Rush rocketed forward. From his back, Roll fired her buster rapidly, mowing down the rows of guards trying to keep them away from the door to Cossack's citadel. She spared one charge shot to blast it open. The stony halls beyond blurred around her as Rush navigated his way deeper into the base, picking off robots as they went, until finally they came to a wide open storage room. Their charge only stopped when the doors to the chamber all slammed shut.

"Cossack!" she shouted. "You must be nearby, so listen up! Give this up right now, or else!"

A section of floor slowly slid open, and a platform carrying three Robot Masters rose to take its place. One had gold and blue armor, clutching a thin gold spear in his hands as he locked a cold, contemptuous gaze on Roll. The second was a larger red robot lined in silver spikes, snickering as he stood there with his arms crossed. Last was a robot taller than the first but shorter than the second, his armor mainly a dark shade of blue and sporting a curved golden crest on his helmet; he was the one who came forward once the platform locked into place.

"You're in no position to make demands, Roll," he said. "The three of us were designed for the sole purpose of taking you down, and there's no way we're letting you past us."

The one with the spear inclined his head. "RKN-001, Enker."

The red one uncrossed his arms, beating one fist against his open palm. "I'm RKN-002! The name's Punk!"

"And I," said the blue one, "am RKN-003: Ballade. Any last words you'd like us to relay back to your creator?"

Roll opened fire. Her foes scattered, taking up positions around the room. Punk was the first to return fire, hurling a series of bladed projectiles that flew in an odd arc. Roll shot these down quickly, then turned her focus on Ballade, who was halfway through lobbing an explosive at her. Detonating it in mid-air was easy. Enker advanced from the other side, and Roll spun around to blast him back—however, Enker's weapon gleamed, and Roll's shots were absorbed into it. While she attempted to figure that out, Punk's body folded up into a ball-like shape and started to roll straight towards her. She launched a Dust Crusher, forcing him to swerve; a blast from Enker then sent her sprawling. Punk rammed into her before she could recover, sending her flying into Ballade's grasp.

"Come on," Ballade said, "get serious!"

Rush bit Ballade's ankle, giving her the chance to slip away. She only had time to fire a few shots at Ballade before spinning to parry Enker's spear with Quake Drill. Punk knocked her feet out from under her. Rush kicked the rolling robot away before setting his sights on Enker and Roll, but another explosive from Ballade sent all three of them flying in different directions.

"Watch yourself, fool!" Enker snapped.

Ballade shrugged. "What, you can't take a hit like that?"

Roll threw a partially-charged Pharaoh Shot at Ballade as she got up. The attack missed its mark, and before she could retract her arm, one of Punk's blades sliced across it. Roll grunted and leapt right back into Enker's range. A single spear strike sent her skidding away, leaving a small puncture wound in her torso—had her armor not been so well-reinforced, it certainly would have impaled her. Rush soared after her, only to be kicked out of the sky (and into Ballade) by Punk.

"Down, boy!" he said. "Hey Bal, keep that mutt on a leash, will ya?"

With an annoyed grunt, Ballade grabbed Rush by the collar. "Don't go thinking you're in charge, Punk."

"Rush!" Roll shouted. She dashed towards Ballade, calling a Rain Flush behind her in an attempt to keep Enker and Punk from stopping her—and for a few seconds it held them off. But Roll stopped on her own as Ballade waved Rush back and forth.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Not able to unleash that great power we've heard so much about if your pal is in danger? That's a shame."

Punk collided with Roll, knocking her flat on her face. She retaliated with a barrage of Dive Missiles, but Enker absorbed them, and she prepared to dodge. She stopped when she remembered Rush was right behind her. Enker's blast stung, and Ballade added to the pain with one of his bombs. Roll let out a wordless shout.

"Pathetic," Enker said. "I would've been more than enough to handle her. Such a waste of time."

Roll activated Flash Stopper. It accomplished little, only blinding her foes momentarily, but that was all she needed. Leaping forward, she tripped Enker and Punk with Ring Boomerangs before pinning the former against the floor. She then generated a Dust Crusher shot in her hand and smashed it directly into his head.

"Shut up!" Roll snarled. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Ballade raised an eyebrow. In his hand, Rush whimpered. "So that's how it is…"

Roll and Enker wrestled back and forth for a bit, with Roll charging Pharaoh Shot energy into her hands and using it to amplify the punches she snuck in whenever possible. Enker finally managed to throw her off, and before she could recover, Punk punched the back of her neck to send her sliding all the way into the chamber wall.

"Nice going, Enker," Punk chuckled.

The other robot just glared at him. As Roll started to get up, Punk threw a few more of his projectiles, and she found herself pinned to the wall, unable to move.

"Still, this is a bit boring compared to what I expected. I won't mind if you want to wrap this up."

Rush began to flail wildly. Ballade held him firm, saying, "Go on, Enker."

Enker advanced on Roll, spear at the ready. Roll struggled in vain to free herself.

No...I can't fail, not now! Without me to stop Cossack…

She looked from Enker to Punk to Ballade.

...Without me...these dangerous robots wouldn't even have been built. Cossack probably wouldn't have even started this challenge of his. Maybe I...can't really do any good after all...

Just as Enker was pulling his weapon back, the sound of a nearby explosion took the room by surprise. The same door Roll had entered through came flying in, badly dented in multiple places, and somebody dashed in behind it to tackle Enker.

"Are you okay, Roll?"

Roll blinked. Grappling with Enker was Tempo, clad in green armor and with her hair pulled into two long tails. Enker tried his best to throw her off, but she managed to maintain her grip and, as soon as she saw an opportunity, stabbed her Quake Drill into the other robot's chest.

"Tempo?!" Roll exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Tempo's armor flashed yellow and blue as she stood up. She tore away the projectiles pinning one of Roll's arms, saying, "I'm here to help you."

"But—"

"Hey!" Punk shouted, rushing towards the both of them. "Nobody likes an uninvited guest, drill girl!"

Tempo put her hands forward, summoning a barrier to block Punk's punch. "It's Quake Woman."

The barrier dissipated, its energy surging forward to stun Punk. Tempo switched back to her drill and pushed her advantage, but was only able to deal a glancing blow as Punk rolled back. Rush, who had managed to slip away from Ballade in the confusion, darted over to Roll, removing the remaining projectiles so she was totally free. Still bewildered, Roll didn't know what to say. She was just lucid enough to see Enker stirring, and with a charged shot from her buster she finished him off. That was when things started to come back into focus.

"Tempo, you shouldn't be here!" Roll said as she stepped forward. "Why do you look like you've been weaponized?"

They ducked under one of Ballade's bombs, and Tempo said, "Because I have been."

"That's not—"

Punk came charging back in, forcing them apart. He chased after Tempo, meanwhile Ballade bore down on Roll.

"Funny," Ballade said, swiping an arm and barely missing. "We never heard anything about backup. Where have you been hiding your friend all this time?"

Roll wasn't sure how to answer. She summoned a Skull Barrier to block Ballade's next attack, and Rush pounced on him. Ballade nearly threw the dog off, but Roll fired a Ring Boomerang at his ankles, bringing him down and letting Rush keep hold a bit longer.

Not far away, Tempo blocked Punk's punch with one of her own. He tried to surprise her with his projectile, but she anticipated this, catching it on a barrier and stunning him with the backlash. Tempo was able to drill a hole in Punk's side, but he refused to fall.

"Not bad, I guess," Punk said, clutching his wound.

"I recommend you stand down," Tempo said. "Your odds of winning this conflict are dwindling."

"Hey, don't get cocky just cause you got the drop on Enker! That guy was nothing compared to me!"

Rolling into his ball form, Punk began to bounce around the room at random. Tempo stood still, calmly tracing him with her eyes. When he finally charged, she jabbed with Quake Drill, forcing him to veer to the side. He then rolled up the wall and unfolded in mid-air, throwing out projectiles as he fell towards her. Tempo received a few cuts as she attempted to weave through the attack, and when Punk landed in front of her, she left another hole in him before being flung back and landing next to Roll.

"You okay?" Roll asked, using Skull Barrier to block one of Ballade's bombs.

"I'm fine," Tempo said. "My target is almost down."

Ballade and Punk both charged at the two of them. The girls grabbed onto Rush as he assumed jet form, and he carried them out of harm's way to let their attackers bounce off each other. Roll fired a Drill Bomb into one of the holes Tempo had left in Punk, and as they dropped back to the floor, it detonated, tearing his body open. Tempo ran over to copy his weapon, keeping one eye on the recovering Ballade.

"Tch...useless," Ballade said. "I don't need any help to finish you off!"

The crest on his helmet changed, both ends sticking up like horns as plates of black glass slid over his eyes. He charged forward in a blaze of speed, sending Roll flying into the wall, and then darted up to Tempo to knock her flat before she could react. She sprang back up instantly and began to fire Punk's weapon. Ballade wove between the arcing projectiles, closing in on Tempo and lashing out with a kick. Tempo took the hit, just barely staying on her feet, and retaliated with her Quake Drill. As Ballade stumbled back, he realized Roll had been quiet—glancing her way, all he saw was a massive Pharaoh Shot. The two girls regrouped as the energy ball consumed Ballade.

"It seems he can amplify his combat skills," Tempo said. "Did he use this ability earlier?"

Roll shook her head. "There must be a reason why he waited, some sort of drawback. We need to figure it out and use it to our advantage."

The smoke cleared, and Ballade threw a bomb the second he laid eyes on his foes. They scattered, and he shot through the air, ramming into Roll mid-jump and slamming her into the wall. "All you're doing is making me mad! Just accept your defeat already!"

Tempo fired more projectiles. Roll watched Ballade as he dodged, noticing one of his arms hanging somewhat limply.

That's the shoulder he attacked with…did he sustain damage too?

Rush helped her up, and then she activated Rain Flush. Ballade was surprised by the sudden downpour, letting Tempo land a few hits, and Roll charged in without waiting for it to stop. Equipping Quake Drill, Roll stabbed at Ballade, outputting the most intense sonic vibrations she could coax from the weapon; Ballade quickly repelled her, but he staggered when he tried to take chase. Roll locked eyes with Tempo. The other girl nodded.

"It's hopeless!" Ballade said. "I was built for the sole purpose of defeating you, Roll—the last and most advanced of the RKN line! Do you know what that means? It means I am the strongest robot!"

Roll got into a ready stance. "Maybe so. But it looks to me like you don't understand the strategic advantage of having allies."

Ballade threw a bomb at each of them. Roll and Tempo both shielded themselves as they leapt forward, using a Ring Boomerang and a Screw Crusher to fence Ballade in so that they could both make contact with Quake Drill. The two sets of vibrations resonated, multiplying the effect they had on Ballade: he tried to counterattack, but he couldn't move, with bolts and fragments of armor flying off of his body at random.

"W…What…?"

"This powered-up state must put a lot of stress on your components," Roll said. "They won't be able to withstand the added pressure of these tremors!"

Ballade began to spark. With a final shout, his body splintered, leaving only smoking parts scattered around the girls. Roll let out a long sigh.

"Clever deduction," Tempo said as she crouched to copy Ballade's weapon. "That's one obstacle dealt with."

Roll shook her head. "Tempo...what are you doing here?"

She turned to face her. "I'm here to help you."

"But why? You don't need to put yourself in harm's way like this!"

Tempo said nothing as she walked over to Roll. Before she could ask again, Tempo suddenly hugged her, cutting her off in confusion.

"Wh—?"

"You can't do this yourself, Roll," Tempo said. "And you shouldn't have to. I know you've been trying to hide how much pain you've been carrying, because no one else can really understand it. So, I'm going to understand it. And we'll get through it together."

Roll was speechless. Soon, however, she shut her eyes tight, and her body began to tremble. She returned Tempo's embrace, waiting until she could regain her composure. Then, she gently pulled away, smiled, and said, "...Thanks."

Tempo gave her own small smile. Rush nudged the both of them, and they took a moment to pet him. After each taking an E Tank from the dog's storage, Roll and Tempo moved forward as one, continuing their trek into the depths of the citadel.

"I'm surprised Dr. LaLinde agreed to this," Roll said.

Tempo nodded. "Mom...didn't like the idea. But Hornet Man helped me convince her, and then she and Dr. Light weaponized me and sent me here. It looks like I arrived just in time."

"Yeah. Those robots...I can't quite put my finger on it, but there was something about them different from Cossack's other Robot Masters. Really, they seemed more like—"

She stopped as the floor ahead of them gave way. Gazing down, they could see nothing but darkness, but a loud, constant whirring sound could be heard. After a moment of consideration, Roll and Tempo both climbed aboard Rush and flew down into the abyss. Eventually they reached the bottom: the floor was metallic, but that was all they could determine. The whirring continued incessantly.

"I must admit," the voice of Cossack echoed from the shadows, "I never dreamed you would make it this far."

"Cossack!" Roll shouted. "Put a stop to this already! I've already bested all of your Robot Masters—your game is over!"

Spotlights around the chamber flicked on. A large, capsule-like machine lowered from above on a long cable, Cossack sitting inside with a grim expression. "нет…I am afraid I cannot let it end like this. I cannot stop until you are destroyed!"

Two long claws extended from the bottom of the capsule. Gun barrels sprouted from every side, and as the capsule began to slowly advance, they released a hail of energy bullets that covered the entire room. Keeping low to avoid the shots, Roll and Tempo attacked with ranged weapons as they moved under Cossack. The capsule dropped far faster than they expected; they were able to slide away just in time, and the capsule pounded into the floor. Tempo lunged forward, landing a hit with her drill as Cossack ascended that set the machine swinging back and forth. The sheet of bullets shifted angle with the capsule, surprising the two Robot Masters and leaving them with some damage before they were able to regain their bearings, staying on the defensive until the capsule leveled out once again.

"Sorry," Tempo said.

"No, I would've done the same thing," Roll said. "Now we know we need to be careful about how we hit it."

"Striking from directly below would distribute the force most evenly. However, that remains the most dangerous place to be."

"And with all this fire, Rush can't take us up for an aerial attack either. Do we have any other options?"

"Hm…perhaps…"

She quickly explained her plan, and Roll agreed they should give it a try. They continued to do what damage they could as Cossack drew closer. When he dropped, they evaded in separate directions, and Roll began charging Pharaoh Shot.

"What is it you really want out of this, Cossack?" Roll asked. "I've already proven your Robot Masters can't beat me! Is this part just about revenge?"

"I am simply doing what must be done!" Cossack said. "What I want is of no concern!"

Roll pulled the fireball back. "What? Then—"

With a shout, Cossack moved his machine towards her.

"Tempo, now!"

Roll threw the Pharaoh Shot, and at the same time, Tempo threw a Ballade Cracker from behind Cossack. The two attacks hit opposite sides of the capsule, shaking it a bit but ultimately canceling out each other's knockback. Roll cheered, but their success was short-lived: Cossack threw himself forward, rocking the capsule slightly, and then slammed his fist on a button. The claws shot out on a cord, snapping shut around Roll before she could fully process what was happening.

"There!" Cossack said as Roll was reeled in. "Now I can finally end this nightmare!"

"Roll!" Tempo shouted, breaking into a sprint. "Hold on!"

The claws squeezed Roll. Cracks began to spread across her armor, the intense pressure proving too much to bear. She screamed, unable to fight back as the pain steadily built.

Cossack gripped a lever. "Now…all I have to do…" He shook. "I…I…"

Tempo whistled. Rush ran over to her, crouching just before they collided and revealing his coil. Tempo armed her drill, launched upward, and with careful aim thrust the weapon into the bottom of the capsule, right at the base of the claws. The capsule jerked about; Roll was knocked loose, but Rush flew up to catch her before she hit the floor. Cossack soon recovered and dropped the capsule, forcing Tempo to leap off to avoid being crushed.

"Thanks…" Roll said as they regrouped.

"Are you alright?" Tempo said. "I'm surprised he didn't take full advantage of the opportunity. If he had been any quicker…"

Sparks erupted from the claw as Cossack rose again. Baring his teeth, he said, "Drat…I was careless…"

Roll watched him closely, thinking, Something's not adding up. He sounds desperate—almost scared. Anyone who would follow in Wily's footsteps is someone I would expect would love to talk, but he's trying to keep quiet. What is this…

The barrels on the front and sides of the capsule turned, focusing all their firepower directly upon the girls. Tempo stepped forward and engaged Mirror Buster, the energy barrier able to catch the concentrated fire and reflect it back at Cossack to steadily eat away at his capsule's armor.

"I will not yield!" Cossack shouted. "I've made my peace! Either I destroy you, or I die trying!"

Roll's confusion grew. Before she could voice it, however, Tempo said, "Roll. My ammunition won't last forever—we need a plan."

"Ah…right," Roll said. "...When you're ready, signal me: I'll use Skull Barrier to keep blocking. You should be able to get in an attack before he realizes the switch."

Tempo nodded. "With the claw disarmed and the damage the underside has already sustained, I believe I can safely target from below and finish things."

Roll nodded. Then she equipped Skull Barrier and waited. It wasn't long before the Mirror Buster started to waver, and Tempo shifted her weight. Roll got ready to move forward and—

"Stop! Stop!"

Roll and Tempo turned. A little girl with blonde hair was running towards them, tears streaming down her face.

"Please, stop!" she begged. "Don't hurt papa!"

Cossack shot up from his seat, his fire ceasing. "K...Kalinka?! You're alright!"

Roll looked back up at him. "What?"

"Take it easy," came another voice. "This fight's already over."

Roll blinked. She recognized that voice. Lowering her buster, she spun around to see Blues emerging from beyond the spotlights. "...It's you…"

"This whole thing was a setup," Blues said. "The only reason Dr. Cossack has been putting up the 'mad scientist' act is because it was the only way to ensure his daughter's safety."

The machine descended to the floor. Cossack leapt out and ran over to Kalinka, scooping her up and holding on for dear life as he wept. Tempo eyed Blues suspiciously. "How do you know this?"

Blues held up his hands. "Hey now, don't get the wrong idea. I just happened to find Kalinka and got the story from her. As for the real culprit...well, I'm sure you can guess, Roll."

She tensed. "...Wily."

"It's true," Cossack said, still desperately clinging to his daughter. "Wily...he sent that horrible robot to kidnap my poor Kalinka. I couldn't stop him. He demanded my compliance in his new scheme—that if I didn't give my all to destroy you, he would…"

Roll fully disarmed her buster. "That's despicable! I never thought he would stoop that low! Do you know where he is now?"

"I'm sorry, no. I haven't heard from him in some time now...I feared the worst." He looked to Blues. "Thank you for saving my daughter. Please, is there any way I can repay you?"

Blues turned to leave. "I don't need payment."

Roll stepped forward. "Blues, wait!"

He looked over his shoulder. "Knowing Wily, he's slipped back into the shadows to work on some new plan. I have some idea of where to look...you'll hear if I find him."

"But you're damaged! Shouldn't…"

Blues pulled his scarf over his face.

"...Okay. Good luck."

Blues disappeared back into the dark, whistling to himself. It was difficult, but Roll let him go.

Roll and Tempo both sat on a workbench, their respective creators examining the damage they had sustained. Auto and Rock were similarly tending to Rush on the other side of the lab.

"That makes far more sense," Light said. "I knew Dr. Cossack wasn't that sort of man."

"Even I thought Wily was better than that," LaLinde said. "I'm so glad that poor girl wasn't hurt."

"Indeed. And also…" Light smiled faintly behind his beard. "It's nice to know that Blues is still out there."

Roll glanced at the main monitor: a news feed was displayed, with reporters discussing the recent scare. "I'm worried some people might not believe us. This wasn't Dr. Cossack's fault, but he's still going to suffer consequences…"

"We'll just have to do everything we can to help him clear his name," Light said. "The world needs Dr. Cossack's genius, especially if Albert's schemes are going to continue."

Tempo looked at LaLinde, who was fixated on a singed set of wires. Realizing she was being watched, she looked up for a moment, then smiled and went back to work. "It sounds like you really saved Roll today. I'm proud of you, Tempo."

"You aren't mad?"

"Not at you. I certainly would rather you weren't putting yourself in danger…but since this is your decision, I'll support you."

Tempo smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

"On the bright side," LaLinde said, "now you and Roll will be able to look out for each other during the next crisis. I know I can trust Roll to take care of you."

"And I have the same trust in you, Tempo," Light said. "Thank you for being there when Roll needed you."

Tempo nodded to him, then turned to Roll. She grinned, saying, "I'm grateful too, Tempo…more than you know. You can count on me to protect you!"

"Right," Tempo said. "I'm sure whatever awaits won't be easy, but we'll support each other no matter what. Let's keep the world safe together, Roll."

Roll chuckled. For the first time in a very long time, she felt genuinely at ease. Her anxiety, her fear—they hadn't left her entirely, she could still feel them lying in wait. But she knew that Tempo understood that. And, to both her surprise and her relief, that was enough to hold them at bay for now.

Notes:

-And Happy New Year! Please God let 2022 be a trendbreaker…

-Presenting the Mega Man Killers...well, Roll Killers, as a unit seemed a better alternative to shoehorning them individually into other arcs. This is the basic strategy I'm expecting to take with most "fortresses": opting to use the spot for Robot Masters who don't quite fit elsewhere rather than the various giant machines seen in the games. The Robot Masters have more personality and will probably be more interesting to fight, so I think giving the space to them is probably the better idea.

-This is what I've been building towards with Tempo's inclusion: Quake Woman as an ally in future arcs. Now that the matchups can be split among multiple heroes rather than needing Roll to fight everyone, the variety needed to keep things interesting should be easier to achieve. It's a start, at least; something to build upon with some other ideas I have…

-"нет" = "nyet" = "no"

-Going on to add the Wily stages in this format feels like it would be torturously boring. The actual plot ends with the Cossacks' reunion, and I was already losing steam, so all-in-all having Wily play a bit more cautiously seemed like the best option.

-Well I wasn't sure I would get it done in time, but posting this arc actually went relatively smoothly! I'm hopeful that the same will be true of arc 4 this time next year—the formula for that one will be a bit different, and I think it'll be a great way to wrapup our adaptation of the NES games. See you then!