MegaMan NT Warrior (Rockman) Fan Fiction ❯ Strings of Fate ❯ 1st Foray ( Chapter 10 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Deya_X
X's doubts continue to rise, right along with the tides of fear...the 1st battle ignites underneath a storm of fury.

Anime/Manga: MegaMan NT Warrior (Rockman) Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.28.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 382 | Status: Completed

Alia had been correct about the storm. It was a massive thunderstorm, one that held the mighty force of a dragon's soul. Black winds were soaring throughout the dark skies, freezing everything they came into contact with. There were clouds in the sky, but they were barely visible because of the darkness they were immersed in. The only sources of light were the bolts of golden yellow lightning-sharp bolts of energy were falling from the black clouds at an alarming speed. The bolts of lightning were shaming the speed of light itself.
The bolts of lightning made X think of how fast time was flowing.
The three of them arrived on the scene, each of them still lost within their emotions. Axl's face was bright with an unbelievable amount of determination-one glance at his face almost made the blue Maverick Hunter's eyes well up with tears. He never thought such a degree of bravery even existed before the young runaway crashed into the Maverick Hunter base.
As for Zero.....
Strong determination was also on his face, but unfortunately, it was pinned down by desperation. Desperation had given birth to the valiance on his face, in his eyes....he was trying to put up a strong front, but it wasn't working. X could see right through the mask.
The winds were excruciatingly cold and amazingly strong....trying to see clearly was clearly impossible. The dark mists of the winds were seeping into Zero's soul, and so the proud Maverick Hunter was brought down to his knees. He wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes, trying to block out everything....but nothing he could do worked. The winds were performing their evil magic on him successfully.
“Zero!!”
X fell to his knees and embraced his friend, joining him in the fight against the malicious, relentless winds of death. He held onto him tightly, wanting to end the pain, but his results were no different from Zero's. There wasn't a thing he could do....
But he wanted to hold onto Zero for as long as he could.
Axl had gone a few yards ahead of them-he was obviously ready for action, and he was definitely ready to protect his two new friends. He scanned their surroundings for a second, and then looked behind himself-X and Zero weren't with him. He called out to them as loudly as he could, hoping they would hear him.
“HEY!! YOU GUYS!!! THE MECHANALOID YOUR NAVIGATOR TOLD US ABOUT IT RIGHT UP AHEAD!!! COME ON!!!”
“AXL!!!!” X called out to him helplessly, bearing the look of a forlorn kitten. “ZERO CAN'T-”
“X.”
The great Maverick Hunter looked at his dearest friend in the eyes. His ethereal eyes were filled to the rims with powerful resolve.......
He didn't want to be kept down.
Zero had such a big ego.
“Zero.....”
The Crimson Hunter smiled at him warmly, trying to comfort him. “I'm fine. Let's go.”
X glanced over at Axl. Axl tossed him a wink and went straight for the enemy.
I feel like I'm wedged between two rocks. Two REALLY big rocks.
The young Axl was alive and kicking. His heart was strong, stronger than any storm....stronger than any evil force. His eyes were shimmering jewels of invigorating, awe-inspiring energy....and the flames coming from within his heart were flames of bravery that defied all types of description. Zero's soul, on the other hand, was also shining with valiance.....
But the valiance was weak.
He was trying to keep X in high spirits...
He was trying to keep himself in high spirits.
I feel like I'm wedged between two REALLY, REALLY big rocks.
“X, listen to me.” Zero said to his dearest friend firmly, looking at him right in the eyes. X looked like someone that was being pushed into something......
In other words, he was definitely frightened.
“I said I'm fine. You can't hold me down.”
Yes, but you can't hold back the truth, was what X wanted to say, but his mouth didn't move. The blue Maverick Hunter looked back at Axl, who was tangling with the Mechanaloid. The Mechanaloid wasn't the only friend he had though-he was being attacked simultaneously by many smaller Reploids. In no more than a second, X' mouth fell open, and his eyes widened in surprise.
“Take this, scumball!!!! Special delivery from YOURS TRULY!!! YEEEEE-HAAAA!!”
The young Reploid was beyond amazing.
Phenomenal! It's as if he's forming battle strategies and carrying them out all at the same time! X thought to himself, watching Axl take on the crowd. With his two guns, he was unstoppable. It was like watching a newborn bear cub take its first steps! The speed he moved at caused the speed of lightning to fall into the deepest shame imaginable, and his attitude?
He was like a child on Christmas Eve.
Or should that be Christmas Day?
A few moments later, a soft `swoosh' touched X's ears, and his heart jolted violently.
“Zero!”
The Crimson Flame leapt into the fray, covering Axl's back. The young Reploid threw him a quick smile, wiping out crowds of enemy Reploids with his two guns. X observed the both of them for a minute.....
And realized that something was wrong.
Dead wrong.
Oh no.....
Zero's Z-Saber drew its power from Zero's emotions, and the strength within Zero's heart. It was a stunning, breathtaking phenomenon....
Before the virus exploded within his body.
Now.....now........
It was.........
Pristine drops of dew rushed into X's eyes, and a hand flew right to his mouth automatically.
This is horrible.....
In mere seconds the flow of tears caused him to go completely blind.
No.....this can't be.....
After what felt like an eternity, X wiped his eyes...
And found Axl's hand right in front of his face.
The young Reploid was smiling at him, his eyes shining with infinite warmth. The Red Alert runaway was young, energetic, headstrong....to the untrained eye he was just another upbeat, high-strung kid......but X knew he was more than that.
Way more.
“Ready to go? Tonion's not gonna wait forever, y'know.”
“Yeah. I know. Let's go.”
MegaMan X took his new friend's hand slowly, trying to figure out.....
Trying to figure out if he had done the right thing.
If Axl doesn't find a way to cure Zero......
Then a part of me will end up hating him.
I don't want that to happen.
Did I do the right thing?
“We've gotta get going! We have a long way to go, especially since the weather isn't being friendly to us! The strong winds are just going to make things harder for us, so we need to move fast!” Axl waved his hand at his two friends, his eyes shining like the bolts of lightning falling from the black clouds. X glanced at Zero, who was standing right next to Axl, holding his Saber...
“Axl!”
“Don't worry!” The young one told him. He looked and sounded like someone that was about to take a really easy spelling test. “I'll take care of the both of you! Okay?! Now let's MOVE IT!”
The young Reploid took off into the dark storm, closely followed by Zero, who didn't say a word to X before leaving. X sighed heavily, feeling the first drops of rain fall onto his face.
A part of me will end up hating you.
You know I'll end up becoming angry at you....if you fail.
If you let me down.
IF.
Why was he saying `if'? There was no cure.
Right?
--The three Reploids soared like falcons throughout the tower silently, striving for the very top of the tower......
Striving for a battle with Tornado.
The storm didn't let up. It actually became worse with every passing second.
Every.....second......
Seconds felt like years.
But time really had no meaning.
All of them were immersed in their own worlds, even though they were acting as one. Axl was the front-runner, soaring through the tower with the most beautiful degree of courage in his eyes. He was no different from a vibrant, adventurous young puppy.....but at the same he was a powerful, awe-inspiring beacon of guidance. Zero was close behind, but he was still lost in the depths of pain.....
The winds weren't leaving him alone.
X couldn't take his eyes off of the Crimson Hunter.
Zero could collapse at any given moment.
The blue Maverick Hunter couldn't take his mind off of his friend's Z-Saber.
His Saber is in TERRIBLY shape.....
It's.....it's....
He didn't want to finish his thought.
It would have hurt too much to do so.
Thirty years passed before Axl spoke to the both of them....
Or was it just ten minutes that had passed?
“ALL RIGHT, YOU TWO!!” he shouted back at them as lightning lit up his face. “OUR FRIEND IS STRAIGHT AHEAD!! HERE'S THE LOWDOWN!! ELECTRIC TORNADOES WILL BE AT DISPOSAL! SOUNDS STUPID, I KNOW!! BUT GET READY, `CUZ THEY'LL PACK A LOT OF PUNCH!! ARE YOU TWO READY?!?!”
“READY!” Zero shouted back at him over the wind. He wanted to unsheathe his Saber...
But that would have made him feel incredibly stupid.
X looked over at Zero worriedly, feeling like he was being pushed into going bungee jumping. He answered Axl a minute later, not really believing the answer that flew from his mouth.
“I'M READY! LET'S GET IN THERE!”