MegaMan NT Warrior (Rockman) Fan Fiction ❯ Past, Present and Future ❯ Migraine ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter 19: Migraine

It had been about 3 weeks since Sigma's last attack. Memories of Zero's past, although vague, have continued to haunt him. Every night he'd wake up, startled. And a few times X has said he's heard screaming as if someone was in labor. On the other hand, there was a huge lack of attacks from the mavericks. Perhaps they were all destroyed in the Repliforce Base? One could only guess. But for now things were peaceful, but none of the hunters could find a way to relax. Things were still very tense.

It was early morning, and most hunters were asleep. But something woke up X. It was that same shriek! It didn't last more then a few seconds, but it sounded as if someone was stabbing the reploid with a butcher knife! X suspected that it came from Zero. He wondered if they were nightmares of the previous events. He couldn't tell. And, it also could have been from other hunters. He himself has had a few nightmares about it. The destruction that was caused by Sigma and the Repliforce's betrayal was inexcusable and utterly horrifying.

X walked over to Zero's door and knocked softly. After waiting for a good few minutes, X started to worry. Right as he was about to use force, the door opened. Zero, wide-awake but had a cold stance. X heard about Iris's death from Dr. Cain not long after he came back. Since then Zero had become more cold, but they had grown a bit closer since the war.

"Yeah?" Zero asked.

"Did you hear screaming? It woke me up. It sounded like someone was on fire." X asked.

"Um..yeah." Zero said, paling slightly. "It was probably one of the rookies that lived through the little Repliforce 'war'."

"Hmm.." X said, he didn't believe everything Zero said. Suddenly, he had an idea. "All of us need to relax. How about we throw a huge party? It would really help the rookies and all of the other hunters to relax and have fun, and to forget all of the events that have happened."

"That's a cool idea, X." Zero said. "Lets ask Doc about it."

X nodded and both he and Zero walked over to Doc's room. The blue hunter knocked softly. Dr. Cain, who was also wide awake, opened the door and gave a slight tug on his beard.

"You boys are up early. How can I help you?" Dr. Cain asked, opening the door all the way to allow them to come in.

"Hey Doc, X came up with a cool idea." Zero said, walking inside.

"Lets hear it." Dr. Cain said. X followed inside after Zero.

"Well, all the hunters are real tense, especially after that Repliforce 'War'. It really took a lot out of them.." X said, glancing at Zero, who watched emotionlessly. "So I was thinking maybe we should hold a party, to liven them up a little. Give them a chance to relax and have fun."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea. The other hunters could probably use something to cheer em' up. How about we have it tonight at 7?" Dr. Cain said. X nodded.

"I'll announce it." Zero said, departing. After Zero left, X turned and watched Dr. Cain.

"I'm worried about hi--" X started to say but was cut off.

"You still worried 'bout that boy?" Dr. Cain interrupted. X frowned. Dr. Cain said that much too soon. He knew something. "Ah, so that's the reason you did this crazy party, eh?"

"Well, that's not the only reason...the other hunters could use it, too.. but back to the point, Dr. Cain...is there something you're not telling me?" X asked. Dr. Cain was silent for a long time.

"N-no...of course not! X, you must quit worrying about such things! Now lets go. We gotta get ready for that party!" Dr. Cain said, then walked out to get the supplies...

That night...

All the hunters were in the 'party room' <A.K.A. the main quarters, or *living room* of the base>. The party had just begun but already in full swing. Some reploids were talking, some were arm wrestling, some were watching TV., etc. X walked through the party room, and found Zero acting as a referee to a wrestling match between two rookie hunters.

"Hey!" Zero yelled, waving X over. X ran over.

"I can't decide whether Flare over there fouled or not. Do you think sitting on someone half your size would be a foul?" Zero asked.

One of the rookies <most likely 'flare'> was sitting on top of a much smaller rookie, who was screeching 'Foul! Foul!'

"I don't think so. But no broken circuits or hospitals, okay guys?" X told the two wrestlers, laughing. "The doctors would probably have a fit!"

The big fat rookie slowly got off the little one, who had sparks coming out of him.

"Hey, how 'bout you guys wrestle?" One of the rookies, who was watching the other two wrestle, looked over at X and Zero. "It would be the event of the night! But I wanna be ref!"

X and Zero looked at each other. Zero grinned.

"Sure, why not?" Zero said. X grinned as well.

"You know I cannot show mercy upon you, y'know that, right?" Zero teased. X laughed.

"You can talk the talk, but lets see if you can put actions behind it!" X said, still grinning. 'This is great!' X thought to himself. 'This party is exactly what all the hunters needed!'

Both X and Zero deactivated all of their weapons. It was a friendly wrestling match, of course.

The minute they stepped into the makeshift ring, Zero leapt at X and grabbed him by the shoulders. X grabbed Zero's shoulders. Both struggled to gain the upper hand. But Zero had an advantage, he was bigger and heavier then X was. Both fell to the ground, Zero on top of X. X flipped Zero off before he had a chance to pin him. Zero landed on his back. X laughed and quickly rolled onto his feet. Zero also got up.

"Witness my Clothesline!" Zero laughed, running at X with one arm stretched out to the side. X ducked and grabbed Zero by the waist and did a suplex. Had he not been wearing his helmet, that probably would have hurt, but since he was wearing it, all it did was stun him. Then X pinned him. One of the rookies fell to his knees like a ref and started hitting the floor.

~Make it look like an accident...~ Zero blinked. No!! Not now! Go away!!

"1..," The rookies cheered.

X grinned playfully.

~You were only joking around...a friendly game of 'wrestling'...they'll believe you..~ Zero closed his eyes tightly. X blinked, not understanding why Zero wasn't struggling to get out of his hold. He knew for a fact that Zero was by no means injured.

"2..."

Suddenly, Zero opened his eyes, they were red. With a growl he shoved X off of him, a lot harder then X had thought he would. X flew back about a foot and landed on his butt. Zero leapt onto his feet and lunged at X, smashed into him with such a force X fell all the way back. X yelped, more from confusion than pain. Zero sat on X's stomach and held him down with one hand on his shoulder. The rookies cheered, but their cheers died on their titanium lips when they saw Zero raise his other fist up, as if he was about to knock out X's lights.

'What am I doing?!!!', Zero thought. Regaining control, he quickly lowered his fist to his side and pinned X as if they were still doing a friendly wrestle. The rookie kneeled and counted to three. The other rookies cheered. Zero quickly got off and extended one hand out to X.

"You ok? Sorry about that." Zero laughed, putting his other hand behind his head. "I was just trying to surprise ya. Guess I don't know my own strength eh?" X, still confused, took Zero's hand. The crimson hunter pulled his partner to his feet. Right at that moment, as if on cue, four hunters came with a few cases of various alcoholic beverages.

"I'm gonna get some, want any?" Zero asked. The events within the last few moments shook him up, so he welcomed any chance to forget it.

"Sure." X mumbled.

Zero got a huge bottle of tequila and a small bottle of beer. He threw the tiny bottle to X, who laughed.

"Gee, I feel cheated." X joked. Zero grinned, then downed the whole bottle of trequila! X blinked. "Just a little faster and you would have set a new record.." X mumbled, then drank some of his bottle o' beer.

..1 hour and a whole lotta alcoholic beverages later...

Just about every hunter in there was roaring drunk, including X and Zero, who weren't very good at holding their liquor in the first place.

"Ya know.." X slurred. "Ish would bia goo time ta go to bed.."

"Not a bad idea.." Zero slurred, then staggered onto his feet. "But the whole room ish spinning...I'll play some roulette!" He closed his eyes and just started walking in any direction, ultimately ending up smashing into a wall and falling onto his back. By the time he hit the floor he was already asleep.

"That wash not very effective.." X grumbled. "I'll jush go ta shleep here.." He sat down on the floor, yawned, then fell asleep...

~Zero...~

'Leave me alone'

~You can't escape your fate...~

'Leave me alone!'

~You still refuse me?~

'Yes! Now leave me alone… I'll never hurt X!'

~But you already did...that wrestling match..~

'Go away!'

~You almost injured X...had you not regained control...don't worry though, we'll get X soon...very soon..~

'Leave me alone!!!!!'

~How soon you forget that you were once a maverick...and also how you were built by me! Yes, I made you to be a reploid, but you *will* obey me! Perhaps if I...refreshed your memory...~

Suddenly he saw visions, grotesque visions. Blood everywhere, dying reploids screaming in unison, bodies sprawled on the floor. Zero wanted to look away but something forced him to watch. Something made him look down at his blood stained hands, and his bloody sword... then suddenly, he felt a horrible pain in his head. It felt as if someone was shoving needles into his forehead.

X walked to the refrigerator. It was the middle of the night. The affect of the alcohol had worn off but it left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. He poured a glass of milk and started drinking it, when suddenly he heard an ear-piercing shriek. It seemed to have been coming from the party room! He quickly raced out of the kitchen and into the party room. The other hunters were still drunk, obviously they had much more to drink then X and Zero combined. The crimson hunter was on his knees in the center of the room, his hands on the sides of his head. His emerald eyes wide and unseeing.

"Zero?" X ran over. "What is it?"

"My…head ....pain..!! …M…make it ...stop....X.." Zero whispered, then shrieked again. X could feel his audio chips shorting out, but ignored it.

"How?!" X then noticed that the crystal implanted on the forehead piece of Zero's helmet was glowing brightly, so brightly that it made X squint. Maybe it was the crystal that was doing it? If it is, then X has to get that helmet off. This would pose a challenge, as Zero had a death grip on it. X clasped the helmet and tried to pull it off, but to no avail. It would take the jaws of life to unclasp such a powerful grasp.

'IwillnothurtXIwillnothurtXIwillnothurtX...' Zero's mind repeated the same mantra. 'No matter what torment you put me through! I'll never join you...' Zero can feel his creator's anger, and it worsened his headache. He could barely hear himself cry out over the buzzing in his mind. He barely noticed X as lights painfully danced before his wide eyes. Eventually the pain lessened, and he can feel himself tiring, as the struggle had left him ravaged.

~Your will is much stronger then I thought...perhaps I won't be able to force you myself. But now X knows. He'll ask Dr. Cain...Dr. Cain will tell him...and he'll no longer wish to be associated with the likes of you.....and you'll be all mine..~

Suddenly, the crystal's glowing died down. X blinked. Zero's shoulders slumped and he fell forward, unconscious.

End of Chapter 19