Author's Note: thanks again to Erico for the internal deletion idea, I loved it so much I used it here.
Chapter 15: The Final Battle
"Alright Alex," said Zero, motioning to a nearby chair, "here's the skinny, so listen up!" Alex nodded gravely, staring intently at Zero. This was no time to dick around and he knew it.
"I've located Sigma, but his fortress is heavily guarded, as was expected." Zero pointed to a nearby map. "Of friend Sigma has set up residence here, in the Alaskan wilderness. We're gonna throw him a nice welcoming party. Our information tells us that we will have to split up in the middle of the base. You will take care of the nerve gas and get the hell out of there, no questions asked. Do you get me?!" "Yes sir!" "Good, because Sigma, is mine."
Red and Orange warp trails rocketed out of the safety of Maverick Hunter HQ into the frigid wastelands of Alaska, and to what both Hunters hoped would be the final battle with Sigma.
Alex leapt and twisted in mid-air, preparing his attack against Sigma's first wave of defense. Tanks lined the walkways, spread out in a line, forming an almost impenetrable line of defense that was easy to take care of, if you knew what you were doing.
Missile fire reigned down upon the helpless tanks, unable to fire upon air targets. Missiles impacted on every tank, covering them in nuclear fire and obliterating half of the total tanks in a minute of mass destruction, and fully depleting Alex's missile reserves. Landing on the scorched ground that was once half an army, Alex looked over to his Crimson friend, debating whether to help Zero or not.
Zero neither wanted nor needed help, he was having too much fun to care which it was. Sailing through the air, Zero extended his Sabre to its fullest length, landing beside the farthest tank from the door. Sending his Sabre clean through the tank he was beside, Zero dashed forward with his Sabre still in the tank, the Sabre following it's master. Contained Plasma ripped through the line of tanks, the explosions seeming to race the Crimson Hunter, seeing who could get to the door first. Alex stood gaping, mouth open in surprise and disbelief as a grinning Zero walked up, and kicked open the entrance to Sigma's fortress. The two Hunters entered the compound, with the heavy door creaking on it's broken hinges behind them, the only remnants of the once proud group of tanks the blackened snow surrounding the entrance.
Sigma watched Zero and Alex waltz into his compound with evil glee, chuckling to himself as he formulated a plan. "Interesting Zero, very interesting. I wonder how long you'll manage to last against me…"
Alex and Zero gaped at the sight before them, each Hunters eyes blank in disbelief. Chimera mechs lined the hallways, each deadly in its own right, and in a group of 24 very dangerous. And as the two Hunters stepped onto the floor of the hallway, 24 sets of legs turned and 24 sets of weapons charged.
"Go for the legs!" yelled Zero, dashing at the nearest mech with his Sabre raised, eyes glinting for a chance of combat. Zero slashed violently, his Sabre tearing through the legs and coming back up in a diagonal slash that ripped the tank in half, sending shrapnel everywhere as it exploded in a cloud of nuclear flame. Zero leapt back and forth, dodging weapons fire and dealing out the damage to the mechs, leaving only a closely packed group of five left. Leaping up and charging the Frost Blaster to it's fullest potential, millions of pieces of jagged ice shot forth, tearing through the reinforced armor of the closely packed mechs and freezing the entire group as they were cut to shreds.
Alex was having a harder time on his end. Chimera mechs flew at him from every direction, flame shooting at him from all sides, forcing the young Hunter to react faster than he thought possible. Mechs perished by the numbers, consumed by their own weapons each time one missed its target. Leaping high, Alex spotted the remaining mech, and unhooked a grenade from it's casing on his back. Leaping high into the air, the doomed mech fired once as the grenade impacted on him, every part of the mech instantly consumed, leaving no wreckage behind. Alex's cry of victory quickly turned to pain as the last blast fired by the dying mech connected with his shoulder, destabilizing him in mid-air and wreaking grave damage as he crashed to the floor in a heap.
Zero dashed over to his wounded comrade as Alex leaned against the nearby wall, clutching his shoulder in agony. "Dammit Zero I'm sorry," coughed out Alex, draining a Sub-Tank and standing as renewed energy flooded his body, "that was stupid." "Yeah it was," laughed Zero as he helped Alex to his feet, "You ok?" "Yeah I'm fine, come on let's get going. "Ok…if you say so," answered Zero, as he punched open the next door.
"Alright," said Zero, staring forward, "this is where we split up." Before Zero stood two possible routes for the two Hunters, one going down, one going up. "Sigma is up there, the bastard's almost calling to me I know it so well. You go down and take care of the gas, then get the hell out of here. Sigma is mine." Alex walked over to the downwards ladder, smiling with more cheerfulness than he felt. "Righto Zero! I'll see ya back at base," said Alex, jumping onto the ladder and climbing down. Zero climbed upwards, jaw set and his eyes glinting dangerously at the prospect of battle with his hated foe.
"My dear Zero!" purred Sigma, "you are indeed nefarious in your guesses. I suppose I shall have to kill you after all. I'll send X to deal with that annoying newbie Alex. I want you all to myself…"
Alex descended down and down, never stopping on the seemingly endless ladder. Coming to the end of the absurdly long passageway, Alex leapt the remaining five feet rolling and coming into a fighter stance in under three seconds. Squinting forward into the dimly-lit room, Alex's breath caught in his throat. Standing there, Sigma provided Beam Sabre in his hand, stood a figure that had been burned into Alex's mind for all time. That unmistakable outline, blue armor gleaming, high shoulders, and blue helmet. "X…" hissed Alex.
Zero climbed, muscles tensed and body primed for combat with the object of his nightmares. Zero had no misgivings about this battle, rather he had a sixth sense about it. He knew Sigma was waiting at the top for him, and he welcomed it with open arms. It was a battle he had been preparing for. And he'd be damned if he let Sigma win this time. Rising to the end of the ladder, Zero smiled in the bright light of their arena. "Hello Sigma…"
"You're finished this time X," growled Alex, stepping forward, "it's high time you paid for your crimes. And since I've got to go through you to get to that gas anyway, it's all the more easier. Today X, you're mine!"
Alex leapt forward in a fury, his Sabre coming down in a powerful slash. Plasma met contained Plasma as X parried and slashed low. Alex leapt and avoided the attack, bringing his own Sabre crashing down.
Only to hit hard steel as X dashed back and to the side, gripping the wall and glaring down at Alex. "Most impressive Hunter," growled X, the virus having complete control of his body, "your friends would have all died by now!" "Damn you X!" cursed Alex, charging forward, his Sabre raised. As X raised his to parry, Alex ducked down and delivered a powerful uppercut to X's chin and knocking him in the air. Dashing forward, Alex launched himself at X and shot his foot out, catching X in the stomach and sending him flying. "Zero taught me that you piece of scrap! That was for my friends!" X crashed to the floor and rose slowly, glaring pure hatred at the young Hunter.
"You see X," grinned Alex, staring X down, "ever since our last encounter I have been training for this. I dreamt it, lived it, breathed nothing but it. Now that I am on the verge of finally having it, like hell are you gonna take it away from me!" "We shall see Hunter, we shall see…"
X's hand felt the familiar feeling of a Buster as his hand morphed, the charge becoming apparent as the room filled with the whining sound. X dashed forward, Sabre raised at Alex. As Alex parried, X performed the same move Alex had just done, ducking down and up, delivering an uppercut that sent Alex flying. Bracing himself, X fired, the blue blast firing forth and catching Alex in the chest, sending him into the wall hard t 25% power.
Alex, laying on the ground had his hand covered and morphed it to his Buster, switching to the Wave Blast and biding his time. Alex drained another Sub-Tank and slowly stood, readying his final attack.
X surged forward at a side-stepping Alex, the Hunter performing the same move that X had once done to him, his hand shooting out in a chop and catching X on the back of his neck as he shot by. Spinning around, Alex unleashed the full force of the Wave Blast upon X, disabling all of the Hunter-turned-Maverick's machinery and ending the fight for good.
X swam in the murky waters of his subconscious mind, Buster at the ready as he searched for his enemy, and to what would be the final battle with the virus. "Virus!" X yelled as he found it, charging his Buster, "I told you once I would wipe you from my systems." X fired his shot and instantly charged another as the virus howled in pain. Fool! You cannot hope to defeat me! "Shut up you twisted piece of crap, your time is up here!" X fired another shot, the virus losing it's grip every time. X glared at the mangle of wires in front of him, charging his Buster for what would be the final shot. "Farewell, virus, if you see him, tell Sigma he's dead too." X fired, the blast echoing in a powerful surge of antibodies that eradicated every last vestige of the virus. X was finally free once again.
The rage left X's eyes in a flash, and he lay back, a look of peace of his features. "Thank you dear god," moaned X, finally in control once again, "I'm free. Alex, I cannot atone for my sins, and I welcome death. God knows I deserve it. Avenge your dead classmates Alex, I wouldn't hold it against you."
Conflictions resounded in Alex's head, and he walked past X to the nerve tanks, still trying to make his decision. "Alex do it, I don't deserve to live." Alex ignored him, there was too much on his mind. Setting a bomb and a warp device onto the tanks, Alex watched the deadly gas warp out to land over the pacific ocean, and to explode upon contact with the water. An ungrateful world was saved once again.
Alex walked towards X, his Buster charging and his mind racing as he made his decision. "Do it Alex, I deserve it." "No…" whispered Alex, all doubt gone from his mind in an instant. "No X, I won't kill you. The X I knew is dead. You killed him. You are innocent X, go get Sigma X, God knows it should be you who ends his reign of terror." "Dammit Alex! Kill me, I must pay!" Alex shook his head no, but slowly raised his Buster. With a final shake of his head, Alex raised his Buster over his head and fired, leaving a scorching mark in the ceiling above him. "You're dead, X." Alex's body covered itself in an orange glow, and he warped back to the sanctity of Maverick Hunter HQ, leaving a troubled Hunter to his thoughts and a Crimson Hunter to his battle.
Green fire spouted from the hilt of Zero's Sabre, the blade flashing on in an instant and him slipping into his favourite fighter stance. "Ah Zero," cooed Sigma, his Sabre activating and he slipping into the same stance, "I see you haven't forgotten what I taught you so long ago." Zero's face twisted in anger. "What you taught me was betrayal you egotistical bastard!" spat Zero, his grip tightening on his Sabre, "I looked up to you when you were a Hunter, trusted you, respected you. And then, in return, you turned right around and killed all those that I cared about in the HQ! I despise you Sigma! X had the pleasure of killing you all those other times, but today, it's my turn."
Plasma met contained Plasma as Zero and Sigma locked blades. Zero sidestepped and slashed viciously, the beam narrowly avoiding Sigma's head as the Maverick ducked. Sigma leapt back and charged forward, his own Sabre coming out and around in a powerful arc. Zero leapt back onto the nearby wall and flew forward, landing behind a surprised Sigma and catching Sigma in the back with a powerful kick, which knocked the Maverick backwards.
Sigma stumbled and spun around, barely blocking another vicious slice from Zero. "Well done Sigma, I'd have hated to end the battle right there. I do so hate stabbing people in the back. The front is much more fun!"
Zero charged forward and Sigma attempted to perform the same move as Zero, leaping back and forward, trying to get behind the Hunter in a move that Zero had already seen coming. Zero leapt farther backwards and switched to his Exploding Ears, firing off five at the landing Maverick. Fire engulfed Sigma's body, badly damaging the Maverick before he had time to escape.
"Damn that Hare!" cursed Sigma angrily, wiping blood from his mouth, "I should never have given him such a powerful weapon!" "Aw, but you did. And, my dear Sigma, you just paid for it." "You will regret those words Hunter!" Sigma practically spat the last word, his anger growing by the second. "The real fight starts now!"
A renewed Sigma leapt forward, easily closing the distance between the two of them. Raising his Sabre and slashing diagonally, Sigma heard the satisfying hiss of Sabre on Sabre and made his move. Keeping his Sabre there with one hand, his other hand shot out in a powerful punch that connected with Zero's jaw, knocking him backwards.
Rushing over to the stunned Hunter, Sigma delivered a powerful uppercut to Zero's chest that sent Zero into the air. Leaping up on his thrusters, Sigma kept Zero in the air, delivering punch after punch after punch to the Hunter's belly and chest. Throwing Zero up, Sigma delivered a powerful kick to The Crimson Hunter's gut, sending the once laughing Hunter into the floor hard, lying in a heap. Sigma had won…
Sigma slowly walked over to a barely conscious Zero, enjoying every minute of his victory with an evil smile on his face. Sigma's Sabre took up residence under Zero's chin, and The Crimson Hunter smiled despite his situation. "See you…in hell Sigma." Sigma grinned, raising the Sabre high above his head. "Indeed, dear Hunter. Farewell!"
Zero closed his eyes, but instead of the searing pain of a Sabre wound, Zero heard the deafening roar of a level 4 Buster shot, the heat as it passed him, and Sigma's screams as he hit full on.
Mega Man X dropped down from his perch, already charging another shot as he walked slowly over to the downed Sigma. Leveling the fully charged Buster, X glared at Sigma. "I told you that it would be who would kill you Sigma, I am finally free." "Well done…X. But as always, it is in vain. I had prepared for this, cloning myself and putting the clone in hibernation in another location. This is but another hollow victory for you, my dear X. Sigma laughed, a deep belly laugh that grew in steady volume until it was deafened by a Hunter's scream of rage, and the deafening sound of a level 4 Buster shot being fired.
"X…" said Zero hoarsely, "I thought I'd lost you." "Sigma must have banged you up pretty hard," laughed X, picking his friend up, "you're getting emotional on me." Zero smiled weekly, and fell back into a peaceful slumber as a mix of blue and red surrounded the two Hunters, as they warped back from the frozen wastelands of Alaska to the warm medical bay of Maverick Hunter HQ, and to the care of a very worried Alex.