Chapter 5: X: The Unknown

The arrival of X and Roll at the Reploid Education Center was largely unnoticed. X was pleasantly surprised, he expected a great deal of fuss to be made over the discovery of Roll...and not to mention Roll herself, and a great deal of embarrassment for the two of them. X found himself pleased that there weren't hordes of preening reploids to gawk at Roll, somehow the idea of her being fawned over bothered him. X hated the idea of marching Roll into a classroom, but knew he had to. X guided Roll through the hallways, walking as slowly as possible while trying not to give away that he was stalling. Roll quietly admired the compound, a lot of strides had been taken since her time. She directed her penetrating gaze at X, thinking it must be a blessing to not remember, and therefore ache for, the past, but also a curse to have so many questions.

Roll smiled wryly at X and remarked "You sure aren't in a hurry, X" X turned his head away and blushed once again, and muttered "Why rush into things?" X wasn't even aware of the dual meaning of his statement at the time. Roll smiled to herself, she thought naughty girl, you've gone and embarrassed him. Of course that was her intent, she liked to see him like that, his shyness was just adorable. Roll supposed to herself that she should make an effort to make him more comfortable around her. "X, you don't want to bring me into some classroom do you? Do we really have to start today? I think you want to talk."

X felt as if she had reached into his mind and plucked the thoughts out of his head...was he really that obvious? X stopped and turned to her before speaking. "Roll, I...I would really enjoy talking to you." She smiled at him, and he smiled back, for once not feeling ashamed. His guts wobbled when she leaned her head backwards and adjusted her hair with her hand, her eyes gleaming. He wondered what she was thinking, of course he had thoughts, but X assumed they were all wrong, she probably thought he was stupid. X wondered, how could she read him so easily, while he couldn't tell if what he saw in her eyes was what he thought it was, or what he wanted it to be?

She smiled so much, it couldn't be because she liked him, it was probably amusement at his stammering, hitching nervousness. Damn it all, X thought to himself. X pulled his lips into his mouth and licked them, looking into her eyes and trying to find something to make himself sure. Roll leaned sideways against a wall, resting her shoulder against it and leaning her head sideways, crossing her legs at an angle. X's heart jumped a beat, she looked too perfect. She was waiting for him to speak of course. "Why don't we go...uh...how about one of the more remote lounges, I'm sure at least once is empty and we could sit on the couches and uh, talk about....you know." He felt like an idiot.

Roll nodded her head in agreement, and he lead her once again through the hallways, enjoying the simple fact of contact, this time slipping his gloves off before placing his hand gently on her back. It was a thousand times better. The two of them walked into an empty lounge, and X closed and locked the door behind him. X absently wondered where Dr. Cain could be...somehow he found himself caring less and less about the doctor's location and more about isolating himself and roll from any intrusions. X thought to himself that Cain certainly foresaw this and made himself scarce as a courtesy to X. The aura of friendship swelled in X's heart, the old man knew him all to well...still...X couldn't help but wonder, in the back of his mind, just what the doctor was up to.

X managed to put a lot of thought in where to sit, without looking indecisive. Roll sat on a nearby couch, near the armrest, leg's crossed, wings folded behind her and head resting gently to one side. Should he sit on closest end of the couch that was lined up against he adjacent wall....or next to her? Must be next to her, how close? Close enough, but not too close. No...she was leaning towards the other couch, best sit there. X sat on the other couch and faced her. She smiled at him and let out a small laugh. Roll noticed X's inquisitiveness and shook her head, laughing again before explaining "I'm sorry, it's just that X, you have no reason to be nervous around me okay?" He thought to himself damnit, wondering if his head was made out of glass. X shifted in his seat and laughed nervously himself. "I'm sorry it's just that...I'm not sure how I should be handling everything at this point, maybe we should just start with...do you remember anything?"

Roll told him everything that she remembered from the time before she went into the pod. It really wasn't much at all, but X devoured every fact, every memory and urged her on to greater detail. He especially soaked up every detail about Dr. Light, asking many questions about the man and his mannerisms. She told him history also, stuff that was outlined in vague terms in books, a lot of it speculation. She told him about her former self, and her brothers Rock and Blues. She told him how Wiley had subverted the wills of their brethren, Guts, Ice, Fire, Elec, Cut and Bomb and used them against Light. She told how her Rock battled Wiley many times, he was given the title of "Mega Man of the Century" by the people of the city. She told him how Dr. Light, wanting Rock and Roll to live on after he died, created new bodies for them, using DNA samples of his own brain cells to give them some organic gray matter allowing them to think, feel and make decisions. She told him that her CPU was transferred to the new body, but that Rock was destroyed in a battle along with Wiley, leaving not enough left to salvage him.

Roll told X that not long after that battle, she was told about her new body and the transfer took place, she was placed in a pod without being told why. She knew there was another pod that housed Rock's new body but that it would never have his personality implanted into it. She remembered first awakening in her body and being in the pod, feeling great sadness and crying as Dr. Light soothed her. She remembered looking into his eyes before being deactivated. She told all of this to X.

X sat thinking for a long while after Roll became quiet. He pieced together things from his story and hers, and came to conclusions, he thought of the meaning of everything. The realization that he was created as a host body for Rock, the legendary Mega Man was akin to a blow to the base of his skull. X thought of Dr. Light's failed plan for Rock to live on in this body....and wondered if he was wrong to be thankful for Rock's death, which gave birth to his existence. X knew what happened now, Dr. Light was pretty shaken up after Rock's death and didn't waste time transferring Roll. He put a new personality and dubbed it X. The X probably stood for the unknown, as Dr. Light would never know what his final creation was like. X's personality needed to be tested, hence the wait in the pod. Dr. Light probably put Roll in so they could wake up together in a new world.

How sad, X thought to himself, and yet how wonderful in a way. Dr. Light knew that the future would need a Mega Man, and took the chance that it would be X. X felt a great connection to Rock, and Dr. Light. Roll watched his face as he mused over all these things. She saw a single teardrop form in his eye as X put his head in his hands, completely overwhelmed. Roll empathized, he was shaken up. She knew that she had basically just told him that he, meaning the very essence of who he is, was never supposed to exist. Roll got up and sat next to him, and put her arms around his shoulder, pulling him towards her. He let her place his head against her chest as she held him tight and whispered to him. "Hey...It's okay....I know....it's okay...."