Disclaimer: Megaman, X, Zero, and all other characters in this story are property of Capcom.This is a purely creative, non-canon addition to an already great storyline.


You have only one purpose: to destroy

In an old, dilapidated underground lab, a computer terminal activates, the monitor flickering on.

It is your only mission; it is why I created you

A program initiates, and the green schematics of a robot appear on screen. On the far side of the room, a large glass tank begins to glow with a faint green light. Inside the tank is a form, with many wires running from it. It is suspended in a preservation liquid, and floats gently in the cylindrical container.

You are a clone, and you must destroy your original

The form in the tank begins to stir. The light grows a little brighter, and reveals the form to be a robot. The robot is black, humanoid in form, and has a very ornamental helmet adorning its head. Its closed eyes begin to squint tightly, as if it were trying to wake from a nightmare. The computer begins feeding power to the tank, making the tank's light increase in intensity and slowly powering the robot inside.

You are like him, but better; you were built for battle. You will destroy him, for you are my most powerful creation yet

The robot begins to thrash around violently, its fists beating on the walls of the tank. It does not take much; the old, fragile glass breaks easily from the strength of the robot's arms, and the robot, with all the wires still connected to the inside of the tank, comes tumbling out of its stasis pod.

If you fail me, I will dismantle you. If you disobey me, I will dismantle you. You are nothing more than a tool, an instrument, in my plans

The robot gasps, hurriedly pulling the wires from its arms and back. It tries to stand, but fails, and falls to its knees, only to let out a vicious scream that echoes throughout the empty lab.

That fool Dr. Light thinks his little house robot can stop me so easily? Ha! Well, now we can show him otherwise. Rise, rise and go forth to fulfill your destiny

It looks at its hands, and focuses on its right arm. The arm instantly transforms into a blaster cannon, and the robot's red eyes gleam with intent.

"Such power… what is this?"

Do what you were created to do, and destroy Megaman!!!

The black robot stands once again, and lets its arm return to its original form. It puts its hands to its head and groans.

"Who… am I?"


In the streets of Neo Arcadia, a blonde woman strolls through the thick crowds of humans and reploids. She stops for a moment and looks up to see big, billowy clouds floating amidst the deep blue of the sky. She smiles and continues walking, humming to herself. It is a good day for Neo Arcadia.

Six years after the sinister Dr. Wiel tried to crash the space cannon Ragnarok, the city has finally been rebuilt. Prejudice no longer exists between humans and reploids; there is more than enough energy for everyone and virtually no Mavericks. It is the utopia it was meant to be. The young blonde enters a large building near the center of the city. The building stretches far up into the sky. It is Central HQ, the monitoring facility of the entire city. Inside, reploids and humans work together, hustling and bustling to keep the city running smoothly. As the young woman begins towards the front desk, she hears a familiarly annoying voice calling her.

"Dr. Ciel! Dr. Ciel!!"

Ciel turns, her normally sweet, happy face contorted with agitation. A young male reploid is running towards her. She immediately recalls thinking when she woke up that this is the last person she wanted to see at the beginning of the day. It is Haru, a new employee at HQ. An energetic but naïve recruit, he was stationed in Ciel's department by Ciel herself: the Department of Energy Management and Control, or EMC. As head of the department, Ciel knew he would be a valuable asset to the group. Unfortunately, she did not think he would develop a crush on her as soon as he arrived for work. Now, Ciel must endure his bashful advances on a daily basis; despite her patience, it is beginning to get on her nerves.

"Dr. Ciel, I'm glad I caught you!"

'Sigh,' she thinks. "Hello, Haru. What is it that you need?"

The reploid blushes and puts his fingers together. "W-well, Dr. Ciel, I, uh, have a message for you." He looks down at his feet, making occasional glances at her but not being able to hold eye contact.

Ciel waits patiently but the young reploid continues to pause. "Well? Can I have the message?"

"OH! Yes, of course!" he blurts. "Well, uh, there is some commotion at the gate to Sector 1. The guards say there's a strange reploid asking for you there."

"Really? Geez, I just get here and there are already problems." Ciel turns around quickly to leave the building. She stops and turns towards Haru. "Thanks."

Haru blushes again. "A-anything for you, Dr. Ciel!" He watches her leave, sighing in contentment. 'What a beautiful woman!'

Ciel stands outside of the building and hails a taxi. A yellow hover car stops in front of her. The mechaniloid driver asks her in a synthesized voice as she enters the vehicle, "Where to, miss?"

"Gate 1, please."

"Right away," the driver responds, and begins the ride to the said destination. Ciel leans back in her seat and sighs again. 'I have a feeling it's gonna be a loooong day,' she thinks. She looks out the window and stares at the city. She cannot help but smile again. 'If only you could see this, Zero. You'd be so happy.' Ciel feels tears prickling her eyes as she remembers the legendary hero. She shakes her head, willing them back. No more crying. You got over it, right? She looks at herself in the taxi's rearview mirror. Right.

"We're here, miss. That'll be 20 credits, please."

The door opens and Ciel steps out of the vehicle. She moves towards the front window to pay the driver.

"Here you are." Ciel flashes her I.D. card across the taxi's card reader, and the fee is charged to her account.

Upon confirmation of the transaction, the driver says, "Thank you miss, and have a nice day!" It then drives off to find its next fare.

'I hope so…'

Ciel walks to Gate 1. Five reploid guards stand and salute her when she arrives. The commanding officer at the gate addresses her after saluting.

"Dr. Ciel," he says, "there is an unregistered reploid here with no papers claiming he knows you. We didn't want to let him in without confirmation."

Ciel looks over his shoulder at the reploid in question. He has a ragged cloak drawn over his shoulders, covering his armor. Ciel notices his red and black helmet, with ginger hair protruding from the rear of his head. She has never seen him before.

"I don't know this reploid, officer," she replies.

"Alright, m'am, that's all I needed." The officer begins to command the guards to force the mysterious reploid from the city.

"Wait, let me talk to him. We can at least give him that much," Ciel says suddenly. Something about the reploid seems strangely familiar to her, like a fleeting memory. The officer brings him over. She notices the officer holding two twin blaster pistols in his hand. 'Definitely not standard issue. They must be this guy's. Who exactly is he?'

The reploid stands before her, tall and proud. There is a spark in his eye that catches her attention. She is about to loose herself in his gleaming eyes when he speaks.

"Um, are you Dr. Ciel?"

She starts, surprised at his voice. "Yes, I am. May I ask why you called for me when you clearly do not know me?"

The young reploid in front of her chuckles and his shoulders shake lightly with laughter. "Sorry, these guys wouldn't let me through, so I had to get there attention."

"Well, it's their job. We can't have unknown reploids wandering around in Neo Arcadia; they might be Mavericks," she states matter-of-factly.

"I'm no Maverick, doc," he shoots back. Ciel is again surprised with the force of his voice. 'What's his problem?' she thinks. She becomes impatient with the reploid and asks him why he was there in an irritated tone.

"Sorry, doc, I just get a little irked when people call me a Maverick. I spent a long time killin' them, you know." The reploid put his hands behind his head. "I heard your name while I was lookin' for someone. I'm here to see Zero. Do you know where he is?"

Ciel is taken aback. 'He knows Zero?' "… What? You don't know about…" she trails off. Ciel cannot imagine someone not knowing about Zero's heroic sacrifice.

The monstrous space station began breaking up in the atmosphere. Dr. Wiel, the enemy of humans and reploids, lay dead, fused in the core of Ragnarok. Zero withdrew his deadly green blade, holstering the hilt in his armor. He looked past the burning station at the green and blue world below. He looked up at the infinite black space above him. He closed his eyes and smiled as the station exploded into a million tiny pieces…

Ciel shakes her head as she recalls her recurring dream. She focuses on the still nameless reploid in front of her. "I'm sorry, who are you? How do you know Zero?"

"I was a Maverick Hunter with Zero a long time ago. The name's Axl. So, uh, can I get in the city now or do I have to stay at this gate forever?"


A/N - My first try at a fanfiction. I'd appreciate reviews so I know the story is worth continuing. Criticism and/or flames are welcome, too.