DISCLAIMER: Megaman X and all Mavericks and Maverick Hunters are copyright to Capcom. Sailor Saturn and the Sailor Scouts are copyright to Naoko Takeuchi. I take no credit for them whatsoever.
Part Six: Capture
When X, Hotaru, and Storm Eagle returned to HQ, they told Zero what had happened.
"What?" Zero questioned, "Sigma wants to capture Hotaru? Why?"
"After what she's done, you'd think he'd want to destroy her." Storm Eagle stated, "But Sigma is full of surprises. We can't be sure what he'll do if he gets his hands on Hotaru."
"My guess," X said, "Is that he wants to make her work for him."
"If that's true then Sigma won't be getting what he wants." Hotaru responded, "I would never turn my back on you. You're my friends."
"We know you wouldn't betray us Hotaru, but..."
Hotaru looked at X questioningly. "But what?"
"I think it would be best if you tagged along with Zero for a while..."
Now everyone gave X confused stares.
"Why, X?" Hotaru inquired, "You know that I'm supposed to help you to defeat the Mavericks!"
"I think X is right," Zero explained, you should stay with me, and away from the Mavericks; at least until we're sure what Sigma wants to do with you."
Hotaru nodded. "But-!"
"Hotaru, they're only doing what they're programmed to do." Storm Eagle explained, "Their primary function is to protect humans."
"Exactly," X said. "At this point in time it's too dangerous to help us with the Mavericks. Stay with Zero, where it's safer, and help him find Sigma's fortress."
"Alright..." Hotaru sighed.
"In the meantime," X said, looking at Storm Eagle, "Which Maverick are we going after next?"
"It would make sense to find Armored Armadillo next." Storm Eagle answered, "After all, he's weak against the technique that you've just received from defeating Spark Mandrill. We will find him somewhere in the mines within the mountains to the northeast."
"Great, let's get going." X turned once again to Hotaru. "Sorry Hotaru... I just think you'll be safer with Zero."
"It's okay X." Hotaru said, "I understand."
X and Storm Eagle left HQ for the mountains, and Hotaru turned to Zero.
"So, where do we start?" She asked.
Zero sighed. "Your guess is as good as mine..."
"X, I know that you're programmed to protect humans," Storm Eagle said to X on their way to the mountains, "But don't you think that Hotaru can handle herself? She's very strong for a human."
"I know..." X sighed, "It's just... I don't want to risk letting her get hurt again."
"Again?"
"When Hotaru and I were fighting Flame Mammoth, he almost killed her... I don't want anything like that to happen again."
"I see..."
"Zero," Hotaru said, "Is that a lighthouse?"
Zero looked to where Hotaru was talking about. "Yeah. It hasn't been running in years though." Zero paused for a moment. "Hold on... my sensors are picking up a signal from inside... it's a Maverick!!"
"Should we go in after it?"
"Well... Hotaru, see... X sent you with me so that you would stay away from the Mavericks. I don't think—"
"Zero! Isn't it your duty as a Maverick Hunter to take down any Maverick that you may find?"
"Yes, but it's too dangerous for you to go with me! X ordered you to come with me so that you'd be safe from Sigma and his Mavericks. If I go in to face that Maverick, I'd have to leave you alone out here, and that would be dangerous too."
"Then leave me. I'll be fine." Hotaru said, "You need to take down that Maverick."
"But Hotaru—"
"Go, Zero."
Zero sighed. "Fine, but please, be careful, and don't leave the area!"
"I won't." Hotaru promised, "Now go!"
Zero nodded and headed towards the lighthouse.
Boomer Kuwanger stared out the window of the top of the lighthouse. He chuckled slightly.
"Well what do you know?" He asked himself, "There's that girl Vile told me about... and it seems that Zero intends to pay me a little visit. How fun. But I can't capture the girl and deal with Zero all at once..."
Boomer went over to a large screen, just like the ones in any other Maverick's hideout, and used it to contact Sting Chameleon.
"What?" Sting Chameleon hissed with annoyance.
"I have a favor to ask of you." Boomer answered, "How fast do you think you can get over here?"
X and Storm Eagle had already made it to the mountains and were progressing into the cave where Storm Eagle said they would find Armored Armadillo.
"This will be faster." Storm Eagle pointed out, motioning towards an old mine cart.
"Good idea." X agreed. The two of them got onto the mine cart and sped onward into the cave, passing mechanical bats and birds as they went along. Soon though, the mine cart's track ended and they had to continue on foot. Destroying the bats and such as they pressed on was no problem at all. The difficulty lied in the two large bulldozer-like machines that chased after them at certain points during their trek. The two Hunters made it though the cave eventually, though, using mine carts when they were available. The last mine cart thrust them out of the cave and onto the ledge of a cliff, and the familiar steel door before them marked the quarters of Armored Armadillo.
Zero had easily made it up to the top of the lighthouse, and before him was the door to the room where he knew the Maverick would be. He opened the door and went through the hall to the other door. He opened this one as well, and stood before the Maverick that his sensors had picked up.
"It's about time you got here." The Maverick said, "I am Boomer Kuwanger. Welcome."
Zero began to charge up his buster gun. "Will you power down and come back to HQ peacefully, or will I have to destroy you?"
Boomer laughed. "But if I power down, we won't be able to have any fun. And if I destroy you, I will get credit for destroying a Maverick Hunter, and my partner will get credit for capturing the girl."
Zero's eyes widened. He shouldn't have left Hotaru alone! He quickly turned and tried to leave the room, but the door was locked. He shot a strong blast from his buster gun at it, but it didn't even scratch the surface. Zero angrily turned to face Boomer.
"Don't you dare hurt her!!" Zero shouted.
"I won't hurt her. Although I can't say the same for my partner..."
Zero knew that this Maverick definitely wasn't planning to power down. But he wasn't really thinking about that now anyway. He powered up his buster gun again, and this time, fired it at Boomer. It looked like it would be a perfect hit; but still, Zero missed, for Boomer disappeared.
Zero didn't realize it, but Boomer reappeared right behind him. Boomer then threw a bladed boomerang at Zero from behind, which he had taken off of his helmet. Zero collapsed in surprise, but got up immediately and fired at Boomer once more. This time he managed to get a hit before Boomer disappeared again.
Meanwhile, X and Storm Eagle were having some trouble of their own. All X had to do was hit Armored Armadillo with the electrical power he had gained from Spark Mandrill, and he would be weakened a great deal. But this was easier said then done; Armored Armadillo wouldn't stay still long enough to be hit. But Storm Eagle had an idea to slow him down. He made strong winds blow throughout the whole room non-stop. Just as he had hoped, the harsh wind slowed him down, and gave X the chance to hit him with the electric shock. The Armadillo's armor fell off, leaving him vulnerable.
"Nice little trick..." Armored Armadillo growled, "But I assure you, it won't happen again!"
Since he was no longer weighed down by his armor, the armadillo was much faster. But Storm Eagle kept the wind blowing hard all the same, and soon X was able to get a few shots in.
Hotaru sat on a large rock waiting for Zero to return. She sighed.
"It sure is taking him a while," she said to herself.
Just then she thought she heard something moving behind her.
"Who's there??" She questioned, turning around quickly. But she saw no one. Hotaru assured herself that it was only her imagination, and ignored it. However, it happened again. Once more she looked around, but saw nothing. She took her pen out of her pocket and got ready to transform in case she needed to.
'What am I doing?' She thought, 'There's nothing here... I'm just imagining things...'
Hotaru was about to put her pen back into her pocket when she felt something wrap around her and lift her high off of the ground. The shock caused her to drop her pen, which prevented her from transforming. She screamed and started to struggle, hoping to break free of whatever it was that had her in its grip. Then she finally saw it.
It seemed that out of thin air, a giant chameleon appeared. Its tail was wrapped tightly around her, and its eyes were locked with her own. Its tongue flicked in and out of its giant mouth, and it grinned.
"Hehehe..." The chameleon cackled, "That was far too easy... Lord Sigma will be pleased with me, he will!"
"Lord Sigma?" Hotaru gasped, "Then that means you're a Maverick!!"
"But of course, but of course!" The chameleon replied, "I am Sting Chameleon, I am!"
"Let me go!" Hotaru commanded, "I demand a fair fight you snake!"
"I am not a snake. I am a chameleon, a chameleon! But what are you...? You are much too light to be a reploid, yes, much too light..."
Hotaru stayed silent. She didn't want to let this thing know that she was human. Not until she was able to fight back, but for that she needed to transform, which meant that she needed her pen, which was now lying on the ground beneath her.
"Not telling?" Sting inquired, tightening his grasp on Hotaru.
"Put me down!!" Hotaru shouted.
"You are crazy, yes you are!" Sting laughed, now starting to shake Hotaru, "I have caught you, and now I will present you to Lord Sigma!! I will surely be rewarded, I will!"
Now Sting Chameleon started moving excitedly away from the lighthouse and towards the northwest.
"HELP!" Hotaru screamed.
Zero stopped cold when he heard Hotaru's scream for help.
"HOTARU!" He cried out in worry.
This distraction was enough to give Boomer the chance to knock Zero down once again. He then threw his bladed boomerang at Zero's back before he had a chance to get up, leaving a large gash behind.
Zero stood up again (with a bit of trouble), and began to charge his buster gun.
"You don't give up, do you?" Boomer laughed.
"No." Zero fired his blast, but alas, missed again. Boomer was too fast!! Zero did the best thing he could think of at this point: called for backup. He pressed the S.O.S. button on his arm, hoping X wasn't too far away...
Together, X and Storm Eagle had finally defeated Armored Armadillo. X copied his technique, and the two prepared to leave. A small red light flashed on X's arm, and he opened the hatch just above his wrist to reveal the small control panel installed there. A quick look at the screen, and he knew what was going on.
"Zero needs help!" He said urgently.
"But Hotaru's with him! If he's in trouble, then—" Storm Eagle didn't need to finish. X knew what he meant. "Where is he?"
"I have a lock on his signal... he's at the lighthouse!"
"The lighthouse? That's where Boomer Kuwanger's stationed!"
X and Storm Eagle rushed to the lighthouse. Would they be able to get there in time?
A LITTLE LATER...
Zero wasn't faring well against Boomer Kuwanger. He had been damaged pretty badly by now, and hadn't done much to damage Boomer at all.
"Just surrender." Boomer said, then vanished, reappearing elsewhere, "You can't win." Once again, Boomer disappeared and re-emerged in another part of the room, as if he was showing off. "Haven't you had enough yet?"
Zero fired a quick blast at Boomer while he was busy taunting him. He managed to get a hit, this time doing more damage than his previous attempts. This knocked Boomer off of his feet for a moment, allowing Zero to strike him again. But this angered Boomer, and Boomer began to attack Zero mercilessly. Zero was knocked against the wall, and then struck repeatedly by Boomer's bladed boomerang.
"It won't open!!" X shouted to Storm Eagle, trying to open the sliding door that would lead to where Zero and Boomer were fighting.
"I can open it," Storm Eagle stated, revealing a hidden keypad next to the door. He entered a code and the door slid open. They hurried through the hall, and Storm Eagle opened the second door to show Zero slumped on the floor next to the wall, and Boomer continuing to beat him. Boomer hadn't noticed that they had entered, so X and Storm Eagle both used this to their advantage. Each of them fired their weapons with as much power as possible, severely damaging Boomer.
Boomer whirled around in shock. "X! What an... unpleasant surprise... and STORM EAGLE?? What are you doing with him??"
"I've joined the Maverick Hunters!" Storm Eagle answered.
"Then you will die with them!!" Boomer threw his boomerang at Storm Eagle, but Storm Eagle fired a huge gust of wind and blew it away. As the two of them began to fight one another, X ran over to check on Zero.
"Zero!" He said quietly, "Are you okay?"
"They... they..." Zero stammered, "They..."
"What? They who?"
"The Mavericks!! They... they got her! They got Hotaru!!"
"WHAT??" X exclaimed, his mind being overcome with rage, "NO!"
X turned and fired a powerful blast at Boomer while Storm Eagle was distracting him. Together, X and Storm Eagle defeated Boomer in the same manner that they had beaten Armored Armadillo. X copied his technique, and then hurried back over to Zero.
"You sure you're okay?" He asked.
"My auto-repair system is taking care of my damage," Zero said.
"Good, do you know where they took Hotaru??"
"To Sigma, I'm sure..."
"Who took her?" Storm Eagle asked.
"I don't know... Boomer Kuwanger didn't say."
"PUT ME DOWN!!" Hotaru screamed.
Sting Chameleon didn't even bother to answer her. He only continued on his way through the forest, still carrying Hotaru in his tail. He came to some familiar steel doors and passed through them into what Hotaru knew must be his quarters. Still not releasing Hotaru, he made his way to the large screen on the other side of the room (which was partly hidden by vines, as well as most of the rest of the room), and used it to contact Vile. Vile appeared on the screen almost instantly.
"Vile," Sting Chameleon said with a chuckle, "Look what I have caught, look!"
Sting Chameleon held up Hotaru, who still hadn't given up struggling.
"Marvelous." Vile answered, "Don't loose her. I'll be coming to retrieve her soon."
"Yes Vile."
The screen shut off, and Sting Chameleon put Hotaru down. She immediately ran over to the door and tried to open it, but she couldn't. Sting Chameleon only laughed at her and watched her while she continued trying to get it open.