CHAPTER 33

-"FIGHT, ZERO! A FRIEND'S FATE IS IN YOUR HANDS!"-

Meanwhile…

Bass goes over to where X lays unconscious. He looks down on his soon-to-be-defeated foe.

Bass kicks X. "Hey. Get up. We're not through." Disappointed, he says, "Y'know, I just don't get you. One moment, you're fighting like a madman against my troops, and the next you're getting your ass handed to you by me. You're pretty strong for somebody who looks a LOT like Megaman. And yet, you're nothing at all like him. I found that out while fighting you. You seem to have a problem with fighting, don't you? It's people like you who won't last long in this day and age, with your hopes for a peaceful world, a world better than the one we live in now."

X gets up weakly, seeing Bass standing over him. "You're wrong. Peace… is not just a dream!"

"Really? Bah!" Bass kicks X again. "You can't have peace without war, light without darkness, good without evil! Maybe in YOUR little world, but not here. This is reality, my naïve friend. Wake up and take a good long whiff of it!"

Whoa. Nice speech, Bass. I'm impressed.

Bass, hearing Erick's voice in his head, snaps back, "Not now, Erick!"

X, however, doesn't see anyone else; he thinks Bass is talking to himself.

"Who were you talking to just now, Bass?" X sarcastically wanted to know. "Got an invisible friend or something?"

Bass kicks X again!

"OW!"

"So now you got jokes, huh? You're a trip, a real trip. You'll excuse me if I don't laugh. But now, I think our playtime is over, so allow me to send you to the next world first class!"

Bass takes his sword and is about to stab X, but X suddenly lashes out thrusting his Z-Saber at him. It clatters loudly against the sword, and the two engage in a battle of strength in the middle of the woods. They strain against one another trying to gain leverage, but X continues to hold his own against Bass.

"Well, well…looks like you got some fight left in you after all."

Determination burns in X's eyes. "Bass, whatever it takes, I'll stop you and your RED CATS!"

"Okay, let's see what you really got!"

And so, drawing their swords, Bass and X face off in a duel! The two combatants seem very evenly matched. Their blades cross in a lightning quick exchange. Purple and green flash as both X and Bass look for an opening in the other's defenses.

"HEY! You…" Bass parries. "…ain't…" He thrusts. "…half-bad!" He blocks. "It's been…" He dodges. "…a long…" He swings. "…time since…" He feints. "…I have fought a worthy opponent!"

X chops down powerfully, but Bass blocks it. The two struggle for a moment, then Bass throws X back. He rolls to his feet.

"Don't you ever shut up?" X says, irritated.

He then comes in with a series of swings that instantly put Bass on the defensive. However, this time X doesn't stick purely to his Saber. With a cry, he turn kicks Bass in the stomach, following up with a backhand swing and a downward swipe. Bass uses his armor's thrusters to dash backwards, avoids the series and rockets toward X with a low, fast strike. X dashes aside and uppercuts Bass, but not with just any ol' uppercut…

"SHORYUKEN!!"

"Huh!?" Bass gets hit! "ACK!!"

X hits Bass with a flaming uppercut, just like Ken's! His body covered in flames, Bass staggers from the blow, but manages to parry X's three follow-up Saber attacks. Bass is still off-balance when he performs a powerful thrust, and he overextends himself, allowing X to grab his wrist and pull him off his feet. Bass flies into one of the trees, and barely manages to rise to his knees by the time X leaps in. X attacks, driving Bass's sword to the side.

"Do you yield?"

"I don't yield! I DESTROY!" Bass pulls up his sword to finish off X.

With a triumphant yell, he swings his sword around in a wide arc, attempting to chop X in two! Then his danger senses kicked in. It had been warning him since the moment he locked swords with Bass. But he'd been distracted by his concern for Zero and Bass's constant interference. Now, however, he was beginning to focus on what was important, and he realized that not only was it necessary to defeat Bass...it was also important to do so in a way that would give X and Zero a clue to Deimos' whereabouts. Seeing Bass coming in with his attack, X leaps into the air, gathers energy in his hands and strikes with another surprise!

"HADOUKEN!!" Megaman X blasts a fireball at Bass!

"WHAT!?" Bass gets hit – again! "ACK!! ARRRGGH!!"

Bass falls down with a grunt while X back flips away, landing with the grace of an acrobat. He stands in a Shotokan-style fighting stance, ready to deck Bass with another Hadouken if necessary!

"So, Bass, have you had enough?"

Back in Erick's dark chamber….

Erick watches X's fight with Bass on one video screen, while keeping tabs on Zero's fight with the RED CATS on another. He is genuinely pleased with what he sees.

My, my…. I had no idea X knew the techniques of Hadouken and Shoryuken. I thought only Ryu and Akuma had those kinds of powers. However, I can't allow any outsiders to interfere with my plans.

NIGHTTIME, IN THE WOODS OUTSIDE NERIMA:

Maverick Hunter Megaman X stands triumphant over Bass, the warrior of the RED CAT GANG. Now's his chance to get some real answers! He decides to interrogate Bass.

"I've won! Now talk! Who's your boss, and what does he plan to do with those "Cells"!?"

On the ground, a hurt Bass repeats, "I told you! If you wanna know, you have to beat me first! And you haven't won yet! I've got one last trick up my sleeve! METEOR BUSTER! RAINING DEATH FROM ABOVE!!"

He raises his Buster arm and fires a huge blast upward into the clouds! It explodes into smaller blasts, which fall rapidly from the sky like heavy rain!

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's similar to an attack that Bass used back in Megaman 8, only much more deadly!]

X tries to block the attack, but it's no good. The storm of energy rips through his armor, puncturing holes in his body, until he looks like Swiss cheese! He falls over, defeated, blood pouring from his wounds.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Zero finishes off the last of the RED CATS. He socks one in the stomach, and kicks away another with a roundhouse. Back-flipping over a fallen tree trunk to avoid a flashing sword, he kicks the trunk so it rolls forward and bowls over a line of soldiers coming at him. The impact knocks them down like bowling pins, making them fall helplessly back on their own comrades.

"Strike! Yeah!"

As Zero stands up, he took a good look at his surroundings. Before him lay the RED CAT soldiers, beaten and tossed around the forest as if they were hit by a hurricane. All they could do was only groan in pain and defeat.

RED CAT Soldier #001 angrily wails, "WAAAHH! It's not fair! There's only one of HIM and more of us! How!? How could we lose!?"

RED CAT Soldier #002 is sad. He sobs, "Boo hoo….sniff,sniff… I'm…I'm so ashamed."

RED CAT Soldier #003 pathetically whines, "I'M GONNA TELL MY MOMMY ON YOU! WAAAHH!"

Zero sweatdrops as he regards the sobbing bunch of losers! Wimps. All of 'em. "Do yourselves a favor and stay down."

Zero looks up at the night sky. The final moments of his lost love Iris still haunt him, and with that, the burning desire for revenge against the one responsible for her death and spreading the Cells upon the world. He talks to the air, as if his hated foe is present.

And in a way, he is…

"I know you're out there, Deimos. Is that the best you can throw at us? I've fought your soldiers. Now I've coming for you! Mark my words - no matter what, no matter where you run, no matter where you hide! Even if we have to chase you to the ends of the earth, X and I will find you. We'll destroy your Cells." Zero holds up his Z-Saber as he declares, "And then, I'll kill you myself, with this sword, for what you've done! Do you hear me! I WILL KILL YOU!!"

Back in Erick's dark chamber….

"Hmm… I don't think so, Zero. You REALLY think you can defeat me AND my creation? If you and X want to be my enemies, then so be it. Come and get me. I'll be waiting for you…and we'll see who kills whom." Then Erick gets on the radio, and calls… "Onekomaru."

Onekomaru's voice replies over the radio frequency: Yeah, Lord Erick?

"Take the data you've already collected and return to the hideout. I'm ordering our forces to withdraw… for now."

But what about Lord Bass? He's still fighting with that other guy!

"Leave him. Bass will catch up to us later. Return to base now."

Right, boss.

Erick leans back in his throne, grinning. "Zero. Despite your misguided intentions, you shall be very useful to me...oh, yes… Well, I'd better order my forces back before you beat the stuffing out of them."

Erick picks up a headset radio and contacts the RED CAT Soldiers.

Cut back to the forest. The RED CAT Soldiers hear Erick's voice on their radios.

Attention, loyal soldiers of the Cat Ghost King! All forces withdraw and return to the hideout at once. I repeat, all forces withdraw and return to the hideout at once. That is all.

RED CAT Soldier #001 responds to the call. "That's good enough for us! Everybody! Run away!"

"AAAHHH!! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!"

And with that, the soldiers flee! Zero sees them shrieking and screaming, running away from the forest like crazed monkeys; he let them go. There would be time enough to find out where the RED CATS (and their mysterious boss, "Deimos") were hiding later.

Besides, Zero has something else to take care of….

Zero remembers, "ACK! OH NO! X! In the midst of all the fighting, I forgot about him!"

Zero dashes over to help X. Hang on, X! I'm coming!

And now, back to the fight between Bass and Megaman X!

X tries to get up, with some difficulty. Bass's "Raining Death From Above" Meteor Buster attack took a lot out of him. His auto-repair systems were working like mad to repair the damage done to his body, but to X the process felt like it took forever. Bass stands over his defeated foe.

"I stand corrected. Compared to Megaman, you SUCK! And here I thought you'd be a worthy opponent. Oh, well…" Bass notices X's wounds, and the blood. "Huh? You're…bleeding? What kind of robot are you!? If this is what robots in the future are like, then…"

Bass doesn't even want to finish his statement, for the very thought sickens him. Could robots in the future be made on the same level as humans? No, no! That's not possible! Robots are supposed to be superior to humans!

If this Megaman look-alike is the next generation of robots, then we're screwed!

Needless to say, Bass is disgusted with X. To protect his future kingdom, he makes a decision.

Bass sighs, "I guess this is it, then." To X, he says, "Buddy, you chose the WRONG person as your role model! You're a disgrace to the original! So, any last words before I put you out of your misery?"

X can only groan in pain.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, I'll make this a clean kill." Bass charges up his Buster. "Good bye… whoever you are!"

Bass aims his Buster at X, ready to blast him, but a hiss from behind cuts the air. He tenses as something sliced along the width of his back.

"GAAAHHH!!" Now in pain, Bass turns around to face his attacker. Zero stands with his Z-Saber still held up in the air from the sweep.

X croaks, glad to see his friend. "Zero…!"

Zero smirks. "Heh. Sorry to worry you, X."

Bass smiles evilly. "Well, well, we meet at last, Zero. I've been looking forward to this moment."

Zero blinks, surprised. "Huh!? How do you know my name?"

"Feh. You guys are full of questions, aren't you? As I was saying to your pal here… ," Bass points to the wounded X, "…if you wanna know, you gotta beat me first."

Angry now, Zero threatens, "Don't push me, Bass. I'll cut you with one stroke!"

"Really? YOU will cut ME? Bah! I'd like to see you try!" Bass draws his sword.

Tension hangs in the air as the two warriors prepare to duel. The winds begin to pick up, and we can hear and see the leaves rustling around.

"Heh heh heh! Now then… let's see which of us the Doc made stronger!"

Doc? Who could that person be? Another one of Deimos' men? Out loud, Zero tells Bass, "When I defeat you, you're gonna tell me what I want to know!"

"That's tough talk from somebody who's about to lose! You're going to wish you'd stayed in the lab, after I'm through with you!"

Zero snarls, "Don't bet on it, chump! Let's do it!!" He charges at Bass, ready to strike!

Bass laughs, "Oh, I just love it when my opponents display such bravado! It gets me so excited! Here I come!" He laughs again, swinging his sword as he closes in.

X can only watch as the two warriors charge at each other. The clash of swords fills the air as Zero battles Bass. Each struggle for supremacy, trying to find that strategic blow that would give him the upper hand. So far, much of the fight has turned into a draw, seesawing back and forth across the forest.

After a series of blows, Bass complements Zero. "Hey! You're not bad. Not bad at all."

"I'm just warming up! C'mon!"

"As you wish! HYAHH!!"

And so they continue fighting. Zero knew though that he had to beat this guy fast. Keeping this up would only tire him out, after just having fought with the RED CAT Soldiers. He suspected that Bass might just be playing with him until he could fight no more; then, he would land the final blow.

It was time to end this duel.

Zero and Bass lunge and parry across the woods. Although Zero was definitely the stronger of the two, Bass's speed and overall aggressive offense made up for that. His strikes came fast and furious (no pun intended!); Zero just able to avoid any seriously damaging blows.

As Bass came in for another slash, Zero nimbly leaps over him. He lands on his feet, then dashes forward to take Bass out from behind. He turns, barely deflecting the blow, and then Bass uses his armor's thrusters to back-dash out of Zero's reach.

Bass: You fight well, Zero. Nobody has ever lasted this long in a fight with me!

Zero hid the exhaustion in him, the fight between him and the RED CATS having gone on too long. Only the hatred he felt for Deimos's evil and his desire to help his friend X kept him going, but soon even that would not be enough.

"I'm determined to see you go down, Bass. Just like your soldiers did."

Bass cast him a casual smile, his sword still at the ready. "Feh. My men only failed because they played around with you too long."

"Or… Is it that you used them to try and wear me out, hmm, Bass?"

That stung, Bass sneering at him.

"Y'know, you could have helped them at any time. I'm glad you didn't, 'cause otherwise this fight would be totally different now.

Bass snarls, "I didn't sacrifice my troops, you idiot!"

"Seems that way to me. Guess you knew you couldn't take me in a fair fight. Cowardly, if I may say so."

NOW Bass is pissed. "WHY, YOU…..!! DIE!! YAAAAHHHHHH!"

With rage burning in his eyes, Bass rocket-dashes at top speed, swinging his sword wildly. Zero sees him coming, and blocks the attack with his Z-Saber. Bass was not to be stopped, his armor's rocket boosters pushing him forward, angry cries filling the air as he presses home his attack. Zero ducks, delivering a quick, low roundhouse kick knocking Bass's feet from under him. He falls to the ground hard, in a cloud of dust! Zero breathes heavily, exhausted from this fight and his earlier battle with the RED CATS.

"Huff, huff… Damn! I can't believe I'm breathing hard after fighting your sorry butt! Now, to get some answers, and…Huh?"

Zero looks around. He sees no sign of Bass anywhere. "Where are you, Bass?! Come out and face me!"

Suddenly, Zero hears someone laughing. It's definitely Bass, but where is he? His voice seems to coming out of nowhere!

"Hee hee hee hee! Calm down. I'm still here. You thought THAT last kick would take me out! Boy, are you lame! But don't feel too bad, though. Even though you can't possibly hope to beat me, you've earned my respect. Maybe the Doc did the right thing when he made you after all. You DO know who he is, don't you?"

"How should I know? I don't know such a person."

"Of course you do! Don't tell me you've never met him in your dreams."

Zero gets upset. "I…don't...know him...!"

Bass goes on taunting, "He used to talk about you all the time…" Before "Dog-Boy" came along, anyway… He continues, "…as if he's your own father!"

Zero angrily yells, "SHUT UP! Enough! You won't get away, Bass!"

Bass chuckles, "Hm hm hm… Interesting… I've always wanted to test your strength for a while now. It's like a dream come true for me!"

"Quit playing hide-and-seek! I've got no time for your games!"

"Don't waste time, Zero! Hurry up and defeat me so that you can rescue your friend! You know he's not doing too good at the moment…"

Oh, no! That loony bastard! I know what he's going to do now! He's going for X! I gotta stop him! Zero runs over to where X is lying on the ground. "X!"

Megaman X, though weak and hurt from Bass attack, stops him, "Zero…d-don't worry about me…stop Bass!"

"No way! If we leave, we leave together! We're the only ones who can stop whatever these guys are planning! I'm not going on this mission alone. You're my partner, X. You watch my back; I'll watch yours, right?"

X smiles. "Right, Zero! Partners…!"

"Yeah."

The two Hunters tap fists, as a sign of their friendship.

Bass says sarcastically, "Oh, that's so sweet…NOT!"

Zero growls, "Grrr…! Bass!"

"Ah, ah, you didn't let me finish. I've got a deal for you. Why don't you join the RED CAT GANG and become one of the chosen warriors, like ME? Ditch that loser X! You could have it all! Power, riches, girls, anything!"

"Get real! Who'd want to team up with the likes of you!?"

Silence hangs heavy over the night sky.

Bass finally speaks, " …………..I see. That's too bad. I'd thought you'd be keen on the idea. We could have had a hell of a time together, you and me. Think of the havoc we could have caused! Our enemies would quake with fear at the mention of our names!"

Zero can't believe it. "Trying to tempt me like this… you've got NOTHING to offer me, Bass!"

Bass, hurt by Zero's response, says with frustration, "I don't believe this! You silly, stupid fool! I'm offering you a chance to be on the top of the world, and you choose the gutter. I offer you the keys to my kingdom, and you'd rather be one of the dumb ol' peasants! But that's OK … I'll send you two to be together forever… in HELL! Prepare to DIE!!"

Megaman X gasps, "Zero! Above you!"

Just as X said, Bass came rocketing down from the sky, sword in both hands, about to take them both out with one thrust!

Aw, man, those last two fights took a lot outta me. I've only got enough strength for one last blow. I gotta make it count! Out loud, Zero says, "Oh, no you don't! Take this! The bite of the thunder god! DENJIN!"

As Bass comes down, Zero leaps up delivering a rising electric slash with his Z-Saber! Bass felt the full force of the attack as the huge lightning bolt of electricity surges through him, frying him like a piece of chicken!

Bass screams in pain, "GYAAAAHHHHH!"

The electric charge rips into Bass's circuits, shorting out his armor, and disabling his rocket thrusters! His death dive attack became a crash dive as he helplessly spirals out of control and crashes into the ground! Bass just lies there twitching from all that electricity that he received. Zero on the other hand, lands safely and strikes a cool pose with his sword extended.

"When I use "Denjin" at full power, my Saber packs one million volts! You don't stand a chance against it." Zero boasts as he puts away his Z-Saber. "It's over. I've won….ACK! ARRGH!"

Zero clutches his left side as if he's in pain. He feels something wet in his right hand. Opening it up, he sees his own blood. He looks at his left side, and notices a long, vertical cut across the side of his torso, and it's bleeding.

He cut me!? But how? I could have sworn I'd nailed him with "Denjin"!

It was about that time when Bass got up from the ground, using his sword to prop himself up, his body still twitching from Zero's "Denjin" attack. "Heh, heh… OK…ugh… you win, this time. But next time…ah!…things will be different!"

"Bass, wait! Tell me! Just what are you and your boss plotting to do? Gahhh…that hurts!!" Zero clutches his wound again.

Bass uses one of Erick's favorite catch-phrases. "That's a secret. But I'll tell you this: WE control everything in this city, and soon, we'll control the world too. As for the Cells, well… you'll never find out about those things. Don't go looking too much into that, or you could be crossing paths with the wrong people, if you know what I mean…."

"Bass!"

Then Zero sees something unusual. Bass is actually smiling! Not a sinister grin, but a genuine, happy one. Bass is pleased with his opponent who stands before him.

"Buuut… you'll be pleased to know that my offer still stands. You're a really strong guy, Zero. We could use someone like you on our team. Think about it."

"............!!"

Bass regards both X and Zero, "Well, I'll leave you so you can look after that loser friend of yours. So long, Zero. I look forward to our next meeting. Until then, stay alive, OK? HA HA HA HA HA HA!!"

And with that, Bass fires up his armor's rockets and flies away (though unsteadily because of the damage he took), laughing at X and Zero. They gazed at the night sky as he flees, probably to that rat Deimos's hole in the ground. Zero kneels down to help X to his feet.

X notices Zero's wound. "Zero! That cut….!"

Zero brushes it off. "Heh, it's just a flesh wound, X! My auto-repair system will heal this in no time. You, on the other hand… " He takes a good look at X's battered body. "...look terrible! Oh, man!"

"Yeah, but… I'm getting better!"

Zero gets the joke. "X. Don't even go there."

They both have a good laugh, X laughing through the pain. "Ha ha ha…. OW! Ha…OW! Hee, hee! OW!" But it still hurts!

"See what I mean? Anyway, I think we should call it a night, go back to town, use the cash we've brought to secure us a place to stay while we're here, and get some rest. We'll try to investigate Nerima tomorrow."

"Zero… Why don't we find a hotel?"

"Hmm… good idea, X. In fact, I think I saw a REAL nice one not too far from here on our way to hide the time machine earlier. We'll go there.

X's confused. "On foot, Zero? You're… kidding, right?"

Zero says, disappointed, "Looks like we'll have to, X… at least until we can get some other means of transportation back to the city. We can't risk using the time machine, lest somebody find it and we lose our ticket back home once the mission's over." He sighs, "C'mon, we've got a long walk ahead of us."

And, so they make the long walk back to the city, X propped up against Zero with one arm over his shoulder as he limps along, Zero carrying them both. They walk along the road for almost twenty minutes, when a familiar-looking old, beat-up truck pulls up beside them. The driver of the truck sticks his head out the window. It's the strange fisherman from all the way back in Chapter 6!

"Hey, lads! I saw you walkin' down the road, and…" The fisherman then notices X. "YOWZA! What happened to 'im!? Is he…?"

Zero tells him, "Nah, he's okay. We just had a little run-in with some rough dudes in the woods, that's all."

"You mean the forest? What were you doing out there at this late hour? Folks do some crazy stuff out there in the woods, y'know!"

"Yeah, we know."

The fisherman goes on, "Seems like folks everywhere are doin' crazy stuff. I was in China a while back, making my rounds, when I see these two loonies yellin' "NI!" at some poor old man! One of 'em looked like a scuba diver, or frogman, or sumthin' (a.k.a. Bubbleman), and the other was wearin' some kinda freaky black 'n gold armor...."

Bass! Zero thinks.

The fisherman keeps on going, ""NI!" they're yellin'. "NI!" I thinks to myself, asks myself, "Now, self, what kinda word is "NI!"? Eh? Never 'erd of it." That's heard, by the way. I mean, "NI!" Folks back in the ol' days used to say, "BOO!" if they wanted to scare somebody. But "NI"? Maybe if was "NI…BOO!", now THEN I'd understand. But just "NI!"…?"

X can't take any more of this! He finally snaps, OH, WILL YOU JUST STOP SAYING "NI!"!!" He gasps, "ACK!" then "OW! Oh….!", and passes out.

Zero and the fisherman just look at X. Zero is surprised; X has never acted like this before! Maybe it's the pain from his injuries talking?

Then the fisherman says, "Y'see what I mean? Crazy!"

Zero's like, "Err… right. Listen, we REALLY need to get to the city. Can you give us a lift?"

"Why, sure! I'm headed that way, anyway! I'll drop you off anywhere you like! Hop on board!"

Zero helps X into the back of the truck, then hops in afterwards. It kinda smells like raw fish. Zero holds his nose.

"Oh! Hope you lads don't mind the smell of fish!"

"Sir…Compared to what we've been through, THIS is nothing. Anyway, thanks for the ride."

The fisherman cheerfully says, "Oh, don't mention it. It's the duty of a good Samaritan to look out for strangers, especially in these dark and perilous times we live in, when passing ruffians can say "Ni!" at will to innocent people and strange guys do weird stuff in the woods!" Then, concerned about X, he asks, "But what about your friend? You SURE he's gonna be all right? I can take him to a hospital once we get into town."

Zero turns around to check on X. The amount of damage that he took would have killed several Reploids three times over and spelled instant death for a human. Zero marveled that his partner was still alive now. At any rate, taking X to a hospital would NOT be a good idea. Once the doctors got a look at him, he'd go from being a patient to being a specimen in some top-secret government lab, as they'd try to take him apart and find out what'd make him tick. Maintaining a low profile was important; X and Zero were, after all, on a secret mission. The less people knew about them, the better.

Good. His auto-repair's finally kicked in. He still has a ways to go, though. From what I saw, it's going to be close. Out loud, he says reassuring their driver, "Nah. He'll pull through; he's a fighter. This won't beat him."

"Okay, if you say so…." The fisherman puts his truck in gear and drives onward. As they ride back to town, X wakes up.

Zero sees him. "Hey, X."

Weak and hurt, Megaman X apologizes, "Zero… ugh…I'm sorry…"

"About what? Look, if it's about me getting hit by Bass while protecting you, don't worry about it. Besides, I'm made of much tougher stuff than that idiot realizes!"

He thinks back to when Bass tempted him to join the RED CAT GANG. Although Zero flat out turned him down, something inside him was intrigued by the offer, as if…

No, no, he would tell himself. He was one of the good guys! Not a bad guy like that jerk Bass! And yet…

He shook off those thoughts. Zero didn't want to tell X about it; poor X would just worry about him even more than he already was. Yep, that's X for you. He was always concerned about and looked out for his friends and fellow Maverick Hunters.

Zero thinks, smiling, Yeah… Much tougher stuff. For X, for the other Hunters, for Iris, and… for myself. I won't let Bass mess with my head like that again! Everyone's counting on us!

The two Maverick Hunters, Megaman X and Zero, ride back to town in silence. We can see the city ahead, the many bright lights of assorted buildings adding a colorful backdrop to the evening sky.

RED CAT GANG's SECRET BASE – INSIDE ERICK'S DARK CHAMBER:

Erick meets with Bass and Onekomaru after their encounter with Megaman X and Zero. "Well, it looks like your mission was a success. Both of you have done well." To Onekomaru, he asks, "Tell me, Onekomaru. Did they suspect anything?"

"Nope, my lord. And, I got it all right here!" Onekomaru holds up a computer disk that contains X and Zero's battle data. He then hands it to Erick.

Holding the disk in one hand, Erick sasys, "Well, all that's going to change when I use this data for my next experiment with the DVL Cells."

Irritated, Bass says, "Bah! Why are we even bothering with those two anyway, Erick? I THOUGHT we were supposed to focusing on finding that Phoenix Stone!

"Patience, Bass. In fact, this next experiment will help us with our search for the Phoenix Stone."

Bass, knowing Erick like he does, asks anyway, "I don't suppose you're gonna let me in on what this new "experiment" of yours is?"

Erick goes into his, yep… you guessed it, the Xelloss-schtick. "Ah, but…. that is a secret."

Bass frowns at this. "Geez….!"

"By the way, do you still have that sword you used in your fight with X and Zero?"

"Oh! Yeah. What for?"

"On your way out, I'd like you to drop the sword off with Brightman and our scientists. I want him to analyze those bloodstains on it."

"Sure, whatever."

"Okay, you two are dismissed."

Bass and Onekomaru leave Erick and head for a top-secret research department within the RED CATS' base.

LATER THAT NIGHT - RED CAT GANG'S SECRET BASE - TOP SECRET RESEARCH DEPARTMENT:

Inside this room, three lone figures can be seen in front of a large panoramic window. Two of them are lab technicians wearing red uniforms, white lab coats, and red cat ears. The third is a robot wearing a lab coat over his bright orange armor and a light bulb the size of a basketball on top of his head. It's Brightman, one of Dr. Wily's robots, and head of the RED CAT GANG's scientific research and development team.

As the smartest of Wily's robots, he was put in charge of designing new technology and weapons for the RED CATS in their efforts to take over the world. He also works as Wily's lab assistant.

The RED CAT techs are seated at computer terminals, analyzing the sword. Looking through the window, we see it on an examining table as all sorts of lasers and scanning devices sweep over it, recording data.

Brightman is watching one of the screens. He sees the information on the bloodstains, and it surprises him. "Increase magnification," he instructs. One of the lab techs, using a high-powered microscope, zooms in as close as possible on the image, and there appears to be traces of what looks like electronic code within the dried-up blood. He then grins at what he sees. After reading what's on the screen, he says, "Well, Bass has given us much more than we needed."

"How is that?" RED CAT Tech 1 asks.

"All we really needed was the battle data in order to create the High Priest's new spy robot. But look at these…" Brightman points at the stains.

They look at the sword, and RED CAT Tech 2 realizes, "Ah! I see! Bass cut him!"

Brightman nods. "Yes. The blood of Zero. And that means we can extract a DNA data sample from it! Contact Lord Erick, and tell him what we've found!"

The RED CAT Techs obediently reply, "Yes, sir!"

TO BE CONTINUED...