|
|
No. Wait a minute. I must've told about five million tales like this...I'm sure you people want to hear something DIFFERENT for a change...yeah, I thought so. So here's a little tale that I was told when I was a little mite.....
What would YOU do if there was a prophecy that stated you would eventually kill your best friend? I mean, sure, sometimes your friends c'n be real jerks...especially the type that like to pull down your shorts at the beach. But a friend is a friend after all....
That's what this ditty is about. And I think I should shut up before I give the whole plot away in a measly introduction. So pour yerself a mug of ale..you're gonna have to be drunk stone out of your mind to believe this tale, anyway. This is a story dealing with friendship, love, and the difficulty of finding a good parking spot at a shopping mall these days. It's the story of.......
"Okay, Violen. Here's an easy one: 'What was the name of the whale that swallowed Pinocchio and Geppeto?'"
The massive two-tonne reploid scowled at this question. He wasn't built for thinking; he was ment for destruction and killing. Still, he didn't want to seem like a moron to his buddies....
"Well?" Inquired Storm Eagle, who had asked him this question. He was growing impatient. "What's the answer? Just because you're an idiot doesn't mean you can take 5 years to answer this."
Violen was wondering whether it would be worth getting up to smash Eagle's face in when Drill Rhino interrupted his thoughts.
"Answer the good man's question, Violen," he said in his gruff voice, "otherwise, we'll never finish this game."
Violen tried his level best to at least make an educated guess.
"I dunno. Moby Dick?"
Eagle let his head sink in his hands. Rhino smashed his armoured head against the stone wall.
Violen grew angry. "Well excuse me!" He shouted. "Who's bright idea was it for me to play Trivial Pursuit??"
"Hey yeah, this sucks." Interjected Wheel Gator. "Let's go start a forest fire or somethin'."
"We could play Hungry Hippos, " Rhino suggested.
Storm Eagle stood up so suddenly that his chair tipped back and landed on the floor with a crash. He glared at one stunned reploid to another in disgust. They were all seated around a wood table with a beautiful stained finish. Various books and games were scattered around the table. In the background, the giant-screen TV was on, with Neon Tiger watching it happily.
It looked like something out of the Brady Bunch, only worse.
"People!" He said sternly. "Look at us all! Ever since the third fall of the X-Hunters, we've gone downhill. Gotten soft. Look," Eagle pointed a taloned finger at Neon Tiger. "Good old Tigger has started watching SOAPS!"
Tiger turned around dejectedly. "Don't call me Tigger," he growled. "and for your information, I'm only watching this today because Dan found out that Lila is having an affair with Charles."
"I rest my case, " Eagle crowed. "I say that we have ourselves a riot in downtown."
"Ah, what's the bloody point of that?" Grunted Rhino. "The whole reason we can't go out at all is because of Zero and that little moron X. Ever since their last victory over us, the Maverick Hunters have grown in size, strength and number. Going outside of this fortress would be like wearing a big neon sign with the words 'Please kill me, I'm a Maverick' flashing on it. "
Eagle slammed his fist on the table. There was an audioable crack from the wood. "Rhino, that's a rotten additude. I ought to have Vile rip off your horn and sell it as an aphrodisiac. The problem here is that we're Reploids, so we're able to make our own decisions. We're scared to fight. Or YOU guys are, anyway. Back in the old days of Wily and the Robot Rebellions, robots didn't have their own free will. They were just unleashed like dogs trained to kill. They weren't afraid of failure. They didn't have the ability to be. It was better that way."
"I ain't movin' until Sigma comes back." This comment was from Violen. Eagle spun around on his heel to stare at the behemoth. "Sigma is NOT coming back! Get it through your thick skull. Why would he return? To be destroyed by X and Zero again!? He's smarter than you think. But..." A slow smile reached Eagle's metallic beak. "What if we destroyed one...nay, BOTH of those hunters...? It would be safe for him to return...."
"Sure, Birdman." Smirked Rhino. "Look who's talking about destroying them. You were one of the first to fall to X's arm cannon."
A sudden heavy knock at the door made everyone jump. Eagle recognised it right away.
"Is that you, Vile?" He called.
"No, it's the Avon Lady posing as Vile. Let me in!"
Wheel Gator was up right away to open the steel door. Nobody who wanted to live to see their next birthday disobeyed Vile.
The heavy doors clanged open. In the doorway stood a formidable repliod clad in purple armour. His dark eyes were hidden behind his mask, as they always had been since the day he was created. It was none other than Vile, Sigma's top henchman, and all around bad guy. Vile ran happily into the room. He was holding some sort of document in his glove.
"Boss, you seem happy." Grunted Rhino, watching his master dance around the room.
Vile faced his underling. "Happy?" He said gleefully. "I'm orgasmic!! Look at what I found." He held up the document for all to see. "I found it when I was going through Sigma's things. I was hoping that I could find something that would help us in our battle against the Maverick Hunters. It looks like I found something?"
"What is it?" Asked Violen.
"It's a page out of Wily's old journal. Read it!"
Violen stared stupidly at the page, trying to make out the words. "Oh, give me that!!" Vile said, snatching the paper away. It was fragile and yellow with age. "I'll read it to you." Vile was about to begin, when two soft taps sounded at the door.
"Knock knock. Can I come in?"
Vile turned around. "Phoenix, good of you to join us."
Phoenix strode in. She was the latest of the X-Hunters, a female reploid who looked somewhat like Storm Eagle, except she was slightly taller. Her wings and metallic body were all painted a brilliant firey colour.
"Vile, who loves ya baby? What's that you've got there?" She reached for the paper in Vile's outstretched hands.
"It's our ticket to victory." Vile informed her. "It's a page out of Wily's old journal. Read it to these illiterate idiots, will you?" He motioned towards the X-Hunters.
Phoenix read it to herself once. Her head jerked back in surprise. Then she blinked twice and began to read...
"I've done it! After my faithful servant Bass managed to steal a copy of my enemy Thomas Light's design notes, I've created a 'Reploid.' A reploid is not just a robot. A reploid is much more advanced. It has the strength of a robot, and the emotions and dangerous intelligence of a human. It combines the best of both worlds. I've created one reploid so far. He's a lethal killing machine named Zero.
"I'd love to create armies of reploids; however, I'm too old. According to Light's notes, his reploid, X, is set to activate in about 30 years. I'm setting Zero's activation at 30 years as well. If all goes well and I've set everything correctly, Zero will be a born killer and destroyer of mankind.
This "X" character will likely be a protector of humans. There should be many clashes between these two, resulting in wars unlike the world has ever seen.
20XX J. Wily"
There was a brief silence after Phoenix had finished the Jletter. Tiger, who had joined the other hunters at the table raised a furry eyebrow at Vile. "So this means...."
"What this means, you misbegotten housecat, is that Zero is one of us. He should be fighting alongside us. How he ended up with the Maverick Hunters is anyone's guess. It's ironic that Zero, a killer, is best friends with X, a peacemaker. But this letter gives me confidence...and a plan. Eagle!"
Vile called sharply. "Contact the good people at Hayatrom and order a Nullifier, and a dart gun. Phoenix and Violen, come see me. Tigger, I want you to open a Videophone channel to Cain Labs. And the rest of you...."
Vile glanced at the remaining Hunters, most of which were still mesmerised by the facts the letter had held. "Who's up for a game of Monopoly?"
"All right," agreed Rhino, "but I get to be the horse!"
"Sir, a channel has been opened to Cain Labs," purred Neon Tiger as he turned
to face his mentor Vile.
"Good boy, Tigger. Stand by for further instructions."
Phoenix and Violen approached the purple reploid. "Vile. You wanted to see
us?"
"Yes. I have a plan that'll ultimately lead to the destruction of X and the
return of Sigma. You two'll have to play a crucial part in it."
Just then, Storm Eagle appeared at the door. He folded his formidable wings
in order to get through. "Hey, Vile. About that Nullifier and dart gun. Hayatrom
said it'll be ready and delivered shortly."
"Good," was Vile's reply. "now Phoenix and Violen. Listed carefully, because
I'm only gonna say this once...."
Meanwhile, across the city in a happier environment lay the lab of Dr. Cain.
X was here, in the rec room, sipping a WD-40 cooler, and channel surfing. He
couldn't have been happier. The Mavericks were contained for a while, relations
between humans and reploids were improving, and life was treating him well for
once. He didn't have to go out and fight the stray Mavericks that lingered here
and there; Zero handled that. X hated fighting; Zero loved it.
A loud crash of the door to the rec room being opened brought X back to life.
In the doorway stood a six-foot five male reploid, clad in crimson Titanium-X
protective armour and a gilded helmet. From under his helmet, his hair fell down
to his knees like a waterfall of gold. It was none other than Zero, champion
Maverick Hunter and leader of the #00 class unit of Maverick Hunters. He strode
in and removed his helmet. He tossed it over his shoulder. X heard the sound of
a muffled thud, and a cat yowling in pain.
"Whoops! Sorry, Tango!" He called to the feline. "Hey, X! You should've gone
hunting with me today. I tell ya, there's nothing like the look of terror in a
young reploid's eyes when it sees your Arm Cannon levelled towards its face.
Hey, gimmie." He grabbed the cooler out of X's hand and took a huge gulp. "Here
you go," he said, politely handing the remains of the can to X.
X moved his gaze from the can to Zero. "No thanks. Keep it. You backwashed."
"No, I-" Zero started, when a loud, screeching laugh stopped him. A young
human Maverick Huntress with shoulder-length chestnut brown hair tore in. She
was Celeste, one of the few human huntresses, and good buddies with Zero and X.
Especially Zero.
"Howdy, ya'll!" She cried. She collapsed on the floor in front of the TV.
Celeste was about 23 years old, but she looked (and often acted) like she wasn't
a day over 19. "Zero, how was hunting?"
Zero glanced down at himself. His Titanium-X armour, which was usually
gleaming, was now dull and stained with the circulatory fluids of Mavericks.
Zero beamed at Celeste. "Hunting was cool. In a matter of time, I think all the
Mavericks will be cleared out of the city. Now X, you don't seem to be watching
anything specific. Give the the remote." Zero reached to grab the channel
changer from X. X snatched it away, out of his reach.
"Zero, what's the magic word?"
"Give me that now, or I'll disembowel you."
"Alright, here. Don't get your panties into an uproar." X handed the remote
to Zero.
"I don't wear panties," Zero declared as he flopped down on the couch, "but
you can fantasise about it if you wish. Is there anything good on TV, or do we
pay for intergalactic cable for the good of our heath?"
Celeste perked up. "Hey, where's Dr. Cain....?"
X jerked his thumb towards the door. "He's in the lab, working on some sort
of new 'Robot Ride' armour. He claims it's more powerful than the Chimera and
the Hawk put together. It should be something to see. In fact, he mentioned it
was very nearly done."
Hello. This is your narrator speaking. I think that I should bring to your
attention that I'm in a good deal of pain as I write this. You see, due to the
measles scare here in Ontario, it was required that
we all get our measles vaccination in school. I think that the woman who gave me
my shot worked in a butcher shop in a previous life. On top of that, I was one
of the lucky "few" to get a reaction to the needle....a fever, and chills. So I
got to sit isolated from the rest of my fellow schoolmates, all of which were
laughing at a Mr. Bean video which was put on by the needle people (You were
supposed to relax your arm for a while) and I got to stare at a wall. Why am I
saying this...? Why would you care? Sigh...nevertheless, I shall nobly sacrifice
myself to bring you the continuation of this lovely story the way Zero
sacrificed himself to save X from a certain death. Speaking of those two.....
"Heads up, X!" Zero tossed a woÉoden carton of spare robot parts to X.
"Catch!"
X turned around from the shelf he was taking inventory on. "What'd you say,
Zero?" No sooner had he finished his question then the box stuck the bare cement
floor of the storeroom. The fragile crate shattered on impact. X turned his eyes
down to the floor. "Oh...that. Whoops."
"X, you idiot!" Shouted Zero. "Good morning!"
"Zero, it was an accident."
"I'll bloody well GIVE you an accident!" Zero drew back his fist.
"Hey, don't kill each other, you two!" Celeste called from across the
storeroom.
"Aw, X know's I'd never hurt him!" Zero said with a grin. He threw his arm
around X's artificial neck. "Right, buddy?"
X struggled fruitlessly against the bear hold.
"Urk...can't...breathe!" He gasped.
"Breathing is for the weak, X!"
"Am I interrupting anything important?"
X and Zero turned towards the door, wÉhere the familiar voice came from.
Celeste peeked out from behind a metal shelf of "Do-it-yourself books on
building robots. "Dr. Cain!"
The elderly scientist was parked in the doorway, leaning on his cane. Beside
him was a young male reploid, clad in brilliant platinum armour. Cain smiled at
X and Zero. "Zero, I've brought you a new friend. He's to join the #00 class of
Maverick Hunters. I'll leave you two to get acquainted." With that, Cain
shuffled out of the doorway.
Zero was usually wary towards strangers. This platinum guy was no exception.
Zero gave him a 'Yes,-how-may-I-help-you' look. Platinum simply stared back.
There was nothing paticularily friendly or hostile in his gaze. He looked
something like the old X-Hunter Byte had looked like. Slightly taller, though.
X broke the uncomfortable silence. "Hello, and welcome to the Maverick Hunter
forces. I'm X." He gave a warm smile, and extended a hand. Platinum reached for
X's hand slowly, as if it were a poisonous snake. "Your name's X? That's a bit
lewd." He smirked.
"Well, yes, but.."
"Nevermind. Heeyyyy...nice hair, hippie!" Platinum had turned towards Zero.
"Wrong thing to say, guy." X said softly.
Before you could have said 'knife,' platinum found himself dangling inches
above the ground, held by the back of his neck. Zero held him as if he weighed
no more than a sack of feathers. His grin was sharklike.
"Zero, don't hurt him!" Celeste said warningly.
Zero was deaf to her request. Instead, he wheeled around 180 degrees and
slammed the platinum reploid against the wall. A few books and smaller boxes
tumbled down from the shelves above.
"My name's Zero." He began quietly, grinning the whole time. "I'm your
COMMANDER. You'll obey my every word when you're in my squad. And you know
something?? I don't like you. No. I have a good mind to rip your arms out of
your sockets.....but wait. No. I'm in a forgiving mood. I'll pretend you didn't
say anything. In fact, let's start over. You're going to walk through that door,
and we'll act like we've never seen you in our lives. Understand?"
"Y-yes sir." Croaked platinum.
"Smart boy." Zero tossed his frightened prey towards the door. Platinum
quickly scuttled out. After a few seconds, he reappeared and knocked on the
door.
"Yes? Who is it?" Zero called sweetly.
"I'm uh...a new member of the #00 class of Maverick Hunters."
"Well, come on in! Nice to have you aboard."
Platinum came in, somewhat more humble than before. "I'm sorry sir." He said
sheepishly. "I figured that I was pretty high and mighty for being transferred
to the #00 Special Forces...I forgot my manners, I guess."
"Forget it." Said X, who was always quick to forgive. "What's your name?"
The reploid grew silent. He looked down at the floor, embarrassed. Zero's
temper started to rise again. "Are you deaf? He asked what your name was!"
"I...um...would rather not say.....sir."
"Oh, come on!" Celeste coaxed.
"I--oh, alright." He mumbled. "My name is...um...Forrest."
"Hey, Zero. Are you gonna let me use that computer today, or what?"
"Patience, young Jedi! I'll be done soon."
X and Zero were seated in the Maverick Hunter HQ computer lab. It was a light
and airy room, comfortable and cheerful. The air conditioners located in the
west and east windows hummed nonstop in an effort to keep the various humans,
reploids and computers in the room cool.
X sat next to his pal, drinking another WD-40 cooler. Zero looked worried.
"X, maybe you should lay off on those in case we're called into battle. The last
thing we need is for you to be tipsy."
"Nah. You just have fun on the Internet. Don't worry about me." X and Zero
then heard Forrest swear rather loudly at his computer.
Zero turned around and grinned at the platinum newcomer. "You know, " he
began, "I can't believe your name is Forrest. Your creator must have hated you.
You must go through hell every day."
"Life is like a box of chocolates...." Celeste began. She didn't look up from
her screen. Forrest pretended not to hear her. Then X chimed in. "Jenny...I love
you, Jenny." Zero was on the floor with that one.
"Oh, grow up." The disgruntled platinum reploid muttered to the cheerful
bunch.
"Oh Zerrrooooo....." A voice sang from the doorway. It belonged to XY-2400,
or Roadkill as he was better known to his friends. Roadkill was one of Dr.
Cain's reploid lab assistants. He was stuck with his nickname, as he was
infamous for running over various small animals when he ventured out for a
Sunday drive. Roadkill beckoned for Zero to approach him. As Zero got up,
Roadkill said, "This concerns you too, X. Celeste, come as well....and....." At
this point, Roadkill's eyes fell on Forrest.
"Hello, there." He said warmly. "You're new. What's your name?"
Forrest shuddered and hunched miserably in front of his computer.
"What's the matter with him?" Said Roadkill, insulted.
X tapped Roadkill on the shoulder. "He's embarrassed about his name. I don't
blame him. He's called Forrest. Please keep your tormenting him to a minimum."
The corners of Roadie's mouth twitched. Then he got back on subject. "X and
Zero, the Mavericks have contacted us on Videophone. Vile wishes to speak with
you."
"The Mavericks...? Are you sure it's them?"
"Well, it ain't the Brady Bunch!!"
X, Zero and Celeste dashed out the door, several pairs of eyes following
them. After hesitating for a minute, the insult-battered Forrest followed.
Up in the MHHQ rec room, the Hunters and the Huntress were crowded around the
silver videophone screen. Dr. Cain was among them. They were gaping at the dark
face of none other than Vile himself.
"Hello, friends." Vile spoke in his usual smooth, seductive tone. "Since it
was such a beautiful day in the neighbourhood, I decided to contact you and let
you know that I'm planning to release several legions of bloodthirsty Mavericks
on the streets of Kapcom. I also want you to know that I'm deadly sick of you
people. Therefore, I invite the bunch of you to our lovely fortress for a
showdown. If you show up, wonderful! If not, I'll release the Mavericks, and
then you can say 'bye bye' to Kapcom, and the human race. I'll give you....let's
see...6 hours to get here. Until then...."
Vile's hateful face disappeared in a hiss of static. Zero turned off the
screen of the videophone soberly.
X took a deep breath. "Well?" He sighed. "What're we gonna do now?"
Zero shrugged. "What can we do? We'll fight him, I suppose."
X looked worried. "Is that the smart thing to do?"
"Perhaps you have a better idea?" Zero snorted.
Cain interuppted their bickering. "X, Zero may have a good idea, actually.
Right now, the Mavericks are as weak as they're going to get, since Sigma isn't
leading them, and their self esteem and confidence is low." He tapped his cane
on the carpet. "I think you should have a showdown with Vile before the Maverick
forces grow again, else Sigma may return."
X and Zero considered this. Fighting Vile was never a picnic, but battling
Sigma always proved to be a major pain in the rear. "I suppose it's the best way
to go." Zero spoke up. "Cain, have you got any idea where the new Maverick
fortress is?"
"You know, that's the funny part." Cain said as he turned towards the
computer map located on the west wall. "The Mavericks haven't moved since their
last defeat, like they usually do." He pointed towards the illuminated map with
its glowing lines and dots, which X and Zero could never make heads or tails of.
"It's almost like...like they want you people to find them."
"Think it's a trap?" X asked Zero.
Zero was strapping his lightsabre to his back. "Oh, probably." He said
cheerfully. "But surprises are fun! Besides, I think it's time we get rid of
Vile, no matter what it takes. Let's go, X." The crimson reploid turned towards
the rest of the group. "Celeste, why don't you come along. And....um...Forrest,
you should tag along for the practice. Shall we go?"
Dr. Cain appered to be in deep thought. "Wait, Zero! He called to the
departing group. If you can spare a few hours, I'd like to give you the Gryphon.
I have a feeling you'll need her."
"I don't know..." X began. "Vile said he'd give us six hours before he
attacked, and...."
"Please?" Cain pleaded. "I only have to put some finishing touches on the
Gryphon. With the lot of you helping me, I'll be finished rather quickly."
"Well, I'd really love to go out there and slice some Maverick, " Zero
grinned as he made a cutting motion with his deactivated lightsabre, "but I
guess I can wait a while. What is it you have to do?"
"Oh, just some diagnosic checks...tune ups...you know."
"Sounds good to me. Lead on to the Gryphon!"
A few hours later, in the workshop of Cain Labs, Zero, X, Forrest, Celeste
and Dr. Cain were putting the finishing touches on what could be called the
greatest Robot Ride armor of all time. The Gryphon was a mammoth machine. Its
sleek, two storey Titanium x body was painted a dazzling dark blue with gold
trimmings. It had two lethal spin-blades that could gouge a huge hole in any
material. It's cockpit could hold about 4 people. It was supported by two
"legs," both of which were as thick and strong as tree trunks. X was running a
diagnostic on the legs and humming a little tune. Zero was much higher up,
examining the machinery that ran the levivation platform - the device that would
transport the team from the ground to the cockpit.
"Zero, is everything looking okay from up there?" C|alled Celeste from below.
"Hakuna Mutata!" Cried Zero, leaping down from above with the grace of any
cat. "X, how's everything with the legs?"
"Fine." X sat up, and banged his head on an open hatch above him. Luckily, he
was wearing his helmet, but that didn't keep the pain from ripping through his
head.
X clutched his head. "Oh, F-" ....
"X," Dr. Cain said warningly.
"Fudge," X finished sheepishly.
The party then heard sounds coming from the outside streets of the city of
Kapcom. Sounds like the firing of plasma from arm cannons, laser shots, screams,
shouts, and other fun things. These sounds were all to familiar to X and Zero.
"Looks like Vile released the Mavericks early," said Forrest, his voice
strangley emotionless.
X shook his head. "Nasty little man," was all he had to say.
Celeste nodded. "I guess he means business about this showdown. Not to
worry*, we're almost ready for him! Right Zero?"
Zero didn't answer. His blood stirred at the sound of battle. More than ever,
he wanted to shoot a Maverick through the head. He turned towards Cain. "Dr.
Cain, let me go out there and shoot a couple of Mavericks while I'm waiting for
the Gryphon to be finished." He pleaded.
Dr. Cain shook his head. "Sorry, Zero, but we're going to need you for the
showdown, and you seem to be very accident prone, as you're always getting
yourself killed off."
Zero said nothing more, but he sulked.
X grinned to his buddy. "A little to much testosterone on the cereal this
morning, Zero?"
"Shut up, X."
"Okay, people!" Dr. Cain said when everything on the Gryphon checked out
okay. "This is our big moment!! May I present to you the greatest Riding Armor
of all time! The Gryphon will lead you faithfully to victory....or death. Try to
choose the former."
"Please, Vile!"
"No."
"Pulleeeeeeaaazzzeee!?"
"Let me think about it...hmmm...No."
"Vile, just listen to me! I won't fail you again, I swear!"
"Overdrive! What's the matter? No speaka english? I said NO!"
Overdrive Ostrich had been following his superior, Vile, around all day,
annoying the purple reploid no end, asking for a moment of his precious time.
"Vile, listen to me," Overdrive pleaded, "or...or...I'll tell everyone your
deepest, darkest secret!"
Overdrive thought he actually saw Vile's eyes blaze behind his mask. "You
wouldn't!"
Overdrive stood as straight as he possibly could to unsuccessfully strike
fear into his mentor. He was taller than Vile, but that didn't stop him from
trembling like an idiot.
"I'll do it!"
"Do it and I'll kill you."
"Then who'll run the Mavericks' genetics lab? I'll tell them Vile! I'll tell
your followers...that you read Charolette's Web, and cried at the end! I was
around when it happened. You know that. And to buy my silence, all I want is to
speak to you."
Vile chewed over this. "I admire your shrewdness, Overdrive. You have exactly
10 minutes of my time. No more."
Overdrive was thrilled. He'd always had a hard time with Vile because he was
one of the weaker Mavericks, and was looked down upon. When he had been defeated
by X, Overdrive had been banished as a Fighter, and was put in charge of the
Mavericks' genetics lab. "Vile, sir. Your plan is to capture Zero, right?"
"My, aren't you the quick one."
"And you plan to infect him with the Maverick Computer Virus?"
"Right again, my mutant robin."
"But Vile, sir, we've been studying this virus down at the lab for a while.
It's meant to infect a reploid's CPU to turn him Maverick...but our studies show
that the virus can easily be cured if it infects only the CPU."
"So?" Snapped Vile. "What do you want me to do? I knew you'd only waste my
time. Get lost." Vile tried unsuccessfully to brush by Overdrive, who blocked
his way.
"No, Vile! I'm not finished!" Cried Overdrive. Vile stopped, and Overdrive
grinned. The blades of crystal along his broad back glistened. "I'm trying to
tell you....we've developed a biological form of the virus. Meaning, if the
virus is injected into a reploids blood stream, it attacks his CPU as well as
his biological systems...like his CNS and thinking process. If we injected this
virus into Zero, there would be no hope for his recovery. His body, mind and
soul would be with us. He'd have no memory of his past."
For the first time, Vile seemed interested. "I'm listening..."
Overdrive went on, excited. "It doesn't stop there. The new form of the virus
wouldn't just infect those areas...it'd superenhance them! Zero would be
stronger...and provided he survived the dosage, he'd be with us...."
"Hold it!" Vile barked suddenly, startling Overdrive. "What do you mean
by....'If he survives'...?"
Overdrive fidgeted, and looked down at his toes. Being an ostrich, he only
had two. "You see, sir...to get these results, I'd have to use an undiluted form
of the virus. It's very powerful, and would be quite a shock to Zero's systems.
If I injected the virus into Zero, he'd be in intense pain for a minute or so.
Then he'd black out as soon as the virus attacked his systems. During this time,
the virus may begin to change him for the better...or.....um, kill him. To
survive the shock of the rampaging virus, one has to be extremely strong
physically and emotionally."
Vile drummed his fingers against the stone wall. He was obviously thinking
hard. If this virus worked, Zero would be almighty. However, if it killed him,
Vile would be left with diddily squat. Was it really worth the risk?
As if he were reading Vile's thoughts, Overdrive spoke. "Sir...I know that
you have doubts. You're afraid I'll mess up, and Zero'll die." Overdrive shifted
uncomfortably. "I may have been a lousy fighter, but I'm very good at genetics,
and I'm running a very successful lab. Remember, I created Babykins for you
without a hitch."
Vile snapped back to life. Babykins was his beloved velociraptor, created by
dinosaur DNA. She had a beautiful soft beige colour, with savage red tiger-like
stripes slashed along her back. Like any velociraptor, she was meant for
killing. She would mosey around most of the time, sometimes guarding the
fortress, sometimes walking along with Vile, sometimes tearing the throat out of
a Maverick Hunter who had come to close to the fortress. (Or a Girl Scout
selling cookies.) Mentioning Babykins clinched things for Overdrive.
"Very well, Overdrive. You may give this virus thing a shot, no pun
intended."
Meanwhile, in Cain's lab, Zero, X, Celeste and Forrest were ready for
departure. X's arms were loaded with CDs. He had run back to his room and
collected them when he was told that the Gryphon had a CD player. The Hunters
stood on the levitation platform. Cain said his goodbyes, and sent them on their
way. The platform slowly rose, until they were seated in the belly of the
Gryphon.
"Niiiicceeee!" Zero exclaimed when he saw the interior. There were 4 seats,
all cushioned and comfortable. The dashboard had all the controls needed to
navigate Robot Ride armour, plus some more. Everything was lit up with a
brilliance X and Zero had never known.
"I'm driving!" Zero shouted hopping into the navigator's seat. X was a bit
queasy from the coolers he had drunk before, and was in no mood to argue. Zero
turned to Forrest and Celeste who were settling down in the back seats. "Are you
two okay?"
"A little cramped, but otherwise fine."
"Great! All aboard! Here we...goooooooo...." Zero was no stranger to Riding
armour. He grasped the levers that controlled the legs of the Gryphon. He pulled
them, and instantly the left leg lifted, and came down with a magnificent crash.
They lurched forwards. Zero repeated this motion until they were out of the
Lab's garage, and on the war-ridden streets of Kapcom. The Mavericks were having
a field day, but that would soon stop.
"Take that!" Zero shouted to a Maverick who promptly met his death on the
Gryphon's spinning blade. "Move outta the way, you horse's arse!" He laughed to
another that was crushed beneath the Gryphon's massive leg. Several nearby
Mavericks stood gaping at the blue behemoth coming towards them. Some fled,
others stood stupidly while Zero made short work of them. "All right! Woohoo!
This is the stuff I like!" Zero cheered, as he sliced a Maverick that looked
suspiciously like Bit.
When Vile heard the news that the squad of Mavericks he had sent out had
gotten thrashed, he didn't throw a temper tantrum like usual. He just sat in the
Mavericks' rec room, quietly and calmly. He knew that X and Zero were on their
way...and he'd be ready for them. Toxic Seahorse and Spark Mandrill were also
present in the room, playing a game of Mystery Date. They couldn't get into it,
however, with their master sitting there, acting so strangely....
".....So then the guy says to the bartender, 'Hey, did you think that I
wished for a twelve inch pianist?'"
Zero collapsed, howling at his own pathetic joke. Forrest gazed out the side
window, Celeste rolled her eyes. Zero stopped guffawing when he realised that no
one was laughing at his joke. "Hey, what's wrong with you people? I make a joke!
It was good...wasn't it? Hey Celeste, you liked it, right?"
"Yeah, Zero. Right. I think I heard that one in grade three." The street the
party had been travelling along had eventually cleared itself of buildings. Then
there were more houses. Now even those had trickled off to plain fields.
"We're almost there, " informed Forrest as if anyone didn't know. "No one
would build anything near a Maverick's fortress." It had been the first time
that Forrest had spoken during the whole voyage. That was because he was
extremely ticked off. Zero's words "Come along for the practice" echoed in his
mind over and over. Practice? Yeah, right! More like 'Target Practice' to
distract the Mavericks while X, Zero and probably Celeste slipped in to the
fortress. Nuts to them.
Forrest's mental griping was interuppted by X's annoyed voice.
"Zero, where in the hell are you going?" the blue reploid snapped suddenly.
"You're off course! Bear to the left a bit."
Zero gaped at this friend's sudden temper. He collected himself again. "X,
you're insane! We're going the right way."
X's temper rose. His head pounded, and he was still queasy. He was sick of
Zero...always the right one! EVERYONE loved Zero! X didn't count. When Zero had
saved him from Vile, everyone had mourned the loss of the handsome Hunter, never
really caring that X had nearly had his own face ripped off and fed to him for
lunch. "Left, damn you!" He shouted at Zero.
"X, you're nuts."
"No, I'm not."
"Wanna bet? Listen to you!"
"Left!"
"NO!"
"You're among the bigger morons I've met in life."
"Shut up, X."
"Bite me!"
"No, thanks."
"LEFT!!"
This went on for a while. Celeste was enjoying the hurling of
insults....until she heard X say in a desperate voice...
"NO! Zero, put it down! What're you doing?!"
Celeste gasped when she saw what Zero was holding above his head. It was X's
pride and joy, his Pulp Fiction CD soundtrack. The soundtrack was from a classic
movie that had been made all the way back in the 20th century. It had taken X a
long time to locate. At this point, Zero had stopped the Gryphon, and was
threatening to throw X's whole life out the window.
Zero smirked ruthlessly. "I think," he announced, "that Jimmy and Jules, or
whatever their names are, want to go flying!" Zero moved the CD closer to the
window. "Am I right, X?"
"Nooooooo!! X cried, trying to snatch the disk away from his 'buddy'.
However, Zero was taller. The situation was hopeless for X.
Zero drew back his arm, and flung the CD out the window into the wild blue
yonder. The last that X saw of his prized possession was a silver disc flying
with the sun glinting off its platinum surface. Destination unknown.
X was in shock. So was Forrest and Celeste. Zero, however, showed no remorse
whatsoever. "Hated that stupid thing." He grumbled. "Blasting its noise 24 hours
a day. Well, X," he said cheerfully. "It's obvious that you don't need my help.
After all, I'm going the wrong way. I'll go my own way now...but before I go,
I'd like to say exactly what I think of you...."
With that, Zero took a deep breath, and roared a string of curses that would
have made a sailor blush.
".......and the horse you rode in on!" He concluded. "See you around, X."
Zero hopped down from the full two stories from the Gryphon, his lightsabre
drawn. He ignited his long range rocket dash, and headed in the opposite
direction from the Riding armour with intense speed. In a few minutes, he was
out of sight.
Phoenix stood just outside of the blinding yellow force field that encased
the Mavericks' HQ. She seemed unaffected by the awesome illumination that the
field was giving off, unlike her "assistant," the behemoth of an X - Hunter,
Violen, who was muttering complaints about the heat and glare. Phoenix ignored
his griping, and smiled in anticipation. The security force field would keep X
and Zero from teleporting with ease into the HQ. They would have to come here by
foot like anyone else....and she'd be ready for them when they did...or so she
hoped.
Phoenix's breathing was shallow. She'd better get ready. "Violen!" She
barked. Violen stopped rubbing his sore eyes, and grunted a response.
"Violen, have you got the Nullifier ready?" Phoenix asked harshly.
Violen grinned hugely. "Like, of course!!" He held up a small vial,
containing a clear liquid.
Nullifier...the worst enemy of Reploid or Human. A shot of it would attack
your CNS and/or CPU, knocking you unconscious for a good while. Even when you
came to, you'd be extremely woozy, unable to move. It slowed your thinking
process, making you rather calm most of the time. In other words, it was nasty
to be stuck with one if an enemy was in pursuit.
Phoenix was impressed. She was surprised Violen hadn't lost it or spilled it.
It was expensive stuff. "Attaboy, Vio." She praised him. "Load it into the dart
gun, and don't do something stupid, like stick yourself with it. 'Kay?"
Phoenix fluttered her wings and paced about. She was growing restless. Soon
enough, the Hunters would be showing their ugly faces in the area.
Phoenix's predictions were right. Not far away, Zero was trooping along to
the Maverick's HQ, muttering bitterly the whole way. He was walking instead of
using his traditional long-range Rocket Dash. He wasn't in the mood to sprint
merrily. To make things worse, he couldn't teleport to the Mavericks' HQ because
of a force field surrounding the place. The Mavericks were smarter than Zero had
given them credit for.
Zero was thinking about what he had done to X. "X is an idiot to get so
worked up about that stupid CD of his," he grumbled. "With the way he played
that thing every day, at window - shattering volume...I think I saved the world
from going deaf. Besides, with the vocabulary on that noisemaker, you couldn't
bring a child within 100 feet of MH HQ....."
Zero pulled himself out of his thoughts. He noticed for the first time that
he was very much alone...and he was getting close to MHQ. No enemies charged him
or pursued him. It was kinda eerie. "What am I supposed to do at MHQ?" He
mourned. " Challenge Vile? Wait for X...? No, wait, X is probably halfway to
China by now with the direction HE was going in. Guess I'm on my own." Zero drew
a deep breath to steady himself. He couldn't believe that he was Üscared. Damned
emotions. What good where they on a robot? Zero drew his lightsabre to comfort
him, the way a child holds a teddy bear. He felt better, and marched towards
MHQ.
Phoenix was sure she had seen some movement far south of her. Could it be the
Hunters?
"Pssst! Vio!" She hissed, nudging the sleepy monster. Violen woke with such a
start that he nearly shot the nullifier into his own foot.
"Wha - wuzzat? Huh?"
Phoenix leaned closer to Violen. "Tell me if that's the Hunters down south of
us, will you?"
Violen was wide awake now. He shielded his eyes from the glare of the force
field and started to look around madly.
"No, my dim witted friend." Phoenix sighed, as she grabbed Vio's massive
shoulders and spun him around. "South is THAT way."
"I knew that, " Vio grunted. He squinted to the moving shadow south of him.
"Well, I'll be a pansy - assed human!" He said, amused. "It's the Hunters....but
there's only one of them.....!?"
As Zero neared the Mavericks' fortress, he began to notice the force field
surrounding the place. "Ohhh...pretty!" He grinned. "But...how do I get in the
fortress?"
"We'll help you with that!" Called a female voice from behind him. Zero
rolled his eyes. How cliche could you get? He spun around on his heel to face
his attackers standing by the glaring force field....and what a pair of
attackers they were.
One was a bird like reploid, a female, painted in brilliant shades of red,
orange and gold. Her eyes were sharp and alert. Beside her was the all - too -
familiar Violen, with the usual bloodlusty look on his simple face. Instead of
wielding his spiked mace as he usually did, he carried an odd looking gun which
was dwarfed against his massive bulk.
"Oy," Zero breathed.
Phoenix was pleased by the fact that Zero seemed overwhelmed. "Gaze at my
splendour and power!" She crowed. "I am Phoenix, controller and user of fire."
Zero suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Huh, what's so funny?" Violen asked stupidly, looking about him for the
source of Zero's amusement. "Is my fly open? Wait, I don't wear pants...."
Phoenix became annoyed. So much for leaving a formidable first impression.
"Is something funny, Hunter?"
"Oh, sorry...." Zero giggled. "It's just that...well, you look like Storm
Eagle with a sex change and a really bad paint job!"
The next thing Zero knew, a orange and red streak was flying towards him,
wings and talons outstretched, its beak open in a satanic scream. Zero was
knocked backwards. His lightsabre flew out of his hands, out of reach. The razor
sharp talons ripped the armour on his right arm clean off, from the metallic
shoulder pad down to his elbow. The talons had gone through his armour, leaving
several slash marks. Black circulatory fluids flowed freely from his arm. Before
Zero could recover, a wave of fire from Phoenix's arm cannon washed over him.
That didn't do Zero any good.
"Now, Violen!" Phoenix called gleefully. The voice seemed distant. From what
seemed a mile away, Zero could see Violen aiming the strange black gun at him.
Terrified, Zero tried to get up, but it was too late...the gun had been fired.
Zero had been expecting a laser beam to jump from the gun and fry him, therefore
he was surprised when a dart whizzed by his ear and stuck in his wounded right
arm. That HURT.
Phoenix was laughing. "Way to go, Vio!" She clapped the big reploid on the
back. "Good aim! Now...." Her eyes blazed as she turned towards Zero. "It's time
to come back to where you belong, Zero."
Zero struggled to fight back, but whatever had been in that dart had turned
his mind into mush. "Oh man, this sucks." He thought. "I wonder where X
is...doesn't matter, looks like I'm dead anyway..." Zero's thoughts slurred
together, and he began to feel dizzy. The last thing he saw before passing out
was Violen approaching him.
"Um.....X?"
No response.
"X....."
Still nothing.
"Earth to X!?" Forrest nearly shouted.
X had his head buried in his arms, so Forrest could barley hear X's muffled
"What?"
"We've been going in the wrong direction for a while now," Forrest informed
him. "It's obvious, because we've reached the outskirts of another city...and no
city is near the Mavericks' fortress."
X mumbled something that couldn't be heard.
"Look, X," Forrest said as if he had heard what X had mumbled. "I'm really
sorry that your CD took, uh, a little flight there. It seemed to mean a lot to
you. But I think that it's time you admitted that Zero was headed in the right
direction and you weren't. Zero may be at the Mavericks' fortress by now..and he
may need our help."
"So I guess Zero was right!" X snarled. "He's always right! No one ever
listens to what I have to say! Why should they? I was only the first reploid
created! And here's everyone idolising this Mr. Universe outsider! Marsha,
Marsha, Marsha! ALL RIGHT, we'll follow His Majesty!" X began the difficult
process of turning the Gryphon 180 degrees. Celeste and Forrest tried to think
of something comforting to say to X, but what could be said?
"Okay Wheel Gator!" Drill Rhino grunted, holding up a question card from yet
another game. "Betcha don't get this one! If there's a bomb on a bus that's set
to explode when the bus reaches 50 MPH, what do you do?"
Wheel Gator thought that one over. He tapped a metallic claw on his extremely
sharp set of teeth to help him think.
"Shoot the hostages?" The leviathan guessed.
Rhino's eyes opened wider in surprise when he read the answer printed on the
card. "Lucky guess, " he muttered.
"We're hooooooommmmeeeee!" Phoenix called from the doorway of the Fortress's
rec room. The Mavericks' eyes lit up. Phoenix was rapidly becoming a favourite
of theirs.
"What'd ya bring me? What'd ya bring me!?" Gator cried, jumping up and down
excitedly. He knocked over the game board in his frenzy.
"This!" Phoenix beckoned to Violen outside the room. Vio entered and threw
Zero none - too - gently on the carpeted floor.
The two Mavericks were in a state of shock. They stood there gaping at one of
their worst enemies lying out cold before them. Zero's crimson armour was
charred in places from Phoenix's fire wave, and his arm was still bleeding the
black fluid, which formed a neat little pool on the once clean carpet. Zero's
eyes were closed, and his mouth was partway open, as if he were starting a
scream. His normally good - looking blond ponytail was singed and matted.
Wheel Gator reacted first. "Eww!" He cried, hiding behind Rhino. "I don't
like this! I thought you'd bring me home a chocolate bar, or a puzzle, or,
or..."
"Shut up, you impossible idiot!" Phoenix roared.
Rhino nudged Zero a little with his wide foot. "He's pretty much out of it,"
Rhino said. He grinned wickedly. "I never liked this guy. Let's pour salt into
his wounds or something."
"No, no no." Phoenix said. "Vile's orders were to bring Zero directly to him
when we got back. Let's go find the big V, then the fun can begin. If all goes
well, Zero will be one of us for good."
"Where were all of Zero's little do - gooder friends?" Rhino questioned of
Phoenix.
Phoenix snorted and shrugged. "Who cares? My orders were to bring back Zero,
not them."
Rhino looked worried. "Aren't you afraid that they'll try to rescue Zero?"
"No. I really don't give two whoops in hell for them. If you're worried, just
leave the force field up."
"But the force field screws up the cable!" Rhino whined.
"Hey, Rhino,"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Oh...okay."
When Zero came to, he found himself being half dragged, half carried down a
narrow hallway built of blue tiles. Dragging him on his left was Neon Tiger, and
schlepping him on his right was good ol' Violen. Leading the mob was Vile,
prancing with a spring in his step, as if he were leading a parade.
The cool draft in the hallway had brought the crimson Hunter to his senses,
not that it did him any good...he was too weak to fight his captors. His limbs
felt like they were all asleep. He didn't panic or get excited; something in the
drug he had been shot with forbade it. He felt sleepy, but he found that he
could talk, although his speech was slowed. In fact, as soon as he found out the
situation he was in, he began to utter every curse known to human or reploid.
Vile turned around when he heard the curses directed to him.
"Ah, so our new friend is awake!" Vile's normally seductive tone sounded
happy, which was a first to Zero's ears. Vile walked backwards with ease. If he
was worried about smashing into something, he didn't show it. "How do you feel?"
He questioned.
For the first time since his awakening, Zero remembered his wound from the
fight with Phoenix. Glancing at his now armorless arm, he saw that some idiot
had put a very clumsy bandage on it, like that helped. The bandage was slipping
off, and the wound was still bleeding his circulatory fluids.
"I...feel....like...a....pregnant whale....totally.....immobile." Zero spoke
slowly to make himself as clear as possible. "And....I just...want....you
to....know...I think....you....are.... a stupid......jerk, and.....I....hate
you."
"That's the spirit!" Vile laughed. "Keep it up, and you'll fit in fine!" He
turned back around.
Zero didn't know what Vile meant by this, nor did he care. It looked like he
was going to die, or worse. He decided to get a question off his chest.
"Vile....."
"Yeeeeessss...?" Vile didn't turn to face Zero.
Vio and Tiger kept on marching. This was one long hallway. Suddenly, Vile
veered sharply to the right. Zero's captors followed suit. They were walking
down another hallway, this one made of dingy grey stone. The draft was worse
than ever. Zero sighed, and asked, "Why....do....you.....want
to.....destroy.....the human......race?.....Why do....you hate.....humans?"
Vile seemed pleased that Zero had asked that question. He launched into a
speech, speaking with unwavering confidence, as if he had prepared the speech
for such an occasion.
"You see, Zero," he began, "This planet houses several species. Not too long
ago, humans were the dominating species, no questions asked. Then humans did
something that may have seemed like a wonderful idea at the time, but was really
the beggining of their doom. Do you know what that was, Zero?"
"Uh uh. Nope."
"Humans created robots! These mechanical creatures could accomplish tasks
that humans couldn't dream of doing. The physical strength of a robot is
uncanny. However, humans remained superior to them, due to the fact that they
had emotions and their own free will."
Zero listened to Vile carry on. The guy barely stopped for breath.
"Then one day, " Vile continued, "Dr. Light, good old Tommy boy, decided, 'I
think I'll make a robot that has emotions, it's own free will, and can think for
itself!' Ha!" Vile laughed. "He may as well have said, 'I think I'll seal the
fate of the human race!' So Tommy boy worked on his wonderful magical humanlike
robot." (Vile left out the part about Bass stealing the plans of X's creation;
"That will be explained later," he thought.) "That was your friend X, Zero."
"Well....whoop - de - doo," muttered the captive.
Vile was at it again, full speed ahead. "When the robot was finished, it was
more like a human than a machine. And it had the strength of any robot. It was
simply a wonderful creation. It was the beggining of a new species sharing the
planet Earth...a species dubbed "Reploids." Now, one little problem
occurred...humans got hooked on having reploids at their beck and call. They
created thousands of them! Another problem soon rose: reploids, having emotions
and the power of thinking, got tired of 'slavery' very soon. So many, like
myself, have gone 'Maverick'. This led to wars, as you know, Zero."
Zero knew, all right.
Vile had stopped walking. It looked like they had arrived at their
destination. However, Vile seemed determined to finish his speech. "Now, Zero,
here's the problem with humans: From the minute a human is conceived and up to
the day it dies, it seeks only one thing; domination. The problem with this is
that reploids seek domination as well, as they have their own free will. You
simply cannot have two dominating species on the same planet. The way I see it,
it's now a matter of survival of the fittest, and reploids are clearly superior
to those hairless gorillas. Humans have had their day in the sun; it's now time
for the reploids to take this world. Humans have gone through millions of years
of evolution to create us in the end, the perfect race; now it's time for them
to go. We ARE the perfect race. As long as humans are cursed with hereditary,
they'll never match us. Yet they fight, unwilling to accept their fate. I'm
helping the world take a step for the better by destroying them. Once they're
gone, there'll be only one dominating species, as there should be. Do you
understand, Hunter Zero?"
"Hell no."
"That's too bad." Vile said with a mocking sorrowful tone. "I was hoping that
you'd better understand why you're going to help us kill off the humans."
Zero had been in awkward situations before. He was no stranger to trouble.
He'd always found a way out of even the toughest problems. But this time, Zero
knew he was screwed.
The crimson reploid was being held in a small cage, which was located on the
floor of some sort of lab. Vile was pacing about, as if he were waiting for a
bus that should have arrived fifteen minutes ago. Zero could have easily broken
out of the cage if he had any strength left....however, the Nullifier he had
been shot with had drained it all away.
What really scared Zero, however, was the fact that this whole scene had been
played out several years ago. He had been in a cage similar to the one he was in
now. Vile had been standing guard over him. "And how did the scenario end...?"
Zero thought dully. "Oh yeah....I was killed. Uh, oh...."
There were a few differences between what ha àd happened then and what was
happening now....first, Vile wasn't in his precious Riding Armour, the Goliath,
which was just as well. That thing could take someone's eye out. Second, several
spectators, including Wheel Gator, Neon Tiger, Violen and, of course, Phoenix,
were standing by to witness Zero's fate. Third, Zero was being held in what was
obviously a genetics lab. Fourth, and most important, X wasn't there to rescue
him. Then again, X hadn't saved Zero from Vile all those years ago...it was more
like the other way around. But still....
The Mavericks that surrounded Zero seemed to be excited. All except Gator,
who kept on glancing at Zero nervously, with a look in his reptilian eyes that
said "Better you than me, pal!" Wheel Gator kept on fidgeting. He'd sit down for
an instant, then get up and walk around, crash into something that was fragile,
then sit down again. This *kept up until Vile shouted at him to quit it. Gator
wilted at the sound of his mentor's voice.
"Where in the sam hill is Overdrive Ostrich?" Phoenix growled. I sent for
that moron ages ago!!"
As if on cue, a spindle - legged, beige birdlike reploid with crystal blades
jutting out of his back burst into the lab. The Mavericks quickly scattered to
make way for the newcomer. Overdrive Ostrich sprinted directly to Zero's cage,
but didn't look at the captive. First, he spoke to Vile. "Sorry I'm late, Vile."
Overdrive panted.
Vile waved him off. "You're forgiven," he said, "now let's get this show on
the road. You realise, Overdrive, that if this little plot of yours fails,
you'll live to regret it."
Zero's heart nearly stopped. Plot....?
Overdrive gulped loudly. He turned for the first time since he had arrived to
face Zero. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. The figure huddling in
the cage didn't look like the Ze ¯ro he knew...it looked more like a wounded
rabbit that had been scared by a pack of rabid dogs. Overdrive noted that the
armour on Zero's slashed right arm was missing. That would make his job easier.
"Hi, Zero!" Overdrive greeted him brightly. "How would you like to become a
Maverick?"
"How would... you like a swift.... kick in the......" Zero began, but he was
cut short by Overdrive.
"Zero, listen to me. Do you know anything about your past?"
Zero suddenly fell silent. He looked down, away from Overdrive.
"Zero...? Did you hear what I said?" Overdrive questioned. He tried to look
Zero in the face, but Zero kept on turning his head to avoid eye contact with
the birdie. The Mavericks, including Vile, watched with interest. This was by
far the most exciting time they'd ever had.
Overdrive knelt beside Zero's cage. "Want me to tell you about it?" He said
softly, a grin spread over his beaky face..
"It's....okay." Zero said weakly. His speech was óstarting to speed up a
little. He still avoided eye contact with Overdrive. "I know all...about it. I
know who I am.....what I'm doing here....I know that I was...created by Wily."
Overdrive jumped up in shock. Phoenix gasped. Neon Tiger growled with the
melodrama of it all, and Wheel Gator's mouth dropped open. His forked tounge
unrolled nearly down to his waist. Violen found something interesting to look at
on the wall. The answer to the most frequently asked question among reploids,
Zero's origin, had gone totally over his head.
Vile looked impressed. Zero had known his past all this time? "This one bears
study," the purple war reploid thought to himself.
Overdrive Ostrich shook his thin head in disbelief. "Zero, you KNEW all this
time that you belonged with us...." he said. "Why didn't you join Sigma? You
knew that Wily wanted only one thing for you, and that was to cause mischief and
trouble. Sigma could have helped you fulfil your destiny."
By ƒthis time, Zero had gained the courage to speak to Overdrive beak - to
face. "Sigma....was a funny looking.....creep....and he smelled bad." Zero
remarked. "Besides...joining him didn't...sound like much...fun. You
guys....are...constantly...losing battles. When this happens...you end up...
hiding.....and skulking....around. You can't....show yourselves. In other
words.....I knew from the very start that you....were....all
pathetic.....LOSERS!"
Gator giggled at Zero's bluntness. Vile whisked a glass beaker off a nearby
table and chucked it at the leviathan. "Ow!" Gator whimpered when the glass vial
made contact with his scaly head. Vile ignored the whine of pain from his
underling. He frowned behind his dark cowl. Zero had wanted FUN? What had he
been expecting by joining the ranks of the Mavericks, annual trips to Disney
World? Perhaps a field day at Canada's Wonderland? The whole issue disgusted
Vile.
"Do your friends know of your past? €" Neon Tiger questioned of Zero.
"Of course...not, Tigger!" Snarled Zero. "If they....found out that....I was
created by Wily, It would....kill them. I kept it a secret."
"What tipped you off that you were created by Wily?" Asked Wheel Gator. It
was the first sensible question he had asked all day. Zero shifted his weight to
the right of him so that he could look at the metallic reptile. "I've
always....have a lust for blood and....killing." He said weakly.
"'Nuff....said."
"Okay, what is this, a genetic augmentation or the Spanish Inquisition?"
Overdrive suddenly called out shrilly. "Let's bring our little sewing circle to
an end. Zero, I'm gonna cut to the chase. I'm going to inject the Doppler Virus
into you so that you'll become a Maverick. But this virus is in a biological
form, so it's stronger,. and there's no cure. Your systems will be superenhanced
by the virus as well. When the infection is injected, you'll pass out, due to
its strength. You'll also be in a good deal of pain before you are knocked out.
When you awaken, you'll have no memory of your past." Overdrive paused for
breath. "That is, providing you survive the onslaught of the virus. Then you'll
belong to us, body, mind and soul, just like it was SUPPOSED to be! Doesn't that
sound like grand fun? Any questions?"
"Well, yeah, uh....."
"No? Good!" Overdrive began to tell Phoenix to bring the virus, when Gator
sprung up enthusiastically. "I wanna help! Let ME help!!"
"No!" Barked Vile. "What would a complete moron like you know about handling
a killer virus? Now that I think of it, you have no talent for anything. Sit
down and stay put!"
Zero frowned. He could see who was at the bottom of the pecking order among
the Mavericks. Still, it was beyond Zero why Wheel Gator didn't just turn his
tonne of metal and muscle on Vile. The monster could tear out the jugu Õlar of a
full grown rhino with his razor - edged teeth.
Zero wasn't extremely nervous about receiving the virus. He was still calmed
by the Nullifier. It's effects were wearing off, however, and the crimson Hunter
could feel panic begin to well up inside him. "I've got to keep cool," he told
himself.
Wheel Gator was up to his old tricks again. "I do SO have talent!" He
contradicted Vile. "Watch! Look what I can do!"
"Oh, no! Groaned Phoenix, preparing for the inevitable. She had fetched the
virus culture for Overdrive, and was making the return trip to the speedy bird.
"I can....DANCE!" Boasted Wheel Gator. "Just watch!" Gator began to moonwalk
across the tiled floor with surprising grace. At the same time, he broke into a
song, "Billie Jean is not my lover!" He warbled.
"Gator! Knock it off!"
"She's just a girl...she says that I am the one...."
"GATOR!"
"But...the kid is not my son...!"
"Will someone please turn him off?" Neon Tiger pleaded.
Vile didn't need to be asked twice. He grasped the dancing reptile by the
thick shoulders, and, to Zero's utter amazement, pulled Gator with ease towards
himself. Vile forced the terrified gator to look him straight in the eye. This
was hard to accomplish, due to the fact that Gator was three hands taller than
Vile.
"Listen to me!" Vile hissed. "You will sit beside Zero's cage, and you will
SHUT the HELL up! Do I make myself CLEAR!? If you even dare to BUDGE, I'll
personally KILL you! And not just a quick, easy death. I mean a really, really,
really NASTY one! UNDERSTOOD?!?!"
"Yessir." Gator's voice was little more than a frightened squeak. He turned
tail and hobbled pathetically to Zero's cage, and parked himself there with a
clang and a thud. Zero had never seen a reploid more woebegone then this one.
The virus was ready. "I guess this is my fate," Zero thought as he shuddered.
He was still too weak to fight back, despite the fact that the numbing effects
of the Nullifier was wearing off. Once the sickness entered his circulatory
system, Zero knew that would be the end of him. Even if he didn't die, he'd
never be the same. He could almost feel the poison coursing through his body. He
was going to miss Dr. Cain, Forrest, Roadkill and Celeste...yes, he would even
miss X, despite the Pulp Fiction CD issue.
Gator sniffled, and Zero finally had to say something to him. It may be his
last words.
"Wheel Gator?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought your dance was cool."
Wheel Gator glanced up in surprise, then he gave Zero a watery grin. "Thanks,
man." He motioned a clawed hand towards Overdrive, who was approaching Zero's
bare right arm with a syringe. "Too bad this fate had to befall you."
".....Ninety - nine bottles of beer on the wall....ninety - nine bottles of
beer...." Celeste sang. She knew that she was annoying X, and she was loving
every minute of it.
Before long, Forrest joined in. "If one of those bottles should happen to
fall...."
"Ninety - eight bottles of beer on the wall." Celeste finished, laughing.
"Ninety - eight bottles of beer on the wall...."
"Okay, that's enough," X called from up front of the Gryphon. He was resting
his aching head on his hand, trying to remember exactly which path Zero had
taken to the Mavericks' fortress.
"NINETY - SEVEN BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL!" Celeste sang with all her
might. Her voice got really high - pitched, and X's eardrums nearly split. As it
turned out, the Gryphon made good Riding - Armour, and a perfect echo chamber.
"I SAID that's enough!" X turned around and glared at Celeste's grinning
face. "Jeez, what IS it with you humans? It's times like these that I want to
join Sigma, and wipe your species off the face of this planet!"
Despite his hostile tone, Celeste knew that the blue reploid was joking. At
least she hoped so.
Forrest spoke up in Celeste's defence. "You can't blame her for being bored,
X." He said in his most annoying I'm-a-know-it-all-demigod tone of voice. "It's
a fact that, when humans are sitting still for a long time like we've been
doing, that tends to happen. Then they lash out by being unruly. So, it's not
the human's fault. It's just an instinct, that's all." Forrest clapped a
platinum glove on Celeste's shoulder. Celeste looked smug.
X frowned, annoyed to the max. So, now they were both teaming up against him,
was that it? "Since when did you become an expert on humans?" He growled.
"Listen, Chocolate - Boy, you can either shut up, or run alongside the Gryphon.
What do you say, hmmmm?"
Forrest sunk back into the comfy seat. "I'll be good."
X turned back to the control panel with a satisfied little grin. He knew how
to handle Forrest. " Make a bad joke about his name, and there you go....what
the hey...?"
The last three words of X's thought ran through his mind with a shock. There,
almost under his nose, was the grim, looming building that served as the
Maverick's fortress. They were there! The thought cheered him and, at the same
time, scared him out of his wits. His first concern was that if Zero was okay,
but then he recalled the image of his CD flying out the window courtesy of the
crimson Hunter, and that feeling of worry was quickly squashed. His next concern
was about what appeared to be a force field surrounding the fortress. With its
forbidding, neon glare, it didn't look too neighborlike. In fact it seemed
downright impermeable. How was he gonna get past it?!
Celeste tapped the musing reploid on his plated shoulder. "Hey, X, what's the
hold up.....WHOA!" She remarked when she saw the nasty force field. "The last
time I saw something like that, I was driving the porcelain bus! Hey Forrest,
lookit this!"
Forrest whistled through his teeth when he had a look at the situation.
"How are we going to tackle THIS?" He thought aloud.
"I'm sure we'll think of something," X said glumly.
"He's tough." Phoenix remarked.
Vile nodded in agreement. "VERY tough. I'm surprised."
They were both gazing at the unconscious figure crumpled at the bottom of the
cage. It seemed that Zero was surviving the effects of the virus injection. Even
in the depths of unconsciousness, Zero was restless. He kept on thrashing about,
like a bass out of water.
"Nightmares," suggested Vile.
"Or convulsions," Phoenix added. "It's like his systems are fighting it.
Won't do him any good....he's a Maverick once he wakes up." Phoenix turned to
face Overdrive Ostrich at the other end of the lab. "Isn't that so, Overdrive?"
Overdrive looked up, shocked. He had been playing Cat's Cradle with Wheel
Gator, who was still too freaked of Vile to move from his appointed spot.
"Uh...yeah, miss Phoenix. That's what I said, right? Overdrive keeps his word!!"
He went back to his game.
"Hm, we'll see," muttered Phoenix. She looked back at Zero, who cried out in
his "sleep."
"You know, Vile..." she began. "If Zero survives this ordeal, he'll need a
few...changes done to him."
"Such as...?"
"Such as....well, how about a new coat of paint? Something cooler than that
icky old crimson."
Vile saw the logic of this. "What do you suggest?"
"How about a shade of grey...maybe a silver?"
Vile scraped the tip of his steel boot on the tiled floor. The sound set
everyone's teeth on edge. "Sounds okay to me. I think we should get it done
right now."
Phoenix was thrilled. "Really?"
"Sure, why not? When Zero wakes up, I want him to look nothing like he used
to. He's with us now, why should he look like a Hunter, still? I want nothing of
his past remaining behind...which reminds me..." Vile faced Phoenix. "He needs a
new name. Something creative. But my creativity fails me right now."
Wheel Gator spoke up brightly from the other end of the lab. "We could have a
contest! The 'Name The New Maverick On The Block' contest! Maybe a raffle or a
draw...." Gator's voice trailed off when he saw the fire in Vile's dark eyes.
"Uh...sir? Can I leave now? I swear to you, I won't sing again."
Vile waved him off. He had more important things to attend to. After Gator
had been brow - beaten and dismissed, Vile said, "Well, we'll think of a name
later. In the meantime, let's go get that paint you wanted."
"Oh, good." Phoenix followed Vile down the long corridor that led out of the
lab. "But let's get that quick - dry stuff. Don't you hate it when you paint a
fence or something, and a fly gets stuck in the fresh paint?" "Yeah, that's a
bugger."
"Wow, Zero working for us!! I guess life really IS like a box of
chocolates..."
"Yeah, then you get yourself a cold beer, and you're all set." Vile laughed
at his own jest.
"It's hopeless, X." Celeste said. Her voice sounded weary, and with good
reason: For 2 hours, X had been going in circles around the force field
surrounding the Mavericks' base, in a fruitless effort to find an opening to the
barrier, or a trace of the missing Zero. He bit his lip in frustration. Why
would Vile challenge X to a showdown and then end up locking him out of the
fortress? And where was Zero?
That's when X's mind froze. Suddenly he understood.
Vile....Zero.
Vile....Zero.
Uh oh.
Zero was in there. In the fortress. Vile had wanted HIM, not X. X couldn't
help but feel a little rejected.
What chance did Zero have against a fortress of Mavericks? El Zilcho. X knew
he had to get in there. But not so much for Zero's sake. In fact, X was still
ticked off at Zero, which was surprising, since he was always so quick to
forgive. No, it was more for the sake of the human race. If Vile wasn't stopped
while he was in his somewhat weakened state, it was likely that he would destroy
humanity in a bloody holocaust. That wasn't a good thing.
X knew of one way to get through the force field...it was a very stupid and
dangerous idea, however. X sat motionless in the Gryphon, and stared intently at
the neon field, as if in hopes that a magic fairy from the merry old land of Oz
would appear out of thin air and suggest an alternate plan for getting into the
fortress. X's fairy never came. He sighed. Celeste and Forrest sat as soundless
as statues, waiting for X's next move.
X twisted his body half way around to face his friends in the back seat. He
moved his gaze from the platinum shine of Forrest's armour to Celeste's
trembling face. Once again, X couldn't help but notice how remarkably similar
Forrest looked the old Doppler robot, Bit.
"I have a way to get into the fortress," he announced. Celeste and Forrest
cheered up a good deal. X's next sentence came out in a rush. "If it fails,
however, I must say that it was good to know you both. Have a nice afterlife!" X
couldn't help but be amused at the bewildered look on the faces of his
companions. Before any one of them could react, X started charging up the
Gryphon's motor to the max. The gentle purring turned into a dragon like roar. X
shifted gears insanely, laughing like a madman. "Let's see what she's got!" He
howled above the commotion the motor was making. The Gryphon clanged towards the
force field at full speed. She wasn't breaking for anything.
In a dismal genetics lab, an unconscious reploid at the bottom of a small
cage stirred. He opened his eyes for what seemed to him the first time. It took
a while for his eyes to focus, but when they did, he became more interested in
his surroundings. He tried to sit up, but this only made him dizzy. He rested
his aching head against the cold, iron cell bars. The reploid didn't know who he
was, or where he was. He only knew that someone had given him life, and he
planned to serve that person in any way he could....
The "newborn" reploid tried to get to know himself better. He looked down at
his armour. He noted that is was titanium, and it was a sombre grey colour. He
noticed a blonde ponytail running over his shoulder like a river of gold. He
discovered that he had hair...long hair at that. He reached up to his head. He
was wearing a gilded helmet. Whatever for? And where was his creator?
His last thought was answered promptly. Two figures came marching down a long
corridor ahead of the reploid. As they came closer, the reploid noticed that one
of the figures was a birdlike female, with folded wings sprouting from her back.
The reploid's new eyes were dazzled by the brilliant colours she was clad in. In
front of the bird was a slightly shorter figure, encased in purple titanium
armour. The purple figure also donned a mask. It appeared that the two strangers
were arguing with one another.
The female bird was flapping her arms wildly at the purple guy in front of
her. "I leave you in charge!" She shouted angrily. " I give you something fun to
do! And what do you do? You take my idea and screw it up royally!! See if I ever
talk to you again!"
The purple dude didn't even turn around. He kept up his stride towards the
new reploid. "Come on Phoenix," he tried to reason with her. "I think he looks
fine in those colours."
"That's far from the point, you....you....half witted male!" The bird kept
up. "When I found out I was needed elsewhere, I put you in charge of the paint
job and asked you to paint him SILVER! Now, I don't know what silver looks like
on the little planet in your mind, but here on Earth, silver is a racy, metallic
colour. I ƒmean, LOOK at him-!" The bird halted in the doorway of the lab and
pointed a black talon at the captive reploid. "He looks as pukey as I feel right
now! He's GREY!! GREY, not SILVER!"
The purple fellow came closer to the reploid's cage. He was about two meters
away from the bars. He leaned closer to the reploid within.
"Who cares, Phoenix!?" He shouted so loudly that the reploid jumped. "He's
awake! He's alive! Come and see!"
Forgetting her venom towards the purple guy, the bird joined him. They simply
stared in wonder at the reploid in front of them. The reploid stared back,
frightened. Did these people mean him harm? Or were they his masters?
"Look at him," The bird said softly. "He looks so confused."
This was true. In fact, this was true of every newly activated reploid. Like
human infants, reploids are "programmed" with certain abilities, like the
ability to walk, talk, and in some cases, fight. But they have to discover these
abilities for themselves through experience. However, while a young human might
take several months, even years to realise its talents, a reploid could know
everything it needs to know within an hour.
"Guess we should 'educate' him," Vile said and grinned behind his mask.
"Ahem.....uh, welcome to life. I currently don't have a name for you, but
don't worry, you'll get one. My name is Vile." Vile motioned to the bird. "And
that lovely figure over there is named Phoenix. We're your, uh, creators." Vile
flashed a nervous glance at Phoenix, as if begging her to take over.
"Uh....creators! Right!" Phoenix said brightly to the reploid below them who
was taking all the info in with wide eyes. "You see, you were created for a very
good reason." Phoenix continued. " There's this nasty species on this planet.
They're called humans. They're bad, I can assure you. They make slaves out of
reploids, which is what WE are, and they...uh...like to blow the heads off of
little puppy dogs."
"That's right!!" Vile chimed in. "They also get a kick out of killing Panda
Bears, but they torture them first, poor little creatures. Then they burn them,
and eat the pitiful, charred corpses......." Vile broke into an utterly false
chorus of sobs. "I witnessed it once," he wept, collapsing into Phoenix. "it was
horrible! They're possessed! Possesed, I tell you! All of them!"
"There, there." Phoenix comforted the purple reploid who still sobbed
brokenly. She gave the astonished grey reploid at the bottom of the cage a sad
puppy - dog look. "We built you as our last hope," she informed him. "You wield
powers that those filthy humans can't even dream about. We ask you to help us
rid the planet of this terrible species. We've tried it before, while we were
under the rule of a great reploid named Sigma. Sadly, he was killed." Phoenix
sighed. "You see, there are some reploids that WORK for humans. They're called
'Maverick Hunters'. They think that WE'RE the ones in the wrong, and destroyed
our leader." she snorted. "That's a good one. We're merely trying to make the
world a better place. Please, help us."
The grey reploid opened his mouth. He was trying to say something...
"Yes? What is it you're trying to say?" Questioned Vile, who had recovered
from his hysterics.
"When...do we start?" The reploid voiced. He looked up at his 'creators' with
a grin.
"Sounds good. Put me down for 'Charlie."
"CHARLIE?" What loony bin did you break out of?! I tell you, 'Sean' is where
it's at! Classy, don'tcha think?"
"Gator, put me down for 'Hugh Jass.' "
Wheel Gator was frantically scribbling down the names that his fellow
Mavericks called out to him. He was thrilled. Never had he enjoyed such
popularity....
"Oop! Here comes Vile!" Storm Eagle hissed.
"Quick! Everyone look busy!" Neon Tiger advised in a whisper.
The ring of Mavericks surrounding Gator broke in a hurry. Vile strode down
the hall. Slightly behind him was Phoenix, who had an arm around a shy - looking
grey reploid that none of the Mavericks had ever seen before.
"Gather around me, friends!" He called to the Mavericks. The Mavericks gave
each other curious glances. Vile hadn't called any of them 'friends' since time
out of mind. They huddled around Vile, Phoenix and the stranger.
"This is a very important moment in the history of the Mavericks," Vile
began. "I'd like to present the newest member of our happy little troop."
Phoenix gave the stranger a friendly little shove towards his new colleagues.
"Hey it's Zer --" Storm Eagle began to shout, but Vile delivered a swift kick
to the air fowl's shin that silenced him at once.
Phoenix noticed the paper that Wheel Gator was clutching in one claw. She
snatched it from him. "What's this, you misbegotten lizard?"
Gator looked pathetic. "Vile, sir, I'm sorry. I collected some names for our
new friend. You didn't give me the go - ahead, but you didn't tell me not to,
either....You're mad at me, you're giving me that 'look." I hope you're not
going to make me give Babykins a bath again...like last time..
To everyone's surprise, Vile said "I'm not mad. In fact, I'm grateful. You
just solved a problem for me. Now, why not read those names out?" He gazed out
at the sea of Mavericks. "I guess to save humiliation, I won't have you read out
the contributer's names. 'Kay? Begin."
Gator took the paper back from Phoenix. He cleared his throat. "How's 'Sean'
"?
"Ugh."
"V'Gloth?'"
"Even worse."
"'Disembowler, the Scariest Maverick In the Whole Wide World?'"
"'Not bad, but no cigar."
"'Samantha?'"
"Dear creeping God, NO!!"
"'Hellfire?'"
"Wait...what was that last one?"
"'Hellfire.'"
"Yes!! Yes, that's IT!!" Vile sprang five feet into the air. "That's
perfect!! I must insist, Gator. Tell me who came up with that one! It's
brilliant!"
"Me," Gator grinned, blushing slightly.
Vile's excitement died down at once. "You?"
Gator nodded.
Vile mumbled something about idiocy leading to creativity. Then he raised the
hand of the new Maverick. "Welcome, Hellfire!" He shouted. "You're the most
powerful one among us! Today, the tables will turn on the Hunters!" He turned
towards the Mavericks. "Let's hear it for the guy!!"
A thunderous cheer rose from the crowd. The age of Hellfire had begun.
X awoke to total darkness. For one terrifying moment, he thought he had gone
blind. That's when he realised that his face was cradled in his shaking arms.
Feeling like a bit of a jerkoff, X raised his head and turned halfway around to
check if the others had survived the happy little trip through the electric
force field.
Celeste was slouched forward, unconscious. Her coarse brown hair tumbled over
her head, hiding her lifeless face. She was still in place, on her seat, due to
the fact that she had donned her seatbelt earlier (Can you find the hidden
message, boys and girls? :] ) "Well, she's in one piece." X thought dully.
"That's something." Forrest was a rather comical sight...it seemed like he had
not bothered with his seatbelt, and had taken a nasty spill when X had collided
with the force field. He was also unconscious, and his face was pressed up right
against the leather backing of the seat. X knew that Forrest would smother
unless he was pulled away from the upholstery. Then again, Forrest smothering to
death didn't sound too bad...at least X would be spared his annoying comments
and "suggestions". However, the blue reploid knew that he couldn't kill his new
partner. Celeste and several of the other Hunters had taken somewhat of a liking
to him. Still, X was tempted to dump the unconscious reploid overboard and go
on. The titanium titan could be a mean little bugger when he wanted to be.
The actual collision with the force field was a hazy image in the back of X's
head...he could remember Forrest flailing his platinum arms wildly, shouting
"Wrong way! Wrong way! What in the name of Gazooga ARE you doing!?!", while
Celeste screamed her mother's name. X had ignored their wails and kept up the
charge to the force field. Once contact with the force field was established,
there had been a blinding glare and a tremendous *crack!* of either the force
field giving way, or the Gryphon falling apart under the strain of being flung
towards a stationary object with a few thousand volts of electricity running
though it. X could remember intense heat, then suddenly waking up on the other
side of the field, his head in his arms.
X shook his sore head, then landed a well - aimed punch to Forrest's platinum
- armoured shoulder. That pushed his face away from the back of the chair, all
right. It woke him up as well. Two birds with one stone.
Forrest opened and closed his eyes once. He gaped stupidly, like a fish
pulled out of the ocean. "Uh...what...?"
X was disgusted at Forrest for no legitimate reason. He just felt like
HURTING someone. It had been a feeling that the azure reploid had always
repressed...a feeling bred by the jealousy X had experienced when Zero stole his
thunder, played hero, etc. X knew that he would feel better if he talked about
it with someone...or if he beat the holy God out of Zero. But Zero was such a
likable guy (most of the time) that X could never think of actually taking a
shot at him. Besides, with Zero's strength, the scarlet reploid would probably
have him pinned, torn apart, and fed to the lions before X had even raised his
arm cannon. So X had always done nothing. Sometimes in life you meet an arrogant
putz or two. You have to learn to deal with them.
"Welcome back to reality." X hissed. "We're on the other side of the force
field, Celeste is unconscious, and I have absolutely NO idea about what we're
gonna do now!"
Forrest shook his head, trying to clear it. "X..."
"What?"
"Why did you try to kill us like that?"
"Because if I didn't ATTEMPT to get us past the force field who would? You
and Celeste were too busy singing about beer to even care."
Forrest seemed slightly annoyed. " That was your attempt to get us past the
force field?! What the hell kind of attempt was that? You could have hurt
someone. In fact, who knows if Celeste was strong enough to handle this ordeal?
Look, she's still out cold. X my friend, I'm sorry to say this, but you have no
logic whatsoever."
"Yeah, well you know what Forrest? You can take your 'logic' and jam it. I
leave you to decide where."
Before Forrest had a chance to retort, a faint groan sounded from beside him.
Celeste raised her head and flipped her matted hair out of her eyes. Her groggy
gaze fixed on X.
"X....are you INSANE!?" She croaked weakly. "Do you have a death wish or
something? If you were attempting to kill yourself, fine. But did you have to
try and take me and Forrest WITH you?"
X didn't answer. Instead, he turned away from the dazed duo, cracked his
knuckles, and gripped onto the controls of the immobile Gryphon.
"You know, neither of you has thanked me for getting to the other side of the
force field." X said in a quiet voice. "But I won't rant on. I'll just mentally
damn you two to hell, if that's okay."
Celeste and Forrest looked at each other and shrugged. "Fine with us."
"Okay, good. I'm done. Now, to business. The front door of Vile's fortress is
just meters ahead of us. What should we do?"
Celeste spoke up. "I say that we use the Gryphon to charge down the door."
X couldn't argue with that plan. What else could they do? "Allllrighty then."
He tried to start the engine of the blue behemoth. Instead of the usual healthy
roar of the riding armour starting up, there was a sick, coughing sound from the
engine before it died completely.
"Uh oh." X muttered. He tried again. This time, the engine merely sputtered.
"Aw, NUTS!" X tried one more time. There was no sound whatsoever. The engine
was completely dead.
"Bloody freakin' hell! This tears it!!"
There was no doubt that the engine had been damaged by the force field. Its
electrical current couldn't have been healthy for the Gryphon. X wondered just
how damaged the armour was. He tried to lower the levitation platform. The
controls didn't respond. This was bad.
Just as X was trying to think about how they were going to go on, a hearty
thump from the roof of the Gryphon startled him out of his thoughts. Whatever
had landed on top of the riding armour stood for a minute...then it started to
walk about. There was the faint click click of large, SHARP talons scraping on
the damaged titanium metal. The thing paused again, and X could have sworn he
heard something snuffing at the roof of the Gryphon. Something searching for its
next victim. But what was IT? A Maverick? Or something else?
Celeste had heard the thump as well. She sucked in her breath. "Just what is
on our roof?"
"Whatever it is, it's big," Forrest noted. "and heavy. Look at the ceiling
above me!"
X looked, and sure enough there was a large, convex bulge right above where
Forrest was sitting. The platinum reploid quickly and wisely scooted over, away
from the bulge.
X sighed. What a day. "Forrest, Cain mentioned to me that there's an
emergency escape hatch on the roof. Do you see those rungs behind you?"
"Yeah."
"Right above them is the hatch. Can you see it? It's on the ceiling."
"Oh yeah, there it is."
"Well, be a good little boy, climb the rungs, open the hatch and describe our
guest, will you?"
Forrest returned his nervous gaze to the unmoving lump. Whatever it was, it
was rather close to the hatch. If Forrest happened to do what X had asked him,
the 'thing' would undoubtedly see him. Forrest had no idea what would happen
then, but he guessed that he would most likely have his head ripped right off.
Yet, Forrest knew that X was really having a hard time with this showdown.
Everything was going wrong for the poor guy. "I guess he just doesn't have the
leadership skills that Zero has...or had." Forrest thought to himself.
"Alright, X." Forrest said aloud. "I'll go and say howdy - do to our new
friend." Celeste shifted over so that Forrest could get a hold of the rungs and
haul himself up to the hatch. It was far from a long climb, and in no time at
all, Forrest found himself struggling to open the hatch as quietly as
possible...
Mission accomplished. The hatch had opened without a squeak. Below, X
motioned for Celeste to remain still.
Forrest poked his head through the Gryphon's roof. The sun was beginning to
set, and the cool summer evening breeze made Forrest feel a lot better after
being stuck the stuffy riding armour for such a long time. That is, he felt a
lot better until he actually saw what was on their roof. The creature wasn't
looking at Forrest at all. It seemed interested in getting into the Gryphon. It
stood still, snuffling around the roof, which seemed to be horribly damaged.
Layers of titanium had peeled off as a result of the crash, and what was left
was scorched and weak. The metal sagged dangerously under the weight of the
'thing'.
The 'thing'...
The 'thing' was reptilian. That much was certain. It stood upright, and its
pebbly, beige skin took on an orange hue from the setting sun. Blood red
markings were slashed across its back in an uneven pattern. Forrest was eye
level with the creature's powerful back legs...which housed claws that were
almost as long as Forrests' fingers.
The reptile suddenly reared its head, picking up an unfamiliar scent. It
turned around. Seeing Forrest, it stooped its long, supple neck and slowly began
to walk towards the reploid. Forrest noted nervously that the animal had a gleam
of intelligence in its yellow eyes.
"What IS that thing...?" Forrest thought. "I've read about some creature that
looked like this, but I can't remember where. It seems so familiar....the
claws...the long neck...the birdlike walk...the intelligence..."
Then it hit Forrest.
"Ye GODS!" Forrest ducked his head back into the Gryphon, slammed the latch,
and jumped down the rungs all at once. A bare second later, the velociraptor
that Forrest had been staring at charged to the latch, its gaping maw striking
the empty air that used to be where Forrest's head was.
Back in the Gryphon, Forrest clutched his heart, wheezing. As soon as he had
recovered, the raptor above shrieked like a banshee, cheated of its prey. That
unnerved Forrest all over again. He jumped to the front of the riding armour,
and flung his arms around X's neck, screaming, "Raptor!! RAPTOR!! Don't let it
get me!! HAAALLLP!"
X pried Forrest off him. He inwardly grinned. Here was big bad Forrest , Mr.
Perfecto himself, screaming like a baby.
"Now now, Forrest. Take it easy. That nasty old...uh, what did you say was on
our roof again?"
"Ve...veloci....raptor. Velociraptor."
"I'm sorry, Forrest. I think my hearing is going. Did you just say a
velociraptor was on our roof?"
"YES!!! A velociraptor! One of those nasty, carnivorous dinosaurs from
millions of years back! And it's gonna KILL US! We're all gonna DIE!!"
"Calm down, Forrest. Are you saying that Vile built a mechanical dinosaur,
which is on our roof right now?"
"No, you ijit! I'm saying that this THING on our roof is a flesh and blood
creature!" Forrest wailed.
X was proud of how calmly he was taking the situation. But if what Forrest
was saying was true, then there was a problem.
"Where in the name of Light would Vile get a dinosaur?" X thought aloud.
"Who knows what goes on over there?" Celeste said as she nervously kept her
eye on the bulge in the ceiling. It had started to move around again. "I've
heard rumours about Vile having some sort of 'giant lizard' that was created
through some sort of freaky genetics procedure."
"Genetics!?" X sputtered. "Those idiot Mavericks probably couldn't take care
of a tomato garden, let alone recreate something like a prehistoric creature."
Above, the annoyed raptor screamed like a dying man.
"Ugh." Celeste shuddered. "Wouldn't want THAT thing getting a hold of me. X,
how are we going to get rid of this?"
"How should I know? Maverick Hunter training doesn't include a course on
'What do to if a hungry velocirapor is perched on your roof'!"
"I'm aware of that." Celeste growled. "I'm part of the Maverick Hunters too,
remember?"
X nodded. "Of course. That's why you're going to kill this thing for us."
Celeste looked blank. "What?"
"Celeste, according to Forrest's delirious ranting and raving, the roof is
damaged badly, and can't hold much weight. If Forrest or I went up on the roof
to kill that lizard - thing, it would most likely collapse. Combined with the
weight of the dinosaur, we'd be to heavy for it. Then we'd have the raptor
INSIDE, and you don't want that. Trust me. You're much lighter than Forrest and
myself. You might make it, and be able to get rid of that thing.
Celeste couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But X, you and Forrest have
full suits of titanium to protect yourselves...all I have is a vest of titanium.
Plus, you and Forrest have arm cannons. I have a lousy lightsabre."
"You're very skilled at close combat." X tried to reason with her. "Come on
Celeste, you're our only hope. Right, Forrest?"
Forrest just lay curled up in the seat beside X, shaking.
"See, Forrest agrees. Tell you what, Celeste. At least get the thing off the
Gryphon. Then I'm sure that the roof would hold long enough to allow me to jump
down and shoot the bugger. Remember, you're a Maverick Huntress...which means
you should be ready to face any danger."
Celeste was annoyed with the way X made it all seem like the raptor was as
easy to kill as an iguana. He should talk...reploids were much better equipped
for killing the big nasties, while human Hunters were supposed to handle smaller
enemies.
"All right X. I'll go. But that thing will probably have me for dinner."
"That's no attitude, Celeste. The rungs are over there. Good luck. You need
it."
Celeste mumbled something about a scrapyard as she unsheathed the lightsabre
handle on her back.
Celeste couldn't believe what was happening. Here she was, standing like a
moron, taunting a creature that could easily tear her in two. Well, at least she
had a story to tell to her grandchildren one day. Celeste realized, however,
that if she started rambling on to her descendants about the 'glory days' of her
fighting a velociraptor on a rooftop, she'd end up in a nursing home in no time
at all.
Celeste was waving her activated lightsabre at the raptor. "Here, dino!
Niiiiice dinosaur! Looky what auntie Celeste has for you!"
The reptile seemed fascinated at the neon blade that Celeste held. It
cautiously took a step closer and ducked its frightening head to get a better
view.
"Good boy - or girl - or whatever," Celested crooned. "Come a bit closer..."
Celeste had never been so scared in all her life. She forced herself to
remain calm. She didn't want to startle the raptor, whatever else happened. She
had to get it as close as possible to her so that she could stab the creature.
Celeste's breath caught in her throat. The velociraptor was nearer. It stared at
the lightsabre with clear, unblinking eyes. Suddenly, it screamed and charged
directly at Celeste.
Celeste didn't know that anything could move that fast. She forgot all about
her fencing skills. Shouting, she took a leap backwards and made a blind stab
for the beast, hoping for the best. Luck was with Celeste. The lightsabre had
caught the raptor right in its scaly stomach, stopping it in mid - charge The
prehistoric reptile gave one last tormented wail before collapsing. Its lifeless
body rolled off of the Gryphon's roof. Celeste didn't know how to react. Had she
REALLY killed the velociraptor, or was it just playing possum in hopes to catch
the Huntress off guard? She doubted it...even if the raptor had survived the
stabbing, which was unlikely, there was no way it could have taken the fall off
the Gryphon. Breathing a sigh of relief, Celeste took a step backwards - Into
the empty air!
X had heard the whole battle. It was hard NOT to. When he had heard Celeste
shout, and the Raptor scream, he became startled and prayed that Celeste was
okay. Almost as soon as that thought had run through his head, Celeste's shrill,
unmistakable scream reached his ears. X winced at the sound. Chirstine from The
Phantom of the Opera probably couldn't hold a candle to Celeste when it came to
reaching high notes. But it didn't sound like Celeste was being torn up...it
sounded more like she was falling! Forrest broke out of his paralysed, terror -
stricken state when he heard the scream.
"Ack! What is it? Ragnarok? Judgement Day? What's that ungodly sound?!"
"It's Celeste!" X shouted. "I think she's hurt!"
"Celeste? You sent a HUMAN to battle a velociraptor!?"
"Well, what did you want me to do, send YOU? Forrest, the Fearless Reploid?"
X started to explain, but Forrest paid no heed. He lept to the back of the
Gryphon, and bounded up the rungs. X heard the hatch above him crash open. There
was a pause, then, "Oh my God! X! Come here, quick!" X could hear the muffled
thud of Forrest climbing on the roof, then quicky jumping off of it. X didn't
know if he would be able to stand the sight of Celeste splattered all over the
ground. Still, he followed Forrest suit. Rembering that the Gryphon's roof
couldn't hold his weight, he quickly made the two storey jump to the ground. The
leap was no problem for a reploid. He ran to his friends. Celeste was sitting
up, conscious, but very dazed. Forrest was sitting beside her, asking her
questions. Celeste didn't answer them. She just shook her head and mumbled to
herself.
"Uh oh." X said when he saw the scenario.
"Yeah, 'Uh oh' is right!" Forrest snapped. "X, she fell off the Gryphon! And
I think she hit her head. Look!" Forrest pointed to the side of Celeste's head.
X was alarmed to see blood trickling though her hair, down to her chin.
Celeste suddenly pitched forward. Forrest caught her before she hit the
ground. "She's unconscious! Geez! Knocked out cold twice in one day. That CAN'T
be good for you."
"Forrest! Wake her up!" X instructed. "If she has a concussion, don't let her
sleep!"
"Hey that's right," Forrest remembered. He grabbed Celeste by the shoulders,
and shook her. "Wakey wakey! It's a brand new day! Well, it WAS." Forrest said
as he glanced up at the setting sun.
"Hey! Take it easy! Don't break her neck!"
Forrest rolled his eyes. "I can't do ANYTHING right, can I X?" He shook
Celeste one more time. "Wake up, Raptor's - Bane!"
This time Celeste's eyelids fluttered open. Without warning, she jumped up,
flapping her arms and screaming. For a wild instant, X thought that maybe the
human was trying to take flight. Celeste just wailed on like a firebell.
"RaptorraptoromigodomigodIcan'tbelieve "Well, SHE's okay." X said with a grin.
Celeste spun around on her heel to face the amused reploid. "I'm NOT okay!"
She insisted, flopping back down on the ground. "I feel like I've been run over
by a truck." She blinked and yawned. "And I'm sorta sleepy. Listen, how about
you and Forrest go on ahead to fight Vile. I'll just catch a quick nap." Celeste
closed her eyes again. But Forrest began to shake her violently once more. "No!
Non! Nix! Ne pas de sleep! DO NOT GO TO SLEEP. X thinks that you might have a
concussion, so you have to stay awake.
"Whatever." Celeste mumbled, giving in to the sandman once again.
Forrest lifted up Celeste's limp body, propped her up into a standing
position, then brought his platinum - plated boot down on Celeste's foot.
Celeste woke up in a hurry, and screeched.
"All right! I'm UP! This time I mean it!"
"Forrest, stay with Celeste," X instructed. "I'm going around to the other
side of the Gryphon to look for her lightsabre." Forrest nodded in agreement.
A short trip later, X found Celeste's lightsabre. It was still lodged in the
raptor's stomach. The reptile was rolled over on its back. It's head was thrown
back, it's mouth gaping open. Its forked tongue lolled between its deadly teeth,
which would never rip apart another victim again. ("Thank God!" X thought.) Dry
blood clotted the beast's pebble - patterned skin in black patches. X had only
one thing to say about the whole scene.
"Eeeewwww."
Bracing himself, X pulled the ignighted lightsabre out of the motionless
creature's stomach. Not a pleasent task, but someone had to do it. X wiped the
sabre clean, then deactivated it. Taking one last look at the raptor, he left
the corpse to rejoin with the other Hunters.
Celeste seemed to have improved a bit by the time X got back to her. X had
mentioned that it might've been better if one of them teleported Celeste back to
the lab, but Forrest had just pointed back to the force field. It was still
there, shedding its ominous light silently. Teleportation was still impossible.
Celeste had to come along to the showdown, no matter how injured she was.
Celeste didn't seem to mind. She didn't want to be sent back to Maverick Hunter
HQ, anyway.
The party abandoned the wreck of the Gryphon, and began to walk towards their
destination. X and Forrest supported Celeste between them, although she didn't
need that much help to walk.
"Cain isn't going to be happy when he sees what has happened to the Gryphon."
X brought up suddenly.
"Don't worry about it." Forrest assured him. "I think that Cain will be happy
to know that the Gryphon...uh, died a noble death while taking us to Vile's
fortress."
X frowned. "Maybe so, but he probably won't break out the champagne when he
hears that his months and months of hard work is now just a twisted mound of
titanium."
Celeste spoke up suddenly. "I just realized something."
"What's that?"
"Am I the only one who noticed that we're walking towards the Mavericks'
fortress without a plan to get in? What are we supposed when we get there? Ring
the doorbell?" Celeste laughed.
X's grim response startled them all. "Not a bad idea. Do we have a choice?"
Heyo. This is your narrator again. If I annoy you people with these
interruptions, good. I live only to bug my fans. After all, the whole bloody lot
of you deserve it. Today, like that fateful day 11 chapters ago, I got another
shot in school. This one was for hepatitis B. And I
am in pain. Pain is bad, just so you know. So just to warn you, certain
intervals of this chapter might contain some 'gibberish'. If you see this in the
middle of a sentence, it means I passed out on the keyboard. Here's an example,
to make sure you know what I'm talking about:
"And then, X told Zero that he could take his lightsabre, and shovejifowu9kmv
fdkjdai8 793jkmfs ajiiiiii iiiiisji oowj aUntil his eyes popped out."
Well, you get the idea! On with the chapter!.....Why do the Canadians get
these shots? Why can't the Americans suffer for once? Are we more diseased than
them? Or are they just to GOOD to catch hep B? (I don't REALLY mean that!! Or do
I....?)
Spark Mandrill sighed longingly. He missed the old days...the days where he
could wander the streets of the city freely. The days when his name struck fear
into the hearts of humans. The days when he held 24 hour Mug - A - Thons with
Storm Eagle and Toxic Seahorse. He sighed again. Suddenly, Storm Eagle's harsh,
grating voice pulled the primate out of his fond memories.
"Throw the ball, you reject from the Planet of the Apes!"
Storm Eagle had an irritated expression on his beaky face. He was leaning on
a lightweight baseball bat, waiting for Sparky's pitch. Playing baseball in the
main hallway of Maverick HQ was a creative and fun way to pass time. Not a smart
one, but still fun.
"Oh...sorry Eagle!" Spark Mandrill said a bit sheepishly. Then a dreamy smile
crept up his mouth. "I was just thinking...of the glory days. Remember when
there were no Hunters to interfere with our fun? Remember the destruction and
killing? The screams, the shouts, the pleads for mercy? I tell you...those were
the days!"
Toxic Seahorse was also present in the hall as a fielder. "Spark, my man, you
suuuure bring back a lot of good memories. The Wonder Years will always have a
place in my black, corrupt soul. But unfortunately, that's what they are.
Memories."
"Well, maybe not." Said Sparky, who was always optimistic. "According to
Vile, that new Maverick, Hellfire, is supposed to change things around over
time."
"Vile!" Eagle snorted the name contemptuously. "He thinks he's the greatest
thing since sliced bread." Storm Eagle mimicked Vile's dark voice, throwing in a
bit of a girly - squeal to it for spice. "Sigma! Let ME go after X and Zero! I
won't fail you! I mean, I've ONLY been thrashed by them twice! But now I have
the Goliath to hide behind, like the chickenguts that I am!"
The Mavericks in the room erupted into laughter. Eagle beamed. "Thank you,
thank you. I know you love me. No applause needed, just send money."
Toxic Seahorse stopped laughing abruptly. He cocked his slender head to one
side. "Shhh!" He hissed. "Someone's coming!"
The other Mavericks heard metallic footsteps echo in the hall as someone
approached the band. The footsteps were clunky, uneven, and made a lot of noise.
Only one Maverick walked like that.
"Wheel Gator!" Storm Eagle greeted the leviathan. Storm Eagle knew how much
Vile picked on the big reptile, so he made an effort to be extra nice to Gator.
"What brings you here?"
Gator flashed his 264 - tooth smile at the Mavericks. He was holding a
crumpled paper. "Hey everyone. Storm Eagle..remember how you told me that I
shouldn't keep my stress and troubles locked inside me?"
Storm Eagle nodded. That had been true. "Yes."
"So you told me to write down my fears and anxieties in a creative,
expressive way to help me feel better about myself?"
"Uh huh."
"Well...I did! I made a little poem out of my troubles. When I wrote it down,
I felt a lot more confident. Can I read it to you all?"
The Mavericks shrugged. They had nothing better to do.
"Okay.." Wheel Gator took a deep breath and began.
ODE TO VILE by Wheel S. Gator
Vile is mean. Yes, mean! You heard me!
He is the Devil. He is Kaiser Sosaie.
For example, I was just sitting in the rec room yesterday, minding my own
business, when he comes in and smacks me over the head REALLY hard, for no
apparent reason whatsoever! Then he punched me in the stomach.
I was in pain. I was coughing up blood, and he was laughing! Laughing!
DAMN YOU VILE! DAMN YOU TO HELL!
The End.
Eagle didn't know quite how to react to Gator's passionate poem, which
contained no rhyme or reason. He raised his eyebrows under his blue and red
helmet.
"Um...very...nice Gator. Very good. You'd better not let Vile see that,
though."
Gator snapped his massive jaws together. A nervous habit of his. "I won't."
Three heavy knocks landed on the massive door to the fortress. The Mavericks
all jumped at the sudden sound. They exchanged surprised glances.
"Guests?" Muttered Flame Stag.
Toxic Seahorse shook his crested head. "I don't think so."
Spark Mandrill was looking at the door, apparently in deep thought. Suddenly,
his eyes lit up with hope. "Maybe it's Sigma!"
"I don't think Sigma would just knock on the door if he returned." Flame Stag
said doubtfully.
Sparky frowned at the metallic stag. "Do you have to put a damper on
everything?"
"It's probably a salesman." Eagle grumbled. "But Babykins should have made
lunchmeat out of him ages ago, if that's the case. Maybe she's getting old, and
her hearing's going..."
The knock sounded again, louder than before.
"Well, SOMEONE answer the door, or I'm gonna have to start whuppin' some
asses!" Eagle announced, glaring at each of the Mavericks. "If it's a beggar,
just give him a time bomb and send him on his way."
Sparky irritably stomped over to the gate. He took ahold of the heavy wooden
doors, and opened them just slightly. He stuck his ugly head out to whoever was
standing outside.
"Hello. We don't want any --"
His words were cut off by the sound of plasma striking dense metal. Then
there was a gore - choked scream from the ape. The Mavericks watched in horror
as Sparky, now missing an arm and covered with plasma wounds, staggered back
from the door, which swung open wider to reveal two Maverick Hunters, and one
human Huntress. The warriors had no - nonsense looks on their faces, and they
brandished weapons. They obviously had not come for a spot of tea.
The Mavericks that were present were terrified out of their small minds. They
were not armed. They didn't have sufficient battle armour. Did they flee? No.
That would have made too much sense. Instead, they sat there, gawking stupidly
at the Angels of Death. It was Storm Eagle who brought the evil reploids back to
their senses. He took wing, and hovered above the stunned group.
"Don't just stand there like an oil painting!" He shrieked.
"Someone...HURT them!"
Panic - stricken and unarmed, Toxic Seahorse made a noble effort. He tore off
the midnight - blue baseball cap he was wearing and hurled it at the Hunters, in
hopes that soft cloth and foam would damage the fighters, or at least scare them
away. Seahorse's deadly cap fell in the middle of the room with a soft plop. He
was rewarded for his gallant actions with a plasma shot from X. The blast of
energy struck the animal squarely in the chest. He tumbled backward over and
over like an acrobat preforming a show, until he came to rest against the far
wall, where lay was still.
The chaos prevailed.
Attacking unarmed Mavericks was like shooting fish in a barrel. X and Forrest
took care of most of them with their plasma cannons, while Celeste sliced up a
few of them with her lightsabre. The Mavericks tried to flee in every direction,
bashing into walls, as well as each other. Storm was still circling above the
room like a devil - bird after its prey. The whole time he was screaming out
orders that absolutely no one listened to.
"Why!?" X heard him screech. "Why is this happening!? What happened to those
half - wits, Violen and Neon Tiger? They were supposed to be monitoring the
Maverick property! THEY were supposed to tell us when you idiot Hunters were
coming, so we'd be ready! We're NOT ready! Go away! Come back when we ARE ready!
Don't call us, we'll call you."
"Nah, we won't be doin'' that," X remarked casually as he powered up his arm
cannon and aimed it at the foul fowl (sorry, BAD pun. Couldn't resist!). A
deadly spear of white energy leapt from his weapon, and tore right through
Eagle's feathery right wing. Eagle swore in pain, and pumped his charred wings
madly in a futile effort to remain airborne. Before very long, his badly damaged
wings fell apart in the air, spilling Eagle to the ground with a hollow clang.
He lay there silently.
X was surprised to look up from the reploid bird's smoking corpse and see
that the dark stone hallway was littered with the bodies of dead Mavericks.
Black circulatory fluids spattered the walls like crazy modern art, and
collected in pools on the stone floor of the main hallway. Twisted, smoking
Maverick parts lay strewn about. Forrest wiped off some circulatory fluid that
had gathered on him through the battle, and brushed off his hands.
"Boy I'm hungry!" He commented cheerfully.
A small, trembling whine sounded from behind X. He whipped around in alarm.
There stood the two last live Mavericks...Flame Stag and Wheel Gator. Flame
Stag looked at the bodies of his fallen comrades in silent regret. Then he
looked up at the Hunters and cut them a dirty look. He wished that he had his
weapons to toast them all on the spot; but Vile had commanded Stag some time ago
to deactivate his flaming weapons while inside the fortress, after Stag had
nearly burned the building down no less than three times. The main hallway, X
noticed then, branched into three smaller corridors. Flame Stag suddenly turned
tail and ran down the middle corridor with unworldly grace.
This left Wheel Gator - Still clutching 'Ode to Vile' against his huge chest
- standing there all alone, shaking and looking like a motherless child. He had
emitted the whining sound earlier, and he echoed it as he turned and galloped
clumsily down the corridor next to the one Flame Stag had fled down.
Forrest started to follow the reptile, but stopped in his tracks when he
noticed how hesitant X and Celeste were to follow him. "Come on!" He shouted to
them. His voice seemed to bounce off the stone walls of the empty room eerily.
"He's probably gone to tell Vile that we're here. He should be easy to
follow...when that guy runs, he sounds like a heard of goddam elephants!"
"Forrest, we don't know for sure if Gator is headed towards Vile," X reasoned
with the silver reploid. "Flame Stag may just as well have been on his way to
see him, too."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Forrest muttered, giving in. "So the question
is, WHO do we follow to get to Vile?" Forrest tapped his boot on the cold stone
floor. His glance went from one dark corridor to the other. "Guess it's time to
use my Maverick Hunter scout training," Forrest grinned. He covered his eyes
with one hand, and thrust the other out, pointing to the mammoth door of the
Maverick's Fortress. With that, he spun around three times in a whirl of
platinum, chanting, "My mother told me to pick this one.", before he came to a
halt. Dizzy, and slightly nauseous, he removed the hand that was covering his
eyes. When he found that his outstretched hand was pointing to the passage that
Stag had escaped down, he nodded in satisfaction. He motioned to the other
Hunters. "This way. We'll follow Flame Stag."
X started forward, but Celeste fell back suddenly. "Oh man...my head...I'm
dizzy....guys, give me a second, will you?"
X ran back to Celeste in alarm. "What's wrong? Are you allright?"
Celeste slumped weakly against the wall. "I'm fine." She said after a minute.
"I guess I should have taken it easy while fighting those Mavericks." She shook
her head, and the dizziness seemed to clear. "Forget about me. Let's go find
Vile and give him what for!"
Just a few minutes later, the Hunters and the Huntress were walking down
Stag's escape route. It was a rather nasty place. The corridor was made of
nothing but crude, grey stone. Because they were so close together, the short
walls seemed to swallow up any sound. And it was DARK. Celeste couldn't see a
thing. But since X was able to see quite well in the void, he lead the party,
walking about ten meters ahead. Occasionally, he would call back to the others
to warn about pitfalls, turns, etc. Forrest walked alongside Celeste. The
passage was so narrow that there was barely room for the both of them to walk
shoulder - to - shoulder. The tunnel seemed to have no end, and Celeste was
beginning to become annoyed with the constant dripping that sounded in the long
chamber. It played a monotone note that really got on her nerves. She decided to
break the uneasy silence by talking to Forrest.
"I hope Zero's okay."
Even in the pressing darkness, Celeste knew that Forrest was looking at her
with surprise. "Why's that? I never knew you were that concerned about him."
Celeste remembered just then that Forrest hadn't been around MHHQ long enough
to get to know the history of everyone. "Zero is one of my closest friends.
There's a bit of a story to the reason why. Basically, he saved my life."
Forrest didn't press on and ask 'how'? Like Celeste had been hoping. So she
said, "Want to hear how?"
Forrest laughed out of the blackness. "Of course I do. I would have asked
you, but I didn't want to be nosy."
Celeste smiled. "Alrighty then. When I was about 19, I lived with my parents
in a nice little neighbourhood. It was crowed, but a neat place to live
nonetheless. Then came the day that the good old Mavericks declared war on the
humans. There had been rumours going around my community that stated that the
Mavericks were planning on attacking our area." Celste paused for a dramatic
effect. "The rumours were right, unfortunately. It was only a matter of time
before my mother woke me up in the middle of the night to say we were going to
be attacked by Mavericks. She had me get dressed, and come outside. It was quiet
outside, I remember. The night was extremely still. There was no hint of
attacking Mavericks in the area, yet everyone seemed nervous. There, along with
my family and several other residents of the neighbourhood, were three Maverick
Hunters, claiming they were ready to guide us to the safety of Maverick Hunter
HQ. We followed them, not know ing what else the hell to do. But then the idiots
take us right into Maverick occupied territory." Celeste snorted. "I don't think
they MEANT to do that. I think it was just raw stupidity in all it's glory that
made them accidentally lead us to a death trap. Panic began to rise among us
when we saw the Mavericks' symbol posted all over the city clearing we were
huddled in. Do you know what a heard of panicked humans is like? It's not nice.
Forrest, before I fought that raptor back there, I had never been so freaked in
all my damned life. It seemed that no matter where I turned, the Mavericks'
crest met my eyes. It was everywhere, harshly reminding me of what I was...a
weak human who had no right of being in Maverick territory. I was sure that if
the Mavericks found us, it was over. All of us knew that death trailed a
Maverick like an evil shadow.
"It was only a matter of time before I saw three small pairs of illuminated
reploid eyes glaring at me. Two more pairs lit up beside them. Before long, we
were completely surrounded. A blue wolflike reploid stepped out of the shadows.
His glance went from the worried Hunters to the group of us humans. Gruffly, he
asked us our business. But what could be said about two Hunters and a pathetic
pack of humans. One of the Hunters raised his arm cannon at the lupine, but
before he could even fire, the wolf pounced at him as if he were little more
than a mouse. The Hunter was slashed up rather quickly. As if on signal, two
other wolf Mavericks leapt out of the darkness and took care of the other
Hunters. By now, the humans, now guideless, were in a panic. I didn't know what
to do. I wanted to get out of there and go home. So, not thinking, I tried to
tackle the lead wolf. He grabbed me and raised me off the ground with one arm,
laughing. I fought, but couldn't break the wolf's hold. There was only one
solution...I bit the jerk right on his arm. Celeste grinned at the memory. "He
howled in what I hope was severe pain, and dropped me sure enough. But I barely
had time to hit the ground before the wolf shot me in the arm with his plasma
cannon. I'm sure you've been shot with an arm cannon before." Celeste told
Forrest. "I don't know if getting shot as a reploid is the same as getting shot
as a human, but let me tell you this; my arm hurt like a bastard. I'd never felt
such pain in all my life. I could only lie there, curled up, crying. I knew that
the wolf was standing over me, ready to finish me off. He raised his head and
howled in triumph...but with is howl mingled a far - off war cry. In bare
seconds, a certain red reploid with blonde hair raced onto the scene followed
shortly by his well - known blue friend.. The wolves yelped in terror and tried
to hide. While some got away, others - like my captor - were blown into neat
little bite sized pieces. I don't remember much at this point. I was delirious.
But I remembered that the blonde haired reploid was kneeling beside me, gently
telling me to keep still and as calm as possible. He said his name was Zero, and
he and his friend, X, were Maverick Hunters. He said that I was badly hurt, but
I would be okay. He assured me that no one else was badly injured.
"Needless to say, I ended up in the hospital to get my arm fixed up. But Zero
stayed with me most of the time to make sure I was alright. After I had
recovered from my little Maverick attack, I was taken to Maverick Hunter HQ,
where the rest of my family and neighbours were holing up until we could go back
to our houses (which WERE destroyed by Mavericks, by the way). It was during
that time that I discovered I would make a good Huntress. So I stayed at the HQ
and trained. The rest is history."
Forrest yawned. "Nice story. Sorta cute. So you and Zero have been close
friends ever since, huh?"
Celeste was about to respond when X's far - off voice echoed back to her.
"There's a light up ahead! Get ready for whatever is waiting for us there."
Flame Stag ran. And ran. And then for variety, he ran some more. Finally, he
burst through the end of the narrow corridor he had been running down, into a
very large, hexagonal shaped room that was perfectly empty. Vile had vowed
several times that he was going to furnish that area, and perhaps make it into a
nifty little parlour. Nothing had become of that, however, and it looked like
nothing would in the near future; Vile was about to have bigger things to worry
about.
Here, Flame Stag dared to take a brief rest. Although he was accustomed to
running at breakneck speeds, his lungs now felt like they were being rubbed with
sandpaper. Dashing through a dark hallway was murder. Stag had bashed into more
than one of the walls, which had caused him quite a few 'ouchies'. He slouched
against the cool, tiled wall, gasping greedily for air. His sharp ears could
pick up the sounds of the Hunters in the dank, black corridor he had just fled
down. They were coming closer...and closer...and when they got here, they would
probably...but Stag prefered not to think such nasty things right then. He
sternly reminded himself that he had rested for longer than he had originally
planned. He had to reach Vile before the Hunters did at all costs! The south end
of the giant room had just one exit. Another corridor. Stag was pretty sure that
Vile was beyond that blackness. Sighing, Stag plunged into the dark mouth of the
exit and continued his mad sprint, showing no mercy on his exhausted systems.
Vile, Phoenix and Overdrive Ostrich had been filled with new confidence for
their war against the humans. They blustered in a small room about their plans
to expand their armies and resume the planned genocide of the species they hated
so much. Hellfire stood with them, listening silently. Hellfire was truly a
nightmare of metal and plasma now; he had not trained very much in the art of
fighting since his activation, but he could still certainly give any of the
Mavericks a run for their money. He was still a little shy and timid, but very
dangerous. The scary part was, Hellfire had only discovered about a fraction of
what he REALLY could do. Vile mentioned that he wished to teach the grey
newcomer exactly what kind of powers he possessed before the war resumed.
"Ah yes, genocide and holocaust." Vile sighed blissfully. "How fun this will
be! Just like Sigma wanted it! I hope you're watching me from down there, old
buddy! Maybe you can return again..." There was a low sounding cough from behind
Vile. Vile turned around in utter surprise. There was a hunched over, panting
figure coming near him that claimed to be Flame Stag. It looked more like a
shapeless mass of metal and fur. Vile eyed the creature suspiciously.
"You say you are Flame Stag?"
"I AM Flame Stag, milord." The creature croaked.
"What's the password?" Phoenix now challenged the figure.
"Aw maaann...."
"Come on, now. Can't be too careful with all those weirdos around."
Flame Stag sighed. He was forced to give in. "'Lord Vile is the greatest. He
holds the sun and moon. We all wish we could be more like lord Vile."'
Vile gave a smug little grin from behind his cowl. "The password checks out.
He's Flame Stag. What news to you bring us, Oh Hoofed One?" Vile was in an
exceptionally good mood. Stag cringed slightly when he realised that would not
last much longer.
"There are Hunters in the building, sir. X, Celeste, and some new fellow.
They killed a lot of my comrades, but I managed to escape. In fact, the Hunters
are right behind me. I had to run my fastest to get here and give you a warning
in enough time. But there might not BE enough time."
Vile was silent for a terrible second. Finally he spoke. "What?!"
"There are Hunters in the building -- "
"I HEARD you the FIRST time, you ijit!" Vile snarled. What I want to know is
WHAT are they DOING here!? And how did they defeat you all so easily?"
"We were...uh...unarmed. And unarmoured. Most of us had accumulated in the
front hall for a game of...baseball when they burst through the front door."
"WH - AT!?"
"We were unarmed and --" Stag began to repeat patiently. Vile kicked the
ungulate's shin in frustration. Stag howled in pain and doubled over. Vile was
in a frenzy. "What happened to Neon Tiger and Violen!? Why didn't they warn you
people that there were Hunters in the vicinity of the fortress? And what
happened to Babykins? I thought she was our ultimate security."
"Vile sir...this was supposed to remain a secret between me and them...a
secret between pals. They...uh, how do I say this...?" Flame Stag coughed.
"Tell me, or I'll have you torn apart and flushed down like a dead goldfish!"
Vile roared. He was clearly no longer in the mood for games. Following that
threat, Stag found his voice quickly.
"Sir, Violen and Simba..er, I mean, Neon Tiger, found out that the 'Rocky
Horror Picture Show' was playing in the city of Kapcom. They disguised
themselves and went to...take part in the festivities."
If anyone in the room had been able to see beyond the dark opening of Vile's
mask, they would have seen the reploid turn some pretty ugly shades of angry
red.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing! I just CAN'T believe what I'm hearing!"
Vile repeated over and over.
Flame Stag dared to try to make excuses for his friends. "Sir, I understand
you are upset. But Ed Dickenson was playing as Rocky, and you know how much
Tigger and Vio love that actor..."
Vile jumped angrily from one foot to the other. "Listen to me!" He bellowed
so loud that the walls in the petite room shook. "I couldn't care less if the
Pope himself was playing as Dr. Scott! I told those jerks to watch over our
property in case the Hunters attacked! I did NOT give them permission to go out
and cross - dress and 'Time Warp' the evening away!"
Phoenix tried to calm down the hot - headed Maverick. "You can't really blame
them, Vile. Nobody, myself included, thought that the Hunters would get beyond
our force field."
Vile would not be cooled. "I CAN blame them, and I AM blaming them! Argh! Am
I the only one who sees what is going to happen here? We'll be slaughtered like
cattle, and I don't think anyone's going to sing any ballads for us! What
happened to Babykins? Does anyone know?"
"I, uh...assume she's dead, milord." Flame Stag squeaked. "It's my guess that
the Hunters killed her."
"Oh, GREAT. That just HAD to happen right after I spent a fortune on getting
her fixed and vaccinated!"
Overdrive Ostrich blanched. Vile's mood was souring as rapidly as milk left
out on a hot day. "Now, sir." He said briskly. "Don't worry about Babykins. I
can make you a new dinosaur...this one will be bigger and better!"
Vile responded to Overdrive's gracious offer by wheeling around and pounding
his powerful fist on the wall. "Don't insult my intelligence, Overdrive!" He
snarled. "I may not know nearly as much of that genetics junk as you do, but I
sure as hell know that dinosaur DNA isn't something you just pick up at the
corner store for a dollar ninety - nine. We're screwed! I'm not ready for this
attack I wasn't warned in enough time to recruit more Mavericks. Flame Stag,
quickly go to the control room and turn off the force field. It needs to be down
in case we have to flee. Then come back here." Flame Stag quickly departed to do
as he was told.
"Whoa, hey WHOA! Let's pause, boys and girls!" Phoenix shouted, making the
'time out' sign. "Vile, PLEASE calm down! You really don't seem to realise what
a golden opportunity we have here." She pulled Vile aside, and lowered her voice
to a near - whisper. "We have one of X's best friends here." She jerked her head
towards Hellfire's direction. "Could you imagine how much it's gonna crush X and
that miserable pet human of his when they see Zero as a Maverick? And then...we
convince Hellfire that the Hunters mean him harm. What will it be like to see X
destroy his bestest buddy?"
A slow smile worked its way to Vile's unseen face. Phoenix knew that the
Maverick leader more than agreed with her plan. However, Vile found a glitch in
it.
"Hellfire's a very good fighter," He noted, "but he's not quite ready for a
veteran Hunter like X. I don't really want to put Hellfire through this quite
yet."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Phoenix reasoned with him.
"Besides, WILL X and Celeste attack their friend, or will they just stand there,
refusing to fight, until Hellfire slashes them to bits? Come on, it'll be
fuuun!" Phoenix coaxed.
Finally, Vile had to give in. "Alrighty then. Here's the plan; I'll go with
Hellfire to meet up with the Hunters in that big, empty room. (It WILL be a
parlour some day! I swear it!) If our timing's right, both our parties should
arrive in the room at about the same time. That way, Hellfire will have plenty
of room to fight. Here's what you will do. Just hide in the corridor that links
these rooms. Keep an eye on the battle. If, by some great miracle of God, the
Hunters should win the fight, you and Stag will set this place on fire, then
teleport out with me and Overdrive. Hopefully the Hunters will be trapped in
here. You never know, their teleporters could malfunction or something."
Phoenix nodded and slapped Vile on his back. "Good plan, Stan! I wish us
luck! Here's to the end of the humans!"
"Ayuh!"
The bright light in the large hexagonal room stabbed Celeste's eyes painfully
when she first walked into it from the dark corridor. She was having a hard time
adjusting to the sudden change. Although she was temporarily blinded, she could
hear X's threatening voice confronting someone before him. So she knew that
there was going to be action soon. That was very good. She was itching for a
fight. Celeste rubbed her spotted eyes, and squinted to see who challenged X. As
soon as she saw who it was, however, her fighting spirit died, and was replaced
by icy fear.
"Vile!?"
Upon hearing his name, the lone purple reploid looked over X to face the
human.
"Heydli - ho, neighbour!" He said with all possible cheerfulness. "The Lord
has certainly given us a wonderful day for a fight, hasn't He? It's too bad you
won't be around to enjoy it."
"You're going to fight all three of us alone?" Celeste said with a small
laugh, unsheathing her lightsabre.
Vile pretended to be shocked. "Alone? Certainly not, dear one! I respect the
fighting skills of you and X much more than that." Vile paused and stood on his
tip - toes to get a glance of Forrest. "And just who are you?" He growled.
Forrest glowered. He wasn't about to tell a Maverick leader what his REAL
name was, unless he wanted the leader to die with laughter.
"I am...Cornholio."
Vile tilted his head slightly, as if trying to get a better view of the
platinum reploid. "All right then, buddy. Now where was I..." Vile turned his
attention back to Celeste.
"So, human!" He said cheerfully. Ready to die? Of course you realise, once
YOU'RE gone, I'm not going to stop there. I don't plan to rest until your whole
race is destroyed. Why do you people bother to fight? You've messed up this
world enough...it's time for the reploids to take over, don'tchya think?"
A low growl was the only response from Celeste.
"You don't agree with me, human? You don't agree with me that this planet is
almost inhabitable now because of your kind? Every other species on this planet
respects the delicate and crucial balance between biotic potential and
environmental restraint...except yours. As a result, this planet has become
overpopulated and half of the humans in the world are starving. Valuable
resources are almost gone. Plus, you people are constantly fighting amongst
yourselves. The reploids can create a new, peaceful world once you humans are
gone, Celeste. And we won't make the same mistakes you did."
"Quit the dramatics, Vile." Celeste flourished her lightsabre. "Either fight,
or shut up."
"Typical human...always lusting for blood. I assume it was either you or one
of the Hunters who killed my raptor, Babykins?"
Celeste grinned wickedly. She was ready to have some fun with Vile before she
fought. "That was me. Raptorsbane, the Lizard Queen. That little creature of
yours was no match for me, of course."
"Of course," Vile said in a light, almost friendly tone. "But let me tell you
what WILL be a challenge..."
Vile threw out his arms as if he was about to embrace the Hunters, tilted his
helmeted head back, and bellowed:
"Hellfire! Come on doooown!"
A Maverick stepped out of the black maw of the corridor behind Vile. Celeste
rubbed her eyes again. She was sure she was still blinded, because that Maverick
seemed to look almost exactly like....
"Zero...?"
The hunchbacked figure was cloaked in the numerous shadows that were cast by
the hexagonal walls in the room. Thankful for that fact, he dared to lean
forward a bit more to get a better view of the Hunters in the room who
challenged the purple Maverick leader before them. Were these the people he was
looking for...? The figure's eyesight had never been exceptional. However, the
strong scent of human lingered in his nostrils, as did the weaker, yet familiar,
of the Hunters. He was pretty sure he had the right rabble. But the figure
decided that now would not be a good time to reveal himself... So he crouched in
the shadowy corner to watch the show.
"Zero?" X tried to say to the grey figure that stood silently behind Vile.
But he simply couldn't make his mouth form the words. His heart had turned into
a caged bird, fluttering wildly. "This can't be Zero." He thought over and over
again. "It's a clone..a clone...but.."
Out of the corner of his eye, X could see that Celeste and Forrest both had
the same dull, stupid look plastered on their faces that he wore. None of them
could believe what stood before them.
"There IS no Zero!" Vile said gleefully. He was clearly enjoying himself, and
with good reason. "This is Hellfire."
Celeste shook her head, snapping out of her deep trance of disbelief.
"Hellfire? Who gave him THAT name?"
"I did." Vile said simply.
In the corner, the hunchbacked figure rumbled deep in his chest.
"Zero..." X whispered helplessly. He was a confused jumble of emotions. "What
have they done to you?"
"My name is not Zero. It's Hellfire." Was the new Maverick's response.
Vile seemed to look taller. This was what being a Maverick was all about!
"You'll only confuse him, X!" He trumpeted. Then he lowered his voice and leaned
towards the azure Hunter and his companions. "You once knew him as a friend and
ally. But he's decided to join us. He told me he's had quite enough of the
humans and the Hunters...as have I."
A look of pain twisted Celeste's face. X gaped at Vile, then spoke.
"Vile...I'd be the first to admit that Zero could be a schmuck at times. Once
he even filled my helmet with crazy glue. But he would never, never join the
Mavericks. He was a good friend..."
"'Was' is the word." Vile snickered. So, you don't believe me? Why don't we
ask him for ourselves?"
Celeste growled yet again.
"Hellfire!" Vile bellowed. "Isn't it true you joined the Mavericks on your
own free will? Did you not say that you wished to help me and Phoenix destroy
the humans?" Vile did not look at his new comrade when asking him this question;
he still faced X. Vile didn't want to miss X's reaction for all the world.
"I certainly did." Said the grey Maverick. "I've sworn to fight beside you,
master Vile."
A strange, choking sound filled the large room. Celeste was crying.
X refused to believe he was going to end up fighting his best friend. Deep
down, X had always been jealous of the scarlet Hunter's fame, but he had never
thought for a second that it would come to this. He raised his arm cannon
towards Hellfire. Then he dropped it again. He didn't want to fight Zero, but if
he didn't, the human race was in an awful lot of danger. X glanced up at his
former partner and friend.
Zero's brilliant, fire red armour had been replaced or painted over; now it
was a dull grey. The strange crest of the Mavericks was stamped on his left
shoulder pad. Other than that, Zero looked almost exactly the same. He still had
his trademark lightsabre strapped to his back, and his hair still tumbled to the
ground like molten gold. But one thing seemed to be amiss... Zero's eyes had an
empty, almost vacant look in them. They had gone from their captivating blue to
an ebony black. The eyes of a corrupted reploid. X's self pity and fear was
replaced with an emotion he was not used to; uncontrollable rage.
"You've done something to him!" X accused Vile in a booming voice.
"Me?" Vile said, looking as innocent as a newborn kitten. "You heard him! He
joined by his own will!"
"YOU DID SOMETHING TO HIM!"
"I didn't do anything!"
Celeste choked back one last sob. She wiped her eyes with the back of her
fist, and, before anyone could stop her, she walked right up to Vile. Celeste
had always been short; about five feet. Compared to Vile's height of about seven
feet, this sight would have been comical if these had been normal circumstances.
However, there was nothing comical about this. Celeste had to look up at Vile to
peer into his mask. X had never seen so much open hatred and revulsion in a
human's eyes.
"What did you do to him, you bastard!?" Celeste asked in a low tone.
"I refuse to answer that question, as I have repeated the answer several
times already." Vile said airily. " Hellfire is here out of his own free will.
And by the way, mind the language, will ya?"
Celeste silently raised her lightsabre towards the purple Maverick. Vile
tensed himself, ready to attack if needed.
"Why don't you face it, human?" Vile lowered his voice yet again. "Your
friend is a traitor...but he made the right choice." Vile's voice remained as
calm as ever.
Celeste made a very unladylike gesture in Vile's direction.
Vile smirked. "So it's come to that, has it? Very well then. I was going to
have your former friend kill you," Vile jerked his thumb back at the waiting
Hellfire, "but I think that since I'll be killing many a human for the next
while, now's a good as time as any for me to get some practice..." Vile took a
step closer to Celeste, who held up the mesmerizing neon blade of her
lightsabre, ready to attack. X and Forrest snapped to it and prepared to defend
their friend.
But that help was never needed.
No sooner had Vile taken that step towards Celeste than the Maverick leader
had received a white hot blast of plasma energy in his back. Startled, he cried
out and stumbled forward. In shock, every member of the small group turned
around to see who had fired the shot.
Hellfire stood trembling. His arm cannon was raised towards his master. A
faint streamer of smoke rose lazily from the opening. He looked frightened and
confused about what he had done, but he still stood poised to attack.
"Don't hurt her!" The grey Maverick snarled weakly.
Vile recovered himself and looked at Hellfire in disbelief.
"What?"
Hellfire slowly lowered his arm cannon. He looked utterly terrified.
"Sir! I...I don't know what came over me...I...I...oh dear..."
"Hellfire..why did you do that?" Vile said, bewildered.
In the black opening of the corridor behind Vile where the few Mavericks
remained hidden, the same question toiled in Phoenix's mind. She didn't quite
know what to make of Hellfire's sudden outburst on Vile. Beside her, Overdrive
Ostrich rubbed his hands together, whimpering and muttering something that could
barely be heard. Phoenix could make out some of the distorted words.
"I'm...trouble...oh boy...I...trouble...bloody hell...."
Overdrive cracked his knuckles one by one. Phoenix knew that Overdrive was
hiding something about the reason for the attack. Well that was fine; she'd hold
her temper, but she'd worm this one out of the speedy bird somehow.
"Overdrive?"
The intelligent Maverick jumped very suddenly. "What? WHAT?"
"Would you mind telling me in the good name of Sigma why Hellfire just shot
his leader in the back? Is it a pre - battle ritual you programmed into the guy
with the virus?"
Overdrive looked like he wished he had never been created. "I'll be blunt
with you, milady." He sighed. "I wasn't expecting Zero to do this. Something
must be fighting the virus we infected him with. Some biological force. He's on
the verge of either destroying the human and the Hunters, or killing the whole
bloody lot of US." At this, Overdrive pointed to Vile, Flame Stag, Phoenix and
himself. "It depends which way the virus will take him. I think he's actually
battling the virus with his own will."
"'Will'? Overdrive, WHAT are you talking about?" Phoenix inquired as she
struggled to control the anger that was boiling up in her.
"A reploid's 'will' is in his biological systems. His 'human' side, if you
will. The side that controls his emotions and such. Humans can actually combat
sicknesses with their minds, or so they say. That might be what Zero's doing."
"But HOW?"
Overdrive shrugged weakly. "Something is reminding him about his past life.
He wants to go back to it, I think. But the virus won't let him. That's why he's
so confused."
Phoenix made little attempt to bridle her anger now. "I thought you said he
had NO memory of his past!" She whispered fiercely.
"Well, SOMETHING's reminding him! I don't know! This is all screwed up!"
The short leash on Phoenix's temper snapped completely. She grabbed Overdrive
by his spindly neck and forced him to look right in her flaming eyes.
"If we survive this," she hissed through clenched teeth, "you and I are going
to have a BIG talk."
Overdrive whimpered, and tried to pull away.
"Please...milady...Zero might still succumb to the...virus...urk,
can't...breathe..."
"Shut up, dammit!" Phoenix snarled. "Vile is going to be extra specially
nasty to you about THIS one, Mr. 'Zero - Is - One - Of - Us - For - Good'!!"
Overdrive renewed his frantic struggle to break from Phoenix's death grip.
"Miss Phoenix...I TOLD you...the virus is still IN him! He might..end up
killing the Hunters anyway! In fact, he probably will. He's in quite a state of
confusion. Now..may I...have a breath of air..?"
Disgusted, Phoenix threw Overdrive over her shoulder. She listened with
satisfaction to the dull *clang* of the bird hitting an unseen wall. Then she
turned her attention back to Hellfire and Vile.
Vile was a bit worried about Hellfire's attack on him. He made a mental note
to ask Overdrive what had possessed the new Maverick to do that. Then, putting
the situation behind him, he advanced towards Celeste again, who took a step
backwards. Vile aimed his shoulder - mounted cannon at her.
Again from behind came the familiar sound of plasma striking metal. This
time, the ball of white energy struck Vile's cannon, damaging it very badly.
Vile staggered forward, and the remains of the weapon tumbled to the ground,
shattering on impact. Vile didn't even need to turn around to see who had
destroyed his shoulder pack.
"Hellfire! Would you mind KNOCKING THAT OFF?"
"DON'T HURT HER!" Hellfire's voice echoed in the room, startling everyone
including himself.
"Okay, just WHAT is going on here!?" Forrest spoke up, turning to Hellfire
for an answer.
The only answer from Hellfire was a confused, bewildered stare.
"There's NOTHING wrong with Hellfire!" Vile snapped. "He's one of us now!
Hellfire, go destroy those Hunters! This minute! And I mean NOW!"
Hellfire took a step towards X, Forrest and Celeste. Then he stepped back and
shook his helmeted head.
"Do it! NOW, NOW, NOW!" Vile screeched, jumping up and down while flapping
his arms wildly. The suspense of the moment was causing him to throw one of his
infamous temper tantrums.
"Vile!" Celeste shouted angrily. "Leave him alone, and finish us off
yourself, if you're so hot!"
Vile threw back his head and laughed. "Forget it, mien human! I'm gonna watch
your 'friend' destroy all of you! I've been waiting for this!"
Celeste clenched her fist. X snarled, and Forrest simply stood there,
emotionless.
"He'll tear you all apart! Limb from limb!"
Hellfire advanced towards the Hunters.
"Here it goes! Here comes the fun! Ha ha...I can't say it was a pleasure
meeting you all..."
Celeste unclenched her fist. She raised her lightsabre again. Forrest and X
raised their arm cannons and took aim...
"And you, human!" Vile boomed at Celeste. "What are you going to do now? My
new colleague is about to destroy you! Then your family! Then your friends! Then
your entire species! What are you going to do then? Run home crying to mama that
Billy doesn't wanna be your friend anymore? Do something! Do something, human!
Ha ha...DO SOMETHING!"
Vile had been warned several times by Phoenix never to toy with human
emotions. They were untamed and unpredictable. They would often drive humans to
do savage things without thinking. Vile had laughed at Phoenix's warning. He had
always enjoyed taunting a human a bit before killing it, like a cat with its
prey. Now, Vile was about to regret not heeding Phoenix's words of wisdom.
A roar escaped Celeste. She charged right towards Vile, tackling him. Not
prepared for this action, Vile was swept clean off his feet. He landed on the
ground with a hearty thump. Celeste's lightsabre began to tear mercilessly into
the evil Maverick. Vile had no weapons to retaliate with. He could only lay
there, writhing and thrashing while Celeste tore him up. He could not even get
back up on his feet. X and Forrest simply stood and stared, never really
thinking for a second about assisting Celeste. This would not be a day they
would forget anytime soon.
After several attempts, Vile was finally able to make his voice heard over
Celeste's shouting, cursing and slashing.
"Hellfire...help...me!"
Hellfire's confused glance went from the Hunters to Vile to the Hunters
again. He didn't even know what to think. His orders were clear: destroy the
Hunters. They had been given by his creator and master, Vile. So why didn't he
follow them...? He didn't know. Something told him to get a better look at the
Hunters before he attacked anyone.
Hellfire's vision fell on the human female who was destroying Vile. He was
torn between the urge to unseam her from stomach to chops with his lightsabre
and the urge to save her. He closed his eyes and opened them again, only to see
the two male reploids. They seemed vaguely familiar. Hellfire felt as if he had
seen them somewhere...perhaps in a supermarket or something. Suddenly, any
memories he had of the Hunters were washed away, and replaced by alarm and
bloodlust. Vile was in danger! He had to help...
Vile had stopped struggling under the girl's flashing lightsabre. He twiched
feebly from time to time, but that was all. He was almost gone. Still, the girl
had not let up. Circulatory fluids were spattered unevenly on her. She did not
care. She was screaming incomprehensible words about her friends, family, and
this 'Zero' character...
In Hellfire's mind, there suddenly flashed an image of a girl curled up on
the pavement, crying. The girl had a bad wound inflicted by a plasma shot on her
arm...
Hellfire shook his head. This image cleared, but was quickly replaced by
another.
Hellfire could see himself laughing along with a blue - armoured reploid.
Suddenly, he was training with the blue reploid. Then he was beating the living
hell out of the reploid. Then he was laughing along with him again. Suddenly,
Hellfire could see himself ready to throw something shiny and precious out of a
window...
Hellfire clutched his head, mentally ordering these images to stop. He had to
help Vile...his master...
Hellfire could see a platinum plated reploid before him. The reploid seemed
to have something to do with chocolate...
Another wave of bloodlust washed over Hellfire. Again, he was aware of his
orders, and was determined to carry them out. He took a step towards the
frenzied human attacking Vile.
The blue reploid that had been escorting the human suddenly shouted,
"Forrest! It's no use! He's on their side." A look of pain crossed the blue
reploid's face as he said this. "He's gonna hurt Celeste!"
The platinum reploid nodded silently. He raised his charged arm cannon.
"Sorry, Zero." The reploid mouthed. He released the shot.
A flaming white ball struck Hellfire squarely in the stomach. Crying out, he
reeled backwards and crashed against the wall. There he slumped to the ground.
Hellfire was alarmed to find that his health was down to 10%. His breath rasped
in and out of his chest. The shot had melted off several layers of the armour
protecting his stomach, and several circuits and wires had been exposed. His
circulatory fluids began to spill onto the ground. He clutched his stomach in a
futile effort to stop this. Then, to top it off, the hateful pictures returned
to him...
Hellfire could see fleeting images in his tired out mind. He was being shot
in the arm with some sort of drug...He was battling something with sharp talons
that slashed his arm...a metallic alligator was singing...
Hellfire closed his eyes, exhausted. What was going on with him? Vile was his
creator! Why did he want to protect the human? Why did the blue and platinum
reploids seem so familiar?
One final, decisive question occupied Hellfire's mind.
"If I was Vile's creation...."
"why was I born in a cage...?"
At this thought, a mammoth tide of memories washed over Hellfire's corrupted
mind. Crying out, he struggled to understand what was happening. Chaos consumed
him as his systems tried to fight off the last of the nasty virus. Through his
blood - dimmed vision, Hellfire could see the blue repliod approaching him. He
knew this reploid! And he knew himself! He had one last chance to become normal
again...
"X! X, save me! Don't hurt me!"
X stopped in utter astonishment. He gaped at Hellfire. Hellfire sunk to the
ground, grinning weakly. Once his auto repair systems kicked in, he began to
feel sleepy.
"All this for your lousy CD, you schmuck!"
Zero cradled his head in his arms and allowed himself to sink into merciful
blackness.
Celeste finally stood up from the mutilated carcass of Vile. Fighting off the
dizziness that threatened to engulf her, she took a final glance at the dead
reploid, not believing what her rage had possessed her to do. Celeste shrugged.
That was one less wacko to worry about. The real question on her mind was if
Zero was okay.
Zero lay in a far corner, sleeping as peacefully as a child. X had removed
the injured Hunter's helmet, and was now kneeling wordlessly beside him. He was
obviously going to get all emotional on them. Zero's hair covered him like a
blanket. He was badly hurt, and had to get back to Headquarters as soon as
possible.
That's when a single word of frustration was uttered behind them.
"D'OH!"
Out of the mouth of the corridor behind X stepped Phoenix, Flame Stag, and
Overdrive Ostrich, who wore the expression of a condemned man. Phoenix looked
none to pleased with the Hunters' victory.
"So! You've defeated Vile." She said, her voice surprisingly light. "And
you've got back your little friend. Isn't that nice! I tell you, isn't that
touching, OVERDRIVE? Doesn't it make you want to WEEP with joy?" Phoenix glared
directly at Overdrive. Overdrive was obviously wishing that he could hide his
head in the sand.
"Yes...very nice milady. Ooooh boooy..."
Phoenix knew that she should have kept up the witty remarks and comments. It
was the natural thing to do for any bad person in her place. However, she was
simply not in the mood. Without another word, she sent a wheel of flame
rocketing towards the group. This left a small trail of fire behind it. Flame
Stag caught on to the idea, and followed suit. Although nothing in the room
looked particularly flammable, it still caught fire fairly quickly. X watched
with alarm as the flames built up.
"It ain't over yet!" Phoenix shouted above the frightful roar of the fire.
"Be seeing you, X! Gee, that's awful cliche, isn't it?"
Phoenix, Overdrive and Stag were swept up by white beams of light. They had
obviously teleported, which had to mean the force field was down! Excited by
that discovery, X told Forrest and Celeste to get ready for teleportation. Then
he punched the sequence to get back to Maverick Hunter HQ into his wrist
teleporter. The message that flashed on the small screen almost made X's heart
stop: WARNING: CAN NOT PROCESS REQUEST. SEVERE MALFUNCTION. HAVE A NICE DAY.
Desperately, X tried the sequence again, even as the inferno grew around him.
Still, he got the same message.
"Where the hell did Cain get these things?" X cursed as he punched his wrist.
"The Bi - Way?"
X's only answer was the soft roar of the flames around him. He began to panic
slightly. If his teleporter wasn't working, the only thing to do was to walk
out. This presented a few problems; first of all, Celeste had overworked herself
with her head injury, and she barely had the strength to stand up. She wouldn't
be able to go very far very fast. Second of all, Zero certainly wasn't in the
mood to walk anywhere. Thirdly and most important, where the heck was the exit?
X had forgotten to map the area when looking for Vile, and the Mavericks'
fortress was as tortuous as the Minotaur's maze. About as safe, too.
Zero stirred, and opened one eye.
"Ohmigod." X heard the injured Hunter mumble. "Flames. All around me. Why? I
was a good little repliod, wasn't I? Well, unless you count the time I shoved a
pretzel up X's nose, but that was an accident! I swear! He was asking for it...I
don't deserve to be here..." Zero's voice trailed off, and he drifted into
unconsciousness again.
The figure in the dark corner whimpered as the flames continued to consume
the room. He had seen the whole battle. It had been quite a sight, and sort of
touching, he had to admit. His eyes fell on the Hunters across from his hiding
place. They all sat there, huddled like frightened mice, trying to get as far
away from the growing fire as possible. The figure knew that he had to help
them...and now would be a great time to do so.
X's head jerked up in caution when he saw who was now approaching him. A
squat, uncertain reptilian creature. Wheel Gator! X stood up from Zero's wounded
body to face the leviathan. X didn't want another fight, but it didn't look like
Wheel Gator did, either. Nonetheless, he and Forrest were ready to protect their
two injured friends if need be.
"I ain't gonna hurtchya." Gator rumbled. "I wanna help you."
Forrest and X exchanged bewildered glances. Had they heard right?
"Look," Gator said impatiently. "I noticed that you're in a spot of trouble,
X. I know my way out of here. I can carry Hellfire - er, I mean Zero, while you
and Cornholio help Celeste..."
Forrest smiled slightly. "My real name is Forrest, Gator."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Forrest Gator. But now's not a good
time for introductions. Are you people gonna trust me, or would you rather fry
in here?"
X chewed over this. Gator was a henchman of Vile's, but he probably DID know
his way out of the fortress. Anyway X looked at it, they had no choice but to
follow the reptile.
"All right, Gator." X agreed reluctantly. "But remember, if you try to
backstab us, you're still outnumbered by me and Forrest."
Gator wordlessly headed over to Zero and picked up the unconscious reploid a
bit too roughly. This caused Zero to snap back to life very quickly.
"OW! Dammit! Do you mind?" Zero snarled irritably. Then he noticed whose arms
he was in. "Oh no you don't, Maverick! You're not taking me away again!" Zero
bit Wheel Gator on his scaly arm. Wheel Gator howled, but he didn't drop Zero.
"Can't you tell when people are trying to HELP you?" Gator snapped. He freed
one arm and used it to bash Zero over the head ever - so - gently. Zero's head
fell back limply, and he slept again. This time, for a looong while.
Celeste, who was propped up between Forrest and X, laughed.
"Was that really needed?" She challenged Wheel Gator.
Wheel Gator merely flashed her a grin that showed all of his infamous white
teeth. Then the roof started to cave in.
"Come on, people! Follow me! It's time to go."
Putting all their faith in Gator, the Hunters followed him. Gator, Forrest,
and X couldn't help but chant on their way out:
"The roof...the roof...the roof is on fire! We don't need no water..."
Their voices trailed off and were muffled by the roaring flames as they
headed down the corridor to safety.
Before long, the Hunters and the Maverick were out in the clean summer air.
It was quite a relief compared to the stuffy, smoky environment they had fled
from. After he was a safe distance from the fortress, X watched its remains
burn. He didn't know exactly why he did this...it was a strange habit of his to
watch his enemies' hideouts, etc. burn/explode into a million pieces. It was
something he enjoyed. Finally, he tired of watching the burning wreckage and
turned towards his friends.
Celeste sat up on the grass, already looking better now that she was out of
the smoke. The sun was very nearly set, which caused her pale face to flush a
reddish colour. Forrest and Gator were standing over Zero, who had been laid on
the clean grass. He was still unconscious, but his breathing was much more
regular now; indeed, he'd probably be all right. X walked over and joined them.
There was a second or so of silence. Then X spoke up.
"Thanks, Gator."
Gator looked a bit surprised that someone had actually been courteous towards
him.
"Not a problem." He muttered.
"Hey Gator..."
"Yeah?"
"Why did you help us?"
Gator smiled slightly. "Zero was the only one who liked my song."
X knew better than to ask.
They stood there in uncomfortable silence for a bit longer. Gator scratched
his rear and waited a beat.
"Well, guess I'd better be off." He mumbled awkwardly.
"Where are you going to go, Gator?" Forrest challenged him.
Gator looked at Forrest as if the platinum reploid had asked a dumb question.
"Why, I'm going to find Phoenix and the others, of course!"
"What?!" The Hunters asked in unison.
"They're all I've got going for me."
"But..."
"I know, I know." Wheel Gator sighed. "They were never nice to me. But what
the heck, I figure that wherever they are, they're in need of a scapegoat. My
loyalty is always with them. See ya'll later!"
Without another word, Wheel Gator turned tail and trotted away from the
group. He seemed confident that he'd find his colleagues.
X stood, watching the alligator fade into the horizon. Then he shrugged, not
quite knowing what to think.
"Come on, people. There's only one way back to Headquarters. Walking.
Celeste, do you think you can make it?"
"I'm a little shaky, but if you take it slow, I'll be okay."
X nodded. He and Forrest picked up the unconscious Zero between them. Then a
sudden impulse caused them all to take one last look at the smoking remains of
the Mavericks' fortress.
"I wonder what's going to happen to it now, " Celeste thought aloud.
Forrest smirked. "They're gonna make it into a candy store," he said, his
voice dripping with sarcasm.
Celeste laughed. "Yeah! A restaurant! 'Sigma's Good Eats'!"
Still chuckling, the party began to pick their way towards home. It would be
a long walk that would probably take them most of the night. But none of them
seemed to mind, although Zero WAS heavy. They group was making their way past
the twisted remains of the Gryphon, the greatest riding armour of all time, when
Zero awoke.
"X?" He muttered thickly.
"I'm here, Zero." X assured him.
"Sorry for what you had to go through."
X was silent for a second. "That's okay, I guess. Zero, do you remember
anything that happened to you?"
"Not much," Zero answered honestly. "I remember being drugged out by the
Mavericks. Then I guess they did something to me. By the looks of things, I
think they turned me against you."
X smiled. "Yeah, sorry that Forrest had to shoot you in the stomach."
Zero returned X's smile weakly. "That's all right. I deserved it. I'm sorry
about your CD, too. Although it WAS as annoying as hell."
"That's not the only thing that's annoying around here," Celeste piped up.
"Hey Zero, when we get back home, can I put your hair up in two ponytails?
Please?"
'Uh, let me think about it. No." Zero answered. "Let's just get home."
X couldn't have agreed more.
A tiny sliver of red was all that remained of the fine summer sunset when
Violen and Neon Tiger approached their home. They were laughing and talking
about the events that had occurred at the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
"Man!" Violen giggled. (It was quite a sight to see a reploid of his size
give a girlish giggle) "Wasn't that a hoot, Simba? I never knew I could 'Time
Warp' so well!"
Neon Tiger echoed Vio's laugh. "You're telling me! Did you see me hit Dr.
Scott with the toilet paper? Right between the eyes!" Tiger smacked his fist
into his open palm. "Pow!"
"Hey, Tigger." Violen grunted. "I meant to show you earlier. Look what I
found on the way back from the Show." Vio held out a small, circular object that
bore a platinum sheen.
Tiger studied the object in the behemoth's outstretched hand with interest.
"Looks like a CD of some sort."
"Ayuh. There's some writing on the front," Vio grew a little embarrassed and
looked down at his feet. "and...I can't read it."
Tiger wisely choked back a titter. It was not a good idea to laugh at a
Maverick who was almost twice your size, no matter how good a friend he was. So
Tiger cleared his throat and took the CD from Violen.
"This says...'Pulp Fiction soundtrack. Recorded in 1995.' "
There was a solemn pause.
"That's quite a long time ago," Vio noted, proud of this discovery.
Tiger nodded in agreement. "Hold on, I'm not done yet. There's something
written in black marker here." Tiger squinted in an effort to read the words in
the failing light. "...'Sacred and holy property of Mega Man X Light. Keep your
grubby paws off of this CD, or I shall personally rip your brains out and sell
it for Play - Doh.' "
"Mega Man X Light. I guess that's X's full name, and this is his CD." Vio
remarked.
Neon Tiger shrugged. "Guess so. At any rate, I'm keeping this CD. And if X
wants it back one day, he can bloody well kiss off!"
Although nothing was particularly funny about Tiger's blunt words, both the
repliods burst into hysterical guffaws.
The Mavericks' laughter died when they approached the wrecked fortress that
had once served as their home. They stood silently, not quite knowing what to
make of the smoldering rubble.
"Hey Violen,"
"Yeah?"
"If I'm not mistaken, wasn't our fortress standing here when we left?"
"That's what I think, Tigger."
"Well," Tiger said slowly. "It ain't anymore. You know what I think? I think
that the Hunters got Vile."
"Oh dear. That's a bugger."
"Yeah. D'ya suppose that Phoenix or some others might have fled the
fortress?"
"I don't doubt it."
Neon Tiger stood stock still while he tried to register all this information.
"Know what I think, Vio?"
"What?"
"I think we should look for them."
"Know what, Tigger?"
"What?"
"That's the best suggestion I've heard all day."
Tiger nodded with a touch of pride. "The Hunters got us today...but tomorrow
is another day!"
Violen laughed. Then the two Mavericks skipped off into the dying sunset,
singing, "Tomorrow...tomorrow...I love you...tomorrow...you're only a day
awaaaaaaayyyy!", until their voices gradually faded off in the distance. It was
truly a sight that would have made the great Lord Sigma retch.
And there you have it, little 'uns. I've spun my tale, and I sure as hell
took my time doing so. Now, for listening to my yarn, ya each owe me 500 bucks
and a beer. Heh heh..jes' kidding! That's only 300 bucks! American, mind you.
Canadian seems to be worth diddly squat. But make the beer Canadian. Labatt's
Blue. I don't know how you Americans can call that swill of yours 'beer'. What's
that, little girl? You have no money!? Out the window with you! (*crash!*) I
can't stand freeloaders.
As fer the rest of ya, Auntie Draco hopes that you liked her story. Comments
would be nice at mailto:Red_Draco@yahoo.com%20?subject=Zero
Tolerance By the way, this is not the end of our little adventure! No sir!
We have a prequel coming out for our nice story. A prequel that will answer all
the worthless questions floating around in your TV - rotted minds, such as 'What
kind of past did Zero have?' And the like. I'd tell it to ya now, but I've gotta
visit the little dragon's room, 'cuz I've been sitting here for quite a long
while. But before I'd go, I'd like to do some kissing - up...
An extra special thanks goes to my biggest fans who were with me most of the
way: Slashman, Bryan D, Tekno Kat, Quickman, Zero Torval, and especially Mandi
(Phaelin) who helped me a LOT with her comments in the first shaky chapters of
this story. One final note: Quentin Tarantino, if by some crazy chance you end
up reading this story, please don't sue my ass for using references to your
wonderful 'Pulp Fiction'!
whatIjustkilledWHYdidyousendmeoutthere
togetdisembowledwhatkindofheartlessfreak
AREyouomigodIamslowlygoingcrazy!!"
(I mean it,
maaan!)