The Business of War
Orchestrated By C.M. Rich (Magnetman)
Dr. Cossack War Journals 1
By Winterman, Jade, Neolan, Sean, Zymeth, Snipe, Hunter, Saturn Ballard, Naop, Anime Master, Mahajarah, Jet, Zapper, Draconis, Megaman N, Glider, Demon Roy, Regulus,
Getting Serious
(The Cosmic Gladiators
were not freedom fighters. Though they had caused their share of destruction
and had good morals in place, galactic civilization with it's ups and
downs has a way of making entire races go a bit crazy.
This happened not just to the team, but almost every foe they ever
faced and then some. Sunstar, Brock Nightmare, Zim, the Glukkons, Chode
and his crew... Even FMs had been somewhat affected, as was the case
of Ursa Northfrost.
Of course, traveling between dimensions didn't help much either. For
quite some time, interstellar society had discovered the secrets of
time travel and multiversal crossovers.
But this wasn't about space. It was about Earth. The Earth of the standard
MegaMan timeline, circa. 20XX, to be exact. And things did not look
good.
The team decided to travel to Earth, some of them being homesick. As
they approached the planet, the Artificially Intelligent computer assessed
it's threat to the crew. Immediately blaring an alarm, the CG gathered
in the briefing room to find the cause of disturbance.
That's where it got depressing. As they went over the recordings of
several months worth of television, radio, phone and internet signals,
they realised their former home had turned over in bed, exposing it's
nasty side.
Sunstar had been following them, when his computer deduced the same
threat. The Cosmic Gladiators entered in conversation with him and
they decided to get away as soon as possible.
Then IT appeared. Like the oh-so-iconic grim reaper, the metalic skull
emerged from the inky blackness. Sending out a contact signal, the
two ships found themselves facing the Seven Mercenaries...)
Quint: A stardroids team... how novel.
Jupiter: Why are you contacting us, Quint?
Quint: No doubt you are up to date on the current events. We have sided
with General Cutman. Join with him or be destroyed.
Sunstar: Lesse... how about... No.
Quint: Very well...
(The guns opened up on Sunstar's fortress, quickly taking out the main
engines. Several thousand tonnes of stronger-than-adamantium Solite
metal went crashing to the planet's surface...)
Jupiter: No! Sunstar! (quickly turning to the mercenaries with an angry
face, he shouted...) You killed OUR villain!
Quint: He defied the robot utopia. Jion us, or we will kill you now,
for Elysium awaits.
Jupiter: I've got a better idea. PLUTO, NOW!
(The Mercs had no time to react. Pluto, with his NetNavi programming
and semi-professional pilot experience, had the ship loop, twist and
barrel roll out of the way before streaking down to the planet below.
Quint smiled. He knew exactly where they were going...)
Quint: Don't bother following them. We'll deal with them later.
(On the planet's surface, the Great Zodiac had crashed only several
hundred feet away from Sunstar's fortess. Damage assesment was done
to both ships without haste...)
Pluto: I'll give you the short version. Both ships are unable to move
under their own power. Our supplies are okay, but the fighter craft
are all trashed. Communications are up, but the damage to the power
cores has reduced range to 300,000 miles, barely past the moon. Worst
of all, I can't find Venus. Guys, I think we might have to fight this
war after all.
(Sunstar and the team looked wearily at Jupiter, who had no choice
but to make a decision. As they stood tired and battered in the frozen
wastes of Siberia, he made it...)
Jupiter: Guys, we're siding with Cossack. He'll need us as much as
we need him. We have supplies, better quality than what can be found
on Earth, and he's low on resources. Plus, I don't see any other option.
Wily can't be trusted, and we'd be giving up our freedom to join anyone
else.
(The team was reluctant. But then someone stepped forward...)
Sunstar: Guys, he's right. We can't just sit by and do nothing.
(Pluto stepped forward as well..)
Pluto: I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to stand up for my
beliefs. I bend to one person and one person only, Brisker R. Alley.
My operator told me to stay on this team and fight with and for it,
and that's what I plan to do.
(Mars spoke next...)
Mars: We're not weak, you know. We have a chance here. But we need
to get serious. Space has been a bigger vacation than Earth would have
been, and vacation is over. It's gonna be tough, nobody likes going
back to the School of Hard Knocks, but if we don't do this we'll regret
it the rest of our lives.
Saturn: He's right. Let's do this.
Cosmic Gladiators: YEAH!
(The team went back into the ships, ready to take on whatever was thrown
at them. The message sent to Mikail Cossack that day was clear...)
Message: Don't worry, the Cosmic Gladiators are coming...
--------------------
I should enjoy this night while I can. There might not be many more like it. So much is going on inside the Citadel nowadays. The doctor's been harboring those robots that refuse to comply with the new Shutdown Code Act. I wondered for a moment that if robots must have that ludicrus chip installed, what does that make me? After all, I'm not quite a robot, but I have been enhanced by some of Cossack's technology. Although, from my understanding, most of the other robot masters I know are also at least partially human, so I guess the point is moot. Anyway, with him seeing to all of the refugees, I figured I might as well go out for a walk and partake in the cool evening.I simply couldn't believe when I heard last week how this General Cutman barbarically murdered our friends the Parrs. Simply because Drill refused to join up with him, he chooses to kill them all as payback. This must be eating up at Drill inside, although he tries not to show it in front of the rest of us. But I think everyone is troubled by what's to come. I haven't seen much of them lately. Toad shuts herself in her room a lot, as does Cossack; him being busy with the refugees and all. I haven't seen Ring for days. I'm getting concerned about him...
I wasn't around for Cutman's first big insurrection, but I've heard of him through the Maniacs, and the Sinister Six before their unfortunate disbandment. The guy sounded like a real piece of work to me as it was, but his most recent actions hit much closer to home; anyone who would slaughter an innocent family - including children - just to make a point, is outright pyscho in my book. Now he leads a brand new army against the entire world. Well, I'll be damned if I'm going to just stand by and let him have his way. But unfortunately, we have more to worry about than just him. Since Cossack is openly defying the Shutdown Act, we're going to be labeled as international criminals and wanted by pretty much every civilized nation. It's literally us verses the world. Well, it doesn't really matter. Since I came to this world, the Comrades befriended me and gave me a place to stay. They've been good to me, and I'm not going to abandon them in their time of need.
The odds are against us, but somehow... I can't help but smile.
--------------------
A blindingly cold wind swept through the snowy fields outside of the great citadel. The air was tense, as were all of the robots who stumbled through the metallic grounds, attempting to cope with the overwhelming duties the ragged army had.Army? More like a group of heavily armed radical protesters...I can just see us now, marching in lines outside of Cut Man's stronghold, waving signs that say things like "Don't run with Scissors" and yelling "Down with Scissor Army!"
In the courtyard of Dr. Cossack's great stronghold, the robots ran about, trying to cope with the pitiful position they were. In the middle of the center field, sitting alone in the snow, another robot sat. His helmet was at his side, and his brown hair fell over his face. For Neolan, or Aqua Man as he was now, had somehow regained humanoid features underneath Aqua Man's head.
Low on parts, low on weapons, low on power, low on almost every resources...Geez, what a bothersome situation. I don't even know why I'm here...
Why WAS he here? It was really funny when you thought about it. He had been a normal orphan in a world where all of this was just...invention. Just a game. All this suffering...Entertainment! And he, Neolan, the world's biggest slacker...was now an operative in perhaps the most decisive war a dimension that he previously never even knew existed would face.
It's interesting how fate works. It made Neolan believe in it even less.
He flexed his robotic fingers. Now he was a powerful robot under the service of a brilliant roboticist, about to go to war against (Here he couldn't surpass a laugh) the enemy that was perhaps the most overlooked of the Mega Man bosses in his world. And in this world he was a brilliant and powerful killing machine concerned with nothing but destruction. THAT warranted a WTF, at least...
Neolan had followed his teammates of Deep Impact here, due to the injustice of the RPD. It felt good to be doing the right thing, but they were in a tricky situation. Too many robots to support and not enough resources...They would have to do something about that, sooner or later.
He groaned. Why work? It would all work out, he was sure...except not. That was fine for unimportant things. This was war. And even he, number one slacker in both worlds, was going to contribute to the effort.
Sighing, Neolan got to his feet and crammed his helmet onto his face. No point in delaying, there was a war to fight, a deranged Office Max robot to defeat, and people to insult...This was his life, he'd best get used to it.
He trudged through the snow towards the citadel's interior, and his new future.
--------------------
Cossack's Citadel
Many people could have predicted that a war would eventually occur.
It was only a matter of time since most governments refused to give
robots the same rights as humans. I just never guessed the war would
be like this.
The US Government has decided that robots can no longer be trusted
and has made it mandatory for robots to have a shutdown code installed
allowing a human at any point in time to shutdown that robot. Dr.
Cossack considers shutdown code a violation of rights that robots
should legally have and offers a safe haven for all of robot kind.
General Cutman, a Sinister Six villain long thought dead, resurfaces
with an army and decides humans should no longer exist. Dr. Wily
as usual thinks he should rule the world and no one should control
his robots other than him. There are now four armies in existence
consisting of some of the most powerful robots and they all want
to destroy each other.
Normally I'd think the world had gone crazy and decide whether
or not to sit things out, but the stakes are way too high. If the
RPD wins, the Shutdown Code Act will exist and robots will never
be truly free. If the Scissor Army wins, humans will be extinct
and I highly doubt the robot utopia that General Cutman promises
will exist. If Dr. Wily wins, we all will be ruled by an evil,
mad scientist and that surprisingly doesn't sound too bad at this
point. If Dr. Cossack wins, robots get more rights. I chose to
side with Dr. Cossack when he asked me.
Dr. Cossack can't win this war in my opinion. I'm not following
a murderer and I'm not allowing anyone to mess with my mind. I
know that Dr. Cossack won't have the resources to repair me as
the war goes on, but I honestly don't care right now. Besides my
only weapon is attached to my head, I can't lose that without losing
something much more important.
The hardest thing now is the reality of war. There can’t be any
more warning shots. There can’t be any more aiming to wound.
I’ve never considered myself a soldier; I’ve always preferred
to try and invent rather than fight. I can only wonder if I’d
be able to finish off another robot or even worse, a former ally. I
don’t know if I could pull the trigger if someone I’d
known for years like Rebel was at the end of the barrel.
--------------------
A Web of Strings: Skullman's War Journel
Zymeth walked through the cold hallways of Cossack's Citadel, his
dark cloak billowing behind him as he moved. His mind was lost in
thought, though his hood hid his thoughtful stare. The sound of his
metal boots clacking against he floor resonated throughout the hallway.
He gave short, polite nods to those he passed by on the way to his
personal quarters. He shoved the doors open and slammed them behind
him, granting him sanctuary from other sentient contact. He loved
the peace his quarters brought.
He also loved the tides of war. The shifts of power they brought,
the instability it created. It turned the stone-like world into clay,
clay which could be molded and shaped however the artist wanted with
the proper tools. He pushed the armored window out, allowing the
bitter cold to invade his home. He grinned under his helmet. "This..." He
thought, "could be the perfect oportunity..."
The main players were all set, ready for Zymeth to exploit. "The
first barrier, and the greatest... would have to be winning the trust
of one General Cutman."
He decided. He had it all planned perfectly. He'd possition himself
on the side of each force. Directly, or indirectly. The first and
greatest challenge would be Cutman, as his intellect and knowledge
of war and treachery was great.
He'd have to contact the General himself, first. Zymeth mentally
prepared himself for the delecate, and admittedly somewhat frightening
task at hand. His mind wandered to other villains that stilll haunted
the ranks of Cossack's Comrades. Wraithman was the first, of course.
It seemed like the demon had a personal grudge against Cossack's
new Skullman. He recalled the first time they met, he could recite
Zymeth's whole life to him perfectly...
--------------------
“Long ago there lived a valiant knight, who fought bravely for
his country. He won many battles, and killed many foes. With halberd
in hand he’d charge into battle, in the name of his country and
the name of his love, Katrina. His people were once cruel to him. His
father was a murderer, and a madman. The knight was hurt much in his
childhood by that man, both physically and mentally. But his love,
Katrina, was always there for him to lift his spirits. His people were
cruel to him as well, even after they killed his father.
“Murderer Son” they called him. But no matter how bad they
treated him, Katrina would always be there. They continued to be cruel
to him until, finally, he graduated from the war academy at the top
of his class. Everyone was shocked that the lad had done so well, despite
his father’s influence.
The King gave him the title of knight, and sent him off to fight
for his people. The knight did so and always returned hoping to meet
with his dear love each time. She even gave him a good luck charm,
a cross endowed with their names. He kept it close at him, and he
never lost. But one day something happened to Katrina. The people
accused her of being a witch and a traitor, out of the paranoia brought
by the war the knight was fighting in. The king though so too, and
sent his troops down to kill her. The knight pleaded and begged for
her to be spared, but they did not.
They say that the knight went mad after she was killed. He killed
the soldiers that carried out their duties. “This is my reward for
serving the crown and the Lord!?” He cried. He renounced his
knighthood and fled the land that had treated him so cruelly. But every
new land the knight came across was filled with the same kind of people
who preyed upon the innocent. In his madness he finally saw the truth.
That most people are wicked, and the savored few who weren’t
were only abused by them.
He went back to his home and his love’s grave. He promised her
that he’d make a new world for her. A world where the wicked
were punished severely, and the innocent were free to do as they pleased
without fear of being abused. He swore revenge on the world that treated
them so cruelly, and vowed that he’d make all of them suffer
tenfold what they made him suffer. Every year he came back to her
grave, with her gift, and remade the promise.
They say that he left his land and went to a forbidden place. They
say there he learned the forbidden arts of magic. His madness and
anger consumed him. He became cruel and unforgiving towards those
he deemed as wicked. He became evil to do away with the stupidity
and cruelty of the world. He went back to his home and killed his
king with his newfound powers, calling himself a Lord. However, he
had enemies too. They wanted to kill him. Before they could, though,
his dark teachers helped him bind his soul to his bones, in hopes
that one day he would come back. After he was killed they buried
him next to his lost love, along with the rosary he had been given
long ago.
Unfortunately he did come back, in a way. Meddling scientists found
his bones and studied them, finding them full of Dark Energy. They
used this to try to remake a robot in order to give it dark powers,
and in transferring this dark energy they awoke the true soul within.
His AI consumed all of the memories, and perhaps even the soul of
that knight. Their experiments worked, as the robot had very limited
control over the Dark Energy inhabiting its frame, giving it a few
almost ‘magic-like‘ powers.
However, after the retrieval of those memories he wasn’t happy
at all. They say that the robot escaped that place, and haunts the
world, once again in search of revenge for his miseries.
Of course, you know this now to be true. This is your story, Vincent
Zymeth. This robot is the same one that has recently acquired the
Skull Armor. The same robot that befriended Zapper, a fellow experiment
from that hellhole. The same robot that, my friend, stands before
us. But a thought, are you truly Vincent Zymeth? Or are you merely
the remnants of his memories? There is no such thing as magic. That
Dark Energy is responsible for your whole existence. And I know,
soul or memories, how much you hate these people. How much you hate
both robots and humans, as they’re both so alike. Filled with
the ignorant, wicked, or unsympathetic, sprinkled with the truly
good or innocent.
He's done a wonderful job of making a legend of himself, as you all
know. In many circles "Zymeth" is known as a legendary robotic
murderer. Have you known what a twisted soul you’ve been talking
with? See now the power rage and loss have? And the power of the
ever-so mysterious Dark Energy? But the question remains: are you
Vincent Zymeth, Or just a wretched collection of his memories?”
~Wraithman to Skullman
--------------------
"How could he have known!?" Zymeth whispered to himself.
No one knew exactly what the phantom was up to at that time, but
it was a safe bet he'd saught shelter with the Scissor Army. Zymeth sighed.
He really didn't have an answer for Wraith's final question either.
He shrugged it off, however. Whether it was truely him or not was
unimportant at the moment.
Zymeth looked out the window, imagining the chaos and destruction
to come. He looked down at his hand, in which he clutched a rosary,
comprised of silver spikes banded together. Across the horazontal
arms read the name
"Vincent". Across the verticle read "Katrina".
Zymeth sighed. He looked up at the sky. "Soon, Katrina... very
soon..." He whispered to himself.
--------------------
There was a knock on Dr. Cossack's door. Kalinka
opened it, only to find a wolverine Robot Master in her doorway.
He immidietally bounded in, and shook off the snow.
"I don't know how you guys stand it." he said, shivering. "Then
again, I shouldn't complain. I am weak against extreme temperatures,
after all. Now, where's Cossack?"
"Not in right now." said Kalinka. "He's busy with a
project. What brings you here, Slashman?"
"I came to kick ass and slash bamboo poles. And I'm all out of
poles." responded the wolverine. "There's nothing I would
like more than to see the General's head on a silver platter."
"But what about the RPD? They're going after the General, aren't
they?" asked the little girl.
Slashman shook his head. "I would join them if they weren't paying
attention to my every move. I'm just not comfortable with a government
that I don't really agree with watching over me like Big Brother."
Kalinka nodded. "I see. Well, just sit here and make yourself
comfortable. My father should be back soon."
Slashman smiled, and curled up on the rug. Forgive me, Shadowstrike. he
thought to himself. I hope that program doesn't make you forget
our friendship...
--------------------
A Web of Strings: Skullman's War Journal Pt.2Zymeth stared from the front gate at all of the robots who'd come to join Cossack's cause. They had chosen to side with the least of all evils. "Touching." He muttered to himself. He turned around and strode into the castle, taking his hood off upon reaching indoors. He continued marching through the halls until reaching the sight of a familiar human.
"Cossack." Zymeth shouted. The scientist turned from Drillman to face him.
"Skullman? What is it?" He asked.
"I've been looking at our so-called troops. By the looks of things, halfway into the war they'll all just look like marrionettes missing most of their strings." The Skull-clad robot said, coldly.
Cossack fidgeted with his glasses and said, "Of course you know that we have little supplies to work with. I'm trying to gather up engineers to help, but that's not going very well."
Drill stepped forward, "Skull, you have to be patient. And you don't have to talk about everyone like they're puppets just for you to play with."
Zymeth laughed, "Are they not? Regardless. I still think it'd be in your best interest to join the Scissor Army. It'd save you a huge world of pain."
Drill shook his head, "Skull, for the last time, I can't do that. I don't know how you could sacrifice your humanity like that..." Skullman's eyes narrowed into a sad glare, and Cossack turned about abruptly as to pretend he wasn't listening in on thier conversation.
"My humanity? A.M., I lost that long, long ago. I'm only thinking in you're best interests."
"I'd rather die, Zymeth, than join him."
Zymeth chuckled. "Well you probably won't be dissapointed, my friend." He said, jokingly. Drill couldn't help but smirk a little at Zymeth's dark humor.
"Oh, Skull, you've reminded me." Drill said, "I just have one little question. Where the hell have you been going lately?"
Zymeth opened his eyes wider in surprise, "What do you mean?"
"We know that you've been lurking off, Skull, and I don't like it. I want to know where you've been going."
"Ah, so you don't trust me."
"I never said that, Zymeth. I just don't want you getting yourself in trouble. The Comrade's moral is low enough after Rebel left... we don't want to loose our Skullman too." Anime Master put a hand on Zymeth's shouler. Zymeth turned away from AM's kind glance abruptly, somewhat touched by his concern. He brushed his hand off his shoulder.
"Thanks, A.M. That actually does mean something to me. However, you'll just have to have faith in me. Think of it as... a surprise for later."
"Alright... I still don't like it. But God knows I can't stop you. Just remember, you may be the sadistic newbie, but we still care about you. Don't get yourself killed."
"That's not my intention, let me assure you." The two stopped talking and an awkward silence rose over the whole room.
"Any word on Wraithman, Drill?" Cossack said, attempting to break the bitter silence.
"I have no idea what he's up to." Drill responded. "But I know damn well it's not good for us."
Zymeth put his hood up, "Well, I'm going to 'lurk off'. Goodbye, friends." The two waved him goodbye as Zymeth stormed out of the citadel with the intent of teleporting to the meeting spot he and the General had picked out to discuss their potential alliance further.
"I had almost forgotten..." Zymeth thought to himself, "there are indeed a few lives in this world worth saving..."
--------------------
De deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre…I remember the first time I got to talk to my “brother”. It was at the time I could still count the number of my heads on my thumb.
Please laugh at the last sentence. My thought-process is still deficient when it comes to jokes.
Anyways, it was a few days after SKY repaired me and gave me a new body. I remember clearly that I was separated from my memory-device, and wanted to know where it went. And the nickname of one of the latest Team Members in date was sort of a hint...
I took advantage of a time SKY was out and opened a communication channel with the Marauder. Fortunately, I found the person I was looking for. He was a bit startled, seeing a robot painted in the same pattern as my ... as his old suit.
“Ton nom de famille est bien Caméléon, n’est-ce pas ?”
In my previous life, I was French, and he would be able to answer. A bit shocked, he gazed at me and smiled.
“You’re the memory device, then ? Nice to see you’re going fine."
"What do you mean ? I am the original Hunter !" This discussion was definitely going the way I planned it.
"Ah. A glitch ... Regrettable. Wasn’t your lack of feelings sort of a giveaway ?"
I gulped and looked away. "Never thought of it.”
In a mere seconds, the person I was looking for crushed my illusions of being a true human. Despair level : rising.
“It’s not like it matters, though." Quint went on. "Your first goal was to hold a copy of every of my memories. But now that we’re separated, we’ll both live different things, meet different people ... Even if we started the same, we’ll be entirely different beings. Both “originals”, in every meaning of the word.”
It was true.
“Anyways, how’s life as a Robot Master ?”
The rest of this discussion is private.
--------------------
I got to talk some more times with Quint, up to what became known as “WANTED Day”. At that time, I had already joined Deep Impact, and the eight of us were hiding in our recently-acquired base.Quint looked extremely worried, maybe impatient. We both exchanged our opinions about the events happening, when he told me those words :
“Search, I may be out of the scene for a while."
"Why ?"
"I can’t tell you the exact reasons, but our latest job seems a bit ... fishy. Almost looks like a trap."
"Is there anything I can do to help ?"
"Stay alive, that’s all I can say." After a few seconds of reflexion, he added : "And keep away from town for a while.”
Before I added a word, there was a beeping from his room. With a muttered “See you” he shut the channel.
This was the last time I would see him for seven months.
--------------------
Fast-forward to July 22nd, with the Impacters shocked at the announcement of the Shutdown Code Act. Everyone was agreeing this was just trouble.“If it comes to the worst, we’ll have to keep hidden." stated Alex.
"And how ? They’ll find our base anyways." replied AstroChan, rather pessimistic.
"Actually, I don’t think so.”
Everyone turned to me, allowing me to carry on.
“Apparently, only those we allow to will know the base’s location. Isn’t it, Neolan ?"
"What ? Oh, yeah.” Our Aquaman wasn’t much a man of words. “When it was my turn at the base’s security systems, I saw several humans standing right in front of our door, and no one saw it."
A single word came from our six teammates : "Amazing !"
"After a small research, I found a file where only our names are entered. Its extension is nothing I ever saw, as well. I suppose editing it will allow other people to see it as well."
"Weird." replied Maha. He was our second technician on the team.
"Yet, it works." replied Neolan.
"I suppose it was part of Honour’s present.” Being the one who duelled with him, Tenguman held a great respect for him. I have to say the same now.
Before we left to our respective rooms, SKY came to me, looking a bit worried.
“You seem down, Hunter."
"I did not program my face to display such an expression."
"The point stands, you are worried by something. Does it have to see with your brother ?"
"Actually, yes. He disappeared shortly after the “WANTED Day”, and it’s as if he vanished from Earth. Even the Marauder is nowhere to be seen."
"Do you want some help with that matter ?"
"I will find something. I must say “thanks” to your proposal, though.”
Actually, I had no idea what to do, but I didn’t want SKY in trouble. She repaired me, and I owed her a favor. Keeping her safe was part of it.
--------------------
December 3rd. For two days, the event called “Apocalypse” has been occuring. Sniper Joes attacking all around the world, and rumours said the Seven Mercenaries were involved.Though I didn’t speak with the other Impacters since it began, they knew I was worried about Quint. I’ve remained active all that time, switching my consciousness between my heads and trying to find informations about my “brother”.
It happened in the form of a communication channel. The old 7M logo was now replaced by a robotic skull set on a pair of sharp blades. The Scissor Army.
Quint appeared in front of me. His armor had changed a lot, and he was now wearing a cape, but the scariest change was his face. His expression was a lot more cruel, and his eyes were cold – even colder than I, and remember that I am a robot to begin with.
Dual rising of surprise and anger.
“Please tell me this isn’t true."
"Sorry to decieve you, but it is real. The attack against the Maniacs, the Cosmic Gladiators’ ship crashing ..." he shivered out of pride. "it’s all the work of my teammates and I. I found myself an excellent master."
"That General ... A murderous madman. You really have lost your mind."
"Maybe, but in exchange, I got pure power. See how my colleagues and I defeated the Maniacs ! Isn’t that a thing you dream of ?"
"Not if it involves murdering innocents or friends."
"Bah ! Fools standing in the way of the promised future. I came to you with the proposal of joining us. Imagine what you could win : fame, power ... and the assurance to be a leader in our new Elysium !"
I pondered the offer a few seconds, but it completely went against my ethic : mass-salughter is not in my programming. "Back when we first talked, you told me one thing : we were entirely different individuals. I won’t make the same mistake as you, Quint. Next time we’ll meet, it will be on the battlefield."
"It really saddens me, Hunter. Adieu.”
His latest sentence shocked me beyond words : Quint had finally left his original name, in exchange for a murderer’s life.
Fine, then. It was my goal to clean the name of Hunter Caméléon.
I stretched my fingers, and started typing on the computer. I had the choice of following three ways in order to oppose the Scissor Army : Wily, Cossack or the RPD.
The latest was out of the question. Now, should I follow the second most dangerous being on Earth, or will I go and fight the hard way ?
De deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre... This french saying helped me in my choice : I would rather sacrifice an easy life over my freedom.
I contacted Dr Cossack.
“Cossack ? Searchman, from Deep Impact. You found yourself an ally.
Give me the names of your other followers. No questions, please. Let’s just say this will help a lot the fighting near Megalopolis.”
I typed the names he gave me in the list of persons allowed to access to our base. At least we weren’t alone in the fight...
Set facial expression to “smile”.
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SKY's journal"So. The war has begun." SKY said to herself. "But I don't care. I'll just end my life now so I don't have to witness the war."
She opened her room door, looked everywhere, and ran fast out of the room and upstairs onto the balcony. As she climbed over the railing, she screamed, "I'M AS FREE AS A BIRD!!!"
A man walking by looked up. "Hey!" he shouted. "What are you doing over the rails of that balcony?
"Haven't you heard?" SKY started. "The war has begun!"
"I've heard about that... And I plan on doing something about that!"
SKY sighed. "Well, I don't want to be killed, so I'm ending my life now."
"That doesn't make sense, ma'am! And have I seen you somewhere before?" he asked.
"Probably not! But don't change the subject!" SKY yelled.
The door to the balcony opened. Someone stepped outside... And turned on the outside light. It was Dash.
"Hey! What are you-" He stopped when he noticed what SKY was doing. "What happened? Someone hurt you? Call you names?"
SKY looked at him with firey eyes. "No, the war has started. I'm ending my life before some guy from the Scissor Army or some other army kills me."
"That doesn't make sense, SKY. And besides... If we do become part of this war, you will be needed, too. Everyone is a necessary part in this war. Even that dude down there." Dash pointed at the passerby.
"My name is Mikail Cossack. I am a part of the war, too."
SKY gasped. "Cossack...?" She climbed back over the railing... And went downstairs and outside. Dash shrugged and went back inside.
"So, Cossack. What do you plan to do?"
"I'll tell you on one condition. Will you join me?" Cossack asked, lokking into SKY's eyes.
She smiled. "Yeah."
After the talk with Dr. Cossack, SKY slipped back into the DI base, and into her room. She crawled into her bed, and sighed. The war was going to affect everyone...
As she drifted off to sleep, SKY had visions of blood and metal scissors. And as she fell into a deeper sleep, she had a terrible dream. So terrible, it was more like a nightmare.
SKY walked through an alleyway. She was leaving the base for some fresh air. She went down the alleyway, then stopped. Something was very... very... odd. She was getting more scared by the minute. She took a small step, then another, then another. A fast, moving object flew in front of her. An arm wrapped around her throat, and pulled her back.
"SKY, SKY, SKY." a man's voice said. "What a pity you were out here so late."
SKY tried to wrench herself around. "And you are?"
"General CutMan. I am the general of the Scissor Army."
SKY became scared immediately. Dr. Cossack had told her about the General...
"Well, I'm surprised. I thought you were quicker than this. I thought you'd just start running. Anyway, I have a question." General CutMan said to SKY.
"And that is?"
"Will you join the Scissor Army?"
Silence.
"I know you want to. Do you want to get rid of your hated ones?"
More silence. Then SKY said meekly, "I would, but... What would my fellow members say?"
General CutMan laughed like a maniac. "I don't know, but here's what will happen if you don't join me!!!" He snapped his robotic fingers, and all of her Deep Impact members appeared with General CutMan's men. They had their arms wrapped around their chests and scissors at their throats.
"SKY!! Don't join him... He will kill your family!" Alex cried.
"Interjection: SKY!" Hunter began. "Do not join by any means!"
General CutMan looked disgustedly at them. "You don't care about your family... I know you."
"I... I... I can't join you." SKY told him. "I'm not that evil."
"Why you little... Damn you!!!" General CutMan screamed, and sliced her throat open with a pair of scissors.
SKY's eyes widened, and she crumpled to the trash-and-dirt littered ground. A single tear fell from her face before she stopped breathing. She died with her eyes open...
SKY screamed as loud as she could. She got up from her bed. Her bedroom door flew open. She ran out of the room and outside. She was terrified.
"CutMan... When I find you... I will make sure you will not live to see the next day."
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