The first crack split down the glass cylinder with a slow, echoing shhhck.
Ash felt the vibration ripple through his bones—
and through the link, Palo flinched with him.
Silva slammed her hand on the control panel.
"Hold—hold—come on—SHUT DOWN!"
Nothing responded.
The machines hummed louder, lights flickering like the chamber was breathing.
Palo stepped in front of Ash instinctively.
"Ash, stay behind me—"
Ash shook his head, gripping Palo's sleeve.
"No. If he wakes up because of me… I need to face him."
The Founder's voice was low.
"He won't be hostile. But he might not understand boundaries. Zero-B has never interacted with anyone before."
The second crack spread.
The liquid inside the cylinder rippled like disturbed water.
Silva muttered, panic rising.
"He's syncing with Ash's lock frequency… that shouldn't even be possible…"
Palo inhaled sharply.
"What does that mean?!"
The Founder's eyes went wide.
"It means Zero-B is waking in response to Ash, not to the facility."
Ash stepped closer, breath trembling.
The symbol on his wrist glowed—
and the one on Zero-B's wrist glowed back, as if answering.
A final crack snapped across the glass.
Then—
HISS—
The cylinder opened.
Cold vapor spilled out, rolling over the floor like ghostly fog.
Inside, the figure slowly lifted their head.
Their eyes opened.
Silver.
Empty.
Unfocused.
But the moment they landed on Ash—
The emptiness shifted.
Not fully.
Not like recognition.
More like instinct.
Like a newborn sensing the first shape in its field of vision.
Zero-B took one slow, uneven step out of the cylinder.
Their legs shook.
Their balance wavered.
Palo tensed.
Ash's heart pounded.
Silva whispered:
"He's stabilizing… fast. Too fast."
Zero-B's gaze stayed locked on Ash.
Expression blank.
Breathing steady.
Posture eerily quiet.
Then—
He spoke.
His voice was soft.
Unsteady.
Like using it for the first time.
"…Primary."
Ash froze.
Silva's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
Palo stiffened.
"What did he call him?"
"Primary," the Founder said urgently.
"He's identifying Ash as the original source. As his anchor."
Zero-B took another step.
Not aggressive.
Not gentle.
Just… drawn.
Ash stood still, unable to look away.
"Why… why me?" he whispered.
Zero-B blinked, head tilting slightly—almost identical to a movement Ash himself sometimes made when confused.
"Core resonance," the Founder said.
"He feels your presence like gravity. The locks inside him are reading you as the template he's meant to follow."
Palo stepped sideways, blocking part of the line between them.
Zero-B paused.
His eyes flicked to Palo—confused.
Not understanding obstacles.
Not understanding why someone else stood near the one he was tuned to.
Palo didn't move away.
Ash felt the tension in Palo's chest through the link like a second heartbeat.
"Palo," Ash whispered, "it's okay."
But Palo shook his head, voice tight.
"I don't trust him."
Zero-B turned his gaze back to Ash.
Then something changed.
His breathing hitched faintly.
A flicker of… something… crossed his eyes.
Not emotion.
Not full awareness.
But familiarity.
As if Ash's presence filled a missing space he didn't know he had.
He took another slow step, stopping only a few feet from Ash.
"…Primary," he repeated softly, voice trembling at the edges.
Ash swallowed.
"My name is Ash."
Zero-B blinked.
"Ash."
The word came out clearer.
Silva watched with tense fascination.
"He's imprinting on you."
The copy muttered, "This is a disaster."
Zero-B's hand twitched—
not reaching, not touching, but almost reacting to the glow of Ash's wrist symbol.
Ash hesitated.
Then took one small step forward.
Zero-B mirrored him instantly.
Perfectly.
Ash inhaled sharply.
"He's… copying my movements."
The Founder nodded.
"That's what he was made to do. He was designed to follow your baseline. Your stability. Your personality patterns. Anything you express, he mirrors to form his own."
Palo's voice thickened with discomfort.
"So he's like… Ash's shadow?"
Silva exhaled shakily.
"Yes. A shadow with an empty core waiting to be filled."
Ash stared at Zero-B—this strange reflection of himself, breathing softly in the cold light.
"Do you know who you are?" Ash whispered.
Zero-B's eyes focused just a little.
"I am… Zero-B. Defined by… Primary."
Ash felt something twist inside him.
"That's not a life," he whispered.
"You're not supposed to live like that."
Zero-B blinked, confused by the concept.
Palo finally spoke, voice low and emotional despite the tension:
"Ash… he—he's looking at you like you're the only thing he understands."
Ash swallowed.
"He probably is."
Zero-B shifted again—
and for the first time, his expression changed.
Barely.
A faint, almost imperceptible softening around his eyes.
Not emotion.
But recognition.
Ash stepped closer.
Slow.
Careful.
Zero-B didn't move away.
Didn't tense.
Just watched him with a quiet stillness that felt too heavy for the room.
Ash whispered:
"I'm not your replacement. And you're not mine."
Zero-B blinked once.
"…Not replacement," he repeated softly.
Palo's chest tightened.
Silva whispered:
"He's learning. Faster than he should."
The Founder's face darkened.
"If he continues at this rate… the facility's next protocol will trigger."
Palo stiffened.
"What protocol?"
The Founder turned toward the glowing machinery.
"The system may attempt to force synchronization…
between Ash and Zero-B."
Silva gasped.
"No. That could overload them both."
Ash took a shaky breath.
Zero-B watched him, breathing in sync.
Palo whispered urgently:
"Ash… what do we do now?"
Ash didn't answer yet.
Because Zero-B opened his mouth again—
Voice quiet.
Almost fragile.
"Primary Ash…
What is my purpose?"
Ash's heart broke just hearing it.