Disclaimer: see end of chapter

Prologue

It was going to be one of those days was the phrase that happened to pass through the mind of one of the newer recruits. Clad in his standard issue aqua-green armor, Alex couldn't help but let out a sigh as he waiting along side the other members of his unit. He readjusts his protective helmet as he had hastily thrown it on when they received the call. For the first time since arriving at their location, he opts to take a look around his surroundings to figure out where exactly 'here' was. The scramble order came so abruptly that they had been informed to suit up and move out, with a briefing to be done once they arrived at the target location. Everything had started off like any other day. It had been only a week since he had finally finished his basic training course, and by finally it means he stopped slacking and actually studied for the necessary exams…for the third time. Sure, the physical fitness and marksman exams were a piece of cake for him but those written exams? That was another story. Today he was supposed to be having lunch with a few of his buddies he had made in BT after his squad meeting. Well, at least that was the idea until the entire base went to red alert and his unit was one of the ones to be scrambled on emergency deployment. Speaking of which, why were they here? For being such a 'high priority' scramble, the other units were taking it pretty easy and just milling around outside of the target location. He turns his attention to take a closer look at said location. Just beyond the meeting site laid a large, industrial type structure. Judging by its sheer size it must have been some kind of manufacturing and storage facility. For what, he had no idea. The whole place looked like it had been shut down for years, a thick layer of dirt coating the remaining windows with the walls in various states of disrepair. And yet, the exhaust stacks above the building were billowing black smoke, showing that someone was home and that this place wasn't as abandoned as previously thought.

'Which must be why we're here. But that still doesn't explain the emergency scramble. Unless…"

His train of though is broken by some shouting in the distance. Blinking back into reality, he can make out one of the lieutenants calling everyone over to the makeshift command tent that had been erected. With a grunt, Alex rights himself up from the sitting position and jogs over to the gathering. As he nears the group, he can see Lieutenant Naxx towering over the other squad members.

'Must be standing on a box or something,' he muses as he falls into formation.

It took a few more minutes for everyone to get into formation and simmer down. All eyes turn onto their superior officer before them. Lieutenant Naxx, standing strong and tall (even without the box) with his intimidation stature and custom navy blue armor, eyes the grunts lined up neatly before him. Silence washes over the gathering for a few moments before he opens his mouth in a loud and command tone.

"Alright! I bet all of you are wondering why you are here. Ya see that building behind me? Yea, that 'abandoned' facility? Well, as you can see it ain't so abandoned anymore and we're here to find out why."

The sound of the men quietly talking amongst themselves breaks his line of thought. Oh, he knew what they were talking about. Hell, he was wondering the same thing until he got briefed just a few moments ago.

"Quiet down there! Now I bet you're all wondering why such a decrepit building would warrant an emergency scramble. Intel has been watching this place for about a month and been getting unusual power readings from inside. HOWEVER, that is not why we are here. Just a few hours ago, they spotted someone entering the facility and they believe it to be HIM."

That definitely got the recruits talking as quiet murmurs escalated quickly into people theorizing and arguing amongst themselves.

"He's ALIVE? There's no way…"

"I-if it's him, then why are we here? There's no way we stand a chance…"

"I'm too young to die."

The conversations continued for a few moments before Lt. Naxx put his foot down.

"Simmer down! We are here NOT to investigate the chance that he is here. Rather, the higher ups are using this opportunity to try and determine what's being going on in this place as well as the unusual power readings. The two Commanders and their respective squads will also be participating on the assault, with their sole purpose being to confirm his presence, and if need, terminate. In other words, none of you had better get in their way, or else."

Everyone seemed to calm down with the new information, especially after hearing that the two Commanders would be there. These two were heroes, legends in these desperate times. With the current state of the world, they gave hope that everything would be alright, that they would survive this hell on Earth.

Moments later the squad leaders took over, having already been briefed on their objectives. On command, the units charged the 'abandoned' building and took off down separate routes per orders. Alex's squad had been assigned to take the third level towards the storage section. The group of eight quickly and cautiously made their way down one of the hallways, weapons armed and ready for whatever surprises might decided to pop up and say 'hi.' Although his face didn't show it, his mind was going at a hundred miles a second. What was he doing here? Would he be able to hold his own? What if…what if they encountered HIM? A quick glance at his fellow squad mates showed that they, too, were probably having similar thoughts. Time seemed to pass slowly as they made their way from hallway to hallway without much incident. The squad pauses and gathered around their primary target, a single door labeled 'STORAGE 3A.' A quick nod from all the members was all that was needed as their months of training kicked in and they stormed inside with weapons ready.

As they charged inside, they were immediately greeted by the sounds of weapon discharges. The squad dove left, laying down cover fire until they had all gathered up behind a large set of storage boxes. They could hear the sounds of the projectiles ricocheting off the steel boxes, alerting them to the fact that they were up against automatic weapons. Glancing to his side, he could see his squad leader using a small mirror to try and see what was firing at them.

"Tch…treaded guard 'bots. Looks like two guns each. About a dozen of 'em."

In simpler terms, they had a bunch of basic guard robots firing metal slugs at them. Being these types had no complex AI what-so-ever, they basically fired at anything that was not programmed into their memories as an ally. Cheap and easy to produce, the 'bots had very limited movement and made up for it with a large ammo cache.

'Which also means that someone's trying to protect something here,' Alex muses as he readies his weapon.

Sure, they were out-gunned, but definitely not out-powered. In this day and age, even the basic foot soldier was equipped with a standard plasma rifle. Unlike what was currently being fired at them, their weapons discharged rounds of searing-hot plasma, cable of tearing through light armor like a hot knife through butter. And it just so happened that the guard 'bots were very lightly armored. All eyes turned toward their squad leader. He quickly signed to them to do one of the maneuvers they had been learned in BT. A quick nod of confirmation and the group bolted on their position in opposite directions. Acting on their programming, the guard 'bots split their fire between the two groups. Two blasts of plasma tore through one of the bots, permanently shutting it down, however it didn't come from the two running groups. Confused, the guard 'bots scanned the area quickly to find the source of the attack. This also meant that they were temporarily distracted due to their limited processing abilities which they had counted on.

"Now!" With that command, the two groups opened fire on the group of robots, sending melted chunks of the 'bots flying everywhere under the barrage. As quickly as it had started, it ended.

Everyone ceased their firing and moved toward the smoking pile of scrap, including the two that had remained hidden behind the crate to distract the 'bots. A quick assessment determined that the threat was eliminated and the team proceeded forward, weapons raised and ready after the little welcoming group. They encountered several more groups of guard-type robots, but dispatched them as easily as the first.

"Man, talk about not being able to hire good help these days," jokingly remarked one of the squad members, getting a chuckle from the group.

"Must be some amateur terrorists or something using this place judging by the cheap help," mused another.

Tensions began to ease as they quickly scouted out the large storage room. Large rows upon rows of heavy-duty shelves took up the majority of the space, stretching all the way to the ceiling high above. They were empty for the most part, except for the occasional empty crate here and there.

"Looks like the last of 'em," their squad leader remarks as the last 'bot at the end of the room split in half from the blast to its midsection.

Nods of satisfaction came from the other members as they shouldered their weapons. They had been through the whole room and took out whatever resistance, as pathetic as it was, that they encountered. The empty shelves helped to speed things along as they were able to see across to the sides of the room as they had worked their way down a row.

"Alright men, all that's left is to report back to command and…" He isn't able to finish as something searing hot impacted the wall behind him, just a meter shy of his head.

Everyone quickly readied their weapons as they all dove behind a nearby crate for cover. "Where the HELL did that come from?!"

Of course, no one had an answer for the question. Even though it was rhetorical, their squad leader was still pissed that no one answered. He opts to chew them out later since they had something a little more important to deal with. Pulling out his trusty pocket mirror, he carefully holds it out from the protection of the crate to try and see their enemies.

"Huh…3 'bots, floaters. Must be a new model." They were stationary for the moment, a good distance away from the group and hovering just a few inches off the ground. Each were fairly simple in construction from the looks of things, reminding him a floating grey hardhat. Except they were hardhats that could fire what he presumed was plasma. A single, yellow orb in the middle stuck out like a sore thumb. "Must be the sensor," he muses.

He turns back to his squad members, motioning them for the same maneuver they pulled on the first set they had encountered. With a silent signal, they were off. Two of the 'bots focused firing on the two running groups, one on each while the third kept firing at the crate. Alex swore under his breath as he ran with this diversion group, laying down fire as they went. These definitely weren't like the other 'bots. Each group managed to take cover behind some other crates, the sounds of enemy fire slamming into the heavy-duty boxes. Their radios crackled to life, breaking the radio silence they had when they first entered the room.

"Change of plans! Hold your current positions and we'll lay it on them thick on my command. We should be able to take em out with the heavy crossfire."

Everyone readied their weapons, taking up positions behind the crate to open fire as soon as the signal was given.

"NOW!"

On queue, they all poked out from their hiding places and started to unload their weapons on the unknown attackers. Plasma flew at the 'bots from all directions, leaving them no way to escape. Even with all the oncoming fire, they held their positions and opened up with their own attack, each bombarding a different position. Alex lined up his sights at the nearest 'bot as his squad members kept up the barrage.

"Say good night, you bastard," letting lose a carefully aimed plasma burst at the 'bots yellow orb. The yellow ball flew through the air right on target, until it dispersed a foot from its mark. "What the hell?!"

"What is it?"

"Sir, they seem to have some kinda shield that's protecting them."

He could hear his squad leader swear into the radio. Now that he thought about it, they should have noticed it earlier in the attack. With all the plasma being sent their way, there should have been SOME damage by now.

"Well ain't that just perfect. New plan! Focus fire on my target. The shields won't be able to hold under this kinda sustained fire."

All sights quickly adjusted to their new target, sending an endless stream of plasma to beat on the 'bot's shield. The three remained motionless under the heavy, concentrated fire. Then suddenly, they turned and let loose blasts at the middle crate. Everyone was so concentrated on focusing their fire that by the time they noticed the on coming assault, it was too late. The sound of flying plasma is dwarfed by the sound of tearing metal as the crate is shattered by the heavy fire. However, it is not as deafening as the sound of the screams from the soldiers who were hiding behind the crate. Everyone stopped and helplessly stared at the scorched mark on the floor where the crate used to be. Pieces of torn and melted metal littered the general area. The force of the plasma sent a majority of the metal fragments back and embedded deep in the concrete wall…and the soldiers behind it.

Alex stared wide-eyed at the scene before him. Even though they had known that this may happen given their line of work, even though they had trained mentally for months and heard of the gruesome stories from some veterans, it could not have prepared him for the real thing. He could feel the strength draining from him as his eyes gazed over the mutilated bodies of his comrades against the wall. Vital fluids poured from the numerous wounds and pooled on the floor beneath, steadily creeping out and joining together making it difficult to determine where one started and one ended. Jagged chunks of metal protruded from the wounds, one larger piece protruding from between one of their eyes. The same lifeless eyes that stared back, never seeing, never blinking. Their medial team was known to be the best, but this…would not be something that they could repair. It would be a sight that Alex would never forget.

His train of thought is broken by a scream, not of fear, but rage…pure rage. Whipping around, he finds that the two who had been with him had charged the 'bots, plasma pouring out of their rifles. The three 'bots slowly, almost casually, turn to face the oncoming threat. After a split-second assessment to determine a plan of action, they let loose another volley at the rage-blinded soldiers. Their standard armor was known to be the best at one time. However after so many wars and near apocalypse, cuts had been had to have been made in order for the organization to survive. It was still better than what most civilian forces had to work with, but it wasn't as top-notch as it should be. As such, the close-range plasma shots tear through the protective armor. Vengeful cries became cries of pain…and then silence. The two bodies collapsed to the floor with a heavy, metal clunk. Fluids once again began to pool from the gaping holes, exposing the intricate innards of the two he called his friends. Across the room, he could see the other three staring in equal shock at the gruesome scene before them. He wasn't a professional, but he knew that no amount of time or repair would fix this damage. They were gone…like the other two.

In the middle of the group, the 'bots disengaged from their target and re-assessed the situation. Their programming identified the next biggest threat and best choice of action to neutralize it in the blink of an eye. Before the soldiers could recover, several volleys of plasma were hurled towards the crate the squad leader and two others were using for cover. They try to run from their hiding spot as plasma rips the crate to shreds. Two of them get caught in the flying shrapnel, sending their bodies sprawling on the floor covered in metal shards. A carefully aimed shot amongst the seemingly random fire catches the squad leader in the chest as he tries to dive out of the way. The force of the impact sends his body flying through the air and slamming in the wall behind him. Alex can only watch in pure terror as the body falls to the floor, face-down in a slowly growing pool of fluid. It was then that he suddenly came to a frightening realization: he's the only one left.

His mind began to process all of the protocols and techniques that they had gone over the past few months that had become almost second nature. With all the training at his disposal he chose to act on the first feasible course of action: he ran. He didn't know where he was running to, as long as it was away and kept him alive. However, deep down he knew it was all just a lie, a false hope. There was no way he would survive, could survive those three 'bots. Behind him he could hear the sound of discharging plasma, but he refused to look back. The next thing he knew there was an unimaginable pain in his leg as he lost his balance sending him sprawling across the hard floor.

'They got my leg…oh crap crap crap…,' was the first thought in his mind as he struggled to pick himself up, not even bothering to check the damage. He was down for the count and he knew it.

Alex turns himself around, coming face to face with his soon-to-be executioners and grits his teeth. As they hovered closer, he finds his mind starting to wander.

'Well, this is it. I wonder where I'll go when I die. I've heard people talking about this place called 'heaven,' but will I go there too? I've never actually thought about where reploids go before…'

In the distance, he could hear the plasma being discharged. He tightly shuts his eyes, waiting for the end to come. Everything seems to come to a snail's pace as everything around him seemed to fade away, leaving just him and the approaching balls of his demise. The yellow glow of the oncoming plasma gets brighter and brighter, even with his eyes closed. He could feel the heat radiating from them increase as they got closer until the heat washed over him as they impacted.

'Oh man, good bye cruel world…,' he mentally recites as he waits for the pain of the end. The almost blinding yellow glow of the plasma fades away, giving way to a pink glow just visible through his closed eyes. 'No white light? I thought it was supposed to be white…but pink? Maybe this is that other place, hell. Pink is just a light shade of red…'

A sharp pain in his leg causes him to cringe, 'Ow! That freakin' hur…wait a sec.' His mind quickly starts to process the new information, prompting him to slowly open his eyes.

The bright glow of the plasma combined with his injuries had thrown his eyes way out of focus as everything was all a blur to him. He blinks, trying to get his eyes of focus at the sudden realization that he wasn't dead. Through his hazy vision he can make out someone standing in front of him. Unable to make out much, if any details, he can tell that whoever it is is dressed in almost all white with a few patches of blue here and there. The pinkish glow he had noticed radiates from just beyond the figure, acting almost like a background to his unknown savior. Alex struggles to try and get to his feel, only to collapse onto the floor. He could just make out the person kneeling down, but he couldn't hear a thing.

'Ugh…system shutting down to stasis,' passes through his mind as he manages to tilt his head up in hopes of figuring out who his savior was. 'White…just like an angel…,' were his last thoughts as his system switched over to emergency stasis mode.

Disclaimer: I do not own Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha or the Megaman (Rockman) X series