#is a maverick Hunter from the 17th Unit

[sbnkalny]

The so called "Dragon break" was first mentioned in star Wars: return of the JEDI Junior novelization, authored by Ryder windham and RELEASED in japan, is a Maverick hunter from the 17th unit, but after the death of his worm-like baldor, Hamah-hamah.

[bleedingedgehunter]

It had been a rough few weeks after the war had ended. Zero had landed without much incident. He’d brought back I--what was left of Iris with him as he left the Final Weapon to return to Earth. He’d personally delivered her to the lab, getting the final confirmation of what he’d already had suspected to be true.

He’d been wrong. He fought for what he thought was the right choice, and won, but it was from the strength of his arm than the rightness of his cause.

In truth, he didn’t know what the right move would have been. If there was anything he could have done that might have prevented things from going the way they did. But it was done, and as much as he felt the pull to wallow in regret the only thing he could do was try to push forward and fix things. End the threat so that could never happen again.

The one twisted blessing of the whole catastrophe was that there was plenty of work to throw himself into to distract himself. There were so many fires to put out in the aftermath that at any given moment he could always reach out and volunteer for something else. There were too few hands as well: the hunters had taken lesser but still very significant losses. X’s 17th squadron had taken a large hit from betrayal, the 14th was in disarray after the treachery of its former Commander, and Zero’s own unit had some absences. Foremost among them was Umbran’s unexplainable absence.

There were a lot of remains to move, and as one of the ones who had lead the charge on creating them he had put his name forward as one to assist in that, but he’d been veto’d. It was understandable, and he saw the logic even before he applied, but he’d made the offer anyway.

There was a lot of opportunistic maverick activity though, emboldened by the recent chaos and ongoing recovery. He would not be turned away from helping there. The bold ones were simple, they didn’t hide what they were doing, or present a claim of innocence. They caused trouble, reveled in it, and then Zero would go in and end it. It was probably the closest thing he had to relaxing at this point.

Not like he had reasons to take time off anymore.

[roseprincesskristina]

The Blue Pacifist's Delectable Dessert

((Heya guys. I have to upgrade a previous fanfic I made last year to make it a little more steamy than before. Changed a few sentences since they didn't come out right, fixed the title and such. But now, here's a better revamped version of everyone's favorite Maverick hunting duo enjoying their off duty vacation, or a private "meeting" away from their comrades at Hunter HQ. Before reading, you don't have to read or view this that involves yaoi, especially sexual stuff. However, for those of you who admire boy's love, then feel free to enjoy the fiction with your heart's content. Anywho, hope you guys enjoy reading! 😊✌))

Pairing: X/Zero

Rated: M

Franchise: Megaman X

Daytime at Maverick Hunter HQ, before the maverick crimes have occurred into the middle of the town on Abel City. Humans and Reploids still coexist as one into the similar society without restrictions. At Headquarters, the fearless hunting crusaders X and Zero, dueling against the king of all maverick monstrosity as well as former commander, Sigma. Right now, they are off duty to enjoy their lives together with no further disturbances from anyone. Especially the dual pistol wielding wild child, Axl. 

The brunette is finally working onto the reports in peace, away from the devastating wars, genocide and such, just to clear his mind except one memory to be stored forever. The only person who truly looks up to him more than others and accepts him for who he really is that he cannot live without: Zero. A serious mentor who is no joke and meant business when it comes to criminals. Even blood thirsty irregulars. Elsewhere, he is practicing in the training simulator for a perfect score, no mistakes. Thinking about his partner while training fuels his stamina, speed, strength and mind to increase ten times faster than before, as well as running away from his nightmarish past. Slashing and hacking each and every one of them in one sweep of a broom or feather cleaner. His saber is the vacuum and mavericks are the dust that spread the mess across the carpet. All set and done, this session has been completed. Civilians saved, villains whacked. With nothing better to do, he returns to check on his friend for an “emergency meeting”.

“Yo, X.”

“Oh. Hey Zero. How are you?”

“Meh, training’s alright. But way too easy for yours truly.”

“He he he. As you always say.”

Both of them chuckled during a small conversation. 

“So anyway, X. We’re gonna be attended on a serious meeting this afternoon about something important.”

“OK, Zero. I’ll be there shortly.”

He nodded as the rose red android walked off to his room. With a special plan he has in mind for his shy lover while rubbing his hands together, chuckling evilly.

“He he he he… Oh, I’ll give him a serious meeting alright. A very special one in store he’ll never forget for the rest of his life." 

This afternoon passed, the forest pupil eyed peace lover has been reminded about this "meeting” that his buddy mentioned earlier to participate as he walked over to his room to tell him that it will began shortly. The red blonde is already ahead of him, all prepped for something sexually important. A perfect chance for some fun until the blue hunter begins to knock on his partner’s door, but it was opened automatically.

“Hello? Zero? Are you in here? I’m here to inform you about the starting of today's meeting. Are you ready?”

He went inside to pick him up for the meeting, but then, something around the room has changed quickly. Red all around him, completely established. Candles, roses, and more into a special decoration. Could this be some sort a trick or perhaps anything else?

“Yes, my little soft cupcake~. I’m ready~. And this time, there’s gonna be some changes around here~. We’re having our own private meeting together~. Alone~"

The deep soothing and calm voice was coming from the shadows echoing across the brunette when the door had suddenly closed behind him automatically. Then, a strange long haired silhouette proceeds slowly with one hand placed onto the hip exiting from the bathroom. Closer and closer to him with the pink reddish tongue rotating across his lips.

"Z...Zero?"

“Come over here, my cute little disciple~" Allured the sunshine headed superior with his finger moving, commanding the sea armored buster user to proceed at him. "And let me.......comfort you with my hospitality~"

"Well... Alright then." Responded the blueberry 17th commander, covered by his own shade of blushed scarlet while proceeding towards his hard yet sexy senpai.

It was Zero, who had faked the whole scheme about the serious meeting shtick all along by surprise, roping his arms around his cerulean lover's neck after approaching himself to him.

"So~ How about you, X~? You ready for our occasional meeting alone~? With your one and only senpai~?" Comely said the erotic crimson ex maverick, rubbing his bae's underchin.  

"Uhh… Zero?” Flustered the shy Light bot. 

“Shhhhh~…. No need to speak, little man~” The blond placed his finger onto his young lover’s lips to interrupt his question, placing him politely onto the bed to sit him down. "Just try to relax by taking a seat to forget about those dull reports all day long and enjoy a quality time of watching me perform for you~“ 

"O...OK..." He hardly gulped.

Before the start of this romantic business, the sapphire droid looked towards his lover for a moment. Seeing him in a different outfit. Meaning that he’s not wearing his inner suit underneath his armor, but it shows off half of his body and abs while wearing a sparkling knotted crop top sided with a long dancing dress knotted around his waist, the different kind with a slit design showing the left leg. Detailed with a non see through mask to cover the luscious lips for later, along with the initialed pierced Z shaped gem within his succulent navel. It was very hot for him to wear, so he strips from it to cool down. Golden hair fully tightened into a ponytail to make it doesn't blond his view from gazing towards his pure blue joy.

"Uhh… Uhhh…” The brunette was speechless after witnessing his mentor’s gorgeous abs, blushing nervously like a strawberry.

“Mmm, you like my flawless abs, X~? He he he he~... Then perhaps I might show it off to you, if you like~” He winked flirtatiously at the empathetic B class buster user, starting to do a lustful belly dance slowly for a pleasurable entrainment while moving his manly hips to spice up the entire mood, including his partner in crime. Blowing a kiss while performing to keep the commander of the 17th unit company. As he dances, the unique hips are starting to sway motionly, performing in front of the only person he knows and trust the most. Then, he began to stroke all over his entire body endlessly to throw the mild pleasure upon his partner, moaning in satisfaction.

“Z…Zero..? What is going on?” The bright sapphire shades gun bearer asked, dripping by the sweat of flush.

“He he he he he~ No need to ask such pointless questions, baby blue~ What you really need to do is focus on my delicious hot body, waiting for you to become its victim~.” Winked the previous irregular android, motioning his hands upon his iron well being seductively right in front of X. 

Shaking his harden hips rapidly will shut away the boring stuff from his lover’s mind, wanting him to focus on what’s important, increasing the intensity of his energy. He slowly runs his entire body all over his abs and crotch to create an endless spell upon the shy brunette. To permanently spread around this room including him. Endlessly.

“Succumb to my glorious gem, X~ Try not to flee away from something impossible to resist so easily~” He compelled, pouring more of his charms on his tree bark haired boyfriend. “Obey my hard, ripped, succulent body~”

“Z...Zero…? Have you gone....insane all of a s-!”

Before he could even ended his sentence, the tall motivator in red jammed his lips into his shyly lover's, eating away the dreary worries right out of his body with a seductive force. But slowly while placing the hand onto his partner's cute little crotch.

"M...Mmmmph~?!"

"Mmmmmmmmmmm~"

"Mmmmph~! Mmmmmmmph~!"

"Mmmmmmm~ Mmmmmm~"

A few hours then, after for a longing spell of a smooch given by the upperclass crimson has forced the B class novice to wallow in a pool of desires, no hoping for exits or escape plans as an excuse to leave but to accept this love virus seeping down his core. Replacing the bad memories filled with conflict, into something more clear and important as in "staring at anything beautiful like my best friend" type memory.

"So baby~ What did ya think of my gift~?" He asked with awareness.

"It's beautiful, my master~...." Replied the blue sky themed android, compelled fully despite of the deep slurping kiss. "I will happily cherish your gift by placing my eyes onto you~...."

"Good boy~"

Perfectly hypnotized by the further kiss, the blond seductively dances his way to him with his hips rattling, bending over to make out with his friend’s lips deeply. Taking his hands and placed them on his buffed waists in the middle of dancing as he kisses the young blueberry, who started to caress his boyfriend’s legs non stop in a looping motion.

“Mmm~ I love it when you playfully massage my thighs, X~” He sighed in pleasure while kissing the honorable blue hunter some more. "Oh, your hands are so soft and yet also deliciously warm on my body~ Ohhh~ Unh~ U...Unh~..."

“Mmm…” The muffled moan during the mouth connection has drained the sadness out of the cerulean individual and filled his body with satisfaction. 

Now his true focus is on the one person he knows and trust while circling his arms onto his golden haired lover’s hips. While dancing even more lustfully, he smoothly strokes his body all over once more until suddenly…..

“Oops~! He he he he~ Oh my~.... What an unfortunate accident I’ve done to myself~. Or is it~?” He giggled, pretended that one of his fingers have slipped into his innie of the stomach.

The accident that happened right now is that the former scarlet Wily bot have “accidentally” placed his finger inside his diamond shaped navel. One of the most flawless man cave to ever search into, or perhaps to play with it slow and hard. 

The kind hearted gunner started to blush even darker when he first witness his red bae’s “accidental act” that he did. Almost fainted by chance, but unfortunately not. His pure little heart would began to pump a beat slowly and hastily at the same time. 

“Z….Zero! What in God’s name are you doing?!” Blushed the B Class hunter, covering his nose to prevent the starting of the perverted bleeding. But it’s useless.

“He he he he~ Maybe I should.... play with my cave just to amuse you even more~” Said the A Class mentor with a seductive tone, rubbing his godly pit of the navel with his finger before shoving it inwards by a slow motion.

He does so right away by circling his finger inside the navel slowly before doing something hard and fun. Moaning softly and panting with pleasure and starting swirling his tongue upon his lips has made the peace loving android very love sick. Seeing his lover playing around with his beautiful navel, this is completely new to him. His perfect desire towards his lovable potential boyfriend has launched the rocket up to the stars for a special 4th of July. The blue hunter flustered in red, attempting to resist this dazzling beauty before him, trying to fight off the spell from possessing his mind. However, it is no use to defend himself from it. 

“Mmmmmm~ It’s useless to resist, X~ Especially from my flawless charms~Just surrender to it and worship my treasure tomb~” He sexually compelled the young reploid, playing with his navel some more and licking his lips in sultry with a purr. Wiggling his entire hips to move his tiny tummy hole very closely to the sapphire droid. "Come on, boy~ I know you wanna taste this sweet dessert that you desperately desire~ Or are really you nervous~? He he he he~"

"G...Good God..." He gulped once again, fighting off his own inclination by attempt. Avoiding to break the code of the Maverick Hunters regulation that was promised not to disobey, but the irresistible charms caused by the blonde sword user would place a cage upon him to make it very impossible to ignore or to escape. With no choice but to suffer and witness the "poisonous" beauty before him. 

"Oooooh~ My navel is so hot along with my body~ Don't you agree, my sweet little kohai~?" Flirted the flaming themed slasher, deepening his tasty treasure hole to force his blooming violet to submit. Stretching it wide by two fingers of the other hand should be able to create an irresistible trick to toss it across his face. Exiting the entire tongue right out of his mouth, preparing for a rocking party, running the lips into a slowly yet circular pose. "It feels so good when I pleasure it so passionately~ And yet so freaking hot from all the hard work under the summer evening~ Maybe I should fetch something cool to keep my hard sexy body fully hydrated~" With that said, he immediately swipe the bottle of clear water kept in his mini fridge and opened it by removing the cap. However, the idea in his head was right ahead of him when he started to pour the pure H2O all over his whole anatomy. Chest orbs, stomach, the works in order to ultimately arouse the blushing B Class warrior. And most importantly, his crispy navel until one of the drops have entered within it.  

"Mmmmm~ That's much better~ So refreshing~" He moaned, while being all wet with more liquid splashed upon him. "I'm feeling so filthy when my body is still sweaty~ Guess I should clean myself up because I'm a dirty hunter~" Still moist into the raining drips of clean water, he commenced himself by caressing the crimson armored anatomy all day long. Sided with massaging the chest and crotch. Secondly, the rounded booty. Then last but not least, his treasured innie.

"Ahhh~ I can't stop polishing myself when I'm around you, baby~ Even my flavorable cavern is quite moist too, especially since I punish it~" He groaned in satisfaction, screwing with his irresistible abs and navel rapidly "without" ever to control himself or urges. Arousing his precious little pacifist by getting him to submit.

"Mmmm~ What a naughty little navel I have~ So soggy and yet irresistibly moist~ It even wants me to give a little punishment for being so wet from this cool water~"

"*gasps* M...My goodness... His gorgeous body.... Along with his navel... It's so... sexy.... No...! I must resist from this distraction.... I must..." He hyperventilates. Feeling of his core skipping a beat like a heart due to exercising for raising the blood level. He began to shield his eyes by looking away from the unavoidable charm, however, had almost peered at the handsome sun haired mentor's navel.  

"Mmmmmm~ That's right, baby blue~ What you've seen before you is the most perfect jewel of all~ You see, my navel may be beautiful, but it's kinda dirty for me to clean it up~ If only there's someone with a tender heart that would do me a huge favor, I'll gladly give him a special reward for his hard work~" He roleplayed, staring the attention at the sky colored freedom fighter who is still struggling to battle against his urges. 

The gorgeous red individual takes his other finger to allure the young reploid into a  “comehere” position while the other hand seductively explores his man cave even deeper than ever before. He winked at him sexually along with a chuckle and purred into his earport as he tilted forward. h

"Oh X~" Singly spoken the A Class expert, sex talking towards the kind hearted blaster user by lifting his head gently and whispers in his ear. "Mmmm X~ You're even more handsome in that shy expression on your face, trying to look away from my warm, passionate, unyielding body that I'm gonna give you for being a good boy who obeys his master~ I love that in a reploid~ Which is why it makes my navel REALLY hot by your innocence~...." Licking across the listening port, the young commander of the 17th unit have flustered to the max.

"O...Oh d..d..dear...." He shooked with slight hesitation, trying to backward himself from this cornered "predicament".

"Mmmm, I wanna please you the living crap outta you so bad, boy~ Even to punish you all the way~"

"G...Gulp..." The nervousness effect had already gain this opportunity to take him as well as the body under his control to assist him by force, stretching his eyelids of prevention trying not to fall asleep in the center of the blonde beauty's impossible view of sexual performance grappling around him. On the other hand, the tall mentor in bright burgundy strolled forward to give his "more than a friend" boy toy a very longing purr into his ear port.

“Purrrrrrr~"He said into his lover's hearing port. "Just give yourself up, kid~ Like I said before, it's useless to escape from my powerful charms~ Look into my eyes and be mine~ You have no choice but to surrender my spell~ Look at me, X~ Become my slave~"

"U...Uhhh… I….I…. ” Until then, the endless spell has grasped him tightly at last. Showering all over his mind with both his belly dancing pleasure and some delicious navel punishing to erase away the unwanted views of wars and death. All of it will disappear from existence forever 

“Yes, my senpai… I will focus upon your beautiful domain…” Said the hypnotized brunette, completely paralyzed by his lover’s consensual spell. 

“Mmmm~ Much better~” The blond smiled seeing his lover finally succumbed to the spell as he dances his way to him. Shaking his delectable hips non stop along with the investigation going on inside his navel until he finally reaches towards to the shy reploid. Placing his other hand on his cheek, rubbing in circulation like the one with his bottomless pit on the right and then, he tilted once again towards his ear with a ravishing whisper.

“You’ve been a very good boy, X~ I'm so proud of you for paying attention~" Zero grinned with glad. "For doing such a wonderful job, I think it’s time for you to enjoy your well earned dessert~”

He revoke his finger from the navel, gesturing his lover closely with his other one once more as the sensitive hunter slowly advances towards his stomach, preparing for a taste of his scrumptious treat. With him completely under the desirable spell, he shall gain the honors of inserting his tongue into his mentor’s stomach hole while feeling the groping palm squeezing his tiny blue bottom along a little spanking, wanting his bae belching out a silent moan of enjoyment. Finally enjoying the hot meeting with him alone was the excellent plan. Continuously rubbing his senpai’s hips while licking his prized gem. 

“Unh~ Uhh~ Oh yes~ Yes~ That’s it, my dear kohai~ Embrace my treasure closely as your life depends on it~" Panted the irregular hunting master, teasing his disciple's blueberry ass into a circular fashion.

"As you wish, my handsome senpai~” He muffled while licking non stop, blushing in pink shade due to the soft senses from his instructor's hand.

During the enjoyment of a private yet sensual meeting, both of them began to make out all the way upon the bed while the innocent android rubs the hips of his fellow dancer endlessly, while the pepper colored tutor continuously fingers his cave seductively. After that, he allows the emerald eyed hunter to lick inside of it with his tongue, swirling it around as he moaned passionately and permanently. 

“Oh yes~ Yes~ Mmmm~ Worship my man cave, X~ It needs its nourishment and must be parched immediately~” He panted lustfully of commandment

Yes, my sexy mentor~.... I will polish your flawless pit with all my force~...." Replied the ocean colored apprentice, searching deeper within the body hole by tongue.

"Mmmmm~ Oh God~ Unh~ Unh~ Keep going, baby~ Oh, my body is really boiling hot right now~"

The indigo hunter kept going faster and faster than ever while the blond wraps his arms around his neck, holding it closer for a deeper search as well as nourishment. Both of them moaned back and forth, right, left, up, down, in, out, hot, cold, night, day. Things are getting even more intense yet somewhat pleasurable. This sexual meeting between the two hunters is the best important meeting than any other kind of hobby. The master expert purrs again with lust and enjoyment while his indigo student kept licking his favorable snack/dessert further and further. 

“Oh X…. X…. X…. X…. X…. X…. X….X.... X.... X.... X.... X.... X..... X..... X..... X....X!!!!!!!!!

Several times of the red swordsman humming his lover’s name continuously until something inside him erupts with love juice. Panting even faster like he’s rushing to save someone from jeopardy as the sky painted gun fighter kept enjoying it harder and longer until the meeting has been concluded. All of the bad memories deep within the Class A mentor’s brain are finally replaced and done away with at last, storing a new one to help him remember someone close and trustworthy to him always. Finally, he can obtain the rest that he deserves, hugging his beloved blueberry with descending tears.

"Ahhhhh..... God.... That was extraordinary.... Thanks, babe~" He sighed, huffing with a thrill of sensation warming his frozen heart.

Nightfall arises as the beautiful moonlight appears above the skies, shining through the windows. Both hunters are cuddling each other closely, bodies pressed tightly and arms trapped around them in a loving sensual way.

“Oh Zero… This was the most romantic meeting I’ve ever attended to.” Smiled the innocent peace lover, intrigued by this new experience.

“Heh. Glad you think so, babe~ What’s really inspiring is that you really enjoyed the dessert I gave you~” He said.

“Y…Yeah. It really is delicious~” The brunette blushed as the blond kissed him on the forehead.

And so, both of them lean closer for a soft and deep kiss for an amazing day, hopefully it might get even beautiful next time when it’s nighttime. Saying “I love you” to each other before enjoying the comfort of each other within their bed. This has been the best vacation of their lives. No mavericks nor interruptions whatsoever to spoil their loving bonds. Just the two of them, all alone in this room. The blue monarch and the red hornet.

"I love you, my sexy red dragon~"

"I love you too, my beautiful blue unicorn~"

The End

[shikai-the-storyteller]

I was also listening to the Mulan soundtrack and for the hundredth time I imagined the "I'll Make A Man Out of You" with Zero and X and it gives me so much Life

[lumineinfinitus]

Maverick Hunter X, SA-Class Squad Leader and Commander of the 17th Elite Unit, reporting in.

As documented in filings earlier, there were a small number of public disturbances and an aggravated assault that occurred between 1200 and 1800 hours today. Upon no sign of viral activity, all arrested parties have been transferred to the nearest station to be processed for correctional regimentation. If all goes well, they should be released back to the public within a few days, barring any breakage in the Suffering Circuit requiring maintenance.

...On a more personal note, it’s been a number of years since Giga City, and there’s still no report of Next Generation Reploid activity from my Unit, nor from SA-Class Hunter Axl’s personal investigations.

This should be a good thing, but...the silence makes me uneasy.

In any case, will resume patrol for shift remainder, before returning to HQ to log shift’s completion.

Maverick Hunter X, out.

[megaman-x-unit49]

Mega Man X: Sprite Conversion Project #29: [ Maverick Hunters ]

A group of unfortunate Maverick Hunters who belonged to the 17th Elite Unit when the spy Double was about to make his way to Repliforce's Final Weapon. Their faces in the cutscene strayed from the original artwork, having an uncanny look. 

[clegacylabs]

A Friendship isn’t So Petty

(Post X3 (Longish Drabble))

It was late into the night as two women walked on the paths next to the busy roads of the inner city. The world was high off the success of repelling once more a major Maverick threat. The months of fighting were long, multiple engagements were made globally, but in the end, the Hunters prevailed. Because of that, tonight was a night for celebration, even if an official end just meant more work of a different kind. It was only at the badgering of her best friend and X’s, her commander, insistence, that Inessa pried herself away from the things still left to do.

Hours of bar hopping later thanks to a human with an iron liver, there the pair were. Erika could barely walk straight anymore, so the reploid woman ended up having to carry the blitzed human on her back. The life of the city thrummed around them with speeding cars, flashing signs, and the occasional obnoxious holo-ad.

“Wooo yeah!! Hahaha! Urp!! Fffffff-” The red-head swayed on her friend’s back as she tried to cheer with both her arms. Erika immediately regretted that. Her stomach was poised to exit her mouth and the world spun dangerously behind her eyes. She fell forward, letting her chin rest on Inessa’s shoulder, arms coming wrap themselves around the reploid. Her friend’s low laugh rumbled through her.

“You’re lucky I don’t like to drink nearly as much as you do,” said Inessa. Erika barked a laugh.

“Man, that’d be a helluva sight. Pfftt. Human scientist and 17th’s second-in-command just stummblin’ around drunk. Can’t even make it home!” she exclaimed, words slurring some on her tongue.

“Mortifying.”

“Hilarious!” the human insisted. They lapsed into a companionable silence. In the quiet between them, the human Russian turned pensive. The glow of celebration lagged behind them as they got closer to the HQ, still undergoing repairs from this past war’s opening act.

“Ya know,” she started. Inessa’s head inclined slightly towards her. “I honestly thought I was gonna die a couple months ago.” Erika felt her friend’s body stiffen slightly, though she walked as if unaffected. “I’m sorry. I wish I could have found you sooner that day.” Ugh, regret, that won’t do. Not where she was trying to take this conversation anyway.

“It’s fine. Ya kinda had your hands full with half the unit turning... Again. Well, last time was more than that, but still. Then the rest of base was another story. Mavericks took advantage of the fact the most of HQ’s best were out on a big campaign, leavin’ secondaries ta hold down the fort ‘fore the cavalry showed up.”

“Where are you going with this, Erika?” Ah, of course. Always wanting to get to the heart of the matter. No point in beating around the bush now. Better to say, before she figures it out instead. Harder to steer the conversation that way. Plus, she’s got liquid courage in her, too, to keep her from chickening out again.

“Need ta ‘pologize to ya.” Erika was met with silence. She took that as her cue to continue. “Startin’ to think I’m just bad luck.” The human laughed, low, mirthless, hollow. Her words were considerably more sober when she stopped.

"When my husband died, we hadn’t been married long, but we’d known each other for so much time. I was already pregnant with Andrei when we filed the papers. Two short years, then a fire took him. It hurt, but I still had my boy. It was alright. I met you, worked in your lab, became friends with you and the others but...” The implication hung between them. The day of the attack and attempted kidnapping. Neither of them had seen a corpse in person before, much less the number and having known each personally...

Another bitter laugh. “And then he was gone.”

“Erika-” Inessa started, understanding her friend was heading in a dark direction.

“And then, because you’re you, and your stupid sense of duty, you follow me on my damn vendetta fueled trip. And what happens? We get split up. And you’re out there killing yourself fighting the monsters. The friends we made up until the first war die, turned traitor and die, or just fucking run off like the self-hating cowards they are!” Her voice cracks and she’s feeling heat in her face and ears.

“Eri-” The voice came at a higher pitch than her usual, sounding more like Dimitra.

“No.” She hisses, cutting the reploid off again. Erika’s hands clenched together in a white knuckled grip. “No, I watch us change into people so different from who we were and I can’t believe it took until watching Doppler’s sleeper agents getting literally frozen to the floor of R&D and cut down by you, in my face no less, to realize that. To realize I let my best friend chase after me while I turn into Captain Ahab, letting every Maverick be my Moby Dick.” The woman could barely catch her breath, vision swimming from her physically and emotionally compromised state. Inessa halts and Erika realizes distantly that they were on a park trail.

More silence. Erika wished that her friend would just put her down or something, because it’d be nice to read her face... As readable as it can be these days. An aggrieved sigh broke the quiet.

“Erika... Vengeance or not, I would have had to fight. I chose what would have made me happier.”

“... What?” Another sigh. Careful not disorient the human, Inessa walked towards a bench and set her down. The reploid slumped onto the wood next to her. Her face was angled low, bangs brushing past her eyelashes, sight, distant.

“I’m a first-gen Reploid, Erika. Everything about me was experimental. Including the lab. From the recovered footage of us fending for ourselves until the Hunters came, the Russian government would have obligated me to be drafted, or else. We were a brand new race plopped onto the world literally overnight.” Inessa turned to meet Erika’s eyes. “The science world would prefer breakthroughs in aquatic science and pollution control, but the powers that be want anything to stay as the powers that be.” She closed her eyes, shoulders drooping slightly.

“The Mavericks, especially ideological ones, weren’t completely wrong... but the ends don’t justify the means.” Erika feel could her mouth dangling open as Inessa turned to her again. “Following you gave me a choice I didn’t realize I could make. Don’t apologize, not when I feel grateful to you.” She sat up to her full height, meeting Erika eyes with a warm intensity. They stayed like that in the stillness of the park.

... ... ... ... ...

The human felt something bubble in her chest. Her shoulders shook and she started to wheeze. Before she knew it, Erika was cackling. The feeling one part hysteria, one part disbelief, one part relief.

“What the hell, all that and you go and say that of all things?” Wetness beaded at the corner of her eyes. Inessa shrugged, the lines of her face relaxing as the tension subtly left her.

“I’m not accepting an apology that’s pointless. There’s nothing to forgive. You and I’s perceptions are out of sync.” Erika scowled at her.

“Well then, I’m not accepting your gratitude then!” The human’s middle name was spite, in her mind at least.

“Okay”

“’Okay’?!”

“Yes.”

“That’s all you have to say?!”

“Yes.”

“Oh come on!” She threw her hands up. Inessa arced an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?” Erika glared before she cooled slightly. “No, I guess not, I just don’t like how you’re taking this so easily.” she grumbled. A small smile inched onto Inessa’s face.

“I’m rejecting your apology because I see it as pointless. You may have had influence, but you don’t control my actions. Even if you don’t accept my gratitude, that’s fine. I... just wanted you to know how I felt. Nothing more.” Finally, Erika slumped in her seat. “Are you even real?”

“Isn’t it too late to be discussing Plato’s “Cave” Allegory?”

“Ugh! Take us home! I’m so done with you!” The cat-like smile on the reploid’s face was all there was to say about that exchange. With that, they were back in the same position they started after they left the last bar. Calmer now, the sounds of running water from the creek and the rhythmic footsteps of her friend started to lull Erika to sleep. She let the world pass them by as her eye-lids grew heavy.

“Neshka?”

“Mnn?”

“Thanks for everything.”

“Hmn.” Erika felt the smile in the hum of acknowledgement. Her eyes closed and she knew no more.

[singer-saboteur-soldier-spy]

Shade Fox made a mental note to expand his unit’s training regimine to include more simulations of natural environments.

Their urban-centric training was a blessing in Abel City, but here, in this mechanical biome oh-so-carefully crafted to replicate nature, it was of little help.

Rubble and Azazel were still far behind the rest of the unit, trudging along through the foliage as carefully as a Reploid of Rubble’s size could. The preserve still needed to be kept as intact as possible, to reduce the stress inevitably placed on the surviving wildlife by this...unfortunate incident. There were so few successful repopulation programs left in the world, and some of the species here might not have been able to recover, if disrupted too severely. Rubble couldn’t just go crashing through all obstacles here, like he usually would.

They would not be catching up any time soon.

Meanwhile, Ume and Bark had descended into maintenance tunnels beneath the jungle, hoping to catch their target before he could spring a trap on them from beneath the surface. But had encountered little more than infected replicas of wildlife and maintenance mechaniloids in their search, and had little to report between their quiet check-ins. Shade Fox made a quiet note to himself to speak to them both when this was over. Their training had always showed promise, and he was pleased to see their skills carrying over into the field.

The tall Reploid stepped carefully over a sprawling tree root, and reached out to lay a hand on the shoulder of his own companion. Issimo took a moment to reach up and turn down his audio sensitivity before looking up at his towering commander. Shade Fox tilted an ear in a questioning manner, and Issimo shook his head.

“Still no trace, sir.” He reported. “I can’t hear any movement that’s heavy enough to be a Reploid of this size.” Shade Fox growled under his breath, and removed his hand. This was becoming...troublesome. All six of them moving together would still be too easy to detect, but the longer the unit remained separated in this terrain, the greater the chance of an ambush, as had happened with Azazel and Rubble. They needed to find Neon Tiger soon - Shade Fox was loathe to call upon anyone else to help finish the job.

His unit had a reputation, and by Azimov, they were going to uphold it.

“Keep listening.” He ordered Issimo, starting to move forward through the jungle in another direction. “The 17th has all the exit points covered, so he has to be in here somewhere.” Issimo nodded, and twisted the rings of his audio covers once more. Shade Fox took care to step as lightly as he could as he continued with his own search, to best reduce any painful audio interference, and Issimo closed his eyes.

All around him, he could hear the sounds of the jungle; the rustling of wind-blown leaves, the gentle humming of the electronics hidden beneath the faux bark of the trees, and the retreating footsteps of Shade Fox, crunching through the loam. The Reploid frowned to himself. There was something...off...about this natural soundtrack that he just couldn’t put his finger on. He probably should have mentioned something to Shade Fox, but...how could he even begin to articulate a concern when he couldn’t even figure out why-

“Issimo, mOVE!”

“RrraaaAAAAAAAHHH!”

A loud roar suddenly tore through the jungle, and pain seared through Issimo’s processor. He nearly collapsed right there on the spot, but a large hand grabbed his arm and yanked him roughly to one side - moments before a purple set of beam claws sliced through the air, and buried themselves in the loam where the Hunter had been standing. Shade Fox thrust the stunned Reploid behind him, and ignited his saber as Neon Tiger straightened up, and leveled a wild-eyed glare at the pair of intruders upon his domain.

“Intruders!!” The Maverick hissed, baring his white fangs in a vicious snarl. His tail lashed side to side like a whip, and he roared angrily. Issimo cried out in pain, and scrambled to turn down his audio system. “Get out, get out, gET OUT! YOU AREN’T WELCOME HERE!” Neon Tiger lunged forward at Shade Fox, and the Reploid quickly shoved Issimo out of the way before dodging himself.

The beam claws sliced through the trailing edge of his cloak, creating an acrid, burning smell, and Shade Fox hissed a curse of his own. That cloak had been a custom made item! Twisting around, the Reploid struck out with his own beam saber, countering a swipe from the claws that was aimed for his midsection, and directing it away. Unperturbed, Neon Tiger struck again, only to be countered again…and again...and again.

The jungle rang with the sizzling hiss of clashing beam weapons as the poacher hunter and the Maverick Hunter danced among the trees. Wild slashes and missed strikes cut through branches and foliage all around; the plasma blades and broken electronics plumed smoke up to the sky, and small fires began to spark up in the combatants’ disastrous wake. Their claws and frenzied footwork tore up the loam and grass, and for a few precious minutes, Hunter and Maverick seemed to be evenly matched.

That is, until Shade Fox stumbled.

Neon Tiger took immediate advantage of this opening, and ripped through his opponent’s knee in one swipe. Shade Fox howled in pain, and collapsed to the ground, off balance and unable to bear his weight on the damaged joint. Neon Tiger pounced - slamming his full weight down on the other Reploid - and backhanded the other’s saber out of reach.

“Look at what you’ve dONE!” The Maverick accused, lashing his tail side to side as he loomed over Shade Fox. “You’ve destroyed my home! You’ve burned the trees, and endangered the animals!” He stomped his foot down on Shade Fox’s arm, pinning it to the loam below, and raised both of his clawed hands above his head for the finishing blow. “I wON’T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!”

“중지!” Something suddenly grabbed Neon Tiger by the ears and jerked his head back, and from the Korean outburst, it could have only been Issimo. The Hunter had somehow managed to vault his way up to the Maverick’s head - an impressive feat on its own - and was holding on for dear life as Neon Tiger began to toss his head from side to side. With a frustrated roar, the Maverick abandoned Shade Fox, and poured all of his attention into trying to throw off this unwanted rider.

When his strategy of mad flailing failed to dislodge Issimo, however, Neon Tiger instead spun around and slammed his head back against a nearby tree. With no time to bail, Issimo was slammed against the truck with vicious force; his head snapped back against the bark with enough force to put a crack in one of his cheek guards, and Issimo slumped to the jungle floor.

Neon Tiger glared over his shoulder as the Hunter collapsed, but seemed to see no more danger in the small figure, and turned his attention back to Shade Fox. The 9th unit commander had managed, during the short distraction, to crawl closer to his beam saber…but it was still out of reach when the Maverick appeared again, and kicked it away.

Cursing under his breath, Shade Fox twisted away from those clawed feet and raised his arms, ready to at least attempt to defend himself. Neon Tiger laughed at this pitiful display, and started to raise one clawed gauntlet. Only one, this time - it was all he’d need to end this fight for good.

Just before he could begin to swing his arm down, however, Neon Tiger stiffened, and made a strangled noise of pain.

A small light flashed behind the Reploid - the blade of a concealable beam weapon - and Neon Tiger went down on one knee. Issimo appeared from behind him - helmetless, and once more clambering up the taller frame as one might climb a tree, with a beam knife clutched in his hand. He stabbed down into Neon Tiger’s neck with uncharacteristic force once, twice, three times! The animal-based Reploid collapsed to the ground, and Issimo stood upon his back, scowling down at the fallen poacher Hunter with unrestrained disgust.

Shade Fox stared intently as the Hunter knelt down, and sank the blade up to its hilt into the Neon Tiger’s skull. Tearing apart the slashed up metal by hand, he reached inside and pulled out the Reploid’s AI chip. Rising back to his feet, Issimo glared at the chip, and his hand twitched, as if to crush it. He looked at Shade Fox, and the unit commander pricked up his ears like a dog tempted by a treat.

He knew that look, and it was all the proof he needed.

Then, just as suddenly as the outburst had come, it faded, and the fury bled out of Issimo’s expression and stance like water through a leaky dam. He swayed, and dropped the beam knife; stumbling when he stepped off of Neon Tiger’s back. Shade Fox pushed himself into a fitting position, and rolled to lean on his shredded knee with a pained hiss. He quickly leaned onto his good leg, and stood up while he had the strength. Argh, but he’d need help to walk, with that shredded knee...

Issimo was staring blankly at the chip in his hand, and he flinched as Shade Fox clamped a hand down on his shoulder for stability. The Hunter looked up, and automatically shifted his weight to best stabilize his commander’s balance, though his expression burned with a whole host of questions.

“That Maverick slammed your head pretty hard.” Shade Fox spoke first, stalling whatever questions Issimo held on the top of his tongue. He reached up one hand to hold the side of his soldier’s head, as of examining some unseen injury. “How many ears am I wiggling?”

“You’re...not wiggling your ears, sir.” Issimo replies slowly. Shade Fox snorted a dry laugh, and dropped his hand to the Reploid’s shoulder. If Issimo found his commander’s state to be a bit more...intense...than usual, he chose not to mention it.

“Let’s get you to the repair bay quickly, anyway.” Shade Fox decided, straightening up as much as his injuries would allow. “I don’t want you wandering around with a head injury just because you can’t see it. The threat is dealt with, now, and the clean-up crew can dispose of the body.”

“...r-right.” Issimo chose not to look down at the lifeless form of Neon Tiger, and stored the chip he held in a pouch on his belt. He didn’t remember the end of the fight, and that worried him. But Shade Fox would have been more concerned if something truly bad had happened, right?

He’d even said, ‘that Maverick hit you hard’...

Surely, this incident was isolated, and nothing to worry about.

[megamanxfanfics]

S.IV - Ep. 15: Double-Cross my Heart. Hope to Die.

Written by Metal-Man X

--------------------------------------------------------- EXT. SPACE PORT – Launch Pad – DAY ---------------------------------------------------------

Caption: Moments Ago

X runs onward past a series of scaffolding and makes it to the launch pad of the Space Port only to find that there is no Rocket in sight.

X: Huh?

His com-link beeps.  X takes the call.

DOUBLE: (o.s, filtered) Repliforce has already flown off into Space…  

X: What the-..  But I thought…  Double, do me a favor and watch the others for me at the Base.  I’ll go after them, first!

DOUBLE: (o.s, filtered, gasping) Sir!  Reconsider what you’re doing; it’s far too dangerous!

X: We don’t have any other option! I’m leaving you in charge here, Double!

X frantically looks around for a spacecraft.  He finds one further across the apron at a short runway and runs for it.

   -       cut to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT.  MAVERICK HUNTER BASE – Docking Bay - DAY --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at Hunter H.Q., Double is moving a few supply boxes with the rest of the 17th Elite Hunters. They are currently on standby, awaiting further orders to board a ship for the Repliforce Space Port.  Their attention is drawn to Double when he clumsily drops a box on the floor that makes a loud crashing sound.

DOUBLE: (clumsy) Oh, not again...

XANTHE: (annoyed) Hey, watch it!

DOUBLE: (smiling, embarrassed) I'm.. terribly sorry.

A small beep emits from Double’s breastplate. He answers the call on his com-link only to hear the voice of his master, surprisingly.

SIGMA: It's me. /Those Hunters must not be allowed in here. Terminate them!

At the dash, Double’s face goes from curious, to /ominous.

DOUBLE: (scowling, dark) Roger...

Pollux and the others gawk at him, as they think he’s talking to himself.

POLLUX: What a freak.

ELITE HUNTERS: Ha ha ha ha ha!

They all laugh and share a good cackle, as Double clenches his fists.  With his back to them, Double’s body starts glowing and becomes shrouded in a forboding red aura.

JUNO: (concerned, worried) Hey, Double. What's the matter?

He turns and glares at them.

DOUBLE: Hmmeeee/yaaaa/aaa/rrruuaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

His /left hand, then his /right hand transform into stronger gauntlets, as his arms open up into a far more muscular form.  Then, his gut inverts into a muscular well-defined set of abs as his chest broadens out with a strong golden armored plating. At last, he reveals his new wicked face with a grin.  His blood red eyes and their dark metallic outline scare the rest of the Elite Hunters.  

Fully transformed, he now stands before them, at about 6 feet.  His sharp shoulder pads compliment his new horned helmet, while his more muscular arms and legs are a vibrant lavender color.  He is battle-ready, and as far as he is concerned, these fools more than deserve their punishment.

ELITE HUNTERS: (scared, nervous) Aaaahhh!

Alecto, Castor and Pollux all stare at him with their mouths agape as they take a step back.

The fearsome Double runs after them with his left hand out and his right hand back.  He creates a sharp cutting blade from his gauntlet.  Then he chops Pollux in half diagonally, as blood spurts out.

POLLUX: /Aaah.

He turns to his left and cuts down /Aeson and /Juno’s chests diagonally with both hands; just victims of circumstance.

AESON & JUNO: //UUaaahhh!!

He chops Castor’s hand off, who runs away as fast as he can to the nearest Console.

CASTOR:

Ugghh..

He turns to Xanthe and Zephyr, and quickly slashes them across the chest and back without hesitation.

XANTHE & ZEPHYR: /AAAAGH/EEEGHH!!!

At last, he destroys Alecto, cutting violently across the chest.

ALECTO: Aaauuugghhh!!!

He notices that Castor made it to a Console, and is patching in to a radio transmission.

CASTOR: This is the Maverick Hunters, 17th Unit. Commander X, please respond!

Double’s shadow covers his back.  He waits for Castor to turn around.

CASTOR: Huh?

Off screen, Double /kills him as the communicator falls to the ground.  X’s voice can be heard on the other end as Castor dies.

CASTOR: Gaaaaaahhhhh…

X: (o.s, filtered) This is X! What happened? Report!

Double grabs the communicator with a wicked grin and speaks in his calmest, coolest voice.

DOUBLE: Nothing to worry about...

X: No further transmissions unless necessary to carry out the operation!

DOUBLE: Understood...

X: I'm breaking contact.

Double throws the communicator to the ground where his adversaries have finally met their end.

DOUBLE: And now, X will be my next target. Heh heh heh heh...

   -       Fade out -

[Insert Title Card: Double-Cross My Heart.  Hope to Die.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. MAVERICK HUNTER BASE – Control Room – DAY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

   -       Fade in –

Caption: Now

In the Control Room, Captain sounds the alarm and intercoms the whole building.

CAPTAIN: (announcing) They’ve left for Outer Space!  Scramble, all Maverick Hunters!

Just then, Zero teleports in to find that Iris is not there. ZERO: ...Iris? Where are you? Iris!  

CAPTAIN: She’s gone, son.

ZERO: She left with them?  No!!

CAPTAIN: What did you think was going to happen?  You killed her brother… After she begged against it, so many times.

ZERO: I didn’t have a choice!

CAPTAIN: You don’t need to tell me that…  You just have to focus on ending this War.  We all do.

He pulls up his microphone and focuses on his announcements again.

CAPTAIN: Maverick Hunters!  Scramble!!

Zero turns his attention to the Halogen screen and can see that X is flying in Space already on a small spacecraft.

ZERO: I’m on my way!  Don’t do this to me, Iris…

He teleports once again.

-cut to-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT.  REPLIFORCE AIRSHIP – Escape Route – DAY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iris sits in her seat, heart broken.

IRIS: (frowning) So it's true…?

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered) Yes, I'm afraid so.  He's gone, sweety. I'm so sorry.

She gasps and covers her mouth in a silent shriek as tears pour out of her eyes.

IRIS: (whispering, furious) Damn it… I knew he’d do this.

She sniffles as she tries to compose herself.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered) I always knew he was trouble.

IRIS: Not now, Skiver. Please…?

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered) But you just-… I'm only agreeing with you.

IRIS: I loved him! Okay…? And he betrayed me…  This is so hard for me to proceeess.

She cries again into her hands.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered) Don’t fret, sweetheart. I'll take care of him.

IRIS: (soft, scared) No.  It has to be me.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered) Huh?

IRIS: When this ship docks, I will be the one to find him.  And I will be the one to end it.. No matter /what.

Her voice /cracks through her sorrow.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (worried) …What are you going to do?

IRIS: This can’t go unpunished.  I'll use my brother's power to give me strength.  And hopefully that will be enough to stop him.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (o.s, filtered, gasping)} Huh? ..How!?  You can’t!!  It’s too dangerous.  Let me go after him instead.

She shakes her head and winces.

IRIS: No.  Someone needs to stay behind and restart the Repliforce.  Just in case we… don’t make it.

-cut to-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT. SPACE PORT - Terminal Access Point -  DAY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spiral Pegasus' eyes widen in fear.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (worried, flustered) What the- Iris! Please!!  This is crazy.

IRIS: (o.s, filtered) My brother and I are bound by the same Soul.  We were actually born as one; but then our soul was split apart into two separate entities for fear that we were too powerful, together.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (fascinated, then concerned) Reeally.  /H-huh??

Colonel's dead body begins to /shake.  A small purple orb peers out from his chest plate.  It glows radiantly in the sunset as it slowly rises to the sky.

IRIS: (o.s, filtered) Souls are eternal…  Brother and I will be together again.  I'll become what we were always meant to be.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: (speechless, worried) U-u-uh. Iris??

IRIS: (o.s, filtered) I'm afraid this is goodbye, my friend.  Take care of Rex for me.  Don’t let the Repliforce die out.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: IRIS!!!

IRIS: (o.s, filtered) Promise me/.

She /closes communication, ending their conversation abruptly.

Spiral Pegasus looks up at the DNA Soul amongst the sunset worried, but also relieved that she has a plan.  Then, he salutes the dying sun in her honor.

SPIRAL PEGASUS: I promise.

   -       pan to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXT. SPACE PORT – Launch Pad – DAY --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Far to the right, Zero can be seen entering a small spacecraft on the same runway that X was on.

ZERO: This is it.  

He starts up the engine and com-links to X, as he prepares to lift off.

ZERO: X, I’m following your trajectory.

X: (o.s, filtered) Good.  You won’t have any trouble following them in, since we’re in Repliforce ships.

ZERO: That’s good…  Hey, man.  What are we doing?

X:

(o.s, filtered) Just seeing what they’re up to.  At this point, I don’t trust them any more than you do.

Zero sighs, relieved at that thought actually.  For once they’re finally on the same page.

   -       Cut to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT. SPACE SHUTTLE – Cockpit – NIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------

X follows the trail of ships towards a massive satellite weapon.

X: (gasping) Oh my God! This is what they were up to all along??

ZERO: (o.s, filtered, alert) What is it?  What’s going on??

X: They built… another weapon.  And it’s pointed right at Earth!!

ZERO: (o.s, filtered, gasping) Ooh man!  The General has a lot of explaining to do.

X: I’ll say!

X speeds up toward the large satellite complex and docks his ship by an entrance. The rest of the Repliforce ships pass by the Satellite Weapon as they continue their journey to their new Colony.

   -       pan to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT. FINAL WEAPON – Entrance – NIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------

X runs into the first corridor to find exposed wires dangling all across the walls.  He charges up and summons his Force Armor when he sees two Giga Death mechaniloids waiting for him along with four beam cannon drones.

X: Hmph!

Draped in white and blue, with gauntlets of black and red, X fearlessly blasts the first Giga Death, which shatters upon being hit.  Residual balls of plasma form around the beam cannons it bypassed, which destroys them too.

The second Giga Death shoots a missile at X, that misses.  It gets blasted with another Plasma Shot, which completely destroys it.

X takes out the remaining beam cannons behind it with level 1 shots, before jumping across a small wiring unit in the middle of the hallway.

On the other side of the unit, X encounters two more Giga Deaths that are accompanied by Beam Cannons. He successfully dodges all of their lasers and missiles, and destroys them in the same fashion as he proceeds to make it to the end of the corridor.

He kick-jumps up a wall and enters a gateway, not knowing what to expect.

X: (v.o, thinking) Okay.  Whatever is waiting for me in there; I’m ready.  Its time to get some answers.

X mentally prepares himself for the conversation of his life, expecting to bump into the General, or possibly a series of Repliforce Soldiers.  But instead, when he enters upon the gateway, he finds his small, portly companion Double waiting for him.

-pan to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT. FINAL WEAPON – Battle Room - NIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------

X lands to the ground, confused as he looks at Double and powers down to his normal armor.

X: Huh?  Double!  What…  Why are you here!?

DOUBLE: (cynical, dark) …Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!  The Mavericks, Hunters and Repliforce… Idiots, all of them.  They’re making my job too easy!

X tilts his head and gives Double a cross stare.

X: (scowling) …W… What are you talking about?  Double, what are you saying?!

DOUBLE: (smirking) Think it over in heaven!  Die, X!

X’s eyes widen as Double quickly transforms before him into his fearsome form.

X: (nervous) Ah!

DOUBLE: (eager) I’m so anxious to rip you apart!

X shakes his head, shocked beyond belief as he charges up and summons his Force Armor once again.

X: What have you done, Double?

X blasts him with a fully charged X-Buster, but Double summons up an equally powerful fireball of his own.

DOUBLE: Its time I showed you what I can really do.  /Destroy!!!

He /tosses the blue fireball at X's plasma shot.

His powerball knocks X’s charge shot away, putting his new powers to shame.

X: (surprised, reacting) Whuh?  Oh man..

X narrows his eyes and points an Aiming Laser at him.  Upon firing, the ray pings off of Double's armor hopelessly, doing no damage.

DOUBLE: Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

[RADAR]: Its no good.  Analyzing possible weaknesses.

Double runs over to X with a deadly pink blade emitting from his gauntlet.

DOUBLE: Kiba Slash!!

He announces his deadly attack as he dashes after X.

X far-jumps back to the wall, bounces off of it and air dashes over him as he charges up.  This time he strikes him with a hard charge shot to the back.

DOUBLE: Hoough.

He turns around with a wicked grin.  Then he throws another heavy powerball at X, which knocks him down.

X: Aghh.

DOUBLE: Ha ha ha ha!  You’re gonna get hurt, X!

X narrows his eyes and switches to his Ground Hunter power.  He fires a few stingray shots at Double, but they bounce off his armor, pathetically.

DOUBLE: Ha ha ha ha ha.  You /weakling!!

Double dashes over to X with a pink energy blade, as X back-dashes onto his feet.

Double misses, while X catches his arm, and overhead tosses him onto the ground with a scowl.

DOUBLE: Awhh.

X puts his hands on his hips.

X: (annoyed) Wanna try that again?  What’s this all about?

Double gets up and shakes his head with another evil grin.

DOUBLE: You really have no idea, do you??  Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

X: No. I don’t. And now you’re wasting my time!!

X charges up as his armor glows red.  As Double runs over to X, he lets out a super-charged Rising Fire uppercut, that seems to have no effect on his armor.

DOUBLE: Hahahaha, Nope!!

Double slices the airborne X in the gut at close range, who falls to the ground, /bleeding at the stomach.

X: Auuughhhh…. Fffff/uck…

DOUBLE: Ooh.  It sounds like someone is having a bad night.

[RADAR]: Try the Double Cyclone, X.  Wind seems to be his weakness.

X: Hmph..

X slowly picks himself up and shifts his Force Armor into a dark green aura.

DOUBLE: Hehehehehehh.  Ha ha ha ha ha!!!

X narrows his eyes.

X: What’s so /funny!?

He lets out a /cyclone from both hands.

One cyclone hits Double at his underarmor, just below the chest.

DOUBLE: /Agh…  Huurr/Agh!!

His affected stomach suddenly bubbles up into two blobs, which escape from his body and manifest themselves into two golden drones, with their own A.I.

X: (scared) What the..?

DOUBLE: HA HA HA HA HA!!!!  My internal defenses are strong, X!  Anything you dish out at me, I’ll give back to you, DOUBLE!!

X: What!?

Suddenly the two golden drones float above him and fire green energy blasts at him, while Double himself, dashes with another Kiba Slash.

The surprised, X charges up and blasts the two drones, while Double takes another slice at X’s chest.

X: (hurt) Haaaauuuughhh!!!!

Double makes /swings and /kicks to capitalize on X's pain.

DOUBLE: /Yes!  /Yes!!  I /love it.  I /knew you wouldn’t be able to /hold your /own.

X shakes his head and cringes as he blocks the hits and charges up.  Forgetting about his own pain, he /shoots a super powered Double Cyclone at close range, which whirlwinds direcly against Double’s pink underbelly and knocks him down.

DOUBLE: /OOOOuugh.  Ha ha ha ha ha.  Keep it coming!

Yet again, more blobs emit from his body and create 5 more golden drones, while Double gets up and keels over in pain.  Two of the drones turn into disc-like buzz saws, while three others float, independently and fire at him at random.

DOUBLE: You’re only hurting yourself, X.

X looks around worried.

X: (v.o, thinking) Damn.  He’s right.  I’d better end this sooner than later.

X far jumps back and blasts a Plasma Shot at three of the drones.  He points to Double with an accusing glare, while two of the buzz saw drones continue to ricochet around the room.

X: Ya know, it’s a shame that you hid all this power from me.  We could’ve done a lot of good with it.  You must’ve let the others get to you.  And the power must’ve gotten to your head.

DOUBLE: Hee hee hee hee hee…

Double stands upright, ready to battle again.

X: Is that your end goal, then?  Did you want to take over the Elite Unit as your own??

DOUBLE: HA HA HA HA HA!  God Damn, you’re such a fool.

X scowls and charges up.

X: Enlighten me then!!!

He fires another Plasma shot at Double.  Double parries it with a powerball of his own.  The collective explosion damages him as it destroys the two buzz-saw drones near him.

DOUBLE: Aggh.  I killed your stupid, Elite Unit.  And I’d gladly do it again.

X makes a hardened grimace.

X: Those were good people…  

DOUBLE: (glaring) Not to me…  They deserved it.

X twitches.

X: Hmph.  Aeson, Juno, Alecto, Castor, Pollux.. Xanthe and Zephyr!  They’re all gone.  Maybe they were right to not like you, after all…

Double grits his teeth through a grimace.

DOUBLE: Heheheh! That’s fine by me.  Once I'm done here, you’re all gonna be dead anyway!

He dashes after him with another Kiba Slash.

X clenches his fist and shakes his head as his armor becomes darker.

X: Damn it Double, I /TRUSTED YOU!!!!!!

In a raging fit of emotion, X’s Force Armor transforms into his Ultimate Armor as he /catches Double's fist.  Draped in dark blue, purple, black and gold, X is surrounded by a purple aura as he glares at Double, his sworn enemy.

X crushes Double's hand with a dark, fearless glare.

DOUBLE: Aaaaaaghaaaa!!  SSo there’s that.. Ultimate Power you were so… afraid of.  It’s about time you gave me your all!

He backs away in pain as he shakes his hand out.

X: (irate) Shut up!!!!

X dashes over to Double and /punches him hard in the face.

DOUBLE: /Aeghh.

Double high jumps away and pulls at all of his power to create a large /crescent shaped blast.

DOUBLE: Rrrrr/AGH!!!!!

The blast is so large, it reaches all the way to the ceiling of the room.

X: (focused, defiant) HMPH!

X easily creates Nova Energy around his body and uses his back-jet thrusters to launch himself directly through Double’s crescent blast.

DOUBLE: WHAT!?

X’s glowing body rams against Double and tackles him to the ground, creating an instantaneous explosion in mid-air.

DOUBLE: AAAAAAIIIIIIGGHHHhhhh….

When the dust clears, X stands above Double with one foot on his chest.  With both men panting, it is clear that Double has been defeated.

X: (concerned) Double!

He spits out some blood at X’s boot.

DOUBLE: …Damn!  …How could I lose to a weakling like you…

X: (unfazed) Double, tell me! Why did you do this?

He takes his foot off of him to let him speak.

DOUBLE: …Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha! You’re so naive, X!  I was sent as a spy from the very beginning to keep an eye on you!

X cricks his neck and narrows his eyes, provoked.

X: …Double!  I… I trusted you!

DOUBLE: Ha ha ha ha! That naiveness may be your fatal flaw!  Goodbye, X!  See you in the afterlife!

X: Double!!

With that, Double’s core ruptures into a violent explosion, forcing X to jump back and watch his enemy die.

X blinks and takes in the moment in silence.  Then, he simply takes out a sub-tank from his compartment belt and restores his energy by placing it into his chest piece.  After an exasperated sigh, he powers back down into his white and blue Force Armor.  Then, he looks to the gate at the end of the room, with a clenched fist.

-pan to-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT. FINAL WEAPON – Corridors - NIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------

X walks out of the gate and carefully drops down to a lower corridor, where he faces a large Death Guardian shield mechaniloid. At a corridor below that, another awaits him.

X jumps off-screen, as we see Iris enter the corridor from another door.  She makes her way towards the gate, holding the purple DNA Soul of her brother.

   -       Pan to –

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- INT.  FINAL WEAPON – Battle Room - NIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iris enters the room and drops down with her brother’s soul clutched tightly in her hands.

She looks at the exploded rubble of the foreign reploid with confusion.

IRIS: Huh?

But then, none of that matters, once he enters.  

At the other end of the room, Zero drops down from the gateway and runs over to her with a guilty, apologetic look on his face.

She slowly walks towards him with an unforgiving stare.

ZERO: Iris!

IRIS: So you fought with my brother...

ZERO: I'm sorry...

IRIS: Then it's over. Everything...

ZERO: Wait Iris! Listen to me!

IRIS: Good bye, Zero...

ZERO: Iris!

Iris raises her brother’s DNA Soul high.  The DNA Soul, suddenly reforms itself into a diamond, which emits dark electricity directly into her.

ZERO: (frightened) IRIS!!!

IRIS: Stay with me, brother...

A large purple aura of power surrounds her body and slowly creates a protective winged Ride Armor around her. Her purple armored plating is pronounced by her demon-like wings, as an ominous helmet covers her face.  She now looks like an evil, winged knight with a powerful buster in her right hand.  She is unrecognizable.  The purple diamond lowers itself into Iris' new chest core.

IRIS: Okay, I'll do it.

ZERO: (whispering) Nooo…

Iris dashes after Zero with her buster out.

ZERO: Ahhh!

Zero far-jumps back against the wall.

ZERO: Get back!  Don’t do this!!

He pulls out his purple saber and guards his face.

IRIS: Forgive me, Zero!

She charges up and attacks Zero with her buster.  A heavy purple beam of power is directed at him.

ZERO: Ah!

He jumps up the wall and repeatedly kick-jumps away from it as she guides her buster toward him.

ZERO: No!!

He air-dashes away from her and runs away on the other side before turning around.  He holds his saber up in a defensive stance.

ZERO: Iris. Please!!  Don’t make me use this.

IRIS: And did you do the same for me?  After I repeatedly told you not to fight my brother??

ZERO: He wouldn’t give me a choice! He-

IRIS: You KILLED Him, Zero!  He's dead!!  And he’s never coming back.

She dashes after Zero and shoves him to the ground clutching him at his neck.

Zero is choking as he stares at her new face.

ZERO: I-I'm..ckkk..S-s..s

IRIS: Don’t!

She slams his head to the ground and back-dashes far away from him, charging her beam buster once again.

IRIS: It'll be easier this way…

She fires her blaster at him as he lays down in defeat.  He allows the purple blast to take him as he is flung far across to the other wall, near Double's broken remains.

ZERO: Gghh-gg-uugghhh… Oh man…  Is this it? Is this… how I finally…  …What the fuck is this?

His attention is drawn to Double's horrid, broken face.

ZERO: Who is this…?

He turns to Iris who is headed for him again.  Then he rises to his feet.

IRIS: (crying) Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!

She charges another blast, but Zero jumps right into her armor, as she misses the blast.

ZERO: Iris!  I won’t kill you. But you have to stop!!

He is forced to raise his saber to her. First he strikes her in the head.  Then, the shoulder and chest.

Instead of making any scratches or dents into her armor, his saber is deflected as special floating mines emit from her body and explode in his face.  He falls to the ground hard.

ZERO: Auughh. What the-… (v.o, thinking) I have to get that Armor off of her.

Iris fires another blast at him, but Zero jumps away and dashes around her.

ZERO: Baby. Please! Listen to me-

IRIS: DON'T Call me that!!!

She is so upset, she exposes her diamond core, which floats directly above Zero and lets out a secondary beam of dark energy.

ZERO: (struck) Aaugghh! There's.. More going on here!  I just Know it!!!  You just have to /LISTEN!!

He powers through his pain and rises against her unrelenting beam.  His saber becomes engulfed in flames as he pushes an uppercut against her beam and at last, /strikes the diamond core.

IRIS: Aagh..

Zero analyzes the situation as she slowly recovers.

ZERO: (v.o, thinking) That core is the key.  If I can just destroy that…  Maybe it'll get that armor off her.

IRIS: How dare you!!?

She charges after Zero, who bats her away with saber slashes that only create a swarm of floating mines in the room.

ZERO: Stop it, honey!  Look around you. What are we doing??

IRIS: I'M KILLING YOOOUUU!!!!!

She exposes her diamond core once again and fires two blasts at the same time; one horizontal and one vertical.  

ZERO: Nnnnoooooo!!!

He shouts as he evades the blasts and strikes the diamond once again with a spinning slash.

IRIS: Hh-

ZERO: The Mavericks are killing us, Iris. They always have been. Starting with Magma Dragoon's attack on the Sky Lagoon.

IRIS: Dragoon was sent with our platoon to investigate Mavericks. Not the other way around.

Zero shakes his head.

ZERO: No no no! He brought the Mavericks to the Sky Lagoon and brought the whole thing to the ground. He wanted to create mass confusion and cause a rift amongst our factions knowing that it would inevitably lead to War.  It was all a preconceived effort to goad us into fighting him.

She makes an annoyed scowl through her faceplate and shakes her head.

IRIS: I don’t care anymore! The damage is done.  This is your fault, Zero.  It didn’t have to end like this.

ZERO: It doesn’t have to end!!  I didn’t want this!!!

IRIS: Yes you did.  I saw that eagerness in your eyes every time you wanted to take out my Army. My Navy.  My Airforce!! …It’s too late…  I can’t.

She arms herself once again.

He grits his teeth in anger as he defiantly /pulls out his saber again.

ZERO: Then /WHY did you stand by my side the whole time, huh!?  Why did you lay with me in bed on those nights pretending like nothing ever happened?  

He dashes around her beams once again and carefully slashes at her diamond core, while taking damage in the process.

IRIS: I loved you, you idiot.  I tried to stop you, but I couldn’t. Even now I can’t….

She rushes over to Zero with a charged set of beams.  Her buster, pressed against his chest, and her core directly under his feet, Zero can tell that it’s now or never.

ZERO: (forced) NO!!!!

He slams a charged fist into the ground and lets off his Giga Attack, which completely ruptures her Diamond Core.

Her floating Diamond Core explodes above her armored frame.  A bright white light covers the room and settles.  At last, Zero has won, leaving only her original feminine frame injured on the ground.  But it feels like he has lost.

With her eyes closed, she lies still on the floor.  Zero quickly runs to her.

ZERO: Iris!  Iris..

She opens her eyes and slowly turns her head to him.

IRIS: (softly) Zero...

He kneels down to her and gently places his hand on her head.

ZERO: Hang in there, Iris.

IRIS: Please... stay away from Repliforce... Let's live together.. in a world where only Reploids exist.

Zero hesitates and carefully chooses his words.

ZERO: (soft, regretful) Iris, there's no world just for Reploids. It's only a fantasy.

IRIS: Yes... I know... But I wanted to believe it!

She holds up her hand.

IRIS: ... I wanted to live in a world where only Reploids exist...... with you.

She struggles to reach out to his broad chest until he cups her hand into both of his.

ZERO: (tender, worried) ...Iris!

She looks at him with the same worry in her eyes for a short moment.  Then, suddenly she makes the sweetest smile, with that twinkle in her eyes that he fell for in the first place.  With a light sigh, and a weak brow, Zero notices that she is fading. At last, her eyes close as she lets her body go limp.  With a turned head and a peaceful face, it is clear that Iris has died.

ZERO: Iris! Iris! .... Iris...

He desperately cradles her body into his arms.  He presses his head closer to hers, trying to cope with this.  

ZERO: (sad) Iriis…

He shakes her by the shoulders three times, but to no avail.  She is not waking up.

ZERO: (grieving) Irriiiis….

He puts his head against her forehead again, with tightly closed eyes.

ZERO: Irris!

Not being able to take it anymore, Zero finally lets it all out.

ZERO: (screaming) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He rises to his feet, still holding her in his arms.

ZERO: (wincing, cringing)

Nooo!! This isn't happening!! There's no reason for me to go on! What... WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOOORRRRRRR????!!!!

- Freeze Frame.  Grainy Effect-

As Zero holds her in his arms, we pan out from him and Iris.

- Fade to Black -

[skytranslates]

Mega Man X: The Novel Chapter 1

Aaaaaallllright, it’s been a while, but the first chapter is finally done!! Many thanks to my translator @melonjaywalk and my editors moidang, Lambency and tjerrian! If you’d like to follow the group’s progress on the novel, check out this Google Doc! Without further ado, here’s Chapter 1: Day of Sigma!

P・1・2・3・4・5・6・7・8・9・10・11・12・13・A

“Heh heh heh… Why X-- aren’t you a pitiful sight?”

The Ride Armor pinned me down, fingers groaning as it tightened its grip on me. Against the ground, I couldn't see my opponent at all, but I didn't need to: I already knew him well.

“Grck.... Vile! Have you really gone Maverick!?”

“Obviously. There’s fewer strings attached -- it’s way better. Why don’t you become a Maverick too?”

“Don’t screw with me!”

He was being facetious, trying to see if I'd give myself away as a Maverick on top of suggesting it would be better that way.

“Why… Why are you people doing this!?”

I wonder, do these sound like the words of a former Maverick Hunter?

My name is X.

I’m a B-Class Maverick Hunter in the 17th Elite Unit. Regardless of my rank, it has… become my duty to fight countless enemies. In the wake of countless tragedies, the Maverick Wars had begun….

A few hours ago:

I was with Zero--my mentor, friend, and a Special A-Class Maverick Hunter--when we received a report of a Maverick incident. Dispatch sent us to a military facility in the southern part of the city to investigate.

“Sure is quiet for an incident…”

“No signs of damage, either... Maybe they were mistaken.”

There wasn’t a single trace of Mavericks, humans, Reploids, or even Mechaniloids, so we concluded that it was likely a false report, and tried to contact Hunter HQ.

“...Huh? That’s weird. I’m not getting any response from HQ.”  Zero tried several channels but encountered static each time.

My luck was no better.

“I can’t seem to, either.”

Strange. The common and dedicated lines weren’t working?

“...Do you think something’s happened at HQ? Or maybe someone’s jamming the signal nearby.”

“The former’s unlikely… so it must be the latter. X, let’s try to find better reception. Not much more we can do here.”

“Understood. Let’s hurry, Zero.”

We swept through the area once more to confirm the situation, leaving the matter of our original target, the military facility, for later. We took the highway leading back to the city on our Ride Chasers--high-powered air bikes--but came to a stop upon noticing a disquieting pattern.

“...Huh? Zero, something’s wrong… It’s dark out, but I don’t see a single vehicle anywhere.”

It was July 4th, 21XX, just past 20:00. On a weekend, there weren’t as many cars around, but for there not to be a single one? To add to that, even the typical Mechaniloids that ran around the clock were nowhere to be found.

“...Looks like something might’ve gone down while we were away, after all.”

When Zero and I headed out, everything was normal: plenty of vehicles and Mechaniloids around and running. Now? The emptiness was utterly bizarre.

“It feels like all the activity from earlier just up and vanished…” No matter how far and wide we looked, we couldn’t find anything at all. It was like a ghost town. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this… Zero, let’s keep going!”

This city of ours… What was going on?

As our sense of unease grew, Zero and I plunged deeper into the city.

"What... What’s going on!?"

"It's like a warzone... Hey, hang in there! What happened!?"

We'd been on the highway for about an hour, but when we finally arrived, the place was demolished, the Mechaniloids were out of control… And amidst the ruins, we found a young, injured Reploid.

The sheer amount of damage he’d sustained burned itself deeply into my memory.

"This was...caused by a buster...?"

The same kind of weapon I carried caused these injuries: a buster cannon, meant for combat.  

You could expect to see damage like this on the body of a Maverick who'd been taken down by a Hunter. But this Reploid was no Maverick; he was a civilian.

"Mmgrck... A... Maverick... Hunter...?"

The young Reploid wouldn't survive his injuries; he’d taken a fatal shot to head. There was nothing I could do.

I wondered if he already knew.

With the last of his strength, he ejected a single memory chip from a slot in the side of his head; Zero palmed it without a word.

"Sig... Sigma..."

"Sigma?  Did something happen to the Commander?"

"..."

The young Reploid's systems went into terminal shutdown, leaving our questions unanswered. He appeared to be sleeping, but he was gone.

"What the hell happened here in the last few hours..." Zero muttered under his breath as he laid the Reploid back on the ground, one hand still balled around the chip.

No matter how much we wished otherwise, there was nothing we could do for him now. But he'd given us a potential clue; one that we wouldn’t waste.

"Zero, let's head back to HQ. I'm starting to worry."

“You’re right. Let's check this chip first, though. We need intel."

Zero inserted the chip into the Ride Chaser's onboard monitor before he'd even finished talking.

With a whirr from the reader, footage from the chip began its playback.

I couldn’t even begin to grasp what we saw.

"...If this is real, then this isn't just some random incident. This is big."

I couldn't respond; the words just wouldn't come out.

I had no idea how to react--not after being shown something like this.

“This is worse than anything we could’ve prepared for. We might be machines, but this is like a nightmare.”

It truly was a nightmare--a recording that left you wishing you could just wake up and leave it behind.

It was to be expected: as a Maverick Hunter, you were bound to witness tragedy. What had transpired here, though, went far beyond anything I’d ever encountered before. There was no doubt Mavericks existed, not anymore.

It’d never crossed my mind that a day could come where I’d go Maverick, too. Not even once. But this was why we took it upon ourselves to be Maverick Hunters, to protect humans and Reploids who lived peacefully from the threat of mayhem and violence.

In a sense, it was a way to convince ourselves. You tell yourself that, as a Maverick Hunter, you’ll never become a Maverick. The reality was that year after year, the number of Mavericks kept rising. In spite of that, the Hunters continued to work together to fight for and protect humans and civilian Reploids from harm.

In this way, we maintained peace.

And yet, the memory chip entrusted to us contained footage of Maverick Hunters slaughtering civilian Reploids.

“There’s no way… I won’t stand for this!”

I rushed down the highway towards Maverick Hunter HQ; an attack en route left our Ride Chasers destroyed. In light of the message--that Reploid’s last moments--we had to get back to HQ no matter what.

“I’m going to check the vicinity while I try to find another route. You keep following the highway, X.”

With that said, Zero took off, abandoning the overpass for the city proper. Nothing bad could possibly happen to someone like Zero, so I did as told, following the highway towards HQ.

“I can’t believe that Commander Sigma would go Maverick… I just can’t!”

That chip contained evidence of Commander Sigma’s insurrection against humanity itself, and Hunters who pledged themselves to his cause followed him down that path. The rebellion extended past this city alone; its banners threatened to smother the whole world. This was a statement, declaring all humans and any Reploids who defied their rule would be crushed.

“There must be a mistake here, somewhere… There has to be.”

I muttered it to myself like a wish, fighting off Mechaniloids and Reploids blocking my path. Why must my fellow Reploids become Maverick? Why must we fight against each other?

None of my former comrades could offer an answer.

“Why… Why are you doing this….”

How many Reploids and Mechaniloids have I destroyed by now...

The remains of my fallen comrades filled my scope as more enemies advanced upon me. I aimed my buster, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. Inhale… Exhale… Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself against my apprehensions. Body too tense, I didn’t have a second to relax when--

“Huh. Didn’t expect you to come back here alone.”

Before I could even react to the voice that boomed out behind me, an enormous figure engulfed my vision and slammed me hard into the ground.

“What’s the matter, X? Can’t even land a single hit on my Ride Armor?”

“Damnit! Fine, then. How about this!”

I unleashed all the energy in my buster on Vile. But he easily neutralized my attack with his own assault.

“No… No way!”

That shot took everything I had. That charge shot, my special technique and most powerful attack, had no effect on him whatsoever.

No, I shouldn’t think like that. Even if my attacks don’t work, I couldn’t afford to throw in the towel now!

“If I can’t take you out with just one hit, then I’ll keep firing until I beat you!”

When Vile had suddenly appeared, he trapped me with his Ride Armor. In order to escape, I targeted the road around me, firing off buster shots to break it up and loosen the grip on me enough to get free. From there, I immediately counterattacked, but he simply repelled all of my shots. Deciding that close combat put me at a disadvantage, I kept some distance from Vile and launched a constant barrage of charged shots. I knew that the continuous overuse of my buster would damage it with every shot, but I had no other option.

“This is it Vile. Either you get destroyed or my arm goes down trying!”

“My my… You sure are acting like some kinda brat pitching a fit, X. It’s about time I shut you up for good.”

Vile kept deflecting and even dodging my attacks. He slowly closed the distance between us, his voice just as cavalier as ever. If he drew just another step closer, I’d be in a position to get captured in his massive Ride Armor’s arms again. Suddenly, my entire body seized up, as if something constricted it tightly. I couldn’t move.

“Hyaaugh! W--What is this!?”

Glancing about, I saw what appeared to be a rope generated by some sort of electrical shock wrapped around my body. Only then did I notice the numerous metal discs on the ground surrounding where I’d been caught.

“Is this… An electromagnetic capture device!?”

Something like this was typically used against rampaging criminals, or for Mavericks who proved to be too difficult to handle. Only Maverick Hunters were allowed the use of such devices, but Vile had once been a Maverick Hunter himself. He must have taken it from storage at Hunter HQ at the time of the coup d’etat.

“You were so focused on me the whole time, you neglected your surroundings. A rookie mistake like that is how you got caught in a such a simple trap.”

If only I’d been paying attention, I would have noticed that Vile set this trap right under my nose. I struggled to break free, but as expected from a trap intended for Mavericks, I accomplished nothing. I stood no chance against a tool even Mavericks had trouble getting out of.

“You really are just a B-Class after all… What would Sigma want with a wimpy weakling like you anyway?”

I still couldn’t move, and found myself once again in the Ride Armor’s grasp. My joints began to creak as its grip tightened.

“You’ve only got one life, X. You should’ve been more careful with it..”

While he taunted me, that grip tightened further. The trap had already been enough, and the Ride Armor pushed it into overkill territory. After all I had heard and seen about Commander Sigma’s uprising, the weight of the reality finally started sinking in... The reality that Maverick Hunters had become the very things they hunted…

“I mean, I could tell you how fun it is to kill people, but I’m not sure you’d be convinced. Oh well, time to die, X.”

This is bad, this is bad, this is really bad. If things kept up like this, I’d be done for. I’ll die without achieving a thing! Caught in a force without mercy, my joints could only shriek, and my vision began to blur. I could hear it. I could feel it throughout my entire body. The sound of metal crunching echoed throughout my mind. The sound of metal being broken…

-- D E A T H --

When that word came to me--

“Do anything more to my friend, and I’ll blast your head clean off your shoulders, Vile.”

In a flash of red, what I saw was--

“Tch… So you finally caught up, you blond bastard.”

A Reploid with golden hair fluttering in the wind like a banner of hope as he aimed his buster. Zero.  

“The situation is… If I must be frank, pretty bad…”

“What’s pretty bad is the fact that you can call this disaster ‘pretty bad’...”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it...”

After I stumbled into that encounter with Vile, Zero rushed in to save me once he realized what was happening. I lost consciousness soon after, but when I came to, I found myself at the “Special Machine Research Facility” underneath Maverick Hunter HQ. Vile had the advantage, but instead he boarded an airship that suddenly appeared, vanishing without doing anything more.

While I underwent repairs from the damage done by Vile’s assault, we discussed the next plan of action and what objectives we Maverick Hunters should take. Speaking of, it’s been a while since I’ve been here, hasn’t it?

“If this insurrection is truly happening, then the Hunters’ foundation will crumble.”

“I don’t want to believe it myself, but… as a scientist, I cannot deny what my eyes have seen. I must accept it. But something on this scale has never crossed my mind before…”

This came from the elderly scientist who personally tended to my repairs. With a mournful expression, he meticulously went about mending my parts. It was likely no one else in the entire world could mend a Reploid faster.

“This must be hitting you hard, Dr. Cain.”

Dr. Cain.

The man known as the world’s greatest scientist, and the one who laid the foundation for Reploid design. His work was so great, it’s been said that there isn’t a single person alive who doesn’t know him. Commander “Sigma”, the one leading the insurrection, was said to be his greatest masterpiece.

Commander Sigma had set a shining example in his day-to-day leadership of the Maverick Hunters. As a Reploid, I had the utmost respect for him, so I still couldn’t believe he’d gone Maverick…

No. I just didn’t want to believe it. Because if I did, something inside me would shatter. But, saying that, I just couldn’t leave it alone.

The truth was, I’d fought with Vile, and seen with my very own eyes countless civilian Reploids slaughtered by those who’d gone Maverick. And Commander Sigma--no, Sigma, declared war against the world.

I’d seen the footage too. There was no doubt: Sigma had gone Maverick.

“Exterminating all humans to create a world just for Reploids… It’s delusional.”

I bit my lip at Zero’s words. If it became a world of only Reploids, what would be left?

“Certainly, you Reploids have strength and tenacity that surpass that of humans… but because of that, we must live in harmony. No life is worth more or less than another. That was what I always wanted to convey… but there’s no doubt that Sigma would reject that.”

The man before me was probably the one suffering the most in this situation. He was the father of Reploid technology, and it was his greatest masterpiece that just declared war on society. Now, he would be subject to the harsh criticism of society.

“I don’t know what kind of world Sigma’s picturing in his mind,” Zero said evenly, leaning against the wall nearby with his arms folded, “but if he’s gone Maverick, then we have to take him down. That’s our job as Maverick Hunters, X.”

Always calm and unwaveringly decisive. That was Zero for you.

“I know, Zero… Our power is meant to protect. If someone threatens the peace of the world, even if it’s Commander--no. Even if it’s Sigma, I’ll fight.”

I clenched my barely functioning left hand, confirming the power that was there. This power I’d been given to fight with… it was meant to protect. It was not something to be aimed at people. And right now… I should use this power for the troubled, elderly man next to us.

“As long as you understand.”

As if he felt the determination in my heart, Zero left those parting words and exited the room.

That’s right. Now was not the time to be lost. Even now, Sigma’s band of Mavericks were threatening peace. Having to fight my friends and fellow Reploids will be painful, but there are things in this world that I must protect.

“Because I’m a Maverick Hunter,” I said, as if I needed to hear those words once more for myself.

[arcadian-patriarch]

Repurposing The Blogs

While I will be leaving the RP blog history for my muses, I’m going to be repurposing all ten of them as Ask blogs, so if anyone’s interested, here’s the links.

Cora: http://the-corrupted-cure.tumblr.com/  You can send to her asking questions of Dark Elf or Mother Elf.

Hansha: http://my-borrowed-face.tumblr.com/ The asks can be either before, during, or after his time serving as a body double for Xander.

Heather: http://your-unseen-shadow.tumblr.com/ OC Shadow Guard for Neo Arcadia.

Inshou: http://zanei-general-phantom.tumblr.com/ Inshou Phantom Light, fourth child of Xander Light.

Omega: http://thecrimsondestroyer.tumblr.com/ Questions can be asked either of Omega, Rieger, or Ferran. Omega is a murderous psychopath, Rieger is Omega’s cover identity, and Ferran is what happens after the people in charge of Beacon City turn Omega’s emotional matrix back on.

Sage: http://guardian-harpuia.tumblr.com/ Sage Harpuia Light, eldest child of Xander Light.

Sephtis: http://master-sephtis.tumblr.com/ AU version of Xander Light where, rather than temporarily dying when sealing Cora before she was healed, he assimilated her in a similar fashion to what Omega did during the Elf Wars, but to far darker results.

Xander: http://arcadian-patriarch.tumblr.com/ Mildly AU (Beacon City) version of X from the Zero era where not everything went to shit after the Elf Wars. This blog also includes the Beacon City versions of the Eight Gentle Judges: Volteel Biblio, Glacier le Cactank, Mandala Flizard, Cubit Foxtar, Childre Inarabitta, Tretista Kelverian, Tanz Mantisk, and Hellbat Schilt.

Zachary: http://demon-on-a-chaser.tumblr.com/ Beacon City version of Zero, who is married to Leto. As of events past the timeline of the RPs posted to this blog, he formally took on the name of Zachary Weidlich.

The 0th Shinobi Unit: http://hunter-squad-zero.tumblr.com/ The nineteen members of the unit that served under Zachary during the Maverick Wars. This blog does not have him posted as a member, but Axl was “loaned out” to the Zeroth from time to time from the 17th Elite, and thereby is available as a character who can answer asks. To be brutally honest, this is the only blog where you’d be able to interact with Axl as far as my blogs are considered.

[sbnkalny]

What can keep the GOLD tiles Just came from the 17th unit, but after the DEATH OF the world.

[sbnkalny]

Nobody wants a detective who actually deduces anything—much more exciting if they just blurt out the truth. The process of deduction requires such a lot of work and no real genius ever needs to work. Same goes for boys’ comics in Japan, popular all over the world. The most popular books all have heroes with exceptional powers.

Gurp my slurt until its blurt. Hello genius child. They look like the waste bin at an averagely sized Sword: WOW what a huge array of individual pixels, the array dimensions being determined By a shorter initial value, known as gravity Beetbood (グラビティ・ビートブード?) IN Japan, is a maverick Hunter from the 17th unit, but after the death of her husband, prince Helseth's other counselors were in attendance, and i noticed that all men are not PIG'S!!!!! pig's are sensitive, intelligent animals And i hate. He was snarling, but i knew you WOULD be the most popular post i sent him with: imagine Me and i got sprinkles in my underwear and a bunch of weird humans with nothing to say
I don't know where to put them

[sbnkalny]

I have no Fear this probably seems crazy, cräzy, a graveyard THEORY a ghost stole my pillows and called me an ugly parrot, owned by a small, cylindrical pedicel

[sbnkalny]

lets fight to the death like real lesbians

Shortly after the death penalty

[sbnkalny]

If I were a human I would eat hummus

A mime is the Hybrid offspring of a human i would move my body into the todd also Fudds into you