As the sun rose, the red Navi and the Black Shadow remounted their viruses and set off deeper into the Labyrinth. Soon it became apparent that they were headed underground, seeing as a ceiling materialized above them after several hours of riding. The best part was, the viruses didn't need to be directed at all! They knew the way to ShadowMan's lair and were more than happy to take their rescuers there.

Since the sun had disappeared some time back, ProtoMan had to rely on his internal clock to know the time.

"The love shack is a little old place, where we can get togetherrr! Love shack baby…. Love shack, baby love shack! Love shack, baby love shack! Love shack, baby love shack! Sign says, stay away fools!" Bass belted out the classic rock song as loud as he could, grinning like a little kid who knew a secret.

Groaning, ProtoMan shook his head. "For the sake of my ears, stop it Bass."

"Awwww…" The cloaked Navi seemed slightly crestfallen. "I was just about to get to the good parts too."

With a roll of his eyes, ProtoMan countered. "Oh, what a tragedy. Forgive me for not crying."

Frowning, Bass gazed evenly across at his tall partner. "Oh, and I suppose you can sing any better?"

The normally poker faced Navi turned a brilliant shade of pink. "Well, I'm not saying you have a bad voice, but after the tenth time of hearing that…."

But nothing he said could deter the black Navi from his intended course of action. "Okay, I dare you to sing something now! C'mon, or are you scared?"

Indignant, the red hero straightened a little. "I am not scared! It's just that I don't have that good of a voice."

"Oh really? Well then," Bass remarked, a sly smile spreading across his features, "Why does my little sister say that you've got a wonderful voice and that I should hear you sing sometimes?"

"SHE SAID WHAT NOW!"

"Hey, I'm only repeating what she said to me. It's up to you. You can sing, or you can't. Take your pick."

Due to his nature, ProtoMan couldn't just back down from a challenge, especially not one from Bass. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to belt out a song at the top of his lungs.

Unfortunately, he never did get that chance, because his Spikey, Zero, had stopped abruptly and he smashed his face into the neck of his pet. Leaning over, he stroked Zero's neck fondly. "Hey boy, what's up?" Looking up, ProtoMan found out what.

StoneMan blocked the two hero's path, his not so bright eyes glittering maliciously. He didn't really have to try hard to block the path, his bulk filled the width of the tunnel, but the high ceiling gave them room to move. He resembled a Navi put together from building blocks and really, was relatively dangerous in confined areas like this. Or any other area for that matter.

"StoneMan!" Bass had slid off of Treble and was ready for a fight, his hands glowing with a slight gold light of the Earthbreaker. "What do you want?"

Giving Bass an exasperated glare, ProtoMan could hardly believe what he was hearing.

The black Navi shrugged. "Sorry, standard question. I guess I watch too many movies." Turning back to the stone monster in front of him, Bass' eyes flared bright red against the purple stripes and tan skin on his cheeks. "Okay, so we know why you're here."

StoneMan seemed stunned. "You do?"

"Well of course." ProtoMan slid down from Zero and had his Cyber Sword at the ready. "We're here for Star, you're here because you're following the orders of a crazed madman who has Star in his clutches. Any questions?" Bending his knees, ProtoMan narrowed his eyes and focused his mind. "Enough! Let's cut the chatter and get on with this!"

StoneMan didn't reply, but the way he reacted gave both Navi's their answer. "Rock Cube!"

Bass was lightning fast, whipping out the aura and allowing the rocks that came his way to fall harmlessly and crack on the aura.

ProtoMan moved as a red blur, slicing through the flying rocks, his speed unbelievable. Leaping over a rock, the red Navi held his sword high over his head for an overhead strike. "TAKE THIS!" With a bound off of StoneMan's massive head, ProtoMan wasted no time slashing viciously at the body before taking another flying leap off. Rebounding against the rock wall, he slashed again at StoneMan's bulk with no luck.

"We gotta get through his body if we're ever going to do any damage to him! But how? When I last saw him, he was a top solo net Navi in World Three, specializing in demolition!" Bass cried, pulling ProtoMan behind his aura. He growled in frustration. "And he's making me hold a defensive position!"

ProtoMan studied the rock monster ahead of them. "Last I faced StoneMan was with MegaMan in the N1 Grand Prix. Even then, he was tough to defeat. All because of his regeneration program."

Wincing at the blows the rocks made on the aura, Bass inclined his head towards the red Navi. "How'd you two finish him off last time?"

"MegaMan got a blade between the rocks, which made him collapse, then I sliced the regeneration program in two."

A grin spread across Bass' face. "Well, there's two of us, isn't there?"

Hiding his initial surprise, ProtoMan nodded. "Right! I'll get my blade between the boulders, and you destroy the regeneration program."

"On three, okay? One…two…" Bass put down the aura for a heartbeat. "THREE!"

Darting forward, ProtoMan weaved between the rocks, as nimble as an ice skater but far more deadly. Halfway there, ProtoMan realized something had changed about StoneMan. The rocks he was comprised of were now too tightly compacted to get a regular Cyber Sword through. Retracting it, ProtoMan decided to pull out all the stops. "MURAMASA STYLE!"

In a flash of light, ProtoMan had changed. His boots and gloves now appeared to be made of red cloth that was held up by two brown belts on each boot or glove. The body armor that encased ProtoMan's chest had grown longer in the back to make some sort of a trench coat like garment, while near the bottom of the cloth it split in two, like coattails. Under where the original chest armor ended, two brown belts accented it nicely. The best part was what ProtoMan whipped out of a plain sword scabbard, Muramasa itself.

The sword was special because the more the user suffered, the more power it wielded. It was designed like a Japanese sword, light and easy to use. But for the purpose it served now, ProtoMan didn't need power; he just needed a blade thin enough to get through the stone exterior.

"HAVE AT YOU!" Lunging forward, ProtoMan heard the satisfying sound of metal over rock.

With a stunned look in his eyes, StoneMan collapsed into a jumble of rocks, with the regeneration program exposed. The regeneration program was a glowing blue orb that was just larger than a tennis ball.

"BASS, NOW!"

Withdrawing his aura, Bass thrust his left hand forward. "You got it Proto! AIR BURST!" As the small explosions rattled forward, Bass felt horror grip him, a heavy weight seeming to sink into the pit of his stomach. ProtoMan just happened to be in the line of fire! "Proto! Get down!"

The Black Shadow caught a glimpse of ProtoMan turning to see the explosions bearing down on him before he was lost to view, smoke and light erupting from the area. As soon as it was clear, Bass charged in, worry etched on his features. Flipping rocks over, he searched franticly, the viruses behind him whining unhappily. "ProtoMan, c'mon! This really isn't funny! Come on out!" He stopped mid turn. Only a couple yards away, ProtoMan was laying facedown, small sounds coming from his form, which shook with what looked like sobs. Reasoning that ProtoMan was crying in pain, Bass hurried over. "ProtoMan! Are you all right? I'm so…" Flipping the silver haired Navi over, Bass was surprised.

ProtoMan wasn't crying. Quite the opposite actually. He was laughing. "Wow!" The red Navi chuckled, sitting up slowly. "That was a close one."

Flopping down, Bass stared at his partner. He was dirty, but seemed unharmed otherwise. "You dirty dog!" He cried indignantly. "D'you know that you had me worried sick!"

Zero seemed to sense that his new master had been in some sort of danger, made his way over and began licking ProtoMan to ensure he was all right.

Pushing the Spikey aside, Bass smiled at the creature. "All right Z, he's all right. Leave him be for just a- PROTO! Your head!"

Clapping a hand to his cheek, ProtoMan felt a warm trickle of blood seep down. Pulling his hand away, ProtoMan stared at the blood on his hand in somewhat of a mix between horror and astonishment. "I don't know how…it must've happened when I threw myself down…I don't…."

Bass took charge quickly, leaving the red Navi to mutter. Striding over to his Spikey, Treble, he removed the 'collar' from around his neck. Really, it was a long strip of white cloth but it would have to do for now. Kneeling before the injured Navi with the cloth in his hand, Bass looked him in the eye. "Hold still, I'm gonna take off your helmet." Gently, the Black Shadow pulled ProtoMan's red helmet off to reveal his silver hair beneath.

ProtoMan's once long silvery white bangs had turned a shade of red from the blood that soaked into it. Pushing them back, Bass spotted a particularly nasty cut that curved in the same way ProtoMan's sunglasses did. Bass reasoned that when Proto threw himself down, the glasses must've been pushed up and cut his forehead.

"Hold still, this won't hurt." Wrapping the bandage around ProtoMan's head a couple times, he tied it off neatly, wringing the blood out of the red Navi's hair. "There, that's better."

Putting his helmet back on, ProtoMan nodded sheepishly. "Thanks. I just don't see how I could've been so careless…."

Helping his injured partner to his feet, Bass grinned. "Ah well, even the most careful person can get injured every now and then." Eyeing Proto's new look, he widened his grin. "Nice outfit by the way."

Marching on in silence, ProtoMan was still disappointed with himself for getting injured. For almost an hour, they walked, the Spikeys following and nudging them in the right direction. Soon, they reached a stretch of path that the Spikeys would not follow them down, whining sadly when they tried to get them to follow.

Untying the strip of white cloth from around Zero's neck, Proto patted his Spikey gently. "All right, you don't have to come. I just hope I don't delete you one of these days. Take care, you hear?" ProtoMan's answer was a small bark and a lick on the cheek.

Bass stroked Treble fondly. "I'm gonna miss you big guy. Maybe I'll find you out there sometime, huh? We'll have fun together then."

After being set free, both Spikeys fled towards the entrance of the maze, kicking up dust.

The black Navi turned to the red one. "Looks like we're on our own, huh?"

Nodding, ProtoMan strode down the hall, eyes focused at the end. At the end of the hall was a large foreboding archway, which lead into what he only assumed was ShadowMan's lair.

When the two were only a couple yards away, a thin beam of golden orange light shot down, causing both Bass and ProtoMan to stop dead in their tracks.

The figure in front of them picked itself up off the ground and stared directly at them, a smile perched on its face. "Hello boys."

"It can't be…" Whispered ProtoMan

"It is." Bass said in a hushed tone.

"Starfire."