Mega Man Cross
Chapter 5
"Lynx?"
By MEGAMANX411

Before X and company had time to do much else, they saw another figure appear. This particular person was dressed rather oddly, almost like some kind of clown. She was a small female reploid, only a bit bigger than Kid. She had dark hair, and she wore lots of red.

"Huh!? Who the...?" Kid muttered, pointing at this new face.

The strange reploid glanced over at X, and smirked at him.

"Hmmm...you are X? You are even more sexzy zan I t'ought! Ooh la lah!" she shouted.

Kid narrowed her eyes at this strange, and seemingly perverted, reploid. Meanwhile, X was completely dumbfounded at what this new reploid had just said to him. He didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out.

"And who the bloody hell are you!?" Kid screamed.

The reploid shrugged her shoulders, and then gave a rather uninterested look at Kid.

"And zis vulgaire one must be Kid...you disgust moi!" she replied.

"Whadja say!? If you're gonna insult someone, you should at least speak propa English!"Kid answered.

X shook his head in protest and tried to mediate. Given his nature, he thought he could at least try to bring some peace to this situation.

"Hold on, hold on. There's no need to fight. Who are you anyway?" X asked.

The reploid bowed reverently, and then gave the group a big smile.

"Je m'appelle Harle. I am ze right-hand harlequin to Monsieur Lynx. X, mon puze...if you lie down wit' a dog like zis femme, you will surely catch flez, non? I t'ink you can do much better if you gave her up! Actually, I suggest you all turn back. You should not defy him," Harle answered,

Kid looked like she was ready to beat Harle down to the ground. She looked at her furiously, and pointed a finger at her. X didn't really have a strong emotion one way or the other, and tried futilely to keep Kid under control.

"Oi!!! What's yer problem...!?" she shouted.

"Kid, calm down," X muttered.

Harle looked rather unfazed by Kid's bouts of rage, and seemed to be entirely focused on X.

"Pleaze, mon X. I would hate to see anyt'ing sad happen to you," she teased.

"I've had it up ta here with you!!!" Kid replied.

"Taisez-vous! You shut up!I am having a serious conversation with X! Why don't you mind your own buziness!" Harle answered.

Kid pulled out her daggers, and got into a fighting stance.

"THAT'S IT! Put up yer dukes! I'm gonna kick yer arse so hard, you'll kiss the moon!" Kid screamed.

"Hold on! We don't have to fight, just take it easy!" X shouted.

"You are ze one who iz going to have her derriere kicked!! Non? But alas...I cannot be caught fighting you here...imageine ze trouble I would get into. Au revoir, mon X! See you again! And X, pleaze dream of moi! Oui?" she replied.

"Wait..uh..what the..?" X muttered.

With that, Harle left, leaving the group entirely dumbfounded. X was especially confused, and was not sure what the heck just happened. Kid crossed her arms defiantly.

"Sheesh! What's her problem?" Kid muttered.

Mega Man X and company quickly left the library and headed back into the main room of the second floor. He didn't care so much about the noise this time around, and his boots clanked noisily on the floor as he ran. This time, they didn't take a long time deciding where to go. They simply headed off into the next room; the one closest to where they were.

Kid noticed that there was a large blue crystal located in the next room. She examined it, but then shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

"Guess it's not the Frozen Flame after all," she muttered.

However, the whole room fell silent as some new figures entered the room. There was a rather large reploid with black and silver armor, and another figure. The large reploid was a very imposing figure, and appeared to be very powerful despite his somehwat old age. However, the other figure...the other figure appeared like a cat-like humanoid creature clad in robes.

X knew he saw that figure before. He had seen him in his dreams. He had heard him calling out his name..this person called X "the assassin of time." X just stopped. He didn't know what to do or say. He tried to examine things closer to try and get some understanding of the situation, even if it was through such simple means. The cat-like creature drew its face towards the big reploid's ear, and whispered.

"That's him.." the cat-like creature whispered.

"Ah.." the large reploid replied, nodding his head.

The reploid then turned to X. His presence was somewhat intimidating, but not frightful like the other creature's. This man exhumed an aura of valor and strength, something that X could feel, but he knew that this man would also be difficult to bargain with because of it.

"You have my compliments for getting past security. What is it you require of me?" he asked.

X gritted his teeth angrily. Was this person just fooling around with him? Or did he seriously not know why X was there?

"Who are you people?! And why are you after me?" X shouted.

"So you're General Viper? Don't feign ignorance on me now! Why did ya send yer Dragoons to get me mate X here!?" Kid added.

"We want some answers pal," Zero added.

"I am General Viper," the reploid replied. "And I haven'tthe foggiest idea what you're talking about."

"General..I believe these vermin are here to see me," a voice hissed.

X was completely dumbfounded. He couldn't understand how in the world General Viper couldn't comprehend what X was talking about considering the fact that X had people trying to kill him left and right, and the said people being Acacia Dragoons. Everyone seemed rather focused on General Viper, but Kid, in the meantime, stared angrily at the feline-human.

"Lynx! You..you..I'm gonna make you regret bein' born!" she shouted.

"Hmm...? Young girl...are you...?" Lynx asked.

"What's the matter!? Cat got yer tongue!? I've finally caught you by the tail now, Lynx! I've come for two things...the Frozen Flame and yer life, ya murderer!!!" she screamed.

"Aha...so you must be Kid then...a member of the fearsome band of thieves known as the Radical Dreamers, correct?" Lynx asked.

X's eyes widened when he heard Kid's sudden outburst of ferocity. He assumed she must have some kind of vendetta against Lynx. But then X remembered his dream..he saw himself with Kid. And she shouted something about getting Lynx. This turn of events startled X, and he began to tremble.

He couldn't figure it out. Everything seemed to flow together so seamlessly that it didn't make sense. Was it coincidence, or was it something more? Before X had the chance to figure it out, he was brought to another vision. He saw something awful. He saw an event happening, but he didn't know what it was.

All he knew was that it was a catastrophe. And he caused it. He then saw a strange artifact..the one from the other dream. He didn't know how he knew what it was, but he had a feeling that he knew. It was all too strange.

"Radical Dreamers...? This young lady...?" Viper asked.

"Precisely! Don't let her innocence fool you, General. She is quite ferocious..." Lynx replied.

"Hah! Ferocious!? My arse...! After what you've done!" Kid shouted.

"I hate to dissappoint you, but the Frozen Flame is not here. That fire lies hidden in the Sea of Eden, the place where past and future collide..." Lynx muttered.

"Alright then...it looks like I'll have to put that part off 'til later. In the meantime, I'll settle my score with you, Lynx! Prepare to meet yer maker!" Kid threatened.

"Don't worry about them Viper..I will handle things," Lynx hissed.

X felt a chill run up his spine as he saw Lynx walk forward. Lynx emanated a feeling of malice and despair, and seemed to remind X of one other being. That being Sigma. But he knew that this enemy..this evil..was not him. It was something that scared X to a different degree, but in the same context as Sigma.

X didn't know if Sigma was somehow tied into this matter, but he felt ill at ease regardless. Zero, on the other hand, had feelings of fury going through him as opposed to fright like X. He had Viper's men coming after him from all directions, and the only thing he wanted in return was a simple question answered. And what's worse, Zero was rather upset that he was stuck babysitting for a kid like..well, Kid.

"Look here..Lynx, or whatever your name is. I don't know you, and I don't really care who you are. I just want you to leave us alone. We haven't done anything wrong. We just want to find out way back home. We won't bother anyone here, so there's nothing to worry about," Zero explained.

Lynx's face hardened, and Zero's words seemed to have little effect on him. Meaning that any feelings of sympathy seemed to be nonexistent in his case.

"Silence!" Lynx shouted, pointing a finger at Zero.

"What was that?!" Zero replied, gripping his saber tightly.

Zero rushed forward to try and slash at Lynx with his saber, but his attack had no effect. Actually, his sword when right through like it hadn't hit at all, and Zero stumbled forward. Lynx smirked, and then bashed Zero over the back of the head, causing more pain to his ego than his body.

Niki tried his hand next, but unfortunately, Lynx cast him aside like a ragdoll before he had the chance to do anything constructive. X fired a few round of his buster at Lynx, all of which hit. But Lynx seemed to..disappear like a shadow.

His figure distorted and shifted like that of a shadowy mist, and he disappeared into nothingness. He suddenly reappeared behind X, and merely gave X a frightening gaze. X looked back at Lynx and was almost paralyzed. Lynx was perhaps one of the strongest enemies he had ever faced.

"Did you think I would be stupid enough to pick a fight with a rabid dog? Why, just a shadow of mine is enough to deal with the likes of you! Now, X...what do you desire from this world? Do you wish to live again? Do you want to erase your demise from the pages of history?," Lynx hissed, giving the group a superior smirk.

"What are you..talking about?" X muttered, not entirely sure what was going on.

When X craned his neck a bit, he saw that a young, slender, reploid woman had just entered the room. She had blue hair, and white armor, and very soft features. X assumed that she was probably the elder reploid's daughter, or possibly even granddaughter by the looks of it. However, X didn't really have time to dwell on such trivial matters.

"Daddy, about that trip I've been planning..ah!" the reploid girl screamed.

"Stop!" Kid shouted. "Don't move a whisker if you want this girl to live!"

Amidst the confusion, Kid had grabbed the slender reploid girl from behind, and was holding a dagger to her throat. Kid brought her mouth close to the reploid girl's ear.

"Goodness gracious! Who are you!?" the girl asked frantically.

"Don't worry..I won't hurt you.." Kid whispered.

"Take your hands of Riddel you dirty litte..!" Viper shouted, stretching out a hand.

"Shuddup, old-timer! Our lives are at stake here! There ain't nothin dirty about savin' yer own life...!" Kid shouted.

"Just let us go peacefully. No one has to get hurt," Zero added.

Riddel struggled against Kid's grip, but by the looks of things, she was no warrior. And besides, she didnt't really want to risk being stabbed in the throat either. Even though she didn't think Kid would do that to her, she didn't want to take that chance. And besides, if this situation could remove the possibility of more bloodshed, then it was worth it in her opinion. She didn't want to see these strangers killed.

"X, listen to me...the end of the human world is nigh! When this time comes, X, there shall be a deep emnity between you and the world! This is not speculation or prediction...this is history!" Lynx shouted.

Lynx slowly walked forward, and looked menacingly at Kid. Kid kept backing up against the wall, and soon, was outside by a balcony. X, having recollected his senses, got Zero and Niki, and went after Kid. Kid kept backing up, and eventually got rather close to the edge of the balcony.

Kid gave a nervous look over the edge of the balcony, then returned her gaze to Lynx. He seemed so emotionless. X was busy trying to assess the situation at hand, but doing his best to not make matters any worse. He certainly didn't want Kid to do anything foolish with her supposed hostage, and he did not even want to know what Lynx would do. Furthermore, Lynx'sthreats were rather unnerving, and left him almost speechless.

Zero was in the same position as X. He didn't want to make matters any worse than they already were. Zero may be a bit of a hot-head, but he was no fool. Zero gritted his teeth angrily as he saw Lynx mercilessly pursue Kid, and kept his eyes affixed on him. Niki wasn't as involved as X or Zero, but he didn't want to interfere either.

Lynx smirked viciously, and slowly drew a small dagger. It was rather small, definitely inefficient in close range combat. It would be far better as some sort of throwing weapon. That's when it struck X.

"Kid, look out!" X shouted.

Lynx threw the dagger at Kid, and it stuck in her shoulder. Kid stumbled backwards a bit, and then dropped backwards over the balcony. X, Niki, and Zero ran after her. As Kid stumbled, Riddel broke herself free of her grip, and ran to General Viper's side.

"Kid!!" X shouted.

Zero slammed his fist on the balcony's edge, and then returned his gaze to Lynx.

"You bastard!" he screamed, pointing his saber at the evil creature.

Zero returned his gaze below, to try and see if Kid had some hope of landing safely. However, when he took his eyes off of Lynx, he didn't notice him moving. Lynx took the opportunity to move up close to Zero.

"Argh..how..?" Zero muttered.

Lynx smiled at Zero, and then threw him over the side of the balcony. However, he threw Zero so that he would hit Niki first, knocking them both off. X's jaw dropped as he saw both his friends fall.

"Zero!" X shouted.

X pointed his buster at Lynx, and fired. However, his shot missed, and Lynx seemed to disappear into shadows again.

"Where could he have..?" X muttered, looking around.

X slowly shifted his position, and aimed his buster around the room. Lynx was around somehwere, he reasoned. Lynx could appear from anywhere and that fact alone made X a bit uneasy. A single bead of sweat trickled down his face as he nervously scanned the area.

"Behind you," a voice hissed.

X quickly turned around and fired, but Lynx was not there at all. However, he then felt a pair of hands grab him from behind.

"I told you I was behind you..but you didn't listen I suppose," Lynx mocked. "What do you live for? What are you willing to die for? I've been waiting for you, X...waiting a long, long time for you...now come to me...the assassin of time..the Chrono Trigger!"

"Let go of me! I'm not some puppet you can use!" X shouted.

X wrenched himself out of Lynx's grip, and leaped over the balcony.

"No!" Lynx shouted.