stylish iron greaves with a fancy wing design on the outside of her footwear, very much like the legend of Icarus. What impressed him the most were the various magic circles which the others had drawn, in immaculate detail and had even gotten a false "glow" effect right. They were placed directly under her feet, to give her flight. They were placed to the side, to give defense to her. And they had been placed on her front, to give her overwhelming power.
And on the bottom, in highly stylized rune lettering, were words she would have loved so much.
She is waiting the air.
There was just simply one thing missing...
Vect gently set his pencil down upon Zwei's hair and got to work.
xvx
Arthur knew something was seriously wrong when his Pandora, Ganessa Roland, did not reply to his cheerful greeting upon entering the mess hall. In fact, the entire mess hall was strangely silent today. What once was happy chatter had been replaced by utter silence, save the general noise of the machinery and hushed whispers here and there. The sterile fancy food and the usual Burger Queen were a stark contrast to this unusual silence. It had reached utterly creepy levels and Arthur felt his pulse pick up slightly quicker.
Nothing is scarier...
"Hey, sunbe..." the Limiter of Roland started softly once he had taken a seat next to her. "What's the matter? Not hungry today?"
The girl was silent for a few moments.
"Ne...Arthur..." she trailed off. "What would you have done if I had died?"
The Limiter was slightly stunned at the dark question which had come from her lips. Nevertheless, he would do his best to answer his love.
"I...I really would have lost it, I suppose. Would have just flipped and tried to kill Cassie or even Satellizer out of pure despair."
The image which appeared in Ganessa's mind caused her to smile sardonically. "You're funny Arthur...you know that?"
He laughed, nervous and forced by the Gallows humor of the day.
"Ahaha. Yeah...but uh, why ask about such a thing?"
Ganessa Roland frowned, steeling herself to give the news to him.
xvx
Lana Linchen gently breathed in the saddening scent of incense, taking it into all her four senses to ease her troubled soul to rest. The slight burnt smoked scent eased itself into her passages and into her lungs, hanging heavily inside her airways for a timeless moment... before a silent exhale just as quickly took it all away.
Just how her Tears had sensed a life snuffed out.
"Oh dear Gods..."
Eyes closed and body in deep prayer, Lana bowed her head in respect to the event which had happened just last week. Unlike the other Pandora students who had no idea what was going on, she had a sense to pick up life whenever it was troubled.
The soldiers marching in a row, slow stepping in mourning only confirmed it.
"...May you take this lonely soul into the gentle afterlife with you..."
A small lock of purple hair enclosed in a locket.
"And watch over it..."
Paled eyes hidden by a visor gazed down upon the black obelisk marking the souls lost to this stupid war. A steady gaze went down the names, marking off each one who had died.
Maria Lancelot...
Lyubankya Kud...
Aoi Kazuha...
Chiffon Fairchild...
Gold eyes finally reached the last one and read it silently into the now heavy air.
Zwei Sumire...
Hands set down a single white flower to the obelisk, followed by a shot glass of vodka. A gloved hand set down the glass and placed the half eaten piece of black bread on top. A tradition learned from a long time ago. Reaching into the overcoat pockets, the person pulled out a simple photograph and stared for a good moment. Giving an unheard sigh, the photograph was set down standing, golden eyes never leaving contact. The person stood silent for a long time. Simply reflecting upon those who had never made it back from the war.
"Your name is on there too, you know?"
The gaze never left the name they were fixated on.
"I know that Colonel."
The Colonel gave an amused grunt as he walked up to the lone person, joining them beside the obelisk. He too gazed upon the lost names forever written in stone, a mutual understanding between them.
"So... tell me. I killed you but yet here you are, still alive. In the flesh. As real as any real human can be."
A soft knowing smile came upon lips.
"I'm not her, Colonel. I may have the appearance, the memories, and feelings of her... but I am not her."
"So you're a bio-robot?" was the half hearted conclusion. "Seiga Industries type?"
"No. I am your enemy. I'm what those lumbering rejects only can dream to be."
"As expected of a virulent virus such as yourself..."
"Likewise Colonel."
The clearly embittered pair stood in silence once more, never meeting eye contact. Never even so much as breathing on each other, for they both had the power to kill and die at a moment's notice. But upon this site which marked the names of lives who had held meaning but had been cut so short, they both threw away mutual hatred for a deep respect.
"It's been about four years... soon to be five, correct?"
"Yes. Anniversary of the 8th Clash."
"Think those kids are ready for the truth?"
The close of red and gold eyes, coupled with a unanimous "Nah." Both parties bantered away at the numerous reasons why, speculating to why they could not be able to handle the true aftermath from why the entire Genetics system was failing. In the end, both the Colonel and unnamed person had reached the agreement that the system was bloated from it's own arrogance and willingness to throw away good lives. Especially with the recent Valkyrie Project which essentially turned normal people into oversized living electronic appliances.
"Humanity. Disgusting isn't it?"
"Indeed. It took only half of the entire Earth's population for them to fucking realize we need weapons for any normal trained soldier. The Pandoras and Valkyries are just that. A temporary solution which cost good lives. Good lives that we don't have anymore. We needed weapons, but they only gave us bodies."
The voice rose a bit louder, the dark thoughts being vented out.
"Bodies who aren't even eighteen for fuck's sake. Those damn kids haven't had sex, experienced love, had families, gotten true friends, or anything! All they know is their pride of being "honorable soldiers"! They think they know war and justice? For the good of humanity? Bullfuckingshit! They don't know anything about what a true war is! How much pain it brings! They don't know the filth and mud and the sick smell of petrol and blood! They might see a comrade die, but they are expected to move on while being pampered. We don't even have that luxury! We die for absolutely nothing and they die for absolutely nothing! We're killing our fucking selves and can't even see it!"
In a fit of blind rage, the Colonel threw a fist out onto the stone surface of the obelisk.
"It's not fair..."
"Ignorance breeds ignorance. Hate breeds hate. War breeds war..."
"Indeed. Fuck Howard El Bridgette, I'd love to personally execute him for wasting all these damn lives."
"To break this cycle one must do more than simply act without any thought or doubt."
"What?"
"You heard me, Colonel..."
The conversation went dead at that, the officer left unable to answer as the other person simply gave a chilling smile. Red eyes stared uncertainly at gazing golden eyes, filled with a completely unreadable expression.
"I trust there were reasons, Colonel?"
The military officer gave a nod, reciting the words he had spoken before.
"Act Cadenza, Chapter 67."
Golden eyes drifted over to the grave marker to the framed picture of two happily smiling women, one with lilac eyes and the other with the same gold as her.
"I'll miss her Colonel. That Sumire..."
"I only granted her wish, even if it had to hurt my men and shock the rest of those weaklings."
Another pair of gloved hands set down the heavy book to the grave as well as an ungloved one, half way crystallized into enemy form, slipped in the orange ribbon into the book while taking a lilac one at the same time. Thinned fingers secured the purple ribbon onto black silk tresses as she covered her defective hand once more. With one final gaze, the female lidded her eyes and slowly closed them as she gave a gentle kiss on the names of the people she loved the most.
The stone marble was cold.
"Well... might as well."
"Likewise. Shall I treat you a bar? Some vodka or soju sounds nice."
"Indeed. Let's both drink until we get into a fight with stools and table flips. I bet your prized trophy Stigma when I win."
The Colonel gave a scoff. "Bitch. I've fought you before and I can do it again hammered. I'll be sure to rip another wing off you."
"Ha. Humans... so persistent."
"Fuck you Nova."
xvx
Note: This is continued from my older story, "Project Zero". Overall, this will be more in line with Freezing canon and have heavy influences from the original Prototype game, hence the story title. Just what will happen next will perhaps change the entire foundation of the Chevalier and Genetics system for good... if not outright destroy it. Hope you've enjoyed this first chapter and continuation of "Project Zero"...