Chapter 11: Investigations of Long Ago

I sighed as I pushed back in my chair, a grin on my face. A few days left, I thought. All her initial component's are in place, now I just have to do her physical appearance and she'll be good to go! I even got her memories and copy chip installed. I placed both hands behind my head, a habit I'd picked up over the last few days. Hane... you'll be alright. I rubbed my eyes and gave a tired yawn. I took a glance at the clock. I sweatdropped. 3:11 am. Oh no, another late night. Zero'll kill me in the morning when he finds out. I felt myself chuckle.

Jeez, Hane. I can't believe you got yourself stabbed like that... You're missing out on all the new Zero who reprimands me like a mother hen. You'd probably find it, what? 'Sexy?' I snickered. You'd be blushing insanely. I sighed again. I guess I better get to sleep. I'll start on her physical appearance tomorrow morning. I stretched and stood up, exiting the room. Night, Hane. I locked the door behind me and turned the lights off before walking out into the hallway. I groaned softly. "Damn, I'm too excited to attempt to go to sleep... maybe I'll go to the balcony?" I grinned. "Man, I haven't been to the balcony in forever!"

I clicked the button for the elevator at the end of the hallway, humming a beat from the holo-radio I heard earlier. The elevator dinged and I stepped on, clicking the floor number I wanted before turning out to look out the window. The city laid asleep before me, few lights on in the night. The elevator stopped and I got off, taking the stairs up the rest of the way. I emerged to the cool air and took a deep breath. I walked out and stood at the edge, arms crossed in front of my on the railing. I started humming a different tune, this one in French so I couldn't sing it very well. In fact... I couldn't really sing at all. Rock told me I'm tone-deaf.

I stopped humming the tune and just stared out. I could just imagine Hane at my side, or even Zero, or Axl, or... or...

X.

I sighed heavily. It's been days since the next signal on a Maverick base with a general. The morale has been dropping again within the Hunters. Already four units have been sent to deal with small uprisings all over the world. This has to be it. The final battle. Sigma wouldn't pull such a desperate move for world-wide attacks otherwise, right? I strummed my fingers against the railing. How long has it been since I willingly thought of X? I wondered dully. A month, a few weeks, days? This is the longest I've ever gone without thinking of him. Sure, I've thought of Axl and Zero when they were gone, but it was always X that appeared daily. I don't know why. And I don't feel comfortable sharing my OCD thoughts about him with anyone else, not even Alia or Zero. It makes me feel... weird. Fluffy.

Scared.

I raked my hand through my hair. I have no idea how it happened, by my hair seemed to have stayed the long length after my initial transformation. Kind of like Six's or-

I felt the barrel of a gun touch the back of my neck and I shivered as a chill traveled down my spine. My weapon was already in place, saber drawn, not activated yet, and pointed to the gut of the intruder. I attempted to keep my calm persona, but my body was tight and my hand, which was hidden from the intruder's view, was shaking. I was not ready to deal with this. Not so soon after Copy Kat's death. It may have been just days, but I still froze at the thought of fighting another Maverick, or loosing another Hunter, or... killing another Reploid.

"Kekekeke, you'a fast-a then before-a!" the intruder chuckled. My teeth clenched and my lips pursed. "Better-a armed, too!" I forced out a chuckle. "A Hunter never goes anywhere without her weapon," I stated wisely. Another chuckle from the intruder. "I-a see your-a buster is too old-a fashioned," the intruder spoke. "More into-a swords now, ah? You weren't-a back when fighting-a Vile. Not until-a you got-a desperate!" I made myself laugh breezily, though I could hear the force I was applying. The Vile incident. The anger ran through me fresh at the thought. I remember just days after my release, when someone, a Rookie, attempted to congratulate me, I freaked out on them. It wasn't a pleasant experience for any of us.

"Oh, I'm being watched, am I?"

"Oh, you-a have no idea-a!"

I tried to relax my posture but it was no use, I was too on-end. "Who are you?" I questioned, my voice finally matching how I felt. Cold. A devious chuckle. "My-a name? My name is-a Jun Monkey! And you..." I felt Jun Monkey's breath against my ear and my joints lock into place. His breath was sickly warm, heating my sick to an unnatural heat. "You are A-RA1N."

I activated my saber to end the Maverick where he stood, but Jun Monkey was already gone.

"Leave me alone!"

"We're sorry, Maverick Hunter A, but we can't do that."

"Then look the other way!"

"You'll run off again."

"Yes. I will. You guards are suffocating!"

"We're here for you're protection, Maverick Hun-"

"I'm A-class dammit leave me alone!"

I spun around to face the dozen Maverick Hunters who stood in uniformed positions behind me. They all stared at me, while the lead one just had this exasperated look on his face. "I am going to my bunk," I muttered, just loud enough for them to hear me. "Leave. Me. Alone." I ran into my room and locked the door behind me, leaving the guards outside as I locked my door. I was lucky I was just coming back from training (with Zero, naturally) and i could escape to my room. Those Hunter only left me alone for three things: Meals, training, and when I confound myself to my room. And even then, the two latter parts I always just knew one of them were watching me. It was an invasion of my privacy and I absolutely hated it!

I laid down on my bed and sighed, removing my helmet and boots. I was tired. So, so tired. Alia had finally cracked the next two Maverick bases, one of them being Jun Monkey, the Maverick who'd snuck into HQ and threatened me and disappeared before I could shish-kabob him. The other one was an unfamiliar name, Aqua Seal. I suppose, if we were following the past Mavericks from the other wars, they were all elemental-wielding generals. Yet still... one Maverick was bothering me, more than even Jun Monkey.

"No."

No what? I wondered, staring up a my ceiling. Who are you? Why are you so... familiar? My head pounded, as it usually did when I attempted to remember the first five years of my life. Five years. Five years of my life I can't remember. Five years of my life I found myself at Hunter HQ before X, Zero, and Brother disappeared. Five years after they disappeared and then Zero's signal shows up. Five. Five letters in my name. A-RA1N. Six characters, but five letters slash numbers. Five. Why five? What is so damn important about five?!

A ringing interrupted my thoughts, and for the briefest of moments I saw a girl with red hair. I tried to stabilize the image, but it was gone as quickly as it come. I would have contemplated the image for hours, had it not been for the third ringing of my com. unit. I answered it, placing my hand on the ear set as to hear the other end. "Maverick Hunter Arain speaking," I said. "A," Alia called over the other end, "we've pinpointed the exact location of Aqua Seal's base. We can teleport you within one hundred meters, but from there you'll have to arrive on foot and under the sea. The Maverick set up a jamming signal, so we can't get any farther, plus the teleporter can't transfer people to locations underwater. We need you here, stat."

"Head to the space station, stat."

I launched up, glancing around for the fuzzy male voice. The second weird thing within mere minutes. What was going on with me? Were these possibly my... memories? Why were they coming back now of all times? "A, do you read me?" Alia called. "O-oh yeah! I-I'll be down there ASAP," I confirmed, ending the transmission. I sighed heavily. I didn't want to do this. To fight. Not again.

But I knew I had to, so I got up and left the safety of my room, grabbing my helmet and putting my boots back on as I walked. I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. The Hunters sent to watch me somehow reappeared unnoticed behind me, trailing silently as though stalking their pray. I glanced behind me. All twelve of them were here. In position. Ready. "I assume you are coming with me?" I spoke.

"Of course, Maverick Hunter A. A/S Class Commander Gauntlet had given us the task to watch and protect you. We will follow that order out until the end."

I sighed and turned to them. "Listen," I spoke, "if any of you are in danger, do not turn your back on a comrade to save me. I will never forgive you. If you turn your back on a comrade I will end you as if you were a Maverick." The members in the small platoon looked at each other uneasily at this statement, but the leader scoffed and grinned. "Sure," he agreed. "I couldn't leave my men behind anyways. Not even to follow an order." I smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. "Alright then, men! It's time to take on Aqua Seal! Let's win this!" We all cheered in the hall, throwing our fists into the air. I actually felt confident about this mission. I felt like we could actually win this entire war.

"Okay Big Sis! See you soon, then!"

I... I have a... a sister...?

Ohhhhhh updates almost three times quicker. Niiiice Author-chan. Well, now it's time to take on our second Maverick, Aqua Seal! What are those tidbits of memories? And a sister? Woah! Am I just randomly adding stuff to the plot? No! (Possibly... nah, JK). I've gotta plan guys. Until next time, with chapter 12!

And thanks guys, for every comment, like, and follow this story gets. I've never got past ten chapters so hurrah! I will finish this story guys! You can count on me! No matter how long it takes I will finish this story!