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destinystrings
2013-03-08 12:48![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
strangerfromthedesert
strangerfromthedesertOut Of Character Information
Name: Pierrot
Age: 28
Time zone: -5 GMT, Eastern.
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
PierrotEurasia, PMs work great too.
Anything we should know? I noticed while working on my application and reading through Destiny Strings that there's someone in The Seven that Zero would recognize or know of immediately, so I've taken that into potential account. This is also my first time working with a potentially-overpowered character, and I'll try my best to not let him get out of hand, barring his personality and morals. I re-ordered some of the sections below for easier reading, sorry if that's a problem.
In Character Information
Name: Zero
Series: Mega Man Zero
Canon Standing: Between MMZ1 & MMZ2
Age: Timeless. Looks approximately late teens to mid-20s in human years.
Birthday & Astrology Sign: September 10th, Virgo
Arcana: The Hermit
Backstory:
References: Mega Man Knowledge Base - Mega Man Zero, other articles in MMKB, gameplay of MMZ1&2 and the drama tracks from Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero.
Zero was a name spoken as a myth, a legendary hero that was only thought of as a fantasy by many. His absence in the many years that followed his existence in history was marked by a great change in government: Neo Arcadia, a location that was known to humans as a utopia yet feared by Reploids, artificial beings that act just like humans but have been unjustly targeted with a stigma known as "Mavericks" and were sentenced to death despite their innocence. Ciel, a prodigy empathic with the Reploids, took shelter with them in a Resistance Base while fleeing the iron grip of Neo Arcadia. At some point she decided to search for and find the legendary reploid, certain he existed and could aid their cause for peace.
Ciel and a group of resistance reploids found the secret laboratory that housed Zero, just in time for them to be cornered by a Neo Arcadian death squad. Zero was activated and defeated the Pantheons — mass-produced humanoid robots with blue armor and a single red eye on an otherwise-featureless head — and a seemingly-invincible Golem, but not before a mysterious being gave him back the Z-Saber he used to wield. Ciel explained to him their situation and mentioned X while doing so. Zero recognized the name but couldn't recall him nor how they fought together in the past. He questioned if he was the real Zero due to his memory loss, but Ciel was entirely certain he was the one, and Zero agreed to help the Resistance fight against X.
As Zero lived with the Resistance over the course of their time together, he came to know many of the reploids there. In fact, the only human in the base was Ciel, who named many of the reploids there. All of the reploids were in her debt for coming to their aid, and soon they came to feel the same way about Zero too. Among them was a child reploid named Alouette, who always held a stuffed animal that Ciel made for her, and a grown reploid named Cerveau, a scientist who supported Ciel's research and helped develop some of Zero's weapons based on data found back in the secret laboratory. With Zero's continued support, more and more reploids came to find their home in the Resistance Base, and eventual peace became less and less of an unrealistic dream.
Throughout various missions Ciel had Zero undertake he encountered the Four Guardians, who included Sage Harpuia, Fairy Leviathan, Fighting Fefnir, and Hidden Phantom. They all bore an eerie likeness to someone in Zero's past and fought him in turn. Losing once each, they either swore revenge or wished for a rematch. Eventually, Zero assaulted the Neo Arcadian government with the help of the mysterious being from before, who called "Master X" a copy of himself and requested for the fake to be "terminated with extreme prejudice". Ciel revealed during the assault that she was the one who created Copy X after the original X disappeared for reasons unknown, but Zero reassured her that she couldn't have known he would act that way, believing in her intentions.
While Zero sieged Neo Arcadia, the Four Guardians got their chance at a rematch, with Phantom not surviving his fight. As Zero neared Copy X's location, the remaining Guardians Harpuia, Leviathan, and Fefnir blocked his path, but were stopped by Copy X himself, noting they were too weak to continue their defense. They hesitantly left, allowing the two to converse briefly before their own fight. The copy claimed to have built a utopia of peace that neither Zero or the original X could achieve, but Zero questioned the lengths Neo Arcadia took to get to that point, feeling that no one wanted that reality brought about by killing reploids, and it was as fake as the copy in front of him. Copy X, insulted by that notion, changed into his Ultimate Armor and attacked Zero.
Zero's memories were still hazy, but his body began to remember how the real X fought and decided that Copy X was nowhere near as powerful as the original. This angered the ruler of Neo Arcadia even further, turning into his Seraph Form in a final bid of victory. This form too fell, and in his wrecked state he wondered why this happened despite thinking he was a hero. Zero recalled that X was not as simple a thinker; the X he remembered sought for peace and cared for everyone, human and reploid alike, and it was because of that the original X could be called a hero. In his dying resentment, the copy activated a self-destruct mechanism in the government building they were in but Zero barely managed to escape in time.
Wandering out into the desert wasteland outside Neo Arcadia and collapsing shortly after, Zero was approached by X as a hologram, wearing robes and a halo. He recounted the past hundred years he lived without Zero in sorrow fighting against Mavericks — those that rightly deserved that name yet were still reploids — and admitted that in time he lost his will to fight, wishing for his own personal respite and apologizing before leaving. Zero picked himself up and accepted this request, filling in for his partner. The first wave of a massive Pantheon army then found Zero as he decided this and said that "when an enemy appears... I'll terminate it..."
It is now a year since that time and Zero — battered and damaged but not yet broken — continues to walk the desert, distracting the Neo Arcadian forces from attacking the Resistance and distracting himself with his past. Growing unsure of himself, he begins to question many things, wondering if he will find the answers he seeks, wondering if those answers reside not in himself but in those he fights for. Even if he took a different path than the Resistance and Ciel, his mind never wanders far from them and he still believes they see the same sun and moon he walks under even now.
It is now a year since The Seven came to Hinoto-Ri, a safe haven from the destruction of the outside world. The future hangs in the outcome between Law and Chaos, between Philemon and Nyarlathotep. Zero's inner demons only continue to fester from his self-doubt, questioning his supposed identity and forgotten memories. Whether any of this ultimately means anything to Zero remains to be seen. The same goes for whether he will come to value this world as much as the one waiting for him to return.
One thing is certain: As long as he has the will and body, he will continue on for endless fight, fighting for what he feels is right.
Personality:
Zero comes across as a no-nonsense sort of person: He almost always has a scowl-like frown on his face, due to the angle of his helmet set against his eyes, and gives off the impression that he is deathly serious at all times. His own feelings having dulled over centuries, he is not one to typically show emotion. Indeed, usually the most that comes out of him are battle grunts as he exerts himself to fight his enemies and pursue the completion of any mission he decides to take up. If he begins to show any sort of extreme emotion, something is terribly wrong.
As far as actual moods go, there usually is only one: A stoic presence that imposes more with his nature than with his words. Rarely will there be a happy mood for him, a knowing smirk being the most people might ever see if the situation calls for it. On the other hand, he is sometimes prone to negativity towards himself, and might be found brooding if he's alone somewhere. As soon as the cause of any deviance from his norm settles down within him, or he becomes self-conscious from being found out, he's usually immediately back to his focused self, though his mind might linger from time to time.
With most things, he takes matters seriously even if he doesn't know someone. When Ciel found Zero, he hardly knew her, but because she needed saving he did so. It is rare for Zero to underestimate or disrespect someone, as he always welcomed a challenge from the Four Guardians and their subordinates. He will also take matters into his own hands if he feels he can do so, like when the Factory was set up with bombs by Phantom, as Ciel wanted him to escape but he chose of his own will to disarm the bombs instead. This also happened when he decided to take the fight to Neo Arcadia, believing that Ciel would be happier with X defeated after seeing her saddened by the Resistance being continually oppressed by Neo Arcadian forces.
Zero can hold a conversation if he's interested in speaking, just don't expect him to be as enthusiatic as you on the topic matter. If something does catch his interest he can speak his mind at length, even if it doesn't directly have to do with the topic at hand. He isn't the kind to purposely insult others while being addressed, as he will stand in place and listen to what others have to say without looking or acting bored, like he did with Andrew. He does however have a tendency to be curt when he does speak, and will often cut to the heart of a significant matter if he deems it necessary. With his forward way of talking he might not be very personable depending on the person.
Friends are few and far between in Zero's life, the closest he considers one being his old partner, X. Even with Ciel he did not pursue idle banter and merely listened to what she had to say most of the time, rarely initiating conversation on his own with anyone, though he would seek people out if he feels there is a reason to for either himself or others' sakes. He does care for people he puts value in and will often pursue their safety over his own life in priority, as he did when the Resistance was evacuating their base during a final attack by Neo Arcadia. Ciel wanted him to escape with the others, but Zero decided she should be the one to evacuate while he fought off the invaders.
Most of the time in casual conversation, Zero doesn't have much to say on his own, as he feels trivial matters of life are often irrelevant to him, meanwhile the fight is usually what matters most to him. He feels he was built for battle and battle alone, to serve others through that capacity. In that idea, he distances himself from many things and people, and pays more attention to the traits of an opponent or how a fight went. That's not to say that he's clueless about things in life, though. In particular, the concept of love is currently a significantly awkward subject for him to address and may become more so, with his past memories continuing to return and further potential interaction with Ciel, someone who cares a great deal for Zero for some reason unknown to him.
Despite his capabilities at being fast and powerful, Zero prefers to collect himself and read the battlefield before making any hasty decisions. His durability isn't the best, though he has come out of numerous bad situations miraculously alive and (usually) unscathed, worrying Ciel to no end in the past. Part of that may be due to the perceptions of others, or the difference between most reploids and himself — once being an S-Rank Maverick Hunter — but his luck can only hold out for so long, and so he tries not to overestimate himself even when he has an advantage. As far as his treatment of opponents go, he will often fight without mercy or regard to an opponent's condition unless it is clearly decided that a match is over. That said, if he finds no meaning in a certain battle, it will be one of the few times he extends mercy to his opponent. He might even show displeasure or boredom at such a fight.
Canon Powers:
Reploid [Passive] - As an artificial being, Zero can function without needing food or water, and his technology allows him to go without need for an energy supply, provided primarily from Energen Crystals, for a very long time... if he doesn't get too worn from combat that is. The necessity to operate in low-power or idle modes became very apparent during his year in the desert. His body is damaged in many places and requires repair and restoration of his energy supply for him to regain his full potential.
Charging [Passive] - Zero is able to charge up his weaponry for increased damage output, though this requires at least a turn or two depending on his current proficiency. However due to his degenerating energy supply he currently lacks the capability to make use of this ability aside from his Buster Shot during his canon point.
Dual Wield/Charge [Passive] - It is possible for Zero to wield two different weapons at once, which can come to deadly effect if both weapons are charged up simultaneously as he can release both charges in a single turn. (If this is deemed too powerful, Zero can be required to queue the charges separately first.) This also allows him to mix up parts of uncharged attacks in a turn.
Dashing [Passive] - Zero can boost his movement with the propulsion granted by his boots, augmenting his natural agility and jumping ability, as well as slightly augment his attack power with some of his uncharged attacks due to the increased momentum. A good amount of distance is necessary to utilize the tactic if used as a gap-closer against an enemy head-on, but can be combined with an attack during the same turn at will.
Wall-Climbing [Passive] - Zero is able to scale walls at will by kicking up them while he shifts his balance using one of his hands, a trait that only requires one wall to make use of. Otherwise, he can slide down them at a much more comfortable rate than simply falling. Not that it matters if it's visible, even ground, as he can fall down most heights without issue.
Elemental Chip Swap [Elemental (Lightning/Fire/Ice)] - Normally his weapons are all Physical, however when swapped all of Zero's weapons (though only when charged) will deal elemental damage instead and cause status ailments if the enemy is hit specifically by said attacks (Percentages will be added if necessary, otherwise they will always inflict the status change with charged attacks):
-Lightning: Causes Dizzy (automatically) for one turn, however until their next available turn the enemy cannot be damaged or affected in any way (except K.O.). Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Lightning.
-Fire: The affected enemy takes a small amount of Fire damage (automatically) next turn, however they cannot be affected by Dizzy (or the Lightning Chip's status) for that turn. Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Fire.
-Ice: Causes Freeze (automatically) for one turn. Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Ice.
As Zero is required to temporarily pause his involvement in combat to access the Chips, a turn must be used to swap elements.
Canon Weapons|Items:
An Overview of Zero's Weaponry
The below listing had Zero's skill levels during the course of MMZ1 tuned to fit a typical combat turn in Persona games, to be used as a reference for when more elaborate action/combat writing is necessary. At the end of MMZ1 Zero had MAX skill level in all of his weapons, however due to his canon point they are all set back to base level temporarily. Also, a combat turn is required for Zero to change his weapon loadout. I leave it up to mod judgement whether Zero should automatically re-acquire all of his skill levels if/when Zero recovers from his current state or if he'll have to level them again along with leveling his Soul Persona, as MMZ2 forced him to re-level his weapons (though leveling is simplified in that case).
Z-Sabers [Physical (Almighty)] - The most powerful all-purpose weapon in Zero's inventory, the Z-Sabers normally rest in holsters on Zero's hips and can be wielded masterfully as they are his main weapon. Not only are they capable of slicing straight through most metals outright, at his peak Zero can attack extremely fast with the green lightsabers as well as charge them up. All of Zero's other weapons (aside from the Buster Shot) are alternate modes of the Z-Sabers, and it is possible for him to dual-wield Z-Sabers if necessary. Due to his degenerating energy supply however he cannot use the weapon as well as he'd like to, and one of them is functionally broken.
Base of 7 Levels: Zero can only swing the Z-Saber once per turn for high damage, cannot charge it, nor use any advanced techniques.
Successive Strikes
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can swing twice with the Z-Saber per turn in a combo. The second slash, being horizontal, may harm enemies to Zero's sides as well.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero can swing three times in a combo with the Z-Saber per turn. The third and final slash, being an overhead finisher, can hurt enemies behind and above Zero as well. The third slash will also have the Almighty Element attached to it, being the part of the combo that visually completes the infamous Z-Slash technique.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can charge his Z-Saber, taking two extra turns but then can perform a powerful close-range plasma wave attack that harms anything in front of him for double damage.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero only needs one turn to charge his Z-Saber.
Advanced Techniques
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can use an aerial move, not unlike the Kuuenzan he used much earlier in time. This attack hits multiple times in a turn, and while each hit is not as damaging as a part of the Z-Slash, the somersaulting windmill slash can hit all enemies around him and rend through objects very quickly.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero adapts the Kuuenzan to roll around on the ground for similar effect. He becomes a sentient buzzsaw in this manner and preserves dashing momentum for as long as he doesn't stop. It is not as easy for Zero to keep this technique active compared to the earlier attack though as he will bump into something at some point, if it isn't sliced apart in one or two hits from the still-low-powered attacks that is. An effective trash-cleaner at any rate.
MAX of 7 Levels: Zero can attack three times with the Z-Saber per turn (the last hit being Almighty), can charge it in one turn, and can use both advanced techniques.
Buster Shot [Physical] - The weapon is actually a modern (as far as where Zero was taken from is concerned) plasma gun that Zero is able to quickly adapt to using thanks to subconscious battle prowess from the past. Even with it being an external ballistic weapon, it is capable of charging and its firing rate can be improved upon. When not in immediate use, Zero has it mounted on his lower back. He can't take much advantage from it right now in his current state, but it makes for a good distance weapon since it can still be charged one level.
-Base of 4 Levels: Zero can shoot 3 uncharged bullets at a time per turn with an average accuracy rate. Can be charged one level, taking a turn to deal triple damage with a powered-up plasma bullet on a subsequent turn.
Faster Rate
-1 of 1 Level: Zero can shoot 4 uncharged bullets at a time per turn with a good rate of accuracy.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can charge the Buster 2 levels, taking two turns to do so but dealing six times the damage of a single bullet with a large burst of energy on a turn he decides to release that energy.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero needs to only take 1 turn to fire a fully-powered shot.
MAX of 4 Levels: Zero can shoot 4 uncharged bullets at a time, charge the Buster Shot two levels and take only one turn doing so.
Triple Rod [Physical] - The Triple Rod used to extend in two parts of a modified Z-Saber, but its functionality was broken during Zero's time in the desert. Maybe there's a way to fix it...
-Base of 5 Levels: Zero can attack with the weapon by thrusting it in a particular direction.
Extension Training
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can extend the rod on the ground, creating a two-hit piercing combo in one turn.
-2 of 2 Levels: The rod can extend on the ground twice reliably, creating a three-hit piercing combo over a wide distance in a single turn.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can twirl the rod around after charging and both ends of the Rod activate their beams, creating an effective battlestaff and buzzsaw in one action. Each individual hit is relatively weak but adds up quickly. This takes 2 turns to charge up for.
-2 of 2 Levels: The rod's prior attack only requires one charge to operate now.
MAX of 5 Levels: Zero can attack with a 3-hit piercing combo, as well as charge quickly for a spinning edged battlestaff attack.
Fuuma Shuriken Shield Boomerang [Physical] - A defensive modification of the Z-Saber, Zero can spin it in place on a forearm mount to reflect projectile attacks fairly easily. The drawback to this approach is that he can't dash while wielding it... and without the ability to charge he can't throw it currently.
Base of 3 Levels: Reflective Blocking enabled; grants Zero Reflect Physical on ranged physical attacks for half damage during use and charging. (This also applies while Zero is charging both the Shield and another weapon.)Zero can charge up the weapon for a turn to throw the shuri— shield across a fair distance before it winds around to come back. Usually.
Throwing Extension
-1 of 2 Levels: It goes out farther when you throw it.
-2 of 2 Levels: It goes out... even farther. Anyone want to play catch with a deadly plasma frisbee?
MAX of 3 Levels: Almost the same as before, but Zero can throw it out farther now.
Canon Allies:
During his journey, Zero acquired the help and service of sentient life-forms known as Cyber-Elves, whose abilities varied greatly between one another. Because they lose their lives once their abilities are used to aid someone, Zero is extremely judicial of his usage of the Cyber-elves. Unfortunately, thanks to a truncation due to his transport to Hinoto-Ri, Zero only comes with six of them uploaded into him:
Nurses
-Bireff (Partial Health Refill)
-Coswick (Full Health Refill)
Animals
-Beesus (Cover fire for a few turns)
-Birsky (Grant flying ability for a few turns)
Hackers
-Stoctto (Cause Stunned to all enemies for a turn)
-Clocka (Cause Dizzy on everyone other than Zero for a turn)
None of the Cyber-elves are active currently, as Zero requires the usage of a Trans Server or assistance from Ciel in order to switch them into usable mode. If the COMP-Network is similar in habitat to Cyberspace, the Cyber-elves can use it as a medium to activate their abilities. Otherwise, they reside in Zero's upload bank. Of course, that's moot if Ciel managed to figure out a solution on her own already...
Canon Baggage:
All of Zero's weapons (wear and tear included), plus the shawl Zero travelled in while in the desert. Zero himself is also the residence of the earlier-mentioned six Cyber-elves.
Persona
[X? (Cyber-Elf)]
LVL (1) | THE HERMIT
SUPPORT SKILLS
► Deep Breath (Lessens instances of succumbing to Fear, Confusion, Charm, Egoism, and Rage attacks.)
► Reinforced (Lessens instances of succumbing to Down, Exhaustion, Sleep and Petrification attacks.)
► Good Health (Lessens instances of succumbing to Poison, Happy, and Cold attacks.)
► Ward (Lessens instances of succumbing to Silence, Illusion and Animal attacks.)
▷ Resist Fall (Lessens instances of falling Down during a knockdown.)
▷ Sharp Student (Lowers the possibility of being struck by a Critical Hit.)
▷ Endure (Survive being knocked Unconscious once per battle )
▷ Regenerate (5% total HP is restored at every turn (healing out of a battle takes about 6 hours for normal wounds.))
★ Dual Strike? (The Persona will mimic projectile attacks performed by the user at the same time for up to three turns. Turns spent charging don't count toward this duration. The attacks by the Persona in this manner will be forced Mind Element regardless.)
COMBAT SKILLS
► Kouha (Inflicts a small amount of Light damage on one enemy.)
▷ Cell Breaker (Inflicts a small amount of Physical damage with a 10% chance of Exhaustion on one enemy.)
▷ Holy Arrow (Inflicts a small amount of Physical damage to one enemy with a 10% chance of inflicting the Charm ailment. )
Writing Sample
Somewhere between the Sagittarius and Capricorn wards, a lone figure wearing a ragged shawl walked under the stars of night in a place unfamiliar to him. A nearby light fixture revealed glints of green, blue, red and white from his head, or helmet rather.
Another night, soon to be another 13th Hour. Zero had little reason to worry, what with the moon being in a new phase. Still, he wandered down the streets with attentive senses. It was specifically because of the fact he knew there were less monsters than usual this time of the month that he found himself at the Central Park of Capricorn Ward. He couldn't let his combat senses dull along with the rest of him, not when there were still things to fight for. The demons could work just as well as robot Pantheons he fought before as far as he was concerned.
And right on cue, a pair of demons stepped out from the darkness to greet him. He expected this of course, and sized up the both of them. The one in front was a hulky brute, and the one behind had an average frame with long limbs.
"... Let's go. Persona!!"
Bluish energy seeped out from the ground in front of him, coalescing into a ball of varying colors of light, with outer rings like those on atoms criss-crossing each other. The demon behind him saw fit to attack then, thinking the humanoid was distracted with the one in front. This proved to be a costly mistake.
"Hyah!"
Off went the arm that neared him in a flash of green. The creature stumbled back in shock, but only for a moment before it fell over — its head went clean off within the next second. The other demon charged at that point, closing the gap between itself and its prey quickly, but only to find an empty shawl that it went past.
"Hah!"
The demon's vision suddenly found itself right next to the ground and in unbearable pain. It strained its head up while it roared to see its assailant illuminated, one knee holding the bottom half of its back down and the plasma lightsaber embedded in the upper half of its back. That yell was the last thing it would do, and the humanoid's piercing eyes was the last thing its own eyes would see.
"Sah!"
With the saber cleaved like a crescent through the ground up into the air, the demon sank its head and laid still, slain. The reploid moved off the corpse with a hop, landing on the wet grass, and then picked up the shawl to drape it around his body again. The ball of light continued its silent watch and support, and Zero nodded his thanks. Just before he could de-power the saber and holster it though, more demons began to show up, surrounding him in a circle and delivering a cacophony with all sorts of gutteral voices.
Another night, soon to be another 13th hour. The demons should have had a lot of reason to worry.
Name: Pierrot
Age: 28
Time zone: -5 GMT, Eastern.
Contact:
Anything we should know? I noticed while working on my application and reading through Destiny Strings that there's someone in The Seven that Zero would recognize or know of immediately, so I've taken that into potential account. This is also my first time working with a potentially-overpowered character, and I'll try my best to not let him get out of hand, barring his personality and morals. I re-ordered some of the sections below for easier reading, sorry if that's a problem.
In Character Information
Name: Zero
Series: Mega Man Zero
Canon Standing: Between MMZ1 & MMZ2
Age: Timeless. Looks approximately late teens to mid-20s in human years.
Birthday & Astrology Sign: September 10th, Virgo
Arcana: The Hermit
Backstory:
References: Mega Man Knowledge Base - Mega Man Zero, other articles in MMKB, gameplay of MMZ1&2 and the drama tracks from Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero.
Zero was a name spoken as a myth, a legendary hero that was only thought of as a fantasy by many. His absence in the many years that followed his existence in history was marked by a great change in government: Neo Arcadia, a location that was known to humans as a utopia yet feared by Reploids, artificial beings that act just like humans but have been unjustly targeted with a stigma known as "Mavericks" and were sentenced to death despite their innocence. Ciel, a prodigy empathic with the Reploids, took shelter with them in a Resistance Base while fleeing the iron grip of Neo Arcadia. At some point she decided to search for and find the legendary reploid, certain he existed and could aid their cause for peace.
Ciel and a group of resistance reploids found the secret laboratory that housed Zero, just in time for them to be cornered by a Neo Arcadian death squad. Zero was activated and defeated the Pantheons — mass-produced humanoid robots with blue armor and a single red eye on an otherwise-featureless head — and a seemingly-invincible Golem, but not before a mysterious being gave him back the Z-Saber he used to wield. Ciel explained to him their situation and mentioned X while doing so. Zero recognized the name but couldn't recall him nor how they fought together in the past. He questioned if he was the real Zero due to his memory loss, but Ciel was entirely certain he was the one, and Zero agreed to help the Resistance fight against X.
As Zero lived with the Resistance over the course of their time together, he came to know many of the reploids there. In fact, the only human in the base was Ciel, who named many of the reploids there. All of the reploids were in her debt for coming to their aid, and soon they came to feel the same way about Zero too. Among them was a child reploid named Alouette, who always held a stuffed animal that Ciel made for her, and a grown reploid named Cerveau, a scientist who supported Ciel's research and helped develop some of Zero's weapons based on data found back in the secret laboratory. With Zero's continued support, more and more reploids came to find their home in the Resistance Base, and eventual peace became less and less of an unrealistic dream.
Throughout various missions Ciel had Zero undertake he encountered the Four Guardians, who included Sage Harpuia, Fairy Leviathan, Fighting Fefnir, and Hidden Phantom. They all bore an eerie likeness to someone in Zero's past and fought him in turn. Losing once each, they either swore revenge or wished for a rematch. Eventually, Zero assaulted the Neo Arcadian government with the help of the mysterious being from before, who called "Master X" a copy of himself and requested for the fake to be "terminated with extreme prejudice". Ciel revealed during the assault that she was the one who created Copy X after the original X disappeared for reasons unknown, but Zero reassured her that she couldn't have known he would act that way, believing in her intentions.
While Zero sieged Neo Arcadia, the Four Guardians got their chance at a rematch, with Phantom not surviving his fight. As Zero neared Copy X's location, the remaining Guardians Harpuia, Leviathan, and Fefnir blocked his path, but were stopped by Copy X himself, noting they were too weak to continue their defense. They hesitantly left, allowing the two to converse briefly before their own fight. The copy claimed to have built a utopia of peace that neither Zero or the original X could achieve, but Zero questioned the lengths Neo Arcadia took to get to that point, feeling that no one wanted that reality brought about by killing reploids, and it was as fake as the copy in front of him. Copy X, insulted by that notion, changed into his Ultimate Armor and attacked Zero.
Zero's memories were still hazy, but his body began to remember how the real X fought and decided that Copy X was nowhere near as powerful as the original. This angered the ruler of Neo Arcadia even further, turning into his Seraph Form in a final bid of victory. This form too fell, and in his wrecked state he wondered why this happened despite thinking he was a hero. Zero recalled that X was not as simple a thinker; the X he remembered sought for peace and cared for everyone, human and reploid alike, and it was because of that the original X could be called a hero. In his dying resentment, the copy activated a self-destruct mechanism in the government building they were in but Zero barely managed to escape in time.
Wandering out into the desert wasteland outside Neo Arcadia and collapsing shortly after, Zero was approached by X as a hologram, wearing robes and a halo. He recounted the past hundred years he lived without Zero in sorrow fighting against Mavericks — those that rightly deserved that name yet were still reploids — and admitted that in time he lost his will to fight, wishing for his own personal respite and apologizing before leaving. Zero picked himself up and accepted this request, filling in for his partner. The first wave of a massive Pantheon army then found Zero as he decided this and said that "when an enemy appears... I'll terminate it..."
It is now a year since that time and Zero — battered and damaged but not yet broken — continues to walk the desert, distracting the Neo Arcadian forces from attacking the Resistance and distracting himself with his past. Growing unsure of himself, he begins to question many things, wondering if he will find the answers he seeks, wondering if those answers reside not in himself but in those he fights for. Even if he took a different path than the Resistance and Ciel, his mind never wanders far from them and he still believes they see the same sun and moon he walks under even now.
It is now a year since The Seven came to Hinoto-Ri, a safe haven from the destruction of the outside world. The future hangs in the outcome between Law and Chaos, between Philemon and Nyarlathotep. Zero's inner demons only continue to fester from his self-doubt, questioning his supposed identity and forgotten memories. Whether any of this ultimately means anything to Zero remains to be seen. The same goes for whether he will come to value this world as much as the one waiting for him to return.
One thing is certain: As long as he has the will and body, he will continue on for endless fight, fighting for what he feels is right.
Personality:
Zero comes across as a no-nonsense sort of person: He almost always has a scowl-like frown on his face, due to the angle of his helmet set against his eyes, and gives off the impression that he is deathly serious at all times. His own feelings having dulled over centuries, he is not one to typically show emotion. Indeed, usually the most that comes out of him are battle grunts as he exerts himself to fight his enemies and pursue the completion of any mission he decides to take up. If he begins to show any sort of extreme emotion, something is terribly wrong.
As far as actual moods go, there usually is only one: A stoic presence that imposes more with his nature than with his words. Rarely will there be a happy mood for him, a knowing smirk being the most people might ever see if the situation calls for it. On the other hand, he is sometimes prone to negativity towards himself, and might be found brooding if he's alone somewhere. As soon as the cause of any deviance from his norm settles down within him, or he becomes self-conscious from being found out, he's usually immediately back to his focused self, though his mind might linger from time to time.
With most things, he takes matters seriously even if he doesn't know someone. When Ciel found Zero, he hardly knew her, but because she needed saving he did so. It is rare for Zero to underestimate or disrespect someone, as he always welcomed a challenge from the Four Guardians and their subordinates. He will also take matters into his own hands if he feels he can do so, like when the Factory was set up with bombs by Phantom, as Ciel wanted him to escape but he chose of his own will to disarm the bombs instead. This also happened when he decided to take the fight to Neo Arcadia, believing that Ciel would be happier with X defeated after seeing her saddened by the Resistance being continually oppressed by Neo Arcadian forces.
Zero can hold a conversation if he's interested in speaking, just don't expect him to be as enthusiatic as you on the topic matter. If something does catch his interest he can speak his mind at length, even if it doesn't directly have to do with the topic at hand. He isn't the kind to purposely insult others while being addressed, as he will stand in place and listen to what others have to say without looking or acting bored, like he did with Andrew. He does however have a tendency to be curt when he does speak, and will often cut to the heart of a significant matter if he deems it necessary. With his forward way of talking he might not be very personable depending on the person.
Friends are few and far between in Zero's life, the closest he considers one being his old partner, X. Even with Ciel he did not pursue idle banter and merely listened to what she had to say most of the time, rarely initiating conversation on his own with anyone, though he would seek people out if he feels there is a reason to for either himself or others' sakes. He does care for people he puts value in and will often pursue their safety over his own life in priority, as he did when the Resistance was evacuating their base during a final attack by Neo Arcadia. Ciel wanted him to escape with the others, but Zero decided she should be the one to evacuate while he fought off the invaders.
Most of the time in casual conversation, Zero doesn't have much to say on his own, as he feels trivial matters of life are often irrelevant to him, meanwhile the fight is usually what matters most to him. He feels he was built for battle and battle alone, to serve others through that capacity. In that idea, he distances himself from many things and people, and pays more attention to the traits of an opponent or how a fight went. That's not to say that he's clueless about things in life, though. In particular, the concept of love is currently a significantly awkward subject for him to address and may become more so, with his past memories continuing to return and further potential interaction with Ciel, someone who cares a great deal for Zero for some reason unknown to him.
Despite his capabilities at being fast and powerful, Zero prefers to collect himself and read the battlefield before making any hasty decisions. His durability isn't the best, though he has come out of numerous bad situations miraculously alive and (usually) unscathed, worrying Ciel to no end in the past. Part of that may be due to the perceptions of others, or the difference between most reploids and himself — once being an S-Rank Maverick Hunter — but his luck can only hold out for so long, and so he tries not to overestimate himself even when he has an advantage. As far as his treatment of opponents go, he will often fight without mercy or regard to an opponent's condition unless it is clearly decided that a match is over. That said, if he finds no meaning in a certain battle, it will be one of the few times he extends mercy to his opponent. He might even show displeasure or boredom at such a fight.
Canon Powers:
Reploid [Passive] - As an artificial being, Zero can function without needing food or water, and his technology allows him to go without need for an energy supply, provided primarily from Energen Crystals, for a very long time... if he doesn't get too worn from combat that is. The necessity to operate in low-power or idle modes became very apparent during his year in the desert. His body is damaged in many places and requires repair and restoration of his energy supply for him to regain his full potential.
Charging [Passive] - Zero is able to charge up his weaponry for increased damage output, though this requires at least a turn or two depending on his current proficiency. However due to his degenerating energy supply he currently lacks the capability to make use of this ability aside from his Buster Shot during his canon point.
Dual Wield/Charge [Passive] - It is possible for Zero to wield two different weapons at once, which can come to deadly effect if both weapons are charged up simultaneously as he can release both charges in a single turn. (If this is deemed too powerful, Zero can be required to queue the charges separately first.) This also allows him to mix up parts of uncharged attacks in a turn.
Dashing [Passive] - Zero can boost his movement with the propulsion granted by his boots, augmenting his natural agility and jumping ability, as well as slightly augment his attack power with some of his uncharged attacks due to the increased momentum. A good amount of distance is necessary to utilize the tactic if used as a gap-closer against an enemy head-on, but can be combined with an attack during the same turn at will.
Wall-Climbing [Passive] - Zero is able to scale walls at will by kicking up them while he shifts his balance using one of his hands, a trait that only requires one wall to make use of. Otherwise, he can slide down them at a much more comfortable rate than simply falling. Not that it matters if it's visible, even ground, as he can fall down most heights without issue.
Elemental Chip Swap [Elemental (Lightning/Fire/Ice)] - Normally his weapons are all Physical, however when swapped all of Zero's weapons (though only when charged) will deal elemental damage instead and cause status ailments if the enemy is hit specifically by said attacks (Percentages will be added if necessary, otherwise they will always inflict the status change with charged attacks):
-Lightning: Causes Dizzy (automatically) for one turn, however until their next available turn the enemy cannot be damaged or affected in any way (except K.O.). Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Lightning.
-Fire: The affected enemy takes a small amount of Fire damage (automatically) next turn, however they cannot be affected by Dizzy (or the Lightning Chip's status) for that turn. Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Fire.
-Ice: Causes Freeze (automatically) for one turn. Effect is entirely ignored if the enemy is strong to, nulls, absorbs or reflects Ice.
As Zero is required to temporarily pause his involvement in combat to access the Chips, a turn must be used to swap elements.
Canon Weapons|Items:
An Overview of Zero's Weaponry
The below listing had Zero's skill levels during the course of MMZ1 tuned to fit a typical combat turn in Persona games, to be used as a reference for when more elaborate action/combat writing is necessary. At the end of MMZ1 Zero had MAX skill level in all of his weapons, however due to his canon point they are all set back to base level temporarily. Also, a combat turn is required for Zero to change his weapon loadout. I leave it up to mod judgement whether Zero should automatically re-acquire all of his skill levels if/when Zero recovers from his current state or if he'll have to level them again along with leveling his Soul Persona, as MMZ2 forced him to re-level his weapons (though leveling is simplified in that case).
Z-Sabers [Physical (Almighty)] - The most powerful all-purpose weapon in Zero's inventory, the Z-Sabers normally rest in holsters on Zero's hips and can be wielded masterfully as they are his main weapon. Not only are they capable of slicing straight through most metals outright, at his peak Zero can attack extremely fast with the green lightsabers as well as charge them up. All of Zero's other weapons (aside from the Buster Shot) are alternate modes of the Z-Sabers, and it is possible for him to dual-wield Z-Sabers if necessary. Due to his degenerating energy supply however he cannot use the weapon as well as he'd like to, and one of them is functionally broken.
Base of 7 Levels: Zero can only swing the Z-Saber once per turn for high damage, cannot charge it, nor use any advanced techniques.
Successive Strikes
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can swing twice with the Z-Saber per turn in a combo. The second slash, being horizontal, may harm enemies to Zero's sides as well.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero can swing three times in a combo with the Z-Saber per turn. The third and final slash, being an overhead finisher, can hurt enemies behind and above Zero as well. The third slash will also have the Almighty Element attached to it, being the part of the combo that visually completes the infamous Z-Slash technique.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can charge his Z-Saber, taking two extra turns but then can perform a powerful close-range plasma wave attack that harms anything in front of him for double damage.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero only needs one turn to charge his Z-Saber.
Advanced Techniques
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can use an aerial move, not unlike the Kuuenzan he used much earlier in time. This attack hits multiple times in a turn, and while each hit is not as damaging as a part of the Z-Slash, the somersaulting windmill slash can hit all enemies around him and rend through objects very quickly.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero adapts the Kuuenzan to roll around on the ground for similar effect. He becomes a sentient buzzsaw in this manner and preserves dashing momentum for as long as he doesn't stop. It is not as easy for Zero to keep this technique active compared to the earlier attack though as he will bump into something at some point, if it isn't sliced apart in one or two hits from the still-low-powered attacks that is. An effective trash-cleaner at any rate.
MAX of 7 Levels: Zero can attack three times with the Z-Saber per turn (the last hit being Almighty), can charge it in one turn, and can use both advanced techniques.
Buster Shot [Physical] - The weapon is actually a modern (as far as where Zero was taken from is concerned) plasma gun that Zero is able to quickly adapt to using thanks to subconscious battle prowess from the past. Even with it being an external ballistic weapon, it is capable of charging and its firing rate can be improved upon. When not in immediate use, Zero has it mounted on his lower back. He can't take much advantage from it right now in his current state, but it makes for a good distance weapon since it can still be charged one level.
-Base of 4 Levels: Zero can shoot 3 uncharged bullets at a time per turn with an average accuracy rate. Can be charged one level, taking a turn to deal triple damage with a powered-up plasma bullet on a subsequent turn.
Faster Rate
-1 of 1 Level: Zero can shoot 4 uncharged bullets at a time per turn with a good rate of accuracy.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can charge the Buster 2 levels, taking two turns to do so but dealing six times the damage of a single bullet with a large burst of energy on a turn he decides to release that energy.
-2 of 2 Levels: Zero needs to only take 1 turn to fire a fully-powered shot.
MAX of 4 Levels: Zero can shoot 4 uncharged bullets at a time, charge the Buster Shot two levels and take only one turn doing so.
Extension Training
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can extend the rod on the ground, creating a two-hit piercing combo in one turn.
-2 of 2 Levels: The rod can extend on the ground twice reliably, creating a three-hit piercing combo over a wide distance in a single turn.
Charging Power
-1 of 2 Levels: Zero can twirl the rod around after charging and both ends of the Rod activate their beams, creating an effective battlestaff and buzzsaw in one action. Each individual hit is relatively weak but adds up quickly. This takes 2 turns to charge up for.
-2 of 2 Levels: The rod's prior attack only requires one charge to operate now.
MAX of 5 Levels: Zero can attack with a 3-hit piercing combo, as well as charge quickly for a spinning edged battlestaff attack.
Base of 3 Levels: Reflective Blocking enabled; grants Zero Reflect Physical on ranged physical attacks for half damage during use and charging. (This also applies while Zero is charging both the Shield and another weapon.)
Throwing Extension
-1 of 2 Levels: It goes out farther when you throw it.
-2 of 2 Levels: It goes out... even farther. Anyone want to play catch with a deadly plasma frisbee?
MAX of 3 Levels: Almost the same as before, but Zero can throw it out farther now.
Canon Allies:
During his journey, Zero acquired the help and service of sentient life-forms known as Cyber-Elves, whose abilities varied greatly between one another. Because they lose their lives once their abilities are used to aid someone, Zero is extremely judicial of his usage of the Cyber-elves. Unfortunately, thanks to a truncation due to his transport to Hinoto-Ri, Zero only comes with six of them uploaded into him:
Nurses
-Bireff (Partial Health Refill)
-Coswick (Full Health Refill)
Animals
-Beesus (Cover fire for a few turns)
-Birsky (Grant flying ability for a few turns)
Hackers
-Stoctto (Cause Stunned to all enemies for a turn)
-Clocka (Cause Dizzy on everyone other than Zero for a turn)
None of the Cyber-elves are active currently, as Zero requires the usage of a Trans Server or assistance from Ciel in order to switch them into usable mode. If the COMP-Network is similar in habitat to Cyberspace, the Cyber-elves can use it as a medium to activate their abilities. Otherwise, they reside in Zero's upload bank. Of course, that's moot if Ciel managed to figure out a solution on her own already...
Canon Baggage:
All of Zero's weapons (wear and tear included), plus the shawl Zero travelled in while in the desert. Zero himself is also the residence of the earlier-mentioned six Cyber-elves.
Persona
[X? (Cyber-Elf)]
LVL (1) | THE HERMIT
SUPPORT SKILLS
► Deep Breath (Lessens instances of succumbing to Fear, Confusion, Charm, Egoism, and Rage attacks.)
► Reinforced (Lessens instances of succumbing to Down, Exhaustion, Sleep and Petrification attacks.)
► Good Health (Lessens instances of succumbing to Poison, Happy, and Cold attacks.)
► Ward (Lessens instances of succumbing to Silence, Illusion and Animal attacks.)
▷ Resist Fall (Lessens instances of falling Down during a knockdown.)
▷ Sharp Student (Lowers the possibility of being struck by a Critical Hit.)
▷ Endure (Survive being knocked Unconscious once per battle )
▷ Regenerate (5% total HP is restored at every turn (healing out of a battle takes about 6 hours for normal wounds.))
★ Dual Strike? (The Persona will mimic projectile attacks performed by the user at the same time for up to three turns. Turns spent charging don't count toward this duration. The attacks by the Persona in this manner will be forced Mind Element regardless.)
COMBAT SKILLS
► Kouha (Inflicts a small amount of Light damage on one enemy.)
▷ Cell Breaker (Inflicts a small amount of Physical damage with a 10% chance of Exhaustion on one enemy.)
▷ Holy Arrow (Inflicts a small amount of Physical damage to one enemy with a 10% chance of inflicting the Charm ailment. )
Writing Sample
Somewhere between the Sagittarius and Capricorn wards, a lone figure wearing a ragged shawl walked under the stars of night in a place unfamiliar to him. A nearby light fixture revealed glints of green, blue, red and white from his head, or helmet rather.
Another night, soon to be another 13th Hour. Zero had little reason to worry, what with the moon being in a new phase. Still, he wandered down the streets with attentive senses. It was specifically because of the fact he knew there were less monsters than usual this time of the month that he found himself at the Central Park of Capricorn Ward. He couldn't let his combat senses dull along with the rest of him, not when there were still things to fight for. The demons could work just as well as robot Pantheons he fought before as far as he was concerned.
And right on cue, a pair of demons stepped out from the darkness to greet him. He expected this of course, and sized up the both of them. The one in front was a hulky brute, and the one behind had an average frame with long limbs.
"... Let's go. Persona!!"
Bluish energy seeped out from the ground in front of him, coalescing into a ball of varying colors of light, with outer rings like those on atoms criss-crossing each other. The demon behind him saw fit to attack then, thinking the humanoid was distracted with the one in front. This proved to be a costly mistake.
"Hyah!"
Off went the arm that neared him in a flash of green. The creature stumbled back in shock, but only for a moment before it fell over — its head went clean off within the next second. The other demon charged at that point, closing the gap between itself and its prey quickly, but only to find an empty shawl that it went past.
"Hah!"
The demon's vision suddenly found itself right next to the ground and in unbearable pain. It strained its head up while it roared to see its assailant illuminated, one knee holding the bottom half of its back down and the plasma lightsaber embedded in the upper half of its back. That yell was the last thing it would do, and the humanoid's piercing eyes was the last thing its own eyes would see.
"Sah!"
With the saber cleaved like a crescent through the ground up into the air, the demon sank its head and laid still, slain. The reploid moved off the corpse with a hop, landing on the wet grass, and then picked up the shawl to drape it around his body again. The ball of light continued its silent watch and support, and Zero nodded his thanks. Just before he could de-power the saber and holster it though, more demons began to show up, surrounding him in a circle and delivering a cacophony with all sorts of gutteral voices.
Another night, soon to be another 13th hour. The demons should have had a lot of reason to worry.
