A figure giggled as it watched the boy known as Hikari Netto and his reluctant partner, Forte, journey to find a way home. It was deeply amusing to the figure; forcing two things that disliked the other together to survive. However, the figure had another purpose; experimenting with humans to see how they adapt.

The figure let off another giggle again, this time a bit malevolently towards the image she was watching. Oh yes, she was going to have fun with these two or else her name isn't Sera!

"Well now…" she yawned as she stood up, "It seems that those two can work together after all." She waved her hand and the image dispersed. "It's not like it's going to make any difference. Not on that ruined world, anyway." Sera chuckled. "It shall be interesting to see how long they'll fare before I'm done with them."

Summoning up another image, she brought forth a close up of Netto's face. Her visage turned into an ugly sneer. "Pitiful little one. Soon enough, you'll realize how insignificant you are…just be honored that you're at last serving a purpose with being my guinea pig." Sera snorted before dispersing the image again. She needed time to plan her next experiment.

She hated humankind with a passion. Sera didn't know when it started, but she knew that she had detested them several thousand years ago. It grew into hatred when humankind seemingly outgrew their worship of the gods and turned to technology instead. Although many people still worshipped them in the present day, it was lackluster in comparison to the mass worship the gods received so long ago. That little fact continued to irk her.

Over time, her hatred of humankind also included the technology they developed, their 'net-navis'. In her own eyes, they were trying to play God; trying to create life even if it wasn't sentient. It always disgusted her whenever she saw the humans trying to talk to the computer programs as if they were real, living beings. She huffed; humans were far too dependent on technology.

A sinister smile suddenly spread on her face. Oh, how she remembered with glee as she finally unleashed some long-awaited vengeance on some world that relieved too heavily on technology. It was a simple task to quickly enter the system that controlled the world and destroy it. Soon enough, nature had unleashed its long suppressed wrath on the human race; killing millions of people and absolutely ravaging the world. By the time the last earthquake had finished, the world was in ruins. Sera took sadistic glee in watching it.

However, she soon got bored after watching the planet for around three decades, when humankind got back up to its feet and started anew.

For the next few years, she was bored. Time was nothing for a goddess such as herself, but all gods were forbidden to go to the past or future no matter what the circumstances. She cursed at that rule; she could've set things up in her favor back then…well, no matter.

There was another world she was targeting, the very same one where she got her 'subjects' from. However, if she did something about that world too, it would draw too much attention onto her and get her in trouble with The Master. However, she figured as long as she only pulled a few people from that world and place them on the other one, no one would notice.

It was relatively simple. She used her powers to transport the human to the other planet. The human had woken up midway, but she merely taunted him and forced him back to sleep. Although she was surprised with the revelation of brother ship between a human and a program, she quickly shrugged it off and continued with her 'experiment'.

The navi, Forte, was a bit harder to subdue, but not by much. The goddess merely had to go into the human's internet and search for the rogue navi. After hours of searching, she found him in the deep parts of the Undernet. Forte didn't even see what was coming as he was knocked unconscious and put into a PET. Sera had then transported it to where the boy, Hikari Netto, was.

Smiling, she got up from her position to hover around. Although she had some fears of The Master or her goody-goody sister finding out, she quickly squashed them. "After all…" she began with a shrill laugh, "what they don't know can't hurt me in the long run."

Her shrill laughter continued until she was completely out of the area. Had Sera been more careful and more observant, however, she would have seen the figure in the shadows behind her.

--

Ijuuin Enzan was not a happy person at the moment. He was forced to wake up extra-early because of a Netbattler meeting, and he was just now getting back to his quarters after the two hour long meeting. He sighed. Now I know why Hikari hates getting up in the mornings. he thought, amused at just thinking of the boy's antics. A loud beep suddenly emitted from his PET, but he paid no mind to it. "Blues, open up the new e-mail and tell me what's happening." Enzan said as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He needed the caffeine boost at the moment.

Blues opened up the first e-mail and quickly scanned the contents. His face paled and he quickly read it again. This wasn't good…"Enzan-sama, there is a slight problem…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say next. "It seems that the Netbattler's Association has ordered you to investigate a kidnapping."

Enzan scoffed. "Why should I have to do that? There's the normal police to do that." He replied as he brought the coffee up to his lips to sip.

Blues grimaced. "Not when the one who was kidnapped is Hikari Netto."

Enzan spit out all the coffee in his mouth over the counter. Quickly putting down his coffee and grabbing his PET, he checked the message that was just sent. His face quickly paled as well. "What the hell has happened?" he asked no one in particular as he quickly rushed out of his apartment.

He arrived at the scene no less than an hour later, after catching a ride from one of his chauffeurs. It seemed everyone in town decided to congregate around the Hikari household, making it difficult for him to push through the crowd. Eventually, he made his way up to the police barrier. When he tried getting past, the policemen stopped him, but he impatiently held out his Netbattler license and received the okay to go ahead.

Running into the house, he found both Yuuichirou and Haruka sitting on the couch, talking to a few officers. Tentatively stepping into the room, he coughed to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me officers, but can I get a few minutes alone with them?" Both officers looked reluctant, but they nodded and left the room. Yuuichirou sighed.

"Hello, Enzan-kun. What brings you here?" he asked. The natbattler shook his head.

"I'm here on behalf of the Netbattler's Association. They want me to find out what happened." The doctor sighed; he was expecting something like that.

"Then…let me make some tea while you two talk." Haruka piped up. When her husband looked at her, she sadly smiled. "I have to be strong…for Netto. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, she left the room to go prepare the tea.

Yuuichirou sighed again. "So, what do you want to know? Keep in mind we don't even know that much."

"Tell me everything from what happened this morning." Enzan stated as he sat down on the couch.

The doctor did just that. He debriefed Enzan on everything including when Rockman found the empty bed until he arrived. When Yuuichirou finished, the young netbattler sat back in his chair. "So…there are no clues to follow right now, then." Enzan stated as he rubbed at his head. He was developing a headache from all that was going on right now.

The doctor nodded. "Right. I would recommend that you go talk to Rockman about all of this…but he seems to have gone to the net right now and won't be back for quite a while. You can wait here, if you wish." he offered, sympathizing with the boy's frustration.

Calming down, he nodded. "Alright, I can wait." At that exact moment, Haruka returned with the tea and passed it out to both males. Aside from the occasional grunt or idle chatter coming from someone, everything was quiet.

How come everything has to be so difficult with you, Netto? Enzan mentally sighed before sipping his tea. He never did get his coffee.

--

Yuna frowned as Sera left the area, still processing over what her sister was doing. It isn't right…who gave her the right to mess with people's lives as if they were her toys? she thought despairingly, seeing as how her sister has been corrupted by her power.

She waved her hand and brought up the image of Hikari Netto and Forte once again. Yuna smiled sadly. "I'm sorry for the mess my sister has gotten you two into…but I'm going to stop her sick experiment and help you two get out of there by anything I can do." Yuna frowned again; the laws of the gods were so confusing. She couldn't directly interfere with any mortals, but Sera was great at interpreting the rules at her own leisure and finding loopholes for her own benefit. Now she was basically using the two she kidnapped for her own 'experiment'. Although Yuna didn't know what the true experiment was, she wasn't going to let it happen.

Sera was foolish to think that this would escape my notice. Yuna thought. Indeed, Sera was too arrogant for her own good. The very human she had kidnapped was the very same one that she herself was monitoring. She was shocked when she couldn't feel his life force on Earth, but that shock quickly turned into anger as she realized what happened.

Yuna knew she could bust Sera on this, but she needed more proof of what she was doing. She couldn't prove that Sera was the one who ravaged the planer decades ago, but now was her chance. She couldn't let this go on any longer.

"Sera, I will stop you. I'll silently guide these two through whatever hell you may put them through, and they will conquer your experiment…I vow this on my duty as a goddess." Yuna stated to herself. Dispersing the image, she left the threshold to prepare. No telling what Sera may do next…

--

Next Chapter: Wandering Aimlessly: Time jump! It's been two months since Netto and Forte arrived. Now they continue their way towards the Environmental System in hopes of finding a way back to their world. Along the way, the two seem to be getting closer...but is it what either of them want?

--

Author's Note: A treat for everyone who waited patiently for this chapter. It's my way of apologizing for the last chapter's lateness...

Anyway, if this chapter is a bit crappy, I apologize. I kinda rushed it because I wouldn't have time to work on it tomorrow. The next chapter should be soon, so look out for it.

Thanks go to Quatre Winner for betaing this chapter.