While finishing up the next chapter of "MMX: Of Creatures and Reploids" I decided it was time to get back to work on this story. I hope you all enjoy the fourteenth chapter of "Twist in Time!" And I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting again!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs
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Light filtered in Ashe's bedroom window as the sun began to come up, giving the room a golden hue. That wasn't what woke her up that morning, however.
C'mon Ashe! It isn't like you to be sleeping in like this! X, Zero and Axl are already up! Ashe groaned,
"Give me a break Model A. A lot has happened these past few days..." Then a sudden realization struck her. She sat up quickly, facing the Biometal floating near her, "Wait a minute! Aren't you supposed to be with Grey!?"
He's still asleep. Don't bother waking him up. I already tried.
"And you decided to wake me up instead? What's your reasoning behind that?"
Well... Before the Model A could respond, a knock came at Ashe's door,
"Hey Ashe, you awake in there?"
Ashe sighed, "Yeah, Grey I am. What are you doing up anyway? Model A said you were still asleep."
"Speaking of which, is it in there with you? I need to transform before someone sees me." The door cracked open. The Model A floated over.
Sorry. Thought you were still sleeping. Model A sounded sheepish. There was a flash of light as Grey Megamerged.
"Hey Ashe. I'll meet you in the lounge, alright?"
Ashe yawned slightly, "Alright."
n/n/n/n/
"If you ask me, Signas is nuts for allowing another one to join up."
"What happened to those other two anyway?"
"I personally don't trust her."
Jeeze, what's their problem? Ashe wasn't stupid. She was more than aware of the numerous hunters talking about her. She didn't get what the deal was though. At the moment, she was making her way to the hunter's lounge. She overheard another conversation,
"This is bit by bit turning into the beginning of a disaster."
"Look on the bright side, at least we're only dealing with one instead of two."
"I agree. We're lucky those other two are gone, but one can still become a problem for us."
Ashe knew by now that the 'other two' they kept on mentioning were Vent and Aile. What surprised her was how bitter they talked about them. What had they done that had caused the hunters to talk about them like that?
More importantly, what had she done?
"Hey Ashe! Glad you could join us!" Axl greeted her warmly as she entered the lounge.
"Hey Axl, where's X?" She asked, noticing how Zero was there along with Axl and Grey, but X was strangely absent.
"Likely flirting with Alia again," said Zero in a flat tone.
"So he DOES like her!"
"It's not obvious?" Axl asked as Ashe sat down next to Grey.
"Something bothering you?" Grey asked, noticing how Ashe slouched slightly.
"It's nothing," Ashe assured him.
It doesn't seem like nothing. Not much can get you down Ashe. The Model A remarked.
"Oh, be quiet."
"Hey! Human!" Everyone turned to the lounge entrance to see who had spoken. Axl then groaned,
"Not him again!"
Bomber Lizard didn't seem too happy. He was standing at the entrance, looking at Ashe.
"Excuse me, but were you talking to me?" Ashe asked.
Bomber growled, "Of course, considering how you're the only human here."
"What do you want anyway?" asked an annoyed Zero.
Bomber ignored him, "Listen human, I don't know what you're doing here or what Signas was thinking, letting you into the hunters! But I do know one thing. If it wasn't for that transformation ability of yours, I doubt you could even keep up with us!"
Ashe raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? And would you maybe like to test that little theory of yours?"
Bomber smiled evilly, "A competetion then. And then I'll show you that you don't belong here!"
n/n/n/n/
"Here's how this works. Once the simulator starts, numerous enemies are going to come at us. They won't attack but there will be a good number. The one who can scrap the most wins. Got it?" Bomber asked.
"Sure. Just don't whine when I beat you!" Ashe replied.
Grey, who was watching with Zero and Axl in an area off to the side, groaned. Ashe was being overconfident again. He just hoped she wasn't in over her head.
"What's going on here?" X and Giro walked up to the group.
"Where have you two been?" Zero asked.
Giro yawned, "I slept in. After all that's been happening these past few days, I needed it."
"I was catching up on a few things," said X simply.
"So what's happening?"
Grey sighed, "Ashe decided she needed to teach one of the hunter's here a lesson. Apparently they have decided on a contest."
"With which hunter?" X asked. He and Giro looked toward the simulator area.
"Bomber Lizard!" Giro exclaimed.
"You know him?" Grey asked.
"Kinda. We battled once. I hope your friend knows what she's doing."
"I'm pretty sure she does. But why would Bomber want to do this so badly?"
Axl shrugged, "Bomber has a pretty big ego. And the other Hunters have a measure of pride as well. I don't really think any of them took very kindly to another human joining up."
Grey blinked, confused, "Why would Ashe being human matter so much?"
"Let me put it simply," said Giro, "Humans and reploids don't get along very well in this time."
Ashe felt pretty confident. From what this reploid said, this simluator was similar to the firing range back at Hunter's Camp. And she had the top score there. She heard a hum of electronics, indicating that the simulator was starting. She smiled and readied her buster. This was going to be a cinch.
n/n/n/n/
"I haven't seen anyone score that high on that thing in ages," Zero remarked as the simuluator turned itself off. Bomber was as still as a statue as Ashe walked towards the group, victorious.
"That's a serious blow to Bomber's pride. Maybe he'll finally lose the high-and-mighty attitude," Axl commented.
"Ashe doesn't consider herself a great Hunter for nothing," responded Grey.
"How can she consider herself a great hunter if she just joined up along with you?" Axl asked. Giro partially answered that question for him,
"You mean that Ashe is a member of the Hunter's Guild? She seems a bit young for it," he remarked.
"Technically we're both Hunters, but she's been at it a LOT longer than I have!" Grey replied.
"Excuse us? Hunter's Guild?" X asked.
"The Hunter's Guild is an organization in our time. The Hunters mostly search ruins for lost technology for bounties although they do hunt the occasional Maverick among other missions. Most of them are in it for the money I'm afraid," said Giro.
"They sound a bit like mercenaries for some reason," said Axl.
"Oh, just because we do things for the extra cash doesn't mean we don't have morals!" Ashe walked up to the group, "For example, we would never do something illegal. That's more along the lines of something Raiders would do," she explained.
"Raiders?" X asked.
"Illegal Hunters. We tangle with them from time to time."
"How long have you been a Hunter?" Giro asked curiously.
Ashe shrugged, "A few years. And I'm pretty good too! Even without the Model A, I can still hold my own against a Pseudoroid!"
"A what?" Zero asked.
"Irregular reploids. They look a lot like some of the battle reploids of this time," Giro explained.
Grey sighed. Ashe was a great Hunter. No one could argue that. His only concern was that her confidence was, at some point, going to put her in a situation that she couldn't handle.
--
Yes, I know I skipped the actual competition part! It was intentional!
I don't think this chapter is as well written as previous ones but I blame it on the number of characters I have to juggle now.
Once again I would like to apologize for taking so long to get my chapters out. I try my best to get them done as quickly as possible but right now I'm juggling two stories and my focus has a tendency to shift between them.
In the next chapter, a time crystal has been discovered. The catch? Its deep within a Maverick base! X, Zero and Axl now have to retrive it before the Mavericks discover just what they have and use it for their own ends!
A sincere thanks to all my reviewers!
R&R!