Note: Hello all. Got some issues going on related to family and health, so it's been a little somber lately. But here's the beginning of the Launch Octopus arc! Hope you enjoy it!
Depths
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea located in the Western Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippine Archipelago, which is where it gets its name. It is recognized as the largest sea in the world, covering an estimated surface area of two hundred million square miles (five million square kilometers). The sea has the Philippine Sea Plate forming its floor.
The western border of the Philippine Sea is marked by the Ryukyu Islands to the northwest and Taiwan to the west. The southwestern border includes the Philippine islands of Luzon, Catanduanes, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. To the north, the border comprises the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and, more recently, Abel City. The eastern border features the second island chain, which includes the Bonin Islands and Iwo Jima in the northeast, the Mariana Islands—such as Guam, Saipan, and Tinian—due east, and the islands of Halmahera, Palau, Yap, and Ulithi in the southeast. Finally, the southern border is defined by Indonesia's Morotai Island.
The sea is characterized by a complex and diverse undersea relief, shaped into a structural basin by a series of geological faults and fracture zones. Island arcs, which are extended ridges that rise above the surface due to plate tectonic activity, encircle the Philippine Sea to the north, east, and south. These arcs include the Ryukyu Islands, the Philippine archipelago, and the Marian Islands.
This knowledge is well understood by those who live in this region—both living organisms and machinery alike. It will become especially important during critical moments, as the members of Firefly's squad witness unusual occurrences in the area.
X recalled the moment he had been out with the green biker and the rest of his team, patrolling the borders of Abel City and the vehicle-accessible parts of the island. It was around this time that they reached the stretch of water between the island and Arcadia, where one of the riders spotted an incoming object gliding atop the surface.
A small emergency rescue vessel sailed across the ocean, its white sheen marking its place of origin. This sight alerted the Reploids present, including Firefly and X, that the signal sent from the lighthouse had reached the outside world. A call for help had been received and responded to. Although the warning they had received was fresh in their minds, seeing the vessel filled X's core with hope. Yet a nagging doubt lingered in the back of his mind, alerting him that not all was well.
Indeed, this doubt would soon be proven correct.
As the vessel inched closer to the island's border, the blue Hunter felt a strange sensation begin to stir within his chest—more accurately, within his core.
"Look down," a female voice urged.
X's green optics were drawn to the seemingly calm waves a short distance away, unsure of what he was supposed to notice.
It didn't take long for him to realize there was slight movement amid the gentle waves.
"Look!" X called out, drawing the attention of the others, who also spotted the oddity disrupting the natural flow of the ocean's water.
It soon became clear what the moving object was. However, by the time they fully grasped the gravity of the situation, it was already too late.
The projectile slammed into the side of the vessel, the explosion upon contact immediate, rocking the Arcadian equipment to the side, nearly tipping it over entirely. The underside was incredibly damaged, an opening already formed and allowing for ocean water to seep in, flooding already beginning at an alarming rate. Yet that wasn't the end. More homing missiles came in, striking the vessel repeatedly in several different areas, the weapons landing on their targets until the entire vessel erupted into flames, not one sight of a crew member leaping overboard to escape.
There was no one left who could escape.
Soon, the vessel began to descend into the ocean, unable to keep afloat any longer. As it sank, the waters extinguished the raging fires strengthened by the released oil and fluids of the engines, as if signaling to the Hunters watching from afar that any life that was potentially aboard had been completely snuffed out.
"Look!"
X jumped slightly, searching around. Look for what?" he wondered to himself, not exactly expecting a response. Lo and behold, however, he received one.
"Under the water!" the female voice echoed in the blue Hunter's mind. "He's escaping!"
To the confusion of Firefly and everyone else, X rushed to the edge of the island, his green optics scanning for any further anomalies that this strange yet ever-present companion was hinting at. Then, in an instant, he noticed something: movement beneath the surface. A dark shape, semi-humanoid in appearance and bearing multiple appendages, emerged, topped by a prominently sized dome. The silhouette immediately sparked a sense of familiarity in the green-eyed Reploid. The others were drawn forward, catching a glimpse of the figure as it traveled rapidly beneath the waves, quickly making itself scarce as if it had never been there in the first place.
Hunter HQ
"And then the ship was taken down?" Zero questioned, visibly distressed by the sudden news he had just received.
X nodded, still struggling to process everything. It had all happened so quickly; one moment, a glimmer of hope was right in front of them, and the next, it was utterly destroyed without a second thought. "I suppose we can consider this Sigma's answer to any outside interference."
"Indeed," Zero replied, crossing his arms as he examined the map displayed on the monitor. "Still, are you certain about who exactly fired the missiles?"
The blue Hunter nodded. "He kept himself concealed from view, but that form of his is more than a little recognizable."
"No kidding," the blonde Commander agreed, focusing on the small, glowing dot moving from the Philippine Sea down toward the south of Japan. "So, our culprit is heading further toward the trenches."
The mention of the trenches caused concern among those observing the moving tracker. The signal confirmed that another one of their own had executed Sigma's orders. Initially, it had just been a hunch, but X insisted that Ai run a tracking signal to pick up the Reploid's unique electronic signature. Despite some protest from her side—since the mandatory trackers placed in Reploids would likely be among the first things to be removed under Sigma's orders—she agreed to run a scan. To everyone's shock, especially her own, they managed to track someone.
The monitor displayed the code embedded in the tracker, linking a name and face to the signal, indicating that everyone was potentially in greater trouble than before.
Another prominent feature of the Philippine Sea is the presence of deep-sea trenches, including the Philippine Trench and, more concerning, the Mariana Trench, known as the deepest point on Earth. There was debate about whether their suspect would dare to attempt a dive into it, especially since the mysterious blue hole had yet to be fully explored, even in this century. The potential water pressure made it nearly impossible to enter without proper equipment, as any attempt could result in being crushed.
"Look!" one Hunter declared, pointing out that the dot was moving away from the trenches and heading further downward, which brought collective relief to everyone present. However, this relief was only temporary.
"Where's he going now?" Firefly questioned, frustrated that his vehicle skills would be useless in the water. Yet, he thought this might be the perfect opportunity to try out a boat.
Ai locked onto the moving dot, observing as it descended from the Philippine Sea into the area between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. More specifically, it moved into the tropical waters surrounding Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
Just as the dot reached the roughly triangular region formed by these landmasses, it stopped moving and then vanished from the monitor completely. Once the location was pinpointed, X and Firefly were dispatched to scout the area, this time using a water-based transport.
The journey took several hours, despite the vessel's high speed, as they were intentionally traveling slowly to avoid drawing attention, especially after witnessing the Arcadian response to the pleas of those trapped nearby. Nevertheless, they pressed on, determined not to let fear or doubt deter them until they arrived at the very spot where the tracker had ceased functioning. The gentle waves lapped against the advanced equipment they were using for travel.
"So, around here?" X asked, his green optics focused on the dense depths below, uncertain of what awaited him beneath the surface.
"Seems like it," Firefly replied. "At least, this is where he was last detected. For all we know, he could be anywhere."
Indeed, while they had a general idea of where to search, the distance traveled and the seemingly endless expanse of blue above and below them did little to boost their confidence. The signal had last been detected in a section known as "The Coral Triangle," which was precisely what it sounded like: a roughly triangular area that encompasses at least five hundred species of reef-building corals in each ecoregion. This region spans parts of two biogeographic areas: the Indonesian-Philippines Region and the Far Southwestern Pacific Region. Recognized as one of the eight major coral reef zones globally, the Coral Triangle is a center of marine biodiversity and a priority for conservation efforts.
What a Maverick like the one they were tracking was doing in such an area remained a mystery. Nevertheless, X knew what had to be done.
As he moved to the edge of the vessel, he felt a hand clasp his shoulder, stopping him before he went any further. Turning around, X saw Firefly and the other Hunters accompanying them silently offering their comrade a collective prayer.
"Watch yourself down there," Firefly cautioned X.
"I will," X responded, his blue armor shifting as he activated his upgraded features.
"I mean it, X," the green motorist warned. "Stay on guard at all times. And, even more importantly, be selective about whom you trust."
The semi-transformed Maverick Hunter paused for a moment, as if he wished to argue or protest, but ultimately nodded slowly in understanding. With a small leap off the edge, he plummeted into the water below, his metallic form sinking swiftly as the weight of his body helped him descend toward the Maverick they were seeking.
Firefly sighed, gazing at the now-still ocean. "You had better return," he thought aloud. "Otherwise, I don't know what I'll tell Zero."
Beneath the Surface
The splash upon impact filled his audio units, and the ambiance of the world above slowly faded as X felt himself sinking. His view of the blue sky was consumed by the ocean's waves, the equally blue waters overtaking his entire line of sight as the Hunter continued to descend deeper. The world around him appeared hazy, and the fathomless abyss surrounding him was difficult to visualize entirely due to the abundance of natural particles and microscopic life pervading the waters. Finally, at long last, X felt his boots make contact with a solid surface. Looking down, he realized he had reached the ocean floor, where the sandy foundation was grainy yet surprisingly sturdy.
Then, he became aware that he was receiving a call from HQ and wasted no time answering, only to be taken aback by the voice that greeted him.
"X! Can you hear me? It's me!"
The mostly blue Hunter's green eyes widened in surprise. "Roll?!" he exclaimed, bringing a hand up to his audio receptor.
A small giggle rang out through his communicator. "Surprised, aren't you? I didn't think I'd eventually be doing this, but here I am!"
The Hunter immediately had several questions for his younger sister regarding how she was even permitted to link into communications, let alone serve as his Navigator for this particular mission. Yet, despite the maelstrom of queries swirling in his mind about his sister, he knew that time was of the essence. Any inquiries he had could come after everything was resolved.
"Do you need a general layout of where you are?" Roll asked.
X took a small glance around at his current environment. While he couldn't see any hint of danger or enemy forces, the terrain was rather barren, devoid of much else except sand and a few underwater plants scattered among the stones, with large sections of algae clinging to their surfaces. "I know I'm in the Coral Triangle, right?" he asked, waiting for her confirmation.
"Yeah," Roll replied. "Known as the Amazon of the Seas, this area covers around five point seven million square kilometers, or two million two thousand square miles, and contains more than seventy-six percent of the world's shallow-water reef-building coral species—"
"Yes, I'm aware of that, Roll, thank you," X interjected, trying not to sound dismissive; however, such information needed to take a back seat to more crucial details. "Do you know where I am in relation to where the Maverick went?"
"Oh right, sorry," Roll answered, glancing at the main monitor while tracking X's location on a smaller computer. "From the looks of it, the signal was lost somewhere in the vicinity of the Coral Triangle," she informed her younger brother. "But where exactly is still unknown. Although," she paused, studying the last known capture of the Maverick's signature before it vanished, "it appears to be somewhere in the eastern portion of the Triangle, specifically near the deeper sea trenches, but they're nothing compared to the Mariana Trench."
"That's a positive, at least," X noted. "Still," he paused, gazing out into the watery abyss surrounding him. "I'd best get started searching for any signs of where they went."
"I'll be here if you need me," Roll assured him. "Be careful."
X allowed a small smile to form on his lips. "I will," he promised, silently hoping he would be vigilant enough to ensure his safe return to her and Zero.
An Hour Later
Initially, X had believed he could simply walk his way to his destination along the ocean floor, considering the looser composition of the earth. However, he quickly discovered that the density of the ocean water was far greater than he had initially suspected. As a result, he activated his buoyancy feature, allowing him to float above the sandy ground below and essentially swim toward his desired location. Although the trip would still be lengthy, he found this method much more effective for covering distance, especially with the extra boost provided by his leg upgrades.
Suddenly, Roll's voice reached his receptors, prompting the Hunter to pause in his journey and heed her message. "See anything of interest yet?" she inquired, curious about any new details X might have gathered.
"Unfortunately, not yet," X replied, still mostly surrounded by empty sea. "Although," he began, "has there been any more activity around the borders of the island?"
"Not since the first rescue vessel was... blown up," Roll said, the dark reality of the situation still difficult to digest. "However, this incident has raised concerns beyond just evacuating the human populace."
X was intrigued. "How so?" he asked.
"Well, if this is any indication, then it's clear that Sigma's forces can operate just as effectively underwater as they can above," his sister explained. "If they can do this, who's to say they won't extend their reach even further, cutting off sea routes and causing all sorts of problems?"
Indeed, X thought, that would pose a significant problem, not just for humans. Before he could ask anything further, he noticed he was nearing the edge of what appeared to be a large undersea canyon, with the hazy outline of land visible in the distance. "Hey, Roll," he began again, moving toward the edge and preparing to drop down to continue his journey. "When should I start seeing signs of this 'Coral Triangle' for reference?"
"It should be close," Roll assured him. "If you haven't found it by now, I would think you will soon."
True, X considered. While he had dived around the edge of the Coral Triangle, given its size and proximity, he would have expected to see some signs of it by now. As he reached the edge and peered over, he spotted more undersea canyons and trenches that would be perfect hiding spots for a runaway Maverick. Jumping down, he maneuvered through the tight corridors, focused on his mission, yet he couldn't shake thoughts of when the Arcadian vessel had been destroyed. Or rather, how he came to realize that the destruction had not been an accident.
The voice he heard was the same one that spoke when he took the topaz from Ray B.'s chest. Who could it be? It certainly wasn't anyone he recognized, but it sounded young, almost like a girl—somewhat older than Roll's previous self, yet still in her prime. He reached toward his chest and touched the area above where the topaz lay, nestled close to his own functioning core.
"Who are you?" he asked aloud, knowing that it was unlikely he would receive an answer. Still, he had gotten messages he hadn't asked for, so perhaps the owner of this voice would take requests?
Yeah, right. He barely had any idea where he was going, let alone whether he was heading in the right direction. For all he knew, he could have been moving away from the Coral Triangle and the one he was tracking entirely.
"Ugh!"
X suddenly felt a compression in his chest. The tightness in his core was overwhelming, but it wasn't entirely painful. It felt as if his body was trying to adjust to a new source of energy that had just made itself known, attempting to establish a direct link with his own systems. However, he hadn't inserted any new programs or updates before he left! What was this?
Just as he began to recognize his surroundings as being deep underwater, the water around him dissipated. The sand beneath him hardened into a tiled floor, with bright lights above casting their glow down on him. The blue Hunter momentarily shielded his eyes from the blinding light. After a moment, his green optics adjusted to the new area he found himself in. It was clear that, wherever he was now, it definitely wasn't where he had been before.
Although he wasn't sure where this place was, there was an undeniable sense of familiarity to it.
X took careful, tentative steps through the new location, navigating long corridors labeled "Sanitation" and "Cleanliness," as if no speck of dirt were allowed to exist here. Suddenly, as he turned a corner, he came across a smaller figure with a distinctive hairstyle, seemingly waiting in the shadows. X approached, unsure of who this individual was, almost believing it to be a child. When the figure turned and made eye contact with X, the Reploid instinctively ducked behind the corner, realizing that, despite his initial assumptions, this child didn't appear to be the joyful type.
"Is he ready?" another voice asked, belonging neither to X nor the figure. However, when he turned at the sound of the words, it was clear that he recognized the speaker.
X recognized the voice as well. "...Rock?"
"I believe so," another familiar voice chimed in. "Oh, this little critter is going to be so much help once he truly gets going!"
The blue Hunter felt a surge of excitement, his core practically jumping in his chest. "Dr. Light?"
Passing by the silent figure watching from the hallway, X approached the open entrance to a sizable white laboratory. Inside, he saw an elderly man with a full white beard and a young boy dressed in a blue t-shirt, dark blue shorts, and robotic boots—save for his helmet—overseeing something confined in a steel cage, similar to those found in a pet store.
The sight of his creator and his elder brother, Rock, stirred deep emotions in X. He tried to keep himself from acting rashly, even though the urge to reach out and touch the shoulder of the elderly man was tempting. Despite his age, Dr. Light appeared healthier than during their previous encounters, where X had spoken to him while he was dying.
"So, what's this little guy's name again?" Rock asked, his blue eyes fixated on the intriguing specimen in the cage.
Peering over the two of them, X finally caught a glimpse of what had captivated their attention. A small, rodent-like machine scampered on a wheel, tiny enough to fit in the palm of either of their hands. It was a rich orange color with yellow accents, resembling a cute and demure creature.
"Behold, Mariachi!" Dr. Light exclaimed with pride, watching with intrigue as the rodent continued to run faster in the circular wheel. "The Energy Efficient Hamster!"
Rock observed the orange, short-tailed rodent as it sped along, noticing a counter situated near the wheel that was steadily increasing in numerical value. "And what exactly is that?" the robot, designed to resemble a young boy, asked. "Is it his… energy counter?"
Dr. Light glanced at the counter by the wheel. "Ah, yes, sort of," he explained. "It shows how many units of energy he has stored in his systems. But it can also track his speed, the amount of power the wheel can provide when needed," the old man continued. "Or, it can count how many laps he's done."
Rock tilted his head, watching as the hamster continued to run in its wheel. Its paws transitioned into wheels of their own, causing the spinning device to increase in velocity until it became a silver blur, with the round orange creature seemingly trapped inside. The counter increased exponentially, Rock's optics following the cords connected to it that led to a battery. The energy level of the battery was displayed on the side, and as Mariachi kept running, the device was steadily being charged, with the meter indicating its capacity rising.
"While I'll admit that fun can't be ruled out," Dr. Light conceded. "Little Mariachi's main purpose here is to act as an energy generator. This battery serves as an external storage component for the energy he generates," the bearded scientist clarified to Rock. "But that's not all. As Mariachi moves, the wheel powers up the battery, which in turn powers up Mariachi, creating a perpetual motion machine that can generate energy at will without relying on outside sources."
The brunette boy continued to watch the robotic hamster race in the small wheel, the battery steadily filling up. "So, essentially, it's a self-sufficient generator, right?" Rock questioned, pondering if he had made the correct conclusion.
"That's right!" Dr. Light replied, clearly pleased with Rock's response. "However, since he's finished, I should probably take him over to the Department of Science so everything can be made official."
Mariachi then stopped running, his wheels transitioning back to paws as he rolled out onto the soft bedding of wood shavings situated in the cage. Wasting no time, he began to burrow beneath the shavings to conceal himself, exhibiting his rodent nature despite being a machine. The battery had been fully charged, showing a completely filled meter.
"Even so," Rock began, "surely you could let Dr. LaLinde see him before you take him there, right? I mean, the weather in the Philippines can be a little erratic. Any extra source of power would probably be quite useful."
"True," Dr. Light agreed. "I had intended to present him to you and Roll earlier, but…" he paused. "The incident with the lab burning down occurred."
Rock's smile faltered as the memory flashed in his mind. However, X had little understanding of what they were talking about. Sensing a new development behind him, the blue Reploid turned to see the figure that had been observed at the scene. He turned his head away, as if the mention of that event caused him physical pain. In a way, Rock wondered if it truly did. This individual, who had concealed himself, seemed to have access to the lab but did not want to reveal who he was.
…could it have been…?
Suddenly, X found the environment shifting again, red lights flashing all around him until his entire vision was engulfed by the bright hue. The intensity temporarily blinded the Hunter, but he soon regained his sight and discovered he was outside. The night sky was adorned with a crescent moon and glistening stars. Before him stood the exterior of Light Labs, resembling the state X had seen in recorded photographs after the fire that partially destroyed the structure. This was Dr. Light's home, as well as the home of Rock and Roll. It was his home.
Then he noticed the figure who had been watching him. Had he stepped outside, or had his exit from the lab somehow brought X along with him? The Hunter wasn't entirely sure. He watched as a young man with brunette hair slipped on a red helmet. The mouthpiece that had previously concealed his mouth was open now, allowing his lips to be seen freely. A small smile curled on his lips, but there was a hint of sadness behind it.
"And people wonder why I didn't want him messing with my power supply," he muttered.
X's lips parted as a rarely seen figure came to mind. The only images captured of him had been brief, providing just enough detail to spark curiosity. Yet now, before X at this moment, the Hunter could see the enigmatic and elusive android in full view—an android who had left home so long ago and was still remembered and missed.
"You're…?!"
"...X? ….X?"
X reached out to touch the gray shoulder of the smaller machine, but his fingers never made contact. Instead, he soon found the world around him seemingly melting away, liquefying and dissolving as if everything had just been immersed in water.
Water…?
"X? Can you read me? X?!"
The vastness of the open sky soon faded to a deep blue as the Hunter realized he was no longer surrounded by the multitude of trees in the clearing where Light Labs had been built. Instead, he was traveling through the narrow confines of underwater trenches and canyons, all in an attempt to navigate his way to the coveted Coral Triangle.
"X?! Are you there?!"
"Loud and clear, Roll," X quickly replied, spotting the exit to the trench he was navigating just a short distance away. "Apologies for the delay."
"It seems like your link with HQ and me was cut off momentarily, even if everything appears to have a clear signal for now," Roll detailed, overlooking the readings from her place at the small monitor. "Are you all right? I tried getting an answer after I didn't hear from you for a while, yet it seems that either the message didn't go through."
"Really?" X questioned, contemplating everything she had just said and reflecting on what he had seen in the past few moments. Although time in the lab had seemed to last only a few minutes, had it actually been longer? "At the moment, it doesn't appear that there are any issues," he paused, noticing hints of color in the distance. "I think I've found something."
As he navigated through the narrow corridor, the Hunter slipped through and realized, to his relief, that he hadn't been going in the wrong direction as he had feared. His desired location was simply a bit more concealed than he had initially expected.
In stark contrast to the dull colors of the stone walls in the underwater canyon, the scene before X was vibrant and full of life. A myriad of shades and hues tantalized his optics, urging him to explore this beautiful part of the world further. Various coral species, ranging from purple to green and yellow, adorned the area with intricate patterns and textures. Small fish of equally stunning colors darted around the natural formations. The clarity of the water enhanced X's ability to appreciate the view, with the deep blue of the ocean amplifying the enchanting colors of the underwater garden.
Amidst the natural wonder of the world, he remained oblivious to the pair of eyes watching him.
"Is he here yet?" A voice questioned, sounding smug and somewhat haughty, almost with an air of arrogance.
A pair of eyes watched from the dark corner where they had hidden, observing the Hunter as he moved along. "Yep," they said. "I've been following him since he arrived." They chuckled softly. "The little guy doesn't even know I'm here."
"Then let's keep it that way," their contact responded, rather gleeful at the knowledge of his opponent's apparent obliviousness. "I want you, however, to get his attention. And then," they paused, delight echoing in their tone as they schemed something nefarious. "I want you to bring him to me."
Note: Next up is one of my favorite characters in all of X media! Thank you for reading! Alert me of any errors I may have missed, and please leave your input! Thank you!
