Note: Hello! I'll admit that I'm writing three things at once at the moment to see how well I do with that, so I don't exactly know when I'll get this uploaded. Regardless, we'll be seeing Thunder Slimer in action, as well as get some insight as to what goes into being a Navigator, as well as how Ai's production date affects what she can do.

This and the upcoming Spark Mandrill battle are both based on the light novel and manga, for I think it could also further play into Chiyo's development.

Also, we get some terrible news involving one character, though I have yet to say which one.

With that said, here's hoping you enjoy the chapter!

Trigger Warning in this chapter.

Thunder Slimer

"Ai, can you hear me?" X asked over the com-link, keeping his voice down to not attract any attention.

"Loud and clear, X," Ai responded. "Huh, you took the initiative to call me. Usually Zero's the one making sure I keep tabs on you whenever you're out on a mission."

X didn't respond to her remark, yet he found himself growing slightly embarrassed. "I've come across a blockade of sorts in here."

Ai and Roll, who were both listening in, didn't entirely understand. "Describe it for me. I need details." Ai told the blue Hunter.

X gazed at the barrier before him, eyes surveying the wall it was attached to, along with the other four walls surrounding the obstacle. A massive door was shut tightly in front of the Hunter, preventing him from progressing any further. Yet the issue wasn't whether or not he could enter through the door, the question was what possibly lay behind it.

"It's just a large door," X alerted the blonde Navigator. "Is the generator located in here? I'm in a tunnel that you need to reach by climbing down a ladder. Does that help?"

"Let me see," Ai said, pausing momentarily to get a signal. "Looks like I can't reach into it. You'll have to break through yourself."

X was about to respond, yet, as if reading his mind, a loud CLICK was heard, and then, before him, the door began to open. The chamber beyond the now open barrier was darkened chamber, large and mostly covered in tiles, but it felt far from inviting.

"What happened?" Ai questioned.

"It seems I've found a way in," X responded. "I'm going."

"Remember, don't hesitate," Ai told the blue Hunter. "Zero expects me to make sure you come back alive."

From the confines of HQ, Ai, and Roll sat by with bated breath, the latter pacing back and forth. Not only was her little brother possibly going to go get himself in trouble, yet Chiyo was now missing! "This is terrible," she said. "What could've possessed her to try and go out there?!"

"Zero and his squad are out there, they'll find her," Ai told the other blonde. "There are a group of humans we suspect are traveling to the lighthouse, so perhaps she's joined with them."

"I have to disagree with that," Roll answered. "Chiyo is no people person, even X said he found her alone on the highway," she explained. "Truth be told, the only ones that she has any deep attachment to was Patarche and Fumiko."

"Patarche?" Ai questioned, wondering what sort of name that was.

"Her dog," Roll told the Navigator. "She had him since she was still in the single digits."

"One of the most important things in her life was an animal?" Ai inquired. "Wasn't it going to eventually die anyway?"

"He didn't just die," Roll told her. "He was shot trying to shield his owner from that ex-Hunter, Vile."

"It's still just an animal," Ai said. "It's not like one of your kind."

Roll wanted to argue back but ultimately held her tongue. She still regarded the death of an animal to be of equal weight to that of a human, for Rush was just as much her family as Rock and Light. Still, she had to acknowledge that many machines weren't like her and Rock, let alone X. The Reploids around her bore personalities and their selves, yet they were still somewhat mechanical in their reactions and responses. Even if she had been upgraded, the reformatted former robot found herself out of place among those supposed to be her fellow brethren.

"Well, Fumiko IS one of her kind," Roll told Ai. "And the last I knew, she and her family were in Abel City when the island was cut off from the rest of the world," it was then that she gasped. "Of course!"

"What?" Ai inquired.

"It all makes sense! Why didn't I see it before?!" Roll exclaimed. "Fumiko! Chiyo went out for Fumiko!" she then began running out of the chamber.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Ai rose from her chair, calling after Roll.

"I'll be back!" she shouted. "I'll be careful out there!"

"No way!" suddenly, Roll felt herself being pulled back, Ai having reached her just before she could make her exit. "What use are you going to be to anyone getting yourself killed?"

"I'm a Reploid, Chiyo is a human," Roll countered. "Even with my cheap body, metal's more durable than flesh and bone."

"Maybe, but you're still no match for the mechaniloids and Mavericks out there," the red Navigator retorted. "Then what? Do you want X to come back to hear the news his sister's dead? After what Zero went through to try and save you?"

Roll went quiet, biting down on her lower lip. She despised admitting it, yet Ai was correct. She would be doing a disservice to everyone, especially X if she were to go out in such a dangerous environment. "But," she still protested slightly. "Chiyo…"

"She'll be fine," Ai told Roll. "If anything, I think you baby her too much," she said. "She's in her last year of schooling, isn't she? Then she's practically an adult. Granted, I wouldn't recommend anyone, adult or child, go out there, but I think she has better chances than you think."

"How can you say that?" Roll asked. "Doesn't the fact she's weaker than us concern you at all?"

"Of course it does," the other blonde responded. "But, for now, it's out of your hands. All you can do is hope that she's got enough smarts to get back in one piece."

"How are you confident that she will?" the housekeeper questioned.

Ai was quiet for a moment, turning away from Roll. "Because hope is all we have right now," she said. "It's all I have for my little brother right now."

Roll didn't need much to realize who she was talking about. "Has there been any…?"

"No," Ai answered. "There's been no word since the missiles fell. And even then, I doubt he would've survived if he had been in the city."

"Well, if that's the case, why do you say hope is all we have when you don't sound much like it?"

"You're right, I'm not," the pony-tailed Reploid admitted. "But…even then, if there's the slightest possibility, it's…enticing to believe, no matter how unlikely it is."

With that, the Navigator went back to her chair, leaving Roll alone. Her eyes then fell on Trinity, who was guiding Zero's team through the darkened streets of the city.

Streets of Abel City

Damn! Where was she?! Even if Firefly was speaking of the daughter of one of his creators (although Cain was more his parent than Fujiwara ever was), the little brat had ducked into the alleyways and made it nearly impossible to find a way through the winding corridors. Just what the hell was she thinking?! She'd get killed for sure out here?! Didn't she have any sense of self-preservation at all? Not, as she so foolishly went off on her own.

But, if anything, that made Firefly's mission more crucial. Even if the man was long dead, the young woman was still a human, and he was to abide by the Laws. Even if said Laws were more of an annoyance than anything at times. This wasn't to say that his views aligned with that of Sigma, much less the Mavericks serving under him, yet views regarding the humans ranged from the belief they should be protected to that they were irritating at best and unreasonable animals at worst.

"Well, technically speaking," Firefly muttered. "They're no more than hairless apes with more developed brains," he then gazed into the shadows of the pathways he still had to travel. "Although, they're a lot more troublesome than their primate cousins."

Further ahead, Chiyo navigated the narrow passages as best she could, yet she found herself becoming somewhat regretful that she even set foot outside of the Hunter Base. Yet she still pressed on despite her growing fear. If there was a chance Kenichi and Fumiko were out here, then she had to find them. She ran as fast as she could go, all the while being mindful of just how much space she had to move. After a short while, she managed to catch a shape move in the corner of her eye.

"Hey! Wait!" the dark-haired human called out, the small form's shadow running on the wall before it disappeared from view. "Stop!"

Chiyo ran, trying to keep track of where she saw the shadow move, even if she could only see brief glimpses due to the darkness of the city. She scrapped herself against the sides of the buildings, the texture of the brick and plaster they were constructed from tearing at her flesh, leaving red patches, but she persisted. If there was a chance, just the slightest chance, she had to do it. Even if she was risking herself, she had to at least try and make an effort to find them.

She was desperate to prove herself wrong. She hoped she was wrong, she hoped for nothing more than that she was wrong. That her search wasn't in vain.

Then, finally, at long last, she saw the shadow again, only this time, she called out a name. "Fumiko?!" Chiyo shouted, trying to gain the shadow's attention.

Then, the shadow stopped. "Wh-Who's there?" a young voice asked, that of a small boy.

Chiyo immediately recognized it. Running toward the source of the sound, the older human came across a familiar face, his hand clutched in that of another, but it wasn't of flesh and bone. "Kenichi?"

The boy emerged, allowing himself to be seen. "Chiyo?!" Indeed, it was Kenichi, yet the one with him was not his sister. The boy was out of his uniform and dressed in casual, green overalls with yellow straps and a collared undershirt, a pair of yellow shoes on his feet.

"Hm?" the Reploid pulling Kenichi along also revealed himself, two rabbit-like sensors protruding from his orange helmet. "Who is this?" A-1 questioned, surprised by the other human's sudden appearance. "Wait a moment," he then said. "You're Fujiwara's child, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's me," Chiyo responded. "Who are you?"

"A-1. A Navigator constructed for the Maverick Hunters organization," the smaller machine answered the human. "Although, I'm also supposed to be the designated young sibling of our first Navigator unit."

"Sibling?" Chiyo asked. "Hm, just like X and Roll," she then redirected the conversation. "Anyway, I'm so glad you're ok, Kenichi," the older girl kneeled to the boy's level. "Where's your sister?"

It was then that the boy's features grew grim, then depressed. But before he could answer, another presence made itself known. "Finally, there you are!" Firefly came running up, having spotted Chiyo at long last. "What are you thinking?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" he then noticed the child and another Reploid present. "A-1!" Firefly shouted. "You're alive!"

"By sheer luck, yes," A-1 answered. "Although," he then looked at Kenichi. "This one wasn't so fortunate."

What did he mean by that? Chiyo was about to ask, but Firefly cut in before she could even speak. "Well, I'll admit, I wasn't sure whether or not I could escape Vile," the smaller Reploid told the green Hunter. "But after the missile strike on Abel City, I managed to find my way back afterward. The pathway to the base had been destroyed, so I had to swim."

"Yeah, yeah, we can discuss that later when we get you back to HQ," Firefly said. "Ai's going to need to know about this for sure."

"How is she?" A-1 questioned. "Is she…?"

"She was a bit battered but alive," the taller biker answered. He then looked at the prototype in Chiyo's hands. "It wouldn't have done much, but that thing managed to keep Sting Chameleon at bay before I got to him."

A-1 lowered his head. "So, then Chameleon is now a Maverick."

"He doesn't surprise me," Firefly said. "That guy was always twisted in the head, even when he was first activated. But enough of that," he then placed his hand on A-1's shoulder. "I need to get you back to your sister."

"Not yet!" Chiyo protested. She then directed her attention to the shorter Navigator. "You! That boy with you," she said, gesturing to Kenichi. "Was there anyone else with him?" she questioned. "A girl with short hair and glasses? Wearing a uniform like mine, only her vest is blue and her skirt is red? She's a grade lower than me," that detail was perhaps unnecessary, yet Chiyo was willing to relay any detail she had about the missing girl. "Then again, it was the weekend when the strike happened, so maybe she was wearing something different.

"Um, no," A-1 said. "I know who you're talking about, however."

"You know Fumiko?" Chiyo asked. "Where is she?" Kenichi's lip trembled upon hearing the girl's name. No. Chiyo mentally begged. No, no, no, no, no. "Where's your sister?"

Kenichi didn't answer, only turning away, the beginnings of tears developing in his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry," A-1 told Chiyo. "I…didn't know she was your friend."

"Just tell me," Chiyo said, practically begging at this point. "Is she alive?"

A-1 said nothing for a short while, the young woman's brown eyes enlarging the longer his silence went on. But then, before he could answer, the boy did so for him.

"She's gone."

Chiyo's blood froze. A part of her believed it, a part of her knew it was true. But still, she wanted to deny it. She wanted nothing more than to believe it wasn't true. "So…she's…?"

Kenichi nodded. "Fumiko's gone."

Power Plant

Entering through the door, X found that the chamber was expansive and sparsely colored, lights trailing up the walls allowing him to slowly get a good look at his environment. So far, there appeared to be no apparent threats before him, so he made his way to the other side, intending to exit. But then, the door behind him shut, trapping him inside. And it didn't take X long to realize that the other door was locked as well, leaving him with no way out.

He was about to try and contact Ai, yet he was distracted by a strange substance falling onto his shoulder. "Hm?" X gazed at the unfamiliar goo, lightly touching it with his ivory fingers. "It has a density to it, not to mention a thickness," he outwardly mused, as no one was around to hear him. At least, that's what he thought at the time being. "But it's clear, like water." just what was this stuff? And better yet, where was it coming from?

That's when X looked up, and lights trailing up the walls illuminated the top of the chamber. The source of the dripping slime was up above him, hanging from the ceiling.

Its entire life was born from one question: just how big could a cell get if it were allowed to keep expanding in size? No one knew the answer, let alone how to perform such a feat with genetics. Yet, when it came to the realm of robotics, some were willing to make such a thing a reality, only it would be with metal instead of proteins. Thus, it was born, or rather, constructed. It was made for expansion and growth, thus, it was to continue further development.

It was to continue absorbing energy. And the smaller form below would be a threat to it.

"What the…?" X questioned aloud, his green eyes gazing at the mammoth mechaniloid hanging up from above.

The mechaniloid in question was a large, red machine with several protruding sections of gold and a pair of generators hooked into its "face" from the back. Two sizable blue orbs rested on the front, yet X was unsure of whether or not these were the machine's "eyes", or if the curved vents between them served as its "mouth." It rested in a spherical containment of thick slime, some small droplets falling from above and coating the ground where it landed.

"What…is that?!" he questioned, wasting no time in contacting Ai. "Ai, can you hear me?"

"You're still alive, good," the blonde Navigator answered. "But you seem to be in trouble, yet again."

"I've come across an unusual mechaniloid in the Power Plant," X explained. "It seems different than the others scouring the place."

"That's too vague. Describe it for me." Ai requested.

"It's red and is in what looks like a ball of slime," X said. Then, he noticed energy beginning to develop. "I think it might be charging itself up for an attack."

"Wait a moment," the Navigator said. "Did you say slime? And it's charging?"

"Yeah, any idea of what it could be?" X questioned, trying to not make any sudden movements. Perhaps the mechaniloid hadn't noticed him yet.

"Hm, let me see what we have in our files," Ai said, looking through the available schematics they had stored in the HQ's system. After a short few moments, Ai finally had an answer for him. "We don't have any plan outlining its construction, but I think I know what it is." Her tone was grim.

"Then what is it?" X questioned, still trying to keep still.

"It's just a hunch, but I think we found something like that described in Fujiwara's files," Ai told him. "A secret project that was supposed to be kept under wraps until it was deemed too dangerous to continue working on it," the Navigator informed the Hunter. "I don't know if it's the official name, but the logs called it a Thunder Slimer."

"Thunder Slimer?"

Whether it was X's voice, or perhaps it had known he was there all along, the blue Reploid couldn't decide which one was the most likely answer. Regardless, however, the red mechaniloid, the supposed "Thunder Slimer" turned its attention directly to him, registering his presence and exact location. And then, it readied itself to attack, detaching itself from the ceiling and aiming right for the blue Reploid below.

Streets of Abel City

Gone. It was a single word, but it felt as if one of the many destroyed buildings surrounding her had come tumbling down, crushing her underneath its weight. She tried to mouth words, torn between whether or not to question Kenichi further or to leave it at that. Yet the former won out. Selfish as it was, Chiyo had to know what happened. She had to know, no matter what.

Still, it seemed she would be receiving her answer from someone else.

"I found Kenichi behind one of the doors to the shelters," A-1 told the dark-haired human. "From what he told me, he didn't even go down," the Reploid then looked at the boy. "He said his sister was somewhere out there," the boy hung his head. "It…didn't take too long to find her. Or rather, what was left." Chiyo's blood ran cold. Even Firefly, though he had no idea who the girl was, felt his core drop upon hearing Ai's younger sibling present such a detail. "There was nothing graphic, just some articles of torn clothing that had somehow survived," A-1 continued. "Anything else was incinerated by the missiles or what came before."

"Before?" Firefly questioned.

Kenichi finally spoke up. "Fumiko…and I…we got separated from mom and dad," the boy said. "We tried to get to Arcadia by going on the roads, but mechaniloids blew them all up."

The highway. Chiyo inwardly mused, remembering her earlier escape attempt. Still, she was mentally kicking herself for missing the two of them. How close were they to her? She could've possibly alerted X that they were there too! She could've…

"But, we managed to get back to the city," Kenichi explained. "And we found a way down."

"Then what happened?" Firefly asked. "Did you two get separated again?"

The boy bit his lip. "You…could say that."

Power Plant

Leaping out of the way at the last second, the mechaniloid, the Thunder Slimer, landed on the ground, covering the floor in slime before it seemingly "bounced" back up, its thick covering stretching upward until it formed a perfect sphere again.

"I won't let you continue any further."

X gaped upon hearing the voice. True, it sounded more mechanical than his, yet he was shocked that he had heard anything come from it at all. "You can talk?!" he questioned aloud, still in shock. Normally, mechaniloids weren't even programmed with speech, merely communicating through signals and gestures. Yet not only could this one speak, but it also appeared to have a sense of awareness.

"I will not allow you to impede my Master's plans." the Thunder Slimer answered, voice mostly smooth and monotone, but there was a serious firmness in its vocals. "You shall be terminated here!"

Then, several droplets of slime were produced and shot out, falling directly toward X down below. The blue Hunter made a mad dash away from the incoming droplets, yet he couldn't predict where they were going to fall, several cutting him off as he tried his best to avoid them. A dash right then left, then right, then to the center. There was no pattern to when the slime dropped, making it near impossible to avoid it completely. Eventually, however, X's form was weighed down by the substance, binding him to the ground and seizing his limbs in a gooey grip, keeping him in place. He was trapped with nowhere to go.

From above, the Thunder Slimer positioned itself above the stuck Reploid, attaching itself to the ceiling and absorbing copious amounts of energy, all for the task of dealing with the intruder trapped below.

X attempted to get free, knowing well what was about to happen, yet there was no hope. A blast of blinding light came down, and all he knew was that light. Light, and the searing, burning sting that it brought with it, which assaulted his entire circuitry, down to his metal skeletal structure.

Streets of Abel City

"Ok, so you two managed to get back to the city," Firefly went over, Kenichi nodding in response to his inquiry. "Then what?"

The boy lowered his head. A-1 spoke up for him. "They made it to the entrance to one of the shelters, and were about to go inside," he said, still mindful of the boy he had been with for the past day or so. "But that's when it happened."

"What happened?" Chiyo questioned. She regretted her haste when she saw Kenichi tear up again.

"It…was quick, and she didn't suffer," A-1 told the dark-haired human. "But…it wasn't a pleasant way to go."

Days Earlier

WARNING

"Hurry!" Fumiko urged her brother, dressed in a blue summer dress with brown sandals and a simple, white hat. She had to stop for a moment to keep her spectacles from falling off, yet she knew she couldn't afford to waste much time.

"Fumiko!" Kenichi protested, yet he was unable to fight against his sister's superior strength. "Where's mom and dad?!"

"We'll look for them when we get down! Just keep going!" the short-haired girl's dark eyes searched around for an entrance, finally spotting one just ahead. She pulled Kenichi toward the doorway and immediately went to work opening it, pulling open one of the thick frames to allow passage inside.

"Ok, Kenichi, you go first. I'll…?" Fumiko didn't hear the boy respond. "Kenichi?" she didn't turn around, but suddenly felt a deathly cold chill crawl its way up her spine. The boy still didn't answer her. She didn't want to, she didn't want to see what was behind them, but she knew she had to look.

Standing mere feet away was a single Gun Volt, the blue mechaniloid standing tall and over the two humans, its height and prowess far outmatched theirs. The glasses-wearing seventeen-year-old gazed wide-eyed at the machine, Kenichi slowly backing up away from the approaching threat. "F-Fumiko…?" the boy stammered, hoping that his sister had some sort of strategy in mind.

Kenichi was seized by the wrist and pulled back, his sister shielding him with her body, the Gun Volt standing before them, unmoving. Then, the panels on its chest began to open, revealing several explosives that it would soon launch in their direction. And it was then that Fumiko realized she had the decision to make. And if it wasn't made soon, it would cost them both.

There was enough space created for one of them to slip in, yet only one. The other would have to…

"Kenichi," Fumiko suddenly spoke up.

"Y-Yeah?" the boy asked, unsure of just what his sister was planning to do.

"Tell mom and dad that I'm afraid they're going to have to put up with you from now on without me to keep you in line."

"What?" the boy questioned, yet he didn't get any further.

"Bye."

Turning her back to the Gun Volt, Fumiko pushed her little brother through the space the boy fell down the stairs due to the force of the push. To Fumiko's relief, however, he appeared to be all right. Good. she thought. I can at least do that.

She closed the door and the Gun Volt fired, the girl able to turn her head at the last second to see the projectiles heading her way. Then, for the briefest second, there was fire, and then there was nothing.

Warning Over

Power Plant

The blinding light had stopped, but X's systems were still fried. In contrast to the blistering cold of the Polar Region, the Thunder Slimer's attack left his insides burning, sizzling emerging from any available place smoke could exit out. Despite this, however, his cooling systems began to go to work, desperately trying to lower his body temperature to lessen the heat, as well as prevent any possible combustions. X still found himself stuck in the thick substance, his struggles proving useless. If the slime was more solid, then perhaps he could break out!

It was then that it hit him. His cooling systems…hardening the slime…cooling it down. Or rather, freezing it. But that would mean making use of Chill Penguin's weapon chip, a thought that still made him unsure. Could he do it? Could he make use of his old friend's abilities as if that was all he was good for?

The subsequent guilt ultimately gave way to survival mode as X realized the Thunder Slimer was readying itself to unleash another blast of electricity. And this time, the blue Reploid doubted he would survive a second time. His blaster was trapped in the slime, yet his weapon containment unit activated the inserted chip, and, from the cannon, a blast of ice shot out. The chilled, highly concentrated plasma immediately went to work in freezing the substance around the buster, the slime soon becoming nothing more than a frozen droplet his arm was encased in. Then, he switched back to his standard weapon and fired, shattering the ice and freeing his arm.

With his buster free, X proceeded to fire ice at the rest of the slime trapping him in place, then he blasted the frozen substance from his limbs until he was free. Thunder Slimer released itself from the ceiling and came down again, forcing X to make a quick getaway. During the few moments that the massive mechaniloid was on the ground, the blue Hunter fired shot after shot at the larger machine, yet his blasts were merely absorbed by the dense sphere of slime surrounding the red mechanical being. This wasn't working, he needed a different strategy. But what?

He then thought back to how he had freed himself, then his gaze turned to the slime surrounding the Thunder Slimer. The droplets froze quite quickly, yet X suspected that it would take more than one blast to accomplish what he had in mind. Yet, if he could pull it off, he could perhaps deal with this foe sooner than he thought.

"I shall not allow you to reach the generator," Thunder Slimer said, readying itself for another attack. "You shall not reach the Guardian of this facility."

"Sorry," X said, aiming his weapon. "But I'm going to have to put your plans on ice!"

He fired, and the Thunder Slimer immediately felt the drastic temperature change. Its optics noticed the portion of its protective coating that was slowly being engulfed by the chemicals loaded in the shot. Despite its circuitry being unsure of the processing of emotional stimuli and surges of feeling, the mechaniloid found itself beginning to worry. Had its smaller opponent found a method against it?

Thunder Slimer dispersed more slimy droplets, yet, unlike before, X fired each of them before they came down, freezing them and letting them shatter into pieces on the floor. Thunder Slimer was growing desperate, the protective coating surrounding its vulnerable body soon transforming into its prison, restricting its movement and causing its systems to go into overdrive trying to warm its internal components. This wasn't good, it couldn't take much more of this. Any further, then it wouldn't be able to support itself. It tried in desperation to release one last surge of electricity, yet the sparks died down before they could even start, the entire sphere of slime that surrounded the mechaniloid now a crystal orb of partially transparent ice.

Then, the Thunder Slimer came crashing down. Upon reaching the ground, the impact caused intense damage to its encased form, with parts being wrenched from their places and pieces being knocked out of place. The icy containment splintered and cracked, revealing the vulnerable form of the mechaniloid once protected by the now-frozen coating. Then, the Thunder Slimer noticed X, who was ready to fire and end it.

"I…I shall not allow you to succeed," it said, still trying to gather energy to release at least some form of attack. "You…shall not impede my Master…"

He was set to fire, having charged up a shot from within his weapon. Still, X didn't fire, not yet. "Who is your Master?" he questioned. "Is it Sigma?"

"No," Thunder Slimer answered. "He is my Commander, for he assisted in freeing me, yet my Master is the one who convinced him to release me."

X bit his lip. "How is it you can speak?" he questioned. "I thought mechaniloids weren't programmed with advanced AI."

"They are not," Thunder Slimer answered. "I am an exception."

"How?" X asked. He wasn't exactly smart, yet he needed to know.

"Fujiwara…" the mechaniloid said, feeling its systems beginning to slow down. "My consciousness…he expanded it. To see if a mechaniloid could handle the complexity that goes into the programming of a Reploid," X remained silent. "But…the Council deemed my existence too hazardous, yet Fujiwara was unwilling to scrap me. So…he hid me away."

Hid him away? Truthfully, X wasn't sure if it was exactly a "him", yet he found it more respectful than referring to the machine as an "it," especially considering it presented itself as intelligent.

"I was put in a place where there was nothing but darkness," Thunder Slimer explained. "I never saw the sun, the stars, felt the wind or saw the changing skies. I saw none of this for a time I don't wish to remember."

X remained silent for a few moments before he asked, "Then…how did you get out?"

"Upon joining with Sigma's rebellion, Fujiwara set to release me from confinement and into Sigma's services. Yet, he is unfortunately no longer part of the picture," even now, the sight of the scientist's death still made X flinch. "Thus, I am free to obey only those I deem worthy of my services."

"And Sigma is worthy of that?" X asked.

"He is my leader, but he is not my Master," the red mechaniloid answered. Its vision was growing blurry and unclear, the sight of the mostly blue Hunter becoming less and less visible. "My Master…he convinced Sigma to free me," Thunder Slimer said. "He allowed me to be able to see the sun."

X was silent, unable to say anything. He was torn between firing or trying to offer some sense of comfort to the heavily damaged machine, yet he doubted either would do it any good. Although, one would end his suffering.

"My time may end here…but I have no regrets," the mechaniloid said. "For, with your help, I shall truly be free."

X's green eyes widened. "You…you mean…?"

"Do it."

Silence fell between the two, and the blue Hunter was stuck on what action to take next. He was ready to fire at any given time, yet he found hesitation taking over yet again.

"Finish it," Thunder Slimer again insisted. "There is nothing more."

Moments stretched into minutes, X still in position and aiming for the enemy, yet nothing was produced from his weapon. Still, after a short while, he realized what had to be done. Not just out of duty, but to provide some act of kindness for the one he had just slain. At least he could ease the mechaniloid's suffering.

"I hope…you enjoyed your time being free," X muttered, finally releasing the energy he had stored.

Note: I'm not too entirely sure if X should change colors when he switches abilities, as that might be a bit too much to keep track of. It's more of an indicator to the player of what power he has, as the only real change he has throughout the game is gaining his armor.

Anyway, sorry, but Fumiko's role won't end here. She will be mentioned later, as well as have an impact. Overall, she won't be forgotten.

Sorry if this one was too sad. Thank you for reading!