Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for OC's.
Spike Rosered Stage
"GUUHAAAACK...!"
The sounds of metal clashing to the ground as Plant Reploid spinning horizontally until he hit the wall. Spike Rosered fell flat on his face with a grunt. He had just lost his good right arm thanks to Zero with that in mine, he forces himself to get up while casting a furious glare. No one has ever be able to get the best of him and live to tell the tale-
His anger turned to horror when he saw his opponent walked up to him. A dark aurora has consumed the Crimson Hunter, eyes glow red, Z-Saber firmly in his hand as he approached the Maverick.
"Heh, heh, okay..." Spike Rosered got up and stumbled backwards to the wall, "You made your point. I won't stop you from your noble mission to save the planet and all that... Take the device, it's all yours. I give up- ACK!"
Zero dash fowared, grabbing Spike Rosered at his neck and lifted him up.
"Wh-What are you doing!? I s-said I give up-"
"You're going to tell me everything!" Zero's eyes flash in fury as he pulled him closer that their nose almost sticking.
"Are you nuts?! I've told you everything!" Spike Rosered panicked as he tried to pry Zero off his neck with his only one hand.
"Then why don't I believe you!?" Zero snarled as he spun and tossed Spike Rosered to the side.
Alia: Zero forget him! Just take the device and return to HQ!
Maverick Hunters HQ
Command Center
"Hey, are you even listening? Zero!" Alia exclaimed as she stood up from her seat. "Err... He's ignoring us," Screw-Ball made a nervous emoji.
Commander Signas crossed his arms as he focus on the holo display.
The Head Navigator bit her lower lip, she's not getting through to Zero again. X ran up to the command center after helping Douglas equip the Booster.
"What's happening to Zero?" X said shocked. "I don't know?" Alia said,"It's gotten worse…"
"He's worried about Iris," The Blue Bomber frowned, "And it's making him forget about the mission."
Alia, "I fear that he might go astray again," Screw-Ball made a confused emoji, "Again?" the Blond haired female Reploid Operator nodded to the droid.
"In a time like this...," The Ball droid said with a tired emoji, "I'm not the one to complain but-"
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you!"
Everyone in the room immediately fouces back to the holoscreen as they watch Spike Rosered spill the beans to the Red Hunter.
"Prince had told me everything about his and Dynamo's plot to crash the colony to the earths surface before it happen. And if that fails, there's going to be a Plan B."
"What is Plan B? What does Iris have anything to do with all of this?"
"You should know she is your girlfriend after all."
"Tell me what SIGMA want with Iris!"
"Plan B is all Prince's idea! He'd already game planed it, the whole world is in disarray and among the chaos... He is leading the Mavericks to take over key cites around the world. And I hear that he's already planing to do just that."
"HE'S WHAT?"
"Guess you got your work cut out for you Maverick Hunters."
X and Alia's eyes widen when they heard of Prince's Plan B. Signas and Screw-Ball for their part tensed.
Spike Rosered Stage
The Red Hunter gritted his teeth as he gripped his Saber tightly. He suddenly became alarmed when a green vine wrapped around Zero's right leg and drag him up. Zero fell flat on his face as he was dragged by the organic metallic Cyclopes rose plant.
Spike Rosered burst out laughing at the site of a surprise Zero hanging upside down. Zero yelled in pain as a red electrostatic charge from the vines began to suck at the energy of the Red Hunter.
"You thought I would beg for mercy, wrong! You may've destroyed my good arm, but I can- What!?" Spike Rosered eyes widen in shock as he watch Zero grab hold of the vine. The static charge reverses back to Zero as he charged up his buster cannon and fired at the eye of the giant plant.
The Plant released its grip as it collapses backwards. Zero landed as he set his sights on Spike Rosered.
"H-How?"
"No more games!"
Zero aimed his buster cannon, the lights get more concentrated, until it was a bright, glowing orb. The orb of light turned into a dark matter.
"Wait, can we talk about this?" Spike Rosered flinched and started to scream, "NO, NO, NO!"
Maverick Hunters HQ
Command Center
X, Alia, Douglas and Screw-Ball watch with shock, as they watch Zero blast Spike Rosered in a beam of darkness from the main holoscreen. Commander Signas remain unfazed as to what happen as he watches Zero obliterate his opponent in a single attack.
The Ball Droid was the first to speak, "Okay… That was new…" the droid made a nervous emoji, "I don't like the look of this."
X frowned, "Its getting worst." Screw-Ball made a surprised emoji. Alia sighed.
"This is Zero. I have obtained the orbiter wing."
"Mission accomplish," Alia said, "Return to base," she turns to Screw-Ball, "Do me a solid and inform Doctor Eloy and Shining Firefly about the news, we may need them and Lifesaver on deck."
Screw-Ball, "Yes ma am!" he saluted and flew to the exit.
Black Fortress
Library Room
The Prince of Replifore played on the Piano in an exotic massive library room, the fire place lit the otherwise dark room with a big portrait of Berkana mounted on the wall above. It was a melody that he wrote for Iris, before he was fired by General. The Noble Prince had always prided himself of being a perfect gentleman, even though he now finds humans to be inferior creatures.
He can sense Zero is coming for Iris. Dark Necrobat walked up to him.
Prince stop what he was doing after he noticed his subordinate, "You have some nerve coming back here."
"Squeak! I've only followed orders," Dark Necrobat said.
Prince smirked as he rose from his seat as he turned around to face the Bat Beastialoid, "Then I'm grateful that I was able to spare you from the hands of that blue imbecile."
Dark Necrobat narrowed his eyes, as he cross his arms. A Maverick walked in the room with a salute, "Boss I was told by Dynamo that the-"
"Yes, yes, I am aware. It's all according to the plan." The biker Maverick became confused.
Prince said as he turned back to his piano, "I need you two to go to the commanded deck and begin firing up the boosters."
The biker Maverick flinched while Dark Necrobat spoke, "I take it that X and Zero has all the parts they need to fire up their shuttle."
Prince, "Humph! What Zero and X does in their mission is irrelevant to me. Of course, Zero and X will show up here after their mission. To try to rescue Iris from our evil clutches."
"So all this talk to lure Zero was just bluster?" The Beastialoid question.
"No, I'm simply not ready to deal with him just yet."
"Then in that case I will depart to the command deck, my lord," Dark Necrobat turned on his heel and head out the exit. The biker Maverick followed as well, out of fear of Prince in a dark room.
Maverick Hunters HQ
Command Center
All the importunate people are present in the room, including, Zero, Marty, Doctor Eloy and Shining Firefly. The Holoscreen showed the pitcher of the Space Shuttle.
Douglas, "We've completed the Space Shuttle. It's ready to launch at anytime. Still..." he cautioned, "The problem is... who will maneuver it... It's awkward having this kind of concern at the very end. Everything else is taken care. The Shuttle is ready. Please notify me once you've dealt with the pilot issue."
"I nominated the Droid," Shining Firefly said. Screw-Ball made a horrified emoji, but then can hear the Bug Beastialoid chuckling.
"That's totally not cool," Screw-ball cried with an angry emoji, "We are in mortal danger, you know."
Doctor Eloy laughed, "Now, now, don't take it personally, Screwie. We all know that you can't pilot without feet."
"We're all going to die," Screw-Ball grimed.
Zero paused for a moment before speaking, "Not quite." Everyone in the room looked at the Crimson Hunter in disbelief, "I'm not giving up on Iris, but I can't let the world be destroyed. I know how to operate a Shuttle."
"Then you know about the injector seat, but where you land could be an issue," Douglas said. "I know where I need to go," Zero nodded.
Douglas was not sure about this, he knows Zero will start looking for Iris again. But it's not like anyone in this room can stop him.
"Alright... Any objection's commander?" Douglas asked Signas. The Commander shook his head, "No. Zero, the Shuttle is all yours."
"Thank you sir."
"Just remember to come back in one piece."
"I will sir," and with Iris, Zero thought.
...
Douglas, "The Space Shuttle. Standby!" The group watch the live feed of the launchpad.
"I trust you... Zero," Commander Signas said, "I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you..." X became tense as he watches the feed.
"Don't mention it! This is my Mission."
Screw-Ball became nervous while hiding behind Alia.
"I'm the only available pilot, you know."
"Wait!" X said, "Zero, I'll do it instead of you!"
"X, you should stay here. Who else will protect the Earth?"
"Don't talk as if you won't be back, not when Iris is in danger!"
"I'm sure I'll be back! I won't die on such an easy mission. When I became a Maverick... I think that's when I'll have died."
"OK, Zero, I'll be waiting for you... you'd better come back alive!"
Alia sighed, "It's about time... Zero..."
"OK! I'm ready!"
Signas, "Ready, Zero? This is our last chance. BLAST OFF!"
The Shuttle from outside started to rocket upward to the stratosphere.
X, "Zero! Be sure to come back safely..." his eyes widen, "Zero! Zero! Zero!"
"W-What's happening!? I-I can't watch! Iris's done for without Zero!" Screw-Ball panicked. "You're not being helpful," Marty hissed at the droid.
On the screen, the Shuttle reach orbit.
Alia rolled her eyes at the Screw-Ball before informing to her collage, "Zero, the colony is approaching... Go!"
"I'm sure it'll work this time!" Douglas said nervously.
"Zero will make it and get out okay!"
"Locking on to the Space Colony. I'll get as close to it as possible, then I'll abandon the Shuttle. I saw lots of debris from the Colony around here... I have to pilot the Shuttle around the debris... Otherwise, the Shuttle will be destroyed before it crashes into the "Eurasia" Colony."
"Zero! I believe you can do it!" Douglas said. "Come on Zero you got to do it!" Screw-Ball hovering over Alia's shoulder.
"Thanks, Douglas, Screw-Ball... It's time to go... I'll cut the communication in 5 seconds and get out of here!"
X," Good luck, Zero!"
Signas, "Good luck, Zero!"
"7 seconds to impact. 5...4...3...2... ... it crashed into the Colony! ... Destruction of the Colony is... ... 86%! It will be gone within 10 minutes! ... We've succeeded in destroying the Colony! ...Zero? Can you read me?" Alia asked on the line.
Douglas smiled, "Zero!"
"He did it! We're saved," Screw-Ball made a crying emoji. Shining Firefly scoffed, while his former student, Doctor Eloy, brushing the back of her hand underneath her chin in deep thought. The blue-haired young woman roboticist brows frown, knowing full well that it isn't over.
"Indeed," Eloy said, "But let's just wait what happens next. There's still Sigma to worry about." The Blue Bomber agreed with the Doctor with a nodded.
"Oh, right... Iris-chan," Screw-Ball, twiddled his glove fingers.
Signas, "Zero! Can you read me?"
Mega Man X suddenly felt something, "...I feel... I feel Zero!" he return his focus on the holoscreen.
"This is Zero... Do you hear me? ... I managed to... survive..." Alia's eyes widen, "We've got a response from Zero!"
"Zero are you alright?"
"It was challenging, but I'm OK... Everything is fine! I think I can make it back to Earth."
"We'll get you from wherever you fall... Until then, try to get some rest-"
"There will be no rest for the wicked," boomed Prince's voice, with the video feed cut to the Prince of Repliforce.
"Prince!" X said alarmed.
"I must say I must congratulate on your successful mission, stopping a world ending collision is no small feet."
"Prince, you know how this will end now that the world is safe," Signas said, "I strongly suggest you release Iris."
"And surrender, to a human loving bureaucrat like you? Hah! Don't be absurd! Do you really think I'd let her go at the site of red and blue armor? I think not!"
Signas gritted his teeth in anger.
"The colony was just one big distraction," X concluded, "You never wanted us to show up at your base."
"Not entirely true, I wanted to weaken Zero, but it seems he wanted to sacrifice himself for the planet. Then to face his former lover."
"Your wrong!"
"Humph! Be it as it may, but he would not be caught dead coming to our dominion without reliving the past. By the way In the demise of the Maverick Hunters. While you idiots were focus on stopping the colony, I, as well as Dynamo, have mobilized our forces. To seize key, our operation is already in full. We have destroyed 70% of earths defenses."
"Sir!" shouted a male Reploid Operator. "The Capital City is under attack!"
"What?" Signas's eyes widen, "But that's where we are!"
"You Maverick Hunters won't last in our new world and with my brilliant mine, I will make sure of it! Ha ha ha ha!" and with that the communication had ended.
"Sir, we got trouble," Alia grimed, "I lost contact with Iris's signal..."
Signas remain composed as he turn to face Mega Man X, "X I want you to go outside and help defend the Capital City. Don't worry about us, just focus on defending the people here... Zero will be at the HQ shortly!"
Though the Blue Bomber felt hesitant, he saluted and complied with the order and took off. Signas turn to the Mermaid Reploid, "Marty, you go with him."
Marty saluted as well and followed X to the exit.
10 minutes latter
The Holoscreen showed an image of a floating flying armed fortress, the size of a city, that emerged from the ground.
"This is what Iris's is located according to the data, before her signal got blocked." Alia said calmly. Screw-Ball exclaimed, "So that's where Iris-chan is…"
"A Flying Fortress?" Douglas said, "How did they manage to pull that off, I wonder?"
"At lest we clearly know what will be our next objective is… which means that our sources are correct," Signas said, "I'll have to inform the RRC about this."
Alia had become worried the moment that she lost her old friend's signal. Showing emotion in the face of almost uncertainty was the last thing she needs. Of course, she had lost numerous friends along her path, but she never thought she feel this much for her friend.