Mega Man X: Paradise Lost

by Captain L

Chapter 5: Escape

Chapter 5: Escape

He ran through the woods, his skilled legs carrying him across and over fallen trees and other bumps in the terrain. He was breathing heavy, but wouldn’t stop. He was being chased. Being caught would surely mean death. He knew his hunter was close on his tail, willing to work as long as it took to bring him to justice. So he ran.

“You can keep running, drone! You’ll never escape! I’ll find you!” She was always taunting him, trying to make him give up. But she knew he wouldn’t. She’d dealt with runaways before, and she knew they would stop only with death. Not that she was complaining, she enjoyed the hunt. Especially in forests like these, despite the low visibility, she felt right in her element.

Drones that didn’t understand their place weren’t common, but also not unheard of. They lost their sense of duty, obligation, and unity. They didn’t want to be a part of their glorious master race anymore, and took off. Not for long, though. That’s where she came in.

She was their bounty hunter. Spike Rosered. The queen would ask her to hunt down a target. She came back a few days later, no questions asked. None need be asked. Everyone knew what once was a target was probably indistinguishable now. She still had loyalty to the queen, but her methods followed no laws.

The traitor she was hunting now, in many respects, was just the same as the others. A Changeling who rebelled against his role and tried to become an individual. Changeling drones were supposed to act as one unit, they didn’t have identities or names. Traitors gave themselves a name and went off. They didn’t last much longer than that.

There was one little respect where this one was different, a detail that gave him an identity without names. He had the most useful ability of any Changeling. Changelings as a species had the ability to transform themselves into the body of any living creature, assuming it was in the same size range.

This runaway was different. He could change forms just as easily as any other Changeling, but he got the skills and abilities of whatever he was copying. Sure, a Changeling turning into a pegasus or unicorn could still perform magic or flight just as well as they could in their normal bodies, but he could use any extra abilities the original had.

This useful “Perfect Copy” skill was highly regarded by the queen, but when a Changeling goes rogue, it no longer matters who they were before. Now, they’re nothing but dead. “You know, drone, you were doing so well as part of the team! If you’ll leave your insanity behind, I’m sure you’ll be welcome back!”

He could hear his hunter, and he knew she was just talking out her flank. Once you were a traitor, there was no going back. No matter what he said or did, he’d be dead upon capture. The only way to escape it was to get to safety.

Of course, that was easier said than done. He was the first one to make it this far, but she was gaining. He couldn’t think of anything to transform into that would aid his retreat, and his black skin already provided good camouflage in the darkness.

But where was safety? The Changelings wouldn’t take him back, and he’d rather die than go back. Ponies? They’d kill him on sight. His only possible option was to hide. Hide until his hunters left, and live in exile. That’s all he had left at that point. Exile.

“Get back here! You’re only making it worse for yourself if you keep on running!”

He wanted to keep quiet and remain hidden, but there wasn’t much of a point. A bounty hunter as skilled as Rosered surely knew where he was. So there wasn’t much harm in talking back. “Making it worse! How could it possibly be worse at this point?”

“If you stop right now and give up, I’ll kill you quick and painless. That’s the best offer you’re going to get, drone!”

“Painless? Ha! You aren’t even capable of killing without torture! You’re nothing but a psychopath! Why do you think I left? You’re all monsters!”

“We’re the psychos? We at least understand our place in the world! You’re not just rebelling against us, you’re rebelling against the natural order of things! You’re nothing but a drone, a worker, you have no place in the world! Why fight the inevitable?”

“Who are you to tell me my place? You’re nowhere near the top of anything, you’re just a flower pony that your queen took in! Do you really have a future? You just do your little job like the loyal servant you are, while I’m out here trying to make a change!”

“YOU CAN’T MAKE ACHANGE IF YOU’RE DEAD!” Rosered was losing her grip and just wanted a kill. Being a real part of nature, she fully understood how to use the forest to her advantage. She swung across branches and through trees to gain enough momentum to catch up.

Her target nearby, she leaped from a hiding spot of leaves and branches onto his back. Only to be met by the body of Princess Celestia, who used her regal magic to blast Rosered away. While flying through the air, she saw Celestia be consumed by green flames, and start running in the smaller, more nimble form of a Changeling again.

She slammed the ground with her hoof. “DAMN IT!” Struggling to get back up amidst the pain of a magic blast, she began running as well as she could. She wouldn’t let her target get away. Nothing ever evaded her in the end.

The thick treescape gave way to a clearing in the forest, hoofprints fresh in the dirt. He’s here, hiding like the coward he is.

He was hiding, using the best camouflage body he could think of. Rosered herself. With that body came intimate knowledge of nature’s quirks, allowing him to remain perfectly concealed. He just needed a perfect time and body to strike.

No. No other changes. If she’s going to die, it’s going to be from Changeling magic. He quietly changed back to his normal form, and got ready to strike. He saw a scuffle in a bush on the outskirts of the clearing, and backed away into the treetop.

Rosered also saw the motion, and pulled out her knife. “It’s over, drone! You’re not escaping now!” She leapt into the bush, the knife positioned for a kill.

But before she reached her target, she saw a blue pony jump out and ram into her. She got up from the impact and smirked. “Whose body are you taking this time? I’ve never seen him before.”

The blue pony was confused. “Taking bodies? What are you talking about? I’m only here to apprehend the Maverick, and it would appear that it’s you.”

“Oh…you’re a filthy Maverick Hunter. I don’t have time to deal with you, I’ve got a runaway to find, and you’re only getting in my way.”

He took a fighting stance. “I’m not giving up on you until you’re taken into custody. I’m not going to kill you, just please listen.”

She laughed. “You Maverick Hunters, you’ve always been weak! You’re too soft to kill me, even if you wanted to. I’ll fight you, and you’ll pay for making me lose…”

A flash of green magic flying towards her, hitting her in the side of the head, and coming out the other side interrupted her. She collapsed to the ground, making a few quiet croaks and groans, and died.

The Changeling dropped down from his perch and hissed at the corpse. He started to walk away before a yellow blast hit the ground to his side. He looked back to see the blue pony staring at him.

“What did you just do? You just killed the Maverick! How could you just kill a living creature like that? It’s immoral and wrong!”

The Changeling tried to back away, but the blue pony was too fast and caught up with him. “Well, what was I supposed to do? She’s the Changeling bounty hunter, and she would stop at nothing to make sure I’m dead! It was self-defense!”

“You interfered with justice! I was going to bring her in for reformation, and you just killed her in cold blood! Besides, why would a Changeling be escaping from their own bounty hunter?”

“Because…because I’m a traitor. A runaway. I couldn’t stand being a part of their gigantic herd, not when I’m different from the rest. So I left, and they’ll stop at nothing to kill me.”

“Well then, maybe I should give them what they’re looking for. You don’t mean anything to me.” He didn’t fully mean what he was saying, but he didn’t have any reason to like the Changeling.

“Please don’t. If I go back, I’ll lose everything. But, out here, at least I still have my life and individuality. That’s all I need.”

The blue pony realized this Changeling was sincere. He wasn’t like the others. He might be worth a chance. “Maybe I was a little harsh to you. My name is X. Do you have a name?”

“Changelings don’t get names unless you’re really important. That’s one of the first things runaways do. They give themselves a name and leave. So, I’m Axl.”

“That makes two of us, brought into the world without names or an identity. We just have to shape ourselves and the world around us.”

Axl nodded. “That’s why I left. I want to do something useful. I know I can. I can not only copy forms, but their abilities as well. I could make a difference in the world. And I want to take down my former queen!”

X was seeing himself in this Changeling. “That’s how I felt when I first learned about this world. I’m a robot, sealed away for 30 years. Things changed a lot, and I only want to help make things right. You’d do well as a Maverick Hunter.”

---

“ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE?”

Twilight was yelling at X, who had returned to Hunter Base with Axl in tow. He told her about their meeting, and how he felt that Axl would make a good Hunter. Twilight was not on board with the idea.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve brought a CHANGELING into our base! He could be a spy! That’s all Changelings are, anyway. They’re deceptive, liars, untrustworthy. I see that’s something you still need to learn.”

Axl wanted to speak up on his own behalf, but the circle of ponies ready to kill him on a moment’s notice kept him quiet. X had to do all his speaking for him.

“I’m telling you, he’s different! You can see sincerity in any creature’s eyes. He’s telling the truth, he doesn’t want to be a part of the Changeling horde anymore! You just need to give him a chance!”

Twilight got straight up into X’s face, her eyes screaming death. “You don’t understand! You’ve never had to deal with the Changelings, you haven’t lost anything from them! Do you have any idea what they’ve taken from me? EVERYTHING! Everything I held close, everything I loved, all gone! And Spike’s the only one I’ve gotten back! My friends, my family, they could all be dead right now!” She pointed at Axl. “And these things are to blame!”

X sighed sadly. “You’re right. I haven’t experienced pain like you have. And that’s why I’m fighting, to help and make sure no other pony has to go through what you did. And I want you to just trust him until he’s proven himself.”

“Trust him? Why should I trust a Changeling? Their ability, their entire reason for existing is to trick those willing to trust them! My brother was brainwashed by their queen on his wedding day, and Equestria was nearly destroyed because he trusted her, and everypony trusted him. How stupid do you think I am?”

X got really angry. She wasn’t even willing to listen. “Then why am I standing here right now? I just walked in with a Hunter who discovered me on a mission, and decided that I would be right to help you! You had absolutely no reason to trust me, and yet you did! What kind of a hypocrite are you?” Twilight opened her mouth, but X kept talking. “Let me guess, it’s because I look like the robot that you could trust? Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not him! You’re just getting too lost in your past to see it! I can’t stand being compared to him, because I’m an individual! Just like Axl!” He got quiet, but was still clearly mad. “And if this is how you want to run this operation, then you’ll just have to see how well you’ll do without me.”

X began to walk out, until he saw Zero in the doorway. “Zero, I’m sorry, but I’m leaving. I’m not staying here.”

Zero put his hoof on X’s shoulder. “No X, please stay. I heard most of the conversation, and I agree with you.” Zero walked over to Twilight, stopping to wave the soldiers holding Axl captive away. “Captain Sparkle, explain your reasoning for turning down what could be a very useful comrade.”

Twilight stammered in shock. “Are you going crazy, too? He’s a Changeling, he’s probably just a spy waiting to backstab all of us!”

“Exactly. You said it yourself, Changelings are nothing but lies and tricks. Well, wouldn’t it be nice to have that on our side for once? Think about it, we’ve got someone that can disguise themselves as the enemy, work covert operations! And he’s a Changeling army defect. He’d know better than the rest of us their plans, patterns, everything useful! It’s perfect!” He turned back to Axl. “What’s your name, Changeling?”

“Axl.”

“Well then, come on, Axl! We’ve got Mavericks to go find!” Zero looked back at Twilight, who was both confused and angry. “I know what you’re thinking, Twilight. But too bad, I’m in charge.”

X, Zero, and Axl started to walk out before Twilight called out. “Axl…you killed one of the Mavericks. I need to know who they were.”

Axl transformed into Rosered’s body. Twilight looked him/her over. “That’s Roseluck. She was a flower pony back in Ponyville. Not really a friend of mine.”

“So…the kill is excused?”

“As excused as it’s ever going to get. Now get out before I can’t stand to look at you anymore.”

Author's Note:

You guys are lucky I like you. It was either writing this or watching Cowboy Bebop, and I somehow still chose you all.

Not really. Cowboy Bebop is awesome.

Comments

[spiketen]

Twilight needs to chill the fuck out for real. Go have a coke and a smile or something but damn Twilight GTFO so the temp in the room can return to normal.