Muguet looked over the data several times over before heading to the command center. There had to have been a mistake somewhere, and the commander needed to know of the bug in the system before it was too late. The commander had her back turned, and was fervently typing down coordinates of predicted Maverick outbreaks when Muguet came in.
"Miss Prairie," Muguet announced, "I analyzed to samples like you wanted me to, and I believe there are some mistakes in the system."
In hearing this, Prairie stopped and glanced behind her. "What do you mean 'mistakes'?" the commander questioned. Her tone was… vague. Muguet took this to stand a bit straighter before continuing.
"The samples -no matter if I observed, analyzed, or prodded- were found to be exactly the same DNA. Not only that, but I was able to find not just human DNA, but Reploid's as well. It was a perfect 50/50 split in both of the samples. If the tests are correct, they are the perfect combination of Reploid and human, but that would be impossible. Wouldn't it Commander?"
For the longest time, Prairie didn't respond and seemed to have frozen in her spot. Muguet looked on with a raise of her eyebrow. Something wasn't right about this, and as much as she wanted to figure it out, Muguet knew better than to stick her nose in business it didn't belong in.
"Where does the DNA trace back out to?" Prairie finally inquired. "Can you pinpoint whose DNA the two have?"
The nurse gave a firm nod before realizing that the commander likely could not see it. "Using samples we obtained from Neo Arcadia, I can safely affirm that we know where the Reploid side came from." Muguet agreed.
"What about the human side?"
"That will take much longer to decide." the nurse informed her. "Apparently, it wasn't anyone living within Neo Arcadia. But they could have existed outside of the city (Giga City, for example). It will be awhile for us to find out for sure."
"Have you told Rose, or anyone else about this development?" Prairie then asked.
"No." Muguet affirmed. "You're the first I told and the only one I planned on telling. Why?"
Again, the nurse's question was answered with silence.
"Commander," Muguet finally said in a tone that indicated a start of mistrust, "I have been Vent's nurse since he was no more than three hours old. If there is something about that child you need to tell me, and what it has to do with his connection to Aile, I have the right to know more about it. Don't you think?"
Thinking it over for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh, Prairie finally turned her chair around to look at Muguet directly. "It's a long story." the commander told her. The nurse wasn't buying it, and folded her arms.
"And I have plenty of time." she retorted. "Please start when you are ready Miss Prairie."
. . .
"...And then I went back to get the boy's dog too." Vent informed Aile with a proud smile. He had been surprised when she wasn't in the medical room, and he was even more surprised to see her in the training room using Model Z's buster. Aile had some real skill, a skill that almost made him feel impulsed to hand her Model X to keep. The jealous part of him, however, wouldn't let him to go through with it.
"Well aren't you sweet," Aile teased as she casually tossed Model Z up and down, "Saving little pupper-shnups everywhere you go. I'm sure you're a real dog person, after all, you did steal my dog."
"Why do you have to keep bringing that up?!" Vent demanded with a whine. "It's not like I planned to do it!"
"Because your reaction to it is hilarious." Aile snickered. "Were you able to get the Biometal after a failed attempt to steal someone else's dog?"
Giving her a knowing smirk, Vent pulled out a new Biometal out of his pocket to show her. "May I introduce," Vent then declared with a flourish, "The Biometal of the Flame, Model F!"
'Well helloooo sister!' the Biometal immediately proclaimed. 'I warned her that something like this would happen some day, and look who gets the last laugh!'
'Model F.' Model H warned, coming out from Vent's pocket, but not going much further than that.
'What?' the Biometal of Flame questioned, seeing nothing wrong. 'Wait, is this some big secret? Thanks for telling me!'
'You knew full well it was Model F.' Model X declared, also coming out of Vent's pocket.
'Now, if you would kindly, shut up.' Model Z added with a tone hinting at annoyance.
"Hey Aile..." Vent then said, "How about you hold onto Model F for awhile?"
"What? No way!" Aile declared with disgust. "I'm not keeping the lycan for you! When you find the siren and the tulpa, then I might agree- but I'm not holding Model F for you, no way!"
"Why them?!" Vent rebutted bitterly.
"Because I feel more in tune with them." Aile agreed, folding her arms in defiance. Vent slapped his forehead.
"That is the single most dumbest thing I have heard anyone say!" he proclaimed.
"And how would you know? Do you know anyone else that can MegaMerge?"
"I did… but that's beside the point! It's not fair that you've claimed two Biometals you don't even know yet!"
"Well it's not fair that you're the one that gets to go out and rescues the Biometals! Maybe I want a turn to save one!"
"Aile it's not safe for you to-"
"Why?! Because I'm a girl?"
"WHAT?! No!"
"It is! I can see it all over your face!"
'Would you two stop bickering?!' Model X suddenly demanded. It scared the duo witless and they instantly fell silent. 'If it is going to be such a big deal between you two, I will be the Biometal that stays behind.'
"B-but..!" Vent instantly argued. "How will I be able to Double MegaMerge?!"
'Aile is able to partially Merge with Model Z, has she tried to completely Merge yet? If she can do this, then you should have no problem either.'
"But…!"
'Have you tried Vent?' Model X questioned in a calm, domineering tone. The boy looked away, grumbling very bitter words under his breath.
'Get into your Merge pose.' Model X then told Vent. Grudgingly, he did so and turned to Model Z. The red Biometal took this as its cue and started to begin the MegaMerge process. When it finished, Vent gave Aile a displeased, bitter glare as if the whole thing were her fault.
"Well, that's not how I remember Giro's armor..." Aile mused to herself with a tilt of her head. Vent gave her a funny look before looking himself over- sure enough, Model Z was Merged with Vent the same way it would have been if he was Model ZX. Now he was confused. Before he could question it though, a Guardian came in to the training room.
"We really need to fix the speaker system in here..." the Guardian grumbled to himself before looking up to address Vent and Aile, "Vent, the commander has a new mission for you. She'd like to see you in the command center as soon as possible."
"I'll be there in a minute." Vent promised, allowing the Guardian to leave. Then Vent turned back to Aile, who was now holding Model X with a bright smile on her face, as if the Biometal were an old friend she missed dearly.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Vent asked, almost making the question seem more for the Biometal than Aile.
'You have had plenty of time with me, and now you must share Vent.' Model X confirmed. 'Go and help Prairie, secure the next Biometal, Aile and I are destined for a bonding session.'
Grimacing, Vent nodded and went to see Prairie. Apparently, they have received a distress signal somewhere with a Biometal signature close at hand- the commander wanted him to find the survivors (should there be any) and recover the Biometal. Vent agreed without hesitation, much to Prairie's surprise.
He couldn't get his mind off of Model X and Aile though. It wasn't fair- he wanted to have Model X. Model Z didn't have that... feeling Model X gave Vent. It was a good feeling, a loving feeling, that reminded Vent so much of Juno and Giro and Sho…
But then a thought came to the boy- a near terrifying one. Did Aile even have a family? Something told him that Rush was the only family the girl had and she never knew the same embraces that Vent took for granted. Could Aile feel that love through Model X like he did? As Vent traversed to Area F, his heart grew heavy for Aile. Maybe they should talk about their families when he returned to HQ. Maybe they could find out why they looked so much like each other, and why they knew each other beforehand.
Maybe, just maybe, they could even be related.
. . .
Silently, Muguet stood just outside earshot of Aile inside the training room. The girl was a pure natural with the buster Model X was capable of producing. From where the nurse stood, each round was a perfect hit. It was as amazing as it was terrifying. The nurse now knew Aile's true heritage -and Vent's- and allowing this information to process while observing Aile's training was fascinating. Biological children of Mega Man X and an unknown human woman.
According to Prairie, the two didn't even know of their connection.
They didn't know what made them special.
They didn't even know that they weren't exactly human after all.
