//------------------------------//
// 7: The Final Charge 
// Story: Melody of the Future 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

With Snipe Anteator in the brig alongside Soldier Stonekong, there was only one thing left to do.  "All eight 'Mavericks' Red sent out have been...dealt with," Iris explained from her Navigator post.  "All that's left now is to address the actual issue of Red himself...and this 'Professor' who appears to be pulling the strings.  The only way to do this is to target the Red Alert headquarters."

All eyes turned to Axl, who swallowed convulsively and nodded.  "Alright," he agreed slowly.  "I'll guide you all there.  I know the teleport coordinates to get us as close as possible.  It'll land us at the edge of the Palace Road, though.  The Crimson Palace itself is teleport shielded."

Octavia gently pat Axl's head comfortingly.  "Don't worry," she said softly.  "We'll fix things..."





As the group of four Hunters arrived at the edge of the Palace Road, they only had a few minutes to take in the surroundings.  The road itself was high up in the clouds where nothing could be seen, and large metal cylinders were arranged along the road, blocking parts of the path.  The more significant detail, however, was a massive mole-shaped Mechanaloid behind a large, spiked metal roller that was slowly chasing them down the road.

"Move, everyone!" X barked out, leading the way forward in a dash, the others close behind him.

"You know, my dash function is actually more powerful than yours," Octavia grumbled from Axl's arms.

"Then save it in case we need it," Axl replied.  "Besides, isn't the kid supposed to look out for his parents once he's grown?"

As they dashed past the metal cylinders - which revealed themselves to be bombs when the Mechanaloid rolled over them, making them explode - and around holes in the road, Deerballs marched slowly towards them, though they could be evaded or destroyed easily.  "Dodge them!" X ordered.  "Let them slow down our pursuer!"

The chase down the road continued for quite some time, with X, Zero, and Axl racing ahead.  Octavia, meanwhile, glanced behind them, keeping an eye on the pursuing Mechanaloid.  As she'd expected, the frequent explosions were slowly damaging the Mechanaloid's outer armor, and a grin crossed her features as it fell away at long last.  "It's vulnerable!" she barked out.  "Take it down!"

The four quickly turned to do so, evading as the Mechanaloid launched bladed discs at them from either side of its roller.  After dealing enough damage to the Mechanaloid, it lost its roller and reverted to using a high intensity laser beam...which also didn't avail it very well.

With the Guardian Mechanaloid destroyed, the group made their way into the Crimson Palace itself.





The inside of the palace was, at first, gray and dingy, leading into a giant tower with crisscrossing paths leading ever upward, patrolled by Batton Bones and Mettools.  Every so often, the sloping paths were blocked by massive balls of junk that slowly rolled towards the group, forcing them to duck into gaps in the path to evade.  Eventually, they reached the top of the tower, and a teleporter.

"So...where does this go?" X asked Axl.

"No idea," Axl replied.  "The Palace is in Security Mode, and that gives it a new floor plan every time, designed by Red himself when it's activated.  Red's the only one who knows the layout once he activates it."

"Well, only one way to find out, then," Zero decided, stepping into the teleporter.  The others soon followed.





The warp dropped them on the first in a series of platforms floating over a void.  Axl instantly handed Octavia to X before leaping forward across the platforms.  He knew this place.  "The Dueling Grounds, Red?" he called out.  "Someone's feeling dramatic."

Red warped in, hovering over the center platform, a large double-bladed scythe gripped in his hand in a ready stance.  "Says the one who made this a challenge for leadership," Red observed, amusement thick in his voice.  "Not sure how that's going to work, when you're practically a Maverick Hunter already."

"Why did this happen, Red?" Axl demanded.  "This, all of this...it isn't like you!"

"You're not in a position to demand answers yet, Axl," Red replied readily.  "This is a challenge for leadership.  Face me.  If you win, then I'll tell you everything.  But if anyone interferes...then you learn nothing."

"Classic, come!" Octavia called out.

Red spun to glare at Octavia as her support unit beamed in.  "What did I just say?" he growled out.

"Oh, he's not here to interfere," Octavia replied calmly.  "But if we're going to be reduced to observers, we want some snacks.  And since you weren't considerate enough to provide a popcorn vendor, I brought my own."

"If you end up playing music like you did against Hyenard, I get the mic this time," X called out quickly.

"Dammit!" Zero snapped irritably, crossing his arms in a huff.

Octavia rolled her eyes and sighed.  "Classic has two mics, you know.  Kick his ass, Axl!"

"Will do, Ma!" Axl called back.

"Ma?" Red asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

Axl shrugged.  "She adopted me."

Red chuckled softly.  "Glad to see you landed on your feet, boy.  So...let's see if you've become a man!"

Red and Axl both lunged for each other.  Red swung his scythe, striking out at Axl as he ducked under each strike, while Red sidestepped or deflected each attempt of Axl's to shoot him with the other end.  After a time of the clash, Red leapt back, unleashing waves of energy from each blade of his scythe in a swipe.  Axl dodged by leaping to another platform, only to have to leap away again as Red unleashed Volt Tornadoes on several platforms.

"I fight with the strength of all my men!" Red called out.  "Can you face us all alone?"

Axl looked up, his eyes narrowed...and holstered his guns.  "I already have!"  As he lunged forward, Octavia began to play.

To Red's surprise, Axl shifted into Ride Boarski to body slam him to the next platform.  As they impacted, he shifted to Soldier Stonekong, grabbing Red and flipping him onto another platform.  Red leapt back to his feet and swung his scythe...only to gasp as Axl shifted into Splash Warfly, countering with the double-bladed propeller sword, meeting the strikes head on.  As he managed to throw Red off his game and knock the scythe off course, he shifted into Vanishing Gungaroo and unleashed a barrage of punches into Red's torso.

Gasping for breath, Red steeled himself and grappled with Axl, only to be spun around and around as Axl shifted into Tornado Tonion, sending Red flying straight up as the spin generated a powerful Volt Tornado.  As Red tumbled, Axl launched up in the form of Wind Crowrang, taking a page out of Storm Eagle's battle style and striking several times as he swooped past his foe.  He came to a halt directly below Red, turning into Flame Hyenard and smashing his feet into Red's back, kicking him upward and damaging his repulsor jets as Axl came down hard on the platform directly below.

"This ends now!" Axl called out as he changed into Snipe Anteator and began charging the sniper rifle.  Shifting, he locked onto Red as he tumbled...and pulled the trigger.

Red gasped out as the shot punched through his torso, severing his primary command pathways and control circuits while leaving his primary power core and core CPU intact.  Unable to move at all, Red tumbled down to the platforms, landing heavily on one of them as Octavia ended the music.  "W...well done, Axl.  She's...really made a man out of you.  Maybe...you can handle The Professor, too...and keep him from turning our friends into mindless slaves."

Axl gasped out in shock.  "Is...is that why you did all this?"

Red nodded.  "He showed up, offered to use the DNA data you collected to upgrade us...the upgrades were amazing...but everyone who got upgraded...he gained control of.  When you ran, he told me...if we didn't bring you back, he would turn all my men...into mindless killing machines."

"Red..."  Axl moved to the side of his old leader, putting his hand to his shoulder.

"I failed our men, Axl," Red explained bitterly.  "I know...you won't."  Forcing through the paralysis, he grasped his scythe and handed it to Axl.  "You'd best...get out of here...sir.  This place...will explode soon.  I will...make sure he thinks...that you fell into his trap.  Security...has already been disabled..."  Red's chest compartment opened, and his power core began to whine.

"Red, no!" Axl called out desperately.  "I didn't shoot to kill!  You can still be saved!"

Red chuckled softly.  "Axl...I already have been.  Now go!  You have more responsibilities than just me to see to!  You are the leader of Red Alert now!  Act it!"

Axl flinched back, but nodded.  Tears in his eyes, he raced to the teleporter, leading the others deeper into the Crimson Palace as the Dueling Grounds exploded...Red's last act to help save his men.