Crystal Man Confronted

[As older logs show, we'd been suspicious of Crystal Man for a good long time... Finally, after asking Shadow Man to spy on him, we got the evidence we needed of his misconduct. A very intense session followed.]

Common Room - Skull Fortress

This room seems more like something you'd find in a civilian home than a military base. Most of it is occupied by materials smuggled in over time by individual Masters, including a chess set, dart board, go board, cooler, pool and air hockey tables, several of Magnet Man's spare video game systems, and Spring Man's weights bench. A long couch faces the television, with other chairs scattered here and there. The floor is entirely carpeted, and the walls decorated with posters of popular modern bands like Avalon and Ironica. The Karaoke machine has taken quite a beating, as if someone would rather die than allow it to remain operational. Half of the southern wall of the room, strangely enough, is occupied by a stove, refrigerator, microwave, and a few well-stocked cupboards; perhaps in a faction mostly composed of robots, cooking is considered more a hobby than anything else.

Crystal Man [Soothsayer] [RM]
Yamato Man [Normal] [RM]
Petakay [RM]
Zilch Game
Deck of WilyCards!
Reversi Board
Squad Point Board
Lint Store
Pool Table

Obvious exits:
Reinforced Doors leads to Training Room - Skull Fortress.
East leads to Great Hall - Skull Fortress.

A familiar figure in robes is in the southwestern corner of the room, looking through the cupboards and fridge. . o O (The flour is there... as is the sugar... the milk... the eggs...) O o . The crystal conjurer doesn't get anything out, however; he just rummages as necessary to find the various items.

Gemini Man steps into the common room, apparently feeling it's about time to go off-duty for the day. He pauses in the entrance, however, and glances toward the kitchen area. ...Well, lucky. Maybe work wasn't over today, after all. Gemini Man doesn't move from his spot, but simply activates his hologram, who stands suddenly next to Crystal Man, pinning him between his solid light body and the opened fridge door. "Been a while," the holoclone says, in a kind of falsely conversational tone.

The samurai sits in a beanbag chair, watching the GNN footage. He seems to be acculumulating a highlight reel -- the VCR manual is open in front of him as he splices together his GNN appearances over the past few months.

Crystal Man stops his rummaging and closes the door after the holographic of the two twins speaks. "Yes," he returns in a somewhat cold tone. "It has." No lulling this one into a false sense of security, and apparently he has no qualms about letting Gemini Man know just that.

Gemini Man's twin takes a step out of Crystal Man's personal space, even as the original takes a few steps into the room. The original seems to be ignoring the conversation altogether at the moment, and instead of stopping to stand next to his twin, he walks over to seat himself at the couch.

"It's still important that we talk to you," says the twin speaking to Crystal Man. "If you aren't busy baking." He quirks a brow under the low ridge of his helmet.

The samurai looks over as the original Gemini sits down, then returns to playing around with the TV. For a non-technical guy, he's doing a pretty good job of mashing clips together. He doesn't seem to be taking a lot of interest in the other Gemini's conversation with Crystal. This is normal operating procedure lately -- everybody wants to talk to Crystal Man for some damn reason.

"Merely checking the ingredients," Crystal Man responds, turning to face Lunar, though he does pay attention to what Solar's doing. "I felt it might be good practice if I were to create my own birthday cake this year." Inwardly, the mystic remains cautious... he knows perfectly well that this *isn't* standard procedure, that Gemini's up to something...

"Highlight reel?" Gemini Man asks, though it's obvious that's what Yamato Man is doing. He leans back a bit in his seat. "I didn't know you had a highlight reel. ... Do you keep your magazine clippings, too?"

"Oh...is that coming up?" Gemini Lunar asks, still trying to sound conversational. But, then, he frowns. "Finish up. We can speak in private; we can speak in here...it doesn't matter to us, but we need to talk NOW. We know you're busy, but this is a crucial matter."

"No," says Yamato, who is just as happy to answer Gemini as anyone else, "this is something new. I never really watched the videoscreen before until we conquered Africa. It's interesting to watch myself removed from my actions ... it is very much like a meditation on my actions, but more real somehow."

He's still not really with the other conversation, rewinding back through a really good strike he hit against some human's head. It literally looks like it split like a melon.

"I'd prefer a private place," the mystic responds. "But do remember my condition..." Crystal Man then turns his head, setting his gaze on Yamato Man. The footage on the screen at the moment makes the crystal conjurer feel uncomfortable, but he doesn't actually let it on. Despite such things, Yamato Man would protect him if things were to turn ill... right?

"Ahhhh. Movie magic," Gemini Man says, watching the solid strike, flickering eyes reflecting the screen. "You should keep your magazine clippings too. Scrapbooks, ya know." The first time Yamato had watched himself? Geez. Weird what Gemini just takes for granted: he gets to watch himself fight all the time.

"I wasn't aware you had a delicate condition," the hologram says, eyes narrowing. "Allll right. We'll do it in our room." He watches Crystal Man for his reaction, testing to see if the conjurer will balk again.

"I don't know if I've ever been in a magazine," says Yamato, who forwards ahead a bit, edits out some time he wasn't on camera, and proceeds to him holding up the warlord he killed by one arm, pressing him into the wall so hard cracks are forming around it. The dim sounds of Yamato speaking are heard through the TV -- the samurai has courtesy and is keeping the sound down.

"You would defy Wily!? FOOL!" yells the samurai on the screen, who throws the human from one wall to the other like a rag doll. The man gibbers and screams for his life as the samurai turns his spear around -- the spearhead opening along the blade with a *vrrt* of Gauss energy.

"You beg? After all that, you beg? Your men said you were the bravest man, the strongest man -- but you are nothing! You are not even worth a honorable death! Run, pig!"

The man starts to run as the samurai aims the spear, shooting him six or seven times in the back with spearheads. The blood splatters on the walls are very Kurosawa. He turns towards the camera afterward, spearhead closing up -- and Yamato, in the rec room, pauses the footage there and saves his work.

"A good day," he muses. "A good day."

Then again... *would* Yamato Man understand after all? Crystal Man shakes his head at the energy-based Gemini's proposal, at the same time trying to send out tightbeams. Heat Man, first... then Plant Man... but alas, there's no response. Yamato will have to do...

"Yamato Man's room... if you don't mind, brother," the mystic is quick to add. "Such would be suitable neutral ground." His voice firms a bit as he adds, "And you know perfectly well what I mean when I refer to conditions. I'll not face you two alone again."

Gemini Man, from the couch, offers his own response to the footage: a slow round of applause. "Beautiful work. A little...well, a LOT anachronistic, but, very nice." He gives a single, amused snicker. "I'm used to seeing less realistic effects in these samurai robot movies." He drops his hands. "You've probably been in magazines. We'd just have to check some archives."

"Ah. Those 'conditions.' Well, all right. If he's up for it..." The second twin shrugs at Crystal Man, and looks over toward the couch.

"Hey, Yamato Man, want to go for a walk?" the original Gemini Man asks the samurai, seemingly out of the blue.

"Eh?" says Yamato, who remembers to tap on the remote a few times to save his work and stuff it somewhere in ERWIN. "Walk where?" as he gets up, straightening back to his standard height.

He looks to Crystal and the other Gemini, then the `original'. He thinks. He can't keep track of which one is metal and which one is just a trick of the light. "Is this about our brother?"

Gemini Man hops over the back of the couch, touching the ground on the opposite side. "Your room, if you don't mind," Gemini Man says, fairly cheerfully, to Yamato. "Since that's what Crystal Man seems to prefer." Gemini throws a glance at Crystal Man and his alternate image, before continuing to walk to the exit.

Crystal Man nods to Yamato Man. "Indeed, brother. If you've no objections, I'd like very much if you were to offer your hospitality... and your watch." The spooky blue optics of the master of jewels flit to each Gemini Man in turn before he, too, starts for the exit.

The samurai grunts. "It is not intended for entertaining. But I will take you there if you so wish." He keeps his feelings about having to play bodyguard to himself -- it is not right for brothers to fight.

"Come along," he says, marching towards the barracks.

Yamato Man's Meditation Room

A simple room; exactly four meters square, the metal walls covered up with rice-paper walls in the traditional style. Light comes from holographic torches set against the rice-paper walls, generated from an apparatus in the ceiling. The only furniture in the room is a meditation mat in the middle of the room. Not exactly the kind of room you entertain in.
Against the back wall is a weapons rack, featuring a variety of swords, warhammers, blunt objects and other miscellany of Japanese make. There is a conspicuous rack-mount in the middle of this display for a great spear.

The samurai marches into the barracks area; he walks down into the Order of the Blade area, finding his simple door and opening it. He admits the others first, then enters himself, closing the door behind him.

He moves to the center of the room and sits down on his mat in his usual fashion; folding his legs underneath himself, just about ready to fall into the lotus position at a moment's notice. He assumes his brothers will also find places to sit, and makes no suggestion that they do so. They will do what makes them comfortable.

The holographic clone enters the room slightly before Gemini Man proper; the original tries to flank Crystal Man from behind, as if to ensure that the master 'on trial' doesn't run and hide at the last minute. The hologram looks around the sparse room and frowns; he does not sit, and neither does the original. At least, not right away.

Crystal Man sighs sadly at the 'escorting' setup. . o O (Must you mistrust me simply because you fail to understand me?... This is what this is all about, isn't it?) O o . Being rather used to sitting on the floor himself, the mystic does so, seating himself indian-style in a place not far from Yamato Man. It's closer to the door than where Yamato is, but doesn't block the samurai's own view of it.

Yamato grunts, as is his wont to do. "What is this about, anyway?"

"Something Enker asked us to do," Gemini Man, the orignal, says, standing by the door. "Before his, er, accident."

"Something Bass checked about with us the other day," the hologram adds, as if answering the question rather than finishing his twin's thought. "Regarding a bit of your recent behavior, Crystal Man."

"Frankly," says the original...

"It's about your programming," the twins chorus.

"You doubt my loyalty," the mystic goes on, "simply because it is not my nature to harbor hatred; indeed, to instead respect others. I sense that it would be pointless to simply assure you that I do indeed serve this family."

The samurai doesn't comment; he sits still and listens, not knowing exactly what this is about -- Crystal's programming is in question? He does not seem to be malfunctioning.

Both of the twins roll their eyes, then look at each other. "Well. What do you know?" asks the original of the clone....

"He's a PSYCHIC," they both chime, thick with sarcasm.

"I never said I doubted your loyalty," says the hologram, pointing to himself with a feigned innocence.

"Yeah, but I did," says the original.

"Point," the holo says, pointing a finger at the other.

"Or RATHER, I doubted your intelligence." His face grows slightly pensive, and he crosses his arms over his crystal-armored chest. "That is, until I heard you on the recordings. No, no, actually, you have a unique intelligence....you're shrewd, but STUPID, all at the same time."

"You don't tell them anything..." the hologram says, as if pointing this out both to his originator and Crystal Man...

"But what you DO say speaks volumes...when you DO speak, to the Repliforce." Gemini Man looks Crystal Man in the eyes.

And those eyes show a bit of confusion. "Recordings?" He hadn't noticed any bugs in the boxing gym, and that's the only place where he's ever spoken to Hymn at length -- not to mention that usually, the mystic's buried sensors pick up bugs. "And I've spoken to no Repliforcer but Hymn -- and as you say, I reveal nothing. What is at issue?"

The samurai is obviously out of the loop. He looks between Gemini and Crystal, trying to figure out what's he's missing. He rests his fists on his hips and waits for some sort of explanation.

Gemini Man glances to Gemini Man, and both of them feign shock. "Oh... No Repliforcer BUT Hymn, which is acceptable, somehow," the hologram says, looking away, with a shrug.

"I'm sorry," says Gemini Man. "I thought I was talking to the Robot Master who told Ring Redwing he wanted to--"

"BURN a PYRE over Repliforce Island," both twins say, suddenly staring at Crystal accusingly. The holo leans forward more than the original does; whereas Gemini himself stands straight, arms crossed, the hologram leans in, and puts his hands on his hips.

Crystal Man blinks, getting a little nervous now as things click. Oh boy. "...That was Ring Redwing?" he repeats -- apparently he honestly didn't know. Understandable, seeing as he'd never seen her before. He shakes his head a bit, though, dismissing that for the moment in order to address Gemini Man's accusation. "But... yes... I've no love for slaughter, even of the enemy. It is only because they *do* oppose us, and are ready to face the possibility that they won't survive, that I am capable..." The mystic's head hangs and his optics close, clearly showing shame... but over what, it's hard to tell. Probably because it's stemming from two contradictory impulses...

The samurai sits still, brain temporarily seizing up. Contradictory syntax. He can't metabolize what he just heard.

Gemini Man's hologram shakes his head, and clicks his tongue. "Poor Crystal Man," he says. "No one really understands him. Not anyone. No one understands his unique situation...his PAIN." Gemini's voice grows thick, as if he's choking on a sob. "Poor, poor thing. The lone android with the big heart, trapped in the family that can't possibly understand!" The twin clenches his hand in front of his breast, and bends his head over as if he's pretending to weep. ...And this is the one that LIKES Crystal Man.

The other is harsher still. "You IDIOT," he says, with narrow optics. "You FOOL. Showing sentiment for the damn Repliforce. Would they have BURNED a PYRE for us? Would they? They would have LAUGHED over our 'lesser' android GRAVES, and Dad's TOO. You know it. THINK about it! HYMN will laugh his aft off the day our dad dies. You. Know. It. He'll save some hollow tears for YOUR plight after the fact." Gemini snaps a glance over toward his clone, who seems to be actually crying at the moment. "Hologram tears."

The clone takes this as a cue, and snaps his head up, showing his eyes clearly dry, after all. He takes a few steps toward Crystal Man. "But you're the only Robot Master that can CRY...aren't you?" the clone asks, with a curious tone.

"Most of them wouldn't have cared, no," the mystic agrees, shaking his head. "But it is not that which matters. What matters is that... that people died by my hand that day. A victory, yet a tragedy -- and the two were unavoidably intertwined."

He pauses, looking the original Gemini straight in the eye. Where he's getting the courage to do this is unclear. "But no... Hymn isn't like that. Hymn cares about the plight of the very same people he fights against. He wouldn't fight at all if the world offered him an alternative that would still satisfy his own beliefs.

"He is like me."

Yamato sits there, puzzled. He listens to Gemini's diatribe; he listens to Crystal's response. He looks down for a moment, staring at the ground, trying to get his brain to understand what he has just heard. And, with concentration, he finally wraps his mind around it.

The thunder comes.

The samurai's eyes flare gold-white for a moment; he puts down his left hand as he rises back to his feet, the engine of death putting his game-face on behind his mask. His chest would heave with hard breaths had he lungs; his eyes would sting with rage, had he tears. But he does not have these things. He is inhuman. He is perfect. He is one of the Ten Thousand Immortals, and he senses ... sickness.

He walks over to Crystal, then snaps out his arm in a near blur of motion. The hand grabs him by the lip of his breastplate, and cries out in a shout of animalistic anger as he throws him at one of the bare walls away from the door -- full strength, like was just seen in his highlight reel. Unceasing, he walks over as Crystal hits, towering over his brother -- he is driven by divine wrath, and it will not be denied.

"You ..." he says, through clenched teeth. "You compare yourself to the enemy? You say this one is -like- you? This one who would KILL our Father, at any moment, at any opportunity?!"

The fire builds, the glow just behind his eyes. "And you would then /mourn/ for those who curse our name? You would /honor/ them, who have no honor? They, who would spill our blood over the world and find their empire unchallenged -- you /mourn/ them? You hold them as high as /we/, the Ten Thousand?"

He gets in close, pinning his hands to either side of Crystal, so hard that the walls dent. Yamato is angry, but he's thinking clearer than he ever has.

"What is this sickness in you?!" he demands. "What is this weakness, this impurity!? What is wrong with you?! *WE* are the pure! *WE* are the strong! *WE* and *WE ALONE*, must rule! You would mourn the jackals that dominate this world? You would CRY FOR THEM!?"

He holds himself still, staring into Crystal, lowering his tone. "Did you cry for Requiem? Do you cry for the fate of Break Man, lost and alone in the world, driven by the evil magic of the Enemy? Do you ... do you /cry/ for Zero, he who has suffered more than any of our brothers, stolen twice from us -- lost in a world he cannot understand?"

He pounds his right fist into the wall -- it goes straight through as he bellow. "DO YOU CRY FOR ZERO?! DO YOU CRY FOR MY BROTHER?! DO YOU?!"

The twins both murmer at Yamato's firey response, a pair of simple, quiet, "...wow"s. That was certainly unexpected.

...Well, not entirely. After all, Yamato Man was loyal. Yamato understood his JOB, honor-bound though he was. And Gemini felt that lately, Crystal Man did not. Gemini steps up and stands next to himself, and the pair walks toward the conflict between the tossed-aside mystic and the shouting samurai, flanking Yamato on both sides. The twins stare at Crystal Man with equal, even gazes, waiting his reply.

The spirits, it would seem, are not on Crystal Man's side today. If they were, he wouldn't have had to turn to Yamato Man to protect him. Thus, he wouldn't have found himself in a two (or three) against one situation as he is now...

The mystic slams hard into the paper-covered metal walls with a slight grunt, back first, his robes fluttering and pendants clattering. He slips from there to the ground, more or less catching himself on his hands and bottom, and doesn't try to avoid his younger brother's trapping of him. He's a little overly aware of his fuel pump as the samurai screams at him, and it's clear that he's having difficulty keeping eye contact -- those eyes that drink in every last drop keep blinking as though in an attempt to filter things to a tolerable level. And when Yamato Man is done, Crystal Man is silent. A tense silence, lasting several seconds... before finally, he speaks.

"I do, brother... I do cry for Zero, so torn by insanity. I do cry for Requiem, destroyed such that she was actually forced from this world. And I do cry for Break Man... so consumed by hatred that he cannot bear to do more than hide from the world and on occasion attack someone.

"For hatred is not purity, brother. Rather, it is the most impure thing of all. Hatred will not bring lasting unity. Hatred does not put anyone above anyone, except in one's mind -- and that is why hatred appears to bring blessings, to let one destroy."

The master of jewels regains the courage to look Yamato Man in the eye unflinchingly as he goes on. "But anyone can harm those they see as beneath them, those they choose to dismiss. Tell me, brother... would you have the strength to strike down one you knew in your heart to be an equal? Even if it meant bringing low a friend for the sake of Father's rule?"

. o O (I'll have to. But I can.) O o .

The samurai shows his true colors then, holding his posture, slowly drawing out his slightly gashed fist from the wall and putting his palm flat over the hole. A few drops of mech-fluid fall onto the ground, rapidly hemmhoraging from his auto-repair systems. The gaze is like pure electricity, the force of Yamato's will fully behind him. He will not stop, he will not look away; his committment is greater than he can even get across.

"If Father ordered me to kill -you-, kill brother Sword, kill *ANY* of my own FLESH AND BLOOD, I would! Without hesitation! Without remorse! Because it would be *his* *WILL*! I would not enjoy it, and I would mourn, but by Wily's will I would do this because it would be the *right* *thing* *to* *do*! For his wisdom, his will, his GREATNESS, is higher than ALL!"

The eyes glow a dull gold-white, the Zeta Commander's will keeping him in check for now. "ANY who threaten Father's rule /must/ /die/! Those who will not submit, die! Those who deny his name, die! Repliforce MUST DIE! The Mavericks MUST DIE! ALL OF THEM -- DIE!"

He starts building up again, beating on the wall with his other fist with each name before finally slamming his hand flat at the last. "Break Man! Rock! ZERO! THEY DIE! *THEY* *ALL* *DIE*! OUR BROTHERS, DIE! FOR *HIM*! For he who gave us life! Our Father, our Emperor, our God! WILY! THEY DIE FOR WILY! Because it is the BEST way, the ONLY way, for Father to rule! Because it is best for the world! Because it is the only way to END THIS! END THIS WAR! Bring the peace you so very desire!"

He straightens up, balling his fists, drawing back from Crystal a step or two. He speaks in a near whisper now, growling between gritted teeth. "How can you not /see/ this? How can you be so ... so /polluted/?!"

About halfway through Crystal Man's ridiculously self-important speech, the Geminis both bury their faces in their hands, and sigh, heavily, in unison. Then, they both look up, and watch, as Yamato shouts, and as his anger finally gives way to a tense disappointment.

"Crystal Man..." the twins both entone, in an eerie duo of voices, still and calm in comparison to the raging samurai. "You are an efficient commander. The work you do is a credit to the faction. But you are infected with an error. You care too much, you are too kind, and you suffer needlessly. If you cannot overcome these frailties on your own, your programming can be altered. Your feelings will be made less powerful. Feeling less, you will be happier, and you will understand exactly what your duties here are to be. You will join your brothers without question." The twins step forward, and both of them reach out their left hands, their peaceful hands, in an inviting gesture. "And you will no longer be alone."

"Of course..." The original Gemini speaks alone, and the eerie qualities of his voice fade into simple explanation. "There's another option." A smile spreads on his face, slowly at first. The hologram looks to him, as if waiting for a cue to speak again. "Learn on your own. We wouldn't STAND for anyone being reprogrammed against his will; we don't care for it. Learn to COPE. Learn to understand that there is a time and place for TEARS, and that PLACE is NOT the Robot Masters. And if you need any aid being DESENSITIZED...we are here to help. In fact, we've been tasked to."

Crystal Man stands slowly, folding his hands before him and bowing his head once upright. Again, he's silent for a moment, though not for nearly so long as before. "Is that what you truly believe?" he murmurs softly. "That love has no place in Father's world, or in our family? Th-that we should be *proud* not to care?" Tears, the very things derided seconds before, slip out from beneath closed eyelids. "If... i-if you truly believe that... then strike me down, that I might join with the spirits. With hatred so rampant in this world on all sides, you'll need never see love again..."

The samurai's fists tremble from the strength he pours into them; he sees the tears, but hardens his heart to them. He must. He has to, to save his soul.

"We are warriors, brother! Proud warriors! Noble warriors! We fight and die for the love of our Father alone! All other feelings -- all other /passions/ must be buried! They have no place in war!"

His optics clench as he starts to do some testifying of his own. "...or do you think I do not care for my brothers? That I would not die for you, that I would not sacrifice everything to protect my family? I love even my *lost* brothers, even *though* they are lost! Break Man is /my/ brother! Zero is /my/ *brother*! But I must KILL THEM! They will -kill- Father, so we must -kill- them *first* to protect him! Because those who do not live in the name of Wily must DIE by the HAND of Wily! -We- are that hand! We are his sword, and we must *cut*, for a blade that does not cut has *no* *purpose*!"

He turns and walks over to the other wall, pauses, then walks back up to Crystal Man -- his optics flare. "I feel! I care! I LOVE! I am alive, and I have emotions! But I *BURY* them. They sleep in my heart, and I do not allow them to cloud my judgment! For the purity of Wily is /higher/ than any emotion, /better/ than any thing of the flesh! His love is GREATEST! His love is BEST! And to earn that love, I would overcome any trial, risk ANYTHING, lose EVERYTHING! His love is the ONLY love you should seek, the only love you should live in! Not the love of the decadent, not the love of the fallen, but the love of your FAMILY! Your BROTHERS! Your FATHER!"

Yamato claws at the side of his helmet, sparks flickering off from his metal fingertips. "This is -- this is /madness/! I do not have the words!" And he looks to Gemini sharply, the storm starting to turn like a hurricane at sea. "How long have you known of this?! How long!? TELL ME!"

There it was. The hologram's cue. Those damned tears. "You see? What you call 'love' has its place, too, Crystal Man," the clone says. "Here as well as anywhere. But loyalty greater. Love is nothing but the ultimate loyalty, and your emotions are your CHOICE." The holo lifts that still-extended left hand, and flicks the wrist, and with a blur of motion, his solid-light hand grows lengths of pure, white, blade-like claws, on each finger. "We don't know who installed those tear ducts in you, or WHY. But you won't have to cry anymore... you won't be able to cry anymore; when they are removed."

"Too long, Yamato," Gemini says, shaking his head. "You remember, when I first tried to speak to him. You were there." He glances his optics over to Yamato, reflecting some honest remorse at the action it seems his alternate self is about to take, as the holo leans forward toward the crying mystic with danger flickering in his eyes. Eyes almost childlike. Anticipatory eyes, as he lifts his left hand, and slowly...slowly reaches... "Crystal Man." Gemini Man looks over toward the mystic. Unlike the eyes of his hologram, his are hard, still, and darkened, and the holo freezes in place in his slow arc of motion. The tense whisper: "Make a choice. Let us help you. Just a little. Or else we will have no choice, but to file an extensive report."

Crystal Man's optics drift half-open, revealing that not only are they that same reality-defying blue they've been since his activation, but that they're now softly aglow. He looks through his tears to each Gemini in turn, to Yamato, then finally to the ground. . o O (So this is it, then.) O o .

"I served Father as I was meant to. I pray that one day, you can look back and understand those words when your memory of me is stirred."

And, with that, he begins to sing. Not the sort of song he usually goes for, however; he must have heard it from Star Man.

~The demon in your mind will rape you in your bed at night~
~The wisdom of ages, the lies and outrages concealed~
~Time it waits for no man~
~My future is revealed~
~Time it waits for no man~
~My fate is sealed~

Yamato cognigates; he holds his ground as Crystal begins to sing, staring at Gemini. He's got this free-floating anger he can't seem to find a grounding point for, and it's frustrating him. In the end, he'll probably just go and conquer another part of Zeta's territory to blow off steam; not like that would be particularly /hard/, especially in his frame of mind.

The samurai does not speak, however, to either of his brothers. He looks away from both of them, revolted at himself, revolted at the chain of events that have led him here, revolted at a world that is so horrifically cruel.

If only they did not have to fight so! If only they would bend knee to Wily! Then this could all end. Then, finally, there would be peace.

Gemini Man crosses his arms, and the clone simply fades away. "You aren't f**king dead, you lame*ss drama queen," Gemini Man says, coldly. The kind of language usually reserved for Punk; Gemini hasn't spat out anything quite that foul since he was possessed. "We're not gonna KILL you. Just take a NAP and think about what you've done, and tomorrow you can write up a nice long report as to why you're SORRY. You're obviously exhausted beyond all reasonable SEMBLANCE of sanity."

Crystal Man apparently doesn't react to Gemini Man's words. After all, he isn't sorry that he cares. Rather, he's saddened by those who don't... which, even worse yet, includes most of the world. Thus, he only continues to sing, eyes glowing, tears streaming. He knows all too well that he's not going to be killed... but he'd rather die then deny love.

~If I cancel tomorrow the undead will thank me today~
~Fly in the face of your prophets I mock your morality plays~
~The moon is red and bleeding~
~The sun is burned and black~
~The book of life is silent~
~No turning back~

The samurai grunts. He's put holes in his walls, his other hand hurts from when he cut it on the metal wall, Wily only knows what Shadow Man will do when he finds he has a new hole in his wall ... probably more of that smoke-cloud, Shadow Blade to the back of the head, smoke-cloud action he had to deal with for a whole week once.

He looks to Crystal, uncomprehending of the song he's singing. He's crying, he's singing -- this is all so surreal to Yamato. He wonders if this is some sort of fever dream, some echo from when the Hunter Bastion cold-cocked him into a wall. He looks to Gemini again, looking for /some/ sort of guidance. He's the smart ones, after all.

Since Crystal Man is obviously not making any sense to Gemini right now, Gemini simply retorts as best he can, constantly interrupting the verse with an increasingly crescendoing: "Shut up! SHUT up! ...SHUT UP!!" He puts his hand to the crystal crest on his helmet, and shakes his head. "Wily, you're more screwed up than we thought! What the heck is your problem?! WHAT? You'd rather DIE than say you're SORRY for talking nice about the enemy?! We don't GET it!" He sputters, in wordless exasperation. "This isn't principle you're standing up for!" He stomps his foot like a frustrated child... "You're a good commander, Crystal Man! Just straighten it UP!"

~Only the good die young~
~All the evil seem to live forever~
~Only the good die young~
~All the evil seem to live forever~
~Only the good die young~
~Only the good die young~

~Mystery madman a victim of cruel charade~
~Some innocent pawn in an end game one more stalemate~
~Is death another birthday?~
~A way to kiss your dreams goodbye?~
~Do the undead live within us~
~And look through our eyes?~

~Walking on water are miracles all you can trust~
~Measure your coffin does it measure up to your lust?~
~So I think I'll leave you~
~With your bishops and your guilt~
~So until the next time~
~Have a good sin~

~Only the good die young~
~All the evil seem to live forever~
~Only the good die young~
~All the evil seem to live forever~
~Only the good die young~
~Only the good die young...~

Existance in limbo was a pain for Crystal Man. Gemini Man understood that. For when had he ever seen Crystal Man happy? Not ever. Crystal Man was duty-bound, dedicated, and careful. Crystal Man was also deeply sad and serious, and always had been, as long as Gemini could recently remember. Crystal Man was deeply lonely: he got joy from nothing, not combat, nor the enforced love and loyalty of his own brothers. He wanted to love the world, and yet, that was not possible. Because of what he was designed to be; what he needed to do, and what he would have to become. And none of this would really make Crystal Man happy. Gemini listens to these last few words now, as Crystal Man sings, the conjurer growing, from his brother's point of view, more insane, becoming more NOTHING, every moment.

It wants to die. It has wanted to die for a long time. That is why it does as it does.

We will put it out of its misery.

Gemini's right hand, his laser arm, raises, slowly. He puts the tip of it up to Crystal Man's forehead...rock steady, as the song winds down to a close. The soft hum of his laser powers up in the barrel. And, just as slowly as he rose the weapon, Gemini drops it back to his side. "If you want to die...grow the courage to off YOURSELF. Don't FORCE OUR HAND." The illusionist turns away, and begins to walk out of the room. Duty done today, as was asked of him. His next words are mere whispers, but no doubt Crystal Man will still hear, as they are meant for him... "Yes. I AM evil. But I am...your brother."

The samurai doesn't know what to do. He is ... conflicted. Torn. He doesn't know what to do for Crystal Man, who seems so sad for reasons Yamato cannot possibly understand.

// What have they done to you to make you this way? What evil magic is this? //

The samurai lets Gemini go without a word, looking towards Crystal. He balls and unballs his fists, struggling to figure out something, /anything/, to do.

Crystal Man is silent and still even as the Gemini Laser is leveled at his head... and sighs -- in relief, or frustration? -- as it's pulled back. He quietly watches Gemini Man leave... not reacting to the whisper his sensitive ears pick up. After all, it's nothing he didn't already know... and accept long ago.

Since he and Yamato Man have been left alone, the mystic's gaze, still alight, moves to the samurai. He watches his younger brother, studying him... and then steps forward, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

"There is nothing truly wrong with me, brother. If you want to see me happy... accept me."

He isn't mistaken for a psychic sometimes for nothing.

"... I /can't/ ...!" says Yamato, who keeps his back to you, fists balling. "You are --!"

He shrugs his shoulders away, moving back deeper into the room. "I am -- I want to be alone, brother. Please ... I need to think."

Crystal Man gives Yamato Man a slow nod. "Very well," he concedes, starting towards the door. "May the spirits guide you."

And after a moment... he is gone.

Message: 12/119 Posted Author
Report: Crystal Man Tue Mar 19 Gemini Man

--Gemini Man appears on the monitor. He looks weary and resigned. His optics barely flicker; he gives his report emotionlessly.--

"Per orders given to us by Enker, approved and perpetuated by Bass, and backed by solid information from Shadow Man, we confronted Crystal Man tonight about his increased incidents of fraternization with the enemy. Yamato Man served as his initial emotional support, but became quickly angered as the evidence against Crystal Man's conduct was presented. Crystal Man began to panic as the accusations were presented. He put across the message that he would continue to love our enemies as much as us, even to the detriment of the faction. After continued conversation, Crystal Man became increasingly incoherent, and fell into a feedback loop. ... Crystal Man is suffering, and he has been attempting to do so in silence. In our opinion he is in need of rest and relief from duty, councilling, and possible nueral repair. In addition, he should have his tear ducts REMOVED, just as they were put on. No Robot Master should be BUILT to cry."

--End report.--

-- Gemini Man -- Gemini Man --

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