//------------------------------//
// Phase: 1 A Miracle Made 
// Story: Zero Requiem 
// by PhantomofTyphon12 
//------------------------------//

Phase: 1 A Miracle Made
“Do you think he is strong enough to endure what lies ahead?”
“I don’t think witch, I know”
“Even if he has to use evil methods to ensure the outcome?”
“As I said some time ago, when there is evil in this world that justice cannot defeat, would you taint your hands with evil to defeat evil? Or would you remain steadfast and righteous even if it means surrendering to evil?”
“I guess we must reveal ourselves soon.”
“Agreed, he’s waking.”
-Bleep Bleep Bleep-
“AAAAHH!” with a yelled, the young man fell out of his bed.  Grumbling, he reached up to his side table and turned the alarm clock off.  The youth stood up and cracked his back, then proceeded to the bathroom connected to the bedroom.  The youth stopped in front of the sink and looked into the mirror over it.  Looking back at him was a young man that was no older than 17 that stood at 6’1” with ear length shaggy red and auburn hair.  His skin was a light tan and showed a fit figure of a youth man that had little chance to slack off.  His eyes were a crystal blue and showed both tiredness and confusion.  “Man what a weird dream.”
Turning towards the alarm clock, he saw it was 6:45 am, the time he had set the alarm to last night.  “Better get dressed.”  With that said the teen quickly put on a pair of jeans, a black shirt and his favorite brown and grey hoodie.  With his clothes on and his backpack full, the youth made his way to school.  ‘Man, things sure have changed in the last few months.  First that Twilight girl appears then Sunset starts acting like a nice girl.  Now riots and other strange stuff have been happening.  Guess life can never be easy.’  With that inner monologue done, the youth saw that a good amount of time had gone by and he just reached Canterlot High.  Sighing he entered the hall with the thought of, ‘Great, another day in the lonely live of Blaze Wing’  
Walking through the halls, Blaze saw many people talking and hanging out with friends before class started.  Seeing this only reminded Blaze that he was complete invisible to everyone except the faculty.  Looked down at his feet, Blaze continued to march forward, until he collided into a small mass.  The sudden impact caused Blaze to fall forwards and taking the person he collided into with him.  At the last second he twisted his body around and acted as a cushion for the person hit walked into.  “Ow, next time I’m definitely looking where I’m going. Hey are you-?!”  Blaze stared in shock at the person he collided with.  The beautiful light pink hair and the gentle turquoise eyes gave it away quickly.  He walked right into Fluttershy, one of the most popular and well known girls in school, even if she didn’t like the attention it gave her. 
“Oh, uh here, let me help you up.” Blaze said quickly, getting himself and Fluttershy to his feet.  The young lady blushed from embarrassment and quickly started to apologize.
“Sorry for bumping into you, I wasn’t looking where I was going.” She said in a near whisper.
“I was mostly my fault Fluttershy, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” Blaze answered and waved off her unneeded apology.
“How do you know my name?” the shocked girl asked, settling on her feet.
“Mostly everyone in school knows yours and your friends’ names.” Blaze replied scratching the back of his head.
“Oh, I guess news travels fast, even for new students.” Fluttershy replied.
“I’m, uh, not exactly a new student.  I’ve been going here sense you have.” Blaze said looking down.
“Oh my!  You’ve been with that long and we haven’t even notice?” Fluttershy exclaimed with shock and regret.
“I just have one of those forgetful faces.” With that Blaze turned and began walking to first period.
“Wait!”
“Huh?” Blaze muttered with confusion.
“Why don’t you hang out with me and my friends today mister, um?”
“Blaze, Blaze Wing and, I would like that.”  Blaze said with a soft smile and began walking once again.

After another long day at school, Blaze was ready to head home.  Cracking his shoulders, Blaze exited the front door of the school. ‘The soon I get home the better.’
“Hey Blaze!” someone yelled.
Blaze stopped, shocked and confused that someone used his name.  Turning towards the person calling, he saw a sight he thought would never happen.  There waving him over were six girls that normally ignored his existence.  Thinking they were calling someone else, he looked over his shoulder and saw no one else.  Now knowing they were signally him, he went over to the six friends.  
“Wow, I thought ‘Shy was only kidding, but you’re seriously real!” Rainbowdash exclaimed.  Her title of bluntest and brashest of the six was well earned.  
“Well, like I told her earlier, I just have one of those faces.”  Blaze said quickly.  Just as he finished that statement, a buzz in his pocket caught his attention.  Putting his hand in his right pocket, Blaze quickly retrieved his ringing phone.  “Hello?” Blaze asked.  After a few seconds, Blaze gained a neutral look.  “I’ll be there in ten” he said quickly.  
“Who was that?” RainbowDash asked.
“Just a person a do business with on occasion, looks like he needs my assistance.” Blaze says putting his phone away.  Turning to the group he stated, “I guess I have to take a rain check, hope I didn’t waste your time.”
“It’s fine, maybe next time?” Fluttershy said softly.
“Sure” Blaze replied with a smile, then he took off.

“Is your replacement arriving or not?” asked a cruel voice.  The voice belonged to a man in a black suit with four men in similar suits flanking him.  His brown hair was sleek back.  His black eyes showed arrogance and boredom.  The men beside him all wore shades to help disguise them.
“He, he’ll be here” answered the man opponent in a nervous voice.  Sitting across from the first man was an older gentleman in a grey suit.  His hair was peppered with gray and his green eyes were full of desperation.  
“He he isn’t here in the next 30 seconds, I’ll”
“You’ll what?” asked a young voice.  Turning, the assembled men saw Blaze standing 20 feet away, near the compounds door.  Walking forward, Blaze approached the assembled group until he was next to the older gentleman.  “I’m here now, so let’s begin then.”  Looking over the table before him, Blaze smiled devilishly at the odds.  His employer had called him in again to win the match, a match of chess.  ‘One knight and three pawns lost, while the other side has arrogantly left themselves’ open.  Just as planned.’
The gentleman smiled mentally.  The plan his young partner had drafted was working once again.  Only he truly knew the strategic prowess of the young man observing the board.  That chance meeting in the park over a year ago was a blessing in disguise.  Now as they had always agreed, Blaze would win the matches and then the older gentleman would wire his cut directly into his account.  On the official records, Blaze was his employee, so the authorities never questioned what was going on behind closed doors.  And as he looked on, the employer could see the hidden joy and mirth in his eyes.  
‘The boy may be lonely, but here, he has the joy of defeating those too arrogant to notice people like him’ the gentleman thought as he watched his partner move his king.
On the sidelines and hidden in the shadows, a pair watched as well.  “He sure has your strategic mind.” The woman of the pair said cheekily to her companion.
“Of course, if the king does not lead,” the man began as he watched with amethyst eyes.
“Then how do you expect the people to follow” Blaze said aloud, having said the same statement to his opponent.  The surprised man made his move.  This continued for another eight minutes when Blaze made the final move.  “Checkmate” he stated as his opponent could only watch in horror.

Exiting the warehouse, Blaze couldn’t help but smile.  He put another arrogant man in his place and now had the money he needed for another month.  Walking down the street, Blaze made his way home, eventually coming across the corner café near his apartment when he spotted the girls he had to blow off earlier.  ‘Well that’s certainly surprising.’  Sighing, Blaze decided to see how they were.  “Hey” Blaze said, waving at them as he walked to their table.
“Hey there!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed happy as ever.  “I guess your boss let you off early”
“You can say that” Blaze replied.
“So, what do you do anyway?”
“Well, I kind of” before Blaze could finish his statement, a loud explosion rocked the intersection.  Everyone instinctively hit the deck and took cover.  Well the blast was over; all that remained was a giant column of smoke and debris.  The wails of sirens could be heard as police and firemen soon arrived at the scene.  “What the hell happened?  I know for a fact that there isn’t as gas line there.” Blaze said quickly, getting to his feet and rushing over to the crowd of fellow onlookers.
“Alright people back it up it still might not be safe.” An officer said, hoping to disperse the crowd.  But a peaceful dispersal was thrown out the window as something leapt from the pillar of smoke.  The figure landed on the ground beside the crowd and reviled its form.  The thing was mechanical in nature and the body shape resembled a skeleton.  The chest was made of several grey and white parts that surrounded a large red orb.  The legs resembled that of a human but with three clawed feet.  The arms were lanky and ended with large four finger and thumb hands.  The back of it had a large nut shaped backpack that glowed every now and then.  And finally the head was tear drop shaped with the point facing forward.  It had three glowing yellow lights for eyes.
The machine turned to face the crowd as the orb glowed.  ‘Shit!’ Blaze thought mentally as he began to move out of the way.  Many others got the idea and began to run.  Then as the crowd scattered, the orb released a beam of blood red plasma the ripped through anything it can in contact with.  Blaze ducted inside an ally, holding his shoulder that was singed from the beam.  “Damn it, that thing is a monster!  It’s going to kill everyone!” Blaze yelled, now gripped with fear.
“Why do you care?” a voice asked.
“Who said that!?” Blaze asked as he turned and saw two people.  The first was a young man about the same age and height as him.  But that was the only similarities to be had.  While Blaze could be called athletic and fit, the young man before him appeared to thin and lithe.  His hair was black and hung just above the ears.  The eyes were the strangest as they were a striking amethyst.  He wore a black jacket over a white shirt and on his legs were a pair of jeans.  The other was a woman with bright green hair and butter yellow eyes.  She wore a black dress and had a devilish smirk on her face.  She appeared to be staring into his soul.
“I said, why you care?” the man ask.  “The people have ignored your for most of your life, so why do you care if they die or not.”
“Because, I can’t stand to see those that can’t defend themselves be attacked or bullied.  I know it may be naïve, but I will fight for them, even if I do not have the strength.”  Blaze replied with a determined look.
“Then I have a proposal for you,” the man said.  “If you had the strength, you could protect those who can’t protect themselves.  This is our contract.  In return for my gift of power, you must grant my wish.  If you enter this contract, you will live as a human, but also as one completely different.  Different rules, different time, a different life.”
“The power of kings will isolate you and will test you in ways never before.  The power is different than the ones we received long ago.  You will not only carry that burden, but also the heavy mantle of a man of miracles.  Do you have the will to accept this.” The woman spoke with warning.
Blaze thought for a minute, his head hung low.  Then he raised it high and proclaimed, “I accept this contract and this power!”
“Then,” the man answered, “take this power and mantle and create a new world for all!” With that said, a red bird like sigil flew towards him.

The city was in a panic.  A mechanical monster was terrorizing the populace and destroying the city.  The machine menace was wrecking everything in its path.  Law enforcement couldn’t even make a dent in its metal shell.  And it had just cornered an unfortunate group of girls.  As the yellow lights gaze at them, they all felt fear and death’s grip upon them.  This was possible the end, and a metallic fiend were going to be their executioner.  ‘Please, someone save us!’ was the shared thought among them.  The orb, once more, began to glow, gathering the necessary power.  As it was about to fire, a dark shape flew over head.  Sensing a large amount of energy, the machine turned and looked for the source.  Sensing that the blast hadn’t come, the girls looked up and saw what had grabbed the mechanical fiend’s attention.
Atop a street like stood a strange sight.  On it a masked man stood, a large cape wrapped around him with two high points next to the mask and two tails.  The mask was a shining black with five short points that looked like horns.  On the mask was a purple orb in the center and below it was a golden sigil that looked like a bird in flight.  The mask man, looked at the machine with contempt.  “Identify” the robot spoke with its synthesized voice.
“I, am Zero!” the mask man proclaimed loudly.
Phase: 1 end