Prototype boy, your heart is stolen away
With your restlessness that keeps making ambiguous jabs
The wreckage, which once lived, that surfaces in this area
Has started to be visible to your alter ego
Nevertheless, I shelter you
- "Prototype" Chiaki Ishikawa


The halls felt emptier without Stephen's fellow soldiers beside her.

The hallways were filled with scattering Hunters. Off on another mission, or chatting with their fellow coworkers. With friends. With laughter. With everyone beside them. She dragged herself through the halls. Not bloody, but may as well have been crippled. Her arms and legs haphazardly placed back together. Imperfect. And as she walked through the halls, the Hunters followed their gaze in her tracks. The disgust upon their face as she passed by them, too cowardly to paint the picture of how they felt in front of her.

She practically fell into the elevators. The other Hunters shifted away from her as she stood towards the side. She pressed her finger to the button for her floor. The glares not returned as she stared at the foot of the sliding doors ignoring their venomous stares.

Top Secret Mission.

It didn't take a scientist to figure out that they had failed their mission. When Driftwood didn't make it back home as well as Katsunari, word had spread throughout the HQ about what had actually happened. Of course, it was a top-secret mission, so they couldn't give the details. But not bringing back the cyborg that was assigned to the mission to ensure everything was in place was never a good look.

Besides, she wasn't entirely sure there wasn't a leak.

Top Secret. Yeah Right.

But even with all the stares and disgusting looks, she had more pressing thoughts to mull over. Revelations, and theories, that would no doubt be discussed between Signas and her other fellow hunters.

Things she rather not think of in the moment. But things that haunted her nonetheless.

How would she be able to break the news?

Was she even sure that person that was present was ever there in the first place?

She exited the elevator, huffing in annoyance. Still, she wished she had more time to grieve the loss of her fellow companion.

The door to the meeting room slid open. Looking around, she didn't realize that she was one of the last people who had arrived. X and Signas stood by on the other side of the table. Alia and Baroque sitting towards the far end of the table. Her team members all on the other side. A grim smile from X, and a gentle nod in greeting from the commander. "Commander Signas," she saluted. A grimace from the pain in her arm.

He gave her a casual salute. "At ease." Her arm fell to her side with a sigh. "I didn't expect you to actually come…" everyone looked at her wounds.

Stephen gave the other an uneasy smile. "The day I miss a meeting is the day I finally die. Last I checked I'm still barely functional." She gave a small laugh, carefully finding a seat with a wince. "Besides… I needed to be here." Her gaze fell to the table. Her Hunters shifted uneasily. Knowing what truth she needed to speak.

The tension in the room was palpable.

Stephen's head dipped downward, biting her lip as she brought her hands forward to fold in front of her. Her shame held heavy on her shoulders. But the visions in her head could not be swayed.

There was a frown of pity across everyone's face as everyone took their seat. Signas moved to stand at the end of the table. Everyone's gaze took to him. All but Stephen's.

"I called you here today to discuss with you your last mission and the current situation with the Special Class Mavericks." His voice hung heavy in the air. It suffocated Stephen as she kept staring down at the table. "Before I continue…" The words that everyone dread. The words that everyone wanted to ignore. Stephen slammed her eyes shut, bringing her chin closer to her chest, grasping her hands even tighter. "I want to offer a moment of silence for our fallen comrades, Driftwood and Katsunari."

There was the words. The agony of them. They knew he was already gone. But having it said out loud made the pain even more apparent. She tipped her head up, glancing over to her Hunters. They all stood or sat, their faces filled with pain. Molded by war. Molded by death. Her eyes glanced towards Asard. He stood so perfectly still, but even she could see the pain that ripped through deep within his soul. She read her report. Read that he was the last to see his dear friend last. It was only a single line. A single unforgettable line. And then nothing more.

'Driftwood set the explosives, killing himself.'

It was all agony.

"I read over everyone's report carefully." Signas pressed his hand against a stack of fat folders on the table. Some more than others. "I recognize what happened out there was no one's mistake. Something none of us could have predicted. But I found the contents of the some of the reports disturbing." His attention shifted to Stephen and Asard. "I want to hear it from you directly."

Stephen's mouth thinned. She looked towards Asard who stood still and silent. They shared a look. An unspoken despair. Was it true? Could it be true? Then carefully, her gaze took to X. He stared, intensely, but unknowing.

"Does he need to be here?" she tried to play it off as a joke as she motioned her hand towards him. Tried to smile as she turned her gaze back to Signas. She tried to smile, tried to joke, but it all felt mechanical. All felt awkward. All felt programmed. All felt like a machine. Her voice broke. Her voice shook. "Does he even know?"

Signas closed his eyes as X stared between the two confused. "I think he deserves to know more than anyone."

"Deserve to know what?" X furrowed his brows. Puzzled by the ambiguity between the two.

Stephen tried to smile again. Tried to lighten the somber mood. Tried to do anything to betray what she was about to say. But there was nothing. Nothing that her actions, nor her words, would do to lighten the blow that would slowly unveil themselves. It was an impossible conclusion, but a truth that both she and Asard had saw. Not a mirage. Not a hallucination. The bitter damn truth.

She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Her eyes glancing to Asard who only stared down at the table. She closed it again. Her eyes closed. She clenched her hands tight. Teeth chattered. The pain in her chest felt heavy not with pain, but the agony of emotion. Would she cry if she had the ability?

"I saw Zero." Her voice snapped as if a sob.

The room blew up in an uproar. Those who knew simply stared into the nothingness. Those who did not looked upon themselves with whispers, with yells, with gasps and fear.

"That's… impossible…" X stared at Stephen in a state of shock. His eyes wide. His body trembling. Yet he still looked to have hope. And that was what killed her.

Stephen stared at X, a sorrowful smile. "It's the truth…" but there was a pain in her voice. A pain knowing it was a truth half said. "I swear to you, it's the truth." It was agony.

But X's joy was endless. His tears were plentiful. The happiness grew beautiful upon his face. He stood, as if ready to run outside the meeting room to search for his dearly beloved friend. "Then- Then we have to go search for him!" Yet Signas stood still. The look upon Asard, Signas, and Stephen's face were not of joy, but of despair. X stared at them perplexed. Looking between the three of them as if unsure why they delayed their joyous reunion. Why they kept such an unhappy look upon their face. Why they had only a grim face of anger and death. "What? What's wrong?" he looked from Asard, to Stephen, his face full of confusion. A hint of fear.

"X…" Stephen pressed her hands to her face. She knew if she could cry, she would be now. "I'm sorry, X… I'm sorry… everyone…"

Everyone was silent as they stared at her.

"What… what happened?" X stared at Stephen. The joy that was once upon his face turned sick with anxiety.

How could she tell him this truth?

How could she tell anyone this truth?

How could anyone believe her?

"He did that to her."

Everyone but Stephen turned to stare at Asard. Their eyes wide with shock and anger.

"Are you sure?" Alia stood from her seat.

"I had to save her," Asard shut his eyes. "If I wasn't there, he would have killed her." X could only stare at Asard as he spoke. As if those words were sin. "He told me he wanted to kill us. Put us out of our misery."

"I can't believe that!" X yelled. It was so unusual and out of character to see the other so angry. But who could fault him? Everyone knew them as inseparable companions. The other half of the soul. The other side of the coin. Their words must have been blasphemous. But it was the agonizing truth. "You're lying!"

Asard hissed. His maw opening in offense. "I am not a liar! I saw it!" His scales bristled. "Your evidence is right there!" Asard pointed at Stephen who still shielded away her face. Her wounds were still fresh. Her body still ached. But what of her soul?

X was about to retort, but was barely calmed with Signas placing his hand upon the other's shoulder. "X, that's enough." X grit his teeth, steadying himself. Everyone could see his overwhelming emotions. It was so obvious on his face what questions held heavy in his mind. Signas only sighed, shaking his head directing his gaze back to Stephen. "So… it is the truth then."

"Yes, commander." Stephen nodded her head as she let her hands fall to the table. "I didn't believe it at first either. But there's no possible way it wasn't him. I don't know anyone who could react with such speed, and who could try to kill me with such… precision." She stared at her hands. Unsure. Shaking. "I never thought my commander would try to kill me," a small laughter escaped her lips as she slowly balled her hands into fists. The sorrow slowly replaced with rage. "But it was him. I don't know how, or why, but I would bet my life on it being him." She grimaced, her voice shifting not of sorrow, but of hate. Her eyes shifted to Signas, revenge the only thought swarming her head. Revenge of her body. Her pride. And most importantly: Driftwood. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!"

X stared deep into Stephen's eyes. Saw her hatred. Her madness. They all knew her as the one with an anger as deep as the ocean. An anger she learned to quell after years upon years working alongside others. But they knew the stories. Knew of her rage. Deep and endless. Blinding.

"Just like that?" X shook his head. "You're going to believe that it's the real Zero?" He stared hard at Stephen who remained quiet. "The real Zero would never attack his fellow hunters!"

"Don't give me that shit!" Stephen snapped back. "I saw it with my own two damn eyes! You're not the only person who's worked with your fucking boyfriend." She could feel the steam of her emotions rise from her body. Her voice quivering with rage. With hatred. "That son of a bitch almost fucking killed me! Look at what he did to me! Look!" She stood knocking the chair back. Holding out her arm that was hardly put together. "Look at it! Do you fucking think I'd toss the blame to someone else? Do you think I'm a fucking liar!? Do you think I would blame my commander? You think I'd stoop to that level?" She pointed her finger at X. "Last I remember, he did attack you! That's why he's dead!"

"You take that back!" X tensed himself gritting his teeth.

"X—"

"Take it from my cold fucking body!"

"Stephen—"

"He saved all of us!"

"That's enough—"

"He's trying to kill us!"

A shot rang out from the room startling all who stood. From the other corner, Alia gently set a gun to the table. Her spare she kept on hand. It only took a few seconds for several hunters to enter the room at the ready, only to be dismissed by Signas with a wave.

"I'm sorry, Commander Signas." Alia folded her hands behind her back at attention. "I think the last thing we need is to fight amongst ourselves."

Signas sighed, shaking his head. He stared at X who glared at Stephen with anger. Then to Stephen who glared at X with anger. "Alia is right," he motioned them to sit. A begrudging task that they slowly fell into. "Whether it was or was not the real Zero does not change the fact that something with the same capabilities as Zero attacked the escort alongside several unknown Mavericks. That alone is cause for concern."

"What will we do?" Alexander frowned at Signas. "Area Zero is too large an area to cover. And we don't have much else to go off of."

They all knew the answer.

And everyone did not like that answer.

"Unfortunately… we will have to wait for our enemy to make the next move." Signas looked between Stephen and X. Narrowing his eyes. "That being said. You both are banned from stepping foot within Area Zero until further notice."

"What!?" X flung his gaze towards Signas. Mouth gaping wide in shock. "But… But Zero is out there! I can't just sit here knowing that he might be out there somewhere!"

"I don't want to hear it," Signas waved his hand. "We already lost one good Hunter and soldier to this mysterious person. I don't need to lose another one."

X drew quiet.

Too quiet.

X was much like Zero. Though they were complete opposites, an opposite coin face still shared the same whole. When one looked upon the other, it was difficult to tell what X was thinking, or if the other was even thinking at that moment. Which made him unpredictable. Which was dangerous.

Incredibly so when such a revelation was announced.

One could compare X to a fervent worshiper. A worshiper who wanted nothing more than to touch his god.

It all came as a blur.

A flash of blue as X practically climbed over the table to dash towards the door. They all knew what he was doing. All knew what he would try to do. Signas stood shocked on the other end of the table watching X exit the door. Watched as 0th Squad yelled after him, chasing him down to stop him. Watched as Alia yelled after him and rushed behind the two Squad members that chased behind. And then silence. Silence as Signas stared from the closed door, to the empty room, then to Stephen who sat still. Merely biding her time. Merely pondering.

She did not utter a single word.

She knew she would have her due. All she needed was patience.


X did not know how his feet still carried him forward as he blundered through the hallways being chased by a set of the most dangerous Hunters within the HQ. It wasn't a conscious thought as his steps bounded him forward to the transportation room. Up the stairs, through the doors, bounding forward as if nothing else matter. Because nothing else did matter. Only the mere thought of his friend carried him forward. Carried him to ignore Signas's command. Carried him closer to his companion.

He shoved past confused Hunters. Ignored the calls from down the hall to stop X in his tracks. Most stared at him confused and suspiciously, but none dared to stop him as he sprinted across the HQ floors. As most assumed it was a game. And most hunters would not want to get in between the most legendary hunter and the most legendary squad.

"Send me to Area Zero!" he yelled bounding through the doors to the transporter room. Navigators gawked at him confused. Several other Hunters stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Shocked stares all around the circular room as computers buzzed and hummed slowly.

"Area Zero? Do you have the authorization—"

"Now!" X breathed hard cooling his systems. He leapt to the center pad of the main transporter, waiting impatiently. Some Hunters stared at him again, shrugging their shoulders at their other companions. X only stared at everyone, frustrated at their calm and relaxed demeanor. "Didn't you hear me!? Area Zero!"

Some Hunters were taken aback by X's uncharacteristically harsh words. There was more gawking, more confused stares, more doing nothing. A navigator managed to fumble a reply, "I-I'm sorry, sir. But only authorized personnel are allowed direct transport to Area Zero." She shook her head.

"I'm authorized—!" X gasped as the door opened and 0th Squad alongside Alia and Baroque stood at the door. They all breathed heavily cooling their systems. All stood tense as they blocked the door to allow X's escape.

"Cancel that teleportation!" Alexander gasped pointing at one of the transport crewmembers.

"X!" Alia yelled across the room. Tense. Unsure. Carefully, she approached him. "You don't need to make this any harder for yourself…" slowly she reached her hand out. "Let's just talk it out. Please." Whispers rose through the room. Confused stares between 0th Squad and X. "We can come to an understanding."

"I'm going to get Zero back!" he shouted. An uproar of gasps shot through the room. Even more confused stares and hushed whispers crawled through the room.

Zero? He's alive. That's insane. What is he talking about? Zero's dead. No way! This guy's insane. Is he hallucinating? He's gone Maverick. Do you think he's infected? What did he see on his last mission? He's crazy!

X shook his head again. Tensing his body. Readying himself to fight through the defense around the door. Perhaps he was going Maverick. But if it was to save the only person who knew him, then he would let anyone call him Maverick if it was to see his friend once more.

"I'm going to Area Zero. By foot if I have to!"

Alia let her hand fall to her side. Sighing with eyes closed, shaking her head. "I really wished we didn't have to do it this way." She stared at X again. Watched him for several seconds more as he did not change his body. Did not back down from the growing threat behind her. More Hunters shuffled in. More preparing themselves to lock down X. Word was beginning to spread through the HQ. Word spread quick from Signas.

Slowly Alia shifted to the side of the wall with her other fellow navigators as Alexander took her place. He lifted his shield up. Rolling his shoulders. "This is your last warning, X. You'll be under arrest for failure to comply." X did not once reply. Merely preparing himself to run through the Hunters that stood between him and his fellow friend. "I see then." Alexander raised his hand. A gesture. A silence.

X dashed forward once more towards the door. He had no intention to harm anyone and for that it made his capture all the easier. A shield smashed into his face. Asard's tail coiling around the hunter. A struggle. A scream. All of which ended with X's curled and shackled body on the ground. The sobs all to great for any hunter to bear. It was an agony of defeat not for his pride but for the loneliness that swept his body and poisoned the well of his soul. Most looked away. Some whispered their thoughts. Few covered their eyes from the raw emotion. But none thought him evil for his actions. Afterall, he only wanted his friend back.

Slow steps entered the room as the Hunters spread apart. Signas stood before the body laid bare on the ground. The sobs the only noise that spread through the room. He only shook his head with a deep sigh. "Take him to the brig." The words hung on the air as some hunters shuffled around X. Hefting him up and pushing him forward. His sobs echoed through the halls. Through each room. Tears that would not stop running down his face without end. He was a ghost shifting through the walls. Shifting through the endless halls. Crying without an end.

"Commander Signas!" a hunter ran up to him. A salute. Many other hunters crowded around him. "Is it true?" they all held their breath. All pondering the words that X cried out for his dear companion. "Is Zero…?" They all watched Signas. Watched as he closed his eyes to the sorrowful grief that lingered within the halls. The agony that echoed through the HQ.

"I will be releasing an official statement shortly to all Maverick Hunters." But everyone there that saw such display of emotion from X were not so stupid to take such a basic response from their commander. They all knew it. All knew it from X's cries to heaven. To admit such truth would spread panic. To deny an answer would torture the HQ further with legends and fairytales. He hated lying. Always he was the one to be transparent with his fellow Hunters. "We may have found a piece of Zero's body."

Some hunters nodded their head. Some hunters shrugged. Most turned away, to resume their work.

But sometimes… lying was the only thing he could do.


Sand billowed against Zero as he trudged through the sand. The canvas fabric he kept close to his body, protecting the wounds he haphazardly repaired with scrap from the wind's howl. The sky was lit with a flame of harsh red as the sun shimmered against the horizon. The wind howled an unforgettable loneliness. Nature overtook the machine as he walked forward.

He marched.

Marched towards…. Where?

Where was he meant to go?

His body burned with pain. The hole in his heart heavy in his body as he carried himself across this barren wasteland. A wasteland that he created where no soul or being could survive. It was these grounds that he created with the only desire to usher in a new world where everyone could live together in peace. Perhaps it was foolish of him to believe that a being of war and death could make a world where war ended. Afterall, death begets death. Violence spurs the wheel of violence.

The sun scorched his body. The heat unbearable on his skin. The sand enveloping him forevermore. Eyes fluttered shut as he fell to the ground. The power in his body draining away into the unending dunes. The dust melted into him as he sunk deeper into his grave. He opened his eyes once more, staring up into the muddy sky as his vision swept away. Was this exhaustion or death? Zero wasn't so sure, but the memory of his own death still lingered heavy in his mind as he let the sand soak into him. Burying him slowly into this shallow grave.

The pain washed away.

The pain easing into the sand.

Into nature. Into Area Zero.

Then there was nothing.

Eyes opened once more. The darkness of the night had overtaken the day. The land illuminated only by the moon that hung high into the sky. Moonlight danced across the dunes as Zero turned his body over to stare across the land he had passed. Sand falling from his body. Cold overtook him, but it was a cold that comforted his already overheated body.

"Did I fall asleep?" he pondered to himself as he held his head. His energy levels were much improved since earlier. At least his solar power cells were still working. It was hard to keep track of all the alerts and warnings that his body steadily streamed to him. Even if he did take the time to go through each one, Zero did not particularly care to deal with the problem at hand.

The wind brushed against him again. A soft caress of his cheek. A gentle dance upon his hair. A soft howl of a song as nature sung its song across the barren land.

He let his eyes close. Listening to the music.

"Where do I go?" he opened his eyes. Lifting it to the sky above.

The stars danced across the sky. Hundreds. Thousands. Millions. Infinities. The endlessness was vast, as it was beautiful.

A limitless potential.

"Limitless potential…" Zero whispered to himself as he gazed above.

I remember…

I remember…

"Wow!" X shouted as he stared heavenward.

Zero dusted his body off, making his way through the thick foliage. He stared at X with confusion, watching the other stare intently up towards the sky. Though he had lived with X some time after being activated, Zero was still not accustomed to the other's sentimental personality quirks. Especially when it involved being out on a mission.

"Did you spot another enemy?" his body tensed up. Even if the Maverick had been dispatched, he was still on high alert for other Mavericks.

But X shook his head, turning to his companion with a bright smile. "No, I'm just admiring the stars." He pointed towards the night sky. Zero furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Stars?" he stepped closer to X. Eyes followed the other's finger. "They're just dots in the sky." There was a laughter in response. "What?"

"They're not just dots," X gave a small laughter. "They're giant masses of gas that shine because of thermonuclear fusion from—" X paused as he looked at Zero who stared at him blankly. "Er… They're giant balls of fire in space." Another soft laughter as Zero shifted his gaze upward. "They're an infinite amount of them out there. If we were farther away from the city, we'd be able to see the arm of the Milky Way." X drew a line across the sky where the arm of the galaxy would sit.

Zero's gaze took to the sky. Then a shrug. "They're still just dots."

But X still kept a smile on his face. Carefully he rounded around Zero. Playful. Timid. "Try not to look at the dots." The other walked behind Zero. "Look at the large picture." Suddenly hands covered Zero's eyes. The machine flinched. He tensed for a moment. Then relaxed. Truly, he could have only trusted the other to make such a dangerous move. Carefully he felt X's hands shift away. Zero's eyes still were closed. Slowly he let his mind dim. The calculations and numbers that flowed through his mind drew to a whisper. The touch of humanity.

Slowly, Zero opened his eyes.

Carefully he traced his eyes not at the dots that sat carefully in the night sky, but to the infinities that sparkled and gleamed across the blanket of the night. Colors of white, blue, red, and yellow glistened across the black. Trials of wonder encapsulating Zero. Though it did not show on his face, his eyes spoke the words that he would never utter. X stood beside him, filled with the same wonder as Zero did, but not to the sky as his companion was looking upon, but to his friend beside him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" X held his hands in front of him as he shared in this moment with Zero. His face full of child-like innocence and wonder. "You know, Zero. When I look at the stars I think of you."

"Huh?" Zero turned to look at X. A puzzled look on his face as the other kicked his feet in the dirt and stared back into the sky above. "Me?" A small smirk reached Zero's face. "Is it because I'm a giant ball of fire?" there was a tease in his voice.

"No!" X laughed still not staring at his friend. A blush made his way to his face. "Your serial number is infinity and there's endless number of stars in the sky…" he barely glanced towards Zero.

Zero offered X a shrug, not quite able to read his friend. "I guess that's true." Gaze returned upwards towards the sky. An infinite number of stars. Endless. Boundless. Unending. "I guess I can think of you when I look into the sky too." He smiled to himself as he turned back to X who stared at him with wide eyes. "Limitless potential."

X laughed again. A sound of pure joy. "Then I guess the neither of us will ever be apart from one another." His eyes reflected the boundlessness of the night above. "We'll always be under the same sky."

"Under the same sky…"

Zero closed his eyes once more. He tried to envision his friend. Tried to envision what X looked like. What color were his eyes? How did his hair look? How did he smile? How did he look when he laughed? The image so desperately tried to form in his head, only to fall apart into nothing but specs of dots in the night sky. The mind was too hazy to conjure any image. Only the fog of the memory sat heavy in his soul.

But his gaze only looked towards the heavens. Looked towards the beautiful stars that dotted the night. That dotted heaven. Why did he have to try to remember how his friend looked when he was there in front of him? Up there, in those endless stars, glittering and glistening. The stars.

Zero stood carefully. Dusting the sand from his body and the canvas cloak that wrapped around him. A calmness overtaking him as a smile fell over his lips, his gaze still kept to heaven. No matter what would happen to him, Zero knew X was with him. Forever.