Authors Note: The first part takes place during Ep 51 of the original Rockman.EXE series. The second part takes place between the original series and Axess. I'm using the Japanese names as I prefer the Japanese dub. Characters from other anime will be used here but have no relation to the anime of their origin.
"Kingland's cyberworld is under attack! That monster-!"
"Order all navis to plug out! That thing is devouring cyberdata from deleted buildings and navis to grow!"
"Understood!"
"What a mess." One of the Net Police muttered as she surveyed the chaos of Kingland's Net Police HQ. "Has anyone heard anything from Commander Beef?"
"They are working on something to contain Gospel and evacuating Internet City. But they need time."
"Then we need to buy them some time. Deploy all defenses but be ready to plug out your navis at moment's notice!"
"Nothing is working! Our attacks are not doing any damage!"
"Tch! It's deleting everything!"
"Plug out all Navis! Now!"
"We can't! They are being deleted!"
Everyone could only watch in horror as Gospel deleted all buildings and remaining navis in Kingland's site and devoured the raw data. The captain of the Net Police slammed her fist on the table. "It's all up to Commander Beef now. Send a message to him about this. Work to see if there is any way to restore Kingland's site!"
For hours, the Net Police worked to find a way to restore Kingland's site but nothing was working.
"Whatever Gospel did, it completely wiped out the cyberworld. It's like it never existed." The captain growled. "Any word from Japan's site?"
"Gospel has arrived there. Commander Beef and his team is implementing their plan now."
"Let's hope they stop it." The captain murmured what everyone was thinking.
"Bad news!" Someone suddenly yelled, startling everyone in the room. "Commander Beef's plan did not work! Their navis have been deleted!"
Panicked shouts rose as the news sank in. The captain squeezed her eyes shut in defeat. There was nothing they could do to stop Gospel.
"Wait! Something is happening Captain! The network is breaking down!"
The captain suppressed a groan. Could this day get any worse?
Suddenly a bright light emitted from every computer screen in the room. A warm feeling went through the captain and one other person in the room. This feeling, it was something they only experienced once and it can only mean one thing, a Soul Link has been activated.
"Captain, the network...it's rebuilding itself!"
Blinking, the captain refocused on the screens. Everyone watched in awe as the network and Kingland's site was rebuilt. Buildings and Navis were reformed in their original positions as though they were never deleted.
"A miracle happened." The captain shook her head and quietly exited the room while everyone celebrated and speculated what could have happened. Only one person saw her leave and went to follow her. He soon caught up with her in a secluded corridor.
"That was a Soul Link, isn't it, Vanessa?"
"I was hoping not. But since you felt it too, I think it is." Vanessa came to a stop and turned to him with a serious look. "We need to go to Japan and find out who did that Soul Link. They will be in danger if they are not aware of what the Soul Link is and its power. I'm going to ask Abe to look for more information about what happened in Japan. Then we'll make a plan accordingly."
Her companion nodded in agreement. Then a thought occurred to him. "What if he is looking for them too?"
Vanessa paused and gave a heavy exhale. "Let's hope that we find them first before he does."
Three months after Gospel's defeat
Jawaii was a good place to set up their second shop. With the success of their first shop in Japan, the former WWW members decided to expand their business overseas to increase their profits and to avoid the scrutiny of the Net Police after Gospel's defeat. Sadly, Wily was never found after Rockman stopped Gospel. So the staff of Maha Ichiban was subjected to interrogation by the Net Police on his whereabouts, not that they would reveal anything if they had any inclination of where Wily is.
None of the former WWW members wish to give up Wily's dream. But Maha, as the unofficial leader of the group, is a realist. There is no way they can last without Wily's leadership if they try to continue their plans of wreaking havoc on society. So until Wily returns, they will focus on the restaurant to build up capital for WWW's glorious return.
On this lovely day however, business was strangely quiet. Maha was uneasy as no one was coming in and no one was calling in for deliveries.
"It's weird that we don't have any customers today." Madoi frowned, looking around the empty restaurant.
"Oh no!" Count Elec suddenly yelled from the back room. At his shout, Maha and Madoi burst into the back room where they found Count Elec gaping at something on his PET while Hinoken was growling.
"What's going on?"
"They cut the power to the neighborhood! That's why no one is coming here." Hinoken jabbed at Count Elec's PET.
"Now that you mentioned it..." Maha trailed off as he realized that none of the neighboring shops were open. "But our shop still has electricity."
"It's because of the back up generator." Count Elec patted the generator that was running beside him. "But it will run out of gas soon."
"Really?!" Madoi groaned. "We opened our shop for nothing today!"
Just then, the bell at the door went off. Maha raised an eyebrow at that and stepped out to greet the person who just came in. "I'm afraid we are closed for the day."
"I know." The person spoke and reached behind to flip the close sign and lock the door. Maha was immediately on guard at her actions.
"Who are you?" He demanded as the other members came out of the back room to check on things. Hinoken blinked at the person as he slowly recognized her.
"I can help you get the power back in the neighborhood by noon. I only need one hour with Ken'ichi Hino in private and unmonitored."
"It really is you Vanessa." Hinoken groaned as he rubbed his face.
Madoi quirked a playful eyebrow at the red haired man. "Is she your former girlfriend?"
Hinoken opened and closed his mouth at Madoi's question. Finally, he sighed and said, "It's complicated."
"Hm." Everyone gave him knowing looks.
Hinoken became flustered at that. "Not that kind of 'complicated'!"
"Well, we will leave you to it then, Hinoken." Maha ushered Madoi and Count Elec to the back, leaving Hinoken with Vanessa.
"How did you find me?" Hinoken reluctantly sat down on one of the tables with her.
"Abe." Was all she said and all Hinoken needed. "I hear you go by Hinoken now. And joined the WWW."
Hinoken shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "After what happened to Mia and Mano, I had to change my identity and ditch my family. I didn't have any support until Wily-sama offered me a position in the WWW."
Vanessa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Does Muraku know that you're with WWW?"
"No. I never saw him. Wily-sama said that he is completely out of contact with him."
"Same here. I keep in contact with Mikhail in Sharo and Abe in Wythras. Neither of them seen or heard about him for the last 12 years." Vanessa lowered her head.
"So why are you here? I don't think it's entirely about Muraku?" Hinoken narrowed his eyes.
Vanessa copied the gesture and lowered her gaze. "I suspect that someone with Soul Link has surfaced in Japan." She whispered.
Hinoken jumped so hard he nearly fell out of his seat. Paling, he leaned in and whispered. "Are you sure?"
"Remember Gospel and the network nearly being destroyed only to be rebuilt completely moments later?"
Hinoken slowly nodded. He had just taken his revenge on Freezeman for what he did to Fireman while the others went back to the ruins of the WWW HQ to help the Netto brat find his Navi. Heatman would have been trapped in Internet City if Meijin did not warn him beforehand to plug out and keep his Navi in his PET while the whole Gospel thing went down. It was later that he learned that it was Rockman that rebuilt the network after destroying Gospel when Meijin casually told him during a check up on Heatman.
"Just as the network was being destroyed, I felt it. It was how it felt when Muraku and Mia used their Soul Link." Vanessa continued. "Abe told me that you would have an idea of what exactly happened then."
"I don't know..." Hinoken gulped. "I know that the navi Rockman and his operator Hikari Netto were involved in this incident. I never got the technical details, but Meijin, the guy who gave me Heatman, said that it was thanks to them that the Internet was saved. But it's impossible for him or anyone in his group of friends to have the Soul Link. None of them are twins."
"I see. I'm transferring to Japan this week. I'll do my investigation on them when I get there. Kageto is coming with me." Vanessa stood up and passed him a piece a paper. "That's our numbers and Abe's. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. And I sincerely hope that I don't see you when I'm on duty."
"Where are you working now?"
"Kingland's Net Police captain of the 99th branch. But as of next week, Japan's Net Police Lieutenant." Vanessa smirked at Hinoken's shock face that was slowly turning to horror. "Don't worry. I came here in between transfers so I'm off duty. Besides, Abe made sure that no one will know that I'm here."
She went to the door and unlocked it. Pausing she turned back to face Hinoken with a serious look. "Be careful. We don't know if he is back or not. And if you can find Wily, please tell me. I have a feeling I will need his help to locate Muraku soon."
Hinoken because serious too and nodded. "I will."
"Thanks. Abe will get the electricity back soon, as promised." Vanessa inclined her head at him. On her way out, she flipped the sign back to open.
"Are you alright Hinoken?" Maha asked him when he and the other came out of the back room once they heard Vanessa leave. He took note of his coworker's pale face and trembling fist.
"Ah!" Hinoken quickly straightened up and nodded. "Yes. Nothing's wrong."
"Who was she and what did she say to you?" Count Elec asked curiously.
"An old classmate. She was looking for a mutual friend of ours." Hinoken shrugged, not willing to elaborate. "I need to cool down. I'm taking the day off."
Maha silently watched the fire navi operator as he stormed out of the store, leaving Madoi and Count Elec watching him in bemusement. He resolved to keep an close eye on Hinoken and find out all that he can about this 'Vanessa'.
"Did he tell you anything?"
"He gave me a starting point."
Vanessa had walked to the only car on the street and drove to the airport while filing in what she learned to her companion. "We need to find out more about Hikari Netto. If I remember correctly, his father is a scientist that recently took up a job at the SciLabs."
"Got it." Her companion, Kageto, nodded. "Does Io know anything about Muraku?"
"He goes by Ken'ichi Hino or Hinoken now. And no, he doesn't. Wily doesn't either"
"Darn it." Kageto hissed. "How did one guy manage to evade everyone for 12 years?"
"I don't know."
The pair silently continued their drive to the airport where they would take their flight to Japan and start their search for the Soul Link pair.