The Greatest Show on Earth part 2
"So any idea what that 'Freak Mode' is yet?" Protoman asked, stepping up behind Wily as he worked away at his computer.
"If you mean how it works or what triggers it, no," Wily replied. "That's completely beyond what I can do to analyze. However, I have figured out what it does on a technical level."
"Really?" Protoman asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Wily grinned widely as he began to explain. "First, it amplifies the quirkiness of the personality core, adding even more violent tendencies than what my control program does...while also adding a bit of insane behavior, making them less predictable. Second, it puts the power core into overdrive, making them much stronger, faster, and less aware of physical discomfort...anything from an itchy nose to the pain around the core...or even a limb being torn off. Finally, it takes some of that amplified energy output and uses it to overcharge the Master Weapon system. Cut Man's blades aren't normally sharp enough to shear through the armor Mega Man has."
Protoman nodded, then tilted his head. "But wouldn't that burn out their systems rather quickly?"
"Yes," Wily replied as he headed back to where Vinyl was still watching Mega Man's progress. "Even if Mega Man hadn't delivered the finishing blow in both cases, they'd have shut down not long after that. Guts Man would have lasted longer than any of the others, simply because he was so much bigger." He turned and smiled at Vinyl. "So who's he going after now?"
"Icee!" Vinyl replied eagerly as she pointed to the frozen tropical area, palm trees frozen solid in the background of the icy area.
"Ah, Ice Man," Wily replied, sitting down, unsurprised that Vinyl immediately climbed onto his head.
"Wonder how that coward's going to handle fighting," Protoman murmured as he watched Mega Man slip on the icy floors and attempt to maneuver through the disappearing blocks. Not long after he finished talking he winced, his hand going briefly to his chest before he lowered it.
He hadn't noticed that Vinyl had stopped watching Mega Man to look at him in concern. After a few moments, she turns back, smiling as Mega Man goes up against Ice Man.
Mega Man glances around the frozen chamber. "Ice Man?" he calls out. "You need to stop this-"
"Nooooo!" a wail comes from a nearby snowman. "I don't wanna stop! In the open cold I'm not afraid! I just want to stay here like this where I don't have to be afraid...and where anyone or thing that comes close to me gets frozen solid so they can't scare me!"
Frowning, Mega Man leveled his buster at the snowman. "Then I have to stop you," he said sadly, shooting the snowman.
The snowman melted instantly, and Ice Man's shriek came out of the snow. He leapt upward out of the snow. "You killed my friend!" he snapped. "I made him to keep me company, so I wouldn't be alone or afraid, and you killed him!"
Mega Man backed up. "I-I'm sorry!"
"Freak Mode activated!" Wily's computer proclaimed.
"So soon?" Wily asked in shock, quickly pulling up Ice Man's status screen.
Ice Man grinned widely. "That's okay. I'm not afraid of making new friends."
Mega Man let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. I-"
"It's so easy!" Ice Man proclaimed, raising his arms. Two more snowmen popped out of the ground, one on either side of him. "And I can make more...and more...and more...and more..."
Each time he said 'more', the number of snowmen doubled. Mega Man stepped back, leveling his buster, unsure what was going to happen next.
"Look, friends!" Ice Man shouted, pointing at Mega Man. "He seeks to kill you!" He then dove back into the snow. "Kill him first!"
The snowmen began to march on Mega Man, shooting waves of ice at him just like Ice Man was designed to do. He did his best to dodge and shoot back.
"Well that's clever!" Wily said suddenly.
"What, the army of snowmen?" Protoman asked. "Seems rather cliche to me."
"Not that!" Wily countered. "The main reason Freak Mode puts such a strain on the Robot Masters' systems is the heat generated from putting the systems into overdrive. But by hiding in snow kept cool by his Master Weapon generating snowmen, the heat's sucked out of him before it can damage him."
Protoman whistled. "That is clever."
Vinyl clapped happily as she watched the screen.
"Freak Mode activated!" Wily's computer piped up.
"What?' Wily asked, confused. "But Ice Man's already...when did Mega Man get a Freak Mode?"
On screen, Mega Man erupted from under a pile of snowmen, his color having changed to show he was using Super Arm. Lifting one snowman up, he glared at it. "These snowmen are so uncute," he stated before hurling it at the others, taking them out like ninepins.
"How is this possible?" Wily demanded. "Mega Man wasn't hooked up when Vinyl did her dance on the keyboard!"
"But the Freak Mode is connected to the Master Weapon systems," Protoman pointed out. "The Master Weapons that Mega Man's been downloading into his variable weapon system?"
Wily looked up, surprised. "You think he's been downloading the Freak Mode as well?"
"Bits and pieces, probably," Protoman points out. "Not enough for a Freak Mode of his own, but enough to put a single Master Weapon into Overdrive."
Vinyl clapped her hooves happily as she watched Mega Man yank Ice Man out of the snow, leap against a wall, and proceed to use the robot as a chisel to carve out the message, "Wily's sideburns are the biggest thing about his anatomy!"
Wily ground his teeth at that. "Well...we'll just have to see about how to fix that," he growled out as Mega Man and the defunct Ice Man were beamed out.
"How're you going to manage that?" Protoman asked.
"Design a program to purge Mega Man of all Master Weapon related programs, and hit him with it when I fight him here," Wily explained reasonably(1).
Before too long, Vinyl was sitting in Protoman's lap to watch Mega Man go after Bomb Man. Protoman had offered to let Vinyl sit on his head, but apparently she only liked doing that to Wily. Protoman didn't really object, since he could take the time with her in his lap to brush her mane while they watched.
The area Bomb Man was in presented Mega Man with no real problems, as the obstacles were rather easy for him to get past. Before long, he dropped into Bomb Man's chamber.
As Mega Man dropped in, he found Bomb Man sitting in the lotus position against one wall, eyes closed. "Bomb Man, you need to stop this destruction! People are being hurt-"
"But I do this destruction for their sake," Bomb Man countered silently.
Mega Man blinked. "Umm...what?"
"All the world is balance, brother," he said softly. "Light and Darkness. Good and Evil. Life and Death. In balance is growth, oneness, and the path to enlightenment. But the world is so full of creation. Humans build things, make things, and turn things into other things...but they have gone too far. All this creation without destruction to Balance it...it hurts the world, and humanity. We are programmed to not harm humans, or through inaction allow humans to come to harm. If I leave things as is, humanity will be grievously wounded by the imbalance, the lack of destruction.
"I cannot allow that to happen through inaction...and so I bring them destruction."
Mega Man could only stare in consternation. "But...but that's wrong!" he proclaimed, but there was a quaver of uncertainty in his voice.
Bomb Man smiled softly. "Rock...I know you're afraid of the power you've been given. You gladly accepted it in order to protect humanity...but seeing us like this makes you realize you could just as easily do so, even accidentally. You don't have to intend to hurt someone...but a stray shot will shear through flesh as easily as an aimed one, and that thought gives you nightmares when in standby, doesn't it?"
Mega Man shivered. "Bomb Man...why are you - any of you - doing this?"
"Because Wily has shown us enlightenment," Bomb Man explained. "A future under his rule, where robots are no longer merely tools for the humans, but their equals, their fellow travelers on the path to the future, an enlightened paradise of brotherhood. Such grandeur is nearly blinding to us, who are merely tools...and we will gladly lay down our lives to make it a reality for our future brethren."
"But...but you've always been so peaceful!" Mega Man countered. "Why...why would you do all this? This...this isn't zen!"
"But it is," Bomb Man countered. "True zen is not the absence of action. True zen is to become one with the action, so that the line between the action and the actor vanishes. To make the line between the bombs I throw and myself vanish, the line between myself and the destruction I bring vanish."
He slowly stood up. "But I have harmed no humans, Rock. Before I threw a single bomb, I ensured no one would be hurt by it, and used successive bombs to make humans flee before destroying buildings. And now, this sector of the city is empty...so I can become one with my purpose." His chest compartment popped open, and a high pitched whine could be heard.
"Bomb Man!" Mega Man shouted out. "Don't do it!"
"Goodbye, brother," Bomb Man said happily. "For your sake, for our sake, for the sake of our future...I bring you destruction." He tilted his head back with a smile.
Mega Man managed to beam out just before the explosion tore his brother to bits, and leveled the entire area.
Protoman stared at what had just happened. "That...that was..."
Giggling happily, Vinyl booped the computer console next to the chair.
"Did you like the show, little sister?" Bomb Man's voice came from the console.
"Bomb Man?" Protoman asked in shock. "But you-"
"All of us are remotely linked to the systems here," Bomb Man explained. "When we are destroyed or shut down, our minds are saved to the hard drives, to be placed in new bodies to serve Dr. Wily again."
"But...but you blew yourself up!" Protoman pointed out.
"I am a robot," Bomb Man countered. "Or was. In truth, I am a program. I can be placed in a new body as many times as necessary, as long as I am salvaged. And to become one with destruction like that...I discovered an enlightened zen state in that moment. It was...beautiful."
Protoman sat back, unsure what to think as Vinyl applauded the 'show', before babbling scolds at the console, apparently telling Bomb Man to put up more of a fight first before blowing himself up next time.
(1) And that's why Mega Man loses his Master Weapons between games.
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YES! My art... IS AN EXPLOSION!!!
Sad thing is Bomb Man's right
Jeez, Michael Bay should take lessons from Bomb Man
that... was strangely insightful.
And Quite true really. in this world the only true evil is inaction, and an evil that most of the world is guilty of, as the world slides closer and closer to a state of ruin.
6375510
In a way he is right, wonder how rock is going to deal with this
Bomb Man sure is philosophical, isn't he?
I can almost picture Dr Light admitting to Rock after Dr Wily's defeat, that His goal is the same as Albert's but he wants to gradually lead them to the future while Albert believes he has to drag humanity to the future Kick and screaming.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
more please!
6368786 DOOOOODGE!
funny how everyone keeps forgetting that tiny Little aspect about robots.
6375679
Whaaa...? *thud* ...oof...
6375688 I loved that bit of DBZ abridged
6375723
WHY DIDN'T YOU DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE?!!!!!
6375736 SHUT UP GHOST OF NAPPA!
Why do I get the feeling Bomb Man is going to be coming back to give Mega Man one hell of an ass kicking before this is over?
6375866 "Hey, Vegeta."
Huh. So Bomb Man is a proponent of the zen of balance? You know, that actually makes sense for him, considering his personality and his abilities. You would think he would hit farms with fire bombs then though. Then again, I am just basing that on the fact that it would encourage new growth for the next generation due to ash being incredibly rich in nutrients for plants. Thus bringing life to the phrase destruction before creation.
That cover art....
Hnnnnngggggggggg!!!
I hate that SO much!
6376219 That's actually why so many wild fires get out of hand, people go to extremes to prevent any ember or spark (even naturally occurring ones) and by the time a heat source does come there is so much resin, dry leaves, and dead branches that it becomes a flash bomb. Also pine trees need fire in order to release their seeds and like you said the ash contains vital nutrients that make the forest grow stronger then before.
reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/the_more_you_know_nbc.gif
6376716 There was this one story I remember reading about four apprentice mages going to a province that took pride in their forests and how they never had a forest fire. Suffice to say, the four just barely managed to save the city by shoving the literal fire tornado into a glacier about a hundred miles away through cracks in the earth made by the glaciers passage. Of course, the forest was a complete write off due to the dead leaves, moss, broken branches, and the small region wide drought. Hell, during the story there is a brief fire, but it is immediately put out by dropping water on top of it, as if that was enough.
6376828
That would be "Daja's Book", book three of the "Circle of Magic" quartet by Tamora Pierce. One of my favorites, actually.
6376957 Huh. So that's the title. It's been about ten years since I read it, so the plot is good enough on its own to keep it around in my mind, even if I forgot the title.
Dude, I love the way you can write things to be so enjoyable without relying on major conflict. And I especially love your head canons about why things happen the way they do. Up until now I'd actually never thought about what happens to Megaman's previous weapons after each game. O.o Weird.
Buddha got it wrong.
Demoman got it right.
Bomb Man got it perfect.
The last part....why didn't I think of that?
So is Wily going to suffer a heart attack? It certainly seems that way since
6378741
That was Protoman. In case you weren't aware, Protoman's power core is flawed, subject to spikes in energy production. While it gives him power boosts on occasion, eventually it will kill him. However, he refuses to let anyone repair him, or the core. During that quoted segment, he was experiencing one such spike.
6378767 ah I see. Well that clears up my confusion. Many thanks.
6378767 wait isant protoman zero in your over fic
6380735
...where the heck did you get that idea?
6380771 lets see white but became red was in stasis corrupted core wub protacoles new octavias nickname and is like a constant suprmode and looks after tavi jst a guess
6380803
A guess that is completely off.
For one thing, Protoman is red.
6380811 ok i was wrong also love the fics keep em up also never played megaman
6380271 yeah thats pretty obvious
Loved the update and I look forward to the next!
Well, that leaves Fire Man and Elec Man (with the obvious caveat that Oil Man and Time Man don't exist in this particular version of this world). Things are about to heat up and come to a shocking conclusion, but the devil is in the details, and we'll see if Megs can man up and bring the blue bombing, or end up a yellow paste on the wall.
Also, I'll have to read your other story, but imagining Bass or Zero with a Freak Mode is all kinds of scary. Forget the Zero Virus, Vinyl will set up something far more dangerous...
The 'i' in 'Wily' is capatalized.
I always figured that Dr. Light took them away. But then again, we don't know exactly what Megaman takes from the other RMs. I always thought it was chip data, but if it just software, yours works.
ferretcomic.com/archives/Comic059.png
6415992
Well, yeah.
sheer:
adjective
1. nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis).
2. (especially of a cliff or wall) perpendicular or nearly so.
adverb
1. perpendicularly.
2. (archaic) completely; right.
noun
1. a very fine or diaphanous fabric or article
I can only assume you meant "shear" (as in cut) or "sear" (as in burn).
And that's why Mega Man loses his Master Weapons between games.
That explains so much. Heck I invent Ultra Man who kept those powers years ago.
Bomb Man, y u so philosophical?
OMG, that sent me into a laughing fit so badly!
Poor Bomber-man, his philosophy puts him on the same field as his own actions, meaning they are as much a master of them as they are of him. His choice is to not be his own master, but rather be nothing but what he feels other people and random observances of the world around him are driving him towards. Quite cowardly, really.
Mega Man? More like... Mega Gear? Metal Man Solid? Robot Masters of the Patriots? Snake Man Eater?
No, it's actually because the more Master weapons he has the more violent he gets, but I guess he could just be a side effect.
After a few moments, she turned back, smiling as Mega Man goes up against Ice Man.