"They really are lively aren't they?" Copy X asked as he watched the people go about their business. After being fitted with capes, being given a pouch of money and a map they had been told to 'have fun', and the reploid really was enjoying his time as he walked through the streets of the capital.

"That's one word for it. Don't they realize the state of the world, how they are just part of an endless cycle of war and hate?" Copy Zero asked as he looked at the humans with contempt.

"Well...Maybe that's why." Copy X offered with some hesitation.

"That's why they celebrate?" Copy Zero asked, unable to understand how that could make anyone happy.

"No. They celebrate because for now, this peace that they have... No matter how fragile, is all they have to hold on to. Perhaps they enjoy it while they can?" Copy X supplied, looking thoughtful.

Copy Zero looked at his partner and shrugged. "I suppose you're right. And it's not like they can really do anything. They're just commoners, right? They don't get any decisions in things like war, death or any of the stupidity that the nobles tend to push on them."

"That's true." Copy X replied as he continued to look about the city as he followed the map leading towards the main gate, and out to the world beyond.

At one of the stands, a rather small young woman with long brown hair bound behind her in a loose pony-tail, was working diligently over what seemed to be a heated surface, a griddle. She was all smiles as she worked and prepared the food she was selling. It was easy to see her pleasant conversation and the happiness that she felt when someone would comment on the quality of her cooking. As Copy X moved towards the stand she looked at him and was suddenly very weary as she viewed the color of the cloak and the marking of the royal family of Gallia,"S-sir, would you like to try one of my crepes? I'm sorry to say that I've only prepared fillings for apples, chocolate, or pears. You may have any you wish, though."

"It smells wonderful, whatever they are. I do think I'd like to try some." Copy X said as he fumbled with the pouch he was given.

"Ah... I couldn't take money from one from the royal palace!" she objected quickly.

"Why not?" Zero asked as he stepped forward, a frown on his face causing the girl to shrink on herself.

"Well... It wouldn't be right. I mean, you're..." her words faded out, unable to meet the more intimidating noble's intense gaze.

"If the quality of your food is as high as I suspect even this would be far too little to truly show our appreciation." Copy X replied with a smile, trying to calm the girl who was unnerved by their attention. He slid a single gold coin to her.

"W-what?" the girl asked as she looked at the coin dumbly. "Sir...I... I do not have the money to provide you change... Please, do-"

"Did we ask for change?" Copy Zero replied dryly as he looked flatly into her eyes. "I'm fairly certain if we wanted change he would have asked for it. If we're not asking for change it's likely he's paying you what he thinks it's worth."

"Now now, Zero, the girl is intimidated enough as it is. Enough with that." Copy X admonished. "I'm sorry for my friend. He's really a good person and quite friendly in his own way, but he doesn't know how to express it without covering it up. I think it's quite endearing." Copy Zero growled at that remark. Copy X smiled at his friend and turned towards the girl and continued,"But besides that, think of it as encouragement, if you do not want it as payment. I enjoyed watching you work in earnest, enjoying your job and doing your best. I think, I would respect that about you and that it should be rewarded. But that's getting off track, now isn't it? I would like one of each type of these pastries if it would not be a problem."

"A-alright." the girl replied nervously as she set the batter on the griddle to cook. She blushed as the young man watched her intently. Even with her nervousness her movements were sure and steady, and within a few minutes three fluffy pastries each enfolding one of the toppings that she had prepared were wrapped in a thin wax paper. "Please sir, enjoy them." The girl said as she bowed.

Copy X chose the apple one and took a bite from it first. His face lit up and he smiled. "Indeed..."

"What?" Copy Zero asked as he looked at teh stupid face Copy X was making.

"Such quality, you can almost feel the effort you put into making these." Copy X replied as he smiled at the girl again. A small crowd had gathered around them and was listening in intently. "I do believe I shall come back here, so keep working hard, alright?"

"Y-yes sir!" the girl stammered out, blushing heavily as the beautiful young noble smiled and walked off.

"Are they really that good?" Copy Zero asked when they were finally out of ear shot of the stand, although they had noticed a rush of people both commoner and noble go to the stand and start ordering as soon as they left.

"It's good. Perhaps not up to the fare that they serve at the palace, but isn't that ok sometimes? But even without that,she's trying. You can tell by how she was working that she was really doing her best." Copy X said with a smile as he turned to copy Zero,"And to me, that's worth the extra money."

"You probably just got her more sales in a day than she normally gets in a week with all that activity and those flowery comments." Copy Zero replied with a smirk.

"That's true. But what can I say, I liked what she was doing, and I liked her attitude. It was a good deed we could do, so why not?" Copy X replied. After a pause Copy X looked up,"You didn't have to intimidate her like that."

"Like what?" Copy Zero asked innocently.

"Doing that whole bad guy thing. She was scared of us. Do commoners really have to live in such fear of nobles?" Copy X asked sadly,"I mean... I do not like the idea of people fearing me..."

"Who knows. If those books are correct they-," Copy Zero was cut off as they heard a scream. Instinctively he broke off his conversation and ran as fast as he could in the direction of the scream with Copy X right on his tail.

"What was that?" Copy X demanded as they ran, taking to the roofs to cover more ground, and avoid the people getting in their way.

"I have no clue but I'm gonna find out." Was the curt reply as Copy Zero jumped into an alley and landed in front of a rather pretty girl who had been pushed up against the wall. Her blouse was ripped open, and standing before her was a man wearing a black mantle. As he surveyed the situation Copy Zero demanded,"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

With a look of confusion, the other man replied,"What should it matter? She is merely a commoner. What happens with her is of little consequence to us, no? I simply wished to show her my... appreciation for her charming beauty."

"Your appreciation?" Copy X asked from the roof top, his face red with anger. "Your appreciation? How could you do that to a person?" He demanded, a high pitched whine starting to eminate from him.

"What's the problem. She's just a commoner. If you want her, she's yours. I'll just go find another way to spend my time." The man replied, putting his hands up in a calming manner, knowing that he was out ranked here from the mantles these men were wearing.

"I have an idea for that." Copy Zero replied a little too brightly. "It's a good one too, I think we'll all enjoy it."

"Ah, I see. I wouldn't have expected such a thing from one of such station, but I suppose our likes and dislikes as nobles stem from common ground." The nameless noble replied, relief on his features. The high pitched whine from Copy X had died down when Zero had seemed to fall into line with the man's 'plans' for the evening.

"Ah, I see we have a misunderstanding." Copy Zero replied in that same bright voice. Before anyone could react his saber was out and the noble was dead. After the 'noble' had been reduced to a corpse Zero spoke again,"That you would compare yourself to us is enough to make me sick. I'll clear the air here and let you know the idea was, that you could spend the night dead. Bastard."

"You didn't have to do that. I was ready to take him out..." Copy X said from the roof closest to the alley.

"Yeah, well. You're too soft. you would have regretted it." Copy Zero replied as he turned to face the girl. In a gentle voice he asked,"Are you alright? What am I saying, of course you're not." He took off his cloak and draped it around her shoulders covering her body.

"T-thank you..." She replied shyly. "I'm sorry for the trouble... I really am. I'm sorry..."

Copy X finally jumped down from the roof and replied,"You didn't cause any trouble. We simply... had to deal with someone who was doing something unacceptable."

"But you're nobles..." The girl whispered.

"Yes. I suppose we are. But isn't it the job of nobles to protect the people we hold station over? How is what he was doing protecting you?" Copy Zero demanded.

"Well...It's understood..." The girl said, her eyes tearing up,"That those who are nobles can... can..." The girl sobbed as she realized that she really was saved.

Copy Zero sighed,"Damn it. No good deed goes unpunished. We need to get her new clothing. But where do we even go about that? A tailor? Or something? She can't walk around like this."

"Do you think father would help?" Copy X asked suddenly.

"I don't know. I mean, we probably do have tailors up in the castle... But wouldn't it feel kind of stupid going back there so soon? I mean we just left this morning and we've only been wandering around the city most of the day."

"That's true, but we can always leave again... Shouldn't we as nobles try and do what we can for those who we are stationed above?"

"No good deed unpunished." Copy Zero groused as he sighed in defeat.

***Break***

"So... Did my children happen along the path that you planned for them my Dear?" 'Joseph' asked with a smile as he turned toward the light footsteps that had announced the presence of his most reliable aide.

"Yes, my king. Already their reactions are just as you planned..." Ms. Moliere replied bowing slightly.

"Now, now. No need for that in private. We knew that they would react this way of course. I need to be careful, for they are the strongest of all my creations, and also the most intelligent. I must handle their 'growth' with care lest they turn on me. They must be the ones to come to the conclusion that I am in the right, that I am trying to save this world from itself.

"What about the guard that you used in your...example?" the woman asked hesitantly, a faint hint of distaste in her voice.

"Well, he did his job, and since Zero killed him in the line of duty I do suppose that his family should get compensation." Joseph replied with a laugh

After a short pause the woman spoke again,"They are on the way back though, although they are moving at a rather slow pace."

"Coming back so soon? That is unexpected of them, especially of Zero." 'Joseph' commented curiously.

"Yes, that commoner girl is with them. Apparently they don't know the first thing about actually shopping or taking care of people,so they are bringing her here to put her into more experienced hands."

"I see. Well then, what's say we prepare a bed for the girl tonight, a small recompense for her troubles and a rant against such deplorable acts by those who deem themselves nobility?"

"They should be here just shy of night fall. Shall I have dinner withheld until they make it back?"

"No. That would show that we knew they were coming back. But do make sure they and the poor dear are fed. We must show that we at the palace do truly care for our people." 'Joseph' replied with a lopsided grin.

"Of course my king..." the woman replied submissively.

***Break***

As Zero sat in his new headquarters, he had to wonder just what was going on. The knights were all gathered, and after a discussion on tactics and the use of multiple small groups of coordinated attack formations, they had decided to break for a snack since the girls of the academy had decided to prepare various things for them, which had led to this current subtle warfare between the maids and the young girls of the academy. It seemed to be a stalemate, but you could see the open admiration on both sides for the serious young knights who had been training in earnest.

"Oh, really, you shouldn't be doing such a thing." Siesta said to Tiffania as she offered a small pastry to Zero. "For a noble to cook when there is a commoner around, it could cause much trouble."

"Ah... I don't think so. I mean, cooking is an art in it's own way right? Anyone can cook so long as they put their heart into it." Katie said as she looked at Tiffania who had seemed intimidated by the maid's manner. "If she made that for Commander Zero, I don't see a problem with it."

"Ah. That's right. I made it to thank him for all he's done for us." Tiffania replied with a bright smile.

"It's really no problem, you didn't have to trouble yourself." Zero replied trying to diffuse the upcoming fighting.

"But it's all I can do to show my gratitude." Tiffania replied sadly.

"Really, there isn't anything to thank me for, I just did what i wanted. I mean, that's just being selfish right?" Zero replied with a shrug, blushing slightly at the attention.

"No. That's not true." Siesta disagreed,"Zero is never selfish. Remember when I was in need? Remember when your master was in danger? You're not selfish at all... I think we wish you were."

"What does that mean?" Tiffania asked confused,"Why would we wish Zero was selfish."

"Because then he might be inclined to take some things." Siesta replied boldly, although her face was rapidly turning red.

"Oh? I'm not sure I understand." Tiffania replied her head tilted in confusion.

"S-so pure." Came the voice of one of the nights followed by a smack from the girl that was showering him with attention at that moment.

"It's an adult thing." Siesta said as she sniffed, showing her superiority even if it was in just this one thing.

"But... Zero doesn't want that. So why can't we just stay with him as his friends?" Tiffania asked, showing that she had more of a clue than she was letting on.

"Okay, I'd say I'd hate to interrupt this conversation, but that would be a total lie." Zero said suddenly,"But seriously if I can't stop you from having this conversation can you do it in a less public forum? I swear to god you people have less care about privacy than people did during the height of the internet!"

"The what?" Both Siesta and Tiffania asked in unison.

"...Nothing. Not even going to attempt to explain it." Zero replied,"Let's just say it was a way people could talk and share information at long distances instantly."

"That sounds wonderful."Tiffania replied,"It would be nice to be able to talk to all the people that I meet no matter where they are."

"Yeah, it had it's advantages," Zero replied thankful that he had managed to derail that little conversation. That could have been one hell of a conversation and as it stood he was on the ground floor so there wasn't like he could just jump out the window and be at least fifty feet away by the time he hit the ground.

"But it's still not right." Siesta said suddenly,"It's not fair! I can cook, I can be a good wife for him. I will not let you take away my one advantage as a commoner!"

"You think that's your advantage? That's not true at all!" Tiffania replied heatedly. Suddenly, everyone was shocked at the words that Tiffania had said. Nobody had expected such harsh words from the normally sweet girl. Before anyone could say another word the girl willed herself to keep speaking, "You came searching for Zero when you were sure something had happened to him. You had faith in him, and cared about him enough that you went to the ends of the earth to see him again... When it comes to feelings, isn't that something that's important too? Without proper feelings no matter your skills you could never reach the person you care for! You agree with me, right Zero?" Tiffania asked as she turned to look at Zero only to find the chair empty.

"He did that whole disappear in a flash of red light thing again." Guiche said with a smirk on his face. "Although, it seems we have a new contender for our commander's heart. Not that I'm surprised at all, with him having saved you before. It's just becoming more interesting to watch. Our commander is like a rose, one that should bloom for all to see." He said as he held out his rose.

"Guiche..." Montmorency ground out as she stepped up next to him.

"Except for my dear Montmorency." Guiche replied,"For I am the rose that blooms only for her."

Montmorency blushed as she hit her boyfriend in the side. "You shouldn't talk like that, especially when Zero's not around."

"I don't see the problem my dear Montmorency. It is the truth. He is unlike any other person in this world, and with all of his tragedy, he has a pure and noble heart. Any happiness he can find he deserves." Guiche replied stoically, reassured that Zero wasn't here to hear him talk like this. He knew well what the penalty was for speaking such when he was around... And while some doubted his intelligence he wasn't that stupid to provoke his commander that often.

***Author's notes***

First things first. Tiffania has a very awkward way with words. She means well but one has to accept that her social graces might be a little unpolished because of her isolation.

Now on to the meat of the A/N.

I think it's time I laid to rest a terrible misconception. Weil is a charismatic character when he wants to be. There is no way that someone who is out and out suspicious and insane can get close enough to a deactivated and empty Zero and put in an AI without at least fooling people, at least that's my take on things. Weil had to have planned for months, maybe even years to make that happen. To do that, he'd have to act like a good person, a good researcher in line with the other people's goals of helping humanity. While he was a bit over the top in the games there are a few good reasons for this. 1) He had the support of "X". Nobody questioned X in Neo Arcadia. Then he committed a political power move when he caused the copy to explode upon going to it's second form, then took control of the city through martial law, upgraded the pantheons then replaced them with his own variants. This led him to uncontested power. Even with the defeat of Omega it wasn't a total loss. All of the guardians of X were gone, leaving just Zero(As if Just Zero isn't a bad enough situation), but it was still something that he felt he could handle. This is where his ego came in allowing him to act how he wanted.

2) At first he really wasn't all that over the top. He simply told Omega to stop, and that they were working together with Neo Arcadia. Until he commited his power play the only thing he did was work to prevent the guardians from being repaired.

So looking at these two points, and the fact that he's now a "King" with the power to do things and change his position before he goes all world domination on everyone, he's certainly not going to announce to everyone as he did on a plummeting space station just how bat shit crazy he is. He may be crazy, but he's also intelligent. And intelligent crazy person can still blend into their surroundings making them all the more dangerous.

As for people sending me PM's demanding to know who Zero's going to end up with... I'm not going to give that away. That's a part of the story and just as it seems, it's very possible that it will teeter on the brink till the end of the story. Or not. I'm the only one who knows, so enjoy the suspense because it's all you're gonna get.

On how the operation is unnatural and totally not frequent in Zero's world, Fouquet is quite likely the first attempt humanoid. That's pretty unnatural to me. She's not a complete humanoid, but they're adding in a cybernetic side to her. And the whole Zero going up and touching the exposed bone once the skin flap was moved would have made most people faint, if the sight hadn't in the first place. Keep in mind, surgery is still a very new field even for us and it does have it's risks even in minor surgeries. It's why we sign release forms. Weil is pretty much the only other person who's been mechanized. I don't think Mathilda would enjoy hearing that.

Sorry for the somewhat lengthy AN, but I've had a number of personal messages asking me these things or things being mentioned in reviews(or both) and I felt it best to just clear the air so that people understand what is happening rather than get confused by why things are happening when they do. Also, Weil is STILL a fucking bastard as seen by the fact that he sacrificed a royal guard JUST for a 'lesson' for his children.