I'm looking for a beta reader. Anyone want the job?
Dan walked into his room and tossed his red helmet onto his nightstand, one of the more human accessories he had been provided with.
'I wish I could take this armor off, I'd sleep more comfortably without it.' Climbing onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling and reflected on how his life had taken this bizarre and unexpected turn. Dan wondered if he could ever begin to build himself a new life in this strange new world he now lived in.
'I need some music.'
Turning to his electronic radio, he began to scan the airwaves for something good. Over the past couple weeks, he had just spaced out and didn't take much notice of anything other than his new body. Dan did look a lot like X on the outside, with the exception of his red armor and flesh colored extremities.
He frowned at his radio. 'Dammit, isn't there anything good on?' Fiddling with the machine a little more, Dan stumbled upon the perfect station.
'Funny, I never liked the blues before.' Smiling with content, he drifted off to sleep with the lulling sound of the saxophone playing in his ear.
In his own room, X was lying in his bed, pondering Dan's future. X had often wished that he had some family, Cain being the closest thing he had to a father. Now with Dan being here, X actually had someone he could call kin. But he knew that didn't Dan reciprocate the feeling. Sighing, he turned over and went to sleep, unaware of the tragedy that tomorrow would bring.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP WHAM Dan groaned and turned back over, wanting nothing more than to just sleep. That is, before he remembered what he was going to do today. Throwing off the covers he had become tangled in during the night, Dan raced out the door, pausing only to retrieve his helmet from his nightstand.
As soon as he stepped out the entrance, he looked around in wonder at actually how busy Maverick Hunters Headquarters was during the day. Reploids of all kinds, shapes, and sizes were walking about on their daily errands.
"Hey," Dan asked to a passing feraloid, "do you know where I can find X's room?"
"Sure, go about a hundred feet that way and go down the hallway. Commander X's room is about halfway through."
"Thanks." Dan was about to go when the feraloid stopped him.
"You know, it isn't a real good idea for a rookie to wake up a unit commander, especially one as respected as Commander X."
"Ask me if I care." Dan left the stunned feraloid behind.
Dan found X's door right where he was told it was.
"Hey, X, you up," he asked. No response. He knocked on the door.
"X, wake up! I need your help trying to find Kate." Still no response. Dan started banging on the door.
"X! GET YOUR BLUE ASS OUT HERE!" The ambient noise around him suddenly ceased.
Looking around, Dan saw that every single person within earshot had dropped what they were doing and stared at him.
"Ummm… hehehe… ah, dammit." His face turning pink, Dan pulled his helmet on and started to walk away. X's door room slid open and the Blue Bomber stepped out.
"Alright, I'm up. Thanks a lot Dan." Dan ignored X's sarcasm laced voice.
"I had no choice. I'd get lost if I tried to go anywhere." X gave him an annoyed look before walking off.
"First off, before I do anything, I'm getting some breakfast."
As they walked down to the cafeteria, Dan assaulted X with all kinds of questions about the modern world. And despite X's gruff morning exterior, he was actually quite happy that something could bring Dan out of the little world he had been closed in.
"… and so far Sigma has caused four Maverick Uprisings. Five if you count the Soul Erasure incident on Laguz Island."
"That guy's a big pain in the ass, isn't he?" Dan replied as they stepped into the cafeteria.
"Yeah, so far we've been lucky. His maverick generals have always gone solo." Picking out a table, X and Dan ordered their breakfast from the waiter-bot.
They were both enjoying sausages and waffles when Zero walked in.
"Oh, hey guys didn't expect you to be out and about this early. Usually you're still snoring up a storm X."
"Yeah well, he woke up me up," X replied, motioning towards Dan.
"So, why'd you knock X out of bed," Zero asked Dan, pulling up a chair beside the two.
"Well, last night I realized that Kate, my fiancée, is probably still alive. As soon as we're done with breakfast, X is going to help me look for her. Hey, you want something to eat?"
Zero chuckled and waved his hand. "Jeez, less than twelve hours after you leave your room and you're already acting like you own the place. I was up over an hour ago, I ate already."
X and Dan finished their meals and headed out with Zero towards the mainframe database.
"So Dan, exactly how do you propose we find what's-her-name," Zero asked with his arms behind his head.
"Kate. Well I figured we try and do a search by her driver's license. That way we'll be able to find her even if she got married."
"Wouldn't that put a bit of a hamper on your plans?"
"Well not that it's any of your business Zero, but no. She's too old for us to get married now. Besides," Dan expression turned darker, "I don't think I'd be able too as I currently am." The trio fell silent.
A few minutes later they were standing in front of the main computer, Dan's fingers furiously pounding at the keys.
"So, uh," Zero began, trying to make conversation, "what exactly does your girlfriend look like?"
"She's the most beautiful person you could ever see; Hair like fire, blue eyes that you could swim in and a great personality. Not the best cook in the world but not the worst."
The data on screen kept on getting narrower as Dan inputted more and more data. Finally they were left with only one entry. "Bingo." Dan punched up the screen and a full bio appeared. The face of a classic elderly woman appeared, wrinkles, hair in a bun, and the rest.
"Oh Kate, time has been friendlier to you then me…"
"Where does she live," asked X.
"256 Battery Drive Richardell, Washington. Two hours drive from here judging by the map. Do you guys have a motor pool or something? I don't want to take public transportation."
The two hunters looked at each other, big grins on their faces.
"Oh, we've got a motor pool. And it's second to none." Zero said, his eyes sparkling for the same reason. They both loved using the landchasers whenever they had an excuse.
"Great, let's get down there." Dan followed X and Zero out the door and all the way down. The motor pool was in its usual condition; parts and grease everywhere, broken down vehicles being worked on by low level mechanics, and above all, that classic garage smell permeating everywhere.
"So, what kind of vehicle do you want to take? We've got landchasers, cars, mechs; you name it we got it." Zero said, stretching his arm over the whole line transportation machines.
"Got any bikes?" X's jaw dropped.
"You drive a motorcycle!?" Dan glanced at him and grinned. "Hell yeah."
Zero's eyes glimmered even more. "Well in that case, there're over here on the left." They walked over.
"Pick one." Lined up before them was at least two dozen motorcycles, all built for the same purpose: speed. Dan looked over them all, not finding a single one that suited his tastes. Then he noticed one in the back, covered by a tarp.
Curious, he walked over and pulled the brown plastic off. Dan grinned.
"Now THIS is what I'm taking." X and Zero nearly passed out from what they saw.
"THAT is a 1994 Harley Davidson with a micro-fusion engine in place of the old gasoline burning one, completely restored with extreme attention to detail."
"Damn right and a rookie sure as hell ain't taking my beauty out!"
The trio turned at the sound of the voice. Standing ten feet away was none other than Cleo, head mechanic around MHHQ. Planted on top of her head were a pair of thick welding glasses and a work smock covered her goldenrod armor.
"I worked on that baby for two years trying to get into perfect condition. If you think that I'm going to let you take it out, then you've-"
"-got another thing coming. Jeez lady, you sound just like my Mom." Cleo's face turned a deep red.
"Just because you happen to have attained celebrity status around here doesn't mean that you can do whatever the hell you want. I out-rank you and I will put your red ass into detention." Then it was Dan's turn to become red.
"Wrong. I am NOT a Hunter. I just have nowhere else to go."
Cleo waved her hand.
"That may be, but I'm still not letting you take my baby out!"
"Cleo…" X interrupted.
"Its okay, Zero and I are going with him." Cleo opened her mouth in protest but X cut her off. "And I can pull rank on this matter." Cleo looked like she was ready to scream, but managed to keep a lid on her boiling anger.
"Fine, but if red-boy over totals it, I'm going to have Cain take its value out of both yours and Zero's salary!"
She took a few steps forward until she was right up against X's face. Narrowing her eyes, she gave him a stare that only a pissed off female could give.
"And I have its value calculated right down to the penny." Cleo spun around on her heel and marched back over to the Hawk mech in repair. X blinked a few times before returning to his senses. Zero chuckled.
"She's normally as pleasant as a puppy but I guess she does have a limit on friendliness."
X and Zero picked out a pair of landchasers that were in good condition and Dan started up the Harley. While Zero punched in the bay access codes, Dan took off his helmet and stared at it.
"Well, at least I don't have to worry about remembering to put one on all the time," he mumbled to himself. The bay door ahead of him slowly receded into the ceiling. The early morning sun spilt into the room, the only shadows cast by the three people who speeded out onto the open road.
X and Zero talked to each other over their comms while the cut off Dan was absorbed in the sheer freedom that the open road gave him. It was unknown to anyone that a major change had come over Dan. With the wind blowing in his face and plenty of time to kill, his mind drifted off into the past.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"HIKE!" The two opposing factions rammed into each other, each matched in strength but still trying to push the other back. The blue team's quarterback took two hops backward before tossing the oval shaped football into the sky. The pigskin spiraled perfectly through the air right towards the receiving player. He reached his hands upward, ready to receive the prize.
Until an unnoticed player wearing a red jersey came out and intercepted the ball.
The player in red took off towards his endzone while the pissed off player in blue gave chase. The red player ran past the quickly dispersing mob, his legs pumping furiously. He chanced a glance behind him and saw three blue clad giants catching up rather quickly. He reached deep down and managed to bring out a little more speed. Only twenty yards left to go.
Eighteen yards. Fifteen yards. Thirteen…
Finally the three blue players caught up with him and knocked him down. The volunteer referee on the sidelines blew his whistle, signaling the end of the play. The player in red squeezed out off the bodies pressing against him and walked over to the bench.
The assistant couch clapped his hands and smiled at the red player. "Good job Parker!" Dan merely nodded and went over to the huddle, unaware that he was being watched.
"You were a jock?"
"So what if I was?"
"You just don't seem like the type."
"You of all people should know that looks can be deceiving." The first figure didn't have a reply and looked back down.
"Are you gonna go and talk to yourself?" The second figure would have given him the glare of death, but his shades would block it from sight.
"Definitely not, I might screw up the time/space continuum or some other Star Trekish bullshit." The first figure chuckled.
"It just would've been a bit interesting, that's all." The two figures watched silently as the high school football team finished their scrimmage.
"Look Blues, there has to be a reason that you followed me. You and I are too much alike for me to not know that." The Red Raider of 20XX looked at his companion and grinned.
"I knew I couldn't fool my biggest fan. Wait here a moment." Blues walked behind a ventilation fan and retrieved an object wrapped in a paper bag.
"Here" He tossed the bag to the figure.
"I saw it in a store and thought of you." The figure looked at Blues for a moment before opening the bag.
Inside was a matching yellow scarf.
The figure grinned. "Thanks a lot Blues." The figure wrapped it around his neck twice and threw the rest behind him. A gust of wind blew over the town rooftops, sending the scarf into a slight flutter. A familiar tune began to be whistled from down below.
"I guess its time to go."
"Yeah." The figure looked down for one moment before activating his warp generator and disappeared.
Dan stopped whistling and looked up. He could swear that he saw the sun reflect off of something for just a moment. All he saw however was just an old twentieth century warehouse, creaking in the wind. He shrugged and continued walking the two blocks to his house, whistling all the way.
The walk home was uneventful, just as Dan liked. He wasn't one for wide open places or exciting events. He much preferred to have things stay the same. If he had the choice between a short, wild life and a long, dull one, he would choose the latter.
The door on his off blue modern home stood wide open, setting off alarms in Dan's head. He quickly hid himself behind a bush and slung off his duffle bag. Moving aside his various homework assignments, he drew out a single item. A pistol, the same one he had used to take out that robot almost two years ago.
Dan knew that it was a big risk taking it to school with him but brought it anyways. Some things in life just could not be controlled. Checking to make sure the battery was still charged, he flicked the safety off and jogged to his house. He looked inside the windows and saw exactly what he expected to.
'We've been robbed.'
Sighing, Dan put the safety back on the weapon and retrieved his bag. It was too late to do anything know, the burglar having left long ago. Walking inside he tossed the bag onto the couch and dialed the police. The only thing to do now was fill out a report. "Dan… Dan…"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Dan!"
Dan was shaken out of his daydream by the sound of X yelling over the wind.
"What," he yelled back.
"We're almost there."
"Thanks." Zero cast a glance over at X.
"Do you know how they're going to react when they see each other," he asked over the comm.
"We can only hope for the best."
A few minutes later the trio pulled up in front of a beautiful replica of a Victorian house. Numerous bushes adorned the three acre property and a small flower garden could be seen off to the side by an observatory. Dan was the first to dismount and start walking up the pathway to the front door. The stoop was made of a finely crafted duricrete wall at least eighteen inches think.
"Holy shit, talk about class." Zero commented in awe. "What'd she do, win the lotto?" X gave Zero one of his 'shut the hell up now' glances. Zero complied. Dan raised his hand to cherry oak door and stopped. His throat had suddenly gone dry and panic gripped him. 'What if' scenarios began playing through his head and he couldn't break free. He backed up.
"X, Zero, you knock. I can't."
The two Hunters glanced at each other and shrugged. They stepped in front of Dan and X knocked. Several seconds went by before a young man opened the door.
"What do you want," he asked, his obvious distain for the two reploids apparent. X shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Is your Grandmother home?" The man eyed them suspiciously before turning around and yelling for her.
He left and went back to whatever he was doing before. Soon an elderly woman's face appeared.
"Can I help you?"
"Hi, I'm Megaman X and this is my friend Zero."
"Hello."
"The famous Maverick Hunters?"
"That's us." The woman smiled warmly and opened the front door all the way.
"Well what can I do for you gentlemen?"
"We have someone with us who would like to speak to you. Zero?" The Crimson Hunter nodded and stepped aside to reveal Dan to the woman. Dan swallowed and took a deep breath.
"Hi Kate, it's been a long time." Kate stared at him, not recognizing him.
Dan slowly removed his helmet and let it drop to the ground below him. Kate's face lit up and she reached out to touch his face.
"Danny… is it really you?" Dan smiled and took hold of her hand.
"It's me." X smiled at the touching reunion. Zero couldn't help but think about Iris.
Then everything took a Shakespearean turn.
Kate let out a gasp and fell backwards onto the patio.
"KATE!" Dan rushed over and knelt down beside her.
"Oh, God, please no…" Kate's grandson suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Grandma! What the hell did you do you reploid piece of shit!?" Dan looked up at him, fury burning in his eyes.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that! If I hadn't been shot, I would be your grandfather!"
"Go to hell you son of a bitch!" The man dashed back inside to call the ambulance. Dan looked down at Kate's body and felt despair return. "Kate, no…" He buried his face in his hands and cried, his emotions overpowering him. He fixed his gaze upon the heavens and screamed out his grief.
In that instant something snapped inside of him. Dan reared back his right fist and punched right through the patio wall. X and Zero, who had just stood by helpless in this matter, gawked at what Dan had done. Dan withdrew his hand, unmindful of what he had done. He just wanted to go home. And something deep inside him responded.
In a flash of red light, Dan was gone.