Chapter 10 – The Path Forward

A few more days passed, during which Axl made sure to regale Ciel with more stories from the old days and compare notes with X and Zero about what had happened during their time apart. Meanwhile, Ciel continued to work on the components for X's new body, though the production of Titanium X of sufficient quality to meet her standards was delaying progress somewhat.

"There are probably still other factories and mines that were abandoned or lost after Neo Arcadia was established and people started gathering there." she pondered as she put together what would eventually become the skeletal structure of an arm. "If only we could find some records..."

"Speaking of which..." Axl chimed in. "X, I know how badly you wanted to track Alia and the others down before you had to start running the show full time..."

"Yes..." X mused. "I pulled up as many records as I could get my hands on. Old files listing the location of all Hunter facilities, outposts, resupply stations. Geological surveys. Whatever satellite data I was able to pull up from the ones still working. But I lost it all."

"You lost it?" Zero asked.

"I had copies stored in solid state drives back in a personal vault in Neo Arcadia." X said with a sigh. "Along with some other items of sentimental value. I doubt it could have survived that degree of destruction though."

"Well then..." Axl said with a cocky grin as he reached into his coat. "There's one thing you never planned for."

X gave him a quizzical look as he withdrew his hand again, revealing what looked like a data disc in a protective casing.

"What..." X muttered.

"I was always very good at getting in places I'm not supposed to, remember?" Axl pointed out with his trademark shameless grin. "I saw the writing on the wall before I left Neo Arcadia. Sure, I wasn't expecting things to turn out exactly the way they did, but… it felt like a good idea to keep a copy or three of your stuff close by."

"You..." X tried to say, at a loss for words.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell the others what password you used for your personal computer..." Axl added with a conspiratorial wink. "But it was pretty easy to guess for anyone who knows you and Alia."

If X's current body had been capable of a wider range of reactions, his face would have lit up like a traffic light. Instead, he just stared at the disc, slack jawed.

"I know, I know." Axl quipped. "You could probably kiss me right now, but neither of us swings that way and Alia wouldn't be very happy to find out about that."

"Well now..." Ciel thought, quirking an eyebrow. "That went from one to a hundred in a hurry."

"It looks like your mouth only got bigger while we were gone." Zero remarked with a smirk. "That's quite the feat for you."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Axl said with a laugh, enjoying their reactions.

With that, his expression turned serious again and he thrust the disc casing into X's hands, patting him on the shoulder.

"Consider it a reunion present. Just do all of us a favor and… if it turns out she's still kicking, give her what she deserves. You've kept the poor girl waiting long enough."

"I definitely will." X managed to say. "I still need more data, but this definitely beats starting from scratch. Thanks."

One afternoon, as Ciel continued her work in the workshop, she let out a sigh of frustration.

"Something wrong?" Zero asked, leaning against a nearby wall.

"Just tired." she said. "Didn't sleep very well last night."

"More nightmares?" he asked with a concerned frown.

"Thankfully, no." she said, shaking her head. "Just a lot of ideas buzzing around. Sometimes it can be hard to shut my brain down long enough to sleep."

"I guess that explains why I still find you dozing off at your desk from time to time." he remarked with a smile.

"Y-You saw that?" she stuttered.

"Several times." he said, his smile turning into a full grin. "Who do you think kept putting a blanket on you? It's kind of cute, but it can't be good for your neck and back."

"So he admits it..." she thought, feeling flustered. "I wonder what else he's been doing for me while I'm not looking..."

Distracted by the thought, she lost her focus until her hand slipped and a tiny connector on a component she was assembling snapped.

"Crap!" she hissed.

"OK, I think someone definitely needs to go take a nap." he said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I'm fi-" she tried to protest before letting out a loud yawn.

"You were saying?" he asked, trying not to look too smug.

"Fine..." she conceded. "But who's going to get Alouette when she finishes today's classes?"

"Don't you worry about that. Just go. One of us will take care of it."

She sighed and put her tools down, then stood up from the chair and went home. Zero watched her leave in silence.

"I half expected her to put up more of a fight. I guess she really is that tired."

He then sighed.

"You have a big heart, but I'm not going to let you run yourself ragged. You and X need to understand the world needs inspiration, not martyrs."

After following her from a distance, just to make sure she actually went home instead of wandering around or trying to do more work elsewhere, Zero decided to go sit at the bench in front of his shack once again. After allowing himself to relax a little for a couple of hours, he got up and decided to go check up on Alouette.

Moments later, in front of the large metallic storage container that was being used as a temporary school, Zero found about the last thing he was expecting to see on that day. Specifically, Axl, in uniform, teaching the children basic sports rules.

"What are you doing here?" Zero asked.

"What does it look like?" Axl retorted. "These kids can't stay cooped up in a classroom all day. The humans need to get some sunlight and exercise. Not to mention both humans and Reploids need to work on their coordination."

"That's… surprisingly thoughtful of you."

Then Axl's expression soured a bit.

"Red Alert was my first family." he said, looking a bit downcast. "The Hunters – you and X in particular – were my second. With everything that happened since then I never had time to settle down, but you can say I've grown attached to the little rascals."

"Never?" Zero asked.

"I didn't say I never had any flings here and there." Axl corrected, perking up slightly. "But it's not the same thing. I know I was always the class clown, but these kids represent something important and even I can see that."

"Palette would be surprised to hear you talk like that." Zero remarked, without a hint of sarcasm.

"She would, wouldn't she?" Axl retorted with a sigh and a fond smile. "I guess part of her rubbed off on me."

Much to his surprise, Alouette ran up to him and gave him a quick hug.

"What was that for?" Axl asked, a little surprised.

"You looked like you needed it." she said with her usual smile.

"I guess I did." Axl said before letting out a chuckle, already looking more like his usual self.

He then turned to Zero.

"Watch out. She's going to be a real heartbreaker when she grows up."

"Why are you telling me that?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You're the one she adopted as her big brother, right?" Axl asked with a grin.

"I… wasn't consulted on the matter." Zero said, a smile creeping on his face despite his best attempts at staying serious. "But it doesn't sound like a bad prospect, to be honest."

"Yay!" Alouette squealed.

"That's how they getcha." Axl quipped. "It's the cute ones you've gotta watch out for."

Zero checked the time on his internal clock and looked at Alouette.

"It's time to go home."

As soon as she heard those words, she extended her arms towards him.

"Again?" Zero grumbled. "Aren't you getting a little too old for that?"

"Not just yet." she replied with a cheeky grin.

"Fine..." he said with a sigh before picking her up. Before he knew it, she had snaked around his torso and was perched on his shoulders.

"I really should have brought a camera." Axl remarked.

"Quiet you." Zero grumbled, before reminding something. "Where's X anyway?"

"Probably sorting his notes at Ciel's place." Axl said. "He's been really quiet ever since I got him that copy of the stuff."

"Did you actually take a look at any of it?" Zero asked.

"Just a glance from top to bottom to make sure everything was there." Axl explained. "It looks like he got some promising leads, but the cataclysms buried a lot of stuff and changed the landscape completely in some cases. I think we're going to need more information."

"We." Zero pondered. "Yes, after everything he's put on the line for the world's sake, it's his turn to get a hand for a change."

"That's the plan." Axl said. "I have to respect his dedication, but he pretty much burned away his personal life after a certain point for the sake of everyone else. That's no way to live. He deserves some happiness or at least closure."

Zero nodded and carried Alouette home, silently pondering what else he could do to help his old friend.

"I know that look." Alouette remarked along the way, looking down from her perch.

"Oh?"

"You feel for both of them, just like you do for Ciel."

"Am I that easy to read?" he asked, his expression relaxing slightly.

"To those who know you well enough." she replied, before pecking his cheek. "But with you here, I know things will be OK."

"If that's what you and Ciel think..." he remarked with a smile, feeling encouraged. "I guess I'll just have to make it true."

A few more days passed, and progress on X's new body continued.

"Do you know what one of my favorite parts of the process is when creating a new Reploid?" Ciel asked, hunched over the workbench with a magnifying eyepiece over her right eye as she carefully used a pair of tiny pliers to fit a lens in a metal ring.

"Do tell." X said, watching her work.

"The face." Ciel said with a fond smile. "Such a simple thing that's often overlooked. But people often judge by first impressions, and they do say the eyes are the windows to the soul."

"That's true." X said with a nod. "Back in the day most people weren't even sure if we had one. I'd say I've put that debate to rest, seeing how I was able to continue existing even without a body. Still..."

Ciel looked over her shoulder, at his pensive face.

"Still?"

"Zero and I…" X continued. "We've been around for a very long time. Axl too, though not to the same extent. We've seen the world change so many times. For a time, we had our place in it, but that changed too. I can't help being reminded of a very old tale from long before my time. Have you ever heard of the Bicentennial Man?"

"I think my mother had an old copy of it." Ciel recalled. "Asimov, right? About a robot who wanted to be a man?"

"Right. That one." X said. "I'm relieved that not everything from the old days has been lost. But anyway… if there was one thing I've always wanted, other than everlasting peace… it's feeling that I belong."

In that moment, despite the limited range of expression the repurposed Pantheon chassis was capable of, Ciel could catch a glimpse of centuries of longing and sorrow on his face. Unable to restrain herself, she put down her tools, stood up and gave X a long hug.

"Of course you belong." she said. "I don't care what anyone else says. You're more human than many humans I've met."

Though he was unable to feel the touch, the intent warmed his weary soul.

"Do you two need some privacy?" Zero quipped, echoing X's earlier words in a light-hearted delayed payback as he stepped into the workshop.

Before either of them could protest, however, he stepped closer and patted both of them on the back.

"I know, I know. Mind out of the gutter. Anyway… Ciel, you've been at it for hours now. Don't you think it's time to take a little break?"

"You have a point." she said, rubbing her eyes. "Maybe a little fresh air will be good for all of us."

Once again, Zero noticed that she didn't argue. In fact, it felt to him almost as if she had been looking forward to being told to take a break. He had started doing this regularly, out of concern for her health, and she appreciated the gesture more than he realized.

"Andrew's seeds are all in the ground and the irrigation system is almost finished..." Ciel pondered. "Where shall we go today?"

"Why don't we just see where our legs take us?" X suggested.

About half an hour later, they found themselves in the outskirts of the settlement, in front of a clear field where a group of about two dozen Resistance soldiers seemed to be going through drills. Much to their surprise, they spotted Axl there, along with Faucon and Milan. The three appeared to be training some newcomers in basic tactics and weapon handling.

"I guess Captain Revenu has retired then?" Zero remarked.

"Well, what can I say?" Axl retorted with a shrug, setting the Buster Gun he was fiddling with on a folding table at waist level. "I knew word would spread once the others saw the real me. On the other hand, it looks like blowing my cover has made me even more popular with the ladies around here."

"I guess these recruits are in good hands then." Zero said. "For the most part."

The small group, somewhat intimidated to be in the presence of three legends, stood at attention rather stiffly, humans and Reploids alike.

"Breathe." X said with a soft smile. "We're just people too."

"Not to us, sir." a young human male with gray eyes said, saluting stiffly as he attempted to keep his composure. "Not to us."

X said nothing, still unused to such reverence no matter how many years passed.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling distracted him from his thoughts.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Axl hissed as a massive machine came rolling over the horizon on oversized wheels.

X's eyes narrowed. The thing looked like a large scale battle tank, with an ugly brown metal body.

"Is that…?"

Zero clenched his teeth, recognizing a familiar sight. Though this particular model was smaller, it was still quite distinctive.

"How many of those damn things did they make?!"

"Mechaniloid!" one of the recruits cried out.

Indeed it was a towering machine much like the one that had threatened to overwhelm the first Resistance base. This one, however, seemed smaller and did not appear to be packing the same armaments. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be half-finished. Despite not being as formidable a threat as its predecessor, it was still a threat nonetheless. Zero had disabled that one after a considerable struggle, methodically destroying its armaments from the outside, but it had been a close call.

"Let's go." Zero said, reaching for his Z-Saber, which he absolutely refused to go anywhere without.

"Get somewhere safe, Ciel." X said, readying himself for battle as well.

"B-But what about you?" she asked.

"We've had worse." Zero said with a grin.

Axl clearly wanted to follow them, but seeing the state of panic the recruits were in, he knew he had to do something about them.

"All right." he said, slipping back into his role as a Resistance captain. "Remember your training. Your pea shooters won't help here, so fall back in form-"

He then paused abruptly as he noticed something in the corner of his eye.

"What the hell?!"

Out of nowhere, a familiar face came into view, rugged, with a thick jaw and some stubble sprinting towards the flank of the machine in a typical Resistance uniform and combat boots, his hands covered in a strange pair of oversized metal gauntlets. His thick gray eyebrows were furrowed in intense concentration and his gray eyes had an almost maniacal intensity to them in that particular moment.

"Hey…" Zero thought as he spotted him as well. "Is that…?"

"What's that nutter doing?!" Axl thought. "Those things are still in testing. That's the kind of crazy stunt I'd pull!"

The power core mounted on the back of the right hand gauntlet lit up with a golden glow and the soldier took a swing with all his might. The machine shuddered under the mighty punch, and an explosion kicked up a cloud of dust.

"CAPTAIN FAUCON!" one of the recruits shouted in alarm.

In a fit of coughing, the Resistance captain in question jumped back out of the dust cloud, clutching his mangled right hand.

"Needs more work..." he managed to say between coughs. "Sorry… X, Zero, I'll have to leave this to you."

Atop a nearby hill, two figures stopped their trek to watch the scene unfolding.

"There are people down there..." the armored figure hissed in alarm.

"So much for the break." the woman next to him said.

"Told you so." the armored figure said with a sigh.

With that, the armored figure raised his right hand. In a flash of white light, a strange weapon appeared in his grasp. A sword – an actual sword, made of metal, not with an energy blade like was so common. The handle, hilt and crossguard were made of some sort of golden metal, with the crossguard fashioned in a style reminiscent of a pair of open wings and decorated with an azure gem. The blade itself was white, almost like platinum, fashioned in a style that had not been seen on Earth for many centuries.

"Time to re-enact Filmoa."

With that, the figure broke into a sprint straight ahead and jumped off the hilltop, his suit briefly glowing with a strange white light. He tried to stretch his body forward in a diving motion… and then promptly lost his balance and tumbled down, rolling along the hill, tangled in his own cloak.

"Good grief..." the woman muttered to herself before sliding down the hill after her companion.

Moments later, she found him at the bottom, having rolled down at an angle that left him still out of sight of the others.

"Ow." he groaned.

She rolled her eyes, placed her hands on her hips and looked down at him.

"Are you trying to break your neck?!" she scolded, though the tone in her voice told a different story.

"I'll be feeling that in the morning. I guess… I don't quite have the hang of that yet."

With a sigh, she effortlessly lifted him back up with both hands, untangled him from his cloak and squeezed him, ignoring the dirt and dust stuck on the suit.

"Nothing broken by the looks of it. But stop scaring me like that."

"Sorry."

Suddenly both of them turned in the direction of the machine.

"Did you feel that?!" he asked in surprise.

"I'd have to be asleep not to."

X stood in the rampaging Mechaniloid's path, starting it down with an unflinching gaze.

"Not today." he said resolutely.

A strange white light erupted in his chest, before spreading to the rest of his body.

"X?!" Zero called out in surprise. "What the hell is that?"

Calmly, X raised his right fist. Swift as lightning, he rolled to the right and darted towards the machine's massive front wheel. Then, with a single punch, he smashed the wheel to pieces and blew a hole through the thick outer plating in that section. Thrown off balance, the Mechaniloid spun around wildly and then kept going until it crashed into a nearby ravine.

Relieved, X exhaled. The light vanished and his arm fell limp. Zero and Ciel scrambled to his side, still utterly confused about what they had just witnessed.

"I guess… I overexerted myself a bit..." X said. "I'm still far from being back to full strength."

"That doesn't really explain anything." Zero said. "But come to think of it… we've seen you do this kind of thing before."

"Back then..." Ciel recalled. "When Weil and Omega tried to take over the minds of all the Reploids in the Resistance base..."

"And before that." Zero recalled. "When..."

He then gave his old friend a haunted look.

"Just what happened to you while I was under, X? What have you become?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself." X admitted. "But it's not exactly new..."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"There's… something burning in me." X said. "Something my maker did not put here... that's been lurking since back in the day. When I confronted Sigma for the first time and my hand burned his face. When I was able to get a second wind and finish the job after Zero overloaded his Buster to take out Vile's Ride Armor."

"There was always something about you, even back then..." Zero remarked. "Something that went beyond your soft heart."

Out of sight, the armored figure and his companion watched on.

"It looks like things are about to get even more interesting around here..." she said excitedly.

"Yes..." the armored figure said. "There's no doubt about it."

Then, he raised his right hand, where a prominent golden ring was resting on the middle finger. In a flash, his hand was engulfed in a white light identical to the one X had just manifested.

"I knew this world was special, but… I wasn't expecting to find more like us here."

"I knew it..." Milan said as he walked up to X with a haunted look on his face. "It was you..."

"Milan?" Ciel asked, rather confused.

"He saved my life back in that buried lab…" the soldier said before turning his attention back to X. "But why didn't you say anything X?"

"I…" X tried to say before nearly being knocked off his feet by the air dislocation as something inside the toppled Mechaniloid exploded violently.

As they carefully edged closer to the edge of the ravine to see what exactly had just happened, Ciel let out a yelp, feeling one of her feet sink into the ground. It appeared that the shockwave had knocked something loose below, as the hole quickly widened. Feeling a bizarre sense of deja vu, Zero dashed in to grab her. As she clung to him, he reached out for anything that might slow their fall… only to feel hard metal against the palm of his hand.

"What's this…?" he thought out loud.

"Only one way to find out." Ciel said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, more concerned with getting her out of there.

She just nodded, and he carefully slid down along the hard metal surface, keeping a lookout for any unpleasant surprises below.

X and Axl quickly caught up with the two, but as soon as they reached the edge of what looked like a rectangular opening, Zero called out to them from inside.

"Hey guys… I think this is some kind of ventilation shaft. There's something else down here."

"Define something." X said, sticking his head in the hole.

"Something old." Ciel called out. "And big."