Rockman ZW
Chapter 20: Pride, Honor, and Justice.

Vent walks back and forth in the hallways of the Guardian HQ, hearing the screaming that Alister is letting out constantly. As he watches Rose walk in with a needle in her left hand, Alister goes silent a few seconds later. She walks back out and closes the door with a sigh of relief while Vent watches her walk by as Aile appears next to him.

"How is he doing?" she asks while peeking in on him.

"Rose just went in there to settle him down. I am sure that as soon as he wakes, he will start screaming again." he replies with a sigh.

"Poor guy… I couldn't imagine what he went through… watching his own hands kill countless people…" she says while closing the door.

"How are you doing?" asks Vent while leaning up against the wall and crosses his arms while she looks away.

"What do you mean…? I'm fine… really I am..." she replies fighting the tears.

"Don't give me that! You and I have been together for a long time now, and I can tell when you're hurting Aile!" he shouts to her as she suddenly turns to him with tears flowing down her face.

"It's not fair Vent! Why?! Why did Jake have to give his life like that?! It's just not fair Vent...!" Aile shouts in return before she turns to run away. Suddenly Vent grabs her arm and whips her around into his arms.

"No Aile! You can't run from this!" Vent tells her while Aile struggles to get free from his grip.

"Let me go!" she screams while punching Vent countless times before falling to her knees.

"It is going to be alright Aile, I'm here to help..." Vent tells her while hugging her. Now his own tears are flowing down his face as he watches his strong friend break down in front of him.

"Just tell me why..." Aile continues to repeat for the longest time.

As a few hours pass Aile finally returns to her own room and falls asleep on her bed. Vent just stands by Alister's door, thinking back to the previous fight with Zerowing. Vent takes a sigh of relief that the horrible fight is over. He closes his eyes for a moment as he has been awake all night long. Without even realizing it, he too soon falls fast asleep.

In Alister's room he is now tossing and turning, and finding it hard to breath. As he tosses and turns he dreams of running through an alley. While running through the alley he looks back to see a shadow figure closing in on him. As he turns his head back around to continue running he slips on a puddle of water and falls flat on his face. The shadow stands over him and as he turns around to confront Zerowing.

"What is wrong Alister? You seemed to be scared…" states Zerowing.

"Stay away from me! You're evil!" Alister shouts to him while jumping to his feet.

Alister looks around for a way out before looking upwards. He then extends his right arm towards the building on his left and fires a grapple hook towards the roof. It latches on to something as he shoots up towards the top. When he climbs up to the top finally Zerowing is waiting there for him with his arms crossed.

"You cannot escape destiny Alister. I am a part of you as you are a part of me." he tells Alister.

"I'm no part of you! Don't say that!" Alister argues while getting into a fighting position.

Zerowing just closes his eyes and puts his head down. Suddenly there is a light behind him as Model G appears.

"Alister…" Model G starts.

"You see him Zerowing? You killed Jake! Now Model G does not exist anymore!" Alister shouts.

"It is true that I killed Jake… but not of my own will." Zerowing tells him.

"How do you expect me to trust you? How could you possibly prove yourself to me?" questions Alister as Zerowing just stands there.

"While you were knocked out in the rubble with Angeline in your arms… I was still able to see around you. This is what I saw before all of this happened." Zerowing tells him before raising his right arm and holding it to his right. A part of the sky opens up and shows the rubble from the mansion. The image is looking from the left to the right as Khan walks up. Alister realizes that he is seeing from Model ZW's point of view.

"I see you're still alive… well… you're going to wish you were dead… ha-ha…" Khan laughs as he reaches towards Alister. The image in the sky fades as Zerowing looks towards Alister again.

"What does that prove to me?" questions Alister.

"Khan did something to me… as if he reached inside of me and planted a virus or something. That is all I can say… for I know no more." Zerowing says to him as Model G disappears.

"I just can't believe you… countless lives were lost because I was not strong enough" Alister replies while looking away.

"The choice is yours to make. I cannot force you." Zerowing says as he suddenly fades away.

Alister wakes up at that moment, the sweat pouring off of his forehead. He wipes it off before standing to his feet. He spots his shirt and jacket to the side of him before putting them on. He opens the door to his room before taking notice of Vent on the ground asleep. Alister nudges Vent's right shoulder to wake him up.

"Hm…?" he yawns before taking notice that Alister is awake and out of his room.

"Hey Vent… want to go get something to eat?" Alister asks as his stomach growls at him.

"Yeah, that sounds good about now." replies Vent as he stands to his feet.

He takes another big yawn while stretching before they walk off. On the way there a fellow Guardian walks up to them and tells them that Praire wishes to see them. They forget about their hunger at the moment and follow orders. As they walk into the command room Praire watches them closely.

"Alister… how are you feeling?" asks Praire.

"Words cannot express how I feel at the moment… I have been used… how should I feel?" he asks her. Praire couldn't answer that as she knew Alister was hurting over the death of Angeline.

"Can we count on Black Rockman in the future?" she bluntly asks him. Alister looks around to see so many faces that he has learned to call friends. Finally he steps forward while looking heavily upon the ground.

"No. I'm no longer Black Rockman. How can I? Not after doing such a horrible crime…" Alister tells her.

"I see… I thought you might say that. I have already found a replacement for you, well… two to be more accurate…" she says as the doors behind them open up suddenly. Two figures walk into the command room as shock hits everyones faces, all but Praire and Alister.

"Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly reporting for duty!" Sonic Tiger says as he and Heavy Grizzly salute.

"Are you serious?! Why are these guys here?!" Vent shouts as they walk up to her.

"For some time now, Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly have been working undercover for us. Alister has also been with us for a period of time before he found Model ZW as well. The three of them acted as our field unit. Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly provided the backbone of the operation while Alister helped the poor and acted as our only stealth unit." Praire tells them while Sonic Tiger walks over to Alister as does Heavy Grizzly. The two put their hands on his right and left shoulder.

"I see… well then… welcome." Vent says walking up to them shaking their hands.

"A pleasure to be working aside you Vent." Sonic Tiger replies.

"Same here kid." Heavy Grizzly adds while pushing Vent around a bit. Praire smiles at the sight of her men getting along before She looks to Alister as her smile fades.

"Alister… at least think about this… don't quit right away…" she mentions to him.

"Quit? Why would you be quitting?" asks Heavy Grizzly.

"It's a long story…" Alister tells the bear.

"Then I suggest you start explaining it to us." Sonic Tiger says as he puts his arm around him and walks Alister out. Heavy Grizzly follows as Vent stands there, knowing to leave them alone.

"Vent." Praire speaks as he turns to her.

"Yes?" he asks.

"I have a mission for you and Aile, it involves Khan. He has shown up again and I want you two to go find his hiding spot." she tells him.

"Roger that. I'll go get Aile and we'll head out right away." he returns as he turns around.

As he walks out of the command room Praire turns her head and looks at a picture of her and Angeline standing next to each other, both of them smiling at the other. Alister opens the door to the top of the Guardian HQ. They step out and walk towards the rails as Alister hangs over them.

"Tell us what's going on Alister." Sonic Tiger says watching the sky.

Heavy Grizzly walks up to Alister on the other side as the thief lets out a sigh. As he begins to tell them the entire story, the two reploids listen very closely. At times Alister cried and started screaming again while shaking his head back and forth. As he gets to the part where Jake was killed Sonic Tiger hangs his head.

"I'm sorry my little friend… Angeline… she was a wonderful girl." Sonic Tiger tells him.

"How do you know that? How could you possibly know anything about her? She was my love! I loved her! Now she's gone and it's all my fault!!" Alister shouts as Sonic Tiger shakes him.

"It's not your fault little one!" he shouts to Alister as he gives him a blank stare before breaking free from his grip.

"Tiger… maybe it's time he knew the whole truth… about her…" Heavy Grizzly mentions before Sonic Tiger nods his head in agreement.

"Alister… Angeline… she was a part of the Guardian's…" he tells him.

"What?!" gasps Alister while turning to Sonic Tiger.

"It's true. You two have even met once before. A very long time ago as children. You two were selected by a woman named Ciel, to become the new heroes of the world. I was there to help guard you two when the carnival was attacked. Even though you two had just met as children, you bonded so fast. Neither of you left the others side for even a moment. Ciel's last wish, was that the children she selected to be safe. Even though it cost her life... she finished her final job." Sonic Tiger explains to him.

"Angeline… was a Guardian... this… entire time?" Alister asks him.

"I'm sorry you found out this way… Praire was also close to Angeline. I'm sure she is also hurting very much over this…" Heavy Grizzly adds.

"A Guardian… the entire time… she was looking after me… and I never knew it?" Alister thinks out loud before suddenly there is alarms going off. Praire's voice is heard throughout the entire base.

"Attention all Guardian's! There is a level one emergency! All combat Guardian's are to report to the command room!" she says before cutting off. Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly run off towards the door as Alister follows them. Upon returning to the command room Vent is on the viewing screen.

"Praire… Khan… too strong! Can't… fight anymore…!" Vent struggles to speaks as Khan appears behind him. He laughs before grabbing Vent and laughs again before the transmission ends there. Praire turns around to Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly.

"Vent and Aile went on a recon mission and were ambushed by Khan himself! You two have to go there and get them out of there before it's too late!" Praire commands them.

"Roger!" the two reply as they head for the docking bay. Alister hangs his head in shame before Angeline's words come to mind.

"Alister… promise me… to keep going on… without me. That is… what I wish for." her voice echoes throughout his thoughts.

He shakes his head back and forth as tears fall from his eyes. He then turns around to follow the other two. Praire smiles as he runs out, she knows he is making his choice right now.

"Agghhh!!" Vent and Aile scream in pain as they lose their Rockman forms. They are bleeding badly while Khan walks up to them and prepares for the final attack. As he raises his hand into the air to strike, Alister tackles Khan from the side and jumps off of him.

"Alister!" Khan sneers as he stands to his feet. Sonic Tiger and Heavy Grizzly help Vent and Aile to the cargo ship before they run up next to Alister.

"Khan!" Alister shouts at him out of anger that he is hurting those that he cares about.

"Alister… ha-ha! Back from your slaughter fest? As much killing as you have done you should be on my side. Join…" Khan starts to invite.

"Shut up!" Alister interrupts.

"What?!" Khan returns.

Alister walks forward with Model ZW in his right hand. He holds it up before him and transforms into Black Rockman once again. He looks at his hands as if they have been washed clean of the blood. He clenches his fists before starring at Khan.

"It's funny actually... even though you are no longer with me... your words still get to me Angeline..." Alister thinks to himself before looking towards Khan.

"Darkness has no power in the light Khan! I am the eternal light that destroys all evil!" Alister shouts before dashing towards Khan.

End of Chapter 20