Dr. Cain moved carefully through the century old ruin of Light Labs. While there were unlikely to be any booby traps or other things harmful to humans, there was likely to be functional security measures, and possibly a few robots or mechanaloids still functional after all this time, protecting Dr. Light's last legacy.
However, much to Dr. Cain's surprise, there were no such security systems or guardians still functional. The only thing that was found was a sealed door marked with a large X. There was also a screen to one side of the door. Curious, Cain rubbed it with one finger, and was startled as it came to life.
"Error!" the screen displayed. "Lab chronometer non-functional. Unable to determine present date. Human presence detected. Engaging activation protocol B."
Various files began displaying on the screen, and Dr. Cain marveled at the data displayed, showing just how advanced the robot inside was, both in capabilities and potential. As he stared in amazement, however, the screen then turned red.
"Warning: 'X' is the first in a new generation of robots which contains an innovative new feature - the ability to think, feel and make their own decisions. However, this ability could be very dangerous. If 'X' were to break the first law of robotics, 'A robot must never harm a human being', the results would be disastrous and I fear that no force on Earth could stop him.
"Approximately 30 years will be required before we can safely confirm his reliability. Unfortunately, I will not live to see that day, nor do I have anyone to carry on my work. Therefore, I have decided to seal him within the capsule inside, which will test his internal systems until his reliability has been confirmed. Please do not disturb the capsule until that time.
"'X' possesses great risks, as well as great possibilities. I can only hope for the best.
"September 18, 20XX
"T. Light."
Dr. Cain was left totally poleaxed. The mere idea of a robot who could make its own decisions, one that was not truly bound by its programming...he shook his head in amazement at just how far ahead of his time Dr. Light had truly been. Even in the current day and age after the 'recovery' - he shuddered at the memory of the work that had to be done after the event known in history only as 'The End' to put the world back together - robotics technology was nowhere near this level. He knew one thing: he had to see this robot.
The screen displayed a new message. "The fate of the world is in your hands. Do you wish to awaken Dr. Light's last legacy?" A Yes/No button display appeared.
Dr. Cain hesitated. If he'd had to hack around some last security measure, or guess a password, or some other final hurdle, he would have done so without thought. But instead, all that was here...was Dr. Light's faith in humanity, that the one who found this would take responsibility for what was to come. It was...rather unnerving. It made him realize the weight of his decision. Whether or not 'X' was reliable, his very existence would change the world.
And Dr. Cain had the opportunity to make that happen, or not...with just the push of a button.
As he finally reached forward to press 'Yes', he marveled that this simple question delayed him far longer than any security system would have. The final security system was my own conscience, is that it Doctor? he thought quietly.
With the press of the button, the doors slid open, revealing the capsule. It's base and top were bright blue, with green glass walls. The robot designated X floated inside, at complete peace, his blue armor glinting in the faint light, the red focus crystal at his brow pulsing with its connection to the capsule's systems, his pink face completely serene, his arms wrapped gently around a small equine.
Dr. Cain blinked at that. "He...he tucked him in with a stuffed animal?" he asked rhetorically, then chuckled. "I know roboticists of that age often viewed their creations as their children...but a plushy for a 30 year nap?" Shaking his head ruefully, he approached the capsule to open it. After all, it had been a good deal more than 30 years since the date X had been apparently sealed in.
The screen read off data. "Reactivating Model X higher brain functions. Disengaging stasis field. Bio-stasis stable and disengaging. Vital signs of Little Pony stable."
"Wait, what?" Cain demanded in shock, staring at the capsule as both robot and equine began to stir. "It's alive? It's alive?"
As the capsule opened, X landed lightly, bracing himself easily on his feet. His eyes opened. "Greetings," he said simply. "I am Megaman X, or just X for short. I am Dr. Light's final creation. How may I assist you?"
Dr. Cain was forced to admit that the drama of the situation was somewhat deadened by the fact that X was idly stroking the pony's mane as it stirred, especially when it began to nip at his fingers playfully. Now that it was out of the capsule, Dr. Cain could see that the pony was grey with a black mane and tail, both combed straight. Its eyes were a pale purple, and it had a brand of the same color on both flanks in the shape of a Treble Clef. "And...this?" he asked X.
X looked down at the pony in his arms as though he'd just noticed. "Her name is Octavia Melody," he replied quickly. "I...I'm supposed to take care of her." He scratched her gently behind the ear as she tried rather seriously to chew through one finger without any teeth.
"Really?" Dr. Cain asked in surprise. "Is that part of your programming?"
X blinked. "No," he replied. "I...have no base programming beyond how to use my body and how to interact with humans. I'm designed to create my own programming and make my own decisions in that regard. But...I know I'm supposed to take care of her. Strange..."
Deep inside X's mind, the VSW protocols, having accomplished their mission, self deleted, removing any trace they ever existed beyond the changes that had been made.
In the meantime, X transformed one of his hands via the buster, using the variable weapon system to generate a viable substitute for milk in energy form. The data was there in his systems of how to do it, and before long little Octavia was suckling away, drinking up the energy-milk.
Dr. Cain watched for a time. "Fascinating," he murmured. "X, if it's alright...I would like to study your systems and learn how you work. I believe you may be the key in restoring the world to a state of glory, to rebuilding the world your maker desired."
"As long as it does not disturb Octavia," X replied, gently stroking his little pony. "I did not catch your name, sir."
"Oh, how forgetful of me," Cain replied, chuckling sheepishly. "I am Dr. Cain."
"A pleasure to meet you, Doctor," X replied politely.
At that point, Octavia began to fuss, having drunk her fill of the energy-milk. Seeing the way her eyelids struggled to stay up, X knew she must be tired. As he followed Dr. Cain out of the ruined lab, he began to hum a classical tune for her. Before too long, she was humming along as well.
Dr. Cain shook his head as he watched in amazement. A robot with a pony child...will wonders never cease?
I should of expected you to do a Octavia story at the same time as a Scratch story
Silly me for thinking any different
(after reading the first chapter)
oh this is going to be gooooood
Nicely done. This really reminds me of a good fancomic I found called "Countdown to Zero Hour", which tries to tie in the events of the Original Mega man games to Megaman X. But enough talk, I can't wait to see how this plays out.
Two megaman fics. YES!
I like this story. Please continue.
A young Octavia vs. An old Vinyle Scratch? This gun be good!
I actually haven't played any Megaman besides the PSP remake of this one. X is also Rocky right? So if this is in the same universe as the Vinyl story, that would mean that X knew Vinyl about a hundred years ago. So how does Octavia fit then?
6309055
No, X isn't Mega Man. They're separate beings.
6309080 Oh, so X is like Megaman model X then? The next generation Megaman?
6309089
Basically, yeah.
Thirding the sentiment of "should have expected Octavia when Vinyl happened."
dis gon b gud.
You, sir, have made my day. Two AWwwwESOME Megaman MLP fics for me to look forward to. You deserve ALL of the moustachios.
VSW protocols? I see what you did there.
so vinyl with wily and octavia with light... i have a feeling you like mega man
I don't know how but cross vinyl into this
A good start. Can't wait for more.
...Are the two going to meet? Will Vinyl be with Zero?!
6309089 funny thing about..wait, you're talking about the Model X from ZX, right?
well, in either case, Model X sorta is X...its pretty complicated.
regardless, this is totally something i can see X doing with a baby, pony or no.
Saw this coming. But will this be a dual sided fic? 2 stories from the same universe, just in different perspectives?
...oh you son of a bitch.
What did I just say yesterday huh?!? Now this is going to be one of the ones I reread on principle of it having Zero in it (eventaully ,hopefully, please) ?
First thoughts: Oh, one for Vinyl, one for Octavia. So why on its own would Octavia make sense?
"Treble Clef"
Oh. Right. Insert obvious Bass joke. Carry on.
Also, giving X something to take his mind off all the fighting he's eventually going to
whine like a little baby aboutregret sounds like a good idea.6309646
Eh?
6309679
You just had to fulfill my wish of you doing a Megaman X story, didn't you?
I can die happy...but hopefully well after the fic is finished
Do you mean this one?
*sees embedded link*
Oh...my bad
6309699
Hope you continue to enjoy it.
I've enjoyed the X series for a long time...though there are several things in it that rub me the wrong way in some of the games that I intend to 'fix'. Games 4-6, specifically.
6309737
Yeah, I think I'm inclined to agree with you there. The first Megaman X will always be the best IMO.
6309760
My favorites are 1, 3, and Command Mission.
6309788
Never got to play command mission
6309869
I'd loan it to you if I could.
Tatsurou. You're being too amazing. You're making other authors jealous. Do you know this, Tatsurou? Keep up the good work.
So... X is Tavi's father? Sure, why the heck not!
6309869 Command mission is an RPG for Megaman X series. it's pretty decent as far as RPGs go. I once had it for my gamecube and beat it. I love some of the music tracks, my favorites are Fight! X, and Standby Zero.
So, you did go with the "Cataclysm" route... I swear by all that is Evil that if you have a rampaging Zero kill his little sister Vinyl, I WILL find you.
Also, what is the VSW protocols? I assume its related to Octavia, but I can't place the acronym anywhere.
I was going to be pissed at you stretching yourself to thinly.
Octavia means you are excused, but not forgiven.
...
..
.
Vinyl exists the same time as Bass, but who could be Octavia's temporally-relevent pun counterpart?
6310592
I would assume "VSW" stands for "Vinyl Scratch Wily." Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine.
VSW? im just gonna assume that stands for vinyl scratch wily
and from that im guessing that near the end of X's creation octavia appeared and knowing he couldnt take care of her light place her in X's care and wrote protocols based off of wily raising vinyl
Ahem. One moment to compose myself please....
OMG IT'S FINALLY HERE IT'S FINALLY HERE OMG YES YES YES!!!!!!
When I read in your blog about you doing a Vinyl/Wily and an Octavia/X I thought "cool, I hope it happens soon." Then I saw you posted the Vinyl/Wily yesterday and I've been so excited. I loved the blue bomber when I was a kid but never as much as X! Oh stars I played the heck out of the X series on my old super nintendo. I can't wait to see how this one goes!
6309678 The only games where that's really bad are X6 and X7 (you don't need to shout "Stop it!" everytime you shoot a charged shot, X!). Otherwise, I think Capcom handled X's pacifist nature decently.
On the subject of X6 - Tatsu, please reconstruct X6's plot from scratch when the fic gets to that point. How Zero "repaired" himself and Sigma's presence in that game is (understatement) cringeworthy. Especially since Gate's potential was also wasted as a result of Sigma. At least Colonel / Iris in X4 and Dynamo in X5 had some impact that meant something (even if the X series isn't known for deep characters). X7 could also use some retouching, but not to the same extent.
I'm guessing that sometime later Sigma and his groups will come across another capsule with Zero and Vinyl with in it, with Vinyl put in by Wily in hopes that she could help Zero in her own way.
(I'm assuming that Wily did perfect his study into the mysterious energy that made up Duo and his foe and used it to create Zero, only for it to go out of control and do the whole Cataclysm thing and require him to seal Zero away. That's the best I could come up with as they never do explain what Wily planned to do with Zero or what happened in the years between Megaman and X.)
6311399
I know I joke about X's whining, but that's thankfully limited to X7. ...His crappy voice acting in that game really didn't help that. But at least the voice change afterwards gave us Domon Kasshu himself, Mark Gatha.
6312211 Whoops, missed the joke by a mile there. XD Then again, I looked at X's dialouge in X6... okay, it wasn't as bad as I misremembered it. But then you find some gems (example: Vs. Zero Nightmare in Shield Sheldon's stage):
And oh boy, X7's VAs... who can forget gems such as "BURN BURN! BURN TO THE GROUND!" and "HERE GOES NOTHIN'! YOU PUNK YOU PUNK YOU PUNK!"? Makes you wonder why they didn't get more VA / direction jobs...
6311660 Except for the fact that Vinyl already has one of these types of fics made for her, and if Wily was somehow able to put HER in a 100-year stasis, and have her NOT get infected by the Maverick virus (I've only played Megaman zero 1-4, so don't judge my lack of knowledge), I feel we'll have a ret-con. Unless that's ACTUALLY what you're planning, Tatsurou.
6312464 I saw the fic for Vinyl as well, but I meant to put her in stasis as well so the two can meet or else it'll be a child Octavia meeting up with a very old Vinyl.
Maybe Vinyl got infected along with Zero and was put in stasis so Octavia, X, and Zero will need to team up to defeat her and Sigma, curing her and bringing her over.
Oh well, Tatsurou is a good writer and the story is still just beginning, hope to see where he takes this.
can u do one with Teenage mutant ninja turtles please please please!!! if u can and i love all your work
Gonna be honest, I feel this one should have only been done after Vinyl's story, mainly because keeping all the connections between the two from becoming spoilerific would make my head hurt. But X holding Octavia is adorable. I can just see her being the mascot for the Hunters and Sigma learning the hard way you DO. NOT. THREATEN. THE. PONY. after X does a no holds barred beat down on him.
6313868
Trust me, there's not going to be anything connecting the two spoiler wise beyond what's already appeared in this story so far.
6313873 Okay, you've got a plan and I'll trust you on it.
Well, the time line is going to be changed. At least the total years in between games. Mainly looking at Command Mission and X7 and X8.
I've never played any X games, but I know that if someone's name is "Cain", DO NOT TRUST THEM!!! Cain is a biblical reference, Cain and Abel. Cain was the betrayer and murderer of Abel.
6354852 ALSO! The LDS religion teaches that Cain is the only Son of Perdition; for those unfamiliar with the Bible, a Son of Perdition is a person who, despite meeting God Himself on Earth, still sinned in life, becoming a very important creature in Satan's army in death