Chapter 04:

Recovery and Defeat

Crash Man shouldn't felt astounded when he entered the room, but he was. The handicapped android looked all around the spacious, white chamber. An impressive, black computer covered the left wall. Numerous monitors on its surface and keyboards over a large panel waiting to be pressed down. In the front, six stations equipped with glass capsules large enough to fit Hard Man in. Closer to him, several displays classed equipment, robotics parts and necessary materials used for mechanical repairs. In the centre, a line of three metallic tables enclosed a sturdy moving tray. On it, a familiar arm lied down, waiting to be put into its rightful place.

''DWN. 013,'' he looked at Classic, face still neutral, ''please lie down on the middle surgery table.''

The idea to be at the robot's mercy left a bad sensation on his mind, he hesitantly approached the dreadful board unable to ignore the fear. He forced himself to make the last steps and pulled himself over the cold surface then lied down.

Back against the elevated board, he observed the white ceiling brightly illuminated by blazing lights. The android fidget as Classic moved around the room, anxiously wandering when she will approach him with whatever torture tools at her disposal.

As he promised to his brothers, he turned off his hearing and allowed to be envelope in silence. In the quiet bliss, he turned his head to see the female android focused on the computer and tipping on keys. He couldn't make out the words, but she wasn't writing down a sentence in english. It appeared to be code lines of a language he wasn't knowledgeable in.

He was already getting bored now. The silence calmed him down as intended, but now the lack of sound only made him nervous. He could miss out important information from Classic and should he defiled her in anyways, she could shut him done for good.

In his haste to not screw up, he moved his vision away from the overseer and reactivated his hearing, ''...shut down of mobility systems-'' Her sentence didn't finish when Crash Man swiftly sat up on the table and stared at the female android. She, as a result, turned back at him. Dull yellow eyes and terrified green eyes peered into each others.

He didn't like where she was going with this, ''Why are you shutting down my mobility systems?'' He could feel it, his emotions turning against him once more and about to go against the monochrome robot. He wanted to look away from her, but couldn't. The idea to leave his guard down frighten him further.

Classic bowed at his question, throwing a curve ball at Crash's sanity, ''My apologizes,'' she confessed before standing up and approaching the stressed out Robot Master, ''Allow me to repeat the procedures once again. The restoration process will last approximately a hour. As stated previously, PNS functions will temporarily be disabled. Furthermore, the shut down of mobility systems will insure protection to both I and you, honourable DWN. 013.''

Her words finally understood and registered didn't help Crash's unexplained fear of the situation, ''Can you shut me down for the procedure?'' Part of the response was a nod, ''Yes.'' This didn't help the orange android's worries. He didn't want to be at the mercy of this emotionless creature, ''Can I stay conscious throughout all of the operation?'' Another nod, ''Yes.''

The Robot Master had multiple options. All of those including running away or attacking were immediately discarded, his survival was necessary. He could ask to be shut down to avoid boredom and just get it over with. However, after the many times he awoke in a strange room, he honestly had enough. On the other hand, he could remain conscious despise the possibility to die from boredom.

After a second of debate with himself, he chose the latter.

''I want to stay awake,'' his decision almost surprised him on how quick he spoke it out. The robot gave a nod, ''Understood, honourable DWN. 013.''

He returned to his initial position and followed by his eyes Classic walking around him. On each of his side, walls high as him erupted from the floor. The distance between them and the table allowed Classic to walk between them without trouble. She moved to his right.

''What are those?'' He asked the calm android as she flipped a switch, ''Receptors and control wires,'' Classic replied as a slide dropped and showed the many retractable cables and wires. The sight made the Robot Master tensed, ''And what are they use for?'' He had a good idea, but he needed confirmation, ''Direct access to your systems and to receive systems' feedback during the procedure,'' she pulled out a red connector before addressing him again, ''Please turn your head to your left.''

He did as ordered and felt the connection in the back of his head. The stoic android stepped away from his vision, a moment passed before Classic manifested again, ''I will deactivate both PNS and mobility systems in five seconds,'' she plainly announced, ''Please remain still.''

Crash almost rolled his eyes. He just want all of this to be done with. He didn't have to wait until two warnings appeared to warn the robot of the foretold systems.

''Selected systems as been disabled,'' Classic calmly announced, ''Proceeding to clear access.''

''Clear access?'' The term didn't sat right with him. Right, Crash Man could still speak.

''Yes,'' he forgot how stupid she can be.

''No, no I mean,'' speaking with a basic AI was going to take some time to get use to, ''What's clear access?''

''Procedure to remove your battle armour for direct access to your frame,'' she instructed, a strange sound to his blind side alerted him, ''I will begin clear access now.''

The noises started soon after. Crash could only let the robot go through the painstaking task. His armour's design guaranteed protection against most blasts including his own. As such, the tinkering Classic passed on the chest plate proved its effectiveness.

''Need a manual?'' The taunt wasn't ignored.

''No,'' her short answer lacked any bite, but went to the point.

Crash knew she was going to only reply with one-word response. This was going to be the longest hour of his life. He needed to get her to talk. A light-bulb flashed in his head. An eureka just hit him and he realized the opportunities given to him. Her AI seemed simple enough to manipulate for information extraction. He's smarter than her. After all, he was created by the smartest man alive. The android knew he wasn't as eloquent as Air Man or wise as Wood Man, but he could give it a shot.

''Classic,'' she stopped at whatever she was doing, ''can you talk more than one word at a time?''

''I do not understand,'' of course she doesn't.

''Well I mean, if you always say 'yes' or 'no' for my questions, it's boring,'' he explained at the android behind him. He hopes she takes the bait.

''Then don't be bored,'' her laughable solution wasn't going to fly with him.

''It's not like I have a choice here!'' He exclaimed at the overseer, ''I will be bored even if I don't want to!''

''Why?''

Crash Man stunned from the single word. If he wasn't paralyzed, a swift sit up and inevitable exclamation from him. So all he did, and could do, is to continue.

''Because getting bored is normal when you can't do anything,'' he explained to the robot, ''Can't you work and speak at the same time?''

''Yes,'' she was falling back into that bad habit again, but he was getting there.

''Do the repair and,'' he took a moment to think his phrase, ''try to talk with me. Don't just say 'no' or 'yes'.''

He couldn't see it, but he imagined her to nod at his demand before she acknowledged his request, ''Understood,'' she returned to her work and immediately she followed by, ''Nice weather today.''

''No!'' His shout halted Classic's movement, ''Classic, seriously? Weather?''

''You requested for me to talk,'' the android calmly explained her solid logic.

''Yes I know,'' Crash Man sighed at the basic argument. Will he ever get something out of this nuts bunk, ''but didn't your creators put something to engage in talking with that pretty frame?''

''Thank you for the compliment,'' it was sarcasm, but he wasn't going correct himself, ''I do have several programs allowing me to gather, analyze and reply with appropriate responses.'' As she plainly explained, he heard screws and plates moving behind him. She managed to get through the armour quicker than he expected.

''Then why the only 'yes' or 'no' replies?'' Crash began to question hoping it would lead him to learn more of their jailer.

''It is the simplest way to answer questions,'' Classic's answer finally started to fill up.

''But doesn't make good conversation, yes?'' He just had to break this habit and he could start to worm in, ''Like, can you tell me who created you?''

''Dr. Thomas Light and engineers of the International Robotic Laws Department,'' he barely heard her answer under the tools' noises.

''No, no, I mean who thought about you?'' A loud hiss let him know the armour was now remove, ''Who made your matrix, your I.C chip, your design!''

A looming silence passed by, Crash couldn't hear the other robot moving anymore. Suddenly, it hit him. He probably pissed her off, he tried to dug too deep and now defenceless, at her mercy, he knew he was a goner. Idiot! Idiot! What an idiot he was! He shouldn't have shouted at her or threw all of those questions at her. His eyes shut and lips tighten together, bracing for the bomb to explode in him and disappear altogether.

Footsteps echoed throughout the white chamber. The only sound he will depart with will be the approaching killing machine. Another silence, why did it take so long for the bomb to activate!? ''Damn it, stop toying with me and just do it!'' he cursed internally.

''DWN. 013,'' the neutral tone froze him, at least his face, ''please refrain from overusing your I.C chip. I am unable to proceed with the repairs at hand.''

The thoughts slowed down, he focused on the words no matter how monotone they were. He doubted her, nothing in his system warned a malfunctioning or damaging of any kind. Either she was lying or something was really wrong with him. Which ever of those options were, he leaved the thoughts unanswered as the overseer's voice spoke up again; ''I.C chip is now stable.'' The confirmation died down as she returned to her task at hand.

''You...'' The short-tempered android carefully choose his words, ''You're not... angry at me?''

Footsteps and further sounds danced in the room, ''I am incapable of anger.''

Crash Man felt a slight shock at the declaration. A cynical smile wore on his face, he was now glad he was back to the ignorant robot. He was getting somewhere with this and this stupid machine was falling for it. It wasn't unknown he wasn't the smartest, compared to Flash Man or Wood Man his strategies were straight and didn't leave to much background schemes. However, he knew when he hit the jackpot.

The empowerment lasted until he remembered this machine's power. If he let's up his intentions, he will be killed. The line between honest curiosity and devious extraction blurred for him, but he couldn't let this go. The female told them she can't lie and judging by her actions he doubted it. All she could be saying now have a chance to be lies or maybe he was overreacting again. He cursed himself to be so hesitant and decided to just take as much info he could without stepping to far.

''I am now installing your arm,'' Classic explained to Crash fully aware of his lack of time.

In a panic he spoke out, ''Hey, you didn't answer the previous question.''

''I did answer, I am incapable of anger,'' her answer almost drove Crash to climb up the walls in frustration, metaphorically.

''No,'' he sighed out, ''The one who thought about you?''

''Specifically, it was Doctor Thomas Light,'' he almost didn't heard her answer by the sounds of the drill.

''Then you know Mega Man?'' He felt he was on a roll, but it could be only a faint feeling.

''Yes, for five days.''

''Five days?'' Now that's pretty interesting. This means she lived with the blue jerk, she must have a detail or a weakness they don't know. When Wily will get them out, it will be useful.

''And what did you do there?'' The immediate reply didn't surprised him anymore, ''I was taught your systems, programs and body mechanics.''

''Why taught?'' The high pitch of drilling forced a halt in the conversation, ''Installing the instructions in your databank was too difficult?''

Classic locked something not too far away from him, ''Doctor Thomas Light wanted me to learn by my own.''

''And why exactly?'' The sound of moving metal alerted him of the finish work, he didn't have much time left. ''Did he told you?''

Classic turned away and pull a hollow piece out, it must be his armour. It was a little impressive she could lift up his armour by herself when she lacked the frame to do it. ''Yes, Doctor Thomas Light told me it was to learn on my own.''

Either she was pulling his legs or there was a bug in her speech pattern he wasn't aware, yet Crash accepted the loop answer for now. He returned to his initial goal of information gathering.

''Tell me, what Mega Man did all the while you were there?'' A broad question should give him a wide array of answers, ''Cleaning'' or so he thought.

''W-What?!'' His exclamation dampened by the drills' screeches once more.

''DLN. 002 was performing cleaning function during my stay,'' he took a guess for who was DLN.002.

''Nothing else? No practice, no combat simulations or battle virtualisation?'' She had to be lying! Mega Man, the robot who destroyed all of Wily's creations and saved the world three times now, did the same task than a cleaning bot, ''No. DLN. 002 was doing his normal functions throughout the days.''

They were defeated by a cleaning robot.

A.

Cleaning.

Robot.

Not military. Not battle oriented in anyways. A robot who's only experience was fighting his own line before them. Crash couldn't remember the amounts of times he fought through simulations after simulations, practice his demolition skills against bots bigger than this puny building. And after all of that, he fought against what Wily told them to be the weakest robot in the world. Only to be defeated by that 'weak' robot. To add insult to injury, the combine power of himself and his brothers wasn't enough to defeat him.

He must have spaced out, an alert displayed his motor functions were back online and the dreaded PNS too. He tested his mobility by a simple sit up. It was easier to do when you have two arms to support and guide. Once stable, he checked his newly added limb. The arm was identical to his old one, same colour, weight and length, as if it was never destroyed in the first place. As if Wily made it himself.

''Operation is successful,'' the overseer's voice echoed across the room, ''Operation's time is thirty-nine minutes and forty-eight seconds.'' He had no idea to who was talking to, he could see she was typing on the wall computer once more back to him, ''You can now go, DWN. 013.''

Crash just looked at her. His face appeared numb, but inside it was anything but. She lied to him. There was no way what she just said was the truth.

''You are lying.''

Classic's fingers halted their actions and turned around to see Crash Man standing next to the table, eyes staring right at her and hands held together similar to a maid waiting further instructions.

''I cannot lie,'' the immediate reply wasn't words, but a powerful slam on the surgery table. Strengthen metal or not, the table's edge bent and split inward. The voice erupted from the robot master, ''LIAR!''

Classic watched as Crash Man's frame approached her, teeth grinding together and eyes shifting between green and red, ''You are lying to me. And I hate to be lied to!'' His shouting couldn't go unnoticed, the repair room wasn't soundproof, but the female robot didn't followed this strain of logic.

''I am not lying,'' her reasoning fell on deaf ears, ''Mega Man isn't a stupid and frail maintenance robot! What is he really?!'' The red slowly crept over green, ticking away the bare restrain Crash still has in his system, ''Tell me!''

The golden eyes closed down and the frame barely slouched in front. Had she fallen asleep? Crash didn't care about it, he wanted the truth. He can't let down his brothers again, he can't be useless again! Before the words felt their weight on his mind, Classic spoke out in her cold voice.

''Why would I lie to you?''

''Because you're working with them!'' Crash replied bluntly, they were now barely a couple of meters apart, ''You are protecting those humans, because you know we can escape and take over this city!''

A few silent seconds passed, red and black almost took over Crash's eyes. He's going to destroy her. He's going to rip her apart. He will make a oil coat over the walls in this stupid white room! He will free his brothers and find Wily!

He was now in her face, her silence wasn't normal and so he shouted again, ''Tell me the truth!''

Classic's face opened her fake human eyes and looked at Crash's.

''You are right,'' he frowned, ''DLN. 002 is not only a cleaning robot.'' He knew it! She was hiding something! She was – ''He is a hero.''

There was a brief moment of silence. Crash's anger halted, yet the malicious colours stood in. Without hesitation Classic continued, ''He took arms against his own siblings for mankind,'' Crash Man saw the gleam in those eyes, ''should your own brothers fall into someone's else control, can you do the same?''

Would he? No, of course not. He can't harm his own siblings. The very idea to fight against them revolted him to his core. A scenario where he will have to fight Bubble Man who stood by him no matter what, to battle Flash Man always think of them and the effectiveness of a plan or to clash against Quick Man, despise his arrogance and impatience, was unimaginable.

''What are you-?'' ''The goal of this project is for the honourable DWN lines to assist, protect and integrate human's society. I have told you, I am incapable to lie. Lying will only hinder the effort of this project and its involving parties.'' ''But why-!'' ''You have all been giving a chance to redeem yourself and prove your desire to proceed. I am with you as I am bound by this house's rules. If you are unwilling to change for this project's goal, then I am obliged to destroy you.''

There, they stood. Both robots unwilling to move or speak up. Crash Man's arm was dangerously close to Classic, but the female android refused to move even when the clear danger looming over her. In his mind, the orange robot master dealt a different battle. Red and green collided, both sides fighting over control. Crash fought against the uncontrollable fury burning up his systems. Could he trust her? What she just said, was it really the truth?

No!

He can't doubt her. It made no sense if her claim was a lie. He can't just follow... It hurt to admit it, but his brothers might, just, might, be wrong. Maybe Wily will not save them. Maybe the doubts to all of this is a flaw in his system? Did – Could Wily have done this to only and only trust him? He wanted to believe this wasn't real, yet the discord between the old and new orders was evident. The very idea to change for his own survival disagreed with everything he is now.

A ding caught his attention. A window heavy in a programming language he knew stood over the female's frame. The code seemed to be a jumble jungle with no rime or reason for any out-lookers. However, the endless lines is fluent for Crash Man. This is Wily's coding language, a scripture only he and his brothers can understand. A privilege to read such masterpiece. The words formed over the codes, in clarity he read;

Trust Doctor Albert Wily.

Obey Doctor Albert Wily.

Protect Doctor Albert Wily.

Die for Doctor Albert Wily.

Those were the laws, the fundamentals of his creations and the unspoken rules of all robots. He couldn't help, but smile. There it was, what he and his brothers must change to survive in this new world. Crash's control obtained access and didn't wait to select it all. He ordered himself to delete the systems.

ERROR.

Crash Man's voice exploded across the room. Something was wrong. His head hurt. The pain was back even when he suffered no physical damage. He tried to remove those words again from his head, but the single words returned to haunt and laugh at him. He can't let these words, these orders, go. He can't disobey despise his efforts to do so. He had to survive. He must break the laws in him, but he can't do it.

The chaos in his head grew at an alarming rate. He could feel it, the rampaging emotions rushing through any hints of logic or rationalization. He was going to lose control and if he did, it will be all over! Muffled voices swam across the cacophony. He knew he wasn't going to hold on much longer, in desperation his eyes found a perfectly standing robot. Unmoved by the distress and pain of her charge. Did she really care? His question can't be answered for now, his voice struggled to shout at the female robot erupting like a plead.

''Shut me down!''

The words managed to escaped his mouth before the dark colours took over. A wrathful tidal wave swiped any restrains he still had, Crash only glared and snarled at the stoic robot before the darkness took over and lost himself somewhere far away.