The Unnamed: A Mechanical Maniacs Mini-Novel

By Gauntlet (Shadowman)

Chapter 15

Xelloss stood over the shivering mess that was Geminiman. Or “Evil Lennon”. Whatever he was calling himself now. They were in a far away place, Xelloss’ own sanctuary. It was a nicely furnished room with finely carves wooden tables and plush sofas arranged around it. On the wall hung pictures of his lord, Beastmaster Zelas Matellium. Zelas had instructed him to get a powerful ally for the monster race. He made a deal with C.J. and the other Mechanical Maniacs to further this end.

He would monitor the ‘Maniacs and tell them of their weak points. In return they would allow him to get to the member he wanted with minimum hassle and they did this by disabling the Ark’s communication and splitting the team up into three. C.J. knew Shadowman would do that if Bizarro were used. Xelloss wondered if they did any real work during all this. However he had what he wanted. Sort of.

Geminiman was the most powerful member of the team, however his power was unstable. He has a human spirit which was the key to some of his more unbelievable powers. Unfortunately this mixed with his robotic powers and the powers Xelloss had tried to instill in him had left him broken and useless shortly after he repelled Wily’s attack. How irritating. All that effort had gone to waste.

“Well, Mr. Gemini, seeing you scream like this is music to my ears, really. But I don’t think I can simply let you go out of control here. After all, you could hurt yourself …. Or, more importantly, me! So, consider this a farewell. Don’t worry about your friends, I’m sure they’ll join you shortly …. In the afterlife!”

Xelloss snickered at his own joke and leveled his wooden staff at the shuddering robot. The orb at the end of it glowed with evil power. Xelloss shot a powerful blast of energy at Geminiman, more than enough to incinerate him.

However, Geminiman wasn’t as broken as Xelloss had figured. He repelled the energy with a powerful crystalline shield. Xelloss stopped, shocked that Gemini was able to repel the blast. Gemini staggered to his feel, moaning in pain.

“You think … you can take me down? “

Xelloss made a vexed noise under his breath and shot out several more blasts of energy, however these were all repelled by the powerful Geminiman.

“You’re plan worked too well, Xelloss! I’m powerful now ….. Too powerful for the likes of you to ever control!” Gemini shot his hands out towards the monster and shot out two Gemini Lasers. Xelloss disappeared from view thinking he could avoid the lasers that way, however Gemini was more powerful than before and his lasers were able to hit the trickster priest, even while in sub space! Xelloss screamed as the lasers pulled him back into the normal world.

With lightning speed Geminiman followed with a brutal physical assault followed by two more Gemini Lasers at point blank range. Xelloss screamed again as the lasers shot through his body leaving two smoldering holes in their wake.

Geminiman threw the purple-haired priest across the room and shot him with several weak plasma bursts out of pure malice. There was a small bit of smoke around Xelloss now as he lay helpless before the “broken” Geminiman. It wasn’t without cost though.

Although Xelloss had been caught off guard without being able to properly counter attack, he could see that each blast took a little more effort. Soon Gemini would burn himself out. He had become a weapon. He just needed to be aimed elsewhere.

“I don’t see why you’re attacking me,” said the priest weakly.

“You tried to murder me!”

“Heh. I thought you were done for, so I wanted to ease your suffering! It was a kindness. But isn’t there someone else you’re mad at?”

***********

Geminiman reappeared at the Mechanical Maniacs’ base – the ark. Even with their sensors destroyed Shadowman knew he was there. Gemini wasn’t the subtle type.

Once he was outside he immediately challenged them to a fight, in order to prove who was most fit to be leader.

“Come out, Shadowman! Or do I have to drag you out like the coward you are!”

Using his new powers coupled with his robotic body, Geminiman bellowed that message through every available receiver. In a short time Shadow, Top, and Snake all teleported out to greet their lost friend.

Geminiman looked different. He was bigger. More muscular (since when do robots have muscles, anyway?) but it was a lean kind of muscular. His face seemed somewhat distorted, although Shadow couldn’t peg what was wrong exactly. Geminiman’s usually shining armor was cracked and broken. Geminiman did not seem well.

“Gemini, what’s going on?” Asked Top, who had been on the team just as long as his crystalline compatriot.

“What’s wrong? Our team is falling apart is what’s wrong!” replied Gemini, “I intend to take control and fix things. And I’ll do it over Shadow’s dead body!’

Shadow took a deep breath.

“Gemini, I’m not gonna fight you.”

Gemini responded by teleporting directly in front of Shadow and using his enhanced Gemini Laser to blow off Shadow’s right arm. Shadow screamed in pain, but Gemini wasn’t through just yet. He picked up Shadow and tossed him into the air with seemingly no effort at all and, while Shadow was in midair, he shot several high-powered plasma shots at the battered ninja. They burst upon contact sending rivers of pain into the three team’s leader. He hadn’t expected Gemini to actually attack. Nor did he expect him to be so fast. He was slipping.

Gemini didn’t let Shadow hit the ground even then. He teleported directly beside him and, with a mighty kick, sent him flying further from the base. Snake and Top, shocked speechless, took a second before they followed Shadow. Gemini got there before they did. He stood over the defeated robot in triumph.

“Pathetic. To think I once ….. uhhhhgh…”

Geminiman held his head in pain and staggered some steps back. Seeing the opportunity, Snakeman readied his buster. “I’m sorry, Gem. I really am”

Snakeman let loose with his search snakes – the one weapon which Gemini had a special weakness to. Unprepared for the assault and reeling from his own internal pain Gemini was caught off guard. He screamed in agony as the miniature serpents tore through his metal skin and poisoned his systems. After the first assault Geminiman’s energy was low. He was disoriented. What had just happened?

“Shadow? Who did this? What ….. AGH!” Gemini once again held his head. Something wasn’t right.

“Gemini? Are you all right?” Asked Topman. He remembered Topman. Didn’t he used to be Gemini Red? Gem had a hard time keeping his concentration.

Pain shot through his head again. He couldn’t remember what happened. He felt anger build up. What did he come here to do…?

Snakeman couldn’t let this go on.

“Gemini has obviously gone maverick on us. I think it’s time to put him to sleep.”

“No!” shouted Topman, “I can reach him! Gemini! Can you hear me?”

“Gemini is no longer,” said the damaged robot, “I am Evil Lennon. I remember now. I came here to destroy you!”

“That isn’t you!” shouted the diminutive top-based robot, “this isn’t you! Remember the team! Remember the good times!”

“What good times? The time you dragged me from behind a car?!”

“Alright, maybe not that time, but …. Remember the team. We’re buds, aren’t we?”

“Actually I never liked you. Too whiney. And anal retentive. Who cares if things are spelled right?”

That hurt.

“Alright …. Then what about Shadow here. He forgave you for being such a jerk when you were part of that other Megaman three team.”

“I should have been Shadowman. I’m much better at it.”

Topman was getting desperate.

“Then how about Classy? Spark Chan! You two were best friends even before she joined the team!”

“Classy?” Gemini was stunned. How could he forget about her? With thoughts of his friendship for her all other positive memories came back. He remembered his adventures against the Evil Eight, against the maniac from the future – Sigma. He remembered all the parties and get-togethers, his rivalry against Odin ….. something made him forget all the good times. Or at least to focus only on the bad times. It was…

“Xelloss! He tricked me!” yelled Gemini, finally aware of the present.

“What?” began Topman, but Gemini didn’t give him time to finish. All this was his fault. Xelloss had made him into some sort of monster and he let it consume him! The power he’d been given was evil – it was eating him alive. He could feel it slowly tearing away his sanity. This is what Xelloss wanted! This is the reason Xelloss helped him!

Pain ripped through Gemini once again. His powers were fundamentally incompatible. If he kept them he might wind up as insane as Bizarro …. Or worse! He had to expel these demonic powers from his system. And he knew the perfect way to do so. And he was the only robot in the universe that could do it.

With madness tearing at the edges of his mind, Gemini summoned the full force of his powers. But instead of focusing them outwards, he channeled them inwards. Into his splitting power. He would separate this power like a malignant tumor. Snakeman and Topman both started in disbelief at the sight. They could tell their friend was trying to fight his inner demon. In a fantastic flash of light Geminiman’s splitting ability manifested itself. Blue electricity arced from the robot’s body as he screamed in pain.

When the smoke cleared, Geminiman was lying on the ground barely functional. But normal. He no longer suffered from the debilitating demonic disease Xelloss had inflicted upon him.

However there was another …. Creature there hunching over Geminiman’s motionless body. This Gemini-thing was the demonic side of Gemini that he had rejected. It looked positively monstrous. Twice the size of the original, it was covered with shadows and had cracked red crystalline armor. It’s face was a distorted, black shadow of Geminiman’s with glowing blue eyes. It looked confused as if it couldn’t understand what had just happened. It saw Geminiman’s body …. And then peered over at Shadowman’s. Top and Snake flinched when it gazed at them. Small traces of recognition flashed on the Gemini-thing’s face with each figure it surveyed. Clearly it possessed Geminiman’s memories.

However it was comprised of the demonic energy that had corrupted Geminiman. That had made him want to kill them all. Could it be trusted? Snakeman had a fleeting thought of taking it down, but decided against any direct attacks.

The creature’s head then shot up, as if remembering a forgotten detail. It then vanished as quickly and silently as it appeared.

***********

Snake and Top placed Shadow and Gemini’s bodies inside of the repair chambers. It seemed that they wouldn’t be able to mount an effective assault against the old team after all.

“Man, after all that and we still lost!” said Topman in dismay.

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Snake, “You helped save Gemini. I was about ready to blast him into tomorrow, but you didn’t give up. You’re a brave man, Top. I mean it.”

Top smiled. Perhaps he was being overly pessimistic about the situation. After all, they had Geminiman back. And when both robots were repaired, they could finally mount an effective assault on the renegade Mechanical Maniacs!