Doomed to a life of paperwork and business meetings, Iris didn't know why she expected anything else out of her existence. So there she was, in the background of every meeting Repliforce had that her brother attended, making no sounds and acting more as a pretty corner ornament for everyone to ignore. She was lucky, however, that Colonel never found out the truth about her and Zero. With her no longer sneaking off to leave for Maverick Hunter HQ, Colonel was more than happy to have Iris under his watch again. He was still suspicious of course, but less so when he knew exactly where she was.

Today was another slog of a day that Iris nearly zoned out while Colonel talked with General.

"I heard that we were able to secure the Atlantic coastline?"

"Yes. Our teams are now taking conservation samples for further research. The results of such should be available within the next month."

"Good. The results of the geological sample from Dopple Town have come in- I suggest that you review them at your own disposal. You'll find them to be quite interesting."

"Noted. Thank you for your time Colonel."

"Any time General."

Colonel gave General a nod of good bye before motioning for Iris to follow him. Iris almost didn't notice the cue and quickly snapped back to reality.

"Oh, Colonel," General said just as the duo were about to depart, "I received word that Maverick Hunter Zero would like to have an audience with you."

"Is that so?" Colonel questioned, raising an eyebrow in interest. Even Iris jumped a little at the name. Zero? What could he want with Colonel?

"He even requested that you call him when you are alone." General agreed- he even casting Iris a rather blank stare to assert the notion. "Something about how it was a 'personal' matter that need not be heard by wandering ears."

"Interesting." Colonel mumbled. Iris didn't have to look at him to know what he was thinking about. It was about her: Zero wanted to talk in private about her. But why? It's been weeks- why is he just now reaching out to Colonel to talk about her?

"I'll leave you two, then." General then said, kicking both Reploid siblings out of their trains of thoughts. As General left, Colonel and Iris remained behind- thinking and calculating about the same thing.

"Do you know why Zero would ask for my attention?" Colonel asked Iris, turning to face her with an unreadable look.

"No..." Iris replied- the answer sounding more than a question. "I haven't thought about Zero or the Maverick Hunters in weeks."

Not since it became apparent that I'll never go out on the field without you breathing down my neck, Iris then darkly thought to herself, or by having ex-Maverick blondies trying to decapitate me because he doesn't know the definition of love.

Colonel looked over Iris like a father would look down at a child. After a few moments, he let out a small sigh.

"I'll try to contact Zero later this afternoon." he said to her. "If I meet him, I want you to redirect my calls for the day, alright?"

"Of course, Brother..."

. . .

For what it was worth, Colonel did not like Zero at all. There were the facts, of course, that Zero had once been Maverick and there were the rumors, which seemed to be more vicious than the facts. There was one particular rumor that warned that Zero would never die and every time he did, he became more liable to become the worse Maverick in history. It was actually amazing that the Maverick Hunters decided to keep Zero as a vital part of their team- but then again, so was Vile until he was decommissioned.

Vile was a monster, and it took a monster to cut him down. But it begged the question, when Zero becomes a monster, what monster will it take to cut him down?

Gathering some respect he could have had for the Maverick Hunter, Colonel took a deep breath in before opening the conference room door. Inside the room, despite there being plenty of chairs, Zero stood and admired the paintings that decorated the conference room. Colonel cleared his throat to get the red Reploid's attention, and sure enough Zero turned around to give Colonel a small half smile.

"Colonel." Zero greeted with a nod.

"Zero." Colonel agreed with a nod of his own. "How about you take a seat?"

"I don't plan on being here long." the red Reploid claimed, causing Colonel to raise an eyebrow.

"Then why would you ask for my audience?" he questioned. "If this were a simple 'hello' then you could have just placed a normal call."

To this, Zero's demeanor seemed to change into a more darker tone. "I wanted to talk about Iris." he admitted, his voice not betraying his new attitude. Colonel looked on without so much a blink.

"I'd like to say that I'm surprised." he admitted. "However, I have reasons to believe that you are the one that hurt Iris the other day. Is that right?"

Zero didn't say anything for awhile as he weighed the options of telling Colonel the truth.

"I assume that if I did, you would want to know why?" Zero questioned, not at all letting his guard down. This was a delicate matter, and both of them knew it far too well.

"Of course." Colonel agreed. Understanding this, Zero recoiled a little and once more thought over the idea. It didn't take too long before Zero came to his conclusion.

"I was the one that hurt Iris, yes, but it was not without reason."

"And what reason have you to attack my sister?" Colonel immediately demanded. Zero noted his hostility and accepted it before going on.

"Iris came to the Maverick Hunters because she was restless with her work here at Repliforce. I noticed her spirit to fight and took to her training personally."

Colonel now gave Zero a rather deathly glare. Zero had to take a deep breath in to reconsider what he was trying to say. Negotiating was never his thing -he usually found a way to make X do it for him- but it had to be done for this particular instance with or without X's help.

And Zero had a feeling that he was doing a very bad job at it.

"Colonel, in all respects, Iris has got to be the some insane Reploid I've met that has yet to show signs of going Maverick. But, for what it's worth, she also has the meanest left hook I've ever had the pleasure to experience first hand."

"If you are trying to give a convincing argument Zero, then you'll need to try harder."

Zero let out a sigh. He didn't think he'd have to draw it out this obviously.

"Colonel," the red Reploid then tried again, "I believe Iris is destined for greater things than your invisible secretary. She needs to get out and explore. She needs to get away from you."

Hearing this, and instantly being insulted, Colonel stood straighter and his face became hard.

"Iris will not be combative so long as I live." Colonel informed Zero in a dark voice. Had he not a tough spine of his own, Zero would have cowered in fear right then and there. Jesus, if X was here, this situation would have been dealt with already and everyone would be happy, and smiling, and...

"She doesn't have to be," Zero argued, "If you would listen..."

"I've heard enough Zero."

"But sir-"

"No more of this Maverick Hunter!" the taller Reploid thundered, causing Zero to stagger back a little in surprise. "I made my decision and that is that. Iris is under my guidance, if anything were to happen to her, then there would be no hope for me."

"But what about her?" the red Reploid questioned. "Have you ever considered what she wanted? Colonel, Iris is amazing. So she may not develop enough to be completely efficient out on field, but she could help elsewhere that doesn't involve fighting: emergency response, tactics, even recon!"

"She would never-"

"Have you asked her?" Zero asked, stopping Colonel in his tracks. "Have you ever stopped to consider what she could do instead of what you wanted her to do?"

Colonel growled under his breath as he looked down on Zero. That was when he saw it: Zero had the same range of stubbornness that Iris had- it was in his eyes the same way it would flare in hers. Colonel did not want to lose this debate, and yet, he had a feeling he was going to let himself do just that.

"You sound just like her..." Colonel mumbled as he started to rub the bridge of his nose. Zero waited. What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't tell if this was going to go in his favor or not yet.

"Zero," Colonel finally sighed, "Do you really think Iris could be helpful as a Navigator?"

"Yes sir." the red Reploid replied almost instantly. "She has the mind for it: sharp and quick in devising resolutions to the current problem. The training I gave her could be used to aid others on the field. She could work anywhere she wanted, just not in a combative role."

"I see..." the taller of the two mumbled, casting a side glance as he thought it over. It was some time before he turned his attention back to Zero.

"If you needed Iris for anything, besides field work," Colonel started with a long sigh, "Then I may trust you with her. But be aware Zero, I am highly trained in the latest combat forms."

"As am I Colonel." Zero agreed with a smirk.

"I can't guarantee that you would make it out of the arena alive."

"Neither could I."

Zero looked up at Colonel with a side smirk, while the other looked like he was going to regret the decision in a matter of moments after the two departed. Zero didn't care or take the time to really notice; maybe he could negotiate without X around. Just maybe.

. . .

A few weeks later…

The phenomenon had gained a buzzword in the past few hours: erasure. X refused to look at the case file, while Zero poured his time going over the details. Reploids effected by this Erasure were lifeless- completely nonfunctional like their very soul had been taken from them. There had to be something to explain this- there had to be!

Impatient, Zero went to the research department to ask for some sort of development.

"Were you able to locate the origins of the Erasure incidents?" Zero demanded to the operator the moment he entered the room. The operator jumped a little at his voice, but in realizing that it was just Zero, they relaxed a bit before giving their report.

"Yes sir." they confirmed. "Just a few moment ago, we successfully traced the Erasures to Laguz Island, an islet in the Southern Ocean that is currently housing a Reploid research laboratory."

"Good." Zero snapped. "Give X and I a briefing and we'll go out immediately."

It didn't take long for Zero and X to collect with the mission operators for the briefing. Just as they were ready to go, the lead operator said to them,

"X and Zero, you are able to choose your Navigator for this mission."

"I want Iris." Zero immediately replied. X looked over at his friend curiously. Iris hadn't been mentioned the past few months much. There were some days were she would come to the Maverick Hunters for further Navigator training, but she was still considered a trainee and this mission might be more complicated than it looked.

"But sir, Iris is technically a part of Repliforce." the operator argued, albeit rather gently. "The paper work needed to bring her over, even temporarily, is..."

"Yes, Iris would be excellent for this mission." X agreed, almost a bit too loud, now causing Zero to look at him curiously. "If she were to remain here to look over us, then Colonel would approve her assistance as well. I'm sure of it."

The operator, now conflicted, looked from X to Zero and back again.

"I… I'll see what we can do." they eventually said. "But it may take a bit longer for you two to go out."

"So be it." X agreed. "Thank you for your assistance."

The operator gave a small blush before getting to work. Zero was still looking at X, now with a bit of sentimentalism.

"Thanks X." he said to his friend, quite genuinely. X looked over at him, a bit surprised at the compliment before giving a smile of his own. The two shared a brief moment before Zero added, "Here's hoping Colonel lets her join us."

"What's the worse that could happen?" X asked. "It's not like she'll ever be combative, right?"

Convinced now, Zero made his smile a bit bigger. "You're right." he agreed. "She'd be great for this mission."

. . .

And it's Friday night and it's kicking in
And I can't dress, they're gonna crucify me
Oh, you and all your vibrant youth
How could anything bad ever happen to you?