Chapter 12

The next image Zack saw was what could be described as a world of fire: rocky cliffs overlooked pools of lava, which played host to comet-like fireballs that hopped about. Tons of machinery lined a cavalcade of oddly well-placed platforms. He'd seen volcanoes before during many of his adventures aboard the S.S. Tipton, but not like this. This was simply beyond his description.

Snapping himself out of his awe, he remembered his mission. He had a dragoon to find. He dashed ahead, taking care to leap over the lava pools he came across. Eventually, he encountered pools arcing with fireballs. After a few unpleasant close calls, he noticed a pattern in the way the fireballs moved: they seemed to come up and down from the molten rock at strict intervals. He was no science wiz, but he had a feeling that that was not how nature worked.

Zack was coming to a section of platforms when he heard foreign footsteps. His curiosity piqued, he turned around and studied the area. A figure suddenly caught his eye. It moved along the walls of the volcano with well-trained grace and agility. Only as the figure came closer did Zack realize that it was none other than Zero.

"Thought I'd find you here," the long-haired robot said as he landed a few feet away from Zack.

"You tailed me here?" Zack asked, somewhat shocked to see him here.

"Of course. It was either that, or let your brother break his neck trying to find you out here. Do I even need to ask why you took off?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "Oh, it's nothing really. Just cleaning up your mess."

Zero shot a harsh glare back at the darker Reploid. "Look. I know I sent Magma Dragoon to the scrapheap a long time ago. Some clown probably just rebuilt him. Believe me, it's not a very rare thing."

Zack was shocked to hear this. Reploids could be rebuilt, just like that? And who in their right mind would rebuild a mass-murdering psycho that killed hundreds just to goad someone into a challenge?

Zero continued on. "I'll admit that you have moxie, kid. But Maverick Hunters don't go around picking fights on a whim. We're not some gang of vigilantes."

"You saw what he did. Heck, you told me what he did. How did you react after he did this?"

In truth, Zero's initial reaction to the Sky Lagoon incident wasn't that different from Zack's current one. In fact, he saw the same righteous fury blazing in his eyes that was his own all that time ago. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"About the same," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean that what you did wasn't reckless and stupid."

Zack had heard variations of this speech before from two people he knew in particular. He was about to tune it out as he'd learned to do by now when Zero took out his saber and pointed it at his neck.

"W-What the…" Zack barely got out.

"Look, I'm not your babysitter. I have no interest in chasing after you. Try something like this again, and… well, we already know that you can't beat me in a fight."

"That's never been proven," Zack weakly pointed out.

"Zack," Zero growled, a low and dangerous edge to his voice.

"G-Got it."

"Good," Zero removed his blade from its precarious position. "Now follow me."

"Wait. We're still doing this?"

"Yup. You started this thing, and you're going to finish it. Let's. Go."

The two Hunters made their way through the platforming section, smashing the enemies in their way, and dodging more fireballs as well as the odd boulder that seemed to come out of nowhere. At last, they reached the boss door.

"Well, see you later," Zero piped up suddenly.

"You're leaving me here now!?" Zack exclaimed, horrified.

"Yeah. I did say that you were going to finish this, right."

"Yeah, but…"

"Go on. Fight your little battle. I'll be watching."

With that, Zero warped away.

"You just left him there!?" Bailey gasped, echoing the sentiments of everyone back at Hunter Base.

"Trust me. I'm getting somewhere with this."

Cody's voice oozed panic as he spoke. "You're getting somewhere by letting some random dinosaur thing beat up my brother?"

"Kid's gotta learn how to take a few lumps. It's part of being a Hunter. Besides, if what I've seen from him holds any water, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Mustering courage, Zack entered the room at the end of the doorway. Fittingly enough, it was a chamber surrounded by a pool of lava. At the other side of the room, a figure stood with his back turned to him.

"Magma Dragoon, I presume."

"Oh, and where did you come from, little boy?"

"What did you call me?" the Maverick Hunter hissed.

The dragon-like reploid turned to face the robotic teen. "You heard me. Now run along now, before you get hurt."

"You're the one who's going to get hurt! Do you realize how much destruction you caused when you made the Sky Lagoon Fall?"

"Bold words, kid. The whole Sky Lagoon thing was just my way of issuing a challenge. I'd say it worked pretty well. Even you turned up."

Zack growled.

"Let's see what kind of fight you'll put up!" Magma Dragoon said before pouncing at the boy.

Zack dodged, but the Maverick countered with a fireball to Zack's midsection. The boy got up and rushed Dragoon with punches. A few hit, but he received a fiery uppercut in return. Before he knew it, Zack was getting drilled with attacks. Finally, he pounded the ground in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. To his shock, he'd caused a quake that slowed Dragoon enough for him to wind up a punch and throw it at him. His fist was coated in a white aura as it landed plush. Dragoon was knocked in the air.

Now's my chance, he thought. He jumped up to meet his enemy and powerfully kicked him into the lava pool, destroying him. As he died, Dragoon uttered one last sentence.

"Not bad, kid."

Zack simply shook his head. He didn't think any praise from this creep was worth hearing.

He was contemplating his next move when a red orb caught his attention. He picked it up out of sheer curiosity. To his surprise, he was warped away immediately.

Suggested BGM:

Magma Dragoon Stage- "Magma Dragoon" (Mega Man X4)

Magma Dragoon Battle- "Boss Battle" (Mega Man X4)

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