Chapter 6: Another Time, Another Place
Another time, another place, beneath the night sky was the ever-so popular Empire City, located precisely where New York City used to be. The city was bustling even during the night, but one of the buildings, despite having lights on, was rather...empty in terms of business. A two-floor building squeezing right between two much bigger buildings, making this one seem...somewhat insignificant.
The entrance to the main floor was pretty boring looking... But the top floor was much more vibrant in red and white colors, even with checkerboard-styled floors, various decorations like wallpapers, posters, photos, hanging firearms that weren't able to shoot, and more. There was a big desk with a swivel chair sitting in front of a nice welcoming mat. Sitting in the chair was a young man, answering a phone call via his communication machine on his desk, looking a lot like an old-fashioned answering machine.
"Blues Company." The man answered the call that connected to his left ear plate. "...No, we closed an hour ago."
He proceeded to end the call as quickly as he answered it, groaning as he wiped his face with his fingerless gloved hand. He was a Reploid with grayish-white hair and lilac-colored eyes. He wore a plain black vest, gray pants held on with a black belt with a silver buckle, and red boots.
"Again with the basic job requests..." the man groaned. "I can't seem to get any business as of late. What a letdown..."
"Have you extended your business worldwide and not just in the Empire City?" A voice in Vaude's head asked. Although Vaude knew that the voice was that of a teenager or possibly a young man, he felt that the soul of that voice wasn't much older than possibly a 12 or 13 year old.
"Sure I have..." The man replied, resting both of his hands behind his head as he leaned back on the chair. "But it's been only a day since I did. And it's been over a week since I dealt with that big gig. I want something as fun as that again, Model PM."
The voice remained silent but revealed himself as one Model PM, a red Biometal that looked like it had cool looking black shades on. He was floating around in the office until he approached the man directly. "You can't expect something like that to happen every single day, Vaude. The people have to enjoy the peace."
The man, Vaude, waved off his partner. "I'm not asking for the peace to be disrupted. But man, give me something... It's getting a little hard to keep this place up and running. I might have to start doing those basic Guardian jobs to make ends meet. Joy. Maybe I should find a reliable info broker or somethin' too..."
Suddenly, the machine on his desk started ringing once more. Vaude gave his Biometal companion a curious look before he decided to answer it.
"Blues Company."
"I know."
Vaude's eyes widened. He recognized this voice. But that look of shock quickly turned into eagerness. "Well, well, what do we have here? The Commander of Sentry calling me? To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Commander Markos?"
The voice named Markos remained silent for a moment, seemingly ignoring Vaude's taunting tone. "...I'm in need of your services again, Vaude. And it's urgent."
"Urgent, huh." Vaude took his feet off his desk and sat up straight.
"Have you heard of Selena Island?" The Commander asked.
Vaude tapped his index finger on the desk. "Hmmm... Yeah, a little bit here and there. What of it?"
"It's where I'm from. Where my family is from." Markos explained. "We could be experiencing a major battle on our hands. A group calling themselves the Nocturne Empire is involved. We don't know much about them or their full intentions, but we do know that they are collaborating with a unique group of Raiders that I'm sure you're familiar with."
"Lemme guess. The Gravers?" Vaude smirked.
"Your guess is correct."
"Knew it." Vaude chuckled.
"...The fact is that the Gravers were in hiding for a long time." Markos stated. "Especially after the last time you dealt with them. But they've resurfaced and they've appeared to be collaborating with a dangerous group with resources that the Gravers wish they could have at their beck and call..."
"Sounds like a supervillain or dictator wants control of the island and they've gotten some Raider punks to be cannon fodder." Vaude mostly joked.
"That's what we're assuming until we get enough information to make a complete narrative." The Commander replied. "Regardless, I'm seeking your immediate aid. You will be paid handsomely for your time and effort. I'll even give you some payment up front to whet your appetite."
"Payment up front? This I liiike~" Vaude grinned. Model PM just listened silently, saying nothing as he floated there.
"I knew you would." Markos said matter-of-factly with his stoic tone. "I have one of my airships closing in on you within an hour."
"Ha Ha!" Vaude laughed. He's known this man for quite a long time and yet he never ceases to surprise him. "You're quite the planner, aren't you?"
"However, take heed. You won't be doing this by yourself." The Commander replied.
Vaude raised a brow. "What?"
"There are other Chosen Ones on the island and two of them are helping us." The Commander explained.
Vaude frowned, silently thinking to himself about the information he's been given. He then replied, "Not that I'm backing out of the gig, but if you got Chosen Ones already, what do you need me and PM for?"
The Commander proceeded to laugh himself. "Well, given the circumstances, we need all the help we can get. Besides, there happens to be a young new Chosen One born on the island. He dons blue armor, just like the Model X one."
To that, Vaude took an immediate look at Model PM. Like other Biometals, Model PM could not emote... But Vaude could see that his companion tensed up a little when he heard this. "...Is that right?"
"It is." The Commander confirmed. "He has the most experience with the enemy but he's... Well, let's just say he can use some training from a senior Chosen One similar to him... And I think you would be just that senior."
Vaude smirked. "Heh. I guess I'll be seeing you shortly then, Markos."
"You will. Until then." With that, Commander Markos cuts the call.
Vaude hopped out of his chair and grinned. He walked over to his door, grabbed a big red overcoat, and threw it on. "Well, looks like I got a gig after all, eh Proto?"
Model PM floated over to the excited young man. "...I heard what Markos said."
"Yeah, you were right there next to me." Vaude replied sarcastically.
"...He mentioned a Chosen One's armor resembling that of Model X. Could that individual have my brother as his partner?"
Vaude straightened the coat he threw on and shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. But that's all the more reason to check out the island if the potential Maverick invasion wasn't enough. He didn't say the guy had armor that looked like Model X for no reason."
"My thoughts exactly." Model PM replied.
The young man then snatched the Biometal and pocketed him. "Great. Then if all goes well, then you'll meet your brother again after all this time. Who knows, maybe you'll work with him just like the good old days~"
The Biometal sounded...skeptical in response to his partner's devil may care attitude.
"...Right. The good old days."
Another time, another place, beneath the sizzling hot sun was a decrepit yet stable city in the desert... But it wasn't always like this. Before the Game of Destiny, before Neo Arcadia, before even the Elf Wars was a bustling city and people living in harmony. But like many places of old, it was ravaged in the wars. Many locations were rebuilt and repurposed, and although this location was one of them, it was eventually abandoned due to the increasing Maverick activity. A locale like this made this area one of the many dreaded Outlands.
The place's only inhabitants being criminals. They decided to make this city their own and fortify it. They call this once abandoned city the "Dreadzone" and one would find it nearby what used to be Utah centuries ago.
No police. No military. No Guardians. No Hunters. No Sentries. This was a land for outlaws.
Inside one of the buildings was a multi-floored saloon modeled after the ones found in the old west, even including swinging doors.
Entering through those swinging doors was a young individual wearing a very tattered black cloak with a hoodie that shadowed most of his face, especially his eyes. Underneath this cloak was another hoodie attached to his black jacket. Compared to the other people inside, he was especially young...but no one stopped him either. The most the people gave him were confused or intimidating stares, while the rest went on with their business.
The young man sat at the drinking counter, right where the barkeep was at. The barkeep was a pretty muscular human and had a constant mean look on his face and despite his healthy physique, he was certainly old given the gray hairs on his head and face. Even his beard and moustache looked scary...
Seeing the boy sit at his counter made the barkeep smile.
"Well, the pup returns." The barkeep mocked. "Did you run away from Hayden again? He really needs to get a leash on you."
The young man, appearing to be 13 or 14, said nothing. Although his eyes were barely visible to the barkeep, he could sense the annoyed look.
The barkeep couldn't help but smirk. "Relax, Nero. It's just a harmless joke to lighten you up a little. Anyway, do you want the usual?"
The individual, Nero, spoke with a quiet yet matured voice. "...Yes, Evan."
Evan, the barkeep, prepared a glass for the young man. While Evan didn't care if an underaged person like Nero drank actual alcohol given the environment, he knew Nero didn't care for such beverages. Root beer or any of Evan's sodas would've satisfied the teenager, and root beer was the "usual". When they first met, Evan offered the boy milk, but Nero declined. He didn't know why at first, though he assumed he was the kind of guy who childishly hated milk... But aside from the fact that the kid was somewhat taller than the average boys his age, he found out that Nero was actually lactose intolerant. And he did not have any lactose-free milk for the kid.
"There you go." Evan said as he slid the glass to Nero which he caught effortlessly. The cup was a medium sized one, the typical size Nero would request. "What brings you here? For real."
Nero took a sip of his glass before bringing it down to the counter.
"...I'm no longer affiliated with Donnell Hayden." He said with an almost deadpan tone. "As of yesterday, I'm on my own."
Evan raised a curious brow. "So you're finally free, huh? Even a guy like you needs some company. Sure you're up to it?"
"...Hayden and I... Had our differences." Nero snarled, gripping the glass tighter. "It's reached a breaking point, so I've left. But I'm not alone. Never."
Evan sighed, feeling stupid about his 'company' comment. "...Oh, yeah. That's right. Ah well. You do what you gotta do. But hey, did you hear?"
Nero took another sip of his glass. "Hear what?"
"Rumors have been spreading about Maverick activity on some quiet island in Europe." Evan explained. "A place called Selena Island, if memory serves."
"...Never heard of it." Nero spat.
"Not surprising." Evan shrugged. "But it's not just Mavericks appearing. It's Raiders and Mega Men too."
Nero raised a brow. Evan knew that the boy's interest had been piqued. He knew what he had done. But Evan continued, "Like I said, rumors. But there was this video that I managed to snag before it disappeared."
"Before it disappeared?" Nero parroted.
"I didn't stutter. Keep up." Evan sternly told him. "The footage isn't perfect, but it's the only thing I could get before this small website was unexpectedly shut down. I am not a computer expert, but something tells me someone wanted this to be kept secret, just like that Slither Inc. incident... In any case, do you want to see what I have?"
"...Do you have to ask?" Nero replied flatly.
Nero flicked his finger and sent the glass hurling towards Evan who caught it as effortlessly as Nero did earlier. With the glass in his hand, Evan used his other hand to reach down and bring out a tablet, do some taps and swipes before sliding the tablet to Nero with the news website and a video on display. Despite the Dreadzone being far from any Innerpeace areas, the people here managed to get electricity and internet. Considering no authority wanted to mess with these people, they could live like they were in the city without needing to pay bills.
The young man proceeded to press 'play' on the video and place his hands together as they hovered over his mouth.
In the video was a female reporter. She appeared to be in a city on this island, surrounded by numerous members of Sentry and Guardians, and property destruction.
"-Raider attack that interrupted this island's 50th anniversary parade." The blonde newscaster spoke into her microphone. As expected, she was speaking professionally. "Earlier, we spoke with the commanding officer of the police who informed us that these Raiders were apparently after Mayor Radman. Other than that, their motives were halted thanks to the combined efforts of the Guardians and Sentries."
The reporter then smiled. "But most of all, the people give thanks to a unknown hero in armor."
Evan started wiping down the cups he had with a rag as he listened with Nero. "That's the Mega Man I was talking about, by the way."
"Shut up." Nero scolded. The tone of his voice was enough to get the barkeep to hold his tongue but also look at the young boy in surprise.
"The unidentified individual was witnessed to fight off the Raiders and the Mavericks, and even help those in need." The reporter continued.
The reporter then reaches for her left circular ear plate as she was being fed information. "... What's that? ... ... ... ... ... ... We have just received a photograph of the hero fighting what we assume to be a large red and yellow Maverick!"
On the screen displayed a picture of a blue armored Mega Man fighting the large "Maverick" in the plaza. The quality was not the best, not by a long shot, but it was still decipherable by the viewers. Nero's eyes widened at the blue hero. His blood froze. He was completely still.
"...You gotta be kidding me." A voice in Nero's head whispered aloud. "...Is that actually him...!?"
"Selena Island, huh...?" Nero thought to himself as his brows furrowed further.
Evan clicked his tongue. "Huh. The photo's kind of small, but that blue Mega Man looks like he's around your age, Nero. ... ... ... Nero?"
Evan turned to face the boy...only to find that he was gone. On the counter he left the tablet and some EC beside it to pay for his drink. The video on the screen was gone. It was deleted, evident by the garbage can visual on the screen. When Evan looked around, he saw the doors violently swinging as someone quickly left. At first, Evan was shocked, but he quickly softened up.
"Hmph. Not even a 'good bye'... I should've known a Chosen One like him would be interested in mayhem like this... Good luck, kid."
Walking out of the saloon was Nero, his eyes burning fiercely underneath his hood.
"Hehehe! Tell me we're going over there, kid! You know who we saw!" The voice eagerly shouted in Nero's head.
"...This is what you wanted when we met, Model B." Nero retorted with a sinister voice. "I intend to fulfill my promise to you. I will find this Mega Man...and see for myself if he's a faker like the others."
The voice belonging to a 'Model B' laughed. "Heh. Trust me. It's him. Call it a hunch!"
Nero frowned. "You misunderstand me, Model B. I want to see if he's a faker like the others... Those that disgrace the legendary name of Mega Man."
Slowly, a big, toothy grin appeared on Nero's face. A slasher smile as he brought out his right arm with a strange gauntlet-sized black and gold device strapped on it with a Biometal attached to it. The Biometal was black, gold with a white "face". Red digital eyes with purple scar-like markings and the helmet of the Biometal looking akin to either a bat or, more accurately, a cobra...
"...Faker or not, I'll crush him...!"