Re: Megaman Z(x) RWBY

[QuantumPizza]

Model X is right, the other Biometal said. Its armor is thinnest there. Hit it with enough force and you will be able to disrupt the neural network inside, forcing the Maverick to lose control of this outer shell it has. Having caught his breath, Vent righted himself, ignoring the twinge of pain he felt as his back straightened out. "Normally I'd ask how you two know all this, but now's not the time." As Aile provided a distraction, the male Mega Man dash jumped once more, leaping off of the monster's fist as it rose slowly from the ground.

"Hrrah!" Releasing the pent up energy in his blade, Vent brought it crashing down into the ebony colored armor of its chest. The Maverick roared - whether from pain or anger was not all too clear - and its attacks momentarily ceased... at least, it seemed that way. Its massive, shielded face glared down at the duo, before it began to glow. A split second later and crackling spheres of energy were being fired at them, their trajectories almost impossible to predict. One impacted Vent square on, knocking him onto his back. Rolling out of the way of the next death-orb heading his way, he rose to his feet in a single, swift motion. "Alright, if that's how we're gonna play it..."

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

"How is this an improvement?!" Aile was just barely able to slide out of the first one's path, and the second clipped her, sending her spinning to the floor. Getting back up, though, she tried to figure out a way to keep the two of them from being torn to shreds. "Model X, can you see all of these? Do you know any way to disrupt them so we can get an opening?"

It's too complex for me to handle quickly enough. However, there should be a break in these attacks; that will be our chance. I'll maintain a charge while you avoid these blasts!

[QuantumPizza]

Gritting his teeth, Vent focused on evading any more incoming fire. The ZX armor that he and his twin sported was tough, and yet it was no match for the power this thing wielded against them. If they took even a few more glancing blows, let alone direct hits, they likely wouldn't last. As he followed Aile's lead and dodged, weaved and danced out of harm's way, Model Z maintained a charge in the handle of his ZX-Saber, until just the right moment.

A break in the fan of projectiles let Vent dash underneath their arc, running at breakneck speed towards the giant Maverick's form. The thing saw him approaching and moved a leg with surprising swiftness, attempting to catch its assailant with a powerful kick. A quick jump and flip was all that was needed to avoid the oncoming assault, and as its momentum died, Vent landed atop the free-floating limb, running up its length towards the thing's weakspot. "Aile, don't let it shake either of us off!" he shouted, nearing his target. "If I can't hit it, I need you to blast it!"

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

"Good thinking. Let's see this thing try and hit us now!" Speeding through the barrage of energy, Aile made her way over to the massive Maverick as best she could. However, in her haste, she failed to notice the attacks converging on her until she was surrounded by incoming blasts.

Without having the time to think of another plan, she aimed her buster straight down, activating her dash jets and firing at the same time, launching into the air and clearing the blast zone at the expense of much of the stored energy. On the plus side, her trajectory sent her soaring right for the enemy's right arm. Making her landing on its massive gauntlet, she grabbed ran up the face of it until she could grab on the edge upper edge, having something more than a sheer face to cling to.

Shaking her head, she looked at the weapon in her hand. "Sorry, I think I used up too much charge on that stunt. Vent, you just focus on landing that attack, I'll keep you covered!"

[QuantumPizza]

Vent would have replied, were it not for the massive sword blade headed his way. Their opponent had become fed up with their unwillingness to simply die, and was attempting to use its blade like an oversized bug swatter, the flat of the blade now careening towards Vent at a frightening pace. With a mere split second to spare, the Mega Man jumped as high as he could from atop the rapidly straightening leg, losing upward momentum but avoiding death by bug zapper at the same time. As the arm swung past, he kicked off its armor, propelling himself upward, ZX-Saber crackling with charged energy.

Letting out another cry of exertion, Vent slammed the weapon into the Maverick's weak torso armor. There was another roar of pain and/or anger, this time coupled with a massive burst of electrical shortage. Vent caught a face full of the shocking discharge, sending him smoking to the floor nearly ten meters down. Model X, Aile, Vent's unconscious! Model Z's tone didn't betray so much as a shred of panic, but it was clear he was worried. That blast knocked him out cold! I can maintain the merge, but there's no time to revive him. Finish this Maverick off!

Even as Vent's helpless form clattered to the ground, their enemy, now sufficiently incensed at their audacity, held out an open palm at the only conscious Mega Man, telltale signs of energy buildup showing from the massive green emitter in its hand...

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Her whole body tensed as it was illuminated by the gathering of energy.

We need a moment more to charge. Model X said. We won't get another chance. Don't be rash.

As the rings of force erupted from the massive hand, Aile slipped behind the Maverick's giant arm, letting it take the brunt of the attack as she kicked off, dash-jumping and reaching out with her hand to grasp the long purple ponytail coming from the helmet of the giant. Using that to swing around behind the hulking monster, she spared a glance downwards to make sure her brother was still there.

Her momentum wasn't quite enough to carry her all the way around to the front of the Maverick, but it was enough to reach the top of its other arm. Kicking off and letting go of her handhold, Aile sailed through the air, getting a clear shot at the exposed circuitry she needed to blast apart.

Not just yet!

The gun in her hands began to shake, glowing with accumulated power. As she fell, everything seemed to slow down. The Maverick had a bead on her now, and was reaching for its giant saber, with the intent of swinging down and slicing her in half while she couldn't evade. If she transformed into Model HX to air-dash out of the way, she'd lose the initiative and endanger Vent.

So, all or nothing, life or death, all the pressure on her shoulders as she fell upside-down past a machine bigger than a lot of buildings. Funny how often that was happening these days.

Now, Aile!

Tightening her grip, she took careful aim and fired a massive, spiral-charged shot, letting out a breath as it ripped through its target. It also knocked the air out of her lungs and sent her tumbling to the ground even faster, sending her out of the way of the oncoming blade. The sudden surge of force was a little shocking. "Where did all that power-" She was cut off by the floor as she bounced off of it, rolling to a stop a little ways from Vent. "Owww..."

Pushing herself back to her feet, she dashed for her brother with a start, trying to pull him clear of the danger zone. This thing was either going to explode, or fall apart, and either way it wasn't safe, armor or not.

[QuantumPizza]

The Maverick's gargantuan form shuddered. It issued out a bellowing roar, rippling with distortion and spiking randomly in pitch every half-second. Energy pulsed from inside its core as it fell into a critical state, coalescing into brilliant beams of light that pierced outward from within. There was a deafening surge of power as the outer shell detonated with an incredible explosion, the resulting shockwave catching both Mega Men and hurling them against a far flung wall. One of its arms shattered into a hundred thousand shards as it impacted another surface, each fragment morphing into a digitized version of itself before vanishing from realspace entirely. Both of its massive legs fell forward and slowly began to return to cyberspace. As for the Maverick?

It had fallen to the ground of the chamber as well, the massive headpiece that had once adorned its awe-inspiring armor now pinning it to the floor. Grunting with exertion, the Maverick found itself in a position that was new to it - a position of shame. Eyes burning with utter hatred, it clutched its hands into tight fists and heaved. But due to the sheer pummeling it had received, it simply lacked the strength to free itself from its prison. Like a trapped animal, it roared a wordless roar. A roar that, instead of fading, only seemed to intensify... and spread. The roaring sound became akin to that of a screaming tornado, and all of a sudden Aile would find herself staring down the gaping maw of some horrifying vortex, its seemingly endless depths attempting to draw her inside.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

For less than half a second, the shock kept Aile from reacting, and she nearly lost her footing and tumbled in head-first before catching herself. The second she had her wits back, the Mega Man turned and dashed away as best she could; fighting the pull of this black-hole-like void was nearly impossible for ordinary dash jets.

"Model H! HELP!" She yelled, digging in her heels before her grip failed, the force pulling both of them into the air and towards the gaping maw.

But in a flash of light, her red armor was replaced with the green Model HX form. Firing all thrusters at once, and securing Vent as best she could, Aile shot away from the void, landing on her feet and continuing to use her air-dashing jets, even as she ran forward. "...But how do we stop this!?"

Aile glared through the tearing winds, catching sight of the door they had entered through. There was no guarantee it would open. Hoisting her brother on her shoulder, she slapped him on the back. "Wake up, we're going to die!"

Model X began to speak, his calm tone carrying over the deafening sound of their certain annihilation. I believe it is our turn. Aile, please take care of Vent for a moment.

"What are you going to do!?" She yelled.

Model P, if you would.

Of course.

As Vent's armor vanished entirely, Aile's was replaced with the purple Model P armor. The red and blue Biometals floated away from the twins as Aile scrambled to dig her claws into the floor without dropping her brother.

[QuantumPizza]

Somehow, the twin Biometals seemed unaffected by the howling portals that had spawned throughout the room, and they floated their way over to where the pinned Maverick laid. Said Maverick had slowly begun to extract itself from its duratanium prison, but hadn't gotten far when both Model X and Z hovered above. It sensed their arrival and looked up, the expression on its face going from intense hatred to stunned revelation.

It's been a while since we've fought, hasn't it? Model Z's tone was almost mockingly calm. Model X, while sounding more observant than its red counterpart, nevertheless still held some contempt in his voice. And yet, despite it being nearly ten years, you haven't changed. Begone, Maverick.

There was a split second, all-encompassing flash of white light. When it had faded, their foe was suspended in the air, wrists and ankles bound in tethers of glowing, linkless chains. Its eyes burned with rage, but it couldn't so much as move in its weakened state. Both Biometals focused, their crystalline forehead gems glowing intensely, and their captive was swallowed in a sphere of energy. It screamed from both pain and ferocious anger, but those cries were silenced as it was shrunken down. When the energy faded, a familiar black and dark red rock fell to the floor. As it clattered upon the surface of the chamber, each vortex that had ripped into the room fizzled out of existence, leaving the Mega Men and their Biometal companions in an eerie silence.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Breathing a sigh of relief, Aile stood upright, hoisting her brother onto her shoulder again and marching over to where this terrible foe was now laying, sealed into the dangerous and powerful Biometal Model O. Reverting to her normal body, the female Mega Man thought back to their previous battle with this being, and the sheer power that came with their spoils.

It was incredible. It offered power similar to Model ZX, but on an impossible scale. Its Overdrive mode could be sustained indefinitely, and imbued its wielder with powerful destructive skills. But it had a tendency to make the user more violent. It was safe when held in check by merging with Model X, but even then it was still a bit of a power trip. If they'd obtained it before their final showdown with Serpent, then it would've been trivial to smite him, compared to the ordeal it had been with even the full set of six Biometal.

It had vanished from the lab when the other Biometals were stolen, but a Mega Man never surfaced. How had it returned to its place of origin?

Hesitant to even touch it, Aile reached out a hand. That battle had been nothing like their first encounter. For one, their opponent had been about their own size. And while the area seemed distorted, it wasn't like space was tearing open or anything.

"...Model X, Model Z, is there something you're not telling us?"

[QuantumPizza]

Normally, Model O would have exuded an almost miasma-like aura of contempt towards anything around it, especially Mega Men. But for right now, it seemed... silent. As close to death as the devil inside could seem to reach, anyway. No response was made towards Aile's cautiously outstretched fingers.

...that's difficult to say, Model X began. We both know that we are familiar with this... Maverick. But its name or reason for us being acquainted with it, so to speak, elude us.

Model X is right. It's almost like instinct, or knowledge woven into DNA. Of course, we know there is more to it than that, but...

A slightly awkward silence fell, the Biometals not fully comfortable addressing their still-lacking memories. It seemed to be a bit of a sore spot for the two.

There was a break in the tension as, on Aile's shoulders, a familiar snoring sound could be heard.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Shaking her head, Aile gave Vent a bemused look. Good to see you're sleeping soundly. "Let's get back to the Guardian Base for now. We have to report all of this to Prairie immediately."

She looked at the two Biometals floating before her, then bent down to pick up their new acquisition, sealing it into a zipped bag before pocketing it. "Don't worry if you can't remember everything yet. We wouldn't be here without you, y'know?"

[QuantumPizza]

Don't go giving Model Z and I all the credit now, Aile. After all, were it not for you and Vent, neither Serpent or Albert would have fallen. Your skills and bravery won the day.

---

The deck of the Grand Nuage was abuzz with activity, most of it in the form of controlled panic. Word had spread among the Guardians of how both Model A Mega Men had vanished, along with their Biometal, and that even with a team of commandos at their backs, neither Model ZX Mega Men could locate them. Needless to say, a familiar and unwelcome sense of trepidation had found its way back into the crew of the Guardian's airbase. Sitting on one of the benches behind and to the left of the commander's chair, Vent held a pain-relieving pad to his forehead, wincing as he was more than awake and aware of the damage that outburst had done to him.

"So, there wasn't any sign of either of them... Not that I'd expect that Maverick freak to leave corpses, but..."

Vent, now is hardly the time, Model Z chastised, surprisingly out of character. It seemed the tension was getting to the Biometal, as well. This entire situation was bad.

"Yeah yeah, sorry. ...any leads or ideas, Prairie? Aside from nabbing Model O again, we're back to square one."

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

"About that..." The Commander said, eyes closed in thought. "There was really no trace of them. Vent has a point; if they were retired by this Maverick, there would've been something."

Aile waved a hand lazily, leaning against a wall. "I dunno about that, Prairie. There was some weird stuff going on this time. We nearly got pulled into a black hole or... something bad."

"A black hole?" She looked at Aile, stern. "That's not possible. A black hole large enough to pull you in wouldn't destabilize. Can you tell me more about what happened?"

...

"A massive Reploid, carrying a sword, who was able to rip the very space apart with its shouting?" Prairie summarized. "It never spoke, but was capable of fighting intelligently. Didn't you encounter a different enemy in that same room several years ago?"

[QuantumPizza]

Vent nodded once, before wincing at the pain the motion created. "Nngh... yeah, this same guy, actually. Well, aside from the fact that he didn't use that giant... what even was that? Couldn't have just been armor, right?"

Some form of exoskeleton, Model X chimed in. But that's besides the point. Model Z and I have faint but definite memories of this Maverick. I'm not sure if it was some past life we had, or if we had originals that fought him, but he was our enemy many, many years ago.

Model Z's tone of voice was almost amused. I don't care how many lives I'll live, whoever I was. That's one fight I'll never fully forget.

The male Mega Man raised an eyebrow, his eyes meeting Aile's for a brief moment, before turning back to the Biometals. "Wait, you guys... knew this Maverick? I mean... why didn't you tell us before?"

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

It was nothing you needed to know. Ancient history. Model X said. And both of your fights were very desperate. There was no sense in distracting you – and this Maverick had no connection with Serpent or Albert. You’ll recall that Serpent had just taken the Model W core; that left no time to ponder old mysteries. As well, our memories are still indistinct about it. The first time, I only felt a vague sense of recollection, nothing concrete.

There was a strange rattling sound from Prairie’s chair. Was she shaking? Her eyes had a strange look, almost frozen. “…Tell me again. This Maverick – its normal-sized body wore crimson armor, carried a saber, and was similar to Model Z?”

“Uh, yes!” Aile said, a little startled to see her friend so unsettled. “We could even transform to show you exactly. The armor it had was identical to ours when we use Model OX.”

“No. That… won’t be necessary.“ She looked tired, like she was recalling an old nightmare that had long since faded from memory. “I can still picture it in my head… that monster of Weil’s. The God of Destruction, Omega.”

Her trembling grew, the stress of even thinking about it cracking her calm persona. “But it was destroyed… we were so sure! That explosion claimed the lives of the X-Guardians, and nearly… it… can’t still be…”

[QuantumPizza]

There was a dull thump as Vent's heat pack hit the floor, the Mega Man having rushed over to pull Prairie out of her chair. He placed a comforting arm around her shoulders, offering a sense of safety to the commander. "Hey, Prairie, it's alright. It's nothing more than a rock now - Aile and I put it on ice. We won't let it-"

Vent. Model Z's voice was sharp, cutting his attempt at comforting Prairie short. That isn't why Commander Prairie is so off put. In fact... her mentioning of this Maverick's name has given rise to an event in our subconsciousness. For those that could hear the Biometals, the bridge was suddenly very, very quiet. Still not releasing Prairie out of caution, Vent's eyes locked onto the floating twin Biometals, expression deathly serious. "You... remember your past now? Well, what was it? Who was this... Omega?"

Model X chimed in this time. Model Z's original form and I, almost half a millennia ago, fought this... Omega. It was banished into space, only to return a hundred years or so later. Commander Prairie was part of a Reploid freedom-fighters group, but only as a small child at the time. I cannot remember who masterminded the plan, but someone used Omega to take control of all Reploids, save for myself and Model Z's original form. ...its destruction in the penultimate fight of that era resulted in the deaths of several noble lives. The ones who were the originals for our other Biometal companions. Former enemies turned allies.

Vent's hand on Prairie's shoulder loosened its grip, eyes drifting to the floor as he pondered the implications. "...I'm sorry, Commander," he meekly muttered, removing his arm from Prairie entirely, the scope of his own ignorance hitting him full force.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Reaching up and squeezing the hand on her shoulder, Prairie took a deep breath. She was still visibly shaken, but not being alone in her disbelief and shock helped her regain composure. "...It's not your fault that you didn't know about it. It was over a century ago. Our previous commander was in charge during that time, and she was very close to the heart of the incident. She also disliked talking about it... as did the legendary Reploid who defeated Omega once and for all. Well, I guess not 'once and for all'... heheh..." The Reploid girl laughed nervously.

Aile pointed to the very form of said foe: a rock. "Well, we beat him twice now ourselves. Just a friendly reminder that this is a closed case."

Except for the missing Grey, Ashe, and Model A. Chimed Model L.

"...And the fact that Omega returned from the dead not once, but twice." The Commander breathed another sigh of exasperation. "We don't know why. That is our real problem. Going forward, we should assume that the reason for Omega's revival is linked with our friends' disappearance directly. The same phenomenon that you described might be responsible for both of these."

She sat back down, nodding to Vent. "I'll be fine. Our new course of action is to gather information. Fleuve and some of our researchers will go down to Area N, to examine the area more thoroughly; we didn't think there was anything more to it than a Maverick attack before, but this time we know what to look for. And while the team obtains any data they can, I will contact any specialists I can reach, to find out what they have to say about this. Vent, Aile, can I ask you to accompany the team once again?"

[QuantumPizza]

Despite her assurances, Vent's face was one of frustrated concern. Prairie wasn't one to get shaken lightly, so this whole Omega deal giving her the scare out of the blue like that... Well, all the more reason to get this settled, then, he reasoned to himself. Nodding at her request, the Mega Man's expression shifted to a more determined one. "Right, you can count on us, Commander. As can our fellow Mega Men. The sooner we get this whole ordeal sorted out, the sooner we can rescue those kids and get them back home. Seems we're walking into a bigger mystery than we though, eh, sis?" By the end of his short declaration, his usual cocky airs had returned, along with his trademark grin. Was it a facade? Probably, but the saying "fake it till you make it" was true far more often than not.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

The next morning, in the Kingdom of Vale, on the world of Remnant...

In a small, two-bed room in a moderately-sized hotel, the two Model A Mega Men had been resting since the dangers they faced just yesterday. Their newly-met allies hadn't come by yet; either they were still tired, too, or they'd been busy with something else. Either way, they were undisturbed.

The hotel was located near to the break-in, on the east wall of the city, so at the very least, the surrounding area was just slightly familiar. Work was already being done to properly seal the tunnel and re-pave the road it had broken through.

[QuantumPizza]

Having managed to obtain a restful sleep, Grey found himself waking in a peaceful manner. Between the spelunking trip before their arrival in Remnant and the chaos that followed, the young Reploid hadn't had a chance to really rest his head for any substantial amount of time. Therefore, it was slow going, forcing himself to rise from the comfortable pillow and covers. Rubbing his eyes, Grey noticed he was alone in the bedroom. Ashe and Model A had probably walked outside upon waking up. He took a few minutes to stretch out his worn muscles, grateful that the pain from his injuries had subsided by quite a bit. Satisfied with his morning limbering-up, Grey donned the cloak Ruby had lent him, before he made his way out of the room.

Downstairs, Ashe was casually helping herself to the breakfast that came with their lodging. In one hand was a plate for herself, while her second hand sported another for Grey. Whistling as she made her way to an empty table, she set both trays down with a flourish, taking a seat with a happy sigh. "Model A, remind me to pay that Weiss back when we find a way home, yeah?" she said before tucking into her meal eagerly.

Do you really think she'd care for that, Ashe? came the reply, the Biometal hovering nearby. I dunno much about money and stuff, but she sure LOOKED rich. This is probably like spending pocket change to her.

Ashe shrugged, swallowing a mouthful of fluffy waffle. "Eh, I mean, it's not like I'm broke myself, y'know? A girl's gotta pay back her debts, after all!"

Uh, that's not quite what I-

The Biometal's response was cut short as Ashe's attention was diverted, now focused on Grey entering the dining area. "Mornin', Grey! I got you some food ready, come get it while it's hot!" Making his way over, Grey plunked himself down in the chair perpendicular to hers, sizing up the food on the platter before him. "Thanks Ashe, and good morning to you too, Model A. Any idea where Ruby and her friends are?"

"Nope!" came the cheerful reply, followed by a moment's fixation upon a glass of juice, washing down yet another mouthful of food. "But I wouldn't sweat it, really. They're bound to show up sooner or later. I mean, you've got her cloak, for starters. Can't imagine she'd just let you keep that thing!" It was only said in jest, of course, but they both knew the gang would pop on around soon enough.

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Sure enough, a nearby door opened, revealing... one of the hotel staff. "Excuse me, is there a Mr. Gray or Miss Ash in here?"

Making eye contact with one of them, the staff member comes over. "We received a call from one Ms. Ruby Rose. She said to tell you: 'we have class this morning, can't come get you until it's over'."

[QuantumPizza]

Grey frowned, a bit bummed out by the news. Simply waiting in the hotel was a plan of inaction that he wasn't terribly fond of. Ashe however merely flashed the staff member a cheerful grin, giving him a thumbs-up. "No worries, thanks for letting us know!" As he departed, the bounty hunter returned to her meal with gusto, leaving Grey with a small amount of confusion. "No worries? You're really okay with just sitting around, waiting for them?"

"Pfft, no! It's not like we need them to get around or anything, y'know?" Finishing off her meal, Ashe kicked back in her chair, one arm draped over its back. "They said they're at class, right? And didn't they say it was at some academy or some-such called Beacon?"

Model A and Grey gave each other a concerned glance. Ashe, do you really think just waltzing out into the city is smart? I mean, its no Innerpeace, but this town isn't small!

"Model A's got a point, Ashe. Plus, what if we take too long, and they come here looking for us?"

Rolling her eyes over her mug of juice, Ashe sighed following a long, hearty chug of the stuff. "C'mon now you guys, have I ever gotten us lost before? It's not like we haven't been in uncharted territory together before! Besides, I wanna get out and see the city a bit. This place is so much different from Innerpeace, Hunter's Camp... really, anywhere I've ever been!"

Finishing off his own smaller platter, Grey nodded slightly. "Well, that's also a good point... I wouldn't wanna stay cooped up in here all morning, either."

It didn't take long for the duo to get their breakfast downed and cleaned up, and soon enough the A-Team was on the move. "If anyone shows up looking for us, just tell 'em to meet us at Beacon!" Ashe had informed the receptionist before heading out. As soon as they stepped outside, the female Mega Man rested her hands on her hips, eyes closed and a smile on her face as she took in a deep breath. "Ahhhh, man. Just the smell of a new place to explore gets the blood pumping. C'mon A-Team, we've got a Beacon to track down!"

[NebulaGregarZXAdmin]

Outside, it looked like a typical urban street; well, typical for one of the kingdoms. To the Hunters, it was strange an rustic, no doubt. They could see airships flying in and out, far above them, carrying visitors and travelers into this bastion against the Grimm. In the distance, they could see a massive hill, upon which a grand institution stood.

A suited man, sitting on a nearby bench, pointed to it without looking up from his paper. "That way to Beacon."

...

[QuantumPizza]

And just like that, the wind was blown out of Ashe's sails, much to Model A's amusement. Uncharted territory, huh Ashe? the Biometal snickered, earning the floating rock a glare from his chosen one. Before she could give him a verbal lashing, however, Grey tugged her sleeve forward, flashing one of his gentle smiles. "C'mon Ashe, it's not like one spoiled location would ruin this adventure, right?" Granted, Grey hardly thought of their predicament as an adventure. In fact, now that he dwelt on the matter, he was growing increasingly worried about how they'd return. But no sense in letting the general mood sour!

"Right!" she replied, instantly peppy and energetic once more. "Plenty more to explore, I'm sure! Let's get going, gang!"

A few wrong turns here, some directions there, and the trio found themselves outside a very impressive looking campus. Sweeping arches and clandestinely designed buildings, surrounded by fields of greenery pockmarked with well-placed trees, just a short walk down a fenced road from the mainway. Dominating the view, however, was an utterly gargantuan tower, the apex of which glowed with a green, incandescent light. Wow! Model A exclaimed, eyes glowing with awe. That tower is huge! Almost as tall as Legion Headquarters! Grey shielded his eyes with one hand, looking upwards against the morning sun. "Yeah, no kidding. Small wonder they named this place Beacon."

Walking down the path towards the campus, Ashe rested her hands behind her head, whistling a cheery tune as they went. Crossing the massive courtyard which, for the time being, seemed devoid of other individuals, she paused in her tune-making to spare a glance at a massive statue. No comment was made, although she couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship put into it. As they entered through the massive archway that formed the main entrance to the Academy, both Mega Men looked about. There were bodies of students wearing black suits and plaid skirts milling about, most entering or exiting classrooms or heading further inside via the numerous hallways present. Grey scratched his head, arching an eyebrow. "...maybe waiting on them coming by to pick us up was the better option..."

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