Author's Note: I'm glad everyone seems to be liking this one so far. Here's where things get... interesting.

Part Two: Brother Against Brother

The following week found Mega, dressed in his street clothes and appearing perfectly normal in the crowd, at the museum to view the exhibit. No one recognized him as the blue bomber that constantly saved their city from Wily, and he liked it that way. Dr. Light's security system had been installed the previous day, before the artifacts had been put in their places. But a little added security couldn't hurt, or so Mega figured. Besides, he was a little interested in ancient Egypt.

Too bad I couldn't contact Break Man, he thought.

Just then the curator of their museum appeared. After a little speech, he formally opened the exhibit, and everyone went in. Mega had to admit the way the exhibit was done up and impressive. In one room the walls were painted to look like the banks of the river Nile, with Egyptian homes and people as if from the insides of a temple. It really set the mood for the rest of the exhibit. Another room was turned into a tunnel like the main galley of the Great Pyramids themselves. For once Mega was glad that he was so short. He didn't have to duck like some of the others. The third room made the blue bomber feel like he was inside one of the pyramids, surrounded by replica hieroglyphics and paintings, papyrus scrolls in glass casings, jars and statuettes, even a few toy-like objects and a real mummy in a sarcophagus. Only Mega's trained eyes saw the cameras and turned-off infrared sensors concealed in the walls, cleverly hidden in the artwork and decorations. He couldn't resist discreetly smiling directly at one of the cameras. It looked like Dr. Light's system would protect the artifacts well, for Mega knew that there was stuff that even he couldn't see guarding the priceless objects.

Suddenly there was an explosion outside. Everyone scrambled for the emergency exits, and Mega was swept alone with them. Once outside, he saw who he'd been expecting all day.

Dr. Wily! Mega looked over his shoulder at the museum. I can't let anything happen to the museum. There's priceless artifacts and artworks in there, and people still inside who can't get out. Got to lead Wily away. He darted around a corner so no one would see him, hit his recall button, and was instantly clad in the fighting uniform. He raced out into the battle, firing at the Wily bots he saw, purposefully not staying in one place too long.

"Hey Wily!" he shouted up at the Skullcar. "I didn't know you were interested in ancient Egypt!"

"You'd be surprised at what you don't know," came Wily's voice over the speakers of his flying machine. "Get him!" As always Mega found himself fighting nearly every Robot Master that Wily threw at him all at one time. He fought well, and destroyed a couple (although he knew Wily could just re-clone them) but Heat Man and Metal Man got in a couple of really good lucky shots, sending Mega spinning to the ground, slightly dazed for the moment.

"I'm gonna squash that blue dweeb!" Guts Man called, preparing to leap onto Mega before he could recover. A whistle and a flash of red and white saved the blue bomber scant seconds before Guts Man created a crater in the asphalt.

"Thanks, Break Man," Mega said as he dizzily sat up, then climbed to his feet. The remaining Robot Masters circled the two brothers, who went back to back, arm cannons ready. When their shoulders touched, both felt a slight shock and jumped a bit, but forced themselves to ignore it.

Up in the Skullcar, Dr. Wily noticed their slight twitch and grinned evilly. Everything was working perfectly. Of course, the brothers were too far away and too busy to notice his smirk.

After what was a rather brief battle, compared to the majority of the rest, the robot Masters were ordered to retreat. The brother watched them leave, then collapsed against a building to rest and recharge a bit. Mega looked at the museum. It was undamaged. He smiled, then felt a touch on his arm. He turned to see Break Man looking at him.

"You okay, bro?"

"Yeah. We did a good job."

"Sure sent them packing." Something about Break Man's reply irritated Mega.

"I meant the protecting museum."

"Oh. Yeah," was the casual reply. Irritation rose to slight annoyance. Break Man offered Mega an energy can, which was brushed away.

"No, thanks." Break Man frowned.

"You need it brother. You're pretty beat up." Mega got to his feet. So did the red raider.

"No worse than you!" Now both were very annoyed bordering on full-blown anger.

"Hey! I just saved your life! How about a thank you?"

"I never asked for your help!"

"Never argued before!" He again offered the energy can. Mega eyed it coldly, then in a violent motion batted the can out of his hand and to the asphalt. That did it. Anger flared fully, hot and wild.

"Why don't you just let me fight my own battles?"

"I was trying to protect you!"

"I don't need it!"

"Well don't worry! I won't ever help you again, little brother. In fact, don't be surprised it you never see me again!"

"I won't be! And I don't care!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Break Man and Mega teleported away at the same time; Mega back to his creator and Break Man to who knew where.

A little ways away Dr. Wily watched the scene from the eyes of a Batonton and laughed. Everything was going perfectly according to plan.

Once at Dr. Light's lab, Mega stormed inside. He felt angrier that ever before. Rush apparently heard his master's return and bounded to greet him, but was stopped cold with a glare and instead ran back to the lab. Mega followed. In the lab he found not only Rush but also Dr. Light and Roll as well.

"Mega! You're back!" Roll greeted. Dr. Light turned in his chair to regard his creation, then immediately lost his smile when he saw Mega's expression.

"Mega, what's wrong? Did something happen?" He got out of his chair and approached Mega, who leaned back against a lab table feeling an odd desire not to be touched.

"Nothing," he muttered bitterly. Dr. Light went to Mega's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I something's bothering you, I'd like to help." Mega roughly shrugged off the kind scientist's hand.

"I don't want to talk about it." Dr. Light blinked in surprise at this change in Mega's usual attitude. He was instantly a little suspicious.

"Mega, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a quick scan of your system."

"Why?" The tone of that one word nearly made Dr. Light shudder, and he hesitated in answering. That seemed to infuriate Mega. "Why are you always poking and prodding me? I'm not just a robot anymore! I'm not some experiment to be tested on!" Dr. Light jerked back. That was a cruel blow. He'd never thought of Mega that way, as just an experiment - Never!

"Mega, I - "

"Just leave me alone!" He stormed towards the door. Roll moved to try and stop her brother, to calm him if she could, but when she got close he shoved her away. She tripped over Rush and hit the floor on her back. Mega left. Dr. Light went to Roll and helped her up.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked, eyed wide. Rush whimpered in concern.

"I'm not sure, Roll," Dr. Light said sadly, wondering at this change in the normally friendly, warm-hearted Mega Man. "I'm just not sure."

Mega wandered the woods a little ways away from the lab, kicking rocks that got in his way and grumbling to himself.

“Just an experiment to him...couldn’t care less...no respect...” He kicked a rock that ricocheted off a tree and nicely pinged off of his helmet. “Arg!” He picked up the rock and threw it away form him as hard as he could. Then, just to expel the surge of anger, he charged his arm cannon and fired a multitude of shots at various power levels into the air, yelling his rage. Then, finally exhausted, he collapsed to lay in the green grass, panting a bit to cool down some of his circuits.

Just at that moment he heard an odd zinging sound. Curious, he raised his head and looked around, then got up. Mega followed the sound to an oval of green light.

“What’s this?” he asked no one in particular. On instinct he reached for his communications button to get in touch with Dr. Light, then paused, frowning. “No! Don’t think so.” He turned to the oval, the carelessly shrugged. “Can’t be any worse that here.” He entered, and it vanished behind him with barely a sound.

Meanwhile, at a place nobody knew, Break Man was doing much as Mega had before. To spend the anger he still felt he was training, firing at various targets he’d set up, many pictures of Mega.

A zinging noise stopped him in his tracks. He looked over to see an oval of green light nearby. Cautiously he approached it, then touched it. Nothing happened. He threw a small stone in, and it vanished.

“A door of some sort?” he muttered to himself. He glanced it over, then carelessly shrugged. “At least no matter what happens I’ll be away from Mega Jerk.” He went through. I closed behind him.

Back at the lab, Dr. Light was absently working on an invention. But although his hands moved, his mind was elsewhere. It was thinking about Mega.

What happened to cause such a change in him? Was it the battle? Too much stress? He blinked and swallowed as a thought occurred to him. Me?

The communication screen on the computer flickered, indicating a call was coming in. Thinking that it perhaps it was the mayor, Dr. Light turned to answer it. Bit it wasn’t the mayor.

“Dr. Wily!”
“Good afternoon, Dr. Light.”

“What do you want?”

“I just wanted to see how Mega and Proto Man were doing.” All knew that that bugged the heck out of Break Man, the way Wily kept referring to him by that name. Dr. Light’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“What have you done to Mega and Break Man?” he asked slowly, making sure to enunciate the red raider’s name. Dr. Wily feigned an innocent face.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. I know you did something to affect Mega’s personality, and since you’re wondering about Break Man as well, I can only assume that you’ve done the same things to him.” Now he understood partially what had ticked Mega off so.

“I just enhanced their anger capabilities, that’s all,” Wily said as if it was no big deal. “But that’s no longer any of your concern.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Quite simply that - ” It was obvious that Wily was enjoying saying this. “Mega’s gone.”

“What! What did you do to him?”

“I did nothing. It was Mega himself who did. See for yourself.” an image appeared on the screen of Mega in the woods. “A Batonton that I had spy on Mega caught this earlier. I just thought that you’d like to see.” Dr. Light watched in shock as Mega found the green oval, clearly heard all the blue bomber said, and finally vanished into the glow.

“Mega! No!” Dr. Wily’s face appeared, grinning maliciously.

“I just wanted to warn you that in about a week’s time I’ll be formally taking over the city, and in order to do so I’ll need a new base. One that’s closer to my city.” Dr. Light could sense what was coming.

“Dr. Wily, don’t you - ”

“Your lab, I believe, will do nicely.” It seemed Wily really wanted to add insult to injury, as it were.

“I’ll not let you!”

“And what exactly can you do? Mega’s gone, Proto Man won’t answer your plea for help, and your protective shields won’t hold for long.” To that the good scientist had no reply but stood mute, trembling in anger. “See you in a couple of days. Hahahahah!” The screen went dead. For a few minutes, Dr. Light would only stare at the blank screen. Then his shoulders sagged. He bowed his head in utter defeat.

“Mega Man, Break Man... Please come back to me.” It was the plea of a broken-hearted father.

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Post note: For those who have read Bro-Bot's Christmas, I bet you can guess where we're going next!