Zero watched him go, fully expecting Hajime to run outside without delay so these animals could be returned to their rightful homes. The fact that he had pause at all was a small surprise.

In the same way that Zero knew he wouldn't have to ask the cheerleader to take care of those animals, Hajime's request went without saying. They both had roles to play to ensure the well-being of others at the school, and regardless of what they thought of each other, Zero knew he could trust him to attend to those duties with the full limit of his abilities.

That he went from giving up because of his own helplessness to relying on the machine to aid him was, in a way, reassuring. By himself, there was very little Hajime could accomplish against a force like Eggman. But even if there was nothing his cheer powers could do for Zero, he would still lend his sword to help the student do what was right, of his own volition.

With a firm nod of understanding, the reploid simply said, "Leave it to me."