Chapter 4: The death match
All of the Maverick Hunters stood there, looking at Zero and the Count in confusion. Zero stepped forward confidently towards the Count then stopped in front of him:
The Count: Ah! Monsieur Zero! Welcome back.
Zero: What are you doing here, Excellency?
The Count: My, how it happened that you don't know? I simply came here for you.
Zero: For…me?
The Count: Yes. You see, I want to tell you that your friends are simply the most stupid creatures in the whole galaxy, especially X. I can't believe how they have such foolishness.(starts laughing)
Keroro: What?!
Giroro: How dare you?!
The Count: Now, if you excuse me, I'll take my leave.
Zero gets mad, holds a stone and throws it at the Count's back:
Zero: GANKUTSUOU!
The Count stops for a while, then turns his face to Zero:
Zero: A duel… A duel!
All: What?!
Ben(in his mind): Is he insane?! He'll kill himself like that!
The Count: Very impressive. And how do you want it to be like?
Zero: Robot fighters' match… You and me! Tomorrow 5:00 a.m.!
Barodius: Zero.
The Count: Fine, and everyone should be there to witness our duel.
Iris: No, please!
The Count: It's over! A battle…to the death!
Zero: And you said it! To the death!
The Count left the hunters in confusion, then they got in the base and tried to make Zero hold back from his decision but with no use. Zero was more stubborn than any of them:
X: Zero, please. We're begging of you! Don't fight him!
Zero: It's settled, X!
Ren: But Zero…
Zero: No buts, guys! It's over… I WILL fight Gankutsuou and nothing, I repeat: nothing will ever stop me from doing so!
He gets in the room, and closes the door on himself. Meanwhile, Ben was trying with the Count but he also was stubborn and didn't listen:
Ben: Why do you want to fight him?! Are you absolutely out of your mind?!
The Count: Ben, you heard the kid… He wanted the fight not me.
Ben: Then you retreat from it.
The Count: I can't.
Ben: Why?!
The Count: Because I've never refused a challenge in my life, and I won't.
Ben: But…
The Count: Enough, Ben! It's over! Leave now before I change my mind!
Ben gave up to the Count's decision and went back to the base.
Gin point view:
At 3:00 a.m., I went to Zero's room with a drink in my hand. He welcomed me in and we started to drink together. We kept laughing and talking for an hour. "You drunk so much, didn't you Zero?", I said in a joking tone, he just laughed and said:"Oh, shut up Gin! Let's just enjoy the moment. I'll wipe him to the floor! Just wait…and…see.", that was the last thing he said before he went out cold, he was unaware that I've put sleeping pills in his glass. 'Sorry, Zero. But I can't watch you being killed and do nothing about it!', I thought. I went out of the room and ran out of the base, then I summoned my robot fighter 'Wolf Warrior' and went to fight that bastard! He shall pay for what he has done to Zero! Even if it meant the end of my life!
The time of the battle has come, all of the hunters were there and so were the Count's men. The Count was the first to appear then 'Dragorobo' showed up, but they didn't know it was 'Wolf Warrior' in disguise :
The Count: You think that being a hunter makes you so brave! I'll show how the real fight is! Let's go!
They began to fight, everyone were watching in fear especially Iris. She was afraid someone might get hurt.
During the battle, Jeice noticed that 'Dragorobo' was moving more like a wolf, "Guys, follow me!", he said to the rest of the Ginyu force members in determine, they followed him with confusion and Burter asked him:"What is it, Jeice? Where are you going?"
"I'm going back to the base!"
"Why? Is something wrong?", asked Ginyu in confusion while running after Jeice, "I'm not sure, but I'll be so when I check something in the base.", he said and the others still didn't understand what was going on.
When they got to the base, they all headed with Jeice to Zero's room to find Zero sleeping on the desk:
Jeice: As I suspected.(gets closer to Zero)
Goldu: I don't get it! If Zero was still here then…
Recoom: Who's the guy we saw fighting Gankutsuou?!
Burter(holding the sleeping pills): Hey, guys! Look what I've found!
Ginyu: Sleeping pills! But what are they doing here?!
Jeice: It's obvious!(when they look at him)… Gin made Zero to sleep and went to fight Gankutsuou instead of him!
All: What?!
Jeice: We have to wake him up!...(shakes Zero to wake him)… Zero, Zero! Zero, wake up!
When Zero opened his eyes, he felt a little bit dizzy and saw the Ginyu force standing in front of him. "Damn it, Gin! What did you put in my glass?!", he cursed as he looked at the clock. He panicked when he saw it was 5:15 o'clock! When he recognized what happened, he quickly ran out of the base and summoned 'Dragorobo', "Hop on!", he ordered the Ginyu force and they obeyed him. Zero then went off as fast as he can and he hoped it wasn't too late.
Meanwhile, the Count has almost finished 'Wolf Warrior' off. Gin tried to move but he couldn't because of his injuries:
The Count(holds up the sword): So this is the end? You really disappointed me. I have expected you to be stronger than this. How pathetic!
The sword almost hit Wolf Warrior but Dragorobo held off the sword with its arm and sent the Count's armor backwards. Everyone looked shocked until Gin turned off the disguise and showed everyone his true self. Vodka dashed with the other Black Organization members and got Gin out of his robot fighter. The Count looked at Zero and started to laugh maliciously:
Zero(with anger): What's so funny?!
The Count: You finally show your true self, a coward hiding behind his friends.
Gin: It's better than not having friends at all, you cursed demon! Ah.
Zero: Aniki!
Lifesaver: He'll be fine! You just concentrate on your battle!
The Count: How touching, such pathetic foolish boy.(laughing)
Zero: I had enough of you! GET LOST!
The Count evades Zero's strike and cuts Dragorobo's arm then sends him to the ground.
Surprising to all, Zero got out and stood on his robot fighter then started talking to him:
Zero: Dragorobo! Are you OK?
Dragorobo: I'll be fine, Zero. Don't worry about me.
Silver(in amazement): Is it just me or that robot had just talked?
Zero(tears rolling down his cheeks): Why?... You have suffered, I understand this. But why do you want to make everyone suffer like you?
The Count: You know nothing about my suffering!
Zero(turns around to him): I know exactly how you suffered, Dantes!...(everyone get shocked)… Edmond Dantes. That's your real name, and that's your true self… An innocent man who has been thrown in the depths of the space for an injustice charge of treason! Am I right, Count? I mean Edmond Dantes?
The Count kept silent for a while. He didn't expect to hear his old name again. "Edmond Dantes is dead.", he broke the silence with that comment then continued his words: "No one can change this fact, not even you."
"What the hell is this nonsense you're saying now?!", Zero said tears forming again in his eyes. "Are you saying that Edmond Dantes, the good man you were once, have been lost in this form and he would never be back? Are you saying that you can never be that man anymore? Is that what you're trying to tell me?!...(when he doesn't hear an answer)… Answer me!".
Everything kept quiet and Zero started crying. Then the Count lifted his sword in the air and said: "Let's get this over with.", then he lowered the sword and almost hit the dragon shaped robot but something unexpected happened:
The Count(to himself): Impossible! How could he do this?!
Axl: Wow! This is awesome! Did you guys see that?!
X: We saw it and we still can.
Guilmon: Zero is a super strong saiyan.
Baptistin: Incredible!
Blaze: No way! He blocked the sword with just his bare hands!
Gabriel: How could this happen?
Raymond: It happened because of Zero's will.
Bertuccio: What do you mean?
Raymond: Zero has a strong will. The will of protecting his friends, that's what makes him stronger than anything in all of the worlds.
Zero: I believe…(sends the Count's robot backwards)… I believe you'll be that man again!
That moment, the Chaos emerald in Zero's forehead gem started to glow and a blinding light surrounded Zero as he shouted: "CHAOS…CONTROL!". All of the Chaos emeralds gathered above Zero even the Master emerald, then he transformed into the Prince of Chaos and Drago Robo was fixed by the power of the emeralds and transformed into Robo Z:
Zero: Gankutsuou! I shall end this fight right now! Dragon sword!
The attack hit the Count and made the robot collapse on the ground. The Maverick Hunters knew that Zero was victorious and they were happy for him. Zero then got out of his robot and went to the Count after he decreased his power back to normal, he noticed that Commodore Sunny has commanded the soldiers to point their weapons at the Count's robot:
Sunny: Prepare yourselves, men! When Gankutsuou gets out, arrest him right away!...(turns around to see Zero on top of the robot)… Zero, what on earth are you doing?! Get away from him at once!
Zero: I won't.
Sunny(gets angry): Zero Omega! That's an order! Get away from that robot this instant or else you'll be punished!
Zero(turns around): Fine! Then shoot me if you want! I won't let you arrest him! Do you hear me, Sunny?!
They all were shocked from his words especially Sunny who couldn't say anything in reply to Zero's words. Zero saw the top of the robot open then he got closer to the Count and stretched his hand to him:
Zero(smile): You need a hand?
The Count(confused): Why are you…
Zero: Because I'm the Prince of Chaos. It's my duty to help others, and to forgive the ones who have hurt me in the past. That's what I've learned from my grandfather.
The Count took Zero's hand and Zero helped him to get on his feet. Surprising to everyone, he smiled to the Count and said: "You're free to go, Excellency.", the Count was the most surprised of them all. He didn't expect that the kid would forgive him this easily. He just bid the Hunters a farewell with an apology and left with his men. The Hunters went back to the base, and Zero had been blamed roughly on his hasty actions.
Later that night, Zero was thinking about something. 'Maybe if I went to the Champs-Elysee and talked with him he would become one of us.', he thought and smiled to himself then went asleep.
Meanwhile, X was telling some friends about what happened earlier:
X: And that's what exactly happened, Magnum.
Magnum Ace: So, Zero forgave him and let him go?
Top Joy: Wow! He's really cool!
Mach Windy: And you guys say that I'm hasty.
Top Joy(turns on the speakers on his shoulders): Don't mind, Windy! You are hasty and stubborn but Zero is way hastier and more stubborn than you!
X(sweat drop): Seriously, Top Joy, is it necessary to turn your speakers on?
Top Joy(turns them off): Oh, sorry X. But me can't hold myself.
X: That's fine. Ok, see you later. Do your best in these matches, Silver Castle. Oh, and send our regards to your Owner.
Magnum Ace: Will do. And you do your best in your battles with the Mavericks. See you later.
Mach Windy: Goodbye.
Top Joy: See you again.
Kiai Ryuken: Goodbye, X.
Kiwami Jyuurouta: Take care of yourself.
Bull Armor: See you soon.
GZ: Be careful.
X: See you soon, Silver Castle.
Their picture disappears from the screen, and X goes to his bed.