Mega man X 8: Rondo of Blood.

Last chapter the Sigma Religion revealed the first of the Sigma Apostles. This one was Frogashi Slash. Zero's old rival back to the old hunters days. Frogashi's only intention of cooperating with the Sigma Religion was fighting against Zero again.

During their fight, the anger of the past from Zero made him reveal his inner maverick one more time. After almost killing Frogashi in cold blood, X stops his best friend from committing the massacre.

Frogashi is taken back to the hunters HQ. Where he now is under intensive care. Zero promised Frogashi that they'd finish their fight when he's better. Frogashi recognized Zero as a true Samurai.

Now the Sigma religion is about to perform the rite to revive the angel of the prophecies.

Who will this angel be?

Chapter 3: The second apostle.

Sigma Religion north-Europe castle.

Dark Zero heads to a big room in one of the towers of the castle. From those windows you're able to see a big crimson red moon. Dark Zero turns and continues walking up the stairs.

He steps inside of the room where Dark X and Dark Axl are waiting to begin the rite.

Dark Zero: Is everything ready?

Dark X: Here are the chants. I'll read them.

Dark Axl: Yeah. X is the only one of us who can read Latin.

Dark Zero: Well. Let's begin shall we?

Little author's note: I don't know either how to speak of write Latin So I'll write it like if he's translating. Ok?

Dark X: Oh dark prophesies. Angel of Sigma. From our prayers come back to us and fulfill your destiny. We give you this offer.

As Dark X speaks, Dark Axl brings one of the captured hostages from previous attacks. (They just looks like the Reploids you rescue.)

Hostage: Please! Let me go! I won't tell anyone about this place! But please!

Dark Axl: Sorry man. But you have been chosen to bring the angel back. What an honor!

Dark Zero pulls out his saber and grabs the hilt very firmly with both fists.

Hostage: No please! NO!

Dark Zero swings the blade and cuts off the hostage head. The flying body less head lands on the ground and the headless body lies on the ground. From the hollow neck, Reploid blood comes out like a river. The blood covers the center of the room. Strange lights glimmer around the room. Like if something was appearing from nowhere.

Dark Zero: Yes. This is it!

The light fades revealing a female figure.

Dark X: That's the angel?

Dark Zero: I bet Zero will be very surprised when he sees her...

Dark Axl: Hello? She's dead!

Dark Zero: The rite works like this. We need some time before she wakes up.

Dark Axl: I see...

Dark Zero: X! Take her to the tallest room.

Dark X: Yes Zero.

Dark X lifts the maiden. As he lifts her, he feel a powerful presence within her. She is DEFINITIVELY the angel of Sigma.

Dark Axl: So what now?

Dark Zero: I think is time to send the second apostle to action while we revive the Grim Reaper.

Dark Axl: Good Idea to keep those hunters busy. What was his name again?

Dark Zero: Shadow Panda!

Dark Zero's voice resonated thru all the room with a faint echo... Still no response from the maverick.

Dark Axl:.. Is he around here?

From the shadows, a figure appears within the smoke of some smoke bombs. It is a Panda-Reploid wearing a black Ninja suit.

Panda: Yes my master?

Dark Zero: I think you are bored of being around here.

Panda: I actually like to be around the darkness as my master taught me sir.

Dark Zero: So how about avenging his death?

Panda: I'll do that immediately if you wish.

Dark Zero: Remember. X killed your master. Magna Centipede when he was serving our lord.

Panda: Then I'll take care that X suffers to his last breath.

Dark Zero: Good. Now go! Avenge your master!

The black figure disappears with the shadow of a cloud.

Maverick Hunters HQ.

2 days have passed since the Osaka attack. X is still worried about Zero.

X: I wonder if this was such a big pain for Zero.

Axl: Don't worry. The dude is one of the strongest hunters. I'm sure he'll be all right soon.

X: Yeah. Soon...

As they speak, X sees Zero heading to the Café to relax and listen to the live band of today.

X: Zero!

Axl: What the? Wait for me!

Both hunters rush too see where did Zero sits. X spots Zero and heads to him.

X: Hey Zero.

Zero: Oh! Hi X!

X: Zero! You feeling better?

Zero: I already talked to Frogashi.

X: So... How's he doing?

Zero: I sent him directly to intensive care. But he is gonna be all right. And when he gets better, We'll gonna finish our fight! Fair and square! No hard feelings involved!

X: I'm Glad that you're Ok now.

Axl rushes after he lost X.

Axl: Hey X! At least you let catch up!

X: Sorry Axl.

Axl sits with X and Zero. The music sounds relaxing. Everything with a cup of coffee and a book makes the place even better. The waitress passes by and asks the three hunters if they want anything.

Waitress: Would you like something?

Zero: I'm just listening to the music.

X: I'd like Mocha.

Axl: Just bring me some Decaf.

Waitress: Mocha and a Decaf. I'll be back.

X: But Axl. You never tried Decaf...

Axl: Just trying to impress her.

X: Sure...

The waitress returns with their coffees.

Waitress: Mocha for Mr. X and Decaf for Mr. Axl. Enjoy!

She leaves their sight as she enters the kitchen.

X: So? What's our next move?

After X finishes talking he takes his cup and drinks a sip of the chocolate flavored coffee.

Zero: Maybe just wait for the next apostle.

Axl tries some of his Decaf. But it tastes so horrible.

Axl: Yuck! This sucks! Don't you have Mari-Cola?

Alia interrupts Axl's wining in the main speaker.

Alia: Sorry for interrupting this close moment, but we have work to do. We got the next apostle.

Zero: Right in my way.

X: Let's hurry!

Axl runs behind them with a glass of water trying to wash off the taste off the Decaf.

They get to the meeting room to receive detailed information about the next apostle.

Alia: We got this in the morning.

She displays the information on the big screen.

Signas: His name is Shadow Panda. His combat style is the art of the Ninja. He was the only apprentice of Magna Centipede, the first Ninja-Maverick during the X-hunters attack.

Zero: I think I don't know him because I was dead until the last part of the attack.

X: He used lots of illusions in our fight. But I was able to defeat him. He told me that one day his disciple was going to avenge him. When he got stronger. And now he is executing the revenge of his master.

Axl: Now he wants you death?

Zero: That's the point.

X: We need to get going. Where is he?

Douglas: Everything says that in the Bamboo forest of the China.

X: Well then, Let's move out!

The trio moves directly to the bamboo forest of china.

Bamboo forest of China.

On the top of some trees, Shadow Panda moves looking if the Hunter already arrived.

Panda: X... Where are you...

He hears some voices from the deep of the forest. 3 Voices in total. He recognizes one of them.

Panda: X!

Panda turns his jumping direction and heads to the deeps of the forest. He finds X.

Panda: X!

The three hunters turn around looking at the black shadow on the three.

Axl: Is that Panda? I thought he might look tougher...

Panda: I just want X... So X! Get ready!

Zero: This is you fight now.

X: Yes Zero. Download Shadow Armor Action!

X's armor turns into the Shadow Armor. Armor specialized for Ninja abilities.

Axl: Wow! X I ready for everything!

Zero: He should be called the Calvin Klein of the armors.

X jumps to the opposite top than Pandas and prepares for battle.

X: Ready to lose?

Panda: In the name of my master... I'll destroy you!

From the wetness of the Forest, a single falls of a leaf. And when this one touches the ground with and echoing drop sound... X and Panda start fighting. Moving fast from top to top and blocking punches and kicks.

X: Shuriken attack!

X fires Shuriken-Shaped energy balls. But they crash against Pandas metal ones.

Panda: Is useless to resist.

X: Then let's switch to close combat!

X draws out his sword and takes a sprint towards Panda. He reaches him and starts attacking. The two shadows jump close, then jump away and forth again.

X: How's this?

Panda: Not bad.

When Panda reaches the opposite top he throws an army of shurikens.

The only thing that X can do to react is use his Giga attack.

X: Shadow Shield!

Spinning his sword X creates a shield that stops all the shurikens. But Panda uses the chance to get close to X and kick him with a powerful attack.

Panda: Take this!

X: Ugh!

X flies to the nearby river. Place where Panda follows X to continue the battle.

Panda: Come on! Get up! The murderer of my master is stronger than this!

X: What?!? I didn't killed him!

Panda: Shut up hunter!

Panda kicks X and X rolls closer to the abyss by the waterfall. Panda lifts X up and nods at him in an angry way.

Panda: What do you mean? Of course you killed him!

X: No. I didn't. In that time Dark Zero of the X-hunters interrupted our fight after your master gave up fair and square. But Dark Zero didn't care if Magna Centipede fought bravely following the X-hunter's orders. Dark Zero killed your master.

Panda: What?!?

Dark Zero: Looks like you still remember that X.

Panda turns to Dark Zero and let's X go. X stands up with a serious look on his face.

Panda: So you killed my master?!?

Dark Zero: I was hoping that X had forgotten that. But yes. I killed your master when he became useless. He deserved to be with the trash.

Panda: Why you?!? You'll pay for this!

Panda jumps to Dark Zero with his fist ready to meet Dark Zero's face. But Dark Zero's reflections are a lot sharper than Panda's. Dark Zero's fist hits Panda first. The pain is unbearable. But Panda reacts using his sword to slash Dark Zero. The blade is able to scratch Dark Zero's cheek. The two jump away to take a little rest.

Dark Zero moves his finger to his cheek and realizes that he is bleeding very lightly. The two warriors jump again to resume the fight. But Dark Zero quickly moves his Saber in position to stab Panda. His plan worked. Dark Zero's blade is stabbing directly in Panda's heart.

Zero: Nobody who scratches me lives to tell.

Panda: Ugh!

Dark Zero throws the dead weight Panda back to the river. The body falls like hundreds of bricks splashing the water.

X: Panda!

Dark Zero lands on a cliff looking at X.

Dark Zero: I'll spare your life for now X. But when the grim reaper is back. You'll experience Panda's pain.

X: Wait! Who's the grim reaper?!?

Dark Zero disappears with the wind. X turns to the dying Panda.

X: Panda! Hang in there! You're gonna be all right!

Panda: Sorry for fighting you X...

Zero and Axl get to the river after running trying to catch up with them.

Zero: X! Are you all right?

Axl: I know that guy on the cliff! It is your fake Zero!

Zero: X. What happened to Panda?

X: He knows now that Dark Zero killed his master. He tried to fight him... but he got stabbed in his heart.

Axl: Hold on! We'll get you outta here!

Panda: No... It is time for me... to join my master.

X: Just hold it! You don't have to die!

Panda: I... Already did... a lot of... damage. It is time for me... To pay for the lives I took away.

Zero: He's right... Go ahead. Join you master. You earned the peace.

Panda: Thank you... X. My master was right. You... are...truly...honorable... Please... stop... the ... sigma... religion...

X: Panda? Panda!

Zero: He's dead.

Axl: Poor thing.

X: Panda... I don't know if I can stop the sigma religion... But I'll fight to the end protecting everyone!

Suddenly a strange glow emanated from Panda's body. The light turns into an energy ball being freed from the body that acts as a prison (In that time they didn't knew about Cyber-Elves.) The light ball flies to the sky heading where other ball is. The two balls go together to the sky fading away.

Axl: Whazzat?

X: I think his master.

Zero: They got together as he wanted.

X: Well. Let's go back to the base. We'll give panda an honorable grave.

Maverick Hunter HQ.

A big group of hunters gather in the graveyard where Panda's body is being buried. Hunters who really admired his sacrifice and others who wanted to assist.

Priest: And now we give Shadow Panda's body to the earth. Who gave his life to protect a hunter, even as he declared himself a Maverick. If this Maverick learned the value of life. Maybe them and us can too.

X looks at the coffin remembering Panda's last word as he promises to end the suffering.

Sigma Religion northern-Europe castle.

In the rite room, Dark Zero returns with a scar on his right cheek. Dark X looks at Dark Zero.

Dark X: Zero. What happed to your cheek?

Dark Zero: Just the trash that turned against me.

Dark X: Too bad he realized that you killed his master.

Dark Zero: Yeah. He was good. Bad he didn't killed X. But let's begin the rite to bring back the grim reaper shall we?

Dark X draws out an old paper in Latin. (Another translation for the readers.)

Dark X: Oh dark one. The one who killed more than a hundred lives. It is time for you to awaken now to serve the lord Sigma once again! Please accept our offering to you and arise!

Dark Zero cuts the head of another hostage. The blood covers this time a big black coffin. The blood takes the shape of carvings. The seal of the coffin is broken and a series of winds and dark lights appear from the coffin. As they stop, a dark tall figure arises from the coffin.

Dark Zero: The grim reaper is back!

Grim Reaper: Honey! I'm home! Missed me?

Dark Zero: You understand your purpose here?

Grim Reaper: Yes. To serve lord Sigma once again.

Dark Zero: Now listen carefully. We need 100 sacrifices by you. Now you must go and kill 100 lives to bring back the spirit our lord Sigma. Then we'll use the blood of the Chosen one to give him a body and bring chaos to the world!

Grim Reaper: It's been a while that my hands experienced the taste of blood! But if I'm able I'll add X to the list.

Dark Zero: Yes. It is a good idea. Now follow me.

Grim reaper: Sure my master.

The grim reaper follows the three dark ones out of the tower leaving the faint echo of death in the room. When nobody is there, from the dark coffin a second shadow arises. This one jumps off the tower. His fall is interrupted by the river and the current takes him away.

Maverick Hunters HQ.

X sits still on his bed while he looks at the big glowing moon. There's the shape of a bunny on it. It looks cute and beautiful.

Deep him his mind the words of Panda resonate. He can only think about a way to stop the menace.

X: The chosen one to bring Sigma back. But how can we know who is?

Axl breaks to X's room to bring him rushing news.

Axl: X! Come on! You have to come!

X: What's wrong? Another apostle?

Axl: No. They found someone on the river! He is very weak! He is in the same medical building where Frogashi is!

X: Ok. I'll be there.

Axl: Just hurry!

X rushes thru the halls interconnecting buildings. When he rushes in the building, he dashes thru Nurses to get to the room where everyone is. X arrives to the room where Zero is waiting.

X: Zero?

Zero: X. They say you know him well.

X looks on the bed. The shape of the Reploid is exactly like the one he remembers. Chubby with a yellow armor. With a chubby face that looks asleep. X realizes who he is.

X: ......Double?

From nowhere to know. Double is back. He was supposed to be death. But now he's back. How?

X's mind is being rushed with thousands of questions of how he's alive. But for now he just wants him to be Ok.

The grim reaper is back and he's about to kill 100 lives to bring the spirit of sigma back to our world. Who can the Grim Reaper be?

Next Chapter: The Ripper case.

Author's corner.

For this episode I just got the main Idea of Panda; A ninja who wanted to kill. Then when I was writing I just got the idea of putting a more solid purpose if becoming an apostle instead of just the kill, kill. After thinking, I decided to make him the disciple of Magna Centipede after remembering that he was also a ninja. This improved his developing and ending after being killed by Dark Zero who killed his master too. I wanted to make this part emotive. So I putted the part of the Cyber-elf as his spirit going with Magna Centipede's. That part almost made me cry (Sniff u_u) and for the part of Double's return. Double is one of my Mega Man X's favorite characters besides Zero. And as Zero had his own chapter with the past (Frogashi) X will have with Double. Then if I get more details about Axl's past maybe I'll make a chapter about him. If anyone of you knows, I'll be glad to receive the info Thru E-Mail. Next chapter will involve X and Double relationship and a big sacrifice. So wait for it.

See ya in the Ripper Case!