"I'm not human." Protoman thinks "Not even close to it. But I try. Really I do."

Protoman walks down the sidewalk, dressed in normal clothes. For the past couple of months Proto has benn living a normal life. As a human being that is. He's taken a human name: Hadrian Blues. He got a job as a guard. He rents a loft. He even has a few human friends.

"Dr. Light and my brother just wouldn't understand. Mega and his 'Robot Ethics' would make me sick if I was able to. None of them would understand. I just can't be Protoman anymore. I have a job, a place to live, friends. A life. Of course, I still need some work at this 'human' thing. The life-like skin was a nice touch, looks much better than that rubbery crud that Dr. Light had on me really looked fake. It even bruises! I'll have to get used to these new emotions though. I think I can handle it."

The false human made his way down the walk through the hustle of the rush hour crowds. He does look human. Wearing a bulky leather jacket, black jeans, sneakers, and sunglasses. The only remenence of Protoman anymore is the scarf. Still wrapped around his neck is the old yellow scarf Dr. Light gave him at "birth", flapping in the wind.

"Hadrian!!"

Proto whipped around as if Wily may be there, only to see one his human friends.

A female. Janey Lovelace, an absolutley stunning young woman, about Proto's height, and the darkest red hair Proto recalls seeing. Proto could not surpress the new emotion he was feeling, a sence of lust, desire, maybe even love.

"Hade, you left your keys in the lunchroom."

"Huh? OH! Um.. thanks Miss Lovelace." The etiquet program told him to refer to as "MISS".

"MISS! Hade, call me Janey! I don't call you Mr. Blues!"

"I still think that sounds wierd." Proto thought to himself.

"Well, um I guess I'll see you tommorow, Miss, um, I mean Janey" Proto said.

"Sure. Oh yeah, here," she fumbles and pulls a peice of paper from her purse.

"Um..., here."

"What's this?" Proto asked.

"My number and E-Mail. Call me sometime. Well, I gotta run before the boss catches me away from the store. Bye." The embarassed young girl giggled and ran back into the mall.

"Yeah," said Proto to himself "I'll do that."

Elsewhere, a dark figure watches our hero as he folds the peice of paper and puts it in his coat pocket.

"Yeah, I'll do that." said Proto as the figure listened.

"He is such a fool." said the dark voice "He is blessed with that powerful robotic body, and tries so hard to be like the Flatscans."

"Should I attack him now, Master?" said the cloaked robot.

"No, Blades, let him get to his dwelling first, then get him. And, do please use a disguise this time. I don't need to have to put you back together.......again." said the master.

"Yes, Master."

"Please don't hurt me!" The woman screamed still pinned to the wall by the cyborg's massive robot arm.

"Quiet, woman! Just give us the credit chip and me and my friend will be on our way." The larger cyborg bellowed.

"Hurry, boss. Someone can just walk by at any time." The little one said.

"Keep you cool, Waylen! This some forgotten alleyway. No one come through here."

"Whoa." Proto says as he looks at his watch, "better take the shortcut." Proto turns and heads down some forgotten alleyway.

"Give up the credits lady!"

Proto is stopped dead in his tracks as he glances down the alleyway at the two thugs. The girl, seeing Hadrian, screams for help.

"Mister! Help me!" She yelps.

"Well, looky here Waylen, we got ourself an ankle biter, haw!"

"Let the girl go, freak show!" Hadrian demands.

"Eat this!" The thug lets a level 2 plasma shot fly at Proto, which hit him dead in the chest. Sending him flying back into the wall, causing at least a half a ton of brick to shower on Hadrian.

"That was easy, boss."

The bigger cyborg dropped the girl and charged his buster and aimed it at the girl, "Now hand 'em over before I do the same to you."

"I said let her go!" Proto's voice boomed from behind the three.

"That's impossible!" The tug spun around to see a bruised, battered Hadrian, covered with brick dust. "I'll just have to kill you again!" He chared at Proto, leting go the level 5 burst he was charging.

Within seconds a blinding electrical feild surrounded Hadrian, and just as quickly as it appeared, it ceased, leaving only Protoman in Hadrians place. Proto whipped out his sheild, deflecting the shot back at the thug's little partner.

"Waylen! Your dead now!" He threw a punch at him. Proto catching him offguard grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him off the ground, pressing his charged buster against his chest.

"What are you gonna do?" the thug sounded scared to death. "This." Proto replied seconds before releasing a level 8 burst through the man chest; a short, but painfull death.

"ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod....." the girl muttered.

Proto approached her, "You're okay now."

"You're a robot?"

"In a way."

"But robots can't kill humans."

"I'm different." He took another step closer, to help her up.

"Don't hurt me!." she scrambled to her feet, and ran out down the alleyway.

"I....., oh nevermind." The force feild returned, transforming him back into Hadrian. "I'd better get home before the news starts."