Stayin' Alive (with an Evil Woman)

Aunt Clara lounges in a frilly something in the living room of the home beside the amusement park she once co-ran with her husband, Caps’ uncle Nat. She offers him some hot chocolate---“that IS what kids your age drink still, right?”---as well as her surprise to see a member of the family. “Don’t tell me your father’s decided to finally forgive his wanton sister!” she says. What a pistol, this woman.

Roger/ Caps only wants to tell her Uncle Nat is alive, which causes Clara to panic. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, familiar to the hidden Mega Man, comes back from the store with booze to share. He slaps Caps for frightening Clara, but Caps insists it’s true, and Mega Man comes into the room to prove it. He gives the a-hole boyfriend a taste of his own medicine before begging Clara to take him back. Caps wisely decides to call the police as Mega Man blasts the house.

The call sparks an emergency police broadcast, “intercepted by the alien circuits located in a certain human rocket’s helmet” as he searches for Caps. “Super villain” catches his attention, sparking the serious young man’s self-deprecating evaluation of his career.

One smashed window later he wallops Mega Man Kirby style, while MM protests this matter is private, with no clue that the house fire was personal to Nova. His control-of-environment powers create a shattering earthquake, followed by a stomp that drives Nova through to the funhouse below, which he activates while Nova shakes off pain, dizziness, and self-doubt. Now a multitude of Mega Man images blasts Nova in a mirrored maze. His attempt to evade nearly runs Nova smack into a blast: “y’know, I think I’m the ONLY hero who can KILL himself retreating!” Wisely evacuating from the target area, a foot-stomp breaks all the mirrors between him and Mega Man. The chase and battle continues through the funhouse, until Nova crashes up through the floor and starts laying into his foe, who he ironically says should say “uncle.”

Now the glow appears, and the creature, the molecular model, last Earthling of the distant future, beckons Mega Man. Now Caps truly believes the story of the Protector, but he and Nova can do nothing as he begs for help. He pleads with Clara, for whom he has returned, to say she loves him, but the creature is the only one who desires him. His pitiful last words vanish into bright light, then silence.
Caps is struck the being in fact loved his uncle...Nova, by the coldness of bitter Clara’s dismissal. Nova comforts Caps and himself as they fly away, with hope Mega Man “has walked out of hell---and stepped into paradise.”

and now...a dedication, from Nathan in Coney Island, to Clara...with "love" trapped in the future with an inhuman thing and no face....wish you were here.