Gate sat staring at the schematics for Zero that he had painstakingly created over the few months. Complex moving parts. Upgraded circuits. A body formed to meet new and old. Joined together through the unity of Gate's work.

Aesthetically, Zero would remain more or less the same. A black fleshless body, where the only human remnant remained his face. But even if Zero remained the same in appearance, internally the body would function better and react even faster to the killing system within his head. Afterall, the key player in Gate's plans would have to be the perfect machine to enact judgement based on his new world.

Gaze shifted towards Zero's 'dead' body on the nearby table. Isoc thought him mad to recreate Zero in an even more perfect image than what he had already been. But Gate thought differently than to waste a perfectly good killing machine with a soul as wonderful than his. Heaven did not deserve him. As no heaven, nor hell, would ever accept a being not made of flesh and given a soul. This would be Zero's afterlife. Destined to live to kill. As his creator intended.

He stood from his seat to walk towards Zero, peering down at the hunter in a trance.

It was always odd to be able to approach Zero and stare at him so intimately. Zero was always considered an unseen legend. Where X had gone down in the history books as the father of all reploids, the person who saved humanity and reploid alike from destruction. The savior of the world. But here, Gate stood above the legend as he laid dead beneath him. Unseen from behind the veil. Always Zero who lived in the shadow of X.

Was he content to be the shadow?

And now, he no longer was just a legend to Gate. Now Zero was the God that Gate would dissect and bring the world into a new era.

Gate stared into Zero's face. Emotionless. Quiet. Peaceful.

The shadows of whispers swarmed in his mind once more. A choir from heaven's door that buzzed within his mind. Gate gasped as he clutched his head. The pulsating noise drawing him in deeper into Zero once more. A waterfall of blood that washed over his body as if attempting to baptize him in a new life once more. But the sensation slowly slipped away as soon as it came. A fleeting ecstasy that left Gate shaking and gasping. Wanting for more.

The sensation whittled away. And Gate stood before the coffin, staring at Zero's beautiful serenity. He furrowed his brows at this angel's coffin. Unsure of what had come over him in those moments.

Was it Zero's will overtaking him? Or was this something more?

"You must have died with no regrets," Gate whispered as he sat beside Zero.

And Gate was perfectly content in ripping that wonderful death away from him. Perhaps, even more so now.

"I envy you, Zero." Gate brushed stray strands of hair from Zero's face. The cold body didn't move. Completely stilled. But he was so beautiful. "Long after I've gone, you will still live on as my greatest project. I know that you will despise me, but I know one day you will thank me for the life that I give you." Gate drew near, his voice a whisper. "Soon the world will be rebirthed in your image. Robots made from your DNA."

The buzzing sensation returned to him. Drew him even deeper into the other's touch. Drew him even further to this 'brink as it swarmed across his very skin. The sensations dulled his body, numbing his circuits. It pulsating within him. Reached into his very mind and tugged at his brain to draw ever so closer to Zero. Was it his own will that did it? Or was it Zero's will that pulled him close. Pulled him into this soft embrace of a cold corpse.

He could not help himself as he drew close to Zero. But even if this sensation was entirely foreign, Gate did nothing to stop himself from denying this infection. This possession. This angel.

Carefully, he placed a kiss upon Zero's cheek.

The kiss of betrayal.

Gate drew away from Zero. A hand upon his cheek.

No one understands us but each other.

That sensation pulled away from him once more. Leaving Gate feeling alone and empty. His thoughts were nothing as he sat at the bedside. There was nothing but echoes of the wind outdoors, and the metal within that creaked. A silence that overwhelmed him.

He stood from his chair reaching over to slip the helmet off of Zero's head to begin the process of repairing his mind.

"X?" Alia waved her hand in front of the other's vacant expression. A beat passed before X snapped from his thoughts, breaking the stare he held with the particular spot on the wall.

"Huh?" He blinked a few times before refocusing onto Alia. "Oh… I'm sorry Alia. W-What were you saying?" X leaned forward on the table, trying to look at least a little interested in what Alia had said before.

Alia gave a small sigh. X could tell that she was a little bothered that he hadn't been paying attention to what she had been saying. "I asked if you had given any thought about coming to Area Zero with me to help gather some data." She brushed some hair from her face, "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to. I know someone else that could escort me."

X shook his head in reply. "I don't mind going!" He offered her an awkward smile before closing his eyes, rubbing his forehead. "Sorry if I've been a little out of it. I'm still…" he trailed off before he finished his sentence. Alia knew what X was going to say. The hurt never ended. It only became more and more present in his soul. "But why are you collecting data out there? It seems a bit dangerous; don't you think?"

"Extremely." There was no use hiding the deadly nature of the area. It was a well-known fact to all hunters. "Before I joined the Maverick Hunters I used to be a scientist that would collect and analyze data on reploids and mavericks. There's been some speculation that there might be some new data emerging in the area due to the 'untouched' nature of the zone." Before X could reply, Alia held her hand up to speak. "And I already have all the credentials to go there. I just need to add your name to the paperwork. I made sure to put my notice in a year ago."

It seemed almost a dream that it had been a year ago.

How long had he been going through the motions of his life?

"So, did you use to go by Dr. Alia?" X had his suspicions that Alia had been a scientist previously. She had a certain expertise that X could see having worked for so many decades with Cain.

She gave a small laugh in response. "Yes, I was well regarded in my field of work. But there is no point in the honorific now, is there? It would be strange to call your navigator 'doctor' each time you called. Wouldn't it?"

"A little," X smiled. "What did you use to do before you joined? Did you create reploids?"

"Something like that," Alia's smile faltered. "I researched and created anti-virus programs. My coworkers were the ones that used my armor designs and programming to create reploids." Her emotions wavered, and X could tell that she was troubled by something. "I knew someone that really admired you and Zero. He admired your DNA and always wanted to create a reploid that rivalled you both."

X noticed the change in her demeanor. "Were you two close?"

"We were… friends." She sounded unsure of the label. It sounded like she was holding back from her true feelings. But X wasn't going to pry. "After several incidents, he left the research facility we worked at. I joined the Maverick Hunters shortly afterwards because I didn't agree with our supervisor's treatment of him." She sighed, brushing her hand through her hair. "I wish I knew what he was doing now. The last I heard he had joined another board of scientists to study reploid DNA."

"Maybe you should get into contact with him again," X offered with a smile. "I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

She shook her head. "I couldn't. We didn't exactly part on good terms." She bit her lip looking to the side. "I don't think he could forgive me for what I did."

"That bad?" X frowned staring at her. "I'm sorry to hear that. What was his name?"

"Dr. Gate. You may have heard of him."

"The name does ring a bell." X reclined, crossing his arms over his chest. The memory was vague. A passing comment that was said so long ago between the chaos of all that happened. "I think Zero mentioned a Dr. Gate once. Something about… Wolfang?"

Calm and relax was the reply. But X noticed the discomfort that those words gave Alia. She looked nervous almost. Completely different to the professional air that she had about her. X raised his brow, unsure of her reaction.

"That was one of the reploids he created." Alia nodded her head solemnly. "I didn't know Zero was friends with him."

X shook his head. That's right… it was coming back to him. "Zero didn't speak very much about him. But he was suspicious of the circumstances of his death. I think he led an investigation into it, but the results were inconclusive." X shrugged.

Alia relaxed slightly, but still on edge. "I see," she broke eye contact with X. "I remember Gate showing me the initial report from the Maverick Hunters. He was upset that Wolfang had been labelled a maverick and suspected it might have been a conspiracy." Was that guilt in her voice?

Was she involved?

"Zero thought the same." X recalled those days that Zero poured over paperwork. It was uncommon that he would pick up small pet projects. But he had found his companion in the late days at night looking through pictures and taking time away to visit the site of the accident. The frustration on Zero's face was palpable. Even more so when he had to shut the case due to 'insider meddling'. He never was able to ask Zero further questions about the investigation. Perhaps one day they'll learn the truth.

"Did he?" Alia whispered. She looked distracted. Unsure. Her gaze looked elsewhere as she contemplated what X had told her. A silence enveloped the two friends as she was left to ruminate with what had been told. "I see…" she murmured under her breath. Slowly she stood, "Please excuse me, X."

X offered her a smile. "Duty calls?"

"I'm afraid so. The patrol shouldn't take too long." As she rounded the table, a comforting hand was left on X's shoulder. "I should free afterwards. We can discuss the data collection later." Her hand lingered a moment longer. Though she appeared unworried, X could see in her eyes the troubling thoughts that brewed deep inside her concerning what had been said about Dr. Gate. Distracted, she left. And X was left with his thoughts, alone, once more.

Zero's body had begun to slowly take shape. What used to appear as a corpse on a table, sitting lonely in the morgue, now began to take form in becoming a 'living being'. The upper half of his body was near complete. Arms had taken shape. Hands were placed. New flesh had laid across Zero's face, a human appearance, but nothing more below. Replicated to look exactly how Zero had once appeared. A face unforgettable. The same could not be said for anything below his hips. Mangled machine parts. Torn and broken legs. Complete chaos was all that could be said for the robot and his body. A perfection yet reached.

Bassnium flowed slowly through Zero's body. The dim green glow poured through him as it beat through one of Zero's many hearts. Pulsating. Breathing. He was alive. Enough energy flowed through his body to dimly waken his mind, but still keep him frozen. Comatose. Paralyzed.

Perhaps he would dream.

But what dreams did a machine have?

Gate heard a door open. "Ah, Isoc." Gate looked up from Zero's opened head. "I was just finishing up today's session." He pulled the magnifying goggles from his head, turning in his seat to stare up at Isoc. "I've made progress in repairing Zero's core memory," he motioned to the sleeping Zero. Fingers brushed through the other's hair. Careful touches that borderline obsession in the way he would caress the angel's carcass. Treated as both human and machine all at once. A dove that took hold of him that guided his hand. "Do you bring any news of our project?"

Isoc nodded his head, giving an uncomfortable cough. "Yes," he handed Gate the data pad. "Excellent news, in fact. We have gathered enough data on Zero to being creating new reploids and improving existing ones."

"Oh?" Gate rubbed his chin staring down at the readings of the results. His brow furrowed trying to understand the data that Isoc had provided him. The results were incomplete, but there was enough data there to begin the next state of his plans. A small smile slowly made its way on Gate's face. "Creating a reploid with this DNA will change the world. My previous creations would pale in comparison to what we can make now."

"I would delay creating any new viruses from this data until we can gather a more complete analysis." Isoc tried to be the voice of reason. Albeit carefully.

"No, that won't be necessary yet." Gate's eyes flashed towards Zero. Gently Gate closed Zero's open head. Fixing his hair so that it laid gently in place.

Isoc frowned as he watched Gate coddle Zero's corpse. The way he would watch the scientist kiss him. Stroke him. Brush his hair. It made him sick to see that was how Gate treated Zero. Isoc had not noticed it then, but now it almost appeared as if something had taken hold of Gate's mind. Possessing him now to do things that seemed almost out of character for him. What used to be the simple plan in showing off to other scientists their abilities now turned into more sinister talk of world domination. Not that Isoc cared much for either of the two. As he also wished to live in a world meant only for those that were deemed the strongest. Yet… he wasn't so sure even he could exist in this world that Gate wanted.

"How is Zero coming along?" he tried helplessly to pry Gate's physical attention away from the other.

"Beautifully," Gate drew back from Zero. He stood at the other end of the table, giving a small stretch. "I have completed his upper half repairs, as well as his armor." Gate motioned to the armor sitting on another table. It was completely repaired, repainted, and refurbished. Even from this distance, Isoc could see the incredible amount of care that was put into Zero's new armor. It was incredible.

"You're not going to give him synthetic flesh?" Isoc lifted Zero's arm. It was completely black with metal. Inhuman. It was minimalistic save for the green lights throughout his body. A more aesthetic touch from Gate.

"I don't see the point to waste my time making him look more human." Gate rolled his eyes. "Zero is a machine, nothing more. His purpose is to kill, so why make him more human?" Gate placed the data pad next to the sleeping prince. "Besides, I plan on making a copy of Zero."

"A copy?" Isoc raised his brow. This was news to him. Never had they discussed making a copy of him.

"Yes. A backup should the original disobey us." Gate walked to his desk and leaned back in his chair. "I have a different plan if that happens. If everything goes according to plan then we'll have no need for it."

"A Plan B," Isoc murmured. He didn't know how he felt about having to rely on the possibility of a Plan B. Although no plan is perfect and unforeseen circumstances can create unforeseen issues, Isoc would have much preferred to abandon it all than have to carry the weight further into a dead end. But he had nothing to refute Gate's suggestion, or rather, demand. Although the two paired well in their work together, Isoc found that his companion had become more erratic and prone to violent outbursts. Gate's obsession with Zero dragged him further and further into hell. And all Isoc could do was stand back as Gate gladly walked into the hellfire. "Can you forward me your plan?"

"I will forward you it once I have completed the plan." Gate slowly covered Zero with a white blanket. "The backup will set us back a year from current projections, but there is no need to rush things."

"A year is more time for us to prepare," Isoc nodded his head. They had all the time in the world to proceed with their plans. Another year was simply a drop in the bucket for the two of them. "And what of Zero's wakening?"

"I've begun to pump him with a low-level amount of bassnium into his system. It should make him semi-conscious of the world around him, but not fully rouse his senses." Gate smiled down at the white sheet that framed Zero's body. "I am hoping that he is not too curious about the outside world and regards us as friends, or at least friendly, once he wakes up. It will be easier that way to frame the world in our likeness."

Indoctrination is tricky," Isoc stroked his beard. "But speaking to him in deep slumber will take time for his mind to begin take hold. But why? Given the current estimates, Zero is surely to work for us."

Gate nodded his head, "I realize that. But I wish for him to be my complete possession."

Isoc stood shocked at Gate. "I'm sorry?"

"Isoc, have you seen Zero's brain? He is the perfect war machine. Sigma could not compare to Zero's capabilities." Gate's smile became ever brighter. It made Isoc sick. "The perfect machine should stay at the side of an equally perfect machine. Don't you agree, Isoc?" Gate looked towards his companion. Isoc might have thought the other to be joking. But staring at Gate like this now, he knew that the other was completely serious.

Was this infatuation?

Or insanity?

"It isn't my project, Gate." Isoc took a step back from Gate, retreating from the room as fast as he could. "Do what you wish to Zero, just remember the initial plan that we had."

"Don't worry about that, Isoc." Gate turned away as the other departed the room. "He'll be my perfect pet."

Alia stood up from her chair giving a stretch looking at X. "I think I'm going to call it a night." She placed her data pad besides X, rolling her shoulders.

"Long day?" X looked up from the data pad.

"Very," her eyes swept over X's room for her bag. "Huh? Is that…?" Alia squinted her eyes, walking over to his dresser. X's eyes followed her hand in confusion over what she had found. But soon his face flushed with embarrassment. "Where on earth did you find a floppy disc?" she turned to face him holding it carefully. X had been known to collect artifacts of the past, but he knew how odd it was to have a floppy disc just lying around his office.

"Stephen gave it to me. She's the new commander of 0th Squad." X stood from his chair to gently take the disc from her hands. "She told me she found it in Zero's office when she cleaned it out. I've been meaning to look at it but never found the time to." Alia stared at X skeptically.

Never had the time, or rather, didn't want to have the time to?

The topic of Zero was always a difficult subject to broach to X. Alia considered Zero a friend to her, but unlike X, she had only known the hunter a few months prior to his death. In the year that has passed since Zero departed this world, Alia could say for certain that she was able to pass along the waves of grief without nary a second thought. She valued her friendship with Zero, it was an undeniable truth, but her feelings for Zero felt more of a fleeting friendship of an acquaintance. They would speak. They would laugh. And though his laughter was gone and she would miss it, that emptiness was filled with other memories of happiness. Yet for X, she could see, that his pain, his agony, was still overflowing. His pain was more than just a fleeting friendship. Perhaps a lost other half. A missing soul mate.

She regretted ever noticing the disc.

"It's ok, X." She could see the sadness in his face. "You can take all the time you need to." She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around X in a soft embrace. X returned it, though unsure. Through the hug, she could feel the bite of X's tongue. The sharp breath. The pain that swept through him.

X was the first to draw back from her. "I know, Alia." He whispered softly, staring down at the disc in his hands. "It's just… it feels like every time I think I'm over these feelings they just come flooding back into me." X placed a hand over his chest.

Alia nodded her head, understanding. "I understand that it's still difficult for you," she carefully reached to hold his hand. "I know that I don't know Zero as well as you do, but I'm still here if you ever need to talk about it." She smiled at X, hoping that her kind words would be able to offer some semblance of comfort.

"I appreciate it," X tried to smile back at her. His lips trembled. "I'm sorry, I… I think I would like to be left alone." He turned away from her, his gaze breaking away. "Please."

Alia took no offense to his words. Only nodding her head as she brought her hands away from X. "Goodnight, X."

"Goodnight."

The door opened and shut. As soon as he knew he was alone, X snapped his eyes shut trying to keep the tears from falling. Teeth clenched hard. Agony filling through every piece of his body. Even after one year, the wounds would only become reopened and infected with never ending pain. No matter how long he could go without thinking of Zero, he found him everywhere. In the sun. In the moon. The endless stars. The endless ocean.

Was it always this hard?

X remembered the day that Cain had been buried. His cries were loud. His chest felt empty. But even after Cain had passed, Zero had always been there beside him, every step of the way. They had grieved together. Shared memories together. Every moment through the process Zero was there beside him. They slept wrapped around one another in the comfort of the living. They felt safe together knowing that the new day would wash away each other's pain.

Did he feel what X had felt? Did he cry even if no tears could be shed? Did Zero liken himself as human as X himself?

That was such a human feeling, isn't it? To feel sorrow? To feel pain?

Where was Zero now that he was gone?

Does a machine go to heaven? Would X be able to go to that same place Zero was knowing one was a machine and the other was not?

Shakily, he placed the disc back on his dresser. X slumped back into his seat with a sigh. He closed his eyes again, breathing, letting the wave pass him. The pain subsided. X was left in his room alone with his thoughts. Again, he looked at the dresser, towards the floppy disc and, beside it, the box that Stephen had initially given him.

Maybe he shouldn't have. Perhaps it would have been the worst time to. But X slowly rose from his chair, staring at that box. His body pounded. Every part of him screamed at him to save it for another day. But he couldn't help himself. He couldn't break away from what was meant for him.

Slowly he opened the box. Slowly he took a piece of paper out. Carefully, he opened it. The contents became clear to him. It was agony all over again.

Dear X,

I hope one day I'm able to say these things to you. I'm never the best person to say it out loud. Maybe I'm writing these letters so I don't forget. Maybe I'm hoping that you find them someday so you can ask me to tell you them myself. I hope you do. I always did like that about you.

You know me better than anyone. I think better than myself. Sometimes it frustrates me to know that there's someone else that knows me better than me. But I feel the same way about you. I feel as though I know you better than yourself. Maybe you feel the same way?

It's very difficult for me sometimes to be able to feel the same way you do. Sometimes I desperately want to be more human alongside you. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? I'm the one that's always saying I'm just a machine. But after losing Iris I realized how much I didn't allow myself to feel because of those thoughts. I hate to think about how many moments I didn't share with her because I thought I was just a machine. Just this unfeeling murdering mechanism. I was built for it, but I want to be something more than that.

I want to be able to share those feelings with you. Without being a machine, or human, or any of those things.

X let the letter fall to the ground. He closed his eyes once more. The tears couldn't stop. The agony of death reached deep into his soul. Pouring it deeper into his body. Drowning him in a sorrow he never felt before.

"Damnit!" X shook his head side to side. He clutched his head, slipping to the floor. He curled into a ball as he grasped for anything or anyone that was Zero. The memories of him flooded his mind. The emptiness of him left a hole in his chest.

The tears would not stop. His despair was a cup that was overflowing. Washing his sins away in the black ocean. "Why… Why!?" he groaned. "What do I have to do… to bring you back?"

I want to be able to live in a world where we can just be us.

A field of white flowers spread beneath him. A sun held high in the sky, kissing his cheeks with the summer's warmth. The wind's hug gentle. The world melted away into him.

Zero sighed. Smiling.

Quietly, he laid in the fields. Letting his body soak in the flowers that enveloped each piece of him. A quiet that overtook him. Strange, yet comforting. Drowned in the waves of each breeze that gently fluttered across his features. He breathed in the fresh air that was his heaven.

Heaven.

He closed his eyes.

I guess we do go to heaven.

He felt a hand gently stroke through his blond hair. Slowly his eyes fluttered open, staring at Iris above him. Features soft, her eyes even softer. Her hair perfectly framing her face. A white dress modestly covering her body. They shared a smile.

"Iris…" Zero slowly sat up. Her hands smoothing over his body. She was so human in appearance, and still Zero retained his mechanical features. But he was happy in this way. They were perfect. No matter how they looked, no matter what anyone thought. This was how it was meant to be.

Gently, Zero pressed his hand to Iris's face. There was no fear. There was no animosity. No sadness. Just the two of them, in this field of white, protected by the death that they shared.

He leaned in. Their eyes fluttering shut. I missed this.

Lips met. And the world melted away between the two of them. In perfection.

Zero drew back, his eyes opening.

No longer was Iris there. In his hand he held another familiar face to him. A companion who he had known since the day that he had been borne into this world. The one who knew him better than Zero's self. "X…" he watched as the other's eyes opened to look at Zero. A smile on his face.

I never did tell you…

Again, Zero's eyes closed. His lips pressing to X's.

I never told you that I…

His arms wrapped around X.

They embraced the same way that he did with Iris.

His soul content.

But it would not last.

When Zero's eyes opened once more, he was met with a face he had never seen before. A man in purple armor. A grin on his face. The heaven no longer serene and perfect. His heaven now a place where God would not rest.

"What?" Zero yelped backwards. He pushed the other away. But the other man only came closer.

Powerless. Afraid. He called out to the system, but the system never responded. Only a silence that used to be comforting now a thing of fear.

"Get away from me!" he felt the man grab his face. Bringing him closer.

The once serene field turned into pools of blood. The sky turned red. The beautiful tree decayed into nothing. The land of heaven turned into hell.

He saw Lucifer's wings spread above his world. Wrapping Zero in this horrid embrace. Drowning the two of them in the never-ending blood.

"Zero…" the man smiled. "It's time to wake up."