With Sigma's defeat, the Maverick Hunters set about rebuilding their structure and repairing the world around them. With a few exceptions, the majority of the formerly rogue Hunters were reinstated, and with the destruction of Sigma's body, the only copy of the remote control circuitry was destroyed.
X and Octavia, however, weren't as happy as the rest during the rebuilding efforts. Despite everything, no one knew enough to repair Zero in his present condition, and from the looks of things he would have to remain in stasis...indefinitely. Octavia was inconsolable over the loss of her 'Uncle Zero', sitting by his stasis capsule and staring at his floating, comatose remains. X remained by her side, wishing there was something he could do for her.
Alia made sure to keep them both well fed and online, talking to them whenever she stopped by with food, drinks, or bedding for the two of them. While X was certain that, like many of the female Reploids, she was under Octavia's adorable thrall, Octavia had noticed that Alia spent a great deal more time talking with X than tending to her. She found that oddly pleasing, but she decided not to say anything about it just yet.
Two months after the fall of Sigma, however, a new Reploid applied to the R&D Division of the med lab to work under Lifesaver. While this was hardly news, the thing that caught everyone's attention was that - on his application - he claimed to have the knowledge necessary to repair Zero. This was not a claim that was treated lightly, and both X and Octavia rushed to meet this 'new Doctor'.
The new Reploid had a very angular yellow face with a pointy white beard, pointy white sideburns, and a white mustache oversized for his face. He had two red eyes, one angular and one perfectly round. He wore a black, almost all-covering cloak, and what could be seen of his body under his cloak was blue. He also wore a cylindrical black and yellow hat with a green gem at the peak.
"Greetings," he stated jovially. "I am Serges. I understand you have need of a Doctor?"
X stared at Serges for a time. Something about him seemed...so familiar. Octavia, however, got straight to the point. "You said you know how to fix Uncle Zero?" she whimpered, her ears flat against her skull, eyes wide and hopeful, cuddling Varia in her forelegs like a teddy bear.
Much to X's amusement if not surprise, Serges closed both eyes and put one hand to his chest with a wince. When he regained control of himself, he grinned down at Octavia. "Yes, my little pony," he replied, patting her gently on the head. "I can fix your Uncle Zero."
As Octavia gasped excitedly, X leaned forward. "How?" he demanded. "Our best scientists have been studying his systems, but we can't do anything. How did you come by the knowledge?"
Smiling, Serges set the bag he'd brought with him down on the table, opening it up. In it were the missing sections of Zero's body: his leg units, his buster unit, and part of his torso. "I found these in the ocean after Sigma's Fortress crashed," he explained. "While damaged, they contained most useful data...as well as links to a data file from pre-End times called 'Project Animus'."
"Project Animus?" X asked curiously.
"Based on what I was able to tell when it forcefully downloaded itself into my hard drive before erasing itself in the original computer system," Serges explained, "it was written by Zero's original creator, as a backup in case he became damaged...and also as a means of allowing his systems to grow and develop as yours do."
X's eyes widened. "You mean...it's something like Dr. Light's hologram capsules?"
"Possibly," Serges allowed. "However, without having analyzed these capsules - or the Animus file - to any extent, I can't make a proper comparison. At any rate, I believe with the proper effort I can rebuild Zero, restoring his systems and functionality. However..." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Given how the file reacted to my attempt to read it, I fear if anyone is watching while I access the Project Animus file, it will self delete, erasing my mind in the process as it did with the computer system it was stored on. So I'll need absolute privacy to do my work."
X frowned, not sure he liked what was being suggested. To put that much trust in someone they'd just met, especially with Zero...
Octavia looked up at X with pleading eyes. "Please, Father?" she begged. "It's the only chance we'll have of ever getting Uncle Zero back..."
X did his best to resist, but he could never face Octavia at her most adorable for long. No one could. "Alright," he relented at long last. "But I'll want regular progress reports and to examine your progress on occasion," he told Serges.
The new Doctor smiled beatifically. "That will be absolutely no problem whatsoever," he replied easily. "If it's quite alright with you, I'd like to get started right away."
"Go right ahead," X directed, gesturing to the med lab.
An hour later, Serges stood in a private area behind the med lab, completely free of any cameras or other monitoring equipment beyond what he brought with him or built himself. Zero floated in his capsule, still comatose.
Once he was absolutely certain he was alone and would be for the foreseeable future, Serges spoke. "Activate Animus Protocol. Password: Drop It."
Serges seemed to go completely limp for a moment. When he raised up again, he stood completely differently from before. He took in the broken parts, Zero's comatose state, and the damage he had undergone, and gently shook his head. "Oh my son," he murmured, a different voice than before, "what have you done to yourself?"
Sighing, he pulled out various tools. "Well, it's time to get to work." He smiled as he began the repairs based on what he had originally designed.