Finally managed to find a scene divider that isn't eliminated when the document is uploaded. My chapters should seem more organized now.
In the last chapter, I gave the time crystals' back story. I know that it may have seemed a bit out of place, but that's just how the chapter came out. In this chapter, I'm going to introduce a new antagonist into the story. I GARUNTEE that it will be satisfying! I hope you all enjoy this chapter of "Twist in Time!"
Disclaimer: I don't own Megaman, okay?
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Vent groaned as he opened his eyes. What had happened? Then it all came back to him. About the shrine, the dragon, and the girl Tatiana…
"VENT!"
"Huh?" was all Vent got out before he felt someone hug him tightly, "Aile…" his whispered softly as he recognized who it was.
"Do you have ANY idea how WORRIED I was!?" She exclaimed, hugging him even tighter, "When we saw you fall I thought…I thought…" Her voice trailed off as she let go of him. Vent looked up to see the Model X, hovering in midair.
You all right? We found you just outside the base. The mental voice had a tinge of concern.
"I'm in one piece. So yeah, I think I'm okay." He looked at Aile, "Where's Axl?"
"He's in the medical bay. By the way, Draynor wants us."
Vent groaned, "Again?"
n/n/n/n/
"Have a seat." Draynor's voice was still as smooth and polite as ever. Vent and Aile were once again in Draynor's office. As they both sat down, he continued, "I suppose your both wondering why I asked for you." They both nodded, "Well you see, I've come across some disturbing information and I wanted to warn you two as well as collect enough evidence to take proper action."
"What was the information you came across?" Vent asked.
Draynor cleared his throat and waited a moment before saying, "One of the Hunters…I've discovered that one of them didn't even exist until about a month ago!"
"What?" Aile asked, a bit confused.
"What do you mean?" Vent asked.
"Normally when a new reploid is built, it's immediately registered in a database. In this way we always know that something is up if an unregistered reploid appears, especially as a Maverick." Draynor paused for a moment before continuing, "One of the reploids currently with the Hunters, I found, was never registered anywhere before joining the Maverick Hunters. This is such an unusual occurrence, that I knew it needed looking into. Since the reploid in question has not gone Maverick yet, my superiors will hear none of it. But I believe that action must be taken before it's too late."
"Who exactly is the reploid you're talking about?" Vent asked.
"And what exactly do you want us to do?" Aile added.
"The reploid in question is called Girouette. And also, I need you two to tell me this: Have there been any…suspicious activity around the HQ?"
It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. "W-what do you mean 'suspicious activity?'" Aile asked shaken.
"And just what do you plan on doing with Sempai!?" Darynor cocked an eybrow at Vent's outburst,
"'Sempai?' If you're talking about Girouette, Vent, then there's really no need to accord a reploid such respect. To answer your question, if I present enough evidence to my superiors, then they'll need to take action and likely properly dispose of him.
To answer your question, Aile, the Hunters are the only large group of reploids that lies almost completely outside of government control. Now don't interrupt what I'm about to say, my superiors even agree with me on this. We believe that the Hunters may be up to something. Therefore, we decided that we needed some way of keeping an eye on them and stopping any operation that goes against the common interest."
"You…you're planning on using us!" Aile cried out in realization.
"Such a harsh was of putting it. But me and my superiors need some way keeping a close eye on the Hunters and what better way than through an inside source? No we aren't planning on using you. But who in their right mind would refuse our offer? You will be rewarded of course."
"For what? Betraying out friends?" Vent asked, seething with anger. Draynor suddenly stood up, his hands on the desk,
"Let me make this clear to you both. You call those things your friends. But that is not true. It's impossible to truly befriend a reploid."
"And why's that?" Aile snapped.
"Because they are no more than mere machines. They aren't alive. It isn't a good thing to get attached to something that isn't even real."
"How can you SAY something like that!?" Aile yelled, standing up, utterly shocked and appalled.
"We're leaving," said Vent, standing up as well.
"Couldn't agree with you more."
n/n/n/n/
"I suspected that the government planned on using you two to investigate the activities of the Hunters."
"Well why the hell didn't you tell us earlier!?" Alie snapped. Signas cringed while Vent looked on. He and Aile were in Signas's office, to inform him of what had occurred.
"I assumed you both already knew." Signas admitted. Aile sighed and took a deep breath.
"Alright, sorry. But still…! If I ever see that Draynor again, I swear I'll…!" She left the rest of the sentence hanging as she left the office.
"She has quite the temper doesn't she?" Signas commented to Vent.
"That's an understatement. Trust me," said Vent.
n/n/n/n/
"The things that guy said were unbelievable! I mean…" Aile trailed off again as she shook her head and leaned back on the couch. She and Vent were in the hunter's lounge, along with Giro, X, Zero, and Axl. They were just telling about their conversation with Draynor.
"I hate to break it to you, but a lot of humans in this time share an opinion similar to Draynor," said X. Vent and Aile looked at him in surprise.
"But that's…" Vent began.
"It's not something we control," said Zero, "All we can do is keep fighting Mavericks."
X sighed, a bit depressed, "A lot of the Hunters here, myself included, hope to someday find a way to stop the Maericks for good, and then we could all live in peace."
"But the trouble is, what will happen after that when the humans of this time share such a low opinion of all of you," said Giro in understanding.
There was a silence. Aile slowly stood up, and quietly left the lounge.
n/n/n/n/
"I'm not too sure about this Sempai…" Vent and Giro were right outside of Aile's room.
"Aile hasn't come out all evening. I'm sure something is bothering her. We really should check up on her," said Giro as he knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" asked a voice inside.
"Aile, it's us, Giro and Vent. May we come in?"
There was a pause and then, "Alright."
Giro slowly opened the door to find Aile sitting on her bed, looking distressed despite her attempts to hide it. "Hey, what's wrong?" Giro asked softly as he sat down next to her. Vent stayed outside.
Aile shook her head, "It's just that…things are so different here. I'm starting to feel a bit homesick. It's at times like these that I wish that things could back to the way they were before…with you, me, and Vent…but then…" She shook slightly, clearly trying to hold back tears, "But then I remember that CAN'T happen. Too many things have changed and too much time has passed."
Vent looked on in surprise. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time Aile had gone through something like this.
"There's more then that bothering you. What is it?" Aile shook at Giro's question. There was something else but she wasn't sure if she should tell him…
"I think I know what it is," said Vent quietly as he came in and sat down next to Aile, "You're worried about what Draynor said earlier, aren't you?" Aile nodded slightly, "That's what I thought. If it makes you feel any better, I'm a little nervous about what he said too."
There was a silence. Giro recalled what the two had told them about their conversation with Draynor. They weren't used to this time, weren't prepared for how different it was from their own. And finally, he said,
"I can't promise that things will ever be the same. That's impossible. But I can promise you both one thing. That when we get back home, we can be a family again."
Aile couldn't take it anymore. She broke down, sobbing, burying her face in Giro's shoulder. She felt a bit like a little kid again, crying like that, but at the same time it felt like a much needed release.
n/n/n/n/
"Hey Axl, wake up." Axl groaned and shifted. When he opened his eyes, he found Vent right outside of his capsule. Opening it and then sitting up, Axl rubbed his eyes,
"What's up Vent?"
"Come on, there's something me and Aile need to show you." Axl yawned and slowly followed Vent out of the room.
"So where are we going exactly?" Axl asked curiously as he and Vent made their way through the halls of MHHQ.
"Keep it down. We don't want to wake anyone up. It's just something important that we need to show you."
"What about X and Zero?"
"This just involves you. There's no need to wake those two up. Same goes for Sempai."
Axl was getting very curious at this point. The suspense was starting to kill him as Vent lead him out of the base and towards the city.
"Where's Aile?" He asked.
"She's already waiting for us," Vent answered.
Axl took the time to look around. The lights of the city almost made it seem like it was still daytime, when in truth it was the dark of the night. Vent was leading him to an abandoned part of the city, where many of the buildings were crumbling and the only light came from the flickering streetlights.
"This way," said Vent gesturing towards an alleyway. "You first,"
Axl walked through the alleyway, "So what did you guys want to show me anyway?" He asked, he voice full of curiosity.
There was a cry of "Double Megamerge!" And then he was blown back by a charged buster shot.
"What the hell?" He looked in the direction the shot came from to see Aile approaching him, in ZX form and with her ZX buster, "Aile? But…why…?" He turned around in time to see Vent as he flicked on his ZX saber. He had a determined look in his eyes.
"Forgive us," said Aile, "But in order to preserve our time's future, we must destroy you."
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Man I'm evil! Honestly though, did any of you see this one coming? BTW we haven't seen the last of Draynor, not by a long shot!
In the next chapter, why did Vent and Aile betray Axl and need to destroy him!? Are the other hunters involved? Will they find out what happened in time to rescue Axl?
R&R!