The next day...
Protoman was in his room watching anime when Dr. Wily walked in.
"Hello," Protoman said as a formality.
Wily said nothing, instead he stared at the Japanese show on the television. After a few minutes he spoke. "What are you watching?"
"It's Japanese animation, Doctor Wily."
"Do you understand what it's saying?"
"Yes, completely."
"And how did you learn Japanese?" Wily asked him. In Protoman's opinion, he was acting odder than normal. He kept talking slowly, as if Protoman wouldn't understand him.
"From the internet," Protoman replied. He felt it was slightly obvious considering he couldn't leave the house, and they had no Japanese books.
"How are you watching it here?"
"I fixed the television so that it can recieve satellite broadcasts from Japan."
"Why?"
"Because anime intrests me," Protoman said simply. He didn't understand what was so important about it for Wily to keep asking him questions.
"Turn it off. Get rid of it. I don't want to see you watching it anymore," Wily ordered.
Protoman stared at Wily in shock. He simply sat there for a few moments before he stammered "no."
"What?!?" Wily sputtered.
"No. I don't want to get rid of it. I like it, and it's not hurting anything."
"That's not the point. You're a robot. You're not supposed to like or dislike something. You're not real. You have no feelings. Now get rid of it!"
"No."
"How can you refuse me? I'm your creator, and I'm telling you to get rid of it so get rid of it!"
"No. I won't. You can't control my life." Protman defied him, not just out of spite but because it was irrational.
Wily laughed cruelly. "Life? You've got to be kidding. You have no life. You're just a pile of metal and fluid. You're not really alive. You never were alive and never will be. It's impossible. Everything you know, in fact your entire personality, has been programmed into you. It wasn't your decision. You have no say in this. All you are is an object, a possesion."
Protoman was shaken by Wily's speech. It was all true, but why then did he have interests that he knew weren't programmed into him. He wasn't programmed to like anime. He wasn't programmed to speak Japanese. He wasn't programmed to refuse his creator. He wasn't programmed to like his brother. They were all added by him. He did control his life, and it was life. He thought for himself, he was even begining to develop preferences.
"You're wrong." Protoman said.
"I'm right, and you know it. You may think it's all false, but deep down you know I'm right. You just don't want to admit it." Wily said. "Now be a good little robot and get rid of the anime."
"No." Protoman refused, but he was beginning to lose confidence. Wily's remarks were hitting too close to the things that dwelled in his mind. The things he perfered not to think about.
"Fine, if you won't, I will." Wily said, and knocked the television over.
The television shattered in a burst of sparks, glass, and plastic as it hit the edge of a metal table. Protoman had to shield his face to keep the shards from breaking his optical sensors. As it was, a few peices had gotten in his joints, and some had pierce his armor. Wily remained uninjured because he had pushed it towards Protoman.
Protoman screamed involuntarily. That had hurt him immensly. Protoman stared in shock at the pieces of plastic and glass sticking out of him. He had felt real pain and he wasn't prepared to deal with it. He wasn't used to it. He started to shake, also involuntary.
Something strange is going on, he thought. This shouldn't be happening. I shouldn't feel pain. I'm not supposed to.
Just then Light rushed into the room. "What's going on?" He quickly took in the scene and rushed to Protoman's side. "Are you all right?"
"No," Protoman said. "It hurts." He was still shaking.
"Wily, get this cleaned up. I'll help Protoman."
Wily simply nodded. Light led Protoman out of the room and into his lab. He used a pair of plyers to remove all of the plastic and glass and then patched Protoman. Once that was done he quickly scanned Protoman for any internal damage.
"How did this happen?" Dr. Light asked.
"The television fell over." Protoman lied.
"He has to be reprogrammed," Wily said once Light entered Protoman's room. Protoman was currently resting in the lab.
"Why?" Light was confused.
"Did you know he's been watching anime?"
"Yes, he told me last month."
"Why didn't you mention it?" Wily said angrily.
"I didn't think you'd be interested. You never have shown much interest in what Protoman did before."
"That's before I found out he was developing a personality."
"What differenece does it make?"
"Now, he's dissobeying his programming because of that personality."
"By watching anime?"
"No, by not following my orders."
"When'd he do that?"
"Right before the television fell over. He wouldn't do what I told him to."
"What did you tell him to do?" Light asked suspiciously.
"I told him to turn of the television."
"Why?"
"Because I needed him to help me with something." Wily lied. "Next thing you know he'll be lying to us."
"No. He wouldn't. I know he wouldn't lie to me." Light protested vehmently.
"You're deluding yourself, Tom. He can and will betray your trust."
"No." Light said. He turned and walked away. Suddenly he paused and whirled around by the doorway. "You're wrong, Al."
Wily shook his head. "If you don't relent, I'll turn him over to the council. They'll shut him down if you won't."
Light gasped. "You'd go behind my back?"
"If I had to. I'm not going to let a berserk robot destroy my world."
"How many times do I have to tell you that it's not going to happen." Light half-shrieked.
"It will, Tom! I'm not going to let it happen! I'll do anything to stop it!"
Light shook his head sadly. "You're wrong, but I'm just wasting my breath trying to convince you otherwise."
Light turned and left.
Protoman hurriedly hopped back on the lab table. As he lay there, pretending to sleep he couldn't help but review the conversation between Wily and Light. Wily's reaction didn't surprise him, but Light's did. He didn't think Light believed in him so much. He wasn't about to betray that trust.