Chapter 7

Mega man walked through a forest trying to sort out his thoughts, but he kept thinking about Dr. Light. He couldn't believe that he had been so foolish. He should have let Dr. Light analyze the portal before jumping through. Now everything he held dear was gone. He sidestepped just in time to avoid a tree, but he wasn't even aware he had done it. He continued for another short while when a plasma shot nearly hit his shoulder. On instinct, Mega man had an arm cannon up and was firing at his attacker. His shot hit a mechanical bird. In response to Mega man's counter, the bird drove it's bill into the tree and sent out a robotic worm. The worm didn't seem to have a main attack, but its touch did sting Mega man. Mega man quickly did away with the bird and worm and continued on, feeling no better than before. The brief fight had been able to take his mind off his problems, but not for long enough. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks.

"I know you're back there X. You may be a great fighter, but you're no stalker." Mega man said without turning around. Sure enough the white warrior stepped from behind a tree and walked up to him.

"Dr. Cain just wanted me to make sure your okay. After all, your not used to our time yet." X said as he stood beside the blue bomber.

"X, tell me more about Sigma." Mega man asked. The question took X by surprise, but he didn't show it.

"Well shortly after I was discovered, Dr. Cain used my schematics to make many reploids. Sigma was one of the most powerful, almost my equivalent, but something wasn't quite right. You see Dr. Light gave me the ability to think on my own and make my own decisions. Unlike your bioroid status, I was programmed that way. Anyway, Sigma had that ability and broke the first rule of robotics, which is to never harm a human being. I guess he figured he was superior to them and wanted to rule. He convinced other reploids that his ideas were the best and they joined him. Spark Mandrill was one of them. Zero is a reploid, but he's loyal to the rules of robotics and a trusted friend. He's superior to me in power, but unlike me, he can't use defeated enemies weapons." Mega man listened intensely.

"What weapon did you receive from Spark Mandrill?" Mega man asked.

"The electric spark." Was all X said. Suddenly X tipped forward and fell to his knees.

"X!!! What's wrong?" Mega man asked, rushing to help the robot.

"I don't know. My diagnostic is showing normal, but I feel light-headed." Then X started to faze, as if he were disappearing.

"We better get you back to Dr. L…" the name caught in his throat and he paused, but only briefly. "Dr. Cain." X nodded and they teleported back to the lab. Mega man had gotten the coordinates so he could now warp himself back to the lab. They appeared in the lab where Dr. Cain was bending over Zero who looked to be in the same condition.

"Dr. Cain, what's wrong with us?" X asked worriedly.

"I don't know. It's not mechanical as far as I can tell." The scientist rushed to a table and grabbed a scanner. He scanned his two robots as well as Mega man. After doing some tests on his computer he went back to help Zero to his feet. "It's odd. Mega man is completely unaffected by what's happening to you two. He looked up and his eyes rested on Mega man. "Oh no. I get it now. If Mega man is here, then he can't be in his own time. If he isn't in his own time, he can't defend it against Wily." He rushed up to the computer to bring up the history files. Mega man's eyes widened in shock.

"History is changing. Wily won the war and everything is changing." Mega man said.

"Precisely. Dr. Light is killed and therefore… X won't exist. And neither will any of the reploids." Dr. Cain looked at Zero and back at X. "Mega man we have to get you back to your own time and fast."

Chapter 8

Break man awoke in a cage. His vision was blurred from the energy drain compliments of Shade man, but it was starting to wear off. He squinted to try and see and he managed to glimpse a computer against one wall and no one around. Break man looked at his electrified cage and knew he'd just have to wait until Wily came for whatever reason. Sure enough the evil scientist did show up soon, realizing Break man would be awake by now. The scientist walked over to the computer and flipped a switch. Bright lights came on and Break man had to shield his eyes. It was then that he noticed his helmet and shield were missing. They were on a table across the room.

"Ah your awake. A tad early, but that's okay."

"What do you want Wily? And what have you done with Mega man?" The red robot yelled.

"What I want? The same thing I've always wanted. To conquer Megaland. Now with that pest out of the way, I can finally achieve that goal." The evil scientist said gleefully.

"In your dreams. The N team will stop you!" Break man said, his hopes already in doubt.

"Hardly. Without Mega man they can't stand against my robot masters. Oh and don't worry, Mega man won't be coming back to help them. At least not for about a couple hundred years."

"What do you mean?" Break man said, his eyes wide in shock.

"Oh I could tell you, but it's more fun to watch you squirm. Just let me say, his time is up!" The scientists said while leaving the room. The emphasis on "time" hung in Break man's mind. What had Dr. Light and the others been talking about? Something to do with fracturing time and space? Had Wily found a way to send Mega man through time? The questions ran through his mind as Bass walked in, Treble close behind.

"Dr. Wily may prefer to have you sit and suffer, but I don't like it. I'd rather just blast you into oblivion. That way there'd be no way you could cause any trouble." Bass said. To accent his feelings, he let off a shot that hit Break man square in the chest. Treble growled and paced around the cage, as a lion would circle its prey before the strike. "That wouldn't be wise Treble. It's an electrified cage. It'll hurt you too." Bass said, stepping forward. Meanwhile, Break man just scowled at the gray robot standing just out of his reach. Break man mumbled something and Bass sneered.

"What'd you say? Speak up boy." Bass said moving a little closer. Again Break man mumbled with a grin on his face. Bass moved closer, his arm cannon charging up. "I told you to speak u…" before Bass could finish, Break man's hand shot out and grabbed the surprised Bass. With a tug, Break man pulled Bass against the bars of the cage and a large crackling noise arose as metal and electricity collided. Break man shielded his eyes as well as his body from the sparks that were flying. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sound stopped. Bass fell to the ground unconscious. The bars had run out of electricity from frying Bass. Break man pushed on the weakened bars and they gave way almost instantly. Break man jumped from the cage and ran for his helmet. The next thing he knew, he was pinned on the ground, a growl just behind him. Treble. How could he have forgotten so easily?

"Uh… hiya Treble. Could you get off my back?" Break man asked. Treble growled at him as if in answer. Break man placed his hands on the ground and thrust upwards. With a yelp, Treble was flung against the far wall. Break man got up and reached the table. He puts his helmet on and grabbed his shield. He reached for the teleporter attached to the shield and pressed a button. Sure enough he disappeared in a red streak just as Dr. Wily walked in to watch him zip out.

"Noooooo!" Dr. Wily wailed as his captive vanished. "I knew I should have activated the defense barriers." The evil scientist rushed over to check on Bass. The robot was in bad shape and Dr. Wily went to work repairing his creation. But with each moment Dr. Wily uttered curses at Break man. After a while, Bass was revived and Wily went to wash his hands. "That pest is getting to be as bad as Mega man."