Ch. 19

Homecoming / Reversal

"Well then," stated the program that now housed all of the knowledge of Doctor Thomas Light. "It seems we're in a bit of a tricky situation. I can wait for him to reawaken, and possibly endanger all of us, or I can try and wake him up, and let it all hit the fan now. I leave the decision up to you five."

The five, being Alia, X, Zenton, Toronto, and Crystal, were all adamant in their decision.

"Wake him up now, Doc," X said as Light's head floated around the main screen.

"Very well. But I suggest you prepare yourself in case the one that's won the fight isn't our Zero."

"No matter which Zero it is, he is still Zero." X said, though as he said so he had already changed into his Gaea Armor and began to charge his busters, aiming them at the still unconcious form on the table. Crystal took a place further towards the back of the group as Alia stepped to the side with her pistol drawn. Zenton began to charge a ball of energy in his hands. Toronto merely stood where he was, unable to use anything distance based.

Light's instruments popped up from the side of the table as he prepared to wake Zero. However, as he did so, the Reploid's hands began to move on their own as a groan escaped from the previously inert body.

"Holy hell, did anyone get the name of the convoy that hit me?" Zero muttered as he sat up. He looked over to see several anxious faces, not to mention several different weapons pointed his way. "Ummm....okay, did I miss something? Cuz I don't remember Sigma taking over all of my friends before I fought those three in that inferno."

X began to grin as he and Zenton both aimed their blasts up and out a hole in the ceiling that Light had just opened up. Before either he or Zenton could move any further than that, Crystal had already tackled Zero and sent him rolling backwards over the table. Which of course, resulted in everyone else hitting the ground laughing.

"Where the hell were you? I was so worried!!" Crystal wailed as she clung to Zero like a vice.

"Umm...sorry?" Zero said somewhat abashed.

"Sorry?! SORRY?!?" Crystal started to yell as Zenton and the others all pulled out the chairs.

"This should get hilarious." Zenton said aside to the other three.

"I'm sorry, alright? I was trying to save your ass!" Zero started to yell back.

"Well next time do so in a way that doesn't worry me so damned much!" Red hair now flew in various directions as Crystal had managed to stand back up by this time.

"Well next time I'm not fighting for my life in the middle of a damned inferno, I'll do that, alright? And do you want some ice water while I'm at it?" Zero yelled, his own mane of hair swinging to the points of his arguments.

"You do that, and what the hell would I want ice water for?!?"

"Well I just thought that since I was in the middle of fighting for my life to protect yours, I might see if you wanted me to pull something else impossible out of my ass!"

"Well I do want some ice water now go get it damnit!"

"Too bad!"

"WHAT?!?"

"I said too bad! I can't get ice where there's fire!"

"Well then I guess you're not getting anything else while you're at it!"

"Hey now, wait a minute! I'm trying as hard as I can damnit!"

"No you're not, or you'd get me some damned ice water!"

"Fine, you want ice water? Hold on." Suddenly Zero pulled his saber from his back, and turned it with the blade at the ground and began the freeze a spot right at her feet, working the blade upwards so that it formed a good solid block. "There, alright? Ice water, minus the water for another ten minutes or so."

Crystal looked at the block of ice and couldn't help but start to laugh. Zero sheepishly began to do so as well. Zenton and the others, who had been attempting to remain quiet through the argument began to laugh out loud as well.

"Alright then," Dr. Light said, "Now that we've managed to avert disaster once more, we have some issues to attend to. Sigma is getting more and more dangerous in his strategy. He's almost gone back to his old guerilla tactics. Now, the main question is, how do we wanna take care of this?"

Zero turned back to the screen. "Have we been able to get a lock on his headquarters yet? That would really help us out."

"What are you trying to suggest?" Zenton asked worriedly. "That we just barge on in, ask him for tea, and destroy him while we're at it?"

"Why not?" Zero asked as he stood with one arm wrapped around Crystal. "I don't see any reason why we can't take him out. We've already done more than handle him. Tor nearly took him out before. None of his lackeys are capable of standing up to us, we've proven that twice over now. All I need is a good lock-on to his headquarters and I guarantee we can take him out easily enough. Hell, three of them together couldn't even touch X."

"You're too confident Zero." Zenton said. "That's always been your only downfall. Something bad is bound to happen. So far we've been saved several times by lucky breaks. What happens when that luck doesn't pull through for us? The time we went after the train, what happened there? We nearly lost you, if not for the old Zero's ghost. This time when you went in to the inferno? We had no way of knowing which Zero you really were when we brought you back. We can't keep living off ifs and maybes. We need to start being a little more thorough in our attacks. Figure out where exactly we're attacking and why before we teleport out to a battlefield. If we really wanna win this, we have to prepare for the future. You of all people should be thinking ahead Z, especially what with Crystal being pregnant."

"Why do you think I want to take out Sigma now? If we take him out now, we won't have to worry about him later." Zero said, waving both arms now.

"Wrong Z." X stated from his seat. "Stop and think again, how many times have we fought Sigma now? This will make the 7th time the two of us have gone after him. I for one am getting tired of going in after him constantly. I say we make him play the game this time. Make him have to find us. He doesn't know where this base has moved to exactly yet, so he can't charge in and attack us. While we're busy looking for him using Light's scanners, he still has to find our place, and I sincerely doubt he's got Light's scanning capabilities. Besdies, I think you're just being impatient."

"Maybe I am...but damnit, am I really that wrong in wanting to just get it over with?" Zero asked as he tried to calm himself. down.

"You might not be wrong Zero, but the timing is definitely not the best." Light commented as the others sat there. "I've got some rather bad news to deliver. Sigma's goons have been systematically destroying my smaller sensors that I've got above-ground. I may end up restricted to extremely small patches of thorough scanning and satellite everywhere else. And I don't even see these attacks coming before I lose another sensor. However, they are all coming from one general direction and headed another. "

"Then it looks like we'll have to take care of this phantom assailant." Zero commented. "Show me where it's coming from Doc."

Author's notes: Sorry for the short chapter, but I thought it was about time for an update, and I'm kinda lacking on true ideas for where to go from here at the moment. It's about my only weakness for good writing...I have no planning capabilities whatsoever. XD Read, review, flame if ya feel like it, I'll be happy to return your sentiments.