As everyone at Maverick Hunter HQ prepared for the expected conflict, the command cadre all waited on CiCi's return. While CiCi had assured them that she would be immune to any effect the Neural Computer might have, with how long she'd been gone they had begun to wonder.
Nearly a month after she was sent out, she finally returned...in her tiniest size inside a shipment of bananas. The poor supply clerk was going to have nightmares about banana spiders for weeks.
"Are you alright, CiCi?" X asked as she calmly returned to her post. "What happened?"
"Sorry for taking so long to return," CiCi apologized. "I'm afraid I blew my cover as a 'peaceful inspector'."
"What?" Zero demanded. "How'd you do that?"
"I'm...afraid I lost my temper," she admitted sheepishly.
As Octavia giggled, X sighed. "Report," he directed. "Start from the beginning."
CiCi nodded. "I managed to get in easily enough. They were eager to have anyone stop in for a visit...and I'm afraid I noticed one or two Hunters there as well, so our security may be compromised. They were even happy to let me examine the Neural Computer. Once I was there, I was able to determine that our suspicions were unfortunately correct. The Neural Computer doesn't just suppress Maverick behaviors as it claims. It's broadcasting a signal that allows the one in charge of it to directly command any Reploid or mechanaloid affected by the signal. I was able to determine, however, that X and Zero's brains are incompatible with the signal...but for differing reasons."
"What do you mean?" Zero asked in confusion.
"I took simulations of your brain waves with me," CiCi explained. "While the simulation of X actively repelled the signal...the simulation of Zero corrupted the signal around it. I think it would be best if Zero did not engage any Reploid under the signal's control unless absolutely necessary. There's no telling what would result."
"Understood," X agreed as Zero cursed under his breath and kicked at the wall, upset at being sidelined.
"What did you mean about losing your temper?" Octavia asked curiously.
"Well...when Dr. Doppler was going on about how his computer would bring about a 'true utopia', acting as though he expected me to be in full agreement..." CiCi glanced away, seeming...embarrassed? "He...got a little fresh with me..."
Dead silence greeted that statement. Eventually, it was Varia who broke it. "How?" she demanded awkwardly.
"As Octavia has not yet reached sexual maturity, I'd rather not say," CiCi replied evasively.
"I'd honestly rather not know," Zero mumbled under his breath.
"And...you lost your temper?" X asked.
"Yes. It was a minor thing. I don't know why they blew it so out of proportion." While CiCi's words were calm, she refused to look at anyone with any of her eyes.
"CiCi," Alia demanded, "what did you do?"
"I...may have ripped Dr. Doppler's arm off and threatened to shove it so far up his ass he'd have to open his mouth to wave before using him as a bludgeon to smash his own neural computer," CiCi admitted. "Just a little bit."
Zero burst into laughter. "Yes, I can't imagine why he might blow that out of proportion," he quipped, sarcasm heavy in his voice.
"I know, right?" CiCi complained. "He's a Reploid, it reattaches! What's the big deal?" As dead silence greeted her question, she blinked. "Oh. Sarcasm. Still need to learn about that. Anyway, I was able to analyze the signal from the Neural Computer enough to make a design for a unit to counteract the signal."
"You can neutralize the signal?" X demanded eagerly.
"Only on a unit-by-unit basis," she explained. "I can work with Lifesaver to make a device that, when attached to a Reploid under the signal's influence, will neutralize the signal's effect on them, restoring their original brain wave patterns. It will take...a day to start manufacture. Maybe two."
"Get to work on it, then," X ordered. Nodding, CiCi made her way to the medlab. "In the meantime, Zero, Octavia, and I are going to see what we can do to put a spoke in Doppler's plans."
"Good luck," Alia called out as the trio made their way out.
It was only a few hours later, when the group wasn't even halfway to Doppler Town - the teleport network for the area had been disabled - that they received emergency communication from HQ.
"X!" Alia called out over the communicator. "We're under attack! I repeat, HQ is under attack!"
"We're on our way!" X replied as the trio turned around to race back.
Upon their return, the trio saw that aerial bombardment was the primary problem, as bee shaped dropships were firing on the base from the air, as well as bringing in more of Doppler's forces. "Any ideas how to fix that?" X asked, revving up his Ride Chaser.
"Well...we could do something totally insane and awesome?" Zero offered.
"Good idea!" X agreed, sending his Ride Chaser into a crazy jump.
"Yahoooooo!" Zero called out as he followed.
X, Zero, and Octavia all leapt off the Ride Chasers at the apex of the jump, letting the vehicles smash into separate dropships, causing them to explode and crash. X and Zero both clung to another one, which went down after X damaged it with rapid fire shots from his newly modified buster and a slash of Zero's saber. Octavia had grabbed hold of another one and cut off the propeller to crash it.
"Whoo!" Zero called out as they landed. "That rocked!" He glanced around. "X, I'll take the guys out here. You see what you can do inside."
Nodding, X led Octavia into HQ, the pair of them blasting away at the mechanaloids that attacked them. Each of them went down to a single charged shot fired at the right time, and X and Octavia had gotten very good at their timing.
Before long, they found another Maverick Hunter, a purple armored humanoid. "Mac, where have you been?" X demanded. "You went on assignment a month ago!"
Mac said nothing, but opened fire. X and Octavia both dodged to the side, much to Mac's surprise. "Wha?"
"Assigned to the Doppler Town investigation," Octavia replied as she opened fire, knocking Mac off his feet with the two consecutive blasts. "Which meant we knew you were compromised." Dashing forward, she delivered a strong uppercut to his chin, slamming him against the wall and knocking him out.
"Let's keep going," X replied. "We need to get through and take out the big ones."
The largest Maverick proved to be up on the roof, a massive Mechanaloid with spike ball arms. Octavia dealt with it quickly by slamming her improved beam saber sub weapon - with the new busters, the blade could be kept out for much longer - straight into its head, causing continuous damage until it exploded.
Alia's voice came over the communicators. "HQ is secure! All Hunters, return to Comm Central for debriefing and planning the counterattack!"
Is it just me or does it sound like TF2?
I only have one thing to say...
Let the games begin
Ci Ci is best hunter, any relation to Raven?
Given he's not going to die from an arm being ripped off... that would be hilarious to see!!! Best threat on a pervert ever.
Very nice chapter, especially X and Octavia dodging Mac's attack and taking him out. I always hated how X just got caught by him and needed to be rescued.
I was hoping Octavia would have decommissioned an enemy by hitting the 'special' spot, not the head.
Might not fit, since they basically always destroy whatever they fight, but who knows. I would have found it hilarious.
6653092 Megaman Fortress Two. Well.
cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/galleries/display/66/66554.jpg
6653189 That should be a bonus arc.
6653163
I can imagine them being interdimesnional cousins.
I recall hardly anything about X3 atm. I guess that means it is time to go replay it.
Huh, I always thought Dr. Doppler was just a human who applied cybernetics to himself... oh well.
In any case, I do wonder what he did; did he ask to take her tentacles for a "test drive" or something?... On that note, I'm better off not knowing.
6653222 Sure.
6653354 Yeah, I've seen enough hentai to know where that goes.
Speaking of which I'll be back in a bit....
...
...
(watches tentacle hentai)
...
...
....
(comes back)
How does this sound like TF2?
6653354
It states in the wiki that he's a Reploid scientist.
6653419 Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Tatsurou; I simply took things as I saw them from playing the game so I could finally tell myself "I beat that stupid, motherbing, rising-lava Sigma-Virus bit!" I mean, come on, his MINIONS were more powerful than he was; it's not THAT weird to have thought he was a human... is it?
Besides, I already figured that out while I was editing this comment, just in case you were going to make Dr. Doppler another avatar of Wily. I mean, if it turned out he was actually a human all this time and you changed it for the sake of AU?... Eh, I wouldn't really do anything, probably just satirize myself getting angry about it, like "TATSUROU! AU!? Y U DO THIS?!?!?" or something. I've pretty much made my peace with the imminent possibility that Dr. Doppler's pulling the strings to make it seem like Sigma's pulling the strings for the reasons you've already mentioned, or the possibility that Vile's return won't amount to much. Because in the end... this is an AU. See ya.
6653467
Oh. And here I thought you were going to ask, "How do I know that wasn't just saying he was a scientist who worked on Reploids?" To which my counter argument would be that Doppler was under Sigma's control canonically, and if Sigma could control humans with the virus - or even cybernetically augmented humans - why wouldn't he just control all humans and have them all kill themselves, thus leading to Reploid dominance?
6653469 Well, as any matoor adult can tell you, video game wikis are always right. ALWAYS.
6653478
Well, we can assume they're as accurate as they can be, since there's nothing else official about these characters from the company.
Another enjoyable chapter. Great job.
6653479 Yeah, that's true enough... although, there is one thing I'd like to contest.
Earlier, you said to me that reploids couldn't be brought back because they were too advanced to be backed up. If that's the case... then why does Herculious Anchus make an appearance in Mega Man Zero 2 (WITH sentience), despite having blown up twice in Mega Man Zero?
{Tatsurou: Why does Hidden Phantom not come back as a reploid after blowing himself up?}
... Maybe Reploids, even aspects of Robots, can't come back after deliberately blowing themselves up?
{Tatsurou: -_- I don't know what's weirder; the fact that you brought up this debate, or the fact you're actually making yourself lose.}
Hey, I had to keep things realistic.
{Tatsurou: And besides that...}
Right, right... AU.
6653511
Actually, I honestly have no idea who or what you're talking about. I haven't played the Zero games, and they aren't part of this story's continuity.
After all, Octavia already unwittingly negated any possibility of a Copy X being built.
Doppler getting fresh with CiCi...Hmmmm
6653521 ... Heheheh, you speak as though Copy X is the main villain. While it's certainly true that he served that role in the first game, the truth of the matter is, The Post-Apocalyptic scenario, the hunting of reploids and "maverick"-sympathizers alike, Zero losing his memory to discover himself once more, an aberration of a hero to put those on the other side to believe that they're doing the right thing (Not that he knows that's what he's been re-purposed to do)?... that's all Dr. Weil's doing. So unless you're going to say that he's an avatar of Wily (despite him ACTUALLY being a human that's been kept alive using a robotic suit), or that there's a plot point where he's promptly killed off with no chance of starting a war that wipes out more than half the world, there's not a thing you can do to prevent the Zero series from happening... oh, and by the way. If you try to use the former option, no one will like it, even IF you pull the AU card! Because characters like him simply can't be re-purposed, no matter what you say to the contrary. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!... Oh, wait, I forgot... you always find a way to get past "minor details" like that. Crap, I was looking forward to seeing Zero's reaction to seeing a female reploid based on an aspect of X.
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/megaman/images/0/0a/Leviathan.png/revision/latest?cb=20101230033352
Heh, you thought I was kidding, didn't you?
6653563
Oh, I know about the four Guardians.
But you see, you've told me of two major events of the X timeline that are the source of Weil's hostility towards Reploids. The only way Weil can even come into existence is if those two events play out like they did in the games.
And one of those events assumes Wily is a bad guy.
6653379 Hilarious!
6653575 Very well then. How else may I help thou kind sir?
6653572 Ah, but you forget one thing... or maybe not, but I'll say it anyway. Regardless of what happens, there's one irrevocable truth: people were still harmed in this universe, and it was still because of a robot that it occurred in the first place, and it STILL causes a reploid to go crazy and start destroying things just because he can... maybe things won't be as bad as they were in the games, but the fact still remains... d-d-d-doesn't it?
{Tatsurou: F14m3rz, you should just let this go.}
Oh, come on! Aside from Mega Man Battle Network, this was the series that defined Mega Man for me as a kid, whether it was saving the world, or beating up really hard bosses, or endings that end positively, but on a relatively sour note!... Besides... this series made Zero seem even more badass than he usually does!
{Tatsurou: F14m3rz...}
*sigh*Fine, do what you want. But I'll be there when the fanboys rage, heheheh...
{Tatsurou: Ah, you mean just you?}
N-no, I'll be pretending I'm cool with it for the most part.
6653599
Except that - due to CiCi's actions on Day of Sigma - so far, no humans have come to harm as a result of the 'Maverick Wars'. While humans know how powerful and dangerous Reploids can be, they as yet have no incident they can point to and say, "Look at what they've done!"
6653581 That was... THat was beautiful.
6653619 Huh... You could totally make a parody of this discussion in a later chapter.
{X: OK, I think that since everything's all settled, we can all agree that everything is back to no-
???: HOLD IT!
Zero: OBJECTION!
Everyone else:... Uh-
Zero: Sorry, I can't control it. Anyway, who are you?
???: I am Dr. Weil, an aspiring scientist who believes in all things retribution-wise.
Octavia: OK, so what are you doing here?
Dr. Weil: Quite simple, really: I'm here to solve our little Maverick problem.
Sigma: Oh, you mean that thing I did where I went crazy? Well, after a bunch of things happened, I no longer have a desire to do weird stuff, and after some intensive therapy sessions, I've completely forgiven Zero for the... humiliation I suffered.
Dr. Weil: Really? But what about all the people who've lost their lives, even the ones that happened before the Day of Sigma?
Zero: Ah, I've already assumed responsibility for all of that, and I'm still doing everything I can to make it up to everyone, even if the "virus"'s initial design wasn't intended to be a virus.
Dr. Weil: Oh... well, what about Repliforce?
Colonel: Thanks to the power of adorable little fillies, Repliforce has received no lasting damage from the Maverick Hunters OR Sigma.
Iris: And I'm happily married to Zero!
Dr. Weil:... You mean I don't have a motivation to be a villain?
Sigma: No one has one, my friend. *Places a comforting hand on Dr. Weil's shoulder* No one.
Dr. Weil: Well, it's kind of lame that everything was just RESOLVED without any problems for the foreseeable future, but i guess I can live with that. Who knows, maybe people will stop putting me on the top of their Top Villains Lists.
Zero: Nah, they'll still do that.
Dr. Weil: Poo.}
6653664 Sure. How about this?
I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said "Stop! don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too! Are you christian or buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too! Are you catholic or protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me too! Are you episcopalian or baptist?" He said, "Baptist!" I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you baptist church of god or baptist church of the lord?" He said, "Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you original baptist church of god, or are you reformed baptist church of god?" He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!" I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.
There was also that time I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well.
i0.wp.com/ourpantheons.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/mileycyrusdracomalfoy.jpg
6653667
Okay, I just had to upvote that alt-script.
Won't be using it, but still had to upvote it.
6653688 Really? Cool.
6653705
Yeah, I like it when my readers submit alt-scripts.
Sometimes they even get used in the story, with credit given in Author's notes or footnotes.
6653707 I figured as much, but it's a shame that it won't be used (Too meta, I understand). At least I can take solace in the fact that you liked it enough to upvote it.
6653511 Have you been taking your meds?
6653686 Indeed.
That little difference.
6653738 Ah, you mean my Zyrtec and Singulair? Sometimes I forget to, and that REALLY puts a damper on my immune system. Thank you for asking, though.
6653744 Rules I follow in life:
1
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
2
I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
3
I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
4
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer.
5
Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
6
We live in a society where pizza gets to your house before the police.
7
Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake a whole relationship.
8
The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
9
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
10
If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
6653793 PM me. Wait you did.
... You know, considering CiCi is engaged, I am calling it completely justified. And maybe a little light considering who she can call up to help her shove it just that little bit further. Of course, then that is all he would be able to do because Cthulhu kind of breaks mortal comprehension like its going out of style...
Isn't Octy decades old by now? When's she reaching sexual maturity?
6658981
When she's about a century old, she'll hit puberty.
...that'll be around the time of X7.
6659007 That'll be fun...
Nice story, and I really enjoy when CiCi gets screen time. There's only one part I have a problem with.
A month seems like a long time for her friends to just sit around and do nothing but worry. Especially when she's gone to examine a mind control device. They'd have to start thinking that she was wrong about her immunity.
As for the banana spider bit, I immediately thought of this:
Clerk: No, no, no, no, I will not work with the deadly tarantula!
6661041
Well, keep in mind just getting there without teleporting would take several days. A month isn't actually that long in terms of deep cover missions.
6653707 Hey again. I just wanted to give you some advice. This isn't to further some grand master plan or something like that, but it's something important to keep in mind so a person without a level head decides to express their "opinion".
The way that the Maverick Wars were stopped in the games were as follows.
Once Zero realized he was indirectly responsible for the Maverick Virus, he decided to put himself under so the scientists could figure out what to do. An ancestor of Ciel created an antibody program based on Zero's core design to purge it from any remaining Mavericks. As a result of X using it, the Maverick Wars were peacefully ended.
However, there was a scientist who believed in a more lasting solution, since reploids had free will and could rebel regardless of the existence of a virus. His idea was to have a controllable reploid harness the power of the antibody, then known as the Mother Elf, to ensure that no reploid ever did rebelled again. Of course, in order to get the government to sanction this, he corrupted it into the the Dark Elf and made copies of it, called Baby Elves, which would create mavericks all around the world so he could start a four-year war known as the Elf Wars. The government then sanctions his plan, since the war wiped out 90% of all reploids and 60% of all humans, and he is given the body of the one machine that couldn't be corrupted to initiate the plan, Zero.
So he programmed Zero's body so that it would do everything it says without question called Omega and set out his dark plans. Ciel's ancestor managed to make a new body for Zero, and he managed to take control of the Dark Elf and stop the Maverick Uprising... again. It was then that Weil revealed that HE was the person behind it all along, and sent out Omega and a massive army of mechaniloids to rule over the world with Omega as the figurehead... X and Zero then responded appropriately.
After the Elf Wars ended, Zero sealed himself away for all eternity to ensure that nothing like that ever happened again. The Dark Elf was sealed away with X's own power, using his body as the focus. Omega was sent into space so it couldn't be used, and Dr. Weil was sentenced to exile for all eternity in a self-sustaining suit to think about what he'd done... yeah, Dr. Weil had a hand in manipulating judicial affairs for those last two.
So now you have a rough understanding of how things lead up to Mega Man Zero, but two questions remain: What will you do to keep that from happening? Just know that if you REALLY want to make it so that the Zero series is prevented, construe events in such a way that either the "cure" is utilized through a less volatile medium, or do something to prevent Dr. Weil from doing anything. That's your best bet. Good luck.
6653092
Com-reploid: "Defend our Honor! Kill these robots!"
Zero: "Gotcha!" *Ignites saber*
X: "Spy is not our Spy!" *Points at Mac*
Octavia: "If God had wanted you to live he would not have created me!" *At spike-robot*
Did Octy just kill a brainwashed opponent?
7165511
It says in story Mac was knocked unconscious.