The Mega Man: War Games

Ch. 21 The Games Go On

What was strange about being a robot was how waking up felt. It was as if everything was slowly coming together, everything becoming one to make me, and soon enough I was back.

This time took a little longer than usual. As if I had had a rough nap. I took a moment before I realized I could see. I slowly sat up, blinking as my processors tried to figure out what was going on.

I was back at Light Labs. The sun shone brightly through the window, so much so that I could barely look out. I turned to the side, and saw another operating table. Proto Man lay on it. His helmet sat on a small shelf beside him. His chest panel was open, and his power core weakly pulsated inside.

I got up and walked over to him. My brother. It still felt strange. 

I slowly raised an arm and went to put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's in bad shape."

I glanced behind me and found Roll at the entrance to the room. "It's a good thing you were using his core to power you. You would have probably blown yourself to bits, and he would have melted down." She walked in slowly. I turned around to face her. We were silent as she came closer, until she stood only a few feet away from me.

Her eyes welled up with tears. "You just had to go risking your life, didn't you?"

I opened my arms as she rushed in, wrapping me in a sobbing hug. I slowly patted her on the back, trying to comfort her.

And we stood there for I don't know how long. The light from the sun reflected off a small puddle of tears at Roll's feet. It was solemnly silent, except for Roll's diminishing sobs, and a faint humming coming from Proto Man's table.

After a moment, Roll spoke again. "Dr. Light says...he should be able to fix Blues. Make his core better." 

"...That's good." I replied. 

Roll slowly pulled herself away, straightening up and wiping the remaining tears out of her eyes. "Well...now that you're awake and...well, I suppose I can call in the welcoming party."

I raised an eyebrow as she walked out and said into the next room, "He's active, guys."

I barely had time to consider her use of the word "party" before a swarm of robots barraged me. Elec Man came in first, and it felt like it had been so long since we'd last met that I forgot he had been upgraded. He picked me up and grinned as he looked me over as if to be sure I was back in shape. He started to say something, but was drowned out as the others made their way to me.

"LITTLE BUDDY!" Guts Man practically pried me out of Elec Man's arms, wrapping me up in a crushing hug. "You're gonna be okay! I'm just so happy you're gonna be okay!"

"Space...please!" I managed to reply.

He politely set me down. The rest of Light's Robot Masters surrounded me, patting me on the back, shaking my hand, and giving me hugs. Even Wood Man, Heat Man, Bubble Man, and Flash Man had come as well.

I smiled and pushed away Bubble Man, who was sobbing wildly as he continued to try to hug me. "So...um, I take it we won?"

-Earlier-

Gravity Man was almost done having his fun. Magnet Man had been thrown violently into the sky and back down several times. The robot wasn't even screaming for help anymore. He had just curled into a ball, quietly whimpering whenever he was brought to a stop.

Though he had decided he would give him one more toss for good measure, right before he did so, he felt a small rumble in the earth below him. As he paused, Magnet Man straightened out suddenly, becoming as stiff as a board.