Flowers Amidst Rubble

by Manus Dei

In the aftermath of Ragnarok, those who stood against the tyranny of Neo Arcadia examine the paths that led them to that point as they pick up the pieces of their lives and face the task of building a new tomorrow.

26. The Cradle of Nightmares

Chapter 26 – The Cradle of Nightmares

Unsurprisingly, after over a century of neglect and the damage previously sustained during the Nightmare Incident and the Dark Elf outbreak, Gate's old laboratory was mostly ruins.

The descent through the initial opening had taken the better part of ten minutes as Samus had insisted on scanning ahead for traps or hazards. As the trio carefully made their way through the pitch-black hallways, sidestepping piles of debris and squeezing through partially obstructed hallways, Zero's built-in communicator reacted.

"How are things looking down there?" Ciel asked through her handheld radio.

"Messy." Zero said, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. "You're not coming down here without at least a flashlight."

The place had definitely seen better days and if not for the quest at hand, neither X or Zero would have willingly set foot in it. Both its condition and the memories associated with it were leaving them a bit on edge.

"So, why here anyway?" Samus asked, while pausing for a moment to scan the surrounding area with her suit's x-ray scope.

"Because I accidentally left some pieces of my original body in Eurasia when I tried to ram it with that shuttle." Zero said. "You could say Gate got a bit obsessed with them."

Her scan complete, she navigated the path ahead, with the others following closely.

"So this Nightmare Virus was actually a derivative of the original Maverick Virus…" Samus realized. "But how were you still carrying that around without noticing?"

"I wasn't." Zero clarified. "Not for a long time. But after the virus left me and moved on to Sigma, the bastard did some experimenting of his own. The Zero Virus was one of the results."

"Since Zero was the intended original host, that thing damaged and weakened most Reploids, but powered him up instead." X added.

"Not that I wanted anything to do with it, mind you." Zero said with obvious distaste. "In the end it was just another ploy to try to turn me back to my so-called purpose."

"So… how did it end up Gate's hands?" Samus asked.

"That thing wouldn't take no for an answer." Zero grumbled. "Kept following me around. Some of that crap must have piggybacked on me all the way to Eurasia and back."

More deserted hallways followed. The trip was proving to be uneventful so far, but the silence did not help their unease. Again Samus paused and scanned their surroundings.

"Again?" Zero asked.

"It pays to be properly paranoid at a place like this." Samus retorted. "You wouldn't believe how many hidden passageways and access ports I found hidden in places that were already out of the way."

Zero paused for a moment, scratching his chin.

"I should have guessed Gate would have some kind of backup for his data. But a sub-level? On a place that already has all these basement floors?"

"Every scientist worth their salt has some kind of sub-level or vault for emergencies." Ciel chimed in through the radio.

"Even you?" Zero wondered.

"Maybe…" she said, playing coy.

Zero switched to direct transmission instead of vocal and grinned, despite the fact that she could not see his face.

"And what exactly would you be hiding there?" he teased. "Maybe some books you don't want other people finding out about?"

"W-What…" Ciel stammered, absolutely mortified, nearly dropping her handheld radio. "You…"

"I don't know why you're so embarrassed about them." Zero said, still using direct transmission. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Wait what?"

"When Axl gets out of his funk, you should ask him about his collection." Zero added with an amused smirk.

A few steps away, X silently smiled in amusement at the exchange, having picked it up on his own sensors despite his old friend's efforts.

"You're definitely a lot more open about your feelings these days. I'm glad I stayed around long enough to see you on the mend like this."

Distracted by his thoughts, X nearly tripped on a small pile of debris right in front of him. Quickly correcting his course, he hopped over it and dashed forward to catch up with Samus.

Moments later, as Zero caught up, X glanced at him and grinned.

"What?" Zero asked.

"You two were on an open signal." X answered.

---

Outside, somewhere in the overgrown wilderness…

"So…" Milan said, wading through tall shrubs.

"What?" Colbor asked, not far from him.

"Spill it." Faucon added, taking point.

"What?" Colbor repeated.

"The training, duh." Faucon said, stopping in his tracks and turning to the others. "What, did you think we wanted to know about your after-class activities?"

"I must confess I'm a little curious about both." Milan added with a smirk.

"You guys are such assholes sometimes…" Colbor grumbled, not caring for the insinuation.

"C'mon!" Faucon said. "You can't blame us for being curious."

"Yeah." Milan added. "I don't know what she did, but you're looking much better since you started her training regimen."

"I suppose I am." Colbor conceded. "Still a work in progress, mind you, but it's all about getting my confidence back."

"But how did she do it?" Milan asked, genuinely curious.

"You'll see." Colbor said with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Faucon asked.

"You do remember those discussions about having the Guardians train the rest of our forces, right?" Colbor elaborated, before the hint of a grin crept upon his face.

"Yeah…" Milan hesitantly answered.

Colbor's grin widened.

"You guys are going to be part of the first test group. I made sure of that."

"Can we at least get a hint?" Milan asked.

Colbor scratched his chin.

"Do you guys remember that game show that ran on for something like two hundred years? The one with the ridiculous obstacle courses?"

"Wait…" Milan muttered. "Takeshi's Castle? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough." Colbor said, his grin at this point becoming a little unsettling.

"Anyway…" Faucon chimed in, trying to change the subject. "What are those four like when the rest of us aren't looking?"

"If you're expecting some weird stuff like Leviathan sleeping in a fish tank or Fefnir keeping his room stuffed with bombs and guns, you're in for a disappointment." Colbor said rather flatly. "I haven't seen that much of the place they were shacking in, but it looked pretty plain."

"But what about that house Ciel and the others offered them?" Milan asked.

"They're still getting cold feet about moving in." Colbor said with a shrug. "Guess they still feel guilty about that crap back then. But they'll come around sooner or later."

"I'm surprised." Milan said. "I thought you hated them, but you almost sound like you're looking forward to having them around."

Colbor sighed deeply.

"For a long time, I guess I did. But I suppose people change."

"And we were all put in our place by a little girl…" he silently winced, feeling a little ashamed of himself. "I thought we adults were supposed to be the ones setting an example."

"If you four have enough energy to chatter, that means you are not paying attention." a familiar voice interrupted.

The three abruptly stiffened as Phantom emerged from the foliage, glaring at them.

"Sloppy." the Guardian added, narrowing his eyes. "I counted five different ways an enemy could have snuck past you or caught you off guard. Is this your idea of keeping watch for the others?"

"Well, it's not like most people have your ninja bullshit." Faucon retorted.

"But he does have a point." Milan grudgingly conceded. "We need to step up our game."

---

Underground…

The extended trek through that place was leaving Zero uneasy, dredging up unpleasant old memories. In his distracted state, he tripped on an exposed piece of metal, knocking it loose and bringing down the rest of the support beam it was attached to in a cascade of concrete, dust and bits of metal.

"Zero! What happened?" Ciel gasped in alarm, having overheard the noise through the radio.

"This place is falling apart." Samus grumbled, before grabbing Zero by the arm and yanking him out from underneath the small pile of debris that had fallen over him. "Stay close to me and let my x-ray scope do its thing."

"Are you OK Zero?" Ciel asked.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" she insisted.

Having her fretting over him was nothing new, but since the scare at Ragnarok he had tried to be a little more considerate and avoid giving her more reasons to worry.

"I don't know what you did to my armor, but it's better than new." Zero said appreciatively, patting his unblemished breastplate. "Not even a scratch."

With that, he pressed on, trying to pay more attention as he wiped the dust off his shoulders.

"I had some ideas floating around for an improved bonding agent and finally got around to trying them out." Ciel said with a hint of pride.

"That should keep me from wrecking more suits and helmets for a while." Zero noted. "Especially helmets. Thanks."

"Oh, no need to thank me." Ciel said, though her tone betrayed her joy at his appreciation. "It's about time I got to do something for you."

"She's a keeper, all right." X remarked in a hushed tone, heartened and a little amused at the way the two kept looking after each other.

Zero simply smiled. He had never expected to find himself feeling such emotions again, but the sensation was definitely not unwelcome.

"It's great how much more you can get done when you learn to delegate." Ciel admitted.

"Told you so." Cial chimed in, sounding ever-so-slightly smug.

Next to them, Axl just grinned. Despite his still recent breakdown and the sorrows he carried, it made him genuinely happy to see his friends like that.

Moments later, their path came to a halt. The next hallway seemed to be almost completely obstructed with rubble and debris.

"Most of the area in front of us has collapsed." Samus informed, having finished her scanning for the time being. "We'd have to plow through a whole lot of crap to get anywhere."

"I guess there's a reason for you not to do that thing you did outside?" Zero deduced.

"The Shine Spark needs a bit of a running start to build up a charge." Samus explained. "No room for that here. I'm not about to start tossing Power Bombs around either unless we want to bring the place down on our heads."

"Fair enough." Zero conceded. "But where do we go from here then?"

Samus pointed at a blocked doorway, where a large piece of what looked like a steel beam had broken off and jammed itself in.

X approached it and gave it a tentative tug.

"Doable, but it'll take a while."

"Good thing I brought this along then." Zero said, reaching for his belt and detaching his Z-Saber from it.

Zero ignited the blade and after taking a good look at the obstacle set about cutting it into smaller, more manageable pieces. X began to haul the pieces away, piling them against a wall where nobody would trip on them, while Samus continued to scan their surroundings.

"You two have been here before." she remarked while her suit's onboard computer mapped out the area. "Any idea where this sub-level entrance would be?"

"It's been a long time." X said. "Since the place is half collapsed and I tried my best to forget about it, your scanner would be more reliable than my memory."

"Not to mention the Nightmare Virus warped reality in the area." Zero added, still a bit baffled at the ability of concentrated data to warp both the Cyberworld and the real world simultaneously.

"Come to think of it, why do Mavericks have this habit of remodeling their bases of operations into elaborate deathtraps?" Cial wondered, her voice coming in through the radio.

"I always thought it was part of their insanity." X reasoned. "It manifests in more forms than just irrational violence."

"I don't get it." Samus remarked. "Are those Mavericks of yours terrorists, crazy or both?"

"It's not that simple." X clarified. "Some were corrupted by a virus or the Dark Elf. Others chose to act that way."

"Take Craft." Zero added. "He looked sane enough at first sight, but he played along with Weil's plan until he had the chance to take control of Ragnarok and destroy Neo Arcadia."

"Or the Guardians." X pointed out. "They thought they were doing the right thing for humanity's sake even if their actions were more than a little questionable."

"I knew there was something off about those four." Samus noted. "Like they had a weight on their backs. So why didn't you scrap them along with the rest?"

"Because we believe in second chances." X explained. "Or at least I do... and I try to convince the others to believe as well. I don't want to scrap anyone unless they prove to be irredeemable."

"Like that bastard copy." Zero added. "Completely off his rocker."

"The Guardians were never Mavericks." X reasoned. "Just people who made very bad choices. Actual Mavericks never stop to consider their actions. They just keep forcing conflict and refuse to stand down. They will force you to scrap them."

"Of course some people used the label as a handy excuse to clamp down on Reploids." Zero noted with disgust.

"I suppose some things never change." Samus muttered, rolling her eyes under the helmet. "No matter the world."

"That said, Zero has raised a very important point before." X chimed in.

"Reploid or human, it doesn't make a difference." Zero said with a scowl. "A Maverick is a Maverick. Look at that bastard Weil."

"That said… there's still much I don't understand." X added with some discomfort. "About the how and why of it. About… how some just go off the deep end even when they think they're doing the right thing."

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Zero deduced.

"I suppose at least that copy started out with good intentions." X conceded. "I still hate what he became. And that he lost it because he was trying to be me."

"You've always had a habit of overthinking things." Zero said, grabbing his old friend's shoulder. "But I'll tell you the same thing I told you all those years ago. They have no power to change who you are."

X nodded and mustered a smile, shoving those thoughts aside.

"I know."

Pleased that his words were getting through, Zero let go.

"Good."

"This guy…" Samus thought with a mixture of awe and pity. "Rock didn't overthink things so much, but they're definitely brothers. Hearts too big for their own good."

"Hold up." she said, raising her armored hand.

"More crap in the way?" Zero asked, starting to get a little frustrated at all the blockages and at how the place seemed to drag on forever.

Letting out a sigh, Samus stopped in her tracks and scanned the passageway ahead.

"Yeah, more crap on the way. Tons of it."

After a moment, she pointed in the direction of another chamber to the side.

"It looks like there's another elevator shaft not far from here… but without power we'll have to get rough with it."

"How deep?" X asked.

"A few floors." Samus said, focusing her suit's x-ray scope on an area directly underneath them. "And at the bottom there's some kind of reinforced chamber with lead lining. You know what that means."

"That somebody probably didn't want others snooping around." Zero surmised.

"Trying to restore power to that is a waste of time." Samus said, seeing through her scope that the building's power generators were in a completely different section of the building that had completely collapsed. "Let's just pry it open and slide down."

"Just how well does that thing protect you from falls?" Zero asked.

"Well enough." the Huntress retorted. "In fact, I can pretty much give gravity the finger on demand."

"Handy." X noted. "Especially since we'll have to climb back up when we're done."

"What about those recall units of yours?" Samus pointed out.

"What, and leave you to to get back out by yourself?" X protested.

Samus let out a soft chuckle.

"Is this guy for real?"

"Pretty much." Zero said, sharing her amusement. "And not just because you're a lady."

Alerted by something, X abruptly stopped on his tracks for a moment, glancing around.

"Something wrong?" Zero asked.

"I don't know…" X said. "I… sense something..."

---

A few floors above…

"It looks like they have things well in hand here." the hooded figure remarked, glancing around, seemingly unaffected by the lack of light.

"Yeah…" the man in the red suit of armor said with a nod, before adjusting the prominent aviator shades on his face, which looked rather out of place considering how dark their surroundings were.

"So what now?" the hooded figure asked. "They're making good progress without us. We should move on to the next place."

"You've got a point." the man in red said. "The longer we stick around, the more likely somebody will spot us. Especially since her scope can see through solid objects."

"That's not the only thing I'm worried about." the hooded figure said. "Or have you forgotten?"

The man in red winced and loudly snapped his fingers.

"Crap…"

"Why are you so bent on avoiding the Huntress anyway?" the hooded figure asked.

"Why are you so bent on avoiding the girls?" the man in red retorted without skipping a beat before once again tightening his scarf around his face.

"Touche." the hooded figure conceded.

"Whatever." the cloaked figure grumbled from a distance, picking up the pace. "There's something I've got to get out of the way. You two can just wait outside."

"Hey, wait up!" the hooded figure protested, rushing after him.

"I didn't ask you two to come down here." the cloaked figure retorted.

"I insist." the man in red remarked, quickly catching up.

The cloaked figure scoffed, rushing ahead and leaving the other two behind.

"This was not part of the plan…" the hooded figure nervously hissed.

"Forget about it." the man in red said, shaking his head. "You should know better than trying to talk sense into him by now. Let's just wait upstairs."

"You're a little too calm about this." the hooded figure remarked. "What if…"

"Don't worry kid. I know exactly what he's doing. He's not as harebrained as he looks."

"I'm beginning to wonder why I let you two rope me into this…" the hooded figure grumbled.

---

Moments later…

The shaft in question was built into a wall, much like a typical cabin elevator, with the main difference being that it was concealed by the architecture and reinforced like a bank vault door. While X and Samus busied themselves examining the access hatch and prying it open, Zero, felt that something was amiss.

He found himself wandering into an adjacent room, in somewhat better condition than most they had crossed on their way. In ages past, it seemed to have been a smaller experiment room, containing stereotypical laboratory gear.

"Am I going paranoid… or is there someone else here?"

He could hear nothing suspicious or see anyone else, but in the darkness even his superhuman sight could miss something.

"Focus…"

On a small table near a corner of the room, he spotted a workstation that might even be in working condition. Before he could approach it though, something else distracted him.

Through the corner of his eye, Zero caught a faint bluish light. Looking in its direction, he briefly spotted the telltale glow of a holographic emitter in an adjacent chamber.

"Hmm?"

With X and Samus still engrossed in their task, oblivious to his absence, Zero headed in the direction of the glow. What he saw left him clenching his fists.

"You…" he growled at the sight of another of Dr. Wily's holograms, staring.

The holographic image of his deranged creator simply laughed and faded out. Then, further ahead, another emitter lit up, showing the same face he had grown to hate even more than Sigma.

"More of your stupid games, old man?" he growled, reaching for his Z-Saber and rushing forward.

Completely focused on the object of his ire, he failed to notice the figure in black, silently dashing in his direction wrapped in a ragged cloak.

With a punch to the side of his face, Zero found himself tumbling on the floor before quickly straightening himself.

"The hell?!" he hissed, quickly igniting his Z-Saber.

He heard the rustling of the cloak coming from behind him and quickly spun around, swinging the blade horizontally. His assailant, however, seemed to have anticipated that, and all Zero accomplished was cutting off a small portion of the cloak.

"Quit screwing around, whoever you are!" Zero growled, unimpressed by the display.

In lieu of response, the cloaked figure dashed around again, reappearing behind Zero… and abruptly yanking his ponytail.

"Son of a…!" Zero hissed, spinning around and swinging his clenched left fist, striking only air.

His assailant dashed again, this time sweeping horizontally in front of Zero, and raised his right hand. Zero caught the telltale hum of a Buster being activated and raised his Saber just in time to parry a volley of small black energy projectiles, deflecting them into the walls and the ancient computer consoles mounted on them.

To his surprise, instead of breaking stride, the figure dashed straight at him.

Zero felt a hand gripping his neck and lifting him off the floor. Underneath the cloak, he saw a pair of glowing crimson eyes, staring intently at him. It was too dark to see much more, but something about his assailant felt strangely familiar.

"The hell do you want?" Zero growled in defiance, still clutching his Saber and ready to hack away at his assailant's arm depending on the answer.

"Humph." the figure retorted before unceremoniously tossing him back.

To Zero's confusion, the figure then turned around to leave, but before exiting the chamber he glanced over his shoulder and let out a parting shot.

"Not bad. But you really should do something about that stupid hair."

"What…?"

And with that, his assailant vanished into the shadows, leaving Zero rather perplexed. Instead of blindly rushing in search of the elusive figure, however, he decided to rejoin the others.

"Asshole was toying with me." he fumed. "But who was that?"

---

Still oblivious to Zero's situation, X and Samus continued their work. The hatch had resisted valiantly despite its age, however its makers had not accounted for the weaponry of a legendary Maverick Hunter and the heiress of the Chozo.

Eventually giving up on a subtle approach, Samus planted several small adhesive circular bombs around the frame, each of them with a purple blinking light, then both of them backed away. With a wireless command from her suit, she detonated them simultaneously, weakening the metal, then she raised her arm cannon and froze the metal with an icy energy blast from it.

"Any more surprises I should know about?" X asked.

"Watch this." she answered, clearly enjoying herself.

With that, she jumped into the air and curled into a ball with superhuman agility. As she did so, the surface of the suit was energized again, making her resemble some sort of unhinged glowing wrecking ball.

With a rather absurd degree of control, she rammed into the hatch, and the battered metal finally gave way, breaking off its hinges. As she made a surprisingly graceful landing, X set about prying the loosened metal pieces away, revealing a hole large enough for them to descend without issues.

"What did I miss?" Zero chimed in, stepping back in the chamber.

"We're making progress." Samus announced, moving in to help X. "But where were you?"

"I guess I got a little sidetracked." Zero said, still rather perplexed by the strange encounter.

Samus took the lead and slid down the shaft, with the palm of her gauntlet pressed against the vertical surface so as to make a more controlled descent. X and Zero were quick to follow, doing much of the same. They'd had more than their share of long drops abruptly ending in spike pits and did not care to repeat the experience.

After a few long moments, the trio found themselves standing before a large reinforced door. The small chamber they had landed in looked like a small storeroom, but whatever items it once contained had been long reduced to slag and the crates and shelves were in pieces.

"Mad scientists really love their doors and locks." Zero said, rolling his eyes.

"This one is going to take a bit more force than the hatch." Samus said, taking a good look at it.

"Or a bigger dose of explosives…" X said with a wince. "At the risk of bringing the place down on us."

"Talk to me." Ciel chimed in through the radio. "You've run into another obstacle?"

"A big metal door." Zero said. "I don't think we've got anything strong enough here to cut through it."

"Actually, you do." Ciel answered, sounding rather pleased with herself.

Something clicked in Zero's mind and he reached for his Z-Saber once again.

"You mean…"

"Yes, I squeezed in some time to make those modifications we talked about while I was working on your suit." the petite scientist explained. "I guess I forgot to mention it since I went right to sleep after finishing."

"Well then…" Zero said with a grin, much like that of a child unwrapping a new toy. "Don't mind if I do."

He located the switch on the metallic cylinder and found a new tiny button that he did not recognize. As soon as he pressed it, the blade ignited, but instead of the usual green blade it emitted a bluish, tighter one.

"That thing is strong enough to melt through a slab of Titanium X." Ciel informed through the radio. "You can widen the beam if you need, but I thought it was safer to have a tight one for the default setting."

Zero nodded, though she couldn't see him, and thrust the blade into the frame. After some brief resistance, it pierced through, heating the surrounding metal until it started glowing with an angry shade of orange.

"Guess she really is a genius." Samus remarked.

"You shouldn't underestimate her just because she's in her teens." Zero advised, lowering his voice as he set about cutting out a section of the door. "Some of the things I've seen her do..."

"I guess I shouldn't be so surprised." Samus conceded. "I did start my training when I was younger than her."

"You what?" X muttered, aghast at the notion.

The Huntress nodded, her tone a little more somber.

"After my birth family was wiped out along with the rest of my colony, the Chozo wanted to make sure I'd be able survive out there on my own. But this isn't the place to be talking about that."

---

Outside, a good distance from the lab entrance…

"Well?" the man in red asked, standing there with crossed arms.

"He's clean." the cloaked figure said.

"Told you so." the man in red answered, sounding a little smug.

"Had to see it for myself." the cloaked figure grumbled.

"Really?" the hooded figure remarked. "All that just to check for traces?"

"I don't have to explain anything to you kid." the cloaked figure grumbled. "Why are you still here anyway?"

"You may be a bit of an asshole but I need to see this through to the end, just like you." the hooded figure retorted. "Besides, didn't you drag me out here to be your guide?"

This seemed to amuse the cloaked figure.

"I guess maybe you do have some steel after all."

"That's enough, both of you." the man in red said. "We've got a long way to go."

With that, the figure in red and his cloaked companion started heading out.

"Coming?" the figure in red asked.

"You two go on ahead…" the hooded figure said, once again glancing in the direction of the spot where the twins where still waiting. "I need a minute to center myself."

Finally left alone for a moment, the hooded figure sighed and stood there for a drawn out moment. Eventually, he sighed again, then finally pried his gaze away.

"I guess I'll see you around."

---

Meanwhile, the twins were becoming somewhat restless.

"It's been two hours." Ciel noted, checking her watch. "Maybe we should-"

"No." Axl said, shaking his head with an unusually serious expression.

"Why not?" Cial asked.

"Because this isn't like that other time with the buried library." Axl elaborated. "This is Gate's lab."

"And?" Cial insisted.

Axl scowled.

"I've never been there myself, but I heard the stories… and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you two on my watch."

It was definitely baffling for the twins to see Axl so serious after witnessing his prior antics firsthand. This was something they would need time to get used to and, frankly speaking, a source of concern.

"Axl…" Ciel said. "What exactly happened to you?"

"You don't wanna know." Axl retorted with a pained look.

Cial wanted to insist, even argue, but something about his expression left her at a loss for words, much like during X's emotional episode after moving into his new body. Instead, she took a deep breath.

"Listen carefully." she finally said after a moment of hesitation. "I shall say this only once. It may not be my business… and you may be frankly infuriating at times… but I can tell you are not well. I will not pry, but should you change your mind…"

"The same goes for me." Ciel added. "You know you can talk to us if you need."

"I'll remember that." Axl said with a nod. "But can we drop it for now? Please?"

---

A few more levels down, the trio came upon what looked like a vehicle repair bay.

"What's this doing all the way down here?" Samus wondered.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this place had some more hidden exits that I missed back then." X reasoned. "I don't even recognize the route we came in through."

Then his gaze wandered until he spotted something rather familiar. In a moment of unrestrained curiosity, he dashed towards it.

Zero's gaze followed his old friend's path and he realized the reason for the sudden excitement.

"Is that what I think it is?"

The object in question was made of metal, heavily armored, with a legged frame and an open cockpit at the top.

"A Ride Armor, yes." X said, looking a little giddy. "One of the old Hawk line if I'm not mistaken."

Through the light of the LED flashlights built onto the surface of his armor, Zero noticed that the construct's right arm was still in its socket, ending in a hand with a compact rocket launcher attached to the wrist, but the left arm and the rear thrusters were missing.

"I don't remember seeing any of these around the last time we were here." X mused, circling around to examine the construct's condition. "Then again, I wasn't exactly sightseeing."

X went silent for a moment, his excitement evident even in such dim lighting. His mind was already racing with ideas about what to do with such an unexpected find.

"I didn't expect someone like you to appreciate what's basically a walking battle tank." Samus remarked.

"Don't get the wrong idea." X said. "Ride Armors got me out of a few sticky situations back in the day, but it's not their combat specs that won me over."

"Oh?"

"It's the added mobility and speed." X elaborated. "This model line in particular could fly."

"I guess I can see where you're coming from…" Samus conceded. "After all, I was raised by space bird people."

"The earlier models had no hands, only rocket launchers." X mused, examining the arm that was still attached. "They rectified this later by adding actual hands."

He paced around the Ride Armor, inspecting its condition, and his smile widened.

"Now imagine what we could do with a hundred of these, even just a dozen. Imagine how much progress we'd make with the settlement's expansion or setting up new ones out there."

"I suppose." Zero conceded. "Not to mention the boost to the Resistance's firepower. Just don't try to talk Ciel into building a giant version."

X grinned, finding the presence of spirit to make a light-hearted retort.

"Well, seeing how I'm the reasonable one here, maybe she would listen."

"You, reasonable?" Zero scoffed. "Cool story, bro."

X smiled, but quickly focused his attention on the task at hand once again.

"We'll have to figure out how to get this out of here after we've found what we came here for."

"My suit has an auto-map function." Samus informed. "I'll just mark the room and we can come back later."

Eventually, they found another chamber where an old set of mainframes was arrayed.

"Well, I'm not a mad scientist, but these look important." Samus remarked. "But we'll have to get them running before we can get anything out of them."

"I could try to recreate one of my weapons from memory…" X pondered. "But if I get the voltage wrong I could accidentally fry them…"

"Or we could use this field generator someone left lying around." Zero pointed out, approaching the object in question. "Look, it even has a charge after all this time."

X scanned the room and soon found what looked like an access terminal with an old office chair set in front of it. Next to the keyboard, he found something he had never expected to see again.

"No doubt about it." X said with a mixture of hope and anxiety. "She was here."

Lying there was a hairpin of a familiar design. Carefully, as if afraid of breaking it, X held it up between his thumb and index finger and started getting misty-eyed.

"I remember that." Zero said with the hint of a smile. "You wanted to get her something but you had no idea what…"

"And you ended up dragging me through that huge mall for most of the day." X added, wiping his eyes. "She'll probably want this back."

Samus watched their exchange in silence, unsure what to say, and made herself busy turning the generator back on. With a low hum, the terminal screen came to life, prompting for a password.

"Considering who this stuff belonged to, I can take a few guesses about the password." X thought out loud.

With a few deft keystrokes, the password was accepted and the system unlocked.

"How did you...?" Zero asked.

"Even someone as clever as Gate had attachments once." X said. "Just like me."

The desktop was rather messy, but some files had been left in a prominent location, as if meant for him to find.

"More recordings…" he muttered. "But wait…"

As he brought up the file system and start sifting through the contents, a growing unease took root in the back of his mind.

"Where is it…?"

A few minutes later, he was forced to admit defeat.

"The Nightmare Virus research data isn't here."

"What?" Zero intervened.

"I guess we'll know what happened soon enough." X said, playing the first of the video files. "It looks like somebody left these here for me."

To his dismay, X found another recording of Alia, but she looked crestfallen, with her usually impeccable hair disheveled and evident signs of fatigue. What bothered him the most though was the look on her face, moist with fresh tears.

She was also not alone. A tall figure was standing strategically outside the camera's range, but the shadow it cast wast still visible.

"Pull yourself together." the familiar male voice they had heard in the previous recording said from off-screen. He sounded tense, but like he was making a deliberate effort to speak softly. "If we falter now, this will all have been for nothing."

"I know…" Alia said, before letting out a sigh. "But…"

The unseen figure stayed silent for a moment, letting her vent.

"Offering himself up as a sacrifice to clean up my mess…" Alia lamented. "This is all my fault!"

"Now, now." the male voice said, trying to be soothing but clearly uncomfortable by the display. "You know better than that. It will take more than that to get rid of him."

"But why?" Alia lamented. "Why did it have to be him?"

"You know why. It is his nature. No. Simply what he chose to be."

Alia sighed, covering her face with her hands.

"Listen to me, Alia." the male voice said, still staying strategically outside the camera's reach. "It's not like he's gone. Not for good anyway."

"And what happens if someone gets him out of there?" Alia countered, her hands shaking. "How can I possibly choose between the world and him?"

"We'll deal with that when we get there. After all, everything that is sealed will return sooner or later."

Alia said nothing.

"And do not forget." the male voice continued, stressed and fatigued, but trying to stay composed. "There are still others counting on you. Others who can still be saved if we hurry."

Alia looked like she was about to say something, but then she straightened up and started at the camera, looking absolutely mortified.

"I left that thing running!" she hissed.

"Alia, calm down."

"I guess there's no point in leaving these logs anymore…" she muttered, sinking into the chair. "But if things somehow change... If he somehow breaks free and comes looking for me... I don't want him to see me like this."

And with that, the recording abruptly ended.

"That guy again…" Zero remarked.

"He could be using some kind of modulator, but the voice still feels familiar." X said.

"It does." Zero said.

X was beginning to harbor some suspicions about the entire situation.

"You don't think…?"

The two exchanged glances for a moment.

"Who knows?" Zero pondered. "He sounded like he knew the place… and like he wanted to keep Alia out of here. But… how?"

Unable to find any answers to those questions, X opened the next recording and found it to be voice only.

"On the off chance…" the same male voice said. "That someone else stumbles across this place… Turn back. Forget you've ever been here. The secrets of the Nightmare Virus are not meant for you or anyone else."

The voice then let out a drawn out sigh.

"And if you happen to break out on your own, X…" the voice added in a considerably harsher tone, causing the Hunter in question to stiffen with a start. "I am rather cross at you right now, even if you were simply being true to form again."

With that, the second recording ended.

There was one more recording left, which presented yet another surprise.

"What's the point?" Alia muttered, sinking into the chair.

"It will give you something to do while I get things ready." the male voice answered, still off-camera. "Go on."

Alia sighed and gripped the chair's armrests.

"This is ridiculous."

The male voice sighed as well, but managed to stay calm.

"Just use your imagination. Or faith. Or whatever it takes to keep you going until this is over."

"I never thought I'd hear you of all people talking about faith." Alia noted, glancing over her shoulder. "But fine…"

With that, she cleared her throat and turned back to the camera.

"X…" she hesitantly said. "We've heard the news. About what you did. I… still don't know how we're going to get you out of there, but… I'm not leaving you like that. We'll find a way to clean up this mess."

She sighed again, struggling for words.

"My… stubborn associate has a point though. This data is too dangerous to leave lying around. So we're taking it with us. Most of the places where we could put it to use got wrecked in the chaos. I still don't know where we're headed next. We'll have to find any more surviving Hunters and go from there."

She paused again and wiped some moisture off her eyes.

"You'll probably never see this recording, but talking as if you were here and could actually hear me… it does help. I guess my colleague is right about more than I give him credit for."

She took a deep breath.

"You never gave up on the world. I'm not about to give up on you either. I guess the mission just got a bit more complicated, but I won't rest until I've corrected my mistakes. There are still some Reploids we can save from the Dark Elf's madness."

She stared at the camera with a wistful smile and slowly stood up.

"I… we'll talk later… face to face. One way or another."

And with that, the recording ended, leaving X rather distraught.

"You OK?" Zero asked, placing a hand on his old friend's shoulder.

"I really don't deserve her…" X muttered. "Even after I tried her patience so much, she still didn't give up..."

"It's not up to you to decide." Zero retorted, shaking his head. "But when we find her, you'd damn better make it up to her."

X took a few moments to calm himself down and then nodded.

"Definitely. No more excuses."

With that, he shut the terminal down, tucked away the hairpin in one of the pockets of his tunic and stood up, noticing that Samus was watching him intently.

"I had you pegged for a romantic type, but this…" she remarked.

"Learn from me then." X said, still shaken from the recordings. "If someone in your life means the world to you, tell them. Don't let the days and the years slip between your fingers."

"A bit too late for that." Samus retorted with a sigh.

"Huh?"

"Another time. But come on. Creepy basements aren't the place to be talking about old regrets."

---

Hours later...

As X, with the help of Zero, the Guardians and Axl, hauled the components of the Ride Armor and all the tools and spare parts they could find through the workshop's side door, the Radiant Shard stirred… and the presence inside laughed.

"What?" X asked, glancing in its direction.

"Ah. Parallel evolution. What are the odds?"

"Huh?"

His curiosity piqued, X set down the extra arm he had been carrying over his shoulder and stepped closer to the workbench where Cial had laid the artifact down for further analysis.

"My original? He had one of those. It was magitek powered and the design was obviously different, but the general concept is the same."

"Oh? What was it like?"

At this point the entity was actually sounding a little giddy as it fondly reminisced.

"Photon weaponry. Two arm mounted machine guns and a cannon in the torso. Later we did some tweaking and gave it the ability to shift into a flight configuration."

"Maybe I should write that down for later…" X mused.

"And then there was the golem core."

"The what now?"

"Oh, something we added at one point. I suppose you could think of it as a magitek based AI. Much more basic than mine, mind you. It couldn't even speak."

"So what could it do exactly?" X asked, going from intrigued to fascinated. His task momentarily forgotten, he sat on a bench, drinking in the words being spoken directly into his mind.

The presence laughed again, softly, and when it spoke again its tone was rather nostalgic.

"It was like having a giant metal dog. I wonder what happened to it while I was gone."

"A dog, huh?" X mused. "Come to think of it… I wonder what happened to Rush."

The presence paused for a moment and let out a sigh.

"I realize these are not really my memories. My maker may have crafted me in his image, but I am not him. Still, I do hope things turned out all right."

"You mentioned that others would create such Shards at the end of their career or after completing a milestone."

"Yes… and my original was about to embark on a very dangerous journey alone."

"Alone?"

"He lost far too many of his companions over the years… and those who remained lacked the strength to accompany him."

"But where was he going?"

"Out to vanquish two ultimate Primals." the presence elaborated, with a mixture of anger and disdain. "The False Mother and the Devouring Beast. False gods who tore our reality apart in the distant past and continued to manipulate living beings for their own ends."

"Does this have something to do with that Altima?"

"No. I will not utter their names here, but one was simply another beast of boundless greed, like almost any Primal."

"And the other?"

"The other… was more insidious and detestable in her own way." the presence added, contempt dripping from his every word. "Pretending to care for us like her own children while heaping lie upon lie and steering us for her own ends. She went so far as to claim that the abilities our kind possess were gifts from her."

"It sounds personal."

"It is. For all her platitudes, she only acted when it suited her. My original also saw the result of allowing her false light to spread unchecked. An entire world flooded by it, tethering on the brink of oblivion. The false light corrupted everything it touched."

The presence paused for a moment to calm itself and then spoke again.

"Our light comes from us. Anyone who claims to be its sole purveyor or its origin is a liar."

"Having another of your conversations?" Cial chimed in, though she already knew the answer.

"Something like that." X said with a nod. "Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh?"

"Ciel mentioned that Neo Arcadia never really mass produced Ride Armors." X elaborated.

"Yes. And?"

"Considering they had the resources and probably the designs, why didn't they go down that path?"

The former Head Administrator's lips curled into the hint of a grin.

"Officially? They were deemed a waste of resources. Too inefficient."

"And unofficially?" X asked, noting her choice of words.

"A certain copy could never quite get the hang of them." Cial explained. "So in a fit of rage after crashing one too many test models, he basically scrapped all the plans for their production."

"That sounds... petty." X remarked. "Then again, he was prideful and arrogant. I guess if he couldn't handle them, nobody else was allowed to."

"That should have been one of the warning signs." Cial bitterly recalled. "But the people wanted so badly to believe that they had a worthy successor to your legacy that they overlooked issues such as that… and over time they began to grant him more and more power."

"I caught glimpses of it while I was still holding the Dark Elf's seal together." X said. "They were so desperate for a stable present that they didn't think of the future they were creating."

"You are more right than you know." Ciel chimed in, taking a break from supervising the others to join the conversation next to her sister. "That self-centered mindset that only Neo Arcadia mattered and that the outside world should be ignored? That didn't start with Weil or the copy."

Ciel let out a sigh and then continued.

"With you gone, people started forgetting your message. Mom told me a few stories from her and Grandma's time. A lot of people despaired, but others became cold and selfish. It was all downhill from there."

"People started thinking they were better than those outside the walls." Cial recalled, having heard the same stories. "Then some decided that nothing outside had any value. They scrapped the plans to restart the space program or reclaim the wilderness. After the copy took over, they only ventured outside to hunt Reploids or the Resistance or to claim resources."

"But didn't they realize that was unsustainable?" X pointed out, baffled by the notion. "Sooner or later they were going to run out of space for all those people or to grow the food they needed."

"Indeed." Cial said with a nod. "Not to mention the energy crisis that was used as a pretext for the… oppression of Reploids. I can tell you that the copy wasted much more energy than what was actually reclaimed. Especially on those ridiculous airships."

"Unbelievable…" X muttered.

"Sure, there was the superiority complex." Cial explained. "But a lot of people were afraid. The notion of moving outside the walls and safety of Neo Arcadia was considered unthinkable. Fearful people are irrational and easier to manipulate."

This incensed X. He had avoided discussing the politics of Neo Arcadia since his return because he was simply glad to reconnect with his old friends and meet his new ones. He'd also had the feeling it was going to give him a headache. Touching on the subject, he found himself unable to back away, much like someone watching the aftermath of a train wreck.

"And they thought getting some big guns was going to fix that?" X asked, shaking his head. "Did they even have a plan other than sitting behind their walls?"

"They were planning to expand." Cial said, rolling her eyes. "Upward with taller buildings or downward, into the underground."

"That's the exact opposite of what I wanted!" X protested, planting his palm on his face. "Neo Arcadia was meant to be a shelter for everyone to grow stronger before setting out and rebuilding the rest of the world. Not a bunker for them to sit in and ignore the world's problems! What they did while I was gone wasn't just immoral, but also incredibly stupid."

"It was stupid." Cial said. "Stupid and unsustainable. There were people like our mother and the organizers of the Class of Fifty who saw that things needed to change, but after that project was scrapped and the copy officially took charge, it was out of their hands."

Catching himself, X let out a weary sigh.

"I'm glad someone fought it, at least. Even considering how things ended, I don't even want to imagine a world where Neo Arcadia had its way."

"It could never have ended peacefully." Cial noted. "For my part, I am glad that Zero and the Resistance were able to save some lives."

She then paused for a moment, before her dour expression brightened up ever-so-slightly.

"Come to think of it, we have a prime opportunity here. After all, you might be considered the founder of Neo Arcadia. Or one of them at least."

"And with Neige's interview coming up, you can set the record straight." Ciel agreed.

"Come to think of it…" Cial added. "We know that Neo Arcadia was not always a disaster waiting to happen. How did things go so well during your time?"

"It's not like I did anything special." X said, shaking his head. "After we beat Sigma on the moon, the world was just a mess. He was one of the major causes, but there were more than a few other problems."

"I remember the old documentaries." Ciel said with a nod. "Large portions of the Earth were reduced to ruins or polluted beyond belief."

"I just tried to bring people together." X said. "Help them make a fresh start. With no more Maverick uprisings to put down, I threw myself into that with the same dedication. I couldn't be everywhere and do everything, but I tried... and I got help from some of the brightest minds of the time."

"It went a little too well." Zero added, having chosen that time to go check up on them. "You ended up stepping down from your position at the Hunters to get the place up and running. Maybe you tried to do so much people were lost without you."

"I guess that eases any concerns I might still have about your memory." Ciel noted.

"Yeah, it's all back." Zero said, tapping his forehead. "For better and for worse."

Then he turned to face X.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?"

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"You know what I mean." Zero said with a sigh. "Picking at old wounds after the day you've had."

"Might as well get all the questions out of the way so I can move on with my life." X said.

"Fair enough." Zero conceded. "If you go into one of your moods again, I'll just have to give you a good shake."

"Tough love, huh?" Ciel remarked with a grin.

"I wouldn't put it quite that way." Zero said, surprised once again by her snarky vein. "But sometimes a softy like him needs to hear some things he doesn't like."

"Yeah, I know." X said. "I appreciate how you've always had my back since I was a rookie Hunter. You don't get nearly enough recognition."

"Don't care about recognition." Zero retorted with a shrug. "Never did."

"Still, disappearing every time someone wanted to give us a public award ceremony was a dick move." X pointed out in mock outrage.

"You handled those well enough on your own." Zero retorted with a mischievous grin.

"I'd rather face ten rampaging Mechaniloids than stand in front of crowds and cameras again." X grumbled.

"Fine." Zero said. "The next time they come I'll just grab a broom."

"A broom?" X asked, getting the feeling he was being led on.

"Yeah. A broom." Zero said. "I'll just wave it around and shout."

Zero then changed his tone, doing a terrible impression of a woman with a strange accent.

"You listen here! He is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy! Now go away!"

"You really are a jerk sometimes." X said, playfully punching him in the shoulder while trying to hold back his laughter.

"I don't get it…" Cial muttered.

"We'll drop by the base later." Zero said with a smile. "Check if there was a copy in the movie section."

"But looking at the here and now." Ciel added with a smile. "I'm glad we're all moving forward together."

"Maybe I'll never be able to completely get over all of that." X pondered. "But wondering what might have been won't change things."

Finding the bench increasingly comfortable after such a long, mentally exhausting day, X allowed himself another moment of reflection.

"But I think I know exactly why that copy's actions made me angry in a way not even Sigma could."

"I know where this is going." Zero said. "Because he was supposed to be a perfect replica of you?"

X nodded.

"For many years I watched too many Reploids lose their minds. Since all Reploids were based on my design, I wondered if the technology was too advanced for Dr. Cain to replicate or if there was a flaw hidden deep inside me."

In the back of the shed, Fefnir used his monstrous strength to haul an engine block with his bare hands. Axl suddenly zoomed past him, a little too close for comfort, carrying smaller components in boxes and catching him by surprise.

"You little..." the Guardian hissed in annoyance, momentarily losing his balance.

He quickly tried to straighten himself again, but the engine block slipped from his grasp and landed squarely on his right foot.

X and the others glanced in his direction. Before they could say anything, however, Fefnir brushed them off.

"I've had worse." he hissed between clenched teeth.

As he prepared to lift the object again and finish hauling it to the intended destination, Axl zoomed by again, carrying more boxes.

"Knock that off!" Fefnir growled, glaring daggers at him.

Leviathan set the power cells she had been carrying down on the nearest workbench, then stopped in place for a moment before reaching out and catching Axl's ear mid-sprint.

"You. Slow down." she scolded.

"Sorry." he said, looking genuinely surprised that she had caught him.

Seeing the downcast look in his eyes up close, missing the usual mischievous glimmer, bothered her for some reason she could not fathom.

"Damnit… I'd almost rather have the clown back than seeing this."

Prying herself away, she headed outside to help her siblings.

"Actually, we should probably-" X tried to say.

"Don't worry about it." Fefnir grumbled, sounding surprisingly considerate. "We know that trip gave you even more crap to think about."

With that, he continued on his way.

"I've never seen Fefnir acting like that." Ciel noted.

"You're telling me." Zero added. "It's almost creepy."

After a short awkward silence, they resumed their conversation.

"After all this time, what is your conclusion?" Cial asked.

"Well…" X said, managing to smile before nodding in Zero's direction. "This guy here eventually got me to accept that people are people. Nobody has all the answers."

"Great." Zero jokingly remarked. "It only took you what, a hundred years?"

"That said, my attachments have always been my weakness." X mused. "And my strength."

"You've always been a sap." Zero teased. "But when things get tough you always pull through."

"And this guy here…" X added, grinning as he turned to the twins and nodded in Zero's direction again. "He's almost as soft as I am. He's just better at hiding it."

"Better than having a one track mind like that asshole Vile." Zero scoffed.

"Wherever he is, I hope he stays there." X said with a scowl.

Seeing that Axl and the Guardians were hauling in the last of the components, Ciel stood up.

"Well then, I'm going to start going over that Ride Armor you brought back."

"It is a good model." Cial noted. "And maybe the schematics for other variants survived elsewhere."

"I'll have to bring that up with Thaddeus next time I go see him." Ciel said.

X stood up as well and stretched his limbs. Despite being rather excited at the prospect of having a Ride Armor to restore, he would need some time to digest the events of the day.

A sudden urge seized him and he stepped outside. Another day was nearing its end and as he watched the reddening sky, he allowed himself a very human indulgence, sitting down on a patch of grass.

---

Moments later, X heard a rustling, and looked over his shoulder to see Cial.

"Is something else on your mind?" X asked, slowly learning to read her moods.

"That artifact of yours still puzzles me." she admitted, plopping down next to him. "I am not lacking for clarity of purpose, but I still cannot speak to the entity inside."

"I suppose it may be a bit easier for me since I had already opened myself to that power without realizing it." X mused. "But I get the feeling that's not all."

"Perhaps. Perhaps I am still being held back by remorse. Or perhaps it is tied to the fact that… I do not form connections to others as easily as my sister… or as you."

"You seem to be doing just fine with us." X countered. "And with Axl."

"You say the most outrageous things sometimes." she scoffed.

Seeing the amused smile on his face, she eventually relented ever-so-slightly.

"I will admit that there is more to him than the buffoon he tries to play. But do not get the wrong idea."

She then sighed, pausing for a moment to grasp for the right words.

"I meant in the broader sense. Bonds and attachments in general. But not only that."

"Then what?"

"Projecting the presence you all do. I am an organizer, not a leader. A silent workhorse at best."

X shook his head.

"There's nothing wrong with not liking the spotlight. I don't much care for it myself, even if the world has other plans for me half the time."

The crimson sky, the silence broken only by the occasional just of wind and Ciel's excited squeals from inside the shed and the lingering mental fatigue lulled X into a tranquil state. With no more errands to run for the day and the next council meeting weeks away, he allowed himself to relax and reclined on the grass.

"Let me tell you what I think." he continued.

"Please do."

"I think this isn't just about getting the glowing space rock to talk to you. I think this is about the way you handle your feelings... and what you believe about yourself."

"That power does stir things in me that I had left undisturbed for a long time." Cial conceded. "Perhaps past events created a blockage of sorts and now…"

"The dam is cracking and you feel a bit lost?" X deduced. "I'm no doctor and I don't have the whole picture, but you still have some things to work out like the rest of us."

"It sounds ridiculously simple when put into words, does it not?" Cial mused with a sad smile.

"There's a difference between knowing something and feeling it." X said with a shrug. "Recognizing the issue is the first step."

"But I'll say this much." he added. "You're no horse."

It was a simple, innocent remark, but it definitely stirred something, possibly due to who it was coming from. Finding herself at a loss for a retort, she simply sat there.

"But you must have realized by now." X added. "That absolute self-control you try to put on display isn't helping anyone, least of all you."

Deep inside, she knew he was right, but she still tried to play coy.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Maybe you're spending too much effort and energy in keeping that up? Why not try being a little more honest about your thoughts and feelings?"

Cial sighed and stared at him with a conflicted expression.

"Ah. The thing is, sometimes I fear that if I were to let it all out… I would not be able to stop the outpouring."

"I've been there before." X said. "Trust me, bottling things up ends badly."

Something about Cial's expression reminded him of the strange boy and his suit of armor, and he had a good idea why.

"That suit is a shell, like the mask she wears. Both of them are wounded in a way… and hide that wound in their own ways. Funny how both of them ended up crossing my path."

If he were to be completely honest, the boy's single-minded dedication to his strange cause struck an uncomfortable chord, reminding X of his own past excesses.

"If I'd fully awakened to this power before I hadthe maturity and emotional grounding to handle it… that could have been me."

He then abruptly sat up, the spark of an idea going off in his mind.

"Masks..."

"I'd like you to try something." he said, looking at Cial. "A little exercise."

Seeing her quizzical look, he elaborated.

"You can be expressive when you want to. In your own clever, snarky way."

"And?"

"Why not build on that? Is there something you need to get off your chest here and now? Nobody else is here and my lips are sealed."

Cial paused for a moment, pondering this, then reluctantly nodded.

"Fine."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Cial?" X called out.

Her eyes abruptly snapped open and she opened her mouth, as if trying to force as many words out as she could before clamming up again.

"How is this for honesty then? I love my mother and sister. I wish the old man would stop shutting himself away and actually be a part of our lives."

"Good." X said encouragingly. "Go on."

"All of you are… important to me." she continued, looking just a tiny bit flustered. "Yes, even the buffoon, but I'll be damned if I say that to his face."

Without needing further encouragement, she continued, her words taking a turn for the slightly awkward.

"And another thing. It frustrates me to no end how half the people around me act when gripped by romantic affection. It defies my comprehension. Seeing my sister so happy gladdens me, but when I look at you, or Leviathan… I feel like weeping."

She then froze momentarily.

"In fact… something about Axl's recent behavior reminds me of-"

"Better?" X asked, unwittingly derailing her train of thought.

"A little." Cial admitted, looking as though she had taken a heavy burden off her back.

X smiled again.

"I'm glad."

The fact that he and Zero were still able to smile like that despite everything the world had thrown at them was another source of confusion and hope for her. Even on days when she was feeling particularly grumpy, spending time around them, or Ciel and Alouette would swiftly change her mood.

"I am turning into a sap like them… Or… maybe I am simply going back to how I was before that whole blasted mess."

"Just… do not expect me to make a habit of it." she quickly said, trying to put her guard back up. "Not yet."

"Fair enough." X conceded with a smile. "We've made good progress for now."

"I will hold you to your word." she said, pointing at him.

"Lips are sealed." X repeated himself. "But what was that about Axl?"

"Don't push your luck, mister." she retorted in mock indignation.

"I know, he can be a bit of a handful and his sense of humor is a bit weird."

"Understatement of the century." she scoffed, though without a trace of irritation.

"But he has a big heart… and he's been through a lot."

"I know. But it sounds like there is more to it. In fact, that abrupt change in his attitude… I do not like it. It almost makes me miss his usual antics."

X sighed again. The subject was still painful for him as well, but he had spent enough time around the twins to know they could be as stubborn as him.

"None of like seeing him that way." X lamented. "What he needs right now is patience and compassion."

Realizing it was almost a little too quiet, Cial looked over her shoulder, staring through one of the shed's windows, and then glanced around, but found no sign of Axl.

"Where is he anyway?" she wondered.

X checked his internal clock.

"At this hour, he's probably off to spend some time with Alouette and Croire. Those two can't get enough of him."

"There is no accounting for taste, I suppose." she remarked, though X had grown accustomed enough to her to know she wasn't being serious.

"She goes on about how annoying he is, but she does care." X noticed, amused and heartened. "I guess he's like that bratty brother you can't really stay mad at."

Cial checked her watch, a well-worn but lovingly cared for relic that had been handed down to her by a certain older scientist, and frowned.

"It looks like the day just flew on by. I should probably take another look at that artifact later. With your help perhaps I can find a way for the rest of us to-"

She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the soft earth.

"Pardon me." a tall figure said with a young man's voice as it stepped around the corner of the shed.

X glanced in the direction of the voice, and quickly jumped to his feet in a start as the light of the setting sun cast a long winged shadow on the ground, evoking unwanted memories.

"Who's there?" he challenged.

The newcomer stepped closer, coming fully into view.

Before the two stood a tall young man, clad in a sleeveless white vest with matching fingerless gloves and armored leggings ending in a set of boots. Rather than the crimson eyes in X's memory, the stranger's soft face was decorated by a pair of vibrant emerald orbs which contrasted with the neatly cropped dark brown hair. Protruding from his back was the source of X's dread, a pair of mechanical wings with a clear clockwork motif, but fashioned from a strange substance that seemed to resemble alabaster more than metal.

"I hope I am not interrupting." the stranger said, slightly bowing his head. "I had planned to meet you in the morning but you returned sooner than anticipated."

X said nothing, standing there transfixed.

The stranger cast him a quizzical glance.

"Is something the matter?"

"Most likely those." Cial said, pointing at the wings.

"Oh." the stranger answered.

With a series of clicking noises, the wings neatly folded and disappeared into the stranger's back. As he stepped closer, they studied his features. The way the mechanical wings seemed to be a part of his body excluded the hypothesis of him being human, but with them out of the way his eyes still stood out.

"And you are?" Cial asked, better adept at concealing her surprise.

"My makers have seen fit to grace me with the name Aeon." he said, offering a hand to help her up, which she reluctantly accepted. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Noticing X's silence, he elaborated.

"I believe you were advised to expect my arrival?"

Something clicked in X's mind and, recalling their words, he visibly relaxed.

"Oh. Yes. Those two did say someone else was coming."

"They do have a habit of setting up surprises." Aeon said with a knowing smile.

"Not to be rude or anything, but…" X started to say. "What's with the wings?"

"My apologies." Aeon said earnestly. "I am still growing accustomed to this body and couldn't resist testing out them on the way here."

"Accustomed to this body?" X repeated. "Are you…?"

"Synthetic?" Aeon deduced with a smile. "Why yes. Not quite a Reploid, but close enough."

"Sure. Why not?" X thought with resignation. "So far I've seen Warriors of Light, angels, teenage geniuses, Reploid ghosts and an intergalactic bounty hunter with her AI partner. What's an alien robot on top of all that?"

He realized that he was sounding a bit like a sarcastic old geezer in his inner monologue, but given his chronological age, he allowed himself the indulgence.

"I must ask though." Aeon added. "Does my appearance disturb you?"

"I'm not terribly fond of metal wings." X remarked.

"I was not aware of that." Aeon said apologetically.

"So why wings anyway?" X asked, a little curious.

"I borrowed some elements from both my makers when designing my appearance." the synthetic being explained.

"Ah. The lady." X realized.

Cial watched the exchange, a little confused by their words.

Samus picked this time to show up, having relieved herself of her bulky armor and replaced it with a white shirt, a sleeveless brown jacket, a matching pair of short shorts and hiking boots.

"A pleasure to see you again." Aeon said, nodding in acknowledgment. "How is Adam?"

Samus stopped in her tracks and tilted her head, staring intently at him for a moment before recognition dawned on her.

"I know your voice. The shipboard AI?"

"In the synthetic flesh." Aeon said, smiling at her.

"Will someone care to fill us in?" Cial chimed in.

"Right. I was getting there." Aeon said.

He leaned back against the wall of the shed and made himself comfortable before elaborating further.

"You have already met my makers."

"Those two…" Cial realized, wondering what other surprises they might be hiding.

"Yes, those two." Aeon confirmed. "You are not the first to be perplexed by their antics, and you will not be the last."

"They created you?" Cial asked.

He nodded, and then elaborated further.

"Some of your friends have already seen a small portion of the vessel that carries them between worlds. I began my existence there, but I yearned for something more. To experience reality in a more suitable form."

"I am certain that my sister will have plenty of questions." Cial noted, though the glimmer of curiosity in her eyes did not escape the notice of the others.

"More to the point." Samus chimed in, rolling her eyes at the flowery introduction. "You're here to back us up?"

"Quite." Aeon said with a nod. "Since my makers are so often preoccupied with other affairs, I offered to support your efforts on their behalf… and act as an emergency contact should the need arise."

He then turned to X.

"I hope you do not mind this little intrusion."

"Not at all." X said, shaking his head. "I'll take all the help I can get. It's just that you're a bit chattier than... him."

"In time, I know he will break free from that cage of his own making." Aeon said with a hopeful look on his face. "But for now, I have done all that I can, and there is work to be done here."

"I hope when he does, he won't talk like that." Samus remarked.

"Well then, come right in." X said, moving to open the door. "I'll introduce you to Ciel and you can meet the others later."

---

X opened the door and glanced inside, finding Ciel busily examining every detail of the old Ride Armor while Harpuia stood next to her.

"Remarkably well preserved." the Guardian remarked. "And with enough spare parts to withstand even Fefnir's reckless piloting."

The way he stared at the machine did not escape Ciel's notice. Despite staying serious and composed most of the time, he seemed actually excited.

"I have no doubt we can get it in working condition." she said with a smile. "But since technology moves on, there's probably some room for improvement."

"Defile a classic?" Harpuia asked, aghast at the notion.

"No." Ciel clarified, shaking her head. "This one is staying as it is. By the look of it, it just needs some cleaning and tuning, and then I'm sure X will have his fun with it. But…"

"But?"

"Having a functional model as a basis means we can eventually design our own versions." Ciel continued, glancing at Harpuia. "And we'll need someone's help testing them."

"Is this another ploy to get me to move in?" he asked with a faint hint of humor in his tone.

"No." she answered honestly. "But I still think you four deserve to be part of the future we're building here."

"We're thinking about it." he said curtly. "But it looks like you have visitors, so we'll speak again later."

With that, he quietly excused himself, nodding politely at X and the others.

---

About an hour later…

"You have made remarkable progress." Aeon noted, having finished going through all the assembled notes and Alia's recorded messages.

"I've got a lot of talented people helping out." X said. "We've made more progress in the last few months than I did in the last fifty years."

"What a tale…" Aeon said, looking genuinely moved. "A search for missing kin and a lost love, beyond time."

"I guess you can put it that way…" X muttered, looking a little embarrassed.

"Is it not the truth?" Aeon asked, a little amused at his reaction.

"It is." X conceded. "I've just always been a bit low key about it. Even when I felt like screaming it to the world."

"A little too low key, from what I've heard." Samus remarked.

"Well then, one must not disappoint." Aeon said, looking rather excited. "After going through the copious amount of data you have amassed, I am certain that you are on the right track."

"So what now?" X asked.

"This body may be mobile, but it still has access to my mainframe's full data processing capabilities." Aeon explained. "I am running possible scenarios in my mind. Calculating probabilities and possibilities."

"There's one big question right now." Samus said.

"I still can't figure out where Alia took the Nightmare Virus data." X added with a frown. "I've got my suspicions though."

"The Librarian's blind spot?" Aeon deduced, earning himself some confused glances.

"More specifically, its center." X said with a nod. "Megalopolis. Hunter HQ's advanced projects division set up shop there after we beat Sigma on the moon. They actually helped with some of the data processing for the Mother Elf project."

"You may be correct." Aeon said with a glazed look in his eyes as golden streams of light flickered across them. "If these records are accurate, the probability of the facility surviving the Dark Elf crisis in a usable state are significant. The blind spot itself concerns me, though."

"Do you have any idea what might have caused it?" X asked.

"A few." Aeon said somberly. "After all, extremes of light and darkness warp the fabric of reality."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"Exactly that." Aeon said. "Just like there are wielders of the Light, so there are others who wield Darkness. Both of those powers can alter reality when they reach certain concentrations… or when wielded in a certain way."

"And you think something like that happened on the city?" X asked.

"Did the Librarian mention what specifically was blocking his sight?" Aeon asked.

"Well, no." X said.

"Then I will tell you." Aeon answered. "An abnormal concentration of ambient darkness. I suspect that at some point in the distant past, something great and terrible happened there."

"You mean something like… the first cataclysm?" X realized.

"Perhaps." Aeon said. "I suspect we will know more eventually."

"So it looks like both these searches are going to take us there." Samus summarized.

"But what's this about a Librarian?" Ciel asked.

X sighed and reached into his pocket.

"Right. With everything that's been happening I haven't had time to talk to you about this."

"In fact, it may be a good idea to check back with him." Aeon suggested. "Sometimes he forgets about everything else when he gets into his books and pet projects."

"This is going to take a little explaining first…" X said.

"Shall I meet you there, then?" Aeon asked. "I have my own means of access."

X simply nodded and Aeon quietly excused himself, vanishing in a flash of light much like his makers had done in previous encounters.

Once X was alone with the twins and the Huntress, he sighed and turned his attention to them.

"I hope you won't be too upset that I didn't mention this sooner."

"You're not making much sense." Samus retorted.

"I'm getting there." X said. "But where's Zero anyway?"

"He's gone off to visit Old Andrew." Ciel informed. "Probably won't be back before dinner."

"I guess I'll just have to fill him in later." X conceded.

With that, he reached into one of his tunic's pockets and produced the library card.

"Those two gave me a little something during one of their visits."

"I don't get it." Ciel said, eyeing the object in question, which, apart from its golden sheen and the unfamiliar script, seemed rather ordinary. The picture on it was rather flattering, giving X a solemn, dignified look.

"You will in a minute." X said. "They introduced me to someone you'll definitely want to meet. He's a bit of an eccentric, but so far I think we can trust him."

"Go on…" Ciel said, her curiosity piqued.

"It's probably easier if I just show you." X answered, extending his free hand towards her. "I've never tried taking guests with me, so stay close."

The twins nodded and grabbed the sleeve of his tunic without hesitation. X then glanced at Samus.

"Are you coming too?"

"Knowing those two, this is probably gonna get weird." Samus retorted with weary resignation. "Someone has to keep you in one piece until we get to the end of this."

---

Moments later...

In his garden, Raziel had just finished reading through yet another page when the complex weave of enchantments protecting his domain notified him of a new arrival.

He glanced over the book to find X, still holding his library card, with the twins still clinging to the sleeves of his tunic. Samus, on the other hand, was glancing around, her experienced eyes already appraising the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Oh. Good." the archangel remarked. "I had been meaning to resume our previous conversation. Time has little meaning inside this space, but it can still be infuriatingly easy to lose track of."

"And who are you supposed to be?" Samus retorted.

The Librarian stood up and bowed his head slightly.

"I am Raziel. An honor to make your acquaintance at last, Samus Aran."

The twins exchanged glances.

"Wings…?" Cial thought, doubting her eyes.

"What kind of place has X taken us into?" Ciel wondered, wide-eyed.

"I've heard your name before." Samus answered, staring at him without flinching. "So you're the kid's mentor?"

The twins exchanged glances again.

"What's this about a kid?" Ciel wondered.

"Considering who exactly brought X here the first time…" Cial thought. "I wonder..."

"In a manner of speaking." the Celestial answered, gazing right back at Samus. "I provide knowledge and the occasional personal opinion. The rest is his choice."

"I've got a thing or two to say about your methods." Samus retorted, crossing her arms. "But that kid is stubborn, I'll give you that. It'll take time to get through that thick head."

She then quirked en eyebrow, eyeing his attire.

"I don't suppose you know Palutena?" she asked, rather irreverently. "You look like you shop for clothes at the same place."

"I have made the Lady's acquaintance, yes." Raziel said, matter-of-factly, before turning around and beckoning them to follow. "But come. I have new information concerning X's predicament and you may get a little chilly out here."

"Smartass." Samus muttered under her breath, though the air of such unfathomable heights was becoming slightly bothersome to her exposed skin.

Once the group reached the front of the library, Raziel slowly swept his arm and the door swung open. Then he turned around and stared directly at the twins, who had remained silent throughout the whole exchange, digesting everything laid out before them.

"There is one other matter I need to discuss with X." he said. "But you will not grow bored waiting."

"What do you mean?" Cial asked.

"I am told that both of you young ladies are seekers of knowledge, much like I am." Raziel said with a conspiratorial smile, strategically blocking the view of the doorway with his wings. "I doubt the tomes in this collection will be of assistance in your current endeavor, but I hope you will enjoy them nonetheless."

Then he stepped out of the way and the twins felt their jaws drop as they beheld the sprawling collection and the bookshelves reaching higher and wider than what should have been physically possible to fit within that structure.

With their eyes threatening to bulge out of their sockets, the twins stepped inside, walking side by side at a hurried pace as they gazed upon the nearest bookshelves, seemingly oblivious to everything else.

Sitting at a small wooden table next to another row of bookshelves, Aeon watched in amusement with a tome already in his hand.

"That's… pretty much how I expected them to react." X remarked with a smile, feeling a little guilty about withholding his knowledge of the place for so long.

"If anything, it should provide a small distraction from the toils yet to come." Raziel said.

"And you have my thanks for that." X answered. "Things are better now that we got Ciel to delegate, but both of them are still working harder than anyone their age should. I-"

"You…" Ciel interrupted in mock outrage, abruptly turning and glaring at him.

"You were holding out on us…" Cial added in the same tone, turning to stare at him as well.

"Sorry." X answered with a sheepish grin. "You know I had a lot on my mind."

The twins exchanged glances and pretended to whisper amongst themselves in a small bit of improvised theatrics, then stared at him again.

"I think we can let you off the hook…" Ciel said, trying to put up a serious face but quickly slipping into a giddy smile.

"This time." Cial added, with marginally more success at keeping up the act.

While he knew they were kidding, X still dreaded the thought of getting on their bad side.

"So…" X finally said once the girls were finally out of earshot. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"There is an order to such things." Raziel said. "First, I believe I promised something the last time you visited."

X's eyes lit up.

"You mean…"

"Yes." Raziel said with a nod. "I will not bore you with the details of navigating the celestial bureaucracy, but he is ready to see you."

Caught by surprise and feeling a sudden trepidation, X struggled to contain himself.

"Where?"

Raziel raised a hand and in a ripple of bluish-white energy a portal took form in the air in front of him.

"Right this way."

X stared at the opening. Countless questions that he had never expected to have the chance to ask his maker bubbled in his mind. Strangely, with the possibility of getting answers right in front of him, he found himself hesitating, and he knew why.

In his mind, he had already built up an image of Dr. Thomas Light, and while he was undeniably excited about getting to speak to the man directly, part of him was also afraid that his maker might not meet his expectations.

"What's the matter?" Samus asked, reading his expression. "What's this about?"

"The last time I was here…" X explained. "He said... he might be able to help me speak to my father."

"I see..." Samus said, her expression unusually soft. "If that's true, then go for it."

"But…" X muttered.

"I lost my whole whole family when I was still a kid." Samus said, squeezing his shoulder and staring at him face to face. "I barely remember their faces."

"That's right… you did…" X recalled.

Again, he hesitantly stared at the portal.

"But… What if he's…"

He sighed again.

"What if he's not the man I thought him to be? Or what if I was a disappointment?"

Again, the Huntress showed her softer side and her skill at reading people.

"You only got to know Thomas through those recordings he left, but I knew him in person." she reminded him.

X felt like an idiot for momentarily forgetting that, but she was not finished.

"I can say that your old man was one of the kindest people I've ever met." she insisted. "You won't be disappointed to meet him, and he sure as hell won't be disappointed about you."

X nodded and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"It would be rude of me to waste this. But what about you? Wouldn't you want to see your family again?"

"I'm not sure if my folks would even recognize me after everything I've been through." Samus said with a sad smile. "Between the training, the countless battles, that one time my suit was infected and I had to get a Metroid DNA infusion…"

"What?" X muttered.

"A story for another time. But if this is the real deal, maybe…"

"I can assure you it is quite real." Raziel said, as if expecting some degree of doubt. "It is not an offer I extend to most due to the preparations required and the aggravation of dealing with the celestial bureaucracy, but I would be honored to do the same for you once I can make new preparations."

"We'll see." Samus said, trying her best to stay composed. "But if this is a trick, I'll pluck those wings with my bare hands for messing with us."

"Some truths are self-evident." Raziel answered, unflinching despite her threat. "If you wish, you may accompany your friend and see for yourself."

"Thomas was a good friend of mine." Samus retorted, shaking her head. "But this is between father and son."

She sighed and glanced back at X, patting him on the back.

"Go on. I'll just find something to read in the meantime."

X nodded and, with his hesitation mostly gone, he stepped through the portal, with Raziel following close behind.

---

With the disorienting sensation associated with the abrupt transition gone, X looked around, finding himself in a wide cobblestone path of some sort, fashioned from white stones. Overhead, rows of bright golden stars shone from high above, though without the blistering heat one would expect.

"What is this place?"

"One of the Paths of the Righteous." Raziel answered. "Stay close."

Before X could ask more questions, he elaborated further."There is not one single monolithic afterlife, but countless ones, interconnected across the infinite infinities. Since they can be a nightmare to navigate, even for one such as myself, I arranged for this meeting to take place here."

With that, Raziel led him towards what appeared to be a side path. After an indistinct length of time, however, they seemed to reach a dead end, with the cobblestones abruptly ending over what looked like a sea of endless clouds. X prepared to ask a question, but his guide pressed on.

As the archangel's feet neared the edge of the landmass, more cobblestones materialized, seemingly out of nowhere, and arranged themselves into a new, winding path, leading all the way to a small island floating in the air. This far off spot of land was somehow covered by a small meadow.

"So what now?" X asked.

Raziel's right hand lit up with the increasingly familiar white glow and he traced some strange symbol into the air, which lingered for a few moments before fading.

"He will be here soon." he finally said before turning around and heading back the way they had come. "Once you are ready to leave, simply use the card again. I have taken measures to ensure that you will not be interrupted."

And with that, he kept going, the cobblestones disappearing in his wake.

As X stood there, his stiff posture betraying his anxiety, there was another flash of light and a similar portal, only tinged pure white, opened on the spot where Raziel had left his mark. He stared intently at it and watched on as a tall, strongly built figure stepped through.

Once the light faded enough to render the newcomer fully visible, X first noticed the worn white labcoat, fluttering in the light ambient breeze. Then he took a good look at the wide, bearded face with the prominent nose and the eyes so similar to his own staring back at him, and he fell completely still as if struck by lightning.

"My boy…" the man said.

X recognized the voice he had heard in countless recordings, filled with emotion and pride as the man reached for his shoulders with broad, strong hands.

"Look at you, all grown up!"

It was definitely no trick, X realized, feeling as though his chest might burst. After such an exhausting and emotionally charged day, this was simply too much. His restraint quickly cracked and the tears started flowing freely.