Zero Alpha

Notice: I don't own Mega Man, or Zero. I own nothing of any interest so Capcom has nothing to gain by bringing me to court.

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Prologue: Final Battle

"Too weak. Was the original X this weak?"

"Wha…What!"

"I may have lost my memory, but my body seems to remember that the original X was mightier than you."

"Silence. Now you will feel my true power! Ha!" The reploid that sat on the floor moves into the air without effort. A glow engulfs him and from that comes one with wings that span the majority of the small room.

Zero, that is the name of the legendary reploid from a 100 years ago. He had fought along side the original X in the battle against the mavericks. When he found that the maverick virus was inside of him he put himself in hibernation in hopes that over the next 102 years that virus would leave. Now after all that time it has, but the world he had awoken to is not the same one he left. The reploids and humans had gained peace, and mavericks were no longer around. However, the Neo-Arcadia force began to 'retire' the reploids that they deemed would become mavericks. So many innocent reploids were put to death. A resistance formed and eventually found Zero. Zero had fought Neo-Arcadia and defeated every one of Master X's lackeys. Zero fought all the way to get to this point; against Master X. Master X was the copy made of the original X in hopes of having him to keep peace. However, that copy found that peace could only be enforced and oppressed everyone.

Zero stood up and stared at the 'Angel X' before him. Zero drew his Z-Saber and dashed at his opponent slashing the head of Angel X before landing back on the ground. As Angel X fired his laser beams down upon him Zero moved in an instant to kick off the wall X had unknowingly provided and struck downward on X's head breaking it apart.

"Why…why…I was…" Angel X stuttered as he fell to the ground losing his appendages. "Supposed to be…the perfect copy…How can this be…possible…I was supposed to be…a hero…" X's copy continued to babble as he lied on the floor before Zero.

"I've just remembered something." Zero began as he faced away from the copy. "He was not as naïve as you are. That's what made him a hero."

"I won't forgive you. I'll take you with me…" The copy announced boldly.

The final defensive line has been destroyed. Self-destruction mode activated in Area X. All dangerous elements are to be eradicated.

The room was red and an alarm could be heard all over the room. "It's time to go…" Zero noted calmly as he dashed forward and jumped out of the room as an explosion takes the room.

Since you disappeared I've been fighting this war alone against an uncountable number of mavericks for nearly a hundred years…

Zero lied on the brown desert sands as he rested. He heard this voice and presence of someone he knew to be an ally.

Battle after battle…So painful and so sad…

Zero couldn't remember clearly who this person was, but his body did. It was someone he had once placed his trust in. The true X.

But the hardest part was when I discovered that I no longer cared about fighting enemies.

A hint of something sad was what Zero heard. A regret or remorse in this person's voice.

I'll leave this world to you. Please allow me…to rest in peace…for a while

A plead. This person asked Zero to protect everything. He had to be the one to help everyone and bring true peace. The responsibility was his alone, and he was able to handle it.

I'm sorry Zero…

The presence was gone and Zero felt his body had rested enough. He slowly stirred and began to stand as he went over what X asked of him. Zero had protected this world from the copy of X and his army. He didn't know, but he felt he had protected many people like this before because the ability came so easily to him. He knew this was something he had to do.

"So be it, but that's why we are the best partners." Zero said with a smirk as he turned his attention to the stretch of desert behind him. Many enemies were coming now and he had to fight even in his current beat-up state. "I'll do what you want. Rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me." Zero watched the hundreds of reploids before him waiting to strike him and defeat him. "I won't stop! When an enemy appears I will terminate it." Zero declared as he drew his Z-Saber and formed a grin on his face. "I won't stop!" He yelled as he dashed forward slashing many into two pieces instantly. They were no match for him even in such a large number.

A figure stirs from their place at a dimly lit desk. A woman named Ciel looked at her project for which she hopes to find a new means of energy to help end the battle between them and Neo-Arcadia. It was hard to work though ever since reports of X's defeat came in. Neo-Arcadia had momentarily been stopped by Zero, and his defeat of X, but Zero never returned. She worried about him with her guilty conscious. She told him to go there, she had made that copy of X, and so she felt she was at fault for everything that happened.

"Ma'am?" Cerveau stated as he entered the room.

Ciel snapped awake from her daydream. "What is it?"

"We just completed another search of the area where Zero was." Cerveau explained.

"What did you find?" Ciel questioned, but Cerveau turned away and hesitated with his answer. "Did you find Zero?"

Cerveau turned back with a serious expression. "No, but we found his Shield Boomerang and Triple Rod in the rubble." Cerveau stated. "That means two things, and one I will not mention to you."

"I know what it means. I wish you had said you found nothing. Then I wouldn't worry." Ciel commented with a downcast expression.

"Sorry Ma'am."

"Now I have to wonder whether Zero survived, or if he was defeated. The fact his weapons are here, but not him, can only mean two things. He either lost them, or he was, retired, and his weapons left behind. I want to believe that he lived."

"Then say it."

"I know he lived." She said with hope and optimism.

"I'm sure he has, but he may be damaged. I will make an effort to get the unit to search harder for him, but there are other things going on that require an equal amount of attention." Cerveau stated.

"You mean Elpizo and all of that stuff? We will be moving to a new facility as soon as we can. This one just isn't secure." Ciel explained. "Especially without Zero."

"I understand. I will prepare everything for the move."

"You do that." Ciel remarked. Cerveau left her lab and Ciel looked to her console in thought. "I'm so sorry Zero." She laid her head in her arms covering her face from her surroundings. She was the cause for so much grief. How can so many look to her with the respect they show her? They all say they owe so much to her, and that she is great. How can she be that if she was the cause for all of their troubles? She made that X copy, she sent Zero to his death, and she was the one who helped the enemy so much. She has been trying to fix her mistakes. That's why they stuck to her, because she tried her best to right her wrongs. Still, she could never bring back the ones who died because of her actions.