Wild Fangs
(X series AU where Zero is aware of his self being the maverick virus origin and X being his "tamer" as both try to find a cure for the maverick virus)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Megaman X series characters.
Chapter II: Precious
It has been a week since they've placed the kittens into a reliable pet shop somewhere at the metropolis. They've visited them everyday during the blue one's free time since the crimson isn't allowed to wander off without his tamer. They've been very strict in avoiding another senseless bloodbath courtesy of the crimson demon. Thankfully, he was too occupied by the progress of adoption that it kept him away from his bloody habits. Today, they are welcomed by the shop's owner that they've acquainted with during the visits.
"Welcome back, the kittens just finished their grooming. Would you like to play with them now?" the cheerful old woman greeted them.
"Yes, please! Oh, and this is for you, Grandma." the crimson said as he hands over a basket full of fresh fruits. The old woman just preferred to be called that way since the crimson got a difficulty remembering her very complex name.
"Oh, thank you, you shouldn't have." the old woman accepted the gift with both hands.
"He insisted that he should give you something in return for taking care of the kittens and arranging their speedy adoption." the blue reploid explained as the old woman glances over the crimson as she places the basket over the counter.
"Such a sweet boy. I hope there are more reploids like you gentlemen around the world." she said as she gave out a cheerful smile which both reploids returned by smiling back. "This way please, I know you have been wanting to play with them as soon as possible." she said as she gestures to the pet shop's play room.
"Yay!" notices X isn't following. "You're not coming?"
"I'll pass this time... Don't worry, I'll wait for you." the blue one said as he waves at the crimson.
"Oooookay..." and they left the room.
A few moments later, the shop owner came back, leaving the crimson merrily playing with the kittens.
"Only two are left for adoption." the old lady informed the blue reploid who seems to be occupied by the assorted fishes at the nearby aquarium.
"That's great, is there something wrong, Grandma?" he asked after noticing the old lady's worried expression.
"You seem to worry too much about your friend's well-being, you should relax a bit and trust him more." she said as take a seat at the counter and gesturing at the couch for the blue reploid to sit.
"Is it pretty obvious?" he glances at the old woman who nods at him. "I just can't help it... His unpredictability quite scares me... He might do something that I'll end up losing him forever." He joined his hands together as if praying for some miracle to happen.
"Your kind matures as time passes like a child growing up into adulthood, am I right?"
"Yes, it's part of our basic programming."
"Then all you have to do is be there and guide him like a parent." this made the blue reploid chuckle.
"Guess you're right, Grandma. My anxiety made me forgot about the most important thing about being his guardian. My deepest thanks."
The old woman just smiled back, content about lifting up the reploid's worried soul. Time passes by quickly when you enjoy yourself and the moment of departure came. The two bid farewell and promised to come back tomorrow.
"Haha~ I can't believe it! Only two of our kittens are left for adoption!" the crimson said as they both walk back to the headquarters.
"Well... Grandma said that they're well-behave, it's just those two are inseparable." the blue reploid said as he recalls back what were the old lady's observation.
"Like us?"
"Well, if you put it that way, yeah."
"What kind of state is that?" the crimson ask as he halted.
"Friendship." the blue one said as he turned to look at the crimson's reaction.
"... Friendship. It sounds nice." an honest smile soon came to the crimson's lips. "... Hope someone will adopt both of them soon."
"Don't worry, it might be sooner than you think it will be... Hey, Z... " The blonde looks at him "since you have been a good reploid this past week, I'll treat you for an ice cream."
Reploids don't have a need to intake human food since they can replenish their energy via energy tanks or resting in recharging pods. It's only a customization if one wishes to become much closer to being humans. For some reason, only the two of them have this as a default in their systems. Giving them the ability to fully convert human food into energy efficiently. But unlike X, Zero has an appetite for reploid blood, which is quite reasonable if you're built for war since he can basically turn his enemies into resources by feeding on them. Aside from reploid blood, he noticed that the crimson have a sweet tooth for any frozen delights.
"You mean it?" he almost knocked down the smaller reploid after rushing in front of him.
"Whoa! Easy there..." he said as he petted the crimson on his head. "Shall we?"
"Yay! Ice cream~ Ice-" he suddenly grabbed X and jumped into the other side of the road.
Disaster strikes without a warning. Before X could say anything, a huge explosion suddenly erupted just a few feet away from them. When they both got on their feet, He noticed that the crimson's virus aura is starting to come out while staring at the explosion site.
"X... Do you think Grandma and our kittens are dead?"
"Don't say something like that, we're not even sure yet, come on!"
The two rushed their way to the explosion site only to find a rampaging arachnid-type mechaniloid. Firing its dual flame throwers at its surroundings. The pet shop was already reduced into the burning ruins which shattered whatever optimism X have a while ago.
"I'm allowed to kill mavericks, right X?" the crimson said with full bloodlust in his tone.
"... Yes."
"Stay here.. " And in an instant, he vanished.
The opponent was ten times the height of the crimson and was clad in much thicker metal armor. It is also armed with heavy duty dual flame throwers at each of its four limbs yet its greatest disadvantage for this battle was its slowness. As soon as the two collided, the crimson used his advantage for disarming his massive opponent by repeatedly slashing all of its limbs with his hands that were completely covered with his bloody aura. It tried to burn the crimson by spinning its armed limbs wildly around it yet ending up trapping themselves in a burning arena of death. Soon, the limbs could no longer stand the multiple damages it had received and blew up simultaneously. With its limbs gone, the mechaniloid fell hard to the ground defenseless.
Unlike any of the previous thrashing of the crimson, this was an unclouded rage as he never let out a single insane laugh. Just pure disturbing silence. When X couldn't take it anymore, he equipped his Ice Buster to put out the hellish prison. As the smoke subsides, he found the crimson on top of what used to be a rampaging maverick, still ripping off whatever that was still intact in its already lifeless metal shell.
"Zero, that's enough. " He said in the calmest voice he could ever produce as he slowly approached him.
The crimson turned to him with his eyes still burning with rage that slowly subsided after recognizing who was calling him. His bloody aura slowly sinks back into his body as X sits beside him.
"... Hey, X." looking at the blood-drenched hands.
"Yes?"
"I haven't taken any damaged yet something isn't functioning well in my system, it's confusing me."
"You're grieving, Zero." gently rubbing the crimson's head. "Your rage was your reaction to the grief you're feeling now after realizing you lost the ones that are precious to you."
"So that's what this is... How do you repair this? My self-repair isn't helping at all."
"Time... Zero... Just give it some time."
"... Then-" he suddenly sprang up with his eyes on full alert.
"What's wrong?" without a single reply, the crimson rushed into the shop's ruins and started clearing out the rubble. Then he heard a faint crying of kittens. Without further delay, he hurried to help the crimson.
With their fast yet careful excavation, they soon reached the shop's basement and found grandma safe along with the two kittens. She told the two bewildered reploids that as soon they left the shop, the kittens suddenly ran off towards the basement the moment she opened the door of the play area. By the time she got down to the basement, the explosion occurred. The basement kept them safe during the incident. As her sign of gratitude, she decided to adopt both of the kittens and giving the chance to drop by anytime they want to visit the critters.
The crimson's grief was immediately washed away and replaced by a genuine laughter, marking another progress on their quest in curing the maverick virus. When the rescue squad arrived, both bid farewell after ensuring that everything is settled. Surprisingly, no other casualty were reported which made X relieved and uneasy. Before he could think deeper about it, he got distracted by the crimson's call.
"Hey X, aren't you forgetting something?"
"I do?" idly rubbing the crystal on his forehead as he tries to remember.
"Well?" crossing his arms across his chest.
"Melon ice cream." he said with a wink.
"Yay!" he was about to leap towards him when X gestured his hand.
"Right after we all get you cleaned up, you're practically soaked with reploid blood and oil."
"... Fine." the crimson pouted as he rests his hands at the back of his head.
"Let's go then?" and the two of them walk their way back to the headquarters.
Somewhere in the metropolis, a lone navy blue reploid became the only spectator of the whole incident. Taking off his binoculars, he pressed a button on his communication link to make a call.
"I hope you're calling in for some developments and not your usual pestering," a hoarse voice answered.
"Ha-ha, you better learn how to chill. Yeah, I called for work. The experiment was a success, it literally draws out the virus that's sleeping within yet it is suppressed by X intervention."
"I see, I'll send the payment in the usual area."
"It's been a pleasure having a business with you."
"But your job is far from over, Dynamo. I still have a plenty for you to carry out."
"More job eh? Sure thing. More job means more money." then he let out a grin after hearing the details. "Well that's interesting. I'll just call again once I made progress."
"Good, remember that failure isn't an option," and the call is ended.
"Failure isn't part of my vocabulary, and besides, I'm really curious about those two..." he said as he placed back his binoculars to watch the said reploids walk back to the headquarters but he is stunned after seeing the crimson is staring back at him with his blood-ruby eyes. "Interesting... You're really one hell of a maverick."
"Zero? What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh... Nothing, let's hurry! I've craved for my treat already!"
"Okay..." he said as he shrug off his worry and resumed their walk.