Chaos Advent - Story

It had been 48 hours since the lockdown that had resulted due to the trouble in the training simulator, and 24 since lockdown was lifted…

Signas stood in his office. Alia and X stood nearby waiting patiently.
“I don't understand, how could the training simulator be hacked. I trust both of you have read the report of the incident. Now, we've combed the base through entirely, analyzed every transmission in and out. We've also had a report of a break out during the lockdown. I suspect it is one of the new generation reploids because Vasas hasn't been seen or heard since he escorted the new recruit into the training simulation before the breakdown. As well as apparently Vasas was caught in a vent, and when asked about it his response in German was off… Sounds odd I know. Both Vasas' disappearance and the alleged vent incident. Keep an eye on Vasas and the new recruits… Especially on this next mission.” Signas said, keeping his back to X and Alia.

“Alia, I want you to continue monitoring the transmissions in and out. X, you'll be escorting the troops on the next mission…” And as Signas finished speaking, a warning light on his computer shot off.

“Looks like that mission is sooner than we thought…” Signas said as he read the report on the screen.

“Alia, call the hunters to the briefing room.” Signas said as he got up and began to walk to the briefing room himself.

— 10 minutes later… —

Everyone had been rounded up and were now seated in the briefing room. With a gesture to the screen, it flicked on and displayed a picture of a building. It looked like brick but had a tough looking silver wall around it. In the middle of the wall was a massive hole.

“Hunters, for your first assignment we have a bit of a tough assignment… Because of this X will be tagging along to monitor your performance, as well as lend a hand if you need it. This mission as you may have surmised is that there was a recent break out from the maverick containment and research centre. Many of the freed mavericks are quite tough and they aren't looking to go back. As a result, they may be more aggressive and vicious than normal mavericks. However from being locked in the facility, it is highly likely that their special abilities and powers are still locked, and they will be until they can get away and spend time to unlock them. As for location… We're not entirely sure where the mavericks have fled to at the moment, but you should be able to follow the path of destruction from the containment centre to where they are. Also of note, the mavericks who were busted out likely had help… Apprehend if at all possible, or terminate if unable to capture the being who helped them escape. Good luck hunters, you are dismissed.”

And with that, X stood up and motioned for the hunters to follow him. “Alright, lets go” X said as he exited the room, and was warped to the containment centre. A trail of destruction was visible down the street… wrecked lampposts, shots into the ground, chunks of concrete blasted all over everywhere. A few Gun Volts were standing around firing missiles and spark balls. Notor bangors and Walk Blasters were also roaming around firing their shots at things as well…

The hunters took cover the second they arrived and spotted enemy forces. With the element of surprise on their side they managed to fire several volleys and bring the first group of mechaniloids down. Though their act drew attention from the remaining mechaniloid forces and brought them firing. The hunters returned fire with their various weapons and special powers while pressing forward. Even though they were rookies and this was their first official mission together, they had managed to push their enemy combatants back. Even though they were just mechaniloids…

Finally one of the hunters radioed they thought they had caught up to their escaped mavericks. And indeed they had gotten closer to one of the mavericks.

X had proceeded ahead of the rest of the group, while they were dealing with the various enemies along the way in search for the escaped mavericks. X was beginning to question of there actually were any still around, or if any had even escaped because he'd yet to see one as well, despite he'd seen plenty of Volt guns, Walkers and whatnot attacking the cityscape. As he rounded the corner at the end of the street, he came face to face with exactly what he hadn't seen until now… One of the escaped mavericks.

The maverick was a tall ape like reploid, reminiscent of Spark Mandrill. The maverick was mumbling incoherently until the sound of X's boot step alerted it of his presence. It quickly swiveled it's head and looked directly at X, mumbling as it did.
“Never again, they can't have it, it's my secret, my precious, my power. no one can have it.” The maverick raved to itself as lunged at X. X easily dodged the leaping maverick with a dash to the side, as the maverick landed and prepared to lunge again, X fired a single shot. The shot nailed the maverick squarely in the leg and caused it to go limp. The result was the maverick slamming it's face into the ground as it tried to use it's damaged leg to leap. X approached the downed maverick with his buster at the ready, giving the maverick a boot so that it rolled onto it's back, X fired 3 more shots… One at the other knee, and one at each of the shoulders. Thus causing the maverick's limbs to give out, he couldn't fight back now if he wanted to. But the maverick still mumbled foul language and curses and threats to the hunters as X grasped the maverick and hoisted him up onto his shoulders and began to walk back to the containment facility with the maverick.

As X got close he seen the others still fighting, he calling out:
“Hey, the mavericks are getting away, ignore the small fry for now, we can get them in a bit. First let's focus on the escaped mavericks, as if we catch up to the group leader we may be able to capture them all, the leader as well.” Hurriedly, X deposited the downed maverick inside the containment facility's wall where a few guards were now beginning to come around and were realising what happened.

“X” one of them shouted as he came running over.
“And, subject 3665423… So then I take it you know what's going on here then?” The guard said, X merely nodded then replied with:
“What did the perpetrator who broke in look like?”
“It was some reploid with silver hair. Dark colored armor and he used a purple saber… Not sure who he was, but nevertheless, you have to catch him, and the 7 other mavericks he freed. If they ever regain their full power it could be a disaster.” The reploid hurriedly stated before he reached down and grabbed the subdued maverick and lifted him to take him back to the holding cell.

X turned, letting the guard do his work, and instead turned and ran to try to catch up with the other hunters who had pressed on ahead.
“Let's go.” was all he stated to himself hurriedly.

— A few blocks away… —

Several of the mavericks were dancing through the streets, overly thrilled to be free after so long. A bit sad they didn't yet have their powers to wreck harm and havoc in their own way, but the busters they held seemed to be sufficing for most of them. They eagerly blasted at most everything… Buildings, cars, street lamps, mail boxes… Especially the few humans who had been about had been blasted by the powerful and highly illegal buster weapons.

One of the mavericks, who was rather small and mouse like turned to another who was rather pig like and asked:
“Wonder how long it'll be before the hunters arrive… We are making alot of noise.” the mouselike one said.
“Aw, let them come, we can take them… There are 7 of us and then that guy who broke us out…” A tall and thin deer like reploid with a higher pitched voice said as she blasted a window with her gun out. Finally the pig reploid answered…
“Both of you, shuddap, I can't hear the screams over your yammerin'.”
“What screams? ” questioned a crocodile like maverick.
“Ya, I'm with ze belt n boots there, we haven't seen many humans to torture yet” said a small skunk like maverick with a french accent.
“Keep looking…” hissed a snake based reploid as he fired his gun at a nearby mailbox, shaking gleefully as the shot caused half of the mailbox to melt away.
“Let's just enjoy this” Said a cricket based maverick who'd been fairly silent up until now.

Unfortunately for the hunters, the sound of their counter attacks drew attention from the escaped mavericks. Quickly they turned their attention to the hunters and engaged them in combat.

“My, my, I leave them alone for 5 minutes have some fun, and what happens but the hunters catch up… And they even had some of my better busters, such a shame really.” Said a voice that seemingly came from everywhere at once.

X, by this time, had caught up with the others and was there to hear the voice…
“No, I recognise that voice… But I swore he gave it up after I beat him last time.” X muttered to himself, his eyes darting around, looking for the source of the voice.

“Oh X, I'm over here” The voice called out again, having a bit of a joyous laugh to the taunt. Immediately, X's eyes homed in on the source.
“Alright, Come on out nice and slowly, give yourself up and this won't have to end poorly for you.” X called, his buster now pointed at an open window on the 5th floor of the building across from them. With a graceful leap, the maverick came leaping from the window, revealed in the light as to his identity.
“Dynamo….” X said with a bit of contempt and disgust in one, having known who is was for a little while.

“Ah, X, soo good of you to remember me, your old buddy Dynamo.” Dynamo said with a grin.
“Again, come quietly and we won't be forced to kill you.” X said.
“X, tisk, tisk, X. If you were able to do that kind of a thing, you would have done it all those years ago when we first met.” Dynamo said, pausing a moment before continuing.
“So now who are these? your new recruits? Hiya, Playthings, Name's Dynamo, we're gonna have a lot of fun once your father and I get done talking. But feel free to leap in early if you want an early grave.”
“Have it your way Dynamo.” X said, his buster ready.

Dynamo and X started the battle off first, each trading buster shots back and forth. X being stronger and faster now that he was previous easily taking Dynamo by storm and landing several shots while Dynamo missed many of his.

“X, I'm amazed… your alot stronger now than you were back then…” Dynamo said as he went left and around X, eyeing the hunters who hadn't yet joined the battle as he did. X moved right to circle with Dynamo, watching him to predict his next move. When Dynamo suddenly turned and went right for the other hunters…

The hunters narrowly avoided getting hit by Dynamo's surprise attack by one hunter had spotted Dynamo moving and called out quickly, giving time for the intended target to roll out of the way. The battle continued for some time in this fashion where Dynamo would launch attacks but the extra hunters would be able to help each other counter and dodge the attacks while trying to counter. Though their attacks had minimal effect thus far and Dynamo seemed more interested targeting the rookies at opportunities to keep X from gaining any real advantage.

Then in a turn of events, Dynamo's sneak attacks managed to allow him to gain a hostage. Dynamo moved their fight into an building nearby with his hostage. He managed to get most hunters to toss their weapons down with his cheap tactic. So he used the opportunity to fling his captured hunter aside and launch an energy geyser attack on X and hunters. This sneak attack caught the hunters off guard and they scrambled to avoid the blast.

Dynamo recovered somewhat quickly from the blast. X, having been closer to the impact, recovered soon after Dynamo. The others were recovering their weapons while X had distracted Dynamo by trading shots with him again. A few of Dynamo's shots flew past X and blasted a section of the street away.
“Oh come on X, just one shot… for old time's sake?” Dynamo taunted as he spun around and fired a magnetic shot from his buster. X cleared the shot with impressive speed and returned fire midair with a shot of his own. The shot struck Dynamo in the arm and caused a few sparks to erupt from the fresh wound. Dynamo growled, and began to realise that all X's shots had begun to compromise the integrity of his armor… Too much longer and his defenses would be weak enough for all of those other hunters to pick him apart.
“Time isn't up yet X. I still have more fight in me than this” Dynamo said as he fired another few rounds of missiles. Sending them sprawling wildly about, X moved quickly to dodge them. But Dynamo had anticipated that X would move left and was ready with that magnetic shot again. The shot collided with X's legs and X felt himself slow down. Realising that he'd just played into Dynamo's hand on this one, he rolled as quickly as he could to dodge the next shot Dynamo had launched… The dyno breaker. The shot caught X by the side as he attempted to move out of the way.
“Not quick enough X… Oh well, while you take a nap, I'll play with the others” Dynamo shouted gleefully as he turned from X and saw that the others had now all retrieved their weapons and were again ready to fight.

The hunters engaged Dynamo in battle again and now that Dynamo's armor was weakened they were having much better luck against him. Their numbers though was balanced by Dynamo's power. He smacked one of the hunters into the building they had fought in previously and caused it to buckle then crumble on top of the poor hunter. Though they managed to break free soon after and continue the fight.

By now though Dynamo was breathing a bit heavily, he'd taken quite a few shots from X and the others. A sudden beep in his field of vision registered and the slightly hunched over Dynamo suddenly stood bolt up.
“Well, looks like playtime's over for today, kiddies ” Dynamo said with a grin as he pounded the ground and unleashed his Earth Wrecker. The powerful blasts shot straight out of the ground and sent the able hunters scattering. As it did, a shot struck X in the side and seemingly roused him.
“Gah” X gave a cough as the shot hit and he came back to consciousness.
“Stupid Dynamo” X muttered as he stood up to see the mercenary in question suddenly vanish in a streak of light.

“Well, guess all that's left is to round up those mavericks…” X said as he turned back…

— Half an hour later —

X and the crew stood wearily in front of the maverick containment facility.
“You only returned 2 of the 8 mavericks in working order… Do you have any idea how far this sets us behind in our research? We needed those mavericks…” One of the scientists yelled in exasperation as the hunters leaned back a bit.
“They were trying to kill us… So we, you know, got them first. It's what we hunters do ” Said one Hunter.
“I don't have time for this now, your folly has put us months behind schedule as it is.” The scientist said before storming off to the privacy of his lab.
“You're welcome.” Another hunter muttered under their breath.

“Cheer up guys, you did excellent. Don't let that scientist tell you otherwise as I didn't see him out there risking his life to capture those mavericks…” X said with a bit of a smile on his face.
“Anyway, let's head back to base and get some rest. We'll deal with Dynamo another time” X said with a tone of finality before they were warped out of the area.