"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby,
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,
and the dreams that you dare to dream will indeed come true."
--Judy Garland, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
-----
Why would somebody be crying? Netto rolled over on his side. The grass didn't even itch against his face. It's so wonderful here...
The sobbing continued.
Netto frowned. Why wouldn't they shut up? He covered his ears, but the cries echoed throughout his memory.
"Oh, god, Netto...I can't lose you...come back! Please!"
Confused, Netto tried to remember the voice. He'd heard it, not long ago...someone he loved...but did it matter anymore? No, it didn't matter...but who was it? It's not your concern. But he wanted to know! Don't worry about it. Is that....is that Papa crying?
He sat up, his mind snapping back into focus. "I can hear Papa..." He whispered, looking around, his eyes resting on Rockman.
Netto listened more carefully. There were other voices mixed in, too...one was very faint in particular. He focused on it...
Blues? He's crying, too? He never seemed the type to cry.
Netto closed his eyes and concentrated, wondering who else he might here.
A female voice, familiar. "Rock! Rock, please, come back! I need you!" Her voice was choked with emotion.
Roll? Why was everyone so sad? He wished that they were in the meadow with him and Saito and Rock, enjoying the flowers. All the people who were far away seemed so lost, as though they were dead to him.
Dead....
"Netto, please..." Papa's voice, again. Suddenly Netto yearned to run to his father, to take away the pain evident in his voice. Was I the one that made him sad? I have to help him, somehow...
But....just where is he....?
It doesn't matter.
I want to help them...
Forget about them.
Forget...
The word echoed in Netto's mind. He desperately tried to bring up a mental image of his father's face, but to no avail.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Something was terribly wrong. The cries he was hearing--his father, Blues, Roll, Dr. Light, even Gutsman--were becoming so faint he could hardly hear them. Desperately he clung to his brother's side. "Saito-niisan...the voices are getting so quiet..."
"Voices?" Saito murmured. "It must be your imagination..."
"It's not!" Netto cried. "I can hear Papa, and Roll, and Blues! There's something wrong with them!"
The dreamy look in his blue eyes was enough to almost shock Netto out of his reverie. "I don't hear anything."
Horrified, Netto looked at Rockman, who knelt in the grass nearby. "Can't you hear them...?"
"I can." Rockman murmured. "But they're fading...everything's fading..." He opened his eyes. "including my memories of everything else....Netto, Saito, we have to get out of here. Now."
Netto nodded and turned to his brother. "Come on, Saito!"
No answer. Saito leaned back against the tree, eyes closed, a serene smile on his face.
"...Saito? Saito-niisan!" Netto shook Saito's shoulders violently.
"Never mind!" Rock exclaimed, hoisting the robot onto his shoulders. "I'll carry him."
Netto nodded. "Which way out of here?" He stood up and looked around. There was the single tree, and then nothing. Nothing but grass, flowers, and the sky.
"Well, we have to start walking. Where does it sound like the voices are coming from?"
"In my head," Netto confessed. "You?"
"Kinda....but to me, they seem like they're coming from all directions," Rock explained.
Grimly the youngest Hikari brother closed his eyes, pointed a finger in front of him, and spun around. "This way."
"How do you know it's that way?"
"I don't." Netto grinned. "We have to go some way."
The two boys walked some distance through the meadow, trying to make idle conversation. Despite his attempts to stay cheery, though, Rock caught Netto glancing worriedly at his twin many times. Occasionally both tried to talk to Saito, whose eyes had slipped closed. He was no longer responding to anything going on around him.
Minutes, hours, days...even years could have passed. None of them were concentrating on the time. But finally, Netto fell to his knees. "This is hopeless!
"No it's not, Netto..."
"Yes it is!" Netto slammed his fist to the ground. "I mean, why can't we stay here? It's so peaceful...!"
"Because," Rockman stated, "It's not real... nothing this perfect could ever exist."
"But it does!" Protested Netto, "We're all here, we all see it...why don't we stay?"
"We are not staying!"
"Mmmnn...Netto? Rock?" Saito's eyes fluttered open.
"Saito-niisan!"
"Saito-kun!" Rockman exclaimed without thought.
Netto turned to stare at Rockman. "That sounds exactly like how Saito would say Netto-kun..." He mused aloud.
"Sorry.."
"No, it's just weird, that's all...anyway, Saito! You're awake!"
Saito yawned. "Where are we going?"
"We're going home." Rockman stated plainly.
Blinking, Saito asked, "Aren't we already home?"
"No." Rockman snapped. "Home is at home, with our families...I'll be with Roll-chan, and Blues, and Dr. Light-" He stopped short. No, that wouldn't be home anymore, because he had to leave them very soon... "-And Roll and Gutsman...and you'll be with Papa, and Meiru-chan, and Dekao and Enzan--"
"Who are you talking about?" Saito asked.
Netto and Rockman froze.
"Rock, what are you talking about?" Netto choked.
"I don't recognize any of those names."
Netto stopped short and guided Rock's arm to set Saito on his own feet. "Those are our friends and family. You don't remember Roll-chan? Or Papa?"
"Family? But I've got you."
"Saito-niisan...no, Rock. You have to listen to me! This place is doing weird things to us!"
"Why do you keep saying that?"
"Because it's true!" Netto cried. "You're forgetting everything! I mean, this place, it's...I mean, how could you forget Papa? And...and that one girl..."
"Meiru?" Rock said nervously.
"Yes! Her! Meiru!" Netto nodded. "And...uh...her friend...De-something..."
"Netto, you're forgetting them too!" Rock exclaimed in horror.
The brunette's eyes went wide with shock. "I...I can't believe this..." he gasped. He fell to the ground, curled up in a fetal position, and began to cry.
"Netto..." Saito murmured, "Please don't cry."
"Why shouldn't I?" Choked Netto, "I...I know they love me, and here I am, forgetting who they are...I don't even know who you are anymore! You keep calling me by the wrong name--!"
Rockman was silent. Finally, after a few minutes of Netto's sobbing, he added, "We're going to be trapped here forever, aren't we?"
"Netto..." Saito murmured again. "I don't want to see you unhappy."
Netto looked up and wiped his eyes. "I know, but..."
"If it makes you happy...I'll leave, too." Saito smiled.
Netto's eyes lit up.
"I'm sure we can do it together...big brother..." The confidence in his voice belied what he really felt.
Rock looked hesitant. "Well...just how are we going to do this? We're obviously not getting anywhere just walking around..."
Stil on the ground, Netto closed his tired eyes. "There has to be a way...some way to get back to them." He could hear the voice again, more clearly than before, in the back of his mind. "Can you hear their voices, Niisan?"
"No..." The elder twin's face was reluctant. "Not at all."
"Come here..." Netto pulled Saito to his knees and enfolded him in a tight hug. "I can hear them all...Papa and Rock's brother Blues, and Roll....two Rolls. Papa is calling out to us..."
Saito stiffened in his arms. "Netto-kun....I hear something...there are people crying."
Netto's eyes flew open. "You can?"
"Yeah...really quiet, but they sound so familiar, and if I concentrate on them I can make out my name..."
Rock joined the group. "Concentrate, then! Concentrate hard! Do you remember, Saito-kun...?"
"No..." Saito murmured. "It's all blank. I can't remember anything before waking up in the meadow..."
Netto sighed. "Come on, we've got to concentrate on home..."
Home.
"...before I forget, too..." Netto took ahold of Rock and Saito's hands. He stared up at the sky, focusing on the cries from his family. "I'm coming, Papa!" He screamed, "Just wait a little bit longer!"
Back at Light Labs, the two doctors and Roll were trying to revive the twins. "Netto, please, wake up!" Yuuichirou begged, hugging his son's unconscious body to him. "Oh, god, Netto...I can't lose you...come back! Please!"
Blues grimly assisted Dr. Light, but his cheeks were streaked with tears. Roll had never seen her brother cry before.
Yuuichirou closed his eyes, imagining he could hear Netto speak to him, seeing him open his brown eyes and smile. "Papa!"
"Netto..."
His eyes flew open when Netto's voice called his name. "I'm coming, Papa! Just wait a little bit longer!"
Yuuichirou stared down at his son's pale, stiff face. "Netto...?" he breathed, brushing some bangs away from the young boy's eyes. Netto didn't answer. Yuu's eyes slowly closed as he tried to hold back tears. I must be going insane...seeing both my sons die, two times each, in the same day...
Roll.exe held Rock's body tightly. Please, she begged, Not yet...let me keep him a little longer... she stared down at his hand, noticing that slowly, but surely, his hand was pixelating and beginning to fade away. With a sob, she hugged him tighter, and cried, "No! NO! I am not going to let you go, Rock, do you hear me?! COME BAAA-"
"-AAACK!"
Rock looked up at the sudden exclamation. "Roll-chan!" He exclaimed, "I heard her!"
You did too!?" Saito asked excitedly. "I thought I imagined it!"
"There, see? We've got to get back to them!" Netto cried.
Rock's eyes had fallen closed and he wrapped his arms around himself. "Blues..."
The Hikari twins both turned to stare at him. "What?"
"He feels distant...but I can hear him...he's so sad."
The other boys fell silent, meeting each other's eyes. They knew what it felt like to lose a brother. "We'll get you back to him," Netto promised. "And back to the way you two used to be."
Before either Rock could question exactly what he meant, Netto took both their hands. "Come on! We have to find a way!"
Blues's fingers trailed down Rock's - Saito's - face, as thousands of thoughts raced through his mind.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't be a better brother to you..." He bit his lip.
Suddenly, he heard a voice.
Blues...
His eyes went wide. Blues kneeled down and took ahold of Rock's hand. "R-Rock? Can you hear me?"
What? Blues?
"Rock...that's you, isn't it?! Tell me I'm not-"
--going crazy!
Blues's voice echoed through Rock's mind, clear as crystal. "Blues...I don't think you are..."
...Good...Rock....I can't...! A choked sob. I can't believe this...are you dead?
"Dead? I'm not sure... I'm in this meadow...thing."
A meadow?
"Yeah..Hey! Maybe..." An idea struck Rock suddenly. "Maybe, if you concentrate hard enough on me, you can bring us out!"
"Who can what?" Netto asked curiously. "Rock, who are you talking to?"
Rock turned to the brunette. "I can hear Blues talking!"
"...who?"
Rock only stared. "Blues...hurry!" He exclaimed. "This meadow's already clouded Netto and Saito's minds; and pretty soon it'll-"
--happen to me, too!
Blues nodded. "All...all right." He closed his eyes and concentrated.
"Blues..." Dr. Light began, "Who are you talking to?"
"Rock...it's...I can hear him, sort of..." Blues murmured. "Maybe I can bring him back..."
Dr. Light answered worriedly, "Are you sure you're not imagining it?"
"I'm sure... Doctor Light, please trust me..." Blues squeezed his brother's hand and concentrated.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself kneeling down in a meadow. Standing up, he looked around, and saw Rock, Netto, and Saito.
"Rock!" He exclaimed, rushing towards the group. "Rock, are you okay?"
The robot only stared at him blankly.
"Blues!" Rock exclaimed, "That's Saito! I'm right here!"
The older robot turned. "Rock! That's you, right?"
"Yes, it's me!" Suddenly panicked, Rock threw his arms around his brother. "I can't believe you're really here."
"Rock..." Blues whispered, suddenly realizing that he was holding the brother he never thought he could ever touch again. The two clung to each other for a moment, ignoring everything else.
Beside them, Saito was attempting to hold onto the last of his sanity. Roll's voice had jarred him only slightly. "Netto-kun..talk to me...I thought were were supposed to go."
"Go where?" Netto replied dazedly.
"I don't know."
"Home!" Rock cried, reaching out a hand to his otherworld counterpart. "We're going home. You and your brother, and me with mine."
Netto's brow furrowed and his chocolate eyes clouded over. "Home..."
"What's wrong with them?" Blues asked in horror.
"There's something about the meadow that makes you want to forget," Rock explained. Even his face was almost expressionless. "It makes you happy. You want to stay here forever..."
"No," Blues said firmly. "You're coming back with me, you hear?"
"Yeah..."
"You too!" the red robot said accusingly, looking at the twins.
Saito shook his head as if to clear it, still clutching Netto's hand. "Right."
"Since I'm not...uh...dead," Blues began, "I should be able to leave..." Still clutching Rock in one hand, he reached out to Netto and Saito. "Grab on to me."
Reluctantly, Saito obliged, taking Blues's hand and grabbing onto Netto with the other.
Blues tightened his grip. God, let this work...
He concentrated on going home.
"Blues!" Dr. Light exclaimed, "Blues, wake up!"
Blues had, only a few moments ago, collaplsed limply against the table, still holding his brother's hand. He was still breathing, meaning he wasn't dead. However, collapsing is never a good sign.
Suddenly, he stirred.
"Blues!" Roll gasped, helping him up.
Saito stirred.
Netto stirred.
Inside the PET, the disappearing body of Rock suddenly began to reassemble itself.
Netto opened his eyes and looked into his father's face. "Papa...we made it, didn't we...?"
"Oh, Netto..." Yuuichirou hugged the weak boy against him. "I thought I'd lost you...again..."
"Yeah," Blues tried to scoff, but he couldn't wipe the grin from his face. "You really have to stop with the near-death experiences, little brother."
Dr. Light smiled knowingly. "If you two don't mind, I'm going to strip that reprogramming now."
"Ah, that! I'd almost forgotten," Rock laughed.
"I hadn't," Netto murmured. The younger Hikari had been speculating that the reason the two Rock had had trouble connecting with the real world had something to do with the program switch.
Saito looked anxiously at his brother, but didn't voice whatever suspicions he had.
"The virus has been flushed from both your systems," Roll added cheerfully. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling perfectly fine, actually," Netto said weakly, getting to his feet. "Rock?"
"A lot better!" both Rockman chorused.
Netto waited in the living room with Blues, playing a game of cards.
"Got any threes?" Netto asked.
"Go fish." Blues sighed.
Netto took a card from the deck.
"Any sixes?"
"Yep." Netto handed him a card. "Have any kings?"
"Go fish."
"Man..." Netto murmured, "I haven't gotten a single card from you yet!"
Roll looked over Blues's shoulder. "Hey, you do too have a king!" Roll snatched the card and showed it to Netto. "I think my brother's been cheating."
"Blues!" Netto yelped.
The red bioroid's eyes were hidden behind his visor, but he grinned teasingly. "Oops, didn't see that there..."
Netto crossed his arms and pouted. "How much of that game did you rig...?"
Roll watched the two interact, amused by how well they got along--and how similar they were. Netto held at least three face cards he hadn't surrended when Blues asked for them. The young brunette and the raven-haired bioroid had much more in common than having siblings that shared the same name.
A moment later Yuuchirou opened the door of the lab and peeked out. "It's done. Did you two want to come in so we can wake them up?"
"Yeah!" Netto tossed his handful of cards to Blues. "You win."
"I was winning anyway...hey! Where did you get three queens!?"
Shi: "'Hey! You cheater!' Netto pounced on Blues, and the two began to wrestle..." *goes into fits of giggles* Why couldn't we keep that, Marisa-chan...?