Ah yes, this chapter is not really PG...it's even pushing it for teens. because I don;t think a breech birth would fit there.
I've put a warning. when you see it, just scroll down until you see the phrase 'Netto has it easy.' and you should me save.
And to my dear reviewer. I'm glad you caught on the red flags. for it is just the beginning, my friend. attache ta tuke, mon ami. sa va brasser raid!
In the coming days, Netto's Mama would still be with her friend in the evening. And when Netto had asked who it was Haruka had skirted the question by instead Asking for Netto's latest report card.
It was bad...as always. But at least it was a B-...on the second try.
It was not that Netto didn't try his best. He really did...but history and math... all seemed to corrupt once the subject matter entered his brain. He simply could not remember anything at all.
No that he cared about who was the fourth minister Electopia...and why the relationship with Bharata-Varsa was so bad or…
No...And please don;t let him get started on math.
And the homework he never seemed to catch up with since his duty as a net Saver would always take precedent on his education.
Oh...he was not supposed to have homework...but Miss Mariko insisted that he had to have them since they didn't have the time to cover all the subjects during classes...since Netto was always distracted.
Thankfully since staying at the Volnutt-Dei in the evening, Netto and Rockman had discover that, while homeschooled, Moiya's children were actually very well educated, and thus, they would help him with his homework. Mostly Bhuta since it was clear he had taken a shine to both Netto and his Navi.
The sickly boy simply adored the heroic Duo...he simply did.
The rest of Moiya's children were also very friendly and open to Netto and Rockman. Including both twins in any conversation and assuring Rockman that one day, they would play with him.
Netto had also come to learn a bit more about their net Situation and why the were against the use of Netnavis. Once again, it had to do with their belief.
As Hare Krishna, they did not only believe in God, Krishna, but their entire world view differed greatly from the average man and woman. This included believing in celestial administrators in charge of every single aspect of life, from breathing, to blinking and to evacuating...among other vital processes including rain, the wind and fire. And those administrators, also called Demigods, semi-gods and aliens in modern vernacular were under the control of Vishnu, A.K.A god. But higher then Vishnu was Krishna.
They where the same, but different. Narayana (Vishnu) was the business face of God while Krishna was the 'At home with no care' form of the lord, or The Supreme personality of Godhead. Meaning that the Ultimate for of God was a bluish cowherd boy no older then sixteen who loved his mom and family, friends, cows, The forest of Vraja and all the inhabitant of the spiritual Sky.
Oh, and had plenty of girlfriends headed by Srimati-Radharani.
The other thing they believe in was the soul, and not just as an ill-defined substance in a person but as the actual persons.
The soul was the person, not the body. And the soul was sentient, had emotions and desires. Those would make the body move.
And since it was clear Navis were conscious… The last thing the Volnutt-Dei family wanted was to enslave another soul in their service.
Fair enough, Netto had thought. Not that he saw his brother as a slave, they were, as mentioned prior, Partners as good as brothers. And together, they protect the world wide web from treat like terrorism and petty thief.
Added to that was the numerous shady deals in the black market, illegal chips, a few terrorist cells and the like.
This was reported by General Craft. A veteran that had came out of retirement just to help out with the repent Cyber-crimes. His Navi was Elpizo…
No one liked him.
Rockman and Netto had taken note of the key point, given a few observation, same with Enzen, and finally, it was over…
Or...he fell asleep at the conference table, exhausted by his school day and the sadistic P.E teacher.
He just wanted to play soccer! Why did he have to stretch and activate for thirty-minute? It had made his heart pound do heard, he had feared it would've ripped out of his chest.
"Mister Hikari?"
"Netto?...ah?" it seemed even Rockman felt less then optimal. Having once again entered sleep mode.
Netto rubbed his eyes and ran a scan on his PET, still half-asleep. He didn't hear the general walk up to him, and only realized he was there when he put a meaty hand on his diminutive shoulder.
"Son...I know you want to help but, I think it would be better if you go home and call it a night. I'll send you whatever was worth remembering, got it?" The fatherly man spoke gently, and while he was known to be harsh with unruly one, he had taken a shine to Netto.
Netto nodded, it was almost twelve at night, and he had an exam the next day. (ugh!) He took his bag, salute the awesome general and walked out to the waiting driver. Not in the mood to protest.
Thirty-minute later, mister Gray woke Netto up...he was home.
"Do you think Mama came back from her friend's place?" Netto asked his digitized brother, the bitter note in his voice clear to his ear.
"I don't know Netto-kun...but the alarm's on again."
The young net saver sighed, making his way to the front door. Already, he knew the security system would not react to him and Rockman.
But as he was about to open the door to his empty house again. Something told him to...check on his neighbours.
'It's almost midnight...I doubt anyone is awake…' Netto tried to wave off this feeling as he passes his bracelet to the front door. Then he stopped.
At the edge of his hearing...he could hear something, some scream coming from the basement of the Volnutt-Dei family.
"Netto?...w...what is that?" Rockman asked, his digitized voice shaking. "I...Is this a...Ghost?"
"I don't know...Let's check it out." Netto declared as he rolled away from his door and through the backyard, crossing the shared piece of property until they arrived at their sliding door.
There, they heard Moiya scream, she was clearly in a huge amount of pain...and in clear distress.
"That's not good..." Netto murmured. " Rockman, can you hack the door open?"
"No need, you know they never lock their door." Indeed, Netto's new friends were fearless when it came to thieves, telling that whatever they had had very little value, even their giant smart TV was an old refurbished model with a big crack running through the frame.
and indeed, there was a crack that implied something was getting in and out of the TV often.
The young net saver flung the door open.
The usually festive and bright house was dark, and surprisingly quiet all of a sudden.
"Partha! Bhuta! Lavanga!" He yelled. "Eka!"
Nothing, the house was quiet.
"Moiya! Moiya!" He tried instead. What was going on? And where was everyone?
Horrific tales of abuse and house invasion with tragic outcome moved to the forefront of his mind, being a popular subject for cheap T.V drama.
"Hello? Hare Krishna?" he could hear Moiya's voice hoarse and weakened voice coming from the basement through an open door. And then a loud scream of pain. Netto didn't waste a moment of time, he all but tumbled down the stairs and into the basement of the Volnutt-Dei Family.
It was not as bad as he tough, it was a nice space with a bed, a computer station and a bathroom...and this was where Moiya's cry of pain and prayers to the lord could be heard.
"Netto...I think you...I think she may be giving birth." Rockman warned from his PET. "do you want me to call the hospital."
"Yes, please do." Netto nodded as he carefully approached the door, he could hear Moiya's pant and moan...
"H...Hare Krishna...Krishna...Netto? It that- aargh! Is that y-you?"
"Moiya! It's me and Rockman...he's contacting the hospi-"
"No….guh. No….It's...Communications are down." Moiya managed to choke out. "Cyberattack...Ah! I..."
Netto took his PET out. "Rockman!?"
"She right...I couldn't use the phone app, even in emergency." Rockman spoke with great worry, his whole body was trembling with anticipation. "Netto, I think I can reach the hospital server...but it will take some time."
Suddenly, Moiya let out a howl of pain. Spurred by her distress, The young brunette wordlessly jacked-in, having found the Family computer. Then he returned to the bathroom and, listening to his brave heart, swung the door open.
What awaited him was a sight he'd never expected to see in his life.
-WARNING, WARNING, DESCRIPTION OF PARTLY BIRTHING AHEAD, BLOOD, GENITALS AND SOME GRAFFICK DESCRIPTION OF THOSE ITEMS TO BE EXPECTED!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
Moiya was sitting on the floor, the cold tiles were covered with absorbent paper soaked with amniotic fluid and her old clam-shell cell phone was within her reach, but clearly discarded. Moiya whore a simple white cotton dress already stained with sweat.
The woman in question was pale and dripping, the Tilaka (the forehead mark) was washed away and her Tulasi neck beads hung loosely on her heaving breast, she had tied her long mane of hair in a very messy pony-tail…
but...this was not the most terrifying this Netto had ever seen. It was the pair of minuscule feet that dangled from her…
her…
her…
Netto knew what it was, Dekao, being a bit older had Sex-ed and had told him all about it in great details…
the whole reality of what was happening hit the preteen harder than a cannon ball.
There was a pair of baby feet hanging from her vagina…
It should be a head...not a pair of very small and graying purple feet.
"N...Netto...Netto Prabhu..." Moiya gasped. "I...I can't push...you...I'm sorry...You have to…" she cried, helpless tears flowing from her eyes.
Netto didn't need to hear more, he went to the sink, removed his watch, glove and thoroughly washed his hands and nails. Then he returned to Moiya and her about-to-be-born, fearlessly kneeling between her legs, his hands gently grasping the oh so delicate feet of the baby.
'They're so small...Krishna, she's your devotee...please, please don't make me break her.' He prayed to the god those Hare Krishna worshiped...it felt right in such a situation.
"P...Aha!" Moiya gasped. "P...Pull gently...with me...just...help...carefully..."
Netto nodded, once again praying that Rockman would be able to reach the hospital server without his help, being semi-autonomous.
'Saito has it easy.' He thought as he gingerly pulled…
"Netto has it easy," Rockman mumbled to himself as he ran through cyberspace, deleting whatever virus had the misfortune to engage him.
The blue bomber didn't have time for this, he had to reach the hospital server as soon as possible. Otherwise…
someone would not make it out alive.
The Web was quiet at this time of night, only some Navi's would roam the darkened Cyber alley looking for open chat programs. The only one Rockman had to worry about was his rival, Forte, and the black and gold Navi had been missing in action since the Alpha incident.
'I hope he survived somehow.' Rockman had grown fond of the jaded Navi, even if they were supposed to be rivals, he chose to see it as Forte's inability to call anyone a friend.
After learning of his past, Netto and Rockman had vowed that the next time they would meet him, they would invite the dark navi to stay in their personal network, as long as he stopped attacking others.
Of course, this was illegal...but Forte was a friend...and maybe, just maybe he needed to be in a better place, with people that cared about him.
Even his Mama said it was a good idea.
...this had been before Alpha swallowed him.
Sure, it may have been his fault, falling for Lord Wily's trap but...it was hard not to feel bad for him.
'Why am I thinking about Forte now!' Rockman scowled. 'I need to focus...I need to reach the sea-side hospital as soon as possible.'
To be honest, ever since this morning, his head felt foggy… So the whole endeavour was harder than it should be for the now experience blue Navi.
he had done a virus scan, cleared his cash and did everything in his power to restore himself to optimal...but it did very little.
Rockman remembered what his papa had told him after he had gotten him out of the safe room...
'Saito...You're not a Navi like any other, your core's human and...It may fail.' Those were his words, spoken gravely from his Papa...Saito...Rockman had no idea a Navi could have a human core...but this would explain why he and his brother could synchronize perfectly.
He was Saito...and he used to be human...a fragile human turned Navi. And he had managed to return from deletion.
But it was clear there would be consequences, consequences only he and his brother were privies too...once again, Mama was not supposed to know of it...not ever.
'Please don't fail me now core...not when two lives are at risk.' Rockman prayed as he desperately ran, fighting through dizziness and shortness of breath.
Navis didn't need to breathe, they didn't have blood and...and why did he have a headache? Why was it so hard to focus? Why was the ground feeling like...like…
cotton? no...water?
He tripped on his own feet...his head hurt, his chest hurt…
it hurt.
"Papa...It hurt!" Rockman painfully wheezed as he tried to catch his bearings…
what was happening to him…?what was happening to him? He was feeling fine...just a few moments ago…
'Oh no…'
the hospital...he had to get...the hospital.
Moiya's baby...she needed help…
He managed to find his feet, and after selecting a giga recovery chip, resumed his trek to the tree of life server.
He ran, stumbled really…. running away from fights...he didn't have time.
His time was up for real...he just hoped his brother...he brother could forgive him...and… go to school… and take care of Mama...
Somehow or other reached the hospital domain, the main Data-pathway was clogged with programs trying to call the emergency department. Having the same idea as Saito...
Thankfully, he knew where the back door was, and thus Rockman resumed his run, now no better than a limp.
His lungs were on fire, he could barely take in any air.
He felt as if he was drowning.
He felt so sick…
He put his hand to his knees and tried to catch his breath...but he only managed to attract the attention of a few viruses.
Rockman tried to get up and manifest his Buster….but his vision swam.
Suddenly, those powerful viruses were deleted by a barrage of familiar purple shots.
"Ah! So we meet again." He heard a familiar voice...one he had never thought he would hear again.
A voice he had hoped and dreaded to hear.
He reopened his eyes...and indeed, it was Forte.
The dark reploid sneered, he radiated with the type of power that went beyond what a normal Navi should carry...or Rockman somehow managed to get even weaker.
The capped herald of darkness sneered at Rockman's pathetic sight. "What the hell's wrong with you Rokku? You look like you about to keel over." He got his buster out. "Mind if I help you?" he gave a maddened grin.
"Y….Yes…" He wheezed, his lungs...something a Navi should not have, were burning, and he felt as if he was trying to breathe through a clogged straw. "F...Forte...Forte…" He gasped, falling to his knees clutching his chest as a frightfully familiar pain pierced his heart.
He didn't know when he felt it...but he knew it wasn't good.
Everything went dark...his water was cold.
it was too cold...it was to cold...
his chest hurts...everything hurt...everything burnt...
"Rock? ROCKMAN!?"
"G...Huh…" His vision swam...he could only see darkness...something was in his throat...no air came in...Papa outside….speaking to Saito, his left hand hurt...his chest hurt…
was he dying?
It felt like dying.
Was he dying again? It felt like it.
The image of Moiya struggling to give birth...the same blond woman gray and pale, and her baby no better...Netto crying...another failure.
He gritted his teeth and got up, somebody was helping him...it was Forte…
"Rockman?" The usually sadistic Navi looked at Rockman with confusion and fear. It was so different from his usual sneer.
He shook his head… "I had...I glitch." He wheezed. "I...I'm fine…" He pushed himself away from Forte and resumed his buster.
He was a Navi...Navi's didn't need to breathe...they didn't get sick…
He was not a boy...he was not Saito...he was Rockman…
Saito was dead...and he needed to get Moiya's help before his core burst.
He had to save his little brother from the trauma of failing to save three lives...he may no be present for the rest of his life...but Netto was strong…
He had to be strong…
'Oh Krishna...Oh God….please...protect my brother...'
He reopened his eyes…
At least….atleast he got to See Forte one last time...best would've been either Blue or Roll.
"You...survived Alpha." He managed to convey with a smile. " That's good."
"Rokku." Forte reached out to the blue bomber, clearly confused and terrified at the sight.
"Netto and I...we were worried." His lungs...no...he had no lungs, he was a Navi…
They were not filling with water...and his blood was not staining the water red.
He was not freezing...he was not choking…
this was just an illusion...and Papa was not looking at him sometimes, his face impassive.
Forte stared, this was definitely not as he had envisioned his encounter with Rockman, the new king of Uranet apparently.
He had heard rumours that the kid had managed to defeat the mercy-freak. Taking the title for himself.
First of all, this title belonged to Forte, and second...he was way too young to be a king, he would probably change the landscape to be something as stupid as a soccer or anime theme.
Kids these days.
But at the moment, his blue rivals looked no stronger than a dying metaur.
No...A dying metaur was not a good compassion since those weak viruses would simply poof out of existence once hit...Rockman looked ghost-like, his skin translucent, his eyes dulled with pain and…
and he acted like a dying human...he was breathing shallowly.
Forte didn't breathe, and he never managed to choke anyone yet, only to break their neck…' This is wrong...this is so wrong.' He thought in panic.
In the privacy of his mind, the dark Navi was scared beyond belief…
Rockman began to walk further, his movement stiff and mechanical...he walked past the terrified Forte like a wraith...or one of those zombies kids seemed to like.
he didn't want his rival to die like that. Rockman deserved better the randomly dropping dead on the way to the tree of life. He deserved better than dying like a human.
He deserved to die fighting a powerful opponent, and this opponent was Forte and no one else.
Rockman didn't even react as he slowly but surely made his way to the backdoor entrance of the hospital server. But to be honest, Forte would rather he go through the front door. Even with the bottleneck and the backlog of programs and call for help clogging the way in.
the programs there must not be so busy with the panicked Navi as to ignore Rockman in his time of need. Let alone Forte.
He knew he wouldn't.
He turned his sight to Rockman… he looked awfully focused on the road ahead. Clearly fighting to even walk through a pain a Navi never should have.
"Rokku?" Forte asked, glad that no one was around to see him in his panicked state.
He had a reputation to maintain...a dying Rockman or not.
Nothing… The Heroic blue Navi was completely silent.
"Rokku?" Forte tried again, hating how weak and unsure he sounded.
This was not normal...this was not normal at all.
He had heard rumours that Netto was made by Netto's dad...and other rumours said that Doc Hikari had done some...very unethical thing to get a Navi that strong that could synchronize with his Son.
'After this...I need to hack into sci-lab and see what the hell doc Yuchiro did to him…' He resolved as he slung his arms around Rockman, helping him to walk and deleting whatever viruses were stupid enough to engage the herald of darkness.
Now so close and in a 'peaceful' situation, Forte could appreciate just how...small and thin Rockman was compared to him.
He...looked like a child. A sick one...
Rockman didn't speak...and Forte doubted the dying Navi was even aware of his surrounding.
He felt sick to the core...this...this wasn't Rockman...Rockman was not that weak, Rockman was not dying. He was a God among Navi! And nothing short of Forte had the right to destroy him in an epic battle to the death!
Not...not like this!
But... there were still outside circumstances, Rokku was not as free as Forte would've liked, and his Net-Saver was...well, he had his moment's of intelligence, especially in battle but...
"Rockman, did you dumb net-op jacked in a hot-chip?" He asked. Referring to the counterfeited chip ridden with bugs and problems.
"...no…" The blue bomber wheezed. He could still speak...but the whole endeavour seemed too hard for the blue Navi.
Forte clenched his jaw, the fact that Rockman didn't react to his insult to his Net-op didn't bode well. "Did he downloaded a shifty skin from those back-alley websites?"
"N...no...no…" Rockman managed to shake his head. Giving some hope to Forte that all was not lost.
"Did he opened a dangerous link in his spam folder? Downloaded a game ROM? An emulator?"
Once again, Rockman weakly shook his head, holding his chest…. His legs stilled by the pain. And then, he fell with a week gasp…
Forte held him close lowering Rockman to the ground yet still holding him.
This...this couldn't be happening...Rockman's power was above and beyond himself and Serenade, even Alpha was no match for the combined might of Rockman and Netto.
And Serenade would always speak highly about the two and how they were God sent Net-protector.
Now...Forte had no idea if he should be mad that he'd been defeated by a glitchy and unstable Navi and his snotty brat over and over again. Or if he should be sad and empty since the only other powerful Navi in the world was about to be...to be…
"F...Forte…" Rockman Gasped reached up...and grabbed his cloth. "It...It Hurt…" He sobbed. "It hurt...papa...papa…" He squeezed his eyes shut as his legs weakly trashed, his whole body shaking from the pain.
Navis never felt pain from the inside, and they could turn it off to fight more efficiently.
Of course, a strong enough hit would still hurt and stun them. But nothing inside a Navi should cause him this much pain.
"Fort...rr.. tha...Argh." Rockman whimpered.
Quite spontaneously, The black navi wrapped his arms around the much smaller one.
He had been designed and programmed to be an ever, self-updating security testing program, a Navi that could think and act upon his own decisions, and a Navi that had no level cap and no limit to what he could do. He was by nature fearless and careless but those weaker than him, especially those who held the taint of Cossack's treacherous print.
In other words, he was as good as God here. The dark god even Gospel had bowed to him.
He'd thought that until he met.
His goal of life had been nebulous before that, just to become stronger, to be the most feared and to destroy all of humanity. Then his Goal shifted to kill Rockman.
Right now...something more powerful than Rockman and Forte combined had brought the otherworldly powerful Navi to his knees. And it was now killing him…
Something other than Forte was deleting Rockman…
This was unacceptable!
Rockman gave a jolt, his 'breathing' program freezing, his lips turned a peculiar shade of blue and…
His form unravelled, the binaries making up Rockman's body breaking apart as his source code…
He reached to Rockman's emblem and grabbed it before it could dissolve.
"ABILITY GET!"
Not in his watch.
back at the Volnutt-Dei home, everything was quiet. All lights were off and his wife was still probably sleeping in the basement with their two new bundles of joy.
'And I missed it...curse you cyber-peacock.' Ekachakra das internally grumbled. He had been with his young wife when she gave birth to their quadruplets...and he had been there when their first child failed to breathe. But Alas, his Maya had been amendment that he go and offer his support to the Netopien cyber-force.
Some of them were too young for the Job...but then, most of his God-given progeny were already proficient warriors at twelve. Still, Papa-1 would make sure they didn't have to face international threats until he knew they were above sixteen and able to defeat him more than once.
Never the less...two more souls were now under his protection. He had two more God-given babies…
A pair of Baby girls, if his mother was right.
He exited the TV set and retracted his blue cyber-armour by tapping his chest insignia twice. Sighing in relief at the cumbersome wing disappeared as data. Behind him, his children, tired by the long and arduous night also emerged from the Net, yawning and blearily performing the same action their father had performed.
In their armour, they looked like teens, trained warriors, but once out.
Those Amazing and eternally liberated souls would resume their roles as his dear children sent by God to save the world. His Kids...his Babies.
"Papa…" His little mermaid asked as she slid her ice spear under the couch. "Can we sleep in today?"
The other four Cyber-guardians echoed his youngest sentiment, they were bruised, exhausted and just about to drop where they stood.
Ekachakra looked at his brood with equal part pride, love and relief. This had been their first major cyber-attack. And they had all performed admirably.
"Ekachakra-Prabhu." Prometheus approached his adopted father, his whole body shaking. "You...something happened. Didn't it?" He asked, his voice quivering.
He was still in his armour, looking like the eponymous grim-reaper with his scythe. And yet, his red pin pricked eyes have held a vulnerability only a child who suffered from abuse could have.
And hope...real hope.
Ekachakra took a few steps toward his adopted son and held his shoulder. A smile on his face.
"Pitha?" Partha-sharati asked, his voice sweet and curious. "Pitha...did...did mama."
An air of anticipation filled the living room. All had the feeling they knew what happened tonight.
"Prometheus...Moiya gave birth." Plenty of gasps filled the room. "I wanted to stay with her, but she told me to follow you and make sure you would all return in one piece," he revealed to his saintly children.
They all gained a deep look of worry and outrage.(save for Prometheus who practically collapsed to the ground, his joy too great to contain.) "Dad! How could you?" Hari-Pryia stared at him aghast. "Mommy's tummy was holding twin! It's like twice as dangerous!"
"Don't worry Pryia-ji. Moiya gave birth to you four without any assistance, I was just here to hold the towels." It had been the most stress-inducing and humbling experience in his life.
As in, he could provide and maintain Krishna's devotees by his work. But he had been of no use, just awkwardly standing in the sideline as the love of this life screamed as she gave birth to quadruplets at her father's home, his dad in law out on a preaching trip with his dear wife.
He came back to the greatest surprise parents could have.
"Papa…" Bhutheshvara's quiet voice broke his happy thought. "The back door's wide open…"
Spontaneously, Ekachakra took shelter of Lord Narashima-deva, the protector form of God.
Wordlessly, the Vaishnava family made their way to the basement, Ekachakra das could smell the distinct aroma or after birth.
It wasn't so bad...but there was the coppery smell of blood that stung all of their hypersensitive noses.
A side effect of being in cyber-space for a few hours.
"Oh ew...I hope I won't smell that bad when I make you a grand-papa, papa." Lavanga piped up from somewhere in the back.
It was almost enough to break the tension...but what really shattered it was when he caught sight of the little neighbour passed out on his couch. His PET was hooked to the family's Net-Gateway, the screen black, Ekachakra's glorious wife was beside him, and two bundles of Krishna's mercy were beside her… swaddled in…
Pink.
'Oh Krishna! More precious princess' He felt as if he was still floating in cyberspace...he had a new pair of baby girl to spoil and raised to Krishna's lotus feet again.
His joy was beyond words.
"What's Parikshita doing here?" Prometheus asked.
"You can ask him after you remove your armour Prahlad." Ekachakra reminded his other son, who did so as quietly as possible.
Lavanga and Hari-Pryia gasped at the sights of the newborn, cooing and fretting about how small and adorable they were. While Bhuteshwara and Partha-Sharathi were busying themselves with cleaning the mess the birth had generated.
Ekachakra took the time to take the scene in...this…
Was God's grace made manifest. Even if one of his sons had a fragile heart and one daughter's destiny did not include a husband and children, and even if his 'Job' was really but pro-bono work, Ekachakra never felt as satisfied with his life as of now.
As he kneeled beside his slumbering wife, new responsibilities and his -son- Brave neighbour, he offered in charity, trough the power of his mind, ten million cows covered with gold and silk blanket, thousand of hills made of grains and sweets and millions upon millions of obeisances to the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord.
'Tomo...ah, yes, tomorrow, I will go to the temple and ask everyone to bless my two girls.' He had two more girls to take care of…
Oh...he would...he would…
"Hmm? Prabhu? Pappu?" Moiya groggily asked, awakened by the blissful shaking of her husband. "W...what time is it?"
"It's almost five in the morning...Oh Moiya, they're beautiful." Ekachakra whispered out as he gazed at the now serene face of the two new-born.
"Yeah...almost didn't make it."
All the blood in Ekachakra's body froze...as were his two older girls.
"Don't worry. Bhagavan sent Parikshita...he pulled Croire out…" Maya mumbled as she held her husband's shaking hand. "His mom'll kill me...but I think I'll survive."
She heard her now eldest daughter gasp. "Mom! Another man saw your yoni." Hari-Pryia spoke with a flustered face., her cheeks so red the marks under her eyes were practically indistinguishable.
"Girls, sometimes, you have to be practical about some things," Maya instructed. "If I would've followed Shastra, then chances are that Croire and Pandora would be dead...again." She huffed. "I Swear, I gave birth to you four without any trouble. Painful as hell and it took the whole day...but you all came out without a hitch. Now I gave birth to just two tiny girls…" She yawned. "urhg...that's Krishna teaching me not to get cocky, isn't He?"
At her small, post-natal rent, Eka fondly kissed his wife. "Just rest...you did God Mama."
"Mother Maya...may I." Prometheus shyly began to ask, his gaze never leaving the two bundles newborn as he wrung his hands. "May I hold Pandora?"
Moiya smiled kindly at her adopted son...he came from so far, but he was now shaping up to be a Vaishnava gentleman. "Of course you may, Pappu. I'm sure your sister missed you...but don't neglect Croire tough...I think...oh Krishna, I forgot who was who."
Prometheus smiled, he knew his sister. He went to pick up the little bundle. the one with red birthmark on her forehead., the same one that had been tattooed on his own a decade ago…. The small family could hear his sniffing and holding his sobs as he held onto his reborn sister.
At that moment, only two people had dried eyes...
Bhuteshvara and Partha returned from having discarded the bio-waste to be burned. The frail child looked worried, especially when he glanced at Netto and his PET.
"Mama...Did Netto Prabhu called-" Bhuteshwara started before he stopped himself. "No...he couldn't...not even mama could since, the terrorist took down all form of radio based comunication." he deduced, behind him, Partha took a picture of the still jubilant Prometheus and blinked owlishly.
"But how 'bout Rock?" He asked. "Rock can travel through the web, don't you think his brother would've sent him out to get an ambulance?"
"He did." Moiya nodded, her face showing deep concern for her second Neighbor. "Eka, what time is it?"
"It's almost five Maya," he replied, feeling his stomach drop to the bottom of his feet.
A look of horror twisted Maya's features. "Oh no, Netto send him out at midnight...No ambulance came." tears filled her eyes as she covered her mouth.
Bhuteshwara rushed to their home terminal and took the PET, booting it out of sleep mode.
"M...Moiya." he choked out as tears fell from his reddish eyes. "It's...Rockman's...the PET's empty." he began to sob gently as he clutched the cold machine in his hands. "Rocku's…"
"He's gone...isn't he?" Netto suddenly spoke up from the couch. He looked sad...but not surprised. "No...he's not gone...I know he's not gone…" he got up, shaking. "I...I can still feel him...I can still feel Saito…" he gasped as he grabbed his heart, his face pale. "S...Saito…"
Prometheus took his two new sisters away, unwilling to go through this type of drama again.
The Volnutt-Dei all surrounded the traumatized young man, sharing his pain and praying for the soul of his twin to find shelter at the lotus feet of Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai.
meanwhile, just as the sun had climbed halfway over the horizon, Haruka finally arrived home. Pulling the car to the curb…
Well no, it was a self-driving car. The drive back to her abode gave her ample opportunity to catch back on her sleep.
She stirred from the spacious back seat. The night had been as crazy as Serenade, Lumine and Mamoru had warned her about.
She was about to get out of the car when she saw none other than one of her crazy neighbors forlornly sitting on her front porch. It was the rarely seen man. His skin was darker than an European and his face handsome. His right hand was in a colourful bag while the other held his face. It was clear he was sleeping in broad daylight.
On, her. Front. Porch.
Now fully awake, Haruka got out of the car and stalked toward the next door cultist, unwilling to risk having her son come in contact with this...this...terrible person.
She stood as close as she dared to the sleeping brunette, taking her time to that, despite what he was following, he was not a scientist stuck in the lab and hunched over a computer screen all day but a man who clearly worked out.
His skin had a healthy, almost otherworldly glow, his hair was full and dark and…
'No Haruka, Yuishiro may be a bit too close to his secretary, but it doesn't mean you have to start running after another man, mom and dadtaught you better than that.' Besides, he was a Hare Krishna...and he was married.
She had vowed that she would never take a husband away from his wife.
It was a pain she never wished on her worst enemies.
Still, Haruka could still...look.
Suddenly, the handsome man stirred awake. "K...Krishna Krishna Hare hare...Uh…" He wiped his mouth. "He Bhagavan...sorry about that."
Haruka raised a brow...and cleared her throat. Her neighbour noticed and immediately got to his feet.
"Oh, Madam Hikari." he bowed. And Haruka could not help but notice how...drawn and tired he looked. "My name's Ekachakra das, Your son is safe, he's staying at our home...don't get mad at him, he's actually a good friend to our kids and…" He drew his hand through his hair. His voice was...not terribly deep, it was very soft and pleasing to hear.
Then she remembered seeing him singing with the other cultist down-town. The city had tried to stop them, but they were under the protection of the Bharata-varsa consul...not only that but having them all arrested only seemed to give them more enthusiasm.
"what happened?" She asked, now more on guard than ever.
Dedene town had suffered from yet another Cyber-attack...and her son always seemed to either get into a life or death situation or forced to get into something much bigger them him.
He was only eleven, for crying out loud, and already, he went through more than what any mand went through. Including being radiated.
They were still holding their breath on that one, there was no way a human could survive this level of radiation.
Ekachakra took a breath with a slight smile on his lips. "He saved my wife and two newborns...I'll be able to tell you the detail, but my Family now consider your Netto a hero and own him a great debt."
"Oh...that's..nice." Great...just great. This was the last thing she wanted her only surviving son to have. For all she knew, her baby (and his digital brother.) was being slowly and methodically brainwashed to become a slave to one of Ekachakra's daughters...maybe even both.
"But...something happened last night…" Ekachakra lowered his eyes...and deep dread gripped Haruka throat and spine.
"your son...He lost his Navi-Brother."Ekachakra spoke regretfully. "He sent Rockman to get an ambulance since all communications were down." He lowered his eyes, his pleasing voice growing quiet. "He...Rockman never returned to his PET… We're sorry it had to be like this."
Tears fell from Haruka's bright green eyes… Rockman...Saito…
"Madam...I think you should come with me. My house is just behind yours and...and we're preparing a memorial for your Digital son." Ekachakra extends the grim invitation. "Netto… he needs his mother right now. He can't accept that his brother has passed away."
"And if I follow you, will you brainwash me too?" Haruka asked, ready to call her friend if anything weird was about to happen.
A humorous smile that was equally sad tugged at Ekachakra's lips. "Well...it depend on what you mean by that. But now, we just want to give a proper send-off to your second brave son."
"Alright...But I warn you, if you tried anything weird or if I find the water strange-"
"you will call your friend?" The family man asked with a very knowing tone that matched his smile.
"Yes."
"Good, I would love to meet the ones who keep you away from your son all night." Ekachakra mildly scowled her with a smile. "My children have been helping him with his schoolwork while you and your husband are away."
Haruka felt the jab, and she flinched.
Yes, she knew she had been absent from her sons' life more than she would like...but it was for their own good. His own good.
"Come...he's waiting for you."
The walk to the Volnutt Family home was quiet save for Haruka's questions. But it seemed that Mister Ekachakra had already told her all he knew. As for why he and his children were not present for the birth?
Mister Ekachakra happened to be a technician at the sea-side hospital, specializing in ransom-ware eradication. And with the cyber-terrorist attack yesterday, he had his hands full, and his progeny had visited papa at work...and ended up staying there as he prevented the hospital from having their vital system locked and corrupted.
It…made a scary amount of sense.
Finally, they arrived at his home. And if Haruka would be honest with herself, it was even more cozy and homey than her own house.
She could smell the natural incense and fresh flowers. The walls were decorated with framed filled with indie prints of a blue boy playing the flute, herding his cows and dancing with a girl with golden skin. But under all this, her nose could pick up the distinct smell of off…
it was clear someone had given birth here…
"Please forgive me for the smell. We didn't have the time to clean everything thoroughly." Ekachakra apologized as he removed his shoes.
"It's fine...I just want to see my-" she heard a gasp, raising her head Haruka saw one of Ekachakra's girls, the one with the blue hair.
Now under scrutiny, she could clearly see that it was indeed her natural hair colour, for even her browns the hair on her arms held the same hue.
She grabbed Haruka's wrist. "Your Netto and ...and Rockman's Mama!" She deduced, her grip surprisingly strong for her size. "Please...Netto needs you." And thus, barely having the time to but the slipper, Haruka was dragged deeper in the cultist's home.
Nothing seemed amiss... there was a nice atmosphere filled with love and...and the whole place was presently clean.
Soon enough, she saw her only surviving son sitting beside another youth with an ice blue mullet.
Upon closer inspection, Haruka realized that all of the Volnutt kids….saved the blue girl were fast asleep on the couch, her son was in the middle of them, using the eldest lap as a pillow, the red-haired boy was holding Netto protectively as he slept, the green-haired girl was beside her eldest brother and the sickly young boy was sleeping on the floor, holding his hands.
It took a moment for Haruka to make sure he was not dead, the poor child looked as if his parents were keeping him inside all day and with very little food.
"I wish he wasn't this thing." Ekachakra spoke from another couch. "It's not as bad as it should be, but our Bubu won't get or look any better in this lifetime."
"what's wrong with him?" Haruka asked the handsome father of...seven. So far he hadn't tried anything weird.
Ekachakra leaned back on the couch and rubbed his face tiredly. "HBD."
The memory of her Saito screaming in pain as his diseased heart tried to rip itself apart met her mind eyes. "Why isn't he in the hospital." She spoke harsher than she wanted...but the children, so tired by yesterday's event, didn't stir.
"Because it won't make it better. Right now, he's at his healthiest." Ekachakra opened his green eyes. "We don't believe in drugs with more side effects than unproven benefits. He's still with us and will remain in his present body until it's time for him to go. He won't live a day longer or shorter."
Haruka opened her mouth to protest, but Ekachakra beat her to it. "We believe in destiny and reincarnation. Right now, we have done whatever was possible for him. And he plays like a normal child, eats like a horse and pesters us for a cat… He gets winded very quickly, and sometimes his chest pains him. But if he would be in the hospital, his life would be more miserable."
"But what if...what if he would have a life-threatening episode? If his heart would stop!" Haruka's voice raised...only to be lowered in a whisper. Still remembering the horrible day. "He could die."
"Then well be here for him," Ekachakra assured her, his tired eyes holding a wisdom older than time itself. "Miss Hikari. In what we practice, we call death the final exam. We are not afraid of it, for we know it's not the end."
"But he's-"
"A soul, the eternal soul made of bliss and consciousness. Death only applies to the body." He explained. "Death, disease and old age will come to all of us in time, and it's our duty to prepare for the inevitable."
"And that's what your cult is all about."
"Partly." Ekachakra grinned...then he suddenly scrambled for his PET…
No...wait. His cellphone. And old smartphone to boot.
"Yes, Devi what do you...Yes, Haruka's here...no our kids are all sleeping like logs. Netto won't wake up for a few more hours...Yes...yes...Y...ah...No, I forgot." He spoke Sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yes...I see. Of course….how about you, do you need anything devi?" he paused. "yes...I see. Alright, I'll see you later." he closed his phone and got up. "It was my wife...she wants to meet you."
"Oh, and where is she?" Haruka asked as she also got up, knowing her son, Netto would probably sleep until noon.
Somehow, it felt right for him to sleep surrounded but cult children...he Mom instinct telling her that everything was fine saved the fact that Rockman was...probably deleted or lost in the web.
'I should call the police... maybe Enzen-kun. I'm sure he and Blue could find him…' even at age twelve, the young hair of the Iujin family was already making a name for himself as a very bright and successful detective, what to say of a net saver…
At age twelve.
She clenched her fist...tonight, she would meet her two friends again, she needed to get better as soon as possible.
The fight wars were not the duty of a child...it was the duties of man and woman trained and willing to die for the nation.
"Miss Haruka?" Ekachakra broke her out of her mind. "please, follow me. My wife and my two daughters are in the basement."
"In the basement?"
"Yes, Maya's desire...the basement belongs to her and all of my daughters, the second floor goes to my sons and I sleep on the couch," he explains with a smile. " We've lived like this since my first...brood took birth."
"But... don't you sleep with her?" Haruka asked, personally longing for the presence of a man to warm up her bed, more specifically her wayward husband.
"Only when necessary," Ekachakra spoke curtly, leading Haruka down to their basement.
There, the smell of vinegar and lemon met her nose. 'Oh, so I'm not the only one who prefers this smell to chemicals then.' Then she finally go to see Ekachakra's wife.
She was reclining on a mattress on the floor, a few fluffy pillows were around her, but what caught Haruka's attention were the two sleeping bundle of joy nestles in her arms.
She was… a beautiful woman. Tired, blond and swaddled in a white dress, she could not help but feel that this woman was...otherworldly.
Maya raised her eyes, a warm and inviting smile on her lips. "Oh, Hello madam Hikari." she greeted with a kind smile. "It's good to see you in person. Your Glorious, Netto keep praising your cooking and how nice, beautiful, brave, and caring you are."
"Oh...ah, thank you." Haruka bowed. The last thing she had expected was praises.
"And I can see how you have passed those praiseworthy qualities to them." Sorrow replaced her smile. "I...Rockman was also a friend of my children...and ours also. He may not have reached the ambulance, but he was willing to risk his life to save us three." her eyes never left her two newborns. "He sacrificed his life for us..."
"I see…"
Maya sighed. "I had hoped we could've met in a better circumstance, I'm telling you."
"yes…" Haruka began to fidget.
She could still remember a time when she was in the same position as Maya...with two baby boy's sleeping as close to her heart she dared to.
"S...Rockman's not gone."
Haruka whirled around to face her son. Netto's eyes were still heavy with sleep and red with tears. But they held a determination that had save the world quite a few times…
"Oh...Netto-kun." Haruka sadly murmured, knowing that this was the stage of denial. She walked to her son and embraced him. " Netto…"
"I can still feel him...he's still here I know it!" Netto stated, his eyes were filled with thears and the same determination.
"Netto! Netto listen. he's-" But Haruka could not finish her phrase, her phone began to ring...it was Enzen-kun.
Netto all but pounced on his mother's purse and fished the phone out, answering it.
"Yes...It's Netto….Yes…" Then Netto but the speaker on.
"- Rockman...I repeat, Blue found Rockman...But...I don't think it's him anymore. Mister Craft want to see us all as soon as possible."
In the U.S a nine-year-old boy had to bull out his baby brother from his mother, the baby was breached too.
SO if a nine year old can assist his mother like that while he waits for an ambulance, then so can Netto.