"I never thought I would meet you again in this world." Phantom

The explosion knocked Zero into the wall of the base, and X onto the cement of the ground. Both Reploids pulled themselves to their feet, and began to recover from their large bumps on the head. Once the dizziness had passed, they resumed to look at each other.

Zero recovered quicker and charged right at X. The other Reploids charged with him. Zero's green saber moved against X and his X-Buster. Craft pulled his laser cannon, Leviathan her spear, and Phantom his sword.

X looked at the coming onslaught heading his way.

Crap…I'm out numbered. Even with all my powers given to me by Doctor Light, there's no way for me to beat these odds.

Zero swung at X as soon as he got in range. X fired a charged shot on the ground, damaging Zero a little, and evading the attack. Leviathan used her spear to pole vault toward X. X tried charging another buster.

Only Leviathan was able to attack first. She got on top of him and used an ice sphere, knocking X onto the ground. Before X could get up, Zero flipped into the air and used both of his feet to smash X away from him. X, wounded but not out by a long shot, used his hands to get right back onto his feet. Zero charged at him with his Z-Saber, but X shot him with another Charge shot that he had ready for him.

Zero flew back into a nearby wall as the shot penetrated his armor. X prepared another shot, but Phantom was right on his tail, pushing his X-Buster into the air. Phantom tried to swing his katana into X, but X was able to move away fast enough. Leviathan tried to hit him again, but X used his jump jets to move away. He then unleashed his fire wave attack, hitting Leviathan dead on. Phantom caught her in midair and he teleported back by Zero.

He then leapt right back at X, using his beam saber to block a swing from X's.

"I never thought I would meet you again in this world." He said.

"I never expected you to be a Maverick." Phantom said.

"Maybe I am." He said. "I've accepted that fate. Let's end this X!"

While X floated, a giant laser hit him in the chest. After he recovered from the hit, he looked up to see Craft charging at him. X began to maneuver through each of Craft's attacks, never getting hit once. Zero pulled himself out of the rubble and activated his Z-Buster, using the Homing Torpedo. After charging his Buster, he fired the six large missiles at him.

X saw the attack approaching him, and charged Electric Spark. After dodging another attack, he fired the two electric waves. Craft was pushed back, and the torpedoes were destroyed. Zero passed Craft and then charged at X, along with Leviathan. X fired his Busters, at Zero and Leviathan. Leviathan got hit and fell to the ground. Zero however knew how to deal with this.

"Tekuuha!" Zero shouted, changing the saber's color to purple. Zero deflected every shot that came his way, knocking the Buster's in all directions. When X tried charging his shot, Zero activated Guard Shell and blocked it, and then redirected it. X then jumped away from the attack, but Zero leaped right at him.

"Rakousen!" Zero shouted, speeding towards X. X tried firing at Zero, but the Reploid disappeared before the shot could hit him. Before X could realize what was happening, Zero sliced him in the chest and appeared behind him.

"You're not as powerful as you claim!" Zero shouted. X then turned to see Zero with his Buster cannon pointed at him.

Zero then fired the buster, slamming X into the ground.

Suzaku fired the VARIS into the first GEKKA, but the Knightmare was able to maneuver through the shot. And the Knightmare kept approaching. Suzaku passed the Knightmare, and was able to deflect the slash from the next one. But he couldn't attack the GEKKA as it jumped away.

"They're good." Suzaku shouted.

Lelouch kept in the back, watching the fight elapse in front of him.

"Zero…" Kallen said. "Do you have the information on this target?"

"I have an idea." Lelouch said. "I want you to follow my instructions."

"Got it." Kallen said. "We'll leave this to you!"

"All units!" Lelouch shouted. "Give him distance!"

All of the GEKKA's and the Guren did, except for one who was still engaged with Suzaku. The two continued to fight while Lelouch and the Britannians watched overhead.

"My my…those machines are quite formidable aren't they?" Lloyd asked. "You know Cecile, its lucky awfully lucky that the only means of transportation is the Lancelot's truck."

"Because you spent our entire budget on the Lancelot." She replied.

Zero spun his saber in his hand, and looked down at X. As X tried to recover, Zero's saber ignited in flames.

"Enkouji!" Zero shouted. Then he sped towards X with his saber pointed at him. X got up with part of his synthetic fiber destroyed, and part of his helmet gone. Before Zero landed on him, X rolled out of the way and partially charged his Buster.

"Eat this!" X shouted.

Zero got blasted from where he landed and then flew several feet from X. Zero pulled himself to his feet as X charged at him. As X charged at him, he began to charge his Buster at him. Zero then pointed his Buster and then charged it. X saw that Zero was charging and then switched his weapon. When Zero fired, X used Rolling shield to block it. X then switched weapons and then began to fire Electric sparks at Zero.

Zero then placed his Z-Saber on the ground and the ran towards X, grinding the saber on the ground. X continued to fire, but Commander Craft put X in a full nelson.

"Let me go!" He shouted.

"Time for your retirement." Craft shouted.

X tried to break out, but Craft kept his grip. As Zero loomed closer with his saber, X began to get desperate. As soon as X managed to get his Buster out, Leviathan and Phantom came and restrained him. Finally, X began to charge the Storm Tornado, and unleashed it on the three, causing them to fly away. X then rolled out of the way as Zero swung his saber at the air. X then fired his Buster, hitting Zero away.

"Now it's over for you." X shouted.

As X ran, a gunshot was heard. X stop for one second, to find what it was. Then a large bullet hit the ground, creating a small fissure. X looked up, and the ocular lens began to look up on the walls. He saw Axl and Marino on the wall.

"Axl!" X shouted.

Alia had been tracking X since he departed the restaurant. She managed to follow him to the military base.

"He's gotta be here." She said. "I know it."

She got the to the top of the base, using the wall kick that X had taught her so long ago, during the Jakob Project incident. There she saw X, outgunned and outmatched.

"X!" she shouted.

Lelouch looked intently at the Lancelot as it charged at the GEKKAs that were harassing it. Lelouch had been studying on his laptop during his nights to find a pattern to it. Now that he had analyzed it as thoroughly as he could, it was time to make a plan.

It's speed and maneuverability is truly astonishing…in the end though…

"The unit follows a predictable pattern!" Lelouch shouted. "It's first attack is head on, it never feints the first move!"

And Lelouch was right. Suzaku went straight for Kallen. He attacked, just as predicted. Kallen's Guren landed and watched as Suzaku began backing up.

"Once it misses, it immediately moves out of the way of your offensive." Lelouch continued. "I'm sending the data to point S5."

Lelouch watched as again Suzaku moved right towards where he had predicted. Shogo was right there where Lelouch had planted and moved right towards Suzaku. Suzaku gasped in fear as Shogo charged at him.

"Hey he's really doing it." He said.

With the seconds Lelouch got before he would have to make his next call, he switched camera on his Knightmare to see Zero fighting X, along with all the other Reploids. He got there in enough time to watch X dodge several more sniper rounds, and then Zero get up to slice X on his chest. And then before X could fire his X-Buster back, Leviathan threw her lance into X's leg, forcing him to jump back.

I knew it. I knew from all the data I was able to collect from Signas, Douglas, and Ciel that even with Mega Man X's superiority to Zero, Zero is still a close match up. Even though his capabilities are strong, X has never taken on high class Reploids of this level all at once. I may lose one or two of the inferior ones, but their fates are no concern of mine. If they can destroy that machine, destroying Britannia will be a hell of a lot easier.

He quickly then switched off the camera and returned to the battle at hand. He watched as Suzaku leapt away.

"He's retreating to the rear." He shouted. "Coordinates X23."

Suzaku landed only to be ambushed by Tohdoh.

"And with that…!" Lelouch began.

X had not that much either. Even though he managed to finally immobilize Leviathan with a lucky charged shot seconds after Lelouch turned off the camera, he was losing energy fast. The damage to his circuitry had not helped either. He backed away from Zero, as the Reploid walked over with his beam saber active. X…desperate to hit him, fired his charged shot at him. Zero ducked. As he did, X dashed at him with the X-Saber, and tried to swing at him. X ducked under the attack, and held his fist right under X's chin.

"Shoryuken!" Zero shouted, his fist igniting in flames. X to the brunt of the fiery attack, knocking him onto the ground. Before he could get up, Zero leapt into the air, and blasted X with a charged Z-Buster. X's right arm was blasted off.

"Check!" Lelouch shouted.

Suzaku's cockpit was hit by Tohdoh's sword; barely missing his head. He lowered it as far to the bottom of the cockpit as he could. And as he did, he suddenly thought of something. Something about this attack pattern was familiar to him. Very familiar.

"I know this pattern of attack!" He shouted.

Tohdoh also noticed, but choose not to worry. He continued to grind the top of the hatch off, until it was gone completely. When the hatch was gone, Suzaku rose his head, as it was safe.

Into the gaze of everyone there. Lelouch stopped thinking completely.

"No way…" He said.

"Is it really you?" Tohdoh shouted.

Kallen did nothing but gasp. She couldn't believe what she had seen.

"It can't be…" Lelouch said. "It can't be you… because you have to be by Nunally's side."

X had been beaten. He did not have enough energy to continue fighting Zero and the rest. He looked up as Zero walked over with his Buster pointed at him. X looked up, and watched as Zero charged his Buster. He then closed his eyes…expecting that Zero would fire any moment.

But he didn't.

He looked up Zero…seeing his Buster arm shaking. Zero looked at him…with artificial sweat pouring down his head.

Do it…c'mon do…what the hell am I waiting for!?

But he didn't…no matter how much he tried to fire, he didn't. As he did, he had a flashback to when he and X first met, when he died the first time, and many other times after that. He remembered the friendship that he and X carried for all those years…and even beyond it.

That alone held his trigger.

"What are you waiting for!?" Craft shouted as he held his leg. "Fire!"

"Zero!" Leviathan shouted.

Why!? Why the hell can't I fire!? Am I really nothing more than a weak individual after all!?

X seemed to know why Zero was hesitating, but he couldn't do anything to try and stop it.

So did Axl and Marino.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Axl said. "What a perfect time to second guess your motives Zero! Guess I gotta do this."

Axl moved his rifle to fix right on X's head. But as he did Marino turned to her right.

"Axl!" Marino shouted.

The two turned to see a large orange beam head straight towards them.

"STAY DOWN!" A voice shouted.

Suzaku checked the ignition on the Knightmare. He was surprised to see it was still working.

"Good!" He shouted. "I can still pilot!"

He then charged right at Tohdoh and the others. Tohdoh blocked his attack and then opened the hatch to his Knightmare.

"Do not do this Suzaku!" He shouted.

"Colonol Tohdoh!" He shouted.

The two engaged in a series of parrying and blocking, and held their swords in place.

"So then…you want to live rather than to follow your own principles?" He shouted.

"Do I disappoint you?" He asked. "Then why don't you stick to your execution order?"

Suzaku gritted at his teeth of the reality he had been reminded of. Then he shook his head and resumed his attack. The two continued to hold their attack, with no end in sight.

"You are a cowardly boy who's afraid of altering the status quo." Tohdoh shouted.

"Denying everything in our society is pointless." Suzaku barked. "Once I make them trust me, I'll have the power to change it."

"You're serious about this?" Tohdoh shouted.

"Dead serious." He shouted.

"Then you must follow down that path." Tohdoh said, sighing.

Zero continued to look, even as the orange beam encased where Axl and Marino were. Zero continued to stay there…without reacting.

"Zero; what the hell are you doing!?" Craft shouted.

"Why is he hesitating!?" Phantom barked.

"It's because they know each other." Leviathan said. "He can't do it because he still views X as a friend."

It was true. Zero knew it now. No matter what had happened throughout this whole war, he couldn't do it. Not to X. Copy X was nothing but an imitation. X here was the real deal.

Gunshots were heard right behind him. He saw another Knightmare heading towards him.

One of there's too. He grabbed Leviathan and leapt out of the way of the shots. He landed nearby and looked as the Knightmare drove by X.

"Zero!" Signas shouted.

"Commander Signas; what the hell are you doing!?" He shouted.

"I can't do it, Zero!" He shouted. "I just can't do this organization. Don't you understand Zero? We are not to be making those decisions! Those decisions are supposed to be done by humans, not us! I know this organization is here to free Japan…and that is inherently good! But I can't live with myself to break the law of robotics!"

"Signas…" Zero muttered.

"I don't care if I am labeled Maverick even after this!" He shouted. "If I must die for it, then I will die as an honorable Hunter!"

"Commander Signas!?" X shouted.

"X…" he said. "I'm sorry that I made this terrible decision. I must now do what I can do fix what I have done."

He charged at Zero…his Knightmare's blade moving directly at Zero. Still somewhat stunned from the experience, could only watch as Signas charged at him.

Don't do it…

"Zero!" He shouted. "I must rectify my mistake by joining this organization. I will retire you!"

Don't make me do it.

Signas still kept going. Zero began to look up and reactivate his saber.

"SIGNAS; Don't DO IT!" Zero shouted.

Signas swung at Zero. Without thinking, Zero moved and sliced the Knightmare in half. Signas looked from his cockpit as he watched in slow motion the unit fall in half.

"I'm sorry Zero…" He said. "I'd rather die as a Hunter, than live as a maverick. Farewell."

Zero restrained himself from looking back as he heard the explosion behind him. A single tear fell from Zero's eye.

"COMMANDER SIGNAS!" X shouted.

Zero landed nearby, unable to believe of what he had just done. He killed Signas. His colleague, his boss, and friend. His Z-Saber dropped from his hand, and deactivated. Zero still looked up into the sky as he fell to his knees.

No…why…why did it have to come to this?

X angrily tried to get up to try and destroy Zero, but he was still too much pain to continue. Phantom finally had enough delays.

"Enough nonsense!" Phantom shouted. "If Zero cannot do it, I will!"

Phantom grabbed the saber made for him by Cerveau and charged right at X. What he did not notice was Alia running to shield X.

"No please!" She shouted. "Don't harm him!"

Zero heard Alia and turned around to see her running at X. He also saw Phantom moving towards her. Zero then turned around and pointed his Buster at Phantom. But he didn't fire. He didn't know what to do.

WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO!? All this time I was trying to disable, immobilize X. X was out to kill me, yet I still harbor some form of friendship!?

Phantom continued to charge, as did Alia. They eventually reached a point where Alia got in front of X.

"Alia; no!" X shouted.

"Don't hurt him!" Alia shouted, going in front of X.

"Out of my way!" Phantom shouted. "I will not allow X to come back and deprive me of the pleasure of retiring Zero!"

Phantom swung at the Reploid, slicing a part of Alia in the stomach, forcing her to scream. Her ear piercing scream forced X to watch her fall in slow motion X saw what Alia had done, and saw her sacrifice to him.

As she fell, X's crystal on his head ignited in the same way he had done when Sigma first declared war on the humans. In a sudden burst of renewed energy, X grabbed the X-Saber and stabbed straight through Phantom's stomach when Alia was no longer in the way. The Reploid hung lifelessly as he watched X push the saber to the side, and hurl him into the air with a sturdy swing. X then dropped the saber and pointed a second X-Buster. This new energy charged the buster to a level of two thousand percent, seventeen hundred percent stronger than normal. The highest X could achieve was only four hundred percent, with armor. With a sudden burst of energy, X fired this new Buster into Phantom. The blue burst of energy consumed Phantom's being. Phantom watched as his body disappeared into sub atomic particles.

So this is how it ends…now I fall into the shadow…

The blast completely encased Phantom. When the shot eventually flew into space, Phantom had ceased to exist.

"PHANTOM!" Leviathan shouted.

Where Phantom had jumped at X, his sub-tank had landed right next to him. X quickly saw and recognized it. He picked it up and drained the energy from within it. With his E-canisters restored, X got up and ran to Alia. All of the other Reploids ignored what was going on, as two of their own had been killed.

"Alia…Alia!" He shouted. "Are you alright?"

Zero still sat there, not contemplating anything. As he did, he heard Lelouch's voice over the radio.

"All units!" He shouted. "All units retreat. We got what we came here for. Use escape route 3!"

"An unwinnable is not the same as a lost one." Tohdoh said. "You clearly know how to fight in a war Zero."

Finally able to think after all had been said and done; Zero shook his head and ran to the others. Without saying a word, Zero teleported himself, and the other two by him away from the area. X could only glare at Zero angrily, and with malice for all that had happened here today.

Even if the face Zero gave X was not of anger, but of sorrow.

Minutes passed by, as X did what he could to compel Alia to wake up. He even used a tiny bit of the energy that still remained in the Sub-Tank. After a while though, Alia did wake up.

"Alia…" X said. "You're alright."

"X…" She said. "You…you saved me."

"I did what I would have done for anyone." X said.

X and Alia stood in the middle of the prison ground, for what seemed like an eternity.

CHANGES DONE TO CHAPTERS 15-22

A. Spelling, Grammer, and Punctation errors corrected

B. Reworked character lines to fit them

C. Changes to certain things to match with the later chapters

D. Additional scenes:

1. Extended the scene between Zero and Levy when their on the roof...to make Zero open up to her more.

2. A flashback scene where Zero remembers a promise he made X swear to him.

3. A scene where Zero brings Ciel to the Ashford Manor, but she doesn't remember being there.

4. Charles Di Britannia contacts Cornelia and tells her about Sigma. In addition, X gets in the line of sights with Britannian soldiers as he tries to stop them from opening the capsule containing Sigma.