The Mega Man: Legend

Ch. 16 The Robot Masters

2 MINUTES EARLIER

Albert Wily cheerfully strolled back to his chair in front of a large array of computers, a fresh, steaming cup of coffee in one hand. He booted up the monitors as he took a nice sip. He looked at one of the cameras, and saw an empty room with yellow blobs scattered across, and he spewed some of the liquid across the room. He glanced at it again, and saw Mega Man pull one of the pieces off of himself.

"I go to get a coffee for THREE MINUTES!!" He growled. He pulled himself together, then smiled. "Well, I suppose there's always the next challenge." He frantically began working on the computers, and activated the teleport system inside Mega Man.

-NOW-

I found myself in a strange new area. It was almost like a storage room. Large crates and containers were scattered about and stacked on top of each other. The room was pretty poorly lit, but I could see that there was an open area for me to walk. I began heading down, the tension building up within me.

Suddenly, the lights came on full power. I covered me eyes with one arm, and only just took my arm away in time to see the electrical blast headed for me. I leaped back, and it struck the ground harmlessly.

I looked up and saw six very familiar figures standing atop a large container. I gulped and readied my buster.

"Well well, boys. Look what we got here!" Elec Man's overly confident voice resounded throughout the room. I could tell which one was him. Electricity still crackled on his body.

"Surprised to see us?" Bomb Man asked.

"At this point? Not nearly." I answered sourly.

"Well, I don't suppose there's much to talk about, but who knows? Maybe you have some last words." Elec Man chuckled a bit.

I was silent for a moment. I had to say something, but I didn't know what. The pressure and anxiety I had been feeling were weighing me down, making mere thoughts a drain on my willpower. I looked up at them, and I could only think of one thing to say.

"Why...are you doing this?"

"'Because we have to, pal. Wily's orders."

"Get over Dr. Wily. You were made by Light, too. He wanted you guys to be workers. Peacemakers between humans and robots. He never wanted you to go out attacking people, and ruining the city. Guys, this isn't your built in purpose. Tell me you know that."

There was an uncomfortable silence before Elec Man spoke up. "I see how it is. You think you're Mr. Perfect Man. Well, I got news for ya. You know why we're this way? Because we're MACHINES! ROBOTS!! Our only idea of choice and will is determined by our programming. Wily wants us to tear stuff up? He can make us do it. He's got our codes."

He stared me down, causing me to take a step back. "You think you're so special and good? If Wily got his hands on you, he could make you worse than any one of us. Because you're just a robot too."

I stood silently as his words sunk in. They were things I had thought about, but never wanted to really consider. They were nightmares I had on occasion, and they scared me deeper than anything I had known.

I had to fight them. Just like anything else I had fought.

"I...I know I'm not perfect." I looked up at them all. "But that's why Light wants to help us. He can make us able to resist Wily. To be good."

I stood to my full height. "I know I'm not perfect." I readied my buster. "But right now, I'm doing a heck of a lot better than any of you."

Elec Man smiled at my confidence. "All righty then, lets-"

"Finally!" Fire Man shouted before leaping into the air. "Suffer the FLAMES OF JUSTICE!!"

I casually sidestepped the reckless flaming charge as he crashed into crates behind me. I loaded the Ice Slasher and fired a few shots into his back while he was down.

Elec Man growled. "Let him have it!"

Bomb Man was next, happily jumping off and prepping a bomb. I targeted the bomb with my buster and fired, exploding it in his hand. I loaded the Fire Storm, and put two shots into his chest.

Guts Man leaped high into the air, and came down above me at a devastating speed. I moved back as he continued trying to grab me. I fired a shot or two at him, and he returned by knocking me back. 

HYPER BOMB LOADED

"Alright, big guy..." I lifted the bomb above my shoulder as he rushed towards me.

"Catch!" I tossed it straight into his chest, where he of course caught it there. He held it for a brief moment before widening his eyes in realization of what he had done. Then it blew up spectacularly.

Cut Man was already on his way, throwing Rolling Cutters like crazy. I ducked under the first, then got behind where Guts Man had fallen. I looked at him and sighed. "I'm real sorry about this."

SUPER ARM LOADED

I picked him up held him in the air. Cut Man threw more Rolling Cutters, which I had to blocked using Guts Man's body. I then held it back and threw.

"Aw, COME O-" Cut Man began before being slammed by the hulking robot and flung across the room.

Elec Man and Ice Man took positions on either side of me.

"Try getting out of this one, pal." Elec Man smiled.

ROLLING CUTTER LOADED

"Gladly." I threw them directly into the ground, then jumped, in mid air using them like handles on a gymnastics bar. As the two moved their weapons up expecting momentum to carry me up, I spun in midair, then pulled the weapons out of the ground, hurling them both at Elec Man.

"NOOO-" He screamed before they slashed into him, knocking him back.

I turned to Ice Man.

THUNDER BEAM LOADED

"Uh...um...well-well done soldier." He chuckled nervously, putting his hands up. "I don't suppose we could just..."

"Just don't." I replied. I sent a Thunder Beam coursing through him. He shook violently from the shock before collapsing softly to the ground.

I took a moment to catch my self. I did it. I defeated them. All of them. Again.

I walked to one end of the room, where a hallway led out. I strolled down anxiously, not knowing what awaited me. I stepped up a small step, and then realized something was wrong. Glass walls slammed down on either side of me. I was in some sort of small pod. 

In an instant, a flash filled my vision, and I felt an electrical shock shoot through me. It wasn't incredibly powerful, and only caught me off guard. I managed to stabilize myself, and a few buster shots to the glass broke through, dropping me outside.

"It's gonna take... more than that to stop me now, Wily." I grunted.

His voice suddenly came on again. "Oh yes, and I would be disappointed, if the intention of that had been to defeat you. In reality though, I was just getting some important data."

I looked into the next room, and empty space with another similar pod on the other side. The pod began to whir loudly, and it ominously hummed as bits of metal and machinery were placed together. They were a tiny bit more purple than my blue, but it wasn't easy to notice. Then I began to notice they were arranging themselves in a familiar pattern. I gulped as the pod filled with steam, and out of that steam something emerged.

It looked identical to me, except for eyes that had a slight red coloring. It walked forward with static, emotionless movements. Then, it froze.

I swallowed. "What...what are you?"

There was silence for a moment, before a small screen appeared on its body. It showed me, at a strange angle. I thought from looking at the background that it was when I fought Guts Man. An audio clip began to play. "I'm...I'm Mega Man."

It rewinded, and played again. "I'm...I'm Mega Man."

"I'm...Mega Man. I'm...Mega Man. I'm Mega Man."

A wicked grin spread across its face. "I'm Mega Man."