Channel keeps his surprising cool, level gaze on Seikou, radiating an air of defiance. "Psychotic's such a -strong- word... 'Sociopathic' is much more fitting."

Do the machines listen? Do they have the capacity to understand?

Seikou is about to make a comeback when he hears the voice. "What the..."

Channel looks quite taken aback at the sudden intrusion, the expression flitting to annoyance. "Oh great, more interruptions..."

Can a machine feel compassion? Can it feel hatred?

Seikou just stands there warily, mentally supplying a "yes" after every question... But what's asking...?

Or are they just a jumble of wires and electrical impulses?

Does a machine even qualify to answer that question for themselves?

Seikou half-whispers "We're more than that... I don't care what anyone thinks..."

Channel smirks again, just making out the supposedly secret whispering. "Amazing, you -do- have some sense in that outdated mind of yours..."

Seikou says 'This isn't the time for insults. Something's happening...'

These machines...these reploids do pose an interesting question.

They walk and talk as the other races, and yet only they carry this... homicidal virus spreading through their race....

"And it has nothing to do with me." A disdainful huff leaves Channel as he turns to approach the Northern Gate, and hopefully find his proper place. "If you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than mull over voices."

Seikou doesn't even try to stop him, too confused by the events occuring...

I believe investigation is in order. Before all else, these machines need be figured out once and for all.

Struggling, as if in pain, the voice manages to say one bit further.

One of you... take... study... exam...ine....

Seikou looks around, still searching for the source of the now-fading voice...

Seikou finally allows himself to relax a little and slumps onto a bench. "What the hell was -that-?"

Milo walks into the square from the north, having just missed the missed-erious stuff voice. He takes a glance at Seikou, then settles on his usual bench.

Seikou looks over at Milo and manages a small grin. "Hi."

Time has come, little machines.

Milo says 'Hello. How's life?'

Milo says '...Huh?'

Milo looks around the square confused.

Milo says 'Who was that?'

Channel.

An Immortal has transferred you.

[ The Abyss ]
There is nothing by darkness all around. Every direction is only more
black, nthing by mind-numbing cold. There is no air to take a single
breath, no warmth in the air or your limbs. There is nowhere and nothing.
Eternal nothingness surrounds you, envelops you, comsumes you.

Channel frantically whips about himself, eyes wide and agape, scanning the blackness around him. All words fleet from his mind, replaced by a mixture of fear and infuriation...

You feel a dull buzz at the base of your skull, like an annoying headache that just won't go away.

Angry are we, little machine?

Channel suddenly stops, gaze widening further. The beginnings of a furied scream well within him as he grasps his pounding head...

Scream all you like, no one can hear you. You are all alone.

Tell me, machine, are you infected with this curious virus that has been going about in your kind?

Channel gradually begins to settle, his superiority complex overriding any concern or worry that had permeated his usually stalwart aura of over-confidence. Being immune to those hellish viruses is indeed something to be proud of...

Ah, so you are not.

I am pleased to find that your mind is as simple to read as the other humanoid races of this forsaken realm.

Come now, little robot. Cooperate, and you will soon find yourself back in Truce where you spend most days.

The sudden heightening of spirit drops as quickly as it came, Channel's features twisting into an irritated scowl. Simple? -Simple-? This voice -dared- to call his mind simple? He's a descendant of the great Lumine, damn it, he's far from 'simple'!

A temper, prideful, stalwart immunities... I say, you do a remarkable job of mocking a human.

Channel grows even more infurated at being compared to those... those -Carbons-... Human was something he definitely was not; he was -above- being merely human, just like a smaller portion of his brothers...

My, my. Prideful was certainly correct.

Tell me, robot, do you know why I brought you here?

Channel actually manages to set aside his massive ego long enough to look even barely perplexed, honestly having no idea why he was being delayed from his purpose yet -again-.

Then allow me to illuminate that tin-plated head of yours

Your kind are an anomaly. Reploids... living robots... it is an oxymoron, an amalgamation of human and machine that should not be.

And yet you thrive in this chaotic realm.

I have indulged my curiousity. I want to know, what makes you tick. I want to know why you exsist, when all logic says that your very existance is impossable.

And I have more than a passing intrest in this 'virus' that makes you reploids go mad and start murdering other mortals.

Channel looks surprisingly neutral for being the usual proud, short-tempered git of a follower of Lumine he's known for being, merely trying to comprehend everything that's being 'said' to him. Never has he been so quiet, though that's probably due to the fact that sound doesn't travel in a place such as this.

Very well. Enough with the pleasentries then.

Now it is time to take a look at a living, animate Reploid.

Inside... and out.

Pain errupts from the buzzing feel in the back of your head, arcing through your skull like lightning has been set loose within your head!

Channel finally releases the agonized scream he'd been holding back, the torrent of sound not even audible to himself. He can't concentrate enough to register the lack of reverb, the searing pain effectively incapacitating him.

Intresting...

The lighting inside slowly starts to move down, through your facial structure of nose, eyes, and mouth, then through the neck into the chest.

Channel remains deathly still, form frozen and tense from the massive shock, features all widened and aghast at the sheer amount of pain even he didn't know he could endure...

Not bio-mechanical... and the heart....

The pain lurches over about in your chest, probing and proding your internal systems as you are examined.

Fascinating...

Channel just stands helplessly, though one could be assured he'd protest and go on one of his patented rampages, had he the ability to move.

The visceral lightning slides down out of your chest, into your stomach area, then down your legs.

The pain is brutal, worse than anything you have ever imagined. Surely death would be better....

Rest now, little machine. We are far from over

Seikou tells you 'What exactly happened?'

An Immortal utters the words, 'grzzs'.
You feel very sleepy ..... zzzzzz.

You wake and stand up.

[ Free City, Truce - Fountain ]

Channel remains mainly motionless, eyes still closed, sprawled carelessly on the ground with no intention of gathering himself up. He looks absolutely winded...

Seikou is kneeling by Channel's side, looking honestly concerned. "Wake up!"

Channel doesn't respond, at least not to the call of another who he can't exactly determine at the moment. One name escapes him, barely comprehendible through his raspy, broken voice. "Lu...mine..."

Channel looks spent, ragged. Still whole and mostly together, yet something still doesn't look right.

Seikou looks over at Milo. "You can heal things, right? Try it on him..."

Milo says '...Sure. Although it's more effective when I know what I'm trying to heal.'

Milo stands up.

Milo utters the words, 'wunsoe'.
You couldn't feel healther!

Channel doesn't seem to respond, though a few select blemishes fade as the healing energy washes over him. No progress in the way of waking him up, however.

Seikou says 'This is not good.'

Milo says 'Mend doesn't usually wake people though.'

Milo says 'Just fix physical damage.'

Seikou says 'I was hoping that he might be unconcious due to physical damage...'

Milo says '...I have no idea what makes reploids unconcious. But for organics, if you go unconcious because of, say, getting hit on the head, then removing the bump on your head wouldn't immediately wake you.'

Seikou sighs. "He may have been a potential Maverick, but... this seems -wrong- somehow."

Seikou says 'And if someone is doing this to Reploids, I want more info.'

Not...enough....

Seikou says 'The voice again?!'

Milo jerks up.

Milo says the exact same thing as Seikou, creating a stereo effect.

Virus...

Seikou climbs to his feet, pulling the saber off of his back more reflecivley than anything else...

Milo says 'Umm... I don't think we'll need that sword... I hope...'

Seikou says 'I don't know what else to do!'

spent.... seikou.... virus....

Seikou says '...It... it knows my name.'

Milo says 'And it seems to know about your condition, too. But what was that "spent" part?'

Seikou says 'I have no idea...'

next... sei.. vir-us...

Seikou says '...I don't feel anything, so...'

watch... for me.... seikou will be next...viru....s

Seikou says '...I'm... next? For what...?'

need virus... Seikou....

watch....

spent

Milo steps closer to Seikou, as though to protect him from the unseen threat.

The voice fades into the ringing of Leene's Bell....

Seikou stares at Channel's fallen form, confusion, worry, and fear all filling his eyes. "Wha... what's going on? Who's doing this...? What is my fate?"

Channel mumbles something completely unlike words of any language, eyes opening to a massive haze of muddled color and light. He isn't by any means conscious, but it's a start.

Seikou kneels by Channel's side again. "You need to wake up! You're the only one who can tell us what's going on..."

Milo kneels next to Channel too, and carefully looks him over for anything out of the ordinary.

Channel's brow furrows slightly, an obvious sign of his trying to regain his focus and control over himself. Slightly more headway in his seemingly-eternal struggle to find his sense of self...

Milo says 'Are you okay? What's going on?'

Channel struggles to speak along with all his previous pursuits. "...It... looked..." He suddenly winces, recalling the experience of not even half an hour earlier. "Looked at... me... pain..."

Seikou says 'What looked at you?! What's going -on-?!'

Channel relaxes again, the spell having a much more visible effect the second time around. Even after gaining slightly more control over his own perception, he disregards all other queries, staring forlornly into the endless sky.

You say 'Lumine... I need you...'

Milo says 'Who's Lumine? She's not here, unless she's invisible like whoever that voice belonged to.'

Channel thankfully doesn't hear anything else as he slips into silence with one last, releasing breath. He's still obviously operational, just not with the world of the waking.

Milo looks at Seikou. "What do you make of this?"

Seikou looks up at Milo. "...I don't know. But I do know I have to be on my guard... Whatever happened to him was -bad-, and the voice said I was next..."

Milo says 'How can you guard against something you have no idea what it is?'

Seikou says '...That's the problem.'

Seikou says '...I hate to admit it, but I'm frightened...'

Milo says 'And the voice said that it needed your virus. Why would it want something like that?'

Seikou says 'I don't know... I just don't know...'

Milo sighs.

Milo gets back to inspecting Channel.

Milo finds nothing physically wrong on Channel, other than his nonawakeness. He stands and turns to Seikou. "I guess we should take him to an engineer. To the Hunter base, I guess."

Seikou looks nervous. "Erm... why don't you go alone?"

Milo says '...because he's heavy and if I dragged him along the ground on my own, he would encounter many painful jagged rocks and other miscelaneous wear and tear on the way?'

Seikou sighs. "Then I'll carry him. But I'm not going inside the Base."

Milo finds it odd that Seikou wouldn't want to go to the Hunters, since he IS one (Milo thinks), but says nothing for now and picks up Channel's head.

Seikou grabs the feet and nods. "On the count of 3, we lift. 1... 2... 3!" He lifts up the feet with relative ease.

You now follow Milo.

Milo pokes Seikou in the ribs.

[ Maverick Hunters Headquarters ]

Channel is still blissfully asleep, even through being literally dragged all the way here...

Rika is settled at the desk, apparently taking over greeting duty on Signas' vactaion. "Ah, hello! How can I help you?"

Milo says '...I wish I knew. I'm rather confused as to the cause, but this reploid here is unconcious and won't wake up.'

Rika nods and climbs to her feet. "I'd be happy to help! The infirmary has been rather busy of late, but a quick scan should be easy..." She looks over the Reploid and blinks. "He's not any model I know, however..."

Milo says 'Don't ask me. I have absolutely no idea what's going on.'

Rika grabs Channel by the shoulders and starts to drag him towards a door in the north wall, making idle chatter as she goes. "It seems like a lot of Reploids are getting hurt lately!"

Milo says 'Yeah, I've noticed. Something's very wrong, I know know it.'

"It will just be a moment..." Rika makes it to the door and opens it, dragging you the rest of the way in.

Rika emerges again, minus Channel now. "I'm not sure how to say this, sir... but he might be beyond our ability to fix. Not only is he a completley different system than most we work on, but most of his circuts are fried..."

Milo ponders for a moment, his eyes staring vacantly. After a while, he mumbles "What could that voice have done to him?"

Rika says '...Which voice?'

Rika is looking confused, her head tilted to one side...

Milo says 'I don't know. This reploid just... appeared, and then some invisible voice with no apparant source started babbling vague mysterious stuff. But it seems to want Seikou next...'

Rika says '...Seiko? He's that reploid I worked on recently who was infected, right?'

Milo says '...I don't know who you worked on recently, but yes, that sounds like him.'

Rika says 'Is... Isn't he Maverick? He was so infected...'

Milo says 'He doesn't act like one. Or anyway, he hasn't stabbed me yet. He seems to have the virus under control or something... but I thought your organization already knew all that?'

Rika looks confused. "Of course we didn't! It's protocol to not let infected people into the Hunters! If we had known, he would've been fired immediately! He probably has been fired..."

Milo says 'Some time ago he told me that you just didn't let him take his sword with him on patrol in case the virus came back.'

Rika says '...Perhaps we thought the Virus was gone... but if the infection is confirmed, then...'

Milo says 'I don't know how things work in this organization. I certainly don't know what's going through Signas's head, with him making Forte a DIPLOMAT before he went insane. All I know, is that Seikou has an infection, but doesn't seem to let it affect him'

Milo says 'too much. How? No idea.'

Rika says '...Well, he's no longer on the rosters, in any case. I'm sorry if that doesn't settle well with you, but it's protocol...'

Milo says 'I'm just trying to figure out what's going on...'

Milo says 'That voice mentioned something about the virus too.'

Milo says 'I couldn't make out what.'

Milo says 'I'm afraid it's planning to reawaken it...'

Rika says '...I wish I could help more, sir... But I'm just an engineer...'

Milo says 'You said his circuits are fried - of the reploid I brought in, I mean, I don't recall catching his name. Is there any indication of what caused it?'

Rika says 'It looks to have been a major electrical shock, but that's just guesswork...'

Milo says 'Well, if you do happen to learn anything, keep me or Seikou informed. I doubt this is going to end here, and I want to figure out what's going on and stop it.'

Rika says 'Alright, sir. And the Reploid... Could you bring Seiko in a few days from now? There's something about the Reploid's data that interests me...'

Milo says 'I'll pass it on to him. But he seemed reluctant to enter the base. I won't force him in if he doesn't want to.'

Rika says 'Well, if I'm correct, this could represent a complete fix for the virus...'

Milo says 'Really? I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that. Oh, and what's your name?'

Rika says 'Rika (*inserthylianlastnamehere*). And you?'

Milo says 'Milo.'

Milo says 'Well, goodbye. I'll tell Seikou the news.'

Milo waves, waits a moment in case Rika wants to say something, then heads to the door.

Rika says 'Thank you for your help!'

Rika says 'We'll try our best to fix your friend for you!'

Milo says 'Friend? I don't even know who he is. But yeah, thanks.'

Rika resumes her position at the desk.

Rika is busy at the computer at the moment, trying to decipher Channel's blueprints. It's not that they're all that confusing, but they're so -different-...

Channel is -still- motionless on whatever examination table or other surface he might have been settled on, though he's much more active than he appears to be. A faint scowl crosses his features, barely visible, many colorful curses going unvoiced over a certain internal discovery...

Rika turns to the medic who's standing over Channel. "Any luck so far?" she asks.

The medic sighs and shakes his head. "None. His circuts are very damaged... I've managed to make a few small repairs, but..."

Channel suddenly makes the first movement since he first arrived from the endless abyss, a weak but valiant grab on the medic standing over him.

The medic steps back, but his arm is still grabbed... He sighs and calls, "Rika, the patient's moving."

Rika turns around and blinks. "...And his first movement is... to try to hold your hand?"

The medic glares at Rika. "...I'm pretty sure that is -not- his intention."

Channel very faintly growls and musters enough strength to tighten his grip on the medic's arm, the five-sided crystal in his chest beginning to glow with a soft blue light.

The medic blinks, too confused to even try to free himself. "Uhm, Rika... this is turning kinda... strange..."

Rika walks over and looks down at the Reploid, blinking as well. "...What the hell...?" she mutters under her breath, beofre turning professional once again. "Can you feel anything, (insertmedicnamehere)?"

The medic shakes his head. "Nothing unusual..."

The faint luminance gradually outlines Channel's whole person, his Copy Chip performing numerous internal changes out of sight...

Rika and the Medic just watch, too confused to do anything else...

Channel releases his grip on the medic, his arm falling limp and aura fading. He looks much more relaxed now, his breaths deep and deliberate; a much better vision of health than he was previously.

Rika blinks a few more times. "It it just me, or does he look healthier than before...?"

The medic shakes his head. "It's not just you, Rika. And my scans are showing much less circut damage..."

Rika heads back over to the terminal, scanning the new data output from Channel's systems... Yup, he's much more intact now. And then, with a gasp, she sees the aforementioned autorepair system... "What the -hell-?!"

The medic runs over behind Rika and looks at the various system reports. "That... That's -my- autorepair system..."

Rika says 'But how...? His systems were completley different just moments before...'

Channel would probably be a smug little bastard right about now if he wasn't so focused on forcing internal systems energy through his newly-acquired autorepair system.

Rika pauses for a moment before typing furiously, eventually returning to one of the pieces of code that ahd seemed so arcane to her before... Yes, that's it. A way to absorb data - even hardware specs - from others...

Rika scrolls some more and finds the data to utilize said specs, eyes widening more with every line of code. This is -incredible-...

Rika scans more code, figuring out more and more details as she goes. Occasionally she'll paste a bit of code from a program to a text file, and soon the text file is rather massive...

The medic has gone back to monitoring Channel, not exactly sharing Rika's obsession with the code... although it -is- interesting...

Channel gains enough strength to one, stop breathing as heavily and two, finally wake up. A satisfied little smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth as he levers himself to a sitting position.

You say 'At least you Old-Models are useful for -something-...'

The medic raises an eyebrow. "Interesting first words, especially considering I was trying to save your life."

Rika rises from her chair and walks over to Channel, beaming happily. "I'm so glad to see you're awake!"

Channel shifts away from the encroaching... well, most humans don't have such deformed ears, he doesn't quite know -what- to call her. "And I'm glad to see voyeurism hasn't died out quite yet."

You say 'You were looking, weren't you? Stealing the very essence of my existance...'

Rika looks confused for a moment until realization dawns. "I... I'm sorry! Your data is just so -unique-..."

"Hmph." Channel snorts disdainfully, looking genuinely disgusted at the notion of having someone peeking around in his DNA Soul. "This is the very reason Lumine wants to get rid of this horrible, inhospitable world..."

Rika backs away a step. "...Destroying the world...? Are you... a Maverick?" Ignoring the fact that his code is clean, of course...

Channel smirks, shooting Rika an amused sideways glance. "And there's another. You people really love that term, don't you? And why 'Maverick', anyway? The true definition of the word is an individual, not the accursed label you put on others."

Rika blinks. "Tha... that's just the term... There's no reason..."

Channel lets out an entertained little laugh, sliding his legs over the side of the table idly and brushing an errant lock of hair out of his vision. "Also, I never said 'destroy' the Old World..."

You say 'It's on the brink of destruction as it is. We're just letting nature take its course.'

Rika says 'What are you talking about?! The world is not at the brink of destruction!'

Channel grins a little wider, surprised he's been talking to this... human-like being for so long. "And you're in denial, too. Isn't that -precious-?"

Rika looks desperatley at the medic for a moment, and he nods and runs out. She then turns her attention back to Channel. "The world is not ending. And no -Maverick- will convince me otherwise..."

You say 'There you go with that word again. You took a look at my data, so you should know that I -can't- be Maverick...'

Rika sighs. "Even though you're not infected, you're still dangerous anough to qualify as 'Maverick', at least in my opinion..."

The medic comes back in and shakes his head, looking worried. A bit more fear enters Rika's eyes...

"Well, if that's the case..." Channel's grin doesn't falter as he leans in closer to Rika, exuding a 'I'm-right-you're-wrong' attitude. "Then maybe your two saviors should be Maverick as well. X and Zero, I think their names are... They're -quite- dangerous, aren't they?"

Rika shakes her head. "Neither one of them wanted to destroy the world!"

Channel looks externally calm, if a bit amused, but he's having the time of his life on the inside trying to figure out this woman's logic. "That may be, but they could, and that should be reason enough, shouldn't it?"

Rika says 'They use the abilities they have for good... Not to destroy the world! That's the difference between a Maverick and a normal Reploid!'

You say 'That may be... But it's as I said, no one -needs- to destroy the world. It's going to destroy itself in a matter of months, if not sooner. You can deny it if you want to, live in blissful ignorance. Not like it's my problem."'

Rika says '...What makes you think we're going to destroy ourselves?'

Channel hops off the table, sparing another look up(yes, -up-) at Rika. "If you haven't figured that out yet, you really -are- primitive." On that rather bitter note, he turns to take his leave of the infirmary, and eventually the entire complex.

Rika doesn't even try to stop him, being far too confused...