The Blue Bomber's First Victory

[believesinhumanity]

[1]

[Post Mission, Rock is one of the things needing repair. Fortunately, Dr. Light comes back to the base with him to take care of it personally, and it isn't too long before his arm is reattached and everything else is patched up.

Rock sighs, testing his newly repaired arm out.]

That was pretty wild... I'm glad everything turned out okay in the end. We cut it a bit close there.

[Though he's a bit worried. Dr. Wily had gotten away after all, and who knew what he was going to do next.]

[2]



[Rock's not the only robot who came back to the base. The other Light Numbers are also here and they're all gathered together in the hanger, talking to Rock, who's now out of armor. There's another robot with them too. One who looks like a young girl with a blond ponytail tied with a green bow.]

Comments

[booty_chaser]

[At some point, though, someone is probably going to notice that the gaggle of chatting Numbers seems to have something odd to it. Namely, there appear to now be two Ice Mans.

Either someone spiked the E-Tanks or something weird is going on]

[believesinhumanity]

[Fire Man is the first one to notice.] Hey, Ice Man. Are my eyes malfunctioning or are there two of you all of a sudden?

[Ice Man blinks.] Huh? What are you-?

[Then he turns and sees his double. This causes him to jump back with a surprised yelp.]

[Cut Man glares suspiciously at the other Ice Man.] Okay, pal. Who the hell are you and what are you trying to pull?

[Rock doesn't know what's going on either, but he raises his hands in a pacifying gesture and tries to defuse the situation anyway. He was quickly learning that Cut Man had a bit of a temper.] Hey, settle down Cut Man.

[booty_chaser]

[When Ice Man looks at his double and yelps, said double just does a little wave with his hand, smiling]

Took you guys a while. I've been here like a minute, you know!

[The voice is Ice Man's, but the way of speaking rather definitely isn't.]

[believesinhumanity]

[Cut Man growls.] Hey! You didn't answer my question. Wily didn't send you, did he?

[Elec Man just snorts.] Don't be ridiculous. Even if Wily made a copy of Ice Man and sent him here, he'd be stupid to go and stand right next to the real one like that.

Yeah, I'm sure that's not what's going on. [Rock is a little surprised he hadn't noticed sooner, but that's not important. There's something oddly familiar about the other Ice Man.] So, uh, who are you, then?

[booty_chaser]

Aww, you really didn't guess it? Who do you know that's really cool and can transform, Rock? [The fake Ice Man grins, before raising a hand and suddenly bursting into light... which leaves Mega Man A standing there]

Good morning, guys!

[believesinhumanity]

[Admittedly The mun is mostly unfamiliar with ZX and didn't know how the transformation mechanic actually works Rock was kinda busy and didn't really know that Ashe's transformations were a form of power copying, while Cut Man was the first to be taken out before Unity Group even arrived.

Rock blinks when he does realize who it is.] Ashe?

[booty_chaser]

The one and only!

So, how are you feeling, everyone? Hope I didn't hurt you too much or anything. I can get a bit distracted while fighting under pressure!

[believesinhumanity]

[The Light Numbers relax once the "intruder" has been identified. Though a few of them are still giving her curious looks.]

We're doin' great. Dr. Light fixed us all up good as new. [Bomb Man said, reclining in his seat.]

We just want to thank you for helping Rock stop us. [Ice Man added as he relaxed.]

[Guts Man nodded.] Yeah, who knows how much more damage we would've done if you guys hadn't come along.

[Roll was looking at Ashe curiously for more than one reason.] So, this is one of the friends you've made since you started working here, Rock?

[Rock nodded.] Yep. Ashe, this is our sister, Roll.

[booty_chaser]

Nice to meet you, Roll. Name's Ashe. I'm a Legion Hunter. The best one, really, but who's counting? [Ashe dismisses her Model A armor, leaving a grinning seventeen year old girl stretching a hand at Roll.]

So, you guys are all siblings? You're a pretty big family. I'm kinda jealous.

[believesinhumanity]

[Roll watched the transformation with interest and shook the offered hand, smiling at her.] It's nice to meet you too, Ashe. I'm glad Rock's been able to make friends here. He never really had much chance to do that back at the lab.

[Rock laughed a little at Ashe's comment about how big their family was.] Dr. Light created us, so that's about as close as you can get with robots. Though I guess there really are a lot of us...

This is the first time we've all been together though. [Elec Man noted. Or rather it was the first time where most of them weren't being controlled by a mad scientist anyway.]

[booty_chaser]

Don't worry, Roll, I'll keep an eye on your bro for you. [Ashe winks]

So, this is a meetup, then? Well, you know what you have to do in family meetups, right? [The hunter grins slyly]

[believesinhumanity]

[Roll's smile widens a bit.] Thank you, I'd really appreciate that.

[Rock chuckled again, rubbing his head.] Roll, you don't need to worry, you know.

[Though then he blinked at what Ashe said next.] Uh, no I don't think so... What do you do at a family meet up?

[Rock doesn't really have much in the way of worldly experience. Dr. Light doesn't have any living human family after all. Since the others are industrial robots on top of that.. yeah, they obviously don't get what Ashe is talking about either.]

[booty_chaser]

[Ashe chuckles at Rock's words, bopping him lightly on the head] Yes she does, dummy. That's how being a sister works. Am I right, Roll?

And you really don't know? [Ashe begins walking to something on the wall by the water deposit, all mysterious and solemn, her back to the group] Really? Well, well. Then... let me explain. When a family gets together, there's an important tradition that must be observed... [Ashe finishes rummaging, and looks at the group over her shoulder-

*-swish! SPLOOOF!*

-and suddenly a certain easily-riled scissor-headed robot finds a water balloon exploding on his face as Ashe turns around, mischief on her eyes and another half dozen readied balloons in her hands]

Family games! Ha! [And another volley of balloons is thrown! Dodge!]

[believesinhumanity]

[Roll poked Rock in the shoulder with a finger.] She's right. I can't exactly help it you know. Especially if you're going to continue going around fighting bad guys now.

[Rock just looks at both of them and then sighs.] Heh, sorry, Roll.

[Though then they're distracted when Ashe decides to answer Rock's question... by hitting Cut Man with a water balloon.

The wood harvesting robot yelps and sputters in surprise.]

Hey!

[Then she throws more balloons. Most of the Light Numbers are caught off guard and also get hit, but Rock, Roll, Ice Man and Elec Man manage to dodge or duck out of the way.

Cut Man, obviously, is not going to take this lying down, so he ducks out of the way of another balloon and lunges towards Ashe to try and claim a water balloon for himself.] Why you-! Hey! Gimme one of those things!

[booty_chaser]

[Cut Man's lunge is met with Ashe suddenly crouching under his outsctretched hand and slipping past - you have to give it to her, the girl is slippery]

Sure! Here's one. [Spinning on herself, Ashe pokes Cut Man in the back, smiles, and friendily puts one balloon on his hand as he's turning around to face her again]

[...which is, after a momentary beat, followed by her other hand slamming her remaining one into his face]

[believesinhumanity]

[Cut Man is momentarily surprised when he turns around and Ashe hands him a water balloon.] Uh, thanks?

[And then he gets another face full of water for his trouble.] Gak!

[When he recovers, he growls and throws his balloon at her.] Alright, then. Take this!

[Meanwhile, it seems that Roll has found the unfilled water balloons and is filling some more for her brothers.

Fire Man takes one with some bemusement.] Just watch my flames, alright?

[Elec Man is standing off to the side, still looking a bit reluctant.] Honestly, this seems more than a bit ridiculous. [He scoffs.]

[Bomb Man responds by throwing his balloon straight into his face.] Heh. Don't be a stick in the mud, sparky!

1

[star_of_sad]

That was really close... I'm glad dr Light was there, and right on time too.

[believesinhumanity]

Yeah, me too. And I'm glad he was able to fix my brothers so quickly.

[He really hadn't like having to fight them (really, he didn't like fighting at all), but it was good everyone was okay again.]

[star_of_sad]

Very quickly, considering the extent of damage...

What happened out there - Rock, do you think people will hold it against dr Light?

[believesinhumanity]

[Rock pauses for a moment before he answers.]

I don't think so. I mean, Dr. Light has evidence that Wily tampered with them. So they have to realize it's not his fault.

[star_of_sad]

That's true.

Dr Wily... just who is he? You and dr Light seem to know him well enough.

[believesinhumanity]

...Wily used to be Dr. Light's partner. He was the one who helped invent the Robot Master AI.

But, he disappeared a few years back, before I was created, so I only really know about him because Dr. Light told me about him.

[star_of_sad]

Why did he turn against humanity, now? Or rather, why does he want to conquer it?

...

Sorry for asking such hard questions, Rock-kun. And after what you've been through, recently.

[believesinhumanity]

[Rock looks up at Setsuko and smiles reassuringly.] No, it's okay Miss Setsuko. I understand.

I'm not sure why he'd do something like this. I think he and Dr. Light might have had some kind of disagreement before he disappeared, but I don't know what it was about. Dr. Light doesn't like talking about it.

[It may or may not have had something to do with a certain prototype robot master, but Rock doesn't know that one even exists yet, and since Rock never actually finds out Blues was his brother in this continuity... Yeah.]

I'm sorry I can't tell you more than that Miss Setsuko. You could try asking Dr. Light about it. He'd probably have a better idea.

[star_of_sad]

Could it be because of personal dislike? No... there is no need to guess blindly regarding motives. I'll try talking to dr Light - if none of the Unity Group commanders did, already.

So...

[Setsuko glances at Rock. The armor, the buster cannon...]

What are you going to do now?

[believesinhumanity]

[Rock looks down at himself and frowns. That's a pretty good question. He hadn't really thought about what would happen after he'd saved his brothers. It wasn't like he could just go back to being a lab assistant now, right?]

... Dr. Wily got away, and there were those other robots he built. And even without all that, it's a bit too late to turn back now. I don't think I'd be able to just go back to only helping out in the hanger or Dr. Light's lab if I've got the power to help out in other ways.

[star_of_sad]

I saw what you're able of doing. Others would love to have your help, I'm sure.

1

[dolorous_sensei]

Hm, so you're a robot?

[believesinhumanity]

[He looks a tad uncomfortable for a moment when he sees Walt and nods.]

Uh, yes, I am.

[dolorous_sensei]

Nah, it's just that we had someone who we thought was a robot and turned out to be a fairy inside a fairy-sized mecha.

Are you sure you're not three squirrels in a suit? 'Cause we have one of those as well.

[believesinhumanity]

[That... wasn't quite what Rock was expecting. He blinks.]

Uh, no?

[What exactly is he supposed to say to that?]

[dolorous_sensei]

I'm sorry. I must've looked pretty insane now. But that's just the effect of working here. Where a walking, talking, sentient humanoid robot in the size of a child is downright mundane.

Don't mind me. Please don't lose your sense of wonder.

2

[spearpunch]

[Oh wow! So many huge robots! And Hibiki's going to run up to them and bow happily!]

I heard what happened at the power plant... thank you very much everyone for saving everyone!

[believesinhumanity]

[Well, technically the only huge one is Guts Man. The others are human sized or smaller, and Ice Man is short even compared to Rock and Roll, but they all turn to regard Hibiki as she comes up to them.]

It's no trouble miss. It was our fault in the first so it was the least we could do. [Elec Man says.]

[Roll frowns at him.] No it wasn't. You only did all that because of those awful chips Dr. Wily put in you.

1

[lostamigo]

So you're a warrior now, Rock. Are you okay with this?

[believesinhumanity]

[Rock just looks down at himself and sighs.]

...I don't think so. I mean, I didn't really think too much about what this would mean when I ask Dr. Light to modify me, but I don't think I regret it.

[lostamigo]

And you had to fight your own brothers on your first battle. And there's even more of them out there.

You did real fine out there, considering all this.

[believesinhumanity]

Yeah...

I'm a little worried about that. Wily and those other robots he had, I mean. I guess we can't really do anything about it right now, but...

[lostamigo]

There's more of them. And they're dedicated fighters. That means they'll be stronger than the ones we fought. And these were already pretty powerful. Especially for something so small.

There's a long and hard road ahead of you, kid.

[believesinhumanity]

Yeah... The kind of damage they did, and Wily said they weren't finished yet.

[He shook his head.] Well, I became Mega Man so that I could protect people. [Not just his family, though that had been one of the main things he'd been thinking of at the time.]

So as long as Wily is still out there, I'll have to do the best I can. Besides, it's not like I have to fight alone, right?

[lostamigo]

No. Unity Group is a strong, honest ally. And you're determined to do the right thing.

I get the feeling you'll do fine. Just be careful. You're a robot, but you're still a kid.