"This time you die, Rockman!" Forte bellowed as he drew back his pulses canon. Another aerial battle during which his battle cries stung through his opponent’s ears even more than the chilling wind.

"You’re wrong, Forte! We mustn’t fight!! Please, listen to me!" the azure warrior retorted, using his mechanical dog Rush to hold him up. The skies were vast and open on a morning this clear, and the wind was whipping over them, making the combat more difficult.

Blues sat watching it all from atop his shield. He had been waiting for his brother to finish a salvaging mission a few miles outside the city when Forte had attacked.

"Looks like they’ve been detained." Blues muttered simply. It was a beautiful start to a beautiful day, despite his younger brother’s state of distress. After all, Forte and Rock had argued often enough but they had never severely injured each other. It was something Blues could count on, that the two warriors never went all out. Rock was predictable in that respect because he NEVER went all out with any opponent...even Wily. It was no secret that the blue robot was a pacifist at heart, while also being the city’s greatest hero.

"Ah, the irony of life." Blues muttered, watching a flash of brilliant light from his brother’s gun go streaming at the black robot ahead of him. The beauty of battle never ceased to amaze Blues. He was, at heart, a warrior. Nothing more.

Not like Rock.

"Morning, Blues." A familiar female voice said quietly from behind the observer. Blues didn’t need to turn to see who it was.

"Good morning, Roll. How are you this fine morning?" Blues asked with a hint of sarcasm. Roll glared at him from atop the air car. It was a large white van that Dr. Light had designed some months ago, but, as a combat advantage, it had been given hover abilities.

Seeing as Roll was the only member of the family responsible enough to hang onto a driver’s license for more than a week, she often ended up being the one driving it.

Even to suit her own purposes, judging by the numerous shopping bags Blues could make out crammed into the front seat. "I’m fine, Blues... but I don’t think Rock is going to be if Forte’s next blast lands a hit." Roll said anxiously, watching the sky from the hood of the car. Blues laughed as the girl carefully slid off the top and motioned for Roll to sit beside him on top of the building where he resided. Roll nodded and joined him as they watched their younger brother battle his way through the various explosions of Forte’s flash bombs.

"He’s getting better."

"Which one?"

"Forte," Blues uttered emotionlessly. He knew that Roll would never understand the true depth of the statement, but he decided that she didn’t need to. For Rock’s sake.

"I don’t think he looks any stronger...oh...ROCK LOOK OUT!" Roll was unable to stop herself from shouting as her little brother was nearly hit by a piece of a nearby office building that Forte had ripped loose and hurled in the blue robot’s direction. Rock noted the piece of rubble and managed to dodge it in time, but not without getting hit over his helmet with one of Forte’s shots.

"Forte! Stop it!" Roll called out angrily. Blues put a hand on her’s to indicate silence.

"Don’t, Roll. Let them fight."

"They’ll kill each other! You can’t want the death of your own brother!"

Blues merely shrugged. "I don’t. They won’t kill each other."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know them. Let’s not forget I knew Rock before you did. I knew him from the moment he was created. I’ve fought him as an enemy and I’ve fought alongside him as a friend. I know his combat style inside and out, and right now, he wants to be left in peace."

"But Blues, that’s all Rock ever wants! That won’t stop Forte from killing him!"

"Perhaps not, but Forte isn’t fighting full power yet. Rock can hold out."

Roll gave Blues a hard look. "How can you be so cold!?"

"On the contrary, I think I’m being rather sympathetic to their needs. It’s you who are being cold, Roll." Blues said gently. He knew Roll would never understand the full irony of the statement, but that it would succeed in making her mad. When Roll was mad and the situation wasn’t a dire threat, she fled to do her housecleaning. It was how she coped.

"You are something else." Roll muttered to herself, hoping back in the van. Blues smirked to himself as the white air car pulled off. Mission accomplished.

"Now to sit back and enjoy the show." Blues muttered softly, watching as Rock struggled to avoid a spray of blasts from Forte.

"THIS TIME YOU DIE!" Forte proclaimed, forcing Rock in a circle to the area behind him. Rock was trying to combat his blasts again, trying to avoid any real pain for either of them...how sweet. How chillingly sweet.

It bothered Forte that he felt he should say ‘thank you’.

"Forte, I have no wish to harm you! Please stop this madness before you harm an innocent civilian!" Rock shouted, dodging another volley of blasts with a loop-de-loop. Forte remained less than impressed, firing his cannon several more times at his shorter foe. One of his shots came close...almost. It was close enough to make a small dent in Rock’s arm but not large enough do any real damage.

At least I nicked him. Forte thought sourly. I wish that was enough.

NO NO NO NO NO! WE ARE NOT GOING DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN! THIS IS YOUR JOB, DAMMIT, DO IT!

Forte resigned himself to his fate, using Gospel to steer himself close to a large, almost 50 story building. The walls were glassy and covered with tempered material. Forte grinned.

"Rock...you have ONE LAST CHANCE TO BEST ME!" Forte shouted, firing the button that merged him with Gospel. Gospel obeyed quickly, enwrapping his master in a bright purple light, then connecting his own body with Forte’s. The Gospel Boost armor was ready. Now Forte just had to use it.

"Forte, what are you talking about?" Rock asked urgently, circling around to Forte, only a few feet away. Forte grinned.

Aw shit. Blues thought. Tell me he’s NOT going to shoot the building...please tell me...

"YOUR LIFE ENDS NOW, ROCK!" Forte teleported behind Rock and before the little blue robot had a chance to react, a giant blast was sent into the glass covered building, a huge ripple of glass shattering...and in an instant, all Rock could see was a whirl of debris as he stubbornly clung to Rush in an attempt to survive.

I’m falling...Rock thought meekly as he and his robotic dog were pushed downward beneath the mass of linoleum, glass and steel. He did it...I can’t believe it, he did it, he’s...killed me... And then there was blackness. A cold hard surface beneath him after an abrupt fall...and the feeling of heavy and rough concrete on top of him. There were car horns; he must’ve landed in the road. He could faintly make out the sound of somebody swerving to avoid the mess Forte must have made...Forte...you can be happy...I’m going to die. END OF CHAPTER 1