Disclaimer: I do not own Rockman.EXE sadly.

Zero: A Legend Reborn

Thoughts "blah"

Chapter 6

Two weeks after being found in Forte's factory the small group found themselves still being monitored by the NetSaviors. The dark navi thankfully hadn't tried to make contact with them knowing that they would be exposed if he did.

Jesse and Zero were anxious to ditch their stalkers so that they could test Jesse's experiment rather than rely on simulations. Hinata and Blaze kept themselves entertained netbattling anyone that they could find.

The green-eyed boy walked over to the window and glanced out of the blinds. Sure enough, right across the street was the same unmarked van that the NetSaviors had sent to keep an eye on them. "Don't they ever give up? How careless do they think that we are?"

"Come on Jess, don't let them get you all worked up. School starts again tomorrow and we need to get some sleep," said Zero. The former Reploid didn't like waiting either, but they really didn't have much of a choice if they wanted to keep their secrets hidden.

The next day at school Ciel was taken to a nearby college and signed up by Ayame. The woman asked as many questions as she could think of trying to get the scientist to slip up, but the blonde was not easily stumped.

Ciel assured Ayame many times that she was just Jesse's and Hinata's sister. She said that she'd been living with friends trying to find her missing siblings after their parents died. Eventually Ciel had Ayame in tears with her touching story.

"So this is it?" Ciel looked at the large building and then back to her new foster mother.

Ayame nodded and said, "Yes, this is Densan Community College. It's the best that we can afford for you right now."

"It's ok. Anything is better than nothing and besides I can always get a job to help pay for all of this," said the young scientist. "Well I better be going. Thank you…mom."

Ciel made her way inside and found the receptionist at a desk to the right of the main entrance. She walked over to the woman and asked her about what she would need.

The old lady smiled and replied, "Your mother has already taken care of the application fees and most of the paperwork. All you need to do is tell me which course of study that you would like to take."

The blonde was surprised and said, "But I thought that there would be late fees and such since classes begin tomorrow."

"Mrs. Ayame took care of those. As I said, all you need to do is choose your course of study." The receptionist smiled and handed Ciel a pamphlet listing the currently offered courses.

The creator of Copy X found that most of the offered courses were going to be way too easy for her, so she picked herself out a few and decided to play dumb. She'd miss a few questions here and there as well as make a few common mistakes just to keep up the appearance that she'd never learned this stuff before.

Finally after choosing her courses she went to the bookstore and purchased the materials that she would be needing. Upon looking over the books Ciel tried not to laugh at how outdated these books were when compared with her own knowledge.

"It's good to see you again Ms. Ciel…and you're smiling this time," said a voice from beside her.

Ciel turned to face the person speaking to her and found Enzan Ijuin holding several books. "You're the NetSavior that I was interrogated by not too long ago. What are you doing here? I was under the impression that you'd already graduated and moved on to running a business."

The dual haired teen nodded and replied, "I have, but that doesn't mean that I can't go back to college and improve myself."

"I smell a rat…named Enzan," thought the scientist. She suspected that he was watching her hoping to find some link between her and Forte. Ciel had talked with Zero and learned everything that she could about this new world including many of the recent battles. She was willing to do what she could to help, but she didn't like being spied on.

"May I see your schedule," asked Enzan. When Ciel agreed he quickly compared their courses and looked back at her with a smile. "Well Ms. Ciel…it would appear as though we have same classes. Quite a coincidence, no?"

Ciel smiled and said, "Yes it is. What are the odds of that?" Despite her smile she was thinking, "Coincidence my ass! Just how stupid do you think that I am?"

"Well I'll be seeing you around," said Enzan before walking off. When the NetSavior was out of Ciel's hearing range he glanced at his PET and said, "Good work Blues."

The red navi replied, "No problem."

After school Jesse and Hinata met up with Ciel at the public library. Zero kept staring over Jesse's should at the black van that kept following them. "These guys are not even trying to be discreet," thought the former Reploid.

Once they were inside they found a small table near the back and sat down there. The homework was quickly completed and they began to discuss their current situation.

"We could always slip out of the back door," suggested Jesse.

Ciel shook her head and said, "No, we can't do that. That would tell them that we've got something to hide for starters and that's the last thing that we need right now." The blonde noticed a pleased grin on Hinata's face and asked, "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I just spend most of today torturing Netto. I think that he'll crack long before we do," replied the younger girl. Ever since they been found she spend more time finding ways to drive the young Hikari insane with her evil pranks. Just recently she had slipped a strong laxative into his food and the results had been…entertaining to say the least.

-Boom! Boom!-

Jesse was the first to speak. "Ok let me just say that I had nothing to do with that…whatever it was."

The three teens ran to the window and saw a huge Metool virus walking down the street. Ciel's eye twitched and she said, "Now that's something that you don't see everyday." The other two just nodded in agreement.

Zero appeared over his operator's should and asked, "Are we going to fight it?"

Jesse shook his head and said, "No. The NetSaviors will be on top of this thing in no time and we'd be seen."

Blaze appeared and sat down on her NetOp's shoulder. "Suggestions anyone?"

Jesse smiled and said, "Yeah, I got one…let's use this as an opportunity to disappear from their radar for a while."

Zero smirked knowing what his operator had in mind. "He wants to test it now. This should be interesting."

Outside of the library Netto and Enzan saw the giant virus walking down the street while occasionally attacking innocent people.

The brunette looked at his partner and asked, "Do you think that this is their doing?"

Enzan shook his head and replied, "They couldn't pull something like this without a Dimensional Area. This is something new."

The two NetSaviors left the van and rushed towards the creature trying to lead it away from the fleeing crowd. Netto picked up a rock and chunked it at the virus as hard as he could.

The Met turned it's two huge eyes towards his attacker and started walking his way.

Enzan looked at the virus and said, "Great Netto, now what? We can't crossfuse and we're completely unarmed."

Both teens started running away from the virus and it followed. They lead it towards an empty lot where nobody would get hurt and waited for the trucks carrying the Dimensional Area generators.

Time was cut short however when the virus attacked a nearby apartment complex after barely missing Netto. The building started to collapse and the boys were forced to watch as a woman struggled to get out. They ran to the pleading woman, not really sure what to do.

"We're not going to make it," said Enzan as he saw the woman's grip starting to slip and still no sign of the trucks.

Out of the ground four DA generators appeared enclosing the area in a dome. The two NetSaviors smiled before crossfusing. Enzan went after the woman while Netto distracted the virus.

Once the civilian was safe Ijuin rushed in to help Netto who had been blasted by the virus with a lucky shot. With a combined 'Dream Sword' program advance they easily destroyed the giant virus, but they were uncertain who had activated the generators.

After reestablishing contact with NetSavior HQ Netto learned that the trucks had been held up on the highway. Too many people had been running away on the road for them to get through in time. "So then who helped us?"

Yuuichiro replied, "I don't know, but I'm glad that they saved your life. When we tried to examine the generators they self-destructed."

Enzan growled hearing that. The teen didn't like the idea that someone out there could create DA's as Nebula had. It opened up the door for another Net Mafia and that idea didn't sit well with him.

At school the next day Jesse and Zero were discussing the complete success of their experiment. "I'm so glad that it worked. That was incredible!"

Zero grinned at his NetOp's antics. Jesse reminded Zero so much of the new generation Reploid Axl. "Well now that it works you should start working on one for your sister or else…she's going to kill you when she does find out."

"One what?"

Jesse and his navi turned around to see a familiar teen standing behind them with his arms crossed. Jesse nodded and replied, "Just a little something that I've been working on. And I'm not going to tell you what."

The teen approached Jesse and extended his fist. Once it was in front of the green-eyed boy the fist opened causing Jesse to pale slightly…inside was a Synchro-chip.

"Are you offering for me to join or something," asked Zero's NetOp.

The other teen shook his head and said, "No. I was just returning something that you dropped back at Forte's factory. I saw it fall out of your pocket when we arrested you and your sisters."

"What do you intend to do Netto," asked Jesse. He knew that the Hikari hadn't said anything yet, so he must want something.

"Nothing like that," replied Netto indignantly. "I just wanted to know why you had a Synchro-chip? To be more exact I wanted to know why you had the only remaining chip that my father developed? This is one of those stolen by Shademan. Please tell me that you didn't work for Nebula."

Jesse looked at Netto indignantly and felt his left eyebrow twitch. "Let's get one thing straight right now...I'm not and never will be part of a crime syndicate. So to answer your question, no, I never was a part of Nebula."

Netto breathed a sigh of relief. "Well at least that's out of the way. Now to find out how he got the chip and why." "I believe you, but I'd like for you to explain why you had your hands on this chip."

"Well I'd like a million Zenny, but you don't see me getting that." Netto immediately frown at Jesse's retort. "Fine, I'll tell you. The only thing that I ask is that you don't say anything to your boss."

"I can't promise that," replied Netto.

Jesse nodded in understanding and said, "Then I can't tell you much. All that I will say is that I'm not interested in causing trouble."

"That's not good enough. You were in possession of stolen property and I've got a nasty suspicion that you were working with or for Forte." Netto was starting to wonder whether or not it was a mistake not to catch the kid and his siblings when they were at the factory. So far all he was getting no cooperation from the other brunette.

"Actually Forte is the one that gave me the chip and as for why he did that...well I don't know. You'd have to go ask him." Jess knew that if he made any mistakes right now Netto could have him behind bars in no time. He had to find some way to appease the NetSavior and keep his secrets a secret. "Look...I just wanted to be able to crossfuse like you. Is that a crime?"

"No, but accepting stolen property is. Then again so is lying to the police." Netto approached and said, "If you really want to crossfuse then you should try out for the NetSaviors. We can talk to Papa and Meijin later on today if you want."

Caught by surprise all the other teen could do was nod while Zero remained silent over his operator's shoulder.

As Netto passed by he said, "I'll see you after school."

"Oh great! What have I gotten myself into now?" Jess made his way to Ciel and Hinata to explain the recent development.

Rockman appear on the screen of Netto's Advanced PET and asked, "Do you think that that was wise Netto-kun? I mean that he could be our enemy despite what he says."

"I know, but I want to find out just what he's up to. It's not everyday that someone meets with Forte and lives to tell about it. What's more interesting is that he may have been working with the super navi and I want to know why," said Netto. "We'll keep an eye on him while Enzan and Laika watch the other two."

"Enzan seems to be annoyed that he's having to return to college for this," commented Rockman remembering Ijuin's mood yesterday.

Netto stopped walking and looked down at his PET making sure that his eyes met with his brother's. "Do you think that...that they..."

"They what, Netto-kun?" Rock had a good idea what his brother was thinking about and urged him to continue.

The younger Hikari nodded and asked, "Do you think that they were responsible for the Dimensional Area that saved us yesterday?"

Rock nodded and said, "I think that it's possible. We won't know unless we find out more about them."

"Speaking of those kids, what did Enzan and Blues dig up on them," asked Netto.

Rock opened up a number of files in the background and set them where his brother could see them. "We only have records for them dating back just after Gospel was destroyed. There is no indication who their parents are, where they were born, or any real information on them at all. It just seems as though they appeared out of thin air."

Netto laughed at that idea. "People can't just appear out of thin air," he commented not knowing how close to the truth he actually was.