Forte mulled over his thoughts while in the deep recesses of the Undernet. Why would a human, any human decide to die with their navi? It was… unconceivable. Humans saw navis as nothing more but little pieces of data However Netto Hikari saw his navi as something more, as a sentient being. Something alive, and feeling with thoughts and emotions. Oh, how lucky Rockman was to have someone like that by his side. A human who cared and wasn't afraid to admit it, almost like Dr. Cossack. Forte shook his head to will away unwanted thoughts. The memories of what he now came to call his 'Awakening' were all too painful still.
Forte's head snapped up and he looked around. The power signature was unmistakable, it was Rockman and he was coming into the Undernet. "Oh," he grinned, "how interesting."
Rockman looked around nervously, "Are you sure Superintendent Oda said the program was here?" he asked.
"Yeah," Netto said. A small intangible wind was the only thing that showed he was currently in Full Syncro with his navi, something entirely necessary if one was to venture into the Undernet.
Rockman sighed, "Well let's get it and get out of here, this place gives me the creeps," he shivered.
"Heh, hello Rockman. How kind of you to step on my front door, saves me the trouble of tracking you down," a cold voice said.
"Ah, Forte!" Rockman exclaimed.
Netto grimaced as he kicked the full syncro up a notch and ventured into the unknown realms of perfect syncro. Saito Style Rockman emerged from a flash of light and settled into a battle stance.
"That old trick?" Forte smirked. "That will do nothing," he hissed and went into his own Saito Style he copied using his 'Get Ability' program.
Rockman took a small step back and that was all Forte needed to see before he launched himself at Rockman. Rockman dodged and flipped over some craggy rocks in the net scape, using them as cover to launch his own attack on Forte.
"You may have defeated me last time, but I assure you that won't happen again," he said with an insane grin.
"Rockman, to your left," Netto gasped through the manifestation of the power coming off his own body.
Rockman moved to the left and brought his fist into Forte's jaw. He turned against it still grinning, "Incredible. I wonder how you ever managed to defeat me at all!" he yelled and brought an Earth Breaker down on the hapless navi.
"Barrier…" Netto said and used a holy panel infused with the chip to save himself and Rockman from what might have been disaster.
"Don't think that saved you!" Forte screeched and flung Rockman into the ground with such force that a small cloud of dust covered the impact site. Forte raised his hand to finish him off but when the cloud of dust retreated he saw Rockman in his normal state lying unconscious on the ground and lying next to him, also unconscious was his operator, or at the very least his operator's consciousness. He stopped short and let the Earth Breaker dwindle away.
Curiously he walked over to where the two boys were lying side by side. It was interesting that if they were knocked unconscious simultaneously while in Full or Perfect Syncro the operator's consciousness would merely separate out until they were able to go back into a syncro of some kind.
He saw that Rockman had a head wound and when he glanced over at Netto he saw the same head wound but with blood coming out of it. Forte looked at the human and Netto was the first to awaken. "Huh… what happened?" he slurred. He saw Forte's red eyes glaring at him and he sat up quickly. "You!" he hissed.
"Hello human," Forte said with an entirely too happy grin for Forte to have.
Netto glanced from Rockman to Forte then immediately took a defensive stance between the two. "You stay away from him," he hissed.
A brief look of something Netto might have fancied puzzlement flashed across Forte's eyes. But it was gone in a second.
"Why do you care?" he asked.
This question caught Netto off guard, "Huh?" he asked.
"About him," Forte nodded at Rockman. "Why do you care so much?"
"Because he's my best friend," Netto said. "He and I have been through a lot together and I'll be damned if I let him get finished off by the likes of you."
Forte hissed unhappily and his hand began to glow. He held it mere inches from Netto's throat, "Even if it costs you your life?" he asked.
Netto didn't waver and matched Forte glare for glare, "Yes," he said in a voice that Forte could tell meant the child wasn't lying.
Forte laughed softly and pulled away his hand. "All of humanity is filth yet I have to meet the one human who defeats all my previous expectations on what humans think and feel."
Netto glared at him, "I'm not the only one who feels this way about net navis!" he yelled.
"Ah, but how many humans do you know who would willingly throw away their lives for a Net Navi." Netto opened his mouth, "Or would they say 'I can build it again from backup data,'" he finished. Netto closed his mouth and didn't reply, "I thought so," Forte smirked.
"Why haven't you killed us yet?" Netto asked him.
Forte shrugged, "Curiosity, I wanted to know why twice now you've shown me you would be willing to die for," he glanced at Rockman, "That," he spat.
"That…" Netto answered evenly. "Is my friend, and he means everything to me."
A new look crossed Forte's eyes. "I know," he said. "Too bad not all humans are like you, it might even make me stop hating you all so much."
"Why do you hate all humans?" Netto asked.
"Betrayal, jealously, hatred, all human emotions that they were foolish enough to feel, and give me," Forte answered cryptically.
Netto looked at him inquisitively, "What the hell does that mean? Because one person hurt you, you group us all into the same category. Don't you think that's a little unfair?"
Forte suddenly appeared in front of Netto and gripped his neck, squeezing it but not cutting off his air supply entirely. "The man who did this to me was everything in my life," he hissed. "And he told me I was his navi. Yet he still tried to delete me because he gave me too much power, this is his fault," Forte hissed, squeezing Netto's throat on the word, 'His.'
Netto looked back down at him with an expression of not hatred or anger but sadness and pity. "You feel sorry for me. Even after all I've done," Forte said while scanning Netto's emotions. "You're an interesting human," he said letting Netto go.
Netto gasped for breath and looked up at Forte with the same expression, "Not all humans are like that, you know," he said softly.
Forte put his hand and tousled Netto's air in a way one could almost call affectionate. "I almost wish I had met you earlier, Netto Hikari."
Netto glanced up at him looking very confused. However Forte didn't give him enough time to be confused and he cleanly punched Netto in the stomach, knocking him out and ending their conversation. He caught him as he collapsed and eyed the head wound he had.
Rockman woke up even more slowly then Netto did. "Ah… Netto-kun?" he gasped. He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and caught sight of Forte's boots. He slowly looked up to see Forte in front of him cradling Netto in his arms. "Netto-kun!" Rockman gasped while scrambling to his feet at an impossible speed.
Forte grinned at him in the usual maniacal way. "Your operator is an interesting human," Forte said while handing Netto to a very confused Rockman. "Keep him safe until our next battle."
Rockman took Netto and held him close while Forte mysteriously vanished. Rockman looked down at his operator to see if he was hurt and saw that there were bandaged around his head that looked like the same material that made up Forte's cape. Their battle had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.