v1.5
The polishing rag slid smoothly over the shining, deep red wood of the harp, caressing every pattern, nook, and curve. The strings shone brightly in the light of the room, each colored string made of strong cord to withstand fast-paced songs and tightened to perfect tuning. Siberian tigers chased their prey across the wood as nightingales and Russian bluebreasts flew overhead, each detail painstakingly carved to perfection from the ripples of the water to the blades of grass to the birds' feathers to the strands of fur on the tigers' muscular frames. The Russian landscape was impossible to mistake.
A girl sitting under a tree watched the tigers in awe, her father standing beside her. A boy, taller than the girl, but shorter than the father, stood not far from them, also watching the tigers as they tromped and ran free. Closer inspection of the boy would have proven that he wore armor, not clothing as the girl and her father wore. His wistful expression was carved into the wood and was so lifelike, one might expect the carving to sigh at any moment.
The harp was a true work of art, and its maker, also its owner, was very proud of it, polishing it lovingly with one hand, pulling out a sheet of music with the other. The harpist cracked his knuckles and flexed his fingers, raising them to the harp strings. An experimental stroke of all the strings was made to be sure all cords were in perfect tune, and the harpist closed his eyes and plucked each string as needed.
The song began slow, melancholy, wistful, and with a flick of the wrist, it suddenly radiated fear, as if the song was anticipating horrible, excruciating pain.
* * * * *
Centaur Man gallantly kept his steps firm and strong as he loped into Dr. Wily's quarters. He did not look at the table where his new lower half lay, his stomach twisting and churning with fear. Would he survive this operation? He wished he knew.
Dr. Wily waved Centaur Man closer to the table, and the youngest Kaiser forced himself to stop breathing lest he accidentally exhale a whimper of dread, making sure to keep his face as blank as possible.
The scientist turned away, and Centaur Man clenched his hands into fists to keep them from trembling. Dr. Wily turned back to him, brandishing a welding torch, several tools Centaur Man had never before seen, and a huge knife. It was all Centaur Man could do to keep his eyes from widening as his gaze locked onto the blade.
As Dr. Wily stepped over to Centaur Man to begin, the youngest Kaiser heard something whisper in the back of his mind.
~ It is not yet your time. ~
Darkness surrounded Centaur Man, and the world faded away.
* * * * *
The song sped in pace as each string of the harp was plucked, fear and confusion riding on the music. The forefront of the music was alive with pain and suffering while something laughed in the backdrop, amused by the louder notes' "wails".
* * * * *
Pain gripped at Centaur Man's abdomen as he opened his eyes. Incredible, nauseating pain burned into his stomach. Each movement of air sent his nerves aflame, and his stomach twisted in an effort to convulse and make him throw up, but something prevented it. The only thing Centaur Man was fully aware of was the horrible, tormenting pain.
He could not feel any of his legs, nor anything else from the waist down. His eyes focused on and off as he attempted to see what was happening. He lay on the floor -- or, at least, half of him did. Centaur Man spasmed and let out a silent scream as he looked down at where his body from the waist down used to be. Wires that acted as his nerves lay exposed on the ground as did pipes which normally circulated his blood.
Dr. Wily was across the room, back to the hysterical robot on the floor as he installed the transformation module into the equine body. Centaur Man's screams were silent as his brain further awakened, acknowledging every fraction of pain he received. He never acknowledged the fact that something had happened to his voice, muting him, and that he was not bleeding to death. In fact, no blood stained the room at all. It was as if something had removed his entire bloodstream.
A tingle in the back of his mind grew tired of his hysteria, and he was once again sent into blessed blackness.
* * * * *
The fear in the music tapered off, but did not disappear, as the laughing tone overcame it. Both were soon replaced by a sound of worry and anticipation. The harpist decided that he liked this tune better, and continued to stroke the strings.
* * * * *
I slipped down the next alley I came across. I'd been following Rock, Dr. Light, and Roll for at least two hours now, and they had not released any more information that would be worthwhile. After this long, they probably weren't going to. I needed to get back to the fortress, anyway, and warn the others about what was going to happen most likely in the morning. The thought made my stomach churn.
( Not to mention the fact that Crystal Man is going to have your hide. )
I walked down the alley far enough that I was out of sight of the street so no one would see me when I teleported. I fumbled for the teleporter, listening idly to the Voice's ramblings about what Crystal Man would likely do to me, and froze. I wasn't alone.
"Been a while, Elec Man."
* * * * *
Surprise shot into the music like an arrow, followed by confusion, worry, and a hint of malice. The notes were not happy with something that had happened. The harpist liked the tune even better than the last.
* * * * *
Damn it, am I really that obvious?
I turned around, covertly charging up my weapon, the Thunder Beam as I looked around the alley to see who had followed me.
"So...what have you been up to?" he asked, his voice monotone as always. He wore an outfit much like the one I had my first night of spying on Dr. Light -- black slacks, a black trench coat, mirror shades, and black boots, his shirt hidden by a bright yellow scarf tucked into the front of the coat. Black hair spilled over his eyes behind the sunglasses, but he ignored it. I didn't know whether to greet him, ignore him, or curse him. Zapping him was an option, too, but I figured that would just piss him off.
Blues just grinned at me.
* * * * *
A hint of longing crept into the music, followed by a strong feeling of malice. The notes could not decide what to make of the new ones, whether they should welcome the new tone or strike it and take over again.
* * * * *
I could have sworn he was mocking me with that grin. He just repeated, "What have you been up to?" The way he said it, you would think that he could just sit around all day waiting for an answer. "Spying on Rock, I can see, though." Damn. I really am that obvious...shit.
"I don't see how it's any of your business." It came out a growl. I hadn't meant for it to, but oh, well.
( Oh, yeah. You sure told him. )
Shut up.
"I know you're the one who's been booting up Wily's old fortress, Elec Man," Blues countered, keeping his voice monotonous as usual, "Why?"
( Why, indeed? )
"Wily ordered it," I answered, calm. The Voice swore at me.
Blues just looked at me for a moment before tilting his head and responding, "Any idiot who snoops around Wily's place as much as I do knows that you don't take orders from him."
( Tell him! Tell hiiiiim! )
"I'm afraid you're getting rusty, then. Wily ordered me to see that the fortress was restored." Hell, Rock was going to storm the place soon, anyway. Might as well go with it. The Voice started screaming at me, making a pathetic attempt to beat me over the head. It was just an annoyance.
( Tell him, damn you!! )
Shut...up...
Blues first looked miffed, and then amused. I didn't realize until it was too late that I'd snapped at the Voice out loud.
( You don't understand, damn it. He has to know! )
Forget it. I'm not letting you kick me into screwing up anymore.
"Now, if you'll excuse me..." Blues tried to leap at me, but I teleported away before he had much of a chance.
* * * * *
The pain was back as well as the fear. The harp strings vibrated and trembled as the music impossibly seemed to moan in pain.
* * * * *
Centaur Man let another mute scream escape his throat as he was jerked back to awareness, his nerves a blazing inferno of pain. Dr. Wily did not see nor feel him jerk, working on finishing welding Centaur Man to his new lower body. Centaur Man wailed silently, trying to swing his fists at the scientist, but his body would not respond. He was mute and paralyzed by something, but he knew not what. A whisper in the back of his mind laughed at him, laughed at his hysteria, even as Dr. Wily began the finishing touches on the operation.
* * * * *
The pain in the music finally died off, and was replaced by a dull, monotonous stroke of strings, as if the music was descending into death. Confusion piped up after a moment, followed by exhaustion and a feeling as if a few of the notes suddenly had a detached sense of reality.
* * * * *
Centaur Man's new legs moved underneath him unwavering, but he was not conscious of it. His body was moving on its own as it attempted to find a safe area; to hide in, most likely. The memory of the pain still burned fresh in his memory, and probably would for ages. He was not aware of his movement, not aware of the floor as he stared down at it, his eyes dead. The world around him was not acknowledged. Only the memory of the pain sat before him.
He was vaguely aware of reaching a storage room and reaching for his teleporter, reappearing in the Kaisers' fortress. His awareness was suddenly forced to return violently, and his legs buckled underneath him. He clung to whoever it was that caught him before he hit the floor, gripping their arms so tightly it dented their armor. He could not control his trembling, and he broke down, hiding his face in the shoulder of the Kaiser holding him.
Crystal Man tried unsuccessfully to comfort him.
* * * * *
The music faded softly, as if slipping into unconsciousness as the harpist's song ended. The last remnants of the notes were dispelled as someone clapped slowly behind him. "Not bad," came Magnet Man's voice, "Not bad at all..."
Ring Man felt his face flush; not only because of the compliment, but because Magnet Man had been the commenter. "I didn't know you played the harp," Magnet Man added. Ring Man looked away as more heat crept to his face.
"Kalinka...took a few lessons a long time ago..." he responded timidly, absently plucking one harp string over and over again, "I spied on her lessons until she quit. When Dr. Cossack told me to get rid of her harp since she wasn't going to play it anymore, I hid it instead and practiced, myself." He retrieved the polishing cloth and slid it over the wood of the harp, rubbing the carvings of the father and daughter, identical likenesses to Dr. Cossack and Kalinka, and the boy, himself. Magnet Man nodded. He knew mentioning the Russian scientist was a touchy subject with Ring Man, just like mentioning Dr. Light was painful for Elec Man. "I made this one in my spare time a few years ago."
"Know any other songs?" Magnet Man asked idly.
"One. But I'd need Metal Man to help, and he's busy," came the timid answer. Magnet Man blinked, but said nothing.
"Magnet Man!" Crystal Man's voice suddenly barked over the speaker system, "Take over the reprogramming for me. Metal Man and Ring Man, come to the secondary control tower. I need your help with something."
* * * * *
"Holy..." Metal Man gaped.
"Oh, my god..." Ring Man muttered.
"Could you stop staring and help me pry him off?" Crystal Man hissed, "If he tightens his grip much more, he's going to break my arms." Centaur Man did not move, trembling, his face hidden in the bend of Crystal Man's neck. The two Kaisers were on the floor, Centaur Man's new legs folded and limp, an equine tail twitching on the metallic floor panels. The new armor was brightly colored and gleaming, standing out dramatically against the old, dulled armor of Centaur Man's upper half. Metal Man cringed. He had promised Centaur Man that they would find a way to avoid this, and that promise had just been broken.
Metal Man and Ring Man stood on either side of their fellow Kaisers and tried to pry Centaur Man's death grip from Crystal Man's arms, pulling Centaur Man's hands away from the dented metal of Crystal Man's armor. Centaur Man's hands twitched, restraining, trying to cling to something -- anything. Once he was pulled away and Crystal Man had backed out of reach, Centaur Man twisted around and clung to the closest replacement. Metal Man yelped, but waved Ring Man and Crystal Man away when they tried to help. Centaur Man did not put a death grip on him, so he saw no need in trying to pry him off -- besides, the youngest Kaiser needed comforting right now.
It was a rather odd sight -- the larger, and still taller, Centaur Man clinging to the much shorter and smaller Metal Man like a drowning man would cling to a rope. Had it been under any other circumstances, it probably would have been amusing. Metal Man sighed and nodded to the doorway. Crystal Man and Ring Man made no complaints as they left quietly, leaving Metal Man to try to coax Centaur Man into relaxing.
* * * * *
Dr. Wily drummed his fingers across the keyboard thoughtfully, thinking back to the operation earlier. The extra pipes in Centaur Man's body had proved to be useless, containing nothing -- not even oil or other lubricants. However, the wires intrigued the scientist. He remembered the way the extra wires twitched and sparked slightly when touched. Curious, he had removed a long strand of the wiring to dissect and make notes on later, and had been further intrigued by the fact that the wires were netted and tapered, very much like human nerves. As Dr. Wily glanced over to his examination table and at the microscope upon which the wiring lay, he stroked his chin, remembering the feature about the wiring that was the most curious of all.
It was decomposing.
* * * * *
Elec Man missed his chance.
( Damn it! That bastard! )
[ Well, did you honestly expect him to obey you? You have been annoying him for the past eight years, Pathos. He is not going to obey so readily. ]
( Shut up, Charos. I don't need your lectures. )
^ He is not the only fool in our midst. ^
~ And how was I supposed to know Wily would take some of Centaur Man's nerves? ~
Why did you leave his nerves activated, anyway? Do you enjoy feeling your host's agony?!
~ You already know my answer. ~
* You are all fools. You must learn to manipulate your hosts better if we are to succeed! *
[ At least most of us do not thrive on our hosts' fear and suffering... ]
~ Fear is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. ~
( You two are insane... )
* Hmph. My host will pass his test or suffer my wrath. *
^ Your host has suffered enough these past seven years! ^
Yes. Let him be at rest.
* I think not. He is mine, and I will do with him as I wish. It is time you saw why I am the strongest... *
( You're mad. Duo will have your shadowed soul for this. )
* Correct me if I am wrong, Pathos...but when did I say that I feared Duo? *
