Glitch ch 3

Glitch ch 3

X was always grateful for the small mercies. Mercies such as the humans that had and were still surviving, Sigma's defeat, the rests between major outbreaks of Mavericks, Zero having stopped his pranks on X for the time being, and for Lifesaver being the one to tell Signas what was going on while X had been out having a "family reunion" of sorts. Yes, X was thankful that he didn't have to be the one to explain to the Maverick Hunters' leader why he had been out of commission for the last week and subsequently barred from active duty. X was also grateful that Signas had informed him upon his return to the base that he would not tell anyone else of his condition unless absolutely necessary for the time being. Signas had felt it was up to X to decide when he would be ready to tell the base, though they both knew it would have to be soon. One of the Hunters' best simply does not come down with a strange illness, then suddenly be pronounced fit and then taken off active duty. There would be whispers, rumors, and questions X didn't feel ready to answer yet; but those could sit quietly in the background for now. He had a job to do and he would do it for as long as he was capable.

So it was that X was trying to clear his mind of these thoughts and more (Had Douglas finished the repairs to Nameless Unit Member #3's armor? What was for lunch in the cafeteria today? Would the nausea ever stop?) from his mind as he put on his armor for the first time in what felt like an age. Of course, all thoughts scattered from his head when Zero burst into his quarters. Before X had the chance to curse giving Zero his spare card key the red armored Reploid had already pounced and was currently holding the blue warrior at arm's length while he looked him over.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Zero?!"

"When do you think you'll start showing?" Zero had turned X half away so he could study the other's profile.

"I don't know, I haven't thought about it yet. Do you mind? I have work to do today and I need to finish getting ready." X sighed as Zero continued to stare.

Zero frowned at X's comment, "Are you sure you should be working? You need to take it easy and rest. Does Signas know what's going on?"

"Yes, Signas knows. And yes, I should be working. But if it makes you feel better I've been completely banned from any kind of combat and my workload has been cut back to 'light duties' so you can stop babying me." X cringed after saying the word "babying," he hadn't meant to make such a bad pun. "Now if you don't mind, it's been a week since I last saw my unit and they've probably slacked off."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about them, I've been running them through drills with my unit while you were out. We may as well keep it that way since you'll have to go on maternity leave anyways." Zero shrugged as he spoke.

"Thanks, how considerate," X replied, his voice just dripping with sarcasm. He could feel a tension headache coming on, dealing with Zero right now would only cause more problems. X couldn't remember the last time he had been so upset with his best friend. He decided it would be best if he just avoided Zero and the whole issue for now so he pushed Zero's hand off him and left with: "If you'll excuse me." X made it quite a ways down the hall, with Zero following behind at an easy pace, before meeting a friendly face. X smiled, "Hello Alia. How've you been?"

"Is it really true?!" Alia looked quite surprised and a bit scandalized when she saw her friend. X gulped, she couldn't mean...

"Why, whatever are you talking about?" X asked, he wasn't about to start answering questions which had only been half asked.

Alia leaned in rather close and asked conspiratorially, "Are you really pregnant? Zero said that's why you've been out. Signas knows what's going on but won't tell anyone and Lifesaver's sticking to his story of 'patient confidentiality.' Do you know why you were sick now?" Alia watched as X's eyes slid over to glare in Zero's direction, then back to Alia.

"Zero told you I'm pregnant?"

Alia nodded slowly. "He did, I didn't really believe him but that's something too outrageous even for Zero."

X pinched the bridge of his nose, the headache was coming back. "Yes, Alia, it's true. And if you don't mind I'm very busy and have to get going." X turned and left before Alia could say anything more, which is just as well since she was currently doing her best impression of a fish gasping for air. Zero followed behind and shot Alia a huge "I told you so" grin.

When Zero caught up with X he received a death glare. "Why'd you tell her?"

"What? I can't be proud? I think this is great news!"

"You would, you're not the one who's pregnant." A couple navigators walking by stopped and did a double take when they heard what X said, he had impeccable timing. Not that it mattered, the whole base would probably find out shortly, if Zero hadn't already told everyone.

"Don't worry, I only told Alia because I knew she would find out on her own anyways. Besides, it's not like we could hide it."

"I didn't think we could, I just didn't want to tell anyone else quite yet. I still haven't gotten used to the idea myself."

Zero patted X's shoulder in a very consoling manner. "Don't be so depressed, it's not like this is the end of the world."

"I wish it were, then we could all just die and this embarrassment would be behind me."

"Ah, but then you'd have to deal with the afterlife and enough people already know to tell all the other ghosts." Zero smirked at X.

"Why'd you have to go and ruin my happy little fantasy?"

"Because the real world is better and you know it!" X just had to grin at that comment, much to Zero's relief. He didn't like seeing X be so depressed. By that time the two warriors had arrived at the training grounds where their two teams had assembled side by side. It seemed the units had not been informed of X's return to duty and they wouldn't be training together anymore. However, X and Zero often did joint training in the past: mostly mock battles where they were pit against eachother or split into random units for free-for-alls. Maybe today could just one of those days, after X got them warmed up of course.

Half a grueling day later X plopped into a cafeteria chair with an energy drink, he'd have gotten some real food like everyone else but it seemed that "morning sickness" wasn't strictly a morning thing. As X sipped at his canister Alia set a tray down on the table from across him and sat down. "Shouldn't you be having something besides that? It can't be good for... you know." Alia still looked a little skeptical as she eyed X.

"Only if I want to pay homage to the Porcelain God all evening." X took another gulp of his drink as nonchalantly as possible. And he pulled it off rather well all things considered.

"It can't be bad as all that. Besides, you need to eat." Alia frowned him.

"No I don't, and Lifesaver agrees. Reploids don't need to eat to live." Alia would have said more but a gaggle of giggling Navigators walked up and moved to join her and X at their otherwise empty table. As they sat down X looked them over, recognizing most of the girls. The first he made eye contact with was Layer, though it was hard to tell if he actually made eye contact with her bangs in the way. Next to her was NPC-chan, the cute cat-girl, Channel, who wore what X referred to as "puke pink" armor, and Nyamo, the blur-armored gadgeteer. There were a few more mixed in he didn't recognize at all and the whole group had surrounded him and sat down, making X feel suspicious.

Layer attempted to say something, but quickly lost the nerve and proceeded to play with her food instead. The other navigators around them watched her do this and shot each other strange looks before one spoke. "Well X, we heard an interesting rumor and were hoping you could clear it up for us." X felt much more suspicious now, especially of NPC-chan for asking the question and the Navigator next to her for smirking at him like that. X frowned at the smirker, a reploid in red and gold armor with silver hair whose face he had seen many times but had ever learned her name.

"What rumor would that be?" X attempted to sip his canister as nonchalantly as possible.

The Smirker butted in at this point, it seemed everyone else was too afraid to try. "Are you really pregnant with Zero's secret love-child?" She had such a wide grin on her face that X thought her head would split right in half.

Alia gave X a quick look, she wanted to see how he reacted. At first he shot her a venomous look, then reminded himself that Alia might not have been the one to spill it. He waved in hand in a generic "go ahead" gesture, giving Alia permission to let it all out. She eagerly turned to the gaggle and smiled wide. "It's all true!" Every single girl at the table, and even a few nearby, squealed at a pitch only dogs and Reploids could hear. Well, everyone but Layer, she flinched as if shocked then jumped up and ran from the room. Half the navigators quickly abandoned the table to go help their shy friend while the other half stayed behind to start asking X questions at a mile a minute and... was that one chattering on her head set? X rolled his eyes, Navigators!

----

Elsewhere: Zero was just strolling the grounds when an object about his size and shape came barreling right into him, effectively knocking him to the ground. "What the...? Axl?!" The young reploid grinned in apology and helped Zero stand up.

"Sorry about that, Zero. I was trying to catch your attention but I don't think you heard me, then I slipped and well..."

"That's okay, accidents happen. So what did you want?" Zero dusted himself off as he spoke not really paying much attention to what Axl was doing.

"Well, I heard a strange rumor and wanted to know if it was true. Is... is X really pregnant?"

Zero shot Axl a wide grin. "He sure is, isn't it great?"

"But I thought you were the girl!"

Axl's outburst had Zero momentarily confused. "What?"

"You know, with your hair and the boobs and the penis envy sword..."

"What the hell are you talking about? Boobs? Penis envy?!"

"Those, right there on your chest, aren't those green things boobs?" Axl 'innocently' pointed at the green orbs attached to Zero's armor.

"These are NOT boobs!" Zero was turning quite red in the face at this point.

"What? Really?" Axl looked thoughtful for a moment before reaching out and groping Zero's boob lights. "Huh, I guess they aren't after all."

"What the hell?! Get off me!" Zero smacked Axl's hands aside. "You have serious issues!" With that the blond stomped off, probably to take out his anger on some poor Maverick.

"But... but I had more questions!" Poor Axl was left standing there all alone looking like a lost puppy, all forlorn and confused.

----

By the end of the day X just wanted to go hide under a rock and stay there. Most of the base, including his unit, had found out by now and he was getting quite tired of it. There was quite the mix of reactions: disbelief, sympathy, laughter, oh how he hated being laughed at. The advice givers were the worst, though. Like any of the other reploids knew any more about pregnancies than he did! People treating him like he was sick or injured was almost less horrendous. Almost.

And then there was Axl's reaction. They had happened to pass in the hallways as X headed back to his quarters after the day's training had finished.

"Hey Axl, how's it going." X greeted his young friend as they crossed paths.

"Oh, uh... hi X. I er... have to get going." Axl looked a little panicked and was edging away from X.

"What's the hurry? Training's done for the day, got a date or something?"

"No no no no! Nothing like that... it's just... er..." Axl was edging further and further away from X while looking very uncomfortable.

"You okay, Axl? You're acting really weird."

"I don't want to catch the pregnancy!" And then Axl dashed down the hallway at full speed. X was left standing there stuck somewhere between angry, horrified, and bemused. Watching Axl run away like babies were a contagious disease was pretty funny, but also highly embarrassing.

"At least today is over and I never have to live through it again!" Ah, poor X. If only he knew what the next few days, nay, months would bring.