Man's biggest card against the Mavericks, the Final Weapon, silently orbited around Earth. The weapon was shaped like a blooming flower, contrasting from its intended use for destruction.

All seemed well, except for a small escape pod leaving from Final Weapon's docking pad. Inside was Zero, head of the Special #0 Class Unit of the Maverick Hunters. Seconds after the pod sped away, Final Weapon exploded with a blinding flash. After waiting for the light to die down, Zero turned back and stared at the wreck of Final Weapon. It has been reduced to scrap metal drifting in space.

Zero recalled the events of the last few days, of how Sigma tricked the Repliforce into fighting the Maverick Hunters. How Sigma manipulated the General into thinking that humans were the real enemy. How Zero had to kill Iris, the Colonel, and other innocent reploids just to stop Sigma's plan to destroy Earth with Final Weapon.

The most disturbing news had to be finding out that his true destiny was to destroy Mega Man X, the Hunter whom he considered to be his best friend. "So..." Zero mumbled as he clenched his fists, "This is what happened to me. My creator was Dr. Wily, and I was programmed to kill X. This is my fate; I couldn't save anyone after all! Why?!" Zero slammed the instrument panel with his fists and shut his eyes, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. Why must he destroy his friends? Why must he kill Mega Man X, the one who he treats as his own brother?

"Because you are my creation, Zero. My precious creation. A final revenge on X."

Zero recognized the voice in his head. It was Dr. Wily. Why doesn't he ever shut up?

"I can't kill X. I won't."

The voice was gone, but the sickening feeling was still jabbing at him. He can't help but believe that one day he would turn against the Maverick Hunters, turn against Dr. Cain and ultimately...kill X. Zero opened his eyes again, and plotted a course back to Earth. As the escape pod's engines hummed, Zero fell into a deeper depression. "Do we reploids all turn out to be Mavericks after all?"

There was no answer.

On the other side of the wrecked Final Weapon was a second escape pod. Cyber Peacock winced as the pod shuddered, aggravating the injury that Zero gave him during this last battle.

"That damned Maverick Hunter and Mega Man X caused all of us lots of trouble." he thought as he managed the pod's controls. "They destroyed the entire Maverick unit aboard Final Weapon, foiled Sigma's plan to destroy Earth and gave me this ugly wound." Cyber Peacock continued to curse the Hunters as the pod flew. He had managed, barely, to get out of Final Weapon before the entire thing collapsed on itself. The others were not so lucky.

"I am going to personally take care of that Zero!" He declared. Cyber Peacock looked back at the passenger seat, where the tattered Sigma laid. Sigma was in bad shape. Several sword scars were visible on his armor, with the inside circuits sizzling. Zero had given Sigma a good beating before he left Final Weapon, so Cyber Peacock had to carry his master all the way to the escape pod.

In any case, Sigma can be revived, that was the important part. Even though Sigma was unconscious, he had a smirk fixed on his face. Cyber Peacock wondered what Sigma was thinking. "Could he already have a plan to destroy the Maverick Hunters?"

Back at the Maverick Hunters HQ, Dr. Cain continued to work around the clock to fix up everyone's injuries. Zero sat and waited for Dr. Cain to finish with the other, more severely injured Hunters. It gave him more time to think about his past, and of what Dr. Wily did to him.

"He is my creator." Zero thought. "But why can't I remember him completely? How come all that I know came from my dreams? Maybe he doesn't really ex-."

"Hey Zero!" someone called. Zero recognized the voice immediately. He turned to see Mega Man X, walking down the corridor. Zero felt a sudden chill course through his body. At that moment, Zero didn't know what to do.

"You have to kill him." Wily said inside his head.

"No," Zero thought.

"Kill him, when the time is right. Not now, Zero, when the time is right."

"Hi, X." Zero greeted as X sat down next to him. The Blue Hunter studied his friend for a moment and a look of concern washed over his face. "Zero, what's wrong? You're shaking all over."

Zero didn't realize he was shivering, probably from that strange message. He quickly caught himself and made up an excuse.

"Oh, it's probably one of my balances out of whack after that fight with Sigma. It's no biggie."

"You'd better tell Dr. Cain that when he checks up on you." X said. "Oh, now that the battle against Sigma is over, the other Hunters and I were thinking of throwing a little celebration party."

"Party?" Zero asked.

"Yeah, I think it's a good idea. Some of the rookies really need time to relax, and from the looks of it-." X pointed to Zero's worn armor. "-It couldn't hurt you either."

"Bah, what the hey, it's okay with me. Just one question."

X stared at Zero blankly.

"Which girls are we going to invite?" Both X and Zero laughed. After another couple more minutes of chatting, X remembered some other business he had to take are of, and left Zero again.

"When the time is right." Zero repeated Wily's words, which hung over him like he blade on a guillotine. "Please," Zero thought, "Please don't let the time be now." Zero closed his eyes and clamped his hands together as if in prayer. "Let that future never come."