I took your "Treasure Hoard" idea and ran with it, Sakura.
Hope everyone likes!
[spoiler]For bonus points, see if you can name who numbers #22-#25 are imitating. No prizes, unless you can think of something I'd be able to do for you.[/spoiler]
Without further ado....Oneshot #004 - All That Glitters....
[spoiler]The door to DrWilyII's office slid open as Aile-bot #57 strode through. "Doctor, your hunch was correct. We've located a dragon, and we believe they're guarding a treasure hoard of not inconsiderable size."
DrWilyII looked up from the forms he'd been examining. It was painful to admit, but even evil masterminds have to file their taxes. "Wonderful. #57, please inform numbers 3-through-7 that I have a job for them-" He paused for dramatic effect, missing the exasperated look on #57's face "-and send in the Cosplay Rangers, too! I want this done right!"
#57 made a mental note, and was already connecting to the base's security cameras to locate the relevant people. "Understood. To prevent any.....misunderstandings....what are their exact orders?"
DrWilyII swept a hand in front of him, his glasses shining. "Raid the treasure hoard! Strip it bare and deposit it all into Test Chamber 3." And then, almost as an afterthought, "Oh, and bring the Dragon in, too. Alive if possible. I've been looking for a new guinea pig."
Nodding, #57 sent a message over the bases' wirless network. "Would numbers 3 through 7 and 22 through 26 please report to the hangar bay. You have work." Turning her attention back to the matter at hand, she asked "Will there be anything else, Doctor?"
He thought for a moment, then opened a draw on his desk and removed a maid oufit. He handed it to her. "Yes. Please deliver this to Lunamaria, will you? I'm growing tired of the catgirl costume." His gaze flickered back to his desk for a moment, the tax forms completely forgotten. "Now leave me. I have SCIENCE to see to."
"As you wish, Doctor. I will ask the mission crew to contact you when they've succeeded." As she turned and left, #57 rolled her eyes. Everyone on base knew what the Doctor kept in his desk, even if he didn't know they knew.
Cadmus blearily cracked an eye open as the sound of multiple footsteps reached his ears. "Wonderful. More thieves, no doubt.". With a languid stretch, he rose from his position on the floor and watched with disinterest as small group of near identical humans wandered into his cave. Their outfits were strange to him, nothing like the armour his last few visitors had worn, but then, how long had it been since anyone dared to approach him like this?
He snorted, and addressed the crowd of apparently awestruck would-be thieves. "State your business. Now."
Aile-bot #24, affectionately referred to as "Cosplay Ranger Black", stepped forward. "We are here for your treasure. And you. Please, surrender quietly and I promise we will not harm you."
Cadmus actually snarled at that. How dare these arrogant creatures demand things from him? Forcing himself to maintain his composure, one of his forelegs snaked out and came to rest on a large rock just in front of him. "I see. I am sorry to disappoint you, little one, but no one orders me around." With that, he flicked the rock towards the black-clad human, fully expecting it to smear her across the wall behind them. What he didn't expect was for the little black insect to dodge by slowly leaning backwards, arms pinwheeling dramatically. Was it just him, or had time actually slowed down for a moment?
#24 resumed her previous casual stance. "You leave us no choice. #26-" The pink clad member of the team perked up "-go and inform our comrades that we should be done shortly. And start unloading the wheelbarrows and shovels."
Cadmus roared in fury as one of the humans ran off back towards the entrance. The battle was on.
#23, Blue, laughed at how slow this dragon was. How on earth did they get such a fearsome reputation? Nimbly dodging another swipe of those massive claws, she ran a gloved hand through her hair and decided to mock him by jogging on the spot for a few seconds, her red sneakers scuffing against the bare stone of the cave floor. "C'mon, step it up! You'll never hit me if you move THAT slow!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, #22, Red, unleashed a volley from her twin guns before dashing in with the massive broadsword strapped to her back. Unfortunately, the gunfire had only served to infuriate the massive beast, and she caught a tailswipe that sent her tumbling across the cavern floor. Sliding to a stop next to #25, Yellow, she picked herself up and grinned. "Wow, this is one hell of a crazy party. You almost finished there, Yellow?"
#25 opened her eyes, sparks dancing between her fingers as she flexed them experimentally. "I think so. It took me a while to build up enough juice, but this should be enough to take that thing down. Mind getting his attention again?"
#22 laughed. "Sure, no problem. HEY SCALEFACE!". The dragon roared and swatted Blue and Black aside, advancing on the red-clad Copy-bot with murder in its' eyes. "Ready, Yellow?" A nod. "Okay then. 3....2....1....TAZE HIM, BRO!".
#25 responded to that with a withering glare, but did as asked. With a half-hearted mumble of "Pika...", a series of large cables sprang from her back and wrapped themselves around the dragon's forelegs before approximately 700,000 volts of pure electricity lanced through them. The cavern was briefly lit up as the dragon gave a final rage-filled howl of defiance, and then it collapsed, eyes rolled back into its' head.
#24 examined the beast briefly, nodding in satisfaction just as #26 returned with an armful of shovels, four other Copy-Bots behind her pushing large wheelbarrows. "Good. You're here. The dragon has been neutralised. Now, on to the treasure chamber. Remember, we are to leave nothing behind."
The comm on DrWilyII's desk beeped, and he tore his attention away from the catalogue he'd been browsing. Pushing the "Receive" button, he was pleased when #24's voice responded.
"Doctor, the mission is a success. The dragon has been safely neutralised and we have located the treasure chamber. I must ask though, are you certain you want us to take everything here?"
He failed to keep the irritation out of his voice. "#24, when I give you an order, I expect you to follow it! Now do as I told you and bring EVERYTHING in that room back with you!"
"Understood." #24 cut the connection and turned back to her colleagues, her professional demeanour cracking slightly. "Yep, that's what he wants."
The others all stood with incredulous looks on their faces, before #22 spoke up. "Oof, we've been given crappy jobs before, but this is just ridiculous. Y'know, why are we always the ones that have to do this? Why doesn't the old man ask-" She was cut off by a sharp glare from #24.
"You KNOW the Doctor has his favourite. Now stop asking pointless questions and grab a shovel. We have a job to do." #24 sighed. Sometimes she thought she wasn't getting paid enough for this. Or at all, really.
#57 re-entered the Doctor's office, holding a bundle under her arm. "The team you sent has returned and their....spoils....have been deposited into Test Chamber 3 as you requested. I also brought your bathing suit and fitted a diving board like you told me." She handed him a red-and-white striped old-timey Victorian bathing suit.
DrWilyII grinned. "Thank you, now please leave while I get changed." As the door slid shut behind her, he clapped his hands together in excitement. He'd always wanted to be like Scrooge McDuck.
In the hallway, #57 was stopped by #24, who simply asked "Should we tell him?"
#57 paused, and floated a thought across the wireless network. At length, a mischievous smile crept across the face of every Aile-bot in the base. Finally, a chance to get a little payback for the [parasitic bomb] the Doctor kept putting them through.
Lunamaria was still struggling to tie the apron on her godforsaken maid outfit, when a muffled-and distinctly MALE- scream of horror filtered through the airvents. She stopped. "Huh. Wonder what that was all about?[/spoiler]