Uh. . . Yeah, yet another one-shot. I keep getting so many random ideas inside my head that I'm having a hard time typing them down. Most of them usually end up half-finished. Well, at least I've been able to make some of them as one-shots, like this one and PKMN: Victory. This idea came to me while I was playing as Zero from Marvel vs Capcom 3. I'm still miffed at the fact that I can't play as a Mega Man in that game. . .
Let me make one thing very clear: I'm not that great in grammar (mainly the past/present tense). I may have a (fair?) few gramatical errors in here despite checking this one-shot, but once I find them, I'll fix them. So if you find any, don't go yelling at me for it.
For some reason, I seem to be obsessed with using at least one important yet unnamed character for each one-shot I make. Kind of funny, isn't it? This takes place between X7 and X8, by the way.
Have fun reading, folks.
Human
"What exactly is the definition of 'human,' anyway?"
He was merely out on patrol to check and see if there were any leftover Mavericks from the long yet brief struggle with Red Alert. Along with Maverick skirmishes, Zero has seen numerous humans and Reploids fighting in arguments, mostly the yelling types, yet this one human here was speaking as if she was talking to the angry Reploid normally.
The human was a young female, Zero could tell that much. Her brown-black hair, which reached down to the middle of her back, flowed along with the small wind that was gently blowing. Instead of wearing the formfitting clothing that are normally seen on young human women, this human chose to wear the loose clothing that men could be easily found wearing. Her white shirt and red hoodie obscured most of her figure, and her black pants was held up with a white belt. Her shoes were the typical red with a white trim tip. Her face was somewhat round, and her expression was completely neutral.
It was rare to come across humans like that one.
Just two minutes earlier, Zero saw the human bump into the gray human-type Reploid. Apparently, the human did not apologize, although she did nod at him. This, of course, made the Reploid take offense.
"Just because you're human doesn't mean that you have the right to be rude to us!"
While Zero would normally ignore conversations like this and leave with inward disgust, the human only tilted her head slightly before speaking.
"What exactly is the definition of 'human,' anyway?"
Zero's footsteps ceased, for the human's question caught his attention. Wouldn't a human be someone like her? A person made from mother nature and biological means?
"They say that humans are the only one in this world that can reason," the human(?) spoke as the gray Reploid she bumped into earlier stared at her, as did some of the other occasional passerby, "Yet, if a Reploid like you can reason, then wouldn't you count as a human, too?"
She quietly moved past the gray Reploid and walked away.
"Both of us are human," says she, "We were just made of different materials. We both are a person."
The human disappeared from sight, and when Zero tried to follow her in the guise of patrolling the streets, he found that she disappeared after making a turn.
"Both of us are human. . . ?" Zero muttered. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he quietly continued his patrol.
He soon found himself near that. . . infamous. . . green highway that held a fair few memories. His first memory was rescuing X from Vile's Ride Armor back in the first Maverick War, and the most recent was meeting a runaway Axl.
Zero couldn't help but feel disgusted at the sight of that highway. He looked up at the sign that showed the name of the highway.
Intro Green Highway.
For some reason, Zero found the name fitting. Sickening, but fitting.
"That highway has been destroyed quite a few times, hasn't it?"
Zero turned behind him. To his surprise, it was the same human girl he saw from earlier, the one who spoke that strange philosophy. When did she get here? And how did she get here so quietly?
"Humans can be very strange creatures," Zero heard her simply say as she looked up at the highway looming above them, "But then again, Reploids themselves have strange characteristics, don't they?"
Zero, not being an expert on any kind of socialization, only blinked at her, "Yeah, I guess."
"If you think about it, the Three Laws of Robotics really do not make a lot of sense, either."
". . . Really," Zero rose a brow, he had no idea why he was listening to her, but that was probably because she didn't show any signs of being cowardly. Of all the humans that had ever dared to approach him, he would see them twitch in fear in some way. In this human's case, she stood perfectly still, the only movement being her eyes blinking and hair flowing gently in the wind.
She raised a finger, her gaze still at the highway, "First Law: A robot may never injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being some to harm."
It was then she looked at Zero, who was surprised to see that the human has a similar green eye color just like X.
"If the First Law applies robots, or at least ones with a mind that can think for themselves, shouldn't this apply to humans, too?"
Zero rose a brow at her.
"Killing another in cold blood is typically called a murder, homicide, manslaughter, and the like. If a human kills another human, they would typically receive either a very long or life sentence in prison. If a Reploid kills another Reploid, the victim will most likely be considered as a Maverick if taken down by a Maverick Hunter."
Colonel and Iris. . . definitely fit in that book. Zero thought with a slightly sick feeling in his stomach. If he had one, that is.
"And even if the Reploid is not a Maverick Hunter, they'll just be destroyed as well since there's the chance of them being a Maverick. But if a Reploid kills a human, then that Reploid is instantly deemed Maverick and destroyed for whatever reason."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, "But what if a human kills a Reploid?"
Zero took what she just said in mind, thinking about it, what does happen to a human if they kill a Reploid? Technically, a Reploid can easily be brought back from the dead, he himself is proof of that. However, resurrecting a Reploid is strictly forbidden in order to keep this "Mortality Law" equal or something. After all, a human cannot be brought back from the dead once they die, regardless of the cause of death.
But if the death was caused by murder. . .
"My best friend was a Reploid," she looked back up on the green highway, "He was killed by a human that hated him."
So that was the reason why she asked that last question. Zero blinked. Her friend, a Reploid, was destroyed by a human.
"The human that killed him only received a one month sentence of community service," she spoke, "Pales in comparison to that of the other sentences whenever a human is killed by either another human or Reploid."
That was true, of all the Reploids Zero could recall being destroyed, no, murdered, by someone despite the fact of them not being Maverick, a human was usually behind it. Probably about every nine of ten Reploid murders whenever a Maverick War was not in play.
"You raise a good point," was all Zero could say.
"If you ask me, I hate a lot of the 'humans' that exist today," she finally took a deep breath, "I've lost my faith in them long ago."
"You don't say."
"Ever since my friend was murdered, I've committed myself to stay alongside Reploids for the rest of my life. I feel more connected to them, anyway."
"Oh?" Zero rose a brow again.
"I often wonder how Reploids feel whenever they are ordered around by humans, especially if it means following orders they would rather not do. Some of them may have come across situations like that, yet they never complain. The Second Law causes that pain, no doubt."
Zero's mouth formed a thin line, "I can't exactly deny that I haven't stepped in that stone."
"Really?" she finally replied to him, but it was more like a statement than a question.
"I've lost a few friends that meant a lot to me due to an incident a few decades ago," Zero said while wondering why he was even telling the human this, "And it was because of me that they both died. My superiors thought it was a coup, but all they really wanted was to be an independent nation."
"I wouldn't mind if they did establish one, might have been better for the world, anyway. But if someone manipulated them, that would be a different story."
". . . It was exactly that."
The human raised a brow at him, but didn't question it, "I guess humans tend to forget that Reploids have feelings, too."
Zero didn't correct her and was silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered, "I overheard you say something once. Not too long ago, actually."
"Hm?"
"You said 'Both of us are human.' What did you mean by that?"
"That's exactly what I mean," the human shrugged, "I'm sure you've heard of the phrase, 'The only animals in this world that has the ability to reason are humans'?"
"I believe I have, so what do you mean by-" Zero stopped speaking midway, having just realized the flaw in that phrase.
"Reploids also have the ability to reason, that alone makes them human. Therefore," she turned and pointed at him, "You are also human."
"Me? Being a human just because I can reason?" Zero was skeptical.
"What exactly is the definition of 'human'?" she spoke, "A 'human' is one that can reason, be born, and die. While someone like me is physically defined to be a human, that doesn't chance the fact that we both are a person, a people. The only difference is that we are made from different materials. A human is born from organic cells, while a Reploid is born from metal, both of which come from Mother Nature. So, technically, the second part of the Third Law is pretty much pointless."
Zero blinked, he never thought of it that way.
She finally smiled, "Do you get what I'm saying?"
Zero only remained silent. He couldn't decide whether he could understand her or not.
She closed her eyes, "I won't be surprised if you discard my logic minutes after my departure, but it still feels good to know that someone is willing to speak to me even after my odd point of view in life. I'm even more glad that you listened to me. Maybe you might understand what I just talked to you about someday."
She finally turned and walked away.
"Farewell, Maverick Hunter with a heart."
Zero didn't follow her, all he did was watch her walk away until she disappeared into the crowd just outside of the highway.
A human is born from organic cells, while a Reploid is born from metal, both of which come from Mother Nature.
"Mother Nature, huh?" Zero sighed, then continued doing his patrol.
The next day came without any events, other than the fact that New Generation Reploids were on the rise of demand. Their virus resistance has become very effective in fending off infections, especially from the Sigma Virus.
Zero only stood by one of the large windows in the Hunter's HQ, its view reaching the whole city.
Come to think of it, don't human get sick by viruses? Zero wondered.
Both humans and Reploids have infections to worry about, but with the recent medical technology, the chances of getting "sick" has decreased dramatically.
"Hey Zero, what's up?"
Zero turned to his left and saw X walking up towards him, "Oh, hey, X."
"You've been pretty quiet today, did something happen?"
"Not really," Zero turned his attention back the city view, "I was just thinking."
"About what?"
". . . Humans and Reploids aren't really that different, are they?"
X was quiet.
"No, Zero. . . To me they're the same. In a way. Some day, both humans and Reploids will be treated equally."
"Equal, huh?" he mused.
Many days have past, and Zero never saw that human again.
But still, the news of a human's skeletal remains being found near a green highway didn't really catch the attention of many. What was even more odd was that the body was dead for over a week.
This probably doesn't really make a lot of sense, but I'll leave that to you. As for the very last part. . . I'll let you interpret it in however you like.
I was originally going to name the human, but decided not to in order to make her more mysterious. But really, her views are quite similar to my own. Even now, I still wonder what exactly is the definition of human. I once read in a story called "The Most Dangerous Game" in my 9th Grade Literature class, and it said something about humans being the only animal that can reason. Recalling it years later, that part caused me to think, "If humans can reason, then can't Reploids like X and Zero be considered as human if they can reason, too?"
The Three Laws of Robotics were made by Isaac Asimov. I may be a little off in understanding them, but in a way, humans also have similar rules. The biggest difference I have noticed between the the two of then is the case of self-defense. While a human is permitted to kill another human or robot if it was to protect themselves, a Reploid cannot do the same thing to a human but can to a robot? Sounds a little unfair, doesn't it?