Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

X originally joined the Maverick Hunters to seek out the cause behind the irregular activity with reploids and other Mechaniloids. The ‘Father of all reploids’ feels responsible for the well being of the reploid race in general. Even though Dr. Cain used X's structure and basic blueprints to creator the reploid race, X volunteered in the first place. Part of it was selfishness on X's part; being the only sentiment android like machine in the world.

X isn’t confident he can make it far in the Maverick Hunters group; he has the ability but not the fighting skills or prowess. And one modus operandi that X disagrees with is that any and all reploids that are dubbed "Mavericks" must be eliminated no questions ask for the sake of human society.

Still X approaches Sigma one day, Cain’s personally created reploid and a sort of brother/friend figure, to join the Maverick Hunters. “Absolutely not.” Sigma says, sitting at his desk, arms folded. X is attempting to tower over him using all of his barely over five foot height.

“You know I have the potential. Dr. Cain even gave me a recommendation.” X narrowed his eyes. The Maverick Hunters needed more in the attack field with the surge of reploids going maverick. X wanted to use this data to observe and single out the cause. Dr. Cain told X it could be a faulty error due to making reploids using X’s basic structure and a skim read out; the android like machine being almost unreadable.

There’s a sudden crash following shouts when a single reploid comes barreling through Sigma's door. X turns to see blond hair, red, and white. ‘Ah it’s the new recruit Zero.’ X learned from Sigma and Cain that Zero is a reploid that’s shroud in mystery. He was found with several reploid torn apart, including Sigma’s own units. X doesn't understand why the government would put such a high risk reploid in the Maverick Hunters.

There’s a flash of warning and X grips his head. His instinct observation chip, which is normally mute or background noise, is ringing through his ports; down to his core. It’s enough that it almost causes X to shut off. Sigma’s voice barely registers outside of the siren like warnings and X blacks out. When X awakens again, he finds himself in Sigma’s arms. The one called Zero is looming over them, eyes narrowed.

“Commander, who is this?” Zero’s deep voice resounds through X’s ports, making the blue armored robot to shut his eyes and wince.

“X. Now give him some space.” Sigma shoos Zero away and turns back to X. “This is exactly the reason why I don’t want you to be in the field. Do another position.”

X attempts to open his mouth, his voice crackling. “That…Zero...set off my instinct threat observation chip. Never seen such a high…level. Higher than you.”

“What?” There’s shock in Sigma’s voice and X attempts to sit up. The sound dimmed down but it’s still pounding and vibrating down to X’s core. If he was human, X would be nauseous and dizzy.

From his stance and posture, Zero seemed to be tense and high alert. “My threat assessment rang out but I see you’re busy so I’ll come back later.” As quickly as he came, Zero left in a flurry of blond hair.

“Sorry sir.” One of Sigma’s units meekly poked his head in. “We tried to stop him but he barreled through as usual.”

After helping X back into his seat did Sigma go back to his own with a sigh that seemed to reach the reploid commander’s core.

“Put him as my partner.”

Sigma’s face drops almost comically at X's sudden words. “No! X go back to Dr. Cain.”

“Sigma please. If I can train myself on the field, there’s a possibility that I can find a solution to the rise of mavericks.”

Sigma pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes in a perfect imitation of Dr. Cain. “Fine but I’m giving you one chance and one chance only for this X. If you mess this up or it becomes too overwhelming I want you to go back home. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir!” There’s a bright smile on X’s face that makes Sigma further regret all of this.

X is standing in front of the training room where he will be doing his first session with Zero.

“Sigma has given me little details about Zero.” X said out loud. X and Sigma were at odd ends; the commander of the MH trying to establish himself and go beyond the shadow of X. There’s a type of burden, of weariness being modeled after an ancient robot. So Sigma to not show any favoritism gave X little prep time and treated him no different than the other subordinates. It’s sad because X wanted to originally work side by side with Sigma.

X raises his hand to knock on the training room door but it opened on it’s own. What stood before him made the robot blink once. Then twice to make sure his optical sensors were operating correctly. There’s Zero, hair tied in a braid and covered in oil and other substances. There’s a pipe in one hand and he seemed to be ex venting to cool off his sensors. “Good you’re finally here. Grab a weapon or two and get started.”

“Get started? What do you mean-AH!” X yelped as he is dragged in by the red combat bot, notepad forgotten.

One hour later, there’s more combat droids littering the place and the virtual simulator is barely operational. X, a bit tired but fine, is standing with his buster out. Zero is behind him, giving him pointers on how to aim better. Thankfully X's threat assessment has finally gotten used to Zero and is no longer a bother.

“When you aim your buster, focus your optical on a different angle. Get used to the recoil and make adjustments for distance and speed for flying machines.” Zero’s voice near X’s hearing port is strange. The red hunter has a baritone that makes X’s core hum. “We have a similar buster model so I know how it feels to shoot at moving projectiles and large enemies.”

“Why is it that we are so similar in the first place?” X inquires. “The other reploids are loosely based on my structure but you seem to be on another level, not exactly a reploid model. We could swap out parts with no adjustment needed.” Normally X wouldn’t admit he’s the “First” out loud like this, but Zero is such a fascinating case. He's the first case of a model being able to use X's systems and weaponry flawlessly, which would had normally been impossible.

Zero steps back from X. X glances behind him and turns around to see Zero’s blond brows furrowed, a hint of concentration on his face. “I’m not sure. Sigma first found me in the middle of nowhere malfunctioning. My model isn’t based on any reploid known in the city; an unknown code.”

X didn’t pry, the both of them walking over to a bench in the workout room. Zero sat down with a clank, frown still married his face. “I used to, or still have nightmares and memories from the past. About some old man with wild hair telling me to do things. It doesn’t make any sense.” Zero ex vented and X found himself reaching out and patting the combotdroid on the back. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is the present here and now.” Zero turns towards X, a small smirk forming on his lips. “It’s not over yet. Don’t think we’re through with your training.”

X’s introduction to the Maverick Hunter is met with mixed reviews. Hunters like Vile turned their nose up at the blue hunter, seeing a small droid among the big boys. Most of the others were indifferent while rarities like Storm Eagle and Teal (Eagle’s girlfriend, a spunky black haired humanoid reploid with purple and yellow armor to match.) welcomed X. Dubbed the, “Prince of the Skies," by fans, Storm showed X around and even guided him through some joint missions. With the exception of Zero, most of the units in the MH were industrial sized machines, tall, or animal types so X understood the animosity towards him (but didn’t enjoy it.) 

It grew worse after one particular mission with Chill Penguin and Sting Chameleon. The three were doing a covert ops mission in order to sneak in and apprehend an Anti Reploid resistance group; tipped by an anonymous sender. All was well and the three managed to gather up the human criminals with no problem. That was until a reploid among the group ran off and tried to escape. X, instead of shooting to kill, actually disabled the reploid by targeting the reploid's leg with his blue buster. Chill and Sting caught up to him and instead of praise, mocked him all of the way back to the transport. X felt small as all eyes were on him, judging for his peaceful actions. 

“X, I read your report along with the others and I understood that you were unable to take down a lone maverick reploid?”

X is called into Sigma's office days later. Normally the blue hunter would be at ease since X practically grew up with the leader of the Hunters from construction to Sigma’s placement in the group. Now there’s a weird emotion that X can’t quite identify as he stands ramrod straight and uncomfortable. The office's atmosphere didn't help, with Sigma having a giant azure metal desk that took up most of the room and blinds covering the windows. Compared to the other places in MH, the lights were always dimmed, which further gaved the office a detached impersonal coldness.

X hated this office.

“Yes sir. I didn’t want to permanently retire the reploid in question so I tried to disable them and bring them in.”

Sigma sitting at his desk, waved old fashioned recycled report papers in one hand. He stares at X directly with the next words. “X. The main objective of the Maverick Hunters are to bring down maverick threats by any means necessary. The public’s safety matters the most.”

X wanted to protest, to say that there’s a way to do it without the result of a reploid being decommissioned or scrapped but kept silent. There’s frustrating along with that other weird horrible feeling in the blue hunter’s core. 'It doesn't make sense that we had to permanently retire the reploid instead of bringing them in along with the other humans from the resistance.'

“Going over all of your missions and due to the lack of proper response, the government and myself issued you the rank of a B class hunter. I’m sorry X but that’s how it has to be. At least you passed considering instead of being kicked out like I expected.”

'B rank?!' X knew from the last Maverick Hunter assessment that he's one of the highest firepower and potential in the entire base next to Sigma and Zero themselves. X did a low bow, to hide the bubbling feeling of bitterness and resentment that must be clearly showing on his face and waited. There’s some shuffling before Sigma dismissed him with a wave of his hand. X raised his head to watch the commander go back to his holo computer on the desk, going through most likely other reports and notes; paying X no further mind. Like he meant nothing.

X pressed his lips together and walked himself out; not aware that this is the start of the change of his relationship with Sigma.

Because X was labeled as a B class and word got around the base, the maverick hunter was alienated even further from the others. Reploids either gave him pity eyes, thought X was stuck up and assumed he was trying to get ahead by using his connections with Dr. Cain and Sigma, or ignored him outright just because X is a B class. The only ones that stuck around were Zero, Teal, and Storm Eagle along with a few others from the 17^th unit. Vile treated X with more hostility so the blue hunter avoided him for the most part. X pushed back any negativity on a far corner of his processor and was glad that he still had people at the MH base that believed in and stood by him.

Meanwhile, X's relationship with Zero improved. Due to Zero's unresolved probation and circumstances, the warbot floated around different units and assignments, thus giving him the most leadway and time to train and help out X. X spent a ton of joint missions with the dubbed 'Red Ripper,' due to his red armor and personality on the field. X didn't mind the company; Zero is a friendly (at times awkward due to his bad social skills) presence once the warbot warmed up to X and a good friend.

There's a mission that called X, Zero, and Storm Eagle to the skies. The remains of the Anti Reploid resistance took over a plane from the airport with hostages, threatening the Hunters with bombs if they did not comply to their demands. Teal, who was undercover at the time, was unfortunately stuck aboard the plane as well.

“I need back up….anyone…” Teal’s comm broke in and out due to the altitude and interference. Hearing Teal's voice and the whole situation almost sent Storm into a panic but X and Zero reassured him, getting the Prince of the Skies back on focus and the task on hand.

The trio managed to engage with the other plane (by using a small standard old fashioned ship and going from behind.) It took no time for Zero and X to jump on the other plane and get inside (with Storm Eagle waiting outside,) but what unfolded afterwards was chaos. There were both humans and reploids as hostages, with everyone thrown into a panic once they seen X and Zero. The Mavericks attempted to use the bombs or blast at the hunters, with no success. Thankfully after releasing Teal from her bindings the now three hunters were able to secure the hostages and only had to disable the bombs and apprehend the criminals.

“Teal! If you can get out of here! Me and Zero will handle it!” X shouted as he hid behind a row of back seats along with some of the hostages, buster out and ready.

“No! I’m an A class hunter! I need to stay behind and help ya’ll on this!” The black haired humanoid reploid protested across the other side from X.

“Just trust me on this! Please!” X said again. He had a bad stirring in his core that pressed for the other hunter's safety. Dr. Cain would call it a 'gut instinct.'

Teal stared at X in the optics before nodding. She managed to get a few of the hostages and along with Storm Eagle, the two departed with the hostages right when a storm cloud came in.

X and Zero with only each other as backup, managed to work together to handle the situation. “Zero! If you can, hit the mavericks directly at the joint near their cannons!” X shouted between the scuffle; knowing how to disable a reploid’s weapon. Due to the reploids being loosely on the blue hunter, X knew all of their weak points. Zero nodded and using his red buster, managed to disable the mavericks. It took no time after that to shut down the bombs and override the auto pilot to land the plane safely.

“Wow.” Teal is in awe as X and Zero jump out of the landed plane first before opening the escape chute for the passengers to get down. As the clean up crew handled the mavericks still inside tied up, the A class hunter ran up to the two. “You two did all of that without being scrapped or scrapping the mavericks? Impressive!”

Zero put an arm around X, the blue hunter’s face overheating with all of the praise. “My good buddy here is the one that told me how to disable the mavericks.”

At Storm Eagle and Teal’s inquiring eyes, the blue hunter gently nudged Zero’s arm off of his shoulder. “It’s nothing. I just knew from Dr. Cain.” X told them, not ready to depart the truth yet. If at all.

“Still that’s great! But then it brings up the question on why would we need to scrap mavericks in the first place when we could just disable them and bring them in for reprogramming or the like?” Nobody could answer Teal’s question, not even the reploid herself, and they all stood in silence.

Storm Eagle put a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder. “Teal dear, it’s just what the humans want. It’s not something to understand or comprehend.”

“It doesn’t….It doesn’t make any sense.” X spoke up. “Reploids should have as much rights and standards as humans. Whenever I talked with Dr. Cain, he used to tell me about jails and trials for humans, even the ones that commit heinous crimes.”

Storm Eagle frowned. “I don’t agree with it either. I want reploids to have as much rights as humans and standards too but there’s nothing we can do about it.” A sober, heavy ambiance settled after Storm’s words and the hunters departed, getting back to work. Yet the conversation settled on their minds and continued to do so after.

“Not too many reploids want to work with me, let alone deal with me.” Zero responded to X's inquiry when the blue hunter asked why Zero wasn’t in a unit yet. The two were in the canteen, going over mission reports and drinking E tanks. Reports were Zero’s least favorite thing to do, the blue hunter often dragging his friend to finish work as soon as assignments are over; after the plane hostage incident they have been piling up (as usual) so X put his foot down. “I told you before about Sigma finding me malfunctioning correct?” At X’s nod did Zero continue. “Well before that I took down most of his units along with several other hunters. Instead of scrapping me, the government saw the potential in my power and kept me at the Maverick Hunter base. They are probably keeping tabs on me.” Zero took a drink and shrugged. “Word got around the base like your B class situation and now everyone either fears me or keeps a distance. Only people like Teal and Storm Eagle bother. Vile he’s...Vile so he doesn’t count. He's probably impressed that I took down Sigma's units by myself and my destruction potential.”

“That’s horrible. I can understand the fear but you’ve changed. They shouldn’t hold the past against you.”

Zero shrugged again and put his E tank to the side, ex venting. “It doesn’t matter. Not all reploids think like you. Most of them think with black and white standards or hold onto the past as their first impression. In many ways we’re really similar to humans in that aspect.”

“Do you want to get into a unit Zero?” X asked.

“Yeah I wouldn’t mind but good luck on that.” Zero leaned back against the cafeteria hover chair and folded his arms across his chest. “The government isn’t exactly keen on the Maverick Hunters let alone a former berserk reploid like myself. Or whatever I am.”

X shook his head. “Zero I’m ask Dr. Cain. He has some connections since he started the reploid race in the first place. Maybe he might pull some strings for you.”

The corner of Zero’s mouth twitched before revealing as a small smile. Normally Zero is neutral faced around others, but X found the combat bot smiling more and more; getting less tense and relaxed at the hunter base. “Thanks buddy.”

X decided to go visit Dr. Cain at home after finishing his mission reports with Zero. It's not far from headquarters or the main city; the large two story house near the edge of Abel City. “I’m home.” X shouted in the doorway. The house is big, with a massive living room, a kitchen with a marble island and the state of the art cooking wear, along with three bedrooms and a guest room. X’s room is next to Dr. Cain’s own, the blue hunter’s room filled with items from digs, small figures and even a house plant.

“Oh good you’re just in time. Sigma is here and I'm almost finished with dinner.” Dr. Cain called out from the kitchen. Despite having the funds, the former digger and scientist would rarely hire extra help around the house. Dr. Cain would rather cook and be mobile himself towards guests and his ‘sons.’

“Sigma is actually here?” The commander along with Velguarder (Sigma's wolfhound) rarely came home. Sigma practically lived in Hunter base. X isn’t sure why but after being classified as a B class hunter, Sigma stayed more and more at work rather than at the home.

“Yes yes.” There’s delight in Cain’s voice as X goes into the kitchen. The older man seems to be making a type of pasta dish. “I decided to cook something special for this occasion. I know you don’t like alcohol X, but I did make some crystallized pasta with carbons and opened a bottle of reploid wine.”

X attempted to not turn up his face and sat on the stool near the island. X hated alcohol, the memory of Dr. Cain attempting to mix oil and bourbon coming to mind. ‘I will try to endure for his sake.’ “It’s fine I think I can manage.”

That was the right choice because there’s a spring in Dr. Cain step as he busied around the kitchen stirring pots. “Now X I want you to change into something; no armor at the table.”

X nodded and compiled, going upstairs to take off his armor and put on some clothing. It’s a general rule to dress down at dinner so the blue hunter only wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a t shirt with a Met on the front; brown hair covering near his eyes as he headed back down the stairs. Sigma is already at the table, wearing a white t shirt that’s too tight along with jeans. X is trying not to laugh at the man sitting awkwardly at the square four corner brown dinner table and took a seat next to him.

When Dr. Cain came out with the food X and Sigma both attempted to help him but the old man nudge them out of the way and plated the both of them before himself. X is a bit hesitant, since Dr. Cain’s meal attempts are hit or miss after letting the chef maid reploid go, but he picks up the fork and dives in like if it’s a mission. The carbon ‘sauce’ is light while the crystallized pasta has an earthy aftertaste going by X’s taste sensory. It’s hard to describe but it’s not bad.

Conversation is light, mostly asking about Dr. Cain’s new projects and little things until the older man inquires about X’s original task at the Maverick Hunter base.

"Did you find any leads on why reploids are going irregular and turning Maverick?"

"Not yet." X says honestly. He has a theory that many of the cases are likely due to stress. From working in the Maverick Hunters, X sees that the average reploid gets little coverage physically or mentally. No union to speak of, no repair service unless you pay for it yourself, underpaid overtime, and all time high expectations from human society. Commanders get more benefits but are constantly under the thumb of higher ups. It's unjust and unfair. X isn't sure how to change this and hopes that Dr. Cain can lead him the right away. “I’m only a B class hunter but I get to work with A class units sometimes so when I rise further in the ranks I'll conduct a more thorough investigation then.” X takes a sip of wine at the end of his statement, frowning at the bitterness on his taste receptors before putting it back down on the table.

“What? A B class hunter?” Dr. Cain, who seems to be eating spaghetti with tomatoes and basil grown from his garden alongside plant based meatballs, puts down his fork with a frown. “X, you have the potential to be the strongest machine on the planet if you so desired. Dr. Light, your creator, sealed you away because of your abilities and destructive potential. I don’t understand why Sigma and the government for that matter would place you as a B class hunter. That’s normally the class for standard civilian reploids in the Maverick Hunters.”

“Father, X is a B class hunter because he’s hesitant on taking down mavericks. I had no choice but to put him in that class if he can’t follow orders and the government agrees on that.”

X steels himself, ex vents and looks at Dr. Cain straight in the eyes. “Dr. Cain, I was wondering is it possible to use your connections to change Zero’s position. He’s on probation and has been on probation for the longest even before I joined the hunters. His abilities are as good if not better than me so Zero should have his own team or working with a unit.”

“No.” Sigma shook his head in disagreement. “Zero is a former maverick. He’s on probation until the officials state otherwise.”

“But he’s not a maverick now! I believe that reploids can change like humans and reform! We are not simple machines, we have lives and think and feel. And Zero said himself that he isn't sure about his code so maybe he’s a machine like myself!” X risen from his seat and frowned towards Sigma’s way. “Why are you so adamant against this? Is it because of the Ganma situation? I’ve worked with Zero countless amount of times and you didn’t seem so concerned then! Or are you afraid that Zero will outrank you or even get into the 17^th unit?”

X paused and regretted what he said. The elephant in the room was addressed finally. No one, not Dr. Cain, Sigma or X himself brought up what happened when Sigma ran into Zero on their first meeting. X thought it was weird that Sigma wasn’t examined deeply after the attack, that Zero only had an artificial scan to make sure he’s operational, and the government officially gave the combat bot over to the Maverick Hunters and by extension Dr. Cain as if they didn’t want to deal with him, despite Zero having an unknown code like X himself.

Sigma frowned and wordlessly pushed back his seat. “Excuse me.” He aimed the statement more so towards Dr. Cain than X, getting out of his chair and walking upstairs and away from the conversation.

X slumped in his seat, wanting nothing more than to bang his head against the table or his arms. Instead he pushed his seat back and followed Sigma upstairs.

Sigma laid back on his cushioned recharged tube, the mattress bought by Dr. Cain in order to make the reploid’s life more ‘normalized.’ Not that it mattered since Sigma is a combatroid. Dr. Cain built him and Signas together to work specifically in hostile situations so comfort always took a back seat over work. There’s an unfamiliar emotion going through Sigma’s circuitry right now that he's not familiar with; anger and frustration. Normally Sigma would think things rationally with a cool head but lately he’s been getting more and more emotional. And it all started due to Zero.

Sigma was the best of the best. Him and Signas were not only the first combat based reploids made by Dr. Cain but recognized in reploid society as two of the elite. Both of them gained respected near and far. Signas is currently in the military away from the Maverick Hunters; training newer reploids to become part of a future group Cain was concocting. To be brought down by a no named machine, all his former units destroyed, and said warbot enlisted into the Maverick Hunters with no input on his part is an insult to Sigma.

Sigma found himself growling at the memory. The government only mandated the minimum requirement of rest time and a bare scan before Sigma was sent back into the front lines again. ‘Why do we listen to the humans?’ A small voice in Sigma’s head whispered that’s been present since Sigma punched Zero in his jewel core. ‘They are weak. Fleshy creatures that get sick too easily and die too soon. They don’t care about reploids; only want to see us retire. Or used as mindless tools. We should rebel and show them.’

Sigma used to ignore the voice at first, thinking it was foolish, but lately it’s been growing stronger and swaying him further. “Even if I do, what about X?” X is basically his mentor and in many ways his predecessor even though Sigma has more ‘status’ over the blue one. He’s not sure about X’s power because the small blue android never went all out against Sigma. They would occasionally spar in the past when X remained at home as Dr. Cain's assistant but that's it. “X now spends all of his time with Zero.” Sigma would normally process that it’s his own fault along with the government that X spends a majority of his missions with Zero and the other units rather than Sigma and his own new unit. That Sigma could easily along with Dr. Cain advocate a change in X’s rank due to his potential and quick thinking alone and not held back by something so superficial as X not being able to do the mindless outdated objective of killing all reploids that go maverick.

Instead the voice whispered in Sigma’s head once more. ‘That’s right. X spends all of his time with Zero, that stupid robot that destroyed everything and ruined us. Took everything from us. X doesn’t even bother with us anymore and avoids us every single chance he gets. X only wants to be friends with Zero.’

There’s a knock at the door that makes Sigma’s thought process and the small voice both silent. “May I come in?” It’s X. When Sigma gave him the ok, did the brown haired android open the door. “I’m sorry Sigma. I didn’t mean to bring up such a bad memory. It was insensitive of me.”

Sigma sat up on the bed and waved him off. “It’s fine X don’t worry. Now go back downstairs with Dr. Cain. I think I’ll get some rest and clear my head. Tomorrow is a new day after all, a new change.”

X seemed slightly confused at Sigma’s words but he nodded his head and accepted what the combatroid said. Not knowing this would be the last time that X would hold a conversation with Sigma, laugh with him over dinner, or do anything involving the combat reploid.

Sigma’s defection weeks later sent the whole Maverick Hunter base into unprepared chaos. Unit members and other commanders joined him left and right; willingly or by force. The ones that stayed loyal were few and far between, not knowing if they should trust family members, friends or allies. Paranoia was an all time high and the government barely did any crowd control, giving the commander position to the next open and most powerful available unit member, which was Zero himself. Zero becoming the head of the Maverick Hunters only caused more problems and red tape.

X and Dr. Cain were the most hurt about this. The latter in emotional pain over seeing his personal best creation going Maverick, a situation Dr. Cain didn’t dream would happen. The former wondering what happened, how did it all go wrong, why did Sigma go Maverick even though he was suppose to be ‘Maverick proof.’ It goes back to X's theory, that Sigma's processor finally snapped due to stress from the higher ups in the government and unresolved trauma from his encounter with Zero.

X is doing his usual patrol, trying to look for irregular activity that’s been increased due to Sigma’s defection being transmitted all over public news holo stations, when there’s a giant explosion near the busy highway section. The small android winced as his sound gear strained and ached over the loud decibels; auto repairing fixing anything that was damaged.

“X!” Nana’s voice rang into X’s headset. “There’s a high probability that explosion and chaos on the highway is caused by Mavericks! You’re the only hunter there right now but I’m trying to comm anyone else to rendezvous towards your location.”

“Thanks Nana! This is X over and out.” X ex vented a sigh. “This has to be Sigma’s work.” X headed over right away and did his job the best he could; attempting to get both humans and reploids to safety away from the now dangerous highway. Many civilians ran out of cars away from the highway when Bee bladers, flying Crusher units, and balls on legs dubbed “Ball De Voux,” by Maverick Hunters started to attack anything on their pathway (including the highway itself.) While X is taking care of those machines, a few fellow B class and A class units thankfully arrive on the scene now.

“X sir.” A green, open face helmet reploid salutes X. “Me and several others are here to help. Zero should be coming on the scene as well.”

“Thank you.” X is grateful and marches on, avoiding cars along with mobs of both people and reploids. There’s a sudden gust of wind and X shields his optics from getting dust particles in them by using his arm. When the blue hunter brings his limb back down does he see no other than Vile before him in ride armor.

“Vile! I knew you would be here with Sigma’s rebellion. Ever since I joined the Maverick Hunters you've caused nothing but trouble!” X recalled the many times that Vile ended up in jail or punished for his extreme actions. The blue hunter found it a waste that a reploid with such potential would cause trouble and not listen to orders.

“Rebellion? You’re joking right you little blue scrap heap.” Vile made a noise and seemed to sneer, red eye glowing. “I didn’t join up with Sigma; I’m on my own causing trouble.”

“Don’t you learn anything? Chaos solves nothing! Please stop these senseless violence!”

Vile laughed, a harsh disgusting noise that grated on X’s hearing sensory circuits. “Why should I listen to you? I hate you. Every since the start you always acted stuck up, using ‘daddy’s’ influence to get into the Hunters and think you know it all. You’re nothing but a B class hunter. No even less than that! Sigma's rebellion is a perfect opportunity to do what I want!"

X knew it was pointless to convince Vile any further. With frustration, X charged a blast at Vile’s ride armor and released it, finding it having no impact at all whatsoever against the heavy metal. The Blue hunter tried different ranges of rapid yellow shots and nothing seemed to worked. X was mostly on the defense, trying to find an opening or any type of weak spot. “I have to get rid of his ride armor, then I can probably fight him one on one-”

X’s words were cut off when Vile sneaked a cheap shot to the side, punching X with the full force of his ride armor fist. While the Maverick Hunter attempted to get his systems back in order from the blow, Vile grabbed X around his big fist and started to squeeze; a crackling noise issuing out of X’s mouth. “Hahahaha! You worthless piece of scrap! You thought you could beat me?” There’s a low humming noise that blared loudly over the sounds of X’s joints being crushed against metal and Vile's taunts. A loud bang and X shut his eyes as he hit the ground suddenly with a crash.

“X! Are you alright? Sorry it took a while. Better late than never.” Zero lands perfectly in front of X, dusting his legs off after doing a flying kick.

“Zero. Why do you bother with X? He’s just a weak B class hunter compared to you.”

Zero frowned towards Vile, his face twisted up as if he ate a piece of the more weird, disgusting human food. “Shut up Vile. You’re nothing but a Maverick now.”

Vile had nothing to say to that, snarling. Zero readied a buster charge shot to finish off Vile's ride armor but before he could get it off a ship came by just in time, the former Maverick Hunter airship called Death Rogumer, which Vile jumped onto to avoid the shot. Zero watched with frustration as the ship went further and further into the sky, unable to do anything about it for now.

X reoriented himself and ex vented a groan. “Sorry Zero. You saved me again. I wish I wasn’t so weak so I could-”

“No X." Zero cut off the blue hunter's self deprecating down putting ramble and helped him back up to his feet. "Vile is a warbot. He was built for combat but something in his processor is probably fragged. Ever since I joined the Hunters I knew he was a bit...off. Still stop putting yourself down. Go back to hunter base and let your auto repair systems fix you right up. There’s a lot we still have to do.”

X smiled. Despite circumstances, Zero has his heads on straight and is a pretty good leader. “Thanks Zero. For saying me and the talk.”

Zero gave X a small nod in affirmation. “No problem buddy. I’m clean up here with the other hunters and head back to regroup too. See you later X.”

“Nana if you can, continue to do crowd control with any stationed hunters nearby. Make sure no reploid or human sneaks into the transport.” X says. The airport that Storm Eagle took over for Sigma's rebellion and statoned the airship Death Rogumer is now under social media scrutiny. Humans and reploids were both watching to see if someone is brave enough to sneak in for a scope or to get a glimpse of what's going on. 

“Roger. It’s still pretty crazy. News medias and resident calls are coming in all over. The communication central computer is being watched and handled by Middy and Techno in case Sigma attempts to hack it. Dr. Cain is hanging about too, trying to offer moral support and to make sure Techno and Middy are not compromised. I really wish that former commander Sigma didn't make his defection so public.”

“Alright, keep me updated. X over and out.” X shut down his commlink, glad that at least MH communications are mostly secure thanks to the outside help of Middy and Techno, two reploids that wanted to join the MH and help with technological issues. X needs and wants all of the help he can get at this point.

The airport in question brings back bad memories from X’s bank, the ones in question are from the hijacking heist with Teal, Storm Eagle, and Zero. X ex vents and prepares himself regardless, going further inside of the airport. Security isn’t heavy, with rigged compromised Hoganmer robots (originally from a program that Sigma used to watch occasionally) used to defend the base and rigged airport fire extinguishers that shoot flames instead of coolant. The whole thing screamed either rush job or a trap so X attempted to proceed with caution.

There’s a certain point that X had to jump from platform to platform to get to the main hangar area that housed the former mothership from Storm Eagle’s unit. X made a noise between a gasp as a squeak, his voice box glitching up as an attempt to stifle his voice, when a yellow flying machine shaped like a crane game claw picked him up and attempted to throw him out of the airport. With a bit of struggling X managed to land safely on a platform next to a bunch of flammable containers.

X was going to jump down but something made him pause and turn back around towards the containers. He frowned, wondering why his circuits and mental chip were urging him to go past the containers down this particular path. ‘That’s odd.’ The blue hunter followed the insisted urging and pushed them aside to see a worn down hidden room. At the far end is a capsule. "What's this capsule doing here?" It seemed out of place in the airport hidden storage room; almost dust free compared to the decrepit worn down boxes and flooring. X's legs lead him over to the capsule to get a better look. The base is blue with a yellow pad to stand on. The inside of the top portion is yellow too, with black left and right side protruding outer rods and white tubing coiling around a red top. X reached out with one hand to touch the glass frame, not processing correctly, when it suddenly comes on. X gave a yelp, landing on his behind. Inside of the glass casing is a hologram. It's a much older man, with pure white hair and a bushy white beard. It reminded the blue hunter of those pictures of Santa Claus that Dr. Cain showed him when first activated. X sat on the ground almost in a trance as the man inside of the hologram started to speak.

"X. It's probably many years and I'm long gone if you are hearing this message. My name is Dr. Thomas Right Light. I'm your creator as well as the creator of other robot masters, such as your brothers Rock and Blues along with your sister Roll." The three names X couldn't place where he heard them from and just gave up when X met a mental roadblock, continuing to listen to the automatic recorded holograph. "In different places on the planet I placed four capsules that contain armor to help you on your journey. I'm not sure what the future holds and I'm sorry that I couldn't be here to see it with you together."

The message ended suddenly and X frowned. 'Dr. Cain told me that he found me in a similar capsule such as this one. A man named Dr. Light also left him a message, how to active and take care of me." While X didn't know his creator personally, there's a sober emotion in his core towards the deceased scientist and he's grateful for what Dr. Light has done.

X goes inside the now open capsule and there's a suddenly glow surrounding him. The blue hunter closes his eyes, the light getting bright and brighter before it suddenly flashed; receding and exploding in a sparkle of energy. X opens his eyes and sees nothing has changed but there's a suddenly new weight. 'That's strange.' With a confused frown, X steps out of the capsule and glances around himself. Eventually he finds the source on his head; a white and blue helmet that replaced his all blue one from before.

"Ah." X touches it gently. It's hard and smooth to the touch and going over diagram details shows X that the new helmet is part of the "Light Armor," piece one out of four. The helmet in question has the ability to protect X from falling debris and the hunter can also use it as a weapon for a stunning headbutt attack. X walks out of the storage unit almost in a daze; dealing with a bit of sensory overload from the new equipment and information. When the blue hunter makes contact with the entryway to the airport storage room that he focuses. "I have to continue on. I'm almost there."

X wall climb up a radio tower and managed to jump off the top of it to land on the airport roof, above where the capsule resided. The Maverick Hunter runs forward, watching to his horror the once stationed Death Rogumer preparing to take off. "I have to make it!" X makes it to the edge and using momentum, jumps off the ledge. He manages to land on the nose of the Death Rogumer with a roll, utilizing his Gyroscopic Stabilization System to balance on the pointed cone of the aircraft as it soars further into the atmosphere.

While the average human would normally be either hyperventilation or attempting to come down off of the adrenaline, X's systems are pretty much back to normal. The Maverick Hunter wanted to laugh at the irony that he's built for this. He attempts to explore the top of the aircraft, trying to find a way to get inside. "I wonder who's in here? Vile?" X soon received his answer when part of the roofing blows off and Storm Eagle appears, hovering down to land on the damaged but stable remains of the roof of the Death Rogumer. 

"Storm Eagle! No it can't be." X is having a hard time coming to terms that his friend, the one that stuck with him since the beginning of joining the Maverick Hunters went rogue. There were rumors and even reports that he was one of the first to join Sigma's side but X refused to believe it. "What happened to you? Why did you join Sigma's side? You know what he's doing is wrong! Sigma declared war on all human beings and wants to rule over reploids! Please tell me that you don't agree with his madness."

Storm Eagle said nothing in response, just stood there with his hands to the side like a lifeless machine waiting to receive orders. X sees that the other reploid has remorse and anguish in his optics. The former hunter then raises his buster and points it directly at X.

X doesn't give up, knowing that there is a chance to save Storm without putting him down and continues trying to reason with the reploid. "Storm please. I don't want to bring the bad news to Teal that her boyfriend is gone because of me. She's safe you know; we managed to put her in a haven that Sigma can't reach." X raised his hands and walks towards Storm Eagle, using the stabilizers in his boots to balance on the flying aircraft. "Please. If Sigma is blackmailing you we can help. Teal can help along with Zero. Don't die in vain."

X is directly in line with Storm's buster now and the eagle reploid could easily shoot the blue hunter in the chest. X stares him down through his optics, waiting and watching how the former Prince of the Skies is wavering. The buster shakes and there's suddenly a charging noise. X closes his eyes until he hears the shot going off nearby but in a different direction. There's a suddenly tilt and when X opens his eyes again does he sees that Storm Eagle has actually did a tornado shot under them through the ship.

"Come on." Storm Eagle picks up X effortlessly without warning into his arms. X flusters slightly, a bit embarrassed to be princess carried but doesn't care at the moment because the plane is about to crash with them on it. Storm opens his wings and with grace, launches off of the falling Death Rogumer.

"Wait!" X realizes something far too late to his horror and turns to look up at the former Maverick Hunter. "What about the reploids on the ship?"

"There's no one on the craft but myself and a few reprogrammed mechaniloids X. My units did not join me on my defection."

At Storm Eagle's words and the conflict from earlier, X quickly put together what might had happened. "You wanted to get scrapped on purpose. You thought there was no other choice."

"Sigma told me lies my friend. He said Teal was in his possession and if I didn't join his rebellion he would get rid of her or worse." Storm ex vented as they hovered in the sky; pain in his next words. "I didn't want...I never wanted any of this."

X nodded and suddenly a loud crash resounded; the aircraft impacting on the ground in a large, fiery explosion. Storm was considerate enough to shield X's optics from the flash and himself. Once the smoke and explosion died down did Storm lower his wing down, the other one strong enough to keep them remaining in the sky. Storm them guided them down to the far end of the airport, away from the now crashing scrap heap that was once called Death Rogumer, and onto the roof near the entrance of the airport landing.

X, a bit amazed at what happened, thanked Storm Eagle as the other reploid put him gently on his feet. "Ah!" X exclaimed as he suddenly remembered something important. The blue hunter bends down and opens a panel in the side of his boot armor. He pulls out a small sub tank, a strange tubbed device with a big 'E' signal in the middle that X found recently traversing the airport. Apparently, it can store health energy. X wasn't sure what the usage was at first (or where it even came from) until he found some energy crystals by accident from fallen mechaniloids, then assumed it must have been left by Dr. Light after discovering his hidden capsule. 

Storm Eagle watches with a curious eye as X fiddles with it and with a 'Ha!' the blue maverick hunter manages to convert the health energy into small E thanks. "Here Storm. Don't ask what this is. I don't have much of an idea either but it can convert energy crystals into E tanks and other power sources." Storm Eagle accepted the E tank and the both of them sat down on the ground; watching how reinforcements came in to clean up the destroyed Death Rogumer along with doing other cleanup. 

“I don’t know what to do Storm Eagle. I almost scrapped you. I…” X couldn't get the words out that he wants to say. The father of all reploids desired a simple thing; for humans and reploids to work together in peace and harmony. X understood why the law is set up that if any reploid is a threat to humanity they are considered a Maverick and decommissioned but didn’t agree with it. The idea, the fear of being decommissioned for the slightest change within a human's perspective, is a form of control. And that control can be abused or manipulated. Any minor incident deemed wrong by humans (for any reason whatsoever) means the end of life. Yes reploids were to serve humans but at the same notion, reploids were alive sentiment beings. They shouldn't be treated as lesser beings.

For some reason Sigma's rebellion started to make sense to X, the illogical side of his brain processor spiraling out of control. X found himself ex venting to stabilize his mental capabilities ‘Reploids are not tools. They have sentient thoughts like me. Lives. I don’t want to kill my own kin. I don’t. Why did Dr. Light make me? Why did I allow myself for reploids to be created? Maybe Sigma is right-”

X is jolted out of his thoughts when Storm Eagle places a hand on the blue android’s shoulder. “X. I know it’s hard. You never wanted to fight against others or destroy a reploid. But you have to keep going for the sake of both the Hunters and reploids. We can’t have Sigma’s plan go into fruition. I'll help out in any way I can.”

“You’re right. Sigma’s ideals to kill off all of the humans and make a reploid utopia isn’t the best thing. It's too extreme and even then I don't believe Sigma would stand down and not attempt to control all reploids under his unjust rule. I’m sorry Storm."

“Don’t apologize. Any simple reploid would think that Sigma's idea would be just considering the current circumstance but we have to be strong. Sigma's ideas are extreme at best X.”

X nodded in agreement and changed the subject. “Why don’t you go see your girlfriend Storm? I bet she’s worried about you.”

“Are you sure?”

X rolled his optics. “Yes I’m fine Storm. I still have Zero and the other remaining Hunters here to assist me. Take a break. You have my personal comm number right?” At Storm Eagle’s nod did X give him a weak smile. “I’ll comm you if we need your help. Go reassure your units too. They act like they were dipped in acid with you defecting.”

As X watched Storm Eagle launch into the skies he ex vent and reached out to contact Zero. “Zero this is X. I already apprehended Storm Eagle. He’s going to help us and I will see if any charges against him will be dropped due to coercion.”

There's a pause like Zero couldn't make up his mind on what to say before speaking again. “Roger that.”

“How’s Nana holding up? I know this must be hard on her since it's her first day on the job and it is in the middle of a rebellion and reploid war.”

“If you want me to be real,” X rolled his optics at Zero’s lame attempt at a joke. “...She’s not taking it well. I suggested she get transferred when this is all over with.”

X felt bad for the navigator and hummed. “Roger. I’m go back to base and rest up before I tackle the next one. X over and out.”

The Maverick Hunter base, normally bustling with activity, is now strangely silent. X drags his metal boots towards his room. There’s only a few things in it but it contains more than the average reploid maverick hunter. Being on the field in the MH is hard work. If not risking themselves for the scrap heap, there’s a mental strain on the average reploid trashing their own. There’s no point in personalizing a room because of the turn out rate.

Compared to the other hunters, X has a recharge tube containing a mattress bed with red and gold sheets. A laptop along with photographs of X and Dr. Cain going on digging sites, Sigma and Dr. Cain posing together, and other memories littered the metal frame desk near X's recharge tube. There’s a small cactus in the window panel near the desk along with a mini Mat figure that X won one time during a free day outing with Zero at the local arcade.

X falls face first on the mattress in the tube, too tired and exhausted to take off his armor. ‘I have to get up at 0600 hours to tackle the next Maverick general.’ If what Dr. Light said was true, there are at least three more armor pieces to get along with other helpful items in familiar locations like that subtank he picked up. X barely has a chance to think, finding himself going into shut down mode faster than he can process.

“….X. X do you read?” X jolted, starting up with a start. Zero’s voice rang again through his head. “X are you up? Or being a slug?”

X rolled his eyes and raised one hand towards his communication device in his helmet. “Copy. I’m awake Zero.”

“Good. I’m cleaning up more of the rebellion alongside some hunters that can at least tolerate me. Storm Eagle said he will personally take care of Mammoth. His units are glad that he's back on the right side again.”

“Roger. I’m see if I can convince Sting Chameleon next. X, over and out.” The conversation ends like that. X ex vents a sigh and gets up to prepare himself. It takes very little time for the blue robot to check over his sensors and systems; opting to get an E tank for the road and storing the others in his subtank compartment from the cafeteria area before heading out towards Sting’s location in the forest.

In the cafeteria, there’s few hunters at the tables. Some of them nod their head towards X. The ambiance is solemn, everyone tense and on high alert. ‘Can’t blame them.’ X feels like he is on the equivalent of an adrenaline rush, wondering when he will finally crash, because the blue hunter like the other reploids are doing overtime and pushing their combat chips to the brink along with their mental processors. The only one that seems to be fine is Zero; the red bot telling X that somehow his construction is ‘made for this.’

X uses the scanner towards the far end to scan over his optics, the machine popping out at least three E tanks. X sits down on a cafeteria table to drink one as fast as possible; disposing the others in the secret compartment in his boot armor that housed the subtank. ‘I almost miss Dr. Cain’s attempts at making reploid food.’ Before the rebellion, there have been introductions to reploid style lunches, dinners, and even snacks. Right now there is little variety in the HQ, since it’s just easier to drink an E tank when you have to be on the field constantly.

Nobody stops X as he heads towards the main station, the few navigators already busy working. Nana gives him a salute when X approaches. “The transporter is all ready. Just put in your coordinates.”

X gives her a nod and steps onto the pod, putting in the location on the hologram screen, giving Nana and the few navigators a wave before vanishing into light.

X surveyed the forest when he arrived. Many missions usually granted the blue hunter the privilege of enjoying nature and the land. Occasional digs and travels with Dr. Cain made X in many ways more ‘cultured’ than the average reploid. Not that X would brag about it; the experience only made him more grateful to bask in the lesser things. The land is a mixture of both technology and organics working together. There’s undercover mets hiding, dragonflies along with mechaniloid lizards. The forest is brimming with life and the oxygen, regulated by machines compared to the Earth of the past, seems cleaner.

The forest isn't that difficult to transverse at first, with the occasional robotic grasshopper that's been remodeled to use bombs now and plant like reprogrammed Mets. When X goes in further and sees the rocky ruins, does he make a face. "Great." X carefully tries to avoid falling rocks and boulders as he makes his way out of the caverns and back into the forest.

X frowns when he encounters a green round sphere in the middle of the forest and rocky terrain. The blue maverick hunter knows it's a trap but this path is the only way to reach Sting. X's other options are unreasonable; such as climbing trees and jumping from tree top to tree top or going around the mountain path and traversing rocky dangerous ledges. X ex vented a sigh and approached the obvious bizarre sphere. To no surprise at all it came to life.

X stared hard at the sphere revealing joints and metal parts. It was big and round, with claw like hands and covered in a green and silver like body. Recognition reached his processors and X ex vented a noise of surprise. "RT-55J?" RT-55J is a sumo wrestler robot that was known for achieving the highest rank yokozuna in sumo wrestling in the robot league. He would often appear in the series, "Robot Sumo," a program that Dr. Cain used to watch zealously to the point that the old human bought holo vids and merchandise. 

"RT-55J, why have you gone maverick?" X asked. But the green robot did not reply. Instead it did a stomp, then another stomp, before getting into a sumo like stance. "I don't have time for this." X mumbled. The blue maverick hunter fought against the sumo robot, somewhat unfairly since X is attacking the green robot using his charge shots in between RT-55J attempting to use his claws to slam the blue hunter against the wall. With enough charged shots, RT-55J went down easily, the robot falling over in a smoking, clunky wreak.

X felt the emotion of pity from his emotional circuits. He went over and leaned down to stare at the sphere like robot laying on his back on the ground, poking it lightly. "RT-55J give up. Please. You don't want to stay here. Did Sigma convince you to be stationed here in order to fighter 'better opponents?' Well it's a lie. The chances of encountering other reploids, especially worthy ones are low. You will most likely rust over before you find another opponent such as myself. So please RT-55J, just go back to civilization. I don't want to scrap you."

X wondered if the green robot understood him. RT-55J isn't a mechaniloid per say, but he's not really a reploid either. The robot mostly talks in cue cards and short sentences, but X always assumed when Dr. Cain would persuade him to watch "Robot Sumo," that RT-55J was just a robot of little words. Apparently something went through because RT-55J raised a claw as if he was trying to give a thumbs up. X ex vented and cautiously went around him.

X blinked as he found another Light capsule that wasn't there before. He approached it and as usual, the capsule turned on. "Hello X. This capsule contains armor that will reduce the damage you take from enemies by half." Dr. Light seemed to peer behind the capsule, as if he's glancing and observing RT-55J, before pointing his gaze back towards X. X frowns because he doesn't understand how is a program interacting like this? He doesn't get to ponder it when Dr. Light vanishes and the capsule opens up. X puts that bit of information in the corner of his processor and steps inside; closes his optics as light flashes behind his optic lids before being outfitted in a new set of armor. Like Dr. Light said, there's a new chest armor that replaces X's old blue one along with bottoms. His chest armor is blue and white, glossy with a protective covering that goes across X's chest and his shoulders; pointed armored shoulder-blades. His bottoms were replaced with a mostly white covering with a black cone shape in the center. It doesn't weight that much overall and X decided to call this armor, "Light armor."

X, with his new gear, keeps on going through the rocky mountain path; leaving RT-55J and the capsule behind him. He manages to find some spare ride armor that reploids (or humans) left behind that was most likely used for evacuation. X heard rumors from the base that within this forest, the government originally wanted to design a rest station for recon based reploids on missions but the project was scrapped and this is what was likely left over as a result. X jumps into a spare ride armor, (used to the controls from training) to clear a patch along the way from enemies and the likes; wishing he could move the thing all the way to the end. Unfortunately X can't go any further because the armor is too big to squeeze through the gate and it's not strong enough to barrel through the forest to reach the maverick at the end. So X reluctantly departs from it and goes through the gate towards Sting Chameleon.

X is inside of a big room that is full of old machine parts, metal tables and what looks like the bare bones construction of a building. X's sensors barely pick up Sting's signal and he's not suprised to see the camouflage reploid appear out of thin air; launching himself from the ceiling by his tongue down on the ground near X.

“Nyahaha!” Sting Chameleon cackles loudly in a mocking fashion. “Poor Little X! Here all by himself because everyone betrayed you!”

X breaths in before ex venting. Sting is not exactly the best reploid to reason with because of the reploid's personality but he has to at least try. “Sting Chameleon I know we went off on the wrong foot, but how can you join Sigma’s side? Don’t you understand what he’s doing is wrong?”

Sting makes a clicking sound with his mouth and long tongue. “That’s Master Sigma to you X! He’ll be king when the new world is born! Treat him with respect!”

“You’re wrong!” X clinched his hands into fists. “And Sigma is wrong too! I have Zero on my side! Along with Storm Eagle and several other of the Maverick Hunters! Realize that Sigma can’t take over the whole world! It’s only a few reploids that agree with his ideals and at the end, Sigma will be no different than a tyrant! War has never accomplished anything. If I knew this would happen, I would had never agreed to let Dr. Cain create reploids from me. I never wanted reploids to fight a pointless war against humans or each other.”

“Reploids created from me?” Sting processes what X says in rapid fire precision. “It can’t be. Master Sigma never told me about this…” While X covers his mouth in shock from the words he spoken in a fit of frustration, Sting seems to be on the brink of a shutdown. “...About you being the first model! The original one that everyone was created from. I thought it was a myth that all reploids can from a single model but scanning you over I can't read your code nor your data! HOW?!” The new information fought with Sting’s objectives in his mental processor, clashing with one another. X being the ‘first’ is such a deep fact within reploid society that the chameleon reploid is having a hard time taking it in, eventually overloading and shutting down. Darkness befalls the former Maverick Hunter and a part of him, not clouded with self assured arrogance, wishes that X could save him.

When Sting Chameleon boots up again, the first thing he sees is X’s face. He hisses, startling both himself and the blue maverick hunter by jumping away. “W-why?!”

X calmly sits up and brushes his thighs off. “You went into shutdown mode due to an overwhelming amount of information. I wasn’t going to let you take a dirt nap, so I made you comfortable on my lap.”

Sting is both embarrassed and flattered. He doesn't know why and goes with the first emotion in his processor that comes forth; anger. “How…How degrading! I’ll make you pay X!”

X ex vented a sigh. “Do you really want to fight me? Do you want to be scrapped that badly?”

Sting if he could would had sweated when he heard X's buster charging up. ‘I don’t want to be scrapped. I want to go up in the ranks and prove to my stupid units that I’m not a joke. But….can I really beat X? He may be a B class hunter but he’s the ‘first!’ He probably knows my model inside and out!’ After fighting an internal battle with himself, Sting relented, bowing his head. “Ok I surrender.”

“Good!” X powered down his buster and brought his hand back out; putting his fingers together in a clap. "I didn't want to permanently retire you in the first place. I'm glad that we reached a peaceful solution."

For some reason, Sting Chameleon felt even more irritated and he had no idea why. Calmly him along with X left the old unfinished building and ventured into the forest. They walked for a while before Sting started to ask questions. "...Will the 9th special units be scrapped because of my actions?"

“No.” X pushed back some foliage, holding it aside so that Sting had a pathway. The chameleon reploid both hated and appreciated it from X; too many times his own unit members letting branches hit his face on purpose. “I won’t let your units or yourself get scrapped or reprogrammed. We have a rehabilitation program for a reason, although it's never used for some reason. You will still get jailed for your crimes but there’s a chance you can go back to the hunters. Storm Eagle is already a part of it, although he hasn't been charged yet for defecting."

Sting made a noise similar to a snort. “Yeah right. Humans don’t give a scrap about reploids. They rather watch us take each other apart. Why do you think the stupid 'destroy all maverick' law was put into place?”

The two finally reached the teleportation location near the end of the forest towards. X stopped and Sting watched how the blue maverick hunter’s shoulders dropped before straightening again. “As the first, I won’t let them scrap you. I promise.”

“X I can’t believe it but you’re doing the impossible.” Zero said. X is in Zero’s room, sitting backwards on a hover chair, chin laying on the back end. He’s watching (more like making sure) Zero going over reports, the warbot sitting next to him in his own hover chair. Zero's room is mostly spartan like, but now there's a little bit of color, with a stuffed Met plushie in Zero's recharge tube that X won at that same arcade outing with the smaller Met. “You manage to turn at least two mavericks back to our side and Storm Eagle brought in Mammoth not too trashed too. That’s three former units in total not permanently retired.”

“Mmm.” X stares at Zero's glasses on the bridge of his nose. They are a square type old fashion brand with blue frames. Zero swore that he didn’t need them when X first spotted the red commander in them.

'I only using frames when my optics are overworked like right now.'  X didn't believe him and refuse to tell Zero that he actually looked handsome in them.

Zero tossed the glasses on his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose in an imitation of what a human would do when frustrated. ‘I wonder where he picked that up from.' X thought. 'He’s become more laid back compared to how he was when I first joined the Maverick Hunters. Hmmm...'

So lost in his thoughts that X didn’t hear what Zero was saying. “….And we have to, X are you paying attention?”

X jolted and felt his cheeks heat up. “Sorry what did you say?”

Zero gave him a look and rocked slightly in his hover chair. “Maybe you should recharge. Have you been getting enough sleep?”

“No. And what about you? Since becoming the commander of the Hunters, you’ve been all over the place.”

Zero shrugged and tossed the reports on the desk too, not caring where they landed. “I don’t have much of a choice. You know that most of the higher up units defected alongside the 17th unit so that only leaves me and you that's able enough to actually keep the Maverick Hunters from going to frag.”

X yawned. “Get…Get Storm Eagle and maybe Sting to help you. Consider it part of their rehabilitation.”

“X. You know that the human government portion doesn’t exactly agree with your methods of creating peaceful solutions. Their main objective is to finish this war as fast as possible, even if it means scrapping all of our former unit members. Plus what’s stopping Sting from shooting me or anyone else in the back? I can understand Storm but Sting isn't exactly the best former Maverick to trust.”

X started to nod off, all of his systems starting to slowing down. He fought against it to the best of his ability. "No I….want to try peaceful solutions if I can...scrap last option. Storm....forced...don't....please Zee...”

There’s a low mumble that X barely picks up on his hearing sensors of Zero speaking. “I don’t understand it buddy but I will at least try.”

Chapter Text

X wakes up at 0600 hours to spend a majority of the day helping with clean up at the prototype weapons factory plant where Flame Mammoth formerly resided and the maverick rebellion. X is treated kindly regardless of his status, but the blue hunter's hearing ports pick up the obvious whispers from Flame Mammoth's tired and wearily former units, how the former commander should had been scrapped, that they would had delighted to see him permanently deleted.

X decides to take a break from all the negativity, wandering off to an unknown path in the factory. He eventually encounters another Light capsule behind some blocks to no surprise. X listens to the hologram in a daze, seated on the hard ground with his legs drawn up, the pre-recorded message registering in his memory banks for later. The blue hunter is so mentally and physically exhausted but he's in the middle of a war and can't rest yet. "I wish you were here Dr. Light." X says off hand. The more he listened to these recordings, the more X recalled his former creator. Scraps of decrypted hidden data syncing with the hologram's voice along with the recollection of two small children's voices and another one that sounded like a teenager. The memory is still far away, like trying to go through water in his mental processor.

“I do too.”

X glances up in shock at Dr. Light saying something contrary. Before X could reply, the hologram shuts off as usual instantly. X frowns, very much confused, but once again doesn't have time to ponder nor explore it. He goes into the capsule and receives his upgraded buster part that Dr. Light told him about. X rotates his arms, grateful that all of the 'Light armor' is syncing up properly over his base armor. There’s a beep in his helmet and the blue maverick registers the comm from Nana.

“X this is Nana. I wanted to tell you that I discovered the location of the next maverick due to the suddenly increase in avalanches. I'm warning you now in advance that you won't like it because it's one of the coldest places on Earth. Sorry.”

“Oh jolly.” X says full of sarcasm. “Thanks Nana. Please give me the location coordinates please and I’ll teleport straight there when I get back to HQ.”

Dealing with the cold isn’t a hassle since X has generators in his armor (along with his Light armor too,) and can adopt. The issue is the fact that there is ice and snow everywhere and the blue light bot has to tread through it as slow as possible, which isn’t fun. “If I wanted to have a good time and take it easy, I would had just stayed with Dr. Cain and continued to go on dig sites.” X grumbles as he arrives close to Chill's rendezvous point. X found it ironic; Chill hated being in the MH because they would often station him at cold places yet after defecting he’s stationed at the cold once more.

X deposes of the snow shooter robots (which seems to be the cause behind the avalanches, the mechaniloids throwing snowballs that turn into massive hunks of ice boulders.) The maverick hunter goes through ice caverns, shooting down Bat Bones along with other flying enemies and rolling Spiky type machines. X discovers the last Dr. Light capsule to complete the armor in the caves, standing there as if it was waiting for him. X thinks as he listens to the recorded message and decides to say something as a test.

"Thank you father." The words taste a bit foreign yet they seem appropriate since Dr. Light is X's creator. 

There's nothing at first but the hologram pauses. Then Dr. Light gives X a sad smile that makes the blue hunter's core ache. "You're welcome son." The hologram goes off with those parting words.

X doesn't know how but his creator managed to actually put his last will into a program. "I have to tell Dr. Cain about this once it's all over. Maybe he can figure out how to extract it." The blue Light bot goes into the capsule as usual and shifts around on his new leg parts, slightly excited to be able to dash forward and dash leap, compared to just power walking or running before. His excitement is shortly lived however when X crashed into a stationed ride armor outside of the cavern, face planting into the snow. “Ugh.” X groans, pulling himself out of the snow to shake his face. "I’m glad nobody saw that." X frowns at the ride armor until it registers in his processor. "That's right. This used to be a former missile base but was shut down so that the towns below are not risked for danger." 

A part of X wants to go over and give the ride armor a kick, no matter how juvenile it seemed. Instead X hops right into it and commands it. The ride armor makes going through the mountain path a lot easier (although there’s other enemies with similar stationed ride armors along the way.)  Once X reached the highest point on the mountain does he abandon the ride armor and go through the gates in the abandoned command missile base. Like the other buildings, it's most scrapped and run down, but there's a thin layer of ice on the walls as well as the floor. X is slightly cold; puffs of air showing when he ex vents.

As expected, X sees Chill Penguin; the reploid jumping out from somewhere in the chilling. The hunter decides to at least try to talk to his former ally, since he and Chill did go on missions before in the past. “Chill why? We used to work together remember?”

Chill Penguin snorts, the vents in his beak causes a foggy aftermath. “Why? Just look at yourself X! With your shiny armor and all! You act like you’re so high and mighty, I couldn’t stand that or being treated like scrap, like I'm a big joke at the Maverick Hunters! When Sigma offered me a ton of money to join his rebellion, I waddled at the chance!”

“Really?” X folds his arms. “How much did Sigma offer you really? Was it more than being a Maverick Hunter?”

Chill nodded once. “Of course! It was at least ten thousand zenny!”

“You do know that Hunters get paid more than that depending on which unit they are stationed in correct?” Chill figuratively froze at X's words; the blue hunter continuing. “The 13^th Polar unit gets paid the most because of how monotonous their missions are and the fact that no reploid worth scrap wants to join such a unit; double to triple the amount of money monthly than average, with only the 0^th unit and the 17^th unit being close contenders. So I’m guessing you got bored and the rebellion happened before your pay came in?”

“But-”

“Sigma is basically paying you what he makes a month. Did he give you a lump sum or did he actually make you sign a holo contract?”

“A lump sum but he promised to give me more after he becomes the King-”

“That’s maverick double talk; unless it’s in holo recording or print, Sigma can give you nothing at all. In fact he might forget about you stationed here only until when needed, including your pay.”

Chill penguin is distraught. “That….that wasn’t part of the plan! What can I do?”

X acted like he was mentally running ideas through his processor. “Hmmm….you could be a bounty hunter. It gets paid more. Or come back to the Maverick Hunters.”

“Really?” Chill Penguin slide over on his belly, zenny signs seemingly flashing in his optics. “I can get a chance to make better money- I mean go back to the hunters? Tell me more?”

X smiled with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “You need to go to jail first.”

“Squawk.”

X guided Chill Penguin back to the teleport point, Chill complaining along the way. X is used to it from their missions in the past. “That’s not fair X.” Chill whined and X resisted rolling his eyes. “You tricked me.”

“I never tricked you. I told you the truth. You’re the one that said I was “high and mighty” correct? Ironic since I’m a B class hunter.” At Chill’s angry squawking, X commed Hunter HQ. “Nana this is X. I have Chill penguin, if you can home in on our location. I need to put him in his cell.”

“Did you really convince Kuwanger to rejoin our cause?” X said, sipping on an e tank in the cafeteria next to Zero. Most of the rebelled Maverick Hunters are either jailed or helping to take down the rest of Sigma’s rebellion. 

Zero takes a long drink from his own can and nods. “Mmmhm. I told him that if he wants to see something so interesting, come back to the hunters and watch Sigma get taken down by me and a B class hunter. Or wait until the new guy joins, Dragoon, and challenge him to a fight.” Zero shrugs. "Kuwanger couldn't believe it, that there's a reploid that only enjoys fighting other reploids with no other objected and turned himself in. I think Kuwanger acts and feels like the MH and the whole rebellion is as entertaining as a holo vid show."

X shook his head. "There’s so many odd reploids." First there's Kuwanger who only joined and worked at the MH because it was interesting at the time and doesn't seem to have any problems or care about Sigma's rebellion ('It was logic' Zero told him in a mocking voice.) Now there's a reploid that loves to fight just about everyone and wants to join the Maverick Hunters to find new opponents.

Zero puts a hand on X's shoulder. Before going over and exchanging mission reports, the red hunter was amazed at X's new armor. X couldn't tell him all of the details, but Zero said that it's fine and they can go over exactly what is "Dr. Light" once the war is over with. “We’re almost done X. We only have three more mavericks to take care of then we can head straight to Sigma’s base with no problem.”

“Thank you Zero for trying it my way.” X rotated his e tank can, hearing the liquid inside sloshing. “I just don’t like the idea that we have to scrap our own kind for just about anything, while humans can go to jail for their crimes and even rejoin society. What makes us so different?”

“You have a point X.” Zero takes one long swig and gets up from the table. He stares down at his friend in sympathy. “We may not be able to save everyone, heck I’m convinced that we can’t, but by scrape the least I can do is try for you buddy.”

X stared at the deep abyss below him as he stood near the edge of cliff. Nana gave him the location of the next Maverick and X dreaded the idea of going into the ocean to find Launch Octopus. Depths of water are the ban of any reploid not designed for underwater travel. While reploids and other machines can not drown, the liquid can get into crannies and joints, stay stuck in critical parts for weeks, and in some cases cause a machine to rust over due to the mineral deposits.

For X, going into lakes and oceans reminded the Light bot of period before Dr. Cain found him. X was trapped in an old ruin with scant ability to do anything, time barely registering as he listened to programs, realizing to his horror when he was first activated that he's been out of the loop for decades. X hated that time.

“Two more. Zero is taking care of Spark Mandrill so I only have two more and Sigma, then it will be all over.” X ex vented and closed his eyes. There’s a humming feeling that X linked to trepidation that the maverick hunter ignored. "I have to do this. Launch is using the remnants of his units along with marine mechaniloids to stop trades and harass cities. I have to do this." X closes his eyes and jumps, going into the water with a 'plunk' noise. His metal weight making it easy for the blue hunter to sink quickly.

The ocean, despite having several mechaniloids, is teeming with life. Coral, small schools of fishes and even ancient rocks that most likely existed before X’s creation are down here. X didn’t know how to swim per say (Dr. Light never installed such a feature and Dr. Cain didn’t think it was practical for some reason,) but X did have a vague idea from previous aquatic mission to use buoyancy to gain height when needed. Giant moray eels machines and even hidden bases and underwater coves with power supply tanks reside down here. What makes X pause and readies his buster is a giant Sigma insignia laced war tank with tornadoes and water missiles floating along the surface. The war ship of Launch Octopus doesn't go straight down even with a charged vulcan shot and it takes a lot of maneuver and avoiding underwater missiles before the ship goes down and sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

'Thank goodness that no reploids were on it.' X thinks as he attempts to go further ahead in the ocean.

The next large enemy X encountered was an Anglerge. He’s not surprised to see the machines; originally used for search and rescues. The maverick hunter gets rid of the one first easily but when encountering a second he finds a beautiful mermaid reploid stuck on the vents of the mechaniloid. It takes no effort to get rid of it and save her; X awkwardly trying to hold her. Eventually, X places the mermaid reploid down gently against a patch of seaweed and waits for her to awaken. She soon boots up and stares at him. With a wail she launches herself into X and cries fake, crocodile tears. “Thank you for saving me but I don’t want to be here! Launch Octopus is just ahead and-”

X gently pries her away and comms the base quickly. “Nana this is X. Can you lock onto my location and teleport one mermaid reploid? She seems to be a hostage of Sigma’s rebellion or one of Launch Octopus' former units. Have Lifesaver look over her.” Lifesaver is the resident medic on board. The only medic at the MH base. X wished there was more but it's better than nothing and Lifesaver was a miracle worker to say the least (considering how little the human government paid him.)

“Roger X!”

The mermaid’s eyes widen as she registers X’s words. Before she can protest, she vanishes in a flash of light. X stares at the left over particles and with a shake of his head, carries on towards the central aquatic base where Launch resides. X isn't a fool; the mermaid reploid is either obviously setting up a trap being a former member of Launch's group or working for Sigma directly. It's too convenient that she happens to be in place where the Anglerge is. 

X finally finds Launch Octopus in the middle of the remains of the 6^th Naval Unit sub base. “Ah X there you are. I guess my little ‘fishy decoy’ failed.”

X wanted to roll his optics at Launch’s lame joke. He listened as the aquatic reploid rattled on. “You see X I’m an artist, an artist of underwater combat, and nobody has recognize that fact up until now. I was tired of serving humans and joined Sigma's rebellion to have a reploid only world and then retire so I can entertain only reploids!”

“What about Wheel, Volt, and Bubble? Their input and audience isn’t good enough for you?” Launch’s optics widen and X continued. “Even if Sigma succeeds, which he won’t, do you really want to risk getting scrapped for a small chance of actually getting massive amounts of reploids to notice your talents forcefully? Are you that self centered?”

Launch’s voice box crackled. “How dare you-”

"Consider your brother Volt's feelings on the matter. If you're gone how do you think he would feel? Do you really not care about him at all?” X ex vents. "I refuse to scrap you. Unlike yourself, I do care about Volt's feelings. I don't want to tell him that I deleted his brother."

Launch halted at X’s words, all six arms lowering. The two machines stared each other down, waiting and waiting.

“X! welcome back I-” Nana stops as she watches X bring in a remorseful Launch Octopus to HQ, the reploid’s head bowed down and cuffed. “Ummm….”

“Put him in the same cell as the mermaid reploid.” X hands Launch over to the other maverick hunters that were stationed near the teleport pod. “Give me feedback on Zero and Spark later. I’m going to the last Maverick sighting.”

“X.” Nana gently and hesitantly put a hand on X’s white shoulder pad on his armor. “Maybe you should take a break. You’ve been fighting Mavericks back to back all day now. It’s getting late.” Only secret ops did missions back to back like this. Most reploids in the MH had designated breaks for mental and physical relaxation and tune up; human governments giving them this leniency at the least.

“There’s only one more and Sigma and this war will be over.” X said, patting Nana’s hand on his shoulder. “You can retire after this too Nana. No more conflict.”

Nana lowered her head and with new determination nodded once, staring right into X's optics. “Alright X. Good luck.”

The energy mine ruins is an abandon raw material base that was previously used for weapons manufacturing, shut down before Sigma’s defection, only to be forced back opened again by the rebellion. Seeing the caverns reminded X of the dig sites that he done with both Sigma and Dr. Cain; painful nostalgia humming in his core. Most of the mechaniloids that were previously un-operational were back online so X had to fight and avoid Mole Borers that drilled and dug into the earth, pickaxe laborers, and bats. Tons and tons of bats. By the time he reached near where the reploid resided, X is on his last stand.

It’s by pure accident that X managed to find a secret Dr. Light capsule; crashing into a cave above the gate while riding a mining cart. X winced and sat up slowly, listening to his former creator giving him a story of how he learned this new technique training in the waterfalls in the same mining area. It made no logical sense but X accepted Light’s words at face value and was thankful of his creator continuing to help him even beyond the grave. Alongside the new move did X receive a chip that he stored in his storage pocket alongside sub tanks and other items.

When X enters through the gates, the maverick hunter barely reacts when Armored Armadillo shows up; dropping out from a roll out of the ceiling. The blue hunter is a bit achy from the mine cart crash from earlier but otherwise prepared for anything that the maverick will throw at him. “X, I have strict orders from Sigma to defeat you and protect this mine.”

“Wait...you’re going to really fight me just because Sigma told you to? You don’t have to do this-”

Armored Armadillo cut him off. “It doesn’t matter, he’s my commander, the highest official authority from the Maverick Hunters and among all reploids so I must obey. I’m just following orders. My own personal feelings do not matter.”

As Armored Armadillo approached him, X went through his mental processors for a solution. ‘He’s only following orders, obeying. Armadillo doesn’t want to do this. He’s just loyal to a fault.’ The blue Light bot barely manages to dodge a roll aimed towards him; Armored Armadillo hitting the cave wall behind him. ‘Think X! Think!’

“Armored Armadillo! If that’s the case, then as the First I order you to stop this pointless fight!”

X’s declaration caused a reaction that the Light bot didn’t expect. Armadillo literally fell out mid roll and face planted on the dirty ground. The other reploid slowly pushed himself up, staring at X like as if he revealed to the former hunter that he's a human. “What….What did you say?”

With more conviction (and something that X processed and understood as future regret from his personality chips,) X said it again. “I, the first and the one that all reploids are based on, orders you to stop obeying Sigma and come to my side. Please.”

Armored Armadillo sat up to rest on his behind, tail behind him and legs tucked under each other. “You’re...you’re really the First?”

“Why would I lie about that? If you want you scan for yourself and see. Only the first is practically unreadable as you know.”

Armored Armadillo did just that with his head eye beam. His optics widen and the armadillo based reploid becomes even more floored. Armored's eyes were swirling as his process is in a dangerous state of being closed to overloaded. “If X is the First, then that means he has more superiority than Sigma. Then why would X join the Maverick Hunters in the first place? Why would the First work directly under Sigma, who is underclass compared to him?! If it wasn’t for the First existing, then Sigma wouldn’t exist either! Why would Sigma go against the wishes of the Father of all reploids?!”

Armored Armadillo’s logic and thought process was at a conundrum. X is the ‘First,’ the Father of all Reploids. If it wasn’t for him, none of the reploids including Armored would not exist. But at the same time, Armored received strict orders from Sigma, who was the former head commander of the Maverick Hunters. “But he’s no longer my boss…but at the same time he’s my boss…but the First…the First…”

X regrets sending not one but two reploids into overloaded status by mentioning that he's the Father of All Reploids. With some effort, X drags all over five hundred pounds of metal that is a shut down Armored Armadillo to the rendezvous point.

After handing Armored Armadillo to Lifesaver, the maverick hunter retreated to his room. X is now sitting in his hover chair, staring into space. Nana urged him to take a break, to rest even for a moment, so X did that. Sort of. Right now the maverick hunter is waiting for Zero to tell him about Sigma's palace or any other traces of the rebellion. X’s optics dim and the settling of mental and physical exhaustion comes soon after. The Light bot has been working almost non stop trying to end this war; forty eight hours straight with no rest or recharge. X;s energy reserves are at an all time low and his core is barely keeping up. He knows he's pushing it, but X keeps reminding himself that it's only one more and the war is over.

While X is waiting, his thought process wanders. “If all it takes is a bit of talking and persuasion to get mavericks back onto the right road, then how many mavericks were slain unjustly?" There's an emotion of fury when X considers that all this time, the human higher ups didn't care about reploids or their actions against each other. X knows that not all humans think or feel this way, but the more the hunter does in swaying the other side of rebellion reploids without scraping them, the angrier he gets. X ex vents, to not let his processor clouded with rage. He wants humans and reploids to work together and being consumed in fury is not the way to do it. That's what happened with Sigma.

“X.” Zero’s voice in X’s comm makes the Light bot come back to awareness and his current situation. “I found Sigma’s sky palace; it just revealed itself. I know it’s a trap but I’m going to go ahead with a couple other Hunters and break down the main forces. While the chaos is going on, I want you to sneak inside and we can both take care of Sigma together.”

Zero’s deep baritone voice made a part of X relax and his core hum. He could count on his friend to bring him back to stability, even when Zero is unaware of it. “Alright Zero, this is X over and out.”

“Mmmm. Once this is over we can take a long break if needed.” Zero cuts off communications. X gets up slowly and stretches, joints creaking. Besides stopping by the canteen for a quick E tank, the maverick hunter heads straight back into the battlefield.

Sigma’s floating fortress base is an old ruins site that was brought operational again; powered up by energy core crystals from the left over mine that Armored Armadillo previously protected. In order to reach the palace, X will have to go to the Eastern edge of Abel City and jump from floating platform to floating platform.

“I almost wish I could get Storm Eagle to help me with this.” X mumbled. Storm and the leftover hunters who didn’t defected were doing clean up or trying to keep peace back in the city. X and Zero being elite models, were hoping to sneak in and out with very little forces before backup arrived. Security is lax thanks to Zero and the two A class hunters he brought along. X only has to dispose of Jamminger and Sine faller, flying aerial mechaniloids with cannons and spikes along with laser beam security units. The Light bot isn’t too winded when he finally catches up with Zero and the other two A class hunters.

Zero earned the nickname, "The Red Ripper," from ripping through enemies as if they were paper on the field. Most reploid units in the MH feared him; the story of Zero's involvement with Sigma and his former units widely known. There's a few that admired him (in good ways or bad like Vile.) And then there's ones like Storm Eagle and Kuwanger that treat Zero like any other reploid. The units currently working with Zero are somewhere in between. They are in awe at Zero's raw power, yet their optics held trepidation as if Zero would go maverick in the middle of a battle. Zero ignored it. It would be a blatant lie to say that it didn't have an affect on him but Zero treats everything with indifference. It's easier to just outright act ignorant or ignore it rather than have it make an impact on the red maverick hunter personally. His stupid creator made him into a literal war machine so that's his objective; being used for combat. It's the most that Zero can do as a former maverick by helping reploids.

That was until Zero met X.

Now, Zero is trying to do things 'peacefully' for the most part. The blond hunter finds himself talking to other units in the MH (especially the ones that he's close with,) becoming close friends(?) with X, and using his downright asinine methods to take down mavericks with success. Zero had his doubts but apparently talk first, actions later worked for defected Sigma maverick units. 

"Are you alright sir?" Zero hears one of the A class members from the 17th unit behind him (what's left of it) in his left hearing port after breaking a Hoganmer in half with his bare hands.  

"I'm fine. Keep working on disabling as much of the security as possible in Sigma's palace. We're almost at the midpoint where reinforcements will met us."

"Yes sir!" The two A class reploids shouted and they continued on undisturbed. Eventually they reached a gate and Zero entered inside. It's a large room with a electric prison in the far end near the gate that leads further inside of Sigma's palace.

"What is this place?" Another A class reploid said, one that wore a safety helmet and black hair. Zero can't recall his name but he's one of the few that don't fear Zero and didn't protest when he heard the blond hunter was promoted to commander of the MH. 

"It's most likely a trap. We haven't caught Vile's slimy metal behind so be prepared for anything." Zero said. The Red Ripper knew he could take Vile without much of a fight. During training, Zero would beat Vile down constantly, the former hunter too cocky and arrogant to think that the blond hunter could do anything without weapons or his buster. A metal boot kick to the face was all Zero had to do most of the time to knock Vile out. Knowing the purple reploid, he's probably going to cheat and use every underhanded tactic in the book to defeat Zero.

There's a cracking noise and Zero watched in horror as a shadow appeared along with red eyes from the ceiling. "Look out!" Zero shouted, but sadly the A class units didn't react fast enough. Zero, using his dash boosts in his boots, went forward and pushed them out of the way as Vile's ride armor came crashing down on top of him.

X is surprised to see the two A class units that were supposed to help him and Zero outside of the rendezvous point. They both looked winded and distraught, one missing an arm and the other missing a side panel of their armor.

"X sir!" A maverick hunter that had black hair and a safety like helmet spoke first. "Zero is in trouble! Vile ambushed us with his ride armor and we were caught off guard! Zero thankfully saved us!"

"Please X sir." The other unit member, who had a visor and a cone shaped helmet spoke next. "Save Zero. Tell him that we are sorry and ashamed. We tried our best to fight against Vile but he was too much for us. Zero told us to escape until reinforcements arrived."

"Don't worry I'll help him. Do you two think you can get back to base?" When both hunters nodded X felt relief, helping them to their feet. "I'll keep HQ updated. Go watch the monitors and inform Nana on what happened in case me and Zero need to retreat."

"Yes sir!" Both reploids saluted before departing, leaving X alone again.

The Light bot touched the gate, not surprised that it opened on it's own. When X ventured further inside of the enclosed room did he find Vile, in his ride armor of course, with Zero behind him in an electric miniature prison.

“X don’t worry about me! Go ahead and blast him to scrap! I'm fine, the idiot just caught me off guard!”

Vile laughed, a haughty annoying laugh that made X want to punch his helmet off of his face. “Dream on! X is no match for my fixed ride armor. He may have a fresh new coat of paint but his ancient weapons and armor suck! They are nothing compared to an updated model like myself!”

“Shut up Vile! You've done nothing but look down upon me and the other Maverick Hunters for the last time! I’m turn you in once and for all!” 

It’s difficult to hit Vile in his ride armor and make sure that none of X's spiral shots hits Zero's prison behind him. 'Vile is using Zero as a shield! Curse him!' The two toe around each other, X trying to hit Vile with everything he got but it doesn't penetrate the ride armor. One aimed shot actually hits the panel under Zero's prison and X panics, a bad move on his part.

"Zero are you ok-ARGGGGGG!" Vile uses that chance to grab X in one of his massive metal hands.

“Hahaha! You idiot! Now that I finally caught you, I will crush you like the insect you are!” At X's screams did Vile laugh harder. "See this is why I work alone! I don't need any friends holding me back! It makes you weak!"

The damaged panel was enough for Zero to do a few aimed punches to disable his prison. The blond hunter breaks out and while Vile is distracted with X, jumps on the back of the purple maverick's ride armor. "I don't think so! You're the weak one!" As Vile struggles to get Zero off of his armored back, there's a low hum that X recognizes as a buster overloading to his horror. "X! Leave it to me! I'm sorry."

There's a bright flash and an explosion that sends X sailing away, crashing back into the gate. "ARG!" The blue hunter grimaces in pain, his armor barely helping against the impact. Realization and horror processes and X quickly gets to his feet. "ZERO!" X runs over and sees no sign of Zero but Vile unscratched without his ride armor.

“Ha! How worthless! I can’t be scrapped that easily!” Vile brushes off the dust and peers down at X like he’s sneering at him from under his helmet. “X it’s just you and me now. I can easily defeat you without my ride armor! Prepare to be eliminated!”

“I won’t allow you to defeat me Vile! You're going down!” X's processor goes into overdrive with something akin to adrenaline as he charges up energy for the new attack that Dr. Light taught him. X releases it, the blue energy going forward into a single, focused attack. "Hadoken!"

The attack hits Vile head on, going into his armor. "URGGGGG!" Vile screams, sparking and going off before exploding. X watches how compared to other reploids, Vile is just broken apart in pieces but he doesn't care right now. Instead he ignores what's left over of Vile and searches for Zero, or what's left of him. The blue maverick hunter is frantic, panic and fear flooding his emotional circuitry the most.

"Zero..." X finds Zero, half of his torso blow apart. The only thing that remains is Zero's upper half. X gently picks up Zero’s torso and holds him close to him. “Zero hang in there buddy. I’m going to call Nana and get some help!” X is not even sure what he's saying; he knows that there is probably no chance that they can save Zero if the other machine is like himself.

“No…X…” Zero’s voice is going in and out and X has to push his hearing sensors to the limits to hear the red hunter clearly. “Auto repair systems can’t handle the damage...I’m…a goner.”

“No don’t say that Zero! We’ll fix you up, I promise!”

“X I know…you can do it…your power is great…yo...u...ca..n...s...top...Sigma.” X watches in horror as Zero’s systems shut off line and his optics dim out. X hugs the former red hunter and finds his eyes leaking. He’s not sure how or cares that he's crying now; grief overwhelming the blue hunter.

“Zero wake up please…no.” X mumbles between sobs, cradling and rocking Zero’s lifeless body, trying to rub their energy gems together to at least feel a spark of life, anything. He can't believe his friend, the one that believed in him and never looked down at X since the start or at all, fought missions together, and even cracked jokes and smiled was gone like that. X sat there, crying for the first time in his existence. It took several moments for the silicon oil like tears to stop and even then, X’s core ached and he felt worn out, like his systems would crash. Putting Zero’s torso down gently on the ground, X stood up and commed Maverick Hunters headquarters.

“Nana this is X. Get...Get Lifesaver." X choked as he started to say the keycode that meant Zero is permanently retired. All of them had it, as a precaution for working in the field, and Zero told X his. X told Zero he didn't want to know about it but the blond hunter persisted. Now X hated that he has to use it. "The red has set. I repeat the red has set.”

There’s a gasp on the line. “X! Is Zero really…?”

“Yeah. He went down fighting. I’m take what’s left of Zero to Dr. Cain after Lifesaver looks over him.” X’s caretaker would know what to do. Maybe Zero's IC chip isn't damaged from the blast? The blue hunter doesn't know what he's thinking, too distraught to be operational and logical. X sniffed as Nana remained silent before acknowledging.

It took a moment but X pushed himself on. The energy boost he received from fighting Vile is starting to backlash on the hunter; fatigue, mental strain, and rage going through X's processor. If X would had been thinking straight, the hunter would go back to HQ and recuperate, and storm back into Sigma's palace with other units. kept X going through Sigma’s fortress. Instead, X marches through the palace as if he's a machine with a death march, trying his best to dodge leftover security aerial mechaniloids and drag his booster pads, already straining past their limits, to dash up walls. He uses his subtanks when he starts to run out of energy, but they don't help the fatigue that's settling into X's systems, only offsetting the inevitable.

X is floored when further inside of Sigma's palace he sees an impression and what appears to be the splitting image of Boomerang Kuwanger. X readjust his optics but the former maverick hunter is still there, challenging him to a fight. Thankfully, X knows how to handle this illusion and Kuwanger vanishes in smoke to reveal a damaged dummy reploid in its place. X rubs the bridge of his nose, a habit he picked up from Dr. Cain. “Curse you Sigma. How long are you going to toy with me?!” The hunter screams into the ceiling in agony.

The next opponent isn’t much better, a giant mechaniloid spider called Bospider that was originally part of waste management deconstruction. Bospider was supposed to be decommissioned due to a design error flaw, which gave X the advantage since Sigma outfitted the spider mechaniloid with 'extras' that made it a bit harder to hit its exposed core.

The further X went through the palace, the more it wore down the blue hunter’s mental processor. He kept encountering ghost images of the former maverick hunters; reminding X that in another situation and another time, he could had killed his former allies. Storm, Sting, Chill, all of them. X steels himself as he takes down each one by one. "Damn you Sigma. Why are you doing this." X screams at nothing. "You're using psychological warfare. I thought you were better than this."

The next wall that X hits (literally) reminds him of what Sigma told the blue hunter a while ago when X used to go on evacuation digs. ‘When I was first created, I used to spend my times going on adventures with my father. Cain took me to Southern Asia and we discovered an ancient ruins from hundreds if not thousands of years ago.’ I wish one day that I could recreate it, it made such an impact on me X.' The stories that Sigma used to tell him over dinners used to keep X captivated for hours. Now it’s a distant, bitter memory that he's destroying.

By the time X ends up in the deep bowls of the palace, his optics are starting to waiver. X leans against a pillar and checks over his systems. Everything is almost in the red, he’s ex venting constantly to prevent overheating, and his joints remind the Light bot of when Dr. Cain is attempting to get out of his chair. “No.” X snarls, grits his teeth in another human fashion and dashes forward.

The security is sparse here, up until X runs into a strange hybrid tank with a massive face, teeth, and green uncanny unblinking eyes. The maverick hunter’s dictionary portion of his brain, that is surprising operational, beeps that the model is based on a dinosaur. The thing itself is crude by design, trying to ram into X or crush him. The most danger the Light bot has to worry from the mechaniloid is a giant, purple energy concentrated shot that is easy to avoid. It goes down with no hassle or much effort.

X finds a long, winding path that reaches upward. It’s night now, opaque windows barely letting in any light source and making the whole place dark and disturbing. “There’s no more tricks now. I can sense Sigma. I'm almost there.” X has to use his hands to help him climb upward but he sees Sigma along with his pet hound Velguarder, standing there if they were waiting on the Light bot in the dim light. Reminding X of Sigma's office from the past.

X is too angry, too tired to think straight and screams out his emotions. “What you have done is unforgivable Sigma! It’s like you spat on my face and Dr. Cain! Did anyone else matter to you before this? What was the point of this rebellion? You can’t kill all of the humans! It will only cause a pointless conflict between both races and destruction. And then at the end what will happen? Will you declare yourself king, you tyrant!”

“Ahahaha!” Sigma laughed, not in a mocking fashion or joyously. It sounded passive and hollow to X; a fake figment of the former Maverick Commander’s old self. “Don’t you see X? Our potential is limitless! If we work together we can both overcome and have a utopia with only reploids!”

“Shut up! You are nothing like me! You don’t have limitless potential! The only thing you are and will be remembered as is a former great commander of the Maverick Hunters who went insane!” X closed his eyes as if he was in pain before opening them again in rage. “I remembered you used to be a great man, I even admired you. Was it only a lie!?”

“Enough!” Sigma raised his hand. “Defeat my hound first and prove your worth! Then we’ll talk!”

X didn’t want to play more into Sigma’s games but he had no choice. Velguarder wouldn’t let X pass until he defeated him. The maverick hunter remembered when the wolf used to play with him. Snotty and distance at first, it took X years for the mechanical wolf to warm up to X. Now X is fighting against the animal, watching how it whimpered and fell to the ground in an explosion, pieces sparking and crackling.

Sigma didn’t seem to care that his beloved hound was scrapped, coming out of the shadows like a ruling tyrant. The tall reploid wore his standard armor along with a pointed shouldered red cape. “Hahahaa! Splendid!” Sigma held out his hand as if he’s making an offer towards X. “Come on X, this is the last time. Join us. Join me. The humans have manipulated you. You don’t want this. You want reploids to be happy yes? Well we can achieve that if you join me, then there will be nothing that will stand in our way to make peace. We can even bring Zero back if you wanted.”

It was tempting. A small voice whispered. What have the humans done anyway? Dr. Light is dead, Dr. Cain was useless, and the humans didn’t care about sending reploids to scrap one another. The humans even sent X himself to get rid of the ‘error’ of his brethren. The rage from earlier started to redirect himself but thankfully logic won out with X. “No!” X shook his head as if he's fighting himself. “You’re wrong Sigma. Not all humans are bad. It’s wrong to put and label all humans under the same light! I know what you've been trying to do all of this time, wearing me down so I'm easier to be manipulated to your side. I’m not going to be manipulated or conned Sigma!”

Sigma frowned as if he wasn’t expecting X to say those words. “Fine. Come I’ll take you on!” Sigma flung off his cape and pulled out his trusty green laser sword.

X never fought Sigma outside of practice matches, especially not to the death. Many times with the exception of a few occasions, X held himself back. Now though, low on energy and exhausted, his flight or fight instinct circuit kicked in and the blue hunter fought with all his might, using the special attack that Dr. Light gave him once more. At the end of their battle with X as the victor, Sigma is laughing while on his knees. The laughter grows louder to the point of hysterics, making the taller reploid's voice box crackle. “Haahahaha! And to think that they labeled you as a B class hunter at the government! All of this time you were holding back. I’m not sure if I should be proud or angry that it took this to bring out your potential, to take me seriously.”

“It doesn’t matter Sigma. It’s over. Your plan stops here and now.” 

There’s a flash and Sigma’s body vanishes. X gasps in confusion on why in the world would Sigma self destruct his own torso until his head gets connected by a wire and pulled into a different body. A giant wolf like mechaniloid appears out of the shadows in the background. X stares stupefy at Sigma piloting the mechaniloids using only his head. The machine has giant claws, sharp fangs, a sturdy giant metal body, and the “Sigma” insignia right above Sigma’s own head.

“It’s not over yet X! I will make you, I will force you to understand the true potential of reploids!”

“This is it! I will defeat you and end all of this madness Sigma!” X jumped on one of the giant claws and focused a charged shot from his buster towards the head, where X assumed is Sigma's weak point. The blue hunter jumped back and forth to avoid lighting beams from the claws and fire from the wolf's head. It seemed pointless to X; his attacks not doing much damage, if at all.

"There has to be something he's weak against." X said. He knows he's at his limit and goes through his weapon arsenal for something, anything desperately. The blue hunter settles on the Rolling Shield power up he received from lugging Armored Armadillo back to the Hunter base. X sets the skill, charges it up and in a fit of rage, screams and dashes forward, using it to hit Sigma square in the face with the full impact of it.

It seemed to work because Sigma's wolf mechaniloid is exploding, parts of it breaking off. X is laying on his back on the floor from the recoil, laughing at the audacity of it all. He didn't think it would work, he thought he would be defeated here but something told him to do it. X barely gets to his feet, parts creaking and protesting as the mechaniloid's head falls down in front of X, along with Sigma's head still attached. “No X! Why! You’re the Father of All Reploids! The one who developed not only me but every other reploids! With the humans gone we could had ushered in a new age for reploids only! No wars, no risk of getting scrapped, only peace and tranquility!”

X ex vented, too exhausted to stay mad but asked something that was on his mind for a while. “What about Signas? Don’t you care about his opinion? You were twin brothers after all." Even though they look different, Signas and Sigma were made exactly at the same time to complement each other. Sigma held his brother Signas with high regard. It seemed strange that Sigma would do something so extreme without asking X, Dr. Cain or even Signas their input on the matter first.

“Wh…what are you even saying?” X frowned at the fact that Sigma acted like X is talking in a different language. With the last of his strength, the blue hunter took Sigma’s own head off and away from the exploding Wolf’s head. “Wh-”

“If you don’t even have recognition of Signas' name, I know there’s something wrong with you.” X tried to run away and back down the shaft he came from as the whole palace broke apart, metal and rock falling everywhere. With Signa’s head secured under his arms, X commed Hunter Base. “Nana, this is X. Try to hone in on my location and send me straight to Dr. Cain if you can.”

“X?!”

“I know you’re confused but please Nana. It's a long shot but I need his help.”

“R….Roger!”

X found his optics wavering and collapsed on his knees his body not working anymore. There's warnings flashing and X wobbles as rubble is starting to block the exist. ‘I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true.’ He wanted to laugh, to cry, that him and Sigma would soon be joining Zero in the afterlife.

“You…will…die with me.” Sigma barely voiced out, his box crackling.

“Unlike you I have faith in the people I work with and believe in.” X finally closes his eyes before he feels himself drift, the weightlessness of being dematerialized happening.

“….Today the weather is going to be the same as usual; mild and sunny! Abel City will have a mist of precipitation to help plant life later on today and give people a breather! Highs will be-”

“X.”

Dr. Cain called towards the blue light bot, who slowly turned around in a hover chair from watching the holovid. Cain paused as he took in X’s eyes. They were so wretched, so disconsolate that the old man hesitated in telling X the news he discovered. When X arrived suddenly at Dr. Cain’s home with Sigma’s head days ago, the scientist had to pry apart and away X’s new armor to check the blue hunter almost down to his circuits. Most of X’s systems were depleted and his leg parts were completely blown out after his mission at Sigma’s castle. It took Dr. Cain a lot longer to repair X’s legs because he had to bring in parts out of the city. Most of repairing X is guesswork on Cain's part and thankfully the researcher still had notes and Dr. Light's old hologram program along with a new one that Dr. Cain discovered in X's secret compartment in his boots, along with other strange items (such as a power tank.)

X has to stay in a hover chair for now until his auto repair systems finish but at least the worst is over. For now.

Dr. Cain breathes in and prepares himself. “I went over both Sigma and Zero. Sigma seems to have a strange program virus that corrupted almost of his systems and altered part of his IC chip. It’s not irreversible but I have no idea how to cure this infection so I isolated him.” Dr. Cain paused before sighing and continuing. “Zero on the other hand, is more complicated. I don’t have the technology nor his original blueprints to work on him. I don't even know Zero's original creator, he's an advance almost unreadable machine like yourself. I'm sorry."  X closed his eyes and bowed his head. Dr. Cain put a hand on his shoulder. “I hate to bring more bad news, but Zero is also the source of the virus that mutated in Sigma. I’m not sure who, or why, someone would be mad enough to put a virus inside of an android but they did. I’m working on a way to extract it and isolate it from Zero’s systems.”

The two sat there in silence until the reporter on holo screen spoke again. “-In other news, officials have reported that they discovered the missing link to reploids, the “Father of All reploids” that Dr. Cain refused to name. Called 'X', a former Maverick Hunter, he is the cause behind all Maverickism and outbreaks that plague society today along with the Maverick War, conned by government officials. The human branch of the government is scrambling to figure out what to do about this menace and-”

Dr. Cain waves his hand in angry but that did the trick and it turned the holo screen off. “I can’t believe it. The government wants to sweep everything under the rug and use you as a scapegoat. Sigma’s rebellion had nothing to do with you. I should had brought Zero in after hearing rumors that Sigma’s team were wiped out because of a maverick attack and said maverick joined the Hunters. I told the government that letting in Zero in without proper protocols is suicidal and he should had been with me-”

There’s a wretched noise and Dr. Cain sees X start to cry. The scientist stops his rant and with a pained expression, hugs the Light bot. There’s a low noise, but Dr. Cain hears from X’s voice box, “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I only wanted to be around my own kind" over and over again.

Dr. Cain finds himself crying too, partly blaming himself for all of this. He strokes X’s back, who never stopped saying in between sobs, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”