Vile: Inspiration works in weird ways, doesn't it, people? This chapter sheds some light on my mysterious OC character, Taylor. Enjoy, folks!

MMZX3: Mega Man ZX Enforcers

Chapter 26: Magnum Opus

Vent and Aile warped back into the Hunter's Camp, finally catching up to the other seven Mega Men. "Nice job, everyone. We've done a complete scan of the planet, and there are no Pseudoroid signals left anywhere. They're all finished." The Commander told them.

"Great. Now we can focus on awakening Model R." Grey said.

"First things first, though." Vent said, looking right at Taylor. "You have some explaining to do."

Taylor sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I promised I'd explain, so I will explain." He walked over and took a seat at nearby conference table. "You're gonna want to sit down for this." The group decided to follow his advice (a few of them shrugged at each other first) and took seats at the table. "First off, the abridged version… I lied to you all about who I am."

The group was shocked. "What do you mean, you lied?" Ashe asked.

"I'm not a former Raider. Heck, I've never even met any Raiders." Taylor said. "I made up that story so you wouldn't reject me because of who I really am, or at least was."

"So was your story about Atlas fake, too?" The Commander asked.

"No, that part was true." Atlas said, placing a hand on top of Taylor's. "I remember our past together."

"Thank you, Atlas. But this is what I'm talking about." He pulled out the copies of Model S, FS, LS, HS, PS, XS, and E and laid them on the table. He closed his eyes and placed his hands together in front of him, elbows on the table. "You're asking why I seem to know so much about these Biometals. It's actually quite simple. These Biometals… which turn ordinary people into an army of Mega Men…" He gave them a stern look. "…I created them."

"WHAT?!" The group cried.

"You… You MADE these things?!" Siarnaq sputtered out.

"Yes. I was once employed by Model D's service." Taylor said. "I was the creator of the initial design of these insidious devices, as well as the supervisor of the machine that made them… a massive Biometal Factory that can mass-produce Model S and Model E copies, creating entire armies in the span of a single day."

"Taylor… How could you do this?" Atlas asked.

"I didn't exactly have a choice. I was affected by Model D's dark influence and kept in the factory at all times, supervising the day-to-day operations." Taylor picked up the standard Model S. "I didn't even know what these things even were, but I knew I was at least getting an income."

"Model D must've been dipping into Thomas's bank account." Thetis whispered to Aeolus.

"But then, Model D approached me with a new assignment, and handed me a Biometal he had found: Model O." The Omega Biometal flew into view. "I was supposed to copy Model O's data and try to infuse the Model S and E copies with them to make the armies even stronger. But I guess either fate or genetics stepped in to save me."

"When Taylor took hold of me, he knew he was my Biomatch." Model O said. "He got the idea to Megamerge and use my power for himself, but when he did, my energy clashed with the brainwashing, neutralizing both the brainwashing and the majority of my uncontrollable power. Believe me, if that wasn't the case, Taylor would be laying waste to the planet."

"I initially tried to continue my work, but I kept hitting a roadblock with copying Model O's data. I eventually came to the conclusion that his data couldn't BE copied, so I gave up. However, when I got a data sample from Model F, L, H, and P, that data was copied with no issue. I came to the conclusion that there was something about Model O that prevented his data from being copied." Taylor said. "I couldn't just stop working due to having income, but I secretly stockpiled my E-Crystals. Once I had enough, I escaped the factory and wandered again, until I met Grey and Ashe. And, well, here we are."

"But what about this one?" Model A asked, floating to be right above the Model XS copy.

Taylor frowned. "Someone must've picked up where I left off with data sampled from Model X. I would guess that the original six Biometals are the only ones with copyable data, as we have yet to see copies infused with data from Model A or Model W, nor has it been seen that someone cracked and copied Model O's code."

The Mega Men nodded in understanding. "I still have one question. If you're the one who created the copies… why are you collecting them?" Grey asked.

"I was just getting to that, Grey." Taylor said, getting up from his seat and walking over to one of the walls. "I hid this here when no one was in." He pulled out an inconspicuous panel of the wall and pulled out an odd device made of eight cylinders (silver, gold, light blue, red, orange, dark blue, green, purple) on top of an octagonal base, an ominous yellow core in the center of them, the tops of the cylinders hooked together by a dome-like device with wires that connected to each of the base's eight sides. "I need them for this."

"What is it?" Ashe asked.

"My real magnum opus… the Biosplit Pulse Bomb. Made it myself with materials I bought with my paychecks." Taylor said as he took a seat again. "The top part is a Reverse Pulse Generator, which is meant to sabotage machinery by reversing sections of their programming. These cylinders are EMP Dynamite, which work like regular dynamite, but they generate a harsh electromagnetic pulse at the same time. When this bomb is detonated, it would cause a powerful explosion that sends out an EMP that reverses whatever function I sent it to. And the core is a MK-100 Amplifier, which increases the power of the explosion 100-fold, making the EMP powerful enough to spread across the entire planet."

"What sort of cataclysm are you planning, man?!" Model F shrieked.

"The downfall of Model D's entire army." Taylor said, putting down the bomb and picking up the standard Model S again. "Anybody got something I can pry this thing open with?" Siarnaq handed him a kunai. "Thanks." He placed the Model S face-down on the table, grabbed the Model E copy, placed the kunai's tip into a tiny gap between the back and the side, then gave the top of the kunai a good whack with the Model E copy, driving the kunai further in and letting Taylor pry off the back of the Model S. Within was a small silver crystal, which he showed to the others. "These crystals are what power the Megamerging process of these Biometals. By placing the crystals into the base, they will be connected to the Reverse Pulse Generator, meaning that once the Biosplit Pulse Bomb detonates, every single copy of any Biometal with these crystals will forcibly de-Megamerge and have their crystals explode, rendering every single Model S and E copy on the planet as no more than pieces of metal."

"Whoa…" Model L breathed. "That actually sounds… awesome."

"I didn't know you even used that word." Model H said.

"But it's not ready to be used yet. This bomb only has one shot to work, and I want to make sure I do it right. As the bomb's construction shows, it can hold up to eight Megamerge crystals: The basic S crystal, the basic E crystal, and one crystal for each of the original six Biometals." Taylor panned the bomb as he explained. "But I only have seven Biometals, making seven crystals. I need a copy of a Model S or E that is infused with Model Z's data. Once I have all eight, the Biosplit Pulse Bomb will cover every single Biometal created in the factory without fail, ridding the word of those copies for good."

"You've had this all thought out, haven't you?" Aeolus asked.

"You could say that. Is that a good enough explanation for all my secrecy?" The other Mega Men started answering affirmatively. Taylor smiled. "Thanks, guys. I'm glad I met you all." Atlas squeezed his hand with a smile.

"I hate to hard-right this conversation, but there's something else we might want to think about." Model Z said. "Model X, remember those Upgrade Capsules?"

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot about them." Model X replied. "Vent, Aile, both Ciel and Zero said through the holograms that there were four of those Capsules for each of us, which hold parts of what Ciel called my "True Armor", and the alternate weapons for Model Z."

"We're gonna need all the power we can get, so I vote we track them down and get what's in them." Model Z said.

Vent and Aile looked at each other for a moment, then nodded. "Good idea, Model Z. But how are we supposed to know where the other capsules are?" Vent said.

"Oh, I think I can be of some help…" A familiar voice said. Vent and Aile turned around Flueve standing behind them with a smile.

"When did you get here, Flueve?" Aile asked.

"Oh, a while ago. Been here long enough to catch wind of Model X and Z's upgrades." The Biometal mechanic's glasses gleamed. "I might be able to help you out with your search. All I need is some time to work on Model X and Z's M.E.G.A. Systems."

The four Elemental Biometals shuddered. "I will never get used to that guy poking around my system." Model P said.

"You sure you can handle it, Flueve?" Model X asked.

"Well, I can't exactly make any promises, but I do have confidence." Flueve said, adjusting his glasses. "Vent, Aile, you two come with me back to the Guardian Base as well. I'm certain the others will be glad to see you again after what happened to you."

"Go ahead, you two. We'll regroup later." Grey said. Vent and Aile looked at each other for a moment, then nodded.

"You, uh… Taylor, was it?" Flueve asked, getting the Model O Mega Man's attention. "I wouldn't suppose you'd mind me taking a lot at that bomb you're holding as well, would you?"

"You know it's a bomb?" Taylor asked.

"As I said, I got here a while ago. I was here long enough to hear you explain what it could do." The mechanic's glasses flashed. "If you'll let me tinker with it, I can ensure that it does its job. I've had years more experience of working with Biometal-related tech. Anything I do to it could only be an improvement."

Though he was still nervous, Taylor sighed. "If Vent and Aile trusted you with the other Biometals… then I have no reason to doubt you." He walked over and handed Flueve the Biosplit Pulse Bomb. "Just be EXTREMELY careful with it. Those EMP Dynamite sticks are very volatile."

"I will remember it." Flueve replied. "Now then, shall we be off, you four?" Vent, Aile, Model X, and Model Z nodded (at least, what the Biometal equivalent of a nod is for the latter two), and Flueve contacted Prairie on his communicator. "Prairie, three-person-two-Biometal warp back to the Guardian Base."

"Roger that!" Prairie said on the other end.

"Don't be a stranger, guys!" Model F said, laughing after he said that.

"What's so funny?" Model L asked. Models H and P sighed, and Flueve, Vent, and Aile warped out.

"So… what do WE do?" Thetis asked.

"I vote we train. We've got a big mission ahead of us." Grey said, pounding his fist into his palm mortar-and-pestle style. "So we're gonna need to be in top fighting shape."

"Grey's right. No use just standing around here!" Ashe said, hopping out of her seat. "Let's get to training!"

Vile: Taylor was once allied with Model D, but now, the Dark Biometal's army's downfall is in the planning stages. But now it's time for training and hunting for the Upgrade Capsules! If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! Ja ne for now!

Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.