Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Alouette knew something was wrong.
Ciel was always under a lot of stress, fussing and pacing. She tried to keep everything together and keep the refugee's morale moderately high while simultaneously making sure everyone had enough sustenance. Needless to say, sleepless nights were the only things young girls knew nowadays, and Alouette was sure Ciel had learned how to survive on adrenaline, 'coffee' and E-crystals.
Right now… Ciel looked even worst. It was clear she had cried, the frequency at which she wrung her hands had increased and, most worrisome was the complete absence of Zero in both person and reports.
Alouette liked Zero…sure, he may be a bit standoffish and cold, Distant and aloof from the rest of the reploid population. But he had warmed up to the child-like reploid quite rapidly, letting her brush, comb and even braid his beautiful hair to Alouette's heart content. He had even taught her a song…the Hare Krishna song.
Who would have thought mister badass had a musical ear…and the voice box to back it up, shockingly enough. And he also had a terrible glitch that would cause him to overclock his fan every time he tried to remember something of his past.
At first, Alouette thought it was related to the song he would hum under his 'breath.' Every time he would recite it, Zero's fans would start straining. But he had assured the little blond that no…the song was not the source…this song made him feel better.
Alouette had tried to chant it; it was easy since it only had three words. Hare Krishna and Rama. And when she chanted it, her internal temperature had remained the same…but an enormous amount of bliss had entered her heart, like the moonlight entering a blazing room. And the Cyber-elves she had been taking care of also seemed to like it, chanting Hare Krishna without any sign of stopping the moment the song had entered their audio port.
It annoyed Ciel to no end. But Alouette and the other civilians like it; it was something that gave them hope.
Still, she had also been worried about Zero; he had just awoken from a very long hibernation… Ciel had told Alouette that Passy had sacrificed themselves to resurrect the red legend.
She would miss Passy…but Alouette was aware that, with them all being criminal, death would often happen…still, there was a sense of loss.
Anyway, Zero had been resurrected, meaning he had not been functional for over a hundred years…and then there the part where his memory bank had corrupted; the legendary reploid had no memory of his past.
The little blond knew that if the memory was corrupted, more things should also be broken and messed up in a reploid.
She had mentioned to Ciel how Zero would overheat when trying to access his memory…and about the song. Now, Ciel was more nervous than usual, and zero was nowhere to be found in the base…he was not in his room, nor in the training hall, and Alouette knew he was not on a mission like Paon Coucou had said because he had to punch out.
He didn't punch out…
Speaking of Coucou, the tall reploid was nowhere to be seen, and his partner looked…grim.
He had lost his will to live…like many other reploids.
And thus, Alouette went to the only place where the legendary reploid could have gone…the repair shop/infirmary. She had heard some rumours…
When she came in, Cerveau was nowhere to be seen…well, Alouette knew where he went, to the cantine, and it was also time for him to restock on some E-crystal. So, she was completely alone…
"Hello? Is anybody here?" she called out as she tiptoed inside. She knew she was not supposed to be there, even if she would be a huge help to Cerveau… Ciel just thought it was not the place for a young girl…
But what did she know?
"Zero? Are you here?" she asked as she went behind a curtain…there, she found Zero in a tank filled with Nanite-rich water. He was hooked to a big medical-grade computer and held in aloft by a pair of holders under his arms. His eyes were half-closed, his mouth slightly ajar, his black synth-skin open, exposing wires and a couple of dual cores, one of them a dull green, the other one shone brightly like the sun. They had removed his helmet…but the blue Z-brain had yet to recede inside his head.
It would be a gruesome, heartbreaking display if not for one detail.
Zero… Gave of an unearthly glow, like…something inside his head was lighting him up from the inside. There were also some golden mark on his body…like 'Ṷ' in shapes and different places; one was on his forehead, going through the blue gem, on his throat, and three above his umbilical port…and she could kind of make out more marks on his arms.
"Z-Zero?!" she whispered as she hugged Socrates (her kitty plush) to her little chest. She knew he was not dead. Otherwise, the machine would not show his recovery process. He was at 80% fixed, meaning he should be awake.
Zero opened his purple eyes slowly, the blue gem finally reseeding back in his head. Revealing yet another golden Ṷ shaped mark adorning his forehead.
'…aren't they supposed to be almost black?' Alouette thought. Not sure what to think of this development.
The legendary reploid rubbed his face and looked around, obliviously disoriented. His eyes fell on the little blond; he frowned for a bit before a bright smile lit his pretty face.
That smile… Alouette never thought Zero could do any other emote than frowning or neutral. So to see him like this…
Alouette shyly smile back.
Zero tried to speak, but…for some reason, she couldn't…and then she realized why he was not built for underwater communication.
Alouette went to the terminal and opened the chat program.
: ZERO! What happened? Are you okay?: The childlike reploid typed. Hoping Zero could understand that he could communicate like that.
She looked at zero anxiously, waiting…the reploid in red furrowed his brows. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, the legendary reploid began to type...
Well, not type, per se, more like poured his thoughts out.
: I remembered who I am.: he began. I think I was… I think my memories were blocked by a program or two. I feel much better now.: He groggily replied, using the feminine pronoun.
'Oh...so Zero's better but...just confused.'
: Where am I?: Zero asked as he looked around. : What date is it…oh… I see… I was out for two days. Oh Krishna, Ciel must be a bundle of nerves right now.:
Alouette opened her eyes wide. She had expected Zero's answers to be to the point, without any frills or expression. Let alone the name Krishna. And…
: Alouette?:
: Zero…why do you keep using Watashi? Aren't you a boy reploid?:
Zero looked at Alouette…
: It's...complicated.: Zero gave a wry smile. : I will try to explain later if I have the time…are you still singing the song I thought you?: The legendary warrior asked instead.
Alouette nodded. : What is it? Why did it cause you to overclock your system?:
: No…the Maha-mantra would never do that to me.: Zero wrote. : It was…let's call it a fail-safe... a kill-code. My 'creator' didn't want me to remember who I was…and he slapped on a few programs to make sure I never would.: Alouette could feel some anger radiating from the capsule, taking almost a violet glow. : But…that's all over now… I'm free from his control. I can finally be myself now: A look of sheer relief mixed with pure gratitude lit his face. : Incidentally, the song I remembered is what broke those codes. It's… a potent song…:
Alouette's eyes grew wider. : But... It's just a song, right?:
: I told you, it's potent… It puts one in direct communication with God.: Zero revealed.
: God? What is that? Is it a network?: Alouette asked.
Zero didn't type anything, and Alouette had the feeling that the red Hero was…not sure how to explain. Either that or he was shy.
: God, Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source and creator of everything, the cause of all the and an ocean of Bliss for his surrendered servants and devotees. He is the fully conscious, Eternal source of all souls…: Zero explained...slowly, it was clear he was taking his time to put his idea's in order. : This song, the Hare-Krishna Maha-Mantra, has the power to revive our eternal identity and re-establish our eternal relationship with him either as one of His numerous Servant, friend, parents and finally lover.:
Alouette's eyes grew wide. : Oh...really?: that was...unexpected.
: I... I was worshipping...praying to Him...Before...before Ciel woke me up. Is it…alright if... I would like to resume, but…would it be accepted.: He asked, more to himself than Alouette.: Oh …it feels so right…so, so right… : Zero closed his eyes in sheer bliss.
Zero had never been so talkative before, but now. With his memories returned. Well, it seemed many things about the old legend had been left out. Not that it mattered to the child-like reploid.
: Alouette, I feel like another person, Like I was reborn…:
: No, not reborn; it's like a heavy curtain was lifted like life returned to me.:
: I am Zero, the legendary reploid, the red Ripper, and I am more than that also!:
: It's amazing; it's scary… I know I sound like a nut-case, but… All my previous memories are returning to me… I feel like I've just awakened from a dream; I know who I am, I know my ultimate purpose…my Goal. My mission!: He 'babbled' on, trying to grasp, to explain this joyful event.
The recovery capsule provided him with some pretty intense pain management software and an inhibition suppressor.
It made it easier to find if something was broken if the 'bot's tongue is loosened.
: It's alright zero; it may take some time to adjust. But we'll all get used to it.: she wrote as kindly as possible. : it's nice to have a goal back…you will still help us, right?: there had been this alternate historical account about how Zero was actually the cause of the first calamity...not that there was any proof of their being any first calamity in the first place.
Alouette just hope the alternate to Zero being a great Hero was wrong...the last thing they needed was yet another maniac here.
Zero turned his head toward the childlike reploid. He was intently looking at her, calculating something.
: If you keep chanting that song and have as many refugees also chant it, Then yes, I will still protect you.:
: Alright! No problem, Zero, I will keep chanting the name of God as long as you keep listening to big sister Ciel.: No harm in teaching a song to the refugee, especially one that made Alouette feel so Happy.
Something went over Zero's face. But it was too fast for Alouette to grasp.
: I still don't understand why your creator blocked who you are. And the fact that you love God. I mean, it's nice to know that there somebody out there who made everything.: It makes more sense than the old Big Bang Theory. Something or someone had to trigger it from outside; it was simple logic.
: It does…: Zero's countenance became a bit dour. : Wily… he didn't want me to be who I am. He didn't want…what I was before. He wanted a monster…: Zero revealed to the child-like reploid.
: You're not a Monster Zero. You're the legendary hero who fought alongside X. You're the reason we are all alive now.:
A wry smile appeared on Zero's face. It was filled with pain and sadness. : Alouette, you do not know me, and you have no idea what I did. But you are right; I'm not a monster, I'm something more...something better.: Zero closed his eyes as he pressed his right hand to his core, a serene smile light his pretty face. : Enough about me, did anything happened while I was out?:
: Well, nothing much expects Ciel to be even more worried than usual. Oh, and we were being hacked…but there's nothing we can do about It.: Alouette wrote, the Neo-Arcadian force were now crawling in their systems, and the resistance didn't have the resources to fight back.
As always.
Zero's eyes grew wide; then, he closed them as he intently focused. Some purple tendril radiated from him, staining the nanite-rich water violet. It went up the empty connectors, and then Cerveau's dear computer… was taken over?
The next Thing, Alouette knew the recovery tube was draining, and Zero pulled himself out. The legendary reploid then unplugged himself, drained out as much water from his system as he could. Recalibrated, he found his helmet, gauntlet, jacket, weapons and boots and stalked out the door. Revealing two more marks on his back before he threw his red Kevlar jacket on.
He… was not supposed to be able to do that; only Cerveau had the administrative right to release a patient from the tank. Not the patient himself.
Alouette ran after him. "Zero! Wait!" she called out as she tried to catch the runaway. If Cerveau came to know Zero was out!
Oh, little Alouette feared for her life… And Zero.
Zero paused and turned back, looking at Alouette with his familiar neutral mien.
"Zero, you can't run out like this…"
"Why?"
He… asked in a lovely, charming voice. Still deep, but definitely not masculine at all.
Zero had always been described as having a deep voice filled with authority. And indeed, it had been right on the mark. Now though, Zero's chosen hertz were...higher.
"Well …ah… You're at 80%, and…and …ah…you're a girl now?"
"I went on missions much lower than that." She informed the child-like reploid as she donned her iconic helmet and turned her heel. "And just keep my gender, what I just did and whatever else I told you a secret. It's not… I don't even know why I told you so much." She grumbled a bit, sounding like her old self. "Don't go and spread it around, is that clear?" she gave Alouette a very hard look. And the little reploid quickly nodded.
"I can't hear you."
"Yes, s-sir…"
Zero nodded. "Good." And started to walk again.
"Wait! You don't know what you're doing!" Alouette squeaked as she ran to catch up with the legendary reploid again.
"I'm just going to stop the Hacking, no big deal…" Zero dismissed. "Alouette, do you know where the computer room is?" the legend asked the smaller blond as she walked.
"It's Ciel's room… Zero, what did you do to the medical computer?" Alouette asked as she tried to keep up with Zero's longer and more efficient strides.
"I hacked it."
"But you were glowing and purple and…and you had tentacle growing out of you and-"
"And that's how I hack a computer," Zero answered dismissively…and then she stopped dead in her track, causing the child-like reploid to crash into her.
"Zero why-"
"Zero!"
"Oh hell! Zero, you survived!" two guards, Paon and the blond Egret exclaimed.
Zero remained silent, her once open face now closed.
"I don't think you remember me, sir, But I was one of the reploid who was there when you crashed. Me and my partner thought you were done for." Paon started to explain. "Glad to see you online and running smoothly, sir."
Alouette was about to correct Paon when the blond heroine gently nudged her.
Right…this was a secret. She had to call Zero sir and 'he'…, so nothing much had changed.
"Anyway, were in quite a pickle now…were being hacked by the Neo-Arcadian force and…ah, I really don't want to drop it on you, especially after what happened, but."
Zero gestured to Paon; she already knew she was on it.
Paon and Egret beamed. "Great! So, Miss Ciel managed to pinpoint the hacker's location; it's in a hidden base in the desert." The blue-haired guard scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ciel was about to send us out to get the guy and destroy his equipment, but…well, I ain't made for this type of mission. I mean c-Coucou…"
Alouette clutched her Socrates… The more soft-spoken of the two couldn't take it… He was now in the civilian's barrack, waiting for death.
For those Reploids who lost their will to live…nothing much could be done.
A moment of silence passed; Egret had put a comforting hand onto Paon's shoulder as the reploid struggle with grief, tears falling from his eyes despite his efforts at withholding them.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Sir… I…I know there were at war, and I know we many of us will not make it to the end but…"
Zero's usually cold or blank eye's softened; she practically radiated compassion as she laid a firm yet gentle hand on the grieving reploid's other shoulder, surprising both guard and Alouette herself.
She didn't speak a single word…she didn't need to.
The next thing they knew, Zero was making her way to base gate number 8, her strides purposeful and quick.
Many things may have changed about Zero…but something wouldn't. And to Alouette, It was very reassuring.
Zero sighed as she leaned onto one of the terminals for Neo-arcadia's secret base computer…A.K.A., the water processing plant for the entire fancy refugee camp, A.K.A. Neo-arcadia. The 'Virus' proving itself to be more useful than just a 'shut off' application for the Asimov code and the emotional suppression program all reploid had. It was a very fantastic hacking and recovery tool if put in the right hands.
Like hers.
Oh, and as for the hacker?
X himself…
She frowned. Was it really Ciel's plan? Or was the young girl but another puppet in this crazy play, led by none other than her dearest X. The implications were chilling… Nevertheless, Zero now had a way to end this mad game that had lasted for too long.
'Thank you X, Mother Sri-Isopanisad and Vasudeva-Prabhu for teaching me how to be more than a mere machine…. And thank Krishna for reminding me of everything in time.' She prayed in gratitude… remembering the names of those who had helped her grow beyond Wily's programming, beyond what had been expected of her.
It was still sort of new and not really. She felt back and still discovering who she was and what it meant to be Krishna conscious…a term Mother Sri-Isopanisad, a sweet black-skinned woman, had used.
Krishna conscious… God Conscious…her old creator must be spinning in his grave.
'Ah… I think I just solved the energy crisis.' Zero smirked to herself, idly wondering how many RPM the old corps must be spinning at the moment.
Zero closed her eyes…she still had over a hundred years' worth of memories to defragment and uncorrupt…on top of the entire Veda base and the one petabyte worth of ancient knowledge collected by the departed Vaishnava's to clean up, compile and somehow publish. Still, it was better than being lost, confused, and (over)used.
Obliviously, she now had her goal in life…a goal that had nothing to do with killing X (hopefully), killing maverick and saving the world from Sigma.
Zero opened her purple eyes and sighed, letting a small smile lit her lips …it felt so good to know that there was something more to her than being the world's most efficient and deadly war machine. The only thing that could destroy X were he to turn maverick.
Like…now, for example.
She was a spirit soul, a tiny part and parcel of God. In essence, it meant that she was neither Zero nor a reploid; she had her eternal identity separate from mater. Her eternal existence was meant for the pleasure of God, Lord Krishna and his devoted servant.
In other words, she was the servant of God's servant. And while it went against everything modern humanity stands for, Zero would always choose this over being Wily's pot shot to Light's success...and a war machine made solely for destruction.
Unlimited lines of codes ran across all the terminals interspersed with articles about the political climate, reported maverick, and anything X-related that had happened during her hundred-year retirement. Zero lazily analyzed them all as she planned her next move…and then she realized she was never a big Planer.
This had always been X's department…
She missed him…terribly so.
At this moment, she knew exactly how Vidhura felt about his brother Drtharastra…but For Zero, the feelings ran even deeper…
But, if X proved himself to be too far gone…
'Oh, Gauranga, I hope it won't have to end like this. You're desire to flood the world with Krishna-Kripa… But for this, and for humanity to have fighting, chance, I need X alive and of sane mind. But how am I supposed to reach him? He locked himself in his tower, Ciel still thinks of me as a sentient weapon against Neo-arcadia, and I can't really just walk in the place with folded palm, begging for mercy… I would be shot on sight.' Zero rubbed the bridge of her nose. 'Krishna, it used to be so simple, you know. There's a maverick, go kill it…there's a reploid, go save it…but now having the rest of Humanity chant Your Holy names feels like an impossible task.'
And then, she realized. She had already infected Alouette. 'I just need to cultivate her for a bit… Maybe Ciel could also be infected.' Then she returned her attention to the scrolling line of the terminals….those computers were vital to Neo-arcadia; if Zero had listened to this young girl and did what she desired…
'There would have been hell to pay. Ciel, what are you playing at…' but then, X had been the one Hacking the base. When did X learn how to hack and why did he let himself get caught?
Actually…the whole thing about the energy crisis sounded bogus also. Reploids could recharge using the glorious sun. So to say that they were going through an energy shortage was like saying the sun had stopped shining. 'And last I saw, Surya-Narayan was still driving his chariot around the universe…forget what Ciel is doing, what the hell is X doing.'
She had expected her partner to lead humanity to a golden age…now she realized she had been wrong on many, many levels.
The scrolling stopped, the mega-computer had finished defragmenting and compiling the sacred files Zero bore, the only hope for a really bright future. She could already recognize titles of e-books she had read and Audio files she had listened to as she learned of the true meaning of life under the care of Mother Sri-Isopanisad and her husband.
Zero closed her eyes as a look of pain twisted her pretty features. Those two great souls were gone, returning home, back to Godhead ages ago… Zero was now completely alone, tasked to perform the impossible again.
'But wasn't the great Acharya also tasked with the impossible? To preach to the west?" and he had succeeded…it was only due to the Purge of all 'cults' that had 'destroyed' the beautiful empire he had built….no, not an empire. A beautiful, well-constructed house were all the world could live.
'No, that house is not destroyed…just evicted and its occupant tortured. What happened, it's just Krishna giving our due…and now my lord desire for his names to be chanted again by those who are innocents.' Meaning around twenty million humans and 'reploids.'
Maybe.
And she was all alone to do it…a legend who had turned rogue, a Hero of old who did not fit with his description anymore.
The task made finding X after the Eurasia crash seems like a walk on the highway. But still, if God willed it, it would happen. And it was prophesized that the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra would be chanted in all towns and villages…
'Well, there's only one city now…and a 'village.' Zero closed her eyes as, once again, the feeling of complete failure flooded her.
When she had turned herself to Karly and Doctor Albert Weill, she had expected not to wake up….and if she did; it would have been to a world free of the maverick virus, the world X had dreamed of for so long.
Not a desert filled with mechanoid of different shapes and sizes…and a single city ruled by a clearly maddened X.
A sane X would never hunt down his own race with such extreme prejudice. Nor would he make an army of soulless war machines based on his own appearance. And after reading through a hundred years' worth of newspaper to catch up, it was clear her husband's sanity had been slowly and methodically breaking over decades of war politic and blatant racism.
Thank goodness, Zero had the cure for that.
'I just need to find some time to write everything down… I need paper…plenty of paper…or maybe some asbestos fabric. Yeah, asbestos can't burn…but it's not human friendly…maybe palm leaves then.'
But for this, she needed trees, but if she wanted trees, grass and whatever else was required, she needed rain.
'Thank God I know how to make it rain… I just need a full day's worth of peace and a few chanters…' and she already had one. She needed about twenty more.
Her shoulder's sagged under the weight of her mission…the most difficult to date.
"Ah Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga….please help me." She prayed with folded palm as she leaned on the console, feeling great relief from the Most Merciful One's guiding hands. Gone were the days when she would take shelter in her strength alone; she now had someone infallible backing her up… 'I can't fail…even if it looks impossible, it will work…it has to.'
Disconnecting herself from the central console, the last Vaishnavi purposefully strode out of the main computer room, reinstalling the firewall on her way out.
She also left a bit of infection to end all hacking attempts before they could even start. No point in leaving a place the worst than when she came in; she was not a force of destruction after all. Not anymore.
'What do we have here?' Fairy Leviathan playfully wondered under the greenish water of the underground oasis. 'Isn't it the one who crushed fnaf and bishi? My, he's prettier than I thought.'
And indeed, even though the murky water, Leviathan could clearly behold his pretty face as Zero kneeled one knee by the water's edge. His palms were folded, his eyes closed as he prayed in front of the ancient submarine, an aura of peace and serenity emanating from the red legend.
'Aww, he's sooo pretty! And strong and…oh, what a shame I have to kill him now.' She lamented. She didn't want to destroy mister dreamy, but the laws were the laws. He had trespassed on the secret oasis base/last 'clean' reservoir of water in the world at large…' well… He didn't destroy any computer…He just terminated some programs. No… I think I will let it slide for now. Let me at least give him a warning…and maybe a short spare.' Her decision was made, the ice guardian emerged from the water.
Zero didn't even react to her; such was his absorption in his…meditation? Prayers?
'What is he praying at?' Did she wonder? Probably not master X; those two were supposed to be equals in every way. Leviathan had heard the legend of Zero often, and while she knew of his myth…he was still shrouded in mystery.
So to see the Red Hero of legend in the 'flesh'! It gave the blue guardian's goosebumps.
Leviathan moved closer, her movement a tad clumsy out of her element…and in her heels.
Zero was so pretty, even for such an old and obsolete model… but there was something in the blond reploid that just seemed to call out to the ice guardian, something very old and ancient.
A shiver went up to her nanite tube as she leaned onto her spear, unable to rip her sight away from the beautiful blond. There was something about his position, his aura…something…
Something sacred…and extremely attractive.
Leviathan could see his lips moving, a small murmur emanating from them…
'So…what is mister dreamy whispering?' Leviathan thought, being very well versed in lip reading. 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare…Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare…what in the world is that? Never heard a prayer like that.' It sounded like Sanskrit… 'Maybe Ganesherif and Hanumachine would recognize it…when we finish fixing them up.'
She cleared her throat loudly, her spear right in Zero's face.
Finally, the red legend and the resistance dog opened their eyes, revealing a pair of glowing amethysts.
Leviathan froze…she had never seen eyes like this in all of her short life.
He stared at her…just looking with those big purple eyes…there was no aggression, no fear: nothing but some slight surprise. But Leviathan had the distinct feeling that he was looking right through her, beyond her frame, beyond the DNA-soul…he was looking right at her.
Zero tilted his head as he moved the spear point away from his face…
Leviathan gave a sweet, chilling smile, trying to hide how the red legend affected her. 'And he's still cute as a button, curse my unsteady heart.' "You know this is a secret base, isn't it? A private military compound." She said instead
He grunted as he got to his feet, standing a bit shorter than heel-wearing leviathan. Now that he was not neatly folded, the blue guardian could now fully appreciate how delicate yet well build he was; she could see tightly wounded 'muscles' under the black carbon fibre reinforced skin remain on standby. "Harpy and I have some competition, it seems.' The ice guardian observed. Once again, the red legend really was a pretty thing that hid steel...a very, very pretty thing made to look a deceptively delicate as possible.
Zero tilted his head, his gaze never leaving leviathan's own. He looked…stricken.
Finally, he opened his mouth and spoke. "You…look like him."
Correction…she spoke.
Leviathan put a hand on her hip…of course; all the pretty ones had to be F-models. "Like who? Master X?"
Zero nodded, her eyes now soft. "All the guardians were based on his frame…right?"
The blue guardian smirked. "Not merely based on him, we are his perfect copies made for the sole purpose of assisting him in his quest to keep the remaining humanity safe from maverick." She boasted. "I am fairy leviathan, the ice guardian of master X." she gave a playful bow, still keeping Zero well in her sensors.
"I see….you may call me Z-"Zero paused. "You may call me Zero…but Draupadi is preferred."
Leviathan's raised a perfect brow. "Draupadi? So, not only did you change your gender, but you're also changing your name?"
"Who said I switched?" Zero-shot back.
"Legend said that you are Zero, an M-type reploid with a deep voice and no mercy for his enemies…as confirmed by the battle nerd and Bishi."
Zero's face blanked.
"Fighting Fefnir and sage Harpuia."
A light came back on. "Ah…yes, them." She trailed off, her eyes downcast. "Leviathan…I know I have no right to ask, but…how is he? How's X? "The legendary Hero (ine) asked, her posture radiating concern for the Master of Neo-Arcadia.
'Is she? Oh my Gosh! She is; she's worried about Master X!'
Leviathan crossed her arms. "That's not for you to know…as you have just said. And no matter how cute you are, I will not betray his trust." Yes, even as an f-model, Zero had quite an effect on Leviathan. 'Now I know why Fefnir was so eager to fight her again.'
It was Zero's turn to cross her arms. "I…see. It was nice to speak with you then; I hope with can meet again in better circumstances." She then turned her heels and proceeded to walk away.
Leviathan, unwilling to let her go just yet, hopped in front of the Red ripper, her spear right onto Zero's chest, almost piercing the red Kevlar vest. "Hey, not so fast, trespasser! I can't let you walk away scot-free."
Zero looked at the spear and back to Leviathan, looking remarkably unbothered. "Let me guess…you want to kill me." It was not a question.
"No, not kill you. Maybe rough you up a little, though." Leviathan teased as she tilted her head. "I'm not into fighting, unlike those two…but for you, I wouldn't mind playing a bit." She gave a coy smile; she could already see Zero sabre out, hair majestically flowing in the breeze as she fought with grace and terrifying strength. A shiver ran through her nanite tube…, more than ready for a very satisfying fight.
Zero looked at her, no, through her. Her purple eyes were impassive and heavy. She then nonchalantly took Leviathan's spear…and twisted out of the ice guardian's hand, turning the powerful weapon against her.
The next thing Leviathan knew, she was on her back, zero's boot on her neck and two spears aimed at her vital points.
'How did-! When did she-?! I didn't even see her move!'
" Fairy Leviathan…" Zero spoke with undeniable authority. "I'm sure you are a capable fighter, especially in your element. But you and I are not on the same level. You've let your guard down the moment you saw me underwater, you let your guard down when you spoke to me, and even now, when you had me in a disadvantageous position, your guard was still down. And thus, I could easily kill you with your blade." The legendary commander spoke as she mercilessly dressed down one of X's elite warriors, pressing the nitrogen spear to her core for emphasis... "Your heels are also a liability; you can't move as nimbly on land as in your element…you need to work on and manoeuvrability and." Zero gave a wry smile. "And please, stop ogling your opponent; it makes you look like a complete newbie… And I already have someone waiting for me." Zero's cheeks reddened at the last part, and yet she never lost this fearsome countenance of her.
"So, who's the lucky one?" Leviathan spoke as if she wasn't in the most embarrassing position in her life. 'She just saw through me…'
She wanted a good fight with a powerful opponent...not to be made a fool!
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Zero backpedalled, grinding her boot a bit harder on Leviathan's neck.
"Yes…pretty please with lots of E-crystals and an e-tank?" Leviathan painfully begged as she hoped Zero would not crush her neck.
Zero's violet eyes never left her, but Leviathan knew the legendary reploid was calculating the pros and cons.' I was just teasing her…why would she even consider it?"
"If I tell you who it is, will you give me a favour of my choice?"
Leviathan remained silent for a tiny bit; on the one hand, Zero could ask for anything of her. But on the other, she had the great opportunity to gather some dirt and a potential chip to control the powerful reploid.
It wasn't that Master X didn't know where the resistance base was; he was just too lenient on them…and whatever humans dared siding with the scraped reploids.
"Deal! So spill it, who's your boyfriend?" Leviathan demanded from her disadvantageous position, hiding how…in both fear and awe she was at the living legend.
"X…"
Leviathan's eyes grew a fraction wider. And if not for Zero's boot, her mouth would hang open. 'Oh trash this… I have no chance now.'
"I don't know my own legend, but I have a feeling X may have omitted that part…" Zero stepped off the blue spear wielder. "Listen, leviathan… I have no desire to make yet another enemy. Especially one who looks like X." she planted Leviathan's ice-control rod in the ground, making the blue guardian wince.
"Please don't do that…" the Leviathan mumbled as she got off from the ground, too shaken at the revelation to do more. "And if Master X's is your lover, then why do you oppose him?" She asked as she got to her feet, still on guard.
"I just remembered who I was not even three hours ago… But I'm still against his choice to cull the reploid over a lie." Zero revealed as she retracted her spear, her face darkened. "Leviathan, I know where your loyalty stands, but do not be blind to what is happening around you. X…something is wrong with him, My X…he would never put the need of humans above that of reploids, nor the opposite."
"Yeah, well. You weren't with him for over a hundred years…you left him to fend for himself against legions of mavericks and...the calamity. Why the hell did you do that for anyway, lovers quarrel?" Leviathan accused the ancient warrior, trying to get as much information as possible.
Zero closed her eyes as a look of sheer pain twisted her features. "What's this? The great commander of the Zeroth Unit showing weakness?' Leviathan thought with some shock. She could have gotten a shot at the reploid in red…but something told her not to.
"No… It was…necessary. But…the result was not as expected." Zero choked out, her voice chip glitching. "I had hope X would be strong enough to keep going without me." A wry smile painted her lips. "I guess… I underestimated how the wars affected him… Leviathan, did he…does X have or had anyone else in his life? Any close friend or…"
Leviathan, taken by complete surprise by this type of question, took some time to answer. She crossed her arms over her chest. "No…X…master X only has us, his guardians. But…our relationship is not like yours. And I doubt anyone could reach him now…the master of Neo-arcadia does not see anyone." Well, she and her…siblings? I would sometimes see the Azure legend once a week for a debriefing. But beyond that… Master X would remain alone in the Nexus of Neo-arcadia…
" Does he cry sometime?" Zero asked.
Leviathan raised a brow inquisitively. "Cry? I don't even think he was programmed with emotions."
Zero clenched her fist as she closed her eyes once more. "I see… Leviathan, can you give him a message?"
The blue guardian and the only 'girl' of the elite unit looked at Zero. For an enemy, her conversation with the resistance dog had been…pleasant and eye-opening. The red legend was not showing any type of aggression (unprovoked, that is.) and was not controlled by confused anger…she had been civilized and…
And she definitely cared for her lover, even after more than a hundred years. He cared for Master X were ok in her book…as long as she didn't destroy any critical facilities anymore.
"Sure, I'll be your messenger of love." She put her hands on her hips, and she gave a playful mien.
An amused smile lit up Zero's usually neutral face. "Tell him to stop acting like a fool; I will take care of him soon and…" She licked her lips. "And tell him to chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare, Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare." She recited out loud, the sound vibration touching something deep in Leviathan's core.
"What does it mean, and…what do you mean by taking care of him?" The mermaid-like general asked…there were so many ways to interpret taking care of someone.
"I mean what I said, I will be there soon, and I will take good care of him. And what I chanted was the everlasting peace formula. It makes people happy." She answered curtly with a bright smile. "It has been a pleasure, Fairy leviathan; I hope we will meet in better circumstance soon." She bade the general goodbye, and the Red legend was teleported out, leaving leviathan alone with more questions than answers.
"Are all old reploids this cryptic?" she asked herself as she yanked her spear out of the solid rock Zero had jabbed it into. "Well… I guess it makes it more interesting then."
