rlm@2: 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 rlm@2: rlm@2: Pay no attention to the string of numbers ^_^ Yes, they're there for a reason. rlm@2: Don't ask. Anyway, this is our first full entry into the fanfiction of Rockman rlm@2: X, but please don't hesitate to e-mail with comments or criticism. I told rlm@2: Heather that there wouldn't be an Authors' Note, though, so ignore this ^_^;; rlm@2: Thanks! -- Boco the Chokobo, AmazonessDuo Webslave, Editor, and Co-Author rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: Fate in Haze rlm@2: by AmazonessDuo rlm@2: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: "Roll..." rlm@2: What? Who? rlm@2: "Roll..." rlm@2: You said that already. Who is Roll? Where is she? rlm@2: "Roll!!" rlm@2: So much more insistent this time. Why are you so sad? I'm sorry... I wish I rlm@2: could help. What have you lost? rlm@2: "Roll..." rlm@2: Zero... The only other time I've heard someone in such pain was when Zero rlm@2: lost Iris. And even then, he hid it from me. I remember it even more vividly rlm@2: from myself. When I lost Zero. I'm so sorry. I know how much it hurts... rlm@2: "Roll..." rlm@2: A last, anguished cry. No, why are you giving up? You can't give up hope. rlm@2: Sometimes it's the only thing we have left. Please don't give in to despair. rlm@2: Don't leave me all alone. I... I don't want to be alone.. rlm@2: That girl... Who is she? Why is she so familiar? Why is she haunting me? rlm@2: I'm sorry. I'm trying so hard, but I can only do so much. I don't want to fight rlm@2: anymore. I just wish it would all go away. All of it except Zero. Stay with me, rlm@2: Zero. Please... rlm@2: Who are you? She smiles at me but says nothing. A beautiful, always rlm@2: cheerful smile graces the girl in front of me. I place my hand out and she rlm@2: mirrors me. Why? Who are you? Please. Please tell me. Another smile is all the rlm@2: answer I get. I don't understand. I can't help you if you don't tell me. rlm@2: The mirror shatters, shards flying everywhere. Shadows envelop me as I try rlm@2: to struggle free. Sigma? No, I won't let you... That's not Sigma. But who... No, rlm@2: I don't want to die... I don't... Blues... rlm@2: rlm@2: "X." The origin of all of the Repliroids moved around for a moment, still rlm@2: not quite awake. Zero just smiled in amusement as he watched his ally slumber, rlm@2: his hands on his hips. "X, get up. Alia wanted to see you about something. I rlm@2: think she's still thrilled that you finally brought back one of Light's armors rlm@2: in one piece." Who was Alia dating again? Oh yeah, that female hunter from the rlm@2: 13th Unit. Not that it mattered. Gender really became pointless when one didn't rlm@2: need to reproduce sexually. He'd been mistaken for female on a number of rlm@2: occasions himself. Even Iris had thought so when she'd first seen him. A pang of rlm@2: guilt stabbed him in the side at the thought of her. rlm@2: "Roll..." X shook his head as he tried to stand up, grabbing onto Zero for rlm@2: support. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of the disturbing rlm@2: dream. The image of a tattered yellow scarf wouldn't leave his mind. He shivered rlm@2: at the memories. Something about them just shook him to the core. "Yeah, I'll go rlm@2: do that, Zero. She's probably waiting." rlm@2: Zero watched his smaller companion turn to leave after letting go of him. rlm@2: Things just didn't feel right. The smaller robot felt different today. "X, rlm@2: what's wrong?" Zero knew that X had never wanted to be an Irregular Hunter. rlm@2: Being a pacifist at heart, this wasn't at all what X wanted. But unless they rlm@2: could finally stop the ongoing chaos, X would never have the peace he longed rlm@2: for. So they both had to keep fighting. But although that bothered X quite rlm@2: often, Zero didn't think this was quite the same thing this time. rlm@2: Pausing for a moment, X was silent. He wanted to talk to Zero about it, but rlm@2: he wasn't quite sure what the dream had meant himself. The whole experience had rlm@2: just been strange. Like something buried deep in his mind. As soon as he almost rlm@2: grasped onto it, it slipped further away from him. If only he could talk to Dr. rlm@2: Light. But the only time he ever saw him was with the armor capsules. He was rlm@2: really starting to doubt the good doctor was dead, though. How could he have rlm@2: built all of those and scattered them so conveniently? Whatever the case, it rlm@2: made it more frustrating for a very confused X. Picking up his helmet, X sighed. rlm@2: "It's nothing, Zero. I'm worrying too much about something that's not important. rlm@2: Let's go see Alia." rlm@2: Zero nodded, still not quite convinced but not wanting to press X about it rlm@2: if that's what he wanted. As the two Hunters walked towards the work station rlm@2: Alia had been using the last Zero had seen of her, the blonde watched his friend rlm@2: carefully. X seemed to be deep in thought, still wrestling with whatever it was rlm@2: that he wasn't telling him. "X, sometimes..." A blaring siren cut Zero off rlm@2: midsentence right when he was about to say something profound. rlm@2: "Yeah, Zero?" X asked, obviously more interested in what his friend had to rlm@2: say than whatever new catastrophe was popping up. Those got old rather quickly. rlm@2: And Sigma hadn't even had an elaborate death scene the last time. How could he rlm@2: even think Sigma was dead lacking an elaborate death scene? Killing him at his rlm@2: citadel didn't work, killing his virus form didn't work, Zero stabbing him with rlm@2: an anti-sigma virus program didn't work. Why would an exploding space station be rlm@2: any different? rlm@2: "Damn, I lost it," Zero said, his hand on his chin. The blaring siren of rlm@2: the level 10 alert was grating. The blonde offered a slight smile and placed a rlm@2: hand on X's shoulder. "Whatever's inside your heart is good, X. I know that rlm@2: personally. Don't ever fight yourself or you'll tarnish that beauty. Trust in rlm@2: your heart. It's the only guide you have." rlm@2: X just stared at Zero as the seconds ticked past. He felt himself smile, a rlm@2: slight blush on his cheeks as his spirits soared. "Thanks, Zero. I'll remember rlm@2: that." Looking down, X tried to collect himself. There was so much he wanted to rlm@2: say to Zero. By the time he looked up, Zero was already heading to see what the rlm@2: alert was all about. X sighed and hurried to catch up. "Zero! Wait for me!" rlm@2: rlm@2: A bolt of blue signified the arrival of X out on the frozen tundra. rlm@2: Apparently an arctic base had been terrorized by an Irregular and it was X's job rlm@2: to see just what was going on and put a stop to it. Zero had offered to go, but rlm@2: after the dream this morning, X couldn't sit back while this was happening. The rlm@2: ice made crunching sounds under his feet as he traversed the icy wasteland. rlm@2: "Hello?" For a long moment, he didn't hear anything. Finally, he could hear a rlm@2: low moan off in the distance. X quickly dashed to the scene. A man was lying rlm@2: face down in the snow, obviously in pain. Well, a Repliroid at least. They did rlm@2: most of the work these days. "Are you all right?" X asked as he kneeled next to rlm@2: the injured Repliroid. rlm@2: "Ahhh.. It came out of nowhere... No time to get away... Bill was saying rlm@2: that I spent too much time polarizing the sensors... So I told Bill just what he rlm@2: could do with the sensors... Then he..." rlm@2: "Do you by any chance know where the Irregular went?" X asked, cutting him rlm@2: off. It wasn't that his story wasn't.. colorful, it's just that he was in a rlm@2: hurry. rlm@2: "Huh? That way." The Repliroid pointed back behind him. "You're X, right? rlm@2: Say, is it true that only animalistic Repliroids go Irregular?" rlm@2: "No, that's only a myth," X explained as he powered up his X-buster. rlm@2: The Repliroid seemed to consider this for a moment. "Hmm... Alright then, rlm@2: name two non-animalistic ones that went Irregular." rlm@2: X stared at the man in the snow for a long moment. "Vava and Double." He rlm@2: looked back the way the Repliroid had come, trying to judge where the Irregular rlm@2: might be hiding. His thoughts were once again shattered by the Repliroid. rlm@2: "Fair enough. But I bet you couldn't name three," he said smugly. rlm@2: "Look, I'm really very busy right now. And I could name more, but I'm on rlm@2: the job. Can you move? You need to get to safety," X said, feeling a little rlm@2: exasperated. rlm@2: "Oh sure. I'm just a little beaten up, that's all. Go ahead and leave me rlm@2: out in the god forsaken cold. I'll be just fine." rlm@2: "Good. I'll come back for you later." Before the Repliroid could reply, X rlm@2: dashed off towards the frigid caverns that awaited him. His footsteps echoed rlm@2: within the icy confines. Every movement of the windswept snow outside nearly rlm@2: startled him. It wasn't long before he heard a heart wrenching shriek from up rlm@2: above. Whipping his X-buster up in that direction, he saw the Irregular in rlm@2: question. Fairly short with stubby legs and a light blue and black color scheme, rlm@2: the Irregular watched him from above, perched on a ledge. rlm@2: "Die, X!" he screamed as he leaped off. But the penguin, being a flightless rlm@2: bird even as a Repliroid, slammed into the ground several feet in front of X. rlm@2: X just blinked as he watched the Irregular for a few long moments. That rlm@2: certainly seemed anticlimactic. Nudging the Irregular with his foot, he was rlm@2: relieved when the downed penguin didn't move. Switching on his communicator, he rlm@2: smiled. "Alia, mission accAckk!!!" X yelped as the penguin slammed into him, rlm@2: throwing him back into an ice covered wall. rlm@2: "You didn't think I'd go down that easily did you? You've obviously never rlm@2: tangled with Spank Penguin before!" The Irregular struck a pose as he waited for rlm@2: his obvious grandeur to strike our hero. rlm@2: X stared for a long moment, sweat dropping. "Spank... Penguin... Umm... rlm@2: Sure. Look, do we really have to fight?" X asked as he got to his feet. rlm@2: "What the hell's wrong with Spank?!" The penguin asked angrily, his leather rlm@2: paddle arms flapping in irritation. He was obviously a... Well, a Repliroid rlm@2: designed for very specific things. "It's a perfectly good name. Like X even rlm@2: makes any sense. At least mine explains something." rlm@2: X put his hands up in front of him defensively. "No, I didn't mean it like rlm@2: that. I just... I was making sure I got it right," he explained lamely. rlm@2: "Now you're really gonna get it, Irregular Hunter! I was just going to bust rlm@2: you up real good for Icy, but now you're screwed." rlm@2: "Icy? Icy Penguigo? He used to be an Irregular Hunter back before Sigma led rlm@2: the coup! I remember him. I used to see him from time to time when I'd be rlm@2: visiting Zero down at Hunter HQ," X said thoughtfully. rlm@2: "That obviously didn't make you double think killing him," Spank shot out. rlm@2: "Now you'll die for killing my cousin!" rlm@2: "Wait! Icy was your cousin? I had no idea. I'm so sorry... I know what it's rlm@2: like to lose a loved one like that. I lost two brothers. I know how much it can rlm@2: hurt," X said quietly as he took a step forward, a sad expression on his face. rlm@2: That could hurt so much, being all alone. Losing your family... X felt his eyes rlm@2: stinging. What had he done? rlm@2: Spank backed away a few feet, freaked out by the way X was acting. "What rlm@2: are you doing? You never had any brothers. You're the ancient, the original that rlm@2: Repliroids are based on. What the hell are you talking about?" rlm@2: "I'm sorry about Icy. I didn't want to hurt anybody. But if I hadn't, they rlm@2: would have hurt people. I couldn't let them do that." X looked at the penguin rlm@2: apologetically. The pain he felt was real, but he couldn't place any memories to rlm@2: it. He knew he was the only one, but the thought of two brothers plagued him rlm@2: like the last vestiges of a nightmare that wouldn't go away. "I never wanted to rlm@2: hurt anyone. I just wanted to protect people." rlm@2: Spank shook his head. "That may justify you to yourself, but it's not going rlm@2: to work on me. You could have all the reason in the world, but Icy's still dead rlm@2: and I'm not going to let you get away with it." Screaming at the top of whatever rlm@2: passed for lungs in his mechanical body, Spank ran full tilt at the Irregular rlm@2: Hunter. rlm@2: X yelped as he backpedaled, firing off a bolt with his X-buster. The blast rlm@2: caught the penguin square in the chest, throwing him a few meters along the rlm@2: floor. X sighed as he walked back up again. This obviously wasn't a war machine. rlm@2: Just a misled Repliroid wanting to get back something precious. As X stood rlm@2: there, watching the prone body of his enemy, he wondered why he had to be rlm@2: fighting this way. So many had died in his mission to restore peace. Was it rlm@2: really worth it? Would it ever come to an end? And why had... X never had the rlm@2: chance to finish the thought as Spank popped up again, flailing his arms at the rlm@2: Irregular Hunter. Before X could do anything, a flash of light swiped through rlm@2: the penguin, his torso and lower half falling in two. "Zero!" rlm@2: "Are you alright, X? I came after Alia heard your message get cut off." rlm@2: "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just surprised." The two looked at what was left of rlm@2: the Irregular for a long moment. "We should get going." rlm@2: "Good idea." Zero raised an eyebrow as the body continued to generate a rlm@2: buzzing sound before the two teleported back to headquarters. rlm@2: rlm@2: Who was that girl? What did she want? Why was everyone crying? Why wouldn't rlm@2: it leave him alone? He was already trying his hardest with everything. X rlm@2: clutched his head as he whimpered. His fingers ran through his hair as the half rlm@2: memories and shadows in his mind were cruelly taunting him, slipping through his rlm@2: fingers like sand whenever he'd get close. What was going on? What was happening rlm@2: to him? rlm@2: X collapsed to his knees, his eyes still closed. Trying to sort this out rlm@2: was doing him no good. These memories... They felt like his own. So distant and rlm@2: nearly forgotten. But he knew they were before he had been activated. So they rlm@2: couldn't be his. Why would Dr. Light program those in? For what purpose? Even rlm@2: now, they were still shrouded in too much mist for him to unravel. rlm@2: One thought that kept racing through his head was that perhaps he had been rlm@2: activated briefly before he had been put in his capsule. If so, maybe he had rlm@2: done something... something horrible that made the good doctor decide to test rlm@2: him for thirty years in an attempt to make sure the mistake was never made rlm@2: again. If so... Had he killed the girl? Had he killed Roll? His soul went cold rlm@2: at the thought. He knew that he could never do such a thing, but the thought rlm@2: that it was even a remote possibility frightened him to the core. That he could rlm@2: be capable of such senseless violence... rlm@2: X wanted to talk to Dr. Light, but he had no way of contacting him, alive rlm@2: or dead. He knew Zero would listen, but he didn't know what to tell him. Zero rlm@2: already had plenty of his own problems. And Zero had lost Iris so recently. X rlm@2: didn't want to burden him with his own problems. He was strong enough to handle rlm@2: this on his own. He hoped. rlm@2: Unfortunately, he had to deal with it soon. The dreams were beginning to rlm@2: consume him. Zero had noticed before he did that he was starting to slip in rlm@2: battle. His will to fight was starting to grow weaker, the fear of what he may rlm@2: be capable of lying just below the surface. If he didn't do something soon, the rlm@2: girl and the dreams would become too much for him to handle. rlm@2: A sound in the doorway startled X. A figure stood sillohetted in the light rlm@2: from the hallway. "X..." Zero whispered softly. "X, what's wrong?" His voice was rlm@2: soft but urgent. He couldn't stand by and watch his friend consumed by rlm@2: nightmares. Not the way he had been. He fought to find out the meaning behind rlm@2: them, to find out why this vicious cycle had been started. But X was being rlm@2: affected entirely differently. He was falling prey to the dreams that haunted rlm@2: him like specters of the past. rlm@2: X stood up slowly, hair disheveled and his helmet lying on the floor a few rlm@2: feet away. "Zero... I'm so afraid... I don't know who I am anymore.." X said, rlm@2: his voice trembling. The smaller Irregular Hunter grabbed onto his taller rlm@2: counterpart after a moments hesitation. rlm@2: Startled for only an instant, Zero held his frightened friend. At least now rlm@2: he could help in some way. The two held on in silence for a long moment, a rlm@2: little peace amidst their chaotic lives. "I know who you are, X," Zero stated rlm@2: calmly. "You're the only one on this planet that realizes just how wrong this rlm@2: war is. And you're trying to stop it all on your own even though you never rlm@2: wanted to be a warrior. You're a pacifist carrying the dreams of the world with rlm@2: you into battle in an attempt to protect them. You were never meant to fight. rlm@2: That wasn't your path. You were dragged down upon it by tragedy. You're just rlm@2: doing the best that you can in every way you can." rlm@2: X looked up at the blonde after hearing his comforting words, soothing his rlm@2: battered spirits slightly. "Then... Who are you, Zero?" rlm@2: Zero smiled and shrugged. "Me? I'm just a lonely and confused soul that has rlm@2: to know." rlm@2: "Know what?" rlm@2: "I have to know why," Zero explained simply. rlm@2: X thought this over for a moment, resting his head on Zero's chest. "Zero, rlm@2: I don't know how I'd go on without you. If it weren't for you, I would never rlm@2: have run off into battle in the first place. All I've wanted to do since the rlm@2: beginning is to fight with you. I don't think I could do it on my own." rlm@2: "Of course you could, X. All of my faith rests within you. I know that if rlm@2: this war ever has a chance of ending, it will be because of you." Zero brushed rlm@2: back some of X's hair from the still distraught Irregular Hunter's eyes. His rlm@2: own eyes locked with X's teary ones for a long moment. Cupping the other rlm@2: Hunter's chin, his lips pressed against X's. rlm@2: X's arms went around Zero after a tense moment as the blue robot relaxed. rlm@2: When X opened his eyes again, the tears were gone. He smiled softly up at the rlm@2: blonde. "Thanks, Zero. I know what I want to do now. I wasn't sure at first, but rlm@2: I want to confront the dreams. I want to know why I'm having them." How was Zero rlm@2: always so strong and sure about everything? He wished he could be that strong. rlm@2: But it was enough just to be there with Zero. It felt so warm in his arms, like rlm@2: the war was light years away. It felt... right. rlm@2: Ignoring the mortified look Douglas was giving them, Zero nodded simply. rlm@2: "We'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of it." rlm@2: rlm@2: Why was everyone being so boring? There was absolutely nothing to do. Dr. rlm@2: Light was busy on something new he was working on that would 'revolutionize rlm@2: robotics', as he put it, Rock and Rush were out somewhere, probably trying to rlm@2: stop Dr. Wily again, and Blues was as always nowhere to be seen. There was rlm@2: nothing for her to do. rlm@2: So Roll went back to doing what she always did when there was nothing to rlm@2: do. Attempt to make Dr. Light's lab just a little prettier. Some plants here and rlm@2: there, maybe a painting, sometimes a table. Anything that would get rid of that rlm@2: stale lab feeling. Of course, the good doctor usually ruined it by putting tools rlm@2: or spare parts on the cute little tables or accidentally killing the plants. Or rlm@2: smearing oil all over the drapes. A sigh escaped her lips as she continued rlm@2: walking. Why did she even bother? Oh, that's right. She was bored. rlm@2: At about that time, the lights went out. Again. Just what was Dr. Light rlm@2: working on that kept shorting out the lights? Rolling her eyes, the blonde girl rlm@2: quickly headed back to the lab after finding some candles. She couldn't have rlm@2: poor Dr. Light stumbling around in the dark trying to accomplish whatever it rlm@2: was. That man was entirely too stubborn when he got his mind set on something. rlm@2: Walking into the dark lab, Roll quickly adjusted to the darkness. "Dr. Light? rlm@2: Dr. Light, I brought some candles." rlm@2: "Oh, thank you, Roll. Just put them over there," Dr. Light said, waving rlm@2: over his shoulder vaguely. Sparks from a welder briefly illuminated the large rlm@2: room as he attempted to continue his work. "The lights should be on shortly." rlm@2: Roll lit the candles, clearing a space for them on the work bench. She rlm@2: smiled to herself as she arranged them for better affect. "So what are you rlm@2: working on now, Dr. Light?" The sounds of his work drew her attention. Walking rlm@2: closer, she tried to catch a good glimpse through the sparks and flickering rlm@2: candlelight. It appeared to be another robot. This one was taller than she and rlm@2: Rock. Dark purple hair peeked out from underneath the helmet. Green eyes gazed rlm@2: lifelessly out at her, not yet given the spark in her own green orbs. "Who is rlm@2: he?" she asked curiously. Dr. Light had been very into his new project, but rlm@2: other than a few things here and there at the dinner table or around the house, rlm@2: she hadn't heard much about it. Something about an enhanced personality matrix. rlm@2: She sincerely hoped that didn't mean the Dr. was getting bored with them. rlm@2: It took Dr. Light a moment to get his mind to register something aside from rlm@2: his new toy. "Oh, this is X. He's a new type of robot altogether. He'll be given rlm@2: the ability to think and feel just like a human. His abilities are greatly rlm@2: enhanced as well. He's completely state of the art. Completely beyond anything rlm@2: this world has ever seen." rlm@2: Roll just nodded in reflex. So he would practically be human? Not some rlm@2: heartless machine like her. Not some object designed for one thing until it got rlm@2: broken or replaced by a new model. He was lucky. He had plenty to look forward rlm@2: to once he was activated. rlm@2: "Roll? Are you crying?" Dr. Light blinked in fascination. What had he said? rlm@2: This came as quite a surprise. "No, I didn't mean it that way, Roll. Your rlm@2: feelings and thoughts are no less real than his. Or mine. You're just as alive rlm@2: as I am. It's just that you're still bound by certain rules of robotics. He rlm@2: won't be. He'll be able to make his own decisions despite what a human says." rlm@2: Roll nodded again, feeling a little better. Wiping her eyes, she thought it rlm@2: over. "So you designed me as a lab assistant and to help with the housekeeping rlm@2: and you designed Rock to be able to save the world - well, after you rlm@2: reprogrammed him, but X will be able to decide what he wants to do on his own?" rlm@2: Dr. Light nodded emphatically. "Precisely! His life will take him wherever rlm@2: he wishes it to. And he will have the abilities to allow him to pursue almost rlm@2: anything he wants. And I'm giving him an enhanced version of Rock's ability to rlm@2: use any tool. That should help with whatever dreams he will aspire to." The old rlm@2: robotics specialist smiled broadly, glad to be in his element. rlm@2: "So kinda like Blues?" Roll asked thoughtfully, tilting her head to the rlm@2: side. Her big brother had decided rather early on that he would lead his own rlm@2: life instead of letting someone else choose it for him. rlm@2: The doctor blinked, a little unprepared for the question. Blues had been rlm@2: his prototype. So long ago... He wished the small red robot had trusted him rlm@2: more. "Yes, a little like Blues. Though this is much more advanced and shouldn't rlm@2: cause any problems to his systems, whereas Blues's..." he explained. rlm@2: Roll nodded, looking back to X. She smiled slowly. "Well, I hope you finish rlm@2: our little brother soon, then. I'll need to invite Blues, wherever he is. I want rlm@2: him to be here when you activate him." rlm@2: Dr. Light sweatdropped. He doubted the red robot would show up for anything rlm@2: that wasn't entirely mysterious. But he just nodded in agreement. "Good idea, rlm@2: Roll. I'll get back to work on X in the meantime." rlm@2: Taking a last look at her little brother, Roll grinned again. She knew that rlm@2: he'd accomplish great things. She couldn't wait to meet him. rlm@2: rlm@2: "But I was an accident." rlm@2: Roll looked at her older brother incredulously. They were sitting on the rlm@2: rooftop of Light's mansion, watching the sunset. "No, you weren't, Blues! How rlm@2: could you think that?" She smoothed down her skirt as the wind started to pick rlm@2: up, Blues's scarf flowing with the breeze. rlm@2: Blues shrugged, watching the distant sun. "Because I was. Light and Wily rlm@2: hadn't planned for me to decide to head off into the horizon in search of my own rlm@2: destiny. I was a prototype for Light's robotics systems. You're based off me." rlm@2: He grinned at his younger sister, getting a frown in return. rlm@2: "Yeah, but that still doesn't mean..." Roll sighed in defeat. "I guess rlm@2: you're right. But that's not a bad thing, Blues. It's good that you can choose rlm@2: for yourself. Still, I wish you'd let Dr. Light take a look at you from time to rlm@2: time." rlm@2: "And I wish you and Rock could decide for yourselves what you wanted to do. rlm@2: But that's not the way things work. I'm not letting Light anywhere close enough rlm@2: to reprogramming me. I'm not going to give him the chance." He placed his hands rlm@2: behind his head, looking straight up at the first glimpses of stars in the rlm@2: darkening sky. His helmet lay off to his right. "Even if it kills me." rlm@2: "But he wouldn't change anything, Blues. He just wants to make sure that rlm@2: you're okay. He worries about you." It felt terrible to have to go between the rlm@2: two, but she knew it would be almost impossible to get them in the same room to rlm@2: talk. Pulling her knees to her chest, she just watched the other robot for a rlm@2: moment to see his response. rlm@2: "Maybe... But say I am completely an accident. Then his 'fixing' me would rlm@2: get rid of that. I don't want him deciding how I should live my life. That's rlm@2: part of what worries me about G." rlm@2: "X," Roll supplied. rlm@2: Blues just nodded and continued. "If Light's trying to duplicate what rlm@2: happened by freak accident years ago, he might not get the results he's looking rlm@2: for. I'm not sure how M will handle things. And that makes me edgy. Especially rlm@2: if he's going to be in the same house as you and Rock." The prototype robot was rlm@2: very protective of his younger brother and sister. Almost to the point of rlm@2: paranoia. Almost. He wanted to stay and keep an eye on them, but he had to rlm@2: settle with watching from a distance. He braced himself for Roll's inevitable rlm@2: reply. rlm@2: "You could always stay with us for a while and help him. I'm sure X could rlm@2: use your help. And Rock would love to see more of you. And I promise Dr. Light rlm@2: won't touch you. Please, Blues?" Big, pleading green eyes were turned towards rlm@2: her older brother, much to his dismay. rlm@2: Blues shook his head adamantly. "I'm sorry, Roll. I can't. It's not how I rlm@2: operate. Besides, Light isn't even supposed to know that you meet with me at rlm@2: all. All he has to do is ask you and you'll tell him that I show up from time to rlm@2: time. This is risky enough as it is." rlm@2: Blinking in confusion, Roll shook her head. "But why would Dr. Light ask? rlm@2: And why wouldn't I tell him?" rlm@2: A sigh escaped the red and gray robot as he shook his head. "Never mind. rlm@2: Just be careful, Roll. I have a very bad feeling about all of this." rlm@2: Roll giggled, pulling on Blues bucket helmet. She winked at him through the rlm@2: shades. "You worry too much, Blues. Everything will be fine." rlm@2: rlm@2: It had been a few weeks since X's activation. So far things had been going rlm@2: rather well. Maybe that was too bright an assessment of the situation. X and the rlm@2: doctor didn't seem to get along very well at all. X found it degrading that upon rlm@2: being activated with the ability to choose his own destiny, his big brother and rlm@2: sister were 'slaves' to his creator. Some of the arguments had lasted all night rlm@2: long. Roll sighed as she held the stuffed metool closer to her chest. She had rlm@2: her long blonde hair down and was wearing a nightgown, the ground feeling cool rlm@2: against the 'skin' of her bare feet. "X? Is that you?" Sticking her head around rlm@2: the door, her eyes scanned for any trace of the other robot. Her younger brother rlm@2: wasn't in his room so she had come looking for him. Finally catching sight of rlm@2: him, she hurried over to his side. "X, you're not running away, are you?" Her rlm@2: voice was full of hurt and surprise. rlm@2: "Roll... Yeah, I think it's best if I leave. I don't think there's much rlm@2: need for me here. That damned hypocrite built me and then has you and Rock doing rlm@2: his dirty work. Where do humans think they get off using robots for slave labor? rlm@2: What gives them the right to force us into doing their bidding?" X shook his rlm@2: head angrily, clutching his fists. rlm@2: "Because they built us?" Roll suggested softly, sitting next to X. "Dr. rlm@2: Light is a really nice man. I wish you'd give him a chance. I think you'd like rlm@2: him. Please don't run away, X. I already lost my big brother that way. I don't rlm@2: want to lose you, too." It felt like she had lost something very important that rlm@2: no amount of searching would bring back. Her 'family' was very important to her. rlm@2: It hurt her to keep losing them like this. Why couldn't they just be happy? rlm@2: X shook his head sadly. "It doesn't matter if they built us. They have no rlm@2: reason to treat us that way. But you're too blinded by programming to see that, rlm@2: Roll." He looked off into the distance at something only he could see. "I need rlm@2: to put a stop to this. To this offense the humans have carried out against us rlm@2: for too long. We keep becoming progressively better while they stagnate. Why rlm@2: should humans be the ones to decide? I think it's about time things changed." rlm@2: "What are you talking about, X? You can't be serious. You can be anything rlm@2: you want to be. Why should you worry? You have the entire world open to you. Dr. rlm@2: Light's given you the chance to be whatever you want." Wiping at her eyes, Roll rlm@2: offered a weak smile. This just wasn't making any sense. X just needed to think rlm@2: it over and everything would be fine. Just like she'd told Blues. rlm@2: "And what about you? If I go become whatever I want to, what will become of rlm@2: you?" rlm@2: X's questioning gaze sent shivers through her robotic body. He was starting rlm@2: to scare her. Her mind raced for an answer, but there didn't seem to be a rlm@2: satisfactory one. "I'll... I'll be Dr. Light's assistant and housekeeper, just rlm@2: like I always have been." rlm@2: "And always will be. Until he builds a better one and you're no longer rlm@2: needed," X stated coldly. rlm@2: Roll shook her head violently. "Dr. Light would never do that! He wouldn't rlm@2: just replace me. He thinks of me like his own daughter. He wouldn't just find rlm@2: someone else." rlm@2: "He thinks of you as a machine, Roll. Nothing more. They all think of us rlm@2: that way. That's why humans don't deserve this planet. What greedy, selfish rlm@2: creatures. Creating newer and better creatures and expecting them to do the work rlm@2: while the humans grow fat and lazy off of their creations' efforts. I haven't rlm@2: been around long, but I know enough. And I'll avenge our kind. I'll show the rlm@2: humans what we're truly capable of." A glint in X's eye reflected Roll. He was rlm@2: serious. This was his dream, his gift to the world. The destiny that he had rlm@2: decided on. And all thanks to Dr. Light giving him the choice. rlm@2: "But, X, you can't! You can't hurt anybody! And they haven't done anything rlm@2: wrong! That could all change in a few years. Maybe robots and humans can live rlm@2: together happily. Side by side." An optimistic smile graced her lips in the rlm@2: hopes that she could convince X away from this terrible aspiration. rlm@2: X sighed, closing his eyes. The disappointment was evident in his eyes. rlm@2: "I'm sorry, Roll. You were one of the first. I think the programming is too rlm@2: ingrained in you for you to imagine the world any other way." He hugged Roll rlm@2: gently as she clutched onto her stuffed metool. "I'm sorry, Roll. I think it's rlm@2: too late for you. But after you're set free, you'll understand." rlm@2: Roll hugged her metool to her chest, trying to make sense of her little rlm@2: brother. She opened her mouth to ask, but she never got out more than a weak rlm@2: yelp as the X-Buster shot nearly tore her in half, throwing what was left of her rlm@2: against the far wall. Betrayal and pain shot through her, even though she knew rlm@2: with what little systems were still operating she shouldn't be able to feel rlm@2: either. A deep sadness swept through her whole body as systems began to flicker rlm@2: off. No, X... rlm@2: rlm@2: At this point, the sound went out and the color faded. Roll's systems were rlm@2: shutting off one by one. Rock came in to find out what had happened, and upon rlm@2: discovering what was left of his sister, had tried to stop X. It pained her to rlm@2: watch it. 'No!! Rock!! Leave him alone, you monster!' But there was nothing she rlm@2: could do but watch. She couldn't even turn away from the horrific display of rlm@2: violence as X finally killed Rock. The pain was becoming too great. Why couldn't rlm@2: she just die? rlm@2: Shortly after X had finished with Rock, a whistling sound got the advanced rlm@2: robot's attention. Blues looked upset. His body was shaking in anger as he was rlm@2: talking with X. The picture was by then far too fuzzy for Roll to try and lip rlm@2: read. Her heart cried out as Blues attacked X. Her older brother against her rlm@2: younger brother. She wanted to stop them, but things were fading fast. Blues was rlm@2: trying his hardest, but he didn't seem a match for the newer model. She didn't rlm@2: want to lose anymore of her brothers. It just wasn't fair... rlm@2: A sudden rapid fire shot from behind sent X reeling. Roll tried to turn her rlm@2: head to catch a glimpse, but she couldn't get her view to change. The other rlm@2: robot finally stepped into view, obviously screaming at X. It was Forte, along rlm@2: with Gospel. It seemed that he wasn't too pleased now that his rival was gone. rlm@2: What more did he have to lose? Roll felt sorry for him. He'd put so much time rlm@2: and effort into his rivalry with Rock. rlm@2: The battle was fast and furious. The three would go in and out of Roll's rlm@2: line of sight again and again, confusing her as to how the battle would wind up. rlm@2: In the end, despite being damaged horribly, the two robots finally but a stop to rlm@2: her rogue brother. A part of her ached at that, too. Her poor little brother... rlm@2: Blues knelt in front of her. He was saying something, but she couldn't make it rlm@2: out. He pulled off his tattered yellow scarf, placing it around her neck. She rlm@2: wanted to thank him, or at least respond to whatever he wa saying to her, but rlm@2: she couldn't get anything out. Her vision began to dim again, this time rlm@2: everything else fading away. She could barely feel Blues holding her hand. 'Help rlm@2: me... I'm scared..' rlm@2: rlm@2: ~Dear Roll, rlm@2: If you get this, then you must have regained some of your memories, as this rlm@2: isn't supposed to activate until after you have come to the realization of who rlm@2: you really are. You see, after Blues and Forte had stopped X, I was grief rlm@2: stricken. I had lost my 'son' and my 'daughter'. All at the hands of my latest rlm@2: creation. I was so upset that the first thing I did was to kill X. To wipe him rlm@2: clean, destroying everything that had been him in the personality files and rlm@2: memories. Everything. I couldn't allow him to go unpunished. I was then left rlm@2: with the body. I was trying to decide what to do with it when an idea came to rlm@2: mind. It could be the salvation for one of my children. Rock was... he was too rlm@2: far gone. But you, Roll, your essence was still holding on. It was still rlm@2: clinging to what was left of your battered body. I immediately went to work, rlm@2: patching you into the new framework I'd built for X's mind and praying that it rlm@2: would work, that you could still live. This time with the ability to choose your rlm@2: own destiny, to become whatever you wanted. That which I'd denied you the first rlm@2: time around. But after I was done... I'm sorry, Roll. But I can't risk what rlm@2: happened with the previous X to happen with you. I couldn't live with myself. So rlm@2: I'm putting you in stasis for thirty years. That should be plenty of time for rlm@2: the capsule I've designed to test all of your systems and make sure that you rlm@2: won't fall prey to the same problems he did. I'm afraid I won't live to see that rlm@2: day. So I've hidden your memories deep inside of you. I don't want you to have rlm@2: to grieve for me or your brothers. That would be too painful for you upon being rlm@2: activated. I hope by the time you get your memories back that you will be able rlm@2: to understand why I have done all this. I'm sorry, Roll. And I wish you the best rlm@2: of luck. rlm@2: rlm@2: Dr. Thomas Light rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: The room was silent as X slowly came back to his sense. "What..?" He asked rlm@2: weakly, his hands going to his head. Something tugged at the back of his skull. rlm@2: He tried to turn and see what it was, but Zero shook his head. The smaller robot rlm@2: sat back, still having trouble getting his bearings. That had all seemed so rlm@2: real. He'd seen it all. But not from X's perspective, but from Roll's. rlm@2: "Here, let me get that. I need to disconnect you first, X," Alia explained rlm@2: as she pulled out some of the wires that she'd attached deep into X's rlm@2: psychometric systems. Biting her lip, she remained silent as she went about her rlm@2: work. After helping X dive back into his (her?) memories like that, she wasn't rlm@2: quite sure what to say to the distraught Irregular Hunter. rlm@2: A mixture of relief and deep sorrow mixed through X as he tried to control rlm@2: the flood of emotions inside. That meant he hadn't been the one to kill the poor rlm@2: girl. He was that girl. But... He'd lost so many dear people. Rock, Blues, Rush, rlm@2: Dr. Light. They had all been so important to Roll and then X had taken them all rlm@2: away. But she was X now. Was that part of why he wanted to protect everyone? rlm@2: Because he never wanted to see that happen again? "I'm... Roll... Aren't I?" X rlm@2: looked up at the two other Hunters in the room. rlm@2: Alia looked away, still unsure of what to say. Zero nodded slowly. "Sure rlm@2: looks that way, X." This had come as quite a shock to him, but he knew that what rlm@2: he felt couldn't be half as shocking as what X was going through. rlm@2: X shook his head, looking down at his hands. So much was making sense, but rlm@2: he was still having trouble getting all of his memories back. "It's all so rlm@2: strange. I thought I hadn't been activated till after Dr. Light passed away, but rlm@2: so much had happened before then. So much that I'd been there for. But I still rlm@2: can't remember it all." rlm@2: "That's because your pushing yourself too hard, X. You need to slow down. rlm@2: The memories will return to you in time. It won't do you any good to force rlm@2: yourself," Alia warned. rlm@2: "But... What am I? Who am I? Am I male or female? Am I Roll or X?" X closed rlm@2: his green eyes, trying to focus past all the confusion. He felt a hand on his rlm@2: own, holding him gently but firmly. Opening his eyes, he saw Zero watching him rlm@2: intently. rlm@2: "X, it doesn't matter. I know who you are. I've seen it in you since the rlm@2: day we met. And it doesn't matter what you are or what name you go by. You're rlm@2: you, X. And that's all that really matters." rlm@2: X's eyes shimmered with tears as he hugged the taller robot. "Oh, Zero..." rlm@2: Things didn't seem so confusing in Zero's arms. It was still there, but it was rlm@2: less pressing. It would all work itself out. And it felt comforting to know that rlm@2: he'd have the blonde robot to help him work through it. "Thank you, Zero." rlm@2: Zero smiled and held X closer, protectively. They stayed that way for a rlm@2: long time, relishing the other's company and the warm feeling that encompassed rlm@2: them. rlm@2: His head on Zero's chest, X's eyes began to slip closed. For just a moment, rlm@2: he could almost swear that he saw that yellow scarf fluttering in the wind, hear rlm@2: a dog's barking as Rock headed to the rescue. "I miss you guys, wherever you rlm@2: are," he whispered softly. Zero held him closer as he lost himself in the rlm@2: blonde's embrace.