C. Cowboy: Hey, I'm glad everyone likes this so far! As this next chapter's title says, this is the calm before the storm, so expect some big things in the very near future. Got a few surprises in this one, some bigger than others, I hope ya'all like 'um. Now, I'd like to thank Tux Kamen for Beta reading this for me and I'd thank you all for reading it and reviewing up 'til now. Ok then, on with the show! Don't forget to drop me a review down at the bottom please!
Chapter 3: The Calm Before The Storm
Hurricasaurus lay peacefully in his cell in the lower levels of Maverick Hunter Headquarters. To tell the truth, even after his infection with the Maverick Virus, he remained a coward. Now that he was safe in his cell, nothing could hurt him. At least until the Hunters got around to clearing his programming of the virus. Maybe his new personality wouldn't be scared of bunny rabbits and flowers.
His thoughts were interrupted as the door of his cell opened. Hurricasaurus stood up, but before he could say a word, he was slammed face first into the wall. "I only want answers," X growled, "Say anything else and you're scrap metal."
"Y-yes sir …" Hurricasaurus whimpered, tears in his eyes.
"What is Sigma planning?" X growled, twisting Hurricasaurus' arm.
"I … I don't know …" Hurricasaurus answered only for his arm to be twisted harder.
"I don't believe you," X snapped, "How did Sigma destroy Fort Auto?"
"I-I never even heard of Fort Auto!" Hurricasaurus cried in pain.
"Wrong answer," X growled, "What has Sigma got up his sleeve? Answer!"
"I … I do know there's a rumor going around the boys … before you captured me …" Hurricasaurus whimpered. "Word is … Sigma's been building an army. An army of cloned Reploids, been in the making for years!"
"How big is this army?" X asked, twisting even harder andmaking his arm pop in the joint.
"I heard … I heard at least 200, 000 clones … I don't know though … just a rumor!" He gasped in pain.
"X! STOP IT!" Alia cried, running into the cellblock, "He's a prisoner; don't hurt him!" X forcefully jerked the Maverick away from the wall and shoved him back on his bed.
X slammed thecelldoor as he leftand walked past Alia coldly.
Alia watched him walk out with tears in her eyes, "X, it's not your fault …"
One hundred miles away, a woman drove through the small town towards the schoolhouse. Beside and behind her sat her two children: her seven-year-old boy, and her five-year-old girl.
The boy was playing on his Gameboy, a very popular game called Battle Network, while his sisterwas lookingat the passingscenery as their mother drove into the school parking lot.
Their mother got out of the car and made sure they were both ready for class when the little girl walked away from the car,looking at a large hill an eighth of a mile away. "Mommy?" She asked, pointing to the blanket of black that slowly covered the hill. "What that?"
Later that evening at Maverick Hunter Base, Alia walked through the halls looking for X. She hadn't seen him since the incident with Hurricasaurus, and she had to stay with the poor Reploid until the base therapist and technician could come and calm him down properly and repair the nearly splintered arm. Why X and Zero had to capture the biggest crybaby Maverick ever created was anyone's guess.
She walked into the lounge and spotted Zero and Iris.Zero had a very unhappy look on his face while Iris was braiding his hair. "Umm…" Alia started, but couldn'tcontinue for the giggle she was fighting to supress.
"Iris said this would make me feel better …" Zero grumbled, "X will NOT, repeat WILLNOT, hear about this," He grunted, giving the chuckling Alia an evil look.
She shook off the giggles and looked at the two seriously, "Have either of you seen X?" She asked, worry returning to her eyes, "Earlier, I thought he was going to tear the prisoner apart before I could call in help."
"Hmmm, X usually likes to watch the sunset when he's upset," Zero said, looking down thoughtfully, "might try looking some place with a good view."
Aliaaffected a thank you with a bowand turned to exit hurriedly.
She made it to the observation deck of the base, and sure enough, there sat X. He sat on the edge of the outside deck, his legs dangling over the side and his cheek resting on the railing. "X?" Alia asked, walking toward him slowly.
"I figured you'd find me sooner or later," X sighed, looking at the slowly setting sun.
"You ok?" Alia asked, standing beside him andleaning on the railing.
"I told Wolfwing about Songbird," X said, ignoring Alia's question. "He took it better than I thought. He only broke five pieces of furniture before swearingvengeance on her honor."
"At least he didn't hurt anyone," Alia whispered sadly. She understood far too well what it was like to lose someone. One month ago, she thought she lost X. At least she was lucky enough to have him return to her. Wolfwing wouldn't get that chance.
"I also did some digging into Lifesavor's file," X said with a sigh. "Almost all of his series brothers and sisters have been killed during the fourth and fifth uprisings, all with the exception of one: A sister." X then looked up at Alia sadly, "I'm so sorry."
Alia slowly eased down to set beside him. "It wasn't your fault, X," Alia said weakly, watching the sun halfway over the horizon.
"Yes it was, Alia," X said, closing his eyes tight, "I assigned them; I sent them there. I sent them to their deaths."
"X, stop it!" Alia commanded, "They knew the risks when they joined; they knew the risks when they went on the mission, on every mission. So, please stop blaming yourself. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself."
Alia then looked off into the sunset, "You know, he was always there for me. I was so happy when we were assigned to the same Hunter base. He really started to tease me when I started to like you. He saw it long before I did. But he told me that if anything happened to him, he was sure you'd take care of me," She said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
X silently slid his arms around her and pulled her to him. "He was right," X whispered as the two embraced.
"I've got bad feeling, X," Alia whispered into his shoulder, "I miss him so much … and I'm afraid I'm going to lose you too."
"I'm not going anywhere, Ally," X cooed as he let her cry on his shoulder.
He sat in silence as she sobbed until she finally cried herself to sleep. "Alia?" X asked, shaking her gently, but she was dead to the world. X then stood and picked her up, cradling her as a child, "Alia …" X whispered, holding her limp body in his arms, "I'll get him … I'll get him for what he's done …"
X quietly took her to her room, completely unaware they were being watched.
"They're so cute!" Iris squealed from Zero's side in the shadows.
"Hmm, that they are, baby," Zero purred, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Now what do you saywe go back to my room and …"
Iris pulled away and looked back at the Crimson Hunter with a smirk, "You looked before, so you can't touch now." She then turned to walk away, "Goodnight, Angeldumpling."
Zero mumbled something not friendly before turning and heading towards his room.
Several days later, X was walking through the halls of Maverick Hunter Headquarters when he spotted Zero's second in command of the 0 Special Unit, Redeemer, leaning against the wall of the second floor lounge. He was a humanoid Reploid, wearing, instead of armor, a brown monk-like robe, and holding a metal staff.
"Hello, Redeemer," X greeted, "Have you seen Alia?" He asked with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Nay, Commanda," Redeemer said in a thick Scottish accent. "Ye may ask 'ero or Iris, day me 'ave seen ar."
"Thanks, Redeemer," X said starting to walk past him.
"Ne problem, Commanda," Redeemer nodded, "God bless ye."
X walked on to Zero's quarters and swung open the door, "Zero I need to … oh my God … I'm sorry … I'm sorry …" X gawked at the scene he had just walked into.
Zero and Iris both slowly looked at X with shining, red faces, "DAMN IT, X!" Zero cried, "LEARN TO KNOCK!"
"Zero …" X asked, looking at his best friend, who was wearing his armor, but his helmet was off and replaced with pink curlers in his hair.
A moment later, X doubled over in laughter at the situation. "Oh, this is great!" X got out in between laughs, "Oh, when Alia hears about this..."
"DIE!" Zero yelled, diving at the hysterical Second Blue Bomber, pinning him to the ground, and strangling him.
Once the Crimson Hunter got it out of his system, he helped the still chuckling X up. "Now then," Iris said standing up, "What were you needing, X?"
"Uh … hehehe … yeah, have you seen Alia?" X asked, fidgeting nervously, "I was wanting to talk to her about something."
Then as if on cue, Alia walked into the quarters, "Zero have you seen, oh. X, there you are. I was … Zero?" Alia started before doing a double take at Zero's appearance.
"Oh, damn it! Doesn't anyone know how to knock?" Zero cried. "X, shoot me now! Please, just shoot me now!"
Alia shook off the giggles, "X, come on!" She said excitedly, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door, "It's finally finished!"
"What's finished?" X asked, confused.
"What Douglas and I have been working on for the last month," Alia chirped happily, "Come on, I know you'll like it!"
X and Alia waited for Iris to pull the curlers out of Zero's hair before the four made their way to armor chamber.
The four walked inside and up to Douglas at the control panel toward the center of the chamber. The armor chamber itself was one the largest rooms in the base; it was about three stories with the control panel on a platform on the second level, and lining the rounded walls were all of X's modular armor sets.
"Ok," X sighed, "Mind telling me what it is that's finished?"
"This," Alia said, pushing a few buttons. Quickly, multiple robotic arms came from the ceiling, grabbed an armor set from the wall, and lowered the armor toward the platform.
Zero looked at the armor and all he could do was whistle.
"Allow me to introduce you to your newest, most advanced armor yet, X," Alia said with a smile, standing before the new armor and acting like a model showing off a new sports car. "The brand new 'Archangel' High Speed Air Assault Armor is equipped with Tri-arm cannons on each arm, two mini-gatling guns, one on each shoulder, and twin mini Vulcan cannons built into the helmet, and a special Giga Attack system built into the chest." She then brought her hand along the part of the armor that gave it it's name, "It also is equipped with four wings, two of which are for control, and also can be made to double as large, protective shields, and the rear wings can open up to reveal powerful rocket dash engines, which can go zero to sixty in point zero zero six seconds."
X could only stare at the amazing craftsmanship of the new armor, after a few minutes he finally spoke, "Did … did you make this for me?"
"Yes, Douglas and I made this," Alia said with a proud smile. "It's strange really. Douglas was fooling around with your old armor capsules, and discovered a few hidden files in their programming, one in each. Alone, they looked like random data, but once he combined them, they gave complete instructions on how construct my baby …er … this new armor."
Alia then looked at X with hopeful, childlike eyes, "Do you like it?"
"It's amazing, Alia," X said, running a hand across one of the armor's large, white wings. He then looked over the Armor set, the arm cannons' barrels were set up in a triangle formation; the suit itself was dark blue with gold trim; the chest portion puffed out in a peak with a green gem in the center. The helmet was also dark blue with gold trim, a golden 'V' running across the recorder lens, and slightly large wing-like extensions on the side. "You're amazing, Ally," X said, turning to give her a kiss.
"I don't want a kiss," Douglas chuckled, "but she didn't do it herself."
X pulled away and turned toward his friend. "I know. Thanks, Doug," He said, shaking his hand.
"No problem, X," Douglas smiled, "I think this baby will be worth the hard work."
"Now," Alia said, starting to push X, Zero, and Iris out of the chamber. "Douglas and I have a lot of tweaking to do before your test flight tomorrow, X, so if you'll excuse us."
"Oh ok, let me know when you call it a night, ok, Ally?" X asked as Alia gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Ok, see you later!" She said excitedly just before shutting the door in his face.
"Ok, Zero, let's get back to what we were doing!" Iris said cheerfully, dragging the frightened Zero behind her, "Talk to you later, X!"
X waved good-bye to his friends and leaned against the door of the chamber. He let out a sigh as he pulled something out of his side compartment of his armor and fiddled with it in his hand.
X closed his eyes and remembered the words that Wolfwing had told him four days earlier. He had just calmed down from the enraged reaction to his beloved's death, and returned to his semi-normal self. X remembered his words by heart, and they struck a nerve deep down in him, "X, there are two things a warrior must never do: dishonor himself in combat, and pass up on the chance for happiness. Do not let fear control you; live your life, and make every event and every battle truly glorious!"
X sighed and looked down at what he held in his hand. He let out a big sigh, popped open the little velvet box, and looked down at the diamond ring that took every ounce of Zenny he had to buy two days earlier. "I guess it'll wait 'til tomorrow," X said, returning it to its compartment and walking toward his quarters.
Meanwhile, not far away, just out side of visual range of Maverick Hunter Headquarters, Sigma's dark army of Blackguard finally stopped. At day break, the army would reach its destination. At daybreak, the army would reach Ground Zero.
To Be Continued …
