"If I can defend my dearest you
Like a hero in a TV show I dreamt of
The wounds, feelings and hesitation
Brought in my heart, turn to tears."
-- Ganasia, "Brand New Way" (Rockman 8)
-----
Netto sighed as he relaxed on the mattress once more, and slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep. Come back...niisan...
His eyes fluttered shut.
His eyes shot open. Netto was jolted from his slumber by a loud scream from Saito, who was sitting upright and clutching his chest in pain.
"Rock!" Netto exclaimed, reaching over to embrace his brother and try to calm the screams. "Saito...shh..."
Saito's cries softened a bit as he looked up into Netto's eyes. "It's...it's never been...this bad before..." He choked. "Netto...kun..." he gasped, "I...I can't take it..."
Netto nodded, tightening his grip on Saito. "Sh...Rock, it'll all be okay..." He turned towards the door and called out, "PAPA! DOCTOR LIGHT!"
The two scientists burst into the room just as Saito went limp in the brunette's arms. "It's the virus!" Netto cried, hugging his twin against his chest. "Is there anything you can do for him!?"
Dr. Light turned to address the female robot behind him. "Yes, yes, we've almost finished with it--Roll-chan, come here and carry Rock to the table, would you?"
Roll nodded and went to Netto's side, easily lifting the limp bioroid into her arms. Netto hesitantly loosened his hold on him, their hands still locked together. He vaulted out of bed and hovered at Roll's arm. Dr. Light and Yuuichirou hurried back to the lab.
Roll stood where she was for a moment, very still. "Rock...?"
"Mm." Saito's face was twisted with pain. "Roll-chan...Netto-kun...I can't feel anything..."
Netto tightened his grip on his brother's fingers, willing Saito to squeeze back. Still the robot did not move, only whispered faintly. "Don't leave me..."
"I'm here," Netto promised. "Just try to stay awake....please..."
Roll carefully laid Saito down on a lab table. The former Navi was shivering uncontrollably.
Netto knelt by the table and squeezed Saito's hand. "Come on, Rock...you're gonna make it through this, all right?"
Saito didn't answer. His breaths were deep, heavy and painful - Netto was almost glad the DNA link was gone...almost.
He pressed Saito's palm against his own face. "Saito...you're gonna live, okay?" His voice cracked, and he smiled. "You're gonna live, and we'll go home...you'll have a body, and then we'll be brothers again...understand? We'll be real brothers..." He blinked back tears, "So you can't die, okay?"
Saito's whole body jerked suddenly. "Netto...Netto-kun!" he cried.
Netto looked up. "What's happening?!"
Yuichirou paused. "I think he's having a nightmare..." He sighed. "We'll have to ignore it for now, unfortunately...we need to concentrate on the virus."
Netto nodded. He opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by a sudden twang of burning in his chest. The virus is taking effect on Rockman, Netto realized. I won't tell Papa about it, not yet...he and Dr. Light have enough to worry about...
...Netto-kun...
Saito looked around urgently. Netto-kun! Where are you?
He whirled, seeing his younger brother chained to a wall. Netto...NETTO-KUN!
Why couldn't he talk? Netto-kun! NETTO-KUN! Don't worry, Netto-kun, I'll save you! He tried to run forward, but found himself frozen in place. NETTO-KUN!
He heard the klink of chains falling to the floor, and looked up. Netto was free. Rockman, the other Rockman, was standing next to him.
"Thanks for saving me, Rockman!" Netto smiled.
NETTO-KUUUUNNN!
Netto forced back a gasp of pain, clinging tightly to his twin's hand. Anxiously he continued to babble to the unconscious boy, willing Saito to reply. "Don't you worry about anything, I'm right here...do you hear me? Rock? Saito-niisan?"
On the table, Saito's face twisted in fear, and his eyes flew open and stared unfocused at the ceiling, though he still did not seem to be lucid. "Netto-kun...please, answer me..."
"I'm here, Rock!" Netto said desperately. "I'm right here--just hold on, please!"
Dr. Light's bearded face was grim. "I'm ready to apply the antivirus. Dr. Hikari?"
"Ready." Yuuichirou positioned himself on Saito's other side, taking his hand. The young scientist helped shift his son's body onto his side where Dr. Light could access the panel on his back, careful not to tear his grasp from his twin's. Blues had appeared behind Roll, holding Netto's PET. Observing this, Netto smiled slightly, and gripped his brother's hand more tightly. Blues and the other Rockman must have forgiven each other, he thought happily. Saito would be glad to hear it when he woke up.
If he woke up.
"Netto-kun..." Saito groaned. "Netto-kun, come back, I'm right here..."
"Saito!" Netto gasped, "I'm here too...just hang on...just hang on..." Hot pressure was building up in Netto's chest. No, he couldn't complain now...Saito was much worse off.
"Finished." Dr. Light stated, closing the panel. "Now, we just need to wait for it to take effect..."
Netto nodded, and helped Roll turn the former Navi back onto his back. "See, Rock...? It's gonna be okay..."
"Netto-kun..." Saito breathed, "...please, don't leave me..."
"I'm here!"
"Netto-kun..."
"Saito-niisan!"
"Ne...to...ku..." Saito's eyes widened for a moment.
Then they closed.
"ROCK!"
No answer.
Netto shook his head. No. Saito wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead. HE WASN'T DEAD.
"ROCK! Come back!" He shouted. "Ro--" stopping short to gasp for breath, Netto realized just how bad the pain was. He felt like his chest was going to explode. He was choking on the burning pressure. "Papa..." he gasped, clutching his chest with his free hand, "Papa...Dr. Light...check on Rockman..."
"What?" Both scientists turned to look at Blues, who still held the PET.
The red bioroid glanced from Netto to the Navi Rockman. "He looks fine to me...he fell asleep just a few moments ago."
"Asleep?" Netto's eyes widened in shock and he let go of Saito's hand long enough to take the PET from Blues. "Rockman, wake up. It's me, Netto. Rockman...? Rockman, wake up. Roll--!"
The female Navi appeared a second later with Gutsman in tow. "What is it, Netto?"
"Wake him up, would you? I think something's happening to him." The brunette backed up again and reached for Saito, Blues standing quietly by his side.
Looking concerned, Roll.EXE gently shook the blue-clad Navi. "Rock, wake up. Rock?" His eyes remained closed, his face oddly peaceful.
The same expression Saito now wore.
"Papa..." Netto said slowly, "...you should apply the antivirus to him, too..."
Yuuichirou hesitated for only a second before reaching for his own PET. "Roll-chan, keep trying to wake him. Netto, keep an eye on your brother! We're going to have to do this first. I'm sending Emdee over with the program now."
The bioroid Roll joined Netto as well, trying to monitor Rock and help Dr. Light at the same time. While Yuuichirou dealt with the unconscious Navi the scientist shifted Saito's body again to access the panel, leaving only Blues free to watch over the computer systems. Diligently he watched over Saito, but his eyes continued to stray to his estranged brother on the computer screen.
"A...aah..." Netto gasped, clutching his chest. It felt like a thousand flaming knives were lodged in his rib cage. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor. "It hurts..." He murmured. "Roc...ku..."
"NETTO!"
"I'm coming, Sai...t.."
"NETTO!"
The brunette's eyes shot open. He was staring into something green. He sat up...a field? Was he sitting in...a meadow?
He whirled, to see Rockman -- he wasn't sure which one, but it took the form of the robot version -- leaning against a tree, eyes closed, a serene look on his face.
"...Rockman?"
The robot opened his eyes and glanced over at Netto. "Netto-kun..." He smiled, "Look, this place is so peaceful, isn't it?"
"...Saito? Is that you?"
He ignored the question, and closed his eyes again. "It's so peaceful here, isn't it?"
"Rock..."
"Maybe we could stay here forever..."
"What?" Netto blinked, then shook his head. "Rock...Saito, what are you talking about?"
Saito shifted his position a bit, placing his hands behind his head. "I don't know where we are, or how we got here...but I like it here. I want to stay..."
"No...we need to go back. Remember? You and I were going to go to home, and finally be real brothers."
"But we don't need Papa, or Meiru-chan, or anybody else to be brothers, right?" Saito smiled. "All we need is each other." He reached over and took ahold of Netto's hand.
Netto's mouth dropped open. "Hey, wait a minute...are you feeling okay? We can't just stay here! You wanted Mama and Papa back too, I thought. And what about Roll-chan and Gutsman?"
The raven-haired boy's expression was blank. "You're the only important one to me, Netto."
"What on earth is wrong with you?" Netto stared at his twin in surprise. The eldest Hikari did not have time to respond, however, before a newcomer joined the conversation. A yelp of pain caught both their attention and as they turned the other Rockman was deposited on the grass before them.
"Ow." Rockman put his hand to his head and sat up, glancing up at the two boys in front of him. "What-what the--!? You two?"
"Rockman?" Netto extended a hand to the other boy and helped him up. "How did you get here?"
"I really don't know," Rockman confessed. "I don't remember anything since last night."
Saito, meanwhile, was completely silent. His blue eyes rested on Rockman's green ones, his stare so intense that the other could not help but notice it. Eventually both Netto and an unsettled Rockman turned their attention to the robot. "Er...Rock?"
"Saito?"
"There's something wrong with him," Netto said quietly to the Navi. "He's acting really weird....Rock? Hello, Rock..." Impatiently the younger boy waved his hand in front of his twin's face. "Saito-niisan?"
"Oh, Netto." Saito looked as though he'd just woken up. He blinked sleepily. "And Rockman...where did you come from?"
Rockman stared at him in confusion. "Saito...are you all right?"
"Rock...?"
The former Navi smiled, but it was distant, as if he was looking straight through his twin. "I'm fine, Netto...whatever would make you think differently?"
"You didn't call me Netto-kun...!" Netto gasped, "Saito, listen to me! There's something...there's something wrong..." Netto blinked, suddenly finding it hard to concentrate. He blinked, trying to focus, but his head ached...he needed a rest...right here, that'd be perfect...he could rest here, maybe forever...he'd be with Saito, and that'd be perfect...Saito and Rockman...and...and....
"Netto! Wake up!"
The brunette blinked, as he felt himself shaken from his daze, quite literally. "Rockman...?"
"You got this weird look in your eyes," Rockman said worriedly.
He blinked. "Rockman...I...can't..." Netto blinked, trying to concentrate on something...anything...
But it was so difficult...his head was swimming, and distantly he realized that his eyes had unfocused. Yes...here was Saito, and Rockman too...wasn't this so much better than having to choose?
"Netto. Netto, listen to me! Get a hold on yourself! Hikari Netto!"
Here there was no fighting, no WWW or Gospel, just the three of them. The three brothers. "Yeah...I like it here, Niisan...."
"Netto-kun!" Rockman grabbed his shoulders and shook them, their eyes locking. "Netto-kun!"
That voice was so familiar... My brother? "What...did you call me?"
Realizing that he had caught the brunette's attention, Rockman kept his gaze on Netto's. "There's something wrong here. We've got to get out!"
"Saito-niisan..." That voice, those emerald eyes; were like a distant memory to him...but a very strong memory. This person was important to him.
"No, Netto-kun." the Navi said quietly. "I'm Rockman."
"Rockman...Rock!" The name seemed to jar him out of his reverie, his head clearing just enough to recognize a worried expression on the ex-bioroid's face. Netto spun and took Saito's hand, squeezing it tightly. "We can't stay here!"
Saito's eyes were vacant. "Don't leave me..." He said, blankly. "Don't leave me, Netto..."
"Never." Netto smiled and squeezed his hand tighter. "I'll never leave you behind...I'm going to take you with me."
"I want to stay."
Netto shook his head. "No...Saito, don't you see? Don't you see what this place is doing to us?" He turned back to Rockman. "Isn't that rig...."
Rockman's eyes were foggy and blank.
"Oh, for the love of...Wake up!" Netto shook the navi's shoulders roughly. "Rockman...Saito...!" He glanced between the two. He was losing them...! If he didn't wake them up, snap them out of it, they'd be stuck here forever...here, in this meadow, wherever it might be...but, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, if they stayed here...after all, this was paradise...everything was perfect...
Netto sighed and leaned back, cushioning himself on the soft, tall grass growing wildly. He sighed, smiled...he liked it here. He wanted to stay. Was there really anything wrong with this place? Was there any real reason to go back?
...was somebody crying?
Marisa: This took forever to write, but it was worth it! ^_____^ Now, REVIEW IT, OR WE'LL TAKE EVEN LONGER NEXT TIME!