Note: I just found out I've got Covid while writing this, so if this comes a little late, that's why.
After this chapter, there will be a time-skip, but I wanted to explore Zero's time when he first became a Hunter. I also wanted to show where X and Zero's relationship began. As much as I love their dynamic, we never really know how they became friends.
Time-skip after this chapter and is partially based on Archie comic. Felt it was necessary to explore Zero becoming a Hunter and how his relationship with X started and developed. I love their dynamic (I think it's the heart of the series), but there's no story of how they met or even became friends.
SNES 90s action games weren't usually known for breathtaking storytelling, but Maverick Hunter X also skipped this. Not a slam against the series, but how does a guy that was essentially a rabid animal suddenly become a policeman?
Also, I want the relationship to build instead of instant besties. And his dynamic with Roll is going to be very different from X's, as they're not exactly fans of each other. But she won't get in the way of X and Zero.
Also, while it won't be outright stated here, Chiyo exists for a reason outside of just putting in an OC. OCs are ok, but I feel that they must serve a purpose. And while it's a loose one, Chiyo, along with others that come after her, have a connection to a canon character that comes from the far off future past her time.
So Zero-centric chapter here. But I don't think people are going to mind.
Fitting In
A week ago, he had been a so-called "bloodthirsty renegade" that was a danger to everyone around him: Reploid and human alike. Now here he was, part of the same organization that had tried to take him down.
Zero the Maverick Hunter. Even now, it still sounded unreal. Not to mention unfitting. It wasn't as if he had chosen to be here, but given his current predicament, perhaps he should at least be somewhat grateful. For now, it seemed that the Hunters would be making use of his skills.
The Reploid he had fought, Andrey, he believed, was convicted of the Maverick outbreaks and sentenced. Anyone's guess would happen to him afterward, but it meant Zero was no longer a suspect. Still, he couldn't help but feel that the council (so-called authorities over Arcadia) just wanted to use the arrest to ease everyone's nerves. With Andrey's conviction, everyone seemed to breathe a little easier.
That one Reploid, X, was relieved, telling Zero directly that he knew something didn't fit right so that he couldn't have been responsible for the outbreaks. But, on the other hand, his sister didn't approach him at all. She didn't even speak to him, but Zero shrugged it off. He wasn't interested in interaction with her anyway, let alone that of her brother (who she had been shadowing as of late).
Aside from the unfamiliar and oppressive environment he now found himself in, everyone's eyes watching his every move, it seemed that the problem was over. At least until a few days after Andrey's arrest. True, unlike before, only a handful of Reploids were affected, but there were reportedly no signs or symptoms of infection.
Their processors went against them.
Thus, with Mavericks still a very real threat, Zero was put to work. And by put to work, it meant being Fujiwara's guinea pig for who knew how long. Currently, Zero was being housed at the man's lab for the time being, mainly because there was nowhere else he could go. Besides, everyone doubted he'd be made to feel welcome at the HQ. So, for the time being, he was here. Stuck in a room and blasting away at targets, Fujiwara looked down from above and took notes.
Oh, and for some reason, that X guy was here too.
The dark-haired Asian man and blue Reploid observed Zero from above in the viewing deck as he blasted all that was marked to be shot. Unlike X, however, his targets were not outdated mechaniloids. Given that, despite the existence of Reploids, mechaniloids would still be needed to perform the tasks deemed too hazardous for their more advanced brethren. Thus, training, or in Zero's case, testing, had to be done another way.
A recent invention of Fujiwara's, the mirage sphere, was a magnetic ball that held the ability to manipulate light and color, via project and illusion. They could then link together due to their magnetic properties and build themselves up to create various shapes and sizes. Currently, the spheres took on the appearance of various mechaniloids, some humanoid and some not, Zero blasting through whichever one his buster was aiming at next. Furthermore, the spheres were built with high resistance to temperature and excellent durability, so there was no worry they would break.
A good thing too, as X was worried his suggestion regarding using the spheres would be brushed off. "He's performing well." The blue Reploid said.
"Indeed," Fujiwara answered, taking a moment to adjust his glasses. And if all goes well, I'll be able to get far more data out of him than you.
Ever since Zero had come along, Fujiwara no longer assigned X to any tests regarding his combat abilities. While a good deal of that had to do with the red Reploid being housed at the lab, another big factor was that he had no restraints, unlike X. As a result, he didn't fire just enough to cause damage or disable; he saw a target to destroy. And destroy he did. He tore through the illusions created by the multitude of tiny spheres without a second thought, the mirages falling apart as he continued.
Then finally, all the targets had been eliminated—all within the span of two minutes.
"All right, that's it," Fujiwara said, the mirage spheres rolling and collecting each other due to their magnetic properties. They entered into small holes where the floor and walls met, clearing themselves out and leaving only Zero in the room. "All right, excellent, Zero," Fujiwara said, looking over the data he had received from the testing. "Once these readings have been analyzed, we can move from there." He then turned to X. "Now he's free to go. Do whatever you want with him,"
"Oh, uh, yeah. Right. Thanks." with that, X began making his way out from the observation deck to the room below.
But before he could do so, both he and Fujiwara heard the door to the training room open. There was no further reason to keep Zero here; Fujiwara had unlocked the door from the deck. But this also allowed anyone to enter. Particularly if a young girl and her dog.
"Patarche! Come back!" Chiyo, who was in her school uniform, called out, but the white dog went on without her, right into the training room. Zero didn't have time to react as the canine ran up to him, wagging his tail and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Patarche, no! That guy is...!"
The dog's owner had come into the room, dressed in her blue school uniform and long, black hair tied up in a half-ponytail. Her brown eyes widened upon seeing the red Reploid, Zero noticing that the girl appeared intimidated, almost afraid of him. But then her eyes fell on her dog, and upon seeing him, she slowly began to move forward.
"Shit! X!" Fujiwara said, moving away from the mic. "Get her and that animal out of here; I don't need any disruptions!"
X then decided to speak up, having been quiet up until now. "Begging your pardon, Doctor, but I would've thought you'd make use of this opportunity."
"What opportunity?" The Asian scientist asked.
"To document his interaction with humans, of course!" X answered. "If Zero is going to be part of the Hunters, he'll have to get used to humans. On the other hand, he's still not exactly used to his own kind, so it'd be best to get the human issue out of the way."
Fujiwara pondered this. To his credit, X had a point. But he was pretty surprised by such a display of blind faith. Did X completely forget about what this former Maverick had done even to be here? Regardless, both human and Reploid alike gazed down at what was happening.
Neither Zero nor Chiyo spoke for some time, the only sounds being that of Patarche's panting. Finally, after a while, Chiyo broke the silence. "I guess you're not him then."
Zero was confused. "Not who?"
"The guy broke into my house, but you're actually a guy."
"You didn't think I was?" Zero asked.
"I thought you were a girl." Chiyo answered.
"Wait, what...?!" The white dog got on his hind legs, paws on his chest. "Hey!"
"Patarche is a pretty good judge of character, so if you were him, he'd be ready to kill you," she spoke confidently that an animal of flesh and blood could take out a mechanical humanoid.
"Well, if that's the case, would you get him off?" Zero grimaced when the dog leaped up to try and lick him.
"Patarche, come here!" Chiyo commanded, the dog going to her side. She then looked at his chest.
"What?" Zero asked, feeling a little uncomfortable by the girl's stare.
"Is it real? Your hair, I mean."
"Oh. No, it's synthetic. But it's designed to be as similar to human hair as...what are you..! Hey!" Zero protested as he felt some of his blonde locks pulled by the Japanese girl.
"Why do you have it? Won't it get in the way?" Chiyo asked, brown eyes looking at the golden fibers.
"I've been doing just fine with it." Zero said.
"Maybe you should cut it shorter." Chiyo suggested.
"...no." Zero said firmly, taking his ponytail back from the young girl.
"Chiyo!" Both Zero and the human child heard a female voice call out. Roll entered the room and saw the young girl with the former Maverick. "Oh, there you are!" The other blonde Reploid ran over to her; then she remembered Zero. "Ah, and hello to you," She said, tone devoid of emotion. "Chiyo, did you forget you have a test in just a couple of days? Fumiko is all ready and waiting for you."
"Aw, but that stuff sucks!" Chiyo answered. "Besides, it's not like I'll need it later in life!"
"You're going to need it to get a passing grade. You're already behind on your studies, and I doubt your father would care for a bad report card."
Chiyo turned her attention to the floor, keeping her thoughts to herself. Like he'd care at all about what goes on with me.
Roll then turned to Zero. "Yes, well, please excuse us. We've kept someone waiting back at the house." With that, Roll took Chiyo and left, Patarche following after.
Sometime Later
"So, you were built with all of this?" X asked, Zero displaying his buster.
"If I weren't, it wouldn't be here, would it?" Zero responded. Just what is with this guy? Ever since he had arrived, this X had been hovering over him at every opportunity. But for what reason? Honestly, it was becoming quite an annoyance."You have one, don't you?"
"Well, yeah, I do." X replied, displaying his own built-in weapon. Though comparing the two, it was clear which one was "flashier."
Since his acquittal, Zero had to be housed at Fujiwara's lab, ironically enough m, in X's old room. The blue Reploid and his sister (Roll, Zero believed) were now housed with Dr. Cain. Zero had yet to meet the man himself, but X spoke highly of him. More than the professional and distant Fujiwara did.
"Fujiwara said that you were difficult to test with," Zero suddenly said. "You didn't like using what Dr. Light installed in you. Do you simply not know how to use it?"
X wasn't entirely sure whether the red Reploid was being serious or sarcastic. Perhaps a mixture of both. "No, of course I know how to use it," X answered. "It's just a means of defense and should be treated as such."
"I've seen your test footage. You could perform exactly how I did with little issue." Zero said. "That buster was given to you to use, so why not use it to its full potential?"
"It's...it's a little more complicated than that," X replied. Zero was about to ask how so, but X quickly changed the subject. "So, anyway, have your memory banks improved any?"
He was clearly avoiding that question, but Zero shrugged it off. If X didn't want to answer, that was his business. But as for his most recent question, "No, nothing's changed."
"Really?" X asked. "No resurfacing memories at all?"
Zero thought of the images he had seen briefly in his mind's eye. "Nothing useful." He had seen some things, but with no context, who could say what they meant?
X was silent before asking, "Does the name 'Albert Wily' ring a bell?"
Zero then turned to face X. "Why are you wanting to know what goes on in my head so badly?"
"No, it's not that. I'm just curious, is all." X answered.
"Anyone tell you that you absolutely suck at lying?" Zero folded his arms. "I'm getting a little tired of your games. So just what are you after?"
"I'm not after anything! I just want to know if your processor is functioning as it should," The blue Reploid assured. "I mean, Commander Sigma broke through your optic crystal."
"So I've been told." Zero answered. Seriously, what was it going to take to make this guy go away? X was about to say something but thought better of it. Though Zero knew that, if not now, it would come up later. "What is it?" The blonde asked, though more to get it out of the way instead of being genuinely interested.
Damn, am I really that obvious? X thought. "Do you still not remember any of what happened?"
Zero was quiet for a moment. Then, he gestured to the door. "I just remembered that Fujiwara's putting me through more combat trials, and he says that he wants me in good condition. So..."
"Oh, yeah! Right! Sorry, I'll admit I forgot too," he then turned to leave the room but stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and, Goodnight." With that, X went, the door shutting behind him.
Zero went to his capsule and got inside, his systems going into recharge.
"You know, the least he could do is show you some courtesy." X turned to see Roll standing right behind him. "Dr. Cain's wondering where you are, seeing as it's long past curfew."
There wasn't any curfew, but the old man preferred to have X and Roll home before he settled in for the night. "Right, sorry about that," X told his sister.
Roll sighed, looking at the door that led to X's former room. "I still don't understand why you insist on inserting yourself into whatever he's doing," she said, crossing her arms. "He's not your problem."
"He's still recovering from what happened before," X answered. "He still doesn't remember a thing about it, but the readings on his systems are in perfect shape."
"Well, interact with him if you want. But I won't." Roll said.
X didn't respond. He then thought Just who are you anyway? Regarding Zero, he wondered if that question would ever be answered.
"X?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry," the blue machine apologized. "Yeah, you're right; we should be heading to Cain's place."
The two DLNs (even if one was technically a transferred AI) left, though Roll looked back at the door. No matter what happens, I'm not losing him. She narrowed her eyes. Not to anyone or anything. Especially someone like you.
"You want me to what?"
"Exactly as I said," Sigma told Zero. "I wish for you to join the Maverick Hunters."
The two Reploids stood there in silence before Zero finally found his words. "You can't be serious."
"This is as serious as I ever have been," Sigma answered. "You're a wanted felon and a suspect regarding the Virus outbreaks."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Zero retorted. "I don't even know what this Maverick Virus even is! So why can't you all just screw off and leave me alone?!"
"If you don't join us, you'll never be left alone," Sigma explained. "You'll be hunted down throughout the country, outside Arcadian borders. Throughout all cities and city-states, we will be assigned to chase you to the ends of the Earth," Sigma explained. "And then, either you'll be a tool for those in power to use, or you will be killed," Sigma then stepped forward. "Doesn't that concern you in the slightest? Don't you fear for your own life?"
"I fear nothing," Zero responded. "Least of all, death."
"Everything living has some fear of termination. Even beings such as ourselves. It is the reason the Third Law exists, to grant us the ability to preserve ourselves, so long as human life isn't at risk," he took another step forward, now mere inches away from the Red Maverick. "And right now, your decision hangs in the balance, for the humans are beginning to see you as a risk to human life."
Zero was quiet. As much as it shamed him, he found the actual weight of his situation settling in.
"I could have ended you, you know," Sigma said. Even if X had worn Zero down, the taller Reploid was still sore thinking about it. This damn Maverick had humiliated him in front of his entire division, perhaps to the Hunters overall! Regardless, he kept his composure and continued talking. "And if not me, someone else. So, in that sense, you owe me your life."
"So, it boils down to you'll own me." Zero said.
"That's not for me to decide. And, I'll let you know something:" Sigma said. "If you believe such treatment is unfair, that's because it is. It's not right for us Reploids to be treated in such a way. We are equals to the humans that made us, and yet we are still expected to carry humankind to the future on our shoulders."
Zero was quiet, yet nonetheless pondered the other Reploid's words.
"With your help, we can change that," Sigma said. "We can make them truly see that we deserve to stand alongside them, shattering the barriers between man and machine. But, tell me, is that a much more pleasant future for you than what you will face? Should you refuse my offer, that is."
Zero said nothing.
"The choice is yours, but act quickly. Otherwise, the humans shall decide for you."
Sigma turned to leave, making it to the entrance and just about to leave. "Wait!" He heard Zero call out.
"Yes?" Sigma asked, having gotten the Maverick right where he wanted.
It had him right where it wanted.
A Few Days Later
Despite officially being part of the Maverick Hunters, he felt even more isolated than when he was in Fujiwara's lab. It wasn't as if he cared, yet Zero kept creeping around the HQ, keeping out of other Reploids' way and making himself as inconspicuous as possible. The only reason he was here was due to being summoned by Sigma himself. Something to do with a mission. His first mission.
Zero knew the general layout of this place, so navigating wasn't too difficult, and currently, he was going down a hallway in the northern part of the HQ. "Hey, you!" It had to deal with those that made his existence even more difficult. Zero turned around to see one of the Hunters (Ray, he believed him to be called) with his arms crossed and staring him down. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be playing as Fujiwara's Guinea pig?"
Zero sighed. "Your boss told me to come. If you have a problem with that, take it up with him." He then turned to continue on to his destination.
He didn't get far, though, as he then felt a fist meet the back of his head. He didn't fall to the ground, but he stumbled a bit. Zero turned to see Ray, Zero knowing who had just struck him.
The red Reploid clenched his own fist. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you."
"Well, too bad. Because I'm going to make you remember what you did for the rest of your existence," Ray snarled. "Just because you were infected or glitched out doesn't just sweep it all under the rug."
Zero turned away, but Ray ran up and blocked his path. "Are you looking for trouble?" Zero asked. "Because that's what you'll get if you don't get out of my way."
Ray responded by sending a fist in the other Reploid's direction. Zero moved to the side, dodging it entirely. Ray swung again, but Zero grabbed and flipped him over this time. Ray hit the ground with a loud THUD, and then he felt his arms being held behind his back. The less "human-looking " machine struggled against the former Maverick's hold.
"Let go of me, damn it! Let go-GAH!" Ray growled, but Zero held him firmly and slowly twisted the other machine's arms to stop him from struggling.
"What's the meaning of all this?" A voice suddenly spoke up. Ray and Zero looked to see Sigma standing over them, X not too far away. "Zero, release him," Zero did so, though only once he was sure Ray wouldn't try anything. "And Ray, that's not how we treat our comrades."
Ray got to his feet and glowered at Zero. "He's no comrade of mine. And he never will be." With that, he turned and walked away.
Sigma directed his attention back to the red Reploid. "Anyway, good to see that you've come. X alerted me you may have had some...difficulties when you are here."
Zero looked at X, but the other Reploid saw he wasn't too happy about this. Way to blabber to EVERYONE about my life, idiot.
"Anyway, come with me. I have an assignment for you." With that, Sigma went off.
X went over to Zero. "You ok?"
"I'm fine," the long-haired blonde answered. He went on ahead, though it didn't take long for X to catch up.
"So, you and I are in the same team," X told Zero. "I don't know all the details, but from what I've heard-"
"If you don't have all the details, why are you telling me?" Zero questioned.
"W-Well, seeing as it is your first mission, I just thought that-"
Now Zero had reached his breaking point. "Look, would you just drop it?!"
X stepped back. "Stop what?"
"Stop pretending like you give a damn about me because you don't!" Zero shouted. "You might be able to fool everyone else, but you're not fooling me! All I am is just something you can use for your own needs!"
X was shocked, utterly unprepared for this sort of reaction. "I-I don't-"
"Don't bother! You're no better than either Fujiwara OR Sigma! So stop trying to convince me that you're my friend because you're not! So just drop it and leave me be!"
When Zero finished, he saw X's expression falter, looking bleak and hurt. Then, the blonde wondered whether or not he went too far. But before he could speak, X's features smoothed out, his expression dead serious.
"Fine," he said. "If that's the way you want it," he walked past Zero. "The Commander's down this way. Don't keep him waiting."
"Hey, I-" Zero began, but X went off, leaving him alone. He was starting to wonder if he had made a mistake.
Later
Even if he was no longer on the run, the red Reploid found himself out of Arcadian borders again. But given the situation, perhaps that was for the best. The case wasn't entirely clear yet, but apparently, a construction crew working along the border of Tokyo had uncovered some strange mechaniloid buried under the earth. And given that it was in the way of their job, the digging crew had attempted to move it, but the machine was suddenly activated. And now it was wandering around, free to trample whatever got in its way.
Thus, it had to be stopped before reaching the city-state's borders.
"There have been no confirmed casualties, so I'm assuming they pulled the alarm before anyone was hurt," X told Zero and Vile, the red and violet Reploids listening to the news. "It was last seen around the site, so it'd probably be best to see the scene of the crime."
"Go check it out if you want," Vile said. "I'll stay with Zero at the border."
Zero half-expected to hear X say they should stick together or ask the blonde Reploid what he thought of the matter, but instead, X said, "Sure. I'll go," he then began making his way from the outside of Arcadia's great, white walls. "I'll update you if there are any developments." With that, he left.
Zero was thinking of speaking up but ultimately remained quiet. For what reason did he have to feel guilty anyway? X was just using him for his own ends, just like everyone else, so what did Zero have to be sorry for? Still, perhaps he had been wrong about his assumptions. Maybe all X really wanted was to help him out.
"So, Zero, right?" Vile spoke up. "Heh. I've heard quite a bit about you."
The other Hunter (even now, it still sounded unreal to Zero) sighed. "So has everyone else."
"No, wait, I don't mean it like that," Vile clarified. "If you ask me, the fact you're functioning despite being a Maverick is a good enough reason to keep you alive. At least according to the humans," the purple Hunter scoffed. "Rest assured, though, I don't judge you for what happened."
This got Zero's attention. "You don't?"
"Not a bit," Vile replied. "It's like the report said, your systems were corrupted. Besides, unfortunate as it is, Gamma knew what he was getting into."
Zero found that, despite his words, Vile didn't sound all that genuine when discussing Gamma. "So you believe he brought it on himself?"
"I'm saying that it's not something you should feel bad about. He came after you, you fought back, and he lost. It's not a glamorous reality, but it's the truth," Vile explained. "And if guys like X can't accept it, they're in the wrong field," the Hunter then turned to face Zero. "Speaking of, that pest hasn't left you alone since you came here, has he?"
Now that, Zero could relate to. "No, he hasn't." He answered.
"I dread any mission involving him. He does nothing but drag everyone down with his whole 'let's be careful' and 'remember property damage!' Bah!" Vile folded his arms. "He's more of a mouthpiece for the humans than Sigma is!" He huffed. "Not to mention that so-called sister of his."
"Oh, her." Zero said, clearly not a fan of the other blonde Reploid.
"Yeah, the one with the stupid bow. Stuck up bitch; she's even worse than Ai."
"Much worse," Zero agreed. Though he wasn't sure Roll was deserving of being called a thing. Or Ai for that matter.
"But enough about any of them; I'm interested in you," Vile said, surprising Zero.
"Why's that?"
"It's not what you think," Vile clarified. "If you think I'm trying to buddy up with you like X is, think again."
Oh really? Zero thought. You're being awfully talkative for someone who says they aren't.
"But I will say this," Vile continued. "Should it happen, I think we may find we have some things in common. Things that someone like Sigma and especially X would never understand."
Zero wasn't sure where Vile was going with this. "What do you mean?" He asked.
Vile eyes faintly glowed red from beneath his helmet. "That we are living, breathing weapons."
Miles Away
Perhaps he should've asked for a ride chaser before coming out here. X had walked until he reached the destroyed construction site, equipment toppled and damaged, some worse than others. But from what he saw, everyone present, both human and Reploid, were accounted for.
"Samantha, right?" X asked a green Reploid with mauve hair and a yellow construction helmet. "So everyone was able to escape?"
Samantha nodded. "I sounded the alarm the second the mechaniloid started moving," she explained. "Of course, where it's gone now is anyone's guess."
"When did it go off exactly?" X continued questioning her.
"A half-hour ago in that direction," Samantha answered, pointing to the East. "And I'm assuming you're asking is because you're going after it, right?"
X replied with a nod. "I'll have to. It can't reach the borders of Tokyo or Arcadia." He said. But he lamented that he could be spending a great deal of time searching the landscape for the runaway machine. Even more so than what it took for him to arrive here. The sun was beginning to set already.
"Well, if you are," Samantha said. "Then you should probably take one of these." She then led him to one of the few remaining pieces of functioning equipment: a mobile suit used for lifting heavy equipment. "It might not be that fast, but you can tread more ground than you would on foot. Plus, this thing is huge. You'll need some cover if it decides to try and squash you."
X looked at the suit, then in the direction, Samantha had shown him. It seemed this was the best chance he had. The mobile suit was already lowered to the ground, allowing X to climb in. He sat in the pilot's seat and grabbed the handles on the panel displaying the controls, easing the suit to a standing position.
"Be careful, all right?" Samantha told X, the blue Reploid giving her a reassuring nod before he set off.
Arcadia's Borders
"What?" Zero asked, still wondering where Vile was going with this.
"You heard me," Vile replied. "We're weapons. Machines made for violence," Zero was quiet, Vile continued with his speech. "It makes no difference whether or not you're Hunter or Maverick. We all came from the same source, and despite whatever his creator said, X was built to use that buster."
Zero had to agree with that. "He never took a full shot at me unless I forced him to." So he told the violet Hunter.
"Pathetic, I know." Vile said.
Zero was quiet. Stupid, yes. But I don't know about pathetic. He was beginning to grow wary of this Vile character.
"He, Dr. Cain, and hell, even the old fossil that built that blue wuss are fools. They say we Reploids are meant to bring forth a new age," Vile looked out to the horizon, the setting golden sun reflecting off his helmet. "Pretty soon, that'll be the case. Not just for Arcadia or any other region in Japan, but globally."
"What do you mean?" Zero asked.
"Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know. Fujiwara's been keeping you busy, hasn't he?" Vile said. "Despite the Maverick issue, news of Reploids has spread far and wide. Soon, everyone will want us. Whether for those in power or others who just want to possess us for their own needs, we shall spread from nation to nation. We shall become a global phenomenon. Much more than primitive robots ever could be. Because unlike them, we have nothing holding us back."
Miles Away
Despite its reportedly large size, X found this mechaniloid difficult to track down. Of course, the mobile suit had let him cover more ground than he would have on foot, but what good was it if he had no idea of where to go?
Wonder if Zero or Vile have seen anything. X thought. However, he was surprised that Zero even came to his mind. After all, the red Reploid DID say not to bother him anymore. Still, this wasn't the time to let personal disputes get in the way of his duty.
Yet just as he was about to contact the other two Reploids assigned to this mission, he saw something in the distance. Something large and walking on many legs. And if that wasn't all, X saw it was going in the direction of Arcadia's walls!
Border
A beeping sound emitting from their audio receptors signaled that something was up. Immediately, both Zero and Vile answered the call.
"I've found the mechaniloid! It's headed your way! Get out of there!"
Heading their way? As if to confirm this, both Reploids felt the ground beneath them rumble, and off in the distance, the vague shape of a multi-legged machine was seen approaching ever and ever closer.
"What is that? A giant spider?" Vile wondered aloud, Zero watching it approach without saying a word. "C'mon! Let's get to the top of the wall!"
Both Reploids leaped up and landed on the small pathway set atop the border, readying their weapons to fire. From further away, X could see that the mechaniloid would surely reach the city if not stopped soon. But how could they stop it? X continued in the mobile suit while Vile had begun firing on the mechaniloid. To everyone's collective shock, the mammoth machine's defense system had registered it was being attacked.
A laser blaster was exposed from the top of its mid-second, firing a single beam of energy in Vile's direction. Vile was hit directly in the chest, knocking him off his feet and falling several feet to the ground below. Zero turned around to see where he had landed and saw that Vile quickly recovered from the fall, getting back up on his feet. The mechaniloid continued forward until finally, it reached the wall. The six-legged behemoth then began climbing upward, trying to scale the obstacle currently in its way.
"Zero! Vile! Don't move!" X shouted, going as fast as he could in the suit while taking shots at the mechaniloid.
He noticed that, strong as it was, its outer shell and joints were rusted and falling apart. Then, charging up his buster, X fired a large blue blast of plasma, striking the spider-like machine at the sections where the legs connected to the body.
The rest left leg was damaged, but it was only when the mechaniloid put some weight on it that it snapped off. Old wires could no longer hold the limb in place. X fired again at its center left leg, but the mechaniloid turned around and directed its attention to its current attacker. Its mouth opened, and a stream of thick, green liquid was shot out; X barely made it out of the way in time. The right arm of the mobile suit sizzled as if it were being eaten by acid.
"Aim for its legs!" Zero told Vile, who had just gotten up onto the pathway again.
He and Vile began firing for the same areas as X. Yet as they were doing so, Zero saw a peculiar detail on each of the mechaniloid's joints. Emblazoned on the rusted metal was the faint outline of what appeared to be a stylized W, the color having long faded away.
That insignia. The red Reploid checked his database. That's...?!
"Out of the way, idiot!" Vile shouted, pushing past Zero and firing.
The mechaniloid reared up its front right leg and smashed it forward, leaving a sizable indent in the white border of the aptly named white city. Vile jumped atop of the mechaniloid and began unloading on it, firing nonstop until his energized bullets tore through. "I've broken through! I'm going to bring this bastard down!"
"Vile, wait!" X called out. "We don't know if its core is stable! It could explode!"
"I know what I'm doing! Look out for yourself!" Vile barked back, continuing to fire.
X bit his lip, trying to figure out what to do. "Hey!" He suddenly heard Zero say to him over the shared communication line. "Trying using that suit against it!"
X was torn. "Do you think it could work? I don't know how much weight this thing can hold, much less what it can dish out!"
"No time like now to try it!" Zero answered. "But do it quick! Otherwise-"
BOOM!
Vile had reached the central processor instead of the core, but taking that out would render it useless. And knowing the humans, they would most likely want such a thing preserved so they could determine what was wrong. But still, he had never seen a mechaniloid this large before, much less equipped with such weapons. Of course, it couldn't have been recently built given its condition, but if that was the case, then who made it and why? And even more, Vile thought, why haven't the humans thought to upgrade their machinery to be like this?
Whoever made this machine understood the reason for its existence.
Finally, Vile hit the innermost CPU components, but this action caused the mechaniloid to go mad, blasting with reckless abandon whether there was a target there. The machine stumbled forward, yet its rear right leg was taken out by a punch to its support below the joint, the aged metal surrendering to the suit's blows.
Zero was right. This IS helpful! He continued until the leg was taken care of, but the mechaniloid still continued to fire wildly. Then, it couldn't support itself anymore and fell right in X's direction. Who was standing right in front of the wall.
"Get out of there!" Zero called out, but it was too late.
The mechaniloid fell forward, crashing into the wall and exploding in a massive fireball. Both Zero and Vile jumped out of the way, the impact and explosion tearing through the white wall. Finally, the mechaniloid landed on the ground, sparks and smoke coming out along with presumably flammable fluids.
Zero and Vile had leaped off the wall the moment it crashed, escaping the fiery aftermath just in time. But then Zero began looking around for any sign of X, growing more and more concerned with each passing second.
"Of all the ways to get taken out," Vile remarked, looking at the now burning mechaniloid. "That could be one of the dumbest."
The purple Hunter was then punched in the face, sending the Reploid back and to the ground. "The hell was that for?!" Vile demanded. The blow wasn't anything he couldn't handle; he was more affected by the shock, if anything.
"How can you say something like that?! X practically saved our lives, and you disrespect him like that?!" Zero roared, hoisting Vile up.
"Get your hands off me!" Vile wrenched himself away from Zero's grip. "What are you so worked up about?! This is just an occupational hazard! Besides, at least that wuss found a way to make himself slightly useful."
Zero was now seething and just about to deliver another blow when he suddenly heard footsteps from behind. "Wh-What's going on?" Both the red and purple Reploids saw X standing behind them, the outer shell cracked and dented, but he was still standing.
"You!" Zero cried out. "You're alive!" He then rushed over to X.
"Never mind that. We've got to call the fire department to get these flames under control before they spread any further."
Vile looked on at the two, disappointed in how things turned out for him and Zero. "It's too bad," he said quietly to himself. "I thought that we could've had an understanding." He then looked at the ground. "Perhaps even more."
That Night
The damage had been assessed, and repairs to the wall were underway. Given that there were no casualties, the mission was considered a success, property damage notwithstanding. X was taken into repairs while Zero was sent back to get some rest at Fujiwara's lab. The red Reploid hadn't heard of what Vile was doing, but honestly, he didn't care. That guy wasn't at the forefront of his mind right now.
Suddenly, he heard a knocking on the door to his room. Zero unlocked it, and the automated door pulled back to reveal X standing there. "Uh, hey." He greeted.
To X's surprise, Zero greeted him back. "Hey. I'm surprised they let you out of the med bay so fast."
X was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I've only sustained damage to my armor. My inner components are functioning fine." That said, Roll made sure he stayed put until all of it could be patched up. It was then; however, that he noticed Zero's usually calm expression falter.
"X," Zero began. "Would you mind giving me a moment of your time?"
X's green eyes widened upon hearing that. "But I thought you said-"
"Yes, I know," Zero said. "That's kinda what I wanted to talk about." He stepped out of the way of the door, allowing X to enter. The room was barren save for the single capsule. It felt very cold and isolating. "X, I..." Zero began. He had everything he wanted to say at the tip of his tongue, but it was still difficult to say. "I didn't think you were serious about how you were treating me," he said. "I guess I just thought you were using me as a charity case, and I'm only here right now because I'm considered too valuable to terminate," he continued. "But I didn't think that you were really..." why was this so hard to say?! "Look, I'm sorry."
The room went quiet. "What?" X asked.
"I'm sorry," Zero repeated. "I'm sorry about what I said. And...well, you could say everything," Zero continued. "I just didn't think you actually cared."
"Why wouldn't you think I cared?" X asked.
"I guess it's because no one else seems to," Zero confessed. "All these tests Fujiwara's putting me through are just to make sure I'm on my best behavior, lest someone tattles to the council about it. Not to mention all of these questions about things I don't even know," it was for a brief moment, but the W he had seen on the mechaniloid flashed in his mind. "Everyone only wants me because I'll be useful to them," Zero lowered his head in shame. "I just thought you were no different."
X took all of this in, processing it to make sure he completely understood. "Zero..." X began. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."
"What are you apologizing for?" Zero asked, puzzled by X's words.
"Well, I didn't know how unfair you were being treated," X felt rather badly about the silent treatment earlier. "Sad to say, but Dr. Cain said that's just how humans are. They don't mean anything by it. They're just fearful of anything new and unknown."
Unknown. Yeah, in a way, Zero could relate. However, Sigma said that it's up to us to change all of that.
"The truth is, I'll admit, I DO have some things that relate to me," X confessed. "It's not as severe compared to yours, but I still have gaps in my memory bank."
That's right. Zero remembered. Before Cain found him, he was dated to have been built back in 20XX.
"And, it's a little hard to explain. And I'll admit it doesn't make sense at all. But..."
"But what?" Zero asked.
X wondered just how he was going to word this. But finally, he decided just to come out and say it. "It feels like I've seen you before."
Zero now was the one surprised. At first, he wanted to protest, for how could such a thing be? Yet, despite himself, he couldn't help but wonder. "When? Like when Sigma said I-"
"No. Before that," X said. "Before I was dug up," he paused for a moment. "Before I was sealed away."
Zero wasn't sure of what to say. Yet X's words brought forth endless questions and possibilities related to the time before there ever were Reploids. It made no sense, so why did it feel like it was somehow the truth?
"But, maybe I'm just putting too much thought into it." X admitted.
"Still, though," Zero said. "Is that the reason you've been hovering over me?"
"Not entirely," X answered. "I'll admit, I guess I'm coming more from a personal view, but I had to spend months hidden away when I was awakened," he explained. "I couldn't be seen; otherwise I might be killed," Zero was silent, taking in everything. "I was saved because of the same reason you're here," X continued. "There was no one to fight for Roll or me based on the fact we had a right to live. It wouldn't be right if someone didn't try and fight for you."
Zero was left speechless by what he had just heard. Honestly, he had never considered the possibility that anyone would be concerned about him, much less his life outside of his capabilities. He had never experienced such a thing before. But before he could respond, X spoke again.
"Oh, sorry! I almost forgot what I was supposed to tell you!" X slapped himself for his stupidity. "Sigma announced that because we're expanding, there will be a larger HQ set up not too far from here."
"Really now?" Zero asked.
"Yeah. It's on an artificial island connected to Arcadia. Abel City I think it's called," X explained. "There's going to be a transfer of some Hunters there, but you could put in a request if you want."
"So you want me to go?" Zero questioned.
"No, it's not that. Well, I thought that you being around other Reploids and people would be good for you." But, unfortunately, those in Arcadia are probably never going to accept you. "It's still being decided, so don't feel too rushed," X said. "Though I think I've been keeping you long enough. You probably need rest." X turned to leave.
"X." Zero suddenly spoke up. X turned. "Thanks."
The blue Reploid wasn't expecting to hear that. "O-Oh. Sure, no problem. Goodnight." With that, he exited the room, leaving Zero alone.
A transfer, huh? The red Reploid thought about this. True, it would give him a way out of this place and where someone wouldn't be wary or glowering at him, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to do it.
Not unless maybe X would be up for going with him.
Note: Ok, finally! Onto the events of the first game! The Wily Walker's existence and discovery will lead to some more familiar-looking machines in the future, and you'll see more familiar faces.
Thank you all so much for your support, and I hope to hear from you!