Chapter 7: Small Favors
One day passes. Two. Three. Suddenly Wily's sniper Joes are back all over town, led by none other than Bass, carrying out raids seemingly at random... but on closer inspection perhaps not so random.
"They're targeting laboratories..." Light mumbles to his children. "This is serious... Wily is still looking for us..."
"What do we do, daddy?" Roll chirps, scared.
"That's what Protoman warned me about." Rock gulps. "He told us we need to lay low...do you think...do you think they'd find us here?"
"Because there are laboratories on the university campus, it is only a matter of time before Wily's troops show up... But if we stay under cover they should miss us. Our apartment isn't too close to the labs. Once they do a search and don't find anything we should be safe to continue our business... but before that happens I need to make sure I've removed all traces of our presence there..."
Light sighs. "I'm worried though... I feel horrible knowing that all these attacks are because of us... Even so, it would be dangerous to try and thwart Wily's efforts. He might send his spies back to find us. I just don't know what to do..."
"They were never able to follow us home before though. Where are they, Dad? I can go take care of them before they get too close."
"It is hard to pinpoint... they don't seem to be checking the labs in a grid, it seems almost random... If I could decipher how Albert is choosing which ones to attack and in what order I could send you pre-emptively to defend the labs, but until I get another clue as to how he's deploying his troops, by the time I send you to take care of them they'll already be gone..."
Just then, there's a ring at the phone.
"Oh now who could that be..." Light goes to pick it up.
Rock gasps and clings to his dad. "W-wait don't! Who is it?"
"Hello? ...Yes this is he, how did you get this... ...books you say? I... well no, I don't have any books checked out... My family and I haven't been to that library... Who was it that checked them out in my... ... Y...you're sure? Hm... and he hasn't turned them back in... I... I didn't know... I didn't even know there was a card in my name... You say he's usually punctual about returning them? ... Right... I... well thank you... Yes, I'll try to figure out what happened and see if I can get them returned... No no, don't cancel the card, it is quite alright. I am fine with him having it in my name. Yes. Thank you. A nice day to you too."
The doctor hangs up. He looks very troubled.
"What is it?"
"That was... the public library. They called to ask about books that had been checked out by Blues."
"Huh? Why would they ask that?"
"Apparently they are overdue... The librarian said he usually turns them in on time, though..."
"Really...?"
"That is worrisome... It has been four days since we last saw him, hasn't it? That's when the librarian said the books were checked out... and it was also around the time that all these nasty raids started... I wonder if these events connected...
Rock gasps. "He could be in trouble! I have to go look for him!"
"Yes... but where to start?" Thomas Light strokes his beard in thought.
"M...maybe near the last building I found him in... the theater…"
"Perhaps... I would check there first. But be careful, son. Take caution to make sure you're not being followed. It will be a disaster if you accidentally lead Wily's spies back here."
When Megaman arrives at the abandoned theater, Blues is nowhere to be seen. However, in the seat of the car on the stage rest three books all with library stickers on the spines.
Just then Rock gets a page on his communicator.
"Rock! Where are you!?" It's the doctor.
Megaman frowns as he picks up the books. Odd...If Protoman usually returns books on time, it wouldn't be like him to forget about these. It only makes him more worried that something bad might have happened to him. "I'm here in the theater I told you about" he replies. "I found the books...but no Protoman."
"Nevermind that! I just got a call from the Bradford construction company! I need you to head three blocks north, and fast! They... They found Blues!"
"They did!?" Rock begins running out of the theater in an instant with the books tucked under his arm. "Is he okay!?"
"I... I'm not sure... He was buried under the rubble. The construction crew say he's unconscious. You must hurry and bring him back here!"
"Right! I'll be there as soon as I can!"
When Megaman arrives on the scene there are still humans and bots scurrying around a crater to remove large pieces of debris covering his brother's frame. Pieces of Protoman's armor are shattered and dented, including his visor.
Megaman runs up and kneels beside his brother, terrified to see him more busted up than ever before and wondering how this could have happened. He reaches for Protoman until he remembers the books. He can't carry them both...but he can't just leave these books here...Megaman grabs them and runs to the nearest construction worker. "I need to take him home, but he had these books, and they gotta get back to the library! Can you please please give them back for me?"
The man looks startled. "Um.. W..well okay kid I'll try..."
The bots move the last of the heavy rubble off of Protoman and help Megaman carefully lift him up. Mr. Bradford approaches him. "Quickly now, the doctor told me you needed to return as soon as possible. I'll be by later to check in but you must go now."
"Thank you!" He practically shoves the books into the poor worker's hands before returning to pick up Protoman. Once he has him securely in his arms, he nods up to Mr. Bradford. "Thank you for your help, sir!" And without another moment wasted, he turns and runs in the direction of their temporary home.
Blues hangs entirely limp from him like a sack of potatoes, but he is not totally unconscious. He groans softly as Megaman carries him. "Nngh... N... No... Trap..."
"Huh?!" The surprise causes Megaman to slow down. "Protoman, you're awake! What's wrong?"
"T... Trap!"
"Aw, now why did you have to tell him?"
Bass smashes down to the ground in front of Megaman causing light seismic activity and a colossal explosion. "And it was working so well."
Megaman nearly stumbles backwards, and he has to cling to Protoman to keep from dropping him. His childish features quickly turn to a sour glare. "Bass! You did this to him, didn't you?"
The black bot snerks. "He practically buried himself. It was too easy. Now then... I may not be able to track you back to Light's new hideout, but that doesn't mean I can't finish you both right here and now!"
Bass rushes forth like a wrecking ball, his fist raised and ready to strike.
Megaman reflexively jumps out of the way with Protoman still in his grasp. This is bad. He can't go home with Bass following them, so his only option is to put a stop to him right here. He can't fight well while holding Protoman, but if he lets him go, Bass might just try to finish him off. "Why are you doing this, Bass?!"
"What does it matter why? I'm doing it, and you're weak so you can't stop me! GRAAAH!"
He unleashes a spray of fire.
"Ah... Rock... Shield..." Protoman gasps.
Megaman understands instantly. He removes Protoman's shield from his back and sets it in front of both of them just in time to block the shots. Not only are they blocked, the blasts bounce back in Bass's direction.
Unfortunately, now Rock has to have Protoman hanging over his shoulder in order to hold his shield. But he keeps a firm grip, not wanting to let his brother slip from his hands.
"L.. Leave me... Go back." Blues orders.
Bass charges them again.
"No!" Rock yells.
The black bot collides head on with the shield.
Megaman grunts as the impact forces him back, but he remains firmly on his feet.
"Drop me" Protoman orders tersely. "You... won't win with me weighing you down!"
"I said no!"
Bass rams his fist into the shield. Even though it holds the force off, the impact knocks them back several feet further.
"I SAID DO IT!"
Megaman wraps his arm even tighter around his brother as he slides back from the next punch. "I don't have to listen to you!"
A hand reaches around the side of the shield and suddenly it is ripped clean out of Rock's hands by a monstrous strength. Bass hurls the shield to the side where it ends up embedded in the wall of a nearby building.
"You're mine now!" the black bot crows.
He launched a barrage of punches straight towards Rock's chest and gut.
"Ugh!" Megaman groans in pain as several of his punches connect. They knock him back. This time he lands on his back, partially on top of Protoman. "S-sorry..." He finally puts him on the ground, but when he stands back up, he positions himself right between his brother and Bass.
Protoman grunts, still unable to move while Bass laughs all the louder. "Run if you can, Protoman! After I finish off this twerp I'm going to end you once and for all!"
"I'll never let you hurt him again!" Megaman shouts back, blaster aimed and ready.
Bass rushes him again, his favored attack, and throws a dangerous, heavy-hitting punch.
Megaman ducks, not wanting to jump away and leave Protoman to take the blow, and throws an uppercut of his own towards Bass's jaw.
!
Bass takes the hit, which knocks him into the air, but he quickly recovers, blasting at Megaman with his arm canon.
Rock nimbly darts and dodges around the shots, never straying too far from Protoman. Whenever a shot looks like it's going to hit his brother, he is sure to block him and take the shot himself. All the while he charges up a more powerful shot and releases it when Bass passes in front of him.
"Watch out!" Protoman yells. "He can do an air dash!"
Too late though. Bass blows his way straight into the charged shot, stabbing at Rock with a blade arm.
Megaman shouts as the blade grazes his arm, only able to move aside and avoid it being cut off at the last moment. With Bass close enough again, he reels his fist back and swings into the black bot's stomach before releasing yet another charged shot.
"ARGH!"
Both of them are sent flying backwards from the force.
Megaman falls back behind his brother, but he scrambles back to his feet and into position as quick as he can.
"Nngh... Listen kid," Protoman warns, "you can't let him touch you... He's made of a denser alloy than me and he has a larger power reservoir. If he gets his hands on you, you're scrap metal. If you take too many of his blasts you're scrap metal. You can strafe and fire on him, but your weaker shots are going to glance right off and your more powerful ones are going to wear you out before they wear him out
"So what am I supposed to do...?"
"Your only chance is to get in his head and use his own strength against him."
"Raaaaagh!" Bash charges.
"Use his momentum to send him flying!"
Megaman rushes forward to meet Bass's charge. Before getting too close, he breaks into a slide and goes for Bass's feet. As soon as he knocks the bot off balance, he kicks his legs up and back to throw his opponent back towards a building behind them.
"GAH!" Bass soars up and crashes into the brick wall. Dazed by the force of the impact he drops back to the concrete below.
"Hurry before he comes to!" Protoman yells.
Megaman runs to where Bass falls. While he's still dazed, he grabs him and uses all his strength to toss him once again, throwing him as hard as he can.
!
Bash crashes high into another wall and falls into the dumpster below it.
Protoman tries his best to regain his feet but still doesn't have the strength even to move his fingers. "We... Need to go... Before he recovers…"
"Okay...but we gotta get your shield..."
Megaman does a quick scan of the area and spots it where it was tossed into a wall. He goes to pry it out, knowing that he can't leave it for Bass to find and take for himself.
Protoman continues to struggle to move, his vision flickering in and out. "If... If you have an energy pack you could spare... I'll be out of your hair..."
Rock shakes his head sadly. "We lost a lot of our supply with the lab. But don't worry." Before Protoman can protest, he's slung back over his brother's shoulder. "I gotcha." With Protoman and his shield securely in his arms, he turns and makes a run back to home.
Protoman is treated to the sight of Megaman's exposed arm wiring from where he was slashed as they make their way back to the university lab. He tried to do his best to make sure they're not followed, but it is always a possibility...
Light is waiting for them at the entrance. He gasps when he sees the state that both of his sons are in.
Megaman holds his brother out to Light. "It was Bass." He says. "He made the building fall on Protoman and was waiting for me to come get him."
"Wha... He...? But... Well never mind we can go over what happened later. Come, carry him into the lab we need to get him hooked in to recharge."
Protoman groans softly. Recharge sounds nice.
"! H... He's awake!? Blues can you hear me?"
"Nngh... Loud'n clear."
Megaman nods. "He's been awake since I found him."
"Oh no... Blues were you... This whole time?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Memory banks are... Drawing on fumes right now..."
"Come on Dad he needs sleep."
"N... No." Blues protests. No sleep.
"Huh? B-but you need to recharge."
"Don't worry my son. We'll shut you down while I do your repairs. You won't feel a thing"
"NO!" Blues yells with all his strength. No way in hell he's getting repaired unconscious
"What are we supposed to do? Repair you while you're awake?" Rock huffs, sensing the direction of his thoughts.
Protoman growls. "Yes."
Light grimaces as they take Blues inside and set him on the table. "B... But Blues... It won't be pleasant, you know..." Even if he turns his son's pain sensors off, the electrical surges will put a lot of strain on his frame.
"Do it while I'm awake or recharge me and let me get my repairs elsewhere. I don't care."
Megaman pouts. "You mean Wily?"
Protoman nods. "HE always repairs me while I'm awake. What's the matter..." Distrust flares in his voice. "Going to do something to me that you can't have me awake for, in case I resist?"
"No..." Light murmurs, trying to calm him down. "Blues I'm not going to touch your power core I... I just don't want to hurt you..."
Megaman still wears a frown. "Why do you always think it's something like that? We only care about not hurting you!" He takes a step closer. "Wily only repairs you when you have something for him! Would you tell him where we are now as payment!?"
"..." Protoman flinches at the reminder of his recent misdeeds.
"R... Rock..." Light speaks. "Please.. Not now..."
Rock glances to his dad. He gives his brother one last glare, carefully considering what to say next. "I...I found your books...I gave them to someone to take them back for you..."
Blues sees this as a ploy. The mention of a favor to coerce him. His eyebrows furrow with hostility. "No repairs unless I'm awake," he repeats. "I don't care what you did."
"...Fine. You heard him." Rock sours.
The doctor momentarily considers having Protoman tied down so he can't resist. He probably wouldn't even have to be tied down as weak as he is now. But Light immediately puts it out of his mind. It would shatter the already fragile trust that's just begun to regrow between them. "A... Alright, my son... But please... If it becomes too much and you need to stop..."
"Don't call me that."
"...wha...?"
"Don't. Call me. 'Son'."
There it is. Somehow they've gone back to square one. Light tries not to show his hurt. "A..alright... Blues."
"Protoman," he corrects.
"How come you can call me Rock but we don't get to call you Blues!?" the blue bot complains.
"I won't call you that."
"..." Rock hangs his head. "But I liked it when you did..."
The doctor sighs sadly and begins plugging Protoman into the power lines. He works in silence for several minutes. Occasionally Protoman gasps or twitches but for the most part he remains stoic, giving no insight into how he's feeling. At least until he remembers...
"...my box."
"Hm?" Megaman perks. "You mean the box with your things? What about it?"
"...it was buried with me."
The boy gasps, understanding. It's still back in the rubble. "I'll go back and try to find it, okay?"
"No need for that."
An unfamiliar (at least to Blues) voice appears, walking through the door. It is Mr. Bradford from the construction site. "We found it."
In his hands is a particularly dirty, dented up, but otherwise intact box. He sets it on one of the tables.
Rock grins. "Oh thank you!" He runs up to the table to pick it up. He almost opens the lid to check that everything is there before he remembers the promise he made to Protoman. So he returns to the table his brother his on and sets it down next to him.
"Ughn..."
Blues struggles to lift his arm, trying to fumble with the lid while he lays down.
"Want me to open it?" Rock asks
"..."
Blues thinks about that offer longer and harder than it merits.
"... Fine"
"I won't touch anything in there, I promise."
Megaman slides the lid off the box and holds it up, tilting it for Protoman to see all the contents inside. Blues inspects them carefully.
"…good."
"Is...is everything in there?"
Blues nods… and mutters a quiet thanks.
"Glad to be of help." Mr. Bradford chirps.
Rock opens his mouth to gawk. He almost can't believe it. Did Protoman just say thank you?
"Yes, thank you Mr. Bradford" Doctor Light continues. "If you hadn't of found him, there's no telling what would have happened to poor Bl-Protoman."
Megaman goes back to stand in front of the new man. He looks up to his brother's savior with a big smile. "Yeah, thanks a lot, sir." He offers his hand to shake.
John takes it pleasantly. "My… such a well-mannered young man. We didn't officially get acquainted in the scramble before. John Bradford at your service! Your father was one of my professors in college! He taught me a great deal."
"Wow, really?" Rock's eyes widen. "He's taught me a lot too."
"AHAHAHAHA! I'll bet he has!" The younger man barks, amused.
Rock smiles and nods. He's about to turn his attention elsewhere when he remembers. "Oh! Do you know if those books got returned yet? I dunno who it was I gave them to."
"Ah... No but I'll make sure to check on that."
"Okay, thank you."
Blues grunts again. "Don't bother... I can take care of-!" A high pitched squeak comes out of him as the doctor, his surgeon, tampers with something sensitive. The doctor jumps almost as much as his patient does.
"Th... This is why you should have let me shut you down!"
"No. K-keep going."
Before he can stop himself, Rock bursts into giggles. He is quick to cover his mouth, but it's obvious that it is taking all of his strength to contain his laughter.
"..."
Protoman doesn't say anything but even though his glasses are on obscuring his eyes, the intensity of his glare screams "you are the dead" even from a distance.
Rock puts his hands behind his back and starts rocking on his feet, looking away from the death glare and trying to appear oh so innocent.
Bradford looks sadly at Blues's scuffed up, dented frame. "I am terribly sorry about what happened to you, dear boy... I swear we thought we had cleared everyone from the building... My workers checked-"
"It was after the demolition." Protoman assures him.
"Oh? But... But how? You were on the ground floor of the building..."
"I... Dug down for the box... I was in a pit when Bass... Another robot... He knocked the rubble back on me."
"Oh dear... But your things... Why were they...?"
Megaman's mouth tightens. He leaves it up to Protoman how to answer him.
But Blues doesn't say anything. He just stares silently ahead, mouth a line.
"..." Bradford's mouth falls into a frown. "No no... It's alright. There is no need to say. I understand."
He moves in to pat the boy in the shoulder while he gives Light a hard look.
"Look professor... You've been a good friend to me and I want to help you with your housing situation... But only on one condition. I don't know what kind of quarrel you have with your son but it's not right to let your own boy sleep out and fend for himself on the streets. I'll only build a new house for you if you promise me you'll take him back in and give him a place to l until he can get back on his feet... You hear?"
Thomas's eyes widen in surprise. "W... Wait... You don't understand..."
"Wait!" Rock frowns. "It's not like that! Doctor Light didn't kick him out!"
"Eh?" John looks around confused.
"...I chose to live there on my own." Protoman mutters.
"Yeah..." The younger boy folds his hands and looks back down to his feet. "He likes living independently."
The man still frowns, concerned.
Rock shuffles awkwardly on his feet, not wanting to say anything more on their situation. Instead he mutters. "Please...we need a new house..."
"….Oh you poor thing... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have threatened. Of course we'll get you a new home."
Rock smiles back up to him. "Thank you, sir."
Bradford does stare at Blues though. "I will just have to make one nice enough that your brother won't be able to stay away from it, won't I?"
The boy brightens more. "Yeah!"
"Well… I believe I should get going… it seems like you all have the situation well in hand… It was good meeting you Rock… Protoman. Doctor? Always a pleasure." He waves goodbye.
After they well-wish the man off, Blues pouts. A house nice enough that he'll have to come? Psh. Good luck.
Light wipes the sweat from his brow. "There… that should be most of the pressing issues..." He closes his son's chest back up.
"Eh... Why... Can I still not move?" Blues asks as he tries to sit up.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Rock comes back to check on him.
Light explains. "Your core was almost completely depleted when you were trapped under the rubble... It is going to take time before you'll be charged enough to move, and even then we'll need to keep you hooked up for a bit longer so your battery can hold its charge."
"Oh no..." Rock frowns, feeling awful for his poor brother. "What are you going to do?"
Blues knows the question isn't addressed to him, but his face makes it clear that if it was his answer would be to POUT HEAVILY. The pout is strong with him.
"Nothing to do." The doctor answers, "We just have to keep him hooked in until he recovers."
There is an obvious problem with this approach, though... The raids.
"We have to keep him here...?"
Light nods, frowning.
Rock awkwardly grabs one of his arms as he looks back to his brother. "M'sorry, Protoman..."
"Whatever." Now Blues wishes he had his books still.
Rock gets the feeling that his brother has had about enough of him. He glances away. "I'll um...I'll leave you alone now while Dr. Light gets you hooked up..."
Protoman lays in silence for a while yet while his creator smooths out some of the dents in his frame, fixes some minor things, and cleans him with a wet cloth. This makes him very uncomfortable in a way that has nothing to do with the energy fluctuations. It's a bit too intimate. He used to love this kind of personal attention back before things fell apart, but now...
Eventually, Dr. Light senses his son's discomfort. He ceases to wipe the bot off and pulls away from his frame. "Is something wrong, Protoman?"
"...I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"... I just shouldn't be here is all. It was stupid that I let myself get beat up like this. I won't let it happen again."
"Protoman, it is not your fault that Bass attacked you when you were unprepared. These things happen. Poor Rock has come home to me in similar condition before." He pauses before continuing his cleaning while talking. "You shouldn't think that you can't receive help when life gets the better of you. Everyone needs a hand sometimes."
"Not me. I don't need handouts. I have my pride. I earn my keep." He looks away, embarrassed. "…I'll pay you back for this so we'll be even."
Light shakes his head. "Please. I ask for nothing in return. I am glad to have your repairs in my hands rather than anyone else's...especially Albert's."
"I'll repay you." Blues insists. He's not taking no for an answer.
"...well...if you truly insist on repaying me in some way..."
"...? Yeah?"
"...I would really appreciate another visit, and perhaps another meal together."
"..." Blues was worried at first that he was going to suggest core repairs, but this is not much of a step up.
The red bot bristles. "That's not gonna happen. I'm not an idiot, feeding me doesn't benefit you."
"Oh, but you are wrong. It gives me tremendous peace of mind knowing that you have gotten a good meal.
"I can feed myself! I've done it for over five years!" He shouts angrily.
"Well alright then. If you are truly against my offer, you do not have to take it, and these repairs will be free of charge."
Damn. That simply won't do.
"…I'll let you copy the schematics." Blues says. There. That's plenty fair. More than generous.
The smallest smirk perks on the old man's face. Protoman is gloomy in contrast.
"You would let me do that?"
"….." Blues nods. Then scowls. "You had better wait 'til I'm dead before you copy me, though."
Dr. Light needs a moment to think about it. The information that Protoman is offering him is priceless...but then again, a chance to reunite his family, even for a short time, is even more precious than that. The man rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmmmm...your offer is tempting. You drive a hard bargain, Protoman...but my conditions remain the same. You can either pay me back with a visit for dinner, or you don't pay me back at all. That is my only offer."
"WHA!? Th... THAT'S NOT PAYMENT!" Blues fumes.
"Is it not? You act like someone being asked for a thousand dollars."
"No it's because you're trying to cheat me out of paying you to one-up me!"
"One-up you?"
"Yeah! You're treating me like a kid! I am an ADULT."
"Protoman... just because children grow up doesn't mean they can no longer be cared for by others. Why, when I went to college, do you know how often my mother would call to see how I was doing? Sometimes she would beg me to come home so she could feed me. And I know she would have done it even if I hadn't been so much worse at taking care of myself than you are."
"...But I... I want to be independent."
Dr. Light moves closer towards his eldest. "I know that...and that is not a bad thing. I am proud that you have been able to do as well as you have completely on your own, because one day you will need to know how to live independently." He puts a hand on Protoman's arm. "But you are still young. And adult or child, you deserve better than to be living in condemned buildings. However...if you are truly satisfied with the way you live now, I will not try to confine you. I just want you to understand that our door is always open, and we will always have a place for you when you need one. There is no shame in taking it."
Blues groans, it doesn't feel that way.
"So...what do you say?" the old man entreats him.
Blues goes quiet, refusing to answer. After a while he changes the topic. "How long after me was it that you made them?"
Dr. Light sighs, deciding to let him think about his decision and entertain his subject change.
"Let's see… This is May… A little over three years."
"Three," Blues mouths. Three years until he made something new... It's not as bad as he imagined. His demonized Dr. Light-the one in his head- had turned around and made the new bots as soon as Blues left home, wasting not an hour in replacing him.
"But I should have waited longer..." the old man concludes.
"..." Blues starts to laugh. "Fate is cruel..."
"Wh-...? What is so amusing?"
"It was right and around two and a half years ago... The night I came back... The night I looked into your lab and saw you with them... They must have been hot off the press."
"Yes... if what you say is true, they would have been quite young. So young...and yet it hardly seems much time passed at all until Rock begged me to give him the ability to fight against Wily."
"...did he turn out built like you wanted? ...he's not very rebellious. Not that I've seen." Blues notes, his voice tinged with bitterness.
"No... no he isn't very rebellious… but like I said, he is still young. Who knows what might happen when he is older?"
"Don't know... Whatever you programmed him to be like, I guess." Blues winces as his power level spikes again.
"Ah! Hold on let me take care of that…. ….And I'm not so sure. I made all of you so your personalities were not fixed…. They evolve on their own after time… That is why it is virtually impossible to replace an IC chip. What you put in initially is not what you get back out."
Protoman trembles until the spike goes back down, then sighs.
"...fine." He looks to the side, away from his creator. "I'll do it. But I'm giving you the blueprints too."
"What? But Protoman, that wouldn't be fair..."
"Maybe not, but it's a deal breaker. If you want what you want, you've gotta compromise."
"Alright..." The doctor smiles at his son. This is as good as he could have hoped for. "Thank you, Bl-….sorry….Protoman..."
Blues shrugs his shoulders and huffs. "…whatever."
He turns his eyes back and watches as the doctor latches him back up. The red bot feels very sleepy now... It has been a rough few days...
"Well then... Now that you are all finished, I can leave you to recharge alone for as long as you need. Hm...does your communicator still work?"
Blues tests it and confirms that it does. "Yes."
Good. You can call me or any of us if you need something.
"I will." Not. He will so totally not.
"Okay then, Protoman...sleep well." His creator goes to turn the lights in the room off.
End of Chapter
Next chapter Light takes advantage of his son's sleeping state and rips Protoman's emotions and memories out to make him an obedient zombie son.