Chapter Text
My name is Hikari Saito Rockman.EXE. I was once a Human am a customized NetNavi. I hear static.
"Do you really remember nothing?" Yuuichirou repeats for the twenty-third time. "Not even a sense of familiarity?"
"..." The blue navi stares at the desperate man before shaking his head slowly.
"I'm so sorry..." One of the scientists places a hand towards Yuichiro's shoulder, unaware of the turmoil in the program's mind.
I do not like my father for doing this to me. In front of my father and several other scientists, I decide to conceal my knowledge. I do not like these strangers in whites, probing and tearing me apart whenever they please while I am still conscious or even when I don't want them to.
"Is he really a customized navi, Doctor?" An official questioned as the blue NetNavi obeyed orders. "He functions just like any other Navi, maybe even weaker."
"I didn't build him to be strong." Yuuichirou rebutted as he noticed his son look up, staring at the screen with blank eyes. "Rockman is created to adapt and survive any situation."
"I see." The Official stares at the NetNavi. "..."
"Is there a problem?" Rockman inquired. The Official returns the PET to Yuuichirou, sighing. "I guess your project was a dud huh?"
Kept under surveillance, I yearn to check on my brother. I decide to revisit the videos and audio records of my future operator to uncover... I do not understand.
"Doctor..." Rockman began, watching Yuuichirou readjust the parts of a prototype. "When will you take a break? Your family must be really worried about you."
"I'm sorry, Rockman. I can't take a vacation now." Yuuichirou apologized and he swore he saw the navi sigh in disappointment.
"I see..." Rockman walked away from the screen.
"W-well! I'm sure they're doing all right." Yuuichirou promised and sent a video to the navi. "See? You can watch the video if you want. Netto sent it to me."
"?!" Rockman watched Haruka celebrate Netto's birthday. The scientist hopes this will bring back some memories.
Hikari Netto is hurting. Why is mama not helping him? I do not know why no one is helping him. I cannot comprehend why they are hurting him.
"Assessing risk level...." The program announced as the blue netnavi emerged from battle. "Green."
"Doctor? Who is this Forte and why is he labelled red?" Rockman inquired, reading previous records of the simulations. Yuuichirou scratched the back of his head, "Forte is made by your grandfather's colleague, Dr. Cossack. Because of Forte, all NetNavis are programmed to depend most of their actions towards their operators."
"An Autonavi..." Rockman returned the files. "What am I then?"
"You are a younger project which everyone deems to be a failure." Yet Yuuichirou quickly reassures. "But that's because they expect so much from you. I don't understand them honestly, wanting an ideal but obedient NetNavi."
"Understood." Rockman smiled, but the intent wasn't there. "Thank you for believing in me, doctor."
"I always believe in you... Rockman." Yuuichirou leaned back on his chair, but Rockman remained passive.
Why is this happening to my brother? The world is covered in static. C̴̜̠̿a̶̤̅̑ń̶̰ ̶͈̄s̶̗̼̓ò̷͕m̸̝̘̒e̴̞ö̶̡́n̸̰̎e̶̝͝ ̵͍̻̑͗t̷̰̿̎e̶̠̺̕l̶͖͝l̴͓͂͝ ̸̫̫̐m̸̛͉e̸̖͆ͅ?̸̡̰̄̑ I want to find meaning in this very existence!
"Rockman. You shouldn't let the other navis order you around." Yuuichirou chided as Rockman carried the boxes.
"No no. It's fine!" Rockman chirped. "I want to do this! I want to be helpful to everyone."
"You don't have to do everything. It's their job." Yuuichirou stood up, glaring at his whistling colleagues. He sat back down, explaining to his son. "Look. Rockman. The Navis you encounter there is usually personifying their operator's trait and action, most of the time."
"I know. Sometimes, they contrast or compliment each other." Rockman added. "But I want to help because I'm bored."
"You're bored?" Yuuichirou whispered, never expecting that sort of answer. No. He should since Rockman is technically a human child converted into a program. 'It's so rare for Rockman to express himself. I need to take note of this.'
"Yes. I recently realized that after my creation, I was never assigned to do anything." Rockman began walking to the designated area. "I also can't go out from Scilab without authorization."
"Well..." Yuuichirou sighed. He can't argue with that. Scilab is connected to forbidden areas. 'I can't bear to see my son die again.'
Slowly dropping my hands from my earpiece, I realize the solution to my problem. I will let the world engulf me in its noise. I will be Rockman.EXE and pull my brother back on his feet again.
"Good morning, Netto-kun." The blue Netnavi greets the startled bruised adolescent. "My name is Rockman.EXE."
"R-rockman..." The brunet stared at the customized Navi. 'Something about him feels familiar.'
"Do you remember me?" Rockman repeats the first question he heard when his father brought him back from Death.
"..." Netto stares for a moment, walking towards his desk and examining his Navi. "I don't remember."
"But you feel familiar, very comforting for some reason." Netto concluded and the Netnavi smiled.
"That's good." Rockman doesn't mind if his brother forgot about him. 'Netto did envy him back then for being the better half.'
"?!" Netto hears his mother scream downstairs. He looks at his PET, removing it from its charger. "Let's go, Rockman."
I will erase the past. I will do anything necessary to lessen the pain in the present. My brother's future will be bright.