"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom"
-George S. Patton
"Well I left my happy home
To see what I could find out
I left my folk and friends
With the aim to clear my mind out"
To ease the tensions during the repairs, Mega Man had taken one of Rhythm's CDs and put it into a player for some background music. If anything, it distracted everyone from the rainfall that had begun soon after Rhythm was dismembered for the purposes of repair.
"So Albert…" Dr. Light began as he removed a panel on Rhythm's chest to see how the arm socket repairs were proceeding "What are your plans for Rhythm when we finish his repairs? I hope you don't plan on keeping him here!"
"I don't want to keep him here" Wily replied "Bass is going to have to take responsibility for him. Rhythm is going to live where ever Bass runs off to so he can be rid of me."
"Do you know where this place is?"
"Of course not! You can obviously see that I don't have as good as a relationship with my creations when compared to you. The only things that Bass will tell me is how much he hates me and how much that I suck!"
Mega Man and Roll chuckled a bit and even Dr. Light had a problem containing himself.
"As usual, I'm outnumbered" Dr. Wily remarked.
"Well it's mano a mano right now" Mega Man commented.
"Well I'd like to return my attentions to Rhythm here" Dr. Light spoke "What does he want to do with his life? What will his purpose be?"
I…I want to be c-creative. I want to be able to make s-something. I-I want to have a l-lasting impact. M-my father always told me that I-I was destined t-to change the world.
"A rather lofty ambition" Dr. Light spoke "But in your status, It will be incredibly difficult for you do so."
E-everyone has to deal with a-adversity. W-what would make me d-different?
"Your condition Rhythm…" Dr. Light answered as he rubbed Rhythm's head.
Rhythm frowned and turned away from Dr. Light and saw Mega Man frowning.
"Rhythm…" Mega Man spoke "It will be hard for you…"
Y-you think I don't know that? E-everyday is going to be a s-struggle for me. I-I can't be like you nor Bass… I-I'll be the one who was h-held back d-due to a fate that wasn't my d-deciding.
"Then why won't you start from square one?" Dr. Light asked "You have the opportunity to start all over again, why don't you take it?"
Rhythm remained quiet. The tablet his system was connected to displayed only an ellipsis for a about thirty seconds before dictating its response.
I don't want to die a-again…s-starting over w-would be r-reincarnation, which would be death.
"So you'd rather die in the future because of your weaknesses rather than die now to be a better robot?"
I don't want to live f-forever. N-nobody wants to live f-forever but robots are beings who can. Y-yet due to my c-conditions, I can never be as good as Mega Man or Bass. But I-I've experienced something that they haven't. T-they haven't been r-resurrected. They haven't r-risen from the ashes to e-exist yet again. B-but with my r-revival, I-I am cursed with a knowledge no man or robot can b-bear to endure.
I don't want to live f-forever, but I don't want to die again.
Rhythm rattled as the worlds displayed themselves onto the tablet. Roll also happened to notice a pool of liquid forming underneath Rhythm's damaged eye.
Dr. Light sighed "If that is your decision, so be it."
He then began to resume with the repairs and the other three soon followed suit. After repairing the arm sockets, the arms were replaced and then his legs were removed to begin work in that area. A new song began to play on the player.
"It's not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy
You're still young, that's your fault"
"Mega Man…" Dr. Light began .
"Yes Dr. Light?"
"During the time that you have been working with Dr. Wily, I've noticed that you have…changed."
"Changed?" Mega Man asked "Is that bad?"
"No, there is nothing inherently wrong with change, but I have noticed that you have become more acquainted with Dr. Wily" "Well… what's the problem with that?"
Dr. Light sighed deeply and rest his head on the work table "You know that I was gone for Heather's funeral, right? Well when I was there, I heard rumors involving her death… rumors that involved a robot she made…"
Rock and Roll tensed a bit upon hearing this statement.
"W-what was the rumor dad?" Roll asked.
"Someone suggested that a robot that she made was responsible for her death."
Dr. Wily stumbled with his tool in surprise "WHAT?!"
Dr. Light sadly nodded "Dr. Grey, a close friend of Heather, worried that the robot may have ended up associating himself with some Sniper Joes."
"Well what do you think Tom?" Wily shouted.
"I don't want to think about it…" Dr. Light confessed "I'm just worried what it would mean for Tempo."
T-Tempo?
"Heather's son" Rock explained before he turned to Dr. Light.
"Have they found him yet?"
Dr. Light shook his head "No, they haven't, and I need to find him to carry out the rest of Heather's Will." He then turned to Rock "That's why I am worried about you being with Wily, I don't want you turning on me."
"Dr. Light, I would never turn against you. Wily would never be able to entice me to his side!"
"Yeah!" Roll exclaimed "You could say that we kind of reformed him!"
"That may be true, but no one can find out about this collaboration" Dr. Light responded "Our reputations would be compromised if that fact came out."
"Then how can we be sure that Wily keeps his mouth shut?!" Mega Man asked.
"Bass will take care of that" Roll spoke "And besides, it's not like anyone is going to believe Wily anyway."
Dr. Wily rolled his eyes as the leg sockets were finished up on Rhythm as the music continued.
"How can I try to explain?
When I do he turns away again
It's always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could talk
I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way"
"Dr. Light?" Mega Man began.
"Yes Rock? What is it?"
"Well…I'd like to possibly…go away for a bit."
"Oh? How come?"
"It's because…" Mega Man hesitated "It's because I feel like I need to escape for a bit… mix it up a bit, have a change of scenery."
"I've been feeling the same too" Roll added "I'd like to possibly go out on my own as well."
Dr. Light looked at the two in confusion "You two want to leave for a while? What if Dr. Wily prepares another attack?"
"Oh come on!" Dr. Wily complained as he turned to Dr. Light "Why do you have to be so paranoid?!"
"Paranoid?! How many times have you tried to pull off your schemes? If Mega Man was gone, who would stop you from taking over?"
"I would stop myself! If I even was able to succeed taking over, I'd be in control for a fleeting period of time! After that, things would probably return to as they once were!"
"You don't know that!" Dr. Light shouted "Who knows what the world would be like if you succeeded in your plans and died soon afterwards?"
"I don't know, but I know it wouldn't last…"
Dr. Light grumbled as he finished repairing the leg socket and began to reattach Rhythm's leg and Mega Man did the same. As the legs were finally connected, the music on the CD ended. Roll made her way to the player to change the CD while Dr. Light began to open up Rhythm's chest.
"Oh I just don't know where to begin
Though he says he'll wait forever
It's now or never"
"Rhythm?" Dr. Wily began as he rested a hand on Rhythm's torso "You doing well?"
Rhythm nodded slightly .
"We're going to work on your torso and core now…this is an incredibly tense part of the operation. Whatever happens, please remain calm."
Ok Dr. W-Wily. I'll try my best not to panic.
Dr. Light turned to Dr. Wily in confusion "Why did you tell him that?"
"We had a situation when doing repairs to Rhythm's head. He loses power when he can't hear. When we were giving him a temporary head, his energy drained rapidly and he would have his memory wiped if he lost all his power."
"Why would shutting him down make him lose his memories?"
"It's because of the injuries he sustained all those years ago."
Dr. Light only shrugged as he repositioned Rhythm's totaled voice box to get a better view into his body.
"Roll?" Mega Man asked "Could you get me the wire strippers? I need to prepare a wire."
Roll left the work table as Mega Man stood at Rhythm's feet while Dr. Wily and Dr. Light respectively worked on Rhythm's right and left sides.
"Having any issues Rhythm?" Mega Man asked.
Nope, none w-whatsoever.
"Accidents will happen
We only hit and run
He used to be your victim
Now you're—"
Suddenly, Rhythm's eyed widened and he shook a bit.
H-hello? W-why did the music stop?
"What?" Rock asked as he made his way to the CD player and turned up the volume.
"I don't want to hear it
'Cause I know what I've done"
"There's nothing wrong with the music Rhythm! It's playing as loud as it can!"
I-Is s-someone there? I-I c-can't h-hear a-anything!
Dr. Wily dropped his tool and turned his attention to Rhythm's tablet.
-CHARGE_92%
-CHARGE_90%
-CHARGE_87%
"HIS POWER IS DRAINING!" Wily shouted "I didn't sever anything, what were you doing Tom?!"
"Crap!" Light shouted "I cut the wrong wire!"
"YOU SENILE IDIOT!" Wily shouted "WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!?"
"I'M SORRY ALRIGHT!" Dr. Light yelled "THIS WORK ENVIRONMENT IS TOO TENSE FOR MY NERVES!"
Mega Man groaned and rolled his eyes as he joined Roll to look for the wire strippers.
"C'mon! We better find them or we're gonna lose Rhythm!" Rock shouted.
"I KNOW!" Roll replied "It's not like these tools are well organized!"
-CHARGE_79%
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Wily shouted at Light.
"MY HAND WAS SHAKING! IT WAS AN HONEST MISTAKE!"
NOTAGAINNOTTAGAINNOTAGAIN!
"Got it!" Roll shouted as she ran to Rhythm with the tool, but she tripped over Dr. Light's leg and dropped the tool under a tool chest.
-CHARGE_69%
PLEASENOPLEASENOPLEASENOPLEASENOPLEASENOPLEASENOPLEASENO!
Rock slid towards the chest and picked up the tool from underneath and rushed back to Rhythm.
-CHARGE_64%
"Give me that!" Dr. Light demanded, reaching for the tool.
-CHARGE_59%
"No way Dr. Light!" Rock shouted "I'll take care of this myself!"
Rock proceeded to find the severed wire and began stripping the ends.
IDON'TWANTTODIEIDON'TWANTTODIEIDON'TWANTTODIEIDON'TWANTTODIE!
"Roll! Get me the electrical tape!" Rock shouted as he started twisting the wires together.
-CHARGE_43%
DADDY!HELPME!IDON'TWANTTODIEAGAIN!
"Got it!" Roll cheered as she carefully dashed to the work table and placed the tape on the table.
-CHARGE_37%
A spark came from Rhythm's torso as the electrical signal from the robot's ears to his core.
-CHARGE_40%_RECHARGING
"I don't want to hear it
'Cause I know what I've
I know what I've
I know what I've done..."
…I can h-hear again.
Mega Man began to lose his balance from the rush of robotic adrenaline racing through his system and collapse onto the floor. Roll stepped over her brother's body and began taping up the wire.
"GODDAMNIT TOM!" Dr. Wily shouted as he slammed his fist on the work table, sending tools flying in the air. "What has gotten into you all of a sudden! Why do you have to suddenly slip up like that?!"
"Don't you dare try pinning this on me Albert!" Dr. Light shouted "Working here isn't the best environment! Being in here makes me feel like I have to stay alert if Bass or some other deranged project of yours is going to come after me! Maybe you sent him off to my lab to spy or steal something!"
"Well I was at your lab doc…" Said a voice from the workshop doorway "and you wouldn't believe what I found!"
Everyone in the lab turned to the doorway and saw Bass wearing his full armor and a scowl. He aimed his right arm at Dr. Light, which was charged at full strength. On his left shoulder was the limp figure of a body facing away from everyone else. Mega Man engaged his own arm cannon and aimed it at Bass.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!""Mega Man shouted "WHO IS THAT ON YOUR SHOULDER?!"
Bass simply smirked as he rested the figure against the wall by the doorway. His grey body had wires protruding out of a cavity, and his red arm cannon appeared to be smashed with some unknown implement. A black trench coat covered the figures face, but Bass removed it with a flair of gusto to reveal that the figure wore a yellow scarf and a black visor attached to his red helmet.
"P-Proto Man…" Roll quietly spoke.
"BLUES!" Rock shouted as he started to charge his cannon "Listen Bass, you've got ten seconds to tell me what you did to Blues before I shoot that smirk off your slimy little face!"
Bass chuckled sadistically and crossed his arms "Rock…I didn't do any of this! I found him like this at Dr. Light's!"
"THEN WHO DID THIS?!" Rock screamed.
A weary groan came from the damaged Proto Man, he began to raise up his arm and pointed away from Bass.
"Roll…' He spoke.
"ME?!" Roll shouted "You're out of your mind!"
Blues shook his head "No…not you…Roll… please move…"
Roll stepped out of the way, and Blues's finger pointed at the two scientists.
"Dr. Light…d-did this…"
Blues's arm collapsed as he lost the rest of his energy. Everyone's glances slowly turned to the astonished Dr. Light. Roll cupped her hands over her mouth, Rock seethed, Bass smirked, Rhythm shook, and Dr. Wily just had his jaw hang from his mouth.
Mega Man tightened his fist as his arm cannon began to tremble and shake.