Chapter 9 -Deceptions
2010, Residential Area, 8:37 PM
Fully healed once more, I was bounding across the rooftops, attempting to figure out just what was going on.
Amy had missed our date. That wouldn't have gotten more than a raised eyebrow under most circumstances, as I would have simply found the maverick and helped scrap it, but there wasn't one.
I checked, but still couldn't find anything.
Then I called her, and got no answer. A quick trip to her house proved she wasn't there. Confused, I went back to the apartment, and discovered that both Serena and Darien's and my own rooms had once more been the subject of attack.
That was where it got freaky.
The temple had been hit as well, as something had ripped its way out of the structure. I got back on my bike and hit the road.
After confirming virtually the same circumstances at both Lita and Mina's residences, I changed into X, bringing me here.
I still didn't have anything out of the ordinary on my sensors besides six missing power signatures, but I did have the rather spooky feeling that I was being watched. It seemed vaguely familiar, and I tried to remember the last time I'd felt like this.
Oh no…
I dived out of the way just in time to dodge the spikes whistling for my back. Three of them. I whirled to find… nothing.
As I'd expected.
"You never were one to leave your cover for long, Sting."
A voice floated in from all around me with a chuckle.
"And it's only taken you a month to figure it out."
I grimaced. He was right. My sensors couldn't match sting until he opened fire again, and then I'd only have half a second before I couldn't find him again. Another blip on the scanner and I dove out of the way, coming around as I did, letting out a volley of my own strikes.
He just laughed.
"Close X, but not that close!"
I growled a bit. As the next volley came though, I analyzed it, hoping to find something I could exploit.
Nothing at first, as I returned fire after ducking under some he shot from right in front of me just to throw me off, but, seeing the slight flash of purple from his cloak, and from the darts reminded me of what Amy said. Of their traditional enemies and mine fusing their technology.
A couple of questions answered themselves in my head. I was getting energy through a food conversion process. But they, I realized, weren't actually fusing technologies, simply using something else as a power source.
I switched my internal optics to filter for the signature.
Bingo.
He looked kind of like a black light with the filter in place, but I could see him easily. His form tended to blur as he moved, but it was still a darn sight better than complete surprise. I back-flipped out of the way of the newest strike, then went for my own.
The shot caught him while in cloak, and I grinned.
"Dang. Whatever you boys have been eating lately makes you just glow."
He stopped, dropped his cloak, and gaped. I didn't give him the chance to give up. I just fired. As his body began the stereotypical explosion sequence, I used my dash jets and flew forward, ripping his head off as I got close.
I hurriedly ripped off the faceplate and extracted the processor, hoping against hope that I could get it before the melt down process started.
I cursed as I got it out. The process had started with it, but I mollified myself with the fact that the vast majority of it was undamaged.
I turned for home, only to realize it was still a crime scene.
Oh well, not like anything other than the Landchaser would give me away.
I headed for Amy's instead.
2010, Mizuno Residence, 7:52 AM
I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, largely because the dream came back again. I shivered. I hadn't felt up to working on the processor the night before, but now I wish I had.
I never would have thought it possible but the dream had gotten worse, I ways I didn't want to think about.
I forced the thought out of my mind, and turned to the processor, preparing to review the data.
Here goes nothing…
The scene in front of my eyes shifted to the front of Lita's house. The visual angle skittered towards the front of the house, then up the side, and in through a window. Lita walked in the room, and jumped back startled, and I realized the cloak wasn't on.
It didn't matter, he simply shot out a dart at her, and she dropped like a rock, transformation pen in hand. Sting gathered up both then there was a small distortion in the visual spectrum as the cloak was engaged.
Sting slipped back out, down onto the street, where the video cut.
I swore as the feeds eventually cut.
All of them.
Every memory in the thing cut just after he'd captured a scout. That meant that whoever was behind this wanted me to have that information. That information and nothing else, like they were mocking me without actually being there to do it.
They wanted me to know, but why?
That was the part that didn't make any sense. To cut everything so cleanly, they knew Sting Chameleon would fail after confronting me. So why? There had to be more to it than bragging rights.
Whoever was behind this was cunning and ruthless. But they were also expecting me to do something with the information. But what? I slammed my fist on the table in frustration.
"Temper, temper, X."
I went cold. I knew that voice. I turned around. And there he was in all his bald headed glory.
"Sigma…"
I ground the words out and started charging my buster. Sigma grinned.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat an old friend?"
"You? Friend? Don't make me laugh! What have you done with them?"
Sigma grinned.
"Oh, but we were friends once, X. Don't you remember?"
"That was a very long time ago, Maverick. You aren't the same man I remember."
Sigma kept smiling, as if nothing had ever changed between us.
"I suppose you're right. You, if I recall back then, were a pacifist, not a killing machine. We all change eventually I suppose. It comes with sentience."
"You never answered my question, Sigma. What did you do with them?"
"I'm… studying them. Their power sources. They're different from the ones my followers are currently utilizing, and I'd prefer to have every advantage possible before we return home - and figure out how to effectively counter it should their like eventually appear on our world."
I kept my buster pointed straight at him.
"Where are you Sigma? I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't going to tell me where to find you for the final showdown."
Sigma's grin widened.
"True, but this time I've an ace up my sleeve. A hostage."
"We've already covered that Sigma."
He laughed this time.
"Really, X. Whatever made you think I was talking about those short skirted bimbos? No, they're not remotely useful as hostages simply because they aren't remotely useful for anything. Besides, I said hostage, as in singular. No… I have something… excuse me. Someone else…"
I let the shot fly, and it passed right through him. He laughed even harder.
"Really, X. You should have guessed this was a hologram. Learn to control your temper a bit better. You always did get worked up too fast. I'm at this planet's north pole. I imagine you'll know where to find me once you're there."
He grinned again.
"See ya."
The hologram fizzled out, and I cursed. Then I frowned. I should have detected the hologram's projection source, but I hadn't. Something was off.
Scan for projection devices.
Scanning…
Found: 1
Probe
I blinked. If that was true, then what had happened?
Source of previous holographic message?
No holographic messages have been detected in the last 72 hours.
What the…?
That confirmed it. Something was definitely off here. And until I could figure out what it was, I'd have to be more cautious than usual. The fact that I couldn't detect the source of the hologram coupled with a few other details set off a few warnings in my mind.
The first was that Sting had been defeated far, far to easily. Coupled with the editing on the chip, it was obvious that they wanted me to have the information. That meant that Sting had not been sent out with the expectation that he'd be beaten, he'd been sent out to die.
And he had to have figured it out, too. Unless that wasn't really Sting Chameleon on that roof with me.
Maybe… maybe it was just a mechanaloid. A high-powered one with a cloaking device that looked like Sting, but wasn't. Sting's smart and likes to play it safe. The first time I'd seen through that cloak, it should have sent him running, not freeze him up.
I glanced around the room, filtering for energies again. Nothing.
Damn. Looks like he's cleared out.
2010, North Pole, 10:16 AM
The northern pole of the planet, in fact anywhere above the arctic circle, is dark six months out of the year. This makes it rather difficult to see in most of the time, especially in raging blizzards, like now, which makes lights useless. Even the enhanced night vision I was currently using was hard pressed to penetrate the gloom.
The big glowing maverick symbol in the distance was a big clue on which direction to head, however.
Sigma always did like grand gestures. Of course, come to think of it, so did Wily, so maybe it's a megalomaniacal kind of thing.
Starting off at a steady run, I went forward towards the fortress. Nothing was in my way. Nothing. Not even a bed of laser-spikes.
That freaked me out more than an army in front of me would have.
Reaching the fortress, I shot down the door and went inside.
Of course, that was when I was ambushed.
2010, Sigma's Fortress, 10:16 AM
I looked around at my fellow scouts, who nodded. We were transformed and waiting. Someone had to open the door to our cell sometime.
The door did creak open then, and I let the attack fly.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
I grinned as the attack sliced right through the two idiots on the other side of the door, as a third fell back in pain, clutching an arm. Mina came forward next, primed and ready to finish the robot off.
"Venus Crescent B-"
"Please stop!"
Mina kept he finger pointed at the robot, and it was still pulsing with energy, but she stopped for the moment.
"Where are we?"
The robot, I could see now was a pink clad girl with short blonde hair, shook a little.
"I-I'm not sure. This is Sigma's fortress, but he builds them all over - sometimes they even move on their own. Please don't!"
Seeing the girl breaking down, Mina lowered her hand slightly. She used her softest voice this time.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Alia… a spotter for the Hunters…"
Mina took a quick glance at Amy, who nodded. Serena smiled then and came forward, helping the girl up.
"I'm sorry about that, but after being captured…"
Alia nodded, and gave a small smile.
"I think I know the feeling."
Amy walked up as well, he computer scanning.
"Hmm. Nothing appears to be too wrong, but my knowledge of reploids is limited."
Alia showed immediate interest in the computer, but you could tell by her face that it more trying to concentrate on anything but the current situation.
"Really, but I thought everyone knew a lot about reploids?"
Amy grimaced. I didn't blame her. I wouldn't want to give her the news either.
"You're… not in your home dimension anymore. The only reason we know anything about you really is X."
The girl's face immediately lit up.
"X?! X is here? He's coming for me, right?"
Amy smiled a little.
"I'm sure he is… but he'll have to find us first."
Rei snorted.
"It's not like we're helpless. Let's rescue ourselves while we've got the chance."
Serena nodded.
"Right. Let's go."
A few deserted corridors later, there came a beeping from Mercury's computer.
"Guys… there's a powerful reploid ahead… Be careful."
I grinned.
"Great, I've been looking to work off some irritation."
I dashed through the next door, and leapt once I was in.
"Jupiter Thunder Dragon!"
That seems like a good place to leave off for now.
Inspiration comes in many forms, and Command Mission is certainly inspiring for this particular fic. I lament that the game was so short, but that's life. Frankly I was just surprised the plot made sense from one chapter to the next.
But Capcom's numerous problems with story aside, it was a fantastic game that really hyped me up for the sequel, so I sped this one up a tad. I was hoping to have a little more character interaction and other things, but, I think the sequel will be much better than this one. That being said, there's only one or two more chapters until this is wrapped up.
Neverwhere: Chaos Mode
2010, Residential Area, 8:37 PM
Fully healed once more, I was bounding across the rooftops, attempting to figure out just what was going on.
Amy had missed our date. That wouldn't have gotten more than a raised eyebrow under most circumstances, as I would have simply found the maverick and helped scrap it, but there wasn't one.
I checked, but still couldn't find anything.
Then I called her, and got no answer. A quick trip to her house proved she wasn't there. Confused, I went back to the apartment, and discovered that both Serena and Darien's and my own rooms had once more been the subject of attack.
That was where it got freaky.
The temple had been hit as well, as something had ripped its way out of the structure. I got back on my bike and hit the road.
After confirming virtually the same circumstances at both Lita and Mina's residences, I changed into X, bringing me here.
I still didn't have anything out of the ordinary on my sensors besides six missing power signatures, but I did have the rather spooky feeling that I was being watched. It seemed vaguely familiar, and I tried to remember the last time I'd felt like this.
Oh no…
I dived out of the way just in time to dodge the spikes whistling for my back. Three of them. I whirled to find… nothing.
As I'd expected.
"You never were one to leave your cover for long, Sting."
A voice floated in from all around me with a chuckle.
"And it's only taken you a month to figure it out."
I grimaced. He was right. My sensors couldn't match sting until he opened fire again, and then I'd only have half a second before I couldn't find him again. Another blip on the scanner and I dove out of the way, coming around as I did, letting out a volley of my own strikes.
He just laughed.
"Close X, but not that close!"
I growled a bit. As the next volley came though, I analyzed it, hoping to find something I could exploit.
Nothing at first, as I returned fire after ducking under some he shot from right in front of me just to throw me off, but, seeing the slight flash of purple from his cloak, and from the darts reminded me of what Amy said. Of their traditional enemies and mine fusing their technology.
A couple of questions answered themselves in my head. I was getting energy through a food conversion process. But they, I realized, weren't actually fusing technologies, simply using something else as a power source.
I switched my internal optics to filter for the signature.
Bingo.
He looked kind of like a black light with the filter in place, but I could see him easily. His form tended to blur as he moved, but it was still a darn sight better than complete surprise. I back-flipped out of the way of the newest strike, then went for my own.
The shot caught him while in cloak, and I grinned.
"Dang. Whatever you boys have been eating lately makes you just glow."
He stopped, dropped his cloak, and gaped. I didn't give him the chance to give up. I just fired. As his body began the stereotypical explosion sequence, I used my dash jets and flew forward, ripping his head off as I got close.
I hurriedly ripped off the faceplate and extracted the processor, hoping against hope that I could get it before the melt down process started.
I cursed as I got it out. The process had started with it, but I mollified myself with the fact that the vast majority of it was undamaged.
I turned for home, only to realize it was still a crime scene.
Oh well, not like anything other than the Landchaser would give me away.
I headed for Amy's instead.
2010, Mizuno Residence, 7:52 AM
I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, largely because the dream came back again. I shivered. I hadn't felt up to working on the processor the night before, but now I wish I had.
I never would have thought it possible but the dream had gotten worse, I ways I didn't want to think about.
I forced the thought out of my mind, and turned to the processor, preparing to review the data.
Here goes nothing…
The scene in front of my eyes shifted to the front of Lita's house. The visual angle skittered towards the front of the house, then up the side, and in through a window. Lita walked in the room, and jumped back startled, and I realized the cloak wasn't on.
It didn't matter, he simply shot out a dart at her, and she dropped like a rock, transformation pen in hand. Sting gathered up both then there was a small distortion in the visual spectrum as the cloak was engaged.
Sting slipped back out, down onto the street, where the video cut.
I swore as the feeds eventually cut.
All of them.
Every memory in the thing cut just after he'd captured a scout. That meant that whoever was behind this wanted me to have that information. That information and nothing else, like they were mocking me without actually being there to do it.
They wanted me to know, but why?
That was the part that didn't make any sense. To cut everything so cleanly, they knew Sting Chameleon would fail after confronting me. So why? There had to be more to it than bragging rights.
Whoever was behind this was cunning and ruthless. But they were also expecting me to do something with the information. But what? I slammed my fist on the table in frustration.
"Temper, temper, X."
I went cold. I knew that voice. I turned around. And there he was in all his bald headed glory.
"Sigma…"
I ground the words out and started charging my buster. Sigma grinned.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat an old friend?"
"You? Friend? Don't make me laugh! What have you done with them?"
Sigma grinned.
"Oh, but we were friends once, X. Don't you remember?"
"That was a very long time ago, Maverick. You aren't the same man I remember."
Sigma kept smiling, as if nothing had ever changed between us.
"I suppose you're right. You, if I recall back then, were a pacifist, not a killing machine. We all change eventually I suppose. It comes with sentience."
"You never answered my question, Sigma. What did you do with them?"
"I'm… studying them. Their power sources. They're different from the ones my followers are currently utilizing, and I'd prefer to have every advantage possible before we return home - and figure out how to effectively counter it should their like eventually appear on our world."
I kept my buster pointed straight at him.
"Where are you Sigma? I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't going to tell me where to find you for the final showdown."
Sigma's grin widened.
"True, but this time I've an ace up my sleeve. A hostage."
"We've already covered that Sigma."
He laughed this time.
"Really, X. Whatever made you think I was talking about those short skirted bimbos? No, they're not remotely useful as hostages simply because they aren't remotely useful for anything. Besides, I said hostage, as in singular. No… I have something… excuse me. Someone else…"
I let the shot fly, and it passed right through him. He laughed even harder.
"Really, X. You should have guessed this was a hologram. Learn to control your temper a bit better. You always did get worked up too fast. I'm at this planet's north pole. I imagine you'll know where to find me once you're there."
He grinned again.
"See ya."
The hologram fizzled out, and I cursed. Then I frowned. I should have detected the hologram's projection source, but I hadn't. Something was off.
Scan for projection devices.
Scanning…
Found: 1
Probe
I blinked. If that was true, then what had happened?
Source of previous holographic message?
No holographic messages have been detected in the last 72 hours.
What the…?
That confirmed it. Something was definitely off here. And until I could figure out what it was, I'd have to be more cautious than usual. The fact that I couldn't detect the source of the hologram coupled with a few other details set off a few warnings in my mind.
The first was that Sting had been defeated far, far to easily. Coupled with the editing on the chip, it was obvious that they wanted me to have the information. That meant that Sting had not been sent out with the expectation that he'd be beaten, he'd been sent out to die.
And he had to have figured it out, too. Unless that wasn't really Sting Chameleon on that roof with me.
Maybe… maybe it was just a mechanaloid. A high-powered one with a cloaking device that looked like Sting, but wasn't. Sting's smart and likes to play it safe. The first time I'd seen through that cloak, it should have sent him running, not freeze him up.
I glanced around the room, filtering for energies again. Nothing.
Damn. Looks like he's cleared out.
2010, North Pole, 10:16 AM
The northern pole of the planet, in fact anywhere above the arctic circle, is dark six months out of the year. This makes it rather difficult to see in most of the time, especially in raging blizzards, like now, which makes lights useless. Even the enhanced night vision I was currently using was hard pressed to penetrate the gloom.
The big glowing maverick symbol in the distance was a big clue on which direction to head, however.
Sigma always did like grand gestures. Of course, come to think of it, so did Wily, so maybe it's a megalomaniacal kind of thing.
Starting off at a steady run, I went forward towards the fortress. Nothing was in my way. Nothing. Not even a bed of laser-spikes.
That freaked me out more than an army in front of me would have.
Reaching the fortress, I shot down the door and went inside.
Of course, that was when I was ambushed.
2010, Sigma's Fortress, 10:16 AM
I looked around at my fellow scouts, who nodded. We were transformed and waiting. Someone had to open the door to our cell sometime.
The door did creak open then, and I let the attack fly.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
I grinned as the attack sliced right through the two idiots on the other side of the door, as a third fell back in pain, clutching an arm. Mina came forward next, primed and ready to finish the robot off.
"Venus Crescent B-"
"Please stop!"
Mina kept he finger pointed at the robot, and it was still pulsing with energy, but she stopped for the moment.
"Where are we?"
The robot, I could see now was a pink clad girl with short blonde hair, shook a little.
"I-I'm not sure. This is Sigma's fortress, but he builds them all over - sometimes they even move on their own. Please don't!"
Seeing the girl breaking down, Mina lowered her hand slightly. She used her softest voice this time.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Alia… a spotter for the Hunters…"
Mina took a quick glance at Amy, who nodded. Serena smiled then and came forward, helping the girl up.
"I'm sorry about that, but after being captured…"
Alia nodded, and gave a small smile.
"I think I know the feeling."
Amy walked up as well, he computer scanning.
"Hmm. Nothing appears to be too wrong, but my knowledge of reploids is limited."
Alia showed immediate interest in the computer, but you could tell by her face that it more trying to concentrate on anything but the current situation.
"Really, but I thought everyone knew a lot about reploids?"
Amy grimaced. I didn't blame her. I wouldn't want to give her the news either.
"You're… not in your home dimension anymore. The only reason we know anything about you really is X."
The girl's face immediately lit up.
"X?! X is here? He's coming for me, right?"
Amy smiled a little.
"I'm sure he is… but he'll have to find us first."
Rei snorted.
"It's not like we're helpless. Let's rescue ourselves while we've got the chance."
Serena nodded.
"Right. Let's go."
A few deserted corridors later, there came a beeping from Mercury's computer.
"Guys… there's a powerful reploid ahead… Be careful."
I grinned.
"Great, I've been looking to work off some irritation."
I dashed through the next door, and leapt once I was in.
"Jupiter Thunder Dragon!"
That seems like a good place to leave off for now.
Inspiration comes in many forms, and Command Mission is certainly inspiring for this particular fic. I lament that the game was so short, but that's life. Frankly I was just surprised the plot made sense from one chapter to the next.
But Capcom's numerous problems with story aside, it was a fantastic game that really hyped me up for the sequel, so I sped this one up a tad. I was hoping to have a little more character interaction and other things, but, I think the sequel will be much better than this one. That being said, there's only one or two more chapters until this is wrapped up.
Neverwhere: Chaos Mode