Megaman X2: Eternal War
Epilogue
By Genoscythe
Megaman X sat at the edge of his bed, clutching the small video screen. Twilight spilled an orange glow through the window of his small house in the forest, and it certainly didn't help X's mood. A reploid clad in red armor was talking on the portable video screen.
" I'm serious, X. We need you back here, now," X said nothing. His mind was too busy churning the current events over, trying to sort out the mess that this situation was turning into. In the background of the video screen, red warning lights were flashing and an announcement was being broadcast.
Alert! Alert! The Doppler research reploid has inspired a revolt in DopplerTown. The Maverick virus has broken through the Doppler anti-virus, and it appears Doppler has caused it. All previous postings here about the anti-virus are incorrect. The anti-virus is a placebo. REPEAT: The anti-virus is a placebo!
DopplerTown is over-run with Mavericks. Utopia has ended before it even started. Take cover quickly. Virus is spreading rapidly. Cain Laboratory is being infiltrated. Maverick Hunter Units on FULL ALERT.
" There's no way Doppler would do it...I mean, I met him in person, Zero!" X protested finally. " This must be a mistake..."
" The only mistake anyone's made was to trust Dr. Doppler with our lives. And besides, don't you think it's about time you quit hiding?"
" Hiding!?" X spat back at his friend on the video screen.
" That's exactly what you've been doing. You don't want to have blood on your hands anymore, but running off to the forest isn't gonna wash away the stains you've already made,"
" Zero...I thought you were with me on this,"
" You said it yourself that you were coming back, am I right? So come back. Help us defeat Doppler, or else bear the burden of all the innocents you could've saved by fighting!"
" I...don't want to argue anymore, Zero. I don't want to kill anymore, either. Goodbye," X moved to switch off the screen.
" Wait!" Zero was cut off as the image died. X threw the communicator against the wall and buried his head in his hands. He was faced with two choices. Either become a killer again and save innocent lives, or continue his life of pacifism and let the other Maverick Hunters deal with Dr. Doppler's rebellion. As much as he thought about it, his mind kept coming back to the same conclusion. He would have to fight.
Sighing in resignation, X opened his closet and pulled out his old uniform and armor. He changed quickly and, tapping the commlink on his helmet, called MHHQ. " This is Megaman X, Commander of the 17th Maverick Hunter Division. I need an IT"
X? You're coming back!? Ah, uh...yes, right away, sir, The operator said excitedly. X activated the IT crystal on his helmet and he soon felt himself being ripped through space and dropped into the control room of Maverick Hunter HQ. Everything was chaotic. Outbreak monitors were being overrun with red dots, operators shouting to each other, and hunters running in and out. X walked to the nearest operator and tapped him on the shoulder.
" Where can I find Zero?" He asked above the noise. The operator tracked his position in the HQ and pointed it out to him. He wasted no time in running to the main lobby, where he was greeted with a welcome image. Calliope, Drake, Mobius, VR, and Zero all stood talking in the center of the large room. X ran down the stairs as he waved to them, and Drake spotted him. As soon as his feet touched the bottom of the steps, Calliope's arms were flung around his neck and she hugged him closely.
The others crowded around X, and he was assaulted with questions and comments. When they all calmed down, Zero spoke. " You couldn't have come at a better time. I'm getting tired of keeping your little runts under control,"
" Zero's been the unofficial commander of the 17th since you left. Dr. Cain let it slide since maverick activity's been slow," Calliope explained.
" Until now," Drake said. " Goddamn it, why did we trust Dr. Doppler!?" The green hunter clenched his fist.
" He was so sincere...there was no way we could have known," X muttered.
" Now the HQ's mainframe is infected with the virus. We have no way to find Doppler's base without our main equipment running," Zero spoke.
" At least we have our IT and warning systems running," VR said. Just then, X got a call on his commlink. Zero received one as well.
All commanders, your divisions have already been given individual assignments. You will receive coordinates to IT to momentarily.
Zero and X both downloaded their coordinates, and X looked at the other hunters around him. " Aren't you all supposed to be on assignment?"
Calliope sighed." Supposed to be. Zero stopped us on our way out, so we haven't gotten the chance to leave," Suddenly, a warning light blared to life and the warning announcement changed suddenly.
ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS MUST DEPLOY TO THE CITY! OUTPOST BETA IS UNDER ATTACK! REPEAT: OUTPOST BETA IS UNDER ATTACK! HOSTILE UNITS BEAR THE DOPPLER INSIGNIA! PURSUE WITH CAUTION!
The voice was frantic and loud. The group of hunters looked to each other. A new battle was beginning, and as Zero had said two years before, this was an eternal war.
END
A/N: Yep, this is it. I know it was short, but all I wanted to do was show Megaman X's return. I'm NOT going to remake Megaman X3 as I previously thought. Believe me, I want to, but there are other projects that I'm working on now, and honestly all of my creative juices are being put to use. Does this mean you won't see any more works from me? Hell no. One of these 'other projects' just happens to be a brand new Megaman X 'fic that I'm five chapters into already. Now that I've got THIS monkey off my back (still can't get rid of the fleas though) I can put more attention to my next story, which I'll post on very shortly. It's called Megaman X: Elysium Rising, and by the time many of you read this it'll probably already be out there.
Well, it's been fun writing this stuff. That's why I'm gonna write more of it =P. So, uh...have fun, enjoy the rest of summer, and watch for Elysium Rising.
PS: That little announcement at the beginning of the chapter? That came straight from the Megaman X3 instruction manual. Big kudos to the Megaman Network for posting such random and seemingly irrelevant pieces of info on their site. They make finding all the resources I need (IE maverick backgrounds, hunter divisions, etc) immeasurably easier.