Netto hasn't known Mama Hikari for very long, which is why I will still refer to her as Haruka. Eventually, Haruka will change to Mama and Yuuichirou to Papa. But not now.

I don't own Rockman EXE.

Exploration

Netto blinked slowly, eyes traveling from the ceiling to Rockman's PET, where it was recharging next to the computer, to the digital alarm clock on top of the drawers (3:14, it told her), and finally, to the black backpack that sat next to the bed. She had refused to let Haruka or Rockman see what was inside, let along touch it, so the entire family had gone shopping for clothes the next day. Maybe today Netto would look around Akihara Town more. It always helped if you knew the place you're going to live in.

Netto reached and grabbed hold of the backpack, mindful of the PET charger cord sticking out from the backpack. She rolled over to face the wall, and yawned as she squeezed the backpack like one would with a stuffed animal.

She'll think about it later.

Morning had Forte gently 'nudging' Netto awake. The girl yawned and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes.

'…Good morning, Forte…' Netto reached over and unplugged the PET charger cord, stuffing it into her backpack.

'Good morning, Netto. You've slept well?' Forte asked as Netto got up from the bed and began picking out clothes to wear.

'Yeah. It's better than some of the hotels we stayed at.' Netto took a look at Rockman's empty PET before she started to change. 'I wanted to explore Akihara Town more. What do you want to do?' There weren't many things Forte would want to do in the morning, but it never hurt to ask.

'I'm coming with you.' Netto smiled as she finished tying the new bandana around her head. Haruka had given her several identical bandanas, since the old one was too ragged.

'Do you mind if I took Rockman with me as a guide?' Netto headed to the bathroom to wash up.

'Rockman…' The navi who claimed to be Netto's twin…which is ridiculous, because Netto's a human. 'Might as well. He would know the area much better than us.'

Netto returned to her room and checked the contents of her backpack, nodding to herself once she saw that nothing was missing. Zipping the backpack closed and putting it on, she grimaced as a thought occurred to her.

'What am I going to tell Grandpa?' Netto asked. The girl sent regular emails to her foster grandparent ever since she left in search of her birth parents.

'I'll tell him that you are currently in Akihara Town.' Forte was already writing out the email.

'Can I tell him that I found my parents?' Even as Netto asked the question, she could feel Forte hesitate.

'It…would be better if he doesn't know.'

'I don't get it. What does he have against the Hikaris?'

Forte had finished writing and editing the email. 'I do not know all the details, but that old man believes that your grandfather has done him wrong, and that grudge seemed to extend to the entire Hikari family.' He sent the email.

'But if I'm also a Hikari, wouldn't that also mean…'

"Ah, Netto-kun! You're already up! Good morning!" Netto looked over at Rockman's previously empty PET. The navi was waving at her.

Netto gave a small wave back. "Good morning."

Rockman noticed Netto's depressed mood and began to panic. "Are you okay? Was it something I said?"

Netto quickly shook her head. "No, it wasn't anything you said! I was just…thinking about stuff, that's all. Oh, and can you show me around town? I didn't get the chance to look around yet."

Rockman grinned happily. "Sure I can! But be sure to have breakfast first, ok? Mama already made you some."

Netto nodded, picked up Rockman's PET, and headed downstairs.

'You had that bandana on when the old man found you.' Netto froze for a moment, then entered the dining area, 'He knew who you were, but he decided to raise you. I don't think that grudge applies to you.'

Netto smiled. 'Thanks for cheering me up, Forte.'

"What are you smiling about?" Rockman asked.

Netto's smile grew larger and she thought she could hear Forte chuckling. "That's a secret."

"…and over there's the flower shop run by Saloma-san." Rockman pointed in the direction of the aforementioned shop.

Netto looked over, seeing the many flowers that decorated the inside of the shop. There was a woman inside, watering the plants. Could that be Saloma-san? Netto slowly skated onward, listening to Rockman and looking around at the stores and people. She ignored the people staring at her.

'Your bandana has the emblem of Hikari Yuuichirou's. He has no known relatives except his wife and his missing child. Of course people will stare at you.' Forte had answered when Netto asked.

"Here's Akihara High School!" Rockman announced, pointing in the direction of an impressive-looking building. Netto slowed to a stop and turned to look at the school.

"Hey, Rockman." Netto said. "What do you do at school?" She didn't look down at Rockman's PET, but could feel his confusion about the question, as well as Forte, who knew what she's considering, taking a closer look at the building.

"Well, you learn a bunch of stuff there, like math and history. There are other students your age there, so it's easy to make friends. Netbattling at school isn't allowed, though."

Netto hummed softly and started skating back to the Hikari home. Having been home-schooled, she has never been to a school before. Nor did she have any friends besides Forte.

'You should go.'

'Yeah?'

'It's always useful to have more knowledge. What the old man taught you won't be enough.'

'I see…' Netto, having reached the house, took off the attachable roller skates and opened the front door.

"I'm back!" Netto called out as she entered. She paused at the sight of someone she didn't recognize sitting in the living room. Forte seemed to recognize him, judging by the way he stiffened.

"Welcome back." He said. Rockman perked up at the sound of the man's voice.

"Papa!" The navi cheered. Netto blinked, looking at the man again, and noticed an emblem on his jacket. The Hikari emblem. So this is…

'Hikari Yuuchirou.' Forte finished her line of thought. 'A scientist who improved the PET's functions.'

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Yuuichirou asked.

Netto nodded and moved to sit on the sofa, taking slow breaths to calm herself.

"How are you?" He asked.

Netto blinked. "I'm good."

"What do you think about Akihara Town?"

"It's a nice place."

"Do you know where Forte is?" Netto froze.

"Forte?" She asked. 'What do I say?'

'Pretend you don't know me.' Was his answer.

"Who's Forte?" Netto asked Yuuichirou. "Should I know that person?"

Yuuichirou looked confused. "You two were best friends. Do you not remember him?"

'We were best friends back then?' Netto asked.

'…Yes. I'll tell you later. Tell Yuuichirou about what happened five years ago.'

Netto kept the frown off her face from being told that she knew Forte for over ten years and instead thought about what had happened when she was ten. Something that explained why she wouldn't know Forte…

"I lost my memories when I was ten." Netto recalled. "I haven't remembered anything yet." Forte had strong regrets about that time whenever she mentions it.

"Really?" Yuuichirou looked thoughtful.

"How is Rockman my twin?" Netto couldn't help but ask. "He's a navi, and I'm…" She gestured at herself, and continued on. "And what happened when I was five?" A year ago, Forte had told her that she should go find her birth parents. After some prodding, she also learned that she had not seen them since she was five. That was the only reason that she went to look for them.

Yuuichirou looked down at Rockman, whose PET was flat on the table. Rockman looked horrified at the news of Netto's memory loss. He looked back up at Netto and started his explanation.

"Rockman was created from the DNA of Hikari Saito, who…died from a currently incurable disease called HBD. Saito was your twin, which means that Rockman is also your twin. The link between you two was established in order to find out if you were well, but it has its drawbacks. Damage dealt to one would be felt by the other. Do you understand?"

Netto nodded. It was like her link with Forte. And humans can become navi if their DNA was available…Forte was impressed by the advancement of technology and a bit disgusted in the creation of Rockman at the same time.

Yuuichirou continued. "As for when you were five, there was an incident involving Forte and his creator. You were at Sci-Labs at the time, and you were trying to save Forte. He was marked for execution, but you told him to get into the PET that I gave you. That had saved his life, and you ran away with him."

Netto smiled softly. "I didn't know that. I must have been really attached to Forte." Not that she isn't attached now. 'I wonder what I was like when I was little.'

'You were the most interesting brat I had ever seen.' Netto almost laughed.

"I wonder where Forte has gone, though." Yuuichirou seemed to think about it, but then asked another question. "Have you been to school before?"

Netto shook her head. "No."

"Would you like to go to school?"

"Yes." Netto looked down at Rockman. "What about you, Rockman?"

Rockman was surprised at being included in this conversation, but nodded in affirmation. "Of course!"

"Then it's settled." Yuuichirou stood up. "I can get you registered in about a week. But before that…" He wandered over to the dinner table and sat down. "…Mama's made meat spaghetti for lunch."

Netto picked up Rockman's PET and joined him. "Meat spaghetti?"

"If you don't get any sauce on your clothes, you're lucky. " He informed her.

Haruka took her seat at the table, and the two adults told Netto stories of her childhood. That night she dreamed of her-no, Forte, meeting a little brown-haired human girl for the first time.

And she didn't get any sauce on her clothes.

Netto got the attachable roller blades in Amerope, as well as attachable ice skates, when Forte wasn't paying attention. She made a game out of it, and managed to sneakily buy a wig and a cloak that reminded her of Forte's. She got a lecture afterwards every time, but it was worth it.

Rockman gives Netto the –kun honorific because she refers to herself as 'ore', which was picked up from Forte, who, if I remember correctly, also uses 'ore'. It's a masculine pronoun. Forte was constantly with Netto, so it would make sense for them to pick up each other's speech pattern.

Dinner table? Coffee table? Table you eat food on.

I don't know how long it takes to become a student so don't trust me.

Extra:

The light of a PET screen softly illuminated the insides of the backpack it was in. The navi in the PET, cloak hiding the bodysuit and large fins that adorned the helmet the navi was wearing, pondered over the reason for Rockman's existence.

"A human's DNA that was used to create a navi…" He muttered to himself, and grimaced. It sounded a bit similar to that abandoned project. Images began to pop up in his head, of horror, of guilt, of Netto being-

'…Forte…?' It was Netto. 'Did you have a nightmare?'

'Navis can't get nightmares.' Forte reminded her. He woke her up because he thought of that again. 'Go back to sleep, Net.' The rarely used nickname slipped out.

'…Alright. Good night, Foru.'

Forte waited for a while, then: 'I will do everything in my power to protect you.' It was a promise.

There was no response. He prepared to go into sleep mode.

'…I know.'

He wasn't even surprised.

Netto was awake, holding onto her backpack. She thought about the promise Forte made to her. He always keeps his promises, so he would keep this one as well.

And maybe, maybe that was what scared her the most.