Chapter Text
“Okay, so in the hour-”
“And 20 minutes.”
“In the short time you've been watching over Red, you overloaded his processor with so much information that you made him pass out from reaching his intake capacity. We're already having a hard enough time trying to understand him without more problems like this stacking onto it! The elements, useful. Counting to fifty, he'll need that. Sating his curiosity about HQ, pushing it. Incubation, wish you would have asked us first. Teaching him...how to hotwire a door? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? AND WHY DID YOU LET HER?”
Palette had her head bowed as X rightfully chewed her out for sending his son into an earlier than normal processing cycle from information that might have been a bit too advanced for him. The child had already been overwhelmed by the influx of new people on top of the trauma of losing Axl. That kind of mental strain doesn't go away overnight! She should have eased back and just let him relax in a quiet room with a plush or three and some music.
Layer was standing next to the short blonde while taking her own silent dissatisfaction from Zero, who had Red sound asleep in his arms with face on his shoulder. Her hunter had entrusted his son's safety to her and she had let him down heavily. No words were needed from the swordsman. The disappointment on the hunter's face cut deeper then any words he could ever say.
“I was nervous about the incubation thing. He's a sponge and I just...I'm sorry. I got carried away.”
“I regret that I wasn't paying attention. I believed Palette would be okay and decided to start making a learning plan for Red based on what books we had.”
X's jaw was tense and he inhaled slowly then exhaled. He repeated, and repeated, before he once more addressed them. “You two will not be allowed to watch him unsupervised again until Axl comes home. Right now, you will be able to watch him only if Alia is with you. Any learning will stick to the basics and building blocks of independency. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir.” they replied with bowed heads.
“Good. Layer, I want you to take point on investigating the gemstone routes and any research documents that mention the effects of them on reploid systems. Reach out to my contacts at the research outposts and facilities too. Tell them its an urgent request from me if necessary. Palette, you will be assisting Alia in reviewing footage about a possible leak in our system while you wait for the results on my request. We're running blind at the moment of who or when, but Alia will get you up to speed.” He paused his clipped orders with another slow exhale. “I will be informing Signas of this while we take Red for a check up.”
Without waiting for a response, X turned and stiffly marched out the door without waiting to see if Zero was following. The bomber was infuriated. What were they thinking? They weren't! That's what! Red is still considered a new built. His mind wasn't stable enough for such complex knowledge. Not even including the trauma from yesterday! So much had happened in such a short time. Even Axl raising him out in the wild wouldn't have been enough to destabilize Red like the navigators did now! They were so...so...irresponsible! They had no idea what they were doing and should never be allow around...
The azure reploid took a deep breath and shook his head when he caught where his head space was charging into. He hadn't been this angry in....how long had it been? Since Axl vanished? When he and Zero argued about their inadequacy? Argued about their inability to be proper partners if they couldn't find Axl themselves? About who should have done what. About whose fault it was. About past failures...
We were at each other's throat then. We were grieving so much, so angry at the world for taking him, feeling helpless and hopeless, we said things we won't be able to take back...why did I say that to him? Zero deals with enough and I just...how could I say that? It wasn't his fault. Neither time was...
A hand clapped on his shoulder and startled X out of his darkening thoughts, making him glance up to see Zero looking at him in concern.
“Almost walked right by. You okay?”
The blue reploid inhaled sharply, glancing from Zero's worried face to the Red's sleeping one. He chewed his lip without realizing it as he tried to respond. How could he respond? He wasn't okay. He couldn't say he was okay because Zero would know. He had gotten so upset with the girls! Is this how other parents feel when their child is overwhelmed? Angry on their behalf? Ready to destroy anything that upsets them? He shouldn't get that furious. It wasn't how people saw him nor how he wanted people to see him. It was...
“Stop it. I can tell from your face that you're berating yourself for getting upset. Don't. You were still calm about it. If it was me, I would have been yelling the entire time. Maybe getting physical too. So...” he poked X's nose. “Stop, let's take care of Red, and talk about it when we get him to bed.” A soft, regretful, nearly invisible smile formed. “Like we should have done in the beginning. Share the joys and sorrows. Okay?”
His core sped up with how much affection he felt quickly rise within him. His partner knew him too well. They both did, and could stop the spirals so easy. Halt them before he could drown in past failures that he nor they should dwell on. It was freeing in a way.
Pushing onto his toes, X gave the blonde a peck on his cheek. “Okay. Thank you, my brilliant sunshine.”
Zero's jaw tensed slightly and he gave a twitchy smirk before moving into the med bay. “Let's go.” 'Fuuuuuck you. Not in public!'
X dissolved into giggles and followed with a lighter conscious and a clearer head. Revenge for prior teasing was sweet. Especially when it wasn't expected. Zero needed to learn not to make innuendos or else X would get him back with the sweetest pet names when he wasn't expecting it.
“Nothing seems out of the ordinary. All results are within the parameters of a normal processing cycle for a new built. Energy levels seem low, but that can easily be fixed by a recharge or intake of sustenance.” Lifesaver stated, combing through the scan results.
“But he just finished a longer than normal processing cycle this morning. It's concerning he dropped into one so quickly, even if it was more information then he would receive out in the wilderness.” X mused, tapping the side of his head. “Maybe it's a factor not shared with other reploids? Maybe it's something unique to incubated ones? Or maybe it's the type of information learned? Too advanced? Or some other element we're overlooking? We don't know how exactly he was...born, so perhaps that.”
“Perhaps some research into incubation and the results might help?” The medic suggested. “From what I understand, you've only assisted in making reploids from the ground up, long before incubation was created. No one at HQ has utilized such a process after all, so I have to ask: did you ever study the process beyond the basic concept?”
“No I haven't, but that's quite alright. It's a good suggestion. I'll look into it more when we get back to our dorm and send copies of my finds to you. Thank you for your time, Lifesaver.”
“No thanks needed. Despite my hesitation towards newly activated reploids, these couple of days learning about the boy has been...enlightening.” The medic admitted with a slight tilt of his head.
“I'm glad. I'll start on your suggestion when we get Red into a charge pod. I hope you'll be willing to help again if we need you?”
“Of course, sir.”
With a mutual nod, X approached Zero as the swordsman carefully unplugged the cords from Red and lifted him back into his arms. The bomber had a brief flash of when the blonde was in a similar position, helping Axl out of a repair pod after a mission that nearly overloaded the gunner's core from prolonged shifting.
'You're as gentle with Red as you were with Axl.'
Zero glanced up at the messaged statement and hummed, cradling the slumbering child's head to his clothed shoulder. A passing thought made X wonder if Zero's systems were screaming at him to put his armor back on. Were they screaming to categorize Red? Label him and all his aspects 'just in case'? Just like every other person Zero got close to? Musings and questions for another time. When the blonde didn't look so distracting with the protective hold on Red.
'I'll still be gentle when we get him back. With all three of you. I swore it then, and I swear it now.' The intensity in those blue orbs nearly made X swoon.
Instead of responding via their connection again, the shorter cleared his throat of the appreciative lump that had formed there. “Lifesaver mentioned researching incubation and I just realized that it might take longer to gather data then most clinics are open for if we both take Red back to our room. You okay hooking him up by yourself while I head to the city proper?”
X watched his partner carefully, watching for the tells he had learned over the decades they had spent together. The tense jaw, uncertainty. Minute narrowing of the eyes, worry. Lips pressing together, contemplation. A tic on the corner of his mouth and jaw relaxing, concealed happiness.
The bomber released tension he didn't know he was holding when Zero nodded. “I got this. Don't be too long, though. I have some inquires I want to make myself.” He gave a soft amused sound as he turned to the door. “But they can wait until you return with your study stack.”
The bomber blinked curiously. Zero was very rarely one to make inquiries that didn't pertain to a mission. Actually...wasn't parenting considered a life long mission by some? Never mind. Not important at the moment. “Inquiries about what?” X asked, only to receive a startling boop on the nose and lips hovering over his head. When had the blonde turned back around??
“I'll let you know later. Just know that it revolves around some observations Layer passed onto me after you were done reprimanding her and Palette. See you in a bit, love.” the blonde whispered against X's forehead before walking out with their son snoozing peacefully in his arms.
X felt his face start hurting. It wasn't a bad hurt, so he knew what it was.
That lovesick grin he always got when his partners did sweet things like that.
The one that no one needed to know he got when he was imagining (or experiencing) his partners beckoning him for some relaxation in their plush bed with no worries to speak of. The flowing gold of Zero's hair and his relaxed smile, the unexpected silkiness of Axl's red-orange hair and his youthful face belying his true mental age. Their presence was all he craved to soothe his soul. All he needed. All he wanted.
“Sir?”
X flinched out of his daydreaming to focus in on the one addressing him. Generic assistant reploid model with a light brown color scheme, lilac eyes, young feminine style face. Who were they? Oh, right! The eager runner for investigations. “Pigeon! Hello. My apologies, I was lost in my thoughts. What can I help you with?”
“You were standing here with a weird look on your face in the middle of medbay and I wanted to know if I needed to get Lifesaver or not. Or maybe I could help you with whatever is wrong?” She batted her eyes with a blush. Why was she doing that? And why did it look familiar? Wait, wasn't that what stereotypical movie females did when they....oh no...
A startled noise came from him as he shook his head. “No no. No need. I was just lost in my thoughts. Thank you for bringing me out of them. I have some study material to gather now.”
“Oh! I can help with that! I'm in between assignments at the moment, so I'm free to assist!” Her smile was so bright and eager to help. It gave a brief reminder of Axl when he first joined the hunters. Only it was missing the pain hidden beneath the cockiness and can do attitude. He couldn't really describe what he saw, but it was definitely different then his younger lover. And heavily unwelcomed.
On another hand, X wasn't one to say no to those wanting to help, but the information he sought could be problematic with outside eyes looking at it and possibly putting two and two together. Or worse, drawing the absolute wrong conclusion!
“No need. This is a side project of mine that I've put to the wayside for too long. It's just a simple stop and grab.”
That...didn't seem to work. Pigeon was leaning in, still batting her eyes. She wasn't backing down. That eager face was unmistakable. Not taking no for an answer. Did she copy it from Axl somehow? It was so similar, yet completely different. Think, X, think! How did you dissuade the gunner? No no, she wasn't Axl. He would have backed off already since it wasn't mission related or hindering self-care. He would have given that critical look over that looked like a pout but was actually hiding his true intent of making sure you weren't lying before backing off. Pigeon wasn't backing down at all. Leaning closer. Uncomfortably close.
Everyone knows X was taken. Happily so! So why wasn't she backing off?! How could he get her to stop? This never happened in all the two (three? Maybe three?) years she had been here. Even after Axl disappeared. Even after Zero's and his arguments! Wait...that might work...
“It...It's a surprise for Zero and I don't want him to know. An apology for something. And he's amazing at knowing when someone is trying to surprise him. So the less people involve, the better.” he squeaked out. Was that a good lie? His partners said he wasn't a decent liar. He was probably transparent as glass and...
Was...was that a flash of jealousy? Did his lie upset her somehow? She did back off though, so X wasn't too distressed about it.
“Oh...I see. Well, I don't want to ruin the surprise.” It was disappointment, but with a...was that a disgusted tone he picked up? “But if you need my help with anything, let me know! And I mean anything!”
The smile she left with may have looked true, but X was well versed in minute twitches of facial features. This one was strained. Like him talking about Zero put a sour taste in her mouth. Maybe he should bring this up to Signas and Alia. Or perhaps one of the navigators or other intel personnel could give insight into her likes and dislikes? Why was he just noticing such animosity now? If her reaction to Zero was so apparent, then could she have hated Axl too? Could she have been the reason....
No, she couldn't have. Back then was just a mission gone wrong. It happened. Unexpected parameters were not uncommon with Maverick Hunter missions. It was not an inside job that caused Axl to be captured.
...
...But it was plausible.
Dammit, X, don't be grasping at straws that are not real. Your brain is suppling things that are not true again. It's just wishful thinking. Pigeon just has a crush. There's no way someone could have been so careful and meticulous in getting a job at HQ to get inside information to pass on to an enemy.
But still...
Shaking his head, X rushed out the door while simultaneously looking up a nearby incubation clinic and sending out a message to Layer with Zero as a secondary recipient. 'Do you have time to see if Pigeon has been around a few areas since Red arrived? Or even before then?'
'Can do. Top priority?'
'Code Chameleon. Don't let anyone outside of S clearance see you looking. Send them to Zero if I'm not here. I'll be out of the building for at least a couple hours with comms idle while looking into something. I'll adjust my status when I'm back for updates.'
'Copy.'
After sending the locations, X placed his work status as unavailable for the time being, worrying his lip in fear of what Layer might find.
'All this time planning and preparing. Only for one mistake, one unknown variable, to threaten it all. I will not have all of this end because one pawn toyed with its prey too long and got seized with vital information.'
“Do not fear, master. The mistake is currently being dealt with and the variable is being examined as gently and discreetly as possible, as per your orders. However, the protection is increasing more then expected due to the failure. I fear they are getting suspicious due to the pawn's arrogance. They are digging.”
The silence on the other end was suffocating and damning. “Do not become a loose end, watcher. You are my most elite, the only one to make it inside, and I would hate to have to cut you loose before we both gain our well deserved prize. Do not let your beloved see your unsightly temper.”
Teeth clenched at the statement and eyes sharpened at a bound prisoner, struggling uselessly in the corner. A dagger was gripped tightly in the watcher's hand.
“I understand, my liege. I will not fail.”
“See that you don't.'
The click made the watcher nearly crush the comms device in fury. A deep breath was taken before the device was stowed away and the prisoner approached.
“Hesitation to complete the master's orders on the battlefield is unsightly for one of the Pact. Even if it is just to taunt the ones marked for death. Your failure has let one live, lead another to be unclaimed, and now my position is on the line. I have not suffered these deficient, half-witted, simple-minded imbeciles for three years just for one lowly dependent to ruin it by playing with his food.”
Eyes watched in delight as the pawn tried to squirm away from the dagger approaching his neck.
“Should I make you suffer for your failure? Or end it quickly? Master did not specify. And we are alone here. No one will be looking for me in quite a while. I have so much time and yet so little. Decisions, decisions.”
A whimper escaped the multiple layers on the captive's mouth, eyes wide with fear and a teeny, tiny sliver of hope.
“How cute. You think someone will hear you here?” A giggle sounded. “Think again. I have these pathetic morons eating out of my palm. Hmm, I could take my time. Use you to take suspicion off me. Maybe...' The dagger brushed his cheek as a crazed smile formed. “Yes, that could work. Oh, and maybe my divine will finally notice me and leave that heathen! Ooooo, the possibilities. But first...let us finish our task like master commanded. So I may continue separating my beloved from that disgusting MONSTER.”
It was quiet in the repair room of their dorm besides the hum of the med pod. With the pod lid open, Zero could easily lean over the edge to watch the small form inside without problems, observing and cataloging. On the outside, nothing seemed wrong. Red just looked like he was sleeping. Peaceful and serene.
But Zero knew better. His instincts were nagging him that this wasn't right. It wasn't normal. Something was wrong and he hoped X's research expedition bore fruit to fix it. Because they weren't prepared for this. For a child.
Their child.
They never thought something like this was doable with their DNA. Asimov, it wasn't even on their radar to think about. They were still navigating their relationship towards...that unrealized moment and now they were drowning in uncertainty and lack of understanding. Besides their scans and what Red has told them, they knew nothing. And it was putting Red in danger.
Subject name: Red, Weapons: Unknown, Armor: Unknown, Threat Level: Minimal, Designation: Unknown. Devoted to Partner Unit Axl (Serial Number unknown). Eager to please self and Partner Unit DLN-X. Based on current data and scans, update designation to child unit? Y/N
Zero's eye twitched. And then there was that.
Besides being screamed at while being out and about without his protective armor, his creator-damned systems had been up in arms with this new, unknown variable and he couldn't figure out how to get them to shut up. The last time they were this unruly, it was when he met Axl: a complete unknown in the reploid world with his copy ability coupled with his lack of known origin, which made him a high priority danger in the eyes of Zero's systems. It wasn't until he got to know the younger and eventually link with him that his systems finally quieted about the lack of complete data.
How could Axl be a danger to Zero, X, or even the world when the kid was such a pure hearted, moral driven being who had no clue who he was meant to be or where he came from? Whose own systems had blank patches that couldn't be read or accessed?
...In hindsight, Red was similar. He didn't ask to not know things, didn't ask to be born the way he was. He was as much an innocent child as his mother was when Zero and him met. Just with less age and a heavy lack of combat abilities (Which both eased the blonde, but also terrified him. Would he get them later? Never get them at all? Not knowing was the worst!). But Red didn't need to fight. Zero was there to protect him.
Yet the blonde also needed to address this urge to fix Red in whatever way he could and his systems immediate requesting of child unit status...why? What reasons was this the go-to instead of continuing to be up in arms for the lack of data? What logistic path was taken to say that, yes Red is my child, when so little was known and they only knew Red was with Axl because Alia said they were at the park together and the boy called Axl Mommy?
With a heavy sigh of frustration, the blonde crossed his arms on the edge of the pod and rested his cheek on them, gazing at the child's peaceful face. A cute mix of X's facial structure with Axl's cheeks. Dark brown hair in his ponytail style. Eyes like Axl's and a nose like X. Precious. Maybe he was bias, but he couldn't see much besides hair that would make Red his son.
His son.
That was still so startling. It felt right, though. The fact that he actually had someone that shared DNA with him felt right. But how would that work out as he grew? Was it good or bad that Red carried Zero's DNA? He was the original carrier of the virus, after all. Would that negatively affect the kid? Or would X's portion negate the bad of the virus? Axl's maybe? Unknowns again. Too many of those.
Thinking on it, it was still debatable what exactly made Axl immune to the virus. Was he actually immune or was he more like Zero in that his systems utilized the virus as power? Or was it something else entirely like a defensive setup in his systems? X had once theorized an answer might be in the copy chip itself, but figuring out the coding behind that was the brick wall. R&D mentioned the complexity of how the chip's workings melded so seamlessly with Axl's systems was what made them on par with how unreadable his own systems, as well as X's, were. Like the copy chip wasn't just a piece of hardware within the gunner, but a integral part of his entire setup.
…
Was the copy chip a factor in how Red was born?
Zero straightened with a contemplative look as his gaze became unfocused. Could it have been? The copy chip did store DNA data after all, whether it was usable or not. Axl had said so himself. He could utilized the weapons and abilities of most of the data, but not all if his body (or his chip itself, perhaps?) wasn't able to use it.
The swordsman rubbed his chin in thought. But could it evolve? Grow based on experience or data acquired?
Back during the 7th War, Axl had stated he could only use A-Trans on forms his size while the rest he was only able to transform his guns into weapons configured from the data. However, when they were fighting Sigma, Axl had been able to assume Red's form: a reploid that, if he saw correctly during their battle with the Red Alert leader, had been nearly twice the size of Axl in bulk and almost a foot or so taller.
Had his systems evolved, similar to a child growing and learning, and the chip reacted in tandem? Or had it been the chip itself growing to meet Axl's needs in combat? A lateral growth from both? A manifestation borne from desperation and self preservation? Had X considered this before? And could it be a factor in how Axl could incubate a child? Had...Axl wanted a child with them? Or wanted to give them something with their data combined and the copy chip reacted to that want?
It was a possibility. A theory in some way.
Reaching out for a data pad to note his speculations for X, the time grabbed his attention and gave him pause. Had he really just spend over an hour staring into space with nothing but his bouncing and racing thoughts?
With another sigh, he stretched and made his way to their kitchen. (X's favorite place in their space besides the research desk in the repair room, he thought idly). It was unknown when Red would wake up this time. So like when his partners were in a similar stasis, might as well be prepared. Meaning liquids and sustenance. Huh...that was another thought. Did Red like sweeter snacks like X? Or more salty or bitter like Axl? Maybe tart like himself? They all had their preferences for different foods, after all. He'd have to find out.
Hmm. Maybe he should make X some tea for when he got back. Pull out that little warming pot Axl got him before they started dating. So the water would stay the perfect temperature until their sweet researcher was ready to make his tea.
With a nod to himself, Zero got started on a tray of drinks and dry snacks: the filled warming pot next to X's tin of tea bags, water for Red and himself, and an assortment of candies and dried fruits. It was a simple task, but it gave his hands something to do while his neural structure continued bouncing from thought to thought.
At least until his audials picked up an unfamiliar, continual tapping sound that caused him to pause and focus again, his combat instincts slamming back to the fore. Light, metal tapping on metal above him. Frowning up at the noise, he scanned the ceiling as he sent a call to Layer.
“Were the vents above our dorms changed?” he asked quietly once connection was established.
There was a brief pause before she responded, obviously having been thrown off with the odd question. (Probably also still in the midst of X's orders from earlier). 'Not that I am aware. Sending you the schematics. Is something wrong with them?'
A quick glance at the forwarded diagram had him humming. “Metal on metal tapping. Sounds like six, maybe eight limbs making contact. Light weight, not making much noise, barely there heat signature. Northbound towards...” There was a unsealed vent connection to the repair room.... “Shit...activating cloaking in the main room. Standby.” he growled, hurrying back through the living room and slapping a panel X had installed for signal cloaking. The connection with Layer stuttered heavily before clearing up as the cloaking took hold.
At first Zero had thought him paranoid when X had a cloaking setup put in every room (this was their safe space after all), but if what his own paranoia believed this was, he was glad for his partner's foresight. And for the fact that everyone thought it was a thermostat.
Peeking into the repair room, he saw Red undisturbed, sleeping without a care. Nothing out of place. Nothing moved. Yet the tapping was still there and getting louder. Louder and closer before falling completely silent. The warrior had his sensors on high alert, tracking the nearly unseen heat given off from whatever was on the other side of that metal grate.
Then the vent panel wiggled and Zero watched as a tiny robot he had briefly seen with the security team (dubbed Vent Sweepers, if memory served) peeked out. It was a recently added design, approved by Alia, of a six legged spideresque drone crafted to patrol the vents for listening devices and cameras. Its three optics flashed and bathed the room in a brief coat of infrared, scanning for any signals that didn't 'belong'.
The blonde stayed hidden around the corner and out of range, where his outgoing comm signal with Layer would remain concealed so the drone would believe no one was in the dormitory. Peeking around the door frame, he watched the bot make a few passes around the room before stopping the scan. A few quiet whirls and clicks came from it before it eased out of the vent, leaving the panel wide open (most likely for a quick escape).
What was that thing doing? The Sweepers never left the vents unless for a recharge or maintenance. And those happened in security's storage hanger. Deviating from protocols was unheard of with anything from the security team's drones, especially ones that Alia and X had taken a personal interest in. So what was it doing here?
Still paranoid, he sent Layer a live feed of what he was seeing as the spider slowly creeped down the wall towards the open pod. Fuck, he should have closed that.
'That unit's serial number is VS 63. Strange, it's labeled as down for maintenance in the log books.' Layer informed him shortly after she had visual.
'So why is it here?' Zero sent back, glaring as the little robot scurried around the lid and down to the panel. 'Do you still have remote access to our repair pod's systems?'
'Locked until your order, Commander.' Layer replied with a firm tone, causing him to smirk. He hadn't even needed to ask. Another reason they worked well together now. She had learned to predict requests based on inquiries.
Which was exactly what he wanted as the spider latched itself onto the pod's panel and cables snaked out to plug into the ports. Zero held back a sigh of relief when he heard the device let out its denial beeps. The drone whirred before trying again, then again, both times getting the same rejection. A grinding that sounded more like a distorted growl came from the mechaniloid as it detached.
“What is the hold up? Give me access!” Came a hissed voice from somewhere on the bot. A speaker on a surveillance bot? For orders maybe? By why vocal? They could just be hardwired and orders put in that way. Unless the person had to bypass the drone's security in another fashion? It was an approved project overseen by Alia, so there were stops in place that would make that necessary.
“Access locked? The damn heathen. Has he denied all access to the variable? How could my divine be brainwashed by such a disobedient dog? He must have something on him. X is too intelligent to have stayed with the destructive infidel otherwise. Quick, while he's out, get the confirmation we need from the kid, and then unlock the door. Master wants the child. The faster master gets the shifter under his control, the sooner my beloved is free to be mine.”
Zero bristled as the voice first mentioned X. Then nearly snarled at the implying notion that Red was to be used to get Axl to cooperate. Who the fuck was this person and what were they talking about? And who the HELL did this 'master' fucker think he was using a child as a bargaining chip?! But all those thoughts halted as the sweeper shuffled to be above Red's head, causing Zero to stiffen as those thin legs moved to tug at the cord attached to Red's neck.
The blonde felt something twist in him as the child's face contorted into pain when the pulling began and persisted. Forced detachment was painful, sometimes agonizing with the freeze up. And to see such pain in this child, in his child, was....
It was...
Blue eyes narrowed and flashed red as a wave of unrestrained rage engulfed the swordsman before he charged without thinking. Nothing else mattered besides getting that thing off of his son.
With a snarl and thoughts of murder, Zero reached out and ripped the bot away from Red, chucking it against the wall and throwing his sword after it. He watched with morbid satisfaction as the blade pierced through two eyes and half of its legs scattered across the floor. “I don't care who the FUCK you think you are, but you will NOT TOUCH HIM AGAIN!”
Through the fog of fury, Zero vaguely heard a siren going off, but ignored it in favor of making sure the little bot didn't escape. “I should rip apart your little toy, hunt you down and make you feel his pain a thousand fold!”
He watched the half-crushed drone tried to use two of its remaining functional legs to pull itself along the floor despite being pinned by a beam saber. A distorted noise came from it, like a broken speaker struggling to emit sound.
It was annoying.
Wrenching the sword out, a cruel grin formed on Zero's face at the pained whine before raising the weapon up to strike. “You, who caused my child pain, can not hide. Take this as a warning to pray for mercy you will not receive...you're next.”
The blade dropped to stab the bot...
'Commander Zero!'
His aim altered and stabbed the floor instead. Shit...fuck...what did he...? Did he really...? How did he...?
'Zero, can you hear me? Commander Zero, respond.'
“I hear you, Layer. Report.” The blonde rasped out, squeezing the hilt of his sword in an attempt to focus.
'Everything went static on my end before the connection was cut and the alarms went off for a virus attack. We have a crew heading to your dorm as we speak. What happened over there?'
His jaw tensed as his fears were confirmed. A virus attack. So it did come out. He lost control again...even without an external source of the virus. Fuck...this was bad.
“S Rank clearance information. Comms might be compromised. Child unit safety was at risk. Recall all sweeper units for possible tampering. Is X available?”
'Confirmed. Recall notice sending. Hunter X is currently out of the building on Do Not Disturb except in emergency status. Recall sent. Do you need me to send Code Crimson?'
Code Crimson. Unlike the standard Code Red for their missions being compromised or needing backup, this was for Hunters not on missions. Being a Hunter brought trauma, panic, anxiety, and sometimes suicidal thoughts. Code Crimson was for those times. When a Hunter's mental state was in jeopardy and they needed their designated grounding or calming method. For the S Class trio, it was each other. X and Axl had called it several times when night terrors happened or the weight of a mission hit harder then planned after they got back.
Zero called it when his rage was consuming him...
The blonde looked over at Red, watching the once more peaceful face for several seconds. Red needed him sane. Needed him here. Present. That was his role as guardian and parent. As the child's current protector.
'Sir?'
“No...No Crimson. I...I'll be fine. Have someone deliver a containment unit with antivirus protection for the sweeper I have here as a precaution. When X returns, have him come to the dorm immediately.”
'Yes, sir. Anything else?'
His jaw clenched and unclench, fingers twitching on one hand and still death gripping his saber handle with the other. “Something to repair and clean the floor. This bastard is making a mess.”
'Of course. I'll have those delivered pronto.'
“Thank you. Zero out.” The plasma blade vanished as he returned the saber to its holder. Taking cautious steps back, he fixed the vent panel, sealing it completely, and checked for any other means of entry before returning to Red's side and cupping his cheek with a gentleness belying his torrent emotions, feeling his jaw tense with his nerves and simmering rage.
“I will protect you. Just like I do them. No harm will come to you if I have anything to say about it. I swear, on my life, on my soul, that I will protect you.”
Subject name: Red, Weapons: Unknown, Armor: Unknown, Threat Level: Minimal, Designation: Unknown. Update designation to child unit? Y/N
...
Yes
Subject designation updated. Subunit specification verifying. Child unit established. Family category updated. Partner unit: DLN-X, Partner Unit: Axl (Serial Number unknown), Child unit: Red (serial number unspecified) Update complete.
Zero glared at the still twitching mechaniloid as he moved to pick it up, struggling to keep his rage in check. “I protect what is mine. Through every means possible.” A knock sounded at the door as a growl bubbled from the swordsman's throat. “Be prepared...I will find you...
Ą̶̩͚̙͉̈́͑̓͌̉̊̂̿̀ń̶̛̹̤̫̺̟̆͗͐̓̆̊̍̄͋̔̄̏͝͠d̶̡̝̒̊̎̋̔̈́̕ ̵̧̨̧̢̛͎̮̪̘͓̱̙̟͔̟̳̋̐̇̈́̂̾͋̄̀̚͝Ị̵̜͕̣̟̖͒̓̀͊̚ ̴̢̮̝͖̖̳̹͕̆̔͐̄͗͗̈́̄̈́͐̄̋̚͘ẉ̴̨͕̄́̌́ḯ̷̛̹̜̄̓̔͋̀́̂̊̄͒̿̏̀͗̚͝l̸̮̞͊͊̇̎̅͌̕̚l̴̢̨̡͚̩̪̹̣͓̯͓̘̺͉̆̊̄̀̉͑͗̊͛̅̌͂̄̚̚͝ ̴͍̻̞̘͖̞̲̻̒̇̌͑͒͊̀͂͐̉̀̒̇͐̂̓͝͝d̶͇̱̞̣̥͈̦͕̱͚̾̾̽̍͆͊́̎̌̐̒̐͛͒̀e̷̲̗̳̦̹̞͒͊̊̓̊̎̓̇̊̇̀̂́̐͆̑͘͝s̵̤͚̼̥͈̽͋͊̂̈́̓͋͛̚͜͝t̷̡̢̠͉̻͇͎͉̩̤̠̰̚͘ͅr̷̮̈́̂͛̍̽́̃͆͌̈́̊̀̕͘ơ̸̖̘̳͇̺̬͖̎̔̃̑̂́̆͑̈́̈́͜͝y̷̡̢̢̛̗̝͓̱͙͔͖͓̑͗̎̅̋͆̆̀̄̇͒̄͘͘̕̚͝ ̸̨̢̖̤̩̣̤̥̮͖̃̅̄́ỳ̸̡̨̮͓̫̂̋͌̇͋͑̒̑͜͜͠ơ̷͇̓͆̽͌͜ư̷̩̪̳͎͔̮͐͆̑́̔̄̊̌̌͌̒͝