Mega Man Fan Fiction ❯ Warmachine ❯ Chapter 13: The Mystery of Supra Force Metal ( Chapter 13 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: VileMK3 
Non Anime: Mega Man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 10.23.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 743 | Status: Completed
Non Anime: Mega Man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 10.23.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 743 | Status: Completed
Chapter 13: The Mystery of Supra Force Metal
With the facility still in disarray from Dynamo's surprise attack it was relatively simple for the unlikely partners to escape. Their hover car hadn't been spotted yet and because Vile stuck to flying low, the heavy snowfall and rocky terrain hid them perfectly. Vile landed next to the vehicle and moved his arm from around Nana's waist, who had been holding on for dear life. She'd never flown before, at least not without being inside an aircraft or at slow speeds. She was a bit woozy and almost fell over but she managed to keep her balance by leaning against the side of the car.
"Hurry up already woman, I doubt that oversized idealist will resort to bashing in heads to keep them from sending security after us." Vile urged as he got in the passenger seat of the car.
"Don't rush me, I think you'd prefer me not to see double when I'm driving through this storm at 80 miles per hour." She almost hissed as she got in the driver's seat and started the engine.
Vile could've driven but he was both too lazy and Nana refused to have him drive like he had ridden that Ride Chaser back in East City. As the car lifted off the ground snow was whipped up around them due to the lift created by the vehicle's locomotive mechanism. Spinning the wheel, Nana used the navigation display on the dashboard to get her bearings and then she slammed her foot down hard on the pedal. The snowstorm in the mountains made for poor visibility but there were no signs of a chase so far so Nana was able to slow down a little to make the trip safer.
It didn't take them very long to reach the small town they'd rented the car from and while word on the attack had reached some of the citizens they hadn't been signaled to be on the lookout for them. Nana pulled over at "Jelloman Rentals" and drove into the garage. Vile raised an eyebrow at seeing their advertisement board up front again. The bright yellow and blue sign read: 'Jelloman Rentals, we might be jelly but our cars sure aren't!'
"These people are morons, I should do us all a favor and blow them up." Vile muttered grumpily.
"You'll behave, we're lucky we still have a chance at a clear sailing all the way to the transfer service. If you start shooting people I doubt the authorities will give us a friendly smile." Nana stated as she parked the vehicle.
They'd paid for the rent in advance so they attempted to walk passed the man at the counter. They'd been fortunate that the place was so backwater so no one knew what Vile looked like so all they did was give him odd looks due to his heavy armament.
"Hey, you two! Excuse me!" The owner called out.
Nana visibly stiffened at being addressed. Had they been found out? In a way she hoped this man was a dumb as he looked, for his own sake. Vile looked at the man, his single eye narrowing viciously.
"Yes?" Nana asked, perfectly feigning the innocent question.
"There's been a lot of problems up in the mountains. I heard one of the facilities was attacked. Did you see or hear anything else?" The old man asked, but he then paused briefly, seemingly pondering something. "Wait... Didn't you say you were heading up to the Nordic Research Facility?"
Nana's eyes widened and she bit her lower lip. She knew her face expressed more than a little guilt right now. She gasped as Vile took a large step, his hand gripping the man's throat hard. The Renegade lifted him up effortlessly and his shoulder cannon hummed to life, tilting to aim for the helpless man's head. He didn't particularly feel like making a bloody mess as humans were far too nasty, but he'd make an exception in this case.
"No, please!" The old man was barely able to plead for his life as his throat had been gripped shut almost tight enough to snap it.
"Vile, stop please!" Nana ran up to him, not wanting more blood on her hands for associating with the Ex-Hunter. She gripped the arm that held the man up and tried to pull it away. Vile barely budged however but he did tilt his head to look at the operator before looking back to the man who dangled before him. Nana didn't hear the discharge of plasma, but instead heard the sound of metal against something softer and then a dull thump as the man fell to the ground. She could tell he wasn't dead however, merely knocked out. Vile had simply given him a good headbutt, enough to make the old man see stars. His shoulder cannon deactivated and tilted back upwards again. He then shook his arm hard enough to push Nana over on the ground.
"Oomphh!" Nana grunted as she fell, her eyes quickly looking up at Vile.
"Stop wasting time." He muttered before walking past her, leaving her on the floor as he left the establishment.
Nana looked at the man on the floor a few moments longer, what had transpired not really registering fully yet. Did he do what she had asked? Well, kind of anyway. It sure seemed that way. She decided to think about it later and quickly got up and ran after Vile.
~~*~*~~
The transfer home was uneventful and as Nana attempted to open a comlink to Professor Gaudile, Vile decided to take the short break to reload his weapons.
"Strange... I can't seem to reach him..." Nana spoke, worried. Every time she tried to contact the strange scientist she was disconnected almost immediately. It was as if an automated device simply cancelled all incoming calls the moment they registered. That wasn't exactly something anyone would do but then again, the professor was quite eccentric and enjoyed his privacy. That fact didn't put Nana's mind at ease however and she decided not to waste another moment thinking. She took a page from Vile's book and acted first, leaving questions for later. She looked up the coordinates to the scientist's research facility in Giga City and patched them through to the Transfer Module in the back room.
"Vile, we're all set. I couldn't reach him however so I'm not sure what kind of welcome to expect." She explained as she walked into the side room where Vile had just finished loading up his right arm with vulcan rounds. He closed up the armor protecting his lower arm and raised it, flexing his hand to make sure everything was in place correctly.
"Let's get this over with. I'm losing my patience." He stated as he got up and walked past the shorter operator. Nana gripped the handle of the box containing the Supra Force Metal tightly and took a deep breath. She hoped Gaudile would forgive her for bringing Vile and their troubles to his doorstep yet again.
~~*~*~~
Gaudile's laboratory was located in a synthetic forest created using Gaudile's own technology. Giga City was divided into many different hexagonal nodes, each connected to one another through Transfer Modules, bridges or walkways. The laboratory covered an entire node on its own, something Gaudile was allowed to do since he was the leading authority on Force Metal, Giga City's biggest asset. While each and every tree, plant and patch of grass was synthetic, it did give a mystic edge to the whole facility. A dome covered the node and kept the temperature and weather regulated within. Gaudile probably used this to have control over the circumstances in which he would perform his crazy experiments. Circuitry, metal panels and synthetic materials could be seen through some of the cracks of the fake bark of the trees and some of the plants were almost entirely made out of silver metal. Even the insects, birds and other animals that populated the otherwise empty forest were robotic creations of Gaudile and often served a purpose. Some of the birds were observers and others were even armed so they could act as security Mechaniloids if need be.
There were very few means to access the laboratory but fortunately Nana knew the only really safe one. They'd transferred from Giga City's main hub to a Transfer Module just across a bridge that connected the forest to a different node. After crossing the walkway the pair had to make their way along narrow paths on a paneled floor half-covered by dirt and undergrowth. They eventually reached a thick blast door that prevented them from entering the tube-like corridors that connected the different sections of the lab. The tubes were covered by glass all-around except for the floor which was made up of panels crafted to resemble tree bark. The tubes were a labyrinth and they were as easy to get lost in than the jungle outside. The tube in front of them was the main entrance to the complex and immediately headed upwards into the thick, giant trees with a steep angle as the entire facility was actually constructed far above the ground and yet not at all near the top of the trees.
The blast door was shut tightly and other than what resembled an intercom, there was no way of making one's presence known. Nana walked up to the intercom and pressed the button, hoping someone would actually hear it as she didn't think there was another way in that wouldn't involve fighting all the security Gaudile had installed in the place. Vile crossed his arms as he waited, leaning against one of the large trees. Why Reploids often got the bright idea of using nature as inspiration was beyond him as he saw no point to it other than aesthetics and even then it wasn't worth the trouble. He felt an odd sensation creep up on him however, he felt... watched. His red eye looked to his right, trying to see past the tree line and the very thick undergrowth. One couldn't look further than 10 feet from the path really as the forest was simply too wild.
"Hm?" Vile uncrossed his arms and straightened as he could've sworn he had seen something move. Leaves had swayed slightly and if the dome wasn't completely controlled he would've attributed it to the wind. He started walking towards the edge of the path, leaning forward slightly to look closer.
"Vile, the door unlocked." Nana called out as the blast door slowly opened, granting them access. Vile turned his gaze from Nana back to where he had seen some movement but it seemed to have gone. He took a step back before turning around and following the operator in.
The corridors seemed to go on forever, constantly winding and splitting up into different paths. And while it was already easy to get lost there were at least rudimentary directions posted everywhere. The same didn't apply for the deepest recesses of the forest which were said to be incredibly dangerous and a true maze. Gaudile, or whoever had opened the door for them, had also activated the directional arrows that guided them in the correct direction, leaving the ones they shouldn't take shut down and not illuminated.
"This place is huge. Why does he need all this room? Most of it seems to be wasted on his fake forest anyway." Vile remarked.
"To be honest I have no idea. That's something only the professor would be able to answer I guess." Nana replied as they approached a large door not unlike the one they had used to enter the network. The door opened automatically as they approached it and revealed a circular room within the synthetic tree. A thick pillar rose up into the dark ceiling above from the center of the room. Every wall had some kind of equipment installed on it, whether it was a view screen, a terminal or simply a cabinet containing supplies and tools. Most of the floor was covered by metal panels but the same bark as outside peered in through the cracks in some places. Tables and strange machines made up the rest of the room's furniture and together with the piles of notes, closets and datapads they actually made it difficult to move around despite the size of the room. Nana recognized the lab from the video feed she'd watched when X and the others had paid Professor Gaudile a visit. She was pleased to see he had already managed to repair all the damage Dr.Psyche had done when the Maverick Reploid had come to force Gaudile to cooperate with Epsilon and his Rebellion.
"Hello?" Nana called out and almost instantly they could hear something fall from a table on the other side of the pillar. Vile immediately activated the vulcan gun in his right hand and took aim.
"Put down that weapon! You're visitors here and I won't be held at gunpoint in my own home. Not a second time at least!" Gaudile's high-pitched voice was filled with annoyance at being disturbed and quite rudely at that in his opinion. Vile lowered his arm as he saw the short, platypus Reploid appear from around the corner. He didn't so much walk as hobble and his red backpack with robotic limbs only increased the effect by making him top-heavy.
"Nana? What are you doing here?" He asked, apparently surprised to see them.
"I let them in Professor, I saw them on one of the camera's." The sweet voice of Cinnamon could be heard as the cute Reploid medic walked into the room, glowing with a big smile as usual.
"Oh, I see..." Gaudile replied, tilting the goggles he had over his eyes upwards so he could see them better.
"I tried calling in advance but I couldn't get through." Nana added.
"Yes, I tend to turn all that noisy stuff off when I work." Gaudile stated with a dismissing wave of his stubby hand. "What is it you need? Your pet war machine seems to still be in one piece so I don't think it's repairs you want." Gaudile inquired as he turned around and walked towards one of his tables to look at a print-out of information from one of his experiments.
Vile sneered at being called a pet but before he could respond Nana placed the box containing the Supra Force Metal on the table in front of the professor.
"What's this?" He asked in surprise, casting his beady eyes up at the pink-haired operator.
"Something we need to learn all we can about if we're to find out who's behind this mess me and Vile are in." Nana answered as she motioned for him to take a look. "I think you'll find it quite interesting yourself." She added with a smile.
Gaudile's left eyebrow peeked in obvious curiosity and he wasted no time in opening the box. The glow of the precious fragment inside lit up his eyes as they widened.
"This is... Supra Force Metal. How... Where did you get this?! The only fragments left are in government hands and at the Nordic..." Gaudile didn't finish his sentence and looked up at Nana. His expression was a mix of surprise and accusation. "Please tell me you had nothing to do with that theft? Or that attack in the mountains?" He inquired.
Nana shook her head. "Not the theft and we weren't responsible for the attack but we were there. Dynamo had attacked the facility while I was visiting to see if I could find out why they'd steal such a fragment. Massimo was there and helped defeat that mercenary and gave us a chance to leave with it and bring it here to you." She explained calmly.
"I see. Dynamo, hm? I hope he gets what's coming to him one of these days. Still can't believe someone would cause the deaths of so many people just for money." Gaudile's eyes fixed on Vile briefly. "However some don't even do it for that." He added, but silently enough so the Renegade wouldn't hear him. "So what do you want me to do exactly? It's fairly obvious that they simply want the fragment for its properties. They might want to be so stupid as to install it in someone."
"We don't think they're stupid enough to do that. Whoever's behind all this is someone on the inside of the Maverick Hunters, someone who would have full access to the files regarding Supra Force Metal." Vile stated as he walked over to one of the view screens and watched the mass of data scroll up.
"Exactly. So this person would know the dangers of carelessly installing even a fragment. We need to find out what abilities this fragment bestows specifically." Nana continued. "If we find that out we could be able to determine what they'd use it for and decide on a next step."
"Hmm... It does make sense. Tell me, how much do you actually know about Force Metal?" Gaudile asked as he carefully took out the fragment with the arms on his backpack and began installing it into a device built into the tree pillar in the center of the room.
"Just the basics really. It can be installed to heighten certain abilities and generally makes Reploids better at certain tasks." Nana replied.
"Nothing." Vile added honestly as he turned to face Cinnamon who had been staring at him the entire time. The young Reploid had walked up the three of them and as she didn't recognize Vile she seemed intrigued, he was also not a type of Reploid she'd seen on Giga City.
"Nana, shame on you, for someone from Giga City to know so little about what puts this place on the map." Gaudile shook his head but his reprimand was mostly well-meant. The professor began setting up his equipment and closed the hatch to the scanning device. "Force Metal is one of the greatest mysteries of today to be honest. Even after years and years of study we still understand very little about how and why it has the effects it has on Reploids. Mechaniloids for example undergo very different effects when installed with Force Metal and quite often simply nothing happens. It's as if a certain part of what makes us Reploids reacts to the unique properties of the Metal. Depending on the ore, the processing methods, the way it is installed and the abilities and specialties of the Reploid using it, Force Metal has effects varying from simply making your dash boots propel you further to giving you energy shields capable of withstanding the most powerful Buster shots. But for all of its mysteries, Force Metal just doesn't compare to what we found a couple years ago." Gaudile explained as he moved from one side of the room to the other, starting his analysis of the fragment. Nana listened intently as the professor revealed what he knew about the strange metal.
"The opinions vary here from scientist to scientist but we all know mine is the only one that counts." He started arrogantly. "According to my research Force Metal ore is simply Supra Force Metal ore that has started breaking down. The ore, like precious stones, develops over thousands of years but unlike precious stones there seems to be some kind of cycle in the process and at one point it simply breaks down into components again."
"So what you're saying is that Supra Force Metal is like a collection of the metal we use here?" Nana asked.
"Exactly. Naturally the immense quantity of Force Metal required to make it Supra is so immense that even researching a process to achieve it is simply wasted time and effort. But it does explain why it is simply too much for today's Reploids to handle. However. Unlike regular Force Metal is can also be used as some sort of power source, using its raw energy to power a device that would normally require enormous power plants." The professor worked fast when he was energized and he gleefully hobbled from one end of the lab to the other to watch and study the results of the machine.
"Do you think that's why they might want it?" Nana asked, getting worried at what she was hearing.
"No way to know yet, you'll have to be patient. Depending on the ores that make up this fragment it could do any number of things." Gaudile answered.
"Why do you have a medic around? You don't blow things up all the time I hope? Because we're not bringing you another fragment." Vile commented as he pointed at Cinnamon who had stopped staring at the Ex-Hunter and had begun to help her 'father'. Gaudile merely snorted in response, not keen on answering any questions Vile might have.
"He created her. She's... unique." Nana smiled.
"You mean slow?" Vile asked bluntly as she didn't seem the smartest crayon in the box. Gaudile almost tripped over something in surprise at the insulting question and Cinnamon tilted her head questioningly.
"What? No!" Nana shouted, feeling like slapping the Renegade. "Installed within her is the Force Metal Generator. It's one of the reasons Gaudile's lab was attacked by Epsilon's rebels." Nana explained.
"How are you able to create something that generates Force Metal so effortlessly if you don't know how it works?" Vile asked as he looked at the professor.
"Well..." Gaudile cleared his throat hesitantly. "I have to admit that was more luck than anything else. And it might not be the best chosen name. You need existing pieces of processed Force Metal to transmute into the known types you want. But given time I should be able to upgrade it to allow one to simply craft Force Metal ore into any type."
"Hm. That makes you valuable doesn't it?" Vile asked as he turned his crimson eye towards Cinnamon who didn't seem nervous about the Renegade's stare at all, she simply continued to smile.
"How long will it take you to complete your tests?" Nana asked as she was getting quite tired and wanted to rest while she still could.
"Hmm, at least a couple of hours. Cinnamon, show our guests to a room I'm sure they'd like to rest up and I'd prefer not to be poked with incessant questions while I work." Gaudile asked before focusing entirely on his work.
"This way please." Cinnamon asked as she motioned for one of the doors that lead back out into the maze. "It's not far so you won't get lost." She added sweetly, her blonde hair waving as she turned around elegantly and began walking through the halls. As always she gave the air of a carefree child, her eyes admiring everything she passed.
"Professor Gaudile seems even crankier than usual." Nana stated as she walked next to Cinnamon, Vile following behind them.
"It's because he's worried about you. He thinks you'll get hurt." Cinnamon replied honestly. Nana smiled slightly as she looked back at the lab briefly.
The guest rooms were small but homely and because Gaudile didn't exactly get many visitors the rooms were still very neat and looked brand new. There were two beds and two pods, depending on their preference as Reploids were naturally able to use both to rest and recharge, the latter was simply more effective. Vile decided on a pod as he'd had enough of beds for a lifetime, having been forced to sleep on them for the entire time he couldn't afford proper repairs. Nana felt like bringing up the incident back at the car rental but decided against it as her partner seemed as grumpy as always. The pod slowly slid shut and Vile deactivated without another word. He was starting to lose his patience, that much was obvious to her. She knew he was a Reploid of action. She hoped he'd keep going crazy for when they actually found an enemy to direct him at. With a deep sigh Nana laid down on one of the beds and closed her eyes. She had been even more tired than she thought and it didn't take long for all her systems to enter a sleep mode.
~~*~*~~
It was dark. Only the humming of machinery could be heard, but it was barely audible and distorted as if an obstacle dulled the sound before it reached Vile's audio sensors for analysis and interpretation. He couldn't move, were his arms restrained? He attempted to lift any part of his body even an inch but failed. He wasn't restrained, his body's motor functions were simply disabled. He tried to call out but couldn't speak and somehow he knew no one would respond even if he could. Suddenly a blinding flash forced his optic sensors to quickly adapt and a metal ceiling was revealed above him. The plexiglass top of the pod he was laid out in opened slowly. Vile still couldn't move and so his eyes remained fixed on the plated ceiling and the lights installed into them that illuminated the room. He heard voices to his right, speaking in worried tones.
"Are you sure about this, doctor? I mean... You saw what happened to model 4. Even now I'm not sure the reset really erased our mistakes from his memory and systems." A female voice inquired.
"Don't worry, my dear, I won't make the same mistakes again. Those bastards just want my wonderful inventions as tools while they could be so much more. They could be a future for Reploids." A male voice replied, most likely belonging to the aforementioned doctor. Vile could hear the sound of Reploid boots on a tiled floor as the doctor seemed to approach the open pod. The doctor than proceeded to lean over the pod to look at the Reploid inside. Vile could see the man's deep red eyes stare into his but he got the impression that the doctor didn't even realize he was at all aware. "So much work to do... so little time." He added. Vile could see the scientist's hands grip the edge of the pod tightly, as if holding back frustration at his predicament.
"Please be careful. If they find out. I don't know what they'd do." The female Reploid now approached the pod as well. She was slightly shorter than the scientist and while Vile couldn't seem to be able to focus on the doctor's precise appearance, she seemed quite clear. Long brown hair with hazel eyes and a lab coat hiding her Reploid frame underneath. Her hand moved to the doctor's cheek in a tender display of affection.
"I do. We'll be branded Mavericks most likely. They think I don't know about their plot, what they plan to use my models for. It's all a big secret, one they'll kill for to preserve." He spoke, completing his lover's trail of thought.
"I don't want to see them hurt you." She replied to which the doctor chuckled softly.
"I still don't know what you see in this old, worn out robot." The doctor spoke, his slightly hunched frame now slowly becoming visible for the confused Renegade.
It seemed like he blacked out again as the next time Vile opened his eyes he saw the same visions as he always did. The same doctor as before, pacing back and forth and speaking hysterically. He was different here, nervous, completely on edge and panicking about his fate that crept inevitably closer. It was the same story from then on, the hunters, the buster fire, the silent voices and the massive explosion that wracked his mind and overloaded his ears. Slowly the darkness returned and the ringing in his ears subsided.
This was new. He always awoke after the blast to find himself in yet another dump, barely holding together. But it didn't end like that this time, instead he heard a voice in the distance, speaking to him.
"You're my greatest achievement. A weapon with limitless adaptability. Some might have more strength, others greater speed but you... You're the future." The voice began repeating itself, over and over and continuously louder as it seemed to approach him. It was some kind of recording imprinted in his mind. As that same sentence kept repeating, the same voice began uttering another sentence at the same time.
"You were created for war, nothing else. But I gave you reason. I gave you a choice... But it seems even with this choice you're destined to suffer, to fight, to kill... to die." Both sentences continued to grow louder and more intense. It began to pierce his head, pain wracking through his mind with each syllable.
"Stop it!!" Vile shouted, his hands gripping his head as he was plagued with memories. He saw his first fight with X, who was just a new recruit at the time and had tried to stop Vile from destroying a Maverick. He had slapped the blue hunter aside like he was nothing, happily adding a few holes to the pleading Maverick's body with his cannon before finally putting it out of its misery. He saw more such memories. He saw himself killing a tall, blonde Reploid after Zero had removed one of their target's arms in self-defense. As Vile focused on Zero's expression of remorse he began to see flashes of the saber-wielder's sacrifice in their battle. The Renegade then felt the intense pain of Megaman X' charged X-Buster shot. It continued like this, one painful memory at a time. He hovered passed Dr.Doppler's machinations and how the Maverick Virus was slowly driving him insane, then came his deal with Lumine and finally the explosion that buried him on Sigma's Lunar Base not long ago. When the sound of his cry of frustration at awaking on the moon echoed away the visions returned, starting again from his earliest memory. It was complete chaos and it wouldn't end.
~~*~*~~
"Vile! Snap out of it! It's just a dream!" Nana screamed as she tried to hold Vile down in the pod. The Renegade had suddenly started yelling for someone to stop and roaring in pain. She'd hurried to open the pod before he could smash it from the inside and had been trying to calm him down for several minutes now. It seemed that she finally got through to him when his eyes flared to life and he abruptly sat up with enough force to push her over. The Ex-Hunter panted heavily as everything slowly began registering again. He was in Gaudile's laboratory, using one of the professor's pods to recharge. He reached for his forehead with one hand as he tried to calm down.
Nana slowly crawled to her feet, her hand rubbing her behind once as she'd taken a rather hard tumble down on it. "A-Are you alright?" She asked as she approached the side of the pod.
Vile didn't respond right away, instead letting what he could remember from the vivid dream sink in. It had been far worse than before. He had to find out what was causing this, he had to find out what the dreams meant or he would be driven completely insane by these visions. When Nana asked her question again he put down his hand and answered her with an annoyed voice. "Yes, of course I am!" He shouted.
Nana was taken aback by the force in his voice but didn't move away. "You had another one of those dreams didn't you? I didn't think they were this bad..." She spoke, worry in her eyes.
"They never used to be." He replied as he looked at her from the corner of his eyes.
"We have to hurry don't we? Not just for the sake of the people threatened by this traitor's plans." She asked, mostly rhetorically. Vile didn't know why she cared about him the way she sometimes seemed to. It didn't make sense to the Renegade. She was using his skills in combat for her goals and he was using hers as an operator to find out what he needed to know. It was nice and simple that way but she seemed intent on complicating that arrangement. It was typical of Reploids that shared X's ideals to be so... touchy feely, for the lack of better words. He kept his eyes on hers though, not really responding as he tried to understand her, knowing that he'd ultimately fail. He wasn't like her, never would be. Like the voice had said, he had been created to kill and even adding a mind capable of free thought would never change it.
A slight smile appeared on Nana's lips, a smile meant to be reassuring and her hand began moving to rest atop one of his. She stopped when Vile suddenly looked at the door into the room however.
"What's wrong?" She asked, looking over at the door as well.
"It's open... It wasn't when I woke up." Vile felt a proverbial chill up his spine, a signal he always heeded. Before she knew it, Nana had been pushed over by the Ex-Hunter, once again falling on her buttocks with a dull thump. Vile vaulted out of the pod in time to avoid being hit by a green energy saber. The weapon hovered in thin air as it easily slashed through the pod, almost cutting it in half.
"Revenant Mechaniloids!" Vile shouted as the four-limbed machine uncloaked and revealed itself. It didn't have time to mount a second attack however as Vile vaporized it's head module with a powerful blast from his shoulder cannon.
"How did they know we were here?" Nana asked, looking up at the Renegade.
"They probably traced our movement when we left the hideout, I thought I'd seen something out there in the forest. I don't think this one came alone." Vile explained, clenching his hands.
"Oh no! Cinnamon and Gaudile!" Nana exclaimed as she realized the danger her friends were in.
Vile however only cared that they could potentially steal the Supra Force Metal, their only lead. At that moment Nana didn't care what his motives were however as Vile immediately took the lead and ran out of the guest room. The operator tried to stick close and hoped they weren't too late.
With the facility still in disarray from Dynamo's surprise attack it was relatively simple for the unlikely partners to escape. Their hover car hadn't been spotted yet and because Vile stuck to flying low, the heavy snowfall and rocky terrain hid them perfectly. Vile landed next to the vehicle and moved his arm from around Nana's waist, who had been holding on for dear life. She'd never flown before, at least not without being inside an aircraft or at slow speeds. She was a bit woozy and almost fell over but she managed to keep her balance by leaning against the side of the car.
"Hurry up already woman, I doubt that oversized idealist will resort to bashing in heads to keep them from sending security after us." Vile urged as he got in the passenger seat of the car.
"Don't rush me, I think you'd prefer me not to see double when I'm driving through this storm at 80 miles per hour." She almost hissed as she got in the driver's seat and started the engine.
Vile could've driven but he was both too lazy and Nana refused to have him drive like he had ridden that Ride Chaser back in East City. As the car lifted off the ground snow was whipped up around them due to the lift created by the vehicle's locomotive mechanism. Spinning the wheel, Nana used the navigation display on the dashboard to get her bearings and then she slammed her foot down hard on the pedal. The snowstorm in the mountains made for poor visibility but there were no signs of a chase so far so Nana was able to slow down a little to make the trip safer.
It didn't take them very long to reach the small town they'd rented the car from and while word on the attack had reached some of the citizens they hadn't been signaled to be on the lookout for them. Nana pulled over at "Jelloman Rentals" and drove into the garage. Vile raised an eyebrow at seeing their advertisement board up front again. The bright yellow and blue sign read: 'Jelloman Rentals, we might be jelly but our cars sure aren't!'
"These people are morons, I should do us all a favor and blow them up." Vile muttered grumpily.
"You'll behave, we're lucky we still have a chance at a clear sailing all the way to the transfer service. If you start shooting people I doubt the authorities will give us a friendly smile." Nana stated as she parked the vehicle.
They'd paid for the rent in advance so they attempted to walk passed the man at the counter. They'd been fortunate that the place was so backwater so no one knew what Vile looked like so all they did was give him odd looks due to his heavy armament.
"Hey, you two! Excuse me!" The owner called out.
Nana visibly stiffened at being addressed. Had they been found out? In a way she hoped this man was a dumb as he looked, for his own sake. Vile looked at the man, his single eye narrowing viciously.
"Yes?" Nana asked, perfectly feigning the innocent question.
"There's been a lot of problems up in the mountains. I heard one of the facilities was attacked. Did you see or hear anything else?" The old man asked, but he then paused briefly, seemingly pondering something. "Wait... Didn't you say you were heading up to the Nordic Research Facility?"
Nana's eyes widened and she bit her lower lip. She knew her face expressed more than a little guilt right now. She gasped as Vile took a large step, his hand gripping the man's throat hard. The Renegade lifted him up effortlessly and his shoulder cannon hummed to life, tilting to aim for the helpless man's head. He didn't particularly feel like making a bloody mess as humans were far too nasty, but he'd make an exception in this case.
"No, please!" The old man was barely able to plead for his life as his throat had been gripped shut almost tight enough to snap it.
"Vile, stop please!" Nana ran up to him, not wanting more blood on her hands for associating with the Ex-Hunter. She gripped the arm that held the man up and tried to pull it away. Vile barely budged however but he did tilt his head to look at the operator before looking back to the man who dangled before him. Nana didn't hear the discharge of plasma, but instead heard the sound of metal against something softer and then a dull thump as the man fell to the ground. She could tell he wasn't dead however, merely knocked out. Vile had simply given him a good headbutt, enough to make the old man see stars. His shoulder cannon deactivated and tilted back upwards again. He then shook his arm hard enough to push Nana over on the ground.
"Oomphh!" Nana grunted as she fell, her eyes quickly looking up at Vile.
"Stop wasting time." He muttered before walking past her, leaving her on the floor as he left the establishment.
Nana looked at the man on the floor a few moments longer, what had transpired not really registering fully yet. Did he do what she had asked? Well, kind of anyway. It sure seemed that way. She decided to think about it later and quickly got up and ran after Vile.
~~*~*~~
The transfer home was uneventful and as Nana attempted to open a comlink to Professor Gaudile, Vile decided to take the short break to reload his weapons.
"Strange... I can't seem to reach him..." Nana spoke, worried. Every time she tried to contact the strange scientist she was disconnected almost immediately. It was as if an automated device simply cancelled all incoming calls the moment they registered. That wasn't exactly something anyone would do but then again, the professor was quite eccentric and enjoyed his privacy. That fact didn't put Nana's mind at ease however and she decided not to waste another moment thinking. She took a page from Vile's book and acted first, leaving questions for later. She looked up the coordinates to the scientist's research facility in Giga City and patched them through to the Transfer Module in the back room.
"Vile, we're all set. I couldn't reach him however so I'm not sure what kind of welcome to expect." She explained as she walked into the side room where Vile had just finished loading up his right arm with vulcan rounds. He closed up the armor protecting his lower arm and raised it, flexing his hand to make sure everything was in place correctly.
"Let's get this over with. I'm losing my patience." He stated as he got up and walked past the shorter operator. Nana gripped the handle of the box containing the Supra Force Metal tightly and took a deep breath. She hoped Gaudile would forgive her for bringing Vile and their troubles to his doorstep yet again.
~~*~*~~
Gaudile's laboratory was located in a synthetic forest created using Gaudile's own technology. Giga City was divided into many different hexagonal nodes, each connected to one another through Transfer Modules, bridges or walkways. The laboratory covered an entire node on its own, something Gaudile was allowed to do since he was the leading authority on Force Metal, Giga City's biggest asset. While each and every tree, plant and patch of grass was synthetic, it did give a mystic edge to the whole facility. A dome covered the node and kept the temperature and weather regulated within. Gaudile probably used this to have control over the circumstances in which he would perform his crazy experiments. Circuitry, metal panels and synthetic materials could be seen through some of the cracks of the fake bark of the trees and some of the plants were almost entirely made out of silver metal. Even the insects, birds and other animals that populated the otherwise empty forest were robotic creations of Gaudile and often served a purpose. Some of the birds were observers and others were even armed so they could act as security Mechaniloids if need be.
There were very few means to access the laboratory but fortunately Nana knew the only really safe one. They'd transferred from Giga City's main hub to a Transfer Module just across a bridge that connected the forest to a different node. After crossing the walkway the pair had to make their way along narrow paths on a paneled floor half-covered by dirt and undergrowth. They eventually reached a thick blast door that prevented them from entering the tube-like corridors that connected the different sections of the lab. The tubes were covered by glass all-around except for the floor which was made up of panels crafted to resemble tree bark. The tubes were a labyrinth and they were as easy to get lost in than the jungle outside. The tube in front of them was the main entrance to the complex and immediately headed upwards into the thick, giant trees with a steep angle as the entire facility was actually constructed far above the ground and yet not at all near the top of the trees.
The blast door was shut tightly and other than what resembled an intercom, there was no way of making one's presence known. Nana walked up to the intercom and pressed the button, hoping someone would actually hear it as she didn't think there was another way in that wouldn't involve fighting all the security Gaudile had installed in the place. Vile crossed his arms as he waited, leaning against one of the large trees. Why Reploids often got the bright idea of using nature as inspiration was beyond him as he saw no point to it other than aesthetics and even then it wasn't worth the trouble. He felt an odd sensation creep up on him however, he felt... watched. His red eye looked to his right, trying to see past the tree line and the very thick undergrowth. One couldn't look further than 10 feet from the path really as the forest was simply too wild.
"Hm?" Vile uncrossed his arms and straightened as he could've sworn he had seen something move. Leaves had swayed slightly and if the dome wasn't completely controlled he would've attributed it to the wind. He started walking towards the edge of the path, leaning forward slightly to look closer.
"Vile, the door unlocked." Nana called out as the blast door slowly opened, granting them access. Vile turned his gaze from Nana back to where he had seen some movement but it seemed to have gone. He took a step back before turning around and following the operator in.
The corridors seemed to go on forever, constantly winding and splitting up into different paths. And while it was already easy to get lost there were at least rudimentary directions posted everywhere. The same didn't apply for the deepest recesses of the forest which were said to be incredibly dangerous and a true maze. Gaudile, or whoever had opened the door for them, had also activated the directional arrows that guided them in the correct direction, leaving the ones they shouldn't take shut down and not illuminated.
"This place is huge. Why does he need all this room? Most of it seems to be wasted on his fake forest anyway." Vile remarked.
"To be honest I have no idea. That's something only the professor would be able to answer I guess." Nana replied as they approached a large door not unlike the one they had used to enter the network. The door opened automatically as they approached it and revealed a circular room within the synthetic tree. A thick pillar rose up into the dark ceiling above from the center of the room. Every wall had some kind of equipment installed on it, whether it was a view screen, a terminal or simply a cabinet containing supplies and tools. Most of the floor was covered by metal panels but the same bark as outside peered in through the cracks in some places. Tables and strange machines made up the rest of the room's furniture and together with the piles of notes, closets and datapads they actually made it difficult to move around despite the size of the room. Nana recognized the lab from the video feed she'd watched when X and the others had paid Professor Gaudile a visit. She was pleased to see he had already managed to repair all the damage Dr.Psyche had done when the Maverick Reploid had come to force Gaudile to cooperate with Epsilon and his Rebellion.
"Hello?" Nana called out and almost instantly they could hear something fall from a table on the other side of the pillar. Vile immediately activated the vulcan gun in his right hand and took aim.
"Put down that weapon! You're visitors here and I won't be held at gunpoint in my own home. Not a second time at least!" Gaudile's high-pitched voice was filled with annoyance at being disturbed and quite rudely at that in his opinion. Vile lowered his arm as he saw the short, platypus Reploid appear from around the corner. He didn't so much walk as hobble and his red backpack with robotic limbs only increased the effect by making him top-heavy.
"Nana? What are you doing here?" He asked, apparently surprised to see them.
"I let them in Professor, I saw them on one of the camera's." The sweet voice of Cinnamon could be heard as the cute Reploid medic walked into the room, glowing with a big smile as usual.
"Oh, I see..." Gaudile replied, tilting the goggles he had over his eyes upwards so he could see them better.
"I tried calling in advance but I couldn't get through." Nana added.
"Yes, I tend to turn all that noisy stuff off when I work." Gaudile stated with a dismissing wave of his stubby hand. "What is it you need? Your pet war machine seems to still be in one piece so I don't think it's repairs you want." Gaudile inquired as he turned around and walked towards one of his tables to look at a print-out of information from one of his experiments.
Vile sneered at being called a pet but before he could respond Nana placed the box containing the Supra Force Metal on the table in front of the professor.
"What's this?" He asked in surprise, casting his beady eyes up at the pink-haired operator.
"Something we need to learn all we can about if we're to find out who's behind this mess me and Vile are in." Nana answered as she motioned for him to take a look. "I think you'll find it quite interesting yourself." She added with a smile.
Gaudile's left eyebrow peeked in obvious curiosity and he wasted no time in opening the box. The glow of the precious fragment inside lit up his eyes as they widened.
"This is... Supra Force Metal. How... Where did you get this?! The only fragments left are in government hands and at the Nordic..." Gaudile didn't finish his sentence and looked up at Nana. His expression was a mix of surprise and accusation. "Please tell me you had nothing to do with that theft? Or that attack in the mountains?" He inquired.
Nana shook her head. "Not the theft and we weren't responsible for the attack but we were there. Dynamo had attacked the facility while I was visiting to see if I could find out why they'd steal such a fragment. Massimo was there and helped defeat that mercenary and gave us a chance to leave with it and bring it here to you." She explained calmly.
"I see. Dynamo, hm? I hope he gets what's coming to him one of these days. Still can't believe someone would cause the deaths of so many people just for money." Gaudile's eyes fixed on Vile briefly. "However some don't even do it for that." He added, but silently enough so the Renegade wouldn't hear him. "So what do you want me to do exactly? It's fairly obvious that they simply want the fragment for its properties. They might want to be so stupid as to install it in someone."
"We don't think they're stupid enough to do that. Whoever's behind all this is someone on the inside of the Maverick Hunters, someone who would have full access to the files regarding Supra Force Metal." Vile stated as he walked over to one of the view screens and watched the mass of data scroll up.
"Exactly. So this person would know the dangers of carelessly installing even a fragment. We need to find out what abilities this fragment bestows specifically." Nana continued. "If we find that out we could be able to determine what they'd use it for and decide on a next step."
"Hmm... It does make sense. Tell me, how much do you actually know about Force Metal?" Gaudile asked as he carefully took out the fragment with the arms on his backpack and began installing it into a device built into the tree pillar in the center of the room.
"Just the basics really. It can be installed to heighten certain abilities and generally makes Reploids better at certain tasks." Nana replied.
"Nothing." Vile added honestly as he turned to face Cinnamon who had been staring at him the entire time. The young Reploid had walked up the three of them and as she didn't recognize Vile she seemed intrigued, he was also not a type of Reploid she'd seen on Giga City.
"Nana, shame on you, for someone from Giga City to know so little about what puts this place on the map." Gaudile shook his head but his reprimand was mostly well-meant. The professor began setting up his equipment and closed the hatch to the scanning device. "Force Metal is one of the greatest mysteries of today to be honest. Even after years and years of study we still understand very little about how and why it has the effects it has on Reploids. Mechaniloids for example undergo very different effects when installed with Force Metal and quite often simply nothing happens. It's as if a certain part of what makes us Reploids reacts to the unique properties of the Metal. Depending on the ore, the processing methods, the way it is installed and the abilities and specialties of the Reploid using it, Force Metal has effects varying from simply making your dash boots propel you further to giving you energy shields capable of withstanding the most powerful Buster shots. But for all of its mysteries, Force Metal just doesn't compare to what we found a couple years ago." Gaudile explained as he moved from one side of the room to the other, starting his analysis of the fragment. Nana listened intently as the professor revealed what he knew about the strange metal.
"The opinions vary here from scientist to scientist but we all know mine is the only one that counts." He started arrogantly. "According to my research Force Metal ore is simply Supra Force Metal ore that has started breaking down. The ore, like precious stones, develops over thousands of years but unlike precious stones there seems to be some kind of cycle in the process and at one point it simply breaks down into components again."
"So what you're saying is that Supra Force Metal is like a collection of the metal we use here?" Nana asked.
"Exactly. Naturally the immense quantity of Force Metal required to make it Supra is so immense that even researching a process to achieve it is simply wasted time and effort. But it does explain why it is simply too much for today's Reploids to handle. However. Unlike regular Force Metal is can also be used as some sort of power source, using its raw energy to power a device that would normally require enormous power plants." The professor worked fast when he was energized and he gleefully hobbled from one end of the lab to the other to watch and study the results of the machine.
"Do you think that's why they might want it?" Nana asked, getting worried at what she was hearing.
"No way to know yet, you'll have to be patient. Depending on the ores that make up this fragment it could do any number of things." Gaudile answered.
"Why do you have a medic around? You don't blow things up all the time I hope? Because we're not bringing you another fragment." Vile commented as he pointed at Cinnamon who had stopped staring at the Ex-Hunter and had begun to help her 'father'. Gaudile merely snorted in response, not keen on answering any questions Vile might have.
"He created her. She's... unique." Nana smiled.
"You mean slow?" Vile asked bluntly as she didn't seem the smartest crayon in the box. Gaudile almost tripped over something in surprise at the insulting question and Cinnamon tilted her head questioningly.
"What? No!" Nana shouted, feeling like slapping the Renegade. "Installed within her is the Force Metal Generator. It's one of the reasons Gaudile's lab was attacked by Epsilon's rebels." Nana explained.
"How are you able to create something that generates Force Metal so effortlessly if you don't know how it works?" Vile asked as he looked at the professor.
"Well..." Gaudile cleared his throat hesitantly. "I have to admit that was more luck than anything else. And it might not be the best chosen name. You need existing pieces of processed Force Metal to transmute into the known types you want. But given time I should be able to upgrade it to allow one to simply craft Force Metal ore into any type."
"Hm. That makes you valuable doesn't it?" Vile asked as he turned his crimson eye towards Cinnamon who didn't seem nervous about the Renegade's stare at all, she simply continued to smile.
"How long will it take you to complete your tests?" Nana asked as she was getting quite tired and wanted to rest while she still could.
"Hmm, at least a couple of hours. Cinnamon, show our guests to a room I'm sure they'd like to rest up and I'd prefer not to be poked with incessant questions while I work." Gaudile asked before focusing entirely on his work.
"This way please." Cinnamon asked as she motioned for one of the doors that lead back out into the maze. "It's not far so you won't get lost." She added sweetly, her blonde hair waving as she turned around elegantly and began walking through the halls. As always she gave the air of a carefree child, her eyes admiring everything she passed.
"Professor Gaudile seems even crankier than usual." Nana stated as she walked next to Cinnamon, Vile following behind them.
"It's because he's worried about you. He thinks you'll get hurt." Cinnamon replied honestly. Nana smiled slightly as she looked back at the lab briefly.
The guest rooms were small but homely and because Gaudile didn't exactly get many visitors the rooms were still very neat and looked brand new. There were two beds and two pods, depending on their preference as Reploids were naturally able to use both to rest and recharge, the latter was simply more effective. Vile decided on a pod as he'd had enough of beds for a lifetime, having been forced to sleep on them for the entire time he couldn't afford proper repairs. Nana felt like bringing up the incident back at the car rental but decided against it as her partner seemed as grumpy as always. The pod slowly slid shut and Vile deactivated without another word. He was starting to lose his patience, that much was obvious to her. She knew he was a Reploid of action. She hoped he'd keep going crazy for when they actually found an enemy to direct him at. With a deep sigh Nana laid down on one of the beds and closed her eyes. She had been even more tired than she thought and it didn't take long for all her systems to enter a sleep mode.
~~*~*~~
It was dark. Only the humming of machinery could be heard, but it was barely audible and distorted as if an obstacle dulled the sound before it reached Vile's audio sensors for analysis and interpretation. He couldn't move, were his arms restrained? He attempted to lift any part of his body even an inch but failed. He wasn't restrained, his body's motor functions were simply disabled. He tried to call out but couldn't speak and somehow he knew no one would respond even if he could. Suddenly a blinding flash forced his optic sensors to quickly adapt and a metal ceiling was revealed above him. The plexiglass top of the pod he was laid out in opened slowly. Vile still couldn't move and so his eyes remained fixed on the plated ceiling and the lights installed into them that illuminated the room. He heard voices to his right, speaking in worried tones.
"Are you sure about this, doctor? I mean... You saw what happened to model 4. Even now I'm not sure the reset really erased our mistakes from his memory and systems." A female voice inquired.
"Don't worry, my dear, I won't make the same mistakes again. Those bastards just want my wonderful inventions as tools while they could be so much more. They could be a future for Reploids." A male voice replied, most likely belonging to the aforementioned doctor. Vile could hear the sound of Reploid boots on a tiled floor as the doctor seemed to approach the open pod. The doctor than proceeded to lean over the pod to look at the Reploid inside. Vile could see the man's deep red eyes stare into his but he got the impression that the doctor didn't even realize he was at all aware. "So much work to do... so little time." He added. Vile could see the scientist's hands grip the edge of the pod tightly, as if holding back frustration at his predicament.
"Please be careful. If they find out. I don't know what they'd do." The female Reploid now approached the pod as well. She was slightly shorter than the scientist and while Vile couldn't seem to be able to focus on the doctor's precise appearance, she seemed quite clear. Long brown hair with hazel eyes and a lab coat hiding her Reploid frame underneath. Her hand moved to the doctor's cheek in a tender display of affection.
"I do. We'll be branded Mavericks most likely. They think I don't know about their plot, what they plan to use my models for. It's all a big secret, one they'll kill for to preserve." He spoke, completing his lover's trail of thought.
"I don't want to see them hurt you." She replied to which the doctor chuckled softly.
"I still don't know what you see in this old, worn out robot." The doctor spoke, his slightly hunched frame now slowly becoming visible for the confused Renegade.
It seemed like he blacked out again as the next time Vile opened his eyes he saw the same visions as he always did. The same doctor as before, pacing back and forth and speaking hysterically. He was different here, nervous, completely on edge and panicking about his fate that crept inevitably closer. It was the same story from then on, the hunters, the buster fire, the silent voices and the massive explosion that wracked his mind and overloaded his ears. Slowly the darkness returned and the ringing in his ears subsided.
This was new. He always awoke after the blast to find himself in yet another dump, barely holding together. But it didn't end like that this time, instead he heard a voice in the distance, speaking to him.
"You're my greatest achievement. A weapon with limitless adaptability. Some might have more strength, others greater speed but you... You're the future." The voice began repeating itself, over and over and continuously louder as it seemed to approach him. It was some kind of recording imprinted in his mind. As that same sentence kept repeating, the same voice began uttering another sentence at the same time.
"You were created for war, nothing else. But I gave you reason. I gave you a choice... But it seems even with this choice you're destined to suffer, to fight, to kill... to die." Both sentences continued to grow louder and more intense. It began to pierce his head, pain wracking through his mind with each syllable.
"Stop it!!" Vile shouted, his hands gripping his head as he was plagued with memories. He saw his first fight with X, who was just a new recruit at the time and had tried to stop Vile from destroying a Maverick. He had slapped the blue hunter aside like he was nothing, happily adding a few holes to the pleading Maverick's body with his cannon before finally putting it out of its misery. He saw more such memories. He saw himself killing a tall, blonde Reploid after Zero had removed one of their target's arms in self-defense. As Vile focused on Zero's expression of remorse he began to see flashes of the saber-wielder's sacrifice in their battle. The Renegade then felt the intense pain of Megaman X' charged X-Buster shot. It continued like this, one painful memory at a time. He hovered passed Dr.Doppler's machinations and how the Maverick Virus was slowly driving him insane, then came his deal with Lumine and finally the explosion that buried him on Sigma's Lunar Base not long ago. When the sound of his cry of frustration at awaking on the moon echoed away the visions returned, starting again from his earliest memory. It was complete chaos and it wouldn't end.
~~*~*~~
"Vile! Snap out of it! It's just a dream!" Nana screamed as she tried to hold Vile down in the pod. The Renegade had suddenly started yelling for someone to stop and roaring in pain. She'd hurried to open the pod before he could smash it from the inside and had been trying to calm him down for several minutes now. It seemed that she finally got through to him when his eyes flared to life and he abruptly sat up with enough force to push her over. The Ex-Hunter panted heavily as everything slowly began registering again. He was in Gaudile's laboratory, using one of the professor's pods to recharge. He reached for his forehead with one hand as he tried to calm down.
Nana slowly crawled to her feet, her hand rubbing her behind once as she'd taken a rather hard tumble down on it. "A-Are you alright?" She asked as she approached the side of the pod.
Vile didn't respond right away, instead letting what he could remember from the vivid dream sink in. It had been far worse than before. He had to find out what was causing this, he had to find out what the dreams meant or he would be driven completely insane by these visions. When Nana asked her question again he put down his hand and answered her with an annoyed voice. "Yes, of course I am!" He shouted.
Nana was taken aback by the force in his voice but didn't move away. "You had another one of those dreams didn't you? I didn't think they were this bad..." She spoke, worry in her eyes.
"They never used to be." He replied as he looked at her from the corner of his eyes.
"We have to hurry don't we? Not just for the sake of the people threatened by this traitor's plans." She asked, mostly rhetorically. Vile didn't know why she cared about him the way she sometimes seemed to. It didn't make sense to the Renegade. She was using his skills in combat for her goals and he was using hers as an operator to find out what he needed to know. It was nice and simple that way but she seemed intent on complicating that arrangement. It was typical of Reploids that shared X's ideals to be so... touchy feely, for the lack of better words. He kept his eyes on hers though, not really responding as he tried to understand her, knowing that he'd ultimately fail. He wasn't like her, never would be. Like the voice had said, he had been created to kill and even adding a mind capable of free thought would never change it.
A slight smile appeared on Nana's lips, a smile meant to be reassuring and her hand began moving to rest atop one of his. She stopped when Vile suddenly looked at the door into the room however.
"What's wrong?" She asked, looking over at the door as well.
"It's open... It wasn't when I woke up." Vile felt a proverbial chill up his spine, a signal he always heeded. Before she knew it, Nana had been pushed over by the Ex-Hunter, once again falling on her buttocks with a dull thump. Vile vaulted out of the pod in time to avoid being hit by a green energy saber. The weapon hovered in thin air as it easily slashed through the pod, almost cutting it in half.
"Revenant Mechaniloids!" Vile shouted as the four-limbed machine uncloaked and revealed itself. It didn't have time to mount a second attack however as Vile vaporized it's head module with a powerful blast from his shoulder cannon.
"How did they know we were here?" Nana asked, looking up at the Renegade.
"They probably traced our movement when we left the hideout, I thought I'd seen something out there in the forest. I don't think this one came alone." Vile explained, clenching his hands.
"Oh no! Cinnamon and Gaudile!" Nana exclaimed as she realized the danger her friends were in.
Vile however only cared that they could potentially steal the Supra Force Metal, their only lead. At that moment Nana didn't care what his motives were however as Vile immediately took the lead and ran out of the guest room. The operator tried to stick close and hoped they weren't too late.