Heyo! Sorry for the long waits, work well… sucks. Regardless… NEW CHAPTER! MEDLYMEDLYMEDLYMEDLYMEDLYWOOOOOWOOOOOWOWOW! That was my guitar solo.
Chapter 12: The Zer0 Family
Z-12 walked with Angel, his half-sister in a sense, until they reached a tall building near the center of Crimson City. Z-12 was incredibly nervous since he was going to meet his origin, Zer0 the Assassin, but was now Zer0 the father. They entered the building and started to ride the elevator up to their floor. "Do you think he'll like me?" Z-12 questioned nervously. "Dad? I'm sure he will, I mean, he has a son now. All he had before was me." Angel responded.
"Was he disappointed that he had a daughter?"
"No, I was trying to lighten the mood a bit with a joke."
Z-12 looked at her with a raised eyebrow and replied "No, jokes are funny. That was just a little harsh." Angel shrugged and chuckled "Guess my dreams of being a comedian die here in this elevator with a cloned version of my father." Z-12 couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the situation they were in. "I mean… how are we going to go about this?" Z-12 thought. "I don't think it will go 'Hey I'm a clone of you! Can I live here with you?' because that will go great." The doors opened and Angel took a few steps out before looking back at Z-12, who was still standing inside the elevator.
"Come on. We have to introduce you to our family." Angel exclaimed as she took Z-12's hand and pulled him out of the elevator. She pulled him down the hall until they stopped at a door, looking to Z-12 with a reassuring smile. "You ready?" She questioned as she held onto his hand. "I think so." Z-12 sighed as he felt Angel's hand slip from his and she knocked on the door. Z-12 heard movement behind the door and it opened to reveal a woman with long blue hair and azure eyes.
She smiled and greeted "Angel. It's good to see you up and about again. Who is your…" She looked at Z-12 and her expression changed dramatically. Her mouth was wide open and her eyes were almost exactly the same. "I… Who… What…" She gasped. "Mom, this is Z-12." Angel introduced. "He's, well, a clone of Dad."
Angel's mother simply stared at him with a surprised look on her face that was kinda making him uncomfortable. "A… a clone?" She repeated. "Yes Mom, a clone." Angel sighed. "He helped rescue me from the Maliwan space station. Can he please come in?" Angel's mother shook her head to clear it and replied "Oh! Right, sure. Please come in." Angel's mother stepped aside and gestured for the two to come inside, which they did.
Angel walked in with ease since it was her home, but Z-12 was a little more awkward when it came to adjusting. He stood awkwardly for a moment until Angel's mother offered "Would you like a seat?" She gestured next to the spot next to Angel and Z-12 sat down, still looking awkward. Angel's mother took a seat in a chair and continued to stare at Z-12. "Mom. Stop staring." Angel hissed.
Her mother shook her head again and replied "Sorry, it's just… like I'm looking at a younger version of my husband." Z-12 chuckled and exclaimed "That's because I kinda am. I'm about 20 in chronological years. I'm sorry, but I never got your name."
"Maya, my name is Maya."
"Well, it's nice to meet you Maya."
Maya looked like she was going to say something else when the door opened. Z-12 didn't look, but Maya got up and greeted "Sweetie, you're home early." A male voice replied "Yeah, work got done early so I… I see we have a guest." Z-12 saw this as his opportunity and stood up to face his origin, Zer0 the Assassin. The man was just as tall as he was with almost the same features.
The black hair and blue eyes were the same, but Zer0 had four fingers and a scar going through his left eye. Zer0 stared at him with an adamant look and slowly gripped the black stick on his hip, making Z-12 a little nervous. "Who is this?" Zer0 questioned in a very serious tone. Angel stepped up and introduced "Dad, this is Z-12. He is one of the people who helped rescue me from Maliwan. He's a…"
"Clone of me. I can tell… so this explains what Maliwan did with me all those years ago."
Everyone looked at Zer0 with shocked expressions, except for Z-12, and Maya questioned "What are you talking about?" Zer0 took a deep breath and explained "A few years before I became a Vault Hunter, I was approached by Maliwan. They offered me a job as their personal assassin, take out targets they want and I get paid. I refused, not really wanting to become some corporate hitman. Maliwan didn't take that response too well, so they trapped me. I was their test subject for a while until I eventually escaped." Zer0 looked at Z-12 almost with disgust and snarled "And it looks like this was the result. Some… abomination that was made to replace me." That last phrase really hurt Z-12, since the man before him was basically his father. "Dad!" Angel barked as she took a spot next to Z-12. "He saved me!"
"And I am grateful for him doing that. I'm showing that gratitude right now by not lopping this… abomination's head from his shoulders. Now…"
Zer0 stepped up to Z-12 and snarled "Get out of my house." Z-12 nodded and exclaimed "Yes sir… you have a wonderful family." Z-12 turned to Angel and proclaimed "See you around Si… Angel." Z-12 walked around Zer0, ignoring the glare and walked out the door with no real destination in mind. Angel moved up to her father and barked "What the hell is wrong with you!?" He turned to her and warned "Stay away from him Angel. Nothing good can come from him."
"Then why am I staying around here with you?"
Angel stormed out, probably going after Z-12. Zer0 ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "I'm guessing you have something to add to that?" He looked to Maya to see her with her arms crossed and looking towards the couch. "Well?" Zer0 questioned as she took a seat back in the chair. "I'm just a little confused is all." Maya exclaimed. "Why are you doing your best to push Z-12 away?"
"Because he's a danger to us. I mean, how do we know he isn't working some kind of angle with Maliwan?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Because it's what I would do. I just… I can't trust some… stray from Maliwan."
Zer0 took a seat on the couch and hung his head low as he wrapped his hands around the back of his neck. He felt Maya take a seat next to him and put her hand on his knee. "Saying that you can't trust Z-12 is like saying you can't trust yourself. He is you, granted he is a little different, but he ultimately is you." Maya responded. "Zer0, he's basically your son." Zer0 let out a deep breath and sighed "Maybe you're right."
"I know I'm right. Call Angel and tell her to bring Z-12 back. She's probably caught up to him by now."
"Alright…"
Zer0 grabbed his ECHO and dialed Angel's number.
O00000O00000O
Z-12 was just walking, trying to get his mind off the fact that his origin… his father… had rejected him. Z-12 took a deep breath and sighed "I should have figured there was no happy ending for me." He walked for a little bit longer when he heard Angel shout "Wait up! Wait for me!" He looked over his shoulder to see Angel running after him and waving at him. He stopped and she finally caught up, questioning "Where are you going?"
He simply shrugged and replied "I don't know… I'll think of something."
"We."
"What?"
Angel stepped up to him and exclaimed "We'll think of something. I'm coming with you." Z-12 raised an eyebrow and replied "You're kidding." Angel crossed her arms and replied "Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"Not really."
"Look Angel, you have a good life here with your family…"
She jabbed a finger into his chest and exclaimed "Not while my brother is out there in the world without a plan. I'm sticking by you because that's what family does." Z-12 sighed "You are as stubborn as a rock."
"Complain to Nickoli about that one, he knows the most about it. Now, what's our plan?"
Z-12 was about to say something when Angel's ECHO went off, causing Angel to groan "What timing." She answered it, putting it on speaker, "Hello?" Zer0 came over the ECHO "Angel, is Z-12 with you?"
"Look, I don't need…"
"Come home, the both of you."
Z-12 and Angel both shared the same confused look as Zer0 exclaimed "I want you two to come home, we need to have a… family discussion." Angel replied "Alright… we're on our way." Angel hung up and Z-12 questioned "Do you really think me going back is the best idea? I mean, Zer0 was pretty clear that he didn't want me around." Angel sighed and replied "Do we really have a choice? We have no plan and Dad is inviting us back, so we should go back." Z-12 scratched the back of his head as Angel took his hand.
"I promise you bro, I will not let him hurt you."
Z-12 felt reassured that Angel would stand with him, even though he had some serious doubts. The two back tracked back to Angel's home, finding the door to be unlocked and Maya and Zer0 waiting for them. Zer0 stood up, hands to his sides and a small smile on his face. Angel took a step so she was between Z-12 and Zer0, standing over him in a protective stance. "Easy, I can't hurt my own flesh and blood." Zer0 exclaimed. Z-12's eyes widened a bit at that statement as he stepped towards Zer0.
"I know… I was unfair to you." Zer0 stated as Z-12 stood before him. "I didn't give you a fair chance… but my family…" Zer0 looked to Maya, who had a smile on her face, then to Angel, who seemed a bit calmer, and then back to Z-12. "Our family, convinced me otherwise." Zer0 finished. Z-12 looked down at his feet, trying to his the giant goofy smile on his face as tears rolled down his face. "Would it be too much to ask for a hug right now?" Z-12 questioned.
Zer0 wrapped his arms around Z-12 and pulled him into his shoulder, patting his back and exclaiming "Not at all… son… not at all." Z-12 couldn't help himself, he wrapped his arms around Zer0, his father, and embraced his new life… with his new family. Angel finally cracked a smile as her and her mother joined the group hug… the family hug.
A/N: Apologies for the wait, I've been busy. Hope y'all enjoyed the new chapter since there is still more to come. PM or review any thoughts comments or concerns about the chapter. Until next time.
-Chief