With a tired sigh, X looked up. Everything was so dark...
Being small and plain certainly had its advantages. X ran a hand through his hair and flipped a particular lock away to the side of his face, only to have it bounce back into place. In a few hours he would be sent to Gate's fortress. To put an end to this war, X told himself. The words, having been turned over one too many times, were starting to lose their meaning. But it could wait; he only needed a few minutes to himself. Everything else could wait.
Being small and plain certainly made hiding easy, X thought to himself with a small smile.
X was soon aware of the sounds of someone making his way towards him. He kept his head lowered as the person halted before him. "Why were you smiling?" Zero asked, plopping himself down beside X on the bench.
"I was just thinking..." he replied. It sounded more to himself than to his friend.
Zero smirked. "Signas' blowing his top back in HQ looking for you. You, my friend," he poked X gently in the arm, "are going to be in big trouble when you get back." The smaller Reploid smiled at the pretentious tone. With a yawn, Zero stretched his arms before falling back against the bench, relaxed. "So what were you thinking of?"
"Nothing, really." Wanting to change the subject, X looked up. "The sky is so gray today..." he murmured. Zero tilted his head back up as well, then shrugged. They stared up at the gray streaks above them in silence for a few moments. The smaller Reploid finally sighed quietly to himself. "This war, it's never going to end, is it, Zero?"
Zero didn't respond for several minutes. X had almost thought he hadn't been listening to him. The blond Reploid peered up intently, taking in the melancholy scene. Then he spoke up: "Things only seem that way, X, because you're looking at it under a dark sky."
"I don't understand."
"The sky is dark and cloudy, right? Things always look the worst in this weather." Zero chuckled to himself. "Cheer up, X. Things'll be better in the morning, I promise you that. Now let's get back to HQ before Signas goes Maverick on us." With that, Zero punched X teasingly, and walked off. X had to run to catch up.
Ciel stepped back proudly and displayed her latest creation to him. With her out of the way, X found himself face-to-face with himself. At least, it looked like himself. Except for the expression the new Reploid wore on his face, X could've thought he was looking at his reflection.
Why are we continuing with the war?
"X, meet Copy X."
Why do I have such an awful feeling about this?
Copy X - what a strange name, X thought - stepped forward and smiled almost shyly. He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you," he offered, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
This isn't a good idea...
A moment's hesitation, and X took the hand. He smiled at him. "Hello, Copy X." The nervousness the other Reploid carried in him disappeared almost instantly.
No. This isn't right.
X traced a finger along the misty surface of the capsule. Inside laid his only true friend, deep in the hibernation he had programmed into him. The rain fell relentlessly through the cracks in the worn-down ceiling, showering everything below it with cold, hard raindrops. X's fingers twitched, and he tapped unconsciously against the smooth surface.
For a crazy moment, X wanted to open the capsule right then and there. He wanted to talk to Zero again, and tell him something, anything.
For a crazy moment, X wanted his best friend back more than anything else in the world.
The temptation was too much to resist, and so X began to talk. He spoke of this and of that, rambling on and on about whatever came into his head. Inside the capsule Zero slept on.
"... Hunters have really improved. Copy X seems to be doing a good job leading them without me... Did I tell you who Copy X was, Zero? Ciel made a replica of me as a replacement after I said I wanted to leave the Hunters. He looks, talks, and acts so much like me, it's scary. You probably think it's kind of funny, huh Zero? He's a good leader, though; almost all the Mavericks have been retired. We haven't told them that he's a copy of me, though. I think Ciel wanted people to keep believing that it was me that was always fighting..."
Suddenly X paused. As he looked down, he saw that all his talking had been for nothing. Zero was still asleep, and X still felt horribly lonely. After a few silent minutes, X repeated slowly, "Almost all the Mavericks have been retired, Zero. We're so close to peace. That's what I keep telling myself. But..." he drifted off, slowly clenching his hands into fists, "but that's not what it feels like, Zero. It still feels so far from it."
The rain splattered everywhere onto him. It drenched every part of him, landing on his head, trickling down his back and arms, falling to the floor. Violently X slammed his fists down onto the capsule's surface. The impact was enough to crack the surface.
"Why?! Why, Zero?! You told me everything would be better in the morning! Do you remember when you said that?" X screamed out at the still form lying below him. "I've been waiting all this time for the dawn you promised me that day! Why hasn't it come yet?" Standing there in the rain, a feeling of misery seeped throughout him. His shoulders wouldn't stop shaking. Were those tears or raindrops on his cheeks?
As X stood there above the capsule, sobbing, Zero slept on.
Zero pulled his sabre from the body of the last Reploid and looked around him one final time. Broken bodies of the enemy Reploids that had attacked him lay scattered at his feet. Turning away, he walked off into the horizon.
Farther away, hidden by the random debris that had fallen during Zero's fight with Copy X, crouched X. As he watched his best friend strode off confidently. X smiled. Just like always, Zero.
Nearby Copy X's corpse lay. X nudged it aside with his foot, sending it rolling down the terrain. He had got what he had deserved, and now Reploids would no longer be threatened by his tyrannous army. X sighed tiredly to himself and closed his eyes.
So this is what it feels like to finally be close to peace... It feels nice, doesn't it, Zero?
High in the sky, the sun was shining brightly. Dawn had come at last.
Silently X pushed himself back up, and walked away.