Connected Hearts

From the back to the front

Silver: Chapter 11... Revised!

(Disclaimer: Again, I do not own or MMX, if I do Zero is my Net Navi! Wait, X is going to be my Net Navi… Oh well, I'll just have both then. XD)


From the back to the front

A week after the battle against Redips, X and his companions return to the Maverick Hunter main base... with Sora and her partner tagging along. Cinnamon, Marino, Massimo and Nana decided to become the new R Guardians in Giga City, a new branch of Maverick Hunters to replace the one who follows Redips' beliefs.

Everything is going smoothly.

But Sora and Rouge got themselves in a situation...

The Maverick Hunters' commander, Signas, didn't like the idea of her joining in and participating a reploid war that can easily take her life away. Although, she decided this completely to herself, it is still too dangerous. So he called for the HSR or the Human Society Rescue, an organization who will rescue any human who survived a reploid war, abused by a reploid or are caught between their fights. He told them about the human girl the three hunters found in Giga City, and they agreed to go there, pick Sora up and to find her family.

Which becomes another problem...

A HUGE another problem on the Net Saviour's side.

Sora and Rouge came from another dimension, which means her family or friends doesn't exist anywhere in this world. And speaking of her family...

:::^*^:::

Yuuichiro Hikari and Rockman are trying hard to understand the blueprints, that Enzan found somewhere in the factory where the portal have taken Sora and Rouge. Unfortunately, they found it quite complicated since the materials they need are very rare or expensive to get, not to mention the programmings looks more of a jumbled mess. They wondered how this manage to send a person in a random place, but they won't give up... not for their daughter/sister.

:::^*^:::

The people from HSR arrived to pick Sora, bring her to a safe shelter and to find her family or relative. But they didn't expect that she would reject that idea and plans to stay with the Maverick Hunters. Most victims they rescued/encountered are more traumatized or looks out of it, but this girl is more aware and headstrong as if tragedy didn't get to her. They tries to convince the brunette on how dangerous the reploids are, and how her family and relative worries about her. But she counters it easily, with a cold edge on it and told them to leave. However, the HSR people are not going to leave without bringing Sora to safety.

And this cause quite of a debate contest.

'When will this people give up?' Rouge thought, sitting in her PET as Sora said no to the two men, Tim and Hideki, for the umpteenth time.

"But what about your family?" Tim asked once more, a normal black hair guy. He is more of an Average Joe and she could sense his worry for her.

"I don't have a family... or relatives." Sora said venomously, looking away from him. 'They are in another world, ya dimwit.' she mentally added. "They don't exist." she mumbled. But Tim caught that and wince a bit on forcing her to say it, thinking she's the only survivor of her family.

"But Miss Hikari, surely, there is someone out there who cares for you, like your friends?" Hideki asked, a Japanese guy and he seems more capable on defending himself than his partner. And she sense a bit of distrust to the reploids from him.

"I don't even know if they're alive." the brunette said firmly, giving them a cold stare. It made the two look at one another and wonders why this girl is so determine to stay and become a Hunter, which is a job only meant for reploids. "Anyway, whether you like it or not, I'm staying here and will become part of the Hunters. Now, leave before I end up exploding your heads with this." She then threatens them with the Buster Pistol. Without further discussion, the two HSR agents left with confusion and worry for the girl, deciding to report this to their boss.

And the Net Saviour is smirking with victory as she place her gun back on her holster.

"Nice act, Sora." Rouge said, appearing on her shoulder after the two men left. "Although, you don't need to point your gun at them."

"Thanks Rouge, and sorry, I got annoyed and went "trigger-happy" there. I mean, they are quite determine to get me in a shelter or a refugee camp, of sorts." The brunette said, as she decided to find X and the others.

"True, they are tenacious at that, but to place your misplaced aggression on them." Rouge points out with her arms crossing, as her partner chuckles nervously.

"You know, it's kinda weird for me to say that my family is gone though..."

"... Well, not until we find what Duo wants us to find, we'll have to pretend that our family 'don't exist' at all."

"You realize that we stated a half-truth, right?" and her navi merely smiled at that.

:::^*^:::

In a place full of monitors, lighting parts of the dark facility, some of them began to show gibberish language flying up the screen. Inside the system... is a figure of a nightmare in a shape of a armored man...

Opens his eyes…

And the rest of his followers also awakens.

"Damn... too late." a figure said and quietly escapes thru the network. The figure blocks the path but knowing it won't hold long, it will give enough time to get away.

:::^*^:::

As the Net Saviour walks down the halls, many reploids are staring at her and they began to wonder why is there a human in the Maverick Hunter base?

'Oh wow… this kind of popularity stinks.' Sora thought, as she looks around but only to find more corridors and hallways. 'And once again, I'm lost... why does this place lacks directory consoles?!' Not looking where she is walking, the brunette bumps on someone. "Sorry." she quickly apologize at the reploid.

"It's okay… Hey, you're the girl who came with X and the others from Giga City, right?" the reploid asked on recognizing the girl. The reploid is a lady, blonde hair that only pass off her shoulder and a pair of gentle blue eyes. She wore a pink and white armor with a black jumpsuit beneath it, and also has a headphone on her head, instead of a helmet like any other reploids in the base.

"Ummm... yeah, that's me." She replied.

"I'm Alia, one of the navigators of the Maverick Hunters." Alia said as she stick her hand out.

"Nice to meet you, Alia, I'm Sora." the brunette said and shakes her hand. "And I'm a NetOp."

"A NetOp?" Alia asked.

"Network Operator or NetOp for short, and this is Rouge." Sora said, pointing at the dark blue navi that is hanging on her shoulder. "She's an Internet Navigator or Net Navi for short."

"Hello." Rouge greeted the reploid navigator with a wave. "Nice to meet you, Alia."

"Nice to meet you too." the reploid navigator replied, who is quite surprise to see a holographic navigator hanging around the girl's shoulder. She is not sure whether Rouge is once a reploid who got herself turned into a Net Navi, or was created like that. "Anyway, where are you going?"

"Looking for X and the others." Sora answered.

"Oh... X, Zero and Axl are doing some paperwork that they missed a month ago." the blonde navigator explained. "I can escort you to their offices if you want?"

The brunette pauses to think and then replies. "Yeah, I would appreciate that. This place is more of a maze than the one in Giga City." She whined the last part, as the pink reploid couldn't help but to smile.

"Alright, follow me." the pink reploid said, and the two walked together while chatting on how Sora met X and the others and how she helped them. They both talk and laugh at some stories, particularly on that one time the brunette called Zero a "girly-bot". Then the reploid navigator gives her an advice about the Zero's appearance and tells her to be careful, and the Net Saviour promised not to make fun of it.

'Geez, I think I like my home world version of Zero. He looks scary but nice.' the brunette thought.

Sora like the scary and paranormal stuff such as ghost, zombies and etc, except for cockroaches which she find disgusting. Rouge also like the scary and paranormal, but not to the degree as her partner have. How the brunette's older navi brother managed to survive his sister's love on horror that is on par to her love on robotics, is pretty much a mystery though...

:::^*^:::

In X's office...

The blue hunter is signing on the last paper of the second pile, then he set it aside and then tackles on the third. Picking out the top most paper and placing it down, he pauses for a while and sighs. Looking out at the window behind him, he remembers how the brunette tagged along with them...

After the fight and returning to the center of Giga City, the other half of the group welcomed them back. However, they were then sadden on the news that Spider didn't make it... The brunette explained that when the light hits the station, it knocked the Hunters out for a good short time. And due to the fact that Spider was still in his brother's dead body, he wasn't lucky. Her CF form absorb the shock and protected her, allowing her to remain conscious as they were transported back to Earth. Still both girls were glad to see Sora alive and in one piece, but the blue hunter wasn't a bit happy about letting a human fight with reploids. But he made the brunette upset, which he ends up getting reprimanded by her. After that, she never spoke to him or Zero, who agreed with him about involving civilians. Axl became the exception of the three, as he never told her to stay in the sideline and viewed the Cross Fusion as a cool thing.

He once more sighs and leans back on his chair, gazing the sky as the clouds pass by. He remembers when they are about to leave Giga City and returning back to the main base, Sora and Rouge wasn't there to bid them goodbye. He asked about her whereabouts, only for the group to also wonder where she is. It downed his mood until Zero told him it's for the better and boarded the ship. It was only when they are halfway to their destination and hit a turbulence, they found the Net Saviour have managed to sneak herself into the ship. She stated that she's going with them... and whether they like it or not, she's going to join the Hunters.

That left him speechless, even Axl, while Zero exclaimed out of surprise on hearing that.

Sighing once more, he tries to focus on his work, only to think once more. Sora is different from most humans he met since his discovery. She doesn't like the comfortable and safe life that most human society wanted, and rather do things on her own and within her abilities reach. Also, when she looks at him... it seems different. He couldn't explain or describe it, but her look is different from the looks he received from other humans.

He snap out of his thought when he hears someone is knocking on his door. "Come in." he states out and returns to his work. He did not notice who came in, as he instructs the said figure to place the papers on side of the table by his right.

"Excuse me, but I'm not a paperboy."a familiar voice states, as he looks up and nearly slide out of his chair on seeing who it is. "Busy much?" Sora asked lightly, as her holographic friend covers her laugh.

"Oh hey Sora… and yeah, I have to get this finish by Thursday." He replied, as the brunette girl looks around his office. "Is there something you want?"

"Oh nothing much, exploring." she replied as she looks around the office and checks the pictures on the wall. "By the way, which door is Zero's and Axl's?"

"Huh...? Oh... Axl's is to the right door on my side, and Zero's on the left." X replied, pointing at the two doors at each side of the room. He is still not that used talking with her, as she practically ignored him and Zero when he lectured Cinnamon and Marino back in Giga City.

Sora decided to see Zero first and went to the left door, but when she opens it... "Whoa!" Sora and Rouge yelps in unison, as something smacks into Sora's face and got themselves buried under a pile of papers.

"Sora! Are you alright?" the blue hunter asked, standing from his chair and trying to see if the girl is okay.

"I'm okay!" Sora shouts, as she digs herself out of pile. "Is it me? Or do I sense a slight déjà vu here?" Sora whispers to Rouge and the two began to think.

:::^A few months ago, Cybertronic^:::

At the Net Saviour HQ…

Sora sighs as she and Enzan walks down the hallway to Meijin's office, and today there's another training session and a mission.

"Don't we get a break around here?" Sora asked, as she places both of her hands at the back of her head. "I mean, we're working and studying for 3 months straight already." She added. Unfortunately, Enzan didn't answer that... After all, he's the vice president of the IPC, so he practically know how to organize his hectic schedule. his girlfriend pouts about it, and he have to pacify her by slinging his arm on her waist.

On reaching the office, Laika is already there and greeted them. "Hey, so what's the mission in the Philippines?" Sora asked, because she knew that Sharo soldier is always the first one to know about the mission every time.

"We need to rescue people from the flood. That storm practically dumps a month worth of rain right there, unfortunately the dam can't hold all of it." Laika said, as he types in several keys and showing images and the map on the screen beside him.

The brunette made a face on seeing the images and notices something is off. "Okay... Which places are involved?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Mostly the ones that are near the Marikina River, and the place we need to attend the most is this." Laika said, he then zoom into the map, on a part of the said country and points at a specific area. "This is a residential area and next to it is a small community area." he points out.

"Okay… who is practically stupid enough to build this here?" she scoffs at it. "I mean look at the shape of the river, this area is suppose to be a wash-out shore."

"Wash-out shore?" Enzan asked.

"Yeah, you see the river is curved, right? When the river rises, water will take over this area and turn it into a temporary lake or a part of the river." she explains. "They really shouldn't build this community and suburbs here, this area is a hit and flood zone."

"Well… there's nothing we can do, people there are very ignorant to quality. All they want are cheap things, get rich and to save money for their own." Enzan said, as he remembers the housing plans his father mentions that didn't fulfill during his visit in the Philippines a long time ago.

"And this is what happens when they try to get quick bucks." she replied as Laika finishes with the briefing and left the room. They then make their way to where Meijin is, as he created a few new Battle Chips to help with the fight against viruses. On arriving to the said room, the three suddenly yelped when something smacks right into their faces, and got themselves buried beneath it. As soon as they got out of it, they notice that they got buried by… papers?

"Whoops! Sorry 'bout that!" Meijin shouts, as he tries to stop the Xerox machine from spitting more papers. They then found that it got viruses in it's system, and Enzan and Sora has to plug-in Blues and Rouge to delete it.

:::^End of flashback^:::

"Oh yeah… nasty little buggers." Rouge snorts in reply to that memory, as her partner stands up and pick up the papers one by one. On arranging the third stack, the auburn teen comes in, carrying some papers and placing them on X's table.

"Hey X, we need to sign some of this now." Axl said, as he places it on the 'IN' side of the table. Then he takes others that are done and is about to go into Zero's office, when he notice the mess and the brunette. "Hey Sora, what'cha doing here?" he asked.

"Visiting and picking these up for Zero." the brunette replied with a little irk, as she arranges the paperwork into its correct order. Even though she's not that neat, being a jinx on chores and household cleaning, she dislike the papers scattered all over the place.

"Well… Okay, but be careful. Zero is not in his mood when the paperwork piles on him." the young hunter warned her, before entering the office. A moment later, he came out quite scared and shaking. "O-okay... h-he's really not in the mood, avoid at all cost." he points as the red hunter's office, then walks back into his.

X and Sora looked at each other, before she takes a peek into the Crimson Hunter's office. Inside is quite a mess, unlike X's well-clean office, there are papers everywhere. Some are stack up like a tower on the table and floor, and some are mixed with the tilted trashcan.

Pulling her head out of the doorway. "I think it's best to leave him alone for a while." she stated and the blue hunter nods in agreement, as she quickly rearranges the papers and putting them back in his room without being seen. Once she place the last stack, she closes the door and takes a seat on the sofa that is beside the door. She sighs in relief in succeeding her task, as the blue hunter signs some papers before stopping once more.

"So... is the HSR taking you to your family?" he asked, as he place the paper on the top of the stack, almost halfway thru the third. Seeing that she is talking to him now, he decided take the chance to convince her on staying safe. Although, he knew that she will not agree with him but he have to try.

"Nope." Sora said and X nearly crush the pen in his hand. "My family doesn't exist."

"O-oh... sorry about that."

"It's okay." she waves it off.

"... Then... is the HSR is going to transfer you to a shelter?"

"Wrong again." she replied and leans back on the sofa. "Like I said, I plan to join you guys."

"You're joking, right?" but she shakes her head as her Net Navi appears on her shoulder.

"Sorry, once she made up her mind she won't budge." Rouge apologizes, shrugging and then places her hands behind her back.

"Sora, you can't stay here or join in this fight, it's too dangerous for you." X said calmly, as he places his pen down.

"That again? Anyway, like I said, whether you like it or not, I'm going to be a Hunter." she stated firmly with a stern and determined glare. The blue hunter couldn't shake off the feeling that he seen this expression before, but he focuses first on making sure the human girl discard the idea of joining the Hunters.

"I understand you want to help, but do you really want to throw away your life like that?" he asked. "I mean, you're still looking for your friends."

"I know, that's one of the reason why I want to join the Hunters."

"Sora, there's has to be a better way than that."

'Like I can tell you... that a freaky extraterrestrial navi instructed me to stay, fix the problems of this world and to find what I lost? Well, Spider is pretty explainable. Duo? Nope in a long mile.' she thought with a snort as she gets up from the sofa. "Sorry X, but I made my choice. And whether you like it or not, I'm going to become a Hunter." she said in a firm tone and crossing her arms. "Besides, didn't I manage to support you on your fight with the Rebellion and Redips?"

"Sora, that's because you pretended to be a reploid and you threaten Prof. Gaudille on letting you go after us. Plus you should be thankful that Spider is with you when you can't transform."

"But everything turns out alright." Sora answered back, as X looks down on the table and his helmet covers his eyes. He really can't let her just do that, it's just too dangerous for her.

"Sora... Give me your device." X instructed.

"My... device?" as the brunette feels something is not going right with the blue hunter.

"Your PET." he points out.

'Oh crap!' Rouge thought, as her partner covers her PET with one hand.

"No way! Rouge is my partner and you're not taking her!" the brunette exclaims as she backs away.

The blue hunter gets up from his seat and looks sternly at the girl. "In order to ensure your protection, that device have to be confiscated. So hand it over!"

"No! You're not taking my partner! And did I asked to be protected? Nope! Never did!"

"Still I will not allow you to step into the battlefield!"

"Like you can hold me down!"

"What's going on in here?!" X and Sora looks to the side to find Zero and Axl by the doorway, the red hunter looks pissed and the latter looks worried. The brunette thought that despite the metal walls, they have sharp hearings. But pushing that thought aside and not wanting her partner to get taken, she needs to get out of the room. She quickly bolt for Axl's office, slipping in between the door and the younger reploid, and then darts towards the exit.

"Wait!" the blue hunter yelps.

"No buts, X. I'm not going give my partner away and I will prove that I can be in the same league with you!" Sora snapped and exits out of the office, making a beeline to the room where she is temporary assigned. 'That as close for comfort.' she thought as luck have it, an elevator opens and she quickly boards it.

:::^*^:::

Back in the offices, Axl stared at the door which his sister escaped thru before looking back at the others. "Huh, what was that all about?" he asked.

"Yeah, what happened X?" the red hunter also wonders.

The blue hunter slumps and fall back to his seat, he then explains that he tried to change the brunette's decision on becoming a Hunter. But when he told them about confiscating her PET, that sets off the warning bells in the hybrid's head.

'Oh... he did not just told her outright that he's going to take the PET away from her.' he thought, but the blue hunter did. 'X... that's the worst idea you ever had.' he thought with disappointment on his mentor, as he looks at his door. He too would feel the same if his partner/brother is going to be taken from him.

"Well, you'll have to try again next time." Zero stated as he crosses his arms. "We don't need anymore casualties, especially a human." And his friend nodded back.

"Uh, you got to have to hold that idea down for a while." the young hunter quickly voices out, causing them to look at him. "You did provoke her, X. And I don't think she'll talk to you after what happened between them, Zero."

"But..."

"Just let her cool down, give her some space." he eases the tension a bit.

"Alright... besides we need to finish these papers soon." the blue hunter agreed to his suggestion and picks up a new pen.

Both Axl and Zero returns to their office, now that the situation calm a bit. However, when the door closes, the young hunter lingers a bit on his spot and looks back at the door. "... Sorry X, but I can't let you take my sister's PET." he whispers before returning to his work, as he thinks of possible ways to stall or prevent them from getting the device and his sister's partner.

:::^*^:::

The next day...

Alarms went off and Sora falls off her bed, the Net Saviour and her partner were given a room in the HQ for them to sleep in.

Actually, it's Dr. Cain's old suite where the two are staying. Ever since Dr. Cain's death, no one is allowed to use the room except for high ranking officials or important figures. But now, the room got itself a new occupant, even if it's only for a short time.

Trying to be quick, the brunette quickly dresses up into her usual clothes, which is consist of: long sleeved, black and yellow shirt, white shorts, long, black socks that reaches her thigh, blue boots with silver protectors on the front and a short, blue trench coat with gold trimmings on the edge and her family emblem on the collar. The suit she used back in Giga City have worn out and the armor pieces on it have dents and partially melted. And that is the only suit that can withstand dangerous situations, the rest are for low level Force Metals experiments.

She then grabs her PET, yanking the charger off which jolts her partner awake by the PET's sudden movements. She then grabs the belt, holster and her gun, putting them on and then she rushes off to the Command Center.

"Ugh... what's going on?" Rouge asked, as she is rubbing her sleep off.

"The alarm went off, somethings going on." as she turns to the right corner and avoiding a reploid on the way. "Sorry!" she quickly apologizes.

"Are you sure you should be there?" as the navy blue navi jumps out of her PET and sits on the brunette's shoulder. "Considering what happened yesterday..."

"I'm just going to see what's going on. After that... well..." she trails off, as she avoids another figures and apologizing again.

"Try not to jump into action when it's not necessary, Sora."

"Right."

Upon arriving to the Command Center, Alia along with another two navigators, are working hard to help X and his friends to stop the mavericks at have appeared in the city.

"Hey, what's going on?" the brunette asked Alia, as she rushed to her side.

"It's another Maverick attack, Sora." the pink navigator replied, then turns and smiles at her. "Don't worry, I'm sure X and the others can handle this fine."

"Yeah, they already been fighting these wars for years." the other navigator said and then faces back at the screen, typing rapidly on the keyboard. Seeing that the situation is under control, the brunette decided to leave before Signas arrive.

But…

"X! X! Do you copy?" Alia said frantically, thru the communicator but only received a hissing sound at the end and this made the brunette turn to look back.

"Zero, something has happened to X." A purple hair navigator said, thru the communicator. But even the Red Hunter didn't respond, as the same hissing sound have thru the radio. "Zero? Zero!" she shouts and again no respond as the Net Saviour runs back to the navigators.

"This is Axl." Axl called, and he's breathing heavily as if he gone into multiple fights with the maverick. "We have a problem and we need back-up now!" he shouted, as the navigators heard an explosion and a yelp.

"What's your situation, Axl?" a female green navigator asked, but soon she also got the same hissy sound. "Axl!" she shouts with worry as she types frantically on the keyboard.

"This is bad." the female navi states.

"Yeah, we need to help them somehow." Sora replied to her Net Navi and looks at Alia. "Hey, can I use the computer to hack into something?" she asked.

"Huh? Hack into something?" the pink reploid asked.

"Trust me, this might save our friends' lives." She answered back, as the pink reploid thinks about it and then nods at her. She vacates the seat for the human girl and stands behind her seat, as the brunette sits down and plugs Rouge in the system. "Okay, you know what to do, we need some visuals." she instructs her navi on the screen.

"Roger that." and then she begins her search on the network.

Alia couldn't help but to stare at the programs and files, opening and closing on the screen, as the brunette types rapidly to aid her partner in her search. It didn't take long for the two to hack into a satellite system, with the very advance camera on it and takes an image of the enemy. Once the image completely loads, Alia gasps on what she saw.

"C-ch-chiill Penguin!" Alia exclaims.

"Chill who?" the brunette asked, out of surprise on the navigator's reaction.

"Chill Penguin, he's an ex-Maverick Hunter, who became one of Sigma's men, that X defeated during the first Maverick War." she explains, as she looks back at the image again, and couldn't help to feel something is off. "But there is something quite different about him now."

"Let me see…" Rouge mutters, scanning the image as she senses something familiar about his new appearance. Once she finishes her scan, it alarm her. "Sora, he's no longer a reploid or a maverick… He's a Net Navi!" she exclaims and this made her human partner jump out of her seat.

"He's a what?" her partner exclaimed, as she plugs out her Net Navi and looks at her directly on the small screen of the PET. "Are you sure?" she asked, as she looks at the image once more.

"Yeah, his programmings is similar to a reploid but his frame is similar to a Net Navi." she explained, and then they watch the battle between Axl and Chill Penguin. "None of their attacks are working on him." she said, as the shots have no effect on the reborn maverick.

"Yeah, it's like they are fighting against a ghost." Sora said, as one of Axl's attacks does nothing to the former maverick, receiving only a very minor damage. And then the young hunter got himself caught in a tight and cold situation, like his two fellow hunters who are also trapped in pillars of ice. "They can't stand against him!" But then realizes something… if Chill Penguin is a Net Navi, who made or revived him? What is the purpose of reviving the maverick into a Net Navi? More importantly, is that person who revived Chill Penguin belong to her world and how did that person materialized a former maverick into reality?

"I'm calling the other Hunters." Alia said, is about to contact available Hunters but the brunette stops her.

"Wait! The other hunters can't stand a chance against Chill Penguin!" She point out, as she moves away from the console. "He's no longer a reploid, he's a Net Navi... and only I can face him."

That set off an alarm in the navigator's head. "But it's too dangerous! You saw what happen!" she points out, but the brunette only smiled.

"Hey, I'm not just a NetOp, Alia." She said and then looks at her partner. "Ready for this?" she asked.

"Yeah, I even got info on which transporter they used." the female navi responds back, and the brunette places her PET on her holster with a smile. She quickly makes her way to the transporter, but before she could even reach it... Somebody stopped her.

She looks to see the HSR agents are back... with a new guy.

The new person is their leader and one of the council members, Richard Payne. Richard is a man somewhere in his mid-thirties, he have dark brown hair and eyes. He looks like an old business man by his outfit, and seems to show concern at the brunette. The Net Saviour catches a glimpse of his eyes, as briefly sees how hard they are as if he carries a lot of burden.

Still she snaps back to reality and realizes who's holding her. "Hey! Let me go!" She yelped, as she tries to make Hideki drop her, by flailing about but is currently failing to do so.

"Sorry, but this problem belongs to the Maverick Hunters. A girl like you shouldn't jump into it, especially that you're a human." Hideki said, as she scowls at him.

'Maverick Hunters' problem? HELLO! This is a Net Saviours' problem and this is no ordinary Maverick attack!' the brunette thought, as Hideki places her down in front of Richard but made sure she won't bolt for the transporter.

"So you're must be Hikari Miriku Sora." Richard said and looks at her, as she crosses her arms. "I don't know why you reject on going to a safe place, but you must understand that you can't be a Maverick Hunter. It is too dangerous and those machines will kill you."

The brunette looks at the HSR leader with an unimpressed look and answers back. "I know, reploids have greater capabilities and could possibly kill me, because of the fact that they're machines. But X and the others are my friends, I can't just stand here and watch them get killed by that penguin."

"But this is a fight between reploids, you should let them be."

"Well I'm sorry. Because I'm now officially a part of this war." She stated and then back-kicks Hideki right on the groin. "Sorry." she apologize quickly as he dropped on the floor, wincing in pain. Without second thoughts, the brunette quickly makes her way to the transporter and manages to avoid being grabbed by other HSR agents. Arriving there, Rouge points at the transporter her friends used, quickly jumps on it and is warp away.

:::^*^:::

A dark blue light, similar to Rouge's, shot down from the sky and hits the ground. Then it took form of a human girl, who stumbles and then slips over some debris due to the ice around the area.

"Urph!" Sora utters, as she stands up and dust off the front of her coat. "Okay, not one of my best landings." she mumbles to herself, then she runs to the place where X and the others are being held frozen. And as she makes her way, she takes out her Buster Pistol, it's her sub weapon in case she is knock out of her Cross Fusion form in battle. But right now, there is something off about that penguin navi, which is why she is taking the risk of going into battle without her CF form.

Upon arriving, she saw X and the two are trapped in ice pillars but they are still functioning since their eyes are moving. And on the right side of the area is Chill Penguin, and is no doubt that he is now reborn as a Net Navi. His armor is almost similar to Bubbleman's but it's much more sleeker than his though, which made him look like a penguin in a tuxedo. Then the data on his arm suddenly broke off from the body, but reattaches itself back. Also, odd parts came out such as an extra arm on the back, before it breaks down and disappears into his body.

"Whoever made Chill Penguin, did a very sloppy job on his frame." Rouge whispered, as she and Sora observed the enemy's condition and the brunette silently nodded. As she quietly moves towards X and the others, she suddenly stepped on something…

CLANG!

"Flarg it." The brunette swears and dives for cover. Chill heard the noise and fires an ice type attack to a direction where she was just sneaking before. 'This is bad.' She thought as she crawls toward X, while the former maverick went to see if he did hit another hunter. However, the blue hunter saw her and tries to warn her about the situation they are in, but due to the ice he can barely move. But that only draws the attention of Chill Penguin and spotted where the new opponent is hiding. He then fires blizzard and hits her lower body, freezing her from foot to her waist.

"Oh… t-t-this-s-s i-i-is co-cold." She stutters, as her body tries to warm up... which surprisingly did in a short time.

"Sora! Are you okay?" Rouge asked and is worried for her partner, and the Net Saviour just nodded. Then the female navi quickly dives back into the PET to hide from the penguin's view.

"Well, well... what's a puny human like you doing here?" a high pitch, squawking voice sneers and she turns to see Chill Penguin glaring at her.

'Can't they think up of a better insult?' The Net Saviour thought with her brow raised, as her body became adjust to the cold temperature. 'This is weird, it's like I merely got it by a cold wind... A very solid one, that is.' She thought, as she stops shivering and charges up her gun.

"Well...?" Chill Penguin asked, only received a full charge shot right on his face and staggers back. She have been saving that for him, she knew that it won't give him the huge damage but that can distract him. She takes this chance to shoot the ice off her lower body, and then quickly distance herself from the enemy as she takes out her Synchro Chip.

"Synchro Chip! Slot-in!" She states, slotting in the chip and then holding out her PET as it shines. "CROSS FUSION!" Both Sora and Rouge said, as they are wrap in a ball of light. Chill Penguin, who manage to get glimpse of the escape, sees the girl transforms into a reploid.

:::^*^:::

Everyone are stun to see Sora transform into a reploid at the screen in the Command Center.

"Holy cow…" Hideki gasped on the sight.

"Oh my gosh." Alia said, as the other navigators agreed to that and Signas could only stare at the screen with eyes wide.

Hikari Miriku Sora is no ordinary girl at all.

:::^*^:::

Chill Penguin opens his eyes after the light breaks and dissipates, and his beaks drops down on what he sees. He see the human girl have successfully conjured a reploid armor herself, out of that device. But he knew that any attack is useless and she'll just waste his time on ridding the three hunters. 'Well, I might as well make a show out of this for the three audiences.' he thought with a grin on his beak.

X and Zero tries to warn her that her attacks won't work on Chill Penguin. But Axl, on the other hand, is somewhat relaxed... after all, he was a Net Saviour before and he knew that his sister is going to kick Chill Penguin's butt to deletion.

"Hmph... I don't know how you can transform into a reploid but that won't help against me!" Chill shouts and launches some ice-type attack on her. However, she quickly jumps away from the attack and disappeared from sight as the ice-type attack hit the ground. The avian navi looks around and spots her again on top of some debris. Again, he shoots ice at her and she dodges it once more, landing on top of an ice pillar. She slipped a bit but nevertheless she maintains her calm aura in this fight, she forms out her buster and aims it to the maverick navi.

But the penguins laughs at that. "Well then! Hit me with your best shot!" he taunts and laughs some more.

"... He did asked for it." Rouge states with amusement, as her partner smirks beneath her mask. The brunette aims and fires a charge shot at the penguin, who kept laughing and knowing that the shot will merely...

Suddenly, pain erupts from his side and he stops laughing. Looking at his side, only to sees his data coming apart and floating near his cut-off arm. Then he suddenly squawks and run around in pain and panic, as the two hunters are wide eyes on how the brunette is able to damage the maverick. Axl couldn't help but to smile smugly, as the penguin runs around with his damage side and his arm disappears.

"Looks like no one told you about Cross Fusion, huh?" the brunette quips as she holds up her buster, and the penguin stops running around.

"Cross Fusion?" Chill Penguin asked, as he holds his injured arm. "B-b-but how can you hit me?"

"Cross Fusion is not a transformation into becoming a reploid, but a merge between a NetOp and a Net Navi. And the answer is pretty obvious there." she points it out, as she place one of her arms on her waist and lowers her buster.

"A merge between a NetOp and a... WHAT?!" the penguins shrieks in anger and shock. "You mean the Hunters got one too?!"

"Yep." she replied with a shrug, although she knew that most of the Hunters have no idea on the Net Navis and a certain hunter was trying confiscate her. 'If my partner was taken away, X and the others are doom in this situation.'

She quickly jumps away from another ice attack and lands not far from the pillars. "Damn it, and I thought we got ourselves an advantage!" he yelled angrily and attacks her again.

But this time, she is ready for a counter. "Battle Chip! Flame Blade! Fumikomizan! Slot-in!" CF Rouge states. The Flame Blade is a longer, curved sword that forms over her hand and forearm and this blade glows fiery orange with the heat element. Then the Fumikomizan allows her to warped herself toward Chill Penguin for a quick and unexpected close-range sword attack, and nearly slashes the penguin navi in half.

The hunters and the HSR, aside from Axl, couldn't believe to see what she actually did.

"WHY?! How is this possible?!" Chill squawks in disbelief and pain, as he runs around to get rid of the flames on his injury. Once he got the flames out, he notices his data are floating away from slash injury and it hurts badly. He looks at the girl as the blade disappears from her arm. "Who the hell are you?" He squawks at her.

She turns around, looking at him with her mask off. "I'm Sora, a Net Saviour." She answered. "Chill Penguin, who revived you as a Net Navi? And are there any more of you?"

"Acting so high and mighty, just because you got that ability...!" the former maverick growls at her, as he holds his wound.

"I will ask you again." she stated, as her buster forms but did not point it to the penguin. "Who revived you? And are there anymore of you?"

Chill Penguin can only hiss in annoyance and anger, seeing that the situation is no longer in his favor. 'That idiot never warned us about this brat!' he thought, taking a step back and deciding to retreat for now. "I'll let you have this win, you brat! But I swear I'll freeze you to death when we meet again!"

And with that, a huge sign of LOG OUT appears and then he retreats back into the network. The Net Saviour blinks a bit and sighs in disappointment and annoyance that the former maverick just dodged her questions and flee. But she can't help but to smile a little on the familiar scenario. She then looks at the three hunters, who are still trap in the ice pillars and waits a bit. Then the ice that Chill Penguin made begins to disappears around them, turning into cubes and then breaking apart. The pillars that the hunters are trap in, also disappears and they fall to the ground. X, out of surprise on the ice disappearing, landed on his back as Zero lands and roll on the ground. Axl, on the other hand, immediately activates his hover system, slowing his fall and landing on his feet.

CF Rouge quickly went to their sides and checks if they are okay. "Are you guys okay?" She asked, as she lends a hand to X.

"Huh, yeah... we're fine." the blue hunter replied as he takes her hand and she pulls him up.

"Are you sure?"

"We're okay, Sora." the red hunter stated firmly as he stands up. "But how come your attacks works on him?" Zero asked, looking at the spot where Chill Penguin vanished.

She sighs. "That's because Chill Penguin is a Net Navi." she answered.

"Huh?" the two elder hunters said. Axl, on the other hand, acts confused and gives her a weird look. She decided to explain it later and X taps on his communicator in his helmet.

"Alia, prepare a transfer for four please." X said.

"And when we're back at the base, you better explain why our attacks doesn't work." Zero demands as the brunette and Axl sweat drops as him.

'Demanding much?' they thought, as the four stands together. The hunter's navigators got hold of their location and soon they are warped back to base.

:::^*^:::

The group reappears in the transporter and walks out of it. But the moment the brunette steps out, the HSR suddenly surrounds her and began to inspect her CF form. She sweat dropped at their sudden action, it kinda reminded her of back home when she first step into SciLab and everyone is staring at her because it is the first time the scientists and workers met Yuuichiro's daughter.

'Well, this is awkward.' She thought.

"Miss Hikari, how did you transform… into this?" Hideki asked, as CF Rouge looks down on her form before looking back at them. Her mind is debating whether she should defuse now or later.

"By the Synchro Chip, and it's a fusion between a human and a Net Navi." she explains.

"Synchro Chip?"

"So by that, you can transform into a reploid?" Tim asked, his eyes seems to lit up with such possibility.

"Uh... Not exactly." the brunette replied. "The Synchro Chip allows the NetOp to merge with his/her partnered Net Navi."

"Net Navi?"

"Hold on." as her CF form breaks and forms into her PET, she quickly catches it and places it on her holster. "This is a Net Navi." her partner comes out of the PET and sits on her shoulder.

"Hello, my name is Rouge, I'm Sora's partner." the female navi said, as the three men looks at the small hologram which looks like the brunette's Cross Fusion. "And please, personal space for my operator." she points out blankly as they back away from the small hologram, and giving the brunette some space.

Unknown to them, a certain young hunter is keeping an eye on the three men, and making sure his sister and her navi sticks together.

Sora explains to the HSR and the Maverick Hunters about the Net Navi and the Cross Fusion, and as the usual she left out the fact of she belong in another dimension.

"So anyone can perform the Cross Fusion?" Hideki asked.

"Not really, to perform it you need a lot of training to endure it and a bond between you and the Net Navi." Sora replied as she made sure her PET is secure and her Synchro Chips are in her hidden pocket.

"A bond?" the Japanese HSR agent asked, he seems skeptical on that one.

"The key to a successful Cross Fusion is the Synchro Rating or the bond between the NetOps and the Net Navis. If your rating is low or you cannot get along with your Net Navi, Cross Fusion is not possible." Rouge explains with her arms cross.

"But why do you need to be friends with a program?" he asked, only to receive a glare from the brunette and her navi. Meanwhile, Axl restrains from glaring at that man and turns away to hide his annoyance.

"So… are there any more of these?" Tim asked, changing the subject and pointing at the Net Navi, but only to also receive a sharp glare from the brunette.

"… No, I don't think so... There are fellow Net Operators like me, but I have no clue on their whereabouts." she lied.

"But who created the Net Navis?" Richard asked, finally making the two move away from the brunette as their boss talks with her.

"No idea. From what I know, the town I came from was cut-off from the world... as if they want to hide something." The brunette explains with shrug. "But it changed when Cross Fusion idea came and caused quite of a trouble, it attracted mavericks and we were forced to flee from my hometown."

"Where is your hometown?"

"You can't find it." the navy blue navi points out. "The town's council made sure the town is hidden and off the map, even from satellite, surveillance reploid or aircaft... and the fact that it's gone." as she scratch the back of her head and then she changes the subject. "Speaking about Net Navis, did you remember what Chill Penguin said before... that there are others like him?"

The occupants in the room froze and looks at the brunette and her partner. "Oh yeah, he did say he thought that they got themselves an advantage on the Hunters."

"Wait... so there's more of them?" X asked, his eyes widens a bit.

"I think so." as the atmosphere around her suddenly tenses, even Axl almost flinch at it.

The thought of having to fight with the mavericks and former friends again, but in a form they can't damage is giving the two elite hunters quite of a dread. Zero then asked how Sora can land a hit on them, while they can't. The brunette thought about it and answers that she can hit the former maverick because Chill Penguin is just like her partner, only he can materialize into reality on his own. As for their attacks, she have no idea why their attack couldn't do any damage, which is weird. But she is willing to find out if she stays and become a Hunter.

Both Hideki and Tim are against with her choice, but she argues back and ignores them as she walks to Axl's and X's side. The blue hunter tries to convince her to go into a shelter, only he ended up receiving a glare from her as the young hunter tries to calm her down.

Then Richard made his riskiest decision, after much thought and seeing that the mavericks are coming back from the grave like ghosts... He allowed Sora to stay with the Maverick Hunter. That decision gave everyone quite a shock and his agents are frozen stiff at it, while the brunette hides a smile. The HSR leader explains that they witnessed a situation where the Hunters are incapable on, and the girl is the only one capable on taking out the problem.

This made Signas accept her as an honorary Hunter and placing her under X's and Zero's wings as their apprentice like Axl. But it's temporary though... once she solve the mystery and the maverick navis are gone, the HSR are going to take her to a shelter, and the possibility that her partner will be separated from her. And that's going to be quite some problems they'll be facing.

But for now, Sora and Rouge are happy to stay with the Hunters, as Richard suggests to her to be in CF form all the time to hide her human status. X is not that thrilled on letting her go out into the field, as Zero seems to be skeptical and Axl is glad that his sister is here to stay, but for a short time...

... Still the New Gen Reploid is not that ready to confess to his sister about himself, that he is Hikari Alex Netto resurrected as a human-reploid hybrid...

Somewhere, a smile forms and he disappears from sight... it wouldn't take long for her to find what she have lost in this world.


Silver: It's done! And about the Philippines thing… I have no regrets stating it out because, I'm living in it and I'm also a victim of a flood… well, not directly because I was in school when that happens but my family was on the roof for like 24 hours! And what's worse… My one year old nephew was with them! So I still hold a grudge of that incident (incredibly for 4 years) and I have no regrets calling my own people ignorant and selfish… and they still are because they keep buying cheap things and keep the money instead of donating it. Anyway, enough of my ranting and enjoy!

Fun Facts:

While I was creating Rouge, she was suppose to be a mermaid-type navi… but after realizing that there is a bit of weakness there (I mean mermaids are aquatic, and lightning is their weakness when hit.) I changed her into an all-rounder type like Rockman. One mistake I made on her, is her name is suppose to be Rogue, as in freelance or outcast or sorts. But I made a typo-error and her name became Rouge, which is why I have to change her history a bit… In the past, Prototype X and Rogue are brother and sister navis for Tadashi-hakase's grandchildren. Planning for the third for the youngest, viruses attacks his systems and Prototype X volunteered to delete them. But he ends up seriously infected, which requires to split his programming to get rid of the virus. The first half is sent into the quarantine area, while the other was installed into Rogue for safekeeping. But the female navi's programming was rejecting the program, till the contact from the future came and they fuse together. Because Prototype X and Rogue have permanently bonded together, she is considered a new born and given her a slightly new name… Rouge. And knowing that her body will seek it's missing half, it consumes the old data of Rogue's as time go by. Basically, Prototype X was saved by transferring him into a female navi, which later becomes his permanent body after the fusion… which leads him being reborn into a girl navi named Rouge. As for the mermaid idea… it becomes her armor instead. X3!

(Edit: Yeah, I kinda made X like his X7 whiny and jerky version (I still hate that game)... but it is justified that Sora is human, and his thought of coexisting with humans is to assist and be obedient with them. So if she gets harm, that will put a strain on the relationship between humans and reploids... If only he knows Axl's relation to the brunette...)