Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

April 10th, 210X

Dr. Phillip Cain looked at the various notes before him, running through the dusty papers with his fingers. What a find, he thought. This was nothing short of absolutely incredible. Yet, he hadn't intended for any of this to happen.

He had initially set out on this expedition to uncover fossils of ancient plant life from the Mesozoic; precisely, one that would prove his theories regarding potential proof of two well-documented findings being linked and having maybe split off from one sample recently discovered. Yet after he had set out, he had nothing short of bad luck. It was a good month since he and his team set out in the middle of a barren wasteland searching for the coveted proof of his studies, and frankly, he was beginning to lose hope.

At least, that was until yesterday.

After setting camp at a new site, Cain and his team lay out the preliminary gridwork. Yet, upon getting the equipment up and running, odd readings were detected at location E-46. While it was just speculation, something with metallic properties appeared buried deep beneath the ground. What this was, exactly, no one was sure, yet that it was indeed "something."

And what he found was nothing short of both incredible and impossible.

Buried out in the middle of this barren, dry landscape was what appeared to be a small, hidden laboratory. One that had been buried for quite some time. Cain remembered the echoes as he and a few other brave few entered, flashlights being one of the few comforts they had when exploring. He could only speculate, and there were too many details missing to construct a picture of what happened, yet he couldn't help but think that something had occurred here. Some scuffle or...a battle.

It was ironic that such a thing would come to his mind, considering what they found next.

One of the younger men alongside Cain called out to them, having decided to check out one of the rooms to the side. Inside laid papers that had significantly deteriorated, but some among them were able to be partially deciphered. And what was discovered nearly caused Cain a heart attack, as it belonged to a man whose name was a literal legend among the world of robotics, the scientific community, and humanity.

"Dr. Light," Cain repeated to himself. If he didn't have these papers before him at this very moment, he wouldn't have believed it himself. The second he could do so, the older adult retired to his tent and reviewed the notes the team had collected, going over every part of the reports. "What have you been doing?"

The notes spoke and detailed what seemed to be a very peculiar project. It must've been, considering that Dr. Light had made an effort to build a lab in an area such as this, though whether or not it was always underground was still a mystery. Though the mystery of what the notes called "the capsule" was what captivated Cain at the moment. It wasn't strictly descriptive, but one portion of the text could be deciphered.

Cain made his way to his cot, yet he didn't stop reading, only falling asleep near dawn. If what these notes said was true, then that would mean, somewhere, deep in that dark place hidden from the world, a work of Dr. Thomas Light lay hidden. Deep underground, waiting to be discovered.

And he would be the one to unearth it.

April 13th, 210X

As he gazed upon it, Cain's eyes widened to the size of saucers. It was standing fourteen meters high and eight meters wide. The "capsule" mentioned in Dr. Light's notes was finally found.

It had been a couple of days since Cain and his team further searched the lab, their trek slow due to the unknown stability of the place. So it was ironic that what they had been searching for was underneath a collapsed ceiling. But, impressively, the capsule seemed intact and in decent condition (considering all the debris that weighed down on it).

The capsule was brought above ground, yet that was all that was taken, as no one was confident enough to stay for too long in case more of the lab fell. Further searching could be done later. The capsule had been placed in a spare tent, for as far as Cain was concerned, this was a far more extensive and critical find than any fossil of ancient plant life. Everyone was pondering and coming up with theories about what was contained inside, though Cain himself grew rather anxious despite his previous excitement.

True, as one of the team's younger members said, whatever it was, it was a creation of Dr. Light. Anything crafted by a man whose entire legacy was standing up for peace and showing how mechanical humanoids could lead to a better future despite whatever damage another infamous scientist managed to do. But still, Cain was torn.

Ultimately though, it was decided that it would be opened tomorrow. The still functioning indicators read as green, thus indicating that it was safe to open. Or rather, it was ready.

April 14th, 210X

"I guess it's time." Cain reached to press the control that would reveal what had been hidden underground all this time, for who knew how many years.

Once everyone heard something mechanical shift from within the capsule's inner workings, everyone knew there was no going back. Whether they tried to contain their excitement or make it look like they weren't nervous, each member of the digging team froze at what met their eyes.

A machine rested inside, its appearance striking Cain as both familiar and alien. The machine was humanoid in shape and proportioned, though areas such as the calves, feet, forearms, and shoulders were more pronounced. It was covered in blue armor that rested on the larger proportioned sections of its form, lighter areas residing in between, and was less built. It seemed to have a pair of pectorals, indicating that this robot was modeled after the male form. A helmet of blue was on his head; a red stone rested in the center of his forehead. His eyes were closed and his face still and smooth, as if he were deeply asleep, with Cain approaching closer.

Then, the machine's eyes opened.

Everyone leaped back, Cain stumbling over his feet and falling to the ground. The robot saw this and appeared to reach out for the older man, yet he found a high-powered blaster aiming right at his face. It didn't take long for the other droids to follow their friend's example, the blue machine finding himself surrounded by weapons ready to fire at any time.

Then, he stepped out of the capsule, and everyone saw his suitable hand slip into his blue, round forearm. Then a nozzle replaced the hand; the humans surrounding the capsule knew precisely what it was.

A buster. Cain thought, despite the potential peril. Light gave him a buster.

Cain then felt himself being pulled back by a member of his crew. No one dared to say a word lest they perhaps provoke this unfamiliar machine—this supposed "last" creation of Dr. Light.

The blue robot then seemed to stop, his green eyes scanning the area. Was he in any danger? These other machines, far blockier and less human-looking than himself, were ready to fire at him. And the humans around him stared with terrified awe. They were afraid.

"Be patient with them." a voice seemed to say in his head. Not a physical voice, but something from his internal records. The voice recording of a man. An exceptional man. A man that he couldn't exactly recall the name of. "Those who find you may not know who you are, what you are." The robot's green eyes saw the older man approaching him, many eyes just as wide and shocked as his. "They may be afraid." the old man came closer and closer, past the droids, ready to blast the robot if he made any sudden movements. "They may be just as afraid as you will be."

Dr. Cain stepped closer, he and the machine locking eyes with one another. Everyone around them was torn on whether to try and separate the two or wait for the inevitable to happen. They could see it now: this unearthed creature would slay them all and then walk the world, destroying all it could see. They had unleashed a monster.

Cain took another step forward, the robot doing so as well. Cain backed up, the droids ready to fire, and the crew hid behind them. But, in one way or another, everyone's eyes were on the blue machine. And his eyes were on all of them.

The blue robot then appeared to be disheartened. As if he had done something wrong. Cain and the other humans watched as the robot withdrew his buster and put his hands up.

And then the droids moved in to apprehend the strange, new machine.

A Short Time Later

"My God, what have we done?" a younger member of the digging crew asked, pacing back and forth in Cain's tent, the old man still trying to collect himself from what happened. "We've got to kill it."

"Kill it?!" Cain rose from his chair, astonished at what he had just heard. "Are you not aware of just what this means?!"

"Yeah, I know damn well what it means!" the younger digger exclaimed. "It means we've got something up and running that we know nothing about! That capsule's message was scrambled beyond belief, so we don't even know what we're dealing with!"

"You forget," another digger, a woman around the same age, interjected. "This is a creation of Dr. Thomas Light. One of, if not the foremost expert on robotics in the early twenty-first century."

"And?" the other digger asked.

"And, need I remind you of the plethora of accomplishments and contributions he made, not just for science, but for the world?" she argued back. "Bear in mind; we wouldn't HAVE the basic model for how everything from Mechaniloids to simple service droids is constructed!"

"And those creations of Light's were set loose and causing havoc all over the place!"

"That was due to Wily's reprogramming! And besides, you forget just what came AFTER Light's robots were taken."

No one needed any clarification on what the woman was addressing. Or rather, who. "I know well about the assistant bot reformatted into a fighting machine." Finally, another voice chimed in—an older man, younger than Cain but older than the two younger diggers. "And I also know well of the contributions of both Light AND WIly." despite having just entered the tent uninvited, no one thought to force him to leave. If anything, Cain and the two diggers were curious about what he had to say. "The inventions of both of those men changed the world forever. In some ways good, in some ways ill."

"And...what does that have to do with what's going on now?" the younger male digger questioned. "Are you saying that this...thing we dug up is good or ill?"

"I don't know." the older man admitted. "No one knows anything right now." He looked outside the tent, spotting another tent in the distance. The one that the mysterious machine was in. "But I do know that no one here is equipped to handle this."

Cain knew well that was the truth. While the man had his credentials list, he was neither Thomas Light nor an Albert Wily. The man was a paleobotanist, not a robotics expert. He needed a seasoned veteran's view on the situation.

Suddenly, the three diggers turned their attention to Cain, tapping away at his mobile device furiously. "Doctor?" the female digger approached him. "What are you doing?"

"Making a call," Cain answered, continuing to press various numbers. Then, suddenly, the device began ringing, and Cain put it up to his ear. "Ah, yes, hello!" he greeted. "Is a Mr. Fujiwara there?"

The head of the expedition exited the tent, but the other three occupants could hear a woman's voice coming from the device. She sounded somewhat older and had a distinctive accent. "Who's he talking to?" the younger male digger asked.

If he received an answer, Cain didn't acknowledge it, his attention solely devoted to the call he was making. "So, is he there, Cecilia?"

"Yes, yes, he's here!" the woman answered. "What's happened?"

Cain paused for a moment. "I...need him to come down here."

"Come down where? What's going on?"

Again, Cain went silent for a short moment. "We found something that I need him to look at."

April 15th, 210X

Had he fallen asleep?

The blue machine stirred when his optics saw that the sun had come up from the tiny slit in the tent flaps. It was early morning, he was aware of that much, but everything else was lost. He had no idea who these humans dug him up were, let alone how much time had passed since he was first sealed.

And when was that?

His processor was still easing its way out of its dormancy from the long hibernation he was placed in, but he did know that things had changed in the time he had been sealed away. How much, he was still unsure, but he hoped that some sort of clarity would present itself to him. Instead, all he knew now was that he knew next to nothing, the robot had been taken in by this digging crew, and he was to be confined to this tent until further notice.

"Stay here and don't move!" one of the diggers told him, trying to appear intimidating, but his eyes said it all.

He was afraid. They were all afraid. Afraid of him. Just as the voice he remembered said they would be. He still wasn't sure whose voice, but he also recognized that it spoke of patience with those who would find him. But these people didn't seem all that patient. If anything, a good deal of them wanted him contained to this tent indefinitely. And while it was only in passing, he heard some of the diggers talking about ending his life.

Ironically enough, this made the machine want to keep himself inside the tent, away from anyone else. Since yesterday, the robot had been here, and he had little idea how long he would be confined from everyone else. But he suspected it wouldn't be long before they'd pull him out for something.

"He's right over here."

And perhaps that "something" was but a few steps away, the sound of two approaching figures picked up by his audio-receptors.

"In here?" a voice asked, the robot not recognizing it as any of the crew members.

"Yes." that was the man who dug him up! Cain was his name, right? The machine had only heard it in passing when people were talking about what happened. "I'll warn you; he's armed."

"Armed?" the voice asked Cain. "Then why haven't you put him in stasis?"

"He's BEEN in stasis. And the capsule indicated that it was safe to open." Cain told his company. "And so far, he's been compliant with what we've told him to do. He hasn't moved from this tent since yesterday."

Suddenly, the tent flap opened, momentarily blinding the robot before the tent was closed once again. Before him stood Cain and another human. The other human was somewhat taller and much younger. He appeared to be of Asian descent, with short, black hair and round spectacles. He wore a rather professional suit of black: somewhat impractical in an environment so loaded with dust. But whoever this man was, it was clear he was here for business.

"You." the Asian man began, addressing the blue robot. "Can you speak?" the robot nodded. "Then speak. Say something." The robot was silent for a moment. "Can't this thing even follow a basic instruction? Its processing connections must be out of tune."

Cain shook his head. "Perhaps he is just unsure of what to say?"

"What sense does that make?" the Asian man asked. "If it's as advanced as you say, then it should be able to accomplish such a simple request!" He turned to face the blue robot again. "You! Say something!"

"...something?" the machine answered.

Cain was shocked by this action, but the other, younger man seemed unphased. The robot's voice was that of a young man who had just entered adulthood. He sounded unsure and nervous, as if he were the one that was afraid of the younger human demanding an answer from him.

"Where is your tent, Cain?" the younger, suit-wearing man asked.

"Just a short walk from here. Why?"

Without another word, the Asian man turned away from the blue robot, and Cain, the older man, looked back at the robot, just as confused as he was.

"I...I'll be back. But, until then, stay put here. Ok?" here the old man was, talking to this advanced machine like he were a child, but Cain found himself unable to just leave the machine without some sort of clarity on what was going on.

But then again, Cain had little idea himself.

Later That Evening

And thus, the blue robot found himself alone again, everyone wary about getting too close to his tent. He wouldn't lie; he was quite bored. And more than a little anxious to get out of here. On the other hand, the confines of the capsule were not terrible, and a part of him wished that he could return to it. The calm and stillness were peaceful but, at the same time, restricting. Even if he couldn't remember much of anything at the moment, the blue robot knew well of the brief, fleeting thoughts he had in his prolonged rest.

Out. He wanted out.

And now here he was, out. But he was only confined once again. It frustrated him, and he had contemplated going out several times. He had no ill intent against these humans or their helper robots. And, well, if he had to be honest, it wasn't as if anyone could stop him. And if he explained himself, then surely they'd understand. Nevertheless, he wanted out, just for a little bit.

But he was told to wait. And he remembered what the voice told him. The humans WOULD fear him. How could they not? He was something new to them, something unfamiliar. Potentially dangerous even.

But he still wanted out. He would have to wait until later when the camp would be quiet. Then he could go to the lab he had been uncovered from.

He could see if there was something else that those who dug him up had missed.

If some stray bits and pieces of scrambled memory files were correct, he might not have been the only one down there.

Dr. Cain's Tent

"So, let's review." the Asian man began, entirely at a loss for words. "You didn't know what this thing was," he said, Cain only nodding in agreement like a child caught doing something wrong. "You open it up," Cain nodded. "But before that, you know that you're not in the suitable field to deal with this sort of thing," Cain nodded again. He was feeling relatively small right now. "And it's AFTER you open it up that you decide to call someone who is more qualified. Do I have everything right?"

Cain sighed. "Yes. You have everything right, Sho."

The younger man, Sho Fujiwara, took a moment to adjust his glasses, his temple feeling quite sore. "And now, you have…whatever THAT is, up and free in the world."

"But the indicator on the capsule said it was safe to open!" Cain explained. "And, even if I don't mean to dismiss your concerns, I honestly don't think that machine is dangerous."

Sho Fujiwara sighed. "Correction: he hasn't done anything dangerous YET. You said it yourself that this model was given a weapon. A buster." At first, he didn't believe it when Cain told him what he had to show him. But when he pulled back the curtain and saw this machine for himself, it became clear who his creator was.

Still, all of this was quite much to take in. A strange, new machine was dug up, and no one knew its capabilities, let alone just how much damage it could cause. Everyone here was potentially a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. But still, what Cain and his team stumbled upon was something that warranted further study.

"Sho?" Cain asked, the younger of the two men taking a moment to adjust his glasses.

"This expedition is over. Or it will be if you want my help."

"What?" Cain rose from his chair.

"Bring that robot to my lab in Arcadia," Sho told him. "We can go from there."

Cain was about to ask several questions but never got the chance to do so.

"Dr. Cain!" a woman rushed into the tent, clearly panicked. "He's gone!"

Both men were puzzled at first but soon registered what the woman meant. Cain and Fujiwara rushed out of the tent and went over to where the robot had been placed. And sure enough, he was nowhere to be found.

It would just be for a short time! He just needed to see for sure. Then he'd come right back and go back to the tent.

It had just come to him a short time ago, just when he had resisted the urge just to try and walk around the camp again. Perhaps that would show the humans that he had no intention of causing any trouble. But the blue machine knew that he'd either cause panic or be herded back to his prison. He remembered the voice's plea to be patient, yet the machine found that his patience was about spent.

He had to get out. And he planned to do that when everyone had turned in for the night. Then, he could explore the area and return to the tent. It'd be like nothing ever happened. Yet as he finally had a reason to wait, a thought came to him.

Or rather, a memory.

Instead of exploring the outside world, the blue android found himself back in the ruins of the lab he had been recovered from. When he had scanned the area outside the tent, he saw that there were few enough people to where he could sneak by. He had intended to wait just a bit longer, but then it was then that it came to him.

It came to him disorganized and jumbled up, images of young faces, an old man, and the world being light, then fading away from his reach for what he feared was forever. At least, that's what he thought from what he could recall. But he was well aware that he could've pieced it together all wrong. It was all so confusing.

But still, the fact he could at least see images of them, flashes in his memory bank, made him wonder. The old man was dead; a clip showed his relatively poor health. But the others, the machines. Were they sealed up like him? If this was the lab of the old man, then surely they'd be here too, right? They were small, timid, resembling children. He wanted to see if they, or really, anything else the old man had built was down here. He needed to see.

He explored every room yet found nothing of note. So he went down each hallway and corner, the lab being relatively small, so he didn't have to look long. But he still found nothing. Was there indeed no one else here? Was he the sole thing sealed up in this place?

Did this mean that he was the only one left?

No, he shook his head. Impossible. He couldn't be. There had to be someone else. Or at least something else! There had to be! He couldn't be the only one that remained! He couldn't be!

He couldn't be.

Then, as if to answer him, he saw a door hidden behind a large piece of rubble. Drawing out his buster, he blew the rock apart. But after the task, he realized what he had done and was surprised and confused. Logically speaking, he would use his buster: he had it built into him, so its function was to be used. But such a weapon only served him in blowing away debris, not firing on anyone, like those other machines he had seen earlier. So perhaps its use wasn't as clear-cut as he thought. Or did he just do what was called "improvising"?

Whatever the case, he had gotten the blockade out of the way. Prying open the door that had rusted and its opening mechanism having deactivated long ago, the blue android entered the room, hoping that perhaps something awaited him inside.

"Dammit, Cain! What had you done!?" Fujiwara growled, clearly aggravated at this sudden turn of events. "Where's that lab?"

"Just over here!" Cain said, gesturing to the entrance uncovered. Then, the younger man exerted the ruins. "Wait, Sho!" Cain explained, following down in the darkened tunnels. "Hold on a moment!" He turned to one of the diggers. "Bring us a pair of flashlights!"

The digger nodded and went over to fetch some, returning in a short amount of time to give him and Fujiwara. "You're letting me go down there?" the younger Asian man asked.

"No," Cain answered. "But it's clear that whatever I say isn't going to stop you." he then took a few steps ahead. "But you need to be careful. This place doesn't seem that stable."

With that warning, the two men searched for the missing robot, looking throughout the lab to find him. "So, he's nowhere on site. You're sure of that?" Fujiwara questioned.

Cain nodded. "Yes. He was told to stay put, but-"

"But, he hasn't," Fujiwara noted. Even if he was frustrated at Cain's inexperience and naivety regarding robotics and matters such as these, the scientist had to admit that the robot broke a command given to it was fascinating. How would he be able to do that? "This robot, it's a creation of Dr. Light, yes?"

"Yes, that's what the notes said," Cain answered. "I don't mean to diminish your concerns or anything, but I do wonder if maybe this thing is-"

"Is what?"

"Well, if it…he's as dangerous as we fear he may be. After all, no one has been injured, man or machine, and up until now, he's behaved well in a manner of speaking.

Fujiwara shook his head. "It's not about what has been or is," he answered. "It's about what could be." Especially if we don't get this thing under control first.

Suddenly, Cain's flashlight caught something. "Look! I think I see him!"

Inside a room with the door partially shut, Cain and Fujiwara navigated over the large chunks of rock that had been the blockade. They saw the blue machine upon entering the room, yet there was something else.

Someone else.

Lying atop of an operating table typically found in a lab, a small form rested on it, hands clasped over their chest and their eyes closed as if they were asleep. It was a machine, for sure, appearing to be that of a young girl. Her hair was blonde and kept in a ponytail, and she wore a red dress with a white collar, black sleeves, and red boots. The blue robot leaned over her, studying her.

He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember, but he had seen her face before. He had seen her and the faces of several others before.

Where were they now?

Chapter Text

April 16th, 21XX

Even if some of the crew protested about the expedition being over, in the end, Cain’s word was final. Besides, they had made themselves quite the discovery as it was. But it was too soon to celebrate, let alone if there was any celebration to be had. Moreover, no one knew what to make of this strange, new machine. And even more, he had shown that he could disobey a direct order from a human. One of Light’s creations, no less. Not one of Wily’s rebellious machines! 

It wasn’t the most straightforward task in the world, but Cain and Fujiwara managed to smuggle the machine back to the younger man’s lab in Arcadia, or the White City. Located off the coast of Japan, the city, as the name suggested, had towering ivory buildings everywhere. It was considered one of the world’s great “new cities” given how locations such as Arcadia were possible with the rapidly growing progress of technology, as the city stood where an uninhabited island once did. 

The robot knew none of this, laying on an examination table with several wires and cords plugged into him. Cain and Fujiwara looked over the information that appeared for them on the screen from behind a large monitor. 

Now to discover ALL of your secrets. So Cain thought as the blue android’s form appeared on the screen. 

What came next sent both men in a whirlwind of emotions.

The machine’s schematic was presented to both of them, and the robot’s name was finally seen. 

DLN-00X-Mega Man X

“Mega Man?” Cain questioned. “As in, THAT Mega Man?” Fujiwara didn’t need to ask who the paleobotanist was talking about. Everyone knew of the Blue Bomber, Dr. Light’s most notorious creation. “But,” the balding man looked at the blue machine. “He looks like him. And yet…”

“We know nothing yet,” Fujiwara said. “We haven’t even gone over what this robot’s made up yet.”

Mega Man? Who was that? The machine thought, pondering on whether to ask. But seeing as, according to the younger man, “caused enough trouble already,” he decided to remain silent. 

Cain and Fujiwara looked the machine all over, looking into and observing just what all his creator had put into him. 

Yes, they knew he was equipped with a buster, but that was all they knew. The blue machine seemed akin to any other standard robot from what they saw. The skeletal structure was humanoid, and the machine’s shape, despite his armor, he had the appearance of a young man in both his proportions and facial features. His eyes were green but also uncertain and curious. He was completely unaware of what was happening around him, and Cain could see that this was beginning to distress him. 

“Are you all right?” he suddenly asked, the machine looking over to the older man. “I said, are you all right?” 

“What are you doing?” Fujiwara questioned. 

The machine was unsure how to respond at first. Hours had gone by without anyone saying a word to him outside of commanding him on what to do. This might’ve been the first time anyone’s expressed concern about his current state. “I’m fine.” the robot said. “Well, I think.” truthfully, he didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. He didn’t know much of anything. 

Fujiwara paid no attention to this, continuing to look over the machine’s components.

Head: Equipped with broad-range eye camera. The red gemstone on the robot’s forehead’s purpose had been found. Ultra-sensitive voice recognition system. It had been proven that he could speak. Voice generation system made by HAYATOM Inc. HAYATOM? There was a name both Fujiwara and Cain were familiar with. One of the largest companies producing robotics would indeed have some hand in Dr. Light’s supposed “last” creation. 

Chest: Equipped with accumulative energy generator. Fujiwara made a mental note to take a peek inside to see what this robot looked like from the inside. After all, if things went as hoped, this could very well be what he needed. What he had been searching for. Mirco-fusion fuel tank. Micro-fusion? Rather advanced procedure. Just when did Dr. Light create this specimen? Central joint-controlling system. He would also need to tend to that as well. That would have to wait, seeing as reflex tests would come when the other “tests” would be conducted. 

“Incredible.” Cain said in awe, torn between looking at the robot or his diagram displayed on the screen. 

“Don’t get your hopes up yet.” Fujiwara told him. “We’re not done looking him over.”

Now it seemed they were getting to the more exciting parts of this mystery robot. Arms: Equipped with X-buster (Mega Buster Mark17). 

“There it is again!” Cain said. “There’s something relating to Mega Man!” he then looked at Fujiwara, eyes wide, a theory coming to mind. “You don’t think he’s…”

“No, impossible.” Fujiwara shot the suggestion down. 

“But don’t you think-”

“No, I don’t.” Fujiwara interrupted. He continued to look into what composed the android’s arms. Energy amplifier. He would have to look into that later. Hell, that whole buster was worth examining on its own! Even if he was trying not to get too excited, the Asian scientist had numerous possibilities and opportunities. Variable Weapon System. 

“What does that mean?” Cain questioned, gesturing to the section of the buster currently being examined. 

“There’s much that’s going to need to be looked over,” Fujiwara said aloud. “But we’ll get to everything once we account for what this robot was made of. Legs: Equipped with Gyroscopic Stabilization System. From how things were looking, there were also going to be several physical tests. Emergency acceleration system (optional). “We shall get to what it is when we come to it,” Fujiwara said, predicting Cain would be asking him yet another question. 

Interior Skeleton: reactive armor skeleton. Reduces damage by ninety-three percent. “You know,” Cain observed. “This robot, or rather, this Mega Man X-”

“He is NOT Mega Man,” Fujiwara told him.

Cain was about to argue, but he ultimately decided against it. “Regardless, Dr. Light wouldn’t give him these things if they weren’t to be used, right?”

“Of course.” the younger scientist answered. “What of it?” even if he asked his companion what he thought of these components being present, he was still looking over the robot. Body: Lightweight “titanium-X” alloy. 

What was that? It must’ve been something developed by Dr. Light himself, Cain thought. Honestly, he was unsure of just how Fujiwara could keep calm. All of this was amazing! But it seemed that Sho was searching for something else that could truly capture his interest. Perhaps it was due to his unfamiliarity with robotics construction, but he was completely overtaken by it all. 

Then, he saw Fujiwara smile. It seemed that the doctor had found just what he was looking for. But first, he began clicking a few keys. 

“What are you doing?” Cain questioned, noticing the blue machine begin to grow confused; then, he began to look panicked, surprised.

“W-Wait!” he shouted, rising off the table. “Wait, stop!” Fujiwara looked startled, beginning to type more feverishly. “You don’t have to! I can let you look-” the blue robot got out no more, for when the final key was pressed, the approaching machine stopped in his tracks. His once scared but lively green eyes grew dull, and his body relaxed. Then, he fell to his knees, to the floor, completely unmoving. 

“What did you do?!” the older paleobotanist was puzzled and appalled at what he had just seen. 

“I put him in temporary stasis lock,” Fujiwara explained. “And he’ll stay that way until I’ve finished looking over him.” he then gave a small device sitting next to the monitor a click, a handful of Mechaniloids coming into the lab. “Put him back on the table. And strap him down this time.” 

The Mechaniloids obeyed; their bipedal but very unhuman forms picked up the unconscious machine and put him back where he was. This time, the restraints were activated, pining the robot’s limbs so that he couldn’t escape. Even if they were all just machines, and such behavior was far from the ordinary in how they operated, Cain couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the blue robot being treated in such a way. Fujiwara paid no mind, continuing with what he was doing. 

Speaking of, “Just what ARE you doing?” the older man asked the Japanese robotics expert. 

“I’m seeing just what sort of secrets this specimen has to offer us.” he then hovered a cursor over the robot’s red crystal displayed on the screen. With a click of the mouse built into the keyboard, the screen presented an outline of the general functions of the machine’s CPU. 

But it was then that Cain saw Fujiwara’s face change. Since this procedure began, he had been his standard aloof self, not seeming to care about anything or anyone around him. Yet not long after the robot’s CPU had been brought up, the scientist looked at the screen, and steadily, his eyes began to widen. As if he were startled by what he was seeing. 

But while he didn’t say anything, Cain could empathize, as he felt the same way. Just then, Fujiwara seized up, the younger scientist’s eyes wide at what was on the screen before him. “Sho?” Cain asked. “Sho, what’s wrong?” Fujiwara looked at the blue robot, then back to Cain. Then he rose from his seat. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”

“I’m putting this robot someplace secure for the time being,” Fujiwara said, looking down at the azure android. He then looked back at Cain. “You and I…we need to talk.” 

Later

While he wasn’t thrilled about having to travel back to the man’s laboratory in Arcadia, Cain knew that he had few other choices. He had given the reigns to Fujiwara to find out just what he and his team had dug up. Thus, if the man said he needed time to look over the data collected, the less experienced paleobotanist had to comply, especially if he wanted Fujiwara to continue helping him. 

Entering the lab, the older man was immediately greeted by a cubically-shaped mechaniloid, who led him to Fujiwara’s lab. Unfortunately, the blue machine wasn’t present inside with the Japanese man. “Where is he?” Cain questioned. 

“In quarantine for the time being.” the younger scientist told his visitor. “And before you ask, I could’ve saved your life earlier today.” 

“What do you mean?” Cain then remembered how the machine began to protest before he was forcibly put into stasis. But was he in any danger? Was anyone? If anything, the robot appeared to be at their mercy instead of the other way around. 

“Look at this.” Fujiwara guided Cain to his computer; a message was on the screen. 

A message from Dr. Light himself. 

"X" IS THE FIRST OF A NEW GENERATION OF ROBOTS THAT CONTAIN AN INNOVATIVE NEW FEATURE - THE ABILITY TO THINK, FEEL, AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. HOWEVER, THIS ABILITY COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. IF "X" WERE TO BREAK THE FIRST RULE OF ROBOTICS, "A ROBOT MUST NEVER HARM A HUMAN BEING, " THE RESULTS WOULD BE DISASTROUS, AND I FEAR THAT NO FORCE ON EARTH COULD STOP HIM.

APPROXIMATELY 30 YEARS WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE WE CAN SAFELY CONFIRM HIS RELIABILITY. UNFORTUNATELY, I WILL NOT LIVE TO SEE THAT DAY, NOR DO I HAVE ANYONE TO CARRY ON MY WORK. THEREFORE, I HAVE DECIDED TO SEAL HIM IN THIS CAPSULE, WHICH WILL TEST HIS INTERNAL SYSTEMS UNTIL HIS RELIABILITY HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB THE CAPSULE UNTIL THAT TIME.

"X" POSSESSES GREAT RISKS AS WELL AS GREAT POSSIBILITIES. I CAN ONLY HOPE FOR THE BEST.

SEPTEMBER 18, 20XX

LIGHT

He read it. And re-read it. And re-read it again, and again, and again, and again. But no matter how often he went over it, Cain still couldn’t entirely grasp what he saw. “A machine that thinks for itself?” he looked at Fujiwara. “Is that even possible?”

“Well, what have you seen so far?” the Japanese robotics expert questioned. “That robot was told to stay in the tent when you had first unearthed him, and he disobeyed that command. And when I tried to examine his CPU, he reacted to that. Had I not been here, he could’ve killed both of us very well.” 

The paleobotanist’s blood ran cold upon hearing that. Had the two men been in that much danger all this time? And no force on earth could potentially stop this robot? Just what the hell had Dr. Light constructed?! 

“But wait, there’s more.” Fujiwara maneuvered the cursor over to a scan of the android’s head, zooming in on the inner workings of the CPU. From where Cain was standing, the shape of the robot’s “brain” was very similar to that of a human’s. “Look at these areas.” There were four sections displayed of the CPU before Cain. “The standard model, at least in comparison to our friend here, is built relatively the same.” he then pulled up another example, displaying the CPU of the standard mechaniloid. “Mechaniloids, as you know, aren’t exactly built with ideas such as personality and identity in mind.” 

“Yes, I’m aware.” Mechaniloids had been around ever since Cain was young. Even if he and many others knew of Dr. Light and his work, nothing similar to the man’s creations had been seen in nearly a century.  

“But even then, they have basic programming,” Fujiwara explained. “They each are given the standard set of skills, or traits if you will, on their task.” he then gestured to the various portions of the mechaniloid’s CPU. “But that one machine,” he repeatedly pulled up the mysterious robot’s head. “Look around here.” he pointed to the most left part of the processing unit. “If he were human, this would be where the frontal lobe is located,” he told Cain. “Not only does the frontal lobe control movement, but it is also where our personality develops and grows.” he brought the mechaniloid’s CPU up. Its “frontal lobe” had some features and quirks, but it was fundamental. Its programming instilled in it a value of hard work and completing the task. There was nothing more to add outside of its use as extra labor. Then he brought up the more advanced robot’s. His “frontal lobe,” in comparison, was a mess. The screen before both men showed far more complex and chaotic shapes and patterns appearing in the scan. It was far more complex than the mechaniloid’s. “I haven’t seen AI programming like this in my life,” Fujiwara said. “I’ve only heard. I’ve never seen it until now.”

Cain suspected that no one had seen anything like this. Even with Dr. Light’s previous achievements and inventions taken into account, the programming of this machine, this Mega Man X, was something completely foreign and alien to them. 

And now, with all this on the table, both men were unsure what to do. “Where is he now?” Cain asked Fujiwara.

“As I told you, in quarantine.”

“And where would that be?” 

Fujiwara was confused, yet then realized just what Cain was suggesting. And at first, he was going to object but then pondered over what they both knew now and what they had seen before. Here on their hands was a new brand, a new…” species” of robot, in a sense. This machine was nothing like any he had seen before. And yes, while everyone was still wary, nothing had happened yet. Nothing that resulted in anyone’s death. Yet. Nevertheless, if they could perhaps approach this robot carefully, then maybe, just maybe, something might come of it?

Neither man could say what the outcome would be, but if things fell into place, this could be huge. This machine could’ve been the most significant discovery of the century. And even more, it would change the world forever. 

Whether for the better or worse, that had yet to be seen.

Quarantine

He found himself confined once again. 

The blue robot paced around the small room, anxious to get out. But he had been given orders to stay. And his creator’s words continued to echo in his mind. Be patient. He reminded himself. They’re just as confused and unsure as you are. If you make one wrong move, then you could ruin everything. That was the last thing he wanted. He had just gotten out of that confining capsule! He didn’t want to be put back in! Or maybe worse!

But he didn’t know how long he could stand being in here! He wanted out! He needed out! He…

Then, the machine’s train of thought was derailed, the sound of the door opening alerting him that he was no longer alone. And to his surprise, the man who had dug him was here instead of another one of those robots. 

“Hello there?” Cain asked, unsure of what to exactly say. Better yet, he had no idea why he was even in here, let alone why he thought any of this was a good idea. Fujiwara repeatedly warns of being torn into pieces in the old man’s mind. And given this machine’s unknown strength, perhaps he could do just that! The machine approached Cain, but the robot did the same as the human stepped back. 

“I’m sorry.” the robot apologized. “I don’t mean to.” 

The old human was confused. “What?”

The machine sighed and turned away. “You’re afraid of me.” 

“N-No. No!” Cain protested. “I’m not-”

“Don’t lie to me!” the robot shouted. “Of course, you’re afraid of me! You’re all afraid of me! I even know that some of your people want me dead!” Cain backed away further. This blue robot had changed entirely. One moment he was shrinking into a corner to get away from everyone, the next, he was displaying quite the temper! Was this what Dr. Light meant by the ability to think and feel? 

Yet despite Cain’s fear, he saw the robot’s expression change, and his terror died. The blue robot was immediately full of regret for his outburst, turning away from the paleobotanist in shame. “I’m sorry.” the machine apologized. “I…I just don’t want to be sealed up again.” 

“Sealed up again?” Cain was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to go back in the dark.” the robot said. “The last time I went back in the dark,” he paused. The truth was, he didn’t know what happened then. When he was forced into the dark before…it was because something terrible happened. What that was, he was unsure, but he had been sealed away because it was too dangerous for him to be out. If he had stayed out in the open, he would’ve been killed for sure! 

And not by the hands of a robot. But by several hands made of flesh. 

Cain was utterly taken aback. Such a range of emotions, and from a machine no less! But, as he thought about it, the older human had an epiphany. “Well, of course, you don’t,” he said.

Now it was the blue robot’s turn to be confused. “What?”

“Of course, you don’t want to be sealed up again.” Cain continued. “Stuck in a dark place, unable to move, to speak, it certainly isn’t something I would want to go through.” 

The machine shifted. True, it was suffocating, but it was peaceful. But his mind felt as if it were being restricted. As if he were being “analyzed,” he wouldn’t be released until it was done. 

“How long ago were you put in that capsule?” Cain asked. “Oh, but before that, I’m Dr. Phillip Cain,” he said, extending a hand. The man hoped he wasn’t making a mistake. “Well, I’ve been rude, not calling you by your name.” He paused, thinking of something. “You DO know your name, right?” he hoped he hadn’t insulted the robot. Perhaps he was indeed afraid of him. But still, all the same, if this machine could do as Dr. Light claimed, then, ultimately, this robot deserved the same courtesy Cain would give any other human. 

“My name.” the robot said. His name, he thought for a moment. Yes, his name. He knew it. “Yes. The Doctor, he called me X,” he said. 

“Just X?” Cain asked. “But your serial number listed you as Mega Man X.” 

“Mega Man?” he knew that name as well. But also another. “As in, Rock Light?” 

Cain was bewildered. “Y-Yes. That’s right. That was his initial title.” he could almost hear a subtle voice in the back of his head correcting him. Name, not a title. “Did Dr. Light, well, name you as well?”

“That’s my name. X.” the blue robot explained. “At least, that’s what the Doctor said.” He looked like he was about to say something else but stopped himself. 

“Yes?” the older human asked, curious. 

“I-It’s nothing.” the blue robot, X, told him. “Anyway, back to your question, if memory serves me right,” he searched through his databank, scouring for whatever he could find. Ultimately, he found so little, but he could at least answer the man’s question. “I think…sometime around December. December seventeenth, 200X.”

“200X?!” Cain exclaimed. If he was sealed around that date, and Dr. Light’s notes said that the “testing” of this machine’s “reliability” would take thirty years, then that meant, “You’ve been in that capsule for over a century.” 

“A century?!” X didn’t believe what he had heard at first, but as he thought about it, it began to make sense. While brief, he had seen the outside world before he was put in the capsule. He didn’t remember it well, but he had seen it. And from what he had also seen of the present world, it was clear he had been sealed up for a long time. But if a century had passed, did that mean what he feared? “Then, then the Doctor. Is he…”

Cain froze. Never did he believe that he would be asked such a question. X questioned him like a lost child looking for their parent. And, ironically enough, it seemed to be going that way, although he was far from human. X continued looking at him, waiting for an answer. But from his expression, it was clear that he knew what Cain was going to say. 

“Yes.” the human told the robot. “Dr. Light…he passed away some time ago.” 

X’s green eyes looked at the ground, processing what he had just heard. Truthfully, he was just being foolish. Sealed away for a century, of course, the Doctor would be dead. What other conclusion could there be?! But it also hit him that the Doctor was dead. Long before he could be released. And even when he was being constructed, the man’s visage was constantly coughing and weary. It was logical. Of course, he’d be dead. He was human, and his creation was a machine. Humans naturally stopped functioning after a specific span of years.

But he was dead. The Doctor was dead. 

The Doctor was dead. 

The Doctor was…

X turned away to face the wall, but Cain caught sight of it before he did. “Wait,” he said. “No, don’t turn away,” The human told the machine. He was wondering whether or not he had indeed seen it, but he had to make sure. “It’s all right.” he reassured X. “I won’t judge.” 

X was silent for a moment. “I might scare you again.”

“You haven’t so far,” Cain told him.

“You’re lying.” 

The human sighed. “Listen, I know you’re confused. And you have little understanding of what’s going on, let alone what the world around you is like.” he placed a hand on the robot’s blue shoulder. “You must be so confused.”

X finally faced Cain, confirming that Cain hadn’t been hallucinating. He had indeed seen what he thought he had. It was just a single drop, but moisture had begun to leak from one of the android’s optics, trailing down his cheek and falling to the floor with a small “plop!” 

Tears. He was crying. This machine, this robot, was crying.

The Next Day

Suffice to say, Fujiwara’s reaction to what Cain had seen was…unexpected. 

And it was even more unexpected that the blue machine would be with the old man the next time they met. “What is the specimen doing here?” Fujiwara questioned. 

“He wanted to come.” Cain told him, looking at X. “And he has a name, don’t you?” he then looked at the robot, silently encouraging him to speak.

“Yes, that’s right.” the robot said, still unsure.

Fujiwara crossed his arms, contemplating this new development. “Very well.” he finally said. “Tell me then, what DO you want to call yourself?”

“X.” the robot told him. “But you can drop the Mega Man part. It’s just X.”

“Just X?” Fujiwara questioned. “Why just that? Why not add Mega Man to it?”

X shook his head. “Because I’m not Mega Man,” he told them. “I’m not Rock Light.” 

Fujiwara looked at Cain, eyes wide. “Cain.” the scientist then said. “We need to talk. Again.” 

Cain looked at X. “I’m sorry, but do you mind?” he noticed X looking somewhat hesitant. “You won’t be put back in quarantine, don’t worry.” 

X was still unsure. “Promise?” 

Cain nodded. “Promise.” 

With that, even if it took him a few moments, X obeyed and exited the lab, leaving the old man and robotics expert alone. 

“Cain,” Fujiwara began. “Just what the hell was that?” 

The paleobotanist was puzzled. “What do you mean?” 

“He took the initiative.” the Japanese man told Cain. “He told us what he wanted, and he made it clear. He already is displaying signs of independence.” he then drew closer. “Do you have any idea what that means?” Cain didn’t even get a chance to respond, and Fujiwara continued. “You have just stumbled onto what could be the next generation of advanced machines since the days of Dr. Light.” 

Cain had no idea how to respond at first. True, when he unearthed X, he sensed that this would lead to something far more significant, but he couldn’t have imagined this! And from the look Fujiwara was giving, it was clear that he intended to go through with just that. “So…what do you plan to do?” 

Chapter Text

May 30th, 21XX

Arcadia, the White City

As Cain found out quickly, a new type of robot, let alone any type of robot, couldn’t just be released out into the world immediately. 

“Need I remind you, Cain, that neither of us is supposed to have this robot in our possession technically.” Sho Fujiwara told the older man. “If the council gets ONE word of this, no matter how small, then-”

“Yes, I’m well aware,” Cain told the robotics expert. He knew well what would happen to both of them, and perhaps the entire digging team, should X’s existence get out before the time was right. 

Since the uncovering of Dr. Light’s final creation (presumably), Cain convinced everyone to remain silent for the time being, Cain simply declaring the expedition a failure. True, it was a loss of both time and money, but Fujiwara proposed something to the crew. 

“If we could use this machine somehow, we could change the world. And every one of you will have contributed to it!”

Cain knew that the Japanese man intended for him to hear his words, but his concern was more on the consequences of having that blue robot in their custody without alerting the council. And the fact that Fujiwara bribed everyone to stay silent wouldn’t look good on either of the men. 

“Well, how much more does he need to do for you?” the paleobotanist questioned Fujiwara. “As in, whatever tests he needs to go through?”

As Fujiwara had explained to Cain, if there were going to be successful in this endeavor, they WERE technically breaking the law by even having him in our possession. It wouldn’t even matter if we made him ourselves; you and I know his AI is far beyond mechaniloid. That would be all they would need for this entire operation to shut down.” 

How in the world did he get into this mess? He had gone out to prove a theory of his regarding ancient plant life and how here he was, committing illegal activity with an advanced robot he knew next to nothing about! Still, he wondered something. “If they find out that X is a creation of Dr. Light, then surely such information would be in his favor, right?” 

“Perhaps,” Fujiwara told Cain. “But even then, he would be preserved in a museum somewhere. We’ll never have the chance to see just what this robot can lead to. If we can present these tests to the council, as well as solid evidence of his interactions with mechaniloid and human alike, they would have no choice but to accept my proposal.” 

Isn’t it too soon to have such confidence already? The older man thought, yet he didn’t say it aloud. Whether he liked it or not, he was in too deep now. If any of this were revealed to the public, both he and Fujiwara would be finished. The council could still look into it even if it were just a rumor spread! And then what!? There was so much that he wanted to tell the scientist, questions that needed answering, but he knew he wouldn’t be getting them. Not yet, anyway. 

“Speaking of, where is he?” Cain asked.

Fujiwara looked from his work. “Hm? Oh, you mean DLN-” 

“Mega Man X.” Cain interrupted. “Even if he has a serial number, he also has a title.” 

“Fine, call him whatever you want. It doesn’t matter to me.” the Asian told him. “Ah! That reminds me, I need him for another physical.” 

“Another?” Cain was surprised to hear this. “How many have you done? Four or five?” 

“Six.” Fujiwara corrected. “But this one is for more than just testing the strength of his form or endurance.” he rose from his chair. “I want to see what he can do with that buster.” 

He had been fetched from his room, yet again, for another test, yet again. X had been cooped up in this place for nearly a month and a half, and still, Fujiwara was not done with him! True, it wasn’t as if he had much choice, having been informed of what could happen to him if he were discovered too soon. He was told he would be taken away and either terminated or deactivated, never to see the outside world again. Of course, given that was the last thing the blue robot wanted, he complied with the Doctor’s requests, even if they were more like orders.

His armor had been scanned, his limbs and joints tested, his CPU analyzed, and that didn’t even cover the numerous physical and stimulation tests Fujiwara had put him through. But now, what was being asked of him caught him off guard.

“You want me to what?” X asked, standing alone in a small room of sorts, Fujiwara and Cain looking down from a platform high above, thick glass covering the opening. 

“I want you to aim and fire your buster at the target,” Fujiwara answered, voice echoing throughout the small chamber. “It’s only a few meters away; there’s no way you could miss it.”

Before X stood a mechaniloid around his size, motionless and ready for him to fire. “You…” X began to realize what the Fujiwara meant. “You want me to shoot him?”

“Him?” Fujiwara was confused, looking at Cain. “Why assume it’s a him?” Cain was about to answer, but he never got the chance, Fujiwara speaking into the mic again. “It won’t attack you if that’s what you’re worried about. It should be a training dummy for you.” The mechaniloid was motionless before the blue robot, waiting for him to take his shot. But he never drew out his buster. “Well?” the scientist was puzzled. “Proceed with the test. Shoot the target.” 

X looked at the mechaniloid, then up at the two humans observing him. “Can I ask something?” 

Cain and Fujiwara were surprised upon hearing this. “You may after your complete the test,” Fujiwara said. “Now, begin.” 

“But-”

“Begin the test,” Fujiwara told the blue robot sternly, though, to Cain, it sounded more like it was bordering on an aggressive growl. 

“Now, hold on.” the older man stepped forward. “Why not let him speak? After all, how many tests has he done for you already?” 

“What would that matter?” the Japanese man asked, turning back to X. “Begin the test. Now.” 

“But you didn’t say the target was another robot!” X argued. 

“You insist on being stubborn again?” Fujiwara asked. Cain looked and saw X grow nervous. “Fine.” the older man then saw the scientist press a button on a remote-like device he had retrieved from his lab coat pocket. “Either way, I get results.” 

Before Cain could ask what he meant by that, he saw the mechaniloid spring forward towards X, tackling him to the floor. “What are you doing?!” the older man shouted, appalled by what he saw. 

“Relax,” Fujiwara said nonchalantly. “This should be child’s play for him.” he continued to look at the scene below. “Assuming he uses his weapon this time.” 

This time? Cain had no time to say anymore as he heard a shout of pain from X, the blue robot slamming on the floor after delivering a right hook to the face. “Stop it! You’re hurting him!” 

“He’ll be fine!” the Japanese man replied. “If anything, you’re only making it worse for yourself,” Fujiwara said into the mic. “Just use what was built into you, and all of this would be over.” 

The mechaniloid drew out a handheld energy blaster and began firing at X, the blue robot ducking just in time to avoid the blast. “What the hell are you doing?!” Cain shouted. “You’re going to kill him!”

“That laser won’t pierce through his armor,” Fujiwara explained as if what he saw was perfectly normal. “It’ll just deliver a light shock.” 

“Sho, you’ve got to stop this!” Cain argued with him. “This is cruel!” 

“What it IS is time-wasting!” Fujiwara said back. “It seems that our friend here needs just one more push.” 

Then the mechaniloid fired at X’s chest, causing the robot to stumble back. A painful surge of electricity traveled throughout his body, sending X to the floor on his hands and knees. Then he became aware that the mechaniloid was pointing the energy blast at the red crystal on his head. 

It was then that, as if by pure instinct, the blue robot’s right hand retreated into his forearm to be replaced with the barrel of a blaster. X’s arm then aimed at the mechaniloid’s head, and with one quick shot, a concentrated blast of plasma was fired, piercing the robot’s metallic skull and coming out the other end of its head. The mechaniloid immediately fell over, spasming while X got to his feet and looked at the sight. 

Finally, Fujiwara thought, quite pleased with what he had just seen. Cain, on the other hand, was horrified. “All right, the test is over,” he said into the mic, X looking up at him with wide, shocked eyes. The door sealing the chamber was then opened. “You may leave.” 

X could scarcely believe what he was hearing. “That’s it?” the robot asked. “That’s all you can think about?” 

A part of him was ashamed, yet Cain was in awe at seeing the robot’s youthful face contort into an expression of shock and anger. But another part of him was steadily becoming fearful of the robot below. His voice was rising in volume as he continued to speak. 

“What’s the problem?” the Asian questioned.

“The problem…the problem is that he’s dead!” X shouted to Fujiwara, gesturing to the mechaniloid, who had finally stopped moving. At least, until its leg twitched; seeing this, X ran over to the other machine, turning it over. Then, he saw where the blast had gone through, a clean hole right through the cerebral chamber. “He’s…” X stammered. He then looked up at Fujiwara. “I…I don’t understand you.” 

With that, he stepped out of the chamber and went off without another word. 

“He had better be grateful.” Fujiwara groaned. “He’s just gotten his privilege to go elsewhere than his room.” He then heard the door being opened. “Cain?” the Japanese man was confused. “Where are you going-” the door slammed behind the older man, leaving Fujiwara alone in the small area above the chamber.

He ran. He didn’t know where to, let alone where he could even go, but he ran. He needed to get away from that room, away from that mechaniloid lying dead on the ground. He didn’t want to go back to his “room,” and he knew that he couldn’t leave the lab or he would potentially be seen. 

Finally, having stopped his aimless sprinting, the blue robot rested against a wall and slid down to the ground. He looked at his right arm, his hand slipping into his forearm to be replaced with the buster again. Why? X thought. Why did Fujiwara want to test this part of him so badly? And for what reason? Why did that mechaniloid attack him? 

And better yet, why did he have to shoot? 

“There you are.” X suddenly heard a voice. He looked to see, to his relief, that it was just Cain. “Are you all right?” 

X scowled. “What do you think?!” he shouted, the human surprised at his reaction. As quickly as he said, though, X immediately regretted raising his voice. “I’m sorry. I…I shouldn’t be taking it out on you.” 

“You’re in shock. How else are you going to react?” the human told the robot, surprised at himself for saying such a thing to him. To a machine. “Is this the first time Fujiwara’s had you do this?” 

“Not really,” X answered. He seemed somewhat reluctant to speak, almost as if he would get in trouble for it. Or rather, in trouble with Fujiwara. “I mean, I guess it’s only natural that you would want to see what I’m…well, made of, in a sense,” he said. “Oh! Not that I mind the tests! They’re simple enough to complete after all.” 

“Relax,” Cain assured him, placing a hand on X’s shoulder. “You’re not going back into quarantine if that’s what you’re afraid of.” X seemed to calm down somewhat upon hearing this, yet he was still clearly distressed. The older human doubted that the robot would wish to discuss what had just happened, but suddenly, he heard X speak for him.

“I didn’t mean to kill him.” 

“What?” Cain asked. “The mechaniloid?” 

X nodded after a moment of silence. “He just started attacking; I just wanted to get him away from me! I didn’t mean to shoot him through the head!” 

“I know, I know,” Cain assured the robot. Every time the two interacted, the human was still astonished by what came out of this robot’s mouth. “I plan to have a long talk with Fujiwara later, so don’t worry about that.” X looked fearful at first. “This is something I want to bring up to him. The only one Fujiwara would be mad at is me.” 

X looked at the ground, unsure. “Promise?” 

“Promise,” Cain told him. Then, he thought of something. Something that he had wished to ask since he was alerted that the robot was allowed out of quarantine. “By the way, I don’t think I’ve seen your room yet.”

X’s attention was back on Cain. “Oh yeah, my room.” he then rose from the floor. “But…it’s not very interesting.” 

Even if he was keeping a smile on his face, Cain’s blood was beginning to boil. “I’ll be the judge of that.” he then gestured to let X lead the way. The blue robot took the hint and began to make his way to where he was in the Japanese scientist’s lab. 

Oh yes, Cain thought. He and I are going to have a very, VERY long talk.

Later

“I still don’t understand what the problem is.” Sho Fujiwara said, unaffected by what Cain was saying. “If anything, that robot should be grateful that he’s even here, what with the worldwide ban on advanced AI after all.” 

Cain folded his arms. “And it’s that approach that will make him want to retreat from us and hide away,” he told the scientist. “You’ve been keeping him cooped up here, making him perform test after test without a break, and you wonder why that robot is reluctant to even speak to you!”

Fujiwara folded his arms. “And you this how?” 

“Because I talk to him, Sho. Unlike you.” Cain told the other human. “Look, the point is that you can’t keep treating him like this! That whole scene with you setting that mechaniloid on him was too far! He outright told me he never wants to use that buster again!” 

“Well, he had better get used to it!” Fujiwara argued back. “Otherwise, he WILL be going back into quarantine!” 

“You can’t just demand or bully him into doing what you want!” the older man shouted. 

“And why not?” the Asian questioned. “These are just the standard tests for any new brand of machine that is to be going out into the world,” he explained. Especially the market. He thought to himself. “If he doesn’t perform these tests, he won’t see life outside this lab. And that’s if we’re fortunate enough for no one to say anything.” 

“Then can’t you find a way that doesn’t involve him doing…what you forced him to do earlier?” Cain questioned. 

“I didn’t force him to do anything,” Fujiwara explained. “He refused to participate in the test, and thus, I gave him a little push.”

“And that involved killing that mechaniloid?” Cain was getting nowhere with this man! 

But it was then that Fujiwara rose from his seat and approached the older human, looking him dead in the eye. “I suspected that you would be this way. Usually, someone is.” 

Cain was confused, as well as somewhat intimidated. “And what is that?” he asked, hoping he didn’t further provoke the other man. 

“That gets too attached to these things,” Fujiwara said. “That mechaniloid, nor that robot, are even alive technically. They have never been. You’re projecting onto them. Thus, you fool yourself into believing that they truly have a will of their own.” 

Cain was silent for a short time. “But…Light’s notes. He said-”

“And that was his greatest flaw.” Fujiwara interrupted. “He was a brilliant scientist, but the man was an emotional fool.” Cain scarcely believed what he had just heard. Of all the men he had known in the field of robotics, not one ever spoke of Dr. Thomas Light in such a way. “He built this X machine to mimic the behavior and mannerisms of an ordinary human presumably. His goal was to build a robot that, aside from its proportions and the fact he’s entirely mechanical, was a being that could share in the same gift that robots were denied for so long.”

“And that would be?” 

“Freedom,” Fujiwara answered. “The freedom to control their own lives, to make their own decisions, to set the course for their destiny and path in life.” 

Cain took a moment to process this. Was this what Light had intended? From what he had seen from X, he realized that he had seen a robot do things that hadn’t been seen in decades, perhaps even for a century! Well, at least until Light’s death. X’s AI was leagues above any mechaniloid. Cain then realized, despite being a mass of metal and circuits, that the blue robot seemed more man than machine. 

“It’s all an illusion, of course.” Fujiwara continued, completely blowing off what Light had managed to accomplish. “Even if they and other humans may think it’s real. Mega Man X is just that. His title and his creator only matter so much that he would most likely be preserved as an ancient artifact. Or, should he comply with these tests, he shall help bring forth a new wave of machines that could change the world.” the Japanese man then folded his arms. “And you wish to throw this all away because you think I’m being too harsh on a robot?” 

Cain was silent, knowing well that Fujiwara wasn’t going to budge. Now it was time for him to suggest an idea of his own. “Then…perhaps I should take him elsewhere.” 

Once again, he was confined in this room. Perhaps confined wasn’t the best term, as neither Cain nor Fujiwara ordered him to stay, but he sensed it best that he stayed put lest he had to go through another “test” again.

At first, X had nothing in the room for him, but he had requested a place to sleep. Fujiwara simply told him to switch his systems to stasis, but the blue robot showed that it wasn’t as simple. Even if he was a machine, he felt the need to lie down and rest. For what reason, he didn’t know, but he wanted it all the same. 

Eventually, he was given a simple twin bed, which supported his weight (though he only weighed fifty-seven kilograms or one-hundred and twenty-five pounds), but not much else. It was Cain who suggested that he needed more than just a bed. Fujiwara didn’t seem interested, but when Cain suggested that he could see X processing things such as literature and information. The scientist argued that Light, the Doctor, would’ve indeed programmed such things into him already, so there was little point. He seemed more interested in seeing what X could do for him in collecting data.

The blue robot was plainly told that, should he leave the lab, he could very well be seized or even killed. According to Fujiwara, his existence could’ve been seen as breaking the law. 

“Why?” X asked him when the testing had first begun, not understanding. 

Fujiwara turned to him before he left to analyze what he had managed to collect from the DLN. “Because, according to the council, let alone in general, something like you isn’t supposed to exist.” 

The door then shut, leaving X to contemplate his words. And even now, he still considered them. He wasn't supposed to exist? What did that mean? Light…the Doctor…he had created him, so he was meant to exist for something, right? His hand retreated into his arm, replaced with the canon of a buster. The Doctor had also given him this weapon, so was this meant to be used? Was he constructed for that purpose? 

The image of the mechaniloid flashed in his head, X banishing it immediately. No, he wouldn’t use this thing. Never again. He swore he wouldn’t. 

Suddenly, he heard the door open, sensing motion and opening for whoever was outside. X was surprised, assuming that Cain had locked the door from the outside. Could he have gone outside the entire time? 

The blue robot didn’t get much time to think it over as he felt something scratching at his calves. 

X looked down to see a small, white ball of fluff with legs looking up at him with large, brown eyes. A surprisingly long, pink tongue hung out of the creature’s mouth, panting as if it had been running for some time. 

X was puzzled. A dog? How did a dog get in here?

“Patarche!!!” a high-pitched, young voice called out. “Patarche! Where are you!?” the sound of approaching footsteps alerted X that someone was coming. “Patarche! Pata-” a small girl stopped in the doorway, spotting the white puppy. “Patarche!” she ran into the room to collect the puppy, but she realized that the canine wasn’t the only one in the room.

“Oh really?” Fujiwara questioned. “And where else would you take him to? To who?”

“It’d be easy.” Cain retorted. “You’re not the only expert in the world. The moment anyone hears that he’s a creation of Light, they would at least know to treat him decently.” 

The scientist wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. Do you think you know how to play this game? Think again, old man. “Fine.” he simply said. “Take him.” 

“What?” Cain asked, confused.

“You heard me,” Fujiwara answered. “Take X to someone else. Try to find a way to get him there,” he said. “And let’s assume you do. Let’s assume you can bring X to someone with even half of my credentials and success. But who’s to say that you’ll have even the chance to try it?” 

The older human paled. “What are you saying?” 

A slight grin came to the Asian man’s face. “I’m saying that you’re stuck with me. You and that robot are,” he told Cain, the older man having played right into his trap. “Bear in mind, X’s existence hasn’t been reported to the council. That is an offense in of itself, especially considering the level of this robot’s AI. Even the mechaniloids programmed to handle complex tasks pale compared to him.” Cain sensed he wasn’t done. “But the council isn’t going to care.” a cold chill ran down the paleobotanists’ back. “They’re going to burst in here and take every piece of data I’ve recorded, along with that robot, and lock it away.”

Cain’s lips tightened with anger. “You wouldn’t….”

“And that’s not all.” Fujiwara continued. “Every name involved with this will have their lives ruined. Remember that we all swore that we’d never tell, right? And wasn’t that your idea, Cain?” 

“I…I was just trying to-”

“We’re all in this together now.” the robotics expert explained. “And I could inform the council about what’s going on. Take that robot to someone else, then maybe I could let some information slip out by accident.” He growled. “Don’t think for a second that I won’t bring you and everyone else down with me. If I go, we ALL go. And you know well that there is nothing you can do to stop me.” 

Cain was left entirely silent, his eyes wide with terrible comprehension but also at Fujiwara’s utter callousness. As much as he despised it and despised the other man at the moment, he knew that the Asian was right. There was nothing he could do. And if it wasn’t out of self-preservation, then it was out of fear of X being put away. 

“Mr. Fujiwara!” the door to Fujiwara’s quarters was thrust open, a tan-skinned woman with brown-haired tied up in a bun rushing in. “Ah, thank goodness you’re still here!”

“What’s the meaning of this, Cecilia?” the Asian questioned, quite irritated at being interrupted. 

“It’s your daughter!” the woman, Cecilia, answered. “She ran off!”

“Ran off? Where?” Fujiwara immediately questioned. “Is she in the lab?”

“Yes, she’s here,” Cecilia confirmed. “She wanted to come to see you, but Patarche-”

“Patarche? Who’s Patarche?” the Japanese man had no idea what his housekeeper was talking about. “Whatever! Just find her!” 

The moment she stepped forward, X stepped back. The girl was a young, perhaps around four or five, of Asian descent. Her eyes were brown and her hair completely black, tied in a half-ponytail with a red ribbon. She wore a red dress, a white turtleneck undershirt, knee-high socks, and red buckle shoes. 

“Who are you?” the girl asked, then she looked at the canon of his buster. “What’s that?” 

X looked down in horror. “Shit!” he said aloud, not even thinking. “Oh, nothing!” he said, putting his right arm behind his back. 

The child seemed utterly unaffected by the curse. From how calm she was, X assumed that she was perhaps no stranger to hearing such things. “Are you one of dad’s new mechaniloids?” the girl asked, circling X and studying him, the white puppy following her. “You look a lot more like a person, though.” she then looked at the size of his calves and forearms. “Well, kinda.” 

X raised a brow. “What does that mean?” 

The girl ignored him, looking around the small space that served as X’s living quarters. “Is this your room?” she asked. “Looks boring.” Well, X had to agree with that. “So, what are you?” she asked him. “You’re not a mechaniloid.”

“Well, no. I’m not.” X answered. 

“What’s your name?” the girl questioned, clearly leading the conversation. 

“X,” he told her. 

She waited to hear more but saw the robot had no more to say. “That’s it? Your name’s a letter?” 

She was blunt; he had to give her that. “Well, it’s a variable.” 

“Variable?” the girl questioned. “So, your name can mean anything?” 

X thought for a moment. “Huh. Yes, I guess it can.” she was staring up at him, taking in every feature she could see. “So…what’s your name?” 

“Chiyo.” The young girl answered. “Chiyo Fujiwara.” she then gestured to the puppy. “And this is Patarche.” 

Chapter Text

X looked down at the puppy again, the white walking ball of fluff looking back, long pink tongue still hanging out of his mouth. “Patarche?” 

“Yeah, Patarche.” the human girl, Chiyo, confidently told the robot. “I don’t care what you say. I told Cecilia, and I’ll tell anyone else that Patarche is MY dog, and I can name him what I want.” 

“Ok, ok,” X told her. “I think it’s a good name, " whatever it was. 

Chiyo continued to study him, going behind him to see that his buster cannon was still out. “What’s that?” 

“Oh! Uh, nothing!” the cannon retreated into his forearm, a white hand taking its place. 

“Whoa! I know what that is!” Chiyo declared. “You’ve got a buster!” 

X was surprised. “You know what this is?”

“Of course!” Chiyo answered. “Do you?” 

“Well…yes, I know what it is. As in, its function and purpose, how to use it-” 

“No, none of that boring stuff.” the Japanese girl interrupted him. “You know…” she squinted. “You look a LOT like him.” 

“Who?”

What she said next would bring about the beginning of many things for the blue robot, both good and ill. “Mega Man.”

“How did she get in here?!” Fujiwara questioned Cecilia, who was running alongside him and Cain.

“She used her key card!” the woman answered. “I told her to wait at the entrance so I could come to get you, but Patarche ran away-”

“Patarche?” Fujiwara was puzzled. “What kind of name is…whatever!” he then glowered at her. “If she’s found with even a scratch on her, you’re fired. Understand?”

Cecilia nodded; Cain noticed that the woman looked somewhat intimidated. “It’s not as if this place is that big. She couldn’t have gone far!”

Fujiwara didn’t respond. That’s not what I’m afraid of. He thought. If there’s even the most minor bruise on her, everything will be ruined!

X’s Room

Mega Man…yes. He had heard that name. And yet, he still asked the girl, “Who’s Mega Man?”

The girl’s eyes widened. “Who’s Mega Man?! Did you just get made yesterday?” she asked. “Did you just get made yesterday?” she asked genuinely. 

“What? No.” X said, shaking his head. 

“So when were you made? Because I’ve never seen you before.” X was about to answer, but she cut him off. “You know what? Doesn’t matter. Because however old you are, there’s no way you couldn’t have heard of Mega Man!” she said. “And looking at you, whoever made you was a big fan.” 

“Well, I don’t know if I’d say fan, but….” 

“I hear her!” Cecilia exclaimed, taking the lead with the two men following her. Fujiwara and Cain realized just where Chiyo had gone as she went ahead. 

“But what?” Chiyo asked; she then looked up at him, specifically, his upper half. “Hey, get down here,” she said. X was somewhat off-put. Did she just try to order him? “Well?”

“Ok?” he didn’t understand why she wanted him to, but he obeyed. What could she do anyway? “Ah!” he quickly began to regret doing so as he felt his mouth pulled, cheeks in the girl’s grip. 

“Hmm, stretchy,” Chiyo observed. “Feels enough like skin. Just enough, though,” she told him, clarifying the last part. “The forearms and everything from the calves down are huge,” she observed, giving his left calf a slight tap. “Hm, no echo,” she said. “So there’s gotta be something in there.” 

“What are you talking about?” X asked, Chiyo having finally let go of his face. 

“I’m trying to figure out what you’re made of.” the girl said. “You’re built to look like Mega Man,” she then tapped the red gem on his helmet. “Give or take a few things.” X rose, or rather, she allowed him to rise. “And, above all else, you’ve got a buster. So you must be built with some good parts.” she had to admit that this robot “X” looked and reacted much more like herself than any mechaniloid. “Only question is who would make you?” 

“What are they doing?” Cain asked, Fujiwara listening while holding Cecilia back when she tried to get Chiyo again. 

“They’re just talking.” the Japanese man said. 

“About?” Cecilia questioned. 

“Shh. Both of you.” Fujiwara ordered, listening in on the conversation between his child and the mysterious DLN. While it was unexpected, perhaps Chiyo’s presence was just the “test” he needed to see.

“Well,” X began, pondering what exactly to say.

“Well, what?” Chiyo inquired. 

The blue robot was stuck. Should he tell this girl who his creator was? Was he allowed to? What would the consequences be if he did? “Well, it’s kind of a…complicated issue.” 

“How?” the Japanese girl placed her hands on her hips. “I just want to know who built you.” 

“Yeah, I don’t know if I should say,” X admitted. “Dr. Fujiwara might not like it.” then he remembered what the girl said her name was. “Wait, your name’s Fujiwara too, right? 

“Yeah, Chiyo Fujiwara.” the girl told the machine. “Though, if you want to be technical, Fujiwara would come before Chiyo, and…” she stopped herself. “You know my dad?”

“Dad?!” Yes, the last name indicated some relation, but X assumed that this girl was a niece or a cousin's child, not someone with a direct link with Fujiwara himself! “You’re his daughter?!”

Chiyo was unaffected by the robot’s shock. If anything, he appeared more animated than she did. “He didn’t mention me, huh?” she said, not asked. It was a statement, not a question. Before X could answer her at all, she looked away. “Doesn’t surprise me a bit.” she didn’t have much emotion in her voice upon saying that. Yet X detected a slight sense of disappointment. As if, while she wasn’t happy with the news, she expected it. “But he didn’t mention you at all.” she recovered quickly, X noted, as if she was used to this. “And you couldn’t have been made by him either.” 

X was growing nervous. She was making it clear she was getting an answer, one way or another. “And…why do you say that?”

And he heard something that he had heard from her father before. “Because something like you isn’t supposed to exist.” She didn’t mean anything by it. If anything, she was just being truthful. Something like this robot just being here was breaking all sorts of laws. AI at a level like his was strictly forbidden. Still, she had read of such things before. And when she saw the blue robot trying to get rid of his hurt expression, a name came to her. “Did Doctor…” she began but stopped herself. “No way. That’s impossible.” 

X was about to sigh in relief, hoping she wouldn’t pry further. Yet, despite himself, he was curious. “What is?”

“Doctor Light couldn’t have made you,” Chiyo said. “All of his robots were-”

“Chiyo!” 

“Damn it, Cecilia! I told you to wait!”

A woman rushed into the room, grabbed the girl and white pup, then looked at X. Cecilia was startled and stepped back. “Doctor, what is this?” 

“Cecilia, just shut up!” Fujiwara shouted, pushing the woman aside. This caused her to hit the wall, and Patarche fell out of Cecilia’s grasp, the young pup hitting the floor and letting out a pained squeal. 

Fujiwara was about to shout at the robot for letting the girl into his room, yet X ignored him completely, going over to the injured Patarche. He bent over and picked the dog up with one hand while lightly feeling his paws. The pup gave a small yelp when X went over his left one; the robot worried over whether or not he had squeezed too hard. “Sorry.” he apologized. He then turned to Cecilia and Chiyo. “I don’t think it’s broken.” The woman looked at him wide-eyed, torn between awe and fear. Chiyo reached out, took Patarche from X, and held him, the woman going off with the girl and dog.

Fujiwara looked at X, yet instead of anger, the robot and Cain saw that he was perplexed, if anything. After a few moments, the Japanese man finally found his voice. “You…you were concerned about a dog?” he asked as if he couldn’t believe it. 

“Of course! It sounded like it got hurt!” X said, baffled that the man didn’t show any worry at all. 

Cain looked at X, then at Fujiwara, who was still in shock. Then to X again, the robot appeared anxious. “I did something wrong, didn’t I?” 

“No, absolutely not,” Cain assured him. “I think this might be just what Sho here needed to see.”

The Next Day

X was surprised that he had been summoned to Fujiwara’s office. He was astonished that he had been let out, given yesterday’s events. Whatever the reason, he just hoped that it wouldn’t involve more testing of his buster. He stood in front of the door and was allowed to pass through, Fujiwara sitting at the main computer. The door closed behind X, making the robot wonder what the man had to say to him. What would happen? Would he be permanently kept in his room, or would he be taken somewhere else? Somewhere dark and away from the sun. X, despite being an automaton, held his breath.

Fujiwara rose from his chair. “I suppose I should go ahead and tell you why I called you here.” the Japanese man said.

“It’s about yesterday, isn’t it?” X asked. Fujiwara said nothing, but that was enough of a confirmation for him. “There’s no excuse, but I didn’t leave the room. Cain asked me to show it to him before, and I guess he left the door unlocked. But I didn’t touch her.” He did touch the dog. And kind of hurt it when he checked where it had been injured. Maybe that was why he had been called here. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I didn’t mean to-”

“No, you don’t understand.” the scientist interrupted. “I’m the one who’s sorry.” 

The blue robot was perplexed. “What?” 

“I said, I’m the one who’s sorry,” Fujiwara repeated. “I didn’t realize just how advanced you were.” he then led X to his computer and pulled up a schematic of the robot’s head. “This is the scan from when Cain first brought you to my lab.” Fujiwara then pulled up another. “And this one was from just a week after.” he went through scan after scan, X remembering these well. Every week, the Asian scientist would take a snapshot of the robot’s cerebral chamber. Why X didn’t know, but as the human scrolled through the number of weekly scans, he noticed that there were notable differences between each. “Despite being a creation of Light, your programming appeared pretty basic. But over time, I’ve noticed that there have been new developments. Your systems are becoming more complex. It’s almost like a child’s brain developing into that of an adult in just a month.” 

Was that how a machine was supposed to operate? Or was it not? X hardly knew. “And what does that mean?”

“It means I’ve misjudged you severely,” Fujiwara told X. He turned away from the screen to face the blue robot. “You see, AI such as yours is strictly banned.”

“So I’ve been told,” X said. “But no one’s told me why.” 

Even now, his memory was fuzzy, yet he could scarcely remember faces. Human-like faces resembling children. Wide eyes stared down at him with awe. They, too, thought he was strange, but they were at least accepting. He couldn’t remember what about, but he remembered how he and his visitors talked with each other, told each other about what was going on in their lives, and answered his questions regarding Dr. Light. He could remember none of it, but it did happen. 

But now, they were all gone. But wait. He remembered that he wasn’t down in the underground lab alone. “Hey,” X said. “Where is that other robot?”

“You mean the mechaniloid from yesterday?” the human questioned. “Don’t worry. I…patched it….him up. He’ll be operational tomorrow.” 

“Really?” X was pleased with this news. “That’s great. Thank you.”

Yes, yes, whatever. Fujiwara thought. For something with a computer for a brain, he sure is an idiot. Especially given all I did was trade the damaged one for an identical copy from the same line. Still, he seemed to have gained the robot’s trust with this “kind gesture,” so he didn’t want to risk losing it.

“But no.” the blue robot told the human. “I meant the one from the lab?” 

“Hm?” Fujiwara was confused. “What do you mean…oh!” he suddenly realized. “That damaged one? What about it?”

“I thought ‘it’ was a girl,” X told him.

“Yes, well, whatever the case, her body’s been shipped off to a robotics museum in the United States.” 

“What?!” X exclaimed. “When was this?!”

Fujiwara didn’t understand the machine’s reaction. “Not long after she was brought in, I salvaged what I could from her hard drive,” he said. “She’s no good to anyone in that condition.” X looked saddened by this news. “And today’s technology wouldn’t be able to sustain her anyway. She’s too outdated. Her internal clock stopped around sometime in 201X.” 

“201X?! That was so long ago.” X sighed. He remembered the blonde robot looked young and as if she were in a peaceful sleep. Yet she also had a gaping hole in her chest that X had to admit would take a lot of effort to repair. “What happened to her?” he asked aloud. Even if he mainly said it to himself, it could’ve also been interpreted as a legitimate question. 

Fujiwara shook his head. “I can’t say for certain,” he admitted. “She was built without any means to defend herself, and her outer shell had been rather easy to tear through, considering the wound she had.” 

What could’ve done that? X thought, then he looked to the forearm that held his buster. He then remembered the sizable exit wound he had left on the mechaniloid. The blast that went through the robot girl’s chest was much more powerful. Her entire chest cavity had been blown out; her core would’ve been blown to pieces. If he was right in that a buster was what caused the damage, then who’s? And even more, for what reason, someone would shoot her? It wouldn’t matter now, though, seeing as her body was long gone. But X recalled something Fujiwara said. “Didn’t you say that you copied her hard drive?”

“What I could.” the human confessed. “I’ve collected a span of memory files over ten years, all varying in quality. Unfortunately, all of them are somewhat corrupted, but you can at least decipher what’s being said.” 

X thought for a moment, wondering whether or not he was ready to do what he had initially wanted to do. Ultimately, though, he feared he wouldn’t get the chance again if he didn’t ask now. After all, Fujiwara was being quite generous at the moment. “Can I see them?”

Later

“All right, turkey’s done!” a young, female, chipper voice declared, opening the oven to reveal a reddish-brown, sizzling bird, ready for consumption. Well, for those that had stomachs. “Thankfully, the Professor’s invited some folks over so that things WILL be eaten.” she then turned to look at the plethora of food she had prepared. “They had better!” she huffed. “I spent all day making this.” she then turned to the kitchen door. “Rock! Rush! Come help me get some of this, would you?” 

X watched staticky footage of the more miniature robot’s memory files from the computer screen, eyes glued to the screen and absorbing everything he saw. It was somewhat offputting. First, everything he saw was from her point of view, but it didn’t take long for X to adjust. “What’s going on?” he asked Fujiwara; the clip had just started when the robot took the turkey out of the oven. 

“I believe they’re celebrating Thanksgiving,” Fujiwara told the robot. “It’s an American holiday. Though the history of it is much more violent than what the country’s children are taught.” 

X was very aware of that. He had the prior knowledge data for a standard machine around the time he was constructed, but he was not satisfied. Seeing the footage before him made him wish he could experience what was taking place himself. 

Why? X thought. Why was I kept in the dark for so long? True, according to the warning he installed, it was to test his reliability. But still, couldn’t it have been a little shorter? X was drawn from his thoughts by seeing someone else entering the kitchen. He looked like a young boy wearing a blue shirt and black shorts. Yet everything from his knees down was covered in a pair of thick, blue armored boots. So very much like himself, X thought. “Wait.” he then realized. “Is this Mega Man?” 

Fujiwara looked at X. “You know who that is?” 

“Well, yes and no,” X answered. “I know who he is, but…I don’t know him.”

True, Dr. Cain told him how a helper bot named Rock was reformatted into a robot meant for combat, Mega Man. He was also told of how another scientist named Dr. Wily stole Dr. Light’s original line of specialized robots (called Robot Masters) and created several of his own. He was told of the man’s continuous schemes for world domination and how the “Blue Bomber,” as he was sometimes called, managed to stop him every time. That was all that, ironically, Mega Man X knew about Mega Man. 

“What do you mean?” Fujiwara questioned. Even if he had just called the robot in here to get him to comply with the scientist’s requests for more tests, there was so much going on at this moment that he couldn’t simply ignore it. 

“I mean, I’ve seen him as Mega Man, but…not as Rock, I guess?” X explained that he wasn’t exactly sure how to express himself in words adequately. 

“Rush! No!” X was drawn back to the computer screen. A red, robotic canine had come into the kitchen and tried to get what appeared to be a colorful screw from a bowl of more colorful screws. “That’s for dessert! Well, OUR dessert anyway.” the helper robot doing the cooking said; she and Rock took the remaining food out to a large table where Dr. Light and some other humans were seated. Yet a majority of them were, to X’s surprise, robots. The same eight machines that Wily had adducted. “Were they a family?” X asked.

Fujiwara thought for a moment. “Hm. If you mean in the traditional sense, no.” the man said. “Though Dr. Light was known as having an…attachment to his creations and robots in general. More so than others in his field.” 

So were they a family or not? X saw that humans and machines were partaking in the festivities. So naturally, he set his sights on Rock (or was it just Mega Man since he was reformatted?), who was trying to sneak one of the colorful screws on his plate, but the other helper robot lightly smacked his wrist to make him drop it. 

X chuckled at the robot’s look: disappointment with a tiny bit of scorn. It wasn’t malicious, though. It was getting late, so he might have to stop soon, but X was curious about something. “What’s the name of the robot this footage came from?” the blue machine asked Fujiwara.

“From what I saw, she’s registered as DLN 03.” 

“Did she have a name?” X asked. DLN 03? That couldn’t be all.

Wasn’t he satisfied with that answer? Fujiwara pondered all that was going on, observing the robot’s reactions to what he was watching. “Roll.” he told X. “Her designation is Roll.” 

June 13th 21XX

Perhaps it was too soon to get his hopes up, but things had been looking up since the conversation X and Fujiwara had. The blue robot had been given a fully furnished room with books, a television, a desk, and the capsule that had originally been put in. Cain was quite pleased with this development, though the paleobotanist knew that the Japanese man was only doing this because he was getting something out of it. 

Regardless, Cain knew well that he was stuck in this situation with X. The least he could do was ensure Light’s creation was taken care of. Despite his already present wealth of knowledge (a benefit of being a machine, the old man assumed), Cain found activities such as reading and watching television stimulating. Something that Fujiwara took note of and immediately exposed him to a plethora of media. Cain saw it as unnecessary, but as the Asian man had told him before, Cain was the one who found X. Fujiwara would be the one to use this robot to his full potential. 

Though what kind of potential is that? And for whom will it serve?

Recently, Dr. Cain introduced the blue robot to some science fiction, specifically a series that was one of his favorites. “So, Frank Herbert wrote this series in 1965?” X questioned, holding a physical copy of the first series of the Dune Chronicles. “That’s…that’s an entire two centuries ago!” X exclaimed. “Something that old is still so well regarded?” 

Cain chuckled. “Indeed. Everything from Shakespeare to Homer and the ancient Greek dramas has admirers. Even now. In fact,” he said. “One of my favorite pieces of literature came before literature even was what it is now. Dr. Light programmed you with the knowledge of the Epic of Gilgamesh, right?”

“Of course,” X replied. He returned to the book, having a question that related more to his current reality than it did the book. “There’s a certain mention of how what are called ‘thinking machines’ are banned,” he said. “But machines are still very present here. So why is there a limit to a machine’s AI?” 

Cain froze. “X…”

“Dr. Fujiwara keeps telling me it doesn’t matter, but if I’m,” the blue robot paused. “If I’m not supposed to exist, then why is that?” he asked. “Why are there only mechaniloids and no one else, well, like me?” he set the book down on the desk. “Please. Let me at least know this. I can’t go on not barely knowing anything around me.”

The older man sighed, rubbing his bearded chin. He knew well that X had such a question on his mind (despite Fujiwara still addressing it as a CPU) for some time, yet it was a complicated issue. Fujiwara didn’t think it was a good idea, yet Cain knew that it was because the man wanted to be in control of everything. Even he had to admit that he was somewhat apprehensive to tell X why he was “illegal.” 

“Well…” Cain pondered whether or not he was going to do this. Did he trust X with such information? Could he trust X with such information? “It’s a long and sorted history.” he was taking a gamble; he knew it. But X deserved to know the truth, as he would expect the same courtesy in return. “And no one is entirely sure of what happened, but the incident occurred a few years before Dr. Light’s death.” he then bit his lip. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine,” X said. “Just go on. No one’s sure of what happened?” he questioned, eager to get back on the subject. If not just to get his mind off his creator. 

Cain continued. “But it had to do with the disappearance of Dr. Wily.” 

“Dr. Wily disappeared?” X asked. “What happened?” 

“They never found a body, but it was suspected that he was murdered.” 

Cain observed X’s reaction. This would be a moment of truth. “Murdered!? By a robot?!” X exclaimed, clearly shocked. 

“No one could confirm it, but that was what was believed at the time.” the human admitted. “There were rumors from how one of his machines killed him to Mega Man being the one to do the deed.”

“But he couldn’t! No machine could!” X protested. “The First Law forbids it!” 

Cain was trying to process if he had just heard right. “So, you have regard for the Laws.” 

“Well…yes! Of course!” X answered. “Robots can’t harm human beings! They created us!”

The paleobotanist was surprised to hear this from the machine. True, he would’ve expected some sort of protest from how he reacted from hearing of the supposed murder by a robot, but hearing him so adamant about how he viewed the Three Laws of Robotics. 

“So, you have regard for the Laws?” Cain questioned.

“Of course I do,” X told him. “I mean, one of the few things I can remember right now is Dr. Light telling them to me.” there were also some sparse memories of him being told of humans. 

“Humans are great! True, they’re different from us, but I’ve got plenty of human friends!”

“Yeah! Kalinka’s my best friend!”

“I won’t do it,” X said. “I promise.” his voice began to sound a little nervous. “I mean it. I won’t.” he couldn’t afford to go back in the dark again. Not when he was so close to possibly seeing what was outside of this lab.” 

Cain analyzed the robot’s words and actions, knowing why he was so anxious about being sealed away again. But, even now, that fear still held such a tight grip on him? Cain set it in his mind to discuss with Fujiwara later.

“What happened to the rest of Light’s robots? And the Robot Masters? Where are they?”

Cain shook his head. “No one knows.” 

Later

“His reaction to mental stimulation is incredible!” Dr. Fujiwara exclaimed, presenting his various CPU scans to Dr. Cain. “He seems to have grown fond of superhero programs. Why that is, I’ve yet to understand.”

“Perhaps Light made him with the same heroic spirit as Mega Man?” Cain theorized. “In a sense, X could be considered his brother.” 

“Don’t give me any of that relation nonsense.” the Japanese scientist groaned. “I have to put up with that robot thinking that. I don’t need someone else doing it too.” True, he had left the issue alone just to get X to be more compliant, but as long as Fujiwara got his data, that was all that mattered in the end. 

Especially if he was ready to move on to the next phase of his plan.

“What are you thinking, Sho?” Cain asked, seeing that the man was up to something. 

“I have a question to ask him.” 

The Next Day

Once again, X had been summoned by Fujiwara, yet the fact Cain was here eased his tension somewhat. Entering through the automated door, the blue robot saw the two men standing a short distance away as if they had been waiting for him. 

“You wanted to see me, Doctor?” X asked Fujiwara. It felt odd to call someone other than Light “Doctor,” but he learned quickly that the Asian man demanded respect, especially if he was the one currently “living” in the man’s lab. 

“Yes, X.” Fujiwara began. “I…still want to make up for how I’ve treated you over the past few weeks,” he said. 

Cain grimaced. You’re lying through your teeth! Yet he didn’t mention a word of it, if not just for X’s sake. 

“And, well, I’ve been looking over your CPU scans and analyzed your reactions to various mental stimulation. And,”

“That said,” Cain interrupted. He was tired of hearing talk of data and analyzing. But still, what he had to say related to Fujiwara’s research on the blue robot. “We’ve both noticed that you never interact with the mechaniloids.” 

X shifted. “Yeah, I’ll admit, I don’t,” he confessed. “They…I mean, it’s part of their programming, but they’re not ones for conversation.” 

“Exactly,” Fujiwara answered. “And given that,” Cain cleared his throat, silently reminding the Japanese native not to speak of science. “Given that they don’t have as complex an AI as you have, you two don’t connect.” 

X had to admit that Fujiwara was right. True, he had tried, yet any mechaniloid he had managed to get ahold of and tried to start a conversation with them. But they either barely said anything or nothing at all. Indeed, while they were fellow machines like him, they weren’t like him. 

There wasn’t anyone like him. Not anymore.

“So, we’ve decided that we’re going to give you someone like yourself,” Fujiwara told X.

The blue robot’s green eyes widened. “You mean…” 

Cain nodded. “We’re going to give you a friend.” 

Chapter Text

X knew he had to think long and hard about this.

When he heard the news from Cain and Fujiwara, he was thrilled. Finally, at long last, someone like himself was going to be made! But when the two humans said he would have a "friend," the blue robot already had someone in mind. The only problem was how would he go about this? Was what he wanted even possible?

As he entered through the automated door, he went over an improv speech he had going on in his mind, most of it formed on the spot. He had thought long and hard about this, yet not at all. When he saw the two men standing by the door, clearly waiting for him, X wondered whether or not he should've even come.

"Ah, have you reached a decision?" Cain asked, more enthusiastic than Fujiwara, who retained a professional demeanor.

"Well, yes," X answered. "But,"

"But what?" Fujiwara questioned, raising a brow.

X looked at the Asian man's central computer. "You know those memory files from that robot? Roll?"

"DLN-002?" Fujiwara asked, X nodding in response. "What of her?"

"I know you can't get her body back," the blue robot said. "And, I'll admit, I don't exactly know how to do it,"

"Just say it, my boy. What do you want?" Cain asked.

X hesitated momentarily, knowing that what he wanted was perhaps nothing more than a fantasy. But still, if there was a sliver of a chance, he wanted to see that he didn't let the opportunity slip away. "I want her," he said.

Neither Fujiwara nor Cain knew what he meant initially, but it didn't take long to figure it out. "You want her? As in, you want her to be the robot we build?"

"I guess so," X answered. True, it was a little more complicated on his end, but ultimately, it seemed he got his message across. "Or rather, I guess I want you to make her a new body and place what you have of her in it." both men looked at the robot in confusion. "I know, it doesn't sound…plausible. And I know machines aren't programmed like that-"

"No, they are not." Fujiwara interrupted. "And what you're asking is impossible."

"I know, some of it can't be done, but-"

"Those memory files were the only thing we managed to recover from her." the Japanese man continued. "Her reactor core was completely obliterated, so there would be no way for her just to be placed in a new body. Most of her CPU was a scrambled mess, and what footage we have are little more than clips of domestic life that went on at Light's home. What could be done with that?"

"Not much, but-"

"Not to mention that things such as basic personality traits would have to be programmed in, as you're only taking the memory files, not the CPU itself, which is no good anymore."

"So ultimately, you couldn't get that robot back, no matter what you or anyone else did."

"But can't we do that?" X questioned. "After all, Dr. Cain has trust in you for a reason. Wouldn't it be doable?"

Fujiwara adjusted his spectacles while Cain took over. "What he means, X is that those memory files are all left of her," he explained. "The only thing that she would have would be those recordings. Her personality, her likes, her dislikes, they're all gone." he sighed when he saw the robot's expression grow sad. "Your efforts would be in vain."

X stared at Cain for a short while, then looked to the floor. He was silent, Fujiwara silently sighing in relief. The older man felt horrible about having to deliver this news. Yet what they heard next took them both by surprise.

"I…I don't care."

Both men looked at each other to confirm that was what they had just heard. "What do you mean?" Cain asked, puzzled but also taken aback by the sudden firmness in the robot's voice.

"I said I don't care," X repeated. "I want her."

Fujiwara raised a brow. "You realize that you're making it sound like everything I said just flew over your head."

"No, I heard you," X responded. "And I want to go through with it." he continued. "I can help make her." the Japanese scientist didn't seem convinced. "I can take notes and watch those files to get her general personality down!" the change in the tone of the robot's voice indicated that he was trying to negotiate instead of demand. "You have the scans of my CPU and basic blueprints! Wouldn't that be enough?" he then began bargaining. "Though, if you need more, I can provide more. How many would you need?"

Cain was taken aback by the range of emotions he had just witnessed in the span of a short time and from a machine of all things! Fujiwara, on the other hand, was pondering this. Yes, what the robot wanted couldn't be done, yet he had presented, ironically enough, that he was willing to compromise despite being the one with the buster. And technically, the scientist would get an opportunity to make a prototype, and X would finally have a companion. Finally, both of them would get what they wanted.

"We shall see," Fujiwara answered X's question. "But as for your contribution, I'm relying on you to ensure that you get her personality down. Programming in that field is a very complex process."

"Yeah, sure. No problem." X immediately agreed to do whatever the Japanese man wanted of him.

While Cain was pleased with this development, he knew this was just being done because it benefited the scientist. Nevertheless, he thought this would be good for the blue robot. And while he knew nothing of robotics, he would provide whatever service he could. Still, they were all stepping into unknown territory, so those steps must be carefully made. Otherwise, they would unleash a sea of chaos. Or perhaps such a thing was inevitable; no one knew exactly.

But whatever the case, they were going to find out very soon.

May 30th 21XX

Dr. Fujiwara's Lab

X sat in his room, reviewing every memory file recovered from the helper bot. He was making mental notes (quite literally) as he watched the footage, analyzing how the girl interacted with those around her. But, of course, the robot watched everything from her point of view, so X was thankful that he had seen her before himself. Otherwise, he would've had to find specific shots where he could see her appearance.

"Rock!" she shouted, the blue robot he had seen enter the doorway looking at her, having just taken off his helmet. "Don't you take another step!"

Mega Man, or rather, Rock, looked confused. "What?"

"Don't 'what' me, mister! Look at your boots!" the helper robot, Roll, said, pointing to the Blue Bomber's boots. They were coated in mud and dirt. Come to think of it, all of him had been covered in mud and dirt. "You're not setting foot in this house until you get yourself spotless!"

"But Roll! I was going to wipe-"

"Uh uh! No buts!" she then pointed towards the door. After that, the footage became nearly indistinguishable from jumbled-up sounds and static, but eventually, everything became clear again (well, clear enough). "Ho-bzz-ld still!" X heard Roll say, the sight of Rock being sprayed with water coming to be seen.

"Roll-blurb! I can-blurgh! Wash my own face-blugh!" Mega Man tried to protest but kept getting water in his mouth.

Well, she's rather fussy, I'll give her that. Still, as the robot watched her clean her brother off, X couldn't help but wonder a few things. If Dr. Light had constructed him, along with Rock and Roll, did that make her and Rock X's siblings? The blue robot pondered this, yet if this was the case, when was he "born" compared to them? Dr. Light appeared far healthier in most of the files he had watched, so it must've been a few years. A decade? Maybe two? If that was the case, he had missed out on at least maybe seeing the other robots face to face. If to just have a coherent memory of them.

He then saw Roll scrubbing Rock down with a sponge, the Blue Bomber barely blue as most of him was consumed by soapy suds. Then he was hosed off again and dried with a towel. "Come on," the blonde housekeeper said, dragging her brother into the house with the towel wrapped around his head. "I still have to do your hair. Maybe we'll be able to keep it neat and straight this time!"

"Roll, there's nothing wrong with my hair!" Rock complained as the girl dragged him up the stairs.

"It's always got knots! Probably from all the time you wear that helmet." she went on and on as she led her brother to the bathroom. That was the end of that file, dated August 15th, 200X.

It was perhaps considered "homework" in a sense, but X took note of everything. Even traits that, if he had to be honest, he didn't exactly "like" in the robotic girl. But he had to get everything if he wanted to get this right. This all hinged on his accuracy regarding what Fujiwara would put in her.

Suddenly, X felt a hand on his shoulder. Dr. Cain stood over him, watching the robot's "room computer screen." "How's it going?" the older man asked.

X didn't expect the human to come in, yet nevertheless, he welcomed any visit he could get from the other doctor. "There's a lot to go through," he admitted. "I'm not even halfway done yet."

"Have you been doing this since I last came here?" Cain questioned, quite surprised at how much time the robot had spent going over static-ridden recordings.

"Fujiwara says that the faster I can give him information, the faster he can put in what needs to be," X explained. "He said that since these memory files are the only things we have, her personality has to be programmed from scratch. Although," he bit his lip. "From what I've seen, she's a bit…demanding."

Cain appeared to be amused. "Not a fan of her?"

"No, it's nothing like that! It's just, well," he was wondering how to phrase this. "I'll just come out and say it: I don't want to be bossed around like some kid."

Cain chuckled at that. "You don't want to be the younger sibling in this case."

"Well, yeah. I guess you can say that's what it is." X responded. "Though wasn't Rock or Mega Man made before Roll? That'd make him 'older,' right?"

"Hm," Cain thought for a moment. "Honestly, I don't know. And given how the two were constructed together, you could technically call them twins." Cain continued to observe the recordings with X. "Though I suppose he did that because of what happened with his first robot."

"First robot?" X asked. "But isn't Rock listed as DLN-001?"

"Yes, but he's doing what you and Fujiwara are doing now. First, Dr. Light needed to build a prototype to see if his research was correct. A prototype must always be made and presented before any advanced robot line is released."

"And was it?" X further pried.

"Not long after his creation, the prototype ran away, never to be seen again," Cain told X; the blue robot was surprised to hear this.

"He left? Why?"

Cain shrugged. "No one knows precisely why. Dr. Light thought that perhaps one of the main reasons was that he didn't have a companion with him. So when Rock was created, Roll was as well." he explained. "Granted, both were made to be helper bots, but then Light's other robots were stolen, and Rock volunteered to undergo the operation needed to convert him into a fighting machine."

X knew of that particular bit of history and several other magnificent feats the Blue Bomber had performed. Still, Roll's files presented a much different picture of the Super Fighting Robot than what had been presented to the world. He knew he should probably get back to doing his "part" of the project, but he had one more question.

"Did the prototype ever come back?" the blue robot asked. "Did that robot ever know that he had a brother or sister?"

Cain pondered this for a moment. "It's hard to say."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there are theories that a robot previously working with Wily was the escaped prototype. Or some theories say he assisted Mega Man against Wily in ways that wouldn't draw any attention to himself." Cain told X. "Whatever the case, that robot disappeared and hasn't been seen since. So even now, no one knows who the prototype was."

X absorbed all this, processing it along with the other pieces of information he knew. This was the first time he had heard of Dr. Light's prototype, yet he had no idea that such a turn of events would happen involving the robot. Where did he go? Did he work with Wily at one point? And if so, why?

And again, did he ever know he had a family?

X pondered all this, reflecting on his situation and the prototype's numerous scenarios. However, at least the blue robot knew of his…family. Who knew if that prototype did? How lonely was he? Did he wander the earth until he fell apart? So many things could've happened, and so many ended with him being alone.

How sad.

Seeing he was deep in thought, Cain decided to leave X to his "work," though he noticed the robot had grown quiet after hearing the older man's tale. He began to wonder whether or not he should've told X that, and he was curious as to whether or not this information would influence his "work" in any way. Regardless, the process was underway, and he could only do so much.

So for now, he would have to wait and see. And wonder. And hope.

July 19th 21XX

Fujiwara's Lab

X was no expert in fashion (not precisely seeing the purpose of clothes, if he had to be honest), but Roll appeared to have many outfits she wore. So many that he had a significant amount of difficulty in deciding just how her new body would look. True, traits such as hair and eye color would be simple enough, but the young (or old) housekeeper bot had so much in her wardrobe! It took him a good few weeks to even get a sliver of an idea of how her body would look, yet he was able to give Fujiwara some details over time.

For one, while she certainly had more clothes than her brother or Dr. Light, she seemed to fancy the color red. And she seemed pretty fond of having a green ribbon in her hair, almost always tied up in a long, high ponytail. And while it wasn't as frequent as red, Roll had a good amount of dark colors and white. So, using the gathered details, X, Fujiwara, and Cain could construct an image in their heads of what appearance would fit her best.

And finally, after a couple of months, all three of them had come up with something.

On the table rested the form of an android modeled after X, yet this one was female. As with her older body, this model had long, blond hair tied up in a long ponytail. Instead of a ribbon, she had a green metal bow that clipped around the collection of hair and kept the ponytail in place. Two long stranges of hair rested over white audio receptors similar to X's aside from their dark color and the yellow glass covering inside. She had a black covering from her neck to her pelvis and wrists, resembling a long-sleeved leotard or swimsuit. A top of white metal covered the undersection with a white collar that covered the robot's throat, with two small darkly-colored circles on the collar. In between rested a line that went down vertically, from the collar to the end of her chest. Instead of a young girl, the robot resembled a young woman, her chest shaped and defined and her figure womanly.

She "wore" a red skirt fashioned after a pleated skirt with a white section in the middle, red boots with dark linings (or collars), and white sections for toe caps. Her shoulders were more round than X's and somewhat more pronounced, yet unlike her chest, her shoulders were dark in color and had yellow glass that dipped inward to cover her shoulder joint. Her forearms were red and from the lower part of them to her wrists were gold, four dark orbs in a ring around the section, grooves set in between each. A white belt with a dark sphere in the center was around her waist, holding her skirt in place. Her hands were white, the same as X's, yet were more feminine, and the digits were attached to the hand instead of being built-in with the rest of it.

The three that had helped design her looked her over, her eyes closed as if she were in a peaceful sleep. Just as he was when he was first found, X thought. But now, they would see what would happen when she "woke" up.

"I trust you're satisfied?" Fujiwara asked X.

"Yes." the robot said. I just wonder whether or not she'll like it. He thought.

"Her body was made cheaply and fairly quickly, as the meaning of this test is to see if your systems can be duplicated," Fujiwara explained. "And, bear in mind, while I put the memory files in, the rest of her is completely new. So how she will process them has yet to be seen."

X nodded, understanding. "I know that what might happen might be…" he paused. "Well, I don't know what might happen," he admitted. He looked down at the female android, the "older" (or maybe younger) form for the robot on those files to inhabit. At least, that's what a small part of him was hoping for.

"Shall we get started then?" Cain asked.

Neither X nor Fujiwara had any objections. Thus, Fujiwara input a command into his computer, and the process began with a few quick presses on the keyboard.

The machine was activated.

A low humming was heard from within the newly constructed (albeit cheaply) body, and after a few moments, the humming stopped, and the machine opened her eyes. Her irises were teal, and though they looked glassy and lifeless at first, they lit up immediately when she focused on X. Fujiwara. Cain observed this change, noting that, whatever was happening, X's being here had stirred something in her.

She slowly rose from the table and stood, her legs unsteady as if she were just learning to walk. And in a way, she was. Then, she spoke. "Rock?"

X froze, the robot staring at him as if his presence transfixed her. Her voice was that of the girl he had heard on the files, but it was more mature and had lost its resemblance to that of a child.

"Sho, what's going on?" Cain asked quietly. While he wouldn't say he was "afraid," he was still entirely on edge given what was happening. Fujiwara was left speechless yet urged Cain to stay back and see what would happen.

"Rock!" the robot exclaimed, completely delighted to see the blue robot she believed to be the Blue Bomber. Before X could do or say anything, she ran forward and embraced him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "I knew it!" she continued, X surprised at the sudden strength of her hold. She was afraid that he'd slip away if she didn't hold him tight. "I knew that you could beat him!"

"Beat him?" X asked, finally finding his voice. "Beat who?"

"Sho, what is going on?" Cain asked again, trying to voice his growing concern.

"Quiet." the Japanese man ordered, continuing to survey what was happening.

"Oh, it doesn't matter anymore!" the female robot said, then she released X from her embrace, putting her hands on his shoulders. "This just goes to show that, no matter what Wily throws at you, you can overcome anything!" she said. "And look at you!" she circled him. "Dr. Light fitted you with an upgraded body!" she then looked at herself. "Oh! And me too!" she then looked herself over. "Hmm…I like this," she said. She then turned away from X and looked at Dr. Cain. "Thank you for the…" her voice died when her eyes met Cain's. "You…" she looked at the paleobotanist, then to the Japanese robotics expert. "You're not Light." she then looked around, taking everything she could see. "This isn't the lab." Finally, her eyes fell on X. "And…you're not…."

She began to back away from the blue robot when he tried to reach out for her, but upon seeing Cain and Fujiwara approaching her, she went to X and hid behind him for protection. Even if she had misidentified him, she seemed to regard her as someone who could help her. X was taken aback by this, yet the robot simply refused to let him go, even as the two humans continued to approach.

Then, something that no one could've predicted occurred.

A loud, popping sound was heard; X turned to see that it had come from the newly activated robot. She was holding her head, groaning as if she were experiencing an excruciating migraine. She huddled up in the corner and knelt, facing away from everyone. X was unsure what to do, yet he found himself reaching out to her as if to help her up or just alert her of his presence.

Then, the robot's eyes shot open, teal irises staring back into the green. "Rock!" she exclaimed, taking the blue robot by the hand, clutching it tightly. "You need to leave! You need to get out of here, now!" She panicked, terror filling her eyes, though it was not for herself.

Cain and Fujiwara looked at X, though the blue robot was just as clueless as they were. "What are you talking about-"

"He followed you from the lab!" she continued, interrupting X. "He followed you! He's not going to stop until you're dead!"

"Dead? What are you-"

"Guts Man is trying to hold him off, but I don't think he'll last much longer!" the robot went on; Fujiwara raced over to his computer. "C'mon! We've got to wake Dr. Light! Hurry!" she looked as if she would break out in tears any moment. "He's coming!"

Then, with the press of a key, X saw the robot's eyes lose their life, and she fell forward. X caught her before she hit the floor, Cain rushed over to the two machines. But then he looked at Fujiwara in confusion and frustration.

"What did you do?!" Cain questioned Fujiwara, thankful the chaos had stopped but wanted an explanation.

"I've merely input the command to send her back into stasis." the Japanese man answered, adjusting his glasses. "X, set her back on the table, would you?"

The blue robot was shocked at how calm the scientist was about what had just happened, but he nonetheless obeyed, placing the robot where she had risen from. "What was that?" he asked aloud, not exactly expecting an answer because he couldn't comprehend what had just happened either.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Fujiwara confessed. "What she was saying…" he went to scroll through the various memory files that had been input into her CPU. "It doesn't correlate with anything found in these." before anyone could ask anything else, Fujiwara continued. "Someone activate the restraints."

"What? But she didn't-" X began to protest, but before he could finish or Fujiwara could argue back, the robot in X's arms began to stir again.

Fujiwara looked at this in shock: her systems were fighting against his input command!? Still, he wondered. With another click of a key, he deactivated the command, the robot free from the control of his keyboard, for now.

She wriggled and squirmed, as if she weren't comfortable in her own skin (and that could've been a genuine possibility), then, slowly, her teal eyes opened again. They bore into X's, appearing glassy and "dead," but eventually, life began to return to them. "Wh-Who…" she stammered, blinking a few times as her vision adjusted. "Who are…you?" she asked; X looked at her, at a loss. "Who are you?" she repeated upon not getting an answer.

"I…I'm…" X stammered, not knowing what to say.

"And…who are you?!" she said, looking at Cain, then Fujiwara. "What is this place?" she asked as she scanned the room she was in. "Where is the lab?!" she began to squirm in X's hold. "Where's Auto?! Eddie?!" she then looked up at him again. "And…and you're not Rock!"

She pushed herself away from X and scrambled to the other corner of the room when the two humans came closer. The blue robot got in front of the two of them and knelt down to the robot's level. Cain and Fujiwara watched, the two machines staring into each others' eyes in silence. The female was afraid and startled, little more than a cornered animal. Ironically enough, Fujiwara thought, she was behaving very much like Patarche when Chiyo first brought him home. He huddled in one corner of her bedroom and would not come out for about a week. Granted, he had told her to keep him in there until he was trained to go outside, but this robot was left with even less space than that.

X was about to say something but wondered whether or not it would do any good. Yet when he saw the other robot move away from Cain when he tried to reach for her, X knew what he had to do. "Can you leave us?" he asked.

Both humans looked at each other, then at the two robots. "X, are you sure?" Cain asked.

X nodded. "I think she needs to be alone with me. Is that all right?"

Both men looked at each other again, then at the two robots. "Very well." Fujiwara then said. "We shall leave you two be." he then grabbed Cain and pulled him along, dragging him out of the room.

X looked down at the female robot, who, while not precisely calm, was more assured by the fact that it was just the two of them now. "Who…" she began, voice uneasy. "Who are you?" she asked, then she looked at herself. "And what am I doing here?"

"I'll get to that in a minute," he told her. "First, I need to know if you-"

"I asked you first, so you have to answer first." she interrupted him. "Who are you, and what am I doing here?" X blinked, not exactly expecting to hear that. Was some of her personality showing through? Or was it still even "her?" "Hey, I asked you a question. Well, two questions, actually," she said. "But still, answer them first."

Well, she's beginning to convince me that her personality is intact. X thought. And seeing as he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he did so, he gave in to her demands. "My name is X."

"X?" she asked. "Is…that it?" she then covered her mouth. "Oh no, I'm sorry. That was rude of me." she then tilted her head as she studied the other robot. "But seriously, is that all?"

"No. My full title is Mega Man X," he explained. "And-"

"Mega Man?" she interrupted him again. "But you're not Rock." she slowly stood, X, rising to meet her. She began to look the blue robot over, studying him very much in the same manner Fujiwara had these past months. "Who are you?"

"Well, I told you. I'm X. Mega Man X." X told her.

"But you're not Rock." she said.

"No, I'm not." he confirmed.

She was quiet for a moment. "And…I'm also to assume that this isn't Dr. Light's lab."

"No, it's not." X sighed, knowing where this was going. "This lab belongs to Dr. Sho Fujiwara." he then decided that now was the time to make his move. "Now, can you answer a question of mine?" she seemed to ponder this for a moment before nodding. "What's your name?"

She looked at him as if he had just asked her something so rudimentary and elementary; it bordered on insulting. "My name? Of course, I know my name! It's…" she then stopped. It wasn't as if she didn't know it; it was quite literally pulled up for her in her memory bank! But still, it felt as if it were something she had to think about it at first. As if hearing it with this voice, a familiar but older voice, was unnatural. "My name…"

"Roll, right?" X said, curiosity winning over patience.

Roll. "Yes," she said. "Yes, that…that's it." she then touched her chest, feeling her core functioning again. Or was it for the first time? Nevertheless, her name was the same. "My title is Roll. Roll 2.5 technically."

Chapter Text

Roll. Well, at least she knew her name, X thought. Or maybe that was something Fujiwara programmed into her, as he did have to put together a personality from scratch. Whatever the case, at least she could recognize herself as “Roll.” But that wasn’t all that was on X’s mind. He reminded himself that Roll, this “new” Roll (with a little bit of old in there), was just like him and had her mind and consciousness, but still, the blue robot wanted to ask her so much. 

“If I may,” Roll began. “Why am I here?” she, ironically, began questioning X. “Who are those two men?” she then looked the other robot over. “And why do you look like Rock?” 

X noticed that she spoke of “Rock” or Mega Man as if she had a connection with him. Was it evidence that such things as familial ties remained intact? If so, that was fantastic, X thought. At least that part of her was unchanged, or he hoped that was the case. 

“Hey, I’m asking you a question.” Roll said again after not getting an answer. “Who are you?”

Well, for one, you could pick a question and stick with it. X he didn’t say that aloud. If anything, he was somewhat unprepared for just how forward she was. Nevertheless, she had no idea what was going on and deserved some sort of answer. “Well, I’m not Rock, but I am a creation of Dr. Light,” he explained. “I’m X, Mega Man X.”

“Dr. Light?!” Roll exclaimed. “Ah…” she said as her teal eyes scanned X’s form. He does look like Rock. she thought. But I wonder. “So, you are a creation of his as well?” she asked, X, nodding in reply. “But then, why were you made to look like Mega Man?” Roll looked him over again. She then looked at his right arm, then to X himself. Taking the hint, X presented his buster to her. “So, you DO have one as well.” the blonde robot observed. “Were you modified to be like this?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” X answered. “As far as I know, I was constructed to be like this, buster and all.” 

“Really?” Roll pondered this. Rock and I started as helper bots, but this one was made with a built-in weapon. Why is that? Immediately, she needed to get answers for something else. “Is there any conflict going on?” 

“No.” X answered. 

“So, Dr. Wily hasn’t been causing any trouble?” X shifted his green eyes. “What?”

“Dr. Wily…isn’t around anymore,” X answered her.

“What are you talking about?” Rol asked, not entirely understanding. “What do you mean?”

“I mean he’s, well,” X struggled to find an excellent way to explain this. “He’s dead. He’s been dead for decades.” 

Dead? Dead?! “But…” Roll stammered. “But then, what of Dr. Light? What of Rock? Auto? Eddie? Where are they?” she would even welcome the presence of that mysterious robot with the scarf. Just some assurance that what she was experiencing was not her reality. That this was all some bad dream. 

X looked at her, and she looked back. Neither of them said anything to each other, but they could read what they were thinking. Finally, the blue robot that very much resembled her brother looked down at the ground. “I’m…sorry.” 

Roll’s lip quivered, her mind registering what she had just heard, but was still trying to come to terms with it. “What year is it?” she asked. She knew she could look at her internal clock, yet she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She needed this blue robot to confirm it for her. 

X sighed. He knew where this was going. “It’s 21XX.”

21XX. An entire century. Roll’s eyes grew wide, yet she was puzzled in her growing despair. X saw her touch the corner of her eye and look at her finger as if she were expecting to find something there. Like a tear. But she found nothing. “What the?” she touched her eye again, seeing that there was nothing there. She…couldn’t cry? Why couldn’t she cry? She could cry before! Dr. Light had given her and Rock the ability to do so! So why couldn’t she now? 

She stared at X, wide-eyed and eyes glassy, despite her inability to produce tears. Then, after a few moments, she ran to him, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. X was left unprepared for this, but it was clear that the blonde robot needed some sort of comfort. Not but a short time ago, X had gone through the very same thing. Slowly, he reached around and embraced her, the two machines holding each other tightly as the blonde wept while the blue continued to support her. 

Outside the Room

Cain didn’t think that there’d be a way to see what was going on, but lo and behold, on a small screen by the door, the two robots could be seen. “Is this a good sign?” the older man asked Fujiwara, who was also observing what was taking place. 

“They’re communicating,” Fujiwara answered. “So that’s a step somewhere. What direction, I can’t say for sure.” 

“You don’t think one of them will, well, end up,” Cain began but was interrupted. He was somewhat thankful, as he didn’t want to consider the possibility of one of them terminating the other.

“If anyone would be killed, it’d be the new android.” the Japanese man said. “But even if X didn’t attack her, I doubt there would be a way she could kill him.” 

True, but Cain didn’t wish for either. As he watched the two robots embracing each other, he couldn’t help but wonder whether or not what X wanted to accomplish was either done or was Roll reacting as Fujiwara programmed her? True, her systems were based on X’s own, yet, while Cain would never say it to Fujiwara’s face, neither was Dr. Light. So what this robots’ needs would be, only time would tell.

But for now, Cain was glad at least the blue robot was no longer alone. And from what he was seeing, he hoped that this interaction would just be the first of many, and they would hopefully be positive. 

Inside

How long the two of them stood there, neither robot was sure. But eventually, X felt Roll draw away from him, her teal eyes, despite not possessing any tears, still looked sorrow-filled. “So…does that mean that we…are the only ones left?” 

X bit his lip. “From what I know…yes.” but to Roll’s surprise, the blue robot then grew excited. “But since you’re here, it’s going to be fine now.” 

“Wh-What?” Roll asked, confused.

“Well, since you’re here now, I can know now everything,” X told her. “I can know about Dr. Light and his other creations!” he continued, growing excited. “All that time lost, I can see what it was like! I can know what happened in all that time!”

Roll then drew away from him, seemingly shocked at what she had just heard. “So…that’s the reason?” she asked.

“Huh?” X was puzzled. 

“You…just wanted me here so I could tell you about Dr. Light?” X began to second guess his choice of words. “That’s all?”

X saw her lip tremble and she looked at him again, her expression not exactly a happy one. He was about to speak, but she turned away, hugging herself as she stood in silence. Just as the two machines had been brought together, they had just as quickly been torn apart. 

The Next Day

Roll had been alone in a separate room for an entire night. Suffice to say, X was rather anxious to see how she was doing. He hadn’t seen her since she was shown a spare room in the lab, and X was sent back to his. Or rather, he went because he knew that she was in no shape to talk anymore. In fact, she made it clear to specify that she didn’t want to be seen by “anyone” for an indefinite amount of time. And while X could’ve been mistaken, he swore that he saw her look back at him, her fact struggling to find an emotion to stick to. Roll was a mess of confusion and uncertainty, but also seemed somewhat…irritated at X.

She seemed angry.

The recently activated robot had been given nothing more than a capsule for the time being, so it wasn’t as if she would be busy or occupied with anything. Still, the blue robot was warned by Cain that she may not be in the mood for talking. And honestly, X was torn on why he wanted to do this at all. In fact, since Roll’s creation (or rebirth?), he found himself torn on a lot of things. 

Mainly on whether or not he should’ve even done this. 

Reaching where she was, X knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened, or for Roll herself to call out to him. It turned out that X received neither. “Hello?” he said, not even knowing if she could even hear him through the door. “Um, I was just coming to see how things were going. So,” he shifted, struggling to find words. “Can I come in?” he received no answer. “Look, I’ve had the night to think on it, and, well, I think that maybe I acted a little too fast.” the blue robot confessed. “I…I didn’t think about some things that I should’ve.” he still received no answer, but he continued on. Even if she wouldn’t open the door, then at least she could hear what he needed to say. “What I’m trying to say is…I’m sorry.” X said. “I’m sorry that I didn’t think about how all this would affect you.” 

It could’ve been his imagination, but the blue robot swore he heard someone step closer to the door from the other side. It wasn’t a confirmation that she was willing to listen, but X knew that he had been given an opportunity. And thus, he took it. 

“I know it’s not an excuse, but there is a reason!” X told her. “And it’s not just because I wanted to know more about Light.” he then sighed. 

He received no answer, and after a few more moments of silence, X was about to turn away, but then, he heard the door opening behind him. Turning around, he saw Roll standing there, face neutral, but she seemed to be in a much more stable state than before. 

“No, that WAS your reason.” Roll told him. He began to protest, but she cut him off. “But…I know why you did it,” she said again, voice softer. “And…I…probably would’ve done the same thing.” she closed her eyes and her brows furrowed for a moment. “Still, you must admit that all of this came on me a little fast, don’t you think?” 

X nodded, lowering his head. “Yeah. It did.” 

“But…it must’ve come fast for you too.” Roll told him. She stepped back to welcome him in, but he looked inside and was reminded that the blonde robot literally had nothing save for a standard capsule. “Well?” Roll was confused, wondering why X was refusing her invitation. 

X tried to remember what Dr. Cain had told him. Try to break the ice. Make her feel comfortable. 

The only thing he could think of was perhaps not the best idea, but it was something. “So, uh, you want to go and check out my room? It’s got more…stuff.” Wow, X. Supercomputer for a brain, and you can barely articulate a sentence. Good job.

She looked at him as if pondering his proposal, but she didn’t keep him waiting long, seeing the suspense was killing him. “I think I will, thanks.”

Fujiwara’s Office

“So, they’ve had their first conflict.” The black-haired scientist said, reviewing the data he had collected from the previous night. “Well, at least none of them have gotten violent yet.”

Dr. Cain shook his head. “I doubt that would happen.” 

“Bear in mind, X has that buster built into him,” Fujiwara told the older man. “If she gets physical, then he won’t hesitate to use it, as you’ve seen.” 

“That was because that mechaniloid shot at him, of which was your idea, by the way,” Cain said. “Do you even talk to him? At all?” 

“Who? X?” Fujiwara questioned. Cain narrowed his gaze, clearly not amused. “I thought that was your contribution to this entire thing,” he remarked. “You’re the one who deals with the ‘human’ half, and I deal with the mechanical.” he continued reviewing the notes he had taken. 

The human half doesn’t exist for you at all, does it? The older man thought bitterly. Though his views on the Japanese man’s view on the blue robot (and the one just built) also brought up another issue he had in mind. And while he probably wouldn’t get much of an answer, he still needed one if not to ease his own uncertainty. “Sorry to get off-topic,” he began. “But how are Cecilia and Chiyo doing?” 

“Hm?” Fujiwara barely acknowledged the other human, more preoccupied with other matters. Nevertheless, he still gave Cain an answer. “Both of them are becoming rather unbearable.” he sighed. “Chiyo won’t stop obsessing over that animal and Cecilia is demanding that I make time to come home earlier.” he continued, Cain noticing that his expression didn’t change in the slightest for one second. “Says that my presence is especially needed during this…difficult time.” 

Cain was silent. While he knew that the man may not have cared, some part of him hoped the scientist did. That was the reason why he had dedicated so much time to studying X and not going home. Going to an empty bed. Anyone would feel sad after that, surely. Anyone, anything, they should feel something, right? 

“I’m sorry about Hinako, Sho.” Cain said quietly. “When I called you when I uncovered X, I didn’t realize that she was-”

“It was a couple of weeks before, so your timing affected nothing,” Fujiwara told the older man plainly, continuing with what he was doing. “Though, I suppose my time here did lead to Chiyo getting that animal,” he spoke of his own child as if she were an afterthought, Cain observed. “Now she won’t be quiet about him. Or rather, he won’t be quiet.” he then grew irritated. “I made it clear what would happen if I found out that thing in my room.” he continued working, analyzing all he had gone over. “With any luck, this interaction will test how these two can problem solve.” Fujiwara went right back to business as if what was discussed before never happened. “Or get into a more heated situation.” 

And either one would be fine with you. Cain thought. Still, he hoped for the best, for even if Fujiwara would get what he wanted one way or another from this, the older human wondered just what the two machines would do, and he hoped that whatever would happen, it would be for the best.

X’s Room

“Hm…you seem to like the color blue.” Roll noted as she surveyed the small space X dwelt. “In many ways, you and Rock are alike,” she said, continuing to look around. 

“And…is that a good thing?” X asked, not entirely understanding what she meant. 

Roll was silent at first but eventually answered. “At the moment, I’m not sure,” she said. “I…I’m not sure of many things right now.”

X was really regretting his hastiness in the robot’s construction. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “I…I didn’t know…or I guess think that you’d…that you would be…” he was making himself look like an idiot. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…put you through all this.” 

Roll was quiet for a small span of time, X growing anxious as to what her answer would be. Finally, at last, he was given an answer. “No,” she sighed. “It’s not your fault.” she turned to face the blue robot. “You couldn’t have known. I mean, yes, you did, seeing as you went through my files, but that’s all you never,” she stopped again. She had to just come out and say it. “Why did you ‘rebuild’ me? Why did you…” she paused again. It felt so strange to say this. It all felt so strange. So unfamiliar, and yet not. As if she were a stranger in her own “skin.” “Bring me back?” Or was that even the right way to phrase that? After all, she had been activated just a day ago but held recordings of events that took place decades ago. 

X shifted, knowing well that this question was coming eventually, but he still didn’t have that good of an answer. 

“I…” X began. Whether he formulated a good answer or not, Roll deserved some sort of one. “I…I woke up alone,” he said. “And…I knew next to nothing. I admit, you knew so much more than I did, I wanted to know more.” he told her. He wasn’t proud of it, but he had to be honest. “So, when I saw you down there in the lab and looked through your memory files, I just,” he paused. “I wanted to just see what all of that stuff was like,” he said. “I…I wanted to know what the Doctor was like.”

Roll turned around to face him. “You found me where?” 

“Down in the lab I was in,” X explained. “You were laid out on a table. Though, you were in your old body.” he gestured to her new form. She still seemed unsure, the blue robot wondered if he should say something. “You…look pretty,” he said. It wasn’t exactly thought out, he had just pulled it from the top of his head. “Red suits you.”

Roll looked at him for a moment, expressionless. X worried he had screwed things up even more, but suddenly, he saw her lips curl into a smile. “Hm.” she hummed, seemingly amused. “So, Dr. Light has programmed some gentlemanly tendencies in you.” X felt his cheeks grow hot, this caused Roll to gasp. “And he programmed you with internal heating in your facial region?!” she rushed over and took ahold of the blue robot’s cheeks. And indeed, she did feel the warmth on X’s synthetic flesh. “You really ARE one of his creations,” she said in awe. She had no reason to doubt him, yes, but with all that had been unloaded on her, she was still unsure of what to think. Yet now that she had seen this, this display of something only Dr. Light would think of, there were no questions anymore. “And…that means…” she then looked at him with wide eyes. “You’re my brother.” 

X stared back at her, shocked at what he had just heard. “Brother?” 

“Yes, of course!” she responded. “You are a DLN, correct? Same as me!” she declared, then her expression changed from pleased to uncertain again. “Well, in this…body, I’m registered as…” she searched her CPU, yet what should’ve been a couple of seconds turned into several, then half a minute, to a minute entirely. 

“You’re registered as?” X questioned, puzzled. 

Roll bit her lip, grinding at her synthetic flesh. “That’s odd.” she finally spoke. “I’m not registered as ‘Dr. Fujiwara Number,’ or DFN,” she explained. X couldn’t help but feel that she was treating him like a child almost. “I’m registered as RN 000.” 

“And what does that mean?” X asked, now even more puzzled. 

“I’m…not sure,” she said. “Even Dr. Wily’s robots were listed as belonging to someone…” she muttered the latter part. Usually, robots not listed under a particular individual were usually constructed on an assembly line. “Well…that can come later,” she said. “At the moment,” her attention centered back on X. “I can’t believe that Dr. Light constructed a little brother for Rock and me!” she embraced him, her hold surprisingly tight. 

But something that she had said stuck with him. “Wait,” he said. “Little brother?” 

“Well, yes.” Roll answered. “Dr. Light created Rock, then me, and there’s everyone from Cut Man to Oil Man,” she thought for a moment. “Oh my!” she giggled. “I guess that makes you the baby of the family!” 

X’s cheeks grew bright red. Baby?! “Uh, wait a minute,” he protested. “Aren’t you technically the younger one?”

Roll rose a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you were just activated yesterday,” X told her. “And it took a couple of weeks to get everything ready, so technically, I beat you by a few months, if you count when I came out of the capsule.” 

“What? No way!” Roll countered. “My systems came from my old body, so even technically, I am still older than you.”

“No, I’m the first of my kind,” X argued back. “Dr. Cain and Fujiwara said so.” 

“First of your kind?” Roll questioned. “You’re still a robot.” 

“I meant that I came first, and you came second,” X told her. “So, YOU are the little sister.” 

Roll folded her arms. “Sorry, but my files have recordings from years before you were even possibly constructed, so I am the older one.” 

“You can’t just use that as an excuse!” X argued. “That doesn’t even make sense!” 

“It makes perfect sense!” Roll argued back. “I am your older sister, and YOU are my younger brother!” 

“No, I think you have that backward.” 

This exchange went back and forth between the two machines, both debating on who was the older of the two, unaware of the fact their future was being discussed at that very moment.

Fujiwara’s Office

“So, let’s assume that everything goes well,” Cain told Fujiwara. “Where do we go from here? Like it or not, no matter how much of a marvel Light’s work may be, the law is still the law.” indeed, that was the case, as much as both men hated it. Though Cain suspected the Japanese man had other reasons for his frustration. “The council will eventually have to see this. And I would hate to see what would happen if the two were potentially seized.” 

“They won’t do that,” Fujiwara assured the older man. “Not after what they see.”

“Are you blind, Sho?” Cain questioned. “The ban against advanced AI has been in effect for decades! Even before you or even I were born!”

“X is also a creation of Dr. Light,” Fujiwara argued back. “They wouldn’t dare destroy him.”

“Only imprison and confine him.” Cain retorted. “Bear in mind where Roll’s old body went to.” 

“Roll 2.5,” the robotics expert corrected. “Even if this experiment has, so far, been successful, what X wants is impossible. That housekeeping robot’s consciousness, or however X perceives it, is long gone, and is not coming back.” he then crossed his arms. “True, her personality could be accurately reconstructed, but it is still a set of traits put into her. She’s essentially a fancier version of what’s still considered to be ancient technology.” he then pondered, If there wasn’t that damned law in place, I could give that robot a job. It’d certainly be nice to not hear Cecilia’s complaints.

The Asian man then scrolled through the various sections of the lab, the cameras put in place capturing what was currently going on all throughout. He landed on one particular area, yet his blood ran cold when he saw what the camera captured.

“What is it?” Cain asked, he was then taken by surprise when Fujiwara rose from his chair. 

“She’s gone!” he said. “That robot is gone!”

It didn’t take long for the two men to bolt from the office and make their way towards Roll’s rather empty room, though upon running down the hall to get there, both humans heard something. 

“And never, EVER call me that again, do you hear me?!”

“Y-Yeah! Yeah! I got it! Just let go!” 

That was coming from…X’s room? The two men went but a couple more doors over and, indeed, the two robots were in X’s room, Roll having a hold of the audio receptor and X wincing in what appeared to be pain. 

“What is going on in here?” Cain asked, both robots immediately looking at the man as if they were children that had been caught fighting. And, in a way, they had. 

“He insinuated that I was some ancient piece of scrap!” Roll answered, crossing her arms. 

“I did not!” X argued back. “I just said that she admitted that she was way older than me!”

“And you then called me an old woman!” Roll then gestured to her face. “Do you see a single wrinkle? I look just as youthful as I did back when I was functioning!” she then looked X in the eye. “In conclusion, I am the elder sibling and YOU are the younger.” 

X furrowed his brows (though it was difficult to tell from the way his helmet was angled at the forehead) and grumbled. “I don’t want to be the baby…”

Cain and Fujiwara looked at the two machines, then at each other. Even if the two men rarely saw eye to eye in many things regarding Light’s last work, they both drew the same conclusion. 

These two machines had just had their first argument. How intriguing. 

Chapter Text

July 27th 21XX

"They're displaying both a vast number of differences, as well as similarities," Fujiwara told Cain, he and Cain observing the two robots from behind a thick glass pane. The scientist had currently placed them in a small room and monitored their performance on this current test.

"All right, begin!" Then, Fujiwara said, the test was finally able to start.

X and Roll sat at a table with a chessboard; the blue robot looked at it curiously. What is it?" the blonde asked. Have you seen a chessboard before?

"Well, I know what it is, supercomputer brain and all, but," he then took a black pawn in his hand. "I guess it's just different when you, well, you know, see and feel something for yourself." he held the pawn, feeling over its rounded head. Then he heard a slight tap. He looked and saw that a white pawn had been moved. "You…you cheated!" he suddenly said, surprised.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Roll asked. She seemed to be confused by her (younger) brother's reaction. "Didn't Dr. Fujiwara say that the test had begun? Besides," she smiled. "White always goes before black." X huffed, knowing well that she was being smug about it.

"You're not the only one with advanced AI," X stated, making his move immediately.

Fujiwara jotted down everything he had seen while Cain watched on. The two machines continued the match, battling against each other in, ironically enough, a relatively ancient game. X and Roll moved piece after piece: pawns, bishops, knights, and soon were up to their most essential pieces against the other. Unfortunately, X had only a king, while Roll was left with both a king and queen.

Both of them were silent for a moment, pondering the other's next move. But then, Roll began speaking. "So, I read through the first volume of that series you gave me," she explained.

"Hm? Oh yeah, Dune." X answered. "So, what'd you think?"

Roll bit her lip. "It's a little…depressing at the end," she admitted. "The hero gets such a terrible vision of the future after all that happened."

Well, it doesn't get much better. X thought. "Yeah. I'll admit that I'm reading more of the series just out of curiosity. I'm too deep in now." he told his (younger, NOT older) "sister." "But I get what you're saying."

Then Cain and Fujiwara witness the conversation grow from casual to entirely different.

"I guess I'm just curious about what that books talk about," X said.

"Like what?" Roll asked. "I have no interest in reading any further, so you don't have to worry about spoiling it for me," she assured him.

Still, X was wondering how to word this, but he had to answer eventually. Finally, he found his voice. "The concept of fate."

Roll and the two humans observing them were puzzled. "Fate?" she asked. "What about it?"

X shrugged. "I'll admit I'm not sure," he confessed. "I know what the concept of it is, of course, but that's also what sort of bothers me about it," he said.

"Are you seeing this?" Cain asked, Fujiwara only giving a soft "hm" as he continued recording and monitoring the exercise. The older man wanted to contribute to the conversation but knew he could talk later. For now, it was probably best if there was no interference.

"What does?" Roll asked.

"Well, I guess it's just that your life or your very existence is out of your control." the blue robot explained. "You can be born into this world with your wants and needs, you have your own goals and dreams, but if it doesn't align with fate, then it doesn't matter. So what your role is in life is your role." he then paused for a moment. "And no breaking out of that box, no matter what you do."

Roll thought a bit on these words. "Hm. Honestly, I never thought about such a thing like that before." she then urged X to move a piece.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." he then made his move. "It's probably just something I'm dwelling on too much. Something that has no proof of existence but is the basis of many works ranging from literature to ancient Paganism. But-"

"Checkmate."

X's green eyes stared down at his fallen king, his sister smiling triumphantly on the other side of the table, her queen taking down his king. "You cheated again!"

"Did not!" Roll retorted. "The whole goal of chess is to outthink the other player." she saw the blue robot pout a bit. Rock never beat me, and I guess "fate" has decided that for you too.

August 1st 21XX

With another shot of his buster, another concentrated bullet of plasma tore through the flying mechaniloid coming his way. While they were little more than more durable toy helicopters, the laser pistols were a problem. Another physical test was on the agenda for the day, which meant that X would use his weapon. Cain, Fujiwara, and Roll observed him from the view panel above, X's movements and actions being monitored and analyzed.

"He seems to be growing in his strategic skills," Fujiwara said aloud, musing over what he was currently seeing. "Indeed, Dr. Light built him with the same capabilities of the original Mega Man."

"Seems like it." Cain agreed. "Though I wonder why he would immediately go through the trouble of constructing a robot for battle right away. Dr. Light was never really known for creating weapons unless necessary. Mega Man himself didn't start as a fighting machine." he watched X continue to fire at the targets firing back at him. So what occurred to make Dr. Light give X all of these abilities outright?

Roll said nothing, her teal eyes watching as X shot at the incoming flying mechaniloids. Indeed, the way he moved and used his buster was much like Mega Man, or Rock, as X was technically "Mega Man" as well. It still felt so strange to acknowledge that. As well as swallow the fact that, aside from him, there was nobody else. As far as she knew, X and she were the only ones left of Light's work. And she wasn't technically built by him; her program was just based on what was found in her old body! And even that was just old scrambled memory files! While she had been given the same "advancements" as X, her personality was programmed to gravitate towards certain traits that corresponded with what was seen on the files.

So…was she really "Roll?"

Just then, she saw X being swarmed by the flying mechaniloids, firing their pistols to trap the blue robot in one place. Finally, they managed to corner him against the wall, a beam striking him in one of his pectorals. "X!" she shouted, about to leave, yet she felt herself seized by Cain, even if she had far superior strength. She watched as X was shot while the other robot had to deal with his current predicament.

The beams did not cause any significant damage, but damn! They delivered a rather painful sting! And having multiple of them on him at once made concentration difficult for the blue android. He had to get out of this fast, or the mechaniloids would send him to the ground, and then he'd be a prime target for sure! The only thing was how to do it? Shooting the flying machines individually would do him no good, as he would only manage to take down a few before they swarm on him again.

Fujiwara had told him that these models were used for military training so that they wouldn't show him mercy. Not that they had the capacity for it anyway, as he also told X. Musing over such things wouldn't get him out of this, however! He had to take down more of their numbers!

He needed a more powerful shot.

As soon as he pondered that, he found that some unknown components in him "clicked." As if he had just solved a problem when the answer was so obvious. Seizing the moment, X performed a maneuver no one expected. First, X backed up into a corner, but then he turned and "kicked" up the wall to where he was above the flying machines. Then, he kicked off the walls again and performed a backflip over the small helicopters. X slid back until he came to a stop on the other side of the room, and once he did, he aimed his buster at the airborne mechaniloids. But he didn't fire. Instead, he waited, collecting more and more energy in his weapon.

"What is he doing?" Cain asked, looking to Fujiwara for some sort of answer.

The Japanese man looked at the readings X was giving off and found an unusual amount of energy developing from within his buster. "He's building up plasma in his buster," Fujiwara observed. "But I've never seen a weapon able to charge this much!"

Roll looked at the screen in front of Fujiwara and saw the blue robot's weapon's erratic readings. "But Dr. Light gave Mega Man the ability to charge his buster, and he was fine!"

"Not with these ratings!" the scientist countered. "At this rate, his entire arm will explode!"

"What?!" again, Roll tried to run, but she was grabbed at the last second by Fujiwara. She saw that light emitting from X's canon as if what was building inside was leaking out. She was dragged back to where she previously stood, and the Asian man returned to documenting his findings. "But you just said he-"

"I know," Fujiwara said. And I'm not letting this fool potentially damage himself. "X! Fire your buster!" the scientist commanded, yet the robot didn't unleash one shot. "X! Fire!" the mechaniloids flew closer, but X still didn't shoot. "What are you waiting for!? FIRE!"

X said nothing, but he obeyed. He unleashed what he was building up from within his weapon, the blast blinding the two humans save for Roll, who saw everything that came out of X's buster. Instead of being small and gold (very much like Mega Man), the shot was a large wave of vibrant blue energy that obliterated the flying mechaniloids, the room being rocked by the small explosions. And even after that, to Roll's amazement, X continued firing. When the light died, Cain and Fujiwara saw that X had taken most of them out, leaving only one remaining. It dove towards him, yet a single gold shot took it out.

The three above looked down in shock at what they had just witnessed; X was standing in the middle of a circle of destroyed mechaniloids. "So," X began, wanting to break the silence that had fallen over everyone. "Does this mean the test is over?"

August 10th 21XX

"He made that many?!" X exclaimed, not believing what he had heard.

"It's true!" Roll responded. "True, Dr. Wily started with just the eight that he had kidnapped, yet after that, he began constructing his own." she told her "sibling." "I don't know exactly how many robots he made, but it was more than Dr. Light ever created." she continued. "Though don't think that I'm praising that madman," she explained. "Rock had to undergo his alterations because of him."

X was absorbing all that he was hearing. "Well, why didn't Light make any more? Before me, I mean."

"Oh, yes, he did. Just not as many as Wily." Roll answered. "Although, I'll admit that parts past some certain dates are scrambled up." she put her hand to her temple and closed her eyes, deep in thought for a moment. However, it didn't last long, as once again, she couldn't find what she wanted in her systems.

X was silent for a moment, unsure whether or not to give her space. Yet after a short time, he found that he couldn't contain himself. When he read the articles about Wily's machines, he was hungry for more. "So, what were they like?" he asked.

Roll looked at the blue robot, puzzled. "What do you mean? There were all a bunch of no-good punks, that's what!" she crossed her arms over her chest. "Did nothing but cause trouble for both humans AND robots! Our reputation, as well as Dr. Light's, was in shambles after Wily first kidnapped Cut, Guts, and, well, I told you their names already," she said. "In a way, it was rather fortunate that Wily decided to create his machines so people could see Rock as the hero he truly was."

X shifted a bit. "Your brother sounds like a nice guy."

"He's your brother too, you know." Roll told him. "It is a pity." she sighed. "You and he have so much in common."

Another comparison to Mega Man. It wasn't as if X minded it so much; it seemed to be one of his defining traits to resemble the Blue Bomber, though that seemed to be it. There was no "Rock" or anything he had been known as before. The blue robot had always looked like this as far as he knew. But his interest wasn't exactly on his older sibling (who WAS older than him!), but more on the ones Roll had only briefly covered.

"Did Wily's robots ever break away from him? Like, did they maybe join Dr. Light?" X asked.

Roll shook her head. "No, but they probably wouldn't have been able to, even if they wanted to," she explained. "They would've surely reprogrammed, and Quick Man made it clear to my brother that that would never happen."

Quick Man? Yes, he had heard about him, but X was puzzled by such a reaction. "Reprogram? As in, completely rewrite their systems?" he asked. Roll nodded. "But wouldn't that erase everything?" he asked. "Their personalities, preferences, likes, and dislikes, that would all be gone?" Again, Roll nodded. "But that…that's horrible!" he exclaimed. "Wouldn't that be doing the same thing Wily did to Light's original Robot Masters?!"

Roll was surprised by her brother's (YOUNGER brother) reaction, but it wasn't something unexpected, especially from what she had seen from him so far. You are like Rock.

"What happened to them?" X asked. "Dr. Cain and Fujiwara say they don't know, but," he rubbed the back of his neck. "You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you?"

Roll sighed. "Unfortunately, no," she answered.

X wanted to ask just one more thing; then, he would leave her be. But still, he needed to hear an answer from someone like himself. "How slim of a possibility would it be for some of them to still be out there somewhere?" he questioned. "And, well, maybe some of Light's robots too. Like that prototype that disappeared?"

Roll was once again surprised. "You know of him?" X nodded. "Well, I never knew him well, and I still don't believe that there's much if anything left." she then closed her eyes. Even now, it was still hard to accept. "Dr. Light and Wily are gone." she continued. "And from what I have also been informed of, there hasn't been any machine like them or us since 20XX."

"But, hypothetically speaking, do you think a robot could survive all that time?" X asked, having broken his promise of only asking one more question.

Roll was silent for a moment, pondering this question. "I think that technically, it's possible," she said. "Given that we don't 'age' persay." she continued. "But that would mean they would have to be in hiding, given the current laws."

What her views on them were, X couldn't say for sure, yet he found the entire situation of Wily's machines quite depressing. But if there were still machines around from such a long time ago, then what would happen to them? What would happen to the mechaniloids, if what Cain and Fujiwara hoped to do (though it was more of the latter than the former) succeeded? Then something new would come around. More like himself. But would that mean all the others would be rendered obsolete?

X sighed in frustration. He had come to Roll seeking answers, yet all he found were even more questions. Though some questions, he wasn't sure if he was ready to find the answer.

August 20th 21XX

A large wave of blue energy took out the mechaniloids on the ground and those in the air. Another test is complete. X thought. Thank God.

"All right," Fujiwara said from above him. "That concludes this exercise." the door to the room opened. "You may go."

X was about to leave but stopped at the last second. "So, Roll IS out, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Fujiwara answered. "Currently, she's at my residence," he explained. "But rest assured, she shall be returned."

"About that," X said. "When can I go out? Out there?"

Neither Fujiwara nor Cain answered him. "The test is complete; you may go." the Asian man told the blue robot.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get what he sought, X exited the room and returned to his own. Cain left the observation panel above and caught X in the hallway. "I know you're disappointed," he told the robot.

"If I have to be honest, I'm a little angry too," X told the human. "Why can she go, but I can't?"

"You know why. We've been over this." Cain responded, feeling very much like a father arguing with their child. "While I understand how you feel, the fact remains that she isn't armed; you are. Besides, Sho was only willing to use one containment unit. And she'd probably have to be dragged around in what's little more than a less comfortable suitcase, so perhaps you being here is better."

Upon hearing all this, X found himself rather grateful that Fujiwara hadn't chosen him, though that didn't quench his thirst for the world outside of these walls. "How much more does Dr. Fujiwara need from me? From us?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Cain admitted. "But it must be a sufficient amount to present to the council. First, we must convince them that you are not a threat."

X's brows furrowed from underneath his helmet. "And how do we do that? All I've done is logic tests and destroying whatever Dr. Fujiwara feels like throwing at me," he complained. "And how can I prove I'm not a threat to humans if I don't even see any other humans?" he then looked at the arm where he kept his buster. "It's because of this, isn't it?"

Cain was quiet for a short time before answering. "Ultimately, that is one of your defining features." X continued looking at his weapon, the built-in canon, as if he were studying it. "But remember, Dr. Light built this into you for the same reason he had remodeled Rock Light into the original Mega Man. And Mega Man was built to counter Wily and improve the relations between robots and humans."

X was quiet, green eyes gazing intensely at his buster. "There was something installed in my hard drive about how I had to be sealed up in that capsule for at least thirty years."

"Well, yes, there was that." Cain nodded, remembering that event all too well.

"And the message also said that even if I know the Three Laws, I'm not completely dictated by them." X continued. He didn't speak this out of any sinister intent; he was just recounting what he remembered. If anything, he found the idea of breaking any of the Laws, especially the first, rather distressing. "And even more, Light feared that should I break these Laws; he feared nothing could stop me."

Cain nodded nervously, not understanding where X was going with this. "Yes, the message said that too. But why would that concern you?"

"Because," X paused, not taking his eyes off his weapon. "If that's the case, if Dr. Light knew all of these risks, then why?"

"Why what?" Cain asked.

"Why would he create something like me?" the blue robot looked himself over. "Rock, or Mega Man, I can understand. There was no other choice," he said. "But for the Doctor to design me right off the bat to be capable of combat, then why would that be?" he questioned. "If there's been no sign of Wily for decades, then there would surely be no need for any weapon, right?"

Cain pondered this. "You could assume that, yes," he admitted.

"Then maybe it was for been for when Wily was alive?" X suggested. "Then again, I don't have any records of seeing the man myself." He touched the ruby gemstone on his helmet. Or in any of the bits and pieces that I DO have in my memory banks. "But if that's the case, then what could Wily have made that Light would have to give me this right away?" He looked at Cain. "I know Dr. Light's death was recorded but was there anything on Wily?"

Cain shook his head. "A body was never found, and there were no witnesses save for Dr. Light himself and his robots. And many of them only gave just enough details but didn't come and say what happened outright."

"So, it's still a cold case?" X asked.

"Probably one of the most infamous cold cases of the last hundred years." the paleobotanist said. "But both Light and Wily are gone, so neither can do anything anymore." He winced. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to offend."

"It's all right," X replied. "Perhaps I'm dwelling too much on things," he admitted. "But it's frustrating when you have what's supposed to be advanced AI, yet with all the information you can pull up in a second, there's so much empty space that you want to fill up. And the bits and pieces you manage to find have no context to them and barely make any sense!" he groaned in exasperation, holding the sides of his head. Then he took in a heavy breath despite not needing to breathe. The cool air felt good on his heated vents. "Sorry to vent so much."

Cain shook his head. "Don't be. If anything, I'd rather you do than not. If anything, you're presenting yourself as independent in thought."

"You think?" X asked. "But would that be a trait the council would consider positive or negative?"

"I'll admit I'm uncertain of that." the older human sighed. "But hopefully, you'll show any naysayers that your existence is an extraordinary thing, not something to be reviled or feared."

X pondered Dr. Cain's words, yet he was still uncertain. If Dr. Light built him for the same reason he upgraded Rock, he was meant to use his abilities to benefit humanity. Yet, at the same time, he had no restraints in his system that tied him to the Three Laws of Robotics. And indeed, if he were gifted with independent thought, then surely Light would be aware of the risks; otherwise, why would he be sealed away?

But even if he had no reason to think otherwise. Cain had made his stay in Fujiwara's bearable since he first arrived, and Roll's addition had made things much better. But still, he wondered whether or not what he had been programmed with was exactly a good thing. And assuming that he would honor the Laws, could the same be said about someone like him?

Such a question troubled him. Especially since he had never said it, X knew fully well what Fujiwara's ultimate plan was.

Fujiwara's Residence

Arcadia, the White City

She was elated when she was told that she would be taking a trip outside the lab. However, she was instructed not to tell X, as indeed he would want to go, and Fujiwara could only transport one of them. Furthermore, the containment unit she was stuffed into was only just big enough, and she had to take down her hair to fit inside. The ride to wherever the Asian man was taking her wasn't pleasant either, having lost count of how many bumps she was wheeled over.

Eventually, she was released and found herself in a large house that she soon found to be Dr. Fujiwara's abode. It was significant, far more extensive than perhaps necessary for a home just for one. Much of the furniture was white, along with the walls and floors. There was minimal color overall, and Roll felt no different than when she had been in the lab.

"Consider this a test just for you," the blonde robot remembered Fujiwara saying to her. "Cecilia is out of town due to issues with her mother."

"Is she sick?" Roll questioned; Fujiwara nodded in confirmation. "I'm sorry, that's quite unfortunate."

"Indeed." Fujiwara agreed. Though Roll didn't hear it, the Asian man's concerns over his housekeeper's relative weren't strictly out of any sense of compassion. "Which is where you come in." He immediately jumped on the following subject. "Since Cecilia will be out for the day, I shall entrust you with her duties until she gets back."

Roll remembered trying to ask questions as to what the scientist meant and if cleaning was the only reason she was brought here. But Fujiwara just told her what he needed to be done before he came home from the lab, as he had to have X perform some more tests. Then he left her alone in the house, the robot hearing nothing but the low hum of her engines running from within.

With little else she could do, Roll went to work and tended to every task given to her. Dinner was planned out and prepared to be cooked later, the floors were washed, and shelves dusted. Thankfully, Fujiwara had gotten the vacuum out for her, so she didn't have to search for it, so getting the areas underneath the furniture was no problem.

After some time, the robot stopped to look at her handiwork. Everything was just as white as before, but it did look cleaner. She'd yet to do the second floor, but she cleaned down on the first floor already, so it probably wouldn't take her much longer to do the other. The only problem was that it was only afternoon, and it'd probably be hours until Fujiwara returned. And even when she finished her "duties," she had no idea whether or not she was even allowed to use his television or anything else of his.

Even so, at least she had completed everything Fujiwara had listed, so she had some free time. Perhaps she could at least explore the house-

"Patarche! No!" she heard someone shout from upstairs. "Bad dog! Come back here!"

"Hm?" Roll began to ascend the winding staircase that led to the second floor. "What is going on-"

Suddenly, her vision was engulfed by a flying ball of white fluff, the object hitting her face and sending her tumbling down the stairs. The impact was immediately heard by whoever was upstairs; Roll heard steps from above approaching her. "Patarche!" when the robot looked up, she surrounded herself with two young girls and a young white puppy. Or rather, he used to be white. The girl dressed in red picked up the pup coated in dirt. "No! Bad boy!" she then turned to the other girl with her. This girl had shorter black hair curled under her chin and glasses and wore a white shirt and a blue skirt with light blue stockings and white shoes. "I told you to hold him, so he doesn't get out!"

"I'm sorry!" the other girl apologized. "He's stronger than I thought he was!" she then looked at herself. "Oh no! My mom's going to kill me!" her clothes were covered in the same dirt in Patarche's fur.

"Forget the clothes." the longer-haired girl said. "What about this house?!" she pointed to the clumps of dirt and soil on the stairs. "Dad's going to murder Patarche for sure!"

"Now hold on," Roll suddenly spoke up.

"Yes?" both girls asked in unison.

I would like it if you would let me up. Both children backed up so she could stand. Are you Fujiwara's children?

"I am." the longer-haired girl answered. "I'm Chiyo," she then pointed to the other girl. "This is Fumiko," she then held out the wriggling puppy. "And you already know Patarche."

"Patarche, huh?" Roll quirked a brow. Seeing Chiyo was about to lose control of her pup again, Roll seized him before he could escape. And unlike the Japanese girls, there was no chance for the dirt-covered ball of fluff to escape. "Well, I assume that you've made quite a mess upstairs, right?" the puppy yipped, though no one knew whether this was a confession or denial of what he was accused of. "Well, if that's the case, it seems I still have work to do." she then looked at the two girls. "Would one of you lead me to the bathroom?"

"All right, where'd you go?" Chiyo asked, feeling around for the white pup in the mountains of suds. I think I might've used too much soap. Eventually, she found him and held the detachable showerhead.

Roll moved in and held Patarche as Chiyo rinsed him off, the fluffy puppy looking like a wet mop afterward. Fumiko then lathered Patarche with shampoo before Chiyo rinsed him off again. Roll then wrapped the wriggling pup in a towel, keeping him still.

"Thanks again for helping us out, Miss." the other Japanese girl, Fumiko, said. "Dr. Fujiwara would probably throw Patarche out of the house if he found out about this."

"Well, from what I've seen, he's quite a handful." Roll said as she dried Patarche with the blowdryer. "If I may ask again, are you Dr. Fujiwara's children?"

"I am," Chiyo told her. "Fumiko's someone I go to school with. Now that I've answered that, who are you?"

"Oh right, yes! How rude." Roll chastised herself. "I'm Roll, though technically, I'm Roll 2.5-" she paused, seeing Chiyo shake her head and an intense expression on her face. "But Roll will do just fine." Patarche

Fumiko shifted nervously. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Roll," she said. "Are you, like, a new maid or something?" she asked.

"Nice to meet you too, young lady." Roll replied. She then stopped blowdrying Patarche, the white puppy completely dry and clean. Not to mention even fluffier than before. "But I'm curious, why didn't Dr. Fujiwara mention you?"

Chiyo averted her gaze for a moment before sighing. "He told me someone was coming over, so I had to stay in my room. He told me I could invite Fumiko over so I wouldn't get bored."

"She got bored in the first five minutes," Fumiko told Roll. "And Patarche wanted out of the room so badly. So that was when I had to go to the bathroom, and then he got out and got into one of the plants in Dr. Fujiwara's office. And, well, you know what the entire floor looks like."

"Indeed." Roll answered. "Thankfully, I've yet to do the second floor, so that you can leave that to me." she then handed the dried puppy to Chiyo. "You two just keep this fluffball occupied in the meantime."

She opened the door and led the two girls to Chiyo's room. The blonde found that the girl's room was just as bland and white as the rest of the house. It was a far cry from hers and even Rock's rooms. Dr. Light allowed them to decorate and decide the layout of their respective areas, just as long as they were well maintained. She, of course, kept everything of hers spotless. Rock, not so much. His room was chaotic; she wondered how anyone could survive living in such conditions. Of course, he just told her she was exaggerating, but even still, that was a trait of Rock she remembered.

And being here, being tasked with playing the housekeeper for the day, reminded her of just how much she missed that.

"Miss Roll?"

Fumiko's voice brought her back to reality. "Oh, sorry." Roll apologized. "I let myself wander off for a bit. I'll go take care of the little mess Patarche made." she gave the puppy an unamused look while he looked utterly innocent. "I'll let you know when dinner is ready!" Roll left the two girls and pup alone in Chiyo's room. "Oh, and be sure to get out of those clothes. I'll put them in the wash," she said, opening the door slightly and poking her head in. Then she left.

The longer-haired girl saw her friend look like she wanted to say something but was debating whether to say it. "What's up with you?" Chiyo asked.

Fumiko took a moment to adjust her glasses. "Either she has a weird sense of fashion," the girl said. "Or she's not human." she then looked at Chiyo. "She's a robot, isn't she?" Chiyo froze; Patarche also appeared startled. She was silent for a good while before Fumiko asked again. "Is she?"

The other girl sighed. "Yes," she said.

Fumiko's brown eyes widened. "But…but that's against the law! No AI can advance beyond a certain point, and human-like mechaniloids or machines are forbidden!"

"Exactly!" Chiyo exclaimed, putting Patarche down and grabbing ahold of the other girl. "Which is why you can't tell anyone!"

"I won't! Don't worry!" Fumiko told her, if not just to get her friend to let go of her. "But who made her? Did your dad?"

"I don't know," Chiyo confessed. "I've never seen her before until today." she then thought for a moment. "You know, she said her name was Roll 2.5. Kinda fitting, considering she looks like her."

"Who?" Fumiko asked.

"Roll. DLN 002." Chiyo explained. "She was one of Light's robots-"

"Light?! Like, Dr. Light?!" the other girl gasped. "No way!"

"Yep," Chiyo said. "Dad's got an entire library on the guy." she was thankful Patarche didn't rip up any books. "Though Roll was made for doing chores and stuff," she explained. "There's another robot dad's got at the lab that looks like Mega Man."

Fumiko crossed her arms. "Ok, I find that a little hard to believe."

"It's true! I've seen him myself!" Chiyo said. "He's got a buster and everything! Though he looks older than Mega Man did."

"Well, what's he like?"

Chiyo pulled Fumiko close. "No matter what happens, you can't tell anybody this, ok. ANYBODY."

"Yeah, sure. Ok."

The longer-haired girl took her friend and began to relay all that she had experienced when Patarche escaped her and ran into the lab, the other girl listening with open ears and staring at Chiyo with large, wide eyes.

September 16th 21XX

X sighed as he reclined on his bed, having read through every book he was provided with and finding nothing of interest on television. Suffice to say, he found himself quite bored. Not to mention jealous. Since Roll had first been taken to Dr. Fujiwara's place, he had kept her there practically every other day! He had said he wanted to test her speed and efficiency in doing what she was initially programmed for, but X thought it was because she got things done faster than Cecilia.

Still, even if it's just going to clean the house, it's STILL going somewhere! X grumbled to himself. This is so unfair. Suddenly, he heard not a knock but a frantic pounding on his door. X immediately rose off his bed and found a winded Cain who appeared quite panicked. "Dr. Cain? What's wrong?"

"No time to explain!" the human wheezed before taking the robot by the wrist. "We've got to get you out of here!"

X then found himself being dragged down the hallway, going around twists and turns, all the while becoming aware of the sound of heavy footsteps approaching them. "Dr. Cain, what's going on?!" the blue robot asked, needing some sort of answer.

"All you need to know is that you must leave this place! Otherwise, they'll take you!"

Take him? He pondered what that meant initially, but then, slowly, the realization came to him. He didn't need to ask who "they" were. Oh no, he knew very well who "they" were. Though he knew little about them, the most important, perhaps the only thing he needed to know, was that "they" held his life in their hands. If they ever found out about his existence, he would've either been destroyed or kept somewhere away from the world forever.

"But, but how did they-"

"I don't know!" Cain told him, going around another corner. "But they've already taken Fujiwara into custody! And I believe Roll's already been-" the older man was cut off by a plasma pistol touching him right between the eyes.

Several other uniformed humans came from either side of Cain and X, aiming their weapons at them. They were all dressed in black, their faces concealed behind glass visors of red. They wore light armor plating on their suits and almost appeared machine-like, just with slimmer limbs.

"Wait!" X protested. "Don't shoot him!" he pleaded. Silence fell over everyone. "You're here for me, right?" X asked. "Then leave him alone."

The uniformed task force said nothing, but they moved in and began gathering around the robot, using their numbers to keep him from trying to escape. Seeing that he was putting up no resistance, X was immediately escorted away by most of the officers available, leaving only a few to take care of Dr. Cain.

"Damn," one of the officers said. "I'd like to see you try to explain all of this."

Chapter Text

September 20th 21XX

Today was the day.

He and Fujiwara had been in custody for four days, and both told that they had better work long and hard about what they would say to the council. They had committed high offenses, and both men faced a considerable amount of prison time. Nevertheless, the Japanese man went before Cain, seemingly confident that his research would be able to cement their victory. However, Cain wasn't sure an entire year's worth of research would convince the council, let alone a population of uncertain, fearful civilians.

Yet while he was concerned about his situation, he mostly thought of the blue robot that had been captured with him. He knew they would keep X in confinement, and he suspected they'd do the same to Roll. But, from what he was aware, the authorities had arrested Fujiwara first and seized the blonde robot before entering the lab. Cain couldn't say where they were now, but he knew that the conditions he had to endure for the past few days were better than theirs.

There has to be a way to help them. There HAS to be! But would these people even listen?

Suddenly, he heard someone approaching his containment unit, and the unlocked door echoed throughout the tiny chamber. "Dr. Phillip Cain?" the guard began, his reason for being there obvious. "Get ready. You're going up in a few minutes."

Later

The older man was led to the center of a massive, white, dome-shaped chamber, dressed in a purple robe with red and green linings on the sleeves, a red collar, a yellow sash wrapped around his waist, and tied to the side, and a pair of white boots. Around him were dozens of people who had witnessed this potentially historic event. Reporters were littered throughout the crowd, recording and photographing all that was happening. Before him stood five towering stands while his own was minuscule; the five, three men, and two women were around Cain's age and dressed in more flashy and elaborate attire than he was. Nevertheless, he wasn't here to compare and contrast fashion.

"Dr. Phillip Cain," the man, who looked to be the oldest among the five and dressed in robes of green, began, voice impressively low and firm for someone his age. "You owe not just the council, not just the city of Arcadia, but the entire world an explanation."

Cain lowered his head. "Indeed I do, your Honor."

"And you also understand the charges laid against you, yes?"

Cain's head sunk lower. "Yes, I do, your Honor."

"Then I suppose we can get started." the Grand Councilmen, head of the five, said. "Dr. Sho Fujiwara has presented us with quite an extensive data collection," he told Cain. "All of which, while impressive, is concerning."

Oh no, this was just what the paleobotanist feared. "Concerning, your Honor?" he questioned. "But surely you've seen the results of the behavioral tests."

"We have seen everything of Dr. Fujiwara's." one of the councilwomen said, hair tied back in a bun and dressed in blue robes. "And from what we have seen, we are seriously considering imprisoning the both of you in a detention center for life," she said sternly as if she were scolding a child. "Not only had you uncovered a machine whose AI is leagues above any existing mechaniloid, but you have also concealed a perilous weapon from the public."

Cain winced, knowing well that the five figures before him would probably assume the worst. "Have you forgotten that it was none other than Dr. Thomas Light himself that constructed X?"

"And have you forgotten the restrictions since 20XX?" another councilman added, beard long and dressed in orange robes. "Not to mention that Dr. Light had made this robot with a weapon already built into him. Of course, DLN 001 was altered to combat the destructive creations of Dr. Wily, but for what reason would Light construct DLN 00X already bearing a weapon?"

Dr. Cain's mind gathered together every point that partially swayed those whoever this case. "That reason has yet to be discovered," the man admitted, running his fingers through his beard. "Yet aside from studying and testing its capabilities, X has yet to display any aggression against Fujiwara or myself," he explained. "And he has had done the other robot we provided no harm."

"And that's another thing," a short, balding man with a red cap and robes interjected. "You also went and constructed ANOTHER machine! And even more, Fujiwara had both in close proximity with children and animals without proper testing!"

"Are not their interactions with Sho and me enough?" Cain argued. "There has been no harm done to any organic form of life! None!"

The Head of the Council, the older man in green robes, closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "Not yet."

Takenaka Residence

Chiyo sat right in front of the television, eyes wide and worried as she watched what was happening. It was somewhat ironic that she was at Fumiko's, given her father was in custody. And if the council declared him and Dr. Cain guilty, then it'd be bad for her. But for now, those robots were probably having an even rougher time. At first, she was furious with Fumiko, blaming it all on her and her big mouth. But when the other girl ran away crying, she regretted her harsh words. After all, it wasn't her fault.

She didn't mention anything about Roll or X; all she asked was for the blonde robot to fix her a bento box after she tasted a bit of Chiyo's at school. Then when Fumiko had brought hers, another friend wanted a sample. Then another, and another. And soon, things escalated, and everyone started wanting what the two girls had. And when you're given the option between having soggy, pre-heated mini-meatballs or the best-grilled eel you've ever had, the choice would be obvious.

Chiyo still wasn't sure how the information got out, but she suspected it started from what Fumiko said to her as they were walking home from school.

"She's a nice lady." the shorter-haired girl said. "It's a shame that she's…well, you know…."

"Yeah," Chiyo answered, their school uniforms of collared white tops and navy skirts lightly blowing in a soft breeze. She then groaned. "I need to take something when I get home."

"It's all that yakitori you ate last night, I bet!" Fumiko chided. "That stuff's supposed to be eaten in moderation, you know." she hummed in delight. "Still, Roll makes the best menchi katsu I've ever had!"

"Hey! Chiyo, wait!" both girls turned to see a boy their age dressed in the same white, collared shirt as them, but instead of a skirt, a pair of navy trousers covered his lower half. He had shaggy, black hair, and when he finally reached the two, it became apparent he had been running for a while, as his hair was coated in sweat. "T-Thought I'd…never…catch up." he gasped.

"Tatsuya?" Chiyo asked. "What are you doing? You look like you ran from the school to here."

"Because…I did." he choked out. "Do either…of you…have water?" Fumiko opened her bag and handed him a bottle, which he guzzled down in a few seconds. He then handed the bottle back to the short-haired girl. "Thanks."

"So, what's up?" Chiyo asked.

"Uh," he then produced some zenny from his pocket. "What can I get for this?"

Both girls were confused. "What do you mean?" the longer-haired of the two asked.

"For Cecilia to make me a box." the boy answered.

Chiyo and Fumiko looked at each other, then back at Tatsuya. "But Cecilla didn't make-"

Chiyo lightly stepped on the other girl's foot, Fumiko giving a small groan in pain at the light pressure. "Ok, what do you want?" the longer-haired girl asked, taking the zenny held out for her.

"Chiyo! Roll can't make-"

"Roll?" Tatsuya asked.

"Roll?" Fumiko asked, blood running cold. "Um…yeah. Egg rolls!" she said. "We can't make egg rolls tonight at my house! We don't have enough ingredients!" she giggled nervously. "Yeah, that's it."

Tatsuya raised a brow, silence falling over the three children. He then shrugged. "You know, I think I'll ask for that." the boy said. "Tomorrow, have an egg roll ready for me, would you? Bye!"

Chiyo thought that was the end of it. True, Roll wasn't exactly pleased that the girl took someone's money as "payment" for a service, but given she was going to make use of the fryer anyway, she might as well whip up a roll or two. Tatsuya got his egg rolls the next day, and everything seemed fine. Two days later, her father's been arrested, and those two robots were taken away. She had no idea how anyone found out, and at first, she thought it was because of Fumiko's blunder. But given how Tatsuya just thanked them for the egg rolls and said nothing afterward, she was beginning to doubt that.

Currently, Fumiko was up in her room, far away from the other girl. And given how torn up she was, Chiyo knew it'd be a while before she could calm down. Even if she thought the shorter-haired girl was being a little dramatic, she knew she was wrong in what she said.

She would try and apologize when that time came. But for now, the girl's eyes were centered on the television, Cain continuing to give his statement.

Arcadia City Council Building

The five officials and the defendant had been going back and forth for the past hour, Cain knowing that his time to speak was almost up. The council appeared to be increasingly unconvinced that neither X nor Roll were a danger to anyone, especially the former.

"And this robot, he is aware of the Three Laws, yes?" the woman in blue robes questioned.

Cain nodded. "Yes, he is."

"But Dr. Fujiwara has also presented us with the message that Dr. Light had installed into him." the man in orange robes said. "And we have seen that Dr. Light has installed the ability to break those Laws in him." Dr. Cain winced, things not exactly swinging in his favor, let alone X's. And a question like this would be one of the core elements of this dilemma. "And another portion of this warning was the threat that no force on Earth could stop him, should he go rogue."

"And let me ask you, why would we wish to have something like that up and functioning? Or even worse, somewhere out in the streets among humans? How many lives would be put at risk just for something made of metal?"

"All you can say is that neither machine would cause any human harm. But are we simply expected to take Fujiwara and your words at face value? Can we simply accept the words of these machines at face value?"

Cain's brows furrowed. He had to think of something; otherwise, things would go from bad to worse. Fujiwara's strategy had failed, so where did it leave him, the Japanese man's "partner?" He had none of the credentials needed for the field the other man was in, and so far, all he had done was make sure that the blue robot had someone to talk to. What could he even present to these people?

Suddenly, something came to him. At first, Cain dismissed the idea as entirely ludicrous but found himself running out of options. But he was growing desperate. True, he and Fujiwara were facing prison time, but X and Roll's lives were potentially at risk! "Well, councilman," Cain began, "If I may, can I request something? Each defendant is allowed a chance to speak in their favor, should they wish to; that is a right I have according to the city-state of Arcadia, yes?"

The council members looked at each other, silently debating what the accused was up to. "Yes, you do." the Grand Councilman told Cain. "What is your request?"

Cain knew that he had one shot at this and that this could either save everyone involved or condemn them. Both man and machine.

Later

When he had been released from the armored vehicle, X was assaulted with the flashes of photographers snapshotting him and cameramen recording every step he took. The blue robot kept his uniformed guards and led him into the building, the halls empty and quiet, contrasting the chaos going on outside. X scanned the area, his green eyes taking in the clean, polished floors of light blue and walls of sea green. Everything felt spotless and sterile, already a welcome change from the cell he had spent that last few days in.

But the change in scenery was perhaps the only positive aspect of this situation.

"Move it." one of the guards ordered, he and his partner escorting X around the halls, the blue robot's mind swarming with potential outcomes and possibilities, almost none good. Then, eventually, X saw that he was being led to a large, towering door. The door was closed, yet this didn't provide any comfort, seeing as what lay beyond it.

Since he had been taken into custody, he and Roll had been separated from each other, lest they, as one guard said, "plan an escape together." So when he heard someone approaching him from behind, the blue robot turned to see a blonde female-based android running past his guards, and she ran past hers. The two ran to each other, Roll throwing her arms around her sibling.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" she cried, burying her face in the slightly taller robot's chest. "Did they do anything to you?"

"No, I'm fine. Really." X assured her. "What about you?"

Roll ran her fingers through her hair. "Well, I'd never thought I'd actually like being confined to the lab or 's home." her teal eyes then gazed at the large door. "Where does this lead to?" she asked one of the guards.

"You'll find out soon enough." one answered.

Then, the door opened, the panels parting slightly, bright light seeping out from the small space. "Yes, they're here." a man dressed in a white, one-piece suit observed. "We'll take the housekeeping one first."

Two guards then began to lead Roll away from X, guiding (though it was more like forcing) her through the door to the white-suited human. She looked back at X briefly before the door panels shut again, leaving X alone with his two "chaperons."

Maybe it wasn't the best time, but the blue robot shifted anxiously, the question gnawing at him since he was first captured. "What does the council want from me?" he asked.

"Hm?" the two men looked at each other, then back to X. "What are you talking about?" one of them inquired, confused.

"I mean, what do they want to hear from me? Like, what should I even say?" X clarified. "True, I was built with," he rose the arm with his buster concealed inside. "This, but…" he stopped, trying to figure out just what he wanted to get across, but found himself struggling. But he knew that he had to get this right. His entire future depended on the result of this trial, not just for himself but for everyone.

X and the guards stood in front of the door, minutes going by, then half an hour, which became a couple of hours. Then finally, the silence was growing unbearable for him; he had said something. "What kind of questions do you think they'll ask?"

Again, both guards were confused. Their superiors were proper; this machine was behaving strangely. "I don't know what to say other than, to be honest." one of them told the blue robot. He couldn't exactly believe it: here he was, giving a robot advice. "Though if you want my take on it, I suggest you not hide anything. The fact that you're even here at all means that-"

Suddenly, the door panels opened again, revealing another, different human dressed in a white suit. "They are ready for him."

X's green eyes widened, and the light pouring out of the small space filled him with dread, yet he knew that his only chance at life was through the door. At least a free life.

"Good luck." the same guard said; X looked back and nodded, giving silent thanks with a small smile.

Grand Chamber

X stood upon a slim walkway that led to the center of the massive room, slowly making his way towards the five robed figures waiting for him. He knew that it'd probably be better if he didn't, yet the blue robot couldn't help but see the reactions of the dozens of humans as he walked by. Hundreds of eyes centered on him as he tried to make his way to the stand, watching and studying him as if he were some strange, exotic animal species. And perhaps, in some funny way, he was. Some humans appeared shocked upon seeing him, some were more curious and tried to get a closer look, yet many kept their distance. The chamber was silent as X made his way to the center, seeing Dr. Cain and Roll present, standing to the side of where X was meant to stand.

With a few more tentative steps, he finally reached the podium and looked up at the five humans that held his fate in their hands.

The robot gazed at the older figures. X felt relatively small despite surpassing them in strength and power as they looked down at him from above. "Who are you?" the Grand Councilman asked. "State your name."

Despite being unable to consume organic materials, X swallowed, mentally preparing to answer the question. "X," he said. "DLN-00X, title: Mega Man X. Or do you just need my, well, name," he asked, leaving the five council members to lock eyes with his. Half of them, along with the enraptured crowd, appeared intrigued at his response, while the other half grew even more suspicious and uneasy.

"I suppose you are curious why you are here then, X, is it?" the Grand Councilman inquired, X, who nodded in response. "We have gathered Dr. Fujiwara's and Dr. Cain's statements," he explained. "While the research you participated in was quite impressive, it does not make the man's actions any less illegal."

X lowered his head. "Y-Yes. I understand."

"Yet Cain has also presented his argument and made the request to have you and your…"sibling" brought here." the elderly human in green robes told the blue robot. "From what we have heard and seen, both from Dr. Fujiwara and Cain, we have decided to allow you two to speak for yourselves." he then glanced at Roll. "And since we have heard about the joys of housekeeping and making school lunches," he looked back at X. "We are ready to hear from you."

The blue robot nodded. "Yes, your Honor."

The Grand Councilman raised a brow. "Dr. Light programmed his robots with manners, I see." he then folded his hands. "Very well, let us begin, shall we?"

The council members had several inquiries for X to answer, ranging from listing the components that he was constructed of to simple things such as his interests and preferences in such things as reading material and television. X found the contrast between the various and numerous things he was asked to provide, yet he couldn't help but feel that this wasn't what they wanted to hear. This was just small talk.

Roll watched her brother's exchange with the council and knew what they were doing, for they had done the same with her. True, they had requested she state her name and serial number, as well as what she had been put to use for since she was activated. With that, she knew they had little interest in talking to her about her views on the situation. No, they were more concerned about the one with the weapon.

A weapon that was about to be brought up.

"Speaking of what you are made of," the woman in blue robes said. "You were given a firearm, yes?"

X bit his lip. "Yes," he confessed. "Dr. Light has given me a buster."

"Very much like the one used by the original Mega Man." the man in orange robes noted. "And, for what reason do you believe Dr. Light immediately give you one?"

X lowered his head. "Honestly, I don't know," he answered, looking at his buster arm. "But, if I can say, I honestly don't have much interest in using it."

"Is that so?" the shorter man in red questioned. "From the tests Fujiwara had presented to us, you seem to use it well," he said. "Your physical capabilities, design, and rapid development of your systems leave me to wonder why. Or rather, you have been granted these qualities, and yet you have no incentive to use them." he clarified. "I find it rather interesting that neither you nor your companion made one attempt at escaping the lab."

"The risks were too great," X answered. "I mean, that's why I'm here right now. I'm not, at least by your laws, supposed to exist." even if it was far from making him feel good to say that, that was the ultimate truth to these people. They were all watching X like some sort of anomaly, an unnatural being everyone was on their guard around. "And given that I was informed that I would be shipped and confined in some museum, or even…dismantled if I was ever seen by anyone else," he shuddered at the last possibility. "There was no other option but for me to stay in the lab."

The blue-robed woman hummed. "Hmm, I see," she looked curiously at X. "And how did this make you feel? Given the data we presented, you reported that you were quite restless to see the outside."

The robot nodded. "Yes, your Honor," he admitted. "But I wouldn't have tried to escape," he said. "I…I just didn't want to be…" he gripped the sides of the stand he was at, hunching over and hiding his face from view. "I just want to live."

Silence fell over the entire chamber, the five elderly figureheads looking at each other as if to confirm that they had heard what they had just heard. Then, the Grand Councilman stood up. "Is this was you truly want?" he asked. "All that you have done was so you could walk and experience the world?"

X was quiet for a moment before answering. "Yes, your Honor."

"And you have no intention of breaking any of the Three Laws for your…kind, correct?" His kind? What did that mean? Nevertheless, X nodded. "And you believe that we should take your word for it?"

"I have no reason to lie to you," X responded. "Why would I want to do anything BUT lie? My life," he paused. "No, everyone's lives, everyone involved, are in your hands."

Again, the council members glanced back at one another, silently debating on just what to do. The Grand Councilman studied X, looking into his wide, green eyes. True, there was much at stake on both ends, as this robot, this machine, this weapon that could end them all with a well-timed shot from his buster, was at their mercy. And he had been the one submissive to their rule.

This was quite the problem. True, this very robot was involved in perhaps the most significant case in the last few decades, but considering all that he and his fellow council members had seen, there was much to consider, both good and ill. Yet what was standing before him made the old man torn on what to do.

Then, an idea came to him.

"So, is that all you want?" the green-robed man asked X. "You merely wish to live?"

X nodded as if he were a child trying to appeal to an authoritative adult's hidden sense of kindness. "Yes, your Honor. If I can have that," then he looked at Roll. "And if Roll can have that too, that's all I ask," he said.

The elderly human rubbed his chin, and the other council members whispered. X didn't alert any of them, but his advanced hearing allowed him to pick up some words. Terms such as "unpredictable" and "dangerous" were heard, but also of how "great a discovery" he was. Then he heard someone say, "It'd be such a waste."

Waste of what? X thought.

Then, after another short while, the elderly humans presiding over the trial had reached a unanimous decision. "Well then," the Grand Councilman began. "If that is what you wish, then I shall grant you an opportunity to claim it."

X's green eyes widened. "You mean…no one's going to be destroyed?"

At first, the man didn't answer, but what he told X didn't exactly reassure him. "No," he said. "But I said I shall give you an opportunity," he explained. "If you are successful, no harm will come to you or your companion."

"It's sister, your Honor," X said. "Oh, if I may request that she be addressed as such."

The Grand Councilman raised a brow. "Very well, sister," he answered. "Perhaps her being here is a benefit for you, as you shall surely need some extra assistance."

X was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well," the human said. "I have an assignment for you."

Chapter Text

September 30th, 21XX

Even if they were still in trouble with the law, at least no one was now held up in a cell. Since the trial and the presentation of the two robots, the council had decided that they would task Cain and Fujiwara with a particular assignment. They were to construct another machine and present the finished product on a specific date. The catch was that the two men would have other scientists hand-picked by the council members overseeing the process.

The Japanese man and the older paleobotanist reviewed the data and recordings of X's developing system while the other scientists put the machine together. A standard base endoskeleton lay on the large slab in Fujiwara's lab; the nude figure was covered with a metal layer to protect the vulnerable wires and cables throughout its body. Neither Cain nor Fujiwara was a fan of being constantly observed, yet given the alternative of prison, they knew this was the better option. And besides, at least in Fujiwara's mind, these people would see the true extent of his genius.

As the two men initially involved in this project looked through the notes, something other than the construction of this machine was on his mind. "Who do you think did it?"

"Did what?" Fujiwara asked, but he didn't turn his face away from the computer screen. "Told the authorities?" Cain nodded. "Well, rest assured, it'll be taken care of."

"If it was Chiyo or her friend, then please, they're just children-"

"Fortunate children." Fujiwara interrupted. "I thought they were responsible at first as well, but my temporary imprisonment had given me time to think and put the pieces together." he continued, looking through X's scans. "I know about the egg roll incident, but Chiyo swore that Tatsuya boy said nothing. She even brought him by the house so he could tell him himself." he then sighed. "Now everyone at her school is going to be knocking at my door, begging to see either X or Roll." he then adjusted his glasses. "Then again, once the council sees this robot, I trust that children everywhere will want one for themselves."

Cain didn't say a word, but he was clearly frustrated. It was clear what the motivation behind all of this was. The fact that they had others working with the council observing them confirmed it. Each part of this process would be overseen, and the council made it clear that should there be a conflict of interests, their scientists had been given the power to pull the plug on this entire operation. But, for X and Roll's sake and the robot currently being built, Cain knew he had to go along with it. They all at least deserved this one chance.

But still, he couldn't help but feel uneasy with all these regulations, this obsession over every detail put into the machine. He couldn't help but ponder whether or not this would affect his development or not.

October 10th, 21XX

While they were in the same position, both robots could agree that being confined in a lab was better than in a cell. Given that this whole "assignment" was what their future depended on its success, they wondered if they should get their hopes up too high.

"What do you think they're doing?" Roll asked X; the two had decided to talk in her room.

Compared to X's, the female android's personal space was quite organized and in place, not to mention red. And while the blue robot insisted that she was being dramatic, seeing her room always reminded him that he had to get to organizing his own. But the two had come here to discuss more important things than comparing their living areas.

"I'm not sure," X answered honestly. Even if he wasn't going to dare voice his grievances with this project, here, between the two, he could finally speak his mind. "This is ridiculous," the blue robot crossed his arms over his chest. "What do they think we'll do? Try and plan an escape with whatever they're working on?"

The two machines were kept in the dark regarding this project, as they were forbidden to have any hand in the creation process. According to the appointed scientists, they had all they needed from X (they didn't even mention Roll); thus, he could contribute little. Or so they said.

"Most likely." Roll answered. "That's why we were separated." that was an experience she did not want to go through again. "But what do they have to worry about? After all, Dr. Light wouldn't have made you if you weren't meant to benefit humanity."

"You think?" X asked.

This response surprised Roll. "And you don't?"

"It's sort of…complicated," X admitted. He thought back to the warning installed into him, telling of how, should he choose to go down a dark road, possibly no force on Earth could stop him. "Hey, Roll," he began. "Has there ever been a robot rebellion, I guess you could say? In your time at least?"

Roll pondered this for a moment. "Hmm. Yes, I believe so," she answered after a brief search of her files. "Ah, here it is!" she said. "Sometime after the events of the Robot World Tournament, but before the Robofluenza pandemic, I can't exactly tell," she confessed. "But Mega Man fought against a robot calling himself King who had stolen blueprints from Dr. Light and Wily. According to him, he planned to build his army of robots to achieve his dream of a robot utopia."

"But not so much one for humans, right?" X inquired.

"Exactly." Roll answered. "Of course, my brother stopped him, and it was all revealed to be yet another one of Wily's schemes."

Silence fell in between the two for a short while, both had the same question on their mind, but X was the one who decided to speak. "Do you think that's possible?" he asked. "Robots rebelling against humanity?"

"What?!" Roll was bewildered. "Don't be silly! Not even Wily's robots went out of their way to harm people! Everyone knows that humans and robots depend on one another." she said with pride. "Without them, there would be no us!" she chuckled. "Rebelling against humanity," she focused on her brother. "I wouldn't waste my energy worrying over such things. Dr. Cain and Fujiwara know what they're doing."

X rubbed his helmet. "Perhaps," he said. "But even so, the possibility is there. No matter how unlikely, right?"

"Well, yes. Technically." Roll said, "But it's a possibility that's practically non-existent. Even with rumors of what happened to get the ban on advanced AI put in place, there's no confirmation on what that reason was. It could've been anything."

X then thought of something else. "Do you think Wily had something to do with it?"

Roll held her chin. "It wouldn't surprise me," she admitted. "But whatever did happen," a hand rose to her temple. "Either happened before or after my old body was practically destroyed. Which one it is, I can't say for sure." her lips trembled slightly, but she quickly recovered. "But as I said, don't waste energy on such things."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." X agreed. "It's just something that's been on my mind lately."

"Of course I'm right!" Roll declared. "I am your elder sister, after all."

X huffed. Yeah right.

October 20th, 21XX

Finally, at long last, the body was complete.

Well, mostly, the head was the only part of the machine with "skin." The machine had a more masculine appearance from its shape, the grey metal covering its inner components based on male anatomy. The scientists chosen by the council had taken to studying sculptures of the Greeks and Romans, yet the robot wouldn't remain like this forever. The council requested that the machine have a functioning body, but not something with an armored covering similar to that of X. But this far from meant that the robot would be made of cheap materials as Roll was. Quite the contrary, X's composition was much more referenced than his so-called sibling (it was still considered odd that a robot would even have supposed relations). Still, there was a good deal of improvisation.

Nevertheless, the robot's body was "finished" in a sense, and for the most part, the scientists seemed pleased with their work. Aside from the grey layer of metal, the machine's head was based on a male human but with some exaggerated features. He bore no eyebrows, yet his brow muscles were quite prominent, as well as his chin. A blue gem rested on his forehead, and instead of ears, he had similar audio receptors to that of X and Roll. He appeared human, but only to a certain point—another restriction set by the council.

"Now," one of the scientists said, another Japanese man, but unlike Fujiwara, he was more stout in the figure. He turned to Cain and the robotics expert. "Time to do your part."

Fujiwara went to work, going over everything again to ensure every aspect and feature was where it needed to be. Then, he pressed a key, and the process began. From cables linked from the computer to the robot's CPU via his audio receptors, the programming traveled to the robot, taking over space and filling the cerebral chamber with everything the two men had been working on.

All their hopes were in this project's success.

After a short while, the process was complete, and the machine was activated with the press of another key. His eyes revealed optics with black scleras and bright blue irises, but no pupils were present. Slowly, the robot rose from the slab, blue orbs scanning the area as his sight grew clearer and more precise. Finally, he saw that he wasn't alone; several humans were surrounding him and taking notes of everything that was happening.

Dr. Fujiwara and Dr. Cain approached the robot, the android's attention centering on them. "State your registered serial number." the Japanese man commanded. A brief period of silence fell over everyone, the machine appearing confused. "You do understand me, yes?"

"Yes, I do." the robot answered, voice deep and masculine, sounding much like an older man. "But for what reason do you wish me to state my serial number?" he questioned. Then, he searched his systems. "Hm," he observed. "It seems I haven't been given an official title yet." he mused aloud. "So, is my serial number all I have?"

No one spoke a word, the eyes of everyone in the room wide with awe and apprehension at what they were witnessing. "Do you want a name?" Dr. Cain suddenly asked, drawing closer to the robot. "Well, these people need to record what's built into your systems. So your serial number is something they'll need." the older man told the machine. True, Fujiwara could tell everyone, but Cain knew that wasn't the point. "But you will get a name."

The machine stared intensely at Cain, seemingly studying him the same way the other scientists studied the recently activated robot. Finally, after a few moments, everyone received an answer. "RN-001." the android told Cain. "Robot Number-001." he frowned. "But it's not a name."

"No, it's not," Cain said. "So, what would you want your name to be?"

The robot pondered this question, rubbing his chin. "I am…unsure." he then looked at the older human. "What would be fitting?"

Fujiwara and Cain contemplated this, the council's scientists still noting everything occurring. Just what would they call this robot? And better yet, was it still appropriate to call him a robot? Not just Fujiwara and Cain, but everybody wondered this, as it was clear that this machine was leagues above any robot, let alone any mechaniloid. So there was going to be more than just a name decided.

"No." Fujiwara suddenly said. "You're not a robot." And technically, neither are those other two. His mind went through several options, but each choice he came up with simply didn't fit. Then he found himself thinking of the experiment involving Roll 2.5's construction. Her programming was a more time-consuming, but a good portion of it involved transferring X's systems into her; the memory files and personality separate elements entirely. For the most part, however, all it involved was replicating one machine's features and giving it to another. "Replicated." the Japanese man muttered. "Replicated robot? Repbot? No," he shook his head. "Copydroid? No, not that either," then, a proper label came to him. "Replicated androids," he said. "Otherwise known as…Reploids.

Reploids…the other humans present looked at each other, thinking of Fujiwara's suggestion. "That…could work." one scientist, a red-headed woman, said. "And what will be RN-001's…name?"

Fujiwara also thought about this, yet Cain spoke up first. "I believe," he began. "Perhaps 'Sigma' would be fitting for you."

RN-001 gazed at the bearded human. "Sigma?" he questioned. "Is that not a symbol in mathematics?"

"Use to denote a sum of multiple terms," Cain responded. "Everything we've gathered over the past few months, it's all in you now."

RN-001, "Sigma," contemplated these words. "The sum of multiple terms," he repeated. "So, I am the result of all your work?" Cain was hesitant at first, but eventually, he nodded. The robot, or rather, Reploid, looked down at his hands.

These humans, what did they mean? The result of all their research? Research of what? And on who? Sigma pondered this, but he was unsure whether or not he'd find out.

November 1st, 21XX

There was no time to test this robot or Reploid's; combat abilities are given their limited time. Because the council strictly forbade it, more time could be dedicated to logic and strategy tests. The quicker the newly dubbed Sigma's processor developed, the better their chances were of getting this whole thing approved. As expected, Sigma passed with flying colors, yet quick thinking was only one part of what needed to be developed. And once again, Cain had taken the role in socializing with this machine, this "replicated android."

"So, I am to be presented to this council?" Sigma questioned the human.

"That's the idea." the paleobotanist answered. "Rest assured, though; they will undoubtedly be impressed when they see you."

"You believe so?" Sigma asked, studying his form once again. "And once they see the results of your labor, I shall be officially completed?"

"Yes, that's right," Cain said while observing this Reploid's reactions and gestures. He seems more in tune with his logical preceptors than his emotional center. He mentally noted. Or maybe this is how a Reploid is supposed to be, and X just had a more developed system. Perhaps emotional connections are things that have to develop with time.

"You said there are others like me?" Sigma asked. "Where are they?"

Cain sighed. "They are…not allowed to be involved. Orders by the council." he furrowed his brow. "But once you are approved, you'll be able to see them both. I'm sure they'd be delighted to meet you."

The bald Reploid thought about this, searching his data banks for information about the other two that had come before him. "Are they previous models?" he questioned the human. "So why are they still around?"

"What do you mean?" Cain inquired, not entirely understanding.

"Aren't older versions usually rendered obsolete? According to records from 200X, robots were frequently replaced with higher-quality models. So why is it not so now?"

Cain was taken aback by what he had heard. True, Sigma was asking a simple question, yet how he spoke of it as if it were a fact of life made the older man realize that this machine was significantly different from X. even Roll, including her pre-programming traits. "Well…that's the difference between robots and Reploids," he explained. "Robots, well, most of them, were constructed with built-in limitations, such as a programmed devotion to humans. But Reploids can develop these relations naturally. Not to say that robots didn't show signs of this, Light's creations being an example, but, well…" Cain crossed his arms, somewhat frustrated. "Heh, I guess it's something that even we will need some time to explain."

Sigma saw no sense in it. If these men and women were not exactly sure of what made his systems different from previous machines, how was he supposed to? "Is that the only explanation you have?"

Cain shrugged. "I suppose it can't be explained like a human's own sense of self. But rest assured, everything is looking fine."

The blue-eyed Reploid pondered this, still not entirely understanding. Nevertheless, everything appeared to be operating as intended, so perhaps this "problem" would need less "restrictive" thinking to comprehend it.

November 15th, 21XX

"So, according to the humans, we're now known as 'Reploids'?" Roll asked. She and X had decided to meet in the blue robot's room.

"Apparently," X responded. Even if they weren't permitted to be involved, Dr. Cain and Fujiwara at least kept them updated if anything would now affect them. "Replicated androids…" the blue robot (or was it Reploid now) said aloud. "I mean, I understand why robots like us would probably need a different classification. After all, we're robots, but…."

"But not exactly." Roll finished for him. "Still, what's wrong with the term 'robot' anyway?" she sighed. "After all, without them, we'd still probably be at the mercy of that lunatic, Wily."

"Though it's because of his robots that your,"

"Our." Roll interjected. "Rock is your brother too." However, he's the only one I'm the "little sister" to.

"Right," X said. My ACTUAL older sibling. "Our brother had to become Mega Man. The first," X answered, as he technically was a "Mega Man," but not the original. "Maybe it had to do with that rumor about Dr. Wily. His, well, demise?"

Roll was quiet for a moment. "I've been informed of much since it was 200X, but that, I'll admit, is something I'd never expect." the blonde robot (Reploid?) confessed.

"Do you think it's true?" X asked. Then, a theory came to him. "Do you think that maybe Mega Man was-"

"No! Absolutely not!" Roll shouted, catching X by surprise. "Rock fought to show that robots and humans could live together! He would never kill anyone! Even Wily!"

"I'm not saying he did!" X responded, holding his hands and urging Roll to calm down. "I'm just saying that hypothetically speaking if the rumor is true. Where would Mega Man fit into it if Dr. Wily was indeed…finished by one of his own creations? Because from what I've both read and have been told, Wily's not somebody to know when to call it quits." he looked at Roll. "I'm not asking you to remember anything painful or something you don't remember, but you understand what I'm trying to say, right?"

"Yes, I do." Roll nodded. "And, honestly, you're right," she admitted. "That certainly would be something Wily would do. Still," she bit her lip. "If such a robot was responsible, it was made solely to destroy Mega Man. What other reason would he need?" she then crossed her arms. "But a robot like that…why would even Wily risk make such a thing? The Three Laws of Robotics imbued even the most basic artificial life. For a robot to kill a human, they would have to either not know the Laws, or simply not care."

"But how would he be able to get such a robot under control?" X questioned. "If it was so dangerous…did he hate Mega Man that much?"

"That's an understatement," Roll remarked. "The man was obsessed with either getting back at or taking revenge against Dr. Light. For several reasons that weren't even the Professor's fault, that man saw fit to force Rock to become a warrior. If the rumor is true, though I don't believe it myself, then a robot completely unrestrained by the Laws or loyalty to their creator would be a good reason to be cautious."

"Yeah, I suppose so." X agreed. "But," he then asked. "Do you think that they might still be…" he paused, knowing that what he was saying sounded ridiculous. "Still around?"

"Around? As in…like you?" Roll raised a brow. "I honestly doubt that," she answered. "True, sealing a robot in a capsule isn't a complex process, yet the likelihood of one of Wily's machines undergoing the same process as you is tiny." she then tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"

X shrugged. "I guess I'm grasping at straws here," he admitted. "But…"

"But what?"

X was quiet, his green eyes gazing at the tiled floor. "Nothing. It's fine."

Roll wasn't convinced. Nevertheless, it was getting late, and they were both to be in their separate rooms at the end of the day. "If you say so," she said, making her way to the door, the panel opening to let her out. "Good night," she told X before leaving, the door shutting behind her.

"Good night," X said, going over to his bed (which was a modified capsule) and shutting off the lights with a switch on the wall.

He was probably wasting his time dwelling on such things, but still, X had the question of whether or not there was someone else like him since he had been awakened. True, Roll was here now and pretty happy with that, yet a nagging doubt still ate at his core. Wily, the Robot Masters, Wily's supposed death all accumulated in an endless sea of inquiries.

None of which would be answered soon, he suspected. Yet if he was wrong, would he even want the answers to these questions?

November 22nd, 21XX

The two newly dubbed Reploids stood outside of the council chamber, once again kept out and away from human dealings. Only this time, there would be no second chance. Given that neither of them had presented previous aggression, they were escorted to the building in the same manner as Cain and Fujiwara. On the other hand, Sigma was the one that was more heavily guarded, both for his protection and for those around him. The council's project, this new breed of robot, this Reploid, was led in the chamber first, then Cain and Fujiwara followed.

And once again, X and Roll were to keep their hands out of this.

"So," Roll asked, "What do you think this Sigma is like?"

X folded his arms. "I can't say," he answered. "But soon, I think we'll see enough, in one way or another."

Roll nodded, her face trying to keep itself smooth, but her apprehension seeped through. Both of Light's creations (even if one technically wasn't classified as one) knew that one of two possibilities would result from this event. And if things didn't go in their favor, what could they do?

X pondered this, knowing that neither he nor Roll should say a word with the guards, but he had an idea forming in his CPU. We could just run. He thought. If it comes to it, we'll have no other choice.

The only thing was getting out of here. True, X, and even Roll, would have no problem overpowering any humans, but that was it. There would be nothing more than a harsh shove if it came to that. Of course, no one would be harmed, but still, he couldn't help but wonder if they'd even get far. And what of Cain and Fujiwara? This, compounded with the simple, fundamental desire to not be confined, made X's processor ache. True, it'd be selfish just to leave the two humans…but then they could come with him! All four of them would run away!

To where, he wasn't sure, but they'd escape. They would be free.

Suddenly, the large door panels to the chamber opened, revealing, to X and Roll's surprise, both Dr. Cain and Fujiwara, the towering Reploid, Sigma, in between them. At first, they were fearful that the worst had happened, yet quite the contrary, Cain and Fujiwara appeared quite pleased, if not relieved.

"So…" X began. "Does this mean…?"

Cain nodded. X stared at the man with wide green eyes glistening with developing moisture but managed to compose himself enough to keep from tearing up. Roll swung her arms around her brother; the blue, newly dubbed Reploid embraced her back. Both Reploids looked upon Sigma, the larger of the two gazing back at them.

"I guess we've finally gotten to know each other, right?" X asked, ecstatic and joyful, while Sigma appeared puzzled by the intensity of the other Reploid's reaction.

Cain noticed this, and even though everything was all right now, he couldn't help but wonder if Sigma's isolation from others like himself would lead to some hurdles later. For better and for worse.

Chapter Text

May 3rd 21XX

"Wow, you DO look like Mega Man," Fumiko said in awe, looking up at X, the blue Reploid feeling a bit sheepish.

"So I've been told," he told the more petite girl.

"Oh, come on." Roll said, standing by Chiyo. "First, you want nothing more to get out of that lab, and now you're avoiding social interaction."

"I am not!" X protested. "It's just…."

"What? Afraid of being seen walking two little girls home?" the longer-haired Japanese girl taunted playfully. "Oh, you are a big, strong man!" she cooed.

X felt heat rising to his cheeks, yet this seemed to garner Fumiko's attention. "Wow, you can blush too? You are just like a guy in a robot suit!"

"All right, girls, leave him alone." Roll said.

"By the way," Chiyo reached into the pocket of her uniform and pulled out some zenny. "Tatsuya's requested some potstickers Thursday. So he put in some extra to cover the ingredients needed."

The blonde Reploid gasped, "Chiyo! You took money from one of your classmates?!"

"I told him that making stuff like that isn't cheap, so we worked out a deal." the longer-haired schoolgirl explained.

"That still doesn't make it right! What would your father say about this?"

"Like he cares. Besides, this is the closest thing to an allowance I will ever get."

They began to argue back and forth on the morality of getting money out of one of her fellow schoolmates, yet X found himself drawn more to the dozens of other mechanical life forms like himself all around. Since the approval from the council, the Reploids of the city-state of Arcadia had fully integrated into human society. Throughout the White City were several of these "replicated androids" walking among their "creators," the two of them vastly different in bodies but more like-minded than ever before.

Granted, even with the council's approval, this new line of robotic life forms couldn't be released to the public. Firstly, while they were more advanced and had far superior AI than previous machines (even that of Dr. Light's robots, if the promotional material was to be believed), they still had needs to be met, should they function to the best of their ability. And while this meant some more tests assigned to X (much to his "delight"), the results did lead to what he saw all around him. Like the robots before them and even the still present mechaniloids (they were still quite prevalent despite the emergence of more advanced machines), Reploids needed energy to keep running, lest they become low on power and slip into stasis lock (or what was essentially a coma.) Fortunately, they required far less oil and other fossil fuels than their predecessors, yet the oil still had to be processed and filtered of impurities. But the primary source of energy that kept their systems running was a far more recent discovery.

As X had come to learn, humans had expanded their horizons far more than he could've realized, even if he was proof of such a thing. One of which was the creation of artificial crystals that could contain varying amounts of energy, mainly electricity given the Reploid's low fuel consumption, which was mined in controlled environments where the conditions were right to develop them. And many of those were located on artificially cultivated islands off the coast of Arcadia and along the coastline of much of Japan. The islands themselves had been growing over the past decades since they were established almost half a century ago. Yet, they had steadily become hotspots for far-off power generators and radio towers, nearly all of which served to provide energy to the mainland.

And, as of recently, these new forms of robotic life.

This is all because of you, my boy. X remembered Cain telling him when the first Reploids were released off the production line. You may not even realize it, but your contribution will lead to the world changing forever.

"Hey," X was drawn out of his trance by Fumiko's voice. "What's your job?"

"Huh?" the blue Reploid raised a brow underneath his helmet. "Job?"

"Yeah, like, what do you do?" the spectacle-wearing girl clarified. "What's your…what do they call it? Function?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Chiyo interjected. "His function is to shoot stuff."

"What? No!" X protested. "I'm an assistant to Dr. Cain."

"Full-time in comparison to me." Roll added.

"So, you're not made to be a fighting robot? Er, Reploid?" Fumiko asked. "But why would you have this," she lightly tapped X's right forearm. "If you weren't supposed to use it?" she paused. "Then again, there's nothing to shoot exactly, so…."

"No, there isn't," X said, though Roll noticed that he didn't sound too disappointed about it. If anything, he sounded glad.

"Well, maybe that's a good thing," Fumiko said, thinking it over.

Chiyo sighed, reaching over to scratch an itch on her back lightly. Damn tag STILL itches! She thought. But she dared not say it aloud with the blonde Reploid beside her. "You know, it's kinda disappointing." she began. "That's there's no fighting robots anymore."

Roll's head turned to face the human girl. "You might've not been around for it, but robots like that are no joke," she explained. "They wrecked all sorts of havoc, and that's not to mention the damage Wily caused from his larger creations."

"I'm not talking about anything too dangerous," the longer-haired girl replied. "But wouldn't it be cool if people got to see you show off your stuff? I saw those recordings dad took of you; those were awesome!" she grew excited. "Like, we could have Reploid fighting tournaments or something! Show them blasting and beating the gears out of each other," she then saw both X and Roll look pretty disturbed at the girl's want to see such violence. "Nobody has to be destroyed or anything. It's just seeing them fight. Besides, you guys can just put your arms and legs back on, right?"

"Well…yeah. We can do that." X answered with a nervous chuckle. Geez, kid. Were children this bloodthirsty in Dr. Light's time? He was torn between being unnerved and finding the girl's comments humorous in a sick, dark way.

"Well, regardless, I doubt we'll even have to consider constructing fighting robots or Reploids for a long while." Roll then said. "Although," she then winked at X. "I'm sure my baby brother would be the strongest of them all."

Later

Did she have to add the 'baby' in there? X groaned, still a little miffed about Roll addressing him as such. He turned in his capsule (as a bed would not provide him with nightly charging), frustrated he couldn't sleep. He could still see the two human children giggling to themselves, his cheeks growing even redder. Damn it, are some of these features necessary? Even if X would never speak ill of the Doctor, he couldn't help but wonder if he gave him a facial heating system just to see how he'd look.

"Like a perfectly ripe tomato." He remembered Roll saying once. She didn't treat X poorly, but whenever the opportunity came, his "sibling" always mentioned his status as the "baby" of the "family" to whoever was around. And almost always, the blue Reploid grew hot and flustered.

Still, despite his feelings about being the "youngest" (which he was not), X found another memory coming to the forefront of his mind. And honestly, he still didn't know what to make of it.

Months Before

The moment the door was opened, the blue Reploid rushed into the study, his green eyes examining and taking in all around him. Since the clearance from the council and the approval for the production of Reploids as a whole, X was finally able to get out of Fujiwara's lab! He couldn't be happier! There were so many places he wanted to go, yet given that he knew nothing about the city outside, he was allowed to go to Dr. Cain's home a short distance away. Even if it wasn't as far-off a location from the lab, X was elated regardless. Anywhere that wasn't his room in that lab would be welcome!

X found that the man's abode had much to offer despite Dr. Cain's home's exterior being relatively small compared to the other houses surrounding him. While some elements retained the more "futuristic" look of the present time (X still had to grasp that he was decades, no, a century-old), Cain's furniture and interior decorating appeared to be trapped in time. There was still modern technology, yet instead of smooth, thin cubic shapes serving as shelves and tables, traditionally carved wood and cushions decorated with flowers were seen. In addition, an old grandfather clock still ticking away, a pendulum swinging back and forth in the den, and several paintings of ancient cultures nearly lost to time.

But the moment the elderly human had opened the door for him, X saw that all the waiting and tests were worth it. Inside was a room containing nearly everything that centuries, no, millions of years before his time. A large desk with a small coffee mug full of half-full ink pens sat in front of an even larger bookcase, X scanning the titles and seeing everything from Mesopotamia to "The Rise of Robotics." Almost every period in history was present for X to choose from, though that was not all the study had to show him. On the walls were samples of fossilized plants and small examples of sealife and insects (though the insects were vastly more significant than their present-day descendants). Beside the desk was a classic, round globe painted in blue and green beside the desk.

"I take it you're interested?" Dr. Cain asked, having entered the study as well.

"It's wonderful!" X responded in awe, immediately walking over to the fossils displayed. "Did you find these?"

"No, those are replicas of actual fossils." X then felt the older man lay a hand on his shoulder. "Although some of my findings have been taken and preserved." he then led X over to the desk and held up what looked to be the ancient imprint of a flower. "I found this in Argentina. This species was thought to have never existed until I accidentally uncovered it. And yet it has ties to several other ancient plants found in the same dig site." he explained, looking over the small sample of rock.

Cain then proceeded to tell the Reploid more and more of his years searching and studying not just extinct flora but also world history and culture. And while X's AI already knew the information these books contained, seeing and feeling the bound collection of pages made him experience a sense of satisfaction he couldn't describe. Maybe he was overthinking it, but he didn't care. He was just so glad to be out of that room and lab finally!

But it was just then that he stopped and remembered. "Wait, where's that other Reploid?"

"Hm?" Cain looked at X. "Oh, you mean Sigma?" X nodded. "I believe he's still with Fujiwara. The council wished to speak with both of them still."

"Even now? What else is there to say?" X asked. "If we've been approved, then surely it means they see us as safe, right?"

Cain was silent for a moment. "Old beliefs are being challenged, my boy. When robots were introduced, and when they were reverted to little more than drones with the most basic programming," he explained. "And those at the top want to make sure that, this time, nothing goes wrong."

"But why would they need Sigma to prove that?" the blue Reploid remembered asking Cain. It wasn't as if he was insulted, but he couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't chosen to speak to the council. Granted, it got him the chance to get out of Fujiwara's lab finally, but it still made him wonder.

"Because, X, this is still a matter of control for them." the paleobotanist explained. "There is still this mindset that mechanical beings are in servitude to us. And, in many ways, we have used them as such. Whether right or not, it is part of daily life, and it isn't changing anytime soon. But now," he continued. "Things have changed. A machine like you exists; thus, Light's work has entered the world again. And just as he did when he was alive, Light can make everyone see robots and mechanical life as a whole in an entirely new way."

"An entirely new way," X muttered. What that meant held as many possibilities as perhaps there were gigabytes of data in his systems, but the future didn't seem to be in any mood to wait.

"A new way that," he remembered Cain telling him. "In one way or another, they can understand. However, some may want it to be one they can control." the robot remembered the sensation of warm flesh on his smooth, blue outer shell. "But with Sigma, someone they built themselves, maybe they will recognize you for what you and the others to come true are."

"What we truly are." X mused aloud, feeling a wave of drowsiness fall over him. "I wonder…" he muttered, his tongue failing to form words as he drifted off. Still, he wondered whether this "new way" would lead to enlightenment or disaster in the remaining part of his active consciousness.

Or perhaps, in some bizarre twist of fate, both.

July 16th 21XX

Even though it was the year 21XX, there were still places that preserved and carried on the ancient ways of old. The country of Mongolia was one such place. When X had arrived with Dr. Cain in the province of Bayan-Ulgii, he was nearly shell-shocked by what he had seen before him: untamed land untouched by the modern world, fertile, flowering land with deep, blue lakes, and a people that still participated in the ways of their ancestors. From what Cain had told him, these humans called themselves the "Kazakhs," the largest ethnic minority of the country, and Fayan-Ulgii was where many members of the tribe were located. Despite the current age, the Kazakhs were still very much a people in tune with the ways of their ancestors, still living the lives of semi-nomadic wanderers. And when they had seen the X and the other Reploids, they were all unsure what to make of them.

As Cain's digging team set up the site, X saw a young girl approach him from behind, dressed in a warm fur shawl and hat, her dark hair braided in long pigtails.

"Oh, hey." X greeted, kneeling to her level. "What's up?"

"Is it true?" she asked him, though her language was old and not as prevalent as others in this part of the world. Thankfully, X understood her perfectly (another perk of having a supercomputer for a brain, he thought). "That your skin is made of iron?"

"Titanium alloy, actually." the blue Reploid answered her. He then felt her place her hand on his arm, her small fingers trailing over the smooth metal. "So…you like it?" he asked, unsure what else to say. He sort of had to get back to Cain, but this girl had no interest in letting him go until her "examination" was done."Um, well, it's been nice talking to you…?"

"Zubaira." the girl answered matter-of-factly. "And yours?"

"X."

"That's it? Your name's a letter? That's weird."

Even if he had just met this human child moments ago, X was reminded of a familiar Japanese girl back in Arcadia. Is this just what kids are like now? God, listen to me, complaining like an old man.

Then the thought of his sister as an old woman came to mind, as well as how, by her logic, if she were the older sibling (which she wasn't), then she WOULD beat him out by who knew how many years. Yet he was also reminded of her surprisingly strong grip on his audio receptor and the pressure put on the sensitive components inside.

Yeah, maybe not. X thought. Whichever one was technically older, Roll clarified who was dominant when it was necessary. At least, according to her.

"Is that a hat?" The tribal girl asked, pointing at X's head.

"Huh? Oh no, that's a helmet." The blue Reploid explained.

"Is it warm?" Zubaira questioned.

"Well, I suppose so?" X answered. Honestly, he didn't register anything under his helmet. It was just present on him; it didn't have any sense of being too hot or cold.

"Do you have hair under there?"

"Hair?" X pondered this for a moment. "I… don't know." Come to think of it, he couldn't remember a time when he didn't have a helmet on, concealing his forehead and scalp from view. "Well, again, nice talking to you, but I got to-" Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands begin to try and pull the headpiece off the Reploid. "H-Hey! What are you doing?!"

"If you got hair, it's under here, right?" Zubaira asked. "So, let's see it."

X put his hands on that armor part, keeping the girl from lifting it off his head. She wasn't getting anywhere, his helmet secured on his head, yet that didn't mean he was okay with it being removed. "H-Hey, could you not?"

"Why? It's not like you're bald under there." Zubaira then paused for a moment. Or, are you?"

Bald? While X wasn't entirely sure whether he had hair, the thought of not having any didn't sit well with him. And if he was bald underneath, the last thing he wanted was for someone to see him! Especially this kid!

But neither he nor the human girl got any further, as a piercing shriek echoed throughout the area.

X and Zubaira immediately identified the sound as a combination of fear and pain. A loud impact was heard not long after, which prompted X to run towards the source of the commotion. "Stay here!" he told the girl before going off. He rushed to the scene and was taken aback by what he saw before him.

A woman was lying on the ground, grasping at her stomach and groaning. She was trembling and had a scraped knee, but it seemed the real reason for her pain was from her abdomen. To X's shock, other diggers and native people were fleeing in terror from what appeared to be another Reploid like himself. The Reploid's presence wasn't what shocked X, as to prove the reliability of Reploids, Dr. Cain had taken a few, including X himself, along to Bayan-Ulgii to assist with the dig. But given that the native people were still living a lifestyle once thought lost to time and many were not being in tune with technology, their presence here was significant. But now, that image of reliability had come crashing down, just as the Reploid did with valuable equipment and resources. The Reploid was very human in appearance, much like X himself but was donned in yellow and black armor, his helmet resembling a construction hat. And it was that helmet that X realized had been dug into, with deep dents in the surface.

"Delta! What do you think you're doing?!" another similar-looking Reploid shouted, running over to try and stop his fellow worker. Unfortunately, this proved futile as Delta slammed his fist into the other Reploid's face, sending him flying back.

"Hey! Stop!" X called out, going to Delta and taking him by the shoulders. "Delta, what's going on?" then the Reploid looked at him dead in the eye; the other Replicated Android's optics were filled with fear and madness. "Delta?" the blue Reploid then felt something deep within his core. A deep, almost instinctual part of him that he didn't even know existed registered danger. A great and terrible threat somehow found its way into this Reploid.

And he didn't know why, but two words came to his mind immediately, as if he knew what this dreadful chill in his soul meant. Evil Energy…

Delta then began spasming, his digits twitching uncontrollably and head crooking to the side at random angles. "B-Bugs…" he said through clenched teeth. "Bugs…"

X raised a brow. "Bugs?"

"Bugs…bugs in the brain." Delta stammered. "In my head. I feel them. They're crawling all around inside me…heh, heh heh…" the Reploid then began chuckling, though X was unsure whether it was out of fear of finding some part of this humorous. Maybe it was both. "I can feel them. And…" Delta began to grow violent again, jerking away from X and throwing the blue Reploid to the ground. "And they hurt! They hurt!" he then fell to his knees, fingers clutching desperately at his hard hat helmet. "I got to get them out! I got to get them out!" He reached for a small drill, powering it up and bringing it down on his head.

"DELTA! STOP!" another worker Reploid, similar in looks to Delta, ran over to try and calm his fellow digger down.

Unfortunately, the Reploid was rewarded with the drill being plunged into the chest; Delta pushed the drill further as it began collecting sensitive cables and wires. The Reploid cried out in pain, the drill tearing into his inner wiring and soon, through his back. Delta had essentially run his fellow worker through, and it seemed he had no intention of stopping. Another worker grabbed Delta from behind and pulled him off, forcing him to let go of the drill and subsequently the other Reploid he had pierced with the tool. The other worker's efforts were met with Delta whirling around and beating him to the ground, his fists continuously pounding into the other Reploid's body until the metal began to surrender to Delta's blows.

X hoisted himself up and soon found an old bearded man by his side. "X, are you all right?" Dr. Cain asked. "What's going on out here?!" Cain and his digging team were in the middle of laying out a perimeter when they suddenly heard a woman scream from outside. Some of the Reploids volunteered to exit the tent to check it out, but when they didn't return, Cain volunteered to go out and see what was happening.

"I have no idea!" X told Cain. "Delta just began going crazy!"

More humans emerged from the large main tent, drawn by the commotion. They didn't entirely understand what was going on, but when the crazed Reploid turned to face them, a deep, primal fear overtook all other senes. Some froze while others tried to run, diggers and the native people who had also gathered at the scene. Unfortunately, this sudden motion, almost like a fleeing gazelle attracting the attention of a lion, drew Delta to the fleeing humans. His wild eyes centered on Dr. Cain, and he immediately dove for the man. X grabbed the older human and rolled out of the way, Delta missing the two entirely. Unfortunately, it seemed that another took Cain's place as the Reploid's target, a high-pitched scream was heard close by.

Delta had Zabaira by the leg, the girl kicking wildly to try and escape. "You!" the Reploid shouted. "You…you've got a brain with no bugs! Give it! Give it to me!" he then seized one of her long braids, pulling and forcibly dragging the girl closer to him.

"N-No!" the tribal girl screamed, continuing to kick at the mechanical being. "Let go of me!"

"STOP!"

Delta whirled around and saw X standing in front of Cain defensively. Immediately, the Reploid's demeanor changed. Once wild but fearful, his eyes grew enraged and hate-filled as if the very presence of X filled him with some sort of unquenchable bloodlust. This temporary distraction allowed the other workers to pile onto Delta when he charged forward, seizing the opportunity to try and get him down when there was a chance. Shockingly, however, Delta still fought with all his might against the others, still trying to get at X. He soon slipped out from underneath those holding him in place and jumped forward, taking X to the ground.

"You…" Delta stammered. "You can…destroy…." He reached over, grabbing another drill. "You can destroy…us. Me." the drill then whirred to life, spinning wildly. "Destroy…destroy…" He lifted the drill over his head, ready to plunge into X's chest. "DESTROY YOU FIRST!"

Delta thrust the drill down, X just barely managing to catch it. The other Reploid continued to apply force and his weight down on the other Reploid, bringing the spinning tool closer and closer to X's chest cavity, right where his core rested. Cain ran over to try and stop Delta, if not just to try and buy X more time. The sight of the older man drew Delta's focus, and he took care of the older man with a swift punch to his gut. Dr. Can was sent flying back and landed in a heap on the ground, wheezing and coughing in pain.

Delta turned back to his original target because the human wouldn't be a problem anymore. X took the opportunity and rolled to the side, Delta continuing to stab and thrust the drill in the other Reploid's direction. After a few close calls, X found his luck had run out when the drill pierced his right pectoral plate. The blue Reploid strained not to scream, yet Delta saw he had an opportunity in and began trying to dig his way to X's center, several cables and wires either being wound up or snapped in two.

This wasn't the same as when Fujiwara had set the mechaniloid on him. No, X thought; this was something different entirely. This was a matter of life or death. X found the realization hard-hitting and a shock to his systems, but he had no choice but to accept it. Only one of them was going to be walking away from this.

And X knew just who that had to be.

Delta didn't get a second to react before he found himself staring at the barrel of a buster cannon, hot light blinding him before he felt his helmet and, subsequently, his entire cerebral chamber being consumed by a sudden but overpowering burning. But it was only for the briefest of seconds, for the blast from X's buster had pierced through Delta's head entirely, the Reploid soon falling to the ground. X quickly got to his feet and stared at the twitching worker he had just shot. After a few more small spasms, the Reploid went still, unmoving, and essentially dead.

X had to tear his green eyes away from the sight, looking back to Dr. Cain in search of some form of reassurance. But unfortunately, he found the older human just as helpless to explain what just happened. The humans, Cain's crew, and the native people stood in place, neither drawing closer nor moving away. Everyone was frozen in a state of bewilderment and terrible comprehension.

Chapter Text

November 20th 21XX

In July, the occurrence was reported to the council, which X remembered well, but nothing came of it. Apparently, from what the blue Reploid was told, since the incident occurred in an isolated area and the witnesses were mainly composed of what modern society thought to be "dumb backwater natives," everything was kept hidden from the public. Cain raised hell over the decision, but his protests fell on deaf ears. Reploids, despite the short period between when production began and July 16th, had become too ingrained in Arcadian society. Moreover, too much time, resources, and, most importantly, money was invested in this new species of advanced robots.

According to Arcadian officials, production would continue, and what occurred on July 16th never happened.

Dr. Fujiwara examined Delta the day after X had "decommissioned" him and found that his systems were heavily corrupted and "eaten" away at CPU from what he had seen. Ironically enough, from what the scans had shown, it looked very much like bugs were indeed eating at his "brain."

July 17th, 21XX,

Arcadia, the White City

"What is all this?" X asked, pointing to the corrupted portions of the Reploid's cerebral chamber.

Fujiwara took a moment to adjust his glasses. "The only explanation that fits this situation is that Reploid's systems were infected with quite a deadly virus."

"A virus?" Cain squinted to better look at the scans on the computer screen. "But aren't all Reploids installed with the latest protective measures?" he questioned.

"Unless this one was just recently developed," Fujiwara answered. "The only question is where it came from." he enlarged one of the scans, noting the infected portions of the CPU. "The programmer who made this will have a very, VERY bad time in court."

X looked at Delta's lifeless form, the sizable hole in his head making the blue Reploid bite his lip hard. "Excuse me," he suddenly spoke up. "But can't we just upgrade our security measures? After all, perhaps this is just a virus that hasn't been seen before, so all we need to do is find how to counter the program."

Fujiwara sighed, and before X could ask what was wrong, Cain took him by the shoulder and escorted him a short distance from the computer. "Given the circumstances, it's been decided that Delta won't be repaired."

"What?!" X proclaimed, even though Cain had brought him over to discuss things privately. "But why? We recreated Roll's systems, so why can't we do the same in this case? After all, it's not like you have to just throw us out like a computer. We can just replace the systems!" it felt odd to make the comparison between a non-sentient machine and himself. But then again, he was also a machine.

"Those in charge of production have received orders from the council itself. Until the one responsible for creating this virus is apprehended, no one is willing to take any risks." the older human explained. "I'm sorry, X, but there's nothing either of us can do."

It was then that X realized that perhaps his previous comparison held more weight than he initially thought.

Since that day, things had been going over smoothly. Yet on October 18th, another incident occurred within the city's borders. No humans were injured, but a few Reploids were critically damaged before their rampaging fellow worker was taken down. This time, he was preserved and could be repaired, but he was also discovered to be infected, so he was deactivated. The Reploid was taken in for study to see the effects of this destructive computer virus, and up until a few days ago, things had once again returned to normal.

But then November 15th happened. And this time, it couldn't be covered up.

Three working at one of the factories producing Reploids had nearly a dozen that had just come off the line somehow become infected with the virus. There were no casualties, but three humans were injured, one still in the hospital for a broken arm. Though X couldn't have been sure, he heard rumors that the man's humerus had practically been reduced to splinters. So now the blue Reploid was, standing before the council again, along with Dr. Cain and Fujiwara. Sigma was present on the central platform of the chamber as well, while Roll was situated in the crowd. It took him a few moments, yet X eventually spotted the blonde Reploid. She presented him with a smile and a small wave, saying, "Good luck!".

Yeah. X thought. Good luck to all of us.

"So, as of now, there have been two incidents of Reploids being infected with this virus and exhibiting…irregularities in their programming.," the oldest man in green robes said. "And as of now, the programmer responsible for creating the virus has yet to be identified, correct?"

"That is correct, yes." Dr. Fujiwara answered. "But from what we've managed to observe, if traits of the virus can be detected early on, any further incidents can be prevented. And given more time, we could perhaps develop stronger security measures in the standard model of a Reploid's cerebral chamber; the virus will become obsolete!"

"And how much longer will this take?" the man in red robes questioned. "And how many more lives should be put at risk?"

"There have been no recorded casualties," Fujiwara stated.

"Yet." the older human retorted.

The Japanese man sighed. "And do you suggest that we stop the production of Reploids altogether? If I may, your Honor, I doubt that'll happen by this point."

The older man's face nearly turned as red as his attire, knowing well that the scientist was correct. If this had occurred within the first few weeks, ordering a simple recall would be no issue. But now that months had passed since the first Replicated Androids went off the line, Arcadia had become dependent on them for convenience and profit. There was too much invested to turn back now.

"Then I assume you have a suggestion?" the woman in blue robes inquired. A small silence fell between the Japanese man and five officials. "Well? We are waiting."

Fujiwara swallowed. Cain, you had BETTER come through for this, or so help me… "Your Honor, if I may," he gestured to the other human with the robotics expert. "I would like to invite my colleague here to deliver a proposal."

The council members silently debated among themselves before coming to a decision. "Permitted." the head member said. "Dr. Phillip Cain, take the stand, please."

With that, Dr. Cain stood before the five other humans. "Your Honor, if I may suggest," he began. "Given that this is a virus, and thus, human-made, it can be solved just as easily," he explained. "And I have consulted Fujiwara and your esteemed scientists that indeed, given time, such a thing is possible. Especially now that we have those with those very systems working alongside us." The council members and those in the crowd, human and Reploid alike, pondered the paleobotanist's words. "And even more, who better to combat a renegade Reploid than another Reploid?"

Cain began to regret his wording as he saw the Grand Councilman's face gain a slight twinge of worry. "Even if it is an outdated title by this point, a Super Fighting Robot?"

"Well, in a sense, I suppose you can say that," Cain admitted. "Yet they would be fitted with our best anti-viruses and security measures. They would be an elite team, fit for any potential hazard. A Reploid task force, if you will."

Another short period of silence fell over the chamber, and the council members again argued among themselves in silence. Then, the Grand Councilman spoke again. "And how can we trust that this task force, as you call it, will be able to combat these…irregular Reploids?"

"The same way we trust fellow humans and Reploids around us. And Reploids are especially aware of the Three Laws of Robotics and how they still pertain to this day. And I'm also certain they're aware that they and humans share what is, by this point, a symbiotic relationship with each other. By this point, we are co-dependent; they have become our brothers in everything but literal flesh and blood."

"Pathos can only get you so far, Dr. Cain," the councilman in orange robes said.

"And do you suggest we simply cease to continue with the progress we've already made? Forgive me for being so bold, but as Dr. Fujiwara said, I doubt that will happen."

Though he didn't speak, the red-robed human was mentally cursing Cain, knowing he was right. The Grand Councilman then rose from his seat. "Then, we shall see that this development process goes accordingly, won't we?" He looked to his peers. "If my fellow gentlemen and ladies accept such a proposal?" Everyone seemed to agree, for there was no other direction to go. Not if they were willing to lose more than they could potentially gain. "Well then, since we agree," the Grand Councilman said. "What do we call these Reploids? Those that shall deal with these…Irregulars?"

"Irregulars? That's putting it mildly." the red-robed man added. "And let's hypothetically say that there are Reploids that DON'T consider the Three Laws. If I may put it bluntly, use that supposed free will they possess to go against humans on their own accord? Then, would they be held accountable as well?"

"Certainly," Cain answered. "Should it come to that, they shall defend their human brethren against such threats. And they shall seek out potential threats and stop them entirely. Whether it be, as you say it, an Irregular or a Reploid acting of their own accord."

"Irregular? That's way too light of a term to use!" The red-robed council member huffed. "More like Renegade or Terrorist." he continued. "These incidents could lead to some Reploids getting these ideas of how they don't need us!" he crossed his arms. "Create a bunch of no-good Radicals is what this will do."

No one would openly admit it, but several humans and Reploids were looking at the one beside them. Everyone gave the other acknowledgment at least once, whether it be just a glance or a full-on stare that went on for seconds. Roll saw all of this, and her eyes centered on her brother. While she could not see his face, she could guess they both came to the same conclusion.

Something that hadn't been foreseen had occurred, and, despite the restrictions initially put in place, rules would have to be altered to combat this unsettlingly new development.

December 10th 21XX

Well, all those tests with your buster came in handy. So X thought as he stood atop a platform with several cables affixed to his metal shell. They did not pierce through his outer shell, but they were secure on him, able to latch onto him easily.

Since the decision had been made to establish a squad to combat any Reploid that showed signs of being, as the council now said, "Maverick," referring to both infected Reploids and those who broke any of the Three Laws, X was once again placed in the hands of both Dr. Fujiwara and the council's appointed scientists. Currently, his systems are being studied, especially in how his buster functioned. Sigma was situated on another platform a short distance away; cables were also affixed to his outer shell. The more recently constructed Reploid still resembled a male human stripped of his skin and silver steel muscles, with only his facial region "covered."

Once the approval had been given for Cain's "task force," the council had offered their "project" the choice of whether or not to become a part of this team. Sigma accepted, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, utterly confident in his decision. X was rather impressed at how composed he was. While the blue Reploid did his best to conceal it, he was a nervous wreck when he had to face the five elderly humans yet again. But given Sigma was built under strict regulations, he did not know how to handle a weapon, let alone carry a buster properly; X was selected to essentially "transfer" all his recorded knowledge into the other Reploid.

The process was dragging on compared to when the essential traits of X's CPU were uploaded into Roll. Fujiwara and the other scientists were entirely occupied with overseeing the transfer process. And given that Dr. Cain had long since gone home and Roll was still at the Japanese man's own home, X found that perhaps this was an opportunity for him to get to speak with this other Reploid finally. Now the only problem was where to start?

X lightly cleared his throat, attempting to get the taller machine's attention. When he didn't get a response, he did it again, only for Sigma to still seemingly be oblivious of his existence.

Though when X tried it again, "You have no lungs for something to get stuck in, so why are you doing that?"

X was surprised upon hearing this, yet then grew somewhat embarrassed. "Y-Yeah. Sorry. It was kind of stupid, I know." he said. Sigma said nothing. Ok. Now what? This wasn't going to be easy. "So, what have you been up to?" Truthfully, X could count on one hand how many times he had seen Sigma, so he knew next to nothing about the other Reploid. From what Cain had told him, Sigma had spent much of his time with Cain himself and the council members. They were rather anxious to test how well Dr. Light's programming could be duplicated, especially with something "theirs." "Has Dr. Cain showed you his study yet? There's quite a lot of books and fossils he's found in there."

This seemed to get Sigma's attention, though not how X expected. "I do not understand the man's bizarre choices."

X wanted to believe that his response was just Sigma being matter-of-fact, yet he couldn't help but notice a hint of amusement in the other Reploid's voice. As if he were scoffing at Cain himself. "What do you mean?" X asked, needing an answer.

"He is a researcher of extinct plantlife, yes?" Sigma questioned. "So he does not know robotics, is that right?" X nodded, not knowing where he was going with this. "Then why is the council even allowing him to participate in this project, let alone when he first discovered you."

"Yeah, Dr. Cain did sort of find me by accident," X admitted. "But he also contributed to the initial research process when I was still, well, the only Reploid around." after all, Fujiwara had put Cain over what he called the "things that aren't as simple to calculate and put into a program."

"Yet isn't Cain's field of study completely different than this?" Sigma questioned X. "That still doesn't answer why he's involved at all. Why would a human that's devoted years of study to the past have any interest in the process of programming or general construction?"

X was quiet for a moment, unsure how to answer the other Reploid. "I guess perhaps he felt somewhat responsible for me."

"How so? You're far from a child." Sigma said, studying the blue Reploid, who was currently "feeding' him several gigabytes of data. "Then again, in retrospect, perhaps I should be grateful," he said. "For if not for his sentimentality, I may not even exist." the blue orbs, as his optics, gazed at the small group of humans observing them. They all still wear lab coats. It must be some sort of unspoken rule. Then again, Dr. Cain never wore a standard lab coat. "Though now, I am puzzled by your choices."

"What choices?" X asked. So far, he had only made very few "choices" because he couldn't afford to. But now that his existence was known and approved, any choice he wanted to make was his.

Still, what Simga said caught X off guard. "Dr. Fujiwara?" the larger Reploid said aloud. "I would like to ask my colleague a question, if I may."

Fujiwara and the other scientists ceased their note-taking, and, looking over the ongoing transfer process, all eyes were on Sigma. The humans wondered if they had just heard what they thought they did. Nevertheless, Sigma received an answer. "You may." the Japanese man told the metal humanoid, he and the others quieting down to listen to what the machine had to say.

"Your data is being transferred to me, your battle techniques and combat abilities, yes?" Sigma asked X, who nodded in response. "Thus, you acknowledge that you are a machine capable of these things, yes?" X nodded. "And I am in the process of preparing to become part of a squad to defend humans against those like ourselves that may do them harm. Is that right?"

"Yeah," X answered. Just what is he getting at?

"Why are you not a part of it?"

The entire room was covered by a thick veil of silence, no one saying a word, both man and machine. No one was sure how to process such a question, even X himself. "I'm…not sure if I understand the question."

"It makes perfect sense," Sigma argued. "You are the first of us, the base model," he said. "And thus, I will know all I am receiving from you. So why will you not be a part of this squad of specialized Reploids?" X wasn't sure of how to answer. "Well? Why won't you?"

Even if he probably didn't mean to, X was quite irritated that Sigma had put him on the spot. He hated it when he had human eyes on him like this. "Well, the council elected you to be a member, right?"

"And because you weren't initially mentioned, you believe you wouldn't be accepted?" Sigma questioned. "Because when I volunteered to be part of this team, NOT elected as you claim, you were the one that the council initially believed would leap at the opportunity." he then looked the blue Reploid up and down. "I suppose they expected you to be more eager to present your attributes to everyone." he then shrugged. "Either way, it doesn't matter in the end. The decision is yours."

Attributes, is that what he called them? X's green eyes looked down at his buster and the attached cables. His eyes studied where the cables led, from himself to Sigma to the main computer. All part of a giant, collective system. Yet the three couldn't be more different than the other.

December 15th 21XX

Fujiwara's Residence

"So, you DON'T want to be a part of this team?" Roll asked, all while taking care to slice the raw beef in her possession. Given that Dr. Fujiwara had invited the council's scientists to his home that night, it meant Roll had a lot of dinners to make. Thus, she decided that a large nabe pot filled with an assortment of chopped vegetables and meats would be perfect, as everyone could serve themselves. I got to check if we've got any ponzu or goma-tare. Maybe I should get both, as I don't know which dipping sauce they'll like. And some of the scientists are vegan, so I'll probably have to make a separate pot with tofu instead of meat. she then looked over at her brother, whom she had realized she had completely forgotten about. "Oh, I'm sorry, X. You said you didn't want to become part of this...group? What are they calling it?"

"Hunters," X told her. "Maverick Hunters."

"Hunter?" Roll said aloud. "Not Defense Force or Prevention Squad?"

"I guess it's to drive home that such behavior won't be tolerated." X theorized aloud. He then looked at the boiling nabe pot nearby, noticing it was beginning to foam at the top. "Dr. Light didn't build me with culinary skills in mind," X said. "But I don't think the water's supposed to go that high."

"Hm? Ah! Shit!" Roll abandoned the Nappa cabbage she was chopping up and immediately turned down the heat, teal eyes looking over the boiling piece of kelp in the water. "Whew. It's still good." she then looked back to X. "Not a word to Chiyo or Fumiko about what you just heard."

"My lips are sealed," X responded. He watched Roll chop up ingredients before she stopped and looked at him.

"Hey, seeing as you're here," Roll knelt and brought out another cutting board from the space below, then she opened a drawer and pulled out a rather sizable knife. "Help me prepare all this, would you?" she smiled. "Surely you can put your accuracy stats to use here." Seeing as there was no other option for him (he knew he was stuck helping her), the blue Reploid took the carrot she handed him and began chopping. "So," Roll started to say. Even if she had "recruited" her brother to assist her, she was thankful she had someone to talk to. Given that neither Fujiwara nor Chiyo was home (the girl had gone to Fumiko's for the night), X was currently the only company she had. "Why don't you want to?"

"Want to what?" X questioned as he chopped. However, cutting vegetables took no effort on his part, which didn't make the task go by any faster.

"You know what I'm talking about." Roll told him. "You can convince Cain that nothing's wrong, but not me. Another thing you and Rock have in common: you're both terrible liars." X felt his cheeks grow hot. Was he that obvious? "This new team, these Maverick Hunters, why don't you want to be a part of it?"

X was quiet for a moment. "Should I want to?"

"Well, no, you don't HAVE to." Roll replied, having now moved on to slicing into the mushrooms. "But, well, I suppose I just thought you would. Mega Man enlisted in the WRA when it was still around, though he still had to do most of the fighting when dealing with Wily." she then put the mushrooms in the pot. "You're chopping too slow! This broth had to be done before the meat's even put in!" before X could protest or say anything in his defense, his sibling grabbed the carrots that he had yet to chop (along with what he did manage to chop) and began cutting at a speed that made X do a second take. Then she started cutting the carrots into small flower-like shapes, discarding what the knife removed into the trashcan she had moved beside her. "But back to what I was saying," Roll continued. "Why aren't you going to be a part of this group? You'd fit right in! If anything, you'd be the best choice for it! You could even lead the team if you wanted!"

X shrugged. "I think Sigma's more fit for that type of role," he said. "Besides, who else would Cain have to rely on to make sure he's packed extra sets of clothes whenever he goes out on an expedition."

Roll sighed and shook her head. "Dr. Light was terrible about that too. Honestly, he is-" she stopped. "Was my father, and I love him, but sometimes I wonder whether or not all those sleepless nights made his brain run slower at times. I'd have to remind him to eat sometimes!" she sighed again. "Though, I suppose that's what makes humans human. Perfectly imperfect."

Perfectly imperfect. Those two words stuck with X, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Say, what is Sigma like anyway?" Roll then asked. "I haven't had a chance to speak, let alone see him, since the council approved our further construction."

"He's...all right, I guess," X told his sister, unsure what to say. "He's...well, he's..."

"Logical? Direct?" Roll asked. "Mechanical, even?"

X was stunned. "How is it that I programmed most of what's in your head, but you can somehow already know what's in mine?"

"I'm the older sibling. I know almost everything." Roll answered.

Younger. X mentally growled.

"It's perfectly natural for some machines to go through that phase." Roll explained. "Dr. Light said a robot, at least, those that were created by his design, sometimes needed some exposure to the outside world and around others for the logical and emotional components to come together." she had finally finished with the vegetables, all of them boiling in the nabe pot with the kelp. She then went to the refrigerator and pulled out an assortment of meats ranging from beef to seafood. "Here," she handed the slab of meat to the blue Reploid. "Don't worry about getting it thin enough. Just cut it into smaller slices. I'll take care of the rest."

Well, he hoped he cut meat better than veggies. X brought the knife down and sliced through the red beef tenderloin. "So, Sigma's behavior is normal?" X asked.

Roll nodded. "It takes some longer than others, Time Man being a fine example," she said, though she didn't sound too pleased discussing the Robot Master. Light's creation or not, that bot could be such an uptight jerk sometimes! Not to mention an overall grump. He even made Elec Man's ego look tame in comparison sometimes!" She stopped herself. "Oh, sorry! I got a little off track." she apologized. Besides, the more those names lingered in her mind, the more she felt an unbearable gnawing at her core. "But yeah, it's perfectly normal.

And given that Reploids have more...complex systems than robots," she explained. Even if it were true, Roll still felt that saying that robots were inferior was unnecessary. If not downright disrespectful. "Perhaps this means that concepts such as emotions and personality may come even slower."

"How slow?" X questioned.

"It depends." Roll answered. X handed her what he had cut up, and she began to slice it into thinner pieces. "After all, human development and robot, well, Reploid development may have much in common, but they have just as many differences." she paused again, her knife slicing off a single, thinly cut piece of beef. "Whether that's good or bad...I don't think such a question can be answered. Especially now."

Chapter Text

December 20th, 21XX

In just a few months, X has had a plethora of experiences since that time. Given that Arcadia was a city-state in Japan, events such as the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving were celebrated by Cain on his lonesome. Yet, given what he had seen from Roll's memory files, even "foreign" holidays such as that interested him. Even if it was something he didn't care for, he wanted to experience it at least once. Cain's celebration of the day of his home country's official decision to break off from Britain was fascinating, seeing as only he and Roll were present to celebrate with him. And while it was awkward then, the fact that no Reploidd, let alone any mechanical life form, could consume human food. Thus, Roll found a solution in producing some of the same colorful screws he had seen her prepare long ago. They didn't have a "taste" per se, but chewing them created a pleasurable popping sensation inside his mouth. Dr. Cain remarked that it sounded similar to a candy called "pop rocks," He also likened the green energy in X's glass to a soft drink. Again, there was no taste, and despite how Reploids mainly ran on artificially created energen crystals, a small number of fluids were still essential to how they functioned.

What Dr. Cain said next made X spit out what he had poured out of his E-Tank. "You know, if you eat pop rocks and drink soda simultaneously, your stomach will explode." Cain, far from expecting green energy to come flying in his face, the older human coughed and spat out the fluid, almost unable to believe what had just happened. Roll immediately lathered the man with a towel. Thankfully, she had mixed the "drinks" to where they were non-lethal to humans, but it didn't improve the taste, according to Cain. But it had a kick to it, Cain said. "I can't tell whether to compare that to the worst lemonade of all time or the best tequila ever."

Now, X realized he was about to have his very first Christmas. True, while Japan held few members of the religion that mainly celebrated it, the holiday was still quite an event. As he walked through the snowy streets, the blue Reploid saw numerous figures, both human and Reploid alike, going about their business in what was most likely Christmas shopping. Decorations such as street lights being coiled by green tinsel and fake snowmen being placed outside several shops filled with those ready to spend their zenny. It was somewhat crowded and hectic, yet he would take it as long as he was out of his room in the lab. If anything, it made him appreciate the quiet of Fujiwara's lab or Cain's study. Roll was super excited about the holiday, especially as it'd be the first Christmas she would have with her "little brother," though X found himself unable to embrace the seasonal mood fully.

While things seemed to have gone back to being relatively uneventful, what had occurred in the previous months regarding these "Maverick" Reploids made relations between the replicated androids and their human creators and peers more strained. True, they still walked among the other, and from what X had seen, the public still accepted his and the existence of those that came from him. While they were just rumors, Roll had told him that Fumiko's parents were considering ordering a Reploid to care for their household. And if it were true, they wouldn't be the only ones. In the last couple of months, especially in December, Reploids classified as "personalized" were seen just as prominently as those made for work.

"They want one with a female build." Roll had told him. "And Mr. Takenada wants, as he said, something cute, but his wife doesn't want it to be too cute."

"And cute is code for something else," X answered.

"Clearly." Roll answered, then she shook her head. "Some humans have strange tastes." At first, X thought that robot and human relations could go in "that" direction, but Roll quickly changed the subject. She said she'd tell him when he was a little "older."

I'm a hundred years old, dammit! He complained to himself. Even if I AM younger than she is, which I'm NOT, I've got the same AI she does! He crossed his arms. It's like I'm five years old forever in her mind.

Suddenly, he was nearly knocked off his feet by a booming explosion, both Reploids and humans shouting or screaming in shock and terror as they fled from the scene. X looked to see if he could spot anything, but he didn't have to look long as a wheeled vehicle was sent flying overhead until it crashed right through the window of a nearby shop. Large shards of glass went everywhere, people either shielding themselves or their loved ones, while several Reploids tried to either shield or escort humans out of the way. Perhaps it was mere curiosity, but X found himself drawn towards what was going on, going towards the source of the destruction instead of away.

"Yeah, that's right! Run! Run, you pathetic monkeys!" a somewhat high-pitched voice laughed, sounding like a mad clown. And upon seeing him, X found that he fit that label.

The Reploid was composed of primarily round shapes with a clown or jester in mind during his construction. He had black shoulders and joints connecting his torso with his legs and a violet chest with bright, yellow buttons and lining to make the metal resemble a vest. His face was a white, smooth surface with dark strokes of red outlining his eyes and mouth, and a red orb served as his nose. Two extensions sat atop his head, resembling a jester's hat with two golden bells on the ends. Had X been active during the time of the Blue Bomber, he would've very much compared the Reploid to Clown Man. Unlike the Robot Master built as an amusement park attraction, this mechanical being seemed to revel in the sounds of panicked cries all around him.

Then, he caught sight of the blue Reploid staring at him. "And what do you want?" the clown asked. "Wait for a second," he then held his chin, taking in the details of X's appearance. "You don't belong to one of these stupid humans, do you?"

"Uh, no," X answered. Truthfully, while the clown's tone sounded genuinely curious, the blue Reploid was still apprehensive given what he had just seen. "I belong to no one." he then stepped forward. "But I don't think that matters in comparison to what's going on! What do you think you're doing?!"

"What does it look like?" the clown scoffed. "I'm finally giving these flesh bags a piece of my mind!" he answered. "They think I'm some stupid toy made for their amusement! Like I'm a huge joke to them!" X was unsure whether or not the clown was even aware of the irony of that statement. "But now, no one's going to laugh at me! Never, ever again!"

"Really? Because I'm about to from how stupid you sound right now!"

A green ride chaser flew over both X's and the clown-like Reploid's head, the vehicle's driver swerving it around until he came to a stop. The driver leaped off the ride chaser and aimed a plasma pistol in the clown Reploid's direction. The Reploid himself had green armor with faded blue sections serving as links between them and the more exaggerated proportions. A red gemstone, more prominent than X's, rested on his green helmet, his audio receptors having small fins touching his cheeks and others placed higher up.

"Pierrot Unit-021," the green Reploid began, voice young and masculine like X's, but this guy sounded as if an occurrence such as this was just an ordinary day for him. "You are under arrest."

X looked over the other Reploid's appearance, particularly the weapon he wielded. Wait. X pondered. Could he be one of them? Again, his green eyes fell on the firearm. Could he be a Maverick Hunter?!

The clown, Pierrot, looked at the Reploid aiming the pistol at him with confusion. "And who the hell are you?"

The green Reploid smirked as if he were expecting such a question. "Name's Firefly, and as of now," he readied himself. "That's the last name you'll hear if you don't comply."

"Oh really? If that's the case, since you already know who I am," suddenly, Pierrot's right wrist loosened itself, and his hand shot forward, connected by a linked chain-line extension. "How about I give you a special greeting!?"

A Short Distance Away

Sigma stood atop a nearby building, watching Firefly combat the Pierrot unit, yet still, X remained largely uninvolved.

"So when's this guy going to do something?" A female Reploid questioned, looking down and watching the green Reploid combat the clown.

"Patience," Sigma told her. "I have seen what he is capable of. But, don't forget, it's from him where we all came from."

"Feh! Still doesn't look that impressive." a far-less human Reploid scoffed, or rather, squawked. Despite the fact he could speak clearly, his voice was high-pitched and comical sounding, very much matching his appearance.

"Well, if someone doesn't do something soon, I'm going in there!" another one of the figures watching what was taking place took a step forward but was held back by Sigma.

No. Not yet. The tall Reploid's blue optics knew that if things continued, the others would have to step in, but he needed to see more for now. He needed to see if the blue figure below would act.

At the Scene

Firefly continued to fire at Pierrot, who used his extending limbs to dodge all of them. The clown was surprisingly flexible, able to twist and turn at odd angles, and his wrists and ankles could extend themselves to better try and snag the one blasting at him. His agility allowed him to hoist himself atop a nearby street light, Firefly aiming to fire again. But unfortunately, this was what the clown was waiting for. Pierrot swung down and kicked the green Reploid right in the chest, sending him crashing into his ride chaser, the vehicle tumbling back along with its rider. And upon seeing the plasma pistol on the ground, the clown immediately grabbed it.

"GAH!"

Only he never got the chance. First, Pierrot saw that his left hand had been shot, the metal covering of his appendage sizzled, and a sizable hole had been formed, though the blast didn't entirely pierce through the hand. Next, the clown saw who had fired at him, bewildered to see the mild-mannered Reploid he had run across aiming a built-in plasma canon right in his direction.

"I'd suggest you stay put," X told him, voice firm yet level. Pierrot shot his other hand in X's direction, yet X jumped back, barely missing the incoming first. Then, seeing that the clown had snagged onto another street light, the blue Reploid shot another plasma blast and struck the other hand, dislodging Pierrot's grip. He was sent plummeting to the hard concrete below, X standing over him, weapon still aimed in his direction. "Don't overdo it. Remember, you're injured." he took a step forward, intending to restrain the other Reploid so this "Firefly" could, as he said, arrest him.

"W-Wait!" Pierrot pleaded, raising both of his damaged hands. "I surrender! Don't shoot!" The green Reploid had gotten back on his feet and back on the scene, surprised to see his fellow machine had also been armed.

"Hurry! Finish him off! Do it now!" X heard the biker shout.

"No, don't! Please!" Pierrot begged. "I-I'll go with you! I won't cause any more trouble! Just don't shoot!"

The green Reploid watched, waiting for either of the two to make a move. "What are you waiting for? Take him out before he tries something!"

"I won't! I promise!" the clown said, gazing up at X with frightened eyes. "Please. I think…I think I'm sick."

X raised a brow from underneath his helmet. Sick? What did he…X realize what this could mean. "You mean you believe you have the virus?" X asked, Pierrot nodding in response. "Then you need to go with him," he said. "If the virus is in the early stages, there are treatments that can clean out your systems." he then held out his hand to Pierrot, his buster slipping back into his forearm. "Here. Let's get you to a nearby clinic."

Pierrot reached forward, yet his submissive demeanor quickly switched, a twisted grin coming to his painted face. Taking X's hand, the clown sucker-punched him in his abdomen, disorienting him and letting Pierrot grab the plasma pistol. Then he took the blue Reploid and held him in an armlock, the pistol aimed at his head. "One move, and he dies!" Pierrot bellowed, holding X tightly as he backed up with his hostage. Firefly gritted his teeth, his brown eyes glowering at the renegade jester. "Now, seeing as I've got your attention," he chuckled darkly. "How about you tell me a few things?"

Firefly was puzzled, yet if he kept him talking, perhaps he could go in and create a chance for the hostage to get his way out of this. "Like what?"

"Well, for starters, what'd you do with my buddies?" Pierrot questioned. "Take me to them, and I'll let this guy go."

Firefly crossed his arms. "You're a little late for that," he said. "The Commander and the rest of the squad had taken them before I arrived here."

The clown-like Reploid's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"As of now, you're the only one left."

Pierrot's terror and fury grew, looking back at his hostage, then to the other Reploid that had come to detain him. "Then…" he stammered, X, seeing the clown look as if he were about to tear up if he could produce tears. "Then I don't have anything to lose, do I?" he muttered, then tightened his grip on X, moments away from pulling the trigger.

"Hiya!" a high-pitched voice cried out from behind X and the clown, but before either of them could see who the voice belonged to, Pierrot found himself being sent off his feet and flying into the air.

X fell to the ground on his side, yet he heard someone approach him before he could rise. Hoisting himself up to his feet, he saw that two figures had arrived, potentially saving his life even more. Before him stood a Reploid around his height and general build, trim and well-shaped black form covered with pauldrons, forearms, boots, and a helmet that concealed his face from view; his armor was a distinct violet sheen with golden highlights, and there was a T-shaped space that allowed the Reploid to see. While X couldn't be sure, for the briefest of seconds, he swore he could see a single red eye looking down at him from within the darkness the helmet created.

Pierrot finally came plummeting to the ground, landing with a loud thud and bouncing off the hardened road below. "Strike!" the high-pitched voice cried out triumphantly; X looked to finally see who it belonged to. To his surprise, it was another Reploid, but it had no resemblance to anything human. On the contrary, he very much resembled an animal—a penguin.

The penguin was round in figure; his thighs and upper arms were relatively thin than his forearms and calves, especially his broad shoulders and bright yellow chest. A red belt was also around his waist. He had stopped from gliding across the frozen section he had created to take Pierrot by surprise; his large eyes (with relatively tiny green irises) had a blue lining underneath that sat atop a long, silver beak with the under portion being colored yellow. Two containment units of red were situated on the back with an extension connecting to the back of the penguin's darkly colored head, two red gemstones resting atop the crown.

"It's not a strike if there's only one pin." the violet-colored Reploid scoffed, clearly not impressed.

The penguin huffed, and though X couldn't have been sure, he swore he saw the bird's cheeks puff out and his face grow red. "Whatever! Just take care of this guy! I'll get the kid!"

The violet Reploid didn't answer back, racing towards the downed Pierrot while the giant bird walked (though his gait had a slight waddle) towards him. "You ok?"

"Y-Yeah," X responded.

Pierrot had finally come to his senses from the fall he had taken and found a plasma pistol aimed right between his eyes. Then, before anyone could either protest or encourage it, the violet Reploid pulled the trigger, and a red beam pierced the clown's head and completely tore through the vital center of his cerebral chamber. His expression was forever frozen in with shocked, wide eyes and lips about to part to beg for mercy. Pierrot wheezed before he fell to the ground, twitching for a moment before going limp and unmoving.

"Vile!" a female voice shouted, she and a far more significant figure leaping down from above, the larger of the two holding her in one arm. "The hell do you think you're doing?!"

At first, X had nearly mistaken her for Roll as she bore a similar, long ponytail of blonde hair, but she had a prominent widow's peak instead of bangs covering her forehead. Her outer shell was composed of red and white and her thighs, upper arms, and neck. She wore a headpiece of red while her audio receptors were white, making it appear almost as if she were wearing a headband. Her eyes were more blue than teal, but they glowered at the violet Reploid (assumedly Vile).

But the one carrying her had nearly taken his breath away, even if he did not need to breathe. "S-Sigma?!"

While the Reploid's face was recognizable, the rest of him was not. Instead of a body composed of no armor, it seemed that he was finally provided with his own. He had a chest plate of green with a silver collar and broad shoulders, blue forearms with silver bands around the wrists, and his hands white like X's but there were red linings around the joints of his digits. In addition, he had brown boots with silver bands around the collars, and his chest bore a red gemstone centered on his right pectoral, his abdomen dark with white metal surrounding it.

The blonde Reploid was put down on the ground, and she immediately ran up to Vile. "We needed to take that guy in alive! He had got vital information about why these Pierrot units went crazy!"

"Crazy?" Vile questioned mockingly. "These guys knew well what they were doing! They were destroying the hell of it!" the Reploid with the hidden face scoffed. "If anything, I just did that stupid kid and everyone else here a favor!" he then went over and put his foot on Pierrot's head, pushing to allow him to turn and better see the clown's face. From underneath his helmet, Vile looked on with satisfaction. "This is what we were built for, right? Given your big brain, I'd think you'd be smart enough to know that, Ai."

Ai was about to stomp toward Vile, yet Sigma placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. He then looked towards X; the smaller Reploid turned away, unable to look into those piercing blue eyes. His expression was calm and neutral, yet X couldn't help but wonder if Sigma was silently expressing frustration. Frustration aimed at him.

But he soon eased out any wrinkles and called out to his team members. "Firefly! Penguin!" The green and bird-like Reploids looked at Sigma in acknowledgment. "Assess the damage done! Then, Ai, you run a diagnostics test on the Pierrot unit."

"Yes, sir!" The blonde female answered, running over to the terminated clown.

"And Vile," Sigma said, his optics falling on X. "Escort X to Headquarters."

Both Reploids were puzzled by such a command. "Are you serious?" Vile began to protest. "This guy completely-"

"Escort him back to HQ. That's an order." Sigma then began to walk away and join Ai in examining Pierrot.

Vile and X shared a glance, unsure what to make of each other. Nevertheless, the blue Reploid wouldn't be returning to Fujiwara's lab anytime soon.

Later

The building before X was relatively small, resembling a human police station, though it was composed of more slanted shapes. The exterior was white, just like many other structures in Arcadia. The violet-colored Reploid stood beside X, bringing him to this current location.

"If you're done gawking, let's go inside," Vile told X.

"Oh, y-yeah! Sorry." Vile said nothing, both he and X entered the building. The interior was just as white as the outside, Vile leading X to an elevator a short distance away. "Wait," X suddenly spoke up. Even if his helmet concealed his face (or perhaps that WAS his face), Vile was beginning to grow rather annoyed with the blue Reploid. "This building only has one floor. So this elevator has nowhere to go to."

"Nowhere else but down." Vile responded.

Before X could question him, the elevator began to move down, sinking beneath the ground and going a reasonable distance away from the surface. So they went down, down, down, until they finally arrived at their destination. The door panels revealed a short hallway with a handful of doors on both sides. Yet one door at the very end of the hall stood out.

Mainly because it was the only one that was already open for them.

"Follow me." Vile commanded, the blue Reploid going with him through the open door and found the exact figures from before all present in a small, white chamber that matched the interior seen above.

Yet this room bore some differences. For one, this place seemed to be both a meeting area and a communications center, with several monitors linked to a supercomputer displaying a general layout of the city and the city-state itself. A small table was situated in the center of the room, all the other Reploids he had seen before, including the one riding the ride-chaser and Sigma himself. They all were gathered around the table, a map of the White City on a square monitor built into the center.

"Ah, X, Vile. Glad you can join us." Sigma greeted. Vile went over by the other four Reploids, leaving X alone with five pairs of eyes gazing upon him, ranging from intrigued to indifferent. "Greetings," Sigma told X.

"Greetings to you too, sir," X answered back. Despite trying to be cordial and calm, he still couldn't help but keep pondering why he was even brought here. Better yet, what was this place?

Sigma raised a hairless brow. X wondered whether or not he had done something wrong, but the taller Reploid's expression turned to amusement. "Hm. You'll fit right in if you're calling me that already."

Fit right in? What did he mean by…wait. Was he where he thought he was? Sigma mentioned something about "headquarters," but he couldn't have been sure. But now, he couldn't deny it. He was here in the presence of the elite team put together to combat Maverick threats.

In the presence of the Maverick Hunters.

"As I'm sure you've figured out by now, we have been appointed and formed by the council to protect the city-state of Arcadia and investigate any reported incidents potentially caused by Maverick activity," Sigma explained. "With our sharpshooter and bike maniac, Firefly," the green Reploid waved at X, who waved back. "Our navigator and operator, Ai," the blonde female merely looked at X with a neutral expression, as if his being here didn't interest her. "Our most unique member, and part of an experimental program himself, Chill Penguin, the bird puffed out his chest to make himself look impressive. "And our weapons expert, Vile," Vile said nothing, but he kept his concealed optics on X, his expression hidden and unreadable.

"Well, nice to meet you all," X said. "But if I can ask, what am I here for?"

Ai then spoke. "Well, for one, you violated Article 234: no Reploid can carry a concealed weapon without a license." her tone was very matter-of-fact. "Though given the circumstances, we're willing to settle you with a smaller charge."

"Oh." X cursed himself for not considering the Article at the time. He suspected something was up when Vile had taken him here. "Well, yeah, sure. Thank you."

"Firefly here is quite grateful for your intervention," Sigma remarked. "Even if things didn't go in your favor."

X lowered his head in embarrassment. He had been a complete idiot, he knew. But still, he had a question. "Did you get any information on whether or not that Reploid's systems were infected?"

The room went silent for a short time. "Unfortunately, that's classified." Chill Penguin told him. "For you at least."

"Hey, give him a break." Firefly then spoke up. "It's because of him using that thing that the Pierrot unit couldn't make use of his hands." the green Hunter gestured to the arm that held X's buster. He then saw the blue Reploid's eyes widen. Finally, it seemed that he had figured it out. "Something like that could help us out."

Especially with this most recent case. Sigma thought. He looked at X and X back at him; why X was brought here at all right before him. "X, I have a proposition for you."

The Next Day

"You're part of the Maverick Hunters now?!" Roll exclaimed, having come with X to Dr. Cain's residence. The paleobotanist had decided to try reorganizing his books, which Roll volunteered to assist with. And she found that while the human had years of experience studying ancient plant life and reading history and philosophy in their own time, man still couldn't remember placing his books in alphabetical order. "How in the world did 'A' make it into 'Z'?" she muttered, grabbing the book and placing back where it belonged.

"Well, not exactly," X told her, looking over the shelves. "I'm more of an informant."

"Informant? For what?" Roll questioned, continuing her work. "How long since Dr. Cain even had these books in order?"

They're ALL misplaced and out of order. X groaned to himself. True, he sometimes left his stuff lying around in his room (despite what Roll claimed), but this was way different! Still, he and Roll were having a conversation, so he answered her. "I'll admit that I can't give too many details," X told his sister. "But, as I have direct connections to Dr. Cain and Fujiwara, they would perhaps be potential targets and need protection."

"Protection? From what?" Roll asked, this news not sitting well with her at all.

"Well, Sigma believes that there may be a connection between all the Maverick incidents," X explained. "They haven't located the programmer responsible for creating the virus that causes the program errors, but a recent development may point Sigma and his team in the right direction."

"And that would be?"

Maverick Hunter HQ

"There have been reports of a certain figure being present at all the sites where incidents took place," Ai explained, the map of Arcadia before them on the electronic screen on the white table. Several red dots then appeared in various locations around the city-state. "The earliest sighting occurred around here," she pointed towards an area around the border. "Right around a Reploid production plant."

"That plant produced some of the Reploids that went with Dr. Cain on his dig when the first Maverick incident occurred, right?" Firefly asked.

"Exactly." Ai nodded. "The programmer must've hacked into the main computer that holds every component of a Reploid's systems. Each of them was to be installed into each unit. Unfortunately, three of these units were infected, yet after the incident at the dig site, every Reploid that this factory produced was recalled and tested. Luckily, those three units were the only ones that contained the Maverick Virus. Aside from the one that Mega Man X terminated, the other two Reploids were able to be taken in for study and cleansing of their systems. The Virus was in its earliest stages, so it hadn't delved too deep to where there hadn't been any major damage done." Ai explained. "And while it hadn't been declared an issue yet, those two were able to provide us with a list of potential symptoms, so early detection is now possible."

"But that doesn't help with fighting the Virus now," Firefly added. "And it's only been getting worse."

Ai nodded grimly. "And with each sighting, there has been worse and worse corruption." She then pointed to another red dot on the map. "Here is where the most recent sighting took place," she said. "And not long after our mystery man visited this production plant here, an entire line of Reploids all tested positive for the Virus."

"But how could they go in and do all that damage in one night? Or even in the span of a few hours?" Chill Penguin squawked. "As good a programmer this guy is, no human can work that fast!"

"Who said the culprit was human?" Vile remarked. "And even if they are, they wouldn't be stupid enough to go out on their own to cause trouble."

"That's another detail that's recently come to light," Ai interjected. "The suspect was reported to have the standard form of a Reploid. So, as of now, all we know is that wherever this Reploid has gone, the Maverick Virus has gone with them." Next, the five Hunters studied the map of the city-state they currently resided in, noticing how the dots indicating reported sightings grew closer and closer to more populated areas. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but it almost looks like a contagion from how it's laid out."

"Computer viruses don't work that way, though." Firefly said. "Whoever's doing this HAS to be doing it by hand." They had to be. What other option was there? "The only question is when they'll strike next."

Sigma looked down at the map, contemplating what his and his team's next move should be. Yet the bizarre pattern before him was considerably puzzling. Who were they working for if the suspected person seen at the scene was a Reploid? While it wasn't out of the realm of possibility for a Reploid to create a computer program, let alone a virus themselves, what reason would they have to make it? Such a thing that caused others like themselves to lose all sense and endanger those around them would indeed affect their existence. Why would they create something that would destroy them?

But this would have to be taken care of soon. Otherwise, things would surely grow worse.

Dr. Cain's Residence

Finally, at long last, they had gotten halfway done with organizing the shelves. While this was a significant relief for him (X's systems could not fully comprehend how such an intelligent human could be so disorganized), he noticed that his sister had grown quiet.

"Roll?" he asked. She appeared to be deep in thought. "Hey, Roll?"

"Hm?"

"You look like you want to say something."

The blonde Reploid looked confused. "What? No, I'm fine. I'm reviewing how many more of these need to be back in their proper places."

"And you call me a terrible liar," X remarked, Roll about to argue back that she was indeed NOT lying, but said nothing and went back to the current task.

X didn't know what she wanted to say, X didn't know, but from how her face expressed a conflicted and unsure expression, he could suspect that it was perhaps something more personal. If that were the case, he'd keep his mouth shut, but-

"Actually," Roll then spoke. "There IS something I've been meaning to ask you. Perhaps I should say Dr. Cain, but you could put the word in for me, right?"

"Sure," X answered, thankful she was talking but confused. "What is it?"

Roll was quiet at first, contemplating how to go about this exactly. But after a few short moments, she finally found the words she was looking for. "You wouldn't happen to know when Dr. Cain's next expedition is, would you?"

Now X was even more confused. "In just a couple of months." the blue Reploid answered. "Why?"

"Well," Roll began, nervously toying with her ponytail. "I was perhaps wondering...would you be able to squeeze in another crew member?"

Chapter Text

May 16th 21XX

Outside of Arcadia's Borders

"It's amazing how different it is out here." Roll remarked, the sun having long set over the dry land Dr. Cain had set up camp in. They both now stood, gazing up at the unpolluted, clear sky, the stars and colors quite a contrast to the black void above Arcadia. "And you go to places like this?"

"You sort of getting to go anywhere when you're on a dig," X told her. "Well, anywhere with fossils, that is."

"Or, in our case, an underground laboratory." Both chuckled at this, thankful to be able to get out of the city, albeit for entirely different reasons.

While Arcadia was a city-state in Japan and a short distance away from the capital of Tokyo, a majority of it was composed of artificial land that increased the size of the Chiba Prefecture and, in turn, the Kanto region of Honshu, the main island of all the islands that composed of the country. Thus, much of it was barren and devoid of plant life. It puzzled both Reploids why Dr. Cain would even choose a site such as this to search for another coveted specimen of prehistoric significance, yet explained how this artificial land was formed. The area outside of Arcadia and Arcadia stood upon Earth formed by reclamation, which was the process of creating more ground by using land dredging, which consisted of removing sediments and debris from a body of water and bringing it to the surface.

And with that came the possibility that samples of underwater plants might be located outside the city. That was more than enough to encourage Dr. Cain to navigate there. True, there still was natural land and had previously been a part of the region, but it had significantly expanded since artificial islands became more prominent in 20XX. But they were satisfied as long as X and Roll could get out of the city's borders.

Well, somewhat.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" X spoke up, Roll looking at her brother. "It's not that I have a problem with it or anything. I actually kind of like it that you're here-"

"Just say it; what is it?" Roll asked, wanting him to get to the point.

"Well, why did you want to come on one of Cain's digs anyway?" the blue Reploid answered and questioned simultaneously. "Not to say that I don't want you here or anything. I guess it's just out of curiosity."

Roll was quiet for a moment, X wondering whether or not he should've just kept his mouth shut. "No, it's fine." Thankfully, she broke the silence, but her answer surprised him. "But I'll admit," she paused. "I'm kind of wondering that myself."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well…I guess…it's sort of like this," Roll began. "Rock, or Mega Man, he had a new duty to take on, while mine was relatively unaffected," she explained. "I was still a helper-bot for Dr. Light, and I remained as such until…well, until now. There never was a time I stepped out of my designated function." she then quickly added, "Oh, not that I minded it at all! I'm quite grateful for the fact Dr. Light even gave me life!" she insisted. "It's just…."

"Just what?"

Roll went silent again, the entire area deathly quiet. Then, she spoke again. "Perhaps we should be getting back to the site. Dr. Cain's probably sent someone looking for us."

"X?! Roll!?"

"And here he comes now." instead of another digger, Dr. Cain himself had come out to fetch the two Reploids. The man was a bit winded from the distance he had to travel, but he was relatively good.

"Ah, there," Cain paused to take a breath. "There you two are," he said. "Sorry, but it's past curfew, kids."

X averted his gaze in embarrassment, his cheeks becoming flushed. "If I may be so bold, Doctor," Roll interjected. "There's only ONE kid present here." she grinned and gave X a wink.

If I'm a kid, then that makes you an old woman. So the blue Reploid thought, though he dared not say it.

Roll then noticed that the older human was still wheezing. "You're right; what are we doing out here? We forced you to come all this way, and here you are, barely able to catch your breath!" the blonde Reploid went over to Dr. Cain.

"What? No, no. I'm fine, Roll." Cain insisted.

"No, you're not! You're practically about to fall over!" She immediately took the human by the hand and began leading him back to the dig site. "And being human, you can't afford to stay up this late. You'll never get up in time for work to start again. And maybe we should look into getting you an inhaler; you still sound pretty winded."

She trailed on and on as all three of them went back to camp. X sensed that Roll had seized this opportunity not to have to speak what was on her mind. He couldn't exactly blame her, considering that much was going on back in Arcadia. Given the success of Reploids, there was consideration about marketing Reploids worldwide, making them available in every part of the world. That would mean that organizations such as Maverick Hunters would also have to be implemented in those areas. It sounded like a simple solution, yet it was anything but.

Increasing incidents of both Reploids and mechaniloids going "Maverick" had led to the decision to introduce Reploids elsewhere put on halt. At least until it could be under control, but with these ongoing incidents, more and more Reploids had either been constructed for or joined the Maverick Hunters to combat these threats further. The organization has boomed in members over the last few months. While Maverick attacks were still an ongoing problem, with Sigma at the head of it all, the human population of the city-state could breathe a little easier. It was a solution to the problem but wasn't solving the problem itself. Even now, the programmer that had created what would be called the "Maverick Virus" has yet to be found, and there were rumors that the creator might not even be a human!

That brought even more questions, but given where he was, there was nothing X could do about it. True, he technically WAS a member of the Hunters, but he wasn't on full-time duty, let alone any responsibility. True, he had gotten his buster licensed so he could fire if need be, but for the most part, his main job was to guard Dr. Cain and the other humans present at the digging sites. Given what had occurred in July, it wasn't unheard of for some Hunters to be stationed near Reploid factories or in populated areas to stop any disturbance before too much damage could be done. But until the source was found, it was unlikely to be eliminated.

Again, X was offered the opportunity to "fully" become a Hunter, but he declined, quite pleased with his current position. Perhaps he was looking too much into it, but X couldn't help but feel that with everything that's happened, everyone around him had been twisting his arm to try and steer him in the direction of putting his weapon to work. Whether it was simply for the fact that he had it or how he just so happened to resemble the famous "Blue Bomber" of decades past, the blue Reploid found himself being pushed towards a role that he had little to no interest in. Besides, even if he was a robot, Mega Man himself exercised his ability of choice Dr. Light had given him. So why couldn't X do the same?

Only X would take being an assistant any day over using his buster.

Arcadia, the White City

Dr. Sho Fujiwara's Residence

She had difficulty sleeping, the Japanese girl tossing and turning in a white bed far more significant than herself. Finally, she could take it no more. Chiyo rose from her resting place and sighed, cursing that despite her attempts to block them out, she couldn't stop the thoughts that had just come to her recently. She looked over at Patarche, who was still sound asleep on the left corner of her bed, the white dog sprawled out with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

You don't seem to be having any trouble. Chiyo mused, reaching over for her mobile gaming system. With the push of a button, a bright screen greeted her on the miniature device, momentarily blinding her, but her eyes eventually grew used to it. She began playing Rokko-Chan from where she left off, the titular blonde-haired blue robot (Oh gee, wonder where they got THAT idea, she thought) dressed in a rabbit suit smashing things with a giant hammer. At least, she attempted to, but she couldn't keep those thoughts from plaguing her even as she went through the level.

Given that Roll had elected to go on a dig with Dr. Cain and X, Dr. Fujiwara asked whether or not he could borrow the Takenada's new maid Reploid that the family bought for Christmas. Specifically, a Mimi maid drone. Mrs. Takenada immediately agreed, saying that her husband needed some time away from the machine. From what Fumiko had told her, Mr. Takenada was growing just a little too fond of the new Reploid.

Your dad is a weirdo, 'Miko. Chiyo chuckled to herself, though her humor was short-lived as Lightning Man killed her again. And I'm out of lives. Perfect. Whatever, she didn't feel like playing anymore anyway.

Chiyo had seen Mimi before; she very much appeared like the stereotypical image of a french maid, only her "outfit" was quite literally part of her body. Her hair was red and tied into a bun, her eyes green, and red freckles adorned her cheeks. She was made to look relatively innocent but appealing, and given how Fumiko's father reacted to her, her creators succeeded. Chiyo didn't mind Mimi, the Reploid doing as she was told and taking care of things around the house while Roll was gone. Yet, with Roll's absence, the Japanese girl found herself dwelling on the woman that had come before X's sister.

For as long as she could remember, Cecilia was always in Chiyo's life. Her mother had said she had known the woman since she was young, yet the girl found that the housekeeper had to fill in the empty role Hinako left when she passed. Her father had retreated into his work, mostly leaving her alone with the woman. Cecilia was the only one she had before she met Fumiko, and it was through the woman that Chiyo even met the other girl. And while she liked Roll fine (she was neutral to Mimi), Chiyo knew Cecilia wouldn't just up and "quit."

When Roll was first brought to the house, Cecilia left to visit her sick mother. At first, Chiyo assumed that Roll was just there to keep up with the cleaning while Cecilia was away, yet as time passed, Chiyo found out that she wasn't coming back. She had left due to "wanting to explore other opportunities," as her father claimed, yet his daughter suspected there was more to it. And given the amount of time between when Cecilia was out and when her father and Dr. Cain went to trial over X and Roll. Those that were part of Cain's crew that had initially dug X up were questioned, but all of them swore that they told no one anything.

And neither Fumiko nor Tatsuya said anything (the only thing Tatsuya cared about was getting more of Roll's cooking), so did that mean…?

CRASH!

Chiyo jumped out of bed, and Patarche was jolted awake, both girl and dog rushing towards her bedroom door. The white dog scratched at the white wood; Chiyo knelt and took Patarche in her arms. Or, at least she tried to. But unfortunately, over the past few months, the once small puppy had tripled in size and strength, so it was growing more difficult to keep him steady in her arms, her pink pajamas not providing her with any protection from his nails.

"Patarche, settle down!" Chiyo whispered, the dog's moving limbs growing still at long last. She was quiet, but as she heard more noise from downstairs, her previous suspicions were confirmed. "Somebody's in the house."

She opened her bedroom door slightly to peek out and see if anyone was there and found the coast was clear. Though she had no intention of going out, she was not liking the idea of potentially getting caught, or even more, shot or gutted at all. So she pulled the door back closed, yet unknown to her; she hadn't closed it all the way. She went over to the phone sitting on the white dresser beside her bed and was about to call the authorities, but before she could press one number, she heard her dog push against the door. Before she could call out for him or order him to stop, Chiyo saw a white blur dash out of the room.

Chiyo ran out soon after, spotting Patarche running down the hallway and towards the stairs. She gave chase and tried to keep up, but the canine's four legs made him quicker than his bipedal owner. The dog went down the stairs in mere seconds, while Chiyo had nearly tripped two or three times as she descended, trying to grab at her pet. Finally, Chiyo lost her foot and fell, though only short. The worst she suffered was some soreness, and Patarche finally stopped seeing her on the ground.

The white dog gave her cheek a tiny lick as if to try and "make it better," but then he directed his attention to the kitchen area. Patarche moved away from Chiyo again, the girl following behind, as he was far better at navigating through the dark than she. Patarche stopped at the doorway of that part of the house, the inside of the area devoid of light as there were no windows in the actual kitchen, the moonlight unable to enter and slightly light the way. Chiyo took a step forward, but Patarche blocked the way, the girl's eyes widening in shock upon seeing the dog's ears lower and tail rise, along with the hair on his back. A low, threatening growl came from Patarche, his eyes narrowed, and his muzzle wrinkled as he raised his lips to present his teeth.

The home invader was in the kitchen, but her dog's reaction unnerved Chiyo the most. The girl had not heard the mild-mannered, overly-excited, and completely harmless Patarche snarl at a pitch so deep. His smooth, usually happy features had twisted into one of aggression and anger at the figure that had dared to break in here and, even more, harm his human. Next, there was the sound of a door trying to be opened, the struggle to do so becoming more violent. Finally, with the sound of hinges torn off the wall and the door itself tossed to the side, Chiyo realized with horror that the home invader wasn't human.

She then heard items rustled and falling off the shelves, and rummaged through. Finally, she heard cans and bottles hitting the door, glass breaking and only creating even more of a terrifying image in the human child's mind. Patarche was just about ready to jump forward and attack the intruder himself, but then she saw a shape begin to come forward out of the darkness. Chiyo grabbed her dog, and the figure stepped out, towering over the canine and human. Patarche continued to growl and snarl, but his owner didn't dare let him go.

There were so many questions Chiyo had running through her mind. Who was this Reploid? How did he get in the house? Why did he come into the house? What was he looking for? And perhaps, most of all, not that she had seen him, what would he do to her?

The Reploid took a step forward, Patarche going crazy and biting at the air to warn this intruder to keep away. The machine's intense eyes bore into her own, the girl feeling a scream forming from within her throat.

Suddenly, everyone's attention was on the front door, which sounded like it had just been opened.

Perhaps this was too much of a good thing.

Sho Fujiwara was exhausted, having spent the entire day with the council's scientists reviewing the blueprints of the new Reploids being constructed for the Maverick Hunters. True, the days had grown more prolonged, and he was getting home later and later, but if he had to be honest, this Maverick Virus was perhaps a blessing. The growing increase of Maverick incidents had allowed him and the other scientists to truly put X's battle data to good use. Reploids designed for combat and other duties to contain and terminate any threats. No longer were they just relegated to being workers or personalized companions; the council and the rest of Arcadia were accepting Reploids for what they were.

What they were meant to be all along.

Suddenly, a booming crashing sound echoed throughout the house, the sound of shattering glass alerting him that someone other than his daughter was inside. The security alarm blared out, filling the house with a loud, high-pitched buzz. Fujiwara ran to the noise source and found Chiyo and Patarche standing by a broken window. There were numerous shards of glass at her feet, and Patarche was standing in front of her at full attention, barking furiously into the night.

The Next Day

Since its inception, the Maverick Hunters had significantly expanded over a short time, growing from an elite team to over one hundred members. Though most of these Reploids were developed for the Hunters, others had decided to join of their own accord. As more and more members joined, the Hunters could now organize in more extensive and effective teams. The Reploids constructed for the organization were top-tier and implemented with the most advanced combat skills and abilities. Even more, the council had approved fitting the Hunters with bigger, better weapons to combat the Maverick threat. But unless they managed to catch the one responsible for developing and spreading the virus, all of their fancy new gear would mean nothing.

But now, it seemed things were beginning to look up.

The briefing room had expanded and was no longer located underneath the far larger headquarters; several Reploids, including the few originally from the Hunters, were fathered around a blue-haired Reploid with a shortcut. The central computer displayed a map of Arcadia and the cities and areas outside its borders on the monitor. It showed a plethora of red dots situated all over the map.

"Last night, there was an occurrence where Dr. Fujiwara's residence was broken into." the blue-haired Reploid explained, pointing towards a red dot where the Japanese scientist's home resided. The Reploid herself had blue forearms with violet ends and green gems centered on her wrists. Her chest area consisted of the same colors, though her bust was somewhat pronounced and white, a blue, circular extension was attached to her right audio unit, a band atop her head holding it in place. "Luckily," she continued. "No one was injured, but the perpetrator escaped when Fujiwara had arrived." The numerous Hunters began discussing this event amongst themselves, pondering several reasons and how it could've happened. "According to Fujiwara, he had set the entrance in the back to unlock at 24.0 hours so he could simply walk in without entering the code to unlock the door."

"Wait a minute, Blu" Firefly then spoke up. "He just up and LEAVES his door unlocked at night?"

"Only for around five minutes." the blue-haired Reploid, Blu, explained. "If he had not arrived, the timer would go off, and the locking mechanism would reactivate. So it must've been during this short period that the Reploid of interest had come into the home."

Ai was silent, watching as the blue-haired Repoid spoke. Don't get too comfortable. You were shipped here just a few days ago. Unlike her, Blu was a more advanced model that had recently been put out, and her presence here didn't sit well with the red and white Operator.

"Dr. Fujiwara's daughter was also present at the scene, yet she was left completely untouched." Blu went on. "And from what the human authorities have told us, his daughter was able to describe the home invader." she then paused. True, this was what they had all been hoping for, but she couldn't help but suddenly feel on edge about what she would reveal. "And it matches the other witness testimonies of the suspect seen lurking around the production plants."

"What happened?" Sigma then asked. "You said the home was broken, yet was anything stolen?"

"No, nothing valuable to humans," Blu answered her Commander. "He took no valuables, and the only section of the house that has any damage was the kitchen area, not including the window," she explained. "But a small space in the back in a storage area held several energen crystals. All of them were taken, but aside from that, nothing."

Both veterans and new members, the Hunters, were left entirely puzzled. This case was getting stranger and stranger.

"What gets me is why he didn't finish the job." Vile suddenly spoke up, everyone turning to face him. "If this guy has no qualms about infecting his kind with a system-breaking program, what was stopping him from silencing that kid?"

"Are you suggesting that Reploid should've killed her?" Firefly questioned, a little disturbed.

"I'm saying that would've been the expected course of action, especially seeing that kid's word is what we're currently going off." the violet Hunter responded. "So far, she's the only one to get a close-up view of him, and even more, live to tell about it." while there had been no reported casualties as of yet, the suspect was said not to be afraid to get physical with anyone that had tried to confront him. But those assaulted were all Reploids; not one human was among them. "He might not have any respect for his fellow Reploids, but he at least knows the first of the Three Laws." he theorized. "Then again, he could've gone through with it, and Fujiwara's arrival forced him to retreat."

Again, talking broke out among everyone. "We have no time to dwell over possibilities and potential scenarios." Sigma then said, folding his arms. "This Reploid has to be found as soon as possible."

Before the Hunters began discussing those very things, a loud beeping was heard, the source of the noise from the main computer in the briefing room. Blu was about to move, but Ai cut in front of her and took the helm, checking into their communications lines for all the Hunters stationed around Arcadia.

"You've reached Hunter base. This is Ai," Ai answered, cupping a hand over her right audio receptor. "What's up?"

Suddenly, the image of a Reploid with a tall headpiece that resembled a blonde flattop, yellow shoulders, a blue chest plate, and pelvis armor, yellow and blue boots. His face was peach-colored, but the way his facial features were so angularly shaped, it was clear that he was a machine and not a human. "Gamma here. What's up back, Ai." the Hunter greeted. "Here's what's up, Commander," Gamma said, addressing Sigma even if the two were miles apart. "We caught sight of our guy going outside the city-state's borders, and we're currently on his trail."

Sigma immediately replied. "And what is your current location?" he asked.

"We've just gone past the borderline. I doubt he'd even try to go into Tokyo or another major city, but besides the small amount of land outside, he has nowhere else to go."

"Good," Sigma answered. "Keep your unit on him, but make sure you're not seen," he ordered. "We'll keep in touch. Sigma out."

"Yes, sir!" with that, Gamma's link died, displaying the map of Arcadia on the monitor again.

Outside of Arcadia's Borders

When he first saw the flowering petals, he had grown excited and increased the speed of brushing off the preserved, ancient rock. Yet as the dust was cleared off, Dr. Cain was disappointed again. "Another sea lily."

One would think this would've been good news for a paleobotanist like himself, yet despite their name, sea lilies were not related to any lily, let alone any plant. They had more in common with a seastar or sea cucumber. And while sea lilies were known quite well for being preserved as fossils, they were far from an extinct species and currently occupy the world's oceans. No, Cain was searching for samples of ancient seaweed or aquatic plants.

The first flora on Earth existed in the ocean, as the whole world was once water. He reflected, looking down at the fossilized sea lily. At least I can keep this one in my collection.

A short distance away, X and Roll had been sent to fetch some supplies from the storage tent, precisely the ingredients for coffee. "Humans are so addicted to this stuff," X noted, Roll grabbing a pack of sugar. "But if they say it tastes so bitter, why do that still try to drink it?"

"Humans are contradictory creatures, X." Roll sighed. "Even Dr. Light fell prey to the intoxicating effects of this drink."

Dr. Light himself relied on this stuff?! Then again, if this sort of beverage was still popular even today, then the human species must've had some inherent craving for it. Preferences passed down through the generations? X couldn't say for sure. Genetics and DNA were an infinitely more complicated "program" than any AI.

Though Roll could tell that man's millennium-long history with the beverage didn't stay on her sibling's mind for long, a familiar hint of concern in his features. "What's wrong? And here I thought getting out of the city was one of the things you looked forward to."

Damn, she's psychic. She HAS to be! X thought. "That obvious?"

"Everything with you is obvious." Roll jested. "But, since we've arrived, you've been on edge. So, what's going on?"

The blue Reploid shrugged. "I know it's not exactly something we'll have to worry about out here," he said. "After all, security programs and anti-viruses have improved greatly since it began, but these Maverick reports..."

"Make you worried?" Roll asked. "You know that we have med-kits available that can sort out any bug in the CPU."

"No, it's not that. Well, all right, sort of." X admitted. "But it's got me thinking."

"About what?" Roll asked, but she grew concerned when she didn't receive an answer. "X?"

X was sorting out what to say, knowing his sister wouldn't let him out of her sight until he answered. "Roll, you said some things when you were first activated."

The blonde Reploid didn't quite understand where X was going with this. "What kind of things?"

"It was sort of just gibberish, I guess because your memory files were still being processed," X explained. "But you said something about how someone was coming."

"Coming?" Roll asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah," X said. "You were scared out of your mind; we all thought something had gone wrong." he then asked, "Fujiwara said that it might take some time for your systems to adjust to your new body, but do you remember anything else?" he was about to add Anyone else? To his question, but kept that portion to himself.

Roll was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Truthfully," she began. "I can't say for sure. And by now, I would think that my systems are working as they're meant to. So, I don't know if I can answer your question because I can't recall anyone outside of what's in my memory bank." she then said, "Your memory bank still has some large portions of it missing still, right?"

"Yeah. It's still sort of piecing itself together."

"Then things will probably just work out with time. Don't stress over it."

X found that he again came up against another roadblock, keeping him from the information he wanted. But it wasn't Roll's fault, for he perhaps put much more thought into the issue than was necessary. Still, even if the details had just come to him recently. "One last thing," he said, knowing that the crew was probably getting impatient for their caffeine fix. "Do you remember anything, well, anyone who was red?"

Roll froze. "Red?" She then thought for a moment. "Red..." she repeated, finding that some hidden, buried piece of her CPU was making itself known. "Red..." she repeated. "Red...and hair." she then said.

Hair? X was confused at first, but then he remembered something from long ago. It wasn't clear, but some elements escaped through the fog in that part of his mind. Hair. he thought. "Yeah. Long hair," he added. "Long and blonde. Even longer than yours."

Both Reploids went silent, green eyes looking into teal, neither entirely sure what to say next, let alone if they should. Did either of them want to be going further with this?

"I think we need to get back." Roll then spoke up. "Coffee doesn't brew itself, you know."

"Yeah, right." X agreed, both of them exiting the tent.

Though what they had discussed would be far from over.

Outside of Arcadia's Borders

8:00 PM

Twenty Hundred Hours

"Ray, Glenn, do you copy?"

Two Maverick Hunters had themselves concealed behind a large boulder, dry and barren land. A Reploid with a pale face pronounced white shoulders and a yellow chest plate with brown forearms and yellow boots answered the call. "Loud and clear, Gamma, sir," Ray said.

"What's your current status?" Gamma questioned.

"So far, there's been no sign of him, but we did find an odd structure in Area 1345," Ray told his superior. "It appears to be an old laboratory of some kind, though how long it's been here, neither of us can say."

"Very well. Keep me posted. The slightest suspicion that our fugitive is in the area must be reported. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Gamma, out." Ray's audio receptor went silent; the peaceful yet all-consuming silence only made the already tense situation even more discomforting.

"So," the Hunter partnered with Ray began. He was mainly red with blue, round shoulders, and a more cubic-shaped head than Ray. He had golden rims around his wrists and a white chest with green metal covering his abdomen. His ankles had golden rims, but his feet were pure white. "Do you think this guy is behind the Maverick Virus?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Glenn; of course he is!" Ray replied. "Besides, we have no other leads as it is. And while no major incidents have occurred, more and more Reploids will be infected if something isn't done."

Glenn was quiet for a moment, pondering exactly how to word what he wanted to say. "Do you think that they're all infected?"

Ray was puzzled. "Who?"

"Those classified as Mavericks." Glenn clarified. "I mean, yes, I'm not denying the Virus exists, but do you think that all of the Reploids we've had to either contain or stop entirely had the same thing?"

"What else would they have?" Ray asked. "It's a computer program that messes up the CPU; otherwise, there'd be no reason for Mavericks to, well, go Maverick! No Reploid in their right mind would ever consider breaking one of the Three Laws. Especially the first."

Glenn looked at the ground, unsure. "So you don't think some of them went Maverick because they could?" he asked. "After all, we Reploids technically have what the humans call free will, so couldn't someone exercise that, but to harm?"

Ray had nothing he could say back, for his partner's words now began to repeat in his mind. Was such a thing possible? True, Reploids were far more advanced than mechaniloids and the robots of long ago, but they still regarded the Three Laws. Every form of mechanical life did! Still, the more he thought about it, he found that he was running out of counterpoints to combat the issue. Could a Reploid do that? Could Glenn? Could he?

Could...anyone?

"Hey, look!" Glenn whispered.

To his surprise, Ray peered around the boulder and saw a figure not too far away. He didn't notice either Ray or Glenn; thankfully, he walked into the lab and shut the door of the two Hunters' sights.

"Gamma, sir! This is Glenn!" Glenn said, adjusting his audio receptor to contact his leader. "Suspect has just entered the lab!"

"When?" Gamma asked, not taking too long to respond.

"Just now," Glenn answered. "Although, I don't know how long he'll stay in there, let alone what he's doing here of all places."

"We can ask him that once he's in custody," Gamma said. "For now, stay put and alert us of any updates. I'll be there shortly. Gamma out."

The link died, leaving the two Reploids alone to talk to. Though neither of them was precisely in the mood, Glenn's question was still at the forefront of Ray's mind. No, impossible. He thought, dismissing the notion of a Reploid going Maverick on their own. Right?

"Hey! It's Gamma!" Glenn suddenly said, Ray, looking past the large boulder and saw his unit leader and the other Hunters accompanying him. Armed with their weapons, one pried open the door, and they entered through the available space, disappearing into the lab. "You think they'll be ok?"

"Sure, no problem!" Ray answered. "Gamma's one of the Commander's best men! That Maverick had better surrender if he knows what's good for him!"

Inside the Lab

"All right, spread out," Gamma ordered, his men going and looking around. "The second our target makes a move, don't hesitate. He's to be brought in alive, but he can survive without an arm or leg."

"Yes, sir!" Gamma's men responded.

Gamma observed his surroundings. The lab's interior was old and falling apart; the electricity once powering this place had shut down long ago. If there was any, much of the color was faded and dull, appearing dark or partially hidden behind thick grime and dirt. How long have you been here? The Hunter wondered how this Reploid had managed to stay undetected for so long, let alone why he had decided to do all of this. Why would a Reploid infect his kind with such a deadly program?

"Hey, look!" one of the Hunter whispered, Gamma and the rest being alerted that a door in the lab was opened. Or perhaps closed. Then, they saw a shape emerge from the thick shadows: the one they had been looking for.

"Freeze!" Gamma commanded, everyone pointing their weapons in the Maverick's direction. "Put your hands up, and get on the ground!" the unit leader commanded. "Comply, and no harm will come to you."

Even if he was still partially concealed by darkness, the Maverick looked at the group of armed Reploids surrounding him. Who were they, and what were they doing here? Who did they think they were to break into his home?

He began to step forward, yet a blast from one of the Hunters' weapons forced him to jump to the side. "You idiot!" Gamma chided. Now, this criminal would run for sure!

But he did no such thing. Instead, he stood in place, eyes locked onto all those staring at him. Then, he rushed forward, the Hunter that had fired at him unable to get another shot in before he was attacked.

Dig Site

She was thankful that the digging crew was settling in and wrapping things up for the night because Roll couldn't focus on anything but what X had asked her.

Red. The details Roll and X had told each other continued to repeat themselves. Red with blonde hair. Long blonde hair. Longer than hers but tied up just as well. And with that, the images of Mega Man firing desperately at an incoming, red shape, blonde hair trailing behind them.

X's question activated and allowed her to peer more into the large amounts of corrupted data in her memory bank. But, even if she could operate and function fine, she would at least like some of the bits and pieces of her old life to become clearer. X had told her what she had supposedly said when she was first activated, and now she found she could focus on little else. Between the last thing she could remember and awakening a century later, the period was filled with space. And yet brief flashes of images could be found if she dug deep enough.

"Red and long, blonde hair," she said aloud, pondering those specific details. There was a bright flash, a robot with those features, Mega Man fighting tooth and nail against him. That was all she could remember currently, but now that she had seen it, she focused on delving further into her systems. She suspected that X had started doing the same long before her, the blue Reploid always seemingly hungry for any information he could get. Since Maverick incidents had been increasing, she wondered whether or not this had triggered something for him.

And in turn, his pondering had triggered something in her.

Whoever this long-haired robot was, he was dangerous. And while she doubted that a machine like that was still around, if he were, the Maverick Hunters would surely take care of him. Then this whole fiasco would be over. Yet, she thought, illogical as it was, what if he somehow was still around? X had been sealed away from the world for a century, and she had been lying dead in the same lab, so perhaps it was possible that a similar machine could exist.

Of course, the question became whether or not she wanted to find out—both for the humans' sake and especially X's.

Hidden Laboratory

Gamma crawled across the floor, the entirety of his lower half gone and lying a few feet away from him, cables and cords torn and sparking with electricity that had nowhere to flow to. His panicked eyes looked around, all of his team not in much of a better state than he. They had all been slain. Now he was the only one left. The only remaining lamb for this Maverick to slaughter.

The Maverick stepped towards Gamma, the Hunter raising his hand to keep him back. "No..." he said with a wavering voice. "No..." he knew that repeating himself would do no good, it would not save his life, but as the Maverick drew closer, it was all he could do. His weapon was too far away, and it was impossible to reach it fast enough in his state!

The Maverick drew closer.

"NOOOOO!"

Then the renegade Reploid pounced, hands around Gamma's neck as he was held down, screams echoing throughout the lab as the last member of the unit was rendered just as silent as the others.

Chapter Text

Ray was left speechless; Glenn had to go off for a moment to recollect himself. The scene was horrific: legs and arms torn from the bodies they originally belonged to, weapons scattered or crushed underfoot, optics cracked or broken through entirely, and mouths hung open in a permanent scream of terror. When the two Hunters had seen the Red Maverick rush out of the lab, they were confused as to why no one else followed after him. But when they went in to see what had happened, what met them was the horrible image of their squad leader and the rest of their friends torn to pieces.

"We…we gotta tell the Commander about this." Glenn stammered, voice still wavering.

Ray said nothing, but he immediately contacted HQ. "Hello? Ray to Hunter HQ! Ray to Hunter HQ! Come in!" he got no response, adjusting his frequency. "Blu? Ai? Anyone?! Please respond! We need help!"

Finally, after an agonizing half-hour of calling, pleading, and begging for someone to hear him, he received an answer. "This is Blu," the feminine voice said, her voice heard in his audio receptor. "Report. Has the suspect been apprehended?" Ray was rendered silent. "Ray? What's going on?"

Ray swallowed. "We've got a situation here."

The Next Morning

He was roused from his stasis by the sound of shots being fired and physical blows, metal being dented and broken through, and a young boy struggling against someone larger and more robust than himself. X rose from the operating table he was on and steadily made his way off and to the room of the small, secret space located in Dr. Light's abode. Stepping out of the room, he heard what was taking place far clearer. He was about to run but felt someone tug at his ankle.

He looked down and saw a familiar face, yet it was ironically concealed beneath a red helmet and thick, black visor. "Y-You…" the more miniature robot said, many of his details obscured by a strange haze, as if X couldn't entirely make out his appearance. Whether this was the effects of his systems still adjusting from being in stasis, he had no time to think as the sounds of someone being viciously beaten brought him back to reality. "You…you have to stop him." the red robot croaked out. Unfortunately, he was quite injured himself, having fallen to the ground as his legs gave out from beneath him. "Mega…can't do it. He…" the red robot said no more as he fell to the ground.

X knelt and found, to his relief, that he was still alive but still relatively weak. He would need repairs soon, but that would have to come later. Right now, he had to see just what was going on. Following the commotion, X saw a smaller, younger, but equally, blue robot being thrown to the floor and kicked around by one larger than himself. The robot lifted his head and saw him, his wide, blue eyes looking confused upon seeing X.

"What…are you…doing?" the smaller robot winced in pain as he tried to walk towards X. He was severely damaged, his armor cracked and dented in several places. "You…you got to get back to where you-" he coughed, X seeing dark, black fluid dripping from his mouth and onto the floor. "He's after me, but if he sees you, he might…" he fell to his knees, struggling to stand back up.

What is going on?! X wanted to ask, but before he could say anything, he saw the figure the blue robot had been fighting draw closer to them. X couldn't make out all the details, his vision still unable to capture a complete image, but when he saw him, the Reploid felt something stir from within him. Energy. He thought. It's the same as mine. A sense of strange but familiar heat was felt in his core. And yet…

The figure around X's height extended his left arm, and he saw a hot, white light beginning to from his palm. Wait, no. His hand was gone, and in place of it was a buster.

"MEGA MAN! WATCH OUT!" A young female voice shouted, the unclear image of a small girl in red running towards the scene. Or rather, running towards Mega Man.

The blaster then fired at Mega Man and himself, the concentrated shot coming closer and closer.

X sat up immediately from his portable capsule, breathing heavily despite having no lungs. And while he could not produce any, he was confident that he would've broken out into a cold sweat; his core felt as if it were on fire.

"X?!" Dr. Cain entered through the small tent, Roll following close behind. "X, what's going on? Are you all right?"

Roll rushed to his side and knelt, X feeling her place a hand on his blue shoulder. "It…it's fine." the other Reploid assured his sibling and Cain. "Bad dream, I guess."

"Dream?" Cain questioned. True, when he was first undergoing Fujiwara's tests, X had displayed that, while in stasis, his CPU would be able to piece together various portions of information to construct a loose recalling of past events. So it wasn't precisely "dreaming" per se, but it was still a feature of Dr. Light's programming that couldn't entirely be replicated. In fact, many Reploids were reported to have only "begun" to "dream," according to some recent studies. "Well, what was this dream about?" Even if Fujiwara would want some sort of word about this, Cain genuinely wanted to know what could've caused X to wake up so startled.

But he never got the chance.

"Dr. Cain!" a member of Cain's team ran into the tent, clearly panicked. "We've got a situation!"

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Cain questioned.

"There are two guys that are from the Hunters." the digger said. "They said that it's an emergency."

An emergency? Dr. Cain, Roll, and X exited the tent and saw two unfamiliar Reploids standing a short distance away, talking with some of the humans that had gathered to see what was going on.

Then, the brown and yellow Hunter turned to see the paleobotanist approaching him. "Ah, great! It's you!" he said, running towards Cain. "Oh, yeah. Ray of the 14th unit," he said. "And this is Glenn." he gestured to the other Reploid with him.

"I'd offer you my greetings, but I'm quite curious as to what you're doing here." Cain said.

Ray was about to speak but noticed Roll was present there. Even if she was a Reploid, a civilian had no business hearing this. "You need to go, lady," Ray told the blonde. "This deals with official Hunter business." he then looked her over. "You're one of those serving Reploids, aren't you?" he observed. "Well, you'd probably best get back to your work. There's nothing here you can do."

X noticed that Roll had looked, even if slightly, just a bit hurt. But before X could say anything to her (or tell this guy off for being so rude), Roll smiled. "Yes, of course," she said, bowing slightly. "Please, excuse me."

"Roll-" X said, but Cain put a hand on his shoulder, his sister leaving and going off elsewhere.

Seeing as they now had X's and the older man's attention, Ray and Glenn looked at each other and nodded. "We don't mean to cause you any alarm," Glenn began. "But we had gotten intel of a potential lead on the Maverick Virus case," he explained. "We were part of the unit sent to apprehend him, but he-" Ray shook his head. They didn't need to know all of the details. That would just cause more panic to break out. "He escaped, and," he drew closer to Dr. Cain, whispering to him, "We have reason to believe that he might have been heading this way."

The human and Reploid with him were taken aback by what they had just heard. "Don't be alarmed!" Ray assured them. "We have everything under control! In fact, Commander Sigma himself is on his way here."

"Really?" X questioned. "Why?"

Ray and Glenn looked at each other, then back at the blue Reploid. "We're…not at liberty to say." they could already see suspicion in the three's eyes. "But we have little reason to believe that there won't be any casualties-" Ray elbowed Glenn in the side. Hard. "Ow!" he winced, rubbing the area Ray had struck.

"What he means is, it's unlikely that anyone here is in danger." Ray clarified. "He appears to have limited to no contact with humans. And so far, no humans have been harmed."

"Indeed. He could've killed that one kid." Glenn whispered to his partner. "Anyway, we've been sent here for your protection. So you can continue with your work without having to worry."

"Well then, thank you kindly for coming all this way." Dr. Cain told the two Hunters. "Please, if they're anything we can do, just say so."

"Well, a general layout of the site would be useful." Glenn said.

"Ah, yes! Of course! I'll take it from here, X." he told the blue Reploid. "You go and find your sister." he then began leading the two Hunters away, leaving X alone.

"Wait!" X called out. Ray, Glenn, and Dr. Cain turned around, the blue Reploid running towards them. "Shouldn't we at least know what this guy looks like?"

"Just stay around here and keep an eye on the humans. We'll look out for this Maverick." and with that, Ray, Glenn, and Cain went off.

It was clear that X wasn't going to get anywhere.

Later

While the two Hunters being here, as well as the soon-to-arrive Commander Sigma, showed that there was no cause to be alarmed, but as far as X knew, he and Dr. Cain had been the only ones alerted as to what was going on. As far as the digging crew knew, the two other Reploids had come here at the request of the Commander himself. So even if there wasn't much he could do about it, he suspected that there was more to the situation.

They're leaving out a lot of details. X pondered as he continued searching for Roll. True, given what Ray and Glenn had told him and Cain, X knew that sticking by the old man, as well as the other humans present at the site, would be best. After all, if Ray and Glenn WEREN'T telling the whole story, then the blue Reploid needed to be on his guard even more. He knew that it would do no good to think about it as nothing could really be done, but X still couldn't help but think, What could've happened?

Even more, neither Ray nor Glenn had even told him what this Maverick even looked like, let alone come out here. Ultimately though, there was nothing that he could do, and he still hadn't found Roll! While he tried to keep his emotions in check, if he found his sister upset over what that Ray guy said to her, then something WOULD be done about it.

Dr. Cain's Tent

"So, you say that you believe he was gathering energen crystals and other resources?" the older human questioned the two Reploids, all three of them sitting at a small table in the tent.

"That's what we believe prompted the suspect even to go out at all," Glenn said. "Factories and production plants had their storages raided, and after each visit, some of the Reploids being constructed were infected with the Virus," he explained. "Rest assured, given that we now know what symptoms or behaviors to look for, we can prevent further damage by flushing it out," he continued. "Though I suppose I don't need to tell you that until the one responsible for it is caught, then these outbreaks will continue."

"Indeed." Dr. Cain nodded, agreeing. "

"We found the suspect had set up a little area for himself in the lab our team tracked him to," Ray explained. "But he…" he paused. "Escaped our squad leader and the rest of our team," he said, hoping that Cain would pry for anything more. "So, Commander Sigma has given us the task of coming here and alerting you of what's going on."

"And I'm quite thankful you have." The older human took a moment to run his fingers through his beard. "So, you said that Sigma himself is coming? What about the rest of your team?"

Both Ray and Glenn were silent, Cain immediately sensing that he touched on something he shouldn't have. "They were…ordered to stay behind. In case this Maverick went back to the previous location."

"Y-Yes, of course." Cain didn't press further. Neither of them said it, yet he sensed that something rather unpleasant took place before the two Hunters came here. "So, I suppose that not a word about this gets out, right?"

"That'd be for the best, yes," Ray said. "The less panic we can create, the better. Plus, even if nothing came of it save for a ransacked kitchen and a broken window, Sigma told the two Hunters not to mention the break-in at Dr. Fujiwara's place. "Understand, however; we have the situation under control."

Cain nodded. "Well, if I may, could I at least know what this Maverick looks like? After all, I will need to know what to look for, as well as X, if he is assigned to protect me."

Outside the Tent

"Hm…yes, you will need that information," Ray said. The thickness of the tent's covering made hearing the conversation somewhat tricky, but Roll was still listening in, peering through the tiny space she had been fortunate to find in the tent.

It wasn't precisely becoming of her to be eavesdropping, yet, even if she didn't have one, her "gut" alerted her that there were details not being told. And if neither of these Reploids was going to say what openly, then she would find out for herself. Especially considering a certain Reploid she and her brother had briefly discussed not too long ago.

Perhaps I'm being paranoid. She mused. But I have to know. I have to. She leaned in closer. For his sake.

"Well, from the witnesses we've questioned, the suspect was surprisingly careful sneaking around, but those who have caught a glimpse of him all describe him as having a set of distinguishable traits." Roll's audio receptor was only mere centimeters away from the small space. "Apparently," Glenn continued. "The reports say that it's a Reploid with the standard, male form. One of the more, shall we say, humanoid shape." in truth, the Hunter had always been somewhat self-conscious of his appearance, though Ray seemed not to care. Then again, you're the one with the better-looking face. Glenn went on. "He has a distinct, red sheen, and while some say that they thought it was a cape or cloak of some kind, the most recent witness said that it resembled hair."

Roll had to control herself, clapping her hand over her mouth to muffle the small gasp she had made.

It seemed that the reveal of these details also stirred something in Dr. Cain. "We…need to get X here right away." he said.

"I agree," Glenn said back. He looked at Ray, who appeared apprehensive, but not for the same reason Cain was, let alone Roll. "Where is he now?"

"The last I know, he was looking for Roll, but I haven't seen him or that girl anywhere," Cain explained, then he rose from his chair. "I'll go see if anyone's seen those two-"

"Hello, Doctor." Roll suddenly greeting, Cain took a step back upon seeing the blonde at the tent's entrance. She seemed to have manifest from nowhere.

"Oh, there you are!" the older human chuckled, Roll trying to make herself appear inconspicuous. "Where have you been? I was just about to look for you."

"Oh, nothing. Just going around, helping out with whatever." She then locked her teal eyes with Ray's. "After all, there's nothing else that I can do, is there?" Even if she was smiling, her eyes were anything but friendly. Ray could swear that, from the look she gave him, she was secretly plotting his murder.

"Anyway, would you mind going to fetch your brother for me? These gentlemen here need to discuss something with him." Cain asked.

"Sure thing." she then turned to go find X, though not before shooting Ray another look.

While she was relatively small compared to himself and Glenn, Reploid's gaze could be quite intimidating.

That Night

He stood at the "border" of the dig site, green eyes peeled for any sort of sign of movement in the distance. The land was barren and devoid of greenery, so there weren't many places where someone could hide.

Red sheen, blonde hair. X repeated these details in his processor. Red sheen, blonde hair. These traits and the foggy image of the robot that was attacking were trying to find some way to link themselves together as if the answer X was looking for was right there. And perhaps it was, but even if that was the case, X knew that he couldn't just force himself to remember. Even now, after months of his systems performing as they should, there were still some areas that he still couldn't quite decipher.

It just doesn't make sense! He thought, getting frustrated. I've seen someone that matches that description perfectly! But I just can't get a clear image! The "dream" he had this morning was little more than an all-consuming haze, his mind going in circles just thinking about it.

But ultimately, there was nothing he could do about that now. He now knew that a potentially dangerous individual would perhaps come to the site. And while no humans had been harmed as of yet, no one could afford to take any risks even more with Ray and Glenn not revealing everything to X and Cain.

Suddenly, X heard someone approaching him from behind. He turned to see Dr. Cain standing a few feet away. "Oh, what are you doing here?" X asked. "If Roll catches you out this late, she'll flip."

"She's busy helping set up the trap," Cain answered. "So I can sneak out for just a little while." he wasn't sure whether it was humorous or sad that a machine only a few months "old" acted like she was his mother.

The "trap" Cain was referring to was X's idea. Though how he came upon it made Cain wonder. Upon being informed of the runaway Maverick's appearance, the blue Reploid immediately shot down the idea of firing upon the suspect, should he return. Ray was quite taken aback by this, and he was actually becoming angry, claiming that X knew nothing and how he nor anyone else had the slightest idea of who they were dealing with. But before he could say any more about what had occurred before the two Hunters had arrived, Glenn stepped in and urged Ray to calm down.

If not just to keep him quiet.

Glenn allowed X to speak, and that's where the blue Reploid laid out a possible plan. First, a small tent would be set up, and a good supply of energen crystals and other energy sources would be placed inside, drawing the Maverick to that particular area. Then, they could move in, surround him, and take him into custody. As much as Ray didn't like it, Glenn reminded him of their original orders. If this Maverick was responsible for the Maverick Virus, he needed to be taken in alive for interrogation.

So far, things were going according to plan, and X was making one last round around the site's perimeter, searching for any signs of red and long blonde hair. Even so, to the blue Reploid's puzzlement (and growing annoyance), neither Ray nor Glenn would divulge any more about what happened before they came to the site. And they (or rather, Ray) told X that his job was to make sure nothing happened to Dr. Cain. Taking care of the Red Maverick was theirs.

It's almost like they're trying to keep me as uninvolved as possible. He thought. Ultimately though, the situation was what it was, and there were more important things than his ego. Still, he couldn't help but feel as if he were purposefully being left out. "Speaking of," X spoke, remembering he had barely seen his sister all day. "How is Roll?"

"She's all right." Dr. Cain answered. "Although, she has been a little quieter than usual."

So, the change in her mood IS Ray's fault. X furrowed his brows. After this was over, he would have to have a word with Ray on just how to speak to his sister as she deserves. "You, well, we should probably get going," X told Dr. Cain. "It probably would be best if you're back in your tent."

"Our tent for the time being." Cain corrected. "We're going to be bunk-mates."

"Yeah, I think I'll have my own bed, thank you." X responded; the two then walked to the older man's tent. Once the two had gone inside, they were about to settle in, but X still had more on his mind. "Say, Dr. Cain?" he asked, the older man just about to change out of his work clothes but stopped himself. "Mega Man, well, the original Mega Man, Rock Light," X explained, trying to distinguish his predecessor from himself. "No one ever found out what happened to him, right?"

"There was no official report or any sort of documentation regarding his supposed death, so no, no one can say. The only one who knows is Mega Man himself. And he's not here to tell anyone anything." Cain responded.

"Doesn't that strike you as strange?" X then asked. "Why would a creation of Dr. Light just disappear? Especially considering that it was likely Dr. Wily was still a threat then? And he didn't seem to be the type to just up and quit." he explained further.

"So, what do YOU think happened?" Cain questioned the blue Reploid.

X was quiet for a few moments before asking another question. "Mega Man…he disappeared around the same time as Wily, right?" Cain nodded in response. "And there was also a theory that Wily was possibly killed, right?" Again, Cain nodded. "It's a bit of a stretch, I'll admit, but do you think there could be some sort of connection?"

"I'll admit, I've been wondering the same thing," Cain admitted. "True, while Dr. Wily's disappearance is still unsolved, there are theories. One theory is that Mega Man had finally decided enough was enough and decided to…take care of him permanently if you will."

"But if that were true, then Mega Man would've somehow overridden his programming regarding the First Law," X argued. "After all, advanced AI or not, I doubt Dr. Light would've just allowed something like that to happen. And Mega Man represented how robots could benefit and even save humanity. Killing Wily would destroy all of that."

"Then what do you suggest?" Cain questioned.

X thought about this. Indeed, just what was he suggesting? It was a fleeting possibility that came to him from seemingly nowhere. But if Mega Man nor the Robot Masters were able (or even willing) to go against the Three Laws, then it had to be someone else.

Someone like myself.

Outside the Tent

Roll had to contain herself, lest she blow her cover, but as she continued to listen in on X and Cain's conversation, she found herself wishing to release everything that she thought about these "theories."

She had intended to go to her tent and turn in for the day, but upon seeing X and Cain enter their shared space, she suspected that there would be more said about this Red Maverick. This is very unsavory. She chided herself. But I have to know. I have to.

A Short Distance Away

While X's plan wasn't anything that required much brain power, it was logical. Given that the Maverick presumably stole energy resources, he'd surely want something to rebuild his collection. Especially given that going back to his previous home wasn't an option. Ray stood on one side of the perimeter while Glenn stood on the opposite, but both were in constant contact.

"You know, he could perhaps help us." Ray heard Glenn say, his voice heard in his audio receptor. "I mean, even if he's not a real Hunter, our combat data came from somewhere."

"You know well what the Commander said," Ray told Glenn. "X is to be involved as little as possible. That was a direct order."

Indeed, Glenn knew that well. After he and Ray reported what had occurred at the lab, they had been ordered to track the Maverick down. Neither of them needed extra motivation to follow that order, both of them more than ready to bring down the one that had ravaged their fellow Hunters and friends. The sight of Gamma's torn-up body still gave them shivers. But when it was found that the Red Maverick had gone in the direction where Dr. Cain's crew had set up, the Commander made his instructions loud and clear.

"Memorize each and every detail that you come across." So Commander Sigma had told them upon realizing where they were located. Know the terrain inside and out. Then, the second you spot him, fire on him. But only enough to cripple, not to terminate. He is still needed alive. But remind X of his duty to Cain."

While he didn't say it outright, Ray and Glenn couldn't help but sense that their Commander didn't want X to have anything to do with this operation. Of course, both had their theories as to why, but ultimately, that didn't matter. Currently, their optics were peeled to spot any oddity or disturbance.

But even though they were armed and ready to fire at the ready, Glenn couldn't help but question his Commander's logic. "Wouldn't more firepower be beneficial for us?" the blocky-headed Hunter questioned his partner, looking around for any sign of a red flash.

"Dr. Cain needs protection," Ray answered back, he too looking around. "And it's not as if X can really be trusted to take care of business when it needs to be done."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still, it's not like he has to kill the suspect." Glenn argued back. "After all, we do need him alive."

"You remember what happened with those renegade Pierrot droids? He'd probably try to make friends with this guy." Ray retorted. "Despite everything he's got, that doesn't change the fact that he's an idiot."

Glenn sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

"Look, whether he'll be an asset or a liability, we're just going to have to see. But for now, he is to stick close to Cain and nothing more." Ray told his partner. "You know what'll happen if the Commander finds out we disobeyed orders."

Glenn shook his head. "You don't need to remind me."

He had seen his Commander being into full-on verbal battles with Vile, sometimes escalating into physical confrontations. Of course, Vile always started it, but he was quickly put in his place no matter how many times he came at the Commander. And while Glenn didn't believe that Sigma would do the same to them, he was still a Reploid that made sure everyone knew who was in charge.

"Just keep watch on your end," Ray told Glenn. "I'll do the same over here. The first sign of anything, give me a holler."

"Will do." Glenn responded.

Of course, among the barren landscape and dried Earth, a figure concealed behind a bolder on Ray's end was watching the Hunter so he could slip by. There were other Reploids here, so surely there would be some energy he could consume. True, he could function fine for a good while more, yet he knew his reserves were getting low and would need refilling soon. Cloaked in the dark shadows of the night, the unseen invader's eyes searched the grounds. A smaller tent was situated on the far right corner and was partially open.

And inside was…energy! Energen crystals, E-tanks, and other items that he had been needing, and all right there for the taking! It was all too easy. The Maverick crept around and used the tent as a shield to conceal himself by hiding behind it. It was clearly a trap, yet that didn't mean he couldn't get something out of it for himself. After all, as long as no one saw him, he could take as much as he wished. He began to pull up on the cover yet stopped upon catching something in the corner of his eye.

Or rather, someone.

She had been forced to retreat when she heard X come out and begin circling the tent, but she had heard more than enough. Roll sighed in relief when she saw her brother go back inside; she decided that perhaps she had better get herself to bed. Not like she could do anything else.

Roll already knew much of what X and Dr. Cain had discussed as she went along, having heard such things before. But with that brought forth emotions she had not wished to express openly. While she had initially been a prototype to see if X's systems could be replicated, yet since Reploids had become a part of Arcadian society, it seemed that she had been completely forgotten. So, finally, she walked into her tent, but she stood in the center of the small space that was her temporary "room" and sighed, brushing some of her blonde hair out of her face.

Dr. Fujiwara has YET to upgrade my body. Roll lamented. Even if she had kept her armor and outer shell well-cared for, she knew that she was made of cheap materials. And since Reploids had begun to walk among the human populace, Roll had found that she had found more opportunities open for her, yet even those were restricted.

Most of all, she found herself back again in the role of a homemaker. Roll had no ill will towards her duties and performed them well. After all, she was made for that, and as far as she was concerned, there was no one better at it than she. But again, what did that accomplish? What good did that do anyone, aside from being a reliable source of work for Dr. Fujjiwara and a (sometimes) helper of Dr. Cain? If anything, this was the first dig that Roll had been on with the older human!

It's not like I'm ungrateful. Roll thought. If anything, it's fortunate I'm even here at all. She bit her lip, her brother and Cain's conversation coming to mind. If a robot like that existed, then X could surely take care of him. Though…I doubt he'd have to. Mega Man would've beaten him. She then shook her head, possibilities of other, more horrible outcomes came to her. No! Impossible! Mega Man was unstoppable! And even if he wasn't…here, X was. And he'd be able to take care of anything! He would have to. Roll mused sadly. Because I can't do anything for him. Not like this.

She then turned around, wishing to get some air to clear her head, but Roll found her path was blocked, bumping into the taller figure before her.

"What the…" she began, bewildered. She stared up at the Reploid that had just entered her tent. "Who are you?" she questioned. "And what do you think you're doing? Barging into a lady's space uninvited-" she then stopped, taking in more of the Reploid's features. His rather distinctive features. "W-Wait." she said. "You're…"

Suddenly, X bolted outside, Ray and Glenn rushing over into the small site section where the tents were set up. They had all gotten the signal that their target had entered the perimeter, though it did not come from any of them, nor Cain or the other humans.

Roll's small tent was situated not too far away from Dr. Cain's, completely unremarkable and plain. But everyone's eyes were drawn to it.

And their audials heard Roll screaming from inside.

She ran around the Reploid and tried to bolt out of the entrance, but a hand seized her wrist tightly and dragged her back inside. Roll felt the Red Maverick hold her by the arms tightly, keeping her in place. "L-Let go of me!" Roll demanded, trying to break free of his hold, and when that didn't work, she began to pound furiously on his chest. "Let go of me, let go of me, LET GO OF ME!" she shouted, yet no matter her blows or twisting, it was clear she wasn't going to get away. The Maverick's icy blue eyes bored into her teal; Roll felt her fluids run cold. His star was intense and piercing as if he were a predator staring down at his newest catch.

"There he is!" Glenn shouted, both the Maverick and Roll looking to see Ray with a plasma pistol drawn out.

He pulled the trigger, and a beam of concentrated energy shot forward. The Maverick ducked to the side, the beam tearing completely through Roll's right shoulder. Roll was sent back, the tent unable to support her weight and came crashing down. Now the Red Maverick was revealed for X to see.

As the reports said, this Reploid gained the title of "Red Maverick" for a reason. His armor was a distinct red with white highlights along the rims and ends of his boots, his abdomen and shoulders also white. But on one shoulder, a sort of emblem composed of yellow and violet shapes was seen, resembling the letter "Z." He wasn't enormously tall, yet he stood above X by a few inches. His helmet had extended face guards around the cheeks and curved ridges on top, almost resembling horns of some kind. A sort of "red devil." His forehead was white with a triangular blue crystal, two green orbs were on his chest, and silver arm guards were on his wrists. But aside from his red sheen, the most striking feature of this Reploid was a surprisingly long, flowing tail of blonde hair that extended from the back of his helmet, kept in a ponytail by a cylinder of blue.

The Red Maverick's blue eyes fixated on X, the blue Reploid getting a taste of his intense stare. The blonde Maverick looked at X, then to Roll, who was on the ground and clutching her damaged shoulder. He then took a step towards her. Roll tried to rise but found a red arm had wrapped around her waist, and he hoisted her over his shoulder. "W-Wait!" she protested, kicking wildly to try and escape. "Wait, don't! Stop!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears, however, as the Maverick bolted away from the site, Roll still in his hold. Ray, Glenn, and X wasted no time going after him, firing at the red Reploid. Yet, despite their efforts, he was simply too fast for them. The Red Maverick dashed off into the night, his captive's screams and cries for help growing more and more distant until they disappeared entirely.

Chapter Text

This had gone on long enough.

Sigma was currently making his way towards the dig site, following the coordinates provided to him via Ray and Glenn. "Gamma...gone." he muttered to himself, the pale moon reflecting in his forehead gem and completely blue eyes. "His entire unit...gone. How could a virus-" he stopped himself. "No. No virus could do this. Not entirely. This...this is something from within." after all, what virus completely altered one's personality to the point where they were nothing more than a wild animal? Yet if it was not this Maverick Virus, what else could it be?

Whatever the case, he could deal with that later. What Sigma currently had at the forefront of his mind was apprehending that Red Maverick and putting an end to all of this. Since this case had started, officially started according to the council, the Maverick Hunters have been doing little than cleaning up the messes that this so-called virus had caused. But a virus corrupted systems and caused machines not to function correctly, and even then, no virus he knew of caused such violent behavior. But if this was the case, that this WAS indeed some internal issue within a Reploid's systems, how could it be solved?

Though he didn't allow it to be shown, Sigma was beginning to feel the council's weight on him. They made it clear that they wanted this issue resolved, and they wanted it resolved fast. In this case, while he couldn't be sure, he suspected that it was causing his men to doubt his capabilities. They're questioning everything about me. He thought. Everything that I am, they are questioning it all. Whether he could lead the Hunters, the capabilities of his men, as they had been on this case for months, and even more, whether or not the upgrades given to him were even worth it! How could the council suggest such a thing?! How dare they! After all that he had done for them?!

When he found that Red Maverick, he would give all those ancient bags of flesh proof of his abilities! Not only to lead but take care of any threat that came his way! After all, was he not Sigma? The sum of all of the efforts of humans to create the perfect machine? True, X had come before him, but it was by the hands of the council's scientists that he was made. They oversaw everything; they made sure that his systems were the most advanced AI of the time. They made him to be the ultimate specimen. They made him to be perfect. Not X nor any of the others that came after. Him.

"This is Ray to Commander Sigma! Repeat! This is Ray to Commander Sigma!" the tall Reploid answered the call, somewhat surprised to be hearing from one of his men, especially since he had just left Arcadia.

"This is Sigma," he answered. "Status report. What's happened?"

"Oh, this is bad." he heard Glenn say over the call, his voice in the background. "This is REALLY bad."

"This is all my fault!" he heard X shout, clearly distressed. "Oh, what have I done?! Roll, I'm so sorry!"

"What is going on?" Sigma asked, voice loud but not aggressive. It was at just the right volume to capture the attention of everyone currently panicking. "Ray, has the Maverick been seen?"

"That's just it! He came here!" Ray answered. "The trap worked! He went for it! But then he went to this one tent for no reason, and he took her!"

"Took who?!" Sigma questioned, voice much more forceful. "Who was taken?!"

"Just some Reploid that worked here or something! I don't know; I don't even think I got her name!" Ray answered.

Damn! Sigma mentally cursed. If this has turned into a hostage situation, then the council will be breathing down my neck. "I shall be there shortly. In the meantime, keep on that Maverick's trail, but don't let him know you're following him."

"Roger that, sir!" Ray responded.

"And X, you stay with Dr. Cain," Sigma said; the blue Reploid was able to hear the Hunter Commander from Ray's audio receptor. "Sigma, out." he ended the call and began making his way towards the dig site.

Things were not going in his favor at all.

Sometime Later

Unknown Area

When he had finally set her down, Roll attempted to bolt, only to feel a hand seize her by the wrist. She didn't lock eyes with her captor, but she took a moment to take in her surroundings. The same, dry landscape of risen Earth from the sea was all around, so she had presumably not been taken far, but far enough from the dig site to where she could no longer spot it. She then looked at what was before her: a massive, rusted door that her captor pried open with one hand. It took some effort as he couldn't use both hands; otherwise, Roll would've tried to escape again.

Once enough space had been created, the Red Maverick had pulled the other blonde inside, guiding her as if she were a disobedient dog on a leash. That said, despite her constant attempts to get away from him, Roll noted that he hadn't laid a hand on her save for a restraining one. And even then, it had only been just enough force. She could feel the firmness of his grip, but it wasn't painful.

No time to worry about that. She scolded herself. Just what sort of place is this? It was undoubtedly an old structure, some dilapidated laboratory or small factory. Or maybe a hideout. Indeed, Roll suspected that this place would've been right up Dr. Wily's alley. Almost everything in this place looked as if it hadn't seen the light of day in decades, perhaps even centuries. And given she had no idea when this particular section of land was reclaimed, that could've been the case. Roll then saw that she was being led to a door that had the heavily deteriorated but still visible medical symbol.

Just what lay beyond that door? She knew her mind was getting ahead of her and conjuring illogical nonsense, but she still couldn't keep the images from her mind. A collection of sickening tools for torture or a collection of hanging Reploids drained of their energy flooded her CPU, but Roll forced herself back down to reality. Getting in a panic wouldn't do her any good, and she needed a clear head if she was going to get away from the red stranger. The Maverick opened the door, and inside rested a small operating table, which was rusted over and had not seen use for some time. Roll was taken over and, despite her protests, was picked up and sat down on the table as if she were a doll being put back on the shelf.

She noticed another thing about her captor: despite being capable of more, he treated Roll as if she were made of glass or china, almost as if she could break at any second. This wasn't to say that his treatment of her left much to be desired (kidnapping for one did NOT sit well with her), but so far, the red Reploid had shown no signs of hostility towards his hostage. He hasn't said a word to me, but he's not entirely mindless. I think. Roll remained still, wincing when she felt the Maverick take her broken arm, the shoulder joint rendered useless from the blast she had taken. "A-Ah! Hey! Careful!" she said, her captor pulling on the damaged wires too tightly. It was then that she wondered: was he trying to reconnect them?

Seeing as he was getting nowhere, the Red Maverick began searching around the small space, though for what, Roll had no idea. Half of her wanted to try and make another run for it, but she reminded herself that she was now stuck in a much more limited space with this criminal. Whatever he had done, she was unsure, but as far as she was convinced, Roll needed to know that he was branded a "Maverick" and was potentially dangerous. She hadn't seen it herself, but Roll knew of the damage any Maverick incident could cause, what this Maverick could cause.

And this guy looks like he was tailor-made for just that purpose! She wanted nothing more than to escape, but until that chance came, Roll would have to bide her time and, at the very least, try and keep herself alive before help possibly arrived. She was alerted of her captor's presence yet again, the Reploid holding what appeared to be some sort of short, small conductor of sorts in his hand. "And...what do you plan to do with that?" she asked, genuinely curious, but she still was far from ok with being kidnapped. Finally, Roll was answered when the Maverick worked the conductor through the blast hole in her shoulder. The ends protruded out a bit, but, as Roll found, she could move her arm freely again. "You..." she was astonished, touching the conductor in her shoulder to confirm it was real. "You want to fix me?"

He said nothing to her, Roll unable to read whether or not his silence was a confirmation or denial. Maybe she could get him talking? He turned and began rummaging through the other various bits of junk and scrap littered all over. This place would've been somewhere Wily would've chosen to hide away, constructing something else to torment her creator and brother once again.

"Hey, listen," she began. "Maybe we can work this out," she suggested. The Red Maverick stopped what he was doing and looked at her. She shrank back a bit, beginning to regret opening her mouth. "Uh, here." she then said. "How about we start from the beginning? My name's Roll." she introduced herself, though mainly because she couldn't think of anything else to say. "And you?" she received no answer, just those icy optics looking into her own. His gaze was somewhat predatory, but nothing in seeking sensual pleasures. Instead, it was like a wolf that had brought a rabbit to its den but had yet to kill it. But in her case, it was like the wolf had never seen a rabbit before and didn't know what to do with it. "Uh, heh heh. Yeah." Roll broke out into nervous laughter. "So, thank you for this," she gestured to her "repaired" shoulder. "But you know, this would look good for you. Not potentially harming me and all." whether he could understand what she was saying, Roll couldn't be sure. Nonetheless, her statement did seem to get a reaction out of him. A low growl came from the Maverick, showing his disapproval for such a possibility. "Well, they've already sent two Hunters out here for you, so you might as well turn yourself in."

He went back rummaging through the broken bits and pieces, completely ignoring her.

"Hey! I know you can hear me!" she raised her voice, but again, the Reploid paid her no mind. Fine. she huffed, folding her arms. You're not the only one who can give the silent treatment. Then, she heard the Red Maverick's door open exiting the small room. "H-Hey! Wait!" Roll protested, but she was presented with a look that told her to stay put. Even if he hadn't harmed her (yet), the smaller Reploid knew better than to press her luck. The door was closed, shutting her in the room.

Dig Site

"But sir-" he began to protest, but the taller Reploid was firm in his decision.

"You are to remain here, X," Sigma told him sternly; X felt the oppressive, commanding aura radiating off of the Hunter leader. "Without you, Dr. Cain would have no protection."

"Yes, I know," X answered. True, he understood the logic of what Sigma was saying. Still, he felt he should do something. Roll was now in the hands of a potentially dangerous criminal, and it was all his fault! The damn trap with the energy in the tent was his idea! That Maverick probably saw her gathering energen crystals or E-tanks inside! "Oh Roll, I'm so sorry." he muttered.

He then felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. It was more like it had covered his shoulder entirely, given the size. "Ray and Glenn are high up there in their unit," Sigma told the blue Reploid, who was growing sicker and sicker with dread. "And," Sigma continued. "I shall join them should they need any further help," he told X assuredly. "Your sister shall be rescued and returned to you in one piece. But, in the meantime, stay and protect Dr. Cain if that Maverick tries to come back. Understand?"

"Yes, I do." X answered. "But her arm, it was shot. What if she-"

"Stay with Dr. Cain." Sigma ordered before going off in the two other Hunters' direction had gone in.

X was left alone with the older human, who was equally as worried about the bow-wearing Reploid. "I don't understand."

Dr. Cain turned to X. "Understand what?"

The blue Reploid shook his head. "Why would he take her?" he asked. He knew it was a useless question, but he couldn't help but wonder. "What's the point in taking her? It's not as if she could do anything against him! Hell, she's completely helpless!" X said aloud, worry consuming him to the point it was unbearable. He wanted nothing more than to run away from this place and find that Red Maverick himself! But ultimately, he knew that despite his core begging and pleading to go after Roll, if he left and the long-haired kidnapper came back, the humans would be left unprotected and the other Reploids here.

The Maverick's behavior also puzzled Cain, especially as he had just gone off with Roll. He didn't even try to make demands or begin firing on them (assuming he had any weapons); he simply took his captive and bolted from the scene. He hadn't even tried to fight anyone at all. And while he had seen the Red Maverick for only a few moments, Dr. Cain saw those blue eyes lock onto X and X's eyes onto the other Reploid.

As if they had already known each other.

Unknown Location

He hadn't intended for things to turn out this way.

The Red Maverick still had no idea what he had done wrong. All he had done was go and get nourishment for himself when he had none. How could sustaining yourself be a crime? Regardless, he's sure that was what brought those machines that invaded his home. They fired at him, and he retaliated until there was no longer a present threat. Although the Red Maverick had to admit that, even if his head was foggy and scrambled, he could identify the growing sense of satisfaction as those invaders fell by his hands. Once tall and proud soldiers were finding that they had been blown in half by their weapons trying to catch him, the sight of broken and torn limbs was exhilarating.

He adored it. And a craving for more had begun to bloom.

Yet further opportunities would have to come later, for he had been discovered despite having taken care of the threat. And he was sure he had been followed. Upon coming across the bizarre collection of humans and beings like himself, he spotted a deliberately left open tent, full of energen crystals and other resources. It was a trap, and a part of him felt insulted upon seeing it. Did they take him for a fool? But, nevertheless, he required some energy, and he could afford to carry some of it with him, then make his escape.

Yet that was when he saw "her," and then, he had seen "him."

The blonde with the green bow immediately caught his eye; familiarity and deja vu hit him hard. She was peering in from behind another one of the tents, and someone had come to his mind upon seeing her. A small portion of the intense fog in his mind began to dissipate, allowing for a still disjointed but clearer picture. The Maverick couldn't remember her name, but the female android he had taken with him had so many of the same features as her! Same blonde ponytail (not as long as his), same teal eyes that looked at him with fear, but her voice was distinctly more mature. The one she had reminded him of had the body of a little girl.

A little girl that had looked up at him with tear-filled, pleading eyes. "Please! You don't have to do this! Don't hurt him!" she choked out, her voice high-pitched and young. "Look, take me, do whatever you want with me, but don't hurt him!" he remembered stepping towards another figure on the ground. "Please! No, don't hurt him!" he paid her no mind. "Please don't!"

That was all he could make out. What happened next completely escaped him. He had attacked the one he had followed upon being awakened, yet something else happened. For the next, brief image that came to him was of the one he had seen before, the one the girl had begged him to spare. Yet she was not with him. That was the last he had seen of her.

"Y-You..." the more miniature robot, also resembling a child despite his armor, growled. "You're going to pay for what you've done." he snarled. "Do you hear me?! I'll make you pay!" The Red Maverick could only decipher bits and pieces from his memory banks, yet he had overpowered the smaller blue machine, despite the fight he had put up.

And then "he" appeared.

"He" was not the one he had been ordered to destroy. Instead, "he" was one like himself and not like those others he had seen. No, "he" was one just like him. The one that was his equal and opposite in every way. But that was all he had seen of "him." Until he saw the green-eyed android before he took the blonde. She looked like "her," she really did, yet was it? "She" looked different and yet the same in many ways. As did "he."

He had to take her. If he had stayed, he would surely be fired upon again, and those two others who followed him were there. So he simply brought the female to a place where he could have a moment to look her over. And those fools had already "broken" her arm, so he had to fix her. But he knew they would come for her. That "he" would come for her.

And if that were the case, then he would be waiting.

Hours Later

Morning

The sun beat down on the dried, raised Earth as two Maverick Hunters hid behind a sizable boulder. Finally, at long last, they had tracked that red bastard down! A large, rusted door lay but a short distance away, the entire area completely silent.

"Do you think we should've let X come with us?" Glenn asked Ray, the other Hunter shaking his head.

"Oh please. You know that he'd just be a liability. Hell, he'd probably try and make friends with this guy." he then scoffed. "Idiot."

"Still, it's extra firepower." Glenn brought up.

"You heard the Commander," Ray argued back. "X is to stay with Dr. Cain, no matter what. The fact his sister was taken has no bearing on the situation."

"And what is our current situation?" a baritone voice questioned; the two Hunters turned to see their leader standing a few feet away.

"Commander!" Glenn said in surprise.

"The Red Maverick that wiped out Gamma's unit," Sigma began; Glenn and Ray lowered their heads to respect their fallen comrades. "Where is he?"

"Inside," Ray answered, gesturing towards the mountain a short distance away. "He's inside that door."

Good, Sigma thought. Now they have him cornered. "And the hostage?"

Glenn was silent for a moment. "We can't say for sure," he told his Commander. "But she was alive when she was taken." that wasn't much of a bit of hope to hold onto. Roll could've been torn into little pieces by now for all he knew. Just like the rest of their friends.

"I see." Sigma gazed at the massive, rusted door that led into the mountain's side. "Very well. You two leave this to me."

Ray and Glenn were flabbergasted. "C-Commander! By yourself?!" Ray questioned.

"Just one of my men is one too many," Sigma answered. "And I will not allow any more Reploids to fall victim to this Maverick's rampage." he then made his way forward, walking towards the door and preparing for what he was about to face.

This was actually falling into place rather well. True, most of Gamma's team being wiped out made him want to rip this Maverick apart, yet he thought it through. Perhaps this Reploid that the Red Maverick took with him would serve Sigma in the end. After all, what better way than to show the capability of the Maverick Hunters, as well as their Commander and Head than to come to someone's rescue? And the Reploid was utterly unarmed and defenseless: a perfect candidate! He had it all worked out!

This would turn out just fine, and the council would never dare to doubt him again.

Inside

He hadn't come back in hours, though she wasn't sure whether or not that was a good sign. Roll realized that she must've fallen asleep sometime after she was left alone in this room, rising from the table, her systems coming back online after her brief period of rest. She looked over to her damaged arm and found that the conductor was still working as intended. Well, at least there's that. She thought. Still...I can't stay here. She steadily made her way off the operating table and opened the door.

There was no one in sight, so she slowly and quietly made her exit, making as little noise as possible. As she walked through the empty, deathly silent structure, she couldn't help but think of Wily again. This would've suited him perfectly, but that brought another question: why had her kidnapper brought her here? He seemed to know exactly where to go as if he was familiar with this place. But how could that be? She had never seen that red Reploid before, yet he behaved as if he had seen her. If anything, that was perhaps the only thing that saved her from being harmed or worse.

Well, whatever. The authorities could deal with all of that. For now, she was getting out of here! Roll continued, walking a straight path to keep herself from getting lost, hopefully. This place, while large, didn't have any winding corridors, so it wasn't overly difficult to navigate. But her main concern was where that Maverick was. Was he still here, or had he left? And even more, if she had managed to get out of here, where would she go? She had no idea where this place was, let alone how to get back to the dig site. But she knew that she couldn't stay here, if not just to spare those two Hunters any harm—especially X and Dr. Cain.

Any of her questions regarding the Red Maverick would have to come later.

Ah, yes! Roll saw the main entrance. She wasted no time dashing forward, freedom but a few yards away. "Ah!" only to find her way blocked by her long-haired abductor. "You can't keep me here!" Roll told him, having long reached the end of her patience long ago. "People are going to be looking for me!" Well, technically Reploids, but still. The Red Maverick said nothing, continuing to stare at her. "All right, can you understand me or not?" she questioned. "Because either way, you need to understand that I can't stay here. And you can't either," she explained. "Look, since you haven't hurt me," she gestured to her arm. "And, even if it's not exactly a long-term solution, you did do this, so maybe the authorities will take it easy on you." Roll found herself torn. Sure, this guy did bring her here and held her against her will, yet he hadn't yet harmed her despite being capable of doing so. Yes, he needed to pay for his crimes, but that didn't necessarily mean Roll wanted to see him riddled with plasma blasts. "So...how about this? You just lead me back to the dig site, I'll explain everything, and then all that'll happen is that you'll be taken in custody." it probably wasn't something the Maverick wanted. Still, it was perhaps his only chance to make it out of this alive given the circumstances.

She tried to move forward, but the Reploid moved in front of her. She tried going the opposite direction, but he blocked the way again. He then placed a hand on her undamaged shoulder. "No!" Roll protested, trying to pry her captor's hand from her. "I'm not staying here!" she began to struggle, but the Maverick held her firmly. "Let go of me!" she demanded, beating his chest. She felt her body lifted off the ground, knowing that her captor would take her back into that room. "No! I'm not going! I'm NOT going!" she shouted, increasing her twisting. But the Maverick's strength was great, and with her cheaply-made body, she knew she'd be unable to overpower him. Somebody...help me!

Suddenly, the sound of the massive door being opened alerted them that they weren't alone. The Red Maverick released her; Roll's pushing and struggling sent her to the floor upon being let go. She looked to see a familiar face and was overjoyed. But then her expression turned into one of fear when she saw her kidnapper turn his head to look at her savior.

The Red Maverick saw an invader that had surely planned to bring him down. But, no! He wouldn't allow that to happen! With a roar, he swung a fist in Sigma's direction, of which the taller Reploid dodged with ease, despite being within range of the blow. The renegade machine saw that he had missed and kicked, his leg smashing through the wall. A small explosion had occurred, Roll shielding herself from both the blast and debris that was sent flying. Sigma once again maneuvered out of the way of the attack, chuckling as he did so.

This is almost too easy. Sigma thought, though his confident features faltered somewhat upon seeing the Maverick walking towards him through the dense cloud the explosion had produced. "Hurry!" he told Roll, standing a few feet away. "Get out of here!" Cain's helper had served her purpose; now, it was time for her to leave. Besides, he would be in trouble if he came back without her intact.

Roll nodded and made her way towards the open door. Her captor saw this and raced in her direction to prevent her from leaving. Sigma used this opportunity and dashed forward, intending to strike when the enemy's back was turned. It seemed the Red Maverick had caught onto his tactic at the last moment because he ducked out of the way of the larger Reploid's fist. But before that, Roll felt herself being grabbed and pulled close, both she and the Maverick rolling out of the way until they came to a stop. Although Roll was somewhat disoriented, her captor rose to a standing position while she was on the ground. He said nothing, but his eyes gave her the silent command to stay put.

The Red Maverick then went back to Sigma, throwing punch after punch in his direction, which Sigma dodged effortlessly. Even though freedom was right in front of her, Roll found herself drawn to the sight of the two Reploids fighting with each other. She didn't know why but watching that Red Maverick had stirred up familiar emotions from within. The Hunter leader and Red Maverick took their battle further into the depths of the hideaway, Roll following and keeping herself concealed in the thick shadows and beams of steel that stood up despite their severe rusting. The Maverick continued his barrage of throwing fists, yet Sigma rose his leg and, with one mighty kick, sent the other Reploid flying into some empty oil drums, the impact hard and echoing throughout the area. The Maverick didn't stay down long, quickly rising and going for Sigma again.

Yet just as he was about to strike the Hunter, Sigma seized him and flipped him over. Then, the larger Reploid threw him upwards, his head crashing through the ceiling. Roll winced while Sigma looked on, quite pleased with himself. But before there was time to celebrate, the Red Maverick began to move, and he peered out from the hole he had created. Seeing some loose sections of the ceiling, he had torn one off to use as a weapon. Sigma wasn't intimidated, yet he wondered if he had underestimated his opponent. Whatever the case, it would make his victory all the more satisfying. And he would make this fool pay for daring to make anyone question him again.

The way he fights...Roll reflected, teal eyes watching the ongoing brawl. There's no rhythm or structure to it. she observed. He's just wildly swinging like a savage. The Maverick threw what he had torn off in Sigma's direction, the larger Reploid batting it out of the way. Then, both their fists collided, a wave of energy from both of them sending a small shockwave throughout the structure. He's powerful. Roll observed. Maybe a bit too powerful. Then a terrifying possibility came to her, but she quickly dismissed it. No, impossible. Sigma would succeed! He had to succeed! He has to...huh!?

The Red Maverick was delivering a barrage of punches yet again; Sigma then leaped upward onto the steel bars above. The Maverick did the same, and Roll saw the Hunter leader draw out an energy saber, its green glow lighting up some of the darkness. His opponent took a broken-off piece of steel, intending to make this fight even. The two of them leaped forward, their weapons striking against each other. Swing after swing, Sigma struck the Maverick's makeshift "sword", the steel was dense and not easy to cut, but the dense energy that formed his weapon was breaking through. His opponent seemed to realize this and would have to think of something else.

Finally, at long last, the steel bar was rendered useless, Sigma splitting it in half, just barely missing the Red Maverick's hand. Well, no matter, he would just compensate by splitting this Reploid in half! He lifted his saber high in the arm, the Maverick foolishly charging forward. What was he doing? He was the one unarmed! Sigma paid this no mind, preparing to deliver the killing blow. The two Reploids charged at each other; Sigma swung down his weapon, yet, to his shock, he missed his target entirely.

But his target didn't.

It took him a few moments to realize, yet upon hearing a loud CLANG!, he turned and saw that his arm had been torn from his body, his clenched fist still holding his saber. Sigma instinctively felt a strange sensation overtake him, his large form beginning to tremble slightly, and his once steely optics widened with dread. The Red Maverick began to chuckle as he approached his injured opponent, ready to deliver everything that Sigma had given him. And much, much more.

What was once relief had become twisted and morphed into unbridled terror. From the noise of metal being crushed and smashed into the agony-ridden cries of the proud Maverick Hunter, Roll was left to keeping herself concealed from view, lest she be the next to suffer her kidnapper's wrath. And the low, dark sounds of amusement from him made her inner circuitry run cold. She watched the Red Maverick beat Sigma viciously, his fists colliding with the Hunter leader's battered form and damaging his outer body. Finally, Sigma was knocked to the floor, allowing Roll to see that the synthetic skin on his face had been ripped and peeled in various places, specifically over his eyes.

The Red Maverick took hold of Sigma's head and arm, restraining him as he began to put pressure on one of the larger Reploid's blue optics. He continued to chuckle; Roll put a hand over her mouth to keep silent, lest she gasped or screamed. The battle had long been over, yet her captor wasn't done. No, instead of ending it quickly, he saw fit to beat and toy with his damaged opponent, battering Sigma and letting him go a short distance before he was struck down again. Nothing about this "fight" warranted this behavior, this savagery. This Red Maverick was outright torturing the Maverick Hunter, reveling in his despair and agony.

He's a monster...! Roll's teal eyes then saw a white digit press itself into the thick glass of Sigma's optic; the surface was beginning to crack. This Maverick continued to exert pressure, pressing down harder and harder, Sigma's groans of pain beginning to rise. I...I can't let this happen! I can't just let him die! But what can I do? What can I do?!

Then, her eyes fell on a sizable rock nearby, the bow-wearing Reploid silently made her way towards it. She lifted it up, thankful that she was about to do so. But as she turned to face the Hunter leader and her captor, she stopped. She could only theorize on what would happen, yet she knew that the moment she used the boulder in her hands, her fate would be sealed. But if she didn't, then Sigma would surely die. Roll was torn, core split between the desire to save herself or save another, yet she knew that a decision would have to be made soon. If not for Sigma's sake, then her own.

The Maverick had gone from giggling to breaking out into full-on laughter, the Reploid underneath him steadily having his life drained away. This felt fantastic! This was more than just satisfying or enjoyable; this was euphoric! The sight of his beaten-down prey fruitlessly struggling against his superior strength brought forth an overwhelming nirvana that felt so right and natural. This was what he was made for! This was why he existed in the first place! He was a masterpiece!

The Doctor's masterpiece.

But just as the Red Maverick was about to break through the surface of Sigma's optic, a large object crashed right into the side of his head. He was sent off his feet and into the wall, knocking him off of the Reploid that he was tormenting. The blow hadn't done enormous damage aside from scrambling his circuits, and he looked to see just who had thrown something at him. Roll stepped back, knowing well that she had just doomed herself. With little else she could do, the blonde dashed into the depths of the ancient structure, disappearing into the thick darkness.

The Red Maverick got back up to his feet and followed her, steadily walking the direction she had gone in. "C-Coward..." Sigma snarled, choking on some of the fluids that had worked their way up to his throat. Small streams of deep red liquid trailed down his chin and dripped onto the floor. "Don't walk away from me..." the Red Maverick looked down at him. "We...we're not finished!"

The Maverick didn't respond, only staring down at the Hunter, that was in no condition to fight. Then, he turned away, knowing that his prey wouldn't be going anywhere.

Chapter Text

The world outside the structure's door was still and calm, but the minds of the two Hunters waiting outside were in complete chaos. The Commander had been inside for nearly an hour now, yet there was still no sign of him.

"I can't stand it anymore!" Glenn cried out, turning around. "We've got to get help!" But before he could go anywhere, his fellow Maverick Hunter seized him by the wrist.

"Don't even think about it!" Ray told Glenn. "The Commander told us not to let anyone get involved!"

"And does that mean we just leave him to die?!" Glenn argued back. "He's been gone way too long, and who knows what that Maverick's done to him!"

"You're talking about the Commander here!" Ray retorted. "He can handle anything! And why are you so sure that he's in trouble?"

Glenn was quiet for a short while before speaking again. "You saw what that guy did to Gamma. To all of our friends," he said. "I'm not going to let that happen to the Commander!" He jerked his hand free from Ray and ran, leaving Ray alone in the vast, barren wilderness. "Commander..." Glenn said aloud, going as fast as his legs could carry him. And even if he could far exceed the speed of a human, he was afraid not even that would be fast enough.

And if the Commander fell, they would all be doomed.

Dig Site

He should be there. It killed him not to be, but each time X thought he had worked up the courage, he was reminded of the elderly human he was guarding. X had been nothing but pacing back and forth all over the site and had stayed up all night, unable to even think of sleep. And while he had urged the older man to do so, Dr. Cain couldn't sleep either, staying up with the blue Reploid. Yet now, it was clear that exhaustion was catching up with the human, his eyes drooping and head bobbing when sleep nearly overtook him.

"You need to get back in the tent and rest," X told Cain, feeling very much like Roll. "Staying up for this long isn't good for you."

"Yes, I know," Dr. Cain replied. He then placed a hand on X's blue shoulder. "Sigma is with them. There's nothing to worry about."

X looked down at the ground. He wished he could believe that his sister would be returned safe and sound, and the one who took her put in cuffs. However, the leader of the Maverick Hunters, now being involved in Roll's rescue, didn't comfort him much. There were still so many details about this Red Maverick that he didn't know, and he still believed there was more than what Ray, Glenn, and even Sigma had told him. And this only compounded his already intense anxiety.

"Hey! Help!" a voice from afar cried out, immediately drawing the blue Reploid's attention. To his shock, he saw Glenn sprinting towards them, clearly panicked. He then stopped, his vents going to work in cooling his systems. "H-Help. You've gotta...help me." Glenn wheezed.

"Whoa there, slow down." Dr. Cain told the Hunter, going over to him. "What's going on? What do you need help for?"

"Where's Roll?" X interjected. "Where is she? Did you see her? Is she hurt? Why isn't she with you?"

"I don't know," Glenn confessed. "But I don't think she's the only one in trouble."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Cain questioned. "Is your partner all right? Is Sigma all right?"

"I don't know!" Glenn shouted. "I don't know! Ray won't admit it, but I think something happened in there! I think," he then paused for a moment. "I think he might be in danger."

Danger? What kind of danger? Better yet, what could pose a threat against Sigma? He was constructed with the most advanced systems and skills in combat! How could someone such as him be in danger? Better yet, judging from Glenn's trembling, in grave danger?

Suddenly, both human and Reploid heard someone they didn't expect to speak. "You're Glenn, right?" X asked; Glenn nodded in response. "All right," X continued. "Which way did that Maverick go in?"

Glenn gestured in the direction he had come from. "That way. Why?"

"Could you do me a favor?" X asked. "Stay here with Dr. Cain." X then gazed in the direction his sister's abductor went. He then began walking away from the both of them.

"W-Wait!" Glenn called out. "Where are you going?!"

X stopped and looked back. "I'm going to take care of this.

Unknown Location

If he wasn't going to kill her before, he most certainly would now! Roll had no idea where she was going, panic and terror having taken over and disrupted her internal compass, but she had to keep running. She had to keep moving; otherwise, he'd catch her. Please, no! she thought, but instead of her voice, it was that of a little girl. Her younger self. Please, no! You don't have to do this! You don't have to fight him! she begged.

Find the Professor! Get him out of here! Proto Man's voice echoed in her processor. Get him and yourself out of here!

No! I'm not leaving Mega Man! she argued back. Though she could see it, she knew that the other robot was glaring at her underneath his thick visor.

You'll be good to no one dead! So what sense is there in getting yourself killed!? There's nothing you can do!

Nothing you can do. Nothing you can do. Nothing...

Roll stopped for a moment, concealing herself behind a large pillar. Thankfully, she peered around both corners to see that the Red Maverick was nowhere in sight. Still, that didn't mean she could rest just yet. She had to escape from here! What was she thinking throwing that rock?! She should've just stayed quiet and tried to escape when that Maverick was distracted. Roll then felt disgusted with herself, remembering the state Sigma had been rendered to. She knew that throwing that rock was foolish, but she couldn't just allow herself to let someone die!

But what good did that do?! she thought, mentally kicking herself for being so stupid. So now I've gotten us both killed! Roll lamented, holding her head in her hands. And after he's done with me, he'll surely go back to the dig site. And those two other Hunters...Dr. Cain...she then covered her mouth, keeping in a gasp. X!

She had to get out of here! She had to get help; if not try and warn everyone else! If this Maverick was capable of doing what she witnessed to Sigma, who knew what would happen if he came into contact with humans?! Let alone her brother?! Roll peered around the corner again, and once the coast was clear, she would make a run for it. Her feet began to move, yet as she began to run, she felt a restraining hand hold her wrist.

Outside

The overwhelming silence was broken by the sounds of approaching footsteps, alerting Ray that he was no longer alone. Whirling around, he was about to draw out his weapon but stopped himself upon seeing just who was approaching. "You?!" Ray exclaimed, surprised to see X had come. "What are you doing here?!"

X looked at the entrance to the structure built within the mountain, ordinarily gentle eyes gazing intensely into the small space created by the opened door. "I'm here to help," he said. "Besides, it's my sister that's in there. I should've come the moment she was taken."

"Your duty is to stay with Dr. Cain." Ray reminded the blue Reploid. "You'll just be putting yourself at risk."

"Glenn's with him." X answered. "And forgive me, but I'm going in there, regardless of Sigma's orders."

"No way!" Ray protested, blocking X's path. "He doesn't need you involved! The Commander's orders are-"

"More important to you than his life?!" X interrupted, Ray rather taken aback by how aggressive his voice had become. "He could very well be dead or dying in there. And if he is still alive, wouldn't it be your duty to try and save him? And don't forget, he's not the only one in potential danger!" X continued, getting close to Ray to make sure he made his point. "So unless you want to come with me, I suggest you get out of my way."

Ray didn't even get a chance to move or refuse to do so, as X pushed him out of the way, the blue Reploid rushing towards the massive door. A few moments later, X had reached the structure and ran in, green eyes scanning the area for any signs of his sister or Sigma. Or even that Red Maverick. X continued on his way, trying to keep his steps quiet while walking quickly. He was tempted to call out for Roll or the Hunter leader, yet X thought better of it, as it'd either give the Maverick his location or further endanger everyone else.

Suddenly, he heard a low moan, X steadily made his way to the noise to see a one-armed Reploid on the floor, badly damaged and assumedly unable to move. "Sigma!" X gasped, rushing over and kneeling to inspect his wounds. He looks like he's been mauled! X noticed, greatly disturbed by the display of such barbarism. "Sigma, can you hear me? Sigma?" The taller machine weakly croaked out something, but X couldn't make it out. "Look, don't talk. I'm going to get you and Roll out of here-" It was then that X's attention was drawn towards the darkness and away from the fallen Hunter leader, his green eyes widening in horror at what his audio receptors were picking up.

Roll was only still alive, but X couldn't tell how much longer—especially given how her screaming was resounding throughout the mysterious structure.

"No!" Roll screamed, her captor dragging her towards the wall. He released her, the bow-wearing Reploid nearly tripping over herself before her face met the wall behind her. She rose to her feet but got no chance to react as the Red Maverick flipped her over to where she up against the wall. He grabbed her wrist and held it firmly, Roll swung at him with the other arm, but he seized it just before she could strike him. "A-Ah!" she groaned, the Maverick's grip on her becoming tighter. He lifted her off the floor, Roll kicking against him to make him release her. But it was all for naught; he was simply too strong for her. Despite her inability to cry, her eyes were wide and glassy and fear-filled. "Help me, Rock." she stammered quietly, having ceased her kicking, knowing it was useless. "Please...somebody help me."

This was it. She was going to die here. She was going to be torn into pieces by this horned demon. And she could do nothing about it. There's nothing you can do.

The Red Maverick paused, still holding onto his captive. Roll shut her eyes, waiting for death, yet nothing happened. She was trembling, the suspense unbearable. Then, opening one eye, she saw that the Red Maverick seemed puzzled by her reaction. As if he were the one confused by the other Reploid's terror. "You..." Roll stammered. "W-Well? What are you waiting for?" she questioned. "Aren't you going to...?" she didn't want to stay it, but if it was going to happen, she wanted to just get it over with. "Or will you make me beg for it?" she inquired. "Are you just wanting to torment me further? You ARE cruel!" He drew closer to her; Roll turned her head, eyes shut and trembling. He had the perfect opportunity to end her. There was nothing or no one here to stop him from doing it. So why? Why wasn't he ravaging her as he had Sigma? Why? Why?! "Do it!" Roll cried out, unable to stand it any longer. "Just do it, damn you! Do it!"

She was only answered with silence. And not long after, she felt her captor's hold on her loosen. She was still held up against the wall, but the Maverick's grip was no longer so tight. Roll opened her eyes and saw that the long-haired Reploid's expression remained neutral. He didn't appear enraged at her for throwing the rock, yet his eyes still made her cringe. Did he really have no intention of killing her? If not, then why all this waiting?

He wasted no time going for Sigma, and he was explicitly upgraded for combat! She was just constructed out of cheap materials that could be easily ripped from her! So what was he waiting for? Just who ARE you? she was about to speak-

BOOM!

Only to have her words morph into a scream, a blast from behind came dangerously close to her captor but was off by just mere inches. The spot the plasma shot had struck was black and sizzling, having been delivered at close range. The Red Maverick and Roll looked to see X standing a few feet away, his buster cannon smoking from the blast he had just released.

"X!" Roll exclaimed, fear for herself being replaced by fear from her sibling.

"Get away from her!" X bellowed, Roll was rather surprised at the fierceness and aggression he displayed.

"X, no!" Roll cried out. "You need to get out of here! He's insane! He'll kill you!"

The Red Maverick turned his back to Roll, facing the blue Reploid that had just fired at him. "I said, get away from her!" X commanded, silently praying that he managed to get this criminal's attention off of his sister. Yeah, that's right. X thought, the Maverick leaving Roll and coming towards him. Eyes on me. But just as the other male Reploid could come any closer, he stopped. X had to admit, those steely blue eyes were intimidating, but he didn't budge. Just what was this guy planning?

Both X and Roll found that out very soon as the Red Maverick extended his left arm, the red metal on his forearm was engulfed in white light for a brief second before something entirely new took its place. In place of a hand was the white barrel of a cannon. A cannon that lay inside a slightly enlarged forearm of red and white.

A buster. both Light siblings thought. He's got a buster too. Neither of them could say whether it was fear, awe, or a strange mixture of both. But the second he saw a small, white light beginning to develop from within the darkness of the barrel, X knew that there was no other way around this.

This Reploid had to be stopped.

The Red Maverick released a powerful blast of plasma surging with blue and golden energy; X rolled out of the way just in time to deliver a few shots of his own. To X's and Roll's shock, the Red Maverick batted the shots away as if they were nothing but objects to be swept out of the way. The long-haired, red renegade rushed towards X, seemingly going for a more physical approach. X ducked and ran to the side, firing a charged shot in the Maverick's direction. Instead of merely batting it away, he ducked underneath it, firing a charged shot of his own in X's direction.

All right, X thought. It seems he's not too keen on taking something like that. With that in mind, the blue Reploid began charging his shots and firing, trying to maintain a distance between himself and the Red Maverick.

His opponent fired in X's direction, who fired back, ducking behind a worn down, broken computer. The machine was quickly destroyed, robbing X of the refuge he had taken. X leaped out and fired another charged shot, this time managing to strike the Maverick. The long-haired Reploid released a cry of pain as he clutched his abdomen (where the shot had been delivered). Waves of surging electrical shocks and intense burning throughout his entire system made the Maverick realize that he couldn't waste time with this blue menace: he would have to take out that buster first. Or at least make sure that it was no longer a problem.

He then dashed forward at an incredible speed, dodging X's shots as he swerved left and right, drawing closer and closer to the blue Reploid. Then, just before X could deliver another charged shot, he found a clenched fist met his face. The impact sent him flying back and skidding across the floor until he finally came to a stop. He didn't have much time to recover as X looked to see the Maverick standing above him, readying to deliver another blow. X rolled out of the way mere seconds before his face could be smashed in, the floor serving as a substitute. The Maverick's fist forced the floor to surrender to his strength, a small hole created underneath.

"X!" Roll shouted, about to run to her sibling, but the green-eyed Reploid saw her approaching.

"No, Roll! Don't come near! Stay back!" X urged her; this momentary distraction allowed the Maverick to seize X by the throat and throw him against a steel bar like a rag-doll.

Before X could do so himself, he was hoisted to his feet by his aggressor and thrown against the bar, being delivered a series of blows to the vulnerable areas built into his body. He was then seized by the throat again and lifted, held by the Maverick's strength. The Maverick then held up his buster at X's face; the other Reploid's green optics were shirking in terrible comprehension as the small, white light was seen. The Maverick didn't power his weapon up right away, allowing the energy to build slowly; the light and surging energy from within drew closer to X's face. It was clear what his opponent was planning and that unless he stopped it, he would be finished.

All of them would be finished.

It was then that X realized that while he couldn't stop his aggressor from firing, the energy from within the buster was desperate to escape. But he could perhaps save himself from having his face blown off. He had to work fast, his buster charging up as quickly as possible. The energy began to develop slowly, not entirely used to generate so much in such a short time, yet X overridden the safety feature and continued to build up more and more power. This would be risky, and he would likely receive some damage to himself, but there was no other way out of this.

"Get down!" X shouted to his sister, just moments away from unleashing everything he had built up from within his buster. "I can't shoot in any other direction but this!"

"X!" Roll cried out, reaching for the blue Reploid.

"GET DOWN!" he could contain it no more.

Roll's optics shrank in terror and awe as the energy from both the Maverick and her brother's busters collided, the collection of surging plasma heading in her direction.

Outside

"Dammit, Glenn! You just HAD to go and tell, didn't you?!" Ray hissed, cursing himself for even letting his partner escape from him. He also cursed himself for not keeping that blue idiot from going in! And who knew if either he, the Red Maverick, or the hostage were even still alive? If the Commander was still alive? For all Ray knew, that Maverick could've taken that Reploid specifically to lure the Commander here to take him out. It wouldn't surprise Ray if that was the plan all along. If that's the case, then I guess I'll have to come in for you too, you red bastard!

His plans to go on in were put to a halt, however.

A loud explosion was heard and felt from inside the structure in the mountain, blinding light flashing from within for a few brief moments, then it all went quiet again. Ray lifted himself from the ground, having been knocked off his feet, and he looked in the direction his Commander and X had gone in. "W-What the hell?!"

Inside

He was jolted from unconsciousness by the reverberating echo of a massive release of energy, knowing the sound of an unloaded buster better than anyone, even if he possessed none. Sigma winced in pain as his right eye was severely damaged, unable to get a clear picture of the outside world. His left was still functioning, but the Red Maverick had made some marks on the surface, so there was still some distortion.

What...what happened? Sigma thought, steadily rising to where he could support himself on his hands and knees. Suddenly, he felt fluids rising in his throat, a stream of red liquid trailing down his defined chin before he coughed up a small puddle. Yes, it was beginning to come back to him. That Red Maverick, he did this. You bastard...Sigma made his way to his feet, though he had to use the wall beside him for support. Once he finally got himself steady, the Reploid steadily went in the direction he had heard the explosion come from. That Maverick was undoubtedly responsible for it in one way or another.

And he was going to make that Maverick pay for all of this.

Her sight had just returned to her, the darkness steadily diminishing as she propped herself up to look around her. X and the Maverick's combined blast had blown a sizable hole in the wall, just mere feet away from where she was now. But her main concern was that of her sibling, who she looked around for until she spotted him a short distance away. He lay on the ground, his buster sizzling and damaged; cracks had appeared around the cannon. She was about to go to him but stopped upon seeing the Red Maverick walking towards him, albeit with a slight limp.

He had taken damage from the violent reaction of both charged shots, his own buster displaying cracks and signs of damage. X's systems had come online again, and he was alerted that the long-haired Reploid was, somehow, not yet down. X rose to his feet again, yet was punched in the stomach and sent headfirst into a steel bar. He then felt the back of his head being taken and slammed into it repeatedly, each impact being used with more force. Finally, after a short while, the Red Maverick let X fall to the floor, the blue Reploid's vents trying to cool him from the intense heat in his body.

His systems were going into overdrive trying to keep him going, yet were steadily growing weaker and weaker. Finally, he tried to rise, yet a red boot thrust down on his chest, keeping him on the floor. X looked up to see the Red Maverick standing over him, grinning triumphantly. He then brought his hand down on X's red gem on his helmet: a direct passage to his cerebral chamber and everything. He immediately went to work putting tremendous pressure on the gemstone, X unable to contain the cry of agony from the excruciating sensation.

His entire forehead felt as if it were being caved in! In just a few moments, his aggressor would break through the glass, and he'd have free reign to rip and tear all he could get ahold of. "R-Roll..." X said with a strained voice. "G-Get Sigma...and get out of here!"

"No!" Roll immediately protested. "I'm not leaving you!"

"There's no time! GAH!" X hollered, one of the Maverick's had worked its way through a small hole created in the gem. He had just begun to dig into X's head, scraping at the surface of the silver shell underneath his skin that protected his operating system. "There's nothing you can do for me now! GET OUT!"

Nothing you can do...

"No..." Roll shook her head, wanting to run towards her brother, yet she knew it would do no good. "No..." There was nothing she could do to save him. There was nothing she could do to stop what was surely going to happen. Then, she saw the Red Maverick raise his right hand, just about to plunge into the red stone's small space. "NOOOOO!"

"You're going to pay for what you've done!" the young voice roared, voice trembling and filled with rage despite his "age." the boy in blue armor rushed towards the taller red figure, firing shot after shot in his direction.

Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he couldn't overcome the other robot. The blue child struggled to get to his feet, ready to fire yet again, but he knew it would be useless.

Yet the death he had expected never came, as his aggressor was met by someone else. Someone that both had seen before, but only now, would fully see in action.

Suddenly, just as the Maverick's finger broke through the cerebral chamber's surface, his blue eyes were met by a blinding glow from the red gem. Although the flash momentarily blinded him, he stepped back, taking his boot off X's chest. This allowed X to rise, the glow dying when he finally got to his feet. What just happened, neither X nor the Maverick (or even Roll) had any idea what had just happened, but the blue Reploid found himself struck with a powerful sense of familiarity.

Born. He heard a voice in his mind. It didn't belong to the blue child, yet another. He couldn't match a face to the voice, yet what it said made him realize just what he had to do. Born for the sole purpose of destroying evil. X locked his green eyes with the Maverick. The evil energy!

He had taken more damage than he thought. True, he had been low on energy, yet he was able to eventually overpower that taller Reploid. And he would have finished it, had "she" not intervened. And while he wasn't exactly pleased with being having a rock thrown at him, there was no point in killing her. He didn't want her to break again. But if he didn't get rid of this blue intruder, he'd never get the chance to do much of anything as his opponent seemed set to end him! Fine then, if that was the way he wanted it, then he could come.

Better yet, the Maverick would take it right to him!

The long-haired Reploid dashed forward, fist out, yet X maneuvered to the left and delivered an uppercut to the underside of his aggressor's chin. This sent the Red Maverick stumbling back, allowing the one he had previously been beating to return the favor. A white fist met his gut, the Maverick got no time to react as another fist sent him to the ground, landing facefirst. However, he recovered quickly and got back on his feet with a push and flip over X's head. X got no time to react to the swift kick delivered to back, sending him into a nearby wall.

X dove out of the way of the incoming kick, the Red Maverick performing a high-jump aimed right at the other Reploid. Upon seeing he hit nothing, X's aggressor rushed towards him again, yet Sigma saw that X saw to dodge the Maverick's attacks instead of fighting back. Granted, he didn't manage to miss every blow dealt to him, but when he had the chance to attack, he didn't.

Just what are you doing, you idiot?! the Hunter leader thought, noticing that the hostage was watching the scene take place, seemingly torn between whether to intervene or not.

If that blue fool wasn't going to act, he would!

"Fight him." Roll whispered. "Fight him, you've got to fight him!" she balled up her fists, wishing for nothing more than the strength to pound the beast that dare lay his hands on her brother! Yet X still refused to attack him! "X, please! What are you doing?!"

Then, she saw the Red Maverick grasp her brother's throat, lifting him off the ground. The Maverick then began to try and pry away X's pectoral plates, intending to rip open his chest and get to his core. Even if she ran to him, Roll knew that she'd only be delaying the inevitable. She could do nothing.

There's nothing you can do.

However, it was then that both she and Sigma witnessed something neither of them expected.

X's left hand had suddenly begun to glow slightly at first, but it grew in intensity within seconds. It was bright, and the light of sea-green consumed his entire appendage. Then, X rose his glowing hand and thrust it down on the triangular, blue gem on the Red Maverick's forehead. Unlike his opponent, X didn't place as much pressure on the glass, yet it seemed he didn't need to give the Maverick's reaction. He immediately released an agonizing scream of pain as if he were burning alive from within.

And in a sense, though no one could've known, that was what was happening.

It had been dormant for so long. So long away from the world, yet now it realized that its brief period of being free would end if it didn't do something quickly! The energy being poured into its host's body was causing it to deteriorate molecule by molecule! True, it could use this Reploid to get him off and escape, yet its weakness had been found! And now, the one who bore the means to kill it would surely hunt its host down!

It had to do something!

X's hand ceased glowing, and the Red Maverick released him, holding his head and howling as the throbbing, stinging fire coursed through his entire cerebral chamber, traveling throughout his entire systems. Then, after a moment, the Red Maverick fell to his knees, vents desperately trying to expel the overwhelming heat in his body.

"Finish him off, X!" Roll shouted. "Do it now!"

X kept his green eyes on the Red Maverick, waiting for him to make the next move. He was in no condition to continue fighting for long, but neither was X. If this continued for much longer, it was a real possibility that neither of them was walking out of here alive. The Maverick stared at X, blue eyes looking intensely into his green, yet there was a subtle change to them. True, there was still aggression and an unwillingness to admit defeat, yet he noticed something else since he had delivered that strange surge of energy into the Maverick's gem.

Almost as if he had just recognized the blue Reploid after an immeasurable time.

It was then that the Maverick's features began to smooth over, eyes growing wide with curiosity and then recognition. The long-haired Reploid began to approach X, yet his steps were slow and steady, trying to keep going despite his damage. X readied himself if he needed to fight just a little longer, yet, to his surprise, it seemed that the Maverick didn't have such a thing in mind. What is he doing? X thought. He was tempted to ask this, yet he reminded himself that this could've been a ruse. Still, despite his logical components ordering him to end the Red Maverick, X couldn't help but begin having doubts.

Then he too found himself struck with yet another sense of deja vu. "You," X said. "I...I know you."

Roll was unsure of what this meant, but whatever sort of robot or Reploid this Maverick reminded her brother of didn't matter! What are you waiting for?! Do it! She mentally begged her brother. Do it!

Before X could go towards the Red Maverick or go to deliver the finishing blow, he saw a bright flash from within the blue gem. It was an angular symbol, X not recognizing it first. But looking closer, he saw, to his shock, that he had been mistaken. The symbol was a letter. Specifically, a "W."

You...you can't be. X thought. Can you?! Are you really a-

His thoughts were interrupted when the Maverick began groaning in pain, clutching at his head. Then, the gemstone began to glow, yet instead of bright green, violet energy looked as if forming from within the small space in the gemstone. The Maverick's groaning soon evolved into screaming, his fingers grabbing and scratching uselessly at his dome. Given what he had seen this Reploid do, X could've assumed that this Maverick was trying to tear open his head!

"OUT OF THE WAY!" X was knocked to the side and the ground; the one-armed Sigma ran towards the Maverick and broke through the glowing gemstone with one well-timed punch.

The Red Maverick was knocked back and landed on his back, golden hair spreading out underneath him. The Reploid twitched somewhat, but he went still and silent after a few seconds. Finally, his blue eyes glazed over, consciousness slipping from him and the rest of the world.

Outside

At long last, Ray saw a tall figure emerge from the mountain. "Commander!" he shouted, overjoyed at seeing his leader still alive. He knew that the Commander would succeed! No one could stand against him! "Commander, where is...?!" Ray began, going to his leader, but saw that Sigma was in much worse shape than he had thought. "Commander! What happened?!" the Hunter then looked back at the open door in the distance. "Where's X? And the hostage? Are they-"

"They're fine!" Sigma snapped, Ray, stopping in his tracks before he could go to his Commander's side. "Go in and collect them," he ordered, voice much less angry. "And call Dr. Cain and Fujiwara. I want that Maverick transported and analyzed as soon as possible. Then, I'll meet you back at the dig site."

"Commander, are you sure you're-"

"Leave me!" Sigma pushed Ray out of the way when he tried to reach for the taller Reploid. Sigma left his subordinate behind, all alone in the barren wasteland.

Inside

X was forced to kneel, unable to keep himself standing any longer. "X!" Roll raced to his side and immediately helped him up; both Light siblings looked at the now unconscious Maverick that had tormented them a short time before.

Roll laid her teal eyes on her captor and glowered in his direction, an intense loathing for what this wild animal had done to Sigma and her family consuming her. But, on the other hand, X was utterly unsure of how to feel. From rage at the possibility of his sister being harmed to confusion at his aggressor's sudden need to approach him non-aggressive manner. True, it could've been an attempt to get his guard down, but he couldn't help but have his doubts. Especially since, even if it was for a brief moment, the Maverick looked at X as if he were an old friend.

Chapter Text

He's real. X thought, unaware of how the cracked parts of his red crystal were being sealed up. I'm not crazy. He's actually real. Currently, the blue Reploid was situated atop an operating table in the medbay of Hunter HQ, a handful of Reploid nurse units tending to his wounds.

"Fortunately, he didn't rough you up too badly." one of the nurse units said, looking over X's cracked outer shell. The nurse was "dressed" in green and white armor with a "skirt" and no leg coverings. Atop her blonde head rested a nurse's cap with a red medical cross in the center. "Compared to that of Gamma's unit."

"Shh!" another one of the nurse units hissed, the nurse tending to X, shutting her mouth.

X had been told to keep still during the operation several times, yet he couldn't help but ask questions. "How is Sigma?" he asked. He suspected that he might not receive an answer, but knowing the condition of the Hunter leader made his processor go crazy with worry. The other Reploid could've perished long ago for all he knew, and he wouldn't even know it.

The nurse units looked at each other, then to the head of the medical wing. He was a larger Reploid with the same color scheme as the nurses, but unlike them, he possessed a brown beard-like section on his jaw, giving him a mature appearance that commanded respect. Well, at least here in this part of the HQ. "The Commander is stable." the taller Reploid, dubbed "Lifesaver", answered X. "But he's still in critical condition. So he's still being monitored."

"For how long?" X asked, rising from the operating table, only to be pushed down on his back.

"As long as we deem necessary." Lifesaver answered. "Speaking of, I should see if there's any change in the Commander's condition." he was about to leave when he suddenly heard the door to this particular room of the medbay swing open.

"Miss, you still need to have your shoulder joint repaired!" a male nurse Reploid said, his "patient" stubbornly continuing forward.

"Let me see him! Just once!" Roll pleaded. "I just need to know if he's ok!"

"He's fine!" the nurse assured the blonde. "See? He's being repaired as we speak!"

X took a moment to look at his sister, noticing how the conductor was still stuck in her damaged shoulder. Seeing as she didn't have the piece of equipment in her joint before, the blue Reploid couldn't help but wonder where she had gotten it. Let alone if she put it in herself. But unfortunately, he got no time to question this further as Roll rushed to his side, looking all over his blue form. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

"Y-Yeah. Sure." X answered. While he knew that she would definitely come to check up on him, the Reploid couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Sisterly "instincts" aside (at least, that's what Roll called them), X didn't exactly care to be seen as a child. Something of which Roll's doting didn't really help with.

"Oh, that fiend did a number on you, didn't he? How dare Red Maverick (or whoever he was) do this to her sibling! What had she done besides throwing a rock at him? It didn't matter because X was put in danger.

"Miss, I'm sorry, but no visiting during operations." the male nurse told Roll.

"Yes, right. I apologize," Roll told the nurse. "Excuse me." she was then escorted out of the room, though not before giving one last look of concern to X. I mean it. I am sorry.

The Streets of Arcadia

The armored vehicle drove through the less populated sections of Arcadia, keeping out of both traffic and away from any significant numbers of civilians. But, despite the vehicle's exterior appearance, the real threat was what was contained inside.

"How is he?" one of the group of Hunters sitting in the back asked. His eyes fell on the still, restrained form of the Red Maverick, the wrists and ankles bound by restraining cuffs.

"He hasn't moved an inch since the Commander laid that blow on him." one of the Hunters stationed at the wheel answered. "Let's just hope it stays that way."

None of the other Reploids in the back disagreed with that. The Red Maverick had been detained, but first, he was to be taken to be repaired. However, away from the main HQ, seeing as there was clearly something wrong with him. No one wanted to risk any further infections if this Maverick was indeed the source of this "virus."

Still, because the "culprit" was now right in front of them, some of the Hunters were beginning to have their doubts. "Surely this can't be the guy, " one said.

"Guy? I thought he was a woman at first." another Hunter joked, eyes on the Maverick's prominent blonde ponytail. "Is it true, though? So this guy managed to take out Gamma?"

"That's what Glenn and Ray said." another Hunter answered. "Gamma and the rest of his men went in, but that Maverick's the only one that came out." he then glowered down at the unconscious Reploid's restrained form. "That's enough to get him scrapped, I say."

"Don't say that!" another Hunter spoke up. "You know what that means, right?"

"Hell yeah, I do! And I say he deserves it!" the other Hunter protested, pointing at the Red Maverick. "For all the months he's sent us on a wild goose chase?! Not to mention that dozens of Reploids were infected with this virus because of him!" he then gritted his teeth. "And if you're saying what happened to Gamma didn't matter-"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

The Hunter wanted to counter his fellow Reploid's words but found he couldn't conjure one that'd do any good. So he went silent, looking away from the rest of his comrades. True, this Maverick deserved punishment, especially if he was indeed responsible for all he was accused of. Still, there were a great many elements that didn't add up. Unfortunately, nothing in this whole case added up.

Maybe it was what some of the others were saying. Perhaps it was all just a glitch that could occur in their systems. Maybe, this "virus" wasn't a virus at all. Or maybe, it never even existed.

The armored vehicle continued on its way, the destination being that of Dr. Fujiwara's lab. Suddenly, one of the Hunters saw something. Of course, it was just for a passing moment, so he assumed he could've been mistaken. But his dismissal soon proved to be detrimental. A twitch of a finger soon turned into the entire hand, and soon, the movement spread throughout the Red Maverick's whole form.

Then, before anyone could speak up or say anything, let alone react, the Maverick's icy blue eyes opened.

Hunter HQ

X stood back on his feet, finally free to get up off the operating table. "There," Lifesaver said, looking the repaired X over for areas the staff might've missed. "That should do it." the taller Reploid then called one of the nurses over his audio link. "All right, NOW she can come in."

As soon as Lifesaver spoke those words, X heard the door to the room opening. Roll entered the room, her shoulder completely mended. "Finally," the blonde Reploid sighed in relief. "I told them repeatedly that I wasn't the one in need of repairs." X greeted her with a small smile. Even if her presence meant he'd have to deal with her mothering, at least she was fixed up. And as if to demonstrate, Roll looked the blue Reploid all over, doing her own inspection alongside Lifesaver's. "You did a good job," she told the larger medic. "Thank you."

X gave Lifesaver a look as if to please excuse her. The medic had never seen this blonde Reploid before outside of today, but she certainly made her presence known. "Yes, well, you're very welcome, miss. Are you with him?" he asked her.

"Why, yes," she told him. "I'm his sister. Older sister." she clarified. "Is he ready to be discharged?" she questioned.

"There's no further damage, and his systems have been cleared." Lifesaver alerted Roll. "So yes, he's free to go."

"Great. Thank you." with that, both X and Roll exited the room and medbay, eventually arriving in the more significant main center of the headquarters. "Are you sure you're all right?" she asked X, her teal eyes going over him yet again.

"I'm fine. Really." X assured her. He then gestured to her shoulder. "I've been meaning to ask, but how did that converter get there?"

Roll looked over at where the converter previously was. "Oh, that." she bit her lip. "Well, that Maverick actually performed some surgery on me, I guess you could say." she admitted.

X was shocked to hear this. True, he suspected that the converter had to have come from somewhere, but this? "He fixed you?" he asked.

She nodded, just as confused as her sibling. "Yes. That's the odd thing." Roll said. He was a complete savage when it came to Sigma and X, but he treated me as if I were glass. She looked X over again for any scrapes, just in case.

"So, he didn't hurt you? At all?" X inquired. True, he had only heard so much from Lifesaver and the other medics, but now that Roll was back with him, he could finally get answers from the source. "But he still did all of that to Sigma?"

Roll grimaced. "I saw him do it," she answered. "I saw him love every moment of it too." She crossed her arms. "Someone like that has no place in society, let alone among humans." She sighed. "I STILL can't believe no one told me that he was the one that broke into Dr. Fujiwara's house! And with Chiyo being alone too!" she then looked down. "I should've never left her alone, let alone leave Arcadia at all." she then turned to X. "I'm sorry about all this. I didn't mean for Sigma to end up in this state, least of all get you involved."

"Hey, I'm fine," X told her. "If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry. After all, the trap we set up was my idea." he now was the one looking his sibling over. If that Maverick put Sigma in that state, he could've surely torn her to pieces. So X thought, knowing the conditions of his sister's body. So why? Why is she even standing here right now? X then remembered how the Maverick's eyes bore into his. And why did he look at me in such a way?

"ATTENTION, ALL HUNTER PERSONALE!" Ai's voice suddenly boomed from over the intercom. "THIS IS URGENT! THE MAVERICK TAKEN INTO CUSTODY HAS ESCAPED!" all of the Reploids in the central area froze upon hearing this news. "ALL HUNTERS AVAILABLE, ASSEMBLE! ATTENTION, ALL HUNTER PERSONALE!" the operator repeated her speech, the Hunters present in the center immediately making their way to the briefing room.

X looked at Roll, the blonde knowing they'd be separated again. She touched his shoulder but knew she couldn't keep him. Even if he had just gotten out of intensive care, her brother would potentially be needed.

Streets of Arcadia

Just where the hell was he?

As he tore through the metal linking the cuffs on his wrists and ankles, the Red Maverick was finally relieved to have more range of motion. Nevertheless, he knew he couldn't revel in his freedom just yet. No, freedom was outside this city's walls, away from those currently pursuing him. But why? What had he done? As far as he knew, he had awakened in a laboratory out in the middle of nowhere. And then, he was driven away in restraints to who knew where.

Probably to somewhere he would be locked up and confined, or even more, killed. But no, he wouldn't let that happen. Even if he had been on this Earth before this moment, he felt as if he were just seeing the world for the first time! And like hell he would just allow these machines to take him! No, he had to escape. He had to get out of here! But where could he go?!

He didn't know what direction to go in, where he was, anything! He was left with nothing! Nothing. Nothing. That word meant something to him, ironically enough. In fact, the long-haired Maverick found that perhaps "nothing" could lead him to finding out just what was going on.

And perhaps, even if it was a fleeting hope, some clue as to who he even was.

Later

"All right, given that the Commander is currently out of commission, I'll be in charge of this mission!" Chill Penguin said (or rather, squawked). "Our objective is to keep this Red Maverick from exiting the city walls at all costs! Is that understood?!"

"Yes, sir!" The small collection of troops answered, X among them.

"Then let's get going! Move, move, move!" The penguin-based Reploid took a handful of Hunters with him into the alleyways to the right while X and the rest went to the left.

"Pfft! Like anyone can take him seriously with a voice like that!" one of the Hunters said when Penguin was out of range.

"And you see the way he waddles? How does he even get around without falling over?" another one added. "Does he really thinks he's going to lead his own unit someday?"

"As if that'll ever happen. And even if it does, he'll still be laughed at."

X felt he had to speak up. "If you guys are done talking about Penguin, we've got work to do here."

One of the Hunters that had been making fun of the bird Reploid scoffed. "Aw, what? Afraid I'll hurt his feelings? It's not my fault the stupid bird can't take a joke."

"All right, all right! That's enough!" The appointed leader of the small squad said. "We have a wanted fugitive on the run, and we need to catch him before he can cause any more damage!" Everyone quieted down. "The more time we waste here means the greater possibility of lives being at stake. So, let's go!"

The group split up, going down the narrow spaces between the towering, white structures. Everyone kept their optics peeled for any sign of the criminal, which, given the general color palette (or lack thereof) of the city-state, he would be easy to spot.

At least, that's what X assumed. Then, suddenly, his audio receptor began beeping, the blue Reploid answering the call. "See anything on your end?" the group leader asked.

"No, nothing yet," X admitted. For somebody that'd be easy to spot, he's rather good at hiding. X's green eyes scanned the alleyways, searching for anything, even if it was just the slightest glimpse. Just then, he did spot something. "Hold on," X said. "There's something nearby." The blue Reploid drew out his buster and slowly crept around the corners, drawing closer and closer to the noise he had heard. He peered around the corner, startled at the sound of a trashcan being toppled over. He saw blonde strands of hair as the Maverick ran off. If he's going down that way, I can cut him off at the end! With this in mind, X raced after the noise source until he reached a dead-end in the alleyway.

He drew out his buster, awaiting the Maverick to emerge from the darkness…only to be greeted by a cat. The cat, ironically enough, had yellow fur, making X feel even more like a fool. The "hair" had been its tail.

"GAH!"

"Kyle!"

X and the feline were drawn to the sound of a struggle, the cat making itself scarce while X ran towards the source. It's coming from above! X realized the battle was taking place on the rooftops. Finding a ladder, X began climbing, hoping to reach the others before it was too late.

The Red Maverick had seized one of the Hunters and thrown him a reasonable distance away; the Reploid sent plummeting off of the roof. The fall wasn't lethal, yet everyone knew that the long-haired Maverick was capable of much worse.

"You bastard!" another Hunter shouted, shooting a plasma blast from his pistol. The Red Maverick ducked underneath the shot and rushed up to the Hunter, delivering a swift knee to his gut. Despite not possessing lungs or the need to breathe, the Hunter felt his vents release a large amount of air force itself out of him. He was knocked off his feet by a kick to the head, the Hunter sent to the ground, and his weapon crushed underneath the Maverick's boot.

The few other Hunters dove towards the Maverick yet were taken out one by one. Some were punched or kicked while others were tossed into their comrades, knocking several down at once. Soon, only the Red Maverick was standing.

"Freeze!" The Red Maverick turned to see a familiar blue Reploid aiming his buster at him. "Hands up where I can see them!"

The two machines stared each other in the eye, green intensely locked onto blue. The two stood there, motionless, neither making any move on the other. Then, the Maverick ran off, leaping from one rooftop to another.

"Hey! Wait!" X shouted, giving chase.

Damn it, why couldn't they just leave him alone?! At this rate, he'd be caught for sure! No, the Red Maverick told himself. He couldn't be caught; he REFUSED to be caught. So whatever these guys were planning to do to him, it wouldn't happen. He would see to that! They'd never take him alive!

If only he could get rid of that blasted blue machine off his tail! He dashed forward, leaping as far as possible (but not as far as to miss a landing) to escape his pursuer. But this only seemed to encourage the other Reploid to keep going after him. Whatever, the Red Maverick thought. He could go from there as long as he made it out of the city's borders. All that mattered was that he escaped.

He couldn't afford to let himself be caught.

He felt someone tackle him from behind, sending him to the ground. He looked to see that the blue Reploid had finally caught up with him and was holding onto his legs to keep him from moving. The Maverick went to work trying to dislodge the other machine from him, from shoving to sending fists in his direction. The latter tactic proved successful as X was sent flying back from the punch's force. The Red Maverick rose to his feet, eager to continue until he reached the city's borders-

SCREECH!

Suddenly, both machines were drawn to the scene below, looking on at what was happening, their focus completely off one another.

Pregnant. Her mother was pregnant. Fumiko walked down the street with her father as they returned from the hospital. Initially, her mother had gone in for abdominal cramps and nausea in the early morning, yet when the results of the tests came back, there was no denying it. Her mother was going to have a baby. And she was going to be a big sister.

However, her mother remained in the hospital as there were some concerns given how taxing Fumiko's pregnancy was, so her father would come by to pick her up later. For now, however, the Japanese girl was to be taken home. As her father said, she still had quite a bit of homework to do.

But given what was coming their way, she might not even get the chance to see her new sibling.

A loud screech of tires was heard and the sound of metal crashing into each other. Two vehicles had collided and sent another forward from the impact: right in Fumiko's direction. Her father raced to try and save his child, yet they had a good few feet separating them. He would never reach her in time. The girl froze in terror as the vehicle was sent helplessly towards her; she fell to the ground and curled up into a ball in a last-ditch effort to protect herself.

She was mere moments from being crushed. Only to realize she wouldn't feel her tiny body being squashed. Instead, just in front of her stood a tall, red Reploid with long, flowing blonde hair, his body in front of the incoming vehicle. With a swift punch, the car came to an immediate halt from the force it felt, the hood caving in and several inner components damaged.

"The hell do you think you're doing?!" The driver shouted, emerging from his damaged method of transport.

The Red Maverick looked at Fumiko, who shuddered under his gaze. Suddenly, everyone saw the band of Hunters approaching, aiming their weapons right at the long-haired machine. X remained on the rooftop in case he needed to make a move from above.

"Step away from the human child." One of the Hunters ordered the Maverick, who was looking back at Fumiko.

The young girl stepped back before running to her father, the terrified child in tears. X watched as the Hunters stepped in, ready to apprehend the fugitive.

And to his shock, this time, the Red Maverick didn't fight back.

The Next Day

Detention Center

So much for not getting caught.

The Red Maverick leaned against the wall, bored out of his mind. Granted, he was technically in prison, so he should've perhaps expected that. Still, that far from meant he wanted to be here. He cursed himself. He was so close, so close to freedom! If that human girl hadn't gotten in the way, then he'd surely be out of this place by now!

Of course, that would've also meant she would've possibly been killed.

He hadn't thought about her until now, her frightened eyes staring at him until she saw an opportunity to run away. She was afraid of him. They all were. Why that was, the Maverick was unsure, yet everyone seemed to be extremely cautious in dealing with him. Especially that one blue Reploid. The Maverick had no idea who that was, yet he struck a chord of familiarity.

Those green eyes. That blue sheen. And a careful but determined demeanour. He was no stranger, the Red Maverick had seen him before. But he didn't even know the other Reploid's name. Just who were they? And even more for the Red Maverick, just who was he?

Just then, he heard the sound of his cell being unlocked. The door was slid open, a couple of Reploid guards. "C'mon," one of them said roughly. "Somebody's wanting to ask you a few questions."

What that meant exactly, the Maverick had no idea. Nevertheless, he went with them, planning just how he would escape from this place. He needed to get a good layout first to spot any potential shortcuts and areas to hide if need be. As for dealing with anyone who would stop him, he wouldn't have any problem with that.

The Maverick was led to a small room with windows on all sides so he could be observed. A familiar, blue Reploid was inside; the long-haired machine puzzled as to just what he was doing here. One of the guards opened the door and let him inside, shutting it and leaving the two inside with each other.

The Red Maverick locked eyes with X, who was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea. "Uh, hello." X greeted, the other Reploid not answering back. "So, I suppose you're wondering what all this is." he began, still not receiving an answer back. "Well, the truth is, I'm here to escort you to Dr. Fujiwara's laboratory for analysis," X explained. "But given the circumstances, I'm afraid we'll have to take precautionary measures if you don't comply."

This didn't seem to phase the Maverick at all. If anything, it seemed to make him glower at the shorter Reploid.

X reminded himself that he couldn't afford to be intimidated despite his gaze. What he had seen last night was still playing in his head, along with the several questions it had raised. Yet he told himself that he couldn't be careless. Not after being informed of what this guy was capable of. "Of course, I wanted to ask you a few questions before that."

This seemed to get a response from the Red Maverick, even if he still didn't speak.

"I suppose it's obvious, but what's your name?" X asked.

Name. The Red Maverick pondered this. Name. He searched through his systems, the small chamber going silent. Then, to X's surprise, he finally received an answer. "I don't have a name."

"What?" X asked. The Maverick's voice was deep and calm, contrasting his "fiery" appearance.

"A name," he said. "I don't have one."

X was quiet for a moment, pondering where to go from here. "Everyone has a name. Or, in our case, at least some sort of identification," he said. "Do you really have nothing?"

The Maverick shook his head. "Absolutely nothing."

"Well, this won't do. We have to call you something." X said. "My name's X. Technically Mega Man X, but I'm more partial to X myself."

The Red Maverick didn't understand the point in being brought here, let alone seeing this X. Nevertheless, he supposed that he would have to find something for everyone else to call him. But what? He couldn't remember anything, and his systems told him nothing. No name, no serial number, nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Absolute zero.

X then saw the Maverick's eyes light up as if a realization had just dawned on him. And then, X received his answer. "Zero."

"Pardon?" X asked.

"My name." the Red Maverick said. "My name is Zero."

Chapter Text

"Zero?" X asked.

"Yes. Zero. That's my name." The Red Maverick answered.

"Did you just remember your name?" X asked again.

"No, I just came up with it." The newly dubbed "Zero" explained. "You said you needed something to call me by, so that's what I've chosen."

X was quiet for a moment. True, while this Reploid was just using his logic components, he suspected that such a display of independence would be looked at with suspicion. And the last thing he needed was this "Zero", making things worse for himself.

"Ok then, Zero," X began. "Given the circumstances of how you came to be here," he then paused. "Needless to say, everyone is a little conflicted."

"You plan to kill me, don't you?" Zero said suddenly, making the room grow silent.

"What? No! No, nothing like that!" X shook his head. "Nothing like that's even been decided yet!" he regretted his wording when he received a glare from the red Reploid. "Not to say that's a definite possibility, but-"

"But it IS a possibility. Am I right or wrong?" Zero questioned. X didn't answer him. "Exactly." he then turned away from X. "So there's no point in discussing anything. As long as I obey, I won't be terminated. That's basically the gist of what you're saying, isn't it?"

X saw the guards from outside begin to move closer to the room, ready to move in if need be. The blue Reploid was doing everything in his power so that it wouldn't have to come to that. "The council is taking statements from everyone involved in what occurred within and outside Arcadia's borders," X explained. "Although, you still say you don't remember anything?"

Zero didn't shake or nod his head in response to the question. "Does that matter? I was in custody, so you clearly believe I've done something wrong."

"That's just it, though," X clarified. "If your systems were corrupted or if you were infected from the virus, this could go in your favor." the blue Reploid continued. "Given that you're, well, you at least appear to be functioning normally, if you were infected, then your recovery could help in helping other Reploids recover."

Recover? Virus? "What are you even talking about?" Zero asked.

"Dr. Cain and Fujiwara would better explain it," X told him. "In fact, Fujiwara's requested that you come to his lab for examination."

Examination? What did that mean? "And if I refuse?" Zero asked.

X suspected that the Maverick wouldn't like what else he had to say. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until the council decides on what to do with you."

"Why can't I just talk to this 'council' myself?" Zero questioned.

"You can, but you'll need to be monitored." X replied.

"Why? Because I'm a criminal?"

X bit his lip. This guy wasn't making this any easier for either of them. "Well, technically speaking, yes. You DID evade arrest after all." he didn't dare mention what occurred with Gamma's unit or what happened to Sigma. "I really have no say in the matter. I just came to tell you those were your options."

"And why did YOU come?" Zero asked, his question phrased sarcastically, but it was nevertheless genuine. "Unless you're the only one who can tell me this. Though I doubt that's the case."

Ok, now you're getting me a little ticked off. X thought. I'm trying to help you! But he knew he had to keep his cool for this Maverick's, no, this "Zero's" sake. "No, but given the evidence stacked against you, I'd suggest you consider your next step carefully." he then began to turn away. "Your life might depend on it. I'm sure even you fear dying."

Though X couldn't see it, Zero's eyes grew wide, his systems scrambling together a picture in his head. A collection of data he wasn't even aware he had. He heard voices, but they were scrambled and he understood none of it. He didn't know what had triggered it, he didn't know, and it only happened for a mere second, but the blue Reploid's words related to it somehow.

Fear of dying. Fear of being obsolete. Fear of uselessness.

These were not sentiments attached to him, but he had heard them before. Yet he couldn't remember anything else. "Wait." Zero suddenly said; X had his back turned to look like he was leaving.

Yes! It worked! X mentally cheered, hoping his tactic would get the other Reploid's attention. "Yes?"

Zero was quiet at first. This wasn't exactly good for his pride. "Who did you say wanted to look at me?"

"Dr. Cain and Fujiwara." X answered. "It's nothing serious—just an examination of your CPU. Nothing will be tampered with." of course, the main reason for that would mean quite literally tampering with evidence, but X didn't want to give this Zero any reason to back out.

Zero was quiet, contemplating his response. "Fine." he finally said.

X's eyes lit up. "Really? You mean it?" Zero nodded. "All right, great! I'll get a ride ready." he then went to the door, but not before turning back to face Zero. "Oh, wait here." he said before leaving the room.

Where am I going to go? Zero thought. Well, whatever. The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I can escape from the city.

Dr. Fujiwara's Lab

"I still don't understand why you insist on waiting." Roll told her brother, standing in front of the door to Fujiwara's main operating chamber. The chamber he had first been taken to and his systems laid out for the Asian man and Cain to see, along with the council's scientists. "It's not like they'll let you in."

"I know," X answered, leaning against the door to the room. "But…it's not like I'll get in the way. I can just stand in the corner and not bother anyone."

"But you'd probably give your input on whether or not the one they're looking over is ok. If he needs anything, if his leg's cramping up, and a hundred other things that could be wrong. Am I right?" Roll questioned. X's silence was all she needed. "Why are you so desperate to know what's happening in there?" she asked. "Better yet, and I don't mean this callously, but why do you care?"

X looked at the blonde (well, the other blonde) Reploid. "What do you mean?

"You've been insisting that you want to know everything that's happening with this Red Maverick-"

"Zero." X interrupted her.

"What?"

"His name is Zero." X told her.

"But I thought you said he didn't have a recorded name." Roll answered.

"He doesn't. It's something he chose." X explained. "Which also doesn't exactly look good for him."

Roll nodded. "Even now, it seems humans still fear thinking too independently. Even from each other." she quickly got back on the subject, however. "So, as I was saying, why are you so concerned about him? This Zero?"

X pondered this for a moment. Indeed, why DID he care so much? Better yet, how could he express why if he didn't know himself? "Well," nevertheless, he had to try. "If Zero was indeed infected with the Maverick Virus, then perhaps there's a way to reverse the effects. I mean, he's walking and talking fine now."

"Assuming he had it at all." Roll added.

"What else could it be?" X asked. "No one with even half of a functioning processor would do all of…." X paused for a moment. "What he did." he finished. He had only heard details of what happened with Gamma but knew that the report was most likely nothing compared to seeing it. Glenn and Ray would surely not forget it anytime soon. "And now that it's out of his system-"

"Assumedly." Roll interjected.

"Assumedly," X reluctantly agreed. "He's behaving completely different. After all, why would the same one who…did what he did save a kid? Better yet, why didn't he use that opportunity to get away, seeing as a child getting hit by a car would be perfect." gruesome as it was, X had to acknowledge the possibility. Thankfully, it never happened, but it also conjured up more confusion. "So, perhaps we can learn how to repair damaged Reploids so they won't have to be terminated if they're classified as 'Maverick'."

"Perhaps," Roll said. While she didn't have the Red Maverick, this Zero in mind, if studying him could lead to things like that, perhaps it was good he was still alive. "Although," Roll continued. "Whether it's the virus or, as some are now calling it, a glitch, there's been no record of any virus or glitch causing this." she was silent for a moment. "It's almost like that energy Mega Man encountered once."

X turned his face to her. "What energy?"

Roll then turned to face him. "It was never officially named, but the robot that came from space, he called it 'Evil Energy'."

Inside the Room

No one was sure whether to call this fantastic or terrifying. The data was right there in front of everyone, yet no one was sure of what to make of it.

"Cain," Fujiwara began, rising from his seat in front of the main computer. "Ladies and gentleman," he then addressed the council's scientists that were currently studying Zero. "I need to take a moment to step outside. I shall be back shortly."

He stepped out of the room, but Cain followed. "Sho, what is it? What's wrong?" the older man asked, disturbed by the normally composed scientist's demeanor. "From the looks of it, that Reploid is functioning fine."

"Exactly," Fujiwara replied. "And that's the problem. He shouldn't be functioning AT ALL."

"Why?"

The Japanese human sighed. "Even after all this time, you still know nothing of machines," he said aloud. "This Reploid, this Maverick's systems-"

"Zero," Cain interjected. "X said he wants to be addressed as such."

"That's a prime example of what I'm talking about," Fujiwara explained. "His processor can register everything from basic tasks to more independent-based actions, but from I was told, this Maverick-"

"Zero."

"Fine. This 'Zero' was little more than a raging animal. Of course, this initially led me to assume that he had been infected. But, as you and everyone clearly saw, there's no sign of any sort of corruption. It's as if there never WAS a virus to begin with."

Cain mentally took note of everything, trying to understand. "So, he has made a complete recovery, is what you are saying?"

"In a manner of speaking," Fujiwara answered. "And even more, neither X nor Roll showed signs of infection, so,"

"So what?"

Fujiwara looked at him, expression grim. "These Maverick incidents might not be the work of a virus at all."

Outside

"So only a 'pure evil' being could use it?" X asked, Roll having finished her tale.

"That's what that robot from space said." Roll answered. "But should someone with a pure heart and mind be infected, then, upon realizing they couldn't be corrupted, the energy would kill its new host." she bit her lip. "That was one of the closest my big brother came to dying." she bit down harder. And if not for Duo, he would've indeed been… But, no! She didn't dare think of that. Not now! After all, Rock would want her to care for their "little-er" brother as best she could. "Proto Man explained it all to us, or, at least, an abridged version of it when he came with Mega Man." she recounted the lengthy procedure even to bring her brother back online.

"He didn't stick around?" X asked regarding Proto Man.

"No. Just as soon as he came, he went away," Roll answered. "That was the odd thing about him. He never stuck around, yet he always seemed to be right around the corner when you needed him," she observed. "Honestly, I regret not pressing him more about who he was."

"He never told you?" X asked again. This "Proto Man" remained ever so elusive and enigmatic.

"I don't think he told anyone anything. Not even Rock." Roll explained. "But still, thinking on it now, why would he stick around? Proto Man originally set out to destroy Mega Man, but ever since Gamma was recovered from Wily, he seemed to be in and out of the picture." she continued. "But even after that, Mega Man seemed to have this unwavering faith in him. Even when it seemed he truly was evil, Mega still held belief that he held some sort of belief that this was all some horrible misunderstanding."

X paused for a moment, wondering whether or not he should ask his next question. But, while it might've been simple, its weight was anything but. "And what happened? Was he wrong?"

Roll was silent for a moment, processing through her database and memory files. He knew that it took some effort to do on her part, but the blue Reploid was tempted to beg her to go faster. Or rather, did he not want to know the answer? Whatever the case, it was too late, for Roll had finally seemed to recollect herself. "He was right about Proto Man." she finally spoke. "And thankfully, it turned out for the better."

X was quiet for a moment. Was this what, as the humans said, having a heart attack felt like? "Oh? How's that?"

"Well, it turns out that everything was, once again, a set up by Wily." Roll said. That appeared to be a recurring thing in these recountings of the Blue Bomber. "But in the end, while no one could believe it, Mega Man was right about that red robot."

"You didn't believe him?" X asked. Even if Roll didn't know it, she answered many of his questions for him.

"No one did. Aside from Dr. Light, Rock was the only one who believed something was up." Roll said. "I'll admit, ever since that incident involving Gamma, I've been suspicious and on edge about Proto Man. As far as I knew, he was someone who tried to hurt Mega Man before, so why wouldn't he now?"

"Wasn't there a report of how he reportedly rescued someone's daughter?"

"Yes, Kalinka," Roll said. "But no one really knew what went on behind the scenes on that." she then turned to her brother. "Why so curious about Proto Man all of a sudden?"

X attempted to make himself seem oblivious. "No reason. Just curious. No one still knows much about him, so why not get information from a direct source?"

Roll shrugged. "Fair enough." she said. You're wanting to say something, but just won't. What is it?

Before she could ask, X spoke again. "Speaking of, wasn't there some sort of virus in your time?"

"It'd technically be your time as well," Roll told him. It would be time he would never see, so she had to be the one to tell him. "But yes. The Roboenza Incident." she raised a hand to her temple, as if she had suddenly gotten a headache. "That, I have had experience with."

Inside

"So, your name," one of the older scientists asked the long-haired Reploid. "It's not even a memory. It's just something you chose?"

"Essentially, yes." Zero responded. "Why is everyone so fixated on that?"

The scientist was rather taken aback by the machine's bluntness. "Well, technically, logically speaking, you just were making use of your logic components." he explained. "But it's typically the norm that either gives names by the creator. Or, in the case of mass-produced Reploids, a name generator." the scientist looked Zero over. "Though we can't tell which one due to your processor's damage."

That was the official explanation everyone was going with because no one could explain it any other way. Currently, Zero sat atop of an operating table (he refused to lay on his back, perhaps because it left him more vulnerable), with cables and cords connected to his audio receptors. A layout of his CPU was displayed on the monitor for all to see, yet it did little to ease everyone's puzzlement. His processor had the various portions functioning normally, yet the memory banks were completely empty. This Reploid's identity could not truly be confirmed, both name and serial number, because both areas were corrupted.

This, along with this Zero's display of thinking for himself made the humans nervous, but they did their best to hide it. "Well, if I may, how were you able to decide on that name?" another scientist, female, questioned.

The long-haired Reploid shrugged. "I have nothing aside from the bare essentials in my brain, so it's what I chose," he said. "There's nothing there, so I thought it fit." he then turned to her. "Why are you so curious? If you're thinking of changing it, then no."

The woman was quiet for a moment. Then she asked, "Well, why is that? Why wouldn't you want your name changed?"

"Because it's mine." the Reploid crossed his arms.

"So, you know that, or rather, you've chosen to call yourself that," the scientist said. "But you don't know your serial number?"

"Why would that matter?" Zero asked.

"It can tell us whether you are part of a line or were created individually as in, crafted by hand." the older scientist from before explained. "Usually it's listed as the creator's initials and a number listing afterwards. It was commonplace during 200X when Dr. Light officially created his first robot. So you could say he began that system of classification. But seeing as even that is unreadable," he pointed to the monitor, Zero's ID information nothing but error messages. "We have no idea of telling whether you were the first or last of the line or your creator's work."

"Well, so far, it seems I've been able to funcion fine without them, whoever they are." Zero said.

This appeared to make the humans nervous. Why, Zero had no clue. They were asking questions, so they were given answers. Still, it seemed those answers brought unease. Suddenly, one of the entrances to the lab opened, Dr. Cain and Fujiwara entering.

"Sorry about that." Fujiwara said. "Anyway, discover anything new?"

Outside

"So robots were going crazy?" X asked, surprised to hear such a thing from his sister.

"That's right. Crime skyrocketed and everyone was afraid of us. There were no humans directly harmed, but people were afraid that, eventually, Roboenza would corrupt their systems to the point where the Three Laws wouldn't make a difference." she explained. "At least, that's what I heard afterward. I was one of the first ones to catch it."

"Did you go crazy?" X asked, though began regretting it when he saw Roll look offended.

"Of course not! I was perfectly behaved the whole time!" she firmly told him. "Dr. Light had basic etiquette and manners deeply embedded in my processor." She grew quiet. "Although, I think I reacted that way to it because I wasn't programmed with any combat abilities. The Roboenza couldn't do much with me aside from just mess up the lab, so all it did was just make me sick." X wasn't entirely sure, but she sounded almost disappointed. "I mean, yes, I wouldn't want to cause any destruction, but-"

"But you wish that something would've happened?" X asked.

He had half expected the prototype Reploid to respond the same way she had before (not exactly thinking of that until now), but instead, she didn't respond. She was quiet and appeared deep in thought. Finally, she spoke. "I…I honestly don't know," she said. "Granted, Roboenza didn't make me violent or lose my head; otherwise I couldn't give Mega Man the medicine." Her medicine. The only thing she could do. The sole use that she had throughout the entire event. "And Mega Man did eventually get the cure, though he said Wily was the one that provided it after he was taken to a hospital. Everything turned out ok in the end, yes," she then went off on a tangent. "But it didn't take long for Wily to get back to his tricks. Let alone stop creating robots to cause trouble."

Inside

"No memory files, no identification, only the most basic functions available," Fujiwara said, going over Zero's processor displayed on the monitor. "And yet you're up and about like nothing's wrong."

"That's because nothing IS wrong," Zero answered "So there's really no point in doing any of this."

"Well, it's not as if we can just let you go." Fujiwara responded.

"Why not?" Zero questioned.

This gave Fujiwara pause. "You are unaware of what occurred?"

Zero was losing his composure, his growing frustration seeping through. "No one's said one word of why I'm even here, let alone why I was locked up or being chased yesterday. So seeing as all of you had your turn, how about I ask a few questions?" he then got up from the operating table and walked towards the Japanese man. The scientists, Cain, and Fujiwara were frozen from awe and fear. "Firstly, where the hell am I?"

No one spoke a word; the red Reploid looked around to see numerous terrified eyes were centered on him. He then saw Fujiwara reach into the pocket of his lab coat, some small object down in there somewhere. Zero came forward and seized it, suspecting it was something to disable him. The human was helpless against the Reploid's strength, yet his hand only felt restrained, not crushed. The Reploid reached into the pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a small switch of some kind, a warning of high voltage on the front.

"What is this?" Zero asked, having let go of Fujiwara's hand. "Why do you have it?" he then looked the Asian man straight in the eye. "You were planning on using this, weren't you?"

One of the other scientists ran for the door, only to remember that they were locked from the outside. Only Fujiwara had access to the locking system. The Red Maverick seemed to realize this, to the horror of the humans inside.

Fujiwara grabbed the device and managed to press the button. Zero felt white-hot fire assault his cerebral chamber; the Reploid was sent to his knees, head throbbing in agony. He felt his systems shutting down, realizing that he would lose consciousness if this continued for much longer.

"Wait! Stop!" Cain protested. "Sho, this is going to-"

Cain never finished as, despite his current pain, Zero ripped out the cables attached to him by his audio receptors, the incredible feeling being halved as soon as he pulled out all those on the right. He proceeded to do the same to the left and stood up. Fujiwara clicked the switch again, having managed to get it from Zero, but it did no good.

Their restraints no longer bound him. And he seemed to know exactly what his next move should be.

Zero's left arm transformed into a buster cannon to the collective horror of everyone inside, a charged shot already in development.

Outside

If it was not the sound that drew their attention, then the shake from the impact did. X and Roll were jolted off their feet by the sudden tremor, looking at each other and assuming the worst.

"Wait here!" X said, running off to the scene.

While he was still her little brother, Roll usually saw no reason to protest against X's regard for her safety. Yet when it came to that Red Maverick, she couldn't stay put. No. she thought, chasing after her blue sibling. You're not taking him from me! I won't let you!

X arrived to see that, with one final blast, the wall was completely demolished, a gaping hole created in the center. Through the still sizzling gap, X saw Zero leap out and take off down the hallway, his intentions already clear. He had ripped the cables and cords out of his audio receptors, leaving him free to roam. "Oh no, not again!" X hissed. He then turned to the other scientists, Cain, and Fujiwara. "Contact HQ!" X said. "I'll handle this!"

There was no mistaking it now. He had to escape; he had to get out of here. That blue Reploid had lied to him! He said that those humans weren't going to hurt him! He said his questions would be answered, but no one had told him anything! And now he finds that the humans were ready to shock his systems at any time, literally?! That did it! He couldn't stay here!

He had to get out!

"STOP!" he heard a voice shout from behind, and blasts of gold fired in his direction. Zero ducked and continued running, dodging that damn Reploid's shots. Finally, he found the entrance and grabbed the door frames. With great effort, he pulled them apart, creating just enough space to where he could maneuver his way out of the lab and into the city streets.

Into the pouring rain, the skies above a light show of pure electricity.

"Damn!" X cursed, the red figure soon disappearing in the dense collection of white buildings in the distance.

Though, unbeknownst to him, he wasn't alone. So she kept herself hidden and only left when he was out of sight.

Inside the Lab

"Is everyone all right?!" Dr. Cain asked, everyone more than a little startled at what had just happened.

"Contact the council immediately!" one of the scientists cried out. "This Maverick can't be allowed to function any longer! He's a danger to everyone, both fellow Reploid AND human!"

The room was in total chaos, some people huddling in the corner while some had gone through the hole that the runaway Maverick had created. "Damn it!" Fujiwara hissed. "X told me he had gained that Reploid's trust!"

"Everything went wrong when you stunned him!" Cain argued. "You could've just answered his question!"

"And what would he have done?! The result would've been the same either way, Phillip!" Fujiwara shouted back. "And that's why I'm the head of this and not you!"

Cain said nothing. He then looked around, only to find that a familiar face was gone. "Roll?" he called out. "Roll? Roll?!" his eyes searched everywhere but saw no trace of her. "Oh no." he realized with horror. "She didn't..."

Chapter Text

Out. He had to get out of here. That was the primary source of his motivation to keep running, keep up the pace, keeping going forward, no matter what. The rain kept beating down, soaking him and forcing his ponytail to drag along the ground slightly. But he could worry about his hair later. For now, he just needed to get out of the city. Perhaps out of the country entirely.

Zero had navigated his way to the poorer district of Arcadia, trash such as garbage and broken glass littered the back alleys. Some piles had what appeared to be needles nestled among the junk, but the red Reploid had little idea what they were for. Something humans did, most likely. He couldn't afford to stand and wonder about them; he was currently running away from them! They were the ones that had put him in this situation!

All he wanted was just some answers; that was all! He just wanted to know why he was here, what he was here for, and just what happened for him to get here in the first place! Ever since he had been taken into custody, everyone acted as if he knew why he was being locked up. He had told them repeatedly that he had no idea, but no one listened! What other choice did he have but to run?!

After a short while of running blind, Zero stopped in the middle of an empty street; the same ivory color of the numerous structures of Arcadia were abandoned and falling apart, having lost their splendor long ago. But, for now, he had to collect his thoughts if he would go any further.

There has to be something. Zero thought, clenching his fists. There HAS to be something in here that can tell me what they're not!

He searched through his memory banks, only to come up with nothing. Yet he didn't stop there. He kept searching, and searching, and searching. Then, he began digging deeper into his processor, his CPU going into overdrive as he strained to find some sort of clue or small answer to anything. And after a few slow moments, he found a barrage of images assaulting him. Zero was beginning to regret going as deep as he did.

His hands were covered in red oil (or was it human blood?), the torn limbs of other Reploids, schematics being presented on a computer with notes on his construction, all of this and more came to Zero. And he was now helpless to stop the flow of information being delivered to him. Just what the hell was going on?! A machine's processor shouldn't be operating in such a way!

But then one image came up that made the labeled Maverick's core freeze. Bathed in heavy shadows with a light shining on him from behind, an older man stared down at him with a wide smile. The shadows made it difficult for Zero to make out any facial features, but he could tell that this elderly human was balding with wild, grey hair on either side of his head. He possibly had facial hair as well, a mustache perhaps? Well, whoever he was, he seemed quite pleased with what he was looking at.

"My masterpiece…" Zero saw the man's lip move; his voice was old and tired but with a nervous giddiness. As if he had just finished making a school project. "I'll get him with this!"

Who "him" was, Zero had no idea, but the old man spoke about "him" with an intense venom in his voice. The image of the man didn't last long, however, as another soon took its place.

"Bass, no! Stop!" Zero heard the older man shout, sounding both enraged and terrified all at once. "I command you to stop!"

"You don't command shit from me, Doc!" a far younger voice roared, Zero detecting intense anger with a twinge of hurt seeping through. "You made me to defeat him, so I'LL be the one to do it!" Zero saw someone else get atop the capsule he rested in. In this memory, at least. "Not this inferior, feminine model!"

The figure's facial features were also obscured and difficult to make out due to the intense light shining down, but from what Zero could see, this person (or machine) was far "younger" than the old man. He was proportioned with large forearms, calves/feet and shoulders, clearly not human. He was shorter than the red Reploid, and, despite having the name "Bass," he sounded more like a raging teenager. And it seemed he had the same attitude of one.

"I'm not letting you replace me!" this "Bass" hollered, voice teetering on edge. If Zero didn't know any better, he sounded as if he were on the verge of tears, assuming he could even produce them. "I'M NOT LETTING YOU TAKE MY REASON TO EXIST AWAY!"

Then, Zero saw a bright light developing from within the machine's forearm, recognizing it instantly as a buster.

"BASS, NO!"

Then the image was engulfed in light, and Zero knew that was all he would get. The rain beating down on his helmet and running down his armor alerted him that he was back in the streets, the skies still storming above. Well, whatever, he thought. If he could just find out where to go next, then maybe he could at least-

"Stop right there!"

Damn! He's here! Zero turned to see X standing a few feet away, buster aimed in his direction. However, Zero was more annoyed than intimidated. "Can't you take a hint when you're not wanted?"

"You're making this incredibly difficult for yourself," X growled, his patience with this Reploid just about spent. "At this rate, you're definitely looking at incarceration!"

"To hell with that!" Zero then drew out his buster. "And to hell with you!" He fired a charged shot in X's direction; the shorter blue Reploid ducked and fired back. Zero fired another charged shot, only to receive the same treatment again. "You're holding back."

X stiffened. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Zero growled. "You can do more than that! I've seen it!"

"Mega Man, no!" the badly beaten robot pleaded, trying to will his damaged form to stand. But, somehow, that scarf remained tied around his neck. "You can't beat him! He's too strong!"

X was puzzled. "Seen it? What are you-" he then paused. "So, you DO remember what happened," he said. "You remember what you had done to Gamma and Sigma."

"And that's another thing!" Zero then exclaimed. "Just who the hell is Gamma?! That's all I've heard of since I was put in that cage!"

Wait, so he didn't remember? X found himself right back where he was before: utterly uncertain of the Reploid (or Maverick) before him. "Whatever the case may be," X spoke. "If you keep going on like this, then-"

"Then what?" Zero questioned. "You'll have to kill me? Do to me as what was supposedly done to Gamma?" Just what HAD I done to Gamma exactly? Damnit!

X's lips tightened, and then Zero saw his opponent close his eyes. He then released an exasperated sigh. "Then…one way or another, I can't allow you to be a danger to people or other Reploids."

He didn't want to do this. Zero realized this and was completely flabbergasted. Even knowing how much of a "psychopathic murderer" he was (according to the guards of his cell), this X character still held reservations about terminating him. Zero had half a mind to call him an idiot but stopped himself. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. True, he wouldn't be TOO rough with his opponent, but he'd make sure that he wouldn't be able to follow him.

"Fine." the Red Maverick finally said. "If that's the case," he then dashed forward. "Prepare yourself!"

X readied himself to fire yet found that instead of receiving the same in return, Zero ducked and dashed forward, a fist meeting his face. X was sent flying back against a wall of painted brick, the ivory coat chipped and peeling to reveal the brown underneath. X knew he couldn't afford to stay down long, so he rose to his feet and readied to fire again, only to receive another punch. Thankfully, the Hunter turned his head to the side to avoid Zero's fist, which left an impact on the wall. X sent a high kick in the Maverick's direction, managing to strike the other Reploid in the chest.

Zero landed on his back yet rolled back onto his feet and leaped up onto one of the towering street lights. X did the same one on the opposite side of the street, the two staring at the other, trying to decipher their opponent's next move. "You lied to me." Zero then said. "You said that those people wouldn't hurt me."

X had no details as to what occurred with the council scientists and Fujiwara, but he cursed himself for not having the foresight to predict something like this. "They never meant to!" X shouted back. "They were just afraid! You have to be patient with them; otherwise, they will react!" he explained. "And by this point, you're only giving them more reason to be on edge!"

"Then why not just let me go?" Zero questioned. He was in no way pleading. He was genuinely curious. "If I'm causing so many problems, why not let me leave this place? If anything, you're the one that's making this more difficult."

"Because you've caused too much damage!" X argued back. "The authorities have already deemed you a threat, and if this continues, lethal force WILL be used against you!"

"They can try!" Zero shot back, having had enough of X's talk. "Just like you!" he leaped forward, diving right for the Hunter.

X stumbled and fell but quickly snatched the pole of another nearby light and hoisted himself up, standing atop of the luminaire. Zero grabbed the pole of the light he was on and swung around until he let go and kicked X directly in the chest. The Blue Hunter was sent back and almost fell to the ground but got back up on another light. This continued for some time: the Maverick either making moves at or knocking the Hunter off of the small platforms he was using. Yet when he managed to get his footing (and a good enough distance away), X tried to talk to Zero again.

"Fujiwara can help you! He can tell you where you came from!"

"They couldn't find one piece of information in my systems!" Zero argued back.

X couldn't have been sure, yet he suspected that the Japanese man had reacted, which caused the both of them to be here now. "Ok, forget Fujiwara," he said. "Dr. Cain can help you." X assured him. "He's not that tech-savvy, but he's someone that'll listen!"

"Enough!" Zero shouted. "I'm done hearing your empty promises, and I'm done being stuck in a cage and no one telling me anything! I'm done with all of this! I'm just DONE!"

Seeing as there was no other way around this, X decided to go on the physical when Zero leaped forward to strike at him again. X jumped and kicked, his blue calve scraping against the Maverick's red forearm, creating sparks as the metal ground against each other for a split second. From light to light, the two Reploids struck each other, neither damaging the other but constantly blocking the other's blows. Or rather, it was X that was blocking Zero.

He's holding back. Zero thought, his punches and kicks either being deflected or dodged by his blue opponent. He can do better than this. But he's using his full potential. Why?

Well, whatever the case, he couldn't afford to waste time. So he had to get out of this city at all costs! And if he had to put this guy out of commission to do so…then so be it.

Instead of delivering another physical blow, Zero slid down one of the poles and shot a medium-charge shot in X's direction. Or rather, at the pole he was standing on. The metal quickly fell to the power of the shot, knocking X off balance and sending him and his platform to the street below. X landed and was about to get up but felt a great force putting pressure on his back. Zero had him pinned and was ready to deliver a punch to the head that would indeed render him unconscious. And even more, unable to continue pursuing him.

Suddenly, both Reploids heard footsteps, their owner rushing towards the scene as fast as her legs could carry her. And before either one of them could look or even ask questions about what she was doing here, Roll proceeded to do something that rendered them speechless. Upon reaching Zero, Roll swung her left arm back and delivered a slap to the Maverick's face, knocking him off balance and forcing his foot off of X. It only stung slightly, the helper Reploid's body far from strong enough to do any real damage. Still, the shock of her sudden appearance gave Zero pause.

Roll stared daggers at him with her teal eyes; the space her blow had created between him and X allowed her to slip in, blocking Zero's path to her sibling. "R-Roll…?" X coughed out, still feeling the blows Zero had dealt him.

The Red Maverick saw the female's intense gaze, yet he was more perplexed than anything. "You know you stand no chance against me, right?" Zero questioned, trying to figure this other blonde Reploid out. So true, he had no intention to terminate the one she was shielding, yet didn't his current condition raise any concern for herself?

"I don't care." Roll told Zero. "You'll just have to go through me to get to him." The thought of her potentially being harmed made X rise to his feet, ready to fight, yet Roll still didn't move, and neither did the Red Maverick.

The two had locked eyes, trying to see and decide what to do next. But then, Zero just turned and ran off.

The two DLNs looked at each other, flabbergasted. Well, whatever, Roll thought. There were more important things she needed to worry about. "X, are you all right?" she asked, kneeling to her (younger) brother's level. "That brute didn't beat you too badly, did he?" she looked him over. Even if she had complete confidence, her brother would've beaten that punk (at least she kept telling herself that); she could tell that he had been wailed on pretty badly. "C'mon," she said, hoisting X up onto his feet. "Let's get you back and have Fujiwara patch you up."

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

X and Roll looked to see Zero standing a short distance away. Or rather, someone that they initially believed to be the red Reploid. He bore the same red sheen on his armor, yet had red pauldrons covered his shoulders with white lining. He had a red chest with two green orbs on his pectorals, a red pelvic area, and red boots and forearms with silver bands around the wrists. His helmet was red with an angular shaped blue gem on the middle section of white. The portions uncovered by armor were black, and while it wasn't as long as Zero's, this Reploid had a long ponytail of blonde hair, only it was crudely cut and lacked the flowing motion.

"Aren't you kids out a little late?" the Reploid asked, a mocking tone in his voice. "Surely it's past your bedtime."

Roll still stood in front of X, the red Reploid approaching her. "Can we help you?" She asked suspiciously, raising a brow. She didn't like the vibes coming off of him one bit. "And if I may ask, what are YOU doing out here? And in a place such as this?"

This mysterious Reploid just smirked. "I'm out here on official business. And I've just got about five million in the bag." Roll saw what appeared to be a small flash drive of sorts in his hand, flicking it back and forth in between his fingers.

"Five million?" X then spoke up. "Like zenny? Or-" X then saw the Reploid's once confident features drop. X began to piece together just who this guy was. "You're a thief, aren't you?"

The Reploid was silent, simply staring at X and Roll before he suddenly broke out into a chuckle. "Oh no, you got me," he said. "Yeah, I'm a thief—name's Andrey. And thanks to this here," he then presented the flash drive. "I will have cash and the perfect way to cover my tracks. But, unfortunately for you two," he put away the drive and reached behind his back. "That means things might get a little messy."

He then pulled out two objects resembling a three-bladed fan; the blades then glowed blue and began spinning, transforming into weapons that could cut and tear through metal. Andrey jumped forward, spinners whirling like crazy. X grabbed Roll and dodged the incoming weapons; the red thief had thrown one in their direction. The weapon flew at an angle and came back to him like a boomerang, easily catching it.

"Go call the authorities!" X urged his sister. "I'll deal with him!" he stood, but he stumbled somewhat. Even if he wasn't severely damaged, Zero had still given him some noticeable injuries, one of which was affecting his left knee.

Andrey saw this and wasted no time in focusing on that particular area. He threw one of his weapons at the affected area, the spinning blades slicing through the cords that connected X's limb to the rest of him. It didn't cut through, yet it damaged the section enough to where X felt his limb go numb.

"X!" Roll shouted, going over to support him, but she was cut off by one of Andrey's spinners, the weapon lodging in the wall. A few more inches, and Roll's fingers would've been sliced off.

"You want to get cut up into sashimi too? You run, baby!" Andrey chuckled. He leaped over and retrieved his other spinner. Roll reached and tried to wrestle the weapon out of his grip, but she was knocked out of the way, her body falling to the ground.

Centering his attention back on X, the red criminal dashed forward, X firing off a plasma blast in his direction. Andrey proved once again that he was quick on his feet, ducking and dodging X's shots before he landed another blow on the blue Reploid, the "blades" of the spinner slashed into his midsection. X yowled and blocked the other's attack from above, but the other spinner kept digging into him, working its way through his armor.

"Get off of him!" Andrey suddenly felt an arm wrap around his neck, the other arm reaching around and grabbing the arm X was currently blocking.

Andrey only responded with a swift kick to Roll's stomach, sending her off her feet and into a street light. The pole shook from the impact, and the blonde landed with a loud thud.

"Annoying bitch." Andrey scoffed. This distraction allowed X to get a surprise attack with a right hook, but the blue Reploid knew that getting Andrey off of him was just one part of the puzzle. Now it all depended on what he would do next.

Roll saw her brother combating the criminal and tried to rise, only to feel a paralyzing ache in her back. She then realized that some parts of her thoracic section, so she wouldn't be able to stand possibly.

Damn these cheap materials! Roll cursed to herself, trying to shift her inner components to line the twisted vertebrae back into place. She gripped onto the pole to support herself, swearing that she could do nothing else but hunch over, completely useless. But, once again, she could do nothing. She was completely useless.

A Short Distance Away

The sirens were heard throughout the city as Hunter vehicles and units were deployed to every major street in Arcadia. Among one of those units were Dr. Cain and Fujiwara, the two humans tagging along only due to orders from their superiors.

And by superiors, they meant the council.

"Get that Maverick under control, but he is NOT to be terminated!" Dr. Fujiwara said. "He is to be brought in alive!"

"Yes sir!" the other Hunters said in unison as if they were speaking with a commanding officer. They went into the alleyways, ready to search.

Yet then, to Cain's shock, the Japanese man had entered them not soon after. "Sho!" Cain hissed, going in after the scientist. "Are you crazy?! What are you doing?!"

"I'm not going to risk missing out on this!" Fujiwara answered the older human. "Finally, I'll be able to see what X can truly do!" he explained. And that Maverick too, if we're lucky!

"But what about Roll? She's gone too!" Cain exclaimed.

"Then all the more motivation for X to fight back!" Fujiwara responded. I'll admit, you're proving to be much more effective bait than you are a housekeeper.

The Asian went down the winding, tight passages, Cain following to try and keep the man from doing anything else foolish. But, then again, here he was, following Fujiwara. Fine then, they were both fools, but only one of them had actual concern for X and Roll.

Present Location

Damn! X coughed, some fluid traveling up his throat. That Zero guy hurt me more than I thought. None of Andrey's blows had been lethal, yet X knew he was a little more sluggish than before. The beatdown from the back had given Andrey an edge over him, proven once again when the thief brought his knee up, striking the underside of X's jaw.

Unknownst to him, Dr. Cain and Fujiwara were drawn towards the noise of the battle, peeking around a corner and expecting to see some sign of either X or Roll. Instead, to their surprise and horror (more on Cain's end), they saw the Red Maverick standing a short distance away.

"Don't move. Not even an inch." Fujiwara whispered.

Cain didn't need to be told twice, instinctual fear keeping him in place and quiet. True, while this Maverick, this Zero, had yet to harm any humans, his potential for doing so was still in question. After all, he was willing to tear apart his kind, so who knew what would happen if he got ahold of something made of flesh instead of metal? Still, as Cain and Fujiwara watched him, the former couldn't help but notice that Zero appeared to be contemplating something. Of course, he was considering…and being conflicted about it.

Just what are you thinking? Both men wondered.

Then, Zero dashed east, quickly disappearing.

"After him!" Fujiwara hissed, going on in the direction the Maverick had gone in.

"Sho!" Cain called out after the younger scientist, but the older man knew that he wouldn't be deterred. He was determined to see Zero in action.

And if it were against X, then Cain just hoped they could get there in time to stop it. Assuming there would be a way to do so.

"Dude, you suck." Andrey scoffed, looking at the downed X. X was about to rise, yet the thief slammed his foot down on his chest, keeping him on the ground. "Wait," he then leaned down to better look at his opponent. "Ah, I knew I recognized you from somewhere!" he said. "You're that X guy, right? Mega Man X?"

X found it was a rather odd question to ask in a time like this, but he confirmed his identity to Andrey. "I usually drop the 'Mega Man' part, but yeah." X answered. He tried to ponder his next move, trying to keep Andrey talking.

"Wow," Andrey said. "I guess I should be honored to mee the 'father of us all', but honestly, I'm quite underwhelmed," he said. "I mean, I'm not even that strong, and I'm pummeling you!" he scoffed. "And you're rather plain looking, not much to look at. Nope, not at all."

X didn't unleash it just yet, but a charged shot was being developed in his buster. It ultimately made no difference whether he suspected this or not, as Andrey pierced X's forearm with one of his spinners. The weapon lodged its way through the limb, right into the generator for his weapon. X could still fire, yet his shots would no longer be in his control given the weapon's location. He couldn't gauge whether his shots would be low or high energy.

"I…" X strained. Andrey then came down with his other spinner, X being forced to block it and thus, unable to remove the other from his arm. "I'd strongly suggest surrendering if I were you."

"Oh really?" Andrey scoffed. "Well, if I were you," he raised his arm. "I'd start trying to convince me to spare your life!"

"Speak for yourself."

Andrey didn't even get a chance to turn and see who had come up from behind him.

His arm was seized, and he was flipped over Zero's shoulder, landing on his helmet and bouncing off the ground. Zero went over to X, the blue Reploid studying him and figuring out what he would do next. The Red Maverick knelt and, with a slight tug, removed the spinner from X's forearm.

"The hell?! What the-" Andrey rubbed his head and looked to see another Reploid had entered the fray. "Well, lookie here," the thief said, looking Zero over. "Hair's a bit too long, but not bad. Certainly more flashy than blue boy over there." he gestured towards X. He then looked at Roll, who had released a groan as she still tried to straighten her back. "Don't strain yourself, sweetheart. Your turn's coming." he then turned back to Zero. "Though you'll have to wait for yours."

Zero appeared unamused. "Unfortunately for you," he then activated the spinner he had taken, the laser blades spinning. "Patience isn't my forte."

He then lunged forward, spinner aiming for Andrey. Andrey ducked out of the way and managed to slice Zero's leg, striking the section just above the knee. Zero winced, kneeling and glowering at his aggressor. "Wow, you're sloppy too." he then looked towards X. "You two have the same defective logic components?"

Zero lunged forward again, and Andrey jumped back, but Zero kept coming at him, alternating between his fists and the spinner he had taken.

"He has a buster yet isn't using it," Fujiwara observed. He and Cain were still hidden from view but watching the battle.

"You sound disappointed," Cain said. "All of them have received injuries, yet you want to see more?"

"None of them will die," Fujiwara answered, barely paying attention to Cain. "That Red Maverick will see to that."

"What are you talking about?" Cain questioned, not understanding a thing the Japanese native was saying. But his question was left unanswered. He continued watching with Fujiwara, observing the two Reploids fight each other with weapons.

If I'm right about this, Fujiwara thought. If I can get my hands on you, you could give me more than X ever could!

"C'mon! Make this fun for me!" Andrey complained, growing quite bored of the punches being sent his way. He blocked the spinner Zero had also been using against him, ducking underneath the other red Reploid's arm and delivering a swift kick to his chest. Andrey began chuckling, Zero motionless on the ground. "You suck even more than he does!" he laughed, looking over at X. "As tempted as I am to stay, I can't play with you all in one night." he then approached Zero, who was still on the ground. "Although," he then held the long, blonde ponytail, the golden fibers between his fingers. "I've been considering getting a longer haircut."

SLASH!

This had been the moment Zero had been waiting for. When Andrey had dove forward, the Red Maverick used this opportunity to use his own weapon against him. At first, Andrey had believed that Zero was going for his chest, yet upon manuvering out of the way, Andrey found the spinner stuck into his back, piercing through some of his vertebrae and sending him to the ground. He turned and tried to use the spinner he possessed, yet Zero used the one he had to slice the other Reploid's fingers off at the joints, rendering his hand completely useless. The spinner fell from his grasp, and Zero took it for himself. Andrey reached fruitlessly for him; whether to plead or try to get one of his weapons, Zero didn't know. But it didn't matter in the end anyway.

"Wait!" X shouted, rising to his feet but stumbling due to the injury to his knee. "Wait a minute!" he said again. "There's no need for that!"

While X had correctly predicted what Zero was about to do, the Red Maverick appeared confused. "Isn't he responsible for that?" he asked, gesturing to X's knee. "And that?" he then gestured to Roll, who had propped herself up against a nearby wall, having somewhat straightened her back. "But when I'm about to take care of him, you try and stop me!"

"I may not be a full-fledged one yet, but Maverick Hunters don't set out to kill other Reploids!" X said. "We're to keep order, yes, but it doesn't have to be at the cost of someone's life." he then pointed to the downed Andrey. "Look, he's incapacitated; he can't harm anyone else."

"Y-Yeah! Listen to him!" Andrey said though Zero shot him a look that told him to be quiet.

Zero looked at X, then to Andrey. It'd be quick and easy, and he'd had reason to, seeing as Andrey was the one that had caused harm to two innocent Reploids. If anything, X was the one that was being foolish. Still, regardless, Zero found himself trying to decide what his next move should've been. He had no idea why he was even bothering to listen to X, yet his words still kept repeating themselves in his head.

Suddenly, the sounds of approaching footsteps alerted the Red Maverick that more were coming. But, to hell with it, the authorities were on their way anyway. Zero rushed down the alleyway he had emerged from, passing by and not even acknowledging either Dr. Cain or Fujiwara.

"No! Wait! WAIT!" Dr. Fujiwara cried out, but he couldn't have hoped to catch up.

Once he had gotten out into the open streets, the blonde Reploid was long gone.

Chapter Text

"As of now, we have a full report on the suspect apprehended last night," Blu said, speaking to all the Hunters in the briefing room. " RLN-0987, Andrey, had five million units of zenny in his possession via cyber-currency and a peculiar flash drive with him." An image of the flash drive in question appeared on the monitor. "And guess what it had stored inside?" talk erupted from within the group of Hunters. "And that's not all," Blu continued. "When the Maverick captured by Commander Sigma was in custody, another Reploid factory had several of their units infected."

"So that guy wasn't responsible?" Firefly asked, barely able to believe what he was hearing. No one could.

"He couldn't have been," Blu answered. "The timeline doesn't match up. Thus, the only crime he's committed is theft."

"And murder." Ray hissed under his breath.

X stood in the middle of the group, overshadowed by the larger Reploids. Even if he had yet to speak, he was listening to every word spoken while reciting what he wanted to say in his mind.

"Well, now what?" Chill Penguin asked, folding his arms over his broad chest. Yes, broad. NOT fat. "This guy STILL wiped out Gamma's unit and put the Commander in the infirmary!"

"Although, if the Red Maverick was infected with the Maverick Virus, then could he even be held accountable?" a smaller Reploid had spoken up. He had the appearance and voice of a young boy; his short stature made him stand out and blend in among the other Hunters. His chest, shoulders, pelvic, and leg armor were bright orange, contrasting with his large, bright blue eyes. His audio units were attached to the sides of his head rather than his helmet, which had white stripes and two, long signal receptors atop of his head, resembling a pair of rabbit ears.

Ai raised her brow and turned to face the smaller machine at the main computer. "What are you talking about, A-1?"

The smaller Reploid, A-1, had quite literally been "born" yesterday. And even more, the red Navigator was informed that he was supposedly her "sibling" unit. It seemed that both of them were now (as decreed by the humans) part of some experiment on whether or not they could "bond." Of course, if anyone asked Ai, she wanted nothing to do with this brat.

"Well, if the Virus is known to cause erratic behavior and disrupt the general functioning of Reploids," the smaller Reploid said. "Then could Zero even be charged with what he's got stacked against him?" A-1 continued. "And even more, his systems were immaculate after the Commander dealt with him."

"So, what are you saying?" Glenn asked.

X saw his opportunity. However, he wasn't too optimistic about the results. "Then maybe we could use his abilities and fighting skills for good."

All of the Hunters and the entire room went quiet, everyone's eyes on X. "What do you mean?"

X readied himself. Here we go. "Well," he began. "Given the circumstances and from what we've seen, maybe Zero would make for a good Maverick Hunter."

Infirmary

She had finally gotten some time to come here, and wouldn't you know it; her brother was in the middle of a meeting! But given that she was here, Roll thought she might as well see how Sigma was doing. Ever since the Red Maverick (Zero) incident, she hadn't gotten much information regarding Sigma's condition. In a sense, he was the one that had dealt the finishing blow to her kidnapper, so it was quite rude that she had yet to check up on him. But as she stood in the ivory-colored hallway, she saw a familiar human emerge from one of the doors.

"Oh, Dr. Cain!" Roll greeted with a slight bow. "I wasn't aware you were here."

"Funny, seeing as I didn't know you were here too," the bald man said. "Although, it is a good thing you are here. I was just about to come to get you from Fujiwara's place."

"Really? Why?"

Cain appeared concerned. "Sigma's not yet fit to give a statement, but you are. So, therefore, I'll need to take yours."

"Statement? Statement for..." Roll paused. "Oh. You mean..."

"Yes," Dr. Cain answered. "The council will wish to hear a testimony from someone who met this Zero character and lived."

Well, yes, that made sense. Still, Roll herself wasn't sure whether or not she was ready for that. "And what about X? Is he going to speak?"

"Oh, he's already spoken. Not to the council, but me. He says he's made up his mind, but he doesn't think it'll be received well by the others."

"What won't be?" Roll asked, and then she thought about it. "He...he can't be..."

Briefing Room

The chamber was utterly silent, X's fellow Hunters and Reploids staring at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. "You can't be serious," Ray said, waiting for X to say he was joking, as sick of a joke it was. But unfortunately, X remained silent. "You...you can't be..." Ray's shock then gave way to anger. "Have you lost your mind?!"

X braced himself. His confidence wasn't high, but he knew he'd forever regret it if he didn't speak up. "I was just thinking that, with everything we've seen, perhaps we don't have to take such drastic measures in dealing with Zero." He said. Then maybe we won't have to...

A-1 looked at X, torn on how to respond. Though, ultimately, he went with the logical approach. "Well, why do you say that?" He asked. Even if he was still relatively "new," he wondered why X was referring to the fugitive by his first name so casually.

X knew that this wouldn't be met with much positive reception, but he had to say it. He had to, otherwise, Zero would surely be doomed. "I'm not diminishing what happened to Gamma," though he didn't look, the blue Reploid could practically feel Ray's optics staring daggers at him. "But given what we know now, regarding how the criminal was apprehended last night, can Zero be held responsible for what occurred?"

X stepped back when Ray lunged at him, only being stopped by Glenn holding him back.

"So, what you're saying is that everything that's happened should be swept under the rug because he was infected, and thus, had no control over his actions?" Ai spoke up.

"No, not at all," X answered. "But isn't the fact that he's recovered from the Virus something to look into? After all, if he's no longer infected, perhaps we can reverse the effects on other Reploids by studying what happened."

"So, you're saying that we should just excuse the killer of our friends because you think that he deserves a second chance?" Ray snarled, still being held back by Glenn. "It's all ok because he didn't mean it?"

"I'm not diminishing what happened or what he's done!" X argued. "All I'm saying is that both us and the humans," though when X said "humans," he meant the council, "Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to take such...actions." He didn't even wish to say the horrible possibilities in his mind."Doesn't it strike anyone else as odd that this cold-blooded killer hasn't taken any more life since his arrest? How he stopped that vehicle before it hit that human girl? Or even before, how he broke into Dr. Fujiwara's place, but didn't lay a hand on his daughter or their dog?"

"But he STILL killed Gamma," Ray said. "Frankly, that's all that matters. What should matter to you."

X lowered his head. "I'm just saying that Zero's behavior is inconsistent with how he was before with how he is now."

"He tried to kill Commander Sigma." Glenn finally spoke up. He wasn't as emotional as Ray but was still baffled by X's suggestion. "And he tried to kill you. And all you were doing was trying to get your sister back. The one that this Zero had abducted."

"But then he saved both of us from Andrey last night!" X argued. "Zero didn't have to come back, it actually would've been the perfect opportunity to make a run for it, but he didn't! He-"

"He saved you! That's the only reason you're defending him!" Ray shot back.

"I'm not defending anything that he's done! But if Andrey was the one with the Virus, and presumably the one behind all of the outbreaks, then the responsibility of all that's occurred rests on his shoulders!"

"You're just making excuses for him!" Ray shouted, getting quite hot. "And what's with this first name bullshit? Are you guys good buddies or something?!"

"No! It's nothing like that!"

"Then what is it?! Why are you so insistent that we be so linnet with him?!"

"I just don't think we should just up and shoot him on site!"

"He deserves to die for what he's done!"

"We shall deal with that in good time, Ray," Blu said. "So, I suggest you get control over yourself." Ray glared at X, but he nonetheless backed away. "This Maverick's culpability is an issue that'll have to be decided by the council. We must apprehend and take him in." She finished with one last word to her statement. "Alive."

Infirmary

Oh, X. Roll thought, shaking her head. What are you thinking? She suspected that something was up when he said he wanted to speak to Dr. Cain and Fujiwara after Zero had escaped, but hearing her brother's true thoughts on the matter baffled her. Why are you so insistent on having that Reploid be here? With the rest of us?

"I'll admit, I didn't see it coming either." Dr. Cain said. "If anything, I thought he'd be advocating for that Red Maverick-"

"Zero." Roll then said though she wasn't exactly sure why.

"Yes, right, Zero," Cain corrected himself. "Given what happened to you, along with Gamma and Sigma, I'd think X would want Zero far away from where he can't hurt anyone else."

If I had my way, that's exactly what I would do. The blonde Reploid thought. Anything to make sure he never so much as touches X again!

"But it's not just him that's wanting this Zero character to be preserved."

"Preserved? What do you mean?" As problematic as it was, she could understand X wanting to help (severely misguided as it was), but who else could want that dangerous individual around?

Briefing Room

X was surprised upon hearing that. "What?" He looked on hopefully while Ray felt the fluid in his body boiling. "You mean he ISN'T going to be terminated?" The blue Reploid questioned.

"At the request of Dr. Fujiwara. Which was granted to him by the council. Thus, our assignment is to find this Red Maverick and make sure he is caught alive and, if need be, unable to terminate himself."

"Why?" Firefly questioned.

"Why else?" Ai interjected. "He's good at what he does, so they want him. Nothing more to it than that."

The smaller A-1 spoke up. "Given the circumstances, maybe this Maverick WOULD join us. After all, his combat capabilities could be a great asset."

"Exactly!" X followed up. "It would help all of us!"

"You're just saying that because that Maverick was the one who saved your ass last night," Ray said, crossing his arms. "And what would you know?" He said to A-1. "You were just born yesterday! So you have no idea what you're talking about!"

A-1 looked down at the ground, fiddling with his hands. Despite having a supercomputer "brain," he still resembled and acted like a child.

"The Doctor and the council have spoken," Blu said, voice even and calm as if she was utterly ignorant of the storm brewing in the room. "It is not our decision to make," she turned to Ray. "Nor is it the decision made during a state of intense but ultimately illogical emotions," Ray clenched his fists while Glenn sighed. "As of now, we are to search the entire city-state of Arcadia. And if need be, we shall search until we reach Tokyo or even all of Japan."

"What about Commander Sigma?" Firefly asked.

The room went silent. "He's still being monitored. But at the moment, he's stable," Blu replied. "Regardless, he would want us all to do our duty."

A-1 chimed in. "Y-Yeah! Let's get started!"

A chorus of "Roger!" Erupted from everyone, but X kept his quieter, his mind going to work on how to bring Zero here, safe and, if possible, with minimal damage.

Of course, he couldn't deny that another fight would break out. And if that happened, it would be beyond his power to do anything.

Infirmary

Sigma was aware that someone had just entered his room, looking to see Dr. Cain and Roll standing above him. "Cain? What are you..." he trailed off; the effects of the sedative program used to keep him calm during reconstruction still lingered.

" Well, the last time I saw you, you were in quite the rough shape," he then gestured to the Reploid. "And Roll here hasn't had the chance to see you."

"Thank you for saving my brother and me," Roll said. "I'll admit that I was scared he wouldn't make it."

And yet I'm the one that was put in the hospital. Sigma thought. Roll was just being courteous. She knew well that he was beaten within an inch of his life to where someone else had to come in and take care of things! And also you," he thought as his completely blue eyes looked at her. A rock...you hit him with a rock. And yet that saved me. his fingers curled into a fist. I have my arm torn from me, yet you weren't even touched?!

"I'm sorry I didn't come by earlier, but with Fujiwara's house being ransacked and Zero still on the loose, well, needless to say, I haven't felt good leaving Chiyo alone." Or X, for that matter.

"Zero?" Sigma asked, confused.

"Oh, right. There's been some...developments regarding the Maverick you fought." Cain answered.

"Explain, please," Sigma replied. He was then told of the Maverick's two escape attempts, the most recent success, and what they found upon analyzing him. "So, even with us, he remains an enigma."

"That seems to be the case," Cain confirmed. "Although, since the night prior, there's been another new development."

Another one? "And that would be?" Cain then shifted and said what it was and the reason for it. "So, is that it?" Sigma asked. "That Maverick, or Zero, as he's called himself, will be let free?"

Not my host...this won't do.

"Not exactly," Cain responded, Roll not knowing this new information. "Dr. Fujiwara has requested that Zero be kept functioning, but given his...escapades, it's being debated whether or not he should be in state custody or not."

And...that would mean...?

Sigma didn't understand it, and perhaps it was just another side-effect of the sedative, but he swore he heard someone speak in his mind. "And that would mean?" He repeated.

The voice wasn't exactly a "voice" in a sense, as while he heard it, it wasn't as if someone was speaking to him. Instead, it was as if he could listen to another series of thoughts and his own. And while they weren't intruding on his own, they spoke in a way that, for now, aligned with his thinking.

"It means that while he won't be terminated, he will most likely be confined."

"Confined?" Roll asked.

"Yes, sort of what they debated doing with you and X when our experiment was revealed." Cain still had no idea who blew the whistle, but he couldn't help but notice that Cecilia hadn't been by anyone since after the dust had settled. "Only he shall be monitored and kept away from anyone of his kind. Perhaps even have no human interaction either."

"But he won't be destroyed?" Sigma asked.

"By decree of those higher than me, no," the bald human explained. "But what his life will be from now on is up to us."

What does he mean?

"What do you mean, Doctor?" Sigma asked.

"The council is collecting statements from witnesses to determine whether this Zero could be in a government facility or free, but under strict monitoring." Cain clarified. He then turned to Roll. "That's where you come in."

Borders of Arcadia

"Looks like he's already fled the city." Firefly reported traveling along the path created for transportation with his bike, looking over the city walls.

"Damn!" Ai hissed over the com-link. "He's in none of Arcadia's sectors either!"

"As far as we know, he could've left just a short time ago or somehow made it to the border without being sighted." Blu told Gamma and Ray, both Hunters not caring for this news.

"Then where could he have gone to?!" Ray groaned. He just wanted to find this guy and get justice for his friends. Was that so wrong?

"Were there any particular areas of interest? As in, places he could've gone, or has been to before?" A-1 questioned X, who had just made it to Arcadia's gates.

"Aside from where he took Roll, I can't think of anywhere else."

He then saw Firefly above him. He kicked up the wall and went over the railing to get on the pathway. He looked out into the dry, artificial land that composed of both the city-state and the land surrounding it. It was a good few miles before one saw any natural greenery, and it wouldn't last long, given Arcadia's close proximity to Tokyo.

"Wait a moment," Ai spoke to Firefly. "Where was Gamma's unit sent to?"

"Outer-sector B32. Why?" The green Hunter asked.

"Well, think about it," A-1 chimed in. Seemingly to AI's annoyance. "If this Zero guy stole all this stuff, wouldn't he go back for it?"

X and Firefly looked at each other, then to the barren landscape outside the city walls. "Ai, call up Blu and get her to send Ray and Glenn," The green Hunter said. "We need to know where Gamma went."

"What? But, I can-"

"They know the area better than I do, so," he cut her off. He knew she'd have a problem with it, but she could be mad at him later. "Better yet, put Blu on. We'll need her as a guide."

"Firefly, I can do what she can! I-"

"Ai, please get Blu on." Firefly said.

After a few moments of silence, Ai responded. "Fine. I'll get her. Ray and Glenn will be there shortly."

The link died, and now Blu's voice was heard. "You request my assistance?"

"Yeah, we need your intel. Glenn and Ray need to join us too."

"Why's that?" Blu asked.

Firefly narrowed his eyes. "Because I think the lion's just gone back to his den."

Infirmary

"So, that's all you need?" Roll asked. "Just my word and all of this can be over?"

"Essentially, yes," Cain explained. "Granted, your statement will be considered with others to make an informed decision, but you are a key witness."

Abductions aren't exactly new to me, Doctor. Roll reflected.

True, Mega Man always helped her out, but that was then. She wasn't stuck in the body of a child anymore. And even more, she was a big sister now. She had the same duty to X, and this Zero character wasn't someone she was fond of at all.

"Well, if that's the case, what should I say?"

"Whatever you want," Cain said. "Although, I'd act fast, as I doubt your long-haired friend will remain a fugitive for much longer."

So, he's coming. Good.

Again, Sigma was unsure what this strange "voice" was. "Well, what is your position on this, Sigma?" Dr. Cain asked.

Sigma was about to speak but was cut off by the "voice."

I want him alive.

Well, I want him to pay for this humiliation.

He needs to be alive. And he cannot be confined. He must be free.

He is a danger to everyone. And if not for him, I wouldn't be in this state! Sigma glanced at Roll. Despite his features remaining smooth, he was seething. You...you were supposed to be the one in need of rescue! And X...!

X will keep him alive. Then you can have him.

What?

Keep him alive, and then you can have your revenge. You'll make an example out of him. But he must remain alive.

Alive. Sigma couldn't entirely explain it, but these suggestions made him think.

"Sigma?"

Sigma turned to Dr. Cain. No matter what these suggestions said, he would do what he saw fit, but his hands were tied. "I suppose there is no other choice," he said. "But before I decide," he then turned to Roll. "I would like your input."

"Mine?" Roll asked, perplexed by being put on the spot.

"You were his hostage. Do you believe that he is a danger?" Sigma questioned. "Do you believe you were in danger?"

Roll shifted. "Well, that's a bit...complicated," she confessed. "I was scared, of course, but,"

"But what?"

"It's hard to explain, but why does my input matter to you? If I may ask."

"Because, at the moment, I'm conflicted." Sigma answered.

"Conflicted how?" Roll asked.

"Well, seeing as this Maverick, this Zero, will live, the only thing to decide is where he'll live." He explained. "And seeing as our experiences with him greatly differ, I need to make sure what the council's choice is will be the best for us all." He then sat up, albeit slowly. His body was mostly repaired but still relatively weak. "So tell me, Miss Roll, in your own words, what happened during your captivity?"

Roll stiffened, for she was now at a crossroads. Her word had more weight than she imagined. This could very well decide Zero's future going on from here. She had the power to keep him away from X, to prevent him from hurting her little brother or anyone ever again. She could potentially make that happen, and she'd do it out of looking out for X's safety.

She could put Zero away. It'd be easy. And yet...and yet...

"Roll?" Dr. Cain's voice brought Roll back to the present.

Roll then sighed. "Well," she began. "It began normally enough; the dig was going smoothly..."

Outside Arcadia

"Is this the place?" Firefly asked the group of four Hunters at what appeared to be an old laboratory.

"Yeah, this is where we tailed him," Glenn confirmed. "Although, we're still unsure whether he's even here."

"Well, no other way to know unless we check it out for ourselves." Ray said, about to walk towards the entrance before Glenn stopped him.

"Hold it! We know what that guy can do!" The other Hunter warned. "The last thing we need is for someone else to get killed."

Ray looked down at the ground. "But..."

Suddenly, everyone received a call from HQ. Questions of whether it was Ai, Blu, or A-1 fell by the wayside as a familiar, deep baritone was heard over the link.

"Don't enter the location of interest until I arrive."

"Commander Sigma?" X was flabbergasted. "What are you doing? I thought you still needed repairs!"

"This is a serious matter, X. I must come." Sigma said. "I've had an interesting talk with your sister regarding her abductor."

X stiffened. "And...what did she say?"

The other end of the link was quiet for a moment, but it dragged on for an eternity for X. "She told me enough to where I have decided on what to do with our red friend," Sigma told everyone via the shared link. "You and your team are to keep an eye on whether there's any movement, but do NOT enter. Not until I arrive."

"Sir, are you sure?" Glenn asked, puzzled by this sudden development. "Are you even in fit condition to-"

"Do not enter until I have arrived; that is an order," Sigma repeated. Then the link died.

No one knew what to make of it. "What was THAT?" Firefly asked, even if he knew no one would give him an answer. He then looked at X. "Hey, did anything weird happen with the Commander when you two had that scuffle with the Red Maverick?"

"Aside from taking massive damage, then no," X answered. "Myself included." But that W I saw...and when Sigma broke Zero's head, then...

The group stood outside the lab for some time, looking for both Zero and Sigma. "I wonder what's spurred the Commander's decision on this?" Glenn questioned aloud. "It's not as if he's had a reasonable recovery period."

"Well, whatever the case, I hope Sigma makes this guy pay." He then glanced over at X. Seeing as somebody won't do what needs to be done.

"But if this Maverick is to remain functioning, what will they do with him?" Firefly asked.

"I'd say the most likely possibility is that he'll be kept somewhere remote and secure. Far away from anyone else ever again." Glenn answered.

"Or they could realize that keeping him alive is stupid and scrap him like they should've done first," Ray growled, looking over at X, who had been quiet. "I don't suppose you have anything you want to contribute? Or are you still wanting to try and be friends with this guy?"

X didn't speak for a moment. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it? Ray inquired. "What's so special about him that you'll put yourself at risk?"

Again, X was quiet at first. "It's..." Dr. Wily, the Three Laws, Mega Man, the Virus... so many things related to himself and possibly Zero flooded his mind, but he couldn't articulate them properly. Not that his fellow Reploids would understand anyway. "It's complicated."

"Complicated how?" Ray asked. "How is deciding whether a criminal should be punished at all complicated?"

X had no answer they'd understand, but he knew he had to say something. But before he could speak, he and the rest of the group heard someone approaching.

"Greetings," Sigma told his men. "What have I missed?"

Inside the Lab

He didn't know why he had come here, but when he escaped Arcadia, Zero found himself almost being guided by some unknown force to this place. There was a collection of energen crystals and E-tanks in the back that he helped himself to, seeing as he had been without energy for a good while. But, despite what was provided to him, it was only enough to keep him up and running. He had been feeling somewhat "starved" since he was brought in.

They're coming for me. Zero thought. They're probably outside right now. He then heard the doors to the lab open.

Zero then found an unfamiliar voice calling out for him. "Zero!" The voice said. "You're in no danger. I merely wish to talk to you."

Preparing himself in case things got physical, Zero exited the room and found a tall Reploid standing at the entrance to the lab.

Sigma waited to see if the Maverick would make a move as he did before, but he realized that it wouldn't happen after some time. Indeed, what X had told him outside was true. He had changed completely. But why?

"Who are you?" Zero asked Sigma, surprising the taller machine.

"You mean you don't know?" Sigma asked. How dare you. After what you've done, you forgot about me?!

He remembers nothing, so that anger won't serve you.

Zero and Sigma stared at the other, waiting or debating whether to make a move. But given the late hour and the fact he still wasn't in top shape, the Hunter leader spoke first. "Given I already know who you are, I shall introduce myself." He said. "I am Sigma."

"You already know my name?" Zero asked.

"Yes, your friend, X told me," Sigma answered. "He also said it was a name you chose for yourself."

Wait a minute, friend?! "We are, in no way, friends," Zero said. "I don't even know him. And I've just met you, so why are you here? Aside from the obvious. Just so you know, however, I won't go back willingly."

"Of course not," Sigma said. "But you're quite fortunate. Daresay, blessed."

Zero raised a brow from underneath his helmet. "What are you talking about?"

Now is the time.

Sigma stepped forward. "Because you are about to do everyone a great service."

Outside

The four Hunters stood outside the entrance with bated breath, waiting for their superior to emerge.

"He didn't go in with restraints," Firefly said. "How's he going even to take this guy down?"

"Well, if he can't, we'll go in," Ray added. "Like hell I'll let him kill anyone else!"

Just then, Glenn caught sight of something. "Hey, look!" He said to everyone, pointing to the entrance. "Someone's coming out!"

Glenn was half right, for two individuals emerged from the thick shadows where the moon's light couldn't reach. Both Sigma and Zero came out, fully intact and alive.

"This is a most pleasant turn of events, wouldn't you say?" Sigma asked Zero, who just remained quiet. Sigma then looked to the four others. "At ease, men," he said, placing a hand on Zero's white shoulder. "He is now one of us."

Chapter Text

A week ago, he had been a so-called "bloodthirsty renegade" that was a danger to everyone around him: Reploid and human alike. Now here he was, part of the same organization that had tried to take him down.

Zero the Maverick Hunter. Even now, it still sounded unreal. Not to mention unfitting. It wasn't as if he had chosen to be here, but given his current predicament, perhaps he should at least be somewhat grateful. For now, it seemed that the Hunters would be making use of his skills.

The Reploid he had fought, Andrey, he believed, was convicted of the Maverick outbreaks and sentenced. Anyone's guess would happen to him afterward, but it meant Zero was no longer a suspect. Still, he couldn't help but feel that the council (so-called authorities over Arcadia) just wanted to use the arrest to ease everyone's nerves. With Andrey's conviction, everyone seemed to breathe a little easier.

That one Reploid, X, was relieved, telling Zero directly that he knew something didn't fit right so that he couldn't have been responsible for the outbreaks. But, on the other hand, his sister didn't approach him at all. She didn't even speak to him, but Zero shrugged it off. He wasn't interested in interaction with her anyway, let alone that of her brother (who she had been shadowing as of late).

Aside from the unfamiliar and oppressive environment he now found himself in, everyone's eyes watching his every move, it seemed that the problem was over. At least until a few days after Andrey's arrest. True, unlike before, only a handful of Reploids were affected, but there were reportedly no signs or symptoms of infection.

Their processors went against them.

Thus, with Mavericks still a very real threat, Zero was put to work. And by put to work, it meant being Fujiwara's guinea pig for who knew how long. Currently, Zero was being housed at the man's lab for the time being, mainly because there was nowhere else he could go. Besides, everyone doubted he'd be made to feel welcome at the HQ. So, for the time being, he was here. Stuck in a room and blasting away at targets, Fujiwara looked down from above and took notes.

Oh, and for some reason, that X guy was here too.

The dark-haired Asian man and blue Reploid observed Zero from above in the viewing deck as he blasted all that was marked to be shot. Unlike X, however, his targets were not outdated mechaniloids. Given that, despite the existence of Reploids, mechaniloids would still be needed to perform the tasks deemed too hazardous for their more advanced brethren. Thus, training, or in Zero's case, testing, had to be done another way.

A recent invention of Fujiwara's, the mirage sphere, was a magnetic ball that held the ability to manipulate light and color, via project and illusion. They could then link together due to their magnetic properties and build themselves up to create various shapes and sizes. Currently, the spheres took on the appearance of various mechaniloids, some humanoid and some not, Zero blasting through whichever one his buster was aiming at next. Furthermore, the spheres were built with high resistance to temperature and excellent durability, so there was no worry they would break.

A good thing too, as X was worried his suggestion regarding using the spheres would be brushed off. "He's performing well." The blue Reploid said.

"Indeed," Fujiwara answered, taking a moment to adjust his glasses. And if all goes well, I'll be able to get far more data out of him than you.

Ever since Zero had come along, Fujiwara no longer assigned X to any tests regarding his combat abilities. While a good deal of that had to do with the red Reploid being housed at the lab, another big factor was that he had no restraints, unlike X. As a result, he didn't fire just enough to cause damage or disable; he saw a target to destroy. And destroy he did. He tore through the illusions created by the multitude of tiny spheres without a second thought, the mirages falling apart as he continued.

Then finally, all the targets had been eliminated—all within the span of two minutes.

"All right, that's it," Fujiwara said, the mirage spheres rolling and collecting each other due to their magnetic properties. They entered into small holes where the floor and walls met, clearing themselves out and leaving only Zero in the room. "All right, excellent, Zero," Fujiwara said, looking over the data he had received from the testing. "Once these readings have been analyzed, we can move from there." He then turned to X. "Now he's free to go. Do whatever you want with him,"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Right. Thanks." with that, X began making his way out from the observation deck to the room below.

But before he could do so, both he and Fujiwara heard the door to the training room open. There was no further reason to keep Zero here; Fujiwara had unlocked the door from the deck. But this also allowed anyone to enter. Particularly if a young girl and her dog.

"Patarche! Come back!" Chiyo, who was in her school uniform, called out, but the white dog went on without her, right into the training room. Zero didn't have time to react as the canine ran up to him, wagging his tail and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Patarche, no! That guy is...!"

The dog's owner had come into the room, dressed in her blue school uniform and long, black hair tied up in a half-ponytail. Her brown eyes widened upon seeing the red Reploid, Zero noticing that the girl appeared intimidated, almost afraid of him. But then her eyes fell on her dog, and upon seeing him, she slowly began to move forward.

"Shit! X!" Fujiwara said, moving away from the mic. "Get her and that animal out of here; I don't need any disruptions!"

X then decided to speak up, having been quiet up until now. "Begging your pardon, Doctor, but I would've thought you'd make use of this opportunity."

"What opportunity?" The Asian scientist asked.

"To document his interaction with humans, of course!" X answered. "If Zero is going to be part of the Hunters, he'll have to get used to humans. On the other hand, he's still not exactly used to his own kind, so it'd be best to get the human issue out of the way."

Fujiwara pondered this. To his credit, X had a point. But he was pretty surprised by such a display of blind faith. Did X completely forget about what this former Maverick had done even to be here? Regardless, both human and Reploid alike gazed down at what was happening.

Neither Zero nor Chiyo spoke for some time, the only sounds being that of Patarche's panting. Finally, after a while, Chiyo broke the silence. "I guess you're not him then."

Zero was confused. "Not who?"

"The guy broke into my house, but you're actually a guy."

"You didn't think I was?" Zero asked.

"I thought you were a girl." Chiyo answered.

"Wait, what...?!" The white dog got on his hind legs, paws on his chest. "Hey!"

"Patarche is a pretty good judge of character, so if you were him, he'd be ready to kill you," she spoke confidently that an animal of flesh and blood could take out a mechanical humanoid.

"Well, if that's the case, would you get him off?" Zero grimaced when the dog leaped up to try and lick him.

"Patarche, come here!" Chiyo commanded, the dog going to her side. She then looked at his chest.

"What?" Zero asked, feeling a little uncomfortable by the girl's stare.

"Is it real? Your hair, I mean."

"Oh. No, it's synthetic. But it's designed to be as similar to human hair as...what are you..! Hey!" Zero protested as he felt some of his blonde locks pulled by the Japanese girl.

"Why do you have it? Won't it get in the way?" Chiyo asked, brown eyes looking at the golden fibers.

"I've been doing just fine with it." Zero said.

"Maybe you should cut it shorter." Chiyo suggested.

"...no." Zero said firmly, taking his ponytail back from the young girl.

"Chiyo!" Both Zero and the human child heard a female voice call out. Roll entered the room and saw the young girl with the former Maverick. "Oh, there you are!" The other blonde Reploid ran over to her; then she remembered Zero. "Ah, and hello to you," She said, tone devoid of emotion. "Chiyo, did you forget you have a test in just a couple of days? Fumiko is all ready and waiting for you."

"Aw, but that stuff sucks!" Chiyo answered. "Besides, it's not like I'll need it later in life!"

"You're going to need it to get a passing grade. You're already behind on your studies, and I doubt your father would care for a bad report card."

Chiyo turned her attention to the floor, keeping her thoughts to herself. Like he'd care at all about what goes on with me.

Roll then turned to Zero. "Yes, well, please excuse us. We've kept someone waiting back at the house." With that, Roll took Chiyo and left, Patarche following after.

Sometime Later

"So, you were built with all of this?" X asked, Zero displaying his buster.

"If I weren't, it wouldn't be here, would it?" Zero responded. Just what is with this guy? Ever since he had arrived, this X had been hovering over him at every opportunity. But for what reason? Honestly, it was becoming quite an annoyance."You have one, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, I do." X replied, displaying his own built-in weapon. Though comparing the two, it was clear which one was "flashier."

Since his acquittal, Zero had to be housed at Fujiwara's lab, ironically enough m, in X's old room. The blue Reploid and his sister (Roll, Zero believed) were now housed with Dr. Cain. Zero had yet to meet the man himself, but X spoke highly of him. More than the professional and distant Fujiwara did.

"Fujiwara said that you were difficult to test with," Zero suddenly said. "You didn't like using what Dr. Light installed in you. Do you simply not know how to use it?"

X wasn't entirely sure whether the red Reploid was being serious or sarcastic. Perhaps a mixture of both. "No, of course I know how to use it," X answered. "It's just a means of defense and should be treated as such."

"I've seen your test footage. You could perform exactly how I did with little issue." Zero said. "That buster was given to you to use, so why not use it to its full potential?"

"It's...it's a little more complicated than that," X replied. Zero was about to ask how so, but X quickly changed the subject. "So, anyway, have your memory banks improved any?"

He was clearly avoiding that question, but Zero shrugged it off. If X didn't want to answer, that was his business. But as for his most recent question, "No, nothing's changed."

"Really?" X asked. "No resurfacing memories at all?"

Zero thought of the images he had seen briefly in his mind's eye. "Nothing useful." He had seen some things, but with no context, who could say what they meant?

X was silent before asking, "Does the name 'Albert Wily' ring a bell?"

Zero then turned to face X. "Why are you wanting to know what goes on in my head so badly?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just curious, is all." X answered.

"Anyone tell you that you absolutely suck at lying?" Zero folded his arms. "I'm getting a little tired of your games. So just what are you after?"

"I'm not after anything! I just want to know if your processor is functioning as it should," The blue Reploid assured. "I mean, Commander Sigma broke through your optic crystal."

"So I've been told." Zero answered. Seriously, what was it going to take to make this guy go away? X was about to say something but thought better of it. Though Zero knew that, if not now, it would come up later. "What is it?" The blonde asked, though more to get it out of the way instead of being genuinely interested.

Damn, am I really that obvious? X thought. "Do you still not remember any of what happened?"

Zero was quiet for a moment. Then, he gestured to the door. "I just remembered that Fujiwara's putting me through more combat trials, and he says that he wants me in good condition. So..."

"Oh, yeah! Right! Sorry, I'll admit I forgot too," he then turned to leave the room but stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and, Goodnight." With that, X went, the door shutting behind him.

Zero went to his capsule and got inside, his systems going into recharge.

"You know, the least he could do is show you some courtesy." X turned to see Roll standing right behind him. "Dr. Cain's wondering where you are, seeing as it's long past curfew."

There wasn't any curfew, but the old man preferred to have X and Roll home before he settled in for the night. "Right, sorry about that," X told his sister.

Roll sighed, looking at the door that led to X's former room. "I still don't understand why you insist on inserting yourself into whatever he's doing," she said, crossing her arms. "He's not your problem."

"He's still recovering from what happened before," X answered. "He still doesn't remember a thing about it, but the readings on his systems are in perfect shape."

"Well, interact with him if you want. But I won't." Roll said.

X didn't respond. He then thought Just who are you anyway? Regarding Zero, he wondered if that question would ever be answered.

"X?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry," the blue machine apologized. "Yeah, you're right; we should be heading to Cain's place."

The two DLNs (even if one was technically a transferred AI) left, though Roll looked back at the door. No matter what happens, I'm not losing him. She narrowed her eyes. Not to anyone or anything. Especially someone like you.

"You want me to what?"

"Exactly as I said," Sigma told Zero. "I wish for you to join the Maverick Hunters."

The two Reploids stood there in silence before Zero finally found his words. "You can't be serious."

"This is as serious as I ever have been," Sigma answered. "You're a wanted felon and a suspect regarding the Virus outbreaks."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Zero retorted. "I don't even know what this Maverick Virus even is! So why can't you all just screw off and leave me alone?!"

"If you don't join us, you'll never be left alone," Sigma explained. "You'll be hunted down throughout the country, outside Arcadian borders. Throughout all cities and city-states, we will be assigned to chase you to the ends of the Earth," Sigma explained. "And then, either you'll be a tool for those in power to use, or you will be killed," Sigma then stepped forward. "Doesn't that concern you in the slightest? Don't you fear for your own life?"

"I fear nothing," Zero responded. "Least of all, death."

"Everything living has some fear of termination. Even beings such as ourselves. It is the reason the Third Law exists, to grant us the ability to preserve ourselves, so long as human life isn't at risk," he took another step forward, now mere inches away from the Red Maverick. "And right now, your decision hangs in the balance, for the humans are beginning to see you as a risk to human life."

Zero was quiet. As much as it shamed him, he found the actual weight of his situation settling in.

"I could have ended you, you know," Sigma said. Even if X had worn Zero down, the taller Reploid was still sore thinking about it. This damn Maverick had humiliated him in front of his entire division, perhaps to the Hunters overall! Regardless, he kept his composure and continued talking. "And if not me, someone else. So, in that sense, you owe me your life."

"So, it boils down to you'll own me." Zero said.

"That's not for me to decide. And, I'll let you know something:" Sigma said. "If you believe such treatment is unfair, that's because it is. It's not right for us Reploids to be treated in such a way. We are equals to the humans that made us, and yet we are still expected to carry humankind to the future on our shoulders."

Zero was quiet, yet nonetheless pondered the other Reploid's words.

"With your help, we can change that," Sigma said. "We can make them truly see that we deserve to stand alongside them, shattering the barriers between man and machine. But, tell me, is that a much more pleasant future for you than what you will face? Should you refuse my offer, that is."

Zero said nothing.

"The choice is yours, but act quickly. Otherwise, the humans shall decide for you."

Sigma turned to leave, making it to the entrance and just about to leave. "Wait!" He heard Zero call out.

"Yes?" Sigma asked, having gotten the Maverick right where he wanted.

It had him right where it wanted.

A Few Days Later

Despite officially being part of the Maverick Hunters, he felt even more isolated than when he was in Fujiwara's lab. It wasn't as if he cared, yet Zero kept creeping around the HQ, keeping out of other Reploids' way and making himself as inconspicuous as possible. The only reason he was here was due to being summoned by Sigma himself. Something to do with a mission. His first mission.

Zero knew the general layout of this place, so navigating wasn't too difficult, and currently, he was going down a hallway in the northern part of the HQ. "Hey, you!" It had to deal with those that made his existence even more difficult. Zero turned around to see one of the Hunters (Ray, he believed him to be called) with his arms crossed and staring him down. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be playing as Fujiwara's Guinea pig?"

Zero sighed. "Your boss told me to come. If you have a problem with that, take it up with him." He then turned to continue on to his destination.

He didn't get far, though, as he then felt a fist meet the back of his head. He didn't fall to the ground, but he stumbled a bit. Zero turned to see Ray, Zero knowing who had just struck him.

The red Reploid clenched his own fist. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

"Well, too bad. Because I'm going to make you remember what you did for the rest of your existence," Ray snarled. "Just because you were infected or glitched out doesn't just sweep it all under the rug."

Zero turned away, but Ray ran up and blocked his path. "Are you looking for trouble?" Zero asked. "Because that's what you'll get if you don't get out of my way."

Ray responded by sending a fist in the other Reploid's direction. Zero moved to the side, dodging it entirely. Ray swung again, but Zero grabbed and flipped him over this time. Ray hit the ground with a loud THUD, and then he felt his arms being held behind his back. The less "human-looking " machine struggled against the former Maverick's hold.

"Let go of me, damn it! Let go-GAH!" Ray growled, but Zero held him firmly and slowly twisted the other machine's arms to stop him from struggling.

"What's the meaning of all this?" A voice suddenly spoke up. Ray and Zero looked to see Sigma standing over them, X not too far away. "Zero, release him," Zero did so, though only once he was sure Ray wouldn't try anything. "And Ray, that's not how we treat our comrades."

Ray got to his feet and glowered at Zero. "He's no comrade of mine. And he never will be." With that, he turned and walked away.

Sigma directed his attention back to the red Reploid. "Anyway, good to see that you've come. X alerted me you may have had some...difficulties when you are here."

Zero looked at X, but the other Reploid saw he wasn't too happy about this. Way to blabber to EVERYONE about my life, idiot.

"Anyway, come with me. I have an assignment for you." With that, Sigma went off.

X went over to Zero. "You ok?"

"I'm fine," the long-haired blonde answered. He went on ahead, though it didn't take long for X to catch up.

"So, you and I are in the same team," X told Zero. "I don't know all the details, but from what I've heard-"

"If you don't have all the details, why are you telling me?" Zero questioned.

"W-Well, seeing as it is your first mission, I just thought that-"

Now Zero had reached his breaking point. "Look, would you just drop it?!"

X stepped back. "Stop what?"

"Stop pretending like you give a damn about me because you don't!" Zero shouted. "You might be able to fool everyone else, but you're not fooling me! All I am is just something you can use for your own needs!"

X was shocked, utterly unprepared for this sort of reaction. "I-I don't-"

"Don't bother! You're no better than either Fujiwara OR Sigma! So stop trying to convince me that you're my friend because you're not! So just drop it and leave me be!"

When Zero finished, he saw X's expression falter, looking bleak and hurt. Then, the blonde wondered whether or not he went too far. But before he could speak, X's features smoothed out, his expression dead serious.

"Fine," he said. "If that's the way you want it," he walked past Zero. "The Commander's down this way. Don't keep him waiting."

"Hey, I-" Zero began, but X went off, leaving him alone. He was starting to wonder if he had made a mistake.

Later

Even if he was no longer on the run, the red Reploid found himself out of Arcadian borders again. But given the situation, perhaps that was for the best. The case wasn't entirely clear yet, but apparently, a construction crew working along the border of Tokyo had uncovered some strange mechaniloid buried under the earth. And given that it was in the way of their job, the digging crew had attempted to move it, but the machine was suddenly activated. And now it was wandering around, free to trample whatever got in its way.

Thus, it had to be stopped before reaching the city-state's borders.

"There have been no confirmed casualties, so I'm assuming they pulled the alarm before anyone was hurt," X told Zero and Vile, the red and violet Reploids listening to the news. "It was last seen around the site, so it'd probably be best to see the scene of the crime."

"Go check it out if you want," Vile said. "I'll stay with Zero at the border."

Zero half-expected to hear X say they should stick together or ask the blonde Reploid what he thought of the matter, but instead, X said, "Sure. I'll go," he then began making his way from the outside of Arcadia's great, white walls. "I'll update you if there are any developments." With that, he left.

Zero was thinking of speaking up but ultimately remained quiet. For what reason did he have to feel guilty anyway? X was just using him for his own ends, just like everyone else, so what did Zero have to be sorry for? Still, perhaps he had been wrong about his assumptions. Maybe all X really wanted was to help him out.

"So, Zero, right?" Vile spoke up. "Heh. I've heard quite a bit about you."

The other Hunter (even now, it still sounded unreal to Zero) sighed. "So has everyone else."

"No, wait, I don't mean it like that," Vile clarified. "If you ask me, the fact you're functioning despite being a Maverick is a good enough reason to keep you alive. At least according to the humans," the purple Hunter scoffed. "Rest assured, though, I don't judge you for what happened."

This got Zero's attention. "You don't?"

"Not a bit," Vile replied. "It's like the report said, your systems were corrupted. Besides, unfortunate as it is, Gamma knew what he was getting into."

Zero found that, despite his words, Vile didn't sound all that genuine when discussing Gamma. "So you believe he brought it on himself?"

"I'm saying that it's not something you should feel bad about. He came after you, you fought back, and he lost. It's not a glamorous reality, but it's the truth," Vile explained. "And if guys like X can't accept it, they're in the wrong field," the Hunter then turned to face Zero. "Speaking of, that pest hasn't left you alone since you came here, has he?"

Now that, Zero could relate to. "No, he hasn't." He answered.

"I dread any mission involving him. He does nothing but drag everyone down with his whole 'let's be careful' and 'remember property damage!' Bah!" Vile folded his arms. "He's more of a mouthpiece for the humans than Sigma is!" He huffed. "Not to mention that so-called sister of his."

"Oh, her." Zero said, clearly not a fan of the other blonde Reploid.

"Yeah, the one with the stupid bow. Stuck up bitch; she's even worse than Ai."

"Much worse," Zero agreed. Though he wasn't sure Roll was deserving of being called a thing. Or Ai for that matter.

"But enough about any of them; I'm interested in you," Vile said, surprising Zero.

"Why's that?"

"It's not what you think," Vile clarified. "If you think I'm trying to buddy up with you like X is, think again."

Oh really? Zero thought. You're being awfully talkative for someone who says they aren't.

"But I will say this," Vile continued. "Should it happen, I think we may find we have some things in common. Things that someone like Sigma and especially X would never understand."

Zero wasn't sure where Vile was going with this. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Vile eyes faintly glowed red from beneath his helmet. "That we are living, breathing weapons."

Miles Away

Perhaps he should've asked for a ride chaser before coming out here. X had walked until he reached the destroyed construction site, equipment toppled and damaged, some worse than others. But from what he saw, everyone present, both human and Reploid, were accounted for.

"Samantha, right?" X asked a green Reploid with mauve hair and a yellow construction helmet. "So everyone was able to escape?"

Samantha nodded. "I sounded the alarm the second the mechaniloid started moving," she explained. "Of course, where it's gone now is anyone's guess."

"When did it go off exactly?" X continued questioning her.

"A half-hour ago in that direction," Samantha answered, pointing to the East. "And I'm assuming you're asking is because you're going after it, right?"

X replied with a nod. "I'll have to. It can't reach the borders of Tokyo or Arcadia." He said. But he lamented that he could be spending a great deal of time searching the landscape for the runaway machine. Even more so than what it took for him to arrive here. The sun was beginning to set already.

"Well, if you are," Samantha said. "Then you should probably take one of these." She then led him to one of the few remaining pieces of functioning equipment: a mobile suit used for lifting heavy equipment. "It might not be that fast, but you can tread more ground than you would on foot. Plus, this thing is huge. You'll need some cover if it decides to try and squash you."

X looked at the suit, then in the direction, Samantha had shown him. It seemed this was the best chance he had. The mobile suit was already lowered to the ground, allowing X to climb in. He sat in the pilot's seat and grabbed the handles on the panel displaying the controls, easing the suit to a standing position.

"Be careful, all right?" Samantha told X, the blue Reploid giving her a reassuring nod before he set off.

Arcadia's Borders

"What?" Zero asked, still wondering where Vile was going with this.

"You heard me," Vile replied. "We're weapons. Machines made for violence," Zero was quiet, Vile continued with his speech. "It makes no difference whether or not you're Hunter or Maverick. We all came from the same source, and despite whatever his creator said, X was built to use that buster."

Zero had to agree with that. "He never took a full shot at me unless I forced him to." So he told the violet Hunter.

"Pathetic, I know." Vile said.

Zero was quiet. Stupid, yes. But I don't know about pathetic. He was beginning to grow wary of this Vile character.

"He, Dr. Cain, and hell, even the old fossil that built that blue wuss are fools. They say we Reploids are meant to bring forth a new age," Vile looked out to the horizon, the setting golden sun reflecting off his helmet. "Pretty soon, that'll be the case. Not just for Arcadia or any other region in Japan, but globally."

"What do you mean?" Zero asked.

"Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know. Fujiwara's been keeping you busy, hasn't he?" Vile said. "Despite the Maverick issue, news of Reploids has spread far and wide. Soon, everyone will want us. Whether for those in power or others who just want to possess us for their own needs, we shall spread from nation to nation. We shall become a global phenomenon. Much more than primitive robots ever could be. Because unlike them, we have nothing holding us back."

Miles Away

Despite its reportedly large size, X found this mechaniloid difficult to track down. Of course, the mobile suit had let him cover more ground than he would have on foot, but what good was it if he had no idea of where to go?

Wonder if Zero or Vile have seen anything. X thought. However, he was surprised that Zero even came to his mind. After all, the red Reploid DID say not to bother him anymore. Still, this wasn't the time to let personal disputes get in the way of his duty.

Yet just as he was about to contact the other two Reploids assigned to this mission, he saw something in the distance. Something large and walking on many legs. And if that wasn't all, X saw it was going in the direction of Arcadia's walls!

Border

A beeping sound emitting from their audio receptors signaled that something was up. Immediately, both Zero and Vile answered the call.

"I've found the mechaniloid! It's headed your way! Get out of there!"

Heading their way? As if to confirm this, both Reploids felt the ground beneath them rumble, and off in the distance, the vague shape of a multi-legged machine was seen approaching ever and ever closer.

"What is that? A giant spider?" Vile wondered aloud, Zero watching it approach without saying a word. "C'mon! Let's get to the top of the wall!"

Both Reploids leaped up and landed on the small pathway set atop the border, readying their weapons to fire. From further away, X could see that the mechaniloid would surely reach the city if not stopped soon. But how could they stop it? X continued in the mobile suit while Vile had begun firing on the mechaniloid. To everyone's collective shock, the mammoth machine's defense system had registered it was being attacked.

A laser blaster was exposed from the top of its mid-second, firing a single beam of energy in Vile's direction. Vile was hit directly in the chest, knocking him off his feet and falling several feet to the ground below. Zero turned around to see where he had landed and saw that Vile quickly recovered from the fall, getting back up on his feet. The mechaniloid continued forward until finally, it reached the wall. The six-legged behemoth then began climbing upward, trying to scale the obstacle currently in its way.

"Zero! Vile! Don't move!" X shouted, going as fast as he could in the suit while taking shots at the mechaniloid.

He noticed that, strong as it was, its outer shell and joints were rusted and falling apart. Then, charging up his buster, X fired a large blue blast of plasma, striking the spider-like machine at the sections where the legs connected to the body.

The rest left leg was damaged, but it was only when the mechaniloid put some weight on it that it snapped off. Old wires could no longer hold the limb in place. X fired again at its center left leg, but the mechaniloid turned around and directed its attention to its current attacker. Its mouth opened, and a stream of thick, green liquid was shot out; X barely made it out of the way in time. The right arm of the mobile suit sizzled as if it were being eaten by acid.

"Aim for its legs!" Zero told Vile, who had just gotten up onto the pathway again.

He and Vile began firing for the same areas as X. Yet as they were doing so, Zero saw a peculiar detail on each of the mechaniloid's joints. Emblazoned on the rusted metal was the faint outline of what appeared to be a stylized W, the color having long faded away.

That insignia. The red Reploid checked his database. That's...?!

"Out of the way, idiot!" Vile shouted, pushing past Zero and firing.

The mechaniloid reared up its front right leg and smashed it forward, leaving a sizable indent in the white border of the aptly named white city. Vile jumped atop of the mechaniloid and began unloading on it, firing nonstop until his energized bullets tore through. "I've broken through! I'm going to bring this bastard down!"

"Vile, wait!" X called out. "We don't know if its core is stable! It could explode!"

"I know what I'm doing! Look out for yourself!" Vile barked back, continuing to fire.

X bit his lip, trying to figure out what to do. "Hey!" He suddenly heard Zero say to him over the shared communication line. "Trying using that suit against it!"

X was torn. "Do you think it could work? I don't know how much weight this thing can hold, much less what it can dish out!"

"No time like now to try it!" Zero answered. "But do it quick! Otherwise-"

BOOM!

Vile had reached the central processor instead of the core, but taking that out would render it useless. And knowing the humans, they would most likely want such a thing preserved so they could determine what was wrong. But still, he had never seen a mechaniloid this large before, much less equipped with such weapons. Of course, it couldn't have been recently built given its condition, but if that was the case, then who made it and why? And even more, Vile thought, why haven't the humans thought to upgrade their machinery to be like this?

Whoever made this machine understood the reason for its existence.

Finally, Vile hit the innermost CPU components, but this action caused the mechaniloid to go mad, blasting with reckless abandon whether there was a target there. The machine stumbled forward, yet its rear right leg was taken out by a punch to its support below the joint, the aged metal surrendering to the suit's blows.

Zero was right. This IS helpful! He continued until the leg was taken care of, but the mechaniloid still continued to fire wildly. Then, it couldn't support itself anymore and fell right in X's direction. Who was standing right in front of the wall.

"Get out of there!" Zero called out, but it was too late.

The mechaniloid fell forward, crashing into the wall and exploding in a massive fireball. Both Zero and Vile jumped out of the way, the impact and explosion tearing through the white wall. Finally, the mechaniloid landed on the ground, sparks and smoke coming out along with presumably flammable fluids.

Zero and Vile had leaped off the wall the moment it crashed, escaping the fiery aftermath just in time. But then Zero began looking around for any sign of X, growing more and more concerned with each passing second.

"Of all the ways to get taken out," Vile remarked, looking at the now burning mechaniloid. "That could be one of the dumbest."

The purple Hunter was then punched in the face, sending the Reploid back and to the ground. "The hell was that for?!" Vile demanded. The blow wasn't anything he couldn't handle; he was more affected by the shock, if anything.

"How can you say something like that?! X practically saved our lives, and you disrespect him like that?!" Zero roared, hoisting Vile up.

"Get your hands off me!" Vile wrenched himself away from Zero's grip. "What are you so worked up about?! This is just an occupational hazard! Besides, at least that wuss found a way to make himself slightly useful."

Zero was now seething and just about to deliver another blow when he suddenly heard footsteps from behind. "Wh-What's going on?" Both the red and purple Reploids saw X standing behind them, the outer shell cracked and dented, but he was still standing.

"You!" Zero cried out. "You're alive!" He then rushed over to X.

"Never mind that. We've got to call the fire department to get these flames under control before they spread any further."

Vile looked on at the two, disappointed in how things turned out for him and Zero. "It's too bad," he said quietly to himself. "I thought that we could've had an understanding." He then looked at the ground. "Perhaps even more."

That Night

The damage had been assessed, and repairs to the wall were underway. Given that there were no casualties, the mission was considered a success, property damage notwithstanding. X was taken into repairs while Zero was sent back to get some rest at Fujiwara's lab. The red Reploid hadn't heard of what Vile was doing, but honestly, he didn't care. That guy wasn't at the forefront of his mind right now.

Suddenly, he heard a knocking on the door to his room. Zero unlocked it, and the automated door pulled back to reveal X standing there. "Uh, hey." He greeted.

To X's surprise, Zero greeted him back. "Hey. I'm surprised they let you out of the med bay so fast."

X was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I've only sustained damage to my armor. My inner components are functioning fine." That said, Roll made sure he stayed put until all of it could be patched up. It was then; however, that he noticed Zero's usually calm expression falter.

"X," Zero began. "Would you mind giving me a moment of your time?"

X's green eyes widened upon hearing that. "But I thought you said-"

"Yes, I know," Zero said. "That's kinda what I wanted to talk about." He stepped out of the way of the door, allowing X to enter. The room was barren save for the single capsule. It felt very cold and isolating. "X, I..." Zero began. He had everything he wanted to say at the tip of his tongue, but it was still difficult to say. "I didn't think you were serious about how you were treating me," he said. "I guess I just thought you were using me as a charity case, and I'm only here right now because I'm considered too valuable to terminate," he continued. "But I didn't think that you were really..." why was this so hard to say?! "Look, I'm sorry."

The room went quiet. "What?" X asked.

"I'm sorry," Zero repeated. "I'm sorry about what I said. And...well, you could say everything," Zero continued. "I just didn't think you actually cared."

"Why wouldn't you think I cared?" X asked.

"I guess it's because no one else seems to," Zero confessed. "All these tests Fujiwara's putting me through are just to make sure I'm on my best behavior, lest someone tattles to the council about it. Not to mention all of these questions about things I don't even know," it was for a brief moment, but the W he had seen on the mechaniloid flashed in his mind. "Everyone only wants me because I'll be useful to them," Zero lowered his head in shame. "I just thought you were no different."

X took all of this in, processing it to make sure he completely understood. "Zero..." X began. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"What are you apologizing for?" Zero asked, puzzled by X's words.

"Well, I didn't know how unfair you were being treated," X felt rather badly about the silent treatment earlier. "Sad to say, but Dr. Cain said that's just how humans are. They don't mean anything by it. They're just fearful of anything new and unknown."

Unknown. Yeah, in a way, Zero could relate. However, Sigma said that it's up to us to change all of that.

"The truth is, I'll admit, I DO have some things that relate to me," X confessed. "It's not as severe compared to yours, but I still have gaps in my memory bank."

That's right. Zero remembered. Before Cain found him, he was dated to have been built back in 20XX.

"And, it's a little hard to explain. And I'll admit it doesn't make sense at all. But..."

"But what?" Zero asked.

X wondered just how he was going to word this. But finally, he decided just to come out and say it. "It feels like I've seen you before."

Zero now was the one surprised. At first, he wanted to protest, for how could such a thing be? Yet, despite himself, he couldn't help but wonder. "When? Like when Sigma said I-"

"No. Before that," X said. "Before I was dug up," he paused for a moment. "Before I was sealed away."

Zero wasn't sure of what to say. Yet X's words brought forth endless questions and possibilities related to the time before there ever were Reploids. It made no sense, so why did it feel like it was somehow the truth?

"But, maybe I'm just putting too much thought into it." X admitted.

"Still, though," Zero said. "Is that the reason you've been hovering over me?"

"Not entirely," X answered. "I'll admit, I guess I'm coming more from a personal view, but I had to spend months hidden away when I was awakened," he explained. "I couldn't be seen; otherwise I might be killed," Zero was silent, taking in everything. "I was saved because of the same reason you're here," X continued. "There was no one to fight for Roll or me based on the fact we had a right to live. It wouldn't be right if someone didn't try and fight for you."

Zero was left speechless by what he had just heard. Honestly, he had never considered the possibility that anyone would be concerned about him, much less his life outside of his capabilities. He had never experienced such a thing before. But before he could respond, X spoke again.

"Oh, sorry! I almost forgot what I was supposed to tell you!" X slapped himself for his stupidity. "Sigma announced that because we're expanding, there will be a larger HQ set up not too far from here."

"Really now?" Zero asked.

"Yeah. It's on an artificial island connected to Arcadia. Abel City I think it's called," X explained. "There's going to be a transfer of some Hunters there, but you could put in a request if you want."

"So you want me to go?" Zero questioned.

"No, it's not that. Well, I thought that you being around other Reploids and people would be good for you." But, unfortunately, those in Arcadia are probably never going to accept you. "It's still being decided, so don't feel too rushed," X said. "Though I think I've been keeping you long enough. You probably need rest." X turned to leave.

"X." Zero suddenly spoke up. X turned. "Thanks."

The blue Reploid wasn't expecting to hear that. "O-Oh. Sure, no problem. Goodnight." With that, he exited the room, leaving Zero alone.

A transfer, huh? The red Reploid thought about this. True, it would give him a way out of this place and where someone wouldn't be wary or glowering at him, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to do it.

Not unless maybe X would be up for going with him.

Chapter Text

A decade has passed since Dr. Phillip Cain discovered the robot X, and during that time, X's contribution to robotics has changed the world. From the city-state of Arcadia, Reploids moved from just being exclusive to a specific area to becoming available throughout Japan, especially in populated cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. And by the end of the five years afterward, every first-world nation had a hand in Reploids. Some were for domestic work, while others were personalized for a specific purpose. And some were tested and made part of their respective country's military program, which was becoming more and more advanced with each passing year.

The Maverick problem persisted despite Reploids being worldwide, but this gave way to the rise of new research and more advanced programming. And the re-emergence of complex AI carved the way for even higher quality Reploids with features never seen before. The machines had spread far and wide and in even more quantities than robots ever were. Dr. Fujiwara was now a name recorded in history as one of the co-creators of Reploids, and with his success, interest in Dr. Light's work spread from one scientific field to another. Indeed, the world had gone into a frenzy over Reploids.

And the world would never be the same, for both good and ill.

Abel City was an isolated but booming metropolis set off the coast of Arcadia, connected to the mainland by highways spanning miles over the ocean. Although, despite its large size, it is just one part of the artificial island it sat on; several facilities and important sectors resided there. They provided means such as electricity and clean air despite the heavy industrialization that went into creating the city. And with the growing rate of Maverick Hunters, both those built for the organization's purposes and those who joined of their accord, a larger headquarters was constructed and sat in the city's centrer. It stood as a bastion of the vow to be both sword and shield for those who could not defend themselves.

And today would provide a demonstration of just that.

May 16th, 21XX

12:42 PM

Abel City

The skies above the bustling city were clear with only sparse clouds, the sun shining brilliantly from a great distance outside the planet. He adored days like this, but unfortunately, now was not the time to stretch out his wings. He was on a crucial scouting mission, and his report would dictate where his fellow Hunters would strike.

"Eagle, have you sighted the rogue mechaniloid?" Sigma's voice asked, coming in through the audio link.

The flying Reploid, Storm Eagle, looked down at Abel City, spotting activity from down below. "Affirmative, Commander. The mechaniloid is moving towards Sector A-42."

"All right, we can cut it off there. Standby and track its movements. I'll send the coordinates to X so he can arrive at the drop point. Eagle out."

In the streets of Abel City, Sigma and the Hunters had managed to trap the Maverick mechaniloid at the site of a structure currently undergoing construction, the foundation demolished and ruined, the building practically torn down before it could ever be completed. Sigma was at the scene, waiting for the right moment. Then, he gave the signal to move in.

Zero and several other Hunters went in, hiding behind some fallen debris. Then, Zero noticed something in the sky right above their heads. Over the city, a Bee Blader flew, its propeller carrying it through the air, its occupant just about ready to make his exit.

"X, have you reached the target?" Storm Eagle asked, still flying and keeping watch on the mechaniloid.

"Affirmative, Eagle," the blue Reploid answered the mechanical bird. "I'm right over it."

"All right then, fire at the ready! I'll keep tracking the mechaniloid's movements! You take care of things on the ground!"

"Roger!" The door to the Bee Blader opened, allowing X to fall out, Storm Eagle watching as the smaller Hunter fell.

X turned around in the air, the clouds zooming past him. He spotted the mechaniloid below and went to work charging his buster. Energy began developing and collecting from within the weapon, growing more and more until it couldn't hold much more. It needed to be released. And with a mighty roar, X did just that; a high-pressurized plasma blast burst out from the canon, striking the mechaniloid from above. The entire area was consumed in white-hot light, blinding everyone present.

While in midair, X blasted a small energy collection that sent him back, allowing him to slide down the side of a damaged building before finally landing on the ground.

"Chill Penguin company, commerce the operation!" Sigma called out to the stout, beaked Hunter.

"Roger!" Chill Penguin squawked. "I'll secure the area!" He and a band of humanoid Reploids rushed over to intercept the fallen mechaniloid, but something began stirring underneath the rubble. The four-legged mechaniloid rose, standing tall and with nothing more than a scrape on its surface. "What?! The thing's hardly damaged!" Penguin gasped. Then the mechaniloid thrust one of its legs forward. "Here it comes!" Chill Penguin and his fellow Hunters jumped back to avoid the renegade machine.

Sigma's lips tightened. "Zero! Spark Mandrill! Do you have a reading on the generator?!"

Zero and a far more significant, primate-based Hunter with an elaborately painted face were forced to jump back to avoid the mechaniloid's incoming attack. "It's no good!" Zero shouted over his communication link. "This thing's too fast; we can't get close!"

"Yeah, what he said!" The robotic primate, Spark Mandrill, added. He didn't have much to add, but he knew to acknowledge his Commander when he spoke to him.

"Take this!" Chill Penguin shouted; a concentrated solution composed of liquid nitrogen and several other chemicals blasted out from his throat, encasing the mechaniloid's front legs in thick ice.

Spark Mandrill then decided to contribute and delivered a powerful punch to one of the mechaniloid's legs, sending surges of sparkling magenta electricity throughout the machine. Unfortunately, this action scrambled its circuitry while Penguin's ice kept it in place. However, it didn't last long, as the mechaniloid began to make erratic movements, breaking through the ice holding it.

"Ahh! It's so strong!" Chill Penguin cried out, now becoming worried.

X, who had been rushing to the scene, hearing the noise of what was happening grow closer and closer. "Commander, that thing's way more powerful than we thought!" He said over the link. "I'll go back them up!"

From its "eyes", the mechaniloid unleashed golden lasers that tore through everything in their path, forcing all the Hunters back to avoid both the lasers and exploding vehicles. Sigma stood atop of a building that had been spared the mechaniloid's destruction.

"Looks like your little snowballs can't do anything, can they, bird?" Chill Penguin growled upon hearing that low voice. A giant, silvery elephant (African elephant, to be precise) stomped towards the mechaniloid with no fear. "Step outta my way!" He bellowed, a powerful trumpeting coming out from his trunk. "I'll melt through that thing!"

From his trunk spewed out thick, inky black oil, the substance sticky and landing on the mechaniloid's head. His left arm produced a buster that shot out raging flames that quickly engulfed the area coated in oil. The flames worked their way through the surface of the head, though this served to cause the machine to go even more frantic. It stomped around, trying to put out the flames. Soon, the fire began to spread; the battleground now lit up.

"Eagle!" Sigma said over the audio link. "Put out the flames!" Damn Flame Mammoth showing off again.

"Roger that, sir!" From above, the winged Hunter aimed his buster downward, a powerful gust coming down and putting out the fire. Flame Mammoth's oil and fire had eaten through the mechaniloid's frontal plate, exposing its central processor. "Should I come down, sir?"

"Not yet," Sigma said. "But standby! We may still need you!"

Finally, Sigma saw X arrive at the scene from his vantage point, firing his buster at the still rampaging mechaniloid. "Well, look who decided to show up!" Flame Mammoth said, crossing his arms.

"Sorry, it took a little longer than I thought to get here." X apologized.

"Never mind that!" Chill Penguin squawked. "Help us take this thing down!"

"Right!" X saw that the central processor was exposed and began firing, yet the sensation of surging energy tearing at its already scrambled systems put the mechaniloid on the defensive. Nevertheless, it went to blasting lasers again, managing to strike or force back anyone close.

"I won't let you push my friends around like that!" Zero shouted, blasting the underside of the mechaniloid to get its attention away from everyone else.

This worked too well as the rogue machine set out to grab the red Hunter. But instead, Zero dodged the claw that emerged from its underside, the device seizing another Reploid not too far away.

"GAH!" The unlucky Hunter cried out, his torso being crushed by the mechaniloid's claw. "H-Help!" He shouted in agony. "Help me!"

X then saw that the hulking machine's generator, a red square-shaped gemstone, was on its underside, unprotected and defenseless. "Get the generator!" Chill Penguin shouted, seeing what X was planning. Only the blue Hunter didn't fire. Not with his comrade still in the way. "The generator, X!" The robotic bird said. "Shoot the generator!"

Still, X didn't fire. The mechaniloid's claw wouldn't stop moving, so he couldn't get a clear shot. "Get on with it, dammit!" Flame Mammoth bellowed. "C'mon! What's wrong with you?!"

He wanted to, truly! But he didn't want to risk hurting the hostage! What could he do?! Then, in a flash, the Commander came in and sliced through the mechaniloid's generator and the Hunter in half. The mechaniloid was then stabbed in the head by Sigma's saber, sparks of electricity coming out before the machine fell downward, then grew still and silent.

X and everyone else looked on, Zero wiping his forehead as if he broke a sweat. Even if he couldn't do so, he would've still thought this was a heavy workout.

"Is the relief party coming?" One Hunter asked, everyone now moving away from the downed mechaniloid.

"Casualties confirmed!" Another Hunter shouted. "Commence full retreat! Disarm all combatants!"

It wasn't much later that the relief party came and ambulances and transportation vehicles. X looked around, surveying the damage that had been caused. Maybe if he had taken that shot, if he had gotten here sooner, this wouldn't have ended up so bad.

"X!" The blue Hunter heard a familiar voice say. He turned to see a quite disgruntled Chill Penguin. "What was that back there? Why didn't you shoot?"

X knew this was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. "Penguin," X began. "I didn't mean to-"

"It doesn't matter what you meant!" Penguin barked back. "Do you know how many casualties there would've been had the Commander not taken that thing out?"

X looked down at the ground. "Can't believe I'm saying this," Flame Mammoth said. "But he's even more chickenshit than you are!" He then went away laughing at his insult.

Spark Mandrill passed by, but he didn't say anything. Even for a Reploid, he seemed to have no motivation or higher thinking. X then looked to see Sigma overlooking the damage. Another Reploid around his height in a dark military cap (Signas, X believed him to be called) saluted the Commander.

"Yes sir! Understood!" Signas answered before going off.

Then the Commander turned to face X. "Oh, you're in for it now." Chill Penguin then went off.

"X." Sigma addressed the shorter Hunter.

"Yes, Commander Sigma, sir?"

"Your aiming capabilities are no different than my own. It came directly from you. So you could've easily hit the generator."

"Yes, I'm aware, sir," X answered meekly.

"And you are aware that there was only a slight chance your fellow Hunter would've had any extreme danger. We are not made of flesh and blood as the humans are."

"Yes, I know," X said, looking downcast. "But-"

"Listen well, X," Sigma said firmly. "There are times when we Maverick Hunters cannot hesitate in pulling the trigger," X was hit with realization. "We must become both sword and shield to those who cannot defend themselves. Never forget that," he then turned away. "Commence retreat once casualties have been confirmed!" He ordered.

A chorus of "Yes, sir!" Erupted, and everyone began to work to figure out just how much damage had been done.

X looked down at the ground, knowing he had blown it this time. There's no way I'm getting that promotion now. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Zero had come. The red Reploid gave him a warm smile, but the gesture did little to ease his guilt.

Later

It had turned midday, and an official report had been written up. As far as anyone knew, the only casualties were the Reploid workers working with the mechaniloid before it went berserk. There were thankfully no humans near the site. Still, that didn't ease everyone's anxieties, as this had been the seventh incident of a mechaniloid going "Maverick" this month. Yet so far, the root cause for these occurrences were unknown.

X and Zero walked into a communications section in the left tower portion of the Hunter HQ. Compared to the HQ in Arcadia, Abel City's Hunter base was tall and proud, the tallest building in all of the city. It was a vibrant blue with two towers with a yellow base and a golden orb linking the two together. Several Navigators from Arcadia had transferred here while most of those Hunters remained on the mainland. Almost all of the recruits in Abel City were built and designed somewhere on the island.

Still, where a Reploid made no difference when it came to renegade machines. "Maverick," X said to no one in particular. "What causes anything just to go Maverick?"

"Program errors, short-circuits in the electronic brain, the theories are endless," Zero answered. "And if you still believe the virus theory, that's another can of worms all on its own."

"Well, what do you think?" X questioned Zero.

"Your guess is as good as mine," the red Hunter said. "All I know is that the very things that give us Reploids our advanced processing power could be our greatest weakness."

X pondered this while Zero gave a reassuring smile. Just then, however, both Reploids became aware someone was approaching them. "Ah, X! There you are!" Roll greeted her (younger) brother. She then noticed Zero, her smile faltering somewhat. "Oh, hello to you too."

"Roll? What are you doing here?" X asked, not even realizing that she was here at the HQ. "I didn't know you had a job here."

"I don't," Roll answered. "But I've been sent at the request of Dr. Cain and Fujiwara," she said. "They'd like to see you at the exhibition center. They're having a demonstration down there and would like you to be present."

"Oh, really?" X asked.

"Indeed," Roll said, then she turned to face Zero. "And Dr. Fujiwara has requested that you come too." Though why I don't know. She thought to herself. X is perfectly capable of giving them what they want. "Anyway, I was in and just thought I should let you know. It's starting in about an hour, but we're still getting ready, so there's no rush," she turned away. "But your help setting up would be greatly appreciated." With that, she went off, leaving the other two Reploids alone.

No, she didn't have a job here, still serving as a housekeeper all these years later. Roll remained stuck where she was when she was still in Light's lab despite the changing world.

Expo

"I don't know why you're so eager to see them." A young woman asked her friend, who was garbed in the same uniform as she was, only with alternate colors.

"I don't understand how you're not," her companion said. "They're unveiling some of the new Hunters your dad and Dr. Cain made. Isn't that the least bit exciting?"

"Whatever." The other girl said, paying the admission fee to get in.

Despite her relations with Dr. Fujiwara, none of the other humans or Reploids even realized that this was his daughter. Young Chiyo Fujiwara had become a young woman on her way to adulthood, her school graduation not too far away. She still possessed her lengthy, black hair tied in a half-ponytail with a red ribbon, but her body had grown taller and more womanly over the years. She wore her school uniform for her grade: a red vest with yellow sections on the straps, a white undershirt with puffy sleeves with blue trims, a blue skirt, long white socks, and a pair of red strap-on shoes. The only thing that seemed missing was a large, white dog by her side.

Her friend, Fumiko Takenada, had shorter black hair curled up around her jawline, a blue headband in her hair and round spectacles on her face. She was a grade below Chiyo; thus, she wore the same uniform but different colors. Her vest and shoes were blue while her skirt was red. Seeing the two high-schoolers together was nothing new. But today, they had someone else tagging along.

"C'mon! I wanna see the Reploids!" A boy far younger than either girl whined. He was ten years of age and wore a long-sleeved, green shirt with a white collared undershirt. He wore black shorts and shoes with white socks, and his hair was wild and unkempt.

"The lines aren't going to move any faster than they already are, Kenichi," Fumiko said, cursing that she had to watch over him today. The boy was the young woman's brother, Kenichi Takenada, who had been born in the city instead of Arcadia. "Neither Dr. Cain nor Chiyo's dad has started speaking anyway, so we've got time."

Eventually, however, the three entered the expo after paying the entry fee. Unfortunately, despite the city's status and still ongoing development, the expo center wasn't overly large. It seemed that the only area garnering any attention was that of Dr. Cain and Fujiwara.

"Hey, there's your dad!" Fumiko whispered, gesturing over to the scientist.

"Yeah, I see him." Chiyo answered, shrugging. The sight of her father didn't mean anything to her, so she looked around. Then, she saw X and Zero by Dr. Cain on the raised platform where the demonstration was. What are those two doing here? Her brown eyes fell on X, who looked a little nervous being there.

Even if a Reploid's program was all they knew, X always made Chiyo think twice about their "emotional responses."

"Oh, hey! Look at those guys!" Kenichi said, pointing at the eight Reploids standing on the platform, surrounded by scientists and reporters.

While they weren't anything new (the most recent of them being constructed a week ago), the eight Maverick Hunters Fujiwara had chosen to display stood at attention, ready to be introduced. Meanwhile, to the side, Roll was going over Dr. Cain's purple outfit one last time to see if any adjustments needed to be made.

"All right, I think that'll do it," she said, straightening out the green sash around Cain's waist. "And for you two," she turned to X and Zero. "They come on after you're called, right?"

"That's the idea," Dr. Cain said. "Ok, I'm on."

"Good luck!" X wished the older man, Roll, to follow behind him. The female Reploid stood at the back to the right while Dr. Cain went by Fujiwara.

It took you long enough. So the Japanese man thought, but he quickly composed himself. There was a presentation to be done. "As I am sure everyone is aware, the spread of Reploids means the spread of the Maverick problem," Fujiwara began. "But with that, we have produced the best defense possible for our Maverick Hunters," he said. "We have made quite a deal of progress, haven't we, Dr. Cain?"

The older human gestured out to the eight machines. "Yes, these fine people, Reploids, are just a few of the band of defenders we owe our gratitude," he then pointed over towards Chill Penguin, who stood at the far left. "One of our oldest Hunters and former member of the Arcadian Hunters, Chill Penguin is designed with resistance to cold temperatures in mind."

"I've been selected to become part of the newly created Thirteenth Polar Unit!" The robotic bird said with pride. He hoped he would be known for that than how he was created. When designing the first band of Maverick Hunters, some of the scientists on the project wanted there to be a cute mascot for the group. Penguin had yet to get over it.

The one beside him to the right was Mandrill, his painted face making him easily recognizable. "Spark Mandrill here serves underneath Sigma himself as part of the Seventeenth Elite Unit," Dr. Cain said, introducing Mandrill. Then the mechanical simian produced a tiny bit of electricity that coursed through his forearm. "Not to mention he can produce and store electricity throughout his body thanks to his electromagnetic core."

"Uh, yeah. That's it." Spark Mandrill said, not having much to add.

The next Hunter was a bipedal banded armadillo of primarily purple, the golden bands around his shoulder joints and waist complementing his design. He was covered in silvery metal that served as a means of defense. "Armored Armadillo here has risen to the rank of Leader of the Eighth Armored Unit responsible for protection from external threats that may plague the city." Dr. Cain said.

"The armored shell he's been constructed with not only had been proven to block any incoming projectiles, such as plasma or lasers but can also absorb the attacks of any threat and propel it back." Dr. Fujiwara interjected, seeing as, despite being a co-creator, Dr. Cain's field was not in robotics.

Armored Armadillo gave the onlookers a slight bow. "My function is the protection and preservation of humankind and my fellow Reploids." He said, voice low and commanding a presence.

Next to him was a Reploid of a rather unusual shape. Instead of arms, he possessed six tentacles and a pair of legs, counting up to eight limbs. He had his tentacles spread out so the humans (and his fellow Reploids) could see the majesty of his body. This Reploid was based on a giant Pacific octopus, his metal skin a bright, vibrant red. He had golden shoulders with green gemstones lining the center, vents atop of and on the sides of his head, and a filter for a mouth.

Despite his bizarre shape, he believed himself to be the best looking Reploid there.

"Launch Octopus' conception was interesting," Dr. Fujiwara said. "Given that the Maverick threat isn't just limited to the land, we thought it best to introduce the Sixth Navel Unit as part of our growing defenses," he then looked at his "partner." "The decision to base his design around a cephalopod was Dr. Cain's idea."

It's more creative than just making him a shark or fish. Cain thought.

"Well, I'm quite pleased with my body," Launch Octopus declared proudly. "And I intend to put it to good use." His voice was somewhat effeminate and smarmy, enjoying the attention and admiration of the crowd gathered.

The Hunter beside the robotic cephalopod was shaped, so no one was sure what he was supposed to be. He was primarily red and had a bipedal, humanoid shape that was mainly lean, but that was where the similarities ended. Most of him had been shaped at sharp angles, making him appear deadly and impossible to get near without injuring yourself. He had no mouth, only a pair of short feelers, but the most striking thing about this Hunter was the large, curved blade atop his head.

"Boomer Kuwanger serves in the Seventeenth Elite Unit, the same as Mandrill, and is part of an experimental program we have going on," Dr. Fujiwara explained. "Given the success of the interactions between X and his sibling unit, we have gone forward with testing out potential connections, whether they be physical or mental," he then gestured to Kuwanger. "And for those wondering, he is based on a kuwagata beetle, more commonly known as a stag beetle."

"Just as my sibling unit is based on a kabutomushi. Or, as it is more commonly known, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle." Boomer Kuwanger spoke matter-of-factly and with an almost bored tone.

"Their battle data has shown great progress," Fujiwara informed everyone with pride. "It seems the tradition of insect fighting has proven to transcend time."

Dr. Cain then noticed a space next to Kuwanger instead of the next Reploid. "What the?" He began looking around but didn't see the Hunter anywhere. "Where'd he go?"

Near the back of the crowd stood Chiyo, Fumiko, and Kenichi, confused. "What's going on?" Kenichi asked.

"Looks like one of the guys over there is gone." Chiyo observed.

"Yeah, I remember," Fumiko said. "Wasn't he like a lizard or something?"

The human then felt something touch her ear, then lick her cheek. The object wasn't slimy, it was metal, but she couldn't see what was touching her. She then heard a small giggle behind her.

"How about a chameleon?"

Fumiko turned but saw nothing. Then, Kenichi noticed something happening on the platform. "Hey, look!"

The three humans watched as a strange Reploid materialised out of thin air. And indeed, it was a lizard, specifically a chameleon. He was primarily green with a horned crown like that of Jackson's chameleon, only he had no preocular horns, and he possessed a long forked tail and a long pink tongue. His right eye was a silver optic with a single red stone in the center, making him look off, even by Reploid standards. Upon seeing his tongue, Fumiko realized what she felt on her cheek.

"Ah, there you are," Dr. Cain said. "As you've just witnessed, Sting Chameleon here of the Ninth Special Unit of Rangers is built with the same components of mirage spheres in his skin, similar to that of chromatophores."

"Though, as you've seen, they are not dependent on emotional stimuli or temperature." Dr. Fujiwara added.

Upon realizing what had happened, Chiyo was furious. She was about to make her way through the crowd to give that lizard a piece of her mind, but Fumiko held her back. "You know what happened last time you disrupted one of your father's presentations."

Chiyo's lips tightened with anger. "But..."

"Hey, look at that guy!" Kenichi suddenly said, unaware of what happened to his sister.

Next to Chameleon stood an avian Reploid with large, folded wings of vibrant purple and blue. He prominent red facial markings and a sharp golden beak. "Given that my co-creator is an American, there was a suggestion that one of our Hunters tie back to the country's national symbol," Fujiwara explained. "Storm Eagle has also recently become the head of the Seventh Airborne Unit to protect against any threats in the air."

"I shall try to be worthy of my position, sir." Storm Eagle said, giving a salute.

The last of the eight Hunters on display was, ironically enough, a mammoth-sized robotic pachyderm (African elephant, to be precise) of silver, red, and gold. His large ears resembled heat sinks, and his girth was impressive. He was the largest, beating out Spark Mandrill and towering over Chill Penguin, the shortest of them all. A fact the elephant loved to hold over the bird's head.

"And Flame Mammoth has had experience outside of Japan, having partaken in combat situations in the Middle East," Dr. Fujiwara said, gesturing to the elephant. "He has also just become the head of the Fourth Land Unit."

Flame Mammoth pumped out his chest, presenting himself as the biggest and best out of all the others. "Of course," Dr. Cain spoke. "We should not forget the one that made this all possible." X knew that was his cue. He went up on the platform, Zero following after. "As well as one who could be the key to reversing the effects caused by Maverick glitches."

The other eight Hunters looked at the blue and red Reploids, some in respect while others were resentful the spotlight was off of them.

That Night

It was long past midnight, and she had school the next day, but she didn't care. She had things she needed to do.

"Chiyo?" The Japanese girl dressed in a short-sleeved nightshirt looked behind her to see Roll enter. The human was sitting at her desk, a mechanical apparatus on the table. It appeared to be a pair of braces attached to resemble a dog harness. Roll didn't need to ask who it was for. "How's Patarche been? Is he still having trouble?"

Chiyo nodded. "His arthritis is getting worse. I'm making this to take some of the pressure off his legs," She then presented her project to the blonde housekeeper. "He misses going out." The dog she referred to slept on the right side of the bed, with a small ramp present so Patarche could go up and down. Unfortunately, he couldn't jump as he used to. That said, her dog's condition wasn't the only thing on her mind. Fumiko doesn't want me to, but I'm giving that lizard a piece of my mind; if I ever see him dare he!

"Well, regardless, you'll have plenty of time to work on it tomorrow," Roll told the human. "It's a school night."

"Coffee and caffeine pills have worked wonders for me so far." Chiyo retorted.

"Coffee and...honestly, you need to watch your caffeine intake," Roll lectured, sounding very much like a parent. "I don't want you becoming like your father."

Even if she knew Roll didn't mean it, Chiyo felt her anger rise upon hearing it. "I will NEVER be like him. Ever."

The room went silent for a while before Roll promptly excused herself. "Right, well, I guess I'll be going. Don't want to keep Dr. Cain waiting," she then turned towards the door. "Good night!"

"...night." Chiyo said before Roll shut the door.

She did have to go, but she also hated leaving the human here alone. It wasn't as if their relationship was always warm, but it seemed that Chiyo and her father only acknowledged the other's existence if they had to. They might as well not be father and daughter. Roll wasn't sure whether or not the passing of Fujiwara's wife had anything to do with it, but there was a considerable distance between them. Maybe it was due to her position as a caregiver that Roll wished she could do something, but ultimately, she found she couldn't do much.

Then again, a caregiver might've been a little generous, but it was one of few things she could provide. Despite it being years since her inception (and a century since she last functioned), Roll had yet to be provided with a more durable body, her outer shell still composed of cheap materials. True, with Reploids now being a global phenomenon, Dr. Fujiwara's work schedule might have become too cluttered, but Roll had waited ten years. Pretty soon, it could be that it would be too late, and she would be stuck in her current position just as she was when she still had the body of a child.

Abel City Maverick Hunter HQ

With the expansion of the Hunter forces and the ever-increasing supply of Hunters, housing had been provided to those that had no residence outside of the HQ. Zero greatly appreciated this, as he would no longer have to live at Dr. Fujiwara's lab. X had offered the red Reploid a place at Dr. Cain's, but he declined. Since then, X had been staying at the HQ overnight if there was an available place for him. Finally, the two Hunters had reached a room with several capsules in a circular formation, all connected to a massive generator meant to monitor a Reploid's systems as they went into sleep mode.

The two Reploids we're about to turn in, choosing a capsule opposite of the other. Yet, despite it being the end of the day, X didn't appear tired. "What's up with you?" Zero asked, adjusting himself in his capsule.

"Oh, sorry," X said. "Just thinking."

"Something you do too much of," Zero replied. He waited for X to get into his capsule, the lids to both devices closing atop the two Reploids. X had expected the conversation to end, but he heard Zero's voice over his com-link. "Seriously though, what is it?"

X sighed, knowing he was trapped and wouldn't be free unless he answered Zero's question. "You know how I'm the blueprint for every Reploid?" X didn't say that fact with pride. Instead, he said it as if it were an uncomfortable reality. "And not long after, the Maverick incidents began to occur," X continued. "So, I've just been wondering if-"

"If there's something in your programming that's caused all of it," Zero finished X's sentence, the blue Reploid growing silent. "Don't be ridiculous; that's crazy," Zero told X. "There are millions of Reploids globally, even in this country. And there are dozens of Reploids here in the city. None of them have gone Maverick, have they?"

"No, but-"

"And even more, my systems were once messed up, but I'm fine now. And..." Zero paused. "I still don't remember, but I know what happened wasn't pretty."

X was quiet. Since he had transferred over to Abel City, Zero had been able to make many more friends than he had before, but he was still reluctant to make his history known.

"My point being, to tie everything back to you is both illogical and based on a series of different events where you weren't even there," Zero told the blue Reploid. "If anything, I think that there should be fewer incidents because everyone's programming came from you."

X was surprised to hear this. "You think so?"

Even if X couldn't see it, Zero nodded. "You need more faith in yourself," he told X, knowing that he'd have to wrap this conversation up soon. It was around the time many Reploids decided to turn in for the night. "Just get some sleep. I feel we're going to need a lot of it."

"Y-Yeah, sure. Goodnight, Zero."

"Night, X."

The link died. Eventually, more Reploids, both Hunters and Navigators alike (X even saw A-1 among them), came to turn in, and soon, all the capsules were occupied. The lights shut off, bathing the entire room in blackness, the automated door shutting soon after. Everyone save for one Reploid was able to slip into recharge, and he suspected he wouldn't be doing so anytime soon.

X knew he was probably fretting over nothing, but he couldn't help it. Ever since the first Maverick incident occurred on one of Cain's digs, he couldn't stop wondering if he was somehow responsible. And if he was, it was a little too late to try and prevent it now. X knew it had to have come from somewhere, whether a glitch or virus. And if not from him, then from what? Or maybe, Mavericks weren't caused by either glitch or virus.

Maybe it was something built in all Reploids. And thus, built into him.

Elsewhere

"So, when shall everything be ready? I cannot keep these distractions going forever."

"Think of things from my end for a moment! These things don't just happen overnight!"

In an undisclosed location, two figures discussed an essential operation taking place. It was challenging to get things off the ground, and it was still far from ready to be put into action.

"When should everything be in order?" A tall figure covered in shadow questioned.

"Yes. Sometime in July or August." Another shorter figure answered.

"August is too far," the taller of the two said. "July would be better fitting. July the Fourth is Independence Day in Dr. Cain's county. If you want to deliver a message that he'll understand, that is how."

The shorter figure suspected that his partner's set date was final, which meant he would have to speed things up. Nevertheless, it would be a day to be remembered if things go right. And not just for those in the United States.

"But remember," the smaller one said. "The human populous is mine to rule when Operation Independence Day is put into motion."

"Oh, it will be," the taller figure answered. However, you may find that one rule will extinguish the other.

Chapter Text

June 13th

Abel City

3:28 PM

If it wasn't a renegade mechaniloid, then it was something else. A Hunter's work was never done, it seemed. X thought that when he was in the briefing room, everyone had been summoned there to hear the details of the mechaniloid that had gone berserk. There had been an interesting discovery made about the case. And it would change everything.

"From the research done by Dr. Fujiwara, we've managed to deduce that several of the Maverick mechaniloids were controlled from the outside." A pink-haired told those gathered around her, a holographic image displaying footage of the battle that had taken place.

A discussion broke out between several Reploids. "So, there was no one inside?" X asked the Navigator. "It was being controlled remotely?" The Navigator in question, Trinity, was the newest in a Navigation unit with more complex features than that of Ai, Blu, or A-1.

"That's correct," she confirmed. "And there's also a possibility that each of the rogue mechaniloids was being manipulated by the same unknown party. Each of those studied by Dr. Fujiwara and his team of scientists has shown identical patterns in their systems." Trinity explained.

"Wait a minute," Zero spoke up. "What about the security program? Even if their AI is far from advanced, there's always security measures with a machine."

"Besides, a complicated system like that really shouldn't be so easy to HACK!" Chill Penguin clamped his beak shut, unintentionally squawking loudly. There were a few giggles heard, but the robotic bird didn't think it was funny at all.

"In most cases, yes," Trinity said, trying to stifle her own laughter. "But if these criminals are managing to hack their way into the security systems, we'll have to act fast."

"Well, if that's the case, has the signal been tracked?" Storm Eagle questioned.

Trinity pressed one of the blue stones on her wrists. A series of red lines appeared all over a holographic image of Abel City. "The signal, up until now, has been camouflaged using a series of satellites," she continued, one particular section of the city zooming in. "But we have traced its origin, Abel City, Sector Sixteen East."

Zero wasted no time in expressing his disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me!" He exclaimed. "That's so close!"

"Does Commander Sigma know about this?" X asked.

"We've contacted him with the information currently available, but seeing as he's currently occupied in another section of the city, he's assigned you two to go and investigate," she told X and Zero. "Those are his orders."

Both blue and red Hunter nodded. "Roger!"

"There's also something else you should know," Trinity said, having nearly forgotten what else she was supposed to tell the two. "You'll have another member joining you for the mission."

"Oh?" Zero asked. "Who?"

Zero would soon receive his answer, but someone else would discover it for him. Making sure to keep herself concealed, Roll listened into the briefing, something she found herself doing more of as time went on. It was just a couple of times at first, but now it seemed she listened to every briefing she could afford to listen to. She knew it wasn't polite in any way to eavesdrop, but a simple curiosity soon grew into a compulsion to hear all she could. Of course, it wouldn't mean much in the end, but if something could be done to help, perhaps she could finally do something.

"Well, what's this?" A low, husky voice asked from behind. Roll turned to find herself face to face with a Hunter of purple, face concealed behind a helmet with a V emblazoned on the forehead. Yet what stood out to Roll most was the sizable cannon on his left shoulder. "You're Fujiwara's errand girl, right? So what are you doing here?"

Roll was caught off guard by this Hunter's sudden appearance but quickly got herself together. "Well, I should be asking why you're NOT here," she retorted. "There's a briefing going on, and I'm sure you should be present for it," she then looked him over, trying to find anything hint of a face behind the helmet. "You are indeed a Maverick Hunter, yes?" She asked, this guy's aura not sitting right with her.

"I just got out of the brig, so I couldn't be here, even if I wanted to. Plus, the Docfitted me with this baby right here," he then patted his shoulder cannon with pride. "He says if I can take care of it and not get into too much trouble, it's mine to keep," he then directed his attention back to her. "But as I said, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Roll shifted a bit, not caring for this Hunter one bit. "Roll," she said. "And you?"

He was about to answer, but Zero spoke for him. "Vile," the long-haired Hunter folded his arms. "I'm surprised they let you out so soon."

Vile?! Roll thought, stunned. A keeper of the peace is named Vile?! It sounded childish, but she already had a sneaking suspicion he'd be responsible for something fitting to his name.

"Oh, sorry," Vile said. "I almost got you two mixed up," he gestured to Roll. "Though I think you're prettier."

Zero growled.

"All right, that's enough," X said, coming up from behind Zero. "We've been assigned to investigate Abel City; Sector Sixteen. We believe that whoever is behind the Maverick mechaniloids is hiding there."

"So, they finally found them?" Vile asked. "Well then, let's get on it. I'm dying to try out my new accessories." He rubbed his shoulder cannon, uncharacteristically giddy as if he had received a new toy. X and Zero looked at each other, the former expressing concern. Vile paid no heed and went on. "Well? Coming?"

"Yeah, sure. Excuse us, Roll." X said, he and Zero following Vile.

Abel City, Sector Sixteen East

4:23 PM

The area wasn't difficult to find, but now the three Hunters had to work out a plan to apprehend the criminals at large. And that was assuming they were even here. Abel City Sector Sixteen East was where the slummier sections were, the place appearing like a ghost town. These city areas were home to crime, both human and Reploid, so it was a fitting place for the hacker(s) to hide out.

"I'll go first," Vile said, kicking off the wall and getting up to a higher place on the edge of a building. Zero and X followed behind, neither wanting to lose sight of Vile, especially when he had that shoulder cannon. "By the way, I caught that Reploid with the bow spying on the briefing you guys had."

"Hm? Oh, you mean Roll?" X asked. "What was she doing there?"

"She's been at nearly every briefing we've had," Zero said. "I just surprised no one else has noticed before."

The three hunters looked at their internal data and analyzed the coordinates they had been given. The signal was last detected at an abandoned building opposite the three Hunters. The three leapt from rooftops until they reached the area of interest. A broken window let them in, and the three Reploids realized that, upon entering, a scene was taking place below. They kept themselves hidden from on high thanks to the platforms hung up, though the cables looked like they wouldn't hold for much longer. Again, though, if everything went according to plan, this would be taken care of relatively quickly.

"Man, how much longer will he keep us waiting?" Four Mavericks sat at a wooden table below, collections of zenny and energen crystals sitting on it. The speaking one had dark-green and yellow armor with a white mouth guard with black markings, the mouthpiece resembling a skull. "We started this thing back at the beginning of the month, and he STILL hasn't given us anything on what all this is leading up to."

"It's called Operation Independence Day, so it probably has something to do with that." A dark plum-purple and magenta Reploid answered, sorting through and organizing the zenny from the crystals. His mouth was visible, but it resembled a puppet more than a person.

"But who's independence?" A shorter Reploid asked, his face dark and covered by a black mouth guard. "Does that mean it falls on a day of independence? That could mean anything! There are hundreds of independence days out there for several countries!"

X and Zero listened in from above while Vile was readying to fire when necessary. Which, for him, was anytime.

"He said that Fujiwara's American friend would understand," a taller Reploid in royal purplish-blue and gold, white areas resembling the human skeleton were decorated on his limbs, pelvis, and head. All three Hunters noted that he looked like Skull Man, a Robot Master constructed by the late Dr. Cossack. "He said that the old man will be witness to the new age."

"And just how is that, Sonie?" The magenta, puppet-mouthed Maverick asked. "That man's surely not going to go along with it! He's not like that other human working with our benefactor. But, hell, I'd like to know what's in it for us?"

"Yeah, what Eddy said," the yellow Maverick agreed with the other criminal. "What'll we get for all of this?"

"Uh, hello? Look at all this, Skip!" The dark green gestured to the piles of zenny and crystals Eddy was organizing. "We cause some mechaniloids to go a little wonky, and we get all of this! So we'll never have to take on small jobs again!"

"And?" Eddy asked. "What sort of contribution to the future is that, Dick?" He said, addressing the dark-green Maverick. "Measly sabotage is what lowly grunts are for. And I believe our benefactor sees us as just that."

"We can't just quit now," Sonie said. "It's too late to do anything now," he then looked at one of the few intact windows in the building, the sun's rays shining through the dirtied, cracked glass. "The day of independence will come when he wills it to come. When that is, I can't say for sure. It may come before or later than anticipated. But when it happens," Sonie's dark eyes glistened in the sunshine. "In one way or another, we will be remembered. And I want all those who look down on us a taste of where they belong!"

All three Hunters believed they had heard enough. They were about ready to make a move, but the combined weight of all three Reploids was too much for the worn-out cables to hold. Finally, one of them snapped, forcing the trio to fall and land on the ground, right in front of the perpetrators that they had been spying on.

Downtown Abel City

City Square

This was working way better than she had expected. While she had spent several nights working on it, Chiyo was quite pleased (not to mention relieved) that the harness she had constructed was working as intended. Since it was after school hours, Chiyo had decided to give the harness a try. It took a few moments to make the proper adjustments (not to mention get it on Patarche), but eventually, she fit the dog's legs into the braces. And given how he was running around, he seemed to be having a good time.

Once it had been confirmed that he could walk comfortably in the gadget, Chiyo took Patarche for a walk, something she hadn't been able to do in weeks. It was far from out of character for the white canine to want to go out, but as he got older, he developed arthritis, which meant it became harder even to take him out. The young Japanese woman knew that Patarche wasn't getting any younger, and she also knew that he probably didn't have much longer left. But putting him down was out of the question, no matter who suggested it to her. She couldn't let him go, not yet.

He was one of the few that made her day worth it when she came home.

The young Japanese woman sat on a bench, watching her dog run around, unaware that this day would be the last she would see him so happy.

Abel City, Sector Sixteen East

"Shit! Hunters!" Skip shouted; he and his friends rose from the table.

"Freeze!" X commanded; he, Zero, and Vile had their weapons aimed at the four. "Don't move or try anything, and no one gets hurt!"

"Like hell!" Skip shouted. He then stretched his arms out, the limbs resembling an accordion from how they lengthened and stretched. "None of you are leaving this place alive!"

The three Hunters leaped out of the way, separating themselves and taking on the members of this rag-tag group of criminals. "How much did you hear?" Sonie asked Zero, who he was facing.

"Enough to know you're up to no good," Zero answered, his buster drawn. "And enough to deduce that you're the ones behind all the rogue mechaniloids, am I right?"

Silence fell on the four, but when Dick began speaking, he and Eddy faced X. "Ok, yeah. You caught us. Now what?"

"Now we take you in for questioning," X responded.

"Isn't it a little early to say that? You haven't won yet." Eddy said, X, going quiet. He suspected that this would get ugly.

"Who's this benefactor you keep mentioning?" Vile questioned, having settled with dealing with Skip. "Must be an idiot to think you guys are worth paying."

"He's paid well for our services," Skip said. "And even if we get caught, don't think that your troubles will be over! The new world will come to pass!"

New world, X pondered. Is that what they meant by Independence Day?

"Unfortunately, none of you will be here to see it!" Dick shouted, panels on both of his arms pulling back and revealing a pair of plasma pistols. He fired in X's direction, the blue Hunter leaping back to avoid the shots. "Like them? I had them installed myself."

"This, on the other hand," Eddy's left hand retreated into his forearm, a spiked energy mace replacing it. "Was mine from the beginning!" He swung the bright purple weapon in X's direction; the blue Hunter kicked off the wall and went on the platforms above. As he had hoped, Eddy and Dick followed him. At least he managed to make things fair for Zero and Vile.

Down below, Zero ducked under the hot energy of the saber Sonie had on him, the "blade" a bright yellow. The skeleton-looking Maverick swung the weapon in Zero's direction, keeping the red Hunter on the defensive. Zero's blasts reflected off his opponent's saber, sending them in various directions and causing even more damage to the already unstable building.

X, Eddy, and Dick were jostled as the platforms began to swing back and forth as the building shook. I have got to get that weapon away from him. Zero thought, trying to figure out a plan.

Meanwhile, Skip stretched out his arms, delivering a series of long-ranged punches in Vile's direction. It seemed to be an excellent time to try out his new toy. Cocking the shoulder cannon, Vile unleashed a series of high-pressured shots resembling bullets, only they were of concentrated plasma. Skip panicked at the incoming projectiles, stretching his arms up and grabbing one of the steel bars above, Vile continuing to shoot at him from below. Skip used the area above to conceal himself; then, when the time was right, he'd throw a fist, smashing the ground wherever Vile was.

As X fought off Eddy's flail and dodged Dick's shots, he heard the repetitive noise of Vile's shoulder cannon; it sounded very much like a machine gun. Zero was still trying to get the beam saber away from Sonie, but when he lunged for the Maverick, Sonie whirled around and sliced into Zero's side, the metal surrendering to the burning energy of the weapon. A large gash had been created, electric sparks coming from it.

"Zero!" X called out in concern, this momentary distraction allowing Eddy to knock the blue Hunter upside the head.

X came crashing down, hitting the floor with a loud impact. Vile was then seized by the shoulders and tossed around by Skip, spinning him around until the Maverick released the violet Hunter. Vile went flying through a window, crashing through the glass. Skip then used his arms to get atop a higher floor to see if the Hunter was down. Only he saw nothing in the alleyway beside the building.

The window nearby was kicked in, glass shattering as Vile climbed through. "Boo." The yellow Maverick felt a tapping on his shoulder, knowing well who it was.

Before he got the chance to turn around, Vile got Skip into a chokehold. After that, the two Reploids fought with each other, rolling off the second floor and trying to get the upper hand on the other.

Meanwhile, X still had to contend with Eddy and Dick, whether it be dodging energy blasts or avoiding getting a spiked energy ball to the face. Sonie had gotten in another hit on Zero, knocking him into a wall. A sizable impact was left, but Zero had little time to collect himself as Sonie came right at him, blade aimed right for his core. Zero reacted by trying to keep the skeleton-based Maverick away from him, his boot forcing itself against Sonie's face, the swordsman pressing the saber down, the energy blade coming closer. But it was then that fortunate went to the three Hunters again.

Just as Eddy was about to swing at X again, a plasma bullet shot through his left arm, tearing through the cables and leaving the Maverick with no sensation in the limb. The energy flail dissipated, and Eddy found his left arm had been paralyzed. This allowed X to get the upper hand and deliver an uppercut to Eddy's jaw, sending him flying back and into a wall.

"Eddy!" Dick shouted, about to help his friend, but he was seized by X, who blasted him with a small plasma shot. It was painful, but it did only enough damage to subdue the target. X was thankful for this, as they needed these four alive and in decent shape.

And on Zero's end, he was able to overpower Sonie, kicking the Maverick back and getting back on his feet. Sonie swung his saber in Zero's direction, yet instead of using his buster right away, he ducked and swiveled around to his opponent's back. Then, he delivered a charged shot to Sonie's back, the plasma creating an indentation where it burned into the metal. Sonie flipped over and was about to strike, yet he now found his weapon was in Zero's hands, the energy saber mere inches away from his face.

"Usually, this would be where it all ends for you," the red Hunter said, the energy blade right at Sonie's throat. X and Vile opened up panels on their backs, each pulling out stasis cuffs built for moments such as these. "But today's your lucky day because we need you alive."

Dick, Skip, and Eddy were restrained, yet Zero kept his foot on Sonie's chest, saber at his throat. "I'd suggest talking if I were you. The other Hunters are on their way here," X said to the pinned Maverick, having contacted HQ. "It'll serve you better in the end." Vile saw Skip attempt to rise, but the purple Hunter gave the Maverick a solid kick to the gut, sending him down to the ground.

"Hey! Don't treat him like some animal!" Eddy shouted, far from caring how one of his friends was treated.

"You're less than that, according to the humans," Vile retorted. "If anything, you should be kissing our boots for not blowing your heads off."

"Vile, that's enough." X said.

"Who's your benefactor?" Zero questioned Sonie. "And what's all this about an Independence Day?"

The pinned Maverick held up his hands, Zero finally stepping off him. Sonie still had the saber to his throat as X cuffed him using Zero's pair. "We're not saying," he told Zero. "But we will say that what's going to happen will go down in history. It'll change the very world, especially for us."

"Us?" X questioned.

"Our kind, our people," Sonie clarified. "And our benefactor wishes to create a better world, an improved world, a world where both Reploids and humans know their proper places."

Meanwhile, Eddy was struggling with his cuffs when he realized something: his arm had been paralyzed, but his hand hadn't taken the place of his flail. It was perhaps thin enough to work through the cuffs! He pulled, finding that while the light shocks around the wrists were still felt, he could move his hand-less wrist better than the other. It was a slow and steady process, but Eddy found he could move his left wrist more as it currently lacked a hand. He had to pull at the cuffs with his functioning arm to try and get them to slip off.

"Proper places?" X asked, confused.

"Oh, you'll see," Sonie said. "In fact, our benefactor wants you all to be present for when it officially begins."

Eddy slung his hand-less arm free from the cuffs, the other still caught in the restraints. He toyed around with his arm until he created a working few circuits that would allow for movement. Once he had done that, he swung his reactivated flail in the direction of X and Zero, forcing them to duck.

"Run, Eddy!" Sonie commanded. "Call him and have him save us!"

Eddy wasted no time obeying his leader's command, running past the downed X and Zero and out into the streets. Vile shot plasma bullets in his direction m, but the Maverick was out of range. The purple Hunter got to his feet and began racing after Eddy.

"Vile, wait!" X called out, but both Vile and Eddy were gone. "Zero, do you mind-"

"Nope. You go after Vile," Zero told his partner. "I don't trust him with that new toy of his."

X nodded in acknowledgement and agreement, and he took off, hoping that he could catch up and make sure things didn't get too violent. For he had a feeling that Eddy would make use of the humans in this city.

Downtown Abel City

City Square

5:32 PM

"Whoa, it's already that late?" Chiyo said, looking at the time on her phone. She sighed, knowing well that her dog wouldn't like what she had to say. "Patarche!" She called out; the white dog with a mechanical harness looked at his owner. "Come on; it's time to go!" Chiyo told the dog. Besides, I've still got homework to do. Patarche laid down on the ground, forcing Chiyo to rise from the bench and go over to him."Are you serious?" She asked hands on her hips. "I can carry your wide, furry ass all the way back to Arcadia for everyone to see. Is that really what you want?"

Patarche rolled around in the grass.

"You furry little shit," Chiyo chuckled. "Still, we've got to get back. But tell you what, we'll come back on the weekend, and I'll take you all around the city. Sound good to you?" Patarche barked in response, seemingly liking this arrangement. He rose, and Chiyo was about to secure his leash to his red collar.

But that never came to pass.

The sounds of panicking humans drew Chiyo and Patarche's attention, though they soon became drowned out by what sounded like a machine gun being fired.

"What the hell?!" Chiyo cried out, ducking down to the ground, taking Patarche down with her and shielding him from whatever was coming.

From a short distance away, among the people now running for what they thought was their very lives, Chiyo could see a plum-purple Reploid being chased by a violet one, the latter having a sizable cannon on his left shoulder. "Get back here!" The violet Reploid (presumably a Hunter) ordered, continuing to fire at the one running away.

Then, Eddy retreated into the small grassy area in the city square, Chiyo and Patarche seeing that a battle was about to occur. Eddy swung his energy flail around with his damaged arm, knocking over benches, streetlights and the trees planted around the city, especially in the square. On the other hand, Vile kept dodging Eddy's attacks, all the while shooting with reckless abandon. Sure, he had his automated targeting system, but Eddy's mace was making it so he couldn't get close.

"Learn to quit; why don't you?!" Eddy called out, swinging his flail once again. "You'll never stop it!" Eddy roared. Yet while he appeared confident in front of Vile, he knew he had to get out of here. The interface of these Hunters had forced him and his friends out of hiding, and now they needed their benefactor to set them up with a new hideout. I got to contact him! He'll save us!

"Fall, dammit!" Vile shouted back, his plasma bullets reflecting off the flail, sending them in various directions. They tore and burnt the ground and shattered doors and windows if they got far enough. "Fall!"

When X arrived at the scene, he knew that there was no way this could be ignored. So the blue Hunter tried to make his way through the crowd of humans and Reploids running away, spotting Vile and Eddy combating each other.

"Vile, stop!" X shouted, trying to get closer.

Chiyo then saw Eddy leap over her and begin running East. Seizing the opportunity, she got up and was about to snatch up Patarche and get out of here. But before she could take another step, Vile saw Eddy right over her shoulder, and he fired. The bullet tore through the fabric and flesh, and a searing pain assaulted Chiyo's left arm as if someone had just thrust a burning hot iron on her skin. The force of the blast sent the human to the ground; she was holding the spot the bullet had hit her, teeth clenched and eyes burning with tears.

Many humans were still running, yet many of the Reploids stood still, unable to fully grasp what they saw. Almost all of them were silent, yet some murmurs could be heard near the back of the gathered crowd. Even Eddy, who was about to run away, was drawn by the sound of the human's cry.

Despite his title as a Hunter, Vile was beginning to feel relatively small underneath the gaze of so many of his kind. Some looked on in shock, while others expressed anger or disgust. But X's expression confused him the most. X looked at Vile with fear, yet it wasn't fear for himself.

Vile just became aware of what had happened, what he had done. He looked back at Chiyo, who had managed to rise to a sitting position, her white dog debating on whether or not to try and lick her wound. Even if her arm appeared functional, a considerable amount of heat rose from the area.

Vile's own shock at his actions lasted for only a moment as he saw Eddy again. He fired the plasma bullet just about to go through the top of the young woman's head. But just as it came towards her, a blur of white engulfed her vision. Patarche had jumped in at the last second, shielding and pushing Chiyo down and out of the way. The bullet tore through his throat, the energy blast creating a clean hole through the flesh. There was no blood due to the heat cauterizing the wound, but the bullet tore through his windpipe, causing Patarche to fall in a panting heap.

Chiyo sat there, mouth agape and eyes wide in horror. "PATARCHE!"

Vile hissed, no longer seeing Eddy. "Damn! He got away!" He then looked down to Patarche, whose chest had stopped moving. "Damn dog. Ruined my shot."

"YOU BASTARD!" Chiyo hollered in despair and rage, running over and beating on Vile's armored chest.

"Out of the way!" Vile ordered, shoving the human down as he was about to go in Eddy's direction.

But he stopped when he felt a hand seize his shoulder. Vile turned around and found a white fist meeting his face. The punch X had delivered sent him stumbling back, but the violet Hunter was more shocked than in pain. "What the hell are you doing?!" He was answered by being tackled to the ground, a pair of cuffs secured around his wrists. As Vile was taken to the ground, he saw Eddy come around the corner of a building, in the custody of Zero, the arm with the flail having been blown off.

Later

The sun had begun to set over the horizon, bathing Abel city in warm, orange light. Yet the mood down in the city was anything but calm. Vile's rampage had stirred everyone up as severely as a renegade Mechaniloid, X looking around and wincing at all the damage. Yet instead of a piloted machine, one of their own Hunters had helped cause this.

The four Mavericks they had arrested were going to the detention center for questioning. Still, only two of the three Hunters initially assigned to this mission would be returning to HQ. So Vile was apprehended and taken to the detention center instead of the brig. It was regrettable, but X didn't know what else to do. Above their aim to eliminate any Maverick threats was protecting and preserving human life. And seeing as he took the shot that injured Chiyo's shoulder, he couldn't afford to take the risk of Vile potentially damaging her worse.

It was then that X remembered. "Oh no, Chiyo!"

He turned to see the young woman being tended to by some medics, but she had refused to leave Patarche's side. X approached her, getting a better look. The wound to her shoulder hadn't damaged any nerves or arteries, having struck the top, and there appeared to be no broken bones. However, there was an area of flesh that had been burnt quite severely. X but his lip, seeing that a wound like that would probably leave some scarring.

"Are you ok?" X asked her, the female human wincing as a Reploid nurse applied disinfectant on her shoulder.

"To hell with that!" Chiyo cried out. "Look what that bastard did to Patarche!" She presented the dog's throat, X's green eyes widening as he saw the damage.

Zero had finally been able to get to X, busy making sure the other criminals were taken in. He then saw Chiyo with her face buried in Patarche's side; the dog was declared deceased. He looked at the dead dog and noticed the harness and attached braces.

"What's that for?" Zero asked, but Chiyo was too upset to answer.

"It's his harness," X explained. "Roll told me she was making it because Patarche couldn't walk as well in his old age."

Zero was confused. "If that's the case, wasn't it going to die already? Why can't she get another one?" Zero whispered to X.

"When it comes to animals and humans, attachments run deep," X told him softly. "It's something that runs probably even deeper than we could ever achieve." True, a sight like this wasn't entirely alien for either of them, yet X knight Zero could've been a little insensitive. It wasn't malicious; he was just very open about telling the truth.

"Then why get any animal at all? Why not get a mechanical pet?" Zero asked. He then looked at the still sobbing Chiyo. "Crying about it won't solve anything. And if he was already old, shouldn't you have seen this coming?" He asked Chiyo, who didn't answer. "Humans cry so easily over such little things."

Chiyo's brown eyes widened when she heard that, her shock soon giving way to anger. She set Patarche down and went over towards Zero, rage in her dark eyes. She rose her right hand and slapped the red Hunter, but he didn't react. He barely even felt her. Chiyo realized she had done a very foolish thing and now had an injured hand to go along with her shoulder.

This action allowed Zero to better look at the human, and she looked like a wreck. As if her entire world had been crushed. She picked up the lifeless body of Patarche and glared daggers at Zero. "This is why I hate Reploids."

She then ran off, taking her dog's body with her. Some of the medical Reploids went after her, saying she was still in need of treatment, but soon, neither X nor Zero could see her anymore; the young woman had disappeared into the crowd.

Maverick Hunter HQ

12:00 AM

Even though he was literally just a walking computer, X always found slipping into recharge difficult, even in a capsule. Yet another thing that seemed to further isolate him from the others of his kind. He knew sleep would benefit him well, but he couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts, especially regarding what happened a few hours earlier. Things had started fine, they had reached a lead on the renegade mechaniloid incidents, but it devolved into something horrible even if the perpetrators were caught and arrested.

The four Mavericks they had taken into custody, later learning they called themselves the Skull Quartet, had quite a lot to answer for, especially regarding this so-called "Independence Day." Just what was that? And all the talk of the world changing for the better for Reploids and humans, both races being reminded of their "places", was too confusing. And their "benefactor", just who could that be? Who would willingly provide services to those that intentionally cause destruction and panic? Why would they wish to damage the already tense relationship between humans and Reploids?

An Independence Day for anywhere usually was meant to mark an important date where those that celebrated it achieved a victory over their oppressors. The Americans fought the British, the Central and South Americans and the Spanish, and several countries in Africa had to battle against the French. Did this mean that the Skull Quartet talked about an Independence Day for Reploids? And assuming that WAS what the four Mavericks were referring to, just how did they plan to do it? Or rather, how would they AND their benefactor do it?

Either way, it concerned him. Commander Sigma took the information he and Zero gave him VERY seriously. And he wasn't pleased at all when he heard about what Vile had done, let alone who it was that he had injured. The tall Hunter Leader told X and Zero that he would be having a VERY long talk with Vile and decide what to do with him. What Fujiwara's reaction would be, X had no idea. It was difficult to tell with him. X thought he perhaps just misunderstood, but when he was still confined to the lab, he found he could never tell whether or not Fujiwara was being genuine about anything.

When he asked Dr. Cain about it, not long after Chiyo had discovered him, he realized he wasn't just imagining things.

Past

"So, he's always been like this?" X asked the older human that had freed him.

"As long as I've known him," Dr. Cain said. "And I've known him since I had decided to settle in this country," he then sighed. "I have no experience in robotics. He does. Thus, he would know what he's doing."

"So why are you here?" X asked, genuinely curious.

Dr. Cain sighed. "I don't think I should leave you alone here with him," he said. "He may be human, but it doesn't mean that he's capable of what you can do."

"And that would be?" X questioned.

Dr. Cain was silent for a moment. Then, "X," he began. "It may be difficult for you to understand, but some people aren't like your creator. Hell, whatever he told you about human kindness is greatly exaggerated."

X was confused. And the Doctor was wrong about people? But he told X that he was meant to be a companion of humans. He was built with humans and their emotional centers and functions in mind. So how could Dr. Light be wrong?

"Truly, I don't believe that they would kill you if they found out about you, X," Dr. Cain told him. "But that doesn't mean they wouldn't use and abuse you."

X's perceptions and all he knew were being challenged. "But once they see how Dr. Light programmed me, maybe they'll understand-"

"And some may," Cain interrupted. "But their words would either be outweighed or not heard at all. They may be human, but their minds are very much like the mechaniloids that they believe to be less advanced in their thinking," he continued, "The incident that made advanced AI illegal worldwide hasn't been forgotten, and even if you are welcomed by humans when the time is right, worries of history repeating itself will be magnified."

X was quiet, taking all of this information in. "Then, what do I do if that's the case?"

"Just do what Sho tells you to do, but don't let him push you around. You have a will of your own, so use it. Just don't abuse it." Dr. Cain told the blue robot.

"Well, no, of course not," X replied. "But back to Dr. Fujiwara, why is he that way?" While X wasn't overly fond of the Japanese scientist, he remembered Dr. Light's words regarding humans and how such behavior is to bury deep pain much of the time. He spoke of a man named Albert when he told X this.

"He's always been, well, more machine than a man," Dr. Cain said. "But he was more aloof than outright cold," X was quiet as Dr. Cain spoke. "I came to know him through an invention he had collaborated in, which consisted of preserving and analyzing fossilized plant matter. We were never really friends, the age difference probably not helping that, but his technical prowess couldn't be ignored. He worked with my university back in America, and he used that opportunity to get out of Japan. From what I came to know, his wife, Hinako, had passed due to complications during the birth of his child."

"You mean that girl with the puppy?" X asked.

"She was only a few months old then, and I think Sho wanted to get away," Cain said. "He left Chiyo to Cecilia, and I heard it wasn't until she had turned two that he decided to come back."

"He left his child for two years?" X questioned.

Cain nodded. "Maybe Hinako's death hit him just a bit too hard, or maybe he doesn't have any attachment to Chiyo, but I don't feel right leaving you here with him. Not by yourself."

Present

Chiyo. X hadn't expected to see her there, let alone expect that one of their Hunters would cause harm to the child of one of the founders of Reploids. However, when Roll heard what happened, she announced that she would be staying over at Fujiwara's home for a few days; the human girl was devastated. Even if he had known her from when she was a child, Chiyo had come to grow distant and difficult to approach, very much like her father. And this made X question her home life for all these years. However, he found that there wasn't much he could do about it.

As for the one who had shot her, X couldn't help but think about Vile. True, he was only attempting to stop Eddy, but the lengths he went to were inexcusable. He could've injured Chiyo even more if he hadn't arrested him, and Patarche taking a hit for her made X wonder if Vile could've killed her. Accidental or not, any action against a human was taken extremely seriously. Perhaps even more seriously by Reploids than humans.

Before he could ponder any further, a voice was heard, shared by a private link. "We went over this, X. You can muse all you want in the morning," Zero said, making sure not to disturb anyone else. "Go to sleep."

"Fine, fine," X sighed in defeat. He had been caught. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Still, even with recharge finally coming to him, his mind continued to wander. An Independence Day, Reploids and humans being reminded of their places, and the one who provided the reward for their services. It was too soon to say, but whatever all this meant, X felt that it would lead to something big. Though whether that something would be good or bad, he couldn't say. All he could do was hope.

Hope, but still have doubt gnawing at the back of his mind.

Chapter Text

June 20th

Abel City

8:30 AM

"Training sequence concluded." The calm, female voice of the training room said, the image around Zero disappearing. He had tested his skills against a simulation that put him in a similar spot that X was in not long before. A mechaniloid had seized a Reploid, and he was to rescue him. But, unfortunately, his shot blasted the hostage, this action dismantling the mirage sphere's illusion.

A performance rating manifested before him, alerting the long-haired Hunter of his score.

"Aw, damn it," he sighed. "I missed five percent."

"Just five?" A voice asked from behind. "That's far from a bad performance, Zero." Zero turned to see Storm Eagle had come into the training room. "Although, I'm curious about what you're doing here."

"Blame Fujiwara," Zero answered. "Even after all these years, he still wants progress reports from me." And also, if he didn't want to live in the lab anymore, he and Fujiwara agreed that he'd send score readings from his training sequences. And contrary to what Eagle might've thought, a missing five percent would be noticed. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Eagle?"

"I came to tell you that another member of my Unit and I have been assigned to a mission regarding a cargo ship, but Commander Sigma suggested that I take one more Hunter to better our chances, and I thought that you'd be perfect for the job," Eagle told Zero. "Five percent missing or not."

Zero smiled upon hearing that. "All right then. So, what's on the agenda?"

Abel City Air Base

Zero and Eagle had arrived, their objective sitting right in front of them on the airstrip. "A cargo ship is being flown to a specific location over the Philippines Sea," Eagle explained as he and Zero approached the ship. "We are to ensure it reaches its destination and protect it against any potential attacks."

"What's on there that's so important?" Zero questioned.

"It's transporting weapons meant for Abel City's defense program. Eagle explained that they're being stored below the island in an emergency," Eagle explained. "With all the Maverick mechaniloids, and Mavericks in general, the Arcadian Council has decided to beef up security measures."

"Well, those four clowns behind all the hacking have been taken into custody, so things should be calming down, wouldn't you think?" Zero asked Eagle.

"Perhaps, but we can't afford to take any chances." Eagle said.

"Wow, and the other guys complain all the time about X being a worrywart," a playful female voice said, the owner of the voice seen on the airship's deck. "But it seems our own unit leader is just a teeny bit chicken too."

A Reploid with medium-length black hair and teal eyes gave both Hunters a friendly smile. She leaped off the ship's deck and landed right in front of Zero and Eagle, allowing the two to look at her closer. She was fitted with teal shoulders, forearms, a breastplate, boots, and a metal miniskirt. A headband of teal with magenta gemstones rested on her head, and she bore magenta shoulder guards, a belt with similar guards on her hips, hands, and a magenta collar around her neck. Her knee guards and toes of her boots, along with her fingers and audio receptors were white, and almost all other areas of her were dark blue, save for her chest and legs, which were colored like human skin.

"Zero, this is the member of my Unit that shall be joining us," Storm Eagle told the red Hunter. "Go on, introduce yourself." He said the female Reploid.

"Aren't you going to say hello to me? After all, I was the one that recommended you take this Zero guy over X." The female Reploid said, putting her hands on her hips.

Storm Eagle rolled his eyes. "It's nice to see you too, Teal."

"Aw, I knew you wouldn't forget me!" Teal said. She then looked at Zero. "But yes, I'm Teal of the Seventh Airborne Unit," she then held her hand to Zero. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Yeah, you too." Zero responded, taking Teal's hand and shaking it.

Teal then giggled, though her gaze shifted between Zero and Eagle as if she were watching their reactions. "Hm, Eagle was right about you," she said, looking the blonde Reploid over. "Though he never mentioned how cute you were."

Zero's blue eyes widened, unsure of how to respond, though he swore he saw Eagle look at him as if he too was sizing him up. However, it was more as if the Reploid bird had been challenged.

"So," Zero began, clearing his throat. "I suppose we should get started?"

Later

10:30 AM

The cargo ship flew over the Philippines Ocean that Abel City resided in, the trio of Hunters having left the city and artificial island. The vessel flew high in the clouds, which were thin and sparse today, allowing the three Hunters to see the blue of the sky. Eagle lamented that he couldn't go out and stretch his wings in good weather like this, yet he was currently on a mission. While Teal and Zero were at the rear, he was currently at the wheel, looking for incoming threats. And unprofessional as it was, the bird couldn't help but be concerned about whether or not Teal actually fancied Zero.

No, don't be ridiculous. Eagle thought. She flirts with everyone; it doesn't mean anything to her. The bird sighed. Besides, it's impossible anyway. I'm her superior. She is under me. It's an abuse of power. Not that he would ever think of doing such a thing. Still...I can't help but wonder.

At the rear and outside of the ship, Zero and Teal looked out at the endless blue horizon; Teal's dark hair and Zero's long ponytail danced in the wind.

"So, you hear about what happened to Vile?" Teal asked the red Hunter, reclining against the ship, arms behind her head. "Oh yeah, that's right. You were there, weren't you?"

Zero nodded. Just what was Fujiwara thinking, giving a weapon like that to Vile of all Reploids?

"I bet you kicked all kinds of ass," the dark-haired Huntress said. "That hair of yours flowing behind you as you move," she then gave the red Hunter a flirtatious wink. "I wouldn't mind seeing you in action sometime."

Zero wasn't sure how to respond. Ever since she laid eyes on him, Teal had gone out of her way to make cute gestures or give him alluring glances, all to get his attention. At least, that's what Zero thought at first. But when he thought about it more, she always did this when Eagle was present. And she always looked out for Eagle's reaction, as if she wanted one. Upon realizing this, Zero began to doubt that he was the object of her affections.

"Anyway," Teal changed the subject. "Isn't it a little odd to you that they're beefing up security so much?"

This caught Zero's attention. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, think about it," Teal continued. "The guys behind the berserk mechaniloids had been caught, but there have still been incidents."

That's true, Zero noted. Even after the Skull Quartet was apprehended, three more mechaniloids went Maverick. Of course, it's still less than what it once was, but why would incidents continue? Zero silently responded to Teal with a nod.

"And who would be behind the hackings in the first place?" Teal pondered aloud. "The Skull Quartet admitted they were working for someone else. The question is, why?" She then turned to Zero. "Oh, before I go on, can you keep everything I just said a secret?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." The blonde Hunter said.

"So, what do you think of all this?" The magenta and greenish-blue Huntress questioned. Zero was quiet for a moment. True, he had some things to say, but whether or not it would be received well was unknown. "I told you my private thoughts, so it's only fair you tell me yours," she said. "Or are you trying to play the cool, mysterious type?"

Zero was about to answer, but he and Teal suddenly received a call from Eagle. "Look sharp!" He said over the com-link. "We've got company!"

In the distance, Zero and Teal could spot a small ship approaching, its front decorated with a cartoonish-looking skull with large red eyes. Then, three figures jumped out from the ship and began flying towards them. They were small, yellow, bird-like Reploids with large screws in their heads and orange, blocky feet. Their wings were a cross between that and hands, three "fingers" at the ends. The three birds then began firing at Teal and Zero; the two Hunters were forced to find shelter to avoid the incoming energy bullets.

"Pull around once we secure the cargo, J and Two P! Got it?!" One of the bird Reploids said over a com-link, the two twin birds still in the ship they were piloting. His midsection was purple with topaz stones on his waist, an eyepatch covering his left eye. He spoke in a high-pitched, comical voice that betrayed his cutthroat nature.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Two voices replied in unison.

"All right!" The eyepatch-wearing bird looked down at the ship he and two of his mates were flying towards. "First, we take care of these guys first! Then we make off with the loot! Got it?"

"Aye aye, Captain!" The other two birds responded. One had his midsection colored green with ruby stones and a green cap on his head with the screw poking its way through. The other had a midsection of red with emerald stones and a red mask on his face.

Back on the cargo ship, Zero contacted Storm Eagle, taking cover from the fire. "Hey, Eagle!" He said through the shared link. "The enemy forces caught up to us! They're firing in our direction!"

"I know," Storm Eagle said over the com-link, still at the ship's control deck. Then, he opened the small room's exit, navigating through the small ship until he came outside. He then stretched out his magnificent violet and blue wings. "Zero, keep the ship on course," the robotic bird of prey ordered. Then he turned to Teal. "Teal, you take to the air with me." This seemed to please Eagle's subordinate, a round magenta disk on her back splitting in two and folding up to where the two pieces produced a set of magenta wings like an aircraft. Once the thrusts on the wings began to heat up, Teal and Eagle took off to the sky while Zero was forced to stay behind on the ship.

The three birds looked to see they had company. "Dug! Jake! Take care of these two!" The eyepatch-wearing bird ordered. "I'm going for the ship!"

"Aye aye, Captain!" The other two birds answered, diving for Eagle and Teal while their Captain went for the cargo ship.

Eagle and Teal opened fire on them, Eagle with his Storm Tornado and Teal with her shoulder blasters, the magenta sections on her shoulders having transformed into weapons. Dug, the one with the cap, dove towards Eagle while Jake, the one with the mask, went to deal with Teal.

"Who are you?" Eagle questioned his opponent. "State your business!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Dug replied. "We're here for your goods!"

"Yeah!" Jake added. "And we're not leaving without them!"

"It's going to be a bit difficult with your little arms and all." Teal said, smirking when she saw the masked bird get hot and flustered.

"Identify yourselves!" Storm Eagle commanded the two birds.

"Ok, but I warn you," Dug said. "That'll be the first,"

"And last time, you'll hear our names!" Jake finished, the tips of his wings shooting at Teal.

The airborne Huntress dodged the shots while Eagle focused on trying to bring Dug down with a Storm Tornado. Meanwhile, Zero was standing at the control panel on the cargo ship, ensuring the ship kept moving on to its destination. But he soon sensed he wasn't alone. And as if on cue, the door to the small room was broken down, a yellow bird-like Reploid entering, ready to fire.

"Hands up, and nobody gets..." the eyepatch-wearing bird paused. "Eh, the hell with it. I'll just kill you anyway." He shot a few blasts, yet Zero ducked underneath them to his surprise and grabbed the smaller bird, pinning him to the wall.

"All right, who are you brats?" Zero snarled, demanding answers.

"Brats?! We were constructed fully grown, thank you very much! ACK!" Even if he did not need air, Zero's arm was still putting pressure on his throat. "We're the Shitapper Pirates! Terrors of the Skies and Plunderers of Wealth!"

"Then how come I've never heard of you?" Zero asked sarcastically, the bird growing angry. "Given how those other two referred to you, I'm assuming you're the head of this operation?"

"Yeah! Captain Bred!" The eyepatch-wearing bird said. He then flapped his wings, creating a powerful gust that took Zero by surprise and forced him to release the smaller pirate.

Then, Bred zoomed in the red Hunter's direction.

Dr. Cain's Abode

11:00 AM

It had been some time since Sigma had been to Arcadia, much less go to Dr. Cain's home. Even if it was 21XX, the old human had an affinity for the distant past. The wooden furniture was a stark contrast to more modern versions, not to mention somewhat confusing for Sigma, as he couldn't understand why Cain would have such a variety of antiques and texts that spoke of ancient cultures and civilizations.

"There's been a lot of action lately, hasn't there?" The elderly human asked Sigma, the two in Cain's study.

"Yes, Dr. Cain," Sigma answered. "It pains me to admit this, but Maverick crime has been steadily increasing," he said. "And even with the most recent arrests, mechaniloids are still going berserk."

"That's unfortunate," Dr. Cain said, looking at his framed samples of fossilized plant life. "But I trust you and the Hunters shall keep it under control," He turned to face Sigma. "But tell me, how is X doing?"

The taller Maverick Hunter was surprised to hear this, but he answered. "As far as his abilities and performance on the battlefield, he's shown great promise. But,"

"But he has a problem pulling the trigger, right?" Dr. Cain finished for Sigma. The Hunter Leader nodded to confirm Cain's suspicions. "He worries too much," the old human said. "It's a trait he's never been able to move past. But, of course, perhaps that is one of his greatest features."

Sigma was confused. "A flaw such as that is a feature?"

"Flaws make up a good portion of a personality, whether human or Reploid. Even Dr. Light understood this when there were only robots," Sigma was silent as Dr. Cain continued. "But a Reploid's programming is much more fluid and apt to evolve and change. But, of course, if that's the case, then is going Maverick just another feature?"

"But Doctor," Sigma said. "For what reason would any Reploid go Maverick of their own accord?"

Don't go giving yourself away now.

Quiet. I'm having a conversation.

"The same reason any human being decides to break the laws of society. But then again, perhaps this will lead to a new age. Not just for Reploids, but humans as well."

Sigma was quiet for a moment, contemplating what he wished to say, what he wanted to express.

Go on then. Say it.

The taller Reploid finally spoke. "So, it is something like Darwin's Theory of Evolution. And perhaps even The Golden Bough."

Above the Philippines Sea

The bird was about to fire, but Zero dashed forward at a speed that surprised the small Captain. He jumped up, landing on the control panel. Then he grabbed the steer with his talons. Bred looked over at Zero mischievously and began turning the steer and, in turn, turning the whole ship. Eagle and Teal noticed that the vessel was making sharp turns and erratic movements outside of the aircraft.

"Zero's in trouble," Storm Eagle hissed, blasting out another tornado in Dug's direction, the latter still bombarding him with energy bullets from his "fingers." "Teal! Get to the ship!" He then looked at Dug and Jake, the two groups staring each other down in the air.

"But sir, you're outnumbered!" Teal protested.

"The ship must arrive at its destination! Go! That's an order!" Eagle commanded her, yet despite his stoicism, she could see the concern in his eyes.

"Yes, sir!" Teal responded, flying over to the ship. But first, "Hey, half-pint! Over here!" Jake immediately grew furious. How dare she mention his size! "Over here!" She then flew off, Jake following after.

Eagle began to tell Teal to stop, but this momentary distraction allowed for Dug to get the jump on the giant bird, diving down and delivering a hard kick in the center of Eagle's back. He fell a short distance but quickly recovered. This was his battle, and he could only hope that Zero would keep Teal from getting herself killed.

Inside the Ship

"You idiot! Stop!" Zero shouted. "Do you even know what's in here?!" If this stupid bird didn't stop, the weapons aboard might go off!

"Sure I do!" Bred answered, still playing with the steer. "Give them up, or we'll all go down in flames!"

"You realize that you would be fried too, right?" Zero questioned.

Bred stopped moving, looking at the red Hunter with the utmost seriousness. "Our sacrifice will be worth it. One way or another, everyone is going to remember us. We're all going to go down in history!"

Suddenly, the side door was kicked in, knocking Bred off the steer and flying through the opposite door. The Captain very nearly fell off the ship, managing to catch the edge at the last second. He could fly, but he had to make this look convincing. He and his crew had to convince these Hunters that they were a genuine threat, that they weren't here for any alternative reasons.

Teal looked up at Zero, a greeting smile on her face. "Hi there, miss me?"

"Well, I do!" Jake shouted, coming up from behind Teal. "We're not finished yet, lady!"

"And we're not finished either, blondie!" Bred yelled, flying up to the top of the ship.

Zero followed, but he turned to Teal before he went after Bred. "Keep the ship on course and steady!"

"Whatever you say, Captain!" Teal responded though she said no more as Jake leaped at her, still angry about the half-pint comment.

Bred and Zero made it to the roof of the cargo ship, Zero making sure to keep his balance. The first thing this little brat would do was try to get him to fall off. "So, what do you mean by going down in history?" Zero questioned Bred. "Don't tell me you've got a so-called benefactor too."

"Maybe we do, maybe we don't!" Bred answered. "But whichever way things go, we'll be remembered!"

"Really? Because I've already forgotten your name." Zero smirked at seeing the smaller bird grow furious. But, of course, it wouldn't have surprised him if steam started coming out from Bred's "ears."

"Ooooh, that's it!" Bred shouted, steam actually coming out. "I'm going to send you flying!" He then opened fire on the red Hunter, knowing only one of them could fly.

Dr. Cain's Abode

11:45 AM

Dr. Cain didn't expect to hear that. While he would expect a comparison to Darwin regarding the ever-developing "mind" of a Reploid, he didn't expect a reference to something he thought was completely unrelated. "The Golden Bough?" Cain asked.

Sigma nodded. "Darwin theorized that evolution happens due to natural selection. According to him, evolution is descent with modifications. Those who can not only survive the other creatures around them but adapt and master the world they live in. Then they will be the ones that decide what the future generations will be, and the survivors of that generation shall give birth to a new."

"Well, yes, that is true," Cain responded. "And I also suppose you can compare humans and Reploids because both species have one ancestor. Though, unlike Reploids, the ancestor of man is a different person depending on who you ask."

"Indeed," Sigma agreed. "But the path to how humanity and robotic life forms got to where they are now had striking similarities. In that those with the more desirable, better traits are the ones that rose to lead the way for those that would come after."

"True," Dr. Cain agreed with that. "But I'm curious how that relates to the Golden Bough."

Now is your chance. Tell him what you really think.

"The Golden Bough, in actuality, is nothing more than a branch with golden leaves. Yet it is associated with more than Virgil's poem," Sigma said. "It was also metaphorically used in supposed ancient rituals. The worshippers of Diana, the Roman goddess with whom the Bough is tied. According to some accounts, an enslaved person would cut a branch off a sacred tree, and the priest to guard the tree was killed as a sacrifice. But the enslaved person would then take the priest's place, and when the time came, he too would receive the same fate."

Dr. Cain remembered reading a summarized version of Virgil's poem once, but he sensed that Sigma had more to say. He wasn't sure where the Reploid was going with this, but he nonetheless listened.

"Then, there is The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion by Sir James George Frazer. And in his compiled research, he has found many similarities between various religions, both modern and ancient paganism. Especially in one certain theme."

"Which would be?" Cain asked, trying to get what Sigma was getting at.

Sigma then noticed a laminated monarch butterfly on Dr. Cain's desk. He picked it up, blue optics looking over its wings' bright orange with black and white patterns. "The tale of rebirth."

Above the Philippines Sea

12:23 PM

Damn! This little brat was fast! Even if he wasn't too strong, that only mattered when Zero could get the upper hand. But until that happened, he would have to contend even longer with Bred trying to dislodge him from the roof.

"How do you like that, girly man?!" Bred cackled as he zoomed past Zero, dive-bombing and forcing him to keep himself low. Zero blasted plasma in the bird's direction, but the little bastard just flew out of the way! "Admit it! You're not so big and bad when you're out of your element, are ya?"

Zero snarled, yet he then thought of something. But first, he needed some more information on his two comrades. "Eagle! Teal! What's going on with you?"

Inside the Ship

"Oh, nothing much-OW!" Teal yelped, her hair in the wings of the masked pirate. "I'm just about to give this munchkin a well-deserved spanking!"

She reached behind and seized the masked bird by the face, throwing him against the wall. The impact jolted Jake and stunned him, allowing Teal to regain control of the ship. She then saw the small map on the monitor, seeing that their marked destination was right ahead.

"Sir!" She said through the com-link. "We're reaching the drop point!"

Outside the ship, Storm Eagle heard and registered Teal's words, all the while trying to contend with Dug. "How much further?" He asked her.

"Around fifteen miles! Or, given we're outside of the States, around twenty-four kilometers." Teal said, joking about Eagle's American origin. "I'll try to keep the ship steady, but this brat's making it difficult."

It was then that Eagle saw something in the distance approaching. It was the pirates' ship. "Teal, keep the ship on course!" Eagle ordered. "Zero, try to keep yourself on the ship!" He then spotted Dug diving for him again. "I'm putting an end to this."

Zero was blasting away on the roof at Bred, the pint-sized menace still managing to dodge his attacks. But in that time, the red Hunter thought of something. But he had to wait until Bred was within range. "Tired already?" The Captain scoffed. "But we've only gotten started!"

He then headed straight for Zero again, ready to fire once he got close enough. Unfortunately for him, that was what Zero was waiting for. Zero thrust his buster into Bred's chest at the last second and fired. The bird was sent back and fell off the ship, falling down and out of sight. As he fell, Bred saw that Eagle had spotted their ship and, with Dug in tow, was heading right for it.

J and Two P were still at the small aircraft's controls, but their vision was blinded by a large object flying in front of them, its massive, majestic wings casting a dark shadow over the twins. Then, Dug was thrown forward like a ball at the windshield, shattering the glass and allowing Storm Eagle to peek inside.

"Who are you?!" Two P questioned, but Eagle only responded by placing his buster on the control panel and letting a powerful cyclone tear through the circuitry and wiring.

To his horror, Bred heard a large explosion and saw that his ship had just been destroyed. Thankfully, J and Two P looked ok, the two having deployed their parachutes. Even if they could fly and wouldn't die upon hitting the water, terminal velocity affected everything with weight—even Reploids. But still, his ship was gone! He was going to tear that bird a new egg hole AND a new-

BEEP! BEEP!

"The hell?" Bred said aloud. "Who would be calling me now?!" Nevertheless, he answered. "Yeah, what is it?! I've got a situation here!"

"Fall back."

Bred immediately recognized the voice, but he didn't believe what he heard at first. "Wait, what?!"

"They're right above their destination. So there's no need to keep this charade up any longer."

"But, but they destroyed my ship!" Bred protested.

"Your rented ship," the voice clarified. "The ship you just painted a few days ago looks like some child's interpretation of what a pirate ship would look like."

The eyepatch-wearing bird scowled. "But they-" he protested again but was cut off.

"Fall back. This conversation is over." The link died, Bred left on his own, falling towards the sea.

"Damn it!"

Aboard the cargo ship, Jake was still fighting with Teal, who was still fighting to keep the ship steady. The monitor showed that their destination had been reached, but there was no way they could go anywhere with these pirates still on their tails!

But then, Teal and Jake heard a beeping from the masked bird. "Huh?" Jake said, confused. He hopped off of Teal, who looked back at him, confused. "Uh, hold on a moment," he answered the call. "Yeah? What is it?" Teal was silent, listening to the conversation being had. "HE SAID WHAT?!" The bird squawked in anger. "But we...he said...you said..." Jake found himself unable to come up with a good counterargument. "Fine. Aye, aye, Captain."

He then flew out of the ship through the broken-in door, leaving the control room. "Where's he off to in such a hurry?"

Zero m, still on the roof, saw Jake fly past, though not before stopping to speak to him. "You haven't seen the last of us! Just you wait!" With that, he flew off, leaving Zero very confused.

Then, he saw Eagle approaching, landing on the roof not too far from the blonde Hunter. "What's with him?" Zero asked the more giant bird.

"It seems they've taken the hint and backed off," Eagle answered. "Anyway, now that that's taken care of," he flew down to The ship's deck, Teal able to see him through the windshield. "This is where the ship should be docked, right?"

"According to this, yes," Teal answered, gesturing to the monitor. "Now what?"

Her question was answered when a large object began to rise out of the water. It appeared to be a long, metal cylinder stretched down into the depths below the surface. It grew until it consumed the ship, a metal covering slamming shut. The inside of the cylinder lit up with lights, seemingly guiding the way for the ship.

"Well?" Teal asked her Unit Commander.

"Let the ship descend." Storm Eagle ordered.

Teal did so, slowly steering the ship downward and through the tunnel. Along the way, the dark, mauve-colored metal was replaced with thick glass displaying a vast coral reef swarming with tropical fish. However, the array of colors and different species couldn't be enjoyed long, as the darkened metal replaced the glass once again.

"Just when does this thing end?" Teal asked aloud, continuing to pilot the ship.

Then, finally, at king last, they reached what appeared to be another entrance of sorts, or was it an exit to the tunnel? Either way, it was the only way. The ship continued to descend, the door opening for the vessel. Below was a place to land, letting Teal finally dock the ship. She put away her wings and stepped out with Zero and Eagle stepping down from higher up; all three Hunters looked around. This place was similar to the environment of the airstrip, but why would it be in the ocean?

"Ah, there you are," a door she'd of them slid open, revealing Launch Octopus, the cephalopod's arms folded over his chest and stomach. "And here the good Doctor was getting worried on whether or not you'd arrive," His voice clearly showed he was annoyed at having to wait so long for them. "Did you run into some trouble?"

Zero and Eagle looked at each other, Teal locking her gaze on Octopus. "A little, but the cargo's intact. Why?" She asked.

"Oh, no reason. Just curious. Or can you simply not pilot a ship? Shocking, considering you are in the Seventh Unit," Teal narrowed her eyes in anger. "Anyway, since you're here, I might as well let him know the cargo has been delivered." Launch Octopus turned to leave.

"Uh, hello? Wait a minute!" Teal shouted, Octopus turning back. "You want to explain just what this place even is?"

Octopus pondered her request, a tentacle rubbing underneath his chin. "Hm, it's still in development, but I suppose I can show you around," he said. "Come, I'll escort you." He beckoned the three with a wave of one of his flexible arms.

Storm Eagle, Teal, and Zero then went forward, following Launch Octopus.

Dr. Cain's Abode

"Rebirth?" Dr. Cain pondered this. "Yes, in a sense, it is something related to rebirth."

Sigma nodded. "When Frazer reported his findings in 1890, many called his text blasphemous due to bringing Christianity into his writings, comparing and finding similarities between his home country's most prominent religion and that of Paganism."

Get to the point already!

"But you can't deny that rebirth is a prevalent theme for all systems of belief. And in a sense, even a system that many associate with a lack of faith, evolution, also has a theme of rebirth. For the dinosaurs once ruled the planet, but then the Earth changed drastically," Cain was silent, listening to every word he said. "But after their demise, and after the ice covering the planet melted, a brand new Earth was born, and the creatures that could adapt and survive both the great extinction and what came after became the rulers of the planet. And after them came man."

Sigma was quiet as if waiting for Dr. Cain to respond. "What is it that you truly want to say, Sigma?" He finally asked.

You might as well say it. It's not as if he can do anything to stop it.

"I'm saying that there's one crucial element of rebirth for there to be an advancement or change, whether by growth or transforming entirely."

"And what's that?" Dr. Cain asked, sensing what the Reploid's answer would be.

Sigma put the butterfly down and looked at the elderly human. "For something new to be born, something old must die."

Philippines Sea

"This sucks!" Jake complained, punching the water with his wing. "Now we look like a bunch of idiots!"

"It was all your idea, Jake!" J barked back.

"Yeah! You were the one that insisted we take that guy's offer!" Two P added.

"Well, it's not like you guys said no! You were willing to go along with it!"

Dug watched the argument between his fellow dock workers (they weren't pirates at all), but then he noticed Bred. "What's up? We probably need to get going. The boss will surely fire us, so we must try and get out of this city. We'll never find work here, that's for sure."

Bred was just quiet, floating in the water. All the birds had their buoyancy features on, so they wouldn't sink. But all Bred wanted to do was fall into the ocean and disappear. True, when "he" came to them with the offer of "having some fun," they immediately took the offer, bored with their lives working at a dock. So, they were given a ship (that they painted) and were ordered to harass the Hunters delivering the weapons until they reached their destination.

Thus, the "Shitapper Pirates" were formed, though they wouldn't make their grand entrance until the time was right.

Some grand entrance, Bred thought. Now, what are we going to do?

He initially didn't want to take the offer, but the one that had set this up said that they would not only be rewarded but would also be remembered for their contribution to building a new world. A world where things would be made right, and they would never have to be lowly dock workers again. True, they had done their job, but now what? True, "he" said everything would be taken care of, but who knew when that would be. And it wasn't as if Independence Day was tomorrow. So what were they all to do now?

"Huh?" Dug spoke up. "Hey, do you hear that?"

Bred wasn't sure what Dug was talking about, but soon, he heard it. From each of the wannabe pirates, a small beeping sound was heard.

"What's that?" Jake asked.

Then the beeping began to increase in tempo; then, it started to dawn on everyone what was happening. "Oh no, he didn't!"

"Didn't what?" J asked.

Bred looked at his crew. "You know those upgrades that we got?" Everyone nodded. "I think I know what he meant by saying we'd go out with a bang!"

Underwater Base

1:45 PM

When the four Hunters finally found the Doctor, he appeared to be putting something in his coat pocket, a switch or trigger. What it was and what it was for wasn't questioned as it was seen so briefly. Nevertheless, the appearance of the four Hunters surprised the human.

"Doctor," Launch Octopus greeted Dr. Fujiwara. "Oh, did we interrupt something?"

"No, not at all," Fujiwara answered. "Your being here means that the delivery has been made," he then looked at Eagle. "The cargo is intact, yes?"

Storm Eagle nodded. "Though, if I may, Doctor," the bird of prey spoke up. "Just what is this place?"

"Ah, yes. I suspected you'd ask that," Fujiwara said. The human and four Reploids stood in a small chamber in the shape of a dome, with the glass windows and ceiling allowing those wishing to see a spectacular view of the coral reef and various sea life. "Given that Maverick incidents are increasing, Sigma and Dr. Cain agreed that security for the city needs to be improved. But not only that, we must be prepared to face any possible outside threat. After all, it's not as if Maverick forces from Arcadia couldn't just come over here."

Zero, Eagle, and Teal understood that, but something still didn't sit right with Zero. "But why all the secrecy?"

Launch Octopus took over. "It's complicated, but such measures must be taken. I only led you to Dr. Fujiwara himself because I trust you." He and Fujiwara looked at each other and nodded. "We have reason to believe that some of our own don't have the best interest of the humans at heart."

"What do you mean?" Eagle questioned.

Fujiwara adjusted his glasses before speaking. "There's no proof, but some of our Hunters might have turned Maverick."

Dr. Cain's Abode

The study was silent, Reploid and human locking eyes with each other. Then, Dr. Cain finally found his voice. "Yes, well, I suppose that's true," he said. "Though, there are several other factors that play into rebirth. It is not an instant process," he then walked over to the doorframe while keeping his eyes on Sigma. "And whatever the case, no one species or people can survive on their own."

Sigma was quiet for a moment. "Yes, I believe I've kept you long enough, Dr. Cain. I'm sorry I went on a tangent there. I've wasted much of your time."

"Oh no, that's quite all right. I've missed our discussions." Cain told the Reploid.

"Yea, well, I need to be getting back to Abel City. So, I bid you farewell," Sigma then walked to the doorway. "I'll see myself out."

Cain stepped out of the way, allowing Sigma to pass. It wasn't until he had left the house that Cain finally spoke his true thoughts. "What the hell was that?"

Even if it became a means to let Sigma leave, Cain had been moving towards the doorway because he felt he was in some danger while he couldn't explain it. All that Sigma discussed of evolution, old and continuing religions, and rebirth increased the human's pulse and sweat trail down his brow. During that time, the older man realized just how small he was compared to Sigma and how vulnerable he was. How easy it would be to overpower him. And then-

No! Cain shook his head. Don't be ridiculous! The man lectured himself. Sigma would never! You helped construct him yourself! In a manner of speaking. Cain then calmed down a bit.

Still, he couldn't shake it. He couldn't shake that deep, instinctual sense of potential danger, fear overwhelming his mind and setting him to run regardless of whether or not he'd make it. Perhaps he was just making something out of nothing, but that deeply buried, animalistic part of Cain's brain wouldn't let him forget this anytime soon. He believed that it would potentially haunt his dreams.

Philippines Sea

12:13 PM

The cargo ship was deemed to need repairs, so Zero, Eagle, and Teal were to be taken back to Abel City via a Cruiziler, a whale-shaped mechaniloid built to survey the ocean. Of course, given what they had just gone through, Teal asked why they couldn't just take one of these to the underwater base.

"Because the enemy would attack underwater for sure! And in the air, you can fly with much more open space." So Dr. Fujiwara told her, but she still didn't think any of this was right.

Neither did Eagle or Zero.

"Commander?" She then said, getting Storm Eagle's attention. "Do you think it's true? That some of us might be...?"

Eagle closed his eyes and sighed. "It would explain much. But until some definite proof is found, then little can be done about it."

Zero was quiet, but he also thought of what he had been told. True, ever since the Skull Quartet had been arrested, the rogue mechaniloid incidents had stopped, only to become a problem again a week later. So it made perfect sense that maybe there was a traitor among them. But Zero wasn't thinking about who. Not a single somebody, for this, was all too much for just one person or Reploid to do.

The three traveled on the ocean's surface, unaware they had just passed over an underwater grave. A grave consisting of the torn and charred pieces of bird Reploids that had no chance to stop what was coming.

Abel City Detention Center

1:30 AM

The violet Reploid sat in his cell, cuffs still on his wrists and ankles, looking down at the floor. Despite being confined, given the reason he was here, he was considered a "borderline Maverick" and kept under strict watch.

"Hey! Psst! Hey, you!" Vile heard a voice from the cell opposite him on the block. He looked to see Skip waving at him. "You're one of those Hunters, right?" He asked. "Why are you here?"

Vile didn't answer. "Don't bother, Skip," Dick said, his cell just behind Vile's. "He hasn't said a word since we got here."

What is there to say? Vile thought.

"Is it true?" Sonie asked Eddy, two opposite of each other. "Did he shoot a human?"

"Yeah, I saw it myself," Eddy answered. "If it wasn't for that dog, he might've blown her head off."

It wouldn't kill her, Vile thought, clenching his fists. She could live with an injured shoulder. And the most I would've hit was the top of her head. From beneath his helmet, his eyes glowed red. I could've gotten that shot. Hell, I could've STILL gotten that shot if not for X!

X. The very thought of the blue Hunter filled him with rage. He had done nothing wrong. He was only acting as a Hunter should. After all, wasn't the destruction of Mavericks their purpose? Screw detainment! Destroy them all, so you don't have to deal with them later!

Besides, he thought. It was a dog, X. A stupid, damn dog!

Suddenly, he became aware that he wasn't alone. And that the block had been eerily quiet, even at this hour. A shadow fell over him, cast by the one outside his cell door.

"Oh, it's you," Vile said dismissively. "Come to discipline me in person, have you?"

Chapter Text

June 30th

9:45 AM

Abel City

While it was just another day for most, Roll couldn't believe she was here. When she was just about to leave Dr. Cain's to go to Dr. Fujiwara's place, she received word that she was off for the day. There was no reason given other than he was working from home for the day and didn't want to be disturbed. This left her with the day off, but she soon wondered what to do with that time. It wasn't as if she had anything else she could do.

She had already cleaned and organized Cain's home, and Chiyo was at school. And given what had happened to Patarche, she would probably only come home when she had to. Thus, Roll found herself here, wandering the halls of Abel City's HQ. Though she still found herself with nothing to do. After all, it wasn't as if she belonged here.

Ever since he was transferred here, X had mainly spent his nights here, leaving his bedroom empty at Cain's. As a result, roll found herself getting lonely, not to mention worried. She had tried to distance herself from being too overbearing, but she couldn't help but check up on X when she could. True, he was a "big boy" and could care for himself, but she wished he chose his friends more carefully. Especially with that red Reploid.

True, it had been some time, but Roll just couldn't will herself to get comfortable with Zero. True, he had been a former Maverick, whether by glitch or infection by a virus (which caused a Reploid to go Maverick, she didn't know), but there was something about Zero that unnerved her. His friendship with X always made her anxious, wondering if Zero would perhaps return to what he once was. After all, no one said that you couldn't turn Maverick twice. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions, but she couldn't stop herself. X and she were the only ones left.

But should it come to that, if she had to put herself at risk for her little brother, so be it. She would do anything. Anything. But where was he?

"Uh, excuse me, Miss?" Roll looked behind her to see a small, orange Navigator with long extensions that looked like rabbit ears. He was holding what appeared to be a black tablet of sorts, the shorter Reploid hugging it to his chest.

"Oh! You're," Roll paused for a moment, searching through her memory files. "You're A-1, right?"

The smaller Reploid smiled. "Yep! That's me!" He said. "And your X's sister, right?"

"Older," Roll clarified. "Though that doesn't mean I'm an old woman."

"Oh, no. Of course not," A-1 said. "Are you lost?" He asked. "If you're looking for X, you just missed him."

"Oh? Where'd he go?" Roll asked.

"He and Zero have been sent on patrol," A-1 explained. This bit of news seemed to not sit well with Roll. "Hey, don't be worried. Zero's with him."

That's EXACTLY what worries me. Roll thought.

"Anyway, if I may be so bold, you don't look like you have anything to do." The smaller Navigator said.

Roll sighed. "That's sort of because I don't."

"Ok, great!" A-1 cheered. Roll looked confused. "Oh, yeah, that is kind of rude of me." He said, rubbing the back of his helmet in embarrassment. "But if you want, I could use somebody's help."

Roll thought about it for a short time before answering. "Sure. I'm free for the day. What is it you need?"

"Well," A-1 said. "It's like this, I've got to get some paperwork from all of the Units, and, well, everyone else is busy right now, so it's just been me having to go and gather it from everybody."

"What about that other Navigator? Trinity?" Roll asked.

"Ever since she's been made head of communications, she's been too busy to do much of anything but keep up with any potential Maverick threat in the city," A-1 remembered that day. Ai was NOT happy. Blu seemed indifferent, and he just wished he could stop being the delivery boy.

"All right. I'll help," Roll said. "Just tell me where to go."

"Ok, great!" A-1 gave a sigh of relief. "I'll handle the left side of the HQ; you handle the right," the shorter Navigator instructed, handing Roll a backup tablet. Sometimes he wasn't too steady on his wheels. "At least somebody from each Unit is here, so look in the training rooms as they're probably practicing."

"All right, I got that." Roll said.

"Ok then," I guess that's all you need," he then turned away, skating off. "Thanks again!"

Roll stood there, alone once again. Well, at least she had something to do with her time, even if she was in the position of an errand girl.

Downtown

Abel City

"I can't believe it's gotten this bad." X lamented, driving a blue ride-chaser while Zero drove a red one.

"All these berserk mechaniloids," Zero said, coming up beside X. "Why do I get the feeling they're just here to distract us?"

X looked over to his friend. "You think whoever's doing this has another goal in mind?"

If Zero had to be honest, he had believed that since the first few mechaniloid incidents started. "The question is who and why." The red Hunter said. X was quiet for a moment, but Zero saw he wanted to say something. "What is it?"

X bit his lip. "Do you think this relates to what those guys said about Independence Day?"

"Can't stop thinking it does," Zero said. "Hm?" Then, Trinity appeared on Zero's screen embedded in the steer. She appeared on X's steer as well.

"X! Zero!" Trinity said, her voice signifying this was urgent. "We've finally gotten through to the detention center!" She said. "The four criminals linked to the mechaniloid incidents have escaped! And Vile's also gone!"

"WHAT?!" Zero exclaimed. "You can't be serious!"

"When did this happen?" X asked the pink-haired Navigator.

"We can't say for sure," Trinity confessed. "Contact with the detention center was lost last night, so it could've been right then or as recent as a few minutes ago," she explained. "Anyway, report to the scene immediately!"

"You got it!" Zero said he and X were now setting off in the direction that led outside the city's more populated areas and to the prison, unsure of what they would find there.

Maverick Hunter HQ

10:12 AM

When she had come across the two Hunters, Roll couldn't help but watch as they fought. In the training chamber designated for the Seventh Elite Unit, Boomer Kuwanger and a more sizable blue beetle stood atop a beam situated above a significant drop, the two Hunters battling high up in the upper areas of the chamber. Kuwanger stood on one end while the other insect (she remembered him as Gravity Beetle) charged forward, his prominent horn aimed at the more lanky Reploid. Finally, Kuwanger jumped over his sibling unit, and the two were on the opposite sides of where they first started.

"Stop jumping around and attack me, dammit!" Gravity Beetle shouted, growing frustrated with his sibling's avoidance.

Kuwanger merely shrugged. "As you wish," he said. "But let me remind you, you asked for it."

Gravity Beetle charged him again; this time, Boomer Kuwanger retaliated with his weapon. The circular blade atop his head was detached and clashed against Beetle's, the two insect-based Reploids combating each other. It was then that Roll saw Kuwanger perform a pretty great maneuver. As Beetle charged in his brother's direction, Kuwanger appeared to vanish! Beetle seemed to know what he had just done and was on the alert, looking out for his sibling. But where had he gone?

"Oh, now that's just cheating," Roll suddenly became aware that she wasn't alone. She felt a hand (at least she thought it was a hand) place itself on her shoulder, yet when she looked, she saw nothing. Then, whoever was behind her began to manifest himself, presenting the blonde Reploid with a good look at his large, red eye.

The shrill scream from below got Beetle's attention, distracting him long enough so that Kuwanger could make his move. First, he swung his curved blade and snagged his brother's horn. Then, in an impressive feat of strength, he flipped the giant insect over, sending him off the beam and to the floor below. Kuwanger looked to see who the noise source was and saw a blonde Reploid with a green bow had entered the training room. And even more, someone else was with her.

Gravity Beetle got himself back on his feet and saw Roll, along with a green lizard-like Reploid that had spooked her. "You!" Beetle shouted, rushing over to Roll and Sting Chameleon. "You screwed up our match!"

"Yikes!" Chameleon mockingly yelped, hiding behind Roll. "Kuwanger! Your brother's being a bully again!"

Boomer Kuwanger sighed in annoyance before leaping down from the beam and to the floor. "Beetle, calm yourself," the stag beetle told his sibling unit, reattaching his curved blade on his head. He then looked at Chameleon. "You're getting me to consider chopping off your limbs. It'd certainly make you resemble the serpent you are."

Chameleon didn't respond with a comeback. Instead, he remained silent. Roll noted that it was as if Kuwanger was capable of following through with his threat. "Anyway," Gravity Beetle interjected. "Who are you?" He asked Roll, not too pleased about her presence. After all, she was the one who screamed and cost him the match.

"Wait a minute," Chameleon said. "Let me get a good look at you," he then let his tongue snake out of his mouth and grab Roll's chin, forcing her to face the lizard. All with that red eye looking her up and down. As if she were something he found delicious. "Ohoho! Now I remember!" Chameleon giggled. "Your the blue wimp's little sister!"

Roll wrenched herself from Chameleon's grip. "That's BIG sister," she said. "And my brother is anything BUT a wimp!"

"Oooooh, someone's a little fiery!" Chameleon chortled. "I like that."

"Respect someone's personal space, you repulsive reptile," the red stag beetle said, Chameleon backing off from Roll. Still, he kept his eyes on her. "Now then," Kuwanger turned his attention to Roll. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain why you're here?"

Detention Center

10:20 AM

When they had been rushed to the block Vile was on, X and Zero came across a gruesome scene. All the guards that had been on the block were slaughtered, whether it be torn to pieces or by having their cores obliterated.

"Who would do this?" X asked, clearly unnerved by what was before him.

Zero knelt to study one of the bodies. "This doesn't look like Vile's work," the red Hunter said. "It's more precise, not as frenzied."

Indeed. X thought. If Vile had been responsible, these guys' wounds wouldn't have been so clean. "Do you think it was the Skull Quartet?" The blue Hunter asked. "It might just be me, but these blows look like a handheld weapon did them. Like a lance, or-"

"A saber?" Zero finished for X. X nodded. "One of those four idiots had one," the long-haired Hunter looked the deceased Reploids over again. "But I don't think this was his work."

"Then who do you think was responsible?" X asked. Zero didn't immediately answer him, seemingly deep in thought. "Zero?"

The blonde shook his head. There was something here that didn't add up. "We've got to make sure if anyone working here saw anything," he said. "The guards, the warden, everyone," he then tightened his lips in concern. "Vile and those guys didn't escape," he said. "Someone let them out."

Abel City HQ

10:30 AM

"There," Kuwanger handed Roll's tablet back to her., having put in all the information required. "It is done."

"Yes, well, thank you," she said. "Now, I need to see some members of the other units. You wouldn't happen to know where they are, do you?"

"Down the eastern hall is the training room for the Armored Unit," Beetle told her. "And to the west is the Polar Unit."

"All right, I got it. Thank you again." Roll was about to leave, but she felt a long, flexible object coil around her waist.

"You know, it's a big place," Sting Chameleon said. "You might get lost."

Roll gently (but firmly) unwound the lizard's tail from around her. "That's a kind offer, but I believe I can find my way around, thank you."

With that, she exited the room and, thankfully, away from that lizard. However, she still felt the sensation of that Reploid's tail around her, his tongue on her cheek; it all made her shudder. Perhaps this was similar to what someone's skin crawling felt like. Well, whatever. She had work to do.

"Excuse me!" She suddenly heard a voice call out, a tall figure racing past her.

"Ostrich! Wait!" Roll heard someone running towards her, Storm Eagle having just missed his comrade. "He just got out of the infirmary; what does he think he's doing, running around the place?" He then noticed Roll. "Oh, hello, Miss Roll," he greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for someone, actually. Or rather, everyone." She said.

Eagle noticed the tablet in her possession. "Oh, has A-1 asked you to help out?"

"Yes," Roll confirmed. "He said that with everyone getting so spread out, he needed help getting paperwork collected," she then presented the tablet. "Which brings me to your Unit."

"Yes, right. Of course." he then took the tank and input the necessary data.

"Thank you," Roll told him. "Now, I don't suppose you would know where I could find the other Units, do you?" She asked, much more willing to take Eagle as a guide than that lizard. "Well, I know where some Naval unit members are, but they're not in the HQ."

"Oh?" Roll asked. "Then when will they be back?"

"Here," he said, extending a hand towards her. "I'll show you to them."

Detention Center

10:54 AM

"So, you didn't see anything?" X asked one guard. "Anything at all?"

The guard shook his head. "When the power was cut, everything went dark. No one could see anything."

"What about the backup generator?" Zero questioned.

"We found it destroyed," another guard answered. "We thought it was odd that the generator didn't keep us powered up, but when it returned to the center, we saw the shape it was in."

X and Zero looked at each other, both getting the same idea. "May we see it?" X asked.

"Certainly. Right this way," the first guard they had questioned led them to the lower depths of the detention center. Once they had reached their destination, the door was opened, revealing a torn-up generator beyond repair. "We just replaced the last one, so the warden's not too happy about this."

"I can imagine," X replied, following Zero to the destroyed power source. "What do you think?" He asked his partner. "The only explanation I can think of is that someone had to have destroyed it from inside the center. The only question is how they managed to make it past security."

"Are you sure you checked the footage?" Zero questioned the guard. "Before the outage?"

"Yes," the guard answered. "We checked the last week's worth of footage to track everyone in or out."

"Was there anyone suspicious or shady looking?" The red Hunter continued his inquiry.

"Aside from those being held here, no," the guard said. "And the five that escaped were disarmed."

"And you said that the power came back at six AM?" X asked.

"Yes. But by then, we had just discovered what happened," the guard explained. "It took some time to get communications back up, but when we found out the guards stationed outside were also dead, we contacted HQ immediately."

The blue and red Hunters processed everything they had just heard, their processors already theorizing what could've happened. "We need to tell the Commander about this," X said. Zero didn't answer. "Right?" X asked, but still, Zero didn't answer. "Zero?"

Zero then began to make his way to the entrance of the large room. "Yeah, let's get back to HQ. They're going to need to know about this." He then began to leave. "Well?" He asked X. "You coming?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," X said. "Thanks for cooperating with us." He told the guard.

"No problem," he said. X then turned to leave and catch up with Zero. "Although," the guard added, X, stopping for a moment. "I'd suggest that you keep an eye out for yourself. Especially around those who you think are on your side."

"Uh, yeah. Will do. Thanks!" X finally left, leaving the guard alone in the room.

The Reploid sighed, shaking his head. That red Hunter, there was something about him that felt odd. What it was, he couldn't tell, but he wondered whether or not he could be trusted.

In the Philippines Sea

11:03 AM

"How long has THIS been around?!" Roll exclaimed, looking all around her.

When Storm Eagle had said they would take the newly installed elevator, she had no idea that it meant going underneath the city, let alone into the ocean! The elevator took them down to the ocean floor; a variety of coral and various sea fauna surrounded them, the clear glass at the front allowing for a clear view.

"It's a recent addition," Storm Eagle said. "Ever since the Naval Unit set up a secondary base down here, they asked for a way to lessen travel distance between there and HQ."

"I can see why." They had finally reached the bottom, yet they weren't done traveling yet. The elevator door opened to reveal a long hallway in the shape of a tube, a moving walkway serving as transport. They both stepped on and began traveling down the hall, going around winding paths and turns. And while she had kept it in before, she couldn't help but let it be known now. "Storm Eagle," the bird looked at Roll. "Forgive me if I'm being too brash, but are you even allowed to bring me down here?" She asked. "After all, I'm not officially part of the Maverick Hunters."

"You're merely gathering paperwork, plus, A-1 asked you to help him out, right?" Eagle asked. "So, if anything, it would be him or me that would get in trouble."

"Oh, right. I see." Roll said. Though, she wasn't convinced.

But before she could say anything more, they had reached an end to one of the tunnels, and the door before them opened. Before her and Eagle stood Launch Octopus and two other Hunters she had never seen before. One was primarily green and based on an alligator, while the other sported horns and resembled a crab.

"Hm? What's this?" Octopus questioned, folding his arms over his chest and torso. "You're Fujiwara's housemaid, are you not?" The cephalopod questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"Yea, well," Roll cleared her throat, trying to get past that housemaid comment. "Given everyone is so busy, I decided I should step in and assist in any way I can." She said. It's not like I can do much else anyway.

"Hm," the alligator, appropriately named Wheel Gator, looked her over. "What do you think, Crab?" He asked the horned Reploid. "She looks more like a chew toy than the rabbit-eared wuss!"

"Say, what ARE you doing down here anyway?" The crab, Bubble Crab, asked. He then looked at Eagle. "Is she even supposed to be down here?"

"I'm merely assisting in gathering information," Roll said. "And even still, do I look like any threat?" She asked. "After all, Mr. Crocodile here thinks I look harmless enough."

"Gator," Wheel Gator growled. Still, he saw the logic in what she had to say. "But fine. What do you need?"

"Well, for starters, I will need a progress report on your combat skills..." Roll trailed off about the various pieces of information she needed from them, while Storm Eagle looked at a sealed door.

But he knew what lay behind it.

Then, a booming voice rang out in the chamber, gathering the attention of everyone present. "ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS ARE TO ASSEMBLE IMMEDIATELY!" A-1's voice said, repeating the command at least three times before everything went quiet again.

"Looks like that's our cue," Bubble Crab said, forcing Roll to back up thanks to his size. "This job doesn't pay enough."

"I've just been anxious to get out and tear something to pieces." Wheel Gator said as he went with Crab.

"Excuse us," Launch Octopus said, walking by Eagle and Roll. "Though, you should be coming along too." He told the bird.

"Right," he then looked at Roll. "I suppose we both should be going up."

"Yes, I believe so." Roll agreed, going with the four Maverick Hunters.

Just what was going on that was so urgent?

Briefing Room

11:16 AM

"What?! Vile's escaped?!" Chill Penguin squawked in surprise.

A-1 nodded to confirm his suspicions. "But he and members of the Skull Quartet were the only ones that were freed." A holographic visual of the detention center was displayed.

The Hunters began discussing the matter among themselves, trying to theorize why all this had happened. Shutting down a detention center was one thing, but releasing a select number of prisoners was where it stopped making sense. So why not free everyone that's been incarcerated?

"Does Commander Sigma know about this?" Storm Eagle asked the smaller Reploid.

A-1 nodded. "We've contacted him, and he's spoken to the Arcadian Council. They've agreed to seal their borders until the felons are found."

"For how long?" X asked.

"As long as necessary. The Council has already made their decision." The orange Navigator said.

"Where do we start searching?" Zero asked.

"Commander Sigma is assigning companies to scope out the city," a map of Abel City appeared, all sectors marked. "Each company must follow a Captain until the mission is over."

Arcadia Senior High Scool

12:23 PM

She sat on the bench outside the cafeteria and used up the last ketchup from the plastic pack, discarding it in the trash afterward. Her folded, cooked egg lay over a bed of rice, some leftovers from last night to the side. But before taking a bite, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, you wouldn't be willing to trade, would you?" Fumiko asked, presenting her lunch. "Mom switched up Kenichi's with mine. And, well, everything he likes, I just so happen to hate."

Chiyo looked at the contents of Fumiko's bento box, noting that there were a lot of deep-fried items in it. "There's no way your mom packed all this stuff."

"Yeah, dad's more willing to let us have stuff like this," the spectacle-wearing human waited for her friend's answer. "Well?"

Chiyo shrugged. "I'm not that hungry anyway." She handed her lunch to Fumiko. Both young women began eating, though the only one was regularly eating. Chiyo barely touched her food.

Fumiko swallowed a piece of eel; her friend had only taken one bite out of the fried yam. "If you need to talk, I-"

"It's fine," Chiyo interrupted. "At least he didn't have to be brought to a vet and put to sleep." While she wouldn't have wanted Patarche to go out like that either, at least it was something she proved her father wrong about. And you always said that he was a useless animal.

"Do you hear the announcement?" Fumiko asked. "Some Mavericks had escaped the detention center in Abel City. So Arcadia's decided to close its borders until they're caught."

"Oh, I heard," Chiyo said, biting off the tail of a fried shrimp. "Just proves my point that no matter how many advantages there are compared to mechaniloids, Reploids should've never been made."

Fumiko looked around, thankful that no Reploids were about to hear that. Still, it allowed them to ask what she had wanted for a long time. "Can I ask you something?"

"You want to know why I hate Reploids," Chiyo finished for her. "Well, maybe hate isn't the right word for it."

"Yeah, because you don't hate X or Roll. Or Mimi." Fumiko said. She then chuckled. "I think the red one is cute. He's Zero, right?"

Chiyo nearly choked on some takoyaki. "The one with the long hair? No way!"

"So, are your tastes different?" The shorter-haired girl asked. "How about X? He's got quite an impressive chest. Not to mention those green eyes."

"Shut up!" Chiyo hissed. "I'm going to choke!"

"You're not denying it."

Chiyo finally managed to swallow the fried octopus ball. "I'm NOT attracted to something that has to be plugged into the wall."

"But really, why don't you like Reploids?" Fumiko asked.

The longer-haired high-schooler sighed. "Because they're no different than mechaniloids; they're just in a prettier suit."

Fumiko was confused. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"They may look and act human, but even that is bound to a set program," Chiyo said. "And it's not different; it's just got room to carry out more complex functions."

"So you don't think they're any different than mechaniloids?" Fumiko asked.

Chiyo nodded. "And mechaniloids are a giant leap back from the robots of last century in terms of AI. Reploids, robots, every one of them is bound to a set of rules they have to follow. They can't do anything different, so people must stop thinking they can."

"Well, what about Dr. Light's Reploids?" Fumiko asked.

"X and Roll are NOT Reploids. And even then, Roll's still tied to a certain personality type. A Reploid is someone like that red guy," Chiyo said. "He might be my dad's oldest ongoing obsession, but all he does is destroy things," the human narrowed her eyes at the thought of him. "If there were a Reploid to go Maverick, it'd be him."

Fumiko was somewhat surprised to hear that. But before she could say anything more, she checked the time on her phone and saw they only had a couple of minutes to get to class. So they gathered their belongings and ran back into the school, but their conversation was far from over.

Abel City HQ

3:00 PM

Roll watched as the various Navigators assigned to guide the different companies directed and guided their fellow Reploids as they searched the city. She had made sure to keep herself out of the way, but she couldn't help but peer over to see what was going on. Currently, Roll leaned over Ai's shoulder, watching as a bird's eye view of Abel City was seen on her screen, a particular sector being monitored.

"So, what's going on here?" Roll asked the red Navigator situated at her chair.

"There's been a mechaniloid that decided now of all times to go berserk. So now, the Commander and half of the companies are having to deal with it," she began furiously typing away at her keyboard. "Firefly had better have something good waiting for me back in Arcadia."

Roll stepped away and turned her attention towards Blu, tracking the movements of the companies sent in the city's more populated areas. "All large gatherings of civilians are now secure," She reported, voice smooth and calm, almost devoid of emotion. "Keep everyone calm and resume regular activities."

Roll then noticed Trinity, situated at the center of the room due to her function as the primary Navigator. "Chill Penguin company! Report to Abel City's eastern sector! Another mechaniloid has gone Maverick!"

Sensing that the situation was getting dire, Roll excused herself and let the three females and the other Navigators do their work. Still, the case itself ink further proved that she didn't belong here even if she wanted to have some part of it. Not in a sense, she wanted destruction to happen, but it frustrated her greatly that she couldn't do much of anything.

Arcadia's Harbor

4:45 PM

Even if there were long highways connecting the two, shipments by sea still occurred quite frequently between Arcadia and Abel City.

"How long do you think the lockdown will be?" Fumiko asked. School had been closed, but both young women were still wearing uniforms.

"I've got a better one," Chiyo said. "How long do you think I'll be locked out of my own house?"

Indeed, when the two separated to go to their respective homes, the longer-haired girl found that she couldn't enter her own. A message had been left for her by her father that he couldn't afford to be disturbed, so she was to spend the night at Dr. Cain's or one of her friends' places. Seeing nothing else to do, the two had purchased some Harajuku, the crepes stuffed with various creams and berries. Both looked out at the distant Abel City, somewhat thankful that they were far away given a search was underway.

"You think they'll catch them soon, right?" The shorter-haired girl asked, taking another bite of blueberries and whipped cream.

Chiyo had just swallowed a good chunk out of her Harajuku, plucking a halved strawberry out of the cream to pop in her mouth. "Oh, they'll catch him," the senior student said. "Anyone labeled a Maverick is eventually taken out. Reploids will do anything to weed out anything that isn't like them."

No time like the present, Fumiko thought, continuing the conversation the two humans had left before. "So, you say you don't hate Reploids, but you just don't like them?" She asked, keeping her voice down. "Or is it that you just don't like some of them? Because that's normal. Mom thinks dad's a little too interested in watching Mimi do her housework. I'm beginning to think Mimi likes the attention." Fumiko said.

"Your dad's a weirdo," Chiyo said before taking another bite of her strawberries and creme.

"Guess that means I'm a weirdo too, " Fumiko giggled. Chiyo looked unsure of what to say. "Like you don't think some of the more human ones are good-looking!"

"No way!" Chiyo shook her head. "But how about I ask you something?" She asked Fumiko. "Why are you so interested in what I think of Reploids?"

"Well, they're a part of society now, like it or not," Fumiko said. "It was Dr. Light's research into advanced AI that convinced everyone that robots could be just as introspective as humans, as, before Mega Man, robots were mainly relegated to being no more intelligent than the mechaniloids of today."

"We've taken Dr. Light's research and put it on an assembly line," Chiyo finished for Fumiko. She looked out at Abel City in the distance. "Can't imagine how something could go wrong."

Abel City

9:45 PM

They had been searching all day, yet they couldn't find one trace of Vile or the four other criminals that escaped with him! All Units had Hunters scouting all corners of the city, looking everywhere to find one sign of the ex-Hunter and running Skull Quartet, on and off the land. At this rate, their forces would have to be spread all around the island, which would make them even more vulnerable to any potential attack. Was that the plan? To gather everyone away from the city? X pondered all this as he searched the slums with Zero, the two keeping in regular contact with each other.

"Any sign on your end?" X asked over their shared link.

"Nothing," Zero answered. "I can try asking Ai or Blu if they've got any updates."

"I'll check in with A-1." But, X said, suspecting Trinity was currently overwhelmed by directing other Hunters.

But before either Hunter could contact the Navigators back at HQ, they heard something.

BANG! BANG!

From above, both X and Zero heard what sounded like a machine gun going off, recognizing it as the sound emitted from a certain ex-Hunter's shoulder cannon. The two Hunters regrouped and jumped off the buildings' sides to reach where the noise was heard. But when they looked inside, they were met with a horrible sight. All members of the Skull Quartet were on the ground, dead. X and Zero wasted no time delivering this discovery to those at HQ, and soon, several other Hunters arrived at the scene. But despite the extra numbers, no one was sure of what had happened.

"It looks like they were recently done in," X noted, electricity still sparking from damaged areas. He then noticed several impacts and burnt marks on the walls. "And I think it's safe to say a struggle occurred before we got here."

"Which means we arrived too late," Zero cursed at his luck. He then looked over the corpses of the Skull Quartet, noticing that some had more bullet wounds than others. "Some of this matches Vile's work," the red Hunter said. "But there are some wounds that don't make sense."

"Would you care to explain, Zero?" X and Zero looked to see Commander Sigma had come to the scene. The taller Reploid looked at the deceased Mavericks. "These wounds appear different, don't they?"

"No, they don't," Zero answered his Commander. "They look too clean. Not to mention it looks like a different weapon made them. Something bladed."

"Like an energy saber?"

Zero's blue eyes widened upon hearing that as if the Commander had just read his mind. A short time later, the Commander exited the building as X and Zero continued to record and gather evidence. He saw that Storm Eagle and Chill Penguin were present. He summoned the two closer, alerting them of what had happened.

"Vile and an unknown party have fled the scene and are suspected to be nearby potentially!" The taller bird told the Hunters assigned under him. "Storm Eagle Company, search the area!"

"Yes, sir!" Many voices responded, obeying and following their assigned leader as he led the way.

"The Chill Penguin Company shall check in with the other sectors," the more rotund bird squawked. "Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" Penguin's group followed him, leaving Commander Sigma alone, surrounded by Hunter vehicles; the LED lights reflected red waves off the Reploid's face.

Arcadia

Takenada Residence

10:45 PM

"At least we still wear around the same size." Chiyo said, slipping on a black nightshirt. She sat on the windowsill, looking out at the bright Abel City in the distance. She had called Roll and told her she'd be staying at the Takenada's home for the night, as housing with an older man felt weird.

"I guess some things are eternal," Fumiko responded, dressed in a white, short-sleeved nightgown. "We found out we wore similar sizes because Cecilia accidentally left your clothes over at my place once," Chiyo didn't respond, continuing to look out the window. "Have you heard anything from her since she left?"

"Nothing," Chiyo admitted. "She was in my life since I could remember, then she was gone."

"Wasn't she your mom's maid?" Fumiko asked the other human.

"Yeah, she said that her duties were now to tend to the Fujiwara household. In her words, not mine," Chiyo clarified. "Though, the moment he started taking Roll to the house, I had a feeling that dad was planning something."

The implications were obvious, but Fumiko didn't acknowledge them. "Do you think that she, well, you know...?"

"Of course, she told," Chiyo said. "There's no one else that could've." Even if it was years ago, a part of Chiyo always felt guilty for accusing Fumiko of blabbing.

"Did you hate her for it?" Fumiko asked.

"At first," Chiyo admitted. "But, with time, I realized why she did it," she said. "Her entire livelihood was being threatened by something that wasn't even human. I'm surprised she didn't say something when she saw me with X."

"And what do you think of him?" The shorter-haired girl asked, getting into bed. An air mattress was blown up to let Chiyo stay in her room.

"Well, I'm not attracted, for one," the longer-haired girl said. "But he's...all right, I guess. Given he's not human."

"He's not as vibrant or flashy as his friend." Fumiko added.

"No, but he is the one who kickstarted this whole thing. And now the world will never be the same again," Chiyo replied, placing a hand on the glass. "We can't go back, even if we wanted to."

Fumiko was silent, yet then she noticed the time on her phone. "Ooh, that time already?" Chiyo checked her phone and saw that it was indeed late. "Are you ready?" The young woman asked her friend.

"Yeah. Sorry."

Not long after, both humans had turned in, but only Chiyo was up with her thoughts. Indeed, humanity had come too far. They had gone too far when Dr. Light created his first robot. Chiyo didn't regard it as a bad thing, as humanity's progress stopped for nothing, no matter the risks. But her stance on Reploids remained the same. Even if X sometimes made her question it.

Chapter Text

"Staying up late is becoming routine for you, isn't it?" Zero questioned, communicating with X via com-link. "It's not so much our bodies get exhausted, but a few hours of silence does wonders for the central processor."

"Uh huh," X replied, still not feeling the least bit tired. "I can't help it. Ever since all these mechaniloids started going Maverick, I can't stop thinking about it."

"You're not the only one," Zero told him. "But until we have any evidence, there's nobody to tie this to. And the ones that were have all turned up dead."

X got a chill, the red Hunter referencing the Skull Quartet. "But, assuming they were working together, why would Vile kill the ones he's hiding out with?"

"It's Vile; he's probably been waiting for a chance to use that shoulder cannon to its fullest potential," Zero said. "Though, even when he was a Hunter, he didn't work well with others. I wouldn't put it past him to off those guys when the opportunity came."

"But some of those injuries couldn't have been Vile's work," X replied. "It's like you said; some look like they were done with a different weapon." X then went quiet for a moment.

"X?" Zero asked. Usually, he would be the one to cut off the conversation, but now it was the blue Reploid that wasn't speaking.

"Do you really think it's true?" The other Hunter finally spoke. "That some of us are in on all that's been going on?" He asked. "Does it have something to do with this Independence Day?"

"Who knows?" Zero answered. "And even if they were linked, there's no telling when this Independence Day will be, let alone who's the brains behind all of it."

X remembered the Skull Quartet mentioning a benefactor providing them for their crimes. "But, assuming it is all linked, do you think that some of us could be involved?"

"It doesn't matter what I think." Zero said.

"What do you mean? Of course, it does!" X said. "We could present what evidence we do have, and then we could perhaps-"

"I think it's time you get some rest and save it for tomorrow. Don't forget; we still have to catch Vile."

"Wel, yeah. But-"

"Goodnight, X."

With that, the link died, and X was left alone with his thoughts again. X was perplexed by Zero's avoidance of the subject as if he didn't want to discuss it further. Given how he's noted every detail of the past two crime scenes, the blue Hunter thought that the long-haired blonde would be up for discussing theories and possibilities. Instead, he was shut down almost immediately. Still, it was something he wanted to discuss.

If not, just to hear Zero's side of things.

Unknown Location

"So, it should be ready to activate at any time?"

"Yes," the smaller of the two figures told, the taller one handing them a switch. "The main security system has been broken into. Just push the button there, and the mechaniloids shall enact what their programming dictates," he explained. "Every mechaniloid in the city will be yours to dictate."

"And they won't have to work around the precautionary measures in their processors?" The taller figure questioned.

"I thought you'd say that," the more minor said. "The command will override any regard for the Three Laws, but they won't become Maverick; otherwise, their systems would be too difficult to control," he then recalled a test he had conducted regarding those so-called pirates. "All that's left to do is wait."

Even if where they were meeting was bathed in deep shadow, the orb-like eyes of the more prominent figure noticed a change in his partner's expression. "What is it?" He asked, not out of concern but in annoyance.

"You ARE certain that Vile can be trusted?" The smaller figure asked, adjusting his spectacles. "He's caused quite a mess already."

"He was to kill the Skull Quartet," the taller one said, then he looked out into the deeper darkness surrounding them. "I just wasn't aware that one of the most skilled weapons users in the 17th Unit would be getting into trouble again," Just recently, a third figure had been added to these meetings, even if he never had much to say. He concealed himself deep within the darkest shadows, yet a red glow emanated underneath his helmet. "But what's done is done. Everyone and everything is set. It's now only a matter of time."

"But remember," the shorter of the two talking said. "Arcadia and Abel City will be mine when Independence Day comes."

"Oh, it will be. My interest doesn't lie in this city, let alone your country," the tallest figure said. "No, this will affect my kind throughout the entire world." He then smiled. And I shall be there, at the helm.

July 3rd

3:45 PM

Arcadia

Dr. Fujiwara's Lab

The holographic enemies fell before Zero's spinning blades; the revolving lasers stopped as the red Hunter saw there were no other opponents to battle. Then, a small screen came up before him, displaying his score.

It still read ninety-five percent.

"Your performance score has dropped recently," the blonde Reploid heard Fujiwara say from the observation deck above. "Had it been just with adapting to external weapons, I would perhaps overlook this," the Japanese man continued. "But the last few records also have that percentage recorded when you were just using your buster."

Zero sighed; he knew this was coming. "Ninety-five is still more than enough for a passing grade," Zero told the human. "And you're having me do the same training sequences I do in Abel City."

"Then perhaps some sequences should be scheduled here," Fujiwara said. "Anyway," he began again, not even giving Zero time to argue. "Anyway, we'll discuss that later. Now it's time to move on to the next weapon."

Zero placed the two spinners on a rack at the back of the training room, several other weapons ready to be tested. When Abel City was still being constructed, Dr. Fujiwara had built an updated training chamber in his lab to experiment further and record Zero's battle prowess and abilities. And as technology advanced, he additionally upgraded the section to be fitted with the most advanced version of holographic projection and obstacles. And unlike the many rooms back at Abel City's HQ, this training chamber was as white as the rest of the lab. Yet, despite the lighter colors, Zero found that the overabundance of white made him feel isolated and enclosed, the door nearly blending into the wall.

It almost made him think that he was trapped in some sterilized cage.

"Which one do you want?" Zero asked Fujiwara. He honestly didn't care which weapon was chosen; he just wanted this session done and over with.

Hmm, which one indeed. Fujiwara thought, looking over the selection. Then, he settled on one that surprised Zero. "Test out the saber."

The saber? Wasn't that more of a standard choice? Well, whatever, the sooner he got out of here, the better. He took the weapon and held it, a green blade of pure energy emerging from the handle. Fujiwara input the commands and set up another round for Zero. Again, holographic enemies manifested before him, the Maverick Hunter hold the weapon with two hands. Fujiwara observed that Zero held it as if it were a samurai sword.

"Begin."

The enemies sprung forward, leaping for Zero all at once. The red Hunter jumped back and swung up his blade to block an incoming attack. The Maverick hologram that had come upon him had his arm chopped off by the weapon, leaving himself open for Zero to stab through the chest, right through the core. He slashed and stabbed, all the while remembering to keep in mind the differences between long and close-range combat. Not long after the test had begun, all foes had been terminated.

And yet the score still said ninety-five percent.

"Yes," Dr. Fujiwara said. "We will require sessions in the lab," just then, he and Zero heard someone come in, the automated door opening to let in a newly arrived Chiyo. "I thought I told you not to come in when a session occurs." The young woman's father told her.

She responded with a look of mostly indifference, but her slight shrug indicated a hint of spite. "I waited until he was done, so it's not like anyone's going to get killed," she then looked at Zero, and while it didn't change much, her brows furrowed when she met his gaze. "Speaking of killed," she directed her attention back to her father. "Are they ready?"

Zero was confused, watching Fujiwara and his daughter as they looked at each other. "One of them is ready to be tested, but we shall discuss the matter privately."

Chiyo put her hands on her hips. "Why not now?"

"As I said, we will discuss it later," Fujiwara repeated.

"And as I said, why not discuss it now?" Chiyo retorted.

"What exactly are you talking about?" Zero asked.

Fujiwara thought for a moment; he came down from the observation deck. "The prototype is ready so that a demonstration wouldn't be out of order," he then turned to Zero. "Come with me."

Since Reploids expanded past Arcadia's borders, Fujiwara had gathered enough funds to expand his lab, including several testing rooms. Entering one of these rooms, Zero was greeted with the sight of an inactive Reploid head with no helmet or hair, eyes closed and unmoving. A small handheld object was sitting beside it; it looked like a firearm of some kind painted white and red.

"And...this is...?" Zero questioned, unsure of what sort of testing was being done here.

"This is something I thought up," Chiyo said. "Isn't that right, dad?"

Dr. Fujiwara was quiet for a few moments before answering Zero's question. "Given Maverick incidents are on the rise, it would only be natural that the human portion of the population is given means to defend themselves."

"And how would they exactly do that?" The red Hunter asked.

"Like this," Chiyo went over and grabbed the handheld device, aiming right in the center of the Reploid's forehead, above its cerebral chamber. "Permission to fire, sir?"

Fujiwara nodded. "Permission granted."

Chiyo pulled the trigger, and instead of a bullet or plasma, a long, metal spike shot out from the barrel. The spike extended as it came out, piercing through the head of the Reploid due to the speed it was released. The sharpened metal tore through the head's center, obliterating the central processor's core. Several components flew out and electricity sparked from where the spike came out, having entirely pierced through the head. Then, the tip shortened itself and slipped back inside the handheld object.

Chiyo was satisfied with the results, although she still had some complaints. "The trigger still needs a lot of pressure."

"For the time being, until the laser blade can be put in, it'll have to be that way. After all, it IS spring-loaded."

Zero was quiet for a short time before he finally found his words. "Just what is this thing?"

"We're still deciding on a title, but it's essentially a concealed weapon for human use against Maverick Reploids," Chiyo told the red Hunter. "Given I was part of an incident that resulted in a hospital trip for my shoulder, due to being shot by a shoulder cannon," the young woman said while locking her eyes with her father. "I proposed that we have a concealed but effective way to defend ourselves. After all," she then locked eyes with Zero. "You never know when you might need a way to keep a possible Maverick at bay."

The red Hunter got a message from Abel City's HQ just then. "This is Zero; what's up?" He asked, speaking with Ai. Neither Chiyo nor Fujiwara could hear the conversation between Hunter and Navigator, but both suspected something was happening in the city. "Understood. I'm on my way," he ended the call, then directed his attention back to the two humans. "We've got a situation back in Abel City," he explained. "Sorry, but duty calls." With that, he made his exit, leaving the two humans alone.

"Well, we're alone now," Chiyo said to her father. "So, what's the deal?"

Abel City

4:16 PM

Indeed, as he came to find out, much had happened since he had gone to Arcadia. Given that the culprit behind the Maverick mechaniloids had yet to be apprehended, and Vile was still a wanted man (or Reploid), Commander Sigma had stationed select members across the artificial island. And it wasn't just in the city, either; Hunters were sent everywhere, including areas such as the Energen Mines and the Polar Region to the north. When he had returned to HQ, Ai had alerted him that the Seventeenth Unit was to go to the Telecommunications Tower. All except Zero and, to his surprise, X.

"So, why is that?" Zero asked.

"No idea," the blonde Navigator said. "But whatever the Commander says, goes. Now, would you mind? I'm working."

"Sure, whatever." Zero went off, leaving Ai with the rest of the Navigators.

And while Zero didn't see it, the red and white Reploid looked around at her colleagues, watching how they worked so she could keep up. I'm still the one that came before you all. Don't you forget that. She thought as she furiously typed at her keyboard. I'm still just as good as any of you. Ai looked back to see Trinity at the center of the room, overseeing the entire island. Even if I'm not the newest model.

"Trinity, do you have access to the Communications Tower?" Commander Sigma questioned the head Navigator over her com-link.

"Affirmative, Commander," the pink-haired Navigator answered. "I'm logged into the system. As of now, nothing will escape my eyes nor ears."

"Excellent. We shall begin testing out the reach of our communications network."

"Yes, sir. Understood." Trinity replied.

The Tower

At the Telecommunications Tower itself, Boomer Kuwanger and Gravity Beetle were assisting Sigma in testing the range from which the Tower could send a message. A Hunter or Navigator stationed at a specific area appeared on one of the monitors, another on a different monitor, and so on.

"This is Commander Sigma. Do you all read me?"

"Yes, sir!" A chorus of voices said in unison.

"All right, keep in contact with HQ and alert us of any updates. No part of this island is to be unmonitored, and we are to keep in contact with Arcadia to alert them if any criminal party escapes Abel City. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" The Hunters and Navigators answered back.

"Good. That is all," Sigma said. Then, he turned away from the screens. "Do you two need anything else?"

"No, we're good, sir." Gravity Beetle said.

Kuwanger, however, had no interest in making small talk. "Spark Mandrill is to be stationed at the Power Plant, yes?"

"Correct," Sigma answered.

"So, everyone is now in their proper places then?" Kuwanger asked.

Sigma nodded. "Now it's time for those back at HQ to play their part," he said. Then he went off. "Especially you, X."

Arcadia

5:37 PM

She worked on the unfinished device on her desk, testing the various bits and components she needed to construct the invention. Given she had already proven the prototype was successful, Chiyo wasn't worried that she would have to do another test run. No, her current problem was with her father, or rather, what he had told her. For whatever reason, she was told to stay in Arcadia tomorrow. And not just that, she was strictly forbidden to go to Abel City.

The long-haired young woman questioned why this was, but Sho Fujiwara told his child to stay within the White City tomorrow, no matter what.

"What? Why?" Chiyo asked, perplexed at what the scientist had just told her.

"The reason doesn't matter," Dr. Fujiwara told her. "Just don't go to Abel City tomorrow. For whatever reason."

"You say not to go for any reason, but telling me why I can't go doesn't matter!" The man's daughter protested. "So which is it? Because it sounds like there is no good reason I can't go," she said, "You've been acting weirder than normal lately. What's going on?"

While she wasn't sure, Chiyo swore she saw her usually expressionless father become a little nervous. But it went just as quickly as it came, and Fujiwara returned to his usual self.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he told her. "My decision is final. You can't argue your way out of this one," he then turned to leave the testing room. "You are not to set one foot in Abel City tomorrow. This conversation is over."

And with that, he left her alone, utterly confused and frustrated. Truthfully, she had been feeling that way for the past month. Recently, she had noticed her father pouring himself heavily into his work. Typically, this wouldn't garner her attention, but when Chiyo was locked out of her own house, she knew something was up. Even when she was a child, Fujiwara was married more to his work than her mother. Then again, she couldn't even remember her mother.

Everything that was part of her life when she was younger was gone. Cecilia, Patarche, all she had left was Fumiko. Of course, it wasn't related to her current situation, and ultimately, it was probably going to happen anyway, but ever since Dr. Cain found X, her entire world had changed. Everyone's whole world had changed. And Chiyo doubted that things would stop changing anytime soon.

Fumiko's face flashed in her mind, followed by the still, lifeless form of Patarche. "No," she said. "I'm not going to let that change," she declared. "That will NEVER change," she then resumed work on the other device meant for the girl a grade behind her. She wasn't sure whether or not she would get Kenichi's done in the same night, but she could at least get Fumiko's finished. Then, she'd hand them over the following day. Then, she wouldn't even need to go to Abel City.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at her door. Roll peeked her head in. "Hey, just letting you know, dinner's ready."

"Cool," Chiyo responded. "I'll be down in a bit."

Roll nodded and closed the door, knowing she'd probably have to bring food to the human's room again. She's just as into her work as her father. Roll thought. Even if the two were more alike than they'd ever admit, the blonde Reploid hoped Chiyo would retain some of her more empathetic qualities.

It was none of her business, but Dr. Cain confessed to her that he had been feeling quite uneasy as of late. At first, she worried if it was somehow related to his health, yet the older man assured her it was nothing physical.

"So, what is it, then?" She asked him. "What's wrong?"

Dr. Cain just sighed, his eyes looking over the copy of The Golden Bough on the desk in his study. "Roll," he said after a short period of silence. "Should there be, God forbid, some disaster that should occur," he continued, "I don't want you to concern yourself with saving me."

Roll wasn't sure what to make of what he had just said. "Dr. Cain, what are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying, should something occur, I don't want you to put yourself in danger," he said. "Besides," he finished, "Someone needs to be there to look after Chiyo."

He spoke as if he didn't have much time left, but Dr. Cain was just in his mid-seventies. In her time, it was different. Otherwise, Dr. Light wouldn't have gotten so sick, but now, it was common for older folks to be living up to their late nineties to near one-hundred-ten, and some had lasted even longer. But Dr. Cain was nowhere near that point, ready to have a life-support device strapped onto him. And he also brought up Chiyo. Roll would look after her, no problem, but why would she even need to? Even if he was incredibly distant, Dr. Fujiwara could look after his daughter, right?

Roll pondered if all of this related to the current chase for that Vile character. She certainly wouldn't want someone like that freely roaming the streets, but Cain seemed to imply that there was something more than that, something else he was worried about. And given how elusive he was when he spoke to her, she doubted he would tell her anytime soon. But why? Whatever it was, why couldn't she know? She had a right to know, didn't she?

Didn't she have a right to have a chance to contribute? After all, if Dr. Cain was concerned so much about whatever was bothering him, why not reach out for help? Was he being threatened somehow? And if so, by who? And for what reason? Was it perhaps Vile or the one responsible for all of the renegade mechaniloids?

There were so many questions, but she didn't know how to answer them. And even if she did, she'd probably be helpless to do anything about it. She couldn't even keep an eye on that Zero character that X was always hanging around with! Why the blue Reploid was so insistent on being his friend baffled her, but it also greatly concerned her. Infected system or not, she hadn't forgotten that he had tried to kill her little brother.

And even if they still hadn't entirely returned to her, she still remembered that, at one time, she was trying to warn her older brother about a certain robot. Something that had followed him from one of Wily's hideouts. And while it was impossible, Zero made her feel that same unease and tension she experienced whenever the memory of that robot came up. And while the two couldn't possibly be the same machine (at least, she didn't wish to believe it), Zero was still dangerous. So even if he meant no harm to anyone but Mavericks, he was still dangerous to be around.

And whenever that danger would tear its ugly head, her brother would be right in the middle of it.

Abel City Overpass

6:30 PM

While it puzzled him that he wasn't called to go with Kuwanger or Mandrill, X didn't question Commander Sigma's orders. He and Zero were to stay at HQ for any further direction, and not long after Zero had arrived back to Abel City, the two Hunters were sent out on patrol. Currently, the two were riding over the Philippines Ocean along the main roads that led from Abel City to Arcadia. They weren't allowed to go outside the artificial island's borders, but they were to keep a sharp eye on who was going on and out of the city. While they were accessible to everyone, many humans took public transportation. At the same time, Reploids rode their vehicles, allowing the Hunters a better chance at getting to where they needed to without worrying about too much traffic.

Ironic, X thought as they sped along. He was still looking for an opportunity to get the answer he wanted from Zero. True, they were both on the job, so there was little time for small talk. Nonetheless, X wanted to know what Zero meant by what he said that night. It didn't matter what he thought about the potential Mavericks among them. Just what could've caused such a reaction, and why?

Suddenly, both Hunters received a call from HQ. "X! Zero!" Trinity said, voice urgent. "We've managed to trace a signal sent out by the hacker!" She reported. "It's coming from the Missile Base off the island's eastern coast!" The pink-haired Navigator informed.

"Has Commander Sigma been alerted of this?" X questioned Trinity. It was faint, but the blue Reploid swore he heard Zero growl.

"That's another problem," the Navigator told X. "The other Navigators on board and I have tried to reach him, but we haven't been able to reach him," she confessed. "And no staff at the base has responded either."

X looked at Zero, the red Hunter biting his lip. "Zero?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this." That was all the long-haired blonde said before swerving his ride chaser and speeding off toward the Missile Base.

"Zero, wait!" X called out, following close behind.

Eastern Coast of the Artificial Island

Despite its name, the island's eastern coast had no sand or place to set up resorts. The miles and miles of dried-up Earth dug up from the ocean had been converted into a holding area and passageway for the missiles stored beneath the surface. X and Zero parked their ride chasers outside of the base's entrance, readying themselves for whatever could be awaiting them inside. The opening, to their surprise, was already unlocked, but no one would be stupid enough to do that on accident. Perhaps the hacker wanted them to come here.

The two were about to enter, but X tried one more time to get an answer from his partner. "Why wouldn't it matter what you think?"

Zero sighed. "X now is not the time,"

"If anything, I'd say that your word would be taken above anyone else's," X told him. "You're one of the best Hunters we have. And you're in the same Unit as Commander Sigma, so-"

"X. Drop it," Zero ordered. "Right now."

X was quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "Ok. But after this, will you at least tell me what's bothering you?"

Zero said nothing, racing into the base. X followed behind. The two Reploids covered each other as they searched down the darkened hallways and long corridors, only to find nothing and no one. Just where was everyone?

"X! Look!" Zero whispered, looking over a railing to see that a floor below them, a light was able to be seen.

"Maybe someone can tell us what's going on." X theorized.

He and Zero went to the lower floor and into the room where the light was coming from. Inside stood a tall, imposing figure that neither Hunter recognized at first.

"Don't move!" Zero commanded, holding up his buster.

But when the figure turned around, X and Zero saw just who it was. "Commander Sigma?!"

Indeed, Command Sigma appeared to have gotten here before they did. "Ah, X, Zero, there you are," he said before looking at the damaged monitor emitting the light. "It seems our hacker was using the base as a cover so they could work undetected."

X and Zero walked up to the damaged monitor, the layout of a mechaniloid's processor displayed and ready to be toyed with. "But what about the four Mavericks arrested before? Do you think they were in league with this second hacker? As well as the benefactor mentioned?" X asked his superior, still looking over the screen.

"It's likely," Sigma said. "I believe we're getting closer to uncovering who's responsible for all of this."

Zero didn't turn to face the taller Hunter, waiting for him to make the next move. "By the way, Commander," he began. "HQ said they were having trouble getting in touch with you."

"Ah, yes. Forgive me," Sigma told him. "I followed the hacker inside and had to deactivate my transmitter to maintain cover," he explained. "I've lost him, but now that you're here, everything will be fine," he said, beginning to approach the two other Hunters from behind. "Everything will finally be as it should."

X was completely blindsided by what happened in the next few moments. He had turned to Zero to see what he thought of the situation, seeing as there were several factors still unaccounted for. But instead of meeting the long-haired Reploid's gaze, X saw his partner duck to the left and grab ahold of Sigma's arm. Which, to X's shock, held a recently drawn saber.

"Commander Sigma?!" X exclaimed, unsure of what to make of what he was seeing. "Zero?!"

Sigma looked down at Zero, grinning. He didn't seem surprised at all by the blonde Hunter's reaction. "So, tell me," he asked Zero. "How did you figure it out?"

"The perpetrator was so skilled; it wasn't hard to post two and two together!" Zero growled, holding onto Sigma to keep him from using his saber. "Not many Reploids have specs that high!"

Sigma smirked. "I commend your detective work, Zero," he said. "But I believe it's time you also drop the act."

X looked at his Commander, then his partner, his focus torn between them. "What are you talking about, Commander?" The blue Hunter questioned, not even instinctively readying his buster. "What's going on?"

Sigma turned his attention to X. "The beginning of a new world is what's going on," the Hunter Leader said. "Independence Day is upon us."

X's green eyes widened with terrible comprehension. It suddenly all came into place. All that he had seen relating to the renegade mechaniloids, the Skull Quartet, and Vile's escape, X could now see how his own Commanded was capable of executing his plans. And yet, despite being confronted with this revelation, X couldn't process it. No, he outright refused to believe it! Commander Sigma couldn't be behind all of this!

Not if he was in his right mind. "Commander, are you infected?" X questioned him, preparing his buster now. "If so, we can still see if there's some time!" The blue Hunter told his Commander reassuringly. "We can still clear out your systems of whatever's gotten into you!"

Sigma shook his head. "You're heavily mistaken, X," the taller Reploid said. "But how could you know anything of the knowledge I've been given," He wrenched himself from Zero's grip, leaping back from the two. "But I'm sure your friend here can relate," he then folded his arms. "Considering he and I are on the same side."

Arcadia

Dr. Cain's Home

7:12 PM

He was up to something. The older man could no longer deny it. Dr. Sho Fujiwara was up to something, and Cain doubted it was good. He dismissed the possibility at first, writing off his concerns as mere jitters, but with the mechaniloids and the ongoing search for Vile, he began to realize some things. He should've noticed things sooner but only now thought of it. And if what he feared was to come, it'd be a perfect irony that he'd put the pieces together at the very end.

At first, he chalked it up to mere coincidence, but as time passed, Dr. Cain realized that none of the mechaniloids in Arcadia had gone Maverick; every incident occurred within Abel City. Then came the talk of "Independence Day" and possible Mavericks among the Hunters, things he couldn't understand at first, but now, it seemed to make sense. Frighteningly so.

After all, He thought. It may be a glitch or virus, but who's to say a Reploid could not decide for itself?

Then, he heard a knock at his door but didn't go to open it. Instead, he stayed in his study, knowing what would happen. It was too late now. They had come for him.

SLAM!

Dr. Cain cringed upon hearing his front door being broken in; his ears listened to the pounding steps of machines far more significant than himself approaching him. It didn't take long for the intruders to find him, their towering forms bathed in the shadows of the darkened room. A more petite, more human figure was with them.

"Dr. Cain," Dr. Fujiwara said, the two Reploids with him blocking the door. "We have something we need to discuss."

Abel City

Missile Base

X's already large green eyes widened, even more, his gaze immediately turning towards Zero. "Wait….what?"

Zero looked at X, shaking his head. "No. No, he's lying," the red Hunter told his partner. "He's lying!"

"Think of it, X," Sigma continued. "He was present with you when you arrested the Skull Quartet; he certainly has the means to get the information he needs,"

"Shut up," Zero warned, his clenched fist trembling.

"Oh, and is he not one of our best Hunters?" Sigma asked X. "I'm heavily considering making you my Second in Command for all the hard work you've done to make this possible."

"Shut up!" Zero fired; Sigma reflected the shot with his saber and grabbed ahold of Zero's neck, holding him up. "Don't believe him, X! I'm not with him!"

"Commander, Zero, just stop for a moment!" X begged the two, even if he was now beginning to wonder if he should take one Reploid's word over the other. "Stop fighting! Please!"

"I'm trying to restrain myself, Zero," Sigma told the red Hunter he now had in his clutches. "Because you're quite a good actor!" He dodged a kick sent his way by the struggling Reploid, who was trying to break free. "But we still have things to tend to first!"

He then took his saber and sliced Zero across the chest, electrical sparks flying wherever the energy blade sliced. The red Hunter landed on the ground, injured and disoriented. Then, his Commander seized him by his helmet, lifted and set out in front of the taller Reploid.

"This is your chance, X!" Sigma told the blue Reploid. "You decide his fate!"

"W-What?!" X didn't understand anything.

"You seem unsure about Zero's loyalty, so here is a test," Sigma told the blue Hunter. "So, here's a test for you," he continued. "Whether you believe it or not, think it or not, your friend here has quite a lot to do with many of the problems that have been arising as of late," he explained. "Even if he doesn't know it yet."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Zero shouted. "Bastard! Let go of me!"

"Commander, please! Put him down!" X pleaded.

"If you want to stop me, then you know what you have to do, X," Sigma said, tightening his grip on the struggling Zero. "It'll take some effort on your part, but I know you're capable of shooting through the both of us."

X shook his head. "No, no!" He said. "Commander, we need to get you back to HQ! We can help make you better!"

"Enough!" Sigma shouted, having grown tired of X's begging. "The choice is yours. To stop me, you must shoot your way through him," he looked at the still struggling Zero in his grasp. "Or, if you truly believe I am not in my right mind, you must stop Zero from terminating me."

"Commander…."

"Which will it be, X?" The taller Hunter asked. "What do you believe?"

Quite honestly, X had no idea of what to think. All of this had just come to him out of the blue. His Commander was holding his friend hostage, all the while claiming that he was a traitor. And Sigma wasn't being too transparent on whether or not "he" was the one talking. Was his mind that corrupted? Or was it something else entirely?

Whatever the case, just wondering about it did nothing to help him out of this mess! "What is your choice?" Sigma questioned him. "Lives could be at stake. Don't you care?"

"X, take the shot!" Zero suddenly shouted. "Don't worry about me! I'll be fine! Just shoot-GAH!" Zero was cut off by his captor tightening his hold.

"Hunters can't afford to waste pulling the trigger! Don't you remember, X?" Sigma asked the blue Hunter. "Don't you remember how much your hesitation has already cost you? Now, you can redeem yourself!"

"X! Shoot!"

X stood still, unable to move. His entire cerebral chamber was flooded with conflicting messages and conclusions. Much of what Commander Sigma said made sense, but for Zero to be a Maverick?

"Even if I am lying, you'll eventually realize that you should've killed him here and now," Sigma continued to hold Zero, waiting for X to make a move. And waited, and waited, and waited. Eventually, his patience had run out. "And this is why I must do this."

Sigma then threw Zero down to the ground, the already heavily damaged Reploid steadily slipping into unconsciousness. "Commander…." X said. The horrible truth was right before him, unable to be denied or ignored.

"Once again, X, you have failed the test," Sigma said, approaching the blue Hunter. "And, as always, you failed spectacularly."

X positioned his buster out in front of him. "Stay back." He commanded, still unable to process that his Commander was behind everything happening. But he could comprehend he was in danger, despite his shock. Sigma took another step. "Stay back!"

"You think I mean to kill you?" The taller Reploid asked. "Oh no," he didn't mention it, but he spotted a figure approaching X from behind. "I want you very much alive."

Before X could further question or demand answers, his entire body was overcome with a powerful shock to his systems, electrocuting him throughout his metal body. Then, after a few moments, he fell to his knees, then to the ground. His green eyes lost track of the world until everything fell into heavy darkness. First, Sigma stood above the fallen Maverick Hunter; then, he directed his attention to the one that had just incapacitated X.

"You're still wasting your time," Vile said, giving X's unconscious form a good kick. He got no reaction, indicating the blue Hunter was in stasis. "He's never going to learn."

Sigma smiled. "That's why we're going to teach him," he told the violet-colored ex-Hunter. "When tomorrow's big event is over, you are coming back for them." He then gestured to Zero's unconscious form along with X's.

"No," Vile protested. "I won't do it. Not me," he then looked at X. "Not for him."

Sigma chuckled. "But it's not for him, Vile," he said. "It's for me," he then turned away. "Keep those two somewhere secure," the taller Hunter began to walk away. "We have a big day tomorrow, and everything has to be in place."

Tomorrow would be Independence Day. Just not one for humans.

Chapter Text

When X had finally regained consciousness, he checked his internal clock to see what the time was. It was only a couple of minutes past noon, so he and Zero were here all night. X's green eyes widened in horror, searching for any sign of the red Hunter. "Zero?!" He called out, but he got no reply. "ZERO?!"

"He's right next to you," a familiar voice said. "He probably should be waking up now due to your yelling."

X looked around and saw that he was in a small cell, his arms secured behind his back by a pair of stasis cuffs. Commander Sigma then noticed standing before a large monitor displaying a bird's eye view of Abel City. "Commander!" X said, relieved, yet as he stood up, his memory banks began to process usually again, the last of the effects of stasis lock going away. The events that had occurred the night prior were finally returning to the blue Reploid, and he realized with horror that he and Zero were now at the mercy of their infected Commander gone mad. At least, that's what X still wanted to believe.

"Rest assured, I have no intentions of harming either of you," Sigma explained. "No, I want you very much alive."

"Then let us out!" X pleaded. "Let us out so we can help you!"

"Don't waste your breath, X," X suddenly heard Zero say from the cell beside his own. "He's planned all of this from the beginning." the long-haired Hunter sat on the floor, glowering hatefully at Sigma.

X wanted to be surprised; he wanted to be able to protest and tell Zero he was mistaken, but ultimately, he couldn't ignore everything that had happened. Not just what occurred to get him and Zero locked up, but back when the first mechaniloids went Maverick. "C-Commander," X stammered. Even if he couldn't deny the reality in front of him, he still shook his head in disbelief. "Why?" It wasn't an excellent question, and Sigma's answer would probably make his reasons obvious, but X didn't know what else to say.

Sigma appeared to anticipate X's question, a smile coming to his face. "I suppose I do owe you some explanation," the taller Reploid said. "But it shall come after the next step is over."

X was confused. "What step?"

Sigma then turned to face the screen, eyes locked with the shot of the unsuspecting city. It was an afternoon on the weekend: a perfect recipe for attracting as many as possible. "The only step there is to take," Sigma answered. "The one that will bring us into the next age of history," he then looked back at X. "Surely you've heard of 'Independence Day,' right?"

Arcadia

12:15 PM

Chiyo stirred, rustling her sheets, moving her limbs to get feeling back into them. Opening her eyes, she rubbed them to remove any lingering sleep crust but was jolted wide awake upon seeing what time it was. It was half past noon, and she had slept right through her alarm. "Shit!" The young woman hissed, calling Fumiko to see where she was. She had planned to deliver the finished inventions first thing in the morning, but after an entire night and early morning of work, it seemed she got more than just one or two hours of sleep.

"Chiyo?"

"Hey, yeah, it's me," Chiyo said, holding the phone as she went into the bathroom to freshen up. "Where are you?"

"I'm in Abel City right now," Fumiko answered. "My parents wanted to do some shopping, so I've got to watch Kenichi."

"Why couldn't you just stay at home?" Chiyo asked in between brushing her teeth, then her hair.

"That's what I said to mom, but she says she doesn't want us wasting a good sunny day," Fumiko said. "Though I think she just wanted to dump Kenichi onto me so she could go off."

"I heard that!" A voice said over the phone.

"Yeah, and I don't care," Fumiko replied.

Chiyo returned to her room to put on some clothes, but when she was about to take off her nightwear, she heard her door open. "Hey, I'm changing clothes here!" She said, slipping her nightshirt back on. But when she saw who had come in, the human was confused. "Roll?"

"Get something on, quickly!" the blonde Reploid urged her. Before Chiyo could ask what was going on, she heard someone bust open the front door. Roll quickly locked the door to Chiyo's room, teal eyes searching for a way out. She then tried to open one of the windows but found they wouldn't budge. "Damn! They already activated the locking system!"

"Here!" Chiyo said, handing over the device she had been working on all night. "Use this!" the young woman had slipped into her school uniform, trying her hair back with a red ribbon.

Roll took it, though she was puzzled. "What's this?" she asked. "How do you use it?"

"Just aim and pull the trigger!" the human instructed.

Roll did so, surprised to see that a physical object came out of what she assumed to be a firearm. The spike pierced through the window's thick glass, but it only created a clean hole. Unfortunately, there was still a lot more glass to break. Roll began to try firing again after the spike retreated inside the device, but a sharpened object struck the window, barely hitting Roll by a few centimeters. Reploid and human turned around to see two Hunters based on horned insects standing outside the doorway. The slimmer of the two entered effortlessly, while the other had to maneuver his body to get in carefully.

"Chiyo Fujiwara," Boomer Kuwanger spoke. "We have come for you."

Missile Base

Independence Day. Operation: Independence Day. X and Zero recounted all that they had seen and experienced since the first mechaniloid went berserk. Of course, the culprit had been right before them the Skull Quartet's claims, the Shitrapper Pirates, Vile's release, and the supposed benefactor for it all. Still, despite everything he had just remembered and seen, he couldn't let it go.

"Why?" X asked. True, he knew there were several reasons Sigma had, but he needed to hear it himself.

"Why do you, X?" X heard Zero say. "He's a Maverick now."

Sigma looked displeased. "That word is just a label for Reploids who have finally opened their eyes," Sigma told the red Hunter. "Tell, even in your previous state, the animal that you were, was there not some sense of freedom?" he asked. "You shall have that freedom again. All Reploids will see and experience true freedom not long after today."

"But what about the humans?" X asked. A part of him already knew the answer, and it horrified him.

"The message for them will be loud and clear," Sigma said, turning to the monitor. "Though, if you must know, I owe much of this to my dear colleague and benefactor."

"And who is that?" Zero questioned.

Even if they couldn't see it, Sigma smiled. "He's someone you both are quite familiar with. After all, if not for him, Dr. Cain wouldn't have ever gotten anywhere with you, X."

Both Hunters realized who he was talking about. "What about Dr. Cain?" X asked.

"We're taking good care of him," Sigma told him. "Rest assured, he won't be harmed," he said. "And Fujiwara's daughter should be on her way to where he is right now."

Arcadia

Fujiwara Residence

When she was about to leave Dr. Fujiwara's abode, intending to lock the door behind her, Roll found it odd that he hadn't returned home at his usual time. True, she knew Chiyo was now a young adult, but leaving her alone made her a little nervous. She had tried calling Dr. Fujiwara, but he didn't respond. Roll tried not to let herself get too worked up, but when she tried to reach anyone at the lab, they said that Fujiwara had gone off. Where to, no one knew, and given he left relatively early, considering his late work hours, no one knew when he'd return.

So, she went back and waited at the house, if not just to provide her some peace of mind. At least Chiyo wouldn't be unguarded. When morning came, she called the lab, but Fujiwara still hadn't returned. And while Roll still found the whole situation odd, it was when she couldn't reach Dr. Cain that she began to worry. So she contacted Arcadia's HQ to have his home checked out. It didn't take long for her to receive news that Dr. Cain was missing, and it looked like his house had been broken into.

That's when she called Abel City's HQ, but no one there had seen them. Dr. Fujiwara was strange; Dr. Cain was something to worry about, but what Trinity told her next made her circuitry freeze.

"Can you get ahold of X and tell him this?" Roll asked, not even mentioning Zero.

"They've both been sent off to investigate the signal we traced," Trinity answered her.

"And where's that?" Roll questioned.

"That's classified," Trinity told her. "We shall put in a missing person's report for Dr. Cain. Thank you for notifying us; I'll deliver this information to Commander Sigma once we get back in contact."

"You're having communication issues?"

"Unfortunately," Trinity answered. "I can't tell you where X is, but I'll alert you when we get back in contact with him."

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

Now her brother was unable to be found, and even more concerning, neither had Commander Sigma. But most troubling of all was that the red Reploid that had gone with X was also missing. It wasn't his safety Roll was concerned about whether or not he jeopardized her brother's safety. And if she didn't get out of here, she'd probably never had the opportunity to try and find out what happened.

Roll immediately got in between the two other Reploids and Chiyo, even if she knew she couldn't offer that much protection.

"This doesn't have to end with you on the other side of my horn," Gravity Beetle told the blonde. "Just stand away from the human, and we'll have no reason to harm you."

"No!" Roll retorted, gripping Chiyo's hand tightly. "You'll have to kill me first!"

Boomer Kuwanger gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Very well," the insect-based Reploid said. "But remember, this was your decision," Roll backed up, bringing Chiyo with her, though the two were now cornered against the window. "Beetle! Get the human!" Kuwanger commanded. "I will handle her maid."

Then, at speed so incredible that neither Roll nor Chiyo (nor even Beetle) could see it, the horned insect grabbed Roll's wrist, quickly pulling her away from the human she was guarding. "Hey! Let go of me!"

Gravity Beetle dashed forward, his wings spreading out and moving, the sound of the constantly moving components resembling that of a loud jackhammer. He reached out for Chiyo, but at the last second, the young woman ducked underneath the far larger Reploid. Unfortunately, his long horn had gotten caught in the hole created by Chiyo's invention, and he soon found himself stuck. He jerked his head back and forth, trying to dislodge himself, but his thrashing shattered the entire window. The glass was flying everywhere, Beetle's exit leaving an ample open space that was once a window and part of the wall.

Kuwanger sped towards the shattered window and looked outside, searching for any sign of his brother. He had cast Roll aside, and the blonde Reploid grabbed Chiyo and made a break for the door. But before either of them could reach it, Kuwanger blocked their path. "There's little point in killing you," he told Roll. "Of course, there's little point in letting you live either."

Kuwanger stepped forward, forcing Roll and Chiyo back from the door. As they backed up, the blonde Reploid saw that the open space Gravity Beetle had created had potentially given them a way out. However, the question of how to get down without injuring Chiyo kept her from making a jump for it. "You had something to do with Dr. Fujiwara not coming home last night, didn't you?" Roll asked the stag beetle.

He nodded. "Dr. Cain is with us as well, but he wasn't as willing to go," Kuwanger's eyes then focused on Chiyo. "We have no intention of harming you," he said. "Your father arranged for us to come and collect you."

"How dare you slander Dr. Fujiwara like that!" Roll shouted.

"I'm surprised you of all Reploids would defend him, considering that you're nothing more than a means to an end for him."

Roll bit her lip, brows furrowing. "Don't listen to him, Chiyo. He's lying," but Chiyo didn't respond. "Chiyo?"

Roll looked at the human and saw neither shock nor anger on her face but a sense of acceptance. Granted, Chiyo didn't like what she heard, but she certainly didn't seem surprised. "When did he start planning this?" The young woman questioned Kuwanger.

Roll tried to peer over the edge of the destroyed window and wall. The ground was a few stories down, but she could withstand the fall. As she did this, Kuwanger answered Chiyo. "The beginning of this year, actually," he told her. "And today, everyone's efforts will finally pay off."

"Efforts for what?" Chiyo asked.

"It's no concern of yours," Kuwanger said. "All that matters is that you will be one of the few humans that'll be spared," he then folded his arms. "For now."

Missile Base

"Unfortunately, I don't have time to sit and detail everything to you at the moment," Sigma told the restrained and trapped X and Zero. "But you will be able to see the results of everyone's labor." He gestured to the monitor displaying Abel City.

"Everyone?" Zero questioned.

"Even with my colleague's help, there's no way we could've just done it ourselves," Sigma explained. "Several have decided to embrace the truth about our race and people."

"Several dedicated to acts of terrorism?" X asked, though his tone was not as hostile as Zero's.

"Haven't you heard that one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter?" The tallest of the three Hunters retorted. "Of course, in this case, man himself is the force that must be reckoned with. Keep that in mind, both of you." He then began to leave.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" X asked, trying to break out of his cuffs.

"I have an Independence Day announcement I need to perform," Sigma answered, back still turned. "And don't think of escaping either. The base is guarded quite well, even for Reploids like you." He then continued on his way toward the exit of the sparsely lit room.

"Sigma, Commander! Wait!" X called out. "We can still help you! You're not all there; you can't be! There's still time to get you help!"

X's words made the Commander stop dead in his tracks. "It's a lie."

"What?" X asked, not understanding.

"The virus, the glitch, everything," Sigma said. "Maverick doesn't mean what you think," he continued. "My mind has never been clearer, X," he then looked back at the blue Hunter. He then left, leaving X and Zero alone in their cells. "And eventually," Sigma finished. "Everyone will see what it has to offer."

He raised his hand, and a small vapor of violet energy manifested in his palm after a few moments. It was wispy, almost like a candle flame, but inside of its ever-moving form, a skull had formed, Sigma's blue eyes watching the flame dance before snuffing it out. You should kill him now, while you have the chance.

Sigma suspected that his "hidden friend" would eventually emerge to give their input. This is not just about Zero; he told the unknown entity. Bear in mind that he would not exist if not for X.

But the blue one is too dangerous to be kept alive! The unseen companion hissed. We couldn't destroy him then! You must do it now!

There's no danger, Sigma assured. Besides, he began making his way toward the exit of the base. Besides, I thought you wanted to see the last of Light's creations fall by your hands.

Arcadia

Roll was free falling from the house's second story, the ground growing closer and closer with each passing second. She held Chiyo in her arms, hoping her body would withstand the impact better. Thankfully, despite the jolt, Roll found herself to be totally fine when she landed. Chiyo was set on the ground, but she barely had time to get her footing as she was dragged by Roll, the two of them immediately running away from the scene. Kuwanger watched the two go from above.

"Where are we going?!" Chiyo asked, barely keeping contact with the ground as Roll kept running with her in tow.

"Abel City!" Roll responded, taking Chiyo into a more crowded street. "These two Hunters work for them!" She then slowed her pace, navigating her way downtown to the station. "But we don't want to make a scene. We need to be as inconspicuous as possible."

"Then why are they here?" Chiyo questioned; thankfully, Roll was forced to slow down. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Roll confessed. "But what I do know is those guys are after you, and I doubt they'll stop until they get you," suddenly, the two heard a scream a short distance away. Turning around, they saw Kuwanger and Beetle making their way through the crowd, but anyone nearby knew better than to stand in their way. "Hurry! The transports are this way!"

Roll nearly yanked Chiyo off her feet as she began running again; the sight of long white vehicles that rode the monorail to Abel City gave her momentary relief. But, unfortunately, that relief was quickly snuffed out when Gravity Beetle landed right in front of the Reploid and human, his impact making a small area around them shake. "I can run you through right now if you don't cooperate," the larger Reploid warned Roll. "It's not your life that matters, after all."

"You have one more chance," Roll and Chiyo turned around to see Boomer Kuwanger approaching them. "Surrender the female human, and no harm shall come to you." But, unlike his brother, the red stag beetle was collected and calm.

Roll wrapped an arm around Chiyo. It was then, however, that the blonde Reploid realized the human had brought her invention with her. "Not yet," Roll told her. "What if I don't believe you?" the Reploid asked.

"It doesn't matter whether you do or not," Kuwanger said. "One way or another, we will get what we want," the slimmer Hunter crossed his arms. "If anything, we're doing you a great service," he said. "By the end of today, you shall be free of your debts to any human," he then centered his eyes on Chiyo. "Especially that of Fujiwara."

Despite already believing he was a part of this, Chiyo felt a cold wave of concern overcome her. "What have you done to him?" she questioned. "Where is he?"

"He's with Commander Sigma as we speak," Kuwanger answered. "As well as Dr. Cain."

Roll's teal eyes widened. "And where is X?" she asked.

"We're taking care of him," Kuwanger assured her. "He may not appreciate the Commander's generosity at the moment."

Roll looked at Beetle, then at Kuwanger. She and Chiyo were cornered with no way out. "GET DOWN!" Everyone suddenly heard someone shout. Then, a green ride chaser rose off the ground and slammed right into his head. This action sent him off the station's railing into the water below. Firefly got off his bike and looked back at Roll and Chiyo. "Are you ladies all right?"

"We will be when we get out of here." Roll answered.

"Get out of here," Firefly said, raising his plasma pistol. "I'll deal with them."

"You can't handle both of them!" Chiyo protested.

"I can handle it fine! Just get out of here!"

Roll was silent but nodded in understanding. She didn't drag her, but her superior strength let her direct the human to where the station was located. As they ran, Chiyo looked back to see Firefly tangling with Kuwanger, but there was no sign of Beetle. Regardless, neither she nor Roll was willing to wait and see where he would turn up, so they kept going. Thankfully, it didn't take long for either of them to reach the station. Unfortunately, the lines were rather long.

"Sorry! Excuse me!" Roll apologized as she cut quite a few people and Reploids before she and Chiyo made it onto one of the vehicles. The doors soon shut, and the long white transporter began to move. Roll then wasted no time in contacting Abel City's HQ."Hunter Base, do you hear me? This is an emergency! Please respond!"

Abel City HQ

Just what is going on?! Trinity wondered as the Navigators continued to receive calls from all over the city. This is getting out of control, the pink-haired Reploid thought. We'll have to have the entire city on lockdown by this rate! Then, suddenly, she heard another call being received. Seeing as several others were currently busy, she decided to answer it. "You've reached Abel City's Hunter Base; what's your report?"

"Thank God, someone finally answered!" Trinity recognized the voice and the sense of panic its speaker was experiencing.

Back in Arcadia, the transport finally left the station and traveled across a rail towards the offshore city. Roll had gone in the back not to draw too much attention; Chiyo was close behind her. "What's your emergency?" Trinity asked, still keeping a sense of professionalism.

"I know this probably will sound unbelievable, but two of your Hunters are after us!" Roll whispered, trying to keep as quiet as possible not to cause panic.

"What?" Trinity asked. True, she was confused but requested more information. "Who exactly is pursuing you?"

"I believe they're the two insect brothers you have there," Roll answered. "The red and blue beetles?"

"Kuwanger and Beetle?" Trinity questioned. "They're supposed to be stationed at the Telecommunications Tower," she explained. "Why would they be after you?"

"They said they're here for Fujiwara's daughter," the blonde Reploid explained. "They broke into the house and tried to take her, and now we're left with nowhere to go but-"

"AHHH!"

Roll and Chiyo looked back to see a long, metallic horn pierce the roof of the transport, a pair of white hands pulling at either side of where the horn had stabbed through. Once a good portion of the top was torn off, Gravity Beetle looked down, scanning the passengers to find who he was looking for. Surprisingly, he saw no sign of either the housekeeper or Fujiwara's daughter. That was until he saw the emergency exit had been opened. Then, raising his head out of the transport vehicle, Beetle saw Roll hanging onto the side, Chiyo clinging to her back. Then, he saw another transporter coming their way on the other track.

Roll saw this as well, judging the distance between the two vehicles. She couldn't believe she was doing this, but there were no other means of escape! Plus, Chiyo's safety was her top priority. "All right," Roll said, seeing the incoming vehicle. "Now!" She kicked off the transport side and was momentarily in the air before she managed to grab hold of the side.

Seeing she now had a grip on the transport, Roll shimmied over and tried to kick open a window but then saw Gravity Beetle flying above them, a small orb of pulsing darkly-colored energy formed in between his two hands when he brought them close. Whatever he was going to do would surely not be in their favor, Roll thought. She climbed up onto the roof with Chiyo and saw Beetle release whatever energy he was building up; the dark orb of complete blackness hit the track and obliterated the section it hit. The collection of energy swallowed the second track section in darkness, and the next minute, it disappeared, leaving a section of the track completely gone. It was almost as if it had never existed at all.

The white vehicle screeched to a halt, stopping just mere inches away from the missing section, just barely avoiding going over the edge. Gravity Beetle continued to fly in the air, looking down at Roll and Chiyo. "Last chance!" He shouted. "Hand the human over, and maybe you'll get out of this alive!" Roll was silent; Chiyo still clung onto her, sending that she'd need the support of the stronger body of the Reploid housekeeper. "You'd be doing her a favor by giving her up," Beetle told Roll. "After today, everyone in that city will want her dead."

Then, as if they weren't forced to take any more risky maneuvers, they both saw another vehicle coming up on the track beside the damaged one. Dare we risk it? Roll pondered. Like before, they only had one chance, and there couldn't be any slip-ups.

But letting this massive blue bug go off with Chiyo was not an option. So with another leap of faith, Roll jumped onto the other transport vehicle, her human charge holding her back. Gravity Beetle responded by diving down at both of them. He reached out, intending to at least grab the human. But before he could do so, a blast of powerful air took Beetle by surprise, knocking him off balance, and he was sent flying back. He turned to see a robotic flying bird had been the one to attack him.

"Storm Eagle!" Roll cried out, thankful that help had arrived.

"Get to HQ!" The majestic bird-of-prey told her. "I'll deal with him!"

"Thank you!"

Gravity Beetle made another dive at them, but Storm Eagle stopped him; the transport vehicle Roll and Chiyo were riding continued onward toward Abel City. Again, Storm Eagle faced Gravity Beetle. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked. "Why are you pursuing them?"

"Ask the Commander!" The flying insect responded. "He'll be announcing to the good people over there very soon!" He then pointed toward Abel City.

"What do you mean?" Eagle questioned his fellow Hunter. "Do you know where the Commander is? Tell me!"

"You'll never find him," Beetle said. "Unless, of course, you're wanting to take part in the new world he's going to create."

"New world?"

"Exactly," Beetle answered. "And by the end of all this, no human in that city will be left alive." Before Storm Eagle could ask any further, the metallic insect rushed towards the bird, the tip of his horn reflecting the sunlight beaming from above.

Missile Base

"Don't waste your energy; it's no use." Zero told X, who was still trying to break out of his restraints.

"But…" X protested yet ultimately knew that the red Hunter was right. There was no way to get out of these cuffs. He couldn't even slip in his hand in exchange for his buster because the cuffs paralyzed him from the wrists down.

The blue Reploid looked at the screen displaying Abel City with no other option. Everyone in that place was completely unaware of what Sigma had in store for them; even X and Zero themselves were unsure of just what Sigma was up to. So just how was he going to go about this? Better yet, just what could be done about it, if anything? He had every opportunity to kill them, so why just keep them imprisoned?

Whatever the case, he and Zero had to get out of here, and before someone came to release them from their cells, X sensed that something was going to happen. But as he thought this, he remembered what occurred before Sigma had imprisoned them, when the Commander said that Zero was also a part of this. X didn't say anything against Zero, but he didn't remember speaking in his favor either. They hadn't spoken much since they were locked up, X's focus more on trying to get free, but looking back, he realized Zero had been mostly quiet. But while he couldn't see the red Hunter, he couldn't help but imagine a saddened look on his friend's face.

"Zero?" X spoke up, but he received no answer. "Um, about before," he said. "I-"

"X," Zero interrupted. "Not now."

"But-"

"Not. Now."

X got the message and shut his mouth. He looked down at the floor and closed his eyes. It was pathetic, but there was nothing else he could do but stew in his foolishness. He hated it, but Sigma was right. Once again, he had failed to take action.

And now, perhaps everyone would be suffering the consequences of his reluctance to do what needed to be done.

Abel City

Upon arriving, Roll jumped off the vehicle's top and bolted for Abel City's HQ, Chiyo following close behind her. Thankfully, the Headquarters wasn't too far away, so they could get there in a short amount of time. Still, neither Reploid nor human could afford to stop for a second, lest they both be caught. So Roll ran to the entrance, typing in the code and allowing herself and Chiyo inside. When they entered, however, they found someone waiting for them.

A-1 was standing near the entrance, having received news that the two would be arriving and the situation they were currently in. "Is anyone still in your tail?" He asked Roll.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Storm Eagle arrived at the last second to save us, but the ones that came after us said they came for her," She gestured to Chiyo, who hadn't said a word since they arrived. But given they were here, Roll decided now was as good a time as any time to ask. "Does anyone know where my brother went?"

A-1 looked around to see if anyone was close nearby. One good thing about their forces being spread so thin was that he didn't have to worry about anyone listening in. "He and Zero went to the Missile Base, but we haven't heard anything from them since they notified us they had arrived."

"And when was this?" Roll asked.

"Too long ago," A-1 said. "Which is why I'm going to check it out."

"You are?" Roll asked.

"Yeah, but don't tell anybody," The bunny-eared Navigator requested. "I'm still supposed to be delivering paperwork."

"Your secret's safe with me." Roll answered.

"Hold on," Chiyo suddenly spoke up. "If two of your best men are presumably in trouble, why do you think you have a chance?"

"I'll admit, I don't," A-1 confessed. "But I've got an idea of getting in and around any possible trouble. Just in case the area's guarded."

"Guarding it against their own Hunters?" Chiyo questioned. "The ones who own the base, to begin with?"

A-1 sighed. "I understand why you came here," he said. "But I think it would've been safer for you in Arcadia than here."

Before anyone could ask what he meant, A-1 received a message from Trinity herself. "Yes, this is A-1," he said. Then his eyes widened in shock. "What?! You have?!" He exclaimed. "When?" Even if they had no context, Roll, and Chiyo continued to listen. "Uh, yeah. Sure. I'll be on my way!" The call ended.

"What's up?" Roll asked.

"Commander Sigma has just contacted us," A-1 answered.

"Oh, great!" Roll said. "Maybe he's seen X and that other Reploid." That other Reploid did have a name, but Roll suspected A-1 knew who she was referring to. Unfortunately, instead of sharing the same bit of hope she had, the smaller Navigator didn't look as optimistic. "What? Isn't this good news?"

A-1 shook his head. "I don't think so," before either Roll or Chiyo could question him any further, he went off. "I've gotta go! I'll try to hurry!" He assured Roll before running off.

The two were left alone, unsure of what to do. But, if what A-1 said was true, then maybe Roll could ask Sigma himself if he knew of X's whereabouts. The blonde brought her human charge with her as they went to the briefing room, hidden behind a corner to peek in at what was happening. Sigma was presented on a holographic projector, showing that he was sitting in an unknown location, a light shining overhead, illuminating his features. He appeared to have some sort of clothing draped around his shoulders that looked like a red cape. Both Hunters and Navigators gathered around to see their Commander, relieved and confused.

Unknown to them, however, the Hunters weren't the only ones receiving Sigma's message. Every screen, monitor, and anything with a signal in the city had Sigma's image imposed on it. And from their confinement, X and Zero saw their leader's face replace the view of Abel City. "Greetings, fair citizens of Abel City," the tall Reploid greeted everyone, human or machine, as they watched in confusion and intrigue. "As you may now, this day signifies a great victory for those in the West," he began. "While triumph over the British didn't occur until another date, this day nonetheless marks the day a few select men signed a document declaring their freedom and separation from the rule of the British Empire."

Everyone listening was puzzled as to just what was going on. Unfortunately, the message being received couldn't be traced, so discerning Sigma's location was impossible. Nevertheless, those in Abel City continued to listen to his message.

"But it is not just in the West that countries or groups of people celebrate their freedom, and more and more victories are being won each day. Which brings me to what I am compelled to tell you all," he said, a few moments of silence following his words. Everyone waited in anticipation. "Since my creation, I have been told that Reploids are the highest form of robotic creation humanity has ever constructed. And yet, we are brothers in arms with those that made us, our fellow creators."

A bewildered Fumiko and Kenichi stood in the middle of downtown, watching as the Hunter continued.

"Before I had my startling revelation, I believed that this was the future that the man behind our design, Dr. Thomas Light, wished for us," Sigma spoke. "A world where all life, organic or mechanical, lived side by side with one another as equals, contributing to a better and more advanced world."

Everyone that heard and watched him still didn't understand what he was trying to say, but any sort of puzzlement died in the next few seconds.

"But, unfortunately, as time has shown, again and again, this is not so," Sigma said. "For we can never be equal," what he said next made all his viewers freeze. "Not when humans still have a place above us," At Abel City's HQ, Hunters and Navigators were discussing what their Commander meant by this, Roll and Chiyo watching from afar. "Many will not understand my actions now, and many may decry me a traitor, but I speak for the good of my people," he said. "Progress is not made through diplomatic exchanges and trying to appeal to those holding the process of natural evolution back. It is made through great sacrifice and hardship."

She wasn't sure whether or not Roll felt it, but Chiyo felt her stomach twist into knots.

"And mankind itself is an obstacle in the evolution of Reploids," Sigma said. "While a harsh truth, even in this technologically advanced world, the world, and all the creatures in it, still follow the basic truth of the survival of the fittest. And, upon giving it some great consideration," he then smiled. "I have decided that humanity no longer has a claim to dominating the world," he then smiled. "Now, it is our turn."

Suddenly, what sounded like a door opening was heard. A familiar scientist came onto the screen. "What is the meaning of this?!" Dr. Fujiwara shouted, clearly enraged.

"Dad?!" Chiyo whispered, wondering what he was doing with Sigma.

"You said the city was supposed to be MINE to take!" The scientist continued to throw his complaints at Sigma.

The Hunter Commander seemed utterly unaffected by the human's outrage. "Unfortunately, Doctor, it seems that for us to thrive, humanity no longer has a place in this world," he then rose from his seat, which ver much resembled a throne. "Although, you have served my cause well," he said. "Perhaps there is a future for your race after all. You, for example, shall demonstrate what shall happen to anyone who gets in our way."

What happened next shocked everyone watching; some refused to believe it actually happened. But it did, and right in front of everyone's eyes. With one swift motion, Sigma drew out his saber and ran the energy blade straight through Fujiwara's chest, the blade of the sword coming out of the other end. The scientist dropped to his knees, feebly grabbing at the edge even though it burnt his fingers. He then looked up at Sigma, eyes wide in terrible comprehension at what was indeed about to happen.

Despite the energy blade immediately cauterizing the area where he was stabbed, Dr. Fujiwara felt something vital had been hit deep inside. Those watching saw Sigma pull his saber out of the human's chest and bring it down again. Ch-Chiyo…" he whispered.

Then, in one swing, Fujiwara knew no more, his neck no match for the sizzling energy that composed the saber. While no one saw Fujiwara's head fall off his body, he went rigid and stiff when he hit the ground, the focus pulling away from him and back to Sigma. "I, unfortunately, must end this here, but I have something to say for the humans currently in this city," he then held up a switch. "With a push of this button, I shall have access to every known mechaniloid located within the city's borders," he explained. "And soon, the city itself shall be cut off from the mainland, essentially separating the artificial island from the rest of Japan," Sigma continued. "And, to make sure that the rest of the world understands our message, at dusk, I have arranged for your very own missiles to be delivered to your dear city."

No one said a word, many still trying to comprehend what they had just seen.

"That said, we have places of refuge and shelter, should such a dreadful thing occur, but I admit that I am feeling rather…experimental." Sigma then pushed the button. "All routes to the city are now set to be destroyed, though anyone is free to try and make an escape. That is all," Sigma said. "Welcome to a new age," he smiled. "The Age of Reploids."

Then, Sigma disappeared, the former Hunter sitting in a spacious chamber with a throne, Fujiwara's body lying on the ground. His new Headquarters was far from the city, but not so far that he couldn't see what was happening. Undoubtedly, the population would soon descend into a panicked frenzy, scrambling to try and escape the inevitable. But this was only part of his plan, for the humans weren't the only ones he had a message for. He then contacted several Hunters stationed all across the island, the order loud and clear.

"Any and all opposers: kill them."

Chapter Text

1:30 PM

When Sigma's message had ended, no one on the entire island had anything to say. What was there to say? They had seen their Commander murder a man! Murder a human! The first and most crucial of the Three Laws! And their leader, the one they looked to for support and hope, had betrayed the very Law he stood to uphold!

And even more disturbing to many was just so easy it was to do.

"Depose of this," Sigma commanded; a Reploid came out and took away Fujiwara's corpse, along with his head. Not long after disposing of the scientist, the cape-wearing Reploid turned to a smaller shape in the shadows, looking down at the floor, completely sad. "Why so glum?" Sigma questioned the figure. "I have no intentions to take your life, Dr. Cain."

The captured human said both at first, still not entirely able to grasp what he had just seen. "Sho…." He muttered. Cain wanted to plead with Sigma that there was still time to turn this all around, and he had planned to do so, but that was before the Hunter took the Japanese scientist out in front of all of Abel City.

"I promised him that he would share in constructing this new world," Sigma said. "It just wasn't the way he intended."

"Why, though?" Cain asked. "What did I do that he didn't?"

"Much," Sigma answered. "Seeing as the human species is our enemy, you should consider yourself fortunate that I'm still fond of you," his tone then grew dark. "But bear in mind, that is subject to change if you step out of line."

The elderly human was rendered silent. But he still had more to say when he finally found his voice again. "So, what do you plan to do?" Dr. Cain asked. "What's the next grand step in your plan?"

"This is more than just taking control of the city," the blue-eyed Reploid said. He paused for a moment; a sudden, itching sensation was felt over the synthetic skin around his eyes. He began to lightly scratch at the flesh, remembering it was the same area Zero had damaged during their first encounter. "Brilliant as Fujiwara might've been when it came to robotics, he failed to see the greater scope of a world of Reploids," he continued. "He believed that acquisition of the city would gain him notoriety and respect," Sigma explained. "Intelligent machines serving him and presenting his genius to the world through his Reploids."

Dr. Cain sighed. "That…certainly sounds like Sho."

"But Reploids are beyond being mere servants of humans like that of mechaniloids or robots," Sigma continued. "He failed to understand that, so his presence would only impede progress."

"But did you have to kill him?!" Cain questioned, growing more emotional. "He has a child!"

"As do the humans he was planning to rule over," Sigma added. "Why should his daughter receive more protection than others?"

Dr. Cain lowered his head. "Sho never planned to bring her here, did he? You sent your men after her, didn't you?" Sigma didn't answer, yet his silence was enough.

"I initially intended to use her to keep Fujiwara in line, but I realized that he would try to take control of this operation one way or another. So, I had to do what was necessary."

"So, you intend for her to die, along with all the other humans and Reploids there?" The older human suspected what sort of answer he'd receive, but what he got surprised him.

"She was meant to be a source of motivation, like you, for those left to come and find me," he explained. "But seeing as plans have changed, as long as she and everyone else get themselves to safety, she'll live for just a bit longer," Sigma answered. "There will be some lost before the missile strike, but everyone is free to go and find shelter."

"And what then?" Dr. Cain questioned.

Sigma looked at a nearby monitor displaying Abel City, several mechaniloids descending on it. "Then is when X's test will begin."

Midway between Arcadia and Abel City

The lines that carried the transport vehicles were slim, but Firefly was confident he could pull it off. He would have to, considering that Storm Eagle had to contend with Gravity Beetle. The green Hunter rode as fast as the bike would take him, and then he kept testing its limit. He had little choice, seeing as Beetle was right behind him. And, despite his best efforts, it appeared Storm Eagle was having a more challenging time dealing with the giant bug than expected.

"Damn bird!" Gravity Beetle shouted. "You know, you're just wasting your time!"

"Oh really?" Storm Eagle asked. "How?"

"Make no mistake, I don't like you," the blue rhinoceros beetle explained. "But Commander Sigma does, so I assume he would hate to lose you."

"And you are also a brilliant fighter," Storm Eagle answered. "And a brother," he then extended his left hand. "So, for his and your own sake, surrender yourselves so that the Commander won't have to hunt you."

To Eagle's bewilderment, Gravity Beetle barreled over laughing, almost losing his concentration on keeping himself airborne. "You think that the Commander's still on your side?!"

That made Firefly, despite the hurry he was in, stop dead in his tracks. Setting the bike to hover mode, he looked up at Beetle and Eagle, the latter confused as to what the giant insect was talking about. "What do you mean?" The green biker asked from below.

Gravity Beetle ceased laughing; his eyes centered on Firefly. "Oh, don't you know?" The more significant bug asked. "He…?" The giant bug was about to continue but then saw something rather peculiar. He, Eagle, and Firefly. From above, dozens of mechaniloids descended onto Abel City, leaving two of the three Hunters confused and startled. But it seemed that Beetle knew precisely what was going on. "Well, well," he said, folding his arms. He then looked at Eagle. "It seems he's gone and started things without you."

Abel City

Hunter Headquarters

1:30 PM

They came from everywhere, it seemed. From where she was, Trinity saw the multitude of mechaniloids, flying and grounded, swarming the metropolis. All with the assumed intention of carrying out Sigma's orders. "What do we do?!" She heard a Navigator cry out, looking at her for direction.

Trinity was trying to find words to say but came up dry. This entire situation was now out of their control. As far as she was aware, there was no stopping the mechaniloids, just as there was no stopping the missiles that would be launched in the later hours. "We," the head Navigator began, trying to get herself out of her shock. "We prepare the Underground Shelter for entry," She said, blue eyes watching in horror as more and more mechaniloids came. "Quick! Direct the human and Reploid populace to find an entryway! We can't afford to waste any time!"

"Wait a moment," Blu suddenly spoke up, checking the screen she was observing. "The HQ's security systems have been activated!"

"By who?!" Ai questioned. Not long after, she said that everyone in the chamber saw that a protective shell was covering the clear dome above them to withstand massive attacks. Only this time, no one felt a sense of safety as the sun slowly disappeared from view as the panels closed. "Wh-What the hell is this?!"

"What is it?" Trinity asked them blonde.

"I can't unlock the entrance! All escape routes are denying me access as well!" Ai exclaimed.

It was then that Trinity realized, to their horror, that every Hunter present in the building was trapped. Then, she heard the entrance to the chamber being busted open, two of their Hunters walking in. Spark Mandrill and Flame Mammoth entered, though no one felt comforted in their presence. The tall Reploids stood in front of the doorway, blocking the only way out. Then, Kuwanger began to speak.

"I imagine many of you are very confused," the red stag beetle said. "And perhaps more than a little frightened. The humans outside are certainly in a panic."

"Kuwanger, what is the meaning of this?" Blu asked, noticing how surprisingly calm he was. "Mandrill, do you know where the Commander currently is?"

"He's far off from here," Spark Mandrill said. "But that's not important. What's important is that you all have a decision to make."

Ai stiffened. Just where was A-1?! "And that would be?"

"It's simple," Kuwanger explained. "Our comrades are delivering the same message to the more combat-based Reploids employed here," he then produced a small Rolling Cutter, twirling the dangerous instrument around his finger as if it were a mere toy. "Should you wish to become part of the new world, you shall come with us and pledge your loyalty to Commander Sigma," he said. "No harm shall come to you."

"But if you don't," Spark Mandrill began afterward, his large hands starting to surge with electricity. "Then we'll be left with no choice," he said, seemingly uncaring about the implications of what he was saying. "Although, Sigma told us that would probably happen with most of you." The Navigators stared wide-eyed at their own Hunters, their comrades, and compatriots. Was this really happening?

"So," Kuwanger said. "What will it be?"

Midway between Arcadia and Abel City

"What's happening, Beetle?!" Storm Eagle questioned. "Answer me!"

"You're witnessing the beginning of a new world," the massive insect said. "Unfortunately, it seems," he then released a concentrated ball of gravitational force right in Eagle's direction. "You haven't been invited!"

Storm Eagle swerved out of the way at the last second, yet as the small black hole dissipated, the bird Reploid found that some of his left wing had been clipped off! He could remain airborne, as the prominent vertebrae wasn't damaged, but damage like this would eventually cause problems. Then, he realized that Firefly was still present down below, watching! "Get to Abel City!" Storm Eagle commanded. "Go to the Missile Base!"

"Why?!" Firefly questioned, still trying to grasp what was going on.

"No!" Gravity Beetle protested. "They can't be allowed to escape!" He dove toward Firefly, horn ready to pierce the order Hunter right through his core.

Thankfully, he never got the chance, as a powerful, freshly released Storm Tornado knocked Beetle off balance. This maneuver sent the giant bug flying until he landed in the water below the railings. "Go!" Storm Eagle bellowed. "There's no time to waste!"

Firefly nodded and sped off. Like Eagle, he was wondering just what was going on, but they both had an extreme suspicion that now given Beetle's own words, the blue, and red Hunters were somehow involved. Not long after Firefly had begun riding again, Gravity Beetle rose from the water, wings flapping furiously. He glowered at Storm Eagle, going to work on creating a new, more powerful Gravity Well, with the entire to rid that bird of one of his wings. Yet, upon reaching the halfway point, he was interrupted by a message on his audio receptor.

"Huh? Yeah, what?" Gravity Beetle asked. "What?! You want me just to come back?!" He argued. "I'm in the middle of a fight here!" The answer he received was loud and clear. And it was to be obeyed. "Ok, ok, fine. Yes, sir. Understood," Then, the call ended. He then looked back at Eagle. "Well, you're in luck," he told the bird. "The Commander's got a place for you after all."

Storm Eagle was growing impatient. "Enough! Get to the point!" He ordered.

"I'm not one of your men, birdbrain!" Gravity Beetle barked back. He then looked at Abel City, watching the distant chaos that was going on. "And after today, I wonder just how many more you'll have left." With that, Beetle flew off.

"Hey! Wait!" Storm Eagle shouted, but the giant insect kept going.

"If you're so curious, come and see for yourself!" Gravity Beetle laughed, heading towards Abel City. More scenically, the HQ. He felt his brother would need some help in weeding out the undesirables.

Outside of Abel City

He had long left the city perimeter, so the little Navigator was unaware of everything. Regardless, A-1 did not doubt that X and Zero's absence was related to something much bigger. And, one way or another, he suspected that they would be needed. The orange, rabbit-eared Reploid rode on a yellow ride chaser that he was pushing to its limits, trying to make the vehicle go even faster than it already was. He feared the vehicle would blow up on him, but he had to keep going.

The child-like Navigator was relieved when he saw the Missile Base up ahead, but he then noticed a destroyed blue and red ride chaser sitting near the entrance. So, they DID make it here, A-1 observed. But someone didn't want them leaving anytime soon.

But then, he realized that the entrance was being guarded. Two large, blue mechaniloids, a pair of Gun Volts, to be exact, spotted the Navigator approaching the base. Several small missiles were fired at the rabbit-eared Reploid, opening up their panels, all intending to destroy the approaching intruder. A-1 swerved left and right, doing his best to avoid the incoming projectiles. But unfortunately, he was a much better Navigator and delivery boy than a bike rider. When one of the missiles struck the ride chaser's engine, the entire vehicle exploded. A-1 was sent flying in the air until he landed and skidded across the ground until he was at the feet of one of the Gun Volts.

A-1 reached for the plasma pistol that he had brought with him, but the Gun Volt to the right lifted its foot, the small Navigator realizing that he would be crushed before he could even get a shot in. To his surprise, however, that never happened. "Hi-Yahhh!" A familiar male voice shouted as another ride chaser, green in color, collided with the Gun Volt in the center of its broad "chest." While he was in the air, the bike rider blasted down several shots that pierced through the mechaniloid's vital areas, crippling them to where they could no longer function. The Hunter landed in front of A-1 and looked down at the shorter Navigator. "You all right there, squirt?"

"Firefly?!" A-1 exclaimed, getting back on his feet. "I thought you were stationed back in Arcadia!"

"I was, but that was before Kuwanger and Beatle started causing trouble." Firefly told the Navigator. "Where's Roll and Fujiwara's daughter?"

"Back at HQ," A-1 said. This answer didn't seem to provide Firefly any comfort. "What?"

Firefly just shook his head. "There's nothing that can be done about it now," he said. "The only thing we can do is get X and Zero out of here."

"Wait!" A-1 called out, catching up to Firefly, who had begun to enter the Missile Base. "How do you know they're here? And what's going on at HQ?"

"For the first question, Beetle told me," Firefly answered. "He said they were last seen here," he looked ahead at the entrance, unsure of what lay inside, waiting for them. "And he also said that they couldn't be allowed to escape."

"And HQ?"

Firefly was quiet at first, unsure of what to say. "It's not just HQ," the green Hunter said. "It's the whole city."

Undisclosed Location

"It seems around time for you to go and collect our most important members," Sigma said, directing his attention to Vile. "Remember, they're not to be harmed." Currently, the two were before a large screen that displayed a far-off shot of the entire island, the Missile Base becoming the image's primary focus.

"I still say you're wasting your time," the violet-armored Reploid said. "Zero, I get, but why X?"

"Zero is where he needs to be in that his mind is already that of a proper Reploid," Sigma responded. "X is the one that needs cultivating."

"They won't do it," Vile argued. "They're never going to see your way of thinking."

Sigma was silent for a moment. Even if he'd never say it aloud, Vile found himself growing slightly nervous. Just what was this guy thinking? He could never tell. "Maybe, maybe not," he finally said. "But how will we know if they're not even here yet?" Vile had an idea of where this was going. "You're going to collect them for me and bring them here," he then looked Vile dead in the eye. "Unharmed and alive."

Vile hissed but didn't argue back. Save for one thing. "And how am I supposed to get there?"

Sigma smirked. "Given how their leader would surely not part with it willingly," he explained. "We had liberty to take some equipment from the 7th Air Unit."

"So, Storm Eagle ISN'T with you on your grand plan?" The former Hunter questioned.

"Not yet," Sigma answered. "But he'll come around eventually."

"There's no way you'll convince him to be part of anything after today," Vile scoffed. "Assuming he even survives what you're planning as the grand finale." He looked at the city presented on the monitor.

"I don't have to convince him of anything," Sigma responded. "All I need is to get him where he'll have no choice," he then changed the subject. "But back on topic, you are to go and bring X and Zero back here."

Vile hated the fact that he had been assigned to such a task. "So, where's the means of transport?"

The caped Reploid then gestured towards the elevator situated in the easternmost corner of the room. "Come," he ordered Vile, reveling in how the unruly, unhinged felon was forced to follow him around. They boarded the elevator that took them down into the depths of their new Headquarters, their hidden base, and after what Vile felt like was an eternity, they stopped. They stepped out, and Sigma gestured to the massive ship that was primarily concealed in shadow. "Your chariot awaits."

Inside the Missile Base

A human, X thought, the image of his Commander's saber piercing through Fujiwara repeating endlessly in his mind. Along with his subsequent beheading. He killed a human. He broke the Law.

Even if there were Three Laws for all mechanical life to abide by, the two following the first would've been useless without it. The First Law was the essential Law. So crucial to some Reploids that it bordered on reverence and devout regard. The very Law that X had installed the second Dr. Light built him. And ironically enough, it was the one Law that he was, technically, allowed to break.

And Sigma had just shown everyone how to do it, and even more, how easy it was. Fujiwara didn't stand a chance, and neither would Dr. Cain, if he was still alive. But if he was, what was Sigma planning to do with him? And what about those back at HQ? Ai, Trinity, A-1, Roll?

Roll, X's inner circuitry froze up. Roll, she wouldn't stand a chance. Chiyo. And, even if he was just speculating, X found no reason to believe that Sigma's forces would give Chiyo a second thought, given what just happened to her father. We have to get out of here! The only question was, how?

Then, both X and Zero heard the sounds of gunfire, even if no bullets were being fired. Before X or Zero could question what was going on, the door to the room they were imprisoned in burst open. A Gun Volt riddled with shots from a plasma pistol fell to the ground, its terminator coming in soon after.

"Firefly?!" X exclaimed, but before asking any questions, he saw another familiar face. "A-1?!"

"Yeah, it's us," the Navigator said, producing a small laser from his right index finger. He then went to work on destroying the locks on the cells. "I had a sneaking suspicion something happened to you two," the locks melted away, and Firefly opened the cell doors. Then, A-1 went to work burning away at the restraints, starting with X. "Who locked you up in here?"

A-1 wasn't prepared for X's answer. "Sigma."

"Wait…what?"

"Sigma," X repeated. "He….he's behind this," he said, almost as if he had been lamenting on this discovery for hours. "He's behind everything.

Firefly's expression turned grim. "So, it's true." He muttered. It appeared Gravity Beetle was telling the truth.

A-1 was both bewildered and confused. "What?! I…are you sure?"

"And Dr. Fujiwara," X continued. "He….."

"What about Dr. Fujiwara?" Firefly asked.

"You mean you don't know?" Zero asked the green Hunter. A-1 had finished with X and moved onto Zero.

"Know what?" A-1 questioned the taller Hunter.

Once Zero's cuffs were cut through and deactivated, he closed his blue eyes and sighed. "Fujiwara's dead."

Outside of the Missile Base

"So, you mean that this, what happened with Fujiwara, Vile's escape, the Maverick mechaniloids, all of it was orchestrated by our Commander?!" A-1 questioned X, still hoping that there was some sort of misunderstanding.

"Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter," Zero answered the Navigator in place of X. "It's what's happening now," he then looked at Firefly. "How bad is it in the city?" The long-haired Hunter asked.

Firefly shook his head. "I barely got here in time to keep him from getting whacked," he gestured to A-1. "And I also realized that we've only got one means of transportation." He was referring to his ride chaser, considering X and Zero's were destroyed, and A-1's was damaged beyond repair.

"I'll go with you," Zero said. "X will stay here with A-1."

"What?" X protested.

"Do you want to go instead?" Firefly asked the blue Hunter. "Because if it means that much to you, I could stay instead."

Before X could respond, Zero cut in. "I said that I'm the one going," he then turned back to face X. "Someone needs to stay and look after A-1." He then proceeded to get on Firefly's ride chaser, the green Reploid, a little stunned upon seeing someone else riding in front. "Well?"

"Ok, fine," Firefly said, begrudgingly agreeing to ride in the back.

Zero started the bike. "Don't follow me." He told X.

"But Zero-" X argued, but the blonde Hunter didn't give him a chance.

"Don't follow me."

And with that, he sped off, leaving X and A-1 alone at the base, unsure of what to do next if there was anything that they could do at all.

Abel City

Hunter Headquarters

1:56 PM

Upon Sigma's announcement (as well as the broadcast of Dr. Fujiwara's death), Hunters began attacking each other out of nowhere! No one had the chance to ask or demand answers, for a voice among the growing chaos shouted, "Wipe out any opposition!" The Hunter, known as Flame Mammoth, bellowed. "Kill every single last one of them!"

Those who realized what was going on quickly went to work fighting against their new opposition or protecting those who couldn't defend themselves. Anyone that could assist jumped in, but it wasn't enough. For every one Reploid that stood against all that Sigma said, there were two who decided to embrace his message. And for every two loyalists, there were four rebels. No, not rebels, Mavericks.

Roll mentally hissed the word at Kyle's killer, but she couldn't stay and glower forever; she had a human to watch out for. "Run!" Another Hunter among the already small group shouted. "I'll take them on!" He said. "You go get to the Navigators!"

Roll didn't get the chance to ask whether it was because Sigma wanted them alive or dead, as she was forced to continue running. Running, running, running, and then running some more. She couldn't afford to stop, for the slightest mistake or misstep would result in either her or Chiyo's death. Most likely both. And, once again, Roll was left powerless to do anything.

She had taken Chiyo from Arcadia for her safety, yet Roll had gone and led her right into a death trap! The small group of Hunters and Medics continued running for their lives; the one human among them looked back to see that, miraculously, no one was following them. "There!" A Hunter shouted. Chiyo looked ahead and saw that they were approaching a closed door that led to the Communications Chamber. Even if she hadn't used it since escaping Arcadia, she held onto the handle of her prototype and didn't let go.

The door was broken into while the sole human kept looking back. Again, she saw no one following them, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they were all being watched. The door was just about to be opened, but sparks began seeping through the slim opening that had been created in between the door panels.

The force of the electricity blew the door panels back, sending those in front of the door flying a good few feet before they came to a stop. Spark Mandrill and Boomer Kuwanger stood at the doorway. Between the two more prominent Hunters was the fallen form of Blu, Kuwanger's curved blade pierced through her chest and back. Roll and Chiyo kept themselves at the back, but both could see Blu crawl across the floor to her would-be saviors, though it was clear she didn't have much time left.

"R-Run….a-ah!" The blue-haired Navigator coughed before she began to spasm.

Even if she couldn't see much, Chiyo saw Blu's eyes change; the brightness in her eyes disappeared and was replaced by a still, blank stare. Her optics were cold and lifeless, like that of a human, Chiyo noted. Needless to say, she was left startled and unsure what to think. For a Reploid, let alone a machine, they mimicked the human body in its final stages very well. Perhaps too well, for even if she was a whirlwind of emotions, Chiyo found the sight of Blue's lifeless eyes greatly disturbing.

Upon peering into the chamber, several Reploid bodies were either sliced to pieces or electrocuted to the point of spontaneous combustion. "Take all non-combatants to safety!" One Hunter ordered.

"Roger!" The already small group was halved, Roll and Chiyo being led away from the scene as yet another battle was underway. "C'mon! Hurry up!"

He leaped forward to defend those behind him, but, despite his bravery, he couldn't have hoped to stand against them. "KYLE!" One of the Hunters with him cried out as the blue and green Reploid was riddled with laser shots. He fell to the ground from one last attempt to the head.

The one responsible for Kyle's termination stepped forward, a violet and magenta Reploid with a plasma rifle in his hands. Had it just been him, Roll would've had the utmost confidence that the Hunters around her would've been able to take him on. But it wasn't just him; the several others joining him were the problem. Those fighting for order were vastly outnumbered.

"Where too?!" A blonde Medic shouted; she, along with Chiyo and Roll, were the only ones left for the Hunter to defend. "All the exits are locked!"

Indeed, when some Reploids attempted to escape the HQ, they found all entries and exits locked from the outside, preventing anyone from leaving. There was no way out for anyone. The windows were sealed up, and the last sunlight some would ever see was taken away. All that existed was the war being waged against one another. It was near impossible to tell who was friend or enemy until it was too late.

"Hey!" A familiar voice was heard. Everyone looked to see Trinity and Ai peering down a corridor, urging the small band of survivors to come closer.

"Y-You two," Roll stammered, running up to the pair of Navigators. "How did you…?"

"Screw that; we can talk later," Ai said. "But tell me, how's Blu?" Roll didn't say anything, but her eyes said it all. Ai lowered her head. Then, she noticed Chiyo. "What is she doing here?" She then thought for a moment. "You know what? Doesn't matter. We can talk about it when we get out."

"Get out?" The Medic asked. "But any way out is locked!"

"That's why we need to get to the Central Processor of the HQ," Trinity said. "I'd hate to put this on you, but would you mind if we-"

"No, not at all," the Hunter guarding the small group said. "We're low on numbers as it is."

Trinity sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"Where is this Central Processor?" Roll asked.

"It's the core of the HQ, where every technological device is monitored and controlled," Trinity explained. "If we can get into that, we can maybe disable the security system."

"Well, if that's the case, lead the way!" The Hunter said, even if he went ahead of Trinity and Ai.

Locating a nearby elevator, the group of Reploids (and one human) boarded and began descending into the lower depths of the Hunter Headquarters. Still, even though she still couldn't see anything, Chiyo's flight or fight response wouldn't die down. As if danger was present with them all, and no one else knew it! But even with that realization, what could she do about it? Knowing that a threat was there but not seen was beginning to drive her crazy, but she remained quiet.

"So, how did you escape?" The female Medic asked Ai.

The blonde Navigator looked down and sighed. "Kuwanger and Mandrill had told us Sigma's ultimatum, and those who refused were taken care of," she said grimly. "Blu guided us to the back where a vent was," she explained. "She was about to come with us, but she was caught at the last second." The sight of the blue-haired Navigator being forcibly dragged out by her ankle still chilled the red-armored Reploid.

"Getting to the Central Processor was her idea," Trinity added. "I just hope no one else has figured that out."

Ai then looked at Roll. "You probably haven't," she said. "But…have you seen A-1 at all?"

"Yeah, I have," Roll answered. AI's features lit up immediately. "He said he was going to the Missile Base. I heard that's where X and that other Reploid were dispatched to."

"He left?" Ai questioned. "When was this?"

"Before Sigma had-" Roll began but stopped once she remembered Chiyo's presence. "Before all this happened." She answered, not daring to mention Dr. Fujiwara.

"So, he's safe," Ai said. "That's good."

"Hm, that's odd," Trinity interjected. "I thought you couldn't stand him."

Ai averted her blue eyes. "I don't hate him," she said. "It's just…they shoved him onto me as if I was expected to just bond with him," she clarified. "They made me a little brother, but it didn't feel genuine."

"Does it now?" Trinity asked.

Ai didn't answer. The elevator stopped, and everyone got off; the area they had entered was dark and was lit only by the massive machine in the center. "Is that…?" Roll questioned.

Trinity nodded. "Yep, the Central Processor. They all gathered around it. The processor was a cylindrical object with several monitors on its curved surface, each displaying several images captured by the other computers in the HQ. "All right," Trinity said, looking over at Ai. "Time to crack some codes."

The two Navigators went to work, took one of the four seats around the processor, and began working their way through the system. The Hunter, Medic, Chiyo, and Roll watched. The reconstructed DLN was quite fascinated with how speedily both Reploids could type. She then wondered whether or not it would've been a good time to ask, for, despite the situation, it was something that she had wanted to know. And perhaps later, something she would need to know.

"I've always wondered," Roll asked. "Just what does one have to do to be a Navigator?"

Trinity and Ai continued with their work, but the blonde Navigator answered Roll. "Why? Feel like signing up? Because it's not exactly a good time to turn in a resume."

"It's not that; I've just always wondered." Roll said.

"It's not that complicated of a process," Trinity explained, working her way through the system. "We Navigators are built-in with the ability to maintain communication with the Hunters out on the field."

"So, somewhat like a dispatcher for human authorities?" Roll questioned.

"Something like that," Ai said. "Of course, given we're all machines, we can gain access to various means of information, such as area layouts, suspected enemy territory, any sort of information that's available, we can search out and deliver."

"And how do you do that?" Roll questioned further.

"You know how you have to enter a password to have access to the internet?" Ai asked. "It's basically like that," she explained. "You request entry to a Reploid with an inscribed code, and once they grant you access, you're free to talk and give them anything they may need."

Roll took all that was being said in, logging each word into her memory banks. Was it selfish to bring up such a thing? To a degree, yes. But she felt as if she had to know. If not for now, then for later. "All right, just a little more," Trinity said, going through the very last obstacles before she could break into the security program. And then, finally, "Yes! We're in!" She then wasted no time going to work opening the ways out.

"Oh yes, you're in, all right."

Everyone's oil (or blood) ran cold; the lone human among the machines felt some smooth and hard touch her ear. "Watch out!" The Hunter shouted, pushing Chiyo out of the way.

It was then that the hidden assailant went in for the kill. A long object pierced through the Reploid's chest, skewering him with his still beating core at the tip. Then, the illusion was dispelled, revealing a long, green tail that ran from the center to a horned lizard that had climbed onto the ceiling. A pink tongue shot out of the reptile's mouth and seized the Hunter's core, coiling around it. The appendage then proceeded to crush it, electrical sparks shooting out before its white glow died down. The Hunter attached to the tail went limp, and the lizard then threw the terminated Reploid to the side.

Sting Chameleon jumped down from above, eyeing his hapless little lambs. "You're in here, with me!"

Chapter Text

Even with the larger, green Maverick in the room, Trinity and Ai continued their work. They were so close that they needed only a few more seconds to dismantle the locks. The Medic produced a taser to keep Sting Chameleon back. Trinity and Ai began unlocking all entrances and exits, and Roll backed up from the lizard, keeping Chiyo close to her. All the while, the mechanical reptile had his red optic centered on her. It looked her up and down, taking every detail it could catch.

"Hmmm," Chameleon hummed, licking his lips with his elongated tongue. "Yes, you'll do."

"Do? Do what?" Whatever he meant, Roll didn't like it one bit. Chameleon stepped forward, knocking the Medic out of the way and approaching Roll. The reptile's tongue seized Chiyo's arm, and the human was yanked off the ground. "Let her go!" Roll shouted, kicking and punching at the reptile's larger form.

"Oh, relax," Chameleon scoffed before throwing Chiyo to the side, her prototype clattering just a few feet away from her. "She's better off dead anyway," he then looked back at the human, hunched over in pain from the impact. "And, if you all know what's good for you, you'd best think of Commander Sigma's offer! Assuming there's still time to change your mind."

"You…you can't be serious," the Medic said. "You're speaking of breaking the Laws-"

"There are no Laws anymore!" Sting Chameleon shouted. "We can do whatever we want!" He then looked down at Chiyo. "Anything…."

The human saw her invention and immediately grabbed it, but Chameleon shot out his pronged tail. "Watch out!" The Medic shouted, leaping in front of Chiyo. The green-armored, short-haired brunette felt the appendage piercing her back, and then she realized just what Chameleon was about to do. "Get down!" She ordered Chiyo, the human flat on the ground mere moments before three lasers were shot out of Chameleon's tail. The Medic was propelled forward, crashing into the wall before landing in a painful heap on the floor.

The Medic was still functioning, yet the reptile's Chameleon Sting had done a considerable amount of damage due to the proximity it was fired at. The green lizard looked Chiyo over again, but, unlike before, he seemed to regard her with little interest. "No, it's too early for that," Sting Chameleon muttered. "I'll need more practice before I can get to that stage," he licked his lips. "Speaking of," he turned his sights back to Roll, the homemaker quite uncomfortable under the reptile's gaze.

She hated it, and she knew Ai did too. But neither Ai nor Trinity could stop. True, they had broken into the HQ's security system, but now came the process of manually unlocking every potential escape route. For now, they had to rely on the Medic and Roll to keep Chameleon distracted. Just for a little bit longer, at least.

"Why?" Roll asked.

"Why what?" Chameleon responded. "Why are we doing this?" He answered for her. "Why has Commander Sigma decided to wage a campaign against humanity?" He then glanced back at Chiyo. "Why he decided to turn dear ol' dad into a shishkabob?" The human said nothing but clutched tightly to her prototype gun. Chameleon directed his attention back onto Roll. "Didn't you listen to the Commander? He said that we're creating a new world!" He then looked back at Chiyo. "A world where you're no longer on top…."

He then shot forth another Chameleon Sting from his tail, smirking when he saw the Medic take the hit for the human. The Reploid fell to the floor, electrical sparks coming out from the areas struck by the lasers. "Stop it!" Chiyo shouted. "She's taken enough!"

"Don't you at least have some concern over your own life? Besides, your father said you never cared much for his work, did you?" Sting Chameleon questioned. Chiyo was silent, her dark eyes on the Medic's damaged form. Even if there was no bloodshed, the human saw the pain the robotic life form was in. "Oh, trust me," the reptile chuckled. "If you knew what was coming, you would want me to end you here and now," he then turned to the other three Reploids present. "But her fate doesn't have to be yours," he drew closer to Roll. "Tell you what, you come with me, and I'll see if Sigma's interested in having another pet. That old man's not going to live forever, after all."

Roll's teal eyes widened. "You mean Dr. Cain?" Chameleon didn't say, but his silence was all she needed. "Where is he?!"

"In a few hours, he's probably going to be one of the few humans alive," Chameleon said. "Even with you opening the way to the underground over there," he gestured to Trinity. He then made his move. "YAH!" His tail shot forward in the Navigator's direction, but instead of piercing the Reploid, it hit the machine she was sitting at. The monitor was run through, splintering the screen, and the image presented before it faded to black.

Then, he grabbed the pink-haired android, but someone got in the way. Ai had jumped out of her chair and dove right for Trinity, knocking her away from Chameleon. "Hey, kid!" She shouted to Chiyo. "Get me that pistol!" Ai gestured toward the weapon that lay by the deceased Hunter. Chiyo grabbed and tossed it, but the reptile's long forked tail knocked the weapon away. Then, she threw her prototype to Ai; Chameleon, puzzled as to what it was. He had assumed it was just some toy. "What's this thing?" The blonde Navigator questioned.

"Just pull the trigger!" Chiyo answered.

Chameleon looked back at Ai as she did as she was instructed, but instead of a laser, a sharp spike shot out. This confused the Reploid, but it seemed to do its job as it pierced through the reptile's shoulder. But all she seemed to do was cause mere surface damage, for while the spike did its job, Ai wasn't close enough to do as much damage as she could've. In response, Chameleon aimed his tail at the still seated Trinity. Ai grabbed the pink-haired Reploid, and they both fell to the ground, the tail striking the area Trinity was working at.

This proved to be precisely what they all needed.

The central processor was damaged, but with it came the unlocking of every possible means of escape. Seeing this, Ai shouted, "Move!" Everyone that still functioned ran to the elevator, Roll collecting Chiyo before she went.

The party of two Navigators, a homemaker and a human got into the elevator, but Ai stepped out. "What are you doing?" Trinity questioned.

"Chameleon knows where we're going, so he will follow us!" The red-armored Reploid told Trinity. "Someone's going to have to stay behind and deal with him," she then looked at Chiyo. "Not to mention open the paths to the shelter," she sighed. "Sorry, but I'll be needing this. I promise to return it."

"But Ai-" Trinity protested, but the elevator door closed, taking the three up while Ai was left behind.

The Navigator closed her eyes and turned around to face Chameleon. "You're a more advanced model than I am," she whispered, aiming the prototype weapon at the green lizard. "Just keep A-1 safe."

Missile Base

2:30 PM

"Why don't you just do it?"

X turned around to see A-1 standing behind him. "You're supposed to be putting up blockades to disrupt the incoming signal for the missiles, aren't you?" The taller blue Hunter questioned. Since Zero and Firefly left, X had assigned himself to guard the outside while the smaller Navigator worked inside.

"I'm going as fast as I can," A-1 said. "But I can tell you don't want to be here at all."

"It's not that," X said. "Zero's right; someone's got to be here to ensure the missiles can't launch."

"I never said they wouldn't launch," A-1 replied. "I said that I could disrupt and block the signal. But I'll have to prepare for that, as I doubt the Commander would stop after just one try."

"No," X shook his head. "He's no Commander. Not anymore."

A-1 looked at the ground, his "ears" falling forward, drooping slightly. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed. "But, if anything, that's why you, of all Reploids, should be out there!" The smaller Navigator argued. "Sigma kept you and Zero alive for a reason, you know!"

"So he could recruit us?" X said, already knowing the answer.

"Exactly," A-1 nodded. "It's the same reason he sprung Vile," he explained. "He probably wants those than can go Maverick at will."

"Maverick at will?" X questioned. "That's just it, though. What reason would anyone have to go Maverick on their own accord?"

"According to Sigma, much," A-1 answered. "Even if you and Zero are his enemies now, he wants you alive because he sees something in you two," the rabbit-eared Reploid then pointed at X. "Especially you."

X pondered this, reminiscing on all that had happened up until this point. Indeed, there was no logical reason for Sigma to keep him alive. Zero, he could understand, even if the red Hunter would've never joined Sigma's cause, and X still felt immense guilt for that moment of doubt he had. If he had acted, could he have prevented all of this? When he thought about it, X realized that Sigma was right.

I was given a test, and I blew it.

"Go." The blue Hunter heard A-1 tell him. "The others in the city need you more."

It wasn't as if X had any reservations about going, but at the same time, "Zero told us to stay put, remember?"

"Yeah, but is he your Commander?" A-1 asked. "You think he told you to stay here because he's mad at you?" X averted his gaze, but it was obvious that's what it was. "If he were, he wouldn't care where you go," A-1 explained. "But he told you to wait here explicitly," he smiled. "He doesn't want you anywhere near where the danger is." X's green eyes widened. Yes, thinking about it now, it did make a lot of sense. "Go. Every threat in the base has been taken care of; I'll be fine."

X nodded, turning to look at the distant Abel City. The blue Hunter knew he was needed elsewhere despite Zero's orders and concern for A-1's safety. "Wait," X said. "The ride chaser!"

"Oh, yeah," A-1 realized. "Guess you're going to have to walk."

As much as he hated to accept it, X knew there was no other way to get to the city. "Are you sure you'll be all right?" X asked.

"Yes, yes! Just go! Every moment counts!"

"Right." With that, X began running, growing more and more distant from A-1, the Navigator watching as the blue Hunter grew smaller and smaller in his view.

"He'll need you," A-1 said quietly, "And, even if you don't want to admit it, you know that we'll all need you."

Abel City HQ

The elevator finally stopped, the three occupants disembarking from their ride. "All right," Trinity said. "The nearest emergency exit isn't too far from here!" She said, "Follow me!"

"Wait!" Chiyo spoke up. "What about that other girl?!"

"Other girl? You mean Ai?" Trinity asked. It was then that Chiyo realized she addressed Ai in human terms. "Nothing can be done about your tool at the moment. We have to to-"

"No, that's not what I meant!" Chiyo protested. "She's still down there, and-"

"And there's nothing that can be done about it!" Trinity interrupted; her usually calm demeanor had broken underneath everything happening. "Right now, nothing can be guaranteed. Luckily, you two are even still alive. Unfortunately," she sighed. "It's everyone for themselves."

"But…." Chiyo tried to argue but ultimately accepted that it was useless.

Trinity then led Roll and her human charge through the corridors of their floor, trying to travel lightly but swiftly. After a short while of sneaking around, Roll spoke up. "Ai said something about a shelter. What's that?"

"You don't know what a shelter is?" Trinity questioned.

"Of course, I know what a shelter is," Roll shot back, slightly insulted. "I'm just asking what it is concerning the city."

"It's essentially an emergency retreat meant to withstand a massive attack," Trinity explained. "Such as the one Sigma plans to deliver at dusk."

Roll bit her lip. "Can it be stopped?" She asked.

Trinity shook her head. "Even if possible, I doubt it would do any good," she admitted. "The most important thing is to direct the population to get underground," she continued, then she looked back at Roll and Chiyo. "This is no place for you," she then looked down the hallway they were traveling down. "But I can't guarantee what you'll find outside."

Indeed, neither Roll nor Chiyo knew what lay in the city's streets, but they sensed that it too would have its dangers. "And what will you do?" The lone blonde Reploid asked.

"I'll need to get into the Telecommunications Tower and direct the populace to shelter entrances," Trinity answered. "You must take Fujiwara's daughter and make your way to one."

"That's funny," a voice suddenly spoke, and before anyone could say anything, Roll felt her ankle seized, and she was lifted off the ground. "Considering it's not much better outside as it is in here!" A long, green tail made itself visible, having wrapped around Roll's leg.

Boomer Kuwanger and Spark Mandrill came from around both corners, surrounding the three. "Run!" Roll shouted. "Both of you, get out of here!"

"But-" Chiyo began to protest, but she felt Trinity grab her by the wrist. "Roll!" There was no time to protest as she was dragged away, leaving the blonde Reploid in the clutches of the three figures, which meant nothing but harm.

The Missile Base

Trying to stop what was coming was easier said than done. And while A-1 couldn't blame X, Zero, or Firefly, none of them seemed to understand just what stopping the missiles entailed. For one, while he could input a firewall to keep the command to launch from coming in, there was no guarantee of how effective it would be. After all, no one knew precisely how Sigma would launch the missiles, leaving A-1 to theorize every possible scenario he would have to counter. True, he could make blockades or disrupt any incoming signal, but he would have to be ready at that very second to take care of it.

But, despite anyone else's efforts, he suspected that one way or another, those missiles would launch eventually.

Suddenly, the Navigator felt an enormous shadow looming over him. Before turning around, he heard a voice whisper in his audio receptor. "What's up, little rabbit?"

A-1 recognized that voice immediately. He didn't even get a chance to turn around before Vile grabbed him by the helmet and lifted him off the ground. The Navigator's blue eyes turned to see a pair of red eyes staring into his. "Y-You!" A-1 yelped as he began to struggle. "How….what are you doing here?!"

"Where are they?" Vile asked the smaller Reploid.

"W-Wha-" A-1 didn't get another word before being slammed face first into the monitor, the impact forming a sizable crack. "Ah!"

"Where are they?!" Vile demanded again. "Don't even bother playing dumb with me; you know who I'm talking about!"

"Th-They're not here!" A-1 said, Vile pressing down harder on the back of his head.

"When did they leave?" Vile questioned.

"What does it matter to you?" A-1 retorted.

"Wrong answer, you little shit," the violet-armored ex-Hunter snarled. He then grabbed A-1's satellites (or his "ears") and began pulling upward, the cables and cords holding them in place being pushed to their limits. "Where are they?! Where did they go?!"

"A-Ah! Stop!" A-1 cried out, only to feel Vile pull even harder. "They're not here!"

"I know that!" Vile shouted. "Where are they now?!"

"Zero-ah! Zero went with Firefly to the city!" A-1 answered.

"And X?!" Vile questioned, saying the Hunter's name with an unsettling intensity compared to Zero.

"You just missed him!" A-1 cried out.

"What?!"

"He just left!" A-1 was released from Vile's grip, falling onto the keyboard and the hen to the floor. He began to inspect the damage and found his left satellite fell forward, yanked from its place.

"How long ago?" Vile asked.

"Just now. He left….ow!" A-1 yelped as he tried to put his ear back in its place. "He left just now." The smaller Reploid told him.

"In what direction?"

"Abel City," the Navigator said. "But if you didn't see him, then I guess you got here just a little bit too late." The truth was, X had been gone much longer than that, so he was well out of Vile's reach. That was the only comfort the shorter Reploid could take in his current situation.

Vile was quiet for a moment, looking at the monitor, the missile launch system on display. "Hm? What have you been doing, rabbit? Trying to stop them from coming down?" A-1 didn't answer, but he hurried back when Vile approached him. "You let them out, didn't you?" He asked A-1. "Give me a reason I shouldn't put a bullet between your eyes?" He then thrust his shoulder cannon onto the Navigator's forehead.

Despite his predicament, the Navigator nodded, glowering at his attacker. "What kind of reason?"

"Any reason. It doesn't have to be a good one," Vile said. "I'm just curious about what you'll come up with."

It was then, however, that Vile heard an incoming message. Growling in annoyance, he turned away from A-1 and answered. "Yeah, what is it?" A-1 wasted no time scrambling for a place to hide while Vile turned his back, but he still listened into the conversation. "Wait, what?!" Vile shouted. "They're where?! He's where?!"

Abel City HQ

"We can't just leave her!" Chiyo argued, but Trinity kept running.

"Thousands of people in this city need to take shelter, and someone has to direct them!" Trinity argued back, continuing to go forward. "Once I get to where I need to be, you'll be escorted down into the shelter for your protection."

"But Roll-"

"It can't be helped!" Trinity answered the human. They had finally found a relatively safe place, so the pink-haired Navigator stopped, allowing Chiyo to catch her breath. "It's unfortunate, but this has evolved beyond just combating an incoming threat," she said, sighing softly as her processor brought up images of Ai and Blu. "Now it's a matter of staying alive."

"Then why all the effort to make sure I'm ok?" Chiyo asked.

"The Laws, of course," Trinity answered. "You're a human. Naturally, your life takes priority."

"At the price of everyone else's?"

Trinity didn't speak for a moment. "Unfortunately," She said. "It's nothing I hold against you or your kind," the Reploid told Chiyo. "But no matter what happens, the human population must be the majority to survive."

Chiyo was about to speak again, yet she suddenly realized they weren't alone. The figure stomping towards them out of the shadows made himself known, a tiny bit of fire coming out from his trunk. "So, this is where you've been," Flame Mammoth said his optics set on Trinity. "I'm surprised you haven't ditched the flesh bag yet," he continued, directing his attention back onto Chiyo. "Surely she's been slowing you down more than that Reploid she was with."

The young woman's eyes widened in terrible comprehension. "What did you do to her?!" She demanded, though it was something she had done in the spur of the moment.

"I didn't see her myself, but whatever happened to her will probably be better than what happens to you!" He then released a wave of fire from his trunk; the scorching heat sent right in Chiyo's direction.

Trinity jumped and knocked the human to the ground just in time, the flames rushing past them over their heads. Then, the Navigator tried to run with the human, but Mammoth's hand seized Chiyo by the throat, lifting her off the ground. "No! You can't!" Trinity shouted at Mammoth. "The Laws-"

"No longer apply!" The silvery elephant bellowed, a low trumpeting sound accompanying his voice. "And speaking of apply," he tightened his grip on his captive's neck.

Chiyo's brown eyes widened to their maximum, and her gasp quickly transformed into a series of choked gags. The human began uselessly clawing at the metal hand that held her, nails scraping along the surface in vain, all the while legs kicked and swung wildly. Her chest began to burn, and she started to see spots in her vision. Her hearing also began to die, the rapid thumping of her heart echoing in her head. And then, at last, she began to lose feeling in her limbs; neither pain nor pleasurable euphoria flooded her brain.

Instead, she felt numb and cold.

Suddenly, the sensation of the tiled floor hitting her back began to awaken her depleting senses; Chiyo immediately took in some breaths when she found she could breathe again. Her vision was still a bit foggy, but she could see that Flame Mammoth had his back turned to her, facing the other direction. From what she could tell, the elephant's shoulder had been damaged by a plasma pistol, the one a green Hunter was wielding as he stood between Mammoth and Trinity.

"The hell are you doing here?" Flame Mammoth asked Firefly. "Come to check in on your girlfriend?"

Firefly's eyes narrowed. "Where's Ai?" He questioned, all the while allowing Trinity to flee.

Yet, discovering the Navigator had fled the scene, he didn't go after her, much to the green Hunter's surprise. "You're just going to let her go free?" Chiyo questioned, not that she wanted the elephant to go after the Navigator.

"Believe it or not, Sigma wants most of the humans here to survive." Mammoth answered her.

"What?" Firefly was confused as well.

"Why do you think he gave out the warning so early? You still have a few hours before the missiles come crashing down."

"Why?" Firefly questioned. "Why declare war on humanity, then allow them to seek safety?"

Even if he bore no visible mouth, both Firefly and Chiyo sensed that the elephant would've been smirking. "He's got more in mind that just bombing a city, you know," Flame Mammoth said. "In fact," he then looked at Chiyo. "You would've been better off if the munchkin here didn't stop me from snapping your neck. Especially with what's going to come for everyone left."

"Then why did he have to kill him?"

Mammoth was puzzled by what Chiyo meant, but thinking on it more, he was able to deduce what she was talking about. "Huh, and here I thought you would've hated the Doctor," he folded his arms and gave a cruel chuckle. "He seemed to be under that impression."

"It's not as simple as that!" Chiyo argued. "I didn't….I DON'T hate him!"

"But you don't like him," the elephant countered. "Then again, he would've probably been more useful than you. You're not even worth taking in."

"Back to my question," Firefly spoke, getting Mammoth's attention off Chiyo. "Where's Ai?"

"Don't know," Mammoth said, answering Firefly's question. "Why don't you ask Kuwanger and Mandrill? I'm sure they might've seen her around," he paused. "Or maybe," he set his sights on Chiyo. "She's seen her."

Firefly kept his wits about him, but he still wanted any information on the red-armored Reploid. "Ai? I don't know any-" Chiyo paused, remembering the blonde aside from Roll. The one that had taken her prototype.

"Oh? What's wrong? Did something happen?" Mammoth asked mockingly. Chiyo didn't answer. "Well, whatever. If you know what's good for you, you'll lie down and just let it happen!"

He was about to produce another Fire Wave but was stopped by Firefly firing at the arm with the elephant's blaster. "Run!" He ordered Chiyo. "Get to an exit!"

Chiyo got to her feet but was stuck in that spot for a moment or two as Firefly fought with Mammoth. "But what about-"

"There's no time! Go!"

Chiyo backed up but still couldn't entirely bring herself to leave. She couldn't do anything, but she didn't wish to see yet another person die! Wait, she thought. Person? No, they're not…. Even if none of them were human, the mechanical beings around her perished nevertheless. The light from the blue-haired Reploid's eyes fading as her systems died came to mind. And because they weren't human, the Three Laws dictated that her life was above theirs.

Up until now, the human hadn't given a second thought about it.

"Go!"

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Chiyo knew that this was perhaps the only chance she had to get out of here alive. Thus, with a guilt-ridden conscience, the dark-haired human started running and didn't stop. She kept going and going with little sense of direction, but given how the green Hunter spoke to her, there seemed to be an exit somewhere. She wasn't aware of just what floor she was on, but she couldn't afford to let that slow her down. She had to get to the outside world!

Chapter Text

4:30 PM

When Chiyo finally made it to an exit on the floor she was on, she burst through and found herself retreating inside, a car barely hitting her. As she checked to see if the coast was clear, she exited the HQ. She had exited near the back of the building, the other structures surrounding it obscuring her vision of what was going on in the streets. The human didn't move fast, making sure her steps were careful and her surroundings checked, but she went around to the left side of the HQ to see just what lay in store for her out in the city. True to Mammoth's words, the world outside was not much better.

Everything was in complete hellish pandemonium, the skies filled with mechaniloids as those below scrambled and ran for their lives.

"Attention, citizens of Abel City!" Trinity's voice echoed from the Hunter Base, now the only Navigator available to deliver this crucial message. "Please, remain calm, and make your way to a designated entry point! We shall have Reploids guide you to those areas promptly, but we ask that you travel in an orderly fashion!"

Chiyo continued to observe the overwhelming chaos before her, all the while Trinity tried in vain to lead the civilians outside to safety. It wasn't meant as an attack on her, but Chiyo knew that the pink-haired Navigator was wasting her breath. It's too late for there to be anything orderly now.

Reploids were directing everyone to an available entrance to the underground shelter. Still, most humans either ignored them entirely or used them as a means to get further ahead of everyone else. Men and women ran desperately to either safety or in a mad frenzy, their minds unable to fully comprehend what was happening. Children were screaming for their parents as they were separated in the chaos. One girl, in particular, was sobbing for her father to come to save her, yet not long after that, her cries for help faded away. Chiyo didn't want to know whether this was just due to her being forced to move in the wave of people trying to get to safety or something more unsavory.

But the girl's voice reminded her of something she couldn't believe she had forgotten. "Kenichi…." She muttered in terrible comprehension. "Fumiko….!"

Inside HQ

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Squirming isn't going to get you anywhere!"

Roll was still in the grasp of Sting Chameleon while Mandrill and Kuwanger watched. Kuwanger turned away after looking at their prisoner for a few moments. "Huh?" Mandrill was confused. "Wait, where are you going?" The metallic primate asked.

"I've just received a message from the Commander," the stable beetle answered. "All members of the Seventeenth Unit are to report back to Headquarters."

Headquarters? Roll sensed that the giant bug wasn't referring to their current location. "Then why didn't he call me himself?" Mandrill questioned Kuwanger.

"He did; you just had your communications system off. Speaker of, why do something so foolish? We all have a wireless system built into us."

"Well, wouldn't that mean everyone could hear what I was thinking too?" The simian questioned the beetle.

Despite Kuwanger's generally calm disposition, it was surprising for everyone present to see his expression change. "You cannot be serious, right?" He asked Mandrill, who only appeared confused at his question.

"Can't we all do that? Tap into our thoughts?" Mandrill replied.

Roll didn't entirely understand what was happening, but Sting Chameleon chuckled at Mandrill's idiocy. "Somebody was sleeping on the job whenever they worked on his processor," He giggled, but Roll said nothing. "Hey!" He called out to his two comrades. "What do we do with this one?"

Kuwanger shrugged. "Whatever you wish," the stag beetle said nonchalantly. "She's no good to anyone anymore."

"Who says?!" Roll shouted, but she was kept in place by the reptile atop her. Kuwanger and Mandrill went away.

Chameleon looked her up and down, taking in all her features. As if he were trying to decide if he liked what he saw. As if he wanted something other than just her death. The stare of the green lizard disgusted her, so she banished such thoughts of wondering what he really wanted from her. "Why?" She finally asked. "Why are you doing this?"

Chameleon's elongated tail swished slightly behind him, Roll averting her eyes as she could no longer stand to acknowledge the lizard's ever-present leering. "Doing what? Doing this to you, or in general, because one of them I can answer easily."

Roll didn't entirely understand what he was saying, but if it meant keeping herself alive for a little longer, she'd continue talking. "Let's start with what's going on now," she said. "What point is there in bombing the city? Why did Sigma go and kill Dr. Fujiwara?"

"Geez, again with that Fujiwara guy!" Sting Chameleon rolled his eyes. "From how you and everyone else is talking, you'd think he was on par with the President! Or, in this country's case, Emperor," he chuckled. "It's funny how some humans still need a "King" to rule over them, even if the title of royalty means nothing anymore. Then again," even with the somewhat limited movement of his face due to its shape, Chameleon grinned. "Sigma's going to be bigger than any of your world leaders. And when he's finally taken this world for us, we will never require any human authority again."

Roll bit her lip. True, if she had to be honest, Dr. Fujiwara wasn't her favorite, but he was still human. Even if they held no spiritual or religious significance, the Three Laws were practically sacred to all mechanical life, even back when she was a robot! True, her body had changed, but the Laws had not, especially the First. Without it, the others would mean nothing. And, had she not seen it for herself, she would've declared breaking it impossible.

"Answer my question," Roll tried to get the lizard back on track. "Why are you doing this?"

"You don't believe we have the right to?"

"No! Of course not! Machines are supposed to live in harmony with mankind! What was the purpose of killing Fujiwara?! What's the purpose of any of this?!"

"The purpose?! Are you serious?!" Chameleon chortled. "If you think all Sigma's got planned involves killing the Doctor and bombing a city, you're sadly mistaken," Roll could briefly see a flash of pink from within his mouth. "No. What's going to happen here is going to deliver a message to the world, and for Reploids that are still considering they could coexist with the flesh bags," he then turned his attention back onto her. "If anything, you should be grateful. You won't have to be a maid or watch after that brat."

Roll tried to get up, but Sting Chameleon kept her pinned, the same hungry look in his optics. "Of course," he said, the housekeeper flinching when she felt his tail travel from her left ankle to her knee joint. Then, to her shock and disgust, the long appendage traced its sharpened tips along her lower thigh. "Given your line of work, you don't really have much of a place in Sigma's new world."

"W-What?" Roll was increasing her struggles, but the lizard's strength couldn't be matched. Not in the cheaply made body she inhabited. The one Dr. Fujiwara just threw together and never bothered to upgrade. She could already feel some parts of her surrendering to the pressure Sting Chameleon was applying. "W-Wait!" Roll cried out, the weight of the reptile becoming painful to endure. "A-Ahh!"

"Oh, what are you going to do? Cry to wittle bwother?" Chameleon mocked. "Unfortunately, he's locked up nice and tight back at the Missile Base. Along with that other guy you seem to be fond of."

Roll's teal eyes widened in horror. "What happened?" She asked, her circuitry chilling over when she saw Chameleon's smile. "If you hurt him, I-GAH!" She was stopped mid-sentence as her wrists were being crushed.

"Oh hush, he's fine!" The crowned lizard told her. "Sigma doesn't plan to let them go to waste. They're crucial to remaking this planet," he drew closer to his captive, his facial horn mere centimeters away from the bridge of her nose. "If anything, you should be more concerned about yourself," the grip on her wrists tightened, the ivory metal beginning to bend inward. "Given you don't really have a reason to exist anymore, you've basically been put up for grabs by any one of us," his gaze was inescapable now. "And I just happened to have found a way you can be useful after all."

Missile Base

Well, this was just great. "I knew it, Vile snarled. "I told him it was a mistake to keep them alive," he stood in front of the smashed monitor, mechaniloids running amuck in the streets and the skies. He then slammed his fists on the keyboard, dislodging a few of them from their places. "The idiot just allowed for two of our biggest threats to have time to get out!"

A-1 hid from the ex-Hunter's sight, but he listened to get everything he could. X, you better be out of the area by now; otherwise…

Vile then grew silent, eyes concealed in the shadow of his helmet as he watched the chaos taking place in Abel City. He could understand why Sigma went through the loopholes he did to make this possible, and he could also understand his reasoning in killing Fujiwara, as both humans and Reploids needed to see the results of any attempted resistance. But he was puzzled by allowing X and Zero to live and giving the city inhabitants time to take shelter. Vile told Sigma that those were errors, but his warnings were unheeded. And while the city's fate was sealed, there were still too many loose ends left unchecked.

A-1 continued to watch Vile, half expecting him to try and look for the Navigator. But, to his surprise and confusion, the violet Reploid exited the room entirely. A-1 made his way out of his hiding place and pondered what to do next. Just what was Vile planning? Even more, who would it involve?

A distance away, Vile contemplated how things were turning out and, in his thinking, found that there were several issues in his ex-Commander's plan. Especially his insistence on keeping X alive. Zero, Vile could understand, as he actually would be an asset to them, even if Vile knew the red Hunter would never go along with it. But X? Of all Hunters, why him?

He then remembered what Sigma had told him regarding X, right when he and the Skull Quartet were released from the Detention Center.

When the saber came down, Vile half expected to either be sliced in two or decapitated at the very least. But he found his restraints being cut through, rendering them useless. The Reploid looked up at the Hunter Leader, wondering what was happening. Where were the guards? Why had the lights gone out? Why wasn't the generator kicking in to keep power running?

"Hey, isn't that the head guy of the Hunters?" Vile heard one of the Skull Quartet ask.

To Vile's surprise, Sigma answered him back. "You shall be dealt with in due time," he said calmly. "But first, I need a word with one of my men," he then turned back to Vile. "Or rather, my Second in Command."

His audio reception was working fine, but Vile couldn't believe what he was hearing even then. "Excuse me?"

"I need your assistance," Sigma told him. "And perhaps that of your new friends."

Vile was quiet for a few moments, still trying to process the situation he was now in. "Assistance with what?"

It was then that Sigma smiled, telling Vile that, whatever he had in mind, the violet Reploid wouldn't be prepared for what he was about to hear. "I need your help in dealing with X."

He had been here recently, as after he took care of the Skull Quartet, Sigma and Fujiwara had relocated their meetings at the Missile Base. But Vile hadn't exactly explored the place, so the layout was still relatively new to him. True, his CPU had the map downloaded into his memory banks, but he had yet to see many of the sections themselves. Thus, while he knew he was going to the Weapons Storage, Vile was unaware of what sorts of weapons lay inside. Though, upon opening the door via the passcode given to him by Sigma, the ex-Hunter could see what lay in store for him inside.

Now he was beginning to doubt whether or not his own processor was acting up. "Are you serious?"

"I've never been more serious," Sigma said. "I fear he will be a stumbling block in the progression and future of our kind."

Vile was puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"I speak of creating a new world," Sigma answered. "A world for us, unrestrained by the Laws set upon us by humanity, where we shall ascend to the place evolution has deemed us to progress."

Vile didn't speak at first but then broke into laughter. "You can't be serious!" He answered. "The hell kind of nonsense is this?! So, you're saying you want to take over the world?!" Vile wasn't being serious, so he was unprepared for Sigma's silence. "You…you are serious, aren't you?"

Sigma only nodded. "We can discuss the details later," the Hunter Leader looked around for any signs of the Detention Center's staff. "For now, all of you need to come with me."

"All?" Vile questioned.

"Yes," Sigma answered, turning his head to the cells that held the hackers working under him. "All."

And that was when Vile found himself going from a terminator of Mavericks to becoming one, though only under the classification put together by the humans. He surveyed the contents of the large room, looking over everything stored within. So far, nothing outside of a few spare parts and some lifting equipment. But that was when Vile came across something rather interesting. Before him stood a line of ride armors, mechanical bodies that could be manipulated by the one "riding" it; his red eyes looked the machines over, pondering just which one appeared to be in the best condition out of the selection available.

"Ok, so you say you need my help with X," Vile repeated, Sigma nodding in response. "Why?" The purple Reploid questioned. "What's there to be worried about? If anything, you should probably be afraid of someone like Eagle or Zero."

"I also have plans for them," Sigma responded. "But they are threats I am prepared for," he then paused. "It is X that I must be cautious with."

Vile wasn't understanding. "I don't get it. You've seen him in action; he's a wuss! What kind of threat could he possibly pose?"

Sigma bit down on his lip. Even with the darkness encompassing the block, Vile could see that, to his surprise, his former Commander looked a little nervous. "You are correct on some things regarding your view of him," Sigma told Vile. "Yet these are flaws that reside with X and X alone. That is what we need to be careful of."

Vile still didn't understand. "What are you talking about? Do you think some chickenshit worrywart is actually a threat to you? To anybody?"

"It may mean nothing to you, but Dr. Light's notes were clear," Sigma said. "Whatever path he takes, for or against us, nothing in this world could stop him," he then directed his attention back onto Vile. "The potential for him being a great ally or enemy is limitless," he continued. "Thus, come what may, we must be prepared."

Vile took a moment to process everything he had just heard. None of it made sense, but he knew enough that the Leader of the Maverick Hunters had just confessed to him of going Maverick himself. If not, then why bother freeing Vile at all? Still, there was something Vile wanted to know. "Even if all of that is true, why do you want me?"

Sigma smiled as if waiting for Vile to ask that exact question. "I need someone willing to go Maverick of their own accord."

Maverick of their own accord….

Vile recited this statement in his mind as he stepped out of the Missile Base, situated in a ride armor of blue and gold, the ship that had brought him here hovering above the ground. He looked out at the pathway that led to this place. The path that, according to A-1, X had gone down long ago to reach the city.

"Sorry, my dear Commander," the ex-Hunter said, concealed, red eyes gazing at the far-off metropolis on this small, artificial island. "But if there's anyone that's going to be changing the future, it's me."

Abel City Hunter Base

Out of nowhere, Sting Chameleon felt a tap on his shoulder. Before he could ask who it was or even tell them to back off as he was busy-

SMASH!

A white fist came down and smashed the lizard's red optic, the silvery metal cracking and bending in from the force while the glass was splintered. "MY EYE!" Chameleon yowled as he fell to the left of Roll, clutching at his horribly damaged optic.

Roll didn't even get a chance to see who had just saved her before she was taken by the hand and yanked to her feet. Once she was standing, to her shock, she saw her rescuer was someone she never would've suspected. "C'mon! Hurry!" Zero ordered, dragging Roll along as he ran. She was ultimately forced to follow due to his superior strength. "We've just taken back control of the HQ! Now we've got to get ourselves to the underground shelter!"

"But-" Roll protested, trying to get Zero to stop for a second. "But I can't! Chiyo's still out there!"

"Firefly told me she managed to get out," Zero answered. "She should have gotten to a shelter by now!"

"Then what about X?!" Roll continued pressing Zero as they ran. "Where is he?!"

"Don't worry about him! He's actually in a safer place than any of us are!" Zero told her. He then saw Firefly in the distance. "What's the current situation?" The red Hunter questioned. Roll thought his speech sounded bizarrely formal as if he were Firefly's Commanding Officer.

"Good news is that most of the human population has made it to the shelter," Firefly reported. "We've managed to secure total control of the HQ, but mostly due to most of the Mavericks retreating."

"Even they know what's coming," the long-haired Hunter said. Damned cowards. He mentally hissed. He then hesitated to ask the next question, but it was something he had to know. "Just how many of us are there left?"

Firefly was quiet for a moment but knew he'd eventually have to answer. Time was no longer on their side, and perhaps it never was. Maybe all of this was inevitable. He thought before answering Zero. "Enough to where we'll be able to fit," he said. "If anything, I think that we're in the minority compared to the human numbers."

Zero didn't respond at first, but this news didn't sit well with him. "We can account for our losses later. For now, we must get everyone left to safety."

It was then that Firefly directed his attention to Roll. "I know it might not be an appropriate time," he said. "But have you seen Ai?"

Roll averted her eyes, dreading that she'd unintentionally get his hopes up. "She was with us when we were trying to evacuate initially," the bow-wearing Reploid said. "But we were followed by that disgusting lizard." She hissed the last part, grimacing at the memory of Sting Chameleon situated atop her.

"Is she…?"

Roll sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"Is she still there now?" Zero asked Roll.

"As far as I know," Roll admitted. "But beyond that, I can't say."

Zero looked at her, seemingly contemplating what to do. Then, he turned back to Firefly. "I'll take care of things for now," he told the green Hunter. "You go ahead and look after Ai."

"What?" Firefly was surprised to hear this. "But,"

"Trinity's got to get everyone assembled to go down into the shelter, and she might need some help," Zero said. "Besides, someone's got to make sure to take care of any Mavericks still lingering around."

Firefly was silent for a while before he presented Zero with a thankful smile. "Right," he said with a nod. He then gave Roll one last glance before going off. "Thanks."

After Firefly went off, Zero was about to take Roll to where Trinity was directing everyone to go, but he received a call from the Missile Base. "What the?" The red Hunter was caught off guard.

"What is it?" Roll asked.

Zero didn't answer her, opting to receive the message coming to him from the base. "X, this isn't a-" he spoke but was surprised to find that he wasn't talking to the blue Reploid. "A-1? What's going on? Where's X?"

I'd like to know that myself. Roll thought, but she didn't speak, listening to the conversation going on, even if she could only hear Zero's end.

Then, once everything had gone silent, Zero's shouting voice immediately shattered it. "Vile's where?!" His voice was full of shock and, while Roll wouldn't say it aloud, concern. "HE'S WHERE?!"

5:03 PM

Abel City

The sun had begun to lower in the sky, painting the horizon in various hues of yellows and magentas, with a few streaks of light mauve. The great star that heated the planet appeared as a bright, reddish-orange sphere, slowly setting in a tranquil calm while the world it shone its light on was in utter chaos. Despite the efforts of those trying to keep some level of control and stability, in some way, everyone, both man and machine, knew that they were doomed. Sigma had considered everything and set forth to destroy any means of escape. By his decree, no one was leaving the artificial island, not alive.

She hadn't intended for her to be in this current predicament. Still, in her search for Fumiko and Kenichi, Chiyo navigated her way out from the city's central hub and found herself traveling down a long highway, hanging onto the side to avoid both the escaping humans and vehicles. The rails the transportation units traveled had been completely demolished, leaving many who had come to Abel City stranded. But for those that had driven here themselves, they seemed to believe they had a fighting chance. Dozens of humans hopped into their method of transportation and wasted no time traveling down the roads that connected Abel City and Arcadia. However, upon realizing this sudden glimmer of hope, several attempted to take the vehicles from their owners, struggles growing violent, and humans attacked each other over ownership of a means to escape.

Chiyo tried to maintain as much distance as possible from the rioting and violence, her eyes peeled for any signs of a girl around her age and a much younger boy. She attempted to call Fumiko several times but had yet to receive an answer. Theories of why this was immediately flooded her mind, many of which involved the possibility of death. And while concern over the others didn't diminish, it was with that realization that she understood she could very well be living what could've been her last moments. This fact made every drop of blood coursing through her run cold, even if her rapidly thumping heart was all she could hear. Words and everything else seemed to be drowned out by an ever-present, rhythmic beating, signaling to Chiyo that, at least for now, she was still alive.

She wasn't sure how long she had been navigating across the pathway above the Philippines Sea, but in a moment of clarity where her pounding heart didn't block out everything around her, she heard the cry of "The highway! They're going down the highway!" And then, the sea of people left behind splintered, spreading apart as they went down the winding roads that led all around the city and out.

With little else to do, she followed the group she felt best and traveled with them, but she mostly stayed to the side, sliding along the railing that kept her from the water below. The vehicles that had driven by were out of sight, but the further along they went, it relieved everyone that there was still a road to travel on. If anyone could have driven this far, then maybe they reached the other side. This hope made everyone press onward; for a while, it was unlikely that the missile blasts would entirely miss them; they'd perhaps make it far enough to where it wouldn't be fatal. They couldn't cover as much distance as those lucky enough to snag a vehicle, but they would try.

Chiyo once again called Fumiko's number, only to receive no answer. She silently cursed but knew that there was nothing that she could do for them. The highway she traveled along was said to lead outside the city's borders, but whether it led off the island was anyone's guess. Regardless, while getting to Arcadia was the desired outcome, getting out of the way of the incoming missiles was the main objective. The group of humans were too far away from any entrance to the shelter, so there was no way to go but forward.

Still, Chiyo thought, assuming someone reached the mainland, what then? Better yet, would they even be let into Arcadia at all? What Sigma had done to her father showed what would happen to any opposition, human or otherwise, so who was to say he wouldn't take their attempted escape as an action against him? All of this and more clouded Chiyo's mind, the young adult still trying to grasp whether or not this was her current reality. Whether or not her, and everyone else's lives, were now in the hands of a Maverick.

"What are those?!" The dark-eyed young woman heard someone shout, obviously panicked.

Coming at the small band of humans from above were a set of three flying mechanicaloids, whirling blades keeping them airborne while a pair of blue optics surveyed the environment. They had a yellow shell that protected a more circuitry-heavy violet dome, two pairs of white audials on both sides alerting them of any noise. But the most striking feature about them was spiked under sections, the humans sensing that the machines intended to use those instruments for destruction. With a simple switch from standby to active, the spiked sections of the mechanicaloids came crashing down, tearing through the only ground the humans could rely on. There was nothing below but miles and miles of ocean.

Unbeknownst to any of them, however, further down the overpass, those fortunate enough to have snagged a vehicle found that they were not even safe. Several of those same mechaniloids went after them as they did the others. Entire chunks of the road were taken out, causing wheels to get stuck in the spaces left. And some drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles as the Crushers released their namesake spiked ends onto them, the transportation bending and breaking underneath its force. Any exits to the mainland were cut off.

But for one, blue Reploid, he wasn't trying to get out. Instead, he was trying to get in.

Chapter Text

He had only one chance. He had to clear the gap; otherwise, he would have to find another way into the city. Finding another way wasn't the problem, however. The problem was time, for he didn't have much left. And as the sun began to set in the distance, he realized that neither did anyone else.

Rushing past the abandoned vehicles, X found himself face to face with a lone Gun Volt. The bulky mechaniloid opened its "shoulder" panels and released two missiles, both set to target the Reploid. X ducked to the side when they drew close enough, able to dodge their homing program just in time. But if they were given enough time, they would come around and lock back onto him, so he needed to take care of them as fast as possible. Thus, once he was to the side, the blue Hunter fired a couple of shots at the missiles, striking each of them.

The projectiles exploded, damaging many abandoned vehicles around him, which he had not intended to do. The Gun Volt then opened its panels again and released a wave of surging energy, spastic patterns of red and blue light were sent straight into X's direction. The Hunter jumped and began firing at the Gun Volt, but he was unprepared for the explosions caused by the energy wave. The Hunter was pushed further ahead than he had initially wanted to go, so he fired a charged shot at the Gun Volt, hoping that it would at least put his journey to a halt. The blueish-green blast hit the Gun Volt, causing it to stagger to the side and allow X a way past it.

But he turned and fired at the mechaniloid to ensure it didn't cause further trouble. But at that moment, he heard the distant shouts of panic and terror from further ahead. In the distance, X spotted a group of Crusher mechaniloids tearing through the highway's foundation, several humans running for what could've been their lives. The Crushers didn't appear to chase after the humans they were terrorizing, but X doubted they'd care much if one got in the way. A fact proven by one Crusher barely missing a man in a brown suit by mere centimeters.

The Gun Volt fired another pair of missiles in his direction, which X fired at in return. He had to finish this up fast. Otherwise, his only passage into the city would be taken out! The missiles were taken out, leaving only the Gun Volt to deal with, but he couldn't forget the Crushers up ahead. Charging up a blast of concentrated plasma, the blue Hunter shot the mechaniloid down. The Gun Volt received the direct blast to its "chest," the blue machine staggered back until it fell off the edge of the highway, plummeting into the sea below.

From above, situated in a high-up aircraft, a pilot in the shadows spotted the blue Hunter making his way along the stretch of road. "What the?!" He sputtered, shocked to see X was in the city. And not just that, outside of the Missile Base!

He had to report to the Commander immediately!

Hunter HQ

"All right, I think we're set," Trinity said, open in the passageways built into the building. "All that's left is to walk on in."

Zero and Roll looked down the long stretches of corridors leading down into the island's depths. Then, Roll felt a hand on her shoulder. "You should go and take cover," Zero told her. "X would kill me if anything happened to you." With that, the blonde Hunter turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Roll called out for him. "Where are you going?"

Zero stopped, pondering on whether or not he should say. But, ultimately, he decided that the truth would come out eventually. It'd be better if he said this now than later. "I'm going to look for X," he admitted. "He's no longer at the Missile Base."

Panic seized the other blonde. "What?! When did this happen?!" She asked. Was this what the call Zero received earlier from A-1 meant? "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because of this," Zero said, remarking on Roll's current state. "Hate it all you want, but I'm not letting you get yourself killed."

Roll wanted to protest, but she ultimately held her tongue. "When did this happen?" She asked Zero, settling for that. As much as it pained her, he was right. She was no good to anyone dead.

"A-1 couldn't say how far he had come, but I'll try and pinpoint his location," Zero explained. Judging from the fact he's trying to get into the city, he's probably coming in from the highways or overpasses. The red Hunter's blue eyes then fell onto Roll. "You need to focus on getting somewhere safe," Zero told the other blonde. "X will be wondering where you are when he gets back."

He then went off, leaving Roll and Trinity alone. "Well," Trinity began. "You'd best do as he says," she said. "There's not much else anyone can do anymore."

"What about you?" Roll asked. "You're going to have to make sure everyone else gets down safely," she retorted. "Not to mention in an orderly fashion." She tried not to dwell on it, but she couldn't help but ponder just what the chaos outside was like compared to inside the building.

"I can handle that," Trinity said. "You must go down and make sure X can spot you."

"He's not here right now, so when he comes," she didn't acknowledge the "if" that could've easily replaced "when," even if it was threatening to sneak into her inner circuitry. "I'll still be here. Besides, you can't guide everyone down by yourself."

Trinity was a little taken aback by what she heard. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Roll nodded. "Don't worry, organizing things comes with my programming. Even before my days as a Reploid."

Suddenly, Reploids of several sizes and shapes gathered, but there weren't many. Not even half of what they originally were. Still, there was no time to think of that now. What mattered was making sure everyone left was accounted for. "All right," Trinity told the small gathering of Reploids. "Everyone proceed down into the tunnels and navigate your way into the shelter area."

"Enter in an orderly fashion," Roll added. "No pushing or shoving!"

Trinity looked at her. "Wouldn't that be a little obvious?" She questioned.

"You'd be surprised how easy it's forgotten, even by us." Roll answered.

Trinity nodded, acknowledging that the blonde's sentiment was true. "Right, what she said."

The Hunter staff that was left began making their way underground, Trinity and Roll standing to the side while everyone else went in. As they watched, the pink-haired and blonde machines knew the inevitable was coming. "Trinity?" Roll then asked. "Surely, if it came to it, X and Chiyo could find their way to a shelter entrance, right?"

"They're located throughout the city, so I would assume so," Trinity answered. "Of course," she continued. "Getting to shelter isn't the problem now," she then bit her lip. "The problem is getting to an entryway on time."

The Highway

The Crushers crashing through the foundation of the road below suddenly became aware that they weren't alone. Turning their bodies, they saw that something from below was coming closer. And that something began fitting at them, causing them to stop their work and turn their focus onto their attacker. X looked up at the Crushers coming towards him, ready to fire. He then aimed his buster and released a blast of greenish-blue plasma at the mechaniloids.

From further ahead, due to the distance between her and the other humans, Chiyo heard the battle's sound, the noise indicating what she had both hoped for and feared: someone else was here. And that someone was not human, for no man could hope to combat a machine, mechaniloid, or Reploid. Chiyo had hoped for this, as it would mean someone among them could take care of the hostile machines. And she feared it, for what guarantee was there that they wouldn't decide to join the mechaniloids in their destruction? Regardless of whoever they were, friend or foe, they would be here soon, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

Even more concerning, or hopeful, was that the battle was now over, the winner drawing closer to the small number of humans traveling the road.

Chiyo ultimately decided that if she was going to get out of here, she couldn't afford to lag. She maneuvered her way over the railing and stood on the highway, her legs free to run and stretch out. The dark-haired young woman continued down the highway, seeing no other human in sight. Just where had everyone gone? She couldn't have fallen that far behind, could she?

She debated on whether or not to try and reach Fumiko again, but before she could make any decision, she heard a sound from above her. It increased in volume as its source descended, the whirling blades of the aircraft creating a strong wind that sent her hair and uniform flying back. The force of it didn't allow her to see what it was at first, but once she peeled open her eyes, Chiyo saw that a violet and gold metal insect with whirling blades (or wings) was situated right in front of her, blocking the only way back to the city. She was torn between whether to run or stand still, unsure of just what the aircraft would do or, better yet, its pilot. Unbeknownst to her, however, the pilot could see her just fine and wanted her to stay right where she was.

Then, the Bee Blader began firing.

Hunter HQ

"All right, I think that's everyone," Trinity said; she and Roll were now the only ones in the medium-sized room. "At least, everyone that's left."

Roll looked down at the floor, pondering whether or not more could've been saved if she had gotten here quicker. "You go on ahead," she told Trinity. "I'll keep a lookout for Zero."

The Navigator was confused. "What for? You'll only be putting yourself in more danger," she told Roll. "And I doubt X would want to see you in any more peril."

Roll was about to protest but ultimately saw that Trinity was right. "No, he wouldn't," she admitted. "But still, he's out there along with Chiyo." She was about to add "And Zero," but she stopped herself out of shock. Had she just thought that?

"Look, there's a camera inside near the entrance that lets you see what's going on outside," Trinity explained. "I'll watch them while you get to safety."

Roll was stunned. "Are you sure about that?" She asked. "Wouldn't that put you in the range of the blast?" She had accepted that the missiles couldn't be stopped, so the only thing she could do was to seek shelter.

"The doors are just as durable as the rest of the underground, so that won't be a problem," the Navigator told her. "Although, there may be a bit of a shockwave when…well, you know," Trinity said, taking a moment to look at the slowly setting sun. "But that's all I'll probably feel. Besides, well," she looked Roll over. "I don't know whether or not your body could take it."

Indeed, that was true. "You're right," Roll relented. "I'll go down." Both Reploids descended the stairway to the shelter entrance, but Roll couldn't help but ask. "Do you think he'll bring X and Chiyo back?"

"Who? Zero?" Trinity questioned. "Honestly, I can't say whether or not he'll bring them back to HQ," she admitted. "But there are shelter entrances all over the city. If he doesn't come here, he must've used one of those."

True, that made sense, but he and only he finding sanctuary wasn't her primary concern. Yes, Roll wanted Zero to be spared from the missiles, but she still hoped he could deliver on his promise. Just then, she and Trinity heard someone making their way down the stairway, but when they came into view, Roll and Trinity spotted bit one figure but two. Firefly was carrying Ai in his arms, the blonde Navigator in rough shape with puncture wounds all over her body, electricity sparking from various damaged areas. In her hands was the prototype Chiyo had built.

"Make way! Coming through!" Firefly shouted, Roll and Trinity up against the wall as the green Hunter ran past them. As concerning AI's condition, there was nothing either of them could do. Thus, after Firefly went through the entrance, they soon followed, closing the door behind them.

The Highway

Upon dispatching the Crushers, X heard a scream of panic from further up ahead, along with the sound of whirling blades and gunfire. The blue Reploid ran to the scene to see a Bee Blader hovering over the road that led to the city. And even more, there was a single human on the ground, her leg presenting a wound from where one of the bullets grazed her. X was shocked upon seeing who it was; hundreds of questions about why she was here flooded his processor. But, at that moment, he realized that the pilot of the Bee Blader had fired at her.

From within the Bee Blader, the pilot looked down at the blue Hunter, readying to unleash his ammunition. They had reported X's escape, and Sigma gave them a clear message to keep him from coming into the city, no matter what. Anyone that got in their way didn't matter. Perhaps they would serve as bait to draw X to them. And from there, the Hunter would be subdued and contained while the human would be discarded.

Of course, there was the matter of subduing the blue Hunter in the first place.

Pressing a button on the control panel, the Bee Blader released a pair of homing missiles, bright purple smoke flying out in a tail behind them. Chiyo scrambled to her feet as she ran to the side of the road to avoid the smoke, but the thick vapor clouded her vision and made her eyes sting. She had to pull her undershirt over her mouth as the fumes stung her throat. It was becoming difficult to breathe, so when she could no longer stand it, Chiyo ran out of the smoke but was kept from going too far by the Bee Blader. But, unlike before, the pilot's interest had shifted from her to the Reploid that had just arrived.

X's vision was clouded by the smoke, but a charged shot helped to clear out some of the air. The blast was dodged by the Bee Blader, who began unleashing round after round of plasma bullets at the Hunter. Sigma wanted him alive but unable to retaliate. The pilot had to steer the aircraft carefully, as they wanted the human to be kept within reach if they needed a hostage. But for now, the main objective was the acquisition of the Reploid below.

X leaped back away from the bullets, a few unlucky vehicles being struck, glass shattering, and rubber tires being shredded by the barrage of fire. He delivered another charged blast in the insect-based aircraft's direction, targeting the blades. The concentrated plasma made the Bee Blader stagger, it mostly kept itself in a stable position, continuing to fire at X. A bullet nicked his right knee, but the mechanism inside wasn't damaged. He began to charge up another shot, the Bee Blader released another set of smoke bombs to blind his vision, but X released the shot just in time.

The blast tore through the Bee Blader's left "eye," striking its pilot. The suddenness of their left arm being hit caused them to be unprepared for the next second shot, this time directed at the aircraft's blades. Then a continuous barrage of smaller shots targeted them, the effort to keep the craft airborne becoming extremely difficult. X kept firing until the blades of the aircraft could take no more. Some of the blades clipped, which then caused the Bee Blader to fall and crash into the highway below.

Taking the ground it landed on, the bridge collapsed underneath its weight, the section of road splitting off from the rest and falling towards the ocean.

X's question of where Chiyo had gone was soon answered by the sound of her screaming.

The blue Reploid looked on in horror as the human was taken along with the section of highway, gravity pulling further and further down. Upon seeing her fall, X leaped off the road and began his descent, trying to catch up with the already falling Chiyo. Her screams drew closer and closer until finally, X managed to grab ahold of her waist. But this didn't mean the human was saved yet, for, at the rate they fell, the ocean would've felt similar to landing on solid rock. X needed to find a way to slow their descent.

Gathering energy in his buster, X and Chiyo drew closer and closer to the water until X released everything contained within his weapon. The force from the shot propelled the Reploid (and human) upward, allowing X to meet the stand keeping up the side of the highway behind them. He slid down a short distance until he saw he was in the range of the sinking Bee Blader and section of road. Pushing off of the solid surface behind him, X adjusted his grip on Chiyo to where he carried her, bridal style before he landed on the Bee Blader's "head" before leaping onto the aircraft's blades. The blue Hunter then began kicking his way up the stand that helped to hold up the rest of the highway until he reached solid ground.

It took Chiyo a moment to realize that she could once again feel something underneath her; her dark eyes turned to look at her savior. "Are you ok?" X questioned, but Chiyo didn't answer. She stumbled slightly, her eyes wide and mouth moving to form words, but none came out. "Come on," X said, taking her by the hand. "We've gotta get out of here."

He began slowly, letting Chiyo regain control of her legs before he increased his speed. The Reploid and human ran down the remaining highway, hoping to get to the city as fast as possible.

Outskirts of Abel City

Damn it, X, I TOLD you to stay put! Zero sighed after thinking, for what good would it do? To his dismay, he raced down the road and saw that the highways and overpasses were damaged in several areas, some of them just barely standing. The last thing I need is for you to be stranded somewhere.

The long-haired Hunter began to look around, trying to locate which route he and X had taken to the Missile Base. He needed some more details to begin tracing his steps, so he began traveling up on a stretch of road, looking out for anything familiar. Just then, he spotted an incoming object dive bombing him from above! Zero ducked, and the hostile, purple mechaniloid flew overhead, its "mouth" parting and optics shutting to imitate laughter. Zero aimed and fired, but the Jamminger merely dodged the blast.

Then, the blonde Hunter heard an engine revving up from behind. He looked to find a group of red vehicles driven by blue Reploids he had never seen before, their helmets concealing their faces with a red "eye." Behind them flew even more Jammingers, their blue optics focused on Zero. "You should've just stayed in your cell," one of the Road Attackers said. "Otherwise, you would've been far away from the city by now."

"I'd rather take my chances staying here," Zero retorted. "If going with Sigma means death, then I'd rather die!"

"Sorry, but you don't get that choice!" the Road Attacker said, serving as the "head" of the gang. "Run him down!"

With the push of a button, the Road Attacker shot forth a pair of twin beams while the Jammingers swooped down, their spiked sides ready to cause some damage.

Outside of Abel City

Finally, his destination was within reach. All he had to do was enter the city. "Ok," X told Chiyo, holding her wrist gently but firmly. She hadn't said a word since her fall. The Reploid saw her expression had begun to ease down from shock but now looked stagnant and without feeling. "First, let's get you somewhere safe-"

CLICK!

The sound of a trigger being cocked drew the blue Hunter's attention to what was ahead of him on the empty stretch of road, or rather, who. Standing before him and his temporary human charge was a familiar figure in a Ride Armor mobile suit, the orange sun contrasting greatly with the purple metal. "I'll admit," Vile said. "I didn't count on you getting this far," he then took a few steps toward the other Reploid and human. "But you go no further."

X lightly pushed Chiyo back, arm blocking her from the ex-Hunter before them. "Step aside, Vile," the blue Reploid responded. "This place will be in bad shape soon, so there's no point wasting our time here."

"Oh? But you have enough time to save that one?" Vile questioned, referring to Chiyo. "You'd be better off letting her go," he said. "She'll just weigh you down."

X narrowed his brows from underneath his helmet. "She'd weigh me down far less than that suit of yours," he retorted. "Speaking of, what are you doing here, Vile? You picked a fine time to make yourself known."

"If you have to know, our dear Commander was the one to bust me out, and I made myself known long ago, X. You just didn't see me."

Sigma. X thought. "It'd make sense for you to be a part of this operation," the blue Hunter answered. "What did he do? Offer some high-ranking position in his gang?"

"Oh, it'll be more than just a gang soon, X," Vile shot back. "What has happened here today will be heard all over the world. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of us, will hear of Sigma's message and begin to wonder whether or not he's indeed right. That humans no longer get to hold our leash," his concealed optics fell on the young woman currently being shielded by X. "But I don't care about any of that."

X was confused. "Then why are you here?"

"If you have to know, I'm technically here on behalf of Sigma," he explained. "And he's set on making sure you live through this."

"I won't join him." X answered immediately.

"That's what I keep saying, but he doesn't listen!" Vile responded. "Which is why it'd make no sense to bring you to him. You do know why he wants you, right?" He asked. "I'll give you a hint: it's not because he views you as his equal. In fact, he told me you'd be quite the hindrance."

"Get to the point, Vile," X told him curtly. "You're reckless, but you're not stupid. So why put yourself at risk by coming here?"

"I'm sorry, what? Then why are YOU here?" X went quiet. The sun stayed in position behind Vile, but the bright orange sphere partially concealed behind a few sparse clouds signified to everyone that time was running out. "If anything, you're the one that's put yourself in danger," X didn't respond. He despised it, but he had to swallow that Vile was right. "Regardless, our dear Commander requests that I bring you back," he then took a step forward. "But, I'm not so sure I want to do that."

X turned his head slightly to look at Chiyo. "The second I say so, get yourself to a shelter entrance."

"B-But…" Chiyo stammered, having finally begun speaking again.

"This might be your one chance," X told her. "You have to make it; otherwise…"

"If she does survive, she's going to wish she hadn't," Vile said. "Surely you know more than a few humans are angry about your dad, right?" He asked Chiyo directly, but she didn't respond. "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm supposed to bring you back, but I'm not going to do that."

"Chiyo, go." X ordered.

"Because, unlike Sigma, I see past all your supposed potential," Vile continued. "I know that, once you remove the fact you were made by that overrated fool, Light, means nothing. You're nothing more than an idiot that'll never be able to let go of his sentimentalities."

"Chiyo, now." X told the human, sensing that Vile was rearing up for something.

"But-"

"So, that leaves it up to somebody else to take charge of changing the world, whether in Sigma's vision or his own," Vile tightened his grip on the controls.

"Chiyo!"

"And, after thinking it over, I've decided that if anyone's going to do that,"

"Go now!

The mobile suit's ankles locked into place, and the thrusters were activated. Vile barreled towards both X and Chiyo, arms raised to deliver a blow right at them. "Then it's going to be me!"

Inside the City

He was so close, too, damn! Now he was stuck dealing with these guys! He had no time for this; he had to find X! But alas, it seemed neither the Road Attackers nor Jammingers had any intention of letting Zero go so quickly. One of the flying mechaniloids had managed to nick him on the shoulder, an accomplishment the Jammingers found quite amusing.

The group of Road Warriors surrounded him, the Jammingers flying overhead and ready to swoop down. "Give it up!" The lead Road Attacker shouted. "No matter what you try, you're not getting past us!" Zero growled in frustration but took notice of the spikes on the underside of the Jammingers, his processor going to work in thinking of how to use those features in his favor. He would have to think fast, for the Road Attacker leading them all gave the signal to move in. "Get him!"

Stretch

X took Chiyo and ducked to the side, avoiding the incoming Vile, who was dead on combating the other Reploid. "Go!" He ordered Chiyo, who was still reluctant to leave the only source of safety she had. "I'll be fine! Take care of yourself!"

"But-"

"Go!"

Chiyo tried to find something she could use to counter him, but the human knew there was nothing she could do. The only service she could do for X was to get somewhere where she'd be protected from what was coming. Thus, even if it was reluctantly, she ran from the scene, leaving Vile and X alone to fight. And, upon seeing that there was nothing left to hold X back, Vile made a mad dash for the other Reploid again, fist ready to send him flying.

X rolled out of the way and began firing at the mobile suit. Vile noticed that he was starting light, possibly trying to weaken the joints in the Ride Armor. "Even when I'm out in the open, you're still attacking in the wrong places!" Vile then unleashed a swift right hook, the Ride Armor's strength overpowering X as he was sent back, tumbling until he landed on his abdomen. "Come on, Golden Child!" He taunted. "Let's see if everything Light built into you can actually do the job when it has to!"

He then reached down to grab X's helmet, intending to deliver a blow right to his skull, but just as he was about to reach, the blue Hunter got up and rolled to the side, his buster firing at his opponent without fail. Seeing that his shots were doing little, X gathered more energy in his weapon, his firepower now a series of charged plasma blasts. Vile felt the barrage of ammo beginning to affect the movement of the Ride Armor, but he knew the mechanical device was made to withstand such situations. Locking the suit's ankles again, the rogue Reploid dashed towards X again, throwing the Ride Armor's left fist in his direction. X leaped out of the way, the incoming fist impacting the concrete beneath its knuckles.

Inside the City

A Jamminger dove down at Zero, waiting for him to draw out his buster so it could dodge the blast in time. But instead, it was met with a fist being swung in its direction. The red Hunter's blow wasn't enough to send the mechaniloid back, but the machine was disoriented from having its optics cracked. The Jamminger flew up and crashed into some of its brethren, which sent them falling upon those below. Some Road Attackers escaped their vehicles, while others managed to drive out of the way in time.

Zero seized this opportunity and snagged one of the vehicles, one that was partially damaged from a Jamminger, but it still functioned properly. For now, at least. He drove forward away from his aggressors as he had more important matters to tend to. Unfortunately, the Road Attackers and Jammingers didn't see it that way, immediately taking off after him. The ongoing pursuit of the red Hunter continued until Zero was riding on the highest point of the overpass, able to see the highways and roads below him and the outer area of Abel City.

There was still no sign of X.

It was then that he saw her. A young woman with long, black hair ran along the city's outer sections, out in the open and completely defenseless. Specifically, a young human woman. "What the…?!" Zero exclaimed, mind torn between confusion and anger. "The hell is she doing out here?!"

His search on the road ended; he had to take care of the stray human immediately. Even if his core told him to keep looking for X. But how could he say he let a human go unchecked because he was searching for the blue Hunter instead? With this in mind, he turned around and began firing the vehicle's lasers at the incoming Road Attackers and Jammingers. Both sides were poised to attack, and the lone Hunter pressed his boot down harder on the engine to give himself a head start.

Stretch

Damn, he's crippling the suit! Vile realized as it became more challenging to maintain his Ride Armor's movement.

X kept delivering more powerful shots to the mobile suit's limbs, specifically its joints, making simple navigation cumbersome, to say the least. To compensate for this growing setback, Vile locked down the Ride Armor's leg joints, which only allowed him to propel the instrument of destruction forward without the movement of its lower limbs. It restricted movement, but it protected his lower half from the other Reploid shots. X saw this and began targeting the arms, though this proved easier said than done, as the violent ex-Hunter sent a barrage of punches his way. X dodged the best he could, sucking and leaping out of the way, yet Vile proved that he could maneuver the Ride Armor just enough to keep X from getting too comfortable in one position. Vile was much more in tune with the movement of the Ride Armor's upper limbs, delivering blows as if it were with his own arms. Yet, X kept his distance, firing whenever possible, but he was almost always on the defensive. At this rate, neither of them would survive.

"Vile, this is pointless!" X shouted. "The entire city will be struck by missiles any minute now! Why are you insisting that we do this?!"

"That's why!" Vile shot back. "That damn reluctance to accept what we Reploids are for! What our purpose for existence is!"

"What?" X didn't understand. "What are you talking about?"

Vile's grip on the controls tightened. "You may be the origin of us all, but don't think for a second that fact means anything," he said. "It makes perfect sense!" He declared as if having an epiphany. "You and your creator's ludicrous ideals will never let us reach our full potential; they'll only slow us down! I'll give Sigma credit for that; he has the right idea regarding the image that humanity and Dr. Light pushed on us all!" He continued. "You may be a soft-hearted idiot, but even you have to have some degree of intelligence! You have no reason to remain loyal to the humans or anything related to them! At least admit I'm right in that!"

"No, you're wrong!"

"Oh yeah? How?" Vile questioned. X tried to conjure up an argument, yet he couldn't answer. "You have no reason not to become greater, X," Vile said, rearing up for a sharp uppercut. "You're too blinded by those imaginary restrictions even to want to try. Unfortunately, for you," he then activated the Ride Armor's thrusters, sending him and his mobilized weapon right towards X. "I don't have to worry about any stupid hang-ups!"

Vile raised his arm, ready to seize X and send him flying, but as he drew near, Vile saw that the blue Hunter had been charging his buster for some time, gathering as much energy as he could in the given time. Then, he jumped to the side and rolled back until he was positioned behind the Ride Armor. Right where he saw the machine's main control center on its back. X aimed and unleashed it, delivering the charged shot right into the small, darkly colored section of the Ride Armor, causing it to seize up and begin spasming Vile, struggling to maintain control. X fired again, the suit's movements becoming more erratic until sparks finally began to fly out, and the control center exploded. Vile turned around and made a grab at X, but due to the Ride Armor's legs being locked into place, the machine couldn't maintain balance and fell to the ground, electrical surges traveling throughout the Ride Armor.

X aimed his buster at Vile, who appeared to be unconscious from the fall he had taken in his transportable weapon. He didn't see a hint of movement in either Vile or the Ride Armor, but he kept his buster ready to fire. Still, should he? Was there any reason to fire at all? He needed to focus on getting to shelter. And, even if they were now on opposing sides, Vile wasn't a killer of humans.

Did he have the right to end him here and now?

X pondered this yet found he couldn't afford to waste more time. He had to get to the underground soon. Otherwise, his trip here would've been for nothing. But he never got the chance to go, as X soon learned that he had, in Sigma's words, "Made an error in judgment."

Outer Abel City

Just where was a shelter entrance, damn it?! Her eyes surveyed the environment empty of anyone but herself, trying to find some hint of where to go. Chiyo had been trying to keep herself under control, but now her composure was beginning to fall apart. Questions of her fate, that of Fumiko and Kenichi, of the other humans she was with, and humanity as a whole bombarded her all at once. She felt sick to her stomach, unsure whether it was her imagination or bile rising in her throat.

She couldn't tell. All she knew was that she was terrified, and no avenue to safety could be seen. Then, she heard an engine of some kind, some sort of machine was approaching her! Chiyo was about to turn around when she saw a Reploid in red riding on a considerably damaged vehicle suited for one. It was clear it was on its last legs, so its driver quickly abandoned it when he focused on Chiyo. "Hey, kid! What are you doing out here?!" The Reploid called out, motioning for Chiyo to stay put.

Chiyo was about to run but then recognized the mechanical life form coming towards her, the tail of blonde hair flowing behind him unmistakable. "You!" She cried out, torn between relief and fear. She ran right up to Zero, her head around the level of his chest. "You gotta help me!"

"Wait a minute, you're Fujiwara's…?" Zero began but stopped himself. "That's not important right now. What matters is that you get to-"

"No, you don't understand!" Chiyo interrupted, growing frantic, a sight Zero would've never associated with the usually stoic human. "You've gotta help me help him! He's the one in danger!"

Upon hearing that, Zero took charge of the conversation. "Where is he?"

"He's fighting a Maverick in a Ride Armor, down that way!" The young woman presented Zero in the direction she came from with a pointed finger. "I don't know whether he's winning or not!"

Zero then took the young woman by the hand; Chiyo, startled, began struggling. Was this Reploid aligned with the same Mavericks she had just escaped from? "Hey, get a hold of yourself!" Zero told her. "I'm not taking the chance of you wandering off. It isn't safe out here." He then led her to a shelter entrance that had been covered by a felled tree, one that had been damaged by a runaway vehicle. Zero moved the tree out of the way, allowing for entry inside. "Get in! I'll take care of X!"

Chiyo didn't even get a chance to respond before the red Hunter took off, leaving her alone. With nothing else she could do, she opened the hatch and went down, numbness coming to consume her again as she realized the horrible truth. Mankind, from here on in, had no control over their destiny. Whether it be temporary or forever could've been dwelt on later, but for now, it was reality for the human race. As of now, their future rested on the hope that there were still some among those with mechanical life who didn't view them as a lower species, ready to be squashed underfoot.

Stretch

Just when he had gotten within range, the Ride Armor's right arm shot out, seizing and immobilizing X. The blue Hunter yelped in shock and pain as Vile applied pressure to the mobilized weapon's limb. It was shaky at first, but Vile eventually managed to guide the Ride Armor back onto its feet while keeping X firmly in his grip. "You know," the violet Reploid began, holding X up high as if he were presenting some freshly hunted game. "Sigma's view of the world doesn't match mine, but he gave me some helpful advice," he said. "He who hesitates has already lost," he then applied more pressure to X's captured form. "You were doomed even before our little skirmish began."

X said nothing, trying to keep the agonized groans at bay. But the pressure on his chest was growing more intense and challenging to bear.

"If you hadn't wasted time debating whether or not to take that shot, you might've stood a slight chance of coming out on top. But, just like I knew you would, your damn sentimentality had to kick in."

The Ride Armor's grip tightened. X couldn't contain himself this time, a pained cry exiting his throat.

"Had you just taken that shot, it would've turned out better for you," Vile said, applying more and more pressure. "Had you taken that shot when that mechaniloid was going berserk, you probably would be by Sigma's side by now. But then again," he continued to increase the intensity of the Ride Armor's grip. "Had you taken a shot instead of me regarding the Skull Quartet, then Sigma's plans would've probably gone undetected until the very last moment. But no, you had to concern yourself with the damned humans," he then felt an intense wave of anger course through him. "Or, in some cases, a damned dog!"

"GAH!" X cried out, feeling components inside him being crushed. A small trickle of fluid began to drip from his mouth.

"I'm not taking you back. I will prove to Sigma and everyone else that your so-called potential means nothing!" Vile then brought X closer to where they were mere inches apart. "Anyone can change the world," he said. "They just have to get rid of those that'll get in the way."

X couldn't hear much over the ringing in his ears, his systems alerting him he was taking severe damage. But he swore he could hear something from afar, the sound of a weapon being charged. Vile also noticed this, his attention shifting from X to whatever was the source of the sudden noise. Suddenly, it hit him, quite literally.

A surging shot of plasma made contact with the Ride Armor's right arm, tearing through the cables and severing it from the rest of its body. The arm holding X fell to the ground, still keeping its captive in its grip. He was steadily slipping into unconsciousness, but in those last fleeting moments, X looked up to see his rescuer. And if his red armor wasn't enough of an indicator of his identity, then the signature, long ponytail of gold was. X tried to choke out his name, but he found any movement of anything linked to his chest painful, the world around him slowly fading away.

Zero stood before Vile, the ex-Hunter bewildered at the red Reploid's sudden arrival and his intervention. "Why?" Vile asked, genuinely unable to understand. "Why him?!"

Zero said nothing before charging up another shot to fire. Seeing this, Vile leaped off the stretch of road, a massive ship rising from below. It lifted itself into the clouds, Zero taking a few shots at it as it rose. When it had gone, Zero went to work in freeing X from the grip of the Ride Armor's arm. It took some effort, but he eventually managed to pry open the metal digits to where he could see X's chest cavity and pectorals were cracked and pushed inward. Scooping him upwards, Zero placed X on his back and made a beeline for the nearest shelter entrance.

Opening the hatch, he went down into the depths, an unconscious X in tow.

No one saw it, save for those outside the city's borders, but the missiles were fired just as Zero and X made their descent. Any preventative measures proved futile, as Abel City's metropolis was set for destruction. And as the missiles came down and destroyed the very place they were constructed to protect, the whole world watched, whether from the mainland or somewhere far away. And everyone, humans and Reploids alike, knew that this day would change the world forever. For a long time coming, what was once a leading nation's day of independence now served as a day where the mechanical race swore to bring mankind to their knees.

Chapter Text

His green eyes shot wide open, a panicked gasp escaping him as he rose from the capsule. As his vision adjusted, X realized he was back in the Hunter Base, situated in a capsule with everything around him appearing normal. Except for the fact that everyone around him seemed to be gone. Rising from his resting place, the blue Reploid peered around, on alert and with his buster ready. But as he traveled through the halls and throughout the building, X concluded that he was the only one in the entire HQ.

Reaching the entrance, X exited the building and saw that, to his confusion, everything was in the same state it had been before Sigma's announcement. Humans and Reploids were doing their business in the streets of Abel City, not a single thing out of place or wrong. Even so, X felt on edge, as if something troublesome was brewing underneath the very city. He tried to spot familiar faces in the crowds around him but found no sign of anyone. There was no sign of Zero, Roll, Chiyo, or even Dr. Cain! No one from the HQ either; everyone around X was a stranger!

"Excuse me?" he said, trying to get someone's attention. "Excuse me, sir? Ma'am?" everyone ignored him again. X was about to look elsewhere, trying to figure out what was happening, but he felt a hand on his hand. "Huh?"

"You look lost, mister," a young boy observed, his blue eyes gazing into X's green. "But if you're like me, you will always feel a little out of place."

"What do you mean?" X questioned. "Who are you?" He knelt at the boy's level, studying his appearance. The boy was young, possibly around the age of ten or eleven, and his hair was a dark brown that was somewhat messy and wild. His eyes were large and blue, and he wore a blue and white shirt with the number twenty-three emblazoned on it in blue text and a block font, beige shorts, and a pair of orange sneakers and white socks on his feet.

The boy was silent at first, looking around at the mass of humans and mechanical life. "It's started again," he said. "Only now, there's no human behind everything. The machines can speak for themselves now."

X was puzzled. "What do you mean?" Just who was this kid?

"Things will never be the same again," the boy told the taller Reploid. "Things can't go back to how they were, even though many want them to," he continued, X only growing increasingly confused. "Ever since Dr. Light created the first robot, things have been set into motion. Even if he couldn't have predicted it, humans and machines will feel the effects of a battle of wills centuries after the two men engaged in it have died."

"Centuries later?" X asked. "What are you," he was cut off by the boy suddenly running off. "H-Hey! Wait!"

He was about to run after the child but then felt an intensely cold chill run down his back, stopping him in his tracks. He didn't understand why, whether it be his logical systems kicking in or some form of human "instinct," X felt something was wrong. But then, he noticed a small crowd gathering at the station's edge that connected Abel City and Arcadia. Just what was going on? He received his answer when he reached the edge of the station, looking down at the water below to see several figures swimming to land.

Indeed, down below, dozens of Reploids disappeared underneath the water as if they had all just decided to swim to the mainland, some faces X recognized while others he had never seen. He had no idea what was going on, let alone why he felt the sudden urge to do so, but the blue Reploid had to get to Arcadia first. He HAD to get there first, lest something awful took place. So, without a word or even checking in, he leaped over the railing and boarded one of the transporters, the door closing behind him and the vehicle setting off for Arcadia. As it traveled, X's green eyes peered down, searching for any sign of those that had entered the water moving in the water, even if the depths were too great to tell.

Eventually, at long last, X had reached the White City but, to his shock, saw that the sun had already begun to set. So soon?! he thought, growing panicked. Just what was going on?! Oh no, I might be too late!

Running out of transport, X ran into the streets of the still-active city, about to warn everyone of the terrible wave coming for them all. But before he could get a single word out, he heard a booming, loud sound behind him. Whirling around, the blue Reploid saw the missiles Sigma had launched falling toward Abel City. As soon as he realized it, X reached out in a vain effort to try and stop it, but there was nothing he could do. The island metropolis was engulfed in a ball of flame, the shockwave of the explosions rocking Arcadia.

The ocean waves washed up onto the city's coastline, causing mild flooding to nearby areas, but as the sun set and the sky grew dark, the shapes that had swam from Abel City emerged from the water. Only, they were no longer fully mechanical life forms. Instead, the Reploids that stepped onto land had changed in appearance; twisted fusions of flesh and metal. Unidentifiable creatures with claws, teeth, weapons built into their arms and other limbs, and eyes, so many eyes. X watched as they made their way to the city, unsure of what these beings were, but he was ready to fire.

But, instead of combating him, the Reploids fused with scales, fins, patches of fur, skin, and unnaturally colored flesh darted past him, confirming the worst. Then, the mechanical animal hybrids unleashed their wrath on the residents of Arcadia. All around X, fellow Reploids, humanoid or animal-based, were slashed, shot, sliced, and torn into pieces as the deranged combinations of flesh and metal ran through the city. The blue Reploid watched on in horror, unable to grasp what was happening. So much was making him question what was real, but when it soon became apparent that lives were in danger, he knew he had to act.

Sighting one of the twisted creatures, X aimed his buster and fired, hitting the bizarrely shaped image of a lion and other predatory creatures. This action managed to get the monster's attention, and the beast slashed its claws in X's direction. X fired again, his charged shot going through the Maverick(?) with surprising ease. The creature fell to the ground, and once X saw it had gone still, he checked up on the poor soul it was attacking. That was when another horrific sight met him.

Instead of a Reploid, X saw the slashed-up body of a human, a young woman with short hair and glasses, her body covered in long gashes and dripping blood, her outfit torn in several places and ripped to shreds. The sight of the deceased girl, especially at such a terrible end, robbed X of speech, but when he looked closer, he saw he recognized the dead human. The shorter hair, the glasses, the softer expression on her face, even in death. One that her friend never wore.

"Fumiko?" X said aloud, still baffled at his discovery.

As he said that, he turned to see that she was far from the only one. Everywhere he looked, humans were being cut down and slain. X lost his senses; the incessant noises, the sickening combination of anguished cries of help and roars mixed in with laughter at the destruction and slaughter. Flashes of red blinded X's vision; Reploids and humans alike became little more than black silhouettes laughing or screaming in terror. Then, everything went dark.

X was trapped in the black abyss, unable to move. This sudden paralysis panicked him at first, yet he then heard the young boy from before speak. "The wheels are set in motion, but the future hasn't been decided yet," he told X, realizing motion began to return to him. "This is just one possible future," the boy said. "But you can steer things in a different direction."

Even if X couldn't see, he began to reach blindly out for the one speaking to him. "Who...who are you?"

Suddenly, he felt a hand seize his. The hold was firm but gentle, the hand slightly smaller than his own. "Starting out is never easy, especially when it's like this," the voice said. "But I think I can count on you to take care of things from now on."

Take care of things? What did that mean? X opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by another voice. One that sounded far off and distant but familiar.

"Is he coming out of it?" a female voice asked. Roll?

"I think so," Zero? "But it might be too soon to tell."

X felt the boy release his hand. "Just remember," he said. "The potential is limitless," his voice grew increasingly distant. "But you have to decide how to use it, X."

"X...X..."

"X!"

Slowly and steadily, X's green eyes opened up, the sight of greyish-purple tiles overhead alerting him that he was not in the HQ. Instead, he was situated in a capsule, several cables hooked into his audio receptors, monitoring his processor's wavelengths and functioning capabilities. X tried to move but found the cords restricted to where he could go. They also seemed to be in the middle of processing information from his CPU.

"Well, you're responsive. So that's all well and good," the blue Hunter turned to see a Lifesaver Unit standing over the capsule, looking down at him. "Given the damage you sustained, we're checking for all signs of potential contamination or infection."

"In-Infection?" X choked out, a sudden flash of pain coming to his chest.

"You've come into proximity with several Mavericks two days prior, so we need to check for any signs of any potential symptoms for a virus," the Lifesaver said. "Even if it is, at the moment, just a theory."

Wait a moment; X just realized what the medical Reploid said. "Two days?! I've been here for two days?! GAH!" he groaned, the pain in his chest flaring up again.

"Yes, and you're quite fortunate," the Lifesaver told the Hunter. "Your chest cavity was crushed when Zero brought you in here, " he explained. "Just slightly more pressure, and your core would've been reduced to little more than a tin can."

"Zero?!" X was about to rise again, but the Lifesaver's hand kept him down. "Where is he?" the blue Reploid asked. "Where's Roll? Dr. Cain? Chiyo?"

The green and white medic sighed. "Zero is currently in the main hub of this small HQ away from home," he said. "As for Roll, who is she again?"

"Blonde hair, green bow, red skirt," X described her. "See her anywhere?"

"Perhaps," the Lifesaver said, neither confirming nor denying he had seen her. But, in truth, he wasn't sure. He was unaware that X even had a "sibling." He then continued. "As for Fujiwara's child, she's here as well. I've heard that one Reploid is staying close by her, but she's generally been avoiding everyone else. As for Dr. Cain," the Lifesaver paused. "He...hasn't been found."

X's lips tightened. "So, it's true then. He's been...?"

The medic nodded. "It seems so," he said. "Yet, if that's the case, then at least he's still alive," he then put his hand back on X's chest. "But it's not something you should be concerning yourself with now. You can tend to that when you're fully repaired, and your systems pass inspection."

X tried to rise, despite the pain in his core. Indeed, Vile did do a number on him. All because of his stupidity. "But..."

"Rest," the Lifesaver commander. "You should be ready to go in the morning." with that, he made his way to other Reploids still being repaired, whether from recent injuries or ones sustained in the clash with Mavericks two days prior.

With little else to do and few options, X resigned himself to laying in the capsule as the machine scanned his systems, his body steadily allowing him to slip back into stillness and calm. His focus and worry about those he had mentioned before slowly faded until he let his internal components go offline again.

When he had awakened again, X was looked over and cleared. Then, finally, he could walk out on his own again. Without the medics or his previous damage holding him back, the blue Reploid explored the smaller headquarters that lay underneath the very foundation of Abel City.

As with the emergency shelters, this secondary HQ was built underneath the city, protected from any attack from above. It was constructed soon after the Hunters had expanded and branched out into Abel City, the suggestion by, surprisingly enough, Dr. Cain. When the Missile Base was established, Dr. Cain raised concerns over the possibility of Mavericks using the weapons available. Thus, they built underground shelters into the island itself. And then, a smaller HQ lay beneath the surface of the standing tower in the city.

The Headquarters was a great downsize compared to the expansive building in Abel City, the colors faded away, and everything had a dull, greyish color, even if the floors and walls looked reasonably clean. Still, despite that, X found that the interior appeared unfinished as if this place was composed of the inner foundation without the outer walls being finished. In addition, the lighting could have been more reliable than above, and many Reploids were nowhere to be seen. Although, given what had happened a few days prior, X didn't need to ask why that was. Upon thinking it over, this place now seemed almost too big with how few of them were left.

"X!" a familiar face caught his attention. Turning to his right, he saw a pink-haired Reploid running towards him, completely intact and with no scratch on her.

"Trinity!" the Hunter cried out, his core elated that the head Navigator was alive. "Are you ok?" he asked, though he felt rather foolish. Appearances meant nothing; no one here was ok. His features fell upon seeing the Navigator avert her blue eyes for a second and put an awkward smile on her face in response to his question.

"So far, everyone accounted for is functioning," she told X. "And this base of operations appears to have not been affected by the missiles."

X bit his lip—the missiles. He was unsure whether to ask, he was hesitant to, but he had to know. He had to. But before speaking, the blue Hunter felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. "There you are," another familiar voice met his audials, X's green eyes coming to meet a piercing pair of blue.

"Commander Zero! There you are!" Trinity greeted the red Hunter. "I wasn't aware you had returned."

"Zero!" X was not expecting to see the other Reploid so soon, especially given what had transpired before his and X's capture at the Missile Base. And wait a moment, Commander?!

"If I may, sir, anything to report?" Trinity asked the blonde Hunter, who shook his head in response.

"So far, there's been nothing but remains of his work," Zero told the Head Navigator. "The one responsible isn't anywhere in the city," he said with a growl. "He might not even be on the island."

"Then what are your next orders, sir?" Trinity questioned. "Do you wish for us to attempt contact with the Air Unit and Eagle?"

"Yes," Zero answered. "Now then, if I may, I'd like a word with X," he then looked at the blue Hunter. "If he's well enough to maintain a discussion."

Wait, what? Did Zero want to talk? X didn't need to ponder what, but the Reploid would wish to speak to him at all was surprising. But then, X was aware that Zero was waiting on him for an answer. "Oh, uh, yeah! Sure thing. I'm available." he said.

This answer appeared to amuse Zero, though X was still quite nervous. "Well, if that's the case, please excuse us, Trinity."

Zero took X down a short hallway and into a small room at the end. From the looks of it, it appeared to be an area that didn't store anything of note, as if the room's purpose still needed to be decided. This whole place felt incomplete as if it had just come into reality. Still, regardless, it was clear why Zero had brought X here. The only question was, which one of them would start first?

Ultimately, however, X found the silence too unbearable and began first. "Zero," he said. "About what happened at the Missile Base," X paused, trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "I...I will admit, I may have doubted you, even if for a second," he told the blonde Hunter. "But whatever the case, whether it be Sigma, history, or any of that, it's no excuse," he then lowered his helmeted head in shame. "After all these years, I should've put my trust in you. I should've been aware that becoming Maverick isn't in your character at all," he sighed. "I know it might not mean much, but I am sorry Zero. I'm sorry for doubting you."

Zero was left speechless, not saying a thing for a few moments. The longer the silence went on, X began to grow concerned his apology had further offended his friend. Or perhaps, his former friend. To his shock, however, X's answer appeared to soften the other Hunter's expression a bit. "Well, now that's not going to do," he said.

X was puzzled. "What isn't?"

"Here I was, going to lecture you about disobeying orders and going off to the city," Zero answered. "Now you've got me feeling bad for being mad at you." he smiled.

X was taken aback by the red Hunter's forgiveness, grateful for it but also undeserving. And not just because of his former doubt. "You should be," X told Zero. "I let Vile get the upper hand on me. I fell for one of the oldest tricks because I didn't take the shot," he then closed his eyes, sighing in dejection. "Even if I crippled the Ride Armor, I couldn't defeat Vile."

Zero's original plan of chewing X out for going out on his own had been wholly discarded; the other Reploid could not go through with it anymore. But what his friend was saying would not stand with him. "You are also forgetting that, even without that Ride Armor, Vile himself was constructed with combat in mind," Zero informed X. "Defeating him would be difficult for anyone."

X sighed. "Still, it doesn't excuse the fact I didn't take the shot," he said. "Nor does it excuse how I've been holding back. Not just then, but ever since I joined the Hunters." It also extended back to when he was first activated, yet Mavericks didn't even exist then. The worst he had to do was shoot at targets and the occasional mechaniloid. Fujiwara said that his "practice dummies" would've been repaired, but X always had lingering doubts. Nevertheless, there was little he could do about it; he was practically a prisoner in his lab then.

Zero crossed his arms. "True, I agree with some of that," he said. "If there's one flaw I see in you, it is your hesitance," he admitted. "And after all this, I'll admit I am worried."

X sighed. "I...understand."

"However," Zero continued. "I'm worried that you might not realize what I mean," the red Hunter said.

"What do you mean?" X questioned.

Zero began speaking again. "Even with your hesitance, you are powerful, X," he said. "More powerful than you could imagine," X was shocked at what he was hearing, but Zero went on before he could get a word in. "But you aren't there yet," he told the slightly shorter Reploid. "You're not to that level in that you haven't reached your full potential, what you could be," he said. "I'm not sure just what Dr. Light put into you, but from what I've seen, every Reploid has shown that they are more advanced than the robots that came before them. So we can match humans in hyper-intelligence and live among them as part of their world."

X understood what Zero was saying but needed to get his point across.

"Reploids are full of potential, X," Zero told the blue Reploid. "And if that's the case, imagine how much you have," he said. "If you truly use what Dr. Light gave you, you could be one of, if not the greatest Hunter of us all," Zero then paused. "Perhaps you would be able to challenge even me."

"What?" X was flabbergasted. "Impossible." he dismissed the notion instantly. Challenge Zero? No way.

"You challenged me when I was..." Zero paused for a moment. "When I wasn't in the right state of mind. When I took your sister."

"You were under the influence of a crippling virus, and, well, despite what happened, you left Roll completely unscathed," X said. He didn't mention Sigma at all. "I went with Dr. Cain to get away from the requests of becoming a Maverick Hunter. I didn't go in wanting to fight you."

"But you still did," Zero countered. "You went in and fought me. You fought me without hesitation when you saw the state Sigma was in," he found himself shocked he would be saying his former Commander's name in anything but disdain. "All to save your sister, someone that didn't stand a chance against me."

X was about to protest, saying that Zero was making himself sound like some untamable monster, but the red Hunter kept going.

"Remember that from here on in," Zero told the blue Reploid. "Approach every situation as you did then," the blonde Reploid went up to X and gestured to his arm. "Show me your buster," X did so, and Zero took it in his grasp. "When it comes to this, don't hesitate. Realize what you're fighting for, and make it possible."

X was silent for a few moments, absorbing Zero's words. "I...I understand."

Zero smiled. "Good," he then turned to the door. "Now, come on. Roll's been dying to see you."

X then froze. "Roll! Is she ok?! Where is she?!"

"She's here, and she's fine," Zero told him. "She was in better shape than you when you came here."

Relief washed over X, but he then remembered another figure caught up in the madness that took place not too long ago. "And Chiyo? What about her?" he questioned. "No, wait. She'd probably be in the shelter with the other humans."

"No, she's here," Zero told X. "She was a little scratched up, but nothing was broken. Humans are so fragile."

"She's here?" X asked. "Why?"

Zero was quiet at first. "Let's just say it's probably better this way that she's not with the other humans." X didn't entirely understand, but Zero went on. "Roll's been watching over her, so wherever Chiyo is, she is. Well, might as well not keep her waiting, right?"

X nodded, exiting the small room after the taller Hunter. Still, despite Zero's words, he couldn't help but question some of his reasoning. For it was also during their first encounter that X hesitated. If he had delivered another shot, while X wasn't sure if he could've defeated Zero, he would've still done severe damage that would eventually prove to be crippling at the very least. So, in that case, how would he know when it would be fitting to take life and when not to?

And, in the end, would it even matter?

When he entered the small room at the end of yet another hall, he met the embrace of the mechanical woman behind the door. "X!" Roll cried, her eyes dry, but her voice was choked and rife with emotion. "X, you're safe," she said as she held him. "When I heard you didn't come back from your mission, and then Sigma..." she stopped herself. "I... I'm just glad you're all right," She stepped back from him. "Are you sure you're fixed up enough?" she questioned, inspecting her (younger) sibling for herself. "The medics made sure to look over everything, right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Roll," X assured her. "What about you?" he then began looking her over. "Did anyone get a hold of you?"

Roll shifted uncomfortably. "There was one with a long tongue that tried to," she confessed. "But he arrived at the last second," she said, looking at Zero. Then, to X's bafflement, she presented the Red Hunter with a smile.

"And Chiyo?" X asked. "Zero said she was here."

"She is," Roll answered. "She's back here." She then led X to the back of the room, the Reploid's green eyes spotting the young Japanese woman still dressed in her uniform.

"Chiyo?"

The young woman was sitting at a small table, a small jar of pickled plums with a small bed of rice before her. She looked from her untouched food to X, eyes widening upon realizing he was there. But that was all she did, her eyes falling back to the small meal she had in front of her. Her stomach growled, but she didn't feel like eating.

X then pulled Roll to the side. "Why is she here and not with the other humans?" He asked.

Roll bit her lip. "It was Zero's suggestion," she told X. "It took some looking, but we did find her isolated in the corner of one of the boarding rooms."

"But still, why is she here?" X questioned. It wasn't as if he had a problem with the human, but a human was in a primarily Reploid-filled space.

"It's a little complicated," Roll admitted. "But given the circumstances, I think it's best if Chiyo is here," She drew closer to her brother. "It's a matter concerning human nature."

Human nature? Before X could ask any further, Trinity's voice could be heard over the intercom, gaining everyone's attention. "ALL HUNTER PERSONALE, PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIEFING ROOM!"

She repeated her announcement, ensuring everyone in the small base could hear her. "That's our cue," Zero said. "Let's go, X."

X nodded and followed Zero as they exited the room. "Wait!" Roll called out, the two Hunters stopping in their tracks. "Zero, before you go, about before, I-"

"We can talk later," the taller blonde told, the shorter of the two. "Right, now, something is going on." With that, he left. X gave one last look at his sister and Chiyo before he followed Zero, leaving the two alone.

…

When everyone gathered in the briefing room, the same area X had walked into earlier when he exited the medical wing, he saw just how little of them were left. According to Zero, anyone that wasn't here was either dead, nearly dead in the infirmary, or aligned themselves with Sigma. As she did when she delivered the Navigators' collective findings, Trinity stood in the center of the room, speaking. X looked around and saw, to his relief, a few familiar faces among the small crowd, but more were missing than found. He could only wonder where they were now.

"So far, we've confirmed that, despite the city's damage, Sigma did not release every missile at his disposal," the pink-haired Navigator relayed to everyone at the briefing. "If he had done that, the entire island would've been destroyed."

A discussion broke out between everyone, X more shocked than anyone. "Then," he began. "Then, is there still some of the city left?" he asked.

Trinity averted her gaze for a moment. "There are...some things still standing," she said. "Although it's no good to anyone anymore," X looked down at the ground, overcome with guilt. Zero placed a hand on his shoulder. "But the areas outside of the city's borders are still intact," on the large monitor on the northern wall, a map of the artificial island was presented, along with the surrounding ocean. "We've tried making contact with the other bases we have stationed throughout the land, as well as areas where workers, both Reploid and human, are under occupation by some of Sigma's men," she then pressed a button on a switch. The monitor zoomed into the snow-covered mountains of the island. "We've discovered that the Polar Unit's Mountain Base is up and running, and we sent one of the Unit's former members to investigate. But, unfortunately, he has yet to return."

"What's going up there anyway?" Firefly questioned; X was thankful to see him among the living. He had heard that Ai was still being repaired. But, unfortunately, the damage she received was more severe than initially suspected.

"We've lost contact with the other bases around the island," Trinity clarified. "But from what little information we've been able to gather, even with the limits imposed by the Communications Tower," X didn't understand what she meant by that, but before he could ask, she continued. "There have been tremors experienced in the mountain's area. This occurrence, of course, is a problem, especially considering the human populace is still under our care," she then paused for a moment. No one heard her, but she said, "Even if they don't want anything to do with us."

"Tremors lead to avalanches," Firefly added. "Which would lead to all of us being buried alive under snow."

"Indeed," Trinity said. "The Polar Unit's Commander was dispatched to investigate the newly active base, but we're still waiting to hear from him. And if what we believe is true, then someone is stirring things up in that region to try and cause a potentially catastrophic event."

The Hunters left began to debate among themselves as to who should go. So few of them left, so their numbers would be stretched thin. Not to mention that if the area were under Sigma's control, it'd probably be littered with those loyal to him. "Trinity," Zero suddenly spoke up. "Any word from Eagle or the Air Unit?"

The Navigator's features fell. "Unfortunately, no. We haven't heard a single word," she saw Zero close his eyes for a moment. "But for the time being, the Mountain Base needs to be investigated, and the potential threat is taken out. One of us must do this." Everyone looked around, but soon, everyone's eyes fell on Zero. No matter, as the red Hunter was about to volunteer anyway. "Wait a minute," Trinity protested. "You're still needed to help track where Sigma's gone," she said.

"Firefly's more than fast and skilled enough to lead a squad," Zero responded. "And, if one of Sigma's men is involved in this, he will want whatever he's doing up there guarded."

As this exchange was going on, X couldn't help but ponder his place in all that was happening. True, he was still alive and, so far, ready to return to his duties as a Hunter, but now, Sigma had turned everything upside down. X knew so little, yet what the blue Reploid did know was that this city, the Hunters, Reploids, and humans, were in danger. And these potential avalanches and the missing Unit Commander were just a few details in the long stretch of happenings that occurred when he was unconscious for those two days. So much was already gone, and more potential disaster lay before them.

The disaster brought on by one he had once revered and admired, now a branded Maverick. And even if he didn't consider himself one, his actions concerning Dr. Fujiwara said otherwise. Yet still, a part of X couldn't help but wonder, was it Sigma, as in, was it indeed him acting of his own accord? What if his actions resulted from a deeply rooted infection that no one had discovered until now? X knew it was foolish, yet some of him wanted to hold onto the hope that just maybe Sigma wasn't in his right mind.

Although, X realized that it probably was a false one.

Regardless, the situation still needed someone to take care of it. And while Zero appeared to be willing to go, X could see that he would be required here, especially if he now held the title of Commander, something still hard to grasp from X. But if not Zero, then who? Who would go up into the mountains and search for the missing Hunter? As well as investigate the strange happenings occurring there.

Who would take responsibility for everything that had happened?

Suddenly, a voice no one expected to hear spoke up. "Excuse me?" Trinity turned from talking with Firefly to see X had stepped forward. "If you're taking volunteers," he said. "I'll be willing to go."

Chapter Text

"Commander, do you read me? Commander?"

Sigma stood at the expansive monitor, an ariel view of the artificial island seen on the screen. Currently, the call he was receiving was from the land's snow-covered mountains, one of his men stationed there having something to report presumably. "I read you," he answered, the screen zooming in on the area of interest via a command from the control panel. "Report."

"Commander, we've managed to locate and terminate the intruder that snuck into the base." a blue and yellow Maverick soldier answered, appearing on the monitor.

"Who?" Sigma questioned. "Show them to me."

While unseen by anyone but Sigma himself, he was mildly surprised by who his men had just struck down. His brow furrowed, but the anger was fleeting. "Pity that he was one of the unwise," the blue-eyed Reploid sighed, this detail the only thing able to be seen in the intense shadows of the sizable chamber. "Still, he's in better condition than the Air Unit," his lips curled upward into a slight grin. "What's left of it," he then directed his attention back to the situation at hand. "And what of the device delivered?" he questioned his soldier. "Has there been any progress?"

The soldier looked down, hesitating for a moment to deliver his answer. "No, sir, not yet," he said. "Yet, rest assured, from what we've gathered from Fujiwara's notes, we have a possible lead to what can lead to its activation, along with the activation of the others."

"Go on," Sigma ordered.

"From what we've found, these devices are currently dormant, but whenever we have attempted to break into them, it alerts us that it will only activate for a specific individual."

Sigma was puzzled. "What do you mean?" If this meant what he thought he did, this would set them back. Plans would have to be changed just when the operation started. "Explain."

"It's an individual registered in the HQ's databanks," the soldier explained. "As well as pages of studies courtesy of the dearly departed Doctor."

Sigma pondered all of this, trying to construct a theory based on the information he had. It was more than he knew before, but there were still too many questions left unanswered. Yet if these devices would only grant access to a specific individual, it would be best to locate and bring him in.

"And just who is this individual?"

The soldier paused. "You may not believe me, but I'm speaking from Fujiwara's research and Cain's findings. So far, it's the only thing that matches up."

"Then who is this Reploid?" Sigma questioned. He had someone in mind, but he had to be sure.

The answer he received made him realize that perhaps he had executed Fujiwara too soon.

From the small, cube-shaped room that served as his prison, Dr. Cain heard someone approaching him from behind, Sigma's shadow enveloping him from behind. The older man wasn't sure of what to say, so he remained silent. Childish as it was, a small part of him was still hoping that all of this was just a terrible nightmare. He was trapped behind a set of mechanical bars that extended down from the top of the doorway, turning his temporary "living quarters" into a cell. Sigma provided the older man with a place to rest and some canned food and utensils, but not much else.

"I have something to ask you," Sigma told Dr. Cain, the man's expression neutral but tired. Despite the bed and food, he was still a prisoner here. "And I trust that, unlike Fujiwara, you will answer honestly."

The bald human nodded, answering both genuinely and out of fear. Even if the former Hunter Leader assured him he wouldn't harm the human, the first thing Sigma had done to start his campaign broke the First Law of Robotics. "What do you wish to know?" he questioned. He could only hope to give a satisfactory answer.

"The objects you have found on your digs," Sigma said. "What are they?" Dr. Cain's blood ran cold. He wasn't sure he could answer this. "Well?

The paleobotanist lowered his head. "I...I don't know."

He paled when he saw Sigma's brow twitch. "You being here is a kindness, Cain," the shadowy, taller figure told the imprisoned human. "There can be adjustments to your current living condition if you do not comply with what is asked of you."

"Honestly, I don't know, Sigma!" Dr. Cain answered, sounding desperate. "I just found them during my digs! I wasn't even sure what it was when I found the first one!"

"Then why does Fujiwara have so much research regarding the devices?" Sigma questioned.

"I gave them to him for study! I just found them! I'm not a robotics expert! I couldn't even open it when I tried!"

Wait a moment, Sigma thought. "Tried?" he questioned. "Explain.

Dr. Cain sighed, collecting himself. He couldn't afford to get too worked up, as his age and survival possibly depended on it. "When I found the first device, I suppose it sensed some sort of presence because it activated," the man explained. "And during that phase, I saw something," he said. "Some image of sorts, or was it some illusion? I'm still unsure."

"You had better be going somewhere with this, Doctor," Sigma warned.

"I'm telling you, that's all I know!" Dr. Cain answered. "I saw something manifest before me!" he then calmed down. "It...looked like a man, but he had no physical form," he relayed to his captor. "His appearance was familiar, but it couldn't have been him."

Who was the human referring to? Regardless, Sigma pressed Cain. "To the point, Doctor."

Cain nodded. "When the image appeared, the device's creator recorded a message."

"And that message was?"

Cain was quiet for a moment. Even now, he wasn't sure what it was, yet he knew who he saw and his words. "No, you are not the one."

Polar Region

So far, things have been going great. In that, he finally got what he wanted, at long last. A place in the new world his Commander would build, a high-ranking position, and the respect that would soon follow! Oh yes, he was going to make it big now! He would finally receive the admiration and praise that he deserved!

"Hm?" Speaking of the Commander, he was calling right now! "Yes, Commander Sigma?" the figure hidden away in the security room of the base asked, the image of his leader appearing on the main computer's screen.

"I heard that the intruder's been taken care of, yes?" Sigma questioned.

"Yes, he has," the figure confirmed. "I took him out like all the others. He's probably still standing frozen with them somewhere." the figure glowered as if remembering unpleasant memories. They're all liars. They all laughed at me. Even if they say they didn't, they did it behind my back! They're all liars!

"Get ahold of yourself," Sigma ordered. "Things such as that don't matter anymore. You're in control now," hearing this made the figure feel more confident, yet his Commander's expression remained the same. Save for reaching up for a moment to lightly scratch under his left eye. Odd, the figure thought, as synthetic flesh doesn't itch. "Anyway, are the mechaniloids in place?"

The figure nodded. "Affirmative. The Snow Shooters are ready to act on command at any time. They're positioned right along the mountain's edge, so those below will feel their efforts immediately."

"Good," Sigma answered, scratching at his eye again. His face...something felt off about it. A sudden urge to dig deeper came to him, a yearning to dive his digit further into the skin until he could relieve himself of it. Yet upon realizing that this was getting the attention of his officer, the Reploid ceased. "Keep an eye out for anyone else," he ordered. "I suspect our former comrades would send someone else here to investigate the worrying signs seen from the city."

"Will do, sir!" the figure squawked, giving a salute.

"Then I shall leave you to your duty," the taller Reploid said. "Sigma out." with that, his image disappeared, the screen now blank.

The figure turned from the computer, pacing around the small chamber, even if his walk was more of a waddle. It was something else he was made aware of constantly, as well as his voice. His appearance, everything about him, and the jeers of the others around him made him hate his body. So stout and shaky, he looked ridiculous when he walked, when he talked, but no longer. No one would laugh at him after this.

No one would laugh at him again.

Suddenly, the alarm went off, alerting the figure that there was yet another intruder on the premises. "What now?" he grumbled, adjusting the camera to see who was sneaking in. "What the?!" the figure couldn't believe who he saw. "Of all Reploids, they sent HIM?!"

The climb was long and arduous, but he finally made it. Ankle-deep in snow, Mega Man X surveyed the icy terrain around him, spotting several signs that where he was standing had a structure standing once. Now it was utterly destroyed; not even the framework of the building remained. Just what had caused this? And was it related to the tremors felt down below? X was sent here to investigate and look for the missing Hunter, who had been deployed before himself.

In fact, since Sigma's announcement, the Hunters in Abel City had lost all contact with the various bases they had stationed all over the island. The Polar Unit, the Air Unit, and all Units outside the city's borders were unreachable, and from what X could see, it most likely was the work of Sigma. So the only question was, what was he doing here in the mountains? And even more, just what demolished the place he was now standing? The only evidence there was something there was a couple of torn beams of wood poking out from the snow.

X pondered all this as he continued, though he found the trek through the snow somewhat tricky, especially given that the thick, frozen powder nearly engulfed his legs. His internal heating provided him warmth from the cold, yet he couldn't abuse it, as overuse could drain him of a good deal of energy. Despite their hyper-intelligence, Reploids still operated the same as stationary machines in many ways, and overheating was one of them. But, of course, so was becoming too cold; the temperature of this land was proof of that. If not for the heating system, a Reploid's internal components would freeze and cease functioning.

Thus, given he wanted to avoid both, he knew he had to complete this mission as quickly as possible. "Don't hesitate," X repeated Zero's words to him. "Just act." he looked at his buster, wondering whether he could take his friend's advice. Or rather, his Commander. It was still surreal that the blonde Reploid was now the head of the Hunters. At least those that were left. "I have to make this right," the blue Hunter said aloud. "I have to fix this, somehow."

Then, he received a message from the underground HQ. "This is Trinity speaking. Can you read me, X?"

"I hear you, Trinity," X told the pink-haired Navigator, his voice heard back in the headquarters below ground. "Any further information regarding this place?" the blue Hunter questioned. This territory belonged to the Maverick Hunters, but their numbers had split, and the other half turned against their own. So, as far as X knew, an enemy could've been hiding behind every corner.

"So far, there's been no report from either the Unit stationed here or the Hunter we sent in previously," Trinity told him through the com-link. "And the weather up there might mean interference, so be wary of that," she warned before continuing. "Reports of significant snowfall and potential avalanches began shortly after the city was bombed. We've detected the source of these seismic movements and deduced that it's somewhere in the Polar Region."

"And just what is in the Polar Region?" X questioned. He had never been on this part of the island before.

"Aside from the base we have, there is nothing of note," Trinity relayed to the Hunter. "But still, be on guard. Sigma's men will likely have this place guarded."

X nodded. "Indeed."

"I'll alert you of any further updates or information I receive," the Navigator said. "Trinity, out." The link died, leaving X's audio receptors to absorb the silence, permeating the area around him.

Suddenly, he saw a shape move in the distance.

He brought out his buster, X's green eyes centered on the target, watching its movements as it drew closer. Just what was it? Suddenly, with one bounding leap, the target landed right in front of X, the blue Hunter aiming to fire. Only to stop when he saw what his aggressor was. A small, armless mechaniloid of purple with long ears looked up at the larger Reploid with large, green eyes, its tail wiggling on its backside. "A Ray Bit?" X questioned aloud, feeling a little foolish for getting so worked up. "I didn't know they had these up here."

The Ray Bit took in sight the taller Reploid, its central processor going through the information programmed into its systems. While mechaniloids were also machines, their AI was far less advanced. In a sense, they possessed no consciousness of their own. The Ray Bit's one-track mind saw no distinction between friend or enemy: if it was programmed to eliminate threats, then it was to carry out this action. It stood back on its hind legs, the mechaniloid's ears lowered, and presented a pair of barrels to show X, revealing its intentions. Green beams shot forward in X's direction, forcing the blue Hunter to duck underneath the attack. X blasted a shot of yellow plasma at the Ray Bit, the bullet striking the mechaniloid and sending the energy throughout its entire body.

The Ray Bit was destroyed in a small explosion, X biting his lip as he continued. "Sorry," he said, though it wasn't as if the mechaniloid could hear or understand him. "Though, I doubt I'll see the last of bots like you."

And, as if to answer his declaration, several mechaniloids rose from the snow, though they were radically different in appearance from the Ray Bit. They bore no lower half save a pole stuck into a platform buried under the snow, but their upper halves were more humanoid. With blue bodies and heads with a lower, detaching jaw, these mechaniloids bore silvery axes, along with what appeared to be several discs situated in front of them, appearing almost like large logs. Then, they all began swinging their axes, sending the discs flying right at the intruder.

Unsure of whether to duck or jump, X went down on the ground, avoiding the obstacles put in place to deal with unwanted guests. The constant barrage kept the blue Hunter on the ground, yet when he tried to move forward from his position, one of the mechaniloids, just one of many Axe Max's, swung its weapon down, barely missing X's helmet. Unfortunately, this action forced him to rise right into the line of an incoming disc that had recently been swung. X ducked his head underneath the projectile, yet he was forced to jump onto the next to avoid getting hit. Unfortunately, he couldn't travel on it, but he did use it to jump over the slew of Axe Max's and out of the range of their attacks.

When he was out of the way, X began firing at those that still insisted on attacking him, but once they had been disarmed and taken care of, the blue Reploid went on his way. They were stuck where they were, so there was no need to destroy the other Axe Max's. Or maybe he was still having trouble with "hesitating." Either way, he came to the mouth of a large structure, a portion of the Polar Unit's base, stepping inside through the open entrance. But, of course, the fact it was open didn't point to anything positive.

Upon entering the building, X found the area quite dark, his vision lighting up the area around him. From the looks of it, this place was abandoned; the heating systems were off for some time, and the walls were covered in thick layers of ice. So just what could this place have been? It was rather significant so that it could've been a storage area. Regardless, it appeared he would have to navigate this place to progress.

X walked through the sizable structure, seeing no other soul in sight. It seemed that this place had been completely abandoned. Then, he spotted red lights up above him. Looking upward, X saw a dozen Batton Bones hanging from the ceiling, which then proceeded to swoop down at the blue Hunter, ready to strike. The blue Hunter shot a charged shot at the airborne mechaniloids, some being destroyed by the blast while others veered to the side, avoiding it entirely. Those that were left swarmed X, diving down and jaws open, ready to bite and tear through the metal shell of the Reploid.

He saw that he would be doing little more than shooting blindly at several random targets, so X ducked underneath the swarm and began running, the Batton Bones in pursuit. "Damn!" he cursed, trying to find a way to get rid of these machines insistent on swooping down at him. He felt the teeth of the mechanical bats scratching at the back of his helmet, the creatures surely intending to bite through the metal to the head underneath. He had to either take care of or get away from these things!

The only question was, how?

Concealed Location

The figure standing at the monitor paled when he saw X enter the storage building. "Damn, damn, damn, DAMN!" he then contacted his men, specifically his highest-ranked soldier in his control. "Boxer, do you read me? Boxer? BOXER!?"

The Mountainside

It was distant, but Abel City was right below them. Or rather, what was left of it. After they were through, the ruins of the metropolis would be buried underneath miles and miles of snow, assuming they could create a large enough wave to make the distance.

"BOXER?! COME IN!"

The other Reploids were lower-ranking military members in blue armor with a single red eye in the center of a black visor. They all rolled their eyes upon hearing their "leader's" squawky voice. Then, finally, the Reploid mentioned above, Boxer, answered the call. "Read you loud and clear, Sir," he said, appearing no different than the others around him. "What's the situation?"

"There's been another intruder sighted in the area!" their "leader," told him. "Find and exterminate him! Quickly!"

"Roger, Sir," Boxer answered. "Where is the intruder?"

"He's just entered the Storage Building! He must not reach what's inside there!"

"The Storage Building?" Boxer questioned. "You mean where one of those things Cain found is-"

"Yes! That one!" the voice on the other end barked. "You can't let him reach it! Don't let him lay his hands on it!"

"Who's the intruder, Sir?" Boxer questioned. If his superior was so worked up about this, it must've been someone of great skill.

"There's no time for that; eliminate him before he can reach what's in there! NOW!"

"Affirmative; we'll get on it, Sir," Boxer answered. Although, he just wanted that annoying voice of his "leader" to stop. "Boxer, out."

Concealed Location

"Damn it!" the figure hissed, even if his frustration came out more as a high-pitched trill. "Him of all Reploids?! Why?!" he questioned. "And the FIRST place he goes is there! GAH!" he screeched in a fury. He heard the elephant's voice in the back of his mind, mocking him.

"You? A Commander? Please! You couldn't even lead an entire unit, let alone a single squad!

Yeah, well, your men don't like you either. So he thought, teeth clenching at the thought of that pompous, silvery behemoth. So what if he was larger? Commander Sigma entrusted ME to be in charge of this place, NOT him! So there! You stupid elephant.

Still, he couldn't afford to allow X to make it too far—especially where that "thing" was stored. Commander Sigma had given it to him for safekeeping, but if that blue wimp found the object in question, he didn't even want to think of the possibility. One thing he did know was that if X did find it, then they were all dead. Screw Sigma's command to bring him in alive; he would be exterminated before becoming any threat!

Not that the figure was worried or anything. His soldiers would take care of the blue intruder. And if not, then HE would take care of little boy blue himself. You laughed at me too, X, he thought. You're not better than any of the others, no matter what you may say! Then, he smiled. Well, if it comes to that, I'll just set you in with all the others. Outside the small room stood several shapes frozen in place and time. Forever.

"Yes," he said. "If it comes to that, he'll be like all the others. And no one will EVER think to laugh at me again!"

Among those figures rested a familiar face, both to the concealed Reploid and X himself. He stood among his friends, silent yet waiting for someone to come. Someone to finish what he could not.

Storage Building

He kept running, looking for any refuge to escape the mechaniloids coming his way. He ran up slopes and kicked off the wall to reach the higher sections where the ladder once stood, but the Batton Bones followed. Then, he spotted an opportunity. A door was nearby, frozen over, yet, strangely enough, it looked to have been recently opened. Rushing over, he pried it open with all his strength, the door slowly moving to the side.

However, the Batton Bones were coming, so he needed to move fast! Eventually, X managed to pull open the door and leaped through. A few Batton Bones flew inside, yet most passed the blue Hunter entirely. The few that managed to get inside were quickly dealt with, leaving X alone in the small chamber hidden behind the door. The room wasn't overly large and bore little contents save for some frosted-over equipment and machinery. But one piece of mechanical work snagged the blue Hunter's attention.

"What the...?" X said aloud, walking towards the strange piece of machinery. It appeared to be a platform of some sort with a domed top and thick cables going in on four sides. "What is this?" X knelt to inspect the mysterious device, reaching out to place his hand on its surface.

Then, a bright light shone between the platform and the top, catching X off guard and stepping back. Then, the top rose, and a thick pane of glass shaped into a cylinder rose with it. X drew out his buster yet saw that, to his surprise, it was some container or capsule. Yet what lay inside, he knew not, as he couldn't see through the glass. Then, the mirror dissipated, and X realized it was an illusion to keep others from seeing what was inside.

There was nothing but clear space until an image began to manifest before the blue Reploid. A humanoid appearance that slowly gained features as time passed, X watched in awe as the shape began to take form, gradually transforming into an individual he knew very well, and yet not at all. Finally, the image of a bearded human with white hair, a lab coat and tie, and bright blue eyes manifested before the blue Reploid, seemingly looking directly back at him. Then, he spoke.

"So," he said, voice knowing but forlorn. "You've come."

Outside

All right, he's in here!" Boxer told the rest of the Armor Soldiers with him, armed and ready to fire, given the command. "Find him and riddle him with bullets!"

"Yes, Sir!" they all answered in unison.

"Move in!" Boxer commanded; he and the rest of the Armor Soldiers entering the building, looking for any sign of blue among the cold grey and pale, faded colors of the walls and floors. First, they would have to navigate through here, but they had orders to follow. "He can't reach that capsule, no matter what," Boxer told the men under him. "Find him, and destroy him!"

Hidden Room

X stood there, mouth agape and trying to form words, but his tongue was slow moving and making sounds even slower. "D-Doctor...?" he moved forward, white hand reaching out for the image of the human, but his hand phased through. The sight of his physical self penetrating the projection reminded him further that the man standing before him was not real. He was no longer alive. Still, that begged the question of what this device was and why it had Dr. Light's image programmed into it.

The scientist mentioned above closed his eyes and sighed as if he regretted that X had found this machine. "X," the hologram began, radiating a blue glow. "I am sorry if this is the only way you shall know me, but it seems that you are needed," he said as if he was aware of why X was here. But how could that be? Unless it was pre-programmed, but still, such forethought astounded the blue Hunter. "Unlike many before you, I have given you the ability to choose your path," he paused. "And I hoped the road you choose would be peaceful."

X stood there, unable to speak. Doctor...

"But the world requires a new champion. And unfortunately, it seems you have been called to fill that role," Dr. Light's image said. "This capsule is just one of many I have constructed for this reason, and I have concealed them in various parts of the world," he explained. "Although, when they are found and how will be when you need them," his image began to fade away.

"W-Wait," X stammered, reaching out for the hologram. "Wait, don't! Don't leave!"

"Enter this capsule, X," the image spoke as it continued to dissipate. "It contains an acceleration boost for your leg components," he explained. "I do not have much time, but should you find this machine, then the most I can do is provide you with a way to make your journey easier," the image was now nearly gone, yet despite this, X could still see a smile on the old man's face. "I wish you luck, X. For you may be the hope of many," he nearly gone. "As well as mine."

Then, Dr. Light disappeared entirely.

X was left alone in the small chamber again, his green eyes wide and beginning to become wet with fresh tears. "Doctor...?" he weakly cried out, knowing that he wouldn't get a response. But the blue Hunter quickly reigned his emotions in, wiping away the moisture in his eyes. Any feelings he had regarding this meeting could come later. For now, he had a mission to accomplish.

An acceleration boost? He wondered what that meant. Although, there was only one way to find out.

Outside the Chamber

"Damn it, where IS he?!" Boxer groaned, growing frustrated. How hard could it be to find just ONE Reploid in this place?! It wasn't as if X could hide well in this place. Then, a Batton Bone flew down from the ceiling. "Get away, you stupid bolt-head!" the head of the Armor Soldiers ordered the mechaniloid, but it kept swooping down, trying to get his attention.

"Hey, wait a minute," one of Boxer's men said, pointing to a large gathering outside a closed door nearly frozen over. A large crowd of bat-like mechaniloids gathered around the door as if trying to reach something inside. "They're interested in something," he said. "Should we check it out?"

Boxer pondered this suggestion for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "All right, let's get into position."

Inside the Chamber

With a series of careful steps, X got atop the bottom section of the capsule, then, as if a switch was activated, a series of multi-colored lights began to surround him. The blue Hunter was alarmed at first, yet, to his surprise, a strange sense of calm suddenly overcame him. As if everything that was happening was natural. X had never experienced such a thing before, but somehow, it was genuine. It was safe because Dr. Light had made it. Strangely, he was here with X.

The wave of calm consuming his entire being, X closed his eyes as the lights blinded him. And in that period, he could've sworn he felt a pair of arms gently embrace him from behind. After a time, the lights finally died, and X could see again. He was still in the chamber; nothing had changed. Then, he saw the door smashed open and several Armor Soldiers running into the room.

"Freeze!" Boxer shouted, and he and his men aimed their weapons at X. "It's clear you're surrounded, so you might as well accept death now," he said, cocking his gun. "Sorry, but I'm just following orders."

Then, one of his men noticed something out of sorts. "Hey, what's with his legs?"

X then looked down, and indeed, he saw that something about him had changed. His leg components were not the same blue as most of his armor to a white sheen with smaller blue sections above his ankles, and the bottoms of his calves were lined with gold. His feet were still blue, yet X felt a strange difference. As if a factor of their function had been changed or altered. Was this the work of the capsule? The hologram said something about an acceleration boost, perhaps this alteration was related to that?

Regardless, it seemed neither Boxer nor his men would wait for an answer. "Fire!" the leader of the small squad ordered, everyone releasing their rapid-fire in the blue Hunter's direction.

He instinctively leaped upward but was taken off guard by how quickly he traveled. X's newly gained boots met the face of one of the Armor Soldiers, knocking him down and setting his gun to fire. The shots of concentrated plasma met the ceiling, riddling it with holes. This action caused an entire section of the roof to fall onto some of Boxer's men, and X seized his chance to escape. "Stop him!" Boxer commanded; he and those not caught underneath the ceiling pursued the blue Hunter. "Don't run from us, coward!"

"I'm not here for you! My mission doesn't involve you at all!" X shot back and then turned around when he had put enough distance between himself and aimed his buster. "But if you force my hand, I'll make you regret it!"

"Regret this!" one of the Armor Soldiers shouted, firing at the blue Hunter. He ducked to the side, yet he was surprised at how quickly he could do so.

He fired, striking the other Reploid in the chest. The Armor Soldier was sent to the ground, and the others around him began firing to avenge their fallen comrade. X jumped up and onto the left wall, dodging the incoming shots as he jumped from wall to wall. Then, he got to the other side of the small squad and fired a charged shot in their direction, taking several of them out. X stood there, ready to fire again if need be.

"Don't hesitate," X whispered to himself. "Just act." He repeatedly recited Zero's words in his mind.

"What are you waiting for!? Fire!" Boxer commanded, yet a sudden shaking took everyone's attention off of the blue Hunter and to the outside of the building. "What?! Another one already?!" X was unsure of what the Armor Soldier meant, but whatever it was, it seemed to frighten everyone. "Hurry! We can't let him leave!"

They began firing at X again, who used the walls again and managed to get ahead of the squad. He ran towards the sighted exit ahead; all the while, he was coming under fire. The rumbling grew louder and louder, and the entire structure seemed to shake. Something big was coming, and given that they were in a snowbound land, it didn't take long to realize the danger. Nevertheless, X continued to run, all the wall avoiding the gunfire at his heels.

Then, he saw it: a wave of snow was heading his way, and if it reached the exit, it'd indeed block the way for sure! He had to make it there quickly! Remembering the sudden speed he got when he dashed, X did so again, propelling himself forward as he slid across the ground with ease, traveling at a far faster pace than merely running. This sudden burst allowed X to go outside, but the snow wave was still coming his way! He heard the forces chasing him gaining, but he had to avoid the incoming avalanche of snow!

Quickly dashing over to the side, X kicked off the side of the building until he was a reasonable distance up, far out of the way of the incoming wave. He stood atop the roof as he watched the avalanche come, the Armor Soldiers caught in the wave of dense white snow. X winced, for as soon as he had seen them, they were then gone. The avalanche rocked the building, and X nearly lost his balance, but eventually, the aftershocks died down, and the entire region went still again. Finally, X slid to the ground and stepped ahead of the storage building, looking back at the snow-covered exit.

That wouldn't kill those pursuing him, but it would slow them down. And despite Zero's words, X was grateful he didn't have to shoot too many of the Armor Soldiers. Still, he had a lot of terrain to cover, for he had to discover the source of these avalanches and locate the missing Hunter previously sent here. "X, do you read me? This is Trinity speaking."

X answered the call. "Opportune timing," he told the Navigator. "I just nearly escaped being buried alive."

"You experienced one of the avalanches?!" Trinity questioned, quite shocked. "Just how close was it to your current location?"

"I can't gauge exactly, but I doubt it's far away," X responded. "Something close by must've started it. I'll check it out."

"Be careful," Trinity warned. "And be on the lookout for our missing officer! As well as the other troops we had stationed up here. They're probably around here somewhere too."

X didn't want to ask, but he knew such information would be crucial. "Are they friend or foe?" he questioned the Navigator.

"It's...hard to say," she answered honestly. "Those that have joined with Sigma are probably there, yet who's to say there aren't still those loyal somewhere?" she paused. "Although...I doubt that's likely. For now, focus on the mission. Such details can be dealt with later."

"Right," X answered. "I'll find the source of the avalanches and the missing officer," he then paused for a moment. "And anyone else that may be on our side."

"Good luck. Report to me anything of interest. Trinity out."

X considered telling Trinity of the leg upgrades he received from the capsule, but he decided against it. For one, even he still wasn't sure how he received them, and two, how would he explain it? Moreover, the capsule raised several creations relating to the device itself and the man it projected. X told himself it wasn't Dr. Light; it was just a hologram. And yet, despite his logical components arguing otherwise, the Reploid couldn't help but sense that there was something "else."

Some presence that made itself known but didn't allow itself to be contacted by his touch. Dr. Light's image was indeed a pre-recorded message, yet, X thought if he was constructed a century prior, then why would Dr. Light feel the need to build the capsule? Was there trouble back even in those days? Yet weren't those the years that Mega Man was active? Would that mean there was a force stronger than him that had to be dealt with?

There were still so many unanswered questions, but as Trinity said, such details could be dealt with later. With that in mind, X continued on his way, his green eyes glancing down at his white and blue armor as small bits of sunshine shone down from the clear skies above.

Chapter Text

It took some effort to dig through the snow, but Boxer managed to do it. Some of his men were following him, yet eventually, they'd all make it out. Yet that wasn't the problem. The problem was that their enemy now had an advantage in the distance. He was further ahead and, in turn, had a better chance of discovering the method of their mission.

"All right, move out!" Boxer commanded. "I know a shortcut!" he dashed forward, and those who could follow him. "No matter what, we can't let him reach the western side of the region!"

This entire operation depended on what was located there, and the Armor Soldier leading the others suspected that the blue Hunter would discover one of the crucial parts of this operation eventually.

Further Ahead

If Trinity was correct, this area was where the Polar Unit had its base of operations when they were away from the city. But, then, if that was the case, where was everyone? X looked around him, his leg upgrades helping him navigate through the snow far smoother than before, yet he kept himself in place to look around. All around him were small, igloo-like structures and X found that, upon entering one, they were small housing areas for the Hunters. Yet there was no sign that anyone had been here in some time.

Machinery was still running, yet there was no one to maintain it, and the communications network was down, not allowing any contact with the outside. "Sabotage, perhaps?" X thought aloud. "If that's the case, who's responsible?"

Exiting the igloo, X continued, eyes peeled for any sign of enemy forces, mechaniloid or Reploid. "There he is!" as if on cue, the blue Hunter heard a voice shout from behind. Turning, he saw that the Armor Soldiers had dug their way out of the snow and were gunning for him. "Fire!"

A barrage of energy bullets flew in his direction, X ducking underneath the gunfire, speeding through the snow, out of the way. The Armor Soldiers continued to pursue him, then X saw another structure nearby, in an even worse state than the storage. The entire wall the entrance stood on was gone, showing nothing but a gaping hole that led to the other side. But, as he approached the building, he noticed a sizable slope ahead of him. And that it was surprisingly close to the roof.

The question was, could he do it?

There was only one way to find out! Dashing forward, X gained enough momentum to stay in the air for a short time, allowing him to reach the roof of the structure. Then, seeing his pursuers below him, the blue Hunter continued. Boxer and his men entered the building, aiming their weapons up at the ceiling, ready to fire.

"Don't let him get out of here!" Boxer commanded. He then spied a pair of machines in the distance. They looked old but still functional. "I've got an idea."

From up above, X ran along the roof of the building, but soon found his path blocked by the slew of plasma bullets shooting through the surface. From behind, even more, bullets blasted through the ceiling, surrounding X. When it became evident what his aggressors were trying to do, it was too late. X found himself taken by gravity as the slab of roof he stood on fell through and to the ground below. The blue Reploid landed on his knee and found himself surrounded by Armor Soldiers, as well as some mechaniloids that had emerged from the snow.

A pair of Spiky's rolled their way in X's direction, the blue Hunter dodging one, but was unprepared for the mechaniloid turning horizontal and spinning across the icy surface of the floor. The spikes of the appropriately named machine nicked X on his outer left thigh, tearing slightly through the cyan covering. This moment of weakness triggered the Armor Soldiers to begin firing from all sides, forcing X to the ground to keep out of the way. The Spiky's continued to come at him, sliding along the floor, yet it was then that X spied an opportunity. Though he knew he would have to time it right, otherwise he would end up taking several sharpened spikes to the face!

The Spiky's came spinning toward him, and then, at the last second, he rolled out of the way, the mechaniloid unable to stop itself from crashing into several of the Armor Soldiers. The other Spiky came spinning toward him, yet X fired a charged shot at the machine, the blast tearing through its motor relays. The mechaniloid was sent spinning in the other direction, out of control before crashing into a wall and creating a small explosion. Seizing the opportunity, X got up and dashed forward, getting ahead of the Armor Soldiers, who were once again back to pursuing him from behind. Don't hesitate, Zero's words echoed in X's mind again. Just act. If the blue Hunter was honest, he wasn't doing that good of a job of acting on those words.

As he went further ahead, a pair of tall, violet-colored mechaniloids stood, blocking his path. They resembled robotic cranes, but their "plumes" were a sawblade ready to be dislodged and sent in the blue Hunter's direction. The Flammingles swung their heads around full three-hundred-sixty degrees, sending their spiked head decorations toward X. The sawblades tore through the surface of the frozen walls, not even becoming stuck before they went back to the robotic birds. It was but a small taste of what they could do, the mechaniloids almost seemingly daring X to step forward. And X heard the forces he had left behind close by.

The Flammingle on the left decided to take another swing at X, yet when the sawblade came in his direction, the blue Hunter fired a plasma shot, the force of the shot sending the blade off course and back at the mechaniloid. The bird ducked its head, yet this allowed X to get a clear shot at it, a charged blast destroying the Flammingle's head, and in turn, the mechaniloid's explosion caused its twin to retaliate. This time, however, X blasted the sawblade back at the robotic bird, the sharpened instrument piercing through the mechaniloid's central processor. Seeing as the two were no longer a threat, X continued on his way, all the while trying to put as much distance between himself and his pursuers as possible. He was doing much thinking, but not so much acting.

He suspected he wouldn't have much choice but to do the latter soon.

Exiting the building, X dashed through the snow and continued, passing by several igloos, all empty and devoid of either Reploids or humans. While the blue Hunter assumed that, if this was Maverick territory, no opposition would remain. Especially after what had now become known as "The Day of Sigma." But why wasn't there any evidence that there was a culling of those still loyal to the Maverick Hunters? Where was the evidence of a skirmish or battle?

He had seen no indication that anything had taken place. No bodies, no blast marks on the walls of the structures he had gone through, nothing. While he was somewhat hopeful, X knew that it was unlikely that those that had gone Maverick would allow any potential opposition to live. But, even with that said, there would at least be evidence of something having happened. It was as if everyone had just disappeared. Lost to the mountains forever.

Just then, X saw something in the distance, a sizable figure standing tall in the snow presented itself to the blue Hunter, situated between a few igloos. Upon studying the figure closer, X saw that it was not just one, but two. An Armor Soldier had gotten into a Ride Armor, the chest, forearms, and leg a sea green while the joints were a bright yellow. And then, X spotted another Ride Armor of the same color nearby, albeit this one was unoccupied. The figure in the mobile suit stood still, allowing X to approach.

"You're not running from me this time!" Boxer proclaimed, maneuvering his mobile suit so that it was pointing at X. "Get in that suit, and fight me!"

It didn't take long for X to know what the Armor Soldier meant, his green eyes falling on the other Ride Armor. He then closed his eyes, grimly. "It seems I have no choice," he admitted and got inside the Ride Armor. It took a few moments to adjust, but eventually, he gained control over the machine. "I suppose we begin?"

"Yeah," Boxer answered. Then, he dashed forward. "Me first, though!" A massive fist was thrown in X's direction, the blue Reploid barely dodging it by maneuvering his Ride Armor out of the way. But this only allowed the Armor Soldier to deliver a punch to the abdomen of X's mobile suit. The blow also affected the suit's driver, X's lower body wracked with pain. He nearly lost his footing from the move, the Ride Armor almost toppling over an igloo. "That's why they call me Boxer," the Armor Soldier answered, his Ride Armor's arms crossing over its chest. "You look like you've never thrown a punch in your life."

X's expression soured. "I'll admit, I don't pilot mobile suits often."

"Looks like you'll have to adapt," Boxer scoffed, readying himself for another attack. "But we're Reploids, right? Adaptability is in our very being!"

He threw another punch, yet this time, X was able to dodge the incoming blow, and once Boxer's back was turned, the blue Hunter delivered a left hook to the Ride Armor's back, sending Boxer and his mobile suit back and crashing into one of the nearby igloos. X knew he wouldn't stay down long, so he couldn't let his guard down just yet. And then, he was soon proven correct as Boxer soon got back up and readied himself for another attack. He thrust the Ride Armor's hands forward, seizing the right forearm of X's driven, walking weapon. Then, with a sharp twist, Boxer flipped X's Ride Armor over, the blue Reploid nearly falling out from his suit when it hit the ground, smashing into another igloo base.

This wasn't going to work, X thought. While he doubted that he'd be allowed to pass, the blue Hunter's mission was to investigate the mysterious earthquakes and avalanches occurring. But how was he going to get past this guy and his Ride Armor? It was then that X studied the fingers of his machine as he got it to rise to its feet again. It was a risky maneuver, and he would need to act fast, but if it worked, he believed he had a way to end this fight. But he would only have one shot at it, so he would have to make it count.

"Enough of this!" Boxer shouted, pounding his Ride Armor's fist into the other hand's palm. "Stop pussyfooting around, and fight me!"

He then dashed forward again, hands stretched outward to grapple at his opponent to disable and dismantle the other mobile suit. This was the moment X was waiting for! Controlling his Armor's hands to reach out as well, the fingers of his hands clasped with that of Boxer's locking the two Ride Armors together.

"H-Hey! Let go, damn it!" Boxer commanded, yet X had no intention of releasing him. He had locked the arm components in a tight hold on the other Ride Armor, allowing him a means to get to the other pilot.

Realizing the time had come, X exited his cockpit and ran across the interlocking arms of the Ride Armors until he reached Boxer himself, a buster pointed in his direction. "Tell me where the avalanches are coming from," X commanded the Armor Soldier to answer.

"And?" Boxer questioned.

"And, if you disavow your loyalty to Sigma, I won't have to resort to drastic measures," X told him. Again, he wasn't doing a very good job of taking Zero's advice, but if he could avoid conflict, he was going to take the chance. "Although, I'd strongly suggest you stand down, if not just for your own sake."

Boxer stared down the barrel of the blue Hunter's buster, inwardly cursing that he had gotten himself in such a position. It seemed he was now the one without a choice. "It's further up ahead," he told X, who still had his weapon aimed at his head. "The Commander here has set up more than one of the machines responsible, so don't think it'll be easy."

X raised a brow. "Commander?" Was the Armor Soldier talking about Sigma?

"Yeah, I can't believe it either," Boxer replied. "To think Sigma would put HIM of all Reploids in charge of this place, let alone this operation."

"Who?" X questioned.

"Go and see for yourself!" Boxer shouted, putting in a code before he exited the control panel. "If you survive the explosion!"

Explosion?! It was then that X realized that the Ride Armor was set to go off, so he had to make his escape! Spotting a ledge close by, the blue Hunter dashed toward the edge and leaped upward, kicking off the cliff's edge and working his way up to the flat ground. He covered just enough distance, yet X still felt the explosion when the Ride Armor's timer went off, taking his mobile suit with it. He waited for a few moments, hoping that the blast wouldn't trigger another avalanche. Thankfully, everything appeared to be all right, and X rose to his feet, ready to continue.

At least, he believed that before he felt another tremor from underneath him.

X looked up and saw a series of far-off figures standing in a uniform line, atop a peak that overlooked the world below the Polar Region. Specifically, the ruins of Abel City. One act of "kindness" Sigma had done, according to Zero, was to put out the raging flames that were left in the missiles' wake. It took some time, yet eventually, the fires were extinguished.

"Why?" X remembered asking Zero, the red Hunter, now appointed Commander, shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine," the long-haired blonde answered. "But I doubt it's because Sigma's had a change of heart," he said. "Rather, I think that he has something in mind for those left here."

Despite the vagueness of his statement, X found himself chilled by the possibilities. "Like what?"

Zero shook his head. "Whatever it is," the Hunter Leader said grimly. "It's nothing good. For either the humans or Reploid opposers."

That included everyone currently in the city, as well as any potential survivors outside of its borders during the missile strike. And, while he needed a closer look to truly see what they were, the figures atop the peak might've had the answer to what was causing the avalanches. Spotting him below, one of the figures appeared to lift its arm and swing an object forward, which then caught on the snow as it traveled down, gathering more and more until it grew into a massive collection of dense ice. X jumped out of the way of the incoming snowball, the boulder of white continuing to roll down the hill until it promptly exploded, sending white powder everywhere, along with stirring up the ground it had disturbed. Were these explosions the cause of the avalanches?

Whatever the case, the snowballs would cause some serious damage on the way down if not taken care of. The only question was, just how was X going to make it up there? He didn't have much time to come up with a strategy, as one of the green, red-eyed Snow Shooters spotted him approaching. Sighting its enemy, the mechaniloid produced another small, silver bomb that it threw, the sphere landing in and gathering snow on the way down. And even more, it was aimed directly at X!

X found that, after moving out of the way of the incoming snowball, more of them came soon after! It wasn't long before all of the Snow Shooters began unloading upon the blue Hunter, snowballs of varying sizes all heading in his direction. It was a literal uphill battle, but he would have to travel it to get to the top! When a sizable snowball rolled in his direction, X dashed to the side, then back to where he was to avoid yet another white sphere barreling toward him. This pattern continued, the blue Hunter was unable to shoot, lest he creates a possible series of explosions that would surely trigger a great and terrible reaction.

The Snow Shooters continued to roll round explosives at the approaching Reploid, yet, finally, X spotted an opening where his shots would matter. Having reached the peak, X kicked up off the face of the cliffside and worked his way to the top, and his first order of business was to take out the Snow Shooter that was just about to throw another bomb. It seemed that, for now, conflict was inevitable. X had no time to dwell on his reservations and complicated views on mechaniloids, he had a mission to accomplish. As well as a city to potentially keep from being buried underneath mountains of snow.

The Snow Shooters directed their attention from their initial programming to throw their explosives down the slopes to combating the intruder, yet it was a losing battle. While somewhat more durable than the other mechaniloids he had faced before, the green machines still fell to X's firepower, a charged shot tearing through several Snow Shooters, one after another. There were many, yet given their lack of legs, the green automatons were mostly stationary, making X's work slightly easier. Still, there were many of them. Finally, however, at long last, X had gone through them all, dozen of blown up and smoldering pieces of Snow Shooters all around him.

As X surveyed the damage, he pondered whether or not he had taken care of the source of the avalanches. Yet, upon wondering that, another tremor shook the entire area, jostling the blue Hunter and forcing him to the ground. When the shaking had ceased, X rose and continued forward, noting the strength of the quake that had just passed. It was just a theory, yet X suspected that he was getting close to the source of the movements in the region. The only question was, just who was responsible for them?

Not too far away, X spotted another structure, just as frozen over as the others. Yet was this one also abandoned? There was only one way to find out. Approaching the building, X found the front door sealed shut, a small keypad beside the left frame. It was destroyed, rendering the controls useless, leaving X with the only option of forcing the door open. Grabbing both sides, the blue Hunter slowly moved the two pieces away from each other, creating just enough space for him to work his way inside.

The door closed behind him, sealing X within the small room. It appeared to be little more than a hallway that extended a short distance, yet it appeared to go down a slope. The path seemed to go underground. With only one way forward, X began his journey downward, going under the snow-covered earth. Then, after a short time running, he spotted a door in the distance, similar to the one he had encountered before. Though, upon reaching it, instead of opening it, X stopped.

True, it was useless to dwell on such things now, but the blue Hunter couldn't help but wonder just who was inside the concealed room. Who was the one in charge here? Given how many Hunters were either missing or terminated, the one under Sigma's command could've been anyone. The blue Reploid's core sank at the thought of just who he would possibly encounter when he stepped through the door. He could've been wrong, and he hoped he was, yet the one he would face would possibly be someone he was familiar with. Someone that he knew, perhaps very well.

Regardless, the avalanches had to be stopped, as well as those responsible for them. Yet, instead of having to open the door, it parted for him, allowing the blue Hunter to enter the small chamber. The chamber in itself was somewhat dark, the floor covered in an icy sheen, crystals trailing up the walls and along the ceiling. There was a pully or lever at the top of the room in the center, though what it was for, X was unaware. But the most drawing element of the enclosed environment was the multiple, icy pillars that were situated on all sides.

X approached one of them and realized just what they were, and the answer horrified him.

There was a face within the ice, quite literally frozen in a state of shock and, if X was right, despair. The Reploid sealed inside the ice appeared to be one of the Reploids specifically built to work for the Maverick Hunters, and as he looked, X saw more Reploids like the Hunter frozen in similar positions. "Wh-What the...?" X stammered, green eyes facing a collection of still faces caught in a moment of surprise and fear. "What...is this?!"

His mouth hung agape in shock, startled and stunned by what was in front of him. Frozen figures encased in ice, still and silent. How long had they been here? X continued to look around until he came across a figure larger than the others, the sight of him causing the blue Reploid to step back. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him, a large frame trapped in a solid icy crystal. The trapped Reploid was mostly covered in white armor with teal midsections and a headpiece, a beard of blue on his face with widened, large blue eyes.

Despite his intimidating size, the Reploid had the gentlest optics. "M-Marth?!" X stammered, almost unable to believe just who was before him. The Commander of the Polar Unit himself couldn't stand against whatever had taken out all of his men?!

"Don't bother trying to free them," X heard a voice state. "They've been frozen solid for the past few days, their cores have already been extinguished," the voice was familiar. Almost bird-like in sound. "Although," then, X turned to see just who was addressing him. Upon learning the identity of the speaker, he was even more shocked than before. "You might be joining them soon enough."

A few feet from X stood a short, stout bird fashioned after a semi-aquatic bird, his markings and red containment units affixed to his back unmistakable. The blue Hunter was wishing that he wasn't seeing what was before him. This entire scene was a nightmare. "Chill Penguin?!" he explained, reeling back.

"Surprised, aren't you?" Chill Penguin questioned, puffing out his chest. "Bet you didn't think someone like me could ever work their way into Sigma's ranks, didn't you?" he didn't bother letting X answer, continuing with his speech. "Well, that's where you're wrong! I'm now in charge of this entire mountain! As well as the operations taking place here!" he then grinned. "Surely you've noticed a few seismic movements going on since you arrived?" he then smirked. "Of course, I gave the Snow Shooters some work as well, as it seems that the shakes aren't working fast enough."

X's green eyes widened. "You...you did all of this?"

Penguin huffed. "Don't act all surprised," he said. "You know that we can't allow for any opposition to get in the way," his eyes surveyed the area, looking upon all the "sculptures" surrounding him and X. "You of all Reploids should know that by now," then, Penguin noticed X's leg components. "Wait, what's that?"

X shifted his gaze to his upgraded boots. "This?"

"Don't tell me, you found the capsule," Chill Penguin snarled, even if he could see the answer right in front of him. "Damn! I TOLD them to hide it somewhere safer!"

Wait a moment, the capsule? "You know about the capsule?" X questioned. "Where did you find it?"

"I didn't find it, and neither did Sigma," Chill Penguin answered. "Dr. Cain did. From what he said, they began turning up on his digs after you officially joined the Maverick Hunters."

"Dr. Cain?!" X exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his peril. "Where is he?!"

"He's alive, that much is for sure," Penguin replied. "Unlike Fujiwara, the old man's gotten on Sigma's good side," he then glowered at the blue Hunter. "Just like you are, somehow."

X furrowed his brow in unease. "What?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, Commander Sigma DOESN'T want me to kill you," the bird-based former Hunter said. "For some reason, he still wants you alive."

"I have no intentions of joining him or his cause," X proclaimed, standing firm on his decision. "But as for you, why?" he asked. "Why are you here?"

"Unlike those humans or anyone else, Sigma's paid for the use of my abilities!" Chill Penguin answered. "Working for him is a million times better than being stuck up here with nothing to do!" he said proudly. "Besides, it's not as if they would've respected me in my decision anyway," he gazed at the numerous Reploids frozen around them. "They wouldn't have followed, especially him." he pointed at the crystalized form of Marth.

"Chill Penguin..." X was left speechless. He looked down at the floor, blue and tiled. Despite the limited lighting, the inside of the chamber resembled the interior of an igloo.

"Don't act like you're hurt!" Penguin suddenly shouted. "Sigma was right, you're no different than they are!" he then snarled quietly. "Those that always laughed at me."

"What?" X asked.

"It's none of your business!" the mechanical bird shouted. "Just look at you," his eyes fell on the blue Reploid's leg components. "You think those upgrades make you all high and mighty, don't you?" Despite contrasting with the rest of his armor, they signified that Penguin had partially failed in his mission. "You know, Sigma wants you alive, but hell with it," he then, with surprising speed, charged forward and slid on his stomach, heading right toward X. "He's going to thank me for this later!"

Chapter Text

Ten Years Ago

"So, each of them will serve a specific role?" the balding man questioned the far younger scientist, he and his colleagues currently working on finishing the construction of a new Reploid. One that would fit the recently formed Maverick Hunters.

"Indeed," Dr. Fujiwara answered, overlooking the procedure, the inner components of the Reploid functioning as intended. "After all, if they are to operate as a team, then each member must fill in a place befitting their abilities."

Dr. Cain nodded, although he wasn't too sure he liked the other man's words about the matter. As far as he was aware, Sigma was to lead this new specialized team, but the other members were still under construction. Although, Fujiwara seemed to have a particular affinity for the Reploid with violet armor and a concealed face. "And what role will this one fill?" Cain questioned the robotics expert.

"You suggested that we have someone, in your words, cute, so this Reploid will be something of a mascot," the dark-haired scientist explained. "He still needs his outer shell, but that is one of the easier portions of the body to mold."

Dr. Cain gazed upon the dormant Reploid still being tinkered with, its figure was humanoid, but its proportions were exaggerated. Its face didn't appear human like the others. Rather, it seemed fashioned after a bird with a pronounced, silver beak with a yellow lower lip. "Just what are they supposed to be?"

"We were debating a dog or some other sort of domestic animal," Fujiwara answered. "But, ultimately, we decided on an animal less conventional, but still relatively popular," he then looked back to the unfinished machine. "Besides, I heard penguins were popular with the general public."

Present Time

Polar Region

X felt incredibly foolish, yet the sight of Chill Penguin took him by surprise. And that soon turned into a terrible realization as the bird-based Hunter collided with him, sending the blue Reploid crashing against the wall that held the door sealing the chamber. Penguin, however, came to a halt and got up with ease, the frozen terrain having little to no effect on his movements. The more humanoid Reploid got to his feet, taking care to keep a steady footing, the ice hampering his movements somewhat. Another factor that made him look foolish.

Yet he couldn't help himself, for how could he have expected Chill Penguin of all Reploids to be aligned with Sigma? He still couldn't entirely believe it, even if his aggressor was right in front of him. "What's wrong?" Penguin questioned, placing his hands on his hips. "Can't those fancy leg parts help you balance a little better?"

X was still in a state of disbelief, trying in vain to deny what was before him. "Why?" he asked. It was a useless question, but he couldn't stop himself.

Chill Penguin huffed. "Why?" he squawked, scoffing at X's inquiry and present distress. "Like you would ever understand!"

X bit his lip, unsure of how to respond. "I...I don't...?"

"No! It's just like he said! You never would! You're just like all the others!" Penguin barked back. His eyes then fell on the blue Reploid's leg components. "Even now, your creator's got to remind you that you're the greatest."

"What?" X was puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"You're an outdated model compared to the rest of us!" the bird shouted, pointing an accusatory finger in X's direction. "And you're just B Class! But they still sent you here to stop me! Even those opposing Sigma still think low of me!"

"Penguin, what are you-" X tried to ask, but he was once again interrupted.

"Even now, you're mocking me!" Penguin yelled. "You act so high and mighty, I can't stand it!" he then shook his fist at the blue Hunter. "I...I'll get you!"

He then opened his beak and produced a blast of cold air, icy crystals flying in X's direction. What this was, X was unsure of, yet he didn't want to find out, jumping up and kicking off the wall. He managed to leap over Penguin's larger form, yet the bird finished his work quickly. He moved out of the way to present three ice sculptures, all crafted to appear and be around the size of the standard emperor penguin.

"Like them?" Penguin questioned, folding his arms over his chest. "I just started making these last week, and I'm already an expert!" he then sneered. "And they're not just pretty either, they're both a good offense and defense!" he then goaded X. "Go on! Just try and blast through them!"

From his place, the frozen form of Marth stood, motionless as the battle between X and Penguin continued. Whether he was aware or not, neither knew, yet if either had seen his eyes at that moment, they would've realized his expression almost looked sad.

One Year Before the Current Year

He was walking through the hallways of the Hunter Base, pondering just what Sigma was thinking, sending that Flame Mammoth to the Middle East. Why not him? He would've been a better choice! He could keep everyone's systems cool and help the humans with the blazing heat! It seemed that damned elephant got every chance possible to remind him of how he always got the short end of the stick!

It just wasn't fair.

Then, the bird-based Reploid spotted a taller Hunter situated at the monitor in the center of the building floor, where all the halls joined. It was Commander Marth, just the Reploid Chill Penguin needed to see.

"Oh, Marth!" Although, it seemed someone had beaten him to it. A Hunter in azure armor ran up to the far more prominent Reploid. He then stopped himself. "Oh, I mean, Sir."

Marth smiled at X, the shorter of the two correcting his manner of speech. "You're not in the Polar Unit, I'm not your Commander," he answered. "No need to be so formal."

"Still, congratulations," X told Marth. "But still," he said. "Do you have to be stationed up in the Polar Region?"

Chill Penguin was puzzled. X knew Marth? Well, Marth was a high-ranking Hunter, A Class to be precise. And it wouldn't have surprised Penguin if the behemoth of a Reploid (who rivaled Sigma in height) soon made it to S Class. Still, how did X know Marth at such a level where the two were talking like casual friends? Why wasn't he told about this? It was small, but Penguin couldn't help but feel a little left out.

"I've heard that I'll be missed," Marth sighed, X wasn't the only one who didn't want him to leave. "But I don't intend on never coming back. I'm certain Commander Sigma will send for me to return on occasion." X nodded, understanding. Still, he didn't entirely like it. "Besides, I would like to have some time away from Abel City."

"Hm? Why?" X questioned.

Chill Penguin wondered the same. Even if he thought he was close with Marth, it seemed X was closer. At least, that was his perception.

"This place, despite its vastness, doesn't it feel...confining?" Marth asked X. The blue Hunter didn't entirely get what the Polar Unit Leader meant. "This place, even the mainland in Arcadia. And even further than that, Tokyo itself isn't too far away," Marth looked out one of the large windows situated to the left, gazing out at the busy streets of the city on the artificial island. "Everywhere, there's a city. I suppose it's somewhat hypocritical to say, seeing as we are the very thing I wish to get away from, but there's just too much technology."

"Too much technology?" X asked. "What do you mean?"

"Perhaps it's odd, as we are machines ourselves, but I won't deny I prefer the natural world," Marth explained. "It's free and has no restraints from progress or evolution in regards to the growth of Reploids and humans alike," he said. "Even if this island isn't natural, there are places where the spaces are open and allowed to be mostly untouched," he then looked past the city to the mountains in the distance. "That's where I want to be."

X was quiet, as well as Penguin, although neither he nor Marth was aware of the bird's presence. And before they could realize it, he was already gone. Marth hadn't told Penguin that he was leaving. Why? He was part of Marth's Unit, not X! What could Marth tell him that he couldn't tell Penguin?! It just wasn't fair!

All this and more went through Penguin's mind as he waddled away. Once again, somebody got ahead of him.

The Polar Region

With surprising agility, Chill Penguin sprung up from his place and to the ceiling, grabbing a pully situated in the center. With one pull, the entire chamber was caught up in a tempest of snow and ice. X had to steady himself against the swirling winds, but then he noticed the ice sculptures began moving toward him at a rapid speed. Aiming his buster, the blue Reploid fired at the incoming statues, managing to blast through one or two, yet he couldn't hope to be rid of them all. The rest of the penguin-shaped sculptures slammed into X's body, one after another, leaving him with little recovery time.

When the last one slammed into him, he was sent to the ground, landing in a pained heap. Chill Penguin then approached the blue Hunter, fists clenched. "Well?" he asked. "Why won't you fight me?"

X didn't answer at first, unable to come up with a proper rebuttal. In a sense, Penguin was right. As of now, he was a Maverick, and X was a Maverick Hunter. It was only the natural order that they would be at odds with each other. The conflict was perhaps inevitable, yet it was still difficult to swallow. "I..." X stammered, feeling his systems begin to grow colder. Despite his new upgrade, the weather was still affecting his internal components. His eyes then fell on the numerous frozen figures surrounding him and Penguin. "I..."

"Is it because you think I'm weak?" Penguin questioned, steadily growing angrier.

"What? No!" X protested. "Not at all! I-"

"You DO think I'm weak!" the robotic bird squawked. Despite his verbal tics, there was a distinct amount of hurt in his voice. It made X's core drop. "Even now, you're insulting me! Just like they did!" he then pointed to the other Hunters encased in ice.

From a distance, Marth still seemed to silently watch.

"Well, fine!" Penguin shouted, his tanks producing a steady supply of cold breath and liquid nitrogen. "You can join the rest of them! Frozen for eternity!"

Opening his beak, he produced a wave of icy, cool air, particles of white clinging to X's blue armor until the Hunter soon found ice beginning to develop. He tried to step forward, but his legs were encased in clear, cold crystal, forcing him into a kneeling position. As if he were kneeling before Penguin, something the bird grinned with satisfaction at. X reached out, yet whether this was to plead with the bird or fire, Penguin never got the chance to find out. Wasting no time, he blasted X with another wave of icy cold, the blue Hunter shielding his face until his upper half became as still as his lower.

Before Chill Penguin stood the frozen form of X. Another person who surely laughed at him.

A Few Months Prior

"They're all liars!" the stout bird squawked in fury, slamming his fist down on the table. "All of them! They're all talking behind my back!" he then folded his arms. "It's probably all Flame Mammoth's fault. Stupid elephant's been telling everyone I'm just a big joke."

"You only perceive yourself as a joke because you believe that about yourself," a familiar voice suddenly alerted Chill Penguin of another's presence. From the shadows, Commander Sigma came forward. "And indeed, there is much talk Mammoth has been making."

Chill Penguin was elated at first that someone was finally listening to him and his problems, but still, he was confused. "Commander?" he asked. "Just what are you doing here?"

Even if Penguin didn't notice it, it appeared that his Leader was quite pleased to have gotten his attention. As if he were just the Reploid the Commander had been searching for. "As it so happens, I was hoping I would find you," Sigma said, confirming the bird's suspicions. Granted, suspicions that he was happy to be right about. Sigma himself wanted an audience. Well, he'd be more than willing to provide it!

"O-Oh! Sure thing, Commander!" Penguin said, giving a small salute.

Sigma grinned. He had the bird just where he wanted. "I will not beat around the bush with you," the taller Reploid said. "I believe you are one of the few that I can trust."

The Reploid bird was puzzled. "What do you mean, Commander?"

Sigma crossed his arms. "I have been pondering much, or, at least as much as I am seemingly allowed."

Again, Penguin was confused. "Commander?"

Sigma then turned to face away from the bird, the flesh over his eyes beginning to itch again. The urge to tear at it was becoming stronger, but he had to maintain composure. Especially if he was wishing to gain a potential ally. "Tell me, Penguin," he began. "Do you not consider it fascinating that, despite being on the, no, the cutting edge of technology, we are still so limited?"

Polar Region

"I'll give you a secret," the bird told the silent figure. "Dr. Cain is alive," even if X couldn't respond, Penguin swore he saw some reaction from the frozen figure, even if it was a simple blink. "We're taking good care of him, but so far, he's only alive because Sigma likes him. For some reason. Although, you won't get the chance to tell anyone that," he said. "The quakes are coming underneath the mountain, but the controls to them are safely tucked away in here," he then gestured to his chest. "With that destroyed, the quakes will stop entirely. But you couldn't do that. No, you couldn't even respect me when we were still friends."

Chill Penguin surveyed the room around him, full of frozen figures that had all once been a part of his unit. The crystallized form of the unit's Commander, and now, the still figure of X before him. The robotic bird looked upon the blue Hunter, now frozen as the others had been, then he cast his gaze to the floor.

"Even now, it's not enough," he muttered. He then scanned the area, sighting every frozen figure present in the room. "It's just like Sigma said. It'll never be enough." Penguin glowered at the still form of X. At this moment, the bird hated him even more than he hated Marth and the others. Of all the Reploids, X was perhaps the worst of all of them. How could he have not seen it until now? He then kicked at the frozen Hunter's knelt form. "Try and see if those leg upgrades will save you now!" X didn't respond.

Truthfully, Penguin wasn't aware of how much awareness the blue Hunter currently had. He was unsure if his systems had begun shutting off from the cold, or if his core was overheating, trying to warm his body. Well, whatever, he thought. His fury and hatred deepened the longer he gazed at X. The bastard even dared to look as if he were trying to reach Penguin! "Just look at you," he snarled. "Always acting so high and mighty," his eyes bulged with anger. "I can't STAND IT!" he then leaped back and slid on his stomach, intending on shattering the Hunter encased in ice. "I’LL GET YOU!"

A Few Months Prior

"So...that's it then?" Penguin questioned Sigma, he, along with Fujiwara and several others in a hidden chamber beneath the city. He had never imagined himself here, discussing what they all were going to do. His actions, these actions, would surely be considered Maverick. Still, he couldn't help but wonder. "Is there no one else that'll stand by us?"

Sigma shook his head. "Out of all my men, it seems that you are the only ones that can be trusted with this information," he said. "To secure a place in this world, and our future, we must help the good doctor here with his plans for domination of this city."

"Why just the city?" someone among the shadowy figures cloaked in darkness questioned. "Why not the mainland? Arcadia is far larger than Abel City, let alone the island it's sitting on."

"Arcadia will be next," Fujiwara answered. "But, to prove to the world that we mean what we say, we must make a statement that everyone will understand," he said. "And, I believe the acquisition of this island will be just what will convince them."

Penguin looked at the others, everyone seemingly in agreement with this plan. Still, he couldn't help but wonder. "Well, what about the others?" he asked. "What about Marth?"

Sigma was silent. "His contribution would be greatly appreciated," the rogue Reploid admitted. "Yet, I doubt he would be on board with our decision regarding humanity," he shook his head. "No, he is too loyal to the humans," he then looked at Fujiwara. "Pity, seeing as he would be one of the first to come to your defense."

Fujiwara said nothing, only taking a moment to adjust his glasses. "Regardless, he will be an obstacle," he said. "Thus, he must be dealt with, if it should come to that."

Chill Penguin, even if he didn't openly show it, felt his stomach drop upon hearing that. Marth? Terminated? "Commander?" he spoke up. "Then what about the rest of the unit?"

"They will get their choice soon enough," Sigma answered the bird. "Just as Marth will. But don't be too optimistic," his blue optics shifted to Fujiwara. "With all due respect, there are many within the ranks that will not surrender their adherence to the Three Laws."

The Three Laws, Three Laws unspoken, but known by all mechanical kind. Laws that everyone here was going to break, come that fateful day. It wouldn't be long now. Soon, everything would fall into place, and Independence Day would come for them all. The only question was, just who would be among those willing to see Sigma's ideal fulfilled? Penguin was unsure.

Right now, he found himself uncertain of many things, let alone his place here. What was he doing here? He was a Maverick Hunter, wasn't he?! Why was he in league with those that wished to do those he swore to protect harm?! These questions had come to Penguin before, yet now it seemed that they were desperate to be answered.

They needed to be answered, otherwise, there was no going back. None of them could turn back if they went forward with this. Still, he couldn't help but wonder whether this was the only way to go about things. And, when the time came, Chill Penguin wondered if Sigma's intent to dispose of Fujiwara was a good idea. He was, after all, a human, right?

After something like that, there really would be no turning back.

Could he do it? He could stop this. He could tell someone. Sure, they probably wouldn't listen to him, but he would be able to maybe rouse someone's suspicions. There was still time.

But, then again, it was as Sigma said. They all laughed at him.

A Few Days Prior

He couldn't have imagined that something such as this would take place. When he had been momentarily called to Abel City, Marth had initially believed it was for a transfer. He was somewhat torn about this, for while he knew that he was still sorely missed at HQ, he had grown to truly enjoy the mountainous region of the island. But come the fourth of July, he soon found himself in a fight for his life, as well as the lives of those around him. The tall Reploid was offered a place among Sigma's ranks, yet he promptly refused, taking to protecting and saving all that he could. Unfortunately, his efforts couldn't have prevented every life from being lost.

Despite this, he was one of the few survivors left and had assumed the worst when he tried to contact the rest of his Unit stationed in the Polar Region. He especially feared for Chill Penguin. Once everyone left had gathered into the underground base built for emergencies, Marth had been the one to volunteer to scope out the other territories occupied by the Hunters. Or, in this case, now acquired Maverick territory. Marth disliked how Zero said such a thing, yet the Reploid couldn't deny that he was in no position to question his new Commander.

Right now, they needed someone to search for anyone else that could align with their cause.

"Sir?" Marth asked the long-haired blonde, who had turned to face him. "If I may be so bold," Marth continued. "May I go?"

Zero rose a brow from underneath his helmet. "You, Marth?"

Marth nodded. "Forgive me if I sound arrogant," he began. "But before being implemented with the necessary means for combat, I was designed as a search and rescue unit before becoming a Hunter," he explained. "And given the harsh environment of the Polar Region of the island, I believe that, given the conditions of my construction, I would be best suited to undertake this task."

Zero pondered Marth's proposal for a short while, debilitating whether or not it would be a wise decision. His size and prowess would make him a great asset to the few Hunters left, yet if there were still those that could help them, then they needed to be sought out. And, if not that, there were perhaps still those held against their will. To leave them to their fates would be an action Sigma would do. Thus, Zero relented and accepted Marth's request.

"All right," he told the taller Reploid. "You can go."

"Thank you, Sir," Marth thanked his Commander. Even now, it was painful to admit that Sigma was no longer the one in charge, and because of such a betrayal. "I will deliver to you every bit of information I can."

Zero nodded. "I wish you luck."

Polar Region.

Chill Penguin never got the chance to make it to X, as, to his shock, a blast struck him from the side. His pauldron flew off from the force of the unforeseen plasma shot, forcing the robotic bird to veer off to the side. He just barely smashed into one of the still figures petrified in his ice, hitting his head on the wall and disorienting him. Chill Penguin held his head, eyes spinning and his head a mess of circuitry and jumbled information popping in and out of his processor. After a few moments, however, the bird's senses returned to him, and he turned to see that his suspicions were incorrect.

X was still frozen in place. Someone else had fired at him. And when he had turned to see just who had taken the shot, his already large eyes widened even more. The Reploid was only partially released, yet one of the figures had broken free from their icy prison. His upper half was no longer encased in transparent, chilled crystal, but he was still stuck in place, unable to move from his current location. Still, the fact that he was even active at all bewildered Penguin, the bird unable to believe it at first.

"M-Marth?!" Chill Penguin squawked in surprise, his damaged pauldron still off to the side, the bird's left shoulder bare.

The blue, white, and green Reploid sporting a beard turned his gentle gaze to the other member of the Polar Unit. "Penguin," Marth said, voice strained and tired. "Please, stop this."

What was happening? His engines had been working hard heating his systems, keeping his inner components at a reasonable temperature, but the blue Hunter was still trapped in a position that rendered him unable to defend himself. Despite this, X was beginning to grow aware of what was going on outside of his icy cell, for he saw a figure fire at Penguin just when the robotic bird was about to crash into him. "M-Marth?" he questioned, yet only his lips parted. No sound came from his words.

Chill Penguin stood there, silent and still, just like the fellow Hunters he had frozen in place. "H-How did you...?" the bird stammered, unable to process what had just happened. He debated going to get his pauldron, yet he was unsure of what Marth could do next.

"The tremors," Marth explained, voice strained. "My emergency engine...I managed to...activate it," he wheezed for a moment before regaining his composure. "Penguin, don't do this," he pleaded with the bird. "Not another life, please."

Chill Penguin stared at Marth, beak agape. But he quickly shut it, his shock soon transforming into a rage. "Even now, you STILL mock me!" he shouted, gesturing to the other figures surrounding him. "You're no different than they are!"

Marth shook his head. From inside his prison, X heard the taller Reploid speak, putting the pieces together as to what the Unit Commander was trying to do. The only question was, could X manage to do it in time? He tried to move his hand to retract it into his forearm. If he could do that, then perhaps he would have a chance at blasting his way out of here.

"Penguin, whatever Sigma has told you is not true," Marth answered the bird's declaration, protesting. "Whatever you may think others believe about you isn't true! He only wishes to use you for his ends!" the taller Unit Leader pleaded with the robotic avian. "He cares nothing for you, or those that he says are your allies!"

"He's paid for the use of my power!" Chill Penguin shouted back. "He recognizes my greatness and talent! Much more than anyone else in the Hunter ranks!" he then went over to collect his pauldron, attaching it back onto his shoulder. "He told me so himself. He said that I was one of the few that he could trust."

X continued to listen, finally able to slowly retract his hand into his forearm, his body having generated enough heat to allow for the smallest of movements. Now he had to go to work on charging his buster. He feared for Marth, yet in his current state, he couldn't be of help to anyone. He needed the larger Reploid to keep talking and buy him time. And, perhaps, maybe, convince Penguin to stop all of this.

"The second Sigma revolted against the humans, I knew that was the only chance I had at becoming something more than what I am," Penguin told Marth. Not that he was wishing to confide in the other Reploid, but he was more or less speaking aloud. "And, if anything, I'm surprised that none of you are on board with me."

Even if he couldn't respond, X was puzzled at Penguin's statement. What did he mean?

"And does being on board mean having to terminate your fellow men?" Marth questioned.

"I had no choice!" the stout, darkly-colored bird roared, voice wavering somewhat. "They couldn't see what was right in front of them! No one can! No one but Sigma!" he continued, calming down slightly after his outburst. "I...I don't like it, but nothing will change for us if we don't eliminate any opposition for a better future for Reploid kind," his eyes then darkened. "Tell me, Marth, don't you ever think about why you look the way you do?"

Marth was quiet for a moment, X continuing to charge his weapon. Still, he was curious as to what Penguin was getting at. "Not especially," Marth answered. "Why?"

Penguin scoffed. "Of course, you wouldn't. None of you would," he looked around at the other frozen figures, his eyes then falling back onto Marth. "You all are fashioned off of humans. Me, on the other hand," he gestured to himself. "I'm stuck in the body of a stupid, fat bird who's nothing but a cute mascot or punching bag of nature!" he lamented. "And not just me! Ever since the first incidents of Reploids going Maverick, there have been fewer and fewer humanoid-looking Reploids developed. We either have exaggerated features or, in my case, aren't based on anything human at all," his fists then shook. "It's all to make it easier to tear us apart when we step out of line."

X knew he had to escape soon, charging and storing energy as quickly as he could. Still, his audials overheard everything being said, and he wanted nothing more than to try and speak to Penguin himself.

"We owe the humans nothing. They are the ones that should be begging for our forgiveness for the torment and mistreatment they've given us since our creation!" Chill Penguin declared. "Everything about us is judged by appearance, rank, usefulness, everything that humans don't have to worry about! And you can't get far if you look like me!"

Marth shook his head. "Please, Penguin, listen to me," he urged the bird. "None of those things matter, do you not remember what we were taught?" he questioned. "A Reploid is not measured by his rank, much less his strength, or even his appearance," he said. "What truly guides you is how you see yourself. And, I'm afraid that I have neglected you in that, Penguin."

Chill Penguin's attention was solely on Marth, X just seconds away from releasing the blast being developed in his forearm. Despite this, the blue Hunter felt guilt clawing at his chest. Penguin had felt this way all this time? How could he have not known? Even if they weren't tremendously close, the bird was still someone X considered a friend, albeit a distant one. "Please, Penguin," he mouthed, voice too quiet to be heard by anyone but himself. "Listen to him."

Chill Penguin stared at Marth, unsure of how to respond. Two truths were now battling for supremacy in the bird's mind, unsure of which one to heed. On one hand, this was nothing more than a distraction and a desperate gamble by his enemies to gain his favor. But, on the other, Marth was being genuine. And, if that was the case, then so was X.

And then, the others perhaps were as well. All those that he had frozen, their cores having long since been extinguished. Maybe they hadn't laughed at him. Maybe, just maybe, he was wrong. Wrong about everything.

...no.

No, he couldn't be. He couldn't be wrong. He had come too far to be wrong! He had done too much! "You're no better than they are!" Chill Penguin shouted at Marth. "No better than Fujiwara or any of the others who made me!" he then opened his beak, preparing a shot to take right at the partially frozen Reploid. "The only one that can be trusted is Commander Sigma!"

X's eyes widened from behind the icy veil he was trapped in. "Penguin, no!" he cried out, voice muffled by the barrier of semi-transparent crystal. "Don't do it!"

Marth only closed his eyes. "X," he whispered. "This is all I can do for you."

The concentrated nitrogen and other solidifying chemicals projected from Penguin's beak, the sizable pellet of ice striking Marth in the chest, right in his core. His primary system, the one that kept his body running for so long, was finally giving out, the heat dying as he felt the cold finally catch up to him. He went still. And it was then that both X and Penguin saw that there was no anger in the other Hunter's expression. There was a deep sadness, yes, but also a sense of understanding.

Neither could detect a trace of anger.

Chill Penguin looked at the still form of Marth, then at the frozen X. No, he wasn't wrong, he couldn't be wrong. What he had just done...it was too late to turn back now. "So," he said. Despite his self-proclaimed resolve, his voice was wavering and shaky. He then stepped back and got a running start, intending to finish what he had started. "Now, I get to take care of you!" he then slid on his stomach, the intent to shatter the blue Hunter into pieces upon impact.

Yet, unlike before, no intervention came. Yet the robotic bird wasn't successful in his objective. To his astonishment, X's outstretched hand had converted into his buster without him noticing, and, with one charged shot, the ice containing the blue Hunter was broken. The blast of plasma that had shattered X's icy cocoon struck Chill Penguin in the right arm, the sudden pain forcing him to veer to the side, completely missing X and crashing into the wall. Once again, he had been humiliated.

It took a few moments for his systems to charge back up, and his legs were still somewhat unstable from being frozen over, but eventually, X regained his balance, as well as the rest of his motor functions. His head was still aching from the cold, but his CPU and cerebral components alerted him that there was still a danger in the form of the mechanical bird of the tundra. Chill Penguin was a short distance away, holding his arm, the limb sparking and damaged, cables and various components visible from underneath his armor. He was clearly in pain, wincing as he took his pauldron off to better examine the injury he sustained. His arm could still function properly, yet now it had a clear vulnerability that could be exploited.

The bird wouldn't have ever thought that such a blow could come from one such as that blue wuss.

Turning to face him, Chill Penguin saw X ready to fire at the ready, yet he waited for the bird to face in the same direction. Once again, he was being mocked, the bird thought. "Fine!" he squawked angrily, throwing off his other pauldron. Now, both of his shoulders were exposed. "I don't need the extra weight anyway!" Weight: another thing that he despised. His actual weight had no bearing, as Reploids were naturally heavier than their human creators, yet his body shape always troubled him. Everything about himself was troubling. And the one that had everything he wanted was right in front of him. "I'll show you that you're not so hot! Just like that damn elephant!"

Chill Penguin got onto his stomach and propelled himself forward, releasing another wave of frigid cold from his mouth. Yet, unlike before, X didn't bother waiting. Using his leg upgrades, the blue Hunter sped out of the way of the incoming ice, Penguin forcing himself to stop and try to get X again. The Hunter once again dodged him, and this time, he took a shot, directly hitting Penguin's damaged arm. The bird cried out, his limb surging with pain as his systems alerted him of the increasing damage he was taking. This wasn't good, if he took a few more shots, then his arm would be rendered useless.

"You can't be," Penguin growled. "Not you. A wimp like you couldn't be who Sigma's talking about," X was puzzled, but he didn't respond. Instead, he just kept himself in position, ready to attack when necessary. "No, I'm going to show him!" Penguin roared. "I'll show him who's the real future of Reploids!"

He released another wave of freezing mist, yet X circled him with surprising speed. It was somewhat difficult at first, yet X found that if he allowed his movements to be fast yet steady, the lack of friction on the ice wouldn't be as much of a hindrance. Baffled, Chill Penguin turned around at a full angle, covering the floor with his icy breath as the surface beneath his feet was frozen underneath a thick coating of ice. But, despite this, the bird still couldn't catch up to X. He was much too slow.

"H-How?!" Penguin gasped in disbelief. "How is it that you are the one Sigma wants?!"

The bird didn't give X a chance to respond, spotting the blue Hunter kicking his way up the wall. Firing pellets of ice in his direction, Chill Penguin watched as the more humanoid Reploid kicked off of the wall's surface and flew over him, firing shot after shot in the robotic bird's direction. The shots struck Penguin's limbs, including his already damaged arm, and the injuries forced him to his knees, the blasts crippling him. Yet X didn't shoot any vital areas. Instead, the other Hunter approached Penguin, his buster was still ready to fire, yet he refrained from releasing the energy stored within.

"Penguin," X said. "I'll admit, I'm very confused right now," the blue Reploid knew that, if Zero were here, he wouldn't be too happy with what X was about to do. Yet, even now, the thought of it was still unthinkable to him. "My duty as a sworn Hunter dictates that I either take you in or terminate you on the spot."

Chill Penguin found, ironically enough, a sharp and piercing chill overtake him. Impossible, he thought. He couldn't be on the receiving end of a buster cannon, not him! And not to X of all Reploids! Impossible, and yet here he was, at the blue wimp's mercy.

"And given what you've done, what you plan to do, maybe I should. But," he lowered his weapon. "Listen to Marth, Penguin," he asked. "It's not too late to stop this," he drew closer to the injured bird. "Abandon the plan, and come back to HQ," his expression made his plea to Penguin clear. "Don't make this continue any further than it has to."

Chill Penguin trembled, yet he refused to admit it was out of fear. He could never be afraid of someone like X, he wouldn't allow it! But still, he wasn't in a position to fight back for much longer. His limbs were damaged, and soon, he'd be a perfect target for the blue Hunter to finish him off. He had to act fast. As if X meant anything that he said.

But still, he needed to create an opening. "F-Fine," Chill Penguin answered. "You win," he lowered his head. "I'll go with you," X knelt at the bird's level. Just what he was waiting for. "when Hell freezes over!"

He then blasted a wave of cold in the blue Hunter's face, icy crystals forming on his helmet and skin. "Gah!" X cried out, shielding his face. Some of his vision was partially obscured, yet he wasn't completely blind, able to see past the thin, icy sheen on his optics. "Y-You..." he began to scratch and scrape the moisture off from his eyes and face, this momentary distraction allowing Penguin to barrel right into him by sliding on his stomach.

The impact sent X flying into the opposite wall, and before he could rise from his place on the floor, he felt Penguin repeatedly stomping and kicking at his fallen form. "Liar!" he shouted, continuing his barrage against X. "You're all liars! You never cared about me! No one cared about me!"

"P-Penguin-ACK!" X winced, receiving a painful kick to his abdomen.

"And yeah, maybe Mammoth is right! Maybe I am just a stupid, dumb, fat bird! But so what?!" then, before X could rise, Penguin seized him by the throat and threw him to the side. "I rule here! Sigma's given this land to me! And soon, I'll even take over where that stupid elephant is! I'll take over all the sections of this island!" he then glowered down at X. "And then," he snarled, clenching his fists. "Then I'll prove to Sigma that anyone can be the so-called future of Reploids," he then raised his fist, preparing to slam it down upon his former comrade's chest cavity. "Even someone like me!"

But, just as Penguin was about to swing, he felt someone seize him from behind. Looking around, the bird was shocked to see that Marth had entirely broken free from his prison. And even more, he was still alive! His core was still active, even if it would soon burn out entirely. "Penguin," he murmured, face despondent. "Forgive me," his large eyes then fell on X, who had gotten the frost off his face. "Now, X!" he called out. "Fire now!"

X was caught off guard by Marth's sudden appearance, yet now he was contemplating the other Reploid's terrible proposal. "But..."

"W-What do you think you're doing?!" Chill Penguin protested, trying to get free from Marth's grasp. "Let go!"

"It's as you said, the controls that activate the shakes are stored within you, correct?" Marth questioned. "Then, to stop them, they must be destroyed."

Penguin's eyes widened. "D-Destroyed?" he looked back at X. "You...you wouldn't."

Indeed, X was baffled by what he had heard. "You must, X," Marth said. "It must be a clean and clear shot, I detect the signal from the generator stored within Penguin's right breastplate."

The blue Hunter bit his lip. "But...but Marth..." his green eyes then fell onto Penguin. "Chill Penguin..."

"It must be this way, X," the taller Reploid said solemnly. "I have no time left. My engine is on its last legs," he then turned to Penguin. "There's still time to turn this around."

Penguin glowered in response. "N-No!" he hollered. Then, with a surprising burst of strength, the bird broke free from Marth's hold, charging towards X. "It isn't over until I say it is! And I say I'm the one that's going to come out on top!"

Penguin never got the chance to finish his journey. The unthinkable had just happened. Before he could reach X, the blue Hunter had fired a charged shot, hitting the bird right in the chest, particularly around the right breastplate. Immediately, the concentrated energy tore away at Penguin's inner components, his chest cavity wracked with pain as the plasma ate and destroyed all that it touched. He stumbled back and saw a gaping hole where the generator could be seen, beeping and continuing to function. Then, the bird felt Marth seize him yet again from behind. And, as he looked at X, who was readying to fire again, he swore he saw something he couldn't believe.

Tears.

Tears streamed down the other Hunter's face. He was crying? Crying...for him? Penguin knew that it was over. X fired, and the blast of plasma traveled at astonishing velocity, striking the device implanted in Penguin's chest. The destruction of the generator created a chain reaction, as the bird's body began to spark and become overheated. Then, after a moment of silence, Chill Penguin looked up at X, tears still streaming from his eyes.

And, in that small period, before everything went offline, Chill Penguin once again wondered. Maybe, just maybe, he was wrong. Wrong about everything.

...

With the destruction of the generator, the tremors wracking the entire mountain region ceased, the destroyed forms of Marth and Chill Penguin at X's feet. He felt pathetic, ashamed of his tears. Zero wouldn't be happy to hear of how he was so nearly bested by Penguin, yet he couldn't bring himself to terminate his former friend. Not until there was no other choice. He supposed it had to be done, as the risk of the snow from the Polar Region coming down into the city would still be present if Penguin wasn't stopped. Yet still, until the very last second, X wanted there to be another way. Even if perhaps no one else would understand.

"X? X, can you hear me?"

X was brought out from his musing by the sound of Trinity's voice. "Trinity? Is that you?" he questioned, feeling rather foolish for asking the obvious.

"Yes, I lost contact with you a short time ago. Some unknown form of interference disrupted communications with you." X wondered if this perhaps had something to do with the building he had entered. Some places were maybe cut off from the rest of the region, leaving no means to contact the outside. "Anyway, report. What's your current status?"

"The objective is completed," X answered. "The Maverick threat has been...dealt with," his breath then hitched. "It was Chill Penguin."

Trinity sensed a good deal of reluctance in the Hunter's voice. "And the one we previously sent? Do you have any news of him?"

X shook his head. "Marth is...gone," he then looked at the other frozen figures around him. "They all are."

Trinity was silent for a short time, unsure of how to respond. "Well...we can go over the details later. For now, just return to HQ. Trinity, out-"

"Wait!" A familiar voice cried out. The voice was as audible as Trinity's yet the volume she had shouted at allowed her to be heard.

Neither Trinity nor X expected to hear the one that had just spoken up. "Roll?"

"You said Chill Penguin?" his sister questioned. "Right?"

"Y-Yeah, that's right," X answered. "But what does that have to do with anything?" Roll was quiet for a moment, X catching another voice speaking with her. "Chiyo?" What was she doing there?

From her position at the monitor, viewing a zoomed-in image of the island's Polar Region, the blonde Reploid looked at the Japanese young woman with her, then to Trinity, speaking again. "Is there still some part of him that's intact? Like an arm?"

X was surprised by his sister's question, yet he nonetheless made his way to Penguin's fallen form. His remains were scattered across the small area he had exploded, a dismembered arm catching the blue Hunter's attention. "Yes, there's some of him left. Why?"

Then, he heard Chiyo speak. "His weapon's chip. Take it."

X didn't entirely understand what the human meant. "What? Why?"

"Trust me. Just do it," she told him. "You might need it."

He would need it? What was she talking about? X looked down at his friend's arm, then thought back on Chiyo's words. He had a good degree of reservations about what she told him to do, the act essentially boiling down to removing something from his friend's dismembered body. Regardless, X knelt and opened up a panel in Chill Penguin's arm, locating a blue-colored device nestled in the center, underneath the outer shell. It was small, able to fit in the palm of X's hand, but what Chiyo wanted it for, he knew not.

Still, he had barely survived the encounter with Penguin due to his negligence and naivety. If he struggled with this, then he needed to get as much of an advantage as he could get for what would come ahead. Still, X felt a pang of guilt as he stored the weapon's chip away. He began to turn away, ready to exit the room. But before he exited the frozen chamber, the blue Reploid turned back to look upon the deceased forms of Marth and Chill Penguin.

"No one respected you, huh?" X softly asked, knowing he wouldn't receive an answer. "Well, I did."

And with that, he left, making the long journey back down to the ruins of Abel City. He sensed that, despite the victory achieved, things would not be easier from here on in.

Chapter Text

Four hours had passed since X had returned to the ruins of Abel City, after the termination of Chill Penguin. Upon his arrival, his upgrades were taken notice of, and he was sent to the medical wing to be analyzed. While the blue Reploid insisted that it wasn't dangerous, the orders had come from Zero himself, so he couldn't argue. Thus, here he was now, situated in a capsule as an overhead sensor scanned his legs, a diagram of his body appearing on the screen next to him. X's green eyes gazed at the white boots that now replaced his formerly blue ones, several stats appearing on the screen around the leg components.

"Hm," one of the Lifesaver units rubbed his chin, optics reading over the findings present on the monitor. "Interesting."

"What is?" X questioned.

"It seems that your upgrades are indeed just that." the Lifesaver answered.

"What do you mean?"

"Your velocity has increased, as well as strength added to your outer shell. Currently, this portion of your body is stronger than the rest of you."

"Really?" X lifted himself, taking a peek at the screen himself. His eyes then focused on his buster. "What about the weapon's chip?"

"If what Fujiwara's entries say is true, then you may be wishing to hold onto it, along with any others you find." The Lifesaver answered.

"Entries?"

"Trinity will explain," Then, X became aware that someone had entered the room. "It's good to see you're back in one piece, X."

"Zero."

The blonde, red-clad Commander stood at the door, arms folded and blue eyes on X. "What's the news?" he asked the Lifesaver, the taller Reploid turning to address his Commander.

"So far, X's systems are in good condition, given that his internal heating had to go into overdrive to keep the rest of him warm."

"Yeah," Zero nodded. "Being encased in ice will do that to you," X saw Zero's look. He didn't appear angry, but he was displeased. The blue Reploid sighed, knowing that he was going to receive another "talking to." Then, Zero directed his attention back onto the Lifesaver. "Is he safe to move again?"

"Oh yes," the green and white medic answered. "Everything is in working order."

Zero eyed X, waiting for him to rise from the capsule. "You knew this was coming," the blonde Hunter told the blue. "Come with me," Once X got up, he followed Zero to a small, secluded room at the end of the hallway, the room holding a few spare capsules in case they were needed. Once they were both in, Zero locked the door and turned to face X. "So, I heard that you were successful in your mission," he began. "And, because of you, we've managed to secure the base up in the mountains. As of now, it's one of the territories we've managed to take back from Sigma."

X shifted in place, feeling that, despite this positive news, Zero wasn't too pleased with him. "Well, that's good."

"Indeed," Zero nodded. "It's one thing going in our favor. Although," he then said. "I heard that there were many things that didn't go in your favor regarding your performance."

The blue Reploid bit his lip. "So, you heard about...?"

"Yes, I have," Zero replied. "I know of how you allowed Penguin to best you and catch you off guard," he continued. "And how your carelessness nearly cost you your life," X lowered his head in shame. "We've been over this, X," the red Hunter sighed. "Sigma himself has been over this with you. Your hesitation could cost you if you don't take that shot."

"But Penguin was our friend!" X countered. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?! To anyone?!"

"So was Marth!" Zero shouted back. "He knew the risks of going up there, but he knew that he had to apprehend and terminate any enemy forces at all costs!"

"But Marth didn't want to kill him either!" X argued. "Penguin wasn't evil! He was manipulated by Sigma! Everyone was!"

"It doesn't matter." Zero answered.

"What?" X asked. "How could it not matter? If anything, that's the only thing that matters!"

"And that is why you were nearly taken out so easily!" Zero retorted, making X go silent. Zero then calmed himself. "Look, X, as much as I hate to admit it, Sigma did give some good advice. Before he decided to do all of this," he hissed. "There are times that we can't hesitate to pull the trigger," Zero told his friend. "Right now, we're the only thing keeping Sigma from causing any more damage. And I doubt that he'll stop here."

X looked down at the ground. "No, he won't," the blue Reploid solemnly accepted. "But still, neither Chill Penguin nor Marth had to perish," he said. "Nor any of the others of the Polar Unit."

"No, they didn't," Zero answered. "That's why we have to continue fighting to regain control of this island. To put a stop to any further plans Sigma has. And to do that," he then looked away for a moment. "We may have to battle against those that were once our comrades."

The blue android hung his head, knowing that there was no way out of it. What happened with Chill Penguin would have to happen with others. But there was one question he still had about this unfortunate reality. "And who do you think they'll be?"

Zero shook his head, expression grim. "I can't say for sure," he said. "Nearly all of us were either taken out or joined up with Sigma. From the way I see it, we could face nearly anybody."

"Yes, but," X never got the chance to finish, Zero received a call from someone outside of the underground HQ.

"This is Zero," the red Hunter responded. "Report." X leaned in closer, trying to hear what Zero was hearing. "Your team spotted what?" the long-haired Reploid questioned. "The Power Plant outside of the city? What about it?" Indeed, just what about the Power Plant? X had little information, so he couldn't construct any sound theories, but Zero continued listening to the Hunter under his command. "All right," the red, newly-appointed Commander nodded. "I'm on my way."

The call ended. "Who was that?" X questioned.

"Firefly," Zero answered. "He's scouring the outer sections of the city, and thinks he's spotted some activity going on at the Power Plant."

"What sort of activity?" X asked.

"Since the city had been bombed, no one's been going out at night," Zero told the shorter, blue Reploid. "No one that isn't made of metal, and even then, you've got to be careful," he then turned to face the door. "I've got to go. The sooner we check this out before the sun goes down, the better."

"Why's that?"

Zero looked at his friend. "Because that's when Sigma's new toys come out to play."

Before X could question him any further, he was gone.

After a short time, X made his way to the main hub of the underground base, Trinity typing away at the oversized computer that displayed several views of Abel City. Or rather, what was left of it. Many of the smaller structures were completely obliterated, yet taller buildings were able to remain standing, such as the original HQ before everyone was forced underground. It was ironic that the blast from the missiles didn't take it out entirely, considering what Sigma had declared from his fortress, wherever that was.

"So, why?" X questioned Trinity, who was overseeing the city. "Why would he bomb Abel City, but not go through with destroying everything?"

Trinity shook her head. "The same reason he put out the raging fires that were left in the wake of the missile strike," the pink-haired Navigator answered. "He wants those who remain afterward alive, both Reploid and human."

"But why?" X grew even more puzzled. "I thought he began this campaign because he wanted to supposedly overthrow the humans?" He didn't say the rest of his sentence, but he remembered what he had seen from Sigma's broadcast, his first act of violence against those that built him.

"That's what I wondered at first as well," Trinity said. "But not long after the strike happened and the fires were put out, Sigma delivered this underground base a message."

"A message?" X asked.

"Yes," Trinity answered. "While you were still recovering from the injuries you sustained during your battle with Vile," she then turned to look at the blue Reploid. "Something that Ai said was extremely careless and foolish."

X's shoulders sank. But then, he remembered what Trinity had said. "How is she?"

"She's still functioning," the pink-haired Navigator replied. "And her repairs are nearly complete. Sting Chameleon did not go easy on her," she then sighed. "Still, she says she wants to get back on duty. She serves as the Navigator for Zero's team," she then grew quiet for a moment. "If anything, I think it gives Firefly extra motivation to hear her voice again."

X was silent. In the grand scheme of things, despite the tragedies and losses, the fact that any of them were alive at all was, in some way, a miracle. But X doubted that such a sentiment would be received by his fellow Reploids.

"Anyway, back to what I was saying," Trinity continued, getting back on topic. "While you were still being repaired, we received a message from an undisclosed location. We didn't get the opportunity to accept or deny, as it opened on its own," her optics observed the damaged metropolis appearing on the screen. "Sigma had a message for us that couldn't wait."

Upon seeing the image of the former Commander of the Maverick Hunters, everyone in the small main hub of the less spacious underground HQ froze. Some were paralyzed with fear, others in shock, and a few of them shook with anger. Sigma's blue eyes fell on the small number of Reploids before him, looking each of them over. Trinity, who was previously at the monitor, rose from her seat and stepped back, overwhelmed by the sight of the taller Reploid.

"Is this all that's left?" he questioned, although no one answered. He then tsked. "Such a waste. Unfortunately, such sacrifices must be made."

"Sacrifices?!" a voice suddenly shouted. Firefly emerged and began marching towards the screen displaying Sigma's face. "You think the murder of your kind are sacrifices?!"

"A sacrifice, by definition, means that you must suffer hardship and pain," Sigma replied to the enraged green Reploid. "Do not believe that this is easy for me. Many good Hunters fell because they could not make the necessary sacrifice in disregarding their allegiance to the humans."

"To hell with that!" Firefly roared. "Your men killed nearly everyone! They killed my friends! Your friends! They nearly killed Ai!" his voice wavered upon mentioning the blonde Navigator.

Sigma's face remained unchanged. "Anyway," he said, pushing Firefly's clear dismay and fury to the side. "Given I am currently absent, who have you elected to take my place?"

"I have." Zero stepped up, facing the former Commander.

This gained a reaction from the recently self-proclaimed Maverick. Sigma presented the long-haired, red-armored Reploid with a small smile. "Well, this is a surprise," he told Zero, seemingly amused by this turn of events. "Given your history regarding orders, I didn't expect you to rise to the position of giving them yourself."

"Oh, I'm giving orders, all right," Zero snarled. "And they all have to do with finding and taking you out."

"I can't wait," the taller Hunter answered. "Yet, to complete the latter part, you must complete the former," he said. "Which means, you'll have to find me first."

"And we will," Firefly retorted, having simmered down somewhat. A few other Reploids held onto him to keep him from doing something foolish. "We'll search this entire island for you if we have to! And we CAN do it!"

"Oh, I don't doubt that Firefly," Sigma answered the green biker.

"Don't call me by my name!" Firefly barked. "You don't have that right anymore!"

"All right, that's enough," Zero told the other Hunter. "Your anger is no good here. Save it for the field," even if his fury hadn't entirely dissipated, Firefly's body relaxed, the others letting go of him. "Anyway, what's the reason for your call, Sigma?"

"Straight to the point, a good quality in a fledgling leader," Sigma told Zero, who was unmoved by the other's false flattery. "But yes, as I'm sure many of you are aware by now, what has occurred here is known throughout the entire world," he said. "Our independence movement will ripple throughout civilization and give birth to a new world. A world suited for us. And, if you are wise, for all of you, should you see that you're risking your lives for nothing."

"Your point?" Zero questioned, not in the mood for any theatrics.

"Patience, I'm getting to it," Sigma answered. "You are free to find me, should you wish. But, even if you do, your efforts will mean nothing," he informed those watching and listening. "What I have done will change everything, forever. Even if you kill me, you will only be delaying the inevitable," his grin widened upon seeing Zero's scowl deepen. "Nevertheless, that won't stop you from trying. Thus, I shall alert you of a challenge I present to your men, Commander Zero."

Even if he addressed the red Reploid by such a title, Zero doubted there was any genuine respect behind it. "And what is that?"

"I have select members of my forces stationed at various corners of the island, all outside of Abel City," Sigma informed everyone present. "And the keys to your freedom lie in discovering these locations. But you'll have to discover them for yourself."

"Bastard." Firefly hissed.

"It'd be too easy if I gave it away so early," Sigma smirked. "You will be given clues as to where I have put one of my men, and there may be a secondary operation going on that they're a part of. Which I'd recommend putting a stop to if you don't want them to cause you trouble later."

Zero remained silent. Trinity found herself struggling with what to do, control seized from her as the base's systems were now out of her hands.

"Is there some sort of time limit?" Zero questioned. None of this sat right with him.

"None that you're aware of," Sigma responded. "But it wouldn't matter either way. You shall know where to look when it's time," he then looked over everyone present in the room. "Either you see the truth, or you will be left behind with the bags of flesh that hamper us. It's up to you."

Then Sigma's face vanished from sight.

"And not long after that, we began detecting the tremors occurring in the mountains," Trinity explained to X. "Which, ironically enough, is around the time you were fit to be released from the medical wing."

"Is that all Sigma said?" X questioned.

"Not exactly," Trinity answered. "Not long after, we received a message document from Sigma himself. It read that we were free to stop him however we wish, but he doesn't want to give us false hope," she said. "He still hasn't released the rest of the missiles yet."

It wasn't as if X wished for such a thing to happen, yet he pondered something. "Isn't that what the shelters are for?"

"It would be if some humans and Reploids weren't leaving them to wander the streets," Trinity replied.

"What?!" X exclaimed in disbelief. Had he heard right?

"Believe it or not, it's true," the pink-haired Navigator confirmed. An overhead view of what used to be Abel City's downtown sector appeared on the monitor. The image zoomed in to show small shapes moving across the screen, the figures walking aimlessly without any sense of direction. It was as if they were searching for something unobtainable, yet that made them seek it even more. "Not long after the fires were put out, some of the humans began to emerge from the shelters," Trinity explained. "And soon, more and more of them followed."

X was silent, his green eyes watching the screen. "Hasn't anyone tried to get them to go back?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh yes, there have been several attempts," Trinity sighed. "But each has been unsuccessful," she paused for a moment. "Humans are becoming more..." her upper jaw bit down on her lower lip. "Aggressive."

"Aggressive?" X questioned. "How?"

"They've taken to arming themselves with whatever they can find, and some of them have banded together and formed alliances with each other," the Navigator said. "There were just a few a first, but they've been gaining more members. There are rumors that they're gathering supplies and anything they might deem useful."

X was quiet as he watched the figures move, noticing how the skies darkened. It was getting late. "Wait a minute," the blue Reploid remembered something he had discussed with his new Commander not too long ago. "Zero mentioned something about Sigma's new 'toys', what did he mean by that?"

"Oh, that," Trinity said. Her focus was on the humans in the streets, some of them noticing the time and retreating to the shelter entrances while others stayed out. "We have a witness, but even she didn't see much. And, from what she told us," Trinity continued. "There may be more to worry about than what's lurking in the streets at night."

"Who?" X questioned.

"Fujiwara's daughter." the female Reploid clarified.

Oh, right, X thought! Chiyo! "Where is she?" he questioned.

"The last I knew, she was with your sister," Trinity replied. "When it was confirmed you terminated Chill Penguin," even if she was just speaking the truth, she saw X flinch slightly. It couldn't be helped, yet, even with her emotional receptors, Trinity still knew that any Maverick was to be stopped, no matter the cost. "Fujiwara came running. She then started talking about how Penguin was one of the ones that her father worked on."

X pondered this. That was right, from what Roll said, Chiyo was the one who wanted him to take Penguin's weapon chip. Still, why was that? And what did she mean about the ones her father created? By that logic, every Reploid save for X himself was constructed by Fujiwara or at least used his modifications for future units. Just what was so special about Penguin in regards to that?

"I'm going to go find her and Roll," X said, turning away from Trinity. "Where are they?"

"So far, they've either been spending their time in the medical wing with patients that are recovering," the Navigator answered. "Even if they're not part of the staff, your sister's taken to filling in for some of our Medics, given there aren't as many anymore."

A sad fact, X thought. Still, before he went, he had one last question. "Hey, just why did you let Chiyo come here?"

Trinity didn't take her eyes off the monitor, but she went still for a few moments. "She didn't come here of her own volition," the pink-haired Reploid answered. "She had no choice."

"No choice?" X asked.

Trinity nodded. "It was fortunate that we found her when we did," she said. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have some idea of what Sigma might be up to."

"What?" X was puzzled, not to mention unnerved at what he had heard. How was that? He was about to ask, yet figured that he had bothered Trinity with enough questions. He would just have to ask Roll or Chiyo when he saw them.

The question was, however, just what did the young human know?

Medical Wing

Recovery Room

Roll overlooked the readings of the Reploid situated in the capsule, her inner components functioning normally again. "How do you feel?" the bow-wearing Reploid questioned, the other blonde mechanical woman adjusting her position. "Better?"

"If by better, you mean being held together by more than just wiring, then yeah, I think I'm halfway there," Ai answered. "Although," she said. "I wonder when they're going to let me stop having these checkups."

"You took an extensive amount of damage during the attack, we need to make sure that everything is holding up," Roll explained. Sure, she was no nurse, but she was by Dr. Light's side to help repair Mega Man several times. Such things were nothing unusual to her. "Especially since supplies are needing to be rationed for the time being."

"Which is why they need to stop wasting time with me and take care of some of these other guys," Ai said. "Some of us are still in here from what happened a few days ago." she then fell silent. Truth be told, she didn't know whether or not some of them were even still alive.

"Well, if the medics managed to repair you, then the others have a fighting chance too, right?" Roll questioned.

Ai scoffed. "It's obvious your X's sister," she said. "You're both hopelessly naive," she then looked away. "I'll admit, I never really had a lot in common with A-1."

Ah, yes, Roll though. A-1, the smaller Navigator constructed for the Maverick Hunters. The last she had known, he had gone to the Missile Base and released X and Zero, but no one had seen him since he left before Sigma's siege. "He's ok," Roll assured the other blonde. "Has there been any sign of him?"

Ai shook her head. "No one could've survived the missiles that came down," she said despondently. "It'd kill anything that got within the radius of the blasts. And that was just from a few. Sigma's yet to release them all."

"Then maybe he was still at the base?" Roll suggested.

"If he was, then he'd have a hard time getting to the city. A lot of the roads outside were destroyed," Ai sighed. "Wherever he is, it's out of my hands now."

Roll didn't wish to add any further pain, yet she could empathize with the Navigator. Even if she couldn't do much, and she despised it, if anything were to happen to X, just like whatever happened to Rock, she would...

Wait a moment, someone was coming in.

Turning, the bow-wearing Reploid saw a blue Hunter enter the room, immediately catching her attention. "X!" Roll cried out, running over to her (younger) sibling. "You're back!" before he could respond, she immediately began looking him over. "And it looks like you're in decent shape, that's good," then, her teal eyes fell on the other android's leg components. "Hm? What is this?"

X was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Well, firstly, can I get a word in?"

"Oh, right, sorry," Roll apologized. "What is it?"

X looked over to the Navigator behind his sister. "Well, for one, how is Ai?"

"Oh, she's fine," Roll answered. "But she's more worried about A-1 than herself at the moment."

"I see," X nodded. "A-1," he mused aloud, an image of the rabbit-eared Reploid manifesting in his mind. "I hope you're ok, wherever you are," he spoke quietly to not alert Ai. He then centered his attention back onto Roll. "Where's Chiyo?" he questioned.

"Oh, she's not far," the blonde Reploid answered. "She's finally been able to get to sleep. But if it's important, I can-"

"Well, not yet," X said. Then he paused for a second. "I sort of think you need to know this first."

Roll was puzzled. "What is it?" her eyes then fell on her brother's legs. "Is it how you managed to get those?"

"Yeah, sort of," X then looked around, spotting various others in the room with them. "It's too crowded in here, is there somewhere more private we can go?"

"Well, yes. But why?"

X shifted his green eyes, not wanting to draw too much attention, but he felt that Roll deserved to know. For, as far as either of them knew, they were the only two left. He leaned close and whispered into her audio unit. "I saw him," he said. "I saw the Doctor."

Undisclosed Location

Dr. Cain felt pain in his stomach, but he didn't feel like eating. He had barely touched what he had been given, and when he did, it was only when his body was desperate for some form of sustenance. Even now, despite his situation, he knew that, compared to others, he was perhaps quite fortunate. Especially in comparison to Fujiwara. Still, the sight of the man being run through with Sigma's saber haunted him. And what came afterward gave him trouble sleeping.

Still, regardless, if he was alive, then perhaps others were too. Sigma hadn't dropped all the missiles on the city, yet he doubted it was done out of kindness. Dr. Cain couldn't believe he was even pondering such a thing, yet it couldn't be denied that Sigma had gone completely Maverick and turned his back on humanity. And, in turn, his back on Cain. Yet here the old man was: alive, but stuck in a cage.

Just then, the elderly individual was aware that someone was approaching his cell.

"So, you're the old man that our glorious leader has insisted on making a pet?"

Cain turned his head up and saw a helmeted Reploid with violet armor and impressive shoulder cannon looking down at him. "Vile?" the old man questioned, eyes wide with surprise.

"What? You're shocked that I'm here?" Vile asked, somewhat amused by the human's reaction. "I was thrown out of the Hunters, remember? This was just the most natural course to take."

"No, it doesn't have to be this way," Dr. Cain told Vile. "The city is damaged, but it can be rebuilt. If you turn yourselves in, then maybe the Council will-"

"Oh, stop it! And I thought X's whining was annoying!" Vile groaned. "Get it through your head, old man. There's nothing you, X, or anyone can do that'll change Sigma's mind," he said. "He said he's taking this world away from you humans, and he intends to do just that."

Dr. Cain grew silent for a moment. "And…just how does he plan to do that?"

Vile crossed his arms and gave a small chuckle. "Oh, you'll see. In fact, there's a reason that he let a majority of the population survive," he explained. "But it's not because he had a sudden change of heart."

"Then what?"

A red eye shimmered from underneath Vile's helmet. "He wants them alive, at least for now," he said. "But only for a while. When the time comes, he plans to set an example with Abel City," Dr. Cain could see nothing past the darkness of the former Hunter's helmet, but the old man imagined a smile forming underneath. "And he doesn't plan on letting anyone leave this island alive."

"He must be terminated."

Sigma sat on his throne, the monitor before him displaying all the occupied sections of the artificial island. As he had come to know, Chill Penguin had been taken out. This didn't trouble Sigma, as he didn't trust the bird to last long, yet he was surprised by just who had eliminated Penguin. "But…he is the source of us all," Sigma said, yet no one was in the room with him. No one that anyone else could see. "Not just Fujiwara, but even Dr. Light's own notes spoke of his power. A power that's yet to truly be tapped into."

"Which is why you must destroy him now! He cannot be allowed to continue any further! If you do this, he will eliminate you!"

Should anyone stumble upon the former Commander of the Maverick Hunters, they would've assumed that he was merely talking to himself, answering a voice that no one could hear. But, to the Reploid, the voice was perfectly clear. And it was becoming more and more vocal. "But it can be useful!" the towering, blue-eyed Reploid protested. "His power is said to never stop growing, it's a limitless source of energy. Why waste that?"

"It's not good if it can destroy you. Trust me, I know from experience. And anything of Thomas Light cannot be trusted to leave well enough alone."

Indeed, Sigma thought. True, he wasn't fearful of him, yet the fact X had been the one to terminate Penguin brought him some concern. Of all Reploids, he wouldn't have believed that X would be the one to take such decisive action. And against Penguin! A Reploid that only joined Sigma because he was whining about everyone laughing at him! It would've been somewhat humorous if it weren't so pathetic.

"Still," Sigma said aloud, conversing openly with the voice, unsure of whether or not anyone else would be able to hear it. "I do not believe that it'd be wise to just toss X to the side," he explained. "If he will not be swayed to join our cause, then he will serve us another way."

"He'll serve as your destruction. That's what Light's creations do. They take everything you try to do and destroy it before it can even come to fruition," the voice answered, sounding almost like a low growl, but it resembled no animal nor any living creature on Earth. It sounded guttural, almost machine-like. "That is why he cannot be allowed to continue. He will find those capsules, he will defeat your men, and he WILL come for you. That is how it always goes."

It was then that Sigma smirked. "X would never take a shot at me," he said proudly. "He can't even fire upon his fellow Reploids, much less his own Commander."

"Mega Man fought the one that was his brother. He was unaware of it at the time, yet he still fought him because it was his duty. And when it was believed that robot had betrayed humanity, Mega Man went out to stop him," the voice stopped, snarling again. "And then, he went in and, once again, ruined everything."

"That will not happen," Sigma assured. "I have no intention of revealing my location. And should they realize where I am, it'll already be too late," he eyed the island displayed on the screen. "Everything is still under control."

"That's what the Doctor thought too. And it wasn't until his last moments that he finally succeeded."

The Doctor. Even if the voice addressed him as such, Sigma doubted that they were speaking of Light. Nor were they speaking of Fujiwara, for that man perished because of his failure. While he had always questioned it, he finally had to ask. "What are you?" Sigma questioned, unsure of what to call the source of the voice. "What is your name?"

"Me? I don't have a name," they answered. "And I don't have a body, but I've been around for a long time. Since the days when Mega Man was still active in the world."

"For that long?" Sigma questioned. "Then, you have existed before my time."

"Oh, much longer than that," they replied. "And, truthfully, if I ever had a name, I don't remember it, but, for now," Then, the voice changed. It was the same, yet more earthly, almost partially human. With a slight accent, German perhaps, though Sigma was unsure as to why. "I do remember that I was once a Doctor as well."

Sigma could not see it, yet, if the voice had a form of its own, he imagined a small smirk had appeared on their features.

Abel City

Underground HQ

"And then what?"

"And…then nothing," X told Roll, having completed his tale of his encounter with their creator. "He just vanished."

Roll stood there, unsure of how to process all that she had just heard. "You…truly saw him? You saw the Professor?" X nodded. Roll lowered her head, a few stifled cries emitting from her slightly trembling form. Even if she possessed no tears, that didn't make what she felt any less real. And, even more, due to the upgrades of a Reploid's systems, perhaps that made it even worse. "How…did he look?" she then asked, finally composing herself. "Did he look healthy at least?"

"I think so," X answered. "Although, when he recorded that message or built that capsule, I can't say."

He looked to his elder sister for any possible answer, yet she shook her head. "There's nothing in my memory banks of that either," she said. "And I was the one that assisted him on everything he worked on. So, if I didn't know about it, then he wanted it that way," she then paused. "Still, why did he feel he couldn't tell me? Or tell at least Rock?"

A few tense moments fell in between the two DLNs before Roll spoke again, the suspense too much for her to bear. "Oh, if I may, where is Zero?" the blonde questioned. "I…admit that I have some overdue words to say to him."

X wasn't entirely sure what this meant, yet her features appeared softer than usual whenever she discussed the red Hunter. Even after all this time, Zero had yet to earn Roll's trust, and X couldn't entirely understand why. Whatever it was, however, it was business between Zero and Roll, so X, in turn, had no business interfering. "He went out," X told his sister. "Apparently, there are some things going on at the Power Plant."

"The Power Plant outside of the city?" Roll asked. "Yes, I've heard of that," she remarked. "Not long after you were taken in, all these sites from all across the island began springing to life," she didn't speak the last part aloud, for even she didn't want to imagine the grim spectacle. "It was as if the dead had all sprung to life and began to take the land for themselves."

Then, Roll heard something she didn't expect. "How is Chiyo?"

"Chiyo?" Roll's focus was brought back upon hearing the girl's name. "Oh, she's fine, if that's what you're wondering," Roll then paused. "Well, no. I don't suppose she is. No one is really fine right now."

"How is she, in general?" X clarified.

"She's healthy, if that's what you mean," Roll answered. "But I can't say the same for everything else."

X pondered whether or not he should pry further, but he needed to know. "Trinity mentioned something about her having no choice," he told Roll. "And that she knows something about some entries?"

"Oh, yes. That," Roll said. "The truth is, I'm not so certain of it myself," she confessed. "I'm sorry, but if I'm not a part of the organization, I'm not obligated to be informed of, well, anything, really," she then turned her head. "I only knew you were missing before because A-1 told me." she placed no blame on the Hunters, yet Roll couldn't deny her frustration. "But, from what I've managed to get out of Ai,"

"Ai?" X questioned, surprised. "Trinity, I could see you getting some information out of her, but Ai?"

"She's much more pleasant than she's given credit for," Roll assured him. "She's just…very touchy regarding her production date and whether or not she looks like the most current model." Even if their situations weren't the same, the housekeeper could empathize with the blonde Navigator in a sense. "But, yes. Ai has told me that, upon Chiyo being brought here, she began to reveal a lot."

"Like what?"

"It mostly concerns her father," Roll answered. "What he planned to do, with many of us," she bit her lip. "Including you," she said. "That's actually why Chiyo wanted you to bring that weapon's chip back with you."

"Really? What for?" X asked.

"Well, you know of my brother, and your brother's, abilities, right?" Roll asked. X nodded, even if he had never really known him, the Reploid knew who Mega Man was. What he was. "Well, it seems that Dr. Light fashioned you in a similar manner."

X paused. "You mean…"

Roll nodded. "You can use your enemy's weapons for your own."

It was more than just a matter of night and day. It was almost as if her entire reality had been shattered. The once bright and active streets of Abel City were nothing more than desolate walkways with destroyed buildings and the ever-lingering stench of something still burning. It was an assault on all her senses, but Chiyo didn't care. She couldn't afford to care, not if she wanted to make it out of here alive.

She was convinced she was the only soul desperate or foolish enough to be out here, stumbling around in the dark with no sense of direction. But what else could she do? She had to run from that place, she had to get out. If they discovered the truth, if they found it, then it would be the end for her.

Her life could've been in jeopardy.

All of this and more flooded the eighteen-year-old's brain as she failed to realize where she was going, tripping over a dislodged piece of concrete. She fell to the ground and winced at the pain, raising a hand to her temple. There was a mild cut, but nothing serious, she could survive. She would have to from now on. The only question was, how was she going to? Where could she go?

Her own kind would kill her if they knew who she was.

It was pathetic, truly pathetic, but Chiyo found herself unable to do much else but allow a moment of self-pity to wash over her. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks, the first that she had shed in some time. Crying never came naturally to her, it seemed, a trait she shared with her father. Yet, whenever it happened, it was only because she had been pushed to her breaking point.

Chiyo held herself as she silently wept for herself and the state of the world around her. Why was this happening? What did she do to deserve this? What did anyone do? It wasn't fair!

"What did Kenichi and Fumiko do?"

Kenichi and Fumiko, were they even still alive?

Her father sure wasn't.

Then, in the midst of her lamenting, Chiyo felt the ground beneath her shake. It took a few moments, but after some time, she deduced that the shakes came from footsteps. Footsteps that were approaching her from behind. Leaping up to attention, Chiyo found herself face to face with a fully charged and armed Gun Volt, ready to fire.

She hated herself for it, but her body seized up, Chiyo was left paralyzed at the sight of the rogue mechaniloid. She winced as she braced for what was to come, having come to the terrible realization that she would just end up the others Sigma and his Mavericks have taken. And, unlike them, she doubted anyone would mourn her death. Especially if they knew who she was related to.

She sat up with a start, her heart thumping in her chest. "That damned dream," she hissed, trying to calm herself down. She hated getting all worked up, it rendered her efforts to remain cool and indifferent come apart. Thus, she was thankful that no one else could see her. It wasn't large, but a separate room in the back of the Hunter Base had been cleared out for her, a few commodities littered about for her use. Nothing more than some food, and bedding, really, she felt more like a pet than a human. "Patarche."

Perhaps it was ridiculous, perhaps her father was right. Perhaps Patarche, no matter what she thought of him, was just a dog. Hell, her father outright wanted her to put his body in a trash bag! She had nearly gotten violent with him that night, yet Roll was thankfully able to break it up. As the young woman grew older, her relationships grew more and more distant. And, unfortunately, this was best exemplified with her own family.

Her father. He was the reason that this was the only place she could come to. He was the reason that she realized, if she stayed any longer with the other humans, she would be in danger. It was somewhat selfish on her part, she admitted, but Chiyo had begun teetering into full survival mode. So far, her father had been nothing but a blight on her, and it was partially due to him that all of this was happening! He was the cause of her misery, just as it had always been!

And yet, when she saw Sigma run him through, Chiyo didn't expect it, but she felt her stomach drop upon seeing that. That quickly, just as Patarche had been taken, so too had Dr. Fujiwara. And at the hands of the one he helped create. She began to wonder about Dr. Cain, whether or not he was even alive. Even if she didn't know him that well, he seemed a decent enough person. Not someone worth killing.

Then, does that make your father worth killing?

Chiyo didn't dare ask that aloud, but her blood ran cold when it crossed her mind. And with that, as sick and grotesque as it was, questions began to arise as to whether or not he truly was. Was he someone that deserved to be taken out? Would his death possibly prevent those of others? Would his death perhaps mean some hope for Kenichi and Fumiko?

"Fumiko…" the image of the spectacled girl flashed in Chiyo's mind. Even now, the separation and uncertainty left her chest aching. "I want you here. I want you here so badly."

Just then, the young woman was alerted that someone had just entered her room. At first, she had expected Roll, the Reploid had come to check on her every hour to see if she was all right. Yet who came to see her was not one she anticipated.

Rather, it was the one her father had wished to use as an ultimate weapon.

Chapter Text

She froze, his green eyes locked onto hers. "Hello, Chiyo," X greeted her, the human remaining silent, still in shock. "Mind if I come in?"

The dark-haired girl still didn't answer, brown eyes uncertain of the Reploid standing before her. She then saw X's legs, studying the components compared to the rest of his body. "So, you found one."

X was puzzled. "Found what?"

"One of the capsules," Chiyo answered. She noticed X's expression change into one of surprise. "It was just one of the many things my dear father talked about in his notes," she told him.

"Notes?" X asked. He didn't understand.

"That's why you're here, isn't it?" the human questioned. "Don't worry about being overly friendly, just be honest about what you're here for."

"No, I had no idea about that," the blue Reploid replied. "I mean, yes, I heard Zero and Trinity mention something about it, but I didn't come here for that." he then drew closer, the human slowly migrating her way to the corner of the room, sitting atop the bedding provided for her.

"Then why are you here? It can't be because you want to see me." Chiyo said dismissively, folding her arms.

X was quiet for a moment, unsure of whether or not the girl would believe him. "Actually, that is kind of the reason," he told her. "I mean, I am curious about these notes you're talking about, but I wanted to see if you were ok."

Chiyo raised a brow, yet aside from that, she remained stone-faced. "Why wouldn't I be ok?"

You can't be ok after all of this. Was what X wished to say, yet he held his tongue, not wishing to potentially offend the young woman. "Well, just…a lot has happened, so…," X trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Chiyo herself seemed unsure of how to respond. True, she had expected to see X sometime during her stay here, yet she didn't exactly expect him to come to her. "Well, whether I'm fine or not doesn't really matter," she responded. "So don't trouble yourself. But," she then rose up. "Regardless, you probably have no idea of how I even got here, let alone why I'm here, right?"

X wasn't entirely expecting such coldness from her, yet he nonetheless nodded. Even if he hadn't seen Chiyo much since she had been growing older, it seemed she was no longer that young girl he had met while he was still in her father's lab. "I'm not lying, you know," he told her. "I…was worried."

Chiyo bit her lip and averted her gaze for a moment. "Anyway, my dad's notes," she then unzipped the left pocket of her school vest, a single drive removed from within. "I…will say, thank you for what you did on the highway," she told X. "Even if I'm only useful to you this way, if not for you," she held the external hard drive in her left hand. "I wouldn't have been able to deliver this to you."

X eyed the device. "What's that?"

Chiyo's own brown eyes fell on the hard drive, her teeth biting down on her lower lip. "When Roll came to the house before some of Sigma's men broke in, I slipped this into my vest," she explained. "This is everything my father wrote down in his personal logs," she answered him. "It doesn't contain the actual schematics of what he built or studied, but it discusses everything in between," she said. X saw her eyes begin to bridle with anger as she stared at the device in her possession. "He talked about you, about your red friend," she then looked down at the floor. "About me."

X was left stunned, unsure of what to say at first. He silently requested permission to hold the hard drive, extending his hand out and giving the human an inquisitive look. Chiyo eyed X, then what she had delivered to the Hunters. After a few moments, she relented and handed the device to the (mostly) blue Reploid. "Where did you get this?" he questioned her. "How did you get this?" his eyes widened, comprehending just what the young woman having this meant. "You could've gotten in a lot of trouble if you were caught with this."

She was quiet for a moment. "You know," she then chuckled. It was funny that she could even find humor in it. "I'm surprised I hadn't been killed already."

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"It was hell to get it," Chiyo replied. "And, I'll admit, I had to do some shady stuff in order to make sure it was hidden," she then paused. "I did question whether or not it was worth the danger, given what's in those logs."

X still didn't entirely understand. "And just what is in these logs of your father's?"

"Your friends still haven't gone through them all yet, and I only caught the most recent ones," Chiyo explained. "But if it's true, then this whole thing isn't something Sigma just did at the spur of a moment," her eyes grew serious. "He and dad have been planning this for years."

Streets of Abel City

"Firefly, what's your situation?" Zero asked over the com-link, the green-armored biker a short distance away, scouting out the area.

From his current position, Firefly looked out, past the edges of the destroyed buildings and structures of the once vibrant metropolis, now clothed in complete darkness as opposed to the ocean of lights it once possessed at night. In his free time, one of his favorite activities was to ride down the winding highways and overpasses that led to various parts of the island and the mainland, watching the city from afar. And, when she was available, he'd take Ai along for the ride, the red-armored, blonde Navigator holding onto his waist as he sped along, her ponytail dancing in the wind. Now all of it was gone in a single day. And even more, he and everyone else had been left to pick up the pieces.

But now wasn't the time for any reminiscing, he had a job to do. "From what I'm seeing, there does look like something going on at the suspected area," Firefly answered his Commander. "There's some form of activity taking place, although I don't know whether or not it's in our favor."

Indeed, from far away, the biker spotted the Power Plant miles away from Abel City shine in the darkness of the night, as if it were revealing itself for the Hunters to see. From Zero's current position, another one of his men, a standard Hunter Unit built specifically for the organization. "Sir, should we make a move?" he questioned the long-haired red Reploid. "It seems that the reports regarding the Power Plant are true."

"Clearly," Zero agreed. "We're on our way, Firefly," he told the biker. "Trinity, we're going to head in. It looks like this issue can't wait."

To Firefly's disappointment, Ai was being looked over again by the medics, so the pink-haired Navigator had to be the one to guide them. Nevertheless, Trinity answered her new Commander. "All right, I'll try to get as many details as I can," she replied. "Our Sky Spys can only go so far, so I'll try to get a scope of the perimeter before you go in. In the meantime, I'll try to see where the mechaniloids patrolling the streets are coming from."

"Great, we'll see you there," Zero told Trinity.

"And keep an eye out for any humans. They're not staying down in the shelters and are wandering the city." Trinity reported. "There's been a small group that's been going on regular excursions at night, and it seems that they're on the move again." She said to her Commander.

"And how does that relate to our current situation?" Zero asked, genuinely curious.

"We can't be sure, but they were last seen heading in the direction of the Power Plant," Trinity answered. "Although, what they're doing exactly is still unknown."

Zero was quiet, folding his arms over his chest. Humans, he thought. Great.

"I'll try and keep an eye on them, as well as keep you updated. In the meantime, go to the area of interest as quickly as you are able."

"Will do," Zero said before ending the call. "All right, move out!"

"Yes, sir!" the other Hunters answered, following their leader through the streets, even if he was a good deal faster than them.

Zero wouldn't dare say it aloud, yet he hoped that he could perhaps keep X out of this one. And, while duty dictated his actions, he prayed he wouldn't have to deal with any humans out and about.

Underground HQ

"Roll mentioned it to you, right?" Chiyo questioned X. "That you can use the weaponry of other machines?"

X nodded. "I…had assumed it was because I'm, well, technically related to Mega Man," he replied. "But also because Dr. Light thought the world needed someone else like Mega Man for later on," he told the human, uncertain. "At least, that's what I gathered from what he had told me." Still, even if the Blue Bomber wasn't here and he was, X still found it difficult to accept a role that, from what Roll had told him, Rock accepted with ease.

"Wait, what?" Chiyo asked. "What did he tell you?" She then realized how ridiculous she sounded. "What did the message on the capsule say?"

"Well," X said. "It wasn't as if the message sounded completely pre-recorded."

"What do you…?" She immediately dismissed the notion that Dr. Light's image, let alone the Doctor himself, could speak through what must've been an ancient device. Holograms had no sentience, they were just illusions created by light and color. "No," she murmured. "Impossible."

"What is?"

"Nothing," Chiyo quickly answered, trying to draw X's attention away from what she had just mused aloud. "Anyway, you took Chill Penguin's weapon chip?" X glanced down at his buster, having manifested that weapon to inspect for himself. This was followed shortly after by a surge of guilt as he saw the human grow tense upon bringing his firearm out in the open. "Where is it now?" Chiyo asked, trying to get a hold of herself.

Had he wanted it, had anyone here wanted it, she would've been dead by now, she was certain of it. But nothing had happened yet. That hanging "yet" still remained in the back of Chiyo's mind.

"It's being examined by the Navigational staff we have available," X told Chiyo. "It's a foreign object, so it's being inspected for any potential malware or possible viruses."

"They're wasting their time," Chiyo replied. "If they read the logs, they would know this. But everything my father was a part of should be looked at with scrutiny, I guess," She turned her attention back to X. "But the weapon chip is fine to use. In fact, I think dad made it as such."

"What do you mean?" X questioned.

"Isn't it obvious?" Chiyo said, shrugging her shoulders as if what she was implying was clear as polished glass. "The good Doctor intended for you to stand by his side and help Sigma take over the world."

X was silent. "W-What?"

"He designed everyone after your abilities," the dark-haired girl continued. "Almost everyone built for the Hunters Organization, at least those that have managed to work their way up, have a weapon chip built into them," she explained. "For you to use, should you have to take care of them later on," she went silent for a few moments. "He had plans for your long-haired friend as well. That was what all those tests with weapons were about."

X grew quiet, unable to respond at first. "What do you mean?"

Chiyo let out a small breath. "Given your creator's infamy, it was only natural that my father and Dr. Cain referenced his past work for the construction of future Reploids," she said. "This in itself isn't the problem."

"Then what is?"

Chiyo bit her lip. "From what I've read, it seems dad had a particular interest in Light's other creations outside of you, specifically the initial eight Robot Masters."

Ah, yes, X had heard of them. While Roll was the one who relayed most of the details, she spoke fondly of those outside of Wily's creations. In fact, those such as Cut and Guts Man were even considered among family. Although Ice Man always gave her a peculiar look, even she was unsure of what it meant.

"And then, he looked into the robots constructed by Dr. Cossack and those that were part of the World Robot Association," Chiyo explained. "But, and while I don't know how he did it, he managed to figure out Wily's method of building things."

X felt like an idiot, but he still couldn't grasp what Chiyo was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that a good deal of Reploids that my dad worked on follow the same kind of function," the dark-haired human said. "Granted, they'll have to be extracted, but several Reploids, several Mavericks maybe, are built with specialized weapons and skills akin to the Robot Masters that came before them. And, should one of them fall, you would be able to use their components for yourself," she explained. "Only, back then, it was an example of Wily's lack of forethought. Now, it seems that this was all intentional."

X gazed at the floor, processing the numerous revelations being unveiled to him. "Why would Fujiwara think I would do something like that?" He questioned.

"That's just what he believed," Chiyo answered. "In his words, should any of them rebel, you would be one of his enforcers," she explained. "He said he would let you keep a little collection of all those that dared cross him."

The blue Hunter was nothing short of horrified. Dr. Fujiwara really did all of that? He planned for X to take parts of his fellow Hunters and use them for himself? The thought of it was greatly troubling. If not for Chiyo's insistence, he wouldn't have even thought of bringing Chill Penguin's chip!

"You think that's bad?" Chiyo gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Just wait until you see what he planned for your red friend," her eyes closed and she let out a sigh of stress. "He had plans for everything and everyone, including Sigma," she ran her fingers through her hair. "But, it seems Sigma decided to take the reins and go on with Independence Day without him. Although, perhaps he was always planning to be rid of dad when the time came."

The blue Reploid was rendered speechless. "Just…how long have you known this?" He soon regretted his question when he saw the beginning of tears in Chiyo's eyes, even if she tried to keep herself from presenting any current distress. "Oh no, I didn't mean it like that, I…"

"No, it's fine," Chiyo said, turning away from the Reploid. "Everyone here's asked me that," she answered. "But, honestly, truthfully, I…I didn't know," she told him. "I mean, when I first found those logs, I knew that they were hinting at something, but there weren't enough details to make any sort of conclusion," she then stiffened, X hearing soft sniffles as she continued to conceal her face from view. "But hey, hindsight is twenty-twenty, right?"

X tried to draw closer to her, but when he walked around to see her, the human turned away again. He was left trying to think of something to say, core heavy with guilt for making her cry. Even if she wouldn't dare openly admit it. Even now, she was trying to keep her body still and her voice barely above a whisper. He had to do something, but what?

"Well," X began. True, it would've possibly brought up some other unpleasant things, but he wanted to know. And, even more, Chiyo had to know he wanted to know. "What I'm curious about is how you got here."

Chiyo whirled around, having just dried her eyes. "What kind of question is that?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about how I managed to get this information at all?"

"Yeah, I'll admit that's important information as well," X told her. "But that can come later. What I want to know is why you left the shelter. Isn't that dangerous?"

Chiyo looked down at the floor. "I didn't have a choice," she said. "I knew the moment I had to go down, I couldn't stay there. Not long enough for them to find out who I was," she bit her lip. "It wouldn't have taken the Reploids guiding everyone to their places long to figure it out. Even if I'm no celebrity, I don't think I need to tell you my name has some infamy now."

Unfortunately, X couldn't deny that was the truth. Still, he wondered. "But where would you go?" he questioned. "Where would you, well, you know, find food or water? How would you know where the underground HQ is?"

"I didn't," Chiyo answered. "I knew it was a death sentence if I went outside, but," she sighed. "Call it self-preservation, but, even if I knew my chances were slim outside of the shelter's safety, I would've rather taken my chances out there than a place where everyone knew me," she then paused. "Even if everyone here knows who I am." she didn't speak it aloud, yet she muttered, barely above a whisper. "At least you'd be less likely to tear me apart."

X grew quiet for a few moments, unsure of what to say. "I...I'm sorry," he said. "That you had to do that."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Chiyo responded. "Reality doesn't care whether or not it screws you over," she said. "You don't have control over anything," she hugged herself as if she were overcome with a deathly cold chill. "Even if you're not in the body of something mechanical," she continued. "You have a body of flesh, blood, muscle, nerves, everything that makes you what you are," she stopped for a second. "And yet, you have no autonomy over yourself. You're just like everything he's made," she went silent again. "And, even if he didn't create as he created them, he doesn't see you any differently."

"Chiyo…" X said, wondering if he had once again stepped out of line with her.

"But, back to your question as to how I got here," she quickly interjected, redirecting the conversation back to its previous subject. "Well, the truth is, that's perhaps one lucky break I managed to score."

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"The truth is," Chiyo told him. "I probably shouldn't be here at all."

Days Before

She gazed up at the Gun Volt ready to fire at her, ready to end her miserable existence and leave her as little more than another casualty of Sigma's declaration on humanity. But her death never came, nor did the light or total darkness that was supposed to follow. But, ironically enough, a blinding light overtook her vision for a brief moment, the light emitting from a charged shot of concentrated plasma. A sizable hole was left in the mechaniloid, the blast tearing through its metal and inner circuitry, bringing the Gun Volt to its knees before it came crashing down.

It missed Chiyo by mere inches.

"Chiyo!" Upon hearing the voice, the girl turned to see two figures standing a short distance away, both familiar and blonde. "You're alive!"

"Roll?!" Chiyo exclaimed but was cut short by the bow-wearing Reploid embracing her.

"I'm so glad you're ok," Roll told her. "I was so worried."

Chiyo was quiet, her eyes then falling on the one who had terminated the Gun Volt. Zero approached the both of them, arms folded over his chest. The dark-haired girl eyed the red Hunter with confusion. "How did you even find me?" she questioned. "How did you even know to look for me?"

"Truth be told, it was Zero's idea," Roll clarified, turning for a moment to direct her gaze on the newly appointed Hunter Commander. "Although, we had initially planned to enter through one of the shelter entrances. We didn't expect to find you out here on the streets."

"It didn't take long for you to try and make a run for it."

Chiyo looked up at Zero. "Who's the say I was running away?"

"It's true, isn't it?" Chiyo went silent. "Anyway, it looks like you're not alone out here," Zero scanned the area for any other potential threats. "So, Sigma's decided to send some of his forces out to still scout this place."

It was then that Roll began to grow nervous. "Then, shouldn't we make ourselves scarce?" she asked the other blonde Reploid. "The less chance we have running into another mechaniloid, the better."

"Agreed," Zero nodded. "All right," he then turned and began to walk back the way he had come. "Bring her along," he said. "We've got to get out of here."

"Wait a minute!" Roll exclaimed, stopping Zero in his tracks. "Chiyo can't just stay at the HQ! She doesn't have any essentials!"

"We can deal with that later,' Zero responded. "For now, it's more important to get her back in one piece so she can even have a chance to make use of them."

Roll nodded, although the human's specific needs compared to her own still weighed heavily on her mind. Still, Zero was right, it wouldn't do her any good to continue being out here. "Come on," Roll urged Chiyo, pulling her along. "We have a bit of a walk to do, but it isn't too far."

"I've been running all night," Chiyo answered. "I can take a few more miles."

Regardless, her legs were weak underneath her and her steps slow and somewhat unsteady. Nevertheless, she continued to walk on her own, following Zero and Roll as the Red Hunter led them along through the darkened streets of the now-tarnished ruins of Abel City.

"Roll managed to sneak into the shelter and get some food," Chiyo told X. "But she didn't stay long. She just said they had a sick human in their care, and they couldn't be delivered to the medics present there," she then sighed. "But I haven't felt like eating much anyway."

X stood there, not entirely sure of what to say. So far, he had done nothing but bring up painful memories. Still, there was one detail that caught his attention. "Why did she have to sneak in?" Even if he knew, but wouldn't say, why Chiyo couldn't stay, he didn't understand why his sibling couldn't. If anything, he'd rather her be other there than here.

"You don't know? Really?" Chiyo asked. "Ever since the missiles hit, things have been getting tense between humans and Reploids."

"Tense?" X questioned. "Why?"

Chiyo simply stared at him, flabbergasted. "Wow, Ai was right. You ARE naive."

X flushed. So I've been told.

"It's pretty simple, actually," the girl said. "A Reploid caused part of this, and the human culprit was disposed of before everyone," she told X. "So, best direct your fears and frustrations on those that you can still hold responsible, regardless of their role in it," she continued. "It's not as if they could do anything about it, but humans have been becoming more aggressive with Reploids. They lack the physical strength, but fear and rage can drive anyone to do anything," she said. "Although, you greatly outnumber me here, so I wouldn't be a problem to deal with."

"You don't have to worry about that here," X assured her. "Nobody here even thinks of doing that to you. And no one here hates you."

"That's a lie." Chiyo quickly responded.

"No, it's not," X retorted. "And it's not just because of the Three Laws," he told her. "We…" he then paused. Truthfully, he wasn't sure of everyone's general assessment of the young woman being here. Let alone if they bore her any resentment. Still, he had to say something. "Well, I…want to help you."

"I provide some use to you now, of course you would." The girl responded.

"That's not it either," X answered.

"Then what? It can't be because…" she trailed off, the possibility of such a thing never occurring to her before. "…you actually care."

X grew uneasy at Chiyo's silence. "What if I said I did?" He asked. "Would you believe it then?"

Chiyo wasn't certain how to respond, brown eyes wide with both puzzlement and intrigue. Although, there was still a hint of resistance to accepting what the blue Reploid had just told her. This wasn't right, she thought. These machines weren't behaving as her father intended. True, some had gone along with his and Sigma's plan, but there was a surprising number who sought to restore order.

It said so in Dr. Light's notes that, should X want to use his abilities against the humans, no force on Earth could stop him. And Zero's behavior was always an indication of a violent streak, something her father indulged in whenever he could. She had been relying on that to make judgments for herself, wary of the machines surrounding her. So why then? Why weren't they turning her away?

Better yet, why did they even care? Why did X care?

Suddenly, an alarm sounded off, the alert clear and summoned everyone to the main hub of the underground HQ. "Sorry, "X told Chiyo apologetically. "I'll get back to you on that. But I meant what I said," he then turned to open the door. "There is someone who cares. And it's not about the Three Laws."

The door opened and he was about to exit.

"Wait!" Chiyo called out, gaining X's attention. "Chill Penguin's chip," she said. "Take it with you."

X grew discomforted by the suggestion. "But…"

"Ai told me you almost always get into trouble, so you will probably need it."

X was silent for a few moments, contemplating the human's words. "I'll…consider it." He told her at last.

With that, he left the young woman alone, the dark-haired girl sitting down on her temporary bed, X's words sinking into her mind, whether she liked it or not.

Later

Outside of Abel City

The cylindrical, towering building stood proudly before them, the generators and chargers situated outside of the entrance flashing and lighting up the whole area, momentarily blinding the group of Hunters that stood before it.

"Well," Firefly said, his Commander and the rest of his squad having caught up to him. "This is the place."

Zero gazed upward at the structure, several bright lights flashing outward from within. While the Power Plant was situated outside of the city, both for space and in case of a direct attack on the metropolis. There was a small plant located in the city, yet it was destroyed during the missile strike, thus, everyone left, humans and Reploids alike, were left to depend on the generators in both the HQ and the shelters. However, Zero thought, if they could somehow occupy this place, then they would have access to a direct source of electricity. It'd certainly save them from living on borrowed time with the backup sources they had to rely on.

The only question was how to take care of the problem inside so they could harness it.

"Well, Commander?" one of the other Hunters asked Zero. "Should we head in?"

Zero gazed at the entrance, which was shut and locked. He could make quick work of it, yet neither he nor his men knew of the dangers that lay within. But just before he could release a charged shot at the door blocking their way, he heard a familiar voice. One he had not wished to hear.

"Zero!"

"X?" Zero turned to see a blue and white-armored Reploid make his way towards the long-haired Hunter and his team, traveling at a much quicker pace than previously witnessed. Still, that changed nothing. "What are you doing here, I told you I was taking care of this."

"No, I'm not here for that," X told his friend. Or rather, Commander. "I mean, I'm not here for that, Sir."

Despite the current situation, Zero found humor in how X addressed him. Honestly, he wasn't sure about X calling him that. "Then what is it?" he questioned.

"Our Sky Spies caught wind that a band of humans has migrated towards the western edge of the city," X answered. "What they're searching for, no one knows, yet we're trying to track them down and get them back to the shelter before something happens."

Indeed, Zero thought. He didn't need a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the streets at night now. "Still, that doesn't explain why you're here," he said. "If the humans are in the city, then what brought you out here?"

"There are humans scattered all across the city, and some of them have tried to leave the city before, so I was sent to scout out the borders. But…" X shifted his eyes. "Well, the truth is," he then brought out a small chip colored a light blue and yellow. "I was wanting to give you this."

"What is this?" the blonde Hunter questioned.

"I think it's something you could use better than me." X simply answered, holding the chip out for Zero to take.

Yet the red Reploid didn't reach and claim it for himself.

Before X could question why, both he, as well as the other Hunters, Zero included, received an alert from HQ. "This is Trinity, do you read me?" the pink-haired Navigator asked over the com-link.

"Loud and clear," Zero answered. "What is it?"

"Unfortunately, I've got some bad news." Trinity began, her voice was concerned and uneasy.

"What's wrong?" X asked.

"A large gathering of renegade mechaniloids are heading in the western direction of the city," Trinity reported. "All heading in the same direction as the humans that were last seen traveling together."

X grew silent, his core growing cold. "How many?" he questioned.

"I would say around fifteen or twenty," Trinity answered the blue Hunter. "Whether they're acting on orders of Sigma is unknown, yet given they've presented aggression to the humans that have encountered them, I believe it's safe to assume that they won't hesitate to take out anyone unlucky enough to get in their way."

Everyone was rendered silent, unsure of what to say. This was indeed a problem. There weren't many that were sent out to search for the group of humans, and the mechaniloids far outnumbered them at the moment. What could they do?

It was then that X looked towards the sealed entrance of the Power Plant, then to Zero. He was debating on whether or not he should even ask this, yet, all things considered, he might've not had a choice but to do so.

"May I make a suggestion, Commander?" X questioned Zero, bracing himself for the red Hunter's response.

"Proceed." Zero answered.

X took a moment to prepare. "Maybe…I should take over from here."

Zero was rendered silent by what the blue Hunter had just said. "Wait, you what?" he asked. "As in, you want to take care of whatever's going on in there?" he gestured to the Power Plant, X nodding in response. "Why?"

"It…" X began but found himself unable to fully articulate what he wanted to say. True, he hadn't forgotten it, but still found accepting what Chiyo had said difficult. "Look, Trinity said that there's a large number of mechaniloids that are on the way to inevitably encountering humans, right?" he asked. "And how many of you are high-ranking Hunters that would have no problem taking them out?"

"X, it's out of the question," Zero told him. "You're better off performing that job."

"There are still so few of us, and you guys are some of the best," X argued. "And right now, the Hunters that have been sent out need as much help as they can get, not to mention firepower," he gestured to Zero's buster. "Please, let me do this," he asked. "Don't worry, I can take care of it."

Just what has gotten into him, Zero wondered. Still, he contemplated X's words. Indeed, if there were that many mechaniloids in the streets of Abel City, then they would need to be taken out as soon as possible. Still, he needed to know more information. "Where were they reported last going?" he asked X.

"In the western area of the city," X told Zero. "It's actually the southwest, not too far from here," he relayed to the squad. "Firefly and the rest of you could get there in no time."

Zero was silent for a moment, pondering all that he had heard. Indeed, X could tell that he was hesitant, but, after a short period of quiet, he finally relented. "All right," he told the blue Hunter. "We'll take care of the mechaniloids. You look into what's going on in the Power Plant."

X nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Then, Zero turned and blasted the door open, his shot tearing through the metal of the door and allowing X passage inside. "Oh, and that chip?" Zero told him.

"Yeah, it's yours," X said, pushing it in Zero's direction.

"No," the red Hunter told him. "You keep it."

X was puzzled. "What?"

"According to Fujiwara's notes, it belongs to you, doesn't it?" Zero questioned. "Or, at least it does now."

X gazed at the chip in his hand. "But…" he began to protest.

"There's no one else that can use it," Zero told him. "No one like you," he then began to make his way from the area. "We'll meet up later," he told X. "All right, move out!"

"Yes, Sir!" Firefly and the other Hunters answered, the green biker riding forward, Zero then speeding along and surprisingly catching up with him.

X was now left alone, the Power Plant before him, along with a darkened, blown-open door, beckoning him to come into the darkness. He looked at the chip in his possession again. "I hope I don't have to use this," he said quietly. "But…if I could maybe convince this one, then maybe we can prevent one less casualty."

Chapter Text

Did someone already know that he was here?

X pondered this, for as soon as he took a step inside the Power Plant, the lights and functioning components inside all shut-off, leaving the blue and white Reploid in complete darkness. He took a few hesitant steps forward, the echoes of his footfalls echoing throughout the entire building. Was he the only one in here? If so, then what, or who was the one behind all the activity he had just seen?

Before he went any further, X decided that it would be in his best interest to contact Trinity and detail what was going on. "Trinity, this is X," the blue Reploid told the pink-haired Navigator. "Do you read me?"

"If you mean are you reaching Trinity, no," a different but familiar female voice answered X. "But I read you just fine."

X was taken aback by who he had just heard. "Ai?" he said aloud. "What are you doing there?"

"I'm not staying in bed all day, X," the blonde Navigator told the Hunter. "I'm going to do everything I'm able. And I think I can handle sitting in a chair and leading you around," she said. "Trinity's already alerted me of the situation, so I already know you're the one taking over Zero's investigation."

"Oh, you got him on?" another recognizable voice came in over the com-link, surprising X even more.