Capcom holds the copyright for any Zero, 1, 2, and 3 that appear in this fic. The only characters belonging to me are Iris and Aniyu Canina.

Super Elf

Speeding through the halls of the resistance base, Zero was careful not to collide with other Reploids or Ciel. Though the naked girl over his shoulder was unconscious, she continuously murmured his name in a soft, loving voice filled with admiration. Again and again, he'd raise an eyebrow and wonder if they had crossed paths in the past. "My mind is a little hazy about my past, so that could be a possibility," he thought as he continued to rush down the corridors. "But, what about Iris? What happened to her?…" He glanced at the girl again. Green hair similar to Iris's fur, cat-like ears and a tail… "Maybe this… this girl is Iris…" His main concern was getting her to the medical wing. Her identity can wait until she's well.

Nearly twenty minutes after carrying the mysterious cat-woman to the medical wing, Zero awaited near the door for any information. The Elves in charge told him not to worry, but it was still plaguing him. How does she know his name? What happened with Iris? And why does the name Iris sound so familiar? All this buzzed around his head like angry Melnets ready to strike at any moment of weakness. It was just maddening.

"Zero, what's the matter?" a young voice called to him. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Alouette, peering up at him with her large blue eyes. "Some of the Reploids were saying you were in a hurry and had a naked girl in your arms." She held her hands behind her back and leaned closer to Zero with a curious look.

Zero scratched his head nervously and was about to speak, but someone else decided to arrive. "Zero, what's this I'm hearing about you carrying a naked girl around the base," the blonde scientist asked and gave him an accusing glance. Then she noticed something was missing. "Hey, where's Iris?"

"I don't even know," he began, "I fed her those Crystals and she looked like she was going to mature, when some strange girl appeared in the exact spot Iris was." Ciel looked as if she didn't believe him and crossed her arms. "It's the truth, Ciel. I wouldn't lie."

Alouette looked to Zero, then to Ciel. "That's right, Ciel. Zero doesn't lie. He's such a great person; why would he need to lie?" She smiled widely and hugged her stuffed animal tightly. Of course, Ciel was unable to disbelieve the young 'roid and smiled at her. Alouette smiled wider. Zero allowed himself a small smile.

"But Zero, what you're saying is a little hard to believe," the scientist said and shrugged. "What, Iris matured into a young woman?"

Zero had never considered that. The girl had the same color hair as Iris, same eyes, and same feline characteristics. Though it did sound odd, Zero couldn't rule that out. "I'm no expert on Elves, Ciel. But that's what I like to think happened."

Ciel placed her chin in her palms and made a low hum. If what Zero said was true and what she thought was sound, they weren't dealing with a run-of-the-mill Cyber Elf. "Where is she now? I have a few things to ask her." Zero gestured to the door before them. "Okay then. Let's pay our little friend a visit."

"She's not so little anymore," Zero added in. "Besides, we have to wait for the Elves to finish up in there. You know how they hate to be rushed." Ciel sighed and took a seat next to Zero, with Alouette close behind and sitting in the next available seat.

Alouette looked to her feet as she swayed her legs back and forth on the chair. "What's she look like, Zero?" she asked curiously.

"Tall, green hair, tanned skin, cat tail and ears, and the darkest green eyes you can imagine," he began. "She has these purple streaks under her eyes. That's about all I can say about her."

Ciel gave him a sideways look. "I heard she was very attractive too." Zero coughed and blushed a bit, making Alouette giggle. "Is that true too, Zero?" she asked, smirking playfully at him.

He shuffled a bit against the door. "Well… A little…"

Ciel laughed a bit. "Gawking at a program, eh Zero?"

Zero tilted his helmet down over his face a bit, partially to hide the blush. "N-no. It was just an observation."

Alouette laughed again. "Ze-ro is blu-shin'! Ze-ro is blu-shin!" she teased in a childish sing-song tone.

Zero was about to protest when the door opened, and caused him to fall backward into the room. Winky, Grandie and Martina fluttered into the room with a few other Nurse Elves and smiled at Ceil and Alouette, and at the grounded Zero. "The Elf is fine," they chimed in unison.

"Elf?" Zero and Ciel exclaimed at the same time. "How do you know she's an Elf?"

"Our scanners, silly," Winky stated, smiling happily.

"They never lie," Grandie added in, also wearing a similar smile.

"They say 'Elf', so she's an Elf," Martina finished.

"And she is in loooove with Zero," all the Elves said together, as if it was rehearsed. Zero blushed, Ciel had a blank expression and Alouette giggled cutely. "The only thing she's been saying is 'Zero,'" one of the other ones said. "It's so cute! She wants to see you, Zero."

--Medical (Nurse) Wing--

They all got up and made their way through the Med wing with the Elves as their guides. They finally got to a room at the end of the hall, which is where the mysterious Elf was resting. Zero pushed open the door and saw her sitting on the bed. She immediately saw him and smiled widely at him. "Zero!" she shouted as she dove from her place and wrapped her arms and legs around him, her gown nearly falling off. Ciel and Alouette walked in and saw this. The scientist covered the young 'roid's eyes.

A few minutes later, the green-haired Elf calmed down and calmly sat on the bed, tail swishing back and forth. "So, let me get this straight," Zero began, "This Elf is Iris's matured stage?" Martina nodded with a smile. It was unbelievable. That an Elf can mature into something the size of a human. "You're not pulling my leg?" She shook her head. He took a seat next to the large Elf, now identified as Iris.

"Zero, Zero!" Iris shouted again and hugged his waist. With a purr, she nuzzled up to him. "Zeeeeroooo."

Ciel watched with a slight air of jealousy and Alouette was too busy playing tag with the smaller Elves to notice. "Well, since she's going to be in a human state, she's going to need clothes," Ciel stated and closed her eyes. Her eyebrows were arched into a rather angry look, which Zero noticed almost immediately. "Come on, Zero. Let's take her to my room to get changed." Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the room, expecting Zero was following.

Not wanting to make Ciel upset, Zero got up from the bed and reached for Iris' hand. She smiled cattily and giggled as blush creped onto her face. "Zero!" she chirped and took his hand. He then proceeded to follow Ciel. Alouette was happily playing with the Elves, so she waved at Zero, saying that she'll see him later.

In Ciel's room, Zero stood with his back to the girls and sighed in boredom. "Are you girls done?" he asked.

Iris, wearing only a pair of panties and her T-shirt covering only her head, leaped in front of Zero and looked to him through the hole for her head. "Zeeee-roooo!" she said in a spooky, yet still playful, tone and moving her hands in a ghostly way. Zero looked down slightly in his typical act of bashfulness only to see the Elf's perfect breasts and trim waist.

"Erm, Ciel?" he began, looking up to the ceiling, "She isn't quite dressed yet." He was hit in the head by a clump of clothing. "Uh…"

Ciel stomped over to him with a scowl and tossed another clump of socks in his face. "Zero, I'm trying the best I can to dress her, but she's hyper! I can't get her to sit still!" She stamped her foot on the floor with irritation. "She thinks I'm playing some game with her!" The scientist caught Zero by the collar and shook him about, "She your Elf! Do something! Something other than complain about how she's dressed or lack of it!"

"Alright, alright; I'll try." He turned to Iris, who was currently jumping on the bed in just underwear and a T-shirt, and cleared his throat. The Elf looked to him and, moments later, hit her head on the ceiling and fell on her butt. "Iris, are you alright?" he asked.

She blushed a little and smiled cattily. "Zero," she answered. She spotted her tail and grabbed it with both hands. She then hugged it tightly, absently pressing it between her breasts in a rather suggestive manner.

Zero coughed and looked away. "Well, at least you're okay." He looked over his shoulder and noticed her tail had returned to its regular position. "Iris? Could you possibly stand still so Ciel can dress you? Please?" She cocked her head at him. "You can't go around naked, you know." Iris nodded happily and hopped off the bed, then proceeded to stand in front of Ciel's mirror.

Both Ciel and Zero were speechless. "All we had to do was ask her to hold still?" She stood aghast at Iris's still form. With a frustrated growl, she kicked another pile of discarded clothing at an adjacent wall, and caused it to rebound off it and hit Zero again.

"You did that on purpose didn't you?" he asked with a sideways glance.

"Nope; Just a happy coincidence," the scientist grumbled and started to dress Iris.

After about fifteen minutes, Ciel had Iris dressed and decent. She lent Iris her Resistance uniform and a few other civilian outfits. The uniform fit Iris almost perfectly, if it wasn't for her more pronounced measurements. The black under suit was tight around her broad hips, stretching the material a bit. As for the actual uniform, a few buttons at the top had to remain unbuttoned, or it would constrict against her chest. Her green hair was also in a similar fashion to Ciel. "There; that should so it," the scientist said as she cut a hole for the tail.

The Elf stood in front of the mirror, smiling broadly. "Looking good," Zero commented with a smirk.

Iris blushed and stood with her arms behind her. "Zero…" she said bashfully.

Ciel crossed her arms and sighed. "It seems she can only say your name, Zero," she assumed.

Iris looked to Ciel and cocked her head again. "Zero?"

The red 'roid scratched his head and sweatdropped. "Well, maybe the Elves in the Hacker wing can figure out why," he suggested. Iris looked to him briefly before nuzzling into his chest.

"You're right, Zero," Ciel said and turned away from them in thought. "She isn't going to be easy to understand if all she can say is-"

"Uh, Ciel?" Zero interrupted. She turned to see what was up and her eyes widened.

Zero was hunched over with Iris on his back. While he wore a bored expression, Iris had a very bright and cheerful smile on. "Zero!" she said as she made a peace symbol with her hands. Zero sighed.

Ciel growled and pointed to the floor. "Iris, get off of him and stop acting like a child!" she called angrily. Iris' ears drooped as she slowly climbed off Zero. "And maybe while we're in the Hacker wing, they can find a way to alter your personality!"

Her cat ears perked straight up, her eyes widened and began to water, her tail slipped between her legs and her knees buckled. "Z-Zero?" She reached up and pressed her ears against her head, "Zero! Zeroooo!" she cried aloud and shook about.

"Then grow up!"

Iris sniffled and hid behind Zero. "C'mon, Ciel, aren't you being a little harsh?" Ciel shrugged and placed her hands in her pocket. "I'm sure if we teach her, she won't act like this," Zero suggested.

The scientist nodded again and sighed. "Iris, I'm sorry I snapped like that." Iris looked to her from behind Zero and nodded sheepishly. "Now, let's just go to the Hacker wing." Zero and Iris both nodded, and the trio was en route to the room where Totten and the other Hackers work.

--Hacker Room--

"Sorry, Ciel. It just can't be done," the main Hacker, Totten, clarified. "We may be able to hack into computer or Reploids, but another Elf?"

Ciel sighed again and took a seat beside Zero. "So, you're telling me that you can't hack into Iris' databank and explain why she can only say 'Zero?'" she asked.

Totten crossed her arms and shook her head. "What's the big deal? You just need to teach her how to speak."

"That's what I said," Zero responded. "And maybe she's saying my name because I was the only one feeding her these last two years." Totten shrugged.

"Well, I don't know if I have enough time to teach her how to speak," Ciel said with an air of uncertainty. "Maybe you and Zero can teach her," she suggested to Totten.

Again, the Elf shrugged. "I don't have much on my schedule now. Besides, Dable and Byse can cover for me should something come up." She looked to Iris and smiled at her. The cat-like Elf smiled back in a cute catty way. "I'd love to. Besides, it might give me more opportunities to study her a bit. This humanoid transformation is very… intriguing."

Zero nodded. "Yeah, that's true. I'll help whenever I can."

"Well, you'll have to do that alone for today. Some very important research needs to get done, and I'm the only one that can do it."

Ciel nodded. "Okay. Too bad you can't hack into her memory banks and give her the ability to speak," she lamented with a slight laugh. "Well, we should leave you alone to get your research done then." They all stood up and walked passed Totten as she buzzed back into the far end of the room.

As they walked down the halls, Ciel and Zero pointed to every little thing they could and tried to teach Iris how to pronounce it. But, with each object, the only answer she would give was 'Zero.' They pointed to a pole, "Zero!" They pointed to a passing 'roid, "Zero!" Door, "Zero!" They couldn't seem to get her to say anything else.

"Argh!" Ciel shouted and crabbed her hair and pulled a bit. "I've never had someone try my patience so much!" she lamented, "It's like I'm dealing with a huge bolder; can't be swayed to change it's direction unless you use dynamite!" With a sigh, she leaned against her door and rubbed her temples.

"Ciel? Are you feeling alright? You've been acting a little… grouchy," Zero commented as Iris danced around happily in the back. Ciel gave no answer; just another sigh. "Or is it that time?"

"Do you keep tabs on my cycle or something?" she growled and leered at him. "No, I'm just agitated for some reason I don't know!" The frustrated girl turned and opened her door. "Look, I'm going to bed. I think I just need a good rest."

"Okay. I'll see you later, Ciel."

She heard their footsteps leave the hall and she growled again in anger. "Why am I so tense? I felt like biting someone's head off." Ciel rubbed her temples and walked to her bed. "Maybe a nap isn't asking too much," she commented before tossing herself on the bed. She was out even before she hit the pillow.

As they walked down the halls more, Zero continued to point to various objects. Still the same results as before. He sighed and pointed to the elevator. "Come on Iris. This is an elevator. Say it. El-e-va-tor," he said slowly.

The Elf smiled again with her cat-like grace and said, proudly, "Zero!" and tackled him.

"No! Elevator!"

"Zero! Zero! Zero," she repeated as she nuzzled his chest.

He scratched his head with a worrisome expression. "Come on, Iris…"

Suddenly, she heard a sound from behind. She instantly let go of Zero and caught a staff in mid-swing. Zero looked behind him and saw Iris holding the offending object, which he recognized as the K-Staff. He looked up the shaft of the weapon and saw a very shocked Katt. "Wow, Zero. This girl is good!" she commented.

"Yeah, she's mysterious in many ways," he commented with a shrug.

Katt withdrew her weapon and reached out to shake Iris' hand. "Nice to meet'cha. I'm Katt," she greeted. "What do you go by?"

Iris looked at Katt's hand questionably and cocked her head. Zero told her to take Katt's hand, so she did and shook hands. She smiled cutely at Katt. "Zero!"

Zero slapped his forehead. "Zero? You're named Zero too?"

"No, Katt. All she can say is Zero. Her name is Iris," he explained to the tigress 'roid. "I'm trying to teach her how to say other words, but nothing's working. She's still saying Zero, and she has been since earlier."

Katt stamped her staff on the ground and leaned against it in thought. "We could always try my method," she suggested with a slight grin.

"I remember your method for 'repairing' something. The toaster has never worked the same since your 'treatment'," Zero replied with a sigh.

"So I might've hit it too hard," she admitted. "But it still works."

Elsewhere, in the mess hall: "You want toast, techno-man!" the toaster screamed to a Reploid being strangled by its power cord as it stuffed toast in his mouth. "Then have all the toast in the world!" it hollered again, followed by maniacal laughter. A female 'roid stepped up with a cup of steaming hot coffee and a blank face. She decided not to get involved despite the victim's agonizing cries. "You want jam!" The captive Reploid shook his head. "Toast is no good without jam! Lots and lots of jam!" The toaster began to laugh again as it grabbed a large jar of jam with its power cord…

Zero nodded. "Right. That's why I have to threaten the toaster with my Recoil Rod to get toast…" Katt was speechless. "Well, why don't we just teach her ourselves?"

Katt smiled and nodded. "That can work too." She then picked up her staff and shouldered it, "But can't I smash something?" Zero's lack amuse was evident enough. His expression said it by itself; no smashing. She pouted and put her staff away. "We'll have it your way," Katt said with a smile.

The 'lesson' continued for an hour or so before Katt began pulling her hair and screaming. "I can't take it anymore! All she says is 'Zero!' 'Zero,' 'Zero,' 'Zero!' 'Zero' this! 'Zero' that! 'Zero' times 'Zero' is 'Zero!' Anything times 'Zero' is 'Zero!'" Zero and Iris stood and gawked at the screaming tigress 'roid as she hammered her head into the wall repeatedly. She calmed after a few minutes and looked to him and the human-sized Elf. "I just remembered I have a previous engagement in the Training room," she said totally calmly and sprinted off down the hall. Iris giggled a bit and Zero sighed.

Zero trudged as Iris pranced around happily. He was determined to get her to say anything other than his name. It was cute for a while, but it quickly got annoying. "Iris," he called and got her attention. "What will it take you to say something other than 'Zero?'" he asked with a hint of frustration in his tone.

She looked to him cutely and caught him in a tight embrace. "Zero!" she giggled as she nuzzled his cheek.

With a sigh, he leaned against the wall. It was then an idea hit him. "Iris seems to be very attached to me. Maybe I could use that to my advantage," he schemed. He lightly pushed the Elf off him and she gave him a confused look. "Listen: If you can't say anything other than my name, I won't hug or nuzzle you or even play any games with you." He crossed his arms and looked away from her with a smirk.

She smirked as well and went to hug him. Again, he pushed her aside. She cocked her head a bit and went for another. Zero stepped away and looked to the ceiling. "Zero?" She tried to nuzzle him, but he pulled away. "Zero! Zero," she cried out and tugged his hair. With a quick turn of his head, his hair slipped away from her. She puffed her cheeks out like a small child and looked around. She pointed to the elevator and smiled. "El-e-va-tor," she declared, mimicking Zero.

Zero looked to her and smiled back. "See? Now was that so hard?"

"Nuh-uh," Iris answered and smiled cattily at her. "I coulda said that long time ago," she replied with a wink.

"What?" Zero exclaimed.

"It was fun see you make faces," she responded with a little giggle. Zero sighed and shook his head. "Now my turn!" Iris dove at him again and resumed nuzzling him lovingly, purring softly. "I say other thing; you hug, nuzzle and play!"

Again, the red 'roid sighed. "Well, I can't argue with that," he conceited. "Either way, don't play around like that again?" She nodded and nuzzled his face some more. It was getting fairly late, so Zero suggested they go back to his room for some rest. He didn't let on, but he was tremendously beat. All the tackling he took from Iris, an entire day of running all over the base, his sparring session with Katt and the mission he had to accomplish on top of that. He was glad the day was almost over.

Zero opened the door to his room and dove onto his bed, snoozing the minute he hit the mattress. Iris mewed sweetly at him and covered him with his blanket. "G'night, Zero," she purred and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Tomorrow, we play fun game!" He groaned in his sleep, not because of what she said, but it was just a happy coincidence. The Super Elf giggled at his discomfort. "I hope we have fun." She smiled happily and laid down on the floor and curled up into a ball to catch some sleep herself.

End of Chapter III:

Cat Tricks

Worenx's Corner

Chachi: NOOOOOOO! You've desecrated on my precious story!

Shade: ZzZzZzZ…

Chachi: WAKE UP SO I CAN PUNCH YOU!

Shade: Huh? Oh, sorry, I've been swamped with work. I apologize if this chapter seemed rushed. If you liked the ending, yay; throws confetti; if not, say so in the review and I'll work on revising it; collapses on the desk; ZzZzZzZz

Chachi: …cracks knuckles; Oh Aya! Dust off the 'Review Time with Chachi and Aya' banner! I've gotta exact revenge! MWAHAHAHA!

Catra; smacks Chachi: Keep it down, ya joke!