Author's note: Really sorry about the last chapter, I forgot to delete some
little notes at the bottom so just ignore the last two lines in the
previous chapter
Chapter 1: Legend Reborn "Part 3"
"Footsteps.people in pain. Fear.panic.and fighting. It's gone on for long enough. Please, let me rest a little while more."
The girl felt drained, and her body was aching all over. She looked ruefully at her condition of her clothes, and tried her best to beat the dust off. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned to find the war-torn face of her rescuer.
"You ok, Ciel?"
"Thanks, Milan," Ciel muttered.
"You shouldn't wander from the group like that. Who knows how many more drones there are out there." The Captain's voice was hard as if he was a fatherly figure scolding his daughter. Ironically, she was the superior officer. Nevertheless, the girl deserved the punishment, Milan thought.
"I'm sorry." Ciel spoke like a regretful girl who had just been chastised. "I just wanted to find some food out there for everyone."
Milan's face softened but just for a moment. "Well...err, don't worry. We still have enough to last for another day or so, and I'm sure we'll find HIM by then. Besides, we reploids can last longer than humans like you." That was a lie and they both knew it. But it always seemed better to pretend the situation was better than it seemed. So far, the only type of food they found were fairly spoiled canned food in a semi-collapsed factory, and the few packets of emergency rations they had brought with them. Most of the soldiers were two tired and hungry to fight. Milan and Ciel seemed to have been the only ones who retained their will to finish their objective and get out of the wasteland.
Ciel broke the silence. "Come on, let's go that way. I think I saw a bakery that's still standing over there."
Agreeing silently, Milan followed. Ciel, Milan, and a half dozen soldiers were separated from their comrades two days ago when they were ambushed, and have since scourged the ruins for whatever means of survival. The platoon originally set out to find the remains of the legendary reploid, Zero, who saved the world over a hundred years ago. In the present crisis, and the war between the resistance and Neo Arcadia, it's a struggle for survival in both factions. Neo Arcadia, with an army of reploids who kill other reploids suspected to be mavericks, in order to protect the humans. And the resistance, a mixture of humans and reploids who mostly live underground to protect innocent beings. Both factions do not want war but both armies are so willing to fight for their own definition of justice. Currently, Neo Arcadia has the upper hand with its superior forces, and its laser technology. That's why it's even more important for the resistance to find Zero and have him set the world straight.
"Milan.this operation sure turned into a pretty big mess, eh? And I'm the one who said we could find Zero." Ciel yanked open a storage cabinet, and scourged the contents for edible substances.
"Life is full of disappointments." The reploid said flatly, holding what appeared to have been a broken cash register.
"Milan."
"Eh?"
"Do you think we'll make it out alive. I mean with or without Zero."
"Well, look at it this way. We've been here for two days, half of our men missing or dead. And the rest are acting like couch potatoes minus the couch and the potatoes. So I'll say our chances of getting out alive without Zero will be higher than getting out with him." Milan pocketed the bills and coins left in the cash register, not that the antique coins would be of much use in this world.
"No, what I mean is the whole time we've been here, we've haven't seen any Trans servers or any sort of functioning transport. Even if we find Zero, how will be get him to join our side."
"Easy, just ask."
Ciel chuckled. "Thanks, Milan.I needed that." The pair finished up their salvage in the shop and, with great caution, raced to the middle of the street, where they gingerly lifted a sewage cap, and slide down the ladder. After a series of passage ways, and rat infested pipes, they reached what appeared to be a makeshift camp in a slightly more open area. Several reploids clad in the simple military uniform greeted them.
"Food?" One of the said. A slightly more buff looking soldier inquired.
"Yes. But that's for later. Right now, we have to decide on our next course of action." The group groaned but dragged themselves over to a half circle around Ciel. Unfortunately, Milan and Ciel seemed to have been the only ones participating.
"I went back and checked, those X drones had a built in tracking device so they probably know we're in the perimeter. I'm surprised they didn't find us already." Milan fiddled with the muzzle of a spare automatic rifle.
"Yes, but.Passy?" Ciel looked at what appeared to be a mobile Christmas light that gracefully drifted to her shoulder. The light grew dimmer to reveal a feminine Cyber Elf with the data make up of a crimson body suit and wavy blond hair matching those of Ciel's.
"I've scouted the area. There are about three squads of X drones heading in our direction. Six drones in each squad, that makes eighteen." The news was like a death sentence for the small company of soldiers. Ciel, however, kept herself calm.
"How long before they reach our location?"
"Half an hour." The elf replied.
After a short discussion with Milan, Ciel gave her decision. "Then it's decided, we'll place barricades at the two openings leading here, and we'll try to hold them off for as long as possible. The narrow tunnels here should make it hard for the X drones to try to overrun us. The enemy will be upon us in twenty minutes so get ready. We'll take as many down as we can."
Chapter 1: Legend Reborn "Part 3"
"Footsteps.people in pain. Fear.panic.and fighting. It's gone on for long enough. Please, let me rest a little while more."
The girl felt drained, and her body was aching all over. She looked ruefully at her condition of her clothes, and tried her best to beat the dust off. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned to find the war-torn face of her rescuer.
"You ok, Ciel?"
"Thanks, Milan," Ciel muttered.
"You shouldn't wander from the group like that. Who knows how many more drones there are out there." The Captain's voice was hard as if he was a fatherly figure scolding his daughter. Ironically, she was the superior officer. Nevertheless, the girl deserved the punishment, Milan thought.
"I'm sorry." Ciel spoke like a regretful girl who had just been chastised. "I just wanted to find some food out there for everyone."
Milan's face softened but just for a moment. "Well...err, don't worry. We still have enough to last for another day or so, and I'm sure we'll find HIM by then. Besides, we reploids can last longer than humans like you." That was a lie and they both knew it. But it always seemed better to pretend the situation was better than it seemed. So far, the only type of food they found were fairly spoiled canned food in a semi-collapsed factory, and the few packets of emergency rations they had brought with them. Most of the soldiers were two tired and hungry to fight. Milan and Ciel seemed to have been the only ones who retained their will to finish their objective and get out of the wasteland.
Ciel broke the silence. "Come on, let's go that way. I think I saw a bakery that's still standing over there."
Agreeing silently, Milan followed. Ciel, Milan, and a half dozen soldiers were separated from their comrades two days ago when they were ambushed, and have since scourged the ruins for whatever means of survival. The platoon originally set out to find the remains of the legendary reploid, Zero, who saved the world over a hundred years ago. In the present crisis, and the war between the resistance and Neo Arcadia, it's a struggle for survival in both factions. Neo Arcadia, with an army of reploids who kill other reploids suspected to be mavericks, in order to protect the humans. And the resistance, a mixture of humans and reploids who mostly live underground to protect innocent beings. Both factions do not want war but both armies are so willing to fight for their own definition of justice. Currently, Neo Arcadia has the upper hand with its superior forces, and its laser technology. That's why it's even more important for the resistance to find Zero and have him set the world straight.
"Milan.this operation sure turned into a pretty big mess, eh? And I'm the one who said we could find Zero." Ciel yanked open a storage cabinet, and scourged the contents for edible substances.
"Life is full of disappointments." The reploid said flatly, holding what appeared to have been a broken cash register.
"Milan."
"Eh?"
"Do you think we'll make it out alive. I mean with or without Zero."
"Well, look at it this way. We've been here for two days, half of our men missing or dead. And the rest are acting like couch potatoes minus the couch and the potatoes. So I'll say our chances of getting out alive without Zero will be higher than getting out with him." Milan pocketed the bills and coins left in the cash register, not that the antique coins would be of much use in this world.
"No, what I mean is the whole time we've been here, we've haven't seen any Trans servers or any sort of functioning transport. Even if we find Zero, how will be get him to join our side."
"Easy, just ask."
Ciel chuckled. "Thanks, Milan.I needed that." The pair finished up their salvage in the shop and, with great caution, raced to the middle of the street, where they gingerly lifted a sewage cap, and slide down the ladder. After a series of passage ways, and rat infested pipes, they reached what appeared to be a makeshift camp in a slightly more open area. Several reploids clad in the simple military uniform greeted them.
"Food?" One of the said. A slightly more buff looking soldier inquired.
"Yes. But that's for later. Right now, we have to decide on our next course of action." The group groaned but dragged themselves over to a half circle around Ciel. Unfortunately, Milan and Ciel seemed to have been the only ones participating.
"I went back and checked, those X drones had a built in tracking device so they probably know we're in the perimeter. I'm surprised they didn't find us already." Milan fiddled with the muzzle of a spare automatic rifle.
"Yes, but.Passy?" Ciel looked at what appeared to be a mobile Christmas light that gracefully drifted to her shoulder. The light grew dimmer to reveal a feminine Cyber Elf with the data make up of a crimson body suit and wavy blond hair matching those of Ciel's.
"I've scouted the area. There are about three squads of X drones heading in our direction. Six drones in each squad, that makes eighteen." The news was like a death sentence for the small company of soldiers. Ciel, however, kept herself calm.
"How long before they reach our location?"
"Half an hour." The elf replied.
After a short discussion with Milan, Ciel gave her decision. "Then it's decided, we'll place barricades at the two openings leading here, and we'll try to hold them off for as long as possible. The narrow tunnels here should make it hard for the X drones to try to overrun us. The enemy will be upon us in twenty minutes so get ready. We'll take as many down as we can."