Last time, both X and Zero with dealing with the Maverick when someone runs into the area...

Disclaimer: With the exceptions of original characters, MMX and Angelic Layer are the properties of Capcom and CLAMP, respectively.

Chapter 6: No Need

"Alex...?"

Much to Zero's surprise, X briefly froze when the human girl uttered that name. Hearing Zero's exasperated yells, he immediately aimed and fired a charged buster shot at the Maverick, who was getting dangerously closer because of his short-lived hesitation, sending it flying away from Chall.

"Take care of him, Zero! I'll bring Cha-her to safety!" X called out, dashing over to where Chall was, nearly berating himself for that slip-up. He knew Zero wouldn't miss something as obvious as that, but the questioning will definitely wait until afterward.

"Gotcha!"

-----

Seeing the famous Mega Man X, X, briefly hesitated when Chall uttered Alex's name instantly made her suspicious before quickly being overwhelmed by fear, once she realised that short, wasted moment brought the Maverick closer to her.

A part of her was screaming to run, yet Chall remain frozen in fear, her hand holding onto Pearl instinctively. Before she could bring herself to scream, the Maverick was blasted away from her, letting her see X clearly, moving quickly over to her after shouting at the other Hunter ('Zero,' she recognised).

"Are you alright?" X asked, helping her up, only for her to get down and tried to dig out Pearl. "Come on, we must get you out of here!"

"But I can't leave Pearl behind!" Chall cried, desperately. The practical side of her said that it was a very good, and not to mention safe, idea to let X take her to safety. However, even with the thought of safety and not being killed by a Maverick, the sentimental Deus player in Chall demanded to not leave her beloved Angel behind.

It was just a robotic doll, a toy to play with. Chall knew this very well, but couldn't bring herself to part away with Pearl.

"I'm sorry, Chall." Before she knew it, X quickly, and roughly, pull out Pearl from her half-buried spot in the rubbles with one hand, right before Chall's very eyes. About to protest against the rough treatment, any complaints were stopped in her throat when the X picked her up with his other arm and dashed her to safety. Instinctively, she yelped.

-----

He's persistent, Zero had to admit, continually blocking the Maverick from chasing after X and the human girl. Once again, his opponent made a move to go after them when he stopped in his track, bending over and howling in pain. Despite surviving this far, the Maverick only had above average durability, compared to previous enemies Zero had personally retired. Only persistence kept it going.

"Persistent, but not enough," Zero simply said, pulling out his Z-Sabre from the Maverick's stomach. With a swift move, he dealt the finishing blow.

-----

[X, the Maverick was retired just now.]

"Got it, Layer," X replied, stopping and gently put down Chall, who has been giggling nervously from his dashing. Glancing over at Pearl in his other hand, he blinked and frowned. 'Pearl...'

"Heehee...hee..." Chall tried to calm herself down from the adrenaline rush, letting out a nervous laugh now and then. It's not very often that anyone, human or Reploid, was carried away by a dashing X. Literally, not figuratively, of course. Though, the Blue Bomber might've probably looked very handsome without his helmet. 'Wait a minute, that's not important right now! Pearl!'

"Pearl! Is she alright?" She called out; looking at X's other hand, where he was holding her Angel.

"Huh? Oh, here," X handed Pearl over to Chall, smiling a bit at her now brighten expression. Without his fingers around her, they can see that Pearl seemed fine; though her hair and clothes was ruffled from the rough handling she was given by X earlier, otherwise, the Angel looked to be in one piece.

He blinked, when his internal scanners started to read Pearl. Before he can voiced them, X can hear the communication link with headquarters opened up.

"Thank you!" Chall smiled brightly, hugging her beloved Angel close to her chest. Then, remembering something, she looked up at her rescuer, who's currently talking to someone through a link.

"Understood... Okay, will bring her to the nearest safety zone." Closing off the communication for now, X looked down at Chall. "Although the Maverick was retired, I have to bring you over to the safety zones." He explained.

"Oh! I understand. Derek and Linda must be worried about me..." Chall replied, finally remembering her friends and realising how crazy she must be, running off just for Pearl.

"Then, I'm assuming you ran off just for P...your doll, right?" X asked, managed to catch his slip up, hoping his fellow Deus wouldn't notice. From what he knew about Chall, the current European Champion can be sharp if she put her mind to it, though he suspected that she's easily lead on by her heart, which her current situation has practically confirmed it.

She looked embarrassed, now fully realising her situation. It was stupid, prioritising her Angel's wellbeing over her own safety, and in the middle of a Maverick attack, no less!

"Yes..." Chall muttered, expected scolding by Mega Man X himself.

Seeing her expression, X just gave a small smile. "As long you're not hurt. But next time, please consider your safety first. You wouldn't want to go through this situation again and end up injured or worse, dead."

She looked like she wanted to argue a point, to prove something, but refrained herself. "Okay, Mr X."

He was aware of the general thought in her mind. After all, he's also a fellow Deus with his own irreplaceable Angel, he understand this and sympathise with her. "Your doll may be important to you, but you mustn't forget that your life is, too." X didn't voice that you can buy another Angel, but not a human's life, but the implication was still there.

But right now, he's Mega Man X, 'father' of Reploids and Maverick Hunter. There's no need for Alex Light to come out toward his fellow player, letting her know it's him.

There's no need.

"Let's go."

-----

After making sure the cleanup of the aftermath was going smoothly, both Hunters teleported back to headquarters. X could tell that Zero has questions for him, knowing that his partner caught his verbal slip up earlier.

Once they finished their debriefing, they walked along the corridors. Occasionally, they returned any greetings and acknowledgement they both received from other Hunters.

"You mind telling me, X?" Zero asked, once the general area within hearing range of a typical Reploid was clear. "You know that girl?"

"...Chall Brown, Champion Deus of Europe for the Angelic Layer game." X replied. "I've heard the results from the Internet." Technically true, with the time zone difference and his work, he often had to check the results on the official tournament website before searching for a video to view the match, if mostly to see how his rivals improved since last year.

"X, you know her personally, right?"

It took a moment, a while in silence, before X replied to that question, after reminding himself of whom he's with. Zero of the Unit 0, one of the best Maverick Hunters they has...

"Yes, Zero. We're rivals in the game."

...And his closest friend, who'll never betray him and his silly, stupid and selfish secret.

-----

It was both relieving and embarrassing to have both Derek and Linda fussed over her, once Chall was brought to safety. Once they have it out of their system, the young girl found herself being scolded over what she did. What kind of person would abandon safety just to go and securely get their dropped dolls?

"You stupid, sentimental idiot!" Not exactly composed at the moment, Derek let his worry out by berating the young Champion, who's taking it all without fighting back, as Linda sat down next to her.

Chall stared down at Pearl in her hands, who still looked roughens up, despite her attempts to clean the Angel up with her hands and clothes without soap and water.

"You're just plain lucky that you're saved by a Hunter before the Maverick gets to you!"

"I know," Chall said, softly, her fingers idly playing with Pearl, checking her limbs and joints. Outwardly, Pearl seemed fine, but was there any damage?

"We made a promise to go to the Internationals as a group; it's not that much of a 'group' if it's just Linda and I! We can't if you're dead...!"

"Derek, I think Chall got the idea already." Linda said, glancing between them.

With a sigh, he put his face into his right palm, calming himself down to recompose himself. He's empathised with Chall, truly, as a fellow Angelic Layer player. But as a concerned friend, she's just impulsively stupid at times, running from safety toward the danger zone!

Breathe in, breathe out. Calm, now, Derek, his thought ran, before giving another sigh. "...Don't do that again, Chall. Now, let's go and see if Pearl can move."

"'Kay."

To be continued.

Author's Note: Been doing this chapter on and off in-between life, school and videogames. Apparently, it's easier to get into compared to the others. However, I'm not forgetting my other fanfictions, so no worries, despite the huge gap between updates.

Leave your reviews of your opinions as always if possible, it's nice to hear from people who think this crossover that appear from idle mind was interesting to read.