Chapter 3: No Soup For You!!!!!
Night has fallen on the gigantic, peaceful city of Mocpac, which is almost 100 miles away from the city of Enlitia. It is approximately 3 A.M. as the full moon shines on the business district of the city. It is there that the majestic Global Convention Center resides. Standing 10 stories tall and surrounded by flags gathered from around the world, the Center is truly a sight to behold, as it will soon be a place where history will probably be made for the good of mankind and Reploid kind.
About a couple of blocks away from the Convention Center, in an old, condemned building, one could almost hear voices and arguments coming from the third floor. Inside, Storm Eagle, Wire Sponge, Volt Catfish, and Split Mushroom were all gathered around a broken table, playing a game of cards to pass the time.
"Got any three's, Featherbrain?", Volt Catfish muttered.
"Go fish, Whiskerface.", Storm Eagle replied.
"Hey that's not funny!", Catfish retorted.
"I know it's not funny!" Storm Eagle hissed, "This is Go Fish! It's the name of the game, stupid! It doesn't apply to you!"
Split Mushroom tried to hold back the two fighting Mavericks, shouting, "Hey hey! Let's not start a ruckus, okay? We're supposed to be quiet."
Calmed down, Eagle and Catfish sat down to resume the game, still glaring at each other with cold, steely gazes.
"Okay.", Mushroom said, "Sponge, it's your turn."
Wire Sponge held up his cards and said, "Okay. Got any five's, Moldybreath?"
Mushroom suddenly jumped up out of his chair, with sheer madness burning in his eyes. "Oh yeah! I'll give you five!", he screamed, holding his hand in Sponge's face, then balling it up into a fist. "About five-in-one in your face if you call me Moldybreath AGAIN, Squashhead!!"
Wire Sponge reeled back, surprised and said, "Hey relax, Fungi! I was just messing with ya!"
Flame Mammoth walked into the room just as Mushroom grabbed Sponge's collar. Storm Eagle and Volt Catfish were trying to restrain the two fighting Mavericks.
Mammoth immediately shushed them and said, "Be quiet, you guys! We're supposed to remain silent at all times. If we ever got spotted by Spycams, we would have a whole army of Maverick Hunters gunning for us. And if they don't kill us, Vile and Sigma sure will."
At that point, the Mavericks stopped fighting each other and let go.
"Sorry, Mammoth.", Storm Eagle said, "We're just stressed out, that's all. It's from hiding out in this building for the past two days, with absolutely NOTHING to do except play cards and insult ourselves."
"Well, don't you worry, Birdy.", Mammoth said in an optomistic tone, "In a few hours, the REAL fun will begin." All the Mavericks nodded their heads to that remark.
At that moment, Frost Walrus burst in with three paper bags held in his giant hand and heartily shouted, "HEY! Who's up for some soup!"
All the Mavericks immediately said, "SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Oops! Sorry." Walrus then dipped his hand into one of the bags and pulled out a covered bowl of soup. "Here's your Chicken Worm Soup, Eagle."
"Aah! Thank you, Frosty.", Storm Eagle said as he took it from Walrus's hand.
"Uuh, Sponge. Here's your Cream of Broccoli."
"Wonderful! This is well worth the wait.", Sponge stately said.
"Okay, who ordered the Electric Eel Soup?"
Volt Catfish beamed, "Ooh! That's me. This is the stuff I kill for."
"Alright. I guess this Cream of Mushroom is yours, little buddy.", Walrus said, holding up a LARGE styrofoam bowl of soup.
Mushroom took it and said, "Ooh! A double helping. Just the way I like it."
Walrus then took out another bowl and uncovered its contents, "Aaaahhhhh! Anchovy Soup! Completely frozen solid. Just like mom would make, if I had a mom." Frost Walrus then threw the paper bags to the side, and then proceeded to eat his food. Flame Mammoth stood there staring at him, disappointed and puzzled.
"Hey, Tuskbreath!", Flame Mammoth said, "Where's my boiling-hot Tomato Soup?!"
Frost Walrus replied while downing that whole ice chunk of soup, "Uhhhhhhhh.....I guess I forgot."
"Well, go back out and get my soup!", Mammoth fumed, "I'm HUNGRY!!!"
"Do you know how hard it was to get all those bowls of soup!"
Having finished their soups, the rest of the Mavericks turned to see the two titans fighting.
"Go get your own, Dumbo!!", Walrus shouted.
"Don't call me Dumbo, Tuskbreath!!", Mammoth yelled.
"Dumbo!!"
"Tuskbreath!!"
"DUMBO!!!"
"TUSKBREATH!!!"
"BOTH of you, SHADDUP!!!"
The two Mavericks (as well as the others) had turned their heads nervously to see Vile, second-in-command to the Mavericks, standing in the doorway with his eyes glowing bright red and his signature shoulder cannon lowered towards them.
"VILE!!!" Flame Mammoth said in surprise, "Ummm...well...ahhhhh.....uh....you see......"
"SHUT UP!!!", Vile retorted in anger, pointing his shoulder cannon menacingly at the group of robots. "If this weren't a covert operation, I'd blast you all from here to the moon!" With that, both Mammoth and Walrus slunk into a corner, quivering in fear from the tall, purple Maverick.
"Greetings, Commander Vile. Storm Eagle reporting for duty, ready to take down the humans for the freedom of the Reploids, sir!" said the bird Maverick in a soldier's tone. Storm Eagle was the very definition of a suck-up, especially towards Vile.
"As you were." Vile said, his voice a little more calmer. He then cleared the broken table of playing cards and laid down a rolled-up map. He then motioned for all of the Mavericks (including Mammoth and Walrus) to gather around the table.
"Gentlemen", Vile said as he rolled out the map, "As you probably know, in a few hours, we will attack the world leaders at the Global Convention Center and destroy them with extreme prejudice. Once we have blown them to bits, we will retreat to our underground base where we will relax and watch the humans and Reploids blame and destroy each other. After there is nothing left, we will resurface and rebuild the population of Earth with Reploids, and only Reploids. Our race will thrive under the watchful eye of our lord and master, Sigma. We will be victorious!"
All of the Mavericks cheered at that remark, but then clammed up after they remembered that they were supposed to be QUIET.
"B-But Vile.", Flame Mammoth nervously added, "Won't the place be stuffed with Maverick Hunters from top to bottom?"
Vile stared coldly at the nervous elephant, then turned away and said, "Don't worry about it, my persistent pachyderm. We've prepared for this. Have you heard of Serges's new invention, the Stealth Battery?!"
Flame Mammoth bared a stupified expression on his face, "Uhhhhh.........no."
"Very well, then.", Vile then turned to the other Mavericks and explained, "The Stealth Battery allows any flying, swimming, or burrowing Maverick to slip by enemy radar without being detected. Serges had been working on two of them for months, and they test out perfectly. He had installed one in Wheel Gator, who's waiting in the city's sewer system, and he installed another in Blast Hornet, who's patrolling the skies at this time. These two will be the trumpcards we will play to win this war!"
Vile then began to explain his plan as he ran his finger across the map. "Listen up guys, 'cuz I'm only goin' to go over this once. Here's the plan: We will attack the Maverick Hunters outside of the building and keep them busy long enough for Blast Hornet to make a surprise aerial attack from above. Once he 'crashes' the party and keeps the Hunters inside busy, Wheel Gator will sneak under the Convention Center, dig up to the surface from within the sewers, and plant two plastique explosives on the stage where the world leaders will be. Once they're planted, we will have five seconds to escape. Wheel Gator will give us the signal when the bombs are active and that's our cue to vamoose! The ensuing blast will leave nothing but piles of rubble and scores of dead bodies. It will be beautiful. Ho BOY will it be beautiful.............."
Vile snapped out of his 'tender' moment and turned to the others and said, "Well, guys? Do you like my little plan?"
There was a bunch of "Yea's" and "Uhhuh's" and "Yep's" among the crowd. There was even one who said "Sigma will be proud!"
All that was interrupted by a beeping noise on Vile's wrist. Vile turned on his communicator and the venomous face of Blast Hornet appeared on the small monitor.
"What is it, Hornet? I'm a busy Maverick!", Vile said.
"Zzzorry to interrupt your meeting, Vile", Blast Hornet nervously said, "But I've detected Maverick Hunterzzzzz on my zzzzzzcanners!"
"WHAT?!!", screamed Vile. He then turned and stared at the other Mavericks coldly.
"Uhhh...I think we're busted.", said Flame Mammoth stupidly.
"Remind me to kill you ALL later!" Vile then turned his attention to Hornet. "How many are there and where are they?!"
Hornet continued, "There are four of them: Mega Man X, Zzzzzzzzero, a purple one, and a green one. They're walking towardzzzzz the Convention Zzzzzzenter. Shall I attack immediately?!"
"No Hornet!" Vile insisted, "Maintain your position and do not attack! You're too important to this mission! Call Wheel Gator and tell him to get to the rendezvous point at the appointed time, get the bombs, and stay hidden until it's time for the mission! More importantly, order him not to attack!"
Blast Hornet simply saluted as he fizzled out of Vile's communicator. Vile then turned to the other Mavericks in the room, who were huddled next to each other in fear.
"W-W-What'll we do, boss?" Split Mushroom said nervously.
"I'll tell you what we'll do, Moldybreath!", said Vile as he cocked his shoulder cannon, "We're gonna take out those pain-in-the-@$$ Maverick Hunters once and for all! Two of you each take a Maverick Hunter and take them out! Sponge! Get down to the alley at the appointed time and make sure Gator gets those bombs. Without them our mission will be lost!"
Frost Walrus added, "What will YOU do, Vile?!
"Mega Man X is MINE!!", Vile said, his eyes glowing an ominous red.
".....and mine ALONE!!!"
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