"No fooling? You think we can get back WIllam and restore Freezeman for good?" Hope asked.
"Without a doubt. But for William, he needs to be devirtualized for this to work." Jeremie said.
Hopes comm then rang.
"Oooh, it;s Cece. Gotta get this." Hope said. "Yeah?"
"Oh, Hope! Can I just say how proud i am for making Lacy so determined to make a robot smile? Speaking of which, me and the circus are coming to pick her up from your team." Cece said. "She is still safe right?"
"Um…" Hope siad. "She may have been determined to save Freezeman by going to the Siberia base."
"Hahaha. You are so funny Hope. I know you wouldn't let her run off, cause if you did, I would march into your ship and tear you limb from limb for harming a member of my family through irresponsibility." Cece said.
Everyone flinched.
"We gotta go. Now." Jeremie said,
"I'll call you later." Hope said hanging up. "Everyone to the factory! Were getting Lacy back!"
They all ran to the factory.
"How could she not believe you about Lacy going off on her own accord?" Yumi asked.
"Thats just it, Ceces too much of a clown and a fun having person. She's knows me too well to be irresponsible." Hope said.
"To be honest, seeing her tear you apart is the last thing we need. Im starting to think sending her to fight freezeman that day at the lake was not such a good idea." Ulrich said.
"I should have never encouraged Lacy in the first place, or else she woudnt be half way across the world. We have to stop her and find some way to finish off freezeman, getting her back to Cece without a scratch." Hope said.
"Hope, stop panicking." Titanica said.
"Easy for you to say, you aren't the one with something to lose." Hope said.
"You guys take your ships to Siberia. Odd and Aelita will meet you there via energization." Jeremie said.
The groups did so and found the base, and Lacy was marching there completely covered in a winter jacket as she marched to see Freezeman blocking the door.
"Who are you, trespasser?" Freezeman demanded as Lacy casted off her cloak to reveal herself as well as a small scar under her right eye. "Its you...the performer."
"Where did she get that scar?" Luffy asked.
"Oh god, Cece's gonna kill me." Hope said.
"Its like the one Luffy has." Dan said.
"Yeah. I got it to proof that my life was worth being a pirate." Luffy said. "I actually caused it myself."
"And so did I!" Lacy said. "I wanted to look like you Luffy, hehheh. This represents my dedication to my ideals and my power." she added as her skin turned red as steam came off. "I've perfected it."
"Gear 2nd." Luffy said.
"She actually did it…" Hope said.
"I hate fighting, cause I hate seeing people hurt and cry. But, if I have to fight you to make you smile, than so be it. Let's go at it...FREEEZZEEEEMAN!" she shouted as she delivered the first punch as her fist and his collided, making a shockwave.
(Cue-Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- OST Sky Should be High)
"I will freeze this world solid. It will be a world where no organic being shall exist." FreezeMan said as he fired ice at Lacy who quickly dodged.
"Jet Acrobats Jab!" Lacy said delivering a quick punch to Freezeman as he slid across the ice.
"Her hand...it didn't freeze." Hope said.
"Rubber girl's blood. Is moving too quickly to slow down. No slow bloodflow, no freeze." Inga said.
"But back then when Luffy was fighting Lucci, he used Gear 2nd too much. He almost died." Natsu said.
"But that was Luffy, this is Lacy. She could be able to beat Freeze man with this." Erica said.
As they continued, freezeman analyzed the effects of gear 2nd on Lacy.
"Its not affecting you badly at all. No extreme hunger, no fatigue or paralysis, how?" FreezeMan said.
"I've been doing fierce training in the wilderness. Hunger, fatigue, paralysis, none of those scare me at all! I'm a fierce acrobatic warrior! Acrobats… Jet Gatling!" Lacy said viciously pummeling Freeze Man.
"This barrage of fists, so fast and yet precise." Freezeman thought as he was remembering more memories with each hit.
"My liege, I swear my undying loyalty to you." KnightMan said.
"Sir, do not fear. If someone attempts your life, I will cut them down." ShadowMan said.
"Let me at those organics. I'll blow them away!" AirMan said.
"Hahaha! With my barrier, no one can mess with us." MagnetMan gloated.
"Were those...my friends?" FreezeMan wondered.
"They were, freezeman! Remember our fight in Taraqon! I told you some of them were still alive!" Hope said.
"Yes… you told me...when we fought." Freezeman said. "Yes. I remember. I fell but ended up through a rift. XANA, Arojam, ShadeMan, Oros Phlox. It seems no matter what I do, I am always doomed to play the puppet."
Hope then jumped down and signaled Lacy to stop.
(Shift-I'll face myself - 2nd Version)
"You dont have to be the puppet any longer. You can cut your strings and live a life you wanted. To be like humans and us. See your comrades again. You wanted that, didnt you?" Hope asked.
Freezeman thought about this, until finally coming out of his optics… were tears, and a smile.
"My comrades….they live prosperous lives don't they?" Freezeman said.
"Magnet man is with Blues on his team. Hes okay." Megaman said.
"Shadow Man and KnightMan are with Colonel and his team. Both are doing very well." Black Star said.
"As long as they continue to live, I have nothing more to ask of them." FreezeMan said. "But I have something equally important to stop." he said turning to the lab.
"XANA was going to use that lab to make androids to take over the world, right?" Hope asked. "With the Kolossus guarding the replica, its hard to get a foothold while going for it."
"The Kolossus...it can be beaten. There are four weak points. Its face and three on its sword." Freeze Man said. "As for the androids, I can stop them hear and now." he said making a stand at the lab and pressing his hands on the lab. "Eternal Freeze." he said as the ice not only traveled over but inside the lab as well.
"Whoa…" Hope said.
"I have sealed XANA's army in ice, forever. The resulting chain will also sabotage the supercomputer. Eternal Freeze, my last resort due to the energy it consumes." FreezeMan said.
The cosmis circus then cruised over the sky.
"What… is that?" Freezeman asked.
"I think i figured out how to make you a good place in this world." Hope said.
Cece and Dennis came down on a craft.
"Fear not, the charming Dennis has come to rescue you sweet...Gah!" Dennis said slipping as he fell right on the ice.
"Sweet mother of the circus, why is Lacy all steamy? And why does she have that scar under her eye?" Cece asked.
"Its not Hope. I did this." Lacy said.
"Well, that's perfectly fine then." Cece said.
"Cece… I was trying to tell you that Lacy went out like this to make someone smile on her own. Shes a great fighter and even mastered Luffy's Gear 2nd. I know you may wanna mangle me but-" Hope began.
"You want to say she's making a killing hanging with you?" Cece asked.
"Huh?" Hope asked.
"Earlier i realized something. As much as you wanna keep people close, sometimes you gotta let baby birds leave the nest. So, I'm letting Lacy make her choice, return home or spend another year with you." Cece said.
Hope then looked at Cece still in 2nd gear. "Lacy… you dont have to stay with me if it means.."
"Ringmaster?" Lacy asked. "If its all the same...I want to spend another year with Hope."
"Then as your ringmaster and parent...I'll allow it." Cece smiled.
Hope smiled and teared a bit. "Aw, c'mere you!"
He hugged Lacy and she hugged back only to realize. "Aaaah, youre still warm." Hope siad in comfort.
'Now, I have another question, who make this wonderful ice sculpture?" Dennis said pointing to the base. "It is magnificent."
"He did." Hope siad pointing to freeze man.
"Amazing that a robot would be capable of such a thing…" Dennis said.
"Hmm. I have had this idea for a wonderful ice sculpture act." Cece said.
So Freezeman was brought to the circus where he performs weekly as a robot who creates amazing ice sculptures that the crowds go crazy for.
Back with the others, William was safe and sound, and Lacy was back on the beacon yet again.
"I have someone I'd like you to meet, Lacy." Hope said as INga came in.
"Youer the new girl?" Lacy asked. "My name is Lacy. And you?"
"Inga. You do not look like starving beast as Hope describes you." Inga said.
"Uh, speaking of...how about some food? I got Teruteru to make a huge feast for you." Hope said.
"Great, I'm starving. All I've had to eat are pinecones and snow." Lacy said.
"Good to have you back, Lacy." Hope said.