Unrest in the House of Walter Peter: You have heard me tell this story many times before you

sleep. This time, listen carefully. And I will tell you once again but this time, understand that what I'm telling you - every single word is true. You need to know. There was another who came before you; he was a hero and your brother and my son. He fought the darkness, and the darkness won. And he fought bravely, and he died bravely, but he was forsaken by the ones he wished to save. And when he died he died in vain. You need to know. You are not him. A time is coming, and I must warn you, though it's something that you may not understand - they can't be saved by just one man. And I am sorry, because I was wrong, and I'd take away the weight his shoulders had to bear. Because when he fell I was the only one that cared. You need to know. You are not him. His fight's not yours. Rabbit broke away from his father's hold, ran to the window and looked out over the city. His eyes filled with tears. His chest hurt under the weight of what he'd just been told. How could his father do nothing? How could Pappy not avenge the death of The Spine? Peter: That story's finished. That story's ended. Understand there's nothing more that we can do. And I will not risk losing you. For if you leave now, you will be fighting for a people that refuse to comprehend. They have chosen their own end. So you will stay here. You will obey me. And I will keep grieving for the son I sent to death. YOU ARE ALL THAT I HAVE LEFT! You need to know! You are not him! This fight's not yours! Rabbit tore past Peter. He threw the doors open at the end of the hallway and disappeared into the stairway. Peter called after him. Peter: You cannot win! The Will of One Rabbit: But as I walk through the city streets, these frightened people watching me pass; there is an evil

that holds them here, and yet they won't try breaking its grasp. But if I stay here with you, then I will leave them to their doom. Do not say, this is how it has to be. You do no better than the fools of this burning city! Peter: You have heard me tell this story many times before you sleep. No matter how dark, even now, there's hope for man Rabbit: Even here it is not safe - even this grave has been defaced. Someone has written on this stone In some angry hand Hope rides alone. Hope rides alone. HOPE RIDES ALONE! The buildings fly past him now. Rabbit rushes towards the east side of the city, towards the fortress, towards his fate. The rusting metal loudspeakers mounted at intervals on the side of the stone wall are humming, chanting now words to settle the stir created by a new hero. Words to quell a potential uprising. Words to inspire fear. Words to drive back the idea that freedom is within the grasp of one angry mob headed by one unstoppable leader. One perfect Machine. Vengeance Rabbit: Send me the best you've got. Send me your strongest machines. The fight my brother fought, here, now, will end with me. All you wounded, those of you who can, pick yourselves off the ground, hurry back, tell your leader you'll need more men. Send me the best you've got. Send me your strongest machines. The fight my brother fought, here, now, will end with me. Is this the best you've got? Is this your strongest machine? Now with one powered shot, you'll see what vengeance means! Nearing the gate and the leader of the Robot Army, Rabbits fury yields to confusion. This commander is not just a machine. Rabbit: The shadow, it covers your face, but your eyes shine just like mine. Step forward, step into the light if you're ready, you're willing, and youre prepared to fight Just before the shot rang out, the blast that would end this battle, the commander stepped out of the shadows and into the light. This was a face our hero had seen before, in visions and dreams. This was not the face of evil. This was the face of a hero, the face of a son, the face of his brother. This was The Spine. Rabbit dropped to his knees and lowered his weapon. Peter Walter stepped quietly out of the crowd. The Stand (Man or Machine)

Peter: "You're trying to understand. I told you your brother had been killed. Yet, here he stands in the very shadow of the man you came here to destroy. You came here to avenge his death. You came here to save mankind. You see now, you cannot do both." Rabbit's eyes rose to meet his brother's. The Spine met his stare, held it for only a second and turned his attention to the bloodthirsty crowd. The Spine: "Tell me now. Is there a man among you here? Is there no one who will stand up and try to fight? Tell me Man, is there not one in all your ranks? Is there not one who values courage over life?" The Spine turns his attention back to his brother. The Spine "They looked to me once. Now they turn to you. Do you understand now? Do you see that the truth is, they don't want to change this? They don't want a hero. They just want a martyr, a statue to raise! I've given everything I can. There are no heroes left in man. So it begins! No matter which one of us lives, the ground we're standing on will crack and blow away. You will fight. And when you fight, you'll fight alone. And in the end you'll see there was no other way. I've been here before. I've stood where you stand. They called me their hero, The Hero of Man. But why should we save them, when they stand for nothing? If they deserve life, LET THEM STAND FOR THEMSELVES. Weve given everything we can. There are no heroes left in man. They'll watch you die to save their lives. They will not stand here by your side." Suddenly The Spine stops. His receptors fall on his father. His face changes almost imperceptibly. Nothing changes but his optics. Then, as quickly as he'd stopped, The Spine leaps off of the shattered robots and lands in the midst of the remaining army. Throwing his bare hand into the side of one robot, he sends him flying into the ranks. Three, four robots fall under The Spines powerful blow. He destroys his own legions as he makes his way to the front of the line. He stands alone in front of Rabbit. The Spine "We've given everything we can. There are no heroes left in man. So let them watch as we decide the very fate of all mankind." The air is thick with smoke. The Spine makes no move, but stands, still at some distance, at the ready. Rabbit, still fighting to fully grasp the truth of the situation, raises from his knees. His weapon raised hesitantly, Rabbit locks eyes with his brother but breaks free seconds later. His optics dart over the crowd searching for Peter. His fathers eyes are on the ground. Walter can watch no more. The crowd watches with fiery intensity. Rabbits eyes fix once again on The Spine. His weapon drops to his side.

The Sons of Fate Rabbit: I will not fight you. (The Spine: You have no choice.) I'll stand beside you. (I stand alone.) You're still their hero. (Then they are fools.) This cannot be the only way. (You will see.) They don't deserve this. (When this is through,) Now more than ever, (Mankind will fall.) We are their hope. (They would not stand.) They know no better. (They would not fight.) They are not ready. (They never will.) Even now there is hope for man. (My father's words!) Your father loved you. (He still believes?) His heart was broken. (His only weakness.) HIS GREATEST STRENGTH! (Now we shall see) You are not evil. (if they will stand) You are not broken. (beside their hero) We both know they'll never fight! The Spine: You finally get it. There are no heroes. Mankind is doomed. You will never have another Hero. You will never have another chance. You will fall, because you never tried to stand for yourselves! Human Choir: Destroy him! You can save us! Destroy him! You can save us! Destroy him! You're our only hope! No man saw the blow. The light was blinding. The crash was deafening. The two brothers stood feet apart. Both in pain. Only The Spine fell. His knees hit the ground. His weapon followed. Before he could fall any further, Rabbit was at his side. The brothers, the Sons of Walter, embraced. Spine was dying. Nothing could stop that now. The Spine looked up through strained optics and tried to speak. At first nothing came. Summoning all his remaining strength, he whispered these words into his brother's ear. The Spine "If these people...tell this story...to their children...as they sleep...then maybe someday...they'll see a hero...is just a man...who knows he's free."

The Spine was dead. The crowd seemed pleased. Rabbit finally understood. There are no heroes left in man. Human Choir: He could not save himself. How could he save us? You are our hero. You are our hero! Rabbit: You are the dead. The fallen body of his brother at his feet, Rabbit removed his hat and began to walk away from the fortress. The remaining robots looked at their broken leader, then at Rabbit. Without orders, they would neither advance nor retreat. With receptors full of rage, Rabbit looked over the whole of mankind, turned his optics back to the robot army and lowered his head. Slowly, he loosened his grip on his battle-scarred hat; letting is drop from his hand to the ground. The robots immediately turned from Rabbit and cast their eyes towards the fortress. Ignatius Becile stood high above the robots, high above the crowd of men, high above their broken heroes. With a wave of his hand, the robot army had their orders. They advanced on the crowd to punish them for their thoughts of rebellion. Men fell in waves. Those most eager to watch the bloodshed were the first victims of the slaughter. The sound of Machines marching into a screaming mass did not cause Rabbit to turn. The sound of children crying for their mothers would not pull his gaze from the far edge of the city. The sound that finally caused Rabbit to pause long enough to look back on the burning city was the voices raised over the din, chanting almost in unison. Human Choir: We are the dead.