Rhythm struggled to run to the hotel as he left Refraction, Protoman was quick to catch up to his son and prevented Rhythm from collapsing.
I need a Segway or something...
Protoman nodded in understanding "I'll consider it, would you like me to carry you?"
P-please.
Protoman swept Rhythm's legs from underneath him and the two began to travel back to The Rotwang in the pouring rain.
"What's the matter with Bass?"
I don't know what has happened, but last night he was very disturbed at a strange pumping sound we had likened to a heartbeat.
"A heartbeat?"
Yes, we asked an employee if there was any electrical device making the noise in the floor below us but we were told that there was none.
The two finally made their way to The Rotwang, entered the building and began to make their way to the apartment.
Please be alright...
Protoman cocked an unseen eyebrow "Why do you care for Bass so much?"
I helped him realize his flaws and I don't want to see him withdraw. He also cares for me in his own..."special" way.
"Well if he...or even Dr. Wily...hurts you, don't ever be afraid to tell me, Megaman, Roll, or Dr. Light"
Well Dr. Light is the only one to hurt me directly and indirectly, so I'll probably go to him last.
The elevator doors opened, and the father and son began to make their way to room #5020. Rhythm took out his apartment key and unlocked the door.
The door silently opened, and the only sounds that were heard was a running sink, a shower on full blast, a microwave set for a long time, and a 45 rpm record that kept starting over.
"Help, I need somebody
Help, not just anybody
Help, you know I need someone, help"
The lights were dimmed, and it appeared that one of them had apparently been broken. The father and son walked gently as Rhythm tried to find his brother.
B-bass? Where are you?
Protoman began turing off the sink, microwave, shower, and other devices that made noises. Rhythm just entered the room gingerly.
And then he saw Bass's feet, the rest of the body hidden by one of the couches. Rhythm turned the corner around the couch and saw the twitching and dissected body of his brother.
His helmet was off, but it was only a minor detail compared to everything else. Protruding from the robot's chest was circuitry and wires that had ripped out by his own accord. Cables were held in his left hand but Rhythm's Leatherman that Megaman gave him was in the other. Also, Bass ears had been torn off, either with his own strength or with the knife. The gruesomeness was exacerbated by the oils that dripped from Bass's body.
Yet that did not compare to how sickly content the robot appeared.
He was smiling with his eyes wide open, much like how a serial killer or a trickster would do. But the smile was not expressed, it was scarred on with the knife that Bass used. A Glasgow Smile, on a robot.
B-bass?
The robot lurched, with his limbs all shaking and causing Rhythm to jump.
"Don't take him away from me..." Bass spoke, his human voice had decayed into something closer to Rhythm's synthetic child voice, but less enchanting "It wouldn't make for sanity would it, living with the devil"
Bass then laughed sadistically, and Protoman approached from behind.
"Psychotic laughs and statements are par for the course for Bass...though this is a new one for me"
Rhythm stuttered at the sight.
I-if I on-only knew how b-b-bad it w-was...
Rhythm collapsed near Bass's body, and as his hand's touched the floor he felt the marks that Bass stabbed the floor with.
A knock came from the door, and Protoman went to answer it.
"Rhythm better have a good reason for me bringing THIS" Megaman spoke as he gave Protoman an axe wrapped in brown paper "Did Rhythm show Bass 'The Shining' or something?"
"No..." Protoman answered as Megaman entered "It's much worse..."
Megaman and Protoman traveled their way to where Rhythm was mourning...
Pleasedon'tbedeadpleasedon'tbedeadpleasedon'tbedead...
"If he was dead he wouldn't be able to speak" Protoman spoke "if Bass has ever been prone to episodes this is probably the pilot"
Rhythm turned around and saw his father with the package.
Is that the axe?
"Yes," Megaman replied "but what do you want it for?"
Rhythm said nothing as he tossed the pocketknife to Megaman.
Put the axe against the couch. Fix Bass up as best you can, but be as quiet as possible.
Megaman picked up Bass's body, placed him on one of the couches, and began repairs.
"Rhythm" Megaman began "I know we treat you as a 'silent mystic' but could you PLEASE TELL US..."
Rhythm held up a finger as the rain had begun to intensify into a lightning storm.
Be ABSOLUTELY silent...
Rhythm placed his ear against the ground, hoping to find what had shaken Bass so much. Protoman shrugged as he helped Megaman with the repairs.
"if i ever wanted to commit suicide, at least i now know of a way of doing it" Megaman whispered.
"i highly doubt that bass would commit suicide if rhythm was in existence"
"then why would bass do this to himself?"
"i don't know..." Protoman admitted as he gave Megaman some wires "just get him up and running"
The two robots worked on repairing Bass while Rhythm placed his ear against the floor, searching for the sound he had heard before.
Bu...
B...
Bup...
Just then, Bass finally regained consciousness and adjusted his eyes. His sadistic smile vanished but the cuts remained, retaining the unsettling appearance.
"Where am I?"
"You're in Rhythm's apartment" Protoman replied.
"Huh? I can't hear you" Bass asked with genuine confusion.
"He said you're at Rhythm's apartment" Megaman spoke.
Bass then felt his head, and noticed that his ears were missing.
"Where are my ears?"
Megaman picked them up and gave them to Bass.
"A regular Van Gogh, aren't you Bass?" Protoman quipped.
"Just install his ears back on..." Megaman exhaustedly replied.
Is Bass okay?
"He's...okay" Megaman replied, hesitantly.
Ok, but remain quiet.
Rhythm continued to search under the floorboards, with the other three robots joining him as he searched.
Bup...
Bup-...
Bup-bu.
Bup-bup
I think I found it.
Megaman and Protoman supported up Bass while Rhythm scratched at the floor boards, and asked for his Leatherman. Protoman handed the tool to his son, and Rhythm marked the floorboards with an X.
Get me the axe.
"Uh...Rhythm...are you sure that you want to do this?"
I have to know what has caused my brother to do this to himself.
"Do you think Dr. Light has anything to do with this?" Bass asked as Protoman handed Rhythm the axe.
Rhythm said nothing as he leaned his cane against the window. He grabbed the axe, and lifted it over his head.
THWACK!
Rhythm moaned at the stress his body was going through. He raised the axe again.
THWACK!
Lightning stuck the building and Rhythm made his second blow. Megaman then proceeded to rest Bass on the couch and took the axe out of Rhythm's hands and began to chop the wood himself.
THWACK!THWACK!THWACK!
The wood started to splinter, creating a gap inside the floor. After creating a large enough cavity, Megaman began ripping away at the floorboards with his own hands.
And then he saw the source of the haunting sound.
The body of a man, no less than 60 years old, was underneath the floorboards. The hair of the head was white, and caked blood was surrounding the mouth. The recess inside the area of the floorboards was lined with plastic, and filled with blood.
Rhythm placed his head against the chest of the man and listened for a sound.
BUP-BUP
Megaman dropped the axe, and the group just stared at the body underneath the floor.
"Who are we going to call?" Megaman asked.
Were going to need to call a doctor.