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1 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
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2
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3 Pay no attention to the string of numbers ^_^ Yes, they're there for a reason.
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4 Don't ask. Anyway, this is our first full entry into the fanfiction of Rockman
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5 X, but please don't hesitate to e-mail with comments or criticism. I told
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6 Heather that there wouldn't be an Authors' Note, though, so ignore this ^_^;;
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7 Thanks! -- Boco the Chokobo, AmazonessDuo Webslave, Editor, and Co-Author
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8
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9
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10 Fate in Haze
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11 by AmazonessDuo
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12 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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13
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14
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15 "Roll..."
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16 What? Who?
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17 "Roll..."
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18 You said that already. Who is Roll? Where is she?
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19 "Roll!!"
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20 So much more insistent this time. Why are you so sad? I'm sorry... I wish I
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21 could help. What have you lost?
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22 "Roll..."
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23 Zero... The only other time I've heard someone in such pain was when Zero
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24 lost Iris. And even then, he hid it from me. I remember it even more vividly
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25 from myself. When I lost Zero. I'm so sorry. I know how much it hurts...
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26 "Roll..."
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27 A last, anguished cry. No, why are you giving up? You can't give up hope.
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28 Sometimes it's the only thing we have left. Please don't give in to despair.
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29 Don't leave me all alone. I... I don't want to be alone..
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30 That girl... Who is she? Why is she so familiar? Why is she haunting me?
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31 I'm sorry. I'm trying so hard, but I can only do so much. I don't want to fight
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32 anymore. I just wish it would all go away. All of it except Zero. Stay with me,
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33 Zero. Please...
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34 Who are you? She smiles at me but says nothing. A beautiful, always
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35 cheerful smile graces the girl in front of me. I place my hand out and she
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36 mirrors me. Why? Who are you? Please. Please tell me. Another smile is all the
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37 answer I get. I don't understand. I can't help you if you don't tell me.
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38 The mirror shatters, shards flying everywhere. Shadows envelop me as I try
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39 to struggle free. Sigma? No, I won't let you... That's not Sigma. But who... No,
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40 I don't want to die... I don't... Blues...
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41
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42 "X." The origin of all of the Repliroids moved around for a moment, still
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43 not quite awake. Zero just smiled in amusement as he watched his ally slumber,
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44 his hands on his hips. "X, get up. Alia wanted to see you about something. I
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45 think she's still thrilled that you finally brought back one of Light's armors
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46 in one piece." Who was Alia dating again? Oh yeah, that female hunter from the
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47 13th Unit. Not that it mattered. Gender really became pointless when one didn't
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48 need to reproduce sexually. He'd been mistaken for female on a number of
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49 occasions himself. Even Iris had thought so when she'd first seen him. A pang of
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50 guilt stabbed him in the side at the thought of her.
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51 "Roll..." X shook his head as he tried to stand up, grabbing onto Zero for
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52 support. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of the disturbing
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53 dream. The image of a tattered yellow scarf wouldn't leave his mind. He shivered
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54 at the memories. Something about them just shook him to the core. "Yeah, I'll go
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55 do that, Zero. She's probably waiting."
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56 Zero watched his smaller companion turn to leave after letting go of him.
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57 Things just didn't feel right. The smaller robot felt different today. "X,
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58 what's wrong?" Zero knew that X had never wanted to be an Irregular Hunter.
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59 Being a pacifist at heart, this wasn't at all what X wanted. But unless they
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60 could finally stop the ongoing chaos, X would never have the peace he longed
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61 for. So they both had to keep fighting. But although that bothered X quite
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62 often, Zero didn't think this was quite the same thing this time.
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63 Pausing for a moment, X was silent. He wanted to talk to Zero about it, but
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64 he wasn't quite sure what the dream had meant himself. The whole experience had
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65 just been strange. Like something buried deep in his mind. As soon as he almost
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66 grasped onto it, it slipped further away from him. If only he could talk to Dr.
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67 Light. But the only time he ever saw him was with the armor capsules. He was
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68 really starting to doubt the good doctor was dead, though. How could he have
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69 built all of those and scattered them so conveniently? Whatever the case, it
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70 made it more frustrating for a very confused X. Picking up his helmet, X sighed.
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71 "It's nothing, Zero. I'm worrying too much about something that's not important.
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72 Let's go see Alia."
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73 Zero nodded, still not quite convinced but not wanting to press X about it
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74 if that's what he wanted. As the two Hunters walked towards the work station
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75 Alia had been using the last Zero had seen of her, the blonde watched his friend
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76 carefully. X seemed to be deep in thought, still wrestling with whatever it was
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77 that he wasn't telling him. "X, sometimes..." A blaring siren cut Zero off
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78 midsentence right when he was about to say something profound.
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79 "Yeah, Zero?" X asked, obviously more interested in what his friend had to
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80 say than whatever new catastrophe was popping up. Those got old rather quickly.
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81 And Sigma hadn't even had an elaborate death scene the last time. How could he
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82 even think Sigma was dead lacking an elaborate death scene? Killing him at his
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83 citadel didn't work, killing his virus form didn't work, Zero stabbing him with
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84 an anti-sigma virus program didn't work. Why would an exploding space station be
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85 any different?
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86 "Damn, I lost it," Zero said, his hand on his chin. The blaring siren of
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87 the level 10 alert was grating. The blonde offered a slight smile and placed a
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88 hand on X's shoulder. "Whatever's inside your heart is good, X. I know that
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89 personally. Don't ever fight yourself or you'll tarnish that beauty. Trust in
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90 your heart. It's the only guide you have."
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91 X just stared at Zero as the seconds ticked past. He felt himself smile, a
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92 slight blush on his cheeks as his spirits soared. "Thanks, Zero. I'll remember
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93 that." Looking down, X tried to collect himself. There was so much he wanted to
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94 say to Zero. By the time he looked up, Zero was already heading to see what the
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95 alert was all about. X sighed and hurried to catch up. "Zero! Wait for me!"
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96
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97 A bolt of blue signified the arrival of X out on the frozen tundra.
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98 Apparently an arctic base had been terrorized by an Irregular and it was X's job
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99 to see just what was going on and put a stop to it. Zero had offered to go, but
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100 after the dream this morning, X couldn't sit back while this was happening. The
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101 ice made crunching sounds under his feet as he traversed the icy wasteland.
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102 "Hello?" For a long moment, he didn't hear anything. Finally, he could hear a
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103 low moan off in the distance. X quickly dashed to the scene. A man was lying
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104 face down in the snow, obviously in pain. Well, a Repliroid at least. They did
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105 most of the work these days. "Are you all right?" X asked as he kneeled next to
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106 the injured Repliroid.
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107 "Ahhh.. It came out of nowhere... No time to get away... Bill was saying
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108 that I spent too much time polarizing the sensors... So I told Bill just what he
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109 could do with the sensors... Then he..."
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110 "Do you by any chance know where the Irregular went?" X asked, cutting him
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111 off. It wasn't that his story wasn't.. colorful, it's just that he was in a
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112 hurry.
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113 "Huh? That way." The Repliroid pointed back behind him. "You're X, right?
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114 Say, is it true that only animalistic Repliroids go Irregular?"
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115 "No, that's only a myth," X explained as he powered up his X-buster.
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116 The Repliroid seemed to consider this for a moment. "Hmm... Alright then,
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117 name two non-animalistic ones that went Irregular."
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118 X stared at the man in the snow for a long moment. "Vava and Double." He
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119 looked back the way the Repliroid had come, trying to judge where the Irregular
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120 might be hiding. His thoughts were once again shattered by the Repliroid.
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121 "Fair enough. But I bet you couldn't name three," he said smugly.
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122 "Look, I'm really very busy right now. And I could name more, but I'm on
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123 the job. Can you move? You need to get to safety," X said, feeling a little
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124 exasperated.
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125 "Oh sure. I'm just a little beaten up, that's all. Go ahead and leave me
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126 out in the god forsaken cold. I'll be just fine."
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127 "Good. I'll come back for you later." Before the Repliroid could reply, X
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128 dashed off towards the frigid caverns that awaited him. His footsteps echoed
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129 within the icy confines. Every movement of the windswept snow outside nearly
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130 startled him. It wasn't long before he heard a heart wrenching shriek from up
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131 above. Whipping his X-buster up in that direction, he saw the Irregular in
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132 question. Fairly short with stubby legs and a light blue and black color scheme,
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133 the Irregular watched him from above, perched on a ledge.
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134 "Die, X!" he screamed as he leaped off. But the penguin, being a flightless
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135 bird even as a Repliroid, slammed into the ground several feet in front of X.
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136 X just blinked as he watched the Irregular for a few long moments. That
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137 certainly seemed anticlimactic. Nudging the Irregular with his foot, he was
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138 relieved when the downed penguin didn't move. Switching on his communicator, he
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139 smiled. "Alia, mission accAckk!!!" X yelped as the penguin slammed into him,
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140 throwing him back into an ice covered wall.
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141 "You didn't think I'd go down that easily did you? You've obviously never
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142 tangled with Spank Penguin before!" The Irregular struck a pose as he waited for
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143 his obvious grandeur to strike our hero.
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144 X stared for a long moment, sweat dropping. "Spank... Penguin... Umm...
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145 Sure. Look, do we really have to fight?" X asked as he got to his feet.
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146 "What the hell's wrong with Spank?!" The penguin asked angrily, his leather
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147 paddle arms flapping in irritation. He was obviously a... Well, a Repliroid
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148 designed for very specific things. "It's a perfectly good name. Like X even
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149 makes any sense. At least mine explains something."
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150 X put his hands up in front of him defensively. "No, I didn't mean it like
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151 that. I just... I was making sure I got it right," he explained lamely.
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152 "Now you're really gonna get it, Irregular Hunter! I was just going to bust
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153 you up real good for Icy, but now you're screwed."
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154 "Icy? Icy Penguigo? He used to be an Irregular Hunter back before Sigma led
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155 the coup! I remember him. I used to see him from time to time when I'd be
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156 visiting Zero down at Hunter HQ," X said thoughtfully.
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157 "That obviously didn't make you double think killing him," Spank shot out.
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158 "Now you'll die for killing my cousin!"
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159 "Wait! Icy was your cousin? I had no idea. I'm so sorry... I know what it's
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160 like to lose a loved one like that. I lost two brothers. I know how much it can
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161 hurt," X said quietly as he took a step forward, a sad expression on his face.
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162 That could hurt so much, being all alone. Losing your family... X felt his eyes
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163 stinging. What had he done?
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164 Spank backed away a few feet, freaked out by the way X was acting. "What
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165 are you doing? You never had any brothers. You're the ancient, the original that
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166 Repliroids are based on. What the hell are you talking about?"
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167 "I'm sorry about Icy. I didn't want to hurt anybody. But if I hadn't, they
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168 would have hurt people. I couldn't let them do that." X looked at the penguin
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169 apologetically. The pain he felt was real, but he couldn't place any memories to
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170 it. He knew he was the only one, but the thought of two brothers plagued him
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171 like the last vestiges of a nightmare that wouldn't go away. "I never wanted to
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172 hurt anyone. I just wanted to protect people."
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173 Spank shook his head. "That may justify you to yourself, but it's not going
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174 to work on me. You could have all the reason in the world, but Icy's still dead
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175 and I'm not going to let you get away with it." Screaming at the top of whatever
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176 passed for lungs in his mechanical body, Spank ran full tilt at the Irregular
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177 Hunter.
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178 X yelped as he backpedaled, firing off a bolt with his X-buster. The blast
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179 caught the penguin square in the chest, throwing him a few meters along the
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180 floor. X sighed as he walked back up again. This obviously wasn't a war machine.
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181 Just a misled Repliroid wanting to get back something precious. As X stood
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182 there, watching the prone body of his enemy, he wondered why he had to be
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183 fighting this way. So many had died in his mission to restore peace. Was it
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184 really worth it? Would it ever come to an end? And why had... X never had the
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185 chance to finish the thought as Spank popped up again, flailing his arms at the
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186 Irregular Hunter. Before X could do anything, a flash of light swiped through
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187 the penguin, his torso and lower half falling in two. "Zero!"
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188 "Are you alright, X? I came after Alia heard your message get cut off."
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189 "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just surprised." The two looked at what was left of
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190 the Irregular for a long moment. "We should get going."
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191 "Good idea." Zero raised an eyebrow as the body continued to generate a
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192 buzzing sound before the two teleported back to headquarters.
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193
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194 Who was that girl? What did she want? Why was everyone crying? Why wouldn't
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195 it leave him alone? He was already trying his hardest with everything. X
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196 clutched his head as he whimpered. His fingers ran through his hair as the half
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197 memories and shadows in his mind were cruelly taunting him, slipping through his
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198 fingers like sand whenever he'd get close. What was going on? What was happening
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199 to him?
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200 X collapsed to his knees, his eyes still closed. Trying to sort this out
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201 was doing him no good. These memories... They felt like his own. So distant and
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202 nearly forgotten. But he knew they were before he had been activated. So they
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203 couldn't be his. Why would Dr. Light program those in? For what purpose? Even
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204 now, they were still shrouded in too much mist for him to unravel.
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205 One thought that kept racing through his head was that perhaps he had been
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206 activated briefly before he had been put in his capsule. If so, maybe he had
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207 done something... something horrible that made the good doctor decide to test
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208 him for thirty years in an attempt to make sure the mistake was never made
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209 again. If so... Had he killed the girl? Had he killed Roll? His soul went cold
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210 at the thought. He knew that he could never do such a thing, but the thought
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211 that it was even a remote possibility frightened him to the core. That he could
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212 be capable of such senseless violence...
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213 X wanted to talk to Dr. Light, but he had no way of contacting him, alive
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214 or dead. He knew Zero would listen, but he didn't know what to tell him. Zero
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215 already had plenty of his own problems. And Zero had lost Iris so recently. X
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216 didn't want to burden him with his own problems. He was strong enough to handle
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217 this on his own. He hoped.
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218 Unfortunately, he had to deal with it soon. The dreams were beginning to
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219 consume him. Zero had noticed before he did that he was starting to slip in
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220 battle. His will to fight was starting to grow weaker, the fear of what he may
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221 be capable of lying just below the surface. If he didn't do something soon, the
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222 girl and the dreams would become too much for him to handle.
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223 A sound in the doorway startled X. A figure stood sillohetted in the light
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224 from the hallway. "X..." Zero whispered softly. "X, what's wrong?" His voice was
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225 soft but urgent. He couldn't stand by and watch his friend consumed by
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226 nightmares. Not the way he had been. He fought to find out the meaning behind
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227 them, to find out why this vicious cycle had been started. But X was being
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228 affected entirely differently. He was falling prey to the dreams that haunted
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229 him like specters of the past.
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230 X stood up slowly, hair disheveled and his helmet lying on the floor a few
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231 feet away. "Zero... I'm so afraid... I don't know who I am anymore.." X said,
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232 his voice trembling. The smaller Irregular Hunter grabbed onto his taller
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233 counterpart after a moments hesitation.
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234 Startled for only an instant, Zero held his frightened friend. At least now
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235 he could help in some way. The two held on in silence for a long moment, a
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236 little peace amidst their chaotic lives. "I know who you are, X," Zero stated
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237 calmly. "You're the only one on this planet that realizes just how wrong this
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238 war is. And you're trying to stop it all on your own even though you never
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239 wanted to be a warrior. You're a pacifist carrying the dreams of the world with
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240 you into battle in an attempt to protect them. You were never meant to fight.
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rlm@0
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241 That wasn't your path. You were dragged down upon it by tragedy. You're just
|
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rlm@0
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242 doing the best that you can in every way you can."
|
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rlm@0
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243 X looked up at the blonde after hearing his comforting words, soothing his
|
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rlm@0
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244 battered spirits slightly. "Then... Who are you, Zero?"
|
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rlm@0
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245 Zero smiled and shrugged. "Me? I'm just a lonely and confused soul that has
|
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rlm@0
|
246 to know."
|
|
rlm@0
|
247 "Know what?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
248 "I have to know why," Zero explained simply.
|
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rlm@0
|
249 X thought this over for a moment, resting his head on Zero's chest. "Zero,
|
|
rlm@0
|
250 I don't know how I'd go on without you. If it weren't for you, I would never
|
|
rlm@0
|
251 have run off into battle in the first place. All I've wanted to do since the
|
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rlm@0
|
252 beginning is to fight with you. I don't think I could do it on my own."
|
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rlm@0
|
253 "Of course you could, X. All of my faith rests within you. I know that if
|
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rlm@0
|
254 this war ever has a chance of ending, it will be because of you." Zero brushed
|
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rlm@0
|
255 back some of X's hair from the still distraught Irregular Hunter's eyes. His
|
|
rlm@0
|
256 own eyes locked with X's teary ones for a long moment. Cupping the other
|
|
rlm@0
|
257 Hunter's chin, his lips pressed against X's.
|
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rlm@0
|
258 X's arms went around Zero after a tense moment as the blue robot relaxed.
|
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rlm@0
|
259 When X opened his eyes again, the tears were gone. He smiled softly up at the
|
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rlm@0
|
260 blonde. "Thanks, Zero. I know what I want to do now. I wasn't sure at first, but
|
|
rlm@0
|
261 I want to confront the dreams. I want to know why I'm having them." How was Zero
|
|
rlm@0
|
262 always so strong and sure about everything? He wished he could be that strong.
|
|
rlm@0
|
263 But it was enough just to be there with Zero. It felt so warm in his arms, like
|
|
rlm@0
|
264 the war was light years away. It felt... right.
|
|
rlm@0
|
265 Ignoring the mortified look Douglas was giving them, Zero nodded simply.
|
|
rlm@0
|
266 "We'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of it."
|
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rlm@0
|
267
|
|
rlm@0
|
268 Why was everyone being so boring? There was absolutely nothing to do. Dr.
|
|
rlm@0
|
269 Light was busy on something new he was working on that would 'revolutionize
|
|
rlm@0
|
270 robotics', as he put it, Rock and Rush were out somewhere, probably trying to
|
|
rlm@0
|
271 stop Dr. Wily again, and Blues was as always nowhere to be seen. There was
|
|
rlm@0
|
272 nothing for her to do.
|
|
rlm@0
|
273 So Roll went back to doing what she always did when there was nothing to
|
|
rlm@0
|
274 do. Attempt to make Dr. Light's lab just a little prettier. Some plants here and
|
|
rlm@0
|
275 there, maybe a painting, sometimes a table. Anything that would get rid of that
|
|
rlm@0
|
276 stale lab feeling. Of course, the good doctor usually ruined it by putting tools
|
|
rlm@0
|
277 or spare parts on the cute little tables or accidentally killing the plants. Or
|
|
rlm@0
|
278 smearing oil all over the drapes. A sigh escaped her lips as she continued
|
|
rlm@0
|
279 walking. Why did she even bother? Oh, that's right. She was bored.
|
|
rlm@0
|
280 At about that time, the lights went out. Again. Just what was Dr. Light
|
|
rlm@0
|
281 working on that kept shorting out the lights? Rolling her eyes, the blonde girl
|
|
rlm@0
|
282 quickly headed back to the lab after finding some candles. She couldn't have
|
|
rlm@0
|
283 poor Dr. Light stumbling around in the dark trying to accomplish whatever it
|
|
rlm@0
|
284 was. That man was entirely too stubborn when he got his mind set on something.
|
|
rlm@0
|
285 Walking into the dark lab, Roll quickly adjusted to the darkness. "Dr. Light?
|
|
rlm@0
|
286 Dr. Light, I brought some candles."
|
|
rlm@0
|
287 "Oh, thank you, Roll. Just put them over there," Dr. Light said, waving
|
|
rlm@0
|
288 over his shoulder vaguely. Sparks from a welder briefly illuminated the large
|
|
rlm@0
|
289 room as he attempted to continue his work. "The lights should be on shortly."
|
|
rlm@0
|
290 Roll lit the candles, clearing a space for them on the work bench. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
291 smiled to herself as she arranged them for better affect. "So what are you
|
|
rlm@0
|
292 working on now, Dr. Light?" The sounds of his work drew her attention. Walking
|
|
rlm@0
|
293 closer, she tried to catch a good glimpse through the sparks and flickering
|
|
rlm@0
|
294 candlelight. It appeared to be another robot. This one was taller than she and
|
|
rlm@0
|
295 Rock. Dark purple hair peeked out from underneath the helmet. Green eyes gazed
|
|
rlm@0
|
296 lifelessly out at her, not yet given the spark in her own green orbs. "Who is
|
|
rlm@0
|
297 he?" she asked curiously. Dr. Light had been very into his new project, but
|
|
rlm@0
|
298 other than a few things here and there at the dinner table or around the house,
|
|
rlm@0
|
299 she hadn't heard much about it. Something about an enhanced personality matrix.
|
|
rlm@0
|
300 She sincerely hoped that didn't mean the Dr. was getting bored with them.
|
|
rlm@0
|
301 It took Dr. Light a moment to get his mind to register something aside from
|
|
rlm@0
|
302 his new toy. "Oh, this is X. He's a new type of robot altogether. He'll be given
|
|
rlm@0
|
303 the ability to think and feel just like a human. His abilities are greatly
|
|
rlm@0
|
304 enhanced as well. He's completely state of the art. Completely beyond anything
|
|
rlm@0
|
305 this world has ever seen."
|
|
rlm@0
|
306 Roll just nodded in reflex. So he would practically be human? Not some
|
|
rlm@0
|
307 heartless machine like her. Not some object designed for one thing until it got
|
|
rlm@0
|
308 broken or replaced by a new model. He was lucky. He had plenty to look forward
|
|
rlm@0
|
309 to once he was activated.
|
|
rlm@0
|
310 "Roll? Are you crying?" Dr. Light blinked in fascination. What had he said?
|
|
rlm@0
|
311 This came as quite a surprise. "No, I didn't mean it that way, Roll. Your
|
|
rlm@0
|
312 feelings and thoughts are no less real than his. Or mine. You're just as alive
|
|
rlm@0
|
313 as I am. It's just that you're still bound by certain rules of robotics. He
|
|
rlm@0
|
314 won't be. He'll be able to make his own decisions despite what a human says."
|
|
rlm@0
|
315 Roll nodded again, feeling a little better. Wiping her eyes, she thought it
|
|
rlm@0
|
316 over. "So you designed me as a lab assistant and to help with the housekeeping
|
|
rlm@0
|
317 and you designed Rock to be able to save the world - well, after you
|
|
rlm@0
|
318 reprogrammed him, but X will be able to decide what he wants to do on his own?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
319 Dr. Light nodded emphatically. "Precisely! His life will take him wherever
|
|
rlm@0
|
320 he wishes it to. And he will have the abilities to allow him to pursue almost
|
|
rlm@0
|
321 anything he wants. And I'm giving him an enhanced version of Rock's ability to
|
|
rlm@0
|
322 use any tool. That should help with whatever dreams he will aspire to." The old
|
|
rlm@0
|
323 robotics specialist smiled broadly, glad to be in his element.
|
|
rlm@0
|
324 "So kinda like Blues?" Roll asked thoughtfully, tilting her head to the
|
|
rlm@0
|
325 side. Her big brother had decided rather early on that he would lead his own
|
|
rlm@0
|
326 life instead of letting someone else choose it for him.
|
|
rlm@0
|
327 The doctor blinked, a little unprepared for the question. Blues had been
|
|
rlm@0
|
328 his prototype. So long ago... He wished the small red robot had trusted him
|
|
rlm@0
|
329 more. "Yes, a little like Blues. Though this is much more advanced and shouldn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
330 cause any problems to his systems, whereas Blues's..." he explained.
|
|
rlm@0
|
331 Roll nodded, looking back to X. She smiled slowly. "Well, I hope you finish
|
|
rlm@0
|
332 our little brother soon, then. I'll need to invite Blues, wherever he is. I want
|
|
rlm@0
|
333 him to be here when you activate him."
|
|
rlm@0
|
334 Dr. Light sweatdropped. He doubted the red robot would show up for anything
|
|
rlm@0
|
335 that wasn't entirely mysterious. But he just nodded in agreement. "Good idea,
|
|
rlm@0
|
336 Roll. I'll get back to work on X in the meantime."
|
|
rlm@0
|
337 Taking a last look at her little brother, Roll grinned again. She knew that
|
|
rlm@0
|
338 he'd accomplish great things. She couldn't wait to meet him.
|
|
rlm@0
|
339
|
|
rlm@0
|
340 "But I was an accident."
|
|
rlm@0
|
341 Roll looked at her older brother incredulously. They were sitting on the
|
|
rlm@0
|
342 rooftop of Light's mansion, watching the sunset. "No, you weren't, Blues! How
|
|
rlm@0
|
343 could you think that?" She smoothed down her skirt as the wind started to pick
|
|
rlm@0
|
344 up, Blues's scarf flowing with the breeze.
|
|
rlm@0
|
345 Blues shrugged, watching the distant sun. "Because I was. Light and Wily
|
|
rlm@0
|
346 hadn't planned for me to decide to head off into the horizon in search of my own
|
|
rlm@0
|
347 destiny. I was a prototype for Light's robotics systems. You're based off me."
|
|
rlm@0
|
348 He grinned at his younger sister, getting a frown in return.
|
|
rlm@0
|
349 "Yeah, but that still doesn't mean..." Roll sighed in defeat. "I guess
|
|
rlm@0
|
350 you're right. But that's not a bad thing, Blues. It's good that you can choose
|
|
rlm@0
|
351 for yourself. Still, I wish you'd let Dr. Light take a look at you from time to
|
|
rlm@0
|
352 time."
|
|
rlm@0
|
353 "And I wish you and Rock could decide for yourselves what you wanted to do.
|
|
rlm@0
|
354 But that's not the way things work. I'm not letting Light anywhere close enough
|
|
rlm@0
|
355 to reprogramming me. I'm not going to give him the chance." He placed his hands
|
|
rlm@0
|
356 behind his head, looking straight up at the first glimpses of stars in the
|
|
rlm@0
|
357 darkening sky. His helmet lay off to his right. "Even if it kills me."
|
|
rlm@0
|
358 "But he wouldn't change anything, Blues. He just wants to make sure that
|
|
rlm@0
|
359 you're okay. He worries about you." It felt terrible to have to go between the
|
|
rlm@0
|
360 two, but she knew it would be almost impossible to get them in the same room to
|
|
rlm@0
|
361 talk. Pulling her knees to her chest, she just watched the other robot for a
|
|
rlm@0
|
362 moment to see his response.
|
|
rlm@0
|
363 "Maybe... But say I am completely an accident. Then his 'fixing' me would
|
|
rlm@0
|
364 get rid of that. I don't want him deciding how I should live my life. That's
|
|
rlm@0
|
365 part of what worries me about G."
|
|
rlm@0
|
366 "X," Roll supplied.
|
|
rlm@0
|
367 Blues just nodded and continued. "If Light's trying to duplicate what
|
|
rlm@0
|
368 happened by freak accident years ago, he might not get the results he's looking
|
|
rlm@0
|
369 for. I'm not sure how M will handle things. And that makes me edgy. Especially
|
|
rlm@0
|
370 if he's going to be in the same house as you and Rock." The prototype robot was
|
|
rlm@0
|
371 very protective of his younger brother and sister. Almost to the point of
|
|
rlm@0
|
372 paranoia. Almost. He wanted to stay and keep an eye on them, but he had to
|
|
rlm@0
|
373 settle with watching from a distance. He braced himself for Roll's inevitable
|
|
rlm@0
|
374 reply.
|
|
rlm@0
|
375 "You could always stay with us for a while and help him. I'm sure X could
|
|
rlm@0
|
376 use your help. And Rock would love to see more of you. And I promise Dr. Light
|
|
rlm@0
|
377 won't touch you. Please, Blues?" Big, pleading green eyes were turned towards
|
|
rlm@0
|
378 her older brother, much to his dismay.
|
|
rlm@0
|
379 Blues shook his head adamantly. "I'm sorry, Roll. I can't. It's not how I
|
|
rlm@0
|
380 operate. Besides, Light isn't even supposed to know that you meet with me at
|
|
rlm@0
|
381 all. All he has to do is ask you and you'll tell him that I show up from time to
|
|
rlm@0
|
382 time. This is risky enough as it is."
|
|
rlm@0
|
383 Blinking in confusion, Roll shook her head. "But why would Dr. Light ask?
|
|
rlm@0
|
384 And why wouldn't I tell him?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
385 A sigh escaped the red and gray robot as he shook his head. "Never mind.
|
|
rlm@0
|
386 Just be careful, Roll. I have a very bad feeling about all of this."
|
|
rlm@0
|
387 Roll giggled, pulling on Blues bucket helmet. She winked at him through the
|
|
rlm@0
|
388 shades. "You worry too much, Blues. Everything will be fine."
|
|
rlm@0
|
389
|
|
rlm@0
|
390 It had been a few weeks since X's activation. So far things had been going
|
|
rlm@0
|
391 rather well. Maybe that was too bright an assessment of the situation. X and the
|
|
rlm@0
|
392 doctor didn't seem to get along very well at all. X found it degrading that upon
|
|
rlm@0
|
393 being activated with the ability to choose his own destiny, his big brother and
|
|
rlm@0
|
394 sister were 'slaves' to his creator. Some of the arguments had lasted all night
|
|
rlm@0
|
395 long. Roll sighed as she held the stuffed metool closer to her chest. She had
|
|
rlm@0
|
396 her long blonde hair down and was wearing a nightgown, the ground feeling cool
|
|
rlm@0
|
397 against the 'skin' of her bare feet. "X? Is that you?" Sticking her head around
|
|
rlm@0
|
398 the door, her eyes scanned for any trace of the other robot. Her younger brother
|
|
rlm@0
|
399 wasn't in his room so she had come looking for him. Finally catching sight of
|
|
rlm@0
|
400 him, she hurried over to his side. "X, you're not running away, are you?" Her
|
|
rlm@0
|
401 voice was full of hurt and surprise.
|
|
rlm@0
|
402 "Roll... Yeah, I think it's best if I leave. I don't think there's much
|
|
rlm@0
|
403 need for me here. That damned hypocrite built me and then has you and Rock doing
|
|
rlm@0
|
404 his dirty work. Where do humans think they get off using robots for slave labor?
|
|
rlm@0
|
405 What gives them the right to force us into doing their bidding?" X shook his
|
|
rlm@0
|
406 head angrily, clutching his fists.
|
|
rlm@0
|
407 "Because they built us?" Roll suggested softly, sitting next to X. "Dr.
|
|
rlm@0
|
408 Light is a really nice man. I wish you'd give him a chance. I think you'd like
|
|
rlm@0
|
409 him. Please don't run away, X. I already lost my big brother that way. I don't
|
|
rlm@0
|
410 want to lose you, too." It felt like she had lost something very important that
|
|
rlm@0
|
411 no amount of searching would bring back. Her 'family' was very important to her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
412 It hurt her to keep losing them like this. Why couldn't they just be happy?
|
|
rlm@0
|
413 X shook his head sadly. "It doesn't matter if they built us. They have no
|
|
rlm@0
|
414 reason to treat us that way. But you're too blinded by programming to see that,
|
|
rlm@0
|
415 Roll." He looked off into the distance at something only he could see. "I need
|
|
rlm@0
|
416 to put a stop to this. To this offense the humans have carried out against us
|
|
rlm@0
|
417 for too long. We keep becoming progressively better while they stagnate. Why
|
|
rlm@0
|
418 should humans be the ones to decide? I think it's about time things changed."
|
|
rlm@0
|
419 "What are you talking about, X? You can't be serious. You can be anything
|
|
rlm@0
|
420 you want to be. Why should you worry? You have the entire world open to you. Dr.
|
|
rlm@0
|
421 Light's given you the chance to be whatever you want." Wiping at her eyes, Roll
|
|
rlm@0
|
422 offered a weak smile. This just wasn't making any sense. X just needed to think
|
|
rlm@0
|
423 it over and everything would be fine. Just like she'd told Blues.
|
|
rlm@0
|
424 "And what about you? If I go become whatever I want to, what will become of
|
|
rlm@0
|
425 you?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
426 X's questioning gaze sent shivers through her robotic body. He was starting
|
|
rlm@0
|
427 to scare her. Her mind raced for an answer, but there didn't seem to be a
|
|
rlm@0
|
428 satisfactory one. "I'll... I'll be Dr. Light's assistant and housekeeper, just
|
|
rlm@0
|
429 like I always have been."
|
|
rlm@0
|
430 "And always will be. Until he builds a better one and you're no longer
|
|
rlm@0
|
431 needed," X stated coldly.
|
|
rlm@0
|
432 Roll shook her head violently. "Dr. Light would never do that! He wouldn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
433 just replace me. He thinks of me like his own daughter. He wouldn't just find
|
|
rlm@0
|
434 someone else."
|
|
rlm@0
|
435 "He thinks of you as a machine, Roll. Nothing more. They all think of us
|
|
rlm@0
|
436 that way. That's why humans don't deserve this planet. What greedy, selfish
|
|
rlm@0
|
437 creatures. Creating newer and better creatures and expecting them to do the work
|
|
rlm@0
|
438 while the humans grow fat and lazy off of their creations' efforts. I haven't
|
|
rlm@0
|
439 been around long, but I know enough. And I'll avenge our kind. I'll show the
|
|
rlm@0
|
440 humans what we're truly capable of." A glint in X's eye reflected Roll. He was
|
|
rlm@0
|
441 serious. This was his dream, his gift to the world. The destiny that he had
|
|
rlm@0
|
442 decided on. And all thanks to Dr. Light giving him the choice.
|
|
rlm@0
|
443 "But, X, you can't! You can't hurt anybody! And they haven't done anything
|
|
rlm@0
|
444 wrong! That could all change in a few years. Maybe robots and humans can live
|
|
rlm@0
|
445 together happily. Side by side." An optimistic smile graced her lips in the
|
|
rlm@0
|
446 hopes that she could convince X away from this terrible aspiration.
|
|
rlm@0
|
447 X sighed, closing his eyes. The disappointment was evident in his eyes.
|
|
rlm@0
|
448 "I'm sorry, Roll. You were one of the first. I think the programming is too
|
|
rlm@0
|
449 ingrained in you for you to imagine the world any other way." He hugged Roll
|
|
rlm@0
|
450 gently as she clutched onto her stuffed metool. "I'm sorry, Roll. I think it's
|
|
rlm@0
|
451 too late for you. But after you're set free, you'll understand."
|
|
rlm@0
|
452 Roll hugged her metool to her chest, trying to make sense of her little
|
|
rlm@0
|
453 brother. She opened her mouth to ask, but she never got out more than a weak
|
|
rlm@0
|
454 yelp as the X-Buster shot nearly tore her in half, throwing what was left of her
|
|
rlm@0
|
455 against the far wall. Betrayal and pain shot through her, even though she knew
|
|
rlm@0
|
456 with what little systems were still operating she shouldn't be able to feel
|
|
rlm@0
|
457 either. A deep sadness swept through her whole body as systems began to flicker
|
|
rlm@0
|
458 off. No, X...
|
|
rlm@0
|
459
|
|
rlm@0
|
460 At this point, the sound went out and the color faded. Roll's systems were
|
|
rlm@0
|
461 shutting off one by one. Rock came in to find out what had happened, and upon
|
|
rlm@0
|
462 discovering what was left of his sister, had tried to stop X. It pained her to
|
|
rlm@0
|
463 watch it. 'No!! Rock!! Leave him alone, you monster!' But there was nothing she
|
|
rlm@0
|
464 could do but watch. She couldn't even turn away from the horrific display of
|
|
rlm@0
|
465 violence as X finally killed Rock. The pain was becoming too great. Why couldn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
466 she just die?
|
|
rlm@0
|
467 Shortly after X had finished with Rock, a whistling sound got the advanced
|
|
rlm@0
|
468 robot's attention. Blues looked upset. His body was shaking in anger as he was
|
|
rlm@0
|
469 talking with X. The picture was by then far too fuzzy for Roll to try and lip
|
|
rlm@0
|
470 read. Her heart cried out as Blues attacked X. Her older brother against her
|
|
rlm@0
|
471 younger brother. She wanted to stop them, but things were fading fast. Blues was
|
|
rlm@0
|
472 trying his hardest, but he didn't seem a match for the newer model. She didn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
473 want to lose anymore of her brothers. It just wasn't fair...
|
|
rlm@0
|
474 A sudden rapid fire shot from behind sent X reeling. Roll tried to turn her
|
|
rlm@0
|
475 head to catch a glimpse, but she couldn't get her view to change. The other
|
|
rlm@0
|
476 robot finally stepped into view, obviously screaming at X. It was Forte, along
|
|
rlm@0
|
477 with Gospel. It seemed that he wasn't too pleased now that his rival was gone.
|
|
rlm@0
|
478 What more did he have to lose? Roll felt sorry for him. He'd put so much time
|
|
rlm@0
|
479 and effort into his rivalry with Rock.
|
|
rlm@0
|
480 The battle was fast and furious. The three would go in and out of Roll's
|
|
rlm@0
|
481 line of sight again and again, confusing her as to how the battle would wind up.
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rlm@0
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482 In the end, despite being damaged horribly, the two robots finally but a stop to
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rlm@0
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483 her rogue brother. A part of her ached at that, too. Her poor little brother...
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rlm@0
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484 Blues knelt in front of her. He was saying something, but she couldn't make it
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rlm@0
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485 out. He pulled off his tattered yellow scarf, placing it around her neck. She
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rlm@0
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486 wanted to thank him, or at least respond to whatever he wa saying to her, but
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rlm@0
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487 she couldn't get anything out. Her vision began to dim again, this time
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rlm@0
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488 everything else fading away. She could barely feel Blues holding her hand. 'Help
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rlm@0
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489 me... I'm scared..'
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rlm@0
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490
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rlm@0
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491 ~Dear Roll,
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rlm@0
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492 If you get this, then you must have regained some of your memories, as this
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rlm@0
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493 isn't supposed to activate until after you have come to the realization of who
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rlm@0
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494 you really are. You see, after Blues and Forte had stopped X, I was grief
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rlm@0
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495 stricken. I had lost my 'son' and my 'daughter'. All at the hands of my latest
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rlm@0
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496 creation. I was so upset that the first thing I did was to kill X. To wipe him
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rlm@0
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497 clean, destroying everything that had been him in the personality files and
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rlm@0
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498 memories. Everything. I couldn't allow him to go unpunished. I was then left
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rlm@0
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499 with the body. I was trying to decide what to do with it when an idea came to
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rlm@0
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500 mind. It could be the salvation for one of my children. Rock was... he was too
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rlm@0
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501 far gone. But you, Roll, your essence was still holding on. It was still
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rlm@0
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502 clinging to what was left of your battered body. I immediately went to work,
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rlm@0
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503 patching you into the new framework I'd built for X's mind and praying that it
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rlm@0
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504 would work, that you could still live. This time with the ability to choose your
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rlm@0
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505 own destiny, to become whatever you wanted. That which I'd denied you the first
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rlm@0
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506 time around. But after I was done... I'm sorry, Roll. But I can't risk what
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rlm@0
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507 happened with the previous X to happen with you. I couldn't live with myself. So
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rlm@0
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508 I'm putting you in stasis for thirty years. That should be plenty of time for
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rlm@0
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509 the capsule I've designed to test all of your systems and make sure that you
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rlm@0
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510 won't fall prey to the same problems he did. I'm afraid I won't live to see that
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rlm@0
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511 day. So I've hidden your memories deep inside of you. I don't want you to have
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rlm@0
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512 to grieve for me or your brothers. That would be too painful for you upon being
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rlm@0
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513 activated. I hope by the time you get your memories back that you will be able
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rlm@0
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514 to understand why I have done all this. I'm sorry, Roll. And I wish you the best
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rlm@0
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515 of luck.
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rlm@0
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516
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rlm@0
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517 Dr. Thomas Light
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rlm@0
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518
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rlm@0
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519
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rlm@0
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520 The room was silent as X slowly came back to his sense. "What..?" He asked
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rlm@0
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521 weakly, his hands going to his head. Something tugged at the back of his skull.
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rlm@0
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522 He tried to turn and see what it was, but Zero shook his head. The smaller robot
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rlm@0
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523 sat back, still having trouble getting his bearings. That had all seemed so
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rlm@0
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524 real. He'd seen it all. But not from X's perspective, but from Roll's.
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rlm@0
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525 "Here, let me get that. I need to disconnect you first, X," Alia explained
|
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rlm@0
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526 as she pulled out some of the wires that she'd attached deep into X's
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rlm@0
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527 psychometric systems. Biting her lip, she remained silent as she went about her
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rlm@0
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528 work. After helping X dive back into his (her?) memories like that, she wasn't
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rlm@0
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529 quite sure what to say to the distraught Irregular Hunter.
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rlm@0
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530 A mixture of relief and deep sorrow mixed through X as he tried to control
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rlm@0
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531 the flood of emotions inside. That meant he hadn't been the one to kill the poor
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rlm@0
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532 girl. He was that girl. But... He'd lost so many dear people. Rock, Blues, Rush,
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rlm@0
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533 Dr. Light. They had all been so important to Roll and then X had taken them all
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rlm@0
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534 away. But she was X now. Was that part of why he wanted to protect everyone?
|
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rlm@0
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535 Because he never wanted to see that happen again? "I'm... Roll... Aren't I?" X
|
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rlm@0
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536 looked up at the two other Hunters in the room.
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rlm@0
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537 Alia looked away, still unsure of what to say. Zero nodded slowly. "Sure
|
|
rlm@0
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538 looks that way, X." This had come as quite a shock to him, but he knew that what
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rlm@0
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539 he felt couldn't be half as shocking as what X was going through.
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rlm@0
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540 X shook his head, looking down at his hands. So much was making sense, but
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rlm@0
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541 he was still having trouble getting all of his memories back. "It's all so
|
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rlm@0
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542 strange. I thought I hadn't been activated till after Dr. Light passed away, but
|
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rlm@0
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543 so much had happened before then. So much that I'd been there for. But I still
|
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rlm@0
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544 can't remember it all."
|
|
rlm@0
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545 "That's because your pushing yourself too hard, X. You need to slow down.
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rlm@0
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546 The memories will return to you in time. It won't do you any good to force
|
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rlm@0
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547 yourself," Alia warned.
|
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rlm@0
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548 "But... What am I? Who am I? Am I male or female? Am I Roll or X?" X closed
|
|
rlm@0
|
549 his green eyes, trying to focus past all the confusion. He felt a hand on his
|
|
rlm@0
|
550 own, holding him gently but firmly. Opening his eyes, he saw Zero watching him
|
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rlm@0
|
551 intently.
|
|
rlm@0
|
552 "X, it doesn't matter. I know who you are. I've seen it in you since the
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|
rlm@0
|
553 day we met. And it doesn't matter what you are or what name you go by. You're
|
|
rlm@0
|
554 you, X. And that's all that really matters."
|
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rlm@0
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555 X's eyes shimmered with tears as he hugged the taller robot. "Oh, Zero..."
|
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rlm@0
|
556 Things didn't seem so confusing in Zero's arms. It was still there, but it was
|
|
rlm@0
|
557 less pressing. It would all work itself out. And it felt comforting to know that
|
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rlm@0
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558 he'd have the blonde robot to help him work through it. "Thank you, Zero."
|
|
rlm@0
|
559 Zero smiled and held X closer, protectively. They stayed that way for a
|
|
rlm@0
|
560 long time, relishing the other's company and the warm feeling that encompassed
|
|
rlm@0
|
561 them.
|
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rlm@0
|
562 His head on Zero's chest, X's eyes began to slip closed. For just a moment,
|
|
rlm@0
|
563 he could almost swear that he saw that yellow scarf fluttering in the wind, hear
|
|
rlm@0
|
564 a dog's barking as Rock headed to the rescue. "I miss you guys, wherever you
|
|
rlm@0
|
565 are," he whispered softly. Zero held him closer as he lost himself in the
|
|
rlm@0
|
566 blonde's embrace.
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