The Unnamed: A Mechanical Maniacs Mini-Novel

By Gauntlet (Shadowman)

Chapter 4

The Mechanical Maniacs had just finished consoling Topman as the power was cut off from their base. 

 "What's going on?"  shouted their newest member, Raijin aka Snakeman.

 "Isn't it obvious?  We're under attack!"  retorted Magnetman.

 Even if they knew that, however, the Mechanical Maniacs simply were not prepared for the sheer ferocity of the battle.

 Hardman was the first to fall.  Inexplicable drawn to his attacker, currents of magnetic energy ripped through his body until he was driven into unconsciousness.  Then came went Spark-Chan.  Classi, using her new electrical-based powers hurled sparks in the general direction of her opponent blindly.  Much to her surprise and horror their mysterious attacker wasn't fazed and plowed through the frail robot. 

 But even in defeat, Spark managed to gain one victory.  The electrical power was restored.  With the lights on again, their attacker was revealed clear as day.  Standing there with giddy excitement was the Maniacs' old nemesis...Bizarro Shadowman!

 "Oop!  Look like cat am in bag now!"  chuckled the mutant robot ruefully.  "And after me so clumsy and show you all me really easy-to-see plans!  Oh, well, it makes a huge difference."

 With a snort Bizarro began to throw Shadow blades at the Mechanical Maniacs with all the fury of the true Shadowman.

 Bizarro had not always been this way.  Once he had been relatively harmless.  What seemed like a lifetime ago and enemy of the Mechanical Maniacs had them captured and turned a Bizarro-ray on Shadowman.  It was supposed to create an exact moral opposite of the ninja robot, however one possessing the same skill and possibly even memories as the original.  The ray worked; only too well.  Bizarro had all the skills of Shadowman, however his mind was addled.  Like photocopies, he was made imperfect.  His speech always saying the exact opposite of what he actually means Bizarro had none of the intelligence of the original Shadowman, nor any drive to fight. 

This situation did not last long.  After being kidnapped and modified by many diverse alien technologies Bizarro houses an array of powers.  Although he started life as a copy of Shadowman alone, Bizarro now has all the abilities of the entire Megaman three team!  From Spark's Spark Shots to Magnetman's missiles, Bizarro can perform any of their attacks.  To make matters worse this mechanical mutant has powerful shields which can adapt quickly to any attack and become completely impenetrable.  Already having faced the Mechanical Maniacs several times his shields can withstand all of their attacks.  Bizarro also has the ability to take over machinery with cables; to assimilate their systems and control them even at a great distance.  Finally, as if all that were not enough, Bizarro cannot be killed.  In one of his most recent upgrades Bizarro gained powerful Limited armor which prevents death for a robot so long as his brain is not destroyed.  Truly, if Bizarro was ever intent on destroying anyone his prey would be dead.

 "We can take him!  He's a friggin' moron!" shouted Magnetman firing a round of missiles at Bizarro.  Using deft moves Bizarro not only dodged the missiles, but he ran up the ceiling and executed a flying kick sending Magnetman sprawling on the ground.

 "Hah!  You're all so strong this am real challenge!" said Bizarro as he stomped his foot on Magnetman's back. 

 Just then the tables turned!  Hardman has recovered from Bizarro's magnetic attack and landed a powerful punch to Bizarro's side.  Bizarro caught himself before falling.  Spinning around Bizarro gave Hardman a taste of his own medicine as he shot a Hard Knuckle of his own! 

 "I see," Geminiman began, "Bizarro's shield can counter a special attack, but they can't deflect a good ol' fashioned fist!"  Geminiman then split into six copies of himself to gang up on Bizarro.  But before he could make much headway Bizarro created his own set of six copies to grapple with the Geminimen!

 "Keep trying!  Bizarro am weakest there is!"  Bizarro laughed as he used his own search snakes on all the Geminimen!  They howled in pain from the relentless assault and were forced to merge back together.  With surprising speed Bizarro dispatched them into unconsciousness with a top spin attack.

 However, Gemini's attacked distracted Bizarro long enough for the other Maniacs to turn the tide.  Already Hardman landed several crushing blows to one copy while Spark-Chan sent a field of electricity too close to be blocked into another copy!  Since, like Geminiman, all of Bizarro's copies are linked into each other, Bizarro felt pain as each of his copies were attacked!  Even Topman managed to strike a blow in close range as he spun a Bizarro around and sent him flying into a far wall! 

Bizarro screamed in frustration and re-merged all his copies back into himself.  He had lost the element of surprise and these Maniacs were using strategy against him.  It was time to do what he came here to do.

 Using the cables that stick out of his back, Bizarro connected to wires inside the Ark.  Sparks flew from the overhead lights as they flickered.  Strange buzzing noises could be hears all over the base as Bizarro continued his attack.

 "What's he doing?"  asked Spark-Chan.

 "He's ... He's disabling our computers with those wires of his!  Aw, we can't lose a base so soon!" replied Snakeman.

 "Mwa hah hah!  You can always stop me!"  shouted Bizarro gleefully as he continued destroying the Mechanical Maniacs' newest base of operations.

 "Bizarro!"  shouted Needlegal in an angry tone.  "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

 Bizarro was confused.  Before he could say anything Needlegal pressed on, "You break into our base, pick a fight, and now you're destroying everything?  Just who do you think you are!  Stop all this right now!"

 Bizarro didn't know what to do.  Could Needlegal have a point?  She seemed awfully angry.

 "I'm counting to ten," Needlegal threatened, "and if I don't see you stop they'll be Hell to pay, buster!  One..."

 Bizarro didn't know what Needlegal would do at the end of that countdown, but it couldn't be good.  Immediately he jerked his cables free from the wall.

 "That's a good boy," said Needle. "Now go to your room!  I want to have a chat with you about what this was all about later.

 "No, madam," Bizarro said meekly.  He quickly spun around and headed off to find a vacant room to wait in.

 ********

Shadowman awoke with a pulsing headache.  More like a migraine, actually. 

"He's awake!" shouted someone. 

"You alright, man?  Bizarro beat you up but good."

It took Shadowman a moment to orient himself.  He was in...his room.  Some people call it messy, but Shadow had his own way of organizing things.  He remembered being attacked...

 "It was Bizarro, then?  Man that sucker packs a punch." Shadowman said.  He groggily sat upright in his bed.  "What happened with him?"

 "It was great!" Topman said excitedly.  "At first he caught us by surprise and we were getting nailed pretty bad, but Needlegal managed to beat him almost by herself!"

 "Really?  How did you manage that, Needle?"

 Needle gave a small smile, happy with her devious tactic.  "Oh, it wasn't that hard.  Bizarro out powers us by so much I knew the only way to drive him off would be to outsmart him!  Since he's the opposite of you I figured that'd mean he'd be more trusting and more willing to follow orders."

 Shadowman nodded, "It's true.  Whenever anyone tells me to do something I automatically want to do the opposite."

 "Right," Needlegal went on, "I knew that so I figured Bizarro would be more...open to suggestion.  All I had to do was shout in a firm, commanding voice and he'd do whatever I said."

 Shadowman was impressed, but he didn't want to give Needle the satisfaction of knowing it.  "That wasn't a bad plan, Needs, but don't expect it to work all the time.  Even Bizarro learns from his mistakes."  Needlegal; nodded in acknowledgement.

 Shadowman got up and stretched.  He felt stiff and sore from the fight. 

 "One more thing..." Snakeman said hesitantly.  Shadowman knew it was bad news.  "Bizarro managed to scramble our computers pretty bad with those Borg tentacle things.  And...and when we went to check up on him he was gone without a trace."

 Damn.

 "Hh.  That is bad news," Shadowman said with some concern.  "I'd have liked to question Bizarro and find out who put him up to this."

 "Who put him up to this?"  Spark-Chan asked curiously.  "Doesn't stuff like this always happen with him?"

 "No," Shadowman said.  "No, he'd never act on his own.  He'd never even think to attack our computers.  No, someone planned this out."

 "Who could it be?"  Spark-Chan asked with concern.

 "No clue," answered Shadow.  Too many people could have done it.

 "Well then, the answer is obvious," Snakeman began, "There's only a set number of people who would want to attack us.  And I say we hunt down each and every one of them until we get the answers we want!"

 ********

Meanwhile, far outside the Ark, two lone figures appear out of nowhere.

 "No thanks for putting me back in room there!  It was all spacious and nice lookin'!  Yer a real jerk, Xelloss."  Said Bizarro.

 "Not a problem, Mister Bizarro! It's always a pleasure to frustrate the plans of those Mechanical Maniacs!"  said Xelloss with a smile on his face. 

"Uh.  Well, thanks anyway!  Me'd like to stay cuz me have nothing better to do now!  Be a stranger!"  said Bizarro as he teleported away.  

Xelloss chuckled.  Sometimes it was just too easy.