Chapter 6: X Reborn
Hunched over the controls Sigma, Lord of the Mavericks, grinned evilly at the product of his toils. Before him stood his newest creation, the one reploid who had once posed the greatest threat to Sigma and his agenda. Before him stood the great hero of the Hunters and the great destroyer of the Mavericks. Before him stood Mega Man X.
Sigma pushed the activation button on X and grinned. This would be his moment, the time when Sigma would make X pay for all the damage he'd done to Sigma. And he fully planned on enjoying it. X slowly opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings as he came around. As X's gaze leveled upon Sigma, all rational thoughts in the Hunters mind was instantly replaced by rage for the Maverick ruler. However, before he could fully express this newfound feeling, a screeching filed his ears and blackness filled his vision. As he fought with this newfound internal problem, X realized with a sickening certainty that he had been infected with the Maverick virus. And that no matter what he did, he would become Sigma's pawn…
"Ah X, I see you've fully realized your situation" mocked Sigma, knowing full well that there was nothing X could do to stop him. "Resistance is futile, my dear X," continued Sigma, a wide grin covering his face as he looked upon the Hunter's renewed struggles with the virus. "It is indeed useless, X. For although you have overcome it once, this version is much more powerful, and it plans on staying with you forever. It is hopeless, my friend." With unknown strength, X lashed out at his captor, connecting a punch squarely into Sigma's thorax that sent him sprawling to the floor. X was dragged back to his bonds by two Mavericks as Sigma slowly rose from the floor. The grin never left his face. "You will regret this Sigma!" spat X as he struggled, "you may have me now but I will beat this one as well. Then you, and only you, will know the full power of Dr. Light's last creation!" His promise to Sigma delivered the valiant Hunter blacked out as the virus took full control of his body.
Foolish Hunter thought Sigma as X was dragged away, he will soon realize his place. It promises to be quite a show when I release him on Zero. Sigma felt relatively better after this but deep down, past the ego, past the smugness that was his trademark, Sigma felt fear for the first time. The Hunters words unnerved him, and would haunt his dreams for quite some time. As Sigma drifted off to sleep, he knew deep down that he was afraid of X.
Across the world, at Maverick Hunter HQ, Zero felt a tugging of hope surge through him, and he felt in his heart that X was alive, just in desperate need of help. Then and there, Zero swore that he would get X back, no matter the cost.
Alex's physical body was recovering fast but his emotional state was in turmoil. Thoughts raced through his mind as he lay in his hospital bed, he replayed the battle with White Wolf in his head, every detail standing out. I was hopeless Alex thought bitterly, I endangered the mission and I endangered Zero because I was too weak to even defend myself. I don't deserve to work with Zero. Zero seemed to sense this from the corner he kept a watchful eye on Alex from, and slowly walked over. As Zero came up to the bed, Alex burst into tears and the whole story spilled out. How he thought he was useless, how he thought he was weak, and how he didn't deserve to work with Zero. "You aren't useless, you're learning," said Zero in a soothing voice, "you were thrust into battle with an experienced warrior with no experience in that sort of thing. You can't expect to beat a beast like White Wolf on the first day on the job. Give it time. From what I saw you're doing fine, better than most do the day they start. You're move on the Hornet was incredible. You shouldn't expect so much from yourself." Alex could not convey his thanks to Zero through words but he didn't have to. The mere look on the trainee's face was thanks enough and Zero returned to his corner so that Alex could get some sleep. As Alex drifted off to sleep, Zero vowed that he would never let what happened to X happen to Alex.
Back at Sigma's lair, X began his training, dispensing with his first opponents with an ease that bordered on nonchalance. Although under Sigma's control, X became himself more often than Sigma liked and he found it harder and harder to bend X to his will. Also, the intensity of which X stared at Sigma frightened him, and he was often forced to break eye contact. And every time he met X's gaze, he felt a deep-seated fear, a fear that threatened to consume him, as fear often does…