Disclaimer: Fanfiction.

In the Desert

I dashed quickly down the destroyed road. The harsh wind blew at me, making my long, blond hair flap wildly at my back. My eyes grew wide as I gazed at my surroundings. Pieces of Maverick drones were scattered all around, everywhere. There must have been dozens of them!

He did all this?

I paused for a while. A smirk crossed my face. I always thought that X had a lot of potential... though I would never, ever say that out loud. It amazed me that a reploid like him, who disliked fighting, would be extra- ordinarily good at it.

He was almost as good as me.

Shaking my head, I continued on, speeding faster along the road. I had to remind myself to complement X sometime later for a job well done, in a very commanding-officer-like fashion.

"You worthless piece of scrap metal, did you think you could defeat me?"

Hidden behind what looked to be a car-wreck, I gasped. What happened here?

A huge Chimera armor was holding a -what seemed to be- paralyzed X in a large fist. In its cockpit, a purple armored reploid was grasping the controls, laughing in a deep sadistic voice. X's face twitched in pain as the ride armor's fist closed tighter and tighter...

The sight of that made my reploid-blood boil. No one does that to the new kid! I raised my arm, which collapsed into itself, forming my Z-buster. I charged it quickly, a soft humming sound rang in the air. Globs of energy gathered at the end of my cannon as I aimed it at the suit of armor holding the new recruit... my friend.

X feebly struggled against the powerful arm of the Chimera armor trapping him, but it was no use, it would only be a matter of time before...

I released a premature –but still strong- blast of energy at the hulking piece of metal, earning a direct hit. The ride armor was thrown back a the charged blast plowed through its shoulder, completely severing its arm. Broken circuits fizzled madly at the empty shoulder. If the blast was fully charged, the Chimera armor would have been crushed...

Oh well.

X fell to the ground, breathing heavily, the paralyzing blast having apparently worn off. I activated my dash boots and rushed forward, intent on protecting my friend.

"Y-You?"

I smirked as I watched the purple maverick shake with anger... or with fear. The crystal on head glowed eerily as I charged my cannon, aiming this time at the Maverick sitting on top.

'Die you bastard!'

I fired another charged shot, but the Maverick leaped up, landing safely on a huge airship. I stared at it grimly as it flew away. That reploid... he'd have to be dealt with someday.

"I guess I'm not powerful enough to defeat him..."

Startled, I turned to the blue reploid beside me. He was staring at the ground, still kneeling. He should never have been sent on this mission. It was a good thing I had come when I did, or else...

"X, you shouldn't expect to defeat him." I said, cringing inwardly. I was no good at this... "He is designed to be a war machine. Remember, you're not at full power yet." I continued, getting more confident. Comforting other reploids wasn't so hard! Especially when you were comforting someone like X, who was way too innocent. Sometimes, I wondered why Dr. Cain allowed X to fight. I mean, no offense, but he didn't look like the warlike type. "If you use all the abilities you were designed with, you should become stronger."

I smirked. "You may even become as powerful as I am!" This of course made X smile faintly. The two of us had sparred a few times since Dr. Cain had found the blue-armored reploid in a capsule, and it always ended up with me winning.

Well... most of the time.

"Now, I'll go scout around. See you later X!" I activated my transporter and closed my eyes as I was transformed into a streak of red light, teleporting myself to HQ. X followed me soon after.

I opened my eyes slowly, shaking my head from side to side. It took me a while to realize that I had been sleeping alone... here. Here in a little abandoned outpost I found, deep in the middle of the desert wilderness.

It took me a while to realize that I wasn't in the old Maverick Hunters HQ, sparring with X in a training room. Dr. Cain was long gone, and the Blue Legend... he was... resting.

A dream?

I yawned widely, tapping on the glass door of my bed. It slid open smoothly and I hopped out.

A memory?

I opened a door beside me, and stepped into my washroom. Reaching out, I switched on an old-fashioned faucet and splashed icy-cold water at my face.

Both.

I started having these dreams about a while ago, about a month after I had destroyed that Copy X. A month after I left my home. A month after I left my friends.

I winced a little as I thought about everyone I had left behind. They were all probably worried about me, even a bit angry. I had even promised Alouette that I would play with her once it was all over. I smiled faintly as I pictured the young girl in my mind... walking around the corridors with her white rabbit doll. I had stayed with her sometimes, after my missions. It always relaxed me... knowing that there was still one innocent left in this chaotic world.

Cerveau... he was probably worried about me too. But the worry would mostly be directed to my weapons.

I smirked.

The engineer knew I could take care of myself enough. I remembered the last time I wrecked the Triple Rod. Cerveau blew his top off! Heh... he was in a bad mood the whole week, but he still fixed my weapon pretty well.

When I came back to my senses, I found myself staring at the mirror in front of me. I was wearing only my full black suit, filled with scratches all around. At my waist, the faucet was freely spilling out water into the old sink.

I sighed. Stripping off my clothes, I stepped into the shower, closing the curtain slowly.

Ciel... Out of everyone I left, I missed her the most.

That was natural. She was the one who woke me up after all. I still recalled how she looked like that very first time I saw her. Her eyes were wet with tears, crouching beside a fallen reploid, asking me to help her.

Ciel was my very first friend in the whole Resistance. She was the one who took care of me, repairing my injuries. The human scientist was very friendly, easy to talk to. She would confide things in me, during those everyday meals we would share. I didn't even have to eat, being a reploid, but I still went to the cafeteria, just to be with her.

But why did I leave?

I shook my head, striving to clear my thoughts. Cold water was pouring down my body, making me shiver slightly. I pulled the curtain back and stepped out, grabbing a lone towel on the way. I wiped myself dry and put on the black suit.

My mind wandered once again...

What had happened? What made me go? I sighed as I brushed my long, blond hair. I always asked myself these questions, every single day. And my answer was always the same. It was because I had to find out something... my past, and my purpose.

And I was finding out something. Little by little, names, places, faces, they were resurfacing in my mind. Some of them I recognized: Dr. Cain, X, Signas, Sigma. It was coming back to me, albeit slowly.

When I came back to myself, I was already in my red combat armor. My weapons were already attached to my body. The spear and shield were strapped to my back; My trusty Z-saber was deactivated, hanging from my waist, beside my Z-buster.

I was ready.

Ready for another day in the desert.