[Comartemis]

The impression given is that Zero copied them off Fate with the reference there.

Ah. No, I'm running with the idea that not every device is necessarily unique and there will be some forms that are especially popular among different device-users (I seem to recall seeing multiple Raising Heart clones among the Arthra's strike team late in Classic). Magical plasma blades in general are referred to as "zamber" blades, and Wily used this design as Zero's primary weapon. I borrowed this idea from Mahou Shonen Enforcer Chrono, making it possibly the only concept I've seen in that fic that I would ever use in one of my own.

Point to me one device that has been shown to be connected to a linker core by circuitry.

Well, not through circuitry per se, but virtually every intelligent device has displayed the ability to draw power from the LC. Obvious examples include the autocast spells and Mach Caliber's epic save against Ginga.

As for your earlier point of the LC's lack of corporeality... well I've stated before that the LC is what anchors the spirit to the body, now I'm theorizing that as such it exists on both the physical and astral planes. This is how it can be considered an organ yet be incorporeal. Zero's circuitry is linked to his physical core, and is only connected to his spiritual core by proxy.

And the limits of it? What can it do and what can it not do?

See, this is what happens when you post right before you go to class: you rush yourself and don't put enough thought into your answers.

Zero's AI core is limited to the standard functions of your typical storage device, including magic processing and storage of electronic media. Zero's core is also linked to his home M2D (those holographic computer terminals that pop up everywhere in StrikerS), so he can access any important files stored on it at any time without bringing up a user interface. So no, picking apart the Belka system just by sparring with Signum wouldn't be possible.

Let me rephrase my answer to your previous question: by "picking up" the Ancient Belka system through sparring with Signum, I mean that Zero is analyzing Signum's fighting style (melee with magic-enhanced attacks), picking apart its' strengths and weaknesses, and deciding to adopt a similar combat style rather than going with Mid-Childa and its' ranged attacks. Actually learning Ancient Belka is done through rote study and lots of practice.

The energy to power an IS obviously does not come from a linker core, otherwise the Numbers ISes would be fizzling out under AMF.

So far as I can tell, the ISs are--for all intents and purposes--identical to the genetic traits of other characters in StrikerS, like Acous and Vivio. The only difference is that the Numbers use power supplies to artificially boost the strength of their skills. Ergo, if Zero gained some sort of power supply and figured out how to hook it up to his LC, he could do the same thing, but for now, he's only working with what he's got.

Folks, I'd be perfectly happy to drop this power if someone could suggest an alternate method of letting Zero harness the elements for his attacks.

...hold that thought, I just remembered MMZ's element chips.

*Goes back to the drawing board*