Chapter 6

Recovery

"Fortunately, his injuries are nowhere near as extensive as those he received during the battle with Sigma. We just need to give him time to rest and let his system repair itself."

Zero sighed with relief at Dr. Light's news as he pet the robotic lupine who's head was resting in his lap. "Great. How long's it gonna take?"

Dr. Light smiled slightly. The Reploid was much like Protoman. He kept his feelings hidden beneath a disguise of coolness, but whenever a friend or family member got hurt, his true sensitivity shone through. "Just a few hours," he answered. "He should be waking up around six or so."

Zero grinned. "Thanks, Doc."

"No problem at all," Dr. Light said cheerfully as he began to leave the T.V. room they were in. He paused at the doorway and looked back at the three robots he was talking to. Zero and Iris were sharing the couch, and Rock was leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed. There was a sort of awkwardness to the whole scene, which added more to their human-like appearance than their casual clothes by themselves ever could. For some reason, Dr. Light was stricken with a sudden sadness. He shook his head as he continued on his way. "No problem at all..."

*****************

The three robots shared an awkward silence for several moments. On Rock's part, he felt absolutely no hard feelings about Zero's outburst an hour or so ago, but he knew that Zero had something he wanted to say. It was just a matter of Zero getting up the nerve. Hence the silence.

Finally Iris poked Zero in the ribs and jerked her head in Rock's direction. Zero sighed and stood up to talk to Rock. No matter how many similar conversations he'd had with X, it never seemed to get easier. "Er, look, Rock? About before..."

Rock raised a hand to silence the taller blonde Reploid. "Hey, forget about it," he said with a grin. "If it were Hadrian and I had to stay behind, I'd lash out, too, no matter how correct the decicion to stay behind was."

Zero grinned. This was X's precursor, all right. "It's not just that, Rock. It's this lack of activity, period. I'm beginning to feel useless, and I don't like the feeling."

Rock grinned. "You just want to crack some skulls together, that's all."

Zero laughed out loud. "Rock, you know me too well. Almost as well as X!"

"Which reminds me," Iris broke in. "Where is X?"

****************

X was in his guest room, watching the news coverage from the battle he'd recorded. He had to chuckle as he watched Protoman activate the bombs. "His resourcefulness is amazing isn't it?"

X started at the sudden voice behind him. He recognized the voice, though. "Hi, Rock," he said as he turned, and was unsurprised to see Zero and Iris as well.

Rock pulled up a chair and sat in it, straddling the back. "What's up, X?" he asked. "You haven't been out of this room since I got back with Bass. Somthin' wrong?"

"Rock, check this out," X said as he started the recording over. "Since when has Wily been known to send a force of twenty R.M.'s to one spot?"

Rock frowned. "Y'know, I was wondering that myself. He usually doesn't even have more than eight built at a time. That's usually all he feels he needs."

Zero shrugged. "So what? He was going after Bass this time, and he knew he'd need a lot of firepower to take hm out, right?"

"That's the other thing, Zero," X said in concern. "As insubordinate as Bass is, Wily's never actually tried to off him. I think the father-son relationship between them is better than even they'd admit to themselves."

Rock blinked. "How d'you know Wily so well? You almost sound like me talking."

X grinned. "I have my ways. Now check this out." The fight was well under way, robots and firepower flashing all over the screen. "Watch the Robot Masters. Notice anything unusual?"

Rock concentrated, trying to see what it was that X saw that they didn't. At first he didn't see anything. Then it came to him. "They're adapting their strategies as the fight goes on!" he gasped.

"Exactly," X said with a grim sort of smile. "And since when have they been able to do that?"

"X," Zero interrupted. "You're not suggesting what I hope you're not suggesting, are you?"

X nodded. "'Fraid so. I don't think it's Wily we're up against, anymore."

************

"Apologiesssssss, Lord SSSSSigma," Snake Man was practically groveling. "Basssssss was at our mercssssssy, but Mega Man and his infernal brother sssssssshowed up and managed to-"

"-defeat at least sixteen Robot Masters at the same time!" the pixilated visage of Sigma yelled at the cowering Robot Masters. He had taken up residence in Wily's computer, and used the largest screen available as his link to the outside world. He narrowed his eyes as he looked menacingly upon his new servants. "Go oversee the construction and rebuilding of your fellow Robot Masters and make sure it goes smoothly. I will decide on your punishment later. Now, get out of my sight!"

Sigma allowed himself an evil smile as Snake Man, Guts Man, and Elec Man shuffled out of the room. He learned his lesson with the previous attempt at converting Wily's robots into Reploids. Their inbred loyalty to Wily tended to carry over into their new forms, even through the Maverick Virus. Still, these robots needed some sentience, so he created a breed somewhere in the middle, that could think for themselves as far as fighting strategy goes, yet could do no more or less than he ordered, like basic robots.

Now to get to the business at hand...

There was one particular file in Wily's system that even Sigma was having difficulty cracking. Understandable since it was probably the singular most important file he'd ever created. He most likely kept a backup on his person at all times. Too bad Sigma vaporized that person. Still, he was making headway. If all went well, he'd have the file cracked very soon. And when he did...

Zero my friend, you'll be one of my Mavericks yet!

*************

The first thing Bass was aware of was the fact that he was on a metal table. A lab table. "Urg," he groaned as he slowly sat up. When he opened his eyes he realized that he wasn't in Dr. Wily's lab. That meant he could only be in one other place. Bass looked over to his right and had to chuckle. There was a bench against the wall, and sitting on the bench, Treble's head on her lap, was Roll. She was asleep, head resting against the wall behind her, mouth wide open, perfect bait for any flies that might be in the area. He'd never seen a better sight.

At Bass' movement, Treble stirred, awakening Roll. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as Treble jumped off her lap to greet Bass. When she saw Bass she brightened immediately. "You're awake..." she gasped.

Bass stood up and ran a hand through is blonde hair-his helmet had been removed in order for him to rest more comfortably. "Er, hi, Roll," he said sheepishly.

The two stood about a foot apart, looking at each other with small smiles on their faces. Then, without any warning at all, Roll slapped Bass hard across the face. Bass stumbled backward against the examination table. "You JERK!" she yelled at him a moment before storming out the door. She almost bowled over Rock, who was just entering. He merely shook his head an chuckled.

"Ow!" Bass said, rubbing his cheek. Never before had he been blind sided so completely, not even when Rock punched him in the face at the M.H.H.Q. in the future. "What I do? What I do?" He asked as he rubbed his cheek.

Rock chuckled again. "Oh, come on," Rock had to laugh. "You had to have figured something like this would've happened when you finally showed up. Don't worry, Bass. If she hit you that hard, it must mean she really does like you."

Bass had to laugh himself. "I guess she is right. I am a jerk."

"You better believe it," Rock agreed as he picked up a portable system scanner and began running a quick check-up on Bass' systems.

The two were silent for a few minutes as Rock ran the wand-like instrument over every part of Bass's body, concentrating on the readout, making sure there was nothing wrong. Finally, Bass spoke. "It's kinda strange, isn't it?" Bass asked.

"Huh, what?" Rock asked absent mindedly.

Bass sighed. It wasn't like him to talk this seriously about anything with anyone, especially Rock. "Well, ever since I was built, all I cared about was being the best, the strongest. Musta been the way I was programmed even before my 'conversion.' Well, since you had the title, that meant I had to kill you. Wily's plots and plans really didn't mean squat to me, so long as I got a shot at you."

Mega Man stopped. Bass was bearing his soul, setting his outer cockyness aside to really talk, and that wasn't like him at all. Then again, Bass had been doing a lot of things out of character recently. "Go on," he prompted.

"So, Wily sends me to th' future t' try and find a way t' beat you. I lure you there as part of a grand plan to get you gone, and what happens?"

Rock grinned. "Let's see, you fall for my sister, save her life twice, team up with me to take on the ultimate evil, where you end up saving my life multiple times as well, where you become nearly-fatally injured, fighting on the side of 'truth, justice, and the American way.' Nothing I would'a expected from you, ever."

Bass nodded. "Yeah, and now th' two of us have put aside our rivalry entirely, and act as if we've always been best friends, rather than bitter enemies up to a month ago. Boy, life is strange."

Rock stood up, deactivating the scanner. "Sure is, but if it wasn't, where'd the fun be? Take me fer instance. I was never meant to be a fighter, just a mechanic. Then my co-creator goes bonkers an' tries to take over the world. I end up becoming the worlds best hope. I find out later that I have an older brother I never knew about, I've been through more life-and-death situations in my life than Spider-Man, and now my sister's in love with the most dangerous being on the planet, and the weirdest part is, I don't mind."

Bass just shook his head. Then grinned. "You don't huh? Then you wouldn't mind if Roll and I were to..."

"Just be good to Roll, okay? If you don't..." Rock grinned. "I'll kick your butt from here to the moon!"

The conversation had been interrupted by the sound of an automatic door opening. Bass' eyes widened. In the doorway was a tall young man with blonde hair done up in a knee-length ponytail. "Zero...?" Bass muttered.

Zero grinned. "Hi, bro."

Rock stood up, shutting off his scanner. "Well, this thing says you're A-Okay, so I'll leave the two of you alone. Peace!" And so saying, Rock left.

*************

Rock was halfway down the hall when he stopped short. "I know you're there, Hadrian, you might as well show yourself."

Rock's leather clad older brother emerged from the shadows. "How'd you know I was here?"

Rock grinned. "I have my ways," he said, repeating earlier words. "So, what's up."

Hadrian had a look on his face that said he wasn't looking forward to the ensuing conversation. "Actually, I came to warn you."

"Warn me?" Rock said, confused. "Of what?"

Hadrian looked his little brother right in the eyes. "Bass."

Rock's face hardened. "What are you talking about, Hadrian?"

The older brother shook his head. "Rock, you've always been too trusting for your own good!" he exclaimed in exasperation.

"And you've never been trusting enough!" Rock responded. "Besides, you didn't seem to concerned about him earlier!"

"Oh, I was Rock, believe, me. But certain cercomstances made it seem more prudent not to bring it up. Not the least of which was the fact I knew you wouldn't'a listened to me."

Rock gave his brother a look that said that he still wasn't taking him very seriously.

Hadrian sighed. "Look, Rock, I'm not as distrustful as you make me out t' be. Okay? I don't doubt Bass' intentions, but you know what they say about good intentions."

Rock blinked. This was a point he didn't expect to hear. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that I know the steps he's taken to turn over a new leaf, but he's still very volatile."

"Volatile?!" Rock spat. "I know you were listening to our last conversation! Was there anything volatile about it?"

Hadrian rolled his eyes. "Like I said, I know the steps he's taken, but Rome wasn't built in a day. He's still got a long way to go. All I'm saying is to be careful, okay?"

Rock turned leave, but stopped after a couple of steps. "You're right, bro. You're right. I'll be care..." Rock turned to face his brother, but he was gone. "I hate it when you do that!" Rock yelled into the air. "You know that, right?"

The air was suddenly split by the blaring alarm and red flashing klaxons of the intruder alert. Rock took just a second to regain his thoughts, then rand down the hallway at full speed. He reached the security room in seconds, but Dr. Light was already sitting at the monitor. Bass, Zero, and Iris almost immediately followed. "What is Dr..."Rock began, then stopped mid sentence. The monitor showed a figure stumbling on the grounds, holding his chest, obviously injured. The figure then dropped to the ground and didn't get up, though he was straining to do so.

"I...I don't believe it..."Bass muttered.

Zero shook his head. "I don't eigher."

Rock had to say it, just to make sure he wasn't seeing things himself. "Wily?"