Intoduction Part VI
By sephsblade
The
metropolis was pretty damn big, Zero had to give it that. Not as big
as the city that surrounded Maverick Hunter HQ, the city once known
as Tokyo, or anywhere near as magnificent as Neo Arcadia, but it
still was pretty impressive for despite the abysmal technology it
used.
He sat drinking in the café. His armour was off, the ability to remove body armour had been a standard feature in all humanoid reploids since X, as Dr. Light had obviously wanted X to lead a normal life, not merely to live as a warrior. Of course, X had had anything BUT a normal life…
He didn't need the drink, he had twinned Micro-fusion Fuel Tanks, but it still gave him pleasure to sip the coffee.
Sighing, Zero paid and walked out into the streets of the City. The sun was shining, the air was pretty clean, though of course he didn't need to breathe, and he had an entire city to explore. Yet he was bored. A feeling he hadn't felt since before Sigma attacked…
Strolling down, he frowned as he saw a shimmer pass him by. Nothing on visual sensors, which meant...
"Cloaked. Must be cloaked."
This wasn't any of his business, but whoever was walking around invisible probably wasn't up to any good. Nonchalantly, Zero turned around whistling, changing the wavelength input of his eyes until…
There! It seemed to be a humanoid female, though unlike any he'd ever seen before. The skin seemed more like scales with green natural-looking body armour that was likely more for decency then anything else. Out of her back, things protruded not unlike the mandibles of an insect. Whatever she was, she definitely wasn't human.
Pretending he hadn't noticed, Zero started following her. It wasn't like he had much better to do. There was still plenty of more time to explore.
He followed her along the back alleys (why did this city NEED back alleys, anyway?). Getting bored, Zero was jut about to give up and just go and find something interesting to do when he noticed that he wasn't alone.
Whipping around, he saw another contestant. This one was male, with dark grey skin and pointed, elf-like ears. Blood red cape rustling slightly in the breeze, the blue haired man was laughing quietly to himself.
"Took you long enough to notice, robot."
Leaning against the wall, the man idly stared onwards at the person Zero had been following.
"You know her, then? Otherwise, I'm wondering what a good, honest killing machine like you is doing following her."
So. The man knew who he was. Obviously he'd seen the contestant list.
"…I'm bored. What's your excuse?"
Rolling his eyes, the elf-like, muscular man walked up to Zero, bowing mockingly.
"I just wanted to see what my
fellow warriors were like. My name is Janus Zeal, prince of a kingdom
destroyed by a woman who used to be my mother, master of black magic
and pretty good at most other kinds, and the Prophet of the Black
Wind. You, however, can call me Magus."
Zero tried to gauge
him…there was something hidden about him, an aura of power both
physical and mental. This 'Magus' could definitely fight and do
it with style.
"So, you're trying to find out why someone is walking down the streets cloaked, eh? Well, her 'Alien hybrid' look would probably bring unwanted attention, I would guess, and she probably had things to do without being noticed, hence the feeble invisibility, which I'm sure works with the sheep walking out there. I myself need to ask her a few questions…"
He felt rather than heard the presence near, so when Magus nodded his head at the suddenly uncloaked alien woman from before Zero wasn't surprised.
"Two little boys, trying to sneak up on the Queen of the Swarm. I have to admit, it's very amusing."
Zero's hand twitched. He may have left his sabre in the accommodations he was given, but if she decided to attack, a quick blast of plasma to the face would probably persuade her otherwise. However, any noticeable brawls in the street would get them thrown out of the contest. Probably something she didn't want to risk.
"Don't flatter yourself. Tryin' to see what you were doing was just slightly more interesting then looking around and watching paint dry."
Sarah Kerrigan laughed, the harmonics of her altered voice vaguely disturbing. Kerrigan seemed to dismiss Zero as a threat, turning around to look at 'Magus' Zeal.
"What about YOU, mortal? Why are you daring to distract Queen Kerrigan?"
Magus stepped forward, as amused as Kerrigan apparently was.
"You're the telepath," he spoke softly. "You tell me."
The expression on her face turned to a mixture of contempt and anger. Gritting her teeth she glared lances at the former prince.
"I can't. You've closed off your mind to prying eyes, as I'm SURE you're aware, Sorcerer," her voice dripping with contempt.
Sighing in mock exasperation, Magus idly started to summon a ball of black energy into his hand.
"Not all of it."
Kerrigan frowned. She opened her mouth, no doubt to utter a sarcastic reply, when Zero noted that her eyes had widened. Shock, anger, contemplation and finally amusement passed across her face.
"….Interesting point of view."
Magus and The Swarm looked at each for a while. It seemed they both were having a mental conversation, one in which a robot like Zero could not take part in.
"…I'd like to talk to you again sorcerer. That information... interests me."
With those words, the Queen of the Zerg once again disappeared from normal view.
Magus likewise nodded at Zero, smile gone from his face, as he walked out of the alley and disappeared into the busy streets.
Shaking his head, Zero looked up at the buildings towering over. So far, he'd spent half a day looking at stupid landmarks, drinking a cup of coffee, following an invisible woman, and then watching from the sidelines as two people had a telepathic conversation, from which he was wholly excluded.
"Damn it, I'm STILL bored."
He could always go for a quick run…
DASH THRUSTERS ACTIVATED.
Leaping up the walls of a nearby building, Zero would never be mistaken for a human. But frankly, he didn't give a damn.
