Anticipation
Bass barely hesitated before hitting the button to open the door and stepping inside. He was fully aware that Dr. Wily didn't want him in here, but he'd stopped caring what the old man wanted a long time ago. In this room was the scientist's latest, and supposedly greatest, project: the robot that he had lately been bragging would be the strongest ever.
Bass had heard that claim before. Dr. Wily had once said something similar about the creation that turned out to be King. Bass scowled, remembering how that had turned out. He hadn't forgiven Wily, and doubtless the old man knew it. It had occurred to him that the main reason he was discouraged from being in here was because the old man feared he'd preemptively destroy this creation or something. As if he needed to stoop to doing that before it could even fight back. On the other hand, he might do so just out of spite… but that wasn't his current intention.
Bass didn't bother turning on the room's light. There was a certain amount of ambient light coming in from the hallway behind him, and he could see just fine. He strode forward, slowly but surely, to stand over the robot that Dr. Wily had begun to build in here. It was just in its early stages, too soon to tell what the finished result would look like, really, but he had seen the image on screen that Wily had flaunted. Not that he'd looked very closely at the time. He'd only glanced and mocked.
Well, he still wasn't that impressed. Certainly, he didn't believe for a moment that this new robot would be an equal to him, let alone his superior as the old man claimed. On the other hand, this was clearly an involved project, not like some common, piece-of-junk robot master. Something at least on the level of King, or better… Bass smiled faintly to himself. Something – someone – who could probably put up a fight. This might prove interesting yet.
"He says you'll be powerful," he whispered to the robot-in-progress. "He thinks you'll be a match for me, and a match for Mega Man. Well, Mega Man is mine. You'll never beat him… but maybe you'll be a worthy opponent, in your time. Maybe you'll even provide me with a challenge. I look forward to finding out." He smiled again, a fierce expression. "So show me what you've got, when you're ready." Bass turned and walked back to the door, but he glanced back one last time. "I'll be waiting… little brother." Then he stepped out, closing the door behind him.