BANG!

The Life Virus let out a roar of pain as it was shot in the shoulder by Megaman. It hissed, eying the navi with a glare.

Megaman smirked, charging up another shot.

"Don't like it? Too bad, there's more where that came from!"

Gotta hand it to Dad. He really outdid himself this time with my programming. I feel amazing.

The Life Virus gave a growl before opening its mouth, a beam of energy coming out of it and heading right for Megaman.

"Barrier, battle chip in! Download!"

A barrier came around Megaman, protecting him from the beam, though it didn't keep the navi from being knocked over to another structure.

"Gack! Okay, it's definitely mad!" Megaman rubbed at his head. "Sheesh, that was strong."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just dandy." Megaman got back on his feet, moving to attack again.

"Hey, don't steal all the action!"

Prairie rushed past him, a sword ready on her right arm.

"Let's show that thing not to mess with us!" Ciel called. "Ready, Zarek?"

"Ready."

Omega flanked her side, the two heading straight for the Life Virus.

"CYBER ELF SABER BLAST!"

The two navi swung their swords, sending a burst of energy towards the Life Virus. The energy sliced right through one of its arms, cutting it clean off, eliciting an inhumane scream.

"Got it!"

"Our turn now!"

Protoman aimed for the otherside of the Life Virus, his sword ready.

Chaud smirked, readying a battlechip.

"Let's show them! Cross Sword, battle chip in, download!"

Protoman vanished in an instant before reappearing again, slicing through the Life Virus' other arm.

"Nice!"

We're doing this… Lan's eyes lit up. We're actually-

Everyone cringed as another roar came from the Life Virus… and all looked on in horror as it absorbed data around it… regenerating its lost limbs with ease.

"Oh come on!"

"If you thought it was going to be that easy to defeat the Life Virus then you're more foolish than I thought."

All navis looked up to see Bass was now present on the battlefield, the navi standing at the top of a spire near the Life Virus.

"The Life Virus will live on, so long as there is data for it to consume. It's perfection… the very embodiment of destruction in physical form." Bass grinned. "Just accept your fate and die!"

Megaman growled.

"Sorry, I already did a trial of that. Not interested in going back!" He aimed his buster in Bass' direction.

Bass sneered, charging his own buster in return.

"I'll delete you completely this time then-"

Megaman grinned, mischief gleaming in his eyes before he fired the shot… missing Bass, but causing him to follow where it landed.

"You can't be that stupid." Bass narrowed his eyes.

"No. I'm distracting you!"

There was a rush of wind, blowing Bass' cloak around as he looked around him.

There was a copy of Megaman hovering around him, shifting in view the moment Bass changed his aim.

"What is this!?"

"Why Bass…" "Megaman" laughed, as the copy moved directly behind him, their appearance shifting once more… as Axl slammed his buster into the side of Bass's helmet. "That's a rude way to greet your brother."

WHAM!

"See? We even got someone for you to play with!" Megaman smirked, taking aim back at the Life Virus. "Keep him distracted for us will ya?"

"That's easier said than done-"

Bass snarled, firing in Axl's direction knocking him back.

"Useless!"

Axl groaned as he hit the ground, giving Bass a look.

"Oof, why you hit so hard, Brother? You need to chill out."

Bass snarled.

"I am NOT your sibling!" He aimed his buster at him. "Never was!"

Axl rolled his eyes, charging his own buster.

"Mikhail said you had a temper. Wasn't sure I'd get to witness a Bass tantrum for myself." He grimaced. "Seriously, you're making Kalinka's fits look like nothing-"

"SHUT UP!"

Bass fired a blast at Axl, the shot bringing a huge gust of wind with it.

"I don't EVER want to hear that man's name again!"

Axl braced himself as a barrier went up at the last second.

"You know, I'm not here to apprehend you right!? I'm here to bring you home before you make a mistake you can't come back from, Kid!" He growled. "I'm here because Mikhail is WORRIED!"

"No he isn't!" Bass hissed. "He never was! He just wanted to control me because I scared everyone, including him!" There was a bit of shine to his eyes. "No one… cares about me! I am to be feared!"

Axl got to his feet, lowering his buster.

"That day you were attacked, Mikhail had no idea… He believed you when you said you didn't attack the network. Heck, I wasn't even active yet and I believed your report. It had to suck, being treated like that when all you did was exist, right?"

Bass faltered for a moment, his glare quickly returning.

"You have no idea what it's like… None of you do… I just wanted to live… I was just trying to survive like anyone else… Yet everyone pointed their guns at me in fear… as they should." Bass raised his buster again. "Just like the Life Virus, I am a bringer of destruction… and nothing else."

Axl narrowed his eyes before… he laughed.

"Really!? Really, you want this!? Or is that Wiley talking? Look at you! You're a PUPPET right now, nothing but a distraction! Do you think you'll get spared when this thing decides we're all its food? No!" He pulled up a holo image. "Look at this and tell me, tell me right now that you want him gone!"

Bass looked at the holo image, eyes widening at seeing Mikhail.

The man had a heart broken look in his eyes as he beheld Bass.

"D… Doctor…"

"Bass…" Mikhail's eyes shone, as he spoke. "I'm so sorry about everything you endured. That was not your fight… You were my responsibility… as your creator… as your father and I messed up. I was supposed to protect you and I failed… I'm so sorry…"

Bass was stunned to silence, unsure how to respond.

He's… sorry…?

"I never wanted anything to happen to you. I never saw you as anything harmful… As anyone, who posed a risk. You were, goodness Bass your programming had you aged at 12 at the time. You were a child… and those agents were punished swiftly for their actions." His voice cracked. "Please… Come back… I miss my son."

"Please." Axl added. "We want you back… Come home."

Bass was frozen in place, unsure how to respond.

Even after all I've done… They… still want me back…? Even… Even after…

No… They can't… They can't! They would never!

Bass backed away, bringing a hand to his head.

"I.. I can't…!"

"Bass, if you're not ready now… can I give you something for when?" Axl held up a hand, containing hyperlink data. "You can hold onto this and decide for yourself, but please… get away from here before you get hurt."

Bass looked at the data, his eyes trembling.

"I…"

He looked over at the fight going on between the Life Virus and the other navis, seeing they were still giving it their all despite everything that was stacked against them.

"You should go, Bass."

Bass' head snapped to the side, seeing Pharaohman was now present, a frown on his face.

"Pharaohman? What are you…?"

"Making sure our world doesn't come to an end." He knelt down to Bass' level, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Bass… You know this isn't right… all of us at WWW knew… but we just ignored it. Driven by rage or lust for power we tried to ignore it… but in the end… this is where we need to stop. All of this is not worth it. Not worth the destruction of our world. We have done wrong… but it's never too late to make it right."

"But Lord Wiley…"

"Is none of your concern. Now, go."

Bass, for the first time in a while, was hesitant. A comrade was telling him to flee… a comrade was telling him… that they were on the wrong side.

"... No." He clenched his fists. "I won't go home… at least… not yet." Bass eyed the Life Virus. "If you're so keen that we are to make things right, it would be cowardly to flee."

"Then, we're on the same side." Pharaohman gave his shoulders one last squeeze before stepping away. "We will clean this slate tonight."

Bass looked at Axl, sighing.

"You sure he really wants me there?"

"Positive. He's gonna pass me down to his daughter once he gets you back. You'll be his main navi." Axl charged up his buster. "Not how I imagined us getting to know each other. Brother-"

"Don't even start on the sentiments." Bass smirked, before charging forward. "Save it!"

"Careful, you don't want to injure yourself on all that edge!"

Axl hurried after, firing a charged shot.

Megaman looked to them, his eyes widening.

"You actually talked him down!?"

"I'll defeat you later." Bass elbowed him out of his way, firing a shot that took out one of the Life Virus' legs. "Just don't get in my way, Blue Boy."

Megaman narrowed his eyes.

"Dataling."

Bass growled, but chose to ignore that as he kept firing. He was still trying to comprehend what was happening…

But at least, this was a start.