AN: Hello everyone and I deeply apologize for the delay. I used to post a new chapter every week, sadly my corrector couldn't do it and I learned that he cannot continue the work, so sadly my good fellas Tyno will not continue the job. But! I have found a new alternative, I work with ChatGPT, I use it for the correction and the translation and another friend accepted to do the correction and with surprise there wasn't big translation problem, so ChatGPT is saving somehow my life. I'm really happy to work with that, but I still need someone to at least see if there isn't big problem cause even AI aren't perfect (don't forget, AI don't do art or writing for you, but in a writing way, it's really helpful for the correction... but don't use it for art unless if it's for your moodboard.) Know that I haven't stopped or whatever, at the moment I'm posting this chapter, I'm writing the Chapter 10.

This chapter is one of my favorite, so I really hope you will like it.

Chapter 7: The strange feeling of her palm

Netto hid behind stairs as general panic continued to reign following the Colosseum attack. It was impossible for him to move due to the crowd, so he sought a less crowded place. He stayed near the port, where he had seen Yaito and Glyde leave, hoping for them to be safe. By staying near the seaside, the child felt more at ease with the few people around him, but he now had to find Saito.

Without warning, he found himself facing some viruses that landed in front of him to also escape the Colosseum. They seemed lost at first glance by analyzing their expression, but as they looked at the boy, their eyes grew angry. Netto stepped back, swallowing his saliva. The viruses looked menacing, but they hesitated to attack him.

Although trying to be quiet, Rockman landed with a noise between the young boy and the viruses, yelling at them. The viruses at first were scared, but they did not back up nonetheless, keeping the will to attack despite their lack of confidence in themselves. They thought they should charge toward him, but the bestial Navi roared again, which also made the child shiver. A virus tried to charge toward them, but the Navi grabbed it and put it on the ground, preventing it from doing anything. The other viruses panicked and disappeared.

The wild Navi held the poor virus firmly in its claws. Netto approached him, quite dismayed, but before any words left his lips, Rockman released it. To attack it with his mouth, apparently, and with such violence. The virus disappeared before the Navi could do anything else. Netto's eyes trembled, Rockman had once again shown violence that did not match the original Navi's personality. He lowered his head, while keeping an eye on him, disappointed.

"Rockman..." he murmured loudly enough for the Navi to turn around. His eyes were round, without emotion, analyzing him, as they were sometimes when he wasn't enraged. Netto furrowed his eyebrows in sadness. He understood that he had probably lost the Navi again deep inside himself. "Rockman, I was worried, where were you...?" Netto asked, even though his voice was weak. "You leave me alone only to come back and kill a virus..."

Netto raised his head and noticed that Rockman's expression was becoming increasingly…angry. His round pupils dilated as he was slowly approaching the child. The young boy felt his heart jump with surprise, but he noticed Rockman was placing his hand on his stomach, to alleviate a certain pain. Netto immediately understood the problem. He took his bag and took out the box of donuts. With a sigh, he slid it toward him to give him all that remained, and without surprise, Rockman buried his head in the box, devouring the last remaining donuts. The young boy was annoyed. He felt like Rockman only saw him as a pantry. He had not appeared all day because he probably managed to feed himself, and now that he was hungry, he came back.

Netto turned his head, quite unhappy. "You could have told me that you were okay..."

Rockman didn't react, he was still devouring all the donuts.

"I know you have to hide from people, but I was still worried about you!" Netto said louder.

Rockman raised his head, even though he finished what Netto gave him, his eyes still appeared aggressive, which made the child tremble. Stepping back, the young boy swallowed his saliva. Did he still have hunger for him to be so irritated?

"Rockman, what's wrong?"

The Navi released another loud growl which made the child step back again. What more did he want? Rockman continued to stare at him this way, although he didn't approach, he continued to growl at him. Did he do something wrong?

"Is there a problem...?"

He growled at the question again, loudly enough for people to take notice. Adults saw him, wide-eyed, and then they saw the child next to him. In a panic, the crowd couldn't help but scream, and some braver ones approached, holding their cell phones tightly.

"What is that...?" said one voice.

"Is that a Zoanoroid?" continued another.

Netto turned back to them, his eyes shocked. He placed himself in front of his Navi, raising his arms.

"Stop, he's not a Zoanoroid!"

"Kid, get out of here! You're in danger if you stay here!"

The child widened his eyes. Nobody was listening to him. He turned back to Rockman, fists clenched.

"Rockman, go!" he commanded, though fear was in his voice.

The beastly Navi growled again, and yet, it jumped in one direction, escaping the people around him. The child saw him escape on top of a building and disappear.

"What was that?"

"Kid, are you okay?"

Some people approached him, the child tried to move away, not wanting to confront them.

"I'm fine," he replied, looking away.

"Where are your parents?"

Netto turned his head in another direction, biting his lower lip.

"They're...over there!" he shouted, pointing, and then ran in the direction he saw, leaving the adults with even more wide-eyed expressions.

The little boy quickly moved away. Once again, the adults took him for a simple fragile child, although in reality, everything was fine. He slowed down as he arrived at a quieter square. Netto let out a heavy sigh, looking at the roofs in search of Rockman but found nothing. The Navi hadn't followed him at all. He had nothing left to do but to find Saito and a hotel. He would always remember this day, marked by the fact that he made a little girl happy because she looked like one of his friends. He felt happy and at the same time sad.

A few meters away, he heard a metallic noise and a sound coming from a microphone. He saw three small robotic dogs surrounding a young girl, growling at her. His hand slowly rose toward them, probably to tell them to calm down, but the dogs did nothing but bark. Netto hesitated to confront them, remembering what happened that morning. He was just a child, what could he do differently... No, he wasn't like that. He clenched his fists and charged toward the robotic dogs, positioning himself in front of the young girl while raising his arms.

"Get out of here!" he shouted at the robotic animals.

The dogs growled, and he noticed that they were just guard robots. He also observed an infrared zone that could be used to connect his PET. If his PET still worked and Rockman was here, he could certainly have manipulated the robots to make them leave.

"Come on, shoo!" he continued to say.

He did not notice that the young girl behind him raised her hand, and immediately, the robots calmed down and left without making a sound. Netto lowered his arms, satisfied that he had just made it clear to simple domestic robots that they had no reason to attack. He laughed for a moment and turned to the girl.

"It's good! Now everything is fine!" he announced as he turned, but his voice died down when he saw the girl behind him.

She was someone unfamiliar to him in his world and this one. Her long brown hair was styled with butterfly-shaped barrettes, and she was dressed in a very pale purple dress. She must have been around his age if he was in his original body. Without realizing it, Netto's cheeks began to flush. Something about this girl made him feel different, a kind of benevolent aura. He would have thought that time had stopped between them.

"Thank you...for helping me." She spoke in such a sweet voice that it brought him back to reality a bit.

Netto found himself speechless, his mouth opening and closing. The girl leaned forward to study him, her face expressionless.

"Are you alone?" she asked in a calm voice.

The child looked away, his cheeks slightly red. He gradually regained his composure.

"I... Well, I'm just looking for a friend!"

She continued to watch him closely, still without expression.

"In other words...you are alone," she concluded.

He bit his lower lip and leaned forward, head down. He heard her make a small noise, she knelt down to be at his level, her face in front of him. Netto felt the warmth of his cheeks returning. He found himself facing her bright green eyes, which radiated deep melancholy. They were almost...unreal, like an endless ocean where he could drown forever.

"Listen," she began in the same soft voice, forcing Netto to turn his head. "You're a little boy, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you if I let you go."

This time, Netto frowned and took a step back. Once again, he was the target of the fear of the crowd. He wanted to shout and say he didn't need anyone, but the generosity in her gaze did not give him the strength to get angry.

"I... I don't need help... Thank you." He tried to be polite, and turned away completely, he didn't want her to feel bad that he had pushed her away.

But the girl continued. "You are alone and you helped me. I would feel bad if something happened to you."

A pang hit his heart, she was playing with his emotions. Netto couldn't allow himself to do that, what was holding him back from running away? She just wanted to do good, like the people here, or maybe she felt indebted to him because of his help. He finally sighed.

"Alright... I will let you stay with me until I find my friend." He announced, trying to hold back his voice.

The young girl got up and nodded.

"Okay."

He frowned again, wanting to voice his usual complaint about the treatment she had just given him.

"By the way, even if you think you're doing good, know that I can take care of myself!" Netto began, taking on a serious air that left the young girl confused. "I'm a big boy! I'm twelve years old!"

For the first time since their meeting, the young girl made a new expression; her eyes opening wide upon hearing him. She leaned forward, analyzing him even more closely, without saying a word.

"Th...that's not what I see..." She admitted with a troubled tone.

Netto crossed his arms, trying to find a way to make her understand. He couldn't talk to her about Duo, and even less mention that he came from another world. He had to come up with a plausible story.

"So I was on my way to see a friend and I met a sorcerer who turned me into a child!" He declared, acting like a theater actor with his arms raised.

He knew deep down that what he was saying wasn't believable, yet the only reaction the girl had was a warm smile. The warmth returned to his cheeks, but it wasn't uncomfortable, he lowered his arms and couldn't help but describe what he saw.

"Pretty..." He murmured, almost hypnotized.

She stopped smiling when she heard him, and blinked several times.

"I beg your pardon?"

Hearing the question, he started stuttering and quickly turned away, his face turning red.

"It's not... I meant... " His eyes looked everywhere, searching for something to make him forget what he had said. "You see, the sorcerer, he turned me into a child because I was cooler than him and because my friend was pretty! He was just jealous... I think."

The child turned around shyly to see the result and noticed the girl's smile. Even though his cheeks were still a bit red, he mirrored her smile. Netto leaned forward, hands clasped behind his back and made a circle with his foot on the ground.

"By the way, what's your name?" He asked timidly.

Her smile became smaller.

"Iris... My name is Iris." She replied immediately.

Netto's mouth opened wide. "Iris? That's the name of a flower!" He exclaimed excitedly. "You're lucky to have the name of a flower!"

Iris's smile disappeared as she looked at the child curiously.

"It's still a common name..."

"Yeah... But at least it suits you well!" He started walking in one direction then turned back and raised his arms, wanting to start an explanation. "My name is Netto, but my dad chose it because he's a scientist who works with Navi management and brought his knowledge to the Net."

He turned to her, making an annoyed expression.

"And as a result, I've met people who made fun of me. They wouldn't stop saying 'Hey Netto, come on let's surf the internetto!' or 'Do you want to be a big Netto operator, Netto?'" He ended up sighing loudly while looking at the ground. "It was exhausting, but that was a long time ago."

Iris placed her hands behind her back, one leg leaning forward.

"But having a name chosen by your father, one that belongs to the personal history of someone you love, is a beautiful gift."

He lifted his head and nodded, agreeing with what she had just said.

"And you? Who chose your name?"

She looked away and opened her mouth timidly.

"My... My brother chose my name. He wanted me to be someone kind, someone who would bring him courage."

Netto smiled at her explanation, it was probably a good reason.

"He has good taste, then." He commented.

She looked at him again.

"Thank you."

Iris and Netto stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Iris' expression remained unchanged, except that she still looked at him with curiosity. Netto, on the other hand, was almost happy. He was still smiling, but he couldn't help but think that there was something special about this girl. It wasn't the first time he had felt something for a girl, but it was curious... Yet, there was also something else special about her, not just in terms of his feelings. Finally, the young girl broke the long silence, her face returning to neutral.

"Alright then... Netto-chan..."

Netto jumped and had a disgusted reaction when he heard it.

"Uuh, no! Definitely not! Don't call me that!" He exclaimed in bitterness, sticking his tongue out. "No 'chan'! I'm not a child, I told you!"

She tilted her head again.

"Netto-kun?" She said again.

He scowled, but ultimately, he shrugged and sighed.

"Okay, that's fine... But I wish you saw me as someone your own age."

Netto looked to the side as he pouted. Iris let out another smile.

"Netto-kun, do you want us to find your friend?"

The child turned to look at her again, her smile still gave him those same shivers. He saw her hand outstretched towards him. Netto looked at it, then looked up at her, he couldn't refuse it. He took a deep breath and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him.

"Okay! Let's go!"

The young girl was surprised by the child's strength as he pulled her along. They walked through the streets of the city; Netto would have liked his guided tour to continue, but unfortunately, Yaito was no longer there.

Iris, behind him, watched his small body. She felt a tingling in her hand as she tightened her grip on his. She closed her eyes and found herself in the dark. If she kept walking in the void, she could see she was no longer holding the child's hand. Instead, there was an older boy, who must have been about her size, a preteen. His clothes were orange, white and black, but the bandana around his head was familiar. It was the little boy's. She stopped, making the person she was holding gasp. The boy turned to look at her. The face was the same as the child's.

"Iris?"

She opened her eyes and quickly looked down at the child, who was looking at her the same way as the other boy she had seen. Hesitantly, Iris eventually let go of his hand, which made him confused and sad at first.

"It's nothing, I thought I saw someone."

She turned away. With his mouth half-open, Netto wondered if it was important to her, but he didn't want to intrude on her private affairs. He tried to change the subject to make her feel comfortable.

"Say, Iris, do you live here?"

She looked at him again, tilting her head.

"No... I came here for the concert, actually."

He offered her a new smile, he could understand.

"And you?"

The young boy gasped, he was expecting this question, he just didn't know when she was going to ask it.

"I'm just passing through! I need to meet my friend here and then we'll go to Hokkaido together."

"Why Hokkaido?"

Netto hesitated to answer, after all he had learned about this place.

"Because our parents are waiting for us there."

Iris took on a more serious expression. "How were you separated from your parents that you ended up here?"

He was taken by surprise but looked vaguely around him, honestly answering, "I wish I knew too..."

Netto looked off into the distance without any particular goal, and Iris noticed, becoming quite worried about what he had told her.

"Are you sure that this man who did this to you didn't do anything else?" She asked while having a cold calm.

The child blinked, she believed the fake story he had told her? That pleased him in a way, but he felt sad that he couldn't really tell the truth about it.

"Iris, I can't give you too much explanation, but all I know is that he just turned me into a child and when I woke up, I was abandoned in a forest. It's the same for my friend."

Iris felt sorry for the little one, even though she could still feel...the strange aura he emanated. She felt that he was not like the others, and after that strange vision, she could be sure that he was telling the truth. She reached out her hand towards his forehead, touching it with the tip of her finger, bringing him back to reality as she looked at him.

"You look like a little chickadee." she said with a small smile.

With this comment, he recoiled his head, and his cheeks reddened again. He turned away, wanting to hide his face.

"Uh... Thank you... But why?" He tried to calm down as he looked at her again.

"With your cloak," she began to explain. "And also because you're so small."

He growled at her words, causing a small chuckle from the long-haired girl.

"You could be a Shima Enaga, they're from Hokkaido after all." Iris added.

Netto calmed down, understanding the metaphor but he could only shrug and twist his mouth.

"I'm not really from Hokkaido, I was born in the east."

Her smile disappeared and she opened her eyes a bit wider.

"So... Why are your parents in Hokkaido?"

"I don't really know... But I know they're there." he said simply with a sigh. "I know this place is strange, but if they were somewhere else–if there was another place–I would go without hesitation."

She nodded at his words. "Yes... Hokkaido isn't really a tourist destination..." she said in the wind.

Iris seemed quite sad in her gaze, Netto noticed. "Are you from there?"

"I was born in a city called Kaikyou, it's been destroyed since."

Netto gasped, the name was familiar to him...and he remembered that they were the ruins he was supposed to go to specifically. He felt compassionate towards Iris now that he knew he was heading towards her old home. He lowered his eyes and then looked at the young girl again.

"But you have a new home now?"

She opened her mouth but quickly closed it, nodding her head, but her gaze made it clear that sadness was overwhelming her. The little boy approached and with some hesitation, he gently touched her hand, which made her open her mouth and lower her eyes towards him. They looked at each other for a moment, then Iris looked up at the sky and moved her hand away.

"It's already getting dark..."

The child looked at the sky that was darkening slowly. The sun was hidden under the horizon, leaving a beautiful orange glow, yet marred by the lines and colors of the dimensional zone's dome. He furrowed his brow in frustration.

"I'm sorry, we haven't found your friend." Iris said in a weak voice.

Netto shook his head very gradually.

"It's okay, I'll find him."

She placed a hand on his head and lowered herself to his level.

"I'll still stay with you, I need to find a place for you to sleep."

Once again the child blushed strongly. He stepped back while stuttering.

"No, I'm sure my friend is coming..."

As he stepped back, Netto's back hit something. He turned around and found himself face to face with...Saito, hands on hips.

"Ah!" He exclaimed upon seeing him, he quickly smiled. "There you are!"

Saito didn't seem the happiest to see him again, he was leaning in and his mouth twisted in a sneer. Netto felt a chill run down his spine as he noticed his expression. He quickly turned, plastering a big forced smile on his face.

"Look, Iris! I found him!"

The young girl with long hair gasped, lowering her eyes to look at the child and then raising them to study the preteen. By her expression, Netto understood that she was almost...terrified.

"You...you look alike."

Netto's eyes narrowed as he lowered his head while Saito relaxed, his arms hanging at his sides. He forced a smile with a bead of sweat on his temple.

"Not that much!" he exclaimed. He moved closer, standing in front of Netto, while keeping a hand on his shoulder. "I suppose you took care of Netto-kun while I was away?" he asked the young girl.

She nodded. He raised his hand, in a gesture of gratitude.

"Thank you," he said, keeping a smile.

Iris took his hand, but as soon as they touched, she felt something… A shock went through her, she had a quick vision that terrified her. She quickly withdrew her hand and lowered her head, her eyes wide open to the point that they could disappear. If Saito was confused by her reaction, the small child approached, a little panicked.

"Iris! Are you okay?"

She nodded and stood up, placing a hand against her chest. Netto reached out his two hands towards her but didn't touch her, remaining frozen.

"I'll leave you..." she started in a weak voice. "You found your friend after all..."

Netto frowned sadly. "I hope we'll see each other again!"

The young girl did nothing but observe the other boy, who was looking at her with a certain mistrust for a few seconds, then looked at the child again.

"I hope so too."

She affectionately ruffled Netto's hair. "Goodbye, Netto-kun."

Watching Saito again who maintained his expression, she opened her mouth, hesitated to greet him, but finally she turned around and left.

"Goodbye Iris!" Netto shouted, saluting with his arm.

Once she was far enough, Netto turned to Saito, who looked at him with the same expression as before. He pretended not to know what the problem was.

"What?"

"Netto-kun… What did I tell you last night?" He asked, crossing his arms.

He grinded his teeth as his fingers made circles between them. "I...I know..." He admitted, biting his lower lip. Then he continued, lowering his arms and frowning. "But she stayed with me because she didn't want to see a child alone after I helped her! And then...for once, I can be useful!"

Saito blinked in surprise at the last phrase, as if Netto had spoken another language.

"Who said you were useless?" The older boy's voice was soft but confused.

"I'm small, I'm a child! I'm unable to fend for myself without you or even Rockman!" Netto was spitting out everything he had on his heart at full lung, his arms trembling. "Nobody takes me seriously or even tries to believe me..."

With empathetic sadness, he began to smile sadly, bending down to his level.

"Hey, it's just a hurdle to overcome. It will soon be over. I know you are capable of doing a lot of things." He confided in understanding. "But for now, it's better that we stay out of any conflict. After all, you were with another little girl today, right?"

Netto opened his mouth wide, shocked at what he had heard. He quickly closed it as he realized something else.

"But how do you know that?"

"Rockman told me!"

"What, really?"

It was at that moment that Saito realized the stupidity of what he had just said. The child quickly approached, clinging to him with hope. "He talked to you? He really did?"

The pre-adolescent looked away, trying to hide his lie. "N-no, he didn't really tell me! He showed me!"

Netto lowered his head in disappointment. "Rockman was mean to me earlier...I don't even know why."

Saito twisted his mouth, it was clear that his anger had overflowed when he was Rockman, as he had not kept his word. He wanted to apologize but he couldn't. He tried to return to the main point.

"Regardless, you spent your day with someone else, even though I told you not to talk to others..."

"But it was a girl I knew and she was sad..."

Saito clenched his fists and pressed his lips together. He knew that Netto was like this and it was a trait that he couldn't change. It hurt him to force him to stop being who he was.

"I know it's hard, Netto, but I told you, we're not in our world…so we have to be careful not to get involved in their problems and especially not to say anything about our world or your age," he said.

Netto scowled and puffed out his cheeks, clearly not liking the last part of Saito's sentence. The older boy could tell. Netto eventually exhaled and looked away. Saito took a deep breath and placed his hand on the small boy's back. "Come on, Netto, let's go find a hotel."

They walked in silence for a moment, both boys scowling and looking away from each other.

"Do you think I'll meet her in my world?" Netto suddenly asked in a calmer voice.

Saito looked at him in surprise, noticing the child's red cheeks. "Who?"

"Iris, the girl you just saw," he replied.

Saito gave him a small smile, it wasn't the first time he saw him like this. He ruffled his hair. "Well, if you're lucky, you'll meet her again," he said.

Netto didn't reply, despite everything Saito had said and the conversation they had yesterday...he felt so empty now that the girl was gone. He was happy to have met her at least.

On the way to a hotel Netto talked to Saito about trains to Hokkaido, explaining that no lines went there directly, which made him grimace. The former Navi was irritated at the idea of having to walk north on foot, especially since this world was a potential danger to his operator. The older boy had to really think about a better plan to bring the child to safety, even if he had to stay in this child's body. The young boy also made him learn that Navis were not very appreciated, even though they had the right to live in the real world. A great fear had settled in the hearts of people and they did not treat them as equal beings. Saito felt his heart leap inside of him. As a former Navi, he struggled to close his eyes to this, but he had to respect his word and not worry about the problems of this world.

Saito just hoped that their original world would end like this and that even if one day Navis and humans would have to coexist together, they could live in peace in the same world.

Once in their hotel room, Netto headed towards one bed and laid down on it; with the two beds being so close his head was on the other. Saito grinned and looked out the window at the city outside. The child sat up and observed him and placed a hand on his stomach, which made some noise.

"I'm so hungry..." he murmured.

Saito turned around upon hearing him and his stomach growled even louder. The donuts he had eaten as Rockman weren't enough.

"I think I am too," he admitted as he massaged his stomach as well.

The child got up from the bed and headed to the room's desk. "Normally, you can order food in hotels like this." He found a menu card on it, "Look!" The older boy approached, analyzing the pictures of the various dishes he had never tasted, increasing his appetite. Netto flipped through the pages, unable to decide. "Oh, a burger, I already ate one for lunch..." commented Netto.

Saito smiled. "I'll have one, it'll be my first burger!"

The two boys froze, the smaller one furrowed his eyebrows and the bigger one covered his mouth. Saito had said something again that made the child confused. The younger one let out an almost exasperated sigh.

"Saito, you've never had a burger?"

With his hand still covering his mouth, Saito timidly shook his head no. Netto's grimace grew bigger.

"Listen, I can understand you've never had donuts. I can accept you've never tasted curry." He placed the menu card down, not breaking eye contact with Saito. "But you can't tell me you've never had a burger or any onigiri and instead will feed yourself soap!" His voice grew louder as he spoke.

Saito furrowed his eyebrows at the last word. He looked to the side, not knowing what to say, and Netto softened his tone, not wanting to create a heavy atmosphere between them.

"I don't know you... But what you're telling me seems strange. I just want to understand." He paused to observe the other boy who was becoming increasingly sensitive and sad. "I know there are things you're not telling me. We're traveling together, so it's best to get to know each other, don't you think?"

The child sat up straight in his chair.

"If you want, I'll tell you everything you need to know about me!" The other boy finally looked at him, his expression unchanged. "Besides the fact that you know I'm twelve, my father is a scientist who contributes to the creation of Navis. In fact, he created mine and my grandfather created the PET!" He began with a big smile. "My mother had an important job too, but that was a long time ago, and for some time now she's been a housewife."

Saito looked at him, giving a small, non-reactive smile. He knew all of this, he would like to tell him, but he couldn't. He eventually lowered his head, his hands tightening against his pants.

"Also..." Netto added. "I'm NetSavior, so it's kind of my nature to help people... But for this information, please don't tell anyone."

The other boy replied with a small nod, showing him that his secret was safe.

"Now, what about you?"

Saito took his arm and continued to look away. He remained quiet for a long time, under the empathetic eyes of the child. What was really holding him back from telling the truth? He knew the child had noticed and with that girl earlier, no one was fooled. If he said he was Rockman, Netto would ask him why he looks like him...

One day, he will be forced to tell him: that they were twin brothers, that he cheated death by being reincarnated as a Navi, his best friend. And thus, Netto's vision of him will change forever. He will never see him the same way again. He will be angry and confused, why was this truth kept from him? And he will probably no longer see him as a Navi... And even less as a brother. He will see him as he should be seen, a monster... An anomaly.

Netto, noticing Saito's silence, exhaled loudly and shrugged.

"It's not a big deal if you don't want to tell me anything... I guess you'll tell me little by little as time goes on."

He turned around and continued to look at the menu. Saito looked at him then his hand. He couldn't lie, he didn't like it, and he was already exhausted by the secret he had to keep. But he could tell him part of the truth.

"I have a heart disease called HBD, and I've spent my whole life in a hospital." He finally looked up at the little boy who had turned around, surprised. "It's a heart disease, and I had to make the least effort possible, eating was one of them. Instead, I had an IV. It's not just that, I've never known how to write or draw... Or even swim..."

The child's face gradually became sad as he heard him. He finally lowered his eyes, almost ashamed.

"Everything I've known, I've known through a computer. Every day was a new survival test for me, every time I was afraid my heart would stop beating."

He knew that pain all too well, that feeling that was engraved in his memory. His heart beating in his chest scared him every moment. He put his hand where his heart was located.

"Since I've been here, I feel free, and when I feel my heart, I'm still just as scared...but I know now that I don't have to survive, I can finally live... "

Nevertheless, he didn't want to enjoy this heart he had dreamed of having. All this was only a limited time, and when they would go back home, there would be nothing left. He shouldn't get used to it. Netto tilted his head towards him.

"So... Duo brought you here in good health?"

He nodded.

"But if you've never left the hospital without making an effort..." Netto added, still shocked by his story. "How do you know how to fight?"

Saito gasped again but smiled with a drop of sweat.

"Duo gave me this ability... I guess..."

Netto grimaced in frustration.

"He gave you a gift and he just made me weaker... It's not fair!"

Saito tilted his head, smiling, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It must be part of the trial, you were used to saving others and now it's your turn to be saved. And I've never saved anyone..."

Netto nodded, nonchalant, but he accepted it. Seeing that everything was working out, Saito sighed in relief. The child raised his head with a smile while holding out the menu card.

"So let's celebrate your first burger!"

Saito smiled warmly again, he could feel his eyes filling with liquid. He was happy to have told a form of truth to Netto and that he understood him. He finally hugged him, holding him tightly, which surprised the young child, who blushed at the gesture.

"Uh... Saito?"

The older boy pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"It's nothing, you can't imagine how wonderful it is for someone like me to be…"

Human.

"Healthy."

Netto nodded with a smile.

"That's right, that's why we have to celebrate what you're eating!"

He nodded but approached the child's head.

"We'll order... But in the meantime." His nose made a noise, the child jumped. "Go take a shower... You smell terribly."

Netto furrowed his eyebrows and sighed. It was clear that he hadn't taken a shower since leaving Ann's. Saito's sense of smell was still as powerful, and he had noticed the young boy's body odor since they were in the room. They eventually chose what they wanted to eat and the child headed to the bathroom. Saito felt relieved to have shared a part of his past with him, even if he still had to hide some things. However, he remained sad that Netto remembered nothing.

A short time later, the order arrived, and Saito knocked several times on the bathroom door.

"The food has arrived!"

The child was thrilled, he quickly washed up and came out in just his underwear and a tank top. He could smell the food and, despite Saito remaining calm, he could see him filled with joy. The meal passed happily, the former Navi ate his burger with ecstasy and the child, who had picked something else, was just as satisfied. For the older of the two, the texture of the burger and its smell were an unusual experience but once in his mouth, it was without a doubt the best thing he had ever tasted. The younger one felt happy for his new friend who was discovering the joy of eating. He couldn't imagine being in his place, living a whole life without eating...especially curry. He promised him that if they passed by a curry restaurant, Netto would treat him before they returned.

When they were finished, they left the tray outside the door, and it was the older boy's turn to take a shower. The child joked about having to be careful not to eat the soap, to which the other boy responded with a sarcastic smile. Meanwhile, Netto stayed in his tank top but put his shorts back on and waited. He lay on the bed and began reading the various brochures in the room, learning more about the city from a tourist's perspective.

When the older boy came out of the bathroom, Netto noticed his wet, disheveled hair. His eyes widened slowly. Saito, noticing the almost frightened reaction from the child, became confused.

"Did something happen Netto-kun?"

Netto chewed on his lower lip. His eyes trembled as he mustered up the courage to say just one simple phrase.

"Your...hair is messy."

Saito didn't understand, he turned to the mirror and he realized. His eyes looked with horror as his wet hair had become the same as Netto's without his bandana, making him a true clone of the child...if he still had his twelve years old appearance. He quickly put his hands in his hair and styled it as best as he could, getting back the fringe similar to his father's.

"T-thank you, Netto-kun." He stammered, wanting him to believe it was no big deal.

Of course, their resemblance was striking and it was disturbing for the child, but Saito had to deal with it and ignore it. The child turned around, lying on his bed, he couldn't see his face anymore.

"By the way..." The child started with a tired voice. "Stop calling me 'Netto-kun'... I don't like it."

He widened his eyes again. Netto seemed a bit cold, was it because of what just happened?

"Why?"

"Only Rockman can call me that, and I don't like you infantilizing me."

Was it really because of that? Yet, that girl had called him "Netto-kun" and he didn't say anything. For his case, Netto didn't add "-kun" to his name, maybe he wanted to see himself as equal to him?

"Okay... Netto."

Netto remained silent while Saito felt ashamed. The older boy headed to bed. He turned off the light and wished him goodnight, while the child watched his silhouette. Deep down, he knew he was hiding something from him. He didn't want to doubt his story, but for having such a resemblance with him, there must be something he was not telling him...

Netto woke up slowly, his breathing heavy. He was blinded by the sunlight that came through the room despite being hidden under the sheets. Unable to stand the light anymore, he got up and looked around while rubbing his eyes. He slowly realized that he was no longer in the hotel room, but a room that he knew all too well.

He was in his own room.

His eyes snapped open as he became aware of where he was. He looked at his hands and removed the cover to see his body. He was wearing his usual pyjamas and his body was the one he had before Duo sent him to another world. He was home... He had become a twelve-year-old boy again! He smiled widely, hugging himself.

"Mama!" he shouted, quickly getting out of bed to leave the room.

He almost tripped down the stairs, he was so excited. Netto arrived in the dining room, his smile still wide, the room hadn't changed and breakfast was on the table. He saw his mother in the kitchen, washing her hands. He ran to her and tightly hugged her.

"Aah? Netto!"

The boy wiped his forehead against her and looked at her again, his eyes shining. "Mama, you have no idea how much I missed you!"

The mother looked at him with confusion, but kept her smile. "Come on Netto, what are you talking about?"

Netto stepped back from her, giving her some space.

"I had a terrible nightmare, I thought it was real! I was lost in another world!"

She tenderly caresses his head, amused by what she just heard.

"Come on Netto, you said it yourself, it was just a nightmare!"

He nodded sadly. Although he thought it may have been a dream, he felt it was a part of reality. Haruka placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you hungry? I made breakfast."

He nodded, he could eat his mother's food again, go back to school, and live his small adventures as a NetSavior. Speaking of which, he had completely forgotten about Rockman and surprisingly, he hadn't woken him up. Netto wondered if his Navi was still asleep. Wanting to go upstairs to check, the front door opened and he heard his mother calling someone else.

"Ah dear!"

Forgetting about his Navi for a moment, Netto turned around to see his father enter the room, also happy to see him and approached him.

"Ah Netto! You're here!" He exclaimed with a smile.

Netto quickened his pace to go towards him, but stopped when he saw another person enter the house. The boy's breathing quickened. In front of him was Saito, the same height as him. The disheveled haired boy pointed at him, shocked.

"What... What are you doing here?"

Saito offered him a warm smile that was almost sinister as Yuuichiro put his hand on his shoulder.

"Well, Saito is home!"

Netto finally shook his head.

"No! He should be in the hospital!"

"I'm finally healed...Netto-kun."

He felt a shiver running down his spine. He could have been happy for him with such good news...but Saito made him too uneasy.

"But... Why is he here?"

Yuuichiro scratched the back of his head.

"I just told you, Netto! Because he is home!"

Netto shook his head again, his arms flailing around.

"But if he is home, why have you never talked about him to me!"

At that moment, his parents' faces darkened while keeping their smiles. They stood behind Saito who looked a lot like him, their hands on each of his shoulders.

"That's true..." started the well-groomed boy. "I spent my life in the hospital... It was necessary to have a replacement for my parents while waiting."

Netto's heart began to beat violently in his chest. He stepped back.

"What... What are you talking about?"

"Netto," his mother started, her radiant smile seeming very fake. "Now that Saito is here, we don't need you as a son anymore!"

It hurt... It hurt a lot. His heart wanted to escape from his chest. His hands trembled and his legs could break at any moment.

"You... Lie... Right?"

The other boy approached, every detail of his face was the same as his, he was a true mirror.

"Saito... Why?" Netto's voice was almost trapped in his throat as he looked at his double.

"Don't worry, Netto-kun, you will not be useless."

The boy with the smooth hair turned to the scientist, all smiling.

"I need a Navi!"

"Of course!" Added Yuuichiro.

Anger replaced fear in Netto's mind at the mention of "Navi". He would not let anyone touch what was dear to him.

"I refuse to let you touch Rockman! You will not operate him! He will never obey someone like you!"

Saito looked at him again, still smiling.

"Come on Netto, it's not Rockman that I want for a Navi."

He brought a finger closer to him.

"It's you I want."

With a swift move, Saito pushed the boy with his finger. Netto fell back, the fall seeming endless, as if he had been pushed from the top of a building. The world around him became increasingly larger, he fell into an ocean of data, a dark world illuminated by a window in which the head of the other boy was. When he tried to raise his hands to go towards him, he noticed blue gloves that were not unfamiliar to him. His whole body was wrapped in a suit he knew very well. The boy shook his head and screamed.

Netto abruptly got up from the bed, sweating and panting. He looked around and saw that he was in the hotel room. He felt a warm hand on his back, trying to help him.

"It's gonna be okay, Netto! It was just a dream!" a familiar voice shouted.

Netto turned to face Saito, and let out a scream that echoed in the hotel room. He turned away to avoid looking at him, his body trembling with fear. Saito stared at him, open-mouthed.

"Netto?"

The child gradually calmed down, his breathing trying to return to a normal rhythm. Instead of answering, he curled up on himself, emitting small moans. Saito sat on the bed, grasping his shoulders, while Netto kept his head hidden against his knees.

"Netto, are you okay?"

The moans became more and more inaudible, and then he raised his head towards him, his eyes filled with tears.

"Whoever you are...please...don't hurt me..." he repeated this sentence several times with a very weak voice.

Saito felt a knife in his chest as he heard him. He understood that Netto had just had a nightmare about him. Without hesitation, he took him gently against him, the child stopped whimpering.

"I will never hurt you, Netto, never."

The child remained still for a few moments. He wanted to believe Saito, but the striking resemblance between them and the mystery that surrounded him made him uneasy. Was his dream a warning? Or was it just his own anxiety that was troubling him? He felt alone and exhausted away from home. Eventually, Netto let himself fall against the warm body of the older boy. He felt safe in his arms, his warmth was familiar.

He knew him... He was sure of it.

Netto walked slowly through the streets of the city, heading out of town. Saito had left him again before he woke up, leaving a letter written by someone else. The message told him to head north to a certain city where they could be reunited. It also said that as long as Rockman was with him, he would always be safe. The child wondered how their meeting had come about between the two. Was Rockman just as aggressive towards him? Did he trust him? Probably... But for now, he didn't understand why Saito left every morning.

The boy walked out of the city, looking around. He saw a silhouette on a rock that he recognized in the distance. Netto recognized his wild Navi. He smiled and started running towards him. Rockman examined him with half-closed eyes, pupils fully contracted. The child approached, greeting him, but the Navi pushed him back, yelling. The young boy froze, looking at the ground in silence. He mustered his courage and approached again. Rockman growled again, yelling at the child who was approaching slowly. When Netto was close enough, the Navi let out an incredibly loud scream that shook the boy's body as if he was in a storm. But to his great surprise, Netto held on, closing his eyes and contorting his mouth. He opened his eyes, grimacing, and leaned forward.

He also started yelling, imitating a wild animal against the Navi.

Netto calmed down, abruptly catching his breath, as he had used all his breath. Rockman had his mouth open under his mask, wanting to start again too, but instead he growled and walked away from the rock while casting round looks towards the boy. The child gave a small victorious smile, he had made his best friend understand that he should remember that he was still as resilient.

"Hey Rockman, come back!" He chased after him, he had probably hurt the feral Navi's ego. It's no big deal, Rockman will have to deal with it.

To be Continued...

AN: I'm going to share it now so you will read it after it, but I think I'll post a chapter every two weeks, cause I'm just 3 chapters ahead and originally I was at 5, I'm late in this work. I hope you guys understand, but I won't stop it, I want to respect my readers to share something finished after all. With all the stories I used to share and never finished, I really don't want to abandon this one.

See ya next time!