Note: I wanted to get this chapter out as I'm editing and reformatting a story I wrote before starting this one. And seeing as I've got 70 chapters to go through, I thought I should upload this first. It was written in the days before discovering that Word DOESN'T catch every mistake you made in typing before you post something.

The big day is coming soon, so I want to ensure it's paced well. After all, I want everything to go to a head at the right time.

Thanks, and enjoy!

Manhunt

June 30th

9:45 AM

Abel City

While it was just another day for most, Roll couldn't believe she was here. When she was just about to leave Dr. Cain's to go to Dr. Fujiwara's place, she received word that she was off for the day. There was no reason given other than he was working from home for the day and didn't want to be disturbed. This left her with the day off, but she soon wondered what to do with that time. It wasn't as if she had anything else she could do.

She had already cleaned and organized Cain's home, and Chiyo was at school. And given what had happened to Patarche, she would probably only come home when she had to. Thus, Roll found herself here, wandering the halls of Abel City's HQ. Though she still found herself with nothing to do. After all, it wasn't as if she belonged here.

Ever since he was transferred here, X had mainly spent his nights here, leaving his bedroom empty at Cain's. As a result, roll found herself getting lonely, not to mention worried. She had tried to distance herself from being too overbearing, but she couldn't help but check up on X when she could. True, he was a "big boy" and could care for himself, but she wished he chose his friends more carefully. Especially with that red Reploid.

True, it had been some time, but Roll just couldn't will herself to get comfortable with Zero. True, he had been a former Maverick, whether by glitch or infection by a virus (which caused a Reploid to go Maverick, she didn't know), but there was something about Zero that unnerved her. His friendship with X always made her anxious, wondering if Zero would perhaps return to what he once was. After all, no one said that you couldn't turn Maverick twice. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions, but she couldn't stop herself. X and she were the only ones left.

But should it come to that, if she had to put herself at risk for her little brother, so be it. She would do anything. Anything. But where was he?

"Uh, excuse me, Miss?" Roll looked behind her to see a small, orange Navigator with long extensions that looked like rabbit ears. He was holding what appeared to be a black tablet of sorts, the shorter Reploid hugging it to his chest.

"Oh! You're," Roll paused for a moment, searching through her memory files. "You're A-1, right?"

The smaller Reploid smiled. "Yep! That's me!" He said. "And your X's sister, right?"

"Older," Roll clarified. "Though that doesn't mean I'm an old woman."

"Oh, no. Of course not," A-1 said. "Are you lost?" He asked. "If you're looking for X, you just missed him."

"Oh? Where'd he go?" Roll asked.

"He and Zero have been sent on patrol," A-1 explained. This bit of news seemed to not sit well with Roll. "Hey, don't be worried. Zero's with him."

That's EXACTLY what worries me. Roll thought.

"Anyway, if I may be so bold, you don't look like you have anything to do." The smaller Navigator said.

Roll sighed. "That's sort of because I don't."

"Ok, great!" A-1 cheered. Roll looked confused. "Oh, yeah, that is kind of rude of me." He said, rubbing the back of his helmet in embarrassment. "But if you want, I could use somebody's help."

Roll thought about it for a short time before answering. "Sure. I'm free for the day. What is it you need?"

"Well," A-1 said. "It's like this, I've got to get some paperwork from all of the Units, and, well, everyone else is busy right now, so it's just been me having to go and gather it from everybody."

"What about that other Navigator? Trinity?" Roll asked.

"Ever since she's been made head of communications, she's been too busy to do much of anything but keep up with any potential Maverick threat in the city," A-1 remembered that day. Ai was NOT happy. Blu seemed indifferent, and he just wished he could stop being the delivery boy.

"All right. I'll help," Roll said. "Just tell me where to go."

"Ok, great!" A-1 gave a sigh of relief. "I'll handle the left side of the HQ; you handle the right," the shorter Navigator instructed, handing Roll a backup tablet. Sometimes he wasn't too steady on his wheels. "At least somebody from each Unit is here, so look in the training rooms as they're probably practicing."

"All right, I got that." Roll said.

"Ok then," I guess that's all you need," he then turned away, skating off. "Thanks again!"

Roll stood there, alone once again. Well, at least she had something to do with her time, even if she was in the position of an errand girl.

Downtown

Abel City

"I can't believe it's gotten this bad." X lamented, driving a blue ride-chaser while Zero drove a red one.

"All these berserk mechaniloids," Zero said, coming up beside X. "Why do I get the feeling they're just here to distract us?"

X looked over to his friend. "You think whoever's doing this has another goal in mind?"

If Zero had to be honest, he had believed that since the first few mechaniloid incidents started. "The question is who and why." The red Hunter said. X was quiet for a moment, but Zero saw he wanted to say something. "What is it?"

X bit his lip. "Do you think this relates to what those guys said about Independence Day?"

"Can't stop thinking it does," Zero said. "Hm?" Then, Trinity appeared on Zero's screen embedded in the steer. She appeared on X's steer as well.

"X! Zero!" Trinity said, her voice signifying this was urgent. "We've finally gotten through to the detention center!" She said. "The four criminals linked to the mechaniloid incidents have escaped! And Vile's also gone!"

"WHAT?!" Zero exclaimed. "You can't be serious!"

"When did this happen?" X asked the pink-haired Navigator.

"We can't say for sure," Trinity confessed. "Contact with the detention center was lost last night, so it could've been right then or as recent as a few minutes ago," she explained. "Anyway, report to the scene immediately!"

"You got it!" Zero said he and X were now setting off in the direction that led outside the city's more populated areas and to the prison, unsure of what they would find there.

Maverick Hunter HQ

10:12 AM

When she had come across the two Hunters, Roll couldn't help but watch as they fought. In the training chamber designated for the Seventh Elite Unit, Boomer Kuwanger and a more sizable blue beetle stood atop a beam situated above a significant drop, the two Hunters battling high up in the upper areas of the chamber. Kuwanger stood on one end while the other insect (she remembered him as Gravity Beetle) charged forward, his prominent horn aimed at the more lanky Reploid. Finally, Kuwanger jumped over his sibling unit, and the two were on the opposite sides of where they first started.

"Stop jumping around and attack me, dammit!" Gravity Beetle shouted, growing frustrated with his sibling's avoidance.

Kuwanger merely shrugged. "As you wish," he said. "But let me remind you, you asked for it."

Gravity Beetle charged him again; this time, Boomer Kuwanger retaliated with his weapon. The circular blade atop his head was detached and clashed against Beetle's, the two insect-based Reploids combating each other. It was then that Roll saw Kuwanger perform a pretty great maneuver. As Beetle charged in his brother's direction, Kuwanger appeared to vanish! Beetle seemed to know what he had just done and was on the alert, looking out for his sibling. But where had he gone?

"Oh, now that's just cheating," Roll suddenly became aware that she wasn't alone. She felt a hand (at least she thought it was a hand) place itself on her shoulder, yet when she looked, she saw nothing. Then, whoever was behind her began to manifest himself, presenting the blonde Reploid with a good look at his large, red eye.

The shrill scream from below got Beetle's attention, distracting him long enough so that Kuwanger could make his move. First, he swung his curved blade and snagged his brother's horn. Then, in an impressive feat of strength, he flipped the giant insect over, sending him off the beam and to the floor below. Kuwanger looked to see who the noise source was and saw a blonde Reploid with a green bow had entered the training room. And even more, someone else was with her.

Gravity Beetle got himself back on his feet and saw Roll, along with a green lizard-like Reploid that had spooked her. "You!" Beetle shouted, rushing over to Roll and Sting Chameleon. "You screwed up our match!"

"Yikes!" Chameleon mockingly yelped, hiding behind Roll. "Kuwanger! Your brother's being a bully again!"

Boomer Kuwanger sighed in annoyance before leaping down from the beam and to the floor. "Beetle, calm yourself," the stag beetle told his sibling unit, reattaching his curved blade on his head. He then looked at Chameleon. "You're getting me to consider chopping off your limbs. It'd certainly make you resemble the serpent you are."

Chameleon didn't respond with a comeback. Instead, he remained silent. Roll noted that it was as if Kuwanger was capable of following through with his threat. "Anyway," Gravity Beetle interjected. "Who are you?" He asked Roll, not too pleased about her presence. After all, she was the one who screamed and cost him the match.

"Wait a minute," Chameleon said. "Let me get a good look at you," he then let his tongue snake out of his mouth and grab Roll's chin, forcing her to face the lizard. All with that red eye looking her up and down. As if she were something he found delicious. "Ohoho! Now I remember!" Chameleon giggled. "Your the blue wimp's little sister!"

Roll wrenched herself from Chameleon's grip. "That's BIG sister," she said. "And my brother is anything BUT a wimp!"

"Oooooh, someone's a little fiery!" Chameleon chortled. "I like that."

"Respect someone's personal space, you repulsive reptile," the red stag beetle said, Chameleon backing off from Roll. Still, he kept his eyes on her. "Now then," Kuwanger turned his attention to Roll. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain why you're here?"

Detention Center

10:20 AM

When they had been rushed to the block Vile was on, X and Zero came across a gruesome scene. All the guards that had been on the block were slaughtered, whether it be torn to pieces or by having their cores obliterated.

"Who would do this?" X asked, clearly unnerved by what was before him.

Zero knelt to study one of the bodies. "This doesn't look like Vile's work," the red Hunter said. "It's more precise, not as frenzied."

Indeed. X thought. If Vile had been responsible, these guys' wounds wouldn't have been so clean. "Do you think it was the Skull Quartet?" The blue Hunter asked. "It might just be me, but these blows look like a handheld weapon did them. Like a lance, or-"

"A saber?" Zero finished for X. X nodded. "One of those four idiots had one," the long-haired Hunter looked the deceased Reploids over again. "But I don't think this was his work."

"Then who do you think was responsible?" X asked. Zero didn't immediately answer him, seemingly deep in thought. "Zero?"

The blonde shook his head. There was something here that didn't add up. "We've got to make sure if anyone working here saw anything," he said. "The guards, the warden, everyone," he then tightened his lips in concern. "Vile and those guys didn't escape," he said. "Someone let them out."

Abel City HQ

10:30 AM

"There," Kuwanger handed Roll's tablet back to her., having put in all the information required. "It is done."

"Yes, well, thank you," she said. "Now, I need to see some members of the other units. You wouldn't happen to know where they are, do you?"

"Down the eastern hall is the training room for the Armored Unit," Beetle told her. "And to the west is the Polar Unit."

"All right, I got it. Thank you again." Roll was about to leave, but she felt a long, flexible object coil around her waist.

"You know, it's a big place," Sting Chameleon said. "You might get lost."

Roll gently (but firmly) unwound the lizard's tail from around her. "That's a kind offer, but I believe I can find my way around, thank you."

With that, she exited the room and, thankfully, away from that lizard. However, she still felt the sensation of that Reploid's tail around her, his tongue on her cheek; it all made her shudder. Perhaps this was similar to what someone's skin crawling felt like. Well, whatever. She had work to do.

"Excuse me!" She suddenly heard a voice call out, a tall figure racing past her.

"Ostrich! Wait!" Roll heard someone running towards her, Storm Eagle having just missed his comrade. "He just got out of the infirmary; what does he think he's doing, running around the place?" He then noticed Roll. "Oh, hello, Miss Roll," he greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for someone, actually. Or rather, everyone." She said.

Eagle noticed the tablet in her possession. "Oh, has A-1 asked you to help out?"

"Yes," Roll confirmed. "He said that with everyone getting so spread out, he needed help getting paperwork collected," she then presented the tablet. "Which brings me to your Unit."

"Yes, right. Of course." he then took the tank and input the necessary data.

"Thank you," Roll told him. "Now, I don't suppose you would know where I could find the other Units, do you?" She asked, much more willing to take Eagle as a guide than that lizard. "Well, I know where some Naval unit members are, but they're not in the HQ."

"Oh?" Roll asked. "Then when will they be back?"

"Here," he said, extending a hand towards her. "I'll show you to them."

Detention Center

10:54 AM

"So, you didn't see anything?" X asked one guard. "Anything at all?"

The guard shook his head. "When the power was cut, everything went dark. No one could see anything."

"What about the backup generator?" Zero questioned.

"We found it destroyed," another guard answered. "We thought it was odd that the generator didn't keep us powered up, but when it returned to the center, we saw the shape it was in."

X and Zero looked at each other, both getting the same idea. "May we see it?" X asked.

"Certainly. Right this way," the first guard they had questioned led them to the lower depths of the detention center. Once they had reached their destination, the door was opened, revealing a torn-up generator beyond repair. "We just replaced the last one, so the warden's not too happy about this."

"I can imagine," X replied, following Zero to the destroyed power source. "What do you think?" He asked his partner. "The only explanation I can think of is that someone had to have destroyed it from inside the center. The only question is how they managed to make it past security."

"Are you sure you checked the footage?" Zero questioned the guard. "Before the outage?"

"Yes," the guard answered. "We checked the last week's worth of footage to track everyone in or out."

"Was there anyone suspicious or shady looking?" The red Hunter continued his inquiry.

"Aside from those being held here, no," the guard said. "And the five that escaped were disarmed."

"And you said that the power came back at six AM?" X asked.

"Yes. But by then, we had just discovered what happened," the guard explained. "It took some time to get communications back up, but when we found out the guards stationed outside were also dead, we contacted HQ immediately."

The blue and red Hunters processed everything they had just heard, their processors already theorizing what could've happened. "We need to tell the Commander about this," X said. Zero didn't answer. "Right?" X asked, but still, Zero didn't answer. "Zero?"

Zero then began to make his way to the entrance of the large room. "Yeah, let's get back to HQ. They're going to need to know about this." He then began to leave. "Well?" He asked X. "You coming?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," X said. "Thanks for cooperating with us." He told the guard.

"No problem," he said. X then turned to leave and catch up with Zero. "Although," the guard added, X, stopping for a moment. "I'd suggest that you keep an eye out for yourself. Especially around those who you think are on your side."

"Uh, yeah. Will do. Thanks!" X finally left, leaving the guard alone in the room.

The Reploid sighed, shaking his head. That red Hunter, there was something about him that felt odd. What it was, he couldn't tell, but he wondered whether or not he could be trusted.

In the Philippines Sea

11:03 AM

"How long has THIS been around?!" Roll exclaimed, looking all around her.

When Storm Eagle had said they would take the newly installed elevator, she had no idea that it meant going underneath the city, let alone into the ocean! The elevator took them down to the ocean floor; a variety of coral and various sea fauna surrounded them, the clear glass at the front allowing for a clear view.

"It's a recent addition," Storm Eagle said. "Ever since the Naval Unit set up a secondary base down here, they asked for a way to lessen travel distance between there and HQ."

"I can see why." They had finally reached the bottom, yet they weren't done traveling yet. The elevator door opened to reveal a long hallway in the shape of a tube, a moving walkway serving as transport. They both stepped on and began traveling down the hall, going around winding paths and turns. And while she had kept it in before, she couldn't help but let it be known now. "Storm Eagle," the bird looked at Roll. "Forgive me if I'm being too brash, but are you even allowed to bring me down here?" She asked. "After all, I'm not officially part of the Maverick Hunters."

"You're merely gathering paperwork, plus, A-1 asked you to help him out, right?" Eagle asked. "So, if anything, it would be him or me that would get in trouble."

"Oh, right. I see." Roll said. Though, she wasn't convinced.

But before she could say anything more, they had reached an end to one of the tunnels, and the door before them opened. Before her and Eagle stood Launch Octopus and two other Hunters she had never seen before. One was primarily green and based on an alligator, while the other sported horns and resembled a crab.

"Hm? What's this?" Octopus questioned, folding his arms over his chest and torso. "You're Fujiwara's housemaid, are you not?" The cephalopod questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"Yea, well," Roll cleared her throat, trying to get past that housemaid comment. "Given everyone is so busy, I decided I should step in and assist in any way I can." She said. It's not like I can do much else anyway.

"Hm," the alligator, appropriately named Wheel Gator, looked her over. "What do you think, Crab?" He asked the horned Reploid. "She looks more like a chew toy than the rabbit-eared wuss!"

"Say, what ARE you doing down here anyway?" The crab, Bubble Crab, asked. He then looked at Eagle. "Is she even supposed to be down here?"

"I'm merely assisting in gathering information," Roll said. "And even still, do I look like any threat?" She asked. "After all, Mr. Crocodile here thinks I look harmless enough."

"Gator," Wheel Gator growled. Still, he saw the logic in what she had to say. "But fine. What do you need?"

"Well, for starters, I will need a progress report on your combat skills..." Roll trailed off about the various pieces of information she needed from them, while Storm Eagle looked at a sealed door.

But he knew what lay behind it.

Then, a booming voice rang out in the chamber, gathering the attention of everyone present. "ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS ARE TO ASSEMBLE IMMEDIATELY!" A-1's voice said, repeating the command at least three times before everything went quiet again.

"Looks like that's our cue," Bubble Crab said, forcing Roll to back up thanks to his size. "This job doesn't pay enough."

"I've just been anxious to get out and tear something to pieces." Wheel Gator said as he went with Crab.

"Excuse us," Launch Octopus said, walking by Eagle and Roll. "Though, you should be coming along too." He told the bird.

"Right," he then looked at Roll. "I suppose we both should be going up."

"Yes, I believe so." Roll agreed, going with the four Maverick Hunters.

Just what was going on that was so urgent?

Briefing Room

11:16 AM

"What?! Vile's escaped?!" Chill Penguin squawked in surprise.

A-1 nodded to confirm his suspicions. "But he and members of the Skull Quartet were the only ones that were freed." A holographic visual of the detention center was displayed.

The Hunters began discussing the matter among themselves, trying to theorize why all this had happened. Shutting down a detention center was one thing, but releasing a select number of prisoners was where it stopped making sense. So why not free everyone that's been incarcerated?

"Does Commander Sigma know about this?" Storm Eagle asked the smaller Reploid.

A-1 nodded. "We've contacted him, and he's spoken to the Arcadian Council. They've agreed to seal their borders until the felons are found."

"For how long?" X asked.

"As long as necessary. The Council has already made their decision." The orange Navigator said.

"Where do we start searching?" Zero asked.

"Commander Sigma is assigning companies to scope out the city," a map of Abel City appeared, all sectors marked. "Each company must follow a Captain until the mission is over."

Arcadia Senior High Scool

12:23 PM

She sat on the bench outside the cafeteria and used up the last ketchup from the plastic pack, discarding it in the trash afterward. Her folded, cooked egg lay over a bed of rice, some leftovers from last night to the side. But before taking a bite, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, you wouldn't be willing to trade, would you?" Fumiko asked, presenting her lunch. "Mom switched up Kenichi's with mine. And, well, everything he likes, I just so happen to hate."

Chiyo looked at the contents of Fumiko's bento box, noting that there were a lot of deep-fried items in it. "There's no way your mom packed all this stuff."

"Yeah, dad's more willing to let us have stuff like this," the spectacle-wearing human waited for her friend's answer. "Well?"

Chiyo shrugged. "I'm not that hungry anyway." She handed her lunch to Fumiko. Both young women began eating, though the only one was regularly eating. Chiyo barely touched her food.

Fumiko swallowed a piece of eel; her friend had only taken one bite out of the fried yam. "If you need to talk, I-"

"It's fine," Chiyo interrupted. "At least he didn't have to be brought to a vet and put to sleep." While she wouldn't have wanted Patarche to go out like that either, at least it was something she proved her father wrong about. And you always said that he was a useless animal.

"Do you hear the announcement?" Fumiko asked. "Some Mavericks had escaped the detention center in Abel City. So Arcadia's decided to close its borders until they're caught."

"Oh, I heard," Chiyo said, biting off the tail of a fried shrimp. "Just proves my point that no matter how many advantages there are compared to mechaniloids, Reploids should've never been made."

Fumiko looked around, thankful that no Reploids were about to hear that. Still, it allowed them to ask what she had wanted for a long time. "Can I ask you something?"

"You want to know why I hate Reploids," Chiyo finished for her. "Well, maybe hate isn't the right word for it."

"Yeah, because you don't hate X or Roll. Or Mimi." Fumiko said. She then chuckled. "I think the red one is cute. He's Zero, right?"

Chiyo nearly choked on some takoyaki. "The one with the long hair? No way!"

"So, are your tastes different?" The shorter-haired girl asked. "How about X? He's got quite an impressive chest. Not to mention those green eyes."

"Shut up!" Chiyo hissed. "I'm going to choke!"

"You're not denying it."

Chiyo finally managed to swallow the fried octopus ball. "I'm NOT attracted to something that has to be plugged into the wall."

"But really, why don't you like Reploids?" Fumiko asked.

The longer-haired high-schooler sighed. "Because they're no different than mechaniloids; they're just in a prettier suit."

Fumiko was confused. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"They may look and act human, but even that is bound to a set program," Chiyo said. "And it's not different; it's just got room to carry out more complex functions."

"So you don't think they're any different than mechaniloids?" Fumiko asked.

Chiyo nodded. "And mechaniloids are a giant leap back from the robots of last century in terms of AI. Reploids, robots, every one of them is bound to a set of rules they have to follow. They can't do anything different, so people must stop thinking they can."

"Well, what about Dr. Light's Reploids?" Fumiko asked.

"X and Roll are NOT Reploids. And even then, Roll's still tied to a certain personality type. A Reploid is someone like that red guy," Chiyo said. "He might be my dad's oldest ongoing obsession, but all he does is destroy things," the human narrowed her eyes at the thought of him. "If there were a Reploid to go Maverick, it'd be him."

Fumiko was somewhat surprised to hear that. But before she could say anything more, she checked the time on her phone and saw they only had a couple of minutes to get to class. So they gathered their belongings and ran back into the school, but their conversation was far from over.

Abel City HQ

3:00 PM

Roll watched as the various Navigators assigned to guide the different companies directed and guided their fellow Reploids as they searched the city. She had made sure to keep herself out of the way, but she couldn't help but peer over to see what was going on. Currently, Roll leaned over Ai's shoulder, watching as a bird's eye view of Abel City was seen on her screen, a particular sector being monitored.

"So, what's going on here?" Roll asked the red Navigator situated at her chair.

"There's been a mechaniloid that decided now of all times to go berserk. So now, the Commander and half of the companies are having to deal with it," she began furiously typing away at her keyboard. "Firefly had better have something good waiting for me back in Arcadia."

Roll stepped away and turned her attention towards Blu, tracking the movements of the companies sent in the city's more populated areas. "All large gatherings of civilians are now secure," She reported, voice smooth and calm, almost devoid of emotion. "Keep everyone calm and resume regular activities."

Roll then noticed Trinity, situated at the center of the room due to her function as the primary Navigator. "Chill Penguin company! Report to Abel City's eastern sector! Another mechaniloid has gone Maverick!"

Sensing that the situation was getting dire, Roll excused herself and let the three females and the other Navigators do their work. Still, the case itself ink further proved that she didn't belong here even if she wanted to have some part of it. Not in a sense, she wanted destruction to happen, but it frustrated her greatly that she couldn't do much of anything.

Arcadia's Harbor

4:45 PM

Even if there were long highways connecting the two, shipments by sea still occurred quite frequently between Arcadia and Abel City.

"How long do you think the lockdown will be?" Fumiko asked. School had been closed, but both young women were still wearing uniforms.

"I've got a better one," Chiyo said. "How long do you think I'll be locked out of my own house?"

Indeed, when the two separated to go to their respective homes, the longer-haired girl found that she couldn't enter her own. A message had been left for her by her father that he couldn't afford to be disturbed, so she was to spend the night at Dr. Cain's or one of her friends' places. Seeing nothing else to do, the two had purchased some Harajuku, the crepes stuffed with various creams and berries. Both looked out at the distant Abel City, somewhat thankful that they were far away given a search was underway.

"You think they'll catch them soon, right?" The shorter-haired girl asked, taking another bite of blueberries and whipped cream.

Chiyo had just swallowed a good chunk out of her Harajuku, plucking a halved strawberry out of the cream to pop in her mouth. "Oh, they'll catch him," the senior student said. "Anyone labeled a Maverick is eventually taken out. Reploids will do anything to weed out anything that isn't like them."

No time like the present, Fumiko thought, continuing the conversation the two humans had left before. "So, you say you don't hate Reploids, but you just don't like them?" She asked, keeping her voice down. "Or is it that you just don't like some of them? Because that's normal. Mom thinks dad's a little too interested in watching Mimi do her housework. I'm beginning to think Mimi likes the attention." Fumiko said.

"Your dad's a weirdo," Chiyo said before taking another bite of her strawberries and creme.

"Guess that means I'm a weirdo too, " Fumiko giggled. Chiyo looked unsure of what to say. "Like you don't think some of the more human ones are good-looking!"

"No way!" Chiyo shook her head. "But how about I ask you something?" She asked Fumiko. "Why are you so interested in what I think of Reploids?"

"Well, they're a part of society now, like it or not," Fumiko said. "It was Dr. Light's research into advanced AI that convinced everyone that robots could be just as introspective as humans, as, before Mega Man, robots were mainly relegated to being no more intelligent than the mechaniloids of today."

"We've taken Dr. Light's research and put it on an assembly line," Chiyo finished for Fumiko. She looked out at Abel City in the distance. "Can't imagine how something could go wrong."

Abel City

9:45 PM

They had been searching all day, yet they couldn't find one trace of Vile or the four other criminals that escaped with him! All Units had Hunters scouting all corners of the city, looking everywhere to find one sign of the ex-Hunter and running Skull Quartet, on and off the land. At this rate, their forces would have to be spread all around the island, which would make them even more vulnerable to any potential attack. Was that the plan? To gather everyone away from the city? X pondered all this as he searched the slums with Zero, the two keeping in regular contact with each other.

"Any sign on your end?" X asked over their shared link.

"Nothing," Zero answered. "I can try asking Ai or Blu if they've got any updates."

"I'll check in with A-1." But, X said, suspecting Trinity was currently overwhelmed by directing other Hunters.

But before either Hunter could contact the Navigators back at HQ, they heard something.

BANG! BANG!

From above, both X and Zero heard what sounded like a machine gun going off, recognizing it as the sound emitted from a certain ex-Hunter's shoulder cannon. The two Hunters regrouped and jumped off the buildings' sides to reach where the noise was heard. But when they looked inside, they were met with a horrible sight. All members of the Skull Quartet were on the ground, dead. X and Zero wasted no time delivering this discovery to those at HQ, and soon, several other Hunters arrived at the scene. But despite the extra numbers, no one was sure of what had happened.

"It looks like they were recently done in," X noted, electricity still sparking from damaged areas. He then noticed several impacts and burnt marks on the walls. "And I think it's safe to say a struggle occurred before we got here."

"Which means we arrived too late," Zero cursed at his luck. He then looked over the corpses of the Skull Quartet, noticing that some had more bullet wounds than others. "Some of this matches Vile's work," the red Hunter said. "But there are some wounds that don't make sense."

"Would you care to explain, Zero?" X and Zero looked to see Commander Sigma had come to the scene. The taller Reploid looked at the deceased Mavericks. "These wounds appear different, don't they?"

"No, they don't," Zero answered his Commander. "They look too clean. Not to mention it looks like a different weapon made them. Something bladed."

"Like an energy saber?"

Zero's blue eyes widened upon hearing that as if the Commander had just read his mind. A short time later, the Commander exited the building as X and Zero continued to record and gather evidence. He saw that Storm Eagle and Chill Penguin were present. He summoned the two closer, alerting them of what had happened.

"Vile and an unknown party have fled the scene and are suspected to be nearby potentially!" The taller bird told the Hunters assigned under him. "Storm Eagle Company, search the area!"

"Yes, sir!" Many voices responded, obeying and following their assigned leader as he led the way.

"The Chill Penguin Company shall check in with the other sectors," the more rotund bird squawked. "Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" Penguin's group followed him, leaving Commander Sigma alone, surrounded by Hunter vehicles; the LED lights reflected red waves off the Reploid's face.

Arcadia

Takenada Residence

10:45 PM

"At least we still wear around the same size." Chiyo said, slipping on a black nightshirt. She sat on the windowsill, looking out at the bright Abel City in the distance. She had called Roll and told her she'd be staying at the Takenada's home for the night, as housing with an older man felt weird.

"I guess some things are eternal," Fumiko responded, dressed in a white, short-sleeved nightgown. "We found out we wore similar sizes because Cecilia accidentally left your clothes over at my place once," Chiyo didn't respond, continuing to look out the window. "Have you heard anything from her since she left?"

"Nothing," Chiyo admitted. "She was in my life since I could remember, then she was gone."

"Wasn't she your mom's maid?" Fumiko asked the other human.

"Yeah, she said that her duties were now to tend to the Fujiwara household. In her words, not mine," Chiyo clarified. "Though, the moment he started taking Roll to the house, I had a feeling that dad was planning something."

The implications were obvious, but Fumiko didn't acknowledge them. "Do you think that she, well, you know...?"

"Of course, she told," Chiyo said. "There's no one else that could've." Even if it was years ago, a part of Chiyo always felt guilty for accusing Fumiko of blabbing.

"Did you hate her for it?" Fumiko asked.

"At first," Chiyo admitted. "But, with time, I realized why she did it," she said. "Her entire livelihood was being threatened by something that wasn't even human. I'm surprised she didn't say something when she saw me with X."

"And what do you think of him?" The shorter-haired girl asked, getting into bed. An air mattress was blown up to let Chiyo stay in her room.

"Well, I'm not attracted, for one," the longer-haired girl said. "But he's...all right, I guess. Given he's not human."

"He's not as vibrant or flashy as his friend." Fumiko added.

"No, but he is the one who kickstarted this whole thing. And now the world will never be the same again," Chiyo replied, placing a hand on the glass. "We can't go back, even if we wanted to."

Fumiko was silent, yet then she noticed the time on her phone. "Ooh, that time already?" Chiyo checked her phone and saw that it was indeed late. "Are you ready?" The young woman asked her friend.

"Yeah. Sorry."

Not long after, both humans had turned in, but only Chiyo was up with her thoughts. Indeed, humanity had come too far. They had gone too far when Dr. Light created his first robot. Chiyo didn't regard it as a bad thing, as humanity's progress stopped for nothing, no matter the risks. But her stance on Reploids remained the same. Even if X sometimes made her question it.

Note: While referencing the OVA, I don't want to copy everything beat for beat.

But things will be changing soon. So let me know if you see any errors, and thanks for your input!