Biolinked in Remnant
Chapter 8 - Dive Into Depth (Pseudoroids)
"I-is that Grey?" Ruby confusedly asked.
She wasn't the only one looking for answers. The entire class was dead silent as they tried to make sense of the situation. The ambience in the room felt rather strange since the First Years were usually quite boisterous compared to their upper classmates.
A majority of students were a mixture of shock and surprise while an unlucky few fainted on the spot. It was barely the start of Beacon's second semester, and everyone got a bird's eye view of how "experts" fought in the field.
Aile and Grey's earlier introduction acted as a reminder on how life could throw curveballs in any direction. There were people out in the world who often drew the short end of the stick and had to forge a path to where they were now. The decisions one makes in their life could have a great effect later down the line. The jarring announcement that Beacon's latest additions were undertaking the Hunter Examination was still fresh in everyone's minds.
What kind of childhood, especially Grey's, did the duo experience that guided them to reach Provisional Hunter status?
Ruby glanced around her and noticed that most of her friends' exhaustion from their previous matches had all but disappeared as they too stared at the stage wide-eyed. Clearly, none of them expected this spar to take a dramatic turn such as this.
The group remembered how laxed the two were from earlier and understood how close Aile and Grey were with each other. The slight age gap between the two made everyone curious about the circumstances on how the duo met. The similarities of their metal ear coverings and high tech equipment couldn't have been just a coincidence.
Nearby, Coco and Velvet appeared to be in a similar state as everyone else. Their first impressions of the new transfers were filled with intrigue ever since this past weekend. In all their years preparing to become Huntresses, they had never encountered individuals quite like Aile and Grey.
When Ozpin warned them that they shouldn't miss out on today's Combat Instruction class, the headmaster wasn't kidding.
Only a few minutes into the exhibition match, the duo already showed they were leagues ahead of any of the First Years. Grey's little surprise only added more fuel to the fire as their speculations started to run wild. The fashionista's eyes narrowed from intrigue while the rabbit faunus went into a frazzled state, nearly dropping her camera in the process.
"Careful there, Bun Bun. Pretty sure that guy has a lot more to show us." Coco whispered. "Think you can handle it?"
"I think so. I haven't been this surprised in awhile. Wish I could get a closer look though. Their gear is incredible, but I'm not too sure what to make of Grey's appearance. Something feels off about it." Velvet replied.
"Take it easy. You'll get your chance eventually. Don't forget they're also assisting the professors during their stay here." Coco reminded her.
Velvet acknowledged her team leader with a grateful hum before she took a moment to recollect herself. This was a perfect opportunity for her to delve into a bit of research.
Quickly, she steadied herself while adjusting her camera lens to better focus on the boy's new appearance. Mass shifting on this scale had definitely piqued her interest. From the look of things, Grey also adapted his battle style to better suit his new form. If Coco's hunch was correct, the kid knew more than he was letting on.
Just from Velvet's initial observations, Grey outed himself as a wild card that shouldn't be underestimated. No doubt, she wanted to have a talk with Beacon's latest additions sometime in the future.
Back with Ruby and her friends, the young leader thought about everything that she'd seen thus far.
The battle between the two Provisional Hunters had gotten off to an explosive start. The duo fired rounds from their high tech weapons across the stadium, the likes of which Ruby had never seen before.
A miasma of color collided with one another which made identifying the combination of Dust used quite difficult. She didn't think the output from their compact weapons would be so large.
The flare of energy from the ring intensified as Grey and Aile dashed about in an attempt to outsmart the other. Compact thrusters on their back and feet seemingly allowed them freely move in multiple directions without so much of a struggle.
The gaze they held towards each other was almost soul piercing. It almost seemed like they were able to read each other's minds to predict their next movements.
The two combatants really meant it when they said this wouldn't be an easy match.
Ever since Ruby saw armor form on her friends' bodies, she had been curious about their fighting styles. What kind of preparations had Grey and Aile done before they arrived to class? How were they able to gear up so quickly? Their equipment looked so lightweight, but its durability to withstand the tremendous power released from their weaponry was remarkable.
Ruby felt like her mind was racing for miles with no end in sight. To say that her new friends were interesting people would have been a complete understatement.
Why hasn't Atlas revealed something so groundbreaking like this to the world? How did Grey and Aile acquire such weaponry? How long have they had their equipment? Did both of them build their gear from scratch or did someone help them?
The girl felt a mild headache growing, but one question immediately stood out above the rest.
'Is there a way I could replicate that form factor with Crescent Rose?' she thought to herself.
It might have been slightly selfish to think that, but her new friends' appearances gave her so many ideas to think about.
Her weapon's inactive state was roughly larger than her waist which made concealing it behind her cloak quite useful. Ruby built her baby the best she could, but the mechanic was always open towards possible improvements.
Technology was constantly evolving, and the girl was unabashed towards tinkering with any of the latest advancements.
Sadly, finances often acted as a major roadblock that prevented Ruby from going through with most of her plans. As a Huntress in training, she had to sacrifice many opportunities that would have solved many of her problems.
For instance, part-time work wasn't feasible since academics and eventual missions had to take priority. She learned growing up was not all it's cracked up to be ever since she started living in the dorms.
When this was all over, Ruby definitely wanted to study their armor's metal composition. A good day at the forge could serve as a good bonding experience between the three of them.
Although she wished her new friends the best in their match, Ruby hoped Grey would come out on top. Since she and Grey were around the same age range, Ruby could relate with some concerns he might be thinking about and wanted to cheer him on against his "senior."
Plus, Ruby always had a soft spot when it came to underdog match ups with her friends. Her decision may have appeared biased, but she had her reasons.
Ruby really disliked how people judged her solely based on her age. The girl knew that she had a lot to prove ever since she was accepted into Beacon two years early. Her teammates especially wanted to know if their newly appointed leader was up to the task.
Fortunately, her skillset allowed for great flexibility when it came time for spars. Proficiency in speed based combat provided many benefits in mobility and overwhelming swift attacks. The reaper really enjoyed the look on her opponent's faces whenever she came out the victor during the first few weeks of school.
However, she'd be lying if she wasn't also interested in the specs behind Aile's Hard-Light Dust saber. The resonating blueish green tint from the blade was so captivating. That beauty was a work of art in her eyes. Ruby knew Atlas was very conservative with distributing Hard-Light Dust, so she was keen to learn how Aile did maintenance with her weapon.
Not to mention, Dust prices were quite expensive with the recent uptick of crime throughout Vale. Managing her weekly allowance from her dad was stressful at times. She didn't like choosing between going out with friends and increased fees for her baby.
At least with the introduction of her team's swear jar, Ruby was able to receive a small stream of pocket change whenever she went into town. Guess there were some positives for Yang's no nonsense attitude.
Maybe Aile's parents worked in one of Atlas' many research labs which could explain the supply issue. Perhaps Grey was also in a similar situation as well. Although, the fact their parents were okay with them participating in a Hunter Examination was a cause for concern.
How often were they able to visit home ever since they became Provisional Hunters? Aile did say earlier that she and Grey lived pretty far from Beacon.
Speaking of weapons, Ruby's fascination with weapon design allowed her to notice subtle nuances that might have gone unnoticed by most of her peers. As someone who spent an ungodly amount of time at Signal's forge, she could attest that Grey and Aile's weapons were appealing for a variety of reasons.
She noted that the trigger tension from her earlier assessment with Grey's pistol likely created different power outputs in his shots. The longer he held down the trigger, the more powerful the impact became. With Aile, her sword's conversion frame was insanely fast since her blade appeared to be primarily Dust. The hilt turned out to be her gun barrel which made firing rounds a smooth transition.
Both their gear had unique features that really she wanted to ask about in greater detail. The level of control they had was incredible. The amount of time and effort devoted to research and development must have been absurd.
Ruby was already brainstorming ideas on how the internal mechanisms of their weapons operated, but something concerning caught her attention. Even with her trained eyes, she had to do a double take to confirm her findings.
While everyone was heavily focused on the duo's spar, the weapons nut happened to take a glance at the surrounding area and came to a startling revelation. Upon closer inspection, Ruby realized there were no shell casings whatsoever on the stadium floor.
'Huh?! How is that even possible?!' she internally yelled.
At first, Ruby thought her vision could be playing tricks on her or perhaps the cookies she ate during lunch were possibly a bad batch. The latter didn't seem plausible, so her thoughts went back to today's mishaps. Sure, she had a bad habit of not paying attention during class, but she never missed an opportunity to study matches during Combat Instruction.
Her suspicions were only further confirmed when Grey fired a barrage of rounds from his pistols in order to slow down his momentum from Aile's kick to the stomach. She had never seen weapons pack so much firepower at that size class. Those pistols acted more like mini hand cannons rather than a standard issue pistol.
She couldn't believe Hard-Light Dust could buckle like that and nearly shatter from the force Grey generated. The girl imagined the recoil must have taken a toll on her friend's body. Just the sight of him breathing heavily was a testament to the level of control he had on his weaponry. Ruby was surprised he even had enough strength to still be standing in the aftermath of what he caused.
From the look of things, it'd be awhile till he was able to use that move again.
Bizarrely, Aile's weapon looked pristine compared to the area around the bleachers. In fact, Ruby believed the armor-clad girl was able to defect a couple of Grey's rounds before eventually receiving damage herself. Visible scuff marks on her gear and face were the only significant signs of any sort of struggle the older girl had against her junior.
'What kind of ammo are they using?' Ruby asked herself.
More questions arose in her mind after what she just witnessed. Her suspicions on the lack of a loading mechanism on their weapons from earlier only deepened. The girl had never seen Dust act in a way that defied established norms.
It was as if their weapons created their own energy.
Ruby was lucky that the barrier around the bleachers was still standing. Her Aura was still recovering from her match earlier with Pyrrha, and she didn't want to imagine what would happen if that protection were to fully shatter.
Aside from Grey's surprise attack, Ruby had kept her attention solely on the main combatants of the stage. If Weiss could read her partner's mind, the heiress would have joked about why said team leader wasn't this serious when it came to her other classes.
Admittedly, Ruby would somewhat agree with her partner. It wasn't that the young leader disliked lectures, she just preferred studies that were more tangible.
The only exception would have been mathematics. A strange subject for her to appreciate, but it made a lot more sense when one focused on her weapon's specialty.
As a sniper, she had to understand trajectory, deflection, and other variables to consistently hit her targets no matter the situation.
Back to the topic at hand, Ruby felt a fire lit inside her core as she continued to watch her new friends' exhibition match.
In front of her, the two Provisional Hunters represented a goal that she so desperately wanted to reach during her time at Beacon. The girl always had a passion towards helping people ever since she was young. The stories she heard about her mother being a Huntress acted as a major catalyst for the path she's on right now.
Grey and Aile already had a head start through the Hunter Examination, and she couldn't help but think about the various missions the duo were assigned. The trials and tribulations they had to overcome must have been intense.
What kind of interactions between examinees did the two of them face based on their age? How did they convince their parents to let them partake in such a difficult path? What drove them forward to take up the role as Hunters? And most especially, why did they forgo the typical route of attending the main Academies?
Ruby may have found people her age who share the same goals as her, and she wanted to know more about them.
Yet, things took a turn towards unknown territory that even she wasn't prepared for.
One moment, Grey was charging towards Aile, the next, a mechanical hedgehog had suddenly taken his place. Said hedgehog continued to bounce in place as it swung its stubby arms back and forth without a care in the world.
Was this Grey's Semblance?
Meanwhile, Professor Goodwitch's gaze quickly hardened as she subtly activated more cameras around the amphitheater to get a closer look. Despite knowing the truth behind the two fighters, the scene in front of her warranted extreme caution.
No matter how she looked at it, the two of them weren't going to hold back despite asking earlier in the period.
Her assistants were definitely going to get bombarded with so many questions no matter the outcome of the match.
"It has to be, right?! He and Aile were the only ones on stage when their match began!" Jaune replied. "How did he do that? I've never seen anything like that before!"
"Perhaps it has something to do with his Semblance?" Pyrrha wearily suggested. "Professor Goodwitch did say both of them had special circumstances that made them take the Hunter Examination. Could this be why Ozpin wanted them to help out as assistants?"
"But look at him, Pyrrha?! Why did he transform into something that looks like a robot?!" Jaune voiced.
In the few months since Jaune unlocked his Aura, he had seen a wide array of Semblances. His partner also provided a wealth of knowledge in handling various opponents through her tournament background.
However, nothing could have prepared him for something like this.
Weren't Semblances supposed to be a natural extension of one's abilities?! Even though he wasn't the best at his studies, one quick glance at Grey's transformation and the guy could tell it was anything but natural.
"C-calm down, Jaune. I'm sure there's an easy explanation for this." Ruby chimed in. "I'm meeting with Grey later, remember? I could probably ask about his Semblance if he's okay with it."
"With the way things are going, I doubt your friend will be in any position to deny your request, Ruby." Pyrrha observed.
Ruby let out an awkward chuckle in response to Pyrrha's words.
Despite her best attempts to remain calm, Ruby was in the same boat as the blonde knight. No matter how she looked at it, Grey's new form acted like a weapon from every part of his body. Specifically, she noticed how the spines on his back shifted back and forth as sparks coursed across their tips.
Although Jaune's comment about the boy's appearance looking "robotic" slightly stung, Ruby reluctantly agreed with her friend's observations. The reaper was no stranger to meeting interesting people in her time at Beacon.
At the same time, a certain hammer wielder became antsy after what she just witnessed.
"He could transform and shoot electricity?! That's so cool! Gosh, his stubby limbs are so adorable too! If that attack from earlier was just a taste of his power, imagine how much destruction the two of us could cause if we teamed up." Nora smiled.
With the area still considerably damaged from Grey's previous bullet storm, Nora's suggestion terrified everyone. Who's to say that she wouldn't test out the boy's abilities even further? Keeping Nora in check was always an arduous task. Grey's current transformation combined with her Semblance was a recipe for disaster.
The thought of an overclocked ticking time bomb did not bode well for anyone. Professor Goodwitch already had them on her radar, and they did not want to rope in their new friends further into their antics. The two Provisional Hunters likely had a plethora of work to do as both transfer students and assistants.
The group glanced at the monitors and were surprised to see that Aile and Grey's Aura levels were still hovering in the green at around eighty percent. No one could believe the two still had so much energy left at their disposal after Grey's display of power. A fact which Nora appeared to have taken in strides.
"Please don't make him your personal battery, Nora." Ren cautioned.
"What?! I wasn't thinking that at all, Renny! I'll admit the hedgehog aesthetic looks cute, but nothing can beat the might of a sloth." Nora waved off his concerns.
Despite her words, many in the group were cautious about Nora's intentions for Grey and Aile. There was no telling what she had in mind for the two Provisional Hunters if given the opportunity. If last weekend's stunt meant anything, it served as a fair warning to always keep an eye out for the eccentric hammer wielder.
"This is getting out of hand. Both of them are really going at it despite what they said earlier. I'm not sure if I can keep up if this goes on any longer." Weiss voiced her concerns.
"If it means anything, something peculiar caught my eye just now." Yang followed up.
"Really? Out of everything we've seen so far, what's the one thing that's got you so interested in their match?" Blake questioned.
Yang chuckled to herself which drew the attention of everyone within close vicinity. A foreboding feeling fell over the group but couldn't pin down why.
"Didn't you hear what Grey said just now?" the blonde asked.
"Huh? Why are you so focused on that? It was just…a simple… joke…" Blake's words trailed off as she finally understood what her partner meant.
It wasn't just her, everyone slowly came to the terrifying realization of what Yang was implying. They were so focused on the match, the boy's playful quip almost got lost in the madness if not for the blonde's observation.
'Oh no, she wouldn't dare.' Blake shivered.
"Hehehe, looks like I may have found someone who's also a fan of puns. That punchline did fit quite well with his new look." Yang snickered. "Maybe I should go over some new material with Grey to see what he thinks."
Immediately, Yang's teammates felt a sense of dread rise in the back of their minds as the blonde's words sunk in. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake realized that they had to prevent the imminent disaster that was the blonde's sense of humor from leaking out.
It was already hard enough dealing with Yang's antics on a daily basis. While the trio had gotten used to her teasing and snarky attitude, all hell would break loose if Yang found a new recruit to join in on her fun.
What's worse, they could actually see that happening.
Grey did say he was quite an impressionable person, and all three of them were concerned about Aile having to deal with a miniature version of Yang. Sure, the two of them may have known each other for quite some time, but Grey could still be affected to a degree since he was now the youngest person in Beacon.
The whole of Team JNPR silently wished the trio the best in preventing Yang's endeavors from influencing Grey's actions later down the road.
"Don't even think about it, Xiao Long!" Weiss groaned. "The thought of there being two you sounds like a nightmare."
"Watts wrong, Ice Queen? Can't handle the shock!"
Yang's pun elicited a boo from both Weiss and Ruby who also threw in a thumbs down for added measure.
"Please stop… there's only so much I can handle today, and you're already pushing it." Blake sighed.
With three against one, the blonde sighed in defeat.
"Tch, tough crowd." Yang muttered.
Back at the main stage, Aile eyed Grey's new form with an appraising look on her face. She took a moment to stare at the robotic hedgehog in front of her as sparks flew across its extremities. From the look of things, she didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.
As an experienced Mega Man, she was no stranger to such a familiar encounter. Such a sight was commonplace in her and Grey's line of work. In fact, her first missions with the Guardians involved encounters with similar looking beings to regain control of stolen Biometals that a certain Maverick had in his possession.
'Didn't think he'd surprise me with a Pseudoroid transformation right off the bat.' Aile observed. 'I honestly thought he would have first turned into my doppelganger for a second.'
[To be fair, Grey likely chose that form to catch you off guard. He and Model A do have a habit of using unconventional tactics during battle. Besides, you did tell him not to hold back in your room earlier, right?] Model X replied.
'I know that, X. I'm glad to see he's comfortable using that ability he shares with Model A. I wonder what else he's encountered since the last time we saw him.'
[Perhaps you should hold off questions until this match is over with, Aile. Even though Grey's your opponent, I suggest you stay cautious. Knowing his partner, the two of them will likely use a wide array of transformations to keep you occupied.] Model Z echoed.
The humanoid couldn't agree more with the veteran Biometals. This wasn't going to be like her first encounter with the reploid. Both of them have grown a lot since their fateful meeting. Adrenaline filled her body as she thought about her next plan of attack.
This match was finally getting interesting.
With Grey finally throwing in the big guns, Aile knew she had to step up to the table as well. The girl wouldn't back down from this fight and planned to face her opponent head on.
She disconnected her talk with Model X and Model Z as she stared back at her junior with an enthusiastic smirk.
"Never saw you transform into that one before. Heck, I was beginning to wonder if you'd even use your ability, Grey." Aile mused.
"Yeah! Yeah! Your pep talk from earlier really amped me up! I wanna show you that I'm willing to pull out all the stops whenever I'm with you." Grey complimented in a chipper voice. "Funny how this form nearly killed me during an investigation mission back home."
"Ain't that every high level mission we've been on, Grey? How many near death experiences have you been through anyway?" Aile asked.
"Too many to count. To be frank, most days seem to blend in with one another. Although, I'm pretty sure you've been through a lot worse than I have." Grey chuckled.
"Point taken, I guess that's something both of us can agree on."
Aile was slightly curious how everyone was taking their banter with one another, but she set that thought off to the side. Right now, her main goal was to test how far Grey has come since they last fought each other back at the Quarry.
The energy in the ring intensified as the two Mega Men eyed one another. Even though this could be considered a friendly spar, neither of them planned on backing down as both of them wanted to come out on top.
"I don't wanna beat around the bush, but I think we've had enough chit chat!" Aile goaded. "Unless your plan is to run out the clock, I suggest you don't waste my time!"
"You got that right! The fun's only just begun!" Grey happily replied. "Time to see how you fair when I go all out, Aile!"
[That's the spirit, Grey! Let's show her what we're made of!] Model A cheered.
Excitement radiated from Grey's eyes as the reploid curled his body into a ball again and barreled straight towards Aile. The boy attempted to increase his speed by retracting the spikes on his body until he made contact with his senior. Not wanting a repeat of last time, the armored warrior matched the boy's momentum as she spun wildly in the air with her ZX-saber.
The two fighters were locked in a stalemate. When one tried to gain any sort of ground, the other would push back with equal ferocity. The two Mega Men were determined to make any sort of headway in their fight. Eventually, both their inertia slowed down enough for Aile to jump a safe distance away from her junior.
Grey let out an audible click where he stood just as white light enveloped his body again.
The boy's body shifted again, now taking the form of a purple bipedal lion dog with wheels for legs. Twin exhaust pipes surrounded his neck which complemented the motorized look. A spiky ball suddenly appeared in Grey's paw as the sound of a reverbing engine echoed from his form.
"How about we kick this up a notch!" Grey growled before tossing the ball into the air.
Grey spun his body around to create enough force to launch the object directly towards Aile's head. The projectile's acceleration made its appearance blur as it drew ever closer towards his opponent. Luckily, the humanoid narrowly dodged a near decapitation just as it exploded behind her. Shrapnel littered the field as Grey snickered from the opposite end of the ring.
"Like I said, I'm full of surprises." Grey remarked.
'Those things are bombs?!'
[Glad to know the kid is keeping up his end of the deal. Don't tell me you're already going soft on your "friend," tomboy.] Model L chimed in.
'Are you trying to piss me off, L?!' Aile questioned.
[Not at all, I'm just reminding you that this isn't a typical training session. The kid and Bolthead are expecting a lot from you. If I remember correctly, didn't the two of you joke that this spar will be a "Game of Destiny" in a way? Or was it all just for show?] Model L pressured.
Aile didn't respond further as the sound of skidding wheels garnered her attention. Grey continued to fling another volley of bombs her way as he drew closer and closer to her position.
'L's right. I'd better get going.'
Widening the gap between her and the reploid was her best bet minimizing damage. The debris caused by his explosions didn't travel far which helped a lot. If she kept moving, her junior would have a tough time landing a direct hit on her.
However, Grey figured out what his senior was thinking and came up with a perfect plan to catch her off guard. The chaos inside the ring posed a difficult situation for anyone to keep track of every single detail. Aile was so focused on tracking his position that she failed to notice the boy's shadow dart away from his body.
Aile tried to shoot multiple pellets at her opponent, but Grey's constant drifting allowed him to dodge an ample portion of her attacks. He really utilized that form's design to act as a mini vehicle. She was about to counter with her ZX-saber until she felt something heavy slam onto her back.
The sudden impact launched her forward, nearly dropping her weapon in the process. She tilted her head backwards and saw a similar looking Pseudoroid as the cause of all the commotion. Its body appeared slightly holographic until it solidified after a couple seconds. To prevent an instant knockout, she dug her blade into the ring, leaving a hefty crevice in her wake.
'So this one can also make a duplicate of itself?!' Aile groaned.
[Not exactly, take a closer look at their heads. One of them has an open mouth with pronounced ears while the other has a closed jaw with a sharp horn on the snout. Looks as though young Grey battled a pair of twin Pseudoroids for that skill to be possible.] Model P echoed.
Aile knew Model P meant well, but that kind of information was kinda redundant in her current situation.
'Does anyone have a good idea on how to get out of this mess?' she asked.
[You're the one with a body, pipsqueak. Get moving, so I can finally let off some steam.] Model F impatiently grumbled.
'Jeez, thanks for the words of encouragement, F.' she sarcastically replied.
The two Pseudoroids continued to circle around Aile at a breakneck pace much to the humanoid's ire.
Grey's mastery over his transformations was impeccable. His movements and skill were almost second nature to him. She was impressed how quickly he's adjusted to his new life as a Mega Man after everything that's happened to him. Even with all the hardships he faced so far, his selfless, determined attitude continued to shine wherever he went.
Has it really been six months since he and Model A were bonded together?
"Looks like I caught your blind spot, Aile!" Grey snarked before he closed in for a pincer strike.
The second Pseudoroid silently nodded back and mirrored the reploid's movements.
*SLAM
Aile felt her stomach being crushed as the reploid's twin wheels revved across her body. Her mouth let out a heavy cough, as air was forcefully ejected out her lungs from the heavy blow.
When this was all over, she needed to check if her junior unintentionally left a mark on her. Cybernetics only went so far before something was bound to break. The girl grunted in pain as Grey pressed his feet further in an attempt to make her yield.
"Payback is great…" "...when returned in full!" the twin Pseudoroids voiced.
Even with the added protection from the Biometals, she still felt the temperature rise in the area where her junior attacked her. Aile knew she had little time before she would be incapaciated and had to act fast. The humanoid squeezed the trigger on her ZX-saber as she let loose a charged strike on one of the lion dog's legs.
A piercing clang resonated from the impact as both Pseudoroids winced in pain and safely backed off from the Guardian. The boy propped his body on one knee as dark smoke exited from the twin exhausts around his neck.
"Lucky shot..." Grey grimaced.
The damage he received from Aile's attack was quite substantial. Twenty percent of the reploid's energy reserves were gone just like that. Grey can't get too reckless when standing face to face with the armor clad girl.
As much as he wanted to use a Sub-Tank, a practical spar did not warrant its emergency use right now.
For now, Grey returned the second Pseudoroid back to his main body to formulate his next plan of attack.
Although Aile didn't like to see her friend get hurt, she was fortunate to have landed a decisive blow that may have turned the tide in her favor. She took the opportunity to catch her breath and discuss what she learned with the other Biometals.
'Huh, seems as though Grey also copied their weak points as wells.' Aile noted. 'That could be quite useful in the future.'
[While it is great intel, I suggest you don't overuse our abilities. You may have caught Grey off guard this time, but the boy might have developed failsafe tactics for his other forms.] Model H warned.
'Wasn't planning on it, H. This match is a nice way to get some practice. Speaking of, how much longer till you guys are ready to join in?' Aile asked.
[We should be good within a couple minutes, tomboy. Try to hold out a bit longer. We're doing one last overview to make sure we don't have any unforeseen hiccups.] Model L relayed.
'Thanks for the heads up!' Aile smiled. She couldn't wait to catch up on lost time with the other four Biometals.
Suddenly, another flash of light garnered Aile's attention. This time, Grey took the form of a skeletal blue and green vulture-like robot that carried an electric guitar. Its gleaming red eyes reminded her of those Grimm creatures that she and Grey encountered over the weekend.
Aile's confusion towards the bizarre choice of weapon gave enough time for Grey to launch a blast of weaponized sound aimed at her. The shockwave knocked the girl off her feet and appeared to have temporarily locked her buster in its sword configuration. The added effect of her ears ringing only worsened her sense of balance.
"Dammit!" Aile swore.
She took in a deep breath which helped to alleviate some of her disorientation.
Aile dashed forward in an attempt to land a blow on the Pseudoroid, but Grey's wings lit up, shooting him up into the air. Grey hovered in the air, firing multiple shockwaves aimed right at her. After some time, Aile was finally able to shift her weapon back into its Buster configuration. She tried to line up a shot against the skeletal vulture, but the boy easily deflected any projectile by forming a sound barrier around him. The humanoid gritted her teeth once she realized she was at a slight disadvantage without the Wind Biometal's support.
'Really wish you were combat ready right about now, H!'
[We're almost done, Aile. Give us a couple more minutes and you'll be good to go.] Model H relayed.
'Okay, I'll try and buy you guys some time.' Aile grimaced.
Ironic how she teased her junior earlier for running the clock during their match.
"Hehehe, why the long face? Can't keep up with the beat of my song?" Grey snickered.
"Well, you do know how to keep a girl moving, Grey. I gotta ask, are the puns really necessary?" Aile questioned.
"It's all part of the act, groupie. When we're jamming like this, I can't help but resonate with the melody we create." he explained. "Besides, our little encore hasn't even hit the climax yet!"
Grey shot up towards the ceiling before shapeshifting once again. The light from this transformation was oddly larger than the ones that he had used before. The humanoid took this display as a warning for what's about to come next.
Aile knew things weren't looking too good, so she dashed towards the far end of the ring to get away from whatever Grey was about to turn into. The ground quaked with chunks of debris flying around her, embedding in various parts of the surrounding walls. Her intuition proved to be right as a large crater formed where she previously stood.
Something big must have been the cause of so much destruction throughout the ring.
As the smoke settled, everyone finally got a clear view of what Grey just transformed into. If his previous animalistic transformations were sight to behold, then the size class of his current form blew everything out the water.
Standing in the crater was a gargantuan blue and white reptilian machine whose height reached the threshold of the lower bleachers. The beast's enormous, icy teeth snapped shut with a sound similar to that of a Poplan Mechaniloid.
'Kinda reminds me of when I fought Protectos a while back.' she reminisced.
[Stop daydreaming! Focus on the fight at hand, pipsqueak!] Model F warned.
A whirring sound suddenly caught the girl's attention. Aile quickly rolled her body to the side in an attempt to dodge a bladed wheel aimed at her. The deadly saw barreled straight off the stage and embedded itself into a corner of the amphitheater. She tried to fire a buster shot at one of Grey's eyes, but he swiftly spun his body around to slam his tail on top of her. While a deep imprint formed where she got hit, the girl was more or less a bit dazed from the attack.
[Are you okay, Aile?] Model X asked.
'D-don't worry, I'm fine. A hit like that won't take me down that easily.' Aile winced.
[Try not to overwork yourself. Your body can only take so much even if you had a couple days to recuperate.] Model Z warned.
The humanoid shook her head for a moment before she saw Grey unlatched his maw to an unnatural degree. Aile took off at a breakneck pace across the stadium as icicles flew at her, burying themselves deep into the walls behind her.
'I need to try and close the distance between the two of us.'
With her Ice Boots Chip active, Aile hopped onto Grey's teeth like mini platforms. The icicles launched in a specific pattern which aided her on where to land next. Once close enough, she fired a charged shot at the corner of his mouth. The strength of her shot pushed the reploid's body back a couple feet, forcing his jaws to snap shut.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall, Grey!" Aile yelled as she performed another rolling slash.
Aile's saber grinded against the reploid's giant metal body as Grey snarled from the barrage of hits. While this form had high amounts of endurance, it didn't mean he could just sit still and rack up damage. He needed a new plan of attack.
Interestingly, Grey thought of the perfect idea with how he wanted to take this spar.
"Why don't we try something more interesting then?" he bellowed.
The boy transformed again, leaving a vacuum of space underneath Aile. She was forced to make a crash landing but softened the blow with a well timed cargo roll. From the look of things, the reploid used the giant flash to widen the gap between the two of them again.
However, Grey wasn't going to let her rest anytime soon.
Aile turned her body just in time to block a saber strike aimed directly for her back. She set her eyes towards the perpetrator of the attack and was surprised to see who it was.
It was a person who Aile knew all too well.
Standing before her was someone who could have easily been mistaken as Aile's identical twin sister. The person's armor looked exactly the same as her's, especially the weapon being held in their hand. They even had the signature blonde hair that flowed from the back of her helmet. A familiar set of green eyes stared back at the humanoid with an amused smirk plastered on their face.
Grey had finally transformed into a carbon copy of Aile.
"Let's see how you handle facing off against yourself!" he declared.
Aile winced as she heard her voice being used in such a provocative manner. Did Grey really sync with his transformations' personalities or was everything just an act?
Both combatants took a step back to catch their breath. Preparations for the real "Game of Destiny" were ready to commence.
She wanted to reply to her junior's statement but was distracted by some very important information relayed her way.
[I think it's about time we joined in on the fun, tomboy~] Model L chimed in. [We can't let the kid and Bolthead have all the fun, right?]
The humanoid couldn't help but smile at the coming storm heading Grey's way.
Author's Notes
Gotta say, I enjoyed giving Grey an opportunity to explore what his transformations had to offer than in the base games. Wish ZXA had more time to implement more creative ways to use the Pseudoroids instead of the basic puzzle solver strat. ZX Termination played a major role in reference material on some of the strategies the lovable reploid implemented.
Decided to split this fight into two sections so the Pseudoroids could have a moment to shine before Aile steps up to the plate to put pressure on Grey. Let's just say the Four Guardians will have a more "interactive role" when facing Grey and Model A. I've gotten quite a number of suggestions on how I could handle the Ruby A-Trans specifically, and I can't wait to reveal what will happen in the next chapter.
I happened to also edit every previous chapter for syntax and additional content to fill in some voids that I left out if anyone wants to do a reread. Monster Hunter Collab in DiVE and edits were the main reasons why this took so long to upload. Hopefully Starforce shows up so we can get every mainline game [unless Xover and Ability somehow make an appearance before then].
Anyhow, thanks for reading and I'll see ya guys at the conclusion of the exhibition match!
~Cristos
Next Time: Dive into Depth (Mega Men)