"Past Life"
Author's Note: These episode is not what everyone was expecting. This episode is the first flashback to look into the original Megaman's life. It won't make any sense as to why I'm doing this at first, but trust me, without the flashbacks, my story won't make any sense. Also, it may seem at first that the quote has nothing to do with the episode, but it does in a big way. You may want to re-read a few of these earlier episodes after a few dozen more, just for a refresher. That's right, I've got everything planned out ideally. Knowing me though, I'll screw something up.
"Our greatest battles are that with our own minds." - Jameson Frank
Red Seven Military InstallationCPU Detected: LightAlpha 2800 Mhz, 1600 Mhz Bus.
Navajo Reserve, Nevada
February 23rd, 2030
Original Megaman Timeline
Video Card Detected: 512Mb WILY30.
Memory Checked: 2708226 K.
BIOS: Wily Systems.
Checking Primary Master...LIGHTPLUSBETA.
Checking Primary Slave...NEURALNET80.
Checking Secondary Master...AISYSTEMS.
Checking Secondary Slave...WILYREFLEX.
Operating System: Modular Linux.
Confirmation. ESCD Updated successfully.
Loading digital video...Done.
Loading Scanners...Done.
===========================================
..."Will...systems...normal..."...
Switching to Audio 64...Done.
"So how are we doing, Richard?"
"Just fine. I believe it can hear us now."
"Alright, I'll examine it's optic sensors."
Suddenly, the blackness fell away, leaving digital scanlines in full colour. A man with a full greyish beard was peering over him.
"Rock, can you hear me?" asked the strange man.
========================
Loading System Files...
Name: Dr. Thomas Xavier Light
Age: 48 Years.
Gender: Male
Weight: 200 lbs
Height: 5'10"
Occupation: AI Computer Specialist
Loading additional information clusters into memory...
========================
"...Dr..." crackled the voice.
Unfortunately, the static was intense and destroyed the message. What did survive the horrible output was echoed and subdued.
"Hey Richard! Is there anything you can do about it's vocal output?" yelled Dr. Light.
The android blinked a few times.
'Am I Rock?' it thought.
========================
Loading System Files...
Name: Rock
Age: 0.01 Years.
Gender: Not Specified.
Weight: 300 lbs.
Height: 5'8"
Occupation: Not Specified.
Loading additional information clusters into memory...
=========================
"Yeah, just give me a second...and there we go! Try it now," replied the voice from far-off.
"Rock, can you hear me?" asked Dr. Light again, this time with practiced urgency.
"Yes I can Doctor. I do not understand--" began Rock.
"Rock: Load system file AJ00341.dll," responded Dr. Light quickly.
File loaded into virtual memory.
Suddenly, Rock was flooded with a wealth of knowledge. History, Science, Medicine, Society, amongst the many topics. 6,000 years of human history had been condensed into a small file of only a few hundred megabytes.
"I understand. The year is 1990 and--" Rock began again.
"Rock: Load system file AJ00342.dll," interrupted Dr. Light, "and AJ00343.dll."
This time, his entire processor was consumed with news articles, science journals, reports, and television broadcasts. An entirety of forty years covered in three gigabytes.
"I understand. The year is 2030..." said Rock, then he looked up suddenly, "...correct?"
"Hey Richard, come over here!" yelled Dr.Light ecstatically.
Rock took this time to look around. He saw a small white room with circuit diagrams, and outlined with various books on programming. He also saw a lot of scrap parts lying on the ground, including harddisks and motherboards. He was propped up in a white bed, sitting on a pillow. Wires connected from him into various computer terminals on his left side. Dr. Light was on his right, wearing a white labcoat with grey coveralls. Suddenly, another man walked into the room behind Dr. Light, wearing the same clothing. His white hair was wild, but his face was kind enough to give his hair the proper serious edge.
========================
Loading System Files...
Name: Dr. Richard Wily
Age: 53 Years.
Gender: Male.
Weight: 160 lbs.
Height: 5'7"
Occupation: Mechanical and Computational Engineer.
Loading additional information clusters into memory...
=========================
"What is it, Tom?" asked Dr. Wily.
"It's simply amazing. It actually showed doubt in a calculation!" replied Dr. Light.
"Really? That's fantastic!" said Wily with enthusiasm.
Rock decided itself was confused.
***Red Seven Military Installation
Navajo Reserve, Nevada
March 25th, 2030
Original Megaman Timeline
"Again!" yelled Light from the far corner in the room.
Rock was standing in the Main of the laboratory. It was a large white dome with a lot of networked equipment which Wily constantly hovered over. Rock was wearing a blue t-shirt with black shorts. At the moment, he was spinning in the air working parallel bars.
"1.34 seconds. Much better Rock, you seem to be improving," said Light with pride.
"Tom, I read a few abnormalities in his primary coolant system," yelled Wily from far off, "Take a break and I'll check it."
Wily came over from his terminal and walked up to Rock.
"Okay, Rock, I'm gonna need you to switch to your secondary coolant system. Take it easy until I have it fixed, alright?" asked Wily as he removed the plate on Rock's chest.
Wily reached into Rock's chest and began to use his screwdriver. Rock immediately switched to his secondary coolant system and began to breathe. Wily then walked off to the back of the room again. Rock went over to sit next to Dr. Light.
"Dr. Light, how was I with the parallel bars?" asked Rock.
"Just fine. You know, it's amazing! I can't believe how much you've advanced in the last month!" said Light.
"Thank you Doctor, but I have been advancing within standard parameters specified."
Light just chuckled as he looked down into Rock's eyes.
"Rock, I have to ask you serious question before we proceed any further. We have advanced your mental and social state to a stage adequate enough for a comittee report. Unfortunately, your physical state is vastly underdevelopped. The reason why, is that we need to give you a certain bodytype and train you well with it." said Dr. Light.
"What does that mean for me?" asked Rock.
"It means we're gonna have to decide if you have a male or female bodytype," said Light.
"Please explain the advantages and disadvantages of both."
"Um...well...I'm not to sure how to put this--" stuttered Light.
Rock just waited patiently. Rock heard another airplane fly by. It was strange, but he heard those airplanes quite often in this part of the laboratory.
'If I needed to know, Dr. Light would have told me.'
"Um...well, Rock. Males have a heavier mass, more strength, and a higher center of gravity."
"Then surely male would be the correct choice," concluded Rock.
"Well, no. Females are faster, more agile, among other things..." said Light.
"Perhaps--"
Rock's words were cut short by a large explosion. Electricity danced across the walls, leaving black marks! Wily's body flailed across the room and sprawled across the floor. Both Rock and Dr. Light ran to him in urgency.
"Oh shit, Richard you okay!?" asked Light.
"...ow," replied Wily, stunned and burned.
"Rock, you stay here and watch him!" yelled Light as he ran off towards the Main doors.
Rock stood over Dr. Wily and waited. He was unsure how to handle such a problem, as his training had not yet involved any sort of medical attention. He watched as Dr. Light opened the doors and left outside. 'I've never been outside before,' thought Rock. Before the door closed, he caught a glimpse of an open field. Dr. Light had told him that he was at a secret place. Perhaps he meant a military flight base?
***
Red Seven Military Installation
Navajo Reserve, Nevada
April 1st, 2030
Original Megaman Timeline
The white room was covered with biological charts. Monitors hooked up to the healing body of Dr. Wily. Rock noted that a few towels and sheets were on the ground. This room definitely reminded him of the laboratory, but he was unsure why or how. Light sat in the chair, looking at Wily with a worried brow. It had been a few days now since Rock got his first glimpse of the outside, but wasn't privy to much except a few hangars and jeeps. This definitely confirmed his suspicion of a military base. A military base with it's own hospital.
"Will he be fully functional soon, Dr. Light?" asked Rock.
"Yeah..the doctors said he should wake up fairly soon," replied Light.
"I have made my decision."
Dr. Light gave him a quizzical look before Wily stirred slightly.
"unnh...and...what decision would that be, Rock?" asked Wily from his bed.
"Richard! Thank God you're alive!" exclaimed Light.
"Yeah, I'm sure the doctors gave me only a few hours to live or something stupid...unnh, pain in back."
Rock saw Dr. Light smile and the worry disappear. Perhaps he did not quite fully understand human behaviour after all. If the doctors said that Dr. Wily would be alright, then why worry? Consequently, he should have been happy the entire time...shouldn't he?
"Actually, they were surprised you weren't incinerated! As it is, you only have a few second degree burns across your chest. Don't worry though, they've already been removed. With a few day's rest, you'll be back to normal."
"Unnh, my head...So, Rock, what's this decision?" asked Wily.
"I have decided to be Male," Rock replied.
"...Great, well I'll get started on the comittee speech then..." said Wily.
"We'll schedule it for next month around the end. That should be enough time to get everything wrapped up for a Beta version," said Dr. Light.
"Yeah, that sounds about right," said Wily with a smile.
Strange, but Rock thought that face expression just didn't seem to go with his hair anymore.
"Well we should pick up our physical training where we left off..."
***
Author's Comment: This episode was very rushed, as I have much to work to do during finals. That's really too bad, but at least now you know just how bad some of my episodes will get. Looking back, this episode was also pretty short. Hopefully you guys aren't feeling too bad about it. Maybe I'll get into the weekly habit, and then my eps will be this size all the time.Michael Raymond Vendittelli (LimousineDriver)