Twisted Zone
--Time Loop--
--Wednesday--
Senya Starseeker
twilight_rhapsody@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters belong to CAPCOM, of course!
A/N: Woohoo! I'm actually updating this!! Um . . . I wonder if anyone's still reading it. . . hm . . .
--Tuesday--
Zero cried out as the saber came down on his head, but suddenly the training centre, Lifesaver, the pain, was all gone. He was staring at his own reflection in the dome of his resting capsule. He took a shaky breath, and glanced around the room, he was really awake, this time, wasn't he? That was a . . . dream, wasn't it? As he wondered at this, X's capsule across from his also slid open.
"Is something wrong, Zero?" X asked, sitting up sleepily. "I thought I heard a scream. It's five a.m."
Zero's eyebrow twitched involuntarily, had X not asked that yester-- in the dream? He shook his head dumbly and did not respond to X.
"But, anyway, guess what, Zero? I had a dream! Pretty neat, eh?" X exclaimed. "It was really funny, you were being pummeled by Lifesaver!"
Zero made an awkward sound, he felt a chill run through his body.
X gave him a strange look, "Uh . . . what? It was just a dream, hey, Z, you okay?"
"Y--Yeah, of course." Zero answered. "I think I'm just going to . . . go for a walk." He shook his head, throwing on his trenchcoat and leaving the room. He wanted to see Dr. Cain . . . er, again.
He ran into Signas, who was walking outside of their room, just like before. "What are you doing up?" Zero asked, remembering that Signas had been up before, as well.
"Actually it's more like late for me. No rest for the weary!" He laughed, "Though I did dose off quite by accident a few minutes ago on my desk. Uh . . . don't tell Alia she'll kill me for not finishing the paperwork."
Zero stopped listening, he began away from the young Major as quickly as he could, heading down the hallway, straight for Dr. Cain's office, forgetting how early it was.
"Hey!" Signas called after him, "Hey! Hey, Zero! Don't you want to hear about my DREAM?!"
"Yeah, right." Zero muttered sarcastically under his breath, veering to the right, at that minute a voice caught him off guard.
"You're up early." The voice said, cheerfully.
Great, cheerfulness was not something Zero was in the mood for right about then. "Douglas." Zero said dryly, without looking at the green Reploid.
"You know I had the oddest dream--"
"Save it!" Zero practically growled.
"W--What?!" Douglas asked, shocked at Zero's behavior, sure he wasn't the most social Hunter ever to grace their HQ, but this was cold, even for him.
The blonde hunter sighed irritably, and ran a hand through his golden bangs, suddenly thinking of something. "Say, Douglas, did you have that dream for the first time last night, or the second."
"Huh? Oh, the first, it's my first dream ever, actually. Most Reploids don't dream it's--"
But Zero had already left, mumbling angrily to himself he pushed open the door to Dr. Cain's office and stalked inside. "Right, he's still asleep--damn it!" Zero groaned, kicking on of the office chairs, it flipped over with a large crash and the office doors slid open.
"What in heaven's name?!" An elderly voice exclaimed, "Oh it's you, Zero, goodness, boy, you almost gave an old man a heart attack! I thought it was some Mavericks ransacking my office!"
"Sir," Zero began without wasting time, staring the elderly scientist directly in the eyes, "Do you remember, when I talked to you about my dream, yesterday?"
"Uh . . . no." Dr. Cain replied, scratching his grey hair absently, "But speaking of dreams, I--"
"Had one where Lifesaver beat the crap out of me?" Zero asked, rubbing his temples.
Cain looked surprised. "That's right . . . how did you know?"
"Um . . . I don't know how to explain this, but Doctor we've done this BEFORE!" Zero cried desperately.
". . . . alright. . . done . . . . what?"
"Ugh!" Zero threw his hands into the air in frustration, "This! THIS!! This conversation, this dream, everything!! I told you that everyone was having this dream, you said you'd look into it. Then I live my day exactly the same way I dreamed it, including the fight where I--" He coughed, "Lose to Lifesaver-- and then I wake up, and now we're back here. . ." Zero began pacing the room, running his hands through his long golden hair, shaking his head and continuing to mutter things that the doctor, for all his wisdom, could not comprehend.
". . . I see." Dr. Cain said slowly, "Why don't you . . . calm down, Zero? Have a seat . . ." The doctor lifted up the chair Zero had knocked over. "It's clear that you've been under a lot of stress lately, and I understand that--"
"NO!" Zero practically yelled in the doctor's face.
Cain nearly jumped, his eyes widened, surprised at the Hunter's outburst.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Cain," Zero continued, taking a deep breath, "But this isn't stress. Something seriously weird is going on here . . . I can't . . . I don't know what to . . ."
"Alright, just take a few deep breathes, maybe we should call Lifesaver . . ."
No! No! Zero thought, clenching his fists, he think's I'm completely mad!
"Wait!" Zero pleaded, "What if I . . . what if I tell you everything from my dream . . . and we wait and see if it happens that way today. Then you'll have to believe me, alright?"
The doctor hesitated, running a hand through his beard slowly, he sat down at his desk, deep in thought. ". . . You sincerely believe that you are stuck in some sort of . . . time . . . paradox?" Cain asked, "Do you not admit, that from my perspective, it sounds a little like . . . this may be some sort of . . . mental disturbance on your part?"
Zero sighed, and hung his head, "I KNOW it sounds impossible. But just wait, for one day, see if this happens."
". . . Alright." Cain agreed, "But afterwards, I may have no choice but to insist you see Lifesaver."
". . . . Agreed." Zero nodded, he wanted this to stop, he didn't care if it was his mind, or whatever.
"Well, then, have a seat and tell me everything--absolutely everything--that is going to happen . . . today." Cain told him. And he did.
Afterwards, it was growing later, Cain sighed, "Well, I'll look into it . . . I suppose, now according to you, X should be in the training centre right now, why don't you go and see?"
Zero hesitated, then nodded, ". . . Fine." He stood and left.
After Zero had left, Dr. Cain picked up the phone, he called Alia from her office.
"Yes, Sir?" She asked.
"Alia, can you tell me the exact location of Maverick Hunter X?" Cain asked.
"Just a minute . . . He's in the training centre, Sir." Alia reported, "According to my computer he's running a program where he fights five Slash Beasts without his weapons equipped."
Dr. Cain paled as he listened to her voice. "I--I see. Thank you, Alia." He choked, and hung up the receiver. Then the doctor leaned forwards, placed his hands over his head on the desk, and shut his eyes. "Oh dear . . . . What in the world is going on, here?"
X, was, just as Alia had told Dr. Cain, busy fighting five Slash Beasts, when Zero walked into the training centre. "Hi, Zero." He called cheerfully. "You know what. . . I'm fighting these guys without any weapons. Not all battles are won with brawn, you know, some are won with brains!"
Zero did not respond, he shook his head, he was beginning to feel dizzy. He knew he was going to respond with doubling the program, but even though he tried to keep his mouth shut, he heard the computer acknowledging his request with a beep, and heard X whining at him for doing such a thing.
He mumbled something about X going to beat them anyways and left.
"Huh? What's gotten into him?" X wondered, as the ten Slash Beasts all leapt at him, growling and snarling.
"I hate this!" Zero muttered to himself, walking down the hallway towards the cafeteria, "I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I--"
He stopped when the mess hall came into view, and he entered cautiously, looking out for Double.
Juts like he knew it would happen, Double came sliding by, screaming like the world was going to end, and Zero had half a mind to just pull out his Z saber and slice the bothersome Reploid's head clean off . . . but restrained himself, watching the round ballish Hunter trip and land on his face, his food tray sent flying through the air, destined to collide with Signas' face.
"That's what you get for firing me." Zero muttered under his breath, absently helping Double to his feet.
"Ah man, Signas is gonna kill me." The Reploid squeaked, looking between Zero and Signas nervously.
"Uh . . . yeah, probably, you just ruined his uniform." Zero told the Reploid, it wasn't much for comfort, but his mind was elsewhere, at that minute Dr. Cain entered the mess hall.
He immediately headed for Zero, pausing to look at Signas, who was plastered with lettuce and soup, and gaping in disbelief.
Signas' eyebrow twitched and he bellowed angrily at Double, saying goodbye to Cain and Zero.
"Uh . . . Zero." Cain said slowly, "I don't quite believe this, but . . ."
He had no time to continue, X Lifesaver barged up to them angrily, a smirk on his face. "Well, well," He began in a supercilious fashion.
Zero shook his head in disbelief.
Cain looked between the two of them, intrigued.
"Look who's here. . ." The medical Reploid continued, "This is a cafeteria for Maverick Hunters, not MAVERICKS!"
"I don't believe it . . ." Cain murmured, at that minute, two large, bulky Reploids appeared and began dragging Lifesaver away by the shoulders.
"Let me go!" He screamed angrily, "I'm not the Maverick, you imbeciles!! HE is!! HE is!!" The Reploid screamed, all the while pointing towards Zero with a shaking hand.
"Zero--" Cain began, only to be interrupted again, this time by a cheerfully, though quite battered, X, whose arm was barely hanging on by one wire.
"I did it, Zero! I beat 'em! I beat 'em!" Zero didn't even look at X, instead he groaned, and fell into one of the mess hall's chairs. "You didn't think I could do it! By I did it! I beat all ten of 'em! And guess what? It wasn't so hard, either!" X continued, talking a mile a minute, as though not even aware that Zero obviously, was not paying the least bit of attention to his ramblings.
"X. . ." Cain intervened, "Can I ask you something?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, of course, Dr. Cain." X said.
"What are you planning on trying next?" The doctor asked.
"Oh . . . TAI QUAN DO!!" X beamed, striking a martial arts pose like in a movie. "I want to be one of those cool martial-arts using fighting-type guys and . . ." He basically continued on like this, as Cain and Zero exchanged worried glances.
After a while, X seemed to notice they were no longer paying attention to him, and went off to continue his training, as he left, Lifesaver entered for the second time--err, that day.
"You think you're so tough, do ya, huh, big guy?!" Lifesaver yelled, "Well guess what, you and me tonight in the training centre!! Nine o'clock sharp, unless you're to chicken!"
Zero groaned again, not even looking up. What the hell is going on? He wondered, over and over again in his mind. What's happening? Maybe I am insane . . .
". . . . Zero, what are you going to do?" Cain asked, concern on his face.
"He's gonna fight me!" Lifesaver bellowed, "Unless your to scared! Chicken! To afraid to fight a medical reploid! Aww. . . I'm to tough for you, that's it, right?"
A group of Hunter's sitting at the table next to them laughed, and giggled.
"You wish!" Zero snapped, leaping to his feet, "I'll beat the crap out of you right here and now!"
"Nine o'clock!" Lifesaver snapped back at him, "In the training centre! That is, if you aren't to scared!"
"Grrr. . . ." Cain had to get four other Hunters to hold back Zero, he wasn't sure he wanted to, but even he couldn't let them kill each other in the cafeteria.
"Zero just calm down a bit . . ." Cain said quietly, "We can work this out . . ."
"Nine it is!" Zero called to Lifesaver, as the other Reploid left, a superior smirk on his face.
"What am I going to do . . . . ?" Zero asked Dr. Cain, as the two sat down at one of the tables, the trouble having passed, for the moment. "What's happening to me?"
"I don't know . . . I honestly haven't a clue . . ." Cain replied, removing his glasses, and massaging his nose. "Why don't you . . . not go tonight?"
"NOT GO?!" Zero exclaimed, "Back out of a fight with Lifesaver?! I'd be the laughing stock of the entire base! I--I'd--"
"Alright, alright," Cain sighed, shaking his head. "Well how badly do you want to solve this thing? Listen, maybe that was just a dream or something--"
"A dream everyone had?!"
"I don't know!" The doctor cried, "But whatever it was, this is real life, I know because I know I'm really here, and in real life, there is no way that you would lose to Lifesaver. I'm going to come and watch the fight tonight, and see this for myself."
"Alright." Zero sighed, "Okay, this could work. . ."
"Besides, the things you describe Lifesaver doing during your fight are not physically possible, so don't worry about it, you might make yourself lose, that way. Just remember, this is real life, you can beat Lifesaver."
"Right . . ."
"Um, excuse me." A voice interrupted, they looked up to see Douglas standing before their table. "We're closing the mess hall now, lunch is over."
Zero blinked.
"Uh . . . we close every day at--"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, but, Douglas you don't work here, you're a mechanic or something!" Zero scoffed.
Douglas raised an eyebrow, "Uh . . . Zero, I run the cafeteria. Were have you been?"
Zero looked at Cain, the old man shrugged helplessly.
"That was weird . . ." Zero told Cain as they left. "Really . . ."
"Indeed it was . . ." The doctor agreed, "And also, on the wall behind you there was the strangest picture . . ."
"Was it of a moose, by any chance?" Zero asked.
"Why yes, yes how did you . . .?"
"I saw it before, uh yesterday, or, um, you know."
"Oh . . ." Cain nodded as they approached the training centre.
Zero took a deep breath.
"Good evening, X." Dr. Cain said as they entered, Zero said nothing.
"Hi, Zero!" X called, "You know what; some battles aren't won with brains or brawn, some battles are won with--"
"Tai Qaun Do." Zero mumbled.
"W-what?" X asked, "How did you know I was gonna say--"
"Uh, X, Lifesaver and I have this place reserved. You should probably get to the observation booth now."
"Uh--and how did you know I wanted to watch?"
"Never mind, X." Cain said, leading the younger Reploid with him to the observation areas. "Never mind."
The second Cain and X had left the floor, the training centre's doors swished open and Lifesaver strutted in. "All right, the first one who calls for mercy loses and the fight stops, agreed."
Zero shrugged.
"That's fine with me!" Lifesaver smirked, he quickly pulled out two red sabers.
"I didn't say--" Ah hell, what's the point, I just have to kick his ass, right?
"Arrrgh!" Lifesaver roared and rushed at him furiously. He slashed the two sabers at Zero madly but Zero easily dodged the strikes. Well, he'd done this battle enough times to easily know where Lifesaver was going to swing.
Zero kicked him the chest and knocked the sabers out of his hands. He punched Lifesaver in the shoulder, then the chest, kicked his back.
Same moves, again.
How can this be a coincidence?!
Wait . . . didn't I think that last time?
Ah hell.
Suddenly Lifesaver grabbed his fist and threw Zero across the room. "It's impossible!" Zero screamed. "Why?! How can you do this?!"
"Surprised Zero, you shouldn't be! I've always felt I had . . . hidden potential!" Lifesaver grinned, he punched Zero across the face.
That hurt.
It was all happening again.
Again.
"Shut up!" Zero screamed, "I don't care about your stupid jokes! How the hell did you get so strong?!"
He was going to lose.
To Lifesaver.
In the stands, Dr. Cain and X could hardly believe their eyes. "What is this . . . Cain, why can't Zero beat Lifesaver?" X asked.
"I . . . I have no idea!" The doctor gasped.
Lifesaver kicked him in the gut, Zero fell backwards. "No! It isn't possible! I won't lose to you!!" Zero screamed. He jumped back, grabbed Lifesaver's right arm and twisted it back, he could here it break, but Lifesaver didn't appear to mind. "I just broke your arm!" Zero screamed at him.
"Oh is that what it was?" Lifesaver laughed, he stretched out his broken arm and it snapped back into place with a sickening crunch.
"WHAT?!" Zero cried out, Lifesaver kicked him in the chest, Zero flew backwards and crashed into the ground.
"What's going on Zero?!" X cried from the benches were he sat behind a glass wall. He leapt to his feet and banged on the glass. "What's wrong?! You're being beaten by . . . Lifesaver?!"
"Come on!" Cain yelled as well, "Don't let your dream get to you! Remember that this is REAL!"
"Impossible!!" Zero spat, he struggled to his feet this time, he realized his body was shaking. "This is not . . . real! It CAN'T be!!"
Zero lunged at Lifesaver, this time he didn't hold back, he punched him with all of his strength, Lifesaver staggered but--but it should have sent him flying with a hole in his chest, Zero thought. He grabbed Lifesaver's arm again and this time twisted it until it broke off. He screamed and punched Lifesaver again, and again. He broke the other arm off. He went for the head, but Lifesaver leaped backwards several feet.
Zero was breathing heavily.
This was no dream! Hell, this was a nightmare!!!
Then Lifesaver did something which had never been done by a Reploid before. Except for in Zero's dream. The socket where his arms had been began glowing and new arms burst out of the light, they grew until they were exactly as his arms had been, they even glistened like new. "Impossible!!" Zero screamed.
"It can't be!" Cain gasped from the stands. "That can't be done! I've never built--I've never seen--I've never heard of such a thing!!"
Zero drew his saber, he slashed at Lifesaver in a hundred violent blows, the saber flashing to and fro in a blinding display of light, but when he stopped and the smoke cleared . . . not one scratch, not one dent, remained on Lifesaver.
Again. This was getting annoying.
Zero screamed, he lunged at the Reploid with all his force, driving the saber straight through Lifesaver's chest.
The Reploid didn't move, didn't wince, didn't even blink.
Instead, Lifesaver punched Zero and he went flying several feet backwards. He crashed into the floor and moaned in pain. "Impossible . . . this is impossible. . . I don't believe it . . ." He gasped.
"Oh BELIEVE it." Lifesaver grinned, standing over him, Zero's saber sticking out of his chest and all, and he kicked Zero sharply in the side, Zero gasped in pain. "Just say it, say it and I win the fight."
"Say it!" Dr. Cain cried from the stands, "Good God, man, it's not worth your life!"
Zero squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the pain was overwhelming, his pride was stuck in his throat, but he didn't want to be stuck in this day again, not again. "Fine . . . you . . . win!" Zero gasped, from where he lay on the floor, grasping his wounded side in agony.
"No . . . not until I have your head!" Lifesaver growled, and pulled Zero's saber out of his chest, lifting it above his head ceremoniously.
Zero could hear X and Cain screaming in the distance, and that was the last thing he heard, as Lifesaver brought the saber down.
Again.