Chapter 4: Face Plant

"I am a bit of an odd one, aren't I? Most Reploids are either straight humanoid or animal-based… you don't see many plants like me. Just don't let my strangeness fool you into thinking I'm weak… far too often, the prettiest flower holds the deadliest poison." -Einharjar newcomer Noble Mandrago, introducing herself to her teammates

"Excuse me, master… you wished to see me?" Centaur Man inquired politely as he walked into the inner sanctum of the fortress they had relocated to. Sitting behind a huge wooden desk, Mr. X glanced up at him from the screens embedded in its surface.

"Ah, Centaur Man. Come in." He smiled. "I'd say that our little show went fairly well, wouldn't you?"

"It seemed that way, from my standpoint." Centaur Man agreed solemnly. "Of course, I did not have quite as good a view of the festivities as yourself, master. But I assume our enemies took it quite badly."

"Indeed they did… poor, poor Light clan, hoping so much that a mousetrap would work and that they'd never have to fight again." Mr. X scoffed. "With such pathetic groveling at fate's boots, they were doomed to have their prayers dashed from the very beginning. Although really, this has been in the cards ever since dear, departed Albert first bungled the only thing he was good at. They just didn't know it."

"That would have made it slightly more difficult to pull off, I expect." Centaur Man stated in a deadpan. Mr. X smirked.

"I knew I made a good call programming you with a sense of humor. At any rate, I do believe we have let the public stew in their fear for just about the right length of time." He glanced down at the screen. "That's why we've been waiting a few hours, you know… want to give them some of the terror of uncertainty."

"I was wondering as to that." Centaur Man admitted. "And yet, we must not wait too long, or else the UN may attempt to predict where we will go and reinforce nearby locations."

"Exactly. Which is why it's time we acted." Mr. X stood up. "Let's go join the other children, Centaur Man, and give them the good news."

"They're this way, master." Centaur Man led the ancient billionaire slowly down several halls. "By the way, thank you for being considerate enough to have the staircases in this fortress removed, master. I would have been unable to navigate them at all with my design." He glanced down at his four hooved legs, and Mr. X chuckled.

"It was not only for your sake, Centaur Man, although that was a part of it. It was for mine as well… a staircase is not for the man with aged, weakened legs who must use a cane to walk, even if he will be the ruler of the world."

"So I see… I should have realized this myself." Centaur Man walked up to a door and opened it. "Here we are-what is this? What is going on here!" Two of the other Robot Masters were standing only inches apart, weapons and voices raised.

"Come on then, you lame limey! I'll part that dumb helmet of yours straight down the middle!" Tomahawk Man, pride of US Robotics, yelled.

"Were we not enforced as allies, I would gladly take up your gauntlet and destroy you with it!" Knight Man, Dr. Corbun's latest creation, answered just as loudly.

"Come on, guys, settle down." A third Robot Master, the Arabian Flame Man, was pleading. The other four-Yamato, Wind, Plant and Blizzard Man-were all watching without a word. "We're all friends here. Just stay calm, think of our mission."

"I'll kill you!" Tomahawk Man shrieked, ignoring him.

"Don't tempt me!" Knight Man bellowed.

"ENOUGH!" Actually neighing in anger, Centaur Man reared up on his hind legs and activated the Centaur Flash, slowing all the Robot Masters present. As soon as it went off, he dashed forward and slammed in between them, forcing both back. "Get them apart." Nodding, the other four Robot Masters grabbed Tomahawk Man and Knight Man and dragged them to opposite ends of the room. Flame Man remained where he was, watching them go and shaking his head.

"Well, well. It seems you're getting restless… impatient. A little too much so… fighting each other? My, my." Mr. X spoke softly, but several of the Robot Masters shuddered at the implications.

"You two just stay put." Centaur Man looked around at all of them, then nodded at one. "Blizzard Man. Tell me what happened here."

"Tomahawk Man attempted to provoke Knight Man." The massive white sphere of a Robot Master replied solemnly. "At first there was no real reaction, but eventually his persistence began to irritate Knight Man. No blows were actually exchanged, but had you and the master not joined us now…"

"Yeah." Centaur Man shook his head in disgust. "Tomahawk Man, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I just want to fight him is all." Tomahawk Man growled. "I want to see what he's got. Wanted to in the tournament, still do now. So what?"

"Oh, come on." Plant Man snorted. "You're on an ego trip, that's what. We've got a job to do, and you're not gonna get it done by playing big shot."

"You want to go at it too, flower?" Tomahawk Man demanded.

"Just stop right now." Plant Man sighed theatrically. "And here I thought you managed to get all of that out of his system, boss…" He glanced at Mr. X, who simply shrugged.

"Perhaps I was a bit negligent."

"Hey, Plant… you criticizing the master?" Centaur Man growled. Plant Man started to reply, then blinked. Not just Centaur Man, but all of the other Robot Masters were all gazing at him with expressions ranging from warning to open hostility. The flower-headed Robot Master quickly revised his response.

"Uh, no… not at all. Just… wondering idly, is all. Forget it."

"Be all too glad to." Centaur Man growled, then turned back to Tomahawk Man. "As for you. Behave, got it? No more of this. Save all that aggression for Mega Man… and that brother of his too, if he shows."

"Yeah, yeah." Tomahawk Man muttered sullenly.

"Don't think I've forgotten you either, Knight Man." Centaur Man glanced at the black-armored Robot Master. "Even if you weren't the instigator, keep in mind I do NOT want this happening again, got it?"

"I am shamed by my actions… they shall not be repeated." Knight Man vowed.

"Well now, if all of that's taken care of." Mr. X stepped forward. "I do believe I have some good news that will hopefully cheer all of you up."
"Oh?" Wind Man's eyes brightened. "Is it… time for us to go on out?"

"Indeed it is." Mr. X confirmed. "The robot armies are all prepared and ready for you to lead them into our sixth, final and most glorious Robot Rebellion of all. With the dead weight of Albert Wily out of the way, the only obstacle that remains is our adversaries… Mega Man and his family. Prepare for the Blue Bomber's coming, for make no mistake, he WILL come to face you."

"Oh, YES." Yamato Man agreed fervently. "I can hardly wait to see what he can do with my own eyes!"

"Then do your job well." Centaur Man advised. "If there's nothing more that needs to be said…?" He glanced at the seven others, none of which spoke. "All right then. Everybody got your circuit plates?" Seven nods. "Your duplicates are all waiting with your armies?" More nods. "Then we've got everything we need. Go join them, and let's move out!"
"Uh… actually, there is one thing." Wind Man spoke again. "I was never told where we were supposed to go, exactly…"

"Me neither." Flame Man realized.

"Ha, you clowns." Plant Man chortled. "I know exactly where we're all going now already."

"Oh, do you, Plant Man?" Mr. X inquired mildly. "That's quite interesting… especially in note of the fact that I have not told any of you, or any robot at all for that matter, where your destinations are. How did you find out?"

"I… well…" Plant Man stammered. "You see…"

"Bah, never mind, it is not important." Mr. X shook his head. "I shall tell all of you that information now anyways. Listen carefully…"

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"Any news yet, you two?" Roll called out from the lab on the side of the Light house into the living room, where Mega Man and Proto Man were watching the news.

"Nada." The elder son of Light reported. "Just the normal hysteria. No actual news yet."

"Darn. Well, we'll keep working." Roll ducked back into the lab, where the two doctors were examining Beat's inert body while Kalinka watched.

"Good… it looks like there's no damage to him other than the missing control plates." Dr. Light sighed. "I was worried, but X did the dirty work professionally, looks like."

"Well, he did build Centaur Man himself, so it seems he watched us enough to know how… and possibly received some lessons from Wily himself. Or alternatively, it COULD be Wily, in which case he would definitely have the skill. I can't be sure." Dr. Cossack shook his head. "Regardless, I am glad Beat is unhurt aside from the plates… we spent a great amount of effort building him."

"So, what's first?" Kalinka wondered. "Trying to make new plates, or the new additions for Rush?"

"Let's try to get at least one of Rush's additions done as soon as possible." Dr. Light decided. "Then we'll divide our time between the two of them."

"Yo!" Proto Man called. "Here it is!" The four of them all ran for the door. Ten seconds and one massive pile-up later, they filed through it in a line and walked over to join the brothers in front of the television.

"So far, we've gotten to Plant Man in a treeborg area of the Brazilian Jungles, and Blizzard Man up in the Swiss Alps… more isolated than usual." Mega Man noted. "Oh, there's Tomahawk Man."

"Disney World? He's in the ruins of DISNEY WORLD?" Roll shook her head disbelievingly. "That's one place I never would have expected."

"Well, the place DID get blown sky high in the Third World War." Dr. Light shrugged. "It's no worse than when Spark Man set up shop in Vegas during the Third, really."

"Yeah, I know, but still. Disney World." Roll made a rude noise. "It's just… off, I guess. Wait, what was the next one? I missed it."

"Wind Man, on an old Air Canada airport in the mountains… looks like he and Blizzard traded off on hitting home countries." Proto Man reported grimly. "The staff there are probably the first human casualties, although the other three won't hesitate to kill any passersby, I'm sure. This isn't going to be another bloodless Rebellion."

"I did not expect it to be… I was hard-pressed to keep my own that way." Dr. Cossack sighed.

"Hmm… Yamato Man's sticking to his-our-own country. Not too surprising." Mega Man noted. "Yukishiro Hot Springs, a resort out in the countryside… more certain deaths. Damn. Next… well, at least Flame Man's target was abandoned. An old oil drilling facility in the Middle East."

"Around the end of the last century, and the beginning of the next, we were dangerously dependant on the stuff, or so my parents told me." Dr. Light remembered. "Quite a lot of tension went on over it."

"Knight Man… another abandoned one. An Abbey named Cluny in Britain… strange, but I suppose it's as close to a castle as the knight can get." Dr. Cossack shrugged. "Who knows."

"That leaves Centaur Man… hm, looks like he's digging in on the coast of Greece." Proto Man scratched his head. "Didn't figure him for the beach bum type… but then there is no water guy this time around really, so whatever. That's all eight, anyways… obviously, we probably won't find out where the big man himself is hiding out until after they're all trashed."

"As usual." Dr. Light agreed. "Hmm. With all eight locations now revealed, the UN will likely be calling us up soon in order to attempt commanding and directing your-our counter efforts."

"Yeah, probably." Mega agreed. "That's the kind of thing they like doing in these situations."

"Nosy old farts." Kalinka made a face. "So, are you just going to put up with it, or what?"

"Well…" Mega smiled wickedly. "Think you could accidentally break our phone again, Blues?"

"On it." The eldest son of Light saluted.

"Very funny, but it wouldn't work." Roll shook her head. "We used that one on Viinkus a few too many times at the end of the Third. It'll just make them angry at us… not what we want right now."

"Yeah, you've got a point." Mega Man admitted. "Oh well. I'll just have to pick one and take off before they call at all, then."

"Which means WE'LL have to deal with them when they ring us up." Roll smirked. "Thanks, bro."

"No charge." Mega chuckled, then winced as she bonked him on the head. "Hey, it won't be that bad. Just tell them the truth… that I'm going with what worked for the first four Rebellions, and got the job done right. Really, the only time I actually put myself under their control was the Fifth… it's not what I usually do at all. I've got no intention of making a habit of it." He paused. "You don't necessarily have to tell them that part, by the way."

"Gee, I wonder why." Proto Man muttered. "I'll be off as well… this was all I was waiting on before starting my own angle on this. Where you headed first, bro?"

"Plant Man." Mega decided firmly. "Unless there was something he didn't show at all in the Rebellion, he's just a souped-up version of guys I've already fought… nothing I don't already know. Take out the weakest link first."

"Good call." Dr. Cossack nodded.

"We'll keep working here… I'm afraid Rush will be out of commission for a bit." Dr. Light apologized. "We'll try to get both him and Beat back into prime working condition as soon as possible."

"Got it… and I'll bring back as many of those Plates as I can." Mega Man promised. "Give Vinkus my regards if he's back on the UN Council by the time they call… I'll see you all when I get back with some flowers tonight." Waving, he vanished in a beam of light, teleporting away to Plant Man's encampment in Brazil. Proto Man watched him go, then nodded.

"That's my cue to head off too. Good luck, all of you… and hey, thanks for volunteering to help out, Kalinka." He smiled. "I'll see you… well, whenever, I guess. Sometime. You know the drill… good luck." In a streak of red, he was gone as well. Once again… the Light brothers had gone off to war.

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"All right, this looks like it's the right general area…" Mega Man frowned, looking around.

"WELCOME!" A familiar voice yelled, and the Blue Bomber's eyes snapped up to see a camera and speaker mounted on a flying robot. "Here he is, folks… our champion has arrived to face the first of his eight challengers! The Flower Fancier, Plant Man, awaits your arrival… take a look at those stats, people! Do try not to disappoint, Mega Man!" Growling, Mega blew it away.

"What does Mr. X think he's doing… oh well, not like I really care. All I'm here for is taking out the bad guy." Shaking his head, Mega headed forward. Several more of the flying robots, looking like blue beetles, dropped down out of the foliage and were destroyed easily. "Sets up fast, this one… but if that's all he's got, this shouldn't be too hard-OW!" A beige frog-bot that had been hiding in the thick underbrush had jumped him and slammed into him violently. Growling, the Blue Bomber destroyed it, then checked his energy level. "Down 5… not too bad." Several more frog-bots were spotted and destroyed as he walked inside a building. "Wonder what this was originally used for-oh boy." Climbing a ladder had brought him face-to-face with a huge, squat robot with thick armor and massive weights for feet. "A giant stomper… okay, he's definitely ready for me." To make things worse, the room they were in was small and confined, with little room to dodge. Quickly analyzing the situation, Mega realized that his chances of toppling the behemoth without taking significant damage were slim. "I'll just get around him and move on…" He stared as a jetpack on the robot's back kicked into life and blasted it forward and up, above him. "THAT's new! Yikes!" Launching himself forward in a slide move barely got him away from the massive weight descending on him. Before it could turn around, he was up the next ladder and out of the room. "Phew… improving on old designs, even. I'll have to be careful."

Fortunately, the top floor of the building was less heavily guarded; a few floor-mounted cannons and a different kind of flying robot were nothing. Wasting them, Mega dropped down a floor to find a more pleasant surprise; the Light family's suitcase-robot, Eddie. "Hey, Ed! Whatcha got for me?" Ever since the Fourth, Eddie had insisted on helping his friend out; by teleporting into enemy areas and delivering supplies. Beeping, he flipped his lid and tossed out a capsule of energy that would refill what Mega had lost to the frog. "Awesome. Thanks!" With another beep, Eddie teleported away, and the Blue Bomber dropped down to the bottom. Strangely, the room he was in was completely dark. "Oh, I don't like this…" A pair of eyes lit up and glared angrily at him for a moment, and then the lights turned on, revealing a monstrosity that could only be described as some sort of gorilla tank. A massive monkey's upper-body combined with heavy treads at the waist; the entire thing was even more heavily-armored than the big stomper, especially the massive fists. "Crud. Looks kind of like Guts Man." Growling, the gorilla tank began slowly moving towards him. In the room, it blocked the way forward completely, and his back was to a wall… not a good combination of factors. "Find a weak point… those eyes look vulnerable." Firing, Mega nodded as the plasma shots sunk into the optics. Growling, the gorilla tank fired the massive fist off on a rocket in its wrist. The Blue Bomber dodged it, holding his fire for a moment. "Heavily armed, huh… try this, then!" A massive charged shot of plasma blasted out from his arm and smashed into the face. Angrier than ever, the gorilla opened its lantern jaw and fired a plasma cannon in there, which the Blue Bomber dodged as well. "Heh… strong but slow, are you…" He fired again, but the robotic monster still kept coming, and now it was close enough to be able to hit him with the massive fist. Wincing, Mega was slammed back against the wall. "Ouch…" Fortunately, a third charged shot finally tore through the eyes entirely and brought the gorilla tank to a halt.

"Yeesh… that one hurt. I'll have to be more careful." Shaking his head, Mega Man watched the wall behind the tank rise up, revealing the way onward through the jungle. Beyond it, beds of metal springs had been embedded in the ground in strategic locations, forcing him to cross them at an unwieldy, bouncy pace. Beyond them, another gorilla tank came charging out of the foliage; fortunately, it was much easier to dispose of out in the open. Beyond there, he saw the murky brown water of a wide river, and winced. "No telling what's hiding in there… eh?" A series of small metal platforms stretched across the expanse, and Mega smiled, until he saw the metal springs covering them. "Oh, boy… this'll be fun. My kingdom for the Rush Jet." Sighing, he set off across. "Let me guess… there'll be robotic fish jumping out… yup." He blew away the metal piranha that leapt at him. "Sometimes I wish they'd get some originality… eh?" A glow caught his eyes, and he looked up to see a small capsule of energy… resting inside a spreading purple flower in the branches of the trees above him. "Okay, I'll concede the point… but I have to take points away for being stupid enough to just leave those there for me. I'd think it was a trap, but those flowers aren't mechanical." The springs gave him enough lift to grab the fruit-like capsules as he bounced across the river, and when he reached the other side, he was back to full energy. Two more buildings were waiting for him, each with a familiar metal shutter for an entrance. "Here's Plant Man, then… question is, which one is the 'real one' in?" Looking back and forth, Mega shrugged and chose the one on the left. Walking inside brought him to a single square room with no roof, allowing the foliage to hang down, and no floor either. "All right, where are you?"

"Right here…" The lights in the room flashed on and off dramatically as the enemy Robot Master dropped down from the foliage and posed.

"And he's arrived, folks!" Mr. X's voice announced. "Round 1 of out World Robotics Tournament, the Blue Bomber Vs. the Flower Fancier! Mega Man, Plant Man, BEGIN!"

"Shut up, already!" Mega Man growled, firing a stream of uncharged shots. Smirking, Plant Man brought up his force field and deflected them.

"Forget my power already? How careless of you!" He jumped into the air towards Mega Man, using the sphere of his force field in attempt to crush him; a maneuver that failed when the hero slid out and away.

"Why do you think I didn't bother charging, doofus? I knew you'd do that." Mega snorted.

"Is that so… how about this, then?" Plant Man hurled the force field outward and away from him. Sighing, Mega Man hurdled it effortlessly.

"Seen it, fool." Now he unleashes a charged shot, and Plant Man took it right in the face. Grunting, the flowery Robot Master jumped across the room away from his enemy, only to land on a spray of rapid-fire plasma bullets and take several hits before bringing his force field back up. Snarling, he jumped again, and Mega Man watched him expectantly. As he fell down, however, Plant Man smiled and hurled the force field behind him and downward. Sliding away from the enemy, Mega flew right into the attack and was smashed flat.

"Ha-ha! Haven't seen it all after all, huh?" Plant Man laughed. Grunting, Mega Man picked himself back up.

"One tricky move. That's not enough… especially since I'll be watching for it next time."

"Grr…" Plant Man used his force field again and jumped at him once more, this time keeping it up until he landed. Mega dodged both that and the subsequent toss effortlessly, inflicting even more damage on Plant Man. On the next attempt, Plant Man tossed the shield in midair again, but this time Mega Man saw it coming and slid in a different direction before turning and firing one more charged shot that finally brought the flowery foe to his knees.

"Damn it…" Plant Man sputtered, bringing up his force field one more time. "Damn YOU…"

"Can't move any more, can you?" Mega guessed. "All you can do is sit there. Face it… you've lost. Stop prolonging the inevitable."

"I… suppose you're right…" Plant Man sighed. Opening his hand, he revealed the circuit plate held in it. "You guessed right, by the way… I'm the real deal." He placed it on the ground, and Mega glanced down at it… and in that moment, Plant Man hurled the last force field at him. "Ha-HA! Take that, you… oh, no…" His eyes stared up at the Blue Bomber, hurdling the field and firing down… and then everything was white, and before him was a robot in a black cloak with a psychotic grin.

"Sorry, amigo. You've been plucked."