Megaman X: Final Prologue
By: SylentStryke
Rated: M
Disclaimer: I would write something about how I don't own Megaman X and how Capcom owns him and his crew, but I forgot how to do that. :)
Chapter 6: Prelude to a Mystery
MHHQ- Launch Bay
Date: 6-18-22XX
Time: 10:26 A.M.
Fenrir Lunaedge clamped his armored gauntlet around his forearm and flexed his clawed hand. He then ran across the large room to fall in with his Unit. He was one of the first to arrive seeing as how he was in the 0th's Armor Depot when the emergency klaxon sounded. He was joined by Leyna Strider, a girl that he barely knew. Not that he actually wanted to know her. He was more concerned about rising in ranks. Since their Unit commander was MIA, he felt that he was now a step closer to becoming the leader of the 0th. He was the Polar Region Unit's leader after all. He grinned slyly as the thought of stepping up to the plate seemed within grasp. Then he felt his wrists grow heavy, followed by a painful sounding shriek.
He looked down to see an ice blade protruding from his wrist, and upon following it with his eyes found that the tip dug into Leyna's left upper arm. "Oh shit! Sorry!" Fenrir nearly shouted as he quickly retracted his blade, causing her to yelp as the blade slid across her arm again. "Um, s-sorry...again..." He stammered out, feeling the chill from her gaze. The shorter reploid just glared at him for a moment before turning her attention to the front. He let out a breath he had been holding too long. "(Dammit! Three days outta the Sub-Arctic and I'm already losing control of my weapons.)" He felt bored so he decided to strike a conversation.
He had two choices. One was Leyna, who was most likely already pissed off. The other was Siege, a tall, buff looking reploid with a massive hypercannon attached to his shoulder.
"Yo, Siege," he chose the latter, "what exactly happened to Zero?" That earned him a look that condemned him to be an idiot.
"What kinda question is that, kid?" Siege chided the 'newbie'. Fenrir shrugged. "He's been MIA for a few days." Siege told him while looking straight ahead. Fenrir raised an eyebrow.
"Hunh. KIA..." He thought aloud, which earned him a punch on the arm. A hard punch. As he reeled in pain he looked down at the purple haired girl.
"...not KIA...MIA..." She said shortly before turning forward. The tall wolf decided not to give her a crazy glare. So he bothered Siege again.
"Yeeowch! Yo, man, what's her deal?" He rubbed his arm gingerly.
"Heh heh. Try not to make the commander's girlfriend mad. It hurts." Siege said through a smirk. Fenrir went wide-eyed. He glanced at Vice, then at Leyna.
Then he stated, "Commander Vice goes out with this demoness?" He then writhed in pain as he felt his already bruised arm suffer another blow.
X ran swiftly down the hall to the Launch Bay with Stryke, Locke, Signas and Echo behind him. They soon reached the Bay and fell into their units. When Signas assumed the front of the battalion, the entire room snapped to a salute. X thought about their current situation.
>>>
MHHQ- High Commander's Office
Date: 6-18-22XX
Time: 10:16 A.M.
"Damn it! Sound the alarm!" Signas barked out into his communicator. X stood firmly in front of the High Commander as he tried to get things in order so suddenly. He saw X standing opposite his desk, donned in his standard uniform. He looked puzzled.
"Sir!" X saluted. Returning the salute, Signas gave X the low-down on the situation.
"X. It's Weil's army. He's broken through our first line. We have to act now if we want to retrieve that Elf."
"What! So soon!" X exclaimed. Signas tuned his comm link to all frequencies and cleared his throat.
"Attention all Hunters: This is Signas speaking. Weil's army has just broken through our first line. Assemble in the Launch Bay, now." After a few seconds Signas repeated his message for anyone just tuning in. X started yelling commands into the 17th's channel, and then checked on the leaders of the other units.
A thought flashed over Signas mind. "X," he called for his attention, "this could be our chance to test that new Elf." X quickly shut his comm link off upon hearing that. Signas did the same.
"...Yes, sir..." X said hesitantly, suddenly having a change of emotion. Signas raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
"X...forget about it." Signas quickly added after realizing what happened last time X had to sacrifice a Cyber Elf. X nodded silently. "Alright, Colonel X. Dismissed." The brown-haired reploid's state of mind returned as he saluted before dashing out of the door.
"Damn it. X, I forgot how you felt about using Elves."
>>>
"All right, Hunters! We must recover that Cyber Elf at all costs. We cannot fail." Signas raised a gloved fist into the air, gaining a loud bellowed war cry from the entire room. "Hunters...DISPERSE!"
Within moments, the 0th, half of the 17th and half of the 8th piled into the aircraft. The bay doors opened slowly as the air vessels hummed harmoniously. A large orb of condensed plasma hurtled toward the launch bay, threatening to take out a transport. It smashed into the anti-plasma field with tremendous force, sending dancing neutral plasma particles into the bay.
"Whoa, shit!" Hang on guys, here we go!" The pilot of the airship X and Leyna were on yelled out. Within moments of the warning message, the craft shot out of the bay, headed for Arcadia.
Arcadia- Inner Core
Time: 10:13 A.M.
Scar stared at the monumental behemoth before him. Though incomplete, this massive reploid-in-the-works looked far more formidable than any living tyrant. He followed the tubes running from the platform the sleeping giant was standing on along the floor, finding that they ran into a tube with Zero in it. He couldn't help but feel a bit nervous being next to the crimson demon, even though he was contained and unconscious. After clotting the bad blood between them, he had gone and killed one of their friends. Again.
"...This time, he won't show me any mercy..." Scar mused over his fate with an uneasy conscience. He sighed exasperatedly. "...Why do I keep placing myself into these situations?" He found a wall and pressed his back against it.
Scars mind was overflowing with painful memories. Though he could usually push those aside, there was a certain act he had done that would never forgive himself for.
>>>
"Weil!" Scar screamed, fighting off the feeling of being controlled. He struggled to keep his arms down. He strained as he turned his head to see Rayne, barely herself, frozen in place. Her eyes were fluorescent green, the power of one of Weil's elves seizing her mind.
"Scar...I know all about you," Weil started, "about how you used to be the leader of a rebellious faction so long ago. About how you betrayed the Hunters not so long ago." Dr. Weil looked down upon him with a heinous grin.
"Ehh! Just what...are you...g-gettin' at, Weil?" Scar whispered out painfully. The mad old man stepped closer to him.
"I'm going to need a few strong generals to lead my future army. You two are the perfect candidates." Weil stated with a widening grin. Scar looked up at him with disgust.
"What! Are you...trying to instigate a war?" Weil loosened his grip on Scar's mind, freeing him for a moment.
"Isn't it obvious? Now that you understand my intentions, I think that you will submit to my will. Join my army, and you will suffer no mind control."
"And if I refuse?" Scar challenged the man. Weil smiled wickedly.
"You really don't have a choice in the matter, Scar." Weil cast a glance over at Rayne, strengthening his grip on her mind. She let out a growl that grew into an agonizing scream.
"Ah! Rayne! Weil, stop it!" Scar shrieked out. He impetuously dove at Weil, who in turn stopped him in his tracks by seizing his mind.
"Right now she is suffering immense mental trauma. If it persists for much longer, her mind will be shattered, leaving nothing but an empty shell for me to control. You forget Scar, that I am the one in control." Weil spoke through a grin. Scar looked over at Rayne with woeful eyes. She was slumped over, grasping at her temples with furiously glowing eyes, all the while crying out in excruciating pain.
"No...Rayne..."
"You know how to stop her suffering Scar. Agree to my terms, and she will suffer no longer." Weil scowled devilishly. Scar was conflicted. Right now he felt like he wanted to die. But that was the easy way out. He had to think about someone other than himself this time. That's how they got into this situation. Suddenly a blood-curdling scream from Rayne broke his thoughts.
"AHHH! SCAR...HELP...MEE!" Rayne hollered out, tears flowing profusely from her eyes. He soon found tears stinging his own eyes.
"Well? My patience grows thin, Scar." Scar squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. Would Weil keep his word? Or would he go against it and kill her mind anyway? There was no time to think about that.
"I...I'll do it. Just...just stop torturing Rayne!" Scar hollered out. Weil smirked at the groveling reploid. He released the grip on both of them. Scar rushed over to Rayne, who was shivering and sobbing uncontrollably and held her tight. Weil walked over to the mind torn beings.
"So you agree. Now I just need to give you a test." Weil chuckled darkly. Scar looked up with a crazed expression at the mad scientist.
"... ...Test?" Rayne asked hoarsely. Weil looked down at Scar.
"Yes. The word of a captured reploid isn't very reliable. To prove your word and loyalty to me..." Weil started. Scar stared at him with anxious eyes while still holding on to Rayne.
"...what is it?" Scar asked. "(Maybe he'll make me call him Master. Or swear eternal allegiance. Will he make me kill... ...no!)" Scar thought rapidly.
"Cut off that girl's arm." Weil deadpanned. Rayne looked up at Weil with horrification strewn across her face. She slowly looked over at Scar, who more or less had the same look, add pale skin.
"Y...you...you want me to...to..." Scar stammered out.
"Sever the girl's arm." Weil confirmed, this time more deliberately. Scar cursed at the thought. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it.
"Why!" Scar screamed. Weil turned to Rayne, who was shivering.
"What would you rather keep, dear? Your arm or your soul?" Weil questioned the girl. She couldn't respond.
"Weil, let her go. I'll take my own arm. I won't hurt her!"
"Scar. Do that, and she will surely parish. By your mind-controlled body, nonetheless." Weil narrowed his eyes. Rayne's eyes widened as her head felt like it was being crushed again. She screamed out in pain. Scar immediately shot up and grabbed Weil by the collar.
"Let her go!" He demanded. He drew his blade and prepared to run it through the man.
"Oh! Thinking about killing me now, are you? Have you forgotten that I'm a human?" Scar hissed as he realized what he was doing. He released the devious man in defeat, than looked at Rayne as she squirmed on the floor. She looked up at the tormented reploid with pleading eyes. After several long moments, he sighed with heavy anguish.
"... ... ...If I go through with it... ...will you release her mind?" Scar asked, looking up at Weil with emotionally torn eyes. Weil smiled wickedly.
"You have my word, Scar." Weil released her mind. Rayne lay on the ground gasping for air.
"Scar...-cough-...please...do it...please." Rayne pleaded, not wanting to suffer anymore mental pain. She managed to smile weakly at him. Scar closed his eyes, wrestling the situation in his mind. He felt tears leaping from his eyes as he opened them. Rayne stood up and leaned against the wall. She held out her left arm then nodded, giving Scar the go ahead. He walked slowly over to the girl and stood there silently for a moment. He could see Weil grinning from ear to ear even with his back turned.
Scar placed his blade over where her arm would be cut. He raised it over his head, pausing to look into Rayne's eyes. She nodded without hesitation. He held her arm steady with his own. Then he cast his glance over at Weil, who gave him the same nod. Scar cursed under his breath as he swung his blade downward. He heard the sound of flesh and metallic bone being cleaved apart, followed by a loud, long shriek.
Scar fell to the ground with Rayne as a pool of blood formed under them. Weil walked over smugly, intending to observe the damage done. He looked at the puddle of blood and followed the drips up to Rayne's severed forearm. He spied the floor next and raised an inquisitive eyebrow when he spotted the separated appendage.
"You would cut off your own arm as well, Scar?" Weil questioned. Scar turned around, showing Weil what remained of his bloody arm.
"Heh...why...not? You were...going to...make her...do it anyway." Scar smirked up at him. "Besides...I...will share...her pain...no matter...wha..." Both reploids entered emergency shut down from the rapid loss of fluid. Weil smirked to himself.
"Excellent."
>>>
Scar's eyes snapped only almost violently. He pulled off his left gauntlet and stretched back the poly-digitanium sleeve on his jumpsuit back. He stared at the scar that circled his arm a few inches above the wrist.
"...and there's another reason why I have my name..." He whispered to himself. He almost jumped when his ear buzzed. Then he nearly growled when Weil's voice filled his ear.
"Scar. The Hunter's frontline has been weakened. Take your unit and push through to their base." Weil ordered. Scar hesitated for a moment. "Scar!"
"... ...will do. Over and out." He cut the comm link. "(So he's dug a hole and wants me to widen it...Think I'll fill it back up instead.)" He then opened his unit's comm channel.
"Unit Delta, fall in outside of Arcadia limits. Be ready for combat." He ordered lifelessly. He snapped on his gauntlet and turned to face the fluid suspended Zero.
"Even though Weil is lower than shit, he is still human. And I thought about killing him. If I should live to see the end of this war, Zero...I would have you kill me. I'd rather be a dead Maverick than a live one." Scar phased in his helmet as he warped off to the city limits.
Battlefield- Frontline
Time: 10:29 A.M.
Leyna stared at the monitor attached to the front of the transport with burning ambition. It displayed the city of Arcadia, or rather, the battlefront. She studied the screen as if her life would slip away if she did so much as blink. The sound of Vice's voice calling her name made her slip. She snapped her head around in anger at him.
"Whoa! Watch it, Ley. You could kill with those eyes." He mused loudly. Ignoring him usually worked, but that made it worse this time. "Are you still mad about your boyfriend gettin' KIA?" She bit down on her tongue and balled up a tight fist to suppress her silent rage. But it wasn't enough.
"Shut...your...damn...hole..." She growled out. Vice smirked at her comment.
"Are you disrespecting your unit Commander? During a time of war, nonetheless." Vice raised an eyebrow smugly. Leyna stood up growled at him.
"You think you're so damn funny, don't you! Some kinda hotshot. The only reason you got that position is--"
"--because you were an overemotional wreck. Wait, no, I'm sorry. You're still an overemotional wreck." Leyna fell silent once more. "I bet you wouldn't have gotten it even if you weren't--"
"VICE! That's enough!" X shouted, fed up with his mouth. He managed to catch the attention of the entire personnel. "You're the 0th unit leader for this mission; act like one. You shouldn't be toying with your subordinates. Another sly remark from you and you'll find yourself in the brig. Do I make myself clear?" X commanded coldly.
"...tch..."
"What was that?"
"...Aye, sir..." Vice muttered aloud, feeling like he'd been kicked. He looked over at Leyna and extended a hand for shaking purposes. "Sorry bout that, kid. Meant no harm." He forced the words out quickly to her. She looked down at his hand and extended her own. He smiled, seeing how easily she was to break and build back up. But instead of shaking his hand, he found a closed fist with an extended center finger aimed at him. Her eyes and sign language got away with what words could not. He was about to return the gesture, but Colonel X hand his eyes trained on him, so he decided to let it slide. He really didn't have a choice. "(... ...BITCH!)"
Suddenly, X's name was called from the front. He went to see was he was called for, and returned moments later with a serious expression.
"Colonel X? What's wrong?" Fenrir asked.
"Take the transport down!" X yelled to the front as he missed the arctic wolf's question.
"But sir, the drop zone is hot! We don't know what that thing can do!" The pilot replied.
"Just do it!" X screamed. The aircraft descended gradually until it was about half of it's original altitude. "Open the doors!"
"This is as far as it...what!"
"Hurry up!" X yelled again, his face twisted in a growl. The doors shot open and X threw caution to the wind as he leapt out of the hover craft, leaving the entire crew confused and shocked.
To be continued...
Hey, hey, hey! It's here! Who likes cliffhangers? More to come! Stay tuned!
Till Next Time!