Notes: I accidentally posted this chapter as chapter 3. So if you haven't read chapter 3 yet, go back and do so. It's filled with homework and Meiru talking with Netto. Also, two chapters for the wait of one!
Chapter 4
Saito was warm. He pulled the covers closer around himself and snuggled into his pillow. It was only a moment later that the harsh beeping noise registered. He moaned, rolled over and hoped it would stop.
It did not. His eyelids were resting heavily over his eyes and he didn't want to open them.
There was a groan from across the room and Saito reluctantly opened his eyes, echoing the groan as he did so. Light was bright first thing in the morning.
Netto was fiddling with the alarm clock.
"Stupid thing, I hate you," he grumbled. He looked up to find Saito staring at him, looking like he was still in dreamland. "It's morning and we're late."
"Late?" Saito echoed with a yawn. The word seemed to click a moment later, his eyes snapping open. "We're late for school!"
Netto showed his twin the time and grumbled half-heartedly as Saito scrambled to get ready. Saito tossed his clothes to him and Netto pulled them on.
"I was wondering when you boys would come down," Tadashi said as they bolted through the living area. "There's something for you both to eat before you leave."
"No way, we're late," Saito said. Netto grabbed his bag and pulled him towards the table.
"No way, we're going to eat. We're late anyway so we might as well turn up with food in our bellies."
"But Netto-"
"I can lock the door and not let you out until you've eaten," Tadashi said.
"Grandpa-"
"Sit down, Saito and have something to eat."
The elder twin frowned at the table and sat down. Having to eat was something that would take some getting used to.
Mariko sensei didn't even look away from the class as the door opened.
"Netto, Saito," she said.
"Yes," they responded in tired unison.
"You're late."
"We know. Sorry, Mariko sensei."
"I know, boys." They were always sorry. "Take a seat."
Saito was a step behind Netto. He rested his head on his hand and spaced out a little during the lesson. He was still tired and he knew all this stuff anyway. It was kind of boring, having to sit here and listen to Mariko sensei talk.
Next to him, Netto was already dozing off. Saito tried waking him but it was more difficult to do so discreetly when he was a desk away. He shot a pleading look at Meiru, who sent Roll to wake Netto up. The assistance had not gone unnoticed.
When the bell rang, Meiru found herself with Enzan on one side and Yaito on the other. They guided her into the classroom next door where everyone was waiting.
"You seemed friendly to Saito today," Yaito commented. "Do you know about Netto yet?"
Meiru shook her head. "It seems like he's from this world. He acts like Saito's always been around."
Laika snorted. "He must be then. After all, even Netto would notice if a brother appeared suddenly one day."
"They do have a rapport," Enzan noted. "Alright, we progress without them for now."
"What is there to do?" Dekao questioned in confusion.
"Blues is already on the net," Enzan said. "I have him looking around, cataloguing changes and seeing if there's a limit or exit there."
"I doubt you will find one," Laika said.
"It can't hurt to look," Enzan countered. The two glared at each other.
Meiru leant onto the desk between them. "Okay. Should we send our navis in to help?" she asked, braking the glaring match as the two turned to her.
"It can't hurt," Laika said.
"Fine." Enzan picked up his PET. "Blues, the others will be assisting us. You can go ahead if you need to."
"How mean," Roll said. "We can keep up."
"Of course," Blues said flatly.
"Searchman." Laika picked up his own PET. "Don't lose Blues."
"Understood."
"Boys..." Yaito grumbled under her breath. "Glide!"
"Yes?"
"Run your own search. Attempt to cover the areas Blues and Searchman ignore."
"Yes."
The two boys glared at the small girl.
"What do you mean 'ignore'?" Enzan growled.
"Searchman knows how to conduct a search," Laika said.
The navis shared looks and wondered how long their operators could work together without fighting. Roll looked to her side, heart sinking at the empty spot. She didn't say anything silly like 'if only Rockman was here'. Although, she knew that if Rockman was here, they wouldn't be having this conversation.
"Let's go," Blues said to them, jumping up and scaling a building in moments. Searchman nodded and followed him a moment later.
Glide just walked along the ground and Roll followed him with Gutsman following at the end.
"It's empty, guts!" Gutsman said. The three looked around.
"Yeah," Glide agreed.
"It's like we're the only ones left in the net," Roll said. A navi walked past but she knew better than to talk to it now. She had tried the previous night. All the navis in this world's net seemed little more than programs made to look like navis, executing familiar commands and often repeating things they had already said.
"Maybe this is why Netto doesn't seem interested in netbattling in this world," Meiru suggested, having overhead their comments.
Dekao huffed. "Why does he seem so happy in this world, anyway?" he questioned.
"Because he's a part of it," Laika stated in a tone which said he thought it was obvious.
Dekao huffed, "he should know that something's wrong."
"But, he's not-" Enzan sighed. There was no explaining things to some people.
The door to the classroom banged and there was a cry from outside.
"Ahh! Saito!"
After they had eaten, Saito looked at the blades slipped into Netto's bag.
"Hey, you think I could try those on?" he asked. Netto followed his line of sight and grinned madly.
"Oh yeah!" he said excitedly. Lunch was the perfect time to teach Saito. He pulled out the blade attachments and showed Saito how they clipped onto his shoes.
Saito and Netto gripped hands together as Netto pulled Saito to his feet. He wobbled a little before his natural sense of balance took over and he stood.
Netto explained how to move and where the brakes were before telling Saito to skate around the classroom.
Saito grinned as the world moved like how it did when he moved slowly through a link. He glided down the aisle between the desks and spun to face his brother, parked in front of the teacher's desk.
"Yeah, yeah, you can move," Netto said in an unimpressed tone. "But can you skate?" he challenged.
Saito grinned; challenge accepted. He glided down the aisle with speed and precision, practically dancing around their classmates. Netto bolted down the desks and opened the door.
"Hey! Catch me!" he said, running outside. Saito skid to a stop, turned around and followed him out the door. He had to kick the wall across from their classroom in order to make the sharp turn into the hall.
However, instead of having run down the hall, Netto had pressed himself up against the door of the next classroom. Saito spotted him and adjusted his turn into a u-turn.
Grinning, Netto jumped away from the door. Then he realised something. The same thing Saito realised a moment before. Saito only had the space to slow down a small amount, certainly not enough to stop himself from slamming into the door.
They gasped in unison moments before Saito's face and hands slammed into the door.
"Ahh! Saito!" Netto cried, holding his brother's arms and guiding him to the ground.
Saito gripped his nose, eyes screwed shut.
"Ow," he moaned.
The door opened and Enzan stood there, glaring down at them. The twins looked up at him, Netto wide-eyed with a 'caught' expression and Saito practically glaring with his eyes watering and still rubbing his sore nose.
"What were you two doing?" Enzan demanded to know.
"Um…" they responded in unison. They were doing that a lot lately. As Rockman, Saito had relied on Netto to respond to people in the physical world while he dealt with navis in the digital world. Now they weren't really sure who should take the lead.
Enzan wasn't a Net Agent for nothing. He looked at the blades on Saito's shoes and got a vague idea what happened.
"You were rollerblading inside?" he questioned Saito.
"Netto was teaching me," Saito said with a shy grin.
Netto snorted. "Not much teaching going on, you're a natural."
Saito grinned at his brother. "It is fun though. Now I know why you travel like this everywhere."
"Not inside though. No one's that crazy, big bro."
"Except me, I guess?"
"Except you."
Saito grinned and nodded. "Good." He was perfectly okay with that.
Enzan was staring at them. Netto helped Saito to his feet and the two twins couldn't stop grinning.
"What's wrong, Enzan?" Netto asked when the other kid didn't move.
"You're both strange."
"Strange?" they questioned sharing a look.
Saito gave a bark of laughter. "I think that's fine," he said. Enzan glared at him and shut the door in his face. Saito chuckled again. This time it was a little more forced. "I don't think he likes me."
"Does he like anyone?" Netto joked.
"You. You're like the best of friends."
"What about you and Blues?"
Saito's smile faded as he thought about Blues, Roll and everyone else. "Yeah. I guess we're friends. But, they're not friends with 'Saito Hikari'."
The bell rang and the door opened with a bang, causing Saito and Netto to jump.
"What?" Yaito demanded to know with her hands on her hips and her shiny forehead flicking light at them. She then moved out of the classroom and into theirs.
Saito wondered what she was doing in another class. He wished for a moment that he could ask Glide but knew that the navi wouldn't answer any of 'Saito's' questions.
