AN: Hello! And there you have it, this chapter finally provides some answers you've been waiting for. I hope you'll appreciate them. However, this chapter contains quite shocking content, especially concerning Netto. It's probably not as intense as the last chapter, but I thought it best to give you a heads-up.
Chapter 27: The New Ally?
Netto found himself in a completely unfamiliar situation, completely unaware of what to expect. Throughout the entire journey he had struggled, unsuccessfully trying to get answers from the dark Navi accompanying him. The latter had remained silent, simply ignoring all of the child's remarks, frozen like a statue.
The car came to a sudden stop, forcing the boy to get out. Before him stood an imposing and ancient building, which seemed to have weathered the ravages of time and evoked memories of the atomic war of the last decades. This place somehow reminded him of Scilabs, but much larger and much darker.
As he entered inside, Netto was struck by the grandeur of the hall, just as monochromatic as the exterior. His eyes widened as he noticed a familiar symbol he had seen before at Roppo's: a purple circle with a twisted large V in the center. A shiver ran down his spine as he realized that the soldiers surrounding him wore the same uniforms as those he had seen before...
Darkman scrutinized the child for a brief moment, then adopted a somber tone that seemed tinged with sarcasm. "Take him with the others for now, his presence here is very important," he ordered.
"Very well, Darkman-sama!" responded a henchman, dragging Netto forcefully as he shouted repeatedly, refusing to go where he was being taken.
Another man approached the dark Navi, attempting to cover his mouth with his hand. "Darkman-sama, the priestess is coming to visit us."
"What does she want here?" he asked with a certain annoyance.
"She wishes to speak with you about several matters, she demands explanations."
He remained silent, apparently in thought, then finally nodded slightly. "Very well, receive her as is appropriate."
The men saluted the Navi, accepting the orders.
Netto struggled desperately, feeling the violent grip of the man holding him back. He feared a blow, as the man seemed at his breaking point. The child screamed, trying to free himself, but he was forced to enter an elevator that took him to the lower floors, still fighting against his captor. The man then threatened him, causing him to freeze in place, terrified by the impending violence.
Once downstairs, he was forcefully dragged into a large room, separated from the outside by glass windows. Looking around, he saw several children huddled against the back wall, filled with fear. Many of them seemed withdrawn, their eyes expressing deep distress.
The young boy with the cape blinked, a deep sadness welling up for these unfortunate young children, but he said nothing. He turned around, considering banging on the glass to ask to leave, but abruptly stopped when he noticed another much larger room just across. His eyes widened gradually, and terror seized him. In that other room, there were more children, but they were different from him and those with whom he shared the room. Their skin was dark, with an almost reddish or greenish gray hue. Their limbs seemed distorted, some twisted, others peculiar.
Netto's mouth fell open in shock as he recognized these children. They eerily resembled Meiru's children or the boy he had met at the rebel base. Deformed children.
Netto took several steps back, horror clearly painting his face. While he was used to seeing children with unusual appearances, it wasn't their features that terrified him. He shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes as he finally realized what was happening. He and the children behind him were now next on the list.
The boy with the bandana scanned all the children in the other room, feeling compassion for them. Some still had relatively normal morphologies, while others couldn't even stand anymore like Shinobu or the boy at the rebel base. He approached, pressing his hands against the glass, and then something caught his eye.
Two long, once blonde braids were now black, attached to a partially bald head. The skin of this child was a dark reddish-gray, and her legs appeared completely twisted. She sat near the glass, supported only by this precarious balance. She seemed no longer aware of reality.
Mouth wide open, Netto desperately cried out, "Yaito-chan!" overwhelmed by emotion. A sob choked his throat, and he repeatedly struck the glass, repeating the little girl's name. "Yaito-chan! Yaito-chan!"
Netto delivered one final blow and banged his head against the glass, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry..." he sniffled, his voice trembling, recalling Glyde's words that had delivered the terrible news to him. His heart was torn apart by a mixture of emotions.
Netto nearly collapsed to his knees, eyes shut, desperately wondering how he would escape from this hell and, most importantly, how he would save these innocent children. He eventually sobbed, feeling utterly powerless. He was trapped, with no apparent way out. If he had Rockman by his side, with the likely help of Saito, he knew they would come to his rescue. But after the events of the previous day, he didn't know if his Navi was still alive, and Saito probably had no idea where he was. It was true despair, and he could only rely on himself or hope for a miracle.
He struck the glass again, then lifted his head, his eyes devoid of their usual energy. He turned to the other children who hadn't moved either, left to their own fate. They heard a door open, and each of them flinched. Netto looked up, focusing his attention on the sound. Footsteps drew closer, and he furrowed his brows, certain it was the same individuals from earlier, perhaps looking for someone vulnerable. He was surprised to see a familiar figure appear, and hope rekindled.
The girl he had met the day before, accompanied by two other Heel Navis—Sherrice—approached, heading towards the room where the deformed children were. This might be his chance.
"Sherrice!" he yelled through the glass, hoping she would notice him.
She froze and partially turned her head, a joyful expression crossing her face upon seeing the child. Netto called out to her again with a hopeful smile.
However, Sherrice ignored him and simply stayed in the room with the deformed children. She observed each of them, the Navis at her side also analyzing the situation. The conscious children were clearly terrified.
"Hey, Sherrice! Please! Answer me!" Netto pleaded, pounding on the glass.
Finally, Sherrice gave one last look to each child, then pointed a finger at one of them. "That one," she replied in a cold voice.
The two Heel Navis nodded, approaching the designated child and took him in their arms. It was a child who was severely distorted, parts of his bones visible, and with an expressionless face; he seemed unaware he was being taken away. The other children did nothing but watch in horror as the poor boy was taken. Netto didn't understand, still with his hands against the glass. He continued to shout through the glass, desperately seeking answers.
"Sherrice! Please! What's going on?! Why are you doing this?!" he implored, hitting the glass with his hands.
No response from the blonde girl. The Heel Navis exited, one with the child, and Sherrice closed the door heavily. Netto kept calling her, but no response came, she paid him no attention and left without a word.
"No..." Netto murmured as his only "hope" vanished.
A sense of betrayal pierced through his heart, he could feel it, this girl wasn't what he had believed her to be from the start. He ended up banging his head against the glass again, feeling a throbbing pain in his chest. He bit his lip to hold back from crying once more. His knees touched the ground, and he could think of nothing but the despair that engulfed his entire being. He felt utterly powerless. The situation seemed hopeless, and he was overwhelmed by profound sadness and a sense of abandonment.
How much time had he spent there? Twenty minutes? An hour? He didn't know. His body was pressed against the glass, motionless, as his tears continued to flow, making his eyes red and swollen. Suddenly, another sound rang out, similar to a door, and the children jumped again. Netto opened his mouth, straightened up abruptly, and moved away from the window, trying to catch a glimpse of what was approaching.
Two Heel Navis finally appeared, entering the room. The children behind Netto began to sob in fear, huddling together, expecting the worst.
Netto, on the other hand, remained still, trying to think quickly to find a way out. With the door open, he had to find a way to escape. While the Heel Navis examined the children, their gaze landed on the child in the cape, almost pointing at him.
"Is that the one he wants to see?" one of them asked, while the other nodded.
They approached Netto, causing fear among the other children who watched him as he stepped back, furrowing his brow.
"What do you want!?" he exclaimed, trying to defend himself.
"You've been chosen, little one. You're coming with us," one of the two Navis replied.
Netto shook his head, but his hand was quickly seized before he could even protest. He struggled as he was forced to leave while screaming, casting a last glance at the children who took pity on him. Despite resisting, he was practically dragged away as he tried to focus on his surroundings. The dark corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, filled with terrifying sounds that resembled screams. Netto shook his head, hoping that all of this was just a nightmare.
The young boy was violently thrown into a room with gray tiles that reminded him of some sort of bathroom. Netto looked at the two Navis with fear and confusion while they stared at him in silence. Slowly getting up, he breathed heavily, and one of them handed him a very long gray robe with a zipper that ran its entire length.
"Put this on!" the second Navi ordered.
Netto froze, at first resigned, and then he looked at the Navis, quite worried.
"I have to..." he began slowly.
"Take off all your clothes and put this on!" one of the two Heel Navis replied.
The young boy trembled slowly and turned around, hiding from them. He eventually took off his sweater and tank top to put on the robe and remove everything he had below. A shiver ran through him as he no longer wore the clothes he had and realized the robe was the same one he had seen on the deformed children. He slowly widened his eyes at this realization. He curled up on himself, determined not to be forced to move again, but one of the Navis opened a door leading to another room. The second Navi pushed him forward and made him enter. His bare feet moved slowly, and his eyes reflected an indescribable terror as he realized what was going to happen to him.
In front of him was a large chair that could move, similar to a dentist's chair. However, it wasn't just a simple chair, as it had chains to hold him in place. Netto took a step back, still terrified. Despite his reluctance, the Navis pushed him violently and forced him to sit down, restraining him and leaving the child in a panic of not being able to move anymore.
"Alright! Now, good luck with the Professor!" one of the Navis declared before pressing a button. The chair pivoted and moved along a track, taking him into a tunnel. The lights passed by so quickly that he almost screamed, and finally, he reached the end of the tunnel.
He arrived in what looked like a large laboratory, the room so dark that there was only light from the small lamps on different workstations. Netto saw two men, one of them seemed to be waiting for him, looking at him with a sinister expression. The young boy swallowed hard, he didn't know this man and had never met him in his world. The man's skin was a pale gray, as if he had never seen sunlight, and he had a red diamond on his forehead, with long violet hair trailing down his back. His terrifying face sent a chill of fear down Netto's spine.
"Well, what do we have here today?" the strange man declared as he approached the boy to observe every detail. He lightly lifted Netto's clothing, causing him to flinch and pull back. "Male doll," he exclaimed loudly enough for the other man, whose face was still hidden, to take note of his words.
The grayish man continued to circle around Netto and came even closer to his face, prompting the child to try and hide his head in the chair, but he was immobilized and couldn't move. The man took out a small flashlight and forced the boy's eyes to stay open.
"Eyes, hazel brown," he continued aloud, then furrowed his brows as he directed the light toward Netto's right eye, which felt increasingly blinded by the brightness. "Oh, but there's a slight hint of green caught in the corner of the right eye."
He eventually let go, and Netto shook his head, briefly wondering what he had meant. However, before he could exhale, the man's hand firmly grasped his jaw, forcing his mouth open, and then he inserted a tongue blade to examine the inside. The young boy groaned in pain as he was subjected to this intrusive examination.
"Nothing specific in that area," he let out, removing the tongue blade and tossing it into a bin. Netto finally closed his mouth, sighing in relief now that this ordeal was over.
The child underwent another examination by the same man who didn't let go of him. He released his right hand and examined it with a tight grip, tapping on what seemed to be his veins. He then noticed his fingers that were reddened by what he had touched earlier. The man's face twisted as he observed Netto's hand.
"He's imperfect," he exclaimed. "Why would Darkman choose an imperfect doll?"
"I have no idea, Professor," the second man responded, still hidden behind him.
Netto widened his eyes upon hearing this familiar voice. He knew it! He tried to move his head to see who had spoken, but from where he was, he couldn't make out anything. The Professor continued analyzing his hand, evidently displeased with his findings.
"Allergic reaction on the skin," he noted, then put the hand back where it was and secured it again, preventing Netto from moving.
"Let go of me!" Netto finally shouted, but his pleas seemed futile.
The Professor chuckled for a moment before raising his head to face the child.
"Don't worry, my boy. For the progress of science and the future of this world, you must lend your body. We will release you afterward," he explained in a voice that sent shivers down Netto's spine.
Netto widened his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to free himself. The man behind the desk, hidden in the shadows, stood up and handed a tablet to the Professor, who examined it carefully. The young boy's eyes widened as he finally caught sight of this person with disheveled hair, glasses hiding his eyes, but an orange mask covering half his face. Even with this appearance, Netto recognized him immediately. Hope surged within him, and he began to squirm.
"Meijin-san!" he exclaimed, capturing the attention of the two men before him, who looked at him in surprise. "Meijin-san!" he repeated.
The man in question felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead while the gray-skinned man raised an eyebrow.
"Do you know each other?" he asked.
The bespectacled man quickly shook his head, hands raised in a gesture of denial. "N-no, Professor!" he began in a panic. "I've never seen this child in my life!"
Yet, Netto shook his head hopefully, displaying genuine determination. "I know we haven't met, Meijin-san! But I know you from another place! I know you're a good person! You would never do this to me, Meijin-san, please!"
Meijin found himself sweating even more, bewildered by the child's words and not understanding their deeper meaning. In contrast, the Professor formed a strange smile, suddenly intrigued by what Netto had just said.
"From another place, huh," he began in a sinister tone, looking at the child attentively. "Can you tell me more?"
Netto swallowed hard, realizing he had said too much. He clenched his lips, signifying that he didn't want to reveal anything more. His gaze pleaded for mercy from the other bespectacled man.
"Meijin-san... Please..." he murmured in a very weak voice, hoping Meijin would understand and save him.
The bespectacled man remained still, as if in shock, no visible reaction on his face. The Professor gently grabbed the child's jaw, forcing him to look intensely into his eyes, his expression resembling that of a snake fixating on its prey.
"So, you're not from here, are you?" he asked in a smooth voice.
Netto trembled, tears slowly streaming from his eyes. The Professor then released him and stepped away to look at vials, one of them a deep crimson red.
"Since the wolf is already out, would you like to see the hawk in action?" he suggested, his eyes focusing on the vial.
Netto remained silent, his breathing becoming faster and faster as he realized no miracle would occur. He was well and truly trapped. The gray-skinned man turned toward him and spoke in a ruthless tone.
"I'm afraid due to your imperfection, you're less likely to become a perfect doll. However, you'll assist us with other projects," he began, preparing various tools that frightened Netto. He then pulled out something that reminded him of an oxygen mask and brought it close to the boy's face.
"Now, you're going to take a long nap, and when you wake up, you won't be the same. But don't worry, it's all for the greater good of this future, after all," he concluded in a chilling tone.
Netto violently shook his head, determined to prevent the mask from getting closer to his face, but he found himself powerless, overwhelmed by the stress that spread throughout his body, rising up to his throat. Struggling against his instinct to panic, he opened his mouth and let out a scream of fear and terror, the most powerful one of his life. The Professor abruptly stepped back, taken aback by the intensity of the scream that pierced his ears and threatened to shatter his eardrums. Even Meijin stepped back, surprised to see glass objects shattering due to the deafening sound. The scream echoed throughout the building, spreading through its vast dimensions. The men and Navis outside began searching for the source of the ear-piercing alarm-like cry, while a person wearing a turquoise helmet on their head listened, mouth agape, terrified by what they heard.
The Professor, annoyed, gritted his teeth and reacted swiftly by slapping the child's face, ending his scream. "Will you be quiet?! It's time to sleep!" he ordered authoritatively, finally forcing the mask onto Netto's face, compelling him to breathe in some kind of gas.
Against his will, the boy felt his heart slow down, his body weaken, and his eyelids grow heavier. He struggled to keep his eyes open. "N-no..." he weakly murmured, fighting not to succumb.
However, he was exhausted, unable to resist any longer. He felt the man touch the zipper of his garment and start to unzip it. After that, everything became blurry, and he lost consciousness.
"Professor, what are you doing?!" A female voice resurfaced, startling the two men. The Professor turned sharply, noticing at the top of the steps leading outside was a female Navi wearing a helmet that concealed half her face and a long turquoise coat. Meijin took a step back, mouth agape, visibly frightened.
"Ah... Iris-sama. What are you doing here?" the Professor asked in a rather displeased tone.
"I demand an answer," the priestess replied coldly as she surveyed the room attentively.
Iris didn't receive a direct answer, but her eyes then fell upon the sleeping child on the chair and was shocked. Her mouth opened quickly and she ran toward him in panic. "What were you doing to this child?!"
The Professor frowned but then forced a smile, his hands raising in a gesture of innocence. "Absolutely nothing, it's simply a request from Darkman! You have no business interfering!"
She clenched her fists as she closely observed the child, her teeth still gritted. "He's under my care now! Release him!" she declared with a venomous voice.
The gray-skinned man widened his eyes. "But, Iris-sama, he's under Darkman's care, you can't..." he attempted to explain.
"I'm taking over, I order you to release him!" she retorted with unwavering determination. Her voice was laced with venom.
Finally, the man sighed, his arms raised. "I thought humans weren't your concern. I must admit, I find it hard to understand you," he said, releasing the boy's limbs.
"That's none of your concern. Children need good Navis to take care of them, not men like you," she replied coldly, removing the mask from the child's face to better see his features. She took a quick breath upon seeing him, then gently caressed his cheek without him reacting.
"If he has belongings, I want those returned as well," she stated as she prepared to pick him up.
"Y-yes, Iris-sama!" Meijin hurriedly responded while the Professor watched the scene with a simmering anger.
With the cawing of crows in the background, Netto seemed to be running through a city where the reddened sky cast black shadows, giving him the impression that he was trapped in a Chinese shadow puppet theater. Even though he was still in his child's body, a growing fear gripped him. He tried to escape, but persistent voices echoed in his head, impossible to silence.
"Freak."
He shook his head as he kept running.
"Freak!"
"No..." he finally replied, attempting to defend against the invasive voices.
"You're just a freak, nothing more!"
"S-stop!"
"Crybaby."
He shook his head again, wiping his inevitably damp eyes. "That's not true..." he murmured in a trembling voice. Another sound could be heard, and in this scene of Chinese shadows, Netto began to make out figures he could recognize.
"Netto!" he recognized Meiru's voice, causing him to open his mouth in fear.
"Come, Netto! Come, we can be a real family!" said a second voice that must have been Akane's.
"I..." Netto began, unable to make sense of it all.
"A deformed child who can no longer go home..." sighed Kohaku. "We're used to it here."
Netto widened his eyes, taking a step back. "No, I'm not... I'm not..."
The crows flew around him, dropping feathers that made him emit a sharp scream. The child suddenly jerked upright into a sitting position, breathing heavily as if he had just finished a marathon. The world around him seemed blurry, and he wiped his eyes multiple times, his head still feeling heavy from the preceding events.
"Netto-kun!" he heard beside him, which made him jump, startling the person next to him as well. He was initially surprised to recognize this person. His vision began to clear, and he could recognize Iris's gentle face and brown hair, looking at him with a certain concern.
"I-Iris..." he murmured in a surprised voice.
She offered him a satisfied smile. "You remember me, I'm delighted," she replied, visibly pleased.
He hiccupped softly and adopted a shyer expression. Netto quickly turned his head, his cheeks taking on a slight rosy hue, displaying a small smile. However, he slightly startled as he realized where he had awakened. He quickly looked at his hands, scanning his entire body, and found that he was dressed in a simple white shirt. He touched his head and realized that he was unharmed, that he was still as he was before.
"I..." he started, looking at his hands again.
Iris took one of his hands, squeezing it gently. He looked at her with confusion.
"Everything's fine, he'll never touch you again. I arrived in time," she reassured him, still wearing that enchanting smile and her unreal green eyes that captivated the child. "It's over."
Netto lowered his head, then took her hand, holding it with both of his hands. Slowly, he began to smile, trembling slightly, and nodded, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Thank you..." he managed to articulate, gently shaking his hands to express his deep gratitude.
She nodded, accepting his gratitude. After a moment to catch his breath, he released his hands. Without saying another word, the young girl stood up and showed him a stack of clothes that were his, which she had retrieved and placed on the bed.
"Here, I got your things back," she said simply.
Netto opened his mouth in joy, relieved to see his belongings again, especially his cherished bandana. He took it first and tied it around his hair, adopting a determined look. Iris nodded in approval, silently congratulating him for his resolute attitude.
"Netto-kun, I'm going to get you out of here. Get ready. Knock twice on the door once you're done," she told him before standing up and leaving him alone in his room.
Netto watched the door close, then got out of his bed, quickly putting on the retrieved clothes. Once he had his boots on, he approached the door and knocked twice as Iris had suggested. She opened the door and ushered in several other young women who surprised the boy. He noticed the emblem on their clothes, indicating that they were Navis, but dressed more traditionally with large, sheer veils covering their entire faces.
Netto turned to Iris, intrigued by this new arrival. "Don't worry, these are friends who will help us get out of here," Iris reassured him, gently taking his hands and bringing him closer to her. "Alright, Netto-kun, let's go."
He timidly nodded his head, and a heavy silence fell among the Navis. Iris gently held the child against her. Once out of the room, the other Navis formed a circle around them, almost creating a protective wall. Netto stayed close to the young girl, still feeling confused, but something in his thoughts made him shake his head. He turned to the one who was helping him.
"Wait, we need to save the children too!" he exclaimed urgently.
"The children?" Iris asked, surprised.
Netto nodded. "Yes, there are children, I think they're locked in the basement... I don't exactly remember where it is, but we have to save them! Some might die here, and others will face the same fate I almost did!" he said emotionally, his voice breaking a bit from speaking.
Iris bit her lip, continuing to walk while looking straight ahead. She seemed hesitant. "I'll get you out of here first. Once outside, I'll come back to find them."
"What? But I want to come..."
"No, I don't want you to take that risk, Netto-kun, especially if you only have a vague memory to find them," Iris replied firmly.
Netto frowned and looked at the ground dejectedly, his fists clenched. However, their attention was diverted when the sound of a stray bullet rang out. The child nearly let out a scream and pressed tightly against the young girl, almost wrapping his arms around her. On the other side of this Navi "wall" stood a man who could have passed for a cowboy at first glance, but Netto quickly noticed the emblem on his chest. The hat and long hair had deceived him at first. In his right hand, he held a long revolver. He opened his eyes and stared intensely. Iris held the child closer to her, as if she held a treasure she couldn't let go of.
The cowboy Navi opened his mouth, a trail of smoke coming out as if he had been smoking, but there was no cigarette to be found. "May we know what you're doing here?" he asked in a rather grim voice, his accent suggesting he wasn't from the country.
Iris pursed her lips while firmly holding the child. "I'm simply here to take care of this child."
The cowboy raised an eyebrow as he looked closely at the child, his teeth suddenly grinding. "With the priestess's personal puppets?" he asked again in an accusing tone.
Iris eventually frowned, losing her patience as Netto looked at her in confusion. "She has given me permission to use them. It's none of your concern."
The opposing Navi sighed and aimed his gun at her, convinced that one of his bullets could pass through this wall of Navis. He seemed annoyed to have to wait.
"This child is under Darkman's responsibility. There's a big project awaiting him," he simply replied. "I may not care who you are or what your connection to the priestess is, but I won't let you walk away with this boy."
Netto trembled upon hearing this, clutching the young girl's robe beside him.
"I'm not patient, so after three, I want you to hand over the child," he said impatiently. "One... Two..."
Iris narrowed her eyes and raised a hand to the side, leading to one of the Navis that was serving as her bodyguard to fly in front of the cowboy Navi like a protective fairy. The other Navi responded by aiming and firing at her, but her consciousness seemed to vanish as her lifeless body fell to the ground, revealing that she was just a simple robotic puppet. The opposing Navi gritted his teeth, and Iris continued, almost controlling the other Navis who had no will of their own, manipulating them like puppets. Each of them flew towards him, causing panic at the thought of having to shoot at mere robotic dolls.
Iris embraced Netto in her arms as he was taken aback to realize that all the other Navis weren't real. He blushed slightly as his face ended up close to the young girl's. She began to move away, which the cowboy Navi noticed and began to aim. Unaware of what was about to happen, Iris raised her hand toward him, and everything seemed to slow down. The Navi with the hat grimaced and widened his eyes, almost falling into a sort of trance as he touched the ground. She resumed her run, leaving him behind without a care.
Moving away from that place as best as she could, Iris arrived in front of an imposing door that seemed to lead to the building's hangar. She hoped to find a vehicle there to escape as quickly as possible. Hands on the door to open it, she and Netto were frozen by an ominous noise behind them. At every corner, humans were positioned, pointing their specialized rifles at them. Ahead, on a staircase, stood a very dark Navi that Netto recognized with dread.
"Iris," Darkman's voice was so dark and deep that it widened her eyes. He approached slowly, giving the impression of levitating, while Iris stepped back, holding the child close.
"Your secret will remain hidden, don't worry…" he began, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "But please, give us the child."
The young girl shook her head while Netto kept his pressed against the young girl's shoulder, utterly terrified of this Navi.
"Please, Iris, you don't have to be involved in this," Darkman pleaded.
"What do you want from this child!?" she demanded with a cold tone, revealing the anger that had been hidden within her.
"Iris, this boy is special. He can be useful to us. He possesses something we desire," Darkman explained, remaining deliberately vague.
This time, it was Netto's turn to react. The child gasped when he understood what Darkman wanted, and then all his anger began to rise within him, causing his teeth to grind.
"You want Rockman, don't you?!" he shouted, his voice filled with anger.
Iris glanced at Netto, surprised to hear such words. Darkman didn't respond immediately, leaving a brief silence that confirmed the child's suspicions.
"All because he looks like Gregar?!" Netto continued, expressing his frustration.
Iris widened her eyes upon hearing these words, not having anticipated this revelation.
"It's much more than a resemblance..." declared Darkman as he approached closer. Iris raised her hand towards him, trying to stop him, but the Navi let out a sarcastic sigh. "Futile, my dear, your powers no longer affect me."
Iris's eyes narrowed harshly, but she made no sound, as if she had been defeated. She lowered her hand, leaving Netto confused about what she had tried to do.
"What was the Professor supposed to do to him if it's just his Navi that you desire?" she asked in turn, while Netto weakly nodded in response to that question. "I heard there are children here, what do you intend to do with them?!"
No response came her way, which annoyed the young girl. She continued to hold the boy tightly in her arms and eventually shouted, "Does all of this have to do with one of Variety's secret projects?!"
Netto widened his eyes upon hearing the government's name, confirming his suspicions from the moment he saw the emblem. He looked at Darkman apprehensively, also recalling Kojiro and Asuta's words.
Darkman hesitated to answer as all the masked men continued to point their weapons at her, and she looked at each one in turn.
"The Cybeasts...must return to this world," Darkman began in a somber tone.
Iris let out an odd breath that sent shivers down her spine, and Netto followed suit, not quite understanding what was happening.
"And the only way to bring them back is to create an anomaly, a being that should not exist: a hybrid," Darkman continued.
Netto trembled upon hearing those words while Iris seemed to almost have an epiphany as she listened.
"The Zero child," she murmured. "It's because of him that you had this idea in your head?!" she exclaimed with a stronger voice.
Darkman slowly nodded his head, still fixing his gaze on the young girl, whose eyes were now in slits.
"If the Zero child had been a clue to all of this, we realized that the Cybeasts are missing from this world. Without them, the balance of the Dimensional Zone's power will destroy our world. Despite being anomalies, they have created something natural," he explained.
Hearing these horrifying revelations, Iris held the child even tighter against her, not to protect him, but as if she were holding a stuffed toy that she needed to squeeze to channel all her emotions. Her voice choked in her throat.
"Thanks to the Zero child, we discovered a certain form of anomaly. Creating hybrids to resurrect the Cybeasts and use them as new bodies. After all, only an anomaly can attract another," Darkman explained.
She shook her head and Netto thought she might start crying at any moment, but nothing came out.
"Of course, we used adults, but no matter what, no one survived. So, we realized—again thanks to the Zero child—that the younger humans are, the more receptive their bodies are to hybridization and the better they can carry a Cybeast within them," he continued explaining, while Netto gradually lost his breath in the face of these revelations.
"You're...behind the cults... You... From the beginning..." he weakly and shakily affirmed.
He heard a simple chuckle from the dark Navi in front of them, his eyes shining with an unsettling gleam. "The cults have been good suppliers, after all, they want their messiahs' return."
"How could you?!" Iris retorted with a strong tone, releasing all the pent-up anger within herself. "Are you telling me...my brother's sacrifice was for nothing?!" Her voice was distraught, and Netto was surprised to hear these words, widening his eyes.
"You are..." he murmured without continuing, feeling overwhelmed by the horror of the situation.
Despite Darkman's lack of expression, there were hints of regret in his green eyes. "We did everything to prevent them from destroying them…those two were just too foolish to listen to their instincts," he continued, providing further explanation.
"I forbid you to treat them like this!" Iris replied, her voice filled with venom.
Darkman said nothing, seeming to sigh. He raised his hand towards Netto, attempting to claim him again. "Now, Iris, give us the child. Despite years of effort to bring back the Cybeasts, this child has managed to have a Navi that is the reincarnation of Gregar!"
Netto chuckled upon hearing this, finally aware of the profound difference in Rockman compared to what he used to be. The fact that he needed to eat, rest, and bled when injured had been clues. Rockman had become a hybrid, and Gregar had targeted him to return among them. This was Duo's experiment, making his Navi so different that he had to survive with this monster.
Netto felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he suppressed the anger that was bubbling up inside his throat. "I'll never let you have Rockman! Never!" he declared with a determined voice.
Darkman looked at him with curiosity, his expression seeming to convey a smug smile. "Your Navi, young child, could be the key to the future of this world. By understanding his hybridization, it will be easier for us to bring back Falzar."
But Netto shook his head firmly. "Never."
"Yet I already know we had a clue..." Darkman began in a teasing tone. "Like the Zero child, you come from Terra."
Netto violently gasped, his eyes fixed on Darkman, while Iris observed the scene with apprehension.
"T-Terra?" Netto repeated, trembling, although he doubted the truth of this assertion.
Amused by the child's reaction, Darkman burst into laughter, sending a shiver down the young boy's spine.
"Don't worry, we accept outsiders like you. That's why you will stay here, your Navi will come, and we will try to understand both of you!" he announced, raising his arms.
Netto growled, and Iris quickly raised her arm, prompting the men present to charge their guns.
"Iris... I'd prefer you not to be involved, as I told you," Darkman repeated in a more serious tone.
Iris didn't respond, but with a quick motion, her arm sprang into action. However, before she could think further, a gunshot rang out in her direction. Fortunately, she managed to dodge in time. Suddenly, one of the men, hidden behind a mask, aimed his weapon at the other men present. From his spot on the balcony, he opened fire on those who were farthest away, and when a closer individual tried to stop him, he proved skilled in close combat, using the back of his gun to strike several people. Thus becoming the center of attention, the other men tried to shoot at him while dodging bullets, but it proved to be fruitless.
The mysterious person jumped from the balcony, landing near the duo and positioned himself in front of them, acting as a protective shield. Darkman was shocked by this carnage. "What the... Traitor!" he yelled.
The man—or rather, the young boy—removed his disguise, revealing his face to be Saito. He glared at the dark Navi with anger. Netto, on the other hand, wore a big smile upon seeing him, but he said nothing, observing the tension between the two.
"Who are you?" the imposing Navi demanded.
Saito furrowed his brows. "I'm here to retrieve Netto."
Darkman made an annoyed noise and finally rushed towards them, wielding two large daggers in his hands, eager to eliminate him quickly. Saito widened his eyes and managed to dodge his attack. He suddenly found himself next to Iris, whom he quickly grabbed by the wrist to head in a certain direction. As they could feel the enemy behind them, the young girl pointed to an exit and told them to go there.
"We need to go to the hangar! We'll take an aircraft and get out of here!" she exclaimed.
Saito nodded and began to follow the young girl, who picked up the pace. Behind them, several gunshots rang out, almost causing the two to stumble. Grasping Iris's arm, the older boy led her elsewhere, while Netto was jostled around in his protector's arms.
They eventually arrived in a large courtyard, and on the other side was the entrance to the hangar. Behind them, several other soldiers and Navis were getting ready to catch up with them and attack. Iris stopped, troubled, and entrusted the child to Saito, which bewildered Netto.
"Go find something, I'll hold them off," she announced, turning towards the growing crowd.
Saito almost nodded to follow this order, but Netto shook his head in fear. "No, Iris! We can't leave you alone! There are too many!" he cried.
"It'll be okay, Netto-kun. I'll hold them off. You have to escape!" she insisted.
But Netto shook his head again while Saito stepped back, seemingly devoid of emotion at the moment. "No, wait! What about the children?"
Iris grimaced, her eyes trembling as more and more people knelt down, pointing their weapons at her. Saito began to move away, holding the other boy tightly, who didn't want her to make this "sacrifice."
But unexpectedly, a miracle occurred. Like a beacon of light, a very strong and imposing figure stood between Iris and the soldiers. She widened her eyes recognizing this person, as did Netto and Saito, who had stepped back.
It was Colonel standing there, facing everyone, causing shock and surprise to ripple through the crowd. Iris remained frozen, with no thoughts in her head, as he partially turned, his expression rather cold.
"Run, all of you!" he commanded in a firm voice.
Iris didn't move, having lost all connection between her head and her body. Colonel glanced at Saito, who eventually reacted with a grimace. He approached the young girl and took her arm. "Iris, come with us!" he ordered.
She didn't immediately react, but eventually cast one last look at Colonel before being forced to leave with the others. In a state of sadness, she almost cried out, raising her hand towards him, not wanting to be separated. They all hurried towards the large hangar and closed the door, the sounds of attacks resonating from the other side. Iris was on the verge of collapsing to her knees, murmuring a sad, "No."
Saito walked past her as Netto looked at her with compassion. He took her arm, wanting her to focus on him.
"Please, what's the fastest way out?" Saito asked, still eager to leave this place.
Iris regained her composure, looking at the two boys. She opened her mouth and closed it, then began walking towards a medium-sized aircraft. They arrived in the control room, and the young girl took care of everything, starting the vehicle and placing a PET on a control table, awakening the vehicle's Navi. Netto's eyes widened, surprised to see that she indeed had a Navi.
The vehicle finally powered up, and holding onto the controls, they started to ascend into the sky, moving away from where they had been. The young child looked at the dark sky through the window, struggling to get out of Saito's arms and moving closer to look outside.
"And the children..." he murmured, seeming saddened by their fate, lowering his head in disappointment.
Iris didn't respond, still in shock from the events, while Saito looked at the child with compassion.
"A choice had to be made, Netto," Saito answered, his eyes trembling despite everything.
Netto shook his head, turning around. "No, we could've saved them! We didn't! Now, they're going to..." He couldn't finish his sentence, overwhelmed by the reminder of what they had intended to do to the children. The young boy thought of each of Meiru's children, realizing what they had become. Some kind of hybrids meant to become the bodies of the Cybeasts. He shook his head in disbelief. "This can't be true..." he finally said, letting out all his emotions. "What have we gotten into?!"
"Netto..." Saito approached him with a tender expression.
"Did you hear what he said?!" the child continued, this time with more anger.
Saito nodded without replying. Learning all this truth had shocked him, but finding out he was a hybrid posed no issue for him. He had always known he was an anomaly, and living with that was part of his daily life. But now, he had to coexist with a true monster inside him. He bit his lip, placing his hand against his chest out of reflex, realizing that things were going to be much more complicated than he had imagined. Knowing that people were torturing children made him deeply sick.
"They want..." Netto began, his voice filled with sorrow. "Rockman..." He shook his head. "How is this possible..."
Saito widened his eyes and took the child by the shoulders. "Don't dwell on that, as long as Rockman is still there, you don't have to worry."
"But..." Netto continued, recalling the events from the previous day.
"Rockman helped me find you, don't worry about him!" Saito affirmed with a reassuring smile.
Netto slowly opened his mouth, realizing the significance of what his elder had just said. Saito lowered the bag he had been carrying all this time and rummaged inside. He handed Netto his PET. The child took it and examined it closely. The PET was still off, giving no indication of Rockman's condition, which didn't bring a smile to his face.
"If it can reassure you... We had found the place where you were before you left there... We arrived too late... But we were able to free all those children," Saito continued with a smile.
Netto looked at Saito, his mouth agape, then closed it with a sad smile. He was glad to know that Kojiro, Asuta, and all the other children were likely going to make it home safely. He silently thanked Saito and held his PET against his chest.
"Rockman... That's your Navi's name, isn't it?" they heard a voice behind Saito. He stood up to look at the young girl who had spoken. He maintained a suspicious look; even though she had helped, he couldn't fully trust her yet. Netto nodded.
"Yes, Rockman is my best friend! Despite his appearance, I know he's not bad, even if..." He stopped, recalling all the horrors he had committed, then shook his head. "Rockman is a good person... And now I know he's haunted by a Cybeast... I want to save him."
"Netto, don't say too much," Saito intervened in a rather cold tone.
Netto widened his eyes upon hearing this, and Iris glanced at him from the corner of her eye. The child placed himself between the two, trying to understand Saito's reaction.
"Iris saved me, Saito! We can trust her!" he said with a hopeful expression.
Saito sighed but continued to look at the young girl with suspicion.
"So... Where are you planning to take us?" he asked.
"As far away from here as possible," Iris continued.
"Wait, Iris! We have to go somewhere specific! I told you once!" Netto moved closer to the controls she was holding. "We have to go to Hokkaido, we can go home there!"
She looked at him gently, blinking.
"Netto, I don't think that's a good idea," Saito interjected evenly, but Netto shook his head.
"There's nothing wrong with that!" he exclaimed. "If at least someone else knows the truth, it would help! I'm tired of having to hide, especially my age!"
Saito heavily sighed and approached, taking Netto's shoulder so they could have a private conversation.
"You're from Terra, aren't you?" Iris added, looking at the path ahead, which cut Saito off.
"Terra?" Saito repeated while Netto displayed a surprised expression.
Iris pursed her lips. "Our world, which we call Gaia, has a twin sister, Terra. The major difference between the two is that Terra doesn't have a Dimensional Area, right?"
Netto scratched the back of his head. "Well... We don't really have a Dimensional Area like yours... But we can create very small ones. Sometimes viruses or specialized Navis appear in the real world, but regular Navis can't."
Iris finally looked at the child. "A world where everything is separate... So it is Terra."
"That's quite weird..." Saito began, "I've never heard of Gaia... Or that our world is called Terra."
"I suppose you're not familiar with the Beyondard theory," she continued.
Saito and Netto both shook their heads without replying. For the older boy, it all seemed so insane; he had initially thought that Duo had created this world to test them, but he now had to accept that everything was different. A parallel world to theirs, with the same people but different events. It seemed too crazy to be true.
"May I ask, how did you come here?" Iris inquired, still focused. Netto looked at Saito, waiting for some validation, which Saito gave with a tired sigh. The young boy approached Iris, trying to maintain a serious expression.
"It's because of an Alien Program named Duo," he explained.
"Duo?" she repeated, turning her head toward him.
"You know him?" he asked, intrigued.
"I've never heard that name before."
Netto took a breath to collect himself before continuing his account. "It's a program with the powers of a God. He destroys planets because he believes that if evil exists, everything is an anomaly. We had to confront him, but we failed," he explained, lips pinched with sadness.
Saito looked at him with compassion, recalling the moment they had believed all hope was lost. Iris didn't ask any questions, she listened attentively, waiting for the rest.
"But... A good friend of ours saved us. He made Duo understand what a good synchronization between a Navi and a Human was, and the beauty of life," he continued, a melancholic smile on his face.
Netto looked at the ground with a sad sigh, despite the smile he wore. He paused first, lips pursed, then continued, "So, Duo spared our planet. However, he designated us—Saito and me—for a new trial, and in this world... He's the one who turned Rockman into a hybrid...it's all his fault!" His voice grew darker.
Iris looked at him, intrigued by all his sorrow.
"And it's because of him that I'm like this..." Netto continued, looking at his small hands with sadness.
"That's right, you told me," she began. "You're twelve years old, aren't you?"
The child nodded, then blushed slightly while scratching his head. "I'm sorry for this dumb story... But I couldn't talk about it...because of the one behind me."
Saito felt anger rising within him, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red, and his patience wearing thin. "Netto, we should never have been exposed. The proof is that we've become fugitives because of this!" he exclaimed.
Netto lowered his head and looked away, wearing a sulky expression.
"He's right," the young girl intervened calmly. "You shouldn't have been exposed, and it's good that you lied to me that day. I don't hold it against you," she added, looking forward. Saito nodded, satisfied that she agreed with him.
Netto tensed up, then observed Iris's face, detecting deep sadness within her that she held back, refusing to let her emotions fully express. He then thought back to what had happened and especially to the link she had in this story, mentioned by Darkman.
"I'm sorry for the loss of your brother, Iris," Netto began, his voice filled with sadness.
Upon hearing this, Saito was also overcome by a sense of remorse, and out of politeness and respect, he mirrored the sentiment. "My condolences as well," he said.
Iris nodded without saying a word, accepting each of their condolences.
"Barrel-san..." Netto began, lowering his gaze. "He was a very close friend in my world, and perhaps a mentor of sorts. It was rare for me to see him, but every time, it was a beautiful friendship I had with him... And I know that Rockman had a similar relationship with Colonel," he added, gently furrowing his brows as he recalled the military Navi. "It was precisely this friend who convinced Duo to let us go. Without him and Colonel, we wouldn't be alive. Just like here, he sacrificed himself for us."
He raised his head, not noticing the confused expression on the young girl's face.
"By the way, it's quite strange, but I didn't know he had any family left, let alone a sister," he said with a shy smile.
Netto finally looked at her, noticing her open mouth and almost widened eyes. Had he said something incorrect?
"B-Barrel-san isn't...my brother," she began softly, her voice sounding lost.
Netto gasped for a moment, completely confused. Unless he had forgotten an important detail, her brother had sacrificed himself to destroy the Cybeasts, that was certain. But if Barrel wasn't Iris's brother, then who was he?
"Barrel-san was my brother's best friend," she explained, looking to the side. "Together, they died to destroy those monsters."
Netto blinked, trying to gather his thoughts, and Saito also started to think.
"It doesn't make sense... If Barrel-san isn't your brother, but he still sacrificed himself with him..." the older boy began, his gaze suspicious as he thought. "That would mean... Colonel is your brother?" he concluded, causing Netto to gasp, his eyebrow raised. "But...you don't look..."
Iris turned fully towards them, her unreal green eyes shining like an electrical circuit inside, and she looked at them with seriousness. "Indeed, I am a Navi."
The two boys were left speechless, their jaws seemingly touching the ground. A silent breath escaped their lips, showing their surprise. Saito was the first to regain his composure, completely shocked, although as a Navi himself and someone's brother, the idea of such a relationship didn't disturb him too much. What shocked him was her appearance.
"W-what?" Netto exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise. "But wait, how is this possible, how can..."
"I was created from Colonel's data. They took some attributes like...his kindness or his emotions," she explained.
Netto blinked, still shocked. "But... The Colonel I know, he didn't seem..."
"So there's no Terra version of me in the other world?" she asked, affirming more than questioning.
Saito remained silent, as having been closer to Colonel, he knew he had always possessed that kindness and those emotions.
"Not that I know of," added Netto, then he grinned as if finding it amusing. "So you're unique!"
She found herself unable to respond, feeling neither embarrassment nor any other emotion. "The Colonel we saw..." she began.
"That's the one from our world," Netto interrupted, expressing his sadness for her once again.
"He's Duo's right-hand man," Saito added, surprising the child. He tried to make up for why he knew so much. "He gave me all the instructions to follow and where we need to go."
"Yes!" Netto chimed in. "We have to go to a city in Hokkaido, I think the name was..."
"Kaikyou," Saito replied, and the child nodded.
Iris opened her mouth, then lowered her head sadly. "That's...where the dimensional area generator is located."
"If he wants us to go to that specific place, he probably wants us to destroy the dimensional area," confirmed Saito with a dark look, but Iris shook her head.
"No, you won't be able to destroy the generator. It's impossible. It's protected by a radioactive field, and even Navis who try to get there will be deleted in less than a few seconds... There were normally two Navis who could destroy it..." She lowered her eyes, looking at her hand. "And now, only one remains."
"You?" Saito replied, understanding immediately.
Iris didn't answer and closed her hand in resignation.
"Why haven't you ever made the decision to shut down the generator?" he asked again.
"Because..." Iris began in a shaky voice. "There are several factors that..."
The female Navi eventually tightened her hands on the ship's steering wheel, then bit her lip, hitting her head against it, which greatly surprised the two boys. Finally, she let out a breath.
"I-I'll accompany you to Kaikyou...and I'll shut down that generator," she replied with a stronger voice, causing another surprise for the two boys.
"You want to come with us?" Netto asked to make sure.
She nodded. "I know the way. I can help you, and I can free this world from this pain. The Cybeasts will never return."
Netto nodded confidently and turned to Saito, who wasn't entirely convinced.
"Saito! We can trust her! She's Colonel's sister, after all!"
Saito continued to look at Iris and approached, ignoring the young boy. He took her arm, forcing her to look at him.
"If you ever were to harm Netto or betray his trust," he began in a threatening tone, so intense that even Netto was taken aback by this reaction, "you'll pay dearly for it."
Iris didn't respond and turned her gaze to the side, resuming the journey. "I've made my decision. I probably won't return to Variety ever again, and if now I can have something to protect, then I'm fine with it," she said softly.
The older boy opened his mouth, feeling a shiver down his spine. He felt like her words were strangely familiar. Slowly shaking his head, he eventually looked at the view.
"So, heading towards Kaikyou, I don't know how long it will take," he said.
"Unfortunately, we can't go there," Iris quickly replied, causing Netto's eyes to widen.
"What do you mean we can't go there?!" Saito demanded angrily.
She turned her head, looking at him with a very neutral expression. "There's no more fuel."
The two boys made a shocked noise and exclaimed loudly. Iris moved away and removed her PET from the dashboard, causing all the engines to shut down.
"Come on, we'll have to take shelter in the back to avoid the crash hitting us head-on," she said, starting to move away.
Saito widened his eyes and had no choice but to hold Netto close to him to follow the girl, although the young child asked to be let go.
"Wait, what?! We're going to crash?! We won't survive!" he shouted.
Iris stopped as she led them to a small room that seemed to be designed to shelter some kind of glider.
"It's the only solution we have left!"
Saito swallowed hard and entered it, Iris positioning herself in front of him while Netto found himself squeezed between the two. By pressing controls, each tried to push the glider out of the room, wanting to fly out of the aircraft and be free. But the wind was so violent that the two boys felt their stomachs churn.
All of this happened as the aircraft lost altitude and headed towards a forest...before crashing with flames igniting around them.
To be Continued…
AN: And they're dead! Just kidding! A very long chapter indeed, and yet another chapter where I enjoyed writing. You've almost had it all, revelation and teasing. In short, I hope that with what's been said, you'll still keep reading this story! Iris is officially part of the group, twenty-seven chapters and she's finally a main character! I love Iris, and I'm sad that there aren't many fanfics with her (especially with a certain ship). I hope this won't give you too much trouble, now we'll be following three characters instead of two. I like writing and highlighting characters who don't have much success, Iris and Sherrice are truly two very good characters.