The destruction was almost complete. Little remained of the lab but piles of stone and steel girders, lying in twisted heaps. Smoke blew away on the breeze, and nothing stirred…

Suddenly, a rock moved. Then several cascaded off one of the largest piles. A hand suddenly emerged, clawing at the stones surrounding it.

Aria had thought she was dead. But Dr. Ferris had built her well, and she had woken up under the crushing weight of stone. Slowly and painfully, she had unburied herself. At long last, she crawled out, choking and gasping, covered in the Doctor’s blood.

“Ahhh…” She sobbed helplessly as she spotted what was left of Arpeggio. “You too… They’re all… gone…” She lay limply on the ground, sobbing. And suddenly her sobs cut off.

“You’ll pay!!!” She shrieked, throwing her head back. “I swear, I’ll make you pay!!!” Then, staggering to her feet and wiping her eyes, she started to think.

“How?” She murmured to herself, sitting on a pile of rubble. “First I need to find out where his fortress is. But how…?” Suddenly she had an idea. It was the only way, and if she were insistent enough, it might work. “I can lie.” She said to herself. “But I need…” She scrabbled through what was left of the lab. Finally, she found Andante’s cell phone. Praying it was still working, she turned it on. She grinned gleefully as she heard the dial tone.

“How may I help you?” A cool voice asked.

“Please, can you give me Dr. Light’s number?” She asked pleadingly.

“One moment.” Aria waited, twitching with impatience. Finally a recorded voice came on.

“The number is…2…3…6…9…1…2…5, I repeat, the number is…” Aria hung up. She had got it the first time. She quickly tapped the numbers into the cell phone.

“Hello?” Another businesslike voice. Aria blinked. It wasn’t Dr. Light, unless something very drastic had happened. This voice was unmistakably female.

“Umm, I’m looking for Dr. Light?” Aria asked nervously.

“Oh, He’s not in right now. I’m Roll. May I take a message?”

“Umm, no, umm, maybe you can help me.” Aria said. “I’m Aria-“

“Oh!” Roll’s voice warmed a bit. “One of Dr. Ferris’s robots, right? Dr. Light told us about you. Is everything all right?”

“No.” Aria replied, her voice almost breaking. “No, everything’s wrong. Please,” She continued before Roll could ask. “please, can you tell me where Dr. Wily’s fortress is?”

“Wily?!?” Roll was very alarmed. “Aria, what’s happening there?”

“Nothing now, but please, I need to know! Just tell me!” Aria said with such intensity that Roll decided to tell her, although somehow she thought it might not be wise.

“I think the coordinates are 12.39.52. But Aria, what’s going on? What are you doing?” Roll asked anxiously.

“Wily destroyed the lab, killed Ferris and my brothers. I’m going to avenge them!” And she dropped the phone, ignoring Roll’s desperate pleas.

“WHAT! Aria, you can’t do that! You’ll be killed! Aria…!” But she was out of hearing, and Roll knew no one was listening. “Mega Man!” She bolted out of her seat, trying to find her brother so he could stop the foolish young bioroid who was about to commit suicide by attacking Skull Fortress, all by herself.

Continue to Chapter 5 of Aria
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