Megaman Battle Network - New Generation
Book 2 - Black History
By Zelloss
Author's Note: This is probably the only NG chapter EVER that will be written in Third Person... Mostly because it needs to be...
WARNING: This story is violent. Especially here. Have a nice day.
Chapter 5 - Zeero: Prince of Darkness
Mihillias ran into the room Zel had reawoken in, except something was different - definately, noticably different.
His hair was only tidy on one side. As if parted by a line, the other half was a mess. His clothing was now traditional Eyodian wear, Grausherra family style - A black sash-like shirt that is wrapped around the body, a crimson sash worn around the waist, and long, black leather pants.
Zel slowly sat up, and looked at Mihillias. "Who...?"
"Zel, you're awake!" Mihill cried, jumping at him.
Zel choked, and pushed her away. "Who are you?" he asked in Eyodian.
Mihill backed off. "Don't you know, Zel?"
Zel blinked. "Ze... l? Who is this Zel?"
"You're Zel, of course..."
"My name is Zeero..." Zel replied.
Mihill gulped. "You're Zel, you idiot..."
"No, I'm not... I'm Zeero. Woman, let me be..." Zel stood up, and Mihill suddenly stood firm.
"Zel, stop it! You know you're Zel and that's all there is to it!" Mihill shouted.
"Let me be, woman..." Zeero struck Mihillias hard across the face, making her reel backwards.
"You're not... Zel..." Mihill was beginning to cry. "He'd... He'd never have done that..."
One thing figured in Mihill's mind. Zeero. The name for the Prince of Gods, in old Eyodian mythology...
"What's wrong with him..." Mihillias left the building where Zeero had been, just outside of Marine Harbor. She sat down.
And cried. "Zel... What's happened to him?"
* * * * *
About that time, Morpheus had walked out of the headquarters. "Zel, where are you? You go all dark on us, and then you're nowhere to be found..." he stepped into the dense forest just outside, meaning to collect his thoughts.
There was a soft rustle. To Morpheus, it was loud and clear. He drew the Dark Blade from the pouch, and twisted around.
"So he sees me, then..." a young boy emerged from the bushes, short brown hair dyed blonde at the front. "Greetings, Morpheus..."
"Who are you, kid, and what do you want?"
"My name is Cameron. I wish to extend the most heartful of invitations to you, I hope you will accept..." Cameron smiled, his bright blue eyes sparkling.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, I hope you will accept this invitation to your place in hell..." Cameron's eyes flashed for a moment.
All kinds of weapons shot out from the bushes on all sides.
"A trap!?" Morpheus shouted.
* * * * *
Zeero stood up and walked through the woods. "Who... Why did that woman call me Zel? And where is the Project? Where is Omega?"
Zeero walked blankly, the PET at his arm deactivated. "Omega is lost..." he muttered. "But I can rebuild him..."
Zeero blinked as he heard a shout of agony. He dashed into the woods, no reason why, but something deep inside of him pushing him to do it.
Zeero's eyes flashed from purple to black as he saw what had happened. There, in the bushes, was a small child, and in front of him, Morpheus, nearly dead, trying to force himself to stand up, small knives, daggers, kunais, and shuriken sticking out of every inch of his body.
"Morpheus!" Zeero cried out in recognition, something dark reminding himself of his old partner. "What did you do?"
Cameron grinned. "I simply followed my father's orders..."
"Your father?" Zeero's eyebrow lifted for a moment. "Ah, yes, I know you now... Aruhi's child, aren't you?"
"How do you know my father?" Cameron gasped.
"I know your father because he hired me years ago to take out this same man..." Zeero grinned. "And my own son... But the promise of the power..."
Zeero licked his lips. "On the other hand, I have no need for sentiment... The world revolves around power, my child, and since you've tried to disturb my power..."
Something else flashed. Cameron clenched his chest, a Dark Blade stuck in it.
"You die..." Zeero laughed, as Cameron fell backwards, the crimson spreading onto his fingers.
Zeero then looked down at Morpheus, who had nearly fainted, and was quickly dying of blood loss.
"Damnit... I can't lose an ally in this war... He can't be allowed to win..." Zeero grinned, as he pulled up Morpheus.
"It hurts! Just let me die in goddamn peace, Zel!" Morpheus yelled, trying to resist.
"You'll be fine..." Zeero grinned. "And my name's Zeero, not Zel, I don't know why people keep calling me that..."
"But you are Zel..." Morpheus grimaced, and fainted, the weakness and dizzyness overcoming him.
* * * * *
Zeero stood over the bed in the hospital, looking down at Morpheus, as the man awakened.
"Well, Morpheus, you okay down there?" Zeero asked.
Morpheus looked up. "Damn, Zel, you just can't ever let me die, can you?"
"Nope!" Zeero said, smiling. "And stop calling me Zel. It's Zeero, okay. Anyway, mister Morpheus, anything feel weird to you?"
"No..."
"Anything in your mind seem different?"
"No..."
"Hmm, then mabye nothing did happen..." Zeero smiled, looking strangely like a doctor. "That would be nice..."
"Eh?"
"Oh, I had to give you some of my blood..." Zeero said, as offhandedly as if he was referring to the weather. "I thought that it might have some strange effect on you; Grausherra Blood has never been given, you know. It also doesn't help that Grausherra Blood causes more instinctive judgement..."
"What?" Morpheus' eyebrow raised, "are you talking about?"
"Never mind for now," Zeero smiled, "Mabye you'll be lucky, and it won't effect you at all..."
There was a shatter of glass as the window was broken. Something small had smashed it, and a large S-shaped double crescent moon had been sculpted onto the knife that embedded itself just beside Morpheus' foot.
"How classic..." Zeero grinned. "I figured they were still alive..."
"Who?"
"Dark Shade. You remember them, right? That's what the sign is..."
Morpheus looked at the S-shaped twin crescent moons. "Damn! I thought they were gone..."
"Glad to see you remember our old Dark Blade rivals as well..." Zeero sighed. "But that's not the point... The important thing is..."
"Zel, er, Zeero..." Morpheus looked at him. "Didn't you say you were the one sent to kill me? What's going on?"
Zeero shrugged. "I just seem to remember being hired one day to take out you and Matson and the other 4 of Dark Blade... You're the only one that survived..."
"Huh?" Morpheus' eyebrow raised. "But you were with me, that time, you..."
Zeero's eyes flashed menacingly. "Ignore it for now, Morpheus..."
"Damnit, Zeero, gimme a straight answer for once!" Morpheus shouted.
Zeero turned and stared hard at Morpheus. "My friend, you have to learn patience..."
Morpheus lunged at Zeero, who sidestepped and smashed Morpheus in the back, sending him just over the edge of the hospital bed. "I told you, learn some patience..." Zeero turned towards the door and walked over there.
"Wait a second..." Morpheus shouted.
Zeero walked out, as Morpheus quickly forced himself to stand and catch up to Zeero. "Stop walking away like that, on a hurt man..." Morpheus grabbed onto Zeero's shoulder.
Zeero's eyes snapped open, and he shot sideways, forcing him and Morpheus down and against the wall as a shot rang out, breaking the window. The small black tube of a firearm could be seen, and the face of a sniper.
"I know that man..." Zeero laughed. He walked over, steadily, as the shots kept coming. Zeero simply seemed to walk right through them.
One shot into Zeero's upper shoulder, and he paused for a moment, catching the wound, before continuing.
"Zeero, that's suicide!" Morpheus shouted. "In such a small hall, how can he miss?"
"Simple..." Zeero laughed. "He's afraid to hit me..."
Zeero reached the windowsill, as the man ran out of bullets. With amazing strength, Zeero reached through the window and grabbed onto the smoking gun, his hands charring with the heat. He pulled hard, pulling both the hooded man and gun through the window.
"Katsuya, shame on you..." Zeero laughed, as he saw the face under the hood.
"To one Zelloss Grausherra, I extend the greetings and invitation of my master, Aruhi..."
"Aruhi's not your master, fool... That old ass is dead..."
"No, he's alive, well, and intent on settling the score..."
"Too bad he won't get the message..." Zeero put his foot down on Katsuya's neck.
Katsuya struggled, trying to remove it, but Zeero's foot was jammed tight.
"Damn..." Katsuya choked out. "May Aruhi get revenge for me and my brother..."
Katsuya's voice faded, and he stopped struggling. Zeero held him down for a few more minutes before releasing.
"I've about had it..." Zeero laughed. "I'm going to take out Aruhi and Daren..."
"Zeero, wait up!" Morpheus called.
"No, Morpheus, you wait here..." Zeero grinned. "No reason to get yourself hurt..."
* * * * *
Zeero reached the spot in the forest where Morpheus had been attacked. "Alright, show yourself!"
A lone figure jumped down, clad in black. "Greetings, 'Zeero', as they now call you..."
Zeero readied his revolver. "Spill, Dashwin..."
The hood was pulled back, revealing a human face, but it was twisted with greed. "Why should I?"
Zeero removed the safety. "That explain it?"
"Nope..."
Zeero fired, and the gun caught, nearly detonating itself.
"What the!?" Zeero gasped, shocked.
"Aruhi is just below us right now, but, really, you won't survive long enough to do it... Thanks to my rigging..."
"Your rigging! Damn you..." Zeero cursed at the man.
"Damn you to hell, where you belong..." Dashwin lifted a firearm of his own, and fired.
Zeero's arm was torn open, blood flowing steadily out.
"Damn, I missed..." Dashwin laughed, aiming to fire again. He pulled back the trigger.
The shot hit right in front of Zeero's feet, dirt flying into his face, as Dashwin fell face first, scorch mark on his back.
"Who?" Zeero looked up from the man's body, to see a somewhat familiar face standing there. His darker half knew it, and so did his light half.
"Matson!"
Matson laughed. "Yeah, I'm here, brother... He's only paralyzed, but it'll do..."
"Brother? Not bro this time?"
"I'm serious. Brother. I finally found out my own last name from the graveyard, should have done it long ago..."
"You're a Grausherra!?"
"Yeah..." Matson smiled. "The copy did get one thing right. That was a doppleganger that was killed and buried..." Matson smirked an evil smirk. "Let's go..."
Zeero, a bit stunned, nodded. "Right..."
"Wait!" Mihill's voice made Zeero stop, half stunned.
"What do you want, woman!?" Zeero shouted.
"Zel, you're not going anywhere without me until you remember who you are!"
Zeero laughed. "Fine, it's your own grave..."
* * * * *
Matson pulled away a section of the stone wall, creating a hole that went down into the ground. He pulled out a lighter, flicked it on, and went down, followed by Zeero and Mihillias.
There was a distant scream, as they reached a hallway, the only one at the bottom. It was expansive, several doors on each side, but none on the end.
"This seems to be the main room..." Zeero smiled.
"Yeah, that would be it..." Matson grinned. "These guys are actually kinda stupid..."
"Oh, no, Matson, you're the dumb one, you'll die just like before..."
"No, I won't..." Matson laughed. "Come out, come out, Aruhi, show yourself, Mizuka!"
Two young people, one a tall male and the other a slightly shorter female, appeared at the end of the hallway.
"Matson, I should have known it was you..." Aruhi laughed.
"Aruhi, I should have known you'd still be alive, you fucking bastard..." Zeero pulled out his revolver.
"Oh, really?" Aruhi smiled. There was the sound of machinery turning. Lights flashed on in every corner, revealing several machine guns and lasers. In the back, a few men were wearing nothing but pants, being tortured by weaponry machinery., the captives of the Dark Shade. "I'd think twice about pulling out that firearm..."
"They killed our sons, Aruhi, they have to die..." Mizuka laughed.
"Your sons, eh?" Zeero laughed. "I'll have you know I enjoyed doing it..."
"You bastard..." Mizuka seemed to grow taller. "Prepare to fire..."
"Hold it..." Aruhi laughed. "They're in our power, we can afford to have a little fun..."
Mihill turned and dashed away, wanting to run. Aruhi raised his weapon.
"Don't shoot her, the woman has no idea what she was into..." Zeero smiled, something about his light side telling him to let her run.
"Then, I guess the screams will be from two young men only... I was so looking forward to the screams of a young woman..." Aruhi laughed.
No, it wasn't Aruhi, it was some mechanical voice, the voice of a Navi.
"Daren, please, keep yourself hidden..."
"Daren!?" Zeero shouted. "No, you can't still be... Omega is... No..."
The voice called Daren laughed. "No, my dear Zeero. Omega is still out there, but without an operator, of his own blood, he can't defeat me... So I just have to destroy you..."
"What about my fun?" Aruhi grimaced.
"It begins now..."
Zeero felt stunning lasers tore into his skin, dropping him.
* * * * *
The first thing that awakened him was the feeling of something cutting across his chest, making him scream. Matson awakened at about that time, only to scream as the same blade cut across his chest, now stained with the blood of two men.
"You get used to it..." the other man said, the only one still alive, but it was obvious he was weak. What wasn't stained with blood of his hair was blonde, a color usually only for women these days.
"Who are you? How did you survive?" Matson asked.
"My name is Hiru Andoryuu... Just Andy for short..." Andy spat. "Damn bastard Aruhi, got me caught up in this mess, and now look at where I am..."
"Can't be that bad..." Matson sighed. He screamed as knives shot just slightly into his back, but so many of them, everwhere...
"You just got here, that was only a chicken scratch... Why does he hate you guys?"
"We killed his sons..."
"That sounds about good enough to get you an eternity of slow pain..." Andy sighed. "I just had to shoot one of his former members... Now he has got me in for a slow and painfull torture, to be ended in..." Andy looked blurrily up at the clock on the wall. "One hour, and this damn thing will all be over."
"Don't give up on life yet..." Matson grinned. "Even if..."
A sudden shock tore through each body, silencing them. Charring was beginning to show on Zeero's skin already.
"I hate this!" Zeero shouted. "The damn laser-powered bonds... If only the power of this place would shut down, I could..."
He looked at his feet. His firearm! Oh, the cruelty of it all. Zeero wanted to reach for it, grab it...
Suddenly, he fell forward, the steel of it against his chest. Zeero grabbed it and whipped it close.
The lights had gone out, and it only took a couple moments for Zeero's eyes to train to the darkness. Mizuka screamed.
"Damnit!" Mizuka swore. "Somebody smashed the system!"
Zeero grinned. "Now I can pay you back for this..."
Andy laughed, grabbing the weapon that was at his feet. "No, allow me..." he aimed the rifle at Aruhi as he ran out of one of the side rooms, and fired.
Aruhis head flew, severed right off at the neck by the shot, his body collapsing forward and blood gushing out. The head rolled lifelessly towards the center of the floor.
Zeero's PET reactivated. "Omega reporting for duty, sir!"
"Dynast!" Zeero laughed. "Welcome back!"
Mizuka ran out, and saw the head, the bloody body, and screamed and ear-shattering scream.
"Let me get her..." Andy raised his rifle.
Mizuka grabbed for her holster, pulled out her pistol, and shot herself before Andy even had the chance.
"Woah..." Zeero blinked. "I guess that kinda works..."
Dynast shouted. "Zeero, jack in, I need help, it's Daren!"
Zeero nodded, turned around, and managed to plug in, despite his weakening strength.
Dynast appeared in the cyberworld in a flash, waiting for his worst fears.
Across from them, a figured formed, his body covered in army fatigues and wearing a metal helmet, covered in the same camoflauge.
"So this is Daren..." Zeero grinned. "The Biological Weapon I created so many years ago..."
Daren laughed. "I can't let Omega survive..."
Daren's outfit turned a shade of crimson, and a huge chain of fire shot out at Dynast, who rolled to the side.
Daren's outfit, before that was even done, turned yellow, and electrical bolts shot out, frying into Dynast as he stood up, sending him flying.
Dynast slowly tried to stand up, but Daren had already changed blue, and was firing off a strong pulse of water.
"Freezebomb!" Zeero shouted, slotting it in. Dynast grabbed the white orb and tossed it at the water, the mist freezing the water, and Daren's arm, where a, err... waterthrower was attached.
"Damn... The force of the Legendary Chips..."
"They'll never be yours, you'll never restart the Dark Hole..." Dynast grinned, as he dashed towards the semi-frozen Daren and brought out the sword of darkness, slashing into Daren.
Daren laughed, as he stumbled backwards. His body erupted in light.
"I figured it out, Omega, how you can be defeated! You were meant to face me, not this!"
A huge orb of energy appeared in Daren's place, three large heads sticking out of all sides. One, the Life Virus. The other side, Gospel. And at the top, Proto. The three legendary destroyers.
"What the hell!?" Dynast shouted.
"I am ViRuS!" Daren laughed, as the heads all took aim, three orbs glowing in front of each. "Goodbye, Omega..."
A bolt of energy shot from each into the center, followed by a huge laser beam. It tore into Dynast.
"Dynast!" Zeero shouted. "Omega, Activate!"
Slowly, the smoke cleared, and Dynast stood there, seemingly unharmed, but something was different. He had a large, silver cape, and the leather armor had become metal. In one hand, a sword of darkness. The other, a ball of energy.
"Let's rumble..." Dynast laughed. "This, Daren, is Omega..."
"That is Omega!?" Daren's voice was surprised, as the ViRuS charged up for another attack.
Dynast dashed forward, throwing the ball of energy into the center as the lasers flew to the center, only to be deflected and explode the heads.
Dynast reached Daren. "I was made to destroy you, Traversing Weapon Daren, and that is what I shall do!"
Dynast Omega slashed into the core of the sphere, shattering it, the old Daren reapearing.
He dissapeared.
"He's gone?" Zeero asked.
"Don't be a fool! He's behind you!" Dynast shouted. "He's gone to the real world!"
Zeero turned suddenly, as Daren plunged a long knife into his heart, before Daren collapsed, finally dead.
Zeero fell backwards, and fell, lifeless, just as Daren had.
Matson yelled out in fury. "My brother..." he whispered after. "Comeon, Andy, we have to help him..."
Author's Note: This is probably the only NG chapter EVER that will be written in Third Person... Mostly because it needs to be...
WARNING: This story is violent. Especially here. Have a nice day.
Chapter 5 - Zeero: Prince of Darkness
Mihillias ran into the room Zel had reawoken in, except something was different - definately, noticably different.
His hair was only tidy on one side. As if parted by a line, the other half was a mess. His clothing was now traditional Eyodian wear, Grausherra family style - A black sash-like shirt that is wrapped around the body, a crimson sash worn around the waist, and long, black leather pants.
Zel slowly sat up, and looked at Mihillias. "Who...?"
"Zel, you're awake!" Mihill cried, jumping at him.
Zel choked, and pushed her away. "Who are you?" he asked in Eyodian.
Mihill backed off. "Don't you know, Zel?"
Zel blinked. "Ze... l? Who is this Zel?"
"You're Zel, of course..."
"My name is Zeero..." Zel replied.
Mihill gulped. "You're Zel, you idiot..."
"No, I'm not... I'm Zeero. Woman, let me be..." Zel stood up, and Mihill suddenly stood firm.
"Zel, stop it! You know you're Zel and that's all there is to it!" Mihill shouted.
"Let me be, woman..." Zeero struck Mihillias hard across the face, making her reel backwards.
"You're not... Zel..." Mihill was beginning to cry. "He'd... He'd never have done that..."
One thing figured in Mihill's mind. Zeero. The name for the Prince of Gods, in old Eyodian mythology...
"What's wrong with him..." Mihillias left the building where Zeero had been, just outside of Marine Harbor. She sat down.
And cried. "Zel... What's happened to him?"
* * * * *
About that time, Morpheus had walked out of the headquarters. "Zel, where are you? You go all dark on us, and then you're nowhere to be found..." he stepped into the dense forest just outside, meaning to collect his thoughts.
There was a soft rustle. To Morpheus, it was loud and clear. He drew the Dark Blade from the pouch, and twisted around.
"So he sees me, then..." a young boy emerged from the bushes, short brown hair dyed blonde at the front. "Greetings, Morpheus..."
"Who are you, kid, and what do you want?"
"My name is Cameron. I wish to extend the most heartful of invitations to you, I hope you will accept..." Cameron smiled, his bright blue eyes sparkling.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, I hope you will accept this invitation to your place in hell..." Cameron's eyes flashed for a moment.
All kinds of weapons shot out from the bushes on all sides.
"A trap!?" Morpheus shouted.
* * * * *
Zeero stood up and walked through the woods. "Who... Why did that woman call me Zel? And where is the Project? Where is Omega?"
Zeero walked blankly, the PET at his arm deactivated. "Omega is lost..." he muttered. "But I can rebuild him..."
Zeero blinked as he heard a shout of agony. He dashed into the woods, no reason why, but something deep inside of him pushing him to do it.
Zeero's eyes flashed from purple to black as he saw what had happened. There, in the bushes, was a small child, and in front of him, Morpheus, nearly dead, trying to force himself to stand up, small knives, daggers, kunais, and shuriken sticking out of every inch of his body.
"Morpheus!" Zeero cried out in recognition, something dark reminding himself of his old partner. "What did you do?"
Cameron grinned. "I simply followed my father's orders..."
"Your father?" Zeero's eyebrow lifted for a moment. "Ah, yes, I know you now... Aruhi's child, aren't you?"
"How do you know my father?" Cameron gasped.
"I know your father because he hired me years ago to take out this same man..." Zeero grinned. "And my own son... But the promise of the power..."
Zeero licked his lips. "On the other hand, I have no need for sentiment... The world revolves around power, my child, and since you've tried to disturb my power..."
Something else flashed. Cameron clenched his chest, a Dark Blade stuck in it.
"You die..." Zeero laughed, as Cameron fell backwards, the crimson spreading onto his fingers.
Zeero then looked down at Morpheus, who had nearly fainted, and was quickly dying of blood loss.
"Damnit... I can't lose an ally in this war... He can't be allowed to win..." Zeero grinned, as he pulled up Morpheus.
"It hurts! Just let me die in goddamn peace, Zel!" Morpheus yelled, trying to resist.
"You'll be fine..." Zeero grinned. "And my name's Zeero, not Zel, I don't know why people keep calling me that..."
"But you are Zel..." Morpheus grimaced, and fainted, the weakness and dizzyness overcoming him.
* * * * *
Zeero stood over the bed in the hospital, looking down at Morpheus, as the man awakened.
"Well, Morpheus, you okay down there?" Zeero asked.
Morpheus looked up. "Damn, Zel, you just can't ever let me die, can you?"
"Nope!" Zeero said, smiling. "And stop calling me Zel. It's Zeero, okay. Anyway, mister Morpheus, anything feel weird to you?"
"No..."
"Anything in your mind seem different?"
"No..."
"Hmm, then mabye nothing did happen..." Zeero smiled, looking strangely like a doctor. "That would be nice..."
"Eh?"
"Oh, I had to give you some of my blood..." Zeero said, as offhandedly as if he was referring to the weather. "I thought that it might have some strange effect on you; Grausherra Blood has never been given, you know. It also doesn't help that Grausherra Blood causes more instinctive judgement..."
"What?" Morpheus' eyebrow raised, "are you talking about?"
"Never mind for now," Zeero smiled, "Mabye you'll be lucky, and it won't effect you at all..."
There was a shatter of glass as the window was broken. Something small had smashed it, and a large S-shaped double crescent moon had been sculpted onto the knife that embedded itself just beside Morpheus' foot.
"How classic..." Zeero grinned. "I figured they were still alive..."
"Who?"
"Dark Shade. You remember them, right? That's what the sign is..."
Morpheus looked at the S-shaped twin crescent moons. "Damn! I thought they were gone..."
"Glad to see you remember our old Dark Blade rivals as well..." Zeero sighed. "But that's not the point... The important thing is..."
"Zel, er, Zeero..." Morpheus looked at him. "Didn't you say you were the one sent to kill me? What's going on?"
Zeero shrugged. "I just seem to remember being hired one day to take out you and Matson and the other 4 of Dark Blade... You're the only one that survived..."
"Huh?" Morpheus' eyebrow raised. "But you were with me, that time, you..."
Zeero's eyes flashed menacingly. "Ignore it for now, Morpheus..."
"Damnit, Zeero, gimme a straight answer for once!" Morpheus shouted.
Zeero turned and stared hard at Morpheus. "My friend, you have to learn patience..."
Morpheus lunged at Zeero, who sidestepped and smashed Morpheus in the back, sending him just over the edge of the hospital bed. "I told you, learn some patience..." Zeero turned towards the door and walked over there.
"Wait a second..." Morpheus shouted.
Zeero walked out, as Morpheus quickly forced himself to stand and catch up to Zeero. "Stop walking away like that, on a hurt man..." Morpheus grabbed onto Zeero's shoulder.
Zeero's eyes snapped open, and he shot sideways, forcing him and Morpheus down and against the wall as a shot rang out, breaking the window. The small black tube of a firearm could be seen, and the face of a sniper.
"I know that man..." Zeero laughed. He walked over, steadily, as the shots kept coming. Zeero simply seemed to walk right through them.
One shot into Zeero's upper shoulder, and he paused for a moment, catching the wound, before continuing.
"Zeero, that's suicide!" Morpheus shouted. "In such a small hall, how can he miss?"
"Simple..." Zeero laughed. "He's afraid to hit me..."
Zeero reached the windowsill, as the man ran out of bullets. With amazing strength, Zeero reached through the window and grabbed onto the smoking gun, his hands charring with the heat. He pulled hard, pulling both the hooded man and gun through the window.
"Katsuya, shame on you..." Zeero laughed, as he saw the face under the hood.
"To one Zelloss Grausherra, I extend the greetings and invitation of my master, Aruhi..."
"Aruhi's not your master, fool... That old ass is dead..."
"No, he's alive, well, and intent on settling the score..."
"Too bad he won't get the message..." Zeero put his foot down on Katsuya's neck.
Katsuya struggled, trying to remove it, but Zeero's foot was jammed tight.
"Damn..." Katsuya choked out. "May Aruhi get revenge for me and my brother..."
Katsuya's voice faded, and he stopped struggling. Zeero held him down for a few more minutes before releasing.
"I've about had it..." Zeero laughed. "I'm going to take out Aruhi and Daren..."
"Zeero, wait up!" Morpheus called.
"No, Morpheus, you wait here..." Zeero grinned. "No reason to get yourself hurt..."
* * * * *
Zeero reached the spot in the forest where Morpheus had been attacked. "Alright, show yourself!"
A lone figure jumped down, clad in black. "Greetings, 'Zeero', as they now call you..."
Zeero readied his revolver. "Spill, Dashwin..."
The hood was pulled back, revealing a human face, but it was twisted with greed. "Why should I?"
Zeero removed the safety. "That explain it?"
"Nope..."
Zeero fired, and the gun caught, nearly detonating itself.
"What the!?" Zeero gasped, shocked.
"Aruhi is just below us right now, but, really, you won't survive long enough to do it... Thanks to my rigging..."
"Your rigging! Damn you..." Zeero cursed at the man.
"Damn you to hell, where you belong..." Dashwin lifted a firearm of his own, and fired.
Zeero's arm was torn open, blood flowing steadily out.
"Damn, I missed..." Dashwin laughed, aiming to fire again. He pulled back the trigger.
The shot hit right in front of Zeero's feet, dirt flying into his face, as Dashwin fell face first, scorch mark on his back.
"Who?" Zeero looked up from the man's body, to see a somewhat familiar face standing there. His darker half knew it, and so did his light half.
"Matson!"
Matson laughed. "Yeah, I'm here, brother... He's only paralyzed, but it'll do..."
"Brother? Not bro this time?"
"I'm serious. Brother. I finally found out my own last name from the graveyard, should have done it long ago..."
"You're a Grausherra!?"
"Yeah..." Matson smiled. "The copy did get one thing right. That was a doppleganger that was killed and buried..." Matson smirked an evil smirk. "Let's go..."
Zeero, a bit stunned, nodded. "Right..."
"Wait!" Mihill's voice made Zeero stop, half stunned.
"What do you want, woman!?" Zeero shouted.
"Zel, you're not going anywhere without me until you remember who you are!"
Zeero laughed. "Fine, it's your own grave..."
* * * * *
Matson pulled away a section of the stone wall, creating a hole that went down into the ground. He pulled out a lighter, flicked it on, and went down, followed by Zeero and Mihillias.
There was a distant scream, as they reached a hallway, the only one at the bottom. It was expansive, several doors on each side, but none on the end.
"This seems to be the main room..." Zeero smiled.
"Yeah, that would be it..." Matson grinned. "These guys are actually kinda stupid..."
"Oh, no, Matson, you're the dumb one, you'll die just like before..."
"No, I won't..." Matson laughed. "Come out, come out, Aruhi, show yourself, Mizuka!"
Two young people, one a tall male and the other a slightly shorter female, appeared at the end of the hallway.
"Matson, I should have known it was you..." Aruhi laughed.
"Aruhi, I should have known you'd still be alive, you fucking bastard..." Zeero pulled out his revolver.
"Oh, really?" Aruhi smiled. There was the sound of machinery turning. Lights flashed on in every corner, revealing several machine guns and lasers. In the back, a few men were wearing nothing but pants, being tortured by weaponry machinery., the captives of the Dark Shade. "I'd think twice about pulling out that firearm..."
"They killed our sons, Aruhi, they have to die..." Mizuka laughed.
"Your sons, eh?" Zeero laughed. "I'll have you know I enjoyed doing it..."
"You bastard..." Mizuka seemed to grow taller. "Prepare to fire..."
"Hold it..." Aruhi laughed. "They're in our power, we can afford to have a little fun..."
Mihill turned and dashed away, wanting to run. Aruhi raised his weapon.
"Don't shoot her, the woman has no idea what she was into..." Zeero smiled, something about his light side telling him to let her run.
"Then, I guess the screams will be from two young men only... I was so looking forward to the screams of a young woman..." Aruhi laughed.
No, it wasn't Aruhi, it was some mechanical voice, the voice of a Navi.
"Daren, please, keep yourself hidden..."
"Daren!?" Zeero shouted. "No, you can't still be... Omega is... No..."
The voice called Daren laughed. "No, my dear Zeero. Omega is still out there, but without an operator, of his own blood, he can't defeat me... So I just have to destroy you..."
"What about my fun?" Aruhi grimaced.
"It begins now..."
Zeero felt stunning lasers tore into his skin, dropping him.
* * * * *
The first thing that awakened him was the feeling of something cutting across his chest, making him scream. Matson awakened at about that time, only to scream as the same blade cut across his chest, now stained with the blood of two men.
"You get used to it..." the other man said, the only one still alive, but it was obvious he was weak. What wasn't stained with blood of his hair was blonde, a color usually only for women these days.
"Who are you? How did you survive?" Matson asked.
"My name is Hiru Andoryuu... Just Andy for short..." Andy spat. "Damn bastard Aruhi, got me caught up in this mess, and now look at where I am..."
"Can't be that bad..." Matson sighed. He screamed as knives shot just slightly into his back, but so many of them, everwhere...
"You just got here, that was only a chicken scratch... Why does he hate you guys?"
"We killed his sons..."
"That sounds about good enough to get you an eternity of slow pain..." Andy sighed. "I just had to shoot one of his former members... Now he has got me in for a slow and painfull torture, to be ended in..." Andy looked blurrily up at the clock on the wall. "One hour, and this damn thing will all be over."
"Don't give up on life yet..." Matson grinned. "Even if..."
A sudden shock tore through each body, silencing them. Charring was beginning to show on Zeero's skin already.
"I hate this!" Zeero shouted. "The damn laser-powered bonds... If only the power of this place would shut down, I could..."
He looked at his feet. His firearm! Oh, the cruelty of it all. Zeero wanted to reach for it, grab it...
Suddenly, he fell forward, the steel of it against his chest. Zeero grabbed it and whipped it close.
The lights had gone out, and it only took a couple moments for Zeero's eyes to train to the darkness. Mizuka screamed.
"Damnit!" Mizuka swore. "Somebody smashed the system!"
Zeero grinned. "Now I can pay you back for this..."
Andy laughed, grabbing the weapon that was at his feet. "No, allow me..." he aimed the rifle at Aruhi as he ran out of one of the side rooms, and fired.
Aruhis head flew, severed right off at the neck by the shot, his body collapsing forward and blood gushing out. The head rolled lifelessly towards the center of the floor.
Zeero's PET reactivated. "Omega reporting for duty, sir!"
"Dynast!" Zeero laughed. "Welcome back!"
Mizuka ran out, and saw the head, the bloody body, and screamed and ear-shattering scream.
"Let me get her..." Andy raised his rifle.
Mizuka grabbed for her holster, pulled out her pistol, and shot herself before Andy even had the chance.
"Woah..." Zeero blinked. "I guess that kinda works..."
Dynast shouted. "Zeero, jack in, I need help, it's Daren!"
Zeero nodded, turned around, and managed to plug in, despite his weakening strength.
Dynast appeared in the cyberworld in a flash, waiting for his worst fears.
Across from them, a figured formed, his body covered in army fatigues and wearing a metal helmet, covered in the same camoflauge.
"So this is Daren..." Zeero grinned. "The Biological Weapon I created so many years ago..."
Daren laughed. "I can't let Omega survive..."
Daren's outfit turned a shade of crimson, and a huge chain of fire shot out at Dynast, who rolled to the side.
Daren's outfit, before that was even done, turned yellow, and electrical bolts shot out, frying into Dynast as he stood up, sending him flying.
Dynast slowly tried to stand up, but Daren had already changed blue, and was firing off a strong pulse of water.
"Freezebomb!" Zeero shouted, slotting it in. Dynast grabbed the white orb and tossed it at the water, the mist freezing the water, and Daren's arm, where a, err... waterthrower was attached.
"Damn... The force of the Legendary Chips..."
"They'll never be yours, you'll never restart the Dark Hole..." Dynast grinned, as he dashed towards the semi-frozen Daren and brought out the sword of darkness, slashing into Daren.
Daren laughed, as he stumbled backwards. His body erupted in light.
"I figured it out, Omega, how you can be defeated! You were meant to face me, not this!"
A huge orb of energy appeared in Daren's place, three large heads sticking out of all sides. One, the Life Virus. The other side, Gospel. And at the top, Proto. The three legendary destroyers.
"What the hell!?" Dynast shouted.
"I am ViRuS!" Daren laughed, as the heads all took aim, three orbs glowing in front of each. "Goodbye, Omega..."
A bolt of energy shot from each into the center, followed by a huge laser beam. It tore into Dynast.
"Dynast!" Zeero shouted. "Omega, Activate!"
Slowly, the smoke cleared, and Dynast stood there, seemingly unharmed, but something was different. He had a large, silver cape, and the leather armor had become metal. In one hand, a sword of darkness. The other, a ball of energy.
"Let's rumble..." Dynast laughed. "This, Daren, is Omega..."
"That is Omega!?" Daren's voice was surprised, as the ViRuS charged up for another attack.
Dynast dashed forward, throwing the ball of energy into the center as the lasers flew to the center, only to be deflected and explode the heads.
Dynast reached Daren. "I was made to destroy you, Traversing Weapon Daren, and that is what I shall do!"
Dynast Omega slashed into the core of the sphere, shattering it, the old Daren reapearing.
He dissapeared.
"He's gone?" Zeero asked.
"Don't be a fool! He's behind you!" Dynast shouted. "He's gone to the real world!"
Zeero turned suddenly, as Daren plunged a long knife into his heart, before Daren collapsed, finally dead.
Zeero fell backwards, and fell, lifeless, just as Daren had.
Matson yelled out in fury. "My brother..." he whispered after. "Comeon, Andy, we have to help him..."