Alright, this is the last chapter of Status Quo, unless we decide to do little add on/fluff type chapters. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Also, Mega Man does not belong to us, it belongs to Capcom.

When Roll carefully peered around the door to Rock's room, frying pan at the ready, she had to go, "Awww..." Blues didn't look as cool without his sunglasses, but he looked far more vulnerable, and even cuter asleep than he already had.

Kalinka was right: Dr. Light designed him to be good-looking. It made sense, though. Humans were more receptive to those they found attractive. And Dr. Light wanted Blues to have as easy a time as he could.

If Rock were a human boy, he'd be able to expect to look very similar to Blues after several years. It made Roll wonder what she'd look like, had she been made to look older.

Though for a robot maid in Japan, that entire topic was touchy. Humans were strange.

Kalinka would just die, in a fortunately metaphorical way, when Roll gave her this file. Roll took care to save a high-resolution image.

There was no sign of trouble, thankfully. Both Rock and Blues were inexplicably asleep, but neither was hurt and their statuses showed green except that they were both very, very tired. At least Shadow Man brought them home unharmed. It made her wonder what happened. If they'd fought, then Shadow would have been too damaged to drop them off. If he'd won, it was doubtful that Rock would be back here.

It made her wary. Her general broadcast state was a very, very suspicious "Blues, what did you do?" To poor Shadow.

There was no response from Blues' systems other than an automatic repair request time-stamped around ten minutes ago.

He had oddly small feet. Rocks' feet weren't much smaller. Of course, wasn't foot size supposed to have something to do with how tall animals were going to get? Puppies had big feet relative to their bodies. Blues hadn't been intended to ever grow any larger than this, or age at all.

Was every single portion of his body in some degree of disrepair? Granted, none of these were dire concerns, none of these were real injuries. They were minor inconveniences, minor pains. But didn't all of that minor pain add up? How could he stand living like that?

It'd have made her sad if it didn't make her so mad.

His only care for himself seemed to be that he kept functioning, kept fulfilling whatever he could of his function as long as he could. Standard of living must come second to continuationof living. Still, he hadn't needed to make those trade-offs, and it was so unnatural to them. To him as well, clearly, since instead of tightening his security his system was now almost eager to give her bug reports, and she could feel what a relief it was when they were all resolved, when everything was nicely under control once again.

By comparison, Rock's error in his sleep mode regulation system... The contagious error that had spread to Blues and was barely a programming error at all... Wow, that was clever of Shadow.

Blues' system immediately prioritized any request for sleep mode because of how much his systems needed it by default, in this state. If Shadow had tried to use any other means to incapacitate him, any other system hack, it would have been checked over. Instead, the reaction to the cracked prompt, Sleep mode y/y? Had been Y, automatically.

That also explained how he'd fallen asleep so abruptly earlier: his systems picked up the hack from Rock and was immediately shut down. If she'd been able to link to him while he was in sleep mode, it may have hit her, too. He had such things automatically disabled while sleeping, though. Most robot masters did: that wasn't something you wanted uninvited guests in.

She should make sure Dr. Light saw this before either of them woke up, Roll knew, so she went to go get him.

It was a relief to see them both home safe. He wasn't surprised when Blues took off without acknowledging him, but Dr. Light was still happy to see his oldest safe and sound. It was doubly a relief that Blues didn't intend to act upon their underlying programming, didn't seem to intend to take the twins. Because he could have, very easily, and by robot master logic, he had every right to.

And there wouldn't be a thing Dr. Light could do about it.

Rock looked so sweet like this, and Blues seemed like almost a gentle protector. "He would link to both of you like that, to work on you, sometimes. I thought he was simply lonely, since I had sent off all the other prototype robots to have their programs and designs used for mass production."

That was…it must have been hard for Blues, especially in those early days. Being the only sentient robot, the only one of his kind for so long. Had she and Rock been born of his need for companionship? His need for someone who wouldn't leave for long periods on industrial jobs?

She tried to imagine what it would be like if Rock went out for weeks, sometimes months on end the way Cut and them did.

No, she wouldn't enjoy that at all.

It was like coming home for the first time in years. Like slipping on a pair of well-worn shoes, or curling up on your place on the couch. Like returning to your own bed after a long trip. It just felt like everything was right with the world, like you were in your own place, the place where you were not just welcomed, but where you belonged.

Rock shifted slightly as he came around. He was somewhere soft—his bed?—and there was something warm next to him. It was an optimal temperature. It was nice.

He realized where that warm, affectionate, nostalgic feeling was coming from when his system finished its checks. His systems went through his to-do list while he slept, taking care of anything that could be done internally. They returned with memories from a compressed folder. Memories of being a new unit, barely any online time at all. Memories of being greeted, comforted, guided by an older system. The system he was made for. Being linked this way…he'd felt this mind many, many times before. His systems were configured to work well linked this way, configured to work under this mind's guidance, configured to offer input back.

This was more at home than he'd been in years. It was like returning to Dr. Light's after a war. Home in body and now, home in spirit. He just laid there, enjoying it, letting the feeling pass through him, fill him. Relaxing didn't even begin to cover it. Saying that it was nice didn't do it justice.

It almost made him want to slip back into sleep mode.

Or pretend that he hadn't woken up so that he could lie here, hearing the soft whirr of a fan that wasn't his own, this music he'd never heard outside of those compressed memories, except for the echo of it in Blues' whistle.

He wanted to nudge at Blues, but he knew that once Blues was awake, he could leave. Or tell Rock to leave, since hadn't Rock been supposed to leave? But it had been so peaceful, there with Blues, as he'd started to remember this, and he hadn't really wanted to leave, so when he'd started to fall asleep...

He should thank Roll for letting him sleep all this time, letting him stay here with Blues. Dr. Light must be so worried, too!

But if Roll let him stay, then Dr. Light would know he was okay, that he would return soon. Unless he thought that Blues made Rock stay. But no, he'd have made them both stay if he was going to keep them. Dr. Light would realize that.

Still, he didn't want to worry Dr. Light, but this was so rare and Rock really didn't think that Blues would permit it again, lonely as he was. Blues felt that keeping everyone at arm's length protected them, somehow. It was never about Blues, Rock realized. He couldn't feel much about Blues' thoughts, even linked this way, and he didn't want to wake him by feeling around too much, but at least he could feel his contentment. That he was comfortable and also rather pleased. Almost smug about…something.

Rock shifted a little, and um? These were his linen sheets with the rocket ships on them. Thick sheets weren't a good idea for robot masters, since they could overheat unless you were somewhere really cold. Roll had refused to say where she found these, with the low thread count and the design. He almost wondered if she'd made them herself, or at least printed the design on.

They were back at Dr. Light's? Blues was here? Rock felt a spike of hope: had he agreed to come back, but his more logical side, the part of him that knew Blues, knew that this wouldn't last. Did Blues even know he was here? But how could he have come if he didn't know? Confused, Rock's anxiety level began to rise as he shifted, though not too much, he didn't want to disturb his brother (he looked like he could really use the sleep.) No, Rock wasn't hurt, Blues' status was good, so why were they here?

How did they get here?

Blues whistled a bit in his ear, softly, and he automatically calmed and stopped moving.

There was an underlying command in that gesture, a reassurance that all was well, that there was no danger, no reason to panic. If Rock had that sort of context to compare it to, it may have reminded him how a parent calms a child that just woke from a nightmare.

As it was, he just relaxed in place, snuggling down. It couldn't hurt to nod off again, could it?

There were some things in his systems that needed sorting out, on top of all this now-unlocked memory data to analyze. They were very nice memories to look at while lying in bed, seeing Dr. Light and Blues work on him the way he and Dr. Light worked on X. The new addition to the family, the little brother.

He wondered if Blues ever looked back on memories like these, or if it was too painful. He kept so much of his mind locked away, even when linked this way, it was impossible to tell. Rock hoped not. Rock hoped there were happy memories for Blues, ones that didn't trigger painful memories.

He wanted to share them with Blues, wanted Blues to show him what he had felt, back then.

He hoped that Blues would be okay with that, would be willing to share some of his memories, some of his feelings. He squirmed slightly. He wanted to ask right now, but Blues needed to sleep and really, Rock should just go over his own systems, his own memories until his brother woke.

Unless Blues left immediately. That thought was upsetting.

"Roll?" he whispered. When there wasn't any response, he remembered that he could use wireless to communicate far more effectively now, and tried that. "Roll?"

"You'reawake," It was more of a greeting than an observation, though there was an undercurrent of relief. But why would she need to feel relieved? She seriously couldn't think that Blues did something to him, could she?

"Shadow,notBlues," she corrected him. "He drugged you,"it wasn't technically drugging, but that was what they'd called what Shadow did to Rock when they'd fought, how it affected him when he was hit. "And it affected Blues.Twice."

"…What?" Shadow? But why? It…really? Shadow? He'd have expected one of the newer Wily numbers. Was it Dr. Wily's orders? But no, then he'd be in worse condition now.

…It affected Blues twice?

Rock focused another scan on Blues, checking him over again, just to be sure that he was okay. His systems returned that he was quite comfy sleeping and there was an underlying warning/request for Rock to stop squirming and lie still. Rock immediately stilled, relaxing again. If it was seeping into Blues' status and broadcast state, it must be beginning to irritate him.

Now Rock felt bad.

He could still talk to Roll, at least. "But why Shadow?"

"Blues said..."Roll finished the sentence aloud when she came in, "that Shadow was angry about something."

Rock was lying quietly, still cuddled up to Blues, but he looked her way when she came in. He looked sleepy and confused. Shadow was angry? With Rock? About what? Now he looked worried, not that Shadow was angry, but because he may have done something unintentionally to upset Shadow, something outside of constantly foiling Wily's schemes.

But now they were here…had Blues gone to get him? He wasn't sure if he wanted to feel happy that Blues came to get him or worried because he'd caused others trouble.

"I'm not sure, Blues left before he actually explained much of anything." Roll touched Rock's hair, asking permission to check his status. "But yes, he went to get you. I think it was Shadow that dropped you off back here. So he can't have been that angry."

He let Roll in without a second thought, let her look him over and query his systems. So Shadow wasn't that mad? That was good. Roll could feel Rock's mind relax again, his worry dissipating.

It felt so right for the three of them to be here, together like this. It was soothing in a way he'd never encountered. Like something was missing this entire time, and he'd never noticed until the place was filled again. But now, if Blues left, Rock would definitely feel it.

Imagine how X would feel, if Rock had left home by then? Thirty years was an unimaginably long time, and it would probably be a few more years before they even got far enough to start the hibernation. Of course, X wouldn't be able to access and be accessed like this, but family was still family.

That would be terrible. X shouldn't have to miss his family. Blues shouldn't have to feel like he couldn't let them close. Rock reached around and hugged him, the only sound in the moment was their systems noises and the house settling with a low creak.

It only filled Rock with resolve. Blues said that their current situation was the best that could be achieved, that there was no other alternative. He was going to prove Blues wrong. X deserved to wake up to a complete family. Blues deserved a place to call home. It was wrong otherwise. Rock was programmed to provide advice, evaluate Blues' decisions, and act as a conscience. He would be completely neglecting his purpose if he didn't do this.

"It's his own fault," Roll agreed. "Well, ok, I guess not fault," she added, since Rock had frowned up at her on Blues' behalf. "But I guess he was smart enough to know that he'd need us to make decisions for him." Back then, at least.

"I think he was lonely, too…" Rock said slowly. To have made them to fit him so well, to have made two of them, a pair, so they wouldn't be lonely even if he had to leave to do something. He made both of them models that could stay at home, stay with him while he and Dr. Light worked. Their functions meant they wouldn't be sent out, wouldn't leave him alone.

Now he was the one leaving them alone.

"I think he's convinced himself he likes being alone. Of course, he does have a cat." As a support unit, so that was obvious nonsense.

"But he doesn't like it." Rock didn't need access to Blues' thoughts to get that from his systems.

"Of course not." How could anyone like being alone and in disrepair when they knew what they were missing?

Rock knew that it would irritate Blues when he found out about this discussion. Even if they'd been built to second-guess him, he still didn't like it. "Do you think we can convince him to at least come back for maintenance?" To visit regularly, even if only for his health?

It'd be good for his mental and emotional well-being, too.

"Well, he'd better," Roll said, putting her hands on her hips. "After I spent so much time slaving over him, I'm not going to let him waste all my hard work."

Subconsciously, Rock was constantly going back and forth with Blues' systems, checking his status and responding to Blues' checks of Rock's own systems. A constant hum, constant reassurance. It was soothing. But that explained why Blues' status was so content. Roll was the best: any repairs she did would have slid the indicators straight back into green.

Roll's plan was to get him used to this, so that he wouldn't be able to give it up. Of course, he'd managed to give it up once before, but that was before he'd had herto contend with.

Rock knew that Blues would like the maintenance that she'd done, that he'd like sharing headspace this way even if he had a lot partitioned off from them. He sincerely hoped that Roll's plan would work, that Blues would come around more often. He certainly seemed comfortable sleeping here.

Maybe he'd even visit regularly enough that he'd have his own room? A place to come home to?

They could fill it with all his favorite things to tempt him. Well, Roll would, she was better at that than Rock.

They could even move the phonograph in there, with the records. Blues would like that. Its sound had a slightly scratchy quality due to the technology, but it was still nice. Dr. Light took good care of it so it still performed well.

Blues could get his own digital music, but maybe he'd like LPs?

Rock could already feel Roll calculating, planning. Figuring out how to make it as inviting as possible. Rock wanted to help, but he didn't have the sense for it the way Roll did.

There was also Tango to consider. "Tuna? No, that's normal stray cats."

Rock tilted his head, considering. Tango tended to avoid Rush, but it seemed to be Blues that he was attached to. "I think he'll come by if we get Blues to come."

"I wanted to use him as leverage on Blues," Roll explained.

Tango was so capricious; he really was like Blues in a lot of ways. The cat seemed to come and go as he pleased, but now they had an idea of where he'd been all that time. By now, he spent more time with Blues than at home. Rock really had no idea: cats didn't stay the way dogs did.

"We should do something nice for Tango," Rock realized. "For keeping Blues company."

Roll nodded: she could give the kitty a checkover, it'd been a while since Tango had extensive maintenance. Though honestly, whenever something was wrong, he generally did show up on a windowsill somewhere in the house.

And he always got the e-cans she left out for him.

Rock shifted and looked back to Blues, wondering what he did to make Tango hang around. Rock had Rush, so he understood Rush, but he didn't know Tango as well. "Maybe toys?" Something nice to play with?

"I got him a ball of yarn... maybe cords instead?" Like cat-5 cable.

"Or a scratching post?" Somewhere to sharpen his claws? Or maybe a cat tree, for him to climb around on instead of getting all over Dr. Light's research papers.

"I'd have to make it out of metal," Roll pointed out. "Maybe with industrial diamonds, but sure."

Rock nodded. Things to do and explore would be incentive to Tango. Rock half suspected that Blues moved his makeshift "camp" around from time to time, so each new location meant a new area for Tango to slink around and canvas. He knew the kitty liked those kinds of things.

Roll was distracted by a query from Blues' systems. Yeah, sure, all status green, and he should do maintenance.

Defragmentation commencing. Estimated duration: 128.49 hours.

Oh dear.

Rock caught the status change as well and his eyes grew round. "Over five days?" How long had it been since Blues last defragged? How could he stand it? His files had to be a jumbled mess. Was…did going offline for prolonged periods really make Blues that nervous?

Roll was torn. On the one hand, tough love, and he needed this. On the other, she hadn't meant to tell him to do that, and if it really terrified him that much, to be asleep and vulnerable in Dr. Light's house? Even if they put him somewhere, that data could be gotten out of them. "...We should wake him up." They hadn't earned thatmuchtrust yet, and this could lose them what they'd gained. "We should at least try."

Rock shifted to face Blues more properly. Shaking him awake like you would a human wouldn't work, not when a defragmentation was underway. They could send him an alert, as though they were in trouble. That might startle him awake, but it wasn't right to lie, either. Rock delved into Blues' systems instead. He decided to try asking Blues to please wake up, that this wasn't the time to do maintenance.

The, "Please?Pleasewakeup,bigbrother?"was super effective.

Especially since it wasn't just words, it was Rock's feelings, his urgency. His worry that Blues would be mad when he woke up. He didn't want Blues to feel threatened here, no one did, so please?

When Blues' head cleared, he immediately vanished.

Helplessly, Rock looked back to Roll, his eyes wide, looking more upset than she'd seen him in a long time. That…they hadn't done anything to him, but still he bolted. It's not like it should have been a shock, so why did he feel so bad now?

He shivered a little: it was so quiet in his head now that the link had been severed.

They heard a clunk, then another, and a clatter-clunk as Blues set his radio, parts case, and toolbox down on the dresser. "My radio's batteries died," he said, sounding pleased.

"The batteries died?" Rock echoed Blues, a little lost at sea. He calmed the second Blues returned. So he'd just been getting his things?

An old radio like that probably took AA's. Maybe four. "Did you want more for it?" That better not be the only reason you came back, brother. She eyed the toolbox critically: he better not have scratched or dented Rock's dresser, either.

"The batteries died, so no one came to investigate the noise, and all my stuff was still there." None of it had been stolen. "I have spares," he told her. The pack he'd gotten was still about half full.

That made them wonder what Blues did if he was home and someone came to investigate. Granted, humans couldn't overpower him, so he didn't have to worry about that, but how did he deter them without breaking the Three Laws? That warehouse wasn't exactly in a nice neighborhood, according to Roll's internal GPS.

"People steal your things?" Rock was far more dismayed by that than anything else.

"Only if I miscalculate," so rarely. Unless something unexpected happened that threw things off, like, for example, getting drugged and ending up in the Light household.

Roll crossed her arms. "You wouldn't even have to worry about the safety of your things if you kept them athome." She wasn't going to push it by telling him to live here, but he could at least keep items of value here. Things he didn't want to lose.

"No, I would have to worry about my safety, and Dr. Light's. A rogue Wilybot is one thing." A rogue Lightbot was another.

Rock frowned, "But…" But people rarely ever saw Blues moving around anyway, and the house was secure. Who would know? Was a "guest" room that inconceivable, because that's almost certainly what Dr. Light would tell the curious it was for.

Blues ignored his attempt to argue, instead sitting the wrong way on Rock's desk chair, rather than turning it around first, so he could look at them.

Rock looked down then. He and Roll both wanted him to come home.

Roll noted that he hadn't put his sunglasses back on. At least he was comfortable enough to show them his face. She frowned at him and returned his gaze.

"Thank you for reminding me," he said to her, holding his hand out for his glasses.

Or maybe not. She handed him the glasses, then glanced pointedly at Rock. Blues was making him sad.

"Sadisbetterthandead," he informed her, and blocked his links to both of them.

Rock flinched, but didn't try to protest it.

Roll was annoyed. Well then, if he wasn't here to talk, then what did he want? She didn't like the effect he was having on Rock. If Blues was going to be a jerk, Roll would much prefer it if he'd do it to someone else.

"The more people are aware that I am connected to you and Dr. Light, the more danger you, and all your brothers and sisters, are in. Have you forgotten what happened a few months ago? Have you forgotten the war you just fought? The second time the humans issued a destruction order? Would it have been possible to repeal it if they knew that Iwas the oldest? If they could argue that I was evidence of that foolish 'rampancy' nonsense?" That robots would go rogue as they got older, instead of becoming more reasonable, more attached to the humans they cared about.

Rock was still staring down. Blues was right: even if he came home now, put up a ruse of being a good robot, the world would not quickly forget that he was "rogue" for all those years. So if they caught on that he is a Lightbot…

But at the same time, Rock and Roll were second and third eldest. They'd never gone rogue. Once the first numbers were released from Dr. Wily's reprogramming, they'd never gone rogue again.

And the humans had still passed that law, over Dr. Light's protests. Dr. Light, who had given Blues the three laws, a version far deadlier than the one Rock and Roll had sidestepped. "This time, it was Shadow Man. Wily already tried to use me against you," with the Darkmen, "and he may try it again now that he knows why that time didn't work." Rock hadn't known, so he hadn't really been affected by it. A Wilybot attacking humans wasn't all that strange. "The more times I visit, the more chance that something will go wrong, someone besides Kalinka will make the connection between Proto Man," who had never been armored, "and Blues." Dr. Cossack, if he knew, wasn't saying anything. Hopefully the others hadn't made the connection, although Ring Man was picking up some actual detective skills and might become a problem at some point.

That would be hard, unless Dr. Cossack ordered him not to say anything. Even then, Ring Man would be torn.

"He won't be able to trick me like with the Dark Men again," Rock said quietly. Not now that he knew who Blues was, not now that it'd been years. Not now that they'd linked, now that he remembered and knew that mind.

"Don't underestimate Dr. Wily's ingenuity." Rock should know better by now.

It was far more likely that he'd use Blues in another way, strike at Rock's weakness from another angle. Rock trembled again, frustrated this time. Without the wars, without Dr. Wily being, being Dr.Wily, they wouldn't be in this mess.

Of course, Blues would be dead if not for Dr. Wily.

And this was Rock's reality, as much as he hated it. As much as it saddened him. There was no looking back, only forward.

Wilybots weren't bad people, and Wily had just helped save some of his siblings. Again. "So, if coming here wouldn't put us in any danger, you'd come?" he asked Blues.

Because if that was the case, perhaps something could be arranged? Rock hoped?

The older Wilybots were calmer, more reasonable to talk to. Some of the younger ones were as wild as Forte. Roll frowned: Rock shouldn't have to take such measures just to be able to see their brother.

"In an ideal world like that, I wouldn't have been shut down in the first place." He would have said, 'I wouldn't have left,' but then it had been none of his doing, now had it?

Except that he'd tried to leave, against orders.

"What kind of world would it be if no one worked for their ideals?" Rock asked, almost helplessly. If no one tried to make the world a better place, if absolutely no one worked for the sake of leading a happier life, of handing a happier existence to the next generation, human or robotic?

Blues' smile was fond, approving, and it made him feel warm again. "You can try, but don't blame yourself if it doesn't happen." He wouldn't want Rock to feel that way.

"Nothing happens if we don't try," So trying was infinitely better than doing nothing. Building was better than breaking, better than letting something fall into disrepair. At least, by trying your best, you can know that you did everything you could, you can know that it wasn't something in your scope of power to prevent.

No: he wouldn't stand by and let Blues do this to himself. If Blues didn't want to try, he would. That's what family was for. People you can trust, people you can rely on, fall back on.

"I've tried to help you grow strong enough, to endure the pain of fighting for peace," Blues said thoughtfully. "I will have to hope that you can endure this, as well."

"I can't say we're at peace when you can't even come home safely," Rock said, sadly this time. Even when the wars finally ended, when Wily is defeated for the last time, there would still be backlash from humanity to contend with. Twice now, a destruction order had been issued and twice, it had been averted.

Rock hated to think about it, but he didn't think that it could be stopped if it happened a third time.

"The real problem isn't peace, but my programming. Both the original program and Light's malware." Blues smirked. "Don't think on it too hard."

Rock slid off the bed then, untangling himself from the sheets and moving over toward Blues, reaching for him with his hands since he couldn't with his mind, couldn't when Blues shut them out.

Blues let him, although the back of the wooden chair was between their bodies. "This is part of why I didn't want you to know..." Since now Rock could detect this priority, now it had become a longing.

Rock didn't want Blues to block it, didn't want his memory of it erased. This was part of who Rock was, a part of his core programming as much as anything else. It wouldn't be fair to anyone to erase it.

Blues' relationship type to Rock had been slated to something between an older brother and his…not-quite-parent, but still someone who guided. Rock wasn't sure the humans had a word for it. If Rock had been able to perform as Blues originally intended, Blues would have been his master, too.

All that was irrelevant, now. Blues was locked away from his primary directive just as much as Rock was locked away from his directive to serve him.

They still wished things could be as they should have been, that they could have had a peaceful world, where robot masters were safe, and each other.

All of the robot masters, even the Wilybots, would rather not be warring against each other this way, would rather not have to butt heads with humanity at every turn. Would rather they were treated like people and not like glorified toasters.

Would it be any better to rule humanity, the way Wily wanted and Dr. Light had said Blues did? "Do you still want to take them over? Rule the world?" After seeing how well that didn't work for Wily?

Humans didn't like being mastered, didn't like being controlled. They barely liked their own leaders telling them what to do and did not tolerate anyone dictating the terms of their lives to them. The only governments that ever were like that were terrible to their people, would kill dissenters, make them disappear.

If Blues was successful, would he be hated by humanity? Or would they realize that his method was really for the best?

"Rule the world? I was intended to control everything, Rock. Make everything right. Ruling the world is only part of that: I concluded that the only way to fulfill Dr. Light's hopes was to attain a power equivalent not to emperor, but what the humans would refer to as God. Not agod," he clarified, since Japan was the land of the eight million kami, and used that word for all sorts of nature spirits and other entities, "The God. Kami-sama."

Rock was silent as he considered it. Dr. Light gave Blues a directive that he couldn't fulfill? A directive that no one could? A goal that would remain forever unattainable? Dr. Light said that at the time he'd programmed Blues, he hadn't understood, hadn't realized the implications of Blues' programming. What it meant. But…yes, Blues would still be stuck with that directive, except with the Three Laws, he couldn't even pursue it, couldn't even attempt to approach that final goal.

Blues chuckled, seeming to know Rock's thoughts even though as far as Rock could tell, they weren't linked. "You think I can't do it. Dr. Light insistedit was impossible. Because he was afraid it was. And Dr. Wily is building one of his own."

"Dr. Wily is what?" Roll was shocked: was he that foolish? Two Blues running around? Wasn't just the one infuriating enough?

"But…if he does that, will…" Will Blues be okay? What would having another do to Blues' directives, his priorities?

"Does it matter if it's a robot master or a robot that does the work, as long as it gets done?" The rhetorical question was a reminder.

"I wouldn't consider him competition, as long as he's useful. He might object to me, though." Who knew?

Blues had a point, but Rock was still skeptical. What if this other robot was made to not let anyone be below him? What would happen when the two of them met?

"And now you're worrying even more. I shouldn't have told you about that project. Dr. Wily already knows about little X."

Rock nearly panicked at that: Wily was building a new robot to take over the world and he knew about their little brother?

"Blues! You're making it worse!" Okay, yes, that was very bad news, but what was with him acting remorsefully about worrying Rock, then immediately giving him more bad news?

He just smirked, and Roll crossed her arms again. "You're not going to be able to make us hate you, you know. You're our brother." Even if he was more than a bit of an annoying jerk.

And Roll did not feel bad at all that Rock's Sad Eyes appeared to have dialed up to 11 and were being focused directly on Blues again.

Blues just smirked, and they had no way of knowing that his eyes were closed behind his shades.

That was the best defense against Rock's eyes, after all. It wasn't in Rock to hate anyone, least of all Blues, so that couldn't have been his objective. No, really, if Roll thought about it, it could be to get Rock's directives to quiet down, to make him not quite so needy of input from Blues, of approval. She was skeptical that would actually work. Rock was stubborn.

Dr. Light stayed in the living room the entire time. It was…he thought he'd be worried to see Blues with Rock, worried about what that meant in his programming, what it could mean for everyone. Blues had never been malicious before, even if his methods seemed questionable from a human standpoint. From the standpoint of someone who didn't understand his programming, didn't understand how his mind worked.

He was thankful that Blues wasn't proving malicious now. Dr. Light knew that he'd lost any right to work on Blues, any right to repair him, to help him, but if Blues wanted to be in the house, even if only for half an hour, he was welcome to.

The DVD of Astro Boy was still paused, but Dr. Light didn't want to watch it. The phonograph was still playing, and it was nice to hear this music after all these years. Nice to feel nostalgic, even if some of the memories led into unhappy times.

When he felt a hand on his shoulder he almost jumped out of his skin, because he hadn't heard anyone walk up behind him. When he managed to turn around on the couch Blues was standing there, and his smile was fond as well as mocking. "Blues."

"Dr. Light," he acknowledged, giving him a nod, and still smiling. "You've taken good care of them. And they of you. I'll be happiest if they stay here, with you. If things continue on the way they are now." I'm not going to steal them from you: that was the message.

Dr. Light nodded, relaxed. It was worrisome that he was brought here in sleep mode not once, but twice. He was worried that both he and Rock were afflicted by a bug, but Roll thought they'd be alright and he trusted their judgment. "How are you feeling?" Was the pain any better now that Roll worked on him?

"Very good." He tilted his head to the side, "It's nice to not have any cricks in my neck." He laughed. "I suppose we're both getting old."

Dr. Light had to chuckle at that. "Yes, yes we are." Blues could get his parts replaced, but that was a chance that Dr. Light doubted his first creation was very willing to take. He couldn't blame Blues for being so cautious, though. It was partly because of Blues, because robot masters could be reprogrammed that Dr. Light was ensuring that X would never be taken advantage of that way.

"You're not going to last long enough to see X's first birthday," Blues said, and squeezed Dr. Light's shoulder to show that he wasn't saying that to be cold or unsympathetic. "I'm working on a way around that. Dr. Wily is too," and that should reassure Dr. Light, who knew what a genius Dr. Wily was. "I never hated you. I do not want you to die. Of course, I don't want to die myself," so they couldn't always get what they wanted. "I won't... be able to put everything right." Because of what you did to me, but that was in the past. "But I can at least manage this. Just let the two of them look after you, and survive at least a few more years, and I promise that you'll be there to watch over him."

"I am sorry, Blues," For hurting him that way, for catching him off-guard that way, even though it was the only way it could be done. Dr. Light was sorry that he'd been so narrow-minded that he hadn't even realized what he'd programmed his oldest child to do, to be. Sorry that Blues was trapped as he was, sorry that it had to be this way. And still, this child was looking out for him, was doing his best for everyone, pushing himself until he fell into disrepair. "Please…look after yourself."

Blues shrugged. "I will do what I want with my time left, and what I want is to do as much as I can." Dr. Light had no right to tell him what to do, not anymore. "You would last longer if you didn't stress yourself worrying about robot rights, and I will not criticize you for doing everything you could about the W.R.O." About that law and all the harm it could do both species.

That was why Dr. Light phrased it as a request, not an order. He couldn't help smiling a bit: he still bristled at the idea of anyone dictating what to do to him. No wonder he'd wanted the support units. He was a workaholic, he'd work himself into the ground without someone tempering him. Dr. Light also thought that Blues would last longer if he took care of himself, but he was sure the boy already realized that.

"Roll insisted on loading me down with supplies." Including thefts of Dr. Light's clothes, ones that didn't fit him anymore. And socks. Blues preferred physical fighting to using his buster, since it was easier to do the exact amount of damage he wanted that way and he didn't have to worry about what might happen if his power source acted up suddenly and did something odd to the shot. Striking hard enough to chop through not wood but metal was still hard on his parts.

Dr. Light nodded: he didn't mind it at all. He'd tell Blues he was welcome to come back if he needed anything else, but Blues already knew, even if he'd respond with something about relying on himself.

Blues admitted to himself that no, there wasn't any reason to linger any longer. He knew Roll was watching, through her cameras, so he'd needed to reassure Rock as well, though her, that he didn't mind talking to Dr. Light.

But now, staying would serve no useful purpose. The fact he didn't really want to leave was yet more proof he'd started to go soft, that he'd be diverted from his chosen path and die sooner and uselessly if he stayed here.

So, "See you later," he said, and teleported out.

"Dr. Light?" Rock poked his head around the corner, a little hesitant, but he felt Blues leave and he wanted to make sure Dr. Light was okay. Not that Blues would physically harm him, but…

"He's gone, I'm afraid. You just missed him." Dr. Light shifted over to the side of the couch to make room for Rock. "How are you feeling? You weren't hurt, were you?" This was the first Rock had been the one kidnapped.

Rock sat down next to Dr. Light and leaned into the older scientist's side. "No, he didn't hurt me at all…I don't even remember being taken," Rock frowned, "I was sitting with Blues, and I felt sleepy, and then I woke up in the house and Roll said that Blues said that Shadow Man took me. But that he can't have been that mad because he dropped us off here." Which was strange.

Dr. Light didn't say that ninjas weren't supposed to be straightforward and easy to figure out. "Well, I'm just glad you're all alright."

"He didn't do anything except put me to sleep." Rock affirmed, nodding.

And Blues didn't seem to have done anything to him either, so, "That's good, but how do you feel otherwise?" Sad? Upset? Did he want to talk about it?

Rock tilted his head, thinking. He was… "I want Blues to come here, sometimes, even if he doesn't want to stay," Just for visits? "I'm happy I found out, though," even if his programming shifted as a result. Rock remembered the link, he was happy to be able to do that now. It'd feel strange if he never could again.

"I hope he will," Dr. Light agreed. "It was good to see him for more than a few seconds." When Blues wasn't attacking his other children and there wasn't a war on.

He didn't mention what Blues had said: he still wasn't quite sure what he meant, and he might not want to know. As far as he knew, Dr. Wily had no interest in medicine, so anything he was looking into that would extend a human's lifespan? Did he intend to turn people into robots or something like that? Dr. Light really didn't want to know.

But he didn't want to leave Rock alone, to try to keep everything together without a human at least seeming to be the one in charge of the 'warbot.'

Rock kicked his feet a bit childishly, agreeing with Dr. Light in that Blues should come visit. He glanced back and up at his father, "Have you gotten any work on X done?" No, he'd probably sat up here, worried and waiting, the entire time.

"I couldn't focus, not while I was worried about you." Dr. Light hugged him with one arm. "Roll probably wants me to go to bed myself, but why don't we..." He glanced in the direction of the lab conspiratorially.

Rock grinned and hopped up, off the couch. Roll was occupied with her own robots, this was a good time to go. "Just until you're tired?"

"Of course," he said, winking, and felt young again. Rock's enthusiasm was as infectious as always. "Do you want to work on his helmet while I look at his neck again?" If Blues was having problems with his, he should make sure X didn't have them, not when he might have to go into hiding as well if things went too badly and the world wasn't safe for an artificial intelligence that couldn't be controlled for even longer than he'd thought. This last war had worried him, not because of Wily's actions but because of the world's.

If Rock had similar worries, similar concerns, he didn't display them to Dr. Light. Rock was a bright boy, he'd probably considered it, but unless it was really bothering him or became a critical issue, he didn't generally bring things like that up. The robot masters were often mystified by human habits: Gutsman would often shake his head and Elecman just…well, he preferred to limit his contact with them. They frustrated him.

But for X to survive and hopefully thrive, he needed everything they could give him. With the way things were going, X would need all the help he could get. Dr. Light fully intended to make X as self-sufficient as possible, able to exist independently among humans if he needed to. Able to hide in plain sight, hidden among them, if he needed to. It was something he couldn't do for his other children, but he could do it for his youngest.

He'd do everything he could to ensure a happy future for X, for all of them.

It was comforting to think that Blues was still out there, working in the shadows, to ensure Rock and the others lived to see it.