Iota Prime
A TFS Mini-Series
By: Rockman SP

Chapter #2: Evil Growin' Inside My Heart, Tearing All Before Me Apart!

OR

Huh...Didn't See This Coming...

Spring the Rabbit simply stared at Rockman, wondering where the sudden testosterone rush came from. "Hmph... If you think a shiny new weapon is gonna stop me, you've got another thing coming!" She reached behind her back for a quick second, a soft glow emanating from her hands as she reached into her own form of Hammerspace. Whipping out a pair of .40 S&W Caliber stainless steel pistols, she smirked, twirling the firearms like a trained expert. "I've got distance on you, pal... You're all mine..."

"Maybe..." Spring grew wide-eyed as she felt a soft voice being whispered into one of her long ears. She whipped around, only to find nothing but air. A double-tap on her shoulder, however, made her realize she didn't have the upper hand in this fight. "... But I have my plotholes!" She spun to see Rockman's Crystal Hope lifted high, ready to strike her down. True to her animal abilities, she reacted with gusto, bounding out of Rockman's attack range, leaving him to strike the ground with an earth-piercing crunch. As shards of concrete rose from the broken sidewalk, she twisted her arms behind her, taking her chances and firing both guns at the mad author. While the first shot missed completely, the second bullet struck his left shoulder, forcing him to release his mallet as his muscles spasmed in shock, gritting his teeth to keep himself from cursing.

Grabbing the Crystal Hope, he rushed forward, letting the stinging pain of the bullet and the oncoming adrenaline rush fuel his rage. As Spring whipped around, she took careful aim at his other shoulder, hoping to disarm the half-crazed, hammer-wielding writer. As she began to empty both clips at him, Rockman raised the glamorous weapon in front of him, the clear blue head covering his unarmored chest in order to lessen her hit count ratio. The powerful shots bounced off the mallet's head, tiny chips of reinforced mineral falling to the ground with soft 'plinks as Rockman came even closer. As her guns began to run out of ammo, Rockman brought the mallet behind him and whipped it towards her, in a familiar attack.

"Mallet RAID!"

Spring's eyes widened as the giant hammer flew towards her. Letting her animal instincts take control for a second time, she took to the ground and bounded to her right, letting the spinning projectile fly off into the distant sky, narrowly missing her head. Watching the gold-lined mallet fly off, she wondered whether the attack was meant to actually strike her or not, when she whipped back around, remembering the first rule of combat: Never turn your back to your opponent. The enraged author had made a mad dash towards her, his right hand glowing with Hammerspace power. Reaching striking distance with incredible haste, he pulled out his most deadly mallet, the Hellbreak mallet, and spun, catching the poor rabbit in a Hurricane Hammer attack, a sick crunch filling the ears of the surrounding audience.

Spring flew back, releasing her guns as every nerve in her body screamed out in pain and suffering. She bounced on the ground, screaming in shock and suffering from the attack. Rockman Special walked slowly towards her, a maniacal grin plastered across his face. "This has gone on long enough, little bunny girl..."

Spring's eyes shrunk in fear, panic beginning to take over her mind. 'He's not gonna do what I think...? Right...?' She struggled to look up at him, straining to keep conscious as she locked eyes with him and froze in fear. The normally peaceful author's eyes had changed from a soft brown to a hard, soul-piercing deep indigo.

"Time for you to go 'splat', cute little bunny girl..." His voice sending chills down her spine as he raised the Hellbreak mallet high into the air, ready to drop the darkness-forged weapon onto her weakened frame.

"Hagasakyiiii!"

The yell caught both fighters off guard, as a spiky-haired shadow latched itself onto Rockman's back. Just as mysteriously as he had become so enraged, his eyes turned back to their original calming brown. "...Huh...!" Rockman looked around, confusion overflowing like a fountain from his face. "What have I been doing...? Spring...?" He looked below, his eyes growing as he scanned her battered frame, noticing the demon hammer in his hand and placing two and two together. "Oh my god... Wait... What's on my...!"

The mysterious figure finally showed his face, grinning from ear to ear as he spoke.

"Skreee..."

Spring hadn't been at the Fallout Shelter for far too long, but she knew she would never see ANYONE with such a panicked look on their face ever again.

"HeeeYYAAAAHHHH! GET HIM OFF ME!" Rockman dashed around like a chicken with its head cut off, taking the latched IotaMetroid along for the ride. It was probably the funniest thing Spring had seen, and had Rockman not given her a broken rib, she probably would've been rolling on the ground laughing like everyone else was. Her body began to waver as she watched the two spin around like a minature tornado, Rockman struggling in vain to relieve himself of his uninvited attachment, her vision becoming more blurred by the second.

It took a few minutes his crazed panic to end, but eventually he did, falling on his butt as Iota hopped off. "Feeling better now...?" Iota smirked, looking down on the panting mess below him.

"Yeah..." Rockman sighed, coming off his adrenaline high as the bullet wound in his arm began to sting. "Freaking fantastic..." He shook his head, clearing the dizziness from his consiousness. "Wait... What about...!" He turned to the wounded rabbit, just in time to see her collapse into unconsciousness.

"SPRING!"

-END CHAPTER 2