Author's Note: Thanks goes out to my husband, who gave me the idea for this chapter when I was having serious writer's block and needed some help. :)

Chapter 4: Zeeeeeee-rrrrrroooooooo!

Zero found X the next day after training some new rookies sitting on his bed in their shared room, looking at the chip in his hands. Minus the chip, it was a pose he was very familiar with.

"Something wrong, pal?" he asked, taking a seat on his own bed across from X.

"No." Zero had known that answer even before X spoke. It was so much a habit that Zero sometimes wondered if he could trick X by saying something like 'Are you a better hunter than me?' Of course, Zero knew he was, but that was besides the point. also, of course, Zero knew X was lying, and he started to say so. "I know you don't believe me."

"If this routine is getting so familiar even you can predict my lines, then you know I always get you to tell in the end. So why not cut out all this b.s. and just tell me?" His buddy's attitude managed to coax a smile to X's face as he raised his head.

"If I honestly knew, I'd tell you, Zero." He told Zero about his conversation with Felsen, and the rough outcome, as well as what he'd overheard the last night. Zero listened patiently, then slapped his thigh.

"X, you moron! I know damn well what's wrong! You're thinking you hurt Felsen's feelings, and you're such a softie that you feel bad about it. But hell, I'd probably have belted him, if I'd been you."

"Why?"

"Talking about Dr. Light like that, to you of all Reploids, like he had a right to! He should be glad you have more restraint than I do." He stood up. "C'mon. Put that chip someplace safe."

"Where we going?"

"You need to relax! You've been on edge ever since that band got there."

"Maybe..."

"How about we kick it up now, then after the concert we confront Felsen about his attitude? It'll make you feel better to settle it." X hesitated.

"Maybe..."

"Good! Lets go!" X took the time to put the chip in a very safe place, then abruptly looked over at Zero.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Zero grinned.

"Let me take care of the details. Trust me." X shot his buddy a look.

"Since when do those words coming out of your mouth ever mean anything good?" Zero grabbed X's arm.

"Since I got hold of your arm. Now c'mon!" And he dragged X out the door.

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"Zero..."

"Yeah, X?"

"What the hell are we doing here?" the blue Hunter looked around discreetly. They were seated at the bar of a local tavern, oil coolers in hand. It wasn't that X had never been drinking before. He'd put away his fair share on several occasions both in HQ and out of it. But there was just one catch this time: Usually they went to a pub not two blocks from HQ called The Shield. Lots of Hunters went there to relax after their shifts, and they even got discounts. But today Zero had driven to The Cloak and Dagger, the bar on the other side of town. The lowlife of the city tended to gather here, and X had heard of several drug busts. It wasn't exactly the place Hunters went... or were always wanted.

"We're having fun, X." Zero winked at a Reploid barmaid, who blushed and giggle en route to delivering some drinks.

"I mean, why not The Shield if you wanted to drink?"

"Because," Zero paused to take his second drink of his cooler, "at The Shield you wouldn't have gotten any peace. Here people'll leave you alone."

"Heeeeeey, babbbbyy, just cummere n' chill a bit." The heavily slurred voice broke into their conversation, causing both to look over. At a table nearby sat a group of four Reploids, quite obviously drunk - and one had a grip on the barmaid's skirt.

"Please let go. I have to get back to work." The drunkard gave it a firm tug, pulling the unwilling girl a step closer. She tried again to get away, with equal success as her last attempt. Zero, with a wink at X (who quietly groaned), stood up and strolled over. He leaned on the drunk's back suddenly, startling him into letting go.

"Hey!"

"'Scuse me, bit you're in my seat," Zero replied smoothly as the barmaid made a dash into the kitchen in the back.

"I dun know wha yer talkin' 'bout. We been here fer an hour."

"Zero..." X began, but was ignored.

"Why don't ya just mind yet own bus'ness, H'nter," one of the others, a bit more lucid, advised harshly. The leader took a second, bleary-eyed look at Zero, and grinned.

"Hey, you are a Hunter, aincha?"

"That I am." X didn't like the look on the drunk's face.

"Zero," he tried again, a bit louder, but again got no success.

"You big-shot Hunters! Always got this attitude like yet better 'n us, but ya can't handle real work, so ya pretend to be fightin' those Mavri'ks all tha time. And yet tha Mavs still exist. What's up wit' that, huh? Can't you 'Hunters' just blow 'em up, or sumfin, of are ya too 'fraid of bein' put outta a job and havin' to find real work?" For a few moments, everyone was still...

... and then Zero right out decked the guy across the face.

He went down, and this three buddies jumped Zero. In about half a second there was a full-blown brawl going on, as other patrons - some supporting the HUnters, some for the four Reploids, and some seemingly fighting just for the hell of it - joined in.

"Zeeee-rrrroooooo!" X shouted, before just sighing and attempting to find his buddy and get out of the mess. He didn't get far, though, before someone decked him. Hell, it might've been Zero, for all X could tell, but he made a grab at the person anyways. An abrupt shove from behind made his aim bad, however, and he connected instead with an unfamiliar Reploid's face. The Reploid yelped, clutching at his hurting eyes and shouting something about a cheap shot, and soon X found himself trying to defend against about five of the brawlers.

After about three minutes, sirens were heard as the police showed up. X had knocked out or subdued several by this time. Zero was hauling some unconscious members of the losing side (and a few of the 'winners') into a corner, and the place was a mess.

"My bar..." moaned the barkeep as he and some of the servers crept out of the kitchen.

"Uh - heh, sorry about that," X sheepishly apologized as he began righting a few unbroken tables and chairs. The man, a human, sighed.

"Not your fault, really. I knew that those four were trouble as soon as I saw them eyeing up my girls. At least you two HUnters were her to help."

"Whatever good that did," muttered X as the police entered.

"What's going on here?" one, a human and seemingly the senior of the officers present, asked. Before X could answer, Zero was at his side, looping an arm around the barmaid's waist.

"Some drunks were giving this young lady trouble, and when I came to her aid, well, things got violent."

"Is this true, miss?"

"Yes. They had a hold of my skirt and wouldn't let go until he startled them." The barkeep, much to X's surprise, was nodding in agreement.

"My buddy X here and I are just glad we could be here when we were needed," Zero finished.

"And how much have you both had to drink before this started?"

"I had two mouthfuls, and X here had one and a half. I refuse to call that sip at the start a true drink." This last was aimed at X, of course, who was too baffled by the course of events to reply.

"Very well. You two Hunters may go." Zero propelled X out the door and back to their car.

"Zero?" X said once they were on their way.

"Yeah, X?"

"How is it you threw the first punch, yet came out the hero?" Zero laughed.

"I'm just that damn good, that's how. How lets get back home. We're got a concert to attend."

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Author's Note: Wow, long one. And unless you've tried it, you have no idea how hard typing 'drunk-ese' really is, lol.