Series 5 Issue #5 - Busted!

By Gauntlet (Shadowman)

It's a fine morning as the Mechanical Maniacs return from a semi-successful trip to a Japanese bookstore......

Needlegal: What a successful trip! I got a nice set of Chobits mangas for cheaper than I've ever seen them!

Snakeman: ...... but you can't read them.

Needlegal: I don't need to read them! I just wanna look at the pretty pictures!

Shadowman: The trip was semi-sussessfull. I didn't find the Rockman Remix manga I was looking for ...... but this set of X2 mangas are a nice consolation prize.

Snakeman: ........ But you can't read those either!

Shadowman: Who needs to read them? I already know the story and there are pictures to help me along!

Snakeman: Argh!

Topman: Hm. I'm kinda hungry, guys.

Geminiman: Well, there's a Mc Donalds ahead. Let's go order something.

(And so the Megaman 3 team enter the Mc Donalds. Little do they realize what horror awaits them!)

Cashier: Alright, that'll be $20.39

Hardman: *whispers* do we have enough?

Shadowman: *whispers* Relax! Everything is a breeze with my........ (whips out device) counterfeit money machine!

(Using his small device Shadowman instantly comes up with the cash.)

Cashier: Alright, then.....

Shadowman: Hm......... Wonder what that machine does.

(The cashier swiped the money through the machine and instantly a small alarm goes off!)

........

Shadowman: Hm. Well THAT shouldn't be. Uh....... hm. Try this one..... (Shadowman hands the cashier another twenty, which also sets off the machine.)

.......

Shadowman: Hm ...... well, this has never happened before. What shall we -

(Shadowman grabs the food!)

Shadowman: RUN!!!

(The Mechanical Maniacs bolt out the door and down the street as fast as their legs could carry them!)

Shadowman: What ...... *pant* ...... was that! *gasp!*

Topman: It looked like some *pant* counterfiet-detector device!

Shadowman: W-what!?

Magnetman: Yeah, I guess it detects counterfeit money.

Shadowman: Yeah, what was your first clue? The fact that it's the "counterfeit money detector device" or the fact that alarms went off when it scanned my counterfeit money!?

Magnetman: Yeesh.

Shadowman: This isn't fair! This device is hard to make!

Needlegal: Calm down. Not EVERY store can have one!

Shadowman: True ...... true. Heh. Wacky McDonalds. We'll just eat at Harvey's!

(And so the Mechanical Maniacs venture to Harvey's ........ with similar results.)

Shadowman: GGGGGYAAAHH!!!

Snakeman: Geez, pull it together. You're a ninja. You're supposed to be above this.

Shadowman: Yeah, well I'm a ninja and I'm not.

Snakeman: ... What!?

Shadowman: You know.

...

Snakeman: Well, it isn't that much. Couldn't you just pay for it normally?

.....

.....

Shadowman: What?

Geminiman: Uh, you're new here. So you may not know ........ we don't pay for things.

Sparkman: Let's just go home, guys.

(And so the 'Maniacs return to their home, The Ark, to find it covered in graffiti!)

Sparkman: What ...... what happened?

Geminiman: This all seems familiar somehow.....

(Shadowman activates the auto clean.) *

(*This refrences the Secret Epilogue! On the very Secret Page!)

Shadowman: Wait! It's ....... them.

Hardman: Who?

Shadowman: You know. Them.

Hardman: I'm lost.

Magnetman: Me too.

Geminiman: Wait ....... you mean ...... them?

Needlegal: They wouldn't dare show their face here again ....... would they?

(And so......)

Shadowman: Admit you did it, twerp!

"Him": Ow! I didn't! I didn't! "ow"!

(Shadowman continues to pummel "him")

Shadowman: Oh sure, you didn't! I suppose it was 'Gaiden!

"Him" WELL IT WASN'T ME!

"He" begins to break down into tears."

......

Shadowman: Hm. Maybe ...... they weren't involved after all......

"Him": I wasn't.....

Shadowman: No one was talking to you.

(Shadowman chucks a Shadowblade at "His" head knocking "him" into unconsciousness)

Shadowman: Well ...... if it wasn't him ..... who was it?

(The following day the mechanical Maniacs are having Energon Cubes Cereal for breakfast when the doorbell rings.....)

Sparkman: I'll get it!

(But when Sparkman gets to the door, the person has run off.....)

Sparkman: Hm........

Needlegal: Something is definitely up.

Shadowman: yeah, well, don't worry. I have "people" on him. They'll tell me wherever the attacker goes. heh heh heh. Soon I will have my REVENGE!

Needlegal: *tsk* you and you're revenge....

Shadowman: He spray-painted my home he pays!

(Suddenly Shadowman's beeper rings.)

Shadowman: Ah-HAH! It worked! Follow me!

Shadowman: Let's go!

(The Mechanical Maniacs pursue the intruder, who's dressed in a trench coat across town and finally into an old apartment building.)

Topman: He went into that room!

Hardman: Alright! With most of our enemies dead, this guy will give us some much-needed fun!

Snakeman: *sigh*

Magnetman: Let's go already!

(The 'Maniacs open the door and they are suddenly encased in a net!)

Sparkman: What!?

Snakeman: Who in the world would do this!

The person: Sur-priiiiiseee!

(The person rips off his coat to reveal his true identity!)

Shadowman: TORCHMAN!?

Torchman: That's right!

Needlegal: But you're dead!

Hardman: No fair! Dead people can't come back to life, it's against the rules!

Sparkman: Who cares? This loser is just one guy against the eight of us!

Torchman: Oh, but I didn't come "back" really! Heh heh heh.......And who says I was alone?

(From out of nowhere the rest of the MM PC 3 robot masters emerge!)

Sharkman: Surprise!

Bitman: You've come back, but so have we!

Oilman: Your reign of terror end HERE, 'Mechs!

Needlegal: Say, WHAT!?

Snakeman: Sharkman? Didn't you reform and become Shakman.EXE on Viral Infection?

Someone: Oh he did. But I made him see the ...... error of his ways.

Shadowman: CRORQ!

Crorq: Wha? Oh ..... curses! You are not supposed to know my name!

Shadowman: I see what's going on........ Wily re-created you. And you're a not-quite-so-super computer designed to take over robot masters* so you took over Sharkman over there and rebuilt Torchman from, what I can only imagine, from some sort of ..... saved file made before he was blown to bits.**

(* Which is the plot behind Megaman PC 1 and 3 for those of you who don't know these obscure games.)

(** Torchman died in a temporal explosion way back in Series 3 #24)

Blademan: OH MY GOD HE WAS ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT!

Waveman: Uh ...... I think we're in trouble here, guys.

Shadowman: The only question I have is ..... when exactly were you copied, Torch? Are you pretty recent or were you copied right until you were blown up?

Torchman: Uh .... I ..... that is to say, um .....

.....

Torchman: Now THAT is a SECRET!

Shadowman: *tsk* FINE!

(The 'Maniacs rip free of the net!)

Torchman: *GASP!*

Blademan: But how?

Crorq: That was no normal net! It was made of steel!

Hardman: Yeah, and we can rip through puny steel cords.

Sharkman: So ...... what's the plan now, boss?

Torchman: Hmmmmmm ..... WE RUN AWAY!

(The PC team runs out the Window and across the street!)

..........

Sparkman: Well, that was unexpected.

Snakeman: Well, at least we didn't have to actually fight those idiots.

Topman: Come-on, let's go get some victory Energon Cubes!

(And so, in a minor bit of triumph, the Mechanical Maniacs head over to the local Energon Cube restaurant. The Autobar!)

Wheelie: Wheelie get money right away, and then fresh energon is on it's way!

(Needlegal makes a move for her wallet, but Shadowman stops her.)

Shadowman: I got this.

Wheelie: With three fifty as your expense you get ten dollars and fifty cents! Heh. heh heh heh!

(Suddenly alarms go off!)

Needlegal: What?

(Suddenly, Xelloss appears!)

Xelloss: It looks like Mister Shadowman tried to pay with Counterfeit money ..... again.

Shadowman: AAHHHH!!!! I FORGOT ABOUT THAT STUPID MACHINE!!

Wheelie: If counterfeit money you try to pay, a sound beating is on it's way!

Xelloss: Oh my, the situation seems to be deteriorating.

Needlegal: Wait! I got money too! I can pay!

Wheelie: Pay you will, but pain's on the bill!

Snakeman: And who's gonna be giving us pain, pip squeak? you?

(Suddenly, Dinobot steps out from the back!)

Dinobot: For trying to deceive the Autobar ..... you shall pay with your LIVES!!! WRRRROOOOWWW!

(Dinobot leaps into attack and the 'Maniacs run away!)

Shadowman: This sucks!

Xelloss: So, you're running away? Where's that Mechanical Maniac spirit that beat Extant?

Shadowman: Shut up! Just shut up!

Snakeman: Well, I guess things turned out all right...

Magnetman: I guess...

Needlegal: And we learned something today too...

Sparkman: I'm glad, then this adventure won't be a complete waste!

Needlegal: We learned that honesty is the best policy!

Shadowman: I HATE THAT MORAL!!!

Dinobot: Come back here, COWARDS!!

Xelloss: My, my, my that Maximal is a quick one!

Needlegal: Feel free to help anytime!

Topman: So until Wheelie catches us, we are ..... The Mechanical Maniacs!

The End

Cast:
Musashiden Razz as .....	Sparkman	Raijin as .....	Snakeman	Psycho Magnet as .....	Needlegal
Hadrian Howell as .....	Hardman			Nightmare as .....	Topman
Lennon as .....	Geminiman	Jonathan S. as .....	Magnetman	Gauntlet as .....	Shadowman