A Heart To Love, Eyes To Cry

A Megaman © Capcom Fanfiction by Namida

When I was a child, I used to sit watching my big brother while he played Megaman 3 on Nintendo. Immediately I fell in love with the beautiful story included in it. This short game showed me for the first time a true relationship between two selves that weren't humans, but robots, as strangely as it seems. That's how it all started for me, when I realized how strong the bond of brotherhood could be. Few days ago my brother brought a CD home that included the old, forgotten game and I sat watching him play it again, feeling myself ten years old all of sudden. That's why I decided to write this fic, because I remembered.

Welcome

The first sparkle of life was enough to make two vivid and brilliant eyes open, looking to both sides before to incorporate.

Curious at everything that surrounding him, a boy robot, Dr. Light's new creation, woke up. His inventor's old and tired face welcomed him with the first smile he'd ever seen.

"I see you're finally awake, Megaman" He greeted "I'm sure you'll start noticing all your system's operation very soon"

Now, standing as he was, he looked perplexed to the macro-computer in front of them showing an enormous, detailed image of himself and all the parts that conformed his body as a complex unity.

Slowly his hands started recognizing them while touching the cold metal that covered his extremities and torso, resembling a high-tech armor with a beautiful blue color.

He felt a soft, silky material covering the top of his head simulating human hair, and the delicate texture his skin had.

He had not pronounced one single word but his eyes reflected well each and every one of his questions.

"Er..." said Dr. Light when he turned to face Megama's surprised look, "I think I'm not the right person to explain with precision all the things you wish to know now that you feel all that energy-life running through your circuits."

His head turned then to a dark corner, were the child-like robot's radar detected the presence of a non-human.

"He's Protoman, the first robot I created. In fact your system is very similar to his for you both share what I could call 'A Twin Structure', excluding of course some slight differences..."

Megaman wanted to say something, to ask a question, but before he could, Dr. Light disappeared through a lateral door.

Protoman... was his first complete though, and he saved it in the deepest of his memory, in a place he was sure nothing would ever erase it.

"No." Said the strange robot, appearing in front of him, standing with his arms crossed, showing he was as prideful as a human.

The robot was taller than Megaman, and certainly looked a few years older. He had a shinny armor with colors Megaman identified as gray, red and black. He had a protective sunglasses-like covering attached to his helm, and a yellow scarf tied around his neck that danced gracefully with each movement.

"Don't call me Protoman, as Dr. Light insists on doing, but Blues. Call me Blues."

The younger robot blinked not knowing what to say, so Blues looked at him behind his sunglasses and smirked.

"It's all right for you to feel a bite confused since you've been so recently activated, so I'm going to make things easier for you."

The older robot walked toward the macro-computer and turned it off. "You won't need this, it would confuse you even more and we both know that you have that information already uploaded."

Megaman watched Blues silently as he removed his helmet away, releasing his short silver-colored hair. He gasped to discover that Protoman's face looked so alike his own.

"You're surprised." Blues said, giving him a sideway look. "I can say so by reading your expressions whom by the way, are more complex than mine."

His eyebrows curved a bit as asking why?

"Because you are, according to Dr. Light, a better and improved version of myself."

Megaman's lips twitched not very comfortable after hearing that.

"You feel bothered about this as well." Acknowledged Blues, "but it's the way things go, we were created with one purpose. Yours is to stop Dr. Wily's ambitious desire of conquering the world. Mine, I'm just an essay of yourself, if I must say so."

Protoman's reddish eyes moved from side to side, aware of all the cameras recording this first encounter.

"It's true your system is more developed than my own, but I believe I posses a higher power level, if you ask me..." He whispered.

Then he took the little robot's hand into his and shook it while murmuring some words:

"Welcome aboard, Little Brother."

"Thanks..." answered Megaman, saving what he had just lived as well, into the most secret place of his memory storage.

Awareness

"So that's how you identify a strange presence, as well as to define other creator's machines." Dr. Light lectured, while Megaman listened quietly sitting at his brother's feet.

"Your system indicates who's friendly and who's not" Translated Blues with a blink of the eye after Megaman turned looking up at him apprehensively.

"And what if the identifier suffers a damage?"

"Well, then is when your memory and intuition must work."

"He means you must find out by yourself." Assured his big brother between his teeth.

"So I can't harm any of your inventions, Doctor?" wondered the younger robot.

"That's right, you mustn't." Answered the scientist.

"May I remind you why am I here?" Asked Protoman pretending to yawn and tapping the floor with his foot.

"All right, Megaman, now that you know it's forbidden to destroy any invention carrying my mark, I want you to practice battling with Protoman to see how well your Mega-buster works."

The child robot's eyes opened widely and he turned to see his brother, who was fixing his own buster as preparing to fight him.

"But Doctor, I can't fight Blues, he's your creations, also he's the Twin Structure of my own, and his system isn't as perfect as mine!" Complained the little robot, standing up.

"Protoman?" asked the old man, looking at the reddish robot behind his lenses, "or must I say Blues?"

"It's all right, Little Brother." Answered for him, the older robot. "I won't harm you and neither will you, we're just going to pretend a fight to see how well your defense and attack reflections work."

Megaman knew for a second those words meant Trust Me, and he thought he could trust his Twin Structure after all.

"Ow..." complained Megaman, after receiving one blast coming from his brother's buster.

Protoman stopped his attack to run and kneel next to Megaman, who sat pressing his arm against his chest.

"I'm sorry. At least we can say your pain sensors are working as they should."

Megaman showed a weak smile and took his brother's arm to stand up.

"He just needs to practice a bit more." Whispered Blues when he passed near Dr. Light's side before to disappear into the shadows.

"Must I?" He asked watching the scientist repairing his damaged arm.

"Yes, let's say you have so much between your hands..."

Megaman rolled his eyes to the place where his brother had just disappeared and sighed, realizing he was a machine created with one purpose: To battle.

A Heart To Love

It was the second time a circuit seemed to be damaged making Megaman's lower lip to tremble, as if he was about to cry.

He searched in the entire Laboratory for Dr. Light, but he wasn't there.

Distantly he heard a whistle, a flute tonnage that drew a smile on the younger robot's face, it always meant Blues was about to appear. So he waited patiently for him to show.

"Don't tell me last night's fight gave you that twitch on your mouth?" He heard from behind, as a soft voice full of worry.

"Blues!" Megaman greeted, forgetting about the tick. "I'm so happy you're here...!"

Protoman looked at his little brother for a second, without any expression he could read, and then he said: "Are you sure I didn't alter any of your feeling codes?"

Megaman's big eyes stared at him half-annoyed. "Blues...!" He complained with a worried sight.

"I'm just bothering you, Little Brother..." Protoman assured, turning his face and looking all around the Lab, "Where's the old man, anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know, I was looking for him as well."

"I see..." Whispered Blues, crossing his arms. "He's not supposed to leave you alone, since you only have a week since he started you."

"Then...?" Asked the child-robot walking near to where Blues was standing.

"I'm not leaving you alone, that's for sure." Blues answered, not looking at Megaman at all, fixing his eyes onto the Lab's entrance. "Let's wait for him, then."

Megaman knew that Blues meant Let's train, when he recommended for them to wait, so he sighed, resigned and prepared his Mega-buster.

"You're improving, Little Brother." Yelled Protoman, escaping a blue light shoot that bounced at his side.

The younger robot smiled, happy to see his brother noticed so.

"You know, there's something that attaches me to you, and I cannot tell what..." Megaman confessed, once sitting, after training with his brother for more that two hours.

Protoman waited some minutes before to reply, choosing carefully his words: "We have Twin Structures, which could be a part of it..."

"Yes, but it is more than that." He said, lifting his face to meet Blues'.

Blues understood well what Megaman needed to say and to express, so he let him talk, even if it wasn't necessary at all.

"It's for example, all the happiness I feel when I hear you whistling, when I hear that flute sound I like so much, it's how I feel whenever you call me 'Little Brother'..."

"Well, that's what you are..." answered Blues with a half smile, not used to those intimate conversations at all.

"I just like it." Admitted the boy, showing with his eyes that he was sincere.

"I like it too..." Protoman dropped out, standing up and walking a few paces away.

One lateral door opened and Dr. Light appeared dressing up totally in white as he was used to. "I'm sorry I left you alone, Megaman, but I had some domestic troubles..."

His eyes fixed into Blues' and he asked surprised: "Protoman, you, here?"

The older robot shrugged and turned his back to both of them. "I was leaving, anyway."

Dr. Light froze while watching him walking away and melting into the shadows of his huge Laboratory. "Thanks for taking care of Megaman..." He managed to say.

"No problem." He stopped without turning. "That's what big brothers are for."

Family

"Dr. Light..." Hesitated the little robot, seeing his inventor while he fixed the circuit presenting default, guiding himself on the instructions provided by the Lab's macro-computer.

"Tell me, my child?"

"Why it surprised you so seeing Blues with me?"

The scientist finished working on Megaman's parietal side and scratched his head before to answer.

"Protoman is not solely my creation." He confessed sitting and crossing his fingers. "He was created as well by an old partner, the so called Dr. Wily..."

"Oh..." gasped the artificial kid remembering his brother's words about his purpose in life.

"Dr. Wily created Protoman as a powerful robot, conferring him the best battling techniques, but he never provided him of a heart, as I did with yourself. When I tried to finish him I was never able to gift him with one, so basically it would mean Protoman's not able to feel, neither to love."

"But..." Megaman replied barely believing that.

"I know it looks like if he can. I don't know what it means, maybe his system is learning how to, it's not in his... 'nature', though..."

"That's why, whenever he behaves as caring as a human... I guess it amazes me so..."

They stayed quiet for long minutes.

"I feel..." Admitted the child, "affection for him."

"I guessed so, that you would, since your system recognizes him as your family."

"Family?" Wondered the young robot.

"Yes, you're brothers, there's a strong bond between you both."

Megaman thought about it for a while. If Blues was Dr. Wily's creation and lacked a heart as well, it was indeed strange the way the relationship between them worked

He smiled, recalling Dr. Light's words. Maybe it could mean Blues was finally beginning to love.

Brotherhood

The child robot stayed quietly while his inventor, Dr. Light, gave the final touches to a new machine he had just created. It had a funny shape, since it reminded him of an animal humans called 'dog'.

"It's a bot-dog" Said the scientist, in a teasing tone. Megaman blinked, not getting it.

"What's it for?"

"I've included several extra gadgets to help you in your battle against Dr. Wily machine army."

The kid looked at the red, shinny metal covering the electronic animal had and sighed. "But isn't Blues going to help me? Why do I need this new robot for?"

"Well, just in case." Answered the doctor, turning the dog robot on. Its big dark eyes looked around, and it barked, moving its tail vividly.

"You must choose a name." Recommended Dr. Light.

The child-like robot frowned at thought, recalling some of the words that had impressed him more from the conversations he maintained with his brother. "Rush." He said, finally. "I want to call him Rush."

"All right, then." The old man scribbled it on Rush's profile. "Dog Robot A 1, also known as RUSH."

He turned and handed Megaman a remote control. "You'll be able to manage it."

"Thanks..."

That afternoon he walked peacefully through the woods near Dr. Light's Laboratory, with Rush following him and shaking its tail from side to side. The reddish sky always called his attention, it predicted well how beautiful the night following it would be.

A long, deep whistle coming from far, far away made his circuits to precipitate temporally. Rush barked angrily and situated in front of the child as to protect him. "It's Ok, Rush, it's only my brother, he must be near."

And so he was. Protoman appeared as he always did, from nowhere. "What's that red thing in front of you, Little Brother?" Asked, approaching Rush and trying to pat it on the head.

The dog robot grunted and showed Blues its metal teeth.

"I see this is a grouchy one..." Opined Megama's older brother, backing his hand.

"It's Rush, Dr. Light just finished it, and gave it to me. He says it might help me against Dr. Wily."

Blues stayed quiet for a few seconds, meditating. "I'm sure he's concerned about you." Was all he could say, though inside he considered Dr. Light didn't really trust him.

"We have trained a lot, haven't we?" Asked Megaman, leaning a bit to see Protoman's face, half concealed by shadows.

"Yes, and I do believe you're prepared..." Blues admitted. "I'm going to be there just to keep an eye on you, of course."

"Could you decide whether you're stronger than me? As you believed?"

Blues frowned to this question. "Why would you want to know something like that?"

"I was just wondering about it..." Resolved his little brother, "because whenever I train with you, I feel you containing your power a bit..." He hesitated, before to continue, "could it be?"

Blues' face broke into a troubled expression. It was true, though he never thought Megaman to notice it.

"Megaman... I..."

"I know you do it because you don't want to harm me, but I wanted to ask you if my power level's going to be enough to go through this war?"

The older robot turned his back to Megaman. He felt truly ashamed, but not guilty. He really thought the kid to have enough power to defeat Dr. Wily's entire army along himself...

"I do believe you're powerful enough, Megaman." Were the words the child heard and believed instantly.

"Maybe... after it's all settled... then, you could show me your real force..." Dropped the little robot out, as half a question, half a request.

"We don't want me to destroy you, don't we?" He said in a teasingly tone.

Megaman smiled, his brother was so cool yet so warmth in his way of being.

The child affirmed, frowning funnily: "You won't destroy me, because you care."

"It is." Admitted his older brother, caressing the chocolate colored hair who revolted even more with the night's wind.

The blue-eyed robot grinned, sliding to his brother's side, and sighed. Dr. Light was so wrong. Blues could feel, he knew his older brother could love. The red warrior's words proved so.

He felt Blues' arms tightening around him. The yellow scarf's end tickled the kid's nose but he didn't care.

"You're too spoiled, did you know?" A soft chuckle accompanied an affective knuckle.

The little robot lifted his head to show another smile. He nodded, convinced that he was.

Away

The news shocked him so much, he just didn't believe them at all. He didn't want to.

It couldn't be. Not him.

"Protoman... captured... Dr. Wily..." The words sounded so distant, so unreal. They barely touched him for at that moment he was encapsulated into his own system, too surprised to believe pain could feel so bad.

Reality was horrible, he preferred to stay inside...

"War... must start... now..."

Fright... Anguish... those feelings he never experienced before were now attacking his sensitive side, making him want to run away, to escape from the situation presented at that time.

"Dr. Light..." He whispered so low before to kneel because of the loosened strengths. He started shaking, and his eyes lost focus for seconds that appeared to be eons.

"Easy, my child..." Dr. Light kneeled at his side, rubbing his back with worry. He was aware of how sensitive his robot was when it came to his big brother.

Destiny's too cruel, he thought, caressing the boy's head.

Dr. Wily had planned it for so long, as he discovered after Protoman's capture. He still had one control left from the time he built the prototype along Dr. Light. It wouldn't be that hard to speculate the modifications the scientist completed in Protoman's structure to find out the best way to steal him.

Megaman's inventor shuddered to think what Protoman suffered in the process... And what was still left for him to suffer...

"I'll rescue him!" Cried out Megaman, standing up with a jump.

"It's too late..." mumbled Dr. Light, shaking his head from side to side, sad and slowly.

"Why?!" Megaman screamed, sensing his emotions totally uncontrolled for the moment.

"Because I was told not to try to recuperate him. Dr. Wily inserted a chip to control Protoman's actions. He's at a 99% being manipulated..." Explained his creator with the saddest tone he had ever heard.

"And what about the other 1%?" Asked Megaman, not calming down at all. "Why can't he just take the chip away?!"

"Dr. Wily recalls him not to take the chip away, for if he tries, it would produce a detonation..."

"No!" Gasped the little robot, covering his mouth with both hands.

The scientist stayed down, and a tear escaped from his eyes to the floor, while he whispered: "I'm sorry..."

Sacrifice

Megaman rushed, escaping from the Wily's robots he had left behind, trying to reach next level. The door opened and closed instantly giving the kid a second to pass through and sigh with relief. He knew he wasn't safe, still, that he had to go further, even more...

This level looks oddly harder, he thought while he walked almost blended to the walls, as quietly as he could. He couldn't listen to the usual buzzing sound Wily's robots made, but something told him he couldn't distract, nor confide.

His radar showed from time to time a little spot moving slowly near the camp's edge, but it didn't indicate if it was an enemy... It could be anyone, or anything.

He feared it might be...

No...

The whistle...

Blues...

No, please...

The sweet, long-lasting sound affected him more than he ever expected it to. His pupils grew flooded in sadness and he asked once more.

Please, don't...

There, at the top of a building, stood Blues, arrogant as ever. His face was well concealed behind his helmet and his scarf.

Blues... does this mean you're going to fight me...?

He remembered the beautiful smile that accompanied his always-caring behavior. Now all he could see was a death, cold mask.

I can't see you, where are you...?

"Blues... Protoman!" He called, "please, I ask you to remember about me and let me pass!"

All he hoped was this to work out. Please, let my brother remember about me...

The older robot didn't move, nor answer. He stayed indifferent, his arms crossed and his head lifted, totally ignoring Megaman.

The blue little robot wondered if his silence meant he had approved the request.

Suddenly, Protoman jumped to the ground, and stood up this time facing his brother, pointing the buster to his direction, ready to hit first.

"Blues...!!! It's me, Megaman! Don't you recognize your own brother?!" He cried out, almost dominated by panic.

A direct blast on his chest was all he got as an answer. He moaned before to stand up again turning into a defensive position.

"Big Brother..." He whispered, "I have no choice left... You truly don't remember anything about me..."

Somewhere inside the reddish ranger's body, pain exploded. He wanted to reply so much, but he couldn't.

Megaman... We must fight now, for today fate made us enemies...

How I wish for you to understand this sacrifice's worth it...

You're worth it, Little Brother...

The boy couldn't understand it, even if he knew Blues' level was higher than his, he felt he had enough power to defeat him anytime. They actually appeared now to have the same amount of strengths while they fought.

He resisted another shoot that hurt him on the left hand and watched his brother clutching his right arm tightly.

Attack me now, while I'm down! Blues screamed into his mind, kill me now and stop me from hurting you ever again...!

But Megaman doubted before to approach him, concernedly.

I must go now! Or else I would probably destroy you!

His teletransporting program activated and Blues disappeared.

Decision

Protoman watched the big screen disposed in front of him as a torture. It reflected horrible images of his younger brother while he tried desperately to pass through all the levels before to reach Skull Castle, the place from where Dr. Wily commanded his army, and the place he kept Blues as a prisoner.

"I thought you to be stronger than that twerp." Mumbled Dr. Wily entering into the small room. "How disappointing..."

That's what you believe, thought Blues happy to have still the 1% of his will left. Wily wouldn't imagine that tiny percentage would be enough to allow him to retain his power by more than a half whenever he had to fight against Megaman.

"He's coming closer..." He said aloud. "And I have a good idea to stop him from getting me."

His eyes spited evilness. "I'm going to detonate this castle... With you inside of it, of course."

He laughed maliciously and sat, touching his chin at thought.

"I only need to distract him enough and then run away myself."

Blues understood well what the crazy scientist pretended to do: To fight Megaman and distract him, so the bomb would activate, and then he would manage to escape before the explosion.

But it gave him a little hope... If it was that way, maybe it would give him the chance to remove Wily's chip from his command system, that way he could use the time left to warn his brother to escape, and to trap Dr. Wily using his own body before to detonate himself.

Protoman wanted to do that since the day he was captured, but he always saved hope by thinking he could still be rescued.

That thought appeared so childish and pretty selfish now seeing Megama's life was first... The desire of living again at his side experiencing that happiness blinded him at first...

Not anymore, it was finally settled...

Safe

Defeated... The kid thought, panting. Now he could find peace while he looked at the pathetic Dr. Wily bowing in front of him asking for mercy.

Megaman didn't even meet his eyes, he didn't deserve it after what he had done to Blues...

"Where's my brother?" He yelled out.

Megaman gasped when Dr. Wily appeared to collapse. Suddenly, his head rolled off. It was a robot!

"He's not Dr. Wily!" He realized, before to be knocked down by an outburst. A bomb had just detonated somewhere near.

All he could see were huge blocks falling from everywhere, and an enormous fire growing taller with every second that passed. One rock fell on the robot's body, clasping him to the ground in a painful position.

No... He thought, and then he lost his conscience.

He woke yo for seconds to discover death so close, and to face his failure.

"It's Ok..." Whispered the child before to fade again. "I don't want to live... hurts... without..."

Few minutes later Protoman appeared with a deep anguished look marked on his face.

"Megaman!" He called, running and searching between the ruins.

"Wily...?" He asked seeing the fake Wily's body smashed into pieces by a heavy block.

To his left, a blue sparkle caught his attention. "Megaman..."

"No... It isn't too late..." He wanted to believe, so he carried carefully his brother's body, watching not to damage it even more...

Megaman's eyes opened barely, not knowing if he was hallucinating.

"Big Brother... you... here..." Were the last words he never remembered saying.

Blues hugged the injured body the gentlest he could and activated his teleport. "I'll take you as far as I can before to explode..."

He was aware that this time his brother wouldn't be able to listen to him, but he continued.

"You'll always have me by your side..."

Between his delirium, Protoman heard clearly the words he wanted to hear before to die. "Big Brother... Blues..."

Why?

"Megaman, I found you lying unconsciously when I came back here, I was so worried about you...!" Dr. Light expressed, walking around his laboratory showing an anxious behavior.

"Someone must have brought you back here!" He concluded, lifting his arms and turning to face the child-like robot that looked at him silently.

He was in such a weakened state, his circuits weren't functioning properly, and he was sure his memory card was damaged after the explosion.

His left arm was replaced shortly before, so he wasn't feeling it too comfortable as the one he had at first, also the delicate surface he called skin had the traces of the fire than almost consumed him entirely.

But those details didn't bother him at all since a struggling sensation ran through all of his connections, between his extremities, ending up in his head, where he kept the chip he defined as 'brain'.

What could feel so bad, why he was sensing his emotions could drive him crazy with worry and sadness, now that he felt those more intensely than ever?

"Your mission was accomplished, my dear child," ended up Dr. Light, approaching him, "You should be happy to have done so, now I'll repair you..."

"NO!" screamed suddenly the light blue colored robot, turning away and showing the doctor his damaged back.

"What?"

He started to run, not looking to where he was heading, not knowing what to do to end up feeling... what to do to turn off the sensation that flooded with sorrow his entire self, what to do to rip off the heart Dr. Light included into his unity...?

His brother was death because of him and it hurt so much. Why, when he was so sure Blues was going to survive, even if he had to have him as an enemy for the rest of his life, he only wanted to sense him existing...

"No... It isn't too late..." Were the last words he heard before to fade into his brother's arms, feeling already safe now that he had came back to save him.

Why, Blues, why he had to choose death? Why, when he knew taking off the chip Dr. Wily inserted to control his actions would cost him to explode, giving him a miserable time he decided to use to save his younger brother?

There was no end and he couldn't keep running... there was nowhere to escape, he thought exhaling out and visibly tired...

That's the only reason why he stopped.

"WHY...?!"" The little robot screamed with all his strengths, shaking and crying out so loud, expressing that way how it hurt to lose the only person he had ever loved.

Why then he had to have a heart if it would mean these non-material things could hurt?

A liquid fluid started coming out from his eyes, and he touched his face, almost puzzled. He looked at the transparent substance on his fingertips, recognizing it immediately...

They were tears...

Eyes To Cry

The little robot returned to the Lab, next to his inventor's side. Somehow he felt relieved after having cried for the first time... Something told him the anguish growing inside wasn't going to cure, ever.

"You..." Dr. Light stood when he saw Megaman coming back.

"Dr. Light, I'm sorry..." Apologized the boy.

"Have you cried?" His creator asked, clearing the evident tear traces from his cheeks.

"Yes..." Admitted the robot. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Tell me..."

"I thought the fact that I possessed a heart made me unique, for I could feel as any human does, but now that I've... experienced hate, and sadness the most intensely I could... I don't want to keep feeling if it means the pain will never go away..."

Dr. Light watched Megaman elaborating, with an amazed expression on his face. When the boy ended, he lowered his face truly sorrowful.

"Megaman... There's something you should know before to decide you can't endure feeling sad anymore."

Megaman's eyes rolled to the floor, not understanding what could be stronger than what he was suffering

"I never installed codes that would allow you to experience emotional pain to this degree..." He confessed. "I filled your system with sentiments, feelings, emotions, principles such as loyalty, joy, affection... I made you sensitive to other's pain as well and gave you the possibility to learn... But I never imagined..."

Megaman tears fled again, when he realized they were something he acquired, they were a gift...

"I never imagined you could learn out of suffering too... You're wise enough to have learned and endured this all by yourself..."

The child sobbed, hugging his knees against his chest. It was too much, the truth hurt too...

"You don't even have tear conducts, which shows how human you're within, my dearest one..."

It all made sense, that way. It meant so much... The tears, the suffering, the love... Yes...

He learned how to... Blues had taught him so.

The End