A/N: Decided to make Armadillo more of a decent guy in this installment. It used to be just Sigma/Armadillo having a conversation at the end, but I wanted to keep the perspective consistent. I think it turned out to be more interesting with X there, but what do I know! I'm just a crazy ape with a keyboard.
A week passed. X wished that he could take the A test then, if only to rid himself of the intrusive thoughts and apprehension about the potential outcome. Now that he fully committed himself to it, however, his nagging doubts converted into anticipation. He felt an eagerness to prove himself, and to prove that Zero did not misplace his confidence. He rationalized that the A Class test was just that, a test. Since the test did not involve hurting others, he could bring himself to utilize his abilities to their fullest just this once.
X thought of Zero, and how Zero looked at him that night. How Zero looked into him, past his own self-deception. X felt a pull, like a magnet, that teased out something real, something brave from deep within- like he belonged shoulder-to-shoulder with Zero.
Until then, he needed to make the most of his time. At Zero's mention, he recovered the message about Armored Armadillo's group training session, a week from that evening. Against his better wishes, he signed up.
That morning now arrived, and he forced himself out of his quarters and down to the training facilities. He felt no greater love for group training, but he recognized it as a necessary evil. Being a minor celebrity, too many eyes watched his every move. Too many memories of his classmates who jumped at the opportunity to show him up to say they bested the first Reploid- even when they were supposed to cooperate. Despite his misgivings, he swore to endure it. He needed the practice and critique more than he needed a quiet, uneventful morning.
Due at 0800, he stepped onto the dry sand of the B Class training block designated for that morning's session. Save for one L-shaped entryway, a tall, solid wall enclosed the block and separated it from the rest of the open air facilities. A few of minutes early, X surveyed the group of Hunters assembled there. They were socializing, but stopped when one of them pointed their chin in X's direction. They all looked up and twisted around to greet X with curious stares.
"Hi," X said to them.
"Hi," one of the other Hunters parroted. The group then resumed their conversations as though X were invisible.
"Okay," X whispered to himself. 0759. He still had a few seconds to change his mind. He glanced around, and spotted multiple rectangular boxes sat on a pallet off to the side. Holographic emitters, he realized. He approached them, finding them to be more engaging than his classmates.
"Hunters! Attention!" a voice boomed.
The group of Hunters immediately broke and formed a single line, shoulder-to-shoulder. X scrambled, too, and settled at one of the ends. Too late to change his mind now, he thought. He leaned forward and looked down the line, and counted approximately 15 others. He also noticed he contrasted quite starkly against the muted greens and gray hues of his classmates.
A low rumble coming from the entryway drew his attention. A massive ball appeared, rolling toward them at high speed. For a moment, X feared a wrecking ball broke off its crane and threatened to flatten them all. The ball then stopped short, and a mighty Reploid unfurled. X recognized him from his tank-like build and pearl white plating: Armored Armadillo.
"Good morning, Hunters! I, Armored Armadillo, will be your training supervisor today. You may will address me 'sir' for the duration of this session. Now, what should I call you?"
With his last question, he pointed at the Hunter at the opposite end from X.
"Hunter Gerrod, B-class!" the Hunter stated.
"And you?" Armadillo said, pointing to the next in line. He proceeded down the line until all of the other Hunters stated their name and rank. His attention then fell on X. Armadillo snorted, then smiled. "I know who you are," he said. "Welcome, X. I hear you're taking the A class test, soon. I'm honored you chose to attend my class today. I hope you're ready to work hard!"
X detected no hint of sarcasm in Armadillo's words, and the officer's cordial tone took X aback.
"Th-thank you, sir! I am!" X said.
Armadillo nodded. He then said, "Good. All right. Today we will be drilling self-defense on the move, but first you'll be warming up with some moving target practice. Grab an emitter, spread out in a line, and get to it."
The line collapsed as the Hunters moved to a pallet off to the side of the field. X followed. He picked up an emitter and examined it. He determined quickly why the other Hunters left it behind. A pitiful dent marred one of the side panels of the device.
"Hurry it up, X!" Armadillo called. X hopped to, finding a wide, empty space on the field to set up. He placed the emitter down and, hoping the damage was not as bad as it appeared, turned it on. The device bleeped to life, and immediately projected a target sphere into the air. X thanked his luck until the image flickered. And flickered again. Then again.
X sighed, and aimed his buster. He fired a light shot, and the sphere illuminated with the hit. However, the counter on the device reflected '00'.
"Come on!" X muttered. The sphere then flashed and changed places. X fired at it again, but it flickered again. The bullet passed through and the sphere did not register the hit.
"What?" X said. The sphere flickered and changed places.
"Having trouble, X?" Armadillo said, approaching him.
X said, "I am, sir." The sphere flickered again as though in agreement.
Armadillo walked over to the device and picked it up. He then took it by both ends and snapped it in half as though its metal casing were pieces of brittle wood. "Oops. Guess I'll have to requisition another one," he said. He pointed to another Hunter. "You! Garrod, was it? Bring your emitter over here."
Garrod, visibly startled by the sudden order, nonetheless complied. Armadillo then said, "You will share with X. Five minutes, then hand it over to X."
Garrod nodded.
"What do you say!" Armadillo barked.
Startled, Garrod yelled, "Yes, sir!"
"Play nice. I'll be back," Armadillo said.
Armadillo left to assess the other Hunters. The officer's behavior mystified X. When the merge happened, X learned to expect aloofness from those in command. Since his run in with Mammoth, he invited their disdain. Even though public opinion already held Armadillo in high regard for his honorable disposition, X still anticipated only the bare minimum of civility. Armadillo's prompt assistance and understanding showed a clear exception. It delighted him to know that some officers acted above pettiness and mockery.
X could see Armadillo gesturing proper aiming to a student further down the line. He glanced around at the other Hunters. Some were hitting their targets squarely, while others struggled with the timing. X smiled at their struggle. They were learning.
X drifted in his thoughts until he heard a "Hey!" ring in his ears. His focus turned to Garrod, who was gesturing to the device. "Your turn."
X looked down at the counter. "41! Not bad!"
Garrod rolled his eyes.
X tried to ignore the awkward feeling, saying, "I appreciate you letting me share with you."
"I ain't 'letting' you share," Garrod said.
"I know. I'm just saying."
They traded places, and X aimed his buster once again at the projected target. The sphere changed places rapidly. He breathed out, then fired.
Miss.
X huffed. He shifted on his feet, took aim, fired. Hit. He lifted his head and smiled. He fired again. The smile left him when he missed. He soured more when his next three shots were misses. He heard a laugh escape Garrod, causing X to grit his teeth in frustration.
"X. Wait there," Armadillo said. X looked over his shoulder to see the officer approach. "Remember to keep your stance balanced on both legs. You want to keep your arm level as you shoot, or the back kick will throw off your shot. So point your buster like you mean it!" Armadillo continued.
"Yes, sir," X said. He dug his feet into the sand and aimed. Point like he meant it, he thought. He watched the target flash to and fro. Fire. Hit.
"Good!" Armadillo said. X grinned and his eyes brightened. He pointed his buster and hit the target again. Something clicked in his mind, and hit the target again and again, faster, and without missing a beat.
"Wow," X heard from Garrod as he watched the counter climb higher and higher. 87, 88, 89.
"All right! Everyone stop!" Armadillo then shouted. When he had the attention of the class, he then said, "Put your emitters away and line up!" The students did as instructed, and filled in a line as they did for the start of the class. "Now, we come to the real training. We will be practicing dodging while firing on an oncoming opponent. This is a skill that should become second nature all Hunters, because it could save your life. Mavericks are relentless, and they will not allow you to stand still for even one nanosecond. Garrod!"
Garrod, who had positioned himself at one of the ends, stepped forward. "Sir!" he said.
"Come and stand in front of me," Armadillo commanded. "And draw your weapon."
Garrod's brow twisted, but he obeyed, pulling out his sidearm.
"Shoot me," Armadillo said.
The order paralyzed the Hunter. "Repeat that, sir?" he managed to say.
Armadillo shook his head. "You are ordered to fire your weapon at me. Do not disobey," Armadillo said with terrifying emphasis.
Spooked, Garrod lifted his weapon and pulled the trigger. In an instant, Armadillo curled into a ball, and to the amazement of the class the bullet bounced off of him as though it were a pebble hurled against rubber.
Armadillo unfolded. "See? You will not harm me. Now, Garrod, I will attack you. You are to dodge and shoot for as long as you can until I catch you."
"S-sir!" Garrod said. "I'm ready!"
Armadillo responded by curling up again and rolling toward Garrod.
"Wah!" Garrod shouted. He jumped to the side to escape and landed heavily on his shoulder. Giggles erupted from the class. Garrod then rolled onto his back, only to see Armadillo pivot and continue the chase. Frozen in fear, Garrod instinctively held up his hands to block. Armadillo stopped short of crushing him.
"Awful," Armadillo said, unfurling. "After the rest of the class, you will do this again until I am satisfied with your reaction time. Back in line."
Garrod struggled to his feet and, holding his elbow and with head low, he returned to the line.
Armadillo called out the next Hunter. X shifted on his feet. Third in line, he dreaded his turn.
The second Hunter met with the same success as Garrod. Not fifteen seconds in, and the Hunter cowered before Armadillo.
"Again! Terrible! You, too, will practice with me again. In line!" Armadillo said. When the second Hunter returned to his place, Armadillo then said, "X!"
X knew he was next, but Armadillo's thundering voice startled him anyway. He said, "Sir," and stepped from the line to his mark before Armadillo.
"I have much higher hopes for you. You want to be A Class, I hear? Then you better move like it," Armadillo said. With his final word, he rolled up again.
X benefited from seeing the failures of his classmates. When Armadillo darted forward, X side-stepped handily. He aimed his buster and fired multiple, successive shots. His first two missed, but the last few hit and bounced off of the spinning shell.
Armadillo pivoted and darted again toward X. X side-stepped it again with ease. His senses heightened as his systems engaged into combat mode. He fully anticipated Armadillo's next pass, and it took little energy for him to move aside and pepper the rolling ball with shots. For a terrifying moment, X believed he might match a powerful Reploid like Armadillo.
Armadillo quickly reversed that train of thought. He surprised X by bouncing high into the air. X dove out of the way before the whirling ball of metal could crush him. X fell on his stomach and spat out a mouthful of sand. Something in his mind then signaled him to roll to the side, and he narrowly avoided another pass from Armadillo. X could not determine where his instincts were coming from, but without thinking, he sprung to his feet and ran to the opposite wall of the enclosure.
He heard cheering from the line of Hunters. He glanced over his shoulder to see Armadillo in hot pursuit and gaining ground. He whipped his head back around and began charging his buster arm. He then leaped high onto the side of the wall, relying on friction to slow his fall.
Armadillo did not stop, nor did he slow down. Armadillo's momentum instead propelled him up the wall. Astonished, X pushed off of the wall and pitched over Armadillo. As soon as he regained his balance, he flung his charged buster arm toward Armadillo. The officer dropped from the height of the wall, and X fired as soon as he hit the ground.
X regretted using a full charge. He had little idea of the damage he could inflict. The blast struck Armadillo squarely, but instead of bouncing, the Reploid's armor absorbed the blast. The energy then discharged into several projectiles, one of which rocketed out and struck X in the chest. He cried out, and the force and pain knocked him onto his backside.
The cheering of the other Hunters quieted. Armadillo stopped rolling, and unfurled himself. He straightened and said, "Not bad, X. Not bad at all. Your other classmates should take note!" Armadillo shouted the last sentence to the line of Hunters. "You may leave when class is finished."
X coughed, pushing himself to his feet. "Thank you, sir," he said, rubbing his burn. He returned to the line with a hand over the wound on his chest. The other Hunters stared at him with awe.
The dull ache remained throughout the rest of the training session. When Armadillo announced that those with satisfactory performances could go, it was all X could do not to run from the grounds.
"Wait!" Garrod said, catching him by the arm. X stopped short and turned to the Hunter. Garrod whispered, "Sorry I was a jerk earlier. You're pretty good, you know? Maybe you could help me learn how to move like that sometime."
The compliment floored X, but kept his expression neutral. "Don't worry about it. I think Armadillo will teach you better than I can."
"Hey! This isn't social hour!" Armadillo yelled. Garrod dropped his arm in a flash and fell back into line.
As X departed with the other passing students, he felt a growing pride in himself. As he rounded the curve in the entryway, he stopped short.
"C-Commander?" X sputtered.
"Ah, X. How unusual for you to be in a place like this," Sigma said. "Armadillo's quite the drill master, isn't he?"
"Yes, sir," X replied.
"Wait there." Sigma put a finger to his ear. He said, "Yes, come meet me outside."
X remained in place, confused by Sigma's presence and behavior. The rumbling as before sounded behind him, and X twisted to see Armadillo approach. He stopped and unfolded from his ball form.
"Sir!" Armadillo greeted.
"How did he do?" Sigma asked, nodding toward X.
Armadillo huffed. "Underwhelming," he said. His quick judgment wounded X.
"However, there is something curious about him, as you said," Armadillo added. "He has instinct despite being so...unremarkable."
Sigma grinned. "Well, it would be a shame if Zero put his career on the line for nothing."
X's ground his teeth at that remark.
"Now X, I came here to ask you something. It's pertinent to your training. You may answer truthfully without reprisal."
"Yes, Commander," X said, his voice shaky.
"If someone like Armadillo went Maverick, could you face him?"
X tensed. "What?"
"Could you face a Reploid like Armadillo? Your answer is important."
"I-, I-," X hesitated. The question stunned him, and so too did the cool, composed figure of Armadillo. X thought the Armadillo should be offended by the implication, but instead the Reploid folded his massive arms, awaiting X's reply. As X looked at Armadillo, he wondered how the word 'Maverick' could be uttered in the same sentence.
"Spit it out," Sigma said.
"I guess if I had to," X answered. "But I don't see how this is pertinent, sir."
"You 'guess'. Still you hesitate." Sigma chuckled. "An enemy is an enemy, X. You have to forget who they are if you desire victory."
"You're wrong!" X said, his volume louder than he intended. His superiors regarded him with alarm.
X continued, "You should always know your enemy. You should know why you're fighting. Maybe then you can find a way to avoid battle altogether. That is a victory, too."
Sigma smiled, then threw his head back and laughed. "My, you've found some nerve. I look forward to seeing your results in the coming weeks. That will be all."
"Sir!" Armadillo saluted.
"Sir," X said as Sigma turned to leave. He glanced over to Armadillo.
"You're bold," Armadillo said. "Though you're no match for someone like me, you gave me a better run than any other B Class Hunter. Keep listening to your instincts, and you may have a chance at making A Class after all."
"Thank you, sir," X replied.
"I look forward to your success."
Armadillo curled once more, and rolled back to the training block. X let out a long breath, touching a hand to the bruise on his chest. In the past, his outburst would have appalled him. Now, something changed, like a switch had flipped without his notice. He felt not the faintest bit of regret. He squeezed the residue between his fingers, and let his determination burn.