Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Test of Trust

Author: Lady Blue

Disclaimer: Capcom! Capcom! Capcom!... I think you get the point.

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A loud humming sound stopped humming as X opens his eyes and looked out of capsule he was placed into. He took a deep breath and gives out a sighed of relief. The glass door of the capsule slowly opens up as X took a step out and glanced back to Passy that was hovering beside him all the time.

"How do you feel?" Ciel asked walking up to him and pull out the sensor that she placed all over his body for diagnosis.

"The pain is still there... but its nothing unbearable" X said rubbing his hand over the back of his helmet "So what did you get?"

"From what I can scan using our equipment here... you have no sign of any Maverick virus in you so you are officially not a Maverick" Ciel said as she hits the button on the console beside the capsule. A hologram screen lit up in the middle of the hibernation room showing a schematic of the azure reploid's body.

"That was comforting" X said sarcastically, knowing that the answer given by Ciel was not the answer he was hoping to hear. He was more concern over the headache he was getting then being label a Maverick. To think about it, he was already label as a Maverick the moment he saved her from the restricted zone. "But that did not explain why I am getting this damn headache?"

"Can you wait until Ciel finish her readouts" the little cyber-elf hover right in front of X's faces. The azure reploid waved his hand away trying to get the little reploid away from him.

"What the heck are you?"

"I am a cyber-elf" Passy said proudly as she hovers closer to X "A program created to support humans and reploids"

"Then do me a favor get away from my face" X said waving his hand.

"Well excuse me" Passy replied annoyingly as she fly over to Ciel.

"Passy" Ciel said looking at Passy before she turns her attention back to the azure reploid in front of her. "I was just getting to that"

Ciel hit the console again and this time the hologram picture shifted to a picture that looks like an x-ray scan of a human brain. From the diagram shown he could see a thin red line that was severed from what looks like his brain.

"That looks like... well what is it?" X asked confusingly.

"It's a diagram of you primary memory core, your brain" Ciel explain as she touch the screen and the picture zoom in closer, showing a much detail picture of X's memory core.

"I see....and that line in my head" X points his finger to the red line in hologram picture.

"That would be your central nerve system" Ciel explained.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Apparently no" she answered "I found out that to realign and resynchronize your nerve system is an easy procedure"

"Good"

"Please take a sit and remove your helmet so I can perform the procedure"

X looked at Ciel for a moment before he turns around and removed his helmet before sitting down on the chair beside the console.

Ciel reach for her tools on the table and get to work. She gazed at the back of X's head and surprised to see that his internal design was almost familiar to Nova's design. However there were some parts that she did not recognized nor does she understand. She also notice Passy was looking at X head, and to her expectation, the little cyber-elf was rather confused. She smile and looked back to X head before she proceed with the procedure.

"I'm beginning the procedure, so try to relax okay?" Ciel said.

"Sure, but can I talk?"

"Certainly, just don't move too much or else I might cut something by mistake" Ciel said

"No problem" X said shutting his eyes.

It was for a few minutes during the procedure that X suddenly asks "One thing I don't get it Doctor?"

"Call me Ciel"

"What happened here?" X asked. He then felt a slight shock coming from the back of his head. The feeling was more like a tickle then pain "I mean, I may not remember anything, but I'm definitely not blind. Waking up in the middle of a war"

"You must have been in that capsule for a long time... alright I'll tell you" Ciel sighed but still kept a careful grip on the tool she is using on X. "Have you ever heard the legend of Zero?"

"No not really, should I know the guy?"

"Zero was legendary Reploid who fought during the early Maverick Wars; past hundred years... during those days he have fought over countless battles and won" Ciel said "Many look to him as a savior while others looked to him as a hero"

"Zero who fought the war is still alive and is now trying to retired us all" She said softly as if she blamed herself for the war.

"Why?" X asked. However, instead of getting an explanation Ciel remained silence. Even her hands stopped moving. X can tell that she is hiding something from him, but he was in no mood to ask her that now. He was more concern with the headache he is having. "Forget it" he said as he remains silence for the rest of the operation.

Finally after a few more minutes Ciel finish realigning X nerve connection and repaired most of his damages system. X placed back his helmet and stand up for a stretch. Not only was the pain's gone, but he felt like he was a new person all together.

"How do you feel now?" Ciel asked putting her tools away.

"Great, just like brand new" X replied placing his hand over the back of his neck "You are a miracle worker Ciel, not to mention a good looking one"

"Are you trying to flirt with me?" Ciel joked for once after so long.

"I can always try" X answer as they both laughed. Passy was the only one in the room looking rather lost a little, still sitting on Ciel's shoulder.

"Can you tell me who this Nova character is?" X asked. Ciel suddenly felt a little reluctant to answer, but she felt she own him at least a little of the truth.

"Nova is a hunter unit builds by the Maverick Hunters years ago before they were disband and replaced by the Neo Arcadia" Ciel answered "He is Zero's right hand man. Rumors has it he was constructed from a design belonging to another legendary hero that fought during the Maverick War era"

"What happened to this hero?" X asked curiously.

"He died" Ciel said not looking at X.

"Bummer" X joked.

When Ciel look at the azure reploid laughed, she did not really share his sense of humor. But the longer she looked at him the more he reminded her of the Nova she knew back in Neo Arcadia. How both of them look so much alike, but something does look different. Never once did Ciel ever seen Nova laughed.

A few second she allows her mind drifted off and when she finally able to get back to reality she only notices X was staring at her with a small smile on his face. She quickly spun herself around and blushed shyly.

Then finally she notices something, all the time when she was with the azure reploid. She has never once asked for his name.

"You know I didn't really get your name" Ciel said turning back to the azure reploid.

"I don't have one remember?" X reminded.

"I forget... sorry" She apologies and gives a low bow.

"It's not your fault" X said politely.

"You do need a name... let me think" Ciel said.

At first she was thinking of giving him the name of Dark Phoenix, named after the project he was found in but somehow something inside her tells her differently. Even though no one has seen the real X for over a hundred years, she knows that the azure reploid in front of her has too many similarities to the great fallen hero then anyone else but the great X himself. And since she was looking for X to make her own miracle, maybe this azure reploid could be her X.

Yet there could be possibilities that she might even consider it as a theory that this is the real X.

"How about X?" she suggested.

"X?" X said with a surprised, Ciel was studying his expression to see if the name rings any bell in him. However X just looks rather confuse "What sort of name is that?" he asked.

"He was one of the great Maverick Hunter that ever lives" Passy said, X gazed at the little cyber-elf, as if the little one favors the guy.

"So what happened to him?" X asked Ciel.

"He... died" Ciel answered.

X cross his arm and think for a moment, thinking. "I think I found a link here" he finally said.

"You don't like it?" Ciel sounded disappointed

"Not really... Well at least it is easy to remember"

"Good" Ciel said happily. "Now I'd like to ask you a question... can you remember the dark armor that you used to defeat the Golem?"

"Like I told you before, what armor? All I remember was seeing a bright light coming straight at me and the next thing I know, I was holding you in my arms" X said. Ciel can tell it from his face that he was telling the truth.

Suddenly Ciel notice that X was looking in another direction, towards the door. Curious she spun herself around only to find a girl wearing a green resistance uniform standing rather nervously.

"Ciel" a female reploid walked into the room.

"What is it Chris?" Ciel asked.

"It's about.... Raynor's team" She said softly. Ciel however, seem to understand the message and nod to the girl.

"Hold on a second" Ciel said before getting up from her seat and walk over to the female reploid.

"On my... when?" Ciel whisper to the female reploid, X could see it in her expression that whatever it is not good.

"X, please come with me"

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X glimpse around the Command Centre of the resistance. It was big and the place has a second floor connected to it. However, what makes him curious was that the place seems to be surrounded by a large number of capsules, as if the room was once a hibernation camber.

He watch as Ciel walks over to two other females' reploid in the room. One wearing a blue uniform while the other one sitting near the console are in green. They seem to be having a conversation. From where X stand he could not make out what they are talking about. After a few second Ciel walk back to X and followed by the female reploid in blue, the girl gave him a distrustful look.

"Ciel I don't think that bringing this drone in here is a good idea" a female reploid said turning her attention to X.

"It is my decision Sera" Ciel said but the female reploid just stared at her in silence. She then shook her head and smile.

"You are my boss and my savior. If it wasn't for you I would not be standing here and commanding the 8th Resistance Unit" she chuckle and takes a steps towards him. X takes a glanced at her, short green hair and a round face, the reploid before him looks more like a young teenager trying to play soldier. "Just don't let the boss down drone or you will regret it"

"Don't worry, I won't" X said.

Ciel gives a smile, knowing that at least one of the officers were still on her side. She and Sera walk to the girl sitting near the console. They talk for sometime before Ciel walk back to X position. From her expression, X could tell she was somewhat disturbed.

"X, I got a request for you...." Ciel said, her voice tells him that she was somewhat unwilling to ask him.

"What is it?"

"Earlier today one of our assault team went on a mission to destroy the Disposable Centre, but unfortunately they were intercepted and terminated before there were able to accomplish the mission"

"What I want to ask you is if you would try and do something that no one has been able to do so far... I want you to destroy the Disposal Centre, where they retire our comrades one after another... Even while I speak, they may be retiring a Reploid who is wrongly suspected of being a Maverick" Ciel hit a control and a hologram picture of the Disposable Centre appears. "To prevent any additional loss of Reploid life, please destroy the enemy facility... Will you do this for us...?" Ciel asked as if she was begging him.

X gazed at her for a moment; in silence "What's the resistance level?" he asked crossing his arms. Somehow these sound a little familiar to him, like he has done this hundred of times.

"High" the female reploid replied. "There should be a few squadron of Z drones station there and maybe a Commander unit"

"Maybe is a very strong word"

"We current aren't sure of all the information we have" Ciel said "There was never any assault team that successfully made it into the Disposable Centre"

"What about the recent assault team that attack the Centre, did any of them survive the ambushed?"

"Some did but they were all capture and in process of retirement and as for captain Raynor... he... he... he was killed during the fight" the girl started to sob.

"It's okay Jun" Sera placed her hands on Jun shoulder, trying to calm her down. She turns to X "Jun was actually Raynor's spotter"

"Why? Are you afraid of killing your own kind?" X knew who it was even without turning around. How he wish that the guy would just leave him alone.

"Juan" Ciel said. X turn to the old reploid and from his eyes he could see that he was not really please to see him out and running about.

"I can't believe it that you let this drone out" Juan said angrily "Those two idiots is going to be scrubbing the dirt off the waste recycle processor for the rest of their life once I get me hand on them" he grumbles, crossing his arms together.

"Don't blame them Juan, it was my decision" Ciel said.

Juan then looks at Sera standing silently not saying a single word. "And you are going with these Sera?" Juan asked.

"I believe in Ciel's decision, Juan" Sera said "Look at this way Juan, consider this as a test for X. If he pass, then we know we can trust him and if not then I guess we know that he is a Neo Arcadian spy"

"Wonderful, you even gave the drone a name. Is everyone going mad around here?" Juan yelled. "If we let him go, he would reveal our location" he continues to scream and points his finger to X.

"Is a chance I have to take" Ciel said with a stead tone "I am the highest ranking officer in this base Juan and if you do not like this decision then I guess you and the other commanders will have to dealt with it"

X can tell the old reploid was out of word. The old reploid takes a deep breathe and gazed back to Ciel with a disappointing look "Great, but don't blame me when this place is swarming with drones" he said before he walk out of the room.

"Let's forget about Juan. He will be alright after he cools down" Sera said to Ciel before she turns her attention back to X. "So blue boy, will you take the job?"

"I'll take the mission. Just tell me where this Centre is located" X said

"Thank you" Ciel said. She then hit the control again and a hologram map of the city appears to them, two blinking dots flashes on the map. Then the map zooms into the blue dot then to a red dot on the map.

"It's located in the far end of the city, but I will help guide you there through the sewers"

"Sewers?" X asked "Sounds like a dirty job. Why can't I just take the surface? I'm sure it's much easier for me to locate this facility" he suggested.

"The surface is currently under Neo Arcadia's control and is too dangerous for you to wonder around at this hour" Sera informed.

"Well I guess I can't argue with that"

"One more thing! Passy is going with you" Ciel added.

"What?" X asked in surprised.

"She knows the place better and can help you in many ways" Ciel pointed out to him; somehow X knew that the little cyber-elf was more then a little tour guide.

"Passy, please stay for a moment as I need to give you your new instruction" Ciel said to the little cyber-elf. Ciel then notice that X is still standing around wanting to ask her something.

"What is it X?" Ciel asked curiously.

"Ciel, do you know where I can get some weapon around here"

"Weapon?" Ciel looked at X and remember that the saber he used was damaged and confiscated by Juan when he was place under house arrest. "Our engineer Cerveau can help you on that part. You can find him in the lower part of the facility"

"I will take you there" Sera said.

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"I still can't believe that you saved Ciel" Sera said as the elevator slowly moves downward. She just leans her back against the metallic wall and glanced back to X.

"Trust me, no one here does" X said not looking to Sera.

"But I know Ciel and she'll never make up stories such as this" Sera said as she raised her head and looked at the light, trying to waste sometime "Beside you did saved her and for that you earn my trust as well"

X remained silence for a moment "By the way... thanks for standing up for me"

"Don't thank me so soon blue boy, you are not out of the danger zone yet. You still have to survive the mission first"

"Guess only time can tell" X said and as the same time the evaluator stops and the door slide open. The two steps out of the elevator and slowly proceeded to the Cerveau workshop. The corridor was slightly dark and rather quiet. There were not many people to be seen.

"Here's an advice blue boy, just don't wonder around the base alone" Sera said "Not many people are as understanding as I am. And some have very deep detestation over Nova"

"I keep that in mind"

As they continue to walk X notice two reploid standing outside the door armed with heavy rifle. One of them turn back looked at Sera.

"Stay here I'll be right back" Sera said as she walk over to the two guards, seconds later she return.

"You can find Cerveau inside. Ciel should have informed Cerveau about your arrival so don't get tick off if he calls you Nova" Sera said.

"Aren't you coming along?" X asked

"I got some other urgent matter to attend to. Don't worry; Passy will be coming along to take you to the Sewers" Sera said before she head back to the way they came and before X could say thanks, she was long gone.

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He glances into the workshop for a while, machineries and tools scatter all over the base. When he thinks about it, the place looks a lot like a tornado just past through it. As he proceed into the room X saw a figure standing in the corner of the room. He could only see the person from waist down, as the other half of the body was inside the ceiling, seemingly busy at something.

As he gets closer he could see that it is a girl standing on a ladder with her rear facing him. He was going to say something but the girl spoke first.

"Are you going to say something or are you going to just stand there and stare at my ass the whole day?" said the girl not bothering who she was talking to.

"That depends on the view" he smirk back and takes a few step back.

"A wise guy. So, finally one of you boys in green gets enough courage to ask me out"

She lowers herself from the ceiling, place the tiles back and slide down the ladder. The girl then spun herself around and meets with X with a devilish smile on her face. Somehow X can see the girl was a really surprised to see him.

"Master Nova" the girl gives a high screech as she hit her back on the ladder. She started to panic and reach for the nearest object she could grab and points it at X.

"You are not going to kill me with screwdriver are you?" X asked with a smirk on his face.

Her hand was still shaking for a few more second until she realized what X was saying. True to his word, she is pointing a screwdriver at him. He could tell from her expression that she was quite embarrassed and try to laugh but she seem to force herself not to.

"I-I..." the girl said nervously as she slowly lowers the tool and gazed back to X with a serious look. "You are not Master Nova?"

"Sorry to disappoint you but, no" he replied.

The girl takes a closer look at X. From what X can see, she was giving the same expression as Ciel when she looked at him.

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?" She yelled as she lean her back against the ladder and panted heavily.

"You never asked" X said.

X takes a good looked at the half frighten girl and at first he did not quite get it but it felt as if he was standing in front of a mirror. Somehow the girl in front of has a close resemblance, but he couldn't put his mind on it. She is wearing a sky blue color helmet, while on each side of her helmet there was a wing design on it. The green ruby on her helmet glitters as the light reflects on it. Her cloths was also something that caught his attention, unlike the other resistance she had a sky blue vest and a black color suit under the vest.

"Like what you see?" the girl asked crossing her arms.

X chuckles as he looked back to the girl and extended his hand. "Cerveau I presume"

The girl looks at X for a moment before extending her hand and greets him with a handshake. "That depends on who's asking"

"X" X said, but somehow he could feel a strong grip from the girl's hand, as if she is not as weak as she looks.

"Well X, how can I be in your service?" the girl asked as she walks to the table followed by X. She turned herself around and faces X with her arm placed on her back, looking rather cute from X perspective.

"Ciel send me" X said.

"Yeah the boss lady did mention something about that" she said with an unserious way "So X, what sorts of weapon of mass destruction do you need?" she asked jokingly. This was rather surprisingly attitude she have shown him. Most would be cursing him by now, but this girl somehow doesn't seem to bother a bit. It looks like she was relaxed around him.

"Yo X, What do you need?" she asked again.

"Anything destructive will do fine by me"

The girl glanced around her surrounding for a few minute as if searching for something, then after a few second she walks over to the next table and picks up an odd looking cannon. "X, meet the EX Mark 5 projectiles cannon manufacture by the Umbrella Corporation. Arm with high velocity magazine, loaded with 200 rounds of titanium ammo, this little baby comes with an automatic and semi automatic option that fires five rounds of bullets with a pull of a trigger. And for additional features, this baby is also build for both left and right hand user" she said before she hurls the cannon over to X.

"So what do you think?" the girl asked.

X looked at the cannon and from the look of it, it as a slot to place his hand into the cannon. The cannon have also a magazine stuck out from the top end of the base. He carefully placed his hand into the cannon and found that it fits him perfectly but somehow a little strange, like something was not right.

"Kind of bulky. Do you have anything lighter?" X asked

"Picky aren't you" she said with a smirk on her face "Just hold on a minute"

She turned around and head to the cabinet. Few more second later she returns with something small on her hand. She hurls the rod device to X.

X takes a closer look at the rod which turned out to be a saber hilt. With a slight longer handle, the saber looks as normal as the one he used before, with addition of a red button on the hilt. He was curious what it does.

"Wondering how it works?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Here let me show you" she took the saber from his hand and twist the hilt a little to the right. A violet saber bursts out from the tip of the hilt. "If you do it this way it will act as a saber and if you twist it the other way round" She then twist the hilt all the way back, anti-cloak wise. With a blink of an eye the hilt burst out another length before another violet blade shoots out.

X look a little surprised. "That is a-"

"Saber Staff or as I prefer to call it, a Battle Rod" she explained as she switch off the staff and the handle return to normal "And for additional fire power"

She turns her head towards a soda can sitting on the other side of the room. X turn towards the direction she was looking. She points the head of the hilt to the far end of the room and hit the red button on the handle. A blue burst of energy from the head of the handle, firing hot plasma energy towards the can, blowing to pieces. "Press the button longer for a more powerful blast"

"Impressive" X said amazed.

"It's a design of my own, got the idea from an ancient 21st century TV show" she tossed the saber staff to X and sat back on the table.

"What the hell happened in here?" a man walked into the workshop accompany by two more resistance soldier that was outside the corridor.

"Its okay chief, I' am just testing out a new weapon for X here" the girl said.

"False alarm control" one of the guards said over his headset.

The man looked back to the girl before sending the two guards away. He then lowers his head, sighing. X was a bit confused. The man then raised his head and walk towards the girls, looking rather angry.

"Rina, I hope that you don't ever do that without telling me first" Cerveau shouted. "We thought we were under attack"

"Sorry chief" Rina waved her hand trying to calm the engineer down.

"You're not Cerveau?" X sounded surprise as he gazes back to the girl

"I never did say I was" Rina said walking pass X and over to Cerveau side.

X then turn his attention to Cerveau, the reploid in front of him looked rather serious compare to Rina. Cerveau shifted his visor a bit, seemingly notice the rod on X's hand "I see my assistance have provided you with a weapon" Cerveau said.

"It'll come in handy" X said flipping his new saber staff on his hand.

"Ciel told me to give you something more destructive" Cerveau said as he hurl a belt over to X. "Try this" he added.

X glanced at the belt and notice that there were at least five small devices attach to the belt. He withdrew one of the devices and takes a closer look. "Cell Phone?" X asked.

"Not exactly, it's actually an explosive" Cerveau said.

"We have limited recourses, so we have to make do of what we have" Rina explained.

"At least this is one call they will not answer" X chuckles and looked back to Cerveau. The engineer doesn't seem to share his jokes.

"X!" X turn to the door and found Passy hovering in the doorway waiting for him "Are you coming?"

"Just a second"

"Say isn't Passy, Ciel personal cyber-elf?" Rina whispered to X.

"I got team up with Ms loud mouth here" X said as he heads out to the door following Passy. Rina walks beside him and just smile "The little lady has a spot of sharing information at the wrong time"

"Careful X, they don't call her bad luck Passy for nothing" Rina smirk as she gives a mischievous look on her face.

"Huh?" X's looked back blankly at Rina.

"You better be on your way" Cerveau said showing them out and towards the path to the sewers. From where X is, he knows that this is going to be one hell of a day.

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Author Notes: Tired and sleepy, I finally got this done and with the release of MM Zero2, at least I got some of the names of some new character correct. I somehow felt that this chapter is a little bland... guess because I wrote it in the morning and I was half a sleep at that time.

As for the saber staff idea, it was not entirely based from Star Wars show; it was partially based on one of the Sci Fiction show that I liked, Andromeda.