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“How did you find me?” Break Man gasps, pushing me away.
I steady my blaster. “Your core. Dr. Wily programmed it to alert him if it was ever tampered with. Set off a tracking chip in your shield.” He swears, grabbing the shield and frantically searching it.
I prepare my aim when the green one grabs me by the stomach. “Hey, get off of me!”
Break Man stumbles to his feet, crushing the tracking chip under his heel. “You really are unfinished, if she’s able to beat you.”
“ Blues-”
“I’m kidding,” he says, approaching me. I can’t see his eyes, but I can feel them judging me. “Listen, Bass. I’m only going to ask once. Is Kalinka safe?”
I nod, sneering. The green one starts to say something but he shakes his head. “I’ll explain later. Let him go, we’re heading home.” Break Man turns away, obviously preparing to teleport. “Don’t worry, Tempo. At this state, there’s no way he’ll hurt us, let alone Rock.” There’s a flash and he’s gone.
The green one- Tempo- spins me around. “I don’t know what your goal is,” she says quietly, “but if Blues doesn’t think you’re a threat… well. He knows Wily better than I do.”
Suddenly, I’m alone. I close my eyes, holding back a scream.
Destroy the sons of Light. My first mission, and I’ve already failed.
I know I’m stronger than this. I just went easy on them.
. . .
I arrive back at Wily Fortress, fully expecting to be yelled at. To my surprise, there’s already yelling going on.
“So you send an unfinished Robot Master after me instead of, I don’t know, anything else? ”
“Break Man, you have to under-“
“Proto Man.” I look through the crack in the door. “I’m Proto Man, and I work for myself. Not you, not Light, myself.”
“How odd,” Wily says. “Your interactions with Miss Quake Woman suggest otherwise…”
Break- Proto Man grabs Wily’s tie, and I’m fully prepared to launch in and destroy him. But he just says “leave her out of this” before letting him go. “If I hear Kalinka’s been hurt…” There’s the clank of metal on metal and he storms out the door.
For some reason, I chase him.
“Br- Proto Man,” I say, grabbing his wrist. “Where are you- this is not your ‘home,’ is it?”
He stares at me before slumping his shoulders. “Look up Dr. LaLinde if you want to find me.” He shakes me off and vanishes into the night.
I stand, alone in the hallway, for a moment before returning to Wily’s lab. “I’m sorry for failing. I’ll do better against Mega Man,” I tell him before anything else.
He doesn’t even look up. “It was your first fight, Bass. A few upgrades and you’ll be perfect.”
I nod, lips shut tight. It’s easier to agree than voice any doubts. Because I’m already perfect. I’m stronger than Mega Man.
That’s why I was built.
. . .
Mega Man is strong. Not stronger than me, he just managed to win because I got distracted.
(If I keep telling myself that, I’ll believe it.)
Mega Man is also a huge moron. He offered to take me back to Dr. Light for repairs, constantly apologizing for hurting me. He almost looked hurt when I shot him down.
Good thing I don’t care.
Dr. Wily cares, though. He doesn’t outwardly call me a failure, but the way he talks says enough. “It’s fine,” he eventually huffs. “I have some drafts lying around for an assistant. It should be able to-“
“I don’t need an assistant,” I spit. “I’m stronger than him and his stupid dog on my own.”
“Dog… yes, that red one… Bass, you can go. I’ll get you when I have your next set of upgrades ready.”
I stand and grumble as he turns back to his computer. I should be fighting, not sitting around waiting for unnecessary improvements. Well, if they’ll help me beat Mega Man, maybe they serve a purpose.
I guess I could fight some of the other Wily bots, but I’m stronger than all of them combined. Only Shadow Man, when he visited for a while, offered any sort of challenge.
Look up Dr. LaLinde if you want to find me.
Proto Man deserves a solid ass whooping. I need revenge after he beat me last time, too. Same with Tempo.
I find the nearest terminal and start typing.
. . .
Geoworks International is busy, full of robots and humans alike. As the name implies, they’re all busy working with rocks and other geological matters.
A few people turn to look at me as I pass, homing in on a yellow scarf.
“Proto Man!” I shout, and he spins to face me. “I’m not letting you beat me this time!” Without any further warning, I take the shot.
He rolls out of the way, but I’m satisfied to see his worried frown. “What the-! There are civilians here! Humans!”
“So?”
“Don’t tell me Wily disregarded the Laws of Robotics- look, you want to fight? Then let’s do it somewhere people won’t get hurt.” He stumbles to his feet, heading towards a clearing some distance away.
I’m… actually surprised he’s willing to fight, but not about to complain.
Part of me feels sorry for the destruction I’m going to cause him, but at the same time, he embarrassed me in front of Wily. He’s gotta pay for that.
“What exactly do you have at your disposal?” Proto Man asks, settling into a fighting stance. “Obviously I have my buster and shield, but I wouldn’t put it pass Wily to give you some other tricks.”
I smile, being sure to show off my canines. “Charge shot, and a- hey! I’m not giving you an edge by revealing my attacks!” He laughs, and it takes a lot of willpower to not pout. But I resist; pouting would ruin my image. “You’re gonna pay for that!” I bellow, charging a shot, aiming straight at his core-
“THAT’S ENOUGH!”
The green- Tempo, right- storms into the clearing, shoving me aside. “Proto Man,” she growls, and he pales. “When I said you could stay here, it was with the caveat you would stay out of trouble.”
“He started-“
“Ugh!” She grabs his scarf and drags him behind some excavation equipment. Something tells me following would not end well, so instead I opt to just listen in.
“Blues, I know Bass said- there are kids here. Children who look up to you. You need to set a good example for them. That means not getting into fights!”
“You sound angry,” Proto Man says. I roll my eyes.
“I’m furious,” Tempo answers, and I hear her stomp her foot.
“That’s good, a clear and definitive-“
“Now is not the time to reflect on my emotions! You could’ve gotten somebody, or yourself, hur- mmm!”
Something cuts her off. They’re both silent for a moment, until there’s a wet popping noise.
“...I’m still mad at you,” she says quietly, feebly. “We’re not done talking about this- either of these. Go get back to work, please.” There’s a second before Proto Man walks past me, satisfied smirk on his face. I go to grab his throat- after all, we never finished our fight- but Tempo grabs me instead.
“I don’t know how you found this place, although I’m guessing Blues told you. But this is a place of peace, a place of research. You come here and you can’t pick a fight. So if you want to fight, stay away.” Despite her blush, her eyes are full of malice. I nod once and teleport away, leaving her to slump to her knees.
I wonder what Proto did to make her so out of sorts.
. . .
When I return to Wily’s Fortress, Skull Man tells me the good doc was looking for me. I meander over to his lab, being careful to knock on the door extra loudly.
“Bass,” he says, not even bothering to look annoyed. “I have completed your latest upgrade.”
“Can we install it tomorrow, I’m-”
“It’s not something I can install,” he interrupts. “Rather, it is your answer to Mega Man’s companions.” He lifts off the sheet dangling on a workbench to reveal-
“A dog?” I try my hardest to keep the excitement out of my voice, but some manages to sneak out. “You built me a dog?”
“A wolf,” Wily corrects. “Designed to obey you alone, and to be as one with you. All Light’s stupid mutt does is utility, no doubt he built it as a ‘pet’ for his ‘children…’ Pah!” he spits, frowning. I frown as well, although not out of the same frustration for Light as Wily. It’s more like… envy.
Why would I be jealous of Mega Man? I’m better than him.
The wolf stirs as Wily fiddles with a keyboard. “I’m also working on a way for you two to work together in battle fluidly, rather than have it merely follow your orders.” The wolf blinks, baring her fangs for a moment, before approaching me and sitting in front of me obediently. “Good, looks like it already knows who it’s master is!”
“What’s her name?” I ask, leaning down to pet her.
Wily stops for a moment, looking around. “I, uh, hadn’t gotten that far. Call it what you like.” His tone is far too dismissal for my tastes.
I stare at the purple metal fur and nod. “Treble,” I say, and the wolf’s tail wags. “Because we’re partners, so our names should match, right? What’s the connection between ‘Mega Man’ and ‘Rush,’ huh? But bass and treble, they go together. We’re a team now.” Treble howls in agreement, and I can feel her satisfaction in how Wily flinches. I continue scratching her before whispering “thank you.”
It’s a completely honest sentiment. So of course Wily ignores it.
. . .
The next few days are quiet. I beat up the new Robot Masters, sometimes with Treble’s help, then rub it in their faces. It’s not the same as beating Mega Man, but it’s enough to satiate my ego for a while. Still, I want to find a new opponent, and I never did get a chance to destroy Proto Man.
So when I spot a familiar red helmet in Wily’s lab, I think I have my chance.
“I wanna fight him,” I yell as I run into the lab. Wily drops his wrench on his foot, swearing.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I point at the helmet. “Proto Man. Wanna fight him,” I explain slowly. I know Wily is supposed to be some kind of genius, but he can be a huge moron a lot of the time.
He lifts the helmet off the workbench. “This isn’t Proto Man’s. Not exactly. I’m building a replica.”
“Why?” I climb up on the now-empty bench.
“You expect me to take my latest failure lying down? Pah! With Proto Man betraying my trust, all the hard work I did to bring him back- no, Bass, Dr. Wily always bounces back. And this time,” he says, smirking in a way I’m sure he thinks is menacing, “dear Proto Man will be our scapegoat.”
I stroke my chin. “A frame-up,” I say. “Yeah, OK.” Part of it doesn’t sit right with me, but it’s not like he’s going to have the copy- “wait. Are you… you’re not gonna make the copy hurt people, are you? Human people?”
The doctor stares at me strangely. “Since when do you care for the well-being of others?”
“I don’t!” I insist, crossing my arms. “I just think people will know it’s not Proto Man if he’s hurting humans. He’s a lot of fuckin’ things but he’s still a goody two-shoes for the three laws.”
Dr. Wily nods after a moment. “Hmm, you have a point. I suppose it was about time for you to comment something intelligent.” I wince, but I don’t think he notices. “Lay down. Since you’re here, might as well do some upgrades.”
I obey, because I’m too tired to argue anymore.
. . .
I don’t care about Proto Man. Hell, I don’t even know him beyond what Wily and the other Robot Masters have told me, really. I don’t exactly trust any of them.
I don’t care.
So why am I staring down Proto’s blaster at Geoworks?
“I’m telling the truth,” I say, resisting every urge I have to form my own gun and shoot both him and Tempo in the face. “Wily’s planning a frame-up.”
“That’s absolutely asinine,” Tempo huffs, crossing her arms. “Why should we believe you?”
“I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” I snap, and Treble growls at my side.
She rolls her eyes. “And you think, after trying to kill us, we’re going to trust you?”
I shrug and smirk, turning my attention back to Proto Man. “I dunno, seems like your boyfriend does… probably would’ve sent me to the scrap yard by now if he didn’t.” As I expected, Tempo and Proto both flush, and he lowers his arm cannon.
“He has a point,” Proto concedes, turning back to Tempo. “I know Wily. He’s petty enough to do something like this. And you really have nothing to gain in warning us…”
Tempo doesn’t look convinced. “If he has no stake, then why bother?”
“I don’t know,” I say quietly, truthfully. “But something about letting Wily fuck you over like this didn’t… feel right.”
Proto nods. “I’ll warn Dr. Light. If you’re right, we might be able to stop things before they begin. If not… I still have my blaster.”
I laugh. “That shitty peashooter? Please, I’d much rather face your brother. At least he put up a fight.”
I can see Proto’s eye twitch under his sunglasses, and it hits me this is the first time he wasn’t wearing his helmet around me. Maybe he does trust me.
“Didn’t you lose, though?” Tempo asks, and the venom in her voice is like honey.
I laugh again. “I let him win. Next time, he goes down.” I teleport away before they can refute it… or I stop believing it.
. . .
If Proto told Dr. Light, it was too late. The world believes Proto Man to be responsible for the latest wave of Robot Masters attacking. Whatever. I hang out, bouncing between their hideouts, waiting for the inevitable appearance of the “hero.”
“Bass,” he says, holding his empty palms out. A clear sign of peace. I hold my fire, just long enough to let him finish. “I know that it’s you and Wily-“
“Maybe it’s not,” I tease, frowning as he dodges both my shots and Treble. “Maybe you’re just fucking jealous I get along better with your brother than you do.”
I don’t win the fight, but with how defeated he looks at that, it’s worth it. Maybe that’s his weak point- his family.
. . .
Another loss, another lay low period. Both Treble and I have Wily Fortress memorized at this point, after wandering down every hall and room and torture chamber. I’m going stir-crazy and my brothers have certainly noticed.
I wouldn’t have gone to Geoworks again if not for their prodding.
Tempo glares at me, but Proto takes it in stride when I asked to be shown around. “I just need a change of scenery. Don’t wanna fight.” It’s partially a lie- I’m always ready to throw down- but I’ll hold off for the sake of the humans.
(What is happening to me?)
“So that’s the school for all the kids whose parents work here,” Proto explains. “One of the few places where robots teach humans.”
“And you’re not allowed near it,” Tempo snaps. I shrug, although Treble whimpers. I guess she thought the kids would be fun to play with.
“Looks like you have two canteens, though,” I observe.
“They’re not segregated, if that’s what you’re implying,” Tempo says quickly. “Simply due to the number of employees. Although many return to their houses for meals.”
Proto nods. “If they have them. Some people commute, but not many.”
I glance up at the dense, jungle foliage and sun filtering through. “It’s… pretty peaceful here. More colors than I’m used to, that’s for sure.” Treble barks in agreement. “No, you can’t hunt the wildlife.”
Tempo cocks her head. “You understand her?” I shrug. “Huh… perhaps an animal companion would help me with my emotional problems, Blues.”
Proto Man starts to say something, but I speak quicker. “What’s up with that? The whole ‘emotional response’ thing? What, you lose your feelings or some shit?”
Tempo blinks, almost looking as if she might cry. Proto Man turns to me, and I don’t need to see his eyes to know the tour is over. I teleport out before I learn exactly why it’s over.
. . .
And yet, after that visit, something changed.
I kept going back. It certainly wasn’t to fight; Tempo was adamant that no violence would happen within Geoworks’ perimeter. And it wasn’t because of silence on Wily’s part. The war against Dr. Light was still going strong, as futile as it felt at times.
(I’ll beat Mega Man. One day.)
Actually, Proto Man actively encourages me to fight his brother, much to Tempo’s annoyance. He even takes me offsite to spar on occasion. I can beat him in battle, at least. Even when I tell him to stop going easy on me.
But slowly, through my repeated visits… they open up. Tempo quietly explains what her creator did, her fear of cave-ins, her confusion about feelings. And Proto Man slowly elaborates on why he worked with Wily. What his relationship with Mega Man is like. Tells me about Roll.
And I… I talk too. About my frustrations with Wily. How my brothers disappoint me, but I care about them anyway. How Treble is all I have. When I see Treble let Tempo scratch her chin, I get it.
I get it even more when a kid- a human child- runs up to me, wearing Proto’s scarf. “Mr. Bass! Can I borrow your helmet?”
I blink a few times. I’ve never really taken it off, except for Wily’s upgrades. “Uh, sure.” It takes a moment to remove, but seeing it cover up the kid’s eyes makes me smile. “Thank you! Carolina! Look, I’m a Robot Master too!” She dashes off to her friend.
Across the way, Tempo nods in approval, mouthing “I didn’t know you have white hair.” I feel almost naked without it, stripes on my face in full view, but nobody comments. Carolina chases a playfully barking Treble.
I think they call this happiness.
. . .
Proto Man is off on some task, leaving me and Tempo alone. She’s gotten less snippy with me, more honest and kind. But I can tell she doesn’t trust me, yet. I don’t blame her.
“Do you ever think you can be something you’re not built to be?” I ask suddenly.
She looks up from the book she was reading. “Blu- Proto Man is walking proof of that,” she says.
“No, like…” I groan in frustration. “Like, Wily built me to be a boy, I guess, but I don’t… I don’t feel like a boy.”
The book is laid down on a nearby stump. “Then you feel you are female?”
I grimace. “No, not a girl. I feel like… neither. Nothing. Is- do you think I’m broken?”
She doesn’t respond for a moment, but then she shakes her head. “There are humans who identify as neither of the binary sexes,” she explains. “Dr. Kondo is one, they use they-them pronouns. It is possible you identify as nonbinary as well. Would us using they-them make you feel better?”
I shrug. “I’m fine if you call me he, but I don’t feel like a guy. Does that make sense?” Tempo smiles in response, and I feel my shoulders relax. Treble wags her tail. “By the way, why are you the only one to call Proto ‘Blues?’ He’s not even blue, he’s red…”
Tempo’s eyes slide shut as she sighs. “Blues is the name Dr. Light gave him when he was first activated. It is a name he has forgone, due to its connections to his past. Only I and Roll can get away with using it. Rock can, on occasion, but it’s… it’s rare.”
Blues, I think. Keeping with that music motif, probably. Another thing Dr. Wily copied. I lean back against the trunk of the tree. “You must be a special person, then.”
She blushes, but doesn’t deny it. Some part of me clenches at her face, and I don’t know why.
. . .
I’ve never been called “special” before. Important, deadly, powerful- but not special. I know I am, because I’m the strongest.
Or I’m supposed to be the strongest. I’m… less sure on that.
It’s another one of my sparring matches with Proto Man, and I’ve managed to get the upper hand. I didn’t even need Treble’s help. Proto also isn’t going easy on me- I can tell from how he overheats, the way his mouth is set. I quickly slide, knocking him in the feet to the ground. With a short roll, I’ve pinned him to the dirt. My blaster is against his chin.
“You- going to shoot me?” he pants.
I shake my head. “No. You’re not your brother.” I push myself off him, shaking dust from my armor. “You’re different.”
“Yeah, I hope I am,” he says sarcastically, sitting up. “First of all, I’m no hero.”
There’s a lump in my throat. I’d swallow, but I can’t. “You… you kind of are. You’re certainly more fuckin’ heroic than me.”
Proto nods, watching a bird circling overhead. “But you are more heroic than your creator. You know why Dr. Light built Rock? Because he couldn’t fight Wily himself. You know why he built me? Because he couldn’t give himself to the military. He’s a coward,” he spits. “He builds robots because he knows there are no heroes left in man.”
I’m not sure how to respond, at first, but I decide on “it’s strange how a hero’s father can be so very… flawed.”
Proto snorts. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it. Anyway, you fought well today, Bass.”
I nod, smirking. The atmosphere has settled back to normal, but I still feel electricity in the air. “I always do, Proto Man.”
He looks around the caked mud and dirt piles, obviously deep in thought. “Blues,” he says eventually, quietly.
I suck in a breath, even if it’s not really not necessary. “You want-?”
“If you want,” he whispers, “you can call me that.”
I tear off my helmet. I’m overheating and Tempo’s face is echoing in my brain and it’s all too much. “You trust me,” I say, like it’s a prayer. “You- I’m special to you.”
Proto’s- Blues’- hand travels to my knee, guiding me closer. “You’re more than that,” he says cryptically, before pressing his lips to mine.
It’s an odd sensation, like two opposing magnets struggling to find balance. But they do, and we settle into a rhythm of sorts, until I pull away. My eyes flicker open. “That’s- that’s how you shut Tempo up back then. By-by kissing her.” He grins, all teeth and energy. “Won’t she-“
“She knows,” he cuts me off. “And she’s coming around on you too, Bass. We both care about you.” He squeezes my knee and I nod once.
“I care about you, too.” I can feel Treble whine in the distance. She knows I’m lying. Not because I don’t care. I’ve always cared, even if I didn’t want to say it.
No, I care. But the amount of caring in my circuits doesn’t have a word in my database.
Blues hands me my helmet. I teleport away as soon as it covers my skull.
. . .
I still can’t beat Mega Man, but it’s starting to occur to me that I don’t need to best him in battle. There are other ways I can outdo him.
He lowers his blaster and frowns. “I really hate hurting you and your brothers, Bass. It’s not your fault Dr. Wily is the way he is.”
“No, that would be your father’s,” I mock, staggering to my feet. “Don’t give me that fucking look.” His eyes narrow. “I don’t need your sympathy.”
Mega Man shakes his head. “I think you do, Bass. You need- you need something. I just don’t know what,” he explains.
I roll my eyes. “Whatever I want, Blues and Tempo can help me with.” The words spill out before I can register them in my head.
Mega Man takes a step backwards. “You- you know his name? And Tempo- what did you do to them?”
“Nothing, asshole! They’re my friends!” I yell. Treble barks, loud enough to rumble the ground. “Much more than you can say, huh?”
“Tempo is my friend,” he counters weakly. His hand twitches, and I can hear a distant growl. Rush, probably.
“Maybe she is, but Blues? Tell me, Rock, how does it feel knowing I can call your brother by his name, but not you?”
For once, he’s silent. I see rage and hatred and bitterness boil under synthetic skin. But it quickly morphs into something neutral. “Upset, to be honest,” he admits quietly. “But I’m happy that he trusts you like that. Makes my trust in you feel less unfounded.”
“Gah, all you Light bots spit out such sentimental shit, makes me sick,” I groan. Treble barks in agreement. “I’m outta here.”
He tries to say something about us not being enemies or not being sentimental or- I don’t know. I just leave before his words can penetrate my blushing face.
. . .
My small, personal victory isn’t worth much, though. At least not in the eyes of the people I work with. The other Robot Masters don’t say anything, just shoot me sympathetic glances as I walk by. Junk Man awkwardly pats my shoulder until Treble tries to bite his leg. Something has changed in my absence.
I make a beeline for Wily’s lab. He no doubt wants to berate me on my latest failure and discuss new upgrades and our next plan for fighting Dr. Light. I open the door and find him leaning over a set of blueprints. “Whatcha working on?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
Wily spins in his chair and glares at me. “My greatest creation.”
“C’mon, Doc, flattery will get you nowhere,” I tease. I swear I hear Treble laugh.
His expression doesn’t change. “I was not referring to you, Bass.”
My circuits run cold. “Wha- uh, what?”
He lifts one of the blueprints off the workbench, showing the full schematic for me. It’s of a robot, larger and leaner than me, and the scrawly handwriting covers all its abilities. A sword, insane speed, durability, mechanics far beyond anything currently functioning. It would take years for someone to build something so advanced, but Wily is nothing if not persistent. “I’ve created a new type of robot which is much more powerful than you or Mega Man!” He goes on to confirm my suspicions that it’ll take a while to finish, but that doesn’t really soften the blow.
I’m not the strongest. I’m not strong enough. I’m not good enough. I’ll never be the best.
Dr. Wily is going to replace me.
Is this how Blues felt when he first saw Rock? How Tempo felt when her emotions were first reinstalled? This overwhelming feeling of irrelevancy, of uselessness, of despair? Treble whimpers behind me.
I force a smile. “Ha… this girlie-looking, long-haired robot will be the strongest? Don’t make me laugh…” I manage to keep my voice from cracking.
“Don’t be so overconfident,” Wily chides. “This robot’s power level is far superior to yours.” He sits back down at his desk, grinning like mad. “And this is more than just another robot. With this robot and my other project complete, the world will be mine! Nobody will stop me!”
I hesitantly laugh alongside him, hoping he’s caught up enough in his plans to ignore how I’m faking it. Then, slowly, I back out of the room.
I run. Faster, farther, Treble at my heels, until I reach the edge of Wily’s fortress. I want to vomit, jump off the cliff, curl into a ball of scrap. It’s too much, I can’t handle it, what am I-
“Bass? Bass, what’s wrong?”
I look up. Somehow, I’m… outside of Geoworks International. I’m on my knees, heaving, as Treble howls. And leaning over me is Tempo. “You’re crying- what happened?”
Fingers- my own, presumably- reach up and touch my cheeks. I didn’t even know I had the ability to cry. Just another thing Wily never told me about. “I-I need,” I start, choking on my own sobs. “I need you a-and Blues.”
She slowly pulls me up, keeping a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get you inside. Blues will be back soon.” Tempo guides me inside Dr. LaLinde’s house and settles me on the couch, tugging off my helmet gently. I more see her wrap a blanket around me and rub my back than actually feel it.
I do feel her press her face into my hair, and it gives me the same rush Blues did. And as if on cue-
“Bass? Tempo told me- what happened?”
I swallow as he kneels in front of the couch. “Dr. Wily,” I start, voice cracking. I wince. “He’s. Building another robot. A-a- one that’ll beat Mega Man.”
Tempo looks at Blues, and he gnaws at his lower lip. “You mean-“
I nod. “Y-Yeah. He’s-hes gonna replace me.”
They’re both silent for a moment, but then Blues punches the coffee table. It cracks under the pressure. “Blues!” Tempo snaps.
“I don’t care, Tempo! That bastard is going- the fucker says he’s better than Light but goes around and pulls the same shit!” He yells.
Tempo sighs. “I know, but- I know,” she whispers, hugging me closer. “Oh, Bass, I’m sorry…”
I shake my head, blotting them out with my tears. “He’s not m-my father, not like Light was… I was only ever his tool.” Trebles whimpers in agreement. “I’m not… I-I wasn’t good enough. I’m never gonna be good enough,” I sob, burying my face in my knees. The circles on my back continue.
Blues’ stomps echo across the living room as he paces. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
I look up, rubbing my eye with the back of my hand. “Huh?”
“Maybe you haven’t beaten Rock. Who has? You’re one of the few people who’s ever come close. Even if you never beat him, you’re still better than any other hunk of junk Wily’s built.” Blues tears off his glasses and rubs a hand down his face. It briefly registers that he has brown eyes. “You’re a good robot. The kids here love you. So do- you’re smart, and strong, and if you managed to win Tempo over, you’re golden in my book.” He flashes a cheeky grin at her as he slides the shades back on.
Tempo sighs but pulls me into a one-armed hug. “He’s right, you know. You’ve grown beyond your original purpose and have found other skills. You make a wonderful conversation partner and can be particularly profound at times, Bass.” She presses a comforting kiss to my temple. “Wily may replace you, but we won’t.”
I start crying again, but I feel something burning deep in my core. It’s not the same anger and betrayal I felt from Wily. It’s… something else. Something I’ve only really felt for Treble up until now. Treble lays her head on my knee, and her eyes tell me I need to come clean.
I look up, vision still blurry, and whisper “I love you guys.”
Blues freezes. Tempo pulls me closer, using both arms now. “I-I do too. That’s… that’s the emotion that I’ve been feeling when I’m with you both. Love.” She smiles, although it’s a bit shaky. It’s not forced, though. “It’s good to experience, even better to identify.”
I look at Blues. He’s gnawing at his lower lip before nodding, once, and taking off his glasses again. “Well if we’re all being sappy… I love you both too.” He’s on the verge of weeping as well, but there’s nothing but happiness in his gaze. I didn’t even know you could cry from joy.
Treble pushes Blues onto the couch with Tempo and I, and I think we all fall into sleep mode there in one giant pile. There’ll be a lot to explain to Dr. LaLinde, and decisions to make about who I’m going to side with from now on.
Because I don’t need Wily, especially if he doesn’t need me. All I need is my family.
. . .
Bass continued to fight Mega Man, but no longer associated with Dr. Wily. Instead, he found work training new robots for combat. The continuing feud with Mega Man was egged on by Blues and was more or less friendly sparring, even if Bass didn’t always play fair.
Tempo and Blues continued their work at Geoworks International. Blues never quite repaired his relationship with Dr. Light, but remained on good terms with Rock and Roll. Tempo’s old personality never fully resurfaced, although she was happy with the one she had.
As for Bass’ replacement, it took many years for that story to unfold, one that would similarly tie the Light and Wily clans together… but that’s a tale that’s already been told.