Author's Notes: Thanks to the one person who reviewed! I'd review your stuff, but I've never played MMZ. ; Writing quality is good, tho.
I'm still half-asleep after a late-night anime marathon, so please forgive any problems that raises.
More people review! Argh!
Oh, BTW, scenes are seperated by , AN and story are seperated by ---.
---
Chapter 2: Zetsubou (Despair)
Zero arrived at the base in a bolt of red energy, startling a few people nearby. A few younger Hunters ran up to ask him how it had gone, but he waved them aside and headed directly towards the labs.
When he arrived, the only occupant was a young human woman who had recently joined the Hunter's science team, whose name Zero couldn't recall. She smiled and waved as he entered. "Hello, Zero-sama! How did the last mission go?"
"Badly, I'm afraid," replied Zero, slumping against one of the walls. " I kept getting distracted and nostalgic during battle, and it took forever to beat him… I think something's wrong with my system or something..."
"It's quite unlikely," she stated firmly. "Your scans as recently as last week show you in perfect condition other than the usual scrapes from battle."
"Could you do a quick check anyway? I'm slightly worried about the whole thing..." Zero's eyes had lost some of their usual calm and almost looked fearful.
The young scientist sighed. "Fine, but I doubt it will turn up a thing." Brushing a strand of brown hair out of her sapphire eyes, and began flipping various switches on the control panels that lined the room. A large blue capsule began to hum slightly and the glass on it slid up, leaving the capsule invitingly open.
"Just step inside, and the program will begin," she said cheerfully. "It shouldn't take more than 20 minutes to complete, so you'll be out of here soon."
Zero nodded and straightened up from his previous slumped positon. He stepped into the capsule, and watched boredly as the blue-tinted glass slid down around him. He had gone through the process a million times before, and although interesting at first, it had quickly gotten boring.
"Alright, Zero-sama. You know the basics. You're going to be shut down for a little bit, but by the time you wake up, I should have the results," said the young woman, still smiling.
Why is she telling me this stuff? I've done this before, he thought with slight annoyance. Or could it be that she thinks I'll forget if she doesn't remind me? Has something been wrong for a while and noone's told me?
Before he had time to contemplate further, he felt his system begin the shutdown process, and fell unto unconciousness...
Some time later, Zero emerged from the capsule, the worried expression still resting on his face. "Well, what do the scans show?" he asked in a nervous tone of voice.
"Nothing's wrong with you, Zero-sama. Your memory banks are getting slightly full, which probably accounts for the distraction, but that's just because you've been around for a while. However, that leads to the other thing I want to discuss..." she said, in a tone of worry to match that of Zero.
"Hmn? What seems to be the problem?" he asked, a new degree of fear edging his voice.
"Well, Zero-sama, you know that technology's getting more advanced, right?"
"Obviously. New and better repliroids and computer systems are built every day. What does this have to do with me?" he questioned, one eyebrow raised.
"Well, you and X-sama most certainly set a high standard to meet when X was discovered... however... what if technology has finally caught up?"
"What do you mean?" aked Zero, the fear now mounting.
"You guys are old technology, I'm afraid. New and better things are built every day, like you said, and they've finally surpassed the standard you both set..." She sighed slightly and brushed more hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Zero. You couldn't be the best forever..." Her eyes were large and sorrowful.
Zero just sat there, silent. His gaze was fixed on his large boots. His expression was a mix between shock, despair, and anger, and the young woman opposite him felt a deep wave of empathy. If only there was something I could do... she thought sorrowfully.
Finally Zero looked up, all emotion apparently drained from his face. "I see. So should I just resign, then?" he said, in a voice that was as cold as ice.
"Of course not, Zero-sama! You're still some of the best we have, you're just..." She fumbled for words, but Zero interrupted her, the cold in his voice biting.
"I'm just old technology. Nothing new. No longer state of the art. Just another holdover from the Dark Ages, doomed to the scrap heap."
"I'm not trying to say that, Zero-sama! You're still incredibly good at fighting, and we can use you at the base! Please don't take this the wrong way, Zero-sama!"
"And what way am I supposed to take it then, hmn?" Some of the coldness in his voice had been replaced by anger. "Am I just supposed to go 'Oh, I'm doomed to obsoleteness, lally lally lally, let's have a picnic before I get replaced by some hotshot who happens to have a larger gun than I do?'" The anger mounted in his voice, and he nearly screamed at the poor young woman, who was now cringing. "Is that what you all want me to do?!"
"O-of course not, Zero!" she whimpered, still cringing from the Hunter's anger. "You'll always have a very high position in the Hunters! You have more experience than most of the people here!"
Zero's voice had returned to bitter coldness. "I'll get to be the oldtimer, then. I get to train the people who will replace me, and watch them laugh at me behind my back because I'm so pathetic. I'm sorry, but I can't handle that kind of existance. Maybe I'll take myself to the scrapheap, then." With that, he stood up stiffly, causing his golden hair to swirl around him. "Tell anyone who cares about an oudated pile of junk like me that I said goodbye." With that, he stalked out of the room.
"Zero..." whispered the young woman, but it was too late. He was gone.
---
AN: That was exhausting. Sorry about any confusion all the stuff about system malfunctions in the first chapter being misleading, but Z refused to let himself see the truth.
Mood swings are fun to write!
Please review and stay tuned for chapter 3, Koukei. If you know what that means, you get the jump on everyone else! Whee!