Chapter 11: The Spiked Reploid
Alex was ready, his training was finally over. Although it was a torture in itself, it taught him to ignore. It taught him to ignore the endless hours of pain, he could deal with it. It taught him to ignore everything. To him, during training nothing existed. Nothing but him, Zero and X. And now, it was time.
"Alex," said Zero, "your training is done, I've taught you everything you need to know to survive. However, you are not ready for the fight. You are strong, maybe too strong, but there is one thing you lack." "What is that?" "Weapons, in a word. Your Sabre and Missiles serve you well, but you need more if you are to beat him. If you feel up to it, we have just discovered a new general in our own territory. You are to be sent after Spike Hedgehog. SUIT UP!" "Alright let's go!" shouted Alex, unable to restrain his excitement. "Alex, I'm not going with you…"
An ominous silence followed Zero's words, and Alex found himself speechless with its implications. Thoughts raced through the dumbstruck Hunter's mind at an alarming pace Why Zero? Are You Leaving? How can I do it without you? Am I Ready?
"You are ready Alex," said Zero, seeing the expression on the troubled Hunter's face. "I've taught you everything I know, you can learn no more from me. You are ready Alex. Believe it. Hold it dear to your heart, and you will survive." "Thank you Zero," choked out Alex, "I promise I'll make you proud." "You already have Alex, you already have…"
Alex crouched behind a large boulder as he watched the bustling metropolis in front of him. Activity was everywhere, and showed no signs of abetting. Worker drones continually worked, as guards patrolled the perimeter. A large mech stood guard over all, with a very bored pilot snoring behind the wheel. It was going to be one of those days…
Missiles filled the sky in a beautifully deadly shower as Alex fired again and again. Explosions filled the sky in a lethal fireworks display. The mech rushed up at Alex at full speed, and Alex threw himself to the side and rolled away, coming up in a firing stance. The last thing the Maverick pilot saw was five missiles coming at him and the self-righteous smirk on Alex's face, and then, darkness claimed him. Satisfied, Alex stepped into the base, a video camera viewing the whole thing.
If the scene outside was any indication of the activity level inside the complex, it didn't show it. There was very little resistance to meet the Hunter, only the occasional drone flying by. All were dealt with quickly. Out of nowhere, a mech appeared and charged at Alex. Alex was taken by surprise, and hit his dash boots as fast as they would go. As the chase lengthened, Alex heard a sickening crack as the floor under him opened up, and he tumbled into the inky blackness of the pit.
Alex twisted himself in mid-air and instinctively reached out for the wall. Grabbing hold, he slid to a stop and looked around him. Looking down, Alex was lucky he stopped. Below him lay a pit of spikes, with a Maverick impaled on one and pieces of the pursuing mech casting al halo around of death around the Maverick. Alex sighed in relief, and climbed out to continue on his way to the spiked reploid, and a new weapon.
There were numerous pits after this incident, and Alex soon learned to be more careful. As if ordered to disturb the ease of his entry, eight maverick guards appeared and started firing. Alex leapt into in the air and picked off five of the mavericks with shots from his X-Buster before landing. Grabbing the attention of one, Alex dashed to the side as he fired, and the Mavericks shooting at Alex shot each other, leaving a lonely guard in the room. Alex leapt forward with his Sabre raised and the Maverick slumped to the floor, the two pieces of his body making a thunking sound as they hit the ground. Alex moved forward into the base, and he did not look back.
This is it, thought Alex as he came to the end of the hall, but where is he? As if hearing the Hunters thoughts, the floor tipped forward, and Alex fell into the awaiting hole, which closed after him…
Alex stared at the tunnel he had just fallen down, and he cursed himself for his stupidity. Rising to his feet, he surveyed the dim lighted room. It was plain and circular, nothing in it with the exception of chair and a large computer console in front of it. And there, in the middle of the room stood Spike Hedgehog, grinning from ear to ear and pointing a menacing looking X-Buster pointed directly at Alex's chest.
"So this is Alex," boomed the cocky voice of the hedgehog, "but not THE Alex? Not the same Alex who couldn't even save his classmates from a battle-weary reploid? Oh my, did I say something wrong?" Alex's anger flared, and his Beam Sabre snapped on without him thinking. Alex shook with anger as his temper flew to unknown heights. "You Bastard!" screamed the enraged Hunter, "you who laugh at others deaths while sitting here! You who can't do dick all without your bitch of a boss Sigma! You will regret those words, for they have just sealed your doom." Spike laughed as spikes appeared out of his back, glinting in a deadly aura of death. Rolling himself into a spiked ball, he leapt at Alex, eager to test the Hunter's words.
Spike charged at Alex at an incredible speed, and he dodged again and again while formulating a plan. Finally deciding on a course of action, Alex stood in front of a wall while switching to his missiles. Spike barreled at him, and Alex leapt to the side as Spike crashed into the wall, dazing him and leaving him vulnerable. Seizing his chance, Alex fired again and again, letting loose a barrage of missiles that flew at the upturned Maverick and covered his body in lethal flames.
Alex smiled, but quickly lost the smirk as the badly damaged Maverick leapt from the inferno, crashing into Alex and grabbing him by the neck. Using all his strength, Spike hurled Alex into the opposite wall and sending him dazed and damaged to the floor. Spike fired his Buster and Alex leapt to the side as spikes riddled the ground which he had just seconds ago inhabited. "What the hell is that???" yelled Alex as he dodged another volley. "Heh, liked that did you? I call it my Spike Cannon, for obvious reasons. It causes an excruciating death, if it kills you. Rather useful, don't you agree?" said Spike, firing again. It was not looking good for the young Hunter.
Alex threw himself to the side as spikes hammered the ground around him. He was tiring fast, and he would soon be exhausted and at the mercy of the crazed Maverick. He'd almost killed Spike, but he'd screwed up. Big time. No matter how much he'd done, it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing, except survival.
Alex stood panting as waves of exhaustion swept over him. Holy Shit! I have a Sub-Tank! If I can get o- Alex's thoughts were interrupted as pain wracked his body, and he slumped against the wall he was leaning on. Spikes protruded from every area of his body, and the pain was immense. "Got ya" said Spike as he stood in front of the Hunter, arm raised for the killing blow. "I don't think so!" yelled Alex as he activated his Sub-Tank, energy coursing through his body at lightning speed. "Here's a present from me to you for your trip to hell!!!" yelled Alex as he leapt forward with his Beam Sabre raised as he slashed at Spike. Spike slumped and fell to the floor, his head rolling away in a wide circle. Alex walked tiredly over to the fallen Maverick, and touched Spike's Buster. He had just acquired the weapon that had almost killed him. He had just acquired the Spike Cannon.
Raising his sword into the air in a defiant stance, Alex screamed a battle cry that would have shaken even Sigma. "Do you see X????? Do you see the weapon that will kill you???? Get a good look, you bastard! Know now that you will die! X! You're next." This said, Alex warped out. Alex sat in the medical bay of Maverick Hunter HQ, his head in his heads. "He was right" sobbed Alex to the air, "I couldn't save them. I couldn't save my friends, They were killed without mercy and I could do nothing. I-" "Alex that's enough!" yelled Zero, "I know you are upset but this is not the time. Your friends are dead, put it behind you! You cannot change the past, and this grief will get you nothing but an early grave. Stop living in the past! Move forward for the past is gone. I miss them to but I know I speak for all of them when I say this: They're dead, let them rest. Revenge is all well and good but you will never have it if you're already dead. So stop crying, and SUCK IT UP SOLDIER!"
Zero's words rang true inside Alex, and he stopped sobbing. In his minds he saw his friends, and he let them go, happy and patiently waiting. "You will see them again," said Zero, "but not yet, not yet." Alex sighed as exhaustion overtook his body. "Not yet," he repeated, "not yet." Alex lay down on his bed, and he thought of nothing. Alex lay down on his bed, and he slept.