By Marisa
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Author's notes: This takes place in the Anime Universe. That is all.
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An unbearable feeling of cold.
Rockman opened his eyes. A dark figure loomed over him like a walking shadow. The blue navi opened his mouth to ask who it was –
--but before he could speak, the shadow lifted an arm, and plunged his fist through Rockman's chest. A pained scream erupted from the navi's mouth.
And then there was something else. Something worse than pain. Intrusion. The shadow was lurking through his thoughts, filing through them -
Then it was gone. The hand was no longer in his chest. His mind was secure.
Or, at least, as secure as it had been for the past five years.
Rockman sat up and clutched at his chest. The pain was gone. The cold was gone. The shadow was gone. He wondered if it had been a hallucination—those were becoming more and more frequent for him.
"Rockman?"
Most of them involved Netto…
"Rockman. . ."
Hearing his voice, or seeing the boy before him. . .
"Rockman, I'm here. . ."
"Netto-kun?"
"Yes." Netto smiled. "It's me." He reached out and touched the navi's face, kneeling down. "It's been a while, hasn't it?
"I. . ." Rockman was speechless. "A while, Netto-kun? It's been five years!" He jumped up and hugged him. Netto hasn't changed a bit! Although his clothes are a bit different. . . Netto now sported a black bodysuit with a filled in blue circle extending from his left shoulder, to his navel, and over his back. The headband was still there, but the symbol was different: A jagged purple "C" shape over a flesh colored background. Black gloves and blue boots finished the design.
Oh, dear God. . . please, don't let this be another illusion. . . I never thought I'd be able to do this. . .Rockman squeezed Netto tighter. Not since he died…
Died.
Rockman pushed Netto away. "No."
"Rockman. . .?
"You're not real. You can't be." He shivered. Netto certainly looked, sounded and felt real. . . but was there any proof of that? And this. . . this was impossible. Netto inside the net? He had a physical body – he wasn't bits of data, like Rockman. . .
"I was brought back to life like this – as a navi." Netto smiled and motioned toward himself. "Oh, Rockman, I wish I could tell you more—but I can't tell you who did this. He doesn't want me to."
"Netto-kun. . ." Rockman breathed, reaching forward to embrace him again. "Oh, God, Netto-kun… you're alive."
--
Soui watched the scene with interest. "Netto-kun, eh?" He murmured, as if tasting the name on his lips. It felt quite natural. "Just slides off the tongue."
He shrugged and leaned back on his chair. "Looks like these two were pretty close."
Netto-kun. . .
--
"Netto-kun! This is amazing!" Rockman's eyes were filled with countless emotions… excitement, for one. Disbelief, love, happiness… not only was his best friend alive—he was in the net!
"I know, Rockman." Netto smiled.
Odd, Rockman noted, I would have thought he'd me more excited about this. He's acting so differently. . .or maybe my memory's going? It's been five years… Rockman's smiled broadened. He looks just like how I remember him. "From now on, Netto-kun. . ." Rockman put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "I'm not leaving your side. We're gonna be together forever!"
Netto shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rockman. . ." He softly pushed Rockman's hand off of his shoulder, and tapped the symbol on his headband. "I'm sorry, Rock—but I can't. I'm a navi now, and I have an operator."
"An operator?" Rockman breathed in disbelief. "No! Netto-kun…you can't. . .!"
Netto shook his head. "Master Soui needs me."
"Master. . .Soui. . .?" Rockman echoed. This couldn't be happening. After a brief moment of consideration, he latched onto his former-operator's arm. "No! No! Netto-kun, I haven't seen you in years! I'm not losing you now!"
Netto growled and yanked his arm away. "Get—off—me!"
Rockman was thrown to the wall. He's strong! "Netto-kun… I… you're not acting like yourself at all!"
"I've changed a lot the past four years, Rockman!"
"Four years!" Rockman exclaimed, "You've been alive that long and didn't tell me?"
"I've been busy!" Netto opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped. The symbol on his headband was blinking. "I have to go. Master is calling me." His angered face turned cheerful. "Tomorrow, maybe we can go to Net City. . . or maybe the SciLabs?" He smiled. "I. . . really miss papa."
"Maybe." Rockman nodded, a little baffled at the moodswing.
Netto nodded. "Great! And maybe after that, you and I can netbattle." With a thumbs up, there was a stream of light, and Netto was gone in a flood of pixels.
But now, I know he's not gone for good. Rockman smiled.
