A/N:
COVER ART BY metalhime. I commissioned this piece based on "Past Prologue". BEAUTIFUL WORK! Check out her stuff on DeviantArt/dA (search 'metalhime'. I don't think I can post a link here)
This first part continues from Past Prologue, and references some of it- which I am revising, so that is actually a work in progress despite being complete. Undecided whether this will be just a series of the more famous X/Zero scenes or if the 8 Mavericks will come out to play.
Thank you for reading!
X pressed forward, demolishing a gun volt and a wave of crushers. X then held up his arm to block gusts of wind from a bee blader as it descended. Hovering mere inches above the road, the blader deployed two deer balls.
With a charged shot, X pulverized the deer balls, leaving only their long legs to fall limp to the ground. The blader then approached X, and the gatling gun under its head activated. A burst of high-velocity rounds poured out and peppered the pavement with deep pockmarks, threatening to do the same to X's armor.
Another charged shot rang out from X's buster. It struck the blader's armor, cracking it. X fired his buster rapidly, and each bullet widened the cracks further until one reached the blader's inner systems. A series of explosions ripped through the beast until the blader darkened and fell with a heavy crash. X lost his balance when the weight of massive vehicle caused the section of street to buckle, then tear from its pillars. The entire platform fell, along with the dead blader, and only stopped when it wedged between where the bases of the pillars flared out.
The fallen platform created a pit where X found himself shaken, but unharmed. Undeterred, X used the blader as a launching platform and jumped to the pillar behind it. X pressed himself against the side of the pillar, jumped, fell on the pillar again, and repeated the process. Unable to jump high nor fly, X learned the maneuver - called "wall-jumping" - while in the Anti-Maverick Police Force. He practiced it ever so often, and as he climbed of the pit, he felt grateful that he did.
The road ahead continued. X struck down more crushers, gun volts, and deerballs. He met another blader, which he dispatched with similar results to the first. He again climbed out of the gap in the road it left behind and carried on. All the while, X felt a battle fever grow like he never experienced before. His senses heightened and sharpened, attuning him to every threat in his surroundings.
As the smoke and wreckage of Dr. Cain's ship appeared in the distance, a chill rushed up X spine.
"Found you!" blared from a loudspeaker. A shadow descended on X and the road around him. He looked up to see a massive airship appear from a haze of coulds, dust, and smoke. It's belly opened, and a ride armor fell out, landing some yards away from X.
"You," X growled. He instantly recognized the purple armor and shoulder-mounted cannon of the armor's rider.
"You owe me a battle. I hope you haven't forgotten!"
"I don't have time for this, Vile," X said.
The ride armor raised its fists. "I beg to differ. With the world in chaos, we have nothing but time. Prepare yourself!" Vile said.
Vile dashed forward in his ride armor. It's massive fist reared back, and then threw a wild punch at X. A split second of terror seized X, but instinct took control and he managed to vault over the attack before it crushed him.
Vile turned and dashed again, and X responded by rolling out of the way before another savage punch took his head off. X remained on one knee after coming our of the roll. Dodging his foe took every bit of quickness he could muster, and could spare little thought towards mounting an effective counterattack. Nonetheless, charged his buster, rose to his feet and fired a heavy blast.
X's heart sank. The armor absorbed the entire shot; it did not even stagger. Vile cackled, and charged at X again. X rolled once more. He collided with the door of an abandoned car, scraping off paint and leaving a noticeable dent. He felt a gust of air rush over him as the ride armor's fist flew past him. X inhaled sharply before having to dive away again. The car split into pieces as Vile tore through it like paper.
X landed hard on the pavement, exhausted. Without letting up, Vile aimed his shoulder cannon he fired a series of energy nets. X side-stepped all but the last. X yelped as the shot enveloped him in charged coils, making it painful for him to move. He dropped to his knees.
Vile charged a final time. X cried out and winced as the solid metal of the armor's fingers wrapped around his torso and roughly yanked him into the air. The electric net flickered as it deactivated and fell away.
"Come on, X! Where is this limitless potential? Show me! Or are you holding back?" He shook X. "Show me right now, or I'll pry you open and look for it myself!"
"Stop...Vile!" X choked. He felt his life squeeze out of him.
A charged shot rang out. The missile hit the ride armor exactly at the exposed joint at the shoulder. The joint burst, and the arm severed with X still in its grasp. Its fingers loosened and it slipped off of X. As he landed on one knee, Vile backed away, with a cascade of coolant and sparks pouring from the armor's open wound.
"Ugh!" Vile said. The armor staggered and trembled. X looked up, cautious as the armor twitched and shuddered.
"Warning: system damage," the armor's system blared. "Warning: coolant loss. Caution: overheat."
"Shut up, you damn machine!" With frantic punches to the armor's pilot controls, Vile stabilized the malfunctioning machine. He then shouted, "Who's there? Show yourself!"
"I'm right here, Vile."
Relief - and disbelief at his good fortune - flooded X's thoughts. His heart filled with hope. Hearing the familiar voice of his best friend, X felt a renewed vigor. X rose to his feet, wincing from where the armor's fingers bruised his torso. He heard Zero's footsteps, then saw a blur of red as he dashed past X.
Zero planted himself between X and Vile. He stood tall and crossed his arms, saying, "I can finish you off here, or you can surrender. Your call."
The ride armor twitched and wobbled. Spurts of smoke wafted from the armor's vents on its lower torso. Vile replied, "Zero. Only you would come his defense. Just think about how pathetic that is. Why does someone with your talents even associate with such a tired old relic?"
"You would never understand. I can't even bring myself to call you a Maverick. They at least have some sense of loyalty. You? You're just a mad dog that needs to be stopped."
Vile scoffed. "I might have respected you once, Zero, but I'm tired of your interference. My business is with X, understand? Do not meddle again, for I guarantee that a lucky shot won't save you next time." Vile looked to X. "I will find you again, X, and we will continue our battle. Alone. Try not to die until then."
Vile punched a command into the stricken ride armor. He turned toward the edge of the road. The armor hobbled a few steps before firing its boosters. Fire spurted from the exhaust, but the vehicle made a mighty leap off of the highway. Zero ran to the edge, only to see the same airship rise up, carrying Vile on an exterior platform. Zero aimed his buster and fired at Vile and the airship, but with little effect. The carrier continued to ascend until swallowed up by the clouds. Zero growled with frustration.
"Zero," X called out weakly. "You're alive!"
Zero spun around and ran to X. "X," he said. He placed his hands on X's shoulders and scanned his wounds. "Are you okay, buddy?"
"I'll be fine. I was worried about you when the tower blew."
Zero dropped his arms from X and said, "And I made it out alive only to get in the middle of more senseless destruction. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I saw the explosions and came here as fast as I could."
"I guess I'm still not quite at your level, though. There is no way I can beat Vile."
"Don't worry, X- I know that soon you'll be more than a match for a brute like him. Next time, you'll be ready to face him."
X did not understand why Zero felt that way, but the confidence behind his words lifted X's spirits.
"I found no sign of Sigma on my end," Zero said.
"No, you wouldn't have," X said. Zero furrowed his brow, prompting X to say, "He's no longer in the city. I met with him - or I thought I did - before he blew up the highway. He gave me the information on his henchmen," X pulled from his belt the data capsule. "He said I have to challenge them all before he will reveal his location to us."
"Figures he would make a sick game out of it," Zero said. He thought for a pause, then said, "I think it will be more efficient if I continue to search for him while you start taking out his subordinates."
"What? You think I should do what Sigma says?"
"Whether Sigma says so or not, they have to be stopped anyway before the Hunters can regain control of the situation."
X's face fell. "That's true."
Zero said, "I know you can make quick work of them. Now's the time you can put your unique ability to good use, isn't it?"
"Oh, that's right," X said thoughtfully. "But do I have to destroy them, Zero? Storm Eagle, and Kwuanger..."
Zero sighed, dropping his arm. "They're Mavericks now, X. You can't hesitate now, because they won't hesitate to destroy you instead."
X nodded. His last feelings of protest diminished, and he accepted his mission.
"Maybe you should meet with Dr. Cain first. He can help you view what's on that drive at least," Zero suggested.
X's eyes widened in panic. "The doctor! The ship!"
Confused, Zero stepped aside to let X charge past him. He followed X further down the highway. They traveled a little over a hundred meters before Zero spotted what X had referred to: large sections of smoldering aircraft had cratered and scorched the pavement up ahead.
X leaped onto the piece of body where the cockpit lay. X approached it with care, worried about what he would find under the tinted dome. He crouched and placed his hands on it and pushed firmly to the side. With considerable strain, he loosened the hatch and slid the cover off.
To his shock and relief, he found the cockpit empty. Some of the avionics still flickered with life. Zero joined X on the section, standing over him and the open capsule. "Was Dr. Cain supposed to be in there?" Zero asked.
X did not reply, instead focusing his attention on the faint sound of a broken radio signal emanating from inside the cockpit. "
Hel- Hello- Some-," it stuttered out. X dove into the cockpit and grabbed the comm's mouthpiece.
"Doctor! Doctor!" X said into the mouthpiece.
The signal buzzed and squealed. X fiddled with the comm panel in an attempt to clear the noise.
"X? X!" a voice said, crackling through the interference. "Is that you?"
"Dr. Cain! You're okay!" X said, sighing.
"Never been better after hearing your voice. I'm glad you're OK. I'm sorry to have lost this old bird, though. One can't have quite the same reaction time when flying remotely."
"Where are you?" X asked.
"I'm in my safehouse just outside the city limits. If you're not in a tight spot, I'll give you the coordinates."
"Yes, please. I need your help to take down these Mavericks, then Sigma."
A pause. Dr. Cain then said, "X, you sound so confident with yourself. I'm glad."
The doctor gave X the coordinates. After X thanked the doctor, he bid him farewell.
X stood and turned to find Zero standing close beside him. He averted his eyes.
"Well, good luck," X said.
"That's it, huh? 'Good luck' is all I get?" Zero said playfully.
"What else do you want?" X asked, still looking away.
The playfulness diminished. Zero said sharply, "I don't know. I want you to look at me, for starters. Say goodbye properly. We're both going to war, after all."
With hesitation, X lifted his chin and met Zero's eyes. X could not say what made the movement so difficult, so heavy.
"I'm sorry," X said.
Zero put a hand on X's arm. Zero chewed on his lip as if unsure of what he wanted to say. Zero's hand dropped to hold his.
X swallowed hard. "What's the matter?" he murmured.
Zero smiled. "Nothing." In an instant, he let go of X and leaped from the wreckage to the street below. "Be careful!" he called over his shoulder.
X moved to call out to him, but he held back. He watched Zero until he disappeared into a haze of dust and smoke.