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Title: Mega Man X6: False Awakening
Chapter: Stage 00, part 4 "Birth"
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"He he he he," Sigma chuckled darkly, floating above the two wounded Hunters. "Impressive... You came much earlier than I expected. It was pointless to have Zero fight you. You really are the number one Hunter. You show no mercy for enemies or comrades... The stronger you are, the more I want to destroy you, X..."
X didn't care for Sigma's taunting. It was all lies, in any case. But one thing caught his attention.
"Why did you do all this?!" he demanded.
"Because of Zero... to awaken Zero from his false self," Sigma revealed, smirking as Zero flinched. "You see, Zero and I... we are the same. We hold the same potential. Back then, when Zero first appeared as a Maverick, during our battle, he and I came into contact with a very special 'program' that changed our nature. That is how I was able to surpass my prior self."
X's mind spun furiously as he remembered the place Zero had visited right after the Statue mission, when the Virus had become rampant across the Earth. He remembered what Zero had told him. It matched up with what Sigma was saying. But, X thought with a scowl, what he had said back then was also true. It didn't matter. None of that mattered. Zero was a proud Hunter who had saved numerous lives. Not like Sigma, a traitor and a lunatic who wanted to wipe out humans and enslave Reploids to his will.
"I wanted to find out how far Zero could go..." Sigma mused, "so I scattered the Virus all over the Earth to purify his body. But the amount of the Virus was insufficient. So I used the rundown colony to multiply the Virus and bring it to Earth. You know the outcome, don't you?"
It was too much. X choked on his fury, unable to even find words to express his rage.
Smirking, Sigma turned to the other Hunter. "Zero... I'll ask you one more time. Don't you want to acquire the power of your true self?"
"Go to hell!" Zero bit back shortly.
Finally finding his tongue, X demanded, "You almost annihilated the Earth for that?! You're sick!"
"I knew the Earth would be safe and sound, thanks to the efforts of you Maverick Hunters, ever ready and able to come to the rescue. It's just too bad most of you have also become Mavericks..." Sigma shrugged, but his shoulders shook tellingly, despite his falsely serious expression. "It was close, wasn't it? Ha ha ha ha!"
"You...!" X shook with barely suppressed fury. "How many Hunters have been lost because of you...?! I'll never forgive you for this! You're going to pay for what you've done!"
He almost started toward Sigma, but a heavy hand on his shoulder held him back and tempered his rage. Using that hand, Zero hauled himself to his feet. "We'll finish this battle once and for all," he said firmly.
Watching them smugly, Sigma spread his arms. "Here I am. You can challenge me at any time!" he taunted them. His shimmering cloak was thrown off, floating down too slowly for something so large, before disappearing into the Virus mist.
But despite his words, he was the one who attacked. Without warning, Sigma lunged for them, violet afterimages trailing behind him.
His intent had probably been to separate X and Zero, but the two Hunters chose instead to go up, X air dashing, Zero double jumping, to clear Sigma's path. Flipping in midair, they aimed their Busters and simultaneously fired at Sigma's exposed back. Their shots spiraled together into a single attack that crashed into Sigma and sent him stumbling.
The two Hunters landed and turned quickly, ready to fight, but to their surprise, Sigma simply stood up and flexed his back. The white armor was barely scorched.
"Good, good," Sigma praised. "But you'll have to do better. You see, I have some delightful news. I've recently acquired a new partner. He was quite interested in you, X. He hates you as much as I do, so he gave me this amazing new body to bring about your end!"
Sigma turned, again spreading his arms, showing off his new form. It was certainly different from his usual construction. The sleek, simple lines of the white armor spoke of a powerful, understated design. It was obviously very strong as well.
Again, Sigma didn't wait for them to attack, taking the offensive himself. With a sweep of one arm, he sent out a large blue shockwave that bore down on the Hunters unrelentingly. Instead of trying to dodge away, X dashed straight into it and activated Nova Strike again. The Ultimate Armor protested the strain, but Sigma's attack was far weaker than Genmurei had been.
Breaking through the shockwave, X didn't stop until he plowed into Sigma himself. As the Maverick roared in anger, thrown off balance, X air dashed out of the way. Zero followed on his heels, having simply ducked under Sigma's attack. He drove his Saber into Sigma's already-damaged armor, cleaving it open and cutting deep into the circuitry underneath.
Grasping at his wounds, Sigma stumbled back and suddenly faded from sight. He had merged back into the Virus-infested mist around them, using it to recover and regroup.
X and Zero drew together again, holding their weapons at ready.
The Virus surged together, concentrating tangibly in one place. The thick mist separated into clusters, revealing Sigma's form in the center of the aberration. Each cluster solidified into a manifestation of the Sigma Virus, like the ones that had plagued the Earth since Sigma's failed "experiment".
Zero darted forward, drawing the Viruses to him. During the mad rush to prevent Eurasia from destroying the planet, he had taken to allowing the Sigma Virus to infect him, taking advantage of the power boost it gave him, but now Zero fastidiously evaded each head, slashing at any that got too close.
For his part, X hung back and continued to lay down cover fire on Sigma. The uncharged shots didn't do much damage, but they kept Sigma distracted and off-balance, so that he couldn't react in time as Zero appeared in front of him, Saber flashing.
Sigma's left arm sailed through the air, cleanly detached with one stroke.
But even as he clutched at the stump, Sigma only laughed.
"Don't think it'll be that easy!" he gloated. "I've surpassed my prior self!"
The Virus gathered around him, great clouds of it swirling overhead like a storm cell and being sucked into a towering tornado that glowed from within. Zero backed away quickly, returning to X's side, and just in time, as a giant hand thrust out of the Virus clouds to grasp at the place where he had stood.
The Virus storm burst apart with a great roar, revealing Sigma's new form – a giant torso, clad in cobalt armor. It was roughly constructed, almost as if sloppily welded together, and seemed to simply emerge out of the unnatural ground. Two clawed fists hovered next to him, disconnected from the main body, each as large as X or Zero.
Sigma's face, as out of place as it had been on the Statue, sneered down at them.
The two giant fists rocketed at X and Zero, forcing the Hunters to scatter out of the way. X took to the air and, instead of retreating, air dashed at Sigma's head. He quickly called up the power of Nova Strike, intent on taking care of Sigma quickly.
But in the moment before impact, Sigma's form suddenly flickered and became an insubstantial hologram, allowing X to pass right through. It solidified again behind him, and one of the fists swung around to target him.
Changing directions in mid-air, X just barely avoided the sharp spikes on its knuckles.
Sigma smirked, but his triumph didn't last long. Zero hadn't been idle. Using the hand that had been targeting him as a platform, he launched himself Saber-first at Sigma's head. His aim was a little off - his spinning slash carved deep wounds in the right side of Sigma's face.
The Maverick roared in pain, momentarily fading into a hologram, only to solidify again and send both fists at Zero. The two Hunters exchanged a quick look, deciding on their course of action.
While Zero distracted Sigma, X got into position and leveled his Buster at the center of the Maverick's head. He pulled all his energy into his next Charge shot, past the normal limit, to the edge of what the Ultimate Armor could do.
Sigma's attention was drawn by the brightening glow of X's Buster, and one of his fists opened, palm turning to X. Energy gathered quickly in his hand, but just as it was about to release, Zero intercepted it, slashing deeply into its circuitry and sending its beam off course.
With a war cry, X let his Plasma shot fly.
It plowed into the center of Sigma's forehead, straight into the gem. The Maverick's face contorted into something monstrous as it warped and melted under the power of the blast.
"Gwaaaaaa!" Sigma's roar turned into a deep groan as his Virus-created body began to dissolve, melting into the ground. "Damn… But I'll never die alone!" With a last surge of will, he grasped with his remaining hand, taking Zero by surprise. The Hunter cursed as he was caught in the massive fist, even losing grip on his Saber.
"Stop it!" X yelled desperately, too far away to do anything in time. "Let him go!"
"Gha ha ha ha… Isn't it painful to have to watch while others suffer?" Sigma taunted, his voice beginning to give out as his body continued to deteriorate. Power was building up in its core, and excess energy crackled through him and through Zero, paralyzing the Hunter. "You can put up with your own pain… but can't bear to see others harmed, can you? Especially Zero, the one most important to you! That's why… I'm taking Zero… down with me! Goodbye, X… Gha ha ha ha!"
Sigma's mocking laughter and X's scream of denial were drowned out by the explosion.
It sent X flying through the air and crashing into the ground, whiting out his vision and scrambling his few working sensors. Combined with the stress he had been putting on it, the damage was finally too much for the Ultimate Armor program as well, and his armor reverted back to its basic configuration.
But none of that mattered. Even before his sight restabilized, X was scrambling to his feet and stumbling in the direction where Sigma - where Zero - had been.
"…Zero? Zero!" X called out blindly. "Zero!"
His eyes darted around in search of even a fragment of red or gold among the Virus-induced indigo. Zero couldn't be gone. He didn't believe it, couldn't believe it. Zero wouldn't lose to Sigma. There was no way.
There. A flash of red and gold.
Hobbling to his friend's side, X dropped to his knees and reached out tentatively. His hands shook as he took in Zero's state.
Zero's lower body had been completely destroyed, leaving only his torso, head and a single arm intact, all scorched and heavily damaged. Even Zero's proud mane had been reduced, the ends blackened and melted.
That was alright. Zero had been through worse. He had survived self-destructing. This time, X wouldn't leave him behind for the Mavericks to find. He would take Zero back to the Hunters. They would repair him.
"Zero," X called out, reaching to pick up what remained of his friend's body. "Don't die. You hear me? Don't you dare, Zero!"
Hadn't Zero been awake back then? He had still been able to speak to X, despite being in the same state. Why was he silent now? Was he really...?
Caught in his own fears and doubts, X didn't notice the Virus flowing together in the place where Sigma had been. The ruptured ground warped, as if something was bubbling up inside it. The distortion rose, and three openings tried to form. But two caved inward, leaving only one hole to glow with an ominous red light.
Beneath it, a large maw wrenched open, a malevolent voice hissing out even as energy gathered deep within it.
"... … … Dro... Drop dead...!" Sigma choked out.
"...Uh? N-no..!" X glanced over his shoulder, realizing the danger a moment too late.
Sigma had aimed his final shot well. The blast was narrow but focused, and it tore through both Hunters, piercing their chests completely.
"...Gu, ghaa..."
Shot from behind, X couldn't even retaliate. His body refused to respond, and all he could do was watch, oddly detached, as Zero slipped from his grasp and began to fall.
Zero's eyes slid open - the shock had jolted his systems, jerking him into consciousness - and focused with a strangely lucid gaze behind X, on Sigma. His arm shifted into a Buster, pointed over X's shoulder, toward the hideous remains of their enemy.
A smile spread over his face, the sort of grin X hadn't seen since the Repliforce incident.
Zero's last shot was weak, pulling dregs of power from a dying core, but it was enough to tear through Sigma's twisted remnant. It disintegrated, taking with it most of the Virus. The mysterious lights began to dim as the area slowly returned to normal.
But neither Hunter saw the result as they crashed into the ground and lay motionless.
X met Zero's gaze, still piercing blue but growing more and more unfocused. Zero was fading out, and so was X. Was he speaking to X? He couldn't hear him anymore.
His own thoughts were all that remained, desperately disappearing into the darkness.
"... ...I'm... losing strength... ...I can't... see anything... ...Ze... Zero... Don't... leave... Please... stand... by me... ...I'll... protect you... Zero..."
The last thing he saw was Zero's faint smile... but Zero was already...
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Meager updates continued to scroll across the main screen. The Hunters watched, mourned, and waited.
"Alia, can you give me an update?" Signas asked briskly. He had already begun to formulate response protocols and deployment schedules. Soon, every moment and every Reploid would count.
The Navigator shook her head, never taking her eyes off her monitor. "The Earth avoided the worst situation," she said. No matter how grim it seemed, they had survived. That was already a victory. "I don't have any other information..."
Signas nodded slowly. "How about X and Zero?" Everything they could do and everything they could attempt would end up meaningless if X and Zero failed against Sigma. But somehow, Signas did not feel the need to even consider that possibility in his calculations. How strange. Was that what people called faith?
"There are no readings on them, but... I believe they're alive..." Alia admitted.
"It's unusual for you to say that, without any data," Signas said, smiling faintly. "But I believe that too. They're alive... and we'll find them. Soon."
Their fight was just beginning.
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Notes: ...So, yeah. It's done.
What am I gonna do with myself now? Should I do X7? I would have to seriously twist some stuff around to make that palatable. And it would still end up shorter, since there weren't nearly as many loose threads.
Or an AU of some kind? I've had a few ideas. Like an all Megaman series crossover, that starts with Yuichiro helping Dr. Light design X early (and we know that Yuichiro doesn't believe in silly things like 30 year testing periods for his human-level AIs). Or maybe a basic AU story about X and Zero as Hunters, without the Virus (since I think the series would be pretty different without it). (I would aim for homoeroticism, but we've seen what my idea of gaaaay is.)
Or maybe a Resident Evil crossover, as an BN-style alternate timeline, where both Light and Wily lost that science prize... to bioengineering.
Or move on to another fandom? It's hard to keep a good fan enthusiasm going with so few good Megaman X stories... (Or I could, you know, focus on real life things. ...Nah.)
The possibilities are endless.
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