That's Not X (Maverick X AU)

Are you okay, X?

Zero's POV - ON -

It's been a week since my last mission with X and Axl, it was a success, we got hurt a little, but it wasn't that bad. However, X started acting strange... He has been aggressive, ignoring us and stopped going on missions.
Today, Axl and I went to X's dorm to talk to him, but as I expected, he didn't answer, so we had to talk alone.

"Man, this X talk is scaring me as fuck!" - Axl said, nervously

"Me too, you're not the only one worried here... We urgently need to know what's going on" - I said, in a serious tone

"Have you ever thought about telling someone?" - Axl asked

"I already told Alia, Layer and Pallette, they don't know what to do either" - I answered

"That's bad... VERY bad..." - He replied

Suddenly, we heard the sound of a door opening, we saw that it was coming from X's room, we took advantage and went there to talk to him.

"Hey, are you okay, X?" - I asked

He ignored me, heading to the control room with a blank expression, but I did nothing, knowing he would have a violent reaction if we got too close to him or asked him too many questions.

"How about we follow him?" - Axl asked

"Maybe it's a good option, but let's take it slow" - I answered

Zero's POV - OFF -

Zero and Axl began to follow X cautiously so as not to make noise and give away their position. When X arrived, he entered the room and closed the door, Zero and Axl stayed on the other side of the hallway, waiting for something.
Suddenly, they began to hear screams, from there, two Reploids came out, completely bloodied and with expressions of pure horror and despair. Zero stopped the two, running up to them and asking what happened.

"X WENT CRAZY! HE PASSED OUT AND THEN HE WOKE UP KILLING EVERYONE AROUND HIM!" - One of the Reploids shouted, desperate

"HE WANTS TO KILL US! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" - Another Reploid shouted, also desperate

Zero and Axl were startled, had their friend really done that...? Anyway, there wasn't much they could do, since the Reploids' expressions of horror and shock, besides the fact that they were bloody, it made everything more believable.
Zero sighed, taking his Z-Saber, while Axl takes his bullets. Axl turns to the two Reploids and says:

"You guys get out of here and start an evacuation, Zero and I will have to kick our friend's ass" - Axl said

The Reploids complied, running to the other side of the hallway to begin the evacuation, while Zero and Axl entered the room.
There, they came across what the Reploids had said, they just didn't expect it to be so... Brutal.
In the room, several Reploids, Maverick Hunters and some Navigators were scattered across the floor, lifeless, as well as seriously injured, only those two Reploids had escaped and there was, X... Or rather, that's not X.

Zero's POV - ON -

That... WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?! I was paralyzed, I've seen scenes like that before but... With people I know...? Never... Axl was by my side, he was also in shock, at the same time his expression changed to anger.
I noticed that he was looking at X, who no longer had those blue eyes, but purple eyes, while he gave a smile of pure sadism and hatred... That was no longer my friend.
Axl starts to approach X, I try to stop him by grabbing his arm, but he lets go, approaches and points his bullets at X.

"LET ME GO! HE KILLED THEM! THAT THING IS NOT OUR FRIEND ANYMORE!" - Axl shouted, pushing me away

I tried to convince him that it was dangerous, but then... X approached, but he was fast, very fast... Axl even tried to shoot but...

Zero's POV - OFF -

Before Axl could react and fire another shot, X impaled him with his fist, piercing Axl's chest and probably ripping out the Maverick Hunter's heart.
Axl fell to the ground, his eyes wide open but lifeless as blood poured from the hole in his chest.
Zero watched the scene in shock, he saw his partner dying in a brutal way in front of him. He fell to his knees, letting out an anguished cry, and cursing as he cried.

"FUCK, AXL! FUCK! - Zero cursed, between tears

X just watched, whatever happened to him, he was no longer the same, he was no longer that kind Reploid who fought for peace, but now a sadistic "Reploid".
X drew his X-Buster, about to shoot Zero, but he defended himself, drawing his Z-Saber.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE NOT X!" - Zero shouted

"Don't fight me Zero, but you're right, I'm not a Reploid anymore, I'm a strong Maverick now" - Said X

Zero became even angrier, not only had he lost both his friends, but with one of them being a Maverick now.

"Shit... So that was why! That was why you were aggressive and ignorant! This corruption was taking over you!" - Zero said

"No, Zero, it's not corruption, it's power, I'm not a weak Reploid anymore, this virus made me better, so why don't you come join me?" - X said

"I won't join this thing you call power! It has brainwashed you!" - Zero replied

X's expression darkened, he drew his X-Buster once more.

"Oh Zero... Please don't make me do what I did to Axl" - X said

Zero completely ignored it, so a fight began.
X shot at Zero with a strange calmness, it was as if he wasn't taking it seriously but still, determined to finish Zero off.
Despite this, he still attacked Zero ferociously, as if he was doing it not only to get the job done, but also for the pure and pure pleasure of it.

Zero's POV - ON -

I was really angry with him, but he seemed to want to hurt me just for fun, which was already plausible, since that thing called the Maverick virus is inside him.
With each shot, however, it was harder to block, as they were getting stronger and faster, until I saw one of the shots coming at me, I even dodged it, but I felt something hit me in the back and then... Everything went dark.

Zero's POV - OFF -

To be continued...