Tabitha and the others had managed to make it down to the courtyard and saw Zero and the Elf going through a small cycle of talking in a civil manner, followed by Zero trying his very best to rip the elf apart. Tabitha shook her head as she realized how outclassed Zero really was. Zero was moving at speeds their eyes could barely follow and yet that ancient magic could not be pierced. The sword that could cut anything... Was unable to move the elf. Tabitha gasped as she saw him sheathe Derflinger and his saber. She had thought he had given up... She smiled, that he would at least leave with his life... But to her immense surprise, Zero began attacking with his own hands. Then his own magic. Without warning, the elf launched his own magical barrage at Zero and to Tabitha's amazement Zero reflected the power back with what appeared to be the same ancient magic the elf was using! Tabitha watched Zero, and heard him speak. The power he was letting out was amazing, just as before it seemed limitless in it's own way. His hair had turned a snowy white, and his armor was streaked with energy that was of a similar color and incandescence. Was this like willpower? Was his emotions tied to his power, just as a mage's were? How could he do this? Why would he do this? Tabitha could not figure out why he would come this far for her! She watched him fly forward and deliver the final blow. He stood there, looking like nothing short of an avenging angel. An angel who had come to free her, even after she had hurt him... Her eyes widened as she heard his next words. Was he really going to go after her uncle? She couldn't let him, not after everything. Unable to help herself, she cried out,"Zero!" Zero turned to face them, then looked at his left hand. It was covered in blood. Tabitha saw something pass over his face momentarily. She did not notice if anyone else had noticed it, but she had. She understood. He had everyone looking at him with blood on his hands, yet again. But this was her fault, the blood on his hands was her fault... she wanted to say something but couldn't speak. Suddenly she felt a hand push her forward. Looking up she saw Kirche who smiled gently at her. Suddenly, she found her feet moving of their own accord and she embraced Zero. She started crying immediately, as if a dam had broken. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Zero looked down at her, confused. "What are you sorry for?"
"It's my fault... If not for me, that blood on your hands would not be there. It is my fault that you are in pain right now. All to save someone insignificant like me!" she cried out.
Zero shook his head, placing his clean hand on her shoulder. "That's not true. You've done nothing wrong. You've fought for someone you needed to protect. This blood on my hand is my own doing. It was my conscious choice to step forward and fight."
"But-" Tabitha protested.
"If it's anyone's fault, it's your uncle's fault" Kirche chimed in. "he''s the one who did all of this. I don't see how either of you are at fault."
Zero and Tabitha both looked at her. Then Zero nodded. "That's true. I'm going to go take care of that."
"What?" Kirche asked in disbelief,"We're going to assault the royal capital?"
"There is no we. I'm going myself." Zero replied.
"But you can't!" Louise objected.
"Louise..."
"I won't let you!" Louise cried out.
Zero gave her a skeptical look, then replied with a smirk,"Well, if you can stop me go right ahead. But if you can't... I'm going to force you to read one of Siesta's books. Out loud... During one of the free study classes. A whole book."
Louise's face turned red at the thought, and despite the smirk and sparkle in his eyes she somehow knew he was serious. "Ah... No, actually... I think you should..."
"That's what I thought." Zero chuckled.
Guiche murmured lightly,"Ah, such a terrible and merciless commander..."
Removing Tabitha's hands from him Zero looked to the party and said,"Roll protect them. Get them a cart and start heading towards the border. Although after this, Tabitha might end up being the queen."
Roll looked at Zero, at the resolve in his eyes and nodded,"Please take care of yourself..." was all that the reploid girl could bring herself to say.
Zero just shrugged in response.
Eyes wide at the implication, Tabitha looked at Zero. Was he truly going to attempt to kill her uncle? Before she could object Zero was gone, with not even a trail of after images to mark his passage.
"I wonder if the Commander can teach me how too do that?" Guiche replied curiously.
***Break***
Zero didn't know why he hadn't figured it out before, but somehow, he could feel the void magic. there were only two unfamiliar sources, and he knew that the closest one was the one he was after. He ran with a single minded purpose towards the closest one. Hearing the charge up of the attacks before they were even released, Zero dodged a volley of buster fire. Jumping backwards a few times, he heard a laugh echo through the air around him. Tracing it to a point above him, he looked up to see Leviathan standing there, her body supported by a thin layer of water.
"Ah. Leviathan. I was wondering where you were. Unfortunately, you need to be retired," Zero said conversationally.
"Oh? But aren't you a maverick?" Leviathan asked with smile.
Zero returned her smile with one of his own. "The only people who ever called me that were Copy X and the Guardians. Not a single one of you were maverick hunters. I'm one of two left, and the most senior ranking. I've declared you and your master mavericks and you will be treated as such."
A true smile crossed Leviathan's face, giving Zero pause before she said,"I'm so glad to hear that. Shall we begin my prey?"
Without a word Zero swung his saber at Leviathan creating a crescent of energy that Leviathan easily dodged with her ranged advantage. She was moving similarly to Tabitha during the fight. Zero shook his head at this. A barrage of buster fire from behind him caused Zero to look back momentarily and smirk. As the buster shots landed home, a large explosion occurred obscuring Leviathan's vision for a moment.
"Don't tell me..." Leviathan said,"Don't tell me you've gone soft Zero! Those attacks shouldn't have hit you!"
Before the smoke had even cleared, Zero called out,"Who said they did?" As Zero came into view, a green bubble could be seen protecting his back. "I have to say, those elves are nice. Civil, good fighters, and they give great gifts. Looking back on it, it's kinda a pity that I tore him in half. Wait no... He was gonna rape the mind of a child. So I'm still feeling pretty good about that."
Leviathan's eyes widened as she recognized just what Zero had done. "You... You copied the elf magic?"
"Why is this a surprise? You'd think you'd remember when I had you caught in a fist of earth and was going to rip you to pieces." Zero replied easily. With a shrug he continued,"I thought that's kinda where we were right now. Finishing up that interrupted fight without my pops to get in the way."
"You're cocky, I'll give you that Zero. I must say that I am happy that you're not holding back, that you're willing to kill. Make sure you don't lose that, alright? It won't be any fun otherwise!" Leviathan cried as she held out her hand, and a ball of water formed in it. "I will show you what I have learned of water... of life. That is my gift to you!"As she said this, the water that was in her hand shot towards Zero, but then seemingly stopped, losing it's cohesion. As it encountered the counter barrier it simply passed through much to Zero's shock. Once through the barrier the water hardened and extended into spikes, piercing Zero's upper chest and right arm.
"Partner!" Derflinger cried from his shoulder. "Draw me!"
With a nod, Zero freed Derflinger from his scabbard and swung him at the water, causing it to collapse now that the magic within it was severed and absorbed by Derflinger. "Nice trick there. That's damn near perfect control of water..."
"I do my best to please, Zero." Leviathan replied seductively.
Zero looked up at Leviathan and blinked a few times, then asked,"Are...Are you coming on to me? Because seriously I'm already trying to dodge... Ya know what no. Not even thinking about that."
"Oh ho. What is this Zero? Are you that interested in me?" Leviathan asked teasingly.
"Seriously, I don't need this!" Zero cried as he grabbed his buster with his right hand, cringing at how clumsily it moved. It had maybe 50% mobility. It wasn't even recovering because the damage to his chest had almost pierced his core, so that was what his body was currently straining to repair. That had been a damned good shot she had gotten in, not that he'd let her know that.
"Need what? Did I strike a nerve or something Zero?" Leviathan asked, posing rather seductively, her head tilted and resting on her left fist.
Zero growled as he released a salvo of buster fire, and ran towards one of the larger trees, running up it and propelling himself up towards Leviathan who surprisingly moved forward to meet him. Zero's eyes widened as he saw a barrier of water appear around Leviathan as she drew closer. Their two barriers met and exploded throwing them both back. Zero landed hard on the ground while Leviathan continued to float with a smile on her face.
"While I wasn't able to copy it perfectly, I was able to create my own version of that with my element. Isn't it beautiful?"
"Very pretty." Zero replied with a smirk
"I'm glad you think so. I did so want our final meeting to be as satisfying for you as for me." Leviathan smiled as she seductively moved her hips.
Zero looked up at Leviathan and sighed."Seriously... You gotta stop that."
"Oh, but why's that? I mean, who couldn't love such a pretty reploid like yourself?" Leviathan asked coyly,"I mean, your beautiful hair alone is enough to invoke at least the beginning of jealousy in me."
Zero's eyes twitched. "Leviathan... Did you know that Sigma, the leader of the maverick revolution had a single absolute rule?"
"Oh, and what was that?" She asked curiously, her mirth not hidden at all as she swayed lazily in the air, looking at Zero.
"Don't make fun of Zero's hair, and by extension don't fuck with Zero's hair." Zero replied as he launched himself up a tree and at Leviathan again, sending three electrically charged bolts of plasma into the shield that she was using to protect her. He smiled as he noticed the electricity channeled through the shield and into Leviathan who hissed in pain as it coursed through her body.
"Ah yes, I forgot you had those elemental chips... But it's no matter. While it's painful, you can't do any where's near the damage that I've already done with just that residual amount of electricity." Leviathan taunted as she rose higher in the air. She smiled easily as she looked down at Zero, not making any move to attack.
"Leviathan... Axl had one thing he wanted to ask you." Zero said as he looked up at the smiling reploid. Axl owed him for being THIS lame.
"Oh, and what was that?"
"What happens to a female reploid that gets hit with a giant thunderbolt?"
"I don't know. Nor do I think we shall, with the clear skies." Leviathan replied with a smile.
"The answer..." Zero replied, setting Derflinger in a readied position,"Is the same thing that happens to everything else!" Zero unleashed the magic stored in Derflinger from his battle with the elf and Leviathan in the form of thunder, while somehow forcing his own power into the blade. The power he offered up, Derflinger drank greedily, and just as quickly released it at the woman who had become his enemy. While fire and ice could both be countered by water, electricity was helped by the water since it was not perfectly pure. That was the weakness to Leviathan's counter defense and it was time to end this battle so he could go finish what he had started. As she fell Zero struck her with Derflinger in the midsection, causing little enough damage, but leeching the magic out of the water that was trying to support and protect her. Reaching out with his other hand he grabbed her and rode her into the ground. As he positioned Derflinger to strike, he was surprised when he noticed the gentle smile she was giving him.
"Thank you, Zero" Leviathan said she looked up into Zero's white eyes.
"Why thank me? You're going to die," Zero asked quietly.
"You let me see something so beautiful before you free me. Why shouldn't I thank you?" she asked, with a gentle look on her face.
Free her? What was she talking about? Zero couldn't figure it out. His eyes widened as he saw the familiar lab appear in front of him without warning.
"Idiot. She doesn't have your resistance to control. Without ME there, that rune probably forced her to follow the orders of that man. Ya know son, there are times I wonder if I should have made you to be a lab assistant! Maybe you would be a little more likely use that wonderful brain! Not that you've not made progress. Even if it IS helping Rock."
"Why did you bring me here, Old man?" Zero asked. He didn't think a battle was a time to be doing this.
"You should know, with your processing power, we can 'effectively' slow time in here by speeding up the process of information. It would be a lot harder to hold a conversation IN combat. Use your head, please?" Wily said, smiling when Zero glared at him. "Alright Zero, I guess I'll put it to you plainly. You have to use your legacy."
Zero stared at Wily, his face blank. "My legacy?" Zero asked dumbly.
"What you call the maverick virus. It is still inside of you. Its part of your unencrypted data. That Leviathan is just a reploid. She is not like X, Roll, or you. She CAN be controlled. You once said you hated me for creating it. Well I'll prove to you its worth! With my analysis of the rune you have, the Zero virus can and will destroy the rune and its control properties!" Wily said, looking pleased at the surprised look on Zero's face.
"What did you say?" Zero couldn't believe this. Is this why Wily had always seemed so damned preoccupied by the rune? "You're saying you can free Leviathan?"
"Not at all. Its all you Zero. Its always been all of you. My son... You are my greatest creation. With your power, you can free this wayward robot from her human captor. Do you realize now, Zero? This is the reason for the Zero virus. This is the truth!" Wily said, a grin on his face, his eyes alight with passion.
"Maybe you're not that bad Old man." Zero nodded, then as he tried to analyze the rune, he was looking into Leviathan's face once again."Free you. Yeah... I can do that"
"Thank you... Zero. Don't regret this. Its the only way," She said.
"You're right. It is the only way," he brought his face close to hers.
Leviathan blinked, and a puzzled look crossed her face as Zero's face came closer to hers. Was he going to... Kiss her? Was this her good bye? She supposed there were far worse ways to go, kissed by a the second sexiest legendary reploid. She stifled a giggle at that. Suddenly she felt his helmet touch hers, follow by a flash of light and a surge of... Something. Her world exploded in fire. "What? It hurts!" Leviathan screamed. Her head, she felt it. It was on fire. It was like the time she had originally been branded. But so much worse. What was happening? She tried to struggle out of Zero's grip, but it was no use. What had he done? The pain suddenly stopped. She opened her eyes, and looked into the face of Zero, framed by blond hair once again, his eyes and armor no longer glowing. He nodded at her, and stood up.
"So, I see you're missing something now," Zero said, smiling gently.
"What? What happened? What did you do?" Leviathan demanded. Suddenly a wave of guilt washed over her for everything she had done. Over a full year of repressed guilt for all she had done. For how she had violated everything X had stood for. Her master..."Why didn't you kill me? I'm a monster. Don't you realize, I've done so many terrible things... I don't deserve this mercy!"
"Wrong." Zero stated flatly. "That rune was controlling you. You fought it, and it controlled you more. You've provoked me, and tried to get me to kill you. You've purposely left yourself open. I couldn't figure it out... If I had been able to, I could have freed you when I had first met you...I'm more to blame than you are."
"What? You freed me?" Her hand shot to her forehead. She didn't feel anything there. The difference in the texture of her skin where the rune was... It was gone! "How?"
"I'd rather not say," Zero said, as he looked away. Even he had trouble acknowledging the maverick virus had been used for a good purpose. He had ensured it had a self deletion file added into it before he had used it on Leviathan, but she still might consider herself a maverick...
"Please! I have to know. How? Why? We've always fought..." Leviathan demanded, as she grabbed his shoulders.
"We might have fought, but it was never personal. You had your beliefs. I had mine. You fought for the people you thought were worth protecting. You guardians were willing to have peace once the Ciel system was made. While I don't agree with what you did... You did what you thought was right at the time. Believe me when I say, that I've had to do some terrible things because they were right at the time. How could I hold that against you?"
Leviathan looked at Zero. Was this how he viewed things? His view of things... He was so like her Master X... So long ago. "So... How did you do it?" she asked. When he looked away from her, she pressed more," I want to know. Please. How did you do it?"
"I used the... Zero virus. I used it to rewrite your programming data. Its now like mine. You can't be used like that again,"
Leviathan looked at Zero. She gasped suddenly, then shook him,"You used the Maverick virus on me! Why? How?"
"Apparently... This was the way it was supposed to be used," Zero responded as he turned his face to look at her.
"What do you mean, supposed to be used!" She demanded. She was a maverick now!
"It was supposed to be used, to prevent the control of robots against me. Mostly the semi-intelligent war machines. But it could also be used to rewrite the programming of more advanced reploids like yourself. That's probably why they kept going maverick. People with the virus wouldn't necessarily go maverick. But they'd be forced to write their own programming. Their own goals, because i wasn't there to do it for them. Many of the mavericks when given free will... True free will like myself, and X...probably felt angry and banded together after being used for so long. Leviathan, right now you're probably closer to X than ever before..." Zero looked into her eyes.
Leviathan couldn't believe it. "You...y-you...y-ou" she started shaking, as she looked down. She...She was free? She was... she was like X? She was free. Like X, she was free. "You..." She couldn't get her words to come out. She'd never felt emotions so strong before. Why? Was this what had made X the way he was? Was this why Zero had fought so hard, even against all odds? Was this Zero's true power? She could see this power... Corrupting her. Was this why mavericks had always fought so hard? To the end? Did they not want to lose this? She looked at Zero, and her body suddenly felt heated. Why would he do this for her? Why? She shook her head. Why did she want to look at him! Why hadn't he just killed her! She'd asked multiple times! The heat in her seemed to rise. She wanted to... Punch him. Yeah, she wanted to punch him! "You...gave...me... this?" she grated out slowly then lunged at Zero, to his surprise, while screaming "Bastard!"
Zero looked up into Leviathan's face. Well, this was unexpected. He'd been hoping to avoid this... As he tensed to throw her off him, the unexpected feeling of Leviathan's lips meeting his brought him up short. After a few minutes, the forceful kiss ended. Her face pulled away, and he looked up with some confusion,"What the hell?" he asked, to which he got a swift palm to the face.
"Shut up," Leviathan said, as she looked away. She'd wanted to punch the bastard, but when his face had been so close... It had looked so inviting. The wasn't anger in it. There wasn't any accusations. There was regret in it. His regret for not helping her sooner. Why, damn it? Why did he have to look at her like that? "Its your own fault!" She said as she stood up.
"What do you mean?" Zero demanded.
"I've told you from the beginning... Not to treat me differently because I am a woman," She said, her back to him now.
"Still not getting it!"
"You never fought me with your full power because of that. Even at the end you pulled back. Then that stupid look on your face. Feeling guilty because you hadn't saved me? What the hell was that! How can you feel guilty for not helping me after all I did to you! After the resistance soldiers. After causing that rebellion? After targeting your master? How? Why!" She shouted, her hands balled into fist.
"What are you talking about. I fought you as hard as I fought any of the guardians. I never killed any of you. I didn't kill you, because even though you were on the other side... You reminded me of someone." Zero said as he looked at her.
"What?" she asked, her anger drained away with a realization of what he just said. Why didn't he fight back? He never did what she expected of him.
"You reminded me of X in a way, even before I could remember him. To you guys, I was a maverick that was threatening the humans. That wasn't the case, so I fought you, but you were doing what you thought was right." Zero replied.
"Why won't you let me just hate you?" She asked as she looked into his face. "From the very first time i met you... You've interested me. You seem so cool, so collected when in battle. You were so mysterious. You always fought with all your determination. You came from no where, and humbled us. You were the partner of Master X and had knowledge of him we could never match... You fought beside him and were his equal... Then you come here. You fight me every step of the way. Then you free me... Why do you make it impossible for me to hate you!" she demanded as she looked up at Zero. Her head lowered, and her body shook.
Zero looked down at the smaller girl in front of him. He was at a loss for words. While Leviathan had flirted with him before, he'd had no idea that she had been so, interested? Was that even the right word? He didn't know. Damn it, why was it like this? Why were girls always crying around him like this! Silently, damning himself for what was going to happen, he embraced her, holding tightly with his left arm. Not knowing what to say, he just murmured,"I'm sorry."
"Stop doing that!" She screamed into his chest. "Stop apologizing! Just shut up!" While she screamed at him she made no move to pull away. Leviathan stood there, waiting for Zero to say something but it never came. Looking at him, she noticed that his eyes were shut and he was making no movements at all. Her eyes widened as she noticed the trail of oil and other fluids that stained his chest from where she had wounded him.
***Break***
Leviathan cursed as she ran towards the border. She held Zero's arms across her chest with him draped on her back. Before the battle she had been on her way to try and recover Tabitha when she had intercepted Zero. From the surveillance artifacts she controlled she knew more or less where she was going, but it wasn't as easy as she had hoped to catch up with them. This whole trip was made harder because she no longer had the support of water that she had before, and she hated her land mobility and capability for combat. The gem inlaid in her forehead glowed lightly as she pushed herself farther and faster, trying to catch up with Zero's companions. It was the least she could do after putting him into this condition. She just hoped that Zero would wake up soon. His systems had shut down all non essentials to repair the damage she had done to him, but even that seemed to be a losing battle. A wave of nausea hit her as she remembered how she had done it. And even when he was losing power, when he was damaged he still risked himself to save her. To risk that she was actually being controlled by the rune. She could almost hear her Master's laughter at her foolishness. She had said that she would never have feelings of friendship for the reploid she carried on her back. And even with that he had risked his life for her. She couldn't help but growl at what her brothers would say to this. Leviathan suddenly stopped midstride as she realized that she could hear the laughter! "Who's there?" She cried out, dropping Zero and pulling her spear out.
With a light chuckle, a silhouette appeared before her and spoke in a somewhat mocking tone. "That is the same way for me... even if you give me that order, I will never have a feeling of friendship with Zero. He is... my game." With a chuckle X's form came into view, causing Leviathan's jaw to drop. "So surprised?"
"Master X? But... How? How are you here?"
"It doesn't matter. I saw the battle you had with Zero..." X said in his normal calm manner.
Leviathan's head bowed. "I'm sorry Master X... No, I do not deserve to even speak your name with all I have done..."
"He doesn't think so." X replied, nodding towards Zero's prone form. "If he did, then he would not have tried to save you."
"I still don't understand. He is my enemy. My game. Why did he not just end it?"
"It's who he is. Truly understanding Zero is something even I never did. Oh, sure I could mostly predict him... But in the end, he's just like me. And you. He has free will, and the ability surprise us no matter what he does." X said with a gentle smile as he looked at Leviathan.
"I still don't see why! If I had killed him, he would have left his friends in danger."
"Perhaps... Just perhaps, he can't bring himself to kill you because of who you are." X said smiling at her kindly.
"Who I am?"
"You were all created from my DNA. You were not clones, but more like... My children. While you were not exactly like myself and Zero you were far closer than a normal reploid. That mockery of me... Zero could strike down that foolish child with no hesitation because of what he was. An evil reflection of myself. A reflection of what I could have become." X said with a smile,"But you, all four of you... You could have been considered to be my children."
Leviathan looked at X stupidly. Children?
"I am not certain, I could be wrong. But it is what I believe. And I can not ask Zero." X said sadly.
"Why? You can just stay until he has recovered."
"No. I will not do that to him." X replied with a shake of his head. "He has fought beside me for so long, he has fought for me for so long. He fought Neo Arcadia for me. He fought the dark elf and Omega for me. He fought Weil for me. Now he fights for himself. I refuse to take that way. I will simply watch and help as I can..."
"What are you talking about Master X?"
"Leviathan... Zero's power, what would you say about it?"
"It's amazing. It's astonishing really... He's so powerful, and always able to destroy those who stand against him. The only weakness to his power is the stupid risks he takes for others..."
"That is what he once thought too, minus the stupid risks. He believed that he was nothing more than a weapon. Did you know that he's blown himself up to save my life? " X asked, shaking his head with a smile. "But that is not what his power is for, even if he was created to be the greatest destroyer the world had ever known."
"What? If he was created for that, then that was what his power was for, right?"
"No... He decided what his power was for. He made that decision. In his heart, he chose what his power was for. To protect the people he believed in, and the things that those people believe in. He spent hundreds of years fighting for my ideals... My world. He's on his own path now. I can not take that from him."
"Then what will you do then?" Leviathan asked, fearing that X would leave her again.
"For now, I shall stay with him... But in a form that is unrecognizable to him." X said with a smile. "I will not be able to talk to you again for some time... But I do want you to know, that I am proud of you. And that I ask you now what I wanted to ask you then... Stand with him in my stead." With a smile X's form blurred, becoming much smaller, and somehow feminine. A small cyber elf, with a blue cape, blue armor, wire like green wings and a small crown like structure with a red jewel set in it smiled up at Leviathan.
"M-master X?" Leviathan asked as she blinked at the too cute female cyber-elf that had been X just a moment before.
With a nod and a giggle X moved to Zero and glowed brightly, seeming to infuse Zero with power. As the light bathed Zero, his eyes opened slowly.
"Where am I?" Zero asked as he spoke up. "Charity?" He asked quickly, unable to believe his eyes. "Where have you been?"
'Charity' responded with a simple shrug and simply flew around Zero.
Leviathan blinked a few times, trying to figure out was going on. Master X... Her beloved Master X had turned himself into t-that? She was Fairy Leviathan! She was supposed to be the cute one! As that thought went through her mind she shook her head. No! She should be angry that Master X would do such a thing for Zero! But as she saw the smile on both Zero and Master X's face... She couldn't help but smile herself. After a few minutes of 'bonding' she supposed she could call it, she spoke up,"As heart warming as this is... You should probably probably be going. This country is not very safe for your friends without you there."
"Leviathan?" Zero asked, noticing her for the first time since he woke up. "How did we get here?"
"I carried your heavy ass!" Leviathan replied angrily.
"Ah... Thanks. Last thing I recalled was..." Zero looked at her for a moment, and unexpectedly he backed away a little. "I was hugging you. Then everything kinda went black."
Raising an eyebrow Leviathan said,"Oh? Was it really that good for you? I've never had a man that happy with me. I mean, to black out and lose your memory, I believe I must have well and truly blown your mind." then giggled and blew him a kiss as Zero coughed and sputtered trying to speak. Suddenly 'Charity' was floating before her eyes, shaking her finger and making a number of scolding motions as her lips moved soundlessly. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry!" Leviathan laughed, to which the small cyber elf responded with a suspicious glance then a nod. "Anyhow, your body shut down to repair itself after the battle."
"I see..." Zero said then his eyes went down to his left hand. His currently blank left hand. "It's gone!"
Leviathan, noticing where he was looking at again cocked her head to the side as she stared at his clean hand as well.
"...Shit she better not try it again..." Zero said as he glared at his hand.
"Ah... so you dislike your master as well?" Leviathan asked
"Not really no... But it fucking hurts!" Zero complained.
Leviathan replied sarcastically,"So the great Zero is afraid of something after all?"
"It's not that I'm afraid. But you don't stick your hand into a wood chipper just because you're not afraid of it. Well, okay, maybe Fafnir might just to try and show it who's boss but he was crazy. I at least understand that it is a wood chipper and that it's primary function is not to have my hand inside of it!" Zero replied defensively.
Leviathan was about to respond until the mental images of Fafnir yelling at and arguing with an inanimate tool and then showing it who's boss was not all that far out of context or reality for her fiery tempered brother... "Well... That's a new mental picture..."
"Well, whatever. Let's get going." Zero said with a smile.
"What makes you think I'm going with you now that you can walk on your own?" Leviathan asked with a huff. "I'm likely wanted where you're from, not to mention that I'm fairly certain to be attacked on sight by the people that you know."
"It's fine. You didn't really have any control over what you were doing did you?"
Leviathan looked away but didn't speak. She hated to admit that someone could so easily overpower her will like that.
"See? And it's not like I couldn't protect you even if you couldn't protect yourself until everything gets explained. And it's better than being stuck all alone in this stupid world." Zero said with a smile. "Besides. You'll get to meet X's older brother and sister. You wouldn't walk away from that would you?"
Leviathan looked at him then held her head up proudly, stating in a resolute voice,"Very well then... If you are so insistent I will listen to Master X's words. I will protect all of the weak things in the world by standing with you."
"Plus one." Derflinger said from Zero's shoulder.
"What?" Zero asked as he looked at the sword that had been silent until now.
"Just keeping count is all. You're kind of dumb and I don't want you taking off your boots to count." Derflinger said smugly.
"...What is he talking about?" Leviathan asked suspiciously.
"He's talking about how much he'd like me to throw him in a lake. I hear that's where magical swords like being put." Zero said coldly.
"Ah! A joke! It was just a joke!" Derflinger replied hastily.
"Uh huh. I'll remember that." Zero said then turned to Leviathan. "Well, might as well get moving. They're slow so it shouldn't take too long."
***Break***
It was another hour before they managed to track down the others. Zero put his hand out in front of Leviathan and said,"Give me a moment. If they see you there they might just attack. They jump the gun pretty often." When Leviathan nodded Zero jogged out to meet the others who were traveling slowly, split between a wagon being driven by Malicorne that held Tabitha, her mother, Roll And Sylphid and a Carriage being driven by Guiche with Montmorency, Louise and Kirche in it.
Zero jogged out of the brush causing Malicorne and Guiche to brandish their wands in his direction. He had to be impressed with how fast they had reacted. "Good job guys. If it was anyone other than me your reactions would have saved ya."
"W-what were you thinking?" Louise yelled, as she jumped out of the carriage as soon as she heard Zero's voice. She was followed by the other occupants only a few seconds later.
"I think?" Zero asked sarcastically.
"No! You don't! How could you go off alone?"
"You could have tried to stop me, ya know." Zero replied with a smirk, barely holding his laugh in when her face turned red.
"I don't care about that! Why can't you fight alongside us?" Louise demanded.
"If I did... You'd end up dead." Zero replied seriously. "Besides isn't it a knight's job to go rushing into danger to save the princess regardless of the danger?" Zero asked bowing with a flourish.
Louise glared at Zero when he talked about saving princesses and was about to yell at him when she saw his left hand... It was blank, just like last time. "Where is your rune?" Louise asked as she took a step back.
"Oh crap... Was hoping you wouldn't notice actually." Zero said hesitantly.
"Are you really Zero?" Louise asked suspiciously.
"Of course I am. I just died again is all." Zero replied easily.
"W-what?" Roll asked, finally noticing the small hole in Zero's chest. "H-how?"
"Well, I got stabbed really hard by Leviathan who's waiting back out of sight. You can come out now by the way." Zero called back to Leviathan, only to have her walk into clear view confidently, her spear held easily behind her back. When the others tensed up he put his hands up hoping to forestall any protests. "Anyhow, I was in the middle of something, mainly removing that stupid control rune from Leviathan's head so I didn't really take any time before I decided it was time to stop being all dead and lazy. I had a job to do, right?"
Everyone including Leviathan and Charity just stared at him. Suddenly with a flurry of motion the little cyber elf flew in to attack Zero's face causing him to run away shielding his head as he laughed.
"I... Think Axl may have been correct about Darling's reason for not staying dead..." Kirche said slowly as she looked at Zero who was being chased around by the person she knew to be X.
"Oh, and what reason is that?" Leviathan asked curiously.
"Ah... You see..." Kirche said slowly,"He's too stupid to understand that when he dies he's not supposed to just decide he's not dead..."
"But... But if you're not my familiar..." Louise mumbled as she watched Zero running around them trying to stay a step ahead of his irate cyber elf. "If you're not my familiar... You can not stay with me any longer... I... I don't want that..." She said, tears falling from her eyes.
"Well... He can always become your familiar again, right Louise?" Kirche wondered.
"Hell no!" Zero cried out, to the shock of everyone but Leviathan.
"B-but why?" Louise cried, "D-do you hate me that much Zero?" the girl choked out as she sobbed.
"I've fallen into lava for god's sake, and that hurts less than that stupid rune!" Zero yelled.
"It can't be that bad, right? Lava would instantly melt just about anyone including you Zero..." Kirche said
"Actually... It feels like the entire world turns to pain. As if the only thing in the world is pain. It is agonizing. If a mere human had it done to them, I would doubt they would be able to stay conscious through such an event... That is if they could live through the trauma of it" Leviathan said quietly.
Louise looked at Leviathan coldly then at Zero again with tears leaving glistening trails down her cheeks..
"Zero... You are stupid. I'm not even threatening you anymore... You do realize that the rune is a part of you now right? No, of course you don't because you don't pay attention to anything except hitting things until they stop moving! It has been analyzed and with this second time it would be impossible to effect you because it's already there! Try and pay attention to your own systems at least, if nothing else." Wily's voice came dryly.
Zero's turned to look at Louise, then looked at his hand again. Drawing Derflinger he held it in his hand, and thought of the elf who he had vanquished, of the King who would threaten Tabitha and his hand burst into a dazzling display of light."Huh... Or maybe I still have it..." Zero said as he looked curiously at his hand.
"What do you mean, huh?" Louise screamed at Zero,"Were you trying to make me cry? Do you think it's funny?"
Putting his hand on Louise head he smiled,"Well... A little bit truth be told." When he said this he didn't expect her reaction... She gently grasped his hand, holding it. A sense of deja vu swept over him as he recalled the love potion incident.
When Louise brought the hand to her mouth instead of gently biting it, she chomped down with all her might. When Zero pulled his hand back, looking at the deep marks she had left, she cried out "Idiot!" as loud as she could, hitting him until he managed to catch her fists. "I hate you!"
"Of course." Zero replied with a smirk.
***Break***
Joseph stood up in panic. He knew what had happened. He had monitored the whole fight. His familiar had been right to tell him to be cautious...Although to have her say that he was merely as powerful as her had been a blatant lie on her part! What he wouldn't do to discipline that stupid doll! But it was too late for such thoughts. His connection to her was gone now, he could feel that. Joseph hurried to grab his wand, then walked over to an unassuming wall of his bedroom. flicking his wrist and muttering a word of power, the wall moved in, revealing a passage. Once he had passed it, he flicked his wand and a row of torches lit. He followed the stairs down, pausing only to shut the hidden door behind him. He must summon a new familiar. It was his only chance. The power that his old familiar, and the gandalfr held together were enough to lay even him low. But that wasn't what would happen. Joseph was in control! This was his game!
After reaching the bottom of the stairs he looked around the large wide open room that he had used As he finished his chant and swung his wand down, an explosion of light filled the room. His vision cleared, and Joseph couldn't help but stare. Where he expected a new human, there was nothing. All he had summoned was a large black orb. As he was about to try and his spell again, he heard a voice in his head. "Power... Control... Is this what you wish? Is this what you want?"
"What? Who said that?"
"I said it. Come closer... I can give you all the power you wish... Just come closer."
Joseph's eyes glazed over as he took a few steps forward. As he neared the orb, he absently noted that it wasn't just an orb. There appeared to be tendrils extending from it, but it seemed unimportant. It didn't even seem important when he felt the first of the tendrils impact his body, nor when his vision faded...A few minutes later Joseph's body moved and stood up, surveying the area around him.
"Hahahahaha! A King? So wonderful! Such a young body!" 'Joseph' laughed maniacally. "Such a power, such a force! Such a wonderful and delicious power! With this I can fulfill my dream! I will destroy Zero and control this world!" Laughter tinged with insanity echoed through the vaults below the castle as a new monster was born into this world. 'Joseph' smiled as a dark energy started rolling off of him, a familiar and evil wavelength.
***Author's notes***
Huh... A king... Died? I wonder how many people saw THAT coming in that way. And about the changes. Hah. Hah hah. Hah. Lets see anyone predict ANYTHING now. Take that continuity! I dunno if this deserves a Dun dun DUN, but if RedMage had anything to say about it yeah.
Reviewers want a Sailor Scout Zero... I'll be back, I'm gonna go see if that's actually real. I mean, there is a sailor Pyramid head... So I mean, come on. Btw Manly men doing manly things. Awesome.
Zero: Why was I sorry that I destroyed the world?
Iunno. Because X liked it?
Mental Image. Come on. Fighting Fafnir getting into an argument with a wood chipper then shoving his hand down it to show it who's really tougher. That had me dying as i wrote it. Then i thought of the logical thing of Fafnir losing, and going into his second combat form and running it over. Take that Wood Chipper... My mind is a scary place.
By the way, seriously am I the only one who thinks that Zero's cyber elf looks so very much like a female X would look like? I mean seriously. I never thought of a female X until I saw that mimic elf. I'm like... Blue colors... The thing on her head is kinda like X's old ultimate armor except gold instead of black. Red gem on the head and body that are fairly similar to placement in ultimate armor for X... Even the Pseudo looking wing things from the nova strike!... I mean, come on. All the links are THERE. X was just too lazy to make a new body.
Also, nurse cyber elves? They look like Roll. At least the tier 3 ones. The ones that look like they're twelveish. The highest one doesn't.
Also, one more chapter before I take a break to more actively work on the ending of the story and closing things up satisfactorily... Although If it's a happy or sad ending... who knows?