"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today"
-James Dean
"Son?"
Yes dad?
"You say that you love me. Do you say that as if you are a boyfriend to a girlfriend? A husband to a wife? Or a child to a parent?"
I say it as a child to a parent.
"Son, you do know that your birth is not like that of a human's, correct?"
I do know that father.
"That's a good son. You are my son, and you will be the first robot to be able to love."
Daddy…
"Yes my son?"
What exactly is love?
"…Love is something that I wish that I could feel and not only define. The love that I have programed in to you is to be the happiness of another making you happy and the sadness of another making you sad. Love can be lost however. If one does not love you anymore and shows it, you will start to lose the love that you have for that person."
What if I still love someone if they don't love me?
"That is when it gets complicated. Your love is in the rawest form, a beta program and not fully known."
Is that why my weaponry and physical strength are at a bare minimum?
"Yes. You're weapons are second to your mentalities so I can test what I have made for you. Your computing has been made to focus on the beta programing rather than the tried and true software that has already been perfected."
Okie…When will you show me the city?
"I'll show you the city very soon. Now, just rest."
Could I read a book first?
"...Sure, what would you like to read?"
Um… I'd like to read the book you were reading earlier.
"It isn't a book of one story. It contains many tales."
I'll read one of the stories then.
"Here you are."
The Tell-Tale Heart...a love story I should think.
The rain continued into the morning as Dr. Wily nervously paced in his bedroom in order to gather up the courage to make a phone call. During the night, Wily had gone through his parts storage and discovered that he didn't have enough to repair Rhythm as best as he could. All of the parts providers he used to call were either not picking up or had been arrested within the past few months. This last call that he was about to make would either make or break the chances of fixing the frail robot. With a deep breath, he pressed the contact on his phone and the call connected.
"This is the residence of Dr. Light" A boyish voice spoke on Wily's phone "He's not here at the moment, how may I help you?"
Dr. Wily sighed as he began to speak "Mega Man? Is that you?"
Silence momentarily dominated the line before the speaker replied "Dr. Wily?!"
"Yes, it's Dr. Wily…"
"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING US? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?!"
"…I was hoping to talk to Dr. Light…" Wily meekly replied.
Mega Man groaned "He's out of town right now, he probably will be gone for the next few days…he's handling the affairs of one of his protégés who passed away recently."
Dr. Wily was stunned at this revelation "…My sincerest sympathies… who died?"
"Doctor Light didn't tell me her name, but she was killed during a Sniper Joe assault of some kind" Mega Man responded bitterly "So you can understand why I'm in such a great mood upon hearing your voice…"
"My sincerest sympathies" Wily replied in earnest.
"So doctor, why did you call this place?"
Wily took a deep breath "I need to ask for a favor."
"A favor?!" Mega Man replied in disbelief "A FAVOR?! After all you've done to me and my family? Give me one reason why I should come to your help! GIVE ME ONE REASON WHY I SHOULD TRUST YOU!"
Wily drew a heavy sigh "…I can't. I just can't give you a reason for you to trust me. There's nothing I could promise or provide for you so that you could trust me…"
"Just as I thought" Mega Man replied "I'm gonna probably regret asking this, but I'm curious as to why you would call us…what do you want?"
"I need parts… Bass found a strange robot in the basement of and abandoned mansion last night. His voice box is ruined and his circuitry is a mess among other things. I need help repairing him."
"Why don't you have the parts?"
"They were exhausted for my most recent…enterprise... and having to repair Bass after you threw him through the wringer again. None of my other providers are available so calling you was my last chance. I just need enough parts to make one Master grade robot."
Mega Man shook his head "No Dr. Wily…I won't help you. I have no reason to trust you in this regard. Goodbye."
Rock hung up the phone, leaving Dr. Wily's use of his final lifeline a waste.
Meanwhile in Bass's bedroom, Rhythm's thoughts were being dictated onto the screen of the laptop. Bass was reading them intently.
To be buried while alive is, beyond question, the most terrific of these extremes which has ever fallen to the lot of mere mortality. That it has frequently, very frequently, so fallen will scarcely be denied by those who think. The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?
"What are you thinking?" Bass inquired.
-EXITING_SLEEP_MODE
-WELCOME_BACK_RHYTHM
H-huh? W-What did you mean by "What are you thinking?"
"I was reading your thoughts" Bass answered "you were thinking about premature burial."
Y-you can read my non-conscious thoughts as well?
Bass nodded, uncrossing his legs off the seat.
Oh...well it seems that I was remembering something from a story I read a long time ago.
"Well what ever it was, it sounded rather morbid, at least it would have been if I was a human."
Well..It's morbid for me, for quite an obvious reason.
Bass nodded as he scrolled through Rhythm's recorded thoughts. As he scrolled, he noticed a strange conversation that had been recorded sometime during last night.
"It seems that you were talking to someone in your thoughts last night that appears to be your creator. Did you happen visualize him? Get to see what he looked like?"
No, I didn't, and I didn't see myself either. The only thing I saw was a wall of interacting texts. I don't even think that what was recored was from one particular discussion with my creator. I can remember talking about the aspect of my creation before talking about my capability of love with my maker some time ago.
"So you dreamed up this conversation with your creator?"
I think so…dreams are often aspects of our own life combined with disconnected details that are sealed together with the power of our own imagination.
"Imagination" Bass doubtfully echoed "How does that work?"
I-I don't know. But maybe if my ability to love was explained through dreams, so could my imagination.
Just then, Dr. Wily entered the room. "I've got some bad news…"
Rhythm frowned and Bass sighed as he looked at the doctor "You couldn't get the parts, right?"
"Isn't it obvious?! I tried all my contacts and connections, even trying talk to Dr. Cossack and even Dr. Light!"
Bass just stared at Wily in confusion "You..YOU CALLED DR. LIGHT?"
"Keyword: tried. Instead I got a hold of Mega Man and he responded in a predictable manner. He rebuffed me…"
Bass groaned as he palmed his face "Well great…what are we gonna do without parts?!"
"Well I'm gonna have some breakfast to clear my mind as we try to figure this situation out" Wily replied "Take Rhythm to the workshop so I can work on him after I eat"
Bass groaned as he helped Rhythm up out of the bed. The fragile robot carried the laptop as the two robots made their way to the workshop. Bass helped Rhythm onto the workshop table and also got a small table for the laptop to rest on.
"Looks like we're gonna have some problems repairing you Rhythm…" Bass groaned "how's your mentality holding up?"
The rain c-comforts me.
"Well the rain won't last forever" Bass admitted.
I understand, just bring me some more cassette tapes and I'll be fine.
"I'll have to go through our junk room to find more tapes then."
That's fine.
Bass departed, and after about fifteen minutes, he returned with another container full of cassettes of all types.
"I don't know which one of these tapes will work. I'll test them all for now, so tell me if any are extremely unpleasant…I think a few of these are 8-Tracks…"
Rhythm picked up a cassette tape and put it in Walkman and pressed play.
"Well we all have a face
that we hide away forever"
"Everyday my metal friend
shakes my bed at 6 AM"
"Move yourself
you always live your life
never thinking of the future"
"It's amazing that most of these cassette tapes still work after all these years" Bass confessed.
It's a-amazing that I'VE been able to work after all these years.
"It is rather amazing" Bass replied "but there is still one thing that makes me wonder."
And t-that is?
"Your project name is unusual… -4-2-nat0-. Its not like any other serial number I've encountered. My own serial is SWN-001."
I don't k-know about it either. Maybe I'll find out during one of my dreams.
Bass shrugged as he examined the titles of one of the cassette tapes.
THE ROLLING STONES: IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N ROLL
Bass smiled as an idea suddenly came to him.
"Rhythm, I'm gonna make a quick phone call, you stay here."
O-Ok… but it's not like I can really go a-anywhere anyway.
Bass chuckled a bit as he left the lab while Rhythm began testing more cassette tapes.
"Sweet dreams are made of this
who am I to disagree?"
As Rhythm listened to the music, Dr. Wily was preparing some cereal and reading the news off of a tablet.
DEATH COUNT CAPS OUT AT TWELVE AFTER ASSULT ON THE TOWN OLIVE
During last night's thunderstorm, a 25 year old police officer who was the last victim of an Sniper Joe assault died due to complications from his injuries. The reason of the attack that happened five days ago is unknown, but one of the assailants seemed to have a more "Devil-May-Care" in it's methods. One of the most shocking deaths was of Dr. Heather Kijin, the resident scientist and former apprentice of Dr. Thomas Light. She was stabbed to death by an unidentified attacker. Her son, known as Tempo, reportedly disappeared a few days before the attack. A puzzling detail about the assault was the fact that the Joes were not going after the residents of the town but instead were focusing the berserk assailant. Currently, arrangements are being made for Heather's funeral proceedings. Heather was 32. [This is a developing story]
As Dr. Wily read the news story, Bass made his way to his room and pulled out his cellphone to began dialing a special unlisted number.
"Hello! This is Roll! How may I help you?" A cheery female voice on the other side spoke.
"Hello Roll…" Bass nervously answered.
"Bass…" Roll groaned "Why are you calling me?"
"I… need to ask you a favor…a big favor…"
Roll sighed "Bass…I'm not going to be someone to lean on, let alone someone to-"
"It doesn't have to do with anything like that" Bass interjected "Listen, I went to this abandoned mansion last night, and I found a broken robot in the basement. Wily doesn't have the parts to repair it and he can't find anyone to provide him parts."
Roll remained silent for a moment as she considered the situation "How can I trust you? What do you know about this robot anyway?"
"We don't know the maker nor when he was made. His name is Rhythm and he looks-"
"Rhythm? His name is Rhythm?"
"Yes…" Bass confusedly replied "It is…"
"…Turn off the security perimeter at the fortress… I can convince Rock to coming here. But I warn you Bass, no funny business. I'll be there in half a hour."
Roll hung up, and Bass put his phone away before returning to the lab where Rhythm laid.
About half an hour later, a chime resonated throughout Dr. Wily's residence. The scientist was putting his dishes into a dishwasher when he heard the sound.
"Who the hell could that be?" Wily pondered as he made his way to the front door "BASS?! DID YOU FORGET TO TURN THE SECURITY SYSTEM BACK ON? AGAIN?"
Wily trudged to the door and swung it open door with great frustration.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND-" Wily shouted, but he halted his aggression as he realized who was on his doorstep.
A blank faced Mega Man was standing alongside a slightly worried looking Roll. The two of them were carrying large cases filled with robot components, with Roll holding an umbrella for the both of them.
"Good Morning Dr. Wily" Mega Man blankly spoke.
Wily just stared at the two, wondering if he should let the two inside.
"Are you gonna let us in or what?!" Rock complained.
Dr. Wily let the two inside, the robots then putting the cases of parts on the floor and Roll closing the umbrella.
"Where's Rhythm?" Roll hurriedly asked.
"How do you know this Robot's name?" Wily asked "I never told Rock, and I never spoke to you on the phone."
"Bass called me" Roll admitted as the three made their way down the hall. When the two Lightbots entered the workshop, Mega Man and Roll were fascinated at the scene.
Rhythm was playing air drums as the music blared from his headphones as Bass watched.
"Well I've been waiting, waiting here so long
But thinking nothing, nothing could go wrong"
When Bass realized that guests were present, he frantically stopped the tape out of embarrassment.
"May I ask why this robot was 'rocking out'?" Mega Man joylessly asked.
"Rhythm here has an interesting condition" Dr. Wily explained "If at any point he is surrounded by silence, his programing over uses its power because if fears loneliness. The issue is a result of the damages that he has sustained due to whatever caused him to be sealed up in the mansion in the first place. Bass found him walled up in an alcove of an abandoned building. The reason he was able to locate Rhythm was due to the fact that lightning struck the structure he was walled up in, and protruding wires contacted with pipes that carried the electrical circuit."
Mega Man shrugged as he took out some tools from his pocket and began probing the insides of Rhythm. Roll meanwhile stared into Rhythm's eyes, getting a good look at the damaged robot. His brown hair was extremely matted, but that could be easily replaced. His eyes were blue, and the right eye was paler than the other and had a large crack underneath it. On Rhythm's arms and legs, there were accents of black and yellow which reminded her of hazard stripes. In the center of his torso, there was the shape of a white X and in the intersection there was a large blue gem in the shape of a diamond. It was cracked and gagged, but Roll swore that she had seen something like it before.
"You feel familiar" Roll observed as she felt the gem.
"Familiar?" Bass asked, surprising Roll "Who does Rhythm remind you of?"
Roll recovered from the surprise and removed her hand from Rhythm "Mega Man…in a way."
"He really does" Bass replied with a nod "But with a few more additions."
"Never the less, Rhythm here is an odd Robot" Mega Man observed.
W-what would make you a j-judge of what's odd or n-not? We only say things are odd b-because we have never experienced them before.
"Fair enough…" Mega Man replied with a shrug as he put his tool away "Now Rhythm, in order to fully repair you, we must shut you down for a while."
Rhythm frantically shook his head.
No! Nonononon-no! I've been without p-power for so long…I don't want to be back in the d-darkness!
"Rhythm here is extremely sensitive to the concept of being inactive" Dr. Wily explained "It's due to the fact he's been walled up for who knows how long."
Mega Man rolled his eyes as he turned to Wily "Then what do you suggest we do?! We can't fix him completely without a proper shutdown!"
The two began to fight, with Bass stepping in between the two to prevent them from getting at each other's throats.
"WILY!" Bass shouted "STOP TRYING TO KILL ROCK! THAT'S MY PURPOSE!"
"If that's the case" Mega Man began "Why haven't you succeeded?!"
Bass then shoved Mega Man into the wall "Very funny Rock! If it wasn't for your sister being here, I'd tear ya limbs off one by one!"
"GUYS!" Roll shouted, freezing the two robots in place. "While your fighting won't get us anywhere, Bass's exclamation gave me an idea."
"Which is?" Wily weakly asked.
"Maybe if we removed Rhythm's limbs one by one, we can slowly tighten the circuitry from his extremities and work in to his core."
Mega Man, Bass, and Dr. Wily all turned to Roll.
"That's… that's not a bad idea!" Bass admitted as he helped Rock up.
"Thanks Bass…" Rock replied as he stood "But which of Rhythm's limbs should we repair first?"
S-start with my legs. It will make it easier for me to m-maneuver if my legs are repaired.
"Alright then," Rock began "we'll begin with the legs. Wily, get me your best tool kit, I need to check on the condition of the wires in the legs and the servos. Roll? You prepare the parts to overhaul the legs."
Dr. Wily retrieved a tool kit from one of his many racks and Roll began going through the carrying cases for the right parts.
"What would you like me to do then?" Bass asked in an opposing tone "Stay out of your way?"
"As much as I'd like you to stay out of my way, I need you to check his hard drive and memory. See if we can transfer it to an external hard drive so we can hold it somewhere for a full repair of Rhythm."
Bass nodded, and began preparing a diagnostics program on the laptop attached to Rhythm while Mega Man and Dr. Wily began to remove the legs.
"It's a shame we can't turn this robot off" Mega Man grumbled "If we could, it would make repairing Rhythm a heck of a lot easier."
"We're dealing with unusual conditions here" Dr. Wily replied "We have to be careful with working on a robot so delicate."
"How are you holding up Rhythm?" Bass asked "How does it feel?"
I-It feels like my legs are d-disappearing.
"Next time you get your legs removed, you'll get used to it" Bass answered to comfort the fragile robot "Just keep the tapes playing so you don't lose energy."
I-I will Bass…May I ask what you're looking at exactly?
"I'm looking over the condition of your memory banks. I want to see if we can be able to transfer your memories and personality to a surrogate body so that we can completely refurbish your central operating systems. There are certain repairs that we can only implement when your power is completely off."
D-Don't turn me off.
"I never said we were going to turn you off. If we are able to transfer your memory into another robot, we can work on your body without turning off your mind."
T-that makes s-sense to me.
As the music from the Walkman continued to reverberate in Rhythm's ears, Bass carefully read through the diagnostic details that appeared on the screen.
-TEST_MEMORY_STATUS
-TESTING...
-PRE-PROGRAMED_ABILITIES:NORMAL
-MEMORIES_CORRUPTED-UNDELETABLE
-TRANSFER_STATUS:ANALYZING...
Bass watched in worry, hoping that his plan would be possible to do.
- TRANSFER_STATUS:ERROR-NON-TRANSFERABLE
-ANY_ATTEMPT_TO_TRANSFER_THE_MEMORY_TO_ANOTHER_BANK_WILL_
RESULT_IN_ERASURE
-NEW_MEMORY_BANKS_CAN_BE_ANNEXED_BUT_EXISTING_MEMORY_
CAN_NOT_LEAVE_EXISTING_SYSTEM
Bass smacked his fist on the work table, startling the others.
-ERROR-POWER_MEMORY_LOSS
-SHUT_DOWN_WILL_MOST_LIKELY_RESULT_IN_MEMORY_ERASURE
-POWER_RUNDOWN_NOR_SLEEP_MODE_WILL_RESULT_IN_ERASURE
"Bass?" Roll asked "What's wrong?"
"We won't be able to transfer Rhythm's memory to a external memory source. I'm guessing that it has to do with the fact that his memory is corrupted" Bass then turned to Rhythm "Your system wants to retain your memories but the threat of a shutdown prevents that"
"So what are we going to do?" Mega Man asked.
"I don't know yet…" Bass confessed "let me at least take a look inside Rhythm myself."
Bass picked up a penlight off a workbench and began rummaging through Rhythm's internal circuitry while the cassette tape continued to play.
"I must have dreamed a thousand dreams
been haunted a million screams"
Bass sighed and looked at Rhythm's system with dread. "Rhythm, your internal circuitry is in a condition that could have only one explanation."
"And what explanation is that?" Wily bluntly asked.
Bass drew a heavy sigh "Rhythm's internals have been deliberately sabotaged."
My c-circuitry has been s-sabotaged?
"Take a good look at the wiring" Bass spoke as he gave Dr. Wily the penlight. Mega Man took out his own flashlight and the two began to look inside the saddened Rhythm.
"Who could have done such a thing?" Wily wondered.
"Anyone" Mega Man replied "this could have all be done with any number of ways. Metal snips, low toxic acid, aerosol and a flame, the number of possibilities and suspects are endless."
"How this happened is not of high priority!" Bass complained "What is important is who did this why!" he then shouted.
"Well do you have any ideas Sherlock?!" Mega Man retorted "Rhythm here could be several years old and whoever did this may be dead by now. And besides, when did you ever care about justice, huh?!"
The mood of the workshop swiftly died, with only the music from the walkman and a soft whimper being emitted from Rhythm's system. After a few moments of tension, Mega Man and Dr. Wily continued removing Rhythm's legs. As they did so, Roll notice a strange engraving written inside Rhythm's chest.
"Hey Rock, take a look at this…"
Rock paused removing Rhythm's leg and took a look at the engraving.
THE PROTOMETHEUS'S PROMETHEUS
"The Prometheus's Prometheus? What does that mean?" Mega Man asked.
M-maybe it means that a r-robot made me?
"A robot might have built you?" Dr. Wily asked in disbelief "But who? There's no information of your creation or activation date, so that means there could be any number of robots who could have made you."
Rhythm let out a sigh as he laid on the work table as the lyrics that were blaring in his ears were dictated on to the laptop.
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to.
-Chapter 3-
"Look, we both said a lot of things that you're going to regret, but I think we can put our differences behind us. For science. You monster"
-GLaDOS Portal 2
As the middle of the day came around, Rhythm's legs had been completely removed his the body and were now being worked on at a separate station. Rhythm's legless torso was relocated in to Bass's bedroom so he could rest. In the lab, Mega Man was analyzing the original components of Rhythm's legs, Roll was arranging the new parts on the left leg, and Dr. Wily returned from a bathroom break.
"About time you came back." Mega Man quipped.
Dr. Wily cocked his eyebrow and smirked "Aww come on, Why are you so bitter? Do you not trust me?"
"Of course I don't trust you…"
"Then why are you here?"
"Because… because Roll wanted to come" Mega Man replied "When she told me that she recognized the name Rhythm, that convinced me to come over. There's also the fact that I've been searching for Proto Man for the past few weeks and I haven't been able to find him at all"
Roll rolled her eyes as she finished with the parts on the left leg and began to work on that of the right. It was then when Mega Man approached the two holding one of the parts from Rhythm's leg.
"Dr. Wily, could I get a professional opinion on something?"
"As long as if it doesn't involve illicit activities" Wily joked.
Mega Man groaned as he handed one of Rhythm's leg servos to the scientist "Can you confirm how old these parts are?"
Dr. Wily examined the servo carefully, checking the condition of the component and looking at the part's number engraved on the side.
"Peculiar" Dr. Wily spoke "I haven't seen parts like this since the first Robot Masters were constructed."
"I knew they were familiar" Mega Man spoke "I recall that Dr. Light removed parts like those when he gave me a hardware upgrade after your fourth exploit."
"So that means that Rhythm must have been made some point during my first…well…"
"Regretful are we?" Mega Man said with a smirk.
Dr. Wily glared at Mega Man as he tossed back the part and resumed working on Rhythm's right leg. Bass, who was returning from placing Rhythm in his room, entered the workshop with a tray carrying a pack of E-tanks and a cup of coffee for Dr. Wily. Mega Man ignored Bass, Roll quietly took one of the tanks, and Dr. Wily grabbed the mug of coffee.
"Hello there Bass" Dr. Wily spoke before sipping his coffee "How's Rhythm holding up?"
"He's doing fine. He has enough tapes to listen to" Bass answered "Oh, and he has expressed a particular interest in talking to Mega Man…couldn't imagine why…"
"Oh no!" Rock defensively replied "I am not leaving my sister alone with you two scoundrels!"
Bass chuckled "Rock, I never said that you had to leave Roll here. To be honest, I think that Rhythm would like to formally meet your sister as well"
"Could we?" Roll asked Rock "I've been overloading my circuits during these repairs and I could really use a break."
Mega Man shrugged as he put his tools down and took Roll's hand. The two Lightbots left the workshop with Bass relocating himself to where Roll stood.
"Sheesh, what bug crawled into Mega Man's software today?" Bass grumpily asked.
"Isn't it obvious dumb-Bass? He doesn't trust the two of us…" Wily replied with a groan "And to be honest, we can't really blame them."
Mega Man and Roll soon found Bass's bedroom and saw that Rhythm lying in Bass's bed and listening to a cassette tape. The room was sparsely adorned, almost like a single person college dorm that no one had move into yet. As Rhythm listened to his music, he had the volume so high that Rock and Roll could hear what Rhythm was listening to.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door;
Only this, and nothing more."
"Are we disturbing you?" Roll quietly asked.
Rhythm pressed stop on the cassette tape, and weakly shook his head.
"So you don't mind us coming in?" Mega Man asked.
Not at all. P-please, pull up a chair.
Roll took Bass's desk chair and sat in it while Mega Man just stood in the doorway of the room.
"So Rhythm…how are you feeling?" Roll inquired.
I feel…a little d-displaced at the moment, I'm g-guessing that's due to the fact that my legs are being worked on.
"That's understandable" Roll admitted "I feel similar when my limbs are repaired by my creator."
Rhythm nodded, and then turned his attention to Mega Man, who had not spoken since he arrived.
W-why aren't you s-speaking?
"I don't have anything to say…" Mega Man answered with a sigh.
Really? Or do you say that b-because you wish not to speak what's on your mind?
Mega Man frowned "What are you implying?"
I'm not i-implying anything, I'm just asking q-questions.
"I suggest that you start asking different questions then" Mega Man retorted "Questions like 'Who are Dr. Wily and Bass really?' 'What are they planning to do to me?' 'Is this place safe?' among others."
This p-place isn't safe?
"You don't know squat about Dr. Wily and Bass" Mega Man responded "Why are you trusting them?"
"Rock! Stop this!" Roll pleaded.
I trust them because they a-actually seem a-accommodating and sympathetic to my situation … while you seem to be here against your own will… why should I trust you?
"I'm only here because Roll recognized your name…" Mega Man said with a huff. The blue robot then stormed out of the room, leaving Roll and Rhythm by themselves.
R-Rock? I thought his name w-was Mega Man…
"Before my brother was known as Mega Man, he was called Rock by our maker. I am Roll, so together we are…"
Rock and Roll. I u-understand.
"It's strange though" Roll realized "Rock and Roll, in the music world at least, used to be a singular thing. Now we have Rock without the Roll, do you think that the same will happen to me and Mega Man?"
I hope not. For you are a w-wonderful robot girl and you are lucky to have a brother like Mega Man.
"Thank you Rhythm" Roll replied with a smile as she began to leave the room.
Roll, could you fulfill a m-minor request?
"Oh? What would you like me to do?"
Just plant your lips onto my f-forehead, nothing else.
Roll slowly approached Rhythm, blushing slightly, and did just that. She almost embraced him, but she retracted for some unknown reason.
"You are strange one Rhythm" Roll spoke as she left the room.
Rhythm smiled and pressed play on his Walkman as Roll exited.
"Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Lenore,
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore,
Nameless here forevermore."
Bass was a little surprised when he saw Mega Man return to the lab alone and in a huff.
"How are the legs coming along?" Mega Man asked, aggravated.
"They're almost done" Wily answered "We'll be able to put them on tomorrow morning"
"Good" Mega Man joyously replied.
"Alright then Mega Man…" Bass grumbled as he stepped away form Rhythm's leg and made his way to Rock "ever since you arrived here you've been in an unpleasant mood. I have to ask…what is ticking you off exactly?"
"Shouldn't it be obvious Bass?!" Rock shouted, slamming his tool onto the work table "It's you and Dr. Wily! To think that you two criminals had the audacity to call ME of all people to work on this wrecked robot that you found by random chance!"
Bass crossed his arms, unaffected by Rock's rage "Then why did you agree?"
"BECAUSE ROLL ASKED ME TO, ALRIGHT!"
"Well it seems that you would rather not even be in the first place!" Bass retorted, stepping towards Rock "Or is it that your curiosity more intense that your aversion to me and the doc?"
"That's absurd!" Rock shouted "Rhythm could be just be part of an intricate trap to catch me off guard!"
"Your absurdity is absurd in it self." Bass retorted "Your attitude surrenders the suggestion that you are not just angry at me and Dr. Wily, but for other reasons as well! What has made you more loathsome than a drunk Dr. Wily?"
"It's none of your business!" Rock shouted "Stop it this instant!"
"No! I'm not going to stop this!" Bass responded with a smirk "I'm going to savor this for all that I can, because if I can't destroy your body… I can ruin your mind."
"YOU CAN'T GET TO ME!" Rock exclaimed, causing Roll and Dr. Wily to step away from the arguing enemies.
"Oh really?! What about all the times you defeated robots that you had once worked on and treated as your own work? Are you tired of fighting the same kinds of battles again and again? Do you ever think if Proto Man sees you as a true hero or just as a pawn for human interests?"
"YES! YES! YES!" Mega Man shouted as he collapsed on the floor "I do regret, I am tired, and I do wonder about such things"
"Then why don't you tell someone?" Roll weakly asked, approaching Rock.
Rock sighed as he stood "I've talked to Dr. Light and he says that I shouldn't ask about such things. He tells me that it's none of my concern. However, the problem is that these kinds of questions keep coming on back to me."
Roll approached his brother to give him a firm hug. The two robots embraced each other for a few good minutes before resuming work on repairing Rhythm's right leg. Bass and Dr. Wily resumed working on the left leg before the two stopped hugging.
"Bro?" Roll began "why did you storm out of Bass's bedroom?"
Mega Man sighed "I'm sorry sis…I snapped a bit… just the fact that Dr. Wily and Bass got to this poor bot first before I could. We wouldn't be having this situation if I found him. Not to mention that there's also the fact that Rhythm doesn't seem to trust me…"
"Well he's known Bass and Wily for just a bit longer more than he knows me and you…"
Mega Man nodded "Exactly."
Meanwhile, Dr. Wily and Bass were talking as well.
"You're gonna think that I have a screw loose…" Bass began.
"I already think you have a screw loose" Dr. Wily interrupted "Several actually."
"Hahaha…" Bass mirthlessly replied "but in all seriousness, I honestly think that what I did to Rock just now was a bit too much."
"What?!" Dr. Wily asked in astonishment.
"I feel like I shouldn't have taunted Mega Man like that" Bass confessed "For some weird reason, I feel like I did something bad."
Dr. Wily scoffed at the notion "Bass, you tell me that you feel like you did something bad when you've been doing bad things you've considered good for who knows how many years. What makes this any different?"
Bass shrugged as the four continued repairing the two legs.
Rhythm in the meantime had fallen asleep in Bass's bed, with the sounds of the cassette tape giving him comfort.
"And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming.
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!"