A.N.: Special thanks to Destiny.EXE for beta-ing and helping refine a few points of this chapter.
Disclaimer (since there's been too much confusion about this fic): I don't own Rhythm, Ryo Takamisaki, the genius behind the EXE manga, does. I don't own Eugene Chaud/Chaud Blaze or ProtoMan. Neither do I own MegaMan or RockMan or any variation of said characters as they belong to Capcom. Since Rhythm had no Net Op in the manga, I gave her one. Therefore Melody Makoto is a creation of mine, so please ask before taking her. The song that Rhythm sings later on was written by Destiny.EXE and myself.
Now that all that's said: Begin!
"Miss, you can't go back there."
"Excuse me?" The young brunette girl slowed her walk to a stop as a burly, blue-uniformed man stepped directly into her path.
"This area's off-limits to visitors. You can't go back there."
The girl blinked once in confusion, "Are… you sure? I've never been stopped like this before."
"I'm positive." The uniformed man didn't move an inch. "Nobody gets through this doorway without being an employee of Bla-"
"Melody Makoto just happens to be here at my request, and it would be appreciated if you would never detain her again for any reason."
The brunette girl, the aforementioned Melody Makoto, had to work hard to suppress a grin as the color slowly-drained from the security guard's face. He might have been new on the job, but it was evident that he already recognized the voice that had just injected itself into the conversation.
The guard turned around to find a boy almost half his size standing behind him. The boy was wearing a pair or loose green camo-pants, a black shirt and red vest. His most peculiar feature, however, was that the top half of his hair was colored white while the rest was black.
"M- Mr. Blaze…" The guard stuttered. "I'm… sorry, sir, I- she didn't-"
"In our computer system, she was slated to have full access to Blaze Quest. A detail that I was personally involved in establishing, I suggest that you move so that she can enter the premises, and then you refresh your memory about who can and cannot enter." Chaud leveled a withering gaze at the guard.
"Uh, yes, sir."
Melody, a brunette wearing a blue skirt, vest and violet shirt, stepped around the embarrassed security guard to enter the formerly-forbidden hallway.
"Thanks," Melody smiled slightly at her companion. "I didn't know that you were leveling up security around here."
"It's not so much raised security as it is new guards." Chaud admitted as he turned and began accompanying the brunette to the elevator. "He's been detaining everyone for no reason at all. We're hoping he'll grow out of it as he gets more experience."
While Chaud and Melody made their exchanges, the holographic forms of their Net Navis, ProtoMan and Rhythm respectively, materialized in the air above their Op's shoulders. The two Navis exchanged a quick wave of greeting, then escaped into the cyber world just as soon as their Ops entered Chaud's office and jacked them into the 'Net.
"So…" Chaud glanced out his office's window. "You're leaving this afternoon?"
"We are." Melody nodded slowly. "I know that Rhythm's going to miss ProtoMan… And for what it's worth, I'm going to miss you. Not, you know, it that way, but as a friend."
The dual-haired Op slowly turned his gaze back to the girl before him. "I'm sorry to put you through this. But we need your father on the Sharo project."
"It's alright, it's part of the deal when you have a brilliant scientist for a father." The brunette shrugged, "Besides, it'll give me a chance to catch up with some friends I have over there… And we'll be back. It may take a few years, but we always come back to Den Tech sooner or later. It's home."
Rhythm sighed as she enjoyed the warmth of a long embrace with ProtoMan. It was one of those moments that she never wanted to end… if she could just stay here with ProtoMan for the rest of her existence, she felt that she could be content…
But deep down, she knew that that feeling was dangerous and deceptive. Her bond with Melody Makoto was just as strong as the one she had to ProtoMan; she needed to be with her Net Op first and foremost.
"It's hard to believe," The azure Net Navi said as the two parted. "in a few hours, we're going to be separated for years."
"I know." ProtoMan's head turned slightly so that he could look past the Navi he loved. "It's… going to be hard. But we'll get through this, I know it."
"Just so long as you don't forget about me." Rhythm covered up the insecurity in her question by disguising it as a quip. The attempt failed as her voice almost cracked against her next words. "Because… I'll never be able to forget you."
"I won't," The Raider took the azure Navi's hand in his own to show the commitment that he felt. "I'd never be able to. It doesn't matter how long this takes, I'll be here when you come back."
Rhythm smiled softly amid the sadness lying in her eyes. "I'll be back. You can count on that… ProtoMan… can… I ask you something?"
"Yes." A small smile played over the red Navi's lips.
"You'll… probably think that this is silly; But… I'd like to know…" The female Navi slowly lifted her free hand to touch her friend's visor. "What's behind the mask?"
"'Behind the mask'?" ProtoMan repeated softly, as if unsure what he was being asked.
"Proto, I love you, I always will." Rhythm continued. "But… I've never seen the real you… The person behind the black visor. Would you… show me?"
For a brief moment, the Red Raider wondered where this question had come from. Then his eyes lightened upon Rhythm's and the answer revealed itself. Rhythm needed assurance; proof that he wasn't going to forget her over the time that they were going to be apart. She needed to know, once and for all, that he cared for her above himself; just as she would do anything for him.
She needed to see that love, and she needed to see it in his eyes. Something that couldn't be done so long as his helmet was in place.
"Of course." The Red Raider allowed himself to smile. With an awkwardness that seemed out-of-place given his normal gracefulness, ProtoMan reached up, took his helmet in his hands and lifted it upward. Slowly the helmet came free of his silver locks, revealing what he had hidden from the world for as long as he could remember.
A strange feeling settled over ProtoMan as he held his helmet at his side. He felt… incomplete, naked, without the visor over his eyes… And strangely, he felt vulnerable now that anyone could look at him and see what was normally hidden.
This was driven from his mind as Rhythm's gaze bore into him. For the first time, he realized just how much of a barrier that small visor was. Never before had he connected with the azure Navi as he had when her eyes were able to meet his and stare straight into his being. He'd heard before that a person's eyes were the windows of their soul, but he'd never understood that statement… until now.
He could really see the love that Rhythm had for her, and he knew that she could see the love he held for her in his eyes. It was a moment that all the words and phrases, all the film and recordings could not even come close to capturing. It was something that could only be experienced…
"ProtoMan… thank you." A gently smile traced Rhythm's lips as her hand reached up to hook a stray lock of silver hair behind ProtoMan's ear. "That means a lot to me."
"It did… to me as well…" ProtoMan whispered back.
Time passed as the moment faded away; leaving the two alone. They continued to stand there, neither one of them willing to break the connection that they had…
"I want you to have this." Rhythm summoned a cartridge of data to her hands. She took her companion's hands in her own and pressed the data into them. "It's… something that I did for the NetStar competition… but I could never bring myself to perform it… I think you'll understand why."
"I'll access it whenever I think of you." The red Navi nodded back. "Rhythm… thank you."
The azure Navi smiled again in an effort to keep the tears at bay.
Without a word, the red Navi stretched out his free hand and set a the recording in motion. Instantly the familiar voice of his girlfriend filled his PET…
"You cut through the night
and brought me the light.
You ripped through the lies
And brought truth to my eyes,
You're my hero, you see,
You were my love to be…
"Because you're my hero,
I was lost and alone
I could not hold my own.
And then when you arrived
My hope only thrived,
Now that I'm not alone…
"For when our paths met,
Our hearts did connect,
At that moment I knew
My love was only for you;
You returned love for me,
Love that will carry us through…
"Because you're my hero,
I was lost and alone
I could not hold my own.
And then when you arrived
My hope only thrived,
Now that I'm not alone…
"Though now we're apart,
We're connected at heart.
While though the miles are great,
And the day may grow long.
Our time was never late,
For our love will stay strong
"Because you're my hero,
I was lost and alone
I could not hold my own.
And then when you arrived
My hope only thrived,
Now that I'm not alone…
"And I'm not alone…
"Because you're my hero."
"I know that this isn't that great of a song, ProtoMan." The azure Navi said. "But… it's our song, and I hope that you enjoy it…"
"I did. It was beautiful." ProtoMan whispered as he held out his free hand again. This time a rush of data filled his palm, and reformatted itself into a gold emblem and a golden chain. "Now it's my turn to surprise you. A long time ago, right before we came out with the PET Advance… I met up with two Net Navis who were carvers. Without going into detail, they taught me their trade… and I used the skills that I learned there to make this."
A gasp escaped from Rhythm's throat as she realized the Raider's intentions.
"And now I want you to have it." The silver-haired Navi pressed the pendant into his girlfriend's palm.
"I… I couldn't… it must have cost…"
"Don't worry about that." ProtoMan gently placed a finger over Rhythm's lips to silence her objections. "You've given me a priceless gift, now I want to do the same for you."
"But… I… … Thank you."
ProtoMan smiled again as he slid the chain over the azure Navi's head and settled the necklace around her neck. After bringing her hair free of the necklace, the Raider took the pendant in his hand and turned it over backwards. Etched in the casing was a detailed rendition of ProtoMan's and Rhythm's Navi Symbols, and they had been placed so as the two symbols interlocked with each other.
"Oh… ProtoMan. You shouldn't have…"
"But I did." The red Navi replied. "Rhythm, I'll remember you through our song… you remember me through the pendant."
"Alright." With a smile, Rhythm embraced her companion one, final time. "I'll miss you."
"So will I."
At that moment, Melody's PET alarm went off. It was a signal that they were running out of time; and that they had to leave in the next few minutes. The ringing alarm drew a painful sigh out of Rhythm and a disapproving frown out of ProtoMan.
"I guess… that this is goodbye." The azure Navi slowly broke the embrace.
ProtoMan just nodded slowly. After all he had experienced in the past few minutes, he didn't trust himself to speak.
"I'll… see you around." Although she tried, Rhythm couldn't bring herself to look at her friend and companion.
"Until then…" Those were the only words that ProtoMan could bring himself to say.
The two exchanged one last look, and then Rhythm vanished from sight as she rode a flurry of pixels back into her PET.
"ProtoMan…" Chaud Blaze looked out of his office window, watching as Melody Makoto and Rhythm stepped into her father's automobile. "I wish I could say that I understood what you're going through… But I'll be here for you if you need me."
"Thank you, Chaud." The holographic form of the Red Raider appeared over his Net Op's shoulder. "I appreciate that."
The dual-haired Net Op blinked in surprise and stared at his Net Navi in disbelief. But he was too late, but by that time ProtoMan had already replaced his helmet.
"She'll be back someday." ProtoMan permitted himself one frank moment with Chaud. With a hidden smile, he tightened his grip around the recording that Rhythm had given him earlier. "And we'll be here when she does."
End!
A.N.: I know that I've said this before. But this chapter officially brings Rhythm and Blues to an end; I seriously doubt that I'll continue this, or that I'll even be able to continue it. But I hope you all enjoyed it.