A man in spiky brown hair was in the radio booth, as he was signing off from the station.
"And yes, this is my final broadcast, before I get me a new gig in KSFR. To my fans out there, thank you so much for six hours of your favorite music and tunes, here on The Lan Hikari Show!"
He signed off, as he was wearing his blue shirt and pants, leaving the radio studio. He sighed, as he was worried. He held up a note and said, "Sweet gig that Tory set me up for…"
The note read:
Dear Lan Hikari
As you know, I got ya a swell gig at KSFR Radio, located downtown in Light City. They say that they needed a new DJ, since the old one was axed.
Lan said, "Yeah… Reminds me of that blonde that manned a radio station at late night, until she got fired, after she was attacked."
He packed his stuff and said, "KVNS… I wonder how that station went, after the other DJ got axed."
He left the studio, and departed from the radio station, straight to his car. He stepped in and looked at a picture of himself, hugging with a girl in pink hair. It was his girlfriend, Maylu Sakurai. He had memories about her, and said, "Maylu… My love…"
He drove off, heading off to his destination: Radio Station KSFR.
XXXXX
Far away from Lan, in another dimension, Maylu, dressed in pink chrome and a blaster cannon on her right arm, was preparing to battle. She then whispered, "Lan… Please… Save me…"
She dashed off, as she was running slowly, similar to how Mega Man runs.
Meet Lan Hikari, resident rocker-turned-radio DJ extraordinaire. And he is about to experience a past of his own, courtesy of the devil known as Dr. Wily. He goes by any other name: Mad Doctor, Robot Master, Sigma. What Lan is about to experience is a one-man show, complete with a Maverick-powered radio station, complete with Hikari's old ways. In a moment, Lan Hikari will be broadcasting his dirty laundry on the air, in more ways than one. You are about to be listening to Lan Hikari's FINAL broadcast… in the "Tales of the Bizarre"…
Tales of the Bizarre #51:
"The B-Side of Dr. Wily"
As Lan was driving down the street, he was pondering over what happened to Maylu.
In Maylu's world, she was still running. She spoke in an echo, "Lan… Please… Why did you do this to me? Help me… Lan, please save me…"
Lan arrived at a huge radio station, near a small abandoned town, and then stepped out of his car. He looked up to the night sky and said, "Hmm… Who's better than Lan Hikari?"
He walked towards the entrance and whispered, holding his briefcase, "Maylu would be happy for me…"
He kept walking, as an image of a man's face, with green LED eyes, a huge chin, and an evil grin on his face.
Lan stepped inside, and prepared to enter the KSFR building. He then nodded, "Well, time to make an entrance…"
He opened the door and rushed in, cheering with his arms out, "AND LAN HIKARI AT THE END ZONE!"
Total silence. He walked in, and then sighed in annoyance, "From the good sounds, we're far behind… Can it be far behind?"
He placed his briefcase down and took off his coat. He then approached the control panel and saw a note on the microphone. He read it and said, "Main switch three minutes before air time. Programming planned. Absolutely NO variations."
He threw the note away and prepared himself. He looked to the clock and saw that it's only six minutes before ten. He went to get himself some coffee, until he noticed some pictures frames of boys in spiky hair.
The management salutes these DJs for making KSFR what it is today.
Lan looked at one frame and smiled, "Well… I see that Rock and Zero made it what it is today."
He then looked at the clock. It's now three minutes before 10. He flipped the main switch and the huge machines started to hum. Lan examined it and said, "25,000 volts…"
He snuffed, as he went to his seat, "On a clear day, you can hear it around the block."
He sat down and saw a contract on the table. He signed it, and then threw it to the window. He then prepared himself, getting a pillow for his chair, and then wore his black vest, with the word "MegaStar" on the front. He then prepared his small laugh box, putting batteries in it, and then prepared to start the show, waiting for the clock to hit ten. He then noticed a tray of CDs and said, "This must be the programming set."
They were lying on a tray from 1 to 8, complete with colored shine, standing on a CD rack. He then turned to the clock and smiled, "Lan Hikari at his best…"
The clock hit 10, and Lan started the show, playing his own record. It started playing a beautiful vibe music, playing his own theme song. The song ended, as Lan spoke to the microphone.
"Yes, and it's me, Lan Hikari, alive and well on KSFR, the channel that tells you how to run a show! And how do you run it, a super fighting robot? Well, I say who do you run it on, or as the owl says to the pussycat… HOO! HOO!"
He pressed a button, and his laugh box started to cackle. He then stopped and grabbed the first CD, "And if that doesn't tickle your funny bone, wait until you hear the music, here on KSFR. If that's any indication to my show is like… *yawn* …Just putting you on! Because, over the next eight hours, you're about to hear the sounds of now; sounds to blow your mind, and even sing along to; sounds like-."
He looked at the CD, and only read the "1" on it. He then said, "Well, only Lan can play. I know that, cats, because I agree to the set list. Your kind of music, I know. From 10 to dawn, I'll play it out."
The CD played, as it was remix to Cutman from Mega Man 1. It's a small haunting remix, echoing into the town. As the music played, the same head with the green eyes appeared in a transparent image.
Lan then turn the volume down, uncertain of the music he heard, and went to the phone. He dialed on the phone and called Tory.
"Tory? Lan. I know it's late, and I was just calling you. Did you get me? If you haven't, I must've set your watch back by two hundred years." He called to him, completely crossed, "Me complain? Well, that's where you're wrong."
He smiled and said, "You ever heard of KSFR? This station is IT! It's got style and vibe! They don't know what they want, but it's very hard to get. Besides, what's there to complain about? Modern? You say it's modern? Well, let's say nostalgia, like some sort of 1980's video game series. What I mean is-."
He then said, as he giggled, "Oh, I don't mean that. Nostalgia's making a comeback. I mean, listen to this music!"
He placed the receiver towards the music, and then he said in anger, "Look, what do you take me for, Tory Hikawa. You just wait until the other DJs get a seat on this show! It'll be bigger than New York and Chicago! And I'm saying that to spite you!"
He complained, "Tory, what kind of radio station airs only from 10PM to 6 in the morning, fans of Five Nights at Freddy's? What are you trying to do to me, ruin my career?"
He yelled, "I'll tell you what career! The career that put you in a new car, with a soft warm seat, every year! Even to build you a new house on the island, and even kept Maylu from going bananas much sooner than she did!"
He then said in worry, "Huh? What are yo-? Ohhhh, I get it… I get what's going on. It took a while for that bulb would go up. And that's why you got me this gig in Lower Wyoming. You thought Ritsu and I were-. I'm surprised at you. Maylu Sakurai was my wife, Ritsu's your wife. I always considered myself your best friend. Those weekends I went to was going hunting with Geo Stelar! If Ritsu and Maylu were away at the same time, it was just a coincidence!"
His voice echoed towards Maylu's world, as she overheard it from the speakers. "I always considered myself your best friend. Those weekends I went to was going hunting with Geo Stelar! If Ritsu and Maylu were away at the same time, it was just a coincidence!"
Back to Lan, he said to Tory, "Now you check with Geo, if you want! Tory… Now, now let's not plan ahead. Let's not plant weeds on Maylu's grave. She was our friend, and I loved her very much. You could see it in her face, when she looked at you. And believe me, Tory, no matter what anyone said, it was an accident. Maylu had too much to live for."
His voice echoed again, as Maylu sobbed, "Lan… You know it was an accident… But… I wish I'd know…"
She pranced off, shooting down small robots in yellow hardhats.
Lan said, "Well, you know what I mean… Tory, uh, lemme get in touch with you later. I got a show to do, and, uh… Well, I'm sorry about those things I said. Tell Ritsu I said hi. That's right, Tory. Goodnight."
He hung up, and the music in CD #1 finished. He then sighed in sadness, but he kept his smile on his face. He held the CD up and said, "Well, if that doesn't blow your mind, I'm sure it doesn't fill the space between my ears."
He tossed the CD away, in arrogance, and then stated, "But that reminds me of what the pilot on my flight here said to me… Lan Hikari, we're traveling at 12,000 feet. If you travel more higher than that, than you're on your own!"
His laugh box cackled, as Lan grabbed the second CD, "And wait until you hear what comes next, here on KSFR – The Lan Hikari Show!"
He looked at the CD and said, "No, my fans, you tell me."
He played the CD, and a weird music theme plays. This time, it was the remix of Flame Man from Mega Man 6. Lan was listening, and then realized that he had to use the phone, yet again. This time, he called the number to Geo, as he was feeling worried over Maylu's death.
"Hello, Geo? Lan. Look, I, uh, I hope I didn't wake you, since you and Mio are sleeping together. I know… I figured you be-. By yourself?"
He went to his coat, as he chuckled, "Well, look, I have been meaning to ask. To tell you the truth, I needed a favor from you… and yes, it's about Maylu. Huh? I didn't want to tell Tory about what happened at the party, since he didn't want to make it a big deal. See, I didn't-, one sec."
He pulled out his cigarettes and lit one. He smoked it, and then said to the phone, "You still there? Okay. NO! It's nothing to do with the money I owed you! Lan Hikari owns the rights to those markups!"
He returned to his seat and said, "What's it like here? Oh, it's the experience of the original Rock Man Steady, complete with robot girlfriend who cleans and sweeps for you, carrying a huge water bucket. Reminds me of the stewardess who told me about a thing that made me laugh. You ready for this? She said "A member of the Chamber of Commerce was waiting for ME to meet me at the airport, with a limo". My car? I get it from a rental shop."
He then asked, "What's so funny? Yeah, Geo! I had a mother, like everyone else!"
He turned the volume up, as Maylu started to hop and jump over the clouds. The huge head was watching over her, as Lan said, "Yeah, listen, about that favor. I talked to Tory, and he got the idea that Ritsu and I were seeing each other… before Maylu made a brief tragedy out of suburban life. You didn't tell him anything, did you? No? Of course I trust you! But just in case he asks, you tell him that you and I were out hunting."
He smiled, "That's right. Just you and me, and a bunch of deer, pierced into the heart, to keep the meat succulent and fresh."
He barked, "Who said I was afraid of them? I just don't like hurting people, you know that. Lan Hikari is for love and peace. I don't want to hurt all my friends, and into thinking that Maylu may try to hurt people. Tory's like the brother I had… only now, he's more honest to goodness."
He grinned, "That's right, Geo. I chat with you, later."
He hung up the phone, and decided to get another cup of coffee. Then the music changed, switching to the Sigma Theme in Mega Man X. The huge head, which is actually Sigma's, appeared, as he was booming in a haunting voice.
"The Day of Sigma is upon us… O Doctor Albert Wily, I conjure thee… Spirits of the Mavericks, I reach you from the depths of hell… Penguin… Mandrill… Eagle… Armadillo… Chameleon… Kuwanger… Mammoth… Octopus… Gator… Stag… Moth… Centipede… Ostrich… Crab… Tiger… Buffalo… Rhino… Hornet… Seahorse… Catfish…"
Lan kept hearing the names of each Maverick, as he sighed, "Someone find it funny, adding a voice actor onto this audio…"
The Mavericks' names kept continuing, as he pulled out his own CD. He said, "Well, let's let them hear this."
Sigma's voice spoke, "O Wily… come onto thee-."
He shut off the control panel, and spoke onto the microphone, completely amused, "Well, that was heavy stuff, you know. I'm surprised that someone had the rights to play such musical jokes on the air. But I don't find it a joke. I find it to be a very tricky chorus. Hey, lemme fill you in on this. There's a new place down the street that the other DJs are playing onto me; sort of their way of making me feel right at home. Well, I'm here to tell you, you've succeeded. Whenever a new DJ comes to a new station, it's customary for the fellow DJs to put one over on me. You know, I just finished a five-year gig in the Big NHK, I mean I was top jock, but I left it all behind to come here. Why? To be reborn, here on KSFR, and to meet people like you! Hey, who better than Lan Hikari? Answer: NO ONE, but his listeners!"
He then smiled and concluded, "Now, let's listen to Lan Hikari's OWN music. The latest from The STARS "Good Vibes"."
He played the record on another turntable, but the music didn't play. It was drowned out by the music that Sigma played. Sigma spoke out, "O great and powerful Sigma, the condemned has entered the crucible to which there is no escape!"
The electronic voices boomed out, as Lan sighed in anger, "A joke is a joke is a joke… Of course… They're onto me. Sonia's the one who planned this whole thing."
He went to the door and smiled, "Okay… Joke's over, fellow DJs! Make with the champagne bottles! I know that you're punking me! SURPRISE~!"
He turned the knob and opened the door. The knob broke off suddenly. Lan was trapped inside, as he gasped, "What the-?"
He called out, "HEY! What's going on here? Hey, this isn't funny!"
The door could not open. He pounded the door. He was trapped inside, as Maylu was nearing Sigma's castle. She spotted the huge head of Sigma, as it was shooting lasers at her. She dashed off, as the evil Sigma chased after her.
She cried out, from the echoes, "LAAAAAAAAAAN! SAVE ME!"
Back in the studio, Lan was completely upset. He moaned, "The door's locked, and all because I played the wrong music?"
He went to the record player and stopped his own music. But nothing changed. The chanting of Sigma continued on, as he was scared, "What is this? This guy's voice… It's like he's trying to have me arrested! I'm an innocent man! I didn't do anything wrong! Who do you think you're dealing with?"
Sigma spoked, "O monarch of all robotkind, the condemned has come closer to your arms…"
Lan gasped, "WHAT condemned? If this is a joke, I'd be in this."
He reached for the phone and dialed the operator. He heard a message, as he cried, "Disconnected? I dialed the operator! HOW CAN IT BE DISCONNECTED? How can it be a recording, if I dialed the operator?"
He put his CD away and said, "So much for The STARS."
In Maylu's world, she was shooting at Sigma, who is just a head, as Sigma spoke, "O Dr. Wily, the condemned has entered into the crucible, to which there is NO escape!"
Lan tried to contact on the microphone, but he was halted by high-pitched screeching. Sigma spoke, "All have been summoned to witness the sacrifice of the condemned."
He bumped back into the wall, and banged his head. He dropped to the floor, as he was unconscious. As he lied down on the floor, out cold, he suddenly saw a vision of Maylu, as a Pink Mega Man, and approached Lan. She said to him, "Please… Save me, Lan… I know it was all an accident… but… please try to remember… Sigma… He's going to get me…"
He started to have flashbacks from before. He remembered what happened, from the moment he said that he and Geo were out hunting. Maylu was trotting into the forest, running away from a rabid deer that was running towards her. She dodged out of the way, but was cornered, near a small cliff. From below, it was a huge 50-foot drop to the jagged rocks and waves. Lan, at the time, ran to Maylu, and shot at the deer. It fell dead, as Maylu was saved. She ran to him, but suddenly slipped off the cliff. Maylu fell off, and Lan dropped his rifle, running towards Maylu, who was falling to her death. He grabbed her hands, and called out, "MAYLU!"
Maylu was sad, as she was smiling, "Lan… Please save me…"
Lan pulled her up, but her grip was loosening. Suddenly, he saw the cliff starting to break apart, and about to give way. Maylu pleaded to pull harder, but Lan's force was too much. He even tried to pull as hard as he could, but the edge of the cliff was about to collapse. Lan sobbed, as he was trying his best, "I'm sorry… I am trying… I cannot lose you!"
Maylu closed her eyes, and sobbed, "I know…"
She let go of Lan, and suddenly plummeted to down below. Lan gasped in horror, as he witness Maylu falling to her death, in the rocks below.
When he woke up, the chants from Sigma continued, as he was coming to. He whispered, "Maylu… I'm so sorry… But the cliff was giving way… I don't want you to die… It's my fault…"
Maylu called out, "Lan… Be careful… Please save me…"
Lan turned to the wall, as he sighed, "Rock. Zero. I know we never met, but give me a sign…"
He then looked at Rock's photo, and prayed for his thoughts. Suddenly, he saw the date below. It was the date of Rock's time in KSFR. It last only one day.
He viewed the others and gasped, "Rock Light – Dec. 17th, 1987 to Dec. 17th, 1987… Rock Matsuda – Dec. 24th, 1988 to Dec. 24th, 1988… Zero – Dec. 17th, 1993 to Dec. 17th, 1993?!"
They were DJs that lasted a day, and sacrificed for Sigma. His voice bellowed out, "The condemned shall humble himself towards the great Sigma… The condemned will kneel to the altar of sacrifice…"
Lan bellowed, gaining confidence, "I WILL NEVER HUMBLE MYSELF! BECAUSE I'M LAN HIKARI!"
Sigma boasted, "The arms of Dr. Wily will prepare to embrace the condemned!"
Lan yelled out, "The arms of Wily? More like the arms of Lucifer! I FOUGHT THE TOKYO JUDGES, AND I WON!"
Sigma's head started to rock and pulsate, as Maylu watched on in fright. Maylu whispered, "Lan…"
Sigma boomed, "The condemned will humble himself-."
Lan roared, "I WILL NEVER HUMBLE MYSELF!"
Sigma roared, "The sacrifice must be carried out NOW!"
Lan yelled, "I refuse to be humbled by the Maverick Satan! And it's for something I did! It was an accident! I'm sorry that I let Maylu die! But I will not surrender to the almighty Sigma!"
In Maylu's world, her ammo ran out, as Sigma went closer and closer to her.
"Penguin… Mandrill… Eagle… Armadillo… Chameleon… Kuwanger… Mammoth… Octopus… The arms of Dr. Wily will prepare to embrace the condemned!"
Maylu sobbed, as she was about to be killed from her world, "NO! Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! How could you do this to me?"
Lan shouted, as he was confronting the evil Sigma, shouting to the heavens, "I'm Lan! HIKARI! And I will NOT be humbled by the devil himself!"
"The arms of Dr. Wily will prepare to embrace onto the condemned! The sacrifice must be carried out NOW!"
"Dr. Wily? The only doctors I see are my health physicians and personal trainers! I'm Lan Hikari! AND WHO'S BETTER THAN ME?"
He turned to the machine and said, "You want to get rid of me, that easily? MAYLU DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE! I SAVED HER LIFE, BUT…"
He then growled, as he thought, "The arms of Wily… Okay, fine! You want my ex-wife?"
He roared, grabbing the switch to the 25,000-volt machine, and hollered, "TAKE ME INSTEA-!"
BZZZZZZZZZZT!
Lan flipped the switched, but halfway down. Lan was completely electrocuted, flashing his body in a huge burst of voltage.
In Maylu's world, however, Maylu felt a surge of energy, and held her Power Blaster. Sigma was shedding in small pixels, as Maylu nodded, "Yes… Thank you, Lan… I shall do it…"
Her arm cannon was shining in a huge beacon of light, and then aimed at Sigma's giant head. He called out, "Dr. Wily, the condemned has walked closer to your arms… The Prince of Mavericks will receive the condemned… The sacrifice must be carried out NOW!"
Maylu charged up, and said, "Sacrifice THIS!"
BLAST!
Sigma is caught in a huge blast of energy, and his head was completely obliterated into nothing. Maylu's body was smoking profusely, and moaned in a huge smile, "He… He's… gone… Oh, Lan Hikari… I loved you… Thank you… I'm sure… all… is… forgiv-."
She exploded into small balls of light, reducing into nothing. Maylu's soul was the carrier towards a female Mega Man, and in her last wish, she wants to destroy the demon that wants to condemn her and Lan, to eternal damnation.
As for Lan, himself, he was completely electrocuted, and suddenly died, collapsing onto the ground. He croaked, as he was lying on the floor, "Mayl… lu… I love… you…"
He let out a death rattle and was dead. His body was lying on the ground, and the sounds of Sigma and his musical dirges have ended.
Weeks later, a girl in brown hair, wearing a pink coat and a long skirt, was walking towards the radio station. She then read the note in her hand:
Dear Yui,
We have chosen you to be a part of KSFR in Light City. They say that they needed a new DJ, since the old one mysteriously disappeared. Can you handle the night shift?
Yui smiled and stepped inside. She called out, "Hello? Anybody here?"
She brought her suitcase in, and then said, "From the good sounds, we're not far behind."
She read the note on the microphone, "Main switch three minutes before air time. Programming planned. Absolutely NO variations."
She put the note away and said, "Cushy job… I wonder who wa-."
She turned to the wall, and looked at each radio DJ, including Rock and Zero. She then saw Lan Hikari's face on the wall, showing a smile on his face. From below, it was the date of his tenure: October 3rd, 2018 to October 3rd, 2018. Yui giggled, as she said, "He must be the old DJ. I'm sad to see him leave… He is sure cute."
She turned to the turntable and looked at the CDs. She smiled, "Oh… No artist? I get it. A sort of surprise here."
She sat down and prepared to start the radio broadcast. She turned on the microphone at 10, and then said, "Hello~! This is Yui Hirasawa, coming to you live on KSFR Radio, the only radio station with the great tunes on the air."
She played the first CD, and said, "And now, here's a little something to start off with. You tell me what this song is, because I don't know. All I can tell you is that they picked the set. This is my first time."
The Cutman Theme played, as Yui relaxed in the chair. She turned to the framed picture of Lan, and grabbed it off the wall. She hugged it and said, "Lan… Whoever he was… He's a dream. I hope we find you, someday…"
She was lost in happiness, hugging the frame of Lan Hikari, as the music continued on. But unbeknownst to Yui, the head of Sigma returned, in a transparent state, awaiting its next victim. It appears that, even though Lan saved Maylu's life, it now seems that Sigma's work is never done.
Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, remember this: Always remember the times you had to share. Mister Lan Hikari, once ashamed of not mentioning Maylu's death, now opens up. Not only he fought the devil and lost, but he gave his significant other her final resting place, which is that huge Futuristic Wasteland in the Sky, and more important to make their god, Dr. Light, proud. And with it, a path to redeem yourself, through helping one another.
Lan Hikari, a popular celebrity, now nothing more than the powerful energy force, awaiting his path to redemption… in the "Tales of the Bizarre".
Miz-K NOTE: While this was deemed as a short "Tale of the Bizarre", this is in tribute to Mega Man and its series. Lan Hikari and Maylu Sakurai are from the spin-off "Mega Man Battle Network". And yes, there are past and present Mega Man references, including Rock, the original name for Mega Man, Zero from "Mega Man X", and even the animals for Mavericks in the X Series. I also chose Sigma as the antagonist, since he was a primary, yet popular Final Boss for the series.
Good night out there, wherever you are…