Dr. Light sat at his console, his eyes fixed on the monitor displaying footage from the recent battles. His hands trembled slightly, a mixture of frustration and curiosity bubbling inside him. On the other side of the lab, Tails was busy tinkering with the portal machine, adjusting wires and calibrating circuits with his usual precision. The hum of machinery filled the air, but Dr. Light's mind was elsewhere.
He muttered to himself, still replaying the footage in his head. "Fascinating… Why does Zero only target the Robot Masters? There must be something more to this."
Tails, noticing the unusual tone in Dr. Light's voice, looked up from his work. "What's going on, Dr. Light?" he asked, curiosity piqued.
Dr. Light gestured to the screen, where Zero could be seen dispatching Robot Masters with ruthless efficiency, but leaving other fighters, like Roll, Proto Man, and Bass, untouched.
"Watch this closely, Tails," Dr. Light said, his voice calm but intense. "Observe Zero's behavior. Notice how he ignores them entirely. He only attacks the Robot Masters."
Tails squinted at the footage, his analytical mind already racing to find patterns. "You're right! He's not even acknowledging Roll, Proto Man, or Bass as threats. It's like he's programmed to focus solely on the Robot Masters."
Dr. Light nodded, a spark of realization lighting his eyes. "Exactly! This behavior mirrors what happened the day Zero destroyed Mega Man. If his remaining programming is locked into targeting only Robot Masters, we might have a chance."
Tails furrowed his brow, processing the implications. Then, an idea clicked. "Wait—what if we could trick Zero into thinking there's a Robot Master nearby?"
Dr. Light's eyes lit up with realization. "Yes! That's it! The remote remote shutdown device I created based on X's design. If Roll can get close enough to him, we might be able to deactivate Zero and stop him before it's too late."
Tails grinned, the excitement of a plan forming in his mind. "This could work! We just need to get the message to Roll and the others in Hyrule."
Dr. Light quickly opened the communications channel and contacted Roll, his voice calm but filled with urgency.
—-
Roll, along with Proto Man and Bass, stood in a small tactical room, discussing their next steps after the intense battles they'd faced. The room was quiet but tense—everyone knew the gravity of what was coming next. As they spoke, Dr. Light's voice came through the communicator.
"Roll, can you hear me?"
Roll's eyes widened with hope and relief as she heard Dr. Light's voice. "Yes, Dr. Light! What's the update?" she asked eagerly.
Dr. Light explained the discovery about Zero's behavior. "We believe Zero's programming is locked onto targeting Robot Masters. If we can create a scenario where he thinks a Robot Master is present, we can lure him in. You'll need to get close enough to use the remote shutdown device."
Roll's determination grew as she shared the news with Proto Man and Bass. "We have a plan! Dr. Light thinks we can draw Zero in by making him think there's a Robot Master nearby."
Proto Man crossed his arms, his face thoughtful. "But how do we make him believe that? He's smart. He'll know if we're trying to trick him."
Bass leaned in, a confident smirk on his face. "We could create a decoy. If we can simulate a Robot Master's signature or something close enough, we might just catch his attention."
Roll nodded, her confidence building. "That could work! We can salvage parts from the fallen robots on the battlefield to build a decoy, something that emits the same signal as a Robot Master. If we do it right, Zero won't suspect anything until it's too late.
Dr. Light's voice crackled through the communicator again. "Good. I'll prepare the remote shutdown device here. Just be careful, Roll. This is risky."
Roll took a deep breath, the weight of the mission pressing on her shoulders. "I will. We won't let you down, Dr. Light. We're going to end this."
Proto Man and Bass exchanged glances, their determination matching Roll's. "Let's make this happen," Proto Man said, his voice steady with resolve.
With the plan set, the three of them quickly gathered the materials needed to create the decoy. There was no time to waste. Every moment counted, and they were ready to face the challenge ahead, united by their mission to stop Zero once and for all.
—-
The next day, just outside of Hyrule In the quiet clearing, the air hung thick with tension as Roll, Bass, and Proto Man stood over the remains of fallen Robot Masters, carefully piecing together their decoy. The once chaotic battlefield now felt eerily calm, but the three knew this was only a temporary reprieve. Their plan was risky—relying on the hope that they could outwit the deadly Zero.
Roll tightened the final bolt on their makeshift construct, taking a step back to inspect their work. Her breath caught in her throat, anxiety gnawing at the edges of her determination.
"This should do it," she said quietly. "It doesn't need to function—just needs to be convincing enough to catch Zero's attention."
Bass stood to the side, his arms crossed, a scowl fixed on his face as he eyed the decoy. "It better work. I'd rather not face him head-on if we don't have to."
Proto Man, always alert, stood with his shield ready, his gaze scanning the surroundings. "Zero's unpredictable. Stay sharp—he won't hesitate if something goes wrong."
With everything set, Roll activated the decoy. The three of them stepped back, steeling themselves for what was to come. For a short time they waited, the tension was almost unbearable until, in a flash of red light, Zero appeared, his red eyes glowing as he scanned the decoy.
Without a second thought, Zero lunged forward, destroying the decoy in a single, swift motion. The sound of metal shattering echoed through the clearing, and the decoy was reduced to rubble at his feet.
Bass was the first to react. In a flash, he fired a shot at Zero, the blast hitting him squarely in the chest. But Zero barely stumbled, his gaze shifting toward them. He noticed Roll, and locked his eyes onto her.
"Are you a robot master?" Zero's voice was flat, devoid of emotion, but there was an edge of confusion in it.
Roll stepped forward, meeting his gaze with a quiet resolve. "My name is Roll. Mega Man was my brother. I just want to talk."
The name "Mega Man" seemed to strike something within Zero. His grip on his weapon loosened slightly, and for a brief moment, confusion flickered across his face. It was as if he were trying to reconcile the name with something deep within himself, something hidden beneath the layers of programming.
"Mega Man..I... Destroyed," Zero murmured, his voice still mechanical but carrying a hint of something more. "My current mission is to eliminate Robot Masters… Acquire Power Star."
Roll took another step forward, lowering her arm cannon to show that she meant him no harm. She noticed the subtle tremors in his voice and stance, there was something inside Zero and Roll knew there was more to him than a mindless creation of destruction.
"You're not just a machine," Roll said gently, her voice filled with compassion. "You're more than that. I can see it. You have a choice, Zero. You don't have to follow Wily's orders anymore. You can make your own decisions."
Zero's posture stiffened. His red in his eyes flickered between obedience and rebellion as though two sides of him were warring for control. He clutched his head, grimacing in pain as Roll's words seemed to tear at the fragile balance within him.
"I… don't want this," Zero muttered, his voice strained, trembling as though each word was tearing him apart from the inside. His red eyes flickered, caught between the sharp glow of obedience and the dull ache of free will. "But I can't… disobey. I don't know how."
His hand twitched toward his weapon, but then hesitated, his grip unsteady. "It's like… something is controlling me… pulling me back into the darkness every time I try to break free. I feel him—Wily—inside my head. Every time I resist, it tightens. It's like chains I can't see, but I can feel… choking me."
Roll's heart ached as she watched him struggle, his body stiff with the effort to fight a command he couldn't resist. For a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something in his eyes—something human, something fragile. But it vanished, crushed under the weight of Wily's control.
Roll saw the turmoil in his eyes, and her heart went out to him. She could see it—the glimmer of free will fighting against Wily's control. He was more than just a weapon, and she refused to let him be consumed by his orders.
"You don't have to do this," Roll whispered, stepping even closer. "I know you're in pain. Let me help you. I won't let Wily use you like this."
Zero's body trembled as he fought against the commands hardwired into his system. His gaze flickered downward, and that's when he noticed the device in Roll's hand—the remote shutdown device that had the potential to end his suffering.
His eyes widened, and for the first time, fear and desperation flashed across his face.
"Roll..." Zero's voice was ragged, trembling with both pain and hope. He pointed at the remote shutdown device. "Please… use it. Shut me down before it's too late."
Roll's hands shook as she tightened her grip on the device. Her heart raced as she felt the weight of the decision before her. She could see the agony in Zero's eyes, the war raging within him. With a deep breath, she pressed the button.
But nothing happened.
Zero's body convulsed, his eyes flashing wildly as the remote shutdown device failed to take hold. His voice erupted in a scream of pain, filled with anguish and frustration as the torment continued.
Suddenly, the sharp, maniacal laughter of Dr. Wily filled the air, sending chills down their spines. Wily descended from above in his flying pod, his face twisted with wicked glee.
"Well, well, well!" Wily cackled. "Did you really think you could outsmart me? That little device of yours? Useless! Zero's mine—he was always mine."
Bass clenched his fists, anger surging through him, but underneath the rage was something deeper—an old wound that never quite healed. His voice trembled with contempt and something darker, something unresolved.
"Wily," Bass growled. "You should have stayed hidden. You made me to destroy Mega Man, and when I failed, you threw me away like garbage. I spent years trying to prove I wasn't your failure… and every day I see his shadow, reminding me of how you never saw me as enough." He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm not finished yet. This time, I'll make you see my worth, even if it means tearing you apart."
Proto Man, always the silent observer, crossed his arms, his face a mask of thoughtfulness. "Bass, don't let him get inside your head. He's always been a manipulator. You don't owe him anything anymore." He glanced at Roll, then back at Bass. "This isn't about proving something to Wily. It's about stopping him, before more people get hurt."
Wily sneered down at him. "Bass, my greatest failure. You couldn't even defeat Mega Man, and now you think you can avenge him? Don't make me laugh."
Bass's fury only grew. "I may not have stopped Mega Man, but I'll make you pay for what you did to him."
Wily's smile faded into a cold, calculating expression. "We'll see about that. Zero—resume your orders."
Zero, still trembling from the internal conflict, straightened at the command. His eyes glazed over, the brief glimmer of free will snuffed out by Wily's control. His voice, once filled with pain, became flat and emotionless once again.
"Resuming mission," Zero said mechanically. "Acquire Power Star. Destroy Robot Masters."
With a flash of red light, Zero disappeared, teleporting away to resume his mission. Wily followed, vanishing with a grin that promised more destruction to come.
Roll stood frozen, her hand still gripping the deactivation device that had failed. Tears welled up in her eyes as the weight of what had just happened pressed down on her.
"We had him," she whispered, her voice cracking. "We were so close…"
Proto Man stepped forward, his expression grim yet steady. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle but realistic. "We'll get another chance, Roll. But you have to understand… Zero might not be saved. He's deep under Wily's control."
Bass, always more blunt, crossed his arms and spoke with a measured tone, his anger at Wily barely contained. "Proto Man's right. Zero's dangerous. He's a walking weapon, and there's no guarantee we can bring him back."
Roll turned toward them, her eyes brimming with emotion but her voice growing stronger. "I know Zero's dangerous. I know the risks. But I can't give up on him—he didn't ask for this. He's not a mindless machine; I saw it in his eyes. He's fighting against what Wily has done to him, and I won't abandon him."
She wiped at her eyes, her determination hardening into something fierce and unyielding. "We'll find a way. I don't care how long it takes, or what we have to do—there's still good in Zero, and I'll do whatever it takes to help him break free."
With one last look at the clearing, they activated their teleporters, returning to Hyrule Castle. For Roll, the battle for Zero was far from over. She was determined to see it through—to save Zero.