Chapter 6: A New Path

The next morning, when Mega awoke, he saw snow falling outside him window. He sat up and stretched, then leaned over his bed and gave his dog a pat on the head. Rush responded with a lazy glance. Mega got up and looked out the window, spying Half-Kins out enjoying the snow. He hurried downstairs and found Zatana and her friends preparing to go outside.

“Good morning,” Mega greeted. Zatana returned the greeting, then asked if Mega had seen his brother anywhere.

“We can’t find him.”

“I just woke up,” said Mega. A concerned look crossed his face. He grabbed his borrowed scarf and ran outside, then stopped short just outside the door. The others came around to see for themselves that had caught his attention.

There was Proto, helping two kids build a snowman. Mega smiled as he thought to himself,

The new programming kicked in. He went outside to join the fun.

“Good morning,” he greeted. Proto nodded in response. “So, how does it feel? Your reprogramming, I mean.”

“Well, I’m not dizzy anymore, and I can feel a difference.” He touched his chest, searching for the words. “It feels a little strange, and at time a little familiar. Like at times I feel warm, and at others I feel a tingle. Or like right now there’s a feeling I can’t really describe.” The kids, finished with the snowman, ran off to play in the powder until they were called in for lunch. Zatana and Zantar approached.

“We’re going to go shopping to buy some Christmas presents for out family and friends,” she said. “Just a little last-minutes shopping. Wanna come?”

“Sure.” Mega said. Proto nodded, and they followed Zatana to a large open air market, kapt warm with carefully watched fires spread here and there, and the presence of the dragons which seemed to give off quite a bit of warmth of their own. Tents and buildings sold every kind of gift and food imaginable. Other Half-Kins were walking about, shopping, and meeting friends while music was played by, again, Zant and others.

“I guess we’ll split up, if that’s okay,” Zantar said. “I’m picking up Zatana’s gift and I don’t want her to see.”

“That’s fine with me,” Proto said. “I’d like to explore a little on my own anyhow.”

“So we’ll meet up at the center clearing over there in half an hour.” They split up. Mega wandered from store to store, looking at various things. He saw a necklace Roll would like, and he found out by asking that apparently everyone knew he wasn’t from in town, for when he askedabout paying me was told just to sign something, and then it was taken care of. He had a funny suspicion that Zatana had something to do with that.

Mega also found a set of crystal bookends that he thought Dr. Light would enjoy, since he had so many books and one shelf did have the habit of falling over, and a tug-of-war rope was perfect for Rush (maybe it would keep him from occasionally playing tug-of-war with Mega using other items - like Mega’s bed sheets for example). But what to get Proto? Mega knew that this might be the only Christmas he had with his brother as brothers, and he wanted to find something special, something that would mean something to Proto even if he decided to be reprogrammed back or to stay on the bad side. The thought bothered Mega so much that he felt that if he’d been a human, he might have shed a tear or two, but he forced the thought out of his mind. It wasn’t the time for that, and besides, he wasn’t human and couldn’t cry, and even if he could he wasn’t one to.

That was when he spied a plaque that had the word brother in big letters. He hurried over and picked it up to read it: Being your bro... Mega smiled when he read the words, then bought it, thinking it the perfect gift.

He hurried back to the center clearing, for by now the half hour was almost spent, and on the way he spied Zantar coming out of a jewelry tent, glancing around for a moment before exiting as if trying not to be seen. Mega chuckled as he followed, now knowing what type of gift Zantar had in store for Zatana. He stayed behind to that Zantar was the first one back, then came up.

“Find everything?” the cat asked.

“Uh huh.” He sat down beside Zantar to wait for the others. They chatted and Mega glanced around every now and then. Soon Zatana returned, holding a large bag that she kept well away from Zantar.

“Anyone seen Proto?” she asked. Both guys shook their heads. He was the only one not back yet. Suddenly Dr. Light and Roll appeared beside Mega, apparently also shopping, and greeted the three.

Just then they all heard someone whistling a tune. The whistling was well on key, but whoever it was sounded almost hesitant about the notes, as if he didn’t know the carols very well. The whistling now and then paused, then resumed. Zantar, Zatana, Mega, Dr. Light, and Roll looked around, then Zatana grabbed Mega’s arm.

“What is it?”

“Look!” He looked where she was, and saw Proto Man walking towards them. He had on hand casually behind his back, a bag hung on the other, and he was whistling. Actually whistling! Mega could hardly believe it. As he got closer, Mega noticed a spring in his step, and he seemed cheerful. He passed by a trash can and paused. He looked towards Mega, close enough for both to see each other’s expressions, and smiled. Then he reached up and removed the visor that covered his eyes, shielding them from view and hiding most of the emotions he now carried inside. They watched, strangely tense, as he held the visor up, looking at it, as if he was studying it.

Proto looked at his visor a little more, and suddenly took it in both hands and with a loud, violent snap broke it in two over the edge of the trash can.

Mega’s mouth fell open in surprise, and did Roll’s, and Dr. Light’s eyes were big. Then, seeming quite proud of himself, Proto put the halves of his visor in the bag he carried and joined the others.

“Hello,” he greeted. Mega had managed to close him mouth, but he couldn’t stop staring. “What? Oh, this?” He held up half the visor. Mega nodded. But Dr. Light understood.

“I take it you’ve decided on your preferred path.”

“I have, Dr. Light.” Slowly understanding came to Mega. The visor had been in part a symbol of the difference between them, of Proto’s past as a single-minded, unemotional creature. He wasn't saying that he was going to join Mega and the side of good, or not go back to Wily's side, but in breaking it he had declaired that he had decided free will.

“So you’ve decided to keep yourself the way you are now?” Zatana asked. Proto nodded, his smile touching eyes as blue as Mega’s. All went back to Zatana’s home with light hearts, and the blue bomber could only hope that maybe Christmas - or Winter Fest - might give him one more gift... his brother, home.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Everyone was busy wrapping and trying to hide gifts the rest of that day. It was quite an event, almost like a contest of hide-and-seek. Mega found it difficult to wrap his gifts for every now and then someone would come into the kitchen where he was and he’d first jump in surprise, then try to cover the gifts from whoever it was. And from what he could hear, he wasn’t the only one. At last he was able to sit back and sigh with satisfaction over the gifts, now completely concealed under colorful paper and ribbon and bows.

“At last,” he sighed, stretching. “Finished” There was a knock at the door, and at Mega’s call Alcor peeked in.

“Is it safe to come in?” the cub asked.

“Yeah. I’m done wrapping.” He motioned towards the four gifts on the table.

“Good. I was getting hungry.” And Alcor headed towards the refrigerator. Mega laughed. “I saw Proto wrapping some gifts.” That got Mega’s attention.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. He was being real sneaky about it, wrapping them in his room, but I saw when I was climbing in the tree outside his window. He was just finishing wrapping the fourth gift.” The little lion filled a cup with a liquid that looked like milk, then took a deep drink. Then, after wiping away the mustache, he added, “And I saw your other friends hiding gifts too.” Mega smiled.

“This day’s been busy.”

“Yep.” Alcor grinned, excited about the season like most children (and some adults) got. “And it’s not over with yet!”

“That’s right. There’s still the skit.”

“And the talent show,” the cub added. The door opened, and Mega quickly tossed a dish towel over the gifts. And good this too, for Proto came in.

“Zatana said that it’s almost time for the show,” he said. then, noticing the barely covered gifts, he added, “Not very well hidden.”

“Well, it’s not like I had time to find a good hiding place,” Mega joked. Proto grinned.

“Just to let you know, I think I got the last good hiding place.” He grinned broader in response to the blue bomber’s playful glare. “See ya.” He left. Mega stood and picked up his gifts.

“Any ideas where I could hide these?’ he asked Alcor.

“Yeah. In my room.”

“Thanks.” They stashed the gifts and Alcor’s room, then went outside to join the others at the stage for the Winter Fest Skit and Talent show.

First there some of the younger children singing a couple of songs, and then came the skit. The entire crowd was laughing themselves sick by the time it was over. Then Zant and Zatana performed their duet, which was very touching to those listening, and then came the talent portion. Small groups or individuals showed off their abilities. some performed a little skit, while others sang, or played some sort of musical instrument. In the end, Zatanari said that each act was so good that it was impossible to choose a winner and therefore each act won. Sure, his speech sounded a little corny, but everyone was in a good mood and no one really minded. The whole thing lasted from about five thirty to nearly six thirty. Then all dispersed to spend the rest of the day doing whatever needed to be done, for the next day was Winter Fest Eve!