Chapter 5: Maverick Hunters Join Forces!
Professor Gaudile was currently working on the transmitter along with Mari, and Vera. "Alright the transmission should work, right...about...now!" Gaudile said as the transmitter was up and running.
"You're connected, go ahead, X." Nana said.
"Colonel! Colonel Redips! Do you read?" X asked as a hologram of a General looking reploid appeared.
"X, are you alright?" The reploid asked.
"Yes, sir. And I'm not alone, me and the Hero Alliance are building an anti-Rebellion Force." X said.
"Perfect. We have good news on this side as well. We pinpointed Zero's signal somewhere on Giga City." Redips said.
"Zero? Yes! I knew he would still be out there." Hope said.
Then the signal started breaking up as the hologram disappeared.
"Damn, the line is dead." Ace said.
"Looks like we have to go out on a whim and guess where his is." Toma said.
"I managed to pinpoint it. He's at a research facility the Rebellion Army took over to mass produces soldiers for their army, you should find him there." Anna said as she pulled up a screen.
"Perfect. Then let's raid the place and take it out." Natsu said.
"Alright, all personnel prepare for transfer!" Anna said as she activated the transporter. "Be careful everyone and stay alert." She said as everyone was transported to the factory.
"It's safe to say if we manage to take out operations at this factory, we'll cut off Epsilon's maverick supply." Hope said.
"Hope, don't move." Ace said as everyone saw a security drone scanning the room as lights turned red. "It probably detects movement to alert security around here, we better watch our step."
"Stealth is key here. It's too bad Hagakure wasn't opted to be picked." Denki said.
"Yeah, she'd be ideal for this situation, considering she's permanently invisible." Hope said.
"Yeah...or perhaps we should send in someone else." A second Hope said.
"Huh? What?" Hope said.
"So we meet again." The second Hope said shifting to a familiar figure.
"Wait...it's you. That mimic!" Hope said.
"Who is this?" Ace asked.
"He's the one behind the Universal Core incident. He tried to erase humans from existence." Hope said.
"I had no idea your time served was already complete." Mustang said.
"Not exactly. I'm still technically wanted as a terrorist." He said.
"Oh, right… That breakout." David said.
"Yeah. I was one of the prisoners in that prison." He said.
"Are you friend or foe?" Harpuia asked.
"I'm neutral right now." He said. "I only came to deliver this." He said handing over a flash drive. "All of Despair's plans copied into this drive."
"Why deliver this to us?" Ace asked.
"I think I know." Hope said. "He owes me one… because I helped him see his error in the plan he had."
"That's one way to put it." the Mimic said. "Though, I didn't exactly find you guys alone."
"Really, who helped you?" Sectonia asked.
"I did." A voice said in a flash of light revealing a figure familiar to X.
"Axl!" X said.
"An old friend?" Spade asked.
"Yup, I'm Axl, and you three must be Hope, Jexi, and David. X and Zero told me about you guys and how you dealt with Ultron Sigma." Axl said. "I came here because I heard my shape-changing ability was invented here, I tried to look for clues, but nothing yet."
"I'm glad you're here. We've been fighting the Rebellion and New Universal Villains. Any friend of X's on the Maverick Hunters is a friend of ours."
"Then count me in to help you guys in the fight." Axl said. "You'll also find my chameleon ability quite helpful."
"Then this is where I leave." The mimic said.
"Until our paths cross, again." Ace said. "You hold onto the Hard Drive, Hope." He said, holding out the Hard Drive to him.
"And Hope...just to tell you. I still have a hatred to humans...but you're okay." The mimic said before he vanished.
"He was...interesting." Aya said.
"Yeah but what was with him?" Zinia asked.
"He's a mimic. A species that can change their appearance at will." Twilight said.
"Like a doppelganger?" Stoj asked.
"More like a shapeshifter." Ross said.
"Hey guys! You better take a look at this." Ace said as he looked over sliced up mechaniloids.
"Yikes… Those are some nasty marks." Peridot said.
"Wait a second… I know those marks." X said.
"They're from Zero's sword. I recognize the marks anywhere. He's definitely been here." Ulrich said.
"They're still fresh… He must be close." Maki said.
The groups continued their way through the facility and saw Zero kneeling on the ground in front of a Avian humanoid reploid.
"Zero!" X called.
"Oh great… he's fighting against that bird Maverick, Mach Jentra." Connor said.
"More intruders." Jentra growled. "Attack!" He ordered as more Mechaniloids came in as he escaped.
"Out of our way!" Zero said as everyone readied themselves.
David snapped his fingers as all of the mechaniloids collapsed in blades of ice. "Let's go. He's getting away!"
"Right!" Ace said as everyone chased after Mach Jentra and cornered him in a room with a weird machine. "End of the line!"
"So, you've come." Mach Jentra said as he turned to the group. "Now, Duboar! Dismantle them!" He said as the machine behind him activated, summoning Preons.
W-A-R-N-I-N-G
Warning! Warning! Warning!
"It is all for the ideals." Jentra said as he hovered in the air.
"So he seems weak to ice so...Ice Devil Zero Long Sword!" Gray said slashing through the Preons and Jentra.
"Just the words we needed to hear. Let's go, Gray!" David said.
"Watch out everyone!" Axl said as he turned into Silver Horn and launched a tidal wave at Jentra.
"Surf's up, suckers!" David said as he armatized with Fini and rode the wave, dealing a hit on the enemies.
"H-How in the?" Jentra stuttered as he descended onto the ground.
"Alright now's our chance." Al said as she activated her Mystic Arte. "Here goes!" She said as she spun her scythe launching multiple ice shards at Jentra and the Preons. "Let's see you freeze in Hell's 9th Circle." She said as they were encased in ice. "Absolute Zero!" She said as the ice shattered dealing heavy damage to them. "Now you two!"
"Let's go, Gray!" David said unleashing his Ice Reaper Claw.
"You got it!" Gray said creating an ice bow. "Ice Devil Zero….Destruction Bow!" Gray said firing an arrow as it pierced through Jentra with an explosion of ice crystals.
"Maverick Hunters...too powerful." Jentra said weakly.
"Damn straight." Hope said. "David, wanna do the coup de grace?"
"Fools. If I die, Duboar will go berserk! You would rather deal with a few hundred mechaniloids?" Jentra asked before he laughed crazily and exploded as the alarm went off.
"To answer your question, we've faced off more than a few hundred people before." Toma said.
"Here they come!" Ace said as multiple preons popped out of Duboar.
"Jane, Melt that factory-bot!" Connor said before seeing her lazing about. "Oh come on!"
"Axl… I can hold them off. You know what to do." David said.
"Right!" Axl said as he changed into Mach Jentra and flew up to Duboar. "Cease the attack! Cease the attack immediately!" He ordered as the robots stopped. "Now!"
The group rushed with a joint attack and destroyed Duboar as the robots collapsed.
"Nicely done, that should reduce Epsilon's army reinforcements a bit." Ace said.
"How'd you know that Axl would be able to use his Chameleon powers to stop the Preons?" Hope said.
"I noticed it when he used Silver Horn's attack. He is able to take the forms of any of the Mavericks we have defeated. It was only natural that Axl would have Jentra's code, too." David said. "You really thought I was gonna do a suicide charge? Come on, I'm not that reckless."
"So it's a mission complete like always, right?" Ace asked.
"Yep, very much so. Come on, let's head back." David said.
"Alright, mission accomplished, transfer us." Ace said through the comm as everyone returned to base.
End Chapter