An.: Hey, it was ready earlier than I thought it would be, though shorter too. Anyway, I will thank you if you do point out the mistakes I have with grammar and all, seeing that I am horrible with that subject.
Anyway, enjoy and thank ClementJ64 for playing through the entire Megaman series, that is helping me so much with writing this piece.
Ps.: I am guessing reploids didn't need E-crystals anymore in the ZX series.
Sky: Lol, yeah. I couldn't help but think of Harpuia deadpanning ( is that even a word? ) at that part and I hoped that sentence would show that.
New places, new things
" You cannot be serious. " I almost groan in frustration when Harpuia denies it and I can see Ciel getting exasperated now.
" I already told you all that I know! How can I make you believe me? " I ask him, tired, and he lock eyes with me and, after searching something in them, he close his eyes and sigh too, as tired as I.
" This is getting nowhere. " He mumble, probably to himself, and then open his eyes again and get ready to leave the repair room, seeing that he just turned to the door. " Let me process the information today and I will see what to do with you tomorrow. " The green clad reploid warns me and exit the room, leaving me alone with the Doctor, who is looking at Model A now to see if she needs repairs.
" Don't be mad at him. " The blond girl asks of me and I turn my attention back to her, away from the door that just closed. She smile tenderly to me and return my partner to me. " He is very up-tight but he seems to have taken a shine to you, so I am sure everything will be okay. He will believe in you. " Her blue eyes get a happy shine to them and I relax a little, getting comfortable on the bed I am sat on.
" If you say so. " I speak, still unsure, and she giggle at me.
" Well, I need to go sleep now. Sorry that you need to stay here for the night. " I chuckle a bit at her apologetic expression and shake my head.
" It's fine. Good Night. " I tell her as she goes to the door and then, just before she exit the room, she turn to me and smile gently. I hear the door closing and then turn my eyes to the ceiling, lost. So… How do I go back to my time? I still need to save everyone from the Hunter Camp and I can't leave Aile and the Guardians to fend Thomas and the other Megamen alone!
Groaning, I lay myself on the bed and put Model A besides me, leaving my hands free before I bring them over to cover my face. I need to sleep, so I can recharge myself. Lowering my arms to my sides, taking care not to hit my partner with the motion, I close my eyes and turn off my systems for the day.
- Somewhere else –
I walk steadily towards my room, not giving even a glance to the low ranked soldiers passing by me while going to the exit of the tower, probably starting their shift in the city. I enter the first door to the left after exiting the repairs room, which is quite far from said room, and walk down the small hall.
This is where my room and the ones of my siblings are, they are the only rooms in here. I pass by Phantom's first, hearing him taking out his hidden kunais to turn in for the day, then by Leviathan's, who is probably already sleeping, and then by Fefnir's, who is cleaning his guns and forgot to close his door again.
I stop before his door once he glance up from his busters and he straighten his posture before he prop his elbow on the gun he is cleaning now and look at me, curious.
" So, what about the newby? " I huff, not really surprised that he already gave Grey a nickname, and shake my head a bit. Oh, well. He will stop calling him that in no time anyway.
" He is in the repairs room and will spend the night there. " I answer his question and he snort to me, making me get slightly confused as he roll his eyes.
" I didn't meant where he is, I meant what you will do about him now. " My brother tell me what he really meant by that question and I take a deep breath then sigh, tired. He should have simply asked it like that then… I am far too tired to process weirdly worded questions.
" Oh. My mistake. " I speak out dryly, with a tired expression on my face, and the red armored reploid chuckle at that with a lot of amusement shown on his face. " I… I will think about it in the morning, my energy is almost depleted by now. Good Night. " I finish the small chat easily and turn to walk the rest of the way to my room, but a ' hey ' from my brother stops me and I simply turn my eyes back towards him and wait for what he wants to say.
" Don't go having weird ideas, Harpuia. He may be strong and all, but don't forget we don't know if he is or not an enemy. " I raise an eyebrow at that, taken by surprise by that comment and intrigued by what prompted it too, but I nod, acknowledging his opinion, before I walk down to my room.
Once I stop in front of the greenish silver door, I smile slightly and put my hand in front of it, promptly opening it when the scan recognizes it is me. I enter my simple room and the door easily close behind me as I make my way to my recharger, which Master X made look like a human bed.
I sit on it and, before laying, I decide to actually think about what that copy reploid told me. I usually would say with complete sureness that he is lying if not for the way he reacted while telling Miss Ciel and me about the place he came from. I do not think a reploid faking all that story would show half the emotions he had while speaking and… I can't really find any other way to answer how he appeared out of nowhere behind me. I would have heard him coming since I was all alone.
I sigh and lay down, slightly annoyed, and close my eyes, readying myself to call it a day. A long and stressful day.
- Next Morning –
" Hey, Grey! " I grumble a bit when I hear my name being said, feeling myself starting up again and I open my eyes, adjusting them to the light coming in from the small window of the room. Sighing, I turn around and close my eyes again, to turn off once more, but something very familiar start poking my arm and I groan in complain.
" C'mon, you can't go around sleeping in random places! What if they were planning to ambush us while you slept, huh? What would you do? " I open my eyes again, slightly annoyed by being awoken like this, and turn to Model A, who is jumping on my arm and has her back turned to me. " I'll tell you what you would do! Nothing! They would dismount both of us and that would be it! " I roll my eyes, exasperated, and gently warp my hand around her to stop the poking.
" Model A, I don't think they would try to dismount us. " I laugh out, sitting up, and let go of her. As usual, she floats in front of me as I make sure all of my systems are turned on. Vision check, hearing check, smell check, voice check… Hm… Yup, all the other too. Smiling, I pass a hand on my hair and deem it fine for the day. " Nor ambush us. By the way, this isn't a random place, like in front of the Area Zero. " I comment, good humored, and my partner gives me an you-know-what-I-meant vibe that makes me feel like sweat dropping.
" Anyway, what do you think we should do now? " I change the subject easily and the Biometal hums in thought. Maybe we can ask help for Harpuia and the other guys here to find the capsule and the machine! Then again, the green reploid didn't believe in me… Maybe Ciel can help me? I think I need a map of this time before trying to find the machine…
The sound of the door opening up startles me out of my thoughts and Model A turn to it as I raise my eyes to see who it was. I feel surprised when I see the swordsman entering the room with a small can in his hold and I know my face is mirroring my feelings when he give me a humored stare.
" Nice to see you finally up. " I frown in confusion by that and look around, trying to find a clock and see what time it is. " It is well past ten already. " He gives me the info I wanted as he walk over and then offer me the can. I stare at it, curious, and he let a small snicker out under his breath that makes me glare jokingly at him.
I take the can, look at it and recognize it easily as the drink Nick always complained that the fabric got bankrupt and how he never would drink something as good ever again. Interested in tasting it, I open and take a small sip. I widen my eyes slightly when the sour flavor hit my tongue and, suddenly, the sourness disappear and the drink get sweet. I take the can away from me and stare at it, confused.
" What? " I mumble and the green reploid seem to be having fun with my reaction, if his badly hidden chuckles are anything to go by, and my partner floats to see the can closer as I consider taking another sip.
" Oh, hey! Isn't this the drink Nick said he wanted to drink again but couldn't? " My partner ask out aloud, intrigued, and then turn to me, giving me curious vibes. " Is it as unique as he said it was? " Her vibes easily turn into ones that show interest in something and I nod before taking another sip, letting the sourness become sweet again.
" It is very… different. " I answer her after I gulp down the sip and she turn back to the can, slightly sad vibes coming from her.
" Darn, I wanted to try it… But I can't because Biometals don't eat or drink! " I laugh at how distressed she sounds, with Harpuia chuckling a bit louder at her tone too, and that makes her send irritated vibes to both of us. " Hey, don't laugh. " She says with less irritation than I thought she is feeling and the dual wielder in the room coughs, getting our attentions.
" You are to be under my direct command while you stay here. " Harpuia warns us and I blanch a bit at that as Model A send out startled vibes before she start sending shocked vibes to us.
" Huh? " That was a very sudden subject change.
" So we are going to be your sidekicks?! " My partner asks, outraged, and I look at her in surprise. I guess she did read all of the comic books in the shelf back in the Hunter's Camp, why else would she say sidekicks?
" No. It just will be easier to help you find that time machine if you have someone else helping. " The green reploid explains to us and I gape a bit at that information. So he decided to believe in us! " Besides, you do need somewhere to stay correct? " I stare at him, grateful and still a bit in shock, and he seem to get a bit uncomfortable under our gazes.
" … You will help us? " I ask him, elated, and he gains a red line across his nose bridge after I voice it out that makes Model A start sending out humored vibes.
" … I have no reason not to do so. " He answer easily and willing away the red on his face before he turn to the door and start walking to it. " Come, let me show you where you will stay. " The green eyed reploid warns me before he exit the room and I get up as soon as the door closes.
" Hey, Grey, you found someone else who blush when he is embarrassed! " A very amused Biometal tells me and I deflate slightly as I give he a small glare before I walk to the door, with my partner following me.
" You will be in a special room near Miss Ciel's. " As soon as we exit the room I slept in, the green reploid speak this and I manage to relax a bit as he start going down the part of the hall I didn't see before. I easily fall into step besides him and I nod to show him I heard what he said.
" Hey… " I get his attention and feel my partner sending me curious vibes before I voice the question that made its way into my mind. " Did no one say anything about me staying here? " Green eyes mist a bit when I ask that and the reploid besides me purse his lips a bit as he lower his head slightly.
I wince a bit at that, remembering that Anna only lowered her head like that when she was thinking hard about something or remembered something bad. I hope he is with the former expression.
After some seconds, his eyes get back to normal and he raise his head again, with a hardened expression on his face. " No one said anything that you should worry about. " The reploid besides me answer smoothly and I glance to my other side, where Model A is floating. We share a glance and shrug slightly as she gives me a vibe that shows she noticed Harpuia is hiding something.
We walk in silence now, not passing by anyone else on the way, and I take in the place as I finish off my drink. There are many windows but… They are all closed off and the walls send me oppressive vibes. I don't know if I like this place.
" Here we are. " I turn my attention to the green reploid when he stop in front of a door and he take out a silver card, touch the door with it and open the way to the room. I take a glance over his shoulder, to look inside, and let my gaze wander around the place, taking in the room that is going to be mine for the time being.
It is very simple, with only one writing desk, a bed, two windows and another door. At least the room is painted brown, not gray like the hall outside. Even though it is my name, I don't think I would like to only see gray things around every step I take.
" It's very… uh… normal I guess. " The Biometal besides me murmurs this, with her suspicion of the place diminishing from what her vibes are telling me, and I huff slightly with humor on my tone.
" If you have anything to leave here now, I recommend you do so. " I take a step back as the dual-wielder turn around and I frown a bit at his hurried voice. Is he late for something? " We will be departing for a mission in fifteen minutes. " He warns me and offer the door key, what I take without question, and I grin at him as my partner enter my pocket, probably to take another nap until we need to head out.
" I'm fine, I didn't bring anything that I don't need. So, I am ready to head out. " I warn, smiling easily, and the reploid in front of my let out a small smile again before the door close behind him and he start leading me into another hallway.
" Good. Then we will wait for the others in the meeting room. " He comments and we continue walking, this time into another hallway.
" Harpuia… " I get his attention easily and he turn his face to me but don't stop walking, surely knowing where he is leading us even without his full attention on the task, and I get serious. " How will you help us? " He mouth a small 'oh' of understanding and twist his lip slightly, probably disgruntled or something like that.
" You need to discover where Area Zero is first and foremost right? I will help you find it. " I open my mouth to ask but close it again when he close his green eyes and shake his head, seemingly annoyed or irritated with something. " We lost the exact position of that area when… Things happened. Which I why I can't lead you right away. " Harpuia explains to me and I nod, understanding what he explained, and he open his eyes again, with a determined shine in them.
" But worry not. I don't give up mid-way during missions. " He warns me and I grin at that, feeling a bit better after seeing how determined he is to help me, and I turn my attention back to the way we are going.
" So, where can I throw it away? " I ask him as I raise my hand that is holding the empty can and he glance at it before chuckling a bit and shaking his head, amused.
" When we get to the meeting room, I'll show you where the trash can is. " The green reploid answers me easily and I lower my hand again as we approach a tall door that reminds me a lot of the weird blocked door back in the beginning of the Control Center.
" Grey, " I turn my head to the dual-wielder beside me and he stop right in front of the door, making it hum to life and start to lighten up the weird crevasses in it. " the key I gave you open most of the doors in the tower, just not the currently occupied rooms. " He warns me and I raise my brows at that info before he enter the room, with me following him.
Wow, he trusted me with a very important key already. No, he already helped me a lot by finding me a place to stay and by deciding to help me find a way back home. Hah, can't let him down now can I? Alright, it's a mission now. I'll help him with what I can while he helps me with going back home.
Once we enter the room, I widen my eyes as I look around at the place. It is filled with four long tables and chairs, there are also vending machines on the walls, selling from drinks to chips and I am overwhelmed by the ruckus here. So many people here, and even some mechanoloids, and most of them speaking all at once… It's even louder than when the Hunters decide to throw a party! Though this does look like a party, with everyone drinking and eating like that.
" Oh, good. The team we are going with is already here. " I hear the reploid near me murmur in relief, something I have no idea how I heard, and he start making his way to one of the nearest tables and I follow him, feeling totally lost here, and throw the can away when we pass besides a trash can.
" Herculius, how is everyone? " I look surprised at Harpuia, who is with a very hard and serious tone now, and the red beetle like mechanoloid that was chanting with the humans for one of them to drink his beverage at one go turn to us, not really surprised by the green's reploids tone.
" Oh, Master Harpuia! " Once he says it, loud enough for me to hear clearly above the loud chatter, this entire table fall silent, with the guy who was turning his drink choking and having to receive aid from the ones around him. Soon, the other tables notice that this one had fallen silent and they lowered the noise, making it become a murmur. I frown a bit at this reaction and look at the back of the swordsman's helmet, intrigued.
I guess he is far more important than I thought.
" Everyone is here already. Are we to depart immediately? " The mechanoloid asks, serious, and the green reploid shake his head, making most of the humans at the table relax a bit and start eating again.
" No. Wait until everyone has finished eating. " Harpuia tells him, with his serious tone, and I feel my partner shuffling in my pocket, warning me she is still awake, and I feel her curious vibes coming towards me, making me chuckle a bit.
The sound I made makes everyone turn their attention to me and I feel my cheeks heating up as I hold myself to not start fidgeting, uncomfortable under all of those stares. " And who are you? " The red beetle asks, suspicious, and I cough, embarrassed.
" Oh, um, I'm Grey. " I present myself, not looking at anyone, and I almost start fidgeting until Harpuia speak again.
" He is my new captain, Grey. " I almost jump at the chorus of 'what's that come from the table and I look in confusion to the green reploid, feeling completely lost. Captain? The dual-wielder raise his hand, making everyone fall silent again, before he continue. " He is as strong as I, if not stronger, and he will be aiding us from now on. I hope you all will be considerate with him. " I feel embarrassed by the compliment and lower my head, sheepishly, before I see the green reploid's feet turn to me and I raise my head again, more calm now.
" Grey and I will already go out, to try and hasten up our search. " He look directly at me when he speak, with an expression that is softer than his voice, and then turn his head back to the table. " Once you all are prepared, meet us at the area our mission will be today. That is all. " With that, Harpuia turn back from where we came and I wave to the guys at the table, as a way to say good-bye, and follow the green reploid out of the room, which is already busting with loud chatter again.
When we are outside, the reploid that I am accompanying turn to another hallway and start heading to it. Without knowing what else to do, I follow him and fall on step besides him again as my partner get out of my pocket and start floating in front of us.
" You change a lot when you are giving orders. " The Biometal speak this, seemingly interested as to why that is and happy that she was awake to hear that chat back in the meeting room. Without faltering, the reploid besides me give my partner a look and stop.
I stop soon after he does, surprised by the abruptness, and look around, taking in the amount of windows that this hall has. It's almost as if the wall is only one giant window.
" I fear I do not understand what you mean. That is how I normally am. " The green reploid comments, really not getting it, and he push the nearest window open before he hop on the sill and jump out of the building, activating his wings while doing so. " Anyway, we will get to the area faster if we go flying, are you ready? " Harpuia warns us, turning to see if we would follow, and I nod to him as I take a hold of Model A.
" Megamerge! " I shout and, soon, I feel a familiar power warping around me and, soon, I hop on the sill and jump out of the building, just like the green reploid did, and I easily stabilize on the air, making him smile to me for some reason. " Alright, ready. " I warn him, grinning, and he huff a bit, humored, before he turn his back to me and shoot away with his propellers.
" C'mon, we can't lose him! " I laugh a bit at Model A's animated tone and soon propel myself after the dual-wielder. Alright, let's start the day!