Author's notes: I guess it's been awhile since I've uploaded a story here. Anyway, just like the summary says, it's a spin-off I made with the characters from Ryuusei no Rockman. Just to note, most of them will be using their english names, while a few will have their japanese names. It's just a matter of preference. I'd also like to say that the plotline from the original series has little connection to this as it will be set as a completely different 'universe'. A few familiar elements will still be there, but the story is very much changed
Shooting Star Rockman: Another story
Prologue
The year is 2399. many years ago, A terrible accident named in history as the 'retribution' occured due to the foolish venturing of man in science they had little knowledge of. This field studied the power of 'waves', a phenomenal kind of electromagnetic energy that could do more than simple microwaves. These Electromagnetic waves were capable of forming roads and other solid objects due to their incredible energy attraction and stability.
Because of the abuse that scientists had strained on this study, the Earth itself was jeopardized. The electromagnetic field that safeguarded the earth's surface was permanently disabled, exposing the planet to all kinds of disasters. Before the earth's final days, the construction of an artificial colony was quickly ordered. Everyone and everything that could be evacuated was moved to the colony, and on the year 2200, the people watched as their home planet vanished right before their very eyes.
The colony 'Rebirth' was just one of the many that were now scattered throughout the system. It is the first and the oldest of all of them. Currently, the whole colony was to celebrate its 200th year anniversary with a festival held in 'Nocturne', the colony capital. On the festive streets filled with decorations and lights that made the whole city seem very lively, a brown-haired boy walked along with a face that somehow didn't express the same mood.
"Hm...I still have some time before the festival" he mumbled to himself. Arriving at a transportation shed, he patiently waited for a shuttle as he looked up at a large monitor to kill the time.
"In other news, 16 year-old pop star Sonia Strumm still has not shown any sign of coming out of her assumed 'retirement'. Sonia, who had been performing for almost two years, shocked fans with the sudden announcement that she would no longer be performing" At that, pictures of a blond girl with green eyes appeared as the broadcaster continued. "An interview with her manager, Larg Vulnich, stated that it is solely up to her decision and that they will not force anything unto her"
"How strange..." The boy thought to himself, "I wonder why she'd quit? I'm sure there are many people who'd kill just to be in her shoes" Of course, he didn't find himself to be one of them. He wasn't too fond of all the attention, or at least, didn't give it much thought.
As he continued to watch the large screen, a shadowy figure had suddenly hung over him. "Excuse me?" a female voice started, drawing the boy's attention. Looking over to his right, he saw a young girl with short pink hair and green eyes. Oddly, she looked a tad bit familliar. "Is this the shuttle to the festival grounds?"
"Yeah, it is" the boy responded with a nod.
"Oh, finally!" She sighed with a smile. "I've been looking all over for this line. I accidentally took the Arlean line on my way here and I've just been guessing all over the place since then"
"The Arlean line?" The boy said with a raised eyebrow as he stood up. "But that'll take you in the completely opposite direction"
"I-I know...ahaha. I'm not exactly that good with directions, and it's my first time here in the capital so I'm not exactly sure what to do" She looked as if it wasn't much of a problem, to the boy's confusion.
"Anyway, you're going to the festival too, right? Is it okay if we go together. Please~? It's just that my sense of direction's even worse today and I'd really prefer not to get lost again..."
The young man didn't often have company, but it didn't mean he would really mind. "Well, alright. I don't see why not"
"Really! Thanks a bunch! For a second there I thought I was gonna miss the festival completely!"
"Is her sense of direction really that bad...?" the young man quietly thought to himself. There were times when people would exagerrate, but for some reason he found it half-serious.
"Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. Name's Jess - Jess Sky. Nice to meet you!" With an outstretched hand, the girl smiled welcomingly.
"Geo Stellar" he replied, shaking the cheerful girl's hand.
Even before landing, the two could already see the liveliness that a festival should no doubt have. There were people no matter where they'd look awaiting the main event that had attracted tourists and citizens alike from advertisements and brochures. But even without those, anyone could tell that this was an occassion that shouldn't be missed. Centered on the festival grounds was a dome that could fit thousands and thousands of people; a place fit for such an event.
"This is just...amazing!" Jess exclaimed with starlit eyes. Geo couldn't help but agree with her. After all, it was an event that was celebrated every 5 years so the event planners wouldn't want anything else but to make this festival something to remember.
"It really is something, isn't it? Hey Jess-" but when he looked over to his right, the upbeat girl could no longer be found. A bit of searching and he spotted her wasting no time with all the stands scattered throughout the grounds. "And...she's off"
"Hurry up, Geo!" The girl gleamed as she waited in front of a stand that sold fresh and hot squid balls. It was surprisingly decorated, complete with baloons of the festival mascot: Eloq, a
"This might take awhile" Geo mentally noted. And after witnessing her little 'campaign' all over the festival grounds which did last awhile, he could safely tell himself he was right.
An hour before the grand event, people were already taking their place inside the large dome. Geo had planned to be one of those early birds, but unfortunately his new friend had taken much of that time. Ultimately, the two found themselves inside the building with only 10 minutes to go before it'd start. "I'm really really sorry, Geo!" Jess said, her hands clapped together and her head slightly bent downwards. "I-It's just that I was so excited to finally attend the festival and I guess...I went a little too far"
"Only a little...?" the brunette thought with crossed arms. "Well...it's alright. I only got this ticket from a friend so I should just be glad that I'm actually here" Even though the boy said that, Jess couldn't help but feel the need to repay him.
"Oh, I know. You can have this for helping me out. It's the least I could do" she smiled as she handed him a small chip that looked very familiar to Geo. After remembering where he'd seen it, the teen widened his eyes in surprise.
"A-An upgrade chip for the transer?" he muttered. "I can't accept something so expensive, even if I did help you out a little"
"No, it's fine, really. It was an extra so I don't mind giving it to you at all"
The thought of her having an extra of something a tad bit pricey was something he would keep in his mind. Not that it really mattered to him, being a person that never took a liking to sticking his nose where it didn't belong, but it was still a piece of info he'd do good to remember.
In a few minutes, the bright lights in the dome shut off in exchange for a few circle spotlights that focused themselves at the announcer on center-stage. From just looking at the man, Geo could tell that he was just as excited as the rest of the audience or maybe even more. "Good evening, everyone!" the man greeted with a powerful voice. "It's the event you've been waiting 5 years for: the Rebirth colony grand festival!"
The crowd loudly cheered at those words until the man spoke again, "We've got a great show for you tonight. Spectacular performances, brilliant lights and more have been prepared just for this very anniversary, and we hope all of you will enjoy watching them as we have enjoyed making them!"
"He sure knows how to pump up a crowd" Geo muttered as he took a glance at his companion who cheered to her heart's content. It was at that moment he realized once again that this girl seemed strangely familiar. There was one person he could think of, but the brunette shook away the idea, thinking that it was just impossible.
"Come on, Geo. Put a bigger smile on that face!" the pink haired girl said as she stretched Geo's lips with her fingers.
"S-Stop that! You're gonna rip them right off!"
And finally, the man went on with his last remarks to officially begin the event. "And now, without further ado, let's begin the celebration!" At that, a spectacle of dancing lights burst out all at once, with multiple floating Eloq swinging and flying in synchronized patterns. At one point, the Eloq went out of their formations to greet the audience members who happily replied to the small creatures.
"Fasten your seatbelt 'lil lady!" One of the Eloq said, shaking Jess' hand with a child-like smile before returning to its formation.
"That Eloq was so cute!" Jess happily noted as she and Geo continued to watch the opening performance that seemed more than enough to get the audience even more excited. Along with the Eloq, performers arrived on the scene complete with props of a wide variety. There were performers that rode translucent boards all around the dome, along with small ships gliding above in formation. There were dancers moving about in a vibrant and dynamic stage that would change not only its shape but the objects placed on the stage as well. This was what the grand festival had to offer, and it wasn't even done yet.
The grand festival also made use of a few famous singers and performers that many people knew. It was anncounced many months ago that the singer, Sonia Strumm, would have made an appearance, but unfortunately another announcement was made right after her 'retirement'.
"Hey, isn't that Belle Travers?" Geo said at one point as a young brunette entered the stage. She seemed just about the same age as him and Jess, with pigtailed brown hair and blue eyes. "I don't know much about the music industry, but I know she performed a number of times with Sonia, right?"
"Y-Yeah..." Jess mumbled, staring at the stage with a mood much different from before.
"Jess? You alright?"
Hearing Geo's voice, the girl quickly snapped out of her trance and faced him with a recovered smile. "I'm fine, see? Nothing to worry about ahaha"
"Well...if you say so" Geo concluded, though with some doubt in his mind.
And just like many other events, a short intermission currently took place. Some of the audience members left their seats for different reasons. In the case of Geo and Jess, the latter suddenly felt her hunger kick in after all that excitement.
"I don't think that's what I'd call...'a little bit'" Geo sighed as he looked at the food in Jess' hands. After all, it wasn't too long ago when she made that trip around the different stands.
"Hey, I'm a growing girl" she reasoned, shortly before taking another bite.
"She eats a lot...but her figure doesn't seem to be affected" Geo thought as he looked at the girl with curiosity. It didn't stay as curiosity for long though, and he suddenly found himself with a slight blush on his face.
"Something the matter?" Jess asked the brunette who shook his head.
"N-Nothing...nothing at all"
At that very moment, their conversation was cut short by the sound of an alarming explosion followed by a short tremor. Everyone looked around in confusion and panic as another explosion shortly trailed.
"What the?" Geo started, trying to find out what exactly was happening. From afar, he suddenly spotted a few mechanical figures that had landed from a hole in the artificial sky. Immediately, they began causing havoc and, much to his surprise, began firing on the citizens.
It was a shock to see, and he honestly couldn't believe his eyes, but his instincts clearly told him that it was happening and it wouldn't be a good idea to sit and stay. "We gotta go, now!" Geo exclaimed, shaking off his surprise and quickly grabbing his companion's wrist. He didn't have a specific place in mind. The only thing he could think of was getting as far away from those robots as possible.
"Geo, w-what's going on?" Jess said with a hint of panic as she looked back at the scene. There were already a few bodies surrounded by pools of blood. It wasn't a sight to see, and the girl forced herself to turn her eyes away. She didn't know why, but her she began to feel very lightheaded, as if she was getting dizzier every second. "I…I don't undersand"
"Me neither…" Geo responded, keeping his focus on the road ahead. "But we can't stay here. We need to get away from whatever that is"
But suddenly, another hole in the sky was formed, with one single android falling down in front of the two. As soon as it did, however a rain of bullets fired on it.
"Get out of here, you two!" An armored guard ordered as he continued to shoot. "There's a shelter just west of here! Some of our guys will be there to assist you!" With a quick nod, Geo thanked the officer and sped off along with Jess.
"But we can't just leave them!" the pink haired teen yelled, trying to break Geo's grasp.
"Think about it! Even if we stay…what can we possibly do to help them?" he answered back, trying to convince his friend. Ultimately, she gave in with a reluctant nod and ran off once again. A few seconds after, both heard a few gunshots and a few screams along with them. They didn't have to look back to know what had happened, but Jess felt her heart beat faster than ever. Geo felt the same, but there was something inside him that told him to keep his head straight.
Finally, they spotted a few soldiers not too far from them guarding a large building only slightly smaller than the dome where the grand festival had taken place. Citizens and tourists alike entered the shelter in a rush. Some already had tears in their eyes, while a few others sustained a few injuries told by the blood on their clothes.
The two felt a hint of relief in their minds for once, but that hope was soon crushed when more of the androids had suddenly dove in right in front of them. One of the guards hurriedly stepped in, shielding the two from the android's bullets. The armoured officer fell to the ground, but the robot wasn't finished. Raising its other arm, it aimed at the two teens and forced Geo to quickly stand in front of Jess with his arms stretched. He knew it wouldn't be of much help, but it was the only thing he could think of.
Everything seemed to slow down at that point. Geo didn't even think about dying – or rather, he couldn't because of the adrenaline rush. All he could do was close his eyes. A second later, a gunshot was heard, however it registered in Geo's head as an unfamiliar sound. It did sound like a gunshot although it had that extra crackle to it that sounded much louder.
"We're…alive" Geo muttered as he stared at a clean hole made in the android's head. It exploded a moment later with its body falling to the ground.
"Phew…that was a close call" A voice said, turning the group's attention towards a boy holding two short guns in his hands. His green hair was styled in a ponytail, and he wore clothes of a violet hue. He also wore a few pieces of armor over his clothes that took on a black and gold color. The most notable were the small gauntlets attached to his wrists.
"That armor…" Sonia began, "Are you…an Engraved?"
"Oho, so you know about us?" The green haired boy answered though Geo wasn't familiar with that term. "It's nice to finally meet you too…Sonia Strumm"
As if the sudden attack hadn't surprised him enough already, now a new piece of info gave Geo a shock. He figured they looked alike, but he didn't think this young girl was actually that same rising star on TV.
"But how did you-"
"Now's not the time to talk about that, miss" The boy interrupted with a calm tone amidst the current chaos. "My name's Tsubasa Futaba, but let's skip the big introductions for now" At that, the boy named Tsubasa looked at the guards with serious eyes. "It's your choice if you want to believe me or not, but these androids plan to completely severe this part of the colony. To put it simply, their plan is to blow this all apart once they find what they're looking for. If you want to save these people, get them out of the shelter and into the escape pods"
It was a very serious claim, almost unbelievable, but the scale of the attack did make some sense out of it. The officers had no choice but to follow.
"Now then" Tsubasa started at Geo, "I'm running out of time, so if you could guide me to the orbital elevator I'd appreciate it. The guards have an important job to do, so you're the only one I can count on right now. But don't worry, I'll keep you safe"
Luckily, Geo did know where the elevator was, but it was an out of the blue thing to ask from a person who'd just stared death in the face. "But what do you plan on doing?" he asked with a bit of suspicion in his voice. His life was saved by this man, but he couldn't help but feel a little skeptical.
"I'm after what these androids are after. The difference is that I know exactly where it is. If you compare our morals, I'd say you'd be better off telling me than them" There was something about his words that sounded charismatic. Was it his calm manner and tone or something else? Right now, Geo didn't have the time to even try and answer that.
"...Alright" He finished with a nod.
"Then I'm going too!" the revealed pop-star spoke out, but was stopped by Tsubasa.
"I'm sorry, but you'll only get in the way. In the state you're in I might not be able to protect you" It was true. The so-called 'Engraved' had noticed it earlier, but Geo finally saw the uneasiness in Sonia. Her words said she wanted to help, but her body's trembling told a different story.
"Jess...I mean Sonia. You should go on ahead to the escape pod. I'll follow once I'm done here"
"But-"
"Trust me" Geo said with eyes that showed a glint of determination in them. "I don't plan on dying at a time like this" Sonia paused with her head down, but her expression changed to a more hopeful one even with her body in panic.
"Okay...just don't do anything stupid, alright?" She probably yelled out of the adrenaline pumping in her veins mixed with her own worry. Whatever it was, it came out of her mouth before she could even think about it.
"I don't get it. how'd you know she was actually the Sonia Strumm?" Geo asked as he and Tsubasa ran through a large floating road called a 'wave road'. These kinds of roads are usually stationed in high areas leading to goverment property.
"Sorry, but that's classified info. The only thing I can tell you is that it involved me asking her for an autograph about a year ago"
"Wh-What...?"
"Like I said, the rest is classified. But before you ask, and I'm sure you would, that device I gave her awhile ago was a 'wave tracker'. Let's just say she's the only one who could've used it at the time"
Before they parted ways, Tsubasa had handed Sonia a small device before the girl was suddenly transported out of the area in an instant. "I guess if I ask you'll tell me it's 'classfied'" Geo uttered, "but why did you give her something so important?"
"Actually, our leader didn't say anything about not telling this part, but let's just say she's special and leave it at that" It was yet another cause for suspicion, but once again time didn't allow for much thinking. The two eventually reached a large cylinder-like structure and stepped inside. Bringing up a virtual monitor on the wall, Tsubasa quickly began inputting a string of codes that flowed through the screen. They looked like a bunch of randomly keyed-in letters, but once he was finished. the elevator suddenly began moving downwards and passed through level after level.
Finally, the elevator had come to a stop, but it no longer looked liked they were in the city. In front of them was a large lab colored mostly in white and containing machines of all sizes. At the very center floated a blue crystal that shone with a bright light.
"There it is" Tsubasa began, "Wait here, I'll go and get-"
His words were cut short by a crashing noise through one of the walls followed by a small dust cloud that cleared away in a matter of moments. What stood in its place was a man with dark skin, pale white hair, and blood red eyes that gave off a dangerous vibe. His whole left arm was covered in armor similar to Tsubasa's, with the stranger's equipment taking a pitch black color with a violet line running through it. His right hand grasped a sword with similar color and a design that took on multiple sharp edges.
"One of yours?" Geo asked, stepping back a bit as the green haired young man shook his head.
"Unfortunately...he's not. Basing from his looks, I'd say this might be a bit of a problem"
