X1

X and Zero both teleported to the front of the Prototype Weapons Plant. They were greeted with a less-than-expected view of the Plant.

"Umm...Zero are you seeing this right?"

"Yeah, shouldn't there be a base of flames emanating from the lower cavities in these halls as a precautionary measure for derelict weapons?"

Zero's communicator began buzzing with intensity. Dr. Cain's voice was coming through, albeit barely.

"My friends, just a word of warning. You won't be greeted with gigantic flames or fiery hotbeds. I have a new schematic output of the Plant with much different readings than before all this took place!"

Zero placed his arm up to his face to get a better reading.

"Yes Doctor, go on."

"Apparently when X defeated Chill Penguin, the sensory output of the data chip in Chill Penguin's data chip caused fluctuations in the Defense Systems Unit of the Weapons Plant."

X stepped up to the microphone.

"How is that even possible?"

"Well I'm not saying it happened right away. But as you got closer and closer to the Weapons Plant, the chip in your arm activated some kind of power-down effect that honed Chill Penguin's weapon, the Shotgun Ice, and manufactured itself as cold icy floors instead of the hot burning fields you should be seeing! Great, eh?"

Zero shrugged and took a quick look over at X.

"Uhh yeah sure. Zero out."

He closed his arm communicator and made an "after you" motion to X. Pleased with this much-appreciated outcome, X casually began walking towards the weapon-manufacturing machines.

"Hmm, looks like they're still in working order, Zero. Is there a way we can shut them down?"

"Not from our present location. But I know if we put a stop to Flame Mammoth, and maybe even get ahold of that capsule, then we can shut down production from the main bay past the security doors."

The Hunters looked ahead and watched as the machines continually pumped out weapon after bizarre weapon. Some were shaped like mobile suits with spikes and missile attachments. Others bore a more Reploid-like look, with swinging arms and small attaches for handguns.

"I say we take the brand-new shortcut our dear data chip has created for us along the base of this hallway. Come on, X. Let's go!"

X took another look at his X-Buster, now riddled with data chips and surging with intense technology.

"Alright. It'll be a good way to honour Chill Penguin's memory."

"Right. Now come on!"

The two jumped down past the conveyor belts with weapons and dashed along the icy floor. They bypassed several large machines that cranked out load after load of new weapons, most likely for the Mavericks inhabiting the area. One of the Reploid-like weapons carried a small laser pistol and fired aimlessly in Zero and X's general direction. It missed them completely.

"Geez, not five seconds out of the box and already they want to destroy! And all these weapons are because of my design. I can't let this go on! Let's keep moving, Zero!"

"Hey, that's my line, ROOKIE!"

They began dashing across the floor again when a few Mavericks with propeller heads and pincer-like bodies were up ahead, looking very lost.

"Hey...what are those guys doing here? Something's wrong. They belong back at the Airport."

"You know better than that, X. They belong in a waste dump! Hyyah!"

Zero slashed at the few rogue Mavericks ending their reign of hallway terror quickly.

"This isn't right. Could Flame Mammoth be closer than we thought? I say we watch our surroundings a little closer. X, let's go find that capsule and keep going."

"Roger."

The Hunters dropped down to the next hallway. A series of strange-looking blocks lined the ceiling that lead to the mining equipment area of the base. Also, Zero was getting equally strange readings from above.

"X, I think we found where the capsule is! You see those blocks? I think your new headgear can make good work of them! This is it, X. The big one. Now get up there!"

Without hesitation, X jumped up and pummeled the blocks, shattering them into a thousand fragments with his diamond-hard helmet. The blocks broke away leading to a secret passage with a familiar-looking disc shape on the floor. Zero followed pursuit, dashing up and kicking along the wall to X's location near the disc shape.

"So this is it then. My last upgrade? At least I get to see my father one more time...I have so much to tell him. So many regrets, so many new experiences to tell him about...I just want one more chance with him."

Zero shook his head up and down and pushed X towards the capsule.

"Just do this before I get antsy and take the capsule myself."

The capsule rose up from the ground and made a swooshing sound as the platform rose. A hum cut through the dead air when the hologram of Dr. Light was activated.

"This capsule contains a part which will increase the capabilities of your X-Buster."

X took a step back and grabbed hold of his X-Buster. Zero looked over at X, equally as surprised.

"You can use it to fire all types of weapons."

Dr. Light's image faded back into the depths of the capsule's memory banks. X took one step forward. Zero grabbed his shoulder hastily.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, X? This could be an extremely unstable weapon!"

X took one look at Zero. He then turned back to the capsule.

"He's my father. He's done nothing but good for me. I trust his work and I trust his word. Nothing can change my desire to be what he'd always planned me to be."

A massive crushing sound came from behind them and a large, bulbous Maverick grabbed X by the head and flung him into the wall.

"If anyone's stopping you from getting that capsule, it's me!"

Zero turned around and backed off slightly.

"F-Flame Mammoth! How the hell did you find us?"

"Oh, those pesky little helicopter pincer Mavericks? My idea. Pretty good surveillance, don't ya think? Thanks to them, I pinpointed your whereabouts and...well what the hell am I tellin' YOU for? I came here to claim that capsule as my own!"

X pulled his head out from the wall and charged up his X-Buster. He approached Flame Mammoth from his back slowly and raised his Buster in the air.

"Now what makes you think you're the rightful owner?"

Flame Mammoth wrapped his trunk around an unsuspecting Zero and began crushing him mercilessly. He then gave X the back of his elbow, sending him flying back again near the lip of the platform they were standing on.

"'Cause I'm the one in charge here, as you can see! I've been working at this damned Weapons Plant forever monitoring, testing, and dispatching weapons for you pitiful people! It's about time I earned my own special weapon! Now you two get outta here while daddy gets his pay!"

Zero unfurled himself from Flame's staggering grip while X inched closer to Flame Mammoth from behind.

"X, I hate to do this, but I think we gotta put this capsule out of commission before it blows the whole city sky high!"

Flame Mammoth took his trunk, aimed it at Zero and fired a burning flame on his entire body, sending him into a rolling fit of pain.

"Auuugh! X! Stop him, NOW!"

"NOBODY WILL STOP ME FROM GETTING WHAT'S MINE!"

X aimed his fully-charged X-Buster at the delicate capsule and closed his eyes.

"I...I'm sorry father. I can't be the perfect robot you want, but at least I can get pretty damned close!"

He fired. In a large puff of smoke, the capsule was lost forever.

"NOOOOOO! Oh you two bastards will pay for this with your lives!"

Zero, now a little more singed than earlier, brought out his Z-Saber and managed to cut Flame Mammoth's left leg in two.

"Sorry, Flame, but you may need to have that looked at!"

"Arrrgh damn you, Zero! Fine, you win for now. But I'll be good and ready in my main bay area! See you there, chumps!"

Flame Mammoth barreled back into the very hole he created in the wall just on the other side of the room. He was gone just as quickly as he came. X ran over to Zero who was still clutching his burn marks from the flamed attack.

"Zero! Zero are you okay?"

Zero brushed off his shoulders and rose to his feet.

"*cough* Never better! Just a scratch. Anyway it's a shame you didn't get a new Buster. We could really have used it against that monstrosity."

X thought about it, then reconsidered.

"Yeah, but in a place like this it could've done irreparable damage if you think about it."

They both nodded in agreement of the last statement and headed back down to the mining equipment area just below where the great capsule once stood.

"Ah, miners. No problem. Take a look below."

Down below the platforms where mining Mavericks were hiding out laid more icy floor. Seeing it as another shortcut, the duo dashed down past many mining Mavericks, each one looking angrier at the ease of their journey than the last.

"'Ey! Dem's Hunters is gettin' away wit a free ride!"

"Yo dis guy's right! Let's give 'em a piece of our minds eh?"

All at once, the Mavericks began hucking their pickaxes at the Hunters, who by then were unfortunate enough to encounter a dead end.

"Crap! We're boxed in! Zero, any ideas?"

"Only one. We go back the way we came and resurface above this platform we're stuck under."

The duo dashed back out, X-Buster and Z-Saber at the ready, and jumped up and over slicing and shooting along the way. The managed to take out two Mavericks with their combined efforts, clearing a path to a long wall leading up to another hallway.

"Ah, nothing like teamwork! I hope all our missions are like this!"

Zero rolled his eyes at X's cheeriness.

"Yeah and if you keep that attitude up I'll have to check the lunch I ate at the door."

They kicked their way up the wall to the next hallway.

"Geez, another wall. I guess Flame's expecting us to jump through hoops next after all this wall-climbing? Come on X, let's get this over with."

They kicked up another large wall and could hear large crushing noises coming just up ahead in the next hallway.

"Great. I guess Flame Mammoth can't be too far behind. I can hear people being SAT on."

X just looked over at his very verbal partner and shook his head.

"I doubt it's Flame Mammoth. Look up ahead at those crushers."

"Hmm, must be where they dispose of the defective weapons. Guess we'll have to be extra careful here."

The pair looked down at the floor again and saw another icy path. Unfortunately the path was so tight they couldn't even crawl through it.

"Damn, guess we'll have to actually FIGHT something now, Zero."

Zero rubbed his hands in anticipation and unleashed a swipe of his Z-Saber into the air.

"I have a feeling we'd have to make quick work of this next area. Those crushers don't look like they'll stop for Maverick Hunters."

The two of them dashed over a strange mobile suit weapon and zoomed past the crusher. A second later the huge machine came crashing down just beside them, flattening the very weapon they'd just dashed across.

"Holy crap, X, let's move! Move move MOVE!"

They dash-jumped over each oncoming platform, timing their dashes to avoid the gigantic crushers above them. Another Reploid-shaped weapon fired another tiny laser in their direction. It was just enough to trip up the two Hunters and land just underneath a crusher. The crusher began shaking as it made its way down to flatten the two Hunters.

"Quick, Zero! Roll my way!"

They rolled in X's direction and could feel the cold gust of wind shooting out from the bottom of the pressurized crusher. Zero's own face was mere inches away from being completely ripped off. He lay there for a few seconds in shock.

"Zero...Zero come on! We gotta keep moving!"

Zero shook his head, got up, and began walking again.

"Thanks, X. Saved me back there. I dunno what came over me!"

"Aww t'was nothin', bud."

"Hey, what did I tell you about that 'bud' stuff? Stay focused!"

They regained their composure and dropped to another level of the Prototype Weapons Plant: The waste management area.

"Zero, look at those pipes! They must be searing hot! There's some molten liquid leaking out of them!"

"Yes, it's the waste created by all those machines we just saw. It's careened through these pipes and recycled in the hydro bins just outside the Plant. Sadly, it sometimes leaks and causes chemical fires. Thanks to your Chill Penguin data chip, we don't have to worry about those."

X checked below the pipes and saw the base floor completely frozen over. He looked back over at the rest of the area and saw more miners and twirling spikes.

"Zero, what're those spikes?"

"Oh yeah, just another defense mechanism. Guess the data chip can only do so much, right?"

They both shrugged and began walking to the dangerous waste management area. X fired pellet after pellet at a mining Maverick that already started trouble with his flying pickaxes. He destroyed it, but not before its pickaxe got caught in a twirling spike and ricocheted towards X.

"X, look out! Axe!"

Zero lunged at X and pushed the two of them out of the way. The pickaxe banged off the side of a pipe and rested gently on the icy floor.

"X, you gotta be more careful around here! Be prepared for anything and everything! I'd hate to feel responsible for your loss."

X gave Zero a pat on the back and a small wink. Zero shrugged it off in amusement and they began climbing a nearby ladder.

"So Zero, any idea how much further? This place seems to have a lot of areas to it."

"Just after this area we should be at Flame Mammoth's base, the main bay area. So keep moving."

The climbed down another ladder just ahead and saw a Maverick looking very familiar to X.

"You again! From the Fortress Tower! I thought I put you down!"

The green Maverick with the large mace chuckled in spite of X's innocence.

"Ha! This is funny on two levels, mate. One, I have no idea what you're talking about. And two, didn't you know there's more than one of us lagging about? Now come on then!"

The green Maverick with the beady red eyes launched his giant mace, only grazing the chest of X and completely missing Zero.

"I always hated these guys, X. Buncha loudmouth nobodies! Here's what I think of you and your slimy attitude!"

Zero dove at the Maverick and gave him a vertical slash, severing its body in two and instantly destroying it.

"Wow, Zero. That Saber sure is powerful."

"I only reserve this thing for Mavericks. I'd never use it anywhere else."

As the Hunters went on their way again, they saw more red-eyed mace-wielding Mavericks and spinning spikes in their path.

"X, let's just handle these guys quickly. Hearing one of those jackasses complain is torture enough!"

"Agreed!"

X ran in with X-Buster fully charged and fired a shot past the shield of the once-protected Maverick, destroying him easily. Zero was up ahead cutting the torso of another snobbish mace-throwing Maverick, putting it down for the count.

"Over here, X! Just time your jump over these moving spikes and we're almost there!"

X jumped over the twirling spikes and dashed up to Zero, resting his foot on the corpse of another unsuspecting maced Maverick.

"Yeah...there was one more o' these by the way. I did you a favour."

X laughed and pointed towards the first security door.

"Thank you, Zero. But there's our next problem: Flame Mammoth."

X checked out his X-Buster's data chip technology and armed himself with Storm Eagle's Storm Tornado.

"Ah, good choice, X. But I don't see how pumping a windbag full of hot air with more hot air will do US any good! Ha ha ha!"

"It's all here in the readouts, Zero. Don't worry we'll get him."

Zero straightened up and grew serious in expression.

"Okay no more time for jokes. Let's put our game faces on. He's known to throw gobs of oil and light them on fire. So why don't I take out his trunk and you aim square for his body?"

X nodded in agreement and they walked through the first security door.

"This is it, our last area then we take on Sigma!"

Zero stopped and looked at X.

"Yeah yeah but one battle at a time. There's nothing else but Flame Mammoth, you got that? Got that??"

X nodded again and they walked through the second security door to meet Flame Mammoth.

"Finally! I was thinking you'd get bored of trying to save everyone and flee to your precious lab!"

Flame Mammoth's eyes burned hot with pleasure as he sized up the two diminutive Hunters.

"No matter how many times you come at us, Flame, we'll still come back for more! Capsule or no capsule, we'll still put an end to your crimes!"

Flame Mammoth gasped in horror of the phrase.

"CRIMES? I say they're beacons of accomplishment for the society we Mavericks rightly own! You can't take away our dream so long as Sigma and his army are roaming free!"

Zero looked over at X and gave him the go-ahead. X unfurled a whirling Storm Tornado at Flame Mammoth, cutting through his large exterior and causing heavy damage to his vital circuits.

"Arrrgh! How can this be? I'm invincible! I am a plethora of weapons and ammo! I'll show you what I mean! Take this!"

Flame Mammoth hurled a huge mass of oil that splashed over X, rendering him incapable of staying afoot due to the slippery substance.

"Careful, X! If he lights you up with his trunk, you're done for!"

Flame Mammoth leaped a huge leap, crashing down beside X and sending him and Zero high into the air from the shockwave.

"Zero! Get his trunk! Now!"

As Zero came falling down from the shockwave, he noticed Flame Mammoth's trunk aimed right at X's face as a small flame tucked out from the nostril. He grabbed his trusty Saber and took one swipe across his trunk.

"Uwaaaah! My trunk! My precious trunk what have you done!!!"

The flames burst forth from the gaping hole in his face, causing oil and fire to burst out all over Flame Mammoth. The oil got into his chest wound and the fire singed all the precious vital circuits inside. Flame Mammoth twitched uncontrollably and rolled around the room, spewing fire and oil everywhere as he eventually rolled to a slow stop. The room was growing hotter as the fire spread quicker towards the security door.

"X! You gotta put that fire out before it reaches the doors! The explosions from the waster management area could be disastrous!"

"Disaster," X thought to himself. He armed his X-Buster with the Shotgun Ice and fired it in all directions, bouncing off walls and covering the entire room with ice. Within seconds the fire was safely put out.

"Whew...another job well done I guess. Let's go get that data chip, X."

Zero went over and retrieved the chip from Flame Mammoth, observing it in the light of the room.

"So much power from so little a device...amazing."

X and Zero looked back at the burnt corpse of Flame Mammoth. They bowed their heads in respect moments before they teleported back to base one last time.