A Fight to the Death

Zero teleported into the station to find Iris by the main computer watching the screen. A news Reploid was at the space station reporting about something that Zero couldn't hear.

Hearing Zero come into the base, Iris turned around. "Repliforce is at the Space Harbor," she told him sadly. Desperately in her mind she hoped Zero would say something along the lines of, 'Repliforce, your brother must be there. I should talk this over with him, now's not the time to fight,' or 'Your brother is probably at the Space Harbor, X told me not to fight him so I should go speak with the Repliforce instead.' However that is not what came out of Zero's mouth. Instead he replied by saying, "I have to go."

Before he could finish Iris came up to him and took his hand. "No! Please Zero! I don't want to see you two fight!" Zero shook his head and snatched his hand away from Iris. He was determined to stop Repliforce even if it meant hurting Colonel. And Iris. "Someone has to stop your brother. I'm leaving." Before he could hear Iris pleas he teleported off.

Zero looked to his right and saw a group of Space Freighters with the Repliforce symbol on them. Zero snarled and ran forwards. Ahead of him was a huge gap. The gap was there to help transports come through easily. However there were some blocks in the air with some Repliforce soldiers on them. One of the soldiers threw a grenade at him. Zero jumped into the air, dodged it, and slashed down the soldier with his new purple Z-Saber. He had gotten a power-up from Slash Beast after defeating him, making his saber stronger and more agile. Jumping forward Zero dodged some fire from a soldier and cut him down. Then he jumped to another building through a window.

Inside was madness. Repliforce soldiers rushed to and forth, giant metal claws were picking up giant boxes and loading them into freighters, and in the center of the madness was a cycle of dust. Obviously something big was happening in the center of the room. Zero made his way forwards, cutting Repliforce soldiers and workers who got in his path and dared to interfere. The dust cycle had become bigger and charged buster shots could be heard from within it.

"X?" Zero said as he jumped into the cyclone. Inside was clam, but a little windy. Nothing could be seen through the brown wall of dust swirling around.

"Weird," Zero thought as he walked into the center of the cyclone.

Suddenly there was a great screech and a giant Repliforce Maverick came flying through the air at Zero. Zero had no time to act. The Maverick came at Zero with such force and speed Zero didn't see it. The last thing he saw was a white flash of something moving towards him and then a giant explosion. The Maverick had exploded before it hit Zero!

"What?" Zero said confused and relived. He looked behind him and was surprised to see Mega Man X.

"X!" Zero said rushing forwards.

X smiled and said, "The Repliforce will be taking off soon we have to stop them! Let's move forward and-" Suddenly there was another giant screech from behind and two more flying Mavericks came into the cyclone.

"Go Zero!" X yelled through the raging wind. "Colonel's up ahead, try to get him to stop the coup! But Zero don't fight with him!" Zero made a mean face and asked, "Why not?"

"For Iris!" X yelled and before he could say anything else he started to fire at the Mavericks. Zero rolled his eyes and jumped out of the cyclone in search of Colonel.

It was tough getting through the shield of Mavericks guarding the way to Colonel, but Zero made it through with more than half of his life still intact. Up ahead of him was a gate, leading on to Colonel.

"It's time, Colonel!" Zero yelled as he dashed through the gates and into the hallway. Zero readied himself for battle and walked through the next gate. Behind the gate was a small docking bay meant for one craft. Colonel was at the other end of the docking bay, watching the ships pass by. At first Colonel didn't notice Zero or so it seemed. Then he slowly turned and pulled out his purple sword. Zero was about to pull his sword out too, but something happened in his head. His mind wandered from Iris to X then to the rest of the Repliforce Mavericks.

"Don't fight him Zero, for Iris!" X's words were pounding his skull like a heartbeat.

"Please don't fight my brother!" Iris said in his head.

Then Zero realized he didn't have to fight, maybe he could just talk it out after all. "I'm doing this for Iris," he whispered to himself. "Because for everything she's done for me and the rest of the hunters, because of the things she's taught me, because she has made me a better person. Because-" Zero felt his mechanical heart beat faster and soon he felt tears spreading in his eyes.

"Because I love her."

Zero quickly blinked back the tears and faced Colonel, his arch-enemy face on and said, "I don't want to fight. Step back." Colonel put on a very serious face and said, "I'm sorry. I can't let you through."

Suddenly a red hot flame burst inside Zero's mind. Anger was swelling up inside him and he felt the urge for battle. He tried to contain himself but he couldn't. For Iris! he thought inside his head, but the hate that burned inside of Zero was almost as great as his love for Iris.

"Iris will be sad if she loses you," he told him, hoping that he would listen to him and step aside.

"Don't be so presumptions Zero! Save it until after you've defeated me!"

Zero had had enough. With a mighty push Zero jumped into the air. He quickly pulled out his purple saber and slashed down on Colonel, but to his surprise he disappeared. Zero looked around worriedly. Suddenly Colonel appeared straight in front of Zero and slashed him in the stomach.

Zero doubled over backwards and before he could get up, Colonel disappeared again. Frightened, but still calm Zero looked around. Colonel was gone again! Forgetting the pain, Zero got up and walked forward. Suddenly Colonel appeared again and slashed Zero in the back. However, instead of disappearing once more he dashed to the side of the bay and started slashing at Zero even though he was at least 10 yards away.

Suddenly Zero noticed small slicers of sword coming at him. Zero ducked barely missing the first and had to jump on the docking bay wall to dodge the next two. After they had gone the Colonel had disappeared once more.

"Learned some new tricks this time!?" Zero yelled as he jumped back down on land. However, once again Colonel appeared once more and slashed Zero in the shoulder, barely missing his neck. He disappeared once more leaving Zero clutching his shoulder in pain. It was bleeding badly. From the short time Zero had been in the docking bay his life had already gone from good to critical.

Zero waited for a moment and the second the Colonel appeared he was ready. With a small jump in the air, Zero dodged the Colonel's sword. The Colonel dashed to the side of the docking bay and Zero quickly followed. Once there Zero started to slash madly at the Colonel, getting a good few hits in. Suddenly the Colonel slashed back and Zero was hit by the slicers from the Colonels sword. Zero yelled in pain and before he could attack back the Colonel disappeared again.

Zero growled and got ready for the Colonel to appear. He doubted if he could even jump, but he had to try. Suddenly the Colonel popped out of nowhere, but not where Zero was. He had appeared in the middle of the docking bay and was now raising his sword into the air. Taking this chance as an opportunity, Zero dashed forwards and started using a wide variety of attacks on him. Some of the attacks worked effectively and some not so good. Suddenly Colonel stabbed the ground with his sword and many balls of electricity came out, covering the floor and hitting Zero. Zero screamed and stood between the balls of energy. In a matter of seconds the balls shot up into the air missing Zero by a hair.

The battle continued for some time like this. Zero became better at dodging the shots, but Colonel did also. Soon each of them were down to just a small bit of energy. This battle has to end soon! Zero thought as he dodged one of the Colonel's slicers. The Colonel disappeared again and suddenly appeared at the other side of the docking bay. Zero got ready to dodge his sword, but the Colonel didn't do anything, but stand there.

"This battle is already over," Colonel said through long, deep breaths.

"What?" Zero said, confused.

"Good bye Zero!" Colonel said and with a mighty slash with his sword a giant slicer came out covering the entire docking bay. Zero ran right and left, but the slice covered the entire bay! There was no way to dodge it. It was about to hit him.

Good bye X, Zero thought as he watched the slicer come closer and closer. He was ready for death, but not before he said goodbye. Good bye Maverick Hunters. Good bye Iris.

The light of the slicer came closer and closer until all Zero could see was light. He screamed from the pain of the light and started to slash his sword. Suddenly the light was going away, in the other direction. What? Zero thought as he watched the slicer. The slicer was going back towards Colonel! "My sword must had ricocheted it back!" Zero yelled in joy.

Suddenly his joy turned to fear as he watched the Colonel yell as the slice came closer. "Colonel!" Zero yelled as the slicer suddenly hit him. There was a great puff of smoke and the whole docking bay filled with the reek of burnt metal.

"Colonel!" Zero yelled through the thick dense black cloud of smoke. "Colonel!"

After a few moments the smoke cleared. Zero was afraid to look at what remained of Colonel. To his surprise Colonel was kneeling at the back of the docking bay. Half of his leg was gone, his hat was burnt along with half of his chest and his sword looked like it would conk out at any time. Zero felt a sad feeling, but at the same time a feeling of pride and success. Zero wanted to yell out, 'I told you Colonel,' but he held himself back for doing so. He had to be respectful, even if the person dying was his arch-enemy.

"Impressive Zero," Colonel said weakly, leaning on his sword. "But it's to late."

Taken aback Zero yelled out, "What?"

"Repliforce has left for space! Repliforce will build a new life!" Colonel yelled out proudly. Zero couldn't help, but feel pity for him. "Colonel."

Before Colonel died he said his final words to Zero: "Zero, tell Iris that her brother died happily! Good bye Zero!" There were several explosions and before Zero could reach Colonel he had already left the Earth.

"Colonel!" Zero screamed as he slammed the wall with his fist. He knew Iris would be so disappointed in him when he got back to the Maverick Hunter Base.