Relic from the seas
By
Dr Facer
-21-
Layer, her hair tied in a tight bun to keep the wind from making a mess with it, rode silently, keeping her Ride Chaser to Zero's right, though she occasionally dropped back a bit. She was not exactly fond of this method of transportation, but Zero had mentioned it would be the best one to use, given where they were going.
He had yet to tell her where he was taking her, however.
They had left the city a long while ago, and were now heading west after taking an exit out of the main highway. She could no longer see the sign indicating the name of this secondary road in her rear mirror. Traffic was almost non-existent here, around her all she could see was dirt and intermittent patches of green and yellow indicating cultivated areas. There were a few farms and a factory in the region, but to reach them one would have to leave the road, and she was convinced Zero was not planning on visiting any of those locations. Layer reached up and pressed a button on her headpiece to connect to the MMHQ's database. She downloaded a list of the different locations close to their position and went through it, hoping to find a clue to their destination. The only place that she believed it could be was a shoddy bar several miles ahead.
"Zero…" she called after activating the Ride Chaser's communicator. "Zero, can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can," he said, lowering his speed. "No need to use that, Layer. What is it?"
"We're going to Schism Tavern, aren't we?" she queried, even if she already knew the answer.
"Yes, that's where we're going," he said. "I know mercenaries like gathering in that trash hole; it's the best place to start our investigation."
"I see, but they…"
"We'll talk later. Let's hurry," the crimson hunter urged and accelerated, leaving her behind.
Layer bit her lower lip and was forced to step on the igniter. She had forgotten how Zero acted during missions. No, she hadn't forgotten. She simply hoped he would act different if she was here with him. This annoyed her somewhat, as she had hoped this would be an opportunity for them to talk and perhaps come to terms with the thing they had going between the two.
Zero often asked her to walk with him and sometimes would take her out for a few drinks and, if the moment felt right, they would link and he would stay with her all night afterwards, sharing her stasis pod. Layer could not, in all honesty, complain about the things he did; Zero was polite when they were together and treated her well. She even loved going on long walks with him. She enjoyed going out with him for drinks. She found linking with him to be extremely pleasurable. But she wanted to know what they were for each other. She knew how she felt for Zero and she had told him several times during linking and before they entered stasis together. But he had never told her the same. He refused to give a name to their relationship. And there were days, even weeks, when he would act as if they were nothing but coworkers. It frustrated her to no end.
And it frustrated her because she knew why Zero behaved that way.
"It's because of her, of course," Layer thought as she finally caught up with Zero and kept her Ride Chaser next to his. "Her shadow still lingers over him. He can't let what happened go…"
Layer remembered the Repliforce coup and how the event had hurt Zero. She had been barely two months active when it happened but she read about it later and now, after joining the Maverick Hunters, she completely understood how much the deaths of Coronel, but above all else, Iris, had marked Zero, casting a permanent veil of regret over him. Layer realized that the mere fact Zero had let her get so close to him was already something extraordinary, and she really wanted to help him get over those two deaths and make peace with his past, because perhaps then he could finally have a real relationship with her.
But that was the only thing he would not let her do.
Layer sometimes thought Zero was convinced that letting go of his grief would be the same as erasing the memories of Coronel and Iris.
"We're here, stay alert," Zero ordered, cutting Layer's meditations short. He stopped his bike and waited until Layer was at his side. One glance at the bar in front of him convinced him this was not going to be a nice visit. Schism Tavern was frequented by criminal reploids, but not the kind of criminals the Maverick Hunters typically went after. Traffickers, mercenaries, and reploids who specialized in counterfeit and forgery… a nice collection of scum the police was supposed to deal with because their crimes weren't severe enough to put them in the Maverick category. It irritated Zero he was not allowed to arrest anyone here unless they directly attacked him, something which none of the cowards here would dare try.
The tavern was located a few steps away from a deep canyon, which was itself full of caves that weren't completely explored yet, a detail that helped make this place so popular with reploids interested in illegal activities since it provided them with an excellent place to hide in case the law arrived. Zero spared a discreet glance in Layer's direction. To him she seemed so fragile, so out of place here. Zero recalled how difficult it was to let Layer get close and accept her advances, to let go of his fears enough to admit that he cared.
The crimson hunter took a deep breath. After Iris' death he swore no other woman would get close. Because if that woman died in his arms like she had… he didn't think he would be able to endure the pain a second time.
Zero inwardly cursed at the idea of seeing Layer hurt. If only she had stayed back at HQ, but no, Signas had to pair them up like this, what was he thinking!
"What's wrong?" Layer asked while she untied her hair. "Are you not feeling well?"
Zero crossed his arms and looked straight at the purple-haired navigator. "I was simply thinking it would be better if you stayed out of the bar, but I know you wouldn't even if I asked you, so please tell me what the highest rank you've ever gotten in combat simulations is."
"It's…" she hesitated, fearing he would decide she wasn't skilled enough. "It's… it's only A-."
"Not bad" he said, his voice a bit more confident. If Layer was A- it meant she should be able to deal with the punks in the bar in case they got violent. "I think you'll be alright if one of the idiots in there tries something. Be ready to use your rapier and expect the worst, understood?"
She blinked in surprise at his words. Did Zero just admit he trusted her in combat? Now that was a first. She knew he trusted her for navigation but this was different, and it made her feel reassured. Perhaps they would still get something good out of this mission together.
"Understood" she said with a pleased smile, attaching her Laser Rapier to her hip.
=0=
Zero found the stench of alcohol mixed with Energen crystal fluid irritating. He couldn't understand why some reploids enjoyed drinking such a disgusting combination. He looked left and right as he moved through the bar, hoping to find any of the mercenaries he was familiar with here, since he was sure at least one of them would have heard of Dynamo's last job. He kept close to Layer until they reached the counter and finally relaxed a little once they were there, each sitting on a tall stool. He called the bartender then.
"Give me an Energen Crystal special," Zero requested. "And make it quick, I'm thirsty."
The bartender, a bulky reploid with a top hat like helmet, nodded and started preparing the drink. As tough as he or his costumers thought they were, none of them wanted trouble with Zero. Not in a million years.
"A White Lady for me, please," Layer requested, wondering if they even served that here. She preferred the only for human cocktails as they were too weak to affect her artificial body and she could drink one or two without consequence, something she greatly appreciated.
"We don't sell that garbage," the barman answered rudely, but quickly changed his tone when Zero glared at him. "Sorry… no humans ever come here, I don't have the ingredients for it."
"Well, then another Enegern Crystal special for me," she said.
"Yes, my lady, right away…"
Zero and Layer got their drinks and while she had to admit the special was good, it was too strong for her tastes. She was about to mention this when the door suddenly opened and someone she knew quite well entered the bar. This reploid was a slim and athletic female reploid built to look about the same age as Layer, with shiny red hair and yellow and white armor. She carried a cannon strapped to her left shoulder, and the covers in her joints indicated she had grenade and rocket launchers hidden in her elbows and knees respectively.
"Scarlet!" Layer gasped.
"Yeah, I see her," Zero said. "I heard she became a mercenary when she quit the hunters. Let's go talk to her, she may have heard something."
Zero, followed by Layer, approached the red-haired mercenary, stopping her before she could take a seat. "Long time no see, Scarlet. Hard to believe the former Captain of the 3th Ride Armor Unit would end up in a place like this."
"Damn it… what the hell are you two doing here?" Scarlet asked with obvious disdain. "I don't want to talk to any Maverick Hunter."
"You will have to," Zero said. "We have questions and you will answer them."
"That an order, Commander?" Scarlet asked with a mocking tone.
"It is best if you cooperate," Layer said then. "We have a few questions about Dynamo and we need information, we…"
"Save it, you insipid little princes!" Scarlet snapped, scowling at Layer. "I quit the hunters so that you would stop giving me stupid orders: don't shoot this, don't bomb that, avoid causing collateral damage and don't use your rocket launcher there! Agh, I couldn't stand it! I'm a combat model, I blow stuff up. It is what I do!"
"Enough!" Zero cut in, rudely grabbing Scarlet by the arm. "We're not here to be insulted. You are going to answer our questions and…"
"In your dreams, blondie!" Scarlet shouted, opening her elbow compartment and releasing a smoke bomb to cover her escape. "Choke on this!"
Zero, Layer and all the other reploids in the tavern started coughing and struggling while their systems rushed to compensate for the reduced visibility and irritating stench. The door opened then, and they heard Scarlet's laughter as she ran out of the bar.
"You won't escape!" Zero shouted, stumbling out of the tavern. Layer followed him and found he was already running after Scarlet, who was dashing towards the cliff.
They caught up to her, thinking that she had ran into a corner but just as Zero reached for her, the evasive mercenary back-flipped into the abyss.
"What the hell?" Zero shouted.
"She entered that cave several meters below," Layer informed, leaning over the edge to see what Scarlet had done. "Shall we pursue?"
"Yes, we shall."
=0=
The cave was dark and it appeared to be quite deep. Zero and Layer, saber and rapier in hand, had already walked for a few minutes when suddenly, lights turned on above them and heavy iron doors closed behind them, cutting off their only way of escape. The hunter and the navigator had no time to reflect on this, however, as a dozen Degravers rushed in their direction, swinging their pickaxes wildly.
"I hope you're ready to fight," Zero said. "Don't hold back!
"Don't worry," Layer replied, bringing her rapier forth and stabbing a Degraver in the eye. "I can deal with these guys quite easily."
Zero nodded and knowing she could protect herself, focused on the fight at hand. He made quick work of most of the digger robots, Layer destroying the ones he didn't bother with. In a matter of minutes, they had cleaned the area of enemies.
"They were easy," Layer said.
"Don't worry, I won't be," a voice Zero knew quite well promised. Loud stomping sounds were heard as a massive Ride Armor entered the room.
On top of that armor stood a purple armored reploid, one Zero hoped he wouldn't see again. Scarlet was also on the Ride Armor, she was on her knees, and her hand rested on her companion's thigh. She looked up with adoration in her eyes, and smiled when her partner softly caressed her hair.
"It seems you will always get in my way, won't you, Zero?"
Zero gritted his teeth and bit back a curse.
"I should have known you would show up again sooner or later," the crimson hunter spat, his voice dripping with venom. "…Vile!"
The only response Zero got was Vile's mocking laughter.
Notes:
Thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.
I've always thought Layer and Zero have an interesting dynamic between the two, at least going by their interactions in Mega Man X8, and I thought it would be fun to work with that.
And Vile's here. His fate in X8 was never made clear so it is safe to assume he survived somehow and I thought it would be intriguing to have him around for a while. And yes, he's back to his classic colors, since I didn't particularly liked the green and yellow or the redesign from his last appearance.