For a moment that seemed like an eternity, no one moved. X looked, wide-eyed in horror, at Mega, who's own eyes were side, but in shock and pain. His mouth moved, but no sound came out, as if his mind couldn't register how much agony his body was in. Dark oil and fluids ran freely down his chest.
With a primal roar of victory, Bass turned, lifting the spike - with Mega still impaled! - up enough to lift Mega from his feet. Mega screamed at the pain at last, struggling, reaching back to try to keep from sliding further down the spike, from wrenching the hold through his body wider open. But the spike was slick with his 'blood' and his hands found no purchase against it. X cringed at the sound is made as another inch passed through Mega's trembling body, drawing more whimpers from his lips.
Another roar, though this one of pure, unbridled rage, ripped from Break Man as he began to charge up a shot. Bass saw it and spun around, slinging Mega with him, to face the Red Raider and leading X partially to one side, but still in his peripheral view.
"Bad idea, Breaky," Bass sneered. "You might his Mega, and wouldn't that be a bad idea. It would probably kill him after all." Break Man's arm wavered, but didn't lower. Zero tried sneaking up on Bass, but Treble, climbing up slowly, growled in warning. Bass lifted Mega higher, making him wail.
"No one tries anything, or Mega-pain here will be in mega pain, got me?" X saw some of Mega's 'blood' spatter Bass' face, and was revolted when Bass licked it off. No one moved, nor seemed to know what to do. It tore X apart, watching Mega - his brother! - writhe and whimper. Tears ran openly down Mega's face, and down Break Man's as well. X saw Mega mouth something, it might have been 'Brother,' but he couldn't be sure through his own tears.
"That's it!" Break Man abruptly yelled, his entire body shaking. "I'm calling it, Mega! Sons of Light, Syncro Attack!"
For the blink of an eye, time slowed to a crawl. X's mind was racing seemingly of its own accord. He realized he could tell what Mega was thinking, like their minds were hot-wired together.
Shut down... hurts to much...
Shut down! came Break Man's thoughts next. throw Bass off balance! X saw Break Man's aim shift slightly. Hit his shoulder, throw him back. X realized what he was attempting. If Bass fell backwards, his arm would go up and back, hopefully throwing Mega free. His own thoughts clicked into place in the plan.
Slide, trip Bass. Make sure he falls.
Keep Treble away, Rush's growl came next, interpreted through the odd connection. And last came one final voice: Zero's.
Catch him when he's released, or pull him off the spike before Bass hits the ground.
Then the moment was gone, and X was moving.
Mega shut down, and the sudden dead weight threw Bass momentarily off-balance. Break Man's shot went off, cleanly striking Bass' exposed shoulder, even as X dropped to the ground and slid on his left hip like a runner going from third to home, his right foot crashing into Bass' ankle. The Maverick tumbled backwards, Mega sliding free and flying through the air back to where Zero caught him. Rush pounced on Treble and wouldn't let go, digging teeth into the wolf's neck scruff.
For a moment, x was stunned and just lay there. Then he felt Bass stir. Reacting instinctively, he pulled one leg out from under the Maverick and gave him a hard, flat-footed kick in the side.
"Oof!" Bass rolled a couple of times, and X scrambled up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zero laying Mega down, frantically trying to staunch the flow of oil. The sight put X into a rage. He charged at Bass, who was slowly getting up, and - forgoing the standard Blaster attack - dealt a beautiful right hook to Bass' face. Still stunned from their oh-so-well coordinated surprise attack, he was unable to put up any sort of defense as X repeatedly pummeled him.
"Don't you ever - " +Punch+ " - try to ever - " +Punch+ " - hurt one of my family - " +Punch+ " - AGAIN!" +Punch+ X then grabbbed Bass by the front of his armor at the neck and lifted him high, to the fullest extent of his arm, up above his head. "If you ever do, I swear I will personally hunt you down and make you pay a thousand times over! For every drop of oil they shed, you will bleed a gallon, for every cry of pain, you will scream!" Bass stared in terror at X, unable to react. X angrily flung Bass to the ground, then used his blaster to destroy the spike before calling to the two strongest Hunters, "Lock him up - good!" They instantly took hold of their prisoner, each grabbing one arm tightly. Rush growled, turning X's attention towards Treble, who was still securely held. The Hunter strode over and opened a panel on Treble's back, to flick the shut down switch. Treble went still, and was similarly hauled away. The Mavericks that had survived quickly fled.
The Hunters were staring at X, wide-eyed, but he didn't notice. He turned, the rage in his eyes gone, to dart to Mega's side where Break Man, Roll, and the Cossacks also knelt.
"We can't make it stop!" Roll exclaimed, pressing her hands to the wound.
"C'mon!" X scooped Mega up, ignoring the oil that quickly spilled onto him. They followed as he ran inside towards the Med wing.