"Where words fail, music speaks"

-Hans Christian Andersen

As Rock and Roll were preparing to go to bed, Bass and Dr. Wily had finished reinstalling Rhythm's arm back onto his body.

"Okay then, how does it feel?" Bass asked as he sealed up the last access panel.

It feels b-better than ever! I want to test it out r-real quick!

Bass took a wrench off a nearby table and handed it to Rhythm. He gripped firmly on the handle, but it didn't bend or crush the steel. He then tossed the tool up in the air, but as it came back down, it slipped out of Rhythm's palm and landed with a loud clang on the floor. Rhythm frowned as Dr. Wily bent down to pick the wrench up.

I'm not meant for f-fighting, I-I was made to d-demonstrate the powers of my mind.

"If that's the case why did your creator decide to give you a weapon?" Dr. Wily asked, patting Rhythm's cannon arm.

I don't k-know, I can't see myself using it a-anytime soon.

"Well what good is having an opinion when people with a different opinion than yours have big sticks that they can hit you with?" Bass replied.

Maybe it's for d-defense then, or maybe its a scare tactic so that no one a-attacks me at all. But then again, I don't want to get into any fights in my c-condition.

Bass nodded in agreement "You have a good point there Rhythm" The black robot then stepped forward and accidentally knocked over one of the stacks carefully organized cassette tapes. "CRAP!"

Dr. Wily rolled his eyes "It really isn't a good idea the cassettes and the CDs on the floor of my lab. Take them to Bass's chamber."

A-actually, there is still have a lot of o-organizing to do. Could we maybe work on this t-together in the living room?

Dr. Wily begrudgingly shrugged "Fine, I don't see why not" he spoke as he picked up some music.

The three collected the spilled music off of the floor and put the music into the Living Room, Bass went back and forth from the scrap room to the living room so he could find containers for the cassettes and CDs. He also found a working boombox so that the three could listen to music as they sorted everything. Dr. Wily sat on his comfy chair while Rhythm and Bass sat on the floor.

"Rhythm" Bass asked "You've been listening to music constantly as we repair you. What is your favorite genre?"

Well to be p-perfectly honest, I don't have a f-favorite. What I want to listen to all d-depends on what I'm in the mood for. Jazz, Rock, Musical, Pop, I like all of them.

"Do you get any satisfaction from any particular genre?" Wily wondered as he threw out a broken CD case into a recycling bin.

W-well… rock music is a p-particular favorite. Part of what appeals to me is the range of emotions that can be found within the genre. Rock music can be loud, soft, slow, fast, a-acoustic, or electric. There is so much rock music to choose from. The variety satisfies me. What satisfies you Doctor Wily?

Dr. Wily grumbled "Very little satisfies me these days. Being without Bass is a relief at least."

"Ha ha ha…" Bass dryly retorted "I will state that being without Dr. Dumbass also satisfies me. But other than that, fighting robots gives me a level of satisfaction, especially when it's a challenge. There are plenty of robots that try to fight me that I can easily take down within sixty seconds, and they bore me."

"Who's Next" Dr. Wily spoke.

"I don't know!" Bass exclaimed "It's not like I schedule these fights!"

He's talking about an album title… that's by The Who. The Ws are on the coffee table .

Bass rolled his eyes as he picked up a tape "The Band".

"I know that a band made the album" Wily complained "but which band made that album?!"

The Bs are on the floor, give the t-tape to me.

Rhythm put the tape in the right stack and then read the label of another tape.

Huh, this c-cassette doesn't have a label on it .

Rhythm took the cassette out of the case and put it in his Walkman.

"-we be friends?

why can't we be friends?

why can't we be friends?"

"What an apt song" Wily remarked "I don't think that me and Dr. Light will ever be friends…"

"Well if I'm going to be honest" Bass began "I feel that repairing Rhythm with the help of Mega Man and Roll has began to improve our relations with the two. Not a impressive amount of improvement but a small amount."

I just h-hope that Dr. Light will be able to do the same.

The three kept sorting tapes and CDs until Dr. Wily became too tired to continue working. The scientist trudged down the halls to pass out in his bedroom, leaving the two robots to their devices. Rhythm and Bass continued to sort never the less. At one point, lightning struck Wily's fortress which caused the lights to flicker a little.

AHHH!

Bass chuckled a bit "Startled you, didn't it?"

Y-Yeah…At least I don't need to l-listen to any music tonight.

Rhythm then began to rubs his eyes and slump a bit.

"Are you tired Rhythm?" Bass asked.

Rhythm only quietly nodded. Bass then got up from his place and picked up Rhythm to carry the sleepy bot to Bass's bedroom.

"Rhythm," Bass began as the two walked down the dimly lit hallway "I must admit that there is a charm to your silence."

Huh? W-what do you mean?

"I don't mean it in a bad way…" Bass backpedaled "It's just that there people who speak so much and so often who also say so little at the same time."

Like p-politicians?

Bass chuckled and nodded as he opened the door to the bedroom placed Rhythm into his bed. He rubbed the frail robot's head before he left the bedroom so he could make his way outside into the pouring rain. The thunderstorm seemed harsher than any of the previous nights.

"They say that humans catch diseases when they stand in the rain unprotected" a condescending voice spoke. It was Proto Man, wearing his black trench coat and red helmet.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine" Bass quipped, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall of the fortress.

"I appreciate your sentiment" Blues replied "What's the problem?"

"Nothing…" Bass lied "I just wanted a night to myself for once."

"Alright then, I'll just be brief" Proto Man began "I have been alerted that Dr. Light is to return tomorrow. I'm going to wait at his place so I can talk to him."

Bass's eyes widened "Wh..why? How come? For what reason?"

Blues shrugged "I don't know…I've felt this strange feeling after I saw Rhythm. Something inside me…pulsed. I checked my programming the next morning and I found out that something has definitely changed in me."

"Can you put it in words?"

Blues shook his head "No, that's why I want to talk to Dr. Light. I want to see if he knows something about me…"

"Nothing wrong with that…"

"Thanks for your your sympathies, but there is something else" Blues said in a solemn tone "On the night Heather died, I felt a pain that seemed somehow connected to the incident. For the life of me I don't know why. Since Dr. Light was at the funeral, maybe he could help me explain this too."

"Wait…" Bass interrupted "who is Heather again?"

"She was a scientist who was murdered recently. Dr. Light has been away these days due to her death. Haven't you been paying attention to the news, Bass!?"

"No I haven't!" Bass yelled "I've been too busy fixing Rhythm with Dr. dumbass and Mega Man breathing down my shoulders so give me some slack!"

Blues simply crossed his arms as Bass ranted.

"Sorry Blues, this has been a rather… interesting past few days."

"I understand. I'll see you after I communicate with Dr. Light."

Bass stepped forward and put a hand on Blues's shoulder "Alright then, but be careful. Dr. Light may want to 'fix' you and what makes you independent in the first place."

Blues chuckled "I don't think I'll lose that anytime soon, and neither will you."

More lightning struck Wily's fortress, creating a bright flash and a painful crash.

"The weather is getting worse" Bass remarked "You'd better make your way to Light's."

Blues extended his hand and shook Bass's "I'm going to make my way to Dr. Light's tomorrow when the weather is better. When I get back, tell me how the progress on Rhythm is. Good-bye Bass."

"Good-bye Blues" Bass replied.

Blues walked away from Bass. With another flash of lightning, the yellow scarfed robot vanished into the night.

Bass soon made his way back inside the fortress. He made the way to his room and started taking off his armor to let it dry in the closet and sat next to where Rhythm slept. As the rain fell, words appeared on the tablet.

Dad?

"What is it son?"

" I would like you to meet someone.

"Oh, who are they?"

It's the man who found me hidden behind the wall.

"Hello there sir."

"…"

Is there a problem dad?

"No."

He's not a bad robot.

"I understand that, but I just don't want you to leave me, Rhythm. You are the only one I have."

"I'm sorry sir, but we both share that aspect as well."

"I apologize for your circumstances, but he is mine and mine alone!"

But he has changed, dad!

"His nature can put you in danger nevertheless!"

"I will protect him!"

"But what if you fail?!"

"He's a brother to me! I won't fail!"

Father! Brother! Please don't fight!

Bass put the tablet away and sighed as he made his way to the living room so he could sleep on the couch.

"You are a brother to me…" Bass muttered to himself "I don't want to fail you."