Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything in the Mega Man ZX series. Since a third ZX game looks unlikely, I decided to write a story concluding the events of ZX Advent's hidden ending.
Summary: The future has become a dangerous place after the death of Master Albert. Master Thomas has a deadly scheme to reset the world after war breaks out across the globe, using Model O to carry out his sinister plans. The Game of Destiny escalates as Mega Men continue to fight amongst one another, while the world's end draws ever closer upon the God of Destruction's awakening...
Mega Man Zero 2 OST - T14: Imminent Storm (Suspicious Events)
The ashen skies of Area-K burned crimson that evening as thick clouds of smoke and embers belched forth into the arid atmosphere. Coughing and wheezing from the choking smog, Vent and Aile grimly ascended the volcano's peak until at last its yawning chasm came within sight.
"Well, we're here at last... let's finish this..." Aile said quietly. The female transporter looked at her twin sadly. Vent looked terrible; Model X's armor was heavily cracked and bloodied, although thankfully the dried blood coating his form was their own rather than that of any innocent who could have been caught up in the horrific events earlier that evening. Clenched tight within her brother's fist was a crimson coloured Biometal, shaking furiously inside his grip as it struggled to free itself from his hold. Glaring down at the malignant entity in his hand, Vent approached the fiery chasm as he spoke to the ancient Biometal one last time.
"Model X was right all along. You just can't be trusted. I should have done the right thing and listened to my friends when they told me the truth about what you really were," he said, as Model O hissed viciously upon hearing the boy's voice.
Once the crimson Biometal had desired the teen for itself, jealously merging with him whenever he tried using one of his other Biometals. Due to its incredible power, Vent had tried overlooking its possessive nature, but Model O's aggression had only escalated over time as the brunette matured. Frustrated by his compassion and desire to protect rather than destroy, it wasn't long until the Biometal finally snapped. Tonight it had attacked Model X, attempting to forcibly severe its link with the teenager as it tried to merge with him alone. It had taken Aile and Model Z merging together to finally pry the crimson Biometal away from her brother's body, though not before it forced him to attack his sibling for such interference.
Aile, equally broken and bloodied in Model Z's armor, gently placed her hand upon her brother's shaking shoulder as she also glared down at the growling Biometal in his hand.
"It's not your fault, Vent. None of us expected Model O to turn on us like that. Just... throw it into the pit and be done with it. Hopefully nobody else will ever find it, and we'll never have to see it again."
With a nod, her brother drew his arm back as far as it could go before flinging the still-hissing biometal straight down into the chasm below with all his might. Flying through the belching smog, Model O clattered helplessly across stone and metal as it fell deeper and deeper into the searing abyss. Vent and Aile both breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the malignant Biometal vanish from sight, hopefully to be consumed by the earth from whence it came. Breathing heavily, the male brunette's shoulders slumped as he felt Model O's prescence fade from his mind at last. It was done.
"Are you okay?" Aile asked, wrapping her arms around the waist of her taller sibling. They'd both grown over the previous year after defeating Serpent, but Vent had grown even taller, his hair as long as her own now. With a nod, the youth hugged her back warmly, taking care not to aggravate either of the wounds they'd inflicted against one another in their earlier battle.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just hope nobody ever finds that thing down there..." he said with a frown, glancing back at the smoking crater.
"Area K's gotten more volatile over the last few years, people would be mad to come here for any reason. Come on, let's go home. Prairie's probably worried sick about us both."
"Right," Vent replied, holding his sister's hand as they prepared to make the return trip back down the unsteady mountain path. As they left, the brunette couldn't help but tremble as he remembered how close the malicious Biometal had come to taking control of his body completely, and tried not to think about what might have happened had Aile and Model Z not been around to stop it. He hoped darkly that Model O burned to nothingness inside the depths of Area-K; a better fate than what the thing deserved, but unfortunately it was the only method they had to dispose of it safely.
Deep down inside the depths of the volcano, Model O had survived its fall. By chance, the rogue Biometal had rolled away from the all-consuming magma, clattering neatly across stone and metal to nestle itself safely within a large crack inside the wall. Safe and sound from the lava below, Model O soon fell into an uneasy slumber as the azure gemstone adorning its form cracked. The consciousness within slowly began leaking out into the air around it, causing the volatile activity around it to settle down while it slowly lost awareness over the next few hours. As the churning magma inside the volcano began to settle back down to normal levels, Model O fell asleep at last, to dream who knows what dark dreams while it waited patiently for another person to find it instead...
Gazing through the large windows at the beautiful evening skies outside, Master Thomas' mind began to wander as he spoke with his old colleague. Master Mikhail was currently sitting across the room, decrypting some of the files they'd recently obtained from Albert's tremendous stock of records.
Just one week ago, Ashe from the Hunter's Guild and Vent from the Guardians stormed Ouroboros, putting an end to the crazed scientist and his bizarre 'Game of Destiny' in which Mega Men from around the world were forced to fight amongst one another until only one remained standing. Though Aeolus, Atlas, Thetis and Siarnaq had tried to stop her, it was Ashe who emerged victorious in battle that day. Overcoming the collective might of Model W along with its creator, the Model A user openly defied her ancestor and destroyed him utterly, regardless of the fact that he was the only family she had left.
It had been a long and difficult journey for the young teenager, in which many innocent lives had been lost over the course of the year as Master Albert wrecked havoc across the world. Prosperous cities around the globe went up in flames as pseudoroid creations rampaged in his pursuit to gather enough energy to raise Ouroboros into the heavens. Although it had been a week since his defeat and Model W destroyed, maverick outbreaks were increasing at a phenomenal rate as opposed to going down, with humans actually appearing active in some groups. Although Legion's peacekeeping forces had tried to contain the violence, the sheer number of irregulars pressed their forces back as the riots started spreading from beyond the borders of Outlands and into the peaceful communities of Inner peace.
The red-haired Sage rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared across the horizon. Had Albert been right, in that humanity needed to evolve in order to peace to this wretched world at last?
"...To bring new life into the world, eh?" he said to himself more than to his friend across the other side of the room, resting his weight upon the sword he carried.
Mikhail continued to flick through the files he'd decrypted that morning, reading the data contained within in fascination. While most of the records were fairly outdated, the data from recent years were filled with incredible information, all of it as terrible as it was amazing. From the development of Model W to the creation of each and every pseudoroid, both he and Thomas had spent the entire week analyzing the collection of records, still unable to understand exactly how Albert had managed to concoct such a grand scheme for so many years behind their backs without either of them knowing.
"In the last mission report... Albert said some rather outrageous things," Mikhail said distractedly. Albert was still a sore subject between the two men; as warped as he'd had been, Albert had long been a friend to them both and it was still a shock that things had turned out the way they did. Despite the evils he'd done, Mikhail still missed the man he'd once called friend, and didn't particularly want to discuss him that very moment. However, Thomas seemed to want to press the issue and continued on.
Mega Man ZX Advent Tunes OST - T26: The Chosen One (Theme of Albert)
"Mikhail... do you think it presumptuous for us to give birth to new life?"
The smaller Sage snorted, or at least would have done had he not been a reploid for hundreds of years. Human habits held fast, even after the many centuries he'd become a mechanical being of knowledge, he still had the desire to do such human things at times. Thomas couldn't possibly be thinking about the things that Albert had said to them before he'd left. He had to know better than that.
"How absurd... Thomas, you couldn't possibly hold fast to such foolish imaginings."
Master Thomas sighed, shifting his position as he stepped away from the windows. The unfamiliar sound caused the little Sage to look up away from the data files he was flicking through, wondering what his comrade was doing.
"There are laws that give equality to humans and reploids, correct? Don't you remember? Those were passed because Albert and I agreed on them."
Oh, this was new. Was the old fool really blaming himself for the path that Albert had gone down? It was obvious that the man had been up to this behind their backs for centuries, hardly something either of them could blame themselves for. Whatever was happening around the world wasn't their fault; humans and reploids were closer together than they'd ever been before, standing together as one against the maverick scourge threatening them all. With humans granted reploid strength and reploids given advanced systems that allowed them to experience the same quality of life as their creators, the equality laws had narrowed down the differences between the two races, to allow them all to see that they were one and the same. Was that really such a terrible thing?
"W-What are you saying?" Mikhail asked, not liking the direction their conversation was going.
Master Thomas turned towards his comrade, and there was a gleam in the tall reploid's eyes that Mikhail didn't like.
"Give humans robotic bodies, and give reploids mortality. So, where do you think the human bodies for the reploids are? What do you think happened to the original reploid data from before we gave them mortality?" the redhaired man asked, who was beginning to sound quite unlike himself.
Before Mikhail could stutter a reply, four people suddenly teleported into the room to appear alongside the man. Atlas, Aeolus, Thetis and Siarnaq stood tall and grim, their crimson eyes glowing red in the darkening room as they smirked coldly across the room at him. The little Sage jumped in shock as the sight of them, finally realizing what Thomas was talking about at last. According to Vent, all four Mega Men were believed to have sunk into the ocean's depths along with Ouroboros, perishing in a watery grave after standing against him and the silver-haired hunter. He had no reason to disbelieve the brunette's words, but with all four youths looking so alive and well, then could Albert have used the immortality data on each of them? What had he done? What had Thomas done to them, to make them stand with him so?
"Thomas... you...!" he sputtered, causing the red-haired reploid to grin madly. Far from seeming friendly, he frightened Mikhail far more than the four teenagers glaring at him through the darkened room, their fingers twitching as though eager for the order to begin tearing him apart.
"Albert was wrong, so I helped the Hunters... but I do think he was right about one thing... in that this world needs to be reset."
Upon his words, the four Mega Men stalked forwards together as one, causing Mikhail to press himself against the wall warily. Although he wasn't completely defenceless, he couldn't possibly stand a chance against all of them at once should they attack. If they were truly immortal that was, and if they were... then may Thomas have mercy upon this world...
"And just how do you plan to do that? Wipe everybody out with your immortal soldiers? What could you gain from such madness? What could THEY gain? They're just children, Thomas!" he said, his voice raising sharply as he tried to reason with his age-old friend.
Aeolus opened his mouth to protest at being called a child, but fell silent upon receiving a stern look from Atlas. She wanted to hear this. As though he were appearing to have seconds thoughts, Master Thomas calmly raised his hand to call the four off. Far from breathing a sigh of relief, Mikhail watched warily as the red-haired Sage carefully reached into his pocket before pulling something out. The room appeared to darken even more as he held the object out before him, showing them all exactly what he held in his possession.
"No, they won't be wiping this world clean. This will..."
For a the briefest of moments, Mikhail thought that he was looking at the remains of Model Z. However, this biometal was much darker in colour and altered slightly different in design. Unlike Model Z, this particular biometal had a malicious presence about it, so full of dark energy that the little Sage, had he still been human, would have sworn that the sight of it alone would have made his hair stand on end. The fist-sized object trembled within Thomas' open palm, its hard frame rattling against his metallic fingers as if it could barely contain its anger. Upon sighting it, Atlas, Aeolus, Thetis and Siarnaq appeared to stiffen slightly, stepping away upon hearing the biometal rattle so. Their own biometals instinctively reacted to the malicious prescence emitted by the crimsom device, unconsciously urging their young masters away from it. Even Atlas, who feared nothing, couldn't help but shudder at the sheer hatred she could feel the thing emitting. Mikhail also shivered at the sight of it, recognizing the blazing emblem adorning its form immediately.
"No, not Model O! Thomas, even you couldn't be as foolish to think that you could control Omega!" he cried, as Thomas threw back his head and laughed. No, he couldn't possibly think to do such a thing! Hadn't they both agreed to heed Dr. Weil's legacy, in that the Devil Reploid could be controlled by no one except its tyrannical master? With Master Albert dead and Model W destroyed, it was foolhardy beyond belief to expect to be able to control such a being.
"With Model O... no, Omega under my control, this world will be reset at last. The heroes of the old world are no more, Mikhail. Zero is dead and Model Z is long gone, and without Model Z around, nobody can possibly hope to stand before Omega's might. Not Ashe, not Vent, and certainly not you!"
Model O actually hissed at the mention of Zero's name, causing Thetis to flinch at the sound. Aeolus eyed the blood-coloured biometal with some curiosity. He'd heard tales about Omega, but did this biometal actually contain the data of that ancient monstrosity? He wouldn't have believed it possible had Model H not called out to him from deep inside his mind, urging him not to get too close to the thing. The silver-haired noble had no intention of doing so however; even Atlas appeared unsettled at being so close to the thing. Mikhail continued speaking to his comrade, hoping to talk the man down and urge him against his outrageous plan to wage devastation across the land.
"Thomas, Omega was a monstrosity! Destruction Incarnate! What could you accomplish by wiping everything out with that thing?" he asked. Things around the world were bad, yes, but in time, Legion could fix things as they had always done in the past. The riots were just the aftermath of Albert's rampage, and absolutely no need for Thomas to resort to such drastic measures. The taller Sage watched in mild amusement as his old friend seemingly underwent a panic attack upon gazing at the legendary biometal locked in his grasp. How pitiful to be afraid of something so majestic and wonderful...
"Currently Model O is useless; it's adapted to Vent's unique biosignature and cannot be used by anyone else. Until he dies, Model O isn't ready to accept a new host, and there are so few compatible beings left in the world. It also appears as if our young friend has tried to get rid of this biometal for some peculiar reason. Can you see how it's damaged?" he asked, holding it out further for Mikhail to inspect.
Curiously enough it was. A hairline crack covered the biometal's azure gem in the center between its 'eyes', perhaps the cause as to why the thing was trembling so violently. If that were true though, then Thomas was openly inviting disaster just by handling such an unstable object. The man didn't appear concerned however, casually tossing the hissing biometal up into the air before catching it with his other hand. Seemingly uncaring of the time bomb he was holding, the red-haired Sage walked towards one of the windows and peered out across the horizon as he'd done not five minutes ago. Signalling for Mikhail to follow after him, the four youths grimly escorted the little man like armed guards, lethal weapons held ready.
There in the distance, a plume of smoke could be seen rising up from one of the distant settlements. As evening fell, the sunset blazed through the ashen skies as if the very outlands were searing with brimstone and fire. Holding up his free hand, Thomas tapped away at the window panel, bringing up digital videos of what was going on around the lands below. Videos were brought up, live footage of people dying in the streets as homes were pillaged by mavericks and irregulars alike. A number of humans were working alongside the hostile machines, ordering lesser mechaniloids to carry out brutal tasks. Mikhail watched in horror as the criminals exchanged pillaged goods around, while cruel-looking reploids were casually rifling through the possessions of the dead. Men, women and children lay dead and dying as the hostile forces continued their work, cleaning out the community so that they could settle in instead. Things hadn't gotten this bad, surely!
"Look down there. Word has already spread that Legion is doomed. Humans and mavericks are working together to ravage the land and take what they can. You see, nobody is making them do this! With Albert gone and Model W destroyed, who is to blame this time? This is what human nature is truly like, what people become unless managed with order and control!"
Reeling in shock at both his words and the sight of such carnage, Mikhail stepped away as if to ward the horrific images off. Gentle in nature, he couldn't stand violence or mavericks, and the sight of innocents being slaughtered absolutely sickened him. Was Thomas right after all, or was there something more going on out there that they'd overlooked during their frenzied examinations of Albert's work? Thomas smiled grimly as he watched a human man gun down a reploid family before moving on to his next targets fleeing through the streets, a pack of galleons obediently followed his lead as they too hunted down his fleeing targets. Turning towards his comrade, Thomas spread his arms out comfortingly.
"Do you see? Do you understand now? Together with our knowledge, you and I can fix this world and change it for the better. Albert was right all along, in that this world isn't worth saving in it's current state. With the knowledge he left behind, you and I can fix this - end this madness, but I can't do it alone, old friend. I need your help. The world needs your help..."
Shaking his head, Mikhail slowly edged towards the door. Siarnaq watched his movements coldly, wondering if the little man understood that a kunai blade would land in his throat before he could take two steps towards the exit. Tensing his artificial muscles, Mikhail's expression became fierce with defiance as he stood against his friend once and for all.
"I'll never join your crazy plan to reset this world! If these terrible things are happening, it's because of people like you and Albert making them think they have no other choice to survive out there! Do what you will, but as long as heroes like Ashe and Vent are alive, they will always put a stop to maniacs like you!" he snapped.
Infuriated, Aeolus drew his blades and moved towards the little man, awaiting the command to execute this fool. Master Thomas quickly interevened, halting the youth with a steely gaze before reaching out towards his comrade with an extended hand, desperate not to lose him as well. He could still be helpful, even if he said no right now. In time, he could see sense, see the light and understand that although what needed to be done was horrific, was necessary to bring peace...
"Mikhail, be reasonable! Look at what this world has become, what it has always been without those who know better to control them. Selfishness, greed, animals, all of them! Can you look at what we have just seen and believe that they are truly worth saving? I do not, and nor should you! This world must-"
But Master Thomas' words were cut off as the object in his hand suddenly exploded, whatever the world must have becoming lost to a high-pitched whine as the frequency Model O emitted reached its pitch and could no longer contain itself. Thetis was the unlucky one, jumping in shock as a large shard pinged across the room and embedded itself into the synthetic flesh of his cheek. Immediately crimson liquid poured forth, droplets of artificial blood soaking his armor and splattering the plush carpet beneath his feet.
"Ouch!" he cried, clamping a palm over his gushing face. Atlas swore loudly, reverting back to her native language as she too was taken by surprise at the sound. Firing off a barrage of shots, the windows around the room shattered, mercifully ending the videos that were still playing as smoke filled the room. Aeolus covered his face as shards of glass and embers rushed over his body, the Model F user's attack causing the room to burn into flames. Siarnaq whirled around in confusion, his perception of the world distorted by so much suddenly happening at once.
Mega Man Zero Collection OST - T3-20: Dark Elf
Ignoring their panic, Thomas dropped the remains of the shattered biometal to the floor as though it burned his skin. He stepped back hastily as something strange began to happen, the dark aura from Model O seemingly enveloping the fiery room as the twisted metal fragments rose up into the air. Smoke continued to thicken, making it difficult to see until five bright lights emerged from within the biometal's broken shell. These lights grew in size, chasing the smog away as they slowly continued to form themselves into creations known as 'Cyber Elves'. Unlike most Cyber Elves that people were used to seeing, these ones were larger than normal and fully developed from the moment of birth.
One was jet black with the glowing face of a beautiful woman concealed within its flickering form. Spherical in nature, the digital creation was a simple ball of shadow with a white light inside. Crimson electricity crackled around its shape, causing hairs to stand on end upon feeling the energy it emitted.
Another was its complete opposite, shining white and cherubic in nature with angelic wings. Intense heat seemed to flow around its form as the pale being flapped its newly grown wings experimentally. Appearing joyful at its freedom, it soared around the room, hungrily feeding off the flames licking all around it.
The third light changed into a creeping gray beast, monstrous in appearance and looking as though it were formed from mist. A bitter coldness rolled off its form, causing the nearby flames to fizzle out as its extreme coldness snuffed them out completely. So frozen was its touch that even Thetis shivered upon feeling it float nearby, Model L's armor unable to keep out its warping properties.
The forth was the strangest looking of all, seemingly appearing as a purple knight or a large man. While it didn't seem to do anything special, there was a malice contained within that even frightened Thomas, so intense was its hatred at the world and the people standing around it. It floated around the room skittishly, as though seeking to get away from the other four.
However, it was the last Cyber Elf that everybody kept their eyes on. Reminiscent of the legendary reploid known as Zero, it bore his features, but the noble visage was somehow twisted and hateful. Hissing viciously, the being gazed around at the other four maliciously as it called out for them to return. Master Thomas reacted instantly, clamping his massive hands over the digital being before it could make its escape. The Cyber Elf howled as it was caught, immediately struggling to break free as it battled against his strength.
Shrieking in outrage as their mate was captured, the other four Cyber Elves sped away from the tall Sage quickly before they too were captured. Watching them float around the room clumsily, Thomas called out to the four Mega Men nearby, feeling as if he was losing all control as he struggled to keep ahold of the one he'd managed to catch.
"Don't just stand there, catch them!" he screamed, as the four youths reacted at last. As powerful as they were, the four couldn't catch the little digital beings quite so easily. Atlas fumbled, reacting far too slowly as the white Cyber Elf flapped past her outstretched hands and out of the windows that she'd broken. Aeolus flinched as the beast-like Cyber Elf snapped at his face with its frozen jaws, hissing as it slipped from his fingers to follow its partner outside. Thetis remained standing where he was, clutching his bleeding cheek as he watched the chaos unfold. Turning his head as the black Cyber Elf shot past his stunned body, the reploid boy watched as Siarnaq leaped forwards after it, trying to grab ahold of the 'purple knight' following after her. The lithe Model P user hopped around nimbly, almost catching his quarry several times before it finally gave him the slip.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Mikhail stepped away quietly and pressed a small button on the key-shaped walking stick he always carried, cloaking himself before vanishing from sight. Nobody noticed his departure, everybody scrambling madly for the escaping Cyber Elves that were now flying out of the window and on their way to freedom. Bounding across the room, Siarnaq followed the purple knight's flight until it finally slipped away past the reploid's outstretched fingers, escaping to the skies where the Mega Man couldn't follow. Aeolus watched them disappear into the glowing sunset, knowing that even he wouldn't be able to catch them at the speed they were now going.
Hauling himself up from the broken window ledge, Siarnaq skulked back into the room as Master Thomas stiffened with anger. Seething with barely concealed fury, the red-haired reploid strode across the room and snatched up a small container, opening it up to dump the Cyber Elf he had captured inside. Slamming the lid down furiously, the Zero-like being rolled around inside a few times before it snarled in outrage, distressed by the rough treatment it had received. The four Mega Men watched in silence as the man seated himself down on his chair heavily, his eyes narrowed as he considered his options.
Model O was destroyed, no longer capable of merging with a suitable host though perhaps it had been a poor idea from the beginning considering its previous biomatch was still alive. Yet the current situation had unsettled him, for the biometal had not only exploded for reasons unknown, but had birthed a number of mysterious Cyber Elves. Master Mikhail had escaped during the confusion; without his guidance, Thomas was at a loss at what to do exactly. His ultimate plan had been delayed significantly, perhaps even ruined, before his roving eye settled back onto the captive Cyber Elf still raging at him from within its prison.
Perhaps Model O was no longer an option, but maybe this Cyber Elf, he could gain enough data to recreate the device, or perhaps begin the restoration of the original Omega completely. It was possible. Though Model O's shattering had been completely unexpected, so were the birth of the five Cyber Elves. Perhaps he could learn more about their origins after looking at this one, and send the four youths to track down and capture the others. His mind working thousands of times faster than his original human one ever did, a multitude of solutions came up within seconds and he relaxed, flicking through his options. Master Mikhail needed to be dealt with immediately, though preferably brought back alive so that he could have some time to think about things. It was he who possessed the most scientific mind after Thomas, having read through Albert's records much faster and possessing some of the unique data that Ashe had recovered for them...
"Siarnaq!" Master Thomas called out, causing the other three teenagers to look at the aforementioned curiously. At once the Model P user stood at attention, awaiting the man's instructions obediently. With a nod of approval, Thomas looked towards him.
"Find Master Mikhail and bring him back alive if you can. Kill him if you must, but he must not be allowed to alert our enemies of our plans. Go now, and deal with him quickly."
With a nod, the Model P user teleported out of the room. Aeolus, Atlas and Thetis looked at one another slowly, wondering what missions they would receive. Remaining seated, Master Thomas appeared to ignore them as he picked up the capsule containing the Cyber Elf to examine it carefully. As the Model H user coughed slightly to let him know they were still there, the Sage finally looked over towards them at last.
"You three, go and get some rest. Those Cyber Elves are long gone by now and you won't be able to track them at this time of night. The riots out there are getting worse and I do not want you attracting unwanted attention should the Guardians be out there dealing with those mavericks..." he said, before narrowing his eyes at the smallest biomatch standing across the room.
"Thetis!" he barked at the blue-haired teen, causing him to jump. "For goodness sake, stop bleeding all over the floor!" he demanded angrily as he glared at the blood-splattered carpets below in disgust. Grumbling at how the mechaniloid cleaners would never be able to wash the stains out of the ancient carpets, Aeolus snickered as Atlas pushed the small teen forwards, pushing him out of the room towards the nearby infirmary so they could patch him up.
"To think that after so many hundreds of years, those carpets had to be ruined by such a little brat..." Master Thomas sighed, rolling his eyes as he returned his attention back to more pressing matters. Held captive inside the capsule, the Cyber Elf within hissed as its eyes met his own, sensing the schemes brewing within the Sage's mind. Thomas himself remained unconcerned as to the little being's anger, and began to plot.
Mega Man Zero Collection OST - T2-36: In Mother's Light (Epilogue)
"Ahh!" Ashe cried out, suddenly waking up with a gasp. A loud rumble of thunder echoed outside her small bedroom unit, followed by the heavy sound of rainfall as droplets of water clattered off the metallic roof overhead like a hail of gunfire. Rubbing her tired eyes, the silver-haired girl's racing heartbeat settled down as she realized she was safe and sound in bed at home, and that she'd only been awoken by a nightmare.
It was the same one that had plagued the young woman over the years since she was a small child, memories of a time long ago when sounds of gunfire and pained screams echoed through the darkness as she tried to hide away from the feral machines destroying her home town. Warm gentle arms wrapped around her trembling form as a kindly voice soothed her fears, a distant face comforting her as both she and the mother she could barely remember huddled together inside their small hiding place away from the carnage outside. The sounds of violence gradually quietened, before a strange pair of red eyes loomed out of the darkness as another person savagely ripped her away from the woman. Ashe watched as she was carried away, the comforting arms from before waving to her from the other side of the room as the darkness swallowed her up. Falling through the shadows, a second pair of red eyes joined the first as she was taken further and further away from home, knowing that she'd never see her mother again. A scream, the sound of blood splattering across the grass, then nothing more.
Irritated as another rumble of thunder broke overhead, Ashe rolled over and clamped the pillow over her ears to block out the sounds of rain clattering loudly across the roof. It was the first time she'd had that dream for a few years and had almost completely forgotten about it, although she suspected that the recent battle against Master Albert had unsettled her so, and caused her to try and remember what her family had been like years ago. That, or the lack of sleep she'd gotten ever since thanks to the growing numbers of Mavericks out there that needed to be destroyed. Rogue groups of Irregulars were skulking closer to the borders of the Hunter's Camp day by day, keeping her and her friends busy as the Hunters struggled to thin their numbers. Why they were appearing in increasing numbers was beyond her; Master Albert and Model W were gone, leaving nobody none the wiser as to why their numbers were still growing...
With a sigh, the silverette curled up underneath the warm blankets, groaning in pain as she felt something hard underneath her. Flushing out Model A, the Copy Biometal's eyes glowed as it awakened, peering around the bedroom curiously as it sensed her unease. The mechanical device was highly attuned to Ashe's senses; whenever she was upset or annoyed, it could feel her emotions as though feeling them itself. Placing it on the table beside the bed, Model A watched as the silverette turned around and flopped back down on the bed.
"What's wrong, Ashe? Did you have a nightmare?" it asked, noticing how she was trembling faintly under the covers.
"It's nothing, Model A. Just a silly dream that I haven't had for a while," she said quietly before letting out a sigh. The Biometal tilted innocently, floating up into the air as it tried to get a better look at her face in the darkness.
"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?" it asked, its voice tinged with gentle concern as it floated back down to land beside her. Ashe turned underneath the sheets, moving around so she could face the device as she spoke to it.
"Nah, it's okay, thanks. I can barely remember it anyway. I don't even know why I thought of it tonight, it just seems to come up every now and again. The last time I had it was a couple of years ago. I'd pretty much forgotten all about it until now, so really, it's nothing to worry about."
"Well, if you're sure you're okay, Ashe. I know that things have been hard for you lately, and I don't want you to feel as if you've gotta to keep any problems bottled up..." Model A replied, its tone hesitant somewhat as if it was considering asking something. Ashe quirked an eyebrow and smirked, noticing how the little Biometal couldn't seem to keep still on the covers it was resting on. Overhead, another rumble of thunder crashed, causing it to flinch upon hearing the loud sound.
"You want something, don't you? I can tell..." she said in a sing-song voice. Model A twitched guiltily as the rain outside continued to fall heavily, the thunderstorm now sounding as though it were directly overhead.
"Is it okay if... if I sleep with you tonight? Just for tonight, I mean! It's not that I'm scared or anything, I just don't like how loud that storm outside is at all!"
"I thought so! It's okay though, come here. Come to think of it, it was probably the storm that made me have that dream anyway. Maybe if I know you're here with me, I won't think about it again," Ashe said, sitting upright to allow Model A enough room to settle in comfortably. Gratefully, Model A disappeared underneath the warm sheets, reappearing again as it edged up beside the silver-haired girl.
"Ah, much better. Warmer and comfier than over on that table. Thanks Ashe, and goodnight..." the Biometal said as it yawned, its makeshift 'eyes' dimming as it soon fell asleep. Ashe rubbed her fingers across its dark shell gently, grateful for its company.
"Goodnight to you too, Model A..." she whispered, hugging the little Biometal close as she began to drift off to sleep too. Outside, the storm only continued to grow stronger as torrential rainfall lashed across the Hunter's Camp. The two heroes inside were oblivious to the storm outside as it raged long into the night, both sleeping peacefully until dawn came. It was only a storm after all, and couldn't possibly hurt either of them inside their little home.
While Ashe and Model A slumbered peacefully, far away in distant lands, somebody else was beginning to awaken. Little did he know that his biggest adventure in life was just about to begin.
End of Chapter One...
Author's Note: Not too many changes so far as I rewrote this chapter some time ago, though I'm much more satisfied with how this version turned out. As this is a rewritten edition of Aspects of Omega, the basic storyline remains such the same aside from additional content and more detailed scenes that the first version lacked. Much of the original cast also remains unchanged; Vent and Ashe being the Chosen Ones of Models X and A, while Aile and Grey end up embarking on their own adventure around the world with Model Z. Friends and foes alike soon make their reappearance as the revised edition of Aspects of Omega begins with a fresh start. All reviews, thoughts, ideas and critique are highly welcome.
Special thanks to NeoNazo356 for revising this fiction and allowing me the use of his OC, Neal.
Data File #32 - Legion and the Equality Laws
After the defeat of Dr. Weil and the destruction of Ragnarok, Humans and Reploids agreed to put aside their differences via Legion's 'Equality Laws', bringing an end to centuries of hostilities between man and machine. While Humans received cybernetic augmentations that put them on par with Reploids physically, their lifespans were also greatly extended and the average Human can hope to live in good health for well over a hundred and seventy years. Reploids on the other hand received artificial lifespans, removing their former immortality and allowing them to live only as long as the average Human does. While some believe that Reploids got the short end of the stick in the deal, advanced bodies and program systems were developed especially for them, allowing them to experience life with the same quality as their Human partners. Eating, sleeping, dreaming and acts of intimacy were no longer an issue, and crimes commited against Reploids are deemed as serious as crimes against Humans. While their new bodies aren't as powerful as their predecessors' were from before the Elf Wars, most modern Reploids enjoy their social equality and are as valued as their organic partners.
In short, a Reploid can do everything that a Human can do - with the sole exception of physical reproduction. Reploids are still created, though in many Human-Reploid relationships, such couples are usually happy to 'create' a Reploid child featuring both their likeness. In the wild however, some Mechaniloids such as the Poyoko (small bird-like Irregulars commonly found in Outlands) have evolved the ability to reproduce and evolve naturally by themselves. With enough scientific research on this phenomenon, it's only a matter of time before Reploids are able to cross that final barrier which differentiates them from their Human counterparts.