Note: Hello! This one is another bit of a filler, but it does serve a purpose, as it's going to lead to future events. Kenichi himself will mostly be in the background, but he is here for a reason, and that event comes much later.

There will be references to both Iwamoto's manga throughout this story, but also to Ariga and Archie. I love all three, and my personal Mega Man and X would have elements of all three.

Plus, yes, I will be slipping some ship hints, but it'll be among the Classic characters.

But yeah, there will be sections in this chapter with heroes, villains, and some guys in between.

With that said, I hope you enjoy it!

Empathy

Finally, at long last, they had reached their destination. Despite the pouring rain and the fact that all of them were soaked, the sight of the lighthouse gave the ragtag party of humans a warm sense of hope.

"Finally," a man dressed in a business uniform said. "We can call for help!"

"All right," the leader of the small group, a middle-aged human with dark hair and a white, collared shirt with black pants and shoes began. "Does anybody know how to operate a lighthouse?"

The humans grew silent for a moment until someone spoke up. "My grandfather was a lighthouse keeper when he was living in a remote fishing village by the coast. He let me turn it on a few times."

"All right, that'll do," the leader responded. For now, it would have to do. "Let's get in there and get it running!"

The humans began running toward the entrance, crowbars and lead pipes in their hands to use for defense. Or, in this instance, means to unlock a door. As the leader watched the group manage to break in and get inside, he couldn't help but let his thoughts wander, dark eyes turned up to the stormy skies above.

"Fumiko, Kenichi," he muttered. "I might have not been able to save you," he said. "But, hopefully, I can save other people's children with this."

Arcadia

There it was, but a short distance away, visible from the edge of the city, yet any means to reach it were cut off. Two Reploids gazed outward at the distant island, one male and the other female. The two of them were part of a developing research team that had just begun collaboration with both Dr. Cain and Fujiwara in the further development of Reploids, these two were constructed for that very purpose. In essence, they were made to study themselves, for the sake of further development. Yet, given what had just happened, both wondered if such a thing would even continue after something like this.

If even their existence would continue after something like this.

"Alia?" the female Reploid, a blonde dressed in a white coat with pinkish armor underneath with black mid-sections gazed at her companion, her hair long and loose. "Is something wrong?"

Her partner, the male, was another Reploid, yet, unlike his colleague, a violet helmet rested on his head, silver angles coming to meet a blue, diamond-shaped gemstone in the center. He too wore a coat of white that concealed his armor, mainly consisting of purple and black with sections of gold and white, yet, unlike his friend, he appeared more confident and unaffected by what was happening around him.

"Do you think this is the end, Gate?" the blonde, Alia, questioned.

The purple and black Reploid, Gate, raised a brow from under his helmet. "What do you mean?" he inquired, puzzled.

"For us," she said. "The end."

"I'm…not sure I understand."

Alia looked out at the sea. "I mean, Sigma, one of the Maverick Hunter's own, their Commander, decides to go Maverick and cuts off an entire island and bombed the city atop it! I mean, ever since Reploids had been around, the threat of going Maverick has been on everyone's minds, both for organic and mechanical life."

Gate chuckled. "I think that's the whole purpose of our research team being formed," he told Alia. "Fujiwara wished to further our development, yet Cain said that this would actually assist in allowing humans to see us as living."

True, Alia thought. While indeed, Reploids were still considered more advanced and superior to the likes of mechaniloids and the robots of the past, they were still composed of metal and wires. They were created, not born, and while they bore what was found to be roughly the same consciousness and sentience as a human (give or take a few instances of choosing logic over emotion), they were still machines. They were capable of things that a robot could never accomplish, not even Light's own initial creations, for even with their advancements, they were not regarded as alive. Reploids were the next evolution of robots, mechaniloids being little more than hive-minded droids, they were more capable, more independent, and able to act on their own. Such skills were beyond the likes of anything constructed from the last century. And yet, it seemed that there were some things that hadn't changed.

Even with specimens such as X and Zero. Neither Reploid knew the two personally, yet they were the basis of everything they were working toward. Even now, those two were more advanced and peculiar than any known machine to date, even that of the Blue Bomber.

"I've been doing some reading," Gate suddenly spoke up again. "About why AI was restricted to a certain level past the year 20XX."

"I've been doing some digging too," Alia confessed. "About some of the Reploids that were either built for or were recruited by the Hunters."

Gate grew curious. "You go first," he told her.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I insist."

"Well, all right," she said, continuing on. "Given that X is the last remaining 'official' creation of Dr. Light, it would only be natural that Fujiwara would reference the man's work in the creation of other Reploids,"

"Precisely," Gate responded. "What better source to get it from?"

"Well, here's the catch," Alia said. "He had to have approval by the United States to have access to Light's notes."

"Hm? What for?"

"Apparently, an incident occurred where the man's research was confiscated and hidden away by the American government, sealed up until just recently," the blonde researcher explained. "It was Fujiwara's proposal to work with the Americans that they allowed him access to the files. Thus, Storm Eagle was born."

"What was the incident?" Gate questioned.

"That was classified information," Alia told him. "But, once Fujiwara got the approval, he began taking notes from Light's past creations, such as Robot Masters and other assistant robots," then she looked back out at the island in the distance. "But, that wasn't all."

"It wasn't?"

"Apparently, our co-creator wasn't satisfied with just Light's work," she said. "He also wanted Wily's, or, at least everything that was collected regarding the man's schematics and plans."

"Surely they didn't go for that," Gate said.

"Of course not," Alia scoffed. "But…that didn't stop him."

The blonde's colleague's blue eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Alia nodded. "Fujiwara managed to get ahold of some of Wily's work," she said. "When we were working on the sibling units, Boomer Kuwanger and Gravity Beetle, I saw that their schematics had been left up on the screen," she explained to Gate. "I went in to see if there was anything I had failed to put in, or someone else failed to, yet when I did so, I noticed that many features of the two appeared… frighteningly similar to some of Light and Wily's own creations."

"How so?" Gate asked.

"Kuwanger is built with a curved weapon situated atop his head," Alia explained. "One of Dr. Light's first Robot Masters was DLN-003, a logging robot by the name of 'Cut Man'," the pink and red Reploid continued. "But I also saw notes relating to a serial number DWN-012, a creation of Wily's called 'Quick Man'," She then paused. "Kuwanger's components are almost identical to both of theirs, albeit with more modern advancements."

Gate nodded. "So, Fujiwara's been conspiring to follow in Wily's steed for some time."

"It seems so," Alia answered. "Of course, things didn't turn out that way."

Silence fell in between the two for some time, yet Alia's words reminded Gate of some research he had also been doing in his spare time. "You know, you're not the only one who's found something."

The blonde looked at her partner. "What do you mean?

Gate smiled. "It seems that Fujiwara was doing some research on why advanced AI was banned as well."

"He was?"

"That's right," Gate answered. "The information is restricted, yet from what I could gather from hacking into the system-"

"Hacking?!" Alia exclaimed, despite her initial desire to keep their conversation under wraps. "Gate! If anyone finds out about that, you'll be-"

"No one will know," Gate assured her. "Besides, if anything, perhaps my intrusive prying will serve us in the future."

"What do you mean?" Alia questioned.

Gate smiled. True, while he didn't doubt Alia's intellect, he always loved being able to flex his mental muscles in front of others, especially her. Whether it impressed her or not was unknown, yet his fellow scientists, both human and Reploid, were always intrigued by his studies and findings.

"Well, it seems that the Wily spent years terrorizing the Earth with multiple attempts for world domination, some more successful than others," Gate said. "But, whatever the case, it seemed that, eventually, it became too much for the one that was made to oppose him."

Alia was confused. "Do you mean Mega Man?"

"DLN002, yes," her partner answered. "Originally an assistant robot by the name of Rock Light," the Blue Bomber's creator bothered to give his creation a last name, though he wasn't sure why. "He was reformatted into, in the most basic terms, a super fighting robot once Dr. Wily captured his six original Robot Masters, and later, used two others for nefarious purposes. For years afterward, the warrior with the face of a child fought against the madman, yet, despite his efforts, destruction was inevitable, and great damage was done, both to the human's trust of robots, and robots themselves."

Alia lowered her head. "Sounds a little like us."

"Indeed," Gate agreed. "There's no definitive data of when or what happened, but, one instance, presumably after the incident at the First Annual Robot Tournament presumably, no one really knows, but, it seemed that there were rumors Mega Man had been pushed too far."

"What do you mean?"

Gate grew silent for a moment. "He did the same thing Sigma did to Fujiwara," he said. "A machine broke the First and most important Law of our kind. And it wasn't a Reploid."

The other researcher was in disbelief. True, but a few days ago, the Maverick Hunter Commander had impaled and beheaded a human, yet for a robot to do such a thing? Was that even possible? "But how could that be?" she asked Gate. "I thought they were unable to perform such actions."

"True," Gate answered. "But, you forget, Dr. Light's robots, even if they pale in comparison to us, were not like others of their kind. In fact, despite their name and a few quirks, they were very similar to Reploids themselves."

Alia listened on. "Is that so?"

Gate nodded. "If you think I mean that Mega Man killed Dr. Wily in the same manner that Sigma did away with Fujiwara, you're mistaken, Alia," the blonde's colleague said. "Dr. Light did not program the same love for destruction and disregard for what was around him. The Blue Bomber had a sense of justice and diligence to the law installed in his processor. If he did kill, it would not be for vengeance."

"Then…do you believe he did it to rid the world of Wily?" Alia questioned. "As some…ultimate form of justice?"

"Who knows?" Gate shrugged. "It's possible that Mega Man didn't do it at all," he said. "That's the most commonly believed rumor, but no one really knows what or who ended Dr. Wily," he said. "Although, I've also been thinking,"

"What?" Alia asked.

"Given that X was sealed a century ago, but was only recovered a decade prior to the current year, perhaps another creation of Light is still around. Or, even more, a creation of Wily."

"In this day and age? I don't think so," the blonde shook her head. "No machine could survive that long."

"Then do you know who Zero's creator is?" Gate questioned.

Alia was rendered silent for a moment. "Well…no," she answered. "His records past the point he was recovered are still corrupted."

"Then where did he come from?"

Alia was about to answer but found she could conjure up nothing. But, before Gate could continue, both of them became aware of a bright, shining light from afar.

"Hm?" Gate turned in the direction of the light. "What's that?"

Alia narrowed her eyes, looking into the distance. "It's a beacon from a lighthouse," she said, her eyes then widening. "That means…?!"

Abel City

"We're too late." Firefly sighed, he and Zero having finally caught up to the humans. Unfortunately, the lighthouse was up and running, its light revolving around, casting a shine upon every surface it touched. He looked at his Commander, his expression unreadable. "Now what?"

"What else?" Zero said. "We wait. That's all we can do."

Firefly looked down. "Do you think that Sigma will count this as trying to contact the outside?"

"I don't know," Zero answered. "But, for now, let's just make sure the path for them is clear when they go back to the shelters," suddenly he got a notice. "This is Zero, report," he said in his com-link.

"Greetings, Commander," Ai spoke. "I just got a notice from X. He's alive and has successfully terminated the threat occupying the Power Plant."

Even if he didn't openly express it, the red Hunter gave a mental sigh of relief. "Great, tell him to meet us back at HQ," he ordered. "Send a repair crew up to the Plant to repair any damage caused. Now that we have a stable source of energy, we need to make sure it doesn't fall back into enemy hands."

"Affirmative," Ai answered. "By the way, tell Firefly that I have something waiting for him when he gets back."

Zero turned to Firefly and grinned. "Will do. Zero, out."

"What?" the green biker asked.

"Oh, nothing," Zero said. "I just think you've got somebody that pretty anxious for you to get back."

A Few Hours Later

The repairs took some time, but by midnight, power had been returned to Abel City. With this, the generators were shut off and charged, and those available to do so stood guard over the now-occupied area. Back at the underground HQ, everyone had rejoined, both Reploid and human alike. A-1 was returned, and a boy was found alive, yet Roll was still quite displeased that Chiyo had snuck out. Thus, until further notice, the girl was confined to the base and could only go out under someone's supervision.

Chiyo herself didn't exactly mind, for while she was technically being punished, there was little she could do as it was. Even if the power had been restored, it still wasn't safe outside, and now, from what she had heard, a group of humans could've potentially endangered them all. True, Sigma had yet to contact the Hunters or humans, yet no one knew whether to take this as a sign that it did or didn't count. Still, two missing individuals had been found due to her efforts, so perhaps that counted for something. Even if it ultimately led to the news that Fumiko didn't make it.

"Fumiko…" the dark-haired girl muttered, having retreated to her room for the night.

Suddenly, she heard the door open, revealing that X had peered inside. "Oh, there you are," he said.

"Yes, here I am," Chiyo responded. "What do you want?"

X's green eyes shifted, wondering just how to phrase what he wished to say. "I…heard about what happened. What you found, and…" he trailed off, feeling somewhat foolish and awkward. "I'm sorry."

Chiyo looked away. "You lost more of your kind than I did," she said. "Why are my losses your concern?"

"It still matters," X replied, taking a seat beside the human. "But…going out on your own wouldn't have done anyone any good. A-1 says you were attacked on the way back to the HQ."

"I had to know," Chiyo answered. "I had to know if she was still…alive," she said. "I mean, I'm glad Kenichi is ok, but…" she paused, unable to say anymore.

"But you'd still prefer it not to be anyone." X said for her. "Even someone like your father."

The dark-haired girl didn't respond at first. Indeed, while she had been trying to not focus on it, her father had been on her mind ever since she had witnessed his demise. And, truth be told, she was still unsure of what to say about it. "You do realize he's partially responsible for your suffering as well," Chiyo told X. "You've even had to retire those that used to be your comrades because of what he helped contribute to. Sigma wouldn't have gotten as far as he did without someone's help," she then gripped her skirt, the blue fabric in between clenched fingers. "He helped endanger not only you but also his own kind. And…" she bit her lip. "You're housing his only living relative, even if it doesn't serve any benefit to you."

"You delivered the logs to us, didn't you?" X asked.

"Those only talk of his plans," Chiyo replied. "There's nothing useful other than his ramblings and how he was 'going to change the world' and all that," she then scoffed. "And, even more, he wanted me to take over when he was gone. Can you believe that?" she then looked up at the ceiling. "He had plans for all of us, both he and Sigma. Only thing was, Sigma wasn't willing to share his throne."

X studied her features, spotting that she was trying to keep her emotions at bay. "It's not easy, learning your parent is…gone," he told her. "I mean, yours is much more recent, yet the news of Dr. Light's passing was difficult to accept in the beginning."

"He's worth mourning," Chiyo said. "He was a good man."

"Isn't your father worth mourning as well?" X questioned.

Chiyo lowered her head. "That's what I've been asking myself ever since I saw him die," her lip trembled. "Fumiko…she was someone that did nothing wrong. I could cry about her, and not feel weird about it in the slightest. Yet, when it comes to him," she paused, trying to keep herself together. She couldn't break. Not in front of her visitor. "He…he's not like her. He's not someone that I can say that I…" Like? Appreciate?

"Love?"

Chiyo froze upon hearing X's suggestion. "I…I don't know," she said. "I can't say if I ever loved him," she brought her knees to her chest. "My father…" she then chuckled. "Oddly enough, he was made of flesh, but he acted more mechanical than any of his creations."

X noticed her eyes growing wet, the light from above reflecting on the surface of her eyes. "Chiyo…"

"He's responsible for this, at least in part due to assisting Sigma in setting everything up," the teen said. "But…but that doesn't mean I wanted him to…" she bit down hard on her bottom lip to the point it nearly broke the skin.

"You didn't want him to die." X finished for her.

Chiyo looked away, cursing the fact that moisture had begun to leak from her eyes. "I don't know if I love him," she said. "I don't know if I ever did love him, of if I ever could…" she confessed. There was a good degree of guilt as she said this, yet she had to be honest. "But…but still…I miss him. I don't know why, but I do."

X absorbed her words, looking down at the tiled flooring. "It's…all right to be confused."

Chiyo sniffed. "W-What?"

"It's ok to be torn about your father," X told her. "The truth is, this entire situation has been tearing me in half," he confessed. "Sigma…I…" he sighed. "I've accepted the fact that he has to be stopped, but…"

"But?" Chiyo questioned.

"It's…foolish, I'll admit," the mostly blue Hunter responded. "But, there's still a part of me that's hoping that this is all some terrible mistake," he explained. "That Sigma, somehow, he's still his old self. And maybe, maybe there's still a chance for peace," he then continued. "And, if there is a virus that causes Reploids to potentially go Maverick, then maybe he's an innocent victim of a condition he can't control. If that's the case, then…" he paused. "Then retiring him would be no different than murder."

Chiyo was silent for a short time, puzzled, but curious about X's thought process. "And…how did you come to believe this theory?" her tears had died down, thankfully, yet she was unsure of what X exactly meant.

"It's not really a theory," X told her. "It's…more of a hope," he said. "A foolish, unlikely hope. And…" he sighed. "It doesn't change the fact that Sigma's caused a lot of damage. In any case, he has to be stopped. But, when it comes to that," the blue Hunter looked up at the ceiling, to the light. "I hope that there's a chance that…maybe there's something we…maybe I can do something to help."

The human's eyes turned downward.

"I'm also sorry about Patarche."

Chiyo's eyes widened, turning to X. "Excuse me?"

"Your dog," X said. "He…he was important to you too, wasn't he?" he then turned to her, and she, to her shock, saw tears developing in his eyes. "He was a good dog, wasn't he?"

Chiyo was silent, frozen in place. She fought to remain strong, to keep herself in check and not fall apart, yet the mentioning of her beloved pet unlocked the protective barrier she had put up long ago. She tried to stop it, but the droplets of water began to flow from her eyes, dripping onto the floor. A hand placed itself on her back, gently rubbing the tender flesh underneath her clothing in small circular patterns. Slowly, she scooted toward him and then, fell into his arms, unleashing everything that she had been storing up for the last few days.

And perhaps, the last few years.

Elsewhere

"All right, there he is," she muttered to herself, her target in her sights. Kenichi had finally fallen asleep, so now was her chance.

Many were still on active duty, yet some were turning in, Firefly was one of them at Ai's insistence. Also, it seemed there had been a development in their relationship, the Navigator planting her lips on the Hunter's own in thanks for finding A-1.

Sneaking past them, Roll saw Zero enter a room at the end of the hall and managed to catch him just before he could close the door. "Oh, um, hello there," she greeted, Zero clearly confused as to what she was doing there.

"Um, right. Yeah," the other blonde said awkwardly. "So…what are you doing here?" he questioned. The other Reploid must've had a reason for seeing him, given that she wasn't one of his favorites.

"Well, I've been…meaning to tell you something," Roll confessed. "Or, rather, explain myself."

"Explain yourself?" Zero asked, befuddled.

Roll nodded. "Can I come in?"

Zero nodded and moved out of the way, allowing Roll room to enter. Shutting the door behind her, she turned her attention to her young brother's companion, wondering just how she was going to start.

"Well…I suppose it's best to start this directly," she said. "Look, about you and how I…" she paused. "Well, not that I hated you, but…I wasn't exactly…courteous…" She then released a heavy sigh. "What I'm trying to say is…I'm sorry."

Zero's blue eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Roll said again. "About…how I've treated you these past years. It…wasn't called for."

The red Hunter folded his arms. "If I recall correctly, we didn't meet on the best terms," he said. "According to witnesses, I abducted you."

"It's not the first time that's happened, believe it or not," the helper Reploid responded. "Once, it was by the Doctor's own machines!"

"The Doctor?"

"Dr. Light," Roll clarified. "I…just thought that, after all this time, me holding a grudge against you was… unnecessary And…uncalled for," she said. "But, please understand. It wasn't as if I just chose to…well, not necessarily hate you, but-"

"Not think highly of me?"

Roll paused. "Yes, let's go with that," she said. "I'll admit, I had reservations of X being around you due to your first encounter, even if he has nothing but utmost trust in you," she then smiled. "I'll admit, you two…I don't know what it is, but…"

"But what?"

"...no, it's nothing," she said. "It just…I've realized that you sort of remind me of him."

"Who?" Zero asked.

"Someone I knew," Roll answered. "Well, Rock, Mega Man, knew him better than I did. In fact, you could say he kinda knew him like a brother."

Streets of Abel City

He knew coming here was a mistake.

He knew that going from Arcadia to Abel City would surely result in him getting stuck there.

He knew that when he saw that Reploid dispatch of that human, the first thing he needed to do was get out of there.

And yet, here he was, out in the still pouring rain, seeking shelter underneath the still-standing remains of a building damaged by the missile blasts. This was far from the worse place he had been in, let alone the worst situation, for it was now the humans that were in danger instead of his kind. Still, he didn't doubt that, if he was found, Sigma's forces wouldn't think twice about dispatching him.

It was foolish to come here, especially when he sensed that disaster was going to take place…but he went anyway.

Whether it was some urge to pay her back or to maybe try and save her from what was coming, he didn't know. But one thing was for sure: she was gone, yet her friend was still around. The one that she had called over when she had found him that night.

A night very much like tonight.

Hunter HQ

"Proto Man?" Zero questioned.

"Yes," Roll said. "Have you read the records on him?" she questioned.

"Once," Zero replied. "When X was telling me about Dr. Light and asking whether or not I remembered my own creator."

Roll was quiet for a moment. "Well, do you?"

"Nothing," Zero closed his eyes. "Anything past the moment Sigma slammed his fist into my head, it's all a blur."

"I see," Roll pondered her next words carefully, deciding to move back to the previous subject. "Well, at first, Rock and I were introduced to him during the Worldwide Blackout Incident involving Ra Moon,"

"Ra Moon?" Zero questioned.

"It's…a piece of history I've recently remembered," she said. "I also remember that Proto, then Break Man, tried to fire at Mega Man," her lips tightened. "He hit me instead, as I jumped in the way."

"Sounds like something X would do," the other blonde said. "You two are related."

"Glad you think so, although I'm the older one," she answered. Then her expression grew serious. "But that DOESN'T translate to me being an old woman."

"Ok?" the red Hunter was confused.

"Anyway, after that, I also heard that, not long after that, he got in and broke a picture and smashed a wall in Dr. LaLinde's home," Roll explained. "An old friend of Dr. Light's. She had a robot of her own, Tempo, or LMN-001, Quake Woman, who was a friend of mine," Roll smiled. "She was always kind of a shy, reserved bot. Kalinka, on the other hand, was always ready to present herself."

Zero listened as she spoke. "Sounds like you miss them."

"...I…don't really remember them," Roll confessed. "I just know that they were my friends…but…that's pretty much it. Aside from a few traits about them, I don't remember much of our interactions," she then frowned.

Zero remained quiet, yet thought, It seems you, me, and X all have memory issues.

"But I know that Tempo told me that her first conversation with Break Man startled her. But he didn't lay a hand on her, if that's what you're wondering," Roll said. "After that, and when Light's Lab burnt down, I thought he was a no-good thug, nothing more than a criminal that tried to kill my brother and endangered everyone I loved. Not to mention, he was the one responsible for abducting Kalinka," she said. "True, Dr. Wily pulled the strings and manipulated him into working for the scientist, but still…it took me some time to trust him, let alone give him the time of day," she admitted. "But, with time, I think he was really trying to make up for what he had done. He just…"

"Just what?" Zero inquired.

"He…" she sighed. "I guess, he just felt like he was better off on his own."

Abel Streets

A Year Prior

Arcadia

It wasn't wise to go out when he was so low on energy, yet what other choice did he have? He was in need of parts, as his body was falling into disrepair again. True, much of his internal components had been adjusted by hand to better consume the energy sources of today's age (save for the removal of his core reactor), but his outer shell had remained mostly untouched. Thus, he was looking quite rough.

Which was why, as he realized too late that he should've taken an extra energen crystal or two with him, no one would think to look for him, for they would probably already assume that he was no longer functioning.

But, just when everything had gone dark, he found that his senses hadn't left him yet. He felt a pair of hands reach under the arms of his soaked trenchcoat and try to lift him. Unfortunately, it seemed his weight was too much for them to take, so they called for someone by the name of "Mimi" to come and help them. It was then that he realized the one inspecting him was female, and then, the next thing he knew, he felt himself being lifted from the ground before the world went black once again.

His head was somewhere soft. Soft and warm. He no longer felt the rain, so he must've been somewhere inside.

As he rose, it was then that he realized his hat and glasses had been removed, along with the tattered cloth that he wore around his neck. "W-What the…?" he began to rise but found his stance wobbly and unsteady, nearly falling over the second he got to his feet.

"Oh, good! You're up!" the stranger whirled around to see that he was in what appeared to be a living room of sorts, the furniture bent at various angles, a reflection of the popular trends at the time. "It's a good thing you're energy storage is compatible with energen, otherwise Mimi would've had to blend in oil with gasoline to try and get you running again." A human teenager dressed in a blue vest and red skirt stood in the archway that led to the space in her home, her dark, yet soft eyes gazing into his, shielded by spectacles of layered glass.

Wait…his eyes!

He immediately shielded himself from view, turning away from the girl's gaze. "What's wrong?" she asked, approaching him. "Are you hurt? Is there something wrong with your eyes?"

"Don't!" he hissed, causing the girl to stand in place. "Don't look at me," he said more calmly. He put his glasses back on but didn't turn back to face her. "Who are you?" he questioned. "How did I get here?"

The girl took a step forward but noticed her guest's body tense up as she did so, thus, she stepped back to give him some space. "I'm Fumiko," she told him, trying to make herself sound as non-threatening as possible. Perhaps she had acted rashly in just taking this stranger into her home. "And, this is my house," she explained. "I found you slumped up against the wall outside, so I had Mimi bring you in."

"Mimi?"

"Oh, our maid Reploid."

"Ah, yes, Reploid," the unknown figure said. "They're the hot new item now, aren't they?"

"Even after all these years, yes," Fumiko answered. "Speaking of, what sort of Reploid are you?"

"What?"

"What kind of Reploid are you?" the girl asked again. "Are you, well, forgive me for being blunt, but, an older model?" she then gestured to his boots. "You seemed to be a bit dinged up."

He couldn't deny that, he had seen better days. Hell, he had seen better years, perhaps decades.

"Look," Fumiko then spoke again. "I've got a friend that's good with machines. She's actually helped me out when Mimi was infected with that spyware," she then turned to leave. "Just stay put, I'll be back!"

With that, Fumiko left her guest alone in the living room, he, in turn, gazed at his worn-down and aged body. Indeed, perhaps he had been here too long. Much longer than he would've thought. And much longer than he would've wished.

For now, as far as he knew, he was the only one left.

Present

HQ

"So, he had a doppelganger impersonating him?" Zero questioned, Roll nodding in response.

"Four, actually," she answered. "Funny enough, while Mega Man tried to insist on Proto Man's innocence at first when Dr. Cossack was also captured, along with Dr. Light, he had to take action. From what I heard, he actually managed to find and fight Proto Man, and was about to at least render him unconscious,"

"Then what?"

Roll held her chin. "Bizzarely enough, someone I didn't expect stood up in his defense," she told Zero. "Tempo, or Quake Woman, helped prove his innocence to Mega Man, which then led to the reveal of how Wily made several duplicates of a Robot Master he called Dark Man, who bore the ability to mimic the outer form of other robots."

Dr. Wily. Yes, he had heard that name as well. "I suppose Proto Man and Wily's relationship wasn't the best after that,"

"He dedicated himself to stopping anything that madman was trying to do," Roll told Zero. "True, I'll admit, I've always been somewhat wary of him, but, well, I suppose it's the same reason I acted the way I did with you," she looked away. "I…I was afraid."

"Afraid?" the recently appointed Commander questioned, puzzled.

"Yes," the other blonde responded. "Even if it was my function, and, well, it still is," Roll said. "My body is made to perform tasks such as housekeeping and manual labor. I'm not built for combat," her expression then grew frustrated. "Even with my enhancements compared to my previous body, I'm still stuck being unable to do anything."

"What do you mean?" Zero asked.

"Not long after Proto Man had turned away from Wily entirely, that loon built a new robot for his service, one that was obsessed with defeating Mega Man," Roll told the red Hunter. "He broke Wily out of prison, and tricked us into believing that he was on our side."

"So, he double-crossed you?"

"Essentially, yes," Roll answered. "He was a vicious fighter, obsessed with power, and always trying to get ahead of Mega Man…" She then paused. "But…he's nothing compared to…that one."

"That one?"

Roll lowered her head. "The one that followed Mega Man home," she said. "I don't know who he was, or when he was built, or what was put into him, but I know one thing."

Despite himself, Zero found himself growing nervous in Roll's presence. As if she knew something that he didn't. "And, what's that?"

The other Reploid's teal eyes closed, her brow creasing as the frighting images of the tall, terrible figure that had terrorized the clips and pieces of her mind that she only treaded in when she had worked up the courage to do so. "I know that, somehow, in some way, he's responsible for me ending up in the state Dr. Cain found me in."

Zero grew quiet for a moment. "So, you believe…?"

Roll nodded. "I believe he's the one who initially killed me."

A Year Prior

Takenada Residence

He heard someone coming, Fumiko had answered the door and was letting someone in.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" a voice questioned, clearly not happy that she had come out at this hour of the night. "I had to come up with a good excuse because he said he wasn't going to waste his time."

"Still, thanks for coming, Chiyo," the short-haired girl said. He peered around the corner to see a girl with long hair with a small toolbox come inside.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Oh, in the living room," Fumiko told the other human, leading her to that specific area of the house.

This wasn't good, he had to get out of here! But how? He didn't know the layout of this place, let alone where to hide, but he couldn't let himself be opened! True, it hadn't gone off yet, but still, that didn't mean his core wasn't still dangerous! If anyone touched it, then…!

"So, you said he looks old?" he heard Chiyo say, trying to conjure up a plan of escape. He didn't have enough energy to use his weapon before, but now, perhaps he had gained just the right amount.

"Not old as in, old in age," Fumiko clarified. "He actually looks kinda like a kid," she said. "But he's pretty scratched up."

"Is he an older model?" Chiyo questioned.

"I asked him, but he didn't say," Fumiko replied. "I think he's a little paranoid. It's almost like he's afraid I'm going to turn him in or something."

"Is he a Maverick?" the other human inquired.

"No, I don't think so," the shorter-haired girl answered. "At least, he hasn't tried to attack me yet."

"So, you mean to tell me that you just brought an unknown machine into your house, not even knowing if he was possibly on the run?"

Fumiko went silent. "Well…I don't think he's a bad guy," she said. "He's just…?!"

"What?" Chiyo asked, Fumiko suddenly growing still. The other girl then ran into the living room, leaving Chiyo behind. "Hey, wait!"

Both rushed into the area but found that the stranger was gone, and one of the windows had been opened. Fumiko ran over and looked outside, yet found no trace of the one she had brought into her home.

As soon as he had entered her life, he was gone.

Jumping out of the window, he ran down the streets, ducking in between the buildings to keep himself concealed. He had gotten careless, he would have to make sure to never go out on low energy again.

Still, despite the close call, the mysterious stranger couldn't help but be thankful to the girl that had brought him out of the rain. Regardless, he hoped they wouldn't have to meet again, for he didn't need to know any more people in his life.

No one more to lose.

Present Time

HQ

"How do you know?" Zero asked Roll.

"It…I'm not entirely sure how," Roll confessed. "But…but I remember nothing after him," she said. "I remember him firing at Mega Man, and…that's it," she then paused for a moment. "And, if he killed me, then who's to say he didn't kill others?" she asked. "Maybe…maybe he's the one responsible for Rock not being…" she trailed off, not able to even say it. "Maybe…the AI ban…had something to do with him too," she then got back on track. "That's why, even if I'm not built for such a thing, I want to help X. I want to help my brother, and," she sighed. "I can't do that. Not like you can, or Ai, or even Lifesaver," she lowered her head. "But…I don't know how it happened, but Mega Man…Rock…and Dr. Light…they're gone," she said. "And…and I don't want to lose the last of my father's creations."

Zero nodded. "Understandable," he said. "Although, why do you say that you can't help in the same manner I or the others can?"

"Well, I'm not built for those things," Roll responded. "I wasn't built with combat in mind, let alone the ability to connect and lead Hunters in their missions."

"Could you not learn?" the red Hunter suggested.

"What?"

Zero crossed his arms. "Granted, I think you have a long way to go, but, after all this is over, perhaps we could get you in."

Roll's teal eyes widened. "You mean…you wish for me to join the Hunters?"

"Technically, you've been a part of them for the past few days, so, as far as I'm concerned, you're part of the staff now until further notice."

The other blonde was shocked at Zero's answer. "S-Still…I'm not much use."

"Then change that."

"What do you mean?"

"Change it," Zero repeated. "If you want to contribute, then do it in any manner you want to."

"But…but I'm not built for…" Roll protested, but Zero cut her off.

"I hate to say it, but Sigma is right about one thing," the red Hunter began. "There are some humans that put restrictions on us. Dr. Fujiwara being one of them."

Roll sighed. "Yes, I can't deny that."

"Well, you're no longer in service to him anymore, are you?" Zero asked.

Roll pondered this. "No, but Chiyo's still around."

"If you still want to work for her, that's fine. I'm talking about what you want to do here and now," the taller Reploid explained. "Despite the circumstances, you're technically free now. You no longer have to do what's assigned to you."

The housekeeper found Zero's words sinking in, registering as a suddenly realized, but hidden truth. "Granted, I'd still like a stronger body, regardless," she said.

Zero grinned. "When this is over, we'll see if we can get you fit into a more sturdy form." he said.

Roll looked at him. "You could do that?"

"I'm not sure," Zero admitted. "But, given your contributions so far, I'd say you fit the criteria for gaining a better outer shell if you're going to be working with us."

The other Reploid's eyes widened. "You mean that?" Zero nodded. "Wow…I…I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Zero nodded. "Now, it's getting late. You probably need to turn in."

"I'm a machine just like you," Roll told him. "I can stay up for days without a problem."

"All right, if you want," he said. Both of them exited the room, and it was then that Zero remembered a detail he heard. "By the way," he said. "I heard that Chiyo met someone out in the city when she and Kenichi were being led back to HQ."

"Oh, right," Roll answered. "Ray, wasn't it?" she recalled what Chiyo had told her. "Like Ray Charles…"

"He was a musician, right?" Zero questioned.

"That's right," Roll said. "He was an American signer, specifically prolific in the genre of soul and blues. Still," she thought aloud. "He isn't overly popular over here in the East, so it's an odd name choice."

"Maybe he's from America?" Zero suggested.

"Perhaps," Roll agreed. "Yet still, it seemed he went out of his way to make sure she made it out safely," she then chuckled. "It's kinda funny. He showed up just when he was needed."

Upon making it back to the main section of the underground HQ, Zero, and Roll went their separate way, she going to check on Kenichi while Zero went to gain any potential updates or developments. Neither was sure of what would come next, let alone if Sigma would count the human's attempt to alert the mainland as a violation of his terms.

But, whatever did come next, they all hoped they were prepared to face it.

Note: Longer chapter than last time, but Roll and Zero have made up, and I gave the mysterious stranger a reason as to why he was in Abel City in the first place. Granted, this won't be the last we'll see him, but he'll be mostly in the background of both this story and the series, only making occasional appearances until he gets his chance in the limelight later.

With that said, thank you so much for reading! Please give your input, and I hope to hear from you later!