Note: Here we go, the first level of the game! I'm delighted to have reached this point, as I feared dragging things out too far. Building the world and setting is very important, as the scale on which Abel City was destroyed and what led up to it are the central conflict. Without that, there's not much else. And another element I want to explore in this story, as well as this series, is the relationship between humans and machines, as while it is mentioned in the X series, we don't see much interaction between organic and mechanical life. Dr. Cain exists, yes, but he disappeared from existence after X4 and was outright killed in Maverick Hunter X, so he's the only human link available. And he's not even featured prominently, so that's disappointing. Likewise, Dr. Light doesn't count because he's already dead, and it wasn't until Ciel that humans had a more significant impact once again, minus Dr. Light and Wily.

But back to the level selection, I decided to go with the original SNES route, as it feels wrong not to start with the Snow Stage. Flame Mammoth was a boss that should be faced later because, given his size and personality, he would be much more dangerous than being first boss material. I'll admit I'm going off the boss order that I went off whenever I played the original game, even if I never beat it, mind you, as I suck at Mega Man games. Still, I want a buildup for whoever is coming next. I also want to show how X's battles aren't just firing away at the enemy; there's strategy involved.

With that said, let us dive into the first stage!

The Capsule

"Commander, do you read me? Commander?"

Sigma stood at the expansive monitor, an ariel view of the artificial island seen on the screen. Currently, the call he was receiving was from the land's snow-covered mountains, one of his men stationed there having something to report presumably. "I read you," he answered, the screen zooming in on the area of interest via a command from the control panel. "Report."

"Commander, we've managed to locate and terminate the intruder that snuck into the base." a blue and yellow Maverick soldier answered, appearing on the monitor.

"Who?" Sigma questioned. "Show them to me."

While unseen by anyone but Sigma himself, he was mildly surprised by who his men had just struck down. His brow furrowed, but the anger was fleeting. "Pity that he was one of the unwise," the blue-eyed Reploid sighed, this detail the only thing able to be seen in the intense shadows of the sizable chamber. "Still, he's in better condition than the Air Unit," his lips curled upward into a slight grin. "What's left of it," he then directed his attention back to the situation at hand. "And what of the device delivered?" he questioned his soldier. "Has there been any progress?"

The soldier looked down, hesitating for a moment to deliver his answer. "No, sir, not yet," he said. "Yet, rest assured, from what we've gathered from Fujiwara's notes, we have a possible lead to what can lead to its activation, along with the activation of the others."

"Go on," Sigma ordered.

"From what we've found, these devices are currently dormant, but whenever we have attempted to break into them, it alerts us that it will only activate for a specific individual."

Sigma was puzzled. "What do you mean?" If this meant what he thought he did, this would set them back. Plans would have to be changed just when the operation started. "Explain."

"It's an individual registered in the HQ's databanks," the soldier explained. "As well as pages of studies courtesy of the dearly departed Doctor."

Sigma pondered all of this, trying to construct a theory based on the information he had. It was more than he knew before, but there were still too many questions left unanswered. Yet if these devices would only grant access to a specific individual, it would be best to locate and bring him in.

"And just who is this individual?"

The soldier paused. "You may not believe me, but I'm speaking from Fujiwara's research and Cain's findings. So far, it's the only thing that matches up."

"Then who is this Reploid?" Sigma questioned. He had someone in mind, but he had to be sure.

The answer he received made him realize that perhaps he had executed Fujiwara too soon.

From the small, cube-shaped room that served as his prison, Dr. Cain heard someone approaching him from behind, Sigma's shadow enveloping him from behind. The older man wasn't sure of what to say, so he remained silent. Childish as it was, a small part of him was still hoping that all of this was just a terrible nightmare. He was trapped behind a set of mechanical bars that extended down from the top of the doorway, turning his temporary "living quarters" into a cell. Sigma provided the older man with a place to rest and some canned food and utensils, but not much else.

"I have something to ask you," Sigma told Dr. Cain, the man's expression neutral but tired. Despite the bed and food, he was still a prisoner here. "And I trust that, unlike Fujiwara, you will answer honestly."

The bald human nodded, answering both genuinely and out of fear. Even if the former Hunter Leader assured him he wouldn't harm the human, the first thing Sigma had done to start his campaign broke the First Law of Robotics. "What do you wish to know?" he questioned. He could only hope to give a satisfactory answer.

"The objects you have found on your digs," Sigma said. "What are they?" Dr. Cain's blood ran cold. He wasn't sure he could answer this. "Well?

The paleobotanist lowered his head. "I...I don't know."

He paled when he saw Sigma's brow twitch. "You being here is a kindness, Cain," the shadowy, taller figure told the imprisoned human. "There can be adjustments to your current living condition if you do not comply with what is asked of you."

"Honestly, I don't know, Sigma!" Dr. Cain answered, sounding desperate. "I just found them during my digs! I wasn't even sure what it was when I found the first one!"

"Then why does Fujiwara have so much research regarding the devices?" Sigma questioned.

"I gave them to him for study! I just found them! I'm not a robotics expert! I couldn't even open it when I tried!"

Wait a moment, Sigma thought. "Tried?" he questioned. "Explain.

Dr. Cain sighed, collecting himself. He couldn't afford to get too worked up, as his age and survival possibly depended on it. "When I found the first device, I suppose it sensed some sort of presence because it activated," the man explained. "And during that phase, I saw something," he said. "Some image of sorts, or was it some illusion? I'm still unsure."

"You had better be going somewhere with this, Doctor," Sigma warned.

"I'm telling you, that's all I know!" Dr. Cain answered. "I saw something manifest before me!" he then calmed down. "It...looked like a man, but he had no physical form," he relayed to his captor. "His appearance was familiar, but it couldn't have been him."

Who was the human referring to? Regardless, Sigma pressed Cain. "To the point, Doctor."

Cain nodded. "When the image appeared, the device's creator recorded a message."

"And that message was?"

Cain was quiet for a moment. Even now, he wasn't sure what it was, yet he knew who he saw and his words. "No, you are not the one."

Polar Region

So far, things have been going great. In that, he finally got what he wanted, at long last. A place in the new world his Commander would build, a high-ranking position, and the respect that would soon follow! Oh yes, he was going to make it big now! He would finally receive the admiration and praise that he deserved!

"Hm?" Speaking of the Commander, he was calling right now! "Yes, Commander Sigma?" the figure hidden away in the security room of the base asked, the image of his leader appearing on the main computer's screen.

"I heard that the intruder's been taken care of, yes?" Sigma questioned.

"Yes, he has," the figure confirmed. "I took him out like all the others. He's probably still standing frozen with them somewhere." the figure glowered as if remembering unpleasant memories. They're all liars. They all laughed at me. Even if they say they didn't, they did it behind my back! They're all liars!

"Get ahold of yourself," Sigma ordered. "Things such as that don't matter anymore. You're in control now," hearing this made the figure feel more confident, yet his Commander's expression remained the same. Save for reaching up for a moment to lightly scratch under his left eye. Odd, the figure thought, as synthetic flesh doesn't itch. "Anyway, are the mechaniloids in place?"

The figure nodded. "Affirmative. The Snow Shooters are ready to act on command at any time. They're positioned right along the mountain's edge, so those below will feel their efforts immediately."

"Good," Sigma answered, scratching at his eye again. His face...something felt off about it. A sudden urge to dig deeper came to him, a yearning to dive his digit further into the skin until he could relieve himself of it. Yet upon realizing that this was getting the attention of his officer, the Reploid ceased. "Keep an eye out for anyone else," he ordered. "I suspect our former comrades would send someone else here to investigate the worrying signs seen from the city."

"Will do, sir!" the figure squawked, giving a salute.

"Then I shall leave you to your duty," the taller Reploid said. "Sigma out." with that, his image disappeared, the screen now blank.

The figure turned from the computer, pacing around the small chamber, even if his walk was more of a waddle. It was something else he was made aware of constantly, as well as his voice. His appearance, everything about him, and the jeers of the others around him made him hate his body. So stout and shaky, he looked ridiculous when he walked, when he talked, but no longer. No one would laugh at him after this.

No one would laugh at him again.

Suddenly, the alarm went off, alerting the figure that there was yet another intruder on the premises. "What now?" he grumbled, adjusting the camera to see who was sneaking in. "What the?!" the figure couldn't believe who he saw. "Of all Reploids, they sent HIM?!"

The climb was long and arduous, but he finally made it. Ankle-deep in snow, Mega Man X surveyed the icy terrain around him, spotting several signs that where he was standing had a structure standing once. Now it was utterly destroyed; not even the framework of the building remained. Just what had caused this? And was it related to the tremors felt down below? X was sent here to investigate and look for the missing Hunter, who had been deployed before himself.

In fact, since Sigma's announcement, the Hunters in Abel City had lost all contact with the various bases they had stationed all over the island. The Polar Unit, the Air Unit, and all Units outside the city's borders were unreachable, and from what X could see, it most likely was the work of Sigma. So the only question was, what was he doing here in the mountains? And even more, just what demolished the place he was now standing? The only evidence there was something there was a couple of torn beams of wood poking out from the snow.

X pondered all this as he continued, though he found the trek through the snow somewhat tricky, especially given that the thick, frozen powder nearly engulfed his legs. His internal heating provided him warmth from the cold, yet he couldn't abuse it, as overuse could drain him of a good deal of energy. Despite their hyper-intelligence, Reploids still operated the same as stationary machines in many ways, and overheating was one of them. But, of course, so was becoming too cold; the temperature of this land was proof of that. If not for the heating system, a Reploid's internal components would freeze and cease functioning.

Thus, given he wanted to avoid both, he knew he had to complete this mission as quickly as possible. "Don't hesitate," X repeated Zero's words to him. "Just act." he looked at his buster, wondering whether he could take his friend's advice. Or rather, his Commander. It was still surreal that the blonde Reploid was now the head of the Hunters. At least those that were left. "I have to make this right," the blue Hunter said aloud. "I have to fix this, somehow."

Then, he received a message from the underground HQ. "This is Trinity speaking. Can you read me, X?"

"I hear you, Trinity," X told the pink-haired Navigator, his voice heard back in the headquarters below ground. "Any further information regarding this place?" the blue Hunter questioned. This territory belonged to the Maverick Hunters, but their numbers had split, and the other half turned against their own. So, as far as X knew, an enemy could've been hiding behind every corner.

"So far, there's been no report from either the Unit stationed here or the Hunter we sent in previously," Trinity told him through the com-link. "And the weather up there might mean interference, so be wary of that," she warned before continuing. "Reports of significant snowfall and potential avalanches began shortly after the city was bombed. We've detected the source of these seismic movements and deduced that it's somewhere in the Polar Region."

"And just what is in the Polar Region?" X questioned. He had never been on this part of the island before.

"Aside from the base we have, there is nothing of note," Trinity relayed to the Hunter. "But still, be on guard. Sigma's men will likely have this place guarded."

X nodded. "Indeed."

"I'll alert you of any further updates or information I receive," the Navigator said. "Trinity, out." The link died, leaving X's audio receptors to absorb the silence, permeating the area around him.

Suddenly, he saw a shape move in the distance.

He brought out his buster, X's green eyes centered on the target, watching its movements as it drew closer. Just what was it? Suddenly, with one bounding leap, the target landed right in front of X, the blue Hunter aiming to fire. Only to stop when he saw what his aggressor was. A small, armless mechaniloid of purple with long ears looked up at the larger Reploid with large, green eyes, its tail wiggling on its backside. "A Ray Bit?" X questioned aloud, feeling a little foolish for getting so worked up. "I didn't know they had these up here."

The Ray Bit took in sight the taller Reploid, its central processor going through the information programmed into its systems. While mechaniloids were also machines, their AI was far less advanced. In a sense, they possessed no consciousness of their own. The Ray Bit's one-track mind saw no distinction between friend or enemy: if it was programmed to eliminate threats, then it was to carry out this action. It stood back on its hind legs, the mechaniloid's ears lowered, and presented a pair of barrels to show X, revealing its intentions. Green beams shot forward in X's direction, forcing the blue Hunter to duck underneath the attack. X blasted a shot of yellow plasma at the Ray Bit, the bullet striking the mechaniloid and sending the energy throughout its entire body.

The Ray Bit was destroyed in a small explosion, X biting his lip as he continued. "Sorry," he said, though it wasn't as if the mechaniloid could hear or understand him. "Though, I doubt I'll see the last of bots like you."

And, as if to answer his declaration, several mechaniloids rose from the snow, though they were radically different in appearance from the Ray Bit. They bore no lower half save a pole stuck into a platform buried under the snow, but their upper halves were more humanoid. With blue bodies and heads with a lower, detaching jaw, these mechaniloids bore silvery axes, along with what appeared to be several discs situated in front of them, appearing almost like large logs. Then, they all began swinging their axes, sending the discs flying right at the intruder.

Unsure of whether to duck or jump, X went down on the ground, avoiding the obstacles put in place to deal with unwanted guests. The constant barrage kept the blue Hunter on the ground, yet when he tried to move forward from his position, one of the mechaniloids, just one of many Axe Max's, swung its weapon down, barely missing X's helmet. Unfortunately, this action forced him to rise right into the line of an incoming disc that had recently been swung. X ducked his head underneath the projectile, yet he was forced to jump onto the next to avoid getting hit. Unfortunately, he couldn't travel on it, but he did use it to jump over the slew of Axe Max's and out of the range of their attacks.

When he was out of the way, X began firing at those that still insisted on attacking him, but once they had been disarmed and taken care of, the blue Reploid went on his way. They were stuck where they were, so there was no need to destroy the other Axe Max's. Or maybe he was still having trouble with "hesitating." Either way, he came to the mouth of a large structure, a portion of the Polar Unit's base, stepping inside through the open entrance. But, of course, the fact it was open didn't point to anything positive.

Upon entering the building, X found the area quite dark, his vision lighting up the area around him. From the looks of it, this place was abandoned; the heating systems were off for some time, and the walls were covered in thick layers of ice. So just what could this place have been? It was rather significant so that it could've been a storage area. Regardless, it appeared he would have to navigate this place to progress.

X walked through the sizable structure, seeing no other soul in sight. It seemed that this place had been completely abandoned. Then, he spotted red lights up above him. Looking upward, X saw a dozen Batton Bones hanging from the ceiling, which then proceeded to swoop down at the blue Hunter, ready to strike. The blue Hunter shot a charged shot at the airborne mechaniloids, some being destroyed by the blast while others veered to the side, avoiding it entirely. Those that were left swarmed X, diving down and jaws open, ready to bite and tear through the metal shell of the Reploid.

He saw that he would be doing little more than shooting blindly at several random targets, so X ducked underneath the swarm and began running, the Batton Bones in pursuit. "Damn!" he cursed, trying to find a way to get rid of these machines insistent on swooping down at him. He felt the teeth of the mechanical bats scratching at the back of his helmet, the creatures surely intending to bite through the metal to the head underneath. He had to either take care of or get away from these things!

The only question was, how?

Concealed Location

The figure standing at the monitor paled when he saw X enter the storage building. "Damn, damn, damn, DAMN!" he then contacted his men, specifically his highest-ranked soldier in his control. "Boxer, do you read me? Boxer? BOXER!?"

The Mountainside

It was distant, but Abel City was right below them. Or rather, what was left of it. After they were through, the ruins of the metropolis would be buried underneath miles and miles of snow, assuming they could create a large enough wave to make the distance.

"BOXER?! COME IN!"

The other Reploids were lower-ranking military members in blue armor with a single red eye in the center of a black visor. They all rolled their eyes upon hearing their "leader's" squawky voice. Then, finally, the Reploid mentioned above, Boxer, answered the call. "Read you loud and clear, Sir," he said, appearing no different than the others around him. "What's the situation?"

"There's been another intruder sighted in the area!" their "leader," told him. "Find and exterminate him! Quickly!"

"Roger, Sir," Boxer answered. "Where is the intruder?"

"He's just entered the Storage Building! He must not reach what's inside there!"

"The Storage Building?" Boxer questioned. "You mean where one of those things Cain found is-"

"Yes! That one!" the voice on the other end barked. "You can't let him reach it! Don't let him lay his hands on it!"

"Who's the intruder, Sir?" Boxer questioned. If his superior was so worked up about this, it must've been someone of great skill.

"There's no time for that; eliminate him before he can reach what's in there! NOW!"

"Affirmative; we'll get on it, Sir," Boxer answered. Although, he just wanted that annoying voice of his "leader" to stop. "Boxer, out."

Concealed Location

"Damn it!" the figure hissed, even if his frustration came out more as a high-pitched trill. "Him of all Reploids?! Why?!" he questioned. "And the FIRST place he goes is there! GAH!" he screeched in a fury. He heard the elephant's voice in the back of his mind, mocking him.

"You? A Commander? Please! You couldn't even lead an entire unit, let alone a single squad!

Yeah, well, your men don't like you either. So he thought, teeth clenching at the thought of that pompous, silvery behemoth. So what if he was larger? Commander Sigma entrusted ME to be in charge of this place, NOT him! So there! You stupid elephant.

Still, he couldn't afford to allow X to make it too far—especially where that "thing" was stored. Commander Sigma had given it to him for safekeeping, but if that blue wimp found the object in question, he didn't even want to think of the possibility. One thing he did know was that if X did find it, then they were all dead. Screw Sigma's command to bring him in alive; he would be exterminated before becoming any threat!

Not that the figure was worried or anything. His soldiers would take care of the blue intruder. And if not, then HE would take care of little boy blue himself. You laughed at me too, X, he thought. You're not better than any of the others, no matter what you may say! Then, he smiled. Well, if it comes to that, I'll just set you in with all the others. Outside the small room stood several shapes frozen in place and time. Forever.

"Yes," he said. "If it comes to that, he'll be like all the others. And no one will EVER think to laugh at me again!"

Among those figures rested a familiar face, both to the concealed Reploid and X himself. He stood among his friends, silent yet waiting for someone to come. Someone to finish what he could not.

Storage Building

He kept running, looking for any refuge to escape the mechaniloids coming his way. He ran up slopes and kicked off the wall to reach the higher sections where the ladder once stood, but the Batton Bones followed. Then, he spotted an opportunity. A door was nearby, frozen over, yet, strangely enough, it looked to have been recently opened. Rushing over, he pried it open with all his strength, the door slowly moving to the side.

However, the Batton Bones were coming, so he needed to move fast! Eventually, X managed to pull open the door and leaped through. A few Batton Bones flew inside, yet most passed the blue Hunter entirely. The few that managed to get inside were quickly dealt with, leaving X alone in the small chamber hidden behind the door. The room wasn't overly large and bore little contents save for some frosted-over equipment and machinery. But one piece of mechanical work snagged the blue Hunter's attention.

"What the...?" X said aloud, walking towards the strange piece of machinery. It appeared to be a platform of some sort with a domed top and thick cables going in on four sides. "What is this?" X knelt to inspect the mysterious device, reaching out to place his hand on its surface.

Then, a bright light shone between the platform and the top, catching X off guard and stepping back. Then, the top rose, and a thick pane of glass shaped into a cylinder rose with it. X drew out his buster yet saw that, to his surprise, it was some container or capsule. Yet what lay inside, he knew not, as he couldn't see through the glass. Then, the mirror dissipated, and X realized it was an illusion to keep others from seeing what was inside.

There was nothing but clear space until an image began to manifest before the blue Reploid. A humanoid appearance that slowly gained features as time passed, X watched in awe as the shape began to take form, gradually transforming into an individual he knew very well, and yet not at all. Finally, the image of a bearded human with white hair, a lab coat and tie, and bright blue eyes manifested before the blue Reploid, seemingly looking directly back at him. Then, he spoke.

"So," he said, voice knowing but forlorn. "You've come."

Outside

All right, he's in here!" Boxer told the rest of the Armor Soldiers with him, armed and ready to fire, given the command. "Find him and riddle him with bullets!"

"Yes, Sir!" they all answered in unison.

"Move in!" Boxer commanded; he and the rest of the Armor Soldiers entering the building, looking for any sign of blue among the cold grey and pale, faded colors of the walls and floors. First, they would have to navigate through here, but they had orders to follow. "He can't reach that capsule, no matter what," Boxer told the men under him. "Find him, and destroy him!"

Hidden Room

X stood there, mouth agape and trying to form words, but his tongue was slow moving and making sounds even slower. "D-Doctor...?" he moved forward, white hand reaching out for the image of the human, but his hand phased through. The sight of his physical self penetrating the projection reminded him further that the man standing before him was not real. He was no longer alive. Still, that begged the question of what this device was and why it had Dr. Light's image programmed into it.

The scientist mentioned above closed his eyes and sighed as if he regretted that X had found this machine. "X," the hologram began, radiating a blue glow. "I am sorry if this is the only way you shall know me, but it seems that you are needed," he said as if he was aware of why X was here. But how could that be? Unless it was pre-programmed, but still, such forethought astounded the blue Hunter. "Unlike many before you, I have given you the ability to choose your path," he paused. "And I hoped the road you choose would be peaceful."

X stood there, unable to speak. Doctor...

"But the world requires a new champion. And unfortunately, it seems you have been called to fill that role," Dr. Light's image said. "This capsule is just one of many I have constructed for this reason, and I have concealed them in various parts of the world," he explained. "Although, when they are found and how will be when you need them," his image began to fade away.

"W-Wait," X stammered, reaching out for the hologram. "Wait, don't! Don't leave!"

"Enter this capsule, X," the image spoke as it continued to dissipate. "It contains an acceleration boost for your leg components," he explained. "I do not have much time, but should you find this machine, then the most I can do is provide you with a way to make your journey easier," the image was now nearly gone, yet despite this, X could still see a smile on the old man's face. "I wish you luck, X. For you may be the hope of many," he nearly gone. "As well as mine."

Then, Dr. Light disappeared entirely.

X was left alone in the small chamber again, his green eyes wide and beginning to become wet with fresh tears. "Doctor...?" he weakly cried out, knowing that he wouldn't get a response. But the blue Hunter quickly reigned his emotions in, wiping away the moisture in his eyes. Any feelings he had regarding this meeting could come later. For now, he had a mission to accomplish.

An acceleration boost? He wondered what that meant. Although, there was only one way to find out.

Outside the Chamber

"Damn it, where IS he?!" Boxer groaned, growing frustrated. How hard could it be to find just ONE Reploid in this place?! It wasn't as if X could hide well in this place. Then, a Batton Bone flew down from the ceiling. "Get away, you stupid bolt-head!" the head of the Armor Soldiers ordered the mechaniloid, but it kept swooping down, trying to get his attention.

"Hey, wait a minute," one of Boxer's men said, pointing to a large gathering outside a closed door nearly frozen over. A large crowd of bat-like mechaniloids gathered around the door as if trying to reach something inside. "They're interested in something," he said. "Should we check it out?"

Boxer pondered this suggestion for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "All right, let's get into position."

Inside the Chamber

With a series of careful steps, X got atop the bottom section of the capsule, then, as if a switch was activated, a series of multi-colored lights began to surround him. The blue Hunter was alarmed at first, yet, to his surprise, a strange sense of calm suddenly overcame him. As if everything that was happening was natural. X had never experienced such a thing before, but somehow, it was genuine. It was safe because Dr. Light had made it. Strangely, he was here with X.

The wave of calm consuming his entire being, X closed his eyes as the lights blinded him. And in that period, he could've sworn he felt a pair of arms gently embrace him from behind. After a time, the lights finally died, and X could see again. He was still in the chamber; nothing had changed. Then, he saw the door smashed open and several Armor Soldiers running into the room.

"Freeze!" Boxer shouted, and he and his men aimed their weapons at X. "It's clear you're surrounded, so you might as well accept death now," he said, cocking his gun. "Sorry, but I'm just following orders."

Then, one of his men noticed something out of sorts. "Hey, what's with his legs?"

X then looked down, and indeed, he saw that something about him had changed. His leg components were not the same blue as most of his armor to a white sheen with smaller blue sections above his ankles, and the bottoms of his calves were lined with gold. His feet were still blue, yet X felt a strange difference. As if a factor of their function had been changed or altered. Was this the work of the capsule? The hologram said something about an acceleration boost, perhaps this alteration was related to that?

Regardless, it seemed neither Boxer nor his men would wait for an answer. "Fire!" the leader of the small squad ordered, everyone releasing their rapid-fire in the blue Hunter's direction.

He instinctively leaped upward but was taken off guard by how quickly he traveled. X's newly gained boots met the face of one of the Armor Soldiers, knocking him down and setting his gun to fire. The shots of concentrated plasma met the ceiling, riddling it with holes. This action caused an entire section of the roof to fall onto some of Boxer's men, and X seized his chance to escape. "Stop him!" Boxer commanded; he and those not caught underneath the ceiling pursued the blue Hunter. "Don't run from us, coward!"

"I'm not here for you! My mission doesn't involve you at all!" X shot back and then turned around when he had put enough distance between himself and aimed his buster. "But if you force my hand, I'll make you regret it!"

"Regret this!" one of the Armor Soldiers shouted, firing at the blue Hunter. He ducked to the side, yet he was surprised at how quickly he could do so.

He fired, striking the other Reploid in the chest. The Armor Soldier was sent to the ground, and the others around him began firing to avenge their fallen comrade. X jumped up and onto the left wall, dodging the incoming shots as he jumped from wall to wall. Then, he got to the other side of the small squad and fired a charged shot in their direction, taking several of them out. X stood there, ready to fire again if need be.

"Don't hesitate," X whispered to himself. "Just act." He repeatedly recited Zero's words in his mind.

"What are you waiting for!? Fire!" Boxer commanded, yet a sudden shaking took everyone's attention off of the blue Hunter and to the outside of the building. "What?! Another one already?!" X was unsure of what the Armor Soldier meant, but whatever it was, it seemed to frighten everyone. "Hurry! We can't let him leave!"

They began firing at X again, who used the walls again and managed to get ahead of the squad. He ran towards the sighted exit ahead; all the while, he was coming under fire. The rumbling grew louder and louder, and the entire structure seemed to shake. Something big was coming, and given that they were in a snowbound land, it didn't take long to realize the danger. Nevertheless, X continued to run, all the wall avoiding the gunfire at his heels.

Then, he saw it: a wave of snow was heading his way, and if it reached the exit, it'd indeed block the way for sure! He had to make it there quickly! Remembering the sudden speed he got when he dashed, X did so again, propelling himself forward as he slid across the ground with ease, traveling at a far faster pace than merely running. This sudden burst allowed X to go outside, but the snow wave was still coming his way! He heard the forces chasing him gaining, but he had to avoid the incoming avalanche of snow!

Quickly dashing over to the side, X kicked off the side of the building until he was a reasonable distance up, far out of the way of the incoming wave. He stood atop the roof as he watched the avalanche come, the Armor Soldiers caught in the wave of dense white snow. X winced, for as soon as he had seen them, they were then gone. The avalanche rocked the building, and X nearly lost his balance, but eventually, the aftershocks died down, and the entire region went still again. Finally, X slid to the ground and stepped ahead of the storage building, looking back at the snow-covered exit.

That wouldn't kill those pursuing him, but it would slow them down. And despite Zero's words, X was grateful he didn't have to shoot too many of the Armor Soldiers. Still, he had a lot of terrain to cover, for he had to discover the source of these avalanches and locate the missing Hunter previously sent here. "X, do you read me? This is Trinity speaking."

X answered the call. "Opportune timing," he told the Navigator. "I just nearly escaped being buried alive."

"You experienced one of the avalanches?!" Trinity questioned, quite shocked. "Just how close was it to your current location?"

"I can't gauge exactly, but I doubt it's far away," X responded. "Something close by must've started it. I'll check it out."

"Be careful," Trinity warned. "And be on the lookout for our missing officer! As well as the other troops we had stationed up here. They're probably around here somewhere too."

X didn't want to ask, but he knew such information would be crucial. "Are they friend or foe?" he questioned the Navigator.

"It's...hard to say," she answered honestly. "Those that have joined with Sigma are probably there, yet who's to say there aren't still those loyal somewhere?" she paused. "Although...I doubt that's likely. For now, focus on the mission. Such details can be dealt with later."

"Right," X answered. "I'll find the source of the avalanches and the missing officer," he then paused for a moment. "And anyone else that may be on our side."

"Good luck. Report to me anything of interest. Trinity out."

X considered telling Trinity of the leg upgrades he received from the capsule, but he decided against it. For one, even he still wasn't sure how he received them, and two, how would he explain it? Moreover, the capsule raised several creations relating to the device itself and the man it projected. X told himself it wasn't Dr. Light; it was just a hologram. And yet, despite his logical components arguing otherwise, the Reploid couldn't help but sense that there was something "else."

Some presence that made itself known but didn't allow itself to be contacted by his touch. Dr. Light's image was indeed a pre-recorded message, yet, X thought if he was constructed a century prior, then why would Dr. Light feel the need to build the capsule? Was there trouble back even in those days? Yet weren't those the years that Mega Man was active? Would that mean there was a force stronger than him that had to be dealt with?

There were still so many unanswered questions, but as Trinity said, such details could be dealt with later. With that in mind, X continued on his way, his green eyes glancing down at his white and blue armor as small bits of sunshine shone down from the clear skies above.

Note: Even if he's a minor character (just one of the Armor Soldiers with a name), Boxer will appear in the next chapter, the second part of going through the Polar Region.

Also, the missing officer is a manga-exclusive character, and he's related to the boss of this area. So yeah, it's obvious who it is, but I'll omit his name for now. And I plan to delve into why he joined up with Sigma in the chapter where X had a good battle with him.

Thank you all so much for reading! Alert me of any errors I missed, let me know what you'd be curious to see in the future, and I hope to hear from you all soon!