Rhythm blinked her eyes, the strange sensation of teleporting was starting to feel a little less weird. But Rush wasn't with this time.
"Rhythm?" her dad said, the transmission sounding fuzzy. Rhythm quickly replied.
"What?"
"There's a signal jamming frequency just up ahead, in the lecture hall. We won't be able to contact you for a bit." Rhythm's dad explained. Rhythm nodded.
"Got it." she replied just before the static overtook the com system. She sighed. "I guess it's just me now." she whispered. She walked towards the lecture hall, the whole place was eerily quiet. It was like something would jump out at any second. Which considering her luck, was bound to happen. Rhythm took a deep breath and opened the doors of the lecture hall, all the lights were out inside. Rhythm glanced around, nothing seemed to be moving. Rhythm took one step in, and then another. She listened carefully for any sounds. Her own feet made a small echo whenever she walked, so she could probably hear the robots before she could see them. They could also hear her, which wasn't as much of a comforting thought. The silence started gnawing away at Rhythm's nerves, that, combined by all the lights being out wasn't the best combination. It was almost like something could jump out at her at any second. Rhythm darted her eyes around, boy she wished Rush was with her right now. A scream suddenly rippled through the lecture hall. Rhythm jumped backwards about a foot. She took in quick breaths, and continued to listen. The screams were cries for help. Rhythm slowly walked towards the sound, not sure what she would find. The cries for help started coming clearer.
"Is somebody out there?"
"Help us!"
"Get us out of this room!"
"Anybody!" Rhythm peaked around the corner, there was a little more light up ahead. The cries for help were coming from behind a metal door that looked like it had been welded shut. Rhythm took a deep breath and stepped forwards.
"Hello?" she called. The voices started getting more excited.
"I hear somebody!"
"Get us out of here. Please!" Rhythm sighed in relief, and stepped up to the door. She gave it a shove. It didn't budge. It was welded firmly into place. Rhythm took a couple of steps back.
"Everybody back up from the door!" Rhythm exclaimed. She then charged forwards, ramming into the door. It groaned, but not as loudly as Rhythm. She flew to the floor with recoil. Rhythm shook her head. "I think I'll put that on the list of things I'll never do again." she mumbled, pushing herself up. She charged up her Rhythm Buster, and sent a large blast at the door. It went white with heat. Rhythm quickly switched to the Vapor Cloud, and sent the cool cloud at the door. It froze quickly. Rhythm then backed up once again, and rammed into the door. She didn't expect it to fall, she was just hoping, It did break, so quickly that Rhythm tumbled to the floor. She hit it with a ringing crash. Rhythm propped herself up again, she had put it on the list, but ended up doing it anyways. When would she start learning not to?
"Hey, aren't you one of those Robot Masters?" somebody asked. Rhythm looked up, there were three people, and all of them had a mixture of fear and surprise on their faces. Rhythm stood up.
"Yeah, I'm a Robot Master, but I'm not one of Dr. Regis'." she quickly clarified. One of the people stepped forwards.
"I can't thank you enough, we've been stuck in here for ages." he said, looking much more terrified than he sounded. Rhythm smiled.
"You're welcome. You should get out of here though." she said, pointing to the now opened door.
"What are you going to do?" one of the people asked. Rhythm slowly backed up.
"I'm going to find the Robot Master that put you all in here." she declared before running off. She didn't want too many questions.
"Hey, what's your name?" someone called after her. Rhythm glanced back briefly.
"My name is Rhythm!" she called back. A Robot Master.
Later, in the lecture room, Rhythm found the fifth Robot Master. The Robot Master spun around, making a grand sweep to Rhythm as she came into the room.
"Welcome to my personal concert!" she exclaimed through a microphone. Rhythm pointed at herself.
"Me?" she asked. The Robot Master grinned.
"Yes, you! What's your name?" she asked, pointing the mic at Rhythm. Rhythm backed up a little.
"Rhythm." she said, a little weirded out. The Robot Master smiled.
"Hello, Rhythm! My name is Mic Woman, and welcome to my Power Battle!" she exclaimed, jumping off the stage with the grace of an acrobat. She raised her weapon quickly. "Are you ready?" she asked. Rhythm shook her head.
"Could I talk with you first?" she asked. Mic Woman lowered her weapon.
"Talk?" she asked, smile faltering. Rhythm nodded.
"Yeah." Maybe Mic Woman would be more responsive then her siblings. Mic Woman frowned.
"What's there to talk about? You beat my older siblings and now you've come for me." she said before launching her weapon. Rhythm had little time to prepare for it. She quickly switched to the Vengeance Strike to absorb the attack. Off-tune sound waves rang through Rhythm's head. She looked up, that attack was really off-key. Mic Woman was frowning. "My proof is right there, that's Vengeance Man's weapon, you destroyed him!" she exclaimed, launching another attack. Rhythm was having a hard time holding in all the energy.
"He self-destructed trying to kill me!" she exclaimed, starting to feel the energy ripple through her. Mic Woman stared at her.
"He, did?" she whispered. Rhythm nodded, but couldn't hold in the attack any more. It pulsed through and hit Mic Woman. Rhythm's eyes went wide as she saw Mic Woman short out. "He was so desperate. I'm not though." Mic Woman whispered before coming off-line. Rhythm looked at the floor, shifting back to her default weapon.
"I'm sorry." she whispered. She gently touched Mic Woman's weapon.
The Mic Effect.
