A/N: Before we start this chapter. Me and Panther J would like to go over a few things. If you remember Marino from MegaMan X Command Mission, well, here's the best part, she's being reworked into the MegaMan X IS canon by being the last creation of Dr. Noele Lalide, an Archie Comics character in the MegaMan Archie Comics. There's also the Emerald Spears from the same Archie Comics as well as the mysterious and sinister Mister X of the X Foundation. But that's all we can tell you. You have to read to find out more. So here is Chapter 5.
Chapter 5: Maverick Hunters, Assemble!: Part 2 of 2: His Name is Zero!
Great Wall, China, February 1st, 21XX 1:30 PM after Ling and Sigma left for their destination…
X and Charlotte were helping humans and Reploids escape to safety while Houki was holding back a Reploid resembling a Chinese Monk who had suddenly gone Maverick and started attacking everyone. Houki draws one of her katanas and goes into a kendo stance while the Reploid Monk was wielding a pair of hook swords and takes a Southern style stance. Cecilia and Laura were clearing the way by taking out Mavericks that were attacking the fleeing humans and Reploids.
"There's just no end to them! No matter how many times we take them out, more are just coming in!" Cecilia shouted wearily. "I know the virus has been spreading for a while now, but I didn't think it's spreading this fast! Just how far it has spread to other countries?"
"So far it's only been Japan, Afghanistan and China. But it's possible that other countries were also affected by the Maverick Virus!" Laura answered her with a growl. "But right now that's not important! We need to get these people and Reploids out of harm's way before any more are hurt or worse!" She opens her Comlink on her ear and speaks with Jerry. "Jerry, where are the emergency help? More innocent people and Reploids are getting hurt from the Mavericks! We can't keep fighting them forever!"
"They're already on the way! Had some Mavericks blocking the road to the Great Wall, but Chill Penguin's group had already taken care of them!" Jerry told her through communication. "They should be arriving in a couple of minutes. Just keep holding on until they get there."
"We'll try, but I'm more worried about Houki. She's holding off a Maverick that's much stronger than the others we've been fighting and is also a skilled martial artist." X said in concern. "Shouldn't we head back to help her in case she can't hold him off for too long?"
"Houki's trained in kendo, so we're sure that she can hold her own against the Maverick." Laura answered him with reassurance. "We've been training under Chifuyu, so she knows not to let any enemy get the better of her. We just have to believe in her while we still need to get everyone to safety."
"Laura's right, X. Houki can take care of herself, so there's no need to worry about her." Cecilia agrees with a smile. "Let her focus on holding that Maverick back while we keep on moving to the bottom of the Great Wall. We'll meet up with her once we're done and everyone is safe and sound."
"I sure hope you're right…" X said in worry as he turned to look back at where Houki was at before resuming the rescue.
Back with Houki
After X and her friends were able to lead the innocent people and Reploids out of harms way, Houki can now focus on dealing with the Maverick that's been attacking everyone and had already injured several people and Reploids not long before they've arrived. Now with the innocents taken to a safe place, she was able to go all out and fight off the Maverick as they clashed their swords towards each other.
The Maverick uses the hooked end of his sword to grab Houki's leg and trip her up, but she caught onto his plan and manages to kick his sword out of his hand and causes it to fall off the Great Wall. That cause the Maverick to get angry and tried to swipe at her with his other hook sword, but Houki manages to duck under the sword and uses the opportunity to cut off his arm. The Maverick screamed in agony before falling over to the ground, deactivated. Houki sheathes her katana and places it in her RepArmor's subspace pocket as X and her friends, minus Ling, all ran up to her.
"Nice one, Houki. You really showed that Maverick who's boss." Cecilia closed her eyes and smiled.
"And not only that, but all of the other Mavericks that were still around had been rounded up by Chill Penguin's group." Laura said with a smirk. "They were able to get the people and Reploids that were injured medical attention and those that weren't were reunited with their loved ones. Now we won't have to worry about anymore Mavericks in this area."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad that everyone got out safely." Houki smiled as she paused to think. "That last Maverick wasn't too much trouble, but he was sneaky to say the least. I just remembered my training at my family's dojo and Chifuyu-sensei's teachings and managed to pull off a win. So how were things on your end while you were trying to get everyone to safety?"
"We did manage to clear out the rest of the Mavericks who took over the Great Wall of China, though I did try to talk to them." X answered as he sighed despondently and looked up at the sky in thought. "But most of them were convinced that humans are the real enemy and they wouldn't stop until all human life was eradicated. I just wished we could've negotiated with them peacefully, but none of them were interested."
"And we will, X. So, don't beat yourself up for what's going on." Houki reassured him. "We'll need to do everything in our power to do the right thing and hopefully they'll stand down. And who knows, they may even be cured of the Maverick Virus. We just need to keep moving forward and not let anything bring us down." Her friends all smiled and nodded in agreement.
X couldn't help but stare at the four IS girls, knowing that even after everyone they knew was gone, they're still trying to make sure they'll keep fighting for them. "You girls are something else, truly… You were able to encourage me to fight for everyone and have been there for me during these tough times… I have no idea how to thank all of you for your help…"
"You don't really have to. We're always there to help you whenever you need it the most. After all, you've our guardian now, X." Laura told him smugly "You can't be acting all saddy wahdey all the time, it won't help in the fight against the Mavericks. I'm positive that we can convert the Mavericks back into Reploids and no one would have to live in fear ever again. After all, we're the first human Maverick Hunters trying to adapt to 21XX after our 66-year-old sleep. So, you need to man up now, X!" She then ordered sharply as X stood at attention.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" X saluted timidly before remembering something else. "Oh yeah, I just remembered. Ling didn't come with us today. I wonder why is that?"
"Just before we left, she texted us that she had some important errands to do with Commander Sigma." Charlotte answered him as the Mavericks were being hauled off to the detention center in China. "She said that he requested her to be his escort for a mission, but she didn't explain what it was. I wonder if it is something important that she was ordered not to tell us."
"Maybe, but I just hope that it isn't anything dangerous. I know both Ling and Commander Sigma are both strong, but I have a really bad feeling about it." X replied with unease in his words. "Anyway, let's head back to HQ and wait for them to return. I'm sure that Commander Sigma will need a full report on our mission here." The IS girls all nodded as they returned to the air carrier.
Unbeknownst to them, a small drone was watching them leave the Great Wall of China before turning back to the forest. Underneath the canopy of trees, two men were watching the X-Squad entering the carrier before taking off back to Japan. The men packed up the drone and hopped into a helicopter before taking off from their location. On the side of the helicopter were three letters of NES as they flew off into the distance just right behind the air carrier. One of the men sends tie footage of the X-Squad to a specific location before turning to the other man piloting the helicopter who nodded as they continued on their flight path to Japan.
Meanwhile
In an unknown location, the footage of the X-Squad was being displayed on a large monitor while they were helping evacuate people and Reploids from the Mavericks at the Great Wall of China. There was also footage of Chill Penguin's group arriving on the scene to help evacuate everyone while also tending to those that needed medical attention. The footage even shows the X-Squad departing from the Great Wall of China after detaining the rest of the Mavericks and rescuing all the humans and Reploids.
"So those guys are the Maverick Hunters we've been hearing rumors about?" A female voice asked in amazement. "That Dr. Cain guy wasn't just whistling dixie when he's creating a special army to combat the Mavericks and he sure did definitely deliver on his word." A figure walks out from the darkness to reveal a young woman with a slender build, green camouflage pants, a green tank top that shows her midriff and cleavage of her impressive breasts, a green headband, brunette hair tied in a ponytail, hazel eyes, fingerless gloves and combat boots. On her hip was a holster with a small pistol, a dagger strapped to her left arm and an aviator jacket tied around her waist. "Still, we'll need to keep an eye on them in case something happens and we'll have to step in."
"I'm sure that the ones we've seen before won't be that much trouble." Another female voice told her "But the Penguin Reploid, he might be more trouble than those other guys." As the figure walks out of the darkness, she was a female Reploid with a mostly pink armor with white and gold accents. Her armor is more lightweight in comparison to X's armor, making her more fitting for stealth operations. She has curly pale green hair with bangs and a large ponytail. Her helmet is equipped with a mask that she can pull over her face for anonymity. And a small Mechaniloid floating right beside that holds her weapons. Her breastplate also shows off her even more impressive breasts in comparison to her human counterpart. "I'm more concerned about that Sigma character. They say that he's the perfect Reploid and the only one that's immune to the virus, but that could still be a recipe for disaster. I know Dr. Cain was trying to help make the world a better place, but there's no telling what could happen if they come into contact with the Red Maverick we've heard about."
"Then we'll just have to take some extra precautions to make sure not to let that happen." The young woman said with a confident smile. "And if we do find them, then there's a chance that THOSE guys won't be too far behind. We just need to wait for them to slip up and we've got them."
"But do you really think that they'll come? How can you be sure that they'll be at the location of the Red Maverick?" The female Reploid asked in concern.
"I know it's a huge gamble to think that, but it can't be a coincidence that they've been acquiring the locations that belonged to Old Man Wily." The young woman answered her as she got out her futuristic laptop and pulled up a picture of the last known location of the Red Maverick. "So, if the location of the Red Maverick is a property of Wily, then they'll be there."
"And if your hunch is wrong?" The female Reploid asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Then we'll just disband everything we've worked so hard and return to our normal lives." The young woman answered her with a frown. "Anyway, we better find the location of that Red Maverick and see if we can help that girl and Sigma. I just hope we get there before them." The Reploid nodded in agreement as they hopped into a futuristic jeep and drove off to find Ling and Sigma.
With Ling, 1:50 PM, arriving at destination
As the air carrier touches down in a desert area while kicking up some dust, Ling and Sigma got off the air carrier as the former has to cover her eyes from the dust clouds while the latter has nothing to worry about going blind. Once the dust settles, they walked towards a team of Reploids hunched behind a dirt wall near the entrance to the ruined lab.
"Ling, I need you to stay with the Hunters stationed behind that ditch over there until the need arises." Sigma ordered "I'll enter the lab on my own and see if I can detain this Maverick before it can do anymore hard to everyone or itself. If I'm ever in trouble, I'll be needing you to assist me when I'm in pain."
"Roger, you can count on me. I mean, how tough can this Red Maverick be, right? There's no way he can overpower you." Ling huffed with confidence as they soon arrived at the rendezvous point with the Gamma Team.
"Commander Sigma, sir! We're so glad that you're here!" A Gamma Team Reploid 1 saluted.
"At ease, there's no need to worry. We're here to assess the situation." Sigma said with a smile before frowning serious as he brought up the topic at hand. "Now where is that Red Maverick that took down Teams Alpha, Beta and Delta? Not many Mavericks we've been fighting up to this point hasn't been able to do this much damage. So, where is he?"
"He's still inside the old lab. He hasn't even stepped out of that place after destroying the other teams." Gamma Team Reploid 2 answered him with a serious frown as he pointed to the lab. "But if we take him out, then the Maverick Virus will be no more and we won't have to worry about Reploids going berserk."
"I see. Very well, I'll handle this myself. I will not let any more innocent Reploids be infected by this Maverick so they can kill innocent humans any longer." Sigma smirked "Have the rest of your team on standby in case things get out of hand. I'll be needing them to haul off this Maverick once I'm done with him." Both Team Gamma Reploids saluted just before Sigma started walking off towards the lab.
"Go get him, Commander Sigma! Show that Red Maverick who's boss!" Ling cheer as she still has an uneasy feeling in her stomach. 'W-What's up with the feeling I have? Why am I feeling a sense of dread? I know that Commander Sigma is strong and he can take down that Red Maverick with no problem and destroy the Maverick Virus! But… I got a really bad feeling about this…' She turns back to watch Sigma as he pries over the rusted door and entered the lab.
(With Sigma)
Sigma continued through the mysterious lab. He looked around. 'Hmm… No sign of that Red Maverick…' He thought to himself as he entered the lab. As he walked through the lab, he noticed deactivated robots. At first, he thought they were Reploids, but he noticed that their designs are far different than the ones he is familiar with. He walked towards one that looked like a living air con. He kneed down and noticed a initial on its side. It said Dr. W. Sigma decided to investigate it for later after he takes care of the Red Maverick and continued forward.
'Maybe if I keep pressing on, I'll find that…?' Sigma tensed as he stopped and noticed a figure with his back turned. He has a cool red color scheme, his armor was round for the most part with a red, black and white color scheme and white shoulder guards with a stylized "Z" insignia on his left shoulder. His helmet is horned and features a sharp blue crystal contrast to X's, but the most notable is his tied long blond hair. Sigma was surprised a bit by this figure's appearance, but when the figure turned, he let out a battle yell and charged at Sigma.
"Ugh!" Sigma took a step back and blocked the red Maverick's punch, before he punched him in the gut, making him recoil a bit. The red Maverick snarled as he hurls punch after punch at Sigma, who swiftly dodged them and gave the Red Maverick a knee kick. The kick has the Red Maverick skidded across the room, the Red Maverick stopped himself and glared at Sigma with hatred as he warped out of sight.
Sigma was caught off guard by this tactic as the Red Maverick reappeared in front of him, with a crazed grin, he punched Sigma in the face, knocking him back a little. Sigma cursed himself as the Red Maverick leaped up and dived towards him with his fist intending to implant it into his face. Sigma smirked as he ducked under the Red Maverick, which surprised him as Sigma did a killer uppercut, knocking the red Maverick to the ceiling. Sigma smirked to himself as he leaped up after him. He landed far from him and got into a battle stance.
The Red Maverick growled in fury as he got up and charged towards Sigma. The Red Maverick leaped up with a crazed battle cry as he intended to punch Sigma again, but Sigma punched the Red Maverick's fist with his own, both gritted their teeth as they leaped away from each other. The Red Maverick grinned sinisterly as he transformed his arm into a cannon. Sigma tensed. 'What?! He can transform his arm into a Buster like X?!' Sigma gritted his teeth fiercely. 'Just who is this Red Maverick?!' The Red Maverick fired Buster shots at Sigma who warped out of the way. The Red Maverick was surprised by Sigma's evasive skills as the Commander of the Maverick Hunters reappeared behind him and kicked him in the back. The Red Maverick growled as he charged towards Sigma after transforming his hand back and charged towards Sigma but Sigma ducked and punched him in the torso, knocking him down again.
The red Maverick struggled to get up, but managed to get back up. The red Maverick growled with fury as he looked around for a weapon. He noticed a pipe, a small pipe that can be used as a weapon. Grinning evilly, he grabbed the pipe and got into a fencing position. Sigma frowned as he got out his Sigma Saber and activated it. It emitted a green blade of light. This could be more trouble than Sigma thought.
Meanwhile, with Ling
Ling and the Team Gamma Reploids were still holding the line just outside of the lab, but could also hear the noises from the fight inside of the lab, though there wasn't much they could do as they were ordered not to interfere unless needed to. Ling looked at her iPhone's digital clock as it showed that it was now 2:15 PM. Less than an hour have passed since Sigma entered the lab, but no word from him yet.
"Ooooh, I'm getting really worried. Commander Sigma hasn't returned yet and I still can't shake this feeling I have." Ling said worriedly. "I know that he's strong and can handle this Red Maverick, but what if he ran into some kind of trouble? What if this Red Maverick is too much for him and he could be seriously injured or worse." Ling looked up towards the lab where Sigma had entered into not that long ago and knew that she needed to do something. With determination, she stands up from her post and heads into the lab. "That's it, no more waiting around! I'm going in after him!" This surprises the Gamma Team.
"But… Miss Ling! Commander Sigma orders were for us to not interfere unless he's really in danger! If he sees that you're disobeying his orders, there could be some serious repercussions!" A Team Gamma Reploid protested.
"Maybe so, but I can't just sit around and do nothing! I have to go and help him before it goes from bad to worse!" Ling said with a determined frown. "And besides, have you forgotten who you're talking to? I'm wearing a RepArmor and I was one of the best IS pilots back in my timeline. This Red Maverick won't stand a chance against me and Commander Sigma! I'm gonna go help him put an end to the Maverick Virus once and for all!" She jumps out of the ditch and rushes into the lab.
The Gamma Team looked on as she enters the lab and disappears into the darkness. A female member of Gamma muttered in admiration "There goes a brave girl from the IS era…" Until another female voice was heard from behind them.
"Why, yes, indeed. But also, very naive if she believes that she can just end the Maverick Virus just like that." The voice said mockingly. "I suppose it comes with the territory of being from an era where the IS was prominent and women were at the height of their power. Too bad that naiveté was also prominent during that time and was the cause of the downfall of the IS and anyone associated with it." The Gamma Team turned around and held out their weapons, only to find a woman with red hair, tan skin, a blue bodysuit with a red sash and a yellow Y on the front. Right behind her were a group of soldiers dressed in outfits that resembles Racer X from Speed Racer and also held their weapons in response.
"Hey! What are you doing here, lady?! This is no place for anyone at this moment!" Another Team Gamma Reploid growled "This is official Maverick Hunter business and no one is allowed to enter this location at this time! State your business right now or we'll have to take you into custody for trespassing!"
"Oh, is that so? Whatever will I do if I'm ever taken into custody?" The woman asked amused. "Unfortunately for you, I too have some business here and I'm afraid that you're the ones trespassing. This land here is under the ownership of the X Foundation and the person who built this laboratory some time ago is no longer available. So, if you don't mind, we'll be taking back this land and you Hunters have better leave the premises. Unless you want to drag this out and turn it into a war against the humans, even more so than it already has." Team Gamma didn't want to admit it, but they knew that she was right. So as to not escalate the conflict even more, they've lowered their weapons and stood down. "Excellent choice, Hunters. Now since that your Commander is still occupied for the moment; we'll wait for him to return and discuss this matter personally with him." She snaps her fingers for her soldiers to restrain them while she turned towards the lab and wait for Sigma and Ling to return.
Sigma and the Red Maverick clashed weapons for about 10 minutes. Sigma did a horizontal slash which knocked the Red Maverick's weapon away. "Heh, is that all?" Sigma smirked as he readies his Sigma Saber. Snarling, the Red Maverick charged at Sigma who charged back with his battle cry.
When Sigma and the Maverick charged at each other, Ling entered the lab and looked for Sigma. 'Commander Sigma is bound to be here somewhere. Still, this place gives me the creeps. I wonder how long has it been abandoned…' She thought to herself. Suddenly, she heard some noises. She looked up and saw Sigma clashing with the Red Maverick. This Red Maverick made her remind her about X, but this Maverick has a sick red color scheme. Ling was happy that Commander Sigma was about to win. However, in a strange twist of fate, the Red Maverick managed to cut off Sigma's arm. Sigma groaned in pain as sparks emitted from his arm wound.
"Oh my lord… Commander Sigma!" Ling covered her mouth in shock as she realized what happened as the Red Maverick snickered sinisterly as he proceeded to kick the tar out of Sigma. First, he threw Sigma to the ground, forcing Ling to take cover behind a large pipe. Then Ling peeked out from the pillar and watched in horror as the Red Maverick gave Sigma scars for his eyes and ripping tiny bits of circuity out of him. And then, after knocking him to the ground, the Red Maverick then grabbed Sigma's half ruined face while bending his arm and proceed to try to crush it. The Red Maverick chuckled sinister before he let out a cruel and evil laugh. Ling could only hide and watch in horror as the Red Maverick was about to scrap Sigma into parts.
But then, something happened, Ling saw the Red Maverick's helmet gem light up and she saw the letter W glowing bright yellow. The Red Maverick gasped before he grabbed his own head and screamed in agony. Sigma slowly got up and saw the Red Maverick thrashing around while screaming out in pain. Sigma saw his chance as he let out a battle scream as he reared his fist and charged at the Red Maverick, smashing his fist onto the gem, causing a force so strong that it knocked the Red Maverick to the ground, rendering him unconscious. Sigma panted heavily as he clutched his severed arm.
(Back outside)
The mysterious woman of the X Foundation heard the climax of the battle. "Heh… It looks like your Commander managed to defeat the Red Maverick." She turned to her henchmen. "Wait here with the Gamma Team."
"Yes Madam Y!" The X Foundation soldiers saluted. Madam Y as she was called walked into the lab.
"I swear if you lay one finger on Miss Ling…" A Team Gamma Reploid warned. Madam Y smirked again.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to the hot headed IS pilot of 2035." She continued into the lab, disappearing into the darkness.
Back with Ling and Sigma
After the Red Maverick was defeated, Ling rushed over to Sigma while he was still clutching his severed arm while his opponent was unconscious on the ground. As Sigma struggles to stand up, Ling manages to catch him before he toppled over because of his injuries and nearly getting dismantled by the Red Maverick.
"Commander Sigma! Are you alright?!" Ling shouted, still traumatized from the brutal battle scene prior while holding up Sigma.
"Guess I should've called for backup. I really underestimated him and he got the better of me…" Sigma sighed in exhaustion as he panted heavily. "I'm fine, Ling, really… I let my guard down and this is the price I paid for my carelessness…"
"But your arm! And those wounds look really serious!" Ling protested as she held onto him "I think we should contact my squad and Dr. Cain to have them check your wounds befor-"
"I SAID I'M FINE! YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ME!" Sigma snapped at her, making her recoil back in shock and making her shed tears. He looked at her and can see tears in her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ling… I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Call your squad and Dr. Cain. We're going to need assistance to have that Red Maverick brought back for Maverick Hunter HQ for analysis… I believe there's more to him than meets the eye." As he was able to stand back up, he notices a figure coming out of the darkness and walking towards them. "Who goes there?! This is official Maverick Hunter business! Civilians are not allowed to be in this area! State your business or I'll have you taken into custody for trespassing!"
"Now, now. Let's not be so hasty, Commander Sigma. Not after the brutal beating you've received from the Red Maverick." Madam Y said with a smirk as she approaches them "Of course, this is also the best way for us to have this meeting, so I can't really complain too much. Assuming that you and your associate would listen to what I have to say."
"Very well, we'll listen to what you have to say. So who are you and why have you come to this location?" Sigma asked as he leans against the wall for support.
"Ah yes, introductions are in order. My name is Madam Y, I am a member of the X Foundation and second in command to our founder." Madam Y answered him as she continued. "Now the reason why I'm here is the same reason I told your troops outside of this lab. This land is under the ownership of the X Foundation and, as such, your group are the ones that are trespassing. So, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises and we'll be taking the Red Maverick as well. Since he was made inside this lab, that makes him our property and you're stealing him from us."
"Wait, what?! What do you mean by stealing him from you?!" Ling asked in shock as she looked at the unconsciousness Red Maverick and back to Madam Y. "We came here because we heard about a Maverick that was the source of the virus that's been making Reploids turn against their human friends! If you take him out into the open, who knows what could happen! The virus could spread even more or worse!"
"As if we've had anything to worry about that. We came prepared for such an occasion." Madam Y told her, smirking still which made Ling glared at her in suspicion. "We have a transportation capsule that allows us to contain the virus from spreading while we transport him to our location. So, I'll say this again; you can either leave the premises and let us take the Red Maverick or you can drag this out and risk turning this conflict into a full-scale war. Your choice, Commander Sigma." Before either Sigma or Ling could say anything else, a gunshot was heard that ricochets from a steel beam and plants itself into the ground between both sides. "Who dares?! Show yourself right now or suffer the consequences!"
"That's real funny, coming from someone who was saying the same thing to them. I find it hard to believe how someone from the X Foundation would come all the way out here to a lab in the middle of nowhere and claims that it's a privately owned property." A familiar female voice said sarcastically. "Especially one with their own private army and has only been operating in the shadows up until recently where they've been acquiring from Old Man Wily." Out of the darkness, the same young woman and her female Reploid companion approached as the former aims her pistol at Madam Y. "It was a huge gamble to finally catch you guys in the act, but it was well worth the wait in the end. So, if I were you, I'd take my goon squad and take a hike."
"How did you managed to get pass my men?! No one is allowed here while I was acquiring this property!" Madam Y gasped in shock. "Just who do you think you are, barging in on our affairs?"
"If you want to know, I'm Jessika M. Payne. Granddaughter of Simone and Theo Payne and leader of the Neo Emerald Spears." The young woman known as Jessika answered her with a smirk. "Now as for how we got past your goons, it helps with my friend is a stealth Reploid. Not unlike the big guy there who's more built for combat, but can still hold her own in a fight. Isn't that right, Marino?"
"Yes, indeed. So it was easy to slip passed them without rousing any suspicion." The Reploid known as Marino nodded, smirking as well. "And seeing as your so-called "meeting" has been interrupted, I believe that it's time for you to take your leave. Otherwise if you don't, then we'll have to release video footage of you and your group illegally acquiring properties of Dr. Wily."
"You wouldn't dare!" Madam Y growled.
"Try us, lady. I tend to be a little loose lip when it comes to secrets. So, you can either skedaddle on out of here or we'll release the footage and your corporation is done. Your choice." Jessika said with a sly smile as Madam Y clenched her fists before calming down.
"Very well, I'll take my leave for now. We've already acquired more than enough of Dr. Wily's research for our own needs. Losing one won't be that big of an issue." Madam Y said with a sigh before frowning seriously "However, that doesn't mean that this won't be the last time you'll hear from us. Now that we know that you have the last of Wily's creations, we'll do whatever it takes to take him back and learn all there is to know about him. And with that said, I must bid you all adieu." She walks past Jessika and Marino as she disappears into the darkness while both girls turned to Sigma and Ling.
"Hey, are you guys alright? You're not injured or anything, are you?" Jessika asked them.
"I'm alright, but my Commander is severely wounded." Ling answered her as she turned to Sigma who was still clutching his wounds. "He was fighting that Red Maverick and by the time I got here, he was really damaged and was about to be killed until something happened to the Maverick. I don't know what was going on, but the W on his helmet was glowing and he started screaming like he was in pain. That gave Commander Sigma the opportunity to knock him out, but he was still injured. I was just about to call my squad until that lady showed up and demanded we give her the Red Maverick."
"I see, it all makes sense now. It wasn't just all the other properties of Wily they're after, but also any of his research or creations he left behind." Marino said with a frown. "And if what that woman said is true, then it's a lot worse than we originally thought. It seems that you were right after all, Jessie. I should've listened to you about what was going on and even doubted your judgment. I apologize for not taking your word seriously and for not believing in you."
"It's alright, Marino. I was also doubting myself in trying to find these guys, but knowing that they are real makes me feel relieved." Jessie said with a smile. "So you guys need any help getting the red guy out of here? We can give you a hand, if that won't be too much trouble."
"Not at all, we truly appreciate the offer." Sigma nodded "After knowing about the existence of this X Foundation and how they're acquiring everything from Dr. Wily, it's safe to assume that they'll be back for the Red Maverick if we left him." He turns to Ling. "Ling, contact your squad. Tell them about what has happened and have them meet us at HQ." Ling nods as he stands back up and staggered towards the exit while Jessie and Marino lifted the Red Maverick and hauled him off.
Ling, however, looked at her limping commander of the Maverick Hunters as she still couldn't shake the feeling she had before. 'Something's wrong. He used to be so nice and caring a minute ago, but now he suddenly changed after fighting the Red Maverick.' She then turns her attention to the Red Maverick as he was being carried by Marino and Jessie. 'And what kind of Reploid is he? And what was with that W initial on his helmet?' She tapped her comlink located near her right breast. "X, guys… Can you hear me?"
With X and his squad at the Great Wall of China
"What?! Are you sure?!" X gasped as Ling told him what happened so far, the other IS girls were also listening in to what Ling was telling them in her report. "Right, I understand… You were wise in obeying Commander Sigma's orders. We'll be there in 2 hours. Stay put, Ling. We'll be there soon enough." X turns off his comlink and faces the rest of his squad.
"A red Maverick that may be the reason why the Maverick Virus exists. And to think that it would give Commander Sigma a hard time…" Cecilia said as she looked at the setting sun with worry on her features.
"Ling did say that it's a Reploid of unknown origin and somehow, it's spreading the Maverick Virus. And there's also these 2 girls who helped them with this Madam Y person. What could her reason be for wanting to take that red Maverick?" Houki wondered as she scratched her chin in thought about this.
"Well, anyway, let's go back to Maverick Hunter HQ and find out more about our mystery Maverick. And maybe also learn more about this X Foundation this Madam Y is working for." Laura suggested.
"Yes… I just hope that he isn't hostile…" Charlotte gulped as X and his squad returned to the Maverick Hunter HQ by their air carrier.
Ling's POV
"And so, after returning to Maverick Hunter HQ, I oversaw the repairs of the mysterious Red Maverick… And while both Jerry and Sophie were repairing him from his fight with Commander Sigma, but he still frightens me with how he brutally attacked him like that. Just who is this Reploid and what does that glowing W on his helmet have to do with his pain? I hope that when he wakes up, he doesn't attack us…"
The scene shows Jerry and Sophie repairing all the damage the red Reploid sustained from his fight with Sigma while Ling watches through the vexing glass. She then turns over to the 2 members of the Neo Emerald Spears in a conversation with the rest of her squad.
"We also learned from Jessie that she's another friend of Jerry and Sophie as she attended the same middle school as them and even knew Ross and Glynda. However, unlike the rest of them, Jessie was a dropout during their high school year after everyone else decided on what to do with their lives while she couldn't figure out what she wanted to do with her life and eventually lost interest in graduating and dropped out. But seeing her as the leader of the Neo Emerald Spears now, I guess she did find her true calling and is now a freelance mercenary."
Jessie was telling the X-Squad about how she knew the others during their middle school days, but after everyone else decided on what to do next for their futures, she was left behind as she didn't know what to do with her future and decided to drop out of school to find her true calling. Not long after splitting up with her friends, she eventually discovered Marino in an old laboratory where she was then released and now they're the founders of the Neo Emerald Spears.
"Not only that, but Marino is also the last creation of another colleague of X's creator Dr. Light named Dr. Noele Lalinde and is a stealth Reploid where she can sneak past enemies without being noticed. It also helps that her armor is lighter and streamline compared to X's armor which is much more durable. I'm glad that they've came to help us when that Madam Y person was about to the the Red Maverick away for some kind of reason, but what could that reason be and why were she and this X Foundation were acquiring all of this Wily guy's research? I just hope that none of it involves the Red Maverick where he could turn on us…"
Normal POV, 3 hours later…
The mysterious red Reploid groaned in pain as he started to wake up while holding his head and lifting himself up slowly. As he opens his eyes to get a clear view on where he is, he found himself in an unknown room that wasn't like the lab he was in before, not that he knew what was going on.
"…Where am I?" He muttered in a cold and harsh tone. The gem on his helmet was repaired after he was brought back to Maverick Hunter HQ.
"You're in Maverick Hunter HQ. You were brought here by our commander and repaired by our friends." X told him as the Red Reploid turned to see X, Jerry, Sophie, Jessie, Marino and the IS girls looking at him in concern. Ling, however, hid behind X because he still frightens her. X can see the trauma she felt when she saw him nearly beating Sigma to near death.
"Huh? Who the heck are you lot?! The Red Reploid muttered as he crossed his arms and glared at X and his friends.
"Huh. Remind me of you girls when you first woke up from your suspended animation. Only this time, I don't get kicked into a wall or called a pervert." Jerry said with a smirk.
"You're not going to let that go, are you?" Laura asked with a sweat drop.
"Nope." Jerry answered her while shaking his head.
"But he does have a point. He did acted a lot like us when we were awaken from our suspended animation." Cecilia stepped in.
"Yeah, that is true. He's probably frighten and scared like we were when we didn't realize that 21XX was our world's future." Laura nodded in agreement as she added "Maybe we'll have to help him get accustomed to 21XX much like how X, Jerry and Sophie are helping us."
"That's a good idea, Laura. He probably doesn't know what era he's in and might get confused if we don't help him." X agrees as he turns to the Red Reploid "But right now, I think some introductions are in order. My name is X. I'm a highly advanced robot called a Reploid. The ones you seem behind me are my squad and I'm the legal guardian of the five girls. Their names are Houki Shinonono, Cecilia Alcott, Huang Lingyin, Charlotte Dunois, Laura Bodewig, Jessika M. Payne, Marino, Jeremy Oakland and Sophia Magdalene. Houki and her friends all came from an era of the IS after they were awakened from suspended animation 66 years ago."
"X...?" The Red Reploid muttered in astonishment as he shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "I think I know that name from somewhere…"
"Wait a minute… There's something that has got me thinking…" Charlotte gasped as she looked at the Red Reploid with white dotted eyes. "Are you like X, a relic from the time he was created by Dr. Light and sealed away until this timeline? Could that be the reason why you were awaken in that lab?"
"It's possible. Maybe he's another created of Dr. Light?" Houki guessed as she looked at the Red Reploid with a suspicious glance while Ling was still silent as she said that.
"I believe I know of the name Dr. Light as well… But…" The red Reploid held his head to ease the pain. "I can't remember…"
"I don't know about that, Houki…" X scratched his chin in thought "I don't remember Dr. Light creating a second robot like him. It would've been too much for him as he was still developing me and was nearing the end of his life." He deduced her theory.
"I have to agree with X. There aren't any records of Dr. Light creating a robot like him." Sophie agrees with a frown as she looked at the Red Reploid. "There was another Robot Master that looked similar to him, but I don't think there's any similarities between them other than ascetics."
"And he has amnesia as well. Maybe his memory core was busted in his fight with Commander Sigma?" Laura took a wild guess while shrugging.
"I don't think so. We did manage to repair the parts that were damaged in his fight with Commander Sigma, but his memory core was very much intact." Jerry answered her, frowning seriously. "Maybe it had something to do with that part on his helmet we removed while repairing him, but I don't think we'll be getting any answers from it with the state it's in."
"Do you have a name to speak of, mister red Reploid?" Cecilia asked while trying to be a motherly person.
The red Reploid was silent for about 2 minutes, trying to remember if he has a name… Suddenly, there was a jumpstart in his electric brain that triggered within him and he only said one word… "…Zero."
"Eh?" Cecilia blinked.
"My name. It's Zero." The red Reploid now known as Zero introduced himself flatly.
"Oh, that's an interesting name. It's nice to meet you, Zero." Charlotte closed her eyes and smiled cheerfully as Zero looked at her oddly.
"Excuse me?" Zero made a disgusted grunt and raised an eyebrow.
"You were also giving Commander Sigma a bad beatdown when you were still spending the Maverick Virus, but somehow, by a strange miracle, you're cured of it." Laura grinned at him coolly.
"Wait, are you serious? I was brutally attacking some guy name Commander Sigma?" Zero blinked twice before scoffing. "Why in the heck would I do that to someone I barely know?"
"Who knows?" Laura shrugged. "But what really matters is that you're no longer a Maverick and are now a sane Reploid."
"Reploid…?" Zero muttered as he looked up at the ceiling. "Is that what I'm called now? You people have some weird tastes for names." He then sees X walking up to him before extending his hand out to him which only confuses him even more. "Uh… X? What are you doing?" He looked at X's hand oddly.
"Offering you a handshake of friendship. We're fellow Reploids and fellow Reploids be best friends with humans as well." X smiled at him slightly.
"Yes, that's right. Since you're now cured of the Maverick Virus and that may have stopped the Maverick outbreaks, we'll happily become your first friends!" Charlotte smiled softly.
"Um…" Ling looked away as she was still frighten by Zero's appearance.
"Hey, what's wrong, Ling? Is there something that's bothering you?" Jessie turned to face her with a concern expression.
"I-It's nothing, Jessie. I'm happy to welcome Zero into our group of friends…" Ling smiled slightly, but Jessie can see that she was still scared of Zero.
"Heh…" Zero closed his eyes and smiled. "Well then, I'll be gladly to accept your hand in friendship, X." He gladly took X's hand into his and shook it. X smiled, he has made his first Reploid friend and it was an former Maverick. The IS girls save for Ling, Dr. Cain's assistants and the leaders of Neo Emerald Spears all couldn't help but smile at this newfound friendship between X and Zero.
In an unknown location
"So you couldn't retrieve the last of Wily's research? Because of those accursed automatons and 2 children?" An unknown male voice asked with a growl. His entire figure was covered by darkness, but a prosthetic eye was seen from behind his glasses.
"I'm deeply sorry, sir. I tried to convince them into giving up the last of his research to us, but that other girl threaten to expose us of our actions." Madam Y answered him as she lowered her head in shame. "I had no choice but to back off before our reputation to the general public is exposed and all that we worked for would go up in smoke. She said that her name was Jessika M. Payne and she's the leader of a group known as the Neo Emerald Spears."
"Payne? Neo Emerald Spears?" The man raised an eyebrow "Now that's something I haven't heard of in a long time. How long has it been since I heard of those names?"
"Sir?" Madam Y asked in concern.
"Never mind. It's not important right now." The man told her hastily "Anyway, was any of those fools harmed in any way from encountering that Red Maverick?"
"Yes, there was one that was severely damaged. His name is Sigma and he's the leader of the Maverick Hunters." Madam Y answered him as she explained "That fool Dr. Cain created him to be the perfect Reploid and be immune to the Maverick Virus that's been making Reploids suddenly go berserk and attack anyone in their way."
"I see. Perhaps this wasn't such a huge lost in the long run after all." The man said with a dark chuckle. "This could easily make things a lot easier for us if that virus is as potent as those notes of Wily say. Perhaps even more so than that fool originally thought."
"What do you want us to do, sir?" Madam Y asked.
"Nothing at the moment. I have a feeling that something big will happen in the coming days." The man answered her darkly. "Just keep up appearances for now until I give you the signal. And when that time comes, we'll be there to greet them with open arms."
"Yes, of course. We will be waiting patiently until you give us the orders. We humbly serve you, Mister X." Madam Y bowed as Mister X gave a sinister smile while his prosthetic eye gleams in the darkness.
Meanwhile… with Sigma…
Sigma panted heavily as he was in his command center and looked at his hand while walking towards the mirror. His heavy breathing fogged up most of the glass. But then, out of nowhere, his eyes started to glow a sinister green and his scars on his eyes became dark purple. Just then, a purple aura emitted from his body as Sigma growled softly, and then, an evil grin formed in his mouth as he punched the mirror and shattered the glass. The pieces of glass on the floor shows a broken reflection of Sigma as his grin turns into an evil smile before bursting out in an evil laughter that echoes throughout the HQ and into the outside.
To be continued…
Next chapter: The Day of Σ: Let the Games Begin!
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, so next chapter will be the end of the Dawn of X mini-arc and we'll go right into the Rise of Sigma. In the next chapter, our heroes encounter the remnants of the Emerald Spears from the Archie Comics and Sigma declaring his war against humanity and our heroes rise up to oppose his dark plans, so stay tuned for more Mega action and Happy New Year from Musashi the Master and Panther J. One last thing, Marino from Command Mission has been reworked into the X canon for this fanfic. See you next time!