Chapter One – Left Behind

Netto was slouched down in the uncomfortable airport bench looking down at his stomach where his pet rested. It was facing down, Netto wasn't really in the mood for talking and he had already taken two sleeping pills to help him rest when it was time to board the plane, but he had beg his mama to let him have two so that when he got on the plane, he was sleep immediately. His parents sat on the bench behind him waiting patiently.

Yuichiro looked down at his watch, it read 06:15 "Don't worry Netto, only a few more minutes to go and we'll be able to board the plane" he said cheerfully, Netto let out a loud sigh.

Haruka stared blankly at her son, she must of thought Netto sighed at his father because he was being so cheerful this early in the morning, when in fact he sighed at how bored and tired he was. "What are you sighing at Netto?" She said.

"Nothing, im just bored" He said without even facing her.

Things had not been good between Netto and his mama.

"You should be… happy that your father is taking time away from his work to take us on holiday, even if we are going home, you should be happy that we've had a good time" She said blankly almost stopping at good time but forced herself to say it.

Good time? It was awful. Netto thought. "Its okay Haruka, im sure he's just tired and bored from all this waiting" Yuichiro said trying to stop an argument from breaking out. He smiled at his impatient wife and she managed to force a smile in return.

He stirred his head and stretched his legs; he started blinking more rapidly as if he was waking up. It was still dark outside the windows, he could see planes landing and taking off from the airport. The airport was cold; there was barley any life at this time in the morning, especially since they were on an island with very few visitors because it was mostly private.

Netto started to feel his tiredness wearing off I wonder if it's worth asking for more sleeping tablets. But what will Rockman think… No what will mama do, probably stress and argue with me. It's worth a try though. He sat up from his chair and looked into his pet.

Rockman saw his saddened face and worried slightly "Netto-kun, what's wrong?" Rockman asked

"Nothing just bored…" He replied, Rockman looked at the boy, he looked quite pale and as though he were about to be sick, it might have just been the sleeping tablets starting to work. Rockman smiled at him without Netto knowing.

"Netto, it's almost time, better turn off your pet" Yuichiro turned and said.

"He shouldn't even have one, he just uses it for battling and getting himself into trouble" Haruka said with her eyes looking away from him.

Netto ignored her and faced his blue clad navi "Rockman, I'll see you soon" he smiled at him softly.

"Okay, bye Netto-kun" Rockman said quietly as though he were about to sleep. Netto knew an argument was immanent, he didn't want Rockman involved. He switched off the pet and placed it in his pocket sorry Rockman he thought.

"Mama, can I have another sleeping tablet?" He asked rising from his seat, with a brave face.

She shook her head "No way" She said in a rude tone "You've already had two, any more and you'll go dizzy, drowsy and pass out" She said

"I know, but I don't feel tired, surely that must mean that they haven't worked! What's one more tablet going to do, please just one?" He started to raise his voice slightly but somehow managed to say please in a calm, collect voice.

"No Netto, the tablets work differently for everyone we didn't buy them for you, you're young, they might be doing damage to you, and were not taking you to hospital for your stupid actions" She rose from her seat, placing her hands on her hips, she didn't smile at him at all.

Yuichiro sat helplessly, Haruka was changing and he knew why, but he didn't want to be involved, he wanted them to sort it out on there own. They would tire themselves out after a while. He knew this wasn't the right way, but it was the only way.

"Mama, just give me at least one more tablet and then I won't ask for anymore! I don't want to stay awake during the long flight!" He said, with much more of a tone than pitch.

"Netto, don't you dare give me that tone, at this rate you can make your own way home! We treat you to a nice holiday and this is how you're treating me and your father for it! A little bit of respect and patience go along way, something you need to learn Netto Hikari, your disgraceful, no wonder your friends left you." She was serious; her expression was full of hate and anguish towards her own son… who she had once been kind to.

Netto's head felt like it was about to explode. How could she suddenly hate me so much… its all because of that one thing she found out. After that she changed... and quick. She started being ruder and more violent to me. It's like she stopped caring all together. Thank god papa was still there for me. He didn't mind at all about it. But for her to go as far as saying that I have no patience… no respect, yeah for her. Why is she bringing my friends into this?! His face turned, he gave her a deathly stare "If that's how you feel then why do you even bother talking to me at all" He screamed at her "Im done with you, forget you ever knew me if you're that disgusted about me! Go home by yourselves!" He shouted, and at that he turned and ran, his arm trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. Did he make the right choice by doing that?

Yuichiro made chase but couldn't keep up with him. He stopped to catch his breath and noticed a small blue device on the floor ahead of him, he walked up towards it, his mouth widened and he bent over and picked up the device "Rockman……"

He looked up and Netto was no where in sight Netto why would you do this… where you actually being serious when you said go home by yourselves… forget we ever knew you? Did you drop Rockman accidentally? Or on purpose… Yuichiro thought.

Haruka walked up behind him "Come on lets go" She said without a care in her voice, he turned around his face full of annoyance and hate, how could she say something like that. "What I mean is, Netto can make his own way home… he has done it before, I'm sure he just needs space" Yuichiro couldn't argue with her, he didn't want her to be even more angry, He knew Netto wouldn't be able to make his way home he has nothing on him, but he saw it a different way, Haruka was kind of right. Maybe he does actually need space but still I will worry about him… this might be good for him. Yuichiro turned and faced Haruka who was know smiling "I'm sure Netto will be fine, he will come home, he has no choice" She said, Yuichiro looked back trying to see if he could see him anywhere, there was nothing.

Netto was stood behind a few boxes that looked like cargo a few metres away from them, he noticed them turn around and head for the terminal. He stopped looking and sat on the cold tiled floor. He grinned at his getaway and placed his hand in the pocket where Rockman should have been.

An awful look appeared on his face, like he was about to cry. "No... No… this can't be" He stood up so quickly the blood rushed to his head, he was desperately searching himself and his surroundings to find him.

It suddenly occurred to him, why his dad bent down and was looking at his hand and looking around for him.

"Crap… I must have dropped him, and I can't go after them…" At least he's with dad. He thought. He still couldn't comprehend that he had lost the one person he could turn to. He knew that even if Rockman were there with him, he would have be unbelievably annoyed with him and would have tried to make contact with his parents or force him to go home, so he was glad he wasn't with him for that, but he did need him for company.

He slowly sat down behind the boxes and moved his legs up towards his stomach. He wrapped his arms around them and whispered "Rockman…" tears started to stream from his eyes and he sunk his head into his legs. He cried so quietly and calmly he ended up falling asleep in the end.

Back on the plane, Haruka had fallen asleep a seat away from where he was sat, the sleeping tablets did work after all, the empty chair next to him where Netto was supposed to have sat was unbearable to look at, even if it was a seat, it was saved for him, for Netto.

A sign above him with a pet crossed out went from white to gray. Yuichiro was not looking forward to telling Rockman about what Netto had done. He had been thinking of how he would tell him. He knew Rockman had special feelings for his son… this would be very awkward.

He took a deep breath and turned it on.

"Hello Net- huh… Hikari-san?" He said seeming surprised to see him "Is Netto-kun asleep, do you need to speak to me?"

He gulped quite hard "Im not sure about what Netto is doing" A part of him wanted Rockman to figure it out on his own, even though this wasn't a good way either. He turned the pet and showed him the empty seat and then turned it back to him, his face was long and down.

"Where is Netto-kun? Rockman said "Did he go to the toilet?" He asked

Yuichiro shook his head. He decided to just come out with it "I'm afraid he isn't on the plane"

"What?!" Rockman said "What do you me he isn't on the plane!" Rockman practically screamed at him.

"What I said I meant… he didn't get on the plane with us, we left him behind but he made it his choice, at least I think I did, he wanted it that way…" he said in a calm voice

"Where is… Netto-kun?" Rockman's face was filled with rage; he was so annoyed but so worried he had to sit on the floor of his pet. He didn't want to shout at Yuiichiro since it wasn't his fault; Netto did these kinds of things.

"Im not sure, he should still be back on the island but he could be anywhere, he and his mother had an argument and he ran off, I'm not sure if he accidentally dropped you or if he did it on purpose" He looked down and closed his eyes, he didn't want to see what Rockman's expression, of how sad and lonely he had suddenly become from realising Netto had been left behind.

Netto-kun… "Hikari-san?" Yuichiro looked down at the pet "Will Netto-kun be… okay?" He asked

"I'm not sure; I'm hoping he will..." Yuichiro tried to get a grip on everything. "He doesn't have anything, no money, supplies… he's on an island in the middle of the ocean. Im not sure what he'll do. I shouldn't have left him. But it seemed like he wanted us to leave him. We didn't have time to find him; passengers were starting to board the plane"

Rockman's hope faded "I know what Netto-kun is like… but did you not try stopping him?" He asked

"I ran after him but he was too fast. I noticed he had dropped you and I thought he would come back and I would have persuaded him to forget about the argument but he… he never returned"

Both of them sighed quite heavily. Maybe this is time to let Rockman install the program I've been working on for him... Yuichiro thought.

"But I have an idea… maybe when we get back to Akihara, you could come back and find him, I've been working on something for a while for you anyway, this may be the perfect time to use it. He might come back if you go and bring him back. I think that is the best way to bring him home"

Rockman's face lit up, he knew he would come up with something; he stood up in excitement and said "Really? Hikari-san… that's great!"

"Yes, it may help you in many other ways too…" he smiled at the thought. Rockman wasn't really sure what he meant by that, but he knew it would come to him.

"You will be going by yourself, and don't tell anyone about this or what you're doing" Yuichiro said, with a serious tone.

"Okay, I promise. I will find Netto-kun" He said with the hope now restored in his face

He put the pet into sleep mode and turned to look at Haruka "Im doing this for them, not for us" He said. He placed the pet in his pocket and shut his eyes relaxing into the seat.

If you wanna know what's going to happen…

Keep reading… if you already have an idea what's going to happen…

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