Chapter 28 – The Old City
Once again, Ciel had decided to go the extra mile, poring over reports in preparation for the next council meeting. As she sat in her room in a quiet evening, she couldn't help smiling at the contents of the documents lined up on her desk. Joy and pride swelled in her chest at the evidence of how far the people in her care had progressed.
"At this rate, in a couple more years they probably won't need me anymore."
From an idealistic preteen genius to a disgruntled one, then to a reluctant leader against tyranny, she had grown into a confident and driven young lady, straddling the line between a teenager and an adult. While she was able to reason on a level beyond many adults and her intellect continued to turn heads, she was still a young girl at heart, with the needs and concerns typical of someone her age. She had forced herself to push those aside during the struggles against Neo Arcadia and Weil, but the peaceful times she was living in were giving her ample room to ponder such matters.
Once again, her thoughts turned to a very specific need – or rather, the object of said need.
"Any minute now..."
She quickly checked her wristwatch and then peeked out the window by her desk, her heart fluttering in anticipation.
Like clockwork, he soon arrived.
At Lune's invitation and Alouette's insistence, Zero had started showing up for dinner much more often. Ciel had a good guess as to why. Lune, protective and perceptive, surely wished to know more about the man behind the legend, especially given the prior family connection and the obvious feelings still growing between him and her daughter. As for Alouette, she obviously both him and Ciel to pieces and was likely still trying to play matchmaker, though there was clearly no need for it.
A knock on her bedroom door and Ciel bolted from her chair, the reports forgotten. She quickly crossed the distance and opened the door to greet her hopefully-soon-to-be-permanent guest.
"Good to see you." she said, catching him in a hug without a hint of hesitation or embarrassment. "Did you do something with your hair?"
"Alouette." he said with an amused smile.
Her smile only widened.
"It feels like we're already a family…"
She stared intently at his face, feeling her heart pounding.
"Is something wrong?" he joked. "You're not catching another fever, are you?"
She grinned mischievously and looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Maybe. Ready to play nurse again?"
"For you? Maybe." he said, patting her head. The way his normally reserved expression melted into a smile in her presence was one of the things she found absolutely endearing.
"I'm not a kid anymore, you know." she jokingly protested. "Save some of the head patting for Alouette."
He grinned mischievously and leaned closer.
"Then how about this?"
And with that, he caressed her cheek, sending her heart pounding.
"Is he finally…?"
With eagerness and trepidation seizing her, she stood there as he wrapped his free arm around her and finally gave her the kiss she had craved for so long.
With her cheeks a distinct shade of crimson, Ciel abruptly opened her eyes and her gaze darted around the room. It was late into the night and not a sound could be heard across the whole house. As reality sank in, she gripped her sheets and loudly exhaled.
"Damnit!" she hissed in annoyance, puffing her cheeks and letting her head fall back onto the pillow.
Just a dream, but painfully vivid.
"Of course it had to cut off right at the best part…" she grumbled inwardly, glaring at the ceiling in frustration.
Despite the abrupt interruption, she had to admit that it had been a soothing dream. After a few more minutes, she settled down and let the hope of one day making it a reality lull her back to sleep.
The next morning, Ciel stepped out of her room, finding Alouette sitting on the couch reading a book while Croire was perched on one of her shoulders. Not feeling particularly hungry yet, she sat down next to Alouette and decided to wait for Lune and Cial to join her for breakfast.
A few minutes later, Cial stepped into the living room as well. Gazing at her sister, Ciel couldn't help noticing how much she had changed since her return. Though a hint of steel remained in her eyes, the dour expression was gone along with the unnatural paleness brought about by years spent indoors away from the rest of the world.
"In fact… She actually looks… happy."
"Is something on your mind?" Cial asked, noticing her staring.
"I was just thinking how much better you look these days."
"I do feel much better." Cial admitted. "Even if I still do not quite know what to do with these feelings."
"Let them out then!" Alouette chimed in, her book momentarily forgotten. "It's not good to bottle them up, you know."
"Clever girl." Cial said, once again openly smiling. "At least for now, maybe I will do just that."
"Sometimes her way of thinking is so simple, so straightforward. But perhaps she is right and we are the ones who tend to complicate things in our heads."
"How are things at school, by the way?" Ciel asked.
"Those old books you guys found are amazing." Alouette said excitedly. "We still can't touch them, but many have already been digitized, so we're learning a lot from them."
"Good to know." Ciel said. "In fact, I'll have to talk to Leviathan later about setting up an expedition to the flooded data archives Zero found a while ago."
"Ooh! Ooh!" Alouette excitedly cried out. "Can I come too?"
Ciel hesitated for a moment.
"Uh… Once we've made sure the place is safe…"
"It's a promise then!" Alouette said with a beaming smile.
"It seems she is beginning to crave adventure." Cial noted. "At this rate you may have to reconsider your stance on letting her get her own armor."
"Now wait a-" Ciel tried to protest.
"If Roll had one, why can't I?" Alouette pointed out. "But don't worry. I won't do anything stupid."
"One has to be careful around you." Cial jokingly remarked. "You get people to agree to things they would not otherwise."
"You're right." Ciel added, catching Alouette in a hug. "Dangerously adorable."
A few minutes later, Lune joined them. After enjoying a light breakfast and picking up Alouette's supplies, mother and daughters set out to escort her to school. Once they stepped out through the front door, they noticed an unexpected sight. In the patches of soil along the front of the house where they had previously planted some seeds, a new kind of flowers were blooming alongside the rest, pink and funnel shaped.
"Ooh!" Alouette excitedly cried out, rushing to take a closer look. "It worked!"
Ciel smiled, both at her reaction and at the beauty of the flowers. Noticing the color, which was such a close match to the outfits she normally wore, a thought crossed her mind.
"Do you know something about this?"
"Maybe." Alouette replied with a conspiratorial wink.
"Freesias." Lune said, also smiling. "I can guess who's responsible for this."
"He really spoils me." Ciel thought, feeling her heart flutter once again. "Now if he could just be a tiny little bit less of a gentleman…"
On the smaller house across the street, X smiled, watching them from behind the curtains of one of the windows.
"Looks like they found your little surprise."
Lounging on the couch, Zero perked up.
"I was beginning to wonder if the bulbs had spoiled. Looks like Old Andrew was right."
"You keep surprising me." X said, glancing over his shoulder. "Didn't think you had it in you to do all these little things."
"I surprise myself." Zero admitted, looking a little bashful. "After what happened with Iris… I didn't think I could ever feel this way again."
"I'm glad." X said. "Once I find Alia… I hope I can finally give her the life she deserves too."
Hours later...
Finding himself on yet another council meeting, X pondered the twists and turns his life had taken. After his return to a corporeal state, he had hoped to step out of the limelight and let the newer generations take over, but instead he found himself being relied upon once again, not as a soldier but as a voice of wisdom. While he had been reluctant to take another position of responsibility, he could not argue with the results and the painful memories of the past were slowly fading away thanks to the reassuring presence of friends old and new and the sight of tangible progress. The settlement continued to grow on a monthly basis as new people moved in and the current residents tirelessly tried to improve it.
"On another note…" one of the attendees, a thin, middle-aged man in a doctor's coat added, his wrinkled face lighting up with a soft smile. "I'm pleased to announce that the first child has been born since we settled here."
He ran a calloused hand over his head, covered in graying hair, and then rested both hands on the desk. His green eyes, still sharp as those of a boy, were practically alight with joy.
"A healthy girl, delivered without complications. I believe this calls for a celebration."
"It does." Zaius added. "But I must raise some concerns. "Do we have the infrastructure to accommodate the growing population?"
"I have been running the numbers." Cial informed. "We will need to increase and diversify food production. Water and power supplies and waste disposal were set up with expansion in mind so the current use is well within capacity."
Ever since the mishap involving Thaddeus and the breathing mask, she had started attending the meetings with her face bare. After the initial awkwardness, she had found, with some surprise, that her talents were valued and her counsel appreciated. More than that though, she felt welcomed. She felt like she belonged there.
"My team is looking into this too." a handsome young-looking Reploid clad in brown overalls chimed in. "While we don't have the resources to promise livestock anywhere in the near future, we've already drafted some plans for the first hydroponics complex. Vat grown meat is still a ways off, but once the hydroponics are online we should be able to start producing vegetable protein blocks and some other things."
"As long as we are not using the Neo Arcadian chicken flavoring…" Zaius said with a wince.
The others laughed. That stuff was infamous both among the survivors and the Resistance for its atrocious taste. How anyone could have mistaken that for chicken was a mystery for the ages.
"On another note." Cerveau added. "We're hitting a bit of a bottleneck. Scavenged and repurposed components only get us so far, especially dedicated electronics. The factory we uncovered after the stray Mechaniloid incident was a boon, but we need to set up a proper production infrastructure if we want to stay on top of the growing material needs."
"Do you have a plan for that?" Ciel asked.
Cerveau nodded.
"With enough time, raw materials and a few helping hands, I could build more tools and parts, use them to build more furnaces and fabricators and then use those to produce more complex stuff. It's just a matter of finding a source of said materials."
"Well, I've got an idea about that." X said. "But I'm not sure if you'll like it."
"Let's hear it anyway." Cerveau said.
"Well, I didn't pick the location for Neo Arcadia on a whim." X explained. "Some of you may not be aware of it, but there are considerable mineral deposits underneath the city. Assuming they didn't get vaporized along with it, they were supposed to last at least two hundred years."
Cerveau sighed.
"I'm not gonna lie. It's not exactly on the list of places I'd like to go back to."
"There may also be some complications with the Neo Arcadian survivors who set out on their own." Cial added.
Astra shook her head.
"Actually, now. We got some anonymous scouting reports delivered straight to our front desk. I don't suppose you know anything about that?"
"Harpuia, I would guess." Cial said. "The Guardians are still keep trying to assist us even if they have been reluctant to move in."
"I'm… still not sure what to think of your invitation to them." Aurelia hesitantly said.
"To be fair…" Astra chimed in. "They have been very diligent. Between the patrols, looking for resources and bringing Menart back that time he ran off after X..."
The rest of the meeting went by rather quickly. At Ciel's request, Zero awaited at the antechamber and once she was back out, he greeted her with a smile.
"All done?" he asked.
She nodded in response and scooted over to give him a quick hug.
"Yes. Thanks for waiting."
"I did say I'd help with anything I could. But is there a reason you wanted me to come here?"
"Just thought to get a word with you one on one." she said with a warm smile, before getting on her tiptoes and pecking his cheek. "Thank you for the flowers. They're lovely."
"Glad you liked them. Wasn't sure if they were going to bloom."
With that, she led the way to the workshop, where they had agreed to meet in preparation for the journey to Megalopolis. According to the Resistance's intel reports, the Trans Server network in that region was unavailable, which meant that either the terminals had been destroyed or powered down. That meant they would need to take the long way.
The Guardians were already waiting inside along with Aeon, taking stock of the travel supplies and plotting a course on the map.
"So… all set?" Zero asked.
"Given the distance, the Resistance has placed a helicopter at our disposal." Harpuia informed. "It would be best if I piloted it."
"Yeah." Zero said with a nod. "Samus could probably get us there faster, but I don't think we could all fit in her ship."
The Huntress in question stepped inside as well, fully clad in her suit of armor.
"You know…" Ciel remarked, eyeing the arm cannon attached to the right arm. "I've been meaning to ask. Wouldn't it be more convenient to have a gauntlet with a Buster mode?"
Samus shrugged.
"If you can fit the mechanisms in without me needing to chop off my hand… Not even the Chozo figured out how to do that."
Ciel smiled, her eyes lighting up.
"Challenge accepted. Remind me to take a look at your suit when we get back."
"I'll need some extra time to calibrate the ship scanners." Samus informed. "This will probably involve some underground searching, so it'll help to have some kind of map."
"We have plotted the most efficient route." Aeon informed.
"We have everything we need." Harpuia said.
"When are we leaving then?" Ciel asked.
"Ciel…" Zero said.
"What?"
"Ciel, please." Zero insisted, staring intently at her. "It's a very long stretch and we don't know how things are over there. It could be dangerous."
"That's exactly why I don't like the idea of sitting here." Ciel argued. "What if something happens and you need patching up?"
"We know what we're doing." Zero said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, after what you did to our armor I doubt anything out there can even scratch us."
"Not to mention…" X added, turning to Ciel. "For better or for worse both you and I ended up as permanent council members. If we're both gone for too long, people are going to get nervous."
Ciel sighed. While she was still working through the separation anxiety issue, she had to recognize the logic behind their reasoning.
"Fine." she conceded, crossing her arms. "But I expect you to stay in touch. Got it?"
Zero nodded in response.
"Good." Ciel said, her smile returning.
With that, she straightened up and pecked his cheek once more. Zero couldn't help noticing that she seemed to have grown slightly taller and that while her face was still soft and smooth, there was something different about her eyes and expression.
The scared girl he had met years prior was blossoming into a confident young woman, combining a formidable intellect with growing life experience. While the matter of their shared feelings had not been fully resolved yet, there was a new intensity to her presence as she continued to actively care for her people and her beloved.
"I'm still not sure if you're not making a mistake…" he thought, basking in the radiance of her smile. "But seeing you this happy, I really can't argue."
He couldn't deny that he was partially at fault for encouraging her. His choice of words and actions after the altercation with Leviathan had cemented her resolve. Then again, the whole thing was far from being one-sided. He had tried not to notice it. He had tried to fight it. At the end of the day though, he knew that what he was feeling went far beyond a protective instinct or a sense of purpose. He had grown attached, both to the dream and the dreamer and would do anything to protect both as well as his family, old and new.
Axl suddenly stepped into the shed, interrupting his thoughts.
"I'm coming too."
Everyone's gazes fixated on him.
"What?" he asked with a shrug. "You didn't think I was gonna sit here moping, right?"
"I suppose not." Ciel said. "I'm glad you're perking up too."
"So am I." Axl said. "Thanks for putting up with my crap."
"Axl…" X said with a sigh. "You've got a heart like the rest of us. You don't need to hide your feelings behind forced laughs and jokes."
"I guess I thought if I tried hard enough, I could just force myself not to be sad." Axl admitted, quickly wiping some moisture off the corner of his eye. "But with you all around, I don't need to pretend anymore."
Then Lune stepped inside.
"Ah, you're still here. Good."
"Is something wrong?" Zero asked, glancing in her direction.
"No, but I need to talk to you for a couple of minutes." Lune explained, straightening her glasses. "Outside please."
He gave her a quizzical look and followed her out of the shed.
"So, what's this about?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking." Lune said as she beckoned him to follow around a corner of the structure. "And I believe this would be better off in your hands."
In front of him, Zero saw an unexpected sight – an old model hoverbike dating back to his Hunter days, painted white and in pristine condition.
"Where did you get that?" he asked, his eyes widening slightly.
"Thaddeus." she explained. "He found it and restored it back when we were still living in Neo Arcadia."
There was something somber about her expression, and he took notice.
"That's not the whole story, is it?"
"No…" Lune said with a sigh. "You see… back then he had a son. This was meant for him, once he grew old enough. Since he never got the chance, Thaddeus gave it to me after we found Cial."
"So that's what happened…" he thought, recalling his outburst right before their first encounter.
"I… don't know what to say." Zero hesitantly said, caught by surprise. "If he gave it to you then…"
Lune managed to smile, despite the unpleasant memories, and patted his arm.
"It's fine. I don't think either of them would object to you putting it to good use. Besides, I don't have the time to use it. Don't you think it would be a waste to have it collecting dust in a garage somewhere?"
"You have a point. I'll take good care of it then. Thanks."
Lune produced a key card from one of her labcoat's pockets and handed it to him, then gave him a hug.
"I know there's no need to say it, but stay safe out there. I haven't seen my little girl this happy in a long time, so don't make her worry."
Zero nodded. Though emboldened by the company of his old friends and new allies, he had no intention of doing anything that might make Ciel cry again.
While Samus conducted her calibrations, with Ciel helping her speed things along, the others took their places in the helicopter. Zero approached them, with the hoverbike in tow.
"Slight change of plans." he announced.
"Oh boy!" Axl excitedly remarked. "Nice ride!"
"Time to see if my driving skills are still up to snuff." Zero said, patting the front of the machine with a giddy smile.
Colbor picked that moment to make his presence known, with Milan and Faucon by his side.
"I know what you're going to say." Leviathan said, looking at the trio.
"So tell me." Colbor said, crossing his arms with a hint of frustration. "When are we actually going to make ourselves useful?"
"You've come a long way, but we don't need to bring so many people along just for this." Leviathan said.
"No offense, but you'd just slow us down." Fefnir said. "We should be enough to deal with any trouble."
"Then what was the point of-" Colbor grumbled before Leviathan cut him off.
"I know it's too soon to ask you to trust us." she said evenly. "But considering who's coming, we need someone reliable to keep an eye on things here."
"What about the rest of the garrison?" Colbor argued. "And how are we going to get better at this if you don't let us do anything in the field?"
Leviathan sighed.
"Fine. You've got a point. I suppose you can come along. We'll take the lead and you three stay back with the chopper and keep an eye on things. If anything unexpected happens, then you can cover our backs or call for backup."
Colbor straightened up, trying to hide his excitement.
X watched the exchange with a mixture of pride and amusement.
"You know… You're turning out to be pretty good at this kind of thing." he remarked, turning his gaze towards Leviathan. "Are you sure you don't want to make things official already?"
"Tempting…" she admitted. "But we still need to continue making amendments. A lot of Reploids are still uneasy around us and…"
"You're still struggling to shake off the guilt?" X deduced. "I understand. But I can talk to some people and make things a little easier."
"Thank you…" she said, shaking her head. "But this is something we need to earn. I know you and Alouette disagree, but… we're not ready yet."
"All right." X relented. "But if there's anything I can do…"
"You are already doing it." Phantom said.
"Getting to earn redemption by serving our true Master… and the people… It is better than what we deserve, but who are we to refuse their kindness?"
The discussion died down and the group, sans Zero, boarded the helicopter.
As Harpuia took the pilot's seat and strapped himself in, Zero activated the hoverbike's systems and the familiar soft hum of the engine, like the purr of an old pet, assured him that it would serve him well. The helicopter took off moments later and he followed from the ground, testing the machine and steadily picking up speed.
"Oh yeah!"
As he felt the rush of wind on his face and the acceleration, Zero surveyed the landscape rapidly shifting around him and smiled. X definitely wasn't the only one who relished the feeling of high speed freedom.
Several hours later...
"I think… this may have been a mistake." Harpuia remarked as he rolled out of the way of an incoming burst of automatic weapons fire.
The ancient skyline loomed in the distance, much of it still standing tall despite the age and disrepair. Though a good portion of the roads leading to it were cracked and riddled with holes, at the very least a viable path still remained. However, someone was clearly not happy to see the new arrivals.
"What's going on up there?" X asked through the radio link, having remained behind with Axl at the insistence of the Guardians.
"If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say my reputation precedes me." Harpuia remarked
"Get down from there." X instructed. "We'll handle this another way."
From the ground, Zero buzzed around on the hoverbike, trying to scout ahead while making himself as difficult to hit as possible.
"You should probably tell our overeager visitor the same then." Harpuia replied, glancing at the winged figure rapidly catching up with him.
"Just trying to prevent any mishaps." Aeon answered, a sheath of white light glimmering along his metallic wings. "I will follow your lead."
"I guess those wings aren't just for show." the Guardian said. "Stay close then."
Meanwhile, in Samus' ship...
"Adam, get ready for takeoff." Samus said.
"All done, then?" Adam answered, fixating his optical sensor on her as he finished awakening from a low activity mode.
"I don't know how deep the ship's scanners can reach, but they'll still come in handy." the Huntress reasoned as she went through the pre-flight checklist.
The AI let out an audible groan.
"Something wrong?" Samus asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Another dream." the AI muttered, sounding as though it was waking up with a hangover. "Well, more like a fevered nightmare."
Samus quirked an eyebrow.
"What kind of dream bothers you like that?"
Adam paused for a moment, grasping for words.
"I dreamed I was an insufferable micromanaging douchebag who forbade you from using your abilities without my direct approval and kept making a nuisance of myself."
Samus blinked in surprise.
"Where did that come from?"
"I don't know. Oh, and Mother Brain was there too. In a robot body, pretending to be some scientist. The whole thing was just ridiculous."
The Huntress blinked again, then snorted.
"Maybe you should run a virus scan, just in case."
"And a memory purge. I think this nonsense already scrambled a few memory sectors."
"Fine. I'm just going to get my jacket and I'll be right back."
Samus stepped out of the ship and emerged near the shed workshop.
"Now where did I leave that thing?"
She peeked inside and found Cial standing in front of one of the workbenches, staring intently at a certain crystalline object in absolute silence.
"Come on you blasted thing…"
"Having a staring contest with the glowing space rock?" Samus remarked.
"This thing is absolutely infuriating." Cial grumbled in frustration. "I cannot abide a mystery and it taunts me with its silence."
"Okay..."
"I may not have my sister's raw scientific talent, but my intellect is still on par with hers." Cial muttered, staring at the artifact as if trying to see through it. "I will figure this out."
"Well, good luck with that. But if you want a little advice?"
"Yes?"
"Sometimes it pays off to pry yourself away from something you can't figure out and get back to it later when you've got more tools."
"Well, I doubt your bird people would have left some convenient clues for this buried somewhere around here, but… you do have a point. This is not working."
"Incidentally…" Cial added. "I noticed how unfazed you were by that strange place and its keeper. Why is that?"
Samus shrugged.
"I've met others like him before. Not to mention I've seen so much weird crap I'm probably a little jaded."
"If that would be all right, I would like to ask you to tell me some more about your travels once things have calmed down a little."
"I suppose. Even before that thing with the Master Hand, my life was already far from normal."
Meanwhile...
The shooting had stopped, at least for the time being. Still, an uneasy feeling that they were being watched remained. As Fefnir and Leviathan took point and approached the nearest of the ancient dilapidated skyscrapers, the telltale lights of laser sights fixated on them.
"Hold it right there." a male voice commanded.
A male Reploid strode into view from around a corner of the structure, clad in a blue metal breastplate and matching gauntlets and leggings. The outfit was clearly old, with some dents and scratches, but what caught the attention of the Guardians was the insignia on the chest.
"You've got a lot of nerve showing your faces here, hounds of Neo Arcadia." the Reploid continued, casting a venomous glare at them as he clutched the old rifle in his hand.
"I guess you haven't heard." Harpuia retorted as he stepped forward, unfazed by the open hostility. "Neo Arcadia is gone. Has been for over a year."
"Doesn't make a lick of difference." the Reploid retorted, clenching his teeth and preparing to point the rifle at him. "It won't bring your victims back."
"Consider very carefully what you are doing." Phantom cautioned, his expression inscrutable as he reappeared behind the Reploid.
"Are you threatening me, bastard?" the Reploid hissed, spinning around and leveling his rifle.
"If we had come with hostile intentions, do you think we would have bothered to stop and speak?" Phantom pointed out.
"Yeah, dumbass." Fefnir added. "We would have come in with guns blazing and you wouldn't have even seen us coming. Now tell your buddies to point those goddamn toys somewhere else."
Phantom groaned inwardly at his sibling's usual lack of tact.
Aeon stepped forward and tried to intervene.
"Everyone, just calm down and list-"
"And you!" the Reploid cut in, pointing his weapon at him instead. "Don't think I didn't notice the wings, bastard! How are you even still alive?!"
Aeon paused, stared at him, then blinked.
"And who exactly do you think I am?"
"Only one bastard would be prideful enough to flash those things around like that." the Reploid growled, absolutely livid as the targeting dots shifted and focused on Aeon. "I don't know how you're still standing but-"
"Yeah, I'm going to have to stop you right there." X interrupted, stepping into view.
The Reploid gasped, nearly dropping his weapon in shock. From inside the buildings, the aim of the unseen watchers seemed to falter.
"I don't believe this…" the Reploid muttered.
"You mistook him for me?" X asked, keeping his arms crossed. "I don't know what exactly you've heard out here, but I'm X. The real X, not the bastard copy who went around staining my name."
"W-What the hell are you going on about?!" the Reploid stammered, losing his composure. "A copy?!"
"Yes, a copy." X said. "Have you been completely cut off from the world? Don't you know what's been going on?"
"It seems the Resistance broadcasts are not reaching as far as we had assumed." Aeon pondered.
"Kid…" Zero intervened, stepping into view with a stern glare. "Put that thing down. Even with that getup, you're no Maverick Hunter."
That definitely caught the attention of whoever was peering out from the buildings. A pair of eyes surveyed the scene with a high-powered binoculars, their gaze lingering on X, Zero and Axl in particular. A moment later, a radio in the Reploid's breast pocket crackled to life and a female voice sounded through some static.
"Let them in."
The Reploid blinked, caught by surprise, then reached for the radio to answer.
"Ma'am?"
"I will see them now." the voice insisted. "Thank you for your dedication, but we have nothing to fear from them."
The Reploid stared at the radio, then at them. The Hunter trio, in turn, exchanged glances.
"I know that voice…" X thought.
"It can't be…" Zero thought.
"Oh boy!" Axl thought. "This is gonna be interesting."
"Fine." the Reploid said with a sigh. "If the Commander says you can come in, then you can come in. But I've got my eyes on you lot."
"Watch all you want." X said. "We've got nothing to hide."
"This way."
The Reploid led them through the old, cracked asphalt, past a few blocks of ancient skyscrapers in various states of disrepair. Along the way, the group noticed countless eyes, hesitantly watching from the windows, doorways and the entrances of old subway tunnels.
"Are you certain that this is a good idea?" Phantom asked, staying close to X and on the lookout for any threats.
"Clearly these people have heard of the crimes of Neo Arcadia." X reasoned. "If they don't know the whole story and haven't been keeping up with the news, then it's understandable they'd be on edge."
"Besides." Zero added, matter-of-factly. "It's not like they could harm us even if they wanted to. I'm just glad Ciel didn't come with us."
"So kid…" Axl chimed in, turning to the Reploid. "Where did you get that?"
"What's it to you?" he retorted, still a bit twitchy.
"It's a little banged up, but I'd recognize the insignia anywhere." Axl insisted. "Some Maverick Hunters back in the day used to wear that kind of gear."
"H-How would you know?" the Reploid stammered, caught by surprise and still more than a little suspicious.
"Kid, you still haven't figured it out?" Axl retorted. "You've got the original legendary Hunter pair right here… and their old buddy Axl."
"Not to mention that design was based on my original armor." X added. "I guess more of the local base survived than I'd thought."
"So you're Zero then…" the Reploid said, eyeing the Hunter in question. "I've heard of you, of course, but that doesn't explain what you're doing here with them."
"We've told you already." Zero retorted with a shrug. "This is the real X, not the bastard copy. I'd know since I was the one who took the bastard out. As for the Guardians, they're trying to make amends and have pledged themselves to the Resistance."
"We have pledged ourselves to X." Phantom corrected. "I doubt many in the Resistance would accept us as readily as you."
"Details, details." Zero said. "
From a distance, still unnoticed, Colbor, Milan and Faucon watched through their binoculars.
"What the hell is going on?" Faucon muttered.
"Dunno, but I don't like this." Colbor said.
"Well, nobody has started shooting again yet." Milan pointed out. "Besides, those guys are far more capable than us. We should just make sure they've got a clear exit path if things go sour."
Colbor sighed and nodded.
"Yeah… It's not like they'd need our help. It just feels wrong to let them go on their own."
"Worried about your new teacher?" Faucon remarked with a grin.
"That wasn't funny the first time." Colbor groaned.
"I didn't hear a no." Faucon insisted.
"Ah grow up."
The group eventually came upon yet another towering building, which X, Zero and Axl recognized. Though the front was worn by the years and the elements, it seemed that someone had carefully filled in the worst of the cracks in the concrete, welded the metal with varying degrees of success and replaced the glass on the windows. In a prominent position above the front door was an old insignia, old and with some dents, but recently polished.
"I wasn't expecting this…" X said as he took a better look.
"Somebody's been rebuilding the place…" Axl noted. "The last time I was here the whole city was a damn mess."
"Well then…" Zero said, pushing the large metallic door and stepping inside. "Time to get some answers."
In the lobby, fashioned from metal and concrete and with the central floor covered by an old, massive rug, three hallways extended towards the back and sides, with each doorway flanked by a pair of guards standing at attention, all of them clad in more of the ancient suits of Hunter armor.
"This is starting to feel a little creepy…" X thought, the sight stirring old memories. "Like looking at ghosts."
Then the back door opened and a figure, clearly feminine, stepped outside clad in a white military style uniform, with her head covered in a matching helmet with a black tactical visor.
"So you're the one in charge here?" X asked.
The figure gasped and froze in place, as if struck by lightning. Even through the visor X could feel her incredulous stare.
"Commander?" the Reploid called out.
After a drawn-out moment, the woman started breathing heavily as she edged closer. Then, to everyone's surprise, she broke into a sprint and threw her arms around X's neck.
"It's you…" she said, her voice charged with emotion. "It really is you!"
X blinked, recognizing the voice despite not having heard it for over a century.
"Cinnamon?"
She broke away just long enough to take off her helmet, revealing a soft face crowned with a ruffled mane of golden hair and then proceeded to squeeze him once again, her bright green eyes practically glowing with joy.
"It really is you! I knew it!"
X blinked and tried to maintain his composure in front of the others.
"Good to know you're still around… but how?"
"I was down in Antarctica and got trapped when that whole Elf mess started. Something about the Earth's electromagnetic currents weakened her signal long enough for me to do an emergency shutdown."
She then looked at Zero and Axl with a beaming smile.
"You guys…"
And with that, she unceremoniously caught both of them in a vice grip.
"I missed you all so much!" she practically squealed.
Their erstwhile escort watched in silence, dumbfounded by her reaction, and then quietly excused himself.
"So what have you been doing all this time?" X asked, tremendously relieved to see her still alive in and in one piece.
"After I finally got out of Antarctica… I wandered around for a very long time." she explained. "Helping the injured and all that."
"Looks like you got lucky." Axl noted, the painful memories of the fall of Hunter HQ briefly surfacing again.
She nodded.
"After years moving from one place to the next, I made my way back here and tried to help organize the survivors. I was able to use my old codes to unlock the armory, so we tried to fortify and rebuild some of the city."
"Did Neo Arcadia give you any trouble?" Zero asked.
Cinnamon shook her head.
"We've been pretty good at staying hidden. We tried to help displaced people but without long range communication gear it's been hard to get any news from farther out."
"I guess that explains why all the Trans Server stations in the region were offline." X deduced. "You shut them down to avoid getting invaded."
"Pretty much." Cinnamon said with a nod. "We saw that terrible light over Neo Arcadia and tried to send some scouts out, but we couldn't get the full picture."
"Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore." Axl said. "They're gone. The city is a crater."
Cinnamon's eyes widened.
"A crater? What happened? We've been hearing some strange rumors from travelers, but the place is too far off for us to go check ourselves."
"Do you remember that old satellite with the obscenely powerful cannon?" X asked.
"Ragnarok?" Cinnamon muttered. "Oh crap… Don't tell me."
"Yeah." Zero confirmed with a nod. "Apparently one of the Reploids still living in Neo Arcadia took issue with Weil's crap and decided to take extreme measures. We… weren't able to stop him in time."
"Weil?!" Cinnamon hissed. "He's still-"
"Not anymore." Zero said, patting his Z-Saber for emphasis.
"Good. But… all those people…" Cinnamon muttered dejectedly. "They may have been self-centered jerks but…"
"Most of them made it out." Phantom informed.
"You…" Cinnamon hissed, tensing up in alarm. "So it's true. The Four Guardians are here…"
"Yeah, we get that a lot." Fefnir said nonchalantly. "Look, we deserve the hate, we know that. But we also helped evacuate the city. Not to mention we gave Zero a hand in dismantling that prick Omega. That's gotta count for something right?"
"Wait…" Cinnamon said, blinking in surprise. "Go back a little. Omega broke out too?"
"Yeah." Zero confirmed. "Done deal. We wrecked the bastard. Hopefully that's the last we'll see of him."
Cinnamon paused to ponder this and then stared intently at them.
"My office is this way. Come."
She led them through the back door and up a few flights of stairs, into a modestly decorated office with a large metal desk. A stack of chairs lay not far from the door and the others helped themselves.
"Now then…" Cinnamon said, sitting behind the desk. "Tell me everything. Without skipping any detail."
A few hours later…
"I wish I'd heard more of this sooner…" Cinnamon muttered, sinking into her chair. "I could have done something to help the Resistance…"
"You've already done more than enough by looking after these people." X said with a smile. "But look at you… Commander, huh?"
"W-Well, you know, seniority and all…" she said, looking a little embarrassed. "But I was never as good at fighting as any of you."
"Is that so?" Axl chimed in with one of his usual grins. "I wonder if the new guys know about your old nickname."
"Axl…!" Cinnamon protested, covering her face with her hands.
"What?" Axl said. "I mean that as a compliment. How many medics do you know who can go beast mode and wreck everything in front of them?"
"Say what?" Fefnir chimed in, taking a good look at her face and finding Axl's words difficult to believe.
"Oh yeah." Axl said with a nod. "Back in the time we spent working together, cute little Cinnamon here could turn into a real Cinnabeast."
"Axl!" she protested, feeling a rush of heat to her cheeks.
"Oh come on!" X said with a laugh. "You're making her sound like some kind of violent maniac. Cinnamon wouldn't hurt a fly. A spider maybe, but…"
"Well, at least someone isn't trying to embarrass me with old nicknames." Cinnamon grumbled, before getting up and catching X in her grip once again.
"J-Just stating facts." X stammered, surprised at the way she was acting.
Zero couldn't help chuckling at the sight.
"After all these years, you still fall apart when a pretty girl gives you some attention."
"You're one to talk." X retorted. "Maybe we should get Ciel over here..."
"Yeah, that glass house of yours is looking pretty." Axl added with a grin.
"On to more serious matters though…" Phantom intervened, once again dumbfounded by his master's bashfulness. "We are under the impression that there may be data relevant to our current mission in the Special Projects Division. I take it this is the place?"
"Mission?" Cinnamon asked.
"Yes." X confirmed. "We've been… trying to find out what happened to Alia. And to my siblings, since nobody ever found them."
Cinnamon's expression turned serious. Gone was the harmless medic, replaced by the dutiful leader.
"I see… She disappeared during the Dark Elf crisis, didn't she?"
"Yes." X confirmed. "We think she was looking for a way to undo the corruption to Reploid personality cores. We know she's been to Gate's old lab and probably headed here at some point after I went under."
"So that's what happened…"
"I see you've really been holding the place together." Zero added. "Hooking you up with the Resistance should be simple enough."
Cinnamon nodded.
"Now that we know who exactly is leading them, that sounds like a good plan. But where have you guys been since Neo Arcadia fell?"
"Here and there, looking for clues." X explained. "If you mean where we're living, there's a settlement in Area Zero."
"Of all the places…" Cinnamon remarked. "Never thought you guys would want to head back there."
"Well, Eurasia's old environmental control systems have really regenerated that area." X pointed out. "To be honest, I still have no idea how they survived the crash."
"The Guardians have been trying to help out here and there." Axl added. "You know, trying to make amends. But they're about as stubborn as X so we're still trying to talk them into moving in with us."
"I still don't know what to think about them." Cinnamon said. "But since you're vouching for them, I'll trust your judgement."
"We make no excuses." Phantom said in his usual stiff manner. "We only ask that you judge us by our actions – all of them."
"Fair enough." Cinnamon conceded. "I can see you're not here to cause trouble, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Now then… what do you need?"
"If there are any clues here, then our first stop would be the research labs."
"Well, you're in luck." Cinnamon said. "The labs are in the basement and most of the equipment is still intact, but the network connections are down."
"That will not be a problem." Aeon said, finally breaking his silence. "I can sift through their contents."
"This way then." Cinnamon said, standing up.
A few minutes later, a few floors below...
"I'm guessing the old servers and cabling were damaged or destroyed in the confusion." X mused, surveying the rows of workstations in one of the chambers. "But this should give us plenty to work with."
"I will get to it at once." Aeon said, rushing over to thoroughly inspect the equipment and identify the machines and components still in working condition.
"Well, I didn't come all this way to let someone else have all the work." X said, moving in to join him.
Meanwhile, catching Cinnamon alone in the hallway outside, a certain grinning prankster decided to have another word with her.
"So…" Axl chimed in with an amused smirk. "All this time, huh?"
"I… guess I did go a little overboard there…" Cinnamon muttered, covering her cheeks.
"I had my suspicions." Axl said, giving her a sympathetic smile. "But I doubt you'll have much luck until he knows for sure what happened to Alia."
Cinnamon sighed.
"I… can live with that. I'm just glad he's still around… and you guys too of course."
Axl's smile suddenly evaporated.
"Serious talk though. Are you OK?"
"What do you mean?"
"Cinny, please. I know you. There's something else on your mind, isn't it?"
"Well, you guys may have arrived at just the right time. I've been doing a lot of thinking."
"About?"
"I've managed to hold this place together and keep people safe and fed, but… you know me. I'm better at patching people up than leading them. I think it may be time for me to step down and let someone else take charge."
"Someone like another of the original Hunters?" Axl deduced.
She simply nodded.
"Well, I doubt you'd be able to talk Zero into it. He's got a new mission these days and doesn't want to be in charge of anyone or anything else."
"New mission?"
"You've heard of the Resistance, but do you know about their head researcher?"
"I've heard a name floating around." Cinnamon recalled. "Someone Neo Arcadia was desperate to get their hands on. Dr. Ciel, was it?"
"You got it in one."
"So what about her?"
"Well… I was able to dig up the location of the place where Zero was sealed and get that information to the Resistance. That brave little genius went there herself to wake him up, Neo Arcadia's goons caught up with her, one thing led to another and…"
"And?"
"Let's just say our old pal is finally learning to love again."
Cinnamon blinked in surprise.
"Didn't see that coming."
"Neither did he." Axl said with one of his usual grins. "Honestly, I think he was trying to dodge the issue for a while. Losing his memory, getting it back, then going through all that other crap… that messes you up. Not to mention she's human."
"Oh…"
"Yeah, you know how it is."
"Well, I'm glad someone was finally able to get through to him."
Axl preemptively raised a finger.
"And before you ask, no, I don't think I'd be a good fit for the role either. You know me."
Cinnamon couldn't help grinning.
"Yes, I do."
Axl pouted.
"You could at least have tried to convince me." he said in mock outrage.
Cinnamon laughed softly.
"You still know how to make a girl laugh, I see."
"Well, I went through some nasty crap of my own." Axl admitted. "I lost people I cared about too and for a long time I just tried to get away from it all. But if I can help people here and now, that's good enough for me."
"I guess that leaves X, doesn't it?"
Axl nodded.
"He didn't want to be in charge of anything again, but I think we can talk him into it, at least for a while."
"It was always like that though." Cinnamon reminisced. "Always doubting himself, but being a damn good leader."
"Honestly, I think he's at his best when he's looking after other people, as long as we keep his tendency to overdo things under control."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"Like I said, for a while." Axl reiterated. "He wants to do his own thing once he finds Alia and his brother and sister. I say he's more than earned some peace and quiet."
"His brother and sister? He did mention them."
"Yeah. Robots from back in the pre-Reploid days. From what he's told us, they were damaged a long time ago and are probably still sleeping it off."
Cinnamon blinked.
"How do you even begin to look for a couple of two hundred year old robots?"
"Very patiently. But we found out that Megalopolis was actually built over an older city… and their old man's main lab was there."
Then another thought crossed Axl's mind.
"So… Do you know anything about the others? Marino, Douglas and so on?"
"Afraid not. I heard about Signas and his last stand. I went to the old central HQ to see if anyone else had regrouped there, but all I found was looters. Had to give them a good scare."
"What happened to Palette, by the way?" she added.
The look on his face told her everything she needed to know. She let out a sigh and caught him in another hug.
"I'm sorry."
"So am I." Axl muttered. "More than you imagine."
The hours dragged on and eventually X and Zero decided to step outside to get some fresh air and clear their minds. However, X clearly looked uneasy about something.
"Something wrong?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I… sense something strange." X said. "It's faint, but it's definitely here."
"Your other winged buddy did say something about darkness and his sight being blocked, right?"
"Yes." X confirmed with a nod. "I guess I wasn't sensitive enough to notice it last time, but it was here all along."
With that, X reached inward and drew upon the radiant energy.
Zero quirked an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?"
"Just trying a little something." X said as the light spread across his body. "Bear with me."
In his mind's eye, the lingering darkness resembled a thin mist, rarefied by the passing of time but still leaving an oppressive residue upon the land. He dug deeper and the light answered his call, surging outward and washing over the city. Moments later, once the radiance faded, the air felt a bit clearer.
X opened his eyes and smiled, satisfied at the result of his little experiment.
"I don't know if that stuff could still have an effect on humans, but it feels like I got rid of it for good."
While Aeon continued going from room to room and extracting and dissecting the data within each individual machine, the hours flew by.
The Guardians stood around the basement corridors waiting for something to do, while the Hunter trio caught up with Cinnamon, asking more questions about what she had been doing and the state of the community she had managed to build around her.
Eventually, night fell, but X found it difficult to relax completely with all the thoughts swirling in his mind. After a short walk failed to clear his head, he reached into his pocket and activated the library card.
In a flash of light, he found himself in the library again. He scanned the nearest bookshelf, looking for something to read, when a familiar sensation told him that he was not alone.
Walking up a few aisles, he saw the increasingly familiar face of the boy others had called Caged Light. Still mostly clad in his suit of armor, he had left his helmet resting on the table.
"I was wondering when you'd show up again." X said in lieu of greeting. "How long has it been for you this time?"
"I don't even know anymore." the boy answered with a shrug, once again looking tired. "One of the caveats of my line of work."
"Well, it's good to know you're still in one piece. What's that you're reading?"
"Nothing too extravagant this time. Just some ancient poetry."
X perked up at those words.
"That sounds right up my alley, actually. I'm having some trouble sleeping and don't want to do a forced shutdown."
The boy smiled.
"I know the feeling. It happens to me with annoying frequency, especially when I'm trying to complete a drawn out mission."
"So what is it you do out there, exactly?"
"A little bit of everything, I suppose. Like the errant knights of old."
"You know those are just stories, right? Fanciful tales."
"Some of them are. But in infinite worlds, there have always been people living up to the ideal. I've met my share of them already."
"And were they like you, jumping from one world to the next?"
"Well, no. Usually they were limited to one world or region, mostly because they lacked the means or the time to travel beyond that and were bound by local obligations."
"Feeling responsible for one whole world was already too much for me." X admitted. "I can't begin to imagine having even more to deal with."
"But someone has to think beyond their own backyard." the boy argued. "Everywhere I turn there is evil to fight or someone in need of a helping hand."
X nodded.
"I get where you're coming from. My career wasn't just about stopping Mavericks and other criminals. I had other duties as a representative of the Hunters, as a member of the community, as a person. Somehow people just gravitated towards me and entrusted me with their problems."
The boy's tired expression gave way to a slight smile.
"Many Warriors of Light are renowned for their ability to connect to other living things. But in your case, I think it has more to do with your personality."
"What do you mean?"
"Surely you have noticed it? I know I have. Your kind, patient demeanor. Your willingness to go out and speak and listen to others, even complete strangers and random weirdos from other worlds. You're just the kind of person others open up to naturally. Even I was surprised at how easily the words start flowing out whenever we meet."
"You don't have many friends, do you?"
The boy sighed.
"This line of work is not conductive to such things. Most people have their lives and affairs. They can't just drop everything to go on an adventure at the edge of infinity… and then there's the whole relativity effect. I visit one world and meet some people, then the next time I stop by they could have already died of old age."
"And doesn't that bother you?"
"It does." the boy admitted. "I suppose that was part of the reason why I developed that compensation system for the dimensional drive. But life goes on, with our without me. As long as people are safe and free to pursue their happiness, my presence or absence is inconsequential."
"You say that, but you still keep coming back here and to our world." X pointed out. "Maybe you're not as detached as you try to believe… or maybe you don't want to be."
"I can sympathize with your feelings of loss and alienation." the boy said. "Of having unfinished business and regrets that need to be put to rest."
"That's called basic empathy. Part of being alive. Still doesn't explain the lengths you've gone to just to help a stranger like me."
The boy sighed again and gave him a pained look.
"I guess I haven't explained myself properly."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think I'm like the others." the boy said, momentarily closing his tired eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Most Warriors of Light naturally form connections to other living beings around them. They find strength and comfort in these connections. Move people, nations and entire worlds through word and deed."
"And you don't?"
"Not really. I suppose that's why I've made some unusual choices."
The boy sighed and paused for a moment, searching for words.
"I took the oath of the paladin like many before me. Some bind themselves to a patron or a liege, but others like me are not overly fond of being conditioned by the whims of another and instead follow a concept, an ideal."
"How does that work?"
"Belief and focus. Commitment. But while I can swing a blade or craft machines or understand the mysteries of reality, my mind is constantly focused on what still remains to be done."
"But realize there's more to life than fighting and working, right?"
The boy sighed again and gave X a sad look.
"Yes. But not for me."
"Why not?"
"I cannot help feeling that I lack something. That I am... an incomplete being."
X was reminded of the enigmatic young woman's words and her pained expression.
"He's trying to use the Light to fill the emptiness in his heart."
"Does this have something to do with those memories you threw away?"
The boy quirked an eyebrow.
"So she told you about that… No. I think this is something that I have always felt, even before then. It may even be what drove me out here in the first place."
"So that's what this is all about." X realized. "And why you feel like you don't belong anywhere. You're still trying to find your reason for being."
"You could put it that way. But I suppose even I get tired of it all sometimes."
"Oh?"
"I'm sure you've been through the same. That feeling that no matter how much you do, how much you sacrifice, it's never enough and your work will never be finished. Like all we've done is build sand castles that will crumble with the next tide."
That struck a chord. X was reminded of all the times he had doubted himself and expressed the same fatigue and frustration. Looking at the strange boy, it was almost like speaking to a younger and less grounded version of himself… and what he saw left him profoundly uncomfortable.
"You could say that. And to be blunt… I think you're repeating some of my old mistakes."
"Maybe I am, but you know what it's like, being unable to ignore the suffering of others out there."
"Yes, but why do you think it's your personal responsibility to solve every single problem out there by yourself? I'm an ageless robot and even I think that's crazy."
"It's… just what I do. I don't know how to live any other way."
"And you don't see anything wrong with that?" X insisted. "There's more to life than that."
"And what else can I do? Stop helping people?"
"No. I couldn't do that either, even if I wanted to. But since people like us are drawn to each other, why not teach others? Share the burden?"
The boy slumped on his chair and lowered his head.
"Because I'm no teacher and I don't have what it takes to lead others. My words won't move anyone, so I have to put in the extra effort myself."
"And so your answer is to keep running around putting out fires until you burn out or run into something you can't handle?"
"Even if this is an impossible task, I want to set an example. To carve a path for those yet to come. So I discarded the name of my birth and covered this childlike face and form with gleaming blessed plate and otherworldly technology."
X shook his head.
"You're not doing yourself any favors by trying to become the vessel for an ideal. Besides, have you ever considered how your actions affect the people around you?"
"It's not like I stick around long enough for them to care." the boy said dismissively. "I'm sure that once most people have what they need, they won't spare a thought for me."
X crossed his arms.
"Oh come on. Even if you try to deny it, you still have friends. Your missing mentor, the Librarian, the lady who travels with you… and us, you might say."
"Even without my intervention you already had things somewhat on track."
"I'm not talking about what you can do for others and you know it." X pointed out. "Even with that mysterious stranger act, you don't leave people indifferent. Besides, you still keep coming back to check up on us or to do whatever you do with the Librarian."
The boy sighed.
"I'd be lying if I said I was indifferent to everyone, but I'm not good at being idle or at small talk, and I don't want to bother people with my burdens."
"So you're doing like Cial and bottling things up until you can't take it anymore?"
"I..."
X managed to flash a mischievous smile despite the heavy tone of the conversation.
"She's still a bit mad you for running off without giving her any answers."
The boy winced.
"Yes… I should… probably drop by sooner rather than later."
"You should. But from my experience, even if people can't do much about each other's problems they'll still be happy to just listen."
"On another note…" X added. "I think you owe that lady of yours an apology. The last time we spoke she sounded very worried about you."
The boy's shoulders slumped again. In his face X saw something other than fatigue. He saw regret.
"I know. To be honest, sometimes I'm not sure why she puts up with my crap. Maybe she's afraid I'll make a fool of myself without supervision."
"Why not ask her, then?"
The boy forcibly straightened himself again and gave X a sad look.
"Because she might think I don't want her around. It's quite the opposite. Without someone to keep my worst excesses in check, I'd lose myself."
X blinked.
"He really has no clue? Well, he's still young. He'll figure it out."
"Yeah… I don't think you need to worry about that."
"Huh?"
"Look, for now, why not try to focus on being a person instead of a symbol? Why not rest that head and try to refocus before running off again?"
"I suppose… it can't hurt to give it another try."
Still seeing more of his old self in the boy than he was comfortable with, X silently hoped he would find his way. Along with the concern though, he felt a familiar pang of guilt. After all, he too had twice given up on being a person in a manner of speaking – the first by letting his work consume his life and the second by nearly letting himself fade into oblivion.
"Assuming I can find Alia, I've got a lot to make up for."
He still had no idea if he would find her, or what he would say to her if he did, but with more clues in hand and renewed encouragement, he was determined to throw himself into the search with the same zeal he had once reserved for his duty.
After a long, pensive pause, X finally spoke again.
"Well, since we're here, might as well take a look at that poetry book of yours."
The boy nodded and finally smiled again.
"The author has quite a way with words."
Upon closer inspection, X realized that this was the same book Cial had been reading during his previous trip to the library.
"Heh. Small world."
It was a good thing, X decided, that the flow of time had little meaning in the Librarian's domain, since they ended up reading through not only that book but a few more. By the end of it, X felt noticeably soothed, and as he raised his gaze from the last page he saw the boy fast asleep, slumped on the table. Not wanting to disturb him, he quietly excused himself.
On his way out, X sighed, feeling a brief, ridiculous thought cross his mind.
"Is this what being a parent feels like?"
While many Reploids had at one point or another elected to settle down and construct the next generation, such thoughts had always been distant to him. Whatever fancy seized him at that moment, whether due to nostalgia or the lingering effects of the long conversation with his maker, his imagination briefly entertained the notion of creating a Reploid child or adopting the ones who had lost their families to Neo Arcadia's cruelty.
Zero and Axl had often playfully teased him for being sappy, but the notion of putting his fighting days behind him, then settling down with Alia and becoming a doctor or a scientist surrounded by children was definitely compelling.
Then, his thoughts took a darker turn and he was reminded of his ill-fated copy. Instead of the usual anger though, he felt only regret.
"If Ciel was able to forgive herself for that debacle, then I guess there's no point in being angry at him. I just wonder what could have been."
His thoughts were interrupted by a door suddenly opening, as if out of thin air, followed by a thick curtain of purple smoke. The Librarian rushed out through the door, covering his eyes, then raised his hand and a concentrated gust of wind almost resembling the Storm Tornado forced the smoke back inside.
With the smoke gone, he slammed the door shut, rubbed his eyes, then waved at X before noticing his sleeping guest.
"Again?" he remarked with a sigh.
X watched as the Librarian walked up to the boy, then touched the ring on the right hand gauntlet, which lit up in response. As if on cue, the boy's companion appeared in a flash a moment later.
"Again…" she too remarked, smiling in amusement.
With surprising strength for her frame, she gently hoisted up her charge with one hand, then picked up his helmet with the other and started carrying him off on her shoulder.
"Does this… happen a lot?" X asked.
She stopped for a moment and glanced over her shoulder.
"When his anxiety goes out of control, he either walks until he gets lost or reads until he falls asleep. Like clockwork."
"I can relate. But that boy really needs to change his habits. Don't want him turning into another me."
The mysterious celestial lady smiled, despite the awkward situation.
"I can think of worse role models..."
Elsewhere...
"You're a stubborn lot..." the man with the high-pitched voice said.
The hooded figure remained unmoving, arms crossed, his glare felt even though his face was completely obscured.
"We're not leaving until we get to speak to her."
"And if you keep being a jackass about it, we'll just kick that door down!" the irascible figure in the ragged cloak added.
The door in question, at the end of a descending staircase, opened, seemingly by itself. A soft pink light started emanating from beyond the threshold and an object resembling a large orb wrapped in delicate pink and white petals hovered into view.
"That's enough." a soft female voice said. "What do you want from me?"
"Finally!" the cloaked figure grumbled.
The man in red stepped forward and once again removed his shades, staring intently at the newcomer.
"I know you've been through a lot of crap and we don't want to give you any trouble."
"Then why are you here?" the female voice insisted.
"We were hoping you could help us." the hooded figure said. "With your power, maybe you could find someone."
"Who?" the female voice asked.
"Your mother." the man in red said. "Don't you want to see her again too... Eir?"
The female voice gasped.
"That name... How do you know it?"
The man in red smiled sadly.
"I know many things... but not enough to set everything right. Your father is out there searching for her too. Will you help us help him?"
To their surprise, the female voice let out a low sob.
"It's been so long since anyone called me that..."