"And now, we have to decide what we want to do with it."

"Hold up, Maugrim. Don't do anything rash. I think I've almost got him activated. Saints and Stars, how the hell DID this hunk of junk end up down HERE? And how long has it been here?"

"I say we kill it!"

"Naw. If it turns out to be one of those bloody Hunters, we'll torture it. THEN we'll kill it!"

A clawed hand tugged on some exposed wires, and a flurry of sparks flew angrily from them. Zero was jerked with a start from the inky black peace of his hibernation. His eyelids snapped open effortlessly, despite the fact that over 30 years of dust had built up on them.

"It lives." A bestial voice rumbled.

Sleep still misted Zero's mind and threw his optics out of whack. He couldn't focus on the figures grouped before him properly. When he tried to sit up, he found, to his dismay, that his years-long hibernation had stolen all the cunning out of his joints. He could barely move. One of the figures, who was barley more than a blur of watery green, assisted Zero. "Up you go, Goldilocks."

Zero thickly stammered his thanks as his vision came into view. Three lupine robots towered over him, their expressions stern. The one who had helped Zero sit up was now crouched beside him. The 'werewolf' in front of the rabble, apparently in charge of the other three, approached the crimson reploid. His fur was jet black, which clashed savagely with his gentle sky-blue armour. His sleek arms were folded across his chest. He squinted his snout down at Zero and slit his haunting yellow eyes at him.

"Howdy stranger." The wolf's suspicion of Zero was apparent in his rasping, surly tone. "Would it be any skin off of your behind to tell us what you're doing here and who you are?"

Zero was forced to think hard. His hibernation had fuddled up his memory. He fumbled around with facts in his head for a bit until he finally came up with what he was looking for.

"My name's Zero."

The black werewolf drew back his lupine head. "Very nice. Now, how did you end up all the way down here? And what were you doing just sleeping here like a vagrant?"

The wolf's eyes were still nailed on to Zero's. Zero felt a little overwhelmed as he vainly tried to collect his thoughts that the sleep had scattered. "I...I don't know what I'm doing down here. All I know is that I've been sleeping for years, and I can't remember much of anything for now..."

The black wolf clacked a claw on his armour before grabbing Zero roughly by the shoulders. "Why do I get the feeling that you're witholding info?"

Zero managed to emit a startled cry. He had never felt so helpless before. His body was too tired to respond to his desperate commands to attack.

"I want you to tell me everything, friend. Tell me everything I want to know or - my word! - you'll catch it."

"I've told you everything I can remember! My name's Zero. I've been hibernating here for a long time. I can't remember why. I might in a little while, but for now I've told you everything I know!"

The wolf gave Zero a shake that caused the reploid's armour to clank together. "Are you a Hunter...?"

Zero was already sadly confused by the wolf's interrogation, and this latest question only served to muddle him further. "Hunter? What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, or I'll rip out your lungs and play them like bagpipes. I mean it!" He slacked his grip and Zero went tumbling to the ground again.

"Hold it, Maugrim." The green - tinted wolf crouched beside Zero said. "I think his story has some truth to it. Look, he has a lot of dust built up on him."

Sure enough, thick dust fuzzed Zero's armour like a coat of wee feathers. The black wolf, who's name was obviously Maugrim, grunted at his colleague. "But this fellow is obviously a reploid J.T.. Despite the fact that he appears to be a dimwit, he has that look of intelligence in his eyes that no normal robot possesses. And everyone knows that reploids are a fairly new creation, yet this guy says he's been sleeping here for 'years'. What's going on?"

The green wolf, J.T., shrugged his shaggy shoulders. "I don't know. I say we just lead this guy back to the surface and leave him be. He doesn't appear to be a Hunter."

Zero still didn't know what the wolves were talking about when they referred to him as a 'Hunter', but he could have hugged J.T. for telling Maugrim to back off. He wisely refrained from doing so.

Maugrim finally gave in with a rumbling growl. "Okay then...we'll let this guy off. Help him up. He's a reploid, and as long as he's not a Hunter, I have no problem with him."

Furry paws that were so like yet unlike human hands roughly helped Zero to his feet. Zero swayed like a fragile tree in strong wind, but he managed to keep his balance. His mind slowly became more lucid. He mumbled his thanks and looked at Maugrim. The gaunt wolf was flanked by two other wolf friends (fiends?). Other than the fact that one was beige and the other was aqua - blue, they were nondescript.

Memories of his past slowly began to trickle back into his mind as he looked at his surroundings. He vaguely remembered beginning his hibernation in a subway tunnel. It appeared he was still in one. The murky stone walls still frowned down upon him, and the tiny shafts of determined sunlight that filtered through the odd crack here and there did little to drive back the general depressing nature of the place. Weeds actually flourished between the tracks at Zero's feet, which told him that long years had gone by since a train last rumbled down this path.

"All right, you've seen enough." Maugrim snarled as he caught Zero harshly by the shoulder. "Come this way. You're lucky J.T. talked me out of letting you go. Few have stumbled on a Maverick's hideout and lived to tell the tale."

'Maverick'? Zero mentally added this word to his vocabulary. He yearned to ask Maugrim all sorts of questions. Where was he? What time era was this? What was a 'Hunter'? And for that matter, what was a Maverick? Were there more reploids in the world besides himself? He looked up at Maugrim as the reploid werewolf led him through the labyrinth, but the forbidding look that was twisted on Maugrim's wolfish face immediately bolted Zero's mouth shut again.

Finally, Maugrim and his pack showed Zero a rusty escalator that looked as if it had not seen life in years. The black wolf pointed a claw up the stairs.

"Up there is your way out, Zero. My name's Maugrim. The green wolf is J.T., the beige wolf is Duskclaw, and the blue fellow is Sabre. Remember our names, for we'll meet again! 'till then, ta!"

There was a scurrying of clawed feet on the tiled floor before all was silent. Zero drank in the eerie stillness for a second before he ascended the stairs.

Zero was hit by a massive recollection of memories as he wandered aimlessly through the city streets. Bass. Wily. Auto. Eddie. His lightsabre (upon that thought, Zero hastily checked his back and was greatly relieved to find it intact). And, lastly, the destruction of Skull Castle which had forced him to hibernate in the subway tunnel. Zero didn't know exactly how long he had been asleep. It appeared that those wolves he had met had managed to re - activate him when they found him. He also remembered his personal war against the humans, but that wasn't his prime concern at the moment.

Zero absorbed the changes the city had gone through as he strolled though. The looming buildings around him seemed to be pretty much the same. The inhabitants, however, were definitely different. Humans rushed by Zero, but mingled amoung them were vast varieties of reploids, like himself. Where had they come from? Zero needed answers.

Minutes later, part of Zero's answer stumbled upon him and slapped him in the face. A towering billboard smiled down on him. Zero craned his neck up to read the contents of the board:

Do you crave action? Adventure? Or anything remotely like it?

Are you sick of your rut? Of having tea with your grandmother every Sunday?

If so, then the Maverick Hunters want YOU! Join the growing ranks of human

and reploid warriors who let the Mavericks know who's BOSS! Apply at Kapcom's

Maverick Hunter HeadQuarters, located at 413 Maplemain, which is renowned to

be one of the best out there.

Our motto: "Maverick Hunters do it 12 months a year."

*****Mention this ad and receive a free

Cyber-Slurpee!*****

Zero frowned, rather puzzled by the somewhat unprofessional ad before him. Usually, an army that was seeking recruits used mind-bending propaganda, not billboards slapped with some crud that wasn't fit for an underwear commercial.

As sad as the billboard was, it provided some lethal information: there was some kind of war going on, something between the two confusing terms Maugrim had used earlier...'Hunters' and 'Mavericks'.

Zero stared up at the address again. He was certain he could find some of the answers he was looking for at the HQ that the ad spoke of. 413 Maplemain. If Zero's memory still served him well, that wasn't too far from where he stood. He swerved around in the right direction and was on his way.

Maverick Hunter HQ! Huzzah!

"Sweet Dancin' Sisters..." Zero mumbled in awe as he shaded his eyes from the blinding sun to get a better view of the mammoth building that soared in front of him. It seemed to span block after block. Zero thought that perhaps he had the wrong address, but, sure enough, a large sign in the well - kept lawn beside him reported that he was indeed at the right place.

Humans and reploids swarmed all around the building like restless bees in a hive. Many were heavily armed. Some, particularly the humans, threw Zero worried glances as they hurried by.

Taking a deep breath, Zero approached the regal gates that marked the main entrance of the HQ. They were closed, but Zero noticed a small boxlike structure on his right that looked like a doorbell and was meant to be treated accordingly. Zero hesitated, however, when he spotted a tiny sign that was positioned just below the bell:

PUSH TO FEEL GOOD.

Zero blinked, but the crazy words on the sign did not change.

PUSH TO FEEL GOOD.

Zero tensed as he pushed the bell, expecting 1000 volts of raw electricity to shoot through him, or something equally as pleasant. To his surprise, nothing happened and his summons were answered almost immediately by a tall reploid donned in brilliant platinum armour. The reploid spied Zero and grinned like a mad monkey.

"Well? Do you feel good?"

"Yeah, I'm just orgasmic, buddy." Zero grunted as he tried to push his way past the platinum reploid and enter the building. The gatekeeper held him back.

"Whoa, not so fast there! If you're an applicant, go around to the east side of the building."

Zero began to lose his temper. "Who ARE you!?"

"The porter of Hell's Gate! Bwa ha ha! Now smarten up, Brighteyes."

Zero's head spun. So, it was coming down to insults now, was it? Zero was tempted to reach into his mind and pull out the most lewd and vile put-downs that he possessed; however, he didn't want to get started off on the wrong foot in this new time era. So he attempted to push past again. The good nature of the 'porter' vapourized like water as he delivered a kick to Zero's shins. Zero yowled and swung his fist, planting it in the reploid's grinning face.

Pretty soon, Zero and the platinum reploid were locked in a nasty fight like hammers and nails. Curses flew thick. Some humans and reploids gathered around the two, but no one tried to break up the fight: rather, they were standing as fans do at a football game, cheering their favourite side.

"What in the name of Skie is going on here!?" Someone shouted. "All of you, back to training! If Cain gets word of this, there'll be hell to pay!"

From afar, Zero could hear disappointed mumblings from the ring of bloodthirsty spectators as they broke up. Zero, however, was too busy gleefully flailing at the platinum reploid pinned below him to notice.

A cold, clammy hand came down on Zero's shoulder and pried him from the bleeding reploid below. "All right...that's enough. Calm down."

Zero was still flinging his limbs around and didn't stop until he turned his head aside to study the hand that retained the vicelike grip in his shoulder. It was blue. Yes, blue. A nice, deep ocean blue. And scaly. And clawed. Y es, every finger that gripped Zero was tipped with long, black claw. Zero tilted his nervous gaze upwards and found himself in the shadow of a long, reptilian snout with several yellowed fangs jutting out of it. A breeze tickled past Zero. Averting his view to behind him, Zero spied two massive, leathery blue wings slowly fanning back and forth like some sort of monstrous bird of prey keeping its balance on a carcass. Beyond that, a lithe, barbed blue tail lashed back and forth like a cat's.

Zero gulped as reality dawned on him. A reploid dragon. He was being held in thrall by a reploid dragon. Zero wisely slowed his struggle.

"Attaboy." The reploid draco cheered him. Although the voice sounded like a cross between a human and a cement mixer, it was friendly. "Now. Answers. Get up, Forrest, and tell me how this guy peeved you so much."

The platinum reploid, who obviously had the unfortunate christening of 'Forrest', scrambled to his feet. Black circulatory fluid trickled down his face. He jabbed a finger at Zero and snarled, "This big blonde Wookiee tried to kill me!"

"I did not."

"Now now." The dragon chuckled. "Let's not fight!" The leviathan laxed his grip on Zero, which allowed him to get a better view of the peacekeeper.

The dragon's triangular head was supported by a sinuous, reptilian neck. A short, jet black mohawk bristled from the dragon's forehead and worked its way halfway down the neck, where it ended in a small ponytail that was bound by a blood-red band. Two black ivory horns protruded from his skull. They looked capable of goring through any material. Protective blue scales covered the dragon's body, but full, pale purple armour was present to augment his defensive capabilities. The reploid was at least two feet taller than Zero.

"Forrest, I think you should get back to training," the behemoth suggested in a kind but firm tone. "Forget about guarding the door."

Forrest pouted. "But I LIKE being the doorman!"

Seeing his new nemesis getting the boot made Zero break into a broad smile. "Yeah, well, life's a you-know-what, and then you marry one!" Zero paused for a second, wondering how he had known such a line. Had he picked it up from somewhere?

"And that's enough out of you!" The draco said, giving Zero a cheerful shake that still rattled the crimson reploid's teeth. "We're going to have a bit of a chat. What's your name, please?"

"Zero."

"Pretty name." The mechanized dragon commented. "My name is Lord Th'ckpa'sskyleth, but my friends just call me Skysheen or Sky. Are you here to enlist in the Hunters?"

"Uh...no. I don't even know what the Hunters are."

As soon as those words escaped him, Zero got an odd look from Skysheen. He was expecting a bombardment of questions, but fortunately, the dragon wasn't nosy. He merely shrugged and said, "No? Airhead, huh? Well, never mind. I'll be more than happy to explain." Skysheen walked slowly as he talked. Zero followed.

"Let's start from the beginning." Skysheen rumbled. "About 30 years ago, a sc ientist and geologist named Dr. Cain was digging around in some dirt somewhere looking for prehistoric plant life or some such nonsense. Anyway, he eventually came across a neato capsule. Inside the capsule was a robot, but not just any robot. This was a member of a highly advanced race of robot known as 'reploid'. The reploid said his name was 'X', but that was all he could remember about his past."

Zero's heart fluttered. So, all those years ago, he hadn't been the only reploid in existence!

"So, anyhow," Skysheen droned, "Dr. Cain became extremely interested in making more of these 'reploid' things...so, with X's help, he did. 'Twas only a matter of time before reploids were in mass production around the world.

"Reploids were immediately noted to be amazing creatures. They had limitless strength, yet each one had a unique personality and a large array of emotions, making them very humanlike, and thus good companions. Sadly, a handful of reploids recently realized that they were the superior species and humans were limiting their growth. So they turned violent against humankind. These renegades are known as 'Mavericks', and their greatest desire is to wipe out every last human. Fortunately, the ranks of the Mavericks are currently very small. Hopefully, they'll stay that way, and it'll be easy for us, the Maverick Hunters, to neutralize 'em!"

"So," Zero thought, "There are other reploids who share my hate for humans. How peachy! But their forces are weak, and threatened to be snuffed out. How un - peachy."

"I get it." Zero said thoughtfully. "The Maverick Hunters destroy 'Mavericks' and protect humans, right?"

"Aye. It's an organization that Cain set up, and it's hugely successful. We have reploids and humans fighting for a common cause. It's really neat. We're led by a reploid named Sigma. He looks a bit like Mr. Clean, but that's between us!"

"Oh, humans fight with you, too? Are they strong enough?"

Skysheen gave a short laugh. "Oh, certainly! You'd be surprised. If humans are fighting for a cause they believe in, they can turn into nasty little war machines. They can also overwhelm in sheer numbers."

"Neat." Zero's respect for humans increased a wee bit. He made a mental note not to underestimate them.

"In fact," Skysheen went on, "let me show you something." Skysheen led Zero around to the back of the massive structure of MMHQ. Zero peered around the corner and was met with an awe - inducing sight.

A huge field yawned before the crimson reploid. Dozens of makeshift cabins dotted the trampled green. Hundreds of humans from every race and walk of life moved about the camp. A dull buzz rose from the crowd as the humans made themselves busy doing nothing.

"Are these all Hunters...?"

"Well, not all of 'em." Skysheen admitted. "Most human hunters live inside the dorms in the HQ. Most of these folks are refugees. When Mavericks attack and destroy their neighbourhood, they find temporary shelter here while things are rebuilt. The conditions are crowded, but they're better than nothing. Some refugees stay with us and become Hunters."

Zero cast one more glance at the refugee camp before Skysheen led him away. "So, Zero...are you gonna become a Hunter?"

Zero frowned. How was he supposed to tell a 8 ' 5 reploid dragon that he was more interested in destroying humans than he was in aiding them? He began to search for words.

"Well, uh...you see..."

Skysheen clapped a scaly hand on Zero's back good-naturedly. "That's the spirit! Glad to have you aboard! I'll take you inside to look around a bit, then we can fill out an application for you! Then we'll find a suitable position for ya."

Zero sighed. It was hopeless. If he told Skysheen the truth, he'd probably be mangled on the spot. Zero hopelessly yearned for the days of his past life when he could have easily destroyed anyone he wanted. Okay, he would lay low with the Hunters for a while, then take it from there...

Skysheen ushered Zero though the main gates where he and Forrest had had their little tiff earlier. Zero stepped into a cool, well-kept building. The floor of the main hall was tiled immaculately. It neatly and almost immediately branched into smaller halls which seemed to lead to room upon room. If not for Skysheen guiding him, Zero would have become hoplessly lost in a matter of minutes.

The traffic in the halls was heavy. Humans and reploid hunters brushed by Zero every second. Skysheen led Zero through some twists and turns before he finally gave a cheerful: "Here we are!"

Skysheen effortlessly pushed open a heavy door that was marked MAINFRAME COMPUTER. Inside, Zero found himself surrounded by luminescent computer terminals. Their persistant hum filled his ears and amplified in his head.

Besides Skysheen and himself, Zero spied one other figure in the room. It was another reploid dragon, a red one. She was female and there was no mistaking it: her body build beyond her ebony armour leaned a bit heavily towards the 'feminine' side. It would be no lie to say that she looked similar to Xena in a dragon costume.

The dragon spun herself in a swivel chair, obviously forsaking whatever duty she was supposed to be performing at the computer before her. As she spun, a long, black ponytail whirled madly with her. The dragon's massive, batlike wings were fanned out a bit to keep herself in balance.

The dragon stopped her game as the door clanged open. Her guilty look was immediately replaced with a dreamy dragon smile as she fixed her eyes on Zero.

"Hey there, hun! What can Auntie Draco do fer ya?!"

This friendliness left Zero a little speechless.

Skysheen sighed. "Red...please behave yourself. Zero, I'd like you to meet my sister, Lady Dra'conia'mat."

The red reploid dragon tumbled out of the chair and drifted towards Zero. She offered a clawed hand and yet another mad grin. Zero rightly felt a little nervous when he looked at the maw filled with razor edged teeth. He diligently took the hand and the dragon shook it vigourously.

"Yep, Lady Dra'conia'mat is the name...but you can just call me Red Draco! It's glad to know ya!"

Distressed, Zero could see that Red already had a bit of a crush on him....