City nightlife will be the same as Wily can remember it. He wasn't a fan of the many people walking around but the abiotic forces always caught his eye. The artificial lights are beautiful, the stars shine and the moon demonstrates its own beauty with reflected light. It made for a perfect scene back in his world. This planet seems to be shaping up similar traits.
"Doc, what exactly are we doing out here?" His creation questioned, walking beside Wily down the darkened sidewalks of Silicon City. "Dangers of the city rise at this time of night. I advise going back." Blues suggested, the robot glancing at anyone remotely suspicious.
Wily shoved his hands in his pocket. The air was still cold as winter didn't let up just yet. At least there wasn't a hint of snow. "That would be a waste of time. This is an important matter, Blues. Originally I'd go by myself, but then I remembered you need the experience." The reincarnation observes the sky, breathing in deeply as they pass another store.
The brunette robot glanced back at him, curious.
"Experience?" Blues repeats.
Wily hums in reply, deciding to be as cryptic as possible. A hand reaches toward the bean hat on his head. The scientist tugs it down to mostly cover his eyes and hair. This way, no one would recognize him. "Speaking of which, we're almost at our first stop. Keep your head up, will you? You need to at least act like you know where you're going so no one will bother us." And considering the fact, Blues looked older than him...It needs to work.
"Right. I'll do my best, Doc." Blues replied before straightening up. Now he looked tense and stiff. A comical sight! Did the prototype act like this back then? The reincarnation has trouble remembering that far back. Wily still holds a couple of fond memories of him, though. It's likely what started the trend of caring for his robots.
Wily snorted in amusement, shaking his head at the past. "Just copy what I do. When you got it, adjust the pose to your style." The scientist fell into his relaxed form, staring ahead boredly but calmly. His steps were light and swift.
"Understood." Blues gave the 'okay' before adopting a look of confidence. The robot hesitantly crossed his arms and tracked forward with a style close to robotic walking. This attracted the occasional glance of passing adults but they mainly laughed it off as a joke.
Wily snorted, as the odds were somehow in their favor. If tonight went well, he could treat himself and maybe his creation too. "Not quite but you're slowly getting it." He turned an alleyway. "Stick close to me, Blues. And be quiet." The supposed child walked into the shadows like he was living in it his whole life. The reincarnation could hear his robot trail after him in total silence. Good. Wily then strained his own ears to hear the beat of faint music.
There was no entrance to the party.
Instead, Wily took a long detour around the instrumental force. The two stopped by a ground window, located behind trash cans and holding a unique glass pattern to prevent anyone from peering in. There was nothing too unusual about that.
Wily kneeled down and dug into his pocket without a word. A screwdriver was pulled, and with a huff, the scientist got to work on removing the screws.
He could feel his creation curiously watch each careful move. Surely, Blues had questions about coming to an apparent desolate place. Wily could answer them later. After this whole mess was said and done. Eventually, his work was complete and the apparent 'child' glanced to his accomplice. "Do me a favor and pull it open. Use little strength and do it slowly." Wily warned, wanting no mistakes in such an easy task.
Blues nodded and got to work. The loose window creaked and eventually gave away under the pressure of synthetic fingers. He had made sure not to break it, as this 'entry' was likely going to also be their exit.
Wily inspected the damage with a finger. "Good. Let's go." And that was the only warning he gave his creation before sliding into the building through the opening. His little feet slammed on the floor once inside a particularly dark room. The smooth landing told of apparent safety for this area.
Blues joined him after twenty seconds. The brunette's face was blank but curious as Wily lead him down an aisle of sorts. "Alright, Blues. No matter what occurs, do not act out of turn. We cannot afford to get caught here. I might be alright but you?" An eerie silence presses against sensitive ears. "...Stay on your guard." Wily repeated, blue-gray eyes rough and solid as a brick.
If his creation had any questions, they had long died in the robot's processor as they came across rows and rows of deactivated robots. Some of them were damaged, others only had scratches. The dents, ripped wires, sparking bits, and missing robot parts looked to be from purposeful rough handling.
"Doc?" Blues finally spoke, voice a whisper to hide his possible unease and confusion. He stared at the broken metallic beings, some of them never able to wake. "What is this?" The reincarnation almost felt bad, as his first robot master of this world seemed almost stunned to silence.
"This, Blues," Wily held a tense frown as his own voice fell into a pitiful murmur. "Is reality."
His creation said nothing, scooping up a broken robot which looked to be based off a toaster. One eye was closed while the other seemed to be missing, exposing loose wire within.
A ridiculous design, Wily internally seethed but calmly watched Blues inspect the inferior unit. The brunette robot with crazy hair lacked a frown or any other emotion Wily expected. All he got was simple blankness.
"What happened to it?" Blues didn't put the robot down. Instead, the robot began strolling around as if window shopping. His face remained dormant as he picked up several other broken beings of metal. One appeared to be based off a shredder, and another resembled a...Wily had no idea what it was supposed to be. The robot designs in this world were overly childish and revolting. Regardless, Blues asked him a question.
"Humanity," Wily begins, "Can be an awful race. They do not care for what they create once it fills its purpose. Robots like this are tossed away to be melted down and the process repeats." He clicks his tongue and watches Blues' fingers tighten their grip. "Another case," Such as this one. "Is placing unwanted robots in a fighting tournament. A fight to the death, just like Roman times."
"Why would they?" His creation nearly demanded, voice rising a step.
Wily scoffed, almost amused by the other's passion for this topic. "Thrill? Power? The realistic question; why wouldn't they?" He held a tournament once. It wasn't anything like this. "Humans are sacks of shit, Blues. They tend to destroy more than anything." And he's been on both sides of the coin.
"Then," Blues hastily murmured with a blank stare under his messy brown hair. He looked too much like Proto Man; the one Wily had known when things were much more simple. "What about you? You're human. And Bert. Neither of you has hurt me." While his creation hasn't fully developed emotions; the other was certainly getting there. This Blues already seemed to understand when to doubt, and when to question.
Took him long enough, Wily took one of the broken units from Blues' grip.
"Yet. You don't know when we'll turn over a new leaf or decide to take over the world with other robots, destroying everything in our way." Wily smoothly explained, forging bits of his own past history into the conversation. "I'm not saying you can't trust me, Blues, I'm giving you the choice to trust me." He turned away, proceeding to walk himself further through the long rows of the area.
His creation didn't reply nor follow. Wily refused to sigh openly until there were certain results. These robots, for example, could produce great supplies for future robot masters. However, why should he bother if this one didn't hold the same golden eggs as Proto Man did?
"Doc," Blues loudly called, scarlet metallic boots gently stomping the floor. "You're my creator. I have to follow your every command. Why are you trying so hard to get me to rebel?" His question echoed throughout the long room. "I want to follow your orders!"
Wily nearly tripped over his own feet. He turned heel quickly, a finger to his mouth and furious blue-gray eyes.
Blues said nothing.
The area was quiet.
Wily hid his heavy breath of relief. He rounded on Blues with squinted eyes and an annoyed frown. "Don't lie to yourself. I've had enough of that."
Footsteps echoed near the room's door. The reincarnation stiffened and whirled to face the closed off entrance of the area. The dark seal was barely a door from Wily's vision, but the message was clear with how the locks were slowly coming undone.
Wily threw himself at Blues, hissing swears and other types of German profanity. "Hide. Gather those dead bots, and hide." He shoved his creation forwards. "When they leave, take the window out. Yes, the same one we were in." The reincarnation's mind was moving miles per minute. "Do it! That's an order!" He hissed the command, and Blues quickly moved to bury himself in a pile of offlined robots.
Wily didn't need to think how uncomfortable and possibly traumatizing hiding like that could inflict on Blues but he hoped his creation would pull through. The door then opened, and Wily banished all other thoughts on his mind as a couple of men noticed him from their position. As they began walking over, the reincarnation could feel himself begin to sweat.
Fool them, Wily urged himself, swiftly greeted by memories of his past actions to Mega Man. You look like a child; act the part. He could feel the stress begin to affect his child's brain, and Wily decided to use that to his advantage.
As the men finally came within a close radius, Wily sucked up his pride and released an apologetic whimper. The sound of rain reached his ears from the outside.
"...What the heck are you doing here, Kid? Don't you know it's dangerous for you?" One of the guards of this area was a softie, apparently. The reincarnation could tell from the softened look in the other's eyes.
"I know! I'm sorry," The child loudly sniffled, rubbing his face with a small arm. His voice had reached a high pitch most children could hit at this age. "I lost my brother b-but then it started to rain...I knew I shouldn't be here but I don't like water either!" The whine was echoed with a sob. "I'm so sorry! I won't do it again, promise!" The little boy bowed his head with another inhale of the nose, tears shining in the dimly lit room.
One of the men looked over at this softer partner, unmoved. "What do we do? The kid can't know of this place. He'll tell his parents or something, then We'll have the Good Guild on us! We'll get in huge trouble."
The other man still had a tiny smile. "Nah. I think he's genuine. What's your name, Kid?" He questioned, and the little one before them finally glanced up.
Another sniffle. "Albert." The child muttered.
"Well, Al, this place you're in? It's a very secret place. No one is allowed to know about it. Know what that means?" He gently asks, and the child appeared to take this moment to think.
"Don't tell anyone?" The little boy innocently questioned.
"Yep." The kinder man chided gently.
"Mark!" His partner hissed a warning, but 'Mark' casually waved him off with a smile.
"It's fine, we're moving this place in a few days anyway." The sympathetic man released a little laugh. "I used to get into weird places all the time when I was a kid!" Mark cheerfully admits in a carefree manner.
The child watched them under the tips of his striped beanie hat. If they paid close attention, they'd notice the amount of scrutiny swarming in grey-blue hues.
"Mark…" The partner released a heavy breath.
"Relax. Let's just escort him outside, anyway from all this garbage." Mark gestured the child to follow, and the little boy wordlessly stepped forward.
"Right," While hesitant, the other man finally relented. "If we get in trouble, you're taking the full blame. And won't the kid get traumatized from this? Some children grow up with bots nowadays." He grumbles, glancing at the weirdly-blank child they found.
"Naw. Or else he would've freaked out already! Besides, robots never have any real life in them. So the kid's worries would make no sense. Right kid? Aren't they just pieces of scrap?" A large hand gently ruffled the boy's head.
"Hmph." Albert huffed, and Mark once again laughed obviously.
"I like this kid!"
The two men escorted the child out the door.
When they left, an unnatural mountain of broken robots shifted from within. The gentle whirl of a working core brought about noise in the silence of the room. A hand tugged itself free, fingers grasping the air of freedom.
An unknown feeling settled within the working robot's processor.
He'll find out what to do with it, later.
Wily found Blues sitting on a garbage can, watching the moon. The wind was quiet but The robot's moment of silence spoke louder than the walking people a distance away. Wily joined his creation by leaning on the wall of a nearby building. His legs ached from the adventure but that's to be expected from children's limbs.
"Anything to add, Blues?" The reincarnation finally decided to ask, throat as sandy as desert sands. "These young bones need rest but I'm willing to answer a couple questions." He might as well invite the robot to the answers desperately wanted.
"What would they have done to me?" Blues inquired and frowned when the human released a heavy sigh.
"If they found out you were a robot, it is highly likely you'd be taken to be sold to the highest bidder." Wily sincerely told the brunette. "Either that or forced to fight other robots until you're nothing but a pile of parts. Do you know what they do with those parts? Sell them, really. It's a good way to make money." Wily adjusted his slanted beanie.
"Humans do that?" Blues lacked a single tremor. His creation was taking in this information with stride. Good.
"Robots are not the only kind suffering from this. Some people abduct others but it's done much differently. Human trafficking occurs all around the world." Wily squinted at the concrete ground. "Silicon City is apparently landlocked, but I'm certain some fools manage to get around that." To the criminal industry, they view obstacles as small blocks to climb over.
They were rats even before Wily took the stand as a terrorist back in Mega City. Humanity here couldn't be much different than it was back in his home world.
"Why would they do that to their own kind?" Blues inquired, now obviously puzzled with the new information.
"I already told you, humans are destructive. Perhaps even self-destructive, does it matter?" The reincarnation shook his head with a huff. He loathed repeating himself. "I suppose that was a bit too much excitement for you. We can head back," He pauses and looks to the stars. "As long as you remember the rules." Wily hums, warming his hands by exhaling on it.
"Doc?"
Wily glanced back. "Yes?"
His creation leaped off the trash can. "Do you think you could repair those robots?" Blues quieter voice nearly startled him.
"...I wouldn't repair them," Wily chooses his words carefully, watching Blues clench fists. Interesting but not unexpected. "However, I would build them into something newer and stronger. History repeats too often, Blues. I'd like to prevent that." He didn't move his eyes from the brunette robot. Blues' eyes were still hard to see through that crazy hair of his.
Blues finally nodded after a couple of minutes. His arm moved, and the trash can was opened, revealing a stash of broken robots with missing parts. "...Awaiting your orders, Doctor." He says with utmost seriousness. Wily's creation did not sound monotone. He was simply serious and ready to follow orders. The nickname drop proved it.
Wily tries not to grin but fails. With this, there was no need to attempt raiding another house for supplies for a while now. "Excellent." He releases a soft laugh, silently admiring how beautiful the night looked. "Welcome aboard, Blues."
The two scurried off into the night with their newfound treasure.
A/N: A reference to Mega Man Classic and a chapter dealing with serious dealings. Who said Silicon City was perfect? And what is Blues and Wily going to do about these types of events in the future? Well, guess we'll find out when canon finally hits. Until then, my readers!