Note: Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay! I wanted to get out at least one chapter before the month's end, and, if I'm lucky (or not lazy enough), I'll be able to do this with some of my other stories.

I will admit that this took off more than I thought it would, and to everyone, thank you! I honestly thought that this was just some AU that I was writing! Do people actually like it?

This chapter is more information-heavy, but it is information that will come into play later, especially with Chiyo. I plan on giving her, and several other characters, their time to shine. As well as develop others more.

With that said, thank you, and I hope you enjoy!

Recon (1)

Four hours had passed since X had returned to the ruins of Abel City, after the termination of Chill Penguin. Upon his arrival, his upgrades were taken notice of, and he was sent to the medical wing to be analyzed. While the blue Reploid insisted that it wasn't dangerous, the orders had come from Zero himself, so he couldn't argue. Thus, here he was now, situated in a capsule as an overhead sensor scanned his legs, a diagram of his body appearing on the screen next to him. X's green eyes gazed at the white boots that now replaced his formerly blue ones, several stats appearing on the screen around the leg components.

"Hm," one of the Lifesaver units rubbed his chin, optics reading over the findings present on the monitor. "Interesting."

"What is?" X questioned.

"It seems that your upgrades are indeed just that." the Lifesaver answered.

"What do you mean?"

"Your velocity has increased, as well as strength added to your outer shell. Currently, this portion of your body is stronger than the rest of you."

"Really?" X lifted himself, taking a peek at the screen himself. His eyes then focused on his buster. "What about the weapon's chip?"

"If what Fujiwara's entries say is true, then you may be wishing to hold onto it, along with any others you find." The Lifesaver answered.

"Entries?"

"Trinity will explain," Then, X became aware that someone had entered the room. "It's good to see you're back in one piece, X."

"Zero."

The blonde, red-clad Commander stood at the door, arms folded and blue eyes on X. "What's the news?" he asked the Lifesaver, the taller Reploid turning to address his Commander.

"So far, X's systems are in good condition, given that his internal heating had to go into overdrive to keep the rest of him warm."

"Yeah," Zero nodded. "Being encased in ice will do that to you," X saw Zero's look. He didn't appear angry, but he was displeased. The blue Reploid sighed, knowing that he was going to receive another "talking to." Then, Zero directed his attention back onto the Lifesaver. "Is he safe to move again?"

"Oh yes," the green and white medic answered. "Everything is in working order."

Zero eyed X, waiting for him to rise from the capsule. "You knew this was coming," the blonde Hunter told the blue. "Come with me," Once X got up, he followed Zero to a small, secluded room at the end of the hallway, the room holding a few spare capsules in case they were needed. Once they were both in, Zero locked the door and turned to face X. "So, I heard that you were successful in your mission," he began. "And, because of you, we've managed to secure the base up in the mountains. As of now, it's one of the territories we've managed to take back from Sigma."

X shifted in place, feeling that, despite this positive news, Zero wasn't too pleased with him. "Well, that's good."

"Indeed," Zero nodded. "It's one thing going in our favor. Although," he then said. "I heard that there were many things that didn't go in your favor regarding your performance."

The blue Reploid bit his lip. "So, you heard about...?"

"Yes, I have," Zero replied. "I know of how you allowed Penguin to best you and catch you off guard," he continued. "And how your carelessness nearly cost you your life," X lowered his head in shame. "We've been over this, X," the red Hunter sighed. "Sigma himself has been over this with you. Your hesitation could cost you if you don't take that shot."

"But Penguin was our friend!" X countered. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?! To anyone?!"

"So was Marth!" Zero shouted back. "He knew the risks of going up there, but he knew that he had to apprehend and terminate any enemy forces at all costs!"

"But Marth didn't want to kill him either!" X argued. "Penguin wasn't evil! He was manipulated by Sigma! Everyone was!"

"It doesn't matter." Zero answered.

"What?" X asked. "How could it not matter? If anything, that's the only thing that matters!"

"And that is why you were nearly taken out so easily!" Zero retorted, making X go silent. Zero then calmed himself. "Look, X, as much as I hate to admit it, Sigma did give some good advice. Before he decided to do all of this," he hissed. "There are times that we can't hesitate to pull the trigger," Zero told his friend. "Right now, we're the only thing keeping Sigma from causing any more damage. And I doubt that he'll stop here."

X looked down at the ground. "No, he won't," the blue Reploid solemnly accepted. "But still, neither Chill Penguin nor Marth had to perish," he said. "Nor any of the others of the Polar Unit."

"No, they didn't," Zero answered. "That's why we have to continue fighting to regain control of this island. To put a stop to any further plans Sigma has. And to do that," he then looked away for a moment. "We may have to battle against those that were once our comrades."

The blue android hung his head, knowing that there was no way out of it. What happened with Chill Penguin would have to happen with others. But there was one question he still had about this unfortunate reality. "And who do you think they'll be?"

Zero shook his head, expression grim. "I can't say for sure," he said. "Nearly all of us were either taken out or joined up with Sigma. From the way I see it, we could face nearly anybody."

"Yes, but," X never got the chance to finish, Zero received a call from someone outside of the underground HQ.

"This is Zero," the red Hunter responded. "Report." X leaned in closer, trying to hear what Zero was hearing. "Your team spotted what?" the long-haired Reploid questioned. "The Power Plant outside of the city? What about it?" Indeed, just what about the Power Plant? X had little information, so he couldn't construct any sound theories, but Zero continued listening to the Hunter under his command. "All right," the red, newly-appointed Commander nodded. "I'm on my way."

The call ended. "Who was that?" X questioned.

"Firefly," Zero answered. "He's scouring the outer sections of the city, and thinks he's spotted some activity going on at the Power Plant."

"What sort of activity?" X asked.

"Since the city had been bombed, no one's been going out at night," Zero told the shorter, blue Reploid. "No one that isn't made of metal, and even then, you've got to be careful," he then turned to face the door. "I've got to go. The sooner we check this out before the sun goes down, the better."

"Why's that?"

Zero looked at his friend. "Because that's when Sigma's new toys come out to play."

Before X could question him any further, he was gone.

After a short time, X made his way to the main hub of the underground base, Trinity typing away at the oversized computer that displayed several views of Abel City. Or rather, what was left of it. Many of the smaller structures were completely obliterated, yet taller buildings were able to remain standing, such as the original HQ before everyone was forced underground. It was ironic that the blast from the missiles didn't take it out entirely, considering what Sigma had declared from his fortress, wherever that was.

"So, why?" X questioned Trinity, who was overseeing the city. "Why would he bomb Abel City, but not go through with destroying everything?"

Trinity shook her head. "The same reason he put out the raging fires that were left in the wake of the missile strike," the pink-haired Navigator answered. "He wants those who remain afterward alive, both Reploid and human."

"But why?" X grew even more puzzled. "I thought he began this campaign because he wanted to supposedly overthrow the humans?" He didn't say the rest of his sentence, but he remembered what he had seen from Sigma's broadcast, his first act of violence against those that built him.

"That's what I wondered at first as well," Trinity said. "But not long after the strike happened and the fires were put out, Sigma delivered this underground base a message."

"A message?" X asked.

"Yes," Trinity answered. "While you were still recovering from the injuries you sustained during your battle with Vile," she then turned to look at the blue Reploid. "Something that Ai said was extremely careless and foolish."

X's shoulders sank. But then, he remembered what Trinity had said. "How is she?"

"She's still functioning," the pink-haired Navigator replied. "And her repairs are nearly complete. Sting Chameleon did not go easy on her," she then sighed. "Still, she says she wants to get back on duty. She serves as the Navigator for Zero's team," she then grew quiet for a moment. "If anything, I think it gives Firefly extra motivation to hear her voice again."

X was silent. In the grand scheme of things, despite the tragedies and losses, the fact that any of them were alive at all was, in some way, a miracle. But X doubted that such a sentiment would be received by his fellow Reploids.

"Anyway, back to what I was saying," Trinity continued, getting back on topic. "While you were still being repaired, we received a message from an undisclosed location. We didn't get the opportunity to accept or deny, as it opened on its own," her optics observed the damaged metropolis appearing on the screen. "Sigma had a message for us that couldn't wait."

Upon seeing the image of the former Commander of the Maverick Hunters, everyone in the small main hub of the less spacious underground HQ froze. Some were paralyzed with fear, others in shock, and a few of them shook with anger. Sigma's blue eyes fell on the small number of Reploids before him, looking each of them over. Trinity, who was previously at the monitor, rose from her seat and stepped back, overwhelmed by the sight of the taller Reploid.

"Is this all that's left?" he questioned, although no one answered. He then tsked. "Such a waste. Unfortunately, such sacrifices must be made."

"Sacrifices?!" a voice suddenly shouted. Firefly emerged and began marching towards the screen displaying Sigma's face. "You think the murder of your kind are sacrifices?!"

"A sacrifice, by definition, means that you must suffer hardship and pain," Sigma replied to the enraged green Reploid. "Do not believe that this is easy for me. Many good Hunters fell because they could not make the necessary sacrifice in disregarding their allegiance to the humans."

"To hell with that!" Firefly roared. "Your men killed nearly everyone! They killed my friends! Your friends! They nearly killed Ai!" his voice wavered upon mentioning the blonde Navigator.

Sigma's face remained unchanged. "Anyway," he said, pushing Firefly's clear dismay and fury to the side. "Given I am currently absent, who have you elected to take my place?"

"I have." Zero stepped up, facing the former Commander.

This gained a reaction from the recently self-proclaimed Maverick. Sigma presented the long-haired, red-armored Reploid with a small smile. "Well, this is a surprise," he told Zero, seemingly amused by this turn of events. "Given your history regarding orders, I didn't expect you to rise to the position of giving them yourself."

"Oh, I'm giving orders, all right," Zero snarled. "And they all have to do with finding and taking you out."

"I can't wait," the taller Hunter answered. "Yet, to complete the latter part, you must complete the former," he said. "Which means, you'll have to find me first."

"And we will," Firefly retorted, having simmered down somewhat. A few other Reploids held onto him to keep him from doing something foolish. "We'll search this entire island for you if we have to! And we CAN do it!"

"Oh, I don't doubt that Firefly," Sigma answered the green biker.

"Don't call me by my name!" Firefly barked. "You don't have that right anymore!"

"All right, that's enough," Zero told the other Hunter. "Your anger is no good here. Save it for the field," even if his fury hadn't entirely dissipated, Firefly's body relaxed, the others letting go of him. "Anyway, what's the reason for your call, Sigma?"

"Straight to the point, a good quality in a fledgling leader," Sigma told Zero, who was unmoved by the other's false flattery. "But yes, as I'm sure many of you are aware by now, what has occurred here is known throughout the entire world," he said. "Our independence movement will ripple throughout civilization and give birth to a new world. A world suited for us. And, if you are wise, for all of you, should you see that you're risking your lives for nothing."

"Your point?" Zero questioned, not in the mood for any theatrics.

"Patience, I'm getting to it," Sigma answered. "You are free to find me, should you wish. But, even if you do, your efforts will mean nothing," he informed those watching and listening. "What I have done will change everything, forever. Even if you kill me, you will only be delaying the inevitable," his grin widened upon seeing Zero's scowl deepen. "Nevertheless, that won't stop you from trying. Thus, I shall alert you of a challenge I present to your men, Commander Zero."

Even if he addressed the red Reploid by such a title, Zero doubted there was any genuine respect behind it. "And what is that?"

"I have select members of my forces stationed at various corners of the island, all outside of Abel City," Sigma informed everyone present. "And the keys to your freedom lie in discovering these locations. But you'll have to discover them for yourself."

"Bastard." Firefly hissed.

"It'd be too easy if I gave it away so early," Sigma smirked. "You will be given clues as to where I have put one of my men, and there may be a secondary operation going on that they're a part of. Which I'd recommend putting a stop to if you don't want them to cause you trouble later."

Zero remained silent. Trinity found herself struggling with what to do, control seized from her as the base's systems were now out of her hands.

"Is there some sort of time limit?" Zero questioned. None of this sat right with him.

"None that you're aware of," Sigma responded. "But it wouldn't matter either way. You shall know where to look when it's time," he then looked over everyone present in the room. "Either you see the truth, or you will be left behind with the bags of flesh that hamper us. It's up to you."

Then Sigma's face vanished from sight.

"And not long after that, we began detecting the tremors occurring in the mountains," Trinity explained to X. "Which, ironically enough, is around the time you were fit to be released from the medical wing."

"Is that all Sigma said?" X questioned.

"Not exactly," Trinity answered. "Not long after, we received a message document from Sigma himself. It read that we were free to stop him however we wish, but he doesn't want to give us false hope," she said. "He still hasn't released the rest of the missiles yet."

It wasn't as if X wished for such a thing to happen, yet he pondered something. "Isn't that what the shelters are for?"

"It would be if some humans and Reploids weren't leaving them to wander the streets," Trinity replied.

"What?!" X exclaimed in disbelief. Had he heard right?

"Believe it or not, it's true," the pink-haired Navigator confirmed. An overhead view of what used to be Abel City's downtown sector appeared on the monitor. The image zoomed in to show small shapes moving across the screen, the figures walking aimlessly without any sense of direction. It was as if they were searching for something unobtainable, yet that made them seek it even more. "Not long after the fires were put out, some of the humans began to emerge from the shelters," Trinity explained. "And soon, more and more of them followed."

X was silent, his green eyes watching the screen. "Hasn't anyone tried to get them to go back?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh yes, there have been several attempts," Trinity sighed. "But each has been unsuccessful," she paused for a moment. "Humans are becoming more..." her upper jaw bit down on her lower lip. "Aggressive."

"Aggressive?" X questioned. "How?"

"They've taken to arming themselves with whatever they can find, and some of them have banded together and formed alliances with each other," the Navigator said. "There were just a few a first, but they've been gaining more members. There are rumors that they're gathering supplies and anything they might deem useful."

X was quiet as he watched the figures move, noticing how the skies darkened. It was getting late. "Wait a minute," the blue Reploid remembered something he had discussed with his new Commander not too long ago. "Zero mentioned something about Sigma's new 'toys', what did he mean by that?"

"Oh, that," Trinity said. Her focus was on the humans in the streets, some of them noticing the time and retreating to the shelter entrances while others stayed out. "We have a witness, but even she didn't see much. And, from what she told us," Trinity continued. "There may be more to worry about than what's lurking in the streets at night."

"Who?" X questioned.

"Fujiwara's daughter." the female Reploid clarified.

Oh, right, X thought! Chiyo! "Where is she?" he questioned.

"The last I knew, she was with your sister," Trinity replied. "When it was confirmed you terminated Chill Penguin," even if she was just speaking the truth, she saw X flinch slightly. It couldn't be helped, yet, even with her emotional receptors, Trinity still knew that any Maverick was to be stopped, no matter the cost. "Fujiwara came running. She then started talking about how Penguin was one of the ones that her father worked on."

X pondered this. That was right, from what Roll said, Chiyo was the one who wanted him to take Penguin's weapon chip. Still, why was that? And what did she mean about the ones her father created? By that logic, every Reploid save for X himself was constructed by Fujiwara or at least used his modifications for future units. Just what was so special about Penguin in regards to that?

"I'm going to go find her and Roll," X said, turning away from Trinity. "Where are they?"

"So far, they've either been spending their time in the medical wing with patients that are recovering," the Navigator answered. "Even if they're not part of the staff, your sister's taken to filling in for some of our Medics, given there aren't as many anymore."

A sad fact, X thought. Still, before he went, he had one last question. "Hey, just why did you let Chiyo come here?"

Trinity didn't take her eyes off the monitor, but she went still for a few moments. "She didn't come here of her own volition," the pink-haired Reploid answered. "She had no choice."

"No choice?" X asked.

Trinity nodded. "It was fortunate that we found her when we did," she said. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have some idea of what Sigma might be up to."

"What?" X was puzzled, not to mention unnerved at what he had heard. How was that? He was about to ask, yet figured that he had bothered Trinity with enough questions. He would just have to ask Roll or Chiyo when he saw them.

The question was, however, just what did the young human know?

Medical Wing

Recovery Room

Roll overlooked the readings of the Reploid situated in the capsule, her inner components functioning normally again. "How do you feel?" the bow-wearing Reploid questioned, the other blonde mechanical woman adjusting her position. "Better?"

"If by better, you mean being held together by more than just wiring, then yeah, I think I'm halfway there," Ai answered. "Although," she said. "I wonder when they're going to let me stop having these checkups."

"You took an extensive amount of damage during the attack, we need to make sure that everything is holding up," Roll explained. Sure, she was no nurse, but she was by Dr. Light's side to help repair Mega Man several times. Such things were nothing unusual to her. "Especially since supplies are needing to be rationed for the time being."

"Which is why they need to stop wasting time with me and take care of some of these other guys," Ai said. "Some of us are still in here from what happened a few days ago." she then fell silent. Truth be told, she didn't know whether or not some of them were even still alive.

"Well, if the medics managed to repair you, then the others have a fighting chance too, right?" Roll questioned.

Ai scoffed. "It's obvious your X's sister," she said. "You're both hopelessly naive," she then looked away. "I'll admit, I never really had a lot in common with A-1."

Ah, yes, Roll though. A-1, the smaller Navigator constructed for the Maverick Hunters. The last she had known, he had gone to the Missile Base and released X and Zero, but no one had seen him since he left before Sigma's siege. "He's ok," Roll assured the other blonde. "Has there been any sign of him?"

Ai shook her head. "No one could've survived the missiles that came down," she said despondently. "It'd kill anything that got within the radius of the blasts. And that was just from a few. Sigma's yet to release them all."

"Then maybe he was still at the base?" Roll suggested.

"If he was, then he'd have a hard time getting to the city. A lot of the roads outside were destroyed," Ai sighed. "Wherever he is, it's out of my hands now."

Roll didn't wish to add any further pain, yet she could empathize with the Navigator. Even if she couldn't do much, and she despised it, if anything were to happen to X, just like whatever happened to Rock, she would...

Wait a moment, someone was coming in.

Turning, the bow-wearing Reploid saw a blue Hunter enter the room, immediately catching her attention. "X!" Roll cried out, running over to her (younger) sibling. "You're back!" before he could respond, she immediately began looking him over. "And it looks like you're in decent shape, that's good," then, her teal eyes fell on the other android's leg components. "Hm? What is this?"

X was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Well, firstly, can I get a word in?"

"Oh, right, sorry," Roll apologized. "What is it?"

X looked over to the Navigator behind his sister. "Well, for one, how is Ai?"

"Oh, she's fine," Roll answered. "But she's more worried about A-1 than herself at the moment."

"I see," X nodded. "A-1," he mused aloud, an image of the rabbit-eared Reploid manifesting in his mind. "I hope you're ok, wherever you are," he spoke quietly to not alert Ai. He then centered his attention back onto Roll. "Where's Chiyo?" he questioned.

"Oh, she's not far," the blonde Reploid answered. "She's finally been able to get to sleep. But if it's important, I can-"

"Well, not yet," X said. Then he paused for a second. "I sort of think you need to know this first."

Roll was puzzled. "What is it?" her eyes then fell on her brother's legs. "Is it how you managed to get those?"

"Yeah, sort of," X then looked around, spotting various others in the room with them. "It's too crowded in here, is there somewhere more private we can go?"

"Well, yes. But why?"

X shifted his green eyes, not wanting to draw too much attention, but he felt that Roll deserved to know. For, as far as either of them knew, they were the only two left. He leaned close and whispered into her audio unit. "I saw him," he said. "I saw the Doctor."

Undisclosed Location

Dr. Cain felt pain in his stomach, but he didn't feel like eating. He had barely touched what he had been given, and when he did, it was only when his body was desperate for some form of sustenance. Even now, despite his situation, he knew that, compared to others, he was perhaps quite fortunate. Especially in comparison to Fujiwara. Still, the sight of the man being run through with Sigma's saber haunted him. And what came afterward gave him trouble sleeping.

Still, regardless, if he was alive, then perhaps others were too. Sigma hadn't dropped all the missiles on the city, yet he doubted it was done out of kindness. Dr. Cain couldn't believe he was even pondering such a thing, yet it couldn't be denied that Sigma had gone completely Maverick and turned his back on humanity. And, in turn, his back on Cain. Yet here the old man was: alive, but stuck in a cage.

Just then, the elderly individual was aware that someone was approaching his cell.

"So, you're the old man that our glorious leader has insisted on making a pet?"

Cain turned his head up and saw a helmeted Reploid with violet armor and impressive shoulder cannon looking down at him. "Vile?" the old man questioned, eyes wide with surprise.

"What? You're shocked that I'm here?" Vile asked, somewhat amused by the human's reaction. "I was thrown out of the Hunters, remember? This was just the most natural course to take."

"No, it doesn't have to be this way," Dr. Cain told Vile. "The city is damaged, but it can be rebuilt. If you turn yourselves in, then maybe the Council will-"

"Oh, stop it! And I thought X's whining was annoying!" Vile groaned. "Get it through your head, old man. There's nothing you, X, or anyone can do that'll change Sigma's mind," he said. "He said he's taking this world away from you humans, and he intends to do just that."

Dr. Cain grew silent for a moment. "And…just how does he plan to do that?"

Vile crossed his arms and gave a small chuckle. "Oh, you'll see. In fact, there's a reason that he let a majority of the population survive," he explained. "But it's not because he had a sudden change of heart."

"Then what?"

A red eye shimmered from underneath Vile's helmet. "He wants them alive, at least for now," he said. "But only for a while. When the time comes, he plans to set an example with Abel City," Dr. Cain could see nothing past the darkness of the former Hunter's helmet, but the old man imagined a smile forming underneath. "And he doesn't plan on letting anyone leave this island alive."

"He must be terminated."

Sigma sat on his throne, the monitor before him displaying all the occupied sections of the artificial island. As he had come to know, Chill Penguin had been taken out. This didn't trouble Sigma, as he didn't trust the bird to last long, yet he was surprised by just who had eliminated Penguin. "But…he is the source of us all," Sigma said, yet no one was in the room with him. No one that anyone else could see. "Not just Fujiwara, but even Dr. Light's own notes spoke of his power. A power that's yet to truly be tapped into."

"Which is why you must destroy him now! He cannot be allowed to continue any further! If you do this, he will eliminate you!"

Should anyone stumble upon the former Commander of the Maverick Hunters, they would've assumed that he was merely talking to himself, answering a voice that no one could hear. But, to the Reploid, the voice was perfectly clear. And it was becoming more and more vocal. "But it can be useful!" the towering, blue-eyed Reploid protested. "His power is said to never stop growing, it's a limitless source of energy. Why waste that?"

"It's not good if it can destroy you. Trust me, I know from experience. And anything of Thomas Light cannot be trusted to leave well enough alone."

Indeed, Sigma thought. True, he wasn't fearful of him, yet the fact X had been the one to terminate Penguin brought him some concern. Of all Reploids, he wouldn't have believed that X would be the one to take such decisive action. And against Penguin! A Reploid that only joined Sigma because he was whining about everyone laughing at him! It would've been somewhat humorous if it weren't so pathetic.

"Still," Sigma said aloud, conversing openly with the voice, unsure of whether or not anyone else would be able to hear it. "I do not believe that it'd be wise to just toss X to the side," he explained. "If he will not be swayed to join our cause, then he will serve us another way."

"He'll serve as your destruction. That's what Light's creations do. They take everything you try to do and destroy it before it can even come to fruition," the voice answered, sounding almost like a low growl, but it resembled no animal nor any living creature on Earth. It sounded guttural, almost machine-like. "That is why he cannot be allowed to continue. He will find those capsules, he will defeat your men, and he WILL come for you. That is how it always goes."

It was then that Sigma smirked. "X would never take a shot at me," he said proudly. "He can't even fire upon his fellow Reploids, much less his own Commander."

"Mega Man fought the one that was his brother. He was unaware of it at the time, yet he still fought him because it was his duty. And when it was believed that robot had betrayed humanity, Mega Man went out to stop him," the voice stopped, snarling again. "And then, he went in and, once again, ruined everything."

"That will not happen," Sigma assured. "I have no intention of revealing my location. And should they realize where I am, it'll already be too late," he eyed the island displayed on the screen. "Everything is still under control."

"That's what the Doctor thought too. And it wasn't until his last moments that he finally succeeded."

The Doctor. Even if the voice addressed him as such, Sigma doubted that they were speaking of Light. Nor were they speaking of Fujiwara, for that man perished because of his failure. While he had always questioned it, he finally had to ask. "What are you?" Sigma questioned, unsure of what to call the source of the voice. "What is your name?"

"Me? I don't have a name," they answered. "And I don't have a body, but I've been around for a long time. Since the days when Mega Man was still active in the world."

"For that long?" Sigma questioned. "Then, you have existed before my time."

"Oh, much longer than that," they replied. "And, truthfully, if I ever had a name, I don't remember it, but, for now," Then, the voice changed. It was the same, yet more earthly, almost partially human. With a slight accent, German perhaps, though Sigma was unsure as to why. "I do remember that I was once a Doctor as well."

Sigma could not see it, yet, if the voice had a form of its own, he imagined a small smirk had appeared on their features.

Abel City

Underground HQ

"And then what?"

"And…then nothing," X told Roll, having completed his tale of his encounter with their creator. "He just vanished."

Roll stood there, unsure of how to process all that she had just heard. "You…truly saw him? You saw the Professor?" X nodded. Roll lowered her head, a few stifled cries emitting from her slightly trembling form. Even if she possessed no tears, that didn't make what she felt any less real. And, even more, due to the upgrades of a Reploid's systems, perhaps that made it even worse. "How…did he look?" she then asked, finally composing herself. "Did he look healthy at least?"

"I think so," X answered. "Although, when he recorded that message or built that capsule, I can't say."

He looked to his elder sister for any possible answer, yet she shook her head. "There's nothing in my memory banks of that either," she said. "And I was the one that assisted him on everything he worked on. So, if I didn't know about it, then he wanted it that way," she then paused. "Still, why did he feel he couldn't tell me? Or tell at least Rock?"

A few tense moments fell in between the two DLNs before Roll spoke again, the suspense too much for her to bear. "Oh, if I may, where is Zero?" the blonde questioned. "I…admit that I have some overdue words to say to him."

X wasn't entirely sure what this meant, yet her features appeared softer than usual whenever she discussed the red Hunter. Even after all this time, Zero had yet to earn Roll's trust, and X couldn't entirely understand why. Whatever it was, however, it was business between Zero and Roll, so X, in turn, had no business interfering. "He went out," X told his sister. "Apparently, there are some things going on at the Power Plant."

"The Power Plant outside of the city?" Roll asked. "Yes, I've heard of that," she remarked. "Not long after you were taken in, all these sites from all across the island began springing to life," she didn't speak the last part aloud, for even she didn't want to imagine the grim spectacle. "It was as if the dead had all sprung to life and began to take the land for themselves."

Then, Roll heard something she didn't expect. "How is Chiyo?"

"Chiyo?" Roll's focus was brought back upon hearing the girl's name. "Oh, she's fine, if that's what you're wondering," Roll then paused. "Well, no. I don't suppose she is. No one is really fine right now."

"How is she, in general?" X clarified.

"She's healthy, if that's what you mean," Roll answered. "But I can't say the same for everything else."

X pondered whether or not he should pry further, but he needed to know. "Trinity mentioned something about her having no choice," he told Roll. "And that she knows something about some entries?"

"Oh, yes. That," Roll said. "The truth is, I'm not so certain of it myself," she confessed. "I'm sorry, but if I'm not a part of the organization, I'm not obligated to be informed of, well, anything, really," she then turned her head. "I only knew you were missing before because A-1 told me." she placed no blame on the Hunters, yet Roll couldn't deny her frustration. "But, from what I've managed to get out of Ai,"

"Ai?" X questioned, surprised. "Trinity, I could see you getting some information out of her, but Ai?"

"She's much more pleasant than she's given credit for," Roll assured him. "She's just…very touchy regarding her production date and whether or not she looks like the most current model." Even if their situations weren't the same, the housekeeper could empathize with the blonde Navigator in a sense. "But, yes. Ai has told me that, upon Chiyo being brought here, she began to reveal a lot."

"Like what?"

"It mostly concerns her father," Roll answered. "What he planned to do, with many of us," she bit her lip. "Including you," she said. "That's actually why Chiyo wanted you to bring that weapon's chip back with you."

"Really? What for?" X asked.

"Well, you know of my brother, and your brother's, abilities, right?" Roll asked. X nodded, even if he had never really known him, the Reploid knew who Mega Man was. What he was. "Well, it seems that Dr. Light fashioned you in a similar manner."

X paused. "You mean…"

Roll nodded. "You can use your enemy's weapons for your own."

It was more than just a matter of night and day. It was almost as if her entire reality had been shattered. The once bright and active streets of Abel City were nothing more than desolate walkways with destroyed buildings and the ever-lingering stench of something still burning. It was an assault on all her senses, but Chiyo didn't care. She couldn't afford to care, not if she wanted to make it out of here alive.

She was convinced she was the only soul desperate or foolish enough to be out here, stumbling around in the dark with no sense of direction. But what else could she do? She had to run from that place, she had to get out. If they discovered the truth, if they found it, then it would be the end for her.

Her life could've been in jeopardy.

All of this and more flooded the eighteen-year-old's brain as she failed to realize where she was going, tripping over a dislodged piece of concrete. She fell to the ground and winced at the pain, raising a hand to her temple. There was a mild cut, but nothing serious, she could survive. She would have to from now on. The only question was, how was she going to? Where could she go?

Her own kind would kill her if they knew who she was.

It was pathetic, truly pathetic, but Chiyo found herself unable to do much else but allow a moment of self-pity to wash over her. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks, the first that she had shed in some time. Crying never came naturally to her, it seemed, a trait she shared with her father. Yet, whenever it happened, it was only because she had been pushed to her breaking point.

Chiyo held herself as she silently wept for herself and the state of the world around her. Why was this happening? What did she do to deserve this? What did anyone do? It wasn't fair!

"What did Kenichi and Fumiko do?"

Kenichi and Fumiko, were they even still alive?

Her father sure wasn't.

Then, in the midst of her lamenting, Chiyo felt the ground beneath her shake. It took a few moments, but after some time, she deduced that the shakes came from footsteps. Footsteps that were approaching her from behind. Leaping up to attention, Chiyo found herself face to face with a fully charged and armed Gun Volt, ready to fire.

She hated herself for it, but her body seized up, Chiyo was left paralyzed at the sight of the rogue mechaniloid. She winced as she braced for what was to come, having come to the terrible realization that she would just end up the others Sigma and his Mavericks have taken. And, unlike them, she doubted anyone would mourn her death. Especially if they knew who she was related to.

She sat up with a start, her heart thumping in her chest. "That damned dream," she hissed, trying to calm herself down. She hated getting all worked up, it rendered her efforts to remain cool and indifferent come apart. Thus, she was thankful that no one else could see her. It wasn't large, but a separate room in the back of the Hunter Base had been cleared out for her, a few commodities littered about for her use. Nothing more than some food, and bedding, really, she felt more like a pet than a human. "Patarche."

Perhaps it was ridiculous, perhaps her father was right. Perhaps Patarche, no matter what she thought of him, was just a dog. Hell, her father outright wanted her to put his body in a trash bag! She had nearly gotten violent with him that night, yet Roll was thankfully able to break it up. As the young woman grew older, her relationships grew more and more distant. And, unfortunately, this was best exemplified with her own family.

Her father. He was the reason that this was the only place she could come to. He was the reason that she realized, if she stayed any longer with the other humans, she would be in danger. It was somewhat selfish on her part, she admitted, but Chiyo had begun teetering into full survival mode. So far, her father had been nothing but a blight on her, and it was partially due to him that all of this was happening! He was the cause of her misery, just as it had always been!

And yet, when she saw Sigma run him through, Chiyo didn't expect it, but she felt her stomach drop upon seeing that. That quickly, just as Patarche had been taken, so too had Dr. Fujiwara. And at the hands of the one he helped create. She began to wonder about Dr. Cain, whether or not he was even alive. Even if she didn't know him that well, he seemed a decent enough person. Not someone worth killing.

Then, does that make your father worth killing?

Chiyo didn't dare ask that aloud, but her blood ran cold when it crossed her mind. And with that, as sick and grotesque as it was, questions began to arise as to whether or not he truly was. Was he someone that deserved to be taken out? Would his death possibly prevent those of others? Would his death perhaps mean some hope for Kenichi and Fumiko?

"Fumiko…" the image of the spectacled girl flashed in Chiyo's mind. Even now, the separation and uncertainty left her chest aching. "I want you here. I want you here so badly."

Just then, the young woman was alerted that someone had just entered her room. At first, she had expected Roll, the Reploid had come to check on her every hour to see if she was all right. Yet who came to see her was not one she anticipated.

Rather, it was the one her father had wished to use as an ultimate weapon.

Note: Please alert me of any errors I might've missed.

Also, it might be a bit of an odd spot to say it, but I will admit that this, as well as a lot of my other stuff, is influenced by Go Nagai's works. For this work especially, even with some of his more obscene titles like Violence Jack (I don't really have an interest in seeing Evil Town uncut). In fact, a lot of my stuff has almost the after-effects of disaster and the people that have to deal with it. Unfortunately, in the X series, it doesn't get much better.

I know Chiyo probably doesn't serve much of a purpose now, but she will later, both in the story and in the series. She's actually related to a character that'll come way, WAY later.

With that said, thank you all for reading, and I hope to hear from you in the future!