Chapter Five: Sorrow and Despair
"Take her back to the ship... and make sure she doesn't cause any trouble!" Wily ordered, and the last thing I knew was something hitting the back of my head...
***
(AN: Okay... now that 'I' am knocked out, I've decided to let some other characters have a part in this... first person's a difficult thing to do through the entire story... it leaves out quite a bit! See if you can guess who each one is :))
***
Rubble. That was all I could see... just rubble. Rocks, machinery and even my own 'blood' were everywhere. The devastation was immense... but at least I could keep them from going too far into the enormous lab. Only a portion of it had been destroyed, but there was enough to keep us repairing for weeks...
I can see my 'father' stirring some feet away, for the most part unharmed. It was I who received most of the damage, but fortunately my armor was strong enough to deflect quite a bit. The sky- and midnight-blues of it were caked in mud, blood and covered in scratches.
We never knew it had been coming so soon... Doctor Light, Zero and myself were fully aware of the sightings of Wily, and what they were after, but it seemed as if he were growing too strong, too fast. Suddenly a crash had sounded in the lab, and as I was first to the scene I witnessed the forced entry of three figures... a human I presumed was Wily, an orange robot with what looked like a pair of scissors on his head... Cutman was his name? I can't remember... and the other left just after the wall blew up... red and grey with a yellow scarf... Damn. How did they find us so quickly?
I had done the best I could to fight... I think I injured Super-Scissors or whatever his name was... a good shot with my X-Buster was enough to send him flying out of the hole from which he'd entered. Wily fled shortly after, leaving me to tend to Light.
I hoped dearly for the safety of Sierra... but with Zero she should be all right... right? Right...?
I had to find out, but my first priority right then was to Dr. Light. He awakened slowly, rubbing his head and removing it in horror to find blood where a piece of flying shrapnel had struck him down. I hurried to his side to help him up. He looked around wildly once to his feet, and I understood. With a questioning and fearful glance to me, I nodded and left him to look for the others.
It was darker outside than it seemed... and I could hardly see a thing. I called out quietly, careful to not alert anything dangerous that might have been lingering behind to finish me off. I don't think Wily was too happy that I had disabled one of his little toys, for I saw that the robot's body was not where I had seen it fly.
In my frustration I tripped over something, and heard a low moan. Whirling around I looked down only to find Zero lying there!
"Zero! What happened!? I demanded of him. He seemed to be hurt pretty bad, but his auto-repair systems were functioning normally for I could see the microcircuits fixing themselves much like human cells do, but at a faster rate.
"Sierra... they took her, Rock... she's..." he choked, "she's... gone... damn Wily... I'll kill him with my bare hands..."
"Easy now Zero... don't get riled up!" I scolded, lending an arm to help him up. Once that was accomplished I began walking him back to the lab. He was in quite a state... denial and guilt, probably. The poor guy... I couldn't help but share his pain, for I couldn't save Sierra either. Hell, thanks to Wily, I couldn't even get to her at all!
"No... I failed, Rock... I couldn't protect her... damn it all! I couldn't... now she's gone... and it's all my fault..."
"Stop that, Zero! You're acting like she's dead! We can get her back, Zero!" I half-shouted at the guy. I think the shock was just too much for him, but I really wanted him to shut up about it.
"Now come on, let's get you patched up. Then we can figure out how to rescue Sierra, all right?" he seemed somewhat satisfied with that, so he fell silent and began to lean on his own strength some. Together we walked back to the lab without a sound, save for our metal boots crunching the grass and light breathing.
***
I am aware of myself walking, an arm around Rock for support, but I feel nothing. Only emptiness fills my mechanical heart. Nothing else is left there...
It was at first a frightening feeling I had when I had first met Sierra. A strange sensation pulling at the wires of my heart (metaphorically, of course) became known to me when I had first set eyes on her.
As the days, then weeks passed I still had not grown accustomed to this feeling, and it only left me at ease when I was around Sierra. There was one day that I had... I had kissed her, and she asked me if I loved her. Love... was that what I felt? The immense drawing to another person that binds you together? The wanting to be around that person all the time, and the sorrow when they're... taken away?
If this was what love was, then did I love her? Yes. Yes. I had to be around her all the time... and when I wasn't I was training to protect her. But it seemed as if it wasn't enough... for how had it left me? Alone... empty and alone.
I remembered her haunting blue eyes... the ones that held an immense loss that could not be easily faded. I recalled her hair, her lips. The very thought of them sent waves of self-hate through me. What would Wily do to her? If he so much as harmed a single hair on her head... I would personally ensure that he would forever be tortured, for that as well as for whatever he had done to her years ago.
Not even Dr. Light talks about that... what happened long before our construction and activation. I once asked him, and he stared at me with a sort of far-off look with tears stinging his old eyes. He gruffly turned away then, and made me promise to never bring it up around Sierra... ever. What had Wily done... one day, I swore I would find out... and he would pay dearly.
Not only he; his creations would suffer as well. Especially Protoman... the one who did this to me. I made the vow deep within myself. He will pay...
***
Rock brought Zero in as gently as he could, and amidst intermingled pain and frustration I saw with pride that the auto-repairs were working beautifully. His circuits were already halfway back to normal, and with some of my help and a new armor refit he would be good as new. I motioned to Rock to place the red robot onto the nearby lab table, which was covered with stone and wires. I quickly attempted to remove the debris, but Rock brushed it away easily before I could even get there. Such magnificent designs... but I never could have done it without my dear granddaughter, Sierra. She was truly the brilliant mind behind much of their designs, including the brain chips.
"Is she...?" I asked of the two robots, and the brunette blue one shook his head somberly. I could see Zero flinch as he sat on the table, but I could not tell if it was from the pain of his injuries or the mention of Sierra. Though I thought it extraordinarily unusual for the cybernetic being to be 'in love' with her, I did not dispute it. Though I may be naïve still in my old age I understand love. I can see it in Zero's eyes when he sees Sierra every day... I can see how much they're together, or want to be.
And now, I can see Zero's pain. Yes. Even a cybernetic... even they can know love. It is that pain that gives me comfort, for I know the rage underlying the sorrow, the rage that will not stop until my granddaughter is back with us. I know Wily won't kill her. She's too valuable to him for that.
There is much I never told her... how it was indeed Wily that had stolen the original brain chips. He had also stolen my old blueprints and prototype... years ago, only months before my son and his wife were murdered.
I worked on Zero's armor and healing circuitry for an hour or two, and by that time the sun was beginning to rise. I looked out one of the many windows in the lab... Sierra had insisted on them so that the harsh lab lights did not ruin our eyes as much. She always did enjoy the sunlight and the light of the moon and the stars even more so.
"I will get her back, Doctor," vowed Zero from his position on the table. "It was my fault, and I swear that this will not go unpunished." I look at him, startled that he awakened without my knowledge. Rock stirred as well, and gave me a weary smile and Zero a grin.
"No," contradicted the blue robot. "We will get her back. But you need to get off your rear and train first, Zero! It's not gonna help Sierra any if we just sit on our butts and worry, then get 'em whipped again."
"What was that?" the red robot snapped, instantly jumping to his feet. "I DARE you to say that again, Rock!!"
"Wanna settle this? Most of the training room is still intact..."
"You're on, Blue Boy! I'll kick your ass!"
"I'd love to see you try, Red!" The two walked in the general direction of the training room that Sierra built for them on the other side of the laboratory.
They were quite a pair, really. Rock's playfulness contrasting to Zero's calm stoicism seemed to bond them together in an unbreakable friendship, and I knew that they would do anything for Sierra. My aging heart filled with hope then at that thought. Just you wait, Wily, I thought to myself, allowing a twinkle in my eye. You'll be in for the surprise of your life when those two face off against you and your evil creations! So help me God, you will pay for all you've done, for everyone you've hurt!
"Take her back to the ship... and make sure she doesn't cause any trouble!" Wily ordered, and the last thing I knew was something hitting the back of my head...
***
(AN: Okay... now that 'I' am knocked out, I've decided to let some other characters have a part in this... first person's a difficult thing to do through the entire story... it leaves out quite a bit! See if you can guess who each one is :))
***
Rubble. That was all I could see... just rubble. Rocks, machinery and even my own 'blood' were everywhere. The devastation was immense... but at least I could keep them from going too far into the enormous lab. Only a portion of it had been destroyed, but there was enough to keep us repairing for weeks...
I can see my 'father' stirring some feet away, for the most part unharmed. It was I who received most of the damage, but fortunately my armor was strong enough to deflect quite a bit. The sky- and midnight-blues of it were caked in mud, blood and covered in scratches.
We never knew it had been coming so soon... Doctor Light, Zero and myself were fully aware of the sightings of Wily, and what they were after, but it seemed as if he were growing too strong, too fast. Suddenly a crash had sounded in the lab, and as I was first to the scene I witnessed the forced entry of three figures... a human I presumed was Wily, an orange robot with what looked like a pair of scissors on his head... Cutman was his name? I can't remember... and the other left just after the wall blew up... red and grey with a yellow scarf... Damn. How did they find us so quickly?
I had done the best I could to fight... I think I injured Super-Scissors or whatever his name was... a good shot with my X-Buster was enough to send him flying out of the hole from which he'd entered. Wily fled shortly after, leaving me to tend to Light.
I hoped dearly for the safety of Sierra... but with Zero she should be all right... right? Right...?
I had to find out, but my first priority right then was to Dr. Light. He awakened slowly, rubbing his head and removing it in horror to find blood where a piece of flying shrapnel had struck him down. I hurried to his side to help him up. He looked around wildly once to his feet, and I understood. With a questioning and fearful glance to me, I nodded and left him to look for the others.
It was darker outside than it seemed... and I could hardly see a thing. I called out quietly, careful to not alert anything dangerous that might have been lingering behind to finish me off. I don't think Wily was too happy that I had disabled one of his little toys, for I saw that the robot's body was not where I had seen it fly.
In my frustration I tripped over something, and heard a low moan. Whirling around I looked down only to find Zero lying there!
"Zero! What happened!? I demanded of him. He seemed to be hurt pretty bad, but his auto-repair systems were functioning normally for I could see the microcircuits fixing themselves much like human cells do, but at a faster rate.
"Sierra... they took her, Rock... she's..." he choked, "she's... gone... damn Wily... I'll kill him with my bare hands..."
"Easy now Zero... don't get riled up!" I scolded, lending an arm to help him up. Once that was accomplished I began walking him back to the lab. He was in quite a state... denial and guilt, probably. The poor guy... I couldn't help but share his pain, for I couldn't save Sierra either. Hell, thanks to Wily, I couldn't even get to her at all!
"No... I failed, Rock... I couldn't protect her... damn it all! I couldn't... now she's gone... and it's all my fault..."
"Stop that, Zero! You're acting like she's dead! We can get her back, Zero!" I half-shouted at the guy. I think the shock was just too much for him, but I really wanted him to shut up about it.
"Now come on, let's get you patched up. Then we can figure out how to rescue Sierra, all right?" he seemed somewhat satisfied with that, so he fell silent and began to lean on his own strength some. Together we walked back to the lab without a sound, save for our metal boots crunching the grass and light breathing.
***
I am aware of myself walking, an arm around Rock for support, but I feel nothing. Only emptiness fills my mechanical heart. Nothing else is left there...
It was at first a frightening feeling I had when I had first met Sierra. A strange sensation pulling at the wires of my heart (metaphorically, of course) became known to me when I had first set eyes on her.
As the days, then weeks passed I still had not grown accustomed to this feeling, and it only left me at ease when I was around Sierra. There was one day that I had... I had kissed her, and she asked me if I loved her. Love... was that what I felt? The immense drawing to another person that binds you together? The wanting to be around that person all the time, and the sorrow when they're... taken away?
If this was what love was, then did I love her? Yes. Yes. I had to be around her all the time... and when I wasn't I was training to protect her. But it seemed as if it wasn't enough... for how had it left me? Alone... empty and alone.
I remembered her haunting blue eyes... the ones that held an immense loss that could not be easily faded. I recalled her hair, her lips. The very thought of them sent waves of self-hate through me. What would Wily do to her? If he so much as harmed a single hair on her head... I would personally ensure that he would forever be tortured, for that as well as for whatever he had done to her years ago.
Not even Dr. Light talks about that... what happened long before our construction and activation. I once asked him, and he stared at me with a sort of far-off look with tears stinging his old eyes. He gruffly turned away then, and made me promise to never bring it up around Sierra... ever. What had Wily done... one day, I swore I would find out... and he would pay dearly.
Not only he; his creations would suffer as well. Especially Protoman... the one who did this to me. I made the vow deep within myself. He will pay...
***
Rock brought Zero in as gently as he could, and amidst intermingled pain and frustration I saw with pride that the auto-repairs were working beautifully. His circuits were already halfway back to normal, and with some of my help and a new armor refit he would be good as new. I motioned to Rock to place the red robot onto the nearby lab table, which was covered with stone and wires. I quickly attempted to remove the debris, but Rock brushed it away easily before I could even get there. Such magnificent designs... but I never could have done it without my dear granddaughter, Sierra. She was truly the brilliant mind behind much of their designs, including the brain chips.
"Is she...?" I asked of the two robots, and the brunette blue one shook his head somberly. I could see Zero flinch as he sat on the table, but I could not tell if it was from the pain of his injuries or the mention of Sierra. Though I thought it extraordinarily unusual for the cybernetic being to be 'in love' with her, I did not dispute it. Though I may be naïve still in my old age I understand love. I can see it in Zero's eyes when he sees Sierra every day... I can see how much they're together, or want to be.
And now, I can see Zero's pain. Yes. Even a cybernetic... even they can know love. It is that pain that gives me comfort, for I know the rage underlying the sorrow, the rage that will not stop until my granddaughter is back with us. I know Wily won't kill her. She's too valuable to him for that.
There is much I never told her... how it was indeed Wily that had stolen the original brain chips. He had also stolen my old blueprints and prototype... years ago, only months before my son and his wife were murdered.
I worked on Zero's armor and healing circuitry for an hour or two, and by that time the sun was beginning to rise. I looked out one of the many windows in the lab... Sierra had insisted on them so that the harsh lab lights did not ruin our eyes as much. She always did enjoy the sunlight and the light of the moon and the stars even more so.
"I will get her back, Doctor," vowed Zero from his position on the table. "It was my fault, and I swear that this will not go unpunished." I look at him, startled that he awakened without my knowledge. Rock stirred as well, and gave me a weary smile and Zero a grin.
"No," contradicted the blue robot. "We will get her back. But you need to get off your rear and train first, Zero! It's not gonna help Sierra any if we just sit on our butts and worry, then get 'em whipped again."
"What was that?" the red robot snapped, instantly jumping to his feet. "I DARE you to say that again, Rock!!"
"Wanna settle this? Most of the training room is still intact..."
"You're on, Blue Boy! I'll kick your ass!"
"I'd love to see you try, Red!" The two walked in the general direction of the training room that Sierra built for them on the other side of the laboratory.
They were quite a pair, really. Rock's playfulness contrasting to Zero's calm stoicism seemed to bond them together in an unbreakable friendship, and I knew that they would do anything for Sierra. My aging heart filled with hope then at that thought. Just you wait, Wily, I thought to myself, allowing a twinkle in my eye. You'll be in for the surprise of your life when those two face off against you and your evil creations! So help me God, you will pay for all you've done, for everyone you've hurt!