Disclaimer: All copyrighted characters in Rockman.EXE and its American version, Mega Man Battle Network, are owned by Capcom, the original creators and their distributors. No infringement of any of the rights of the aforementioned creators or distributors is intended. This is a fan-created story for the enjoyment of other fans only, and it may not be distributed for profit in any way. No money is being made by me in any form from this fanfic or any others I have written.

Author's Note: This might best be considered an AU, as I'm probably going to end up taking bits of manga, anime, and game continuity and squishing them together messily. Not to mention that I actually haven't played the games. ^^;; So mails/reviews telling me I messed up the continuity probably won't help, as I already know. ;) Oh yes, and I use the Japanese names for everyone, and the matching honorifics.

Pushing the Limits

a Rockman.EXE fanfic

by Hoshikage

Chapter 1

Rockman rested, his eyes closed, listening.
He opened one eye as the PET's timer beeped. He sighed, reluctant, for once, to try and wake Netto. Netto had actually fallen asleep propped up on pillows on his bed, books in his lap - and the PET on his chest, allowing Rockman to spend the time just listening to Netto's heartbeat.
Rock couldn't explain why he found the sound so comforting. Maybe it was just that he himself didn't have a heartbeat. But he'd felt so comfortable and relaxed, it was a shame that he had to ruin the mood by going through the usual theatrics to drag Netto out of bed and get him on his way to school.
Well, if he delayed too much longer, Netto would be late for sure. "Netto-kun," he sighed softly.
Netto snored in response.
Rockman sighed. "Netto-kun," he said, louder. Times like this, he really wished he could exist outside the PET in a physical body - it would be a lot easier to wake Netto up if he could shake him, or bash him in the head with a pillow, or yank the blankets out from under him... "Netto-kun, get up, you'll be late for school again!"
Netto stirred, the PET sliding off his chest to thump onto the bed beside him. Rockman's view of the world through the screen tilted crazily as the PET shifted position, and then stabilized again, revealing part of Netto's face on the right side of the screen.
The shifting viewpoint didn't bother Rockman; he was used to watching the world fly by from Netto's belt as he rollerbladed through the streets. "Netto-kun," he said in exasperation, his voice nearly a shout. "You do this every morning! Wake up!"
And then he froze as Netto mumbled sleepily, his eyes still closed, "Saito..."
Rock hadn't yet broken his shocked silence when Netto stirred and yawned, stretching and accidentally knocking the PET onto the floor. The screen went dark as it fell against the fibers of the carpet, and Rockman closed his eyes, using the time to regain his composure.
"Oh, sorry, Rock," Netto said, picking the PET up off the floor. "I was having this crazy dream..."
Rockman tried to sound casual as he changed the subject. "Well, if you don't hurry, you'll be late for school again."
"Ack!" Netto flew around the room, trying to do ten things at once as he frantically got ready for school. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
Rockman didn't reply with his usual retort that it was Netto's own fault. This time, after all, he really had delayed.
He just wished he hadn't, because then Netto might not have had that dream...

-----------

"Argh! This is taking too long!" The green-haired man slammed his fists on the table in frustration. "Are you sure you haven't had a good opportunity?"
The heavily-built Navi on the screen blinked its glowing green eyes. "I'm positive, Master. I apologize for disappointing you. That Navi's Operator keeps a very close eye on him. I haven't been able to get close."
The man threw himself into his chair. "Well, I knew this would be a challenge. I just didn't realize that the brat was going to be in the way so much. I suppose it's not really your fault."
He propped his feet up on the table and rested his chin on his hand, staring at the computer screen and the glowing eyes of the Navi that watched him silently. "Keep watching, though. If you see any chance, take it. I'm getting impatient."
"Yes, Master," the Navi replied with a little bow, and he dissolved into shining pixels as he transmitted himself back into the Net.
The operator's eyes glittered with the reflected light of the screen. "I want that Navi..."

-----------

Rockman fidgeted as Netto listened to the teacher. Usually, Rockman paid attention... in fact, usually he paid more attention than Netto did. After all, it was his job to keep track of the homework assignments and keep class notes in order so Netto could study them later. Today, though, he just couldn't stay focused. Something was bothering him, and he just didn't think he could talk to Netto about it.
He felt a flash of shame at that, at not being able to confide in his Operator, but he just couldn't bring himself to talk about it to Netto. He had to do something, though - Netto was already giving him weird looks. Even without the link between them, Netto probably would have been able to tell something was up, Rockman admitted to himself with a sigh. He was acting all wrong if he didn't want to raise Netto's suspicions.
He looked away from Netto's gaze, turning his attention to a directory that needed organizing, and when he turned back, a line of text shone at him.
[You're worried about something, Rock. What is it?]
Rockman looked out of the screen guiltily at Netto's face. Sighing, he responded silently in the same way, so Netto wouldn't get in trouble for talking to his Navi in class about personal matters. [It's just... something I've been thinking about,] he hedged, trying to get out of the conversation without lying. [It's nothing... I'm sorry.]
[Like heck it's nothing,] the words came back at him, hard on the heels of a wave of annoyance that had the particular "outside" feeling that meant that Netto was unintentionally broadcasting over their link again. Rockman winced. Usually Netto was better at keeping his emotions inside than that...
[Usually you're better at it too,] came a reply to his thought, and Rockman paled. He'd really thought he wasn't letting Netto "hear" what he was thinking.
[Netto-kun, I'm sorry...]
Netto sighed, propping his head on his hand as his eyes flickered back and forth between the teacher and the screen. The annoyance vanished, replaced by something more gentle, but also slightly melancholy. [It's about Saito, isn't it?]
Rockman dropped his gaze to his own blue-gloved hands. [Yes,] he admitted.
[Do you want to go talk to Papa?]
Rockman blinked, looking up again. [What? Now? But it's during school...]
Netto smiled slightly and pointed to the upper corner of the screen. Rockman blinked and looked up, and saw Roll smiling at him from an inset window.
"Roll-chan?" he asked, blinking.
Roll smiled at him. "I think it's okay if I copy Meiru's notes for Netto just this once," she said.
Rock smiled at her. "Roll-chan... Thank you."
Roll nodded and smiled sweetly at him, and then her window closed. Rockman turned his gaze back to Netto as he hesitated for another moment.
[Ah, go already!] Netto typed. [I'll be fine. Just come back before school's done so I can get Meiru-chan's notes, okay?]
Rockman smiled. [Okay. Thanks, Netto-kun.] And without any further hesitation, he logged himself out of the PET and leaped into the outside Net, flying through silver-blue clouds of data as he zigzagged quickly along the shortest path that led to the familiar system registered as Hikari Yuuichirou's.
He reached out and touched his hands to the curtain of light that represented the outermost layer of security programs, and the barrier cleaved open for him, a hole spreading open like water rippled by a disturbance. Rock started to step through, then hesitated halfway through the barrier, turning to look behind him.
He thought he saw a shadow farther back, but if there was anything there, it disappeared as a stream of glowing data obscured it from view.
Rockman frowned, but he knew he shouldn't leave the defenses open, nor should he go snooping around the Net without Netto knowing where he was. So he continued through the curtain, which swirled closed behind him, and then he downloaded himself through the other security programs into Doctor Hikari's computer.
He reformed as shimmering pixels in the computer's public zone, the security programs all having let him pass without a challenge. As his shape soldified and his vision cleared, he glanced up, relieved to see the scientist on the other side of the screen.
"Rockman?" Doctor Hikari sounded surprised. "I wasn't expecting you. Isn't Netto still in school?"
Rockman nodded sheepishly. "Meiru's letting him copy her notes... Netto-kun told me I should come talk to you."
Doctor Hikari looked at him, and then adjusted his glasses. "Well. I have a feeling I know what this is about. And I can't say I wasn't expecting it. In fact, I'm surprised neither of you said anything before now..."
Rockman looked down at his boots. "I... I didn't think it was my place to say anything," he mumbled. "If I'm just a Navi, I shouldn't..."
"And if you're not?" Doctor Hikari asked. "If you're my son? Netto pesters me constantly when I'm home, you know. I wouldn't expect Saito to be any different."
"I--" Rockman clenched his hands into fists. "I'm not Saito. I'm Rockman. At least, I thought I was--" He shook his head. "I don't know anymore! Who am I? What am I?"
Doctor Hikari sighed. "Well, I should probably explain it all from the beginning. After all... if anyone has a right to know, it should be you. But this way is too awkward - while you're here, let me test out a little invention I've been working on..."
Confused, Rockman waited as Doctor Hikari's face disappeared from his view, and there were sounds of him rummaging around in his lab. Rockman waited, until he sensed a new device link being initialized by the computer. Immediately afterwards, Doctor Hikari's voice said, "Can you transfer yourself to the new hardware?"
Curious, Rockman did as he was asked. As he reformed, he found himself standing right in front of Doctor Hikari - or at least, he seemed to be. His head was not quite at the height of the doctor's shoulder, and he knew from experience that if it was Netto in front of him, they'd be the same size. He'd been in a projector like this before; it enabled others to see and hear him as if he was a human, standing in the real world like them. The only thing it didn't allow was touch.
So he was completely shocked when Doctor Hikari reached easily through the glowing white wall of the cylinder of light Rockman stood in, his hand patting Rockman's shoulder as if there was nothing whatsoever separating them.
Rockman gaped, his hand reaching up instinctively to touch the hand on his shoulder. He could feel the scientist's hand under his fingers, and he could feel its touch on his shoulder.
As far as he'd known, this was completely impossible.
Doctor Hikari was clearly delighted. "It works!" he said excitedly, poking at Rockman again. "How wonderful! I'm sure Netto will be thrilled. It has its limitations, of course - right now, you have to stay on the platform, the field generator won't extend past it." Rockman glanced down at the round, white panel on which he stood, and then looked back up as Doctor Hikari tapped on his helmet. "How fascinating. Feels just like plastic, though of course it can't be."
"Um..." Rockman started in embarassment, and Doctor Hikari pulled his hand away.
"Sorry, that was rude of me," he admitted. "It's just... well, I get carried away sometimes, you know."
"No, it's all right," Rockman protested awkwardly. Now that he thought about it, it must feel to Doctor Hikari like he could finally touch his lost son again... even if Rockman just couldn't think of himself as Saito.
Doctor Hikari went back to his chair, sitting down again and rolling it closer. "Well, I believe I promised you an explanation," he said with a slight, sad smile.
Rockman gingerly sat down as well, settling crosslegged on the round floor panel of the unusual projector. He looked up at Doctor Hikari expectantly as the scientist gathered his thoughts, waiting for the full story to be told.

-----------

It's a long story, and the telling just brings it all back as if it were only yesterday... instead of nearly ten years' worth of frustration, heartbreak and worry. I think I'll leave most of that out.
Saito died so young that he hadn't even really developed a personality yet. And of course, though I tried to preserve his consciousness as closely as I could, some things were probably lost in the translation. I do have to wonder at how different he is from Netto; Netto would be interrupting me every other sentence, but Rockman just sits and listens.
I wondered, many times, if I was doing the right thing, in the darkest hours of the night when my conscience wouldn't let me sleep. I still wonder, even though it's now too late, and the situation has long since passed the point of no return.
Before he found out who he is, though - or rather, who he used to be - Rockman was happy. So was Netto. Does that justify what I did? Or is it merely a small consolation, a silver lining to a greater cloud?
I don't tell him about what it was like at first, when I had drives full of data I wasn't sure I could ever use, when Netto cried and would not be comforted, even though he was too young to truly understand what he had lost... when I avoided telling my wife what I was up to all hours of the day and night, and then when I first realized that I could make it work. I think that moment, pierced on the two-edged blade of how wonderful and terrible science could be, was probably, more than anything else, the moment that made me the man I am.
Rockman doesn't consciously remember anything about being Saito, of course - even had he lived as an ordinary human, those times would have been lost to him. Netto lived unaware that he'd ever had a twin - thanks to me. And Haruka. I was a little surprised that she agreed to never mention her second son, as if he'd never existed.
Maybe, just like me, she never quite managed to let time dull the pain.
But it's little wonder that Rockman can't reconcile himself as a Navi - albeit a very unusual one - with the concept of being human. The whole concept is foreign to him; his world is nothing like ours, despite our attempts to make it so.
I wasn't the one who took away his chance to experience our world as we do. I just wonder if what I gave him instead was enough. Especially when I think that we almost lost him again, so soon after Netto had gotten him back...
It's a pity that Netto has the family knack for getting into things he shouldn't, and attracts trouble as well. And it's a shame too that there just isn't such a thing as a Navi that isn't combat-ready... I thought, if I had to install combat capabilities, the least I could do was make him as strong as possible, so there would be less chance of his being deleted... dying, again.
In hindsight, my reasoning seems somewhat flawed.
I still wonder if there wasn't a better way to go about saving Rockman than what I did, but at that point I just don't think there was any way to preserve the secret from Netto and Rockman anymore, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing what was left of Saito again. Of course, it worked - though with complications I hadn't expected. This unexplained link - there seems to be no other word to apply to it but "telepathic," though the whole concept seems ludicrous - well, let's just say that it wasn't part of the plan.
Then again, neither was anyone finding out about this, not even Netto, or Rockman himself...

-----------

Rockman listened quietly. Most of the story was similar to what he'd heard before, though this time it was the full version, with details that had been left out before due to lack of time. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, still. Doctor Hikari was careful to refer to Saito as another person, but somehow that only made Rock feel guiltier. Shouldn't he be happy that Doctor Hikari had saved his life - twice now? Shouldn't he try to be a son, not just a program?
"So, any more questions?" Doctor Hikari said finally.
Rockman hesitated. Then he finally asked, "So were Netto and Sai... and I," he said, resolving to at least try. "Were we identical twins?"
Doctor Hikari raised an eyebrow at the change in pronoun, but nodded. "When it came time to design your Frame, I changed things a bit," he admitted. "I couldn't have Netto wandering around with a Navi that looked exactly like him - people would think it was strange."
Rockman nodded slowly. "You really didn't want anyone to know about me..."
Doctor Hikari sighed. "Yes. And to be honest... you were finished nearly three years before I gave you to Netto."
Rockman blinked. "I... I was?"
Doctor Hikari nodded again. "There were a lot of reasons why I waited. For one thing, Custom Navis were a lot more expensive and out of the ordinary then. You would have attracted quite a bit of attention, and word would have spread about Hikari Netto and his special Navi... Now, you're one of many. Special, but not unique. I hope you understand."
Rockman grimaced, but he couldn't really fault the logic. After all, if word got out, there would probably be an awful lot of people who would be very upset with one Hikari Yuuichirou, who'd actually done all the morally dubious work.
For some reason, though, the concept of sitting deactivated in data-storage for years on end bothered him now, in a way he didn't think it would have before...
Doctor Hikari glanced at the screen. "I hate to say it, but the field generator's running low on power - I'll have to recharge it soon. Did you get to ask everything you wanted to?"
"I... I think so," Rockman said, getting back up. "I'm sorry. I guess, I just wanted to know..."
Doctor Hikari stood up as well, and moved forward. "It's all right. As I said, you certainly deserve to know - after all, it's your life I was playing with."
"No, it's not like that," Rockman protested. "I'm grateful, really. I mean, even if I was just a regular Navi, I'd be grateful you created me, because I got to be such good friends with Netto-kun..."
Doctor Hikari smiled more broadly. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, and teased, "You know, brothers sometimes don't get along, and I'd hate for that to have happened with you!"
Rockman smiled and blurted out the name he'd been avoiding, the name Netto used, in a rush of boldness. "So, thank you... Papa..."
He regretted it the instant he said it. He winced and looked in embarassment up at Doctor Hikari. "It... doesn't feel right," he said awkwardly, wishing he could take it back.
Doctor Hikari just smiled, sadly. "Maybe it just takes some practice," he said gently. "But if you don't want to call me that, I understand." Rockman shrugged a little uncomfortably, but then smiled despite himself as the scientist added lightly, "Maybe something more polite would be better for you, Netto's really not the polite type like you are."
Rockman chuckled a little. "No, that's true. I keep telling him he shouldn't be so rude..."
Doctor Hikari smiled, and Rockman tried again. "Thank you," he said. "Really. This... this is for me too, isn't it?" He gestured to the platform underneath him, the machine that it seemed would someday let him interact with the real world as well as cyberspace.
Doctor Hikari nodded. "I hope you like it."
Rockman nodded. "I like it a lot. Thank you. I'd better go now, Netto-kun asked me to come back before school let out..."
Doctor Hikari nodded and Rockman logged out, the familiar fizzling sensation as his body dissolved taking hold. He reformed briefly in the computer, but didn't pause, logging out to the Net again immediately and passing back through the security systems the way he'd come.
Things were still kind of awkward, between him and Doctor Hikari... but he thought they would get better now. As he glided back toward the school's system and the PET that was plugged into it, Rockman barely noticed the glittering stars of data flowing by, his thoughts turned inward.
He still wasn't sure, even after all that, who he really was. He wasn't a regular Navi, that much was obvious. But he clearly wasn't human either, and he still just couldn't think of himself as Saito, or of Doctor Hikari as his father, really.
I guess I'll just have to figure it out for myself, he decided. I'll find what feels right. And I'm sure Netto-kun will tell me if I'm doing something wrong. He grinned to himself. Actually, he'll probably tell me so even if I don't, just to get my goat, but...
A cloud of data shredded apart in front of him, red streaks of energy smashing through the data stream. Rockman instinctively twisted, trying to throw himself out of the way, but the bands of power warped as they touched him, snapping in on themselves to entangle him in a web of hot, stinging power.
Rockman yelped aloud and squirmed, struggling to free himself, until he suddenly found himself yanked up by the scuff of the neck, dangling in front of a huge, heavily-built Navi covered in overlapping plates of white armor, green eyes glowing from within the white helmet.
"Who are you?" Rockman gasped, struggling. "What do you want?"
"I am Boneman," the Navi replied, and then he turned and flung Rockman through the air. Rockman cried out as he flew through a dark gap in the shining blueness of the Net, and then fell in a heap on a hard surface. The energy web disappeared, allowing him to pick himself up and look around, trying to figure out what had just happened.
A maze of rock formations stretched around him, forming shelves and ledges that seemed to go on forever. Huge boulders protruded from the ground at odd angles, and the light was dim and faintly red.
A shadow appeared in front of him.
Rockman gasped, hastily backing up as Boneman materialized in front of him. "What do you want?" Rockman demanded again, forming his Rockbuster with his right hand and pointing it at the other Navi.
"Where's your Operator, little Navi?" Boneman asked, his voice deep and rasping. "Did he abandon you?"
Rockman bristled. "Of course not!" he said in Netto's defense.
"Then why don't you call him?" Boneman asked. "Perhaps because you know he can't hear you?"
Rockman backed up a step further, trying to get into jumping rage of one of the rocks. Boneman was right - Netto had no connection, he wouldn't be able to hear anything Rock said to him. Or at least, not through the PET - but maybe, the link - Boneman couldn't know about that!
Netto-kun! he sent desperately, hoping the words would get through where nothing else would, but there was no response, and it felt like he was calling into a huge, empty room, the call fading into an echoing void. He tried again, worried. Netto-kun? Can you hear me? Netto-kun!
There was still no answer. Rockman tensed, but decided to keep Boneman talking. He just had to stall until Netto could find him. "I'm sure he's already on his way," he bluffed. "He'll be along any minute, looking for me!"
"Really?" the Navi mused. "Well... that's too bad, then."
Rockman took a step back. "What... what do you mean?" he asked, all his instincts for danger flaring up in warning at the cryptic statement.
"Because he won't find you!" Boneman shouted, and with a thunderous roar, his entire arm shot forward like a rocket, the huge fist slamming into Rockman hard enough to fling him head-over heels across the barren landscape. Rock tumbled across the stone and caught himself, whipping up his buster to fire a spray of shots in the other Navi's direction as he scrambled back to his feet. The arm whipped itself back toward Boneman, drawn back on a long, metallic cord, and most of the shots caromed uselessly off the arm as it flew back to its owner.
Rockman sprinted for the cover of a standing, jagged piece of stone as the Navi turned toward him again. He fired a few more shots to keep Boneman distracted, but a screeching whine alerted him to the danger a moment too late. Even as he flung himself to the side, Boneman's other hand roared in, catching him in a glancing blow that sent him hurtling headfirst into the unforgiving stone. Datasparks exploded off his helmet as the side caved in with a crunch that reverberated and echoed madly inside Rock's head. He slid into a limp heap at the base of the stone formation, stirring feebly as he tried and failed to pick himself back up. More than half stunned, his vision was swirling and wavering, and pixels bled and fizzled from the side of his head in flashes of white pain that stabbed through him.
Two huge fingers closed around Rock's wrist, dwarfing his much smaller hand as Boneman lifted his arm.
Rockman managed to pull up his other hand, prying instinctively at the fingers that held him trapped, but their grip was too strong for him to budge. The other hand came down with some kind of strange, thick ring and clamped it around his wrist, and the fingers released their grip. The instant they did so, before Rock could even think of pulling away, the ring had yanked his wrist down to the ground and held it there, as if the ring had an incredible weight, or was somehow magnetized to cling to the ground. No matter how Rock twisted and pulled, he couldn't budge it so much as an inch.
Rockman looked back up at the armored Navi, and as he saw another ring in his hand he raised his free arm and fired a frantic burst of shots from his cannon. "Leave me alone!"
Boneman seized his cannon and wrenched the arm behind his back, forcing Rockman to the ground as he pressed and twisted. Rock struggled and kicked, gasping in pain as his twisted arm sent threads of fire through him. "Stop it!" he cried out, desperately trying to hold onto his cannon, to keep some form of defense, however futile. "Why are you doing this?"
"It's really quite simple," said a new voice, and as Rockman looked up, he saw a window above Boneman's head, showing a human face with lank green hair and the same poisonous green eyes. The man grinned down at him from the window, the expression cruel. "You're about to get a new Operator."
"What?" Rockman gasped, freezing in horror as he realized what the man planned to do. Boneman took advantage of his surprise to twist his arm even more viciously. Rock whimpered helplessly as his cannon disappeared, shredding itself into whirling pixels before it reformed into the shape of his arm. "You can't do that!" he gasped desperately.
"Of course I can," the man replied. "I'm a programmer. And you're a program."
"No!" Rockman cried, struggling frantically. "Let me go!"
Boneman pulled on his wrist instead of answering, yanking him sideways until the first ring stopped his movement with a sharp jerk. Rockman yelped, and Boneman let go, allowing the second ring to drop to the ground just as heavily as the first. Rock struggled, but his arms were stretched out to either side taut enough that he couldn't lift his upper body off the ground at all. Even bracing his feet and pulling with all his strength had no effect.
"Why are you doing this?" Rockman gasped as Boneman pulled out another ring. "You've already got a powerful Navi! You don't need me!"
"Don't be ridiculous," the man laughed. "One can never have too many special Navis. Besides, I have a little task I want done, and it's just perfect for your talents..."
Rockman renewed his struggles desperately as Boneman reached down and grabbed one of his legs, but no matter how he pulled and twisted, nothing budged. Kicking at the fingers didn't work any better, and within mere moments Rock lay stretched out on the ground, his arms and legs held completely immobile by the thick rings locked around his wrists and ankles.
Rock gasped in terror as Boneman leaned over him, the screen above his head flickering with the image of the grinning human face. "Poor little Navi," the operator crooned. "Your former master won't be coming for you, you know. He won't even know anything's wrong until it's all over."
"No..." Rockman moaned.
Boneman knelt leaning over him, raising one enormous hand. "Now just relax, and this won't hurt... much," the operator said, eyes glowing with twisted glee.
In the moment of stillness before the Navi's hand fell, Rock screamed inside the silence of his own mind, reaching out over a link that was broken and silent, his thoughts dissipating into an endless void.
Netto-kun! Help me!
And then he screamed aloud as Boneman's huge hand fell like a crack of thunder, the huge fingers driving themselves into his chest.

-----------

Netto-kun! Help me!
Pain.
Then, nothing.
Netto's eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed unconscious onto his desk.

--To Be Continued--