Duo Reasoning
It was a beautiful night, with the clear skies, the stars and moon shining. It was too bad that it was below 20 degrees and in the dead of winter, otherwise Dr. Light wouldn't have minded to go for a night walk and clear his head a bit.
He sighed as he studied the scene on the other side of the window before turning back to his work. He was getting too old to pull all-nighters, but there was an anomaly he discovered in his latest scans of Mega Man's systems that needed to be fully analyzed. It didn't look like anything serious, but Dr. Light wasn't going to take any chances. Mega Man himself was sleeping, exhausted after another battle with Dr. Wily.
Dr. Light shook his head, preparing to plunge head-first into his work, when something caught his eye. He turned his attention back to the window. "Hmm… a shooting star."
But it wasn't a shooting star. It was too big and slow.
"A comet, perhaps?" Dr. Light said, puzzled. But it didn't look like a comet either. It seemed to be getting bigger, slowly but surely. "A meteorite!"
Dr. Light turned from the window and rushed to the living room. Rush was there, sitting in front of the television and enjoying a Scooby-Doo cartoon. Dr. Light quickly switched the channel
"Sorry, boy," he said, responsing to Rush's howl of protest. "But this is important."
Sure enough, the news was filled with stories about the falling meteorite. Dr. Light turned up the volume.
"…experts are predicting that the meteorite is relatively small, and will probably burn up when it gets further into the atmosphere. It if doesn't, it is predicted to fall into the Badlands. Scientists, however, are not planning on retrieving it for study if it does land there."
Dr. Light couldn't blame them. The Badlands—the personal home of Dr. Wily—was a deathtrap to anyone who dared nearing the barren place. Though Skull Fortress lay in the middle of it, an arsenal of defense weapons, ballistic missiles, and an army of tanks waited for anyone who dared. There were hidden traps everywhere, and all manner of scramblers, low-level EMP weapons, and cloaking devices to make it impossible to pinpoint. The military had tried more than once, with Dr. Light's help, to no avail. Dr. Wily had the world in a stalemate. Mega Man was the only one who was able to find and escape Skull Fortress alive.
"The real puzzle is why the meteorite is falling towards earth to begin…"
Dr. Light turned the television off, shaking his head.
"With any luck it'll fall on Skull Fortress," a voice remarked behind him.
"Mega Man!" Dr. Light exclaimed, turning. "I thought you were sleeping."
Mega Man crossed his arms as he leaned against the doorway. "I couldn't sleep."
"Is anything wrong, Mega?" Dr. Light asked. He ruffled Mega Man's brown hair, but eyed him with concern.
Mega Man ducked his head, smiling a little. "No. I'm just… just tired, I guess." He sighed, his smile vanishing. "It never ends. Every other week it seems like Wily is up to something. It just gets tiring. I mean, doesn't he ever stop? You'd think after losing again and again…"
Mega Man trailed off and shrugged. "I dunno. I just wish my life was more peaceful."
"Oh, Mega," Dr. Light sighed, drawing Mega Man into a hug. "We all wish life was more peaceful, myself included. If only the world was free of people like Wily, we'd all be better off. But he still exists, and someone has to stop him."
Dr. Light pulled back and looked into Mega Man's eyes with worry. "You don't regret that I rebuilt you into a warrior, do you?"
"No!" Mega Man looked shocked. "I don't regret anything you've done for me, Dr. Light! Someone has to stop Wily, and I'm the best one for the job! I don't regret any of that. I just wish it weren't necessary."
Dr. Light brushed Mega Man's hair from his eyes, his smile pinched. In truth, Dr. Light regretted it, turning his son Rock into a weapon of war. Deep down, Mega was Rock still—but his innocence had faded, the brightness of his eyes turned sharp and ready. His children had been forced to mature too fast, and there was nothing Dr. Light could do about it.
"So do I, Mega Man," Dr. Light said, hugged him again. "So do I."
# # #
"Stupid, rotten egoistic old man," Proto Man snarled. He rubbed the cleaning rag against the Skulker's side vigorously, wishing he could apply the same force against Wily's face. "He punishes me for his mistakes! His failures! Well, one for these days I'm not going to take it anymore. I'll show him who's the worthless one around here."
He pitched the rag as far as he could throw it. "This is so stupid! Wily has hundreds of maintenance bots! Why do I have to do this?"
"Because you have a lesson to learn, Proto," a harsh voice said from behind him.
Proto Man hid his flinch, his expression well-hidden by his visor. He spun around with a scowl. "Dr. Wily."
Wily stepped out from the shadows. "You're a good leader, but at times you are too hasty, and at others you don't take enough risks. You are constantly second-guessed by your brother, and you can never defeat him in combat!"
He crossed his arms, glowering. "And," he added, "you sport an attitude. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't reprogram you permanently into a maintenance bot!"
"Because I'm the best fighter you have!" Proto Man snapped. Wily's threat didn't frighten him. He couldn't even be bothered to give Guts Man a few more intelligence chips, and the hulking Robot Master messed up far more than Proto ever did. "Your other robots couldn't find their own brains if they tripped over them!"
"See, there is the attitude I was talking about." Wily shook a finger at him. "Your arrogance is getting tiring. You never seem to realize how disposable you are."
"Is that a threat, Wily?" Proto Man took a step forward. "Because if it is, I know exactly how 'disposable' I am. You couldn't even find your way out of Skull Fortress without me!"
Wily grabbed Proto Man by his scarf with both hands and yanked him closer, his face a mask of rage. "You remember that I am the master here. I built you; it is my plans we follow. When you fail to succeed in those plans I give out the appropriate punishments!"
Proto Man just snarled back, his head twisted away.
"Proto Man." Wily sighed and let him go, his rage gone. He gave Proto Man a tired look. "You notice how I don't punish my other robots. That's because you are right, you know."
He put a hand on Proto Man's shoulder. Proto Man shook it off angrily.
"You are my best robot, my greatest weapon. You are capable of so much more than any of the others. That is why I expect more from you. And when you don't give me that, I punish you, to try to make you realize that you are capable of more."
"Yeah, sure, Wily," Proto Man said. "I'm just your little tool. Well, I'm sick of it! If you don't start treating me better, I'll—"
"You'll what? Leave?" Wily replied. "Where would you go, foolish boy! The rest of the world hates you as much as they hate me! Do you think you'll last long out there on your own?"
"Yeah, well, maybe someone smarter than you could actually think of a plan that would work!" Proto Man winced as soon as he said it. He had gone too far. Their fights could be long and loud, but he knew better than to insult Wily's intelligence when the old man was fired up.
Wily's eyes lit up with rage. "You think so?" he asked quietly. "Well, once you're done with that, you can repair those other vehicles." Wily pointed to a mass of broken machinery.
"Those? But—but there're hundreds of them!" Proto Man protested.
"Exactly." Wily's mouth curled into a wicked grin. "And I want them all operational by morning."
"You've got to be kidding," Proto Man replied.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Wily asked. "Have a nice night, Proto Man."
He walked off, chuckling gleefully to himself.
Proto Man stared at the pile in a defeated haze. "It's not fair," he moaned.
# # #
In the early hours of the morning, the meteorite hit the ground, right in the Badlands as predicted. The shockwave was felt as far as New York City, but they weren't strong, even around the point of impact. This puzzled scientists, for the readings taken from the shockwaves and satellites registered some very unusual data. Yet no one was willing to dare the Badlands to find out why.
The shockwave also hit Skull Fortress. Proto Man moaned as the ground shook beneath him, but he didn't wake up.
Another half an hour past.
"Proto Man! Proto Man, where are you!" Wily bellowed, entering the hanger. "Proto—"
He stopped. Over half of the various Skull-tanks and jets had been repaired. Proto Man had fallen asleep bent over a jet, tools still clutched in his hands.
"Proto Man…" Wily hadn't expected this. He had expected Proto Man to ignore his order or only repair some of the vehicles. Proto Man had apparently worked until he was exhausted. He touched Proto Man's back gently. "Proto."
"Wha…?" Proto Man replied, looking up. "I repaired most of the machines, Wily. Can I finish the rest later?"
"Yes, Proto Man, you can finish the rest later, by telling the maintenance bots what to do. Now come; we have work to do." Wily placed his arm around the sleepy robot's shoulders. Secretly, he was pleased. Proto Man caused trouble once and a while, and his free will irritated Wily on more than one occasion, but he always proved his loyalty and devotion. Wily was very pleased with his robot indeed. Maybe he could learn something after all.
# # #
"A meteorite?" Proto Man sounded confused. "Why are you worried about a meteorite?"
"I'm not worried about it, Proto," Wily explained impatiently. "I'm just curious. I am a scientist, after all." He frowned as Proto Man rubbed his helmeted head. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Proto Man said, in a tone that most definitely said that he was not fine.
"Hmm. Why don't you get some sleep? I don't really need you for this, anyway," Wily said.
"But don't expect the whole day off," he added. The previous statement had been too nice.
"Okay," Proto Man yawned. He was too tired to notice, and would have written if off if he had anyway. He left for his room as Wily found some other victims to go searching after the meteorite.
# # #
"So, ah, where's this meteor?" Guts Man asked.
"Aheh, aheh, I don't know," Cut Man wheezed. "We're supposed to find it."
"It's a meteorite," Elec Man said.
"A what?" Guts Man boomed.
"A meteorite. It has fallen through earth's gravity, so it's called a meteorite," Elec Man explained. "A meteor doesn't fall to the earth."
"Then what does it do? Hang out around the moon? Ha, ha, ha!" Guts Man roared. Cut Man wheezed along with him.
Elec Man looked disgusted. "Never mind."
"Hey, there it is!" Cut Man cried.
Guts Man stopped the wheeled vehicle. "Let's go take a look," he said. Guts Man and Cut Man hurried to get out. Elec Man bent over the seat to get the equipment case. One of the tools slipped free, and he cursed his comrade's carelessness as he failed to catch it.
"Oooh, looky," Guts Man yelled. "It's a big hole!"
"Of course it is, bolt brains," Cut Man snapped. "Where's the meteor?"
"Meteorite," Elec Man mumbled to himself as his fingers scrambled around for the lost device.
"It's not here!" Guts Man yelled, louder than necessary. In Elec Man's opinion, Guts Man was always louder than necessary.
Elec Man found the tool and sat up. "What do you mean, it's not—uuuaaagh!"
"What?" Cut Man and Guts Man turned around and cried out simultaneously, flailing as they jerked backwards
Standing over them was a huge robot. Guts Man was pretty big, but this thing was enormous, towering over the both of them. His primary colors were blue, with white highlights, but his chest and one arm were red. His arms were mismatched, the blue with odd shoulder spikes, the red as if it belonged to a different robot entirely. He had two thin wing-like protrusions coming out of his back.
"What—what is it?" Cut Man cried, his voice shaking. Elec Man just stared from the vehicle, too stunned to even move. A single punch from those fists could smash them to bits.
"Hey, listen buddy!" Guts Man snapped. He was too stupid to be scared. His cry had been one of surprise, rather than alarm. "This here's Wily's turf. You're trespassing!"
The bot didn't move. He stared down at Cut Man and Guts Man with big, piercing blue eyes.
Cut Man decided to give it a shot. "Yeah, listen to the bot. You really shouldn't be here. Wily will get angry!"
"W-Wily?" The robot's deep voice was hesitant. He moved nothing but his lips. He seemed to be making sure his actions were not threatening.
"Yeah, that's right, Wily; the future ruler of the world!" Guts Man said.
"Well, as soon as we can get rid of that infernal Mega Man," Cut Man added. "Right, guys?"
"Right!" Guts Man agreed.
"Don't provoke it," Elec Man hissed, but neither of them would listen to him. For once, he wished Proto Man was here. As much slacking off as Wily's favorite did, he knew a true threat when he saw one.
"Mega Man…" The robot drifted off, puzzled.
"Yeah, that's right, Mega Man. Say," Cut Man said thoughtfully. "Where did you come from? I've never seen a robot of your design before."
"Yeah," Elec Man said quietly, relaxing at last. The robot was not programmed to attack, at least not right away. "Where did you come from?"
"Come from?" The robot sounded lost.
"I-I think…" Elec Man's voice failed him. There was something wrong about the whole situation, something bad. He tried again, pointing. "I think he came from there…"
Guts Man turned to look where Elec Man was pointing. "That hole?"
"No…" Elec Man trailed off, looking at the big robot again. "I think he was the meteorite."
"What?" Cut Man and Guts Man asked together.
"We should call Wily," Elecman said. "Now."
"Okay—Hey, wait," Cut Man said, something occurring to him. "Do you have a name?"
"Name?" The robot repeated.
"Great," Guts Man said in disgust. "The robot's brain-dead."
"My name is Cut Man," Cut Man pointed to himself. "This is Guts Man—"
Gutsman snorted.
"—And that's Elecman."
"My name… is Duo." Duo looked down on them, seeming almost surprised.
"Great," Elec Man mumbled. His feeling went from bad to worse. "It has a name."
# # #
"My name is Dr. Wily," Wily said, introducing himself with only a hint of grandeur. Upon hearing the news that his robots had found another robot instead of a meteorite, Dr. Wily demanded that they bring it to him immediately. Now the eight-foot tall Duo was standing before him. Already, Dr. Wily could tell the robot was powerful. He seemed to have an air of confidence around him, as if he wasn't afraid of anything.
"I am Duo," Duo said. "I seemed to have crashed on your planet by mistake. I was trying to reach a different galaxy."
"Well, mistakes can happen, I guess." Wily laughed nervously. From the shadows behind him, Proto Man frowned. Wily was trying to be on his best behavior for some reason. His voice tended to get higher when he was faking being nice. What is he up to? Proto Man wondered.
"I am programmed to find and eliminate all evil that exists," Duo informed him.
Proto Man felt his core skip a pulse. What did he say?
"Wow, uh, that's a big job," Wily managed to say. He, too, was shocked.
Duo just nodded gravely.
"Say," Dr. Wily said suddenly. "You may be the answer to my problems."
"Huh?" Duo frowned.
"We're a rebel outpost here in the desert, you see." Wily's voice had lowered to his normal tune as his plan took shape. "The government is very oppressive, you see. They force all the people to wear control devices and tell them what to do! My robot forces have tried to stop them, but we keep getting defeated. It's all because of Mega Man."
Proto Man uncrossed his arms, horror slowly dawning on him, but there was nothing he could do to stop Wily now.
"Mega Man?" Duo tilted his head. "Your robots have mentioned Mega Man before. He is your enemy?"
Dr. Wily nodded. "A very cruel and evil one at that. I shudder to think of the things he has done to the people. He and his creator, Dr. Light, make sure the government stays in power. Nothing I can do will stop them!"
"Evil…" Duo said thoughtfully. He smiled slightly. "And you would like me to take care of him for you?"
Dr. Wily nodded. "If you can. I don't want you to get yourself destroyed trying to help us."
"No!" Proto Man jerked forward, the words spilling out before he could think. "You can't!"
"What are you doing?" Wily snapped, grabbing him by the scarf.
"I…" Proto Man trailed off as he saw Duo looking at him. His eyes were like two piercing lasers, cutting right through him. It felt like with enough time, Duo would know everything about Proto, his thoughts, his feelings.
So this is why Elecman was so freaked, he thought.
"Why do you not want me to destroy this Mega Man?" Duo asked softly, kneeling down to get a closer look. Proto Man could only stare back at him.
"Mega Man is his brother," Dr. Wily said quickly. "He doesn't wish to see Mega Man dead, but we have tried repeatedly to try to get him to our side and failed. I can see no other option."
"His brother?" Duo asked, surprised.
"Yes. Proto Man here is Mega Man's prototype. Dr. Light and I used to be partners. We built Proto Man together, but out of fear of what Dr. Light would use him for, I stole Proto Man and brought him here. However, I couldn't stop Dr. Light from building another one," Dr. Wily said sadly. "Mega Man has constantly tried to destroy Proto Man, yet Proto Man can't give up the hope that he will switch sides one day."
Proto Man glanced at Wily in surprise. He was much better at this than he should be, somehow keeping the sneer out of his voice.
Duo looked at Proto Man. "Is this true?" he asked quietly.
Proto Man nodded, unable to speak. Anything he said could give away Wily's game, and it was too late to walk back now.
"But surely," Duo continued. "You realize that he must be stopped. If he has done the things Dr. Wily says he has done, then I must stop him."
"If you want proof," Dr. Wily said slyly. "I can show it to you."
"That might be best," Duo nodded. The two walked off, leaving Proto Man to his thoughts.
Duo was trouble, Proto Man was sure of it. He seemed unsure of himself, as if there was something he was missing. Nevertheless, the robot was no fool, Proto Man could see that. Wily's story was good, but not that good. And they didn't know anything about Duo to begin with!
Proto Man turned to follow them. If Duo was as powerful as he seemed, Wily was getting into something he couldn't control. Something that could backfire on them at any moment…
# # #
"So," Duo said sadly. "It is true. I'm so sorry for having doubted you, Dr. Wily, but there have been those who have tried to trick me before."
"Don't even think about it," Dr. Wily said, chuckling nervously. He'd shown Duo spliced clips of the destruction he himself had caused, making it look like Mega Man was responsible. The clips were from long ago, a half-cocked idea that never gotten off the ground. Now he was grateful he had kept them on hand. "It is quite a hard tale to swallow, I'll admit. What do you plan to do?"
"Stop them." Duo clenched his fist, his eyes burning with anger. He turned to go.
"Wait!" Dr. Wily called. "Don't you want any backup?"
"No, I'll be fine." And with that, he was gone, flying off in a bolt of blue.
Proto Man let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Are you crazy? What will he do if he finds out we were lying to him, huh? I'll tell you what he'll do. He'll come flying back to get us!"
"You worry too much, Proto Man," Dr. Wily said. "Trust me once and a while. Duo is powerful enough to blow small planets away. He's so angry; he won't stop to ask questions. Mega Man doesn't stand a chance."
"But—" Proto Man started.
"Really, Proto Man," Wily cut him off. "You're going to have me believe there's a little truth in what I told Duo. Are you protesting because you're worried about us, or are you protesting because you're worried about Mega Man?"
"What?" Proto Man jerked back. He had thought about Mega Man, when Duo had been staring at his with those huge, searching eyes, and that thought had twisted like one of Snake Man's search snakes in his head. He didn't want Mega to die—but only because he wanted to destroy him first.
That was the only reason, he told himself. A smaller voice, one he ignored, echoed back. Yeah, right, bro.
"You heard me." Wily smirked at him. "Is it true?"
"I-I—No! It is not!"
Wily patted Proto Man on the head. "Good."
Proto Man made a face of disgust and dodged.
# # #
"So, what gives, Dr. Light?" Mega Man asked, sitting on the repair table.
"To tell you the truth, Mega Man, I'm not sure," Dr. Light replied. "Both you and Roll show signs of this anomaly. But I don't know what it is, and I can't pin it down."
"Is it serious, Dr. Light?" Roll asked worriedly.
"That's just the thing, Roll," Dr. Light replied. "According to my calculations, you both have had this anomaly for a very long time. Since a little after I first activated you, to be exact. It hasn't hurt you so far, and I doubt if it ever will. It's just a mystery, that's all."
Suddenly, a booming sound came from outside.
"What in the world was that?" cried Dr. Light.
"I'll check it out! C'mon, Rush!" Mega Man sprinted for the door.
"Wait for me!" Roll cried.
"Wait, both of you. It could be dangerous!" Dr. Light rushed after them.
He wasn't wrong. By the time he had followed, far slower than his robotic children, the fight was over before it started. A huge robot had Mega Man pinned to the ground, his arm cannon trapped and useless. He held Rush still in the grip of his other hand, his eyes fixed on Roll, who seemed to be frozen in his gaze.
"Good…" Dr. Light trailed off at the sight of the huge robot.
"Are you Mega Man?" The robot asked, looking down. His voice was deep, but surprisingly youthful.
Mega Man struggled uselessly. "What's it to you?"
The robot looked up at Dr. Light and Roll, his expression grave. "My name is Duo. I was programmed to hunt down and destroy all evil. Someone told me you were evil, Mega Man, and that I should destroy you. But now that I'm here, I can feel that he was lying, like I suspected he was."
Duo let Rush go, and eased his grip on Mega Man, allowing him to stand. Mega Man sprung to his feet with a snap—Always a fighter, no matter what, Dr. Light thought sadly—but he put himself in front of Roll and Dr. Light.
"Thanks, I think," Mega Man said, eyeing Duo's massive fists.
"You were the meteorite that crashed in the Badlands earlier, weren't you?" Dr. Light asked.
Roll put a hand on Mega Man's shoulder. "Are you all right, Mega?"
"I'm fine," Mega Man reassured her.
Duo smiled at the two, then turned to answer Dr. Light's question. "Yes. Dr. Wily sent me here. But I could not sense any goodness in his heart, so I doubted his words. Now I know I was right to do so."
"Dr. Wily!" Mega Man said his name like a curse. "I should have known."
"Yes, so should I," Duo admitted. "But the fall damaged some of my circuits, and I could not see if he was good or bad. Now I know that truth."
"What are you going to do?" Roll asked, still a bit afraid of the huge robot.
Duo looked determined. "My job. I will hunt down and destroy the evil on this planet, and take revenge on those who tricked me. Farewell, Mega Man."
Without another word, he launched himself into the sky, a blue blur that quickly vanished.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Mega cried. "What did he mean, destroy?"
"Mega Man!" Dr. Light gripped his arm in horror, his eyes wide. "If he intends to do what I think he's going to do, he'll kill Wily and everyone else!"
"Kill?" Roll looked shocked. "Wily's bad, but Duo—he can't do that!"
"I believe he can, Roll," Dr. Light said grimly. "Mega, you have to stop him!"
Roll still looked shaken, but she grimaced. "Does he? If he gets rid of Wily, that'll solve a lot of problems."
"If he kills Wily, sis, then he's no better than a murderer." Mega stated grimly. "Rush, let's go!"
Rush quickly transformed into his jet mode, and Mega Man hopped on his back. "Let's go!"
"Wait!" Roll called, but Mega was already too far away.
"Oh, Dr. Light," she moaned, "I don't think Mega's up to this! That robot—he's too powerful to stop!"
"You may be right, Roll," Dr. Light said. "We have to follow him. At the very least, we might be able to talk some sense into Duo."
# # #
"I don't like this, Wily," Proto Man said. "He's been gone too long."
"Oh, please, Proto Man." Wily rolled his eyes. "Could you defeat Mega Man in a few minutes? I think not."
Proto Man grit his teeth. Don't remind me. It would have been suicide to try to stop Duo, but he wouldn't forgive Wily for a long time if his dweeby little brother really did end up dead.
"The longer he's with them the better chance they have of telling him the truth," Proto Man pointed out.
"Nonsense." Dr. Wily waved his hand dismissively.
"Dr. Wily!"
Dr. Wily turned to the screen where Guts Man's face appeared. "Ja?"
"Duo's back! He's coming toward Skull Fortress now." The screen switched, showing Duo walking slowly towards them.
"Good," Wily smiled. "You and Cut Man go meet him."
"Yes, sir."
"See, Proto Man? You worry too much, you know. Maybe I should—"
Proto Man let out a cry of horror. "Dr. Wily! Look!"
On the screen, Duo had sliced right through Cut Man and Guts Man with his hand, glowing with energy. He stepped over their remains like they were nothing, still heading straight for Skull Fortress.
"No!" Wily cried.
"I told you this was a bad idea; I told you!" Proto Man yelled. "We have to get out of here!"
Dr. Wily sat there, looking stunned. "But the plan was perfect; I know it was," he whispered to himself.
Proto Man groaned. Not now!
"Attention all robots!" he yelled into the intercom. "Attack Duo with everything you've got!"
He grabbed Dr. Wily's arm and tugged. "C'mon, Wily," he said. "We have to go!"
"It won't work. He's too powerful, none of it will work," Wily whispered. Now was not the time for Wily's little breakdowns, but he was deep in the throes of one all the same.
"Dr. Wily!" Proto Man snapped. "We have to get outta here now!"
It was no use. Wily had lost his frail grip on reality. His mind kept flashing back to the determined, ruthless look in Duo's eyes when he went after Mega Man, and the incredible power readings he had secretly taken from him. It had all seemed so perfect; provoke the good guys into destroying each other, and stepping in to take over after they were done. How could he have made such a grievous error?
Outside, Wily's robots were throwing themselves at Duo. Duo knocked them all aside, the very action ripping them apart. Elec Man, at the end of the group of Robot Masters, turned tail and fled. He had seen all he wanted. Now only programmed loyalty kept him from heading for the hills. He shook his head sharply. Wily had definitely programmed too much self-preservation into him.
"Snap out of it, doc!" Proto Man snapped, shaking the stunned Wily. He had to pick Wily up and carry him to get him into the hanger. Now he couldn't seem to get the old man any farther. "Please!"
"Proto Man!" Elec Man came running. "Get to the Skulker, it's our only chance!"
"Why aren't you out there with—never mind." Proto Man tugged on Dr. Wily. "Help me with him."
Together they managed to drag Wily into the Skulker. Proto Man hit ignition, ready to blast out of there, but nothing happened. The Skulker remained dead silent.
"C'mon, c'mon," he moaned. "Start already!"
Their last battle had damaged the power, but he had fixed it last night. He swore he had. But there were so many vehicles to fix, and he'd been so tired…
"You!" Proto Man snapped, pointing to Elec Man. "Come with me."
Before he left, he grabbed a blanket from the storage bin and draped it over Wily, still mumbling to himself.
"Don't move, Wily," he said, his voice gentle. "You'll be fine."
The old man was an overbearing, egomaniac with control issues, but—but Proto Man couldn't let him die. Not like this.
"Fix the Skulker!" he ordered Elec Man, emerging to the hanger.
"What about you?" Elec Man cried.
"I'm going to distract Duo," Proto Man said grimly, nodding to Elec Man before running for the fight so many Robot Masters were losing.
"Crazy dope," Elec Man mumbled, but he got to work.
# # #
"Where are you, Wily?" Duo cried. He raised his hand up to the sun. "The remains of your robot army lay at my feet, and even though they had no souls, I truly regret destroying such loyal creations. But I will not stop until I have found you!"
"Hey!"
Duo looked at the red-and-gray robot running toward him. "Another one, eh?"
Proto Man stopped, panting a little. His cooling systems didn't need the extra air, but he couldn't stop, anticipating what he was about to do. He had felt a lot of things in battle; exhilaration, anger, panic.
He had never felt scared before.
"Why do you want to get Wily, huh?"
Duo eyed him. The other robots had not stopped to question him after he had destroyed Guts Man and Cut Man; they had just attacked him. This one is different.
"Wily tricked me into trying to destroy an innocent being," Duo said. "He is evil, and I cannot forgive him for that."
"So you're going to destroy him?" Proto Man clenched his fist. He couldn't form his arm cannon. Duo would cut him down the moment he was a threat.
"Yes. My quest is to destroy all evil."
"Well." Proto Man spat. "Isn't that just peachy? What if I told you Wily wasn't the only evil one around here?"
Duo's eyes widened. "Oh?"
"I assume you spoke to my brother, the rotten little brat that he is," Proto Man said, smirking. "You remember all those things that Wily told you about? They were true, except it wasn't Mega Man he was talking about. It was me."
Duo merely looked at him. "You desire your brother's destruction?"
"Are you kidding?" Proto Man laughed. "I wanna destroy him personally. Nothing would give me greater pleasure."
Duo eyes grew wider, a feat Proto Man hadn't of thought he was capable of. "You would destroy such a valiant soul, your own brother?"
"I want to see his broken remains at my feet," Proto Man said flatly, his smirk turning twisted. "Course, then I would destroy the rest of them; that sappy Light, the wimpy girl-bot, and the stupid dog. It might be more fun to make Mega watch them die, though…"
"You are an evil creature," Duo's eyes burned with the same anger they had burned with earlier.
Proto Man breathed in. Here it is. Here's how I die.
"Tell me something I don't know, pal!" he said, forming his arm cannon rapidly and shooting Duo in the face.
The only thing the shot did was temporarily blind Duo, who bellowed with rage.
"You cannot escape me!" he cried. "I can sense your evil soul wherever you go!"
Proto Man turned and raced for Skull Fortress. If he was lucky, he could lose Duo in the mazes of the Fortress and escape with his life. A slim chance, but the only one he had. Elec Man had to have fixed the Skulker by now, taking the shattered Wily with him. It was his only—
The Skulker was still in the hanger. Elec Man peered into a panel, his face bunched with worry.
"No!" Proto Man cried. "Elec Man, you idiot! You were supposed to repair it!"
Elec Man abandoned the panel. "I can't," he said. "The power cores need to be completely replaced, and we don't have any to spare."
"Don't give me that!" Proto Man hissed, resisting the urge to shake the Robot Master. "What are we going to do now?"
"Die."
Elec Man and Proto Man whirled to see a bolt of blue energy racing toward them.
"Look out!" Elec Man pushed Proto Man out of the way. The bolt sliced him in half, the life in his eyes gone in a flicker.
No!
All Proto Man could do was run.
Duo calmly walked into the hanger, pausing by Elec Man's remains. "Yet another loyal robot falls in the service of evil," he said sadly.
Proto Man crouched behind a broken down yet, his artificial lungs working overtime to deal with the panic surging through his systems. Elec Man saved him, and was destroyed in the process. Duo had destroyed him so easily, so casually—Elec Man hadn't even had a chance to defend himself!
"Proto Man!" Duo called out. "Running will not save you! Come out, before anymore are destroyed!"
It's not my fault! Proto Man sprinted for the nearest corridor. He turned around the corner—
—and crashed into Mega Man, who reached out and caught him reflexively. "Proto Man! What—"
"Mega Man!" Proto Man almost went limp with relief. "You've got to help me!"
"Mega Man." Duo's voice came from behind Proto Man, too close. "Why are you here?"
# # #
"Dr. Light!" Roll gasped. "Look…"
"I see it, Roll," Dr. Light said grimly. From the low-flying jet, they could see the remains of the Robot Masters. Their bodies were twisted, sliced, and smashed almost beyond recognition.
Roll looked away, unable to bear the sight any longer. "It's—horrible!" she said, shivering. She regretted even jokingly considering letting Duo take out Dr. Wily. The Robot Masters were bad, but—this was something else. Something inhuman.
"Yes." Dr. Light said, distracted. There was a path cleared between the bodies, like an arrow pointed straight for Skull Fortress. Dr. Light looked closer.
"Is that was Duo's planning to do to Wily?" Roll's voice lowered to a whisper.
"Hopefully he hasn't tried yet." Dr. Light looked up. "I see most of the Robot Masters down there, but there is no sign of Wily; or Proto Man for that matter. They may have escaped. That hanger door is open, Roll, if you could try to land in there."
"Do you think Wily and Proto Man escaped that way?" Roll looked at him hopefully, but Dr. Light still wore the grim expression on his face.
"We can only hope, Roll. We can only hope."
After they had landed the jet, the two stepped cautiously outside. They could see nothing.
"Maybe we should stay—Dr. Light!" Roll broke herself off as Dr. Light marched boldly on. "Wait a minute!"
"We don't have any time to wait, Roll," Dr. Light said seriously. "Look!"
Roll looked to where he was pointing and gasped. There, on the floor of the hanger, were the remains of Elec Man. He had been cut cleanly in half.
"Hmm…" Dr. Light frowned. "He's been taken out of commission, but he can be rebuilt without too much trouble."
"Who cares about him?" Roll dismissed the destroyed Robot Master with a wave. "What about Mega?"
"Yes, you're right, Roll," Dr. Light apologized. "It's just—"
"Shh!" Roll held up a finger, cutting him off. "I heard something!"
"From where?"
Roll looked around. "I think from—the Skulker. It's still here!"
Without another word, Dr. Light raced toward the Skulker, Roll not far behind. Dr. Light reached the Skulker first, and his eyes widened at his discovery.
Roll peered out from behind him and gasped. "Dr. Wily!"
The evil scientist was curled up in a corner. Dr. Light walked up and knelt beside him. "Dr. Wily, where's Duo?"
"Duo?" Dr. Wily's eyes grew wide. "I don't know. I don't know anything!"
Dr. Light could see the creeping hysteria in Wily's eyes. He did the only thing he could think of. He slapped Wily hard across the face. "Snap out of it! Where's Proto Man?"
Dr. Wily shook his head and glared at Dr. Light. "How dare you—" he stopped, as Dr. Light's question struck him. "Proto Man?"
He looked around wildly, and got up, pushing past Dr. Light and Roll to run out of the Skulker. Dr. Light heard him give a cry as they followed him.
"Dr. Wily!" Dr. Light stopped. Wily was standing over Elec Man, wearing a stricken expression. Dr. Wily looked up.
"I heard him," he said, his voice broken. "He told Elec Man he was going to distract Duo. He—he left to—"
"He left to save your life," Dr. Light finished gravely. "I did not see his remains out there with the rest of them; he may be alive still. But, if your own scheming has cost him his life—"
Dr. Light paused, remembering Mega Man's affection for his older brother, and swallowed hard. If Proto Man was dead, Dr. Light wasn't sure what kind of effect it would have on Mega. For that matter, he wasn't sure if he could handle the death either. Proto Man may have been evil, but Dr. Light had helped create him. He hoped, if only for Mega Man's sake, that Proto Man would one day switch sides for good.
"If it has cost him his life, Wily, then you have only yourself to blame," Dr. Light finished.
"We have to find him," Wily hissed.
"We have to find them all," Dr. Light said. "Before it's too late."
# # #
Proto Man spun around to see Duo standing behind him. "No…"
The desperation in Proto Man's moan wasn't surprising, given the carnage outside. "Stay behind me!" Mega Man hissed to Proto Man, shoving him back.
Proto Man gave Mega a look of surprise. Despite his plead, he hadn't really expected Mega Man to help him.
"Duo! Stop this now!" Mega said, aiming his arm cannon at the huge robot. "I cannot allow you to murder Wily!"
"Murder?" Duo looked surprised. "But Wily is evil. Why do you, a champion of good, stand in my way?"
"Wily may be evil," Mega admitted. "But murder is wrong! Don't you understand, Duo? Kill him, and you are no better than him!"
"I understand nothing," Duo stated firmly. "You claim to be a hero, yet you protect one who would like nothing better than to destroy you, despite the fact that he is your brother."
"He may want to destroy me." Mega gave a backwards glance at his brother. Proto Man had the decency to cringe. "But he is still my brother, and I cannot let you kill him or Wily!"
Duo clearly did not understand. Proto Man didn't really either. Here was Mega Man's chance to get rid of his enemies for good. Wasn't that what he always wanted, to live in peace? Yet he was protecting Wily, protecting Proto Man, who had tricked and betrayed him more than once.
Why?
Proto Man didn't have long to sort it out. Duo was bound to get tired of it eventually. Although he didn't seem to want to destroy Mega Man, he had already made clear what was in store for Proto Man. He had never thought about death much. He wasn't even sure if what he had could be called a life, or if he was just some clever piece of hardware. Now Proto Man was almost startled to find out that he didn't want to die, not like Elec Man and the others. He had to get out of this somehow…
Proto Man's gaze wandered upwards. There was a huge beam above Duo's head. If he shot it just right, then the very least it would do was pin Duo down for a precious few moments.
Proto Man raised his buster carefully.
All Duo saw was Proto Man aiming his arm cannon at Mega Man. With a cry of rage, he leapt forward, right hand glowing and outstretched. "Even now, under your brother's protection, you commit evil!"
He struck Proto Man with his open hand. The blow only grazed Proto Man, but the force of it propelled him backwards. Mega Man watched in horror as time seemed to slow down. Proto Man's helmet cracked and shattered as he fell. The splinters of it scattered as he hit the floor, his dark brown hair spilling out on the cold floor.
Proto Man's eyes were open. Empty.
"Proto Man…" Mega breathed, shocked. He'd never seen his brother's full face before. They looked alike, almost identical. He looked like he should spring up at any moment, but he didn't.
Proto Man did not move at all.
Duo stood straight. "Now he can commit evil no more," he said calmly.
Mega Man looked at Duo. "You—you killed him?"
Without waiting for a reply, he stumbled over to his brother's still form, gathering Proto Man up in his arms. Mega Man searched frantically at his face for signs of life, but Proto Man was cold, so very cold. He shouldn't be this cold. Even if his systems had been shut down, the residual heat should remain. He should still be warm.
His open eyes were blue, the same color as Mega Man's.
Proto Man's eyes were dead.
Mega Man wanted to shake him, but he couldn't. Proto Man was so still. The truth hit like a punch in the gut, and Mega Man couldn't stop a sob from escaping. "No," he moaned, cradling Proto Man closer. "No! How could you do this? How could you just…"
Another sob overtook him, and he wrapped Proto Man's body in a tight embrace. Not like this. It couldn't end like this. Not after everything he fought for, not after night after night of hoping things could be different.
"You killed my brother," Mega Man whispered. "My only brother…"
"Why?" Duo replied. "Why do you mourn such a creature?"
"He was my brother!" Mega screamed at him. He didn't care about anything anymore. His brother was gone. Duo had killed him, and Mega Man didn't stop him.
"He was evil!" Duo said. "He willing admitted trying to kill you. He gloated about wanting to kill you. Why…? I don't understand."
"You were programmed to recognize evil," Dr. Light said, coming up behind them. We have come too late after all, he thought sadly. "But do you know nothing of love?"
"I know of good and evil," Duo said. "Hatred and pain. But love… how could one love such a cruel monster?"
Dr. Light looked at Mega Man, who was hugging his brother's body tightly, with his head buried in Proto Man's scarf-covered neck, and rocking back and forth as if to comfort himself. Duo followed his gaze as Roll walked up to Mega Man timidly.
"Oh, Mega," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Dr. Light turned back to Duo. "That 'monster' was his brother, one who he loved, in spite of the troubles between them."
"That 'monster' loved him back," another voice, harsher than normal and thick with emotion, said from behind Dr. Light.
"Dr. Wily." Duo's eyes grew wide.
"He never passed up an opportunity to beg Mega to join his side. It's true that he enjoyed fighting Mega Man, but he wished he was fighting with Mega at his side even more. He even loved me, cruel and harsh that I was, enough to try to divert you from finding me."
Wily's voice broke, his eyes locked on Proto Man and his grieving brother. "You have murdered a boy, Duo. A hard and cruel one, but a boy all the same. M—My boy…"
"I did not realize," Duo said sadly. "Where I come from, it is different. Good is good, evil is evil. Evil cannot love, and good cannot hate. And yet here, even you, Wily, with all the cruelty you displayed, with all the pain and suffering you have caused, can love. I have made a terrible mistake. Please forgive me."
"No!" Mega Man's head snapped up, his usually kind face twisted with hatred. "You killed my brother! You do not deserve to be forgiven."
Duo walked over to Mega Man, who was still crouched holding his brother. Dr. Wily made a motion as if to stop him, but Dr. Light laid a warning hand on his shoulder.
"I am sorry, Mega Man," Duo said. "My circuits were damaged in the crash; my judgment has not been sound. Yet I may be able to help."
"H-How?" Mega Man wished desperately that he could cry. It might have relieved some of his pain. "He's already dead."
"You and him shared the same spark of life," Duo explained. "I could sense it when I first saw him. He was different than the others. Roll shares it as well."
"The anomaly," Dr. Light breathed. "Are you saying that it is a soul?"
"If that is your word for it," Duo said.
"So how does that help now?" Roll asked.
Duo looked back at Mega. He was staring into the face of his brother, who looked so much like him. "With your help, Mega Man, I could get him back from where I sent him."
"Where you… sent him?" A flicker of interest lit up in Mega Man's dead, grieving eyes. "What do you mean?"
"My touch can… do things to a body," Duo explained, holding up his hand. "It can send one away… kill them, or it can bring them back, although the latter is difficult. That was why your brother's body is cold to the touch. He was dead the minute I touched him."
"So?" Wily demanded.
Duo ignored him. "But I might be able to find him again with your help."
"How?" Mega Man asked.
"His life spark is similar," Duo replied. "If I hold on to yours, and you reach out for his, we might be able to bring him back."
"Sure," Wily sneered. "Feed the boy false hope."
"Be quiet," Dr. Light hissed. "Where," he asked, turning to Duo, "did you send him?"
"To the edge of beyond," Duo replied. "I don't know how to explain it in your terms."
"Wha… What are we waiting for?" Mega asked. "Do it!"
"Mega, are you sure?" Roll asked worriedly, but Duo had already laid his large hand on Mega's head, and the other on Proto Man's chest. Mega Man closed his eyes to greet the onrushing darkness…
# # #
It was here, he knew it was. He forgot all else, only that he had to find it. He searched feverishly, with only the guiding hand on his shoulder to keep him from getting lost. It was here, he just had to find it…
He pushed through the darkness, his outstretched hands searching blindly. It was hard, like trying to push through hardening cement. It was just beyond… There.
# # #
It seemed like Mega Man and Duo were locked in that position for hours, even if it had really been only a few minutes. Dr. Light sat with Roll close by, his hand holding tight to hers. Wily paced, muttering to himself in a mixture of English and German.
Dr. Light watched him. Did Wily love Proto Man? Dr. Light had not thought it possible for the man to love anyone, but then, Dr. Light didn't think that Proto Man cared about Mega Man either. But his encounters lately had shaken a lot of his beliefs.
Perhaps Duo was right. Perhaps there was hope for them both…
Mega Man's eyes flew open with a gasp, and he tumbled to the side.
"Mega Man!" Roll shouted, rushing over to him.
For a long, agonizing moment, Mega Man stared at her as if he didn't know her. Finally, he said, "Roll?"
"Oh, Mega, you're back!" she cried, hugging him around the neck. Dr. Light knelt by his son, a joyful grin on his face.
"Proto Man…" Mega twisted back to see the still figures of Duo and Proto Man, exactly as they had been before. Wily was standing close to them, looking down at Proto Man with almost a pleading, hopeful look.
Duo shuddered, and opened his eyes. "It is done," he said.
"Is he…?" Mega Man couldn't bring himself to say it.
Proto Man moaned and turned to his side. His eyes fluttered, opening wide with surprise, shutting quickly as he covered them with his arm.
"Proto Man!" Wily said, relief thickening his voice. Duo stepped back as Dr. Wily quickly knelt by Proto Man's side.
"Dr. Wily?" Proto Man sounded as if he had just woken up from a long nap. "What happened?"
"It's okay," Dr. Wily assured him. "You're fine now."
"I must be going now," Duo said suddenly.
Mega Man struggled to get up. Dr. Light supported him as he shakily got to his feet. Seeing this, Proto Man did the same, supported by Wily.
"Do you really have to go?" Roll asked. "I know you caused a lot of problems, but you didn't mean to. There's a lot you could teach us."
Mega Man gave her a sideways look. Could she actually be serious, or was she just being polite?
Roll caught his eye and gave him a shaky smile. She was just being polite after all.
Duo smiled. "I must continue my journey. But you all have taught me something I'll never forget. Thank you."
He turned and walked away, his edges glowing blue. Soon he was engulfed in the blue light, and when it faded away, there was no trace of the robot called Duo.
"Well, he's gone," Dr. Light said, sighing. "I don't know if I'm sorry or glad to see him go."
"I'm not sorry," Wily growled. "Not after what he tried to do."
Proto Man and Mega stared at each other. Mega Man tried to speak first. "Are you all right?"
"You saved me," Proto Man responded, sounding amazed.
"I couldn't let you die. You are my brother, after all."
"I…" Proto Man couldn't think of anything to say.
"I don't think," Mega Man began shyly, "that I've ever seen you without your helmet on."
Proto Man reached up and touched his hair. "Oh, yeah?"
Mega took a hesitant step forward, then made up his mind and hugged Proto Man fiercely. Proto Man looked shocked, but slowly his arms encircled his brother to hug him back, and soon he was hugging just as hard as Mega was. Mega Man smiled. Maybe in a few days they would be fighting on opposing sides again, but for right now, he felt like nothing could ever tear them apart.
Proto Man hugged his brother, his mind awhirl. They were bitter enemies, yet he had never felt so relieved in his life than when he ran into Mega. He was glad to see him alive, glad to see him unharmed. Mega Man had not only tried to protect him, he had saved Proto Man's life and was hugging him now, as if Proto Man were his trusted brother, not his enemy.
Proto Man tightened his hold on Mega, dismissing his thoughts. Right now they weren't enemies. They were brothers, as they had always been meant to be.
Dr. Light and Dr. Wily watched silently. Wily turned to Dr. Light. "Don't think this will change anything between us, Light. The world will still be mine to rule."
"And I will still try to stop you," Dr. Light replied. "But for right now, I don't think that matters."
"No," Wily agreed.
And the two brothers stayed that way, holding each other tightly, for a long time.
THE END
Notes:
Another old fic, slightly updated to make Mega Man more in character. I don't actually know much about Duo, but maybe this tracks? IDK.
Bit of an last minute, screw it upload, considering all that's happening in the world. Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights Are Human Rights, donate to your local bail fund, wear a mask, etc. Stay safe, everyone.