His Brothers Keeper -----part 5





Megaman yelped as Bass jumped down from the third story railing, landing heavily on the board walk.

"Very good, you managed to get past all the security" Bass grinned somewhat amused. "But please do tell me, can you swim?"

Megaman gulped "that's why he lured us hear...just one push and..."

"Save it Bass" Protoman snapped stepping forward. "I hope for your sake you can swim" he took another step forward. "If not then you've come to die" he lunged at Bass catching the black bot by surprise and knocking him back a few feet.

Bass leapt back to his feet, seething with rage, "you!!" He growled jumping forward.

He and Protoman circled each another playing a game of cat and mouse. Once and awhile Bass would attempt a lunge, then jump back infuriated when Protoman stopped it. With Basses greater size and power it should have been simple for the large black bot to take down his little red and gray foe.

'How is that bastard doing it, it's like he's reading my mind !" Bass thought crossly.

"That's right" Blues thought " keep tramping around and making all that noise"

Bass readied himself for another attack, gathering his legs under him. He sprang.

Protoman, once again easily moved out of the way. Unknown to Bass was the fact that whenever he moved , he was allowing Blues to hear and pin point his location, and when he went to spring, Blues knew a second in advance as his feet stopped moving.

Bass met empty air yet again, and howled in frustration. Then he noticed Megaman. The little blue bomber had been standing idly by watching.

Bass sprung again, but this time it was towards Megaman. He swung an armored fist intending to knock him over the railing.

"Rock!!" Protoman shouted , he dove to intersect Basses charge. He realized he wouldn't be able to get in front of the bot in time. With no other choice he jumped on top of the large robot's back. The sudden weight slowed Bass down but not enough. He hit Megaman, sending the little bot up and over the railing. Rock slipped off the edge and was left hanging for dear life by the crossbar over the vat.

"Blues!!!" He cried out.



Protoman knew he was in trouble the minute he landed on Basses back. This gave the black bot the advantage , he had the ability to use all his strength, while making his rider virtually helpless. Blues had to hang on, if he let go, Bass would throw him , and be on top of him or attacking Megaman before he could get back up. However having to hold on also meant he couldn't fight...or protect himself. Blues gasped as he felt his side sliced open, he reached down and quickly wrenched Basses head to the side swinging him into the railing where his head was lodge between the bars. Blues dropped to the floor, clutching his side, Bass hadn't been able to reach him with his arms or legs , but with one of the fins on his helmet, he'd stabbed deep into Blues side cutting him open from rib to hip..

Protoman crawled over to the cross bar, and leaned down to pull Megaman up.

"Blues..your hurt!!" Rock cried looking at his brothers torn side, blood and oil already saturated his suit to the knee. Blues was starting to shiver.

"Come on" Rock grabbed Blues arm, swinging it over his shoulder, "I gotta get you home..."

"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!" There was a horrible grinding noise as Bass tore loose of his confinement.

"I don't think so!!" Bass roared charging at Rock.

Megaman barely had time to push Protoman out of the way before the hulking robot was on him.

Rock used the momentum of Basses charge to flip them over and bring his cannon down on Basses arm. He was relived when he heard the cannon smash with a satisfying crunch.

Bass was not amused by this, he swung the busted arm cannon in a powerful arc , catching Rock across the face and throwing him off his feet.

Rock pulled himself up, he felt blood trickling down his face . He had to stop Bass fast. Blues needed help.

Powering up his cannon he dove at Bass. But to his horror Bass twisted in mid air grabbing Rocks cannon arm and shoving it back and upwards.

Megaman landed hard on his back, the larger robot on top of him. There was a loud blast as Rocks cannon went off pointed at the ceiling . Then.........darkness.

Rock shoved Bass off him and was able to catch his breath. "My cannon must have taken out the power lines when it went off" now he and Bass were surrounded in utter darkness. Without light neither robot dared to move to quickly....one wrong step and they'd fall off the narrow pathway and into the vats.



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Blues lay on his side on the cold metal ramp. He'd been listening intently to the fight as it raged on between the other two, using his shield as cover when plaster and metal had rained down upon him.

"Rock's blast must have taken out the main power supply" he noted as he could no longer hear the steady hum of electrical current in the walls. He tilted his head , Bass and Rock were moving slower now, " they can't see..." Blues realized. He inched forward listening and sniffing "hmmm...what's that smell?" It smelt of chlorine and ammonia ..but very strong. He went closer to the fight, the air was thick and had an unusual charge about it, creeping to the edge of the ramp

he listened attentively, then gasped.



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Bass growled , frantically slashing at the darkness. He and Rock were still fighting but he was getting few hits on his enemy.

The same was true for the blue bomber. Rock was terrified, as he teetered on the ramp way. "So this is what it's like to be blind' Rock thought, "no wonder Blues hates me ...I'd hate the person that blinded me too" he was so lost in thought, that a hand on his shoulder caused him to start.

He turned ready to attack, but stopped when a soft voice whispered in his ear. "Take it easy little brother..it's only me"

"Blues...you should be lying down....your hurt "

Protoman clutched him tightly, "Listen Rock, we're in a bad situation here, do you here that?"

Rock listened, he heard a faint sound coming from below them, "it sounds like a snake.." Rock whispered.

"I wish...." Protamn hissed "That's twenty thousand volts coursing through the water. Were standing over an electric swimming pool Rock"

"what are we going to do" Rock whimpered.

"I'm going to point you in the right direction, and I want you to walk..alright, in a straight line ...you got it?.....I'll handle Bass' He whispered , turning Rock to face the other way.

"But Blues..."

"Go Rock...not buts. I want you to walk. You don't stop and you don't look back...got it!!!"

But..."

"I'll be right behind you"

"I wanna stay.."

"Rock, just listen dammit and go now!!!!!

"........."

"Trust me"

Rock nodded then remembered that Blues couldn't see him "ok," he whispered .

He edged along slowly , keeping one foot in front of the other.

"Straight line...stay in a straight line " he thought, "Blues will be ok..." He had a deep respect for his brother and it grew deeper as he made his way through the warehouse. "He's so brave, he came with me even though he couldn't see" Rock gulped, "It must be horrible to be in darkness all the time .....even more so knowing your stupid little brother is the cause of it." he made his way out in to the moonlight. Sadly looking up at the moon above him, he remembered earlier on in the day. "I don't want the little shit following me...." Blues accusing voice rang in his head.

He thought of Blues now, in the warehouse fighting Bass, "I should be with him" Rock sobbed, "not out here waiting....but what good would I be, standing there like a statue, scared stiff, I'm a coward. I'm useless in a fight...I can't walk two feet without tripping...." .He walked over to a crossing Bridge and stared down at the dark blue water.

"Blues doesn't need me" he told his reflection. His water likeness readily agreed with him.

"Of course he doesn't need you....your only a nuisance to him" the image rippled before him.

"That's right, I just get in the way...always have" Rock cried .

"always having to be saved" the reflection mocked

"Always getting hurt.....or hurting others"

"No wonder he's mad at you ...." The image scorned him.

"I'd be mad at me too...surrounded by darkness for the rest of his life simply because his brothers a fool." Rock added softly " He'll never care about me now...."

A wind blew across the water, distorting his face, as the image became more warped it seemed to laugh at him. " He never has...he never will...he never has...he never will"

"It would be so simple" Rock thought stepping up on to the railing . He leaned forward watching the water flow past, he thought of Blues, of all the suffering he'd put his brother through " I'd just jump in...and then that would be it....I'd never hurt anybody ever again."

With a final glance at the warehouse , Rock let go of the railing and fell towards the icy blue depths.

"Goodbye brother" he whispered as he felt the frigid water begin to enter his body.

To be continued..........