A chaptered fic, one in which I have not entirely decided how long it will become. However, do not expect anything grand or amazing. The plot...isn't exactly epic.

Bearing in mind how Rockman and Roll have the mentality of twelve-year-olds, I will try to make any 'romance' realistic. That means nothing too smutty or drastic...no eloping in short. Also, no Netto x Meiru will take place, based on my entirely biased opinion that Meiru is a bad-tempered little madam who doesn't deserve someone as kind as Netto who repeatedly saves her life again and again.

Enjoy.

Picnics, an elevation of chequered red and white complete with tightened straw and baskets, sandwiches and a background of summer sun. Yes, Roll could well understand why Meiru enjoyed a picnic with Netto-kun during the holidays.

She watched rather enviously as the sunlight caught and tugged at the crinkles in her operators fashionable dress, basking her in an aura of youth and blissful pleasure. It was the sort of freedom all navis wished to posses; fashion chips just didn't allow for the same sort of flexibility.

Roll glanced over her outfit of skin-tight pink and sighed, inwardly wincing at the steady-fast nature of the hard helmet encasing her head…what boy would ever want to run his smooth palm over the cover and risk getting his fingers entwined with her antenna? Not a sane one surely…no wonder Gutsman seemed to prefer Medi over her now.

A sudden giggle from her happy net op directed her attention back to the outside world and her head snapped up once more. A faint skein of pink was scattered over Meiru's face and Netto's eyes were firmly burning a hole through the picnic mat. It appeared that he had misjudged the distance from his arm to the platter of honey-soaked biscuits and his hand had collided with the back of his friend's skull. He frowned, apologising shortly with a stubborn ring echoing from his voice as he pulled his fingers free from the soft red ringlets adorning them.

Roll groaned at how Meiru's pleased blush morphed into an angry frown at his adopted tone of voice. She was unsurprised at how, after exchanging a few sharp words with the confused Netto, her view of the world was tilted as a taut young hand gripped hold of the PET firmly and yanked it away from the ground. Roll swung her head round to an angle to properly observe her best friend's facial expression.

"That jerk!" burst out Meiru angrily, blowing Roll back a few feet with her volume output, "first he suggests this picnic outing after hardly spending any time with me at all for the past two weeks, then he strokes my hair and doesn't even comment on it! He just makes out that it's no big deal! I mean, what am I supposed to think! What other possible reason could a boy have for inviting a girl out for a picnic than because he likes her…he's supposed to say something nice when he strokes her hair, like how shiny it is or how soft….not that he's sorry!"

Roll saw the twinkle in Meiru's eyes that suggested that she was on verge of frustrated tears and decided not to point out that Netto had brushed against the back of her skull by accident.

"Meiru-chan…"

"Stupid Netto! That idiot! What does he take me for! I mean it's not like we've never had a single date before…he saved my life for God's sake! But he still refuses to say or do anything the slightest romantic…I don't even know if he likes me…"

Roll's green eyes lowered themselves, shimmering with unspent emotion as she felt herself identifying with her net op's words. How many times had she wondered if her actions or hints had left any lasting impression on Rockman?

"If only…if only there was some way to be sure that they liked us the same way back…" she murmured, fiddling with her antenna as a visible sadness plastered itself onto her face.

He faint musings were caught by a still-fuming Meiru who paused for a few moments before switching her focus down onto her net navi with a form of bemusement etched onto her grimacing mouth.

"Yes, well there isn't is there? Otherwise we wouldn't have to try so hard…why do we waste our time on such dense people anyway…"

Seeing a genuine tremor in Roll's fingers, Meiru softened somewhat before her gaze swept up onto a grassy ridge adorned with a large assortment of flowers, bursting with a multitude of colours and shapes.

"Although…"

Roll glanced up at the playful tone the red head now employed, a hint of calmness now flowing through her speech.

"We could always play a game."

Meiru grasped hold of her skirts in one pale hand as she rushed forward and knell down, running her delicate fingers up a few hard-verged stems as she did so, deluging in the rapier-thin sharpness that bled out along her skin. Her nails fondled a few petals, noting the pulse of veins strewing through their arching thinness as she did so before coming to rest on the plump head of a large daisy. She grinned.

"Watch this Roll…"

Feeling her friend's curious gaze upon her, Meiru plunked off the top off the flower, cupping it her left hand as the digits of her right set about pulling off the feathery strands of white circulating the heavy yellow centre.

"He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not…"

The pink navi's eyes widened upon hearing the chant, beginning to sparkle as the grasped the concept of this new game.

"He loves me."

Meiru smiled as the last petal drifted down form her fingers, her voice falling softly down with the tone of finality.

"Well that settles that then."

Roll glanced up, elbows knocking together as her hands clasped together in an appealing knot.

"Please Meiru-chan…do you think you could do the same for me and Rockman?"

The redhead felt her lips twitch into another gentle smile as the light that shone form her navi's eyes.

"Of course."

Roll watched eagerly, green eyes hungrily drinking up the new stalk Meiru's fingers selected as they ran over the scattered array of knots and greenness.

The human girl started to carefully deflower the tulip she had chosen, yanking out each individual petal firmly.

"He loves you, he loves you not…"

Green eyes traced the outline of shimmering red as it fell to the ground in a dazzle of splendid passion against the dry brown of earth.

"He loves you, he loves you not…"

Meiru felt amusement tweak at the corners of her lips as the devoted look Roll sported; didn't she realise this was no more than a game? Perhaps not, her best friend was well known for getting uptight and becoming blinded by paranoia whenever Rockman was concerned.

"He loves you, he loves you not…"

Roll could feel her breaths getting shorter with expectant anticipation, a swaying moment that caught her chest in a dizzy spin; she didn't even think to realise that navis don't breathe. Ever.

"He loves you not."

Meiru words died away and Roll was left with nothing but a vast ache hollowing out her data with a clammy coldness that gathered monument.

"Oi Meiru-chan!"

The girl in question lifted her head immediately catching the worry resounding in the decibels swinging through the brunette's vocal cords. Her smile instantly brightened.

"Netto! You came for me!"

The boy huffed, looking away in embarrassment.

"Of course I came for you! You ran away, leaving all that food to rot!"

Roll barely heard the familiar bickering tweaking her ear plates as it usually did. All she could centre on was this new found information that had rocked her very world.

'Rockman…doesn't like me? I've made such a fool of myself…'

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Rockman was worried. Which wasn't in itself something very unusual. He worried about a lot of things. But today he was worried about Roll.

For the past week she had been very quiet, only volunteering her opinion when anyone asked for it and refusing to maintain any eye contact with him for more than a few seconds. This sort of behaviour was a far outcry from the bubbly, happy-go-lucky persona that Roll carried around with her day after day. And while deep down inside he had found the lavish displays of affection she had always publicly displayed to him embarrassing if not annoying at times, he was beginning to miss her exuberant cries of 'Rockman!' or the way her eyes seemed to light up whenever she saw him.

He was beginning to feel more than a little neglected.

"Rockman…"

The blue navi yelped in surprise at the subdued voice and spun round to see Roll shuffling her feet towards him.

"Yes…?" he questioned hesitantly, feeling more than a trickle of relief that she was beginning to speak out more for herself.

She sighed and he frowned at the way her eyes were downcast as though she was…afraid of him? He felt a chill run alongside his personal data then. No…it couldn't be that…

"I think…I think that it would be best for both of us if we didn't see so much of each other anymore…I-I'll be quite happy to talk at school but when Netto and Meiru are out together maybe…maybe we should just stick to our own PETs…"

The last word came out barely as a hushed whisper and Rockman stared at her incredulously.

"You what?!?"

Roll swallowed and brought her hands up together.

"I just think-"

Unfortunately it was then that a sharp ringing entered their hearing, signifying the end of the school day.

"Roll!"

The pink navi's features scrambled together in an effort to conceal her melancholy and she ran a finger along the air, opening a visual link to her PET's window that was now displaying a smiling Meiru.

"Finally! Normally history class is interesting but today Mariko-sensei seems a bit under the weather…normally I don't switch off like that when she's talking…you did take some notes down for me though right?"

Roll's hand found her mouth in an expression of shock and dismay.

"I-I'm sorry Meiru…I completely forget…"

The red-haired female frowned.

"What?!? That's not like you…hey, are you sure you're not feeling under the weather as well?"

The navi smiled, touched at her net-op's concern before waving her hand in dismissal.

"No Meiru-chan, I'm fine, honestly."

"But…are you sure Roll-chan?"

The pink navi turned at the sound of Rockman's voice, surprised at the gentle expression on his face.

"Of course…ah, you are silly Rockman!"

The blue navi stiffened, instantly straightening his back in an effort to tower over her.

"Ah! I only meant-"

Roll smiled inwardly before twisting her face round to Meiru.

"Meiru-chan, your mother wanted you to get some of that aromatic tea from Saloma remember?"

The red-head blinked before jamming her fist down in frustration against the desk.

"That's right! Thanks Roll."

She threw an apologetic look over her shoulder.

"Sorry Netto, I can't make it to the arcade with you today."

The boy grumbled something before Roll cut off the uplink, not feeling ready to deal with the immature bickering that would follow in his wake.

Rockman furrowed his brow in thought.

"Tea? I hear she's trying some new blend that designed to relax couples during tense periods of time. Netto and I saw a large crowd of girls surrounding her shop this morning. I'm guessing Salome's the place to go if you want relationship advice."

Roll paused.

"Really?"

The blue navi looked at her, a faint trace of amusement present on his face.

"Yes, really. Don't you watch the news anymore Roll-chan? You'll turn into a female version of Netto if you're not careful."

Roll scowled, fists tightening up into harsh cuts of pink.

"You idiot. You don't get it do you?"

Rockman drew back, a little scared of the bitter venom in her voice before blinking as she logged out accompanied by some hushed cursing. Was there something he was missing?

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Green, brown and the spice of earthly scents were always present in the shop Saloma owned and she was forever bustling among the trickles of leaves and basking pleasurably in their pastel shades. She was a firm believer in vegetation; take care of the planet and it takes care of you. She was more than pleased that her respect for life outside and within the stifling grey of the city was shared by many others she trusted and worked with, not least her navi Woodman who was perfectly content to watch her sprinkle some saplings with a watering-can.

Her eyes flashed upwards at the jangle of the bell posed upon the door and she smiled at the sight of Meiru Sakura. Although not quite sharing in Netto and Jasmine's natural enthusiasm for animals, she netherless was respectful of nature and was only too happy to help save it when necessary.

The girl smiled back, stalking past the various earthen pots lined up along the tiles, eyes lighting up at any bright colours that caught her fancy.

"Saloma…my mother's been hearing about this blend of tea you have…"

The shopkeeper's raised a finger in the air rather snidely.

"Ah, I wondered when she'd get wind of that…I have a package waiting in the back. Stay here."

Meiru nodded in affirmation, reverting her attention back to the potted flowers while the older woman good-naturally made her way to the back of the shop.

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Roll was desperate: gripping hold of her chance with both hands in the name of an uplink, she holstered herself through a few tricky connections.

Woodman blinked at the sudden rustle of pink entering his field of vision.

"Roll…Rockman's Roll?"

"Eh?"

Roll blinked before a strange mixture of anger and sadness sharpened her face.

"I'm not Rockman's anything…can't you remember my name on it's own?"

Woodman shifted uncomfortable.

"I must apologise. In the Net Official's world I meet a lot of new navis and I'm not very good at remembering people's faces especially if they're not that well-known or I don't see them for long periods of time. You just always seem to be hanging onto Rockman a lot of the time so it seemed easier to in define you that way."

The girl navi's eyes softened.

"I'm really that bad?"

Woodman grinned, sensing the opportunity for a joke at hand.

"Of course…it would take a powerful anti-solvent to separate you two!"

Roll's gaze shifted away into the distance.

"I see…no wonder he doesn't like me back…"

The taller navi's expression suddenly became alarmed as he detected the genuine hurt in her voice.

"What's the matter? You and Rockman have always been close."

Roll shook her head, a wry smile dotting along her cheeks.

"Not anymore. I've finally began to see how much of an attention seeker I am…and what guy in his right mind would want to be with some navi who never leaves him alone?"

"Doesn't sound too bad to me", mumbled Woodman before catching himself in her glare, "perhaps you'd better start from the beginning?"

Roll stared at him.

"You know what? I think I should."

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"Come on Rush!"

"Wuff!"

The little program sniffed, clearly conveying what he thought of this late night scheme in one look.

Roll grasped her hands together, the pale blues and shimmering silver of the night effectively staining her gesture into a remark appealing one.

Rush took one look and was putty in her hands. He had always had a strange affliction for the female navi after all.

"Now Woodman said it would be somewhere over here…" the young girl muttered, gingerly scrambling along the ledge of a badly parcelled data package.

Rush whined, legs whirling after her and anxiety gripped him.

Roll shot him a look.

"Don't give me that. It's just easier for me if you're here with your virus abilities. I don't trust this area of Internet City…and I certainly don't want Rockman to come running to my aid. That's the last thing either of us want."

Rush whined again, leaping up and bundling himself into her affectionate arms as they released the data package.

Roll smiled, gingerly stroking the smooth brown head.

"No, I couldn't take Meiru with me…it's too embarrassing."

Rush looked up at her with peroration.

Roll frowned, placing him down upon the ground again.

"This is not just about a flower!" she stated firmly, "I've already told Woodman this. This is about me being too selfish and Rockman turning his attention to other girls. I mean I've seen the way Medi looks and speaks to me…as though I'm shallow. And since then I've been slowly realising why I get so jealous when Rockman pays attention to anyone but me. It's because deep down I know he's going to walk off with some gorgeous girl who can actually fight and doesn't have to attach herself to his arm in order to get any recognition."

She turned away.

"Rockman doesn't want me. And I can't blame him one bit."

Rush's eyes softened with compassion and he tugged at her pink boot playfully with his forelimbs, letting out a few mock growls as he did so.

Roll giggled and spun round, stepping back daintily and swooping down to offer him an affectionate kiss at the end of his nose.

"Thanks Rush, you're my hero. You always know how to cheer me up."

Smiling at the pure look of awe he was bestowing her with, she briefly enclosed him in a friendly embrace before pushing herself onto her feet again.

"Now where could it be…" she muttered to herself, passing a critical eye over the junkyard of dying data as she did so.

Rush snarled, his little hackles rising earnestly as he stiffly made his way forward, nose already navigating through the miniature data streams.

Roll observed him cautiously before deciding to sort through a large pile of debris to her left. Without hesitation, her antenna whipped over her head and interlaced with a large amount of itinerating information seeping out of the assortment. A faint light pulsed through the thin sheen of yellow material, bringing a thin-lipped smile to Roll's face. Few navis could sort through data as well as she. Even Medi was hard-pressed to beat her.

She was distracted however by a sharp yip from her companion. Hastily unplugging herself from the information, she pelted forward, somersaulting over some discarded fashion chips in the process. She rounded the next corner, hair whipping round the soft lines of her back in a flurry of gold, gasping at the sight that met her.

A strange misshapen Metto virus was strolling towards her and Rush, dragging forward a strange looking program that gave off a sharp glow of pink light. The Metto was twice the size of the female navi and seemed to have developed a distinctive masculine figure that deeply resembled a nethundal male, the yellow trimmed hat sloping forward over his brow. The pickaxe swung from side to side lazily in a grotesque hand.

Roll hastily scanned the program, matching up the coding with the one Woodman had given her.

"That's it Rush! You found it!"

At her excited squeal, the humanoid Metto lifted it's blurry gaze, the whites of it's eyes becoming gripped in an alarmed frenzy at the sight if the pair. It let out a bellow and stumbled forwards.

Roll gasped but Rush wasted no time, creating a black portal that unleashed several other normal-sized Mettos who rushed over and began to hammer into their mutated cousin's feet with happy squeals.

The giant virus roared and stumbled forwards despite the onslaught of little axes on his feet. Collecting herself, Roll gripped hold of a yelping Rush and leapt out of the way. She laid him onto the ground before spinning to face the large Metto.

"Give me that program!" she shouted hotly.

The primal response she got was a scream as the Metto swung the miniature hindrances away from his legs and charged.

Roll shot towards him, whipping her arm through the air and unleashing a torrent of sharp-pointed heart protectorates.

"Heart Slash!"

The large virus bellowed in pain as the pink bullets ripped through his torso and he passed an arm over his face to take shelter. Acting quickly, his adversity jumped up, spreading her arms to gain height and sailed over his head with ease. She landed a few feet behind him and grabbed the program, dislodging it from the hand he had been holding it with.

"Thanks, I'll take it from here", she commented, a thrilled expression appearing over her face. The next second it morphed into one of confusion and shock as the program seeped through her hands and started configuring itself to match her unique settings.

"Wha-" she gasped as she felt a visible change come over her.

Eyes widening she glanced down to see the program already installing itself into her personal systems.

"This isn't right, no program should start acting off it's own accord…not unless…Woodman was wrong or lying…and that means…it's a virus…"

Her last conscious thought was how on earth the Metto virus had mutated as it had down here, her ponderings not even registering the dimmed barking of her faithful Rush as the sound jogged her memory for a fleeting second before settling into a monotone of blankness...