Yuichiro's hands flew across the keyboard, as he looked at Megaman's frame. He sighed heavily, noting how much damage was done.
"Zero… run diagnostics."
"Running."
Zero looked away from the test for a moment. Megaman was laid out on a table, encased by rings, trying to hold his frame together. X was standing by his side, holding one of his hands.
"Come on kiddo, wake up for us…"
Zero looked back to the test, flinching visibly.
"His core data was completely derezzed… His memories are intact, but… it's only a matter of time before his body derezzes too. What do you wanna do about this?"
Yuichiro looked to where Lan was. The boy's head was in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Ciel was sitting beside him, stroking his back.
"... Pull up the synchro rates detected from the battle."
"What?"
"You heard me, Zero. Because while you didn't see it, I could see how in sync they were moving."
And… if I have to…
I'm not going to lose him again. Not again...
Zero sighed, bringing up the footage. It was still painful to watch.
I swear, when I get my hands on that navi, I'm tearing them apart bit by bit…
Yuichiro watched intently, before pausing it.
"There…"
100% Synchro Rate…
"Yu… You don't mean to test that today. On your own son."
"I don't have a choice, do I? Tell the others to get ready. We'll meet you in the synchro lab." He turned away from the screen, walking over to Lan and Ciel.
"Uncle Yu… Is Megaman gonna be okay?" Ciel asked.
"Ciel… I need to talk to Lan alone for a bit." He said, keeping his voice gentle. "I'll fill you in later, promise."
Lan looked up at this, tears still running down his face. He sniffed, wiping at his eyes.
"G-Go, I'll see you later."
"You sure?"
"Yeah…"
Ciel hugged him quickly before she headed out. Once she was gone, Lan turned to his father, a distraught look on his face.
"It's bad isn't it? You guys always send other people out if it's really bad…"
"It is... but I have a means to fix it... However, there's something I need to tell you. Something I should've told you sooner." Yuichiro helped Lan to his feet, bringing him over to the monitor that displayed Megaman. "Lan... Megaman is a very special navi. I don't say that because he's my creation or that he's yours... it's because it is true."
"What... do you mean?" Lan wiped at his eyes. "What's special about Megaman?"
Yuichiro sighed.
"14 years ago... I was on the brink of perfecting a project of mine. A project that would allow true synchronization between netop and navi. It was something that would help improve net battling and help net agents coordinate better with their navis. Something all could benefit from. So close yet... I couldn't crack the code. This was put on hold when around the same time, a very happy moment occurred for both me and Haruka."
Yuichiro smiled, remembering that day at the hospital.
"Congratulations Dr. Hikari, you have two healthy baby boys!"
"The birth of our dear sons... Lan Netto Hikari... and Hub Saito Hikari."
Lan's eyes widened at this.
"Sons... Hub...? I... I had a brother?"
Yuichiro nodded, sighing.
"You did... However... that happy moment faded when Hub became very sick. Back then, medicine for his condition didn't exist. No treatments... no means of coping... no means of surviving. It was a very hard time for both me and your mother. It was then I threw myself back into my research, trying to see if there was anything I could do to help Hub... it was then the answer came for my synchro project. If a navi was part human... then it would allow for a better synchro... even more so if the navi and netop were blood related. Especially twins." Yuichiro looked at Megaman. "That... is when Megaman was born."
"What!?" Lan looked to Megaman, his eyes widening…They had always been close, ever since they met… and sometimes, Lan swore Megaman knew him better than he knew himself…
But this?
"He's… He's my brother?"
"Yes… Your older twin brother."
"Did he know?"
Yuichiro nodded, bringing an arm around Lan's shoulders.
"Yes… Lan, he knew everything from the beginning… He wanted to help look out for you still and was so happy to fight alongside you… Protect you."
Lan was speechless, trying to process it all. He had a brother…
And I've been making him fight for years, since I was 10…
What kind of brother does that?!
"Well, he should have a better netop!" Lan blurted out, looking away. "He trusted me and this is what happened! What kind of crappy brother does that!?"
"Lan." Yuichiro squeezed his shoulder, getting his attention. "Please, don't blame yourself for what happened… You could NOT have known."
"But… I…" He looked down. "I couldn't protect him either…"
"That wasn't your fault. You did amazing…" Yuichiro gave him a reassuring look. "And that's why you can help save him."
"How?"
Yuichiro pulled up specifications for a set of pods.
"It relates back to my research. There is a way to rebuild his frame, using yours… but you'll have to be directly part of the process. You'll essentially be fused for a brief time… But I won't do it without your consent Lan."
Lan looked to Megaman, bringing his hand to the screen.
"Do it." He looked up at him, narrowing his eyes. "Save him, please!"
"Let's go then." He turned back to the screen. "Zero, you and X take Hub to the synchro lab. Now."
"You got it."
He led Lan out of the room and to another lab. In the center of the lab were two large pods… One flickered to life as a projection of Megaman appeared under its glass. X's holoform appeared beside it a moment later.
Lan rushed over, pressing close to the pod.
"Hub!" He called out. "Hang in there just a bit longer okay? I'm gonna fix this… It's gonna be fine."
Megaman didn't respond, the navi still unconscious.
"What do we need to do?" Lan asked, looking to Yuichiro.
Yuichiro gestured to the other pod.
"Lay down in there and hold as still as possible. I won't lie, this is going to hurt." Yuichiro frowned. "I understand if you want to back down at hearing this. I can always find another way-"
Lan practically shoved Yuichiro out of his way, getting into the pod, taking his headband off.
"Forget it! He's my brother, I'm doing it!" He laid back. "If it hurts, I'll suck it up! I know how much pain he was in fighting Bass."
Yuichiro sighed, before he smiled a little, stroking his hair.
"Alright. Just tell us if it gets to be too much, okay?"
"We both know I won't."
"Just like your brother." Yuichiro stepped back, closing the pod. "Last chance."
"Just turn the darn thing on." Lan smirked. "I'm not scared. Promise."
"No… I am. But that's part of being a father." He turned to the controls, starting to enter in commands. "... I love you."
"Love you too."
"And I am so sorry for this."
"Stop apologiz-"
Yuichiro hit the command to start the process. Lan let out a small yelp as electricity shot through the pod.
"A-ACK!" Lan closed his eyes tightly. "I-It's okay… This doesn't hurt!"
Yuichiro winced, looking to Zero on the monitor.
"Zero, keep track of his vitals. If it's getting to be too much, please halt the procedure."
"Understood."
Lan bit his lip, fighting against the pain, focusing his eyes on Megaman.
I'm not giving up on you.
Just like you never gave up on me.
oooooo
He was in pain. Unable to move. He never thought he'd experience this piercing pain in his chest ever again yet here he was.
Megaman wanted to scream out but he couldn't, tears rolling down his face.
Mom... Dad... Lan... I want my family!
"Hub! Hub! Can you hear me?"
Megaman looked around at hearing his real name... and startled at the voice that was calling to him.
"Lan...?" He managed to whisper.
It was dark all around Megaman, only slight sparks of electricity here and there but other than that, total blackness.
A faint glow appeared above him before Lan materialized, floating right above him, desperation in his green eyes.
"Hub!"
"L-Lan...?" Megaman gasped. "W-What's going on? Where am I? And... how… how did you get here?"
"I'm not sure I entirely understand it myself but we're working on fixing you. I was concentrating on my part and then... the next moment I appeared here... and I'm not sure where here is but... I'm here." Lan reached a hand out to him. "I know the truth now, Hub... and... I... I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I... I'm sorry for being such a lousy brother."
Megaman's eyes widened, before he tried to reach out in turn.
"L-Lousy? Who told you that?!" He managed to grasp his hand tightly in his. "You're not lousy…"
Lan pulled himself closer, until they were beside each other, cuddling up to his brother's side.
"Yes I am! I'm loud, I'm annoying, I never listen when you tell me to do something the first five times, I make you netbattle and now look at where that got you! Why… would you want a lousy brother like me for a netop?" Lan's voice cracked as he held Megaman's hand tightly with both of his. "Why not stay around Dad? O-Or Mom… Heck, Alouette would've been a better choice and she wasn't even born yet!"
"Because you're my brother, you goofball." Megaman rested his head against Lan's. "And you're not annoying. You listen a lot, you're just stubborn, which is fine. You're funny, you're always looking out for your friends… and I wanted this… Lan, I wanted to be your navi so we could be together again. I wanted it from the start."
"But-"
"Shh…"
Megaman brought his free arm around Lan, holding him closer.
"Lan... being your net navi... is how I feel alive. Being able to help you in any way possible is how even despite what happened to me... helps me feel human... Please... Lan, I want to keep fighting with you. No matter what happens, I want to be by your side." Megaman closed his eyes. "As long as I'm with you... that's all that matters to me."
Lan kept close to him, bringing his arms around him tightly.
"Even if I'm your annoying little brother?"
"One: What'd I just say?"
"That… You still wanna keep fighting…"
"And two…" Megaman hugged him tighter. "Stop picking on my little brother. I don't EVER want you to talk about yourself like that again. Okay?"
Lan sniffled, burying his face.
"Is that a promise as Megaman or Hub?"
"That's a promise as your big brother, period… Okay?"
"Okay…" He sighed shakily. "I'm sorry."
"Shh…" Megaman nuzzled the top of his head. "Shh… It's okay… I got you…"
"We got each other."
"That's right… Though I think we got questions for Dad after this."
"... He needs to make you a robot to jack into or somethin… I like this."
"Something." Megaman chuckled. "It's nice being able to hold you again... and this time I can actually remember."
Lan nodded, grinning, as he looked up.
"This is pretty cool… Think we'll be able to do something like this in the future? Just… minus the pod of pain?"
"We could try… Synchro stuff could get pretty interesting." Megaman smiled. "Thank you…"
"For what?"
"For bringing me back." He ruffled his hair. "You're a pretty cool little brother."
"Not by that much!" Lan protested. "It had to be like two minutes!"
"I dunno… Airi said I was two hours older…"
"W-What does she know?"
After a moment of silence, they both broke down laughing.
"What are we doing?" Lan chuckled, laying his head back down. "We're in some weird cyber purgatory and goofing around…"
"We're Hikaris... We tend to react pretty oddly to things."
"True that." Lan closed his eyes. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Megaman smiled, resting his head against Lan's.
"Neither would I… I love you Lan."
"Love you too Hub."
No matter what… This time, I'll protect you just like you protected me. Things are gonna change…
oooooo
"Lan? Lan, can you hear me?"
Lan was disoriented as he came to. The pod was open, Yuichiro cradling him in his arms, worry in his eyes.
"Mn…?"
"Son?"
"Five more minutes…" He mumbled.
Yuichiro let out a sigh of relief, chuckling.
"No…"
Lan shook his head, sitting up, wincing a little. His body was still sore as he tried to shake off the effects of the pod. He rubbed his head, grimacing a little.
"How's Hub?"
Yuichiro nodded to the second pod.
"How about you ask him yourself?"
Lan turned his head, his eyes going wide.
Megaman had his head turned towards him, a warm smile on his face, a hand pressed up against the pod.
"Hey, Little Brother."
"Hub…" Lan's eyes stung as he quickly started, trying to get up. "You're okay!"
"W-Whoa!" Yuichiro helped steady him, helping him to a chair next to the pod. "Easy there, Lan, your vitals went crazy for a bit there." He knelt to his son's level, looking him over one last time.
"Daaaad."
"Well? Did he finally fry his brain cells?"
"Hm… Nope." Yuichiro sighed in relief, looking to Megaman. "I'm so glad you two are safe and sound… My boys…"
Megaman chuckled.
"Yeah, we had an interesting conversation there."
Lan smiled.
"It was pretty cool…"
Yuichiro raised an eyebrow at this, exchanging a concerned look with X.
"You two spoke to one another?"
"Yeah!" Lan grinned. "Pretty wild right?"
"Yeah…" Yuichiro filed it away mentally for later.
For now, he was just relieved his boys were safe.
"Now, as for you, young man." X turned to Megaman, crossing his arms.
"Meep!"
"You have a bunch of relatives who are going to go nuts in five seconds if I don't open the network door."
Megaman looked to Lan.
"So, any chance to go back to Net Purgatory?"
"NO!"
"It was worth a shot?"
"Too soon, Hub! Too soon!"
Megaman chuckled at this, shrugging.
I'll need to get used to that… but have to say.
Feels great to hear my real name from you, Brother.