Chapter 8 mmzoc

Axl headed down the secret entrance of the ice prison. If that Stag got repaired Axl was going to have a rematch and prove how awesome he was. As he made his way in the first thing Axl noticed was that the ice had melted and there were some old war subs launching missiles. They had to be more than a hundred years old.

Another thing he noticed about the yellow vessels was they had large star on the sides with a blue capital 'R' in the middle over top a red triangle. They bobbed up and down from the swaying water practically drove Axl nuts.

He jumped down into the water and sank to the gravelly bottom. In order to keep from getting crushed like a tin can Axl ducked in the crags and shot at any mechaniloids that swam toward him. The young reploid finally reached the computers that were making a mess for the resistance. After taking the large machines out Axl made his way out back to the desert when he noticed a figure different from the robotic sharks.

It was the Siren General Leviathan.

"Well, this is interesting; here I thought I was going up against a legend not a scrawny little maverick." She taunted as she floated above the spikey hunter.

"Heh, well sorry to disappoint X's pretty ice princess," Axl gave her a cocky smile, but then his face turned serious. "But Zero had to go pound a few dents into your brother after one of his bombs nearly took out Ciel. So, you'll just have to settle for me." Axl set his busters to the highest setting and galvanized the flame chip and copy chip.

A quick look crossed the blue reploid's face but switched back to a flirtatious smile. "Hm, well I guess it can't be helped, I'll just make my father proud by destroying a spawn of Sigma." She then activated her spear, "show me what you've got New-Gen and don't hold back just because I'm a woman."

Axl avoided the missiles that launched off of Leviathans spear and shot at her ice mines. He landed a couple of hits on her but still the fire busters only strengthen her determination. She sent make shift ice dragons after him, Axl got an idea.

He had asked Forte for some copy data and decide now was a good time to use it. Axl was engulfed in a bright light and transformed into Burner man. Axl than released a big wave of green flames and took Leviathan out.

As soon as the blue general looked done for Axl deactivated his weapons and causing Leviathan to look confused. "I said not to hold back, so why are you sparing me?"

"Because, despite what you've been told, I'm not a maverick," Axl answered seriously, "I don't needlessly retire my enemies unless I have to; I respect them and their lives first." He held his hand out for Leviathan to grab, and then threw on a big smile and added. "Mechaniloids on the other hand, I just like seeing them explode."

The female general huffed and slapped his hand away feeling insulted. "You dare mock me! I bet you're a novice compared to Zero, and when I destroy him, I have my vengeance against you!" she then transferred away.

Axl sighed tiredly, "what a shame, she was pretty and she nearly kicked my butt," he though aloud. "Oh well, at least I won." He then transferred out of the freezing water.

…

Zero headed back to the desert, which was the location on the cyber-kunai's message. Walking around in the desert, the hunter only saw sand. "Man, I hate sand and I hate snakes," he said to himself. Growing annoyed and alert the red hunter suddenly saw incoming projectile, and dodged three kunai.

Appearing in a puff of smoke on the opposite end was a dark cladded ninja with a white wolf-like mask. Both Zero and his opponent glared at one another, Phantom was the first to break the silence.

"You've done well so far, Zero." He spoke in a deep voice. "But the young doctor has made a mockery of your legend by corrupting you against commander X."

"My memory is fine; X is the one that needs his head checked!" Zero shouted angrily, "Now where's Alouette?!" Zero got in to an offensive stance and activated his saber. Phantom smiled under the mask as he threw his knives. Zero dodge two of them but one hit his left arm leaving a small cut, but it quickly covered in liquid grey matter seemingly trying to heal as red oil dripped.

Huh he'd never seen nanites act like that.

Phantom then charged at Zero with a large shurikin and tried to cut Zero down. Zero manages to block with his saber, but the ninja flips over him and throws more kunai. Zero shouts in pain as they hit his back; grabbing one the hunter takes and throws it back at the ninja.

"You're weak, something as ancient as you should have been left to rust," Phantom mocked as he caught his weapon. Zero knelt down getting his bearings taking a handful of sand. "That child maverick is as good as dead."

"You talk too much for a ninja," Zero said as he threw sand in the air and shot at it making a smokescreen. This allowed Zero to get the other knives out of his back. Then he got an idea…

"You think you can hide from me, Zero?" Phantom shouted in the smoke. "Two can play that game." He then let out copy holograms of himself, thinking that Zero would go after them. He watched from the side as Zero attacked each hologram.

Sneaking from behind, Phantom went for the kill as Zero stood in the clearing dust. Suddenly Zero muttered something, "Dark Hold…"

A flash caused Zero to disappear, and the next thing Phantom knew he was in searing pain. He had cuts on his legs and arms; sparks shot out from him. Zero then appeared in front of him saber drawn at his throat.

"Now, where's Alouette." He demanded darkly.

Phantom conceited his defeat, "she's with one of my Subordinate Officer's in the Forest of Dysis." The Ninja then shoved Zero away and made his escape.

…

Zero teleported to the strange cybernetic forest. He fought off bug robots until suddenly he heard screaming and rushed toward the sound.

"Again, again, again," cheered a voice. There he saw Alouette being held in the air by another larger reploid. She wiggled in excitement.

"Alright, one last time," the unknown reploid said as he then tossed her in the air. As he caught her that's when Zero made himself known. He readied his saber when the reploid addressed Zero, "Ah, Little Lark, your father is here for you."

Father? Zero looked confused just as Alouette ran to him and hugged him, "Zero, you're here." Kneeling down to her level Zero spoke to her while keeping his gaze on Kraft.

"Alouette, are you hurt in any way?"

Alouette shakes her head, "No, Mr. Kraft has been really nice to me." She paused and then frown, "you and Mr. Kraft aren't going to fight, are you?"

Before Zero could give a reply, Kraft answered for him, "No. I do not think this is the neither time nor place for us to battle." This was first for Zero; no one had ever refused to fight him. "You and your father go, little one."

Alouette was going to correct him but Zero interrupted, "he's right. Ciel's hurt we need to get back to base and see if she's okay." The girl nodded in worry and she said goodbye to her new friend, Zero and Alouette then teleported away.

Kraft then turned his comm on and contacted someone, "Neige, something's happened."

…

"Mr. Zero, is Mommy going to be, okay?" Alouette asked worried as they walked to the Med-bay.

"Cerveau is helping her, I'm sure she'll be fine," he said plainly but that did not ease the child.

"But what if she's not?! She could be really hurt and she-she dies? I don't want to be without her!"

Zero stopped and turned to face her, "you won't be without her. Even if you were, you aren't alone. There are plenty of other reploids that will care for you."

Alouette was crying now, "but it's not the same, mommy is the only person who understands me. All the others never had parents; most of their knowledge is programed in. That's why I haven't really imprinted on anybody but Mommy. You're different, though, I don't know why, but I can tell."

It was then Zero understood, Alouette was feeling vulnerable and lonely. She felt like an outsider among her own people; the only reploid child that knew what it was to have a mother. He felt that way once before, hadn't he?

When he woke up with no memory of being a monster, he was vulnerable. Then he met Dr. Cain and X, they helped him and When Dr. Cain died of old age there was a void that only he and X understood. After all Dr. Cain was like a father to them.

Wait, that's it! "Then imprint on me."

"Huh?" Alouette gave him a confused look as she wiped her tears away. "You want to adopted me Mr. Zero?"

"Yes, I'll be your father." Zero assured her, placing a hand on her head. "If that's what you want."

The girl's shocked face grew into a serine smile. "Yes, I'd love that."

Zero gave a small chuckle, "okay, where do I sign?" He then felt a tingle run though his hand, the one he placed on Alouette. It caused a joyous feeling to rise in Zero's chest as Alouette came and hugged him. She trusts Zero and Zero will guard that trust with all his might.

The hug ended just as Axl then came around the corner, "Hey you two, Ciel's awake."

Zero smiled at his new daughter and held his hand out, "C'mon, Ciel will want to see that you're in one piece."

Alouette then took his hand and nodded as they walked toward the infirmary. Alouette was met with Ciel's embrace as she sat on an infirmary table.

…

Later Alouette feel asleep next to Ciel's bedside. Ciel for her part was thanking Zero a thousand times over. That was when Axl showed up, "Hey sorry to interrupt but…" he spoke quietly as he showed a hologram of the symbol that was on the submarines he found. "Do any of you know what this is?"

"That's Repliforce's insignia," Zero gasped. Showing emotion that neither Ciel or Axl could decipher. "Where did you find this Axl?"

"On my mission, while you went to get Alouette back. They were active and all over the place." Axl explained. "What's Repliforce?"

"Another group of Maverick hunters that were then labeled Mavericks." Zero whispered heatedly.

"I've seen it in textbooks; they mentioned that the reploids all got infected and destroyed two cities. X had apparently stopped them from destroying the planet with an eclipse cannon." Ciel explained her knowledge of what it was.

"that's not what happened." Zero defended barely above a whisper, "only four of them four infected and they caused the Sky Lagoon city to collide into another below. Sigma used the incident to stir up the humans' fears and then Repliforce was labeled Maverick because they refused to stand down. The humans told us they destroyed all of Repliforce's equipment because it could be infected."

"Clearly that was not the case, but we'll add that on our list of things to do when we enter Neo Arcadia. For now, though, we wait for the Scavengers to arrive and evacuate tomorrow. But we will get answers, I promise you that." Ciel told them. "For now, though, both of you get some rest. You've earned it."

"You too Ciel, since you almost became Swiss cheese, today." Axl said light heartedly. Both Zero and Ciel just shook their heads and sighed. She was in no mood for gallow humor.

Everyone then rested as a new day awaited them.

…

Harpuia heard something distressing from his sister. Apparently, a bomb was planned into the resistance base. Now, normally, this would not had bothered the flying reploids, but when he heard who had got caught in the bast.

Dr. Ciel had.

That wasn't the plan, though, Leviathan was supposed to ready up some old weaponry to use if the resistance tried to escape by sea. She was defeated by a new type reploid. Tomorrow, Harpuia would be trying to take back the factory. Phantom was supposed to distract Zero.

Speaking of which. Said reploid walked into the room.

"Phantom," Harpuia addressed. He stared at his brother expecting an explanation because Phantom knew what he did.

"If you have something to say then say it, Harpuia." Phantom told him cooly.

"Phantom, who authorized that bombing attempt on Ciel?" Harpuia asked evenly as the sunset hit both of them, drawing into the evening.

"Who do you think?" Phantom counter replied.

"Father would not have harmed a human, even if only half of one." Harpuia reasoned with him.

"Perhaps she's not as human as we all think. True, she has human DNA, but that doesn't mean she's not a machine."

"Where are you getting at?" Of course, having human DNA makes you human. Yes, he had always been a bit torn on whether Dr. Ciel was insane or not, but that didn't mean she wasn't human.

"My battle with Zero gave me some interesting results." Phantom said as he produces a test tube it had a grey colored residue in it. "This metal I analyzed has no known record of existing. But strangely enough, it acts almost alive. It was trying to attach itself to my kunai."

Harpuia looked confused, "this came off of Zero?" he touched the metal blob and it became a broken piece of metal and then reverted back once he took his index finger away.

Phantom put the sample away, "makes you wonder what else it could mimic." He said leaving Harpuia bewildered.

Hi everyone, I'm sorry it's been so many years since I last updated this fic. I didn't mean for it to have been this long... originally I was trying to pace my updating since I took so long before and thought if I wrote everything out than updated, I'd be good to go to a different story. Sadly, I hadn't touched this fic much in the years I've been gone. I have partal of 9 but haven't made my way to X just yet. I'll try again soon but if it's rushed I apologize. I'm jumping off the game plot and just make sure that I can end this project with X vs Zero and an epilogue.

Here is also my other reasons I hadn't posted much on this site:

1. I've lost track somewhat of how I wanted the story to go without cluttering and bloating it. I have an unfortunate habit of jamming too much into a story, I've noticed.

2. I have too many ideas for others stories and have a hard time focusing on this one particular. Over the years I've had ideas for a Spider Gwen A.U., Transformers Shattered Glass A.U., Batman A.U. and many MMZ A.U.s. Doing One-shots of them would take too much time and frustration.

Originally, when I had posted chapter 7, it took months to write due to my obligations and bad time management and long word count. So I told myself "Hey, here's a good idea why not write out the entire story before posting the next chapter? Than I can write the Spider-Gwen fic buzzing around my head." So I was going to do that, however my ADHD wouldn't allow that and so how we got here, today.

3. http/ has got too many ads over the years. I've had the account since I was in my late teens, I'm in my late twenties now. I find it hard read anything on this site when ads are in my face and the stupid Cloudflare system. Since then I've made an AO3 account and found it less frustrating, especially when uploading files of stories, but have yet to transfer this fic over because I can't decide if I want rewrite this fic or abandon it completely like the last MMZ fic I did.

4. I haven't posted an updated in years and don't want to be pelted with Tomatoes by an angry mob. 0_0"

5. I'm not really fond of beta readers due to my tendency of being uncomfortable with online interactions in general. I leave PMs up to answer questions, but I'm not big on having online friends or those that want to be. I'm not trying to be mean it's just how I am.

6. Now, currently, I uploaded from my Phone and I'm finding this app annoying, and why does still use docs and not docX for stories?!