As soon as Octavia and Axl returned to HQ, Octavia directed Axl into a side room. "Sit," she instructed firmly, gesturing to a chair.
Axl obediently sat down, still a bit shell shocked from having killed someone who, at one time, he thought would have been a friend. He was startled out of his reverie when Octavia hopped from his shoulder into his lap. "What-?"
Octavia suddenly blazed with light, and was then out of her armor in his lap, Varia floating around her. "There's a brush on the table next to you," she stated firmly as she lay down in his lap. "Use it."
Turning, Axl noticed the brush and picked it up. "You know, you could have just said you needed your mane brushed," he pointed out as he started to do so.
"I didn't need my mane brushed," Octavia countered idly, her voice mellowing as she relaxed. "You needed to brush my mane."
Axl paused, his face twisting in confusion. "Huh?"
"You're stressed," Octavia explained. "Your entire life has been turned upside down, and now you're hunting down those who were friends or you'd fought to save, and you just had to kill one of them to save me. On top of that, the fact the Light hologram knew something about you that it couldn't explain and that ability of yours - one I've never seen before - tells me you likely know nothing about where you come from." She turned to face him, calmly waiting for a contradiction. When none came, she smiled softly. "You're an emotional wreck right now, however you're trying to hide it, from me or yourself." She laid her head back down. "Dad tells me that brushing my mane is one of the most relaxing activities he's yet discovered, and wondrous for relieving both our stressed states. So brush my mane. If you need it, you can do my tail as well."
Smiling softly, Axl went back to brushing. After a time, he finally spoke up. "Thank you."
"Just watch for tangles," Octavia murmured softly, relaxing into the tending.
Half an hour later, Octavia was perfectly groomed and Axl had found some measure of inner peace, and was ready for the next mission. Deciding to take some weight off Axl's mind, Octavia unilaterally decided to go after the Tunnel Base, utilizing Ride Armors to retake the location and pursue the 'Maverick' in that area, whom Axl was able to identify as Vanishing Gungaroo. "This way, you get to ride, too," Octavia explained after hopping back to Axl's shoulders. "Now giddyup."
Axl, for his part, rolled his eyes. "I think I preferred mush."
Octavia then held out a brush hanging from a stick in front of Axl's face. "Go on, go get it."
Upon arriving in the Tunnel Base, they found the main tunnel leading in to be unusually dark. "Let's move forward slowly and find the Ride Armor," Octavia pointed out. "It should be somewhere near here."
"I've already got a bead on it," Axl pointed out as he dashed forward, curving to the side of the wider hallway as soon as they exited the narrow one they'd beamed into. A large blue Ride Armor waited there, a new model armed with two heavy auto-cannons and two heavy rocket launchers. Once in the cockpit, Axl was easily able to handle the controls, beginning to blast their way forward.
"You can detect things like that?" Octavia asked curiously. "Is that more innate tech?"
"More training, really," Axl explained. "Everything gives off a certain amount of unique electronic signal that any Reploid can pick up. Given the sheer amount, however, it's pure static for anyone trying to listen in. Red taught me to find the specific patterns in it so I can track specific things. A Reploid in distress, a hostile mechanaloid drone, an inactive but functional Ride Armor..." He shrugged his shoulders. "Difficult but useful."
"Most definitely," Octavia praised. "You're just full of surprises. Where did Red learn to do it?"
"That's the thing," Axl continued, now uncertain. "Red couldn't do it. He understood the theory and could identify the patterns to teach the skill, but he couldn't duplicate it in action. He never explained why." A frown crossed his face. "Maybe if he could..." He fell silent as he maneuvered the Ride Armor to where a distressed civilian was hiding.
"You think some sort of signal is altering Red's behavior?" Octavia asked as she evaced the civilian Reploid.
"I noticed a new pattern in the static before things started to change," Axl responded quietly. "Or at least, I think I did." He sighed as he blasted down another wall that blocked the path with the rockets. "Though it might just be some desperate hope that everything Red claimed we stood for wasn't a lie, grabbing any sort of explanation that can let me still believe in him, despite..."
Octavia gently put her hoof to Axl's cheek. "We'll get through this," she promised. "We'll find out what's causing all this. And we'll fix it. Whatever else, we will make this better."
Axl managed to smile as they reached a large door, which slowly opened for them. "You really think so?" he asked hopefully.
"I know so," Octavia insisted. "You just keep moving. Everything will be just fine."
Axl guided the Ride Armor through the door, his smile wider as he felt much more confident and at ease.
Such a sweet moment between these "cousins". I wonder how they will take the reveal I wonder?
7570422 I forgot that Rock and X are brothers.
Spoilers, an eldritch has possessed Red, possibly.
He's more than you think, he's got maximum pink! Kirby, Kirby, Kirby's the one!
Out back at ya... yeah!
It's more like he got mortally wounded, then killed himself in order to keep important information a secret (To die without leaving a corpse; that is the law of us Garo), but yeah we'll go with that.
But I have to wonder, wouldn't doing a mundane task like that whilst recovering from PTSD cause something bad to happen, like her hair getting rubbed out of her scalp?
I'd say that has more to do with a feature that the guardian of a pony in an uncertain future has than it is something that's actually therapeutic (would a person get the same results from brushing a stranger's hair?). But who am I to judge, an older woman is telling you to touch her intimately; go for it!
So you'd rather be called a dog than a stallion, eh? Your son has interesting tastes, Rock, but I won't judge... I'd probably be the same in such a circumstance.
What's this?... Could it be... concern for a former ally before a "final" confrontation?!?... Axl is Best Maverick Hunter, no contest.
Uphold the statutes of those who've fallen before thee, Axl!
orig08.deviantart.net/ff05/f/2010/198/b/b/ride_on_green_biker_dude_by_neo_kirby_and_watch.png
Ride on, Green Biker Dude!
7570484
You caught that reference too, huh?
7570475 More like Sigma's positronic brain control thingamabobber.
I did love the Explosion weapon you get from Gungaroo.
He was the first boss that I fought and beat.
7570552 Actually, I've got no idea what it's referencing, if anything at all. I've just had Kirby Fever all month (Hence why I completed Planet Robobot in less than a week), and the last three words of the chapter brought it all back.
Looks like Axl managed to brush off the aftereffects from the last mission.
They're in for a ride this mission, I'm sure of it.
Too bad Axl can't pick up dollars and sense.
7570475 Chances are likely.
7570441
7570484
The whole MLP toyline was built on that premise. Don't knock it.
7570563
If Sigma was still bound to the Virus, I'd say "What's the difference?". As is, though, I got nothing.
7570618 It's a reference to the show "Kirby: Right Back At Ya", and it's theme song.
7570698 Like, directly? Wouldn't it be "Right Back at Ya", then? Unless it's talking about brushing the tangles and knots "out" of Axl's feelings, I don't think I get the creative change.
7570709
It was a play on words, because the Maverick is kangaroo (or at least marsupial) based.
7570710 Oh, I considered Outback, but I hardly know a thing about X7. Maybe that's why I like Axl, because I don't know how his canon counterpart is? Hmm...
{F14m3rz: Hey, hold on a second! Axl isn't cocky at all, here! RAAAAAAAAAAAA-}
Nah, I'm not feeling it.
Another enjoyable chapter. Well done.
Brushing therapy is a success!!!
Will the Navigators be a bit put out that Axl seems to be able to spot hidden items, taking some of their job away???
I hope they can take Gungaroo in safely. He seems like a good kid.
....
....
OOH! can his nickname be Joey!?
All must bow before our cute and evil overlord Tavi
And Tavi still doesn't undertand just how oftensive is to treat Axl like a common non talking pony.
How old and grown up is Tavi at this point? I'm trying to decide how comical the mental image of her riding around on Axl should be.
7578883
Physically, she is maybe a year or two younger than she is in canon.
Chronologically, she's almost 200.
7578894 I'm going with "pretty comical" then.
...'Tavi is the Reploid whisperer. She understands the odd creatures that are Reploids.
axl needs to be ready, but his deduction onto what is happening DOES paint the picture of an outside source...