Hello everyone! I had a bit of a writing spurt, so I got a good chunk of this done in one sitting, only to get sluggish by the end. Nevertheless, it's here now.

The following few chapters will be based on the Day of Sigma OVA, but some events will be out of order. I want to take inspiration, not just copy and paste.

Also, while I couldn't find an official name for the pink-haired Navigator in the OVA, I heard she has a fan name. I haven't been able to find it, but if anyone knows it, please say so. I've decided on a placeholder name for her, but if you know the fanon name, tell me, please.

Trigger warning: there is animal abuse/harm done to an animal in this chapter, so be aware.

Vile's Rampage

June 13th

Abel City

3:28 PM

If it wasn't a renegade mechaniloid, then it was something else. A Hunter's work was never done, it seemed. X thought that when he was in the briefing room, everyone had been summoned there to hear the details of the mechaniloid that had gone berserk. There had been an interesting discovery made about the case. And it would change everything.

"From the research done by Dr. Fujiwara, we've managed to deduce that several of the Maverick mechaniloids were controlled from the outside." A pink-haired told those gathered around her, a holographic image displaying footage of the battle that had taken place.

A discussion broke out between several Reploids. "So, there was no one inside?" X asked the Navigator. "It was being controlled remotely?" The Navigator in question, Trinity, was the newest in a Navigation unit with more complex features than that of Ai, Blu, or A-1.

"That's correct," she confirmed. "And there's also a possibility that each of the rogue mechaniloids was being manipulated by the same unknown party. Each of those studied by Dr. Fujiwara and his team of scientists has shown identical patterns in their systems." Trinity explained.

"Wait a minute," Zero spoke up. "What about the security program? Even if their AI is far from advanced, there's always security measures with a machine."

"Besides, a complicated system like that really shouldn't be so easy to HACK!" Chill Penguin clamped his beak shut, unintentionally squawking loudly. There were a few giggles heard, but the robotic bird didn't think it was funny at all.

"In most cases, yes," Trinity said, trying to stifle her own laughter. "But if these criminals are managing to hack their way into the security systems, we'll have to act fast."

"Well, if that's the case, has the signal been tracked?" Storm Eagle questioned.

Trinity pressed one of the blue stones on her wrists. A series of red lines appeared all over a holographic image of Abel City. "The signal, up until now, has been camouflaged using a series of satellites," she continued, one particular section of the city zooming in. "But we have traced its origin, Abel City, Sector Sixteen East."

Zero wasted no time in expressing his disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me!" He exclaimed. "That's so close!"

"Does Commander Sigma know about this?" X asked.

"We've contacted him with the information currently available, but seeing as he's currently occupied in another section of the city, he's assigned you two to go and investigate," she told X and Zero. "Those are his orders."

Both blue and red Hunter nodded. "Roger!"

"There's also something else you should know," Trinity said, having nearly forgotten what else she was supposed to tell the two. "You'll have another member joining you for the mission."

"Oh?" Zero asked. "Who?"

Zero would soon receive his answer, but someone else would discover it for him. Making sure to keep herself concealed, Roll listened into the briefing, something she found herself doing more of as time went on. It was just a couple of times at first, but now it seemed she listened to every briefing she could afford to listen to. She knew it wasn't polite in any way to eavesdrop, but a simple curiosity soon grew into a compulsion to hear all she could. Of course, it wouldn't mean much in the end, but if something could be done to help, perhaps she could finally do something.

"Well, what's this?" A low, husky voice asked from behind. Roll turned to find herself face to face with a Hunter of purple, face concealed behind a helmet with a V emblazoned on the forehead. Yet what stood out to Roll most was the sizable cannon on his left shoulder. "You're Fujiwara's errand girl, right? So what are you doing here?"

Roll was caught off guard by this Hunter's sudden appearance but quickly got herself together. "Well, I should be asking why you're NOT here," she retorted. "There's a briefing going on, and I'm sure you should be present for it," she then looked him over, trying to find anything hint of a face behind the helmet. "You are indeed a Maverick Hunter, yes?" She asked, this guy's aura not sitting right with her.

"I just got out of the brig, so I couldn't be here, even if I wanted to. Plus, the Docfitted me with this baby right here," he then patted his shoulder cannon with pride. "He says if I can take care of it and not get into too much trouble, it's mine to keep," he then directed his attention back to her. "But as I said, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Roll shifted a bit, not caring for this Hunter one bit. "Roll," she said. "And you?"

He was about to answer, but Zero spoke for him. "Vile," the long-haired Hunter folded his arms. "I'm surprised they let you out so soon."

Vile?! Roll thought, stunned. A keeper of the peace is named Vile?! It sounded childish, but she already had a sneaking suspicion he'd be responsible for something fitting to his name.

"Oh, sorry," Vile said. "I almost got you two mixed up," he gestured to Roll. "Though I think you're prettier."

Zero growled.

"All right, that's enough," X said, coming up from behind Zero. "We've been assigned to investigate Abel City; Sector Sixteen. We believe that whoever is behind the Maverick mechaniloids is hiding there."

"So, they finally found them?" Vile asked. "Well then, let's get on it. I'm dying to try out my new accessories." He rubbed his shoulder cannon, uncharacteristically giddy as if he had received a new toy. X and Zero looked at each other, the former expressing concern. Vile paid no heed and went on. "Well? Coming?"

"Yeah, sure. Excuse us, Roll." X said, he and Zero following Vile.

Abel City, Sector Sixteen East

4:23 PM

The area wasn't difficult to find, but now the three Hunters had to work out a plan to apprehend the criminals at large. And that was assuming they were even here. Abel City Sector Sixteen East was where the slummier sections were, the place appearing like a ghost town. These city areas were home to crime, both human and Reploid, so it was a fitting place for the hacker(s) to hide out.

"I'll go first," Vile said, kicking off the wall and getting up to a higher place on the edge of a building. Zero and X followed behind, neither wanting to lose sight of Vile, especially when he had that shoulder cannon. "By the way, I caught that Reploid with the bow spying on the briefing you guys had."

"Hm? Oh, you mean Roll?" X asked. "What was she doing there?"

"She's been at nearly every briefing we've had," Zero said. "I just surprised no one else has noticed before."

The three hunters looked at their internal data and analyzed the coordinates they had been given. The signal was last detected at an abandoned building opposite the three Hunters. The three leapt from rooftops until they reached the area of interest. A broken window let them in, and the three Reploids realized that, upon entering, a scene was taking place below. They kept themselves hidden from on high thanks to the platforms hung up, though the cables looked like they wouldn't hold for much longer. Again, though, if everything went according to plan, this would be taken care of relatively quickly.

"Man, how much longer will he keep us waiting?" Four Mavericks sat at a wooden table below, collections of zenny and energen crystals sitting on it. The speaking one had dark-green and yellow armor with a white mouth guard with black markings, the mouthpiece resembling a skull. "We started this thing back at the beginning of the month, and he STILL hasn't given us anything on what all this is leading up to."

"It's called Operation Independence Day, so it probably has something to do with that." A dark plum-purple and magenta Reploid answered, sorting through and organizing the zenny from the crystals. His mouth was visible, but it resembled a puppet more than a person.

"But who's independence?" A shorter Reploid asked, his face dark and covered by a black mouth guard. "Does that mean it falls on a day of independence? That could mean anything! There are hundreds of independence days out there for several countries!"

X and Zero listened in from above while Vile was readying to fire when necessary. Which, for him, was anytime.

"He said that Fujiwara's American friend would understand," a taller Reploid in royal purplish-blue and gold, white areas resembling the human skeleton were decorated on his limbs, pelvis, and head. All three Hunters noted that he looked like Skull Man, a Robot Master constructed by the late Dr. Cossack. "He said that the old man will be witness to the new age."

"And just how is that, Sonie?" The magenta, puppet-mouthed Maverick asked. "That man's surely not going to go along with it! He's not like that other human working with our benefactor. But, hell, I'd like to know what's in it for us?"

"Yeah, what Eddy said," the yellow Maverick agreed with the other criminal. "What'll we get for all of this?"

"Uh, hello? Look at all this, Skip!" The dark green gestured to the piles of zenny and crystals Eddy was organizing. "We cause some mechaniloids to go a little wonky, and we get all of this! So we'll never have to take on small jobs again!"

"And?" Eddy asked. "What sort of contribution to the future is that, Dick?" He said, addressing the dark-green Maverick. "Measly sabotage is what lowly grunts are for. And I believe our benefactor sees us as just that."

"We can't just quit now," Sonie said. "It's too late to do anything now," he then looked at one of the few intact windows in the building, the sun's rays shining through the dirtied, cracked glass. "The day of independence will come when he wills it to come. When that is, I can't say for sure. It may come before or later than anticipated. But when it happens," Sonie's dark eyes glistened in the sunshine. "In one way or another, we will be remembered. And I want all those who look down on us a taste of where they belong!"

All three Hunters believed they had heard enough. They were about ready to make a move, but the combined weight of all three Reploids was too much for the worn-out cables to hold. Finally, one of them snapped, forcing the trio to fall and land on the ground, right in front of the perpetrators that they had been spying on.

Downtown Abel City

City Square

This was working way better than she had expected. While she had spent several nights working on it, Chiyo was quite pleased (not to mention relieved) that the harness she had constructed was working as intended. Since it was after school hours, Chiyo had decided to give the harness a try. It took a few moments to make the proper adjustments (not to mention get it on Patarche), but eventually, she fit the dog's legs into the braces. And given how he was running around, he seemed to be having a good time.

Once it had been confirmed that he could walk comfortably in the gadget, Chiyo took Patarche for a walk, something she hadn't been able to do in weeks. It was far from out of character for the white canine to want to go out, but as he got older, he developed arthritis, which meant it became harder even to take him out. The young Japanese woman knew that Patarche wasn't getting any younger, and she also knew that he probably didn't have much longer left. But putting him down was out of the question, no matter who suggested it to her. She couldn't let him go, not yet.

He was one of the few that made her day worth it when she came home.

The young Japanese woman sat on a bench, watching her dog run around, unaware that this day would be the last she would see him so happy.

Abel City, Sector Sixteen East

"Shit! Hunters!" Skip shouted; he and his friends rose from the table.

"Freeze!" X commanded; he, Zero, and Vile had their weapons aimed at the four. "Don't move or try anything, and no one gets hurt!"

"Like hell!" Skip shouted. He then stretched his arms out, the limbs resembling an accordion from how they lengthened and stretched. "None of you are leaving this place alive!"

The three Hunters leaped out of the way, separating themselves and taking on the members of this rag-tag group of criminals. "How much did you hear?" Sonie asked Zero, who he was facing.

"Enough to know you're up to no good," Zero answered, his buster drawn. "And enough to deduce that you're the ones behind all the rogue mechaniloids, am I right?"

Silence fell on the four, but when Dick began speaking, he and Eddy faced X. "Ok, yeah. You caught us. Now what?"

"Now we take you in for questioning," X responded.

"Isn't it a little early to say that? You haven't won yet." Eddy said, X, going quiet. He suspected that this would get ugly.

"Who's this benefactor you keep mentioning?" Vile questioned, having settled with dealing with Skip. "Must be an idiot to think you guys are worth paying."

"He's paid well for our services," Skip said. "And even if we get caught, don't think that your troubles will be over! The new world will come to pass!"

New world, X pondered. Is that what they meant by Independence Day?

"Unfortunately, none of you will be here to see it!" Dick shouted, panels on both of his arms pulling back and revealing a pair of plasma pistols. He fired in X's direction, the blue Hunter leaping back to avoid the shots. "Like them? I had them installed myself."

"This, on the other hand," Eddy's left hand retreated into his forearm, a spiked energy mace replacing it. "Was mine from the beginning!" He swung the bright purple weapon in X's direction; the blue Hunter kicked off the wall and went on the platforms above. As he had hoped, Eddy and Dick followed him. At least he managed to make things fair for Zero and Vile.

Down below, Zero ducked under the hot energy of the saber Sonie had on him, the "blade" a bright yellow. The skeleton-looking Maverick swung the weapon in Zero's direction, keeping the red Hunter on the defensive. Zero's blasts reflected off his opponent's saber, sending them in various directions and causing even more damage to the already unstable building.

X, Eddy, and Dick were jostled as the platforms began to swing back and forth as the building shook. I have got to get that weapon away from him. Zero thought, trying to figure out a plan.

Meanwhile, Skip stretched out his arms, delivering a series of long-ranged punches in Vile's direction. It seemed to be an excellent time to try out his new toy. Cocking the shoulder cannon, Vile unleashed a series of high-pressured shots resembling bullets, only they were of concentrated plasma. Skip panicked at the incoming projectiles, stretching his arms up and grabbing one of the steel bars above, Vile continuing to shoot at him from below. Skip used the area above to conceal himself; then, when the time was right, he'd throw a fist, smashing the ground wherever Vile was.

As X fought off Eddy's flail and dodged Dick's shots, he heard the repetitive noise of Vile's shoulder cannon; it sounded very much like a machine gun. Zero was still trying to get the beam saber away from Sonie, but when he lunged for the Maverick, Sonie whirled around and sliced into Zero's side, the metal surrendering to the burning energy of the weapon. A large gash had been created, electric sparks coming from it.

"Zero!" X called out in concern, this momentary distraction allowing Eddy to knock the blue Hunter upside the head.

X came crashing down, hitting the floor with a loud impact. Vile was then seized by the shoulders and tossed around by Skip, spinning him around until the Maverick released the violet Hunter. Vile went flying through a window, crashing through the glass. Skip then used his arms to get atop a higher floor to see if the Hunter was down. Only he saw nothing in the alleyway beside the building.

The window nearby was kicked in, glass shattering as Vile climbed through. "Boo." The yellow Maverick felt a tapping on his shoulder, knowing well who it was.

Before he got the chance to turn around, Vile got Skip into a chokehold. After that, the two Reploids fought with each other, rolling off the second floor and trying to get the upper hand on the other.

Meanwhile, X still had to contend with Eddy and Dick, whether it be dodging energy blasts or avoiding getting a spiked energy ball to the face. Sonie had gotten in another hit on Zero, knocking him into a wall. A sizable impact was left, but Zero had little time to collect himself as Sonie came right at him, blade aimed right for his core. Zero reacted by trying to keep the skeleton-based Maverick away from him, his boot forcing itself against Sonie's face, the swordsman pressing the saber down, the energy blade coming closer. But it was then that fortunate went to the three Hunters again.

Just as Eddy was about to swing at X again, a plasma bullet shot through his left arm, tearing through the cables and leaving the Maverick with no sensation in the limb. The energy flail dissipated, and Eddy found his left arm had been paralyzed. This allowed X to get the upper hand and deliver an uppercut to Eddy's jaw, sending him flying back and into a wall.

"Eddy!" Dick shouted, about to help his friend, but he was seized by X, who blasted him with a small plasma shot. It was painful, but it did only enough damage to subdue the target. X was thankful for this, as they needed these four alive and in decent shape.

And on Zero's end, he was able to overpower Sonie, kicking the Maverick back and getting back on his feet. Sonie swung his saber in Zero's direction, yet instead of using his buster right away, he ducked and swiveled around to his opponent's back. Then, he delivered a charged shot to Sonie's back, the plasma creating an indentation where it burned into the metal. Sonie flipped over and was about to strike, yet he now found his weapon was in Zero's hands, the energy saber mere inches away from his face.

"Usually, this would be where it all ends for you," the red Hunter said, the energy blade right at Sonie's throat. X and Vile opened up panels on their backs, each pulling out stasis cuffs built for moments such as these. "But today's your lucky day because we need you alive."

Dick, Skip, and Eddy were restrained, yet Zero kept his foot on Sonie's chest, saber at his throat. "I'd suggest talking if I were you. The other Hunters are on their way here," X said to the pinned Maverick, having contacted HQ. "It'll serve you better in the end." Vile saw Skip attempt to rise, but the purple Hunter gave the Maverick a solid kick to the gut, sending him down to the ground.

"Hey! Don't treat him like some animal!" Eddy shouted, far from caring how one of his friends was treated.

"You're less than that, according to the humans," Vile retorted. "If anything, you should be kissing our boots for not blowing your heads off."

"Vile, that's enough." X said.

"Who's your benefactor?" Zero questioned Sonie. "And what's all this about an Independence Day?"

The pinned Maverick held up his hands, Zero finally stepping off him. Sonie still had the saber to his throat as X cuffed him using Zero's pair. "We're not saying," he told Zero. "But we will say that what's going to happen will go down in history. It'll change the very world, especially for us."

"Us?" X questioned.

"Our kind, our people," Sonie clarified. "And our benefactor wishes to create a better world, an improved world, a world where both Reploids and humans know their proper places."

Meanwhile, Eddy was struggling with his cuffs when he realized something: his arm had been paralyzed, but his hand hadn't taken the place of his flail. It was perhaps thin enough to work through the cuffs! He pulled, finding that while the light shocks around the wrists were still felt, he could move his hand-less wrist better than the other. It was a slow and steady process, but Eddy found he could move his left wrist more as it currently lacked a hand. He had to pull at the cuffs with his functioning arm to try and get them to slip off.

"Proper places?" X asked, confused.

"Oh, you'll see," Sonie said. "In fact, our benefactor wants you all to be present for when it officially begins."

Eddy slung his hand-less arm free from the cuffs, the other still caught in the restraints. He toyed around with his arm until he created a working few circuits that would allow for movement. Once he had done that, he swung his reactivated flail in the direction of X and Zero, forcing them to duck.

"Run, Eddy!" Sonie commanded. "Call him and have him save us!"

Eddy wasted no time obeying his leader's command, running past the downed X and Zero and out into the streets. Vile shot plasma bullets in his direction m, but the Maverick was out of range. The purple Hunter got to his feet and began racing after Eddy.

"Vile, wait!" X called out, but both Vile and Eddy were gone. "Zero, do you mind-"

"Nope. You go after Vile," Zero told his partner. "I don't trust him with that new toy of his."

X nodded in acknowledgement and agreement, and he took off, hoping that he could catch up and make sure things didn't get too violent. For he had a feeling that Eddy would make use of the humans in this city.

Downtown Abel City

City Square

5:32 PM

"Whoa, it's already that late?" Chiyo said, looking at the time on her phone. She sighed, knowing well that her dog wouldn't like what she had to say. "Patarche!" She called out; the white dog with a mechanical harness looked at his owner. "Come on; it's time to go!" Chiyo told the dog. Besides, I've still got homework to do. Patarche laid down on the ground, forcing Chiyo to rise from the bench and go over to him."Are you serious?" She asked hands on her hips. "I can carry your wide, furry ass all the way back to Arcadia for everyone to see. Is that really what you want?"

Patarche rolled around in the grass.

"You furry little shit," Chiyo chuckled. "Still, we've got to get back. But tell you what, we'll come back on the weekend, and I'll take you all around the city. Sound good to you?" Patarche barked in response, seemingly liking this arrangement. He rose, and Chiyo was about to secure his leash to his red collar.

But that never came to pass.

The sounds of panicking humans drew Chiyo and Patarche's attention, though they soon became drowned out by what sounded like a machine gun being fired.

"What the hell?!" Chiyo cried out, ducking down to the ground, taking Patarche down with her and shielding him from whatever was coming.

From a short distance away, among the people now running for what they thought was their very lives, Chiyo could see a plum-purple Reploid being chased by a violet one, the latter having a sizable cannon on his left shoulder. "Get back here!" The violet Reploid (presumably a Hunter) ordered, continuing to fire at the one running away.

Then, Eddy retreated into the small grassy area in the city square, Chiyo and Patarche seeing that a battle was about to occur. Eddy swung his energy flail around with his damaged arm, knocking over benches, streetlights and the trees planted around the city, especially in the square. On the other hand, Vile kept dodging Eddy's attacks, all the while shooting with reckless abandon. Sure, he had his automated targeting system, but Eddy's mace was making it so he couldn't get close.

"Learn to quit; why don't you?!" Eddy called out, swinging his flail once again. "You'll never stop it!" Eddy roared. Yet while he appeared confident in front of Vile, he knew he had to get out of here. The interface of these Hunters had forced him and his friends out of hiding, and now they needed their benefactor to set them up with a new hideout. I got to contact him! He'll save us!

"Fall, dammit!" Vile shouted back, his plasma bullets reflecting off the flail, sending them in various directions. They tore and burnt the ground and shattered doors and windows if they got far enough. "Fall!"

When X arrived at the scene, he knew that there was no way this could be ignored. So the blue Hunter tried to make his way through the crowd of humans and Reploids running away, spotting Vile and Eddy combating each other.

"Vile, stop!" X shouted, trying to get closer.

Chiyo then saw Eddy leap over her and begin running East. Seizing the opportunity, she got up and was about to snatch up Patarche and get out of here. But before she could take another step, Vile saw Eddy right over her shoulder, and he fired. The bullet tore through the fabric and flesh, and a searing pain assaulted Chiyo's left arm as if someone had just thrust a burning hot iron on her skin. The force of the blast sent the human to the ground; she was holding the spot the bullet had hit her, teeth clenched and eyes burning with tears.

Many humans were still running, yet many of the Reploids stood still, unable to fully grasp what they saw. Almost all of them were silent, yet some murmurs could be heard near the back of the gathered crowd. Even Eddy, who was about to run away, was drawn by the sound of the human's cry.

Despite his title as a Hunter, Vile was beginning to feel relatively small underneath the gaze of so many of his kind. Some looked on in shock, while others expressed anger or disgust. But X's expression confused him the most. X looked at Vile with fear, yet it wasn't fear for himself.

Vile just became aware of what had happened, what he had done. He looked back at Chiyo, who had managed to rise to a sitting position, her white dog debating on whether or not to try and lick her wound. Even if her arm appeared functional, a considerable amount of heat rose from the area.

Vile's own shock at his actions lasted for only a moment as he saw Eddy again. He fired the plasma bullet just about to go through the top of the young woman's head. But just as it came towards her, a blur of white engulfed her vision. Patarche had jumped in at the last second, shielding and pushing Chiyo down and out of the way. The bullet tore through his throat, the energy blast creating a clean hole through the flesh. There was no blood due to the heat cauterizing the wound, but the bullet tore through his windpipe, causing Patarche to fall in a panting heap.

Chiyo sat there, mouth agape and eyes wide in horror. "PATARCHE!"

Vile hissed, no longer seeing Eddy. "Damn! He got away!" He then looked down to Patarche, whose chest had stopped moving. "Damn dog. Ruined my shot."

"YOU BASTARD!" Chiyo hollered in despair and rage, running over and beating on Vile's armored chest.

"Out of the way!" Vile ordered, shoving the human down as he was about to go in Eddy's direction.

But he stopped when he felt a hand seize his shoulder. Vile turned around and found a white fist meeting his face. The punch X had delivered sent him stumbling back, but the violet Hunter was more shocked than in pain. "What the hell are you doing?!" He was answered by being tackled to the ground, a pair of cuffs secured around his wrists. As Vile was taken to the ground, he saw Eddy come around the corner of a building, in the custody of Zero, the arm with the flail having been blown off.

Later

The sun had begun to set over the horizon, bathing Abel city in warm, orange light. Yet the mood down in the city was anything but calm. Vile's rampage had stirred everyone up as severely as a renegade Mechaniloid, X looking around and wincing at all the damage. Yet instead of a piloted machine, one of their own Hunters had helped cause this.

The four Mavericks they had arrested were going to the detention center for questioning. Still, only two of the three Hunters initially assigned to this mission would be returning to HQ. So Vile was apprehended and taken to the detention center instead of the brig. It was regrettable, but X didn't know what else to do. Above their aim to eliminate any Maverick threats was protecting and preserving human life. And seeing as he took the shot that injured Chiyo's shoulder, he couldn't afford to take the risk of Vile potentially damaging her worse.

It was then that X remembered. "Oh no, Chiyo!"

He turned to see the young woman being tended to by some medics, but she had refused to leave Patarche's side. X approached her, getting a better look. The wound to her shoulder hadn't damaged any nerves or arteries, having struck the top, and there appeared to be no broken bones. However, there was an area of flesh that had been burnt quite severely. X but his lip, seeing that a wound like that would probably leave some scarring.

"Are you ok?" X asked her, the female human wincing as a Reploid nurse applied disinfectant on her shoulder.

"To hell with that!" Chiyo cried out. "Look what that bastard did to Patarche!" She presented the dog's throat, X's green eyes widening as he saw the damage.

Zero had finally been able to get to X, busy making sure the other criminals were taken in. He then saw Chiyo with her face buried in Patarche's side; the dog was declared deceased. He looked at the dead dog and noticed the harness and attached braces.

"What's that for?" Zero asked, but Chiyo was too upset to answer.

"It's his harness," X explained. "Roll told me she was making it because Patarche couldn't walk as well in his old age."

Zero was confused. "If that's the case, wasn't it going to die already? Why can't she get another one?" Zero whispered to X.

"When it comes to animals and humans, attachments run deep," X told him softly. "It's something that runs probably even deeper than we could ever achieve." True, a sight like this wasn't entirely alien for either of them, yet X knight Zero could've been a little insensitive. It wasn't malicious; he was just very open about telling the truth.

"Then why get any animal at all? Why not get a mechanical pet?" Zero asked. He then looked at the still sobbing Chiyo. "Crying about it won't solve anything. And if he was already old, shouldn't you have seen this coming?" He asked Chiyo, who didn't answer. "Humans cry so easily over such little things."

Chiyo's brown eyes widened when she heard that, her shock soon giving way to anger. She set Patarche down and went over towards Zero, rage in her dark eyes. She rose her right hand and slapped the red Hunter, but he didn't react. He barely even felt her. Chiyo realized she had done a very foolish thing and now had an injured hand to go along with her shoulder.

This action allowed Zero to better look at the human, and she looked like a wreck. As if her entire world had been crushed. She picked up the lifeless body of Patarche and glared daggers at Zero. "This is why I hate Reploids."

She then ran off, taking her dog's body with her. Some of the medical Reploids went after her, saying she was still in need of treatment, but soon, neither X nor Zero could see her anymore; the young woman had disappeared into the crowd.

Maverick Hunter HQ

12:00 AM

Even though he was literally just a walking computer, X always found slipping into recharge difficult, even in a capsule. Yet another thing that seemed to further isolate him from the others of his kind. He knew sleep would benefit him well, but he couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts, especially regarding what happened a few hours earlier. Things had started fine, they had reached a lead on the renegade mechaniloid incidents, but it devolved into something horrible even if the perpetrators were caught and arrested.

The four Mavericks they had taken into custody, later learning they called themselves the Skull Quartet, had quite a lot to answer for, especially regarding this so-called "Independence Day." Just what was that? And all the talk of the world changing for the better for Reploids and humans, both races being reminded of their "places", was too confusing. And their "benefactor", just who could that be? Who would willingly provide services to those that intentionally cause destruction and panic? Why would they wish to damage the already tense relationship between humans and Reploids?

An Independence Day for anywhere usually was meant to mark an important date where those that celebrated it achieved a victory over their oppressors. The Americans fought the British, the Central and South Americans and the Spanish, and several countries in Africa had to battle against the French. Did this mean that the Skull Quartet talked about an Independence Day for Reploids? And assuming that WAS what the four Mavericks were referring to, just how did they plan to do it? Or rather, how would they AND their benefactor do it?

Either way, it concerned him. Commander Sigma took the information he and Zero gave him VERY seriously. And he wasn't pleased at all when he heard about what Vile had done, let alone who it was that he had injured. The tall Hunter Leader told X and Zero that he would be having a VERY long talk with Vile and decide what to do with him. What Fujiwara's reaction would be, X had no idea. It was difficult to tell with him. X thought he perhaps just misunderstood, but when he was still confined to the lab, he found he could never tell whether or not Fujiwara was being genuine about anything.

When he asked Dr. Cain about it, not long after Chiyo had discovered him, he realized he wasn't just imagining things.

Past

"So, he's always been like this?" X asked the older human that had freed him.

"As long as I've known him," Dr. Cain said. "And I've known him since I had decided to settle in this country," he then sighed. "I have no experience in robotics. He does. Thus, he would know what he's doing."

"So why are you here?" X asked, genuinely curious.

Dr. Cain sighed. "I don't think I should leave you alone here with him," he said. "He may be human, but it doesn't mean that he's capable of what you can do."

"And that would be?" X questioned.

Dr. Cain was silent for a moment. Then, "X," he began. "It may be difficult for you to understand, but some people aren't like your creator. Hell, whatever he told you about human kindness is greatly exaggerated."

X was confused. And the Doctor was wrong about people? But he told X that he was meant to be a companion of humans. He was built with humans and their emotional centers and functions in mind. So how could Dr. Light be wrong?

"Truly, I don't believe that they would kill you if they found out about you, X," Dr. Cain told him. "But that doesn't mean they wouldn't use and abuse you."

X's perceptions and all he knew were being challenged. "But once they see how Dr. Light programmed me, maybe they'll understand-"

"And some may," Cain interrupted. "But their words would either be outweighed or not heard at all. They may be human, but their minds are very much like the mechaniloids that they believe to be less advanced in their thinking," he continued, "The incident that made advanced AI illegal worldwide hasn't been forgotten, and even if you are welcomed by humans when the time is right, worries of history repeating itself will be magnified."

X was quiet, taking all of this information in. "Then, what do I do if that's the case?"

"Just do what Sho tells you to do, but don't let him push you around. You have a will of your own, so use it. Just don't abuse it." Dr. Cain told the blue robot.

"Well, no, of course not," X replied. "But back to Dr. Fujiwara, why is he that way?" While X wasn't overly fond of the Japanese scientist, he remembered Dr. Light's words regarding humans and how such behavior is to bury deep pain much of the time. He spoke of a man named Albert when he told X this.

"He's always been, well, more machine than a man," Dr. Cain said. "But he was more aloof than outright cold," X was quiet as Dr. Cain spoke. "I came to know him through an invention he had collaborated in, which consisted of preserving and analyzing fossilized plant matter. We were never really friends, the age difference probably not helping that, but his technical prowess couldn't be ignored. He worked with my university back in America, and he used that opportunity to get out of Japan. From what I came to know, his wife, Hinako, had passed due to complications during the birth of his child."

"You mean that girl with the puppy?" X asked.

"She was only a few months old then, and I think Sho wanted to get away," Cain said. "He left Chiyo to Cecilia, and I heard it wasn't until she had turned two that he decided to come back."

"He left his child for two years?" X questioned.

Cain nodded. "Maybe Hinako's death hit him just a bit too hard, or maybe he doesn't have any attachment to Chiyo, but I don't feel right leaving you here with him. Not by yourself."

Present

Chiyo. X hadn't expected to see her there, let alone expect that one of their Hunters would cause harm to the child of one of the founders of Reploids. However, when Roll heard what happened, she announced that she would be staying over at Fujiwara's home for a few days; the human girl was devastated. Even if he had known her from when she was a child, Chiyo had come to grow distant and difficult to approach, very much like her father. And this made X question her home life for all these years. However, he found that there wasn't much he could do about it.

As for the one who had shot her, X couldn't help but think about Vile. True, he was only attempting to stop Eddy, but the lengths he went to were inexcusable. He could've injured Chiyo even more if he hadn't arrested him, and Patarche taking a hit for her made X wonder if Vile could've killed her. Accidental or not, any action against a human was taken extremely seriously. Perhaps even more seriously by Reploids than humans.

Before he could ponder any further, a voice was heard, shared by a private link. "We went over this, X. You can muse all you want in the morning," Zero said, making sure not to disturb anyone else. "Go to sleep."

"Fine, fine," X sighed in defeat. He had been caught. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Still, even with recharge finally coming to him, his mind continued to wander. An Independence Day, Reploids and humans being reminded of their places, and the one who provided the reward for their services. It was too soon to say, but whatever all this meant, X felt that it would lead to something big. Though whether that something would be good or bad, he couldn't say. All he could do was hope.

Hope, but still have doubt gnawing at the back of his mind.

Note: I'll admit that I'm thinking about assigning voices to characters, but I wonder if I should do a dream cast or one consisting of the actors that have dubbed for Mega Man before. Or Gundam.

Mark Gatha and Lucas Gilbertson are my headcanon voices for X and Zero, respectively, but aside from the voices in Maverick Hunter X, I'm not sure about the others. I'm iffy about Vile because while Roger Rhodes did ok, I can't help but picture Steve Blum as a good choice for him.

Also, the moment between X and Chiyo regarding Patarche will come later. And also, expect the appearances of manga characters in the next chapter.

Thank you all, and I hope to hear from you soon!