Wild Fangs

(X series AU where Zero is aware of his self being the maverick virus origin and X being his "tamer" as both try to find a cure for the maverick virus)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Megaman X series characters.

Chapter X: Devil

"I will make a priceless art out of you so just stay like that while I gather my instruments." Launch Octopus said as he swims deeper into the Marine Unit's underwater quarters.

He left Zero being held by two Sky Claws at each of his arms as his legs stretched apart and chained into two metallic rods. His operating system is still offline due to the impact he has received from the pressure of his harsh descend. Showing no sign of rebooting, his virus slowly covers his core, resonating with the pulse he's giving out.

Maverick Hunters Headquarters: X's Shortcut

At the end of the pathway that X made using the full power of his buster, Vile stands almighty on top of his Ride Armor. Patiently, he waited for him to reach the ideal distance for his opening attack. When his radar finally caught X's signature within its range, he started his countdown.

X, on the other hand, just noticed something that sparkled ahead. Trusting his instincts, he quickly dashed towards the side as a huge burst of beam went by just a few seconds after. A trail of molten rock and metal sizzle at the whole stretch of the pathway. He's just too relieved that he got away just in time or he'll end up like a melted ice cream on a hot summer day. While he scanned himself for any damage taken, he heard a familiar roar of an engine.

"This can't be good..." slowly, he takes a peek, hoping that he's just imagining things. "Oh great..." after seeing the Ride Armor, he sinks back to his cover. "Of all the possible time... Why now?"

As he checked the result of his scan, he could hear his opponent taunting at him.

"X~! Come out~! Come out wherever you are~!" no response "Aren't you suppose to be in a hurry? As far as I've heard, your pet is being held captive by Launch Octopus."

X just ignored him as he prepares his counter.

"Aren't you a bit worried that your pet will be turned into some sort of junk that octopus calls as art?" charging his cannon once more "If you ask me, he'll be nothing but just a mere dummy for my cannon to vaporize!"

"Seriously, Vile. You talk too much..." still hiding as his buster is near maximum charge. "And yes... I AM in a hurry." he suddenly leaps out and fires his buster and six homing missiles came flying towards Vile. "And no, he has never been my pet." and a clone of him leaps over him and fires the same thing. "He's my FRIEND!" he roared as he gave out the same shot that created the shortcut.

"What the-?!" eleven projectiles made their mark on his Ride Armor as one hit the cannon he was charging while the fully charged shot marked the target on him. "Oh SHII-!" and a flash of light engulfed him and his Ride Armor before exploding.

Then a violent shockwave have shaken the whole headquarters that was extremely felt within the Command Center.

"What's going on?! Give me a status report, now!"

"Sir, we have detected a large explosion within the improvised shortcut that X has made earlier, Commander Sigma." tapping the keys on her computer "I'm afraid we can't have any visual on that spot, sir. The whole stretch was engulfed by the explosion thus destroying any possible paths for any of our spy mechaniloid." the navigator finished.

"I shouldn't have trusted him and his sickening ways of doing things...! Get Storm Eagle there and tell him to retrieve X.! I don't care whatever happened to Vile, just get X NOW!" he said as he swings his right arm.

"Yes, Commander Sigma, sir.!"

"Huh? Is that an earthquake?" Zero said as he looks back but failed to see anything. "Well this is surprising... If I remember correctly... I'm suppose to still underwater..." scratching the back of his head as he saw nothing but pure whiteness, like a blank slate. "Uh... Anyone here?"

The whole area suddenly starts to bleed deep crimson blood, filling the emptiness of the area and sinking him into it. The pure brightness of the area slowly turn into crimson darkness.

"Well... At least it's not water." letting himself to lie on his back to float "You can start talking now, I'm all ears."

As he spoke those words, a figure tardily builds up from the pool of blood: his own reflection. Its form is still stabilizing when it starts to crawl over him. He offered his right hand as its support which it generously accepted.

"What's wrong? You wouldn't call me if it's nothing serious." caressing the bloody cheek of his mirror-image who's partly solidifying now.

The blood pool then turns into a crimson web that cradles them both. Although as the web forms, some of it was wrapped around Zero's body, like chains restraining him but loose enough for him to move a little. His mirror-image, however, has its body fused with the web as it continues to crawl on top of him.

"Danger... X... Slaughter... Vermin..." it said in a silky voice "Haste..." facing him, its blood-ruby eyes glow against its ebony sclera, filled with worry and anger.

"You know who the bastard is?" glides his fingers into its blood-like mane as it leans closer to him, resting its forehead against his.

"Terminate... No... Mercy..." its voice is now filled with rage as images sent into his head, making his lips drew a demonic feral grin.

"Since when did mercy became part of our programming?" his bloody mirror-image looked at him. "Nobody touches X, except us so let's get wild!"

Upon hearing his resolve, his mirror-image made the same grin before turning back into the blood that covers him. Then his grin become a chuckle, the chuckle turned into laughter that soon became a madman's howl. The web that was restraining him earlier melted, moving in a spiral that concealed him completely.

Maverick Hunters Headquarters: Medic Bay

"This is abominable..." Gate said as he covered his mouth while his eyes still locked on the monitor of his computer.

"What's wrong? Something happened to X?" Lifesaver asked as he stride towards him.

"... Not to X." the screen then started to flash warning signs repeatedly. "The crimson devil has awaken once more..."

"Like three months ago?" the researcher reploid just nodded "What's X doing?" looks at the monitor where X's status is shown "Offline?!" then he saw Gate grabbing a portable surgical kit. "Gate, where are you going?"

"X must be in critical condition, I'll go there to treat him. Without him... is like we just accepted the world's destruction!" then he ran towards the exit as Lifesaver watches him go.

"I hope we're not too late..." Lifesaver shrugged as he continued the vaccine production.

Just then, Gate was abducted by a winged shadow.

Maverick Hunters Headquarters: Command Center

"Eeek!" one of the navigators screamed as her monitor exploded that soon chained with the rest of the computers within the room.

"What's going on?!" Sigma shouted as he rises from his seat.

"Sir, just right after Zero's maverick virus surpassed the critical level... Our computers suddenly went berserk resulting to overheating and eventually ended up into the explosion... As if it was triggered by it."

"Blasted! Why nothing in my plan ever went right?!" slams both of his iron fists on his computer, leaving a deep dent and crushed a keyboard. "Looks like I have to do things on my own!"

"Commander Sigma, your orders, sir?!" one of the navigators asked as Sigma turned on her with furious eyes.

"Kill yourself, you're all worthless scraps!" and he stormed out of the room, leaving the navigators pointing their arm busters to their temple.

"Yes, Commander Sigma, sir." they all said in unison before a choir of buster shots echoed within the room.

Amidst from the clouds of soot and burning molten rubble, Dynamo carried the unconscious azure hunter out of the blast site. Placing him flat on his back, the bounty hunter took out a small tool out of his belt pocket.

"Now that's what I call one hell of a plan. I knew Vile cannot resist the chance of destroying you so I called him up." taps X's forehead with his tool, making the crystal glow "All for the sake of fulfilling my job, of course." the light fades, revealing X's precious emotion chip that situated on top of his control chip. "Now let's start the operation, shall we?"

Before he could even touch the chip, an iron feather darted towards Dynamo's hand which made him drop his tool as he leap back after sensing three more were heading towards him.

"Whoa there! That's dangerous!" he said as flipping back, landing on his feet with his blaster ready.

"Not as dangerous as the stunt that you pulled just to knock out X." Storm Eagle lands gracefully at the azure hunter's side who's crystal shines once more to seal back his exposed circuitry.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Say, why are you here anyway? Don't you suppose to be keeping the origin busy?" concealing back his buster.

"Commander Sigma ordered me to retrieve X, and you?" his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, that same guy told me to remove X's emotion chip so he can make a puppet out of him." placing both of his hands over his hips "How about you let me finish my job first before you take him? Sounds logical, yes?"

"Indeed... That's if you were holding a conversation to my non-maverick self." starts to fly "You still owe me a payback from last time and being a maverick, grudges comes first before any given order." flaps his wings as his Storm Tornado materializes.

"Oh boy..." dodges the attack as his buster engages once more. "Come on, we're on the same side now.!" shoots him with split shot. "Could you let it slide until I'm through with my job?"

"Not a chance." he spits four eggs which hatched immediately upon contact to the floor. "Eliminate him!" and the four azure birds darted towards him.

"Tsk. You're really taking this maverick reasoning far too seriously." charging energy at one hand, he then punches the ground thrice, sending off lasers from the ceiling which eliminated the four birds. "You should learn how to chill."

"I'll do that once I'm done with you." he once again uses his Storm Tornado but with feathers flying downwards.

Their duel was abruptly halted as a familiar red octopus were sent flying across the hallway, neutralizing the tornado as it went through it before violently crashing head first against the metal wall. Both looked at each other after hearing a demonic laughter coming from the direction the octopus burst from. Deep within the shadows, a pair of glowing cold pale blue eyes glare towards them.

The temperature suddenly drops rapidly when the cold mist crawls out, filling the hallway as it send chills down to their spine. Instinctively, both readied their weapons to whoever will emerge from the shadows, determined to fight for their own survival. However, their courage diminished as a silky voice spoke.

"Ah... That felt gooooood~" his huge demonic wings stretched along with his whole body. "Now..." hovering as he cast himself out of the shadows "Let me have the bastard that dared to lay his filthy hands on my sole friend." he snickers as he looked at Storm Eagle "...unless you want to join the scrap heap, little bird." he laughed once more before engaging into battle.