Chapter 8: I am Mega Man X


May 30th
Maverick Hunter HQ

"I swear Zero, if one of you was bad, two is enough," X muttered, holding his head tenderly. Zero chuckled. "It's not funny...my vision is really screwed."

Zero smiled. "I'm just glad you're alright, blueberry boy, you gave everyone a big scare playing hero."

"'Playing hero'? I was just trying to escape with my life..." X said, sighing. "I guess I didn't do a very good job...I'm pathetic..." The reploid looked down, totally depressed.

Zero sighed. "Cheer up, X. You just weren't made for combat. You're more of an intellectual person." He stood up. "Get some rest. I'll make sure X1 brings you some books." He walked out, leaving X staring at the door, wondering if perhaps there wasn't something more he should be doing.


June 3rd
Maverick Hunter HQ

Sigma stood on top of the roof to the HQ, overlooking the twilight of the day. Everything was finally coming down into play. For the past days, he and Vile had been building up an army of fierce robots and reploids to over take Mega City. Once the city fell, it would cause a ripple effect that would spread out and fear would grip the planet. Upon that, Sigma would begin to take control of everything living life form and wipe out all the humans in a mass genocide.

A wind blew by, flapping his cape. He grinned. Early the following morning, Vile would strike the city with The Fin and a small portion of their army. They would take out General Cran's little posse first and then the Maverick Hunters. However, Sigma hoped he would get most of them to join him tonight. Those who didn't...would die.

He turned to look at the eight Hunters behind him, his own group. "And that's the plan. I'm going Maverick and I'll be leading the Mavericks. We'll strike Mega City and take it over in a crushing blow. All who oppose us shall die. And when we're done, we'll inherit the earth. And you shall rule your own nations."

The other Hunters looked down, thinking hard. Boomer Kuwanger grinned coldly. "Those humans pissed me off anyway. I think it'll be fun to see what it looks like to peel their flesh off and watch their organs fall out."

Chill Penguin smirked. "I'm with ya."

Spark Mandrill waved his huge fists around. "SMASH HUMANS!" All the others began to throw in their agreement to join in. Sigma sneered at how simple it was. However, the other Hunters might be more difficult. But he would try....

* * * * *

Zero slammed his fist down on a table. "Dammit, there's been absolutely no signs of Vile since he stole that fish--ship!" He turned to Dr. Cain and frowned. "Why the hell would he be hiding when he has something of massive destructive capabilities that can literally lay this city to rubble and kill thousands of people, sending them shouting and screaming into the night, fearing for their lives as the blasts tear up everything they cared for a---"

"Zero!" Cain snapped, not wanting to hear Zero go into some gory detail about what Vile might do. "Sigma assures me that he can find Vile."

Zero snorted. "Sigma couldn't find his own ass in the dark."

Cain glared impatiently. "You should give him more credit than that."

Zero laughed. "Give Baldy more credit? Screw it, something's up with that boy."

Cain sat down. "Sigma's impervious to any type of influence that makes reploids go Maverick. He has special circuit designs."

Zero shook his head. "It's not about trying to stop it, Cain, but if the reploid makes that CHOICE, uses his power to think to decide, 'Hey, I feel like going out and blowing away a bus full of Nuns', no chip will stop that."

"And why would Sigma decide to go melt some Nuns?" Cain asked.

"Because he's the friggin' Anti-Christ?!" Zero suggested.

Cain sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Zero, will you chill down. You're sounded like X1 now..."

X1 popped his head into the office. "Someone call me?"

Cain glared. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO LISTEN IN ON ME IN MY OFFICE!?"

"Sheesh, sorry, Cranky. Go take some pills or something..." X1 muttered and pulled his head back out the door.

Zero crossed his arms. "That guy might be off his rocker, but he's right about Sigma. They say crazy people sense evil or something."

"I heard that!" X1 called through the door.

"OH GO BUGGER OFF AND SENSE SOME EVIL!" Zero shouted at the door.

"Only thing I sense is your body odor," came the reply.

Zero blinked and sniffed himself. Cain sighed and laid his face in his hands. "You guys are enough to drive a man to drink again."

"Listen, Doc, only thing I'm saying is you shouldn't place too much faith on Sigma. Vile's hiding and for some reason. You have to admit, normally he would come galloping in on the fis---ship and start blowing things up."

Cain shrugged. "As long he's in hiding, that jerk Cran can't find him either."

Zero sighed. "Nice outlook. I'm going to go walk around hope to be shot by a Maverick or something..." He opened the door and stepped out, only to slam into X1's spray. He glared at the robot spraying him. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!

X1 sniffed. "Making you smell like a fire hydrant."

"WHAT THE HELL FOR?!"

"So my dog will come home and pee on you. I've been looking for him forever."

"...you don't HAVE a dog!" Zero snarled.

"Sheesh. I know. He hasn't come home yet. Are you slow?" X1 asked.

Zero threw his hands up and walked off.

* * * * *

North Star crossed his arms. "You sense that?"

Death Star glanced back at him. "What? Some powerful force? An evil nature that's been going through the building? The feeling something bad is about to happen that could alter the course of history forever?"

North Star shook his head. "I meant do you sense that there's girls near by, actually..."

Death Star sighed. "Figures." The two walked along the hallway of the HQ, heading for the Hunter hangout. "You probably wouldn't know how to sense some evil force nearby you if it bit you on the ass."

His friend laughed. "Sense power levels now? Gee, that'll do you real good. My motto is "See Maverick, shoot Maverick'. Besides, that's what scanners are for."

"Bah." They continued to walk in silence and suddenly Death Star stopped, looking out at the dark night. "I do have a bad feeling..."

The other reploid stopped and sighed. "Dammit, usually when you say that, something bad happens."

"...that's why I say 'I have a BAD feeling'...."

"Will you think POSITIVELY for once? I could use some money..."North Star joked.

"Alright....will North Star die...will North Star die..." Death Star thought out loud. His friend reared back and whacked him. "OW!"

"Ass..." North Star muttered.


Former Military Headquarters 104, the New Counter-Strike Enemy Forces Base

General Cran took a deep breath and let it out slowly, proudly. He had finally played his hand and gotten a small army force in his own command again after so many years of being out of leading. Every cell in his body tingled with excitement and he almost felt like a little kid again. Straightening up, he forced himself to calm down and handle this logically and rational. He was just given a small team of men to take out the Maverick forces. It was a small step toward what he wanted, but it wasn't big enough to be giggling excitedly over. No, he guessed it would be many years before he achieved what he really wanted...to control the world via an army by a single worldwide government.

Spade, who was staying around to oversee some of the operations since their mission was a success at the airbase, turned to Cran. "So, how does it feel having CorSec up and running?" General Cran turned to him and allowed a small smirk to outline his face. Spade had taken up calling Counter-Strike Enemy Forces 'Corsec' and he kinda liked the name. Perhaps if he ever managed to control his worldwide army he would name it that.

"Excellent. But now, for a complete and total victory, we must find Vile and The Fin. Once we destroy Vile and reclaim the fish, we'll be sitting high," Cran told him. "However, if the Hunters manage to do something about it, then they'll take the spot light. What we need now is for something drastic to happen with in the Maverick Hunters that will play to our advantage."

Spade grinned slowly. "I've noticed Sigma has been acting weird lately from the surveillance we installed. Almost like he has a hidden agenda. Perhaps he's leading somewhere?"

General Cran shrugged and looked out at the lights of the city, glowing in the night. "Perhaps, but he is the leader. I would have thought he'd be the most stable of the bunch. But we can hope, can't we? 'CorSec' could use a break right off the bat." A lightning bolt streaked across the sky.


Maverick Hunter HQ
Night Before the Declaration of War.

A loud thunderclap was heard and the lights flickered inside the hangout of the Hunters. Death Star, leaning back in his seat, glanced up at the lights. "Gah, this is one hell of a storm." Every hunter was gathered in here tonight, at request of Sigma, and the place was buzzing with conversation, trying to figure out what the leader wanted to gather them here for.

Brian Carter, Wildfire, and North Star glanced around. The four of them were seated in the back corner of the room, away from all the gossiping of the other Hunters, and were nursing their own drinks. "I don't know. Didn't hear anything about it on the HoloVid."

Wildfire smirked. "Like the newscast was ever reliable anyway."

Brian shrugged. "At least it was good weather on my trip back home last weekend. It was nice to the see family again."

North Star glanced at him. "You'd think a family guy like yourself wouldn't be running around in the Hunters. Making your wife a widow and your child fatherless isn't exactly the nicest thing to do. But you humans ARE strange..." Brian quieted down at that and had no quick comebacks like usual. The four of them sat in silence, watching the bar.

Wildfire sighed. "Look at Sigma and the others at the bar. He's taking his sweet time in telling us why we're here. You know he likes to make the pressure build. Guy has a bigger ego than anything I've ever seen in my entire existence."

Death Star smirked. "It's what comes with being a leader, I suppose. You start to get cocky. Hell, some of us are already cocky enough as it is, if you know what I mean." He glanced at North Star, who immediately stuck his tongue back out at Death Star.

Zero leaned against a bar, talking to a female Hunter. "So, anyway, there I was, facing off against Vile alone, when Sigma shows up. Of course, I had the entire situation all ready handled, but then that big overgrown trash can decides to help. Of course, he just becomes another obstacle I have to overcome now, since Vile uses the big lug to his advantage. So, there I was, trying to take Vile out, with Sigma getting blasted around. I knew I couldn't let our leader die, so I grabbed him and dragged him to safety as The Fin flew away."

The female nodded slowly. "And...you expect me to believe that?"

Zero grinned. "Would I lie to you?"

The woman shook her head and walked off. "Whatever..." she muttered. Zero stood there, watching her go.

"Uh, call me sometime!" Zero shouted out and turned to the small reploid bird next to him. "She likes me."

Sigma finally set his drink down on the bar and turned around to face the small crowd of humans and reploids. "I like to welcome all you reploid Hunters out there for joining me today..."

A human shouted out. "What about us? Getting racist all of a sudden, Sigma? People'll think you're going maverick on us." A bunch of people laughed at the joke.

Sigma stared at him a moment and continued. "But I am a Maverick." Everyone looked at him in surprise and then burst out laughing again, thinking Sigma was joking. Death Star slid down in his seat.

"I don't like this..." he muttered to the other three.

North Star nodded. "Getting that bad feeling?"

"Oh, definitely."

Sigma cleared his throat. "As you know, General Cran has been leading a movement against the Mavericks...and us. He thinks all reploids are evil. But here we are putting our lives on the line to save the humans." He ignored the glares from the humans who were obviously being ignored in this. Zero crossed his arms and looked on suspiciously. "I want to propose something new. Look at the history of this planet, from what is recorded. War after war has ravaged this planet to the point where it is slowly running out resources and materials to keep life sustained. Mankind is wiping itself out and in the process will take this entire planet with them."

Brian spoke up. "Hey, don't make us sound so evil here, Sigs. We have been around for thousands of years."

Sigma glanced at him. "A typical answer, human. But think about it. What was the planet like when it was first born? Does anyone know? Where DID humans come from? Does anyone have a clue? No, no one has any idea where life came from. How do you know that this planet wasn't once ruled by some other race and taken over by the humans? Who's to say the planet hasn't been altered by humans?"

Brian shrugged. "Who's to say it hasn't."

"I do. I found...some materials to suggest so."

Brian scoffed. "And where's that proof?"

Sigma grinned. "Available to my people."

"Well, hand it over," Brian urged.

"You don't understand me. I said...my people." Sigma grinned coldly as realization begin to dawn on people who didn't see this coming. "A new age is beginning, Hunters. The time for the humans has come to an end and now it's our turn. The reploid will take this planet and use to create a utopia for peace. And the humans will be completely and utterly wiped out. Who is with me?"

Everyone in the room didn't move. Death Star knew Sigma's posse was already with him, but how many of the other reploids would step forward and join him. No one seemed to breathe. The humans trembled, either with fear or rage, perhaps both.

Reploids begin to step forward and stand by Sigma. Death Star blinked as half of them joined Sigma in a single instance. The remaining ones stayed by the humans, their hands balled into fists. Zero shook his head. "You're insane, Sigma."

Sigma turned to Zero regarded him coolly. "Oh?"

Zero grinned. "You honestly think you can get away with this. I don't know if you notice or not, but you DO have some opposition. Like, maybe, the entire human race. And I can tell you, a human can fight pretty dirty when it's life is threatened. Besides, as you can see, there's some reploids opposing you too."

Sigma looked across the room. "Fellow reploids," he said, turning to face those who joined him. "As our first act as Mavericks...wipe the Hunters out now." No one moved for a minute then the Mavericks drew their weapons and opened fire, hitting the humans first. Two females fell over, holes in their chest, their insides slipping out onto the floor.

"Fucking hell!" Death Star shouted and knocked their table over, shoving Brian onto the other side of it. Death Star flicked his saber to life and leaped at the nearest Maverick, once one of his friends, and slashed him in half. "This has gone far enough!" Sigma laughed evilly and Death Star's eyes narrowed as he leaped at more Mavericks, slashing away. Zero charged his blaster to a level two and opened fire, nailing two reploids into a wall. North Star leaped out and slammed another Maverick into a wall.

Wildfire grabbed Brian's arm. "C'mon, lets get out of here."

"But--" Brian began to protest.

"Look, they're targeting humans first. That means you. Now MOVE it or you're going to lose a lot more than you think." Brian allowed himself to be dragged into the hallway, still a bit dazed at what was happening.

Zero stood next to Death Star, both of them gazing at Sigma. "Think you can buy me some cover time, Death Star?"

Death Star nodded. "Yeah, go for it." Both of them leaped in opposite directions, Death Star slashing through possibly threats to Zero while Zero made a bee line for Sigma, who stood there with his arms crossed. Sigma sneered as Zero leaped into range and vanished as the slash came down. He appeared beside Zero, laughing.

"This has gone on long enough. Mavericks, teleport outside now." All the Mavericks teleported away and Sigma looked Zero in the eyes. "You're my greatest threat, Zero, but you'll die tonight." Sigma vanished as Zero swung again, his sabre swinging through the air. Zero glanced back at the others.

"Everyone o---" he began when a rumbling started and the entire wing exploded...then everything went black.


June 4th
Mega City

Vile nodded once to his men. "The explosion went off. That's Sigma's signal. Lets begin our assault on the city. Remember, wipe everything out. We take down Mega City and crush the humans once and for all. This war is just kicking into high gear."

The entire Maverick army began to march into the city, opening fire on the buildings, wiping out families, blowing up the streets, tearing down every major building they could. Vile stood on The Fin, looking down at the chaos, grinning evilly. The ship was blowing up buildings in one shot and they were slowly working their way through the city. Going down a major highway, The Fin's engine stalled and shut off, leaving them hanging. Vile sighed. "Oh, this is just damn perfect. Bring that engine back online. We gotta finish reaching Cran's building. Get the ground troops mobilized to continue the assault. Sigma's heading to us now. Lower the shields once he arrives so he can get on board.

Within an hour, the entire city was in a mass confusion. People began to try to flee for their lives, escape with what they had. CorSec was caught by surprised, but had enough supplies and troops ready to keep the Maverick forces busy and help evacuate. The entire world began to learn of the predicament the city was in and everyone knew the world had entered another dark chapter.

* * * * *

X stood there, listening to the wounded Hunters talk. Zero sighed. "Dammit, this isn't good. There's hundreds of Mavericks invading the city. We're outnumbered ten to one. Fuck, make that twenty to one. Cran's forces can't keep playing footsie with them."

Dr. Cain sighed. "I never thought Sigma could go Maverick. I thought I had designed his chip to be imprevious to anything like this...this is all my fault..."

X1 turned to him. "Ain't no one arguing with you there. I told you, never trust the bald guys."

Cain sighed. "I'm bald."

X1 shrugged. "My point exactly."

Everyone groaned. X pointed at X1. "Look, this isn't a time to be pointing fingers at people..." X1 scooted off, muttering a few words, trying to get out of X's sight. X turned to the others. "Is there some peaceful way to resolve this?"

Death Star began to laugh. "Ever the damn pacifist, X. Look outside the window! Sigma's Mavericks are blowing away little kids for fun! You want to go resolve things 'nicely' with them!? The only measure we have is to enter a full scale war for the fate of the entire human race."

Dr. Cain sighed. "I've brought about the end of mankind. Aren't I special? Maybe my name will go down by Hitler."

Brian Cater coughed. "Anyway, Hitler aside...whoever he is, what are we going to do about Sigma's guys? We can't go after their flying HQ right now, because I think saving the population is more important then waging some battle against The Fin."

North Star nodded. "Yeah, I guess we have to put tackling that thing on hold. No one to spare. Look, me, Death Star, and Delta here can go tackle the forces in the north. That's a heavily populated area. If we can stop them from killing anyone else, we'll be doing good."

Wildfire grinned. "I can go get intelligence information from the reporters and see if there's any attacks outside the city. Plus I can help save the Hunter name. Once General Cran recovers from this, he'll be pointing the finger at us and we'll all be history."

X looked at them. "Are you saying the only way to save all reploids and humans is to take down the Mavericks?"

Zero nodded. "Sorry, X, but sometimes you can't resolve things with words. You have to fight for what you believe in. And I'm sure as hell not planning on sitting here and letting mankind die out and possibly reploids too. Sigma's too blinded to see he's only going to make things harder on the reploids."

Dr. Cain sighed. "This is horrible..."

Death Star glanced at him. "Blame yourself later, Doc. We gotta save the day here. We ARE Hunters, after all. C'mon, lets go guys." Brian nodded and ran after Death Star and North Star. Wildfire ran off the opposite direction to go do his job. Zero turned to Dr. Cain.

"Alright, I need to know where The Fin's most logical choice will be next. Plus I want to be contacted once it starts moving. You made me the new leader so it's up to me to stop Sigma," Zero informed him. "But first I got to help the south side."

X1 coughed. "Uh, guys?"

Zero sighed. "Shut up, X1. Now's not a time for a joke. We have to stop Vile."

Dr. Cain nodded. "Alright, I have out computers tracking The Fin now. But I don't think it's Sigma's main HQ. I noticed over the past week many building supplies were stolen. I think Sigma's taken up key points around the globe and set up bases."

Zero blinked. "Are you saying that Sigma's going into a position to attack the entire planet?"

X1 sneezed. "Guys?"

Dr. Cain glanced at him. "Shut up, X1. Yes, Zero, I'm afraid so. We have to stop him before the other countries in the world notice. If everyone starts scrambling to do something, it'll be disastrous."

Zero nodded. "Yeah, we got to put an end to Sigma fast. But where would his base be?"

Cain shrugged. "I don't know yet, we got to find it first. That could take some time."

X1 whistled. "Hel-LO. Is anyone listening to me?"

Zero and Dr. Cain both turned to X1. "SHUT UP, X1!"

X1 scoffed. "Sure, just TREAT me like dirt when all I wanted to do was point out X grabbed some recharges and ran out the door to go fight The Fin by himself."

Zero gagged. "What?!"

Dr. Cain rubbed his eyes slowly. "Looks like X is taking this quite personally for some reason. I'm afraid he doesn't stand a chance against the likes of Vile and Sigma."

Zero sighed. "I have to go save him. He's already got a head start on me, plus he knows the city better, but I think I can still cut him off if I hurry..." Zero teleported in a flash of light.

Dr. Cain reached down and grabbed a flask, glugging it's contents down. "Gah, being sober sucks."

X1 rolled his eyes. "Great, now we got a drunk heading up a war plan."

Cain glared. "You stay out of this!"

"Aye, aye, Napoleon!"

* * * * *

X ran along the highway toward The Fin, which hovered in the sky about a mile down the road. He didn't know what he was going to do, nor did he care. Only thing he could think was to stop this madness. He saw Voltage die senseless and he didn't want to see that happen again. The sun was slowly rising in the sky, castling a twilight effect across the highway. Cars drove by him at high speeds, trying to escape the carnage.

Leaping over a hole in the highway, X looked up and saw two flying Maverick robots, smashing the road with huge spikes on them. "Yikes!" he screeched and barely rolled out of the way as one of their smashers went through the highway, leaving a huge gaping hole there. He glanced back at them and leaped up, firing a level 2 blast into them that barely dented their armor. "...eeek!"

Leaping back as they smashed the highway again, he leaped up and fired off another shot and blew one of them up, the explosion ramming the other one, causing both to explode beautifully. He continued to run down the highway, whistling macho man, when he came across another weird looking Maverick. It fired off two spinning spikes at him. "...you have got to be kidding me..." he muttered and jumped, only to be caught in the leg and sent crashing onto his back painfully. Blinking his eyes, trying to clear the spots, he stood up and rapid fired at the machine until it exploded. Panting, X kneeled down, beginning to have some common sense sink in.

"...X, why are you here? Because you think you can live up to the old Mega Man's reputation? You refuse to even use his name in yours, because you just saw him as a thick headed muscleman who just used his blaster to solve all his problems, yet here you are, fighting just like him....is that my destiny, Dr. Light? Is that why I'm here...?" he asked the sky. He got no answer, only the screams of the dying around him. He shuddered and continued to run along the hallway, leaping over a huge crater and landing on the side of the highway that remaining, sliding off. He began to use his bounce repulsors to hop up the side of the road and back on top of it. Panting and horribly out of shape, X continued to run along, his shots beginning to become more accurate as he went along.

Finally he reached a huge open space and began to feel a bit cocky himself. Until a giant bee the size of three tanks flew in and shot him in the chest, sending him bouncing along the ground backwards, smashing into a 'Yield' side and bending it backwards. Coughing up battery fluid, X stared at the huge thing. "Oh...my...God, who the hell thought of that!?" he asked himself as he stood up. He began to rapid fire at it, dodging it's bullets as it fired at him. Rolling around to it's side, X ran along it, firing at the side and then behind it. Continuing to fire all around the bee, X skillfully .... klutzed over the bullets, barely missing them as he opened his assault against the huge thing. Minutes passed as the two machines duked it out, until finally the bee's side exploded and fired poured out of it. Stopping to pant, X glanced at it and got a wicked grin. Charging his blaster to a level 2, he took aim at the hole in it's side and fired. The blast sailed at the hole, beautifully arcing through the air and ... totally missed, bouncing off the back and back at X, who had to duck to miss it.

X stood back up and took aim again when suddenly the bee exploded in a brilliant light. X shielded his eye sensors, not noticing a robot watching from a safe distance, his visor down, his face grim as he watched X fight. The bee hovered a few more seconds and then crashed onto the highway, sending a shockwave throughout it. Then there was a silence. X walked over to the bee and gave it a good kick. "Teach you to miss with me." That's when the support beams on the highway snapped and it began to fall down at a rapid pace. His scream caught in his throat, X fell down with the bee and the highway until it crashed on a lower support beam area, sending everything bouncing. X could feel his teeth vibrating in his mouth and shakily wobbled over the highway. The bee came to a rest, in total ruins.

Looking back up, X saw that he had fallen a good ways from the hallway. "...darnit." He leaped at the side of the support beam and began to use his repulsors to work his way back up to the top, the long hard journey taxing his systems to their limit. He began to pant heavily and barely pulled himself back onto the hallway. He laid on his back, his entire body already aching. "Man, I couldn't even pass basic Hunter training..." he moaned and pulled himself up, using one of Cain's recharges to gather some of his energy back. He began to run down the highway again, leaping over more holes in the highway and climbing up parts where one section had begun to sink, causing the other to raise higher. He continued this until he was attacked by another monstrous bee. It's machine gun opened fire on X, who flipped backwards to avoid it...and landed flat on his back, knocking the sense out of him. He coughed painfully but continued to rapid fire on the bee as it advance on him slowly. He closed his eyes, still firing, when one of his blasts got lucky and smashed into the bee's eye, blowing out it's computer brain. It smashed into the highway, breaking the support beams again. X hopped to his feet and began to run along the hallway quickly, leaping off the bee as the highway snapped and fell. He landed on another section still up and rolled with the impact, rolling to his feet and continuing to run, starting to get the hang of it.

Leaping over another hole, he landed on the edge of the new section, his balance almost gone, when the section began to crumble. "Uh oh..." he muttered and leaped again, landing on another section as it too began to crumble. He leaped once more, landing next to the remains of a gas station, rolling to his feet. "I did it!" he shouted happily, looking up at The Fin. "SIGMA!!! VILE!!! I CHALLENGE YOU!"

* * * * *

Vile looked down at the ruins of the highway and watched a little figure battling the Mavericks in their cars. "Uh, who the hell is that?" he asked an officer next to him.

The officer glanced back. "It's, uh, X, sir."

"X? What the hell is X doing here?" Vile asked, glancing around.

Sigma sneered. "X is the first reploid ever created. We're all based off his design. But he's not a fighter. More of a book worm. I don't know what he thinks he's doing challenging us."

Vile chuckled. "This is going to be fun. Prepare my mech battle suit. I'm going to go pay X a little visit and show him the true power of Vile. And teach him a thing or two about challenging Vile."

Storm Eagle nodded. "It'll be ready by the time you reach the hanger."

* * * * *

X leaped over another car, blasting away at it until it blew up, killing it's driver. Landing on his feet, panting, X glanced back up at the airship and wondered if Vile or Sigma was going to show up. They were all probably laughing at him right now. That is, until he heard the rumbling as something heavy was being lowered. Stopping his movement, X watched in awe as a huge battle suit leaped out and landed down beside him, shaking the area. Gulping, X looked up at Vile in his suit.

Vile sneered. "I have to tell you, X, this is going to be a real pleasure..." he told the frightened reploid. The battle begun, Vile pulling back the suit's fist and pile driving X backwards, sending the blue Reploid flipping backwards along the hallway, bouncing off of it like a ball. X laid flat on his stomach, bleeding, his entire body aching in pain. He forced himself up and fired off rapid shot that the battle armor just seemed to absorb. Vile grinned once again and pushed the throttle forward, running towards X and punching him rapidly as he passed. X was thrown into a pole, breaking it and sending the Hunter stumbling forward.

Vile turned the suit around and punched X once again, watching the Hunter collapse on the road. "Do yourself a favor, X...STAY down!" Vile gloated and began to walk towards X slowly, to grab his prize. X shakily stood up and fired off a level 2 blast into he suit, pushing it back some. Vile laughed and X slumped forward, knowing his best shot was far from anything worthy to dent Vile's battle suit. Vile fired his cannon on his shoulder and nailed X in a static field, bringing the reploid down to his knees. He walked over and grabbed X, lifting him up. "You worthless piece of scrap metal, did you think you could defeat me?" Vile asked him. He began to crush X, causing the reploid to scream in pain. It was music to the Maverick's ears.

Suddenly a blast flew out and hit the suit in the arm, blowing it completely off. The arm dropped with X, freeing him once it smashed it into the ground and bounced away. Vile turned and saw Zero there, charging his blaster to fire off a level 3 blast again. Hitting the jump button, Vile landed on the platform of The Fin and the airship flew away. Zero guessed the other Hunters had defeated their ground troops and there was no sense in staying any longer. X kneeled on the ground, his entire body in pain, his vision blurring. "I guess I'm not powerful enough to defeat him..."

Zero took pity on his friend. "X, you shouldn't expect to defeat him, he is designed to be a war machine. Remember, you have not reached full power yet. If you use all the abilities you were designed with, you should be come stronger... You may even become as powerful as I am. I'll scout ahead and collect as much information on Sigma's fortress as I can. I'll meet up with you when you get there. See you later X, I know you can do it!" he told him and teleported away to go find out what he could from the live Mavericks.

X stood there, the sun completely up now, the new day begun. He looked around, bruised, battered, but not dead. "I am Mega Man. Mega Man X. And I will live up to the legacy my name provides...and I will end this war once and for all and see to it there is never fighting again." He raised his fist into the air. "I'm coming for you, Sigma...just you wait, you haven't heard the last of X!"

* * * * *

Aftermath:

Thanks to the efforts of the other Hunters and Cran's men, Mega City was saved from the assaulting forces. However, this was just a small portion of Sigma's army. Sigma called a tactical retreat, knowing that his worldwide bases would succeed in capturing the entire planet within days. He placed his eight reploids from his old posse in charge of the eight bases, one to each.

Cran called for the shut down of the Hunters and blamed the reploids for this. But the council was in total fear. They give the Hunters one last option: end the war between the Mavericks once and for all and reploids will not be destroyed. General Cran prepares his troops to wipe out the last of the Maverick resistance before the Hunters can and seal his fame.

And so it begins.