NEO World of Advent Chapter Six

Cero, not for the first time in recent history, found himself deep within the nursery beside Allouette, a handful of sparkling E-Crystals in hand. He stared through the glass of an in-use incubation chamber at the growing form of his cyber elf. Clover had grown considerably in the past few weeks, already taking on a childish form, though definitively still elfish. Data sprinkled like a continuous shower of dust from her body even though she had since evolved from her more primitive orb-like form.

"How is she doing?" Cero asked concernedly. He had taken on a "Mother Hen" attitude about the whole thing, as Allouette put it. Every moment he could spare, he was at the elf's side, watching her grow, talking to her excitedly at times about whatever was on his mind at the time.

Allouette gave him a wan smile. "She's fine, Cero. In fact, she'll be ready to leave the incubation chamber soon."

"Really?" Cero looked at Clover, who seemed to be following the conversation, as her head turned to face whoever was speaking at the time. "You hear that Clover? Soon you can see the Resistance with me!"

Clover gave a happy noise, a crude but recognizable smile on her face. She tapped the glass with her hands curiously.

"Not yet," Allouette told her gently. "You still have some growing to do."

The thought occurred to Cero that Clover had been growing at an alarmingly fast rate. "Aunt 'Lou, is she growing a bit… too fast, if you know what I mean?"

Allouette shook her head and pressed a button, muting their end of the conversation so Clover couldn't hear. While done out of respect for her feelings, the sentiment brought no solace to the irate Elf, who tapped the panel of the chamber incessantly. "If you're worried about her reaching her natural life cycle's end too soon, I don't think it's something to be worried about. Not unduly, at any rate. Some cyber elves mature a lot faster than others. She's special; we don't really know how long she can be expected to live. Croire lived to be about ten years old when she passed away and Clover here is in layman's terms "a more advanced" elf. She could live to be a hundred for all we know."

Cero frowned. "What if I created something that prolonged her lifespan? You know, if I have to."

"If anyone could, it would be you," Allouette said. "Why don't you get to know each other a bit more? I'll be in one of the other rooms; some of the other elves' development isn't coming along as nicely as Clover's and I need to make sure they're doing alright."

Cero nodded. "Sure thing. I'll get you if something comes up." As Allouette left the door, Cero unmuted the chamber to an unimpressed Clover who fixed him with a baleful stare. "Sorry!" Cero said. "And hey, I'm not the one who did it."

Clover rolled her eyes, sitting down on the screen, eyes fixed warily on the panel that was used to cut off her auditory feed to the outside world. Her eyes were a pale green shade, her hair taking on a chestnut brown color.

Cero sighed. "Alright, I promise not to mute it. I can't speak for Aunt 'Lou though, okay?"

Clover nodded, apparently satisfied with this compromise. She tapped the screen with her index finger, which Cero learned by now meant she was bored.

"Do you want me to read you something?" Cero got out a large and well-used history book over the history of Neo Arcadia. It was a favorite of his, finding the founding and different problems the city faced fascinating. Clover made a face that made Cero think she did not share his views on the subject.

"Come on," Cero said. "It'll be fun. I'll talk about something interesting, like how Dad was seen by the people during Weil's reign."

Clover rolled a green eye but relented all the same, letting go of the screen expectantly. Cero cleared his throat and began.

"The people of Neo Arcadia were not always receptive to the existence of the Resistance. For many years, the now-allied faction were regarded as terrorists under the authoritarian regime of Dr. Weil. Propaganda surrounding the people's beloved leader, X, surfaced amidst suspicion placed upon the legendary reploid Zero. Many believed the crimson hero to have betrayed his old friend in a fit of maverick rage."

Cero paused to explain the section further. "It's fascinating to see the people's views on the subject. For example, many still don't know that the ruler of Neo Arcadia that Zero fought was actually a copy. They also conveniently leave out the fact that they viewed the Resistance as criminals unfairly even before Dr. Weil was in the picture, but that's a story for another time. Often history takes a slant so that the ones writing it look better to the people."

Clover nodded. Cero doubted she really cared enough to grasp the situation as a whole though and put the book down. "We can do something else if you want. I have a video game with me if you don't mind seeing that."

This, Cero could tell, was a hit for the young Elf. Her face brightened almost instantly and pressed her face against the screen as if it were already playing out of sight.

"Hold on," Cero said with a laugh. "I have to get it set up first." He took out a console and hooked up a few wires to the incubation screen so that she could see better. Soon a pixelated game titled "Spellblade" came up as an option. Cero pressed the Start button and an intro scene played. It wasn't high tech by any stretch, but the more retro style graphics drew a cult following and the game was considered a large success by many. Inside the intro, a man escapes a dungeon, fleeing to the forest, where a beautiful spirit gives him a fiery sword. The sword grows to fit the title credits, cutting through the titular word Spellblade with the aforementioned weapon.

Cero opened up his save file, finding himself in the middle of the Enchanted Forest, F3. Occasionally random mobs would appear, usually consisting of gremlins or if he was especially unlucky, a cave minotaur. Cero dispatched the enemies with ease, having grinded to the point where the enemies on this floor weren't a real concern to him. Despite the repetitive feel of each fight, Clover was enraptured. Every time an enemy hit, she let out a squeal and when his sword glowed red hot and made a simple slashing animation at an enemy, her hands curled tight like she was actually wielding the sword.

"The game's about a hero in red armor," Cero explained. "He teams up with the powerful Spirit of the Forest to slay the evil king, who oppresses his people with dark magic." Cero felt oddly at peace with the controller in hand, talking to Clover. It occurred to him that he really didn't have any friends. Sure, he had a few people in the resistance closer to his age that were fun to hang around, but they were too often on missions and with their own friends for him to really consider them friends.

"I like this game," Cero said, "Because it reminds me of Dad. It's also funny that the people of Neo Arcadia made a game loosely based around him. Kind of ironic. It's really popular."

Clover nodded and pointed to the game, then herself.

"You want to play?" Clover nods. Cero takes a moment to think. "I guess that could work. It does have a two player mode. You can play as the Forest Spirit."

The next half hour was spent teaching Clover the controls, which she picked up remarkably quickly. Soon, the two of them were embroiled in slaying endless hordes of blue slimes as they sought out enough gold for better gear. Soon, the Hero was decked out in red chain mail (everything was red with him) and the Forest Spirit was decked out in enchanted cloth and a magic scepter Clover managed to get as a rare drop from a gold slime.

Cero nodded with satisfaction at their handiwork. +2 to wind resistance and +4 mana respectively. The sword was enchanted as well, but its powers unlocked as the story progressed. The hero's flowing mane of blonde hair was suspended in a cutscene as the two of them searched for the key that unlocked the catacombs beneath the town. Afterwards, Clover bought as many health potions as their meager amount of gold could buy after Cero told her how it had to be used when either character got hurt.

"I like to think of myself as Zero when I play," Cero confessed. He had never told anyone this, but he felt like he was in safe confidence with Clover. "I always feel so useless in the real world. He's this amazing hero who saved the world and I can't even hold a sword without dropping it first. He never says it, but I feel like sometimes… Like I'm a disappointment. I've tried," Cero says, unable to stop the unwanted presence of tears at the corners of his eyes, "To learn how to fight like he does. I've read the books on swordplay, even basic martial arts stances. Nothing I do is ever good enough. Some days I wonder how I could be his son at all."

Cero wiped his eyes as the screen flashed before him. Apparently, Clover was trying to give him a health potion, eyes looking at him with some concern. "It doesn't work like that," Cero said, the corners of his mouth lifting all the same. "But thanks. It's just that I have these amazing parents, and I'm just me. Just Cero. It's hard to step out of their shadows sometimes."

Clover shook her head and typed in the word "HERO" in the chatbox. Cero felt warmth toward his Elf as he picked up the controller again. "Ready to continue?"

They progressed to the point past where Cero was in his save file, despite Clover's insistence that they check every potion on the floor or go to every dead end in search of treasure. Clover, Cero learned, was a completionist. She didn't like to leave the room until she was in no means uncertain that the room hadn't been completely cleared. Soon they reached a floor Boss with six arms and a different weapon in each hand that Cero heard held a different enchantment each.

"This might be tough," Cero warned. "I don't know if we can handle it just yet." The warning was lost on Clover, however, who ushered their characters forward, triggering the cutscene before the fight.

The Six-Armed Samurai turned out to be too powerful and, after an unlucky crit against Clover's character, the Forest Spirit sank to the floor to the "Game Over" credits. Clover let out a distressed sound, eyes wide. Cero was quick to reassure her that it wasn't over yet, and that they had saved beforehand. Cero gave her a Potion of Sorcerous Might and the fight ended this time, in their favor. Clover let out a sigh of relief as the samurai made the death animation, opening up another cutscene. The door opened, and Allouette looks at them amusedly.

"You two sure bond quick," she said. "Cero, it's almost time for dinner. Go get washed up and meet your parents upstairs. I'll make sure Clover gets something to eat."

Clover shook her head, mashing the CONTINUE? Button expectantly. Cero grimaced apologetically. "Sorry Clover, but I have to eat." Clover tapped the screen with a leftover energy crystal.

"I can't eat that," Cero said. "I have to eat human food. Wait," he said as he turned to Allouette. "Can I eat that? If I can eat human food, shouldn't I be able to eat reploid stuff as well?"

"There's already been a study done on the subject," Allouette said. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of it. Advents can eat energy crystals and drink certain kinds of oil, but it only strengthens their reploid halves - your oversol for example. You're still going to need to eat human food if you don't want to starve."

"Wait," Cero said excitably. "You mean if I eat E-Crystals I might get my oversol to appear?"

Allouette looked as though she regretted bringing it up. "Yes," she said slowly, "But I'm not convinced that's a good idea. You don't have an oversol problem, Cero. Stronger Advents often have a more difficult time controlling their oversol. I really wouldn't give the matter too much thought."

"But it could make me stronger, right?" Cero pressured his aunt. "It couldn't hurt, could it?"

"I suppose not," Allouette relented. "I'll look into it and have a healthy dosage prescribed for you sometime soon. For now, you can eat these with your afternoon meal." Allouette gave him a small capsule of blue diamonds. "It's a moderate dosage for baby elves, but I'm sure it'll do fine for an adolescent Advent. Don't eat them all at once though," she warned. "We still don't know all the effects they have on Advent bodies."

Cero promised not to overdo it and made another hasty apology to Clover who was currently giving him the stink eye. Outside, he pocketed the crystals with a happy grin. Maybe this is what he needed to be able to use his oversol.

Cero took the massive elevator upstairs, enjoying the mechanical hum it made as it ascended to the proper level. It ground to a sudden halt and opened up to give Cero full view of the mess room, where the Resistance as a whole ate together for their dusktime meal. Hibou waved Cero over to the table where Ciel and Zero were sitting at beside Cerveau and Doigt.

"Hey there," Hibou greeted Cero. "We were just wondering where you were."

"I was in the nursery," Cero explained. "I was just checking up on Clover."

"Again? His mother gave him an approving glance. "I'm glad to see you taking this so seriously."

Zero nodded. "You've shown yourself quite responsible in this regard. It's good to see something you excel at."

Cero squirmed at the hidden implication, but let the feeling go with the bubble of excitement as he took out the capsule of E Crystals. "Aunt 'Lou gave me these," he explained. "They're supposed to make me stronger."

Zero zoned in on the small bottle of crystals with interest. "Really? Does a higher dosage yield better or quicker results?"

Ciel smacked her husband gently. "It's like a human medicine Zero," she explained. "Too much might be unhealthy. But I doubt Allouette gave you anything you could overdose on in there," she added.

Zero nodded and re-entered a heated conversation between Doigt and Cerveau on the proper application of the recoil rod. Hibou gave the crystals a hungry look as Cero sprinkled the whole bottle over his plate.

"Do you want any?" Cero offered.

"Me? No, no," Hibou protested. "I'm on a diet. Still, those look mighty tasty. No! Diet. I must remain strong."

"What do they taste like?" Cero asked as he examined the reflection of the crystals in the stew he poured them in.

"Well," Hibou said, now fully in his element, "different crystals come in different levels of effect and taste. Some crystals are flavored to give a more unique experience."

Cero tries a bite gingerly, noticing with surprise a sweet sensation alongside the hearty broth. "It's like sugar," he explained. "It kind of melts in your mouth."

Hibou nodded. "I can give you some of my private supply if… Well, never mind."

"Just talk to her," Cero prompted the older reploid. "Aunt 'Lou isn't the kind of person to be mean-spirited about that sort of thing."

Hibou sighed. "She probably already knows. Half the Base does."

Cero shook his head. "Nah. She's too busy to take part in gossip."

Hibou looked marginally relieved at this. "Does she have a favorite flower, do you know? Or energy crystal?" he said hopefully.

Cero thought for a moment. "I don't really know. I know she keeps going on about this Exposium on newer reploid models. Maybe you could take her?"

Hibou looked like he was considering it for a moment before his head sunk in defeat. "A guy like me would only make a fool out of himself in front of a girl like her. She's so smart…"

"Smarts aren't everything," Cero told him. "Dad isn't exactly a bookworm you know and he still ended up with Mom."

"Yeah," Hibou said, "But I'm not Zero."

Cero gave him a sympathetic glance. "It's not fair to compare yourself to Zero," he said. "My Dad's not perfect either you know."

The words felt hollow in his mouth but they seemed to do the trick for Hibou, whose expression become significantly more like his old cheery self. "I think I'll look into this exposium thing," Hibou said, the color draining from his face at the prices of the event.

Cero felt, in some twisted way, happy to know that he wasn't the only one feeling down about comparing himself to his father.

Hibou took in a deep breath and got up, plate in hand.

"Where are you going?" Cero asked. "You've hardly touched your food."

"I'm going to work out," Hibou said determinedly. He dumped the food in a nearby receptacle with his eyes closed from the apparent heresy of throwing away a plate of food and made for the exit closest to the rec room.

"He must be really serious," Ciel whispered to Cero as Hibou left.

Cero nodded. "He's crazy about Aunt 'Lou. Almost everyone knows it."

"Everyone but her," Ciel sighed. "I swear, she keeps herself cooped up more than I do! Which I'm told, is not healthy. Really, it's even hard to get her to commit to girls' night."

Cero smiled at the mention of Ciel's weekly ritual where she gathered select females from the Resistance every week where they hit the malls and spas while Zero gets to not do that. Instead, he goes out to shooting ranges with Cerveau, Colbur, or sometimes Faucon. At times they come back drunk, save for Zero, who they swear has enough tolerance to down an entire tank of Sweet Oil and not feel any ill effects. The one time Cero caught Zero stagger after such a night his father had bribed him for his silence.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" Cero asked his mother.

"Your father and I are going out on a date!" Ciel exclaimed. She sounded really excited about it.

Cero couldn't help but feel happy for her. Though they looked like an odd couple, he knew his parents cared deeply for each other. Cero knew that beneath his father's rough and stoic exterior, he felt a similar excitement. Even though his idea of a romantic date didn't always add up with hers, they always made it work.

"Oh," Ciel said, "How is Clover doing? I know you mentioned her earlier but we never got to talk about her much."

"She's doing great," Cero informed her. "We were playing Spellblade earlier."

"Really now?" Ciel seemed surprised. "I didn't think she'd be that autonomous already."

"Didn't you have her for a little while before though?" Cero asked.

Ciel nodded. "I headed the team that designed her, yes. But once she was ready for incubation Allouette oversaw the most of it. She should be full of surprises."

Upon the conclusion of the subject, Cero realized that he had left Clover hanging for some time now. Asking if he could be excused, Ciel told him that it was okay to head back down so long as he went to sleep at a respectable time.

"Thanks Mom!" Cero placed his tray with the rest to be washed before sprinting to the lower floors, where the Nursery was held. Clover was in the middle of another save file, one that he realized, had overwritten his old one.

"You know there are other games, right?" he asked Clover.

Clover glared at Cero and returned her attention to her new save file.

"Sorry," Cero said. "But I have to eat other stuff. It's a human - er, Advent thing. If you want, we can continue playing Spellblade together," he offered.

Clover saved her new file, quickly reverting to their shared one, all animosity forgotten with the promise of progressing further in their quest to slay the evil king. It was well past midnight when Allouette found them stuck to the screen, slogging away at the grind for loot. Cero bid Clover a good night, and his Elf returned a sad wave, curling up in her chamber as Allouette dimmed the lights.

Cero found himself eagerly waiting for the morning, where they could continue. He wondered distantly if this is what it felt like to have a friend.