"So what do you think is going to happen to everyone?" Rock asked Zero who was currently leaning back in his chair in a relaxed state.
"Who knows. Roll says that it doesn't seem to be causing any actual issues. About the only thing she can do is keep an eye on all our cadets. If anything happens we'll deal with it. Although I guess I'll try and keep my virus more in check..." Zero commented with a frown.
"Is it really a bad thing? It hasn't really harmed them. And it is increasing their survivability. If they get stronger then they might be able to defend themselves when face to face with a reploid or something of similiar power." Rock argued reasonably.
"That is true, but matching power for power... Isn't good." Zero disagreed as his eyes became distant.
"What do you mean by that?" Rock asked confused.
"Matching power for power will only lead to greater and greater powers. With greater powers more and more battles will happen. And with those battles all will be burned to the ground again..." Zero replied almost morosely.
"That's not true. If you don't match power... Then you'll end up with a world much like the one you left, where the powerful can sacrifice those without power for their own gain. Funny how similiar these two worlds were at the core, even if one is labeled as based on nobility... And the other is just based on power." Rock countered with an almost chilly tone to his uncanny insight.
"...That's true... I suppose." Zero said as he looked up at the Cieling. "Do you think I should just keep going the way I have?" He asked after a pause.
"That's your decision Zero." Rock replied lightly,"I think you should. But in the end it is your choice. It's less dangerous than adding reploid parts to them, and should they ever need to be repaired their body will probably more readily accept the parts since they'll be slowly converting into a reploid like form anyhow." Rock commented.
"That's true. Speaking of parts..." Zero said slowly,"There is something we need to talk about."
"No." Was Rock's immediate response.
"What?" Zero couldn't help but ask. "You didn't even let me say what I wanted to."
"You were going to say that my body was more or less finished from the parts from those sniper joe things." Rock said
"Well, yeah. I mean, you have your body almost ready, we need to start getting you ready to inhabit it too ." Zero said.
"I will not. You need to remember I'm not ready for that. I'm still just a robot master, and my code is still not stable enough to be put behind something that powerful." Rock replied.
"Why not? You were fine in Roll's old body."
"A body that wasn't running a full capacity, that had no combat capabilities, and wasn't really a full run through like she and X got in their capsules. It's still too dangerous." Rock said with no sign of backing down.
"Seriously? If you're worried about hurting anyone I can stop you if you do go maverick. Then we can just figure out what is wrong from there. I mean I was one of the ones who restrained Vile on his first little tantrum before he went full maverick, and your body's baseline power isn't quite up to what he was. And that was well before my body was up to even Roll's current abilities." Zero argued.
"No means no, Zero." Rock replied with a tone of finality. "Until you can prove without a doubt that I'll be safe in that new body I will not take it. Or unless things become that desperate."
"You're like talking to a damned wall!" Zero commented angrily.
"Technically, that's pretty close, due to the fact that this computer takes up the wall. You're not much better though. I have the excuse of actually being this wall. You on the other hand don't." Rock replied playfully.
"What?" Zero demanded angrily as he glared at the panel that Rock had chosen to occupy.
"You heard me. No matter what anyone says you won't listen so you're like talking to a wall. I'm a physical fixture. You're not. I have an excuse to act like a wall since i'm pretty close. You just act like one so you can make pretty girls like Kirche cry."
"I'm about to put you in that body so I can kick your ass..." Zero replied darkly.
Rock ignored the threat and continued,"Everyone tries to tell you that you're not half as bad as you think you are and all you do is think about all the terrible things you've done. You don't think about the good things or the victories you've had. In the end, you're even more stubborn than I am and you don't even have the ability to see that. And go ahead and try. We both know I could delete myself faster than you could load me." Rock replied acidly,"And it is the truth. I don't know exactly what she told you, but she said you knew she was right, but she was crying because she was the one who had to tell you. I don't understand you and I don't want to. You're a hero, but you're a terrible person at times!" Rock replied angrily.
"You're right." Zero replied coldly,"I'm a terrible person. I'm the best weapon there is. But that goes without saying. Oh, and just try to delete yourself. I'm pretty certain that I could infect you and prevent that before you ever had a chance. My programming is far, far superior to yours. And I have a link to this system that even you can't cut off after all this time." After saying this, Zero walked to the exit which electronically locked as he marched up to it and then looked back to the monitor. In an unemotional tone he commented,"And here is the proof." With a sound and a green light on the locking mechanism Zero opened the door and marched up the stairs, out of Rock's actual "sight".
"Damn it..." Rock said angrily,"He just won't listen to anyone! And how dare he override my program's control of the lab?" However, there was no answer to his complaint.
***Break**
As Zero stormed out of the tower that housed the underground lab, he noticed Tiffania talking to the stupid blond brat. He couldn't remember her name, not that it was really important. He decided that he wouldn't bother her while she was talking to her new friend and would just walk to the kitchen. After his first step he froze. Siesta was at the kitchen. And he didn't wanna deal with her now. As he was trying to decide if he should go lay down on top of one of the towers or go out to the woods for a while, he was almost surprised by Tiffania who had walked up behind him. As she was about to speak Zero asked in a stiff voice," What do you need?"
"I don't need anything..." Tiffania said, some reluctance in her voice,"But something seemed wrong. I figured you could use someone to talk to."
"No, nothing's wrong," Zero replied in an unconvincing voice.
"It doesn't sound like something isn't wrong." Tiffania answered back, her head held high and her eyes met Zero's as he turned around.
"Alright, fine." Zero shrugged, figuring he could skirt most of the conversation downstairs. "Rock is being a pain. He is refusing to inhabit the new body myself and Roll have constructed for him."
"Oh my... Why would he do that?" She asked in shock,"Doesn't he miss having a body? And won't he be a boy again if he has a body?"
"That's the thing, he doesn't feel safe in a body." Zero replied the annoyance and hints of anger clear in his voice.
"Well, he was hurt badly while he was in his sister's body..." Tiffa hazarded,"Although I don't think that's a reason to seal oneself up. I mean, he won't be as weak as he was in his little sister's body right? He'll be able to defend himself if we get attacked again?"
"That's not the reason. He's afraid he's gonna hurt someone in his body, so he threatened to delete, kill himself, if we make a move to force him into the body." Zero commented. "Not that I'd let him. All I have to do is infect him with the virus and I can add a line to his code that prevents him from causing damage or harm to his own program and body and he'll be unable to. And I told him as such,not that I really want to do anything like that. But before I could say that I stormed out before we could continue to fight."
Tiffania couldn't help laughing at the sudden mirth she felt at the irony of the situation. Her shoulders shook as she laughed at Zero's unintended hypocrisy.
"What's so funny?" Zero demanded as Tiffa's gentle laughter continued.
"You two are the same, aren't you?" Tiffania asked, her clear eyes, while still gentle seemed to pierce Zero's soul as he met them.
"What do you mean by that?" Zero demanded.
"You're both far more concerned with the harm you can do, or have done in the past than the good you can do and have done. You keep everyone at arms length because people could be hurt by their closeness to you. He's doing very much the same thing. Perhaps you are not the best to champion the cause of him having a new body?" Tiffania suggested as another laugh escaped her.
"It's not the same." Zero replied quickly.
"Oh?" Tiffania asked, a knowing smile on her face.
"Oh, what?" Zero questioned her.
"How is it not the same?" Tiffania wondered aloud, her eyes wide as she held his gaze, seeming to enhance the innocence that Zero knew she embodied.
Zero frowned at the look she gave him. He swore she didn't know how to do that before. She was learning from the others."It just is."
"But that isn't a reason. If you're basing your reaction on just emotions, that is something only a person does. Professor Colbert says that machines just do things, and that 'computers' just do what they're made to do. Wouldn't this mean that both you and Rock are people already? Why should it matter if he has a body or not. If he has a body he'll be the same person now as before so it shouldn't really matter. He's just doing the same thing that you do. Right?" Tiffania spoke, posing a question that Zero didn't want to answer.
Zero looked at her, and was at a loss for an answer to her question. Although, he wondered if he should pull out Tiffania in the next verbal duel he had with Rock. While she didn't seem threatening at all, her guileless insights cut sharper than any intended barb or insult could. After a long pause Zero just shrugged and replied "Who knows."
Tiffania also shrugged and replied,"It doesn't matter if it happens immediately. You have time right? So does he. Things will work out, I'm sure. Just as you brought me to a place like this, helped me make friends with so many people and allowed me to find so many new fun things each day... I'm sure you'll reach him in time."
Zero looked at her and smiled. Unlike many forced smiles, or confident smirks this one he felt. If he had been just about anyone aside from Zero he would have noticed the blush that spread on her face as she looked at him, but he didn't. The only thing he focused on was the fact that she was right. He'd lived for how long? It wasn't like the school would be overrun anytime soon and the lab was very much a secret. And if anything DID happen Axl could ferry Rock around until they were able to get him into the body. While it would take days, possibly weeks to transfer a full personality from body to body, it would be doable. With a nearly imperceptible nod Zero replied,"I hope so."
"I know so. I trust that you can do it." Tiffania said smiling at Zero.
Zero laughed and commented,"For all my confidence, placing all your trust in me like you do is still a little embarrassing."
"That's not true. I've seen it many times over. You've never failed any of us." Tiffania spoke softly,"Myself, Mathilda... Your summoner. I hope that I can be half so lucky as Louise when it becomes my turn to obtain a familiar."
"I honestly don't know if I want you summoning a familiar..." Zero said as he looked away,"It could be troublesome if it's an enemy. And if it's not an enemy, you might be taking someone away from their home and family."
"I guess you're right. I'd hate to take someone from their family. I know how important it is stay with the people you care about, and take care of them. And to have them take care of you in return." Tiffania said with a slight blush.
"That's right. It would be terrible if something like that happened. I mean, if you really were looking for a familiar to stay with you why not look for someone who you could form a familiar contract with and skip the summoning." Zero said all too reasonably.
"Hmm... So I should pick who would be my familiar?" Tiffania asked guilelessly, although her blush deepened again. "So I could ask Zero to accept my contract as well?"
Zero looked at Tiffania aghast and replied,"Hell no! What part about this hurting more than lava don't people understand? Although I guess it was really Magma since it was below ground... But still, seriously it hurts more than you can imagine."
"Oh..." Tiffania replied, her shoulders slumped, a tone of disappointment pulling at Zero's heart strings.
"I mean, it's not like I need to be your familiar to help you or protect you right? I'll do that anyhow." Zero quickly said, not wanting to see the normally bright and happy face of Tiffania so sad.
"I guess not. But...but I wish I could have a connection to you too. Like Miss Valliere does. Then you could stay with me too." Tiffania replied as she looked straight into Zero's eyes.
"Huh." Zero said as he suddenly seemed quite distracted,"That escalated rather quickly, if what you're saying means what I think it means. You don't need a connection to me. And you certainly don't want to start chasing me like the other girls. You're better than that, better than me. You're like Ciel. You're an innocent and good person."
"I'm an innocent and good person? I'd be a dead person were it not for you. Or at the least I would never have stepped outside of my village. I wouldn't have known the world that i do because of you." Tiffania countered, her voice much quicker than normal adding further to her lack of composure."I fail to see how you're not a good person. While yes you do things different than me, it's your heart and your feelings that make you the Zero we all love. Compared to you, I'm just a timid coward who can't even do anything for the people I love. You don't realize, but you saved me. Not just my life, but you saved me from the endless tears I couldn't cry. You accepted me. A freak, who was neither elf nor human. Something in between. You have no idea how afraid I was that the children would reject me once they grew older and understood the world more, once they understood what an elf was. You challenged my status as a half breed, a freak repeatedly, both in the face of your friends and the students of this school. More than that, beyond what anyone could ask, you gave me a whole new world to see. Then you gifted me with friends and your continued support, advice and confidence. All while taking care of the orphan children I had been taking care of in the past. Make no mistake Zero. You are bar none, the person who is perhaps the greatest force of good in this world. I truly believe that in my heart. That is why we love you. In every sense of the word. Without you, I do not know if I could survive."
Zero looked at the girl but couldn't think of anything to say in response to her words. While she had said them awkwardly and hurriedly he couldn't really dispute what she saw. It was her perception, and she would never know the truth of his past, even if she was told about it. There were just some things that couldn't be conveyed. They could only be experienced. Finally he questioned the girl as he looked at her,"What is it that you want from me?"
"I want..." Tiffania hesitated as she sensed a change in Zero's attitude," I want to live a life with the people I love, happily. With everyone who has become precious to me. I want you to be there. I don't want you needlessly sacrificing yourself. I also do not want you to be in pain. You're not alone. Just like me, you're not alone, so you don't need to shoulder the world. At one point, you might have had to. But now you do not. We're all here for you. Truly, we are, and I do not want any of us to leave you alone. "
Zero cocked his head as he looked at the girl. Where any of the other girls would have pressed when he asked that, she had actually backed off. she had decided on yet another unselfish future. The only thing he couldn't figure out.
Tiffania looked at Zero's confused visage and asked,"Was there something wrong with what I said?"
"I don't know?" Zero replied, unsure,"Even when I ask, you still act so unselfishly."
"That's because I don't need you to love me more than you do." Tiffania chuckled as she replied.
"Love you more than I already do?" Zero asked incredulously, bafflement easily seen on his face.
"Of course you already love me. You love all of us, even if you will not say it. Yours is the biggest heart I've ever seen, seemingly able to love without limit. You wouldn't do the things you do for people you do not love. As long as I can stay near one who loves me as much as you love me it doesn't matter what type of love it is. Or if it is ever anything deeper. For all that you have given me, whatever it is is deep enough. It would be selfish to ask for more. And I could never do that to someone that I loved so dearly, someone who I owe my current existence to, my current happiness. I just want to see everyone around me experience that happiness as well, I want everyone who meets you to see the same Zero I see. And like me, try to be a little more like you..."
"I see." Zero replied flatly. Every time she spoke, this girl reminded him more and more of Ciel.
"I knew you'd understand. You always do, even if you pretend not to." Tiffania replied with a smile. After a few moments she hesitated then looked into Zero's face. again,"Now, I know it's been a while, but I think we should go see the children today. It will help lift your mood I think."
Zero smirked, then shook his head,"While I'd like to, i really need to talk to the headmaster. But you should go, Emma said that you haven't been by since you started going to school here."
"I know, it's just been so hard. Everything is so new and difficult here that I've just had no time. And whenever i Do have time everyone is always vying for it and I can't help but feel guilty when i reject them."
"Just tell them no. it's as easy as that." Zero said with his usual smirk.
"I guess, I just can't bring myself to do that." Tiffania laughed, then her face turned sullen. "But do you think they'd want to see me? I mean, I abandoned them..."
Zero rolled his eyes as he responded,"You took care of them for years and are a primary force behind them having better lives. Besides I don't think anyone could be unhappy to see you."
"I suppose. Then I'll go. I'll make sure to spend time with them more often too. You have fun talking to the Head Master. He seems like such a nice old man." Tiffania looked at Zero Oddly when he burst out laughing.
"don't worry about it. It's nothing." he replied as he chuckled again uncontrollably. "I'll see you later then Tiffa. Thanks for the talk." Zero said as he started walking towards the tower that housed the Head Master's study.
Tiffania looked at his back for a few moments until it disappeared then she realized that he had called her Tiffa...
***Author's notes***
Yay, new chapter because I didn't die in the hospital. But seriously. Fuck IV's, and the story almost didn't get this chapter. Fuck IV's hardcore. Anyhow, on to the normal Author's notes. Although almost dying gets you some good meds.
Lotta new readers it seems. I appreciate the input and the complements. I will also agree that writing for Zero can be a bit of a bitch because he is a complex character. But he's not complex on the surface. Most complex characters are complex from the get go, while some like Zero, or Post Crisis Core Cloud(Which really fleshed out the back story and actually improved FFVII's story by a massive amount. The game FFVII was fun as hell and one of my favorites but you have to admit there were too many plot holes because they had to cut discs on the game. True story. Once they put in the back story everything fell into place. A hell of a lot better than DoC) seem VERY simple on the surface, but have much more going on below. Kind of like the ocean. It might seem calm on the surface but that doesn't mean there isn't a riptide or the like lurking below the surface of that calm and almost wave less body of water.
On the Maverick Virus. It is a corrupted version of the Zero Virus, they are distinctly different things(both evolved in different ways). It is neither good or bad. Like all power it is the use that makes it what it is. The Maverick virus was evil because it gave birth to sigma, and the Zero virus is good because it freed Leviathan. Either could have done the other, but it's the usage of the particular virus that made it good or bad.
Gonna agree. All the parties have their own goals and none seem to sync up together. That could cause friction or all out war. That could be bad.
On the whole X and Zero possible Bromance or Romance(Although I hate the word Bromance I do use it ironically or to taunt people.) I'll let you guys keep guessing because I'm an asshole and I like watching people get aggravated. Who knows. Could the female X like Zero? Also X is technically not gay if he likes guys at the moment since his cyber elf IS fully female.
Zero: I'll kill you.
But come on you're the perfect pair. And don't tell me that you kept sacrificing yourself like that out of "Bromantic" feelings.
Zero: Shut the hell up. I'd do that for anyone who I cared about!
... True. Seriously though you need to stop getting yourself blown up.
Zero: I haven't technically gotten blown up in this storyline so far!
Why did you say so far? Did you edit the script?
Zero: Maybe?
God damn it Zero you're a fictional character, stop doing crap like this! I'm not even sure how you keep doing it! If you keep it up...
Roll: I'll get involved...
Oh... Uh... Running running running!
Zero: Wait!...I'm in trouble aren't I?
Roll taps the handle of the broom on the ground, while holding what appears to be a bucket that is half full of water
Zero: Aren't those your weapons from...Oh god I hear your theme music!
(A safe distance away)
Now, to continue with hopefully no further interruptions, aside from the distant sounds of Roll going all MvC on Zero. On the note of there being no Sigma like villian, I will say that it would be far too convenient to just throw in something like that. And it would also ruin the pacing of the story to cop out like this. Zero's story here is dealing with everything that is going on. At the moment there is no great force of actual evil. Just people with differing thoughts. There are many paths this story could take from here and not one of them is going to have an over the top Villain who is completely identified as a Villain. While it might work in other stories, this one has built on a more moderated view of things going so far as making one of the primary villains of the Megaman series not even that bad a guy. At least in his own mind.
On another note, Weil did have access to ALL of Neo Arcadia's knowledge. And Omega's body and specs. He was also one of the few that was intelligent enough to understand the systems in Zero to at least control his body. The only person who tried that was Sigma. And that never ended well for him, and for all his insanity Sigma wasn't stupid. So you can bet that Weil made his copies to each surpass Zero's power when they fought on the space station. Has he grown enough to take them on? Who knows?
A few new readers have asked me why Zero can call X a coward but doesn't let others, and why he calls himself a hero a few times.
1) Zero can call X a coward because he knows him and isn't using it as an insult. Kirche way back when used it as an insult. Big difference in context.
2) Zero has either called himself a hero in a joking, self depreciating or self mocking/ironic fashion. He doesn't actually mean it.
Okay, I've also somehow gotten a barrage of messages on how I'm wrong about Wily. I'm not going to say what I really think about Wily. Honestly when I was a kid the man was responsible for more than a few thrown controllers(thank god for the indestructible nintendium they were made of at the time so they never broke), so to me he really is a fucking evil prick. But the previous uses in the story of Wily are not what I think of him(Although I do agree, Bass could have killed Light with no issue and I saw that immediately). The Wily in this story could easily be the real Wily. Everything is perception. We all can universally admit that Hitler was evil despite the good things he did(And he did do good things. This can not be denied). But just because he did good things doesn't absolve him of guilt for the evil things he did and ordered. Just because he had motives that were in his mind 'good' doesn't justify these things. In this case the saying "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" is exceptionally true. You can also go back to previous statements by me that villains minus one or two are usually very poor and stupid if all they're viewed as is "pure evil" even by themselves. Either pure evil villains are destroyed by their own organizations falling upon themselves regardless of what the heroes would have done, or are too prideful and arrogant to work together. Even Exdeath from FFV didn't view himself as evil. He viewed the void as the natural state of things and wanted to return them to that. I think that even the legendary Kefka didn't even think he was evil. I don't even think Kefka understood good or evil. All he understood was that destruction and death was the fate of everything, and that's all he understood. He didn't understand that perhaps that was what made everything that much more important. He didn't even understand where positive emotions, like hope and love came from. They were completely alien to him.