"I am curious as to why Sunstar attacked Zero and called him Red Demon." Medic said.
"I bet It has to do with my new form. How did Sunstar know? This was my first time becoming the Red Demon." Zero replied.
At that moment, Megaman Zero arrived with Alouette and Ceil, who was holding the Pure. Alouette clung to Megaman Zero for all she was worth. The Pure started flashing.
"I though he was supposed to be asleep." Megaman Zero turned to her.
"Relax. He is talking in Elf code. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a number of flashes. A is one flash, B is two flashes, and so on, until you get to E, which is one long flash. Two long flashes mean J, three means O, and you get the idea. I know Elf code so let me translate. Two long flashes by two short flashes, L, one long flash by four short flashes, I, one long flash by two short flashes, g, Light? Two long flashes by two short flashes, L again, one short flash, A, two short flashes, B, Lab? Light Lab?" Ceil looked up.
"He means Light Laboratories." Megaman Zero clarified, "Two long flashes by three short flashes, M, one long flash, E, Me? Another m, mem? Oh! Memory!"
"He told me to take X and go to the Light Laboratories because we need to recall memories." Zero remembered, "I didn't understand what he met, and I still don't get it."
"I guess he means we need to go to Light Laboratories and it will become clear." X said, "We'll go out as soon as things calm down here."
It was four days before they were able to go out on their new mission. Axl was bummed that he couldn't go, but he agreed to stay behind to help protect HQ. Signus ordered patrols around HQ around the clock. Navigators were required to armor up for duty and to take lessons from several of the Hunters in combat training. Signus swore that Mars's invasion would never have a chance to repeat itself. They had been caught with their guard down and Signus didn't like it one bit. X and Zero, on hover cycles, hit the main highway. It had taken a lot of cajoling and downright begging on Zero's part followed by Douglas making him swear on Medic's life that he would not bust the new cycle. X veered to the left, buster out. Zero tensed. There were several flashes of light as X fired his buster. Zero got closer to see a group of Metools reduced to scrap.
"You damage them enough?" Zero asked.
"They are Metools and they are Mavericks. Normal Metools don't go on a rampage and damage the highway." X replied.
The ride was mostly quiet after that. Zero knew something was bothering X. He decided to question X about it.
"X, is there something bugging you?" he asked, "You are never that violent against an enemy."
"I'm fine. I'm not used to the new armor." X looked ahead, slowing to a stop for a red light as they left the highway.
"X, I know you too well. Spit it out." Zero ordered.
"It's the Pure." X said finally, "Neptune had some of it, but Mars didn't have any of it. Where did it go? back when I fought him, he was literally drowning in it. Something isn't right here and it is bothering me."
The light changed at last and they moved into downtown traffic.
"That is it? Are you sure your death and revival has nothing to do with it?" Zero asked, "I've seen the looks you've been getting. I nearly chewed out a veteran hunter because of it. He is lucky Signus was with me or else I would have left him with bleeding ears."
"I think they hate me for it." X looked away, "Zero, I don't think I can be the Supreme Commander of the Maverick Hunters anymore."
"What? X! you loved being the Supreme Commander!" Zero sputtered in shock, "They don't hate you."
"Do you know who revived me?" X suddenly whipped to him, "I was revived by the enemy! They are waiting for me to go Maverick! I know it!"
"Sungod is not the enemy!" Zero screamed back.
"Will you think about it for a minute? Sungod is Sunstar!" X shot back.
"Sungod is a golden seraph! Sunstar is an egomaniac hell-bent on destroying all that is good! They are different people! Sungod saved Axl and me from certain death, and he revived you!" Zero hissed, "Erzähl mir nicht solche Scheiße!"
"Didn't you hear what Ceil told us? She is as shell shocked as you are! Lass das! Zero!" X snapped back at him, "Even I'm shocked! I'm the one who has to deal with it! I was revived by the very thing I'm trying to defeat!"
"You are not the enemy!" Zero spat, "You are my best friend, and I believe Sungod is on our side!"
"Sunstar is planning something that has to do with me! I'm going to go Maverick, and that promise still stands!" X looked back to the road and turned a corner.
Zero swallowed, knowing what X meant. Years ago, X had made Zero promise him that if he should ever turn Maverick, Zero would have to kill him. Zero closed his eyes for a second and sighed. He then followed X around the corner. They had reached the laboratories of Dr. Light. Currently, the once expansive lab was in disrepair. It was mostly underground. Zero followed X quietly. They turned on flashlights. Zero searched for a light switch and flipped it. X yelped and spun, buster ready to fire.
"Relax, X. It's just a light switch." Zero winced as X couldn't stop the shot that slammed into the wall millimeters from the light switch. Zero stared at the marks in shock, "X, you don't miss."
"I missed?" X went for a closer look, "Zero, There is something wrong with me. I don't miss. I always hit my targets."
"Don't panic. Cyber Elf X sent us here to remember, but I'm not remembering." Zero whispered back.
"You won't remember until you download the memories first."
"X wait!" Zero managed to direct X's shot away from the computer screen, "I know you!"
"You should. I'm Dr. Albert Willy, and I was the one who created you, Zero." the image on the screen spoke.
"Dr. Willy?" Zero stared at the image of his creator in near shock.
"Shocked? I am not the madman your dreams have made me out to be. Don't be shocked. Those dreams are really suppressed memories from the end of my evil reign. Megaman set me free from the darkness and I returned to Dr. Light. I decided to put you through the same testing Light was putting X through. The disks are here. Zero, you have the red disk. X, you have the blue disk. The memories are not all good. I hoped this day would never come." Dr. Willy sighed.
Zero picked up the disks and handed X the blue disk. They both inserted the disks into themselves at the same time. Zero sank to his knees as the memories came. X managed to make it to a chair before collapsing.
X's Memories
A capsule. He was laying in a capsule. A heavy set man looked down at him with a sad smile. X recognized the man as Dr. Light.
"X, your older brother, Megaman, he died today." Light choked up, "Protoman brought him back to us. I'm worried about him. He is your other older brother. I've never seen him so sad. I found him crying in the kitchen earlier." Light stopped to wipe away tears, "Sunstar is finally gone, but the price was too much!"
"Dr. Willy! What are you doing here?" a female voice screamed suddenly, "What do you want with us? Isn't Megaman's death enough for you? Are you here to gloat?"
"Roll?" Light turned to leave, "I'll be back in a minute, X."
He found he could hear the heated discussion upstairs.
"Willy? Why are you here?" Light asked.
There was the sound of something metal dropping to the ground.
"I've been used." Willy spat.
"What?" Light asked, "What do you mean?"
"See for yourself." Willy kicked something across the floor to Light, who bent down to pick it up.
"What is this thing?" Light stared at the small black box with several black wires sticking out of it.
"It's a mind control device. I noticed a wire sticking out of my neck last night and I had Cutman run a scan on me. He removed that thing. I was being used." Willy explained, "It wasn't me behind those crimes I committed with the Robot Masters. Someone was using me."
"I don't believe you!" Roll spat, "This is a trick!"
"No trick." Bass walked into the room, "I scanned that thing myself. The energy signature is nearly untraceable. Willy, I sent Zero out to follow the trace. He last reported that he found another relay station and is working with the humans there to disrupt the signature. I told him to stay there until I got there. Protoman, do you want to come? It won't bring him back, but it may lead us to answers."
"I'll go." Protoman's voice was flat.
"I believe you because?" Roll asked acidly.
"I believe them." Protoman turned to her, his dark blue, nearly purple eyes meeting her blue ones.
"It could be a trick!" Roll screamed.
"Who is Zero?" Light asked, "Why don't we all come in and sit in the living room so Willy can explain. Roll, why don't you bring us some coffee?"
They all moved to the living room while Roll got busy in the kitchen. X increased his hearing range to be able to hear them better. He didn't know why, but something told him he was going to need to know this information for later.
"Thanks, Roll." Light took a cup of coffee while Willy stared at his cup of coffee like it might come alive and bite him. He sighed, and took a tentative taste.
"Megaman Zero Willy is my last great creation. He is far more advanced then the Robot Masters. I have been training him, teaching him, and now he is tracking the signature. He is powerful, and I know he will be an asset to humanity now that I'm free." Willy explained, "He is like Megaman X Light in a way. Skull Fortress came under attack, killing many of my Robot Masters, and Alouette, my grand daughter. She shoved me, Bass, and Zero into escape pods but she was shot. As she died before us, she managed to launch the escape pods."
"What attacked your base?" Light asked.
"I don't know, but it looks like a taller version of Megaman wearing black armor." Willy explained, "I sent Bass back and he returned with several visual and audio recordings of the battle. It's not pretty."
Wordlessly, Bass stood and inserted the tape into the VCR. The TV turned on and the tape began to play. Buster shots and crystals flew across the screen. Alouette screamed. Something was moving in the shadows. The screen shifted to show a black clad being with red eyes. The face zoomed in and Light gasped, recognizing his creation. His mind screamed that this couldn't be right, this couldn't be X. the camera shifted to Willy running beside Zero and Alouette, who suddenly keeled over, blood gushing from between her shoulder blades. Willy screamed, and Zero's face twisted into a look of pure rage. Alouette managed to scramble to her knees and the screen changed to the view from inside the escape capsule. Alouette was on the ground now and Zero was pounding hard on the door of the escape pod and screaming her name. the screen shook, then went dark.
The last part was me." Bass said, "Hold on, incoming transmission." Bass stood and left the room. When he came back, he was white. "That was Zero. The relay station is under attack by shadows. This happened right before Dark X came on Skull Island. Treble? Flight mode. Protoman, Get Rush and lets go."
Protoman whistled and Rush lopped into the room. He wasn't himself. His color was faded, and he moved about gloomily. Protoman gave him a command, and he slipped into flight mode. They both took off.
X found himself slipping into sleep mode sometime after that. Days went by, and he was allowed out of the capsule to get used to himself and his weapons. He never saw the one called Zero, but he did see Protoman a lot. Protoman took charge of training him. X crashed early one night after a brutal training session with Protoman. When he awoke, a red Reploid with long blond hair was standing over the capsule.
"You sure about this, Dr. Willy?" the Reploid asked.
"We don't have a choice, Zero." Dr. Willy slid open the capsule door, "You can't take him on your own. X here can help you. It is for the best. If he isn't stopped, we won't go there."
X allowed himself to be pulled from the capsule. A quick systems check told him he was at peak efficiency. Willy smiled.
"I'm Zero, and that is Dr. Willy, my creator. I need your help. I am fighting to save the whole world from Dark X, but I can't do it on my own. Will you help me, X?" Zero asked.
"Dark X?" X asked.
"Dark X is basically a dark version of you. He is not of this world. He is also responsible for controlling me. He has to be stopped or else. Light is gone. Roll, Bass, Protoman, gone. All of the Robot Masters still alive are waiting to help you. Please, we need your help." Willy explained.
"I'll help you. What to you want me to do?" X asked.
"Good, he is with us. You are with me. Let's go. Willy, navigate for us from here." Zero took the lead as he led X out of the house.
"Are you two reading me loud and clear?" Willy asked over their coms.
"I read you." Zero said.
"So do I." X added, "loud and clear."
"Dark X is over southern Metropolis, and headed toward you. Here he comes!" Willy replied.
The sky turned back as red beams of light crashed to the ground, vaporizing anything it touched. Zero bit back a cry of rage. X stared at the sky, and raised his buster which was maxed out. He counted to three, and fired. Something shrieked as the shot connected with something unseen.
"He's in the sky!" X cried out.
"Then we bring him down here!" Zero replied, firing both of his busters at once. They were greeted with another scream. A single red light slammed into the ground in front of them to reveal a figure in black armor. He had red eyes and a red crystal on his black helmet. The figure screamed again.
"That's Dark X?" X asked.
"Yes!" Zero dove to the ground to avoid a slew of rapid fire buster shots. X rolled to the side and came up firing his buster. Dark X screamed again, unfurling three pairs of long black wings. He charged forward, catching X in his claws.
"X!" Zero screamed, trying to line up a shot.
"Let me go!" X squirmed in the iron grip but couldn't get lose.
"Why should I?" Dark X hissed coldly.
X finally got a look at his captors face and screamed. He was staring at his own face.
"You can't be me! I'm not evil!" X cried out.
"Oh but you are. Feel the unholy darkness stirring deep within you. Embrace it." Dark X snarled.
"No! I won't let it happen!" Zero screamed, taking the shot. Dark X dropped X right into the blast, causing him to scream in agony as the shot tore through his armor to expose critical circuitry, "X! get out of here! You are badly hurt!"
X didn't move. He was laying on the ground, gasping, clearly going into shock. Dark X dove again, dropping something into the exposed wires in X's chest.
"I did what I came here for! Ha! Now we wait!" Dark X took off.
"Wait! No!" Zero ran to the fallen X, "You are going to be okay." he carefully scooped him up and ran back to Lights lab where Willy, who had seen the whole thing, had a repair bed set up and waiting. X was awake, which Willy said was a good thing. The damage wasn't too bad. Willy could repair him. It was the object that Dark X had put inside X that worried him. He tried to remove it, but it quickly proved to be impossible due to where it was at without causing more damage. A week later, the true horror unfolded. X snapped. Zero found himself fighting X and trying to reason with him. He managed to subdue X enough to get him down to the Lab and strapped down inside a capsule.
"it's a virus!" Willy read through the scan quickly, "I don't know if I can save him!"
"You have to try!" Zero protested.
"I've never seen a virus like this before! It has literally reprogrammed him! The antivirus programs I'm throwing at it don't seem to recognize it! There is one thing I can do." Willy typed in a code and the capsule sealed itself, "Problem is, it will take 30 years to work. We will leave him here and go back home to Skull Fortress."
"What did you do?" Zero asked fearfully.
"I activated Lights prototype antivirus program. If it works, the virus will be gone." Willy turned and left with Zero behind him.
Zero's Memories
"Good morning, Zero." a man smiled down at him, "I'm your creator, Dr. Willy."
"Morning, Dr. Willy." Zero sat up out of the capsule to see a mostly empty room. Willy smiled, his hand going to scratch an itch on the back of his neck. He felt a wire and his hand froze.
"Zero, why don't you go explore your home? Alouette? Show Zero around!" he waited until they both had left, "Cutman!"
Cutman, who looked like a red human with a pair of scissors sticking up out of his head, came into the room. Zero looked back, or tried to, but Alouette, who looked like a normal 14 year old human girl, was leading him away.
"I'm Alouette Willy, Dr. Willy's grand daughter. This place is where we live and it is called Skull Fortress." Alouette was saying as Zero tried to pay attention, "This here is Gutsman and next to him is Crystalman and Bass." Alouette introduced him to everybody. Willy came out, a bandage on his neck, and Cutman, with the telltale blood on his scissors.
"Cutman revolted!" Gutsman cried out, getting shushed by Crystalman.
Willy smiled, "Actually, Cutman set me free. I have been being used by someone, and I'm going to find out who."
"Grandfather, what makes you think you were being controlled?" Alouette asked.
"This, my dear." Willy held up a black box with several wires sticking out of it, "Bass, I want you and Crystalman working on figuring out what this is."
"Yes, Doctor." Crystalman went and took the device from Willy. He and Bass left the room for the computer lab. Zero found himself alone with Alouette again.
"Let's finish our tour." Alouette smiled, "This is the main area, and this way takes us to the labs. Here you will find the computer lab, work labs, and down this way takes you to the repair labs. Over here is the living quarters, where you will be given a room, and this way leads to the quarters I share with Grandpa. Alouette led him to a window, "And finally, we have the training facility over there, and that about covers it."
"You seem sad." Zero said.
"I wish I could go outside." Alouette replied, "I can't go outside because I could get sick. I have to stay in here so I don't get sick."
"How come?" Zero asked, curiously.
"Back when I was six years old, my immune system started to attack my nerves and muscles. I got sick with a common cold and it nearly killed me. My parents decided to send me to live with Grandpa where I wouldn't have to worry about getting sick. I miss being outside. To go outside, I have to wear a special suit that keeps me safe from getting sick." Alouette said, "I am slowly losing the use of my arms and legs. Anyway, enough about me. Do you know why Grandpa made you?"
"I'm not sure." Zero admitted, "I'm probably his newest Robot Master."
Days and weeks passed and Bass and Crystalman were no closer to finding out the truth of the black box. Zero was out on patrol when he saw Sunstar for the first time. Sunstar was beating on a small blue Reploid boy riding on a dog. They were out over the water. Zero was on a hover board so he was able to get closer.
"I won't back down!" the boy was screaming, "I'll stop you even if it costs me my life!"
"Very well, then!" Sunstar sneered, "Prepare to meet your maker!"
"My maker is still alive!" the boy spat.
"In that case, prepare to, um, give me a moment here… oh to heck with it. Prepare to die!" Sunstar charged his buster.
"a buster shot?" the boy dodged it, "come on! That's old!"
"Hold still, Megaman!" Sunstar fumed, charging up another shot, "Die!"
"Never!" Megaman screamed, coming in for a right cross followed by an uppercut to Sunstar's jaw.
"Idiot!" Sunstar released the shot he was charging. Megaman couldn't get out of the way fast enough and took the shot in the gut. He doubled over in pain, his arms wrapped around his stomach. Zero couldn't take anymore and charged in with a buster shot to Sunstar's face. As Sunstar reeled backward, a kick sent him flying into the ocean.
"Are you okay?" Zero asked Megaman, who nodded.
"Thanks for the reprieve." he said, "You must be Zero."
"I am Zero. Are you Megaman?" Zero asked.
"Yes, I am." Megaman said, "Watch out!" He shoved Zero back only to have a beam of light blast through his body. Zero screamed. Sunstar rose from the water snarling. White hot anger coursed through Zero's body. He became enveloped in silvery light. When it died down, Zero looked truly demonic. His red armor was now blood red. His helmet gained a pair of blood red wings. A pair of blood red wings adorned his back. His hands had become claws.
"Red Demon!" Sunstar spat.
Zero let lose with a primal scream as he charged at Sunstar, claws glinting. Sunstar stumbled backward in a vain attempt to avoid the oncoming demon hell-bent on leaving his remains as fish food. Below, several sharks circled, knowing that if Sunstar fell, they would have themselves a nice Stardroid dinner. Zero sank his claws into Sunstar's body and ripped out chunks of armor. He let them fall to the ocean where they vanished in seconds in a shark feeding frenzy. More and more of Sunstar's armor became shark food as Zero advanced.
"Stop, Zero!" Megaman reappeared. He was glowing from the inside out, "Please, stop."
The Red Demon and the robot boy locked eyes, blue meeting blue. Zero turned to face Megaman and began to back away from Sunstar. Sunstar saw his opportunity and lunged at Zero. A blast of something white hit him head on. Megaman tore his gaze away from Zero and turned to stare down Sunstar's blue eyes. Sunstar widened his eyes at the intensity of the stare. Something was closing around him. Zero let lose with another primal scream. Megaman turned to him. His glow was even brighter. Sunstar found himself unable to move as the coffin formed around him.
"Zero, snap out of it, please. I know you are there. I know you are scared. It's okay. Sunstar can't hurt you anymore." Megaman winced painfully, opening his arms to embrace the Red Demon. Zero felt love, warmth, and light fill his soul. His vision cleared and he was back to himself. Megaman winced, and crumbled into himself. The coffin fell to land on a beach. Megaman joined it seconds later. Zero helped him hide the coffin inside a cave.
"Zero… you can go… now. Protoman… is on his way…" Megaman gasped sharply.
"But Megaman!" Zero protested.
"Protoman will kill you!" Megaman screamed, "He sees you as a Willy bot and therefore, his sworn enemy!"
"But you are hurt bad! I can't leave you behind! What if he doesn't come?" Zero asked.
"He is here!" Megaman gasped, hearing familiar footsteps, "Go hide! Please!"
Zero shrank back into the shadows as Protoman arrived.
"Megaman!" Protoman gasped, "What happened?"
"I defeated Sunstar…" Megaman allowed Protoman to take him into his arms, "Sunstar is gone…"
"Shh, don't try to talk. Let me see where you are hurt." Protoman lifted his younger brother's hands away from his stomach. He winced, "Dad will have you fixed in no time. Rush is waiting outside."
"I can't be fixed this time, Protoman." Megaman looked up at his brother, "I'm fatally injured."
"No, don't talk like that! Dad can fix you! I promise!" Protoman took a closer look at Megaman's injuries, not wanting to believe what his younger brother was telling him. He knew the injury was fatal from the moment he first saw it.
"It hurts so much right now…" Megaman's body was shutting down and the brothers both knew it, "Protoman, I can't see you."
"It's okay. I'm right here." Protoman replied, "I'm right here."
"promise me you will tell Dad and Roll the truth. Tell them I defeated Sunstar. Tell them… I love them… that I'm waiting for them to join me on the other side. You too." Megaman was gasping now, "I'm cold."
"I promise." Protoman forced himself to swallow. He would not cry now.
"Protoman…" Megaman fell silent. Protoman felt him going still, "Protoman…"
"Megaman?" Protoman knew the horrible truth, but he didn't want to believe it. "Megaman!"
Zero waited, and watched. After a long while, Protoman stood and left the cave. Zero heard an engine roar to life as Protoman left. He sighed, and finally left the cave. It was a long flight back to Skull Fortress. He found Willy and told him the news. The doctor was shocked into silence. He then got up and locked himself in his quarters so Zero used the com to relay the news.
"He was our enemy. Why do I feel bad?" Gutsman turned to Iceman.
"We finally are rid of him, but it wasn't by our hands. I can only imagine how Dr. Light, Roll, and Protoman are taking it." Iceman answered.
Willy had changed a bit. He was no longer working the Robot Masters so hard. He had even taken up training Zero in combat. Zero proved to be excellent at ranged weapons and decent at hand to hand combat. Zero loved it when Alouette was allowed to come watch him spar with Gutsman. He was getting really good. Zero spent his time training with Gutsman and hanging out with Alouette and Bass.
"You think you can take me on? I heard you tell Gutsman after you defeated him for the 35th time that you could take me on." Bass cornered him, "I accept your challenge!"
"As do I. Gutsman is too easy." Zero remarked, "you are on."
"Meet me inside the training facility in ten minutes." Bass smiled as he left.
When Zero arrived, the stands were full. He spotted Alouette sitting next to Willy. Bass entered the training floor.
"I see you got everybody to watch us spar." Zero smiled, "You really want them to see you getting creamed?"
"Hey! The only one getting creamed today is you." Bass joked back as he warmed up, "I'm not going easy on you ether."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Zero replied, also warming up.
They faced each other.
"Battle Start!" Gutsman called as the two combatants charged forward.
Zero blocked Basses punch and delivered a kick to Basses shin. Bass back flipped out of range and let lose with a double shot from his busters. Zero turned sideways and let the hit fly by him before letting lose with several shots of his own. They went back and forward, trading blows and dodging what the other dished out at them. The Robot Masters cheered on their favorites. This went on for sometime until the whole island rocked in a violent explosion. Somebody screamed. Zero instantly turned to find Alouette huddled in Willy's arms.
"We are under attack!" Iceman screamed.
"Battle stations!" Willy barked out, "Bass, Zero, get Alouette to safety!"
"Yes, Doctor!" Bass called out as he and Zero rushed to Alouette's side. They quickly helped her into her EV suit and got her outside. Black shadows danced around them as Bass tried to put plasma bullets through them. They did no harm.
"What are these things?" Zero asked.
"I don't know!" Bass replied.
Alouette screamed and fell, a shadowed hand around her leg. It pulled her toward an open hole in the ground. She screamed again. Zero reached out for her and tried to pull her back. Bass shot plasma like a demented demon from hell at the shadow to no avail.
"It's no use! Plasma isn't working!" Alouette screamed, her feet dangling over the hole. Zero held her by the arms.
"Bass, try something else!" Zero screamed, "I can't stop her from going in!"
"Right!" Bass drew a sword and hacked the ground to pieces, "Swords out too!"
Zero kicked out in a vain attempt to stop their forward motion. The shadow lurched and his eyes went wide.
"That's it! Bass! Use your shadow to attack the shadow!" He screamed.
"How?" Bass asked.
"Attack using your shadow!" Zero cried out desperately. Alouette was half in the hole. Bass picked up his sword and lashed out, making the shadow of the sword hit the invading shadow. Zero was unprepared for Alouette to suddenly come flying up and out of the hole to land on his chest and lower body. He found himself being dragged toward the hole next. Alouette screamed. Bass spun and hacked through the shadows, releasing Zero.
"Shadow puppet." Alouette hissed, "it's a shadow controlled by another being."
Zero fired his buster in the air to watch as its shadow plowed through the shadows on the ground. The shadows retreated and more screams ripped their attention to the main building. They ran.
They got inside to see that many of their friends had fallen at the hands of someone in black. The figure turned.
"You can't be Megaman!" Bass screamed, "Megaman died a few days ago after defeating Sunstar!"
"I am called Dark X." Dark X advanced, "I am your downfall."
"Correction, we are your downfall!" Zero charged, busters firing, at Dark X. Dark X easily flipped Zero over his shoulder. Zero came down hard on the ground and promptly found himself serving as a step stool to Iceman, who was blasted backwards by one of Basses stray shots. Zero scrambled to his feet before anyone else could use him as a step stool. Dark X cut through Robot Masters left and right as if he were a hot knife cutting through butter. Zero grabbed Alouette and ran. Bass joined him seconds later with Willy. They raced to the escape pods, and Alouette suddenly cried out as something hit her between the shoulder blades. She fell forward, a red stain spreading between the shoulder blades. Dark X dawned behind her. She screamed, and somehow managed to lurch to her feet. She shoved them into the escape pods and sank to her knees. Turning, she reached for the button that would launch the two pods. Zero was screaming and pounding on the escape pod doors. Alouette finally reached the button and pushed it. The last they saw of her as the pods were launched was Alouette sinking to the ground with a soft sigh. The pods hit the beach gently and opened to expel their payload.
"Alouette!" Zero screamed, "We have to go back for her! She's hurt!"
"No, Zero. She is beyond all pain now." Willy explained gently, "She was dying as she saved us."
"But why didn't she join us?" Zero asked.
"Zero, she is dead. She gave her life so Dark X wouldn't kill us." Bass sighed, "What can we do now?"
"We go to Lights Laboratories. Dark X can not be stopped by you and Zero alone." Willy sighed, "Bass, I need you to go back and try to get something together that will show Light what happened."
"I'll go, Doctor." Bass said, "Zero? Can you track this signature?"
"Yes." Zero replied, glad for something to do that would take his mind off of Alouette. He took off, following the barely discernable trace.
"I have him following a signature." Bass explained to Willy before taking off. Willy decided to sit down and wait for Bass to return. It didn't take him long at all.
"What did you find?" Willy asked.
"Iceman is still alive along with Gutsman and Crystalman. I got the tape you wanted me to get." Bass replied.
"Good, Lets go." the two left for Light Laboratories
Zero felt the signature getting stronger. Good, he was getting closer to the source. His mind brought up Megaman, and Alouette. He swore under his breath, longing to punch something to vent. Megaman shouldn't have had to die. Nether should Alouette. He sighed thinking about Alouette. He remembered the times they had together. Zero shook his head. Not now, while on a mission. He focused on the signature, which by now was pulsing strongly. He came upon a relay station and scouted around it. It would be impossible to track the signature further unless the station was recalibrated to disrupt the signature. Zero went in and explained the problem to the person in charge. Pretty soon, the station was recalibrated and Zero was able to pick up the scent again. He came to a second relay station and scouted around it. Great. He would need to recalibrate this station too. Again, Zero went inside and explained the situation to the guy in charge. He then radioed Bass to explain what was happening.
They came from no where and surrounded the station. They were silent, moving on light feet. Zero saw the shadows coming and screamed a warning. Too late. They attacked ruthlessly. A woman got decapitated in front of him while he was trying to protect her. Screaming in rage, Zero fired off a series of buster shots as he frantically radioed Bass for help. It would be thirty minutes before Bass and Protoman showed up to stem and turn the tide. Zero shadow boxed, driving them backward. Bass was herding the humans behind him while keeping the shadows at bay. Protoman let lose with several buster shots. The fight went on for some time until the doors blew open to reveal Dark X. the Shadows flowed to him and swarmed at his feet.
"You again?" Bass asked, "Don't you know when to call it quits?"
"Tell me where he sleeps and I'll stop." Dark X hissed, sending Protoman to the ground stunned.
"Who are you looking for?" Bass asked.
"I am searching for the one like me!" Dark X back handed him into a window which shattered as Bass shot through it.
"We don't know where he is!" Zero screamed, "Leave this place! He is not here!"
"What about you humans?" Dark X asked, his shadows gathering the head and body of the woman they killed earlier. The head reattached itself and the woman screamed, "If you want her alive, then tell me, where is the one who looks like me sleeping?"
"We don't know! Really!" a panicked voice cried out.
Dark X tossed the woman so she landed in a heap at the feet of the scared workers, "Then she dies!"
"Wait! Its not fair! She's pregnant with her first child! She just got married two weeks ago! Let her live! Take me instead!" a man stepped in front of the woman, "Please! Take me! I have nothing left! Spare her! She's got a life to live! I don't! take me! Please!"
"As you wish." Dark X sneered.
The man screamed as the shadows ripped him apart. The woman woke up gasping in shock as her workmates pulled her away from the massacre. Zero stared at the humans in shock. They were willing to die for each other? Dark X laughed coldly, reminding him of the job at hand. He turned and parried the shots from Dark X and lunged, landing several blows to his neck and jaw. This forced him to stumble backward, but Zero didn't let up. Bass and Protoman rejoined the fight. Outnumbered, Dark X fled. Zero sank to his knees, exhausted from the fight.
Both Reploids jerked as their respective memories ended. Their eyes, one pair green and one pair blue, both wide eyed, sought each other out.
"I am a monster." X choked out.
"Red Demon, I assumed it before to fight Sunstar, but Megaman stopped me before I lost control." Zero said at the exact same time.
"Zero, I'm the virus." X's words got through to Zero.
"Wait what? I thought we established that I was responsible for the virus." Zero said.
"No. I was the first Maverick. You got infected from being around me." X looked down at his hands, "I'm responsible for these wars. I'm responsible for Sigma's betrayal, I'm responsible for every Maverick out there."
"X, you couldn't have known." Zero looked into his best friends eyes, "I lost someone close to me. She was the grand daughter of Willy and her name is Alouette. She had a sickness that prevented her from enjoying the outdoors. She was my best friend."
"We fought Dark X together which led to me being infected. Am I still infected? Yes, I am infected still. I infected everyone around me." X spat, laughing bitterly, "I thought I was supposed to be the hero. Here I am, the villain!" He got up to leave, "I'm a monster!"
"X wait!" Zero tried to follow, but X shoved him back.
"Don't come after me!" X screamed, running outside.
"But X!" Zero stared at the blue disk, "No, I won't pry." He heard the sound of an engine as X kicked his bike into gear and left. Zero knew he should go after his friend, but his body felt frozen in place.
"Willy, what did X see?" Zero asked.
"You will have to ask him. He saw his whole world change. Give him time." Willy said.
"I'm worried about him. I saw things I wish I never had to see. Alouette was a great girl, wasn't she? She was always so happy. You'd think she'd be depressed because she couldn't go outside, but she was never sad about that." Zero closed his eyes as the memories brought him pain.
"Alouette loved being with you. She loved every moment she spent with you. I've never seen her so happy before she met you. You were different. You showed curiosity at her situation and you never looked down at her with pity. You made the last months of her life the best she's ever had. For once, she got to teach someone about her condition. For once, she felt completely normal hanging with you and Bass. In fact, she said she would often forget you and Bass were robots, not humans." Willy smiled sadly, "She died heroically, saving us. She knew she was fatally wounded, but she made the last moments of her life count for something."
"I should go find X." Zero replied.
"He has had a great shock. Be gentle and understanding with him." Willy called as Zero left. Zero gunned his bike into gear and drove around, looking for X. on a hutch, Zero went up to the Overlook, a cliff high up in the rocky hills bordering Abel City's east side. The view was spectacular. Abel City stretched out far below you and you could see the ocean in the distance. Sure enough, X was there.
"X?" Zero wasn't sure how to proceed.
"Go away." X was sitting out on the cliff, his knees drawn up to his chest, and his face was wet with tears.
"X you are hurting. I understand. I just don't want you to be alone. I went through this myself, remember?" Zero tried, "I know you feel really bad. I did. I just don't want you to be alone."
"Zero…" X looked out over Abel City, "How can I go on? How can I protect the ones I love and care about the most if I'm infected? What if they are already infected because of me?"
"They are fine. You are not infected. Medic and Gate made sure of that." Zero crept closer to his friend, "Please, don't shut me out. Don't do what I did. I shut everything and everyone out and it cost me Iris. It also almost cost me you." Zero crept even closer, "I'm here for you."
"I'm a monster. I am responsible for infecting everyone. I should be destroyed. Zero, destroy me." X refused to meet Zero's eyes, "Please, end this sickness I've become."
"Never, X. you aren't sick. I promised I would only if you turn Maverick." Zero finally sat down next to X and pulled him close, "That promise still stands."
Don't you get it? I'm a Maverick! I've always been a Maverick!" X spat, pulling away, "Do yourself a favor and kill me."
"Alia wouldn't want that! She lost you once! Don't make her lose you again! Don't make me lose you again! Think about Axl! He looks up to you! You are his Senpai! Don't take his Senpai away from him!" Zero screamed at him, "You are not a Maverick!"
"Just leave me alone." X stood and walked out to the edge of the cliff.
"No, X! You are hurting! I don't want you to be hurting! It hurts me to see you beating yourself up over this! Please, X! Don't do this to us! Alia really loves you! She stayed by your side when you were hurt really bad! She stayed by your side while you were in stasis! Alia loves you! Think about Alia!" Zero protested.
"No. I've hurt her enough." X walked away from the edge and got back onto his bike, "Zero, don't follow me. I need to be alone." X took off before Zero could react.
"X! please! Don't shut us out!" Zero punched the ground in frustration, "Well, better go back to HQ and face the music." Zero got onto his bike and headed back to HQ. He was worried about X more then anything. He knew that X would come back to them after he came to terms with what he saw. Zero also realized he was still holding the disk containing X's past memories. HQ came into view and he pulled into the garage.
"Where is X?" Douglas asked, "you didn't bust the bike this time!"
"We saw past memories, and X needs time alone to mull over what he saw. He'll be back later." Zero explained, heading to the armory where he stripped out of his armor and into regular cloths. He then went and found Medic.
"Zero! You're back!" Medic hugged him, "Not that I was worried, but where is X?"
"He decided he needed time alone to mull over the memories we found. He'll be back later." Zero said, "I know why Sunstar called me the Red Demon. I fought him before in the form of the Red Demon."
"X must have seen some bad things." Medic said.
"He'll be fine." Zero hated having to lie.
X drove down the now darkening streets. His mood was sour. He couldn't believe what he saw. He was responsible for the infecting everyone. It wasn't Zero. It was him. That thought hurt him the most. Alia came to mind.
"I can't go back. I have to hide myself away from them. They aren't going to understand, but it is for the best." X decided, "I can't risk being around them. The risk of them turning is just too great. Where to go…" X turned down another road, "I have to go somewhere where they can't find me." He pulled over, "First, I have to make it so they can't track me." he reached over to his left shoulder and removed the homing device. He then crushed it under his heel along with his communicator. Free at last, he took off.
"I just lost X's signal!" Alia screamed.
"What is his last known location?" Signus asked.
"He was here, by Lightberry road!" Alia answered, barely able to keep her hands and voice from shaking.
"Let's see, Zero just got back so I'm sending Eagle out." Signus called the Avian Hunter up to command center, "You have a mission. I'm sending you out to find X. Last known location, the corner by Lightberry road. Good luck and god speed."
"Yes sir." Eagle took off. It was a short three minute flight to Lightberry road. He searched, and found the crushed communicator and homing device. He realized X had destroyed them himself.
"X? where are you?" he called out, "Why are you shutting us out?"
Eagle returned to HQ with the two crushed devices. Zero saw them, and sighed. Why was X so worked up over what he saw? Why was X shutting them out?
Queen Sunstar: two chapter update! Enjoy them! As usual, I own nothing except for Medic. Coming up, X struggles to come to terms with the fact he is responsible for the Maverick Virus while Zero must try to find him. It won't be easy, especially since the Stardroids want to find him too. Can Zero find and save his best friend from himself?