Dr. Light's Lab: "Reluctant" Patients

[Vize Viper]

Doctor Light was calm as he stepped into his secondary lab, and he was calm as her stopped the maintenance table near the middle of the room, and grabbed one of his tool belts.

It wasn't until after he'd had servo arms on the table remove Blues' armor, and he was standing over his eldest son's still body that his face showed how concerned he really was. With a sigh, he opened the main access panel in Blues' chest, after carefully removing and folding the android's beloved yellow scarf, setting it, and his sunglasses, aside... and froze. The sheer... MESS inside the prototype was startling. In fact, Thomas was fairly certain that he wouldn't find a single core system that HADN'T been patchworked back together at some point.

"Oh, Blues... Why couldn't you trust me enough to let me help you?" The white haired man mused quietly, as he began working on what he KNEW needed to be repaired first, that he was rather certain wouldn't disrupt one of the other systems... The cooling system on Blues' core. That explained the emergency shutdown, but the rest of it... He would have to ask Blues himself what he'd done, because most of it looked like it had been done while the boy (and Light used the term loosely), was still activated.

In fact, it only took Thomas a few minutes to repair Blues' core, which meant he had to reactivate him to even HOPE to get started on the rest, even if he knew Blues wouldn't get far without those repairs. Taking a deep breath, he reached for a console he'd connected to the android, and input a command to activate him.

As power was restored to his systems, Blues' eyes opened, then squinted against the unfamiliar bright light. Confused at first, the android tried to sit up, glancing down to see that his chest was opened up. But his movement was halted by a familiar hand on his shoulder, causing him to FREEZE, before slowly turning his head to look up into the eyes of his creator.

And after a moment of silence between the two of them, Blues JERKED away, ignoring the fact his chest was still opened up.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, OLD MAN!"

Distraught, Light tried to stop Blues from sending himself off the table, grabbing the android's arm.

"Blues, Please! I'm trying to help you! Just calm dow-"

Almost snarling, Blues tugged against Light's grip, glaring at him with a fury one would reserve for the devil himself.

"You can TAKE your help and SHOVE IT UP YOUR-"

But before Blues could finish, Light had (thankfully for our censors), turned towards the door to his lab, and called out.

"ZERO! COULD YOU COME HELP ME PLEASE!?"

[Stoney]

Seconds later, Zero finally entered the room and closed the door swiftly behind himself. Taking in the scene at a glance, he strode over to stand next to Doctor Light.

"Hello, Protoman," he greeted the robot, before turning to the doctor. "What is the problem?"

[Vize Viper]

Before Light could answer, Blues spokee up first, although he'd been silent as Zero came into the room.

"This senile old human is trying to take me apart! While I'm STILL ONLINE!!"

With an almost sad, patient sigh, however, Thomas corrected the statement.

"I only reactivated you so I could ask how exactly you've patched yourself together. You shouldn't even be functioning right now, and I only want to make sure you last... as long as you can..."

Blues, however, just snorted, continuing to glare at Dr. Light.

"And how do I know you won't just reprogram me once ou've got me shut down!?"

At the accusation, the good doctor's face fell, looking like Blues had struck him a physical blow.

"Blues... I'm not like Wily, you know I would never do that..."

But the android seemed disinclined to listen, as he'd turned his fury on Zero.

"And YOU! You BROUGHT me to this... this... 01000001010100110101001101001000010011110100110001000101!" The last came out as a high speed squeal of binary noise as he slammed his fist into the table, denting it.

Although Dr. Light seemed unfazed by the android's anger.

[Stoney]

Zero twitched.

Key words in Blues' speech were sparking a severe flashback in his mind as some old A/V logs from over a year prior replayed themselves...




”Can you stand up already?” Zero murmured as he slowly closed the heavy metal door behind himself, taking a couple careful steps into the room beyond. “Wow Harpuia, you're hard to keep down...”

The green-armored reploid in front of him returned the greetings with a cold glare, his eyes seeming like hard chips of jade. “What are you up to?” He demanded. “Why did you rescue me? Do you expect some favor in return?”

Zero paused for a second, meeting the glare with one of his own. He could still vividly recall the pain that had flashed through those features mere hours ago, smell the ozone in the air as energy ripped through that green armor like tissue paper. He could still picture the lifeblood draining onto the floor, the screams of agony...

If not for him and the Resistance, Harpuia would surely be dead at Omega's hands. Yet here he stood, treating Zero no different than before...

...What an ungrateful jackass.

“Perhaps,” Zero replied, unwilling to say anything more lest the latent tension in the air ignite itself.

A blobby, indistinct figure stepped into the periphery of Zero's vision; he did not turn to look, focused on not breaking the staring contest between him and Harpuia.

“Oh, you're awake,” The figure said. “How do you feel?”

Harpuia sneered. “Horrible. Just the thought of being helped by you makes me nauseous.” He turned his bitter gaze down to the floor, breaking eye contact with Zero at last. “Stripped of my position, and driven out of Neo Arcadia.” A dry chuckle emerged from his throat, strained and without mirth. “I'm used goods...”

“That's not true,” The second figure argued, stepping further into Zero's line of vision. It was Cerveau, the Resistance's chief medical officer. “You just stood up for your beliefs, just like we do. You made no mistakes...”

“My beliefs...” Harpuia repeated the words with no small amount of disgust, clenching both of his fists. “I can't sit back any longer...we must protect the humans from Weil.”

Zero thought back to what he'd seen of that man, a disembodied head attached to a cybernetic body. The man responsible for some of history's worst mistakes, the instigator of the Elf Wars and the creator of Omega...

“We have to stop him immediately,” Harpuia continued, body shaking with inner rage. “That...that...” He lifted his head to scream at the ceiling. “WEIL!!!”

Cerveau realized what was about to happen before Zero did. He stepped forward, reaching a hand out in warning. “Wait! Your wounds are not fully healed yet!”

Harpuia slapped the hand away with something akin to a snarl. “I am a warrior, born to protect humans. I am a proud warrior of Neo Arcadia!” his eyes burned with inner fire as he swept an arm in front of him in a cutting motion. “I don't need any help!”

Zero took a single step forward. Harpiua's gaze snapped around to lock onto his once again.

“Even if my body should fall into ruin,” Harpuia growled, baring his teeth, “I will still gladly fight for humanity!”

Zero opened his mouth, to finally issue the rebuke he was so tempted to voice...but before he coould utter a sound, Harpuia vanished in a beam of teleportation light.

Zero's mouth closed as he ground his artificial teeth together. Turning to the nearby wall, he slammed a fist into it.

“01000001010100110101001101001000010011110100110001000101...” He mumbled to himself, the high-pitched beeps almost slurring together in his rage.




Zero blinked once, twice, as he returned to the present. Dr. Light and Protoman were staring at him.

Zero's eyes lit up with an inner flame, as a truly remarkable change overcame him. His face slowly twisted from its typically stoic expression into something darker, uglier; A snarl twisted his lips as his eyes narrowed to thin slits.



Before either the Bioroid or human could react, he moved in a blur; in milliseconds he had Protoman pinned to the table with a hand inside of his chest, dangerously close to the delicate machinery lodged there, while the softly pulsing green light of his Z-Saber hovered centimeters above Protoman's head.

"You listen to me, Blues," he spat the new name Dr. Light had attributed to the robot. "I have played this game before. I've played it and hated it. I am not in the mood for a second round."

He lowered the Z-Saber just slightly, the tip of it brushing Protoman's hair directly above the part of the head where the robot's Control Chip lay. "I traveled to Smash City for one purpose; to find a way home for me and for Doctor Light. The tournament is my one opportunity to do this. Yet I'm not at City Hall right now. Why? Because of you."

His hand found something slippery and tubelike in Protoman's chest. He gave it a squeeze; not hard enough to cause damage, but firm enough to get his point across. "I am delaying my own mission to help you. I am expending what might be our only chance at escape, for you. I am possibly giving up any hope of seeing my friends and family again. For you."

He leaned his face close to Protoman's, glaring into the blue eyes stripped naked by their lack of a visor. "Nobody else could help you. Samus fled the premises and took her parts with her. Everyone else who might have stood any chance of being conscious was either not skilled enough or thought you were human. In the time it would have taken for them to realize the truth and find a mechanic, you would have already passed beyond help. I was the only one who could save you. AND I DID."

He gave Protoman's insides a small shove. "Do you understand, Blues? If not for me, YOU WOULD BE DEAD. So before you direct all of your misplaced anger towards me for no good reason, be aware: I am 400 years more advanced than you are. I could eat robots like yourself for breakfast and still have room left over for Sigma. I could kill every living being in this building, turn your skulls into bongos, and play a sonata on them in less than thirty seconds."

"If you are so willing to take this sacrifice I am making for you and spit on it, no, piss on it, making all of my effort be in vain...if you really, truly would rather be dead than on this table right now..." He touched the very tip of the Z-Saber to Protoman's hair, listening to the artificial fibers burn and sizzle as he roared in a voice more suited for some feral beast, "I. Will. Happily. Oblige!"

[Vize Viper]

He... hadn't even seen Zero move. As his oldest son was accosted by the furious reploid, the human stumbled back, catching himself on a nearby console, all the while watching the confrontation before him. He desperately hoped that Zero had the self control to NOT kill Blues, even if the reploid's statements of what he was capable did... well, NOTHING to ease those fears.

And then, as Zero's Saber crept close enough to cut a bit of the boy robot's hair, he saw an emotion that made it no farther than his son's eyes, but was completely unmistakable.

He was terrified. He wouldn't admit it, he wouldn't give Zero the satisfaction, even if it was practically WRITTEN in his eyes, but he was suddenly afraid for his life... a position he hadn't been in in almost 15 years. When Dr. Wily found him... repaired him... then told him he had less than 40 years to live. For someone who had expected to be able to live indefinitely, forty years was... well, Blues thought he would never feel that sort of terror again.

Until he felt Zero's hand in his chest, and realized his life may now only last through the next few seconds. In fact, it was fortunate that Blues was effectively pinned to the table, as otherwise, he would have been trembling before his eyes turned towards Dr. Light, then back up to meet Zero's furious optics.

He hadn't asked for Zero's help, or anyone else's. He didn't want someone to help him, just to get hurt in the end in the attempt... and he thought it had worked so far. That he would have pushed people away enough that eventually, he could just disappear and no one would notice... And Zero had just proven him wrong...

And through all of that, one sentence, one thought made it to his lips. Words he'd never thought he'd say, even if now he felt they would do him no good.

"Dad... help... please."

And those three words snapped the human out of his reverie, as he stepped towards the pair. "Let him go, Zero." Thomas's voice rang out with a confidence he couldn't have felt, his hand resting on a magwrench at his waist as he spokee.

"I don't care how advanced you may be, but if you continue to threaten my son, I will find out JUST how similar you are to my original Reploid designs, firsthand." The doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Do I make myself clear?"

[Stoney]

There was a frenzy in Zero's brain as he slowly turned to stare at Thomas. Long-forgotten data strings were buzzing with sudden life, more energy pouring forth from his memory banks than in the last five years combined. His systems were in overdrive, electrical surges cracking around his CPU as fevered thoughts and images flew through his mind.

White beard. Hair. Spiky long bushy eyebrows cackling cackling mad laughter --

"Kill him," a voice only Zero could hear urged him, its tones soft like velvet. "Kill them all, my son."

Pain pain pain flashes screams blood on his hands slice slice slice make it stop make it stop make it stop --

"My rivalry with him gives me motivation in life..."

Darkness pain shards broken fire sparks rage burning tear shred stop it stop it stop it STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT --

Zero blinked.

The images faded away, the sounds muting themselves with nary a protest. His mind slowly descended back to rationality as what felt like a heavy curtain fell over it, burying the memories and with them, the strange rage that had gripped him.

One remnant was left behind, a fragment of a thought too stubborn to die so easily. It faded too, slowly, gradually, even as Zero tried to grasp its meaning.

You didn't build me, human...

Zero slowly turned to look at Blues again. Those eyes...they were identical to the boy outside who dressed like X.

They were afraid.

".............."



Zero slid his arm up out of Protoman's chest cavity and pulled the Z-Saber away, stepping back to a respectable distance as he deactivated the weapon and placed it back in its holder. His face was once again a stone mask.

"Understood." he bowed his head slightly, eyes facing the floor, voice properly ashamed. "My apologies, Dr. Light. Protoman invoked memories that I...am none too fond of."

[Vize Viper]

"It's alright, just... try to keep that temper in check." Thomas wouldn't admit it, but something in Zero's eyes just then had shaken him almost to the core. But he pushed that aside, to deal with later as he stepped over next to Blues.

"Blues... are you all right?"

The android was... completely still as Zero pulled away, his eyes locked onto the red reploid until Dr. Light spokee to him, causing him to look up, and nod once, his eyes regaining their normal almost glare... although a hint of his fear of Zero remained.

"M'ok..." He mumbled, before shaking his head. "I'm fine."

The good doctor smiled slightly at that answer, resting a hand carefully on Blues' shoulder.

"Then... will you let me help you? I'll even ask Zero to stay here as a witness that I'll do nothing more than repair your body. I won't even touch your CPU." The man tried to smile reassuringly, before turning his eyes to Zero.

"If... that's not to much trouble."

Blues glanced up at Zero, his eyes hidden behind his bangs for the most part, as he waited for an answer.

[Stoney]

Zero sighed, lifting a hand up to brush through his ponytail. The kid was probably scared out of his wits now...not that Zero could blame him. He rarely if ever lost control like that, and knew from firsthand experience that the results could be...frightening.

What had happened at the end there? Zero frowned at the fuzzy spot in his memory, trying to grasp at whatever shards of the memory he could get, watching them slip between his fingers like fine sand. Dr. Light had said something to him, and then...and then...nothing. He only remembered backing away after that.

Oh well. Zero doubted it could have been too important if it was so easily forgotten.

He frowned ever-so-slightly upon hearing Light console what was undoubtedly his own creation. He wasn't sure if staying in the room was a good idea anymore after that stunt he'd just pulled...maybe he should head outside and get that other boy, the one in blue who looked like a younger X...

But then Protoman...no, Blues...then Blues looked at him with those naked eyes, so emotive and expressive, revealing his inner insecurity...

God, he was just a little kid after all...

"For what it's worth," Zero began slowly, "I have come this far and done this much already, all for the sake of your survival and well-being, Blues. If you died during the operation...or if you were changed into something alien to what you are now...all that effort would be for naught. I will not let that happen."

He began to step forward, but then hesitated, thought better of it, and stayed where he was. "If you are willing to cooperate with Dr. Light and do what is necessary for your own good, I will continue to protect you with my life. You have my word as a Maverick Hunter."

He did his best to try softening his gaze. "Besides...I don't like seeing kids in pain. Reminds me too much of a little girl Reploid back home..."

[Vize Viper]

Blues seemed to study Zero for a moment, completely silent until he glanced up at Light. Something in what Zero said stirred up memories of a HUMAN girl back home who wouldn't be happy to find out he died because he was too stubborn to let someone help him.

"... Let's get this done before I change my mind." He grumbled, lying back on the table. "It's not as complex as it looks in there. Most of it's just bypassing nonvitals."

"Really?" The doctor took another look, and frowned. "You bypassed SAFETIES. Those are NOT 'nonvitals'."

"Those were REDUNDANT safeties. But yeah, that's all I did... I... guess I have to shut down then, huh?"

The man nodded at his creation, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I promise you'll wake up good as new."

With a quiet chuckle, Blues closed his eyes, his body slowly relaxing as he smirked, just a little. "As long... as I don't end up blue. ... Or black. Or BOTH."

The doctor just chuckled in response, watching as Blues finished shutting down, before he leaned over him, and began to work.

After a minute or two, however, he spokee up, glancing at Zero from the corner of his eye.

"Feel free to speak if you want to. I usually talk to Roll while I'm working on Rock... is there anything you'd like to know?" He nodded lightly towards his hands inside Blues.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere."

[Stoney]

Zero raised a single eyebrow after the robotics genius addressed him so candidly. “You...aren't angry at me?” Based on everything he'd read on paternal instincts, Light should be trying to throttle him at this point. Maybe he and Blues weren't as close as he'd thought...

He paused, seriously considering Light's offer. What SHOULD he ask the creator of all modern robotics? It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance he would never get again, should things work out for the better and they be sent home. He would have to choose his questions carefully...

“...Well, first of all, who is 'Roll'?”

Okay, maybe it wasn't the most profound query he could've made, but it was the most pressing thing on his mind at the moment.

[Vize Viper]

The doctor chuckled, a little darkly, taking Zero's questions in order.

"Make no mistake, I'm furious at you for threatening my already damaged son... But I can let that go considering he'd probably needed someone to remind him he's not untouchable... Although I still disagree with your methods." He sighed, looking down at his work again. He was still just sorting out what was bypassing what... Although ironically, Zero's actions had seemed to clear space, giving him (a little) more room to work.

Light then glanced up, with a small smile. "And Roll... is my daughter. Another android, like Blues and Rock. She happens to share her name with the Roll you've already met."

[Stoney]

Zero tilted his head slightly. "...I see." He had actually been asking about Ms. Caskett; all he knew about that woman was her name and appearance. Still, this news was interesting as well. Remarkable coincidence...

He lifted up one hand and pointed over his shoulder with a thumb, towards the door that led to the rest of the lab. "That boy outside, in the capsule...that's Rock, isn't it?"

It wasn't a hard guess to make. Another Mega Man existed in Dr. Light's time period, and that boy outside dressed just like Mega Man X did. Plus he looked near-identical to Blues when their armor was off, suggesting the two shared the same design. And since Blues was built by Light, and Rock was decidedly NOT female...

Zero idly wondered if this second Roll also had black hair and blue eyes.

Then he blinked. "Rock...and Roll." His mouth looked like it had tasted something sour. "...And Blues. What's next, Bass Clef? Tango? Maybe Measure or Beat?"

[Vize Viper]

Thomas laughed quietly to himself as Zero listed off possible names for other Light Bots.

"Actually, Zero, there IS a Bass, built by your creator, in fact. He has a support unit named Treble. And as for Tango... He should be around somewhere. He's a feline support unit, while Beat is a bird, accompanying Roll last I saw him. No robots named Measure, though."

It was obvious the doctor was rather amused.

[Stoney]

Zero halted midway through bringing a hand up to cover his forehead.

"...My creator? You...you know him?"

[Vize Viper]

Almost as Zero asked his question, Light knew he'd brought this on himself... and he wasn't sure how honest he should be... Until he looked up at the reploid, and remembered that Zero himself knew... or at least REMEMBERED nothing about his creator... and everyone deserved to know where they came from... even if the truth was painful.

Even if every part of him wanted to walk out of the room, rather than answer, as it brought up VERY painful memories.

"We... were colleagues once, he and I. Dr. Albert Wily... was a genius. He still is, in fact, but..." Dr. Light paused in his work, taking a deep breath.

"He's no longer... sane. In fact, he's my time's greatest threat to any sort of peace... a madman bent on dominating the world... Although, when I first met him, he only wanted to help people with his robots. To make it better... and he did, until... I suppose his pride finally got the better of him, and drove him insane."

The doctor's eyes lifted, meeting Zero's for a moment. "Of the two of us, everyone always... respected me more. I was the one reporters wanted to talk to, the one credited with our greatest breakthroughs... People even called Albert my assistant, when we were equal partners."

With a sigh, the man returned to his work. "Eventually... he just left... and I had no idea what had happened to him until he stole the original Robot Masters in his first attempt to take over the world... And me and him have been... rivals of a sort ever since." No matter how much I wish I could just... get him the help he needs, and work alongside him again. We could change the world for the better.

At the end of his bout of reminiscing, Light's expression had fallen, lines that hadn't seemed evident before becoming etched into his face, making him seem... much older.

Deep seated regrets did that to a man.