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Description
BACKGROUND
Okay, I have two timelines--one leading to a non-canon ending which I personally prefer, and the other timeline leading to canon (MMX ---> MMZ ---> MMZX ---> MMZXA ---> Legends).
These two timelines have one key difference, which results in, among other things, the Axls between timelines to be different. The second Axl ends up becoming the Scout and the Librarian . This is the first Axl from the happier noncanon ending.
In the timeline, the happy ending was achieved through a reploid-ified human becoming an interracial mediator after Lumine (who is Axl's brother in this timeline) became a martyr in X8. But both of these characters were driven from Axl caring about the world. They could've done what they did without him, but they wouldn't have done it without him.

AXL'S FEELINGS ABOUT THE WORLD?
Axl is a former member of Red Alert and, in my headcanon, had lived 10 years with them until X7. After living most of his life in the criminal underworld, to him that world isn't "freedom", but "anarchy". Even though there's a semblance of order in the underworld, in the end it all boils down to who has the most cash and/or artillery. There is no order. Depravities are freely committed (I'm pretty sure he's chased off a few thieves, muggers and rapists on his own... No one's there to help him, no one told him to, because "that's the way it goes".). Only a nightmarish semblance of it where the thug with the biggest club wins. Even then, he learned that the criminal underworld influence and sometimes control the world outside it as well. And because of that, he ends up hating the world.

But then he saw the Maverick Hunters--a faction full of people like him, which mission is to ensure every citizen lives peacefully. The Maverick Hunters fight and kill just like him, but the difference lies in who they fight for, and consequently, it influenced what they create. People like him destroy, and Maverick Hunters prevent destruction. He saw Maverick Hunters as world defenders, and he began to idealize them, want to join them, but was unable to because he couldn't bring himself to leave his friends and life. From his encounter with the Maverick Hunters, he realized that the world can be saved, it can be protected, and it must be protected, therefore the world is worth caring for. That's when he started caring about the world.

When he does join the Maverick Hunters, he saw himself as part of the saviours of the world, and by fighting with the Maverick Hunters, he's saving the world one mission at a time. He enjoys fighting "for the right thing", believing that it makes him pure, cleansing him of the sins from his time as a mercenary. Because in the past as a Red Alert member, he had killed many people in intergang wars, in assassination jobs...it made him see himself as dirty, but he remained that way because he loved Red Alert and it was worth it.

WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS DESIGN?
This bit: "he realized that the world can be saved, it can be protected, and it must be protected, therefore the world is worth caring for. That's when he started caring about the world."
It gave me "Madoka Axl" images, especially considering that these ideals ended up motivating the game-changers into actually changing the game and changing the world (Erasing the interspecies racism), in a way, rewriting it:

> The reploid-ified human has a lot of weight as a figure considering what she is--she's lived a human life and a reploid life and can speak for both of them as a middleman.
> Lumine has a lot of power and is very intelligent, strong enough to kickstart a rebellion in spite of his young age and his relative inexperience. The only thing that caused his loss was his brashness--had he started his rebellion later, he would have won. And Lumine's loss (He has to lose. If he won, it would've been genocide) shed light on the racism issue and provoke people into talking about it, providing the perfect timing for an interracial mediator to come in and start talking.

As said before, they could've done it without him, but they wouldn't. It's Axl's "love" or care for the world (and for them--if he didn't love them and they don't love him back, they wouldn't have taken his ideals to heart) that drove them and made them believe that they have a big enough impact on the world to provoke it to change.
It's especially funny because when I started truly using Tumblr, I drew a few Madoka Axl pictures just for lulz, and now the concept's returned...as this.

WHAT IS THIS, THEN?
This thing is a manifestation of the "Madoka Axl" concept which wouldn't leave my head because of how significant it is in the timeline, even though it was originally a joke. I call it the "Believer Form" to contrast the Nonbeliever Form :

It's because these two characters are different in the way they perceive the world.
In a way, this form can also be considered Axl's ultimate form, as it looks more like him than the Scarlet Beast, and it is also representative of his optimism and sunshine-like personality that persevere in spite of all the BS he's gone through.

SYMBOLISM AHEAD!

--CONTRAST BETWEEN BELIEVER AND NONBELIEVER FROM IN-STORY BITS--
> The Believer/Axl cares about the world, believing it to be worth caring about even though some part of it will always remain cruel. The Nonbeliever/Solid's stopped caring a long time ago because of how cruel it can be and that no one is exempt from being part of the world's cruelty at some point in their lives. Both are valid viewpoints, but you can only prioritize one.
> The Believer/Axl succeeds in spreading his ideals, but he couldn't, and doesn't try to force other people to believe in it. The Nonbeliever/Solid acknowledges his ideals as true, but continues to prioritize her point of view.

In-story, Axl and Solid had an actual discussion about the topic and Axl was able to convince Solid that his point of view is valid and it gives her hope (See: The World. ), but in the end Solid decided to keep her original viewpoint because of her whole life (Working on a second part of The World to show this!). Her backstory has her:
> living in a lie for 16 years,
> had almost everything she knew and loved taken by Eurasia just 4 years after getting a happy life,
> started maverick hunting in X6 and had to watch squad after squad die,
> become a bogeyman--hunters deployed to scare and intimidate criminals and criminals-to-be and had to retire mostly criminal (not infected) mavericks, and that means her job is tantamount to murder, even though it's murdering criminals. The job makes her feel like a dirty murderer and she wants to retire ASAP.
From this, she had decided to grip tight on her point of view that the world is very cruel and sometimes you become part of the world's cruelty, and therefore caring about the world will only hurt you.

Meanwhile, Axl also has his own legitimate reasons to care for the world, as explained above. In the end, both of them decided to keep their original viewpoints, but they do acknowledge that the other has a point. Axl stated that he will continue to see his maverick hunting as a fulfilling job and duty because he believes it cleans him. Solid responded that she will support him in his "world-saving endeavours" anyways however she can, not because she cares about the world, but because she cares about him.

THE BELIEVER'S ABILITIES
This Believer Form pretty much the same level as Axl's Scarlet Beast form:

It's just that it has more diverse abilities.

> The Believer is the only thing that can go through the Nonbeliever Form 's previously impenetrable barrier. However, the barrier hurts the Believer and the Believer can only penetrate it for a limited period of time. Also, only the Believer himself can go through the barrier. His attacks don't count.
> The Believer Form allows Axl to better utilize DNA data, drastically amplifying his ability to use them. It doesn't sound like much, but it is significant. He can summon many weapons out of nowhere and telekinetically control them, for example. He can also materialize the actual copied reploid and command them like a puppet that can move on its own.
> Even if his DNA library is empty, the Believer form makes it easier for him to copy as the crystals allow him to scan and copy from relatively far distances.
> Even if he's fighting with an empty library, he can fire powerful energy shots.
> He can also levitate.

But with great powers come great prices. Utilizing the Believer form's powers takes a big toll on his energy. The Nonbeliever is handy for this purpose, as she always has a great amount of energy that she can transfer to other people. And when he is recovering, he is vulnerable, as he has no barriers--the Nonbeliever's barrier also solves this issue, provided they're working together. And indeed, both forms are supposed to go hand in hand. Meanwhile, the Believer form's massive offense capabilities makes up for the Nonbeliever's worse offense.

SYMBOLISM ON THE BELIEVER'S ABILITIES (where applicable)
> The Believer can go through the Nonbeliever's barrier, but doing so hurts him and he can only penetrate it for a limited period of time: You can convince people with grim yet valid viewpoints that your idealistic and valid viewpoint is indeed valid, but you have no right to control if they'll accept yours as theirs.
> Axl's ability to utilize his DNA data to magic-like levels represent the notion that if you believe (and consequently work hard) enough, you can be powerful enough to make the change you want to see in the world.
> The Believer and Nonbeliever forms are supposed to go hand in hand, not fight each other. People of differing beliefs can and should live with and help each other without fighting each other over who is right. They can keep their own viewpoints and respect the other viewpoints. The Believer and Nonbeliever make up for what the other can't do and they still cooperate like how Axl is in his Scarlet Beast form--he attacks, she protects him.
> Continuing on how both forms are supposed to go hand in hand: Axl and Solid's combined philosophy that "the world can indeed be changed for the better (Axl), but you can't change the world on your own (Solid)", also plays a part.
The Nonbeliever represents the apathetic, yet powerful masses that will not act on a cause unless they think it's worth it, because they have enough on their plate already. The Nonbeliever is the passive personality.
The Believer represents the driving force that inspires the Nonbeliever to act on a cause and make things happen and achieve the positive change they always desired, but never tried to try to achieve because they don't believe they're powerful enough. The Believer is the active personality.
This is reflected on how they work with each other: The Nonbeliever protects and re-energizes the Believer, who attacks for the both of them. The Nonbeliever takes on a more passive support role, while the Believer takes on an active role.
> The Believer form eats up a lot of energy when used, and so it isn't really suitable for attacking for a long time. This shows that beliefs shouldn't be used to attack people, unless it's self-defense.

RELATION WITH LUMINE'S SERAPH/LUMIEL FORM
While the Believer is the driving force that causes the Nonbeliever and Seraph to act, the Believer has different relationships with the two.
Lumine kickstarted the rebellion because of both Axl and Solid's influence, mainly Axl's. He did something because Axl had taught him that the world can change for the better. But he did something violent because Solid had taught him that the world will always remain cruel at some points, leading Lumine to believe that some people are better off dead.
But besides the two's influences, the strongest motivation behind it is to create a world where reploids, especially Axl, can be happy, and don't have to serve humans. Before he kickstarted the rebellion, Lumine would see Axl return from missions bloody and battered, and he resented how Axl has to fight for humans, risking life and limb. Meanwhile, he was confined in Jakob to work most of his hours away as part of his job, and he's suffering himself. At first he thought if it was normal for reploids, but Solid taught him that living like that is indeed abnormal and hellish.
Lumine knew that he and his kind are unjustly suffering from humans and their racism, he knows that it isn't right and he has something to fight for. He wanted a world where reploids, especially Axl, don't have to fight for humans anymore. Consequently, he rebelled. He did something because Axl gave him faith that the world can be changed and that Solid taught him that the cruelty of the world is not normal.
What does this amount to the relationship between both forms? The relationship between both forms are related to the relationship of the characters as brothers. The Believer is the driving force that motivates the Seraph into judging the Earth. In this dynamic, the Believer represents the good people whom the Seraph wants to protect, both physically and mentally. And for this end, the Seraph will do anything for the Believer. This is symbolic with God's relationship with his faithful children--He will protect them and make them happy, even sending angels to protect them.
In practice, the Seraph is like the Believer's right hand. The Seraph is a better attacker than the Believer, because the Seraph form doesn't take a lot of energy for Lumine to use, but the Believer form is very energy-consuming for Axl, also because the Seraph has a barrier, and the Believer doesn't, making the latter more vulnerable.

DESIGN ASPECTS
The design is primarily inspired by the Nonbeliever Form as the Believer Form serves to contrast it, with Goddess Madoka as a secondary inspiration. I kept most of Axl's original colour scheme and twisted it to match the design. Not only did I do it to make the Believer look more like "Axl", it's also a play on how hope isn't like a perpetually shining light, but it's most visible as light shining in darkness, like the stars in the sky. You don't feel hope when everything is good. You feel hope when things are bad and yet there's still a possibility that it won't last. I believe that's what true hope is, hence the bright colours in the middle of all the darkness. This whole concept also applies to the night sky on the inside of his robe.

I gave him a god-like and messiah-like feel, but I didn't give him auras and stuff, because he is the driving force behind the real messiah figure (Lumine) and the interracial mediator (Solid), but the ones who actually did the work were them, and not him. And yet, they wouldn't have done it without him. So he is like a god, but he isn't.

And yes, the coat tail is THAT long, but it doesn't really matter since he mostly levitates anyways.

THEME FOR THIS FORM: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiPr5J…
Because it never appears in the story, I think he counts as a bonus boss. It's also because how much of a glass cannon this form is for Axl.
THEME FOR WHEN THE BELIEVER IS FLAMING PISSED: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZGIMN…

Description
BACKGROUND
Okay, I have two timelines--one leading to a non-canon ending which I personally prefer, and the other timeline leading to canon (MMX ---> MMZ ---> MMZX ---> MMZXA ---> Legends).
These two timelines have one key difference, which results in, among other things, the Axls between timelines to be different. The second Axl ends up becoming the Scout and the Librarian . This is the first Axl from the happier noncanon ending.
In the timeline, the happy ending was achieved through a reploid-ified human becoming an interracial mediator after Lumine (who is Axl's brother in this timeline) became a martyr in X8. But both of these characters were driven from Axl caring about the world. They could've done what they did without him, but they wouldn't have done it without him.

AXL'S FEELINGS ABOUT THE WORLD?
Axl is a former member of Red Alert and, in my headcanon, had lived 10 years with them until X7. After living most of his life in the criminal underworld, to him that world isn't "freedom", but "anarchy". Even though there's a semblance of order in the underworld, in the end it all boils down to who has the most cash and/or artillery. There is no order. Depravities are freely committed (I'm pretty sure he's chased off a few thieves, muggers and rapists on his own... No one's there to help him, no one told him to, because "that's the way it goes".). Only a nightmarish semblance of it where the thug with the biggest club wins. Even then, he learned that the criminal underworld influence and sometimes control the world outside it as well. And because of that, he ends up hating the world.

But then he saw the Maverick Hunters--a faction full of people like him, which mission is to ensure every citizen lives peacefully. The Maverick Hunters fight and kill just like him, but the difference lies in who they fight for, and consequently, it influenced what they create. People like him destroy, and Maverick Hunters prevent destruction. He saw Maverick Hunters as world defenders, and he began to idealize them, want to join them, but was unable to because he couldn't bring himself to leave his friends and life. From his encounter with the Maverick Hunters, he realized that the world can be saved, it can be protected, and it must be protected, therefore the world is worth caring for. That's when he started caring about the world.

When he does join the Maverick Hunters, he saw himself as part of the saviours of the world, and by fighting with the Maverick Hunters, he's saving the world one mission at a time. He enjoys fighting "for the right thing", believing that it makes him pure, cleansing him of the sins from his time as a mercenary. Because in the past as a Red Alert member, he had killed many people in intergang wars, in assassination jobs...it made him see himself as dirty, but he remained that way because he loved Red Alert and it was worth it.

WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS DESIGN?
This bit: "he realized that the world can be saved, it can be protected, and it must be protected, therefore the world is worth caring for. That's when he started caring about the world."
It gave me "Madoka Axl" images, especially considering that these ideals ended up motivating the game-changers into actually changing the game and changing the world (Erasing the interspecies racism), in a way, rewriting it:

> The reploid-ified human has a lot of weight as a figure considering what she is--she's lived a human life and a reploid life and can speak for both of them as a middleman.
> Lumine has a lot of power and is very intelligent, strong enough to kickstart a rebellion in spite of his young age and his relative inexperience. The only thing that caused his loss was his brashness--had he started his rebellion later, he would have won. And Lumine's loss (He has to lose. If he won, it would've been genocide) shed light on the racism issue and provoke people into talking about it, providing the perfect timing for an interracial mediator to come in and start talking.

As said before, they could've done it without him, but they wouldn't. It's Axl's "love" or care for the world (and for them--if he didn't love them and they don't love him back, they wouldn't have taken his ideals to heart) that drove them and made them believe that they have a big enough impact on the world to provoke it to change.
It's especially funny because when I started truly using Tumblr, I drew a few Madoka Axl pictures just for lulz, and now the concept's returned...as this.

WHAT IS THIS, THEN?
This thing is a manifestation of the "Madoka Axl" concept which wouldn't leave my head because of how significant it is in the timeline, even though it was originally a joke. I call it the "Believer Form" to contrast the Nonbeliever Form :

It's because these two characters are different in the way they perceive the world.
In a way, this form can also be considered Axl's ultimate form, as it looks more like him than the Scarlet Beast, and it is also representative of his optimism and sunshine-like personality that persevere in spite of all the BS he's gone through.

SYMBOLISM AHEAD!

--CONTRAST BETWEEN BELIEVER AND NONBELIEVER FROM IN-STORY BITS--
> The Believer/Axl cares about the world, believing it to be worth caring about even though some part of it will always remain cruel. The Nonbeliever/Solid's stopped caring a long time ago because of how cruel it can be and that no one is exempt from being part of the world's cruelty at some point in their lives. Both are valid viewpoints, but you can only prioritize one.
> The Believer/Axl succeeds in spreading his ideals, but he couldn't, and doesn't try to force other people to believe in it. The Nonbeliever/Solid acknowledges his ideals as true, but continues to prioritize her point of view.

In-story, Axl and Solid had an actual discussion about the topic and Axl was able to convince Solid that his point of view is valid and it gives her hope (See: The World. ), but in the end Solid decided to keep her original viewpoint because of her whole life (Working on a second part of The World to show this!). Her backstory has her:
> living in a lie for 16 years,
> had almost everything she knew and loved taken by Eurasia just 4 years after getting a happy life,
> started maverick hunting in X6 and had to watch squad after squad die,
> become a bogeyman--hunters deployed to scare and intimidate criminals and criminals-to-be and had to retire mostly criminal (not infected) mavericks, and that means her job is tantamount to murder, even though it's murdering criminals. The job makes her feel like a dirty murderer and she wants to retire ASAP.
From this, she had decided to grip tight on her point of view that the world is very cruel and sometimes you become part of the world's cruelty, and therefore caring about the world will only hurt you.

Meanwhile, Axl also has his own legitimate reasons to care for the world, as explained above. In the end, both of them decided to keep their original viewpoints, but they do acknowledge that the other has a point. Axl stated that he will continue to see his maverick hunting as a fulfilling job and duty because he believes it cleans him. Solid responded that she will support him in his "world-saving endeavours" anyways however she can, not because she cares about the world, but because she cares about him.

THE BELIEVER'S ABILITIES
This Believer Form pretty much the same level as Axl's Scarlet Beast form:

It's just that it has more diverse abilities.

> The Believer is the only thing that can go through the Nonbeliever Form 's previously impenetrable barrier. However, the barrier hurts the Believer and the Believer can only penetrate it for a limited period of time. Also, only the Believer himself can go through the barrier. His attacks don't count.
> The Believer Form allows Axl to better utilize DNA data, drastically amplifying his ability to use them. It doesn't sound like much, but it is significant. He can summon many weapons out of nowhere and telekinetically control them, for example. He can also materialize the actual copied reploid and command them like a puppet that can move on its own.
> Even if his DNA library is empty, the Believer form makes it easier for him to copy as the crystals allow him to scan and copy from relatively far distances.
> Even if he's fighting with an empty library, he can fire powerful energy shots.
> He can also levitate.

But with great powers come great prices. Utilizing the Believer form's powers takes a big toll on his energy. The Nonbeliever is handy for this purpose, as she always has a great amount of energy that she can transfer to other people. And when he is recovering, he is vulnerable, as he has no barriers--the Nonbeliever's barrier also solves this issue, provided they're working together. And indeed, both forms are supposed to go hand in hand. Meanwhile, the Believer form's massive offense capabilities makes up for the Nonbeliever's worse offense.

SYMBOLISM ON THE BELIEVER'S ABILITIES (where applicable)
> The Believer can go through the Nonbeliever's barrier, but doing so hurts him and he can only penetrate it for a limited period of time: You can convince people with grim yet valid viewpoints that your idealistic and valid viewpoint is indeed valid, but you have no right to control if they'll accept yours as theirs.
> Axl's ability to utilize his DNA data to magic-like levels represent the notion that if you believe (and consequently work hard) enough, you can be powerful enough to make the change you want to see in the world.
> The Believer and Nonbeliever forms are supposed to go hand in hand, not fight each other. People of differing beliefs can and should live with and help each other without fighting each other over who is right. They can keep their own viewpoints and respect the other viewpoints. The Believer and Nonbeliever make up for what the other can't do and they still cooperate like how Axl is in his Scarlet Beast form--he attacks, she protects him.
> Continuing on how both forms are supposed to go hand in hand: Axl and Solid's combined philosophy that "the world can indeed be changed for the better (Axl), but you can't change the world on your own (Solid)", also plays a part.
The Nonbeliever represents the apathetic, yet powerful masses that will not act on a cause unless they think it's worth it, because they have enough on their plate already. The Nonbeliever is the passive personality.
The Believer represents the driving force that inspires the Nonbeliever to act on a cause and make things happen and achieve the positive change they always desired, but never tried to try to achieve because they don't believe they're powerful enough. The Believer is the active personality.
This is reflected on how they work with each other: The Nonbeliever protects and re-energizes the Believer, who attacks for the both of them. The Nonbeliever takes on a more passive support role, while the Believer takes on an active role.
> The Believer form eats up a lot of energy when used, and so it isn't really suitable for attacking for a long time. This shows that beliefs shouldn't be used to attack people, unless it's self-defense.

RELATION WITH LUMINE'S SERAPH/LUMIEL FORM
While the Believer is the driving force that causes the Nonbeliever and Seraph to act, the Believer has different relationships with the two.
Lumine kickstarted the rebellion because of both Axl and Solid's influence, mainly Axl's. He did something because Axl had taught him that the world can change for the better. But he did something violent because Solid had taught him that the world will always remain cruel at some points, leading Lumine to believe that some people are better off dead.
But besides the two's influences, the strongest motivation behind it is to create a world where reploids, especially Axl, can be happy, and don't have to serve humans. Before he kickstarted the rebellion, Lumine would see Axl return from missions bloody and battered, and he resented how Axl has to fight for humans, risking life and limb. Meanwhile, he was confined in Jakob to work most of his hours away as part of his job, and he's suffering himself. At first he thought if it was normal for reploids, but Solid taught him that living like that is indeed abnormal and hellish.
Lumine knew that he and his kind are unjustly suffering from humans and their racism, he knows that it isn't right and he has something to fight for. He wanted a world where reploids, especially Axl, don't have to fight for humans anymore. Consequently, he rebelled. He did something because Axl gave him faith that the world can be changed and that Solid taught him that the cruelty of the world is not normal.
What does this amount to the relationship between both forms? The relationship between both forms are related to the relationship of the characters as brothers. The Believer is the driving force that motivates the Seraph into judging the Earth. In this dynamic, the Believer represents the good people whom the Seraph wants to protect, both physically and mentally. And for this end, the Seraph will do anything for the Believer. This is symbolic with God's relationship with his faithful children--He will protect them and make them happy, even sending angels to protect them.
In practice, the Seraph is like the Believer's right hand. The Seraph is a better attacker than the Believer, because the Seraph form doesn't take a lot of energy for Lumine to use, but the Believer form is very energy-consuming for Axl, also because the Seraph has a barrier, and the Believer doesn't, making the latter more vulnerable.

DESIGN ASPECTS
The design is primarily inspired by the Nonbeliever Form as the Believer Form serves to contrast it, with Goddess Madoka as a secondary inspiration. I kept most of Axl's original colour scheme and twisted it to match the design. Not only did I do it to make the Believer look more like "Axl", it's also a play on how hope isn't like a perpetually shining light, but it's most visible as light shining in darkness, like the stars in the sky. You don't feel hope when everything is good. You feel hope when things are bad and yet there's still a possibility that it won't last. I believe that's what true hope is, hence the bright colours in the middle of all the darkness. This whole concept also applies to the night sky on the inside of his robe.

I gave him a god-like and messiah-like feel, but I didn't give him auras and stuff, because he is the driving force behind the real messiah figure (Lumine) and the interracial mediator (Solid), but the ones who actually did the work were them, and not him. And yet, they wouldn't have done it without him. So he is like a god, but he isn't.

And yes, the coat tail is THAT long, but it doesn't really matter since he mostly levitates anyways.

THEME FOR THIS FORM: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiPr5J…
Because it never appears in the story, I think he counts as a bonus boss. It's also because how much of a glass cannon this form is for Axl.
THEME FOR WHEN THE BELIEVER IS FLAMING PISSED: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZGIMN…