Copywrite: Zero, X, Signas, and all other characters, places, and names are copywrite of Capcom, I do not claim any ownership of these items.

Won't Back Down

A Strange Occurrence

It was a normal day, just like most others. The world was quite quiet after the putting down of the Repliforce and there wasn't much for the Maverick Hunters to do. Crime was down after the swift quelling of the uprising by the two best robots in the Maverick Hunters; X and Zero. After the incident, they both seemed pretty distant from the rest of the team, which wasn't normal by either of them. X was always extremely friendly to all who came near him, but now was kind of cold to them all. Zero, who was always willing to help, didn't take favors as often, and kept himself in the training room even more than usual. On this particular day they both were in the battle simulator, Zero keeping tabs on X.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!" was all that could be heard from X as he shot down all 50 reploids in one single shot. He fell to his knees after the blast and changed his blaster back to his hand as he fell to all fours. Zero walked up to him and looked concerned.

"X, you shouldn't go all out like that. You know that. What in the world is wrong with you?" Zero said like a brother looking out for his younger sibling. X only stood and shook his head.

"I... never mind. I have to be as strong as possible! What if some civilians are in a situation like that? I don't want to fail to save them you know?"

"If they are in that kind of situation, I'll probably be with you, so I wouldn't worry. Anyways, while you were fighting, you got a call from Signas, so if I were you, I'd hurry. I wouldn't want to get on his bad side, at least now." Zero was talking about how Signas and the General of Repliforce were once good friends, but now General was gone and Signas was feeling it was his fault, even though he wasn't even there.

"Okay, okay then. I'm off then," X said as he typed in the open code on the door and walked out. Zero looked watched him go with a strange expression, almost hate...

On the way to the office X was avoided by all. The look on X's face was all that was needed to know what was wrong. Signas had recently made sure X knew how he should have known about Double being a spy. Sure, he was nice, but after all the fights with Sigma and his cronies, X should be able to tell a Maverick from a normal Reploid, as Signas put it. X was pretty sure it had to do with that or something similar, and now wasn't the time. If... if only he was stronger... X thought.

Zero was on the weights in the training room after X had left. Something in the Reploids make is similar to muscles in how if they are used more they get stronger, so Zero was on the weights most every day. Besides an octopus style Reploid, Zero was the only one in the room. He kept muttering to himself as he lifted the weights. "202... hate him... 203... evil... 204... must... keep..." and with that, he fell over onto the ground, off of the weight bench. Zero was unconscious by the time he hit the floor, with a W in the blue gem on his forehead. The other Reploid gasped and grabbed him, quickly taking him to the infirmary.

X opened the door and closed it. "What," was all he said to Signas, who was looking at what looked like a video recording on the many screens in the back of the room. Signas turned around and motioned to X. "I think you need to see this..."

X walked up to the screens and nearly had a heart attack... It was covered by machines that looked similar to Reploids, but where not quite Reploids... All of them had a purple W on their foreheads... and... their leader looked just like Zero, but without pupils...

"What... is this? Is this a joke?! I just left Zero!" X said, hysterically. He watched as the robots and Zero destroyed buildings, and any people in the way. This couldn't be real, could it? X then cringed and fell to the floor, with a pain in his head and back of his right hand. Then, just as it couldn't get worse, the Reploid who took Zero to the infirmary burst through the door. "Signas, sir, Zero has just passed out! He's... what is this?" he said pointing to the screens. Signas just sighed and said "Live feed from Metro City..."

End of Chapter One.

(Please R&R. Only constructive criticism please. This is my first fanfic after all...)