Chapter Fifteen: Awakenings and Revelations
Author's Note: Okay... maybe it's not as long as I had originally intended... but I'll try to make the next few chapters even longer! A new addition to the Light household finds himself receiving different kinds of welcome...
I awakened on a cold lab table... with bright lights in my eyes. I closed them momentarily to adjust, for I don't have my visor on for some reason... wait a second... wasn't I dead? After the bomb blast... and Bass... what the hell?!
I sat up quickly, only to fall back down to the table for I was so weak. "Where am I?" I called out into the vast room. "Hey! Anybody there?!"
"What?" came a groggy-sounding voice from nearby. Suddenly a shadow fell over me and I found my eyes focusing faster upon an old man's face... was it Wily??
"Get away from me you old bastard! I don't work for you anymore, Wily!" I shouted, cursing my weakness and inability to defend myself.
"Hold on there," the voice said, and I could tell then that it was not Wily's for this voice was too kind and calming... unlike my old master's whiny and high-pitched shriek tone. "You're safe Blue... I mean Protoman. I've nearly completed repairing you, but I must have fallen asleep..."
"What have you done to me? I feel weird... my head hurts..."
"Ah..." he mused. "I found a small device that must have been keeping you under Wily's control, so I removed it. I wonder how long he had kept you like you were... in any case, you are free to do as you like now."
"Who are you?" I demanded.
"I am Doctor Light."
"What?" That couldn't be! How did I get from Skull Fortress to here? "No way!"
"Yes, well, believe what you like, because you're at my lab now thanks to my granddaughter's meddling... she says that you were a robot that her father... my son... created years ago."
"Yes..." I thought back, and was surprised at how easily the repressed feelings came back to me..."I was created by a Doctor Daniel Light, but I was derived from your early 'bot designs and improved upon by one Sierra Light."
The old man didn't respond, and as my vision cleared I could see that his face was a mask of shock. "That's... that's my son's name! So... you have to be Blue! Sierra was right after all!"
"Sierra... is here? How did we get out?" I asked slowly, now feeling my strength return as I fluidly sat up. I looked over myself, seeing that my cannon was removed and my armor patched up. My helmet was nowhere to be found, nor my scarf... they must have been destroyed after the blast...
"Yes, she is," Light responded. "She and Zero are just fine... you returned here with them earlier today... and you were just barely alive! I had to replace an arm and one leg, as well as dozens of other smaller things. What the devil happened?"
I ignored his question as his words sank in... "Where's my brother? Where's Rock?"
He looked away, but I could se the aged eyes fill with tears. No...
"Rock died... trying to save all of you..." he replied bitterly. "He was severely injured when he piloted the aircraft back here... but he didn't survive..."
"No..." I whispered. Why did it all happen to me? I had been taken from my creators, brainwashed... and then I had helped kill my own brother... was this all to spite me? Was Fate so desperate to destroy me??
"Grandfather? What's the matter?" called a soft voice. The two of us turned to see Sierra there, and I was ashamed to see the state that she was in... I regretted everything that had happened to her, even if it wasn't directly my fault...
"Nothing is wrong, my dear," he reassured her gently. "I was just conversing with our friend here... don't worry-- Wily doesn't control him anymore."
"I thank you... both of you... for that," I added. "Now I'm free."
"Yes, well, there was nothing to it." The old man scratched his head, apparently embarrassed. "At least I'm pretty sure he won't hurt us."
"I don't think he will," Sierra said quietly, meeting my gaze. I saw for the first time how clear her eyes were without the influence of Wily's implant in them... she seemed incredibly mature for her young age...
...Just like the girl I was programmed to know, years ago. As Wily's hold upon me faded I began to remember my original programming to serve as a companion for a girl named Sierra, as well as a lab assistant for her father, Daniel Light... The woman in front of me was that girl... but her father was gone, by Wily's hand no doubt.
After a few moments of silence that hung between us all, she spoke again. "You must be uncomfortable Bl-- I mean Protoman--"
"That's all right, Miss Sierra," I interrupted. "I am no longer Wily's puppet, so therefore I am not Protoman. Please call me Blue, if you want to."
She smiled. "All right... Blue. Would you like me to show you your room?"
"No, Sierra," Light cut in. "You shouldn't even be up and about right now. You need to rest..."
"I've been up for hours," she countered. "I can't sleep after remembering all that I'd done... and it will be a long time before I sleep again."
The doctor fell silent, his face grim and pained. I could see that they had all worked hard to get her back... and at such horrible cost... Damn Wily...
"So, Blue?" she repeated, smiling again. "You coming?"
I hesitated. "Um... sure," I replied finally, hopping off the table to follow her.
The walk through the halls was uncomfortably silent, for I didn't know what to say to her. What could I say? I'd been the one who kidnapped her, helped Wily control her, and kill Rock. I cursed at myself... wishing I could die. I didn't know how I could live with these horrible memories... even if my actions had for years been pulled by Wily on a puppet's strings and I had been controlled so my only freedom was thought... they were still my actions. I hated myself for all I'd done... I wanted so badly to go back and change it all...
"Here we are."
Her soft voice cut into my thoughts, and I shook my head so I could look at her quizzically. She gestured... almost reluctantly I noted... at a door in front of us. I opened it slowly, and saw a pretty-well-kept room shaded in hues of blue and black, and the stasis chamber in one corner looked used...
"It was Rock's room," she said before I could ask. From the corner of my eye I saw her shoulders slump and her gaze fall so that I could not see her expression. I didn't need to see it though to know ow she was feeling...I know how she missed Rock. I did, too, to a degree... but it wasn't even near the magnitude of Sierra's pain... for she had known him longer than I...
"I hope you'll be comfortable," she added before turning away. "If you need anything I'll be working next door... in my room."
"Thank you," I replied, not turning around to face her. I heard the door shut, and I was alone again... alone in the room of my dead brother.
Rock, I thought, hoping that somewhere he could hear me. I'm sorry...
I'm sorry...
***
The next morning I woke up to a soft knock on my door, and I raised my head from my worktable to see sunlight streaming through my windows.
"Miss Sierra?" came the voice of the knocker. It was Blue. "Are you all right?"
"Come in, Blue... I'm okay."
He entered slowly, leaving the door open. I rubbed my eyes to clear hazy vision and ran a hand through my hair. Finding a multitude of tangles I sighed as I hunted for a brush.
"Am I bothering you?" he asked politely, and I turned and saw clearly for the first time his grey-green eyes and auburn hair. He looked remarkably like Rock... so much that a pang of sadness embedded itself in my heart, and I couldn't stop the tears from welling in my eyes.
Sensing my distress he took a step back towards the door. "I'll come back another time..."
"No..." I said, waving him forward. "It's okay... the sun got in my eyes."
"Oh. I can close the window..."
"No, really, it's fine Blue," I smiled. "Don't worry about it."
"All right." I motioned to a chair in one corner, and he pulled it up to next to mine. Ignoring him for a moment, I grabbed my hairbrush and proceeded to tackle the tangles. After a few seconds of this I hit a particularly large knot and tugged a bit too hard...
"Ack!" I exclaimed. "Ooowww..."
"Sierra?" Blue inquired in concern. "What's wrong?"
I grimaced. "Nothing... I'm just having trouble with this. Did you need to talk to me?"
He was silent for a time, and I turned to stare at him when he didn't respond. His stormy gaze met my quizzical one, and I saw his turmoil. The poor guy... being controlled by Wily really took its toll... just look at me!
"I... um, that is--"
"Sierra!" called a voice as the door opened. "Are you up yet-- AHHH!"
Suddenly Zero was in my room, saber activated. "What the HELL is HE doing here!? Get away from Sierra, you bastard!"
"NO! Zero, STOP IT!" I screamed as I got in front of Blue. "Don't hurt him!"
The blond robot regarded me in shock and anger. "Sierra... but he's the one who killed Rock! He kidnapped you and helped Wily! Why are you defending him? Get away!"
"No. Zero... none of it was his fault... he wasn't even doing those things of his own accord. My father built Blue... and now we have him back... and I won't let you hurt him... he's not going to hurt me."
Both seemed dumbfounded by my words, but I stood firm. Zero held my gaze, then finally sighed and deactivated his saber. "All right. But if I find out that he harms you in any way..."
"Hey, I get the drill, Red," Blue cut in. "Lay off already." He got to his feet, glanced at me, then glared at Zero before striding from the room.
I watched him go, then turned away from my remaining visitor. "I can't believe you did that!" I said coldly. "Without even giving him a chance to defend himself!"
After saying those words I felt his arms surround my waist, his breath on my ear. "Forgive me... I didn't know he came back with us... but I still don't trust him, and neither should you."
"You don't know him, Zero. He was in here for ten minutes and I was fine!"
"You don't know him either, Sierra! Sure, your dad built him, but all these years he's been working for Wily! How do you know that Wily didn't make it so that he was sent here as a spy? An assassin to kill us all? Jeez... you're far too trusting for your own good. You know that?"
I was silent, and his hold around me tightened slightly.
"I just don't want to lose you again, Sierra," he went on. "I'd sooner rip out all of my circuits and use my saber on myself!"
"Don't," I scolded, leaning back against his muscled form. "Don't even joke like that."
"I wasn't joking."
"You'll easily outlive me, Zero. You're practically immortal."
"I'd hate that," he mused. "Living an eternity without you..."
I had to laugh at that. "You know, sometimes you can be so sweet... and then you go and say something corny like that--" I was cut off by his lips upon mine in a fierce, but swift, kiss.
"Now," he said huskily. "Was THAT corny?"
"Never said I didn't like corny..." I teased, and was rewarded with another kiss. "Did you need something? I was about to get back to work..."
He frowned again. "After all that Wily did to you, you want to WORK? Are you nuts?"
"For your information, I've been trying to find a way to get Bass's plans from Skull Fortress without actually going there. That way if we get the plans I can come up with something that will deactivate him!"
"Wouldn't it be easier to just go and break him into tiny pieces?" he asked in a slightly irritated tone.
"Always thinking with that plasma sword, huh?" I scolded. "If we get Bass back, he'll be our best weapon against Wily!"
"But right now he is HIS best weapon against US!" he countered. "See what I'm talking about?"
"Wily needs time to figure out how to completely control Bass, because before he would only do what I told him to do. Even with the remote Wily's using, the control isn't foolproof, and he'll want to make sure that Bass won't rebel again."
He sighed, looking into my eyes in tired exasperation. "All right, but can't you eat something first? You don't look like you've been fed well the past few weeks."
I grinned. "As a matter of fact, I'm starving! Let's go into town and eat!"
"Okay," he replied with a nod.
"And I'll go ask Blue if he wants to go along..."
:"WHAT?"
"Oh, come on, Zero! At least I won't be with him alone! He needs some time to get adjusted!"
Another sigh. "I never could say no to you..."
"Aw, you're the best, Zero!" I giggled, lightly kissing his nose before breaking free from his embrace to go ask Blue if he wanted to join us.
Author's Note: Hmm... what was Blue/Protoman trying to tell Sierra? Are Zero's suspicions true? Review, and I'll get the next chapter out really fast! ~=) ~Sierra Omega~
Author's Note: Okay... maybe it's not as long as I had originally intended... but I'll try to make the next few chapters even longer! A new addition to the Light household finds himself receiving different kinds of welcome...
I awakened on a cold lab table... with bright lights in my eyes. I closed them momentarily to adjust, for I don't have my visor on for some reason... wait a second... wasn't I dead? After the bomb blast... and Bass... what the hell?!
I sat up quickly, only to fall back down to the table for I was so weak. "Where am I?" I called out into the vast room. "Hey! Anybody there?!"
"What?" came a groggy-sounding voice from nearby. Suddenly a shadow fell over me and I found my eyes focusing faster upon an old man's face... was it Wily??
"Get away from me you old bastard! I don't work for you anymore, Wily!" I shouted, cursing my weakness and inability to defend myself.
"Hold on there," the voice said, and I could tell then that it was not Wily's for this voice was too kind and calming... unlike my old master's whiny and high-pitched shriek tone. "You're safe Blue... I mean Protoman. I've nearly completed repairing you, but I must have fallen asleep..."
"What have you done to me? I feel weird... my head hurts..."
"Ah..." he mused. "I found a small device that must have been keeping you under Wily's control, so I removed it. I wonder how long he had kept you like you were... in any case, you are free to do as you like now."
"Who are you?" I demanded.
"I am Doctor Light."
"What?" That couldn't be! How did I get from Skull Fortress to here? "No way!"
"Yes, well, believe what you like, because you're at my lab now thanks to my granddaughter's meddling... she says that you were a robot that her father... my son... created years ago."
"Yes..." I thought back, and was surprised at how easily the repressed feelings came back to me..."I was created by a Doctor Daniel Light, but I was derived from your early 'bot designs and improved upon by one Sierra Light."
The old man didn't respond, and as my vision cleared I could see that his face was a mask of shock. "That's... that's my son's name! So... you have to be Blue! Sierra was right after all!"
"Sierra... is here? How did we get out?" I asked slowly, now feeling my strength return as I fluidly sat up. I looked over myself, seeing that my cannon was removed and my armor patched up. My helmet was nowhere to be found, nor my scarf... they must have been destroyed after the blast...
"Yes, she is," Light responded. "She and Zero are just fine... you returned here with them earlier today... and you were just barely alive! I had to replace an arm and one leg, as well as dozens of other smaller things. What the devil happened?"
I ignored his question as his words sank in... "Where's my brother? Where's Rock?"
He looked away, but I could se the aged eyes fill with tears. No...
"Rock died... trying to save all of you..." he replied bitterly. "He was severely injured when he piloted the aircraft back here... but he didn't survive..."
"No..." I whispered. Why did it all happen to me? I had been taken from my creators, brainwashed... and then I had helped kill my own brother... was this all to spite me? Was Fate so desperate to destroy me??
"Grandfather? What's the matter?" called a soft voice. The two of us turned to see Sierra there, and I was ashamed to see the state that she was in... I regretted everything that had happened to her, even if it wasn't directly my fault...
"Nothing is wrong, my dear," he reassured her gently. "I was just conversing with our friend here... don't worry-- Wily doesn't control him anymore."
"I thank you... both of you... for that," I added. "Now I'm free."
"Yes, well, there was nothing to it." The old man scratched his head, apparently embarrassed. "At least I'm pretty sure he won't hurt us."
"I don't think he will," Sierra said quietly, meeting my gaze. I saw for the first time how clear her eyes were without the influence of Wily's implant in them... she seemed incredibly mature for her young age...
...Just like the girl I was programmed to know, years ago. As Wily's hold upon me faded I began to remember my original programming to serve as a companion for a girl named Sierra, as well as a lab assistant for her father, Daniel Light... The woman in front of me was that girl... but her father was gone, by Wily's hand no doubt.
After a few moments of silence that hung between us all, she spoke again. "You must be uncomfortable Bl-- I mean Protoman--"
"That's all right, Miss Sierra," I interrupted. "I am no longer Wily's puppet, so therefore I am not Protoman. Please call me Blue, if you want to."
She smiled. "All right... Blue. Would you like me to show you your room?"
"No, Sierra," Light cut in. "You shouldn't even be up and about right now. You need to rest..."
"I've been up for hours," she countered. "I can't sleep after remembering all that I'd done... and it will be a long time before I sleep again."
The doctor fell silent, his face grim and pained. I could see that they had all worked hard to get her back... and at such horrible cost... Damn Wily...
"So, Blue?" she repeated, smiling again. "You coming?"
I hesitated. "Um... sure," I replied finally, hopping off the table to follow her.
The walk through the halls was uncomfortably silent, for I didn't know what to say to her. What could I say? I'd been the one who kidnapped her, helped Wily control her, and kill Rock. I cursed at myself... wishing I could die. I didn't know how I could live with these horrible memories... even if my actions had for years been pulled by Wily on a puppet's strings and I had been controlled so my only freedom was thought... they were still my actions. I hated myself for all I'd done... I wanted so badly to go back and change it all...
"Here we are."
Her soft voice cut into my thoughts, and I shook my head so I could look at her quizzically. She gestured... almost reluctantly I noted... at a door in front of us. I opened it slowly, and saw a pretty-well-kept room shaded in hues of blue and black, and the stasis chamber in one corner looked used...
"It was Rock's room," she said before I could ask. From the corner of my eye I saw her shoulders slump and her gaze fall so that I could not see her expression. I didn't need to see it though to know ow she was feeling...I know how she missed Rock. I did, too, to a degree... but it wasn't even near the magnitude of Sierra's pain... for she had known him longer than I...
"I hope you'll be comfortable," she added before turning away. "If you need anything I'll be working next door... in my room."
"Thank you," I replied, not turning around to face her. I heard the door shut, and I was alone again... alone in the room of my dead brother.
Rock, I thought, hoping that somewhere he could hear me. I'm sorry...
I'm sorry...
***
The next morning I woke up to a soft knock on my door, and I raised my head from my worktable to see sunlight streaming through my windows.
"Miss Sierra?" came the voice of the knocker. It was Blue. "Are you all right?"
"Come in, Blue... I'm okay."
He entered slowly, leaving the door open. I rubbed my eyes to clear hazy vision and ran a hand through my hair. Finding a multitude of tangles I sighed as I hunted for a brush.
"Am I bothering you?" he asked politely, and I turned and saw clearly for the first time his grey-green eyes and auburn hair. He looked remarkably like Rock... so much that a pang of sadness embedded itself in my heart, and I couldn't stop the tears from welling in my eyes.
Sensing my distress he took a step back towards the door. "I'll come back another time..."
"No..." I said, waving him forward. "It's okay... the sun got in my eyes."
"Oh. I can close the window..."
"No, really, it's fine Blue," I smiled. "Don't worry about it."
"All right." I motioned to a chair in one corner, and he pulled it up to next to mine. Ignoring him for a moment, I grabbed my hairbrush and proceeded to tackle the tangles. After a few seconds of this I hit a particularly large knot and tugged a bit too hard...
"Ack!" I exclaimed. "Ooowww..."
"Sierra?" Blue inquired in concern. "What's wrong?"
I grimaced. "Nothing... I'm just having trouble with this. Did you need to talk to me?"
He was silent for a time, and I turned to stare at him when he didn't respond. His stormy gaze met my quizzical one, and I saw his turmoil. The poor guy... being controlled by Wily really took its toll... just look at me!
"I... um, that is--"
"Sierra!" called a voice as the door opened. "Are you up yet-- AHHH!"
Suddenly Zero was in my room, saber activated. "What the HELL is HE doing here!? Get away from Sierra, you bastard!"
"NO! Zero, STOP IT!" I screamed as I got in front of Blue. "Don't hurt him!"
The blond robot regarded me in shock and anger. "Sierra... but he's the one who killed Rock! He kidnapped you and helped Wily! Why are you defending him? Get away!"
"No. Zero... none of it was his fault... he wasn't even doing those things of his own accord. My father built Blue... and now we have him back... and I won't let you hurt him... he's not going to hurt me."
Both seemed dumbfounded by my words, but I stood firm. Zero held my gaze, then finally sighed and deactivated his saber. "All right. But if I find out that he harms you in any way..."
"Hey, I get the drill, Red," Blue cut in. "Lay off already." He got to his feet, glanced at me, then glared at Zero before striding from the room.
I watched him go, then turned away from my remaining visitor. "I can't believe you did that!" I said coldly. "Without even giving him a chance to defend himself!"
After saying those words I felt his arms surround my waist, his breath on my ear. "Forgive me... I didn't know he came back with us... but I still don't trust him, and neither should you."
"You don't know him, Zero. He was in here for ten minutes and I was fine!"
"You don't know him either, Sierra! Sure, your dad built him, but all these years he's been working for Wily! How do you know that Wily didn't make it so that he was sent here as a spy? An assassin to kill us all? Jeez... you're far too trusting for your own good. You know that?"
I was silent, and his hold around me tightened slightly.
"I just don't want to lose you again, Sierra," he went on. "I'd sooner rip out all of my circuits and use my saber on myself!"
"Don't," I scolded, leaning back against his muscled form. "Don't even joke like that."
"I wasn't joking."
"You'll easily outlive me, Zero. You're practically immortal."
"I'd hate that," he mused. "Living an eternity without you..."
I had to laugh at that. "You know, sometimes you can be so sweet... and then you go and say something corny like that--" I was cut off by his lips upon mine in a fierce, but swift, kiss.
"Now," he said huskily. "Was THAT corny?"
"Never said I didn't like corny..." I teased, and was rewarded with another kiss. "Did you need something? I was about to get back to work..."
He frowned again. "After all that Wily did to you, you want to WORK? Are you nuts?"
"For your information, I've been trying to find a way to get Bass's plans from Skull Fortress without actually going there. That way if we get the plans I can come up with something that will deactivate him!"
"Wouldn't it be easier to just go and break him into tiny pieces?" he asked in a slightly irritated tone.
"Always thinking with that plasma sword, huh?" I scolded. "If we get Bass back, he'll be our best weapon against Wily!"
"But right now he is HIS best weapon against US!" he countered. "See what I'm talking about?"
"Wily needs time to figure out how to completely control Bass, because before he would only do what I told him to do. Even with the remote Wily's using, the control isn't foolproof, and he'll want to make sure that Bass won't rebel again."
He sighed, looking into my eyes in tired exasperation. "All right, but can't you eat something first? You don't look like you've been fed well the past few weeks."
I grinned. "As a matter of fact, I'm starving! Let's go into town and eat!"
"Okay," he replied with a nod.
"And I'll go ask Blue if he wants to go along..."
:"WHAT?"
"Oh, come on, Zero! At least I won't be with him alone! He needs some time to get adjusted!"
Another sigh. "I never could say no to you..."
"Aw, you're the best, Zero!" I giggled, lightly kissing his nose before breaking free from his embrace to go ask Blue if he wanted to join us.
Author's Note: Hmm... what was Blue/Protoman trying to tell Sierra? Are Zero's suspicions true? Review, and I'll get the next chapter out really fast! ~=) ~Sierra Omega~