Megaman Axl.

Chapter 5. - Follow your heart's beliefs.

The halls of the Maverick Hunters Headquarters were silent as some voices came from the research Lab. Everyone was there, manipulating the energy amplifier unit. Douglas, Midi, Ciel and Alia were wearing some helmet units with integrated infrared glasses tapping on the keyboards as some gauges appeared on screen. They were sitting on individual terminals settled in a circle surrounding some kind of big capsule unit. There was a spherical being inside.

Alia: Energy servos at 50 of activation.

Midi: Energy generators at 70.

Douglas: Hyper conductors ready.

Ciel: Mother Elf ready.

Alia: Can you hear me Mother elf?

Mother Elf: Yes…

Alia: We may start anytime.

Mother Elf: Affirmative…

The mother elf relaxed as a peach white aura came out of her… the light being generated by her felt warm.

Signas: Let's just hope this works.

Lifesaver: We tested this system a couple of times in a Virus infection simulation. It amplifies the energy waves of the mother elf enabling them to cover the whole planet.

X: Which will eradicate the infection of the Sigma Virus in the whole planet and any possible infections within inactive Reploids.

Axl: Just hope this works…

Signas: Are you using the same terminal where we used the Enigma cannon before to destroy the Eurasia during the first outbreak?

X: It was the only thing we could use for this. Its components were fried when we used the cannon, but the energy amplifiers survived the blast. So we modified them to adapt to the Mother elf's energy waves.

Alia: Mother Elf's energy waves at 120… 130… 140… 150…

Midi: Alia! We must do it now! The energy system will overload and fry if we keep going!

Alia: Just a little more! We need the energy level at 200 if we want to cover the planet radius! 170 180 190…

Douglas: The energy systems are going crazy! I can't keep with them!

Douglas types faster keeping up with the system commands, but they were faster than him.

Ciel: Switching to automatic! It's not responding! We're gonna lose her!

Alia: Just a little more… 195, 196, 197, 198, 199…

Midi: Systems overload! It's going to explode!

Alia: 200! Activate HOPE cannon!

Douglas: Firing HOPE cannon now!

Suddenly, when Douglas stroke the key for the activation of the HOPE cannon, the cannon with the energy reading created by the Mother Elf, fired to the dusky sky. Its thin shining sky blue beam hit the atmosphere as it split in thousands of beams covering the earth as a spherical barrier. It's warm light shone around the whole earth as Mavericks succumbed to the blinding brightness…

Then, the light was gone… the dark sky of the night was all what was left… The Mavericks stood, looked at them for a moment as they looked not dangerous anymore… The weren't Mavericks anymore… the infection was eradicated and the Mavericks destroyed…

The whole room was in darkness after such energy overload the only light in the room was the Mother elf in the central capsule unit… and then, the lights came back on.

Douglas: We… we made it!

Ciel: Searching… Infection rate decreased from 60 to 00! We made it!

Signas: Good job! All of you deserve a long rest.

X: See? We barely managed, but the Mavericks are gone completely.

Axl: I guess…

Alia: Sir! We have a call from the council. They demand a meeting immediately.

Signas: Maybe is for the Mother Elf… I'll take the call in my office.

Signas turned away and left to attend the Council's call. According to Alia, they sounded really furious.

X: I don't think he's gonna be all right.

Alia: He's commander Signas! He's gonna be all right.

Meanwhile, the dark figure stood on his dark place…

: So, they used her… he he he… just a little more time… I guess the Council will approve that idea… he he he…

Back to with our heroes, Commander Signas called a meeting after the Council call.

Alia: So? What did the Council said?

Signas: They considerate the use of the Mother Elf in eradicating the Sigma Virus infection, but they know that we cannot hold something that powerful. They are calling for a meeting to decide the fate of the Mother Elf.

Ciel: Isn't enough what the council thinks?

Axl: Then I guess we better go. The members of the Council are a bunch of air-headed humans.

Ciel: Yeah…

X: Then we are going. Douglas, can you prepare a transport?

Douglas: I'm on it.

The Council office was the big tower on the center of Metro City, the capital of the actual republic that established since the Eurasia crash. The meeting hall of the Council was a big cylindrical room where the Council leaders stand on the center of the room. The Hunters stood on the Defense department section.

Ciel: Where's Dr. Weil been lately? I haven't seen him around.

Alia: You know, being a member of the scientific council. He has a lot to do there by himself.

Signas: The meeting is about to start.

As the commotion came down to silence, the leader of the Council began his duties.

Council leader: And we declare this session open. The reason for this meeting is because the sudden action taken by the Maverick Hunters in the activation of an AI program made by them, The Mother Elf.

Council assistant: Opening file #1947693 Mother Elf.

The upper section of the room displayed a big holographic image profile of the Mother Elf.

Council leader: the Maverick hunters with the single purpose of eradicating the Sigma Virus infection created The Mother Elf. They adapted the remains of the Enigma cannon into the HOPE cannon to catalyze the energy of this Mother Elf, which is a new kind of AI program known as Cyber-Elf to cover the planet with its energy eradicating the Sigma virus infection. But the Hunters did this without permission of the defense Council.

Signas: But we managed to eradicate the infection sir.

Council leader: But the thing is that such powerful Elf cannot be under the Hunters hands. Especially because most of the Maverick Hunters members are Reploids, How do we know that those Reploids aren't still infected?

Axl: You son of a…

Signas: Axl, cool it.

Axl: Damn…

Dr. Weil: But there might be a way to deal with the Mother Elf.

Council Assistant: Dr. Weil, top scientist and representing of the Scientific Council has the word.

Dr. Weil: After a single analysis of the Mother Elf Data indicates that this Elf is able to create large amounts of energy. If we manage to harness this power, we might be able to create a new source of Energy powerful enough to speed the renovation of our society into its peak before the Eurasia crash.

Council Leader: I guess Dr. Weil is right about this. And the decision of the Council goes to Dr. Weil. The Hunters will prepare a caravan to transport the Mother Elf to the Medical Research facility.

Council member: But all of them Reploids? Can't a human go as well? Someone deeply involved with the project?

Ciel stood up as she looked straight at the council members.

Ciel: I, Dr. Ciel will go with the Caravan to assure the delivery of the Mother Elf.

Signas: But as the Mavericks are gone from the planet, there are still terrorist activists around. We will send someone to protect Dr. Ciel and the caravan. And the chosen is…

Axl: I will go and protect the Caravan, sir.

Ciel: Axl…

Council Leader: Then, Class A, unit#17 middle class hunter Axl will protect Dr. Ciel and the Mother Elf in the caravan. The Caravan will leave Maverick Hunter HQ at 0500 hours. I declare this Council meeting over.

As the commotion came back to a mess, the Hunters left the place. The hunters were walking towards the hangar where their ship was… but X stopped looking at Axl.

Axl: X?

X: You guys go. Axl and I need to talk.

Signas: Make it quick. We need prepare the caravan.

And the others went to the ship warming the engines up ad Axl and X talked… X sounded very serious.

X: Why Axl? Why are you doing this?

Axl: I just feel like this is my duty.

X: This is a dangerous mission. Not only because you have to guard such powerful thing, but because the Terrorist attack rate is pretty high.

Axl: I just… I just feel like it…

X: What do you mean?

Axl: X… Don't you feel something sometimes with your emotion program? Something deep? Even deeper than any other feeling you ever had?

X: How come?

Axl: I… I feel this warm feeling… in my heart whenever I think of Ciel… and when I knew she was going to do this dangerous thing, I felt that feeling bursting, giving me energy to fight protecting the caravan… I think this is love X… Love… Not a love to a friend, but a deeper love…

Axl looked to the window to the outside… the full moon stood proudly as some searchlights invaded the sky. X turned to Axl with a serious face as he spoke.

X: You are indeed in love with Ciel Axl… I cannot blame you, but you are violating one of the first codes in Human-Reploid relation's codes. "A Reploid cannot love a human" You are against nature Axl! Imagine, what about if you take your love, and then Ciel dies of age, what would you do?

Axl: I know that… but… but I must…

X: DO NOT LET YOUR FEELINGS INTERFERE WITH THE MISSION AXL!

Axl: X…

X: … Sorry… but its just that I… I lost control there… I know how you feel Axl… I felt the same way… with Zero… Afraid to do something that would hurt us… when… he turned evil…

X closed his eyes as flashback images rushed through his mind. When Zero went to stop the Eurasia in the Space shuttle plan, when he emerged with the evil aura, when they had their fight, and when Zero made his sacrifice to save X from Sigma… X's last moments with dying Zero, and the sudden burst through both of their chests, and then… pain… darkness… followed by a warm blue light… Axl placed his right arm on X's back.

Axl: X… Everything will be all right…

X: Just… don't let your feeling interfere with the mission.

Axl: Got it…

X: Let's go back to the ship. Time is running out.

And X and Axl went into the ship. Ciel looking at Axl with concern…

Back at the Hunters HQ, Axl And Ciel were getting ready for the transport. Douglas who was carrying the contention unit for the Mother Elf was following Alia to the hangar. The hangar doors opened revealing the dark stormed sea. Ciel was wearing a pink coat, so she was not going to be cold.

Alia: We wish you good luck on your journey guys.

Douglas: Even the Mother Elf is ready for her journey.

Signas: This is a big responsibility. You two better be careful.

X: Axl, I know you can do this… but remember… This is a mission, not a tour.

Axl: Got it. We better get in.

Ciel: Good bye everyone, we'll see you guys at the meeting point.

Ciel walked up the stairs of the ship as Axl carried the unit with the Mother Elf. Then as the engines heated up, the body of the ship lifted into the air and headed to the stormy sky as it left the Maverick Hunters HQ area.

The Mother Elf was taken into the unit of the ship where she could be safe. Axl and Ciel sat down on that room guarding the Mother Elf. Ciel looked at Axl as she was holding her coffee mug.

Ciel: Axl…

Axl: What is it?

Ciel: Why did you wanted to come along? You knew I was going to be a lot safer with X…

Axl: You mean that you didn't want me to come along?

Ciel: Is not that… Is just… about what you said…

Axl: About… About our love?

Ciel: Yes, that. I…

Axl: I told X about it… he said the same thing about going against the code of the Human-Reploid relations… against the nature…

Ciel: And…?

Axl: But, he felt the same… once… These rules and codes are just stupid… I can't believe those air-headed humans…

Ciel: I know…

Axl: What? You're a human...

Ciel: I know, but sometimes, I don't agree with them. Some humans are so selfish and mean… but I just don't know what to do…

Axl: Me too… But I can't deal with this pain I feel in my heart.

Ciel: Me too… I just…

Mother Elf: Follow what your hearts believe in…

Ciel: Mother Elf?

Mother Elf: Sometimes, the heart takes the best decisions anyone can take… You two are young, and you must live your lives to your heart's content. Even if you are a Human and Reploid, as long as both of you have the same feelings, you'll be no different.

Ciel: This is weird… we never programmed her to have these kinds of emotions…

Axl: She's made from Iris's DNA. Iris was a passionate lover. She loved Zero so much, and also loved life that she gave her own to stop Sigma. Maybe that I shaving some kind of effect on her…

Ciel: Follow what your hearts believe in…

Axl: Ciel?

Ciel stood heading to the next room of the ship and Axl followed her. The room had a wide window looking to the outside. The clouded sky and the falling rain, its sound resonated around the body of the ship.

Axl: What is it Ciel?

Ciel: I think the Mother Elf's right…

Axl: Then you mean?

Ciel: I think I must not let those stupid rules interfere with my feelings… I don't care about them now…

Axl: Then…

Ciel: I'll just follow my hearts beliefs. And they lead me to you Axl…

Axl: Me too…

Axl and Ciel came together in a warm hug… Ciel was surprised.

Ciel: Axl…

Axl: Ciel…

Ciel: You're so warm…

Axl: And you… you're so soft…

Suddenly, a violent shake shook the entire ship. A rushed voice came to life on the PA of the ship.

PA: Code one alert! We got a breach in the Mother Elf's room! All units investigate immediately!

Axl: Oh no!

Ciel: Axl!

Axl: I'll investigate! You stay here!

Axl opened the door revealing a huge hole on the ceiling of the Mother Elf's room. A group of soldiers taken down by one single person, it was a Reploid with a dark blue to black armor with mid long silver white hair.

Axl: You!

The Reploid turned around to the source of the voice. The Reploid was Dynamo, the same Dynamo that helped Sigma with the Eurasia Colony a long time ago.

Dynamo: Please let me save you the filler dialogs like "You're still alive?" It is you just as I expected a hunter here. What was your name kid? Axl?

Axl: What are you doing here?

Dynamo: My new client seems to be very interested with the Mother Elf… So I came to pick it up. Thanks for being the delivery boy, truly helpful. I wish I can leave you a tip, but I have a pretty tight schedule to keep.

Axl: You will never get away with this!

Axl pulled his gun firing at Dynamo, but with a quick swing of his red Lightsaber the energy bullet was deflected.

Dynamo: Ha ha, still a little hasty, aren't you? So it looks like there's someone else here…

Ciel was peeking her head though the door looking at Dynamo.

Axl: Ciel! Get back!

Dynamo: Too late.

Dynamo lifted his buster firing at the control panel on the left of the door. The little screen on it turned red saying "DETACHING CARGO BAY" Where Ciel was. There were some detaching sounds around the ship as the previous rooms came down one by one getting closer to Ciel's.

Ciel: AXL!

Dynamo: Axl help! What are you going to do? Stay here and fight me like your hunter instinct demand? Or let the girl drown in the ocean like the helpless human she is?

Axl: Darn it! CIEL!

Axl turned leaping to the room where Ciel was, and the door closed leaving them locked inside.

Dynamo: Ha ha ha! Just as I expected from X's puppy! Well, let's take you Mommy Elf.

Dynamo took the Mother Elf and teleported away. The ship fell on the ocean and the cargo units fell too. Axl and Ciel locked inside of them, with a leak on the room from the impact with other cargo units.

Ciel: Oh god! The water is coming in!

Axl: And we're sinking fast! Stand back!

Axl turned his gun into a laser gun, which generated a single powerful piercing laser forming a door to kick out.

Axl: When I kick this door, I want you to hold my hand really hard and swim! Got it?

Ciel: Yeah!

Axl: Take a deep breath!

Ciel swallowed some air and Axl kicked the door. The sudden rush of water pulled them out. But the rush was so hard that that when they went out, Axl and Ciel got separated. Axl rose up the surface of the wild waters as he looked around in panic.

Axl: CIEL! WHERE ARE YOU?

Axl went underwater again and looked at Ciel who was swimming in random ways. She opened her mouth letting the air come out and stopped moving.

Axl: CIEL!

He swam fast enough to get Ciel and take her to the surface. When both of them came out, Ciel recovered her breath trying to get enough air to survive.

Ciel: Axl!

Axl: I know! He got the Mother Elf, but you're still fine.

Ciel: What are we gonna do?

Both of them were floating on the wild waters of the ocean, probably without any contact to the world. Axl could survive, but Ciel would drown. Only a miracle could save them… Suddenly, a ship came; its spotlight was pointing directly at them as the ship came down. It's loading bay opened up and a cargo elevator came down. Axl and Ciel got on it and the elevator came up. When the gates closed, the ship went to land.

Axl and Ciel were fine, Ciel coughing for the water she swallowed.

Axl: Are you okay Ciel?

Ciel: I'll be fine…

The door opened revealing a certain figure which brought both relief and worry to them… It was X…

X: Are both of you okay?

Axl: We lost her…

X: I now, we got an emergency signal from the ship. We came as fast as we could.

Alia: CIEL!

Alia got into the room running to Alia. She ducked as she covered Ciel with some warm mantles.

Alia: Are you all right? Are you hurt?

Ciel: I'm fine… Axl saved me…

Alia: Thank you Axl. You did your job well.

Axl: But I still failed… we lost the Mother Elf…

X: But still, you did your job protecting Ciel well.

Axl: X… He's back…

X: Who?

Axl: Dynamo… he's working for someone who was interested in the Mother Elf…

X: What? Who could be?

Meanwhile, at the dark place, the dark villain wore an evil grin on his smile as he talked to someone behind him.

Dynamo: Honey! I'm home!

The cloaked villain kept his powerful stance as he talked to Dynamo.

: Did you brought the Mother Elf as requested?

Dynamo: I brought her as you asked.

: Good. My plans are going as just going as I planned…

The dark villain turned around waving his dark coat revealing some of him.

: Soon, after you are all fixed, my master plan will begin… And it is time. Activate Omega program now.

His voice triggered a series of commands on the central unit of the lab, which redirected the energy flow to a terminal, which fed up a big body, like a Mechaniloid, but it was a Reploid. A giant Reploid

Omega: guuuuuurgh…

Author's note:

Yeah, I'm back here. Anyways, I already checked. You already know who the evil guy in the black coat is, but obviously you wanna keep the suspense when the Elf Wars start. The stolen Mother Elf will turn into the Dark Elf and with Omega, will trigger the Elf Wars. Then after X and Axl stop the guy and Omega, and X seals the Mother Elf, Neo Arcadia will be created. Copy X will be created to be the ruler, and the four main armies will be created alongside the guardians. Of course, there is a darker thing behind it, and the energy shortage. A lot of Reploids will try to survive, even if the selfish humans within the comfort of Neo Arcadia will pursue them. And the Hunters will be considered Mavericks. Axl will survive with Ciel and form the resistance. To ease Ciel's sorrow, Axl will go to Neo Arcadia to solve things, but the four guardians will give him a hard time almost killing him. And in the brink of death, the spirit of the Original X, Will tell Axl the coordinates of the lab where Zero is. Axl's whereabouts are unknown, but Ciel does what he said to keep her love to him. What happened to Axl?

You'll have to keep reading to the end if you want to find out.

This isn't a huge spoiler, is just a big preview of what's to come.

And Dynamo, for all of you who loved his charismatic personality, he's back to play an even greater role in the story than before. (I mean, he appeared mainly in X5 and made a few battle cameos in X6, but got completely removed in X7. What's with that? He reminds me of Albedo…)