Megaman Axl.

X and Axl are trying their best to put an end to the Maverick Wars, but their efforts seem to be in vain… Everything is getting worse…

But one hope remains… the creation of a massive program that will delete the infection of the Sigma Virus.

But what the Hunters don't realize, is that within them, here's a traitor who plans in using Zero's DNA data to create the ultimate body for the last remains of Sigma.

After a scan in X's mind, he found the coordinates of Zero's place. Got there, deleted Zero's mind and took his body for analysis. But what he didn't have in mind, the virtual-neural recreation of Dr. Willy helped save Zero by executing a memory back-up and initiating the creation of Project Zero v3, a copy of Project Zero v2.

Still, after investigating the remains of the Dark Castle, place where the Sigma Religion and the three dark ones, Dark Zero, Dark X and Dark Axl executed most of the unthinkable revival rituals, there wasn't a clue about the prophecies Stone tablets.

But, a mysterious encrypted data followed by a warm presence revealed the data for a program strong enough to eradicate the Sigma Virus infection. Alia needed Ciel to investigate this program. And as Axl went, he felt a new feeling after staring at Ciel.

And now, Axl wonders about what he feels for Ciel… Is it love?

Chapter 4. – Are you able to lie?

After analyzing the program, Alia and Ciel found a lot of information of this mysterious program. As their discoveries brought hope, they got organized with Midi to call upon the hunters into a meeting in the meeting room. The meeting room had a wide table. Alia stood on the leader seat because she was the leader of the meeting. Alia cleared her throat as she stood up.

Alia: I haven't done this before…

Ciel: Don't worry. You'll do fine Alia.

Midi: Yeah! You're the best girl I ever seen doing this in mission reports!

Alia: Thanks guys. Anyways, I called upon all of you for a single thing, to listen to my pretty voice, but something else.

X: Is it because of that program?

Alia: Good point X. Yes. It is because of that program. After running a full investigation of the program, we discovered that indeed contains energy with the exactly opposite reading of the Sigma Virus.

Lifesaver: In other words, an Anti-virus. Right?

Alia: Yes. This program is generated to produce massive amounts of energy powerful enough to reach a big radius in kilometers.

Ciel: What means that if we complete the program, we will be able to eradicate the infection and its source.

Signas: Interesting… and how do we know this is indeed an Anti-virus?

Alia: That's a good question commander Signas. Midi?

Midi typed a few commands on his console as a holograph of a blue and a purple energy appeared in the middle of the table.

Alia: We ran an experiment with a sample of the energy of the program and a sample of the Sigma Virus we have under quarantine. We exactly expanded the energies into sheets and overexposed them one another. And the result, both of them cancelled each other out eradicating the infection and any signs of source within the host.

Signas: Interesting…

Axl: Question! How are we gonna develop this program?

Alia: That's where I'm heading now Axl. This program as I said, requires big amounts of energy, and as Dr. Weil said, the sample with enough energy and more is…

X: The spirit of Iris…

Midi: Yeah, Iris was reconfigured when she was revived to handle powerful amounts of energy. If we somehow manage to harness her DNA data, we could complete the program, and maybe create a recreation of her as an AI program.

Axl: And for that you need…

Alia: Yes. We need your help Axl, once more. You have Iris's DNA data, don't you?

Axl: Yeah… but…

Axl felt something… like a sudden rush of feelings… anxiety… hope… despair… charity… duty… power… sorrow… and guilt… he somehow felt that the original decision of handing the DNA data would trigger a series of events that would drive the world to its very limits…

Ciel: Please Axl?

Axl felt the same feeling as before… but worse… even harder and deeper as he saw Ciel's eyes… He turned around heading for the nearest console plugging the serial cable to the back of his head again and handing another disk.

Axl: I honestly don't know about this…

Alia: Don't worry Axl. As we got X back thanks to you, we will get peace back thanks to you. You'll be in the history books as the Reploid who saved the world along X and Zero. You'll be a legend.

Axl: I guess so…

Axl turned disappointed heading out of the room.

Alia: Where are you going?

Axl: To my room…

Alia: Axl…

X: Is Axl not feeling well?

Signas: This is just as before…

Alia: Maybe I should…

Ciel: I'll go. I feel like I must help him.

Alia: Okay. We'll start the research here.

Ciel headed to Axl's room. Axl was there, still laying on his bed.

Ciel: Hey Axl.

Axl: Ciel………

Ciel: I noticed you're not quite yourself now… I brought you a sandwich if you feel like eating something… You eat food, right?

Axl: Yeah. Our systems do not exist by energy only.

Ciel: I see…

Axl: But I'm not hungry now…

Ciel: Axl… You were cheerful and happy before… and now, you are very silent… Some people may say that you are growing up, but I think something else is bothering you…

Axl: ………

Ciel: You know, when we were talking, even when you saved me from those Mavericks in the past, I felt something… something like my prince charming came to my rescue…

Axl: Ciel…

Ciel: And I do not know what I feel… Maybe…

Axl: I know too…

Ciel: Uh?

Axl: This feeling we both feel… is love…

Ciel: That's strange…

Axl: What is strange?

Ciel: I mean, Isn't a hunter not allowed to love?

Axl: I don't know…

Ciel: And then, it is against nature… you are a Reploid…a robotic organism that will live as long as he remains activated… and I'm a human…an organic organism that has a limited span of life and will later pass away as the body turns into putrefaction…

Axl: We are so different…

Ciel: I mean, I feel heat and cold… I feel pain… suffering… happiness… and you, you just interpret it as a bunch of ones and zeroes

Axl: But what makes Reploids unique is that we actually translate those ones and zeroes into feelings that we feel…

Ciel: Also, a cold metal body…

Axl: But a heart in the inside…

Ciel: Axl…

Axl: Both humans and Reploids, have something in common…a heart, which allows us to feel to enjoy, feel happiness, and sorrow, which creates tears of sorrow and chuckles of happiness… as long as we have that, we are not so different…

Ciel: You know, there's a very old story called Pinocchio. It is about this little wooden puppet, which comes to life by the blue fairy. And he wishes one thing, to become a real human boy. And the fairy tells him that if he makes enough good deeds, he will turn into human.

Axl: And you mean that if I do good deeds, I will turn into human?

Ciel: I'm just saying that to cheer you up… you know, I really love you… you are very different from other Reploids. Not because of your ability to harness DNA data, because of your pure heart. I really admire that…

Axl: And… I love you too Ciel… your smile, your genius, your golden hair, your face when you sleep… it looks like an angel…

Ciel: I hope we can love each other… but we can't... what will the others say?

Axl: We can keep our love in secret.

Ciel: But that would be living in lies… are you able to do that Axl? Are you able to lie to your friends?

Axl: ……

Ciel: Let's think about it, shall we? I don't promise anything.

Ciel turned around leaving Axl's quarters.

Axl: ………… To lie to my friends? Is love this hard?

In that moment, Axl felt something in his body… for a second, he felt something… like a beat… but it was gone…

Hours later, the program was ready, and its activation marked the hope that would change the entire world.

X: Looks like we are ready.

Alia: We just input the last command lines and it will be activated.

Axl and Ciel were in that room… they quite looked at each other, but kept their distance…

Suddenly, with the last keystroke, Alia named the AI program what would bring hope.

Alia: And, activating project Mother Elf.

With a gathering of a whitish warm energy, the little sample of the program reproduced itself forming a spherical being. Its face was quite gentle as it radiated a sense of hope.

X: So this is the mother elf…

Alia: The first of the new kind of programs, Cyber-Elves. These programs will provide help and support for both Reploids and humans in the Nano-technological level. This Mother Elf should take care of the Sigma Virus infection. Well, good morning mother elf.

The mother elf kept her sleeping face, but a gentle smooth voice came from it.

Mother Elf: Good morning. Mother Elf activated…

Ciel: I think hope is now here. Right Axl?

Axl: I don't know… I feel, like something bad will happen if we use her…

Meanwhile, in the dark place, the dark man stood at a screen looking at the group and their success… this was a menace.

: I guess they managed to create it.

Sigma: This is going against our plans! We must somehow do something!

: I think I know what to do my friend… He he he…

The dark figure typed a few commands on a container unit, the container unit opened up revealing something… it looked like purple food colorant in water forming the shape of a skull. Its purplish tone was even darker that the one of the Sigma Virus… this meant one thing…

Sigma: So you're going to use it…

: The original sample of the Maverick Virus, the evolution of the evil energy… driving Reploids and humans insane with their evil sides… the perfect virus… this may work with that Mother elf if we wait for the exact moment… He he he… HA HA HA HA!

At short moments before the activation of the Mother Elf in project "Hope", Dr. Weil stepped in the lab where she was.

Alia: Oh Dr. Weil! Where have you been?

Dr. Weil: taking care of some paperwork. How is the Mother Elf doing?

Alia: She's sleeping right now.

Dr. Weil: Ciel told me she needed a program. If I could just install it…

Alia: Go ahead.

Dr, Weil: Thank you Alia………

Dr Weil typed a few commands on the keyboard as the data was transferred, the Mother Elf's power was increased.

Alia: Whoa! This is weird.

Dr. Weil: Now she's ready for a worldwide disinfections.

Alia: Just in good timing Dr, Weil. Thank you for what you have done. Without you, we couldn't have this hope. First X, and now the Mother Elf. We don't know how to thank you.

Dr. Weil: Just be sure she does her job.

Meanwhile, Sigma's remains stood in their liquid prison, but he was able to see and hear the whole base.

Sigma: Looks like they still have no idea…

: Yes… and now, when they unleash her power they will see…

Sigma: And we will both rule the world after that happens…

: I never agreed with you…

Sigma: WHAT?

: Just look at you… how can you do anything in that state?

Sigma: Remember… the ultimate body…

: But I forgot a little detail…

Sigma: Uh?

?; You are useless… I just need your powerful conscience…

Sigma: WHAT? I though…

: That I was stupid enough like that Dr. Doppler? Or that archaic Repliforce? I'm a human! And a very smart one! I do not fall easily in your tricks.

The shadow typed a few commands… "COMMENCING MEMORY PURGING"

Sigma: NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

: I'm just getting rid of you. Thanks to you, getting those stone tablets was easy, you were a little bird all along to tell me about that ultimate power never mentioned in the prophecies… Now that I know what to do, I can get rid of you.

Sigma: YOU CANNOT DO THIS! WHAAAAAAARRRRRGH!

"SIGMA RESIDUAL MEMORY DELETED"

: X, What you tried to do all this time, I just made it with the touch of a button… pathetic… and soon, everything will work out as I planed… and the world will be mine! HA HA HA HA! And very soon… very soon my loyal servant, Omega will activate…

The shadow stared at the emptiness as a single light alighted a gigantic reploid…

The evil shadow kept his evil grin as he looked at the Mother Elf on the screen. Is the Mother Elf a tool for him?

And who is this Omega?

Author's note.

Yes readers, everyone knows who this evil guy is… And I now know that you're getting shocked with the Axl-Ciel thing… It will be so Anakin-Padme in Episode 2. and X like Obi-Wan.