5: Secrets of the Past
Zero found himself floating in a field of white flame. There was neither heat nor cold, neither light nor dark, only whiteness. As he floated there, he felt power beginning to flow into him. He wasn't sure what was happening, but system messages began to appear.
J-Energy reserves replenished.
Engaging Binary Core.
Ether generation commencing.
Project Revelation codes accepted. Accessing main Lunar databanks.
Viral control programs activated. Beginning final debriefing.
Two holographic images appeared in front of him, one surrounded by a violet aura, one surrounded by a blue aura. Both were images he recognized. The first in the violet light was the hologram that had given him Timbre. The second was the unicorn hologram that had given Tavi the Classic Adapter. Both looked at him with warm smiles, and he somehow realized he knew both of them.
"Well," the old man spoke up, "we certainly didn't expect it to go this way."
"But we were prepared for it," the unicorn confirmed. "So...you probably have some questions for us. Go ahead, ask away."
Finding his voice reactivated, Zero yelled out the first question to come to mind. "Who the fuck are you two?"
The old man started grumbling, even as the unicorn fell over on her back in peals of laughter. "Pay up!" the unicorn snapped, holding out a hoof.
Grumbling, the old man transferred some data before speaking. "We are holographic reconstructions based off the physical appearance and psychic impressions of your creators, much like the Light hologram is to X in his capsules. Our purpose was to act as the control programs for your binary power cores that would let you tap Ether, as you were originally designed to do. For convenience, you may refer to us by the names of those we were based off of: Albert and Vinyl Scratch Wily. I am certain I don't need to tell you who is who."
"Ether?" Zero asked again.
"Two alien sources of energy made their way to Earth during the 21st century," Vinyl explained. "They were known as Justice and Evil Energy. Both fed off the emotions of those who wielded them, polarizing them in the process as it amplified the emotions it fed on and suppressed all others. The end result was that Justice Energy users became Lawful Stupid Crusaders, and Evil Energy users became Chaotic Evil Berserkers. The energies negated each other when wielded against each other, but shared a fundamental wavelength. Quite accidentally, it was discovered that if they were wielded together in a binary process - with two separate neural directives guiding the energies to work together - they would become Ether, a purified energy source massively more powerful than either individually. Your final form was designed from the ground up to utilize that function. I was the control program for your J-Core, while Albert here was the control program for your E-Core."
"So that's where the Virus came from," Zero murmured softly. "Evil Energy sounds a lot like what the Maverick Virus does to Reploids-"
"Precisely," Albert interrupted. "An imperfect copy of my primary program, combined with the Evil Energy I was created to control and the initial tech Sigma used to make other Reploids obey him, resulted in the creation of the behavior altering energy known as the Maverick Virus."
"Why did that even happen?" Zero demanded angrily. "Didn't you have safeguards against it getting loose?"
"We did," Albert replied. "However, it was considered a higher priority that you not become a puppet to either energy before you were able to control ether."
"Why?" Zero cried out despairingly. "What is so important about me that it's worth sacrificing so many innocent lives?"
Both programs were silent for a time. Eventually, Vinyl spoke up. "You are The Judge."
"...what?"
"In the time of the ones we are based off of, humanity was always at war," Vinyl explained. "The war did not always involve weapons, but it always caused suffering. And it was those who did not want to fight that suffered the most from it...and those with no choice that lost their souls to the struggle. Humans, robots...it didn't matter. The one I was created from decided that the only way the world could be united to bring an end to that suffering...was if there was a single being who did not want that suffering to continue, who had within them the power to wipe all life from the planet. You are The Judge...you are The Moment. The Ultimate Destroyer...with a conscience."
"What?"
"It is your purpose," Albert explained. "Each day, you will have a choice. You will look upon the world and ask yourself, are they still worth saving? And then you will decide...to save, or to destroy. That decision will always be wholly yours. And when the world sees the vastness of your power, and learns that it has no limits...they will know what it means to be at the mercy of a man-made god."
Zero stared in stunned amazement. "But...X..."
"Was built by Dr. Light to, in essence, serve the opposite purpose," Vinyl explained. "He was meant to fully bridge the gap between human and robotic life, to be the ambassador that brings peace. His power, too, is limitless, though he does not have Ether as you do. Instead, he was designed to be endlessly self-upgrading, so that no matter how powerful the world around him became, he would always be greater than that...and strong enough to match you. If you are The Judge...he is The Advocate."
Zero turned in the Ether, staring down at the world far below now that he could see it as more of the energy surrounding him funneled into his body. "Then...my destiny...?"
"Is to make your own," Albert explained. "That was our decision for you."
"When I first built you, you were called Doc Robot," Vinyl explained. "I made you to make my father proud of me. Then I rebuilt you as Secret, to be my final weapon to save my father. Then you were The Robot Formerly Known As Secret, as I debated what your final purpose should be. And then we built you as you are...and gave you no name. Your name, like your destiny, was one we wanted you to choose for yourself."
"...what went wrong?" Zero asked. "Why did the energy get loose?"
"...that was my fault," Vinyl continued. "And by that, I mean me, not your creator who I'm based on. When Tavi appeared, I felt...compelled to act to protect her. Dr. Light placed her in stasis with X...and I added a protocol in X's programming that would make him want to take care of her. I also added it to yours as part of your fundamental nature. But...in doing so, the timing circuit of your stasis capsule was altered, and the release program suffered a fatal error." She lowered her head. "I am sorry..."
Zero closed his eyes as he thought this over. "And since you're a part of me...it's my job to fix it." He gazed down at the world below. "I have a lot to make up for."
"Good luck," Vinyl and Albert said together as they vanished, all the energy being absorbed into Zero.
"W...what is that?" X gasped out as he stared up at the screen and the single shining white dot where the colony had been.
"I...I don't know!" Alia called out, running her hands over her console as she desperately tried to analyze the data. "Whatever it is, it's absorbed all the viral energy from the colony...and now it's sucking up all the viral energy coating the planet!" Changing the focus, she zoomed in closer to the planet where streams of violet could be seen being dragged out of the atmosphere and into the new star, shining brighter than the sun and pure as new-fallen snow.
"What about Uncle Zero?" Octavia called out. "Is he going to be alright?"
"I don't know!" Iris whimpered from her console. "That new light...the energy signature it's giving off matches Zero's...but at an order of magnitude beyond anything I've ever seen!"
"It's descending!" Colonel shouted out as the star began streaking towards the planet.
"I'm tracking the course..." Alia began. "...it's coming down at point 11F5646!"
"Get me out there!" X shouted out, donning his Falcon Armor.
"On it, X!" Alia called out as she programmed the teleporter. "Be careful!"
As X warped into the scene, the air around him seemed to shatter as the heavens shook to the sound of a massive power chord. The white star shot down to Earth, coming to a halt right in front of him...and the light faded.
A white armored reploid stood there, surrounded in a corona of white flame. The armor had gold highlights, and the power cores shone a brilliant green in the chest plate. Blue and white hair cascaded from the back of the helm in a familiar ponytail, blowing in wind of its own creation. Familiar green eyes opened, followed by a wide smile.
"Nice timing, X. We've got work to do."
X grinned widely, rushing up to his friend. "Welcome back, Zero!" he proclaimed warmly as they clenched their hands together between their faces.
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And it's back!
I got a lot to reread...
it begins....
And the series tie's together.
It's back!
Well then, all I'm gonna say is that just before Tavi goes back, those two need to have a friendly sparring match, in space, because I don't think the planet would survive otherwise.
It has returned!!! And for some reason, I wanted to type "now kiss" or something.
EDIT: I could've been the guy that said "First!" for once but I had to make a milkshake. Refreshing the page and BOOM... comments.
One hell of a return from the hiatus. Now I will wonder what will happen after the Mega Man 10 arc in WWW...
..... *puts on my shade and snaps my fingers*
It works for this
Why couldn't you pin down a date? The 2xxx is such an overused cliche that says, welp can't figure out an exact year, fuck it XX.
So, MegaMan takes place in the year 20,000?
Millennium = 1,000 years.
I think you meant century, here.
Excite! The series is tying together.
Yay!
Hmmm, need some Vinyl/Tavi emojis.
Woohooo! Great chapter.
Scratch my pervious comment, I now see that it's mega man.
WOW.
I did NOT see that coming! 
... Normally, I would be compelled to say something that corresponds with earlier behavior, and its effects on those surrounding the inciting actions. But I feel it wouldn't be appropriate, somehow. It is as though... I am in the moment, unbound by stipulations of what "makes sense", and am simply here to observe.
Except for this. It may not do much, but apologizing for utterly wrecking Sigma while in "that" state might be a decent starting point.
I feel as though a line break should go there. Also, "shatter".
Reminds me of the profile for KaijinZero. In any case, this was pretty cool. I... look forward to seeing more.
7419133
There is a line break there.
7419165 Huh, it's there when I refresh it, but disappears shortly after. Weird.
I waited until the hiatus was over to read a backlog of chapters. I don't know if I regret or stand by the decision.
A dual-power core hmm.
Finally there's a legitimate explanation for the boob-lights on Zero's chest armor.
pre05.deviantart.net/ccbc/th/pre/i/2012/068/e/9/booblights__by_mandy_kun-d4s6mgo.jpg
PHENOMENAL GODLY POWER. Itty-bitty squeezing space
img14.deviantart.net/5022/i/2004/346/5/3/evil_boob_lights_by_mana_exe.jpg
Epic Meter Rising...! Epic Meter Rising...! Epic Meter Rising...!
INFINITE EPICNESS!!!!!!!
7242635 and now it has started again
they should still fight, X will give him his answer. The outcome of their duel IS HIS answer.. or the duel itself.. but also X using Zero's Saber is awesome... kinda stupid he discarded it after Sigma's 6th defeat
holy hell it updated. been waiting for things in Wily's Little Wub to [progress far enough for this to start back up. lookin forwards to more. keep up the good work
Hah! I was right! Doc Robot is still around baby!
Although that does raise the question of what happened to the old personalities.
Ok is it me or did they just drck each other in greeting
This is just like the scene from X6 where X is just really really happy to see Zero but Zero's so nonchalantly smug about it.
So is Zero a girl or not?
Hot shit, we're back!
7419412 .......................... mace nipple tassels.
So... does Zero have a big red button now... or does he not to ward off time traveling Doctors?
7421236 The latter. The doc's worst problem is is his love of button pushing.
when Zero first reappears...
7429735 Dude, I'm caught up. Evil Energy = Maverick Virus. Vinyl wanted robot once known as Secret (Zero) to be rebuilt as a symbol/god. Doc Robot (Dad's pride) --> Secret (Family Lifeboat) --> Formerly Secret a.k.a. Zero (The world's future). Why she turned Secret into Zero instead of making a new robot was beyond us.
7430775
Because she doesn't like wasting good material.
7430783
Thank you! ...Hold on.
It makes sense! Unlike Wily, Vinyl knows that you can recreate the original. She keeps Mega Man not just as a family friend but to keep the fun times going and to watch as not only she gets better but to see that Rock can better himself. Go beyond science.
You make a new Rock or a new Mega Man and the sentiment is lost. The feeling is gone as you start over with the new bot.
Hey Tatsurou, It's been a while since I looked at this story, so long that I have forgotten which chapters mention Vinyl in them. Could you please list them for me? Or any other author who sees this comment and can answer that for you.
7433677
The only mentions of Vinyl are in the arc covering the events of Mega Man X 2, as that's where the Vinyl capsule appears in Wheel Gator's stage, and they get a partial explanation in a later chapter in that arc of who it was.
7433738 I mean which chapters did she appear in. Not which chapters was her name mentioned.
7434063
She only physically appeared before now as the hologram that gave Octavia the Classic Adapter.
7434182 I know! that's what chapter I'm trying to find!
7434193
2: Rolling Along.
7434207 Thank you.
Awesome chapter. By the way,
Is that hinting that Octavia might soon be getting a crush on him?
7425265 *gives noogie*
So vinyl was responsible for the world blowing up
What days of the week is this story suppose to be updated?
7438649
Saturdays.
Man, I feel kind of sorry for Sigma, he didn't deserve being corrupted into the mess he has become.
7558093
Yeah... but at least he got to admire Zero's amazing, yet very creepy, singing