Chapter 4
Mega Man arrived just in time to see the mall quickly being emptied of all its customers. In fact, the mob had almost buried him under their feet, but he was able to get out of the way. Almost immediately, cried arose from the crowd.
"Look! It's Mega Man!"
"We're saved!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd, but most of the people were too busy running to notice him. Mega Man proceeded to enter the mall. The crowds were still too thick to move very fast, but he was able to guess at the origin of the problem using the direction that the crowds were running. When he finally broke through the crowd, he saw the source of the problem and came to an abrupt halt.
A large, eight-foot humanoid figure was what greeted his eye. It was dirty green in color with some parts that shimmered as if it was covered in scales, most likely some type of metal. It was humanoid in nature with a large boxy chest and what appeared to be a pair of wings on its back. He didn't see any visible weaponry, but that didn't mean it didn't have any.
The, "thing", for lack of anything better to describe it, was bent over something, which appeared to be a human girl. It didn't even seem to notice that Mega Man had appeared. Mega Man took careful aim, so as not to hit the girl, and let a charged shot off in the thing's direction. The comet-shaped ball of superheated plasma streaked in at its target and struck the offender in the leg. The thing turned around and noticed Mega Man for the first time.
"I'm not here to fight, allow me to collect what I have come for, and I will leave without further incident."
Mega Man was taken aback. It could talk? He didn't let the prospect puzzle him for long. "And what is it that you've come for?"
"I am here for this unit," it replied, motioning towards the girl.
"Well, I'm afraid that I can't let you take her, she belongs to the planet Earth, and she'll have to stay here."
"Don't make things difficult for me, I have a task to perform, and you will not interfere. "She" is coming with me." It started to pick up the girl.
"Like heck she is!" Mega Man said, as he let another charged Mega Buster shot smack into the thing's chest cavity.
"Enough, you will be terminated now." It thrust its hand forward and Mega Man briefly caught sight of a hole in the palm before it unleashed a bright beam of energy into the small robot. Mega Man didn't even think to dodge before he was hit full in the chest and thrown back into the wall behind him. The beam cut off and Mega Man slumped to the ground, he'd taken damage, but he was not down for the count.
The thing, however, did not seem to notice this, and again turned towards the girl when it was hit again. Once more it turned towards it's annoyance and began to attack, but this time, Mega Man was more prepared, and he launched himself out of the path of the beam weapon before it could hit him. Mega Man let off a round of rapid shots and dodged again.
That thing took three full charged shots, apparently he's no grunt! I could use Proto Man's shield about now. The thing had begun to sprout more cannons from various parts of its body. A small laser cannon had sprouted from its other hand at the wrist, and two large, ominous looking cannons had formed at either of its shoulders. It began to advance on Mega Man, letting a hail of lasers and beams in his general direction. Mega Man was successful in dodging most of the return fire, but there were too many things to dodge, and he was hit every so often. His attacker, however, did not try to dodge any return fire, and apparently didn't need to, as Mega Man found out, it could take a lot of punishment, and it had continued to advance. Mega Man was running out of cover spots, as he constantly had to retreat in order to keep whatever it was from reaching him. He dumped over a steel table, hoping it was strong enough to block its attacks. The table seemed successful enough, but it was still coming towards him. Mega Man poured all he could into it, but it kept coming, and gave no sign that it was even weakening. Mega Man, however, was running out of energy.
As he peeked over the top of his cover, he let off another super shot, and then noticed the two shoulder cannons had begun to glow. Not exactly wanting to find out what type of weapons they were, Mega Man ducked his head back behind the table. The table vanished two seconds later. Mega Man was fully exposed, and he wasn't exactly prepared to be shot at. He was hit a few times before it even dawned on him that he should move, he was hit more as he tried to find another source of cover. Finally, another pulse from the beam weapon in the thing's palm hit him full in the back. Already low on energy, Mega Man collapsed.
"You are a worthy opponent," it said. "My creators would be interested in your schematics. Sensors show you differentiate from previously encountered designs. However, I was not sent to collect samples, you will no longer bother me," it raised it's hands.
Mega Man braced himself for the final assault that would silence him forever. This "thing" had single-handedly done what none of Wily's robot masters could seem to do. Mega Man waited.
A piercing scream was sent throughout the complex. It took Mega Man a while to realize that it hadn't come from him. Mega Man's eyes flew open and he took in the scene as quickly as he could. The thing's attention was no longer on him, it was diverted back towards the area that it had left the girl, and it wasn't moving. Mega Man noticed that the girl had regained consciousness, and that she wasn't alone.
Shadow Man had the girl's arms trapped behind her back, and was pressing a shadow blade against her neck. Apparently she had emitted the scream.
"If she's so important to you, then back off, and you might just be able to finish your little quest," Shadow Man said.
"My masters had hoped to question her, but it is not necessary that she be functional when brought back to them," it replied. "They wish to question you as well, for the destruction of many of their creations. It is fortunate that you have arrived. I will take you both back to them."
Mega Man was temporarily ignored, and had his assailant's back towards him. He had one good shot. He only hoped that Shadow Man could keep whatever it was stalled long enough for him to do it. He then tried something that he had never previously tried to do. He began to charge both arm cannons. It felt strange, and as the energy built up, it was almost painful.
Meanwhile, Shadow Man managed to keep the thing's attention averted enough that it didn't seem to notice the constant, rising tone that began to emit from behind it.
"As slow as you are, you wouldn't be able to capture Wood Man."
"Then prepare yourse….."
It was never able to finish its sentence. Another scream split the air, and this time it was from Mega Man. The immense power of two charged shots exiting Mega Man simultaneously was almost too much for his systems. His arms seared as the power buildup left his body, and he himself was thrown back a few feet. Despite his pain, Mega Man was happy of the results of the excruciating action. The strange cyborg was lying facedown, its self temporarily stunned. Its back, where Mega Man's dual shots had converged, was sparking on one side, and it appeared to be bleeding even. It seemed that Mega Man might have found a weak spot.
Mega Man stood up and aimed his arm cannon at the same spot. Shadow Man readied a blade as he approached the monstrosity lying on the ground.
"Seems you've failed your mission, " Mega Man said. He turned to Shadow Man, "Never thought I'd be thanking a robot master for saving my life."
"Yeah, don't mention it or the other's are never gonna let me hear the end of this one."
Mega Man suppressed a grin. This new artificial intelligence Wily had given to his robots might give him some new ways to have fun with robot masters. He turned his attention back to the thing on the ground, there was still business to attend to.
"Now, tell us why you are here, and what you want with the girl," Shadow Man started the questioning.
"It will mean nothing to you if you knew. You will not be functional much longer. I will be back."
Before Mega Man could ask what he meant by that remark, it disappeared. "Blast," Mega Man said, "How did he do that?"
"Never mind that, where's the girl, she might know something we don't."
They looked around, but they didn't have to look far, she hadn't moved. Mega Man approached the girl, and for once he got a good look at her face. His eyebrows shot up and he took a startled step backwards. It was the same girl he had been following through the city!
"What now?" Shadow Man looked at Mega Man, a puzzled look on his face.
"Nothing," he replied. Shadow Man didn't need to know about Mega Man's constant strolls though town, Bass already caused enough trouble. Instead he turned to the girl. "Any idea as to why that thing wanted you?"
"When we reach a more secure area, then will I answer your questions. We must not tarry long, they will come back for me soon enough," she said.
There's something different about this girl, Mega Man thought to himself. "Alright, here, take my hand, we'll discuss more in Dr. Light's Lab." Mega Man reached towards the girl, but was interrupted as a blue plasma beam narrowly missed his head. Mega Man whirled around.
A gray robot stood in front of him, with black armor and yellow trim. A bright cyan jewel-like figure was located on both his forehead and chest, and his helmet extended with a pair of yellow "wings" that started at the forehead and extended down the back of his helmet.
"Bass! I was wondering when you'd show up to cause trouble."
"Shut up Mega Man, I didn't have to miss! Shadow Man, I want an answer! Why are you cooperating with Mega Man of all things!?" Bass demanded.
"Come off it, Bass. You've had your share of fighting alongside Mega Man. Maybe if you'd stayed closer to the fortress rather than always running off, you might know what's going on, you'd better come back with us."
"Back where? Last I heard you were headed to Dr. Light's lab!"
"And so we are. Wily's fortress was totaled, and this time it wasn't Mega Man's doing. Wily's waiting at Dr. Light's lab, come with us, and I'll let him tell you why."
Bass turned to Mega Man. "What is this, some sort of trick?"
"It's no trick, Bass, and we could probably use all the help we can get right now, and I don't have time to waste sitting here arguing with you." Mega Man turned to the girl, "Take my hand, and then we'll go."
The girl grabbed a hold of Mega Man and they disappeared in a blue flash. Bass turned back to Shadow Man. "What is going on here? And what the heck was that thing that you two were fighting?"
"I don't have time to discuss this with you either, go to Light's lab and Wily will give you the details. If you don't want to, fine, but I don't suggest sticking around here for much longer." Shadow Man disappeared in his own blue flash, leaving Bass to ponder these current events.