Experiment Zero
Chapter Two: The Name
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
The girl grew rigid and still, afraid of what the stranger, who was apparently a woman (judging from her voice), was going to do to her. Perhaps, by some unforeseen miracle, the stranger would slip on her way over to the bed, crack open her head and die instantly... or not.
"I see that your vision is impaired... I'll fix that for you."
The stranger walked closer to her, and the closer she got, the colder the room felt to the patient. It was as if the woman was made of ice. But that cannot be... or could it?
Something blue appeared in her line of foggy vision and waved around her head in a circle. She could then feel cool air seep into her eyelids and then melt into her muscles. Slowly, the corners of her eyes cleared and soon after, she could see perfectly again.
She blinked twice to make sure before a small smile escaped her lips, "Thank you."
She turned her head to face the woman and almost screamed if not for her biting her tongue. Beside her was a nude woman with a pale, ice blue complexion. She was floating off the floor slightly, her feet dusted in ice particles. Her eyes were sharp blue, her lips frozen blue and her gravity-defying hair streaked of electric yellow, soft neon green and a tinge of light blue.
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but found that not a sound could be called. Her mouth hung from the hinges of her jaw. What was this woman?
The seraph-like creature smiled a soft smile and spoke, "You have never seen one of us before; have you?"
"One of what?" the girl asked, fearful.
"An Esper."
Heero Yuy tossed the photos onto the desk after scanning through them briefly. The images might have been disturbing to other men his age, but he didn't even flinch. And when given deeper details of these experiments, he only met them with a hard face.
They were in Une's office, where two giant windows sat beside Une, illuminating her and intiminating other soldiers, but not them- never them. The five Gundam Pilot sat infront of her mahogany desk, going over files involving the Immortal Soldiers.
"As you all have seen and heard of, these soldiers are not to be taken lightly," Lady Une said. "We must be prepared for the worst of situations."
"Like?" Duo asked, playing around with his yo-yo.
"The doctors are having a hard time separating the chemicals from the bodies of the Immortal Soldiers we have captured. Some have even come close to awakening-" Une broke off there, letting the Pilots think of the rest.
"You are afraid they will break free and kill us all," Trowa finished for her.
"Yes, I am," she said. "I have never faced one before, but Trieze once had. He told me they were uncomparable in combat, mentally or physically or both."
Wufei stiffened upon hearing the dead leader of Oz's name, but nobody took real notice, they were too focused with the task at hand.
"How could he have faced one when they were disbanded?" 05 asked.
"I can only assume that the one he fought was Experiment Zero," she replied.
"So basically we have no hope what-so-ever," Duo said, yo-yo in hand. "Gr-eat, don't I feel confident."
"You musn't feel that way, Duo," Quartre said, concern on his face. "There's always hope."
"Quartre's right," Une said.
"Hopefully you do not mean that our hope lies with the SeeD," Wufei spoke.
"They speciallize in Sorceress captures, not world wide everyday issues," Trowa said.
"This is too serious to not involve everyone that are qualitified in skill," she said.
"So our hope do lie in them," Duo questioned.
"They give some Preventors' more conifidence, but they are not our hope as much as we are thiers," Une said.
"Then what are you talkin' about?" Pilot 02 asked, confused.
"Experiment Zero."
"So-o where are we going?" Selphie asked, jumping up and down.
"To the Lab," Squall replied.
Her eyes went wide as she ceased her bouncing, "You mean the Lab?"
He only nodded as they countinued to walk along the paved road in the middle of nowhere. Foliage sat at either side of them, and although they gave them shade, they were still burning in the heat. Rinoa could only believe that they were soon to arrive.
"Why?" Selphie asked, starting her jumping again.
"Too observe the Immortal Soldiers that are in our possession," Quistis replied for her commander.
"They aren't "possessions", they are people," Rinoa whispered, troubled.
"People who are designed to kill," Squall said, even though he disliked to contridict his girlfriend.
"Come on people!" Irvine said. "Cheer up, it's not like it's the end of the world."
"I agree with Irvine," Zell said, his mind wavering into hotdogs.
"It might be," Quistis said, looking at the ground in dismay, but still continued to walk. "Headmaster Cid said that they were very powerful, possibly more powerful than Ultimecia. Even Matron is concerned."
They grew silent. If their mother-figure seemed concerned and frightened, how should they feel?
After a few minutes they were in the Lab, staring at the Immortal Soldiers in human-sized tanks filled with transparent liquid that bubbled every-so-often. They were women, all 14 of them- much to Irvine's joy, considering they were all naked. However there was 1 that was a male.
"Wow, so they're the unbeatable people," mused Zell.
"Yes, they are," a voice behind them said.
They all turned around in sync and stared at the old man, the famous old man.
"Dr. J, it is an honour to finally meet you," Quistis, being the formal one and the only one who knew who the old man was, besides Squall of course, greeted.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet the six who deafeated Sorceress Ultimecia," the doctor replied, adjusting his goggle-like glasses.
"Are they as invincible as people say?" Squall asked, skipping formalities.
"I'm afraid so," J said. "In fact, I, myself, have worked with the Elites before, but never in all my years have I seen such advancements in the perfect soldiers. Dr.T, if I do say so myself, have perfected perfection."
"I assmue Dr.T was the scientist who created the Immortal Soldiers," Quistis said.
"You are right indeed," the doctor said.
Rinoa stared at one of the woman in the tanks. The girl had long silverish-blonde hair done up in two unique ponytail that wound around her body protectively. Her arms were around her breasts and her jewel to conserve what modesty she had left. She was short, but was shaped to make her seem tall. She was-
"Perfect," Rinoa said.
"Yes... they all are," Dr.J said. "They're all physically and mentally perfect."
"Such pretty things weren't meant to destroy the world," Irvine commented.
"Do not worry, when we are done, they will no longer do any harm," J said.
"Hm..." came Squall.
"You are wondering what we would do if they broke free," J decipered Squall's reply.
"Yes."
Everyone looked at the doctor in amazement, no one could ever figure Squall out, except for Quistis- and Rinoa's getting there.
"Cid, Une and I have already talked it over," he said. "If worst comes to worsts, we'll need to find Experiment Zero and convert either him or her to our side."
"Are you crazy!?" Duo asked as he jumped out of his chair and stared at the Preventor leader in disbelief.
"I am not," Une simply replied.
"They are creatures created to destroy the world, not save it," Wufei said, for once backing 02 up.
"First of all, he/she probably broke free for a reason. Hopefully because of their utter hatred towards Dr. T. And if that were the case then we can convince Experiment Zero to help us," she explained.
"And if Experiment Zero does not?" Heero asked.
"We are doomed."
"Sounds splendid, please note my sarcasm," Duo said, sitting back down and spinning his yo-yo.
"An Esper?" her mind whirled.
She was supposed to know what an Esper was, but she just can't quite grasp it.
"Sorry, I did not mean to confuse you. Let me tell you what they call us now-"
"Guardian Forces," she whispered. The name just popped out of her mouth when she relaxed her mind and concentrated on the blue woman.
The blue woman smiled in surprise and said, "Correct."
"You were called Espers when there was still an Esper Gate in which you can go from the Esper World to the Human World. However, ever since the defeat of Kefka, the Esper Gate collasped and there was no way you could enter the Human World ever again... until you have encountered a summoner. Through the summoner, you can enter the Human World, but you can't do anything of your own will. You were controlled by the summoner and re-named from Espers to Guardian Forces."
She had no idea where that came from, but for some reason she knew she was right.
"I see you know of the Old Ages," the woman said. "Here, let me tell you my given name, a name that damned summoner could not break. I am Shiva, Mistress of Ice."
"And I am-" she stopped. That's right, she didn't know what her name was.
"Oh dear, you must have lost your memory," Shiva said, eyes still held ice. "Then we must give you a name."
She looked at the Esper and felt uneasy. What if Shiva chose her a crappy name, what could she do? Absolutely nothing, cause if she rejected the name, she would be killed instantly. Now that she understood the history of Espers, she now knew what Guardian Forces can do.
"How about Whisper?" Shiva asked.
She swallowed and almost stuttered, "It's a beautiful name, but-"
"But what?" the Esper asked gently and moved closer to her.
She moved away and curled into a ball with her head in her knees, suddenly afraid and called for help. Immediately, small floating spheres surronded her and swayed lightly in mid-air.
Shiva was amazed and did not take the glowing balls lightly, obviously this girl she found unconscious in front of Ifrit's house had extrodinary powers. She also knew that she was no Esper. Then, out of nowhere and drawing inspiration from the girl's defence system, she found a name for the girl.
"Firefly."
The spheres disappeared as if there wasn't any of them there at all and the girl uncurled from her ball, looking up at her. The name... it was... perfect.
"I like it," she whipered.
"Then you will be called Firefly."
Silver Author