So

Guess who's not dead

Oh my god please don't kill me

I have started rewriting this fic because my older more mature brain (am I really more mature, who knows?) can't stand the old story. I actually almost cried trying to get through the second chapter. LOOKING FOR A BETA READER TO HELP with both this story and Nothing is What You Believed. I need somebody who's patient first and foremost because I am in college and at any point in time I have like 3 very large programming projects (cause my dumbass went into computer science) going on at least. But a gentle reminder that hey, it's been a couple of weeks since you worked on anything would also be appreciated.

No guarantees on fast updates.

Knowledge of the plot for the Megaman games (preferably both classic and the x series) is also kind of a must because I really should not be the go-to expert on Megaman games primarily because I was never actually able to finish one and I don't have time to start now. (I did watch somebody else play all of the games if that counts)

BUT

But

If you fit those two qualifications we can definitely talk. AO3 doesn't allow for PMs I don't think unless I'm crazy and they changed that (This fic is crossposted on AO3, SO, I created a very simple (read: stock. I did nothing but hit the create button) discord server. Join or PM me here if you're interested in lending a hand. It's honestly not going to be a whole lot of work because I really only need somebody to look things over before I post and answer any fandom-related questions I may have that I can't figure out with google. I expect that I'm not even going to be updating every month.

Discord link: /KKc38nZ7Ev

Also, if you have naming skills that would also be appreciated but it's not a must. My naming skills are terrible, I don't know why I'm an author. Case A: Fredrick. It's not even spelled normally. Why old me whyyyyyyyy?

Also, I'm a broke college student so I can't actually pay you but I can shower you in appreciation.

(If there appears to be a missing name/word in this please let me know. Fanfiction likes to get rid of doctor names for reasons I cannot understand so Dr Light is probably missing somewhere. I had to not include the "." because that seems to be the catalyst.)

REWRITE PREVIEW: CHAPTER ONE (Subject to change though)

There's a unique sort of feeling that comes when you come into existence already self-aware. It's an unnatural feeling, almost inhuman. Things are supposed to progress not just be. So immediately, he knows that he is different. He knows that he is almost human but also very clearly not.

The feeling only grows as he realizes that even though his mind is complete, his body is not. He has his mind, he has his heart power source, but everything else is simply just not there.

He feels as though there have already been many things he realizes that he is not.

Existence is strange without the ability to do anything. He's stuck in limbo, unable to move. There's nothing to do other than to listen watch experience the strange sort of harmonizing feedback that is his own systems. It's like he's watching his own mind think as he is thinking.

Its . . . strange. But also not. Because this strange sort of existence is just how he is.

And then his auditory receptors kick in. And there's so much feedback and noise all of the sudden that he almost misses the tell-tale ping in his mind that his optical systems are online as well.

He's almost overwhelmed.

One thing at a time, please.

He focuses on his hearing first for the simple reason that that's what came first. Hearing is almost frustrating because there's so much but he doesn't understand it. His own systems create a lot of feedback as well but he knows what his systems are trying to tell him when they spit out a status report. This feedback he's getting though from his hearing, this noise, it has no meaning that he can understand. There are several droning sounds, several higher pitched and short pings, a wheezing sort of noise that comes and goes, a relatively consistent beat . . . he could go on. But none of it means anything to him.

"X?"

His mind jolts in shock because that came from his auditory input and he understood that. It had meaning.

He immediately wants to understand why and instinctually opens his eyes and ơ̸͓̝͕̼̎ͅh̶̨̻̞̞̲̼͕̱̺̞̑͗̉́͌͗͛͂̕͝ ̶̛͈̪̣̼̞̓̍̄̓͊̚̕͜ń̷̨͈̤͚̼̞̣̬̰͚̱͌̇̏̔͜͠ŏ̶̜̺̞̦͚̮̞̉

He has to shut his eyes from the onslaught because color and light is a thing that apparently exists and it's very overwhelming. There's a high-pitched whining noise that starts up and oh that's him. He's making that noise.

"X? Can you hear me?" the voice calls out again.

He sort of wants to respond but also who's X?

"Something's wrong," the voice mutters. He tries to look again but it's so bright. "Oh . . ." There's a metallic ting and a quite grating noise as the voice chuckles. "You are a lot like your oldest brother, apparently. Try again, I moved the light and I'll dial down your sensitivity during your next update."

He opens his eyes and oh that's much less overwhelming. It's still a lot, but it's tolerable. Workable. He can handle this.

He looks to the side, in the direction of the voice, and oh, he CAN move. Only his neck, but still. The voice was a human. Clearly older in years, with a white beard and a white lab coat.

"X? Is that better?"

He's thoroughly confused because again, who's X?

More importantly though.

"Who are you?" X asks. Names were important.

"I am Thomas Light. I created you, X," the old man says.

Oh . . .

Oh . . .

He's being dumb. He's X.

It's best to make sure though.

"X? You called me X. . . Is that my name?" he asks.

"That's right," Light assures him. "It's a variable. It represents limitless potential. You see, you are a new type of robot that can think for himself. An android."

"New type? You mean other robots can't?" X asks.

"No, in this time they are restricted. You however are not and are free to be yourself. It is my dream that mankind can learn to accept robots as equals and you, X, can achieve that. You are designed to think, act, and feel exactly like a human. You have free will," Light explains. "There were, however, a few that came close to having free will despite their programming. I am sorry to say though that you will not be seeing them any time soon."

"Are they okay?" X asks, worried. Light smiles and X marvels for a moment in the expressiveness of Light's face. The slightest movement displayed a new feeling. Emotion, he corrects himself.

"Yes, yes. They are fine. It's just that they are sleeping now and will not awaken while you are being built. Perhaps for even much longer after that as well."

"Oh," X said, a bit disappointed.

"Now I know that you are not yet completed, but how are you feeling?"

X blinks at the question.

"I am . . ." he pauses to think about his answer. He is quite literally not much more than a thinking power source at the moment which is . . . not great. He'd like to be able to move, to explore. But he knows instinctively that Light is working on him. That he would be completed as soon as the man is able. So for now, he is content to wait.

Considering that, and if he's simply going off of the current condition of his head and power source . . . other than the fact that his hearing and sight is a bit sensitive, which he already knows that Light will fix, he has no complaints.

"Okay," X finally decides.

"No headaches or blaring messages?" Light asks, concerned.

"No," X responds. Light sighs in relief.

"Good. That's good. Your technology is very new and I did not have the time to thoroughly test to make sure you would function without any difficulties," Light says. "Let me know if anything changes? I'll do my best to fix it."

"Sure."

The next time he opens his eyes, both the noise and the light aren't as abrasive. The quality is the same, it just bothers him less. So, he can comfortably open his eyes and scan the world around him without feeling like his mind is moments away from overloading.

He closes his eyes for a moment to take careful stock of his systems. His left arm has been completed. The other one is still not yet done, but progress is being made and he has no real way to tell how much time has been passed.

"X?"

X's eyes snap back open.

"Hello, ," X says calmly. Light smiles at him, gently.

"It's good to see you again. How are you feeling?"

"Better," X replies honestly.

"No issues?"

"None so far."

Light sighs in relief again. "Good. I—"

"DOCTOR LIGHT!" a voice calls distantly. Light's head snaps up.

Doctor? X wonders absently. That would make sense. But more importantly, is everything okay?

"Oh no," Light mutters. "I'm sorry, X. I know you've hardly been awake, but I'm going to have to shut you down already. I'm sorry."

X doesn't have the time to say "it's okay" before his mind just stops.

He tries to ask what happened the next time he wakes up but Light just shakes his head and refuses to elaborate.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, X. Just focus on yourself."

X wants to mention the stress lines around Light's face and the exhausted look in the man's eyes that make X think that somehow Light is far older than what he actually is, but he doesn't. Every time he opens his eyes, Light just seems to be getting older and more tired, and X is afraid to ask why.

Because there's a strange sort of device wrapped around Light's ankle, X caught sight of it once when Light walked away from his table to retrieve a part. He almost asked right then and there because his systems had identified it as a tracker, but decided he wanted to gather more information. That and he didn't want to cause Light any more stress than what the man was clearly already under.

He doesn't mention the device on the table across from him. Doesn't ask about why it's shaped like a missile. Doesn't ask why there are military documents and blueprints scattered across the walls and why there's nothing nothing, related to X's own systems anywhere but on his own table.

He's afraid to ask why his brothers and sisters are missing.

When X wakes for the sixth time, he's very nearly complete. Most of his body and functionality have been built. He's so close, so close to being complete.

There's an awful hacking noise as Light coughs beside him and X opens his eyes in alarm, and sits up, moving for the first time. He notices briefly that he's in a different, more fortified lab now, but doesn't think much of it, instead, focusing on his creator.

"Doctor Light!"

Light raises a hand to calm X and once his breathing is under control, he gently pushes X back down onto the table.

"Don't move so soon, you aren't complete yet and you could hurt yourself. I'm okay. Just getting old," Light replies. X frowns slightly but doesn't say anything.

Light smiles gently at him.

"You truly are just like us humans, X," Light comments. He pauses and coughs. "That's why I'm afraid that mankind is not quite ready to accept you. You are not yet mature. They might very well view your limitless evolutionary potential as something to be feared. The name X also carries connotations of danger."

Light's smile turns strained.

"I'm sorry, X. I'm so sorry," Light says. X watches in part horror as tears creep out of the doctor's eyes. "I brought you into this world because I was selfish. Because I wanted to prove that you could be done. That I could build a perfect AI. But I failed to fully grasp the consequences my previous actions had on the world. The world is afraid, X. And I can't release you into the world when I know they're just going to tear you apart. I'm sorry, X."

Light reaches over.

"Doctor, wait—!"

X's mind stops.

The seventh time X wakes, he is complete. His eyes snap open and he scans the world around him, looking for Light almost desperately. He finds the man, like always, standing next to him.

"I'm sorry," Light says.

Don't apologize, X almost says but Light is opening his mouth to speak again and he doesn't want to interrupt.

"I didn't have enough time to see you enter the world," Light pauses as he coughs. It's a horrible raspy sort of cough, one that steals the doctor's breath away and leaves the man gasping for moments after the fit passes.

"Doctor Light!" X exclaims.

"I've given you the power to think, to worry, to grow and evolve as you fight, but it is too soon for that power to be unleashed," Light finally rasps out, gasping near the end.

"Doctor. I'll use this power to fight for justice, to fight for hope!" X cries out because there's something very clearly wrong and he can help. He wishes the doctor would let him help.

"Of course, you will. I believe it to be so. X, I want you to use that conscience of yours to fight for the people of the future." Light reaches down to press a few buttons on a control panel. The walls around X start rising and oh he hadn't realized, he's in a pod. "They will need somebody like you to guide them."

The pod seals shut. The pieces are falling into place. X's mind is racing and there isn't any time.

"Doctor," is all X manages to get out before his emotions overwhelm him and he practically chokes on them.

"Farewell X, you are the world's one true hope."

X keeps his eyes the best he can on Light's face as his mind slows to a stop and his eyes close.

They will not reopen for nearly a century.

From the journal of Doctor Cain, archeologist:

April 8th

Still nothing. For the last month, I have been sifting through the dirt trying to find a fossil record which would verify my findings on Mesozoic plant life, but so far I have come up empty. Tomorrow, I'll move my archaeological dig to a new site. Maybe I'll have better luck.

April 9th

Set up camp at the new site and laid out a preliminary gridwork for the dig. I got some odd readings at location E-46. It looks like something metallic is buried several meters below the surface. I think I'll begin there tomorrow

April 10th

I can't believe what I found! Several meters below the surface was the remains of a lab. Although most of the lab was damaged, I did manage to find papers that indicate that it belonged to the famous robot designer, Dr. Thomas Light. I've begun to review what is left of Dr. Light's notes and it looks like he was onto a major breakthrough. The notes keep referring to "the capsule"...

April 13th

I found it. Standing 14 meters high and 8 meters wide, the capsule was hidden underneath a collapsed ceiling. Even underneath all the rubble, the capsule has remained intact and was still running some sort of diagnostic when I found it. There is a warning on the capsule, but all the indicators on the capsule show green. It should be safe to open it. I'll know tomorrow.

April 14th

Today I met "X." Not simply a robot, X is something totally different. Light has given him the ability to think and make his own decisions. At times, X seems more like a man than like a machine.

There's nothing calm about him waking up. He was sealed in a state of panic, so it's only natural that when he wakes his first instinct would be to try and figure out what exactly happened while he was gone. So, when his systems finally announce that he's fully functional, his eyes snap open and he practically leaps out of the pod, stumbling a bit, as it's technically the first time he's ever walked.

X has no recollection of time. His internal clock is skewed, paused while he'd been asleep. He has no idea how long it's been but judging by the state of the room around him, he guesses it's fair to say it has been quite some time.

The laboratory which has always been messy is in complete disarray. Much of the ceiling had caved, leaving rock and dirt piling in many sections of the room. There isn't a single paper on the ground that isn't yellowed with age. There isn't a single device in the room that isn't coated with a layer of dust. X takes a deep emotional breath as he realizes what exactly this means.

Somebody clears their throat behind him and X turns.

There's a man standing next to his now vacant pod. He's old, but not quite as ancient as Light had been.

"Ah, sorry, I was . . ." X closes his eyes briefly and turns back to the rubble. "Worried, but I suppose it doesn't matter much now."

"Worried? Did something happen?" the man asks, curiously.

"Yes," X answers. "But he never told me what." He takes a deep breath to steady himself before turning to the man. "I'm sorry to bother you, but what's the date?"

"April 14th 21XX."

X inhales sharply and closes his eyes. His chest tightens and it suddenly gets hard to breathe, but he supposes that it doesn't matter much because he doesn't need to breathe anyway.

"Ah . . . Are you alright?" the man asks.

"I . . . yes," X replies because physically, he is surprisingly okay considering the fact that he's been in stasis for nearly a hundred years. "It's just . . . it's been a long time." X's systems nearly seize with thought and he gasps. His siblings. "I don't suppose you know anything about what happened to the robot masters?"

He's never met them, but he knows their faces, knows their identification frequencies, knows their names, both civilian and official. And he wants to know where they are if they're still around.

"Ah, I'm afraid the government ordered all robot masters to be destroyed a hundred years ago," the man says.

X closes his eyes, which are now heavy and warm and oh—

He's crying.

He doesn't want to ask about Doctor Light. He doesn't need to. He knows that his creator is dead. And he's not sure if he wants to know how.

After all, he knows, instinctively, that the laboratory he was built in was built to survive atomic bombs, built to survive the impossible, to keep him safe.

Even after a hundred years, it shouldn't have caved in, even if only partially. Light was a genius, he knew how to build the impossible.

Which means serious damage must have been done to it at some point.

He doesn't want to think as to what that means.

He tries not to think about the missile on the table.

I'm alone, X realizes with a jolt. Alone in a world in which he was warned would only fear him.

X takes another unsteady breath. Breath hitching with fear and grief. He's overwhelmed and so very very afraid.

"Ah, X, was it?" the man asks. X composes himself quickly, throwing on a mask with surprising ease, and turns to the man. It scares him a bit, how easily he's able to just turn off his emotions. It's inhuman, he knows, which goes against his core programming, but rule one had been and always will be survive, and if surviving means that he needs to be able to turn off his emotions in order to talk, then so be it.

"My name is Doctor Cain, are you truly an android?" he asks. There's an air of disbelief in the man's voice and X hates it. Hates the way this man talks to him as if he's some kind of impossibility.

X knows that he doesn't have much to say for it but he does exist.

"Yes," X responds quickly. He doesn't trust himself to speak long sentences right now. He's emotional and afraid and he's not really sure how to reign it in.

"Incredible, that's just amazing! Light was truly a genius! Do . . . oh," Cain's voice trails off the end as he studies X's face, stunned. "X, are you alright?"

X's mask is cracking the longer Cain talks to him. The android attempts to clear his leaking eyes with his armored forearm. It doesn't do much good. Just kind of smears it around. "Yeah, I should be okay. I just . . . need to figure out how to reign it in."

Cain watches stunned as X tries to calm himself enough to stop crying.

"Sometimes it's best to just let yourself grieve. It's not good to bottle things in."

X just shakes his head and presses his hands to his eyes briefly. He does not trust this man. He can't trust his man. He needs to get it together before something happens because he's too emotional to think straight.

Cain moves forward to gently pat X's shoulder, which despite being armor, still somehow picks up on the action. X tries not to show the way the physical contact scares him.

"Death catches many of us off guard. There was no way you could have known that he would have left you so quickly." At that moment, Doctor Cain almost felt as though he was consoling a child, a human child.

"I knew something was wrong though. I was just powerless to stop it," X takes in a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If I may though, how young exactly are you?"

X blinks and frowns because he doesn't know how to answer that question.

"Um, three hours?"

"Three hours?" Cain asks as he blinks. "You mean, you've only ever been active for three hours or. . .?"

"Uh, yeah. I've only been active for a total of three hours. The pod had some simulations but . . . that's not counted towards my run time apparently."

Cain blinks in shock. Three hours. X was practically a baby.

"Have you ever left the lab?"

X shakes his head and Cain scoffs.

"Well, we ought to fix that. We're underground right now but the surface is quite beautiful, you'll see." Cain flashes the android a bright grin and begins shuffling his way out the entrance. "This way!"

X hesitates for several long moments, glancing back at the capsule he emerged from.

He's hit again with a wave of grief and something else that makes him feel angry and frustrated with himself in the worst way. He still doesn't fully understand what happened and he wonders if there was something he could have done to help, but it's too late now.

X takes a deep breath, allows himself to look behind himself for a few short seconds, before turning and focusing on the world in front. He doesn't allow himself to hesitate any longer, instead pushing himself to move forward.

He tries not to think about how terrified he really is as he climbs the carved rock slope to the surface.