Previously:
Main energy reactor start up.
General optical system. Clear...
Internal frame functionality system. All green...
External frame functionality system. All green...
Auto-repair nanomachine system. All green...
Combat capability. Maximum amplitude...
Main system. Start...up!
"Zero...has resurrected..."
Chapter 2
The Crimson Maiden
The sole reploid stood at the middle of the room, glancing around as if surveying her surrounding.
"Zero?" Ciel tried. "You're Zero, right?" A torrent of bullets emerged from the door, where Ciel and her comrades broke through, silencing the girl. Ciel turned and saw the bullets were directed to her. She closed her eyes and tried to defend herself from the attack.
A minute passed, Ciel heard the sound of bullets hitting metal in front of her, but felt nothing. Wondering if the bullets had missed her, Ciel slowly creaked and eye open, and saw a flash of red standing in front of her. She opened both of her eyes, watching as the previous silent reploid shielding her from the bullets.
"Zero..." Ciel said softly.
The said reploid glanced back at her. Suddenly, a large pistol ejected from the pocket at the side of the reploid's right thigh. Grabbing the pistol from the air, the female battle reploid took a pinpoint aim and fired three shot, blasting through the heads of three blue robots with one shot each.
"Let's get out of here." the reploid grabbed Ciel's hand and pulled her up. Both ran out of the room through the other door, leaving dozens of the blue reploids chasing after them.
"Ze-Zero..." Ciel tried to speak through her panting. "Where...where we going?"
"I don't know." the reploid replied. "I just know that we have to get the hell out of here."
Hours of running took a its toll on Ciel, as she almost collapse when they reached a dead end, if not for Zero holding onto her exhausted body. "It's..." Ciel panted. "It's a dead end..." she recovered a little and walked towards the wall, surveying it. "What should we do?"
Zero walked towards the wall as well, when she felt something was wrong. Suddenly, the floor beneath Ciel started to crack. Zero made a quick dash for it and caught Ciel' arm. Just then, the floor gave way. Ciel screamed as the both of them dropped through the breaking floor, and into the abyss.
What seemed to be a never-ending fall slowed down and came to a stop as Zero grabbed onto the wall, dragging a elongated hole into it with her free hand and feet. Ciel's scream came to a halt as well.
"Are you all right?" Zero simply asked as she released her grip on the wall. Both of them landed into a knee-deep puddle of water not far below.
"Y-yes." Ciel stammered, still in slight shock. "Thank you." she tried to hide the pink shade colouring her cheeks.
After an hour of rest on the dry ground, not far away, and recovery from both shock and exhaustion, Ciel found enough strength to get back on her feet. "Let's go." she said to Zero, who had been waiting for her patiently. Zero nodded, and followed Ciel into a tunnel.
"This place seems to be a pre-historical laboratory." Ciel said, looking around at the broken down machines and computers. "It's abandoned..." she muttered sadly. "Let's pray that we'll be able to find a Trans Server. We can use that to get back to the resistance base." she turned to Zero, trying to keep her sadness away by smiling.
"Ah." Zero only nodded simply.
The two continued walking deeper into the laboratory, until they reached an area covered with rubble and debris from the ceiling.
"How nice..." Ciel groaned. "This passageway caved in..." she turned around, facing Zero. "Shall we go back?"
Zero was about to answer when she notice something out of place, especially the debris. It was then a realisation hit her. "Get back!" she dashed towards Ciel.
"Huh?" Ciel turned around as a large fist punched through the debris. The fist opened up into a hand, grabbed Ciel, and pulled back, all within a matter of seconds. "Kyah!" Ciel screamed as she tried to struggle out of the grip.
"Damn!" Zero gritted her teeth and chased after the captured Ciel. She jumped through the hole in the caved in debris, ending up in a room with a couple of large computers. At the end of the room hovered a large mechaniloid, one of its hand holding onto a squirming Ciel.
"Let her go!" Zero shouted at the mechaniloid.
"Ze-Zero! Run!" Ciel screamed, while still struggling to break free from iron grip of the mechaniloid. "You can't fight this thing with only a buster!"
Zero jumped onto the arm of the large machine and started firing at it, attempting to bust it to free Ciel. However, the bullets only bounced off the thick armour plating. Zero saw another large fist coming for her. Jumping and flipping over the punch, Zero activated the electrical magnets at the soles of her boots and began running up the length of the mechaniloid's large body.
Just as the female reploid was about to reach the head of the mechaniloid with a jump, a large hand slammed into her mid-air, knocking her into a wall at the side. The dust cleared to reveal the reploid slowly falling. But another slam from the large hand pinned her back into the wall.
"D...Damn...it..." the hydraulics in her body whine as Zero tried to push the heavy hand off her body.
"Zero..." a voice echoed from the back of the mechaniloid.
"Huh?" Zero glanced past the mechaniloid's shoulder, and saw one of the computer screens lighting up.
"Zero...use this!" a beam saber ejected from the computer and lodged itself beside Zero's left hand, ignited.
"Who are you?" Zero demanded, only to be press in deeper into the wall by the mechaniloid. "Ugh!"
"Hurry!...ZZZ..." the screen started to fizzle, followed by sound of statics emitting from the computer. "You have to...ZZZ...ZZZ...save her! ZZZ...Don't waste...ZZZ...time!"
"Whoever you are..." Zero grabbed the saber. "Thanks..." she stabbed the ignited saber into the arm of the mechaniloid and began cutting through the armour platings easily.
Once freeing herself, Zero grabbed onto the remaining part of the arm and swung herself down, landing on the other arm, which was holding Ciel. Spinning the saber expertly in her hand, Zero began slicing into the arm,, dropping the large hand, with Ciel in it, onto the ground.
Now armless, the mechaniloid have no way to prevent Zero from reaching it head and dealing the final hit to it's energy core, causing its system to overload and explode. Zero had already jumped off the exploding machine and shielded the still-trapped Ciel from the explosion.
The dust settled, leaving only burning bits and pieces of metal lying on the ground. A large piece of debris groaned as it was pushed away, revealing Zero and the trapped Ciel under it. Zero continued clearing the nearby area until Ciel was fully unburied.
"Are you okay?" Zero forced the fingers apart, freeing Ciel from the grip.
"Mmph." Ciel nodded as she sat up with help from Zero.
"I can't believe it." Ciel muttered as she stared at the burning ruin of what was left of the mechaniloid. "You actually destroyed a Golem." she turned to face Zero. "We were right. You are Zero, the legendary reploid."
"Ze...ro? Is that...my name?" the female reploid held her head as she tried to think, frowning. "Ugh! I can't remember anything..."
"Just relax for a moment." Ciel touched the reploid's shoulder. "You are having hibernation sickness."
"Hibernation...sickness?" Zero looked at Ciel.
"Yes, I'm sorry for forcing you to wake up." Ciel looked away. "And...thank you, for saving me."
"But...what if...I'm not the Zero you were talking about?" the reploid asked.
Ciel shook her head. "You've proved to me that you are Zero." she glanced at the burning ruin. "By saving me from a Golem, a machine that's almost indestructible." she walked pass the ruin, towards the door at the other end of the room. Zero followed her reluctantly, her helmet de-materialising, letting her long blonde hair flow freely. Ciel stared at the long flowing hair.
"Is...there something wrong with my hair?" Zero asked, after noticing a continuous stare from Ciel.
"Ah! N-Nothing..." Ciel stammered and looked away. "B-By the way, my name is Ciel. I'm a scientist."
"Ciel..." Zero muttered.
The door opened, Ciel walked in towards the machine in the middle of the room. "We are in luck." She said. "The Trans Server is still active for use." she began typing codes on the control panel of the machine. "Let's go back to our base."
"But..." Zero was very reluctant to comply.
Ciel pouted angrily. She stomped up to Zero and dragged the unwilling reploid towards the Trans Server. "C-Ciel!" Zero tried to protest. This girl is stronger than I thought...She thought as she found herself being pulled quite steadily towards the machine.
"I say we're going back to the resistance base together and that's that!" Ciel ignored Zero's protest and continued to drag the female reploid to the Trans Server.
Once they were one the Trans Server, Ciel released Zero, but still glared at her. "Stay here, and don't move." she ordered before turning around to complete her typing on the panel.
Ciel's feature was not built for leering, but the glare was enough to make Zero find herself nodding and wait for the scientist to finish her encoding.
"There." Ciel smiled and turned to Zero. "Let's go back to the base." she said as their surrounding faded into whiteness.
Resistance base
The Trans Server came to life. Several reploids in green soldier uniforms lit up with joy as white figures began to form. "They are back!" one of the reploids shouted, followed by cheering from the rest of the group. As the figures took shape, the soldiers began to quieten down, after noticing an unfamiliar shape behind the familiar one.
"Enemy?" another reploid said. The others quickly levelled their weapons at the taller figure.
As a unfamiliar surrounding filled Zero's and Ciel's eyes, the soldiers were ready to pull their triggers at Zero.
"What?!" Zero instantly ignited her saber, materialising her helmet.
"Stop!" Ciel ordered.
"But...Ciel!" a reploid, holding a relative large rifle said.
"Don't worry, Colbor. Lower your weapons." Ciel said calmly. "You too, Zero."
"Ze-Zero?!" the reploids surrounding them gasped, all lowering their weapons with mutters of apologies.
Zero turned off her saber as well, her helmet fading out of existence for the second time of the day. "What's this place?"
Ciel turned to face Zero, smiling. "Welcome to our resistance base, Zero." she stepped off the Trans Server and walked towards the door, exiting through it. Zero followed closely, giving a quizzed look at the place. Ciel noticed this and continued with the introduction of the place. "This is a shelter for injured reploids, who were suspected for being mavericks." the two reached an elevator. Ciel pressed a button and the elevator moved upwards. "We had fought hard enough just to survive." the elevator stopped one floor above. Ciel stepped off out of the platform, her face turning grim. "However, we know that the end for us is near."
"What?!" Zero followed the scientist to a door, leading into a room full of metal chairs and tables. "What do you mean that the end is near?"
"We have been looking for you this past year." Ciel stepped through the door. "You are our last hope of survival." she went to one of the chairs in the room, sitting down on it. "Most of us think that Zero is nothing more than a myth, a fantasy." she glanced at Zero with a serious look. "However, a minority of us still believe in your existence, and have tried looking for you."
"But...but I'm just a reploid." Zero said. "I can't be some legend."
"You are not just any reploid." Ciel said with determination. "You are Zero, the legendary reploid who fought alongside X to save the world a century ago."
"X?" Zero was surprised by the mention of the name for unknown reason. "That name...that name sound familiar."
"Yes." Ciel looked down. "X, that legendary reploid, is still alive and she's trying to retire all of us, the reploids."
"X...is trying to...retire you?" Zero's eyes widened in shock.
Ciel nodded. "Her plan has already began." she stood up again. "Countless reploids are still being retired as we speak."
Zero show no expression, but deep within her, she felt something was wrong about this.
"We need your help." Ciel pleaded. "Our future depends on you."
"But..." Zero could not decide.
"Please...help us..." Ciel pleaded again.
"Alright then." Zero sighed, looking away from Ciel's pleading eyes. "I'll help you."
"Thank you, Zero!" Ciel's eyes lighted up the instant her heard the answer. "It's like a dream comes true!" she rushed to the computer and started typing. "I've something I need to ask for your help. Why don't you explore the base a little? I'll call you when I'm ready."
"B-But Ciel..." Zero started as Ciel pushed her out of the room.
"It's okay." Ciel winked at Zero. "I'll call you."
Zero could not say anything as the door closed, cutting her off. Sighing, Zero turned around, and noticed a small reploid girl, carrying a stuffed toy. staring at her with utmost curiosity.
"Y-Yes?" Zero asked, a little unnerved by the stare.
"You are the one who saved Ciel, didn't you?" the girl asked.
"Y-Yeah..." Zero scratched the back of her head.
The girl smiled instantly. "My name is Alouette. Ciel named me. What's yours?"
"Zero..." Came the reluctant reply. "They call me Zero."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Zero." Alouette bowed politely.
"Nice to meet you too, Alouette." Zero smiled.
"Say, Miss Zero. Have you ever heard of Cyber-elf?" Alouette suddenly asked.
"Cyber...elf...?"
"Yes." Alouette nodded. "A Cyber-elf is an electronic entity that gives some kind of a power. A mysterious power." the girl suddenly looked down onto the floor sadly. "However, once they used their power, they die on the spot." she said sadly. "I feel sorry for them."
Zero knelt down in front of the girl, petting her head. "If they had helped us doing something right with their power, then their death is not for naught." the older reploid said.
"But..." the small reploid girl looked up at Zero.
"If that happens..." Zero continued. "We need to carry on their wills, not by feeling sorry for them, but by living contently in their places, for them."
"Really?" Alouette asked, a little unconvinced.
"Mmph." Zero nodded. "Trust me." Though she had no idea what made her said that.
The reploid girl smiled again. "Come on!" she reached out a hand to pull on Zero's right one. "I'll be your guide around the base." the girl said as she began tugging Zero around.
A short tour around the base prove to be more interesting than Zero had initially thought. Meeting up with a few of the soldiers who had thank her profusely for saving Ciel. Alouette standing at the side smiling proudly most of the time. And lastly a perverted old reploid by the name Andrew attempted to grope her from behind, only to be stopped by Alouette's hard kick at his left shin, and Zero's overpowered backhand slap sent the poor old guy flying into a wall.
The rest of the tour went well, save for Zero's continuous fuming on Andrew, or "old man" as Alouette liked to call him. Finally, they reached the generator control room, where the base's control on the main source of electricity came from.
Alouette hopped towards the door and knock on it before Zero could stop her. "Come in." came a muffled reply. Alouette pressed a button. The door slid open, revealing a single reploid wearing a long green lab coat in the room, appearing to be busy writing something on pieces of paper.
"Cerveau?" Alouette walked up to the working reploid. "Are you free now?"
"Give me a minute, Alouette." The reploid, Cerveau, continued scribbling on the piece of paper. "I'm about to finish this...report." he tapped on the paper twice and confirmed the end of his writing. "What can I do for you, Alouette?" he asked, turning to face the girl.
The small girl just pointed at Zero, who waved a little at Cerveau. "Nice to meet you, Cerveau."
"Oh my!" Cerveau almost could not contain his surprise as he rushed forward and took Zero's right hand, shaking it profusely. "Are you Zero?" he received a small nod as the reply. "I've never thought that I'd get to meet the legendary reploid in this place."
"Cerveau..." Alouette hissed from the side.
"Huh?" Cerveau glanced at her before catching the drift. "Oh...Oh! Where are my manners?" he released Zero's hand. "I'm Cerveau." the reploid bowed gentlemanly. "The main engineer of the resistance."
"Engineer?" Zero looked at him with surprise.
"Yes." Cerveau nodded. "From the footage I've seen, when Ciel was saved by you, we believe that your combat capability is...limitless."
"Limitless..." Zero could only mutter.
"Yes, let's take your buster as an example." Cerveau said, smiling.
"What about it?" Zero pulled the buster she used in the previous battle from her thigh pocket in respond.
"I personally believe..." The engineer reploid paused for a moment. "That your buster can be charged to shoot an energy bullet, which is much more powerful than the normal ones."
"Hmm..." Zero glanced at her buster with interest. "Really?"
Cerveau nodded. "I know that you've lost your memory, but your body remembers the skills that you had learnt and mastered before the hibernation. You just need to find a way to get used to it." Zero placed her buster back into the pocket. "Supposedly, you memory has been, and should be, improving ever since you obtained the Z saber."
Zero said nothing, just thinking.
"Don't worry." Cerveau continued. "Everything you've learnt, during the battles in your past life, will come back in no time."
"Yeah...thanks...for telling me that." Zero muttered softly.
"Cerveau." A tele-communicator on the worktable suddenly came to life with Ciel's voice, breaking the awkward silence. "Is Zero with you?"
"Yes." Cerveau went towards the worktable. "Is anything the matter?"
"I need Zero for a mission." Ciel replied. "Can you get her to the command briefing room?"
"You heard the lady." Cerveau tried to lighten up the atmosphere. "Why don't you head back? I bet Ciel has been waiting,"
"On my way." Zero was already heading out of the room, after a light pat on Alouette's head.
The trip to the command briefing room did not take long as Zero had already fully memorised the internal structure of the base. Within minutes Zero was already at the door. Pressing a button which made the door slide open, she entered the room calmly.
"Ah, Zero." Ciel said as she saw Zero at the door.
"Sorry, if I'm late." the red reploid apologised.
Ciel shook her head. "Not at all." the scientist said. "Anyway, are you ready?" her eyes grew serious.
"Yeah. I am."
"Alright." the lights in the room dimmed, shortly followed by a large computer screen lighting up. "I have a mission for you." Ciel said with a business-like tone. "A mission that none of us has been able to accomplish so far."
"A mission...never been accomplished so far."
"Yes, I need you to destroy the disposal centre." the focus of the screen zoom towards a facility building. "Where they retire our comrades one after another..."
Second chapter....managed to make it in time.......anyway, enjoy. And leave a review if you'd like....XD
Preview:
"I'm Aztec Falcon. By the order of Harpuia, one of the guardians of Neo Arcadia, I was sent to clean up the garbage. I'll dispose of you as well."
