A House Divided, chapter two
Authored by Yoster
Authored on 8 April, 2001 10.30 PM, PST
All characters herein copyright their respective owners.
2nd Author's Note (added 8 April, 2001, 9.53 PM, PST)
I've only played (and plan to play at the time being) the first 2 MMXes, and will take my artistic license where I see fit. Furthermore, I was never any good at battle scenes, so proceed with caution.
chapter two
X and Zero flashed in just behind the protective line of squad cars, and Zero approached the man who seemed to be the commanding officer.
"What seems to be the problem, officer?" X commented from behind him, and began to snicker. Zero flashed him another angry glare.
The officer also looked unamused, and began to address the pair, picking up a paper-filled clipboard.
"Mavericks." The officer looked at his clipboard. "They've taken hostages in that tour bus over there."
He motioned to a bus stopped crookedly in the middle of the intersection, surrounded by Mavs ready to fight.
"So, we figured we'd leave the dirty work to the real professionals before we tried anything rash ourselves." The officer nodded to the hunters and summed everything up. "We'd like you to take 'em out."
Zero grinned and glanced at his Z Saber. He could sit through all the boring meetings, the tedious training, the volumes of absurd rules and convoluted regulations. This was the part of the job he loved.
"Well, I suppose we could, but shouldn't we try negotiating or something first?" X rubbed the back of his helmet uneasily and uncomfortably. Zero responded angrily.
"But nothing." He continued. "A Mav's a Mav. Jeez, you're getting too soft, X." Zero really hated to be so harsh on X, but he had always had trouble not being a total ass to anyone, including his best friend.
X opened his mouth to retort once again, but this time the officer broke in. "Excuse me gentlemen, but our time is short. They may be getting nervous now with you guys here, and might try something desperate, stupid, or both."
Zero nodded and nudged X, who gave a quick nod as well. After all, it was his duty to hunt Mavericks, and this time it would be no different. Right?
X's thoughts were interrupted by Zero's assessment of the situation. "Evenly divided on both sides of the bus, how amateurish." Zero finished scanning the area, and laid down the battle plan. "Right then, simple 'Divide and Conquer' technique, and the divide part is already done for us!"
Zero was a bit bummed. They could make these sorts of situations more difficult. They were facing off against Mavericks after all.
"Ready, bud?" Zero raised a determined fist, and X nodded, ready for action. "On the count of three. One... two..."
"THREE!"
Zero brought out his blazing saber, X charged his buster, and with a simultaneous click of dash boots, they flew into battle.
Maverick after Maverick fell before the slashes and blasts, barely having time to take a shot at the hunters. It was a debacle.
Zero had nearly finished clearing his side of the bus, but X lost sight of the remaining Maverick and stopped to scan the area.
Seizing the chance created by the break in the action, a crazed mother with her child in tow took the insane risk of making a break for it, darting out the door, despite the excellent progress X and Zero were making in rectifying the situation.
"No! Ma'am, don't!" A police officer shouted from the line. But it was too late. The final Maverick had already noticed the fleeing pair and leapt from his hiding place to attack.
The child froze completely with fear as the gun toting robot flew straight at him, his mother screaming desperately for him to run.
The Maverick got close enough for the child to hear the low hum of a charged plasma weapon for just an instant.
A bright flash of light, and the assailant was a million bits of shrapnel. The child covered his face as chunks of armor nicked and cut his exposed flesh.
The mother ran back and picked up her child. She wept maniacally, the child was still frozen, battered and bloody, but otherwise okay.
X stood a distance away from them, his blaster still raised and smoking. He grinned a bit at a job well done as officers rushed the mother and son and began to lead them to an ambulance. The other tourists, a bit shaken, began to vacate the bus, towards the waiting medical personnel.
He walked to meet the pair before they boarded an ambulance, and the mother thanked him profusely, then urged her son to do the same.
The cut and bruised child looked first curiously, then intensely at the blue bomber, covered in the fluid and loose bits of destroyed enemies. X gave him a kind smile.
The child continued to stare at the battle-worn bot for a second, then immediately broke out in tears and yelled repeatedly, "MAKE THE MEAN ROBOT GO AWAY MOMMY!" He kicked and screamed in extreme terror. The rescue workers quickly placed him in the ambulance and shut the doors, departing for the hospital quickly. But X still stood, a chilling realization paralyzing him.
Zero had finished discussing matters with the commanding officer, when he heard the kid's screams, and began to walk over. It wasn't long before he realized what had just occurred. A look of concern and pity crossed his face.
Zero slowly walked up behind the trembling X, who was still standing motionless. He slowly and uneasily reached his hand out to hold the now trembling hunter's shoulder. Shaking slightly, Zero made contact and X spun around. They stared deeply at each other, X's eyes shimmering with the beginning of tears, standing completely silent.
...
Zero, his mind racing, searched desperately for the right words. What seemed like an eternity passed before he slowly opened his mouth to speak.
"Um, hey, you sure freaked him out, huh? I mean, heh, him shouting mom-" Zero didn't get a chance to finish his bungled attempt at comforting X, as he was shut up by a blow to the mouth.
Zero stumbled a few steps back, completely stunned.
"Just... just SHUT UP!" X broke out in tears and teleported away in a half-enraged, half-devastated manner.
"...." Zero touched his hand to his mouth and looked at it to find crimson smeared on his fingers. "*sigh* Damn, I was never good at that sort of thing."
A frustrated clench of his fist, a bright flash of red, and he was away to report to Dr. Cain, for the first time in quite a long time without his best friend and comrade-in-arms, X.
Authored by Yoster
Authored on 8 April, 2001 10.30 PM, PST
All characters herein copyright their respective owners.
2nd Author's Note (added 8 April, 2001, 9.53 PM, PST)
I've only played (and plan to play at the time being) the first 2 MMXes, and will take my artistic license where I see fit. Furthermore, I was never any good at battle scenes, so proceed with caution.
chapter two
X and Zero flashed in just behind the protective line of squad cars, and Zero approached the man who seemed to be the commanding officer.
"What seems to be the problem, officer?" X commented from behind him, and began to snicker. Zero flashed him another angry glare.
The officer also looked unamused, and began to address the pair, picking up a paper-filled clipboard.
"Mavericks." The officer looked at his clipboard. "They've taken hostages in that tour bus over there."
He motioned to a bus stopped crookedly in the middle of the intersection, surrounded by Mavs ready to fight.
"So, we figured we'd leave the dirty work to the real professionals before we tried anything rash ourselves." The officer nodded to the hunters and summed everything up. "We'd like you to take 'em out."
Zero grinned and glanced at his Z Saber. He could sit through all the boring meetings, the tedious training, the volumes of absurd rules and convoluted regulations. This was the part of the job he loved.
"Well, I suppose we could, but shouldn't we try negotiating or something first?" X rubbed the back of his helmet uneasily and uncomfortably. Zero responded angrily.
"But nothing." He continued. "A Mav's a Mav. Jeez, you're getting too soft, X." Zero really hated to be so harsh on X, but he had always had trouble not being a total ass to anyone, including his best friend.
X opened his mouth to retort once again, but this time the officer broke in. "Excuse me gentlemen, but our time is short. They may be getting nervous now with you guys here, and might try something desperate, stupid, or both."
Zero nodded and nudged X, who gave a quick nod as well. After all, it was his duty to hunt Mavericks, and this time it would be no different. Right?
X's thoughts were interrupted by Zero's assessment of the situation. "Evenly divided on both sides of the bus, how amateurish." Zero finished scanning the area, and laid down the battle plan. "Right then, simple 'Divide and Conquer' technique, and the divide part is already done for us!"
Zero was a bit bummed. They could make these sorts of situations more difficult. They were facing off against Mavericks after all.
"Ready, bud?" Zero raised a determined fist, and X nodded, ready for action. "On the count of three. One... two..."
"THREE!"
Zero brought out his blazing saber, X charged his buster, and with a simultaneous click of dash boots, they flew into battle.
Maverick after Maverick fell before the slashes and blasts, barely having time to take a shot at the hunters. It was a debacle.
Zero had nearly finished clearing his side of the bus, but X lost sight of the remaining Maverick and stopped to scan the area.
Seizing the chance created by the break in the action, a crazed mother with her child in tow took the insane risk of making a break for it, darting out the door, despite the excellent progress X and Zero were making in rectifying the situation.
"No! Ma'am, don't!" A police officer shouted from the line. But it was too late. The final Maverick had already noticed the fleeing pair and leapt from his hiding place to attack.
The child froze completely with fear as the gun toting robot flew straight at him, his mother screaming desperately for him to run.
The Maverick got close enough for the child to hear the low hum of a charged plasma weapon for just an instant.
A bright flash of light, and the assailant was a million bits of shrapnel. The child covered his face as chunks of armor nicked and cut his exposed flesh.
The mother ran back and picked up her child. She wept maniacally, the child was still frozen, battered and bloody, but otherwise okay.
X stood a distance away from them, his blaster still raised and smoking. He grinned a bit at a job well done as officers rushed the mother and son and began to lead them to an ambulance. The other tourists, a bit shaken, began to vacate the bus, towards the waiting medical personnel.
He walked to meet the pair before they boarded an ambulance, and the mother thanked him profusely, then urged her son to do the same.
The cut and bruised child looked first curiously, then intensely at the blue bomber, covered in the fluid and loose bits of destroyed enemies. X gave him a kind smile.
The child continued to stare at the battle-worn bot for a second, then immediately broke out in tears and yelled repeatedly, "MAKE THE MEAN ROBOT GO AWAY MOMMY!" He kicked and screamed in extreme terror. The rescue workers quickly placed him in the ambulance and shut the doors, departing for the hospital quickly. But X still stood, a chilling realization paralyzing him.
Zero had finished discussing matters with the commanding officer, when he heard the kid's screams, and began to walk over. It wasn't long before he realized what had just occurred. A look of concern and pity crossed his face.
Zero slowly walked up behind the trembling X, who was still standing motionless. He slowly and uneasily reached his hand out to hold the now trembling hunter's shoulder. Shaking slightly, Zero made contact and X spun around. They stared deeply at each other, X's eyes shimmering with the beginning of tears, standing completely silent.
...
Zero, his mind racing, searched desperately for the right words. What seemed like an eternity passed before he slowly opened his mouth to speak.
"Um, hey, you sure freaked him out, huh? I mean, heh, him shouting mom-" Zero didn't get a chance to finish his bungled attempt at comforting X, as he was shut up by a blow to the mouth.
Zero stumbled a few steps back, completely stunned.
"Just... just SHUT UP!" X broke out in tears and teleported away in a half-enraged, half-devastated manner.
"...." Zero touched his hand to his mouth and looked at it to find crimson smeared on his fingers. "*sigh* Damn, I was never good at that sort of thing."
A frustrated clench of his fist, a bright flash of red, and he was away to report to Dr. Cain, for the first time in quite a long time without his best friend and comrade-in-arms, X.
