C. Cowboy: Howdy, I'd like to start out by dedicating this chapter to the seven astronauts who lost their lives on the Columbia this past Saturday. A lot of things happen in this chapter so pay attention . Be warned though, it gets a bit violent in some parts, so read at your own risk. And excuse any spelling or grammar errors; my beta reader is on a trip so I flew this one solo. When he gets back I'll probably repost a beta read version of this chapter, annnnnyway, one last note, remember not everything is as it seems, now read and review!

Chapter 5: Their Darkest Hour

"Enemies targeted," X said in an emotionless voice.

Before anyone could react, he crossed his arms and drew two beam sabers from hidden compartments in his shoulder guards. His golden eyes narrowed as the rear two wings opened up to reveal powerful dash rockets, and, with a blaze from the wing and boot jets, he shot into the mass, slicing at least twenty Blackguard in half.

In one fluid motion, he threw a blade, which passed through a Maverick's chest. He then grabbed that very Maverick by the head and fired shoulder and helmet cannons on the defenseless Reploid's already irreparable body.

The Blue Angel then shot into the air, giving off a bright purple glow. He stopped a good forty feet in the air before turning back toward the ground and releasing not two, but six charged blasts towards not only the Mavericks but also the Maverick Hunters locked in combat with them.

He then landed between the Mavericks and the base and began to glow once again. The glow went from light to dark blue to purple to a golden-yellow. X's golden eyes narrowed and an evil smirk appeared on his lips as his longer wings folded forward, both pointing directly toward the enemies. Slowly, the gem in X's chest began to glow gold as well, and blue and purple sparks ran between the two massive wings.

Then, in a flash of blinding light, a massive blast shot out from between the wings, incinerating everything in its path, the Blackguard Mavericks, plant life, the large hills to the Maverick's back, everything for a mile and a half was atomized.

"Holy …" Signas gawked, staring at the flat, charred ground that was moments ago a number of large, green hills.

"What … glorious power …" Wolfwing forced out, in the same shock as every other Hunter outside the base.

"Searching for enemy target," X said in a plain, emotionless voice as he looked over his shoulder at Zero. "Target locked."

X then opened up the dash wings and flew toward Zero at full speed. Before he had time to react, X had Zero down, shoving his back along the ground a good five yards before they stopped. X placed all his weight on the shocked Crimson Hunter and brought his hands tight around his throat.

"X … what are you doing?" Zero choked out as X squeezed tighter and tighter.

"I'm going to enjoy watching your head tumble off, Wily Spawn," X spat in a voice nothing like his own.

"X … w-what are … you talking … about …" Zero gasped, struggling to get X's hands off his neck, "It's … me … Zero … remember? You … you're my best friend … you … gotta remember …"

"Oh, I remember you alright, Zero," X smirked, "I know all about you, and I also know you were made to destroy me. So I'm going to destroy you before you get to me. Law of the jungle ya know."

"X!" Alia's voice ran over his radio, "X, stop it! What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I was made for," X retorted, squeezing tighter 'til droplets of red coolant began to run down his fingers.

"X, you weren't made to be a killer!" Alia reasoned, "Look at what you're doing. Zero's your best friend, your brother; the X I love wouldn't do this, not to his brother. "This isn't like you, fight it, X!" Alia begged, her voice breaking, obviously in tears at the time, "Don't let it control you, fight, X, please, fight."

X's distorted, angry face began to relax and his eyes seemed blink away the gold and return to the familiar emerald green, "Z-Zero?" He asked releasing his grip, "W-what happened? Where are we?" He then set back, "I had the dream again," X said, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, "Dreamed I slaughtered an army and then tried to …" X said before his eyes widened as they noticed his own hands covered in red coolant, "Oh God …"

X tried to stand, but in his nervousness, he stumbled backwards, turned his head toward the hills that moments ago were covered with Blackguard Maverick troops, and dropped to his knees. "I did this …" X choked out, his eyes wide with shock and angst, staring at the level ground. "Oh God … I did this …"

"X, calm down," Alia said softly over the radio, "It was our fault; we didn't know the armor would have that effect on you. I'm so sorry."

"G-get it off me …" X begged, "just … get it off me … now!"

"X …" Alia said softly, almost sounding as if she was afraid to say what she was trying to get out. "There is a problem with the magnetic locks, we …uh … can't teleport it back."

"W-what?" X asked, beginning to panic. He began to pull at the armor, trying to get it off, but no matter how hard he tugged, it remained. After several minutes, he finally gave up and sat on the ground, leaning forward, the only thing holding him off the ground were his hands and knees. He looked back toward Zero and, though he was back on his feet, whether it was X's imagination or not, he could plainly see fear in Zero's eyes.


Inside the Command Center, Alia was struggling with a difficult choice. The part of her that made her the best spotter in the history of Maverick Hunters, her head, told her to stay put at her station. While the other part of her, her heart, was being torn apart watching the man she loved sit trembling in shock over something she herself had helped cause. And she wanted nothing more than to run to his side and hold him.

"Oh God …" She heard X choke out, "What have I done?"

"X, please," Alia whispered, "That wasn't you. Stop beating yourself up."

"Oh God …" X repeated, obviously not paying a bit of attention to her.

That was all she could take; Alia stood up quickly and started to leave, "That's it. I'm going down there."

Before she could even make it to the door, an alarm went off. "We've got … multiple beam-ins." Naomi said from her station.

Alia quickly returned to her station, "How many?"

"T-Too many …" Naomi stuttered staring at the screen.


"X?" Zero asked, walking toward his friend, who just moments ago tried to tear his head off, "You ok?"

"D-Do I look ok, Zero?" X asked, not looking up. "I … I'm so sorry … I … I don't know what got into me … I'm sorry …"

"X, calm down," Zero said, patting his back, "It wasn't … what in Light's name …"

Zero stood up, his eyes growing wide as black energy pillars filled the sky, blacking out the sun.

Zero drew his saber and stepped protectively before his friend, feeling sick at the sight of even more Blackguard clones than in the first attack. Then who appeared to be the Maverick's leader stepped up stopping just a few yards from Zero.

The warrior stood a good seven feet, clad in black and silver armor. On his large shoulder guard was a large, blue 'W', and his face was covered in a large faceplate attached straight to his large, menacing helmet.

"You don't want to harm me, do you, Zero?" the warrior said in a voice that was strikingly familiar to the Crimson Hunter, "Do you, my masterpiece?"

Zero back stepped slowly as a stinging pain began to grow in his head and grew more and more painful by the second. Zero finally dropped to his knees letting out a bone-chilling cry as he gripped his head painfully.

"Z-Zero?" X asked as his best friend fell to his side with his eyes rolled back in his head.

"And here I thought he was my greatest creation," The leader said with an evil chuckle. "I'll just have to bring him home and work out the bugs."

"I won't let you hurt him," X said, standing between Zero and the army.

"What have we here?" the overlord chuckled, "Some clown who thinks he's Megaman. I originally wanted to destroy you with my own hands, but now that I see you are nowhere near the challenge the REAL Megaman was …" He then turned his back and started to walk away, "Destroy him and bring me Zero."

Before X could do anything, a barrage of blasts hit his armor that sent him flying backwards. He skidded along the ground before he finally stopped himself.

X got back to his feet and fired a few shots, but was blasted by another round, sending him stumbling along the ground even more.

X stole a glance around and saw the other hunters fairing about the same. He activated his dash wings, shot toward Zero's still limp body, and punched a Blackguard about to pick him up. "Stop it …" X said to himself, shaking his head and fighting off the urge to let the armor take over again, "Leave me alone."

X made it to Zero's side and gently picked him up, "You ok, buddy?" X asked, but didn't get any response.

"Hang on, Zero," X said, looking around the battlefield. He finally spotted who he was looking for and took to the air toward him.

"X, Zero," Signas said as X landed beside him, "Is he …"

"I don't know …" X said, looking down at his unconscious and then at the chaos around them, "I think it would be a good time to retreat," X sighed sadly.

"I think you're right," Signas nodded, "I'll take him, and have 14th through 16th Units cover the shuttles, injured and nonessential personal evacuated or teleported to the shuttles first, then the command crew and combat hunters, then finally 17th and 0 Special Units hold off the main force then teleported last. Think you guys can handle waiting to go last?"

X nodded, "Good luck, Signas."

"Same to you, X, and make it through," Signas ordered, taking Zero from him, "Alia will kill me if you don't."

"Will do, now get the evac started." X said as He covered Signas' retreat into the headquarters.


Signas carried Zero all the way to the command center and barged in like a wild animal, "We're evacuating the base on the shuttle crafts, start off with-" he started, but was cut off by Iris's bone chilling cry.

"ZERO!" She cried, running up to the commander.

"He's ok," Signas said to her, "Just unconscious. Douglas, take Iris and Zero to the cruisers. Alia, beam all nonessential personnel, the injured, and X's armor sets straight to the Metropolis. Then start beaming the units to the cruisers. Once the Metropolis is full, start beaming the remaining force to the Columbia II and the Rockman. I want Units 14 through 16 to cover the ships while the 17th and 0 Specials hold off the main attack force. Send them when the others are loaded, is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Alia said hitting a few buttons to begin beaming all civilians and injured hunters to the Metropolis.

"Ok, let's get going, Iris," Douglas said, struggling to hold Zero's limp form, "We got a ship to catch."

Iris barely nodded, not taking her eyes off Zero. The two left the busy command center quickly.

"Ok, that's all the injured, sir," Alia said, locking on to the personnel.

"Ok, send the nonessentials," Signas ordered, "That includes the spotters, I'll handle communications."

"Yes sir," Alia said and a couple of seconds later, everyone in the command center disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Signas and Alia alone.

"Alia, go to the Metropolis," Signas ordered, standing at Alia's side.

"No," Alia said firmly, "I'm not leaving without X."

"But …" Signas protested.

"I am not leaving without X," Alia said just as firm if not firmer than before.

Signas sighed and patted her shoulder. "I expected as much; ok, let's start sending the Hunters so we can get out of here."


Outside, the fight wasn't fairing to well for the Hunters. X was still holding himself back so much that if it weren't for the heavy armor of the Archangel set, he would have been blown to bits some time ago.

X sighed when he saw Hunters beginning to vanish in energy pillars. 'This is going to be fun,' X thought as he fired a few shots over some Mavericks' heads.

The battle raged 'til the Metropolis and the Columbia II were long gone, and all that remained was the Rockman and the 17th and 0 Units. "Why haven't we been teleported yet?" X complained as a Blackguard blasted him from behind. X caught himself on his hands and knees. "Guess this is it then …" X sighed as he saw a Maverick about to bring his beamsaber down across his neck.

"You give up too easy, Kid," A voice shot, as a charged blast tore the Blackguard apart. X looked up and spotted a Reploid he had never seen before, he was relatively short at four and a half feet tall, and was wearing red and gray armor. His helmet had a black visor that hid much of his face, and wore a long, yellow scarf and a large Spartan-like shield on his right arm. "Keh, you call yourself a Megaman," he scoffed, "Iceman was tougher acting than you."

"Who?" X asked, getting back to his feet, "And who are you?"

"Keh, thought you were supposed to be a history buff," the stranger said, bringing his arm cannon to his shoulder to blast the head off of the Maverick about to attack him from behind, and doing this without looking away from X. "Look, Sigma is in your base and is already on his way to the command center. Unless you want that pretty blonde of yours to get hurt, I suggest you get over your damn self and act like a Megaman."

"Sigma's in the base?" X asked, turning toward the Headquarters, "How do you … where?" He asked, looking back only to find the stranger had disappeared in thin air. "Alia …" X eyes widened when the stranger's words were finally processed, "Alia, come in," X said, touching the side of his helmet, "Blast! It's being blocked again. SEVENTEENTH UNIT, ZERO UNIT, FALL BACK TO THE ROCKMAN! FALL BACK TO THE ROCKMAN!" He ordered as he dashed toward the entrance of the base.

X made his way through the empty halls, and the thought began to form that this could be a trick, and the stranger could be a Maverick. But X wasn't going to risk Alia, and why would he lie about something like that. X shot into the command center and found Signas held by four Blackguards, which X took out with extreme accuracy. "I suggest you calm yourself, old friend," A voice said from the shadows of the damaged command center.

"Sigma …" X growled, turning around, but upon spotting his archrival, his anger turned to pure fear.

Sigma was holding out in front of him a very frightened looking Alia. "Let her go, you son of a bitch."

"Such language in front of a lady, X, it's so unbecoming of a hero of your stature," Sigma smirked, "And to call yourself such a thing."

X simply growled before the Overlord of the Mavericks began to speak again, "Ah, I must say it is a pleasure to meet the famous Alia. I see what I have heard of you is correct, my dear. You are a beautiful masterpiece of our race, and if you are half as intelligent as you are beautiful, I can understand why X has been such a problem as of late." He said, running his forefinger along her cheek, but jerking back when she snapped at it, "Ah, I see why X likes you. You are a feisty one."

"If you hurt her …" X growled, his eyes starting to regain that yellowish gold tint.

"You'll do nothing," Sigma shot. "You've grown weak, X, depending on your armors for power, and your lover for intelligence. Without them, you are nothing."

X narrowed his eyes as Sigma gave Alia's neck a tighter squeeze, "You know how to kill a snake, X? Simple really, you just crush its head."

Just then a Blackguard shot in and X turned his back on Sigma to attack the intruder. Sigma forcefully shoved Alia to the floor, pulled the handgun, and aimed it at X's back. X quickly defeated the Maverick, turned around, and gasped as he looked down the barrel of the gun. X only had enough time to bring his arms up to shield his body as Sigma pulled the trigger. X closed his eyes tight as he heard the gun go off, and waited for the pain. He did in fact hear the dart fly through the air and the sound of it breaking through armor and synthetic skin, but the Second Blue Bomber felt no pain whatsoever.

X opened his eyes and they suddenly widened as his insides did somersaults. Before him stood Alia, her arms outstretched protectively. "A-Alia?" X choked out as Alia dropped to her knees and then slumped back into his waiting arms. "Alia, talk to me …" X begged as she lay in his arms, "Alia, please, don't do this …"

"X …" She whispered hoarsely as she looked up weakly into his eyes, "A-are … you ... alright?" She forced out.

"Alia … I … I … that was so stupid …" X scolded weakly as tears formed in his eyes, "How could you be so reckless … so … so careless … Alia …"

"I … I guess ... I guess I've just … been around you a little too long …" Alia whispered, a weak smile on her face.

"Hang on," X ordered, "Don't you even think about leaving me …"

Alia's eyes then slowly closed and she went limp in his arms, "Alia?" X asked, giving her a little shake, "Alia, wake up! Don't do this!"

"She's still alive, barely," Signas said, "We need to get her to a medic."

Then laughter filled the room, and X realized Sigma was still there. "So sweet, the slut sacrificing herself for her hero, how poetic."

"No more …" X whispered as he closed his eyes and laid her down on the floor.

"Fear not, X," Sigma chuckled, "She won't die yet, the special virus in that dart will make her die very slowly and very painfully. I'm sure she will suffer; won't it be fun for the both of you.? For her, when she is forced to feel all her systems crash slowly, and for you, knowing you can do nothing to save the one you love."

"No more …" X said, opening his eyes, which were now bright gold, which Sigma was too far into his laughter to notice.

"Admit it, X, I've won," Sigma said with a broad smile, "I want to hear you say-" Sigma was cut off as a massive charged blast forced him through six steel walls.

"W-what?" Sigma gawked as he pulled himself back to his feet and looked up when he heard what sounded like a wild animal. He tried to back away when he saw X dashing at him at full speed. He hit Sigma had in the face, sending him recoiling back. Sigma pulled his beamsaber, but X caught him by the hand.

"No more," X said, his face contorted with anger and, even though his hand was much smaller than Sigma's, he crushed Sigma's hand completely in his monstrous grip.

Sigma tried to punch X in the face, but the Blue Angel of Death caught his other fist. "Alia was the last," X growled, "No one else will hurt because of you."

Sigma's eyes widened in fear for the first time as X brought his foot to his chest and removed his arms from his body. Sigma started to cry out in pain when X used his own beamsaber to stab him though the chest. "No one else will die because of you," X shot as he stabbed the Maverick again. X threw the saber away and started to punch at his archenemy so hard that Sigma's armor and synthetic skin flew at every punch.

"M-mercy …" Sigma begged, his body now broken and beaten, only to meet a massive uppercut that sent him up several levels through the reinforced ceiling. X flew up to after him and dragged him to the roof. "I'm going to stop you," X growled, "It may not be for good, but you will fear me, and know that if you show yourself again, this is what will happen."

X picked up the broken Maverick by the collar, and kicking him in the knee, broke off the leg from the knee down. "M-mercy…please…" Sigma begged as X brought him over his head. "Now I'll break you," X said, his angry voice going icy and emotionless.

X then brought Sigma down hard over his knee so that he bent at the small of his back across X's leg. X smiled as he heard Sigma cry out in severe pain. "Now Alia isn't the only one to suffer," X said, his golden eyes looking down at the defeated Sigma in his arms. "You've won the battle here, Sigma, but … you will never defeat me. If Alia dies, resurrecting would not be wise." X growled at him, picking him back up over his head and walking toward the edge of the building.

"W-What … what are you going to do?" Sigma asked weakly.

"Can you fly?" X asked emotionlessly.

"What?" Sigma asked as X uncerimoniously threw him off the edge of the fifteen-story building, and watched as his body tumbled to the ground. X then turned and walked back toward the base, into the command center and gazed emotionlessly around before spotting Signas still with Alia on the floor. The sight brought sadness back to the Cerulean Hunter's face and his eyes reverted back to their natural green. "Alia!" X gasped, dropping at her side. "Signas … what happened to Sigma?" X asked, looking around the room.

"You … you mean you don't remember?" Signas asked in shock at the confused X.

"All I remember is holding her, and listening to Sigma shooting his mouth off …" He said, looking down at her and brushing a strand of hair from her face, "please tell me she's going to be ok …"

An alarm sounded, breaking Signas and X out of their daze, "Mavericks are in the base. Damn, they're already between the command center and the launch pad!" Signas barked, "If they get to the main computer, they'll have access to the Hunter Satellite Defense System. X, can you fly Alia out of here with your armor?"

X nodded, "But what about you, Signas?"

"All our people are loaded onto the Rockman; I've just launched it; you and Alia go on," The Grand Commander said, "I'm going to set the self-destruct system, and … I … I'll be right behind you."

"But the launch pad's been cut off, how are you going to get to a ship?" X asked.

"Don't ask questions; Alia needs medical assistance. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine, now GO!" Signas ordered, pointing toward the large hole in the wall, "X, go NOW, please …"

"Ok, hurry up, Signas; I'll meet you at the rendezvous point," X said, taking Alia into his arms. "Be careful," X said as he turned and fired his jets and shot out through the hole.

Once Signas was sure X was out of earshot, he walked over to his control panel. "I can't risk the Mavericks finding a way to stop this. I'll give X one minute to get clear." Signas typed in a few commands that sealed the entrance to the command center. Then a part of the console opened revealing a keyhole. He pulled off a necklace, which held a gold key. "Guess this is it. Thirty seconds." He said as the reinforced doors began to buckle as the Mavericks tried to bust in. Signas waited a few more seconds and as the doors came open he slid the key into the keyhole. He fired his arm cannon at the Mavericks, but ended up being shot seven or eight times himself; he dropped to his knees, but keep his hand on the key. "I'm leaving the Hunters in your capable hands, X," Signas gasped as he saw more Mavericks entering. "Lead them to victory," Signas prayed as he turned the key causing the base to tremble, "Goodbye, my friends." A moment later, a bright flash blinded all in the command center, and then all was dark.

X held Alia tight as he flew along side the Rockman. Suddenly, he felt a strong wind behind him, and he turned to see a massive flash. "Signas? SIGNAS!" X cried as new tears formed. He floated there with his heart dropping to his knees at the sight of the mushroom cloud rising from where the proud Maverick Hunter Headquarters once stood watch over the world. "Signas …" X sighed sadly.

X looked down at the unconscious love of his life laying in his arms and also at his armor. All the armor he had received had been powerful, but he now questioned why? Why did Dr. Light give him the ability to think, feel, and make his own decisions and then create this nightmarish armor that overrode that very part of him?

X couldn't be bothered by that now; how many hunters had died today? How many died at his own uncontrolled hand? And what had that monster done to Alia, which was intended for him? And who was that other Maverick, who seemed to know him and his predecessor, the original Megaman? "Not now," X said, shaking off his thoughts, "Alia needs help now; I'll figure out what's going on later." X then shot off toward the horizon, knowing that nothing would ever be the same again.

To Be Continued …