Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"What are you planning this time?" Axl wondered, entering the main office of the Seventeenth Unit Commander. He scans the entire area, catching sight of the 'supposed' pristine board.

"Glad you can make it, my partner in crime slash assistant!" X spun around, holding a ball of red yarn and scissors. The blue droid's face is also littered with sticky notes with a pen inserted between the cheek and helmet.

"Uh..." The gunslinger looked away from X, scanning the board instead. The image of Lumine at the center astounded him and quickly made the board as top priority. Axl rubbed his optics, adjusting the focal length of his eyes for a quick zoom in. He needs to determine whether or not the blue bomber decided to indulge in some malware for the heck of it. 'No. X did not. It's probably worse.'

"Give me a minute. Almost done." X dropped the scissors, looping a red string connecting two thumb tacks. Axl takes a couple of steps forward, closing the door behind him.

"You got busy." Axl muttered, trying to capture every tiny detail while processing the data. In a span of thirty minutes, X decides to theorize on their present situation. Typical X. Axl focuses on the pictures pinned with thumb tacks and scraps of paper. Photos of terminated and soon-to-be terminated mavericks, Sigma, Lumine, the Board handling the Jakob Elevator Project, picture of HQ, the UN, Global warming data surveys? What Axl wants to know is why X speculates Lumine as the mastermind. 'Isn't it usually Sigma?'

"There we go!" X huffed, tugging the screen holder down.

"?" Axl blinked, curious why X covered the entire conspiracy theory board with a pull down projector screen. "Wait. That's not it?"

"A topic for another day. (X waved his hand.) We'll discuss that once I gather enough data." X assured, walking towards his laptop to set-up the 'other' project.

"Uh-huh." Axl doesn't believe it. Based on his interaction with X, the pacifist relays his suspicions until the very last moments. Axl can't blame the guy, considering that most of X's conclusions are the worst case scenarios. However, why would X consider Lumine as the threat? 'Lumine got kidnapped, didn't he? Or is that guy a she??'

"Take a seat and a remote." X sat on his egg chair, having his own remote to reveal..

[Operation Layer 0]

"Oh Light me with gasoline. I should've seen this coming." Axl flopped on X's egg chair (Alia just had to gift X with these funky chairs) with the remote at hand. He stared at the controversial pairing name. Pallette and X was arguing about that name the other day, either 0 Layer or Layer 0. Axl never understood why both androids wanted a measly ship name to have inner meaning. Axl takes a peek at his seatmate, temporarily blinded with his fellow hunter's enthusiasm.

"You should have, especially after that skit." X changed the slides, activating the laser point to circle the step-by-step procedure. Sporting a soft smile with heavily saturated forest green eyes, X continued. "It's clear as binary that Layer has obtained 'feelings' for our comrade. We must help with the plot's progression!"

"We should. It's definitely for the best." Axl looked back towards the screen, amused how dedicated X is to the dense swordsman. Call this favoritism, but X clearly ignored the other possible love candidates in favor of the purple-haired navigator. There might be an explanation to this, however, the brunette isn't sure who or where to obtain said info.

"Here's the plan. We know Zero and Layer communicate after missions and during breaks from paperwork." X pulled up Zero and Layer's schedules, spinning the laser at the possible meeting times of both reploids. Axl has long since stopped questioning the blue reploid's love for detail, even if the schedules on screen establishes activities beyond the workplace. "However, this is not enough to launch another event."

"I know Signas told you to sit out, but I didn't expect you to start playing otome games." Axl joked, using his remote to encircle the word 'paperwork' taking most of the time. 'This is a major problem. They're both workaholics down to the core.'

"I didn't... I... based them on my system tests." X's volume lowered, quickly regaining its decibels after a one-second interval. "However! If this comparison helps with the operation then I will agree with the genre."

"Since Commander Signas insists to have both hunters in the field, we need to subtly arrange the partnership in our favor." X dragged the estimated time, place and time expectancy of accomplishment. "We can't continuously pair up to accomplish the mission or Zero will realize our plans nor can we up and abandon Zero to have him pair up with Layer.."

"Wait. We can do that?" Axl's eyes widened as he sat up from the partially comfy chair.

"Yes. Our navigators are considered A or B-class hunters." X replied in turn, dragging the images of six mavericks. "Don't get me wrong. I know you're onto something. Maybe I should file a petition wherein both hunters and navigators are permitted to switch duties?"

"The only person who'll benefit from that would be you X." Axl scoffed. Other than the fact Axl hates staying in HQ and sorting the papers, he isn't the best when it comes to research. He's more of a data gatherer or a hacker. Give Axl directions and he'll give results. Right now, they aren't aware who's holding Lumine captive. There's also the threat of the new generation models. To see a ton of Sigmas in the field is terrifying for even the sturdiest of veterans.

"True... But we both know this entire fiasco is a set-up for a grander scheme." X rest his head on the chair, dragging their icons onto a maverick. "I wouldn't be surprised if the main event is at the Orbital elevator."

"That would be weird." Axl laughs, but a part of him says this is possible. No one would commit another crime in a crime scene. Axl remembered the conspiracy board behind the projector screen and tossed in another idea. "The officials would have surely report any anomaly to HQ, right?"

"Lumine is the director of the entire facility. Same entity who spent a year replacing most human staff and personnel with reploids." X tapped the remote onto his cheek, staring at the icon of the three navigators.

"But why would the mastermind allow himself to get kidnapped?" Axl dragged his icon towards the ore mine. Surely, there will be rare metal in the area.

"Fair point... Unless it's a necessity." X paused, staring at the table set-up. "I realized something."

"Pray tell." Axl swears he didn't mean to sound sarcastic. X and Zero's banter simply rubbed on him, mostly Zero, but who wouldn't get inspired by the warbot's no-nonsense attitude?

"We could keep Layer and Zero as our front lines, you and Pallette as logistics and foraging team while Alia and I handle intel." X proposed. "It's a win-win situation!"

"Is that your way of hinting your retirement plan?" Axl asked in turn. They both know Zero and he are a fan of action, but there's something odd not having X alongside them. Also, wouldn't that make Alia navigate two different teams- "Do you have a license?"

"Of course I have a license. I once navigated Zero during the Red Alert incident." X moved his and Alia's icons to different mavericks. "Once we obtain the approval from the Commander, we can discuss the details to Alia."

"What if Alia wants to kick maverick butt?" Axl pondered.

"She's more of a fan of R&D." X supplied, looking back at the cute icons within the boxes under a maverick. "Though there will be a time when Layer and Pallette will be out of commission. Odd considering we have a team performing the same tasks at hand. Why must Fate test the Maverick Hunter's overall competency?"

"What makes you so sure romance would bud between the two during missions?" Axl decides to doodle on the action plan. Using the laser, Axl draws a number of smiley faces. "I know comrade-in-arms form bonds, but romance? Eh. I doubt it."

"Actually, this is the best method to pierce through Zero's walls." X saves their progress and drags the slide to the next part for Axl to see the terrains of the incoming enemies. X even inserted a GIF, which he cut off from a video, of the enemies and head of the area (who is now a maverick). "The way to romancing Zero is friendship and romantic intent. We must avoid the friendzone!"

"All because he got a break." Axl murmured under his breath, reading the list of dos and dont's during Operation Layer 0. 'What have you done Signas?'

Chapter Text

"How is this possible...?" X whispered to himself, staring at the bulletin board dedicated to matchmaking any reploid X has ever encountered.

"X. I think you need rest." Axl offered instead, holding a cup of coolant from X's mini-fridge. Getting a ping from the blue bomber at 3 in the morning, Axl knew the skit between Layer and Zero caused X to go overdrive. Said Hunter created another conspiracy theory, but the strings are getting tangled up and-

"On the rate we're going at, I expect to see Zero kidnapped by foreigners." X commented, tapping the Question mark picture he printed and cut out. Axl gawked at the ridiculous conclusion. X ignored him, contemplating on their next move. "The world is going against our favor, Axl. It's as if they wish to keep Zero single!"

"How..? W-why? What made you...?" Axl nearly dropped his can. Not only does X believe in alternate world's, but X also believes in god-like entities affecting the course of history. In the situation on case, Zero's love life. Axl took sip, trying to kickstart his CPU with the wrong agent. "Do you really believe everyone wants Zero?"

"No. Everyone wants to get a hold of Zero. We should be specific on these matters, especially if we have no power on the situation." X pranced in the room, fiddling with the pen. "Zero is considered the strongest, well-designed android in this world's century. However, that would also mean the chances of my person is in order."

"Due to your known title as Rockman?" Axl relaxes instead, simply scanning and storing the image for later processing. X wouldn't mind further inquiry in a more reasonable time of day. "But you believe Zero has a higher chance of getting taken?"

"Yes because my pacifistic view in life has painted a serene image on one such as I." X rubbed his cheek, smudging blue after accidentally poking the pen tip on his face. "And then Zero... He... He doesn't mind his reputation... He might even use his reputation to his advantage but..."

"His reputation got him kidnapped once in the past. Shouldn't he be making protocols for the inevitable?!" X groaned, worried and frustrated at Zero's response.

"Zero got kidnapped?" Axl doesn't remember any news of Zero's disappearance in the Daily.

"Dr. Wily must have experienced similar disappearances with my brother.. Why else would Zero be so calm in these scenarios?" X dropped his pen, looking back at the board. A great number of them are obstacles to the supposed simple love plot. In a few hours X will be able to temporarily remove Sigma and the virus from the board. Sigma does take a year break at the minimum before launching another complicated assault.

'Maybe HQ paid the reporters?" Axl thought instead. That's the usual way to block unwanted attention.

"Nevertheless. We must prepare for-?!" X almost jumped when he saw the door behind Axl open up.

"Hm?" Axl turns his head, already expecting the visitor as he stared at familiar gauntlets holding the door knob.

"Scrap!" X quickly grabbed the bulletin board and tore it down, flinging it underneath the couch. He pulled down the projector screen, slamming his body onto the table to reach his laptop.

"ZeroOo!" Axl stood up, kicking the board to be fully hidden underneath the couch as he 'accidentally' kicked his chair to block the door. "There a mission for us I mean me?!"

"No but I noticed your absence in your quarters and (Zero managed to push the chair) decided to investigate." Zero managed to pry open the door, just in time to see Axl and X sitting beside each other and watching a documentary. Zero took a step forward, taking hold of the dimly-lit room, before looking back at the video. "You're watching a hamster compilations."

"Very educational if I say so myself." X nodded quickly, hoping to father creator Zero will stop snooping around.

"And you muted the film." Zero stated, voice too bland to their liking.

"Let the imagination run wild." Axl confirmed, snickering at the deadpan expression the warbot gave them.

"Hn..." Zero closed the door, walking inside much to X's discomfort and Axl's surprise. "You disrupted Axl's sleep cycle to watch mute hamster compilations?"

"I did." X agreed, eyes looking at the video.

"..." Zero moved the mouse, staring at the video span. "An hour long of hamster videos."

"They're... Really good." X nudged Axl's ribs when the blue bot noticed the other shaking.

"..." Zero stared at the two... Before walking to sit beside X. "Let's have it then."

"H-have what?" X can't follow.

"What makes hamsters compilations so educational?" Zero glanced back at X.

"Ok..." X drawled, somewhat prepared for the lecture(?) of the different type of hamsters, their traits, behavior, benefits, illnesses and other nonsensical media portrayals.

All the while X prevents Axl from laughing his head off from the stupidity occuring in the room as well as prevent any foot from touching the board.