Netto backed up away from the navi child. "N-no…" he said.

"Liar!" Ribbon accused him. "You were older, because you were taller then me. But now I'm taller then you." She giggled. "Why are you younger?" she asked in the same innocent voice.

"None of your business," Netto hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"None of your business," Ribbon mocked him. "Actually," she laughed and disappeared. Then she reappeared behind Netto, "I just wanted to play."

Netto whirled around and tripped over his feet, landing on his bottom and bringing fourth a peel of laughter from the navi. "Sorry," she said and held out her hand. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Netto slapped her hand away and stood on his own. "Get away from me," he hissed.

A brief look of sadness passed over her large eyes before she looked puzzled. "Why?"

"You tried to kill me!" Netto snapped.

Ribbon shook her head, "No I didn't. I was just playing," she said.

"You were not!" Netto yelled at her. "You were stabbing at us with a sword!"

"I was playing!" she yelled back, trying to defend herself.

"Listen to me," Netto said slowly, "If you had ever caught us, do you know what would have happened?"

Ribbon slowly shook her head.

"You would have killed us. We would have died. That's not playing, what you were doing was fighting," Netto told her.

"Lividity-sama said we were playing," she whispered.

"You think Lividity was telling you the truth?" Netto asked.

A look of anger filled Ribbon's eyes. "Are you saying Lividity-sama is a liar?"

Netto crossed his arms, "Well, why would it tell you that you were playing huh? Why say something like that when it was trying to destroy human kind all along?"

"Shut up!" Ribbon yelled.

"Lividity is trying to destroy the humans!" Netto yelled. "Why do you think that's right? Is it a game, is that what Lividity told you? Or did you have a bad experience with an operator?"

"Shut up," Ribbon said again.

"Why?" Netto asked. "Because I'm right? You're not playing a game, Ribbon. This is real life. I'm not human anymore, your 'Lividity-sama' achieved what it wanted, but we're not going to sit down and let that happen. Playing your stupid games doesn't do anything but hurt other. Lividity is using you," he told her.

Ribbon's blue eyes narrowed on Netto, "Shut up," she said in a low and even tone.

Netto glared back, "Do you think I'm happy with the way things turned out?"

Ribbon held up her hand and a piece of data went into it. It formed into a dagger and she appeared in front of Netto, holding it to his throat. He glared back at her, "Is this a game, Ribbon? Are you having fun? Or are you upset because you realize everything is a lie."

Ribbon held the knife a second longer and let it go, "You're…" she sniffed. "You're the same age that my operator was when he died. Why do humans die?" she asked.

Netto blinked, that was a rather sudden question. "Because… humans can't live forever. Humans get sick and they die its part of nature."

"But you're not dead," Ribbon said with tears in her eyes. "Why aren't you dead if Lividity-sama hit you with that attack?"

Netto looked down, "I don't know. I'm not dead in any respect right now just… split."

Ribbon shook her head, "If humans are so great and they are our masters then why do they die? Why don't they live with us forever? Why…" she sniffed, "Why can't they play with us?"

Netto had no idea what she was talking about, "Ribbon, humans die. And navis are deleted. Besides, we're not your masters, we're just… human."

"You're not human," Ribbon snapped.

Netto stepped back, then looked down. "Yeah, I know."

Ribbon looked up at him and frowned, "How old are you… really?" she asked.

Netto rubbed his arm, "I'm 12 years old. When Lividity hit me with that attack it separated a data component from my organic body and created this body," he said. "My human body is in the real world with the rest of the humans."

"Asleep?" Ribbon asked, her childish innocence once more shining through.

Netto shook his head, "No, Ribbon, the human's aren't asleep. They're… brainwashed. Lividity did something to brainwash all the humans so they wouldn't be part of the cyber world."

Ribbon nodded, "So navis could learn to live and fend for themselves. I know," she said with a grin. "Lividity-sama told me that everything I did to survive after Jamie-chan died was something every navi should know because it made them stronger."

Netto shook his head, "That's not right," he murmured.

"Why not?" Ribbon asked.

"Because, Lividity was planning something else. I think, Lividity was merely using you," he said.

Ribbon shook her head, "No," she protested violently.

Netto frowned but didn't pursue it. "How old are you?" he asked.

Ribbon looked downcast, "In your years, I am 25 years old," she whispered.

Netto blinked, "How long…"

"20 years ago, he died," she said. "My Jamie-chan."

Netto sighed, "I'm sorry," he said finally. "You know you don't have to go back to Lividity," he said. "You can stay here with us."

Lividity put her hand on Netto's head and looked at him with eyes that betrayed her true age. "That's sweet, but I'm sorry, I don't think I can abandon Lividity-sama just yet."

Netto glared at her, "Then I'm sorry," he muttered. /Rockman…/ he said mentally, trying to make contact with his twin.

Lividity ruffled his hair then regained her cheery disposition. "So, do you want to play?" she asked.

"Huh?" Netto replied.

Ribbon giggled again, "Jamie-chan used to play with me all the time. Don't you wanna play?"

/Yes/ Rockman answered.

Netto narrowed his eyes, "Sorry, but I need to go back to Rockman." /Ribbon is here/ he told him.

/What/

Ribbon cast her gaze downwards so Netto couldn't see her eyes. "Is that so?" she asked.

/Rockman, how quickly can you get here/

/I'm coming right now/ Rockman yelped.

"Yeah," Netto answered. "I'll see you next time you come and 'play'," he muttered.

Ribbon held out her hand and a small ball of data formed in it. "Then play this last game with me!" she said brightly.

Netto blinked and backed away, he could sense her emotions were in turmoil and that right then wasn't the time to try and talk to her. "No thanks," he said. /Hurry/ he thought loudly to his twin.

/Netto-kun/

"Catch!" Ribbon yelled and threw the baseball sized lump of data at Netto. He backed away but it exploded right in front of him drenching him in the silvery data. He tripped over his feet and landed on the floor where the now sticky data kept him glued down.

/Rockman/ Netto yelped.

/I'm coming, what happened/ Rockman asked quickly.

/Just hurry/ he replied.

Ribbon went over to where Netto was struggling in the sticky mass and patted his head. "I played at your house, do you want to come over and play at mine?"

Netto tried to push the data away but it was futile. "No, Ribbon listen to me, you're…" she put some of the data over his mouth to keep him from talking.

"I think Lividity-sama would like to talk to you," she said cheerfully and picked Netto up with ridiculous ease off the floor.

/NII-SAN/ Netto thought.

Rockman burst through the door where he last felt Netto's presence but no one was there. "Netto-kun…" he said softly.

"Did you have fun playing, child?" Lividity asked when it felt Ribbon link back into the large net space.

"Oh yes, Lividity-sama!" she said, "And I found something I think you would find interesting."

"Oh?" Lividity asked.

Ribbon walked in front of Lividity with an unconscious Netto cradled in her arms. "He's little!" she giggled.

Lividity's eyes widened then a cool grin formed over its lips. "How interesting," it murmured.

"Can we play when he wakes up?" she asked.

"Yes my child, don't let him out of your sight," Lividity instructed.

"Yes Lividity-sama!" Ribbon cheered and vanished.