Disclaimer: I do not own Rockman/Megaman. It belongs to Capcom. I wish I did own Axl but sadly he too belongs to Capcom (for those of you that don't know, he comes from the upcoming Rockman/Megaman X7 game for the PS2). I do own Ryu Shingure, Vanessa Wily-Shingure, Agito Shingure, Gendo Yurameshi, Kaede Shinomuri, Artemis.EXE, and Hirokazu Atagi. This story takes place several years before the Rockman.EXE series.

The Road Not Shown
By David Knight

Chapter Two: Axl

Doctor Albert Wily was enjoying his coffee--not in the lab, at the kitchen table for a change. Laid out there were bacon and eggs with toast, and across the table were a set of pancakes. As late as his grandson was for class he would still eat breakfast, though it would be in a hurry.

_I wonder how long it will be until he..._ Wily mused until a very loud voice broke him out of his reverie.

"ALRIGHT!!! GRAMPS, YOU RULE!!!"

Wily allowed himself a chuckle as he heard Ryu's enthusiastic scream. He continued to drink his coffee as he heard quick motions and footsteps above him, meaning he was hurrying to get dressed now. He decided to time it out of amusement. It was about four minutes and thirty-one seconds when his grandson came rushing down the stairs dressed for school, his red backpack over his shoulders and his PET never leaving the grip of his right hand.

He put it down on the table and sat down and began to eat almost like a starving animal. It unnerved the doctor slightly, as he had never seen his grandson eat so fast. In less than five minutes he had finished breakfast. He picked up his PET again, but to the surprise of Wily, the youth gave him a very strong hug.

"Thanks for my present Grandfather!" Ryu beamed, "I can't wait to show it off at school and show Axl to the others." He gave him a serious look though, "But when I get home we have to talk. I'd love to know how you kept this a secret from me after all the time I've been spending in the lab. Plus I want to know everything Axl can do." He glanced up and caught a look at the time, "... but if I don't leave right now I am going to be so late! Later!" With that he grabbed his bag and took off, the front door swinging open and then shut.

Wily had a subdued look on his face for a while, his keen mind not able to immediately process what just happened. It took a few minutes, but then there was a smile on his face. "Children. So spirited."

* * *

"Gotta hope I make the bus to downtown or I am going to be really late!" Ryu gasped as he was running as fast as he could. He managed to get in with only a couple of seconds left to spare.

"You aren't exactly a morning person are you?" his Navi asked from his PET as he took a seat in the back of the bus.

"Not during this time of the year," Ryu shook his head.

"I don't pretend to understand how human emotions work or how humans feel," Axl told his operator, "But I've only been online for exactly three hours, twenty seven minutes and forty five seconds so my experience with humans is rather limited. I'm hoping that will change."

"It will," Ryu said, "You look exactly like I drew you. How?"

"Your grandfather scanned your drawing into his computer. After that it was a simple matter of manipulating it into a three dimensional image to use as my appearance frame." Axl replied.

"So what are your capabilities?" Ryu asked.

"That eager to Net Battle, huh?"

Ryu shrugged. "That obvious, huh?"

A smirk formed on Axl's face, "To be honest, I was hoping you were going to ask about my battle capabilities first. I'm itching to try my skills against actual opponents."

"So am I," Ryu returned with a matching smirk.

"To answer your question, I was built as a Battle Navi. I'm quite skilled in hand to hand combat, having been downloaded with several different combat technique and styles from what you would call martial arts. Like all Navis I can accept battle chips." Axl reported, "I also have two default weapons."

"Default weapons?" Ryu asked as he saw Axl materialize two hand laser guns in his hand. The one in his right hand was black and red, stylized to look like a phoenix. The one in his left hand was blue and white, stylized to resemble that of a dragon.

"I call them Suzaku and Seriyu. I can use them as separately and am able to charge them up to unleash a special attack."

_Wow... you went all out, didn't you, Gramps..._ Ryu mused.

"So. What type of battle chips do you have?" Axl asked.

"I don't have anything that's a rare chip like level five rarity. Right now I have level one, two and three chips." Ryu replied.

"Good enough to get started on and better than some have." Axl complemented.

"Yeah well," Ryu chuckled.

"What?" Axl asked.

"I'm just trying to imagine how Kaede and Gendo are going to react when they see I've got a PET and a Net Navi now." Ryu smirked.

"You're going to enjoy this, aren't you?" Axl asked.

"Oh yes."

* * *

Central Densan High, place for learning as well as trying to enjoy life.

Ninth Year students Gendo Yurameshi and Kaede Shinomuri sat in their chairs in homeroom, wondering how late their friend Ryu Shingure would be to class this day. Though they expected it to be very, as it was every year for the last eight.

It was his birthday, a constant reminder of how long it had been since the death of his parents.

Gendo was of a lean build, wearing a blue shirt and black pants, a pair of glasses on his head. His hair cropped short and black.

Kaede on the other hand had a very modest figure, one she kept hidden under loose fitting clothing, a white shirt and blue pants. Her blue hair going to middle of her back and two jade eyes looked around for her friend, but found nothing. "He's going to be so late."

"Like he never isn't?" Gendo asked her.

It was then that they looked up and saw the door swing open, thinking it would be Yuriko-sensei. Instead, to their surprise, it was Ryu who sat down in his chair in front of Kaede.

"Tell me class hasn't started yet?" Ryu asked, almost out of breath as it showed he had run all the way down to class.

Both Gendo and Kaede couldn't believe their eyes, "... since when are you ever on time on your birthday?!"

"Well..." Ryu said slowly as a smirk formed on his face, "That's a secret!"

Before either one of them could complain, they saw the door open and saw Yuriko-sensei enter. What was different this time was that there was a girl their age with her, one that they had never seen before. She was dressed in a loose fitting pink shirt and blue jeans. Her red hair was hanging loosely down her back and eyes were brown.

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Yuriko-sensei."

"Before we begin, I'd like to introduce a new transfer student to our school." Yuriko-sensei spoke, "Would you introduce yourself, dear?"

"Iroaya Madoi," the young girl said.

"Take the empty desk at the front of the class, Madoi-chan." Yuriko-sensei told her and the girl complied. "Alright, let's begin class then, shall we?"

As class began, Ryu wasn't paying attention to the lecture. He was waiting for his friends to plug their PETs in and send their Navis to their hub to talk. Probably about him.

_Boy are they in for a surprise._ Ryu smiled as he soon heard the click and decided to plug in himself.

* * *

The hub was nothing more than a simple platform. At the moment there were only two Navis on the hub that Ryu's friends considered their own.

One of them looked very much like mythical centaur, half man, half horse. His lower half was that of a black stallion, however he didn't have the skin coloring of a human, rather, he kept the black coloring of his lower half over his torso. A long mane of black stretched down his back. He wore green colored armor over his torso as well as a matching helmet. Over his chest was symbol of a spear.

The other was a female dressed in a white bodysuit with the symbol of a full moon in the center of the body suit. It was edged in silver and showed off a very feminine figure. Over her back was a sword in a scabbard. Her face was flawless, purple eyes that glowed like amethysts but were serious. Purple hair went down to her shoulders.

"So Centaurman, got any ideas why our operators are so spooked?" the female Navi asked.

"I've seen Ryu before on his birthday Artemis and on those days he almost doesn't speak at all," Centaurman.EXE said politely, "I think my operator and Kaede have just cause to wonder just what is up with Ryu."

"Considering how our operators have always been the ones to surprise him instead of vice versa, what could he possible do that would be that big of a surprise?" Artemis.EXE mused.

"Do I count as big enough of a surprise?"

Centaurman and Artemis turned around in surprise to see another Navi, one they didn't recognize stand in the shadows of their hub. "Hey relax. It was his idea to be so secretive."

"His idea?" Artemis asked.

"My operator's," the black and red Navi said as he started to walk towards them, "He's really enjoying this."

"Who is your operator... and who are you?" Centaurman asked.

"In reverse order," the Net Navi smirked, "I'm Axl.EXE, the custom Net Navi of Shingure Ryu."

* * *

"WHAT?!" Gendo and Kaede snapped, standing up in class and only then realizing they had attracted too much attention.

"Gendo. Kaede. Is there something you wish to share with the rest of the class?" Yuriko-sensei asked sternly.

"No Yuriko-sensei." Both of them said hurriedly.

"Then please sit down and don't disturb me again." She told them. They complied without question and Yuriko-sensei went back to her lecture.

In his own chair, Ryu fought back his chuckles, though he couldn't have hid the smirk plastered on his face.

* * *

"Yup. He definitely enjoyed that." Axl mused as he looked upward.

Artemis and Centaurman were in a bit of shock themselves. Both of them knew that Ryu hadn't had a PET or a Navi of his own. Now on his birthday he had both and his Net Navi was a Custom Model.

"... okay. I guess I was wrong," Artemis admitted, "Ryu-san actually did surprise us."

Centaurman nodded as he looked toward Axl. "So... Axl is it?"

"It is." The black and red Navi nodded. "Ryu says you and Gendo do well as a team." He turned to look at Artemis, "Says the same of you and Kaede... I'm looking forward to a match with both of you."

Both Net Navis had a smile on their faces as they both could see the battle spirit within Ryu's Navi. It was definitely strong and they wanted to see it themselves. Challenges came and went but finding someone other than each other to spar with on a regular basis was very hard indeed. It would do them good to have a new opponent to face.

"As we will too, but after classes." Artemis said.

"I can hardly wait," Axl smirked.

* * *

Time pasted on, and after one class ended, another started. It wasn't until lunchtime was actually about to start that the three friends could get together and talk openly.

Gendo immediately put Ryu in a headlock. "You baka! What the hell did you do that for! Why didn't you just tell us you had a PET instead of acting like Xellos from Slayers?"

"Don't I have you to thank for showing me that wonderful show, Gendo?" Ryu smirked.

"He does have a point, Gendo," Kaede snickered.

"Hey! He nearly got you into trouble as well, Kaede." Gendo pointed out.

"Its his birthday Gendo," Kaede shrugged. "He's allowed some fun." She walked over to him and whispered in Ryu's ear. "However if you pull something like this on any other day Ryu-kun, you're going to make me very angry. You wouldn't want me when I'm angry would you?"

"No Kaede-chan." Ryu said as he nervously put his left hand behind his head.

"Good," Kaede chirped, "Now that that is taken care of, let's get going to the cafeteria. I want to eat before I Net Battle you, Ryu. From what Artemis tells me of his aura, its pretty decent to say the least."

"No way! I want to Net Battle Ryu first!" Gendo snapped.

"Come on guys, we got plenty of time to Net Battle each other now," Ryu shrugged as they were walking into to the cafeteria. "Now that I have a PET and a Net Navi..."

The sound of something crashing against lockers broke him out of his thoughts.

"What was that?"

"How much you want to bet Hirokazu and his thugs are at it again?" Kaede muttered under her breath.

"Thugs are too kind of a word for them," Gendo returned.

"What are you two talking about?" Ryu asked.

The two friends looked over at Ryu with a solemn look on their faces, "You haven't had a Net Navi or PET as long as we had. So you never had to face Atagi Hirokazu or his gang, even way back in the 5th year class. They only go after those with PETs and chips."

Ryu blinked, unsure of what Kaede was implying, "What do you mean by go after?"

"These chips are worthless!" an irritated male voice spoke out loud enough.

*SLAP!*

"Yaaa!" a female voice cried out in pain.

"... I see." Ryu said coldly as he slowly pulled out his PET and looked at Axl. "You want to get into trouble?"

"From what I'm hearing, he sounds like trouble that needs to be stomped on." Axl returned in an even tone.

"Ryu! Are you nuts?" Gendo went to grab his arm, but Ryu shrugged it off. "Gendo. What's the very first thing you learned about me when you became my friend?"

"... that you don't run from bullies or thugs." Gendo sighed.

"That's right." Ryu nodded, "I stand up to them." With that said, he walked forward toward the room where he heard the shouting come from.

"Think we should get a teacher?" Gendo asked.

"And get Ryu in trouble too for Net Battling?" Kaede asked, "Let's go get some friends to help back us up, just in case we need to plug him out of there."

"Seeing that he hasn't net battled once, we probably will." Gendo groaned.

* * *

Iroaya Madoi was not having a very nice first day at her new school. Classes were hard and she didn't know if she wanted to make any friends here as she wasn't sure if she'd end up moving again soon or not.

She didn't expect to get grabbed by several of these seniors, all in black clothing. She wasn't the only one as three other students had gotten grabbed as well. They were out numbered two to one. They demanded that they net battle, put up their rare chips and money as well.

She was the last one to end up having to net battle, her Net Navi was beaten rather effortlessly, as she hadn't had time to adapt to the situation. And then there was the problem that the man she fought against had so many rare chips. While she on the other hand had only...

"These chips are worthless!" her opponent declared as he looked at her chip folder. Before she could say anything, he hit her across her face. She fell backwards against the wall of the room.

"Yaaaaaaa!" she cried out, her body aching from the hit.

"Stupid Minibombs and Shotgun chips. They are worthless pieces of junk. Don't you even have any more money!"

"Hey Hirokazu, don't you think you should turn the volume down?" one of his buddies asked.

"Yeah, I mean what if one of the head teachers hears you blabbing?" another said.

"Oh, give me a break," Hirokazu sighed as he ran his fingers through his long blonde hair, "We've been doing this for over five years now and not once has anyone stopped us. You guys are such fraidy cats."

"Just leave us alone... leave me alone..." Madoi muttered as tears threatened to come out.

"Did I ask you to speak, chicky!" Hirokazu snapped, as he pulled his fist back. "Now shut up and give me everything you got!" He started to take a swing at her...

Only for everyone to be surprised by the door to the room slamming open.

"How about I give you what you deserve!" Ryu Shingure shouted as he kicked a plastic garbage can right at Hirokazu, making him back off of Madoi as he had to lunge to avoid it.

"Huh? What the?" one of the thugs muttered.

Ryu looked down at Madoi for a moment, "Are you alright?"

_Someone's... asking me if I'm okay?_ Madoi blinked at that. _No one's ever asked me that..._

"Well well well. If it isn't 'Paladin Shingure'" Hirokazu sneered looking at the 9th year student. "Sticking your nose in to other people's business like back in all those other year classes."

"When I see someone hitting an innocent girl for no real reason, I make it my business," Ryu said, glaring at Hirokazu.

"Heh," Hirokazu chuckled, "You know the only reason you never went on my radar was because you never got into my business and that was because you didn't have a PET. Now it's going to cost you a lot of money to save yourself from an ass-kicking. Boys?"

As Hirokazu's friends started to crack their knuckles, Ryu had a smirk on his face, "Do you like to gamble Hirokazu?"

"What's that mean?" Hirokazu asked.

Ryu didn't speak. He simply pulled out his chip folder and opened it up. He laid out large zenny note denominations. He saw how Hirokazu's eyes were fixed up on the Elec, Aqua, and Fire Sword chips, his five Mega Cannons, and the thousand zenny he had put down on the table.

"One match. You get all of this if you win and you can hurt me if you want but you let everyone walk out of here without any further harm regardless if I win or lose." Ryu said.

Hirokazu looked at the haul he could get at this and saw what Ryu was willing to put on the line for it all. _He's trying to make it out to be much cooler than I am. Well I am not going to look like a wimp in front of this guy._ "Deal. And if you win..." He pulled out of his chip folder and placed three chips down. "You get these."

Ryu saw the chips that he placed down. Variable Sword, Gaia Blade, and Fighter Sword.

"Agreed." Ryu told him.

"Of course, without a PET, you're so screwed," Hirokazu sneered.

Ryu smirked as he held up his black PET, "You were saying, wise guy?"

_No way! No PET guy finally got one! ... I should have realized he wasn't just a dumb collector when he started making this bet... no matter. My Navi will crush what ever he's got._ "Okay then hero. Let's get it on."

Both young men went to the terminal and pulled out their PETs ready to begin the Net Battle.

"PLUG-IN, TANKMAN.EXE, TRANSMISSION!"

"PLUG-IN, AXL.EXE, TRANSMISSION!"

To Be Continued...