A Different Place

Chapter 55 - Enarban Fell's Endgame

A neon beam discharged from the Enarban Fell's chest. It slammed into Guelly, showering sparks along the Reaverbot's torso. MegaMan ducked as Alaine drew back Guelly's fist uncomfortably close to his head, then fired his Arm Cannon at the Enarban Fell.

Dantz seemed to have had a good idea, earlier, when he'd mounted the Enarban Fell and rained fire on it from above. MegaMan latched onto the back of the massive mech, shooting at a couple Birdbots who were running after him. A punch from Alaine landed right in front of him, nearly scraping off his nose as it impacted on the torso. MegaMan used it as a stepping stone, jumping from it to the very top of the Enarban Fell.

He began firing over and over again, blasting several different targets on the mech's body. It wasn't damaging it a great deal next to the attacks Alaine was repeatedly throwing, but MegaMan felt that he was doing his part in the battle. He sidestepped quickly to the right as another of Guelly's attacks nearly hit him. The immense fist clanged loudly as it hit the other robot's surface.

The concave opening on the Enarban Fell's chest started glowing. MegaMan, knowing another fearsome blast was soon to come, concentrated his fire on that spot. The several shots from his Arm Cannon finally paid off, causing the robot's chest cannon to explode. Alaine, atop Guelly's control center, would now have a much easier time finishing off Glyde's mech.

MegaMan's suspicion turned out to have been correct. Guelly easily landed three more attacks, one of which MegaMan had to dodge again. Glyde's robot began smoking, then collapsed in on itself. MegaMan nearly toppled over as this last occured, but managed to grab a protruding antenna from the Enarban Fell's head.

A hatch popped open below him. Glyde, face and hair covered in soot, emerged about halfway before he saw MegaMan dangling above him. "Oh, well," said the effete pirate, "I guess I should be pleased it lasted as long as it did." He looked up at MegaMan. "You know, you're really quite good. I wonder if you might consider---"

Glyde was cut off as Guelly threw another blow at his non-functional machine. "Hey!" he yelled, miffed. "I've already lost! I give up---you win, okay?!"

MegaMan pulled himself back on top of the ruined Enarban Fell. "I wonder why she's still---" Another punched rocked the robot frame, but MegaMan managed to hold his stance this time. "---attacking," he finished.

MegaMan waved at Alaine, who was still operating her controls furiously. The sister of King Garland of Garrdan Island shot the boy a dirty look before returning to her work. MegaMan wondered what she was doing as he felt an incredible pressure drop onto him. His vision tinted green, and he stumbled back, wondering why Alaine was smirking at him so.

"What did you hit HIM for?" demanded Glyde's voice from below. "He's on your side, isn't he?"

The ground started shaking out from under MegaMan, and he thought he fell off the big robot. He thought so because the water was getting closer to him now, and something was wrong with his brain. At least, that's what the voice kept telling him. He saw something big fall from the ship above him, and he was about to hit the water, but he didn't feel it because his eyes blinked out, and he couldn't feel or see anything anymore. His last thought was that he hoped that big thing wouldn't fall on top of him.

Tron saw that less-than-trustworthy Digger, Dantz, dragging Gary over to where she stood. This was just minutes after Alaine had left her to pilot that big Reaverbot. Tron wasn't sure what was wrong with Gary, but it looked like he had just been shaken up by the Enarban Fell throwing Dantz at him. Kind of like that time Teisel had slipped on Number Two's discarded banana peel, and slide into Tron in his full armor, crushing her against the wall. That had hurt a lot.

"How is he?" Tron asked, almost with concern, as the Digger layed Gary's inert body onto the deck.

"Neither one of us is doing that well," said Dantz, showing Tron his right hand. His Arm Cannon had collapsed in on itself. "Just before Glyde squished my hand, I fired a shot. I think my hand is pretty beat up."

"Sorry," Tron said, not without sympathy. Off in the distance, Glyde tried to fire the Enarban Fell's chest cannon but failed, as MegaMan had taken it out with his own Arm Cannon before it could discharge its deadly blast. "You should get that checked out."

"Yeah, probably," said Dantz as Guelly made an incredibly swift punch to the top of the Enarban Fell. "I'll bet they can take care of it at Katttleox Hospital. It looked pretty nice when I checked it out."

"I never actually went in there," said Tron. "I was too busy scoping out the police station." MegaMan sure was acting weird. Why was he dancing around up there? Guelly started tipping over the Enarban Fell, no doubt intending to throw it over the edge of the skyship. "Get off of there, you moron!"

From his splayed position on the deck, Gary groaned. "What's going on?"

"I think he just went over!" Dantz gasped, looking as Alaine finished her work, using Guelly's vast mechanical strength to lever the Enarban Fell over and into the ocean.

"MegaMan!" Tron shouted, as she and Dantz dashed towards the scene of the battle. "Where is he!"

"He may have gone overboard," Dantz said calmly, though there was a bit of tension in his voice. He looked over the wrecked railing. "I don't see him now."

"What's the problem?" Lady Alaine asked as she dismounted Guelly.

"You just knocked MegaMan off the ship, you crazy b---"

"Auntie Alaine!" Gary cried as he stumbled to catch up with the others. "You did it! You beat the pirates!"

Tron looked fiercely at the prince. "Yeah, and she beat MegaMan too, didn't she? That seems awfully convenient, doesn't it, Gary!?" Tron advanced meancingly on him.

"Wait," said Gary, "What are you talking about?"

"I afraid I couldn't save him," Alaine said, without a trace of emotion in her voice. "That horrible pirate held on to him as he fell. I suppose he wanted to take one of us with him."

"I don't think that's what happened," said Dantz. "It looked like MegaMan was just standing up there when he fell. I think he went over before the robot did."

"I was right here the whole time, dear," said Alaine patiently. "Don't try to correct me, please."

Tron wasn't going to waste any more time. "All Draches, hear this!" she shouted into her voicelink. "MegaMan fell overboard! Go pick him up, now! You got that!"

"Roger!" the Servbots answered.

"He'll be fine," Tron assured herself. "He's probably down there beating up Glyde right now."

"I still don't understand what's happening," Gary said, dazed. "Did I win?"

"Not now!" Tron snapped. She looked over the railing nervously, but all she could see was the Enarban Fell, and some Birdbots crawling out of the wrecked machine. They seemed to be remarkably bad swimmers when considering the animals they were designed after. "Ohh...please be okay!" Tron felt Dantz's hand squeeze her left shoulder. It didn't matter what else happened, as long as MegaMan was all right...