Vinyl and Albert worked carefully together, following the pattern presented by Prometheus' transformation as the Robot Formerly Known as Secret was rebuilt from the ground up. In addition to a primary Bassnium power core which would send energy to all systems for normal functionality, the normal design called for three other power cores in the body, two on the outside of the torso and one in the forehead. The two in the chest would store the self-regenerating reserves of Justice and Evil energy, crafted from the last few samples of each left behind after Duo's departure, which Vinyl had categorically decided not to investigate for reasons of her own. The crystalline core in the forehead was where the two energies would be combined into Ether, before being distributed throughout the entire body.
"So," Albert spoke up as they installed each of the four cores, "do you have a plan for how to keep the two energies from fighting each other when the Ether conversion is initiated? I mean, Prometheus was only able to do it because he had a split personality, and each one was naturally suited to one energy or the other."
"I know," Vinyl replied firmly. "That's why each of these cores is going to have a control program embedded into the Energy itself, designed to be subservient to the primary personality core of the overall entity, but still having its own self-preservation protocols so that the energy will recognize them as separate - if subordinate - entities."
"And you...aren't at all worried about that going horribly wrong?" Albert asked worriedly. "I mean, look at what happened with Duo and that other guy. What if the programs go awry? Or become unduly influenced by the energies they're supposed to control? Or if something happens that causes the cores to vent?"
Vinyl rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "As far as venting, the control programs will be embedded in the energies themselves, self propagating like a virus along with the energy, with one sample acting as the primary guiding force, with the primary purpose being restoring the original body to functionality that can use the energy properly. As long as a catastrophic system failure doesn't necessitate the use of alternate hosts for the energy, it should be fine."
"And if it does?" Albert asked coolly.
Vinyl shrugged her shoulders. "Then we'd better hope it's not the Evil Energy that finds the alternate host, as even with the control program it'll twist them around the dark emotions of Evil Energy. However, with the use of the right control program, I think we can make it tap into pride rather than rage. So that should make it more controllable and less randomly destructive. It'll also keep the full power of it from being tapped."
"I suppose that works as an effective final fail-safe," Albert admitted. "Not exactly a perfect solution, but I suppose it's the best we can do, since there's no way of knowing what might cause these situations. It would have to be a well designed control program, though. After all, we're entrusting the safety of the world to it, since it risks releasing Evil Energy on the world again."
"I'm sure I can trust you to handle it, Dad," Vinyl replied easily.
"You mean you want me to design the control program?" Albert asked, surprised. "I suppose I could-"
"No, I want you to be the control program," Vinyl clarified, shifting to work with a different device. "It's a good thing you're bald on top. It's good for the connectors."
"Wait, what?" Albert demanded, stunned.
"I'm going to take a neural imprint of you, and use it as the basis for the control program for the Evil Energy," Vinyl explained simply. "We want a program that will run on pride, after all, right?"
"Well, I suppose," Albert admitted. "But what about the Justice Energy? What's going to be that control program?"
"Well, I can download that one through my horn, given the number of nerve clusters running through it," Vinyl explained. "Figure it fits we can use ourselves for those programs, and save the same programs to act as guides for this guy when and if he's activated, if needed. Need a database to work from, though..."
"If?" Albert asked, surprised. "We aren't going to activate him as soon as he's completed?"
Vinyl turned and looked her father in the eye. "You saw how much power Prometheus gave off in that brief time he wielded Ether before he burned his new circuits out...and 'burn out' isn't going to happen with this bot. He'll be able to wield Ether for as long as he has the resources to do so, without damaging his internal systems. Do you even want to imagine what the world would be like to require that kind of power in a single robotic entity?"
Wily began to imagine the kinds of threats that would imply, only to shudder violently. "You're right. And having that level of power active would just draw the attention of whatever forces out there that could match it."
"Exactly," Vinyl confirmed. "We're going to build him...but he's not going to be activated unless the world needs him. And when that time comes...it'll be up to him to decide what to do with that power."
"Up to him?" Albert asked, shocked. "Aren't you going to program him with a primary mission? Protocols?"
"Nope," Vinyl countered. "I'll give him everything he needs to control his body and use all his abilities...and then leave it to him to choose his own path...and even his own name." She sighed as she finished the neural scanner. "Honestly...part of me hopes the conditions to activate him are never met..."
Albert gently stroked her mane. "Well, you have plenty of time to determine what those conditions will be. For now...let's finish building him." He turned to the name at the top of the data files they were working from, wondering when - or if - the world would ever be ready for it.
Project Revelation.
Huh... Didn't expect to see Zero being built so soon.
Quick question, willt he sonic/Megaman crossover be in this
Yay for an interlude chapter! Engineer, we need some background music!
[muffled voice in the background]
Okay, fine. We'll go with something from the other story's current time period.
7421884 This is extremely unlikely as Tatsurou is going off of the games themselves. We don't need that irrelevant hedgehog showing is boring mug around here.
7421894 a majority of sonic games aren't really cannon, sonic unleashed and sonic colors and the oringal ones I believe are
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
Sonic 2, 3 and Sonic & Knuckles all happen in a short time next to each other either a year or six months but that just doesn't give enough time for the baby pony to grow up.
By official Sega of America data Sonic was 13 in Sonic 1 and 15 in Sonic Adventure, again not enough time for the pony to grow up.
And nowadays Sonic canon got so complicated there is no official timeline anymore anyway.
Not to mention Sonic has the tendency to wander "Like the wind" so he would not be good to raise a baby anyway.
Alternatively you could have the baby pony be raised by Eggman aka Robotnik so that gives you more time.
But then it would be too much like this story and Sonic fans are impossible to please anyway.
It makes me wonder just how long until we actually see X? We know he is being built right now but not much else. The next thing would be Mega Man 9, but I do not remember if that game is going to get covered.
ugh, a supersolder refrence. "We'll feeze him till we need him."
Eh, nothing too bad will happen. A commander's last stand as a good guy will amount to a horribly executed joke, but other than that, things should be just peachy.
Well don't let Dr. Light do it, he'd probably forget a closing bracket or something.
So let me see if I have my lore straight. So Dr. Cain finds Dr. Light's lab and finds X. He uses him to make more reploids without doing the whole "30+ years of simulations" thing, and Mavericks result from this and whatever's leaking from Zero. Through assorted circumstances, Sigma and Zero do battle, and the results of which cause Zero to be "fixed", but Sigma to become irreversibly malicious... Yeah, looks like you have the prologue to Mega Man X mostly downpat. See you.
Are Mega Man 9 and 10 going to happen in this story, or is this about to wrap up?
And so the loop closes....
And thus, was the birth... Of Bass.
7422197
...Bass already exists.
7422197
its zero
7422229 oh! My bad... Forgot about that.
7421881
Actually, this is about the time Canon!Wily began working on him. Quite a few side games make a reference to it at this point. At least, I think "Rockman & Forte" came out after 8...
7422197
Um... I think you might be a little late to the party on that one.
And thus, two things sprung from this: The origins of the Maverick Virus and the conception of Zero. Both of which I am pleased.
7422197 Oh, honey... You're a little late to the party... There, there.
7422197 Bass is already running around, this is Zero. Bass got beaten by Megaman last arc. This also marks the third arc Bass has been in.
7422197 here, have some Bassnium cake.... gives you a slice of a bit slate cake...
This better NOT be the end!
good way to wrap thing up!
granted, it leaves a little leeway if you decide to come back an do another chapter (or official epilogue) but I just finished the last chapter of Melody of the Future at the same time. great way to tie things in
either way, it was a good story, an can't wait to see what you update next
7422197 And thus, was the birth... Of Zoro.
"It's Zero, dumba-!"
Let me have my dreams! He's not Zero or Zoro at this point.
I love how this story will flow in to Octavia's story
7422455 technically, Bass never lost, his sister pulled the plug because he missed with the Bass Cannon...
Ehh, what could possibly go wrong?
and this did not come out before octavia of the future because!?!?
Wait, is that thing about the Evil Energy finding a new host what happen to Sigma after his first fight with Zero in Melody of the Future?
and now their building zero... and i'm sure NOTHING BAD will happen with the evil energy...