Melody of the Future

by Tatsurou

Repairs

X sat back in his office as Serges entered to deliver his latest report. "So, Serges, how goes it with Zero?"

Serges smiled as he took a seat, reaching over to the desk to pet Octavia between her ears, just how she liked it. "Repairs on the disconnected parts are almost complete. Once data recovery is fully accomplished, and the part data restored, they can be reconnected to the main body for a full reboot of internal systems, bringing Zero out of his stasis coma in a full restoration."

"That's wonderful!" Octavia cheered happily.

X frowned a bit despite the good news, however. "What do you mean, 'data recovery'?" he asked curiously.

Serges leaned back in the chair. "You are aware that Zero, like you, is a robot? From the pre-End times?"

X's eyes widened. "That...how do you know that? It's not exactly common knowledge regarding me..."

Serges shrugged. "The Animus Project data file contains a great deal of information...about you and Zero-"

"Does it have his original designation?" Octavia asked curiously. "Zero's always been bothered that he couldn't remember that...though he tended not to think about it."

Serges shook his head. "Zero was the final result of 'Project Revelation', but the Animus file states that he was supposed to choose his own designation upon activation. From what I understand of the file, Zero's activation didn't go as planned...and Project Animus activated as one of several backup plans regarding his activation and capabilities."

"You mean...you're not just restoring him to what he was when we got to know him?" X gasped out. "You're...restoring him to who and what he was supposed to be before he went berserk?"

Serges shrugged his shoulders. "Not entirely," he admitted. "The technology doesn't exist to create a full restoration as is...and I don't possess the complete Project Animus file. It's my understanding that pieces of it will activate and seek Zero out as the technology for his restoration becomes available. However, I do not believe any of it will affect his core personality."

"That's good," Octavia breathed in relief. "So, what was that about the data in Uncle Zero's parts?"

"Well," Serges continued, "Zero is a battle robot first and foremost. Every part of him is designed to maximize his combat potential. In order for him to function properly, all of him must be stabilized with the battle data. However, the parts recovered from Sigma's crashed fortress had their data wiped. I'll need to restore or rebuild the lost data to levels equivalent to restore their functionality, and allow the reassembly."

X nodded. "I see. Do whatever it takes to bring Zero back online, Doctor. We're counting on you."

Serges bowed happily. "Will do, X. Will do."

"Can I ask a question?" Octavia spoke up. "About what you've shown us of the redesign?"

Serges smiled beatifically. "Certainly."

She pointed at one of the status photos. "Why does he have...boob lights?"

X struggled to suppress a snort in his coffee.

Serges chuckled. "Those are additional power cores, to unlock the entirety of his combat prowess."

"Aren't exterior mounted power cores a bit dangerous?" X asked worriedly.

"They generate deflective energy shields, the same way Varia does over Octavia's flesh," Serges pointed out. "And it's necessary, since his body structure doesn't provide enough coolant for three cores without the exterior ventilation."

"Why there?" Octavia inquired.

"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"

X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit. Alia, working on some data on another comp unit in the office, quickly rushed over to pat him on the back.

While neither X nor Alia were looking, Serges and Octavia exchanged a wink before the Doctor left the office.

---

Upon his return to the private, inviolate lab, Serges acted. Walking up to two incomplete reploids, he brought two of the Zero Parts over to them. The first Reploid resembled a gorilla with a morning star at the end of a chain topknot. He installed Zero's buster arm in the morning star. The second Reploid was humanoid in purple armor, with a beam saber equipped. He installed Zero's leg units in this Reploid's legs, greatly increasing its speed.

Taking the last Zero Part - the portion of his torso lost - Serges installed it into his own systems. He then spoke up. "X-Hunters Violen and Agile...Drop it!"

The two Reploids immediately came online. The gorilla like one, Violen, smashed his fist into his palm. "We ready to wreck X?" he demanded, his voice deep and gravely. "We smash and kill him?"

"Yes, Master," Agile added, his voice fawning and snively. "Is it time to unleash...devastation?"

Serges smirked. "In a manner of speaking. It's time to recover some...lost battle data. X is, of course, the best source of that..."

---

An alert went off throughout Maverick Hunter HQ. "Maverick alert! Maverick alert! There's a massive spike in Maverick activity! All active hunters, report for duty! All active hunters, report for duty! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! This is a level 10 Maverick Alert!"

X and Octavia turned to each other, nodded, and raced for the teleporters. They had a job to do, and they weren't about to be found wanting.

Comments

[LostPoet]

Ummm, as a megaman noob, is this wily acting up? Or something else?

[LostPoet]

Also, unless my phone is lying to me, which is entirely possible, I claim first and second comment of this chapter in the name of chaos.

[Kenshinryuu]

She pointed at one of the status photos. "Why does he have...boob lights?"
X struggled to suppress a snort in his coffee.
Serges chuckled. "Those are additional power cores, to unlock the entirety of his combat prowess."

At least that makes sense....

Serges smirked. "In a manner of speaking. It's time to recover some...lost battle data. X is, of course, the best source of that..."

This also makes sense, well done Tats.

[Philosophysics]

IS ZERO A GIRL!? OR NOT!? HE MUST BECOME A SHE!

I ASK IT!

[RNBW]

"Why there?" Octavia inquired.

"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"

X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit. Alia, working on some data on another comp unit in the office, quickly rushed over to pat him on the back.

While neither X nor Alia were looking, Serges and Octavia exchanged a wink before the Doctor left the office.

Lol!

And how X is able to drink coffee? He is a robot. (Reploid)

[KiaraGate]

I was wondering how you were going to do this, well done.

[SilentMech]

6485234 Nah, this is par for the course. Him acting up results in holes through robots produced by sound waves. Seriously, first time Megaman tries to fight him he gets a two inch hole drilled all the way through his torso in the companion story.

[Emtu]

However, I do not believe any of it will effect his core personality.

affect

[RanmaChaos]

Another enjoyable chapter. You always have such great explanations for things. Good job.

[Sigmacipher]

Ah yes, Serges...I'm actually surprised that no one here remembered how Megaman X2 started...Seriously nobody remembers the X hunters from those games?

[Amethyst Blade]

Sooooo....sonic shot through X to get the battle data?

[JMP]

Serges smiled as he took a seat, reaching over to the desk to put Octavia between her ears, just how she liked it.

Shouldn't that be pet?

[Frission]

6485436 I diiiiid~ *noms cookie she gets for remembering* ^-^

[Sigmacipher]

6486142 ALRIGHT!! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT COOKIE??!!!

[Senou Natsuru]

6486150 Glares menacingly I gave it to her. Got a problem with that?

[Frission]

6486150
6486308
Cookie!

[Sigmacipher]

6486308 Nooo....

[jwizard]

6487773

My path always used to start with Storm Eagle, then Ice Penguin. A lot of the earlier times I ended up backtracking a great deal to get stuff I had missed. And I wasn't aware you could get the Pink Beam Buster until later on. Same thing for the Hadouken; I wasn't aware until after I bought the Virtual Console version of X1 for my Wii that that move even existed.

[Senou Natsuru]

6487693 Good. I guess I won't have to rip you limb from screaming bloody limb then.

[Senou Natsuru]

6487865 I guess that was a bit of a lie. I generally do Ice penguin, then storm eagle. Dashes make the whole game a lot easier.

[Revan]

Hmm...

[CryoKing96]

"They generate deflective energy shields, the same way Varia does over Octavia's flesh," Serges pointed out. "And it's necessary, since his body structure doesn't provide enough coolant for three cores without the exterior ventilation."
"Why there?" Octavia inquired.
"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"
X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit. Alia, working on some data on another comp unit in the office, quickly rushed over to pat him on the back.

Oh Heavens, my sides!
I laughed so friggin' hard. If I'd been drinking anything, I think I'd have copied X.

[goldfencer]

6713294 I read that section, stepped away from my computer, filled a glass of water, and did a spit take.

[Pinklestia]

Not getting ICE pengo first is a bad idea.

[Xenoguyver]

6713294

What are the chances that sooner or later, X, Alia, Octavia, Iris and Colonel will find out about Zero's old life as Secret and how when Vinyl made him a Her originally, how Secret had Crotch Boobs because Vinyl thought that's where they went because HER mammaries were by her crotch?

I get the feeling that X, Alia and Octavia will NEVER let him live it down if they did find out.

[bronyvamp]

"Can I ask a question?" Octavia spoke up.  "About what you've shown us of the redesign?" Serges smiled beatifically.  "Certainly." She pointed at one of the status photos.  "Why does he have...boob lights?" X struggled to suppress a snort in his coffee. Serges chuckled.  "Those are additional power cores, to unlock the entirety of his combat prowess." "Aren't exterior mounted power cores a bit dangerous?" X asked worriedly. "They generate deflective energy shields, the same way Varia does over Octavia's flesh," Serges pointed out.  "And it's necessary, since his body structure doesn't provide enough coolant for three cores without the exterior ventilation." "Why there?" Octavia inquired. "Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained.  "Where else should I put them?  Between his legs?" X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit.

i would have done the same thing

[bronyvamp]

6485260 special internal systems that convert the coffee X is drinking to energy and it's explain in wily's wittle wub though i can't remember the exact character sorry

[Arcanum -Phantasy]

"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"

X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit. Alia, working on some data on another comp unit in the office, quickly rushed over to pat him on the back.

Bravo Tatsuo, bravo! Now I need to clean my soda off of the floor. Never read a tatsuo fic while drinking something.

[Bookwurm666]

She pointed at one of the status photos. "Why does he have...boob lights?"

"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"

That was where they were originally

[Level Dasher]

"Because the torso is the last part of him likely to be severed," the Doctor explained. "Where else should I put them? Between his legs?"
X promptly spat his coffee all over the wall before going into a coughing fit. Alia, working on some data on another comp unit in the office, quickly rushed over to pat him on the back.
While neither X nor Alia were looking, Serges and Octavia exchanged a wink before the Doctor left the office.

Trolls.

[zacman2000]

heh, reference to where his cores used to be during www... man it feels good to give this story a reread.