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Resistance Base
"Hey, I heard that you three finally decided to help us." Zero walked into the room after he heard the news from Ciel.
"Dr. Weil's actions lead to the death of many humans. If he tries to pull off something similar to what he did in the Elf Wars, then it is our duty to stop them." Harpuia turned to Zero. "Make no mistake Zero, we are not helping you because we like you, but because it is our duty."
Zero noticed Leviathan and Fefnir in the repair room as he looked out of Harpuia's window. "What happened to them?"
"She got into a fight with one of Weil's reploids, as for Fefnir he got into a fight with a black reploid named Forte. Although I heard from the rumors that Omega took care of the reploid."
Forte got destroyed by Omega? There were some things that I needed to know from him, like who my creator was. If Omega managed to beat Forte, then do I really have what it takes to defeat Omega?
"Well, it's been a pleasure chatting with you Zero, but I need to go check on those two now."
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Cyperspace
"You haven't changed since last time Forte, still trying to prove you're the strongest. Why do you insist on chasing that goal?" X talked to Forte as if he was a friend.
"I was surprised to find out you can possibly work with Zero, after all, he was the one that tried destroyed your creator." Forte responded.
"Tell me Forte, how exactly did you know about what happened? I don't remember you being there when Dr. Light finished creating me."
"I stole the blueprints; of course I know that apart of Rockman was installed to finish you. That included some his memories and his morals. Besides, you were way too much like him to be a coincidence."
"Tell me, why do you insist on fighting Zero? You've upgraded yourself into a reploid, but you still choose to follow that goal Wily put into you as a robot."
"Because of what Rockman did to Gospel and the fact that he always beat me. Zero took away my revenge from me and I want to beat him to prove I am the best."
"If vengeance was what you want, it was because of the virus Wily planted in Zero. If you want revenge, then defeat Omega."
"What does Omega have to do with anything?"
"After you beat him, you'll find out." Forte turned to leave but X stopped him. "Forte, the only reason Rockman beat you time and time again was not because he was stronger, it was because he had something to protect. Until you can do the same thing, you will not be able to surpass him. You can't defeat Omega by yourself."
X continued on. "It took both me and Zero to take down Omega last time. Forte, do you have what it takes to work with Zero and take down Omega?"
"Fighting like that is a sign of weakness; I will not stoop down to his level. However, I do realize what you said about Omega was true. As much as I hate to say this I'll have to work with Zero. I guess I'm heading for the Resistance Base." Forte opened a gate outside of Cyperspace and left. X remembered something else he wanted to say.
"Forte, I'm sorry." X disappeared into Cyberspace and the area was once again engulfed by darkness.
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What happened? Wait, why am I almost fully repaired?
"The reploid finally woke up, Crea." Forte found two baby elves hovering across from him. "It does seem he finally woke up, Prea."
"What do you two want?" Forte asked the two baby elves.
"We're looking for mommy, and you seem to have power." The red baby elf, now identified as Prea spoke. "You can help us look for mommy." They must be talking about the Dark Elf. They were the ones who healed me, and they seem to have power. I guess taking them along could pay off.
"Alright fine, you can come along to the Resistance Base with me." Forte ran to the Resistance Base with the two baby elves following him. Just you wait, X, I'll take down Omega and prove myself as the strongest to you and Rockman.
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Resistance Base
"Ciel, Zero, there's three energy readings outside of Base. They seem to be trying to communicate." The operators reported to Ciel and Zero.
"Put them through." Ciel instructed. Just then, the head of a black reploid appeared on the big screen behind them.
"Greetings, Resistance fighters…"
"Forte! How's that possible? I thought Omega destroyed you," Zero was surprised to see the reploid he was thinking about still alive.
"It will take more than that to destroy me. As I was saying, as much as I hate to admit this, I need help to take down Dr. Weil and Omega. That's why I decided to temporarily join you Resistance fighters. However, if you refuse, I'll have no choice but to destroy this base and destroy all reploids living there one by one to gain more power."
"There's no way he has enough power to do that!" Ciel was surprised to hear such a statement. There's no way that he can destroy every single soldier here, especially with Zero here. Can we really accept such a violent reploid into the Resistance? It seems like Zero still isn't fully recovered yet, what choice do I have.
"Send him in."
"Zero? How do you know him?"
"I've fought him last time. That's how I got all these injuries; I don't doubt the fact that he will destroy the base."
"Alright, Operators, send him in."
"Got it, preparing transfer," they punched a few buttons on the transporter, "transfer complete."
Forte appeared in the Resistance Base and Cerveau came by just in that moment. "Hey, Ciel, I just wanted to let you know that Leviathans repairs…"
He realized that an unknown black reploid was standing in the base. He took a close look and went up to him like a giddy school girl.
"WOW! I've never seen a reploid like this before. This armor feels so different than any other reploid I've ever worked on. What types of weapons do you use? I can't seem to find them."
"My arm transforms into my weapons…" Forte was a bit uncomfortable with the reploid's enthusiasm.
"Fascinating, looks like you're in need of some repairs, well come into my room and I'll fix you right up." Well, the Baby Elves didn't finish repairing me yet, why not? Forte followed Cerveau into his room leaving Ciel, Zero, and the baby elves.
"Come on, Prea, let's go look for Aunty Alouette."
"That's right, Crea, I remembered that Aunty Alouette lived in that room." The two baby elves floated away leaving Zero and Ciel.
"Well, looks like we have a lot of powerful reploids united here to stop Dr. Weil." Ciel observed. First Zero, then the Guardians, and now Forte, I don't have any details on him so I'll just ask Cerveau later.
"There's still some things I want to ask Forte about my past. He seems to know something that I don't." Zero was still curious about his connection with Forte.
"That's strange; no reploid fitting Forte's direction was ever mentioned in the history of the Maverick Wars."
"He seems to have known me before then, maybe I'll finally be able to find out who my creator is."
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Repair Room
"Leviathan, you're okay." Leviathan sat up and saw Harpuia there. "I was really worried about you."
"I heard that you never left my side after we've arrived here, so thanks, Harpy." After Leviathan said that, Harpuia felt something strange. That's weird, my cheeks seem to have risen to a higher temperature.
"Wow, Harpy, it's the first time I've seen you blush. You look pretty cute like that." Harpuia, upon realizing he was blushing, turned even redder and Leviathan just chuckled.
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"Uhh, my head hurts." The red Guardian awoke after his repairs were finished. "Man, when I get my hands on Forte, I'll make him pay for this. I don't think I can see straight."
"I'm right over here you know." That's strange, I could've sworn I heard that voice somewhere before. Fefnir turned his head to find an ebony reploid right beside him.
"FORTE! What are you doing here?"
"I've just joined the Resistance, I was pretty surprised to see you three Guardians here as well. Oh right, that thing about making me pay. Just name the time and place and we can have a rematch anytime you want."
"Well, I'll take that offer another time, right now I want to test my luck against Zero."
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Cerveau's Room
Ciel walked in to talk to Cerveau about the black reploid, "Well, Cerveau, what did you find out about him?"
"He really is a fascinating reploid, I've never seen anything like it. However, some of his systems are very different, I'm not even sure he's completely a reploid."
"Not completely a reploid? What could he be then?"
"I'm not sure, but listen to this. Some of the things that set Zero apart from all the other reploids here are found in Forte. He's a very interesting reploid."
"I see, well good night then." Ciel walked away puzzled. Zero said Forte knew something about him before now, when could Forte have possibly been created. Ciel went to sleep pondering about the events that just happened. It seems that after we defeat Weil and Omega, we may finally be able to achieve peace. Even with Zero, Forte, and the Guardians, I wonder if we can really win.
Ciel went to sleep pondering those thoughts and had dreams of the peaceful future she always tried to create.
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