A Different Place

Chapter 19 - Subterranean Sneakers

MegaMan ran towards the large chasm. When he reached its lip, he jumped, vaulting easily over the gaping crevasse and landing safely on the far side. Teisel had jumped with no effort whatsoever, thanks to his sister Tron's Strength Solution, but not before hurling all four Servbots over the chasm. Fortunately, Servbots were resilient, and had taken no major damage during their ordeal.

"Could Master Bon have fallen down this cliff?" asked Number Twenty-Five asked, peering over the edge.

"Maybe," Teisel admitted. He cupped his hands to his mouth and called, "Bon! Can you hear me? Are you down there, Bon?!" Both the Servbot and his master listened carefully. When no response, not even a happy gurgle, was heard, Teisel shook his head. "Bon may be down there, still. I hope he isn't, because if he is, that means he's really, seriously hurt. Listen up!"

All the Servbots stood to attention. "This won't be easy," Teisel began, "but I want you all to go down there and make sure that Bon isn't there. If he is, bring him back to the ship. Keep in radio contact with me and the Gesellschaft as needed. Understood?"

"Ro----gerrrr!" the Servbots sang in unison, saluting.

"I knew I could count on you!" Teisel said, walking over to MegaMan. "Let's get moving."

"Don't you want any of them to go with us?" asked MegaMan as they headed for the next room.

"Anyone got some rope?" asked Servbot Nineteen in the background.

Teisel waved his hand. "I wouldn't mind them being along if we get into a big battle, but I think you and I will be okay. Also," he said, his face going grave, "if Bon's been seriously hurt, we can probably fix him, but if something really bad happened to Tron, if she's---I don't want to say it, but...they shouldn't...have to see. I don't think they could handle it."

"Uhhh...I have some string," suggested Number Twenty-Five from the background.

"I have a paper airplane!" said Number Forty enthusiastically. "We could fly it down!"

MegaMan sniffed a little, trying not to think of the possibility Teisel had suggested. "She's going to be okay, right?"

"That's not going to work," said Number Four, stamping his foot daintily. "We need some rope so we can rappel down and still get back up."

"So we can what?" asked Forty.

"That's what I've been praying for since yesterday," Teisel said softly. "You don't know Tron like I do. She's a survivor. But if she's hurt, it's my fault." They slipped through the automatic doorway into the next chamber, the one in which Tron and Bon had fought their battle.

"How is it your fault?" MegaMan said, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the room was empty. He'd half-expected to find Tron's broken body lying on the floor motionless. "I was her Spotter, and let's be honest---I didn't know the first thing about Spotting. I should have warned her a lot earlier."

"I'm the one who left her behind," Teisel said. "I should have stayed and fought with her, no matter how hard it was to move that clunky pile of junk---" He stopped short, looking fearfully around himself. "Whew," he sighed. "If Tron had heard that, she probably would have ripped my hair out by now."

MegaMan allowed himself to chuckle a little bit as the mood lightened somewhat. "This is the room, isn't it? Where is she, if she's not here?"

"Settle down," Teisel ordered him. "Number One? Did you steer us to another dead end?"

"No, Master Teisel. This is definitely the right room." A little burst of static came over the radio as Number One accidentally banged his mike against the display screen. "The readings look like there might be a hidden switch in there somewhere."

"All right," said Teisel, "let's get looking." He started shuffling his feet around the floor, searching for a panel that might be somewhat looser or raised when compared to the others.

MegaMan took a different tactic, closing his eyes and trying to feel out where the trigger might be. Trigger...that word had a familiar ring, didn't it?

"Purifier Trigger," Sera said in her emotionless voice, "I order you to withdraw. You do not have the proper authority to access Eden's main systems. Please leave the room at once."

"I'm following the Master's orders, Sera," Trigger called over his shoulder, refusing to look at the Mother Unit of the Skies. "His last orders. He's not coming back from Terra."

"You are ordered to withdraw," Sera repeated. "This is your last warning."

Trigger turned around and looked Sera in the eyes, those crimson eyes that were the exact same shade as his own. "I can't," he said simply, sweeping the green hair out of his face. He turned around and continued his work, trying to ignore the Mother Unit.

"If you do not comply, I will be forced to terminate your program."

Closing his eyes, Trigger activated his Arm Cannon. He would wait for Sera to take the first shot. If she did, then he'd strike back, but not before. He tried not to flinch as Sera charged her own weapon, raised it, and fired...

MegaMan cried out.

"You did it!" Teisel congratulated him, slapping him the on the back, which, thanks to the Strength Solution, knocked him forward a couple of feet. A panel in the floor of the ruins slid forward, revealing nothing but blackness below.

MegaMan's breath was coming hard now. "Teisel..." he sighed. "What happened?" That man in his dream hadn't been his father. Was he, MegaMan, the green-haired man? That didn't make any sense. Had he been reincarnated or something?

Teisel shrugged. "You walked straight forward and found the switch. The panel opened. Good job!"

"Thanks," he said weakly, trying to shake off the strange vision he'd just experienced. "Did you bring a torch? I didn't think to."

"No problem," said Teisel, bring a hand torch out of his pocket and flicking it on. "Let's keep moving." MegaMan nodded and followed his big brother down into the tunnel.

A small, soft knock came at Tron's door. Tron ignored it and continued staring out at the sea. The knock came again. Tron growled as she stomped over to the locked portal. She was going to rip Gary's head off if he knocked one more time!

"Miss Tron," whispered a familiar, high-pitched voice, "are you in there? Miss Tron?"

"Number Two!" Tron shouted in recognition. Then, she got a bit angry. "Where have you been!!?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Tron," apologized Two, "but they locked us up downstairs and we couldn't get out until just a few minutes ago..."

"That's alright," said Tron, "you've done better than I have. Hold on. Did you say you were locked up downstairs?"

"Yes, Miss Tron."

"That rotten liar! He told me he hadn't even seen you guys! Oooh, when I get my hands on him..."

"What are you talking about, Miss Tron?"

"Nothing," Tron said shortly. "Listen, I have to go to this stupid dinner soon with Prince Gary---he's the son of the King of Garrdan Island, so don't ask! Anyway, I think he'll be here any minute. You guys go hide somewhere, and see if you can sneak your way into the dining hall. It'll be a lot easier to escape from there. You hear me?"

"Yes, Miss Tron!" said Number Two. "We won't let you down!"

"I know you won't," Tron said. She was going to show that dishonest prince that no one messed with the Bonnes! It was too bad he was so good-looking...

"Where are we?" MegaMan said as he slid down into the well-lit, light blue room. Three bunks were located on the walls, and a huge hole had been dug near the far wall. There was a doorway, but the door that must once have graced it was now facedown on the floor in front of the room.

"I'm not sure," Teisel said, "but I think we're within Garrdan Castle. I've heard that the entire building is carved out of aquamarine."

"Hm," MegaMan said, not too clear on what aquamarine was.

"It's not worth much money around here," Teisel said greedily, "but if we got some and then took it somewhere else, like maybe Kalinka Island, man, we'd clean up!" He began laughing boisterously.

"Uuuuhhh..." A noise came from the doorway. Suddenly the door flipped up, then was cast away. A man in a set of clothes the exact same color as the wall looked directly into the room in which Teisel and MegaMan were currently standing. Since both of them were clad in olive green, it was unlikely they could blend into the scenery. "Who are you!?"

"I'm Tom Stevens, this is my assistant...uh, MegaMan Jackson," said Teisel quickly. "We're the King's new efficiency experts. I'm must say, this room...what was it again?"

"The dungeon," replied the stranger.

Teisel assumed a haughty glare. "Yes, well, this dungeon is certainly not up to par, let me tell you." He pointed to the hole in the floor. "What is this?"

"It's a hole," said the man.

"Yes, it is," agreed Teisel. "And what is it doing here?"

"I...don't know."

Teisel crossed his arms. "I see. I don't think I need to tell you that Mr. Jackson and I are most displeased. Go report to the King at once, and tell him that, of course, while we're not holding you personally responsible for the state in which we found this room, we certainly expect something to be done as soon as possible!"

The stranger saluted, then said, "Yessir!" and started to leave. Then he paused for a moment. "MegaMan? Like on TV?"

"Yes," said MegaMan, "like on TV."

The man saluted again and ran off. As his footsteps got further away, Teisel began, "I thought you said..."

"Hey," MegaMan said, "what was one more fib next to your story? Besides, it got him out of here faster."

Teisel laughed. "Lying is an art, my boy, one in which I'm sure we'll get you trained, don't you worry." He surged forward, going the opposite direction of the prison guard---downstairs. MegaMan hoped there was something good down there. Or at least, nothing bad.