Mega Man X: The Novel --Spark Mandrill: Lightning King of the Bullet Fists--

[skybuns]

CHARACTER INTRO	PROLOGUE	DAY OF 𝝨	CHILL PENGUIN	SPARK MANDRILL
DR. CAIN	LAUNCH OCTOPUS	STING CHAMELEON	STORM EAGLE & ARMORED ARMADILLO	FLAME MAMMOTH
BOOMER KUWANGER	VILE	SIGMA	MEGA MAN	EPILOGUE

“Mandrill! Why are you following Sigma!?”

“Following? That’s stupid. I’m just seizing the opportunity.”


“Opportunity…? For what!?”

“Ain’t it obvious? Freedom!”

----------------

After my battle with Penguin, I receive word that the large-scale plant powering 70% of the city has been occupied by Mavericks. With the city cloaked in darkness, I rush to the site as fast as I can. Waiting for me is a Reploid modelled after a monkey: the Special A-Class Hunter, “Spark Mandrill”, formerly of the 17th Elite.

Why must comrades fight one another…?

Once again, I’m pointing my buster at someone who was once an ally. Because I am a Maverick Hunter, I resign myself to battle. Would this continue forever? My heart feels like breaking at the thought, so I decide to focus on the situation at hand.

Mandrill said he was occupying the power plant for freedom… But this?

“Stealing the city’s energy supply for yourself… that’s what you call freedom!?”

“Well, there’s that, but it’s bigger‘n that.”

“Bigger…?”

As he says that, Mandrill slowly lowers his arms and looks into my eyes with a fond, nostalgic expression. Those eyes... There shouldn’t be any reason for a look like that, at least under these circumstances…

“What do--”

“Hey X,” Mandrill interrupts, “don’tcha feel caged, being bossed around by humans every day of your life?” Without even waiting for my response, he continues. “I do. A lot!”

Slowly, his nostalgic expression morphs into anger and hatred.

“Look, my body uses a tonna energy. The humans built me this way’n put a limit on the energy supply I could use. But why should we listen to their orders? We were built with power and better abilities! Protecting humans? Screw that! If they’re so weak that they can’t even protect themselves, then they should die. I ain’t got reason to give up my freedom for pathetic weaklings--” He continues on and on while I say nothing and just listen. Eventually, his tirade ends with a simple conclusion.

“S’why I welcomed Sigma’s uprising. S’all.”

But that reason is far too simple and selfish. Without thinking, I raise my voice.

“That’s why you caused a city-wide blackout!?”

“Pretty much. Sigma freed me. I gotta pay him back, s’all. Don’t really give a crap about his crazy ideas.”

“Then what about the humans who created you? Shouldn’t you pay them back too?”

“X, haven’tcha ever wanted something so badly?” Mandrill inches closer to me. There’s something lethargic about his movement, as if he’s exhausted. “Like, havin’ all the energy to yourself or… Oh I dunno, gettin’ promoted to Special A-Class Hunter?”

Obviously, even I have selfish desires. Reploids are programmed with those feelings to develop their own personalities. But even though those traits were artificially created and given to us, I have no problems with that.

“Well, I do have my own desires... But that doesn’t mean I should use others as stepping stones to get them! Everything I want can come after we achieve peace!”

Thanks to these turbulent times, there are some things I can’t obtain. I think I’ll find it in a world where everyone is living happily. However, in a world full of grief and sorrow, there’s not a single thing I’d want. That’s why I’ve chosen to fight.

“After peace, huh…?”

Mandrill scratches his cheek, mulling over my words for a moment, before returning with a question.

“In that peaceful world ya keep yammering on about, are Reploids supposed t’serve humans?”

“Yes. We have much stronger bodies, so we must support them.”

It’s just common sense. Maverick or not, it should be obvious to someone who was once a Hunter, but it seems like that isn’t the case with Mandrill.

“Yeah, I getchu now. The inequality of peace, huh?”

“What…”

Before I can process the meaning of his words, he interrupts with another reply.

“Is that ittt?!?!!”

With a loud boom, the ground suddenly cracks beneath Mandrill’s feet. His demeanor changes, now radiating rage off every inch of his face.

“In your version of peace, humans are always above us! Why do Reploids gotta bow to them?! Why do we gotta be their slaves?!”

There’s no end to the fury in his words as he continues his violent outburst. While stomping and pounding the ground violently, Mandrill continues to speak.

“Even our top guy, Sigma, ranks below their crooks!”

“It’s not like that! You’re only focusing on who’s superior and who’s inferior!”

“Because it’s true! We Reploids aren’t supposed ta hurt them, but they get ta decide if we live or die!”

The way Mandrill puts it, he seems to think humans have the absolute right to destroy Reploids. But that’s false; no one has that right. If a human tried to destroy an innocent Reploid, they too would be charged with a felony as serious as murder. There may be a kernel of truth to his words, but the world we live in isn’t overrun by inequality like he says.

“A human who hurts a Reploid will be charged with a felony. And if that’s the case, than naturally Reploids who hurt humans should also be charged with a felony! Why do you keep dismissing humans just because you think they’re weak?!”

His-- no, their viewpoint is biased towards justice for Reploids…

Why won’t they consider the humans’ point of view? When you talk about justice for just one side, you get wars like this.

“Why do you keep talking from only your perspective?”

Mandrill sighs in exasperation. “Ahh, alright, I’m done. You’re too annoying.”

In the end, Mandrill and I can’t see eye-to-eye. It’s for this reason that many Reploids like him will turn Maverick. Thinking about it, our world may have always harboured such discontent. With Sigma as the trigger, all of their swelling anger finally burst, causing them to bare their teeth.

“Come at me, X. I’ll shut ya up with sheer force!”

----------------

“Ah, weak, so weak… Penguin lost ta this kinda weakling? It ain’t even funny.”

An electrical shock that tails its target at every angle, Mandrill’s “Electric Spark” is difficult to evade with a dash or wall-climb.

“Kickin’ up the wall to climb it though? Talk about surprising! But in the end, you’re just a B-Class weakling.”

Because of that, I haven’t been able to land a single hit on Mandrill. His human-sized ball of electricity relentlessly assaults my metal body. My body’s circuitry is wailing…

“Damn… my body…. Can’t move….”

“We’re machines, man. Electricity’s lethal to us.”

He’s right. For the first time, I directly experienced its power.

Mandrill continues gleefully. “Of course, this means I was one of the strongest Maverick Hunters!”

Combat-type Reploids are, to some extent, equipped with electricity-resistant materials. Thankfully, this allowed me to keep my consciousness. Non-combat models, however, would’ve had their circuitry and somatic cells burnt to a crisp instantly.

Considering this…I can’t leave him be. Due to his selfishness, Mandrill’s mayhem is affecting innocent humans and Reploids. That alone is enough justification for a Maverick Hunter like me.


That’s right. I have to change my thinking…. What’s in front of me is a Maverick!

“Even so…. Here….. Here, I must… stop…. You…!”

“Keep barkin’, small fry.”

Suddenly, my head is grabbed from behind and slammed into the ground. Sparks fly across my vision. My body screeches and smells foul, like something is burning. Only my consciousness is unaffected; I can’t move a single arm or leg.

“Hahaha! This is the real world, X!”

An enemy that utilizes electricity to attack; I never expected it to be so overwhelming, and I’ve only taken two or three shots. Any Reploid who continuously received these blows would find their entire circuitry fried. Something seems odd, though. Even though it’s his specialization, Reploids shouldn’t be able to generate this amount of electricity by themselves. There must be some kind of trick to it…

I hear Mandrill’s raucous laughter, soon petering out into the distance. At once, I realize what is out of place in my memory.

A human-sized ball of electricity? Strange…it should only be fist-sized at most.

“Damn…. What’s going on….”

Clearly, Electric Spark’s power has increased. And several times over, at that.

“I gotta say, Sigma’s too soft. If we don’t teach ya small fry a lesson in superiority, ya get all cocky and try t’rebel against us.”

Little by little, anger begins to seep into me.

“Lissen, there’s strong guys n’ weak guys in this world. The weak are only food for the strong to live. Chill Penguin got beat ‘cause he’s a weakling, and you were the strong guy.” Pausing briefly, Mandrill continues. “And ‘cause I’m beatin’ you, I’m even stronger! Anyways, I’m done messin’ around. It’s time to die! Electric Spark!”

Amidst the sound of electrical buzzing and burning, the smell of burnt concrete mixes with the stench of searing metal...I scream; my body’s circuitry feels blistering, torched even further. At this rate, I’ll lose consciousness. If that happens, it’s over for me. I can’t afford it. I’ve got to stand up and stay cognizant. Please body, move!

“Whooa, I can’t believe you can stand after all those attacks!”

With a splitting headache and strained body, I find the strength to stand, supporting my crumbling joints. My view is blurry, but I could hear the echo of Mandrill’s excited voice. Mustering my strength, I threw a punch, trying to hit him while he’s doing a cheerful dance. With a few quick steps belying his large figure however, he puts distance between us.

Come to think of it… Mandrill… he’s a monkey-type Reploid, isn’t he? He’s got devastating electric attacks, and his mobility surpasses humanoids… Unbelievable.

“.....----.............”

I try to reply, but nothing comes out of my mouth. The attack earlier almost fried my vocal circuitry. In front of me, Mandrill sways his large body from side to side, giving me a look that clearly says ‘whatcha gonna do now?’

Haha… wonderful. Now I’m real angry.

Sure, my attacks won’t hurt him that much. But… if my arm can move... if I’m still conscious, then I can only focus on repeating whatever I’m still able to do. The only thing I won’t do? Give up.

“I...I’ll…. show you….”

Using all my strength, I aim my buster at Mandrill. I don’t know how or why his electric attacks have increased in power… and if I don’t figure that out, my chances of winning are slim. Even so, I’ve got to show him I’m not backing down.

I will not yield to Mandrill or to Sigma.

“Argh, I don’t like those eyes!”

Mandrill’s body starts to crackle with sparks. If those hit me again, I’m done for. So no matter what, I’ve got to avoid his blasts and find his weakness --

--? Wait.

Wait a second, I think I see something. Mandrill’s retreating, putting distance between us, and I realize... Mandrill’s body charges the Spark, but if I look closer, there’s a current flowing up from the ground into him.

That’s it! He’s using the power plant itself to boost his attacks! Treating the floor plating like a battery terminal! If I’m right, then I know just what to do about that, though... I’m not even sure if this is going to work. Doctor Cain once told me that I have a special ability within me… I’ve got no choice. I have to believe this’ll work.

I evade Mandrill, and focus on my Buster. Mandrill is only throwing punches. It feels like he’s stalling for time to recharge the Electric Spark after throwing so much of it at me.

Chill Penguin, I need your power now. Please, I beg you, share your strength with me!

As I reach out, my arm resounds with a click, and there is an intense, uncomfortable feeling of parts moving within.



“--Let’s go, Mandrill! I’ll show you my potential!”

I fire - not my regular solar bullet - but Chill Penguin’s special weapon, a burst of frigid ice. My shot catches Mandrill, encasing half of his body in ice.

Mandrill shrieks, “I-Impossible! Shotgun Ice?!”

I can’t believe it either, but it looks like Doctor Cain had been right when he told me my internal systems could handle the special weapons of other Reploids. Chill Penguin’s weapon chip hadn’t done anything for me until now, so I thought Cain was wrong, but…

“How? How can you use Penguin’s weapon!? You ain’t even made for the cold!”

His demeanor has changed completely; with half his body frozen, he flusters.

“Strange, isn’t it… maybe he wants to stop you too?”

“Quit messin’ with me!”

Mandrill throws a tantrum, pounding and bashing at his frozen parts. He’s trying to chip the ice off his feet so he can reconnect to the power plant’s energy. Useless. I know better than anyone how strong that ice is.

“The tables have turned, haven’t they Mandrill?”

“Huh, you think I’m done? Ya dumbass B-class!!”

I hear a loud crack, and Mandrill’s struggles shatter the ice. Free, he lumbers toward me.

“Penguin’s lame ice ain’t gonna hold me! I’mma choke the life outta ya, X!”

He swings his fist at me, the electricity sparking within back to its normal amount now that he lost access to the facility’s energy. However, it’s still fast as a bullet, faster than one would expect from someone his size. Normally, any Reploid would be crushed and fried on the spot. But it never connects. Not because I’m special or superior or anything like that. No, for a simpler reason. His arm vibrates and snaps off long before it reaches me.

“No...way…. Auugh--”

Far too late, Mandrill understands what is happening to him.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have been so dismissive of the abilities of another Special A-Class Hunter. You lose, Spark Mandrill.”

Shotgun Ice is cold enough to destroy even Reploid ceratanium armor. Spark Mandrill is equipped with parts resistant to heat and electricity, since he uses electrical attacks. However, he’s strained those tempered parts far beyond their tolerances in our fight. Unable to vent the energy he’s using, half of him has become a giant mass of superhot electrified steel, and the other half, frozen by Shotgun Ice, has become stressed and brittle. Shotgun Ice is even stronger than I’d expected, compromising Mandrill’s body to the point of shattering. It isn’t the only reason, but it doesn’t help anything either.

“You know, I only escaped because my whole body was frozen…” Maybe I was just lucky that time.

But Chill Penguin’s ‘lame’ weapon has defeated Spark Mandrill.

----------------

“Darn… I’m more hurt than I thought.”

Now that I’ve retired Mandrill and the power plant has been liberated, I want to make my way back to Doctor Cain’s lab for repairs. Normally, I would use a transporter to return to Hunter HQ, but Navigator has alerted me to interference in the area. With no other choice, I’m forced to move a certain distance from the power plant before transporting. In the state I’m in, however, it’s extremely difficult to even walk properly. The designated point, an Energen Crystal mining site, is a bit far from the power plant. Worst case scenario, I’ll take some of the crystals to replenish my energy, even if their purity isn’t optimal.

An hour passes by as I struggle past the mine hills, and in front of me stands a new Maverick.

“I see… thou hast grown considerably, X.”

“What are you… why? Armored Armadillo!”

The 8th Armored Division’s former commander, the very picture of fortitude and vigor with a strong moral compass; an ideal Hunter. Long ago, he helped me understand what it meant to be a Maverick Hunter. Now he stands here, blocking my path. I don't want it to be true, but all signs point toward him having gone over to Sigma's side.

“Well… if one is said to be strong, wouldst thou not find it tempting to obtain proof?”

“What proof?!”

Armadillo pauses, closing his eyes for a short moment, before sending a piercing glare at me.


“I see… thou hast not been informed of anything…”

I sense a distinct emanation of hostility from him -- a spirit found on the battlefield that could only come from a ‘warrior’. It’s not anger. Rather, it’s quiet, murderous intent. How could someone like him become a Maverick of Sigma’s army...?

“Whether thou truly hast the ‘potential’; that is what I seek to affirm.”

“...‘potential’? What are you talking about?”

While responding, I am mindful of the distance between Armadillo and I. The air of ‘hostility’ surrounding him never wavers, even now as we speak. That aura confirms to me that battling is the only option; my words are meaningless.

“Whilst thou anguishes, thou grows in the midst of battle; even the weapons of thy enemies are made to become thine. A Reploid with hidden, unlimited potential…. That is the rumoured ‘Megaman’.”

I only see certainty in Armadillo’s eyes.

Even I’ve heard of the urban legend of Mega Man. In the past, Sigma and Doctor Cain spoke about it. It’s a legend every Reploid recognizes.

----- They say, Mega Man is a machine that evolves.
----- They say, Mega Man can take his enemy’s power as his own.
----- They say, Mega Man can surpass the limitations of machines.
----- They say, Mega Man has a soul no different than humans.

“Are you saying you became a Maverick over a legend as ambiguous as that!?”

“But it is not ambiguous. Thou art proof of it, X,” Armadillo said, pointing at me.

“So you’re saying I’m Mega Man. Given the situation, that’s as if--as if you’re saying that I’m the trigger of this war!?”

“Yes, that is what I am saying.”

“How...dare you?!”

I’m at fault? You're all off hurting the innocent, people and Reploids alike. You're causing the world to spiral into a vortex of chaos and despair. And now you want to blame this; your actions, all of it...on me?

Indignation washes over me. My arm stings of irritation, and a flood of angry energy wells up inside it. I hastily ready myself to unleash it, when suddenly my body is flying through the air, following a loud thud.

“Wh-Who..?!” I stagger, coughing.

I’m attacked again from behind, with enough force to pierce through my body. It’s not Armadillo. My vision, blurring and darkening, notices the shadow of a violet-coloured Reploid.

“Passing out already? You’re no fun.”

That ill-tempered and crass voice, the familiar colour; there’s no doubt it’s Vile.

“Thou art still too weak… mayhap, when thou rises to greater heights, we shall meet again.”

Vile’s attack is too much, and my body is too broken from my previous battle with Mandrill. Armadillo’s words are barely audible as I feel myself slip into unconsciousness.