Chapter Nineteen: Ain't No Devil

"What are we gonna do?"

Guts Man. His heavy footsteps echo in the hallway outside. He's been pacing for quite awhile.

"Shadow Man said to wait for him," Cut Man answers. He sounds anxious.

"Shadow Man didn't say anything like this would happen," replies a third voice. Elec Man? "We have to do something!"

"Yeah, but… the door's locked." Another voice. Tentative. Bomb Man? "And Wily wouldn't have done anything that bad. Right?"

Proto drifts off. He's not really conscious to begin with. His system is desperate to start up his sleep cycle and kick in his self repair, but he won't let it. There's nothing left to repair. The pain will still be there when he wakes.

"I can break the door down," Guts Man suggests.

"You'll only make Wily angrier," Cut Man replies.

The voices get quiet again. Something leaks from the wreckage of Proto's eye. He tries not to think about anything. He thinks about Mega Man.

The day in the park had been beautiful. What a cliche that was, really. It was a beautiful day to stab his brother in the back. Mega had even been expecting it, but he still didn't see it coming, didn't expect Proto to be that devious.

More twisted than a car wreck, Mega had called him. And Proto had lived up to that without a second's hesitation. Even after his brother had admitted to wanting a real relationship. Proto had had time to take it back, to remove the scrambler chip he planted on Mega Man. He'd had time to make things, if not right, then at least better.

But he hadn't. He hadn't even had second thoughts until it was far too late to take back. He'd proved to his brother and the rest of the Lights he was beyond help. Despite doing everything he was told, he'd also proved to Dr. Wily he was untrustworthy.

Ring Man was right. He wasn't worth saving.

Hands clamp down on his shoulders, and Proto jerks back with a cry.

"It's only me," Shadow Man says. His voice is soft, his hands gentle as he tries to tilt Proto's head out of his hands. "Let me see."

Wily had left after Proto had stopped screaming. He'd looked down at his right-hand with an odd look in his eyes for the longest time, as Proto had tried not to whimper at the pain radiating from his empty eye socket. But Wily didn't say anything. He'd released Proto from the straps and just… left, locking the door behind him. Proto had rolled off the table and half-stumbled, half-crawled to an empty corner of the room and curled up in a ball.

Shadow Man tilts Proto's head up, just enough to get a good look at his face. The Robot Master's hands snap back when he does, his eyes wide. Proto buries his face in his arms again.

"Proto Man," Shadow Man says. There's no hiding the shock in his voice. Proto wonders if it's reflected in Shadow Man's expression for once, but he doesn't have the energy to check. "What has Wily done to you?"

"Put an electro-bomb in my chest," Proto responds. His voice is strained and raspy. He broke something screaming. "Says he has the kill switch to it."

Shadow Man is silent. His hand touches Proto's head, still gentle.

"Wily won't forgive me for this," Proto says, sounding frantic.

"You didn't do this," Shadow Man says sharply. "You didn't make him hurt you."

Proto tries to laugh. It sounds more like a sob.

Shadow Man slides his hand to the back of Proto's neck, fingers probing. Too late, Proto realizes he's looking for a weak point, and jerks his head up to protest. But Shadow Man has already found the energy cable he was looking for, and presses down hard.

Darkness follows.

Proto opens his eyes and he's back in his cell, back to being strapped to a chair. His eye is still gone, the fluid leaking from the socket like blood. Mega Man stands in front of him, his arms crossed.

"I'm sorry," Proto says desperately. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tricked you. I just wanted you to be on my side for once."

Mega's expression tightens. "You're never sorry for hurting me, Proto Man. Why should I believe you?"

"It was wrong," Proto says, struggling against the restraints. They hold firm, as they always have. "Mega, please, I—I don't want to die."

He blinks, and Mega is gone. Dr. Light stands in his place, staring at a pile of reports in his hands.

"There's no trace of my original prototype in you," Dr. Light says sadly. "Dr. Wily made you too much like himself."

"I can change," Proto says. "I swear I can change, doc."

"I'm sorry, Proto Man," Dr. Light says, shaking his head. "All you've done is proven you can't."

"Please—"

Dr. Light vanishes. Replacing him are Shadow Man and Skull Man, standing on either side of Proto.

"I warned you," Shadow Man says, pointing to his eye. The blood spilling from Proto's is pooling around his feet on the floor, deep red and thick.

"You hurt Kalinka," Skull Man says hollowly. "And you turned your back on the hand we offered. Why would anyone give you another chance?"

"Like father, like son," Shadow Man replies. "Give him a chance, he'll stab you in the back. Just ask Mega Man."

"Better to be rid of the threat," Skull Man agrees. He reaches out, bony fingers prying at Proto's good eye. "You won't need this anymore."

Proto screams as Skull Man's fingers dig in—

And wakes with a gasp. There are fingers in his empty eye socket, but hands are holding him down, keeping him from jerking away. The pain is unbearable, and he can't stop himself from shrieking.

And then the pain stops. Elec Man pulls back, setting aside the tool he'd been using. "I'm sorry that hurt," he says. "That's the best I can do to stop the pain. Better?"

Proto doesn't answer. The pain isn't gone entirely—there's a dull ache now he suspects will never go away. The hands holding him down slowly let go—Cut Man and Bomb Man at his feet, Guts Man on his arms. They brought him to a lap he doesn't recognize, and they're not alone. Peering into the room is Top Man, chewing his lip. Magnet Man and Metal Man are exchanging looks. Fire Man is signing something at Cut Man. Wily had never been able to repair him completely, and that included his vocal cords.

Shadow Man stands by his head, looking down with concern.

"What is this?" Proto asks, his voice still hoarse.

Elec Man frowns at him. "We'll need to cover that somehow, or contaminants will make it ever harder to repair. What even caused that kind of damage?"

He reaches for Proto, but Proto jerks back, scrambling to sit up. Shadow Man catches his by the shoulders and steadies him.

"It's all right," Shadow Man says. "They were worried about you. Elec Man is just trying to help." He glances up. "Give him space, he's still in shock."

Elec Man promptly steps back, the other Robot Masters following suit. Proto closes his good eye and swallows hard, trying to get his breathing under control. His systems aren't overheating. Robots don't have panic attacks. He can see the doubt in Elec Man's face, the confusion. Robots don't have panic attacks—

Shadow Man's hands squeeze his shoulders, but it's not a warning. Proto touches his own face gingerly, probing the hole. It's gone. It's gone, it's GONE—

"Don't let him do that," Elec Man says, alarmed. Shadow Man grabs Proto's wrists and firmly pulls his hands down.

"Clear the room," Shadow Man says. His voice is calm, but commanding. "Let me talk to Proto Man alone."

"He's gonna be okay though, right?" Guts Man says, sounding confused. "We can fix him, can't we?"

"Let me talk to him," Shadow Man says, quieter now. "Close the door behind you."

"C'mon, big guy," Cut Man says, catching his partner's arm. "Let's give them space."

Shadow Man holds Proto's wrists until the room is empty and the door is shut. He releases Proto slowly, but all Proto does is let his hands fall into his lap.

"I just wanted to go home," he says hopelessly.

"I know," Shadow Man replies. "I'm sorry."

"I can't fix this," Proto whispers. He can feel it in his throat and he hates himself for it, he hates Dr. Light for making him capable of it and Wily for not removing it, but he can't stop. Shadow Man says nothing as the tears roll down from the one eye Proto has left, his breathing hitching as he tries not to sob. He stays still until Proto finally quiets.

"Let me bandage your eye," Shadow Man says finally. He retrieves a rolled bandage stolen from one of the medkits meant for Wily, holding it out for Proto to inspect. "Elec Man said you'll need to keep it covered."

"Elec Man," Proto repeats, but he doesn't try to stop Shadow Man from pressing a square of gauze carefully over his eye socket, flinching only slightly. "He'll have to take turns—Bomb Man or Magnet Man, maybe, someone competent. None of the hotheads, they'll just make Wily worse."

"Proto Man," Shadow Man says softly, but he doesn't stop wrapping the bandage around Proto's head.

"Cut Man and Guts Man can take Wily's anger for a while, but they'll need breaks. Not Top Man or Star Man, they're sensitive. Never Fire Man. You have to tell him that. Okay?"

"Proto Man," Shadow Man repeats, more firm. "You are not dead yet. Why are you so eager to replace yourself?"

Proto swallows hard. "I can't come back from this. You know I can't."

Shadow Man doesn't reply, brushing Proto's hair back as he secured the bandage. It's an oddly comforting gesture, but it only makes Proto feel like crying again.

"Every time I close my eyes, I'm back in that room," Proto continues, his voice shaking. "Every battle, that's what I'll be thinking about. He'll—he'll know. He probably knows already. I'm no good to you now."

Shadow Man sighs. "Wily's ambition was always going to triumph his affection for you," he says. "I didn't want it to go this far before you could see that."

"You warned me," Proto says thickly. "I didn't listen. I had it coming."

"You did not—" Shadow Man grabs Proto's shoulders, squeezing hard. "You do not deserve this, Proto Man. You never deserved this. Understand?"

"How would you know?" Proto asks quietly.

"Because I have watched you," Shadow Man says sharply. "You let the Cossacks bots go. When Stone Man was buried in ice and Wily would not retrieve him, you anonymously sent his coordinates to the Lights. Your first thought on contemplating your demise was not saving yourself, but sparing those left behind. You were willing to die because you thought you killed Kalinka Cossack. Wily has done enough. Don't do his work for him."

"Wily didn't make you," Proto says slowly, staring at Shadow Man's eyes. There's something different about them. More human than the average Robot Master, but also somehow… less. "Did he?"

"He found me," Shadow Man replies. "He possessed enough skill to bend me to his command, but not enough to know what I'm truly capable of."

He smiles, slight and sharp. It isn't a nice smile, but it's… interesting.

"Why are you helping me?" Proto asks quietly.

Shadow Man leans back, regarding Proto. "I don't know. Perhaps it's merely self-preservation."

"I don't believe you," Proto says, narrowing his eye.

"Ah, you can learn," Shadow Man replies, arching an eyebrow.

Proto doesn't quite know what to say to that. He slides off the table, wobbly on his feet. One of the Robot Masters had thought to bring his helmet, and he puts it on. He could pretend he is whole, even if it's obvious he would never be again.

"Pharaoh Man," he says, drawing a steadying breath "You brought him back here, didn't you?"

"I take it back," Shadow Man snaps, folding his arms. "Wily will kill you. You understand that? He is no fool. He already knows the loss of his robots are not entirely by chance."

Proto smiles crookedly. "Prototypes don't last long."

"Don't be a fool!"

"I'm not useful anymore. Not to you, not to anyone," Proto replies, and it only hurts a little bit to say, because it's been true for a long time. "No one will miss me."

"What about Kalinka?" Shadow Man asks, eyes narrow.

"She'll outgrow me anyway," Proto says, but his voice catches. He's just parroting Wily, and he knows it.

"She never gave up on her brother," Shadow Man replies. "She risked her life for you. Do you truly think she would abandon you? Do you think your brother wants you gone, no matter how many mistakes you've made?"

Proto gives him a strange look. "You do care."

"Unfortunately," Shadow Man snaps, seeming irritated that Proto managed to get that much out of him. He moves to the door, and Proto follows. Outside, the gathered Robot Masters crowded the hall.

"He wants to see Pharaoh Man," Shadow Man announces.

Elec Man nods and shoos the gathered crowd aside. The trip down the hall is short, just long enough for Proto to realize where they are.

"We're in the basement," he says.

"Wily doesn't come here," Elec Man answers.

Fire Man catches Proto's eye, deliberately waving for his attention on his good side. "It's safer for some of us," he signs.

Guilt stabs him—he should have paid more attention to Fire Man after all—but before he can dwell on it, they enter another room. Pharaoh Man lies on another work table, cables connected to his chest, energy flowing in and out from a nearby machine. Several panels are open, with obvious signs of repair.

"You're trying to fix him," Proto says.

"We're trying to stabilize him," Elec Man responds. "Only Dr. Cossack has a chance at fixing his mind."

Shadow Man leans against the wall. "Not all Robot Masters want to leave, despite some of the challenges Wily presents us. There is no room in the world for us."

"But Pharaoh Man does want to leave," Elec Man says. "And we don't want him to be trapped here if he's miserable."

Something lurches in Proto's chest. "All of you?"

"All of us," Shadow Man says quietly. "There are many ways to live, Proto Man. No one wants to see you suffer when you have other options."

"I don't know what those are," Proto says sharply. "I don't—I don't know what to do. I don't have a plan."

"Neither do I," Shadow Man admits. "But I know someone who is pretty good at plans." He pauses. "If you let her help you."

Proto takes a breath, looking around the room. From the doorway, Guts Man and Cut Man peer at him worriedly. Elec Man watches him with a calculating, but not unkind look. Shadow Man's expression is closed as ever, but he's starting to see beyond that. Pharaoh Man, the brother Kalinka was so desperate to get back, who didn't deserve to be twisted up and broken.

"If you can't believe in yourself," Shadow Man says quietly. "Believe in Kalinka Cossack. She believes in you."

Proto closes his eye, and feels that dull ache in his missing one.

"Okay," he says, opening it. "Just tell me what to do."