Chapter 4: Aries confronts Nightshade
The next day, X and Zero, along with Nightshade, were out in the area of the city near where the decoy smugglers had been ambushed the previous night. Since they had a few minutes to themselves, X was talking to Nightshade while Zero went off to do something.
"So, you don't remember anything from before you woke up at HQ?" asked X, who was determined to help Nightshade get his mind back together, mostly so that he could ensure that the mysterious Zero look alike wouldn't go berserk as Zero had done several times.
Nightshade ran a hand through his white ponytail as he thought hard. "Well, I do remember a big, sharp pain that hit me right in the head, and that's about it," he said, rubbing his helmet gem with his other hand.
Zero had first suggested breaking Nightshade's gem, much like his original had been broken, just in case it was used as a means of forging a link for outside mind control. However, after a very thorough examination, Gadget had determined that the crystal was just for show, that it really didn't serve much of a purpose, just like Zero's current crystal.
"Well, the power surge you got when you were absorbing Zero's data did fry your memory drive, as well as your original directives. That being the case, I guess that means you'll be a Maverick Hunter like the rest of us," said X, nodding his head.
"Well, since I did get some personality aspects of Zero from this data transfer, I have just as much desire to defeat the Mavericks as he does," said Nightshade, and then his face suddenly became serious. "I especially have to make sure that I don't live with the legacy of my predecessor, the Black Zero. After Zero told me about him, I decided that I would do everything in my power to prevent myself from ending up that same way. I refuse to be a monster."
"Hey, who's up for a cold drink?" called Zero, who suddenly came walking up, carrying three large cups filled with soda. "Here, I didn't know what you would like, Nightshade, so I got you a Dr. Pepper, just like me. I got you your favorite, X, Sprite."
"Thanks, old buddy!" said X, taking a sip from his cup.
"Yeah, thanks, that was cool!" said Nightshade cheerfully, taking a fair-sized swallow of his Dr. Pepper.
Zero took a drink of his own soda. "So, Nightshade, you say that you ran into Aries the Solo Hunter?" he asked, wiping the remaining moisture from around his mouth.
Nightshade nodded. "Yeah, I sure did. I was surprised when I saw that she looked a lot like you, Zero. Is she like your twin sister or something?"
Zero shook his head. "No, she's not related to me. It's just that her creator, Dr. Wilcox, really admired me back when I became a Maverick Hunter, some time before the outbreak of the first Maverick War. I let him study my schematics, or blueprints, and he built her based on his own studies of my construction," he said.
"Wow, I figured you'd be the last Reploid to let a stranger study your construction so he could build his own Reploid," said Nightshade, taking a few more drinks.
"Well, Wilcox was a friend of Dr. Cain, and they had worked together when the Reploids were first being constructed. Besides, X was Dr. Cain's assistant at the time, so he was with Wilcox at all times. It's not like I was afraid of having my data used to raise all seven circles of Hell."
"Excuse me, but can I talk to you?"
The three Hunters turned to where the voice had come from, just as Aries suddenly dropped out of the branches of a tree about ten feet away from them.
"Hey, isn't this a surprise!" said Nightshade, feeling excited to see her again, although he wasn't sure why he was feeling giddy inside.
Aries walked up to them. "Yes, I decided that since you guys were out here, I should take the time to talk to you," she said as naturally as possible. She stole a quick, suspicious glance at Nightshade, but quickly hid it with a friendly smile.
"Well, it seems that you were saved by our newest teammate, Aries," said Zero. "It's good to finally meet you."
"Yes, the feeling is mutual," said Aries, "to you and the famous Megaman X." She turned to look back at Nightshade. "I also wanted to say thank you for saving me back there," she said, trying not to lose her friendly act.
"Well, I'm just glad that you weren't hurt, Aries," said Nightshade. "Anyway, my name is Nightshade Zero Mach-2, but I've shortened it to plain Nightshade."
Aries' eyes actually widened a bit in surprise when she heard his name. 'Nightshade Zero Mach-2? But, that means that he's a second one! Not only that, but his face is completely different!' she thought, feeling puzzled. 'Still, I shouldn't pass judgment yet. After all, a Reploid like Black Zero could easily have disguised himself. I'll have to find out more information.'
"Listen, I know you guys are probably really busy," she said, "but I would really like to talk to you guys. Especially you, Nightshade."
"Hey, that's no problem, we're on a full hour lunch break right now," said X with a smile. "Why don't you join us, Aries, that way we can talk while we eat?"
Aries smiled and nodded. "That sounds just fine," she said.
As the four of them walked, Aries hung at the back with Nightshade. Whenever he wasn't looking, she would always steal suspicious looks at him. She still wasn't sure what to think of this new Black Zero, or why he was working with the Maverick Hunters. From what she knew of the one she had seen, he would have probably tried to hack the Hunters to pieces.
'Okay, Aries, it's time to make your move! If it turns out that he is the same Black Zero that I'm looking for, I'll show him no mercy!' she thought.
She was so deep in thought that she almost didn't notice when Nightshade held out a bowl of garlic ramen that he had purchased from a nearby noodle cart. "Hey, this is my favorite ramen flavor!" she said excitedly, before looking at Nightshade in surprise. "But, how did you know I liked this?" she asked.
"I don't really know," said Nightshade with a shrug. "I just had a feeling I should get you this kind." He handed her the bowl, and picked up some of his shark fin ramen with his chopsticks. "Besides, it's always more fun if everyone in the group eats together," he added, giving her his care-free smile, which he always seemed to wear.
Aries couldn't help blushing slightly as she too began eating. She actually pushed all thoughts of questioning him so that she could enjoy herself. She was really starting to wonder if maybe this really was a different Black Zero than the one she remembered. Still, she was determined to ask him herself.
"Hey, how does it taste?" asked X, looking up from his beef ramen.
"It's delicious, but I feel bad for making you guys have to cover me," she said as she discarded the empty bowl.
"Hey, it's no trouble at all," said Nightshade as he put a hand on her shoulder guard. Even though he was just touching the armor, he suddenly felt an odd fluttering in the pit of his stomach, as well as slight warmth in his face. 'Boy, she sure is pretty,' he thought as he drew his hand away, gazing at her face.
"So, what is it that you wanted to talk to us about?" asked X, his voice slightly muffled due to the noodles he was pulling up into his mouth.
"You might say I'm looking for somebody," said Aries, ready to confront Nightshade. "I'm looking for a Reploid, one that I met during the Third Maverick War."
"What was this Reploid, a friend of yours?" asked Zero, his interest suddenly piqued.
Suddenly, Aries' calm appearance became angry and forbidding. "I'm looking for the black Reploid that killed my creator and destroyed my life!" She glared furiously at Nightshade, quickly drawing and activating her saber. "Black Zero, if that's who you are, I've come to get revenge on you for what you did all those years ago!"
Before any of the three surprised Reploids could respond to this, something large suddenly crashed to the ground near them, nearly knocking them off their feet. It was a massive Mechaniloid that looked like a freaky insect. Its armor was a mixture of red and black, and the end of its hands were tipped with razor sharp blades. Its red eyes burned angrilly as it roared.
"What in the world is that thing?" yelled Aries, almost rooted to the spot in shock.
"Whatever it is, it's not a good thing!" shouted X, preparing his X-Buster. Just then, he saw someone pinned to the ground by one of the Mechaniloid's feet. It was Nightshade!
"Zero, Nightshade's in trouble!" called X to the red Hunter, who was clutching his Z-Saber, looking for an opening.
"Hang on, I'll try to get to him!" said Zero, barely managing to dodge one of the Mechaniloid's blades.
A loud growling grabbed everyone's attention. As they watched, Nightshade suddenly got up, lifting the Mechaniloid's leg off of him…and snapping part of it off as though it were made of matchwood. He raised his head so that his face could be seen, and it had changed dramatically.
His red eyes were wide, almost as though they were brimming with untapped insanity. He was breathing hard, his lips pulled away from his teeth, which seemed to be glistening in a menacing way. He looked like he was ready to kill, and the snarl of rage he made as he drew his saber only further hinted at that.
He slashed at the Mechaniloid with a flurry of rapid strokes of his saber. Although it was a good three times bigger than the crazed swordsman, it was actually backing away from him, occasionally slashing at him with its own blades.
Aries watched the fight, her eyes never once leaving Nightshade. "Look how he fights," she said to herself. "He must be that same one I remember."
"No, you've got the wrong Reploid," said X, startling her slightly. "The Black Zero that you know was destroyed by the real Zero during the Third Maverick War. Nightshade is just another version built by someone else. We found him only yesterday."
Aries looked at him, her mouth almost hanging completely open in shock. "You mean that Nightshade is a totally different Reploid from that Black Zero?" she asked.
"X, look out!" cried Zero.
X and Aries looked just in time to see the Mechaniloid neglecting the savage Nightshade to bring some of its blades speeding towards them. X managed to dash out of the way, but Aries was too freaked out to do anything but stand there, looking in terror at her potential demise.
Suddenly, someone dashed and stopped directly in the path of the blades. Aries closed her eyes for a few brief seconds when she heard the shunk noise made by a razor sharp blade striking metal. She couldn't contain her surprise when she saw who it was.
"Nightshade!" she gasped.
Nightshade stood with his back to her. The blades had speared the area surrounding his left shoulder, staining them and his armor with blood and mechanical fluids. The stance he was assuming gave the impression that he had struck with his saber. Moments later, the arm split apart, about three feet from Nightshade's shoulder. The Mechaniloid leapt backwards, crying out.
Nightshade suppressed a groan of pain as he pulled the severed arm from his shoulder and tossed it away. He looked over at X and Zero, who were looking at him in amazement, and with an apologetic grin, said, "Sorry for losing my cool back there, you guys. I'm probably in serious trouble for acting like a spaz."
"Nightshade, you got injured trying to protect me," said Aries in a small voice, causing him to turn towards her. "Why did you defend me, especially after I said I wanted revenge on you?"
Nightshade once again gave her his care-free smile, this time causing her heart(or whatever Reploids have for hearts)to skip a beat. "Don't worry about me, my condition isn't relevant right now," he said. His face suddenly became sad, almost mournful. "Besides, even if parts of my soul have come from Zero and his memories of his friends, I can't just let innocent people get hurt or killed right in front of me. That's the way I feel inside, just myself."
Aries just looked at Nightshade, all of her anger and misconceptions about him suddenly fading away. 'He's completely different from the Black Zero. He doesn't delight in killing, nor does he have any ill intent behind his actions. He can't be that monster I remember from my past,' she thought, her eyes wide and her heart swelling with warmth.
Nightshade looked at X and Zero. "Zero, do you still have your Z-Buster weapon?" he called, his face serious.
Zero responded by nodding his head and converting his left arm into the cannon.
"Okay, when I say now, both of you hit that thing with your strongest Buster shots!" said Nightshade, suddenly dashing towards the Mechaniloid in a zigzag fashion, his saber held at the ready. When the Mechaniloid charged at him, its good arm raised to strike, Nightshade glanced back at the other two Hunters and yelled, "NOW!"
X and Zero complied, their combined blasts hitting the Mechaniloid right in the area where its upper and lower halves were joined. The main portion of the lower half was blown up, sending the rest of the body up into the air, flailing and shrieking. Nightshade activated his dash jets in such a way that he shot up into the air above the Mechaniloid, his saber raised over his head.
"SCREAMING SPIRIT CUTTER!" he cried, rapidly slashing with his saber. The blade was moving so fast, it seemed that it had become a blue blur, blinking in and out of view without being attached to anything. As Nightshade descended, the Mechaniloid began to split apart at various locations, only to give off a bright light before exploding in an enormous plume of flame. Nightshade landed on the ground in a perfect ninja stance, while flaming debris collapsed to the ground around him.
"Awesome work, Nightshade!" said Zero, returning his Z-Saber to its holster.
"Yeah, you're fast on your way to becoming a master Maverick Hunter!" said X, giving him the thumbs-up.
Nightshade put away his own saber and said, "Yeah, I guess I did okay. At least I didn't kill that thing while I was still crazy."
He suddenly heard a strange noise that he immediately knew was the sound of an activating Buster cannon. He turned completely to his left, and saw Aries pointing her right arm, which was now a Buster cannon, right at his head. It was adorned on the sides and top with a pink, diamond-shaped crystal.
"I know your friends told me that you're not him, but I have to hear the truth from you," she said. She was glaring, but it was forced; in reality, she was hoping to high heaven that this was the wrong Reploid.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the odd sensation of fear she had about the possible response. "That Black Zero, the one who killed my creator and almost completely destroyed my home during the Third Maverick War…was it you?" she asked, bracing herself.
Nightshade stared at her with blank eyes. "I was not even built by that time," he said in a gentle voice. "According to my internal diagnostics, I was first activated a mere three weeks ago. I have no individual memories of that time, nor do I retain any data on my predecessor, the one you seek."
Aries felt a strange sense of relief, as though she had been hoping Nightshade would say he was the wrong Reploid. She lowered her arm, changing it back from the Buster. She lowered her head, afraid to look at his face. 'I jumped to conclusions, and I almost hurt an innocent Reploid because of it. I feel like such a fool,' she thought to herself. "I-I'm so sorry, Nightshade, for what I said earlier," she said nervously, turning her head slightly to better avoid looking at him. "I should have just tried to find out about you myself before judging you as the Black Zero."
"That doesn't seem like you."
Nightshade's comment caused her head to snap up, so she could look at his face. Instead of looking angry, he looked almost…cheerful.
"Aries, one of the things that come with a soul is the ability to make mistakes. I probably would have done the same thing you did if I were in your position. And besides, you don't seem the person that gets all flustered and upset. Happiness, confidence, and determination, that's what suits you," he said, and he flashed his care-free smile yet again.
For some reason, that smile brightened up her mood in the blink of an eye. She couldn't help first giggling, then laughing at Nightshade's comical version of cheering her up. "Thanks, Nightshade. That was a big help. I'm really glad that you weren't pissed at me," she said.
"Ah, don't worry about it. I've got a feeling life is going to be Hell for me, but I'm not really worried."
"Why is that?" asked Aries, looking curious.
This time, Nightshade's smile was slightly reminiscent of somebody trying to put up a suave front for a hot girl. "Because not only do I have friends in the Maverick Hunters, I also get to work with a babe like you," he said.
Aries blushed like crazy, while X and Zero tried hard to keep from laughing.