Rockman.EXE is not mine. Don't sue.
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Us After This
Chapter 4
~by Shimegami-chan
http://www.shimegami.com/ichijouji
A/N: Please excuse any minor mistakes and the clashing between the EXE anime and Battle Network. I hope the story is shaping up the way you wanted it to. :D Please read and review~!
Misty Ishida: Only time will tell... *grin*
Lizeth: Hontou ni!? You have no idea how much I would love that!
Cyber: Wow, I get the angst title? :P All hail Spandex Boy!
TFRiD Queen: Hope you're still reading, thanks for the review!
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"Saito!?" Dr. Hikari said in shock, stepping forwrad. "Netto...that's impossible. Saito died a long time ago."
"It's true!" the boy protested, and Netto knew that it was. Hikari Saito was the one person he connected with 100%--as his brother, his best friend, and his Navi.
Rockman... Netto whispered inside his head, for that was the name he had always called his twin by. Saito did not seem to hear him.
The look on Hikari's face almost made Netto's heart break. Saito was shaking violently, his heart beating fast. "Dad...I don't know how I got in here...but I am...and I can't find Netto-kun anywhere..."
Though Dr. Hikari obviously didn't belive him, he opened his arms and allowed "Netto" to run to him. "I've wanted to do this...for so long...Dad."
Dr. Hikari smiled weakly. "Netto...Saito...have a seat. I'm going to try and have Emdee check you over. Can I plug my PET into your heart monitor?"
"Heart monitor?" Saito asked, the word driving into Netto like a stake. He had indeed woken up that morning with a strange cybernetic implant in his chest, but was too concerned with Rockman to inspect it after disconnecting the PET.
It was...permanent?
"A monitor in your chest," Dr. Hikari explained. "You went into cardiac arrest several times, so a computer was linked to your brain to keep you breathing and your heart beating."
"A computer? Maybe it has something to do with how I got out of Netto-kun's PET."
Dr. Hikari scrutinized his son. Netto hoped his father didn't think Saito was as crazy as the misplaced twin was beginning to sound. "I'll have Emdee take a look. According to him, Rockman's data was stripped from his program and placed in a drone that Meiru-chan's Navi was taking care of. However, Meiru and Dekao's Navis have disappeared, so Emdee is having trouble locating Rockman as well."
"But I'm right here..." Saito whispered softly. His father looked strained. "Wait...my program stripped?" he asked as Dr. Hikari plugged in, fear evident in his voice. "Can it be repaired?"
"The transfer wasn't complete," Dr. Hikari replied. Emdee transferred to the computer in Netto's chest. "If the data isn't corrupted, then yes, I can recreate Saito.bat and Rockman. It'll just take time. Emdee, what's going on in there?"
"Something curious," the doctor's Navi answered. "When Netto logged me out this morning I returned immediately to your PC, and I assumed that Roll and Gutsman were with their controllers or inside your own Navi, or perhaps still inside Netto. But there is no one in here...all the medical Navis have been deactivated, and there's no sign of Roll or Gutsman." He paused for a moment. "Hikari-sensei, it seems that the minicomputer inside Netto has been locked up. Whether it is a virus or a malfunctioning program I do not know, but it has taken all the Navis offline and appears to have pirated all the system memory. It is very fortunate that Netto is still alive."
Could a virus have infected me like it did Rockman? Netto wondered. But...how exactly is Rockman in my body?
"If he even is alive!" Saito said, panicked. "Wait, then, if he were to die then I would die too. Isn't that the whole cause of this problem? So he must be somewhere."
"I am attempting to penerate its security system," Emdee said nonchalantly. "It is no difficulty at all for such a high-level programmer as myself. Level One security, cleared."
Saito had been holding his breath, but nothing happened. Netto wondered too.
"Level Two security, cleared." Still, neither of the boys felt a change. "It seems to be a very complex program, there are 3 or more security levels. I fear that this is a virus--I will deactivate it to keep it from spreading to your PET."
"That's fine. We can analyze it later."
"Level Three security, cleared."
It was at this point that Netto turned to look at his father, and was surprised to find that his head actually moved. Not expecting the loss of control, Saito twitched in surprise. "What...?"
"Level Four security, cleared."
Saito was stock-still, intently watching the PET plugged into his brother's chest. Netto was equally unmoving.
"Level Five security, cleared." All the blood rushed to Netto's head as he regained full control of his limbs. He fell limp against the back of the chair, disoriented and twitching.
"Netto!" His father dove forward to ensure that Netto didn't tumble out of the chair. "Emdee, contain that virus! Delete it, contain it, just get it out of there!"
"No!" Netto managed to choke out, pulling away. "Emdee, don't touch that program!"
"Netto, it could be harmful." Emdee warned.
"It's not, I know it's not! Saito, can you hear me? Rockman? Emdee, open the networks. Give the program access to the whole computer."
"You wish me to remove the medical security operations?"
His father looked at him gravely. "Netto, this is dangerous. You don't know what you're thinking. Emdee--"
"--let it in," Netto finished determinedly. "Now."
Emdee looked out of the PET for Dr. Hikari's confirmation.
"I hope you know what you're doing," his father sighed.
"It's my body," Netto replied. "Let him in."
"Hospital security program deactivated."
Netto held his breath for a split second. "Rockman...?"
His own voice came back at him. "Netto-kun?"
The Netbattler gave a sigh of relief. "I've so glad you're okay! I was so worried when I saw you'd left my PET!"
"I am too. I woke up and everyone thought I was you..."
"I was there," Netto laughed. "I just couldn't talk."
"Emdee," Dr. Hikari said slowly, "please analyze that program Netto just opened access to, and find out where its connections are."
"Analyzing." Emdee paused. "It is mostly raw data that seems to have been deposited directly into the computer's operating system. The system is wired directly to Netto's neurological pathways, giving it control over Netto's bodily functions."
"Netto, lift your arm," Dr. Hikari instructed.
Netto, still conversing with Rockman out loud, complied.
"It seems that the data was separated from another program, or more than one--I see distinct traces of the Saito.bat program in here."
"Saito.bat?"
"Yes. It would seem that young Netto, or Saito, was correct--most of the data here was originally part of Saito.bat, and the rest can be identified as Rockman.exe."
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Shi-chan: Saito-kun! Kawaii~!
I'm hoping to stay as close to canon, as possible, but everything about Saito I got from the Battle Network game. Here's hoping he shows up in the anime soon...