DARK MESSAGE

The duo were back at the lab in an instant. Roll was already freaking out, pointing at the very conspicuous hole in the ceiling.

"Calm down! We'll put a stop to Wily, whatever he's planning…"

Then a certain person entered the room, seemingly taking the air out of it with his arrival.

The boy had a grim look on his face, though given his mostly cybernetic appearance, it would be somewhat unfair to call him a boy per se.

Proto Man locked eyes with him and the rest of the world melted away.

"Hello,you. I wonder whether another Wily had something to do with this…"

Said Wily knew exactly what he was implying as he shook his head vigorously. "Hey! Don't look at me! I've gone straight, remember?!"

"Once a Wily, always a Wily."

Now the boy looked indignant. "Oh, would you prefer it if I changed my surname toLight?"

The red robot shot him a death glare. "Don't even joke about something like that."

"GUYS?!" The two helper robots screamed at the top of their vocal processors. The arguing duo promptly went quiet.

"Now then…" Roll started, getting things back on track. "Some kind of machine came by and kidnapped Dr. Light!"

"Well, what did it look like?" Mega Man asked.

"Like nothing I've ever seen! It didn't look like one of Wily's saucers…"

Proto Man tapped his foot, clearly disinterested in either further talk, or possibly the cyborg boy standoffishly staring at him.

"Well, if it isn't him, then who was it? I couldn't imagine anyone else…"

The formerly dead lab monitor snapped to life on its own all of a sudden. The ugly grinning mug of longtime adversary Dr. Wily contaminated the screen. "I can answer that!"

The Blue Bomber's eyes widened. "How did he hear what we just said? This whole conversation?!"

"I have my ways, you cheap little tin can."

"What's your scheme this time? We're burning moonlight…"

"We'll get to that, Proto Man. But first…" The old man's eyes narrowed upon turning attention to the human boy. "You. Traitor! You couldn't even destroy Mega Man, so instead you team up with him?! How dare you!"

"They took me in when I was dying from fightingyourbattles for you."

The elder Wily's voice turned sickeningly sweet. "Well, it's a good thing you feel that way, Joshua, since I hereby disown you as my grandson."

Joshua was clearly close to tearing up, but then shot back a death glare of his own. "Y-you know what? Good! These people, with one exception, are myrealfamily, anyway!"

"One exception? I take it, there's trouble in paradise…? Anyhow, I think you'll be far more useful to me as our slave in the new world order!"

"Our?!" Everyone choroused.

"In due time. Let's just say that I have a new business partner who wants all of you gone just as much as I do. I have four Robot Masters to keep you busy until we're ready for you to kneel. I also have taken Dr. Light himself, just for your 'encouragement'. Don't disappoint me, Mega and Proto Man!"

Proto Man balled up his fist. I think you got that backwards, Doc!"

"Ha, ha." The old man had one last message for his former relative. "Joshua… Well, you'realreadya disappointment. Well… Bad luck to you!"

The screen went black.