Update on Yandere!Jing Yuan x Reader fic (Zero-Sum Game)
Hello everyone, thank you all for your patience regarding my upcoming fic. I have been slowly working on it, and right now I'm planning for 11 chapters total!
Looking back on the yandere!Phainon/Khaslana fic, I do note that there are some stylistic, plot, and consistency issues that I'm not 100% happy with. That's probably in large part to because I was so dedicated to getting the chapters out, and it was semi-rushed.
To make sure the plot of Zero-Sum Game aligns to what I'm envisioning, I am planning on writing several chapters ahead of time before starting to post the fic.
NOTE: This will be a split-POV fic. The first half will be from reader's POV, then the second half with be from Jing Yuan's POV. I am also planning on a short hiatus halfway through.
Hope you all are having a great day! Please look forward to another unsettling, dark, manipulative yandere 🥰🥰
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The Vertigo of Power: Empathy, Gaslighting, and the Fight for Reality
I would like to think that if I had the good fortune to acquire billions of power coupons (dollars), I would live a comfortable life, but I would also make sure as many people around me as possible lived comfortably. I think a lot of us would. That’s why some of us can’t fathom the evil that drives men like Trump and Musk. Most of us, if given such power and influence, would help people, and we…
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This story (Arc II: Deep Tissue) is preceded by Scalpel & Needle (Arc I: Incision) and I strongly recommend a read before going into this one. However, if you think it’s the best thing for you, feel free to pretend this sequel never existed. This arc will explore lots of aspects of a relationship - some happy and light-hearted, some (particularly one) difficult and non-canon, so feel free to search for other readings that might better rock your boat. I’m always open to feedback, questions and conversations, but try to keep this warning in mind. I’m beyond grateful for all the love and support this community has given me; @xlisaleinx and @notoversc are particularly to blame for this sequel ever seeing the light of day.
Scalpel & Needle II
Part I – Zero-Sum Game
One hundred eighty-four days had passed since Jamie had gone to Syria. Ninety-six days since Claire had last heard his voice, amounting to two-thousand three hundred hours, which by all accounts seemed to give a much better sense of the enormity of time elapsed.
Claire groaned when she swallowed a mouthful of cold water, her throat sore and burning, as if a fiery caterpillar had decided to a make a nest of her tonsils. Every muscle ached, and the bloody virus undoubtedly had found a way of igniting an unhealthy furnace inside her. Her nose was a pit of misery, where green snot ran uncontrollably, and her head seemed to have taken a leave of absence from the top of her shoulders. There was no bodily fluid or cavity that didn’t feel like complete desolation.
She sniffled in front of the kitchen counter, debating if there was any real sense in trying to eat a proper meal, since everything tasted like phlegm. Deciding that a third nap for the day was a much better option, Claire padded to the bedroom carrying a simple red apple, her fingers mindlessly brushing the fabric of the oversized blue t-shirt she was wearing.
With an unladylike whimper, the female surgeon practically dove into the mattress of the large bed. Quickly and instinctively, she craned her neck against the pillow, inhaling deeply. There, but almost gone.
In the first few weeks of his mission, Jamie had been stationed in the simmering but fairly safe city of Damascus, after the Doctors Without Borders convoy had crossed the Syrian border coming from Lebanon. In spite of the conflict being ever-present, the heart of the war now pulsed further North, where rebels and regime battled for control over a graveyard of civilians. Jamie had been tasked with one-on-one training of local doctors, since they were predominantly underprepared, poorly trained and decidedly lacking convenient supplies. Although it hadn’t been a daily occurrence even in those days, he had managed to phone or text with some regularity; but that had changed drastically three months before.
“I’m being transferred to Raqqa.” Jamie had told her, the line crunching with static, like bubble wrap between the fingers of a child. He seemed to be using a very ancient phone to make the connection, probably resistant enough to survive a blast. “There are barely any doctors left there. Most of them fled or died during the last shellings.”
“You’re already three months in.” Claire retorted, nervously fidgeting with a scrap of paper. She had been awake for almost forty-eight hours, solving all kinds of mayhem at the hospital. Her eyes and skin felt raw, as if he was skinning her alive with his voice. The blade of his absence successfully separating epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, flesh, bone. “So, I’m guessing it will be six months after all?”
“Aye.” He paused, his soft breathing filling her ear, as it did when he nuzzled her neck after he had come unto her. “I’m sorry, Claire. I can’t leave without doing everything I can.”
“I understand.” And she truly did most of the time.
She understood when she watched the news - vibrant bodies, collapsed after a chemical attack, being carried away by arms on the limits of exhaustion. She understood when she read about another vessel shipwrecked, souls of migrants drifting away in the water like precious fishes, perhaps on the final journey for a real home. She understood when Jamie called her, and his voice was urgent but lively, accomplished, pulsing with purpose like a hive of busy bees.
But there were times when understanding was harder, when it all felt like a perfidious zero-sum game, his conquests coming at the expense of her own heartbreak. When she remembered their final kiss at the airport, Jamie’s tongue tasting of dark coffee and creamy butter from his breakfast, but also sadly sweet from all the words left unsaid. When she would find an old handwritten note in one of her pockets and felt a sense of absolute wrongness, as if the letters he had left behind could be useful in bringing him home, the dot on the “i” a trampoline he could use to jump across the world and into her arms. When she inadvertently broke the bottle of his perfume, during a sleepless night of cleaning and wondering, and she was cursed with the smell of him like a solid thing she could bite and swallow, except it would vanish completely, leaving nothing in its place.
“Dinna watch the news.” He said softly. She could hear other voices talking behind him, words she couldn’t understand but sounded like frustration. “It will be bad. I don’t want ye to worry too much.”
“You know my television habits consist basically of “The Great British Bake Off” and boring documentaries. No time to watch out for sarin gas. I barely think about you anyway, Fraser.” Claire joked, but her voice betrayed her. It quivered and hitched, as if it was kneeling before him in pleading. “Come home to me.”
Raqqa had been a bastion of the Daesh for several years; the devastation had started even before bombings turned buildings and streets into piles of rubble. Women had been stoned to death for no other crime than not being a man, sons forced to kill their fathers and severed heads displayed around the central square, silently accusing both survivors and perpetrators. Walking on the streets was a permanent hazard, since landmines crawled under the ground like rats in a sewer. Claire had discovered all these things, fervently searching the Internet for knowledge that would bridge the gap, until those details of horror made her throw up violently. In that post-apocalyptic scenario, it was no strange thing that communications were almost inexistent.
The time of deafening silence between them had started.
Claire would come home to be greeted with a disheartening “No-new-messages” in a metallic impersonal tone. She toyed with her phone, writing text messages she would never send, since they stayed forever pendent from the lack of an available receiver.
“Did a hepatoportoenterostomy today.”
“I don’t like you very much right now. But I still love you.”
“Leoch has a new manager. Massive bloke, seems to know his rugby. You’ll like him.”
“Happy birthday, Jamie.”
“Drunk and horny. And lonely.”
“Gorged all the sushi in Edinburgh tonight. I’m disgusting.”
“Where are you?”
“Will you come back?”
“Please –“
She would play over and over the last message Jamie had left in her voicemail, a week after arriving in Raqqa, when her hands had been immersed in human flesh to the elbows – the only circumstance she failed to receive his call, since she had taken the habit of carrying her phone everywhere, even to the edge of the shower.
“Claire.”
The way Jamie said her name. She played it again. Once more, with her eyes closed. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to call again. This is hell. I love ye.”
This is hell. I love ye. Even in hell, he had thought of loving her. She fell asleep while hitting play again, her fingers stretched mid-air to touch the memory of him. Claire dreamt of his kiss that night and never cared that his lips tasted like blood.
It wasn’t his absence per se. She was used to being alone and had been reluctant to accept his presence in the first place. There was still such novelty in their togetherness, to the point that they still made complete sense apart. It was the possibility of the absence becoming permanent. It was the fear of the days that stretched into weeks and months, making them again strangers to each other. It was the prospect of an “I love you” told only once, whole-heartedly, but meaning no more than a full-stop when she had intended it to be a comma, full of words to follow.
Her phone buzzed violently on the nightstand and Claire moaned, quickly uncovering her head from the blankets where she was immersed. In her screen blinked the photo of a redheaded woman, smiling mischievously. Claire felt silently judged by her green eyes.
“Hey.” Claire rasped out. Her body throbbed with discomfort, a sickly sweat dripping down the back of her neck, while the skin of her arms prickled with goose bumps. “What’s up, Geillis?”
“Where are ye?” Her friend sounded from the other side and Claire winced with the apparent loudness of her voice. Her head felt like a cracked eggshell, her thoughts whisked like egg whites into fluffy airy piles, weightless and impossible to shape.
“Home.” The doctor retorted dryly, smacking her lips in annoyance.
“No, ye’re not.” Geillis protested, sounding unpleasantly bubbly. “I’m at yer door and I knocked enough times to raise the deid. Even yer sick arse would have opened by now. Are ye at his place again?”
Jamie had offered her a key, that she had been unable to accept until the perspective of his departure had turned into staggering reality. The house might be vacant of Jamie, but it was the place where she managed to find him more easily, as if the echo of his laughter would still bounce back against the walls to hit her ears. The traces of his presence were little surprises, a treasure hunt she endured gladly, secretly hoping he might be expecting her at the end of it.
“His bed is bigger than mine.” Claire replied haltingly, trying to sound nonchalant for someone who couldn’t breathe through the nose. “More space to spread my misery.”
“Ah!” Geillis snorted. “Please, tell me ye haven’t been sniffing his underwear. That would be so pathetic and sad. And ghastly.”
“Rest assured I can’t really sniff anything at the moment.” The surgeon coughed a little and turned on her side, feeling mightily drowsy and lightheaded. “Besides, everything is pristine in this apartment. Now, unless you’re about to send me some chicken soup over the phone, I’m hanging up.”
“Have ye watched the news today?” The nurse asked finally, sounding forcibly casual.
“Should I?” Claire whispered, her heart hammering like mad from the increased demands of her fevered body and apprehension. “Was it gas again?”
“Mustard.” Her friend said softly, as if the tone of her voice could serve as a protective cushion against bad news. “Not the type I’d like on my hotdog, I gather. But I’m sure Jamie is perfectly –“
“No, you’re not.” Claire said in rumble. “No one can be certain of anything. It’s just wishful thinking at this point.”
“Try to rest.” Geillis pleaded, her voice flat with concern. “I have to go assist on a procedure. I’ll check on ye later.”
Claire tried to rest indeed, not because of any particular penchant for forgetfulness, but because her body was rebelling against her. Even laying down, the muscles of her legs cramped and burned, and the mere suggestion of light seemed like thunder behind her eyelids. She trashed against the moist sheets, an acrid tang of disease creeping inside her blocked nostrils, which she suspected came from her own body.
“Beauchamp.” She heard a faint voice whisper, somewhere in the corner of the room. “Wake up.”
“Hmmm.” Claire wordlessly protested, her jaw tensed and painful.
“Ye’re still a lousy patient.” The voice proceeded, amused. “I’ve been away for sae long and this is how ye greet me?”
Claire partially opened her eyes – her fingers moving over to physically peel off her stubborn and purulent lashes – and she saw Jamie, sitting on the armchair in the corner of the room. The last time she had seen him there, he had been half-naked drawing her body after he had thoroughly made her come. She almost blushed, embarrassed that she could think of sex even in the midst of a bout of sickness, and while contemplating what could only be a ghost.
“You’re not real.” Claire covered her eyes again, feeling like a child playing peek-a-boo. “Fuck, I’m really losing it.”
“How can ye be sure I’m not real?” Jamie pointed, his lips curving on a smile. Her memory had overlooked the slight dimple on his cheek when he laughed, Claire realized with a thud; the thought almost made her tear up. In an instant, as if he was a drawing she could correct with pencil and eraser, the dimple had returned to his face. Perfect.
“You’d be all over me if you were really here.” She snorted with fake mirth.
“Ye’re too sick, lass.” He shrugged, his blue eyes piercing her. “I expect that I can control myself in such circumstances.”
“You haven’t had sex in six months.” Claire huffed, rolling on her stomach. That way she could avoid looking straight into his face. “Hopefully, I mean. I know I can’t control myself. So, this – you - are just an hallucination caused by high fever. My brain is frying.”
“Ah.” He offered her a throaty laugh, one that made her want to insert her own fingers through her throat and rip her heart out. “I missed ye, Beauchamp.”
“I missed that laugh.” She admitted regretfully, biting her bottom lip. “When are you coming back?”
Jamie paused and he looked distant for a beat, sadness making his face less vivid. Undefined. “Maybe ye should read those letters, aye?”
“No.” Claire moaned, slightly shaking her head. The letters had been stored in the drawer of the nightstand – sometimes, she would look at them for a long period, asking questions only the one who wrote them could answer. But she never opened them. They meant the end. “You are not dead. Go away.”
“Would ye rather know I was dead?” Jamie whispered, his voice almost a buzz, escaping her with every syllable. He was vanishing. “Or would ye rather know I forgot ye?”
In game theory and economic theory, a zero-sum game is a mathematical representation of a situation in which each participant's gain or loss of utility is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of the utility of the other participants. If the total gains of the participants are added up and the total losses are subtracted, they will sum to zero. Thus, cutting a cake, where taking a larger piece reduces the amount of cake available for others, is a zero-sum game if all participants value each unit of cake equally (see marginal utility).
In contrast, non-zero-sum describes a situation in which the interacting parties' aggregate gains and losses can be less than or more than zero. A zero-sum game is also called a strictly competitive game while non-zero-sum games can be either competitive or non-competitive. Zero-sum games are most often solved with the minimax theorem which is closely related to linear programming duality,[1] or with Nash equilibrium.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Following is a work in progress and is subject to change. This is basically the last chapter of MMXtreme Movie 2. I hope you enjoy it. An Epilogue will be added at a later date.
- Metal Man X
-------------------------------------------------
INT. BIO LABORATORY – NIGHT
-------------------------------------------------
Isoc looks up at the monitor, and takes a break from reprogramming the near-finished Split Mushroom.
With a gasp, he rushes to the console and reacts at the footage of his old Chamber from the computer’s satellite readings.
ISOC:
(reacting, growing excited)
What the-? He’s free! He did it! ..Don’t tell me.. He actually did it!!!
With a victorious outcry, he raises his arms dramatically.
ISOC:
YEEEEEEEES!!! Berkana’s dead! Now we can execute the next phase of our plan. And no matter the outcome, I will be the victor!!!
He quickly enters command prompts to patch in a com-link to Sigma’s current location.
Completely startled by the com-link he receives, he presses a hand to his ear and responds.
SIGMA:
Huh!?
ISOC:
(o.s, filtered)
It seems that the Witch and her stupid Knight have failed. Now it’s our turn, to claim what is ours!
SIGMA:
..How did you-?
ISOC:
(o.s, filtered)
I built in a com-link to your censors in the event that we needed to communicate. It seems that Berkana has conveniently placed you in my old room, for some reason. Which works out quite nicely, actually.
SIGMA:
(grinning)
Oh? And why is that??
ISOC:
(o.s, filtered)
I used to be the director, which means that you have access to the entire Laboratory’s PA system. You can call the Hunters directly to you at any time.
Sigma narrows his gaze at the monitors with a grin. He can see that Berkana and the reploid labelled, Gareth have been completely destroyed by X and Zero.
X stares at the holographic image of Sigma's head in shock, as his Golden Armor fades to shades of white, blue and orange.
SIGMA:
But this time, I have to thank you for doing that, actually. Berkana went too far. Although, she did help to keep me entertained for a while. Hee hee hee.
X glares at the holographic image in anger and points at his purple, scarred face.
X:
(blaming, upset)
It was you who started the incident! Sigma!!
SIGMA:
(grinning)
Now is not the time for talk, now is the time to be destroyed!
From Berkana's Chamber, X gazes at Berkana's broken, burnt corpse.
X:
(v.o, thinking)
Sigma… Did he… cause her to turn Maverick in the first place?? She didn’t even mention him…
ZERO:
(o.s, filtered)
X… Did you get all that?
X:
I can’t believe he's back, Zero!!
ZERO:
(o.s, filtered)
Me neither…
X:
How the Hell did he come back so soon!? Doppler's Anti-Virus should have wiped him out completely!!!
ZERO:
(o.s, filtered)
Well, apparently it wasn’t enough to keep him down… You don’t think Berkana revived him with an Erasure, do you?
X:
I don’t know… Something isn’t right here… Sigma suddenly appeared and challenged us, but Berkana made it seem as if the Erasure Experiment was all her idea…
ZERO:
(o.s, filtered)
Maybe it was. Then again… We did notice an eerie similarity to Sigma and those stupid Sphinxes we faced…
X:
You don’t think… Sigma secretly organized this Experiment the whole time!!?
ZERO:
I don’t know… All I know is that he’s back, and we can’t have that.
X:
(v.o, thinking)
She tried to lure me to her side. I bet she would've tried the same thing with Zero, too… And with Sigma now in the picture… I wonder if this whole thing was pre-arranged from the grave. …Is Sigma really that powerful??? (aloud) …We have to stop Sigma at all costs!
He runs over to the gate, with a new sense of urgency.
Zero clenches a fist and runs out of the opposite gate leading out of the room.
ZERO:
Copy that.
He runs into the next corridor and spots a nearby Elevator.
X:
(o.s, filtered)
After all we've been through with Doppler's Army... If Sigma can just come back to life, then what the Hell was the God Damn point in the first place?
Zero tilts his head, surprised by X's frustration as he stops at the Elevator.
ZERO:
Doppler was a mad man who needed to be stopped, X. Then he unleashed a monster, who has an annoying knack for coming back from the dead… Its just that simple.
X:
Well! I wish it was just that simple to keep him down for good!!
ZERO:
Hey, we're gonna get this! I found an elevator down here. With any luck it should lead me to you.
X:
(o.s filtered)
Okay, I think I see one up ahead. I'll wait for you.
Zero smiles as the doors close and he takes the elevator up.
Iris watches her monitors, worried more than ever.
IRIS:
Oh no! Here it comes.
Captain eyes his new intern curiously.
CAPTAIN:
What is it, Iris?
IRIS:
It's.. S-Sigma!!
CAPTAIN:
(shocked, worried)
WHAT!?
IRIS:
Somehow he came back and right now Zero and X are going after him!!
Captain's eyes widen.
CAPTAIN:
Whoa- that is… quite a development.
He attempts to maintain his composure. If he loses face in front of his organization, the entire staff will be panicked. Who was he kidding? They were all going to panic anyway…
CAPTAIN:
We have to be discreet with this information… Only inform Cain and the Mission Team. For the moment, this event is on a need-to-know basis.
X and Zero turn the corner as they run through a winding corridor. Eventually they see an open space where the only way to traverse is through the use of hovering platforms. They do not find it a coincidence that two platforms are waiting for them.
ZERO:
Hmph.
X:
Do you think Sigma planted this trap for us?
ZERO:
Or Berkana…? It doesn’t matter any more, X. We've got to finish this now before any one else gets hurt!!
He leads the way by hopping on a hover platform. X follows close by and hops on the corresponding device.
The platforms take them to the other side of the corridor, which is broken up into larger and larger gaps of pitfalls.
Between the first gap, 2 Batton bones attack them only to get blown and sliced away by a heavy charge shot and a thick saber slash.
Both of them react to each other's attacks with wide eyes.
ZERO:
Damn dude…
X:
Whoa…! …These Erasures have powered us up too much. I thought destroying Berkana would free all of the DNA Souls…
ZERO:
Well, right now I don’t mind the power boost. It's gonna take everything we've got to face against Sigma.
X reluctantly nods with a frown as Zero passes the next gap with an air-dash. X follows suit and anticipates an attack from three more Batton bones. Upon perking up from the ceiling, they are instantly destroyed by his yellow charge shot.
Zero turns to his partner, still amazed.
ZERO:
Phew! You didn’t even charge up!! I can’t get over that.
X shakes his head.
X:
I'm not proud of it… This power isn’t my own… I didn’t earn it.
Zero nods with a breath as he leads him to a second set of hover platforms.
ZERO:
Well… After all that we've been through today… Sigma deserves it.
With that, the hover platforms direct them to a far wall, in which they will have to scale upwards in order to advance further.
Dr. Cain's face goes visibly red as he closes the window and cuts off their com-link without hesitation. The readings on his Life Preservation Chair begin to escalate to alarming degrees.
DR. CAIN:
H-howw…? How could this happen!? We eliminated him!!!
He breaks into a cold sweat as his blood pressure gauge is raised significantly. His breathing apparatus works at a much faster degree as Doctor Cain becomes dizzy and has trouble seeing.
DR. CAIN:
We've been through so much! How can we ever stop…
He freezes, frightened by his thoughts and symptoms.
DR. CAIN:
We can't! Oh God… I can't..!!
With a tightening chest, his levels reach critical mass and short-circuit the units in his preservation chair.
DR. CAIN:
(v.o, thinking)
…I can’t breathe…
He closes his eyes and turns his head, as his body starts to go limp.
DR. CAIN:
(v.o, thinking)
Oh God… This is it. I can tell, my body is going into Cardiac Arrest. Please Lord. Not like this…
The camera turns to Dr. Cain's monitor, which displays an updated file of his Repliforce report:
REPLIFORCE v3 Evaluation: June 1
MAVERICK HUNTER v3 units respond too late
Maverick action building at alarming rate
Maverick riot destroys major cities, causes destruction throughout region
REPLIFORCE v3 proven ineffective and potentially dangerous
We zoom in to the words 'ineffective and potentially dangerous'.
DR. CAIN:
(v.o, narrating)
There is still so much to be done…
X and Zero kick jump up the wall until they see nothing but spikes ahead. They quickly air-dash over to a higher wall behind them and proceed to avoid the subsequent spike trap on that wall as well. Once they air-dash away, they reach the top of the trap and are not pleased with what lies before them.
ZERO:
Ah man.. What the Hell is this?
X silently scans the area with his Radar. Amongst a very shadowy corridor, only three randomly placed pipes can be seen. They seem to be the only method of advancing beyond the large pitfall before the next corridor.
X:
(whispering, focussed)
2 bats up ahead in the shadows…
He shoots a charge shot directly at them with ease, which completely lays waste to them. Then the two take turns making acrobatic leaps and air-dashes from pipe to pipe until they reach the other side of the corridor.
Once on the other side, Zero grins and takes out his Saber.
Zero runs through the next corridor and up a ramp as he spots a crablaster and fearlessly takes it out with his thick saber.
*Vhoosh* The new saber sound makes Zero smile as he crushes right through the mechaniloid without any effort.
He progresses further on to take out another crablaster and encounters a soldier in Hawk Ride Armor, who revs it’s guns.
ZERO:
Hm… Lets see how good I am!
He boldly takes two heavy slashes at the Ride Armor soldier and destroys it instantaneously.
X makes wide eyes in awe, from right behind him.
X:
Whoa…
ZERO:
I can’t wait to use this on Sigma!
He leads the way up a short wall through the corridor as they effortlessly take out the remaining crablasters and Ride Armor soldiers in their path.
X's charge shots and Zero's heavy saber swings take no extra energy to perform. As they enter the gateway, the two begin to feel confident about their abrupt rematch with their nemesis.
Magma Dragoon and PSI, the head medic, carefully place Dr. Cain on a hospital bed, while a small team of Lifesavers huddle around him and set up his IVs and heart monitor.
Nearby, Frenzy Foxkit and Venzo sit up in their hospital beds, alert at the sight of Dr. Cain’s condition. Tethlon winces in pain as he turns his head toward the commotion. Jack Mackerel is unconscious, currently in stasis, while CASSANDRA, the concerned Nurse turns around.
An Oxygen mask is placed on Dr. Cain, who can do nothing but close his eyes and try to breathe.
MAGMA DRAGOON:
(concerned, upset)
What’s going on!? What’s happening??
PSI:
(worried, analyzing)
Dr. Cain is experiencing Heart Failure…! But I can’t imagine why his stress levels have elevated this high.
Magma Dragoon, Frenzy Foxkit and Venzo share a look of guilt. Tethlon cringes and turns his head as he feels another jarring pain from his broken, charred legs.
PSI:
Aren’t X and Zero about to win the day?? …Gareth can’t be that dangerous, can he???
Magma Dragoon looks down and shakes his head.
MAGMA DRAGOON:
It’s not Gareth OR Berkana that we have to worry about any more…
CASSANDRA:
(confused)
Berkana??
MAGMA DRAGOON:
It’s Sigma…
Psi, Cassandra and the Lifesavers gasp in fear.
MAGMA DRAGOON:
He’s back and it’s killing Doctor Cain!!
The familiar Neo-Sigma stands before them with his chest puffed out and an eerily amused grin.
SIGMA:
Hee hee hee. I’m pleased to see you both. Now I’ll delete your souls forever!
He unleashes his claws and immediately dashes to X and gives him a hard slash across the chest.
X:
Agh!
As X falls down, Zero takes a heavy slash towards Sigma’s left arm and catches it.
SIGMA:
GAHH!!
He takes a step back and forms a heavy spark wall with both hands, and throws it at him.
Zero gets struck with the spark wall and falls to the ground.
ZERO:
(affected, hurt)
k-zzhh..shit!
X:
Aaahh!!!
X runs after Sigma and fires 4 charge shots at Sigma’s side.
Sigma expertly dashes away from two of them, slashes one away and then fearlessly dives into the last one. He phase teleports away at the last moment and phases back into a dive, where he sinks both claws into X’s shoulders and tackles him to the ground.
X:
AAAGGHHH!!!!!
SIGMA:
HAHAHAHA!!!
ZERO:
NO!!!!
With desperation, Zero punches the ground with a green glowing fist to set off a powerful Earth Crush, which does little but knock Sigma off of X.
SIGMA:
Hmph.. Heehee. HAHAHAH! Is that all you've got?
ZERO:
Oh trust me, I'm just getting STARTED!!!
Zero dashes right into him and clashes heavy sabers against his claws.
Sigma retaliates with equally powerful parries and attacks with his other hand.
ZERO:
Ungh!
He is slashed in the ribs.
SIGMA:
GAH!
Sigma is shot in the back by a panting X, who holds his wound with a buster out and keeps firing.
Sigma turns his head and grins as he emits a series of electric sparks from his core. 5 sparks surround him and scatter towards both X and Zero.
X is kept busy, evading three while Zero is caught off guard and shocked by the other two.
Meanwhile, Sigma dashes away towards a far wall. With a kick jump, he phase teleports toward Zero to capitalize on his attack.
SIGMA:
What the-
Sigma slashes Zero across the chest, making him fall down.
From afar, X blasts Sigma with three strong charge shots to the side.
SIGMA:
Erg, Agh, Gah!
He dashes away and fires a spark wall from both hands at X. Then another at Zero.
The spark walls catch both Hunters as Sigma high jumps and phase teleports to attack X once again.
Anticipating this attack, X dashes away once Sigma phases in to attack at close-range. He fires 2 more charge shots directly at his chest and 1 more in the face, as they all knock him back.
As Sigma flails in pain, Zero sneaks up from behind and impales him in the back.
SIGMA:
(reacting)
Hytt!
ZERO:
Its over Sigma…
Without hesitation, X fires a charge shot right at Sigma's core while Zero's saber is still embedded behind Sigma's back.
The charge shot meets the tip of Zero's saber and causes Sigma's body to explode.
As his body explodes, suddenly slats of protective golden plating emit from his core and encase his damaged body in the image of a large pentagon. The pentagon quickly details itself into a large face resembling Sigma.
Zero takes a step back.
ZERO:
(reacting)
What the-?
2 large arms and legs jut out from the side and bottom of the pentagon, which becomes his new waist.
X:
(nervous)
H-he's… transforming!
A brand new Sigma head pops out at the top of the large pentagon, which now serves as a pronounced chest plate. Muscles and indentations imprint new details to his body as his gold and purple armor shines in the room.
SIGMA:
(v.o, thinking)
Huh?
The Gigantic Sigma floats in mid air and stares ahead at the wall, confused and slightly humbled. Then he receives a com-link.
ISOC:
(o.s, filtered)
Fear not my friend. I won’t let you die yet… I've programmed a Fail-Safe just in case something like this would happen. Now go ahead. Say something nice and foreboding to the Hunters...
Sigma narrows his eyes and looks down at the two. They anxiously look up at him with trepidation.
SIGMA:
It seems that I have underestimated you two… But playtime is over. Now I'll bring this to an end.
X and Zero look at each other with grim faces.
ZERO:
…We can’t hold anything back.
X:
I know…
X braces himself and powers up.
ZERO:
(dark, mysterious)
No… You don’t…
He powers up as his red armor starts to get darker.
ZERO:
I apologize for what you’re about to see, but… I promise, I'll explain everything later. HUAAAAAHHHH!!!!
In a raging dark aura of power, Zero's armor darkens to jet black as he pulls out his purple saber.
X's eyes widen at the sight as he channels his own inner power.
X:
It’s alright, Zero. You don’t have to explain anything. At this point… /Kyaah!! ..We both have skeletons in our closet!!
In a blinding flash of light, X's armor /powers up into it's Ultimate Golden form.
SIGMA:
Hahahahaa! Well done boys. The bright beacon of light, and the dark mysterious shadow, both uniting together as one. All for the sake of preventing that which cannot be stopped! Me…
ZERO:
Well if you didn’t keep coming back, maybe we wouldn’t have to..!
SIGMA:
Hahahhaa!!! Ironic, coming from an Undead Warrior himself.
ZERO:
Hmph!!
SIGMA:
Look at us! Titans amongst our Reploid Brethren. All because we keep pushing each other's limits. Its quite fascinating really.
X:
We evolve as much as we have to, to ensure that you will never come back to haunt us again!
SIGMA:
And yet here I stand!
ZERO:
Not for long!!!
Zero runs after him and jumps toward the chest plate with an ugly face. He cuts him with a hard slash, but seems to inflict no damage on the armor.
ZERO:
Huh?
X fires charge shot after charge shot at Sigma's chest plate. The charge shots leave only small traces of explosions while Sigma's armored plating still remains pristine.
X:
He's too strong!
ZERO:
Keep trying /rRah!
He swings another blade as Sigma retaliates with green orbs of his own. They fly after X and Zero, as X carefully blasts a cross-shot at Sigma's chest.
SIGMA:
Kaaagh.
Suddenly his protective casing leaves him and the underlying damaged Neo-Sigma body is revealed, floating in mid-air.
X:
Huh?
ZERO:
GOT IT!!!
Zero takes the opportunity to uppercut Sigma's exposed body with his saber, but then red protective slats produce themselves from his core and protect Sigma once again in a gigantic frame.
ZERO:
What the-!?
X:
New Armor!!
He blasts it with a charge shot, but this time it has no affect at all. The blast is completely deflected.
ZERO:
WHAT!?
Zero frantically slashes at Sigma's red frame and catches him with his heavy blade. The sound of his beam saber tearing at the armor is incredibly satisfying to Zero's ears.
ZERO:
Heheheh. There we go… You're no match for this Shit Sigma!!
SIGMA:
Hmph.
He flies high up into the room and drops down towards him at a fast pace.
SIGMA:
In this form I can squash you like the insect that you are.
Zero dashes out of the way as Sigma lands right by his feet. The room shakes and force both Zero and X to fall to the ground.
ZERO:
Whoa!!
SIGMA:
Heeheehee.
Sigma fires orbs from a far, which catch Zero while X can do nothing but dodge. He tries to fire at him one more time, but witnesses no effect at all. His Charge Shot is rendered useless.
SIGMA:
Hahahah! Fools.
X analyzes Sigma's armor and calls out to his partner.
X:
Zero! Only your Saber can affect his armor!! You have got to get up!!
ZERO:
I've GOT This one!!!
Zero dashes and rips into a heavy upper cut with his saber from the floor and continues to slash at him two more times before landing.
Once Zero's feet touch the ground, he tilts his saber down and strikes him with a drill beam. The red armor surrounding Sigma's body retreats into itself and reveals his damaged Neo-form once again.
X's head gem blips into a green grid.
[RADAR]:
Weakness exposed. Engage!
With a brief opening, X fires a quick charge shot that catches Sigma in the chest as Zero slashes him at the side.
SIGMA:
(affected)
Gaaagh...
A new set of blue protective coating peers out from Sigma's core.
X:
Aah!
ZERO:
Noo!
The blue plating encases Sigma in a gigantic mechanized form once again, as he floats menacingly above them, seemingly unfazed.
ZERO:
Shit!
X:
…He keeps evolving.
ZERO:
I'll get him!! //What!??
He takes a furious swing at Sigma with his saber, which is /repelled so fast that it /falls out of his hand.
SIGMA:
I think not.
Sigma grabs Zero with his arm and lifts him up.
X:
NO!
X fires charge shot after charge shot at Sigma's chest and arm, while Zero charges up his body.
ZERO:
rrrrrrrRaAaaaaaaaAaAAAHHHH!!!!!!
He unleashes furious streaks of lightning at Sigma's arm, which seem to do nothing but create a light show.
SIGMA:
You fool… your borrowed attacks won’t work on me…
He throws Zero into X out of frustration.
X & ZERO:
(grunting)
Ough.
Zero slowly gets up and dusts himself off, as does X.
ZERO:
So is that it!? Are you just gonna keep switching armors in the hope that you'll eventually defeat us??
SIGMA:
Hahahahah… If you must know, I'm still getting used to this body, myself.
He fires more orbs at X and Zero as they proceed to dodge his attacks.
ZERO:
It must be nice to be able to just.. come back to life whenever you please.
SIGMA:
Hee hee hee. Well I'll tell you one thing. Its certainly never boring with people like you, Zero.
X continuously fires charge shots at his chest when he finds his openings.
X:
What I’d like to know is /How?
He fires a /charge shot.
X:
How did ya do it? / We eliminated your Computer Virus /months ago.
He fires 2 more //charge shots.
SIGMA:
Who said anything about a Computer Virus?
X:
Doctor Doppler him/self!
He fires another /charge shot.
SIGMA:
That was just a theory.
He rushes after a disheartened X with a heavy attack of his own. He creates a green barrier shield and dashes directly into X, knocking him onto the ground.
X:
Aaaugh!!
Sigma holds X down as he sinks his beastly nails into his chest.
X:
Guuuuh!!
X fires 2 charge shots at close range, which causes Sigma's blue armor to retract.
SIGMA:
(ugly)
Gyaaah! I'll kiiill youuuuuu...
Neo Sigma kneels over X with his claws still out as a purple saber is stabbed right in his back.
SIGMA:
AAAAGH!!!
He gets shot in the chest by X and writhes in pain, as his core reboots a set of red protective slats. He layers himself in his red gigantic armor once again and turns to Zero.
SIGMA:
Hmph! YOUR TURN!!!
He creates wide crescent shaped beams and throws them at Zero with prejudice.
Zero's eyes widen at the oncoming attacks, until he furrows his brow and daringly dashes under the beams in order to advance towards Sigma.
After cascading back and forth between the crescent beams multiple times, he eventually gets in front of Sigma and is able to slash at him twice, before his armor suddenly switches colors from red to blue.
The moment Sigma's armor is draped in blue, it is immediately resistant to Zero's saber.
ZERO:
(reacting)
Oh come on!!
X:
/Yah!!
X fires a /charge shot right at his chest.
SIGMA:
Agh. Hahahaha!
He flies high up towards the ceiling of the room and fires a heavy beam of green plasma at both of them.
X:
Oh Noooooo!!!
X and Zero dash out of the way, but Sigma persistently follows them with his beam until he catches them.
X & ZERO:
Gaaaaaahhhh.
SIGMA:
Hee hee hee. Yes, yes YEESSS!!!!
He relinquishes his beam attack. They are down and wounded, profusely.
SIGMA:
At long last, I live to see the day that X and Zero finally die…
He switches to his Golden armor once again and charges up his body for one final blow.
X and Zero lay next to each other, bleeding from various gashes across their faces and bruised from dents along their bodies.
ZERO:
(wounded, hurt)
e..e..X…
X:
S-s…sub tank…
His hand shakes as he reaches for it into his compartment belt.
Zero's eyes widen as he does the same.
ZERO:
Its our l-last ch-aancccce.
SIGMA:
HEE HEE HEE, GOOD BYE!!!
Sigma unleashes another heavy beam at the two, who immediately protest with a surprising dash away from the blast at both directions.
SIGMA:
What!!?
X:
I don’t care HOW FAR I have to push myself Sigma!! I will /NOT/LOSE to /YOU!!!
X /air-dashes twice towards Sigma's position. Then amidst an over powered Hyper Mode, X seems to form a Nova Aura around his charged state, which propels him further towards Sigma as he headbutts directly through the Golden Armor's chest and causes it to retract completely.
SIGMA:
/Gruah. /Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!
X tackles Neo Sigma in mid-air and slams him to the ground.
ZERO:
Hyaaaaaaaaah!!!
Zero dash jumps over to Neo Sigma and capitalizes in the punishment with a glowing purple fist.
Zero punctures a hole through Sigma's chest and creates a huge arc of dark light that finally causes Sigma's broken body to disintegrate.
SIGMA:
GYEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
A massive explosion occurs in the area, and this time both X and Zero are secure that they have finally defeated Sigma. At least for now.
X slowly gets up and watches Zero pant as his black armor slowly reverts itself into a dark crimson, and eventually back to it’s normal vibrant red color.
As X allows his muscles to relax, his golden armor reverts itself to white, orange and blue once again. Then he retracts the battle armor completely and stands before his best friend, in his base form.
The two give each other a look of exhausted respect.
X:
Are you all right? Zero?
ZERO:
Yeah, I am. /Hey, look at that!
Suddenly, out of nowhere all of the DNA Souls they once inherited /free themselves from X and Zero's body.
X:
(gasping)
The DNA Souls are returning! The hollow Reploids will be able to come back to life!
ZERO:
Probably... Everything is finally over. At least for now…
IRIS:
(o.s, filtered)
X! Zero! The hollow Reploids are coming to life one by one!
ZERO:
(excited, relieved)
Iris! Man is it good to hear your voice after all that…
IRIS:
(o.s filtered, giggling)
Hehehe, ooh Zerooo… You’re making me blush.
ZERO:
(blushing, smiling)
Heh. Lets call in a Rescue Team to help the Reploids in cooperation. Heck, We might even be able to recruit some!
X smiles as the afterglow of victory finally sets in.
X:
Let's go Zero! We have to express our thanks to Iris. It'll be so good to see everyone again!!
IRIS:
(o.s, filtered)
Yaaaaaay!
Zero turns his coms off and looks at X, silently signaling for him to do the same.
He does so and looks at Zero with curiosity.
ZERO:
Iris was very helpful. I feel sorry that her first job as a Maverick Hunter was like this, though. I'm worried that the Colonel will blame me for putting her through all of this stress.
X:
The Colonel? But she volunteered to help us as an intern! I believe the experience will be helpful when she returns to the Repliforce.
ZERO:
Hmm, I guess you’re right. I just hope that this doesn’t affect my relationship with Colonel. He's very protective of her…
X cracks a smile and slightly blushes.
X:
If that’s what you’re afraid of, then that’s the least of your problems!
ZERO:
(smiling)
What!?
X:
I hear the way you speak to her… You liiike her, don’t you???
X makes a sheepish grin.
ZERO:
(taken aback)
Huh!? Wha-… C’mon man.
X smiles and closes his eyes as he turns away.
X:
Anyway, let's go back. We're done here.
- Cut to-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
INT. MAVERICK HUNTER BASE – Med Bay – NIGHT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The main monitor in the room displays an overhead view of Laguz Island, where a multitude of DNA Souls fly across the land and seep into their respective Host bodies.
Magma Dragoon, Frenzy Foxkit, Venzo and Tethlon look at the screen in wonder as Iris coms into the room.
IRIS:
(o.s, filtered)
We did it! We actually did it!! The day is saved!!! The Erasures are all returning back to where they belong. X and Zero are coming home!!!
MAVERICK HUNTERS:
YYYEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
Magma Dragoon, Frenzy Foxkit and Venzo excitedly run at each other and give each other hugs, handshakes and high fives of victory, while Tethlon sits up, far more animated than before.
As they make their way over to Tethlon to share in the celebration, the Lifesavers, Cassandra and Psi are hard at work on Dr. Cain.
PSI:
Shit. No! He's flat-lining.
The heart machine beeps a high-pitched, long and steady note as they share a look of horror.
PSI:
Cassandra! Paddles.
CASSANDRA:
(reacting, scared)
Ahh! Right.
She quickly hands him the paddles and he attempts to shock him back to life with a defibrillator.
PSI:
Clear!
He shocks Dr. Cain once. His body bounces against the bed.
PSI:
Clear!!
He shocks him twice. Dr. Cain's body spasms once again. …Still no sign of improvement on the heart monitor.
PSI:
Damn it… CLEAR!!!
With one last attempt, Dr. Cain's body shakes and falls against the mattress, going completely lifeless.
Cassandra starts to sob and buries her head into a Lifesaver's chest. The rest of the Maverick Hunters look on at Dr. Cain, ripe with melancholy.
Then X and Zero enter the room with Iris and Captain.
X:
(smiling, happy)
Hey guys! What’s up?
The rest of the Hunters and Medics look up at them, surprised and worried by their presence.
In a brief moment, the smiles wear off all of their faces.
