Centuries after the Ragnarok Incident involving Dr. Weil and the legendary hero Zero... Humans and Reploids now co-exist peacefully... With Humans having Cybernetic parts, giving them the strength of a Reploid... Whilst Reploids being given human mortality. Now, the difference between the two can only be distinguished by the triangle seen on their head... We come to meet the Guardians in their flying HQ...

The bridge is the Guardian HQ's command center where all Guardian activity is managed by their current leader: Prairie, a female Reploid whose experience of a lifetime is disguised by the youthful appearance of a teenager. Sitting at the center of this very large room, in front of an advanced computer's console on a chair slightly bigger than her size, Prairie is assisted by the operators Gardénia, Tulip and Marguerite, who are responsible for communications, mission requests and other supporting tasks.

Vent ran into the room, avoiding running into anybody. He found his way to Prairie, who had called him down.

"Ye-, yes ma'am?" Vent had asked. Prairie had sounded a bit annoyed according to Fleuve, who he had been working with at the time.

"Vent, we have a new job for you... Not as a Guardian, but as a member of Giro Express... And this is an important package. Lose it, and I assure you... We will have quite a crisis on our hands. You'll be sent with one other person..."

Vent gulped. "Who... Would that be?"

Prairie looked at him, then at the door. "Come in..."

Aile walked in, with quite a big smile on her face. It's as if she's teasing Vent.

"Ugh... This should prove to be fun... Hmph..."

Prairie looked even more annoyed. "Do not complain. You can both use Model Z and X, and you both were members of Giro Express, therefore you both go."

Vent sighed, and walked towards the door.

"Hehe... Don't worry, I can save you when you screw up..."

Vent grunted, and they both walked towards the [Transceiver Room.]

Vent and Aile came from the [Transceiver Room,] with a report.

"Ma'am, we have completed the delivery." Aile said.

Prairie turned around. "Good job. No new missions at the moment. You two get some rest. I detected Biometal activity down there, so a conflict must of occurred..." Prairie noted the battle that had happened.

A slight gasp came from Vent's bag. Model X came out slowly, whilst Model Z burst out.

"Vent, Aile..." Model X said.

Vent looked at him, and Aile looked at him with confusion. "Yeah?" Vent asked.

"We... We just got a signal. We don't get signals unless a new Biometal has been activated... It's location... Was the camp you guys we're just at." Model Z said.

Model X once again stayed afloat thinking. Prairie was in confusion, fear, and slight worry.

"... *ahem* We are to make no actions at the moment." Prairie said. Vent and Aile looked shocked, while Model X and Z listened in.

OOC: With RasenganBoi's permission, I'll play Vent for now.

------

"What?" Vent questioned in disbelief. "Are you saying that we should just stand here and do nothing while there is a new Biometal out there? What... what if it ends up with someone like Serpent?!"

Unable to understand Prairie's decision, a sudden thought gave the young teenager an even more confused look. "Wait a second..." The boy made a step forward. "There was a Biometal in that package you gave us, didn't it? You knew that and still told us to deliver it?"

Prairie looked forward, and then looked outside.

"... Yes, actually... It was discovered by one of our men... I gave it to the 7 Watchmen as a sign of trust. If we go barging in after feeling this, we will look paranoid, and trust will not exist..." Prairie looked back at them.

"... But trust me on this one. We need to be able to gain as many allies, just in case a man like Serpent does come along again. Can I ask this of the both of you?" Prairie pleaded.

Vent stared silently at Prairie for a moment before speaking. "... After fighting together against Serpent, Prairie, I thought we could trust eachother..." The boy clenched his fists. "How can you ask us to trust you, if you won't even trust us? Why didn't you tell us anything about this after everything we did?" His emerald eyes appeared to convey a feeling of betrayal.

Prairie looked at Vent. "I couldn't risk letting others know of the Biometal. There are people that badly want the Biometal. There are people... Who are as bad as Prometheus and Pandora. If you got ambushed, I could not guarantee that you escape unscathed... I'm sorry, but, at the moment, I need you two to keep away from the camp for the next day or two unless asked so by Hiruzen..." Prairie was now feeling guilty, and is now attempting to apologize.

"... Okay, I get it." Vent nodded with a more calm look, although his tone still had a small hint of annoyance. "But I still don't like being kept in the dark like this. Boss told us before that, as transporters, we shouldn't question our deliveries... but I think we had the right to know about something like this. Can you at least tell us more about those 'Watchmen' or that Biometal?"

Prairie looked at Vent.

"Well... From what I know, the 7 Watchmen are guardians of nature, and try to force people away, unless the can prove that they mean no harm. They also combat any Mavericks, and tend to be nicer, and better than what Slither Inc. used to do. About the Biometal... Not much is known, but from study, his name is Model R." Prairie said.

Model X had another shock of the day.

"... Model R... As in Reverse...?" He questioned. Model Z looked at him.

"No doubt in my mind... That was the strange presence..." he said. Vent, Aile, and Prairie all looked at them in slight confusion, Vent, who is now more confused than he is annoyed.

"Reverse?" Vent looked indeed confused. "What does that mean? Do you know that Biometal, Model X? Model Z?" The boy glanced at the two Biometals as they floated gracefully.

"This Model R was someone we knew a long time ago... First, he was a poor Hunter, then his power increased gradually, before becoming Maverick. After we destroyed him, it turns out his remains were scrounged up a friend of his. About a century later, he came back, just as bad as before... A few years later, he just disappeared. We always called him R. But, if this is the same guy we're talking about... We may be in trouble..." Model X had said.

He sounded as if he found out that he was going to die. Model Z remained silent, until deciding to speak...

"Vent, Aile, if this is the same guy, we must make sure, that if we ever see it, that it isn't in the wrong hands. If so, we must go in, no matter what anybody else says." Model Z said.

"... If that's true, we should have stayed there!" Vent replied, turning his eyes at his commander with a more worried tone. "Even if you trust them Prairie, we should at least make sure that the Biometal is in the right hands, or at least confirm that it's safe with those Watchmen. If the Biometal can be detected now, it's just a matter of time before Prometheus and Pandora go after it!"

Prairie rethought about what she did.

''... Alright. This a choice of yours, not a mission. Don't expect any pay for this.'' She said.

"Who do you think I am, Prairie?" Vent slid his feet, turning sideways. "Since when does someone charge to do the right thing?" The young teen ran towards the sliding door, gesturing at the Biometals. "Let's go, Model X! Model Z!"

[Continued in Data Room]

Aile looked at Vent, Model X, and Model Z running away.

"Vent, wait for me!" she cried. She soon followed him to the [Transceiver Room.]

[Continued from Data Room]

Chêne kept a firm posture as she walked inside the bridge, seeing the pink hat of her commander sticking out from the top of her seat at the center. She made a few more steps forward, stopping halfway between the door and that seat. "Commander", she spoke coldly.

Prairie almost groaned on her seat, recognizing the voice before turning around on her seat to face the girl. "I'm sorry Chêne, but I'm a little busy right now."

"With due respect and all that, you're always busy." The girl retorted. "But I'll get to the point: how long will you keep me stuck on patrolling duty? Do you still think I'm unprepared for a real mission?"

"Chêne, I assigned you to patrol because that's where I need you." Prairie replied instantly.

"That's not true." Chêne replied. "It's obviously because of 'that man' that you don't want to let me try anything more dangerous."

"I care about the welfare of every Guardian. It's true that we have a debt with your father after everything he did for us, but that has nothing to do with my decisions." The commander folded her right leg over the other. "If you're unhappy with your assignment, I can reassign you to HQ duty instead."

The girl narrowed her eyes with the response. "... What else do I need to do to prove that I'm not a little girl anymore? I have some of the best scores in simulations and I passed every 'test' to join this 'justice league'. Do you still think I'm inferior to those transporter kids just because they have some mighty morphing technology?" There was an effort from Chêne to mind her tone, but her cynical attitude was still apparent.

"That's enough, Chêne." The commander rose from her seat and walked towards the disgruntled Guardian. The fact that the girl towered over Prairie did nothing to undermine the commander of the Guardians. "You may have the talent to be a Guardian soldier, but you don't understand yet what it means to be a Guardian. As long as you act like you have something to prove, I can't allow you to put yourself in danger. And I hope I won't need to have this conversation with you again. Is that clear?"

The girl inhaled air in an impulse to talk back, but as Prairie's sapphire eyes stared into her own, she found her voice stopping before reaching her tongue. "Crystal clear, commander. Excuse me." That was all the girl managed to say before turning around and leaving the deck. "... You're the one who doesn't understand me, Prairie." She muttered as she walked down the corridor, tightening her fists.

After watching the frustrated girl leave, Prairie turned around and sat on her chair again, sighing. She felt pained by how harsh she had just treated Chêne; it was not her usual demeanor and she realized it. However, as commander, she knew there would be moments when she needed to uphold her authority, especially when she physically resembled a girl in her early teens. "Alon... I'm trying, but I'm not sure that we can be the family she needs..." the commander spoke in a low voice as she turned her focus back to the console.

"Prairie? This is Vent." The commander promptly turned her attention to the communicator upon hearing the boy's voice. "There are some people here that you need to see. And they all have Biometals."

In light of the news, Prairie couldn't help but be speechless for a second. "... So there really are other chosen ones...? What happened to Model R, Vent? Did you take it back?"

"Don't worry, we're bringing Model R too." Vent replied with assurance. "It's under control now, I'm keeping an eye on it."

"I see..." Prairie sighed in relief. "Vent... I'd really like to meet these other Chosen Ones. Can you take them to the Transerver at Area A-1?"

"Okay, I'm taking them there. See you then." The boy replied calmly, closing the call afterwards.

"Operators?" The commander rose from her seat again. "I'll need an escort to Area A. Which Guardians are currently available?"

"The Guardians currently off-duty are... Aile, Scombrésoce, Dorado, Thon and Chêne." Gardénia replied.

"Aile isn't in the HQ right now, however." Tulip added. "Her last recorded destination is Area D."

Prairie was curious about Aile's current whereabouts, but could not imagine it to be anything serious. "I see. Please call them all..." Prairie paused for a moment. "... including Chêne. I'd like Fleuve to come with me, too. Tell them to meet me in the Data Room, except for Aile: I'd like her to go straight to Area A-1. Ask her to wait there and tell her about Vent's situation."

"Roger!" The three operators complied to Prairie's orders as their commander made her way to the Data Room. Gardénia started to call the Guardians in the HQ while Tulip contacted Aile and Marguerite called for Fleuve.

[Continued in Area A-2: Forest (Prairie)]
[Continued in Area D-2: Highway (Tulip)]

[Continued from Data Room]

Vent opened the door and stepped inside to meet an exaspherated Fleuve.

"Vent! I was just about to contact you!" The vice-commander left Prairie's seat upon seeing the chosen one. It amused Vent to find that even Prairie's chair was a little big for his vice-commander...

... However, the boy did not smile for long. Although Fleuve was the sort to be worked up easily, it hardly happened for a laughing matter. "Is something going on, Fleuve? I just saw Chêne."

"Sorry, but we need you to go back to Area D immediately!" The vice-commander quickly approached Vent. "We lost contact with the other chosen ones in the Control Center!"

"Control Center? You mean--" Vent did not need to finish the sentence. He knew what the vice-commander was referring to, but he still held his head with his right hand in disbelief. "Why did they go there in the first place?!"

"We're not sure, but we confirmed Maverick activity in the building! You must hurry and find out what's going on! Here, use this if the situation requires it..." Fleuve passed to Vent a small device that Vent instantly recognized as a portable Trans Server; this small item had programmed coordinates for a quick transfer. He remembered using it extensively to save Cinq Ville's citizens from a Maverick attack...

"Got it!" Vent took the device and handed Chiba's recorder in return before running off. "I picked that up in Area K, by the way!" The boy HAD to wonder if the day could become any worse...

[Continued in Area D-2: Highway (Vent)]

After the young Mega Man left, Fleuve spared a moment to look at the recorder he was just given. He wished there was time to discuss Vent's earlier endeavor, but he was more concerned about the safety of the other Chosen Ones at the moment. He had decided to return to his lab and check the message... when he was suddenly interrupted by one of the operators.

"Sir!" It was Gardénia's voice. "We're receiving a transmission from Commander Prairie!"

"What? Hurry, open the channel!" The old Reploid briefly challenged his physique as he rushed back to the commander's seat. The transmission was accompanied by loud sounds of battle, which had set the mood for the vice-commander.

"Fleuve!" The commander spoke in a tone of urgency! "The excavation site is under a Maverick attack! Aile is trying to fight them with Legion's troops and a new Chosen One, but the Mavericks are too many! Mobilize all Guardians to our position immediately! Repeat... Mobilize all Guardians to our position immediately!"

"Immediately?!" Fleuve realized that would be difficult. Many of the Guardians had been dispatched to Cinq Ville, and those who were not would need to be called from their current outposts. Still, he could not just ignore the fact that their commander was at peril. "We'll arrive as soon as possible! Hang in there!" The Guardian turned his attention to the operators. "Attention! Change course to the Arcadian Ruins at once!"

"Roger!" The operators replied simultaneously, and the airship immediately turned in the direction of the ruins.

The vice-commander had decided to not contact Vent on the matter. The boy did not need an additional distraction at that point. He had little doubts that the danger in Slither Inc was genuine from the moment that his attempts at contact were cut by a source of jamming within the building. Fleuve remained in the seat, realizing that he would not have the time to resume his research. He needed to be available to the Guardians who were still on the field; a fact that was proven when he received another transmission not long after. It was Thon.

"Hey chief, Thon here." The bold voice of the Guardian made its way through. "Is the jammin' still goin' on?"

The situation had been so hectic, that the vice-commander had almost forgotten to verify the channels. But if he could be contacted by Thon in the first place... "The jamming signal is gone, I can hear you clearly now!" Still, Fleuve knew it was too early to celebrate. "However... we're now picking up two strong readings in Andrew and Kiriyama's position... we heard their voices and... I hope they're not...!" The aged Reploid could not help but feel a sense of dread. He knew that when a situation involved Mega Men, it would most likely be the doing of a certain duo... "Anyway, we have more problems! We were just contacted by commander Prairie about a Maverick attack on the Neo Arcadian ruins! Gather the others, including the chosen ones, and mobilize immediately! But... be very careful! ... Especially if the readings are Prometheus and Pandora!" The Guardian warned in hopes that the soldiers would be prepared to retreat if his fears were made true.

It was no longer than a few minutes after Thon had broken contact that Fleuve received another transmission...

"Fleuve, this is Vent!" The Mega Man Model ZX spoke in urgency. "The area is clear, but Andrew is in pretty bad shape! He needs to be treated fast!"

Fleuve put both hands in the console as he leaned forward to speak. "Send him to the HQ with your portable Transerver, I'll call the medics to take care of him at once! Is anyone else injured?"

"Okay! And..." There was a brief delay before Vent spoke again. "Hey, your hand..."

"You must hurry!" Fleuve urged. "We're currently mobiliizing to the Arcadian Ruins!"

"What?!" Vent sounded surprised by the sudden notice. "Why are we going there?"

"I'll explain as soon as you return!" Fleuve replied. "Bring the Chosen Ones quickly!" As soon as Vent accepted the orders, Fleuve turned his attention to the operators again. "Operators, I need soldiers in the Data Room to tend to the incoming wounded immediately! Also tell Muguet and Rose to prepare the emergency room pronto!"

The operators once again acknowledged the order... and it was just afterwards that Fleuve had received yet another transmision.

"Sir, this is Hareng." The Guardian spoke. "We found a stranger here. He doesn't seem to be sided with the Mavericks, but we still think we should bring him in for questioning. Authorization to transfer?"

Fleuve felt as if his CPU would overheat at this pace. It was one thing after another, and he was barely given enough time to think his decisions thoroughly. "Bring him in and confine him until we actually have time for that person, whoever he is!" Due to the pressure, the vice-commander unwittingly sounded more blunt than usual for him.

The vice-commander hopped out of the seat afterwards. "Operators, I'll be in the Data Room." The Guardian mentioned as he walked towards the door. He had a feeling that all the incoming transfers would result in a rather messy situation.

[Continued in Data Room]

Model R came in from the [Data Room] and looked at the Main Deck. It was an impressive room, and the heart of the Guardian base.

OOC: How does Model R manage to get in unnoticed? The other characters are still in the corridor.

OOC: I just didn't post in the Corridor. Two reasons why: There is such a short distance in between the Data Room and the Main Deck, and it's something I'm used to thanks to the other RP's.

OOC: Well, you missed a chance to interact with the others in that scene. Also, someone (particularly Vent) would probably have noticed beforehand if Model R separated from Kiriyama.

Admittedly, I had no idea the scene in Corridors would develop the way it did. Skipping certain areas is fine when nothing significant happens in them, but on the cases something does happen, it's important to react accordingly.

------

[Continued from Corridors]

Fleuve returned to the bridge with a calmer expression, thanks in large part to Vince amending the situation one moment ago. He approached the commander's seat before turning back to the chosen ones, but he did not sit down. He would sit when he needed to use the console and issue orders to the operators, but otherwise, he had the feeling that the chair did not really suit him. Therefore, he stood on his feet, with a hand on the customized Mettaur at his side, akin to a pet. "First of all, I'd just like to say that I'm glad you all came back. Muguet will do her best to treat the other chosen ones; she is an excellent medic, so please try not to worry too much about them."

"Model R? Aren't you going to stay with Kiriyama?" Vent folded his arms as he eyed the Biometal. He noticed Model R before, but did not find a moment to talk to it until now.

OOC: Sorry then, my fault.

------

"Kiriyama is injured. It's best if he gets his hand fixed and rests. It's not like I'm going to be leaving the ship anyways. I'm going to remain on the Main Deck unless needed by Kiriyama or somebody else." Model R replied.

He looked at some of the other people in the room, and he noticed the room to the right. Labeled on it was "COMMANDER". Obviously Prairie's room. Model R then looked back at Vent. The Chosen One for Model X.

"Model X's Chosen one... I no longer detest Model X, but I still follow two things; opposing Mavericks, namely Model W, and opposing Model X. Keep this in mind Vent." Model R said.

[From the Corridors]

Vince entered the room after Vent and Fleuve.

"That's good," he commented, being reassured by Fleuve's words. He crossed his arms after hearing Model R's statement. "Model Omicron, what's Model R talking about?"

The gold Biometal hovered out of Vince's coat and floated beside him at eye-level.

"It's... complicated," he said. "In Model R's past life, he was made as an antithesis to who is now Model X. A reversal, of sorts."

"Ooooh boy..." Vince rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry about it though. If he can't possess Kiriyama anymore, then it's Kiriyama's choice whether or not to fulfill that role. Isn't that right, Model R?" Model ó rotated to face the red Biometal.

While the gold Biometal awaited a response, Vince looked around the command room. He finally noticed they were in an airship. Due to the commotion, he had not seen the window in the data room. Now he was in the ship's bridge, and could finally tell that they were flying.

Impressive, Vince thought. The Guardians stay on the move by using an airship as a base. Very efficient.

OOC: Reaction.

---

"Kiriyama can do what he wants. Last time I tried leading him, it failed..." Model R said.

Model R then remembered that this was a different Kiriyama.

"It's all ancient history now." The voice of Model X echoed. "There is no point in continuing a grudge from the past."

"I agree. It's useless." Model Z followed. "We have more important things to worry about."

"Sheesh. Now I get why Prairie didn't tell me about Model R before." Vent sighed in annoyance.

"Vent, I verified the recording you gave me." Fleuve spoke, interrupting the conversation. "Unfortunately, there wasn't much information that we didn't know or suspect already. I suppose you couldn't find the old model Reploid...?"

"I followed his trail all the way to Area K and nothing." Vent replied in a tone of frustration. "But there was something weird going on. I saw all these really old Mechaniloids running around. I think they're called 'Preons' or something... Model X said that they were made in that Giga City island. But they went all Maverick. On the flip side, there weren't any innocent people around when I got there."

"Hmm. Ancient models running rampant...?" The vice-commander sounded both worried and intrigued. "This is troublesome... did you manage to find anything else while you were there?"

"... Actually, yeah. I forgot about it earlier, but I picked these up." Vent moved his right hand into his vest, and then brought it out to reveal a handful of computer chips; three to be exact, and handed them to the elder Guardian. "I took these from a few Preons that I smashed. I hope it helps." The boy had done this before, and remembered how useful it could be to take the chips from downed Mechaniloids.

The vice-commander nodded as he took the chips on his right hand, adjusting his glasses with his left as he gave them a closer look. "Very good. It's unfortunate that you couldn't find that Reploid, though."

"Yeah. It didn't look like he did a transfer either. This is going to sound totally crazy, but I think he actually went swimming!" Vent answered in a tone of disbelief.

"... I believe there is actually an explanation for it." Fleuve rubbed his chin in thought. "There are no present records of 'Giga City', and the island isn't in our recent maps. This means that the island must be sitting in the bottom of the ocean... and Transervers aren't designed to work underwater."

"... So, basically, the place is a sunken wreck?" Vent quirked an eyebrow as he folded his arms. "Sounds like Model L would come in handy there."

"Indeed." Fleuve replied in affirmation. "Fortunately, the Biometal is still safely stored with the others in my laboratory. But we'll have to plan our course of action later. I need to inspect the chips, but I can only do that after we retrieve Aile and commander Prairie. In the meantime, I'd like to understand what happened in the city after we lost contact..." Fleuve set the chips on top of the main console, and then turned his attention towards the Mettaur. "You were with the Model R and Model D chosen ones, correct? Do you have the footage?"

"BEEP!" The Mechaniloid nodded and hopped once in affirmation.

"Good. You'll become our eyes, then." Following the comment, Fleuve proceeded to place the Mechaniloid in an empty spot of the desk, and connected a set of cables to one of the Mechaniloid's auditory ports. "Operators, start a video feed on the main screen."

"Yes, sir. Establishing connection..." With their response, the Mettaur suddenly became completely immobile, as if it was a statue. "Connection established. Beginning playback." Following this, the screen on the commander's console suddenly activated a holographic screen; it offered a surprisingly clear image of the events that had transpired in the building, shown from the point of view of the small Mechaniloid. In a span of minutes, the screen displayed the encounter between the two chosen ones and Bzzkrieg the Vespuloid, the violent battle that followed, and finally, the appearance of Prometheus and Pandora.

Model R remained silent.

"Grudge... It's more than a grudge for me..." Model R thought.

"Preons were running loose!? Dang... Gigantis... Guaranteed is either sunken or submerged. After the incident a few hundred years ago, he went into Gigantis again, knowing it would sink someday, and he made a few fail-safes to make sure that some places would survive. At least it's useful now." Model R said.

He watched the video. He noted how Kiriyama managed to survive on his own. He was out for half the fight, and saw how Kiriyama planned to use the environment to his advantage, but failed.

"Chiba... What a pain he is..." Model ó commented.

Vince stared at the scenes that unfolded on the screen. "A... Pseudoroid?" Vince had heard the term before, but had never encountered one. Apparently, they were high-priority targets for the Hunters Guild. However, he didn't really know anything about them. He witnessed how Kiriyama and Andrew sustained their injuries. He cringed... It was soon that the Pseudoroid, Bzzkrieg, was destroyed. It was then that two figures appeared.

"... So I was right," Model ó said. The mettaur could be heard describing who they were.

"Prometheus and Pandora...? They fit the rumors..." Vince had conversed with members of the Hunters Guild before. There were rumors of a vicious pair of armored individuals. The "Witch" and the "Reaper," as they were called. Vince was wide-eyed as he listened to their words. Mega Men were puppets in the "Game of Destiny"? Model ó had mentioned the Game of Destiny. But for 10 years, they were never approached by this menacing duo. He hadn't even met other Mega Men until just recently. But Model ó had warned him that it would happen eventually...

"... Destined to fight to the death, huh...? Although to be honest, I'm surprised they haven't found me yet."

"I've tried my best to conceal my aura," Model ó said. "I don't think they'll be fooled by it for long, though."

Vince raised his eyebrow. Model ó knew something about them...

"... Serpent was a Mega Man, and you destroyed him! And it was you, not Serpent, who awakened Model W! Don't deceive yourself, Chosen One! You may think these two Mega Men are on your side right now, but as soon as they begin to chase their own goals, you'll fight them to the death as well!"

Prometheus's words delivered the proverbial punch to Vent's gut. As it was visible in the playback, he denied it and lashed out in response... however, the reason he had been aggravated was not what was happening at the time. It was the harsh truth contained in those words. He did not want to accept it, but it was true: by defeating Serpent, he had played right into the Game of Destiny. How was he supposed to end the act if he was still following the script? Especially the awakening of Model W... Serpent's role did not relieve he and Aile of their own responsibility in the Biometal's awakening. Although they defeated Serpent and destroyed the Model W, they still made their contribution to the Game of Destiny. He had sworn to never give in to hate ever again, and he was confident in that promise. After all, he had a new reason to fight. To fight for what he believes in, and become the Mega Man that protects all. But would he be able to convince the Model ó chosen one of that? And would he be able to keep this promise if he had to stand up against the other chosen ones one day? The other Mega Men were still people like him. If the situation took a turn for the worse, would he be able to deal with them in a different manner from Serpent, and change the path of the Game of Destiny? Model R's resent for Model X did not help matters.

"I was afraid of this... evidently, Prometheus and Pandora are still at large." Oblivious to Vent's inner turmoil, Fleuve expressed his concern as he disconnected the Mettaur, having watched everything he needed to see. "We came across them a number of times when we fought Serpent's forces, and they attacked our base once." The vice-commander explained to Vince. "It was thanks to Vent and Aile that they didn't succeed in destroying us all."

"Vent and Aile only pushed your due dates back. To push it back even further, we need to figure out what this new threat is, and I've got an idea on where to start. Chiba wants us to go to Gigantis, but before we go to Gigantis, we need to pay a visit to a city even older, and a city slightly newer. Abel City, and New Hera." Model R said.

Vince rubbed his chin. After hearing Fleuve's words, he responded, "Yeah, I am not looking forward to meeting them..." He turned to Model R and raised an eyebrow. He assumed the Biometal was talking to him. Only Chosen Ones could hear Biometals, after all...

Model ó's "eyes" glowed briefly as it rotated to face Vent. It had noticed Vent's anger during the replay. The gold Biometal knew this replay might have an emotional impact... It could see the young man's aura. It glowed with a hue that suggested emotional conflict.

"Model W is a threat to humanity," Model ó spoke to Vent. "You took it upon yourself to protect countless humans and Reploids. Just like Model X and Model Z did centuries ago. You did nothing wrong. And as long as you wish to destroy Model W, then you are different from anyone who wants to obtain its power."

Vince had nothing to add to Model ó's words of wisdom. He instead turned to Model R and said, "First things first, Model R; making sure that the Guardian's commander is safe is priority number one."

OOC: Wait, so only Chosen ones can hear biometals?

OOC: Yes; Model W might be an exception to this, but at least for the other Biometals, it's been shown that only Chosen Ones can hear them.

"If you can hear me, we should be able to Megamerge!" - Model A.

OOC: Model A's comments are supported by the fact that we haven't seen anyone who isn't a chosen one actually talk to a Biometal. Therefore, we're currently working under that logic.

------

Vent turned his eyes towards Model ó and nodded with a smile at the words of encouragement. The Biometal reminded him of his mentor and father figure...

"Model ó is right on all accounts." Model X made its voice heard through Vent's body in agreement. "Model R, you should know by now that both cities ceased to exist during the Maverick Wars. For one entire century, Neo Arcadia was the last habitable place in the world..."

"And due to the actions of the man who became Model W, it has since become the Arcadian Ruins." Model Z followed up.

"All existing data from the wars was hidden away in Neo Arcadia until the calamity that caused its destruction. Peace had been restored at a very high price..." If the blue Biometal was not merged with Vent at the moment, it would have lowered its face slightly from the sore memories.

"That is the cost of war, Model X. You know that." Model Z finished. "Regarding information, our best hope of finding ancient data would be in Legion's records. But we can check if the excavation teams found anything since we're headed to the ruins."

Listening to the entire conversation, Vent could not help but wonder. "... Fleuve, do we have any other data on Giga City?"

"I'm afraid I haven't found much that I haven't told you already." Fleuve ran his fingers across his goatee in thought. "It's worth noting, however, that the meteor mined in the island contained unique properties which were used to enhance the abilities of Reploids. It was known as 'Force Metal', and it was long thought to be extinct..."

"... But if someone was able to settle down there, maybe there's still something left?" Vent asked again.

"... It is a remote, but existing possibility..." Fleuve's tone once again expressed concern. "if there is an enemy which managed to retrieve some of this Force Metal, we should not underestimate it..."

"Well, we have the power of the Biometals. So maybe they should watch out for us instead." Vent smirked as he closed a fist in renewed confidence.

"That's the spirit." Fleuve could not help but smile, as if Vent's confidence was contagious. "And that reminds me." The vice-commander finally turned his attention to Model R. He had seen Kiriyama's transformation on the Mettaur's playback, and it seriously intrigued him. "I need to take Model R to the lab for analysis. I've never seen such a metamorphosis before, and I must gather data on it."

"Are you going to scan it like you did with the others?" As Vent asked the vice-commander, he turned his attention to Model R again.

"Yes. As you know, it's a simple and quick process." The vice-commander turned around to pick up the Preon chips on the console. The Mettaur standing nearby hopped back to the floor, standing next to Fleuve. The vice-commander would not say it, but he felt comfortable standing near something that was actually shorter than him.

"Well, I don't think there's any reason for Model R and Kiriyama to complain." Although Vent was not worried about the process, his eyes conveyed a wary look as he waited for Model R's reaction.

"Just because they were destroyed doesn't mean ruins don't exist." Model R said in response.

He could not help but feel that Vent's confidence was for naught. Force Metal probably doesn't exist anymore, but there is a possibility that it is.

"I wonder why Chiba's so obsessed with Gigantis..." Model R asked himself. "Scanning? Just read Model X's data backwards." Model R did cracking a joke. "But fine... Vent, inform the man." Model R said.

"Abel City..." Model ó spoke. "I have a lot of memories of that place... As far as I know, Abel City's ruins still existed up before I investigated Model W on my own. But it's been years since I saw it last. If it still exists, it's likely been pilfered by the Hunters Guild or Raiders..." The Biometal paused for a second. "Vince, I left something in Abel City that could be of use to us. If nobody's found it and sold it to a museum already..."

"What is it, exactly?" Vince asked, intrigued.

"A vehicle named the 'Valor Hawk'. It's a one-man flying craft."

"But I already have a motorcycle..." Vince rubbed the back of his head in annoyance. "Plus, don't I need to get it registered with Legion or something and get a flying license?"

"Face it; your motorcycle is totaled. I don't think the guys at the repair shop are going to be able to do anything about it."

Vince sighed; Model ó was right. He was investigating a theft that took him into the Outlands recently. Mavericks attacked him and ruined the vehicle. It was currently in the best repair shop in Cinq Ville, but the mechanics couldn't figure out where to start... Vince had been in denial about it, being too low on E-Crystals to purchase a new one.

"Alright, Model Omicron... Alright..." Vince paused for a moment. He turned to Fleuve. "I guess we just hope the excavation team has information that could help."

"As Model X said, all records from the wars were buried in Neo Arcadia, and anything recovered from the ruins has been transferred to Legion." Model Z said in response to Model R and Model ó. "And the Guardians cannot afford to move back and forth to scavenge ruins where Mechaniloids run rampant. This is a job for the Hunter's Guild."

"We're right behind you, Fleuve." Vent heard the conversation between the Biometals, but decided to not reply to it for the moment. He waited until his commander walked past him with the Mettaur in tow before following, and he watched Model R to make sure the Biometal would come along.

[Continued in Laboratory]

[Model R to Laboratory]

"...Yes, you're right Model Z..." Model ó sighed. The Biometal thought for a moment. "There is another possible solution, but I will pose the suggestion later.

Vince shrugged and said, "Come on, let's go with them, Model Omic..."

The gold Biometal floated back into his pocket and the two left the room.

[Continued in the Laboratory]

Model R floated in following Vent and Fleuve from the [Quarters], while Kiriyama, cast and all, came in from the [Emergency Room].

"Model R!" Kiriyama said, reaching out to grab Model R with his casted arm.

Model R slammed itself into Kiriyama's hand, causing severe pain for him.

"EEEEYAGH!" Kiriyama said, retracting his arm and covered it.

"Don't... Just reach out and grab me. I've got a soul too." Model R said, floating into Kiriyama's chest pocket.

[Continued from Neo Arcadia - Ruins (Prairie)]
[Continued from Quarters (Fleuve, Vent)]

"Welcome back, Commander." The operators greeted as Prairie entered the room, and she was not alone; the Mettaur mascot entered the room alongside her.

"Thank you." Prairie replied as she settled down on her seat. She knew it was no time to relax, but it felt nice to relax her artificial muscles for the first time since she had left the base. "Where is Fleuve? I didn't find him in the lab."

"He is talking to a person who was found in the ruins of Slither Inc.'s head office."

"Slither Inc.?" Prairie widened her eyes. Slither Inc. was the last name she was expecting to hear. "What happened there?"

"It seems that a Pseudoroid ambushed the Chosen Ones in the building." Tulip replied. "A recording is available if you'd like to see it."

"... First things first." Prairie said. "Just give me a status report for now."

"Roger." The operator replied again. "Vince and Vent are virtually unharmed. Andrew and Kiriyama suffered severe injuries and are receiving treatment in the emergency rooms. Chene was also injured, but she was also treated and is able to act normally."

"... I see..." Despite not knowing the details of what happened, Prairie still felt responsible. She realized that her attention was diverted elsewhere, but she could not avoid the feelings of guilt for not being able to watch the Chosen Ones. As commander, she should have been able to do something to prevent this outcome. The Watchmen would probably blame her for what happened to Kiriyama, and Chene... she had made a promise to take care of the girl, but she really did not feel that she was doing a good job at it.

"... Operators, please call Fleuve here." The commander spoke again. "I'd like to talk to him."

"Aye, commander." Gardenia replied, and promptly sent a transmission to the room Fleuve was currently in. "Fleuve, sir. Commander Prairie has returned to HQ. Repeat, Commander Prairie has returned to HQ. She awaits you in the command center. " The operator closed the transmission afterwards. "He should arrive shortly, commander."

"Thank you." Prairie replied. "Now, are we close to the Arcadian Ruins? And is everyone ready?"

"Yes, commander." This time, Marguerite was the one to reply. "We should arrive shortly. Every able soldier has been assembled by Fleuve and they are currently awaiting docking."

"Good." Prairie knew that Fleuve preferred research over commanding, but she found some comfort in the fact that she could trust him in a pinch. It was then that she heard the door open, and turned her seat around to greet Fleuve and Vent.

"Welcome back, Commander." Fleuve said as he approached the commander. "We're relieved to see to see that you're fine."

"Yeah, we were worried when we found out that you were stuck in the camp." Vent spoke. "I'm not seeing Aile though, where is she?"

"Sorry for making you worry. As for Aile..." Prairie was interrupted when Kiriyama made his unceremonious entrance.

Vent winced when the Biometal struck Kiriyama's hand. It looked very painful. "Man! You two really need to work out your issues."

"I'm glad to see you, Kiriyama." Prairie smiled with a look of both surprise and relief. "I was very concerned when I was told about your condition."

OOC: Reaction.

----

Kiriyama looked over at Vent and wondered how he, at the most, managed only to receive minor injuries.

"Thanks... But Andrew needs more concern at the moment." Kiriyama said, remembering Andrew's injury.

He wiggled his hand. He found out just now that he could feel it again. He poked his chest pocket. Model R flew out and bonked Kiriyama on the nose.

"Privacy is a must... You weren't like this before. ... Anyways, what do you want?" Model R demanded.

Kiriyama rubbed his nose. He felt like getting a zipper on his chest pocket to keep Model R trapped.

"I was told there would be quite some time before my hand was healed. One Month to be exact..." "..." "... Is there some way that I could have my hand healed if I merged with you? Even temporarily?" "Not sure. You got injured when we were merged."

Kiriyama shook his head, grabbed Model R, and quickly put him in his side pocket, and did the zipper up. It was a rusty zipper but it still kept him in. Model R's muffled voice could be heard. Kiriyama walked as close as he could to the area the Operators were in without actually going there, and he looked outside. Neo Arcadia wasn't in sight... To him.

"... Where are we? All I see is a giant crater and a wasteland..."

OOC: Rose said one month, not four.

------

Vent did not like Model R's attitude one bit. "Make sure that Model R behaves if you want to keep it." He warned after Kiriyama pocketed it again.

"BLOOP!" The Mettaur briefly uttered, as if in agreement.

"We're approaching the Arcadian Ruins." Prairie answered to the query. "The excavation site was attacked by Mavericks earlier. Aile and a new Chosen One named Sage helped in quelling the threat, but the people in there still need help..." Although the night sky made it harder to see, there was quite a bit of smoke in sight as a result of the fires caused by the Mavericks.

"Dang..." Vent clenched his fists. "So Aile is still down there?"

"Yes..." Prairie hesitated for a second. "... She sensed Biometal energy in the ruins nearby and left to investigate. According to her, there were Mavericks gathering in the vicinity."

"Commander." Tulip interrupted. "There was an energy spike just now in Aile's current position. There are two Biometal signals, and one of them is rapidly intensifying."

"Model W...!" Vent gritted his teeth.

"It has to be... is the other signal from Sage's Model J?" Prairie asked with noticeable concern.

"Negative." The operator replied. "We're still detecting Model J's signal in the camp."

This caught Prairie by surprise. "That means...?!"

"Prairie!" Vent interrupted. "I've got to check this out."

"I agree." The commander nodded. "Although Aile recharged her energy, she is still wounded from all the battling. I'll add the coordinates to your account immediately, so please help her, Vent."

"You don't need to say it twice!" Vent turned around and ran immediately towards the Transerver.

Prairie turned around to view the window. She realized that they would be landing very soon. "Operators, put me up with Captain Price. We'll need his help to organize our efforts."

"Roger." The operators took a moment to establish contact with the Legion captain. "You may speak, commander."

"Captain, this is Prairie." The commander spoke. "Our airship will be landing shortly, but we'll need help to divide our tasks. Can we count on your cooperation?"

[Continued in Neo Arcadia - Ruins (Vent)]

Kiriyama took a mental note of what Vent said. From what he was told, keeping a Biometal seemed to be a privilege rather than something destiny gave him.

"Kiriyama, you should go. If you can't fight, don't. You need to get an idea of the layout anyways.." Model R said from inside the coat.

"I'm not going until I know I can be at least some help." Kiriyama said, looking at the area.

"How do you know--" Prairie interrupted her sentence. Priorities first. "We're landing, Captain. I repeat, can we count on your support to help the people in the camp?"



"... Right. I'll see you again after landing." Prairie closed the transmission with a concerned look. How did Price know that Aile had gone to a tower in the ruins? Was he spying on her or Aile? She could not help but wonder if the captain was worried at all about the camp itself. "Begin landing procedures immediately." The commander ordered.

"Roger." The operators replied, and the airship began to lower its altitude.

Prairie then turned back to Fleuve and Kiriyama. "... Kiriyama, I don't know all the details at the moment, but it's obvious that you had a very difficult day. It's fine if you'd like to return to the Watchmen for now. I'll add the HQ coordinates to your account, so you'll be able to transfer back here later. You deserve the rest."

"BLOOP!" The Mettaur uttered.

"... Hmm... I won't go back to the group just yet, but I will contact them. Is there a headset in here so I can?" Kiriyama asked.

"That won't be necessary." Prairie replied. "We can hear and speak with them normally without it. We just need to establish contact..." The commander turned back to the console. "Operators? Please open a channel with the Watchmen."

"Roger." Tulip took over the task while Gardénia and Marguerite concentrated on the landing.

Prairie waited for a moment until she believed that they had made contact. "Watchmen, this is the Guardian HQ. Can you hear me?" If video was available, a holographic screen would display the Watchmen on the console.

Kiriyama was fidgety with contacting them where multiple people were in the conversation.



Kiriyama lightened up.

"That's Haku! At least I don't have to talk to Hiruzen..." Kiriyama said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Kiriyama wanted to talk to you. I apologize for the lateness... the day was very hectic, so we couldn't contact you sooner." Prairie replied with a genuinely apologetic look. She wondered how the Watchmen would react after she explained what happened during the last several hours.

"Heh... Yeah..." Kiriyama said looking away.



Kiriyama gulped. There was a bang and a horrible crash heard on the other end, and Haku could be heard freaking out.


Haku said.

Hiruzen said in a big voice.

Haku could be heard moaning in the background.