Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, ya hear?! None of them!
Random Rant: Can ya believe it? Just a few more chapters and this thing'll be done with. o_O I've got one person who wants a sequel; any others? =P
Velvet Rain
Chapter Eight: Blind Tenderness
By: Bibly
Rock moaned slightly as he awoke. Turning, he buried his face in his pillow to drown out the morning rays of sunshine that streaked across his room from behind the blinds. "Bass, what time is it…?" he muttered. No answer. "Bass?" Rock opened his eyes slightly only to be greeted by a bare sky blue wall rather than the tan face of his love. He sat up suddenly. "Bass, where are – " Then it hit him. Last night, the battle…all of it had been real. No! No, it didn't really happen! he thought to himself as he hopped out of bed. Bass must have gone downstairs to get some food, that's all. Heading out of his room, Rock trotted down to the kitchen, his hopes lifting slightly. "Hey, Ba –" Empty. The kitchen was completely empty. Rock frowned. …Okay…maybe he's somewhere else… He searched every one of Bass' usual haunts, but found nothing. Rock ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. The last place he could think of checking was the lab, but he didn't want to. He wanted to hold onto the slight hope that lingered inside him. But he knew he couldn't. He reached for the doorknob hesitantly, his hand remaining there for a few moments before he pushed the door open. All of his hope shattered into a million pieces along with his heart; it was true: Bass was gone.
Propping himself against the door frame, Rock continued to stare at the destruction that lay before him, still refusing to believe that it was all for real. No… Please, no… Give me some soft of sign to tell me I'm dreaming… But no sign came. As he stood, gazing into the destruction that surrounded him – the still dust that lingered in the air, the chunks of wall and cabinets that lay on the ground – he hadn't bothered to realize a shadowed figure walk up behind him.
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Wily grinned to himself as he thought of the deed he had just performed. As he continued to work on the damaged Tenguman, he couldn't help but allow his thought to wander elsewhere. Perfect, just perfect! Maybe NOW Bass can actually defeat Mega Man! I don't know why I hadn't thought of doing this earlier! His grinned turned into a hate-filled sneer. Now I remember: that stupid bastard never let his guard down. Even while repairing him, he'd still be online. Stupid bastard. He grinned again. Now look at him. He's nothing more than a mere mindless puppet who follows my every command without a single bit of retaliation. Wily glanced over at the stiff figure that stood before the lab table. His grinned widened.
Bass stood completely erect, lacking the usual hunch in his shoulders that he usually had. His face was completely emotionless and unreadable, his eyes locked on the table itself, taking in everything yet nothing at all. Treble stood at his side, apparently confused and worried over his masters sudden change in composure.
"How are you doing, Bass?" Wily questioned, wondering what the now mindless bioroid would reply with.
"'How are you doing'? That does not compute," Bass replied in a flat voice, its cold edge gone.
Wily rephrased the question. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling however you want me to feel, master."
Another grin crossed the mad doctor's lips. "Good, good! That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Full obedience! I think this new you is going to be quite pleasant, Bass!"
Bass did nothing, just continued to stare unfocused at the tabletop as his master continued to work.
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Warm tears began to streak down Rock's face as he slowly slipped to the ground, his emotions shattered as he continued to deny what he knew was true. He couldn't take it. They were so in love with each other, they had done everything together ever since they revealed their feelings for one another, but he had returned…he had gone back…and Rock refused to believe it.
Slowly, softly, a pair of arms wrapped around Rock's shoulders. He gasped. "Forte?!" Whirling around, Rock's hopes crashed to the floor when a pair of violet eyes greeted his gaze. "…Blues…"
Blues smiled weakly, rubbing his brother's shoulder softly. "Sorry I'm not him. I know you'd rather have him around than me."
Rock shook his head. "No! No, you're my brother… It's just…"
"I know, I know. It's okay, we'll get him back somehow."
Rock gazed at his brother for a while longer before breaking into a fit of tears. Hugging Rock tightly, Blues sighed as he realized just how horribly Rock was reacting to losing the ebony bioroid.