Chapter 6: Rock, Roll, and Blues

"We've done everything we can. We've taken a sample of your blood and done every test on it known to men. Or doctors," the man explained to Blues, who had just woken up to find himself in a hospital. "And we've discovered the following:

It is not contagious. That means nobody else can get the virus."

Blues cringed at the word virus.

"We cannot find a cure or any kind of way to remove it."

Things began to click in Blue's mind.

"And if we don't find a way to cure or remove it in the next few months, it will multiply itself until your entire body will no longer be able to function."

It hit him, and he remembered a conversation with Light not too long ago...

Light had gripped Proto Man's shoulders, obviously worried. Proto Man had simply shrugged them off and looked away.

"Listen, Proto Man. How do you feel? Is your body holding up?" Light had asked, determined.

Proto Man had looked away again, and remained silent.

"You don't have to say anything. I know how you suffer, Proto Man. Your energy system has acquired a terrible defect...Unless it is fixed, your body will..." Dr. Light had continued. "And only I can fix your body as I am your creator..."

Proto Man had refused to listen to anymore of this. It was his body! Who was Dr. Light to tell him how well it worked?

"Don't worry about my problems," he had responded. "I know my body better than anybody else. And remember, I'm unbeatable! No matter what."

Dr. Light had sighed. "Don't talk that way, Proto Man. The war's over. Let's live together and keep the peace."

"That's not my style," Proto Man had replied, frustrated. "I'll do it myself! I don't need anybody! Nice chatting with you, Doc, but I've got things to do. Later."

He had walked away, waving sarcastically. Dr. Light had ran after him, yelling.

"Proto Man! Proto Man! Wait, you need to be repaired!"

"Damn!" he thought. "How could I have been so stubborn?"

"Do you have any relatives that we could contact? You still haven't told me your name." the man asked.

"It's now or never..." Blues thought.

"My name is Blues. My guardian is Dr. Thomas Light."

When Rock finally returned home, Dr. Light was getting in his car. When he noticed him, Dr. Light called out to him.

"Get in! We have a lot of things to do!"

Eager and yet ever so nervous, Rock hopped in the passenger-side door of the car and looked around. Dr. Light put the keys in the ignition and there was a loud "VROOOOOOOM" sound, followed by a steady hum.

Rock looked worried, and Dr. Light laughed.

"Don't worry, that's perfectly normal. Just be glad we aren't in Auto's car."

Rock smiled.

As Roll sweeped, dusted, and cleaned, there was a phone call. She dropped what she was carrying and ran to the nearest phone. She picked it up.

"Hello, Light residence. Who is calling?"

"This is the hospital calling about Blues Light. We need you to come over right away."

Roll went over her responses.

"We don't want any," she said, and hung up.

The doctor blinked, and hung up as well.

"Well?" Blues asked.

"He's not there, apparently..." the doctor answered, still confused. "Anybody else I can call?"

"Well, what about Dr. Wily?"

The man twitched.

"You know Dr. Wily?"

"Yeah, I do...he's my other guardian."

As they drove down the highway, Rock looked all around him, experimenting with all kinds of different things.

There was a button next to a handle on the door...but it was apparently stuck. There was another button near the window which made it go up and down, but it stopped working after a little while... And there was a panel just in front of him that had a CD slot in it, and a few dials.

He turned some of them, and sounds came from somewhere in the car. The sounds were voices!

"Today's music ain't got the same soul

I like that old time rock and roll

Still like that old time rock and roll

That kind of music just soothes the soul

I reminisce about the days of old

With that old time rock and roll..."

The music had a fast, but steady beat to it...Rock found himself liking it, and not just because it had his and his sister's name in it.

"Call me a relic call me what you will,

Say I'm old fashioned say I'm over the hill.

Today's music ain't got the same soul,

I like that old time rock and roll."

Rock found himself tapping his foot. So this was music...

"As long as he doesn't touch anything else in the car..." Dr. Light sighed, smiling. He somehow found himself liking the song too. This was much better than modern music.

The doctor looked like he was filled with rage, so Blues quickly explained.

"I was just joking! He used to know me when they still worked together!"

The man calmed down, and went to his computer.

"There, Dr. Light's cell phone number..." he sighed.

"Just take those old records off the shelf,

I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself,

Today's music ain't got the same soul,

I like that old time rock and roll."

The music stopped, suddenly interrupted by a different sound. It was a loud ringing. Rock stared quizzically at the speakers, and Dr. Light pressed a button near the panel with the CD on it.

"Hello, this is Dr. Light." he said to the window. Rock stared, confused. Had Light gone mad?

"This is the hospital, calling about Blues Light. We need you to come over right away."

At the name, Dr. Light practically steered off the side of the road.

"I-I'm on my way."

"I've got what you wanted." said a voice on the other side of Wily's telephone.

"Good, good. Send it over right away." Wily responded.

"Nuh-uh-uh, you overeager evil genius." the other person taunted. "I want my payment ready. And no tricks. They're in a package that only be activated by me. And I won't give them over until I get my money. I'm coming over there."

"Whatever. Just get over here. I need those things now!" Dr. Wily yelled.

"Understood." said the other man, hanging up.

Dr. Wily hung up as well, and eyed a black substance floating around in a nearby test tube.

"It won't be much longer, Forte."