Mega Man: Blue Bomber
By Nintendoman01 & WindstarOsprey
Disclaimer:
I do not own Mega Man or its associated characters; they are the property of Capcom. I make no profit from this story and just do it to kill time and have fun. I do, however, own all OCs unless otherwise stated.
Author's Note:
This idea comes from my good friend WindstarOsprey, who came up with us doing a Mega Man fic together. He described his plans, and I was hooked. As with Adventures of Mario and Tales of Sonic, this is our own personal take on the Mega Man mythos, taking a little bit of everything from each continuity; the games, cartoons, comics, movies, etc., with our personal twists here and there.
Constructive criticism is appreciated, but NO FLAMES. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's that simple.
-Prologue-
Birth of a Blue Bomber
Outside Skull Castle
It was a dark night outside of Skull Castle. Several guard robots were keeping patrol when suddenly, a yellow energy ball struck one in the head, causing it to explode.
"Intruder!" Another robot fired a shot, but the figure dodged, sliding underneath. As he slid, the figure fired a shot at the robot's torso, only for the bot to block it with his shield. As the figure got closer, he went into an uppercut, knocking the shield away and stunning his opponent. The bot attempted to regain its footing...
"Dammit, what in the...?"
Only to be blasted in the face. The Sniper Joe's head exploded, and he fell over, scrapped. His opponent stands, their still smoking arm cannon raised.
"I'm sorry..." he said. "I hope you didn't suffer too much."
The figure looked up at the castle. "Well, here I am. Now to take care of Dr. Wily."
The figure headed for the castle entrance and walked through the front gates. He looked around, a hand on his cannon.
"Dr. Light, it's me. I'm inside Skull Castle."
" Good work, Rock, " an elderly voice replied. " Can you get me a visual? "
"Activating Helmet-Cam." Rock pressed a button on his helmet, causing the icon in the center to give off a soft light briefly. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. "What a gloomy place. Then again, I don't know what I was expecting."
" Keep your wits about you, Rock. Albert's a tricky one. I'll bet you my record collection he has some sort of trap waiting for you. "
"Understood. Though, with the Robot Masters out of commission, what else could he throw at me?"
"How about an army?"
Rock perked as several spotlights shone down on him, revealing an entire battalion of battle robots, all armed to the teeth and aimed at him. The figure sighed.
"I had to ask."
Rock perked as he heard the sound of slow, self-aggrandizing clapping. He looked up to the upper levels to see someone approaching.
"Well, well, well...look who decided to drop by. Santa's little helper himself."
"Wily..."
The figure was an old man with wild gray hair and mustache clad in black slacks, brown shoes, a white shirt, and an ornate, purple "villain's cape", complete with high collar.
"Hello there, Rock," Wily greeted. "It's been a while. Did you have fun playing with my Robot Masters?"
"First off, no, I didn't. Second, they were Dr. Light's Robot Masters!"
Wily scowled.
"I helped Thomas design their schematics and put them together! I ironed out all the bugs and made sure their systems functioned properly! They're my creations too! More so, even!" He scoffed. "But of course Thomas never appreciated my genius, or efforts. He just stood atop it and called himself a giant! Leaving me to wither away in the shadows, like an old, broken toy! But no more. No more! I'm done feeding on the scraps of Thomas' glory! I'm getting what's owed to me!"
"The only thing you're getting is a trip to jail!" Rock readied his cannon. "I'm giving you one last chance to end this without violence, Dr. Wily. Stand down, shut down the robots, and turn yourself in. I don't wanna hurt you, but I will if I have to."
"Oh gee, Rock, when you put it that way, I guess I'd better just give up…" Wily smirked. "Not! Minions, attack!"
The robots all fired, charging at Rock.
"Uh-oh…"
Wily watched as his minions seemingly crushed him into dust, laughing maniacally.
"Fool!" he cackled. "Waltzing into my fortress alone, trying to defeat me . What hubris."
"You would know, wouldn't you?"
Wily perked. "What?!"
He turned to see a huge laser erupt from the swarm of robot minions, blowing them away. Rock stood tall, arm cannon at the ready, allowing Wily to get a better look at him.
"What in the world?!"
Rock was clad in light blue armor, with darker blue armor around his waist, a blue helmet with light blue squares on it that left his face exposed, and blue gauntlets and gloves.
"Impossible… Is that...Is that really him!? Is that really Thomas' helper droid!?"
"It's me alright, Wily," Rock declared. "Rock Light, lab assistant to Dr. Thomas Light of Light Labs. But tonight..." He readied his arm cannon. "You can call me Mega Man!"
Wily growled. "I'll call you a pile of scrap! Minions! Destroy him!"
More minions crawl out of the shadows, all rushing at Mega Man, who responded by charging forward himself, readying his arm cannon.
"Mega Buster, fire!" He opened fire on the robots, taking out several all while dodging their own shots.
"Not bad, little blue boy." Wily rolls up his sleeve, revealing a watch-like device. "Let's see how well you can handle the big boy bots."
He pressed a button. Suddenly, five large, cyclopean robots that look like a cross between living pogo-sticks and jackhammers appeared.
"Uh-oh!"
Two of them leapt at Mega Man, preparing to crush him, but he slid out of the way. He shot at them, but the plasma shots barely scratched them.
"Crud! I'm gonna need something bigger!" Rock turned to the side and saw a stack of large scrap cubes off to the side. "Perfect!"
Wily watched as Mega Man puts his hand to the scrap cubes.
"What is he doing?"
" Super Arm! " Mega Man's body glowed, causing his armor to change color from blue and cyan to brown and white. To Wily's shock, he managed to grip the scrap block and lift it over his head with one arm.
"Catch!" Rock shouted as he threw the block at one of the robots.
"What!?" Wily screamed
The block crashed right into the robot, destroying it. Mega Man then proceeded to grab another block and throw it at the second robot, destroying it too.
"That...That's Guts Man's ability!" Wily exclaimed. "How...?" His eyes widened in realization. "No… Thomas actually..." He shook his head, clearing it. "No matter! Sniper Joes, support the Stompers! Stop him!"
The Sniper Joes open fire at Mega Man, forcing him to duck for cover.
"Whoa! Close one!" Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. "Uh-oh..."
Mega Man looked up to see another Stomper about to land on him. He managed to get away in time, but was left in the open, where the Sniper Joes opened fire at him.
"Crud! I gotta do something about those other three!"
Mega Man ducked to avoid getting shot by a Joe. "But first, I gotta deal with those guys!"
It was then that Mega Man noticed that the Sniper Joes were in the shade, prompting him to look up and see they were directly under a steel girder suspended by the industrial cable of a crane.
"That'll do," he said. "Rolling Cutter!"
Mega Man's armor changed color again, this time to gray and white. He aimed at the cable and fired a large pair of scissor blades from his buster. The blades sliced through the cable, dropping the girder. The Joes only had a few seconds to look up to see what was going on before they were crushed.
"Okay, now for the Stompers." He turned to the hopping menaces. "I think this calls for a... Hyper Bomb!"
Mega Man turned green and white as he lobbed several round, black bombs at the Stompers. The bombs flew toward the robots, detonating on impact and blow them to bits.
Wily gritted his teeth in anger. "This isn't happening! You're a helper robot! A butler! How can my robots lose to the likes of you?!"
Mega Man shrugged. "I don't know, you built them!"
A loud bang went off as Mega Man let out a yelp and fell to his knees, having been hit by a plasma shot while he was distracted. He turns around to see several flying robots shooting at him.
"Flyers..." he said with a grimace.
Looking for a way to deal with them, Mega Man noticed a staircase, along with several Sniper Joes coming in, no doubt reinforcements called by Wily.
"Gotta take care of them before I can get to higher ground."
Mega Man thought for a moment. He needed to take out the Joes quickly, or they would get him before he could reach the upper levels. But the supporting fire from the flyers would get him before he could take them out. He needed a way to quickly maneuver the area while taking out the Joes. Fortunately, he had just the trick.
"Oil Slider!"
Once again, Mega Man's armor changed, this time to black and dark gray. He aimed at the ground, shot out a glob of oil, and hopped onto it, riding it like a skateboard. He shredded and weaved around the Joes, dodging their shots and those of the flyers with the skill of a pro surfer. Eventually, he made his way to the stairs and hopped off the slider.
"Aaaand... Fire Storm!"
After which, he activated a new weapon, changing him orange and yellow. He shot out a small fireball that orbited around his body, igniting the trail of oil he'd left behind, along with the Joes and a good chunk of the castle.
"Whoa! That worked a little too well!" Mega Man ran up the stairs. "But, I can fix it! Ice Slasher! "
Now clad in armor of blue and white, Mega Man aimed at the flyers, firing several blades of ice from his buster. As soon as they hit their targets, they were completely encased in ice in seconds, causing them to fall from the air and onto the flames, snuffing them out and shattering them to pieces.
"Alright, anything else?"
As if to answer his question, Mega Man looked ahead to see more Sniper Joes aiming at him. But, more importantly, he saw Dr. Wily making for a door in the back.
"Crud, I don't have time for this!" he shouted. "Time Slow!"
Mega Man turned purple and pink as his body released a similarly colored wave of energy. The world seemed to take on a fuschia hue as everyone and everything entered bullet time. Everyone except for Mega Man, who proceeded to run and jump past the Joes, eventually reaching the door, just in time for the Time Slow to end.
"And finally... Thunder Beam!"
Mega Man turned gray and yellow as he turned to face the Sniper Joes and took aim. Several electrical blasts erupted from his buster in a wide spread, tearing through the robot soldiers. Their red, glowing eyes going dim as they shorted them out.
"And that takes care of that."
Mega Man opens the door, aiming his buster forward.
"It's over, Wily! You..." To his surprise, it was just an empty room. "What?"
Mega Man blinked in confusion, stepping inside. "Dr. Wily? Hello? Anyone?" He removed his helmet briefly to scratch his head. "Where is he? There's nowhere else he could be. Dr. Light, are you seeing this?"
There was no response.
"Hello? Dr. Light? Dr. Light, are you there?" He began to sweat nervously. "Dad, can you hear me? I..."
He perked, hearing a loud glorping noise, like gelatin falling on the floor.
"What the..."
He turned, seeing a blob of yellow goop landing on the floor. The goo began to rise and form into a large, bulbous, humanoid shape. A single red eye with black sclera blinked open, glaring at him.
"Sizzling circuits, what is THAT?! "
The blob monster said nothing, only raising a giant hand and swinging it down on him. Mega Man barely managed to get away in time before the hand impacted the floor; the shockwaves launching to the other side of the room.
" Impressive. " Wily's voice came from an intercom. " Very few robots have managed to outpace the Yellow Devil. "
"Wily!?" Mega Man looked around, searching for the doctor. "Where are you!?"
"In the safety of my control room, watching as my greatest creation prepares to goo all over you…melting you into slag."
Mega Man looked down at the floor the Yellow Devil struck. The area was steaming and sizzling; the floor looking halfway melted.
"Acid?!"
" Indeed, " Wily replied. " An old chemical weapon of mine I had lying around. I intended to unleash it during the Hard Wars, but those soft-hearted fools in the government said it was 'too dangerous' and forced me to shelf it. "
"You made a giant, cyclops blob monster made of acid!" Mega Man shook his head. "You... you're completely out of your mind!"
"I'm so glad you noticed. I've been working at it for years." Wily let out a maniacal cackle. "Now, Yellow Devil, destroy Mega Man! Leave nothing left. "
The Yellow Devil pulled back its arm, making a fist. It then stretched out its limb, sending it flying toward Mega Man with alarming speed.
Mega Man rolled out the way, just in time to avoid becoming part of the metallic slurry that section of the wall had become. He opened fire at the monster, but his shots just phased through its gelatinous body.
"Crud!"
Before Mega Man could do anything else, the Devil began firing portions of its body at him. Mega Man frantically leapt and jumped about the room, trying to avoid touching the ballistic, caustic globules flying at him. Finally, after almost a minute of dodging, the barrage ceased.
"Whew!" Mega Man let out, wiping off his brow. "Close one. Now..."
Mega Man turned to the Yellow Devil, only to find it was gone.
"Wait, where'd it...!?"
Suddenly, something grabbed Mega Man from behind, lifting him up off the ground. To his shock, it was the Yellow Devil, which had somehow appeared behind him.
"What!? H-How did it...?" Mega Man's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, the body shots! It launched itself over piece by piece and reformed while I was distracted!"
" Brilliant observation, dear boy. I'm sure the viewers at home were racking their brains over that ." Wily chuckled darkly. " Now, Yellow Devil! Finish the job! "
The Yellow Devil squeezed Mega Man, causing his body to steam and getting a pained scream out of him.
" Yes! " Wily exclaimed. " Yes! Scream! "
As he felt the acid beginning to eat through him, Mega Man saw his life begin to flash before his eyes, recalling the events mere days ago that had led him here…
One Week Earlier… Silicon City
At Titanium Park, a large crowd had gathered before a large stage. The banner above the stage read "Light Labs Grand Unveiling". Backstage, a rotund man with impressive white hair and beard and labcoat fiddled nervously with a set of speech cards, while a young blonde girl in a red sundress straightened his bowtie and a brunette boy in a blue T-shirt and black shorts shined his shoes.
"Alright…" the old man cleared his throat. "'Citizens of Silicon City, you have gathered here today to witness the dawn of a new age'… Oh dear, should it be 'new era'? I don't want to sound presumptuous."
"Don't worry, Dr. Light, you're doing fine!" the boy assured. "Keep going!"
"Alright then…" Dr. Light cleared his throat again. "'Today, we at Light Labs bring you what we hope to be the first step toward the betterment of mankind...and to advance robotics…"
He tugged at his shirt, frantically scratching his head.
"Oh dear...I'm so nervous. I'm not used to public speaking."
The blonde girl caught his arm, stopping him from running a hand through his hair.
"Don't muss your hair, Doctor! We just finished fixing it."
"You've got this, Dad. No worries." the boy gave a thumbs up. "If you get nervous, you can always imagine the audience in their underwear," He stood up from his shoeshining job. "All set."
Dr. Light let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Rock, Roll… I shudder to imagine what I would do without the two of you."
"That makes two of us."
Dr. Light, Rock, and Roll looked to the side to see a figure enter.
"Oh good!" Dr. Light greeted. "You decided to come after all!"
The figure was a tall, thin man about the same age as Dr. Light in a pair of blue jeans, a white button-up, red tie, and white labcoat. This was Dr. Light's longtime colleague and on-and-off research partner, Dr. Albert W. Wily.
"Good to see you again, Albert! I was afraid I wouldn't make it!"
Wily scoffed. "And miss this? Now for the world, Thomas."
Suddenly, Wily felt something rapidly going over his feet.
"Shine your shoes, Dr. Wily?" Rock asked as he proceeded to do just that.
Wild cringed with a mix of exasperation and what appeared to be contempt.
"Ehhh…no, thank you," he said. "I…"
"It's no trouble at all, really!" Rock replied cheerfully, oblivious to the doctor's discomfort.
Roll sighed. "Rock…"
"Oh dear…" Dr. Light chuckled. "Albert, you remember Rock and Roll, yes?"
"Rock and Roll?"
Wily looked over the girl and boy, taking a moment to examine each of them before his eyes widened in understanding.
"Ahhh, yes…" he nodded in recollection. "The helper droids. The first of your new DLN series?"
Light nodded. "Indeed.
"I must say, you really outdid yourself," Wily began, looking over Roll closely. "If I hadn't known any better, I'd say they were perfectly ordinary, human children."
"Thank you, Dr. Wily, sir," Roll replied with a curtsy.
Wily nodded, before turning his attention.
"Would you please stop doing that!?" he snapped.
"Sorry!" Rock apologized as he ceased his shining and backed off.
"Easy there, Albert," Light soothed. "Don't be too hard on the boy. He's just very excited for this day."
"Yes, about that." Wily took Dr. Light aside. "I need to talk to you for a moment, Thomas."
He looked his fellow doctor right in the eye, making it clear that he would not take no for an answer.
"Alright, Albert," Light conceded. "But keep it brief, I'm expected on stage in five minutes."
"That's four more than I'll need."
With that, they walked off.
"What do you suppose that was about?" Roll asked.
"Not sure," Rock replied.
Further backstage, the two doctors had gathered where a set of eight figures were lined up, all concealed by a large tarp.
"So, what was it you wanted to talk about, Albert?"
Wily stopped turning to Light.
"I helped design the Robot Master line, didn't I?" he asked.
Light blinked for a moment, wondering what this was about. "Yes."
"I helped build them, didn't I?" Wily asked.
Light sighed. "Yes."
"Then, as co-designer and builder of the next generation of robots, as well as your research partner of about, oh…two decades or so, it's only fair that I should be on that stage making the unveiling with you, shouldn't I?"
Light sighed again. "Albert, we've been over this. You lost your credentials when you performed those unethical robotics experiments. That kind of negativity would undermine everything we're trying to do with Light Labs. I'm sorry, but after the Devil Series fiasco…"
Wily scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Of course. How could I forget, Thomas? Light makes right."
"Albert..."
"Besides, you're the last person to be holding my past mistakes over my head. Your hands aren't squeaky clean either. Or have you forgotten about the Hard Wars?"
Light's expression soured briefly. "That's exactly why I devoted my time to these current projects."
"And the whole world loves you for it. Meanwhile, I've been slapped with a lifetime ban from every institution in the country. Forced to teach online classes and do tech support for slack-jawed yokel idiots while you... " Wily breathed, his teeth gritting as he did his best to keep his temper in check.
"Albert, listen to me," Light said. "I haven't forgotten all the work we did in university. You've made mistakes, but I know you can learn from them and make up for them."
Wily scoffed as Light went on. "You're an equal partner in Light Labs where it counts. You'll miss out on today, but history will remember the two men who shaped the future.
Wily took a deep, shuddering breath before turning around, managing a smile and shaking Light's hand. "Just don't flub your lines, Tommy boy. Noelle isn't here to bail you out this time."
Light chuckled. "Let's not ask for miracles, Al."
"Dad!" Rock called. "It's time!"
"Oh my..." Light nodded. "Well, wish me luck, Albert."
"Break a leg, Thomas!" Wily turned away, scowling. "Break a leg..."
-X-
Meanwhile, Dr. Light headed for the stage with Rock and Roll.
"Is everything ready?" Rock asked.
"Uh-huh!" Roll nodded. "Auto's almost finished with the opening statements."
She pointed to a rotund green robot with a prominent jaw and big, orange headlights for eyes making a big speech.
"So then, the robot principal says, 'Clank you very much!' Get it?" The crowd was silent, only a cricket chirping. "Everyone's a critic."
"Pssst! Auto!" Auto turned to see Roll motioning for him to wrap it up.
"Oh right!" Auto vented as if clearing his throat. "A-Anyway, without further ado, please give a big round of applause for the man of the hour! The Master Mechanic! The Father of Modern Robotics! The Brightest Bulb In the Tree! Dr. Thomas Light!"
Auto took a big bow and stepped aside, allowing Dr. Light to step to the podium.
"Knock 'em dead, Boss!" He whispered before running off.
"Thank you, Auto." Dr. Light cleared his throat before facing the crowd. "Greetings, citizens of Silicon City! Thank you for coming out today for Light Labs' most important product unveiling in the history of...well...ever!"
He got a few laughs from the crowd.
"Over the last century, advances in robotics have brought us a new era of better services and safer work environments, and have afforded us new luxuries." His expression turned serious.
"For better or worse. While it is true that we have greatly benefited from these advancements... like all inventions, they have also brought a good deal of harm. The controversy of AI art and its infringement on one's image rights. The empowerment of hackers and cyberterrorists. And, of course, we mustn't forget the horrors of the Hard Wars."
The crowd grew silent at that.
"But!" Light declared. "As horrible as these incidents were, we must remember that they were brought about first and foremost by a lack of understanding between man and machine, which brings us to today. I believe the field of robotics can be pushed further, that we can be pushed further, for the betterment of both man and robot-kind. By pushing the boundaries of modern robotics and working alongside them, I believe we can achieve not only a better tomorrow, but a perfect tomorrow. So, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the next generation of robots: the Robot Masters!"
Dr. Light unveiled a set of eight humanoid robots, all lined up.
"Cut Man, who will oversee forestry management!
Guts Man, who will oversee land reclamation in hazardous conditions!
Ice Man, who will push Arctic and Antarctic exploration to new horizons!
Bomb Man, who will revolutionize demolition and excavation practices!
Fire Man, whose incinerator functions will promote more efficient waste reduction!
Elec Man, who will rewrite the book on power management!
Oil Man, who will ensure that oil spills and environmental damage brought by the harvest of fossil fuels will be a thing of the past!
And finally, Time Man, whose unique chroniton-manipulation technology will open new doors in the study of theoretical physics!"
The crowd ooh'ed and ahh'ed as they took pictures.
"These robots all have advanced AI systems that will allow them to perform complex actions, interact with humans, and direct other robots in their duties, allowing them to serve as the ambassadors of man and machine!"
Several people applauded.
"I'll now be happy to answer your questions," A green robot with a pen and paper raised his hand. "Yes, you, sir?"
"Ripot from the B&C Gazette," the robot said. "Dr. Light, earlier in your career, you built robots for the military like your so-called Sniper Joe model. Are there any plans on using these robots for, y'know, covert war operations?"
The crowd went silent as Light's face darkened. Rock and Roll both gasped in shock as Light took a breath to compose himself before answering.
"No. I'm through building weapons. I'm more concerned with pursuing constructive means of advancing humanity. That kind of thinking, Ripot, is what led to the Hard Wars. I wish to learn from past mistakes instead of repeating them. Now then, any other questions?"
Wily watched from the shadows, scoffing before storming off. Rock turned to see him go, tilting his head in confusion.
Later that night...
At the headquarters of Light Labs, also known as the Lighthouse to the locals, Light, Rock, and Roll relaxed.
"Whew!" Light sighed. "What a day, wouldn't you say, Rock?"
"It sure was," Rock remarked as he hung up Light's coat. "But was it a good day?"
"I would say it was a resounding success. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you seemed upset by Mr. Ripot's question," Roll remarked. "About building robots for military purposes?"
Light sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Yes, that." He turned to them. "I believe that violence should be saved as an absolute last resort. I did build military robots like the Sniper Joes during the Hard Wars, to raise the money and notoriety I needed to start Light Labs. It's one of my biggest regrets." He smiled. "But then, I built you two - my finest creations. And with you children, I saw the potential for a better future. Where robots are more than just tools or weapons, and people are better for it."
"So, why weren't we up on stage too?" Rock asked. "N-Not that we're upset or anything! We were just curious."
"Rock has a point, Dr. Light." Roll agreed. "If the whole point of the presentation was to promote stronger bonds between humans and robots..."
"Yes, well…" Light shook his head. "I think that topic is better discussed in the morning, when we're all fully charged. You two run along and get to bed. We've got another busy day tomorrow."
"Yessir." Rock nodded.
"Good night, Dr. Light!" Roll called as they headed off, Light sighing.
"They got a point, Doc." Auto walked in. "Rock and Roll are the most human-like bots in the world." If anyone should be the ambassadors between man and machine, it's them."
"You're not wrong, Auto." Light admitted. "I just...I'm worried. If their true nature were to become widely known… something might happen to them… something bad."
-X-
As this was going on, Wily was creeping through the dark to the Lighthouse. He got into the lab, looking over the inactive Robot Masters.
"It's over, Tom," he growled. "I'm done living my life as your second, being stuck wasting away in your shadow while the world lifts you on your shoulders." He pulled out a screwdriver. "It's time I got what I deserve."
Wily quietly chuckled to himself as he got to work…
The next morning…
Rock and Roll awoke from sleep mode and headed for the lab, Rock drinking from a blue can marked with an E. As soon as they opened the door, Rock's eyes widened at the sight before him, spewing the contents of the can out of his mouth and coughing.
"What the...!?" he exclaimed.
"Oh-no!" Roll cried.
The two ran off, heading for Dr. Light's bedroom.
"Dr. Light!" Rock called as he threw the door open.
"Dr. Light, wake up!" Roll shook him. "Hurry!"
Light snorted before slowly waking up, yawning. "What is it, Roll?"
"It's an emergency!" Roll began. The Robot Masters...!"
"They're gone!" Rock finished.
Dr. Light was silent, before his brain woke up and processed their words. "Gone!?"
They headed for the lab. Light gasped, seeing it had been ransacked and the Robot Masters were missing.
"My word… "What happened?"
"We dunno." Rock answered.
We'd just woken up to start the morning cleaning," Roll explained. "But when we got here, they were gone!"
Light shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"This is...Who could've done this?!"
"Hey!" Auto ran in, holding a holo-phone. "Doc, you gotta check out the news, right now!"
Light took it, gasping in horror. "Oh, no. No, no, no…"
On the news, a young woman in a blue jumpsuit and brown hair spoke.
" This is Amanda Li with Channel 8 news. We continue our coverage of a sudden robot attack downtown. As you can see, the robots are causing massive damage and possess powers unlike anything we've ever seen… What's worse is that nothing seems to be able to subdue them. Police were quickly outmatched this morning, as were military reinforcements. "
As she spoke, images were shown of the Robot Masters wreaking havoc in the city, and effortlessly defeating local police and military.
"So far, no one has claimed responsibility or made demands-"
Suddenly, the screen and report were cut off by static. Everyone gasped as Dr. Wily's face appeared on screen, grinning evilly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. I, Dr. Albert W. Wily, now control the airwaves! And soon, the world! No doubt you've seen my Robot Masters at work. Built by my genius, they are all unstoppable! All of this violence can be avoided. All I demand is complete and immediate surrender from the world's leaders, and to finally be respected, saluted, and recognized as the greatest genius in the history of mankind! Do not worry. There's no time limit. But, the longer you take, the more my robots get to have their...jollies. You already got a taste of the terror I'll unleash this morning. I suggest you make your decision quickly. "
"Turn it off," Light pleaded. "Please..."
Auto did so as Light collapsed into a chair.
"Albert... I knew you were envious of me, that you had ambition... but this?"
"It'll be okay, Dr. Light," Roll soothed. "Everybody knows that Dr. Wily is behind it now. They'll stop him."
Light shook his head. "No... they won't. We built the Robot Masters to set the new standard. There's literally nothing that can stand up to them! Nobody can stop him now!"
"Well... what if we make another Robot Master?" Auto offered. "Something that can fight the others and put Wily in his place?"
"Not possible. We don't have anywhere near enough parts or time." Dr. Light put his hands into his face, crying miserably. "Ohh...what have I done?"
Seeing his father's distraught state, and recalling the damage Wily had caused, Rock's expression steeled, and he took a step forward.
"We don't have time or resources to make a new robot... but can you modify one?" he asked.
"Eh?" Light perked. "Well, I suppose, but..."
"Then do it. Change me into a fighting robot, Dad."
Everyone looked at Rock in shock.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what!?" Auto demanded.
"Rock!?" Light gasped.
"You built us just like you built the Robot Masters. So you can make me able to stand up to them. Someone has to stop Dr. Wily, so why not me?"
"Even still...I couldn't possibly..."
"Rock, think about what you're saying!" Roll cried. "You could be hurt! You could be destroyed!"
"I know," Rock said solemnly. "But if we don't do something, so many people will be hurt. You always said that you wanted humans and robots to co-exist, and I want to help that dream come true.
Dr. Light was still reluctant. Rock's words made sense, but still…
"I know you don't want to make fighting robots anymore, and if I can get the others to stop being bad, I will. But if I have to fight...I have to fight. If I don't, who will?"
Light was silent for a moment, before nodding. "You're right... I don't like it, but this has to be done."
Rock smiled. "Thank you, Dad."
"Oh Rock..." Roll sighed.
"Alright, how are we gonna do this?" Rock asked. "What kinds of weapons do we have?"
"Nothing special..." Dr. Light began. "An SSS-Grade Solar Reactor… A set of Ceratanium armor… My Mega Buster prototype… All powerful, but you'll need something more to take on all eight of the Robot Masters."
"Hmmm…" Auto tapped his chin in thought. "Well, there's always the MEGA System."
Light's eyes widened in shock. "Auto, no! I discontinued that project for a reason!"
Rock blinked. "The MEGA System? What's that?"
Dr. Light grimaced. "The Metamorphic Equipment and Gadget Adaptoid System. It's a highly experimental program that allows machines to grow, evolve, adapt, and learn at alarming rates. It primarily archives this by granting the subject the ability to instantly copy and replicate any tool, skill, or device..."
He let out a regretful sigh. "Unfortunately, this includes weapons. Which is why I had it scrapped. If a robot were to have this program installed into them… they could become unstoppable."
"It sounds like the edge I need." Rock mused.
"Rock..."
Rock shook his head. "Dad, we don't have time to argue about this. Every second we spend debating, more people are getting hurt! The longer we wait, the more the Robot Masters destroy until Dr. Wily gets his way!"
Dr. Light bit his lower lip before sighing.
"Very well..." He stood up. "Rock, meet me in the lab in five minutes. We'll begin modifications then."
Rock nodded. As Light went to the lab, Roll turned to him.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" she asked.
Rock nodded. "I am."
-X-
Five minutes later, everyone had gathered in the lab. Rock stood in a large, glass capsule with a blue top and bottom, as Dr. Light typed away at a nearby computer terminal.
"Alright, I've uploaded the data for the modifications into the Upgrade Chamber." Light told him. "You need only stand inside."
"Okay." Rock gave a thumbs up. "Let's do this."
Light nodded.
"Rock… before we do this… I want you to know… I love you, son."
Rock nodded. "I love you too, Dad."
Light nodded before throwing a switch. "Beginning upgrade MEGA System in three… two… one!"
The capsule hummed to life, circuit lines glowing blue. Suddenly, the lights in the top and bottom of the machine let out a loud, thunderous thrum, bombarding Rock with energy as it beamed stream after stream of data into his processor.
The young robot closed his eyes as he screamed in agony.
Roll closed her eyes, looking away as Auto held her tightly. The energy enveloped Rock, forming a suit of armor over him, starting with his feet and working its way up before finally ending with a helmet. Rock groaned as the capsule powered down.
"Rock!" Roll cried. "Can you hear me?! Talk to me!"
The capsule slid open, steam pouring out. Rock took two steps before dropping to one knee.
"Did somebody get the license plate on that truck?" he asked groggily.
"You're okay!" Roll cried in relief as she ran over to help him up.
"Holy smokes..." Auto managed. "For a minute, I thought you were gonna explode there! H-He's not gonna explode, is he, Doc?"
"No..." Light shook his head. "The installation was a complete success."
Rock slowly stood up, looking himself over. Light smiled.
"I never wanted this for you... but I couldn't be prouder."
"So... he's not really Rock anymore, is he?" Auto mused. "What do we call him?"
"The MEGA System made me what I am now," Rock mused. "And you said my arm cannon is called a Mega Buster."
He raised his arm, the cannon sprouting. "Call me... Mega Man."
Author's Note:
And thus, Mega Man's battle begins! Stay tuned as he fights the Robot Masters to save the world.
As usual, I'm including mental VAs for the characters in the series; all Mega Man game characters will maintain their current voice actors unless otherwise stated. Please note that these are merely my choice for VAs. You're free to "hear" them as whoever you wish:
* Li - Renae Jacobs (April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987, Mrs. O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012)
Please R&R. Until next time!