Melody of the Future

by Tatsurou


CM: Inheritance

Beyond the Dark Room where Nana remained to guide them, the group made their way past a sequence of puzzle lock chambers that involved activating pressure switches in the proper order to release music notes to unlock doors and barriers. Beyond that, they found a door that needed to be opened remotely. While they waited for Nana to deal with that, however, Massimo took a side path into the solitary confinement area, making his way to the cell that had held 'him'. Curious, Octavia followed discreetly.

She was rather surprised by what she saw. Massimo stood before the torso of a figure of pure metal, hung against the back wall by electric chains. Its lower body and arms looked as though they had been ripped off with brute force, as though the poor Reploid had been drawn and quartered. The silver superstructure of the remaining body was plainly visible, surrounding the crimson optics. Massimo had collapsed to his knees before the fallen figure. "N...no..." he wept.

"It's...it's you..." the figure stammered out around errors from his voice box. "I didn't...want you to see me like this...but I knew...you would come..."

"What have they done to you?" Massimo wailed out despairingly.

"I refused...to join their clan..." the figure managed to say. "Their leader...said I was to be...locked up until...I agreed. But Silver Horn...tried to force me...when I refused...he did this..." His optics flickered briefly as he gasped for breath. "Glad I left...the armor with you...I know you'll...do it proud..."

"N-no..." Massimo whimpered. "Sensei, I'm...I'm not strong like you are. I...I can barely contribute at all. I...I feel like I'm a burden on those who come to save the day. I...I failed you..."

"You haven't...failed yet!" the figure stated firmly. "This is...your first mission. You are...stronger than you know. I am...but a Reploid. You...are the future..." He coughed, struggling for air.

"Sensei!" Massimo cried out worriedly. "Please...hang on!"

"I've hung on...all I can..." the figure managed to say. "I knew...you would find me...and I had...to tell you..."

"Tell me what?" Massimo gasped out worriedly as the figure's voice faltered.

"That I'm glad...you have found friends...to help you through this..." His eyes locked briefly with Octavia's before turning back to Massimo. "And...your mother and I...are so proud...of...you... ... ..." His optics went dark, and he fell limp.

"FATHER!" Massimo wailed out in despair, clutching the fallen hero in his arms and weeping in despair.

Knowing she could do nothing to help now, Octavia stayed back, letting Massimo work through his grief. After a time, Massimo looked up...and ripped the bindings holding his father's torso up out of the wall by main strength. Laying the body down, he stepped back. "I'm giving it everything," he whispered softly as orange light gathered around his shoulders. Thrusting his arms forward, he unleashed a blast of pure power that atomized what was left of his fallen parent, granting him dignity in death.

Octavia walked up to his side. "Ready to go?" she asked gently.

Massimo nodded. "Y-yeah," he stammered softly, struggling to muster his emotions. "I...can't let him down-huh?" He glanced up as Octavia leapt onto his head.

"You won't," Octavia promised, gently patting his cheek. "Now let's go. I won't say anything until you're ready."

Managing a small smile, Massimo turned and walked back out, saying nothing to X and Spider as he caught up to them.

Before anyone could say anything, Nana's scream echoed through the door she'd opened remotely for them.

"Nana!" Spider called out in shock. "We have to hurry!" The group rushed through.

Entering a massive colosseum with water pouring down around all sides, they saw Nana laying flat on her face in the center. "What the-?" X gasped in shock as Octavia leapt down to the ground to enter a battle state.

A massive triceratops based Reploid stepped heavily onto the stage. "So these are the rats scurrying around my death camp," he observed calmly in his deep voice. "Hmph! Fools. How dare you resist the Rebellion Army?"

Octavia snarled angrily. "Silver Horn," she growled deep in her throat, but said nothing more.

Spider was the one who spoke up. "So you're the head honcho here? What'd you do to Nana?"

Silver Horn let out a deep laugh. "Nana's been a bad girl...so she's being punished!" As if that were enough explanation, he brought his massive foot down on her back, smashing her into the floor. As X gasped in disbelief, Silver Horn continued his 'explanation'. "The weak ones have no choice. They should just obey the strong ones-"

"You're wrong!" Massimo roared out. "The strong must protect the weak, not dominate them!"

Silver Horn snorted disdainfully. "Still spouting that nonsense, Steel Massi-...no, you aren't Massimo. I tore that feeble Massimo limb from limb with my own hands." He began to laugh darkly, only for a massive blow to send him flying.

"You don't talk about my father like that!" Massimo roared out, his entire body - armor and all - blazing gold. "You know nothing of the true strength of Steel Massimo!"

Silver Horn growled as he got to his feet. "So...you're his son..." He chuckled darkly. "And I thought his begging was for his own life in third person-"

"I am not the son of Steel Massimo!" Massimo roared out as his body blazed with power. "I AM MASSIMO!"

Octavia's eyes widened as Varia beeped an alert. "FM energy spike detected. Steel Massimo's equipped Force Metal, Massimo Plus, has metamorphosed. Displaying data."

Massimo Plus effects
All Specs+1(1)
Counter Attack Shot and Physical attacks, 25%
Uses one slot, Erosion 10, only compatible with Massimo

FM Mutation...

I Am Massimo effects
All Specs +5
Counter Attack Shot and Physical attacks, 50%
Counter Attacks do not reduce Charged Power
ACT Self-Repair 10(2)
Block All(3)
Gain WE+10(4)
Damage taken during battle is added to base power for all damage calculation until end of battle
Enters Trance if LE=1(5)
Hyper+3(6)
Uses two slots, Erosion 30, only compatible with Massimo

As Silver Horn lunged forward, Massimo caught him by the horns with one hand, swinging his halberd with the other and gouging into his side with the energy blade. As Silver Horn roared in pain, Massimo lifted one leg and kicked him solidly on the wound, sending him flying back into the opposite wall. With an angry roar, Silver Horn leapt into the air and slammed his feet down on the platform, causing a wave of water to swamp over everyone present, pushing Massimo back and making his armor start to spark. Massimo growled, getting to his feet and lunging forward to punch Silver Horn through the opposite wall, before leaping after him.

Silver Horn tried to bring his horns to bear for the weapon hidden within, only to scream in pain as Massimo ripped them from his head. "This is for Nana!" he roared out, driving the first horn into Silver Horn's left shoulder. "This is for the prisoners who didn't want to fight!" he proclaimed as he drove the second horn into Silver Horn's right shoulder, pinning him to the ground under him.

He then lifted the final, longest horn. "And this is for my father, you son of a bitch!" he proclaimed as he drove it straight through the center of Silver Horn's chest, shattering his power core. As Silver Horn lay limp, the gold faded from Massimo's armor, returning it to its normal green coloration. He then panted for breath, slowly calming down as he struggled to control himself.

Octavia walked up to him. "Feel better?" she asked softly.

"Y-yeah..." he stammered out.

"Good. It's time to go. Coming?"

Massimo glanced over at the group. "Yeah...I still have a long way to go...and I think going with all of you is the way to start."

As Massimo went to join the others for the trip back to Central Tower, Octavia rubbed her chin. Hmm...the surge of emotion caused Massimo's FM to grow with him. It seems Epsilon's theory that Force Metal allowing for further Terran evolution is accurate. I'll have to keep an eye on this...



For those unfamiliar with Megaman X Command Mission's combat and Force Metal setup...
(1) The 'Specs' are Power (determines attack damage), Shield (determines defense against Shot attacks), Armor (determines defense against Physical Attacks), and Speed (self explanatory).
(2)Self-Repair FM restores 1% Le every turn while not in active battle. ACT Self-Repair 10 restores 10% LE each time the active party member takes a turn in battle.
(3) Block All blocks all negative status effects.
(4) WE allows for use of sub-weapons and the Action Trigger ability, and is out of 100. A certain amount is accrued at the start of a character's turn. Gain WE+10 increases that amount by 10.
(5) In Trance, Massimo can neither gain nor lose LE. All attacks automatically do max damage (9999). After five turns, use of Action Trigger, or battle end, Massimo enters 'critical' state, which resembles DOA (KO) save for gaining EXP after battle.
(6) Increases the number of turns a character can stay in Hyper Mode by 3.
...note that most of these aren't actually attainable in the standard game.