Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Rockman.exe or any of its characters.

Mark of the Beasts

Netto's telepathic communication 'blah'

Saito's telepathic communication "blah"

Chapter 12

Enzan arranged for the Hikari family to be safely and discreetly transported to his home around 3AM in the morning in order to avoid anyone learning of their location. Once inside the mansion the NetSavior informed the Hikari's of where they could go and urged them to stay inside regardless of what happened.

The twins reluctantly agreed while their parents showed no hesitation. Trill and Saito explored the huge home while Netto allowed his enhanced sense of smell to lead him to the kitchen. "Darn now how did that happen? Guess when my brain isn't working my stomach is.", the young hybrid thought.

After the guests had been given time to settle in they began discussing what their next move would be. Yuuichiro had every intention of allowing his sons freedom to chose what they intended to do after the vicious attack directed at them by their so called 'friends.'

'I can't believe they would turn on us like that. Did you see what they did to our home?'

"Yeah Netto. I saw it and I feel the same way you do. Remember we can always sense each others feelings."

'I know...and to be perfectly honest...'

"Yeah..."

'...I want to resign from the NetSaviors.'

"I understand and I agree with you. As a NetSavior without a navi you'd attract way too much attention and according to Papa I can't change back into my original blue armor, so that option is out."

'...Ahhh. It's not just that Saito. We've protected everyone on earth some many times and then when they find one flaw in our family they attack us like rabid dogs. How could I continue to fight for them after this?'

"Do you really think what Papa did to me was the result of a flaw?"

'NO! That's not the way I meant it. It's because of that "flaw"...that I still have you with me. I wouldn't trade that for the world.'

"I get it Netto...and thanks. Hmmm...So you would've done the same thing as Papa if you have been old and smart enough to pull it off?"

'Uh...Saito stop reading my mind like that.'

"Make me..."

As soon as the challenge had been made both teens reverted back to their hybrid forms and entered Enzan's digital training ground that he had built for Blues. Yuuichiro and Haruka sat side by side with Trill in Mrs. Hikari's lap and watched the boys blow off some steam.

Enzan and Blues entered shortly after the fight began. The red navi said, "Sir while Netto does certainly possess more strength than Saito, he doesn't have enough speed to catch him. To add that the older twin also has the advantage of flight."

"Too bad Meiru isn't here for you to try to impress her...", Saito shouted as he dodged another attack. Netto hearing his brother's remark shot a stream of fire out of his mouth and just barely missed the bird hybrid. "Woah! You almost got me there."

"Just hold still for a second and I'll turn you into K.F.C. (Kentucky Fried Chicken)", the dog hybrid shouted back.

Saito was playing on his brother's temper and knew that his sibling was too dense to catch onto to what he was doing. Giving a few more was placed comments on Netto's relationship with Meiru the younger twin found himself pinned to the ground, "What? That's not fair."

The Falzer beast stood triumphant over his brother's defeated form and said, "That's what you get for not keeping your cool in a fight. You'll never change."

Both hybrids reverted back to their human appearance and logged out into the human world once more where they found their audience waiting for them minus Enzan. Netto being curious couldn't help but ask, "Where did Enzan go?"

Yuuichiro congratulated both of his boys for their skills and informed them, "He went to talk with Commissioner Kifune. He said that he would be back in a few hours."

The teen accepted this and decided that now was the best time to tell their parents about their decision regarding their status as NetSaviors. The Elder twin was the better speaker so he told them the he and Netto wished to leave the NetSaviors. It hurt both of them that the people they once protected would betray them like this.

Yuuichiro and Haruka understood why the boys felt the way they did, but their father cautioned, "I know they hurt the both of you, but you shouldn't punish the whole world because of the mistakes of a few people."

Netto was angered that his father was defending those people, "It wasn't a few people, it was an entire mob of people probably making up most of the city try to kill us. Or did you forget?" He knew that his voice was filled with his anger and venom, but right now he really didn't care.

Saito placed his hand on his brother's shoulder to calm him down and once the younger twin had he said, "We just can't be the protectors right now. How would we explain the situation or manipulate the facts so that people didn't come after us again...We can't."

Haruka voiced her concerns about them giving up protecting people and told them that she couldn't agree with them turning their backs on good people. She said, "They are all good people Saito, Netto. They just don't understand the two of you or to what lengths our family would go to for each other, but maybe someday they will."

Eventually the twins won the argument and used a secure line to inform Kifune that the were quiting, effective immediately. The graying man felt completely helpless to stem the damage and now he had lost two of his best agents. Not in a position to do anything to get them to change their minds and to be quite honest he couldn't blame them he accepted their resignation before the call ended.


Over the remains of the Hikari household Shademan looked down at the wreckage with a look of surprise and anger. Obviously he wasn't angry that Rockman might be gone, so much as he was pissed that someone may have taken his kill. "The NetSaviors should know where the little brat and his navi are hiding. I think it's time we got reacquainted.", he said as he flew towards the NetSavior HQ.

Within minutes the vampire navi was hovering directly over his enemy's stronghold. Not giving them any time to muster a defense he charged head first directly into the building.

"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! ZOANOROID ATTACK IN PROGRESS! ALL NETSAVIORS ASSUME YOUR POSITIONS!", blared over the intercom. "Foolish humans. Do you really think you have the slightest chance against me?"

Enzan and Laika were the first to reach Shademan, but by the time they had he was already two levels away from the Commissioner's office. "Let's go!", Enzan shouted as he and Laika charged the Zoanoroid.

"Now what are they up to?", he wondered as he was fully aware that they must know that humans couldn't stand up to a navi without Crossfusion. He received his answer when Laika dove behind him carrying a strange device the vampire navi had never seen before. Enzan pulled down a fire extinguisher and emptied the contents into the face of the dark navi giving Laika the opportunity he needed to use the device.

Shademan felt something attach itself to his back and turned to see Laika press a button. The device discharged a huge sure of energy into the Copyroid body and was on the verge of overloading the system when the navi yanked the cables off and threw them back at the NetSavior.

The Sharo native was completely caught off guard by the retaliation and was hit with a huge jolt that knocked him out cold. The Vice-President of IPC watched the evil being turn his attention back to him and immediately saw the bloodshot eyes. "Oh crap!", he thought before he took off running in the opposite direction. Glancing back he saw Shademan in hot pursuit and knew that Laika would be safe as long as he didn't let the Zoanoroid catch him.

Quickly heading down the stairs rather than risk the elevator Enzan put some distance between himself and the blood thirsty navi. He went down three levels before ducking into an open office and hiding under the desk, "I hate running away from my enemies. Meijin you had get that Dimensional Area up and soon or you'll regret it when/if I see you again."

His thoughts were redirected to the sound of doors literally being blasted open. Enzan knew that the navi would probably be tearing every office apart until he found the human that had sprayed him in the eyes with those chemicals. "I would have to piss him off that badly wouldn't I?", he thought just before he heard an explosion directly behind him.

Shademan entered the room and looked around. The twisted being could smell the fear emanating from this room and knew that the boy was there. With one hand he picked up the desk and threw it through the wall behind Enzan. He gave the NetSavior a malicious smirk before he reached towards the scared teen, but luck was on Enzan's side as a Dimensional Area formed over the building. The boy looked at the annoyed Shademan and smirked before inserting his Synchro-chip, "Synchro-chip in! Download!"

The navi watched as the light died down and in the human's place was R Blues, "Now the odds are even." R Blues summoned his sword and dashed towards Shademan. He managed to knick the vampire, but couldn't get any closer than that despite being in close quarters with him.

The two warriors continued to trade blows until R Blues damaged Shademan's arm. The enraged navi then released a huge buildup of energy and blew the office apart sending a now unconscious R Blues onto the roof of an adjacent building. "You got lucky this time, now back to business."

The homicidal vampire turned back to his goal and reached the top office shortly thereafter. Still in his office the Commissioner watched in terror as the evil navi broke through the door. "Where is Rockman?", he demanded.

Kifune decided that the best thing he could do was spin the truth, "Rockman and his NetOp Netto have resigned from this agency. Perhaps you missed the news about how a hoax nearly got them killed by the people they've always protected. And maybe you missed the destruction of their home and Yuuichiro's office as a result of that hoax."

Shademan couldn't believe what he was hearing, but at the same time he could tell that the human before him was telling the truth. "So that's what happened. I'm sure that Falzer will be pleased to know this." Assuming the Commissioner didn't know the location of his prey he blew up the office just like the previous one sending Kifune plummeting towards the ground.

Before he could hit the ground he felt a tug on the back of his jacket. Turning around he found R Searchman using his thrusters to keep both of them from hitting the ground. The teen grunted as he struggled to slow their decent, "Sir, I respectfully request that you go on a diet if we survive this." Kifune didn't get to respond before they landed in a tree and tumbled down to the bottom.

The Commissioner broke his right arm while Laika only suffered some minor bruises and cuts thanks to Searchman. "Anytime Sir.", said navi stated as relief washed over them. Laika looked up and watched as Shademan forced the Dimensional Area to collapse and flew off into the city to search for his prey. "Sir, what was he after?"

The old man nursed his broken arm as best he could and said, "He's looking for Rockman. You have to warn them now before that maniac hurts anymore innocent people."

Being a trained soldier Laika fastened his PET back onto his armband and ran off to find some means to contact the Hikari family. Unbeknownst to the victims of Shademan's attack another navi sent by Greiga had watched and heard everything, "Master Greiga can use this to his advantage." The Zoanoroid created a tear and returned to Beyondard to report what he'd learned.


Iris was on her way to Enzan's mansion after she'd learned of the relocation. The NetSaviors had no chance to conceal information from her for more than one reason. "They'll learn the truth about me soon enough. No sense worrying about it." Turning her green eyes back to the streets she said, "I can only pray that 'The Guardians" are ready for this. They must be or all is lost."