A/N: Hey all, happy holidays. We're getting closer to the final battle of Arc 1. So here is Chapter 16. But first, here is a new term.
Demon of Old Tokyo: A title given to the disgraced IS creator, Tabane Shinonono for what happened during the Phantom Virus Tragedy. Ever since then, people blame her for the tragedy and refer to her as the Demon of Old Tokyo.
Chapter 16: Launch Octopus: Enter Marty! Mission in the Deep Blue Sea! Never Give Up Hope!
Not long after saving Ross and Glynda from the surprise attack from the X Foundation at their apartment complex, the gang were back at Hunter HQ to tell Zero everything that had happened and check on Armored Armadillo. Luckily, he wasn't too badly damaged despite his weakness to Spark Mandrill's powers and both the agents only received minor injuries from their brief scuffle with the X Foundation. But as they were asking Armored Armadillo about the location of the next Maverick General, they weren't prepared for what he was about to tell them.
"Wait, are you serious?! Tell me you're not serious!" Sakuya growled at Armored Armadillo when he told the gang the location of the next Maverick General and what she heard from him didn't please her too well.
"I'm afraid I am serious. It's exactly as I said." Armored Armadillo nodded as he continued. "Launch Octopus is a former Reploid that specializes in water combat and is now one of SIgma's Maverick Generals. He is stationed in an underwater base in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Japan. From what I can remember, he told me he's going to launch a surprise attack on Neo Tokyo from the sea in two days. No doubt he'll be ready for any counterattack since I've now joined the Maverick Hunters."
"Shoot… That's wasn't something we were expecting… And none of us otherworlders have abilities to breath underwater…" Hifumi frowned as she crossed her arms and ponders about this. "Plus, if Otome-chan even steps into the water, she'll get electrocuted. That's why she's never near water."
"Wait, what?" Zero and Storm Eagle asked at the same time, confused at what she meant by that.
"It's really hard to explain, but we'll save it for another time." Tetsuro giggled nervously. "So if Launch Octopus is underwater, that means X and Houki's group will have to go in alone to take him down. Does he also have a weakness?" He then asked Armored Armadillo.
"Yes, indeed he does. He is weak to my powers which both X and Marino has. So it shouldn't be that much of a problem for them and their friends to destroy, if given the chance. Plus, Marino can protect herself and others with the barrier she's received from my powers." Armored Armadillo nodded.
"That's good to hear. At least we've got a fighting chance against him if we can't convince him." Jessie said with a smirk.
"I guess so, but there's something else we really need to know." Ling stepped forward with a serious expression. "Armored Armadillo, I know we'll get a no from you, but we really need to know. Do you happen to know where Sigma's fortress is?"
"Unfortunately, I don't. But luckily for you, I do know someone who does." "Armored Armadillo stated to her "His name is Boomerang Kuwanger, a stealth typed Maverick whom of which Sigma entrusts with the location of his fortress. As he is the last of the Maverick Generals, I doubt he'll give it up without a fight. So best be prepared for him to stand his ground."
"Well, then we'll convince him to join our side and relay the information to us. That way, once we've dealt with Launch Octopus and go after him, this war is a good as won." Cecilia smirked with confidence.
"You guys really think Boomerang Kuwanger would tell you where Sigma's fortress is? What makes you think that he'll tell you where it's located?" Ross asked skeptically as he crossed his arms.
"Don't give up just yet, I'm sure we can convince him to join us. Believe me, I once thought there was no way to convince Storm Eagle, but Houki and the others were able to show him the errors of his ways and he's since joined the Maverick Hunters. So if Cecilia believes they can convince Boomerang Kuwanger, then I believe in them." X answered him with a smile. "But for right now, let's head back to X-Estate and rest up. We'll start our next mission in two days. That way, we'll be ready for whatever Launch Octopus has in store for us." He then suggested as everyone nodded in agreement.
"So what about you two? Since the X Foundation found your apartment and everything, where can you guys go now?" Akiwo asked the now former federal agents.
"We're not really sure. We can't really go back to our apartment, they could be waiting for us and ambush us like before. I doubt even our colleges can handle a private army." Glynda answered her with a sigh.
"Hey, how about you come live with us? You can be safe at X-Estate and those X Foundation guys will never find you." Renkin suggested to them with a smile.
"We appreciate the offer, but we really don't want to impose on all of you." Ross said with a frown "It wouldn't be right for us to live with you guys after helping us with the X Foundation. Maybe we'll find a different apartment to stay until all of this blows over."
"Sorry, but we're not risking that chance. Even if you do find a new place to live, there's no telling what the X Foundation will do." Jerry said with a serious frown. "We were lucky that X and the others were able to save you two in time, but I don't know if luck will be on our side next time. So come live with us, that way you'll be safe since you're protected by the Maverick Hunters." Everyone nodded in agreement as both agents looked at each other before looking back at them.
"Okay, you've convinced us. We'll say with you guys at your penthouse." Glynda smiled "But we'll live with you guys on one condition."
"And what's the condition?" Zero asked them.
"That we join the Maverick Hunters. After everything that's been happening and Sigma planning to conquer the omniverse for his insane plans, we still want to protect our world from his clutches." Glynda answered "Plus, we want to get to know X and his squad and learn more about other worlds. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we'll be seeing some unexpected visitors from other worlds."
"Done. I'll let Dr. Cain know about two more members and maybe he can create RepArmors for you two." Zero nodded "In the meantime, take this opportunity to recuperate after your brush with death earlier. I'm positive you'll be needing your strength until your next encounter with the X Foundation." Everyone saluted at him before heading back to X-Estate while he calls for Dr. Cain and explains the situation to him.
X-Estate, 8:30 PM, two days before the operation to take down Launch Octopus…
Upon returning to X-Estate, X decided to make some dinner for everyone and tells them to freshen up while he cooks the meals. Everyone nodded in agreement and went to their respective bathrooms in their rooms. At the same time, Jerry, Sophie, Jessie and Marino were helping Ross and Glynda get settled in their penthouse while also getting ready to join X and the others for dinner.
A little later, X had gotten the dining room set up and everything was ready for dinner. Since not everyone was ready yet, he decided to let them know that dinner was ready and have them come to the table. So he makes his first stop at the room of Charlotte, Akiwo and Hifumi as the latter two were already finished freshening themselves up and were waiting for everyone else while he checks on Charlotte.
"Charlotte, I made dinner for everyone. Come on out before it gets cold." X knocked lightly on the door. However, he didn't get an answer from her and was starting to get worried. "Charlotte? Are you alright?" He opened the door and walked into her room until he noticed the shower was running and goes to check out the bathroom. As he enters through the door, he can see Charlotte cleaning herself which made his face turn a shade of red. "Ahh! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to look at you!"
Charlotte was confused at first until she looked down and noticed she was still naked and quickly wrapped her towel around her body and came out of the shower. Luckily for them, the steam covered most of her body but X still looked away while blushing madly. "X-X-kun, is that you? I didn't hear you come in…" She asked, feeling sorry that X had to see her naked body.
"Y-Yeah, it's me…" X stuttered as he avoided her gaze out of embarrassment. "I'm so sorry I barged in your room after knocking… I didn't hear you answer, so I was starting to get a little worried and decided to check on you. But I'm glad to hear that you're alright."
"It's okay, X-kun. I'm sorry I didn't answer you. So you don't have to apologize." Charlotte reassured him kindly and looked at him with a soft smile. "You know, Ichika-kun did something like this once back in my era when I was attending IS Academy. It was pretty much like how he did when he walked in on me."
"He did? Was it also by accident when he walked in on you?" X asked, piped with interest.
"Mmhm. I can still remember like it was yesterday." Charlotte nodded as she looked up at the ceiling. "When I first transferred to the IS Academy back in 2035, I was posing as a boy… You see, my father made up a story about a second male piloting an IS so he could steal data on Ichika-kun. He was desperate to save his company from bankruptcy and this was his only chance to save himself from going under."
"I see… Your father must be a cruel human if he was only using you to save himself…" X frowned at her father's actions and sees him as a human Maverick before adding. "If he made you pose as a boy and enrolled you at the IS Academy, that was when you met Ichika, right?"
"Yes… During my time as a boy, I got to know Ichika and we've became friends as he was mostly excited to have another boy in the school." Charlotte nodded solemnly as she looked down, depressed. "But even when he found out I was a girl, he still swore to protect me from my father and bring his company down. But now…. thanks to the Phantom Task and the virus they've unleashed, both he and my father are gone forever… I never got to say goodbye to Ichika-kun before we went into cryosleep…"
"Charlotte… You don't have to feel sad anymore." X smiled softly at her. "I know it was hard for you and the others to learn what happened to Ichika, but you should also be happy for him as he gave his life for you and your friends to have a better future. And not only that, your father paid the price for his actions by using you for his own crooked ends, so he has no one to blame but himself. Also, if you continue to dwell on the past, Ichika will be disappointed in seeing you sad all the time. He may not be here for you five, but I know he's watching over you girls and is happy to know that you're still alive."
"You're… You're right, X-kun. Ichika wouldn't be happy to see me sad, he'd want me to live on for him and all our friends. I know he said something like that before I was put into cryosleep. He'd want us to live our lives in the future and not have to worry about what happened back then."
"Yes, exactly. So be happy and live life to its fullest. I'm sure that's what he wanted for you and your friends." X encouraged her with a gentle smile.
"Um… …X-kun?" Charlotte squeaked.
"Yes? What it is, Charlotte?" X asked while confused on what's making her nervous like that.
"Would… Would it be alright if you could call me Char? Ichika used to call me that just before he died. So it still feels weird if you keep calling me Charlotte every time." Charlotte looked down while blushing a hint of red.
X smiled softly again. "Of course, Char. Now get dressed and join us for dinner. Everyone else should be ready by now." He waved at her before leaving her room and Charlotte looked at the ceiling with a smile.
'Can Reploids and humans fall in love with each other…? Are X and I an item…? If that's true, then does Marino feels the same way with Jerry…?' She blushed madly as she went to get dressed and joined the others.
As X was walking down the hallway, he heard "Quite the ladies' man, aren't we, X? You sure know how to play with their hearts." Blinking at this, he turned to see Sakuya, Akiwo and Hifumi grinning mischievously at him.
"W-Where did you three come from?! A-And yo-you heard that whole conversation?!" X stuttered as his face turned red with embarrassment.
"You can say that. And from the sound of it, you might have a thing for Charlotte." Hifumi giggled as she Sakuya and Akiwo surrounded him.
"W-What?! What makes you think that I do?!" X stuttered as he blushes madly.
"It's pretty obvious that she does, but we're wondering if you feel the same for her or the other girls. So which one do you like the most? Is it Charlotte?" Akiwo beamed with excitement and in a teasing tone.
"Or is it that snob, Cecilia? You can definitely do worst with her." Sakuya smirked as she crossed her arms.
"Or maybe it's the energetic Ling? She sounds like she's fun to be around, so I'd say you go for her." Hifumi drooled pervertedly as sparkles appeared around her.
"G-Girls, s-stop! Just stop! I haven't even decided on which of the IS pilots I liked. I can't just pick and choose whoever I want, that's not how I am." X sighed as he rubbed his temples in aggravation. "I don't want to see any of them sad if I were to choose which of them I like the most and I'm sure Ichika wouldn't want that for them as well. And besides, it's not funny to tease me like that…"
"Feh! That's just an excuse to avoid the question!" Sakuya snorted at him. "You and this Ichika guy certainly are dense when you say it like that. I wonder if the Reploid those IS pilots loved turned out to be a dense wuss who can't seem to make a decision? I'd say they'll be pretty annoyed with that."
"Sakuya, that's going too far! It's not fun to tease X like that!" Akiwo scolded her friend and fellow Koi Koi member.
"It's alright, Akiwo. Thank you for stepping up for me. I really appreciate that from you." X smiled softly before remembering something else really important. "Oh yeah, there's something I've been meaning to ask you three. Since the six of you have superhuman abilities and we've definitely seen it in action… So what… on earth are you girls and where did you get those superhuman powers in your dimension?" That caused the three Koi Koi members to look down despondently as they went silent. X can tell they didn't want to talk about their past and felt bad for bringing it up. "I'm sorry… I didn't realize it was a sensitive issue for you three… Maybe I shouldn't have brought that up."
"N-No, it's okay, X. You didn't know that." Sakuya interjected. "It's not really something we'd like to talk about and the only one who does know that is Tetsuro… It's just that… we need time to tell you about our past when the time is right."
"When the time comes, we'll tell you about how the six of us got our powers… We're just not ready to tell you everything yet.." Hifumi smiled slightly as she, Akiwo and Sakuya left in a gloomy state while X looked at them with a concern expression.
"Those girls… there's something about their past they had a really bad experience on… I hope they'll tell me soon enough, but I probably shouldn't force them to do so. I'll let them take all the time they want until they want to tell us." X whispered to himself as he joins the others for dinner.
Two days later…
"Are you serious?! You're planning an underwater assault on Launch Octopus' base?!" Alia gasped in shock. Houki had gone off to see her new friend before the mission and was telling her about the operation today. Ever since she became a Maverick Hunter, she frequently visits Alia to tell her about her past adventures with the Maverick Hunters and her unit.
"Yes, that's our plan of attack against him. But sadly, our otherworldly friends won't be able to join us because they lack the abilities to breath underwater, so they'll have to sit this one out for now. We've already defeated or converted six Maverick Generals and now there are only two left. Thankfully, this war is almost over and once we've dealt with the two remaining Generals… We're going after Sigma and put an end to his schemes once and for all."
"I see… So the war will be over soon enough…" Alia nodded thoroughly. "But are you sure that you can take out the last two Maverick Generals? From what I've heard, they're the strongest out of Sigma's forces, only under Vile and Sigma himself. I know you guys are strong and have been fighting hard to reach to this point, but can you really make it through to Sigma?"
"I know it sounds impossible and it may be for some people, but we're not going to back down from this fight." Houki answered her seriously. "We've already made it this far thanks to the help from everyone, so I know we can keep fighting for everyone's sake. We're getting closer to ending this war and I know we'll win. You can count on it."
"Then I'll be cheering for you guys on. If you say that you can take on Launch Octopus, then I believe in you." Alia smiled "Well, I wish you and your friends the best of luck on your operation. I know you will pull through, but just promise me you and your friends come back alive. I don't want to lose a close friend…"
"You don't have to worry about it, Alia. I can promise you I won't die that easily. You can count on it." Houki smiled bravely as she saluted and was about to head for Maverick Hunter HQ until she's gets a message from Dr. Cain. "Dr. Cain? He wants to see us before heading out for our mission?"
"What's wrong, Houki? Did something happened?" Alia asked her.
"It's alright, Alia. It's just Dr. Cain wanting to see us at his lab. He probably just wants to know how we're doing, so we'll be seeing him just before we head out for our mission." Houki told her.
"Well, that's good to hear. I'll be waiting here when you get back. Give Dr. Cain my regards." Alia smiled and nodded.
"I will. See you later, Alia." Houki waved at her friend before heading out to meet up with the other IS girls at Dr. Cain's lab.
"Be careful, Houki… Come back safe and sound…" Alia whispered in a prayer.
Later
Nothing's in Vain from Final Fantasy Brave EXVIUS plays
"Dr. Cain? You called for us?" Houki asked as she and her friends entered his office.
"Ah, yes. I've been expecting you girls. Nice of all you to come by after receiving my message." Dr. Cain smiled and nodded at them.
"So what's the reason why you called us to your office, Dr. Cain? I don't mean to be rude, but we still have a mission to attend to later." Cecilia said to him.
"Yes, I'm well aware of your mission, but I just wanted to check up on you girls and how you've been holding up since waking up in the future." Dr. Cain nodded "I know it's still overwhelming for you to be awakened in a new time after losing everything from your era, so I wanted to make sure you five are adapting to this time."
"It's been a wild ride since we've awakened in the future, but we've been doing good, Dr. Cain. No complaints from any of us." Ling grinned as she gave him a thumbs up.
"I see, that's good to hear. I'm glad you girls were able to adjust to living in the future, so I can put my worries to rest." Dr. Cain smiled softly "I was beginning to worry that you girls were still missing your own time, but it's a relief to see all of you now fully accustomed to being in the future."
"It was still surprising to us when we first awaken in the future, but thanks to X-kun and the others, we've been adjusting to our new lives here." Charlotte said with a smile. "Not only he became our guardian, but he's been a big help in teaching us how to live in the future and we are grateful for him. Same with you, Dr. Cain, for giving us a new home and a new start on our lives."
"You're very welcome, my dear. I'm happy to hear that from all of you." Dr. Cain smiled as he leans back in his chair.
"However, while we've been adjusting to our new lives, there's still one thing that bothers me." Laura stepped in "Ever since we've been here, both Jerry and Sophie have been mostly avoiding us when we're not working with the Maverick Hunters. I can understand how Jerry felt when Houki first kicked him, but she has apologized and there's still this animosity from them. Sophie seems to be more friendlier with us, but we can still feel some kind of grudge from them and they seem to be directed at us. Is there any reason for why they've been avoiding us?"
"I was afraid you'd ask about that, but I suppose there's no use in hiding it any longer." Dr. Cain sighed as he leans forward and rests his arms on his desk. "This may come as a shock to you girls, but their resentment towards you stems from way back when the IS were still being used. I'm assuming you already know of the Phantom Virus Tragedy as you five were there when it happened, correct?"
"Of course, we still remember it. It was right before we went into suspended animation and waited until we were awaken in this time." Houki nodded at him "I know we've got on a bad start, but like Laura said, I apologized to him and he has forgiven me. Why would he and Sophie still resent us?"
"It's not directly at you girls, per se. But it still does involve the ISes that were being used during that time of the incident." Dr. Cain explained to them "You see, Jeremy's grandfather and Sophia's grandmother were alive during the time of the IS and were some of the greatest minds of their time. Jeremy's grandfather was actually in the IS Academy during that time while Sophia's grandmother was working on a way to cure cancer and other diseases." That caused the IS girls to gasped in shock as they've started to realize who Dr. Cain was referring to.
"Wait, you mean Dr. Oakland?! The man who not only helped my sister in created the IS, but also perfected it in ways not even my sister could have?!" Houki asked in shock.
"The very same. While your sister was credited in creating the IS in the first place, Dr. Oakland was the one who helped in perfecting it and for women to use it in whatever task they want. Of course, he did let your sister take all the credit as she was the one who came up with the idea for the IS and even made it a reality." Dr. Cain answered her.
"And what about Sophie's grandmother? What did she do during the time she was alive?" Ling asked him.
"She was a scientist who was researching for ways to finally put an end to cancer and other diseases that has plagued humanity for centuries." Dr. Cain explains "During her research, she made a breakthrough on a substance that seems to have the ability to not only fight off effects of cancer, but was also able to eliminate it completely. Though there were some side effects, but she and her team worked diligently to make sure none of the side effects ever occurs."
"If they were responsible for helping with the IS and creating a way to fight off diseases, what exactly happened to them?" Laura asked in concern.
"The Phantom Virus Tragedy happened. They were one of the many victims of the virus and have been lost to time. Only remembered by their family members and friends who had managed to escape from the virus." Dr. Cain answered sadly "While they've managed to live happy lives ever since the virus, the effects of their deaths have left their families devastated and had to live on without them. Jeremy and Sophia never got to see their grandparents and can only hear about them from their parents who has survived the incident. While they may not show it, it still does hurt them that they've never gotten the chance to see their grandparents." Houki and her friends were all silent from hearing about what happened to Jerry and Sophie's grandparents and how they've never got the chance to see them. But just before they could say anything, they've got a message from Zero at the Maverick Hunters HQ telling them it was time to start the assault on Launch Octopus' base.
"Sorry, Dr. Cain, but we have to go now. It's time for us to start the assault on Launch Octopus and we need to head back to HQ." Houki said.
"No need to apologize, I know you have a job to do. Just be careful while you're heading for Launch Octopus' base. He's a real slippery one and will try to gain an advantage if given the chance." Dr. Cain advised them.
"We'll be careful, Dr. Cain. Don't you worry about it. We'll put that guy on thin ice and we'll be one step closer to finally ending this war." Ling grinned.
"Best of luck to all of you. Be sure to come back home safe and sound." Dr. Cain said with a smile as the IS girls all nodded before heading back to Maverick Hunter HQ. Once they've left, he leans back in his chair and looks out the window. "Jerry… Sophie… I hope you two can find it in your hearts to forgive Houki and her friends. Please don't let your anger and hatred consume you or it's going to destroy you… X, Zero, Houki, Charlotte, Cecilia, Ling, Laura… please save them from their anger…" He watches the city from his window as he waits for the X-Squad to return from their mission.
Pacific Ocean, 12: 30 PM. High above the ocean… (Theme: Launch Octopus's Stage Theme from Maverick Hunter X)
Just over the surface of the water, the X-Squad's Air Carrier hovers over the Pacific Ocean as X, Marino, Jessie and the IS girls were getting ready to dive down into the ocean. The humans of the group were wearing unbreakable helmets that are part of their RepArmors to help them breathe underwater while the two Reploids remains the same. Once everyone was ready, they all stood in front of the hanger doors and waiting for them to open.
"X-Squad, you're clear for skydiving into the ocean, over. We're directly over the drop zone." A voice was heard. "Also, we've received a distress call from a search-and-rescue Reploid near Launch Octopus' base. Find them and they'll assist you in your mission."
"Roger that. We'll keep an eye out for anyone from the search-and-rescue." X acknowledged the voice as the hanger doors opened.
Once the doors were opened, X activates his Light Armor and dives towards the ocean followed by Marino who activated her Quicksilver Armor, then Jessie and finally the IS girls. They've expected heavy fire from the ocean Maverick forces, but they've managed to doge every attack thrown at them before splashing down into the ocean. As the X-Squad landed on the ocean floor, they've surveyed their surroundings to make sure everyone made it in one piece.
Once everyone was accounted for, Houki activated the comlink on her RepArmor's chest plate and answered "Commander Zero, this is Houki Shinonono. Can you read me?"
Hunter Base
"Loud and clear, Houki. We read you. What's your status so far?" Zero acknowledged while Jerry and Sophie monitored their location.
"Everything is quiet, too quiet. We've managed to avoid their surface forces, but I'm positive they've got underwater forces waiting for us." Houki answered from the screen. "No doubt they'll be gunning for us the moment we start making our way to Launch Octopus' base, but we'll have to take that chance if we're going to stop him."
"Then that's a risk we'll have to take in order to put an end to Launch Octopus' assault on the mainland. But I know you guys can handle it." Zero nodded.
"Oooooh! Just be careful, you guys! And come back home safe and sound!" Yayoi moaned as she made an exhausted sigh.
"I didn't really think about the possibility of Sigma's General being stationed underwater… Had I known, then maybe we could've helped in finding Launch Octopus' base. I just wished we were out there with them…" Nanoha pouted.
"I'm sure everything will work out in the end, so don't worry about it, Nanoha-chan. When we face the final Maverick General, we'll go as a team. I can promise you that." Fate reassured her friend with a smile.
"Alright, it's time for your mission to begin. Keep an eye out for anyone from the search-and-rescue Reploid who sent a distress call to us. In the meantime, maintain radio silence. We'll be waiting until you return." Zero looked over to Jerry who nodded and pushed some buttons to do just that.
Back with the X-Squad
X readies his X-Buster. "Alright, you heard the commander! It's time for us to begin our mission! So let's move out!"
"Roger!" Jessie, Marino and the IS girls all acknowledged as the team pressed forward.
At Launch Octopus' base (Libirion's Fate plays)
Deep inside an underwater base, a humanoid octopus Maverick was monitoring the situation and saw the X-Squad making their way through his forces. It was Launch Octopus as he crossed his tentacles while watching our heroes blast through his army with little effort.
"Ah, so they're now on the move, are they? I see it wasn't just luck they've managed to get past the other six Generals." He spoke in a British accent with a sneer. "However, that doesn't matter. They will fall before my underwater fleet. But if that were to fail, I have another alternative for those fools." He typed in some commands to his army. "All units, destroy MegaMan X, that human girl and the Ninja Reploid, but don't harm those five IS pilots. Lord Sigma wants them alive and brought to him! Now go forth! Do not fail our glorious leader!" He heard roars of excitement as he cuts to a different channel. "Agent M, can you read me? I trust that you're in position?"
"Yes, I'm in position. Now I just have to wait until those Maverick Hunters "save" me, right?" A female voice asked through the channel.
"That's correct. Just act like you've been caught by one of my Mechaniloid and none shall be the wiser." Launch Octopus nodded darkly "Just be sure to lead them through the "safest route" until they've reached another of my Mechaniloids. Do that and your home is safe, you have my word. But do not screw this one up or you will pay most dearly."
"Yes, sir. I won't fail you. Agent M, out." The female voice said as she cuts the channel while Launch Octopus returns to monitoring the X-Squad.
Back with the X-Squad
While making their way through Launch Octopus' forces, Jessie and the IS girls were using their RepArmors' underwater navigation feature for the first time. Most of the pathways were filled with Mavericks, but the straight path was the only option they have to take in order to reach Launch Octopus. However, Ling was doing some underwater backflips while laughing cheerfully.
"Hey, guys! Look at me! I'm a Powerpuff Girl!" She laughed.
"Ling, quit fooling around and focus on the mission at hand! We're not here to have fun!" Cecilia scored her friend's childish behavior as she swam upwards until she noticed some underwater Maverick Soldiers coming their way. "Heads up, everyone! We've got company!"
"Looks like they're really looking for a fight now! No doubt they're trying to prevent us from finding their boss's base." Jessie said "So what do you say, guys? Shall we give them a fight they'll never forget?"
"Yes, we shall! Let's give them a warm welcome!" X shouted as he dashed forward and fired rapid Buster Shots at two Maverick Soldiers, destroying them in the process. Houki draws her katanas and charged at three more Maverick Soldiers, slicing them to bits with lighting fast strikes.
"I think it's high time someone taught you Mavericks some manners!" Marino shouted as she draws her Beam Blade and, in a quick flash, slices four more Maverick Soldiers. At first nothing happened until she sheaths her blade as the Mavericks fell into pieces.
"Take this, you villainous curs!" Cecilia yelled as she fired her rifle at five more Maverick Soldiers and destroyed them in the process. Soon enough, they've wiped out one unit. "C'mon, let's keep going! More are sure to be on their way, so we better get moving before we're surrounded!" She urged her friends.
"Right! Come on, everyone! Let's go! Go! Go!" Charlotte cheered as X-Squad pressed forward.
When the group entered the next section, our heroes looked around the area to see if there were any Mavericks waiting to ambush them. Seeing there wasn't anything waiting for them, they've continued on towards their destination.
"Looks like this area's safe. At least, for the moment. No doubt they're waiting for us further down, so we'll need to be ready for whatever they've got for us." Jessie said with a smirk.
"You're right, Jessie, but it's nothing that we can't handle. We've made it this far thanks to our teamwork and our friendship, so we'll be able to handle anything Launch Octopus throws at us. We'll put a stop to Launch Octopus's plans, I'm sure of it." X stated before noticing the IS girls seemingly silent. "Hey, what's wrong, girls? You've been silent since we've entered this area. Is there something on your minds?" Jessie and Marino looked over at the IS girls as well.
"Oh, sorry, guys. We didn't mean to worry you. We were just remembering our meeting with Dr. Cain earlier and what he told us." Houki answered him sadly.
"Dr. Cain? You had a meeting with him earlier before coming back to the base for our mission?" Jessie asked curiously.
"Yes, we did. He mostly just wanted to make sure how we've been doing since awaking in the future and how our progress has been coming along." Cecilia answered her as she looked down despondently. "We've told them that we're doing good and we've managed to adjusting nicely to our time in the future. Mostly thanks to all of you for helping us adjust to our new lifestyle and we're really thankful for everything you've done for us."
"You don't have to thank us, we're glad to see you girls have adjusted to your new life. I was a little worried about you girls not being used to living in the future, but I'm glad to hear that." X smiled softly which made the IS girls blush. "So was there anything else that Dr. Cain wanted to talk to you as well? I'm assuming it wasn't just that, right?"
"Well… there was another reason why he called us to his office. And it had to do with Jerry and Sophie." Ling answered him with a despondent sigh.
"Wait, are you serious? What does your meeting with Dr. Cain has to do with Jerry and Sophie?" Jessie asked them in shock.
"From what he said, a lot deeper than we originally thought." Houki answered her sadly. "X, remember when we've first awakened where I kicked him into the wall of our hospital room?"
"How could I not? He definitely wasn't really happy when he was just trying to help. But why would Dr. Cain want to discuss with you about Jerry and Sophie?" X asked them.
"From what he explained to us, their grandparents were alive during the time when the ISes were still being used and when everyone we know were still alive." Houki answered him as she explained "Not only that, but Jerry's grandfather was the one who helped my sister create the IS and even lets her take all the credit for their creation. Believe me, I was surprised to hear that my sister didn't create the IS on her own, but had help from someone else and didn't mind letting her become famous for their hard work."
"Huh. That's the first time I've ever heard about that and your sister getting help from someone else and let her take all the credit for the creation of the IS." X said as he crossed his arms and began to think "But it's nice to know that he was willing to let your sister take all the credit and didn't mind being someone who just helped with their creator and helped realized her dream." The IS girls all nodded except for Houki who was still taken aback by the fact that her sister wasn't the only one who created the IS.
"And what about Sophie's grandmother? What was her role in your time?" Jessie asked, feeling sorry for Jerry.
"She was a scientist who was researching ways to put an end to cancer and all kinds of diseases. She even made a breakthrough on something that was the most effective way to finally kill off cancer." Ling answered her with a serious frown. "But it also had some side effects that could be dangerous, so she and her team were doing everything they can to keep the side effects from happening. But that never happened because of the Phantom Virus Tragedy and they were one of the many victims who died during that time." X, Jessie and Marino all couldn't help but feel sorry for their friends. But before they could do anything else, bombs were dropped from above but everyone managed to avoid them.
"Whoa! Where did those bombs come from?!" Laura gawked as the gang had to swim out of the way.
"Up there! There's a Maverick ship above us!" Houki points up to a green Maverick ship in the water.
"Looks like we're going to have to continue our conversation about Jerry and Sophie's grandparents later! That ship almost got us because we were distracted!" Jessie stated.
"Yeah, it'll be trouble if we let it be… We have to destroy it before it can call in reinforcements…" X grimaced.
"Don't worry about it, X-kun… Leave it to me… Please allow me to swim up there and destroy it." Charlotte looked up at the ship with determination.
"Are you sure about this, Char? You think you can handle it yourself?" X asked her worryingly.
"Yes, I can handle it. Just trust me and I know I can destroy it." Charlotte smiled and nodded.
X smiled slightly at her and nodded back." "Okay, Char. We'll let you handle it. Just come back to us safely."
Charlotte nodded as she swam out of the water and used her RepArmor's flight mode to search for a weak point on the enemy ship. The ship fired its turrets at her, but she dodged every shot and continues searching for a weak point. Just then, she spotted a glowing green orb on the deck and realized that was its weak point. With a heroic yell, she dived towards the orb as the ship fired its entire arsenal to stop her, but it was too late as she used her lance to smash through the ship, destroying the orb in the process. As the ship explodes and sinks into the ocean, she swims back down and reunited with her friends who all gathered around her.
"Nice one, Charlotte! You really totaled that ship into scrap metal!" Ling grinned as she slaps her on the back.
"No kidding! That was just awesome! I can definitely see why you're one of the ace pilots of the IS era!" Jessie said with a grin.
"I agree. That's definitely something she would've done during her time with the IS. You should teach me that move." Marino agrees with a smile.
Charlotte giggled nervously and closed her eyes and smiled. "I'll be sure to teach you that when we have the time, but thank you, everyone… But I did it because X-kun trusted me. With him believing in me, I was able to destroy that Maverick ship."
"Hey now, don't thank me just yet. We've still got a long way to go." X smiled softly and placed his hand on his hip. "Let's continue talking about this after the mission. We've still got a Maverick General to content with before anything else. So what do you all say we put a stop to his operation?"
"Roger!" The girls all nodded as the IS girls blushed when X said that. Slowly, they're all starting for fall in love with their squad leader and both Jessie and Marino took noticed of them… But which of them will he choose as his soul mate? Nevertheless, the gang pressed forward towards their destination and to put a stop to Launch Octopus.
Launch Octopus's base
After witnessing one of the X-Squad members taking out one of his ships, Launch Octopus wasn't too happy to see them destroy one his ships in his armada. "Curse those Hunters! They've already made it through my first line of defense! Even so, it's still early to call it quits yet. I still have a few my tricks up my tentacles and it's guaranteed not to fall. As long as she doesn't fail me, but I'm not holding my breath." He then switches to another channel with an unknown figure on the screen. "Agent M, can you read me?"
"Yes, I read you, sir. What seems to be the problem?" The same female voice from before asked.
"Those Hunters have made it past by first line of defenses and are on their way here. However, there's still a chance for us to turn the tide of battle in our favor, pardon the pun." Launch Octopus answered the figure. "At the moment, they're still working their way to my location, so we still have to turn this war in our favor."
"And that's where I come into the plan, right? To lure them into a false sense of security and they'll be vulnerable to your secret weapon, right?" Agent M asked.
"Correct. But I also want you to throw yourself upon X. That way, it'll cause a rift between him and those five girls." Launch Octopus nodded "If you can do that, then it'll be easier for us to capture them and bring them to Lord Sigma's side. Just make sure to use your feminine charms to seduce X and make those girls jealous of him."
"Yes sir, I'll do as you command. I'll be sure to create a rift between X and those girls. Just as long as you keep your end of our deal." Agent M growled.
"But of course, my dear. I wouldn't dream of going back on our agreement. Just as long as you do your job and keep your end of the bargain, then I might consider letting you go." Launch Octopus nodded as he crosses two of his tentacles behind his back.
"Then I'll do whatever I can to separate X and those girls. Agent M, over and out." Agent M cuts the channel as Launch Octopus laughs evilly.
"You poor, naive girl. You didn't honestly believe I'd really let you go after you've done your task? Then you're even more foolish than I thought." He said darkly "Even if she does perform her task accordingly, she'll still be a threat if left unchecked. Once she leads those Hunters to Utuboros, I'll personally deal with her."
Back with the X-Squad
As the gang swam through the next area, they took out some fishlike Mavericks that tried to swarm them but were dealt with easily. This goes on a couple more times as they continued their way to Launch Octopus' base.
"It seems that we're making good progress. We're about nearly halfway through Launch Octopus's territory and taken out most of his armada." Houki said with a smile "If we can keep this up, then we'll be able to reach him in no time."
"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves just yet, Houki. We've still got a long way to go until we reach Launch Octopus's base." X told her with a frown. "We don't really know what he's got in store for us, so we'll need to be careful. Remember, he's the second to last Maverick General before Sigma, so we need to expect him to be one of the strongest out of them."
"And let's not forget, he's still got plenty of traps set for us so we need to tread carefully." Marino agrees with him "If that Cruiziler was just the first line of defenses, I'm positive that he has more powerful Mechaniloid waiting in the wings." Before anyone could say anything, they've felt themselves being pulled by something as the water seems to be moving around them.
"Hey, why are we moving? And why does it sound like an oversized vacuum?" Ling asked while looking around.
"Guys, over there! It's another Mechaniloid right in front of us!" Jessie points to a red anglerfish Mechaniloid pulling them in towards it.
"It's trying to pulls us closer to it! No doubt it's trying to get us once we're close enough to it!" Laura said.
"Everyone, spread out! We have to keep our distance from the Mechaniloid before it can get a clear shot at us! If we can surround it, then it won't stand a chance against us!" X ordered as everyone spears out around the Mechaniloid while X kept its attention on him.
"Eat this!" Cecilia yelled as she fired her assault rifle at the Mechanloiid, damaging it further. Ling and Char did a double whammy on it.
"Hah!" Marino grunted as she used one of her weapons to damage the Mechanaloid even further. The Mechanaloid fired missiles at our heroes, but they dodged it.
"Hurry X! I don't know how long we can handle this!" Houki yelled as she and Jessie combined their attacks to give the Mechanaloid even more damage.
"I'm on it! Here we go!" X yelled as he fired an charged shot at the Mechanaloid, destroying it.
"Yeah! Bullseye! Nice shot, X! You showed that oversized vacuum cleaner who's boss!" Ling cheered.
"Thanks, Ling. But it was thanks to all of us working together as a team." X smiled "I just kept its attention on me while the rest of you weaken it for me to finish it off. So as long as we keep this up, then we'll be able to put a stop to Launch Octopus." The girls all nodded in agreement until Marino noticed something on the ocean floor.
"What's up, Marino? You see something?" Jessie asked her.
"There's something in the wreckage of the Mechaniloid. It must've fell out from it right when X delivered the final blow." Marino answered as she points to a large container. "I'm not sure what's inside it, but it seems to be important if it's being carried around."
"But why was it being carried by that Mechaniloid in the first place? What was the reason for it to bring it all the way out here?" Houki asked as everyone gathered around the container.
"I'm not entirely sure, but there's no doubt that Launch Octopus is planning something for us." X answered her "I'm going to check it out for any surprises he's got for us. So everyone should stand back, just to be safe in case it turns out to be something else." The girls all nodded and took a step back while he walks over to the container.
"Be careful, X-kun. We don't want to lose our leader." Char pleaded as X turns to her and nodded before turning his attention back to the container.
As X checks the container for any traps, he decided it was safe enough and knocks on it until he gets a response from within the container. Wondering what or who is inside, X knocks on it again and gets the same response as before. Now convinced that someone is indeed inside the container, he aims his X-Buster at the locking mechanism on the door and fires a charged shot at the door and blasts it open. Once the container doors open, X moves in closer to look inside until he noticed something the moment he looked in.
"What's wrong, X? Do you see something in there?" Laura asked him.
"Not really something, more like someone. There's a Reploid trapped in here." X answered her "I'm guessing that Launch Octopus had captured her and was planning to turn her into a Maverick for Sigma's army. But we've managed to save her just before that happened."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad we were able to stop that Mechaniloid before it brought her to Sigma." Houki sighed in relief. "So how is she doing? Is she alright?"
"She's unconscious, but she'll be fine. I can assume that she was trying to escape, but was caught and knocked out." X told her "She's probably going to need some rest before we continue on, so we'll have to keep an eye on her until she does." He reaches out into the Reploid and pulls her out to reveal that she's a mermaid Reploid with a blonde hair, a slim figure, an armored bra that covers her breasts about the same size as Marino's and a red tail.
Everyone gathered around her to see if she was alright and were relieved that she wasn't turned into a Maverick. Though X seems to be enamored by her appearance and couldn't help but stare at her while the IS girls were getting jealous. Of course, only Jessie and Marino are the ones who noticed this and rolled their eyes at this.
"There they go again… I swear, those girls are always getting jealous every time they see X with another girl." Jessie groaned in annoyance. "It's not like he's going to be taken away from them. He's too dense to even tell them who he really likes the most." She then noticed that Marino wasn't paying attention to her, but was more focused on the Reploid they've rescued. "What's up, Marino? You're spacing out all of a sudden."
"Oh, sorry, Jessie. I wasn't listening. I was more focused on the Reploid X pulled out from the container." Marino told her "There's just something about her that doesn't seem right. Why was she even inside that Mechaniloid in the first place, yet didn't even bother to let us know she's there? It just doesn't make any sense to me,"
"So you're saying that her being inside that Mechaniloid was a setup for us to save her?" Jessie asked her.
"I'm not really sure, but it's still a possibility. Let's just keep it between us for now until we know the real truth about her." Marino answered as Jessie nodded before joining with the rest of the X-Squad to rest up and watch over the unconscious Reploid.
Later
From what seems like an eternity, the mermaid Reploid started to stir as her eyes began to open. As she opens her eyes, her vision was blurry as she could only see a silhouette right beside her, but couldn't hear its voice as it was muffled. As her vision starts to get better, she saw X sitting next to her and smiled at her as she was finally awake. She couldn't help but blush at the sight of his smile.
"Hey, glad to see you're awake. I was getting a little worried there." X smiled at her. "You were passed out when we found you in the container from the wreckage of the Mechaniloid, but you're safe now. You don't have to worry about it anymore."
"I… I see, that's good to hear. Thank you for saving me from that Mechaniloid." The Reploid Mermaid said in gratitude.
"You're welcome, we're happy to help. It's a Maverick Hunters' job to keep the peace in the world." X smiled softly as he continued "If you don't mind me asking, why were you inside that Mechaniloid in the first place? And do you have a name?"
"Yeah, it's Marty. I'm a a Reploid created for aquatic rescues." The Reploid known as Marty answered him with a smile. "I was part of a search and rescue group tasked with helping out people and Reploids who are lost at sea. But when we were ambushed by the Mavericks, we've managed to send out a distress call to anyone who has received it."
"Oh, so you're the one who sent the distress message to us before we jumped into the sea." Ling gasped in realization. "Just before we've arrived, we got word that a distress call was sent to us and we had to find out whoever sent it to us. So I'm guessing that was you?"
"Yes and no. I wasn't the one who sent the message, our team leader was the one who sent it." Marty answered her as she lowered her head despondently. "We were trying to save as many humans and Reploids from the Mavericks, but we were surrounded by more of them. So we had no choice but to split up and try to rescue as many people and Reploids as we can. But I lost contact with everyone else and I was now all alone…"
"And I'm assuming that's how you were captured inside of that Mechaniloid, right? Since you were separated from the rest of your group, you were easy pickings for the Mavericks to capture and probably corrupt you as one of them own." Jessie guessed while placing her hands on her hips.
"I'm afraid so, I didn't have much of a choice to help them since I wasn't designed for fighting." Marty explained sadly "But while I was trying to get help, I was captured by that Mechaniloid and about to be taken to Sigma's base until you guys showed up and stopped it just in time."
"Then we'll need to keep going towards Launch Octopus's baes and rescue Marty's group before they're corrupted by the virus." Houki stated as she clenched her fists angerly. "Hopefully we'll be able to save them before they'll become Mavericks and part of Sigma's forces. No doubt Launch Octopus still has plenty of traps waiting for us, but we're not going to let that stop us from achieving our mission."
"But how are we going to find his location? There's still miles of ocean to cover and we don't even know where his base is. How can we save Marty's group if we're still only halfway through?" Jessie asked her with a serious frown.
"I can lead you guys to his base. Just before I was being hauled off by that Mechaniloid, I saw a weird symbol on a metal door." Marty answered her as she explained. "I'm pretty sure that was Launch Octopus's base, so I know where it is. I even know a shortcut that's the safest route to him."
"Thank you for your help, Marty. We really appreciate the advice." X smiled at her "But we don't want to put you in anymore danger than you already have. It's best if you could head back to where we arrived and we can have someone come pick you up. You'll be a lot safer at Hunter HQ than here."
"Yeah-no, not gonna happen. I'm not just going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs while my group's being corrupted into Mavericks." Marty told him with a serious frown "I had to leave them behind because we weren't designed to fight, but I can't just sit around and do nothing. So like it or not, I'm going to lead you guys to Launch Octopus's base and put a stop to him." The X-Squad all looked at each other as they make a decision.
"What do you guys think? Should we let her lead us to Launch Octopus's location?" Ling asked her friends in concern.
"She does seems to be worried about them and knows where his location is, but I'm not really sure if we should let her join us." Marino answered her as she added with a serious frown "We really don't know if she's telling us the truth and this could be a trap."
"Well, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She does seem to be worried about her team and wants to make sure they're okay." X stepped in "So I say we let her lead us to Launch Octopus's location and we'll be able to put a stop to his Invasion on the surface." Seeing as he was the leader, the girls all nodded in agreement as they turned to face Marty. "Alright, Marty. You can lead the way. We'll follow you through this safer route you've mentioned."
"Then let's go. Time to turn that creep into calamari!" Marty declared as she swims past the rest of the group before following her from behind.
Unknown to them, Launch Octopus was watching from his base as he sees his agent leading the X-Squad to a false sense of security as they're completely unaware of her true intentions while the Maverick General chuckled evilly.
"It seems that Agent M has been smitten by that human lover X. I'd be a little worried if this goes out of hand, but perhaps I can use this to my advantage." He said with a dark glint in his eyes "Those fools seems to trust her and have no idea that story she made was an absolute lie. Once Agent M leads them to where my secret weapon is located, X will be easy pickings once he's weakened from the fight. And once he and those other two are out of the way, I can take those IS girls to Lord Sigma and kill off Marty before she has a chance to realize her folly." He switches the camera feeds to a large clearing where the sand shifted a bit as two blue lights were seen.
As our heroes were following Marty's lead, she led them into a pathway filled with more Mavericks and traps than any other path in the area. While they've managed to take out most of them, a few have managed to injure them in the process as well. But while most of the group has taken some damage, X seems to have taken the most out of everyone but doesn't seem to let it stop him. This causes the others to worry about him as they follow Marty who was swimming just ahead of them, but he lets them know not to worry about him.
"X, are you sure you're alright? You've already taken so much damage from the Mavericks to protect us." Houki said in concern "If you don't stop, then you'll be too weak to fight Launch Octopus or any of the Mavericks he'll send at us."
"She's right, X. You've already done more than enough for us. Just hang back for a while and let us take the lead while you rest up." Jessie agrees as the rest of the girls all nodded.
"I'm alright, everyone. There's no need to worry about it. I can still fight with all of you." X smiled at them "Trust me, I can definitely keep on fighting with all of you. I'm not going to let something like this slow me down." The girls all looked at each other with concern before turning back at X.
"Are you really sure, X-kun? Can you really keep on going on with your injuries like this?" Char asked him worryingly.
"I'm okay, Char. Really, I can still keep on going. I know you're all worried about me, but I'm not going to let Launch Octopus have his way with Marty's friends." X stated to them "They've let her escape to find help while they're about to corrupted into Mavericks and become part of Sigma's forces. We'll need to save them before anything bad happens to them."
"Well, if you say so, X. We'll need to pick up the pace if we're going to rescue Marty's friends. Hopefully we can reach them in time before they're turned into Mavericks." Marino said as she turns to said Reploid. "By the way, Marty, are you sure you're leading us in the right direction? From what I've seen so far, there's been nothing but traps and Mavericks attacking us at every corner of the way. Not to be rude, but I'm having some serious doubts about this shortcut."
"I know it looks bad, but I'm positive we're going the right way. This is the quickest way to reach Launch Octopus's lair, trust me on this." Marty told her truthfully "I saw this path while I was escaping from the ambush, but was caught before I could make it far enough. My guess is that Launch Octopus figured this out and rigged it with traps to keep anyone from using it to reach him quickly."
"Even if that was the case, why would you lead us down this path if he's making sure that no one can reach him? It's not like we don't trust you, but we're just trying to help you out." Char said to her with a skeptical glare.
"I have my reasons for doing this! I'm doing this to help my team before anything bad happens to them. I'm not trying to deceive you guys." Marty told her as they entered a more open area.
"You say that, but how can we be sure that you're telling us the truth? We've only just met you, but there's still a lot we don't know about." Laura said with a frown. "I know we've saved you from that Mechaniloid and you're leading us to Launch Octopus's location, but you're also leading us down a path where our leader has taken some serious damage and is on the verge of collapsing if he takes anymore damage." As they walked on, the sand on the ocean floor started to shift a little but this goes unnoticed by them,
"I have to agree with Laura. For all we know, this shortcut is probably a trap to weaken us for Launch Octopus to have an unfair advantage over us." Cecilia agrees with a frown. "If that wasn't bad enough, X seems to be fixated on helping you despite his current condition. We know that's just how he is, but he's not really been himself since meeting you. Have you done something to make him so intent on helping you?" The sand shifts even more as something seems to be moving around and was heading towards the X-Squad.
"I've done nothing to him! It's not like I'm using my feminine charms to manipulate him into helping me!" Marty shot back defensively. "All I did was ask him for help and he jumped at the opportunity to do so. While I'm grateful for that, I'm not manipulating him in any way." The object dives deeper beneath the sand as it gets even closer to the X-Squad, but this was noticed by Marino.
"Everyone, stop! Don't move a muscle!" Marino ordered as everyone stopped in their tracks.
"What's wrong, Marino? Why did you stop us?" Ling asked her in concern.
"There's something moving around in the sand. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely something big." Marino answered her as she draws her kodachi blade.
"Is it another Mechaniloid like the one that captured Marty?" Jessie asked as everyone drew their weapons.
"I don't think so. This one is much bigger than the Mechaniloid we've fought earlier." Marino answered her "Unlike the last one, this one seems to be stalking us like a hunter. Keep your eyes peeled, it could emerge from anywhere." The gang nodded as they formed a circle with their backs facing each other with Marty in the center to keep her safe.
While scanning the area, Cecilia noticed the sand of the seafloor moving and shifting around them. Confused at this, she heard a rumbling sound as something massive was coming. Gasping in shock, she screamed out "Move!" And everyone heard her words as a giant red moray eel bursts out of the ground and roars as the gang.
"What the heck?! What is that thing?! It's huge!" Ling shouted as she pointed at the Mechaniloid.
"If I had to guess, that's one of Launch Octopus's guardians. No doubt he ordered this to patrol this area to make sure no one reaches him that easily." X answered as he aims his X-Buster at the Mechaniloid.
"Then it looks like we'll have to destroy it if we're going to get to the end. But I have a feeling this one is much stronger than the last Mechaniloid." Houki said as she draws her katanas.
"Marino, get Marty to safety! We can't let her get caught in the crossfire and get hurt!" X ordered as he fired his X-Buster at the head, damaging it in the process. The moray eel roared and lunched at the X-Squad who had to swim out of the way.
"Right! I'll join you once she's out of harms way!" Marino nodded as she grabs Marty's arm and swims away while the rest of the group faces the Mechaniloid.
"Aim for the head, that has to be its weak point!" X issued.
"Roger!" The IS girls and Jessie nodded in agreement as they take turns attacking the Mechanloid. The Mechanloid fired energy blasts at them, but they dodged them. Cecilia fired her assault rifle at it, giving it medium damage. The Mechanloid retaliated by firing energy blasts at her, giving her small damage.
"Hold on, Cecilia!" Jessie yelled as she fired her dual revolvers at the Mechanloid, giving it big damage.
"Hiyah!" Ling yelled as she swam up and gave the Mechnaloid a drop kick, knocking it to the ground. Houki charged towards the Mechanloid and slashed it five times with her katanas.
The Mechanaloid roared as it fired more energy blasts at our heroes, the IS girls dodged it, but X guarded most of them, but sustained minor damage.
"X!" The IS girls gasped in shock as they swam towards him.
"You alright, X-kun?!" Char asked in concern as the Mechnaloid charged towards them.
"I'm okay, don't worry about me! We have to defeat this Mechnaloid fast!" X told him with a reassuring smile before frowning seriously as he aims his X-Buster at the Mechnaloid and fired Buster shots at it, damaging it a little.
"He's right, girls!" Jessie agrees with X. "We have to destroy this thing before it hinders us further!" Jessie fired her dual revolvers at the Mechnaloid, giving it large damage.
"Everyone, hold it off so I can finish it off with a charged shot!" X issued, the IS girls nodded in agreement as they charged towards the Mechnaloid.
"Let's do this!" Houki yelled as she charged towards the Mechnaloid as she dodged the shots from it and slashed it three times with her katanas. Cecilia pelted the Mechnaloid with rifle shots.
"Alright, here we go!" Ling yelled as she swam up and gave it a super punch. She nodded to Char and Laura who nodded back as they got ready.
Char and Laura double teamed on the Mechanloid, but it was far from done as it has its sights on X who charged up his X-Buster to level 3. With a heroic scream, he fired the charged shot at the Mechanloid, blasting a hole through its head as it exploded.
"Yeah! Take that, you hunk of junk! That'll teach you to get the jump on us!" Ling grinned as she steps on the remains of the Mechaniloid.
"You can say that again, Ling! That pile of scrap metal stood no chance against us! Now we've got a clear path towards Launch Octopus's lair!" Jessie agrees.
"That's right, we're one step closer to reaching him now. And once we've reached him, we'll be able to put a stop to his invasion." X grinned as he gave the girls a thumbs up before turning around to where Marino and Marty were hiding. "Alright, Marino, it's safe for you and Marty to come out now. The Mechaniloid is destroyed, so it's safe now." The two Reploids heard him and came out from their hiding spot just behind a coral reef.
"That's good to hear. I wasn't expecting a Mechaniloid to be stationed here as a last line of defense." Marino said "No doubt Launch Octopus had it stationed here as a trap for us. Meaning we're getting closer to the end of this location and to the Maverick General himself. He's doing everything he can to make sure we don't reach him easily."
"Then what do you say that we should get a move on? We're almost done with our mission, so let's give it everything we've got to put a stop to his invasion!" Ling smirked as the gang nodded and pressed on, but Marty seems to trail behind as she seems to be conflicted about what she's doing.
'These people… They don't seem to be worried about taking on Launch Octopus and stopping his invasion of the surface… But why is that?' She asked herself 'Despite them knowing that I was intentionally leading them through a trap fill path, they're still not backing out from this. Even X isn't even letting the damages he's suffered through hold him down… Maybe I should…' She holds onto her arm with her other hand while lower her head down to look at the seafloor as she trails behind the group.
Launch Octopus's Lair
Launch Octopus saw his moray eel Mechaniloid being destroyed by the X-Squad with fury as he slams his tentacles onto the control panel. "Blast it all! Those accursed Hunters just destroyed my last line defense! Now they're on their way to my location and Agent M hasn't done anything to deter them! No matter, I'll just have to take of them personally once they've arrive. This is my last chance to capture those girls and bring them to Lord Sigma. Of course, I'll have to deal with that useless mermaid as well and make sure she doesn't tell them that she's working for me." He turns around and heads out to meet with the Hunters. "Just you wait, Maverick Hunters. This ocean will soon become your watery grave and I'll personally make sure that no one will ever find you."
Back with the X-Squad
As our heroes plowed through the remaining of Launch Octopus's units, they've reached the entrance to his base with the same emblem as the last Maverick Generals they've encountered before. Knowing what's coming up, our heroes readied themselves for their battle against the second to last Maverick General.
"This is it… Just beyond this door…" Houki frowned as she gripped her katanas.
"…Is Launch Octopus… No doubt he's waiting for us to enter his base, so we've better be prepared for a fight…" X nodded seriously.
"Then let's go ahead and make some squid calamari…" Laura gritted her teeth in fury as the gang entered through the doors and made it to Launch Octopus's hideout. With the exception of Marty who hid behind the entrance as she watches the group, but this goes unnoticed by them as they made their way to the Maverick General.
'Guys… I'm sorry, but I had to lead you through that path to weaken you for Launch Octopus… I didn't want to do this, but I had no other choice in the matter…' Marty apologized in her mind. 'I I didn't want to lose my home, so I had to lie to gain your trust. I hope you guys can forgive me for lying to you…' She watches them enter through the second door and reach Launch Octopus who was waiting for them.
(Maverick Confrontation theme from MHX plays)
"Well, well. Welcome MegaMan X, Neo Emerald Spears Jessika and Marino and IS Pilots. Nice of all of you to come see me on such short notice." The gang looked up to see Launch Octopus floating above them as he descended down towards them. "However, I don't appreciate that you destroyed my surprise attack army for Neo Tokyo, including my Mechaniloid. If none of you haven't intervened as you did, then Neo Tokyo would've been ours by now."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're not going to let you attack Neo Tokyo with your army." Jessie said with a serious frown. "We've already taken out most of your forces and dealt with your secret weapon, so now that just leaves you. So you can either just surrender now and not give us any trouble or we're going to have to deal with you like with the others."
"That's right, so stop your antics, Launch Octopus! You don't have to suffer the same fate as Chill Penguin, Flame Mammoth, Spark Mandrill and Sting Chameleon." X pleaded to him "The others fell because they've refused to surrender, but you don't have to make the same mistakes as them."
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I only take orders from Sigma. There's no way I'm going to let a bunch of children boss me around!" Launch Octopus scoffed at him "Those fools only lost because they're all pathetic. As for the traitors that you've managed to convince to join the Maverick Hunters, they're all too weak for Lord Sigma's ideal world. So once I'm done with you lot and deliver those five girls to Lord Sigma, I'll personally hunt down those traitors and send them to the scrapyard."
"Then we'll just have to face it… You've definitely gone Maverick, Launch Octopus! Now we're going to have to take you down as we did to the other Mavericks!" X sighed as he aimed his X-Buster at his opponent.
"Maverick?! How dare you call my artistic battle style by that name!" Launch Octopus growled "I'll have you know that I am an artist, X. An artist of underwater combat! However, no one has ever been able to recognized that fact. Until now, that is."
"And I'm guessing that Sigma is the one who recognizes it, as you claimed?" Marino asked as she draws her blade.
"That's correct. He was the only one to have ever recognized my artistic style!" Launch Octopus answered her "And as a token for his recognition, I'm fighting to create an entire world that does, as well! So unfortunately for you, this is a very important battle for me. Of course, since you've all managed to make it here, I'll let you in on a little secret."
"What kind of secret? What are you planning to tell us?" Houki asked as she held her katana.
"That Lord Sigma's Project Wolf's Bane is almost complete. He's been working tirelessly and is just putting in the finishing touches. Once it's finally complete, this world and the entire omniverse will be as good as ours!" Launch Octopus proclaimed.
"What?! You mean that powerful battle body armed to the teeth with dangerous weaponry?! He's already done with it?!" Cecilia's eyes widen in shock.
"Then the stakes couldn't be any higher than this… He's already made the final preparations for his new body!" X gritted his teeth. "We have to find his fortress before it's too late! If we don't, it's only a matter of time before he unleashes his forces onto the other worlds!"
"Unfortunately, none of you will have the chance to stop it once I turn you and the ninja girl into scrap metal, X. As well as ending the life of your other human friend! And once I've captured the five IS pilots and bring them to Lord Sigma, he'll give me a juicy bonus! But the time for talk is over, prepare for the scrapheap, X!" Launch Octopus yelled as he swims up and spins around to create a whirlpool.
MegaMan X and the X-Squad vs Launch Octopus (Maverick Boss theme from MHX plays)
"Here he comes, get ready!" Marino yelled as she used Armored Armadillo's powers to shield them from Launch Octopus's attack.
"How dare you?!" Launch Octopus growled as he launched missiles from his tentacles, giving them medium damage. Houki charged towards Launch Octopus and slashed him three times with her katanas.
"Eat this!" Ling yelled as she charged towards Launch Octopus while dodging his tentacles and gave him a uppercut. Cecilia fired rifle shots at the Maverick General, giving him medium damage. Jessie also fired her dual revolvers at the Maverick General, adding in the hurt.
"Eat this too!" Laura yelled as she slashed Launch Octopus three times before the Maverick General hit her three times with her missiles.
"Rolling Shi-ack!" X grunted before he can launch his attack as he kneed down.
"X!" The IS girls and Jessie and Marino gasped in shock as they rushed towards him.
"You alright?!" Ling asked in concern.
"Y-Yeah. Sorry for worrying you. I guess I am a bit weaken before facing Launch Octopus." X panted as he struggled to get up.
"I knew something was up with that Marty girl…" Marino frowned seriously. Launch Octopus chuckled darkly. "What's so funny?" She glared at the Maverick General.
"Agent M or Marty did a good job weakening you all so it'll make it easier for me to send you all to your graves. So once I'm done with you lot, I'll go after her and reduced her to scrap metal!" Marty heard what Launch Octopus said and her eyes widen in shock before she clenched her fists in anger. She entered the doors and glared at Launch Octopus.
"Launch Octopus! You no good, double-crossing cephalopod! You lied to me! I thought you said that you weren't going to reduce me into scrap!" Marty yelled in anger. "I did everything as you ordered and led them through that shortcut just to weaken them for you! You promised me that if I do as you ordered, you'd spare my home!"
"Oh, you poor, naïve girl. You honestly believed that I'd spare your home because you've done what I've ordered?" Launch Octopus mocked darkly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid that you've outlived your usefulness to me. So I've decided to end our agreement and make sure you don't get in our way. After all, you were just merely a liability." This caused Marty to gasp in shock from hearing what he said as she lowers her head.
"Liability? I just a liability to you?! Then everything I've done to lure them into a shortcut littered with traps, lying to them about my search and rescue team has been captured and leading them to your Mechaniloid was all for nothing?!" Marty shouted with tears in her eyes.
"Of course, it was. You didn't honestly thought that you would've been spared from Sigma's conquest, did you?" Launch Octopus smugly remarked. "Unfortunately, you aren't even worthy of being part of Lord Sigma's new world. So rather than having to deal with another potential threat, I've decided to deal with you once I'm done with X and his friends. Perhaps this'll teach you to always watch out for whomever you trust." Marty couldn't hold back her anger any longer and grabs a spear from nearby and charges at him.
"That's it! I'm done listening to you! I'm not going to let you destroy my home and get away with it! Prepare to die, Launch Octopus!" Marty yelled as she aims her spear at him.
"Wait, Marty! You're no match for him! He's designed for fighting! You won't stand a chance against him!" X pleaded as she charges towards the Maverick General.
"I don't care! I'm not going to let my home be destroyed! I'll protect it even at the cost of my life!" Marty yelled back as she reaches Launch Octopus, only for him to ensnare her in his tentacles and pulls her closer to him.
"So you wish to die so eagerly?! Then I'll be more than happy to oblige! Just know that everything that happened to them was all your fault!" Launch Octopus mocked as he tightens his grip on Marty which causes her drop her spear and her body started to crush from under the pressure of his tentacles.
"If it means to help X and the others win against you, then I'm more than willing to take the fall! Because at least, I might've made it up to them!" Marty yelled as she freed her arm and used her tail to launch the spear back into her hand and thrusting it through his head as he lets out a loud scream in pain.
"AHHHHHHHHHH! You little wench! How dare you stab my head with that spear?! I'll deal with you right here and now!" Launch Octopus growled as he tightens his grip on her as her body started to send out sparks as she looks back at the X-Squad with remorseful eyes.
"X… Everyone… Keep on fighting… I know you can do it…" Marty told them as her body splits in half from Launch Octopus's tentacles as her remains floats down to the floor with everyone in complete shock at what they've witnessed.
"Marty…" Was all X could say while Launch Octopus laughs.
"Just as I thought! She's just another foolish Reploid who doesn't know her place! But just like any other fool who dares to rebel against Lord Sigma, she'll meet the same fate as the others!" Launch Octopus mocked as he pulls the spear out from his head and toss it aside.
"How could you do that to her?! She was working for you just to protect her home safe, but you've decided to end your agreement with her!" Cecilia shouted in anger.
"Which is precisely why it was so easy to manipulate her. She didn't want her home destroyed, so she made a deal with me to make sure it was safe." Launch Octopus said to her. "Of course, that didn't exclude her from being a potential threat to our new world and once she's outlived her usefulness, I'd get rid of her before that could happen. And now with her out of the way, I can focus all my attention onto you Hunters. Time to finish all of you off before I was so rudely interrupted! Starting with you, MegaMan X!" He aims his tentacles at the weaken X and fires his Homing Torpedos at him.
X lowered his head before clenching his hand and the aura appeared again, dispelling Launch Octopus's attack. "W-What?!" Launch Octopus gawked as X stands up and glared at Launch Octopus.
"Launch Octopus… I will never forgive you for what you did to Marty!" X leaped up and shouted out "Rolling Shield!" X fired the attack at Launch Octopus, giving him massive damage.
"Get him X!" Ling cheered as Launch Octopus fired more Homing Torpedoes at our blue hero, but like before, he dodged them. X fired more Rolling Shields at Launch Octopus, giving him more massive damage.
"Tale this, Launch Octopus!" X yelled as he charged up his X-Buster to full power. "Charged shot!" X fired the charged shot at Launch Octopus, which drilled through him.
"My explosion… is also beautiful!" Launch Octopus screamed as he exploded.
After the battle with Launch Octopus, the X-Squad gathered around Marty's body as sparks emitted from her upper body and her tail as she lays on the floor. Marty manages to move her head to face them as X kneels beside her and picks her up in his arms.
(Nothing's in Vain from FFBE Plays)
"Hey, guys… Good to see all of you again… So was I able to make amends with you?" Marty asked them weakly.
"You did more than that, you were able to help us turn the tables on Launch Octopus and gives us a chance to win." X answered her. "I'm sorry we weren't fast enough to save you, so I hope you can forgive us for not responding fast enough."
"You don't have to apologize, X. I'm the one who should be sorry. For deceiving you into helping me and leading you into traps to make you easy pickings for Launch Octopus." Marty apologized to them. "I was just trying to keep my home safe and was willing to do anything to protect it. Launch Octopus used that against me to work for him, so I had no other choice but to do as he says. I'm really sorry for all the trouble I caused you guys."
"After seeing Launch Octopus showing his true colors, it was clear that he wasn't going to hold up his end of the deal." Houki said "I'm sure he never intended to keep his word and only used your desperation to keep you in line. To him, you were just a stepping stone for Sigma's new world."
"Heh… I guess I was naïve as he said. To think I trusted him to keep his word, but in the end, I was the foolish one." Marty sighed as her body sparks. "But I guess this is the end for me. I tried to help a Maverick General in taking over the omniverse and now I'm paying the price for it… I guess it's best for you guys to leave me here as part of my punishment…"
"No, we're not leaving you here. We're bringing you with us to Hunter HQ to be repaired. I'm sure our friends can give you a new body." X reassured her "Perhaps they'll even make your new body more combat oriented than your original body."
"Wait, just like that? Even after everything I've done, you're willing to forgive me?" Marty gasped in shock.
"Of course, I'm sure our other friends would want to meet you as well and Zero could even recruit you into the Maverick Hunters." X smiled at her "I'm sure he'll understand that you were doing Launch Octopus's bidding just to protect your home. But if you don't want to join us, then we can understand. You can give us your answer when we're back at Hunter HQ." Marty looked at him as he smiled at her more and caused her to blush as she turned away from him and making the IS girls jealous.
"I'll come with you guys to Hunter HQ. I'm not sure if I'm going to join yet, but I'll give you my answer when my body's repaired." Marty told him as X stands back up.
"Sounds like a plan. We'll let Jerry and Sophie know what happened and I'm sure they'll repair you." X nodded "And since we've freed the ocean and stopped Launch Octopus's fleet, I'm sure your home is now safe." He hands Marty over to Houki while Jessie was holding her tail. "But before we return to HQ, we've still got one more thing to do with Launch Octopus's remains." He looked over to Marino who nodded and joins him as they both touched the remains of the Maverick General.
Soon enough, X received the same weapon as Launch Octopus while Marino gains a sword that resembles the same sword that Maria uses in her Airgetlam Relic. Wanting to test them out, X's armor changes color into a darker green as he aims his X-Buster at the wall while shouting "Homing Torpedo!" and fires it at the wall. Marino does the same where she closes her eyes and concentrates as the blade started to detach in sections and becomes a bladed chain as she shouted "Empress Rebellion!" and it extends out to hit the wall and bounces off before returning to its original form.
"So with Launch Octopus finally destroyed, now there's only one more Maverick General left…" Houki stated seriously.
"And that can only mean…" Charlotte frowned with determination.
"This war is almost over… We're finally going to end Sigma's conquest of the omniverse and prevent his Reploid utopia…." X clenched his hand. "And once we've converted the Last Maverick General to our side, we'll have a chance to win this war…" X turns to his friends as they all stood in attention. "This is it, we're finally in the homestretch of this war. I'm certain that Sigma is not going to make it easier for us, so we'll need to be prepared for whatever he might have." Everyone nodded in agreement as he turns to a camera and knows that Sigma's watching them. "Don't get too comfortable, Sigma. We're not going to give up until your plans are stopped! We're coming for you, Sigma! You can count on it!" After that, our heroes were warped back to Maverick Hunter HQ with a badly damaged Marty in tow and to have her repaired.
To be Continued…
Next chapter: Boomerang Kwauager: Gokoh Five's Last Stand! At War's End
A/N: And so, after a long delay, this chapter is complete. Next up, our heroes recruit both the Gokoh Five and Boomerang Kwugaer. But what about Mr. X? Find out next time.