The Pain Of Loss Chapter 17 – True Intentions Revealed, Part 2

Me: This totally sucks!!!

Higsby: What's with you, huh?

Me: FFNet isn't supporting paragraph indenting anymore...

Numberman.EXE: And that's really such a big problem? It's only paragraph indentation, and you never used to indent before you started writing this story.

Me: I'M A FLIPPIN' PERFECTIONIST!!!

Higsby: Too much of one if ya ask me, huh...

Me: #Snaps his fingers and watches Heavy Man's Hard Knuckle pound both Numberman and Higsby.# Anywho, enough insane ranting for now. On with the storyyyyy!!!

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Roll and Kali cried out and slammed their swords into one another, sending bolts of black and pink lightning shooting wildly around. The battle had truly begun. Roll smirked at Kali through grit teeth. "You're really tough..." Kali grinned evilly, starting to push forward a little harder now. "Of course. I AM you!!! RRAAAAAHHH!!!" Kali ducked beneath the Roll Sword and slashed at Roll's abdomen. Roll flipped back at the last second, merely taking a small laceration to the lower half of her leg. She landed softly on the ground, grinning and holding her free hand out. "ROLL BURST!!!" Firing the same move that totally annihilated Drillman Omega, she sent thousands of pink energy streams at Kali. Kali jumped back, then did a front flip. "SHADOW HURRICANE!!!" Immediately, a black, and even more powerful version, of the Roll Hurricane was launched, sucking in all the blasts. Roll gasped as the Hurricane concentrated them and came at her, slamming into her and exploding on contact. She shrieked out, flying back and slamming hard onto the ground. "Gghh..."

In the mean time, Protoman was leading Gutsman, Numberman, Glyde, Iceman, Sharkman, Woodman, and Skullman through the first area of the Undernet. Skullman rushed forward, catching up with Protoman and tilting his head at a 90 degree angle. "So either you're daft, or Roll's in danger of being deleted by a shadow of herself?" Protoman nodded, slashing through a Fishy3 virus. Numberman looked back, sweatdropping slightly. "Everyone, we've got viruses at 6 O'Clock!!!" Woodman came to a screeching halt, turning around and holding both hands forward towards the viruses. 2 of them were Slimeys, and the other a Spikey3. Sal appeared on screen behind him. "Two Tree Bomb 3, coming up!!!" Sal immediately inserted the two battle chips into her PET, giving Woodman the arsenal he needed to deal with the Slimeys. He launched the seeds forward, into the Slimeys' paths. Once the Slimeys were above, he used his power over the Wood Element to sent not seeds, but two wooden spears, straight through them, deleting them.

Sharkman grinned and dove underneath the surface of the path, emerging behind the Spikey3. "EAT THIS!!! BUBBLER!!!" Sharkman launched forward the Bubbler chip from behind the Spikey3, dealing a large amount of damage to it. He finished this small task by simply biting it in half. Protoman and the others continued running as Woodman and Sharkman finished up and began to follow once more. Protoman grimaced, thinking to himself. 'Roll, just hold on. Don't let her deceive you!'

At the same time the others were making haste through Undernet 1, Roll was dragging herself to her feet. That blast inflicted a heavy amount of damage to her body. Kali, though, had no mercy. She charged forward and thrust her sword towards Roll. Roll caught this at the last possible second, and quickly jumped sideways. "Kali, I wasn't even ready!!!" Kali held her sword up infront of her face, concealing an evil grin. "Roll, I told you, no mercy!!! If we're going to bring your power to fruition, you can't hold any attachment to me! Fight as if you were fighting for your life against Quickman, Drillman, or Flamman!!! Hold NOTHING BACK!!!" On her free hand, a black cannon formed. She held it up, aiming right for Roll's chest. "DARK CANNON!!!" With this cry, she sent a black ball of energy straight from the cannon. Roll guarded with her sword and ribbons, but the power was far too much. It exploded on contact and sent her back again. She flipped in mid-air, landing on one knee.

"So... fight like that, huh...? Alright then, that's just what I'll do!!!" Roll stood up, her aura forming around her again. She screamed out and flew forward at Kali, slashing at her with blinding speed. Kali grit her teeth, only barely dodging. 'She's good. Laserman's right, she is becoming a threat. No matter, though. Once I take this power of hers, she'll be a threat no more...' Kali winced as one of the sword thrusts curved into a slash, cutting into her side. She looked down at the blood starting to run, then glared to Roll. "Nice work..." Roll took no time to respond, quickly forming a cannon on her free hand and pressing it to Kali's chest. "ROLL CANNON!!!" Kali shrieked out as the cannon fired point blank into her chest, sending her flying back over onto the edge of the path. Roll panted a bit, sweat pouring down her body inside her suit. Kali grit her teeth, standing up. Two busters formed on both her hands. She raised them, pressing them together and digging her feet into the ground. "DARK BLAST!!!"

Roll's eyes shot wide as she saw the very same move she used against Quickman being used on her. She poured all the energy she was using for her Cannon and Sword into a Barrier, but even this wasn't holding up well. The darkness of the blast quickly vaporized the shield, engulfing her. Roll screamed out at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing right into the very depths of the Undernet. She fell to the ground, barely conscious, panting heavily and covered in blood. Kali started to walk forward, her arm held out as her Dark Sword formed once more. "Is this all you've got, Roll?!! Megaman will never be able to return with such a pathetically low power inside you!!! He'll remain in the junk data piles of the internet for the rest of eternity!!!"

Roll's eyes shot wide as she heard this. Tears rolled down her cheeks at the thought of never seeing the one she loved ever again, and this was something she simply could not stand. Roll's eyes glowed pure white, her emblem giving off a blinding flash. Kali grit her teeth, shielding her eyes until the flash died off enough just to be seen through. She gasped, seeing an enormous energy blade shooting up into the sky. This sword's power was so immense, computers in even the ACDC Area could pick up at least trace readings. Kali grinned, shifting all her powers into a barrier. 'That's the way, Roll... You're ready...' Roll cried out as blade reached the peak of it's power, maxing out everything. "MEGAMAN WILL COME BACK!!! I WON'T LET HIM STAY DELETED!!! LIIIGHT BLAAAAADE!!!" Immediately, she flew up a good 20 feet, slamming the sword down. Kali screamed out, the sword piercing through her barrier mere seconds after it hit, engulfing her.

A half hour later, Kali regained consciousness, moaning in pain. She sat up, coughing up a little blood. "I... I never thought it would be so powerful..." She sighed, using a Dark Recover on herself to fully restore her body. She walked to Roll, kneeling down and doing the same for her. Roll's eyes fluttered open as she looked to Kali, smiling. "I... is it enough...?" Kali smirked evilly, holding her hand up. "Yes, my "dear" Roll...", she said in a very sarcastic tone, "It's more than we could ever need..." Roll suddenly had a growing fear within her as she sat there, shaking her head. "K... Kali, what're you doooaaaaaAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGHHH!!!" Roll's back arched in pain as black beams shot from Kali's fingertips into her emblem. She cried out, trying to break away desperately, but to no avail. "Forget it, Roll!!! My Energy Withdrawal technique paralyzes the victim!!! You'll be helpless for a while after this, but don't worry, you'll still live!!!" Kali grinned as a sphere of white and pink energy was drawn out, leaving Roll weak on the floor. She looked to Kali, tears rolling down her cheeks. "K... Kali... wh... why are you...?"

Kali grinned, standing up, looming over the helpless Navi below her. "I used you, Roll... I can't believe you actually trusted me. It was so easy!!!" Roll shook her head, gritting her teeth and slowly forcing herself onto her hands and knees. "B... but... why...?" Kali blinked, then smirked as she thought to herself. 'Impressive... she's as determined as ever. Any other Navi would be paralyzed for a good 3 hours...' "I guess you deserve an explanation... You see, I lead for a very special organization. Your power is a necessary asset. With it, we're guaranteed success with our plan. You've just been a pawn in all this... Just like that pathetic fool Quickman, and then, of course, there were Flamman and Drillman..." Roll's eyes shot wide as she heard this, gritting her teeth. "Y... you... set them up for me...? And... and you lied to me... about restoring Megaman...?" Kali smirked a bit, tossing the sphere of power up and down idly. "Actually, the part about Megaman is true... You see, what we're going to do with this is revive all the lost Navis that Megaman deleted. We may even bring him back on our side... You can join us, Roll. You can still be with Megaman once more..." Roll just sat there, looking her in the face. She grit her teeth, then spit on her, her eyes narrowed into a very defiant glare.

"I'd never join whatever group you have a hand in... And even if... Even if Megaman's revived like that, he wouldn't be the Megaman I knew anymore... I'll sooner die than join your ranks..." Kali shrugged, forming her Dark Sword once more. "Suit yourself..." Just as she raised it in the air to swing at roll, something clacked on the ground behind her. She looked back, her eyes going wide. It was 2 die, sixes facing up on both. Kali vanished as they exploded, appearing a few feet back. Numberman walked forward, holding another pair of die. "You'll have to delete us all, then." Protoman moved from the back of the ranks, his visor up. His eyes were narrowed into a piercing glare that he'd never used before. Never in his life had he been so angry. "Kali..." Kali giggled a bit, holding the sphere under her right arm. "So the boys want to play..." She turned around, smirking a bit. "I haven't got time for games... None of you are a true threat anymore anyways. See you later..." Kali immediately vanished into the shadows from there. Protoman rushed forward, kneeling down by Roll. "Roll! Are you alright?!!" Roll nodded weakly, tears rolling down her cheeks. She grasped onto Protoman tightly, starting to sob into his chest. Protoman blinked, then sighed, looking down and shutting down his Cyber Sword. He hugged her back, his visor going down once more. "... Don't worry... she's going to pay for what she's done..."

Back at the Nebula base in Undernet 6, Kali presented Laserman with the sphere. Laserman chuckled, holding it up in the air. "Once it's tainted with the true power of Darkness, nothing will be able to stand in our way... But there is one thing I wish to discuss with you, Kali..." Kali blinked, nodding. "Yes, sir?" Laserman looked down at her, holding the sphere in one of his large hands. "You called yourself the leader of our group... I hope for your sake there was no meaning behind that. It was a very convincing performance..." Kali shook her head, smiling to him. "No sir. I just believed that when the day came, you would like to announce to the world Nebula and it's purpose..." Laserman stood silent for a moment, looking her up and down seriously. He then nodded, handing the sphere back to her. Kali blinked a bit, looking up to him as he began to speak. "You are Roll's Dark Soul, the dark side of her very being. As such, I entrust you to bring this power into our full control. If anything happens to this sphere though, your deletion will be a slow and painful one. Understood?" Kali gave a solemn nod. "Of course..."

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Me: Well, now that Roll knows Kali's motives, it's only a matter of time until this story's over.

Elecman.EXE: I've heard that one before...

Me: Hey, it's common sense, man!!! This is like... like the Koto area in Megaman Battle Network 2!!! It's gonna be the final area that's super long and puts the characters in the most stress they've ever gone through!!!

Mayl: But HOW do you expect Roll to fight without her sphere in the story?!!

Me: Bah, minor speed bump I've already gotten over. Trust me.

Mayl: Hmph, I could probably run this story way better than you anyways...

Me: The focus would have to be on Roll, Mayl, not your diary entries or your love life with Lan...

Mayl: SH-SHUT UP!!!

Me: #Grins# Well, that's it for this excruciatingly long chapter, ladies and gents. See ya next time around!!!