Chapter 13: Unexpected Aid

Mega Man awoke from a deep, dreamless sleep. Even before he opened his eyes, he felt warmth surrounding him. Even more surprising was the realization that the warmth wasn�t from a blanket or fire.

�Huh?� He opened his eyes and saw, to his further surprise, a gray creature laying behind Proto Man. It appeared equine except for the single pointed horn in the middle of its forehead. A unicorn, Mega realized. The gray unicorn looked up at Mega and nodded. Mega noticed, ironically, that the unicorn�s mane, tail, hooves, and horn were a fiery red, much the same color as the red on Proto�s fighting uniform.

The warmth at his back moved, and Mega peered over his shoulder to find himself face to face with another unicorn, this one also gray but with a sapphire blue coloring instead of red.

�Ah, you�re awake,� the blue unicorn said softly. �That is good.�

�Who are you?�

�Lets save the introductions for after your friends awaken. After all, it is early in the dawn. The sun hasn�t risen yet.� Just then, Proto stirred. Rush, having awakened a split second after Mega but not having wanted to move, licked Proto�s face. That fully woke him up.

�Rush,� he sleepily muttered, shoving the dog�s head away. The red and gray unicorn raised his head again. Proto�s eyes opened, and by the way they widened a bit Mega guessed he saw the unicorn behind the blue bomber.

�We�ve got company,� was the simply reply. Mega looked over his shoulder again.

�Now who are you?�

�I am called Ice,� the blue-manned one said, �and this is my brother, Magma.�

�We were told that you three were stranded outside while on our way to visit our cousins Glowheart and his children Lighthorn and Moonbeam,� Magma said. �Our friend led us to you, and we decided to help you.�

�Thanks,� replied Mega. He sat up. Proto pulled himself up as best he could, into a kind of slouching reclining position, and Rush sat up and yawned, then, upon seeing the unicorns, barked once in confusion. Mega quickly reassured Rush, then his eyes widened, for he had seen Proto�s arm. �Proto! Your arm!� Proto gently cradled it against himself.

�Got banged up when I fell.�

�Use the blankets for bandaging,� Ice suggested. �Tear them up.�

�Good idea.� Working together they tore up one of the blankets, then bound up Proto�s arm. Mega wrapped one strip over the shoulder and around his back and chest over and over until his shoulder seemed secure. Then they used what was left to make a sling, which went around his neck and held his arm comfortably.

�Thanks,� Proto said, still instinctively holding his arm close to his body.

�Can either of you walk?� Ice asked.

�Not sure,� responded Mega. �But we can find out.� The five crept out. The unicorns were the first to stand, stretching out their legs and shaking off. Rush was the next up, a little stiff from the cold but otherwise steady, then retrieved the robot�s helmets for them. Mega was wobbly, and had to lean against the wall of the cave for a few moments, because some of his circuitry was a little frozen still. But Proto was unable to stand at all. His legs just wouldn't respond properly..

�You are badly hurt,� Magma said sympathetically.

�Probably a damaged motor circuit,� Mega surmised. Magma walked over to Proto. He laid down and nodded backwards.

�I shall bear you to K'Tan,� he offered. Proto gratefully said, �Thanks,� and climbed on. Ice went to Mega and let him climb on. Then the two unicorns began to leave the area.

�Can you climb the incline?� Mega asked.

�No,� answered Ice, �but we do know of a way out that�s easier. We�ll get to K'Tan in time for the morning service.�

�Thank you again.�

They traveled for about three-quarters of an hour through the woods until they reached a gentler slope to ascend. The snow was heavily piled at the base, but Ice stepped forward without hesitation while Magma held back a bit.

�Uh, won�t that be hard to push through?� asked Mega.

�Not for me,� the blue and gray unicorn said with a laugh. He lowered his head and began walking forward, his horn almost touching the snow drift. Suddenly, the drift parted before the unicorn like a miniature parting of the Red Sea. they easily stepped up.

�Amazin�,� Proto whispered. Mega nodded in agreement. He eyed the sky, trying to judge the time.

�Just about six.�

�The celebration begins at half past seven. We�ll make it probably during the first hymn.� Proto shivered suddenly.

�Cold?� asked Magma. Proto nodded.

�I�m a bit chilly myself,� Ice said. Magma moved over so that Mega�s knee almost brushed against Proto's. Suddenly all of them were quite comfortable.

�As Ice had some powers over cold,� the fiery-haired unicorn explained, �so do I over heat.�

�Our journey shall be easy and comfortable,� added Ice, amusement in his voice.

�Can all unicorns do things like that?� asked Mega.

�No,� replied his mount. �Only a rare few.�

�Our parents had such abilities,� Magma said. He laughed. �Everyone said it was easy to tell who took after whom. Our father was Glacier and out mother Fireblossom.� The robots couldn�t help but laugh as well. Just then Proto caught sight of a bluish glow off to one side a little ways ahead of them. He managed to give Mega�s foot a gentle kick.

�Is that Zatana up ahead?� The younger bot looked.

�I�m not sure.� As they got closer, the two unicorns saw the Half-Kin. They instantly stopped.

�What�s wrong?�

�That�s Zana, the spirit-queen of the Half-Kins,� answered Ice in a whisper.

�She was King Zantari�s wife before she died, and protects her family and their friends. Anyone the Leons name as a friend is under her protection.� Mega thought for a moment about that, then started as Magma added, �She is known to enlist the aid of the birds - called flyers here - spitfires, dolphins, and sometimes even dragons if the need to great.�

�Birds?�

�Yes.� The brother robots looked at each other, each thinking the same thing. They were remembering the bird that fed their fire.

�So if she�s so nice, why have you two stopped?� Proto asked. The two unicorns seemed a tad bit ashamed. Ice answered.

�We�ve never been face to face with her before, and neither of us are quite sure how to act.�

�Lets just continue,� Mega said. �I believe Zatana considers Proto and Rush and I friends.�

�A bird with a long, rainbow-colored tail fed our fire before you two showed up.�

�Okay.� They resumed their trek and when they passed Zana, she smile and waved at them and wished them a Merry Winter Fest, and a Merry Christmas, calling each in his turn by name. And when they returned the greeting, she smiled and vanished.