[AUTHOR'S NOTE]

Once again, thanks to Shinryuu-Uroborus for her review and encouragement. I will learn to write more descriptively about certain characters and people in the future when I introduce them out of the blue, hopefully.

And to everyone, comments, reviews and constructive criticism is always well. Polite ones. No harsh, vulgar ones. That said, hope you'd enjoy more chapters.


Chapter 3: My Place

Zero remembered being led after to safety months ago. A majority of Hunters were sped off to an underground bunker somewhere in Big City when the humans decided en masse to get rid of Reploidkind. The humans in charge of the facility led him off to a different chamber than all others. A small solitary study chamber.

"It's for you. It's time to experiment on you. Time to purify you. As the boss says."

Before Zero could react, he remembered an array of devices and pipes falling down on his tied-down self in a very secure pod.

Axl woke up. He position was exactly the same as he collapsed earlier. Apparently an hour has passed since he read those panels of nothing but bad news. He scratched his head and looked around.

"It's best to look around … ask around I guess." Axl muttered to himself.

Please do … I … I want to see Zero again … Iris said inside his head.

"Yeah … I want to know where they are. I – I didn't realize things were so bad ever since I passed out on the Moon. Urgh … no hostile signs?" Axl said.

Let's go Axl … maybe some Reploid out there has the answers we need.

Axl trotted down the pathway he knew best – from the intensive Reploid care, to the Hunter's lodges, the common resting areas, VR training areas, down many other obnoxious-looking corridors to the grand lounge of the headquarters.

He saw two Mechaniloids taking guard at the entrance of the massive facility. He smiled. It's been a while since he saw anyone.

"Hey, guys!" He ran and confronted the Mechaniloid guards at the front.

Huh!? Axl, wait! Not yet! Something's off about them!

Too late for Iris. In an instant, the Mechaniloids unveiled a compartment of extended arms and aimed to get him. Axl managed to somersault further behind him into the open road.

"W – what's going on!?" He could only mutter.

Hostile guards! Their energy readings suggest a directive to get and neutralize anyone remotely alive or functioning. Just – just run away from them! I know where to go now!

"Argh, why didn't you tell me where to go in the first place?"

I – I need to process information too, you know! J – just head down three streets right and –

Axl kept on dodging their grabby hands attempting to grab him. He fired his bullet shots but they were constantly deflected by the Mechaniloids' being and armour. Even the classic shoot-the-face weakness didn't work, nor do they have barriers that must be overcome just to reveal a weak spot.

"What – what kind of Mechaniloids are being produced these days!?" Axl hissed.

"BEEP TARGET FOUND. TARGET ESCAPING. SIGNALLING DISPATCH COPTER FOR STRONGER CAPTURE. BEEP TARGET BEEP BEEP." One of the Mechaniloids beeped.

A large yellow copter drone was heard flying from the air to descend to where Axl had ran and somersaulted to.

"Gah! Why is everything out to get me!? I just woke up after a three-month sleep, I don't want to get back to sleep again!" Axl groaned.

Huh? This – this one is different, Axl. It just wants to restrain you.

Axl spied a familiar logo on one of the copter drone's wings.

The copter opened a compartment of its body and more extendable arms appeared from its inner grey slick walls. They instantly grabbed – almost crushed – Axl and quite rudely thrust him inside its compartmental area.

"Ow! Oh man …" Axl groaned as he reeled from the thrust. "Iris, are you okay in there?"

I am, don't worry. Just a little painful, like the pain you're feeling now … oh, Lumine is still unconscious. We're safe. Phew –

Axl felt the copter descend high in the sky of Big City. He briefly lost stability when the copter veered off in a sudden curve and it darted straight away in that direction.

"Ow … all I do is groan." Axl found the compartment's seat and steadied himself on it. "Let's hope this goes somewhere good … last I read, the Maverick Virus is gone so I shouldn't be going to somewhere full of Mavericks …"

Phew … no worries, Axl. I'm here for you.

Axl felt Iris' warmth envelope his entire being. His mind calmed down considerably. He felt as if Iris was hugging him from inside his mind – wait, how does that work? And … by the sounds of it, it's as if he's the only one who doesn't know what's going on even inside his own body.

Axl, just relax. Well, it's true that I can read your mind. Uh, frankly, given the way this body is designed, anyone who occupies it can read your mind. It's just too bad we – yeah, me and Lumine – I mean, you can't read our minds …

"Oh gosh, why and how …" Axl moaned. "Hey, earlier, did you see what I see?"

Y – you mean a logo on this machine's wing …? Yeah, I did. I see all that you see.

"I'm going to sound stupid, but … any idea whose logo is that?"

A sword in a shield of red and blue encased in a sun … it's … if that logo is what I think it is … Axl, sorry if I can't or haven't given you any answers yet, but … I want to ask you to relax afterwards if we do meet who I think it is … I will need your body.

The Hunter was stunned. "H – how do you do that? Is it the same way Lumine was going to take over me?"

Uh … yes. If I play it properly … you might be able to see the answers for yourself. You do deserve to know a lot of things concerning yourself, after all.

"N – no promises guaranteed. But … I don't feel good if someone takes over me …"

It's fine … you will know it when it comes … just try not to … push me out of the way, I guess? Let relax and watch me.

"If … if you say so. I guess I can do that –" Axl tried to mentally adjust.

Urgh … why is it so noisy … where am I? Ow … I feel like I've come out of a daze … my … my body? Where is my body? Where is this … wait, prototype?

Oh hey, Lumine, you're up. You should be back to normal now. You're inside Axl's – my – our body … so just take it easy … the Maverick influence on you should be gone by now.

Axl could only curl his lip as he heard Lumine wake up and talk with Iris. He decided not to interrupt anything and listen, for he may get to learn something interesting.

Ow … what have I done? Everything is felt since … since that horrid day, no make that two horrid days … everything felt like a bad dream. I did things that I wasn't supposed to do, didn't I? Iris, please help me.

Hey, calm down. Everything will be fine. And speaking of which, I think we may be heading to a special place. If what I think I know about you is right, from what I read on your background, when I cleansed you of that double corruption, if those are true, you should be heading back to your precious place.

Oh, you're right! Ah, thank goodness. Urgh, I guess we owe Axl here a lot of things, don't we? This is bad … I don't want to take over his – your – body …

It's fine … it's our body now, okay? As long as you're not a Maverick … and I'm so glad you were never a Maverick from the start … just as HE made it to be …

"YES." Axl said firmly, startling the two inside him – he even felt the Reploid-y shiver. "You both owe me a lot. Both of you can read my minds, you two seem to know each other somehow, and I have no idea if the Lumine in here is good or bad."

The copter drone reduced its pressure. He felt that he was landing. A sturdy concrete platform by the way it felt when its rubber wheels touched the ground. A few moments passed in silence. Axl heard footsteps rushing here and there. The compartment opened.

Many rows of humans in black suit stood on the concrete platform outside. A human man seemingly in his 50s watched from the far end from the copter path to Axl. Axl said nothing, as he recognized that human to be Prez. His fingers were ready to take out his gun.

"Welcome. I see you've healed well. You must be exhausted. And I bet, hungry for a lot of things to know." The human spoke gently. "You were asleep for three months after all."

"Uh … sure. I want to know … first, where are the rest of the Hunters." Axl wanted to continue, but he then found his vocal chords not of his control.

"Uh, sir. I'm back." Iris' voice came out of his mouth.

"Um, I – I'm also back, sir." Lumine's timid voice came out next.

Axl reached to cover his mouth, and his eyes gazed on a surprised-looking human.


[AUTHOR'S NOTE]

Yes I know I wrote it as 'copter'. Not 'chopper' or 'helicopter'. I personally think it's better that way, because the way words are formed, used and embedded with meanings can change over time, right? Or if you're satisfied, I'm not using this word anymore.

No, I'm not being mean to anyone. Just stating things as a matter of fact.