Ch. 2
Rockman EXE. Stream
The next day, Netto's sleeping while his alarm is going off. He wakes up and looks at the clock, 7:55 am.
Netto quickly gets up "Oh man, I overslept!" he starts putting on his skates "What's the point in having an alarm clock if it doesn't wake me up?! Good thing I fell asleep in my clothes"
Rockman's still asleep when Netto appears on a holographic screen. "Rockman, wake up!" Netto proclaims.
Rockman wakes up and looks at the holo-screen "Yawn! Good morning"
Netto "Hold on, I'm jacking you out"
Rockman immediately sits up and panics "No! I, uh…think I'll stay home today"
Netto's surprised by his outburst "What?" he looks at the clock "Whatever, I gotta get to school. I'll call you if anything happens"
Rockman smiles "Okay, bye" the holo-screen disappears, he then sighs in relief "That was close" he gets up and walks into the repair room.
Forte has stopped de-rezzing and is sleeping peacefully. Rockman looks at the progress bar, it reads 65% repaired. Rockman gets a chair from the other room and sits down next to the examination table, scene ends.
Later at school, Meiru walks over to Netto concerned "Are you okay? You've been moping all day"
Netto lifts his head off of his desk and reveals a trail of tears running down his face "I worked on my term paper all night and I forgot it at home"
Meiru shrugs "You're hopeless" her pocket starts beeping. She takes out her pet and Roll appears on a holo-screen.
Roll looks at Netto with a worried expression "Netto! What happened to Rockman? I haven't been able to contact him"
Netto "He wanted to stay home today"
Roll "Really?"
Meiru "That's weird"
Netto's pet starts beeping. He takes it out and sees Enzan. "Enzan?" Netto says with great surprise.
Enzan "Netto…" scene ends.
Later at the Hikari Residence, Forte finally regains consciousness. He tries to lift up, but feels a sharp pain and lies back on the table.
"Where am I" he thinks as he looks around the room. He eventually sees Rockman sleeping against. He focuses on him "…Rockman?"
Netto appears on a holo-screen "Rockman, wake up! We have to…" he sees Forte. "Uh…hi"
Forte looks away. Rockman lifts his head off the table and moans.
Netto looks down at him "Rockman!"
Rockman is completely taken by surprise "Netto!" he quickly stands up and turns to face him "I can explain"
Netto sighs "Why didn't you tell me? And here I was worrying about you"
Rockman "Worried?"
Netto "Enzan said that there was an energy spike near my house and I thought you were under attack"
Rockman manages a slight smile "So you're not mad?"
Netto's vein pops as he screams at Rockman, who falls over in shock "OF COURSE I'M MAD! YOU BROUGHT FORTE HERE! DID YOU FORGET THAT HE'S BEEN TRYING TO STEAL YOUR ULTIMATE PROGRAM?!"
Rockman stands up, but is still a little shaken up "No, but he was…" he sees Forte trying to get off the table.
Forte manages to sit up, but as soon as he puts his feet on the ground, he is overtaken by pain and falls to one knee.
Rockman grabs his arm and helps him stand up "What are you doing? You haven't fully recovered yet"
Forte pulls his arm away and looks up at Netto "Where's the exit?"
Netto sarcastically "What makes you think that I won't have Rockman delete you here while you're still weak?"
Rockman looks at Netto angrily "I would never…"
Netto smiles "Calm down Rockman, I was only joking" he looks away "I could always turn the cleaning program on"
Rockman clutches his fist "Netto!"
Netto looks at him with a huge grin on his face "Kidding"
Rockman "Not funny"
Forte "The exit…" Rockman looks at him. He's sweating and breathing heavily. Forte "…where is it"
Rockman looks at him with great concern "But…"
Netto cuts him off "Aw, let him go if he wants to that badly"
Forte tries to walk straight, but he sways from side to side as if ready to collapse. Rockman watches as the injured navi staggers outside and towards a narrow opening leading to an internet path. Forte walks through the opening and it closes behind him.
Netto comforts Rockman "Don't worry, he'll be okay"
Rockman sighs "I hope so…wait" he looks up at Netto "It's not 3pm yet"
Netto rubs the back of his head "Yeah, about that…"
Rockman "I can't believe this. You skip the rest of school"
Netto looks at him "It's not like anything interesting was happening"
Rockman "That's not the point"
Netto "I'll get my work from Meiru later. We have a bigger problem right now"
Rockman calms down "Huh, what?"
Netto whines "How am I supposed to explain this to Enzan?"
