Today is my birthday and I'm giving everyone a present. The final chapter of my personal fav fanfic. Many bouts of writer's block and bursts of inspiration later and it is done. Please enjoy and remember, I do not own Rockman, but I finally got the Japanese name for Maylu/Meiru right.
Saito and Netto had ran all the way to the top of the clock tower. Both trying not to cry after seeing what they saw. They didn't know War-Rock and Cereberus were following close behind.
Once they stopped, War-Rock sent Cerberus to tell the others and they were up within minutes. Except for Roll. She had gotten lost and ended up in the garden.
"Where did they go?" she muttered softly.
"Hello." a soft voice spoke from behind. Roll turned to see a young woman, who seemed about 25 years old, with golden hair, soft greenish blue eyes, dressed in a regal pinkish red gown. "Are you lost?"
It took a minute before she realized who it was. "Are you..."
"Your older self. Yes, as well as the queen."
"Queen? That also means that you're...or I'm..."
"Yes, King Saito's wife." 'Was I really so dense? Oh well, so much as been taking in.'
"Do you know where Netto-kun and Saito went to?"
"Yes, but I must speak with you first." Queen Roll walked over and sat down on a nearby bench and silently invited her younger self to join her. "What I must speak to you about is what will happen from this point."
"You mean like what everyone will face when we return. Don't you think it's bad to know what will happen and won't it change the time line if you tell me?" Roll had a bad feeling about it and was trying to talk her older self out of telling her but was silenced.
"No, I mean what we'll do once it's time for you to return."
"Whew, that's a relief."
The queen laughed quietly before speaking. "First off, it's best that the others not know we spoke. Second, the portal back to your proper time will be opened this evening."
"Okay, so far, so good."
"But, when we send you back, none of you will have any memory what has happened the last couple of days, for the time line's safety."
Roll breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought it was something life threatening like one of us will die on the way back or we'll end up inside-out."
"I have permission from my husband to allow you some memory of our conversation, but you will only remember it as a dream. So, I want to use this opportunity to tell you something you'll need to know once you and Saito are wed."
"Okay." Roll said, in a questionable tone.
"Saito will have troubles when Netto-kun is gone. He'll have nightmares of what Netto-kun might go through. He'll blame himself for it. You need to be there for him, not only as his wife, but as the sole friend he can completely confide in. The others, Search-man, Blues, and so on are only allowed near him as bodyguards and rarely are permitted to speak with him."
"But why?"
"It's their duty. Saito's main focus will to be king, not much else. You'll become everything he'll lack. It will be tough, but you must remain strong. He'll need you to be. Even now, he turns to me for comfort." She placed her hand on Roll's. "Remember this. I was told it by Jassmine when I was crowned queen. 'A king is meant to be the sword that protects the country, but the queen is to be the scabbard, meant to protect the sword and heal the king.' I have done my best to live by that, now I tell you as Jassmine will soon enough."
Roll placed her other hand on the queen's. "I'll do my best as well. We both love Saito and always will. I'll protect my Saito and you have done for yours. Now, I need to find them. Where are they?"
"In the bell tower of the clock. The others are already there. Go to them and tell them they have been summoned to the throne room. The portal will open around 8 tonight. Now, go." The queen ushered Roll away and returned to her husband,
In the throne room, the king was playing with his daughter when his wife entered.
"Mama," Ran shouted and ran into her arms.
"They will arrive soon. My younger self has gone to tell them."
Older Saito looked towards the four thrones and sadly sighed. "Soon, my younger self will face everything coming to him. It will nearly shatter him."
Older Roll put her daughter down and hugged her husband. "It will make him stronger."
It took a while, but Roll found everyone and told them the portal would be open tonight. Saito and Netto dragged their feet as they headed back to the throne room.
It took an hour to get back, having gotten a little lost. They arrived to older Searchman and Blues open the doors to let them in, bowing to Subaru and Saito.
Everyone remained silent for the most part while a group of people were doing something on the floor. Before they could ask, King Saito explained.
"As I have said before, the Paradisal is the last place where magic exists. It is taking a balance of sorcery and science to return you home." He was seated on his throne with his wife on his left and their daughter next to her on the end. King Saito subtly motioned for Subaru to take his throne next to his own.
Subaru hesitated, but joined his family and suddenly felt self-conscious.
The magicians finished, bowed and stood to the side. What was left was a strange device that activated and became an arch. Saito held out his hand and the arch glowed. "The proper time coordinates have been set. All you need do is walk through and you will arrive home. Your memories will be altered or erased so that you will not know of what happened here. Please say your good byes and enter."
Deako looked to Gonta, said good bye to hid descendant and walked up first. As he approached, the magicians held up their hands and erased his memory as he passed and disappeared into the arch. One by one they all went until it was just Netto, Saito, and Roll. They looked at Subaru and held back their tears.
Subaru jumped off his throne and hugged Saito. "Good bye, dad." As he let go, Saito said his farewells.
"We'll see you before we know it." Saito said, allowing the tears to flow. Netto waved good bye. Roll kissed Subaru's cheek.
"I look forward to have you for a son." Roll said, as she entered with Netto close behind.
Saito gave one last look at his future self and walked in. The arch shut down as the king ordered everyone to leave them a while. Once alone, Subaru sadly walked back up the short stairway, but instead of sitting in his throne, he cried into his mother lap at the loss of his friends. She ran her hand over her son's hair as she, herself, held back her tears. Ran joined in quick enough.
Subaru quietly said, "Til we meet once more."
Saito got up and turned away and cried a few tears. "Good luck, our past selves."
Back in the past, everyone woke up in their own beds. They wondered what had happened and why they felt so dizzy, but brushed it off when they noticed the date on the calendars.
"It's Saito's coronation day," they all thought aloud as they hurried to get ready.
Roll awoke at the sound of Meiru getting dressed, she just had a dream about their future and could vaguely remember what is was.
Saito and Netto awoke in their room. Saito rubbed his eyes to wake up when he felt something wet on his face. 'Was I crying in my sleep?' Saito thought.
Netto yawned, "Hey, don't you need to get ready or something?"
The day progressed as it was suppose to. Saito was crowned king, Netto got hurt, but he was saved at the cost of his memories, everyone got married, had kids, the NetNavis became humans and given extended lives. The Paradisal was uprooted to be a floated island. Everything went according to history, til the day Subaru was born.
Saito held his son as Roll rested from childbirth. He announced Subaru's birth. Everyone cheered and came to offer their daughters. Saito sent Subaru away to Echo Ridge. Netto, now renamed Mamoru Amachi, knew of a couple who just lost their own child and would give him to them to raise til Subaru could return and the cycle would repeat for them.
As Saito handed his child to Amachi, he whispered into his son's ear. "Until we meet once more."
17 years later
Subaru woke up in his new bedroom and sadly got up. He looked over to a picture he had taken before Saito and the others left. They were all dressed for the ball with smiles on their faces. He had lost a bunch of really good friends and now it was time to erase Luna's, Gonta's, and Kizamaro's memories of the ball so they could not remember the battle and that Subaru was Rockman.
Ran had opened the door and peeked in. "Onii-chan, it's time for breakfast."
"I'm coming, Ran." As Subaru got dressed, he thought 'At least Misora doesn't get her memories changed.'
In the throne room, Luna, Gonta, and Kizamaro were summoned by Saito and Roll.
"Good morning, Your Majesties. May we ask why we were called?" Luna bowed and the boys followed.
"This afternoon, you will be sent home to Echo Ridge with my brother." Saito said. "I believe enough time has been spent here for you. Your families will be worried."
Roll added, "And wish not to worry the descendants of our dearest friends. You will always be welcome here, but you must leave for now."
Kizamaro said, "It is because we found out Subaru is Rockman?"
The guards swiftly ran forward and held swords to Kizamaro's throat. "How dare you speak of the prince in such a tone."
"They meant no ill will." Saito said and ordered them to stand down. "Yes, that is part of the reason and to ensure your safety and so you can never tell anyone, we will erase your memories of Subaru."
One of the guards added, "Just as we did with the woman who raised him", just as Subaru entered with Ran.
"You what?!" Subaru shouted. "You erased my mom's memories?"
"Against my orders, as well." Saito said, as he stood up.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but it was for her own safety."
Saito looked towards his son. "Seeing as it was your adoptive mother who was affected, I believe you should be permitted to punish them as you see fit."
Subaru looked at the guards. "Can I banish them forever?"
"We could even erased their memories." Roll added as she stepped down next to her son.
"Do it, then and allow my friends to keep their memories. It would be nice to talk to someone about everything going on and have some I can trust with our family secret."
Saito smiled and agreed. The guards responsible were punished, Luna and the gang were sent home with promises of letters and hanging out. Misora stayed behind and eventually married Subaru. Subaru, from then on, never missed the friends he sent to the past, because his best friends were his parents and uncle, who would visit often.
In the end, it was both a sad and happy ending for all, especially Saito, who got everything he wished. The chance to make his kingdom a better place than it was. A real paradise.
I worked really hard on this. It was going to be two separate chapters the the first was too short, so I just put the last two together. Hope you like it and I'm glad I got this done on my birthday.