"So Fire was one of the original Robot Master?" Rhythm asked her dad. She was now out in the park outside the city, reception was crystal clear out here.
"Yeah, after he was dismantled, he went right back to his old job. Like Roll said, most of them did. I can tell you more later, but don't worry about saying anything about yourself to them. You can trust them." Rhythm's dad said. Rhythm smiled.
"I'll keep that in mind, but..." she started, trailing off.
"But what, Rhythm?" her dad asked. Rhythm sighed.
"They know who I am, but how come I've never met them?" she explained.
"It was hard getting all together after we were told to keep the Wily Wars on a low key. We've gotten together every so often though, and kept in touch." Rhythm's dad explained. Rhythm nodded.
"Okay." she said, her dad's answer satisfying. Rush suddenly started barking. Rhythm looked down at him.
"What is it-" she started when a burst of energy flew into her. Rhythm shook her head and propped herself up.
"What was that?" she wondered.
"Get up, Megan!" her dad exclaimed. Rhythm didn't need to be told twice, a flurry of energy flew at her. She ducked behind a tree, Rush close behind. She glanced behind herself.
"What was that?" she exclaimed.
"A Sniper Joe, I though they had all been destroyed." Rhythm's dad started to say when the sounds of a brief transfer of the headset sounded.
"Rhythm, this is Blues, Sniper Joes are one of the most dangerous robots out there. Unlike Robot Masters, they will attack without hesitation, and you can't distract them. Find out where it is, and quickly. You can't let those things get the upper hand." Blues exclaimed. Rhythm gulped, were Sniper Joes really that bad? The sounds of the headset getting passed again went through Rhythm's com. She caught the end of her dad's sentence.
"-I know that, but don't scare Megan more than she is." Rhythm bit her lip, her dad actually knew her fear. Was she even cut out for this? "Megan, this is Dad again. Blues is right about Sniper Joes, but they have a huge weakness. Unlike Robot Masters, they have very low defence, a couple of well timed shots or a full one will do the trick." Rhythm's dad explained. Rhythm smiled, a weakness!
"Got it! And an idea." she said. She glanced behind her, spotting the Sniper Joe, then turned to Rush. "Let's rush in." she declared. Rush got the idea, and turned into the Rush Jet. Rhythm hopped on, and they sped off. The Sniper Joe wasn't prepared, Rush knocked him over so quickly that he didn't know what was happening. Rhythm smiled, and sent a charged shot flying. It hit! The Sniper Joe blew up into a million pieces. Rhythm cheered excitedly, she had learned how to aim properly! She had a feeling she would need that new skill soon.
She sure did, unlike all the areas beforehand, aggressive robots seemed to be everywhere. Especially little ones with hard hats called Mets.
"Who builds a head-in-a-helmet robot?" Rhythm asked her dad after defeating one. She could hear her dad sigh.
"I asked myself the same question, and I've never found out." he admitted. Rhythm couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Rush raced forwards, Rhythm had taken that as a sign that there were no more robots up ahead. Finally! Rhythm raced to keep up with Rush, the robo-pooch was fast. He raced down a blind hill. Rhythm started catching up, when she heard Rush yelp in pain. Her eyes went wide.
"Rush!" she exclaimed, racing up and over the hill. Down below, a black Robot Master stood there, gripping Rush. He yanked off one of Rush's legs. Rhythm's eyes went wide.
"Let go of Rush!" she exclaimed, sliding down the hill. The Robot Master glared at her, then threw Rush into a big rock. Rhythm raced over to him, picking up his leg on the way. She crouched down to the pooch, he gave a pitiful whine, barely lifting his head. A rippling burst of energy suddenly raced through Rhythm's back. She gave a cry of pain, and whipped her head around. The Robot Master was readying his weapon once again. Rhythm shifted as quickly as she could to the Alloy Shield, getting it set up just in time. She hastily worked on Rush. Thank goodness she knew how to work on machines, and, solar cores. Rhythm shook her head, she didn't have time to think about that. She just needed to figure out how to fix Rush up well enough to teleport him home. At the very last second, she did it. Rush vanished the same time her shield did. Rhythm spun around, letting the Rhythm Buster fly. The Robot Master simply blocked her shots.
"Mistake." he said in a low voice. He sent his own weapon flying. Rhythm had no time to avoid it. She screamed in pain as the wild energy coursed through her. She tumbled to her knees, breathing hard. "I wondered how you could have beat my siblings, now I don't. Every scrap, every clip I have seen of the old protector have shown him like you. A strangely tender heart. A heart like that won't win anymore now, at least, against me." the Robot Master said. Rhythm weakly looked up, inching her weapon as forwards as she could.
"What's, what's your name?" she asked between pants. The Robot Master looked at her.
"Vengeance Man. Yours?" he said. Rhythm slowly as possible sent her remaining energy to the Alloy Shield.
"Rhythm." she panted. Vengeance Man looked at Rhythm.
"Goodbye then, Rhythm." he said, readying his weapon once more. Rhythm shifted to the Alloy Shield.
"Not yet!" she exclaimed. The strain was massive, but she managed to block Vengeance Man's attack. The shield burst, sending Vengeance Man backwards. Rhythm didn't hesitate, she shifted instantly to the Rhythm Buster and sent a fully charged shot at Vengeance Man. He toppled over backwards, sparking.
"You've made a grave mistake, Rhythm." he whispered. Rhythm started to come closer, quickly copying his weapon in case he got up again. She got it, the Vengeance Strike. Rhythm turned around to go, but an unknown explosion of energy blew up behind her. Rhythm landed very hard on the ground, her thoughts were all blurry. She looked up, with the last bit of strength she had. Vengeance Man wasn't there, he had self-destructed.
