The robot's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his twin's voice. "Netto-kun...?"
The brunette smiled. That was the reaction he was afraid he might not get. "How are you feeling?"
"Good, I guess..." Saito murmured. "A bit groggy, though..."
Netto nodded. "Yeah, well, I can imagine being reprogrammed might do that to you." His smile faded. He was afraid to ask his next question.
"Is something wrong, Netto-kun?"
After a moment of hesitation, Netto finally asked, "Saito...do you still want to stay in that body?"
The robot sat up and thought about that. Before the re-reprogramming, he would have jumped at the idea...but now, he realized how much he really missed everyone, back in the net...
...but he would miss being with Netto even more. After all, brothers weren't meant to be separated by a tiny piece of plexiglass, right? Especially twin brothers.
Right. He did want to go back with Netto-kun. Not as navi and operator, but as brothers. "Of course, Netto-kun!" Saito grinned.
Netto returned the expression. "Great!" He exclaimed. So it really WAS Saito last time. He embraced his older brother. "Let's go ask Rock now."
As the boys approached Blues, who held Netto's PET, Rock extended a hand to hold Netto back. "Something's wrong."
Blues' face was pained, his head turned to the side. Rock's voice came quietly from the PET. "I'm sorry too, Blues..."
A smile of relief crossed Netto's face. "Did he apologize?"
"For what?"
Netto shook his head. "Nothing...Blues just had a lot of things he wanted to tell Rockman. Maybe things will work out for them after all."
"Yeah!" Saito nodded enthusiastically, taking a good look around the lab for the first time. "I feel so much better now that the virus is gone...almost back to normal!"
Looks like the virus wasn't all that was causing it, Netto thought to himself. Out loud he said, "I'm glad! Now all we have to do it take care of Wily."
"And that guy Forte." Rock scowled good-naturedly, making Netto laugh at the unfamiliar expression. Rock seldomly looked angry these days, since most of the fighting in their world had dissipated. "I'm sure together me and Blues can take him on! He just...surprised me...last time."
"Yeah!" Netto agreed. The boys high-fived each other, grinning in anticipation.
"I can't believe it...you're really going to leave me." Blues murmured.
"Blues..." Rock stared up at his brother sadly through the screen, "I really love Roll.EXE here, and she feels the same...besides, you've seen how happy Netto and Saito are together... do you really want to take that away from them?"
Blues turned from the screen. "No...no I don't." He stated. "But...but if we'd have been like that...would you be so eager to leave?" Rock fell silent.
Blues sighed. "Rock...I'm sorry. I've never been a real brother to you, have I?"
"No..." Rock's eyes welled up with tears. "Blues, please...I...it's not that I want to leave you, I just want to be with Roll..." his voice trailed off. "I'm sorry too, Blues..."
Netto reached for Saito's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Poor Blues..."
"He won't have anybody left," Saito sighed. "Except Dr. Light."
"That's a bit much even for a loner like him...I don't think even he realizes how easily he can be hurt."
"I guess that means that the other Rock wants to stay there with Roll-chan," Saito said weakly.
Hearing the tone in his brother's voice, Netto turned quickly to meet his eyes. "You're not regretting it already...?"
"No." Saito shook his head. "I...I'll miss her...but...they have something...he has something...that I don't."
"And you have me," Netto said firmly. "Don't forget that, Rock. I'll always be here."
"Thanks," Saito said softly.
"And if you're not careful I'll take your spot as the Oniichan," Netto joked. "You're supposed to be comforting me!"
Saito grinned and hugged his twin. "Netto-kun..."
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Netto broke the embrace. He then held his arm up to his face and and bit it. Hard.
"Ow!" Saito exclamed, clamping his hand across the same spot on his own arm to try and ease the pain.
Netto stared at his twin. Then he grinned madly.
"The link is back!" They squealed in unison, embracing once again and squeezing each other tightly.
The next day, it was time to go.
Saito and Blues were to lead the group through Wily's fortress, and if all went well, they'd be at the portal and back in Netto's world.
Of course, things tend not to go well.