Mega Man X: The Mist Enigma
Chapter 6: Crazed Minds
X, Zero, Axl, and I appeared back in HQ. I wiped the sweat from my brow. "That was intense."
As I said that, Douglas ran in with the device that showed the Hunters their new weapons. He also had some other stuff. "I got something for you guys. They're new program chips. They'll let you see your new weapons when you get them." He handed the three small chips to each Hunter. They each placed theirs onto their arms. Holograms appeared from them.
One showed Axl with a harpoon launcher type of weapon. The harpoon was shaped like a bird's talon. The hologram fired the talon, which was attached to the launcher by wire. The talon proceeded to return to the launcher. Axl called the name of his new weapon in glee. "Grapple Talon! Alright!"
Douglas stated what it did. "Not only does this damage enemies, but it can also attach to walls and the ceiling, allowing you to swing from it."
"Sweetness!"
X's hologram showed him in silver armor with Buster out. It fired two long whirlwinds that twisted around each other. "The Helix Twister," he said with intrigue. "The winds spread out further as they travel. Sounds good." He raised his fist in excitement.
Zero watched his hologram. It jumped into the air and swung its sword down and around. (For you X veterans, it's like the Kuuenzan.) After it did so, wisps of air circled around him. It continued to spin, and more wisps appeared. "Looks great," he said. With enthusiasm, "Senpuugeki!"
I smiled and thought in my head, "Weapon Get!" I chuckled.
Layer called to Zero. "Are you okay? Should I call Lifesaver to patch your wound?"
Zero, oblivious to Layer's affection for him, waved it off. "Nah, I'm okay. Let's just get to the next Maverick." Layer nodded and blushed.
"Okay then," Alia said to us, "where to next?"
"You pick, Chris," Axl said. I looked to X for an okay. X smirked.
I nodded back. "Uhh...let's try Shadow Renaraid."
Alia typed in the coordinates for Grand Dojo. "You got it. Transferring now." X and Axl teleported out immediately.
Layer was looking at Zero with concern. "Are you sure about that cut, Zero?"
"Yeah. Chris, you mind welding me up?" I walked over and created a small flare in my hand. I used it to weld Zero's scar together. "Thanks," he said.
I smiled and turned to Layer. "See? No worries." Layer smiled timidly. Zero teleported out. As did I.
This Grand Dojo was well hidden in the mountains of Tibet. When I appeared in front of it, my jaw dropped at how big it was. Axl was the same. "That place is huge!"
"It should be," Pallette contacted. "This is not only the largest Buddhist temple in the world, but also where hundreds of different martial arts styles are practiced."
"So what exactly is the problem?" X asked.
Pallette's voice sounded drearier. "Step inside." There were bodies littered everywhere. On the floor. Through the floor. Through the walls. And they were soaked in blood too. We drew back in shock and disgust. "Everyone in the temple," Pallette continued, "suddenly went berserk and began to attack each other."
"It's no question that the Mist possessed them to do so," I said, "but how? This is a holy place. It couldn't have just blown in."
Alia answered me. "We believe Shadow Renaraid, the head priestess, brought it inside. Watch out for her and any survivors. They're most likely still possessed."
"Got it," X said. We began to walk slowly through the large temple. More bodies cluttered the halls. The smell of blood filled the room. I was about to barf. Suddenly, X raised his Buster. We turned to where he was pointing. Three humans carrying bamboo staves entered the hall way. They looked at us and screamed maniacally. They attacked the Hunters, who weren't attacking back.
I thought, "Why are they just blocking?" After a second, "Oh yeah. 'Robots cannot harm humans.'" I waved my palm towards the enraged humans. "Calm down!" They were pushed into the wall and knocked out. I was about to say something when a group of Reploids approached us. They, too, were possessed. They were carrying various weapons, from a katana to a broom. We knocked each one out with a punch, kick, or pistol whip.
I looked at the mess of men, women, and Reploids around us. "These are all students here? Amazing." I then felt something weird, like a chill down my entire body. X and Zero felt it too. Axl was to preoccupied staring at one of the downed bodies.
A voice echoed from the ceiling. "You four have signed your fate coming here." The voice, a woman's voice full of spite, echoed all around the halls. "Interfering with my plans is a sin."
"That's Shadow Renaraid," Zero grunted. "It must be."
"What plans?" I called out.
She responded, "I feel no need to let you hear them. Just die in peace."
The room began to rumble. Walls fell from the ceiling, encasing us in like trapped rats. We tried blasting and slashing, but the walls didn't even have a mark on them. They then began to move. They were coming towards each other in an attempt to squash us. X and Axl continued to blast one of the walls while I tried to push the opposite wall back. Nothing helped. Zero tried to slash the ceiling and wall apart, but no luck. Mist was seeping in from the cracks. We began coughing as it filled the room. I felt lightheaded and weak. My strength was fading rapidly. Through blurry eyes, I saw the Hunters weren't faring any better.
The walls were really close together now. X and Axl were trying their hardest, and Zero was out of it. With the last bit of my strength, I braced myself in between both walls. I pushed one with my back, the other with my legs. They slowed down, but didn't stop. I pushed hard, but they pushed back. I cried in pain. Blurry images filled my sight. I couldn't decipher them. My knees were touching my forehead. I felt my bones crunching. I thought it was all over.
But it wasn't the end. Something was very fishy, and I figured it out in the nick of time. It wasn't real. I let myself relax and fall to the ground. The walls disappeared around me. The Mist faded away.
Layer contacted me through the Bulbrite camera. "What's going on over there?"
"It's an illusion," I replied. "Renaraid is creating an image in our heads." I looked at the others, who were still experiencing the mirage. At least, I know X and Axl were.
Zero looked right at me. "You figured it out too?"
I laughed hard. "You knew all along, Zero?"
"Pretty much. I've seen this kind of thing before." He shouted to his hypnotized teammates. "Hey guys! Wake up!" They instantly stopped pushing the wall and looked around dumbfounded.
"Huh?" They asked Zero and me, "What just happened?"
"An illusion," we said.
"Correct," Renaraid's voice echoed. "That illusion was intended to send you into a perpetual state of shock where I could take you out easily." A dark silhouette appeared in front of us. "As you wish." The silhouette revealed a nine tailed fox Reploid in divine robes carrying long sutras. "I shall kill you the hard way."