Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Honestly Axl, Despite the fact I haven't gotten to really use my powers I don't mind the fact Detroit is so quiet. Compared to the constant crazy you face, I rather like the idea of only facing low level Mavericks and Mechaloids." A female Reploid spoke to her friend through their long distance Holocall. She was in a grey bodysuit that covered her entire body except her head and her white metal heeled feet. In the center of her chest was an amber Reploid Gem/Core, Strawberry blonde 'hair' hung down to her waist in a long braid while her pale freckled synthetic skin could be seen on her neck and face while two sweeping white metal audio wings replaced her ears. Her forehead had a smaller amber gem embedded in it while her lavender eyes were soft and had a sparkle of mischief in them.

"Oh Come On ViVi!" Her friend whined at her. He has a youthful design, wearing bluish-black armor highlighted by red lines and yellow accents. He has green eyes, a spiky auburn ponytail on the back of his head, and an "X"-shaped scar on his face. His chest is adorned with a camera lens-like blue crystal matching the crystal on his head, his shoulderpads are pointed, and his legs feature white boosters on the sides. Jutting from his upper back are two long, white retractable "wings" that form an "A" shape behind him when extended. His helmet's red decal, when viewed from above, also resembles an upside-down "A" with his head crystal forming the gap.

Axl, recent 'recruit' from the last Maverick War had quickly rose through the ranks of the Hunters stationed in Japan. However, X had been worried that the young Prototype wouldn't be able to socialize and befriend any Reploids his age and this would lead to a stunt in his emotional circuits and mental processor. The younger male tried to soothe the Father of All worries but this eventually led to the prototype getting the comm number for the only other new Hunter in the organization; Volt Valkyrie, the Only Sumdac Built Reploid so far. And after a few halting conversations as the language packets fully settled into their system and a Holocall in the Training Sims area they have become rather fast friends.

But sometimes it felt like Axl didn't understand how the female wasn't always on the same wavelength as him.

"You told me how the last few missions you've been on that you didn't even have to use your lance! How are you ever going to catch up to me if you keep letting your Commander baby you like this?"

"Well, I CAN kinda understand their hesitation." She said thoughtfully while pressing a finger to her chin. "Sumdac Systems has always been a major producer of the best Mechaloids in the States, but I am their first successful attempt at making a Reploid. America is kinda behind on Japan on that since you had Dr. Cain AND X himself instead of copied blueprints that have been translated Asimov knows how many times. Not many American Companies even bother trying anymore and just buy/ship from Japan. If some lucky Maverick manages to Scrap Me then all their progress is down the drain." She tried to give him a reassuring smile while ignoring the phantom feeling of limbs that won't appear unless she has her armor on, it has gotten really bothersome lately since she hasn't been put on a mission for a few months.

Axl saw right through her mask and gave her a look of disbelief.

"ViVi you're a combat model, staying still and not fighting makes us all twitchy after a certain threshold. ESPECIALLY if there isn't anything pushing you as far as you can go." He gained a soft and worried look as he watched her smile vanish and she looked down at her metal feet. "Just request a Transfer to Japan, we need more Hunters and there are plenty of Sparring Partners that could get your oil pumping even if we are in peacetime. You could send your reports and data back to SS if you really need to. I...I just don't want to see another friend go Maverick when I could help them."

"Oh Axl..." She spoke with such sympathy and gently reached for the Holo while looking at her mourning friend. She didn't know all the details-a lot of it classified above her clearance-but she knew Axl hadn't been a normal Hunter Recruit and he had played a major part in the last War. And that he had to put down a lot of bots that he had been close with along with Zero and eventually X himself. Sometimes she was tempted to just Transfer over just so she could hug her friend and comfort him when he would think about those lost friends, but..."I'm...I'm sorry. I...I just can't Transfer. I don't know why but...But I feel like I NEED to be here. If I was a human I would call it a gut feeling but maybe it's just me thinking I need to be Detroit's Superhero."

She felt herself get lighter and even smile a little as Axl laughed at her attempt at a joke and he seemed to gain a little of his cockiness and playful smirk back. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't get much chance of a Hero here. Not with how amazing Me, X and Zero are as a Team." He bragged good naturally.

She giggles and gives a playful huff/pout. "Just because you have the only S-Ranked Hunters watching your skidplates doesn't mean you're a better Hunter than me Ax."

"No, me being a better shot with my Buster is." He quipped back.

"Hey! I hit the Target!" She complains.

"After you take out everything else that is in the general perimeter of it."

"You-!"

Before their banter can go any further the base alarm rang out making them both jump. Valkyrie looked up with concern as the intercom crackled to life and being to announce with Commander Fanzone's Voice:

All Hunters to Sumdac Systems Harbor Assembly. Rouge Prototype Mechaloid escaped Testing Area, Civilians and Scientists at Risk of Harm and potential Death. Threat Level A+.

She felt her fuel pump increase it's pace and she quickly got up from her seat, her eyes wide as she looked at friend through the screen. His face was no longer playful and with the large scar on his face the serious look he gave her seemed even more severe. "Axl-!"

"Go. I will let X and Zero know before I go to Signas in case we need to Emergency Transport over. But ViVi, I want you to show EVERYONE what you can do. Don't let anyone else keep you from fighting."

"I won't." She swore and with an internal command she summoned her armor onto her.

Shin braces connected with her metal feet while a metal plated skirt flared out around her upper legs. A full metal chest plate covered her abdomen and chest area with wing shaped shoulder plates and armor covered both her lower arms and hands where she held a long hard light lance that crackled with lightning. Her braid was still hanging but metal spikes could be seen in the hair that occasionally gave off little sparks of their own and she had a angular wing shaped helmet that covered the rest of her head except her face. Her armor was mainly lavender with white secondary but perhaps the most stunning feature was what could be found on her back.

Wings.

White and Gold hard light 'feathers' glimmered to life as she stretched and flapped them a couple times before they neatly settled behind her. Professor Sumdac had designed her off the Viking myth of Valkyries-winged women who would take the fallen warriors of old and lead them to Valhalla, the Afterlife for those who died gloriously in battle. But this time she wasn't taking people away from the fight.

She was going to enter it herself. And she was going to WIN.

"Axl...I...I will see you after I get back." She didn't want to say Goodbye, that felt like she wasn't coming back. And she NEVER wanted to say that to Axl unless it was another Mav War and she knew that she wasn't getting out of it.

"You better, I want the amazing play-by-play the moment you get clearance to contact me." He smirks at her and gave the most sarcastic salute he could but she could see in his eyes that he was worried about her and wouldn't stop until she called him back, undamaged and with the story of how she FINALLY fought something more challenging that a rouge entertainment Mechaloid. As the screen deactivated Valkyrie flexed her wings and shot out through the now open ceiling that would lead her out of the Hunter Base where she lived and into the open air above Detroit. She only hovered for a moment to take in the sight of the City where she was activated and lived before closing her eyes and taking a deep artificial breath.

Time to Soar into Battle.

With a flare of her wings she snapped her eyes open and shot through the air with surprising speed, automatically setting course towards the marked location on her map. Lance ready to pierce through enemy metal and lightning crackling around her like fireworks.

She could have never imagined the Journey that would start once she reached that port.

Chapter Text

The sight of the chaos from the sky wasn't any better than what the others would see on the ground.

Maverick Hunters, Law Enforcement and Emergency Response was all on one side while the rouge Mechaloid stood in front of the destroyed factory. A quick check of her codex and files Valkyrie learned that this model was a roach based model that was meant to help clean up organic waste and some non-organic waste from the several dumps and trash heaps found across the globe. However this one seemed MUCH larger than what it was suppose to be on top of the malfunctions that was making it go Maverick. It's soft parts were exposed in a grotesque way as it 'ate' everything it's long spindly limbs could grab to fuel and increase it's mass.

Valkyrie normally didn't have anything against Mechaloids or their...Confusing builds...But this one felt like a personal offense made by Professor Sumdac. Something made of metal and silicone should not look so...Organic.

"EVERYONE THAT IS HUMAN OR A CIVILIAN FRAME MOVE OUT OF THE AREA! HUNTERS SET A PARAMETER AROUND THAT THING TO KEEP IT OUT OF MY CITY!"

Ah. She knew that voice anywhere.

"What is the situation Commander?" Valkyrie asked as she slowly came down to the ground. Her feet just barely an inch off the ground as she hovered with her lance still at the ready position. She was looking directly at a large and 'portly' Reploid who was wearing blue and gold armor and a blonde 'mustache' on his face which twitched with his agitation as he dark eyes turned to look at her with a annoyed glare. Commander Fanzone was a interesting Reploid, hating Mechaloids with a passion and not often a fan of humans half the time but he took his job very seriously and no matter how much he would scream and yell at others he really did care about everyone who resided in the city. When Valkyrie was brought into the Hunters he had made it Very Clear to her that he did NOT approve of her being shoved into his lap. And that no 'shiny plated newbuild' would EVER take over his Hunters job, but he had also never been one to keep her from the Training Sims or shooting range.

A very interesting Reploid indeed.

"It's a Slagged up Heap of Smelt is what it is!" Fanzone snapped and nearly crushed the bullhorn in his grasp as he glared at the Mechaloid roars and consumes one of the transports that had been parked too close to it. "Sumdac thought it would be a good idea to give these Slageaters stronger acid to eat through metal on top of trying to program it with a more complex ID system for what kinds of trash it would run into and what it could and couldn't 'eat' but now it seems everything as FOOD!" He threw down the bullhorn and making a few others nearby flinch at the feedback it gave off. "I swear to the DAMMED MAKERS that NOTHING GOOD comes from Sumdac!"

Okay, ow. She knew he was just frustrated with her Creator for this current situation but there was no need to get personal like that.

"With my Electric Field I should at least be able to keep myself safe from becoming a snack." She offered to him calmly. "Have everyone else pull back and give me some combat drones for cover fire and I can hopefully take this thing down before it tries to eat a tanker or something."

"And have Sumdac AND the government on my aft if something happens to you?! Not. A. Chance!" If Fanzone was human she was sure he would be purple in the face with how much suppressed anger and (possible) helplessness he had about this matter. In theory Valkyrie was the strongest Hunter on Site, and possibly in the country. Backup would take a undetermined amount of time and there was no way they could risk this thing escaping the flimsy containment measures they had right now and cause a unfathomable long list of casualties. But at the same time if something happened to the female Reploid the Commander would face a human given punishment for losing the first Sumdac Made Reploid to something as 'minor' as a Maverick Mechaloid.

"We don't really have any other options Commander Fanzone." She rebutted and energy began to crackle and zip around her frame visibly and her wings flared up. "Just make sure that if you DO send others to help me that they will actually be able to do something to it."

She took off with a crack of lightning with the sounds of Fanzone's creative cursing behind her just as her fellow hunters and PD dove out of the way. She gave a yell as she brought up her lance, which was glowing with electricity, and struck right at where it's 'head' was. The reinforced armor stopped the pointed tip from digging too far but the high voltage shock that accompanied it made the Mechaloid roar in 'pain' and swing it's head around violently that caused her to be dislodged and 'stumble' back in the air before she righted herself and glared at the thing as she adjusted her grip on her lance and energy crackled around her.

This was the challenge she has been waiting for.

Now she just has to see if she could meet it head on.

************

"DIVINE HALBERD!" Volt Valkyrie screamed as she harnessed all the stored up electricity in her systems into her lance and DROPPED directly onto the creature unleashing a attack that was a mix of powerful g-forces and energy. The resulting light show was very impressive but the Huntress only felt RELIEF as she felt the thing give way under her strongest attack.

As the Mechaloid seemingly became nothing but scattered parts and melted rubber Valkyrie panted from where she was kneeling in the new crater she made in the concrete with the main scrapped body under her. Smoke and little sparks curled off her body while her systems pinged at her now Empty generator and the few blows that managed to damage her. Shaky hands gripped her weapon tighter as she heard cheers from the ones watching her. She gave a stressed laugh and stumbled to her feet as she tried to make her way out of the crater, too tired to fly at the moment.

But just as she got to the edge it all seemed for naught.

"KID WATCH OUT!"

Fanzone's yell came too late as a SECOND Mechaloid managed to grab her around her waist and then proceeded to toss her around like a villain in a child's cartoon. Even as she was thrown into wall after wall she cursed herself for forgetting that Sumdac Mechaloids were often networked together with units of their build. And even if ONE of them malfunctioned any attack to one unit is seen as an immediate threat to the rest and must be destroyed with extreme prejudice.

Rookie mistake.

One that might get her killed.

Axl would be ashamed of her....

**********

Hearing surprised gasps and cries of shock managed to pull Valkyrie from her self-flagellation and the millions of warning/stress pings her systems were sending her due to the blunt forces her body was going through and the pain she felt from her now damaged wings she glanced back towards the others.

And was SHOCKED by what she saw.

Robots.

Not robots like the Robot Masters or Reploids like she or Fanzone were. These robots were TALL, even the small one was tall enough that fire trucks came to his waist. And they were very brightly colored that made them stand out even more against the dull colors of the harbor factory. The four of them stood between the Mechaloid holding her and everyone else in what could be called a protective stance. The tallest one, red and blue with some silver, seemed to glare at the Mechaloid and pulled out a energy axe that looked as big as a Ride Chaser while a silver facemask covered his mouth and nose, leaving only his eyes visible.

Valkyrie had to admit, the newbuilt in her wanted to coo at how awesome they looked, but the Hunter in her was more focused on freeing herself before she got seriously damaged or worse while being in the crossfire.

"Autobots! ATTACK!" The tall bot cried as all four of them charged the Mechaloid.

Autobots...Interesting name at least...

At first their attacks didn't seem to do much. The axe barely making it past the first layer of silicone and the shurikens the black and gold bot threw easily got absorbed into the large mass. But it was actually the green and tan bot that managed to do something as he threw a green and silver flail right at the head leaving a sizeable dent that even stunned it enough that it lost it's grip on Valkyrie. She gave a short cry and her wings sparked and flapped uselessly due to the damage they took, she was mentally preparing for a painful collision with the ground when the yellow and black bot, the smallest of them, managed to race over with surprising speed and catch her before he zoomed away from the action with her in his servoes.

"Hi, I'm Bumblebee." He introduced himself as he got them into the workers parking garage.

"Volt Valkyrie..." She managed to return with her own name as she stared at him with curiosity and slight awe.

"That's a bit of a strange name if you ask me." He huffed as he slowly came to a stop once they were inside the building.

"No, it's a perfectly fine name for a Reploid." She tried not to snap and glare at her savior. "What are YOU?"

"Well you see." Bumblebee began as he carefully situated her on his shoulder and began to Talk. "I'm an Autobot, and we-."

Valkyrie learned several things listening to the bot ramble. 1) Aliens were real and apparently Cybernetic. 2) They crashed here on COMPLETE accident for a unknown amount of time.

And 3) Bumblebee liked to TALK.

"Soooo...What is a-" His question was cut off as combat drones flitted in and began to shoot at him. Causing him to yelp and even try to shield her from any stray shots while the other servo tried to swat at them like they were annoying flies. Which they might be to someone as large as him and the other Autobots. "Shoo! Shoo! Go Away!"

After awhile both of them managed to peak out the entrance of the parking entrance only to see the servo of the black and gold bot vanish into the Mechaloid's silicone mass. "I'd love to stick around and chat! But I gotta go!"

Before Valkyrie could say anything Bumblebee carefully set her down into the ground and one of his hands turned into what looked like a powerful Taser and he SHOT the drones them sent them all neatly to the ground around her. He gave her one last smirk before rushing out to try and help his friends get their other friend back before the Mechaloid turned the poor bot into molten slag/fuel inside it like it did to all 'trash'.

Fanzone was gonna LOVE this...

*********

Valkyrie HATED being on the sidelines like this. But with her wings damaged there wasn't much that she would be able to do, especially with her electric generator empty and she lost her lance when the thing grabbed her in the first place. But she did manage to get to the very top of the building and had to keep from gritting her derma as she watched Bumblebee and his friends struggle against something SHE should have taken down easily, she was a Huntress and she had been built to destroy/subdue higher class Mavericks than THIS.

She could make out the red and blue bot handing Bumblebee something just as the Mechaloid lumpered closer. Not wanting to sit around and do NOTHING anymore she managed to turn her left servo into her buster and began to fire at the thing, gaining some of it's attention just as Bumblebee turned into-was that the COMMANDERS?!-car and race back into the parking building with surprising speed. The red and green bots didn't waste anytime on attacking it as well, though neither her base buster or their attacks seem to do much but annoy it.

Valkyrie cried out as she and the two Autobots were grabbed and yanked back towards the main mass where they were slowly being absorbed. Valkyrie struggled and shot at the silicone every chance she got but soon found herself dragged into blistering and suffocating darkness...

....

....

FLASH

The sound of crumbling sand filled her audios and the sensation of gravity taking control back just as she got visual back. Making her cry out as she fell back to earth with disintegrated silicone, Mechaloid parts and the Autobots all around her. A yellow servo quickly managed to grasp her and pulled her into an equally yellow chest with a bright red face on it just before they landed with a painful sounding clang. With a groan she pushed herself up and rubbed at her helmet before finding herself face to face with Bumblebee again.

"Hey...You okay?" He gently asked her while her wings sparked and spasmed on her back. Unable to vocally respond she dry swallowed and a hesitant nod which seemed to relieve the yellow bot even more. "Good...I was worried that-"

"PROWL!"

Hearing the red bots shout Bumblebee shot up and Valkyrie managed to not tumble off as they both watched the red and green bot rush over to where the black and gold bot lay. Who in return gave a groan of pain as they finally saw his entire abdoment had been corroded away to reveal delicate and damaged inner workings to the world.

That...That wasn't good...