Chapter 38
Anger
"You will change your mind soon."
Yes… those had been his words, General thought.
Back on the deck, the weapon's technicians were still doing their best to safeguard what remained of Final Weapon's dwindling generators; unaware, that the days of Repliforce were numbered. He had been right all along, the maverick hunters were becoming too much of a threat to his plans… And now, he was about to pay the price for his arrogance.
From outside the room, sounds of struggle could be heard as someone or something, attempted to force its way to the bridge; effectively causing quite a commotion in the process.
The door slid, revealing two of his lifeless soldiers along with an unknown female reploid, wielding a green blade of energy. General was already aware of what was happening; in fact, he had been expecting it for quite a while now.
Resigned to his fate, the huge reploid stood from his throne; facing this new intruder as he began. I see… so the assassin is here. I have been expecting you, maverick hunter.
The red hunter replied. Shut up! Whatever you say won't make any difference; you're dead, you're all dead!
General gestured something to his underlings and shouted in a commanding voice. Leave us!
Frightened, the technicians left with all haste, benefiting from the fact that this female reploid was not really giving a damn about whatever happened to them. Once they were gone, the golden colossus took a closer look upon this assassin, curious to find out what kind of reploid could have made it this far. From his point of view, she looked pathetic; her whole armor was covered in burn marks, with small fissures beginning to form at its extremities. The sky blue gem, resting upon her helmet, was glowing dimly with each breath that she was taking and General was wondering how she could even hope to face him under such circumstances.
So many died because of you… This is all your fault!
The giant reploid was not surprised when he noticed a small glint glowing within her eyes; a mark of anger, of hate and of madness… Truth is, he felt nothing but disdain for her; what she lacked in focus and skills, she tried to fill with hate and anger… A sad sight. Independence has its price; much like anything else. But all that everyone will remember is the degree of success with which it was achieved… Recognizing her as the same reploid that he had seen through the mechaniloid's eyes, the huge reploid asked. Since you made it this far, I must assume that Iris is dead as well?
DON'T you dare to speak her name; you're the one who murdered her!!
The mustached giant remained impassible. Though it seemed like he had hit a sensible cord by mentioning her name; he could not care less, such bravado was irrelevant at this point. Then all is truly lost. A shame really; if only the brother and sister could have been reconciled… then perhaps, things would have turned out much differently…
Brandishing her saber in his direction, Zero yelled. Enough! YOU are to blame, you're the one responsible for their death; you're the one who was really pulling the strings behind the mavericks; it's all your fault, you and your damned Repliforce!
Perhaps we are responsible… But then, so are you, maverick hunter Zero. The female reploid was shocked, how could he even know who she was? So I am right… Then let me ask you this, Zero; have you ever wondered why Repliforce was founded in the first place?
Obviously, the blond hunter couldn't tell, all she could feel was the twitching of her fingers against her saber. Killing him… avenging Iris and Colonel… This was all she could think of right now. Not really paying attention, General went on with his explanation. It all began during the first maverick outbreak; when Sigma and his minions defected from the maverick hunters and sent missiles raining down upon Able City. Back then, a group of humans, feeling that the hunters had failed to fulfill their duties, decided to create a new force that would succeed where they, could not. And that is why Colonel, Iris and myself were brought into this world.
Huh?!
Proud to have finally caught her attention, the five-story tall reploid went on. The plan was simple really, to create the perfect reploid that could serve as both peaceful arbiter and strong-willed soldier. One that could fill the void that still stood between reploids and humanity, one that would be able to lead us to a new era of peace and prosperity; and all of this, under the banner of Repliforce… Our scientists struggled to reconcile both factors inside one single being, but the differences were irreconcilable. So instead, they split them into two reploids, brother and sister, Iris and Colonel. They, who were meant to lead Repliforce; they, who would lead us to victory! What the first lacked in resolve, the latter would fill in; what Colonel lacked in purpose, Iris would provide. It was… perfect.
Zero had no patience for this, this was the day it would all end; today was the day that Repliforce was going down. Then why did you meddle in it?! If it weren't for this dumb independence of yours, they would still be alive!
They were not ready, they needed to see the world for what it truly was before they could fulfill their destiny; this is why, I was called in. I was to show them the way; but once I realized how humans saw us as nothing more than expendable tools, I doubted myself… And it was then that our purpose became clear; for Repliforce to carry out its purpose, it was necessary that we became independent, so that reploid and humans could work together without fearing to be labeled as maverick or as traitors to humanity.
Something wasn't right, none of this made sense. Then why not just talk it over with the hunters and the humans?! Surely they would have understood.
A person could understand, but in groups… we are idiots; this is why I had no choice, this is why I declared this war; for each reploids that adopted our cause, there were dozens that were ready to brand us as mavericks, without any second thought. There was no other option; and through this, Iris would learn the horrors of war while Colonel would learn the means through which peace could be preserved. And then… he came…
The red hunter couldn't care less about these lies; nothing would stop her from settling this score, nothing… Suddenly, another strong tremor struck Final Weapon with full strength, triggering an alarm, which caused red lights to emerge from the ceiling. A mechanical voice began to yell. WARNING! WARNING! BEGINNING PROCEDURE TO FIRE THE WEAPON. WARNING! WARNING!
General frowned, not quite surprised by this sudden turn of event. So, the coward finally stepped out of the shadows… I was wondering when he would finally act.
CHARGING CANNON… … … TARGET: … POINT 3426 … … EARTH.
Hating herself for not having seen through his deception, Zero replied. You bastard! This was all a setup; you were planning to fire the weapon all along, you were just trying to delay me with this nonsense of yours!
Believe what you will, but I have absolutely nothing to do with this; Final Weapon was merely a mean to goad the humans into agreeing with our demands. Someone must be controlling the weapon; but I, am not.
WEAPON CHARGED AT 0,5. WARNING!
You're dead; you're not getting away with this!!
It is as I have told you, Repliforce is finished. The golden giant pushed a button hidden beneath his throne, forcing the platform beneath it to ascend as a large hole opened within the ceiling.
Readying her saber, the maverick hunter shouted. You're not going anywhere General!
But I am. Perhaps the weapon can still be stopped in time, but I, cannot. Die… the way you deem the most appropriate. Zero noticed something within the golden reploid's eyes; the same resolve, the same pride… the same folly as Colonel. For I, have chosen mine.
Torn between the choice of chasing after the huge reploid and stopping the weapon before it could fire on earth; the red reploid couldn't bring herself to take a decision at a time like this, but what if General was right; what if the was really someone else was really behind all the events of the past few weeks…
Deeper, within the bowels of Final Weapon…
The decision was made; Zero would not have been able to live with herself if Iris and Colonel's murderer was allowed to slip beyond her grasp… And if General had lied; then he would pay a far greater price…
Damaged neons, were threatening to plunge the whole corridor, leading to the weapon's energy reactor, in darkness. The blond hunter was advancing steadily, clutching to her saber as each of her steps brought her closer to her goal. Fortunately, it seemed most of Repliforce soldiers had vanished except for about a dozen of empty husks that were littered on the ground around her. Someone was definitely here; severed body parts and burn marks across the corpses shell were more than enough to confirm her suspicions.
Forcing open the door, that led to the reactor, open; the female reploid stepped in, noticing the huge metallic contraption that radiated a vivid orange light, and a shady reploid that was standing right before it. From where she was, the female reploid couldn't quite distinguish his features; all that she could tell, was that he was a very tall reploid, tightly wrapped into a large black cloak. The maverick hunter approached without making a single noise; closing on him as her heart yelled for vengeance. Strangely enough, he wasn't moving at all; in fact, he wasn't doing anything; just staring blankly ahead as if he wasn't even aware of his surroundings.
Zero silently drew her Z-Saber, and sliced through it through his back without ever giving him a chance to defend himself. The unknown reploid fell down, tearing his cloak apart as he crashed upon the floor. It was then, that she noticed it; more marks, different from the blow that she had just delivered to him. The sound of someone laughing echoed throughout the room, one that Zero knew far too well; she had heard it before… within the complex that she kept seeing in her dreams…
Suddenly, it stopped, being replaced by the applauses of a single reploid. He spoke. Hee Hee Hee. Astounding… simply brilliant!
By now, the name came almost naturally to the red reploids lips as she tried to wake herself up… it couldn't be. S-Sigma!
The bald reploid stepped out of the shadows, visibly satisfied with entrance. This is quite a performance you have offered me today, Zero. I had my doubts; but you have, by far, exceeded my expectations… Most impressive indeed.
You're dead! I finished you myself!!
Hee Hee Hee. Well, I can assure you that I am indeed alive; but so are you, which raise much more questions…
No matter how many times she had seen him do so, the maverick hunters simply couldn't believe it. He was still alive, though his armor had changed much since their first encounter; it could not be denied. This round red gem upon his forehead, those purple marks around his eyes, this large blue armor reinforced with gold and this long metallic staff… This was indeed Sigma. So it was you all along! You're the one who pitted Repliforce and the hunters against each other by convincing Magma Dragoon to betray the hunters!
Now, now, I simply cannot claim all the credit for myself. After all, whether I was there or not would have changed little to this situation; sooner or later, General and Repliforce would have turned upon the humans… I merely gave them a push in the right direction…
Unable to voice her thoughts coherently, Zero merely babbled incomprehensibly as she went on. So it was you… it was you all along… Trying to get a grip, the blond-haired hunter went on. What do you want? X isn't even here?! So why don't you go back being dead or crawl back to whatever scrap yard you dragged yourself out! Why come back now?!
Paying little attention to what she was saying, the bald reploid went on with his villainous exposition. I am impressed. Even with your inferior designs and capacities, you still managed to make it this far. It would seem that my initial assumptions had been false, you have much more potential than I would have ever suspected.
Losing patience, Zero asked once more. What do YOU want?!
Sigma smirked and went on. The truth… I want to know why every single of my attempts to guide the future in its right path have been met with complete and utter failure. My plans were flawless, and yet, each and every time you maverick hunters have managed to foil them. And now I think I have my answer. The tall reploid looked upon her with hungry eyes, literally devouring her with his gaze. My only miscalculation might have been to discard you as inconsequential; after all, it was you that saved X from the trap I had laid for him back then; it was you that dealt with this clone of yours, and it was you that prevented me from possessing him…
The female hunter wasn't quite sure of what she was hearing, what was he getting at? What did he want? There was only one way to find out, I had to keep you both apart so that I may properly test your abilities. Test, at which you performed admirably; you even succeeded in defeating both Iris and Colonel!
Upon hearing those names, Zero felt like she was about to explode… She could not take it anymore; it was him. Again, it was him. He was the one who was responsible for the death of Colonel; he was the one responsible for… You made me do it…
Sigma laughed once more, visibly amused by her inner turmoil. No, Zero; you wanted to destroy them; you wanted to make them suffer… Just like you wanted did when I first stumbled upon you.
Clarity came over her, one that she had never felt before; just like the pieces of a puzzle suddenly coming together during one faint moment. Yes, you remember, don't you? The power, the anger… You infected me, you opened my eyes Zero. On this fateful day when our path crossed, I smashed your gem with my fist; and it was then that it all began. You were so powerful back then, I was simply amazed at the strength you possessed… And yet, once I brought you back to the hunters… it was all gone… I fought the virus for months, and in the end I finally understood… I was one of the chosen… I was the one who would open the way. And now, I have found the one, who will deliver us all.
Zero was hearing her own voice screaming within her head. Stop it!! The voices resonated within her mind, as if she was living everything all over again.
Never!
Please don't make me hate you…
I-I'll do whatever you want… I'll do anything. Just don't leave me alone like this…
You have become stronger… Too bad I will not be there to see you realize your full potential…
Iris will be sad if she loses you.
It was you; all along…I-I loved you, Zero.
Zero's vision became completely obscured by a strange red substance; the only thing she could see was Sigma, mocking her. She felt nothing… absolutely nothing. The pain she had felt on the way there… vanished. All that remained was anger… hatred… a murderous rage… Her fingers were no longer responding to her brain; it was almost as if it had fused with her saber; effectively becoming an extension of her own arm. Not that she cared; she would not need anything else for what was about to happen.
The bald reploid kept looking at her, amazed at the amount of red energy that emanated from her every pore; he was almost there, just a little more. Those upgrades you came up with, they are quite intriguing… I had my doubts before seeing them in actions, but you actually have quite a knack for this kind of things. Theta was, indeed, right; you will indeed be the key to end the war against the mavericks. Hee Hee Hee!
The female reploid had completely lost it; she could think of nothing else, see nothing else… DIE!!
There we are; the, not so stunning, conclusion of Megaman X4 that shall carry all the way to the fifth installment of the series.
Of course, most of you had probably already seen this coming, since I had made it quite obvious during the previous chapter that Zero would go nuts at some point; and believe me, this is only the beginning. Though it might be argued that I could have skipped the part about the background of Repliforce; I simply convince myself to do otherwise since the whole story about Iris and Colonel's origin was far too interesting to avoid it entirely; after all, the original was quite vague about it… As for the omission of the fight between Zero and General; I suppose that this was simply me saying that it sounded very likely that the latter could have crushed the former without much effort if he had only realized that he simply had to, ACCIDENTALLY, step on him to end the fight.
Also, as you may have noticed, the titles of the last few chapters are actually bases on the steps of coping with loss; concept which has allowed me to give quite a unique flavor to each chapters of the current story arc, as Zero struggles to get over the loss of both Colonel and Iris. I suppose it wasn't such a cunning plan on my part, but I suppose that it DOES fit.
Preview: Lost within the waves of anger that courses throughout her body; Zero finally realizes her true potential and is now hell-bent on ridding herself of the source of all of her problems. Where did this strange energy come from? What exactly does Sigma has in store for the maverick hunter, now that he had finally succeeded to bring her to the brink of madness? Next Chapter: Acceptance.