Disclaimer:
I do not own Megaman or any of its characters (even though I want to). They are property of Capcom Ltd.
However, I do own my original characters, so :p
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Titanium Showdown: Tale of the Zero Clones
Chapter Nine: The Calm
Three reploids lay on tables next to each other, and a fourth on another table separate from the others. The first was End. He had massive injuries from the fight and was still unconscious. The second was Whistler; it was unlikely he would wake up anytime soon, or any time at all. The third was The Hunter –the new clone. Every resource was being expended on the first two, and it still seemed the third would recover first.
Virus still couldn't figure out why he'd taken the new clone along. After all, he had killed one of his best friends: Ashes, the Phoenix Reploid. End and Whistler wore faces of agony and fear; they were probably reliving the horrendous battle in their dreams. The Hunter however, had an inscrutable face –one that seemed to still hold its indifference. Virus stared at him for a long time, trying to see if he could find out anything new about him.
From their first examination, they had determined that this was not just a clone, but a rebuilt reploid, utilizing original parts from Zero himself. Most of the combat data, and nearly all of the armor had been taken, modified, and attached to Sigma's newest killing machine. What little of his code Virus could decipher led him to believe that this reploid had his own original code, but it contained nothing of Sigma's handiwork; the rest of the code was encrypted heavily –almost to a point that it was mere programming gibberish.
His auto-recovery systems were highly advanced. They were obviously experimental technology. They seemed to be ignoring something for some reason however. One of the chips damaged in the blast from End's buster had so far been completely left alone. Virus could only guess at the purpose behind it.
It was very late, the sun was due to rise in just a few more hours, and the Empire was combing every square inch of the countryside –likely in an effort to find them, and to retrieve their prize war machine. Things looked grim for the now even smaller group of resistance fighters. Just a few days ago, their numbers had been in the hundreds –now there were five of them, and likely soon, none.
Suddenly, The Hunter's face twitched. Virus nearly fell flat on his back with surprise. He looked back, and the face was indifferent and cool again, but he felt it had somehow changed. He stared again for a long time; he found himself seeing both rage and despair at the same time, both somehow surfacing and yet still hiding. Virus calmed down again, he walked over to the door and stopped. One shot… just one shot and I won't have to worry…He turned around and walked back to the table that held The Hunter. Just one…
"It's rude to stare you know." Virus jumped with a powerful force and rammed into the ceiling. When he came back to his senses, he saw The Hunter sitting on the edge of the table, looking as if he expected an apology. Virus was too dumbfounded to do or say anything. The Hunter let out a mighty laugh, "I suppose I should be apologizing to you, not the other way around, but do understand, it is nerve wracking to be watched for six hours constantly… though it's really nothing in the long run." The Hunter seemed to be expecting some kind of reply. Virus attempted to speak, but it was all he could do not to faint. "Not much of a talker are you… well, I guess I'd better put things right, but I can't exactly do that with just you here. I happen to remember two others besides the two on the table here. Fetch them. Go on, go on, no harm will befall any of you, now get going."
Virus seemed to get up against his own will. He walked out into the hall and got the others. Virus had considerably more control over himself now. He quickly said to them not to be alarmed, but to be on their guard. When they got back, they saw The Hunter looking at End –the latter no longer having an expression of terror.
"Be at peace, I mean you no harm. I feel I have a little explaining to do –"
"You're damn right you have some explaining to do! You think we trust you because you tell us we won't be harmed!? You killed our friend, and severely wounded these two!" Hunter was irate at the new clone.
"These two will recover soon –I've given them some of my backup repair nanobots. As for your other friend… I'm sorry. I know it's not enough, but it's all I can do is say it. And you," he pointed at Virus, "terribly sorry about hobbling you, but again, I am sorry. I know it won't do any good, but I feel I must explain why I did these things to begin with." The Hunter removed the unrepaired chip from under his armor vest and threw it on the table. "This is what forced me. Sigma learned something from the Doctor, but as it would seem, not enough. This chip would have destroyed me and the entirety of Alpha Site if Sigma felt I was betraying him, and with that many lives at stake, I couldn't allow that to happen. I had no desire to hurt you in any way, but I had no choice." The Hunter stared blankly at the wall for a moment and spoke as if entranced. "Another wrong I shall have to make right… my life seems an error in and of itself, but with these capabilities… I may be able to resolve…" He suddenly snapped back into focus. "I cannot repent for what I have done, both to you and your movement, and so I leave my punishment in your hands."
Hunter was disarmed by the reploid's speech, and Virus was a little shocked, but Sapphire still seemed to have her reservations about The Hunter. She spoke up next.
"What's your name then. That's first. What do we call you?"
The question seemed to catch him off guard. "I was designated Omni.Zero by Sigma. (Yes, yes, but what is your name?) Before that, I was called DWNX-02, and before that I was designated DRN-016, but I cannot tell you my name."
"And why is that?" Her persistence on the subject of his name seemed to make Omni.Zero agitated, but he remained calm and collected.
"For reasons that I cannot tell you. Just know this: No history can forget me, and no present should remember me."
No one was satisfied with his answer. Hunter was just about to speak up in protest to it when End seemed to be coming around to consciousness. Virus was amazed he had repaired so quickly, but he rushed over all the same.
"You all should rest; you've been through a harrowing time at my expense, and some way or another, I'll make it up to you."
"You can start, by watching the radar hologram, and tell me if you see anything unusual." Hunter's vehemence didn't even seem to phase Omni. Somehow, Omni knew his way around the facility as if he'd lived in it his entire life –that scared the others.
"I'm going to watch him. I still don't trust him one bit." Sapphire quickly ran off before Hunter or Virus had a chance to deny her statement.
♫dun dun DUUUNNN!! ♫ A chapter! This story really seems to be leaving the plan I had for it in the beginning. Oh well, hopefully now that it's winter break, I'll have some time and inspiration and write another chappie or two.
Reviews from Chapter Eight:
None…I'll get some new reviews, if it's the last thing I doooooooo!!!! ºfalls to the ground on a nuke cowboy-styleº