Chapter 8: Training Upgrade

"How much do you know already?" Zero asked as he activated his saber. I shrugged. "Not much. I've used my saber once," I admitted. He sighed as his head hung. "Nothing at all?" he asked in confirmation.

"Well, I know how to stand and block."

"Show me."

I got into position (now realizing that others had come in and were gawking) and uncomfortably stood as Zero assessed me. I watched him, holding my saber with clammy hands. Rookies stared and I gazed down. This was soooooo not my idea of training. "You're positioned wrong," Zero stated as he kicked under me. I fell to the ground with an "Oof!" and barely kept a scowl off my face.

"What?"

"You. Are. Positioned. Wrong."

I scowled this time. "Six helped me train! She showed me her position!"

Zero scowled at me in equal. "Well either she showed you wrong or she was fooling you!" he barked. I winced. That last one actually made... quite a bit of sense. Six never seemed to take me seriously, not until a week and a half ago when I, um, threatened her.

In case you were wondering: We never found Shadow or Gauntlet, the Zeroth unit's member we lost. We were lucky it was only two. Hane's new body... I asked Douglas if I could create it. He agreed hesitantly, as if nervous around me. Probably afraid I'd blow at any minute. It was depressing, how everyone went from thinking I was below them to thinking I was on the verge of becoming a Maverick. I mean, seriously! All I'd ever done to earn this was possibly threaten Six. That was it! Was it possible people were still in shock about me rescuing Zero...? I sighed and looked at Zero.

"How should I be positioned, sir?" He winced, probably because he hated me calling him sir. He took a breath and offered me a hand, which I accepted, and showed me the position he used. I copied him as best as I could and he let out a sigh of relief. I'm not a helpless cause then. Sweet!

"Alright, start with the basic block."

Suddenly, Zero swiped his saber down, causing mine to alight and for me to move it in front of me. My eyes widen in shock as he assessed me, drawing away his saber. "You picked that up fast. Being a swordsman is all about instinct. You've got to understand your weapon and your surroundings. Such as-"

Zero jabbed his saber at me, causing my feet to give-out and for me to tumble to the ground. I held back a groan and stared at Zero. "That could be a good move to use if you can get enough push-power to duck between my legs and end up behind me. I want you to try again." I stood, and almost immediately he jabbed, causing me to duck and banged my head on the floor. My skull vibrated and I groaned aloud. "Again, A," Zero stated as I stumbled up. He jabbed, I ducked, and this time, I managed to push myself to the side. Just when I thought I could manage the move Zero was in front of me with the saber to my neck. "Under," he stated. "Around won't work. The enemy can get to you too fast."

And I realized I was in for a loooong day.

Almost four hours later I was working on Hane's new body. I glanced back at Hane and I felt my heart practically drop. I sighed heavily. The worse part? The damn update did jack. Yeah. The thing that basically cost us the mission (well, we were already down 'shit's creek' as Zero called it by the time my 'update' had arrived) did not at all help later. I was expecting my gold hair and hazel eyes again, but nooo. If something useful ever happened than that'd be horrible!

... Am I really that stressed?

I sighed again and stopped, leaning back against my chair and rubbing my forehead. "I... I have no idea on what to do Hane," I muttered tiredly. "I want to help, but how much help can I be? Every time I try to help I screw up. Badly. I tried to help Zero: I was in operation for eight days and Zero for three. Tried tackling my first Maverick: I got you k-k-k-" I wiped my eyes of the tears and continued. "I got you in critical condition." I sighed. "You were always good with this... How can I do this? How can you help me when... when I can't help myself?"

"You can't just give up."

My eyes snapped open, zoning in on Hane's battered body. "Hane?" I asked softly, hopefully, my body leaning in in anticipation. Silence. I waited in utter silence for five minutes, getting nothing as a response. I sighed, leaning back. "Of course you can't talk. You're systems are on forced shut down. I'm probably just imagining things now..." But I could still hear the voice echoing in my mind. "You can't just give up... You can't just give up... You can't just give up..." My eyes widen in sudden realization. That was Hane's voice I heard! That was just from years ago, when I had seen Axl comatose and ran off...

"What're you doin' out here?" a younger Hane asked. I directed my eyes away from her. I didn't answer. Hane sighed and walked forward, coming to sit next to me. "You know, you can see the whole town from here. All the streets, all the lights, all the people and reploid walking down below us, as tiny as ants. I find it pretty neat, being this high up. Commander Zero tells me that I act a lot like Axl." I winced. Hane chuckled. "Ah, don't worry. He'll be fine. He always is."

I glanced at Hane through the side of my eyes. I had never really talked to her like this, despite the amount of times we'd met in the halls or I found her trailing behind Zero ("I want to ask him something!" she'd say, beet red). It was... comforting, to be honest. But the bitter feeling, the one telling me Axl wasn't going to be okay, was still there. "How do you know? Everything goes perfect for you! You don't seem to have to worry about anything!" I hissed, rounding on her. The small smile on Hane's face faded as she stared off, not looking at me.

"Tomorrow I'm having my copy chip erased and all the data I've gathered will be erased with it. My copy chip will be locked."

I blinked in shock, my law unhinged. "What?" I asked softly. She smiled ruefully. "Yeah; Douglas says I'll be out for a while. My systems will be tryin' to reroute themselves and work without the use of my copy chip. It'll be hard, he said. But Commander Zero trusts me so I'll have to move on." I barely heard her mutter, "Somehow." I blinked and shook my head, trying to clear out my previous anger. I knew it didn't work so I took to mumbling.

"Sorry."

Hane blinked, then grinned. "You're a great kid, A," she spoke, causing me to jump. "You can't just give up."

With that, she walked towards the exit, holding a hand up as a sign of farewell, like Zero did. "And please, A. Don't stay out here for too long. I'll come back as quick as I can and force you downstairs. For now, get all the moping out of your systems before I come back." She turned and gave me another grin before heading down the elevator.

I didn't see Hane for another two and a half weeks.

I forced myself to fall, attempting myself to push forward. My head vibrated as I clutched it, curling into a ball. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow..." I muttered. This is pathetic... I'm pathetic, I thought. I need something I can do without giving myself a horrible concussion. I sat up, biting my lip as I thought. Something that doesn't give me a concussion... Something that doesn't give me a concussion... Something that doesn't... give me... a concussion...

My eyes lit up and I stood. Could I actually do this? Was I stupid enough to try?

Yes. I am stupid enough to try.

Looking Zero in the eyes, I think I was actually feeling determination and confidence. Shocking, I know. But I felt that I was... ready. That I could do this. I took a deep breath before exhaling, holding my saber at an even level. Zero eyed me, wondering. I seemed a lot different than from yesterday. I should know, I'm me. I smirk with actual confidence and said, "I'm ready when you are, Zero." He nodded, eyeing me again.

He lunged, swiping down, causing me to hold my saber sideways to block. I just managed to push him off and lung, ramming my saber down in front of him, just missing him. He eyed me again, wondering where my sudden confidence was, before smirking. "Finally goin' all out, huh?" he questioned. I shrugged and smiled. "I guess I just need to do this as much as you need me to," I replied. He thrusted at me and my mind went blank. What if I can't do it? I pushed the thought aside and positioned myself. I should have realized this sooner, but I was just too slow.

I just couldn't loose. I had to win, no matter what. I don't know why it took my so long to realize.

A fire burned again, a familiar one and everything slowed. And then I realized what was happening: My upgrade was actually becoming useful. I dashed, pointing my own saber out and wrapping it around Zero's. I hit his open patch and tried thrusting the sword out. My eyes widen when his did and the sword didn't fly from his hands. Mine did. The saber skidded across the room and all too late I realized was I down. Zero stood above me, saber to my neck. I sighed in defeat. "You have the courage," Zero stated with a small smile. "I'm trusting you to handle your saber well." Zero pulled the saber away and held a hand out. I accepted and had myself pulled up.

"I'm expecting you here after lunch."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be here."

I couldn't help but smile. I actually felt something that I thought I'd lost a long, long time ago:

Hope.

Short, I know, but I honestly wasn't sure what to do with this. Anyways, next chappy is back to Maverick Hunting again! Promise! Also, I need to thank Marina Osameru for every comment, favorite, and chat we've had thus far. This chappy is dedicated to you! ~Nyaaah. Later!