X Dream

Due to popular demand this section has been restored. Note that this dream is not meant to represent either the plot of the games or even the plot of The Series. So don’t take it as canon to anything. And no, I still haven’t named the evil guy. Editor’s comments are in [brackets].

Nevertheless, enjoy!

This is just a dream I had one night a little while before I ever played Mega Man X. It’s a weird and quite depressing dream, but incredibly eerie because of the similarities between it and how the actual game turned out.

Before you start reading let me warn you of a few things. First of all, the story is a little dramatic (it’s my writing style) and rather saddening. Read at your own risk. Oh, and to understand better, keep in mind that I call Protoman “Break Man” and consider him to be on Mega Man’s side. I also include some Captain N show stuff, but they really have nothing to do with the story; they’re only in the opening.

Now for an introduction...

With the help of Samus Aran, the N-Team has finally managed to exile Mother Brain and her cohorts—including Dr. Wily!—to another dimension. But Mother Brain got a “dying shot” so to speak and attempted to blast her biggest annoyance, Kevin (A.K.A. Captain N) out of existence. Kevin, being who he is (namely, the Game Master), dodged. The shot was heading right for Dr. Light (who was there for some unknown reason) and to save his creator Mega Man jumped forward and took the blow instead.
Mother Brain had been trying to cast Kevin back to where he’d come (namely, Earth). Only she missed. Where Mega Man ended up and what happened during the few days while he was there is a long story which is best told another time. All you need to know to understand is that Mega Man couldn’t find a way back, and probably would have never seen his homeworld again had someone not intervened.
I don’t know about your dreams, but in mine I can often see a person without really knowing who he is or what he looks like. This is the case with this vision. There was a new big-evil-bad-guy in this dream, but I have no idea what his name was supposed to be or who he was. Somehow I got the impression that he had a connection to Dr. Wily—that he was either a scientist who knew of Wily or was a robot built by Wily. But this is all I know. Hence, I will commence to call him simply “the evil guy.”
Well, this evil guy was of course attempting to do what Dr. Wily had failed to do, and of course he’d heard of Mega Man. His plan was to rid himself of the blue bomber right away, before Mega Man could cause any harm. He somehow managed to find the dimension into which Mega Man had been thrown—something even Dr. Light was unable to do—and promptly went there to track down the blue bomber. He took a large robot (robot walker I think they’re called) and formed himself a big dimensional portal (or “warp” as they’re called in the Captain N shows). The evil guy stepped through, snatched up Mega Man with one of his robot walker’s big claw-like hands, and walked back into the portal.
(I don’t know why the guy did this—my only guess is that he thought that Mega Man was busy amassing weapons or allies or something. Apparently the evil guy didn’t realize that Mega Man was trapped in that dimension. Going and fetching the blue bomber was one of the evil guy’s two biggest mistakes. In trying to destroy his possible nemesis, he brought about his own eventual destruction.)
Once the two where back in Mega Man’s homeworld, the evil guy paused for a moment—his captive held high—to gloat. This was his other big mistake. Before he could finish Mega Man off, a humanoid robot showed up and freed the captive.
And here’s where the story begins.

Mega Man dropped to the ground as the robot walker reeled back. His mysterious rescuer continued firing, and after taking a moment to get over his shock, Mega Man stood up to join him. But by then the robot walker had retreated and was gone.

Mega Man and the red clad robot that had saved him were silent for a moment. The blue bomber took the time to examine his new ally. It was a humanoid robot he’d never before seen, standing at about five feet and wearing an elaborately-trimmed uniform. His attire was mostly red, but was crisscrossed liberally with white and gold. He was apparently built in much of the same design as Mega Man himself, which wasn’t uncommon for humanoid robots in this world.

The newcomer spoke first. “You’re Mega Man, aren’t you?”

Surprised only a little, Mega Man nodded. “Yes. Who are you?”

“Alpha4,” the robot answered. “I’m a member of the RoboPolice built by Dr. Cossack and the Harts.”

Now Mega Man was starting to understand.

“You’ve been gone for 30 days,” Alpha4 went on before Mega Man could say anything. “Some thought you were gone forever. But Dr. Light never gave up hope.”

“Dr. Light!” Mega Man echoed. “Where is he?”

“Missing,” Alpha4 answered slowly. “We’re all still searching for him.” Mega Man gave him a look of disbelief. “You should visit the lab,” Alpha4 suggested.

Mega Man hardly heard him. He was already heading in that direction at a dead run.

Thirty days! echoed through Mega Man’s mind as he ran. How could that be? He’d only been away for a day or two, maybe three. Time must pass differently here, he realized. Dr. Light!

Mega Man skidded to a halt. Dr. Light’s tall laboratory building was in a sorry state. It was cracked and chipped, and looked completely deserted.

But out of the lifelessness came movement. Suddenly a blonde-haired form was emerging from the debris. “Mega Man!”

“Roll!” Mega Man started running again, meeting Dr. Light’s housekeeping robot halfway. “Roll,” he gasped again. “Where’s Dr. Light? What’s going on??”

“Dr. Light’s missing,” Roll reminded him. “Someone came to take Dr. Wily’s place. He attacked the lab and apparently managed to make off with Dr. Light, because we can’t find him anywhere.”

Mega Man stepped around her. “Oh, man, I’m too late! If only I’d been here. I can’t believe 30 days have gone by.”

“Mega Man, when you left Dr. Light searched the universe over for you,” Roll informed him. “After several days with no word from you, everyone began to become convinced that you were gone forever. But Dr. Light never believed it. He hardly slept, searching for you.”

Mega Man sighed. “I was only away for a few days! I can’t believe this...”

“Dr. Cossack and the Harts finished their RoboPolice while you were gone,” Roll explained. “They were going to use them to help get rid of Dr. Wily, but you guys beat them to it. But they completed their force anyway, and now that both you and Dr. Light were gone, they put the Police to work trying to find you both and hold off [the evil guy]. But so far they haven’t been able to do much good.”

“I’ll find Dr. Light,” Mega Man vowed. “And I won’t rest until I do.”

“I’m sure things will get better now that you’re back,” Roll agreed with a comforting smile. She put a hand on his arm. “But first, come into the lab. Dr. Light left something for you.”

Mega Man shot her a surprised look, then followed her as she walked back the way she’d come.

The inside of the laboratory was just as damaged as the outside, though it was evident that Roll had attempted to keep the place clean. She wasn’t a construction robot, though, so there was little she could do to reinforce the walls or repair the cracks. Mega Man was glad to see that she was at least able to operate efficiently in her creator’s absence. Any robot of lesser quality might have had problems determining what to do without someone around to instruct him. But Roll had an advanced artificial intelligence and seemed almost alive at times.

Roll spoke as she led the way through the darkened hallways and damaged passages. “Shortly after you disappeared, Dr. Light sealed this up so that no one could get to it except for you. He was that confident that you would return.”

They stopped. Mega Man found himself looking into a small room with a collapsed ceiling. Sitting safely in the center, undamaged by the rumble around it, was an egg-shaped pod. It was taller than Mega Man and about a meter in diameter. On the side facing Mega Man was an electronic door.

Roll offered Mega Man a smile and stood back, in the doorway to the room. Mega Man frowned, then stepped forward. As he slowly approached the lonely capsule, a hollow computer voice spoke up, prompting for confirmation of identity.

Mega Man had to pass several other quick tests before the pod’s door would allow him access. By the time the electronic door slid up, Mega Man had examined the pod over and had to admit that anyone but himself would have had a terrible time trying to break into the capsule.

Even Dr. Light.

The inside of the pod appeared roomy despite its tiny size. Lights danced around its circular sides, but no computer was evident. Across from the door was a small metal shelf. Two lone pieces of paper sat on top. Mega Man picked up the one on top and began to read. It was a letter.

“Mega Man....so you’ve come. I thought that peace was within our grasp but apparently it is not to be. I feel a strange ribbon in the air...something is amiss and yet my equipment can detect nothing. I only hope you have arrived in time. In case I am not around, however, I have left this letter for you. “I have been working for years now on a special energy formula that could redefine robots and life as we know them. However, I also realize that in the wrong hands it could totally devastate our land. I fear that those wrong hands are on their way. “I have but one copy of the completed formula, and it is with you now. I did not risk even storing it in an electronic fashion for it could be too easily copied, even from a remote location. Instead I’ve written it down on paper, that the secret may not be lost. I will seal the formula and this letter inside a capsule that only you may enter. Somehow I know that when you come back, things will change for the better, and my efforts may be used in a good way once again.
“I only hope that I live to see those efforts.”

The other piece of paper was the formula. Gingerly Mega Man picked it up, his mind in a whirl.

Dr. Light’s plan was clear. Mega Man’s return would mark the start of the peaceful era. A time when the formula could be put to proper use. When it wouldn’t be abused. But now there was a complication. Mega Man was back, but the peace hadn’t yet come to be. Dr. Light, the only one who could effectively put the formula to use, was missing. And there was someone out there who would be only too willing to get his hands on it.

I can’t leave it here, Mega Man realized. Now that the capsule’s seal was broken, the formula wasn’t safe. Deciding on the spot to carry it with him wherever he went, just to be safe, Mega Man quickly stored it away and stepped out of the pod.

Roll was still waiting for him in the doorway, watching with a small smile. “I’m going now,” Mega Man told her. “I’m going to find Dr. Light. And you can bet I will.”

She nodded. “I’ll stay here and look after the place.” Roll glanced around. “Such as it is,” she admitted. “But this is probably the first place Dr. Light would come if he got free. And if you can’t find him, I certainly wouldn’t be able to.”

Mega Man walked over to her. “I’m better off here,” she finished.

Roll was just a robot, so she had no need of food or sleep. The lab was in pretty bad shape to house a human, but Roll could survive just fine. Mega Man knew she’d be all right.

“Okay, then,” Mega Man agreed. “I’ll come back when I find him. See you then.”

“Good luck,” she called after him.

Then he was gone.

Mega Man emerged from the laboratory and stood on the grassy hill, looking out over the landscape for a moment. Where to go? If any of the computers were working, Mega Man supposed he could use them to scope out possible places to look. He also knew he should get in touch with Dr. Cossack and the Harts, for they were sure to be up on the most current of events.

But for a moment Mega Man was content to just stand there, letting his mind roam.

The very familiar sound of a whistle caused him to whirl around in surprise. Suddenly another red-clad robot was standing in front of him.

“Mega Man. You’re back.”

Mega Man blinked. The newcomer looked familiar, yet different. “Break Man?” he asked slowly. “Is that you?”

The robot nodded. He was still dressed primarily in red and white; his helmet still had a black visor, and he was still wearing his yellow bandanna tied around his neck. But the similarities pretty much ended there. His outfit was trimmed much in the same way as Alpha4’s, and a small crest decorated his helmet. “I’ve been placed in command of the RoboPolice,” Break Man explained. “But I was only supposed to be second in command. The role of supreme commander has always belonged to you, Mega Man.”

“Supreme commander?” Mega Man echoed, suddenly angry. “I don’t want to be in command! I want to find Dr. Light!”

“We’re all on the same side,” Break Man reminded him. “When Dr. Cossack and the Harts created the RoboPolice they always intended for you and I to be their commanders. Upon your disappearance, the task fell to me. They’re robots, Mega Man. They need a leader.”

“They have one,” Mega Man returned, starting to turn away. “I work alone.”

Break Man smiled wryly at him. “So do I,” he reminded his brother. He held out a hand. “Here, take these.”

Mega Man lifted an eyebrow.

“Magnet shoes,” Break Man explained. “They might come in handy. Good luck.”

Mega Man took the offering and hesitated, memories of how life had been just a little while ago coming back to haunt him. Everything was so different now. “Break Man,” he started.

Break Man threw him a cocky smile. “I’ll see you around, bro.” Then he walked away.

I’m not going to tell the next few events because 1) that would take much too long, and 2) I don’t really remember it all exactly anyway. All I remember is that Mega Man went from here on his quest to not only find Dr. Light, but also to rid the land of the evil guy. This pretty much involved fighting through lots of minor and major robotic creations—much like the games, actually. So imagine the games and you will have about as much of an idea as I do.

Mega Man checked in with Roll at the lab every so often, using his built-in teleporter to navigate around the land and the lab’s few remaining computers to program it. He met up with Break Man several times, as well as some of the other members of the RoboPolice, but though the latter were ready to follow and obey him at his first offer, Mega Man instead left them and continued on his own. Usually he would be glad for help, and he worked with his allies when the need arose, but the events of the past few days had hardened him. Now all he had was a fierce determination to locate his creator, and he would let nothing stand in his way.

After many struggles and battles, Mega Man and his friends had narrowed down the possibilities but had yet to uncover the evil guy’s hiding place. Mega Man went back to the lab once again to check in. Unfortunately for him, the evil guy’s robots followed him there and ganged up for an ambush. Problem was, Roll came out during the battle to see what the commotion was about, and ended up accidentally distracting Mega Man long enough for him to be jumped. While he was able to toss away the robots after a couple of moments of struggling, when they retreated he discovered he no longer had the formula.

Mega Man angrily chased after the robots but they had disappeared. For apparently the rest of the day he turned the land upside down searching for them, but in the end he had to come back empty handed. The evil guy met him at the lab with a small (sort of) vehicle meant to test out the formula.

It was powerful, to say the least. Mega Man managed to keep himself alive but his weapons were hardly making a dent in the battle machine. The evil guy hardly had to do much at all; instead he stood atop his creation with his hand held high, holding out the piece of paper he’d swiped from Mega Man in a taunting manner. Super-powered by Dr. Light’s formula, the battle tank seemed completely invincible.

At least from the outside.

While Mega Man was keeping the evil guy busy, Roll climbed on from behind. The evil guy noticed her and tried to knock her off and ended up hitting the control panel instead. The machine bulked, sparking.

Meanwhile Mega Man had been sketching in the dirt, trying to remember the formula. He was alive and his memory wasn’t quite as good as a normal robot’s, but after a bit of thinking he was finally able to recall it all. Mega Man rememorized it then scraped his foot across the sketches, obliterating them. Then he fired at the paper in the evil guy’s hand.

The guy shrieked as the shot burned his hand and disintegrated the paper. He finally managed to toss Roll off his sputtering machine, but by that time it was hindered enough for Mega Man to touch it. He caught Roll, set her safely down, then fired off a fully-powered super shot and let the tank’s own energy supply speed its destruction. The evil guy jumped off and fled.

“You did it, Mega Man!” Roll cheered as silence descended.

“Not really,” Mega Man returned quietly. “[The evil guy] got the formula. I blew it.”

Roll knew what he meant. Even though the paper had been destroyed, [the evil guy] had surely made copies of it—if not in his own head. “All’s not lost yet,” she tried to console him. “We can still win.”

Mega Man turned away. “Roll, you don’t understand. Dr. Light seemed so sure that my coming back would be a good thing. But he was wrong about me. I’ve only made things worse.” He stopped and whirled. “That formula was perfectly safe until I came along! If it hadn’t been for me, [the evil guy] would have never gotten it!”

Roll worriedly knelt in front of him as Mega Man dropped to his knees. “Roll,” he sighed. “I’ve failed him.”

“Mega Man, you could never fail me,” came a voice from behind him.

Mega Man’s head shot up. In front of him, Roll was staring in shock not at him but at something over his shoulder. Slowly Mega Man turned his head. Then suddenly he jumped to his feet. “Dr. Light!!”

“Hold it!”

Mega Man skidded to a halt. Dr. Light wasn’t alone, and in his surprise Mega Man hadn’t even noticed right away. But suddenly he was aware of the fact that behind the scientist was a line of robot guards, and the circle was tightening around them both. And right in front of Mega Man stood [the evil guy].

“I think that’s far enough,” [the evil guy] added.

Mega Man froze.

“The girl’s getting away,” one of the guards spoke up, pointing. Roll was almost inside the lab building.

“Let her go,” [the evil guy] replied. “I have what I want.”

Mega Man remained still lest the robots do anything to harm Dr. Light. “Let him go,” he demanded through clenched teeth, his arm cannon charged and ready.

[The evil guy] only snickered. “I hardly think you’re in any position to give orders. In fact,” he added, “I’d say you better start taking them...if you know what’s good for you and your creator here.”

Mega Man didn’t answer.

[The evil guy] didn’t seem to notice. “On your knees,” he demanded.

Mega Man just glared at him.

“Do it!”

Mega Man sighed. What could he do? He couldn’t trust [the evil guy] not to harm Dr. Light. He dropped to his knees and lowered his head. It was a gesture of complete submission, Dr. Light noticed sadly as he helplessly watched on. A gesture Mega Man had never made to anyone before.

[The evil guy] smiled slyly. “Now...” he went on softly. “Hold out your hands.”

Mega Man looked up. Two robots were approaching him, holding metal bands like special handcuffs. The blue bomber gazed at them for a second, then lifted his hands and allowed them to fasten his wrists together.

[The evil guy] nodded as the robots allowed Mega Man to get to his feet. “This way,” he instructed, and the group started moving.

As it turned out, the evil guy had wanted Mega Man for a very special reason. Unknown to the blue bomber, the evil guy no longer had a copy of the formula. The copy that had been stored in the tank’s computers had been destroyed along with the tank. Of course he had duplicates in the computers in his fortress, but “somebody” (we all know who!) had broken in and deleted the information on all of the computers. Now the only one who knew the formula was Mega Man.

And the evil guy knew this little fact.

But what the evil guy didn’t know was that Mega Man was alive and hence his mind operated much differently than a normal computer’s. Reading any information stored in Mega Man’s memory banks was a difficult task for the evil guy who knew nothing of living machines. He might have figured it out in time, but Mega Man escaped with Dr. Light before that could happen.

On their way in Dr. Light and Mega Man had been allowed to talk with each other, which was awfully nice of the evil guy seeing that he was technically evil. The scientist and his little robot caught each other up on events and chatted about other things and basically got to spend some quality time together, forced as it was. It’s good that they did, however, because it was close to their final opportunity.

Mega Man led the way through an electronic door. He and Dr. Light ended up in a giant room with a raised platform in the center. There were about eight different doors leading from the room at floor level, and four more that opened onto catwalks circling the walls.

“Wish I had a road map of this place,” Mega Man joked as they wound their way around the room.

“You won’t need one where you’re going,” replied a voice from behind them. Mega Man and Dr. Light whirled. “Your journey stops here.”

[The evil guy] was standing on the platform in the center of the room. His guard robots began pouring from all of the ground-level doors, surrounding their targets.

“Why don’t you just give in quietly and avoid all this fuss?” he was saying.

Mega Man pushed Dr. Light behind him and began charging up an arm cannon. “No way!”

“Mega Man, be careful,” Dr. Light spoke up quietly. “They outnumber you at least fifty to one.”

Instead of answering, Mega Man set his face into a determined expression and prepared to fire.

A sharp whistle brought all action to a halt.

Suddenly what was left of the RoboPolice began pouring from the doors overhead. In seconds they had lined up on the suspended catwalks. Break Man stood alone on the one directly across from Mega Man.

Break Man beat everyone else to speaking. “The RoboPolice is here, Mega Man. Ready to attack at your command. Just say the word.”

[The evil guy] looked more than a little nervous now that the odds were more even. “What about Dr. Light?” he taunted Mega Man. “You wouldn’t want him to be harmed, would you?”

Mega Man just glared at him. Then he thrust out a hand. “Chaaaarge!!!”

The room was thrown into action as the police robots leaped down from the catwalks and [the evil guy]’s forces counterattacked. But none fought as efficiently as Mega Man, who managed to hold back and destroy robots left and right while at the same time perfectly protecting Dr. Light. Even though the RoboPolice was still outnumbered, Mega Man more than made up for it.

[The evil guy] had pretty much stayed out of the battle [so it is uncertain as to whether he could fight well or not]. He cheered and yelled but did no fighting and also managed to prevent himself from being attacked. Then, as his forces started to diminish to dangerous levels, he realized he would have to do something drastic. His gaze fell on Mega Man, who was just firing a fully-powered Mega Buster shot right through one of [the evil guy]’s guards.

[The evil guy]’s eyes narrowed. Time for desperate measures. He pulled out a baseball-sized metal component [from somewhere inside himself if he was indeed a robot as I suspect] and held it up with both hands. “Assemble!” he shouted.

Immediately some of his guards stopped and each produced smaller pieces, which they threw to their master. The pieces all joined together with a flash. “Here’s a little present from us to you,” the evil guy said, hurling it at Mega Man. The object hit the blue bomber on the chest despite his attempt to dodge, and fastened itself firmly there.

Mega Man started. “It’s a bomb!”

“Empowered by our own circuits,” [the evil guy] added. “I’ll just have to get the formula some other way. So long!”

With that he turned and started to run.

Blindly Mega Man pawed at the explosive clinging to him but it seemed pretty content to stay. “Mega Man!” Dr. Light called. “Over here! Maybe I can disarm it!”

The lights blinking on the device reminded Mega Man that there wasn’t much time before the blast. “And let it explode on you?” he retorted. “No way!”

His eyes fell on [the evil guy], who was fleeing the room. Mega Man glared at him.

“Oh no you don’t!” he yelled, breaking into a run. “If I’m going then I’m taking you with me!!” [Another reason I think the evil guy was a robot.]

Ignoring Dr. Light’s protests, Mega Man ran across the room and in seconds had caught up to [the evil guy] and lunged, latching onto him as tightly as the bomb was clinging to him. “What are you doing!?” [the evil guy] shrieked in terror.

“Mega Man!” Dr. Light shouted in horror.

Then the bomb exploded.

Break Man suddenly appeared at Dr. Light’s side, pushing him to the floor and shielding his creator from the blast with his own body. The other robots—good and evil alike—hit the ground too, some destroyed anyway because they were too close to ground zero. The blast was so huge it destroyed the platform, though by some miracle it diminished before reaching Dr. Light.

Finally the noise and light died down, replaced by silence and smoke. “Mega Man!” Dr. Light cried again as he pulled himself to his feet.

There was no sign of the blue bomber. Nor, for that matter, [the evil guy].

Break Man stood silently by his creator’s side. Dr. Light said no more. For several minutes he didn’t move. Finally he idly reached down and picked up a circuit board lying near him—about the only robot part that had not been disintegrated by the bomb. Then the scientist gestured at Break Man. “Let’s get out of here.”

Back at his lab, Dr. Light didn’t know what prompted him to examine the circuit board further. But he was glad he did, for after a few seconds, Dr. Light was startled to find words mysteriously appearing on his screen. They were scattered thoughts, things like:

Geeze, where am I? It’s like I’m floating. Why can’t I move? Why can’t I feel anything?? What’s going on?

Dr. Light knew he had taken Mega Man’s memory board, but the fact that the robot’s consciousness was still intact startled him.

Quickly the scientist tried to respond, setting up a data transfer that he wasn’t even sure would work. As it was, it was apparent Mega Man “heard” him, but he didn’t seem to realize what was going on.

Dr. Light? Is that you? Of course it’s him. He’s probably trying to repair me right now. I’ll bet Roll and Break Man are there too... They’re all wondering why I just won’t wake up... But I can’t seem to open my eyes....

Finally Dr. Light gave up on communication and instead went to work building Mega Man a new body. Once he completed it and placed Mega Man’s consciousness inside it, he could talk with his creation—his son—all he wanted.

Dr. Light worked for days. He worked next to the computer where Mega Man’s memory chip was temporarily installed. Occasionally he would glance over to watch the text splatter itself across the screen. Then he would vow, Relax Mega Man. It won’t be long now.

Dr. Light built into the new body all of the advances he’d been developing all these years—advances which he was simply unable to put into living machines and unwilling to place in an ordinary robot for fear of misuse. Finally it was completed, and Break Man joined him as he prepared to place Mega Man into his new body.

Mega Man first heard the voices again. Then suddenly he found himself able, for the first time since the explosion, to open his eyes. The light startled him. He blinked, then struggled to focus. For a moment it seemed more trouble than it was worth. Then he stopped trying so hard, and his surroundings snapped into focus automatically.

“Mega Man,” came Dr. Light’s voice. “Can you hear me?”

“Yeah...” His own voice sounded distant and alien to him. Mega Man was still marveling at his sudden ability to move and sense after all that time he’d spent in motionless darkness.

Dr. Light and Break Man helped him sit up. “What about everything else?” Dr. Light went on. “Can you move everything?”

“I think so.” Mega Man lifted his hands and gazed at them in surprise. They were white.

“When I rebuilt you, I upgraded your model somewhat,” Dr. Light explained.

Mega Man glanced himself over. “I thought I was about gone.”

“You were,” Dr. Light told him with a smile.

His robot didn’t answer right away. Instead he swung himself around, dangling his feet over the edge of the lab table. “Wow, you sure did a nice job,” he complimented his creator. Then he shoved off the table.

He wasn’t used to operating this new body, though. His legs buckled underneath him and he tumbled to the floor. Break Man and Dr. Light knelt down to him, laughing a little.

Mega Man wasn’t smiling though as a realization hit him. “I’m numb!” he cried.

Dr. Light froze.

“I can’t feel a thing!” Mega Man added, banging his hand against the side of the lab table. He didn’t receive even the slightest pang of pain.

Dr. Light was silent. For a moment he was still. Then slowly he got to his feet and simply walked out of the room.

Break Man was left staring after him in surprise. Then he glanced down at his brother with a startled look on his face.

“Break Man,” Mega Man said softly after a few seconds. “I didn’t want to say it before, but... When I said I was numb I didn’t mean just nerves.” He paused to allow time for his words to sink in before continuing. “I can’t feel anything at all. I vaguely remember that I used to have emotions, but...they’re gone. I’m completely numb, inside and out.” He glanced up. “Like, I know I should be feeling badly for Dr. Light right now, but strangely enough I don’t. I don’t feel a thing.”

Now it was Break Man’s turn to be silent. Eventually he spoke. “Should we tell Dr. Light?”

Mega Man gave him a strange look. “He already knows,” he replied.

And the two turned to stare silently at the gate.

Break Man found Dr. Light sitting in his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway for a moment, then stepped forward. “Dr. Light?”

“I should have known better,” the scientist said without lifting his head. “I should have realized that I couldn’t rebuild a living machine. But I guess I was too excited to think about it...”

Break Man didn’t understand. “But you did rebuild him.”

Dr. Light looked up at him. “I rebuilt his body, yes. But I can’t rebuild his life. He’s retained some of his personality because of the memory board, but the old Mega Man we knew is gone.”

Break Man didn’t know what to say.

“It wouldn’t be too much of a problem,” Dr. Light went on, “except that I was trying to reconstruct him as he’d been before. I was trying to build a living machine, something that can’t be done. The problem is, you can get pretty close. I put all of my new designs into him, Break Man. Do you remember a while ago when I was telling you about self-thinking robots? About how it’s currently possible to create a free-willed robot but not one with emotions or feelings? Do you remember?”

Slowly Break Man nodded.

“That’s what I’ve built. The very thing I’ve feared and warned everyone against is the very thing I’ve gone and constructed.”

“But Mega Man’s not like that!” Break Man burst out. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

“He wouldn’t have before,” the scientist responded. “Who can say now? He can do whatever he wants with no feeling of guilt or remorse for his actions. He could be very dangerous, Break Man.”

“No way!”

Dr. Light sighed. “I can’t take the chance.”

Break Man fell silent. “What are you going to do with him, then?” he finally asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Dr. Light admitted with another sigh.

Of course we all know what Dr. Light eventually decided to do. He placed Mega Man in a capsule which is not uncovered until the events we know as the game, Mega Man X. And at this point my story is almost finished. But there was one other segment to my dream that I thought I should mention.

Break Man was still around, though where he was hiding is anyone’s guess. He watched and observed that Mega Man X was slowly doing something that Dr. Light couldn’t anticipate. He was gaining back his emotions—and hence, part of his former life.

Most of X’s former memories had faded by the time he’d come out of the capsule. So when the emotions came he didn’t recognize them, and really had no idea what he was feeling. They confused him but for the most part he tried to ignore them.

But Break Man recognized them easily. Eventually he came to X (apparently X already knew him because he showed no surprise with this meeting) one final time.

“Mega Man,” Break Man said, for the first time since the capsule calling him by his old name. “You’re noticing what’s happening to you, aren’t you.”

X frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You tell me. What are you feeling?”

There was a pause. “It’s hard to describe,” X replied finally. “Strange sensations, usually prompted by something...” He broke off. “Now that you mention it, I seem to recall that at one time these feelings were common to me.” He laughed. “But somehow they don’t seem so usual now.”

“But you are getting your emotions back,” Break Man told him, convinced now. Satisfied, he turned. “Now I can go.”

X, startled, hurried to catch up as Break Man started to walk away. “Go...?”

Break Man sat down right there on the rocky ground. He gave a small laugh. “I’m still alive, X. And all life dies eventually. I guess it’s my time.” He looked up to see X staring at him in dismay. “But you...you’re still going strong. And you have your emotions back. You may just have the best of both worlds.” If only Dr. Light could be here now, he thought. I wish he could see that Mega Man was always here...

Break Man leaned back. He was having a hard time breathing, and the world was growing distant. Funny how he’d never thought about death before, and yet when it came to claim him he recognized it instantly. “Never lose your feelings, Mega Man,” he sighed. “No matter what happens. They are your greatest strength.”

X leaned over him, understanding almost without realizing it. “Goodbye Break Man.”

Break Man smiled up at him. “So long, bro.”

Then his entire body turned into a shape of blue light. X drew back. When the light disappeared he was alone. The only thing that remained of Break Man was the memory of him.

X stood up and walked away.