5: Last Hope
Before long, everyone had returned with the parts for the shuttle. X, Colonel, and CiCi were quite surprised to see Zero return with Dark Dizzy in tow as well, and even more so when the Maverick immediately reported to Lifesaver's lab, requesting service and decontamination "as ordered, Squeak!" However, other matters were of higher priority, and Dark Dizzy was stowed away in a stasis capsule until his situation could be properly investigated, while Lifesaver saw to properly servicing everyone else.
Once he'd taken care of X and Colonel, he turned to Zero...only to pause. "Iris, I can't service him properly with you hanging onto him like that," he growled out.
"Don't care," Iris replied, clinging to Zero like a lifeline. "Not letting go of him again..."
"Iris..." Zero replied softly, gently stroking her hair. "You're going to have to. Once I'm properly serviced, I'm the only one who can fly the shuttle to the colony. We don't have time to find anyone else, or repair the auto-pilot."
"B-but..." Iris whimpered, lifting her head to stare into his eyes, tears filling her own.
Leaning forward, Zero gently kissed her tears away before kissing her on the lips. "I promise, I'll come back," he whispered. "After all...I have too much to live for."
Managing a shaky smile, Iris stepped back to allow Lifesaver to work on him...only for Octavia to leap up and cling to his chest.
"Oh, come on!" Lifesaver complained angrily even as everyone else in the med lab burst into laughter.
"What?" Octavia asked, her voice perturbed. "I need Uncle Zero hugs, too!"
Struggling to hold back his laughter, Zero hugged Octavia close before gently prying her off and putting her in X's arms. He then stepped over to let Lifesaver look over him.
Signas stared down at the report Lifesaver had given him on Zero's systems. "Is this accurate?" he asked worriedly.
"I'm afraid so," Lifesaver replied. "Zero has not only been absorbing the Viral energy he encounters, but it's causing his systems to rewire themselves, enhancing some functions, negating others... The biggest concern is that extra power core inside of him that's been inactive for so long. It's...activating, and causing unusual signals inside his positronic matrix. And...I've detected alterations in his RDNA sequence as well. Whatever's happening to him as a result of the Viral Energy...it's changing him at a fundamental level, and we have no idea into what."
Signas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "In all likelihood, the virus energy of the colony will affect him similarly?"
"I'd say that's a safe bet," Lifesaver began, "but safe is the last thing it is if it's true. We have no idea what might happen to Zero...or if he'll even still be Zero when it's done..."
Signas sighed softly. "We need to tell him before we send him up-"
"He already knows."
Signas' head shot up. "What?"
"He seems to know more about what's happening to him then I do," Lifesaver explained. "He seems...resigned. And...after he left the lab, he immediately went to X, Iris, and Octavia. He seems determined to spend the rest of the time until the shuttle's ready for him with the three of them. It's almost as though...he fears it's the last chance he'll have."
Signas sighed as he lowered his head. "It's one thing to send him up when there's a chance he might die due to mechanical failure or a mistake...but to know there's a chance that, even if he survives, he might be lost? ...how do I still make that decision?"
Reaching into his satchel, Lifesaver handed over a datapad. "He asked me to give you this," Lifesaver offered quietly. "And to read it to everyone if he doesn't come back...or if he's not him when he returns."
Signas took one look at the header for the data file on the pad and buried his face in his hands. "...god speed, Zero...god speed..."
The time had finally come. The shuttle was completed, and ready for launch. Everything that could be done to upgrade it had been done, and every available system was focused on making sure the launch went off without a hitch. Gate had made a trip to HQ, at great personal risk through one of the most highly infected areas of the city, to add his own innovations to the shuttle on the off chance it might make the difference. All that was left was to launch...and pray.
Zero carefully strapped himself into the pilot's seat, taking hold of the controls. "I'm ready," he called out through the comms. "We can launch at any time."
"Make sure you come back in one piece, Zero!" X called out. "I don't want to have to find someone to rebuild you again."
"Don't worry X!" Zero replied with a smile. "I'm not planning on losing any pieces this time."
"We've got your course locked in," Alia announced. "We're ready to launch on this end."
"Thanks, Alia!" Zero answered. "Good to know I've got directions I can rely on."
"I'm not worried too much about you, Zero!" Colonel called out. "You'll be back, even if I have to charge into the afterlife and drag you back by your ponytail! You're not leaving my sister alone on my watch!"
Zero couldn't stop himself from laughing. "I'll be counting on it, Colonel!"
"I'll have a new composition for you to hear when you return!" Octavia called out.
"Looking forward to hearing it, Tavi."
"Zero!" Iris pleaded, holding back her tears. "Come back to me!"
Zero smiled softly. "I love you, Iris," he replied softly.
"Launch in 5..." Signas began. "4...3...2...1..."
"Launch!" Zero called out as the engines erupted.
Across the world, Prometheus looked up from his position at the top of an old lab, half buried in stone after nearly 200 years. He stared up, his scarf blowing in the wind and playing a familiar tune, shimmering in the air as the wind that wasn't there played through the embedded circuits. His eyes lifted as he watched the shuttle rise into the air. "Here's hoping you knew what you were doing all this time..." he whispered, gently running his fingers over where the scarf was wrapped around his neck. "I've waited two centuries for this..."
A tear rolled down his cheek. "Bro...are you seeing this, too? Is this world...the one you died for?"
In the ruins of Sky Lagoon, Dynamo wandered through the halls of an ancient building that had somehow survived, a place he'd once called home. "And as it all comes to an end...it's only natural I come back to where it all began..." Leaning against a wall, he stared up in the sky as the light of the shuttle's engines illuminated a fated moment. "It's about to come to a head...did I do everything right?"
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a bone shaped data-cube. Balancing it on one finger, he watched as the images stored within played as it bobbed back and forth, memories from long ago, of everything that was lost. "Was it all worth it? I don't know...that's why I let the other guy take care of things..."
Sighing, he lifted his face, one eye glowing bright blue. "Dunk 'em, blondie..."
As Zero guided the shuttle past the debris field, he once again felt the strong pull. "Wha...not now..." He clenched his teeth as he saw the blue light surrounding the colony, felt it beckoning him in. "Fine...you want me? Here I come!" With that, he gunned the engine. "I...am...ZERO!"
His final cry was swallowed by the darkness...and his world was engulfed in light.
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*Salutes* God Speed Zero! Give that Virus HELL!!!!
Damn, that was a sad ending. So will there be a new story on Saturday's or will you be using it as a day off?
Ya know, of all the cliffhangers you've done, this one has me hanging on the most..... and it's on hiatus.
media2.popsugar-assets.com/files/2014/08/29/796/n/1922283/0c844d890154f6f4_tumblr_mghgongvtf1s0iu6xo1_5002xVoZC.xxxlarge/i/Salute.gif
Godspeed zero, and comeback in one piece.
Sky lagoon is destroyed so it was vinyl that blew up the world
Full confirmation Prometheus is Protoman
This made me laugh upon remembering X4
Pretty sad ending there.
The chapter made me realize something: Zero's - and by extension, Octavia's - future in Neo Arcadia...Unless we're getting another pony, or if it'll just stop at the start of Megaman Zero, the thought shall boggle my mind for days.
Sheesh. This story was placed into this once a week update schedule so WWW could catch up months ago, and it's still not quite there yet? Would this spoil the end of that story that it's going into hiatus?
7235525
It's not about getting to the end.
There's a certain point that story has to get past, or this will give huge spoilers to it.
"Zero, be careful."
Too many people to count, 21-24XX
What the fu... Skull Man?
Blues?!?!
How did I not see this??!?!
Tats, well done. You managed to sneak that up on me. Not an easy feat. BRAVO, I SAY!!!
That was Protoman!
This may not be perfect in terms of tone, but I feel I should post them anyway.
Sigh. Well, now I have time to catch up with Wily Wittle Wub.
"Launch in 5..." Signas began. "4...3...2...1..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byFkvbz2Za0
"Launch!"
A tale from under the earth to the stars above- what makes a man? A monster? A machine?
Coming soon in the next season of Melody of the Future! The stars...are right.
'Til next time you beautiful blonde bastard.
7235450
No, Sky Lagoon was one of the few places that survived more-or-less intact (I think; I don't actually know any of the lore outside of this story) until Sigma showed up and literally crashed the joint.
*Sees that the story has updated*
"YES! And its one of the good ones!"
*Sees the Hiatus tag*
"No! Not another one of the good ones!"
*Reads chapter*
"Ah dang it, a cliff hanger"
Reads author note*
"*Grumble* At least this means that WWW will update faster, in theory."
A very enjoyable chapter. Great job.
Here's hoping we don't get the Crazy-Viral version of Zero. Though that could just be me reminiscing on my own play through of X5. It was sweet and awesome to fight X using Zero! Anyways, MAVERICK HUNTERS SALUTE!
7235955 My reaction as well, but with less grumbling.
Well, at least it means no more OC centric chapters while the hiatus lasts. That's positive.
OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
You magnificent bastard
I know this is from Undertale, but I think this song fits here.
From a position of not actually knowing what is coming, I'm kind of nervous about Zero, especially considering whatever is going on with the viral energy.
Oooo, Protoman and Skull Man.
*sigh* I just want to recap.
- I knew Prometheus was Proto Man. When we first hear of him, he was a mysterious Reploid that visited Octavia when she was blinded on a mission, leaving behind some rockin' shades for her to use while her eyes recovered. That was also when we discovered X has a Freak Out Mode... or whatever its called.
- Zero used to be Secret who used to be Doc Robot. It was hinted at in in edit in the earlier chapters AND in WWW when Vinyl was making a girl robot.
- Dynamo is a sleeper agent. He was revealed to be Skull Man in his second fight wit Octavia, who held nothing back.
- It was hinted that Mega Man died when Rush decided to stay offline, leaving Dr. Light Hologram to make Piano. Rush stayed offline on paw-pose to stay with Mega Man... or what's left of him.
Huh, no kidding. He died? I have to admit, this is a rather interesting world that he died for. A world where the villains get metaphorically bitch-slapped for once, the heroes hardly even have to try to save the day, and various character changes result for unimportant reasons as opposed to major ones. I bet he would've loved to live in that world, if he hadn't croaked for whatever mysterious happenstance that occurred.
Hm, so you managed to subvert the glaring issue. You know, a mercenary who'd gladly watch the world burn for an extra nickel getting the power of what's essentially Lady Justice (or at least, tries to be )? Granted, it doesn't make much sense, but that's what backstories are for, right? See you later.
I am soo looking forward to when this continues.
I await the future.
7307607 well, it's a weird name, naming something FART.
7307626
It stood for "First Annual Robotics Tournament".
Poor "Mr. X". He didn't realize the acronym until after he'd revealed the massive golden sign with it emblazoned across it...
7307748 FAIL!!!!!!
On a reread I just had the thought that we could be getting a variation on the bootstrap paradox. Octavia was sent first but when she gets home she has to send Vinyl back to be raised by Wily. So then Vinyl can make everything that Octavia used when she showed up. Good gravy time travel is far to complex for the average person.
7407295
Fair enough
Oh god... Fuck, you got me crying man! I'm fairly certain the header for the data pad was "Last Will and Testament". And that song!
And Dynamo! I should've known! Seriously, it's so obvious now it's stupid. *Pouts* Then again, I thought he was Blues. I had the idea right, just not the character.
Blue energy? JUSTICE!
7527338 So the Virus Energy was really the Evil Energy!!! It makes sense!
I hope sky lagoon gets fixed at some point
Ah, one of the upsides of reading stories after they (and in this case, their sister stories as well) are already finished— no waiting for hiatuses to be over.
... and with this chapter, come the question, would rock have been happy to see the world change in such a way? wherever he is, i hope he's happy... but for now... zero must become whole... and FACE the curruption wrought by his own power.