Zero slashed through an X-droid as though it was never there. Upon defeating the nameless warrior, he pulled his whip and swung it, wrapping around another's leg. With a mighty heave, he sent it reeling into a batch of oncoming shield droids, making a huge pile that Leviathan quickly froze into place. The two jumped the pile of scrap and continued to run down the open spaced rooms, trying g to find the leader of the little army.

Reploid: ZeroV

By:

Satashi

Leviathan formed a chunk of ice at the end of her blaster and shot it at the ground several feet in front of them, freezing the ground. Nodding to Zero,  she jumped and slid across it on her side. Zero followed this example and together they slid down a hallway that suddenly had several lasers flying above their heads.

The female of the group slipped to her feet gracefully at the end of the trapped hallway. The cold hissed off of her body in a soft mist, not unlike the one coming from your breath on a cold winter's day. She was a perfect warrior, a goddess of ice. Unmatchable.

This image, however, was ruined when Zero couldn't stop and crashed right into her, making the pair fly into the wall in a tangled mess. Leviathan  looked down at Zero, as she was upside down. Her hair mixed with his and covered half of his face.

"You know," Zero began, looking up at her with a grin. "if I wasn't such a gentleman…I just might take advantage of this situation."

She gave him a smile. "If I wasn't in the middle of a base with someone trying to kill me, I'd hit you right now."

Zero's grin changed into a cocky smile. "Does that mean we'll wrestle around later?"

The female reploid didn't have time to answer, however, as several burst of plasma were sent there way. Quickly untangling herself, she brought her arm up and formed an ice barrier in front of them. Zero rolled onto his stomach and put his hand forward.

Nothing happened.

"Oh… I can't use my gun…that's right."

Leviathan grabbed his arm and pulled him up, quickly scampering around the corner. "Did I ever tell you how confused I am that you're a legendary hero?"

Zero laughed. "Hey, I'm a master of close range combat. X was always the cover fire. Little chap could shoot a fly down from fifty feet! It was insane!" His laugh soon cut off as a group of thirty X-droids blocked their path to a large door. "That must be it."

"You go ahead in, I'll keep them busy and catch up!"

Zero nodded and accelerated his EAS in his new boots, accelerating him so fast, he left a crimson streak behind him as he soared trough the air and easily over the group. This happened so fast, they didn't even pick up the movement on their sensors and kept going after Leviathan.

Zero broke through the metal door leading into a large room. Another security door closed behind it, keeping everyone else out.

Leviathan drew her staff and ignited the trident of plasma at the end. "Okay, boys." She called, making the plasma freeze. "Prepare to die!"

                                                                        ~**~

Zero looked around the room. It was some type of observation deck from what he could tell. Probably central command for the desert base. There weren't many lights on, but a steady flame was in front of him and down a flight of stairs that took up most of the room.

"Welcome, Zero."

"Yo, Fefnir!" Zero waved lightly. "I see the capsule is behind you. Would it be any skin off your behind to let me to it right fast?"

"You'll have to destroy me first!" The room lit up in a firry blaze.

Zero's eyes narrowed as his casual attitude left him. "I just may do that this time. After you so easily turned your back on your partner. I lost all respect for you, Fefnir."

"Like I care! Fight me, Zero!"

Fire lurched forward, making the crimson reploid take to the air and swing his whip. The end latched into the ceiling and hardened, allowing him to swing quickly. Now above his foe, he dropped down and ignited his saber.

Fefnir dodged the dive swiftly and swung his leg into a round house that clipped the Resistance member soundly in the head. Zero wasn't phased, however, as his helmet was made out of double laired titanium metal.

Zero's fist rang out in a large hook, sending Fefnir flying into the wall and making plaster fall from the hard impact. The enemy rebounded off and launched into a tackle, taking down the pony tailed demon.

Fefnir's large hand grabbed Zero's face and heated up, sending fire flaring around him. Through a scream of pain, Zero's hands managed to find Fefnir's helmet and grip it tightly, smashing it down into his raised knee. The fire cut off immediately and Zero continued his favorite combination with an uppercut.

Fefnir flew into the air, but twisted halfway through, shooting burst of napalm. Zero dodged quickly, but took a small hit across his already wounded hand. The damaged armor gave way almost instantly, melting enough to split apart the mended metal and fall off entirely.

Zero grimaced but dashed forward anyway, slashing his saber down, only to have it blocked soundly by a swipe of Fefnir's hand that protected him from the plasma. Zero smirked into his foe's face before using his other hand to grab his whip once again and swing it around Fefnir's waist.

Sending full power into it, The whip lit up brightly, making the other reploid scream in anguish. Zero pulled hard, making it tighten, but was taken off guard by a sudden dash forward. Fefnir grabbed Zero's unprotected wrist with one hand and punched him in the gut with the other.

Doubling over, Zero gasped for air to revive his shocked cooling system. The general wasn't done, though. He gripped the wrist with both large hands and sent a powerful blast of fire into it as he squeezed.

Zero let out a houndish cry as he kicked Fefnir in the shin, making him let go. This was followed by a round house that broke a large hole in his opponent's chest protector.

The Former hunter cradled his hand in his other, looking down at it in pain and fear. His fingers would no longer move to his command. He could not form a blaster when he started this mission, and now…

Now he could no longer hold his sword.

                                                                                                ~**~

Leviathan swung her staff low to the ground and tripped three droids, then stabbed one and swung again, sending the injured robot into another advancing one. Both exploded as she spun the weapon above her head, sending frozen plasma into the remaining offenders.

Now free of distractions, she ran to the door and placed her hands on it, sending cold energy deep into it's core. When the door was completely frozen, a quick stab with her lance made it shatter, granting her access.

She ran inside just in time to hear a loud scream from Zero. A loud clang was heard next, followed by the sound of metal hitting the floor. As she gained deeper entry into the room, she found Zero and stood next to him. "Where is he?"

"Over there." He nodded to the direction where he sent the general flying. It was too dark to see properly when Fefnir wasn't making flames. His breath was a little hard and pain ridden.

"Zero, you're hurt." She stated, a little worried. "You can't fight like that."

Zero took out his whip and held it in his left hand. "I'll go on."

"Says who?"

Both turned quickly, but it wasn't fast enough. A large burst of pulsating napalm blasted both of them. Zero screamed in pain and fell back, finding the napalm to be different from what he knew of. It hardened instantly, bonding him to the floor.

Leviathan reeled in pain, but managed to freeze the substance and shatter it off of her before undergoing any damage to her skin. Her armor was weakened however, by the sudden heating and freezing of the metal.

"So, traitor, anything you wish to say before I retire you?"

Leviathan glared. "I never really liked you, did you know that?"

Fefnir growled and shot a blast of fire at her, missing by a few inches. Leviathan spun around him and whipped her staff across his back, making spider cracks in his armor. His massive fist turned around and hit her side, making a large dent in her protective lair.

Grabbing that self-same hand, Leviathan sent strong freezing pressure into his hand, making it instantly coat with frost. The frost melted, however as Fefnir charged up a blast of fire and shot it into her stomach.

The constant flame made Leviathan back up to get away. A punch landed into her exposed stomach and she felt all the air leave her lungs as the first connected with her soft flesh.  Blood slipped around Fefnir's arm as he held her in the air from the mighty punch. Shards of metal fell to the floor, chipping from the large hole in Leviathan's metal plating. Fefnir lurched his hand, making her spit out blood and start to feel sick. She hang in the air, supported onto by the fist embedded into her, helpless.

"I never really liked you either." Fefnir declared, pulling his hand out of her and spinning into a kick, sending her across the room and splatting against the wall, leaving a blood trail as she slid down it, head titled to the side as she lost consciousness.

"Lev!" Zero cried out in shock as he saw her so easily downed. It was his fault, he knew, for distracting her with his injury. Her weakness was the flame that could stop almost any of her attacks before they even started. The puddle of water on the floor was proof enough of that.

"Idiot girl." Fefnir growled, looking at her. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that. You were never good enough for Master X's respect! You turned on him to join his worst enemy. How low can you get!? I am despised with you!"

Zero's world went red. "How dare you…" He whispered, ripping free of his prison. Sparks flew from the exposed wires on his body. His vest was tattered and his right hand wasn't usable. His helmet and boots shone faithfully, ready to be used to the best of their ability. His eyes, however, were so cold it could almost be felt. Any respect for him was gone. He was just another enemy now. One that insulted him by using cheap actions. One that defied him by knocking him down. One that made the fatal mistake of hitting a woman. A woman he was friends with. A woman whom he cared about.

Zero's rage met his eyes.

Fefnir turned to face Zero to finish him off. The Genera's eyes met Zero's.

Zero flew forward, saber drawn and sliced down neatly before swinging again  and cutting off his arm. Zero's whip lashed angrily and wrapped around his neck, ripping it off.

Fefnir fell to his knees and started to shake. Zero was still where he stood before. 'What was that?' Fefnir's mind demanded, scared. 'A hallucinate attack? No… No, it was an intent… A pure intent to kill…'

Zero took a step forward and Fefnir fell backwards. 'Those eyes… They're not real…!' Zero took another step, eyes blaring with hate. 'I'm scared… I can't move… I can't move…!' Zero drew his whip with his left hand. 'He'll kill me…I don't want to die… I can't die!'

Fefnir scrambled to his feet and ran forward, fire balled up into his hand. Zero dodged neatly aside and swung his whip, latching around Fefnir's neck and hurled him into the wall. Without releasing him, Zero jumped to the ceiling and pulled him up, smashing his head into the roof. On the fall down, Zero flip kicked the reploid  once again into the roof before pulling on the make shift leash and punching him. This was followed by a turn in the air and a swing downward, smashing Fefnir into the floor.

Fefnir just barley managed to roll dumbly to the side as Zero's boot cracked the ground where his head just was. "I… I have you!" Fefnir shouted, although weakly. He pulled a fire cannon from behind where he was.

Zero's eyes went wide as he came down from his berserker high. 'I was careless!'

"Fefnir."

Fefnir turned just in time to have a large ice cycle smash into his face, sending him flying. Several more followed, pinning him to the wall. His body spasmed once before going limp. The hand gripping the ice cycle that pinned him slowly loosened before falling to his side limply.

Zero fell to one knee, exhausted. "Lev…?"

Leviathan fell next to him, breathing heavily and clutching her stomach. Although she was barely damaged anywhere else, her stomach was a tangled mess of wires, blood, and metal shards. "He…hit my energy cells… I'm going to shut down in twenty minutes…" She panted hard, starting to sweat. "My cooling systems aren't getting the energy they need…" She placed her hand to her chest and started to cool herself down using her own powers. Frost slowly spread around her, making her teeth chatter. "Go… Get your memory. I'll be okay…"

Zero hesitated a moment before looking back at Fefnir. He would no be doing anything anymore. Following the reading he was getting in his helmet, Zero moved aside some things and saw the capsule before him. Placing his hand onto it, it opened up.

"Greetings again, Zero." Dr. Light greeted him. "Are you okay?"

"Been better." Zero replied with a small laugh. "Leviathan is hurt bad, though. Her energy cells were ruptured."

He nodded, understandingly. "You have had a little first aid training in your life." He stated. "You will get a little of that back with this capsule. Also you will receive the X-buster that you used to have before you changed to the semi automatic blaster you carry now."

Zero nodded. "Okay."

"Be careful, Zero. I feel that your war will come to a climax soon." With a nod of encouragement, the image flickered out of existence. With a slow intake of breath, Zero stepped into the capsule and relieve his past.

                                                                        ~* Flashback*~

"Geeze, why should I go to this meeting?" Zero complained as he leaned back in his chair, feet on the cafeteria table. He took a long drink of his coke and frowned. "Colonel is a good guy and all, but-"

"Oh stop wining." X complained. "You are a class S Maverick Hunter, I'm a class A. We're required to be there. Hell, You're probably the only Class-S we have!"

"Yeah, well, you just got promoted from Class-B, you're now one of the, like, twenty A ranks."

"Anyway, be there."

"Whatever." He drank the rest of his drink in the next gulp. Crushing the can, he threw it across the room and into the garbage can. "I'll be there…"

                                                                                                ~**~

"Zero! Glad you could make it!" The Colonel waved him over.

Zero walked over to him, pulling on the neck on his suit. "Stupid formal events…" He muttered under his breath as he made his way over there. Upon reaching him, he put on a fake smile. "Colonel! I hope you have a reason for making me dress up!"

The Colonel laughed. "Sorry, Zero. I know you don't like it. But you need to make a small  speech tonight. The third war has started and the men need encouragement."

Zero sighed. "Yeah, okay."

"Brother! There you are!" A short brown haired girl made her way over to him panting lightly. "Mr. Cain wants to speak with you."

"Thank you." He turned to Zero. "Zero, have you met my little sister Iris?" he motioned to her with a hand. "Iris, this is Zero."

Iris blushed darkly. "H-hello Zero."

"Um, yeah, hi." He kind of waved to her. "Would you happen to have seen X anywhere lately? I need help on my speech."

"I'll help you!" Iris rang suddenly before blushing again. "That is… if you want me to?"

Zero nodded. "Yeah! That would be great! A female's advice will be a lot better!"

                                                                        ~*later*~

Iris ran through the hall way quickly, dodging past several people as they celebrated. The last of the eight Mavericks had just been eliminated. Zero and X just came back from the mission and would rest for a day before heading after sigma himself.

"Zero!"  She called out, seeing him. He turned just in time to get a armful of girl. "I'm glad you're safe!"

"Of course I am." He told her, setting her down from her tackle hug. "Why wouldn't I be?"

                                                                        ~**~

Zero growled. "Stupid Cain, not letting me order parts for my hover bike… I should do it anyway…"

Iris poked Zero's arm as she walked next to him. "Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, Zero."

"Iris, shut up." He grinned at her.

                                                                        ~**~

"Iris, I need some help."

                                                                                    ~**~

"Iris, stop bugging me." Zero complained as she walked into his room. "I have to get this paper work done. I need to…" He stopped and smiled when she sat down  a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for him.

"I made them myself. I thought you could use a break."

                                                                                    ~**~

Zero jumped down, light saber blazing. "I'm disappointed in you Colonel! It's not too late! Stop the coup now!"

"Never!"

"…Then… Prepare yourself!" Zero lunged forward, slashing wickedly. The Colonel countered each strike with precision and pushed forward, making Zero back off. Sending a sweep kick, Zero's foot connected with the Colonel's but didn't budge it. The master swordsman seemed to vanish and appear behind him. Zero leapt into the air and avoided the attack, flipping once and spun his body around, slashing downwards.

The colonel countered the attack and reared back to punch him. Zero grabbed his hand and used it as a balance, actually maintaining a one-handed hand stand looking down into the Colonel's eyes as the two light sabers burned angrily between them. Finally, Zero spun off and prepared to attack again

"Zero, no!" Both people froze instantly. Iris ran up to where they were fighting. "Please! Don't fight each other! If you do, I'm afraid… I'm afraid one of you might… Brother, don't you remember? Zero saved my life!"

"…Fine, I'll let you live for now…"

Zero gripped his fist. "Someone must…stop Repliforce!" He growled and walked away, leaving Iris alone.

                                                                        ~**~

Zero walked into the hunter base, tired. "Iris, let's go get something to eat tonight. I'm beat and I…Iris? Iris, where are you?" Zero suddenly noticed everyone in the control room was looking sad. Finally X stepped forward.

"Zero…"

                                                                        ~**~

Zero fell into the large room and saw Iris at the other end of it, holding a massive energy crystal. "Iris…"

"I'm sorry Zero… But I must do this!"

"Iris, no!"

Tears sprang to her eyes as she held up the crystal. "Run, Zero!" Her words faded as a giant light blinded him temporarily. Now in place of Iris stood a large mechaloid.

                                                                        ~**~

"Iris! Iris!" Zero ran to the battered and bleeding girl.

"Z…ero…?"

Zero took her hand. "Yes, it's me. I'm here, it's okay. You'll be okay…"

"I'm sorry… I…I wanted to live in a world…where only reploids exist… with you."

"There is no such place!" Zero cried out.

"I …I know that… but…I just wanted to…believe it…"

"Iris…"

"Zero… I love you."

Zero's eyes shed tears freely. "Oh god, Iris. Why now? Why do  I have to realize it now?"

"Zero… Kiss me?"

Zero chocked back a sob as he leaned down and kissed Iris for the first time, finally understanding what she was to him. Joy, happiness, and several other pleasant emotions fled into his mind. Then, all at once they were stripped as her head turned and fell to the side.

"I…Iris…? Iris! No…No, this isn't happening!" HE scooped her up and screamed. "Why is this happening!? Why!? HUH!? WHY!?" Tears rolled down his cheeks as she screamed out. "What am I fighting for!? HUH!? WHAT IS IT!?" He turned around and yelled at no one, still holding her close. "Why do I go on!? What's the point! Everything I care for is killed anyway! HUH!? WHY!? WHAT!? WHY AM I STILL FIGHTING!?"

                                                                                    ~*present*~

Zero fell  from the capsule and brought his hand to his mouth. On his knees, tears fell from his eyes. He remembered now the second maverick war when X recovered his pieces and had him brought back. The third war when he first met Iris. The time between and then the fourth war where she had died in his arms.

He remembered the times he and X stayed together, laughing and goofing off. The friends he had, the times they all spent fighting side by side and talking in times of peace. He remembered almost all of his past life. All the joy and pain, the sorrow and sadness, the happy times and the bad. All at once.

It was too much. Zero's emotions overloaded and he fell forward onto the ground, unconscious.

"…Zero?" Leviathan asked weakly, seeing him fall. "Again?" She walked weakly over to him and took scooped him weakly into her arms. "Hang in there Zero, I'll get you back." She took out a portable trans server piece and held it in her hand. Casting one last look at the body of Fefnir, she pressed the button and transited them both back to the Resistance base.

                                                                                                ~~**~~

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it almost didn't happen. I got Final fantasy X-2 yesterday, but I haven't played it yet. I'm going to finish this first ^_^. Probably 2 more chapters left. Please review if you think this story deserves it. The more reviews I get, the more  I write, so keep them coming!