Chapter 4 – Attack
Roll woke to a loud crash. Blinking sleepily, she found herself still wrapped in Rockman's arms. He was gazing down at her with the same unreadable expression, but this time there was a strange tenderness in his eyes. Roll smiled up at him, then was distracted by another crash, sounding very close.
Rockman's eyes snapped to the door in time for a deafening thump to shake the door to it's foundations. He stood up, with Roll following suite.
"What do you think that is?" Roll asked, eying the entrance nervously.
He said nothing, but as he stepped forward – Rockbuster at the ready – his arm stretched towards her and gently pushed her behind him, shielding her with his body. Peering over his shoulder, Roll was just in time to see the door splinter beneath a blow from an enormous beak. She was unable to hold in a gasp as a gigantic form burst into the room.
A hawk, at least as tall as Glyde, filled their tiny room with it's gigantic wingspan. It's feathers were a dark, blood red, and it's eyes gleamed a malevolent yellow. Surrounding it like a guard of honour were other, smaller hawks. These hawks were a brighter red, and their eyes were blue.
Rockman fired, and several of the smaller hawks were deleted before she could blink. The larger one let loose with a beam of blinding green light shot from it's open beak. Rockman turned and lunged at her, flattening them both to the floor as the neon wave of green washed over the top of his head, blasting a hole through the wall of the shop.
At first Roll couldn't budge, Rockman's weight holding her down. He placed his hands on the floor beside her head and pushed himself to his knees. Crouching on the floor, he swivelled slightly to face his opponent, watching with narrowed eyes. Roll tried to get up, but without even turning around, Rockman put one hand on her collarbone and pushed her flat to the floor again.
'He doesn't want me to get up,' Roll realised. 'He doesn't want me involved in the fight.'
In spite of the situation, Roll smiled. Even in this state, he was trying to protect her. Typical Rockman.
"Okay, I'm staying down," she whispered.
The words were barely out of her mouth before Rockman attacked again, deleting the last of the smaller hawks as they dived to attack with their claws.
'Wait!' Roll thought, 'The scratches on his face – did he get them from their claws? Was that why he left me here before? Because he was going to fight them?'
She was jolted out of her thoughts as the large hawk, the only one still standing, fired another blast. Rockman leapt out of the way, and Roll stilled as though she'd been turned to marble, letting the beam pass over her.
As he fell towards the floor, Rockman kicked out, catching the hawk right between the eyes. With an ear-splitting screech, the giant bird was hurled back through the splintered door, smashing through the shop and into the street outside.
Rockman flicked a glance back at the pink navi on the floor, shooting her a look that told her clearly to stay where she was. Then he raced out the door.
Slowly, Roll picked herself up. From where she stood, she could hear the sounds of a vicious fight. The hawk's screeching, shots from the Rockbuster. Roll crept to the shop's entrance and cautiously peered out.
The hawk was swooping in the air, interspersing firing the green beams with diving at the blue navi, claws extended. Rockman was dodging desperately and firing his Rockbuster. A well-aimed shot caught the hawk straight in the chest, and it gave a great, moaning screech before falling to the floor.
Roll shivered as she caught a glimpse of the feral grin on Rockman's face. He was enjoying this, enjoying the destruction he was wreaking. He stepped towards the fallen bird, and Roll was certain she saw it's wing twitch.
'It's okay? Then why is it just lying there? Unless…'"Rockman, look out!" Roll shrieked.
But she was too late. As Rockman reached the bird, one giant red wing knocked him to the ground. Towering over him, the hawk prepared for the final blow.
Roll didn't even think, didn't consider the consequences. All she saw was Rockman, about to be deleted, and all she knew was she had to save him. She couldn't let that hawk hurt him.
"Roll Blast!" she screamed, firing at the hawk.
Her blast impacted on it's back, and it turned on her with a scream of fury.
'I just need to get it away from him – to give him enough time to recover from that blow.'
"Come on, you scrap of feathers," Roll screamed at the hawk, "Bet you can't get me!"
She turned and bolted down the street, praying it would follow her instead of tearing at Rockman.
"Please, please, please. Be stupid enough to chase me, be stupid enough to chase me. Come after me, don't be smart enough to take advantage of Rockman being hurt," she murmured over and over, like a mantra.
She was rewarded by a loud screech and the sound of beating wings right behind her.
'Yes,' Roll thought in triumph, 'Now it's following me…which begs the question, how do I get away from it?'
"Okay," she told herself, "You can do this, just think. You just have to get it off your trail…"
Pink boots pounding the silvered street like racehorse hooves, Roll suddenly noticed an alley between two buildings. It was small, and would hopefully be considered insignificant by her pursuer.
Roll slowed until the hawk was so close she could feel the wind from its wings, then she turned abruptly. Sending another blast right into it's face – hopefully blinding it – she ducked into the alley and ran it's length as quietly as she could. If things went well, the dazed hawk would assume she had simply run ahead and pass right by the alley. Then she could double back for Rockman.
She almost screamed in frustration when she looked over her shoulder to see the blood-coloured beak round the corner, and the yellow eyes glare straight at her. With a burst of speed, Roll rounded the corner…and came face-to-face with a brick wall.
Jade eyes flicking about her surroundings, Roll realised the buildings on either side (and the wall) were too high for her to jump onto. Whirling to try and run the other way, Roll nearly ploughed into the hawk's face. Grinding her heels into the ground to try and halt her rush forward, Roll tumbled over backwards and skidded forward to rest just in front of the gigantic bird.
As she looked up into the bird's gaping maw, Roll thought she caught a glimmer of green in the back of the bird's throat. Panic constricting her chest, Roll tried to scoot backwards, desperate to put some distance between them. With a final, deafening screech, it tilted it's head back and Roll could see a sickly green glow beginning to pulse inside it's beak.
'This is it,' Roll thought, 'I'm dead, I'm deleted.' She could only hope Rockman was okay.
As it bent down towards her, Roll automatically tried to shield her face with her arms, but she knew she had no hope. She could see the green glow get brighter and brighter…then her world turned blue. She lowered her hands to see Rockman had enveloped her in his arms, deliberately placing his body between Roll and the green energy.
"Rock," she screamed, "Don't!"
He was as silent as ever, but the expression on his face was one she couldn't place. A combination of fear, desperation, and something else. Something that shone out of his eyes, and all but overrode the other emotions.
"Move!" Roll yelled, trying to push him out of the beam's path. But he held on tighter and didn't move an inch.
Then the beam hit.
It drove brutally into Rockman's back and he arched against Roll, choking down a cry of pain. Roll screamed his name as the force of the blow sent them both careening into the wall behind them. Coughing around brick shards and cement dust, Roll tried to move her arms, and realised with a jolt of terror that Rockman hadn't moved.
"Rock?" Roll choked out, trying to shift to see his face.
He groaned softly. The arm next to her face tensed as he tried to lift himself off her. He only managed to raise himself a few inches – shaking with effort – before he slumped on top of her again.
Beginning to panic, Roll slid out from under Rockman until she could sit up and look down at him.
"No!" Roll breathed, noticing the enormous wound in his back, "Oh, no! Rockman!"
His eyes gazed into hers briefly, then they closed and he went completely limp. Rockman rested in Roll's lap, his arms still stretched on either side of her body – as though even unconscious he was trying to protect her. Tears pricked at Roll's eyes as she laid him down gently, brushing her hand across his face.
"You've always taken care of me," she whispered, "Now it's my turn."
Roll stood and faced the hawk, which was already preparing for another attack.
She knew, logically, she didn't have a chance against such a powerful opponent. But this wasn't about logic, this was about defending Rockman. Roll took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and prepared to face down the red hawk.
Her opponent let out a loud screech, spreading it's wings in jubilation. The beak opened, and Roll again saw the green glitter, a moment before she let loose.
"Roll Blast!"
Strangely, the Red Hawk closed it's beak with an audible snap and arched it's neck to take the blast on it's chest.
'What,' Roll gaped at it, 'Now I know it could have taken that hit, why did it seem so desperate to avoid it. Unless it was because I going to hit it in it's mouth…'
Roll blinked as it hit her. 'That's it! For whatever reason, it doesn't want to be hit inside it's mouth – and if it doesn't want to be hit, it means I can probably do some damage if I aim right.'
The first rule of battle. If there's a place they protect, it's a weak spot.
Roll let her arms fall to her sides, tensing as she waited for another chance.
With a shriek, the red hawk began to build another green beam. Roll began to run towards the towering neck. She knew what she was doing would probably be considered incredibly stupid, but it was so agile she doubted she could hurt it any other way. As it's beak opened, Roll leapt into the air and plunged her arm into it's open mouth. Ignoring the pain as the red beak snapped closed on her arm, Roll pointed her arm into what she hoped was the depths of the bird's throat.
"Roll Blast!" she yelled.
With a muffled screech, the bird threw it's head into the air and tossed Roll from side-to-side like a paper doll. Placing her hand on it's beak, Roll tried to pull her arm out of it's grip before it decided to crush her against one of the nearby walls. Finally, her arm tore free and she fell towards the ground. She landed and tried to roll with the impact as much as she could while still protecting her injured arm. With a final defiant screech the hawk, pouring sparks from it's mouth, leapt into the air and flew shakily away.
Roll struggled to her feet, cradling her arm. Swallowing a cry at the agony radiating from it, she looked down, examining her injury. A long gash ran from her wrist to her upper arm, two inches wide at the elbow and tapering off to tiny scratches at the shoulder and wrist. It must have happened when she had pulled it out of the hawk's beak. The edges of the beak must be sharp as razors to cause such a deep wound.
Touching the gash gingerly, Roll plodded towards the alley where she had left Rockman. She found him in front of the crumbling wall – complete with a large hole in the bricks where she and Rockman had smashed into it. He was trying to stand, but his legs weren't co-operating. He kept managing to raise himself to his knees, and then being unable to hold himself any longer and falling heavily.
"Rock," Roll called out, hurrying to his side, "Take it easy, okay?"
When he raised his head, she thought she caught a flash of relief in his eyes. She knelt beside him and slipped her uninjured arm around his waist.
"Now, I'm going to give you a hand, and we're going to take it slowly and gently, right?" Roll said, trying not to wince as she used her slashed arm to draw Rockman's across her shoulder. Gripping the blue navi at the wrist and waist, she pulled him close to her body and stood – making sure that she was the one who supported most of Rockman's weight.
Together, they limped forward. Roll knew she had to get Rockman some medical attention, fast, before he collapsed – or before she did. Already she was struggling to support him. Rockman was heavy, and her own battered state wasn't helping her any. But where could they go?
"Hey, Rush, anything yet?" Iceman asked as the digital puppy sniffed around the rooftops.
His answer was a series of yaps and barks.
"If Rockman was jumping from roof to roof it would be understandable if he left only a very faint imprint," Glyde pointed out, "Miss Roll, who was being carried by Rockman, would have left an even fainter one."
"Just let Rush do his job," came Yuuichiro's voice, "It might take some time, but if there's any trace of Rockman or Roll, he'll find it."
Suddenly, Rush went rigid, and inhaled one long breath. Then he leapt forward with a triumphant howl.
"He's picked up something!" Yuuichiro exclaimed, "Follow him!"
Gutsman, Iceman and Glyde leapt forward, desperately trying to keep up with Rush as he ran through Internet City.
Halfway down the street, Rockman lurched against Roll, making them both stumble into the side of a building.
"Come on, Rock," she coached, adjusting their positions so she took almost all his weight, nearly buckling beneath it. "It's not much farther, come on, you can do it."
She needed to get them both somewhere with medical supplies, but without other navis. The 'possessed' Rockman didn't seem to be a people person. He had fired on two of his closest friends, and Roll hated to think what he would do if he was confronted with strangers.
Then, Roll spotted their salvation. A warehouse at the end of the street. Some windows were cracked, and it looked empty.
'It's probably scheduled for deletion' Roll told herself, 'No-one would go in there. It's a perfect hiding place. Okay Roll, just hide him somewhere, let him rest, then you can get the medical supplies on your own.'
But how could she get Rockman in?
"Okay, Rockman," she whispered as she leaned him against the warehouse wall, "Just stay here for a second, I'll try to find a way in."
As she started moving off around the building, Rockman's hand grabbed her wrist. Roll pulled against him, but she couldn't move. Even in his weakened state, he held her in place with surprising strength.
"It's okay, Rock," Roll soothed, laying her other hand over his, "I'm just going to find a way in, I'll be back soon, I promise."
For a moment, she didn't think he was going to let her go. His eyes locked with hers, and she put as much earnest sincerity as she could into her gaze. At last, his grip loosened and his hand slipped from her wrist.
Rewarding him with a small smile, Roll walked slowly, occasionally leaning on the wall for support, trying to figure out a way in.
There were some shattered windows, but they were too high up. She doubted her own ability to reach them, never mind Rockman's. Roll was just about ready to give up when she spotted a side door. It looked flimsy; maybe she could blast it open.
She raised her arms and fired. Too exhausted to handle the recoil, Roll fell backwards to the ground, completely spent. With a great effort of will, she raised her head. The door was now swinging crazily, attached by only one hinge. They had a way in.
Roll never knew how she got Rockman into the warehouse. Both were so exhausted that by the time they limped through the door, Roll wasn't sure who was carrying who. The building was bleak and empty, but at the very back of the warehouse Roll found a small room. Sparsely furnished, it contained only a bed and a tiny cabinet.
"Okay, Rock," she gasped out, bending to lower him slowly onto the bed, "Just take a rest here on the bed, I think you've earned it."
He lay down obediently, and gazed at her as though asking if she was going to rest as well. Though Roll would like nothing better than to curl up beside him and sleep for a week, she had to find something to treat his wounds. From what she could figure out, this little nook had probably belonged to the navi who used to guard the warehouse, so they would have kept medical supplies in case of a nasty fight. Hopefully they left some behind.
Rifling through the cabinet, Roll was rewarded with a white box. She pulled it out, taking care to move her injured arm as little as possible.
'Well,' she thought, 'It certainly looks medical…'
When she opened it, Roll almost cried with relief. It was packed with Weaves. She remembered when Dr. Hikari first told Netto and Meiru about them. Place them on the wound, and watch them knit the navi's skin back together. Just what she needed.
Turning to Rockman, she winced when she saw him lying on his back, resting on his injury.
"Doesn't that hurt?" she asked him.
He was silent.
"You're not in a talkative mood are you?"
She sat beside him on the bed, giving him an encouraging smile. Roll picked up a Weave and reached towards Rockman, hovering over his scratched face, asking for permission. When he didn't move to push her away, she took that as a go-ahead.
Gently, Roll placed several Weaves over the scratches on his face. Rockman closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, and as she started to pull back, he kissed her palm.
Roll gasped and blushed, while not as intimate as the kiss in the shop, it was still a kiss. She sat there, shocked and flushed, for a full minute before she remembered she still had to look at Rockman's back. But this led to another problem. Since being 'possessed' Rockman had shown very little inclination to trust anybody. He had fired on Glyde and Iceman because they tried to approach him. Lying on your stomach while someone examined your back was a very vulnerable position, would he trust her enough to let her do it?
"Rock," she said softly, slipping her uninjured hand beneath him to rest on his shoulder blade. She applied gentle pressure, trying to urge him onto his stomach.
"I need you to turn over so I can look at your back. Can you do that for me?" she asked. Roll was careful to keep her voice soft and steady, trying to sound kind and trustworthy.
To her surprise, Rockman didn't hesitate to turn over, resting his head on his folded arms. Roll worked quickly, wincing in sympathy at the hideous injury as she applied Weaves to every exposed inch she could find.
Finally, Roll let out a sigh of relief as she saw the last Weave absorbed, and the last of the injury disappear. Roll touched Rockman's shoulder to signal that she was finished.
"I'm done now, you can turn over if you want."
As Rockman flipped onto his back again, Roll fumbled one-handed with the Weaves, trying to apply one to her own injury. But to apply the Weave, you had to hold both ends in contact with the navi's skin. And Roll was having trouble with only one hand; her fingers couldn't stretch the length of the Weave.
Roll let out a frustrated sigh as she dropped the Weave for what felt like the hundredth time. She was reaching for it when Rockman picked it up for her. Sitting up on the bed, his other hand cradled her injured wrist and gently pulled it towards him. Roll let him do so, figuring he just wanted to examine the wound.
She was proved right when the blue navi bent and carefully scrutinised her arm. Then he surprised her by applying the Weave himself, smoothing it over her arm and watching as it repaired her injury.
When it was done, Rockman caressed her arm where the wound had been almost sadly.
"Hey, it's alright," Roll smiled, "It doesn't even hurt anymore."
She was caught by surprise when Rockman lay back down on the bed, pulling her down with him. After her initial shock, Roll relaxed against him, wrapping an arm around his waist and pillowing her head on his chest.
"Thanks for patching me up," she whispered, "We both going to sleep now?"
She looked up at his face, and he caressed her cheek tenderly before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Trying to ignore the way her cheeks flamed at the intimate gesture, Roll swallowed and stammered to try and cover up her embarrassment.
"S-so, I g-guess that means 'yes', huh?"
Apparently, even in this state, Rockman trusted her enough to go to sleep in her presence. The fact that he would be completely helpless didn't seem to bother him at all, he trusted that she wouldn't hurt him.
In spite of Rockman's reassuring warmth, Roll couldn't help but feel worried. He had been very…well, sweet with her, but had tried to destroy anything else that came within five feet of them. And she felt sad too. If Rockman was normal, he would never have cuddled up with her – it was only in this state that he would ever do something like this.
Deciding that this may be the only chance she had to do this, Roll snuggled into Rockman and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer.
At first, Roll thought that she'd never get to sleep. The day's events whirled in her mind like horses on a crazy merry-go-round as she stared at the sleeping Rockman. Eventually, exhaustion won out and Roll could feel her eyelids beginning to droop. With a final yawn, she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.
