Mega Man 1. Default Chapter

Mathematics of the soul   
  
_Where am I? What is this place? Who are these people that surround me_? The robot lifted a hand to its head and looked at the person in front of him and spoke in a mechanical voice, "Who are you?"   
  
The man looked at him while running a hand through his thick white beard, "I am Doctor Thomas Xavier Light." He glanced over to the short teenage girl that was the only other person in the room, "and this is my daughter Roll. How do you feel?"   
  
The robot blinked slowly, imitating some of Dr. Light's facial expressions as he thought the question over, "Insufficient data to respond." It tried to move and found that it was bound to the table tightly; its body might as well have been turned off.   
  
Dr. Light scratched his beard again, "Do you know your name?" The robot shook his head. Dr. Light sighed, "So Cossack was right, he does have no memory."   
  
Roll cleared her throat, "Dad?" her voice was tight in her throat, "Does this mean…?"   
  
"I'm afraid so," the doctor visibly sagged, "It seems I couldn't save anything." The robot saw a tear run down the man's cheek. "Damn you Albert, you didn't have to kill him." Roll took his arm gently and led him out of the room, leaving the robot alone.   
  
_Roll? Dr. Light? Who are they_? It pondered for a time before it heard a whistle then saw a bright stream of electric red light and it was no longer alone in the room.   
  
"So Dad did try to save you. I wonder how much of you is still in that thing my brother." He put a hand on the robot's chest, "Are you in there somewhere Rock?" he took his helmet off revealing a youthful face and a pair of hawk blue eyes. Setting the helmet down the newcomer left the room through the door.   
  
_Who-_ Before the question could even start to form he knew the answer _Protoman…Blues_. He played back what blues had said. _My name is Rock?_   
  
_NO!_ The thought was his but at the same time not his. _Never will I be that spineless brat. I am more than he ever will be_. For the first time in his existence he felt pain, and lots of it.   
  
My name is…   
  
The pain was building inside his head.   
  
_My…name…is…_   
  
He heard voices; saw snatches of forgotten memories that didn't belong to him. Images of a loving father that built him, images of a mechanical dog by his side because.   
  
***   
  
"Wily!" Rock had stopped Dr. Albert Wily's first attempt at taking over the world." He stood over Wily's unconscious body, his energy was nearly depleted in the fight and his body was on the verge of collapse but he had stopped this man's insanity.   
  
***   
  
It recognized this as one of his sadder memories, but it also recognized that the person he was then wasn't what he was now. Outside of the room he was in he could hear voices.   
  
"But why do you want to let him live?"   
  
"I already explained-"   
  
"You trust too easily dad! What if Bass is inside that thing still? What if he wants to kill you?"   
  
_Bass?_ It had no idea who this Bass was.   
  
"I have to take that chance then. The three laws are firmly in place so why are you worried?"   
  
"If you're going to do this," It heard a sigh, "I don't have to like it. You used what you found when Rock and Bass blew each other up to build this…this…" he saw blues storm in and grab his helmet, "If this thing so much as remotely looks like its going to hurt you shut it off. Dad I don't scare easy but this." Blues was gone in another stream of red light leaving this robot alone again. Sighing to itself it closed its eyes and had its first dream.   
  
***   
  
The two robots had just destroyed Wily's latest attempt at world conquest however each did it for their own reasons. Now that the mutual threat was finished the dark armored Bass turned to face the blue clad Light robot Rock in the middle of what remained of skull castle.   
  
"The time has finally come. Fight me Rock."   
  
Rock looked at him with open disbelief, "What are you talking about? Under these conditions Bass? We're both heavily damaged from the previous fights. We'll both have serious problems if we fight now." His statement was true; both of them had suffered heavy damage.   
  
"Don't worry I'll be ok." Bass grinned while trying to hide the pain that was shooting up his right arm, "Only you will be destroyed."   
  
"You don't get it Bass I don't want to fight you!" Rock was practically screaming at the other robot as he started to walk away.   
  
Bass pointed at Rock and formed his buster canon, "You have no choice; this is our fate. You can't escape." The black armored robot slid into a fighting stance.   
  
Rock turned to face Bass, "If this is truly what you want I will…" Rock's whole body shook he had finally reached his breaking point. "I will fight you!" The two charge at each other.   
  
***   
  
"Good morning." It opened its eyes and saw Roll's face. _The first time I've ever seen her smile to me_. He heard another voice in his head. _She's my sister damnit stop thinking like that! _   
  
"Think you can get up now," Roll's voice snapping him back to reality. It looked at Roll with a bit of skepticism; it had already tried to move before but to see that smile again. Slowly it started moving then sat up. As it tried to stand Roll offered a hand.   
  
"Thank you Roll" Its voice was smoother than the last time it spoke even if it was still a little mechanical sounding. "Where did Blues go?"   
  
Roll blinked, "You heard?"   
  
It nodded, "And I have a few memories up here." It tapped its left temple, brushing against deep purple hair in the process.   
  
"But dad said-" she looked at him with a mix of hope and disbelief.   
  
"I remember some things, but I am neither of those two." Who am I then? He took her hand and started walking with her through the levels of the lab, memory serving him well enough for him to get around without any help from Roll.   
  
***   
  
While they walked Dr light kept track of them via camera, "Blues is just overreacting again." He frowned and went back to his note pad, which was currently nearly full of designs for an experimental robot design he had been working on for years. Getting up to get some fresh air he picked the papers up and went to his safe and stuck them inside before going on his afternoon walk.   
  
***   
  
"Its not like Bass to stay gone this long" a burly goliath of a robot looked out of the one and only entrance to Wily's new fortress again.   
  
A metool drone walked up to the massive red and black robot and beeped softly to get its attention. "What?" the robot looked down and sighed, "What's the mad doctor want me for this time, parts, a bank to knock over, beer?"   
  
After a long walk the giant finally made it back to Wily's lab, "You sent for me?" he kneeled, however even kneeling he was still a good foot and a half taller than the man in front of him.   
  
"I have good news Gutsman." The man, well into old age and balding, he popped a champagne bottle open, "Its been blaring all over the networks, Megaman's dead." He raised the bottle, "Too bad I won't get a chance to piss on his grave for ruining my life!"   
  
"Are you sure this isn't a trick to get you to come out of hiding?" Gutsman stayed kneeled, he didn't want to risk damaging the ceiling again.   
  
"Positive, Tom wouldn't have let himself be seen like this in public unless it WERE real. The man's a pathetic actor." Wily drank from the bottle again. "That man treated that walking pile of bolts like it was his own son. HA! Imagine that!" He sat the bottle down roughly. "I won't move for another year or two anyway, my pet project's still a long way from being ready."   
  
Gutsman nodded once then got up to leave then stopped when he heard parking, "Gospel's back." As if on cue a massive purple mechanical wolf dog walked in, its serpentine like tail low though, its eyes sad.   
  
"What's eating you robo mutt?" Wily leaned closer when he saw the mechanical dog holding something in its mouth. "Drop it." Gospel did as he was told and Wily frowned at what he saw. Picking up the necklace he frowned, "He never would have let this be taken from him." His figures traced the heart shaped pendent dangling from the chain and hung his head, "He was always careless, apparently this time it bit off more than he could chew." He tossed the necklace away, Gospel grabbing it before disappearing in a trail of purple-white light.   
  
***   
  
_The robot now known as Jeric was laying in bed having the most wonderful dreams until… _   
  
"You going to get out of bed or am I going to have to sic Rush on you?" Roll smiled as she was about to whistle for the red robotic dog.   
  
"I'm up!" Jeric sat bolt upright in bed and rubbed his eyes, "Why did I ask you to wake me up?" he got out of bed and smoothed the wrinkles out of his cloths.   
  
"Ahem, you said you wanted to get a job today." She ruffled his hair, further making a mess out of it than it already was, "You do know dad won't be happy about this right?"   
  
"He's not my dad and he can get over it." Jeric looked down into Roll's eyes and hugged her.   
  
"Y-you really should go." where she human she would be blushing crimson about now.   
  
"Right thanks," he made his way out the room and to Dr. Light's office while trying to make his hair lay down._ Not even alive for two weeks and they've at least stopped acting like I was going to turn on them. That's good, I hope_.   
  
Reaching the office Jeric tapped on the door before entering, "Dr. Light? Hello?" the office lights where off, nobody else was in there. "Odd," Jeric frowned, "not like him to show up late. Oh well first time for everything." He sat down in Dr. Light's chair and propped his feet up on the man's desk.   
  
After a few minutes of relaxing Jeric felt a tap on his shoulder then a sigh, "Do you know how much that annoys me?" Dr. Light looked down at Jeric and sighed.   
  
Getting up Jeric sat down across from the older man's desk, "So what's this about Tom? I've got a job interview to go to in about ten minutes." He was genuinely angry, he knew how most people would likely see him if he was anything less than on the straight and narrow, and he honestly hated it.   
  
Dr. Light frowned, "You know, Rock would have nev-"   
  
"I'm not Rock, I'm not your kid, and I'm not your little gopher!" Jeric had put up with a lot since he'd been switched on, but this was too much for him to bear. "Now if that's all you've got me in here for than I'm outta here." Jeric stood and walked out of the door before disappearing in a stream of red light. Dr. light sighed as he went back to filing paperwork.   
  
***   
  
"Welcome to Big Eddie's, I'm Auto." A portly green and grey robot was practily beaming at Jeric as he walked in.   
  
Jeric was looking the well-appointed robotics shop over and picked up what looked like a sword hilt, "What's this?"   
  
"Oh that? That's something Dr. Cossack came up a few years ago, Ever watch star wars? Its like one of the light sabers from that. Only 1,000 Zenny."   
  
Jeric shrugged and put it down before turning back to the ever-eager Auto and smiled. "Any Job openings here? I heard from a friend that this would be a good place for me to work."   
  
"Oh we've ALWAYS got openings," Auto seemed to smile again despite the fact his face was ill built to convey emotion. "Hold on while I find an application," Auto walked to the back of the store.   
  
"Christ is he always that…perky?" Jeric was still looking the place over and spotted a stubby little robot no higher than his knee, and most of that height taken up by its head. "Eddy?" The Little robot beeped cheerfully as it walked towards him on its two stubby little legs.   
  
"I see you've met Eddy, Ain't he great?" Auto shoved a form under Jeric's nose, "here ya go!" He walked back to the counter. Jeric sighed and filled the form out then handed it back to Au  
  
to. Reading it Auto nodded slowly, "So you're a robot?" Jeric nodded slowly, "Great! Simply wonderful!" Auto glossed over the rest of the form, "can you start today?" Again Jeric nodded.   
  
"Wonderful!"   
  
_What have I just gotten myself into?_   
  
***   
  
Wily swore under his breath as he was working on the robots he had managed to salvage from his last set of failed plans. "Gutsman!" He looked over to see the massive red and black robot working on another robot, his giant hands working delicately on repairing the badly damaged armor.   
  
"What is it?" He glanced over to Wily as he put his tools down.   
  
"I've just realized what I've done wrong all these times. Why build eight robots that somehow are weak against each other when you can just upgrade a single robot to do the job?" He looked Gutsman over critically.   
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Gutsman was edging away as wily picked up a small handheld remote.   
  
"You will be my salvation my old friend." He punched in the code to shut the massive robot down. "You always yearned for more power, well you should have been more careful because that's exactly what I am going to give to you." With the help of several drones he cleared the largest worktable in the room and placed the inactive 'bot on it.   
  
***   
  
"Anything else before I head home Auto?" Jeric's first day on the job was interesting to say the least. In the few hours he was there as an employee he had taken inventory of the more expensive items in the store, swept, kept watch for shoplifters, and even had to break up a minor scuffle.   
  
Auto was thoughtful for a moment then nodded, "Nope, can't think of anything. Was going to close up anyhow see you tomorrow?"   
  
Jeric nodded at Auto's question, "Though I get aggravated of your perkiness you have always been a friend. I'd be glad to work here." He patted a very confused Auto on the shoulder before teleporting away.   
  
***   
  
"Dr. Light, Roll, I'm home!" Jeric walked through the front door and looked around. "Hello?" He saw a blinking light on the vid-phone. "Hmm, wonder who this is," he pushed a button causing the monitor to flare to life.   
  
"If its you Jeric," he saw the very worried face of Dr. Light, "I want you to stay in the lab till we get back."   
  
"Oh-Kay, what's this about?" Jeric looked at the monitor in puzzlement as the message continued.   
  
"I've received word from Blues that something has gone wrong at Dr. Cossack's lab. Lets hope that this isn't another one of Wily's plots. Take care and please watch over things till I return." The monitor shut off leaving Jeric slightly worried.   
  
_What game is Wily playing now?   
  
Old man if you wish a painful death then by all means continue with whatever it is you are doing_.   
  
"For once I agree with the both of you. I just wish I could get you two out of my head." Jeric went to Dr. Light's study to shake a few more memories out of these two voices while he had some privacy.   
  
***   
  
Roll materialized in the middle of a sparsely furnished room occupied by an aging scientist and his now full-grown daughter.   
  
At seeing the robotic young woman the man smiles, though most of it is hidden by his thick beard, "Its good to see you again Roll. What brings you to my corner of the world?"   
  
Roll blinked then looked at the scientist in confusion, "I thought you said that there was an emergency here."   
  
The man's daughter spoke up, "As far as I know of there isn't, who told you there was?"   
  
Roll pondered for a moment then took a step back, "Blues, no he wouldn't." she looked at the pair, "Dr. Cossack, Kilanka. I think I'd better go now. I'm sorry for worrying the both of you." she disappeared in a stream of red.   
  
***   
  
Meanwhile in Dr. Light's laboratory Jeric skimming through the good doctor's library to try to catch up on the past few years of history. Turning through the pages he smiles softly to himself. _Strange for a man like Dr. Light to keep around all these books when disks could hold all of this for allot longer and in a much smaller space. _   
  
"Lets see here," Jeric pulled out a thick leather bound book and looked it over. "Weird, no title, no publication date." He opens it and sees that everything's written in a weird form of shorthand.   
  
"Didn't dad teach you not to look in other people's things?"   
  
Jeric looked up from the book to see blues in the doorframe. "Well hello again to you Blues." he set the book down, "From what I've been told you hardly ever come around. So what's the occasion?" He takes a step back as blues pulls his helmet off.   
  
Smiling a little blues sits in a nearby chair, "I came to talk, what happens after that is completely up to you." he looks Jeric over briefly as he spoke, "How does it feel anyway?"   
  
"How does what feel?" Jeric looks at Blues in confusion.   
  
"That you where made as a replacement for my little brother." Blues sounded calm however his eyes showed pain at what he just said.   
  
"You mean?" A tear forms in the corner of one of Jeric's eyes, "No, Dad wouldn't ever do that," his voice changed, sounding more and more like Rock's with every word. "I know he wouldn't. Blues," Jeric fought to remain composed in front of the other bot. "Why are you telling me this?"   
  
Blues sighed, "I wanted to know how much of him was left in there." he watched Jeric with as much concern as he would have watched over Rock. "That's not right. I'm just, hell why am I even here? I never even sat down and talked with him yet this is eating away at me."   
  
"Talk to me Blues." Jeric got up and sat closer to Blues, "Tell me what's wrong."_ All those years of pain, Blues I am not your brother but I will try to be someone you can speak to. _   
  
The two looked at each other, one confused and hurt at the reasons he was built, the other hurt from having his brother ripped away from him.   
  
"Rock, I'm sorry I never got to say goodbye," Blues left in a stream of light, his helmet leaving in a smaller stream right after him leaving Jeric alone again.   
  
_For what its worth I think he knows. _   
  
***   
  
"Jeric?" Roll saw him in the library, apparently deep in thought. "Are you alright?" Anyone there could tell she was worried. _Did I get here before He did? Did he even come? _   
  
Jeric's eyes slowly opened, "Where's Dr. Light?" His voice sounded hallow, deadened, "I need to talk to him about something."   
  
"Um, I think he'll be back in a bit. You alright?" Roll went to him.   
  
_Why does she bother with this show? I know that I'm just here because nobody wanted to see poor little Rock die._   
  
Roll backed away from Jeric when she saw the look on his face, "Rush!" a bright red trail of light signaled the robotic dog's appearance. He looked at Jeric and started growling, "Watch him for me, but DON'T hurt him." _What's gotten into him? I thought he was happy_. Roll patted the dog's head then ran out of the lab.   
  
***   
  
"What now?!" Wily snapped the paper from the top of the little metool and scanned it over. "So we're running low on everything again, what ELSE is new?" he frowned and switched the newly upgraded Gutsman on.   
  
"What did you do," the massive robot looked his now entirely jet-black body over and dropped the question. After getting up and flexing his limbs Gutsman looked down at Dr. Wily, "Now what O Aged One?"   
  
"We've run into some supply problems and-"   
  
"And I need to go fetch you a few things right?" The juggernaut saw Wily nod. "Good, I want to test this new body out for myself," He stroked his chin, "but how to keep anyone from connecting it with you....?"   
  
Wily smiled up at the behemoth, "I have an idea."   
  
***   
  
When she got to the lab Roll went through to the security tapes. _Thank Kami we decided to start making these_, then she found the one she wanted and frowned when it started.   
  
_"How does it feel anyway?"   
  
"How does what feel?"   
  
"That you where made as a replacement for my little brother."_   
  
Hitting stop she frowned, "No wonder he looks this bad." She walked back into the library and sat down near Jeric, "Jeric."   
  
He grunted.   
  
"I heard what Blues said." Her voice sounded almost pleading, "It doesn't matter if that's why Dad built you. What matters is that you're here now." For all the effect her words were having she might as well have been talking to stone. "Say something."   
  
"…"   
  
Roll shook him, "Say something please."   
  
"…"   
  
Roll could hear the faint hum of his internal systems shutting down. "Say something!"   
  
Jeric opened his eyes partway and looked at her, "Soooommmeeettthhhiiinnnnggg." His slurred as the last of his systems shit down.   
  
***   
  
Dr. Light looked over Jeric as he replaced the chest plating, "I can't find a single thing wrong with him physically."   
  
"Dad haven't you been listening to me?" Roll looked at her father irritably, "Blues told him why you built him. He shut himself down!"   
  
Glancing at his 'daughter' Dr. Light shook his head, "I find that hard to believe. It would have violated the third law I programmed into him."   
  
"You think I don't know that?!" Roll looked down at Jeric and sighed, "Can you turn him back on?"   
  
"Yes of course I could, but what if he decides to shut himself off again?" Dr. Light looked worried. _What if he killed_?   
  
"I'm not going to let him just give up because we wanted him to be Rock." She grabbed Dr. Light's arm gently, " I think it best you get out of here when he wakes up. He trusts me, at least I think he does. Maybe I can talk some sense into him."   
  
"Give me a minute to make a few adjustments."   
  
***   
  
Miles away in body and light-years away in thought Blues sat alone in his modest home. _Why did I tell him, hell, why did I even go? I know he's not my brother no more than he is Wily's pawn_. A green humanoid robot knocked and started to come in only to hastily retreat when Blues threw a lamp at it. _Why did you have to make me feel emotions_?   
  
He clenched into a ball at the feeling deep inside his body. _Not…again…_ blue's fought through the haze of pain to drag himself to bed. _What's happening to me_?   
  
***   
  
_"Listen Blues, how do you feel? How's your body holding up?"   
  
"…"   
  
"You don't have to say anything. I know how you suffer my son. Your energy systems have developed a terrible defect. If they're not fixed soon I'm afraid you'll die. And I'm the only one who can fix you, seeing as I created you in the first place."   
  
"Don't worry about my problems. I know my body better than anybody else. And remember, I am and always will be unbeatable, remember that."   
  
"Don't talk like that blues. The war's over, lets go home and live together. Lets help keep the peace."   
  
"That's not my style. I don't need anybody!" He turned to go, "Nice chatting with you doc, but I've got some things to do. Later."   
  
As Blues left Dr. Light yelled, "Blues, Blues wait! You need to be repaired!" _   
  
***   
  
Blues snapped open his eyes and looked around the darkened room. _So arrogant, but I have to keep that image up don't I? He only means well, but what if he decided that he could try to 'fix' my freedom as well as this_? His body convulsed again, a shadow of what happened before._ Maybe he's wrong, maybe this is something I could fix myself_. He shook his head slowly. _No, that would mean going back to get a copy of my blueprints, tools, parts_, He _will be there…_   
  
***   
  
_Blues crept through the shattered corridors of Skull Castle. It was a habit of his to search through here after Wily escaped due mostly to the fact that Wily generally left a clue or three on were he was headed to next.   
  
"I will…I will fight you!" Blues heard the sound of plasma fire. What's this? Rock? Bass must be here too. Blues quietly hurried towards the noise. After a few minutes of near defining explosions there suddenly was complete quiet. By this time Blues found where Bass and Rock were fighting, though now only Bass was standing.   
  
"I told you," bass held onto one of his sides in an attempt to hide exposed circuits, "that only you would be destroyed."_   
  
No.   
  
_It seemed to happen in slow motion. Both robots aimed at each other._   
  
No!   
  
_Bass turned at the sound of Blues's whistle._   
  
NO!!!!!!   
  
_Blues fired, the massive ball of energy engulfed Bass's already critically damaged body, blowing what little life was left out of the black armored robot._   
  
Kami no. Not Rock. _He kneeled down beside Rock's body.   
  
"Blues?" Rock's voice sounded weak. "I'm sorry."   
  
"It's going to be ok," he started to pick Rock up. Maybe dad can do something. However Rock put a hand on his brother's arm.   
  
"I…tried…so…haaaaaaarrrrrrrddddddddd…" His voice slurred the final word as the last bits of energy winked out._   
  
Rock, you're not the one who has to be sorry.   
  
***   
  
Blues looked out of his window at the night sky and whispered softly, "Can you ever forgive me my brother?" He saw the stars twinkle down at him and sighed.   
  
***   
  
Jeric slowly started to realize he was awake again. He sat up in his bed and looked around the pitch-black room. "Why?" He pulled the covers away and looked down at himself. "Damn you why?!" he started sobbing, "Why did you make me if you just wanted HIM?!?!"   
  
He tossed on a fresh change of cloths and went to the living room. While he wandered through the halls he never knew that he was being watched. Dr Light looked at Jeric with a mix of frustration at his own failure to save what he considered his son and concern for the life that he had unintentionally brought into the world. Glancing over at Roll he nodded, "See if you can help him to understand."   
  
Jeric saw knew someone was there watching him but he didn't look up from the book he was reading. "Roll, I know you're there." She blinked and sat down in a nearby chair, picking up the remote as she did so to turn the TV on.   
  
"This is GNB's correspondent Will Larson reporting…" Roll gasped, "Oh my…." She saw what was left of Nagasaki.   
  
"What? What is it?" Jeric looked then frowned at what he saw. Who would do such a thing? _Why?_ They watched the camera's take in the mass destruction of the bustling trade city. _All those people._   
  
"…Repots are still sketchy at best but estimated losses are coming in around…" Jeric tuned the TV out of his head.   
  
He sat there, all emotion gone from him, as Roll got up and ran to get Dr. Light. Minutes passed by as what he was watching soaked into his mind. After awhile he noticed Dr. Light's hand on his shoulder. "Dad," again he sounded like Rock, "I have to do something to help."   
  
Dr light blinked away tears as he watched, "I know…"   
  
Most of the world saw the same images of Nagasaki's ruin. Everyone wanted to blame the Arabs of this but at the same time everyone knew that the usual suspects had no motive in this crime.   
  
***   
  
"Excellent work Gutsman," Wily was practily bubbling over with excitement, "Not only did you manage to test your own capabilities but you also managed to resupply me." Wily's ancient face was beaming as he was sorting through what the massive robot made off with.   
  
"All that you need…" Gutsman said absently while heading back outside of skull castle. _I know he will try to discard me after he believes my usefulness to him is done. Yet at the same time I know he will be watchful of my actions_. He opened an access panel in the wall and stepped through to his, for lack of a better word, simi-privet quarters.   
  
Inside was a simple recharging unit, a few basic tools, and oddly enough a painters easel complete with half finished painting and jars of unopened paint to one side of it. Gutsman smiled when he saw half finished painting, a picture of two old Roman gladiators fighting.   
  
"Yes the joys of art." He sighed contently and uncapped several jars then began to paint.   
  
***   
  
A few miles away a purple robotic dog again circled Skull castle. By the way it moved anyone who knew animals, or the robotic equivalent thereof, would tell that gospel was tense.   
  
He is never gone this long from here.   
  
Gospel completed another pass then stopped at what he picked up.   
  
_"Gospel."_   
  
One of his ears twitched irritably and he continued walking.   
  
_"I know you can hear me."_   
  
The robotic wolf dog stopped._ Bass?   
  
"In a sense yes. In another no."   
  
You never were this enigmatic before, and where are you anyway?   
  
"If you are haring this then I am likely dead." Gospel heard a sigh, "I know I was hard on you, and I know you could understand more than either Wily or myself let on so I made this as my final message to you my faithful companion…"_   
  
***   
  
Roll had just helped a team of medics load the last human survivors up. Glancing around before she left she sighed, "Why do they do these things to each other?"   
  
Jeric sighed as he lowered the support beam he was holding, "I have no clue. But Whoever this was will be found." He looked around again, "Well this place is clear, go on to the next or should we make another sweep?"   
  
"We've checked this place several times. More so than any other building we've been in, and on your say so too. Any reason why?" She glanced at the taller robot. _At least he's not hating himself now, I just wish it didn't take the destruction of a city to do it._   
  
"I keep feeling we're overlooking something here, but I can't put my finger on it." Jeric sighed.   
  
Roll approached him slowly, "Well we've been working all day, and I don't know about you but I need some rest."   
  
Nodding slowly Jeric looked down at her, "Home." They both disappeared in trails of red light.   
  
***   
  
Dr. Light looked up from the half completed robot he had been working on for the past three hours. Frowning to himself he walked out of the room and waited for the heavy vault-like doors to finish locking before turning in for a few hours sleep. _Admit it, your working yourself too hard Tom. _   
  
He woke to find himself being carried by roll towards his room. "When'd you get back?" His voice sounded tired.   
  
"I'm taking you to bed, you've been up for the past two days." She shifted his weight in her arms gently and started humming. Soon she had him tucked in bed and was just about to shut the door when she saw a momentary eclipse in the hall's light. Turning around she saw a massive purple and grey robotic wolf dog. It looked up at her and wagged its tail slowly.   
  
"What are you doing here?" She kneeled to get at eye level to him and smiled. Gospel slowly walked towards her and dropped small gold necklace at her feet and whined.   
  
"I know he's gone." She rubbed the tears away from her eyes before they finished forming, "Do you want to stay here?" The dog nuzzled her now outstretched hand.   
  
Taking this for a yes Roll led Gospel to her own rooms, "Wait here," quickly she made her way to Jeric's room and knocked.   
  
"Just a sec." She heard the sounds of things being put away before his door opened, "What is it?"   
  
"I want to show you something." Gently she took one of his hands and let her back to her room. "I don't want you making a sound." Jeric nodded slowly, curious as to what was going on then started backing away when he saw what was inside.   
  
"Gospel."   
  
_Bass?_ Gospel sniffed the air. Who, or I should ask what, are you?   
  
Roll looked from one robot to the other then back. "I just thought you might have wanted to see him," it was unclear to either of the two who that was meant for.   
  
Slowly Jeric kneeled, "Gospel, I know I am not the one you were meant for, but please listen to me." Gospel waited patiently, "Whatever pain you might feel for failing me," his voice was sounding more and more like Bass with every word, "don't. I knew the risks and willingly accepted them."   
  
_You never seemed to care about how I felt before._   
  
"Yes but here," He glanced up at Roll, "I've had a chance to do some thinking without Wily interrupting me." He stood and patted Gospel's head, "I learned why Rock had always been able to beat me."   
  
_Why is that?_   
  
"He fought to protect those he cared for." He sighed and looked down at the floor, "I only fought to win."   
  
_So you finally took Blue's hint?_   
  
"Something like that yea," he patted gospel, "You'd better make yourself scarce. Wouldn't want Rush to spot you running around."   
  
_We'd worked our differences out, remember?_   
  
"Still, I thought he wouldn't be this hateful to me, but he is. Don't want to take any chances." Jeric stood and turned to go, "Thank you Roll." Roll and Gospel exchanged glances before the robo dog left in a familiar purple trail of light.   
  
"As if life here wasn't weird enough." Roll sighed and went to bed. _Something to talk to dad about tomorrow I guess_.   
  
***   
  
"Morning Jeric," Auto was practically glowing with joy, as he was every morning. "Glad to see your feeling better."   
  
Jeric waved a hand dismissively and started going through the store's books, "Same here Auto," He frowned thoughtfully, "Has there been anybody buying from here that's wanted to keep it off the record?"   
  
"No, why?" Auto frowned.   
  
"Just a hunch on something, probably won't amount to peanuts though." Jeric kept thumbing through expense records though. _It would be easy enough for him to send somebody in here though. Just come in, ask a few questions to keep Auto off guard, buy a few parts, 'just for curiosity's sake', and leave.   
  
"Ah well, we're about to open so it'll have to wait." Auto lumbered behind the counter, "By the way did you ever find out who's been stealing our memory chips?"   
  
Jeric grinned, "Yea, right now they're probably wishing they'd tried to pull a fast one over radio shack instead," He chuckles at the memory. "It did feel good bringing them in though."   
  
Auto nodded, "How many did you find while you were….out there?"   
  
"A few injured. Mostly just people too scared to come back out." He turned away from the other robot, "Considering some of the stories that I've heard from the survivors I don't blame them." Glancing over to the front doors he smiles, "Customer."   
  
"Hi welcome to big eddies, anything I can do for you?"   
  
***   
  
"What am I doing wrong here?" Dr. Light looked the robotic body over while trying to pin down a glitch. Glancing over at the monitor next to his workbench he saw the code the new 'brain' was going to run.   
  
"Don't know," He closed the access panel in the chest cavity and started looking the monitor over, scratching his beard occasionally.   
  
He turned as he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye and gasped. Blues was lying on the floor gasping.   
  
"Doc...." his body was emitting a faint hum while sparks danced around an open panel in his side.   
  
"Blues!" Any weariness Dr. Light felt was gone in an instant at the sight. "Don't speak." He went to get his work in progress off the table. __It's happened. I was hoping all these years I was wrong, but...my son...not you too. _   
  
Quickly, surprisingly so for a man of his age, he got Blues on his worktable and started to go to shut his power off when a red gloved hand stopped him. "No. Please..."   
  
"Why Blues? I only want to help you." Regardless he set the tool down.   
  
"Don't want...anyone..." Blues voice was fading.   
  
"Why son?" A tear ran down his cheek.   
  
Blues slowly lifted his hand to his visor and pushed the button to make it slide back into his helmet, revealing piercingly blue eyes. Right now those normally hidden eyes were going dim, "I want to die as I lived." it was apparent to Dr. Light that he was struggling to keep talking. "I want to go on my own terms."   
  
Dr. Light only nodded as the last of Blues's power ran dry. _You may hate me for this my son, but I will not let you down_. Quietly he begin working to repair his first-born.   
  
***   
  
Jeric and just finished the end-of-shift inventory when he first noticed something. Setting down his clipboard and electronic pin Jeric sat down to try and pay closer attention to what was starting to go on inside his body. At first it was only a slight hiccup in one of his twin processors, but then it started eating away at more of his memory.   
  
He attempted to pin down what exactly was drawing in his internal resources, but by that time it was becoming apparent that even if he spotted it sooner it wouldn't have stopped. Just before his vision went black he thought he saw a ghostly image of Blues superimposed on the chair beside him.   
  
***   
  
_Black.   
  
Endless fields of nothingness.   
  
White.   
  
A flash of existence in the void._   
  
Where is this place?_ Blues was in and endless expanse of black. His body was stripped away from him, leaving only his mind to wonder.   
  
Alone._   
  
Am I dead? _He started to think back on his life, his family, and finally his brother.   
  
Rock._   
  
So innocent to take the burden which should have been mine to hold._ The void around him seemed to change. He felt himself being watched by something beyond the blackness.   
  
The void around him remains silent._   
  
Answer me damn you. I know you're out there.   
  
_He saw a blue clad figure walking towards him._   
  
Rock! _Blues looked at his brother's face, in his eyes, looking at his own reflection in those eyes.   
  
Blues. It's been too long._   
  
You could say that. Guess this means I'm dead then. _The two robots looked at each other, neither having physical form yet retaining every characteristic of their remembered bodies.   
  
My time's past brother. However you still have a way back._   
  
How? _Then at the voicing of his question he saw a momentary flash. Dr. Light standing over his prone body, working franticly to repair it_. NO! I don't want to go back! Not like that….   
  
_Why blues? He blames himself for what happened to me. One of us needs to be there for him.   
  
Blues remained silent even as emptiness around him started to fade as his power finally gave out completely. _   
  
***   
  
"I know you won't remember me saying this Blues, but I'm sorry..." Dr. Light opened up the access panels in Blues's head and attached a large scanning device.   
  
Roll walked in quietly, "How is he?" Anyone looking could tell she had been crying recently.   
  
He nodded to himself as the scans started and looked his daughter over. "He'll be fine when I reactivate him, angry to be sure, but otherwise he will be just fine."   
  
"Then why are you taking scans of his brain?" Roll got closer to the equipment and looked the readouts over, something out of habit probably.   
  
Dr. Light put a hand on her shoulder and looked at the readouts himself. "I'm doing this because I want my newest work to be able to emulate the human brain even more than yours does." Tapping a few buttons he continued his explaining, "Blues is already so close to being human, mentally speaking, that I thought that..."   
  
"…Taking pictures of his brain would help cut down the amount of time on him?" Roll pointed to the inactive form laying on the floor in the far corner of the workroom.   
  
Dr. Light nodded, "Please don't be angry with me Roll."   
  
Whatever she was about to say was cut off by the ring of Dr. Light's phone. Picking it up he tried to sound like his normal jovial self. "Hello?...This is he...yes..." His voice started to sound worried, "I'd have to take a look at him myself...no, your not in any sort of danger....Yes I'll send somebody to pick him up...right away sir."   
  
Slowly, as he hung the phone up, he looked at Roll, "Jeric's...something's happened to him. They don't know what, but Auto said he found him in the back on the floor."   
  
"Is he?" She sounded worried.   
  
Light shook his head, "I'm not sure, but I will do everything I can to put him right again. What I need is for you to go and get him."   
  
He watched as Roll nodded to herself and left.   
  
***   
  
_Where? Who_? The world around Jeric started to come back into focus as his body was starting to come back under his own control. Off to one side of him he saw Auto talking to, from the looks of the uniform he wore, a policeman.   
  
_What happened_? Jeric started to try to sit up but thought better of it when everything started going out of focus again.   
  
"Hey, that…he's moving." The human speaking to Auto tried to keep from running.   
  
Auto kneeled over Jeric and nodded as he saw that everything started to look normal with him again. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be alright." He patted Jeric's head and turned to the cop, "What's wrong?"   
  
"I…uh…Sorry, just not that comfortable." The man sighed, "Just some bad memories, that's all. Slowly he edged back into the room, obviously still reluctant to get any closer than he was before, then nearly jumped out of his skin as somebody tapped him on the shoulder from behind.   
  
_Roll you little trickster_. Jeric smiled slowly, for that was as fast as he could do anything right now, at Roll.   
  
"W-who?" The man turned and saw Roll standing behind him as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "You're here for him?" The man pointed.   
  
"How is he Auto?" She got closer to Jeric and looked him over.   
  
The large green robot helped her pick Jeric up, "He's fine right now, but I don't know what caused him to black out like that. One minute he was fine, next it was like something inside him broke."   
  
She turned her head and looked at him carefully, "What?"   
  
By now they both came to the car Roll drove there in and put Jeric in the back seat. "I'm not sure, but something made him lock up." He looked the car over then put a hand on the passenger side front door and leaned over, "Why didn't you just teleport yourself in? It would have been quicker."   
  
She started the ignition and glanced over at Auto, "I didn't know what it would be like when I landed. Didn't want to accidentally land inside of something, or someone."   
  
"I see your point…" Auto nodded slowly and waddled back to his store. "Call me when Tom finds what happened kay?"   
  
***   
  
Wily smiled as he secured the last memory chips into his creation. "Almost," His hand jittered as the chip lowered into place. "Yes!" The old man momentarily congratulated himself then stood up to admire the secondary memory unit he had just finished.   
  
"Now then, my OTHER project." He looked over to the computer terminal and tapped a few keys to bring up the programming. "They call me mad, maybe so, but I'm still a genius. With this, even IF whatever Light throws at this bot manages to kill it my virus will take turn his own creation against him." The aged scientist laughed at the irony of it. "I almost wish that the body I prepared wasn't this well built. It would be worth it to see the look on Tom's face when his own 'child' guts him like a fish!"   
  
"Sir?" Gutsman gently tapped on the lab door.   
  
"What is it?!" Wily came back to reality and glared at the massive robot.   
  
Gutsman walked in, avoiding various pieces of delicate equipment along the way, and looked Wily in the eyes. "I won't go through that again."   
  
"Are you STILL whining about that 'pain' in your generators?" He was starting to get irritated, that was the fifth time since his last raid that the newly upgraded robot had complained about his systems. "And I suppose you think it's because of that EMP generator I had strapped to your back too." He noticed the look on Gutsman's face and sighed, "Alright! Get on the table. I'll see if I can find anything wrong with you." Growling to himself he waited for the behemoth to get settled then started his scans.   
  
***   
  
Why Tom?" Blues was sitting up on Dr. Light's work bench examining his body. "I told you not to try to fix me, so why did you?"   
  
Dr. Light sighed, "I couldn't just let you die on me." He sat beside Blues, "Whatever you may think of me I consider you my son."   
  
Glaring at his creator Blues bit down the urge to verbaly rip him apart. After a few moments he took a breath, "If you loved me like you said you did why did you not try to look for me? Why did you constaintly send Rock against impossable odds if he's a son to you? How could you? What kind of father are you if you need no pushing or prodding to send us out to clean up your mistakes?" Blues put a hand up to silence Dr. Light before he could answer, "Don't answer. You made the others to be nothing more than slaves. I don't want to hear your excuses anyway, unless you put something in me to keep me here I'm leaving." he hopped off the table then went to go find his shield.   
  
Minutes later Blues storms back in and throws his shield through a computer moniter next to his creator. Dr. Light shielded his face with his arm, "What are you doing?!"   
  
"Why?!" He retrieves the shield and flips it so that Dr. Light can see the underside of it, as well as the lack of anything other than the hand hold for it. "WHY DID YOU REMOVE IT!?" He takes a breath to try to calm himself, "Where did you put the teleport drive for this? Why did you even touch it?" With each word he inched closer to Dr. Light's face. "Why don't you want me to have my freedom?"   
  
"Blues, please listen." Dr. Light tried to back away from those piercing blue eyes. "I did that so that I could be sure that everything was working fine. I know you, even if you were dying you wouldn't admit you had a problem. I don't quite understand why you came here at all if you hate me as much as you do." he looks down at the floor, "I've made mistakes in the past. Trusting William, letting myself believe that you didn't survive that accident, letting the world make me out to be something other than I am." He wiped his eyes clear, "Each time your brother left to go fight a part of me always went with him. I always was afraid that the inevetable would happen. Don't judge me, I'm just as bad as Will is....worse even. The whole world hates him. In everybody's eyes I can do no wrong."   
  
Blues's anger softened, but only just barely, as he turned to go. "In that case I can do nothing that hasn't already been done. Just don't get it into your head to try to make me his replacement around here." He walks off.   
  
***   
  
While Roll was driving Jeric started to sit up, "Where am I?"   
  
Slowing down the car she glanced in the rear view mirror at him, "You alright?" She sounded worried, "What happened?"   
  
"I...I don't know." That was a lie and he knew it, but he didn't want to tell her what he saw till he himself could figure it out. "Its over with for now, and I don't think Tom would find anything wrong with me." He slowly flexed each of his joints.   
  
After a few more minutes they god stuck in traffic. Roll frowned and flipped the radio on then started flipping through stations. Glancing back she saw that Jeric appeared to be alright now, but still she was worried about him. "Jeric?"   
  
"Hm?" He looked from the back window to the back of her seat.   
  
She took a breath,_ Ok girl, bite the bullet and come out with it_, "How much do you remember? From who?"   
  
Jeric frowned, "Actually I've never thought about it. I only seem to really remember those other lives when I sleep," He blushed at a few of those memories.   
  
Not missing the look on his face Roll also blushed, "then you know what happened?" _Why did I even let him anyway? I knew he didn't really care_. "But do you remember anything that went through his head?"   
  
To try to stall for time Jeric glanced at the traffic in front of them. After a bit he nodded, "He cared about you. He never admitted it to himself but he did," noting the rlook of joy on her face he continues, "and Roll, maybe thats why I care. Why I want to hold you, wrap my arms around you, protect you from whatever Wily'll come up with next." He look at her hoping for the best.   
  
"I..." Her cheeks were bright red. The rest of the ride went in silence. _Would it be wrong if I loved him? He's partly my brother....but he's not Rock. I can't ask dad because he's got his own problems. Kami help me._   
  



	2. Revisions

Mathematics of the soul   
  
_Where am I? What is this place? Who are these people_? The robot lifted a hand to its head and looked at the person in front of him and spoke in a mechanical voice, "Who are you?"   
  
The man looked at him while running a hand through his thick white beard, "I am Doctor Thomas Xavier Light." He glanced over to the short teenage girl that was the only other person in the room, "and this is my daughter Roll. How do you feel?"   
  
The robot blinked slowly, imitating some of Dr. Light's facial expressions as he thought the question over, "Who are you?" It tried to move and found that it was bound to the table tightly; its body might as well have been turned off.   
  
Dr. Light scratched his beard again, "Do you know your name?" The robot shook his head. Dr. Light sighed, "Run diagnostics on his backup memory." The two of them moved around the robot, opening panels, poking around with different instruments.   
  
Frowning he swore into his beard, "At best only a partial recovery...nowhere near enough to do a rebuild from."   
  
Roll's voice was tight in her throat when she finally spoke, "Does this mean…?"   
  
"I'm afraid so," Dr. Light visibly sagged, "Rock's dead..." The robot saw a tear run down the man's cheek. "I'm sorry." Roll took his arm gently and led him out of the room, leaving the robot alone.   
  
Roll? Dr. Light? Who are they? It pondered for a time before it heard a whistle then saw a bright stream of electric red light and it was no longer alone in the room.   
  
"So Dad did try to save you. I wonder how much of you is still in that thing my brother." He put a hand on the robot's chest, "Are you in there somewhere Rock?" he took his helmet off revealing a youthful face and a pair of hawk blue eyes. Setting the helmet down the newcomer left the room through the door.   
  
_Who-_ Before the question could even start to form he knew the answer Protoman…Blues. He played back what blues had said. _My name is Rock?_   
  
_NO!_   
  
The thought was his but at the same time not his. Never will I be that spineless brat. _I am more than he ever was_. Its mind felt like it was warring with itself over the question.   
  
_My name is…_   
  
The pain was building inside the robot's head.   
  
_My…name…is…_   
  
He heard voices; saw snatches of forgotten memories that didn't belong to him. Images of a loving father that built him, the caring sister that was always by his side, the enigmatic brother that came and went at a whim.   
  
It also started to recall other things.   
  
***   
  
_"Get up!"_   
  
It knew this to be nothing but a memory yet flinched at the sound of the harsh voice.   
  
_In the memory he stood slowly and looked down at the black armor that covered its body. Slowly it put a hand to the gem-like object that seemed imbedded in the chest armor.   
  
"Look at me when I address you!" He instantly snapped to attention, spine unnaturally straight, eyes locked on the human in front of him.   
  
"Good, Now state your name and function for me."   
  
A brief pause while he consulted his memory units gave him the needed information. "I am Bass. My directives are as follows. Directive One; Destroy the android known as Rock, AKA Megaman. Directive Two; Survive at all costs. Directive Three-"   
  
"ENOUGH!" The old man's shriveled face twisted into something of a smile as Bass immediately was quietly. "Good, Now then what is this?" The old man pointed to a good sized purple and silver robotic dog.   
  
"Gospel," No hesitation on Bass's part in answering this time.   
  
"Now...to begin your training," The old man started to move, but now the whole scene started to feel the part of the memory it actually was._   
  
***   
  
Memory stopped as voices outside   
  
"But why do you want to let him live?"   
  
"I already explained-"   
  
"You...YOU!"   
  
It heard a sigh, ". You used what you found when Rock and Bass blew each other up to build this…this…" he saw Blues storm in and grab his helmet, "Tom, I don't approve of this. You should have let him stay dead." Blues was gone in another stream of red light leaving this robot alone again. Sighing to itself it closed its eyes and had its first dream.   
  
***   
  
_The two robots had just destroyed Wily's latest attempt at world conquest however each did it for their own reasons. Now that the mutual threat was finished the dark armored Bass turned to face the blue clad Light robot Rock in the middle of what remained of skull castle.   
  
"The time has finally come. Fight me Rock."   
  
Rock looked at him with open disbelief, "What are you talking about? Under these conditions Bass? We're both heavily damaged from the previous fights. We'll both have serious problems if we fight now." His statement was true; both of them had suffered heavy damage.   
  
"Don't worry I'll be ok." Bass grinned while trying to hide the pain that was shooting up his right arm; "Only you will be destroyed."   
  
"You don't get it Bass I don't want to fight you!" Rock was practically screaming at the other robot as he started to walk away.   
  
Bass pointed at Rock and formed his buster canon, "You have no choice; this is our fate. You can't escape." The black armored robot slid into a fighting stance.   
  
Rock turned to face Bass, "If this is truly what you want I will…" Rock's whole body shook he had finally reached his breaking point. "I will fight you!" The two charge at each other._   
  
***   
  
"Hello there." It opened its eyes, only realizing at that moment that it had gone into the robotic equivalent of sleep, and saw Roll's face. _The first time I've ever seen her smile to me_. He heard another voice in his head. _She's my sister damnit stop thinking like that_!   
  
"Think you can get up now," Roll's voice snapping the foreign thoughts shut. It looked at Roll with a bit of skepticism; it had already tried to move before with little success, but to see that smile again it was willing to do anything. Slowly it started moving then sat up, as it tried to stand Roll offered a hand.   
  
"Thank you Roll" Its voice was smoother than the last time it spoke even if it was still a little mechanical sounding. "Where did Blues go?"   
  
Roll blinked, "You heard?"   
  
It nodded, "And I have a few memories up here." It tapped its left temple, brushing against deep purple hair in the process.   
  
"How much is in there then?" Her question sounded friendly but at the same time urgent.   
  
"I remember some things, but I am neither of those two." _Who am I then_? It took her hand and started walking with her through the levels of the lab, his body functioning well enough by this point for it to need little support from Roll to walk.   
  
***   
  
While they walked Dr light kept track of them via camera, "Blues is just overreacting again." He frowned and went back to his note pad, which was currently nearly full of designs for an experimental robot design he had been working on for years. Getting up to get some fresh air he picked the papers up and went to his safe and stuck them inside before going on his afternoon walk.   
  
***   
  
"Its not like Bass to stay gone this long" a burly goliath of a robot looked out of the one and only entrance to Wily's new fortress again.   
  
A metool drone walked up to the massive red and black robot and beeped softly to get its attention. "What?" the robot looked down and sighed, "What's the mad doctor want me for this time, parts, a bank to knock over, beer?"   
  
After a long walk the giant finally made it back to Wily's lab, "You sent for me?" he kneeled, however even kneeling he was still a good foot and a half taller than the man in front of him.   
  
"I have good news Gutsman." The man, well into old age and balding, he popped a champagne bottle open, "Its been blaring all over the networks, Megaman's dead." He raised the bottle, "Too bad I won't get a chance to piss on his grave for ruining my life!"   
  
"Are you sure this isn't a trick to get you to come out of hiding?" Gutsman stayed kneeled, he didn't want to risk damaging the ceiling again.   
  
"Positive, Tom wouldn't have let himself be seen like this in public unless it WERE real. The man's a pathetic actor." Wily drank from the bottle again. "That man treated that walking pile of bolts like it was his own son. HA! Imagine that!" He sat the bottle down roughly. "I won't move for another year or two anyway, my pet project's still a long way from being ready."   
  
Gutsman nodded once then got up to leave then stopped when he heard parking, "Gospel's back." As if on cue a massive purple mechanical wolf dog walked in, its serpentine like tail low though, its eyes sad.   
  
"What's eating you robo mutt?" Wily leaned closer when he saw the mechanical dog holding something in its mouth. "Drop it." Gospel did as he was told and Wily frowned at what he saw. Picking up the necklace he frowned, "He never would have let this be taken from him." His figures traced the heart shaped pendent dangling from the chain and hung his head, "He was always careless, apparently this time it bit off more than he could chew." He tossed the necklace away, Gospel grabbing it before disappearing in a trail of purple-white light.   
  
***   
  
_The robot now known as Jeric was laying in bed having the most wonderful dreams until…_   
  
"You going to get out of bed or am I going to have to sic Rush on you?" Roll smiled as she was about to whistle for the red robotic dog.   
  
"I'm up!" Jeric sat bolt upright in bed and rubbed his eyes, "Why did I ask you to wake me up?" he got out of bed and smoothed the wrinkles out of his cloths.   
  
"Ahem, you said you wanted to get a job today." She ruffled his hair, further making a mess out of it than it already was, "You do know dad won't be happy about this right?"   
  
"He's not my dad and he can get over it." Jeric looked down into Roll's eyes and hugged her.   
  
"Y-you really should go." where she human she would be blushing crimson.   
  
"Right thanks," he made his way out the room and to Dr. Light's office while trying to make his hair lay down.   
  
Reaching the office Jeric tapped on the door before entering, "Dr. Light? Hello?" the office lights where off, nobody else was in there. "Odd," Jeric frowned, "not like him to show up late. Oh well first time for everything." He sat down in Dr. Light's chair and propped his feet up on the man's desk.   
  
After a few minutes of relaxing Jeric felt a tap on his shoulder then a sigh, "Do you know how much that annoys me?" Dr. Light looked down at Jeric and sighed.   
  
Getting up Jeric sat down across from the older man's desk, "So what's this about Tom? I've got a job interview to go to in about ten minutes." He was genuinely angry, he knew how most people would likely see him if he was anything less than on the straight and narrow, and he honestly hated it.   
  
Dr. Light frowned, "You know, Rock would have nev-"   
  
"I'm not Rock, I'm not your kid, and I'm not your little gopher!" Jeric had put up with a lot since he'd been switched on, but this was too much for him to bear. "Now if that's all you've got me in here for than I'm outta here." Jeric stood and walked out of the door before disappearing in a stream of red light. Dr. light sighed as he went back to filing paperwork.   
  
***   
  
"Welcome to Big Eddie's, I'm Auto." A portly green and grey robot was practily beaming at Jeric as he walked in.   
  
Jeric was looking the well-appointed robotics shop over and picked up what looked like a sword hilt, "What's this?"   
  
"Oh that? That's something Dr. Cossack came up a few years ago, Ever watch star wars? Its like one of the light sabers from that. Only 1,000 Zenny."   
  
Jeric shrugged and put it down before turning back to the ever-eager Auto and smiled. "Any Job openings here? I heard from a friend that this would be a good place for me to work."   
  
"Oh we've ALWAYS got openings," Auto seemed to smile again despite the fact his face was ill built to convey emotion. "Hold on while I find an application," Auto walked to the back of the store.   
  
"Kari is he always that…perky?" Jeric was still looking the place over and spotted a stubby little robot no higher than his knee, and most of that height taken up by its head. "Eddy?" The Little robot beeped cheerfully as it walked towards him on its two stubby little legs.   
  
"I see you've met Eddy, Ain't he great?" Auto shoved a form under Jeric's nose, "here ya go!" He walked back to the counter. Jeric sighed and filled the form out then handed it back to Auto.   
  
Reading it Auto nodded slowly, "So you're a robot?" Jeric nodded slowly, "Great! Simply wonderful!" Auto glossed over the rest of the form, "can you start today?" Again Jeric nodded.   
  
"Wonderful!"   
  
_What have I just gotten myself into_?   
  
***   
  
Wily swore under his breath as he was working on the robots he had managed to salvage from his last set of failed plans. "Gutsman!" He looked over to see the massive red and black robot working on another robot, his giant hands working delicately on repairing the badly damaged armor.   
  
"What is it?" He glanced over to Wily as he put his tools down.   
  
"I've just realized what I've done wrong all these times. Why build eight robots that somehow are weak against each other when you can just upgrade a single robot to do the job?" He looked Gutsman over critically.   
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Gutsman was edging away as wily picked up a small handheld remote.   
  
"You will be my salvation my old friend." He punched in the code to shut the massive robot down. "You always yearned for more power, well you should have been more careful because that's exactly what I am going to give to you." With the help of several drones he cleared the largest worktable in the room and placed the inactive 'bot on it.   
  
***   
  
"Anything else before I head home Auto?" Jeric's first day on the job was interesting to say the least. In the few hours he was there as an employee he had taken inventory of the more expensive items in the store, swept, kept watch for shoplifters, and even had to break up a minor scuffle.   
  
Auto was thoughtful for a moment then nodded, "Nope, can't think of anything. Was going to close up anyhow see you tomorrow?"   
  
Jeric nodded at Auto's question, "Though I get aggravated of your perkiness you have always been a friend. I'd be glad for the work." He patted the very confused 'bot on the shoulder before walked out..   
  
***   
  
"Dr. Light, Roll, I'm home!" Jeric walked through the front door and looked around. "Hello?" He saw a blinking light on the vid-phone. "Hmm, wonder who this is," he pushed a button causing the monitor to flare to life.   
  
"If its you Jeric," he saw the very worried face of Dr. Light, "I want you to stay in the lab till we get back."   
  
"Oh-Kay, what's this about?" Jeric looked at the monitor in puzzlement as the message continued.   
  
"I've received word from Blues that something has gone wrong at Dr. Cossack's lab. Lets hope that this isn't another one of Wily's plots. Take care and please watch over things till I return." The monitor shut off leaving Jeric slightly worried.   
  
_What game is Wily playing now?   
  
Old man if you wish a painful death then by all means continue with whatever it is you are doing._   
  
"For once I agree with the both of you. I just wish I could get you two to shut up." Jeric went to Dr. Light's study to shake a few more memories out of these two voices while he had some privacy.   
  
***   
  
Roll materialized in the middle of a sparsely furnished room occupied by an aging scientist and his now full-grown daughter.   
  
At seeing the robotic young woman the man smiles, though most of it is hidden by his thick beard, "Its good to see you again Roll. What brings you to my corner of the world?"   
  
Roll blinked then looked at the scientist in confusion, "I thought you said that there was an emergency here."   
  
The man's daughter spoke up, "As far as I know of there isn't, who told you there was?"   
  
Roll pondered for a moment then took a step back, "Blues, no he wouldn't." she looked at the pair, "Dr. Cossack, Kilanka. I think I'd better go now. I'm sorry for worrying the both of you." she disappeared in a stream of red.   
  
***   
  
Meanwhile in Dr. Light's laboratory Jeric skimming through the good doctor's library to try to catch up on the past few years of history. Turning through the pages he smiles softly to himself. Strange for a man like Dr. Light to keep around all these books when disks could hold all of this for allot longer and in a much smaller space.   
  
"Lets see here," Jeric pulled out a thick leather bound book and looked it over. "Weird, no title, no publication date." He opens it and sees nothing but empty pages.   
  
"Didn't dad teach you not to look in other people's things?"   
  
Jeric looked up from the book to see blues in the doorframe. "Well hello again to you Blues." he set the book down, "From what I've been told you hardly ever come around. So what's the occasion?" He takes a step back as Blues pulled his helmet off.   
  
Smiling a little Blues sat in a nearby chair, "I came to talk, what happens after that is completely up to you." he looked Jeric over briefly as he spoke, "How does it feel anyway?"   
  
"How does what feel?" Jeric looked at Blues in confusion.   
  
"That you where made as a replacement for my little brother." Blues sounded calm however his eyes showed pain at what he just said.   
  
"You mean?" A tear formed in the corner of one of Jeric's eyes, "No, Dad wouldn't ever do that," his voice changed, sounding like Rock's voice with every word. "I know he wouldn't. Blues," Jeric fought to remain composed in front of the other bot. "Why are you telling me this?"   
  
Blues sighed, "I wanted to know how much of him was left in there." he watched Jeric with as much concern as he would have watched over Rock. "That's not quite right but close. I'm just," The crimson and grey clad robot sighed, " hell why am I even here? I didn't even really care about him." Laughing bitterly he shakes his head, "It would have been so easy for me to end up like him you know."   
  
Jeric blinked, "Blues?"   
  
The other robot started to sink into his own thoughts, "so easy...all that had to happen was me not getting lost and I would have been that old man's little puppet every time Al wanted to go to war with everybody." He started pacing the considerable length of the room, "All that separated us was my freedom."   
  
Jeric watches blues as he keeps pacing, "....Never was meant to be anything but good for humanity. Well what about me? If he wanted a butler why bother giving me a sense of self?" He stops in mid step and turns.   
  
The two looked at each other, one confused and hurt at the reasons he was built, the other hurt from having to live with the shadow of why he was made always hanging over him.   
  
Blues left in a red-white trail of light, his helmet leaving in a smaller trail right after him leaving Jeric alone with his new found depression..   
  
***   
  
"Jeric?" Roll saw him in the library, apparently deep in thought. "Are you alright?" Anyone there could tell she was worried. Did I get here before He did? Did he even come?   
  
Jeric's eyes slowly opened, "Where's Dr. Light?" His voice sounded hallow, deadened, "I need to talk to him about something."   
  
"Um, I think he'll be back in a bit. You alright?" Roll walked into the study, stopping when she was maybe a few feet away. him.   
  
_Why does she bother with this show? I know that I'm just here because nobody wanted to see poor little Rock die._   
  
Roll backed away from Jeric when she saw the look on his face, "Rush!" a bright red trail of light signaled the robotic dog's appearance. He looked at Jeric and started growling, "Watch him for me, but DON'T hurt him." What's gotten into him? I thought he was happy. Roll patted the dog's head then ran out of the lab.   
  
***   
  
"What now?!" Wily snapped the paper from the top of the little metool and scanned it over. "So we're running low on everything again, what ELSE is new?" he frowned and switched the newly upgraded Gutsman on.   
  
"What did you do," the massive robot looked his newly upgraded body over and dropped the question. After getting up and flexing his limbs Gutsman looked down at Dr. Wily, "Now what O Aged One?"   
  
"We've run into some supply problems and-"   
  
"And I need to go fetch you a few things right?" The juggernaut saw Wily nod. "Good, I want to test this new body out for myself," He stroked his chin, "but how to keep anyone from connecting it with you....?"   
  
Wily smiled up at the behemoth, "I have an idea."   
  
***   
  
When she got to the lab Roll went through to the security tapes. _Thank Kami we decided to start making these_, then she found the one she wanted and frowned when it started.   
  
_"How does it feel anyway?"   
  
"How does what feel?"   
  
"That you where made as a replacement for my little brother."_   
  
Hitting stop she frowned, "No wonder he looks this bad." She walked back into the library and sat down near Jeric, "Jeric?" Her voice was as soft as always but now the hint of worry that was there was more apparent.   
  
He grunted.   
  
"I heard what Blues said." She put a hand on his shoulder, "It doesn't matter if that's why Dad built you, what matters is that you're here now." For all the effect her words were having she might as well have been talking to stone. After a minute of silence she spoke up "Say something Jeric, I know you heard me."   
  
"…"   
  
Roll shook him, "Say something please." She heard several clicks inside of his body. "Jeric...please, we're not mad at you for what you are."   
  
"…"   
  
Roll could hear the faint hum of his internal systems shutting down. The hand she had on Jeric's shoulder moved to his head cradling it while she spoke again. "Jeric please say something, anything." Still he didn't make any reaction. She snapped her fingers in front of his face, no reaction. Growling, she hit him, "Damn you I'm not going to let you quit on me. Say something!"   
  
Jeric opened his eyes partway and looked at her, "Soooommmeeettthhhiiinnnnggg." His slurred as the last of his systems shit down.   
  
When Dr. light finally made it back he saw Roll in his work room with Jeric laying on the lone work table with his chest and head access panels wide open while she was running system diagnostics.   
  
"How bad is it?" The old roboticist looked at the screen readouts over his 'daughter's' shoulder.   
  
Looking at the connections again Roll frowned, "I don't know, it didn't look like there was any fighting." She reached over for a probe. "He...he just shut down."   
  
Moments later Dr. Light looked over to the new data as it showed, "No virii. Nothing wrong with the programming, there's nothing wrong with either the physical systems or the hardware." Shaking his head he glances Jeric's prone body over before closing the paneling back up. "However the alternative isn't possible."   
  
Roll nodded, "And why not? Its not like he broke any of the Azimovian laws."   
  
"Not directly no," Dr. Light looked down at Jeric's face. "A robot must preserve its own existence unless it violates the two directives." Putting a hand on Jeric's forehead he continues, " but then again this is as close as he could come to dying, would he want us to turn him back on?"   
  
"You think I don't know that?!" Roll looked down at Jeric and sighed, "Dad, we have to. I'm not going to let him quit because of what we expected him to be wasn't what turned out to happen." She looks at her father as if daring him to say otherwise.   
  
"Yes of course I could, but what if he decides to shut himself off again?" The man put a hand on Roll's shoulder and sighed.   
  
"I think it best you get out of here when he wakes up. He trusts me, at least I think he does. Maybe I can talk some sense into him."   
  
"Give me a minute before restarting his systems."   
  
***   
  
Miles away in body and light-years away in thought Blues sat alone in his modest home. Why did I tell him, hell, why did I even go? I know he's not my brother no more than he is Wily's pawn. A green humanoid robot knocked and started to come in only to hastily retreat when Blues threw a lamp at it. Why did you have to make me feel emotions?   
  
He clenched into a ball at the feeling deep inside his body. _Not…again…_ Blue's fought through the haze of pain to drag himself to bed. What's happening to me?   
  
***   
  
_"Listen Blues, how do you feel? How's your body holding up?"   
  
"…"   
  
"You don't have to say anything. I know how you suffer my son. Your energy systems have developed a terrible defect. If they're not fixed soon I'm afraid you'll die. And I'm the only one who can fix you, seeing as I created you in the first place."   
  
"Don't worry about my problems. I know my body better than anybody else. And remember, I am and always will be unbeatable, remember that."   
  
"Don't talk like that blues. The war's over, lets go home and live together. Lets help keep the peace."   
  
"That's not my style. I don't need anybody!" He turned to go, "Nice chatting with you doc, but I've got some things to do. Later."   
  
As Blues left Dr. Light yelled, "Blues, Blues wait! You need to be repaired!"_   
  
***   
  
Blues snapped open his eyes and looked around the darkened room. _So arrogant, but I have an image to keep up don't I? He only means well, but what if he decided that he could try to 'fix' my freedom as well as this_? His body convulsed again, a shadow of what happened before. _Maybe he's wrong, maybe this is something I could fix myself_. He shook his head slowly. _No, that would mean going back to get a copy of my blueprints, tools, parts, he would be there…_   
  
***   
  
_Blues crept through the shattered corridors of Skull Castle. It was a habit of his to search through here after Wily escaped due mostly to the fact that Wily generally left a clue or three on were he was headed to next.   
  
"I will…I will fight you!" Blues heard the sound of plasma fire. What's this? Rock? Bass must be here too. Blues quietly hurried towards the noise. After a few minutes of near defining explosions there suddenly was complete quiet. By this time Blues found where Bass and Rock were fighting, though now only Bass was standing.   
  
"I told you," bass held onto one of his sides in an attempt to hide exposed circuits, "that only you would be destroyed."_   
  
No.   
  
_Bass turned at the sound of Blues's whistle._   
  
No!   
  
_Both robots aimed at each other._   
  
NO!!!!!!   
  
_Blues fired, the massive ball of energy engulfed Bass's already critically damaged body, blowing what little life was left out of the black armored robot._   
  
Kami no. Not Rock. _He kneeled down beside Rock's body._   
  
"Blues?" Rock's voice sounded weak. "I'm sorry."   
  
_"It's going to be ok," he started to pick Rock up._ Maybe Doc can do something_. However Rock put a hand on his brother's arm.   
  
"Blues...tell dad." He started to say more but his voice crackled into uselessness right before the last bits of his body quit working._   
  
I'm sorry I wasn't there for you this time. The one time you needed me most.   
  
***   
  
Blues looked out of his window at the night sky and whispered softly, "Can you ever forgive me my brother?" He saw the stars twinkle down at him and sighed.   
  
***   
  
Jeric slowly started to realize he was awake again. He sat up in his bed and looked around the pitch-black room. "Why?" He pulled the covers away and looked down at himself. "Damn you why?!" he started sobbing, "Why did you make me if you just wanted HIM?!?!"   
  
He tossed on a fresh change of cloths and went to the living room. While he wandered through the halls he never knew that he was being watched. Dr Light looked at Jeric with a mix of frustration at his own failure to save what he considered his son and concern for the life that he had unintentionally brought into the world. Glancing over at Roll he nodded, "See if you can help him to understand."   
  
Jeric saw knew someone was there watching him but he didn't look up from the book he was reading. "Roll, I know you're there." She blinked and sat down in a nearby chair, picking up the remote as she did so to turn the TV on.   
  
"This is GNB's correspondent Will Larson reporting from Nagasaki…" Roll gasped, "Oh my…." She saw what was left of Nagasaki.   
  
"What? What is it?" Jeric looked then frowned at what he saw. Who would do such a thing? Why? They watched the camera's take in the mass destruction of the bustling trade city. _All those people…_   
  
"…Repots are still sketchy at best but estimated losses are coming in around…" Jeric tuned the TV out of his head.   
  
He sat there, all emotion gone from him, as Roll got up and ran to get Dr. Light. Minutes passed by as what he was watching soaked into his mind. After awhile he noticed Dr. Light's hand on his shoulder. "Dad," again he sounded like Rock, "I have to do something to help."   
  
Dr light blinked away tears as he watched, "I know…"   
  
Most of the world saw the same images of Nagasaki's ruin. Everyone wanted to blame the Arabs of this but at the same time everyone knew that the usual suspects had no motive in this crime.   
  
***   
  
"Excellent work Gutsman," Wily was practily bubbling over with excitement, "Not only did you manage to test your own capabilities but you also managed to resupply me." Wily's ancient face was beaming as he was sorting through what the massive robot made off with.   
  
"All that you need…" Gutsman said absently while heading back through the maze of halls and corridors inside skull castle_. I know he will try to discard me after he believes my usefulness to him is done. Yet at the same time I know he will be watchful of my actions_. He opened an access panel in the wall and stepped through to his, for lack of a better word, semi-privet quarters.   
  
Inside was a simple recharging unit, a few basic tools, and oddly enough a painters easel complete with half finished painting and jars of unopened paint to one side of it. Gutsman smiled when he saw half finished painting, a picture of two old Roman gladiators fighting.   
  
"Yes the joys of art." He sighed contently and uncapped several jars then began to paint.   
  
***   
  
A few miles away a purple robotic dog again circled Skull castle. By the way it moved anyone who knew animals, or the robotic equivalent thereof, would tell that gospel was tense.   
  
_He is never gone this long from here._   
  
Gospel completed another pass then stopped at what he picked up.   
  
"Gospel."   
  
One of his ears twitched irritably and he continued walking.   
  
"I know you can hear me."   
  
The robotic wolf dog stopped. _Bass?_   
  
"In a sense yes. In another no."   
  
_You never were this enigmatic before, and where are you anyway?_   
  
"If you are haring this then I am likely dead." Gospel heard a sigh, "I know I was hard on you, and I know you could understand more than either Wily or myself let on so I made this as my final message to you my faithful companion…"   
  
***   
  
Roll had just helped a team of medics load the last human survivors up. Glancing around before she left she sighed, "Why do they do these things to each other?"   
  
Jeric sighed as he lowered the support beam he was holding, "I have no clue. But Whoever this was will be found." He looked around again, "Well this place is clear, go on to the next or should we make another sweep?"   
  
"We've checked this place several times. More so than any other building we've been in, and on your say so too. Any reason why?" She glanced at the taller robot. At least he doesn't hate himself now, I just wish it didn't take the destruction of a city to do it.   
  
"I keep feeling we're overlooking something here, but I can't put my finger on it." Jeric sighed.   
  
Roll approached him slowly, "Well we've been working all day, and I don't know about you but I need some rest."   
  
Nodding slowly Jeric looked down at her, "Home." They both disappeared in trails of red light.   
  
***   
  
Dr. Light looked up from the half completed robot he had been working on for the past three hours. Frowning to himself he walked out of the room and waited for the heavy vault-like doors to finish locking before turning in for a few hours sleep. _Admit it, you're just not as young as you used to be, can't work all day anymore._   
  
He woke to find himself being carried by roll towards his room. "When'd you get back?" His voice sounded tired.   
  
"I'm taking you to bed, you've been up for the past two days." She shifted his weight in her arms gently and started humming. Soon she had him tucked in bed and was just about to shut the door when she saw a momentary eclipse in the hall's light. Turning around she saw a massive purple and grey robotic wolf dog. It looked up at her and wagged its tail slowly.   
  
"What are you doing here?" She kneeled to get at eye level to him and smiled. Gospel slowly walked towards her and dropped small gold necklace at her feet and whined.   
  
"I know he's gone." She rubbed the tears away from her eyes before they finished forming, "Do you want to stay here?" The dog nuzzled her now outstretched hand.   
  
Taking this for a yes Roll led Gospel to her own rooms, "Wait here," quickly she made her way to Jeric's room and knocked.   
  
"Just a sec." She heard the sounds of things being put away before his door opened, "What is it?"   
  
"I want to show you something." Gently she took one of his hands and let her back to her room. "I don't want you making a sound." Jeric nodded slowly, curious as to what was going on then started backing away when he saw what was inside.   
  
"Gospel."   
  
_Bass?_ Gospel sniffed the air. _Who, or I should ask what, are you_?   
  
Roll looked from one robot to the other then back. "I just thought you might have wanted to see him," it was unclear to either of the two who that was meant for.   
  
Slowly Jeric kneeled, "Gospel, I know I am not the one you were meant for, but please listen to me." Gospel waited patiently, "Whatever pain you might feel for failing me," his voice was sounding more and more like Bass with every word, "don't. I knew the risks and willingly accepted them."   
  
_You never seemed to care about how I felt before._   
  
"Yes but here," He glanced up at Roll, "I've had a chance to do some thinking without Wily interrupting me." He stood and patted Gospel's head. "You'd better make yourself scarce. Wouldn't want Rush to spot you running around."   
  
_We'd worked our differences out, remember?_   
  
"Still, I thought he wouldn't be this hateful to me, but he is. Don't want to take any chances." Jeric stood and turned to go, "Thank you Roll." Roll and Gospel exchanged glances before the robo dog left in a familiar purple trail of light.   
  
"As if life here wasn't weird enough." Roll sighed and went to bed. Something to talk to dad about tomorrow I guess.   
  
***   
  
"Morning Jeric," Auto was practically glowing with joy, as he was every morning. "Glad to see your feeling better."   
  
Jeric waved a hand dismissively and started going through the store's books, "Same here Auto," He frowned thoughtfully, "Has there been anybody buying from here that's wanted to keep it off the record?"   
  
"No, why?" Auto frowned.   
  
"Just a hunch on something, probably won't amount to peanuts though." Jeric kept thumbing through expense records though. _It would be easy enough for him to send somebody in here though. Just come in, ask a few questions to keep Auto off guard, buy a few parts, 'just for curiosity's sake', and leave_.   
  
"Ah well, we're about to open so it'll have to wait." Auto lumbered behind the counter, "By the way did you ever find out who's been stealing our memory chips?"   
  
Jeric grinned, "Yea, right now they're probably wishing they'd tried to pull a fast one over radio shack instead," He chuckles at the memory. "It did feel good bringing them in though."   
  
Auto nodded, "How many did you find while you were….out there?"   
  
"A few injured. Mostly just people too scared to come back out." He turned away from the other robot, "Considering some of the stories that I've heard from the survivors I don't blame them." Glancing over to the front doors he smiles, "Customer."   
  
"Hi welcome to big eddies, anything I can do for you?"   
  
***   
  
"What am I doing wrong here?" Dr. Light looked the robotic body over while trying to pin down a glitch. Glancing over at the monitor next to his workbench he saw the code the new 'brain' was going to run.   
  
"Don't know," He closed the access panel in the chest cavity and started looking the monitor over, scratching his beard occasionally.   
  
He turned as he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye and gasped. Blues was lying on the floor gasping.   
  
"Doc...." his body was emitting a faint hum while sparks danced around an open panel in his side.   
  
"Blues!" Any weariness Dr. Light felt was gone in an instant at the sight. "Don't speak." He went to get his work in progress off the table. It's happened. I was hoping all these years I was wrong, but...my son...not you too.   
  
Quickly, surprisingly so for a man of his age, he got Blues on his worktable and started to go to shut his power off when a red gloved hand stopped him. "No. Please..."   
  
"Why Blues? I only want to help you." Regardless he set the tool down.   
  
"Don't want...anyone..." Blues voice was fading.   
  
"Why son?" A tear ran down his cheek.   
  
Blues slowly lifted his hand to his visor and pushed the button to make it slide back into his helmet, revealing piercingly blue eyes. Right now those normally hidden eyes were going dim, "I want to die as I lived." it was apparent to Dr. Light that he was struggling to keep talking. "I want to go on my own terms."   
  
Dr. Light only nodded as the last of Blues's power ran dry. You may hate me for this my son, but I will not let you leave us yet. Quietly he begin working to repair his first-born.   
  
***   
  
Jeric and just finished the end-of-shift inventory when he first noticed something. Setting down his clipboard and electronic pin Jeric sat down to try and pay closer attention to what was starting to go on inside his body. At first it was only a slight hiccup in one of his twin processors, but then it started eating away at more of his memory.   
  
He attempted to pin down what exactly was drawing in his internal resources, but by that time it was becoming apparent that even if he spotted it sooner it wouldn't have stopped. Just before his vision went black he thought he saw a ghostly image of Blues superimposed on the chair beside him.   
  
***   
  
_Black.   
  
Endless fields of nothingness.   
  
White.   
  
A flash of existence in the void.   
_  
Where is this place_? Blues was in and endless expanse of black. His body was stripped away from him, leaving only his mind to wonder.   
  
Alone._   
  
Am I dead? _He started to think back on his life, his family, and finally his brother._   
  
Rock.   
  
So innocent to take the burden which should have been mine to hold_. The void around him seemed to change. He felt himself being watched by something beyond the blackness.   
  
The void around him remains silent. _  
  
Answer me damn you. I know you're out there.   
  
_He saw a blue clad figure walking towards him._   
  
Rock! _Blues looked at his brother's face, in his eyes, looking at his own reflection in those eyes_.   
  
Blues. It's been too long.   
  
You could say that. Guess this means I'm dead then. _The two robots looked at each other, neither having physical form yet retaining every characteristic of their remembered bodies_.   
  
My time's past brother. However you still have a way back.   
  
How? _Then at the voicing of his question he saw a momentary flash. Dr. Light standing over his prone body, working franticly to repairhimt_. NO! I don't want to go back! Not like that….   
  
Why blues? He blames himself for what happened to me. One of us needs to be there for him.   
  
_Blues remained silent even as emptiness around him started to fade as his power finally gave out completely._   
  
***   
  
"I know you won't remember me saying this Blues, but I'm sorry..." Dr. Light opened up the access panels in Blues's head and attached a large scanning device.   
  
Roll walked in quietly, "How is he?" Anyone looking could tell she had been crying recently.   
  
He nodded to himself as the scans started and looked his daughter over. "He'll be fine when I reactivate him, angry to be sure, but otherwise he will be just fine."   
  
"Then why are you taking scans of his brain?" Roll got closer to the equipment and looked the readouts over, something out of habit probably.   
  
Dr. Light put a hand on her shoulder and looked at the readouts himself. "I'm doing this because I want my newest work to be able to emulate the human brain even more than yours does." Tapping a few buttons he continued his explaining, "Blues is already so close to being human, mentally speaking, that I thought that..."   
  
"…Taking pictures of his brain would help cut down the amount of time on him?" Roll pointed to the inactive form laying on the floor in the far corner of the workroom.   
  
Dr. Light nodded, "Please don't be angry with me Roll."   
  
Whatever she was about to say was cut off by the ring of Dr. Light's phone. Picking it up he tried to sound like his normal jovial self. "Hello?...This is he...yes..." His voice started to sound worried, "I'd have to take a look at him myself...no, your not in any sort of danger....Yes I'll send somebody to pick him up...right away sir."   
  
Slowly, as he hung the phone up, he looked at Roll, "Jeric's...something's happened to him. They don't know what, but Auto said he found him in the back on the floor."   
  
"Is he?" She sounded worried.   
  
Light shook his head, "I'm not sure, but I will do everything I can to put him right again. What I need is for you to go and get him."   
  
He watched as Roll nodded to herself and left.   
  
***   
  
_Where_? _Who_? The world around Jeric started to come back into focus as his body was starting to come back under his own control. Off to one side of him he saw Auto talking to, from the looks of the uniform he wore, a policeman.   
  
_What happened_? Jeric started to try to sit up but thought better of it when everything started going out of focus again.   
  
"Hey, that…he's moving." The human speaking to Auto tried to keep from running.   
  
Auto kneeled over Jeric and nodded as he saw that everything started to look normal with him again. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be alright." He patted Jeric's head and turned to the cop, "What's wrong?"   
  
"I…uh…Sorry, just not that comfortable." The man sighed, "Just some bad memories, that's all. Slowly he edged back into the room, obviously still reluctant to get any closer than he was before, then nearly jumped out of his skin as somebody tapped him on the shoulder from behind.   
  
_Roll you little trickster_, Jeric smiled slowly, for that was as fast as he could do anything right now, at Roll.   
  
"W-who?" The man turned and saw Roll standing behind him as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "You're here for him?" The man pointed.   
  
"How is he Auto?" She got closer to Jeric and looked him over.   
  
The large green robot helped her pick Jeric up, "He's fine right now, but I don't know what caused him to black out like that. One minute he was fine, next it was like something inside him broke."   
  
She turned her head and looked at him carefully, "What?"   
  
By now they both came to the car Roll drove there in and put Jeric in the back seat. "I'm not sure, but something made him lock up." He looked the car over then put a hand on the passenger side front door and leaned over, "Why didn't you just teleport yourself in? It would have been quicker."   
  
She started the ignition and glanced over at Auto, "I didn't know what it would be like when I landed. Didn't want to accidentally land inside of something, or someone."   
  
"I see your point…" Auto nodded slowly and waddled back to his store. "Call me when Tom finds what happened kay?"   
  
***   
  
Wily smiled as he secured the last memory chips into his creation. "Almost," His hand jittered as the chip lowered into place. "Yes!" The old man momentarily congratulated himself then stood up to admire the secondary memory unit he had just finished.   
  
"Now then, my OTHER project." He looked over to the computer terminal and tapped a few keys to bring up the programming. "They call me mad, maybe so, but I'm still a genius. With this, even IF whatever Light throws at this bot manages to kill it my virus will take turn his own creation against him." The aged scientist laughed at the irony of it. "I almost wish that Rock hadn't died. It would have been worth it to see the look on Tom's face when his own 'child' guts him like a fish!"   
  
"Sir?" Gutsman gently tapped on the lab door.   
  
"What is it?!" Wily came back to reality and glared at the massive robot.   
  
Gutsman walked in, avoiding various pieces of delicate equipment along the way, and looked Wily in the eyes. "I won't go through that again."   
  
"Are you STILL whining about that 'pain' in your generators?" He was starting to get irritated, that was the fifth time since his last raid that the newly upgraded robot had complained about his systems. "And I suppose you think it's because of that EMP generator I had strapped to your back too." He noticed the look on Gutsman's face and sighed, "Alright! Get on the table. I'll see if I can find anything wrong with you." Growling to himself he waited for the behemoth to get settled then started his scans.   
  
***   
  
Why Tom?" Blues was sitting up on Dr. Light's workbench examining his body. "I told you not to try to fix me, so why did you?"   
  
Dr. Light sighed, "I couldn't just let you die on me." He sat beside Blues, "Whatever you may think of me I consider you my son."   
  
Glaring at his creator Blues bit down the urge to verbally rip him apart. After a few moments he took a breath, Why bother being nice? I've had nothing but grief from this man ever since I was first turned on. "If you loved me like you said you did why did you not try to look for me? Why did you constantly send Rock against imposable odds if he's a son to you? How could you? What kind of father are you if you need no pushing or prodding to send him out to clean up your mistakes?" Blues put a hand up to silence Dr. Light before he could answer, "Don't answer. You made the others to be nothing more than slaves. I don't want to hear your excuses anyway, unless you put something in me to keep me here I'm leaving." he hopped off the table then went to go find his shield.   
  
Minutes later Blues stormed back in and threw his shield through a computer monitor next to his creator. Dr. Light shielded his face from the flying glass with his arm, "What are you doing?!"   
  
"Why?!" He retrieved the shield and flipped it so that Dr. Light can see the underside of it, as well as the lack of anything other than the handhold for it. "WHY DID YOU REMOVE IT!?" He takes a breath to try to calm himself, "Where did you put the teleport drive for this? Why did you even touch it?" With each word he inched closer to Dr. Light's face. "Why don't you want me to have my freedom?"   
  
"Blues, please listen." Dr. Light tried to back away from those piercing blue eyes. "I did that so that I could be sure that everything was working fine. I know you, even if you were dying you wouldn't admit you had a problem. I don't quite understand why you came here at all if you hate me as much as you do." he looked down at the floor, "I've made mistakes in the past. Trusting Albert, letting myself believe that you didn't survive that accident, letting the world make me out to be something other than I am." He wiped his eyes clear, "Each time your brother left to go fight, a part of me always went with him. I always was afraid that the inevitable would happen. Don't judge me, I'm just as bad as he is....worse maybe. The whole world hates him. In everybody's eyes I can do no wrong."   
  
Blues's anger softened, but only just barely, as he turned to go. "In that case I can do nothing that hasn't already been done. Just don't get it into your head to try to make me his replacement around here." He walked off.   
  
***   
  
While Roll was driving Jeric started to sit up, "Where am I?"   
  
Slowing down the car she glanced in the rear view mirror at him, "You alright?" She sounded worried, "What happened?"   
  
"I...I don't know." That was a lie and he knew it, but he didn't want to tell her what he saw till he himself could figure it out. "Its over with for now, and I don't think Tom would find anything wrong with me." He slowly flexed each of his joints.   
  
After a few more minutes they got stuck in traffic. Roll frowned and flipped the radio on then flipped through stations. Glancing back she saw that Jeric appeared to be all right now, but still she was worried about him. "Jeric?"   
  
"Hm?" He looked from the back window to the back of her seat.   
  
She took a breath, _Ok girl, bite the bullet and come out with it_, "How much do you remember? From who?"   
  
Jeric frowned, "Actually I've never thought about it. I only seem to really remember those other lives when I sleep," He shook his head, quite a number of those memories were of the privet sort. Even if it was his head it felt like peeking where he shouldn't. "Even when I do remember from the two of them its like flashbulbs. A scene or two in perfect detail, but only just that, a moment frozen in time."   
  
Not missing the look on his face Roll blushed, "Then you know what happened between me and him?" Why did I even let him anyway? I knew he didn't really care.   
  
To try to stall for time Jeric glanced at the traffic in front of them. After a bit he nodded, "He cared about you. He never admitted it to himself but he did," noting the look of joy on her face he continued despite the fact he knew it wasn't the best of ideas., "and Roll, maybe that's why I care. Why I want to hold you, wrap my arms around you, protect you from whatever Wily'll come up with next." He look at her hoping for the best, yet fearing anything.   
  
"I..." Her cheeks were bright red. "I'm not sure how to take that..." _Would it be wrong if I loved him? He's partly my brother....but he's not Rock. I can't ask dad because he's got his own problems. Kami help me_. 


End file.

Mega Man