Note: Hello everyone! We officially begin Spark Mandrill's route in this chapter, and from here, you'll get to see Ai's interactions with the Hunters more, as she hasn't had a chance to shine in that yet.

Truth be told, I'm pretty surprised people like her, as she just started as a throwaway character I intended to get rid of halfway through the story. But because of her reception, I'm having her survive. Although, I'm not too sure how to transition from the X1 Navigators to those we come to know in X5-8. I'll just have to think about it later.

With that said, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

This chapter, as well as Spark Mandrill's general stage and fight, are inspired by both Iwamoto's manga and the translated novel.

Electric Hazards

Did someone already know that he was here?

X pondered this, for as soon as he took a step inside the Power Plant, the lights and functioning components inside all shut-off, leaving the blue and white Reploid in complete darkness. He took a few hesitant steps forward, the echoes of his footfalls echoing throughout the entire building. Was he the only one in here? If so, then what, or who was the one behind all the activity he had just seen?

Before he went any further, X decided that it would be in his best interest to contact Trinity and detail what was going on. "Trinity, this is X," the blue Reploid told the pink-haired Navigator. "Do you read me?"

"If you mean are you reaching Trinity, no," a different but familiar female voice answered X. "But I read you just fine."

X was taken aback by who he had just heard. "Ai?" he said aloud. "What are you doing there?"

"I'm not staying in bed all day, X," the blonde Navigator told the Hunter. "I'm going to do everything I'm able. And I think I can handle sitting in a chair and leading you around," she said. "Trinity's already alerted me of the situation, so I already know you're the one taking over Zero's investigation."

"Oh, you got him on?" another recognizable voice came in over the com-link, surprising X even more.

"Roll?" he questioned. "You're there too?"

"Hello!" Roll greeted her brother. "I'm participating in guiding you through this place."

"No, you're just observing," Ai told the other blonde. "Anyway," the Navigator directed her attention back to X. "Given you've insisted on taking over this mission, for some reason," Ai expressed her confusion openly. "Zero's assigned me to make sure you don't go and get yourself killed."

"Hey, I am perfectly capable of my duties as a Hunter!" X retorted.

"Is that why you avoided being wiped out by Chill Penguin not but a few hours ago? Because everyone knows of your capability," Ai told him. "But that means nothing if you can't even know when to use those skills."

X went silent for a few moments, Ai's words sinking in. True, as uncomfortable as it was to admit, she was right. He was still here by sheer luck, as well as Marth's contribution. Unfortunately, that contribution came at a terrible price.

"X?" Roll asked her brother, rousing him from his thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I read you loud and clear, Roll," he told his sibling.

"Hey, you're supposed to answer to me, remember?" Ai interjected. "I'm the Navigator here. Now, what's your current situation?"

X gazed around him, waiting for a few moments to see if the power would return. It did not come. "So far, everything's died down," he explained to Ai. "It was bright as day in here one moment, the next, it's pitch black."

Underground HQ

"Hm," Ai pondered X's words from her sitting place, Roll standing but a few inches away, watching the individualized monitor on the control panel. "Perhaps something is occurring with the generator," the blonde Navigator pondered aloud. "Hold on," she then said. "I'll see if I can pull up the schematics," she told X. "We may have them somewhere in our systems, so I could alert you where the generator is."

"Sounds good," X responded from his current location, voice coming in from Ai's headset. Roll was only allowed to hear due to the receptor she had just put onto her left audio unit. "Whenever you're ready."

"All right, hold on a moment," Ai answered, fingers typing on the keyboard at a near-impossible speed, Roll was quite taken aback by both the velocity and dexterity of the Navigator's digits. Roll was about to speak, yet decided to not disrupt the other Reploid's work, focusing her attention on both Ai's fingers and the data appearing on the monitor. After another few taps on the keyboard, a detailed layout of the building X currently resided in manifested before them "All right, this is an area we have access to!"

"What do you mean?" Roll questioned. "If I may ask, seeing as you are busy."

"The Maverick Hunters have access to every building plan in the city, as well as the entire island," the red and white Navigator explained. "Yet, since Sigma's betrayal, many of those areas have been occupied by enemy forces. Thankfully, we still have access to many of the floor plans and structures of those areas, yet we can't know what's exactly changed without an eye-witness account."

"So, you can't just tell X where to go?" Roll questioned.

"Most of the time, no," the other blonde Reploid answered. "But this is just a rare occasion where I know where we need to go," she then adjusted the mic attached to her audio unit. "All right, I've pulled up the schematic for the Power Plant," she alerted X. "The generator is located on the lowest floor of the complex. As for what you'll face in there, let alone who's the one behind the erratic activity, that'll all fall on you."

Power Plant

"I don't think I need to tell you to keep your wits about you," Ai told the mostly blue Hunter.

"No, you don't," X responded. "I'll be careful."

"We'll see about that," the blonde Navigator replied. "In the meantime, you may as well make your way ahead. You'll have to work your way up to get further down in this place from the looks of it." Ai said, the schematic of the Power Plant before her.

"Roger that, I'm going in now," X answered, taking a few steps forward.

"Oh, and X," Ai said before letting X continue on his own. "Zero expects you to come back alive, so you had better not disappoint him."

"I won't I promise," X responded.

"Good. You're no use dead," Ai then paused. "We'll keep in touch. This is Ai, out."

Underground HQ

"Did you need to be so hard on him?" Roll asked the other Reploid. "He really is trying his best."

"His best has nearly gotten himself killed," Ai retorted. "Multiple times, I might add."

Roll found herself without a rebuttal. While she would praise her brother in front of everyone here that dared to doubt him, the Reploid would be dishonest if she didn't say Ai's words were valid. "So, you do care," Roll said with a coy smile. "And everyone told me you were such an Ice Queen."

"And they're right," Ai answered. "It's not the warmest approach, but it's necessary, especially for this line of work," she then paused. She was keeping this conversation between her and Roll alone. "Even if they rely on you, the humans are still the ones that decide whether or not to replace you with the newest model."

Roll said nothing, yet it didn't take her long to understand what Ai was getting at. And, to a good degree, she could empathize. "Say," the other blonde Reploid tried to change the subject. "If I may ask, just what goes into being a Navigator?"

"Hm?" Ai had turned back to the monitor, overlooking the schematic of the Power Plant. "Why?" she questioned. "Am I to take it you're interested?"

"Am I that transparent?" Roll asked, somewhat embarrassed. "I know it's not exactly opportune timing, but, if it would perhaps benefit you, I'd like to contribute in any way I can."

"Considering you have no training, let alone were even constructed with such a purpose, I don't know if there is time to properly prepare you for such a role," Ai told the other blonde, who appeared disappointed by this news. "However," the Navigator continued, gaining Roll's attention. "I'm required to go in for inspection every few hours or so to see if my systems are still functioning in their proper places. During that time," she then turned to face Roll. "I may need an understudy."

Roll's eyes brightened up at the suggestion. "Ah, great! Fantastic even!" she declared. "Oh, I should probably get Chiyo. She might know a thing or two about what's going on."

"As in, helping out with this?" Ai questioned, gesturing to the mic attached to her audio unit. "She's human, what could she do?"

"She delivered those logs to you, didn't she?" Roll told the other mechanical woman. "And, while she might not show it much, she's pretty handy with machines."

"Hm, fine," Ai said. "Bring her here if you want. Although, if she gets in the way, she's going back to her room."

"All right." Roll then went in the direction of the small space set up for Chiyo.

Ai went back to guiding X through the Power Plant, of which he had just entered the second floor. "All right," she told him, re-establishing the connection between her and the Hunter. "So, the lights are going on and off erratically?" Before X could answer her, Ai heard footsteps behind her, turning to see Roll running toward her in a frenzy. "Whoa, what's with you?" she questioned, the other blonde's face awash with concern and worry.

"Chiyo," Roll said, teal eyes wide with fear. "She's gone!"

Streets of Abel City

"All right, which direction are both groups going?" Zero questioned Trinity, he and his team were now back in the darkened and destroyed, but still-standing metropolis that was Abel City.

"Both the party of humans and the gathering mechaniloids are all heading for the western part of the city, specifically the small outer region located not too far from the island's Lighthouse," Trinity reported.

Firefly raised a brow from underneath his helmet, puzzled at what he had just heard from the pink-haired android. "The Lighthouse?" he questioned. "What's so special about that?" Granted, it was one of the few things that weren't too badly damaged by the missiles due to its location, yet why that would be a place of interest, the green Hunter had no idea.

"It's just a theory," Trinity answered. "But it's possible that the humans are going with the intent to activate the beacon and send a message out to the mainland. Specifically Arcadia."

Firefly froze. "But wait," he said. "Wouldn't that violate the conditions Sigma set for us?" he then growled under his breath. "Bastard."

"It's difficult to say, as we technically wouldn't be responsible, for the message wasn't put out by us," the pink-haired Navigator clarified. "However, I wouldn't put it past Sigma to make this fall on our shoulders. After all, we're supposed to be keeping an eye on the human population residing here."

Zero was silent, processing Trinity's words. Indeed, he thought. If the beacon was lit, then those on the mainland would know that there are souls still alive on the island. Yet would it be something Sigma would count against them? And, if so, then the red Hunter had no problem believing that Sigma would carry out his threat.

"Well, Commander?" one of Zero's men asked. "What do you propose we do?"

Zero pondered this, weighing his options. There were several unknown factors up in the air, yet, at the moment, the prospect of what could happen outweighed everything else. If this turn of events meant their potential demise, then the efforts of the humans would have to be stopped at all costs. And it was then that Zero realized what this meant. Interaction with the Reploid's fleshy creators.

Well, not his creators, as Zero made it clear he belonged to no one. Seeing his men awaiting an answer, he was about to speak but paused upon catching a small sound in the distance. "Hm?" he turned to the source, eyeing the corner of a nearby building with suspicion.

"Commander?" Firefly questioned curiously. "What is it?"

"Shh," Zero told Firefly, motioning for him and the rest of the squad to stay silent. "Wait here," he told his men before making his way to the area of interest.

The blonde Hunter's blue eyes surveyed the damaged but still-standing structure, turning a corner to where an ally began, trying to spy if he could detect any sort of unusual details that would alert him to someone's presence. And, indeed, after some careful inspection, Zero deduced that there was a figure hiding in the shadows. He drew out his buster for the figure to see, the red Hunter seeing the shape flinch. But, despite their fear, they also appeared to have a weapon with them. A very familiar weapon he had seen before.

"All right, come on out," Zero instructed the figure. "You know you have no chance against me, so you might as well show yourself."

The figure didn't speak or reply, staying in place for a short while. Ultimately, however, they seemed to accept Zero's statement as fact and approached him, still holding their weapon. The red Hunter had his suspicions, but he was still surprised by who had emerged from the shadows.

Her hair was as dark as they were, so perhaps her lurking in the darkness was fitting.

Power Plant

The lights had gone out yet again, leaving X in complete darkness. Given he would prefer to travel during the times when the environment was lit up, the blue and white Reploid contacted Ai, reporting to her the ongoing instability of the electricity in the building.

"So, it's a constant fluctuation?" Ai questioned.

"It seems that way," X answered, still awaiting the lights to reactivate. "Although, what I'm wondering is who could potentially be responsible for this," he then pondered aloud. "It's almost as if the electricity in itself is being absorbed, and only brief flashes can escape."

"So, you're suggesting that the culprit is someone who consumes copious amounts of energy?"

"Is there someone like that in our records?" X questioned the Navigator.

"Why would you want to know?" Ai questioned.

X was silent at first, knowing that she probably wouldn't be receptive to his answer. "I...just want to know. To see if maybe they can be reasoned with."

Ai said nothing at first, yet she expressed her frustration with a sigh. "And how did that work out for you with Chill Penguin?" she questioned. "If Marth couldn't get to him, then neither could you."

X lowered his head. "Maybe...but do we pass that judgment on everyone else?"

"If it means restoring order and stopping Sigma, then you need to be prepared to make some hard choices," Ai told him. "Don't think for a second that you're the only one that regrets this even happened. We've all lost something thanks to Sigma, and regardless of whomever he's managed to win to his side, they all have to be stopped. You know this, so the sooner you accept it, the better."

X was quiet, unable to conjure up a rebuttal to Ai's words. True, he wasn't the only one that had felt the aftereffects of Sigma's declaration against humanity, but it still didn't make performing this duty any easier.

"As for your question, I have a few candidates in mind," Ai said, changing the subject and getting back to business. "Two of the most likely being that of RN-EN and RN-SM."

"RN-EN?" X questioned. He looked through his memory banks, matching the serial numbers with names. "You mean, Volt Catfish?"

"It's a possibility," the blonde Navigator answered. "His core is essentially a high-powered generator, so it would perhaps make sense if he came here to gather up more energy."

"But Volt Catfish isn't a Maverick! He's not even a Hunter!" X argued. The fish-shaped Reploid had once provided Abel City with power for days when a terrible typhoon hit the artificial island and left people stranded for hours. He hadn't been found since the missile strike, so neither X nor anyone else was aware of his whereabouts.

"Of course, there's also RN-SM, otherwise known as Spark Mandrill," the red-armored Navigator continued. "Although I take it you don't believe he could potentially have anything to do with this either."

X sighed. "It's not that I don't believe it," he then gazed at his buster. "I just know what's going to follow if nothing can be compromised."

"What's there to compromise? Whoever is responsible, they need to be stopped," Ai told X. "And it falls on us to do it."

X was about to answer Ai with another question, but he stopped himself, sensing that he wasn't alone. As if to answer his suspicions, an object flew right above his head missing him by mere inches due to the Hunter ducking at just the right time. "What the...?!" X said, lifting himself off his knees, spotting the projectile that had nearly hit him. "A Hotarion?"

Hotarions were mechaniloids that were constructed to light up dark areas, so their presence here was understandable. The only problem was that they were normally non-aggressive, much less willing to slam into anything in their way at high speed. The trail of light emitting from its brightened generator lit the way as it went. X, using the mechaniloid as a source of light, watched where the light fell and noticed a series of figures before him, but they weren't Reploids.

A couple of Gun Volts as well as other mechaniloids programmed to guard the Power Plant turned to face X, detecting the intruder and ready to fire at any moment.

Streets of Abel City

"You?" Zero questioned, pondering if he was seeing things right.

"Yes, me," the dark-haired young woman answered. From the ally, hiding in the shadows, Chiyo had emerged, the prototype weapon she had developed in her hands, the trigger having yet to be pulled. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to the Power Plant."

"Change of plans," Zero answered. "Although, that doesn't answer why you're here, let alone why you even thought it would be a good idea to come in the first place," he then crossed his arms. "If you're wanting to be a Hunter, you're a little too squishy for that."

"That's not why I'm out here," Chiyo retorted. "I wouldn't have come out if I didn't have to."

"Then why do you have to?" Zero questioned.

Chiyo bit her lip. She was reluctant to release the details to the blonde Hunter, whom she still didn't entirely trust. Her dear father had written extensively about him of all Reploids, perhaps even more than X. And, according to him, Sigma too had a peculiar interest in him. But, despite her reservations, it seemed she had no choice but to relay to him the reason she put herself in potential danger.

"Not long after X left, I saw one of the Sky Spies catch footage of someone dragging along a kid in this direction," Chiyo answered Zero. "It...it was a little far away, yet it looked like Kenichi."

"Kenichi?" Zero questioned.

"Fumiko's little brother," Chiyo clarified. She then shifted in place. "I don't know whether it was her pulling him, or someone else," her eyes then grew determined. "But if either of them is out here, they have to be found."

"And what? You think you're the one that has to do it?" the red Hunter asked the human, who was silent for a moment before she could conjure up an answer.

"You have your hands full with dealing with Sigma, and the other humans either are too scared to come out, or have objectives other than searching for their loved ones," the dark-haired girl told Zero. "Besides, it's not as if I can go and personally ask for someone to search for them. No one else will be looking for them," she answered. "The way I see it, I might be the only one who knows they still exist."

Zero was quiet, his men and Firefly gathering around to see what was going on. "Hey, isn't that Fujiwara's daughter?" Firefly questioned. "What's she doing here?"

"She said she came out searching for a friend," Zero told the green biker. He then looked back at Chiyo. "Am I right?"

Chiyo was surprised at the red Reploid's answer but answered with a nod. Still, she wasn't entirely trusting. He was planning something, but what?

"Well, she can't stay here," one of Zero's men stated. "She needs to be escorted back to HQ."

"No," Chiyo protested. "I'm not leaving without Fumiko or Kenichi."

"Then you can't be left alone either," Zero said. Pondering for a moment, he turned to Firefly. "Take her back, and make sure the door to her room is locked until we return." He didn't have time to deal with her, let alone deal with humans in general.

Firefly shrugged. "Whatever you say, Commander," the green Reploid looked at the dark-haired human, approaching her. "Ok, on the bike, kid."

Chiyo mentally hissed, her plan foiled before it could even get started. But then, in the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow run along the walls of a nearby building. One of those shadows very much resembled a young boy trying to keep up.

"Kenichi?" Chiyo said, allowing her to create a momentary distraction as the Hunters looked in the same direction. "Fumiko!" True, they too had seen the shadow, yet this allowed the human to slip away from them, running after the darkened shape and disappearing into the shadows it entered.

"Hey! Get back here!" Zero called out, rushing over to where the girl had gone. He saw her silhouette vanish in the darkness, cursing at being caught off guard so easily. "Firefly!" he called out. "Track her down and get her back to HQ!"

"No problem!" Firefly answered, mounting his bike and riding off to try and potentially stop Chiyo in what was surely a journey toward destruction.

"As for the rest of you, follow me!" Zero commanded. "We still have some mechaniloids to catch up to!"

"Yes, sir!" the rest of the squad answered, following behind their red leader, his long ponytail swishing behind him.

Soon, droplets began to fall from the skies, sparsely at first, but then they increased. It soon evolved into a downpour, and not long after that, bright flashes of surging lighting were seen in the darkened clouds, providing one of the few sources of light in the darkened city. The thunder echoed throughout the demolished area that was once a successful and lucrative metropolis as if warning Zero's team to not draw any closer, but the red Hunter and his men persisted. They had to succeed in their mission, both for the humans and for themselves. For, while they may have not known it, the fools that were heading for the Lighthouse could potentially spell doom for them all.

Of course, that meant he would have to potentially deal with humans, a prospect Zero didn't care much for at all. If anything, it made him wish more that he insisted X take this instead of him. He at least knew how to interact with their fleshy creators. Zero? Not so much.

Nevertheless, duty called, and he would go through with such a duty, whether he liked it or not. And, indeed, humans were one thing that he did not particularly like.

Power Plant

A missile was launched in his direction, X managing to roll out of the way in the nick of time before firing a charged shot at the offending Gun Volt. The blast tore through the mechaniloid's chest and sent it crashing into another of its fellow machines. Activating the missiles to at least defend itself, the other Gun Volt managed to only blow itself and its ally to pieces. Using this opportunity, X ducked underneath the smoke and dashed forward, making use of his newly acquired upgrade. Unfortunately, he didn't get far.

He spotted more Gun Volts in front of him, these lot seeming to be better prepared than their fallen brethren. X was about to fire, yet his body was suddenly overtaken by an agonizing surge of electricity, the shock traveling throughout his entire body in a split second, his inner circuitry being fried from his boots up to his helmet. Yet when that split second ended, X found himself on his knees, his systems trying to catch up from the intense surge they had taken.

"So, the floor's electrified," X observed, spying on the cause of his previous shocking experience. "Then I need to find someplace else to travel."

But where could that be? His green eyes then fell on the walls, noticing how the electrodes didn't appear to be active. Seizing the opportunity, one of the Gun Volts unleashed a barrage of missiles in the direction of the mostly blue Hunter, hoping to finish him off and eliminate the enemy threat. Yet it was at that moment that X jumped up and kicked off of the left wall, kicking off the surface and dashing toward the right. He repeated this pattern until he was able to rise above the group of Gun Volts and, with one last kick, leap over them. And upon landing, he wasted no time in delivering the stored-up energy he was keeping in his buster.

After taking care of the group, X continued on his way, thankfully coming across some ground that didn't have surging electrodes built into the floor. "Hm," the Hunter hummed, eyes surveying the environment. "I don't want to even entertain Ai's suggestions," X said to himself, seeing a ladder a short distance away. "Still, I wonder just who is the one responsible for all of this."

As he climbed down, the Hunter was unaware of a concealed camera surveying his every move. And presenting his movements to the one observing the footage. The figure concealed in the darkness of the massive chamber he resided in watched as the smaller Reploid made his way through the building, the latter completely unaware that he was being spied on.

"Hm, looks like I'll have to do some work after all," he mumbled, taking a moment to pop another energen crystal in his mouth, specifically a small crystallized cluster that Reploids called an energen sweet. "But maybe not," he said, his sharpened dentals crushing the energy source in his mouth. "He'll be approaching the room of that secret weapon," he mused, the lights momentarily flashing back on in the massive chamber, revealing his form for but a brief moment before darkness overtook the confined space once again. "Once that thing takes care of him, I can have all the electricity I want!"

Indeed, while X was unaware, he was approaching something dangerous. Something hidden away from prying eyes held deep within a secluded lab and not released out into the world.

Until now.

Note: Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I wanted to get this one out at least before the month ends, although I'll try to update more frequently. Although I'm not making any promises.

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