Papa Bass 10
~0~
Forte waited impatiently at the limit of Sci-lab's domain. The firewalls were thick and bright, the centre's AI sharp and the security holes bigger than Wily's overinflated Ego.
Forte huffed, Turning to Ekachakra with a truly unimpressed look. "Really? You're having problems with this piece of Swiss cheese?" He asked, as he roughly gestured at the security mess that sprawled in front of him.
The angel, whose crossed arms never seemed to move, pursed his lips. His wingspan filling the privacy nook the angel-like Navi (cyber-fae) had conjured. "No, of course not... I'm the one who made those holes." He smirked. "No one would expect the pro-Bono angel navi to make a few back doors."
"Fools."
"Oh, you have no idea." Ekachakra chuckled.
"So, if this piece of hardware malfunction is all you, that's impressive, Saint, I'll give you that... so what do you want me to break in?" Forte asked as he let his red eyes drift to Ekachakra, a devious servant of Krishna.
"There's a firewall cluster with a kill wall right behind it. It surrounds a very hidden cluster of what seems to be a maze-like domain with a mysterious void in the middle... I have a very good hunch that Roku's there..." Ekachakra revealed, his eyes narrowed under his blue helmets. " One of the reasons, other than the free home for me and my brood, for us to have moved back in akihara... was to investigate Sci-lab." He revealed as he hid his mouth. " I... was part of a breeding program, I was the genitor, basically and... I've always wanted to take them all down."
Forte smirked. "Huh, not so pure, aren't you?" He turned fully to the bird-like Navi. "You and I, where the same." He addressed his co-conspirator with a feral grin. "Both of us have been hurt by humans... both of us are seeking revenge!" The dark Navi chuckled. " So much for that big talk about God worship and peace." He referred to a conversation they'd shared on the way there.
Ekachakra let his unimpressed gazed Linger on Forte, and the Herald of darkness felt smaller than a Pico under the twin green light.
"Forte... The difference between the two of us is that what you are doing is self-serving, disturbing and dangerous for everyone. You are basically having a hissy fit and breaking everything just because you can and you feel entities too like the brat you are." Ekachakra, from his diminutive height, managed to look down at Forte, the Dark Navi was ready to to screech in indignation when the Vaishnava stopped him with an open palm.
"As for myself, the only thing I truly desire is to put this chapter of my life away, to move back to Gauranga-land and raise my children through the process of self-realization. I want to serve my Guru and my Wife... and eventually, I would love to attain liberation and rediscover my true self, my true identity as the eternal servant of Radha-Krishna... But I can't, not yet."
Forte didn't understand a word that the Azure Navi (Cyber-Fae.) had said, but he was willing to listen.
"You see, I could very easily leave everything I had with this... program and never have to think about it. Being a Hare Krishna, the act of moving on is ridiculously easy." he shrugged. " I know everything I see is transient, I almost lost my wife and two newborns a few weeks ago, and I know Bhuteshara will leave his body a bit after the age of thirty... but that's life."
"But the reason why I can't?" Ekachakra's eyes turned to steel. " I do it for other children who, like me, are forced to be bred to have more Navi, for those Cyber-Fae who think themselves no better than mere AI's. For young girls who weren't as lucky as my twin, for parents who have no answer as to where their little ones went."
Forte felt a shiver in his spin, Ekachakra's green eyes had gained a steel edge that would make the very tip of a sword look dull and cheap.
" Forte, your reasons to do all you've done. All the murder's you have committed, all the ability you have stolen, all the data, all the dangerous codes you have gathered in only to Destroy people who have no idea you exist, who have no idea of the suffering you went through and had nothing to do with it." He scolded, and Forte truly felt like a child.
If it hadn't been for his meeting and... whatever the hell Roku pulled on Forte, the Herald of darkness would have readily destroyed the daredevil and taken whatever special ability he had... and his kids.
But now...
Now, after having his heart softened by Roku, after seeing the effect his anger and hatred had on another... one someone Forte cared about. After finally unlocking his empathy program. Forte was ready to hear it.
Forte sighed... "Yeah..."
the two Navi's lapsed into silence. The fallen Herald of Darkness kept looking at his feet, he hated the feeling of guilt that burned in his guts, this was not... Forte never felt guilt, Forte only had a single emotion and it was Blood lust...
'No, that was before I met Roku.'
Forte wasn't mad at the development, but he had yet to see some positive others then having his son smile at him without fear.
He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, startling the dark Navi out of his thought and sending an electrical shock through his entire being.
Not painful ones, mind you... but being a loner, Forte had very little contact with others that didn't involve some kind of pain.
"You chose to change," Ekachakra spoke with a gravity that went above and beyond the cyber-realms.
"No choice... Didn't want Roku to fear me." He admitted as he averted his gaze. He could not look at the compassionate angel, and he had this weird feeling that some higher powers were approving of him.
Ekachakra didn't say anything more, but if the pride shining in his eyes were any indication, Forte had apparently passed a test... for what purpose? He had no idea.
The angelic Fae removed his hand from Forte's clothed shoulders. "You've grown..."
"I did..."
"Now, let's go. Your expertise is needed further inside." Ekachakra spoke as he led Forte in the secure domain of Sci-Lab. To where they would hopefully find Roku's sleeping body.
He was rubbing his left arm... and his jaw was twitching...
Back at the Moiya's domain.
"Alright, Netto. This will be your second time in the net. I trust you that you won't go gambolling in the dark part of the net this time." Moiya spoke with her hands fisted at her hips, her smile a joking one hiding steel.
"No ma'am, I won't." Netto was not ready for this type of adventure without Rockman... yet. Besides, he would only go in Moiya's home domain, not in the wild web.
"Good to hear, Visnuratha." Moiya nodded approvingly. "Now, I know we will only stay in my home server. But..."
Netto tried to hide his shame and annoyance, yes, he'd screwed up, yes, he knew he would not be able to go to the web without an adult's supervision despite the fact that he'd already saved the world three times.
"I miss the web," Moiya admitted sheepishly. "Sure, I'm over the moon with my twins buuut... I just want to return to cyberspace and since Roku's feeling a bit lonely and your mama agreed to baby Pandora and Croire, I have a few hours to myself!" The Vaishnavi and mother of six did a fist pump. "Alright, Shishya, Just let me get my armour and we're off!"
Netto nodded as he took a few steps back. If Ekachakra's transformation could take down a few walls, how about his wife?
Moiya stood in the centre of the room, taking a steadying breath as she closed her arms, even going as far and making a few stretches.
"I... Haven't been in cyberspace for ten months. So I'm sure I'm rusty." Moiya explained. "Also, just a warning. Since cyberspace doesn't have a smell, once we're out, you're gonna be assaulted with all the smell, and it will be so bad, even if this room is clean."
"Oh... is that why you don't use scented soap?" Netto asked as he moved further away from Moiya... but still close to the TV.
Sure, his first foray without Roku had been terrifying. But it didn't mean that Netto was not eager to return, on the contrary.
Moiya gave him a proud smile. " Of, so you noticed. That's very astute of you Vishnu-ratha." the mother of many spoke as she tapped the middle of her chest. "Reboot!" She declared as her body turned to light.
It was blinding, and yet, Netto was not disturbed by it. And when it fades...
He stared. 'Oh... I saw her. In my dream.' Now, Netto was not superstitious. No one in Moiya's family was. (Even Bhuta, who could see ghosts and spoke to God on a daily basis, would call things like the whole 'seven-year of bad luck if you broke a mirror' to' holding your thumb when a funeral procession comes nearby complete and utter nonsense.) But still... it was hard to forget a tall blond woman wearing a red trench coat over a black bodysuit, a helmet that invoked the devil's horns and a bright blue gem on her forehead.
Moiya sighs as she stretches. "Ah, Yissssss! Hoh, Krishna, this feels more like it." she then looked down at the... flabby belly, compressed in her suit yet visible.
She smirked. "Hey, still look good. Even with a Mom-Bod! Jaya!" She then turned to Netto, grinning confidently, showing off her little fang and her electric blue eyes. She then pointed at Netto. "Your turn!" She declared.
Frozen in place, the Net saver pointed at his face. "Ah... how?"
Moiya stared at Netto.
...
"Right, you never did something like that, did you?"
"Like what?" Netto put a hand to his chest and tapped twice. "Reboot?"
Predictably, nothing happened. To Netto's great disappointment.
Moiya put a delicate hand to her mouth as she began to ponder about the young boy's situation. "Hmm... Come closer, Vishnu-ratha." She waved at him, and Netto complied.
'Wow... she's... imposing now.' And how, the mother of five had this... heavy aura around her, something that made Netto want to fall at her feet, begging for mercy. On her skin and armour, the Cyber-Fae could see some sort of purple flame dancing there, the wafer-board etching now clearly visible in her eyes, and on her belts, six round slots hugged her girt. All of a different colour.
Her long hair was braided and silky soft, so unlike Protoman's wild mane. Decorating her body were the twelve sacred Tilaka marks, glowing proudly on her black bodysuit. On her chest, her badge was showing a stylized Ω in the middle of a white background.
But...
"Umm... do you have wings? I feel like you should have wings." Netto spoke more to himself as he stood in front of the imposing mother.
He definitely liked her better when she was in her mom mode... less... heavy.
Moiya smiled. "My, what an astute young man you are. Yes, I do have my devil wings but, unlike my hubby, I can retract them. Now." She put her heavy hand (her Navi gloves were... more elaborate than anything he had seen. The fingers were white with the rest of the hand was black and the bracer was gold and red.) on Netto's shoulder and turned him around. "I'm gonna see if I can hack into your system and get your armour out of your storage."
"What!" Netto squeaked as he felt... something hot, cold and other flow on his skin, entering the pores of his body.
"Alright, wow kid. You have some beefed-up defence. Are you sure you never trained?"
"Ah... no?" Netto managed to say as he shifted uncomfortably. "But…I Went on the net a few times in-in Rockman... full Synchro."
"Hmm, yes... I've heard of it." Moiya hummed. " I can feel your bond with your brother. It's your special ability, something only you and Saito can do." the older fae spoke.
"Oh... and what can you do?" Netto asked anything to be distracted from this awful feeling.
"Oh. I can control Viral energy and I can control an army of viruses and bust down any computer I'm in. My Prabhu's ability is flight and copy while my kids all have elemental fire, air and water. Save for Bhuta and Prometheus. Bhuta's basically a ghost program while Prometheus can wield fire and electricity... but I suspect this may be an alteration since he's more inclined toward healing and the medical aspect of things."
"Really?" Netto asked as he tried not to squirm at the feeling. He could feel something under his skin... it was so weird, and his heart didn't like it all that much.
...
"Netto-Kun." Moiya began, her voice devoid of emotions. "When was the last time your heart was checked?"
"Last year, after the whole Alpha build incident," Netto answered. "The Doctor said I was fine, just tired."
"I see... And who is your doctor? Did you know him?"
"No, but..." Netto's eyes widened.
"Netto calm down... Your dad knew him?"
"Yeah... They seemed to know each other."
"I see... I just have a suspicion. For now, just focus on making Roku happy, alright?" She spoke seriously. "It may be something... and it may be nothing. I'm sorry to cause you some worry."
"It's... alright. I'm sure it's nothing. Dad knowing the doc... I bet they were just friends, you know. Nothing to worry about." Netto dismissed rather quickly, even if he feels... feverish.
He is worried about it... and he starts to worry if this is what adults go through all the time.
How terrible.
"Alright... Ah! Found it!" Moiya explained... and Netto... fell...
there's a powerful light, it doesn't hurt his eyes, but it makes everything white.
When his eyesight came back on, he gasped!
He could see the... things like pathways, viruses and-
"Is that WiFi?" Netto asked as he pointed out the pathways and... it was actually hard to explain for those with a normal, non-internet mind.
Behind him, Moiya chuckled. "Yes, my son. That's what WiFi looks like for us. Then she turned him around and he gasped.
Moiya is surrounded by this purple fog, and indeed, she had bat... no, demon wings in her back.
She smirked. "Yeah, so that's how I look to my people... I was... supposed to be a weapon, but dad got to me before I could be put in operation." She explained as she gently pushed Netto toward a full-length mirror.
What peered back was... green . But with a visor on his eyes and a... V-shaped thing on his helmet.
He felt tears pool in his eyes... if only... if Only Rockman would be there to see this, to share this with him.
Moiya clapped the growing boy. "Hey, looking good there, Rajan!"
'Rajan, that's a new one.'
"Now, come on, let's go and meet your bro. I'm sure Roku will be over the moon to have you with him."
Netto gave an uneasy smile as he willed his heart to calm down. For sure, he had... very mixed feelings about this whole situation but...
This was still his twin brother, and he may not...
No... Netto will restore Rockman, there was no question about it.
~0~
Embarrassingly enough, Netto had needed Moiya and Lumine's help to get into the TV, prompting some grumbling from Maya about the stupidity of having the set on the wall like a painting and not closer to the ground, where one would not get a kink in their neck from watching... only to eat her words when she realized that, with two newborns growing in the house, having the TV well off the ground was Krishna's perfect arrangement.
In the virtual room, crayons, dolls (some were clearly Radha, Krishna and various other Avatars of the lord, of his Devotees.) building blocks and picture books, all laid out on a soft looking carpet with floral design.
"Huh... I didn't know you could bring stuff from the outside in." Netto mumbled to himself as he walked into the room. Uncle Lumine and Roku were nowhere in sight.
"Cyber-fae's have some specialized online stores," Moiya mentioned as she picked up a Jagannath doll, turning it over she critically eyed it with a smile. "But... for the Hare Krishna ware, there's only one place Forte could have gotten this sacred doll."
"Oh?"
"It seems Papa-Forte managed to break out of the Japanese blockade and made his merry little way to our sacred servers in Gauranga-land." her smile broadened. "And he got his boy sacred toys to play with."
"Please... don't call him that," Netto mumbled darkly. To hear Moiya say 'Papa' and 'Forte' in the same sentence was a bit too much for his brain and heart to handle.
And yet, despite that, Netto's mind could not stop the conjuring of a life in which the Herald of Darkness was a dad.
Him hovering over Netto's shoulder as he helped him with his math problems.
Him building a box fort, pillow fort, and even a tree house for his two sons to play with.
Showing Netto and Saito how to aim their busters. How to fight and win at all costs.
Him tucking the two in bed, reading them stories.
It was utterly ridiculous, hilariously bad and yet...
And yet Netto could not help but want that.
Ekachakra was acting fatherly with Netto, counting him as a part of his family already and yet... Netto could not help but feel uncomfortable.
The blue angel knew something, but couldn't say it. Same as Bhuta.
It frustrated the teen, but what could he do? Rockman was the smart one, same as Iujin.
Too bad he hadn't seen hair nor shadow of his friend, it was worrying.
Suddenly, he heard a gasp, and he felt... a suggestion of a collision on his legs.
"NETTO!" His Ghostly brother exclaimed with happy tears in his eyes. Holding to the 'younger "I missed you. I Missed you so much!"
One would expect Netto to react likewise, since, for the first time in eleven years, he got to hold his big brother in his arms...
But... He could not be fooled. What had collided with his legs was... it was empty, a shell... an avatar.
Roku had no heartbeat, he had no presence save for a collision box and his appearance.
Netto felt his heart stutter and closed his eyes, trying to calm it down.
"Oh... Netto... our hearts are not happy." Roku spoke solemnly, looking up to Netto with baleful green eyes. " I thought... you're not happy to see me."
"No! I am!" Netto denied. " I'm happy to see you but... I don't think this is the real you." He finished lamely, unwilling to keep any secrets from his brother.
Roku made a face as he pulled Netto down, wrapping his arms around his neck and burying his face in the crook of his neck.
" I know... I'm still sleeping. And the man's not happy." Roku whined. "And my heart feels super weird now."
"A man?" Netto asked as he felt his heart skip an uncomfortable beat.
Saito... Roku nodded balefully as he began to fiddle with Netto's glove-covered finger.
"Can you tell me who he is?"
"He's... tall and he has brown hair like us, but sometimes, the bottom of his head is red."
'OK... that doesn't tell me much.'
"He wears glasses and he..." Roku stopped as he rubbed his head. "He likes to talk to me, he tells me I will be the future for all humanity. The next step and... that I'm a good Navi"
A shudder and a skipped beat jolted Netto. He hugged his brother's avatar tighter as he felt something he'd thought he'd never would.
He felt protective... He didn't want his little brother to be scared or hurt.
"Hey, you know what, let's forget all about the scary man. I heard you had special colouring books." Netto tactfully closed off the topic of their...thing and onto something that would make Roku happier and less prone to tears.
Predictably, Roku's eyes gained a spark of joy and determination.
The... Avatar (God, that was something weird to say.) Hopped down his brother's arm and hips and, not letting go of his hands, dragged him to the play area, showing him a doll that was Radha, Krishna and Chaitanya, explaining how the special doll shows the supreme and absolute truth.
Radha was Krishna, Krishna was Radha, and when they fused together, were Sri-Krishna-Chaitania Mahaprabhu, the Avatar of Unlimited mercy.
Netto just nodded along with him. He had already heard all that...
But...
"Saito, how do you know about Radha-Krishna?" Netto asked as he applied the colours in Vrinda-Devi's face and dress. And messing around with the numerous painting tools.
"Oh, Mommy Moiya and daddy told us about it."
Netto raised a brow... alright, so Moiya was the mom but... The grass green cyber-fae could not...
"You mean Ekachakra das."
Roku nodded. "Ah-huh."
Alright then... Ekachakra-Prabhu had been doting on Netto and being all parental to him as if he had been born from the same womb as his other kids. But...
Saito... Roku had been in contact with the man less than Netto, despite the fact that Ekachakra would always include him in whatever activities he was doing with his kids and Netto.
"The one who married Mama doesn't feel like us... he feels like mama. But Eka feel's like us. He has the same signature."The little blue avatar spoke cryptically as he painted Krishna black. " Like Protoman and Enzen."
Netto raised a brow at that.
"Dad feels like Roll and Mailou too..." He raised his eyes from the picture of Govinda leaning on a cow with a flute to his red lips and a peacock feather dancing in the wind. " they are a part of our kinds."
Netto opened his mouth... "Wait... Enzen's a Cyber-Fae!?" The green Navi exclaimed.
Roku stared at his big brother as if he had just spoken the dumbest thing he could... and it was quite a loud 'well, duh.' despite being silent.
Netto let his breath out... and finally noticed Moiya looming over them, her face unreadable.
"Wah! Ah... Moiya!"
"Moiya-Mama!" Roku happily chirped as he stretched his arms toward the towering woman, who gladly picked him up, perching the tiny avatar on her broad hip. Once there, Roku leaned his face in the crook of her neck.
"Oh, you're quite the cuddler, aren't you?" She asked as he hugged the short boy closer. "Do you feel me when I hold you?"
"... Maybe? I can feel papa more but... not really you?"
Moiya hummed. "I see, That's because this is not your original body, isn't it?"
Roku shook his head. "No... I'm still sleeping, but the other man... he received a call and, and I think he wants me to sleep forever."
Ice cold dread filled every vein in Netto's body, and by the look of it, the same was happening to Moiya.
"Oh... that's..."
"He caught an Angel and a Demon… He caught our two papas."
Moiya froze...
"Roku... can you prove it? Can you... I don't know... how do you know?" She asked as her viral Data began to swirl around her, following her mood.
Roku nodded, and raised his hand in front, making a screen appear.
The image was dark, the only source of light was a hub, and out of it, a screen could be seen...
Yuichiro was there, he was hard not to recognize. But that was not what had caught The Trio's eyes.
On the screen, fighting against his bond was Forte, who now resembled a snarling beast... And Ekachakra, his lively gaze now lifeless from his revived past trauma.
"Oh no..." The Blond mother covered her mouth as her whole body shook.
Ekachakra had, for lack of better words, shut down, his chin to his chest and his usually vibrant eyes a dull green. Over him was his number.
Specimen; Variable-X. Genetic supplier Alpha.
The screen turned black. " I also heard this man say that... I wasn't needed now. Not Hikari, the one on the phone."
A feeling of cold dread filled the warm room... and the cyber-fae all sent a spontaneous prayer to the Lord... and all of his Avatars and saints.
"... Netto. Imma gonna call my brood. I know it would be stupid of me to ask you to stay here but..."
" You want me to fight," Netto spoke as he felt the paradoxical calm cover his anticipation. It was something he'd naturally felt when something would happen.
Like when the stove caught on fire, or when he almost died in a plane crash...
Actually, the entirety of last year was a roller coaster of emotions. And today would not be any different.
Moiya let Roku down. Kneeling until she was at eye level with him. "Roku, Listen baby. Right now, your papa and my Prabhu are in trouble... they are where you're sleeping, can you locate yourself?" She asked as the rest of the kids rushed in, all in their armour.
They had all wanted to meet Roku, but since this would have been the first the avatar would meet with his family (his brother.) they had all elected to wait...
Now though, it was an emergency, and Moiya's kids (now looking like teenagers in the cyber-armour.) had their eyes wide open with deep concern for their father and heart sibling. They took their positions around their mother as they silently waited with bated breath for Roku's words.
Roku looked down as a look of concentration drew his brows together... and then he shook his head. "No... I just know I'm in sci-lab... I don't remember being moved from there since I fell asleep."
Moiya sighed as her viral component flared and danced with her mood as Prometheus warped into the room. "OK... Prometheus, where are Shreya and Asha?" She turned to her eldest.
" They are with Haruka and the Sakurai household. Those are Cyber-Fae too, and they were more than happy to help."
"Alright... alright." Moiya drew herself to her full height. "Alright! We need to infiltrate Sci-Lab. Prabhu and Forte have been found and are, for now, detained there. We can't go through the net, since this point of entry was a trap..." She lowered her head. "And we all fell for it."
"I can carry you in," Netto spoke with all his bravery. "I have a pass, and since I'm a net Saver and Yuichiro's... son, I have pretty much all access to the lab."
Hope shone through the tall blond's eyes. "You know if you get caught-"
"I know... But I also know that Ekachakra Prabhu serves Krishna... and Krishna likes him so-" He had no idea how to explain it, but he knew one thing for sure.
If he was God and had a friend, and his friend was taken away by a freak and nobody would go and help, then he would get mad at those who did nothing.
He didn't want to make God mad, especially if his Friends loved him.
And Ekachakra was... he liked the man, and it felt wrong to leave someone to suffer like that.
Moiya and Netto held gaze, the younger not looking away, and Maya's judging gazes heavy on him.
And suddenly, this gaze was filled with pride... then she began touching different parts of his body as she began to recite the many names of Lord Vishnu. Praying for his protection.
She pressed her lips on his forehead and whispered. " And May Gauranga bless you with the greatest gift of all."
~0~
The first thing they did was to explain to Roku how to use a communicator and leave him to the care of Uncle Lumine, who gladly took this challenge, knowing that Forte would definitely find a way to end him would he fail.
Then they informed Netto's mother of their plan... and Haruka, after hugging her son, gave him her tearful blessing.
"Netto... I know you won't... I know you have to get involved, you can't help it." She spoke as she hugged her son, then she turned to Moiya and her kids, something feral shining in her usually kind eyes. "Listen... you have my permission to... remove something from Hikari-san."
Netto was confused, Mailou even more so while Roll's (outside of the cyber world, how odd.) face grew as red as a tomato.
"Of Course, my friend... of course... I will make sure there's enough of him left to drag him into court."
Netto elected not to remember the feral look the other woman sported...
Why were all mamas scary when mad?
And after that, they were all heading toward sci-lab. An entire family tucked in his PET, almost burning troughs the battery at an alarming rate until his Aniki used his lightning power to charge the thing...
It made no sense, but at this point, Netto had left the definition of Common sense in the hands of Krishna, and the Lord could do whatever it wanted with it.
After an uneventful trip through the train (oh, how Netto wished it would have been a bit more action-packed, it felt so surreal to go to sci-lab with a bunch of cyber-fae in his PET knowing that they would utterly rip apart Yuichiro... and for some reasons, he felt... OK with it.)
Like... this was something that Had to happen.
Of course, the trip was not as nerve-wracking as he thought it would be, how could it be when you had a live Kirtana performance playing in your ear lead by what could only be the strongest Navi (cyber-fae) at the moment?
Eventually, they got to their stop, and Netto's anxiety spiked, making his heart thunder in his chest, its uneven beat rattling his ribs as Moiya's observation came to the forefront of his mind.
'Later... once Forte and Eka are out of trouble, I'll talk to mom about it. Besides, didn't Bhuta tell me that HBD was no worse than appendicitis for their kind?' And appendicitis was easily treated nowadays... he had nothing to worry about.
Netto took a deep breath.. then his Bluetooth headset crackled to life.
"Netto... it's me, Bhuta." The Ninja-like fae spoke, his voice deeper yet still soft. "Your heart..."
"Bhu... do you think I... Have it?" Netto asked discreetly, he felt his eyes sting... he desperately wanted a hug now.
The other end of the lone was upsettingly quiet.
"Netto... I think... My mom thinks you do and... and your heart sounds like mine and Dad." He revealed quietly.
Cold sweat covered Netto's body as the memory of Mamoru's episode came to the forefront of his mind.
"Netto... This is Moiya... listen, go home with Bhuta, Well's take care of... whatever the hell is happening in Sci-lab."
"No... I'm fine. Let's do it later, please..." Netto spoke with urgency. He was fine, it could wait. He skated through the main gate as if belonged there, feeling the web and the remnant of the Alpha build rippling around him. " Besides... I won't be fighting if I can help it."
"... And Knowing, you, you won't listen to reason."
"Not if there are three lives at risk"
'How about yours?'
"You just need me to plug you in Dad's hidden Ethernet, it's not like I'm going to fight him personally, you know."Sure, Netto may be brash, but he wasn't an idiot, and he had learned how to pick his fight.
He heard a heavy sigh. "Alright... your mom will kill me if she ever hears about what I let you do in your condition but... I can't in good conscience stop you, you are a warrior... and this, I can understand."
Netto nodded as he took a deep breath. He could do this, he would do this... he may only be the delivery guy, but if this was what it took to get everyone out of his Faith... this man's dungeon, then so be it!
'I wonder how they fight? Maybe Moiya will teach me once everything gets back to normal?' Oh, this would be great, he could actually fight and not just scream at a screen and plug-in chips in the hope that one of his numerous battle routines would work.
Yeah... This sounded like a plan.
And thus, Netto waltz in Sci-lab as per usual, meaning, knowing that the place was his because his... dad... work there.
And it worked, as always.
~0~
Meanwhile... Forte was having a day.
You know, one of those days you think everything will be fine if a bit weird because your son wants to make slime and you promised him you will make it but on the way to get the glue and glitter, you get asked by the cashier to help him get one friend out of some trouble only to find yourself kidnapped but the actual father of your kids who just let you hang in a tank because he thinks your nothing but some program...
oh, and your friend's not so hot... and not your friend, obviously.
"Yo, Ek... did you know this was a trap?" Forte asked as he managed to turn his head somewhat. What they were in was a very basic capture program that, unfortunately, could not be deactivated by a Navi because Aha!
Life hated Forte, he was sure of it... He just wanted to return Roku to his old body, help Haruka destroy her Ex via Legal (and illegal) means and maybe, just maybe try this whole dad thing! Not... this!
And speaking of this, Eka looked like hell... like it was his second go at it, that is.
"Ekachakra!"
This seemed to snap the Cyber-fae out of his PTSD, he turned to face the dark Navi, his eyes filled with fear and regret... mostly regrets.
"I... I didn't know... I should have known..." he whispered, his mind somewhere else entirely. " He's my backyard neighbour... he should have known... I was-was." he sobbed. "Oh God... take me now... I can't... I can't do this anymore!"
"Eka... Ekachakra!" Forte called out to the shaking fae, wondering what the hell could have happened to the memetic badass.
Yes... he recognized him now, in the under-web, he was called the wings of justice...
And now, the same memetic man was shaking and practically shutting down in fear in the face of Netto's father.
"Hey! Yuichiro-San!" He screamed at the man... someone he thought was good. "What the hell have you done to him!"
Yuichiro turned around from the underwater server he was tinkering with. His eyes were wide as he held his chest. He had definitely not been expecting that...
Obviously, since he had muted the two Navis' but Forte hated being ignored.
"Hmm... How did you manage to unmute yourself?" He mumbled, his innocent eyes more disturbing than anything Wily could conjure. " Amazing, you are amazing Bass."
"It's Forte, nerd!" The dark Navi growled as he let his bugs and stolen ability stealthily take over the computer, the security is beefed up almost high enough to make it a worthy challenge for the Dark Navi (well, he could only do some basic things, it was not like he was the legendary second built, .) "Now tell me, Why's Ekachakra like this? The hell have you done to him?" He asked.
If he was evil, Yuichiro would happily gloat about it.
"Me? Nothing..." and with that, the scientist turned to leave.
"Hey! HEY! DON'T FUCKING DARE IGNORE ME, NERD! I HAVE YOUR BANKING ACCOUNT NUMBER, THE ONE IN SWISS, AUSTRALIA AND CREAMLAND SO YOU BETTER START TALKING BEFORE I LEAK THEM TO THE AUTHORITY OR WORST!"
Alright, so this was obviously a bluff, but at this point, Forte wanted to make this man shit himself with fear.
The man that had once again proven that humans were not to be trusted... man, at the very least.
Really, if he could make a virus to kill those specific ass holes, it would be enough to satisfy his thirst for vengeance.
This got the man's attention.
Forte grinned, once again, there was nothing better than being over-prepared. " Oh yeah, I know where those are. And don't forget your pen pals, this girl in Eaglande and that special folder you open before bed. Oh, don't you know that this little thing right there's enough to utterly destroy you?"
Yuichiro's glasses gained a certain reflection. He stalked over to the computer and, muttering about how he hated losing impotent assets, turned it off...
or would have if Forte Hadn't hacked the thing to never shut off, having disabled the power button. And since this particular computer was integrated into the wall!
It wasn't much, all things considered, but if this could make Yuichiro's life worse, then so be it.
"Oh, Hikari~San!" Forte Grinned ferally. " I hope you don't mind me destroying your little shit show, do you?"
The scientist grit his teeth.
"Now... tell me everything about Eka, the Fae and your two... not sons. Or else, I blow the lid on everything you did. Capiche?"
By the pallor and hopeless look in Mister Hikari's, Forte just won that round...
That was until the bastard returned to the tank and began pulling plugs after plugs before he escaped the premise.
Warning blared in the numerous computers... and an urgent notification popped up about Saito's life support being disconnected, including the oxygen.
The shock was enough to snap Ekachakra out of his mortification and spur him into action... only to realize that the monitor was made in such a way that a Cyber-Fae could not use it as an entry point. And there was nothing Forte could have done.
"No..." He whispered with pure Horror. Saito... His Roku was there.
And he was...
He was...
"NOOOOOO!"
~0~
Back with Lumine, Roku gave a gasp as he grasped his chest.
"Roku? Roku?!" Lumine flew to the child's side, kneeling beside him. "Sweety, breath, breath, deep breath."
"I can't." The blue Avatar spoke in an awful calm that preludes a storm. He turned to face Lumine, his eyes much older then his appearance would suggest. "Hikari... pulled the plug... I don't have long." His form began to flicker on and off. " Lumine... can you... tell them 'thank you, I love you and... pray for me?"
And with those last words... Roku faded away to the sound of his mother's wails of despair.