(Everyone was still shocked about what had happened yesterday with Zero transforming, it was so weird the situation seemed almost surreal. Zero, still unaware of what transpired, was confused with how everyone was acting, but brushed it off. X and Garres had pretty much fully recovered from their battles but were still not at a hundred percent. Zero somehow was at peak prime condition after his transformation back to normal. It was the morning after a sleepless night. Zero was still laying on his bed above the covers, one hand resting between his head and the pillow. He looked up, blinking at the ceiling, he was thinking. He jerked up suddenly.)

Zero: I can feel it.

(Iris looked over her shoulder from flower arranging in a vase on the table.)

Iris: What is it honey?

Zero: Someone's coming.

Iris: Come again?

(She turned around, noticing he gripped his light saber from off the dresser.)

Zero: I can sense them.

Iris: What, how?

Zero: Their energy levels, the power seems to be four Mavericks, I think I can read who they are by their signals.

(Iris blinked widely, both shocked and amazed.)

Iris: Zero, I had no idea that you could...

Zero: Looks like it's Neon Tiger again.

Iris: Oh, I get it.

Zero: It looks like he's with Vile and Slash Beast. I wonder what they could want.

Iris: But Zero, you said there were four, and if my math is correct, that's only three.

(Zero squinted his eyes in concentration.)

Zero: I don't know who that fourth one is, I've never felt that one before, but he seems strong, much more stronger than the other three.

Iris: Is it really?

Zero: Yes, very.

Iris: I suppose you'll be going out there then.

Zero: Yea.

Iris: Don't go alone Zero, please.

(Zero turned to her and cocked an eyebrow.)

Zero: Why not?

Iris: Uhm...

(She froze, she couldn't tell him about his transformation.)

Zero: Iris?

Iris: I'm just worried about your safety.

Zero: Don't worry, these guys are nothing.

Iris: Please Zero, for my piece of mind?

Zero: Oh, alright, I'll do it for all of your mind.

Iris: (giggle) Thanks Zero.

Zero: (smirk) Sure thing.

(Zero went to the command center to go find X and the others and tell them of the approaching company. But when he arrived, he found no one was there. Confused, he sat down in one of the chairs until finally someone came in. It was Douglas.)

Douglas: Oh, Zero.

(Zero stood up to greet him, he approached him and noticed Douglas seemed slightly cautious.)

Zero: Hey, Douglas.

Douglas: Ah, what are you doing in here?

Zero: Waiting for Alia and Signas, four Maverick's are approaching.

Douglas: What, how did you know that, the equipment isn't even turned on.

Zero: I dunno, I could sense it from my room.

Douglas: Wow, that's amazing, it must be an improved sense from when you... uh...

Zero: From when I what?

Douglas: Um... when you were in your coma.

Zero: Oh. Yea, guess that makes sense.

(Garres and X entered the room, they looked up when they noticed Zero.)

X: Zero?

Zero: Hey X. And, ah...

Garres: Garres.

Zero: Yea, Garres. Four Maverick's are coming, I was going to go out solo, but Iris insisted I take at least you two with me.

Garres: But it'll be four against three.

Zero: Oh don't worry, three of them are Neon Tiger, Slash Beast and Vile.

X: Oh.

Garres: Who?

X: I'll explain later.

Garres: Ok.

X: Then who's the fourth one, that's only three.

Zero: Yea I know, the fourth one I can't read.

X: Read?

Douglas: Never mind.

Zero: So come on, are we gonna stand around and talk or are we gonna go take these guys out before they come here and do what they gotta do?

Garres: I'm with you Zero.

X: Yea, me too.

Douglas: Alright guys, I'll input the coordinates, get on the transporter.

X: Roger.

(The three got on as Douglas worked the computer. A minute later they were out of the base and they were in the tropics.)

Zero: Alright, where are they.

Garres: I don't know how you can sense them, you must be very advanced.

Zero: Well Douglas said my senses must've been refined while I was in my coma.

(X and Garres didn't comment, they just looked at each other, knowing very well what Douglas really knew.)

X: Where are they, are you sure this is the right place, I can't hear anything.

Garres: We should be careful, it might be a trap.

Zero: No, they're coming.

(Zero walked down the path through some tall grass and bushes, he jumped up over a big rock and stood on the slightly raised ledge on the other side, being hidden by a hill. He motioned for X and Garres to come after him, so they did the same.)

X: Are they over there?

Zero: Sh, yea, under that big tree.

Garres: Should we surprise them with a first strike?

Zero: Yea.

X: Ok, on my count..... 1, 2... 3!

(The three jumped out, giving a battle cry as they landed in front of Slash Beast and Vile. X raised an eyebrow as Garres blinked, confused.)

Garres: Wait, I thought there was four of them.

X: Not that I care, but, where's Neon Tiger?

Slash Beast: Why should you care indeed, do you think we do?

X: Yes.

Vile: Fine, we don't know where he is, happy?

Zero: No, because I know that's a lie.

(He frowned, pulling out his light saber, the energy flew sharply around it. Vile looked at him strangely, something seemed different about him. Usually he could sense a different aura emitting from him, but this time his heart, his scent, it was hard to explain, but the difference was there. Slash Beast folded his arms, he could feel the presence too.)

Garres: What's the matter, to scared to fight?

Slash Beast: Who are you?

Vile: He's that blockhead from the government, the latest edition to the Maverick Hunters.

Slash Beast: Ah, so a new boy hu? Allow me to introduce you to the ways of my fist!

(He extended his claws and let loose with a powerful electrified punch. Garres cried out as he got hit, but he spun in the air and landed ten feet away, landing on his feet.)

Garres: He's strong, and we're not fully recovered yet.

X: Don't worry, these guys are a piece of cake.

Slash Beast: Zero, I'm surprised to see you so soon. So tell me, how is Rush?

Zero: You shut your fat ugly face, you hear me!

(Zero ran forward with his light saber and slashed, Slash Beast jumped out of the way and laughed.)

Slash Beast: I dodged that attack easily, come on Zero what's the matter, you move a little slow today.

(Zero growled. X looked over at him, he knew what it was. The transformation had drained his energy, reverting to and from Reploid to Maverick had to have done some mess ups in his system. Zero growled and ran again.)

Zero: This time I won't miss!

Voice: Ah!

Everyone: Hu?

(They all turned at the shrill scream to see someone running towards them.)

Zero: Oh no, it's not....

Neon Tiger: Zero! Oh, my love!

(He grabbed him, picking him up to squeeze him tightly. He cried out for air.)

Garres: What, the...?

Neon Tiger: Oh, I've missed you so much, I'm so sorry I've been away from you for so long, but I did come to secretly visit you while you were in your coma.

Zero: Ah, get off of me!

(He struggled in his tight grasp. Garres blinked.)

Garres: X, are you ready to explain now?

(X rubbed the back of his head, blushing.)

X: Yea, ah, you see, he kinda has this sick fascination with Zero.

Garres: Oh so then you mean he's... ew!

X: Yea, I know.

Garres: Poor Zero.

Zero: Let me go!

(Finally Zero got out of his grip but not because he pushed his way out but because Neon Tiger released him. He put his hands on his hips.)

Neon Tiger: Something seems different about you Zero.

Zero: Will everyone quit saying that!?

Neon Tiger: Did that coma mess with you?

Zero: Maybe, but I'm not as messed up as you're gonna be after this!

(He twirled his light saber and held it up.)

Neon Tiger: Oh Zero, you hurt the ones you love.

(He extended his neon laser claws and slashed at him. Zero cried out as his light saber was slapped out of his hand. He growled, removing the hand he held on his wrist, there were burn streaks from the weapon left there.)

Zero: You.... bastard.

Neon Tiger: Come here, let me kiss your boo boos.

Zero: Not a chance!

(He got down in a fighting pose and ran towards him.)

Garres: Zero, your light saber!

Zero: I don't need it!

(He jumped up and went to punch Neon Tiger, but he was quicker and ducked, as Zero dove over him, he reached up with a fist of his own. Zero cried out as the burning claws met the side of his face, he cried out as they left burn streaks on his cheek. He rolled onto the ground and growled, turning back around.)

Neon Tiger: Stop this, I don't want to hurt you anymore.

Zero: The feeling isn't mutual.

Neon Tiger: Brother, Zero's being mean and not fighting fair!

Slash Beast: I'll allow it.

Vile: But Signas won't, despite how you know who is, he is your brother and for some reason Sigma refuses to have him scrapped.

Slash Beast: Your guess is as good as mine, so, alright.

(Slash Beast jumped up and rushed over to Zero, punching him right in the forehead with a clawed fist of his own. Zero flew back through the tree, cutting it in half into splinters. He lay on his back, twitching from the pain. Everyone stood still, a wind blew in the big field perfectly suited for a battle. He sat up and panted, why was he so tired already? Did his coma mess up his system that much?)

Zero: Let's get in there X, he's tired already.

X: Yea, right.

(They both ran at them but Vile and Slash Beast jumped in the way.)

Slash Beast: You two looking for a fight, well you found it.

Garres: Great, two on two.

X: Where's your fourth man, and better yet, who is he?

Vile: Oh, he's a fan of Zero's, he's enjoying meeting him.

X: What?

(They all looked over as Zero sat on his knees in the process of getting up, a strange presence filled the air, even X and Garres could sense it.)

Garres: What is that?

Vile: Allow me to introduce you to the latest Maverick to join Sigma's gang.

Slash Beast: Meet Flame Hyenard.

(A hyena Maverick jumped out with a hysterical laughter as it landed in front of Zero. He looked up strangely at him.)

X: What the...?

Flame Hyenard: Haha, burn to the ground!

(He raised his fist, causing a tower of fire to erupt from the ground below Zero. He let out a cry of pain as he flew up into the air and then back down to the ground.)

Garres: Whoa, no way.

X: We have to stop this, he's too powerful!

Vile: Oh but you haven't seen the best part yet.

Slash Beats: Show them what we mean dog boy.

Flame Hyenard: Haha, burn, burn!

(All of a sudden two clones appeared out of nowhere on each side of him, X and Garres gasped.)

X: He can clone himself, no.

Garres: Zero, get outta there!

Zero: No way.

(He growled, getting up, already injured badly from the powerful attack of this new Maverick. Flame Hyenard just laughed maniacally. X growled to himself, if Zero's life were to get in danger once again, he could transform again.)

X: Let's get in there Garres.

Garres: Right.

(They both started to run again but Slash Beast and Vile got in the way again.)

Vile: Hello, forgetting someone?

(He punched X.)

Slash Beast: Your fight's with me buster.

(He punched Garres.)

Flame Hyenard: Ha, grounded.

Zero: Hardly, the only one going down is you.

Clone 1: Haha!

Clone 2: Oh the pain.

Flame Hyenard: Burn to the ground!

(They all three shot a huge blast of fire strait at Zero, he tried to jump it but he wasn't fast enough and the blast was too powerful. All the two battling Hunters could do was watch as once again Zero's life was nearly being stripped away. He landed farther off near the other side of the field, face first, not moving. X gulped.)

X: Zero?

(He didn't move and everyone grew tense, had that done it? No, just then he started to twitch and slowly prop himself up on all fours. The eye on the side of his face where the burn marks were was closed because of the pain of the punch.)

Garres: Please you have to stop this before he trans... ah.

Vile: Oh, no, please do go on, before he what?

Garres: Uhm, nothing.

Slash Beast: Oh I love secrets, tell us more, tell us now.

Garres: No, X!

X: I'm coming Zero!

Zero: No!

X: Hu?

Zero: I can handle it.

(X noticed his light saber over by them, very far away from Zero.)

X: Here, your weapon!

Vile: Not so fast.

(He picked it up, X stopped in his tracks.)

X: Ah, no give that back!

Vile: Ah, ah, not until you tell us your little secret.

X: No way! Besides, we can't.

Vile: Oh and why not? I bet I already know what it is.

X: Ah...

Vile: You were going to say before he transforms.

X: Uh, oh... no!

Vile: Heh, yes it was.

(Zero was listening, but was confused. Transforms?)

Slash Beast: Don't just stand there, attack him dog face!

Flame Hyenard: Burn!

(The two clones went back into his body and he ran right at Zero. Vile smirked.)

Vile: I want to see this, his transformation.

Slash Beast: We all know about Zero's past, but I want to see this with my own eyes too.

(Neon Tiger, who had been watching quietly the whole time blinked.)

Neon Tiger: (thinking) Zero was a Maverick before? This whole time, I never knew...

(X and Garres had tried to go help Zero but Vile and Slash Beast prevented it, they could only watch in horror as the two Maverick's waited expectantly. Zero sighed, his shoulders slumping as he lowered his head, he knew he couldn't fend off this new Maverick. The wind began to pick up, the breeze blowing to the east in the long grass, his ponytail moving majestically in the wind. But just then, the wind's direction seemed to immediately shift, changing to a gust to the east, the wind now blowing Zero's ponytail ruggedly in the other direction. His eyes looked up piercingly as a growl began to escape his throat once again. X gasped, they may have been at a distance but he recognized this.)

X: Oh no...

(Zero's eyes were green again, his ponytail now white, and his armor black once more. His eyes were menacingly evil as the growl seemed so demented and animal like. His fingers, almost claw like, dug into the ground as his mouth grew wider as he bared his angry teeth. Vile cried out in pain as the light saber shocked him in his hand, he dropped it, holding his hand in pain as he looked down at it. Hu, it was green? Slash Beast was shocked and in awe at the evil power flowing through him but his brother was scared.)

Neon Tiger: Z-zero?

(Flame Hyenard hadn't stopped though he noticed the change, he grew nearer to Zero. Zero jumped up with a blood thirsty growl as he charged directly at the oncoming foe, plowing literally right through him, demolishing him into spare parts in a flat second. Everyone gasped as Zero stopped running immediately, the scrap suspended in the air for a brief moment before falling to the ground.)

Vile: Whoa, no way....

(Zero's head jerked around quickly, now facing the two of them, they gasped.)

Slash Beast: No way man, this is too... ah.

Vile: Yea, let's get outta here!

(X and Garres watched as the two of them ran off, then turned back to each other. How were they going to get themselves out of this one? The wind blowing in the air even seemed darker. Zero may look calm but inside he was going insane, he wanted to kill more, the blood flowing inside him yearned for it, it made him feel good, so complete. He growled, looking up in X and Garres's direction, they gasped. He began to approach them slowly. Neon Tiger was shaking in fear as he slowly began to back away. Zero took one slow menacing step closer and closer, X and Garres were fearful.)

Garres: What do we do now?

X: I- I dunno....

(Zero was about six feet away when something inside him pulsed, he froze, was that his heart beat? He could feel the energy of the blood rushing through his veins, something was connecting in his body, only it wasn't the killing, what was it? He looked up, it was coming from X holding his light saber. He looked strangely at him, X grew nervous.)

Garres: X, what's going on?

(He didn't reply, he was more focused on what if Zero was about to kill him, was his worst nightmare coming true right this moment before his very eyes? Zero reached out a hand, he and Garres froze as he began to come closer to him. Garres shock with fear, but X noticed something different this time. Something was controlling him, holding him back, was that Zero still in there? His eyes were shaking, his body was shaking, something about the Maverick seemed different. X felt his hair bristle as Zero's hand was inches away from that of his own, his hand met that of X's as he grabbed the light saber from him. It sparked in his hand, Zero closed his eyes and growled deeply, raspy. The demonic aura blowing waves of energy from out and around him began to dissipate as the colors began to fade back to normal, the black to red and the white to blonde. He moaned slightly and slowly opened his eyes, they were blue, back to normal too. He blinked and looked around, not only he was back to normal but so was the environment surrounding them. He looked over at X.)

Zero: X, are you....

X: Zero!

Zero: Hu?

Garres: Whao, what happened?

Neon Tiger: Hey, you're back to normal.

(They were confused. Zero frowned.)

Zero: I understand now.

(They froze, what did that mean?)

Zero: I know what happened now.

X: Oh no, Zero I...

Zero: I'm sorry X.

X: Zero it-it's ok.

Zero: No it's not! I could've killed you X, and you're my best friend. I never would've even known it that it was I that had your blood sullied on my hands.

X: But Zero, you...

Zero: So this happened last time. I didn't even remember it. This time... now I do.

X: Hu?

Zero: I was still in there, somewhere.... like if I was lost, fighting, and trying to control it. Something, somehow got to me, and I was able to break free. I saw you X, I knew you were the one who could help me get back out.

(X blinked.)

X: Zero...

Zero: I lost control last time, but this time I found it.... so, does that mean that I... ugh.

(His knees buckled from under him, the energy shift had worn him once again.)

X: Zero!

Zero: Oh....

(X went over and helped Zero stand up by wrapping an arm around his shoulders.)

X: Don't worry Zero, we're your friends, and I want to help you.

Zero: (sigh) Thanks, X.

(Garres opened his communicator.)

Garres: Transport back to base.

Alia: Ok, hang on a sec.

(They all stood and waited. As they did, Zero blinked, thinking to himself: Last time who knows what I did, this time I came after you X. I don't want to think it, but I was this close to killing you without even realizing who you were, if not for that sudden jolt, me jerking back to reality, I could've ended not only our friendship but your life right there. The next time I transform I might forget everything, I might not even recognize your face. Who am I, what have I become? And with that, they disappeared back to the base. Neon Tiger still stood their blinking, confused.)

Neon Tiger: I guess I should probably go back now, heh, no one left here for me to talk to. Look at me, I'm even talking to myself.

Voice: Yea man what's up with that?

(He gasped and ran off screaming at the imaginary voice from the woods. Elsewhere, Vile and Slash Beast had already returned to base. Vile went to go meet with Sigma. He arrived in his office where he was talking with a strange looking Reploid.)

Sigma: So do we have a deal then?

Reploid: Yes sir Professor.

(Sigma looked up, noticing Vile.)

Sigma: Ah yes. Well I shall see you again soon then?

Reploid: I'll give you a call tomorrow, we'll talk then.

(He got up to leave, passing Vile out the door.)

Sigma: I look forward to it... Red.

(Slash Beast, meanwhile, had a meeting of his own. He was in his room, he dialed on his phone and held it up to his ear. It rang until someone answered, a deep gruff voice.)

Voice: Hello?

Slash Beast: Hey, it's me.

Voice: After so long? Is it finally time?

Slash Beast: Yes, yes it is.

Voice: Good, I'll be out there shortly.

Slash Beast: I look forward to it.... father.