Sorry this took so long, I've had it typed up for a while now. I just haven't uploaded and published. But I think it was well worth the wait.
Begin Chapter!
"You joined with him." Phantom kept his arms crossed over his chest. "The one who slew me and Master X."
"That would be correct." Harpuia didn't hesitate in framing his reply. "This alliance is temporary, we need Zero's strength to destroy the Delta and remove their threat from the Neo Arcadian society."
The five Reploids were silent for a long moment as Phantom considered the points brought to his attention.
"Duty demands that I assist you." Phantom nodded slightly. "But I am not indebted to the Maverick."
"Good." The Thunder Guardian felt the tension of their meeting drain away. "And Phantom… it is good to see you again."
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Darkness…
There was a certain peace in the night, a peace that Zero found no where else. He was a warrior, always had been and always would be. It was his fate and destiny. War was his way and his life.
But even warriors needed times of peace.
The Hunter cast a wary eye back at his comrades. They were still back at the make-shift camp talking and getting caught up with Phantom. It looked like they hadn't even noticed that he was missing, and that was how he wanted it. He had no business being at that reunion, and he needed time to think and sort out the fragmented mess of his mind.
Zero turned away from the camp and cast his gaze out across the eerie black-green sky. Here and there brighter green splotches of stars were able to pierce the blanket of darkness…
Why? Why had it been necessary to kill Iris? What had possessed him to do so? It was bizarre, the fact that he had slain Iris caused a centuries old pain to reawaken… yet he had no idea who Iris was… he had no connection to her at all…
Except in her death.
None of this made any sense. He needed answers… he needed to know who he was and why he was here… He didn't need to be told, he didn't need to read books to discover his past… he needed to know his past. To remember it. Nothing else would suffice, nothing else would fill the void in his mind.
But that would never happen, the only two creatures that even claimed to have knowledge of his past were gone. And since the people of his world had the most appalling lack of historical knowledge, he might never know.
It was enough to drive him crazy.
"Iris, you're right. I do look angry when I'm thinking."
Zero's eyes snapped open as he spun around to face the speaker of that strange voice. Instinctively his hand flashed down to the hilt of his Saber, ready to draw it and strike.
However, his blade crashed to the ground as his fingers went slack with disbelief. This was impossible, there was no way… he couldn't be…
He was looking at himself.
There, in front of him stood two Reploids. One was as ancient as he was claimed to be, his limbs were red, trimmed with yellow and defined with gray and black. Cubed shoulder pads rested on each side of his red and yellow torso, and his helmet was white with red fins… and the required yellow hair pulled back into a ponytail.
The other was also unbelievably old. She was red, blue, and white. Her armor was styled so that it resembled a blouse and skirt, and a red beret rested on her brown hair.
"What…?" Zero stepped back in disbelief, unable to believe his eyes.
"Sheesh, Phantom's alive in this realm." Another form appeared. This one looked even older than the other Zero, he was lacking shoulder pads, his helmet was nowhere near as stylized, and his hair just spilled out the back of his helmet in a messy tangle. "What makes you think that your past selves couldn't as well?"
"We all exist as data ghosts in cyberspace." This time the words were spoken from an ancient form of X, he appeared to be from the same time period as the stylized Zero. "With the exception of Sigma, of course. Turns out that he was using this place to come back from the dead every other week."
More forms appeared around the modern Zero. As they appeared, the Hunter's mind slowly began to register and remember them… who they were, what they did, how they related to them… the battles that they had fought, the victories they had celebrated… and the defeats they had weathered.
Doppler… Alia… Douglas… Signas… Iris… Axl… Cinnamon… Massimo… Marino… Layer… Palette... They were all here…
"I'm here too." A Reploid that Zero placed as Spider appeared on the group's edges. "And don't worry, I made short work of that Redips for impersonating me."
He remember them all.
"You're the only one of us left." The ancient Zero said. "The only one who survived. "
"It's up to you, Zero." Iris spoke up in her soft voice. "The fate of the entire world and it's future rests on you. Others will rise up and join the fight, but only if you give them the time to do so."
"We wish we could have done this earlier…" The older Zero shook his head. "You need to know, you need to remember… we're here to give you the chance to do so."
"For you, my old 'comrade in arms..'" Cinnamon grinned as she leaned forward and touched her hand to Zero's helmet crystal.
"This'll help you take them out." Axl mirrored Cinnamon, placing his hand over hers.
The others did likewise, each one ghosting through the others to touch Zero.
The crimson warrior closed his eyes…
And remembered.
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Harpuia stifled a groan as he shielded his eyes from the onslaught of the rising sun. He hadn't realized that they had talked the night away; but in the excitement of having another chance of seeing Phantom, they had lost all sense of time.
"We need to get moving." The Thunder Guardian turned back to his three companions. "We shouldn't be that far out from Delta now…"
"Yeah," Fefnir slammed his fist into his open palm. "Time for some payback!"
Phantom remained silent, but allowed a grin to surface on his face. Getting another chance to fight with his brethren should be… fun…
"Wait a moment," Leviathan's head snapped around, her eyes darting over the area. It had occurred to her that she hadn't noticed their ally in quite a while. "Where's Zero?"
"Right here." The Hunter stepped out from behind a stone outcropping and walked over to his allies. The Warrior cast a quick glance over his partners and then shook his head toward the east. "Let's go."
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"Oh…" Ciel rolled off of her cot and hit the ground in a knee-jarring kneel. Using the wall for support, she slowly but surely managed to stand erect. "Alia?"
"I'm here." The female Reploid stepped over to help her companion. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be up and about yet, your system's still trying to fight off the last of whatever it was they hit you with."
"I know," The blond scientist replied weakly. "But if I can move around then I have to. We've got to find some way out of this place and away from these… monsters."
"'Mavericks' is the word I'd use." Alia replied bitterly. "I know you've had some past trouble with that term, but that's what they are. Anyone who would use power against innocents to achieve a goal is a Maverick in my book, and these guys qualify."
Ciel nodded, then took in their surroundings. They were in a rickety brown shack of medium size, it was probably about the closest thing that these… Mavericks… had to a prison.
The prison itself didn't worry Ciel, it was what the Reploids intended to do with the people inside the prison.
"I thought about just pulling one of the boards off of the back wall and walking out." Alia was saying, "but I found out that they've got a ring of guards around this place, so that plan's out."
"That doesn't bode well for our chances." The blond human shook her head. "Maybe we co-"
Ciel broke her sentence as a sharp screeching sound filled their makeshift prison. The two turned around to find a tall, stocky Reploid pulling the door open. Two other Reploids of similar build were with him.
"She's awake." The first guard called to someone beyond the prisoner's field of vision. A moment passed, then the guards stepped into the prison. Two of them held what looked like some kind of nasty-looking manacles.
"It's time for your trial." The first guard spoke again. "And the laws on Delta clearly state that all suspected murderers or likewise dangerous prisoners be restrained while outside of prison."
"Trial?"
"Yeah, you'll see."
The two guards stepped forward, and effortlessly shackled Ciel and Alia's hands. It didn't take the blonde but a moment to realize that these were the exact same issue of restraint that was used in the Neo Arcadian prisons. Which meant…
Before Ciel could complete that thought, one of the guards had grabbed hold of her shoulder and was shoving her towards the doorway. And he wasn't being gentle about it, either.
Ciel drove any thought of escaping from her mind. The odds were stacked against them. They were probably in the middle of Delta, Mavericks were all around them and their hands were restrained. Even if they could break free from the guard's iron grip, there wouldn't be any place to run to.
Alia looked around in amazement as she was shepherded along. Delta was actually a fairly advanced city. It's streets were orderly and symmetrical, the buildings were as modern as she had ever seen, vehicles moved about with startling efficiency…
It reminded her of Gate's Reploids-only city.
As it turned out, they didn't have far to go. Within fifteen minutes they arrived at a large crowded area, the place was laid out in a large semi-circle. At the extreme center of the place was a sunken pit that was winged all the way around with bleachers and scaffolding that made it vaguely resemble an orchestra pit.
The guards began marshalling them down to the sunken pit.
All sorts of Reploids, some humanoid, some animaloid, were crowding into the bleachers. And when they noticed Ciel and Alia, a host of angry shouts and jeering erupted. It seemed as if they had all come together for one purpose… And since she knew this was going to be some kind of trial, Ciel didn't want to think about what that purpose was.
The moment that they arrived at the pit, a small stage rose up from the end opposite Ciel and Alia. Sitting on the top of the stage were two Reploids that neither Ceil nor Alia had ever wanted to see again- Vortex and Ariel. For some strange reason, Ariel had exchanged his previous armor for a silver and gold variety.
Ariel threw his hands into the air and held them there, signaling his fellow Reploids to fall silent. A few moments passed, but eventually the noise subsided.
When all was calm, Vortex stood and pointed directly at Ciel and Alia.
"Remove the Reploid!" The purple 'roid shouted. "She is to be tried separate for different crimes!"
The guards shrugged, then pulled the unwilling Alia away from Ciel.
"Now then…" Vortex's voice dropped back to normal volume, but continued to boom out among the crowd. "This session of the Human Offense Court is called to order! The prisoner we have before us none other than the human Ciel-!"
Vortex was forced to cut his speech off as a roar of angry shouts and protests ripped through the air. Again Ariel thrust his arms skyward, and this time a full minute passed before crowd quieted.
"Who is accused of masterminding the Reploid Genocide of the present day Neo Arcadia, creating and harboring weapons for the mass elimination of Reploids, of intentionally endangering Reploids with the intent of destroying them, for degrading and insulting all Reploids by labeling them as Mavericks!"
Ciel stood there in utter shock as charge after charge rolled off of Vortex's tongue. While in a way she could be held responsible for creating Copy X, the one who had set out with the intent of wiping Reploids out, she had in no way participated in such actions. What made the charges even more ludicrous was the fact that Neo Arcadia wanted her dead for helping to save Reploids.
"And by application of the Statute of Representation, we intend to bring vengeance upon Ciel for the Reploids the humans have slaughtered down through the centuries!" Vortex concluded.
That was too much for the human to handle. It was one thing to close one's eyes to the truth, it was another to twist lies for one's own pleasure or benefit. Before she had even thought of stopping herself, Ciel had broken free of her guard's grip and had taken a step toward Vortex's stage. The blonde grit her teeth and prepared to scream her protest at the Reploid's actions… when the guard's free hand clamped down over her mouth.
"That's not the way this works." The guard hissed in Ciel's ear. "You have no right to say anything here, if you were innocent of all this stuff, then they never would have brought you in for a trial. Only the truly guilty ever get this far, and lady, you are nothing but."
Ciel's reply was lost as she mumbled into the guard's oversized hand.
"You have already seen the evidence!" Vortex continued his speech. "You have seen how the humans have slaughtered our brothers, and by extension we fix the blame on Ciel! She was the one who created and goaded Master X into beginning his genocide of the Reploids, she is to blame for it all! Brothers, while we have been in this paradise for hundreds of years, safe from the threat of the humans, she and her kind were butchering them! There is only one course of action! There is only one decision! What say you?"
A torrent of negative replies rushed down the bleachers, they came so thick and so fast that Ciel almost felt that she could feel them slamming into her. They really did blame the Reploid's fate on her… It was the only truth that they knew…
"Then the decision is made!" The purple Reploid screamed. "Her fate is sealed! She is guilty! Ariel, commence with the execution!"
An ugly grin appeared on the silver Reploid's lips. With exaggerated movements he reached behind the stage and retrieved a hand-blaster. Then, obviously taking great pleasure in the Reploid's shouts and screams, the silver Reploid strolled over to Ciel at a snail's pace.
The guard removed his hand from Ciel's mouth. Then he gave on quick yank on his prisoner's hand restraints. The move had it's desired effect and drove the human down to her knees.
Ariel slowed to a stop right in front of Ciel, forcing her to look up at him. With a sadistic grin, the Reploid stretched out his arm and leveled his pistol at his captive's face.
The Reploid's smirk changed into a pained yelp… when a familiar Shield Boomerang shot through the air, cleaved his blaster in two, and left both pieces scattered on the ground…
A red blur ripped into the guard, hurling him back into the stands. As soon as the guard crashed into the bleachers, the red form resolved itself into none other than Zero. The hunter thrust out his hand, catching his Shield from it's circular path. A split second later and the Crimson Warrior's blade appeared a millimeter from the silver Reploid's face.
Zero stared past his sword into Ariel's face.
"Touch her, and die."
"You!" Ariel recognized the Reploid as the one he had tangled with back at the scientist's warehouse.
"The name's Zero." The Crimson Warrior kept his blade trained on his opponent. For some reason, calling himself Zero felt… right. The back of his mind realized that this was the first time he had actually known himself to be Zero, it wasn't who someone else thought he was, it wasn't who he claimed to be; he knew who he was. "And you're Ariel. Now that the introductions are over, Ciel and Alia are leaving."
For a moment silence reigned as neither Reploid spoke, then the smirk returned to Ariel's face.
"Maybe you can defeat me and General Vortex, but do you think that you can stop all of them?" The silver Reploid's right hand shot up to point up to the bleachers. "TAKE HIM!"
Zero risked a look over his shoulder. As he had expected, the Mavericks in the stands weren't going to just stand there and take Ciel away. Following the silver Reploid's order, virtually all of the 'roids were on their feet and pouring down the stairwell with one purpose in mind, to beat him to death.
The Hunter turned back to his prey.
"We can take them."
"What?"
A war cry flew through the air, followed by the form of Fighting Fefnir. The Fire Guardian flipped once, then slammed into the ground right between Zero and the Maverick Mob.
"Now this could be a fight!" Fefnir shouted. The red guardian snapped his massive cannon around to bear at his opponents. "Hold it right there and I won't blow you all to atoms!"
Fefnir waited a split second, then shrugged as the Mavericks continued their advance. A titanic blast of raw power exploded from Fefnir's cannon and arched through the air. A moment passed as the attack and the Maverick mob closed in on each other.
Fefnir grinned in pleasure as an explosion ripped through the air, and Reploid parts began raining from the sky.
At that moment, Fairy Leviathan dropped from the sky and landed next to Ciel. Quickly the Ice Guardian latched onto the blonde and led her off towards safety.
Zero turned back to Ariel and grinned.
"Told you."
Ariel screamed in rage as his anger detonated. A deadly pair of daggers appeared in the Maverick's hands, without a second's hesitation, the silver Reploid snapped his weapons around and knocked the Hunter's blade away. Then he brought his left weapon around in an effort to skewer his opponent.
Zero snapped his Saber around and caught the dagger with his blade. A quick parry sent the dagger thrusting through empty air, leaving Ariel's right arm extended- and creating a massive opening. The swordsman pulled himself into a sharp twist, transforming the move into a blow that would have trimmed Ariel's hair to the level of his shoulders.
The Silver Reploid took advantage of his awkward state and yanked his own feet out from under him. The move dropped him to the ground and below his foe's attack, deftly Ariel rolled over onto his back, braced his hands behind him, and kicked out at Zero's midsection.
The Hunter twisted sharply, scraping by the blow. Quickly he vaulted backwards to put some room between himself and his opponent. He readied his sword for their next exchange.
Zero drove his blade forward, only to have it intercepted by Ariel's dagger. The Hunter twisted his Saber and shoved it to the side. The move forced the silver Reploid's weapon away, leaving Zero with the chance to send his knee ramming into his opponent's stomach.
Ariel slid backward, from the shock of being struck as well as the blow. Instantly he shook the feelings off and dove back into the attack.
"You've got to have a death wish!" The silver Reploid's sword lashed out, arcing about to split his foe in two. His attack missed as Zero ducked under the swing. The Hunter snapped upright to launch a counterattack.
He never succeeded.
Ariel had anticipated the dodge, and had turned the momentum from his useless swing into a spinning kick. His foot lashed out and connected solidly with Zero's head, the impact send the Hunter tumbling to the ground.
As soon as he hit the floor, Zero twisted about and sliced at Ariel's ankles. The silver Reploid leaped upward, escaping harm.
However, instead of getting to his feet, the Crimson Warrior remained on the ground and snapped his left foot around in a wide arc. The move caught Ariel just as he landed and knocked him to the ground as well.
Zero flipped his feet over his head and pulled a backward somersault to right himself. His next attack to skewer his adversary missed as Ariel rolled to the side and sprang to his feet.
As the silver Reploid rose to his feet, the Hunter turned his Saber around in a reverse grip so that the blade swept back along his forearm. Ariel leaped forward and thrust his dagger forward. Hut instead of catching the attack with his Saber, Zero placed his free hand directly in the attack's path.
A split second before the sword's impact, the Shield Boomerang burst into existence. The shield stopped Ariel's thrust and sent it rebounding backwards, forcing the silver Reploid to leave himself open. With a shout, the Hunter shot his right hand forward, cleanly slicing into Ariel.
Even as the silver Reploid screamed in pained fury he was counterattacking. Ariel forced himself to turn the force of the blow into a tight spin. The move carried his sword around in an arc, where it buried itself in the back of Zero's shoulder.
Zero's left arm went dead.
The only visible evidence of the pain he was feeling was the tightening of Zero's jaw. Pushing himself past the pain, the Hunter snapped out with his left foot. His kick connected solidly with Ariel's stomach, forcing the two apart. Ariel went flying and hit the ground a short distance away from his opponent.
"So, it all comes down to this." Ariel panted as he clutched at his chest wound with his free hand. "One final exchange, and then you die."
"Unlikely." Zero panted.
"'Unlikely' my eye. We're both wounded, my chest has been sliced in two, your left arm is useless. I must say that I'm impressed, no one has ever injured me like this."
"You about finished? I don't have time for your speeches." The Crimson Warrior snapped.
"Very well… IT'S TIME TO DIE!" Ariel launched himself at his opponent.
Zero broke into a dash. The second that he came within striking distance he lashed out with his blade…
And missed completely.
Ariel ducked under the blade and then launched himself into a low leap and raised his knees. The silver Reploid hit the Hunter cleanly in the chest and sent them both crashing to the ground. Due to his maneuver, Ariel landed on top of Zero and a split second later his blade was hovering above his adversary's throat.
"And now…" Ariel grinned wickedly as he began applying pressure to his blade. "you die."
"You first." Zero hissed.
Click!
Ariel looked down… and found a fully charged Z Buster pointed at his chest.
"NO!"
Zero pulled the trigger.
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"NO!" Vortex stared at the disruption that was already blooming into a full fledged crisis. His followers were being driven back by a single Neo Arcadian with a cannon. The captured human and Reploid were escaping with the aid of an unknown blue Reploid… and it was beginning to look like they just might succeed.
"I won't let you defy us!" Vortex snapped out his right hand and began focusing his power. In a split second a razor-sharp blade of energy had materialized in his palm. The general brought the weapon back to his shoulder, set his sights on Zero, and prepared to throw his dagger and save Ariel…
The energy dagger went to pieces.
A moment later a large shuriken slammed into the ground, evidently it was the instrument of the dagger's destruction.
"What the-?" Vortex snapped around and looked up, tracing the projectile's path. He found himself staring straight into the eyes of none other than Ninja Phantom. The Neutral Guardian was clinging to an overgrown shrub behind the purple Reploid.
The assassin shook his finger back and forth in a 'no' manner.
A loud thud drew the general's attention. He turned back around to find Sage Harpuia standing behind him.
"You have two choices." The green Guardian drew his daggers. "Surrender or be destroyed."
Ninja Phantom launched himself off of his shrub and vaulted around to join his comrade.
"Surrender? Delta has no interest in surrendering." Vortex drew himself to his full height, and gathered a storm of energy in each of his palms. "We have lived independent of everyone since the Repliforce tried it's coup. We succeeded, they failed. That is why we are alive today. We will never turn ourselves over so that others may destroy us."
Phantom shot a look at Harpuia, clearly wanting to know what their opponent was talking about.
"Now the pieces come together…" The Thunder Guardian muttered.
End Chapter!