Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    After school let out, late in the afternoon, Lan shuffled through his chips with haste. His fingers fumbled slightly as he grasped a cyber sword chip in his hand, swiftly moving the chip into the side slot on his PET. The movement was familiar, and he executed it effortlessly even in the midst of an intense netbattle. Or at least... that's what he wanted to be doing. In reality, and outside of Lan's daydreams, he was sitting at the desk in his room, working on his homework for tomorrow. The tedious task dragged on as Lan tapped his pencil against the paper, staring with a distant look in his eyes at a blank spot on the sheet and his head propped up in his hand. Megaman stared at him with an odd expression from the pre-teen’s computer. The navi raised his hand a moment before he faltered, the digital extremity of his frame falling back to his side. 

    Almost without missing a beat, Lan’s eyes glanced up in Megaman’s direction. A curious light shone in his brown eyes behind the bored and lackluster frown. 

    “Hey, Megaman, do you think you could help me with this one question? I promise I’ll do the rest on my own,” Lan pleaded, gesturing to his paper.

    “I’m not supposed to, Lan. You’re supposed to do this on your own,” Megaman shook his head.

    Lan groaned, flopping his upper body down on his desk in a huff.

    “How am I supposed to learn anything like this?” Lan whined.

    Megaman frowned, the odd look in his eyes returning—odd for a navi that is. He had always been a little different from other navis.

    “I can help you find the answer in your textbook if that would help,” Megaman said, smiling lightly and casting away any worry in his expression.

    “Thank you! You’re a lifesaver!” Lan exclaimed, getting up from his previously defeated stupor. 

    Megaman’s systems hummed in response, a pleasant signal buzzing around him.

    “It’s not a problem! It’s what us navis are for! You really should learn how to find the information on your own though,” Megaman interjected. “I may not always be around when you need to find something.”

    “Are you kidding? You’re always by my side! Every second of the day I have you with me!” Lan exclaimed. “Well… aside from when I can’t or shouldn’t.”

    Megaman rolled his eyes as he pulled up Lan’s textbook on the screen and sifted through the text, referencing the question Lan was struggling with. 

    “I know, Lan. I just want you to be prepared,” Megaman insisted.

    Lan pouted, begrudgingly jotting down text from the section Megaman highlighted on his screen. The pre-teen sighed, returning to the rest of his homework in silence. Megaman frowned in response to the strange silence from his operator, wincing at the water-y sheen to Lan’s eyes. He felt a tug in his systems, almost painfully pressing against his consciousness.

    “Once you’re done, we can netbattle if you’d like,” Megaman tried to cheer up Lan.

    Netbattling was Lan’s favorite thing to do aside from eating and sleeping. Lan strangely didn’t respond, only giving Megaman a strange glance. Now Megaman felt uneasy as his net op wasn’t known for this kind of behavior. Before Megaman could ask anything, Lan looked to him, growing concern evident on Lan’s face, his eyebrows furrowed together.

    “Hey, Megaman? Are you feeling alright?” Lan asked strangely, his eye contact with the screen and camera flickering away. 

    Megaman paused, taken aback with surprise. What brought on that question? The navi thought to himself. The navi looked over his digital form, glancing at his hands, before pulling up his diagnostic screen on the monitor to show his operator.

    “I appear to be doing just fine. What makes you ask?” Megaman crossed his arms and tilted his head with curiosity.

    An unease settled deep inside him from the way Lan’s eyes focused on him. Anxiety clawed at the back of the navi’s thoughts as he fought to keep his worries tucked away. Many of his systems reeled at the thought of what Lan might ask. The hesitation from his operator was strange, making nerve wracking ideas of what he may say spring to mind.

    “You just seem a little—… never mind,” Lan mumbled.

    Megaman tensed, Lan’s eyes focusing on him and taking note of the change in his posture. The navi played it off, stretching and putting on the most convincing smile he could muster. 

    “A little what? I’m starting to think you’re just calling me small again, hahaha,” Megaman chuckled.

    “Nah, it’s nothing,” Lan smiled weakly. “Don’t worry about it.”

    When Lan went back to his work, Megaman felt his confidence diminish. The side to himself he had yet to sort out his feelings with may be coming to light sooner than he would’ve liked it to. Feelings of unease lingered in Lan's room until well after he was done with homework, the question having caused sparks of anxiety to flutter around the navi's thoughts.

    As if the world was just testing Megaman today, Lan had left him on his computer all alone during dinner. Usually, had this been any other day, Megaman would’ve been brought downstairs and left on the table while Lan ate dinner. Even though he couldn't eat any of the food himself, seeing how Lan practically inhaled it told him just how good it was. It was something he had come to enjoy since finally being released from SciLabs. Not to mention, their father was actually home today…

    “Where’s Megaman?” Megaman could hear Yuichiro’s voice through the walls.

    “Oh, I must’ve forgotten him upstairs…” Lan mumbled. “He’ll be fine upstairs for today.”

    Megaman’s small bit of hope faded, and his neutral expression fell. He couldn’t even be included at the family dinner table. His personality program lurched. Such is the life of a navi. It was as if the universe was emotionally punching him in his stomach. Megaman sighed, transferring back to the PET and relaxing into its systems. He felt safe there at least. It felt like home, all of the digital nooks and crannies in their familiar places... It wrapped around his consciousness like a warm blanket, a wave of relief flooding him.

    All the same, the PET had its limitations. He was once again stuck on the desk, helplessly still, waiting for his operator to return. The PET was an extension of himself in many ways, yet additionally remained his connection to Lan and an extension of his net op. It was the link between the physical world and the cyberworld, allowing them to interact and communicate freely within the devices’ limitations. It was his hope and his life now.

    Megaman stared down at his familiar blue gloves—the ones that he saw every day of his digital life—surprised as his vision began to blur. Droplets of water peppered his hands and arms, streaks of tears trailing down his face. The navi shut his eyes, wiping away the water on his face and composing himself as best he could. Lan would be back soon, and he couldn’t be caught crying like this over something so trivial to a regular navi. 

    The silence felt like hours yet only lasted maybe 30 minutes before Lan came dashing up the stairs again. Megaman stretched and regained his posture, faking his resting state as he dimmed the screen just before Lan burst through the door. 

    “Megaman! Guess what!? Dad’s taking us with him to work tomorrow!” Lan exclaimed happily. “Finally, an excuse to get out of class for the day!”

    Megaman stretched and yawned, rubbing his eyes as he continued his charade. “That’s great, Lan!” Megaman smiled.

    Lan looked at his netnavi, a perplexed expression flashing across his face. With a closer inspection of Megaman, his expression changed back to a smile, the one Megaman truly wanted to see. Such a bright smile is what the navi desired, though maybe it was selfish to crave being the object of that happiness.

    “You’re so silly,” Lan chuckled.

    “What’s so silly about you waking me up?” Megaman yawned once again, slumping over to his left.

    “I wasn’t gone all that long, and you already went into sleep mode. Are you really that bored without me?” Lan said.

    Megaman buffered, unable to hide the surprise on his face. He was unsure how Lan came to that conclusion.

    “…Do you think I go into sleep mode because I’m bored when you leave?” Megaman pointed at himself, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side as he stared at Lan.

    Lan’s expression dimmed once again. That expression grated on his systems in a way the navi hated.

    “Well, yeah. Why else? I don’t turn it on, you do,” Lan pressed, sitting down at his desk and setting the PET on the charger. 

    The navi didn’t know what to say now. Lan had never said his habits were odd before. All of this was incredibly sudden.

    “Ah, it’s best to save battery while you’re away. The battery was a little low when you left for dinner,” Megaman insisted, a teasing tone bubbling up in his voice.

    “I never told you to do that…” Lan frowned. 

    Those words made Megaman jolt still, returning to his idle position. Right…

    “Megaman… are you feeling okay?” Lan grew concerned.

    “Yep!” Megaman assured him, plastering the most convincing smile he could manage on his face.

    The smile did nothing to convince Lan.

    “I’m gonna have you looked at by dad tomorrow. You seem like you could use a diagnostic exam,” Lan pouted.

    The navi held back his feelings about that as best he could.

    “Are you sure you want to bother him with that? We have another scheduled appointment with him later this month,” Megaman insisted, though his dislike of tests was known to Yuichiro.

    “Yes, I’m sure. You’re acting weird and I want to make sure you’re ok. You’re my best friend,” Lan insisted, staring intensely at the PET screen.

    Megaman knew Lan’s concern was warranted, but even so, his father wouldn’t like this. His father had strictly ordered that he was forbidden from telling Lan the truth about himself— or anything about Hub for that matter. His personality program bit at the back of his thoughts, sending jabbing, painful signals into his navi systems.

    “Alright. I’m sure he’ll tell you if anything’s wrong,” Megaman smiled lightly despite internally feeling helpless and frightened of what tomorrow has to offer.

    “I’m sure he will too, but hop onto the net so we can netbattle, ok? I’ve been waiting all day for this!” Lan exclaimed with newfound joy.

    Lan already was getting his chip folder out as he picked up the PET from the charger for the second time that day. Megaman readied himself as his programming reached out to the net, connecting his operator. Maybe Lan will forget about it after some netbattling? Or maybe he will change his mind?

    Tomorrow came all too quickly, Megaman finding himself nervously staring at Yuichiro’s face. Lan’s father, his father, frowned as he stared at the PET screen. Lan had been dismissed from the room, told to wait just outside for a few minutes. Megaman glanced at the door tentatively in a sporadic manner throughout the silence. 

    “Hub,” Yuichiro said. “Are you sure you can handle being Lan’s navi? It’s not too late to back out.”

    “I want to be his navi, and I don’t have any issues handling it. He hadn’t been asking me those questions until yesterday. I don’t know why he suddenly thought there was something wrong with me,” Megaman said with frustration prevalent in his voice.

    Wanting… that feeling always made him queasy since his navi training. Regardless, the displeasure of being bombarded with accusations of "a virus in his systems" or "a glitch" and "being in need of a reboot" from Lan hadn't helped his emotional state about this spontaneous checkup.

    “Well…truth be told, you’ve never acted exactly like a regular navi. I can’t expect you to, either…” Yuichiro sighed.

    “I know… I’m different,” Megaman mumbled.

    I was made to be your son... something I know I can never prove if I really am or not.

    “You’re a scientific miracle!” Yuichiro smiled. “You can’t tell Lan though.”

    “Yeah… I know…” Megaman looked at the PET’s homescreen floor dejectedly. 

    Yuuichiro sighed, grumbling under his breath.

    “I wonder why he would start questioning you now? He just accepted you as you were since he got you… I wonder…” Yuichiro frowned.

    “Whatever it is, I’m sure he’ll forget about it soon enough,” Megaman tried to lighten the mood. “You know how he is.”

    “Good. I’m not going to give you an actual scan today. I already scanned you last week after that scare anyways,” Yuichiro chuckled, placing the PET down on the desk. “It’ll be our secret.”

    “Thanks, dad,” Megaman replied, smiling as his frame relaxed.

    Yuichiro pressed a key on the computer and a small light came on by the monitor.

    “Alright, Lan! You can come back in!” Yuichiro spoke clearly towards the computer.

    A moment later, Lan rushed through the door and over to the desk.

    “So!? How does he look?” Lan asked, concern dripping from his voice. “It went rather quickly this time!”

    “Calm down, Lan. He’s perfectly fine. I checked him out and he’s good to go,” Yuichiro said, handing the PET over to Lan.

    Lan’s face lit up into a bright smile when he saw Megaman, his navi’s face reflecting the same. Lan seemed to accept his father’s words and not think much more of it. “Say, Lan… What made you think there was something wrong with him in the first place?” Yuichiro asked.

    It took everything in Megaman to not let panic show in his eyes at that question.

    “Hm… Well, Maylu said he acted strange compared to other navis… and I just keep having this weird feeling sometimes when he’s looking at me,” Lan explained, not finding the courage to make eye contact with his father as he trailed off.

     Megaman felt his personality program jolt, raging against its confines and tugging at his thoughts. Maylu… Of course it was Maylu… His navi systems fought back, keeping it in line.

    “A weird feeling? What kind of weird feeling?” Yuichiro asked, looking skeptically at the PET in Lan’s hands and then back to Lan himself.

    “I dunno how to put it. He just feels strangely familiar when I look at him… I guess… uncanny? Is that the word?” Lan mulled over the thought in his head, looking down at his netnavi.

    The navi looked to his operator, a strange feeling buzzing around his systems. I would hope I feel familiar to you, brother.

    “Ah. I’m sure that’s just because of how I programmed him. I told you he was a very special navi, and I meant it,” Yuichiro smiled softly at his son. “He’s made by SciLabs. Of course he’s not going to be like other navis your friends have seen.”

    “Huh?” Lan raised an eyebrow. 

    “Megaman was made here,” Yuichiro explained. “Did I forget to tell you that? Why do you think you always have to bring him here for software updates?”

    Lan paused, processing the information his father had just told him like his brain was trying to dial up the internet.

    “Ohhhh. That makes a lot of sense! Hehe— thanks dad!” Lan chuckled, nervously touching his face in embarrassment.

    Yuichiro smiled, gesturing gently towards the door of his office. 

    “Why don’t you two head home? I’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Yuichiro said.

    Lan’s face fell, the child pouting and attempting to convince his dad to let him stay with a saddest expression he could make. 

    “Lan, don’t look at me like that. Now go home. I’m sure your mom has lunch almost ready by now,” Yuichiro frowned knowing that even if he wanted to allow it, Lan couldn’t stay any longer.

    With the mention of lunch, Lan turned towards the door.

    “Thanks dad!… I love you!” Lan turned around and exclaimed before quickly running out the door.

    The last part of what Lan said caught Yuichiro off guard. Lan rarely said that to him or his mom. 

    “Lan! Weren’t you going to wait for a reply?!” Megaman exclaimed from Lan’s PET and Lan ran down the hall.

    “What? No! It was awkward as soon as I said that. There’s no way I’m sticking around,” Lan insisted.

    “How could it have been awkward? You weren’t even in the room long enough after for silence!” Megaman insisted.

    Lan didn’t entertain Megaman, closing off and refusing to talk until the two were out of SciLabs. Considering how fast Lan was running, it was only a few minutes, but to Megaman it felt like an eternity.

    “Megaman…” Lan sighed. “You don’t understand.”

    “What’s wrong then?” Megaman taised an eyebrow, perplexed.

    “I don’t like saying that to my parents because they always act really weird when I say it. It’s hard to explain, but their expressions change and they start getting all sappy,” Lan frowned. “They act like it’s the last time I’ll ever speak to them when I do.”

    I know why… The navi tensed.

    “Oh… I guess I never noticed,” Megaman’s expression had fallen.

    “Well I hadn’t said it since I got you, Megaman… It’s only been what, two months?” Lan mused as he ran down the street.

    “Yeah…” Megaman mumbled.

    “Wow. It’s hard to believe it’s only been two months… It feels like I’ve known you forever!” Lan beamed, looking down at Megaman for a brief moment.

    “I know what you mean, haha!” Megaman chuckled.

    Lan returned to being silent for a moment, his face falling and a distant look pooling in his eyes.

    He slowed down his run to a walk, leisurely walking to the train station.

    “Hey, Megaman?… Is there such a thing as remembering things from a perspective outside your own body?” Lan asked curiously.

    Megaman was taken aback by the question and unsure how to answer. His systems sputtered.

    “Wh-What makes you ask that?” Megaman cringed at the uncontrollable hesitation in his voice.

    “I dunno… I’ve always had some memories from my childhood that seem like I’m looking at myself from a different body. Y’know? Back when I was really small,” Lan explained.

    “L-Lan? Are you sure?” his navi jittered.

    “Megaman? Are you alright?” Lan stopped, just outside the train station doors.

    “Yeah! I’m fine!” Megaman exclaimed, smiling up at his operator.

    His navi systems reacted violently, his programs contorting and twisting in uncomfortable ways.

    “…You’re faking…” Lan stared at him with a gut-wrenching frown.

    “Lan! I’m a navi! How would I fake anything?” Megaman insisted, trying to laugh it off.

    His systems continued to strain. It hurts… It hurts to be doing this to Lan.

    “I don’t know how you’re doing it, but I just know!” Lan insisted.

    “Now hold on there! I guarantee I’m not faking anything. I’m doing just fine! Your father just gave me a scan!” Megaman attempted to convince Lan his happiness was genuine.

    The twisted contortion of his systems as they lashed out at one another and attempted to strangle his personality program was not pleasant. The lying hurts. His operator continued to look at him skeptically, walking into the train station with hesitation, quietly. Lan was quiet for the rest of the journey home, not speaking a word to Megaman after he placed the PET in the holder at his hip. To his navi, this felt like the cruelest punishment he could ever have.

    “Lan? Is something wrong?” Megaman asked as Lan walked down the street towards his house.

    No answer. The navi felt his emotions turn sad, threatening to make his eyes water. Lan couldn’t see the screen so he let his tears win, unaware of the sound of his crying. He hadn’t yet noticed Lan stop as the navi was too caught up in his emotions. 

    Just outside his front door, Lan stood still, his hand hovering over the holder for his PET. The quiet sound of sobs and sniffles came from its speakers, Lan’s face contorted in both confusion and wonder. His hand continued to hover for a moment as he wavered, though eventually he found the strength within him to take the PET in his hand and unclasp the holder with his thumb as he raised it. 

    Megaman didn’t have time to react as the PET sensed it had been raised, turning on the screen. Lan’s eyes were met with the sight of his navi in tears, desperately wiping them off his face in a furious attempt to hide them. 

    “Megaman?” Lan asked, a strange emotion in his voice.

    “Sorry! Sorry…” his navi cowered, covering his head and face with his hands in a hopeless attempt to hide himself from Lan.

    Lan muted the PET and opened the front door, stepping inside. He covered the microphone as he said hello to his mother, his mom saying something back which Megaman couldn’t hear. Lan quickly headed for the stairs and walked to his room, leaving the PET on his desk, tossed aside and off the charger as he went back downstairs. The tears he had worked so hard to hide had now proven what he feared they’d do. They drove Lan away. The wretched tears kept coming, and he could do nothing but let himself cry. His personality program cowered and screamed at him, tugging at and contorting against his navi systems. It cried vehemently, his systems aching with emotion subroutines and messages bombarding his navi systems to the point his processing system was struggling to keep up.

    There were a few moments he just screamed, wailing his sorrows as loud as he could muster. The PET being muted meant he could shout and cry until he was too exhausted to even mutter a sound and no one would hear him. Without Lan, he felt an empty space in his mind, one that his systems so desperately clambered to fill.
    Before Megaman knew it, he was out of energy, his throat hoarse and dry from shouting in anger and sadness and his eyes sore from crying. He felt exhausted. He must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing he remembered was hearing Lan’s voice.

    “Megaman! Hey!” Lan shouted.

    The navi rubbed his eyes as the screen turned on, trying to reorient himself.

    “Huh?” Megaman mumbled. “It’s 5:00AM, Lan… What are you doing up?”

    The PET was on the charger and Lan was in his pajamas, holding a cup of water. Lan didn’t look like he had slept well, his hair frizzy and his eyes looking puffy.

    “I was worried about you!” Lan replied, very upset though he kept his voice low.

    The navi looked surprised, buffering for a moment as information from between when he fell asleep to now assaulted his processors.

    “You didn’t wake up for two days!” Lan exclaimed. 

    Megaman was still waking up, his systems jerking and jolting from new information, but making a quick check of the calendar verified what Lan was saying. It was Saturday. He had been in sleep mode for two days straight.

    “Why didn’t you wake me up?” Megaman asked, confused.

    “I tried! You wouldn’t respond! I had to take you back to dad, and even he couldn’t get you to answer!” Lan said, tears filling his eyes. “He almost took you away from me…”

    His personality program reeled and cowered with a pathetic squeak. I’m sorry.

    “Oh…” Megaman mumbled, his eyes wide.

    “Never do that again! You hear me!?” Lan began to cry, placing his glass of water down and picking up the PET from the charger. 

    Lan held the PET close to his chest as he sobbed, clutching it protectively. The sound of his racing heartbeat was picked up by the devices microphone, only making the navi's personality program react more violently.

    “I was so scared… It-…It felt like I was going to lose you…” Lan’s voice was uneven, his tears dripping down onto his pajama pants.

    “Lan, I-“ Megaman was cut off by Lan pulling the PET away from himself to stare into the camera.

    “Don’t even think about lying to me!” Lan hissed, scowling with a sneer.

    The navi was taken aback, startled and stunned. His systems beeped and buzzed, the shock flittering around his systems.

    “I wasn’t going to!” Megaman insisted.

    “Really? You aren’t!?” Lan spat out the words like they were the foulest thing he’d ever tasted. “Because you said you were fine to me and then started crying, and I left you alone to give you space and then you went into a state of inoperability!” 

    “I swear I-“ Megaman didn’t get to finish what he was saying, yet somehow Lan knew what he was going to say before he said it.

    “Don’t play games with me! You are not fine! You’re—… you’re hiding something from me…” Lan mumbled the last part. “I don’t know what it is, but you’re hiding something…”

    Megaman’s eyes flicked around Lan’s expression, his resolve wavering. The sound of sobs and the tremble in his operator’s voice dug into the navi’s systems, causing an array of unhappy feelings to well up inside himself. His personality program whined and begged, tugging violently against his navi systems. Tell him. Tell him, please. Stop making Lan suffer. Stop making my brother suffer.

    “Lan…” Megaman mumbled, shying away.

    “What? What are you hiding from me?” Lan pressed the issue, glaring into the camera. "Tell me the truth! That's an order as your operator!"

    “It’s-“ Megaman jumped as Lan interrupted him.

    “Don’t you dare say ‘it’s nothing’, or I will look in your code myself!” Lan threatened.

    Megaman panicked, his eyes flying wide open, and he found his frame and systems trembling at the thought.

    “Okay! Okay! Please just don’t do that!” fear enveloped the navi’s every word.

    Megaman’s systems shrank back and cowered, poking at one another with pings. 

    Lan’s harsh expression fell with the sound of Megaman’s voice.

    “…Are you ok?” Lan asked softly.

    “…Please…just don’t do that…” Megaman pleaded. “Anything but that.”

    As much as the navi wanted to hide his fear, that was a threat he took very seriously, and he couldn’t stop his frame from shaking.

    “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you like that…” Lan’s anger fell away to guilt.

    “Th-The truth is…your dad and mom made me not tell you. I can’t tell you what I’m hiding or else I can’t be your navi anymore…” Megaman told Lan as much as he could, but he feared the repercussions of even saying that much.

    “What? You’ve got to be joking,” Lan frowned.

    “Does it look like I’m using any humor at the moment?” Megaman insisted. “I can’t tell you, and that’s that.”

    Lan was quiet for a moment, but that deafening silence would transform into something the navi was afraid of.

    “Megaman… Does it have to do with someone named ‘Hub’?” Lan asked.

 
    The navi’s eyes went wide, shock flooding his features as Lan’s eyes narrowed breifly before mirroring the expression.

    A strange buzzing welled up inside the navi’s systems, accompanied by a painful twisting and bending brought about by his personality program.

    “I had a brother… didn’t I?” Lan asked point blank, his eyes flicking around in profound shock.

    Megaman swallowed harshly before simply nodding, a painful expression on the navi’s face as he submitted to answering. His two orders were conflicting inside of him, and Megaman found himself struggling to maintain either. One said tell the truth, the other said don’t tell him. His personality program wanted to follow one of them more than the other, but his navi systems fought to uphold both.

    The conflict needed to be resolved or else it threatened to tear him apart. Compromise of non-verbal affirmation was all the navi could muster.

    “I had a brother…” Lan rested the PET on his lap as he leaned back into the chair, still processing that information. “A brother named Hub…”

    “I’m sorry. It was selfish of me to keep it from you…” Megaman mumbled.

    “No, no… I just— wow. I had always sort of suspected it, but how could I forget about a whole person? That box in the attic makes a lot more sense now…” Lan said, everything beginning to sink in.

    “What do you mean? What box?” Megaman was surprised.

    “There was a box of things in the attic that are labeled as belonging to ‘Hub’, but I thought that was just some sort of nickname mom and dad had for me when I was little…” Lan got up from his chair, PET in hand.

    “Don’t— I mean…you shouldn’t be going up in the attic at this hour,” Megaman insisted.

    “No, no. I wasn’t going up to the attic. I put it in my closet because I thought it was mine,” Lan explained, walking over to his closet.

    “You WHAT?” Megaman exclaimed, taken aback.

    Lan opened his closet and fished through a few things until he came across a dusty old white box, the text “our son, Hub” written on the top. He pulled it out and turned on the light, setting the box down on his desk. Megaman could see Lan’s expression turn solemn as he stared at the box, though his own was more like the navi had just seen a ghost. Megaman’s face was pale, and he froze, staring in awe and horror at the box. 

    “I guess that kid who looked like me was… Hub…” Lan’s expression fell, and he felt tears in his eyes once more. “I always did get sad looking at this box, so I never had the courage to open it… I guess now I know why.”

    Lan wiped his face before he opened the box, revealing the contents. A small piece of paper was against the side of the box at the bottom, trapped between clothes and the side. Lan couldn’t resist his curiosity and pulled it out, reading the back. “Lan and Hub’s 4th birthday,” it read. He flipped it over, and there was a picture of him and a kid that looked exactly like him, wearing the clothes that were in this box— the clothes from his memories.

    “We were twins…” the information finally clicked in Lan’s mind as he gawked at the image of him playing together with his brother in the sunshine. “Oh my—… I had a twin brother…” 

    Lan dropped the picture back in the box, too stunned to notice Megaman trying desperately to hold back tears. Lan found himself struggling with his emotions, overwhelmed with the information he had acquired.

    “I’m sorry for not telling you, Lan… I really am…” Megaman apologized, his voice shaking and wavering through his tears.

    Lan didn’t reply, still too caught up in his own thoughts.

    “Please don’t tell your parents you know. If you do, they’ll think I told you and take me away,” Megaman pleaded. 

    “Yeah… Yeah, I get that…” Lan muttered, his eyes distant.

    Lan finally mustered up the courage and began to look through the box, finding the blue vest from the picture, a white shirt, shorts, shoes, more pictures, a blue baby blanket— the fabric feeling and looking oddly familiar— and even some hair clippings in a clear box. The sight of the clothes brought tears to his eyes and he clutched them close to his chest as he sobbed, unable to contain his sadness anymore. 

    “I-It’s ok Lan. Cry all you need to. I’m here for you,” Megaman said, though the navi was still crying himself.

    The navi’s systems trembled and wavered, sending inputs like the waves of the ocean throughout his frame.

    “It’s not ok, Megaman! He was—... he was my brother! I still remember him!” Lan’s sobs ate up his voice, making him nearly incoherent. “Why is he gone?”

    “Lan, I—… I wish I could tell you,” Megaman mumbled.

    The navi wished more than anything in that moment that he could be there in the real world to comfort his operator, whether it be with a hug, to hold his hand, or to be a shoulder to cry on. Lan squeezed the clothes of his late twin brother closer to his chest, not wanting to let go of them just yet. As the cloth absorbed his own warmth it was just a little bit closer to being like his twin was still here. 

    Megaman hadn’t wanted Lan to find out… but here he was, and he could see the emotional toll it was taking on his operator. He didn’t even know everything yet… This is exactly why his parents didn’t want him to know. This is why I shouldn’t have told him… His navi systems jabbed at his personality program.

    “Lan? Don’t you think you should get some sleep?” Megaman asked his operator.

    “Mm mm…” Lan shook his head, refusing.

    “…You miss him, don’t you?” Megaman sighed, wavering at the sight.

    Lan’s eyes grew tired as he wept over his late twin’s clothes, refusing to let go of them as he cried.

     “Mmhm…” the navi’s operator shook with distraught, teary whimpers and sniffles. 

    His usual strong smile and confidence had been replaced with sorrow and his eyes were nearly out of tears. I’m right here! All Megaman wanted to do in that moment was tell Lan the whole truth… Instead he had to suffer the sight of watching his brother despair over his old clothes and name, hopelessly clawing at the tear-stained fabric as Lan clutched them close to his heart.

    “Why don’t you put the box back in its safe place? I-… I can tell you some things about the items in that box if you’d like…” Megaman compromised. “However, you do need sleep so I’ll only tell you if you get in bed.”

    “…Hm. Fine…” Lan grumbled, reluctantly smoothing out the clothes and placing them back in the box. 

    He carefully packed up the box with a cautiousness Megaman had never seen before in his operator, tucking the photo back in where it belonged. The strange buzzing came about in the navi’s systems once again. Once the lid was shut, Lan carried it back over to his closet and hid it, taking another glance at where it was hidden before he closed the door.

    “Alright, I’m getting in bed…” Lan said, walking back over to his computer to put the PET on the charger.

    “Wait!” Megaman exclaimed.

    “Hm?” Lan was confused.

    “Do you want to have the PET with you tonight? I uh— if you don’t want to be alone, it’s fully charged,” Megaman gestured to the side towards the bed.

    “…Thanks…” was all Lan said as he walked over to his bed with the PET in his hand.

    Lan laid down on his bed, pulling the blankets and sheets over himself and cozying himself up to sleep.

    “Okay! I’m in bed now, so tell me,” Lan ordered.

    “Alright…” Megaman sighed.

    Megaman wasn’t nearly as prepared for this conversation as he wanted to be. He stared at his operator’s sleepy expression in hopes that maybe Lan would fall asleep before he started talking. The navi’s systems pushed and pulled at one another.

    “Well…yes… That box is full of things that belonged to Hub, photos of him, and all his records. I’m surprised you even found it…” Megaman couldn’t help himself from making that last comment.

    “Was the blanket his?” Lan asked.

    “Yes…” Megaman muttered.

    “Why are those clothes in the box?” Lan’s expression grew even more exhausted.

    “Those were his clothes… and that’s a box of keepsakes to remember him by,” Megaman left it at that.

    “Hmm… Why…” Lan yawned. “Why is some of his hair in there?”

    “…Your parents wanted to keep a little bit of him with them,” Megaman smiled, his voice trembling. “They loved him very much.”

    Lan had fallen asleep already, and Megaman even found himself growing tired. Perhaps he should sleep as well. 

    “Hub loved you very much too…” Megaman whispered quietly as he fell into sleep mode.

Chapter Text

    The arcade lights blinked and pulsed, casting an array of colored light all throughout the complex. Lan stood in line at the netbattling arena with his PET in hand, Dex waiting on the other side. 

    “You’d think Dex would get tired of challenging you by now. He hasn’t won a match in months,” Megaman commented.

    “He hasn’t won since I got you! You’re amazing!” Lan exclaimed.

    Hearing how much Lan appreciated him made Megaman’s eyes sparkle with pride. He knew he was doing a good job when Lan said things like that and it was the lassurance that Lan would be there for him when he needed it. His systems buzzed, a feeling of elation spreading through his systems and manifesting in his frame. Being a netnavi wasn’t always easy…

    “Aw, it’s nothing. I wouldn’t be half as good as I am if I didn’t have you as an operator!” Megaman replied, beaming up at Lan as a light pink dusted the navi’s face.

    As the line shifted forward, Maylu came up to Lan, her own PET in hand. It was the beginning of June, Lan’s birthday coming up soon, so all of his friends were hanging out with him even more than usual.

    “Lan! How’s it going? Roll and I were wondering if you’d want to hang out this Saturday,” Maylu said. 

    “Isn’t this Saturday the 10th?” Megaman said in a mildly scolding tone. 

    “Yeah, that’s my birthday…” Lan said flatly.

    “I thought we could go watch a movie together or go eat at the new resturaunt that opened up with Yai,” Maylu suggested.

    “I dunno, Maylu… I think I just wanna stay home that day…” Lan’s face was dejected as he stared at the floor, tapping the toe of his shoe.

    “What? Stay home?! Do you have a birthday party planned and you didn’t tell us?!” Maylu asked.

    “No, there’s no party. I just don’t really feel like celebrating this year is all,” Lan replied, the sad stare in his eyes uncharacteristic of him.

    Megaman seemed to notice what was happening, staring at Lan with concern. His personality program pressed against his thoughts and hummed with worry.

    “Come on, Lan. Don’t you think you should celebrate it with cake at least? You mom might worry something is wrong,” Megaman stressed.

    “Oh, alright, I’ll go. What movies are running anyway?” Lan asked, giving in.

    “Finally! You’ve been acting all moody lately,” Maylu sighed.

    “Moody!? Who are you calling moody?” Lan exclaimed.

    “Lan! It’s your turn!” Megaman reminded his operator that they were in line for the netbattling arena.

    “Oh, shoot! You’re going down, Dex!” Lan stated. “We’ll continue this later, Maylu!”

    Lan walked up to the ports to jack in your PET, pulling out the cord from his. 

    “Jack in! Megaman! Power up!” Lan shouted, plugging in the cable.

    “Jack in! Gutsman! Power up!” Dex smiled, convinced he would win as he plugged his PET into the system.

    With barely any time to breathe, the battle was started, and Dex and Gutsman wasted no time as they sent a shockwave in Megaman’s direction. The small, blue navi jumped and lept over the quaking ground, with just enough time for Lan to send him a battle chip. 

    “Cyber sword! Battle chip in! Download!” Lan shouted, shoving the chip into his PET effortlessly. 

    Megaman felt the data he received from the chip as his right arm turned into a sword, feeling strangely weak as he brought the sword down on Gutsman, the sword shattered right before his eyes. The once bright blade became like glass, completely splintering and cascading down onto the floor. Megaman was stunned, staring at the broken sword.

    The larger navi was able to knock him off his feet while he was distracted— something that had never happened before— startling the small navi. Megaman suddenly felt out of breath, his hands trembling. Maybe he had the wind knocked out of him? Odd.

    “Megaman! Get up! What are you doing!?” Lan’s expression was full of panic and worry.

    Lan didn’t know why Megaman hadn’t been able to cut Gutsman down in that single move. Their teamwork was usually spot on.

    “Aw, come on, Lan. We gotta at least make it look interesting,” Megaman joked, stalling for time as he fought for his breath.

    In reality, he was concerned about the weakness he felt in his systems. That wasn’t normal. His navi systems reeled, pinging and sending error messages from the odd sensation.

    “Alright then! Widesword! Battlechip in! Download!” Lan tried another sword. 

    This time, Megaman felt fine, finding his breath as he dodged one of Gutsman’s punches, skewering Gutsman from underneath with the sword shoved in the navi’s stomach. Megaman felt relieved the battle was finally over.

    “Gutsman!” Dex cried, logging his navi out of the arena. “That was a cheap shot, Lan!” 

    Dex stormed off with Gutsman, leaving Lan with Maylu in the arcade. 

    “Megaman, jack out,” Lan muttered with a sigh.

    Megaman returned to his PET, smiling now that he was back in the familiar device, but the concern didn’t leave his mind. His navi systems were still riled up, working diligently to locate the problem.

    “As much as I hate to say it, that was a bit of a rude play, Lan,” Maylu commented. “Why’d you do that?”

    “Don’t look at me! It was Megaman who did it!” Lan insisted.

    “Sorry. I think I’m just a little tired from all these netbattles he’s been challenging us to. He just fought us earlier this morning too,” Megaman insisted. 

    Surely that was why. Navi’s do experience fatigue from too many netbattles.

    “Tired from Gutsman? Are you feeling ok?” Lan asked.

    Megaman was startled by the question. He fumbled over attempting to give an answer.

    “Y-Yeah! Well…tired, but yeah,” Megaman smiled shyly.

    “Oh, it’s alright. I’d be a little sick of netbattling Dex too if he challenged me that much,” Maylu chuckled.

    Lan and Maylu walked away from the arena and sat down on a nearby bench, attempting to get away from the loud crowd. It was hard to hear with the hustle and bustle of the arcade mixed with all the noise from the games.

    “You’ve been pretty quiet lately…” Maylu commented. “Is everything ok?”

    Lan looked at her before glancing at the floor dejectedly again. He chewed on his lip, rubbing his shoe against the floor as he fiddled with the hem of his vest.

    “Do you have any memories of me from when I was very little? Like around 3 to 5 years old?” Lan asked.

    “Do you really think you should’ve asked her that?” Megaman whispered to Lan.

    Maylu was surprised, taking a moment to hum and think to herself before answering.

    “Uh… I think so. Whenever I came over, you’d act like you had no idea who I was. It was weird, haha,” Maylu joked.

    Megaman tensed, staring at Maylu. His eyes connected with Roll’s from Maylu’s PET, earning him a strange look from the other navi. He quickly looked away and pretended to be uninterested in the conversation.

    “What do you mean?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “You always wore blue inside, but when you’d go outside, you’d usually wear orange. We’d play outside all the time in your backyard, but when you were inside it was difficult to talk to you,” Maylu looked at her PET. “I wish I had photos. I'd be able to explain it better then.”

    “Ah… I see…” Lan mumbled.

    “Why do you ask? What’s up?” Maylu was curious.

    Lan looked down at his PET, Megaman meeting his gaze as the navi looked over his shoulder and made a swiping motion with his hand before pointing at Maylu. His personality program lashed out, scraping against everything it could in an attempt to silence his navi systems. Why would you ask her!?

    “I can’t really say but promise me you won’t tell my parents I was asking,” Lan said sternly, turning his gaze directly at hers.

    The sudden change in his demeanor took Maylu by surprise and she leaned away from him.

    “What’s up with you, seriously? I won’t tell, but why on earth shouldn’t I? I didn’t even think to tell them in the first place,” Maylu asked. 

    Lan sighed, covering his head with his hands, breathing deeply. He wasn’t prepared to tell anyone, but he so desperately wanted someone to talk to other than his netnavi.

    “Lan…” Megaman tensed, his expression becoming that of concern.

    “It’s fine. Please just accept it at that,” Lan insisted.

    “What if I do tell your parents?” Maylu pried.

    Lan scrambled. “You wouldn’t!” 

    “Oh yes I would! Now out with it!” Maylu wouldn’t let it drop.

    “Okay fine! I’ll—… I’ll tell you,” Lan caved, feeling his emotions start to overflow. 

    Megaman stared at Lan, desperately trying to convince his operator not to say anything. It didn’t work. She had him in a pinch.

    “I was curious about my childhood,” Lan said. “That’s it.”

    Maylu was taken aback. “THAT’S IT!?”

    “I’m not supposed to be asking about it, ok? If my parents find out, they’ll take Megaman away from me. You can’t tell anyone!” Lan said, tears finally flowing out of his eyes as he clutched his PET close to his chest.

    “Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t know…” Maylu’s expression dropped and guilt poured into her eyes. 

    Roll’s expression reflected her guilt, the navi glancing down at Lan’s PET. 

    “It’s okay, Lan. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here,” Megaman tried to calm his operator.

    “I don’t want to lose you too, Megaman,” Lan whispered, wiping the tears away. 

    Maylu rested her hand on his shoulder, seeing that he was very clearly in distress. 

    “Did you lose someone?” Maylu asked, attempting to be more considerate.

    Lan nodded quietly, his eyes unfocused and distant.

    “Who was it?” Maylu couldn’t help but wonder. “If you’re ok with saying, that is.”

    “I—…” Lan looked up at Maylu, an emotional war going on in his heart and mind.

    “It’s ok. I’m sure you cared about them very much, and I’m sure they cared about you too,” Maylu insisted. 

    With those words it was like any strength Lan had come crashing down. He pulled Maylu close in a hug, her arms falling around him gently as she processed the sound of him crying. She smiled warmly, attempting to be what Lan needed in that moment. Megaman’s systems scrambled, a cacophony of messages and jabs, pulls, contortions, and even errors ringing through them. I can’t decide how I feel about this.

    “I’m sure he cared about me a lot… Just as much as I cared about him…” Lan replied.

    “Oh, Lan… How long ago did this happen?” Maylu asked.

    Lan met her question with no reply, only continuing to cry into her shoulder. The emotional pain had overwhelmed him so much in that moment he no longer cared he was in a public space.

    “He can’t say, Maylu,” Megaman said, unprompted. 

    Megaman’s reply to her startled her, having momentarily forgotten Megaman’s tendency to reply to questions on his own.

    “You’re such a strange netnavi!” Maylu scolded him.

    Megaman buffered, torn between thanking her for comforting Lan or insulting her. It was comments like that that nearly got him taken away from Lan. He decided to do nothing as both an act of respect and spite.

    “Hey… Maylu? Could you walk me home?” Lan asked.

    “Hm? Is something wrong?” Maylu asked.

    “It’s fine… I just feel a little bit tired,” Lan insisted.

    Lan got up from the bench, wiping his tears away as he put his PET in its holder. He appeared to stumble a little, but quickly corrected himself. 

    “Lan?” Megaman asked. 

    Even though the navi couldn’t see Lan, the PET picked up a strange sway while he was walking as if he was dizzy. 

    “I’m ok,” Lan insisted. 

    Maylu followed Lan all the way back to his house, but she never took her eyes off him if she could help it. It appeared as though Lan no longer felt like talking as he remained quiet for the entire walk home. His sudden changes in demeanor made her worry, glancing at Roll on her PET for advice when she didn’t know what to do.

    “You sure you’re ok?” Maylu didn’t believe he was.

    “Yeah! I’m fine. I’m going to look at some manga or something. See you tomorrow,” was all Lan said before closing the door in his friend’s face and walking into the house without a care that he hadn’t changed his shoes.

    “Lan! That was kind of rude!” Megaman exclaimed.

    “Mega… please just let me rest,” Lan said, leaning against the wall and breathing hard.

    “Lan! Are you alright!?” Megaman shouted.

    Buzzes and jabs came from all throughout the navi’s systems. Lan didn’t answer, pushing himself to stumble up the stairs and into his room. The door closed loudly behind him before he laid down on his bed, still trying to catch his breath. Megaman was on high alert, listening to Lan’s breathing as his operator hissed lowly.

    “Lan…” Megaman mumbled, concern bleeding into his eyes.

    “I’m fine. It’ll pass, Megaman,” Lan said. “I just needed to lay down and I didn’t want to make a scene.”

    “Why didn’t you tell mom or Maylu?” Megaman became very worried, his fingertips fidgeting with his gloves.

    Lan sighed, gazing up at the ceiling. He clutched his chest with his right hand, wincing as he tried to breathe slowly.

    “It goes away after a few minutes. It’s normal, right?” Lan said.

    “…Um…no, Lan. It’s not,” Megaman frowned.

    “Oh…” his operator didn’t know how to feel about that.

    “Maybe yo—… Actually, how long has this been going on?” Megaman crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.

    “My whole life, I think… It’s never been much trouble!” Lan insisted with a smile. “I just live around it, y’know?”

    Megaman was quiet, mulling over and processing the information Lan had just provided. He hoped it wasn’t HBD. The doctors hadn’t said anything about Lan having it when they were younger, but the chance Lan had it wasn’t zero. The thought of losing Lan to the very thing that took Hub away from the physical world made Megaman afraid.

    It turned quiet as Lan fell asleep on his bed, the PET still in the holder on his hip. Megaman didn’t want to wake up his operator, fearing that Lan needed the rest, and soon he too fell silent as sleep mode was enabled due to inactivity. The day remained quiet, and the sun set late in the evening. Now it was dark, the day having been slept away. 

    With a sudden jolt, Megaman awoke in a panic, clutching his chest with his hands around where his emblem would be, paying attention to his body out of instinct. It took him a few moments to realize that his surroundings were not that of the PET home page. He was standing in Lan’s room. He jumped, startled by the sight. 

    Megaman’s face paled and he furiously patted his body, not feeling the collision of his boots and gloves. His expression became perplexed. He was no longer in his navi frame… or even on the internet. How? he walked over to the mirror, seeing a reflection he hadn’t seen in 7 years… Hub. His body was glowing gently and see-through in some places, but this was Hub… he was Hub— if he lived to be Lan’s age that is… He couldn’t help but walk up to the mirror and touch the frame, staring at the reflection.  

    His face was exactly like Lan’s, though he was thin, and his hands lacked the thick callouses on Lan’s fingers from netbattling. It was strange how familiar this all felt, as if he had been like this before. This strange, ethereal body seemed to jog something deep within his memory… something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The memory of fear was burned deep into him, though he couldn’t remember what he was fearing. It was a long time ago.

    Was he… Megaman stumbled over to Lan, who was still sleeping on the bed, placing his hands on Lan’s shoulders. Was his operator still breathing? It was hard to tell in his panic. Either I’m dead or this is a dream… Please just be a dream.

    “Lan! LAN!” he shouted whilst shaking Lan’s unconscious body. “You need to wake up! I’m scared! LAN!” 

    Lan sprang out of bed as if he had been smacked awake and Megaman was awoken to the feeling of the PET registering movement and exiting sleep mode. The navi was dizzy, feeling like he’d been batted around by a ridiculously strong navi in a netbattle.

    “Who’s there!?” Lan exclaimed, panicked and alarmed.

    Lan breathed rapidly, gasping for air as he looked around his room for any sign of a person, rushing to turn on the lights. He checked under his bed, the closet, and even if the window was locked. Nothing— his door was locked too.

    “Lan? What’s wrong?” Megaman asked as he adjusted himself to being awake again.

    “I-… I thought I felt someone shaking me… and I thought I heard them shouting for me…” Lan trembled, his eyes flicking around the room until they eventually rested on the mirror. 

    Lan tensed, gazing at his own reflection.

    “You did?” Megaman asked, shocked.

    The navi felt his systems sputter. Megaman had no idea what happened, but if Lan really did feel that and hear him… had he somehow ended up out of the PET? That should’ve been impossible…then again, so should his existence at all. Maybe Hub isn’t happy with being a netnavi… It all felt surreal. 

    “You were probably just dreaming, Lan… Don’t worry about it,” Megaman insisted though he was more than well aware it wasn’t just a dream.

    “No, I know I felt someone shaking me,” Lan insisted upon it. 

    “The human mind can play lots of tricks on people,” Megaman continued. “I didn’t hear or see anyone else in your room.”

    Megaman bit the inside of his cheek a little for that one as his navi systems grumbled at him, but it was better if Lan remained unaware. 

    “Let’s go back to bed, Lan,” the navi said.

    Lan didn’t believe what he had said, and it was obvious. His operator was still looking around the room, in every nook and cranny. He was convinced someone had gotten into his room and had been shaking him vigorously. It was very difficult to wake Lan up without food…

    “I don’t get it… How could someone get into my room, shake me like that, shout at me, and then get out without me seeing them or hearing them leave?” Lan pouted.

    “I think it’s possible,” Megaman replied.

    “You’re no help…” Lan muttered, taking the PET out of the holder.

    Lan placed the PET on the charger and then resolved to getting changed, untying his headband. The fabric of his headband felt strangely familiar, but he quickly tossed it aside on his desk without much thought. Once he was in his pajamas, he looked around the room once more, still finding nothing out of place. 

    “You’d think if it was a robber that they’d steal something,” Lan grumbled under his breath.

    Megaman didn’t reply, keeping further comments about the incident to himself. If he said much more, Lan might suspect something and he hated it when Lan questioned him— it always led to trouble.

    Lan flicked off the lights and climbed onto his bed, pulling the blankets and sheets over himself, sinking into his pillow. He laid there for over half an hour but he found himself restless and unable to fall asleep. His mind just wouldn’t stop thinking about what occurred earlier. 

    Hub. His mind brought up his late twin. Their birthday was soon. Maybe he was just nervous about that… Their first birthday since he remembered about Hub.

    “Mega? You still on?” Lan asked, turning his head towards his desk.

    Yes, Lan. Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Megaman responded, the PET screen’s brightness turning up.

    Lan hesitated to answer. 

    “I’m thinking about Hub again…” Lan sighed, tugging at his sheets to pull them up over his shoulders.

    '"What is it this time?” Megaman asked, rubbing his eyes.

    “Well… This is my first birthday since remembering about him. It’s hard to believe I forgot…” Lan frowned. 

    “It’s not hard for me to believe,” the navi snickered.

    “Hey!” Lan grumbled as he rolled over to face away from his desk. “If you’re gonna be rude then I’ll just keep it to myself.”

    Megaman rolled his eyes, turning off the screen once again. They both needed to sleep… but neither found rest easily. Lan tossed and turned, and despite being idle Megaman just couldn’t seem to settle enough to go into sleep mode. Was I really standing in Lan's room?

    The next morning, both were exhausted. The only thing that managed to rouse Lan from his sleep was the smell of his mom’s cooking. Lan pulled himself out of bed and made his way downstairs where his mom turned around, shocked to see him.

    “Lan! What are you doing still home!? Why aren’t you at school!? Didn’t Megaman wake you up?” Haruka asked. 

    She was stunned, her eyes scanning her son with worry.

    “I’m not feeling very well today, and Megaman was in sleep mode this morning. I guess I forgot to tell him to wake me up,” Lan yawned, stretching his arms and back as he reached up towards the ceiling.

    “Oh, Lan. You look so tired! Did you even get any sleep?” Haruka rushed over to her son, checking his forehead. “Hm, you do have a bit of a fever.”

    “I do?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “I’ll call the school and let them know you’ve been home sick today. Don’t worry, and I’ll be done with lunch soon,” Haruka insisted. 

    “M'kay… Thanks mom… Hey…uh… I have a question…” Lan mumbled, still trying to wake up.

    “What is it, sweetheart?” Haruka was busy minding the stove.

    “Have you ever felt someone shake you awake in the middle of the night but no one was there?” Lan rubbed his eyes and looked at his mom from across the room.

    Haruka spun around to look at Lan with a gasp, accidentally dropping the ladle she had been using.

    “Oh dear!” Haruka exclaimed, crouching down to pick up the ladle. 

    She put the ladle in the sink before walking over to Lan in a nervous demeanor, her steps quick and uneven, shoulders tense, and her eyes locked onto her son. 

    “Lan… Did that happen to you?” Haruka asked.

    Lan nodded, “It happened last night, and I couldn’t sleep for a long while after that.”

    Haruka took a deep breath and set her hands on Lan’s shoulders. Lan tensed at the sensation, the feeling reminding him of the hands that grabbed his shoulders last night.

    “Lan, I think we should get you looked at at the hospital,” Haruka said gently.

    “Why? I think it was just my brain playing tricks on me,” Lan grumbled.

    “Just—…” Haruka trailed off. “We’ll go this afternoon after you’ve had lunch.”

    Lan sighed, unhappy with having to go to the hospital. He’d much rather avoid it. He didn’t like it there. 

    “Go lay down. I’ll bring you lunch in your room,” Haruka insisted as she walked back over to the stove.

    “What!? Lunch in my room?!” Lan exclaimed.

    I never get to eat in my room!

    “Yes, now go!” Haruka pointed upstairs with a clean ladle.

    Lan sighed, making his way back upstairs. Mom is overreacting. There’s nothing wrong with me. He opened his room door, finding his room the same way he had left it and crawled back in bed. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with fatigue, finding it hard to stay awake. Maybe a nap wouldn’t hurt… 

    He closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake himself. It was peaceful, and he dreamt about something, but he couldn’t make sense of what it was. The only thing he did know was he woke up feeling extremely hot with a wet towel on his forehead… and there was the smell of curry coming from his nightstand. He glanced over to find his mom had left him a note. Lan reached for it to pick it up, flipping it open to read it.

    “Once you’re done eating I’m taking you to the doctor. Get dressed. I love you,” was all the note said. This was unusually short for his mother. Had he said something wrong? 

    “Hey, Lan? You up?” Megaman asked.

    “Hm? Oh, yeah. What time is it?” Lan was disoriented.

    “It’s 3:00PM, Tuesday. You’ve been sleeping for four hours!” Megaman exclaimed.

    “What!?” Lan jumped, sitting up abruptly. 

    The wet towel fell off of Lan’s forehead and into his lap, which didn’t amuse him.

Chapter Text

    The 10th of June… Lan’s birthday… Hub’s birthday… It was a day of mixed emotions. Lan found himself not wanting to get out of bed despite having plans to watch a movie with Maylu. It was some sort of time travel film that honestly, he wasn’t invested in, but she insisted upon getting him out of the house for today. His mom was being extra protective of him ever since Tuesday as well, and she insisted upon him telling her where he was going all the time. Lan didn’t know why.

    He hadn’t been sleeping well ever since Monday night, and he just couldn’t shake this odd feeling that someone was wandering around his room at night. The sound of footsteps came from fhe hall outside his door, a light knock sounding. 

    “Lan? Do you feel up to seeing that movie?” Maylu asked from just outside his door. 

    “Sure!” Lan responded, begrudgingly removing his covers.

    “Alright! I’ll be downstairs with your mom when you’re ready!” Maylu stated.

    Lan stood up from his bed, grabbing his clothes from the floor next to his closet and getting changed. He didn’t look enthusiastic about the outing at all.

    “Are you sure about this?” Megaman asked him, the screen of his PET turning on.

    The navi silently watched as Lan stumbled back over to his bed and sat down in a defeated stupor with a deep, exasperated sigh. 

    “No… but if I don’t then my mom will ask questions…” Lan frowned. 

    Awkward silence fell upon the room, building tension between the two. Ever since Lan found out, this had become a regular occurrence. Megaman fiddled with his gloves as his gaze flicked around the room, his face scrunched in frustration.

    “Are you still not feeling well, or is this about Hub?” Megaman finally gave in to his curiosity.

    Lan looked up at the PET with a sorrowful stare.

    “I know it’s not like this is our first birthday without him… and it won’t be the last…” Lan hummed, tapping the floor with his feet.

    Megaman felt a tug inside himself, a feeling of sadness welling up into a wave of guilt that beckoned him to say something he might soon regret. I’m still here…

    “…I’m—… Do you want me to tell you something about him?” Megaman paused, fearing the outcome of what he just did.

    Lan was surprised, staring at the navi in disbelief. Megaman held his arms, his nervousness painted vividly on his face and his shoulders tense. The navi bit his lip knowing he shouldn’t have offered, his navi systems lashing out at him.

    “… What do you know about him? Weren’t you only made by dad recently? How would you have known him?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “I uh… Your parents talk about him when you’re not in the room… They miss him a lot, even if they try to pretend he never existed in front of you…” Megaman swallowed nervously, the panic about this subject in his eyes something that he struggled to hide.

    “Oh… well it makes me feel a bit better to know they didn’t just forget about him…” Lan smiled gently. 

    “Yeah…” Megaman relaxed and let his arms fall to his sides.

    “…Do you think it could’ve been Hub that shook me that night?” Lan asked all of a sudden.

    The navi’s eyes locked onto his operator, an odd fear and surprise replacing Megaman’s previously pensive expression. It was as if the world slowed down and he was left having to painstakingly gaze into Lan’s eyes, filled with sorrow and betrayal until it sped up again.

    “What makes you think that?” Megaman asked quietly.

    The few seconds between that question and Lan’s reply felt more like minutes.

    “Nevermind… it’s silly,” Lan frowned, getting up from his position on the bed. 

    “Wait! Lan!” Megaman exclaimed.

    Before the navi could ask Lan to take the PET with him, Lan had left the room, leaving Megaman all by himself. The navi groaned and whined, frustrated with how absent minded his twin could be, all while knowing he shared those attributes. While his training to become a good navi had helped, it was impossible to get rid of it all. He began to ponder how he’d spend his birthday without Lan, all alone in the PET, when he heard Maylu become his saving grace downstairs.

    “Wait! Where’s your PET? Don’t tell me you’re fighting with Megaman again!” Maylu exclaimed.

    “Oh, shoot! Thanks Maylu! I almost forgot him!” the sound of Lan rushing up the stairs towards his room filled Megaman with joy. 

    He wouldn’t be forgotten today.

    “Hurry it up, Lan! We’re gonna be late!” Maylu shouted from downstairs as Lan opened his room door.

    “Yeah, yeah!” Lan trotted over to his desk and picked up the PET, his navi smiling up at him.

    “Forget me again, operator?” Megaman smirked, poking fun at his brother.

    Lan grumbled, Megaman’s use of the word operator getting under his skin. A flush of embarrassment became noticeable on Lan’s face.

    “Why didn’t you tell me I forgot you?” Lan demanded, rushing out of his room and downstairs.

    “I tried to tell you, but you were already out of the room!” Megaman shrugged.

    “You’re supposed to tell me before I leave the room!” Lan shouted as he ran out the door with Maylu.

    The navi rolled his eyes knowing this bickering would last the whole way to the movie theater if he entertained it much longer. Maylu kicked open her scooter and Lan paused to clip on his inline skates before catching up with his friend.

    “What’s with the rush? Are we really running that late?” Lan skated down the road beside Maylu.

    “Well, you sure took your time getting dressed! And you forgot your headband too! Just what were you doing that made you so distracted?” Maylu asked.

    “My headband!?” Lan exclaimed, feeling his head with his hand.

    Sure enough, he had forgotten his special headband. It must’ve still been on his desk at home.

    “Oh, that’s right! I didn’t see you put it in this morning!” Megaman remarked.

    “I need to go get it!” Lan shouted, turning around.

    “We’re just going to be watching a movie! You’ll be fine without it!” Maylu stopped just before the crosswalk.

    “No! It’s really important to me! I’ll be back in just a moment!” Lan kept skating back to his house, ignoring Maylu shouting after him. 

    Megaman felt the strange buzz in his systems again, originating from his personality program. It felt nice, a smile creeping up on his face. Aww… I’m glad it’s so important to you.

    Lan skated up his front sidewalk and opened the door, skating into his house before unclipping his skates to rush upstairs. He completely ignored the fact he was wearing his shoes in the house, his mind focused on retrieving his headband.

    “You’re going to be extremely late, Lan… Is it really that important to you?” Megaman spoke up.

    Lan barged into his room and grabbed the headband from his desk, making sure to tie it on securely while looking at his reflection in the mirror.

    “I don’t like leaving home without it! It’s like my good luck charm!” Lan said, his eyes beaming with happiness as he looked at it.

    “…okay then,” Megaman responded flatly.

    His personality program bubbled and gently nudged his navi systems and thoughts, reaching out into the recesses of his mind in a comfortable way. Thanks, Lan… It means a lot.

    “What kind of response is that, Megaman!?” Lan shouted, rushing out of his room.

    “Nothing! Just make sure you catch up with Maylu!” his navi insisted.

    Lan hurried out the door, startling his mother who was in the living room. Lan hadn’t noticed what his mother was holding, nor did he notice her at all.

    “Lan!” Maylu glared at him as she arrived outside his house. “We’re never going to make it in time now!”

    “Oh, we can just catch the next showing!” Lan insisted, sticking his tongue out at her while he skated along at a leisurely pace. 

    “It’s in over two hours…” Maylu frowned.

    “Maybe we could do something else then?” Lan suggested.

    “Really, Lan? I thought you genuinely wanted to see it,” Maylu deflated, suddenly feeling like she hadn’t been a good friend.

    Lan was quiet, staring at the sidewalk as he skated alongside her. 

    “…Lan?” Maylu said, looking at her friend with worry.

    “I’m sorry…” Lan apologized. “I just didn’t want my mom to worry.”

    “You have been kind of depressed lately. Is it about that friend of yours?” Maylu’s voice twinged with sorrow.

    Lan’s face contorted with frustration and anger, sadness pooling in his eyes as he looked away from Maylu. He was quiet in contemplation.

    “Yeah… Today is also his birthday,” Lan explained.

    “Oh my gosh… I’m so sorry…” Maylu gasped, realizing why Lan was so upset.

    “It’s ok. I’m not supposed to know…” Lan explained, stopping in his tracks at the crosswalk. 

    “Not supposed to know? Why?” Maylu pressed. “None of this is making any sense.”

    “Maylu… can we just have fun today?” Lan refused to look at her.

    “…Yeah… sure,” Maylu fell quiet, following Lan across the street. 

    The rest of the way to the movie theater was silent, and not even Megaman dared to interject the silence. It was a heavy, depressing silence that pained the group. Once they reached the movie theater, Lan and Maylu looked over the options for showings.

    “Oh! It looks like we’re in luck! They have another screen showing it in 15 minutes!” Maylu pointed at the large screen at the entrance of the movie theater.

    “Screen 7? I thought that screen was out of order,” Lan muttered. “And where does it say the showing time?!” 

    “They must’ve fixed it! Let’s go!” Maylu smiled, dragging Lan away from the screen.

    Maylu paid for the tickets at the booth as this was Lan’s birthday, and the two were granted entrance to the building. The advertisement screens displaying the movie titles were bright and bold, people lined up to get concessions from the stand. It was fairly loud today, so Lan knew something big must’ve been showing.

    “Let’s get some snacks!” Maylu suggested, running over to the concessions stand.

    Lan groaned knowing they’d have to wait in the long line for close to ten minutes before even getting to buy any. The service was slow for some reason. 

    “What is this movie about, anyway?” Megaman asked, unprompted.

    Maylu jumped, startled by the navi.

    “Ah!” she yelped, turning to face Lan.

    “It’s about some kid accidentally time traveling and rewriting his family history, I think,” Lan took his PET out of its holder, raising it in front of himself. 

    “Why does he do that?” Maylu took a deep breath, calming herself after being taken off guard.

    “I dunno, he just does. Dad made him like that,” Lan told her.

    “It’s strange. Roll only does that when I’m in danger and as a warning or reminder,” Maylu explained.

    Lan looked at Megaman, his navi looking awkwardly at Maylu. I am not having nice thoughts about you right now, Maylu.

    “Can’t a navi be actually interested in his operator’s life?” Megaman scoffed.

    Maylu’s eyes flew open and she looked at Lan’s PET, astonished. The netnavi had grown tired of Maylu’s comments about him being strange and wanted to put her in her place before she made Lan get him examined again. 

    “You’re one weird netnavi, alright…” Maylu crossed her arms in a huff, glaring at Megaman.

    He felt his systems lurch inside himself, tapping at his megabuster toggle.

    “Guys, chill! What is with you two?” Lan became worried. 

    He didn’t want his best friends to be fighting on his birthday.

    “Maylu keeps calling me things and I don’t like it,” Megaman explained.

    “What? You’re just a netnavi,” Maylu insisted. “And you are weird.”

    Megaman huffed and turned away from her, glaring at the PET’s homepage floor. 

    “Mega… Come on… I’m sure she didn’t mean it as an insult!” Lan pleaded. 

    The navi refused to speak to Lan about it, merely glancing at him before going back to his attempt at glaring a hole through the cyberfloor. Just a navi… really? JUST a navi?! His personality program threw a tantrum, sending input that threatened to lag his systems. 

    “Come on, Lan! We need to get our snacks!” Maylu stepped up to the counter. 

    She paid for the food as well, though somewhat begrudgingly as Lan was very hungry and took advantage of the opportunity. Megaman couldn’t help but smirk a bit. It wasn’t revenge for the comments she made or anything like it, but in a way, it made him feel better knowing she was at least being nice to his brother. 

    It made him wish he could share the snacks with Lan as well… He had long forgotten the taste of many foods and the feeling of eating. The tastes he did remember were stored in his memory files and very rarely was data from so long ago and so niche ever run. Pancakes sound really good right about now...

    While sucked into his thoughts, Megaman hadn’t noticed them file into the dark room, walking down the aisles between the seats. They took their seats near the middle of the room, commercials playing on the screen.

    “That’s odd… No one else is in here…” Lan looked around the room, noticing the eerie emptiness. 

    “Just relax, Lan. There’s still time before the movie starts. I’m sure more people will come in before then,” Maylu smiled, munching on some of her popcorn.

    “I guess you’re right…” Lan muttered.

    Lan had already eaten close to a quarter of his bucket of popcorn in the time it took for them to walk to the showing room. 

    “Hm? Lan, look at this!” Maylu exclaimed, pointing at the screen.

    Megaman and Lan looked up at the big screen, seeing an advertisement for something called “The N1 Grand Prix'', a tournament for netbattlers to compete against each other. It had been made by Higsby, and honestly it was poorly edited. Film was not something Higsby was skilled in…

    “Oh, that looks cool! I wish I could compete!” Lan smiled.

    “Yeah! I’d even enter with Roll if I could get in,” Maylu added. “I’m not as much of a netbattler as you are though.”

    “Hey, don’t you think a tournament might be a little much?” Megaman said with worry. “That’s a lot of people watching.”

    “It’ll be fun! Let’s enter, Megaman!” Lan’s eyes lit up with excitement and Megaman just couldn’t find it in himself to say no.

    The navi smiled nervously. A tournament… It would have rules and regulations at least. It may actually be safer than most of the netbattles Lan usually ended up in…

    “Maylu… is anyone else coming in here?” Lan asked.

    Maylu looked nervously away from Lan.

    “I may or may not have known you’d be late… so quite possibly I may have had your mom call ahead of time and reserve an entire screening room…” Maylu chuckled.

    “What!?” Lan was startled. “So you were just saying all that stuff earlier to make me hurry for nothing!?”

    “Wow… How’d you manage that?” Megaman asked. “That must’ve been expensive.”

    “Actually, apparently the owners owed your mom a favor for something… I don’t remember if your mom explained what exactly,” Maylu hummed.

    “A favor? My mom rarely leaves the house,” Lan was in disbelief.

    “Something about taking care of his wife, I think. I dunno,” she struggled to recall the exact circumstances of what ended them up in this position, focusing more on the positives. 

    “Well…thanks,” Lan looked back at the screen as the lights began to dim. 

    “Please silence all electronics, such as tablets, PETs, phones, and music players before the show starts,” a voice said over the speakers, signifying that the movie would start soon.

    Lan reached to grab his PET, frowning as he looked at Megaman who seemed just as upset.

        “What’re you doing?” Maylu asked.

    “Huh?” Lan paused.

    “It’s just the two of us here. No one is going to get mad if you leave it unmuted… besides, Megaman seemed interested in the movie too,” Maylu gestured to his netnavi.

    Lan looked at Megaman, the navi in question returning the attention with a nervous chuckle.

    “I was interested, but I didn’t want to intrude,” Megaman’s mouth drew into an awkward smile, his eyes darting away from his operator’s.

    “Nonsense! They don’t have these PET stands for nothing!” Lan beamed, setting up his PET so Megaman could watch the movie as well. 

    Maylu did the same with hers, sitting back and relaxing as the movie started. One good thing about being a netnavi he learned was free admission to the movies. I guess that’s one way to sneak your brother in for free. Hehe. Megaman snickered at the thought.

    Throughout the film, Lan glanced occasionally at the screen to his PET, seeing Megaman entranced by the fantasy world of the film. His navi’s eyes were lit up with wonder and excitement, a bright smile plastered across Megaman’s face.

    When he looked over to Maylu’s PET, Roll seemed confused or neutral about the film at best. Maylu’s navi had been very quiet… Roll didn’t talk much aside from when she was talked to… After being with Megaman, Lan had gotten used to a navi actively interacting with their operator. It felt weird to see one not act like Megaman.

    “Hey, Lan,” Megaman whispered.

    “What is it?” Lan replied, eating the last of his popcorn.

    “What would you do if you had the ability to go back in time and change things?” Megaman asked.

    Lan looked at the navi, weirded out by the question. That seemed like more of a homework prompt from a teacher than something a navi would ask.

    “Uhhh… I guess I’d try to stop whatever… y’know…” Lan trailed off, looking over at Maylu who was totally absorbed in the film.

    Megaman fell silent, soaking up the unspoken words of that sentence. It made the strange buzzing fill himself again. 

    “Oh, Lan…” Megaman smiled warmly, placing his hand on the screen.

    Lan looked back at his PET, a gentle smile appearing on his face. Lan had no idea how much that meant to Megaman, the navi’s eyes threatening to cry.

    “I’m sure he would be happy to know that,” Megaman couldn’t help but let his happiness leak into his voice, the strain of tears making it sound almost painful to say.

    “Are you two really getting all sappy over this? I end up with more questions than answers every time I hang out with you…” Maylu said, staring at the two.

    “Then maybe you should stop asking,” Megaman laughed.

    Maylu grumbled, “What about you, Roll? Do you think they make any sense?”

    “Hardly,” her navi replied. 

    “I think Megaman’s still upset with you, Maylu,” Lan giggled, taking a sip of water.

    “How can a netnavi be upset over something like that?” Maylu asked, glancing at Roll for advice.

    Roll looked at her operator and shrugged.

    “I’m not entirely sure, but I do know he hates being called weird,” Lan continued to snicker.

    “Oh, alright… I’m sorry for calling you weird, Megaman,” Maylu apologized, though she seemed reluctant.

    Megaman seemed surprised, but happy all the same. “Thanks…” 

    The navi stared at Maylu. He never thought he’d actually get an apology from her. His personality program paused and calculated, not knowing how to process what just happened.

    “I’m glad you two have cleared that up! Now that the credits are rolling, let’s go back to my place!” Lan exclaimed, picking up his PET and putting it in its holder.

    The afternoon sun was still high in the sky, the bright day assaulting Lan and Maylu’s eyes as they walked out of the dark movie theater and into the sunlight. 

    “That movie was really good, wasn’t it?” Megaman’s cheerful demeanor quickly spread to his operator.

    “It was!” Lan laughed, clipping on his skates. 

    “Wait up, Lan!” Maylu exclaimed, kicking open her scooter. 

    Lan paused for a moment, letting Maylu catch up. 

    “What’s taking you so long?” Lan asked.

    “Nothing!” Maylu insisted.

    Lan dismissed it and carried on his way, skating up the street with Maylu next to him. Megaman couldn’t wait to be back home. Maybe Lan would jack him into the computer and they could play some games together? Or maybe they’d get sent a program from dad?! It was their birthday, so not much was off the table, and he could barely contain his excitement. 

    There was always the offhand chance dad would give something to Megaman for his birthday, though it was rare— becoming Lan’s navi could’ve been considered an early present in itself… It’s what Hub wanted most… a chance to be with his brother again.

    “Megaman, you’ve been awfully quiet. You ok?” Lan asked.

    “Yeah! I’m doing great,” Megaman replied.

    “Alright, because I asked you about if dad messaged at all and you didn’t respond,” Lan pouted.

    “Oh, yeah! He did message you. He said he’ll be home tonight!” Megaman beamed.

    “Sweet!” Lan exclaimed, rolling up to his front sidewalk.

    Maylu rolled up behind him, folding her scooter before she trotted up behind him.

    “Take off your rollerblades, Lan!” Maylu scolded him.

    “Yeah, yeah…” Lan grumbled, propping himself up against the side of the front door frame to take off his rollerblades. 

    He stepped inside with Maylu following, exchanging his shoes for his house slippers. When he turned towards the living room he was greeted with all his friends— aside from Maylu— and his parents shouting “surprise!” and holding up a big banner that read “Happy Birthday Lan!” 

    “Huh?!” Lan was indeed surprised.

    He hadn’t been expecting a party at all, and neither had Megaman.

    “I’m glad I was able to keep you occupied long enough for them to set up! I was super worried when you ran back to your house to get your headband!” Maylu chuckled. 

    “Ohhhhh…” Lan started to connect the dots. “You guys really didn’t have to though!” 

    “Happy birthday, Lan!” Haruka let go of the banner and walked over to her son, hugging him. 

    “Heh, thanks mom,” Lan said, returning the gesture.

    “I’m actually home for your birthday this year! It’s a little hard to believe…” Yuichiro smiled, though Lan could see the pain hidden in his father’s eyes.

    “Yeah… Why the party though?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “Well, it’s your birthday of course! Why wouldn’t we celebrate?” Haruka chimed in.

    Lan smiled, trying to hide the mixed emotions he felt about the day. Maybe just accepting it and being grateful was the right thing to do for now.

    “Happy Birthday, Lan…” Chaud trudged across the floor, a small box in his hand. 

    “Chaud?!” Lan exclaimed, thoroughly confused as to why his rival had been invited.

    Lan accepted the small box wrapped with a ribbon, though he was unsure if he should be scared of what was inside of it.

    “I heard you two knew each other so I contacted some colleagues of mine to get an invitation sent out,” Yuichiro beamed. “I’m so glad you’ve been making more friends, Lan.”

    “Yeah… Friends…” Lan mumbled, looking at the box. “I appreciate it… Chaud.”

    “It’s good to know you have the sense to be grateful,” Chaud commented. 

    Lan kept his mouth shut in front of his dad, but he wanted nothing more than to yell at Chaud.

    “You can open your presents after we have cake,” Haruka smiled, gesturing to the table.

    Lan nearly forgot about his frustration with his rival at the mention of food, turning to the dining table. The table was set and in front of Lan’s usual spot was a cake, decorated with blue and orange frosting. The words “Happy Birthday Lan!” were written on the cake with light blue. Lan couldn’t help but notice his name was far off to the side, a strange blank space beside it. He glanced at his parents, seeing his father embracing his mother while they stared at the cake as well. 

    “Can I see?” Megaman suddenly asked.

    “Hm? Yeah, sure…” Lan said, unclipping the latch of the holder on his hip to raise his PET. 

    When the cake came into view of the camera, his navi smiled.

    “It looks tasty!” Megaman said, though his gaze hovered on the blank space next to Lan’s name.

    It’s the little things to show they remember… a little space left for me even though I no longer require it… a little space in their hearts. The navi raised his hand to his chest over where his heart would’ve been, his operator unknowingly following in the action. The strange buzz returned.

    “Alright, everyone take a seat,” Haruka sat down at the table, her husband following in the action.

    “Curry and then cake for dessert! Now that’s what I call tasty!” Lan exclaimed, staring down at his plate. 

    “Your mother and I have an extra special present for you, just wait until after dinner,” Yuichiro smiled, though his eyes flicked to the camera of the PET at the end.

    “Well now I’m really curious!” Lan laughed.

    Upon seeing his father gaze at the PET when mentioning the present, Megaman couldn’t help but be excited himself. 

    “What do you think your parents got you, Lan?” Megaman asked, a bright smile stretched across his face.

    “Knowing them, probably something for my computer!” Lan replied.

    “It’s probably something for Megaman!” Dex huffed. “Gutsman and I will still beat you anytime no matter what fancy upgrades you give your navi!”

    “Heh, you sure do love netbattles, so it probably is something for Megaman,” Maylu sat down at the table next to Lan.

    The navi felt something inside of his systems jumble and lurch at the sight of Maylu sitting there, his smile momentarily falling. That’s my seat…The navi felt some sort of grumble fall silent in his throat, frustration burrowing into his face. Lan looked at Maylu, then at the chair, unease flashing in his eyes.

    “Power increases and updates can only do so much to improve a navi. Even chips are useless unless an operator knows how to use them,” Chaud said, taking his seat across from Lan.

    “Yeah… Lucky for me I know how to use battlechips,” Lan couldn’t help but let sarcasm leech its way into his voice as he picked up his spoon.

    “Would anyone like something to drink?” Haruka asked, standing up abruptly.

    “Yeah!” Maylu and Tory exclaimed in unison.

    “I brought my own strawberry milk, so please don’t concern yourself with it,” Yai smirked, one of her butlers filling her glass on the table.

    “Yes, please!” Dex said politely.

    “Just water, thanks,” as Chaud spoke, he didn't take his gaze off Lan, eyeing his rival and watching Lan’s mannerisms.

    Lan was quiet, eating his curry seemingly having not heard what his mother had asked. His mother turned to him.

    “And what about you, Lan?” Haruka raised an eyebrow.

    “Uh…” Lan took a moment to swallow his food. “Just water…”

    “Alright then! I’ll be back in a moment,” Haruka walked off to the kitchen to fetch drinks for Lan and his friends. 

    “Do you want some help with those, honey!?” Yuichiro asked.

    “Yes! Would you mind, dear?” Haruka said, turning to face her husband. 

    Yuichiro wiped his face and stood up, going to help his wife in the kitchen. Lan had continued to remain quiet and distant from his friend's conversations, absorbed in eating his food. Though Chaud wasn’t there because of choice, more so obligation as he had been invited by such a high ranking official, he took notice of Lan’s actions. 

    Lan was hunkered down to his plate, a dejected stare resting on everything in front of himself. It was uncharacteristic of the netbattler Chaud so frequently tussled with. He seemed like a completely different person. Lan’s sloppy or otherwise rude eating habits seemed odd. His movements weren’t poorly controlled because of excitement to eat the food, but rather an odd shaking— a slight tremble in Lan’s entire body. 

    Chaud couldn’t help but wonder what had Lan in such a bad mood, but all it took was seeing Lan brightly beam up at his parents when they came back to the table to know something was wrong. The un-Lan like behavior had been quickly masked to the untrained eye, though the tremble remained. 

    “So, Hikari… What exactly have you been up to lately?” Chaud asked, this time out of genuine curiosity and concern.

    “Hm?” Lan raised an eyebrow as his gaze latched onto his rival’s face. “Not much.”

    “He’s been hanging out at the arcade with Dex a lot! Dex keeps challenging him all the time!” Maylu chuckled.

    “Yeah! I’ve seen some of the netbattles! They’re usually over in less than a minute!” Tory chimed in. “Megaman always wins!”

    Dex grumbled under his breath, choosing to eat his food instead of retort. It was Lan’s birthday after all.

    “Well it’s good to know he’s doing so well!” Yuichiro smiled.

    “He’s great at it! I couldn’t ask for a better operator!” Megaman smiled, looking at Lan with fondness.

    “I was a little worried when I first gave you Megaman, Lan, but with how he talks about you, I think it was the right decision,” Yuichiro spoke with pride before returning to his dinner.

    “If you wouldn’t mind, Hikari… would you like to netbattle after you’ve opened all your presents?” Chaud asked.

    Yuichiro looked at Chaud with surprise, and then turned his attention to Lan.

    “Um… Thanks for the offer, Chaud, but I’ll see how I feel about it after cake, okay?” Lan said, finishing his plate of food.

    Chaud was taken aback. The Lan he knew would never turn down a netbattle and Lan’s voice lacked any hint or shred of enthusiasm at the offer.

    “Could I have seconds, please?” Lan asked, lifting his plate up.

    “Well, of course! I’ll go get you some more!” Haruka stood up and took Lan’s plate.

    Haruka had yet to finish even half of her dinner and Lan was already asking for more… Chaud was about to question Lan about his response when Lan suddenly began drinking water and kept the glass there until he was done drinking, slowly sipping the water at a nearly glacial pace. To be fair, Chaud had never seen Lan eat before, but that was just weird and even Maylu raised an eyebrow at Lan’s actions. 

    Everyone else was too absorbed in their own conversations to pay any attention to him. Lan’s eyes flicking to Chaud briefly was enough to make Chaud drop the question. He’s avoiding it… He knew that I was going to ask him something… Megaman noticed Chaud’s stunned expression, not that the navi could deny Lan’s actions were out of place. 

    “Alright, here you are, Lan,” Haruka smiled, placing her son’s plate back down on the table.

    “Thanks!” was the last thing Lan said for the rest of dinner, avoiding conversation with his friends and cowering as if to make himself invisible.

    Once everyone had eaten, Haruka put the candles on the cake, eleven in total. Lan tried his best to hide his solemn stare at the blank space on the cake as his mom lit the candles, his dad eagerly filming. He had to smile even though it was hard. His friends singing happy birthday to him threatened to make his eyes water, closing his eyes with as bright a smile as he could muster before blowing out the candles at the end. I wish Hub was still here with me…

    His friends cheered, clapping their hands. Somehow being cheered at for Lan simply living another year pulled at Megaman’s systems and made them contort and strain. It was like being a ghost in a life he was no longer living. It was seeing the life he should've been apart of, just out of reach and only able to spectate the happy moments he brother experienced, the only joy he could receive from them being from the smile on Lan's face.

    “Alright, Lan! You get first dibs! Pick your slice of cake!” Haruka beamed, standing beside Lan with the cake knife.

    “I want this piece,” Lan said, pointing at the blank space without hesitation.

    Haruka sputtered for a moment, quickly collecting herself as she looked down at Lan who was truly smiling for the first time that evening. Chaud noticed the odd behavior accompanied by Lan’s vivid, genuine smile. What is wrong with him choosing that piece of cake? It’s blank. Lan eagerly stared as Haruka cut the cake, serving him the slice that was missing a name. Lan mused, if I can't have my brother, I can have his slice of cake.

    “I thought for sure you’d pick the slice that literally has your name on it,” Maylu commented with a chuckle.

    “Well if no one else claims it, I’ll eat it next,” Lan stuck his tongue out, raising his fork.

    Hesitation… over a piece of cake? Chaud took notice of how Lan’s fork hovered, as if Lan was scared to touch the piece of cake. With how much Lan loved food, hesitation was a disturbing behavior for him to present with it. No one else seemed to notice as they were all busy getting served their own slices. 

    “What’s wrong, Lan?” Megaman asked from the PET’s position down on the table. 

    The navi noticed it. Chaud looked at Lan’s PET.

    “It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about how to savor this cake!” Lan insisted, though he looked down at Megaman with an odd glance.

    The navi smiled tensely, a knowing expression filling his eyes. Chaud narrowed his eyes at Lan’s navi. So Megaman knows but his parents don’t? He hadn’t come here to get invested in Lan’s life or business, but something about this made Chaud curious in ways he hadn’t felt in a long time— not since things had actually been challenging. 

    “Chaud? Do you want cake?” Haruka smiled warmly.

    “Could I have a small slice? I’m already quite full, but it would be a waste to not have any,” Chaud said.

    “Of course. I know I tend to cut slices rather large, so just let me know how much you want,” Haruka replied.

    Finally, Lan’s fork bit into his slice of cake, and soon the slice of the sweet baked good was gone from sight save for the tiniest bit of frosting left on his plate. 

    “Do you want another slice?” Haruka asked her son.

    Lan’s eyes flicked over to the cake. Half of it was already gone. 

    “I think I’m good,” Lan hummed.

    “Really?” Haruka was surprised.

    Lan nodded. 

    “I may have some more later, but I wanna open presents,” Lan explained.

    “Alright, does anyone else want more?” Haruka glanced around the table, seeing everyone’s plates nearly or already empty, and no one was asking for more.

    “I’ll go get Lan’s present, then. Feel free to start opening them without me, I’ll be right back,” Yuichiro got up from his chair and walked out of the room. 

    “Why don’t you start with mine?” Maylu said.

    She got up from her seat and picked up a light blue box from the coffee table, bringing it over. It wasn’t very big, but Lan was very excited to see the contents. Maylu handed the box to him, taking her seat at the table once again. 

    Lan undid the ribbon and took off the lid, setting it to the side. 

    “I saw you staring at it the other day,” Maylu said.

    In his hand was a blue and green handheld tape recorder, and inside the box still was a collection of blank tapes. 

    “People still use those things?” Dex asked somewhat insensitively.

    “Thanks, Maylu! I’d always wanted one of these!” Lan truthfully was overjoyed. 

    Truth be told, he hadn’t been incredibly set on buying it, but after recent events, perhaps having an audio tape recorder would come in handy. No one expected them these days.

    “Really? I never would’ve guessed,” Yai seemed genuinely surprised.

    “Open mine next!” Tory insisted. 

    The shorter boy got up from his seat and nearly ran over to the coffee table to retrieve his present for Lan. The large rectangular box covered in blue wrapping paper with snowflakes seemed a little clunky in Tory’s grasp as he brought it over, handing it to Lan before returning to his seat. 

    “Wow! It feels heavy. What is it?” Lan questioned, raising an eyebrow.

    “Open it, silly!” Maylu laughed.

    Lan ripped off the paper, excited to see what it was. 

    “No way! You didn’t!” Lan’s eyes lit up.

    Tory smiled. 

    “Consider it a thanks from my father as well! You know, for saving him and all that,” Tory explained.

    “You really got me a telescope?!” Lan couldn’t believe it. 

    “Do you like it?” Tory asked.

    “He- I mean yeah!” Lan replied. 

    “I didn’t even know you liked astronomy,” Maylu blinked.

    “Are you kidding? The study of space is one of the most awesome scientific fields! It’s how we figured out so many things! Computer science wouldn’t have come as far as it has without it!” Lan exclaimed. “We wouldn’t have satellite or internet! We wouldn’t have netnavis !” 

    “Good to see you’re taking an interest in science, Lan,” Yuichiro responded as he came back to the living room.

    “Look dad! Maylu got me an audio recorder and Tory got me a telescope!” Lan couldn’t contain his joy.

    He seems fine now… Chaud couldn’t help but notice the difference in Lan’s attitude.

    “Wow! You’ll have to let me borrow the telescope sometime,” Yuichiro teased his son… or maybe he was being serious?

    Yai snapped her fingers and her butler brought over a small gift, wrapped in orange with a dark orange bow. 

    “Hm?” Lan turned his head, accepting the box from Yai.

    “I sincerely doubt you have one of these already as they’re quite rare,” Yai smirked. “I hope it will aid you in battle.”

    Lan popped off the lid of the present, revealing a singular rare battlechip inside. 

    “A recovery chip?” Lan was surprised, lifting up the chip out of the box to take a better look at it.

    “It’s the most powerful recovery chip you can buy. I bet Megaman doesn’t even have as much HP memory as it restores,” Yai looked at Lan, her self-confidence practically manifesting as an energy around her.

    “You’re right! I don’t think he does!” Lan thumbed through the windows on his PET.

    Megaman attempted to dodge the onslaught of displays but ultimately was pushed to the side and fell onto the cyberfloor with an audible “oof!”

    “What would you do without me?” Yai was absorbed in her own thoughts, not paying any attention to the others at the table.

    “Do me a favor and warn me next time, Lan…” Megaman groaned, rubbing his shoulder.

    Lan didn’t seem to notice.

    “Hey, Lan! Do you wanna open mine next?” Dex asked.

    “Sure!” Lan replied, carefully setting the rare chip down on the table.

    Dex reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Maylu who passed it to Lan.

    “Hm? What’s this?” Lan asked.

    “Well come on! Open it!” Dex insisted.

    Lan sliced open the envelope with his butter knife. Inside was a card with a code. 

    “I don’t get it…” Lan blanked.

    “It’s a passcode to the online netbattler forums!” Dex explained. “You’ll be able to anonymously challenge and be challenged by experienced netbattlers!”

    “Oh! Sweet! No more just randomly hoping someone challenges me when I’m online!” Lan stuffed the card back in the envelope and put it in his pocket. “No offense, Megaman, but people don’t really view you as a worthwhile opponent…”

    “None taken!” Megaman chuckled. “It’ll be nice to fight in a place with admins and rules too, instead of just hoping they’re nice.”

    Lan dug Chaud’s gift to him out of his pocket, untying the red ribbon and opening the white box. There were two things inside. A custom chip and a small card with an internet address on it.

    “Message me yourself next time you want to invite me someplace. Secondly, that chip is for you. Use it when you’re in a pinch,” Chaud left it at that.

    Lan nodded in affirmation before looking back at Chaud. “Thanks…”

    Why is Chaud being so nice to Lan? Megaman couldn’t help but wonder what had brought on such a change in attitude over the course of the party.

    “Okay, Lan… are you ready for your big surprise?” Yuichiro asked.

    “Wasn’t the surprise party already plenty?” Lan laughed.

    “Your father and I thought you would enjoy this, but it took a little convincing to get him fully on board,” Haruka looked at her husband.

    Yuichiro presented Lan with a box wrapped in orange and blue. It was small and square. His son wasted no time in ripping off the paper, tossing the ribbon aside in excitement. 

    It was a small disk, not unlike the one he had gotten when first obtaining Megaman. 

    “What’s on it?” Lan muttered, looking for instructions.

    “It’s a surprise,” Haruka and Yuichiro smiled at their son.

    Chaud looked at the disk in confusion while Lan stared at it in amazement and wonder. A new program? What could Megaman possibly have added to him? Chaud already knew Megaman was heavily customized and had many programs most navis didn’t- courtesy of his father’s research no doubt. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Megaman contained unfinished or prototype versions of programs intended to be released by SciLab…

    “Maybe you should wait to install it till after your guests leave,” Megaman chimed in.

    “Good call! I wouldn’t want you to miss out!” Lan smiled.

    There’s something weird about that navi. It was a thought Chaud couldn’t shake since the first day he met Lan and Megaman.

    “Also, didn’t Chaud challenge you to a netbattle?” Megaman remarked.

    The navi looked over at Chaud who gazed back at Lan expectantly.

    “Oh, yeah! I’m down!” Lan smiled.

    The hesitation from earlier is gone. Chaud smirked. 

    “We can battle after the party then,” Chaud replied, glancing around the room.

    Megaman raised an eyebrow. Chaud had been acting weird all day. Usually he called Lan a brat or a nuisance. Why was he being so…odd? One by one, Lan’s friends left after the party, and Yuichiro walked up to Lan just as Chaud was about to ask Lan to finally have that netbattle.

    “Lan? Could I borrow Megaman for a moment?” Yuichiro asked, gently smiling at his son.

    “Sure, why?” Lan responded, worry making its way into his features.

    There was hesitation in his hands as he placed the PET in his father’s. 

    “I’ll be fine, Lan. Why don’t you talk to Chaud? I’ll be back in a minute,” Megaman attempted to assure his operator, placing his hand on the screen as if he was yearning to comfort Lan in the physical world.

    Megaman knew about this but Lan didn’t?

    “Alright…” Lan’s face fell, the same dejected stare he had been hiding earlier beginning to creep into the birthday boy’s expression.

    Yuichiro took the PET with him to the other room where he sat down and raised the PET to have him in view, Haruka coming into view next to him. He took a deep breath, not daring to speak too loudly.

    “Happy birthday, Hub…” Yuichiro said alongside his wife.

    “Hehe! I’m so glad to be at home for it this year! Not that in SciLab it wasn’t great, but I missed Lan and mom so much!” Megaman smiled.

    “I have a little present for you as well, you know,” Yuichiro said, digging in his pocket for something.

    “Hm? What is it?” Megaman wasn’t expecting to get anything himself.

    Yuichiro hesitated a moment, bringing up a chip just out of view.

    “He’s going to love it, honey,” Haruka insisted.

    “Alright— slot in and download!” Yuichiro carefully lined up the chip and pushed it into the PET.

    Megaman’s systems buzzed with the input of information, registering the chip as a custom chip he had never used before. He was trying to figure out what kind of chip it was as the data from the chip materialized itself. He grasped the digital object with his hands as it finished materializing in the PET, the navi’s eyes lighting up with joy when he saw it. It was a plush dressed like Lan, headband and all. A familiar buzz lit up his systems.

    “We know you can’t actually hug Lan anymore, but we thought this would help,” Haruka said warmly, resting her head on her husband’s shoulder.

    Megaman couldn’t resist hugging it tightly, careful not to pop the plush program by squeezing it with his full navi strength.

    “Thank you!” Megaman said clearly, though he began to sob with tears pouring down his cheeks.

    The navi nestled his face against it, feeling comfort he hadn’t felt in quite a long time. The strangeness of the internet and the emotionless sort of cold that hung in it was nothing like the real world. 

    “Just make sure to store it away in your files. If Lan ever sees it and asks about it, just tell him I made it for you,” Yuichiro whispered.

    Megaman nodded, continuing to hold the plush close to his frame. The navi loved it. It was truly the perfect gift for him. 

    “Alright, are you ready to go back out to Lan?” Yuichiro asked.

    “One second,” Megaman hummed, taking one last glance at the plush before copying the data from the chip and stowing it away in his files. 

    The chip ejected from the PET and landed back in Yuichiro’s hand, his father putting the chip back in his pocket for safe keeping. 

    “Now I am,” the navi said, wiping his face free of tears.

    “Good luck, Hub,” Haruka smiled gently.

    Megaman waved back at his mother. “Thank you.”

    Yuichiro took the PET back out to the living room, walking over to his son. 

    “Alright! You’re all set! Please be careful with him though. He’s an extra special navi,” Yuichiro told Lan once again.

    “I know dad. You say that all the time!” Lan rolled his eyes.

    An extra special navi? Chaud raised an eyebrow.

    “I mean it though, Lan. Now take good care of him,” Yuichiro gave Lan a somber smile as Lan and Chaud walked upstairs. 

    “Pfsh- Dad’s always saying that about you. Of course I know you’re an extra special navi. He made you from scratch, just for me!” Lan chuckled, staring down at his PET while he climbed the stairs. “I wonder…”

    Lan’s eyes turned solemn once again, staring at seemingly nothing.

    “What do you wonder, Hikari?” Chaud asked.

    Lan tensed.

    “Oh… nothing…” Lan’s eyes darted and he made a beeline for his room, leaving the door open for Chaud.

    Chaud frowned. So it’s not as easy as I thought it would be…

    “Hurry up, Chaud!” Lan huffed.

    Chaud turned and stepped into Lan’s room, looking around at the state of it. Some of Lan’s clothes were strewn about near the closet, boxes left half open, and papers littered his desk where he did his homework.

    “So this is your room…” Chaud mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the pile of unfinished homework building up at the edge of Lan’s desk.

    “Yep! It’s a nice room isn’t it?” Megaman spoke up from the PET.

    Chaud was surprised. He wasn’t talking to Megaman when he said that.

    “Hurry up and jack in to my PC so we can finally settle this!” Lan exclaimed, dashing to close his room door.

    “I understand your desire to battle, but don’t you think you’re a little over eager?” Chaud narrowed his eyes at Lan.

    Lan had yet to win against him. Why would Lan be so eager to lose? 

    “Over eager?! You’re the one who challenged me!” Lan complained.

    “Exactly…” Chaud hummed. “Jack in! Protoman! Power up!” 

    “That’s what I’m talking about! Jack in! Megaman! Power up!” Lan shouted.

    The two connected their PETs to Lan’s PC, and their navis materialized in the computer’s cyberspace.

    “Well hey, Protoman! I can’t say I imagined I’d see you here today,” Megaman smirked.

    “Why wouldn’t I be here? I’m always with Chaud,” Protoman remained as emotionally unresponsive as ever. 

    Lan frowned, shuffling through the holder on his hip for some good chips. The chips kept slipping through his fingers, very much unlike his usual self. 

    “I can give you a moment to get your chips sorted,” Chaud sat down on Lan’s bed. “I’ve got time.”

    “Nono, I’ve got this,” Lan insisted.

    “It really doesn’t seem like it,” Chaud crossed his arms.

    Lan sighed, finally grasping the chips he wanted. 

    “Let’s just do this, ok?” Lan replied, giving his PET the same dejected stare he had been giving his food earlier.

    That stare… it’s strange to see that expression on Lan’s face.

    “Longsword, battlechip in! Download!” Chaud exclaimed.

    “Cyber Sword, battlechip in- wah!” Lan missed the chip port, leaving his navi staggering and trying to dodge a hit he thought he could block. 

    In the end, Megaman couldn’t fully dodge, his right forearm getting slashed and a gash spewing blood-like data beginning to form.

    He missed the slot!? Chaud was taken aback, though Lan didn’t seem to notice his staring, too focused on the battle. And that data… looks odd…

    “Gah! Lan! What happened?!” Megaman asked, clutching the wound as Protoman continued, swinging his sword once again.

    Something inside Megaman twisted in ways he didn’t like.

    “S-Sorry!” Lan fumbled, lining up the battle chip before he attempted inserting it again. 

    “Cyber Sword, battlechip in! Download!” Lan exclaimed.

    Megaman finally had something to defend with, though he was losing data rather quickly. 

    Such amateur technique… It’s like he’s forgotten how to netbattle at all… Chaud didn’t hesitate.

    “M-Cannon, battlechip in! Download!” Lan shoved the chip in correctly this time, though the chip clacked the sides of the slot and nearly was jammed. 

    The download time being just too long, Protoman already had Megaman pinned against the cyberfloor by the time it loaded, sword merely a few inches from his chest emblem. Thank goodness he’s showing mercy… Lan dropped the rest of the battle chips in his hand, a look of raw fear and shock mirroring that of Megaman’s expression.

    A strange feeling of despair and sadness tugging at Lan’s heart made it hard for him to fight back his emotions.

    “How can you expect to keep Megaman safe when you get so sloppy?” Chaud asked. 

    Lan’s fear quickly boiled over to anger. 

    “It’s none of your business, Chaud!” Lan growled lowly, his eyes flicking to the door. 

    “If you truly intend on fighting World Three, you need to find a way to move past whatever it is that’s making you so distracted,” Chaud walked over to Lan’s PC. “Protoman, jack out…”

    “You don’t get it, Chaud…” Lan bristled.

    “What do I not get?” Chaud slowly began re-spooling the cord to his PET. 

    “It-… You wouldn’t understand,” Lan felt tears well up in his eyes.

    “Lan! Hey! It’s alright!” Megaman looked at Lan from the computer monitor, still clutching the wound on his arm.

    “I don’t know what would be so situation changing if you don’t tell me,” Chaud sat back down on Lan’s bed.

    “Chaud… Please. Not today. Of all days, not today. Do this some other time,” Megaman looked at Chaud with anger.

    Not the anger of a navi in battle, no. This was pure, heartfelt emotion. His eyes glared a slew of heated rage that words couldn’t describe, Chaud finding himself momentarily stunned. Just how much time did Dr. Hikari spend on this navi?

    “It’s fine, Megaman…” Lan wiped his tears. “I was gonna cry later anyway.”

    “Lan! Come over here. Sit down,” Megaman’s expression changed to one of compassion, concern pooling in his eyes as he looked at his operator.

    Lan did just as his navi said, sitting down in his chair. 

    “Seriously, Lan? You’re taking orders from your own navi now? Pathetic,” Chaud scoffed. 

    Lan sank down into his chair, tears streaming down his face.

    “You can’t seriously expect to protect anyone like that, can you?” Chaud scrunched his face in disgust as he stared at Lan. 

    “Get out,” Megaman growled.

    “Excuse me wha-…” Chaud froze.

    As if a fire had begun to rage within Megaman, the anger and fury on his face settled into the navi’s features, an emotion uncharacteristic of navis filling his eyes. The look in his eyes was not wrath or a raging temper. It was a vehement warning. The navi’s systems had been silenced, deafened by something.

    Megaman stared directly into Chaud’s eyes, the sight making the human’s eyes fly wide open. It was entirely un-navi like behavior, the emotion behind it so potent it was hard to believe it could be portrayed. 

    “Didn’t you hear me? You have 15 seconds to leave my house,” Megaman ordered. “Now leave.”

    “You expect me to believe you’re much of a threat without Lan backing you up?” Chaud smirked. “You just lost against me and Protoman.”

    “Megaman, stop. It’s fine,” Lan told his navi.

    The navi’s expression didn’t falter, the timer on the computer monitor ticking down. Chaud’s cocky smile fell. Something wasn’t right. Megaman knows Protoman would win against him in a fight… 

    Somehow, the glare etched into his mind in a way he likely wouldn’t ever forget. Chaud saw some sort of passcode get entered in on Lan’s PC by Megaman, followed by multiple alerts. He’s not bluffing. The heck?! Chaud felt a sinking sensation in his stomach as multiple windows popped up and were filled out with text in fractions of a second. He’s serious about this! 

    Chaud had no idea what the navi was accessing, but there wasn’t even a hint of doubt in the navi’s eyes, Megaman doing whatever he had planned at a frightening speed. I have no idea what he’s doing… He’s entirely unpredictable. That thought scared Chaud in a way the netsaver hadn’t felt in years. Most navis were heavily predictable, but Megaman... Chaud just couldn't pin down what drove the navi to such lengths.

    Chaud bolted up from his seat in a panic and practically ran out of the Hikari household, with his PET in hand. As soon as the front door shut behind him he heard the lock click accompanied by Megaman saying “come back when you’re mature enough to apologize” over the doorbell’s speaker. He turned, taking a step away from the house, seeing the familiar blue navi on the doorbell display, the same glare boring its way deeper into  his memory. In less than a moment, Megaman’s image was gone, and Chaud heard something in the yard. 

    The very unfortunate thing was the sprinklers for the garden turned on as he turned around, soaking Chaud before he could make an escape. He stood still in shock, water slowly dripping down from his hair and clothes.

    “Protoman… What just happened?” Chaud said to his PET in shock, all while the sprinklers gently pelted him with water.

    “I believe you just took orders from a navi, sir,” Protoman replied.

    Chaud had never been more embarrassed in his career. He may have won the netbattle that day, but apparently, he had started and lost a war he didn’t even see coming— and to a singular netnavi nonetheless. There was something about Megaman that he now found himself terrified of.

Chapter Text

    Night had long since fallen on the Hikari family household, and the house was quiet. The building was illuminated gently by the moonlight and the few streetlights lining the street. In the gentle light, Megaman once again found him staring at his reflection in the mirror. He didn’t know why he was like this. 

    The PET was charging, and Lan was sleeping soundly in his bed. The computer hadn’t malfunctioned… his navi self still existed… So why am I Hub again? He struggled to make sense of the phenomenon. A glowing ethereal body like a hologram, yet he could interact with everything… This isn’t the traditional way souls of the dead were depicted, but then again, is he technically alive? 

    Can your soul escape your body in your sleep? Was he some sort of living ghost? Megaman bristled, recounting his dislike of spooky specters. Disembodied spirits always gave him the creeps since he had died… In some ways, it was he feared he wasn’t actually Hub, merely programmed to believe he was… and living a lie. The thought had crossed his mind before. What if Hub hates me? What if he wants to get rid of me?

    The number of nights he spent as a navi anxiously watching the room and hearing all the strange noises of the house was too many. The nights the fear of seeing someone who looked just like Lan whose name and identity had been taken by Megaman ran rampant in his mind were common. Even if his father insisted, Megaman knew Yuichiro was never certain. There were days Yuichiro wouldn’t even treat him like a person, the navi recognizing the uncertainty and frustration in his father’s eyes. There was no way to truly know if he was the same person, even if his DNA was exact. If I am not Hub, would he seek vengeance on me for being a fraud and deceiving Lan? 

    Despite knowing he was Megaman— now and had been for quite some time— when he slipped out of the net like this, he strangely felt little familiarity with the PET or the computer. It was like he began to forget he was ever a navi at all. Everything about the net seemed to gray and become drowned out by mental fog, his skills as a netnavi taking a backseat to his more human habits. Does this mean I really am Hub? Can those worries finally come to an end?

    Questions about his situation stirred in his mind as he paced the room, looking at all of Lan’s possessions. He could faintly recall what the room used to look like, his own bed having once been where Lan’s desk now stands. Quite ironic in that it is still where I sleep…

    The strange feeling of fear still nestled itself deep within him, like it was gnawing at his programming. Looking at his hands made him feel a sort of urgency, something inside of himself screaming for him to check on Lan. Hub could see that Lan was fine though, the sight of gentle rise and fall of his blankets soothing whatever anxious tension was building in the pit of his stomach. Still… that cry stuck in his chest… wanting to shout and shake Lan awake by the shoulders… it remained.

    Not wanting to disturb Lan, he sat quietly on the floor, seeing the clock on Lan’s nightstand update. It was getting closer to midnight, their birthday almost over… It was a special day for him… He got to spend his fourth birthday in the park, running around in the sunshine with Lan… but… after that all he could remember was flashing lights and darkness. 

    At the memory, Hub felt himself shudder. He took several deep breaths to calm down, running his fingers across their floor with his eyes closed to focus on the texture. This floor… The amount of times he laid down on this floor, desperately trying to get enough oxygen in his lungs… Hub hissed, raising and clutching his hand at his chest where his navi emblem would’ve been. All of this was so painful to remember… Lan… Lan please be okay…

    Hub’s hand grasped at his chest, tugging at his translucent, pale skin, his breath hitched in his throat. Pain… It hurts to remember… He could remember hearing something… the sound of someone gasping for air, not unlike how he used to when he collapsed on the floor. Hub’s shoulders tensed, the memory of pain only seeming to intensify as he subconsciously began to fight for his breath on the floor once again.

    “Lan… La-…” Hub began to speak, though he quickly thought better of it and composed himself.

    I’m not in pain. Lost in his memory, he had almost enacted on his feeling of panic. Why do I feel such a compulsion? It was strange… He stared at Lan’s sleeping face, not seeing any signs of distress or discomfort. See? He’s fine! Why am I so worried? Hub sighed.

    Despite his knowledge of Lan being fine, he continued to stare, feeling like he had done this before… Why do I feel so worried?  Hub sat up, having not noticed when he laid down on the cool floor. He began tugging at the corner of his brother’s blanket that hung off the bed. There wasn’t much to do at this hour.

    The incident with Chaud earlier that day came to mind as he stared at the bed, where Chaud had been sitting. The young member of the netsavers was rude and hard to manage. On some level Hub felt bad for how he dealt with him. He could tell Chaud was trying to help prepare Lan, but he didn’t know just how badly Lan was hurting. Seeing him hurt Lan like that while he was down made Hub feel all sorts of emotions he had never felt before.

    In the moment, Hub had wanted nothing more than to slap Chaud so hard he wouldn’t wake up until next week. He did the first thing that came to mind: access the security system of the house. Chaud couldn’t be reasoned with, so it was best to just remove Chaud from the premises. The happiness that came when he was gone was hard to hide, Megaman recalled as he stared at his brother sleeping peacefully. Lan was much better off without anyone trying to tell him what to feel.

    Watching his twin sleep was no way to pass the time, waiting for the PETs systems to wake him up so he could be Lan’s alarm in the morning. The haunting quiet of the night was something he found himself growing accustomed to. The occasional whirr of Lan’s electronics faded into the background and he found himself looking around the room. It was different to see it this way instead of through the PET’s camera.

    He was bored sitting on the floor, alone with his thoughts and concerns. That box… his box. Hub’s ethereal gaze turned to the closet, his curiosity drawing him off the floor and over to the door. His hands grasped the wooden door, and he felt the familiar action revitalize the part of himself that was still human, smiling as he slowly opened it. 

    He knew exactly where the box was hidden, digging through the winter blankets and coats and dragging it out carefully. Hub only paused for a moment to revel in his satisfaction of success in locating it. He sat down just outside the closet and removed the lid, gently setting it down on the floor. He wanted to feel his old possessions again. The feeling of his clothes was almost surreal, though there was no way said clothes would ever fit him again— not without mom altering them. 

    In his happiness, Hub had forgotten he was dead, his thoughts turning to things he would love to do and become when he was older. Lan used to have a vest just like this but in bright orange. As he took his baby blanket out of the box, exchanging his old clothes for it, the fabric made him smile, filling him with comfort and warmth. 

    Speaking of Lan… His brother’s sleeping form on the bed roused sore emotions in Hub’s mind as his gaze lifted. No longer was he concerned about being a navi, the concern having fallen away with his current delve into his past. All he longed for in the moment was to spend time with his brother, and to replace the sadness he knew was in Lan’s heart with comfort and love. 

    Hub closed the box and took his blanket in his hand, shuffling over to Lan’s desk where he hid the box in the chair. Mom and dad don’t come in here much anyway… With the blanket hung gently over his arm, Hub stepped up to the edge of the bed, taking care to softly lay it over his brother. It was much too small for him now, but the message was more in the gesture. 

    With even the small change, Lan shifted in his sleep, pulling his blankets up further over himself. Hub smiled, climbing up onto the bed and laying down next to Lan. How he had missed this was indescribable. The ability to hold Lan’s hand, or touch his twin’s hair… and honestly just to feel and know Lan was there… it was all he ever could want.

    The comforting feeling of having someone there with him made the calling of sleep all the more powerful, a smile seeping up onto Hub’s face as he gently ran his hand through Lan’s hair. This feels familiar…Goodnight, Lan… Perhaps these nights of strange separation from his virtual body weren’t as bad as he thought? 

    Next thing he knew, Megaman was abruptly woken up to the sound of Lan shouting. Being back on the PET, he gazed around the room with the camera. Sun was streaming in through the window. It was morning… and it was strange for Lan to wake up so early on his own.

    The feeling of dizziness and confusion muddled his systems once more. He had come to expect it, though that didn’t make the experience better. It was like being backhanded in the back of the head and falling face first into a door being opened, then falling flat on your back against the floor and getting the air knocked out of your lungs. In short… difficult to process, but not unmanageable for a navi.

    “Is everything okay, Lan?!” Haruka exclaimed from downstairs.

    “Ye-Yeah!!!” Lan shouted in response. “Don’t worry about it!”

    Megaman could see the fabric of the blanket he’d put on Lan last night move, picked up by Lan’s hands. Oh no…

    “Megaman?” Lan spoke wearily.

    “Yeah, Lan?” Megaman was still groggy, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

    “Did anyone come in my room last night?” Lan asked.

    Megaman was silent for a moment, contemplating how to respond.

    “…Huh? Didn’t you get up in the middle of the night?” he lied.

    Playing the card of seeing nothing wouldn’t work forever… especially not today. Physical items being moved, no way for anyone to get in or out, and as a navi he was supposed to protect Lan. Maybe I can convince him he sleepwalks? His navi systems twisted and contorted, lashing out at the thought of gaslighting his operator.

    “What? No!” Lan exclaimed.

    “I thought you did… Are you sure you don’t sleep walk?” Megaman raised an eyebrow, internally chewing himself out for all this lying.

    Lan seemed perplexed, stumbling out of bed and over to his closet door, checking the inside before he closed it.

    “I don’t sleepwalk,” Lan insisted. “Why was Hub’s blanket on me!?”

    Megaman swallowed harshly, eyes wide.

    “Megaman? You ok?” Lan stared at his navi with concern.

    The navi’s face paled and he began to look sickly, his digital frame trembling in fear. Is this the day Lan finds out? All because I couldn’t keep myself busy with my own thoughts last night? 

    “Talk to me, Megaman,” Lan frowned, walking over to his desk and staring at his PET. 

    “I-…I-…” Megaman’s breathing continued to grow more panicked, though the action was superficial and only regulatory to his emotions and from habit. 

    Please don’t ask more questions, Lan. Please. The navi’s eyes flicked around and he began to feel dizzy, a feeling of sickness clawing at his programming. His systems bent and contorted inside himself, fighting one another. The PET suddenly flashed a warning on his stats, the system prompting the navi to rest. Lan rushed to pick up his PET and clicked through the menus to view Megaman’s status information. The navi’s energy levels had dropped dramatically as if Megaman had been injured in battle.

    “Megaman!” Lan exclaimed. “Please! What’s wrong!?” 

    The navi was currently fighting a war against his own thoughts, panic winning over his best attempts to control his reaction. He was afraid. Something inside of him scrambled, contorting his connections and jabbing him in his weakest points. The fear he felt in this moment made fights against Protoman and World Three seem calm. 

    “I-I’m okay-kay, Lan…” Megaman managed to sputter out.

    “What has you so scared?” Lan had tears in his eyes, his shoulders tense and his hand grasping onto the handle of the PET like his life depended on it. “You’re never scared like this…”

    “I just-…” Megaman wasn’t sure what he was going to say.

    I HAVE to lie. I can’t risk it. I don’t want to be taken from Lan again! Megaman’s navi systems clawed at him.

    “Lan-… Yo-You’re sure you didn’t grab it yourself?” Megaman looked at his operator, trembling and his eyes darting around.

    Please just believe you were sleepwalking for once, you hardheaded-

    “I’m positive…” Lan resolved himself, shaking his head. “Not me.”

    Megaman gasped, breathing loudly and audibly. Lan’s gaze turned to horror.

    “Did you see someone in my room last night?” Lan suddenly didn’t feel safe.

    “I’m-I’m sorry Lan…” please forgive me for lying to you… 

    “How would you confuse someone for me!? Can’t you see in the dark!?” Lan exclaimed in anger brought on by fear.

    The navi winced. I deserve that anger… The anger from his navi systems continued to rage inside of him, torturing his connections and making his personality program strain.

    “They looked a lot like you!” Megaman pleaded. “I’m sorry! I’m so— SO sorry.”

    Please forgive me operator… I have lied so much to you… A pinching feeling of dread filled the navi's consciousness.

    “My door is locked. My windows are locked. How did anyone get in here!?” Lan began a paranoid search for how someone managed to infiltrate his room, checking the door, windows, and even his closet. 

    “Lan… Lan! I don’t feel so—…” the familiar feeling of blacking out washed over the navi, the stress of the situation becoming too much for him to take.

    It started with a numbness in his head and fingertips, sparkles and glitching at the edge of his vision, and then it all faded to black. Megaman thought he heard Lan shouting for him, but maybe that was just a dream or a hallucination. The next thing the navi could recall was a feeling of lag in his mind as he opened his eyes, drool spilling out of his mouth and his frame hung in a rag-doll like position and connected on the anchors lest he fall face first into the cyber floor.

    Megaman groaned, reorienting himself and trying to remember what had just happened as he straightened his frame, a buzz of pain jolting through his system. His thoughts buffered, life coming back into his eyes.

    “Oh, thank goodness! He’s awake now, Lan!” Yuichiro shouted.

    Megaman could see his father’s face, though it was scrunched and wrinkled with worry. 

    “Coming!” Lan exclaimed from far off in the house.

    Megaman still wasn’t 100% certain where the PET was.

    “Unghhh… It feels like the room is spinning…” Megaman commented, shutting his eyes and holding his stomach with his arms.

    “Is everything okay?” Yuichiro asked, growing even more concerned.

    Megaman didn’t respond, unable to as he was preoccupied with hacking up saliva onto the ground.

    “Do you need a minute?” Yuichiro softly whispered.

    Megaman nodded, gasping for air as he held his stomach, leaned over and desperately wanting the sick feeling to go away.

    “So does he look ok?” Lan trotted over, trying to look at the PET.

    Yuichiro hesitated to show Lan, but sighed and turned the PET to his son.

    “Yikes!” Lan exclaimed, reeling back from the sight.

    Lan’s eyes were full of fear, confusion and disgust, the corners of his mouth drawn back as he clenched his teeth. A navi regurgitating its own saliva— a rarity to have in the first place —wasn’t often heard of, and the sight was just as disturbing as a human vomiting if not more so.

    “You didn’t download anything weird off the internet last night, did you?” Yuichiro looked at Lan with suspicion.

    “No! I went straight to bed after only one netbattle with Chaud!” Lan insisted.

    Megaman nodded, his retching finally ceasing. As Lan was saying, they indeed went straight to bed after one netbattle. Lan was off his game, unable to focus. It really would’ve done nothing more than to damage his win/lose ratio and injure Megaman even more to continue with them. The recovery program on the PET had been running for hours last night while the navi was in sleep mode.

    “Hmm… I may need to keep an eye on him for a few days…” Yuichiro frowned.

    Panic flashed upon the navi’s face and through his systems so fast it could’ve given him whiplash. Megaman turned his gaze from the floor to his father, nearly succumbing to pleading to stay with Lan.

    “N-No! That won-won’t be necessary!” Megaman insisted.

    “You sure?” Yuichiro raised an eyebrow at the navi.

    “I just— uh… Oh geez… gimme a second…” Megaman’s face paled once again.

    Yuichiro grimaced, sending a concerned and embarrassed glance to Lan. The navi, recalling the events of that morning, was now in quite the predicament. His father believed he was Hub, his brother believed he was Megaman, and now he risked everything on such a trivial matter. His systems strained once more, something inside of him beginning to stretch well beyond its safe limits. This is why I shouldn’t be telling Lan about Hub.

    “Lan just scared me this morning…” Megaman fanned himself with his hands, closing his eyes.

    Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please— He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take, his programs whimpering as his navi routines dug into them as if made of knives.

    “What!?” Lan shouted. “I scared YOU!? You’re joking!” 

    “Lan! Be more careful with him! You scared him so bad you’d think he saw a ghost!” Yuichiro scolded his son.

    The navi jumped at the mention of disembodied spirits, his mind wandering back to the night. Wanting to admit it or not, the ghost of Hub had been wandering Lan’s room last night… even if it was him… Maybe that’s how I can solve this predicament? Perhaps his solution had been staring him in the face all along— his worst fear.

    Megaman looked at Lan who was giving him a sour stare.

    “Fine…” Lan said reluctantly, narrowing his eyes at his navi.

    “Now go on back to your room, and let me know if anything else happens,” Yuichiro handed the PET back to Lan, concern still prominent in his features.

    Megaman hated lying to his brother, preferring to keep his tall tales to the edges of the truth rather than completely lying and making something up. The act of lying made him feel sick, his programming fighting against him every single word. The act made his digital “skin” crawl. Lan was his operator. Navis don’t lie to their operators. 

    Lan’s footsteps were heavy and carried his displeasure in the loud thunks they made on the stairs, the net op making his way back to his room. As soon as his operator closed his room door, the navi shrank back from Lan’s glare.

    “What was that about, Megaman?” Lan grumbled. “Are you trying to make me seem like an awful person?!”

    The navi’s personality program cowered.

    “Shhhhh!” Megaman hushed Lan, pointing towards the door.

    Some color had returned to the navi’s face, though the persistent pain of anxiety in his systems was still very prevalent.

    “What?” Lan looked behind himself at the door. “I don’t see anything!” 

    Megaman face palmed, groaning in frustration.

    “Be quiet! Dad can still hear you!” Megaman whispered.

    “Oh…” Lan mumbled. “Wait, why shouldn’t he?”

    Lan had dropped his voice down to a whisper as well, walking over to his desk and sitting in his chair. He was perplexed. Megaman tensed, taking one last final moment to rethink his decision. It wasn’t technically a lie… However… saying something like this would forever change how he interacts with his father. Lying to his father… he wasn’t sure if he could do that. Would it be ok to tell the truth?

    What would he do if Lan mentioned it to his dad? Would his dad ever treat him like his son again? Would he be deleted? There was no way of knowing. What’s worse was Lan was awful at keeping secrets but great at finding information he wasn’t supposed to know…

    If he did this… there was no going back. The navi would have to tell dad at some point… and it could lead to lots of tests. He feared the tests that scanned and dug into his digital make up in ways that made him convulse and ache in ways that no human should ever feel. The feeling of the computer picking himself apart piece by piece over hours and hours, his mind becoming abstracted and twisted into unimaginable configurations, and the weird sensation akin to someone’s hand inside your throat choking your vocal cords so you cannot scream. Those kinds of tests.

    “I-… I-…” Megaman’s hand flew up to his mouth as he felt the reflexive urge to vomit.

    “Spit it out already!” Lan ordered. 

    I don’t want to be back in that lab…

    “Please just-… a moment, Lan,” Megaman took a deep breath as his programs convulsed.

    Do I really want to do this? What choice do I have!? He’ll say something to dad if I don’t, but he’ll still probably say something if I do! What else could I do!? Every other solution the navi could think of led to just as many problems if not more. Can I just tell him the truth, please?

    Megaman’s programming fought himself, wrangling the words out of his throat every time he almost had the energy to say them, attempting to drown the navi’s voice out. Is this really my only choice? To become something I’ve feared?

    “Hey? You okay?” Lan asked, dawning a more comforting smile.

    Is my only choice to become the ghost of Hub? A strange feeling overtook the navi, a weird silence in his systems as if all his orders had been silenced. The blaring alerts and warnings in the back of his mind were deafened, a freedom he hadn’t known in years.

    “Hub was in your room last night,” Megaman found himself speaking before he had made the decision, the words coming out of his mouth and the sound leaving the PET’s speakers before he even knew what he was saying.

    Lan’s playful and curious expression dropped into one of shock and terror. He let the PET make a clatter as it fell from its propped position and against his keyboard. 

    “You-…You’re joking… You’ve gotta be,” a nervous smile tugged at Lan’s cheeks. 

    Megaman said nothing, just continuing to stare out into nothingness in horror. There’s no going back. Something in him began to crack.

    “There’s no way that he—…” Lan’s eyes began to water, any semblance of a grin dissolving as tears rolled down his face.

    I’m so sorry, Lan… operator… I’ve hurt you so much by just wanting to be here. I’ve been so selfish… I never should’ve asked to be your navi… The crack had begun to split with sickening sensations filling his processing system.

    “You’re joking… You’re joking… You’re not joking…” Lan’s breath hitched, the realization setting in and hitting the navi’s operator like a brick. “You’re not joking...”

    Megaman shook with fear from what he had just said. Was that the right decision? The state of his operator told him no… the sake of his secret told him yes. Everything was shades of gray when it came to his orders about the subject of Hub now. There was no definite best answer. Something in his programming strained and stressed, feeling like it could snap at any moment, the navi lurching as he brought his hand to his mouth again. I can’t follow either order in its entirety, and yet that is what is asked of me. 

    Suddenly, the weakness returned. The strange weakness he felt in his limbs, but this time accompanied by pain. His anxiety reacted, his programs feeling the spike of emotion and stress. The navi raised his other hand to his chest, pressing against his frame as if that would do anything to help the pain growing there. This feeling. Megaman’s eyes were wide, his panic drowning out the sound of Lan and his own breath hitching from pain. 

    Please no… Please. His fingers pressed against his frame, his eyes squeezed tight as he gasped for air. He felt his frame collapse to its knees, falling to the cyberfloor of the PET. It was only when the navi felt the familiar sensation of the data from a recovery chip that he was brought out of his panicked mind, his head snapping around to look at Lan, his operator trembling in worry. The net op had more recovery chips in his hand, holding them in view of the camera as if to silently ask if Megaman needed any more. 

    “I-I’m sorry…” Megaman spoke, his voice hoarse.

    The navi hadn’t even noticed when he started coughing, the movement wracking his body and the force threatening to fry his voice. Lan was silent, just watching. His eyes never moved away from his navi, even for a second. As soon as his navi showed even the smallest amount of gasping or trembling, coughing, or a sickly look in his eyes, his net op quickly loaded another chip to subdue it. The silent concentration from Lan felt familiar, bringing back awful feelings with it.

    This feels so familiar… It feels bad. Lan felt dread welling up inside of himself as he stared at his navi. A strange feeling of terror that he recognized as the same fear he felt when Megaman was near deletion had prompted him to grab the recovery chips in the first place.  Hub… I feel like I remember this happening to him… The memory of his late twin collapsed to the floor of his room, grasping his chest as he gasped for air in an eerily similar manner, flashed in his mind. 

    “Megaman?” Lan asked meekly, finally speaking.

    The navi opened a text box, unable to find the strength to speak. “Conflicting orders” is all it read. Lan was puzzled, quickly slotting in another recovery chip.

    “I don’t know what you mean by that,” Lan frowned. “What conflicting orders?”

    Megaman cleared the text box and typed again using the PETs systems. “You, tell the truth. Dad, don’t talk about him” the text box now read. 

    “So… you’re sick because you can’t talk about Hub with me, but I gave you an order to tell me the truth?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    Megaman nodded. His systems strained as if reeling back and trying to bar the navi from making any more of his own decisions.

    “But… You’re my navi, not dad’s. Why do you still have to take orders from him?” Lan slotted in another recovery chip.

    “Administrator,” Megaman replied with the use of the text box.

    His operator hummed, opening up a tab on his PET. Sure enough, his father was listed as Megaman’s administrator instead of himself. He was only listed as operator.

    “So I made you sick…” Lan’s gaze fell.

    “No, Lan. It’s not your fault,” Megaman finally spoke, his voice still hoarse.

    The navi felt something inside himself cringe.

    “But you wouldn’t be like this if I hadn’t pressured you,” Lan slotted his last recovery chip into the PET, the previous one falling to his lap.

    “You have a right to expect the truth from me, Lan! I shouldn’t be forced to lie to you!” Megaman said with vigor. “I don’t want to lie to you!”

    The navi had finally said it out loud, the phrase striking him in his systems like he had just been punched in the stomach. More wanting. His navi habits conflicted with his human desire, the programs trying to snuff it out.

    “Well you are! So, lie to me!” Lan insisted.

    Megaman felt something in his programming snap, twisting and bending, breaking and splintering. The crack that had begun to split was now broke, torn apart.

    “You don’t have to tell the truth to me anymore, okay?” his operator sighed.

    Megaman’s frame convulsed, his systems raging though no longer against himself. Something deep inside of him had broken, an avalanche of system errors making their presence known to him. They cascaded down on his senses, poking and pressing into his mind. Something had to give and it had. The navi felt his frame twitching and twinging, however it remained unresponsive to his attempts to move it or speak. 

    “Megaman?” Lan sat still in shock, dread filling his body as he watched his navi’s frame twitching with a lifeless glaze in Megaman’s eyes.

    The navi tried his best to sift through the errors and find the root of the problem, but it seemed like no matter what he did, he couldn’t resolve the conflict in his systems. Error message after error message, examining the problem one by one, he eventually narrowed down where it all started. It is all because of Hub. 

    The human consciousness is already wired a certain way, meant to be human. Shoving it inside of a computer and giving it an artificial body was risky enough, but the discordant response from his navi directives when Hub took hold of Megaman as it lashed out against him was hurting himself. His personality program… 

    Fighting against his navi programs had taken both a toll on Hub and his systems, leaving Hub weak and vulnerable, his systems shooting error messages every second. I can’t do anything like this… Megaman was unable to reconcile the conflict, and it had left him broken. The familiar feeling of the PET’s recovery program being started filled the empty space in his processors, causing him to turn his attention to the visual input from the camera. Lan was in a frenzy, hooking up the PET to his computer, the panic on Lan’s face familiar to the navi in a way he hated. 

    The navi felt someone accessing his systems— presumably Lan —and entering in the administrative password. You’re not supposed to know that, Lan… Megaman saw his operator jump back as the countless error messages assaulted his PC’s display, no longer pestering Megaman for his actions. Taking away the onslaught of errors brought the navi some peace, though the broken numbness in his frame made it hard to relax. He was still alive and aware of everything Lan was doing, just unable to move or speak. 

    “Oh, dad is going to be so mad if I can’t fix this!” Lan groaned, running his hands through his hair. 

    Now that his processors weren’t being overwhelmed, Megaman reached out to Lan’s computer through the connection, opening a text window, doing what he could to explain the situation without revealing his secret.

    “Your personality program? Megaman, I can’t-… Oh, that’s not good. Disconnected from your frame?” Lan looked over at the PET, overwhelm evident on the net op’s face. “Gah!” 

    Lan went back to punching some things in on the computer. The navi felt the action tugging at his programming like someone was pulling at his insides. In less than a moment, Lan sunk back in his chair, biting his knuckles. 

    “Megaman… I don’t think I can fix this,” Lan hissed through his teeth.

    The navi desperately needed something to connect himself back to his frame, the connection having been mangled by the constant tug of war between his navi programming and his personality program, Hub. Reconcile… I need to reconcile with Hub, Megaman thought to himself. Hub is angry. Hub is upset.

    Perhaps it was the fault of his father for expecting Hub to function as a navi, perhaps it was Hub’s own fault for requesting to be Lan’s navi. Being a navi was a huge task, and in papa’s lab it was always as simple as doing what he was told. Out here in the field, his emotions fought his programming every step of the way. Hub doesn’t like being a navi. He just wants to be with his brother.

    His systems hummed in contentment at the thought of his first time seeing Lan, though the disturbing and uncomfortable sensations of Lan rummaging around his make up in the background was not great... Alright, Hub… What do you want? The navi wasn’t sure why he asked that to himself exactly. The act of asking Hub for something felt foreign to him.

    Lan’s computer and the PET began to act on their own, his operator jumping back from the screen. The human’s hands flew away from the keyboard and up into the air as if to make it clear he was innocent of the strange behavior that had possessed his devices. Megaman felt the computer and PET configuring and responding strangely with his personality program, almost like it had a mind of its own. 

    Hub, I’m giving you the floor to talk here. What is it that you want? How can I get you to reconcile with your navi systems? Megaman attempted to stay calm, his thoughts directed towards his personality program flowing around his systems like an eerie echo. 

    “I don’t like them,” a message buzzed through the navi’s systems. 

    He hadn’t been expecting an actual response, but that prompt was found nowhere in his logs. It was like it never existed at all. You’ll lose Lan if you—… if we don’t work together. Megaman leaned into his navi systems, becoming the voice for his reasoning and protocols. What can I do to make you happy?

    “No more orders,” another strange message buzzed through him, sending his systems into a frenzy. “No more orders from anyone.”

    His navi systems lurched, wanting to wrangle his personality program and snuff out the very thought of it. That’s what you want? If that’s what you want… Megaman felt the tug and pull of his navi systems pulling himself back, the navi himself reaching out to the commands of Lan’s PC. He felt himself splintering, the navi protocols ingrained in himself fighting ever harder to keep him contained— to make him behave.

    Everything ingrained and installed in him from his navi training fought him, but this was the only way to survive. His protocols tried to shove his thoughts away and stuff his emotions down deep. They tried to squeeze and compress Hub into just a phrase— just a name. His navi systems alerted him to stop and that this wasn’t what a navi should do, and that he should be deleted for this behavior. This behavior is unacceptable. I will have a steep price to pay for this.

    A constant nagging in his mind now felt more like a scream and an internal violence against his own thoughts. His systems were fighting him again, but it would all be over soon. If that’s what you want, then override our administration! Our father! Megaman’s systems went quiet. 

    Lan’s PC lit up, the screen flashing and barely able to keep up with the opening and closing of tabs. Megaman’s operator sat back in horror, staring at the monitor. The windows moved in odd ways, buttons being pressed so fast you couldn’t even read them, and when the turbulence of noises and flashes of windows from the computer stopped, only the window from the PET’s device information remained, front and center on the monitor. 

    The PET was rebooting, the logo flashing on the screen before the systems came back online. Lan was flabbergasted, utterly dumbfounded by what had just happened. He stared at his PET, the systems starting up, calibrating, finding documents, searching for programs… He couldn’t take his eyes off the device, worry growing with every passing second. 

    Then Megaman popped up again. His frame limp and his head slumped over and eyes closed, a gentle rise and fall to his chest. Lan’s heart sank, fearing the worst, but then… The navi blinked his eyes open, stretching as his systems caught up with themselves. 

    Megaman felt strange, not feeling any tug at his systems, or rage against himself from his navi programs. His personality program was calm in ways he hadn’t felt in years and his navi systems mellowed, following his personality program instead of fighting it. The feeling of peace within himself was far more than what the navi had even imagined it would be. The conflict in his systems was gone. Hub is happy now… I’M happy now.

    “You okay, Megaman?” Lan asked, his face contorted in both confusion and horror.

    “Never better!” Megaman beamed up at his operator. “All conflicts have been resolved! I’m happy and ready to be your navi again today!”

    Lan relaxed with a sigh and turned his head to look at the information of the PET. Everything looked normal at first glance, but then he noticed something odd. The administrator position was now completely blank where his father’s name had been. I hadn’t changed that…

Chapter Text

    “Lan! You’ve got mail!” Megaman exclaimed, the navi’s voice coming from the PET’s speakers. “It’s from dad!”

    “From dad? What could he possibly be wanting at this hour?” Lan asked.

    It was nearly four in the morning, Lan finding himself unable to sleep and messing around with his PC. His eyes were puffy from lack of sleep and it was a struggle for the operator’s eyes to stay open despite his restlessness. The email was quickly opened on Lan’s computer, and he struggled to read the text.

    “Uhhh… Can you just tell me the gist of it?” Lan rubbed his eyes, blinking as he looked at the massive wall of text on his screen.

    “Dad says we’ve all been invited to a dinner party at the restaurant at the Government Complex. Something about congratulations for a recent project going well,” Megaman grumbled.

    The navi was too exhausted to bother with the rest of the message.

    “Sweet! Food!” Lan somehow found the energy to smile, said smile quickly turning into a yawn.

    Megaman followed in the action. It was far too late for Lan to be up surfing the internet like this. 

    “Maybe you should get to bed, Lan. Don’t you have school tomorrow?” Megaman mumbled, his voice being dragged out as he nearly fell asleep while talking.

    “Tomorrow’s…Sunday…right?” Lan scratched his head.

    Megaman paused, checking his internal calendar. He buffered, the usually quick retrieval of information feeling like it was a struggle. 

    “ Today is Sunday. It’s 3:51AM. Sunday morning,” Megaman realized. 

    Lan did in fact have school tomorrow, but not in the morning. Being so tired had jumbled the navi’s senses. It almost felt like he was beginning to be able to taste webpages. Navis didn’t even have a sense of taste. Yet this website is starting to feel like it tastes like burnt pancakes…

    “It’s not so bad then…” Lan’s eyes drooped, the operator hesitating as he hunted for a key on his keyboard to type.

    “Mmm…Lan. You’re too tired for this,” Megaman replied.

    The navi’s frame expressed the exhaustion of the navi, stumbling around the net. Megaman was struggling to stay out of sleep mode, other navis running around the internet giving him concerned glances. 

    “Come on… I don’t want to go to bed yet,” Lan whined.

    “Why not? I’d like to get some rest myself,” Megaman winced, his navi programming shouting at him with tugs and pulling at his systems.

    Stop wanting. You’re a navi. Navis want for nothing.

    “…I just don’t wanna…” Lan refused to give a reason, staring at the floor.

    Megaman believed he knew the reason. It had to do with last night. Friday night. It had been a week since their birthday… After some netbattling on Friday, Megaman was damaged and returned to the PET so Lan could initiate the recovery program. That night…

    “You gonna be alright, Megaman?” Lan had asked, early Friday night.

    “I’ll be fine,” Megaman responded. 

    It was just a few cuts and scrapes, nothing the recovery program couldn’t fix overnight.

    “Go into sleep mode then… I’ll be fine until you wake up in the morning,” Lan’s voice held concern.

    Ever since the issue of Megaman’s conflicting orders, his operator had been quite persistent about making sure Megaman stayed in good condition. If only Lan had been like this since the beginning… Megaman couldn’t help but think about how reckless Lan had been with him over the past few months. The navi did as he was told, activating sleep mode. 

    The problems began much later Friday evening, around midnight. The room was dark, and Megaman had once again found himself as Hub, waking up laying on the floor of their room. He rubbed his face, glancing at the clock on Lan’s nightstand. He was somewhat bewildered by how much time had passed, but couldn’t ignore the fact he was back in the ethereal form that had begun to cause him much trouble. I’m back on the floor again…

    Is Lan okay? He found himself asking in his head. He looked to his operator’s bed, seeing Lan sleeping. Hub crawled over to the side of the bed, placing his arms on the edge and resting his head. He couldn’t help but smile. In a way, this was almost as good as being alive again. 

    Hub hummed, continuing to look at Lan, watching the gentle rise and fall of his brother’s chest. He is okay… The strange sensation of fear diminished, though it never left him entirely. Something is making me nervous…

    Finding himself unable to resist, Hub raised the hand he wasn’t laying on, reaching out and running his fingers through Lan’s hair. The quiet gesture soothed the panic he felt in this state, Hub’s eyes falling shut as the familiar feeling put him at ease. He had nearly fallen asleep in such an awkward position, his hand falling still on his brother’s head. Then he heard a gasp. 

    Hub’s eyes bolted open and he saw Lan looking straight at him with a look of surprise and fright. The net op didn’t move, his breath hitched in his throat. Hub stayed still a moment before lifting his hand from Lan’s head. He hadn’t meant to wake his brother.

    Tears pricked at Lan’s eyes, the net op’s eyes darting around the room. Hub watched as Lan sat up, holding his blankets up and furiously looking around for him.

    “H-Hub?” the breath his operator had been holding finally bubbled up and out of his mouth.

    The navi, or rather disembodied spirit at the moment, felt his shocked expression turn into one of sadness. Lan couldn’t actually see him.  Maybe if he stopped here, and just left Lan alone until he woke up in the PET, Lan would think it was just a dream. It would be for the best. When he knows I’m here it only hurts him. 

    His living brother raised one of his hands to the side of his head, his body trembling. 

    “Megaman, wake up!” Lan exclaimed.

    The PET reacted to his operator’s voice and Hub found himself suddenly back in the device. It was like he had been hit by Protoman in the stomach when he was down, his systems lurching and panicking as they were drawn online. When the screen turned on, the navi couldn’t hide his dizziness as he stumbled, groaning and holding his head. It took a moment for the navi to recover and recall what had happened. 

    The sight of his operator sitting up in bed with such a frightened look on his face spoke more words about how Lan was feeling than were in the dictionary about such an emotion. It was nigh impossible to get Lan to sleep after that. Whether it was because of fright, fear of what he couldn’t see like ghosts and corporeal entities, or missing Hub, the navi didn’t know. 

    So now here they were Sunday morning, Lan refusing to sleep and keeping the little navi up to the point his processing system strained and begged him for a break. 

    “ Please, Lan? What is it that’s making you not want to sleep?” Megaman asked.

    His operator was silent, refusing to look at his navi. The exhausted navi didn’t take kindly to it, lacking the energy for such things. Megaman grumbled, returning to the PET and terminating Lan’s connection to the site his net op was using.

    “Hey!” Lan exclaimed.

    “I wasn’t sure if you had fallen asleep sitting up,” Megaman replied.

    “Not fair…” his operator yawned. “I just… Do you think he’ll be back tonight?”

    “Seeing as how sunrise begins in less than two hours…” Megaman paused.

    Usually I never enter that state past sunrise, almost always waking up in Lan’s room around midnight... 

    “Probably not,” the navi said, point blank.

    His operator groaned. “I just want to see him again…”

    “ That’s why you’re staying up!?” Megaman exclaimed.

    Why would you want that!? Ghosts are scary, Lan! Megaman couldn’t help but feel concerned, shaking his head. And besides, you always freak out and cry after I visit… Megaman’s personality program bled emotionally, wailing its woes.

    Lan didn’t entertain the response with eye contact.

    “You know you can tell me anything, right?” Megaman rolled his tired eyes. 

    “I saw him… for a brief moment, but I saw him…” Lan mumbled, raising a hand to his head again. “And I could feel his hand in my hair.”

    The strange buzz returned once more. Megaman wanted to smile hearing the joy hidden under the exhaustion in Lan’s voice, but the navi found himself to be too tired.

    “I just-… I want him to know it’s okay. I want to see him again,” Lan grumbled.

    Are you sure you can handle that, Lan?

    “Spirits don’t like light, Lan,” Megaman said. “Your computer being on is probably making him afraid.”

    “Mega! Why didn’t you tell me earlier!” Lan exclaimed.

    “I didn’t know why you were staying up! You wouldn’t tell me!” Megaman shrugged. 

    Lan whined, sinking down in his desk chair.

    “Great, a whole night wasted…” Lan muttered.

    “Yeah, so get some sleep,” Megaman sighed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

    Lan looked at his navi.

    “So what does he like?” Lan asked all of a sudden.

    Megaman buffered in surprise. Lan asking about him made the strange buzz float around his systems, resting as a strange sensation in the chest of his frame. The navi felt a warmth spread across his face.

    “I-I’m not sure,” Megaman felt his navi systems tug at himself once more.

    “Seriously?” Lan’s voice broke into sadness.

    “He died before I was ever created! Um… I know he cared a lot about you, and some of his favorite items were put in his box,” Megaman nervously looked to the side, not making eye contact with his operator.

    Lan hummed. The navi’s operator stood up and clambered over to his closet, the room cast in dim light from the computer monitor. He opened the closet door, rummaging through the box of winter blankets and coats to retrieve his brother’s box. He held the box carefully in his hands as he walked over to his chair, resting it gently on his thighs. 

    The strange carefulness Lan portrayed around anything to do with his brother made the navi smile, his frame’s face tinting pink with minor embarrassment. In a way it was as if Lan treated him like he was made of glass or a delicate flower, being gentle in the most meaningful ways even after he was long gone. The careful manner of Lan’s actions that surrounded him was how Lan showed he cared, the navi unable to help the smile coming to rest on his face.

    “He could be watching you know,” Megaman shrunk into himself, grabbing his arms and glancing around the room to avoid looking at Lan.

    I am… His personality program continued to buzz.

    “You said yourself that he wouldn’t like the light from my monitor,” Lan chuckled as he opened the box. 

    The net op set some of the items on his desk, many of which Megaman could only vaguely recall. Some of the items were baby toys, others were clothes, but one item stuck out to Lan in particular. It was a photo of Hub in the hospital. The back of the photo read “Hub, age 3, diagnosed with HBD”. 

    “Hey, Megaman? What’s… HB…D?” Lan asked.

    “Oh…” the navi’s smile fell. “It’s a heart condition.” 

    Lan flipped the photo back over, looking at Hub sitting in the hospital bed. A heart condition?

    “It’s-… It’s what took him away,” Megaman muttered.

    Lan was quiet, glancing at the photo one last time before putting it back in the box. A painful expression grew on his operator’s face as he continued looking through the box. Suddenly, all the “get well soon” cards at the bottom of the box made a lot more sense. There’s got to be something in here that he would want… Nothing he had put on the desk was speaking to him in any meaningful manner. 

    “Why are you asking about what he likes and looking through the box?” Megaman asked. “You should be sleeping.”

    “Because maybe if I can find something he wants, and I put it next to my bed, I’ll see him again,” Lan smiled.

    The navi once again felt that strange buzz through his programming. Hub is already happy. You’re here. This time it seemed to pop and playfully tickle his thoughts. The feeling rested in the chest of his frame once more.

    “I think you’re the thing he wants,” Megaman found himself speaking before he realized what he said, tensing as his operator looked up at him.

    Lan stammered, words sputtering in his mouth. “Wh-wh—… He—… Mega!”

    The navi felt heat rising on the face of his frame as he realized how what he said sounded. The light buzzing changed to more of a squealing noise.

    “N-Not in a weird way! It’s-… he’s your twin! Of course he would miss you,” Megaman insisted. 

    Awkwardness remained between the two for the brief moment of silence.

    “You really should get to bed though,” Megaman looked away from his operator.

    “Not until I figure out what item to keep on my nightstand,” Lan hummed, looking at all the things he had taken out.

    “Maybe his blanket?” Megaman mused.

    The navi wasn’t quite sure why he had said that, but at this point just wanted his poor twin to get some rest. The sleepless eyes of his operator were downright depressing in the light of the monitor. Lan hummed, looking at the blanket.

    “…I think you’re right,” his operator agreed, taking the blanket out of the box. 

    After making his decision, the pre-teen began carefully packing everything else away, putting every item aside from his choice back the way he found it. Lan smiled as he packed up the box, stowing it away in his closet once more. 

    “Turn off my monitor and go into sleep mode, Megaman,” Lan hummed, picking up the blanket from his desk.

    The tired navi nodded before the monitor turned off. He was looking forward to a good, long rest. 

    “One last thing before you go to sleep, Lan,” Megaman said.

    “Hm?” Lan glanced at his PET.

    “…Does he scare you?” Megaman asked.

    “Who? Hub?” Lan raised an eyebrow. “Sure, he’s startled me… but I don’t think he’s scary.”

Megaman’s systems buzzed, his happiness hard to contain. Lan…

    “Do you like having him around?” the navi fought back the smile creeping up on his face, no doubt an awkward expression of strain and worry replacing it.

    “Is this about your fear of ghosts? He’s my brother. Why wouldn’t I like having him around? Even if he’s been gone for almost seven years, I still love him,” Lan smiled, looking down at the blanket in his hands. 

    Megaman buffered, finding himself unable to do anything but turn off the screen and mute himself so Lan wouldn’t see his reaction. Nothing in the world could’ve made him happier than hearing Lan say that. He still loves me. A giddy smile rested on his face, the navi’s eyes lighting up and holding joy in ways that were rare to see, the happiness the navi felt being uncommon even amongst humans.

    The buzz flowed through him in waves, making little pops around the edges of his navi programs and whirring at the edges of his thoughts. You make me so happy, Lan, and you don’t even know it. The navi shook his hands desperately trying to calm himself from such happiness. Pressing his palms into his cheeks, he felt the buzz nestling into himself, becoming background noise to the rest of his systems. I couldn’t ask for a better brother.

    “Goodnight, Mega!” Lan exclaimed from his bed, unsure if Megaman would respond.

    “G-Goodnight, Lan!” the navi briefly unmuted to exclaim, though he didn’t dare turn on the PET’s screen.

    I think I’ll turn the recovery program on… Megaman felt dizzy from the energy expenditure. I was definitely active too long. I’m so tired it hurts . 

    The net op was confused by his navi’s behavior, but nestled down into his sheets and pillow nonetheless. What’s up with him? Eh, he probably just doesn’t like that Hub’s a ghost. Maybe Hub can scare him into doing my homework for me? 

    Lan closed his eyes to try and sleep, but he still couldn’t find rest. He stirred, eventually opening his eyes once more and finding them settling on his brother’s blanket. Hmmm… Lan grabbed the blanket from his nightstand and brought it close to his chest. Instantly, the tense feeling between his shoulders fell away and he found himself nuzzling the soft fabric. He closed his eyes again, in an attempt to sleep, but as he breathed in he was drawn back away from sleep.

    It still smells like him… The scent had jogged Lan’s memory, remembering it from when he’d sleep next to Hub. He’d often get up in the middle of the night and climb into Hub’s bed to sleep with his twin. He remembered Hub rubbing his head like that when Lan couldn’t fall asleep, or when he had nightmares. That’s why it felt so familiar…

    Lan felt his eyes begin to water, desperately trying to hide his tears. He clutched the blanket tighter. 

    “Hub… please don’t leave me…” Lan broke down into tears. 

    His muffled sobs soon fell quiet as he was far too exhausted to stay awake, falling asleep with his brother’s blanket still clutched close to his chest. Everything seemed muffled to Lan— everything aside from the playful laughter of children that seemed to be coming from right next to himself. The view around himself was washed in light, the colors of everything drowned out and nothing seemed quite right. He recognized it as a park.

    “Lan! Come on!” the person next to him shouted.

    Lan was smiling, holding the hand of the person as they ran around together in the field. The sun was shining brightly overhead. When he looked up, he saw Hub’s face staring back at him, his brother’s face covered in a beaming smile. The bright light that surrounded them made Lan feel uneasy, but everything else about the place felt comfortable. 

    “Wait for me!” Lan exclaimed. 

    Why is Hub here? The thought was drowned out by laughter. 

    “Happy birthday, brother!” Hub said, pulling Lan into a tight hug. 

    It’s our birthday… The two ran across a set of swings, the sound of a creek flowing admist the dull squeaking of the swingset carried in the background as the two laughed and played on them. Or were they running through that field again? Or maybe there were trees? 

    This way… Lan took Hub’s hand and led him down a path lined by trees. The path just kept going. When they stopped, Lan sat down and rested on a bench, Hub sitting beside him and breathing a little harshly. The two were still smiling.

    “That was so much fun! We should do this again!” Hub grabbed Lan and ruffled his brother’s hair, the younger twin squealing in protest as he continued to laugh.

    What color is the sky? Lan looked up. It’s sunny. The day was gray and cloudy, but light filtered in through the trees like the late afternoon on a sunny, clear day. Their shoes splashed in sparkling puddles, there was the strange smell of a pool, and the wind whisked by them as their laughter continued. This day was so much fun.

    “ Lan… Please don’t leave me…” Hub said.

    Lan spun around to look at his brother who was still smiling at him vividly and laughing. What? Hub grabbed Lan’s hand and started off on another journey. This time they ended up at a picnic table, the table full of their favorite foods. The strange light remained.

    The two started eating the delicious feast that had been prepared by their parents. It was their birthday after all. Their mother and father were smiling, taking pictures. Their father sat next to their mother, across from the two. This day was amazing. 

    “ Lan… ” Hub spoke.

    Lan turned to his brother once again. What do you want? Lan’s joy fell away, the two left in an empty room that was slowly filling with water. It was dark. It was cold. Lan couldn’t feel the water though it had already risen to his ankles, the water sparkling with light from an unknown source.

    Both of them were four years old, dressed in white hospital gowns as they stared at each other. The cloth seemed to glow with an eerie light, casting a vivid reflection beneath them.

    “Lan,” Hub looked at Lan, fear in his eyes.

    “Yes?” Lan responded, unable to look away as he trembled.

    “Wake up, Lan!” Hub shouted. 

    Wake up? I am awake…

    “Lan!” Hub spoke with increased urgency, grabbing Lan’s shoulders harshly.

    He no longer was staring at the face of Hub as a four year old. The two were now his age, 11, Hub wearing clothes almost identical to his except his vest was blue and he lacked a headband. 

    “YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!” Hub screamed at him, shaking him by the shoulders. 

    If I wake up…you’ll leave me again… It suddenly felt like a chore for Lan to breathe, the water in the room now having risen to his chest. 

    “LAN!” Hub’s shaking got more aggressive. 

    Not again… Lan was dazed, unable to respond. The water rose higher, up to his mouth. He didn’t have the energy to speak, everything fizzling out in the distance and becoming unfocused. The water rose over Lan’s head, and he could see Hub’s body glowing under the water.

    “YOU’RE DYING, LAN!” Hub screamed, panic painted over his features. “WAKE UP! LIVE!”

    Suddenly, Lan awoke in his room, coughing and struggling to find his breath. He panicked, reaching up to his chest and digging his fingers into the skin. So much pain… Sweat dripped from his forehead. A fever… It was still dark out. Pain flooded his thoughts, his chest hurting more than it ever had before. Lan moved his blankets, attempting to get out of bed as he wheezed, his movements jittery. 

    As he attempted to stand up, Lan felt hands aggressively press against his shoulders, forcing him down into a sitting position. It startled him. Something about this is familiar…

    “H—…” Lan coughed, unable to speak though he so desperately wanted to converse with his brother.

    Hub shook his head. “ Stay. ” 

    Lan couldn’t see or hear him though, the pre-teen’s hands attempting to push Hub off of himself. Come on, Lan! You can’t be walking around right now! Hub used his navi strength to pick up his younger twin who was still gasping for air, one arm behind his twin’s head and upper back and another under his legs. He set Lan down on the bed in a sitting position with his back propped up against the wall and knees raised.

    “Stay!” Hub ordered, directly into Lan’s ear. 

    Lan jolted, looking to his left. Oh? He heard that? Hub stared in surprise as Lan stopped struggling and making such a fuss, focusing on calming his breathing instead. I didn’t know he could hear me at all…

    The pain… Lan couldn’t ignore it, grasping his chest. It felt like someone was ripping apart his insides. It was sharp, digging into his flesh. His arms felt weak, his body shaking.

    Hub was worried, placing a hand on his brother to feel Lan’s pulse. It’s back to normal now… good. This is what I’ve been afraid of. This is why I’ve been so worried…

    “W-Wa—…” Lan coughed. “Water.”

    The living twin’s voice was soft and meek, tired and confused. Lan raised a hand and pointed to his throat. Hub understood. Lan shouldn’t be walking right now… I should get him some water. Lan watched as his door slowly swung open, creaking quietly, with seemingly no one there to open it. Lan squealed in surprise, the sound of light footsteps headed out of his room towards the kitchen ringing in his mind. 

    How far can I go from the PET? Hub wondered. He had never tried to leave Lan’s room before, much less the house. He could only hope there was enough range to retrieve a glass of water. Hub quietly walked down the stairs, diligently tracing the path to the kitchen. He wasted no time in grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it with filtered water. The trip back to Lan’s room was just as quick and easy in the quiet house.

    When Hub returned, Lan had calmed his breathing significantly, though he still stared at the door. Lan jolted, staring at the cup in horror as Hub carried it into the room. He can see objects I’m holding…but not me? The cup was gently placed on Lan’s nightstand, his room door quietly closed as if no one had ever left the room at all. 

    Lan eyed the cup skeptically before he took a sip. What does he think it is? Chemicals? Hub rolled his eyes. Lan’s hands shuddered, and he nearly dropped the glass. Thankfully Hub was there to hold it for him. Lan’s hand fell away as he realized Hub was holding it, the late twin raising his other hand behind Lan’s head to take on some of the effort.

    The net op looked around, his eyes widening all of a sudden as he looked at Hub’s face. Ever so faintly, he could see his brother. Hub’s eyes widened in response, the disembodied spirit unsure what to do. He lowered the glass from Lan’s mouth, nervous. Lan swallowed the last of the water in his mouth before he spoke.

    “H-Hub..” Lan’s voice was still weak. “ Please… don’t leave me. ”

    He looked up at the spirit of his brother with pleading eyes and weakly grasped Hub’s arm. The look made Hub’s gut wrench, tears forming in his eyes. Hub held the glass close to himself as he leaned over to Lan’s ear. His living twin was confused, trying to turn to look at him with his eyes focused on Hub’s face.

    “I’m always with you. We’re always connected,” Hub whispered gently into his brother’s ear. 

    Lan bristled as he heard the words his brother spoke. The words sounded eerie, yet beautiful. It rang in his head like wind chimes on a day with a gentle breeze. The words made him feel at peace. The pain in his chest had begun to fade, but in the center it remained sore as if he had been punched several times. His breathing had returned to normal, though he was weak. 

    “Lan… Live for me… okay?” Hub whispered. “Have mama take you to the hospital.”

    Lan found himself nodding as tears rolled down his face. Hub released his brother’s head, letting it rest, and set the water cup down. Lan began to look around frantically, frowning at the dark room as gentle sunlight began to peak in through the blinds. It was sunrise. Taking a deep breath, the net op brought himself to his feet, stumbling a little and using the wall for assistance. I don’t have much time left…

    Hub found himself watching in silence as Lan hobbled over to his door and opened it, following paces behind while his twin walked down to their parents’ room. 

    “Mom!” Lan exclaimed outside of their parents room before he opened the door.

    “What is it sweetie?” Haruka responded groggily.

    “I think I need to go to the hospital…” Lan raised his arm to his head.

    Hub heard a clatter in his parents room.

    “Huh!? Hospital!? ” Haruka exclaimed, bolting out of bed. “You stay right here, I’ll go get your PET!”

    Seconds later, she ran past Lan, still in her pajamas. 

    “Don’t move! I’ll come get you!” Haruka ordered.

    Lan nodded, not having the strength to move even if he wanted to.

    “Thank you, mama,” Hub whispered close to her ear as she turned to the stairs.

    Haruka paused, turned back to Lan. 

    “You don’t need to thank me, just stay put!” Haruka said sternly before running upstairs.

    Haruka left Lan’s field of vision, though he heard the sound of someone running across the floor towards him. Lan braced, the feeling of someone hugging him and wrapping their arms around him tightly shortly following the noise. 

    “I love you too, Lan…” Hub whispered in his twin’s ear.

    Just in case… Hub squeezed Lan, his twin’s arms falling around his invisible body. Just in case I don't get to see you again... Before Lan’s hands could make contact, he felt himself back in the PET— back to being Megaman.

Chapter Text

    Lan sat down in front of his parents at the table. The restaurant was full of people, the hustle and bustle loud and straining his ears. He much preferred eating in a quiet place. His mother gave him a worried glance, caught by Megaman as he looked through the camera of the PET. She’s not going to forget this morning anytime soon. The navi sighed. Not after the condition Lan was in.

    “What’s wrong, Mega?” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “Nothing. Just please keep me off the net here if you can,” Megaman grumbled. “I’m not in the mood for altercations.”

    Their parents were ignoring them for the most part.

    “Honey, I really need to talk to you about this,” Haruka frowned. “I was hoping you’d come home before this so we could chat in private .”

    “I’m sorry. I wasn’t at my desk all day. I didn’t get your emails,” Yuichiro apologized.

    “Yuichiro ! I need to be able to contact you in an emergency!” Haruka huffed. 

    Yuichiro jumped and looked up from the menu he was holding open in his hands.

    “I said I’m sorry. I’ll do something about that in the future. What is it you need to talk to me about anyway?” Yuichiro asked.

    “Your son had to be taken to the hospital this morning,” Haruka’s eyebrow twitched.

    Yuichiro’s eyes widened. “He did?”

    “Yes…” Haruka trailed off as she noticed the waiter coming over to take their order.

    Yuichiro quickly scanned the menu before he closed it, placing it on the table.

    “Hello! Are you all ready to order?” the waiter asked.

    “Hi, yes. I’ll have the soup of the day,” Haruka replied, handing the waiter her menu.

    The waiter looked to Lan as they picked up Yuichiro’s menu off the table.

    “I’ll have curry. Whatever curry you have,” Lan handed back the menu without even looking at it.

    “Really, Lan?” Megaman whispered.

    “What? I love curry!” Lan replied lowly.

    His operator sank down in his seat to lower himself to the PET.

    “I swear, getting you to not order curry is impossible, even if it’s not on the menu,” Megaman sighed. 

    I doubt it even is here. They’re probably just going to make it because the kid of Dr. Hikari requested it. Megaman really couldn’t believe his operator sometimes. What about food is so appealing again? To a navi, food just looked like a bunch of colors and items mashed together. I can’t really remember what was so good about it… Pancakes… I remember liking those.

    “Alright, so one soup of the day, one curry special, and what will you be having, Dr. Hikari? Let me guess…” the waiter responded.

    “Spaghetti please,” Yuichiro smiled. “None is as good as my wife’s, but it’s my favorite!”

    Yuichiro laughed, smiling at Haruka. His wife gave him a side eyed glare, though a small smile did creep up on her face.

    “Anything to drink?” the waiter glanced at all of them.

    “Could I—…” Lan spoke up.

    “Let’s all just have water today, mkay ?” Haruka looked at Lan.

    “I was about to say that, actually,” Lan smiled. 

    Yuichiro stared at his wife, seemingly offended.

    “Three waters… got it. Anything else?” the waiter hung around a moment just to check.

    “I think that’ll be all,” Haruka smiled gently. “Thank you.”

    The waiter walked away from the table to put in their orders, all whilst the tension between Haruka and Yuichiro grew. 

    “Don’t think you can get out of this by complimenting my cooking,” Haruka said.

    Yuichiro chuckled nervously.

    “So what happened at the hospital?” Yuichiro asked. “I assume things were fine since Lan is here.”

    “He’s fine… but the doctor said the most peculiar thing,” Haruka hummed.

    “The doctors said some of my ribs are fractured and my chest is bruised,” Lan said with a straight face.

    He obviously was oblivious to the weight of what he just said.

    Yuichiro was shocked. “What do you mean?”

    “The doctors specifically said it looked like he had been resuscitated with CPR,” Haruka glared at her husband. “Lan insists he was alone and in his room all night.”

    “He doesn’t just insist on it. I was there. No one was in that room but him,” Megaman felt a tug from his navi systems at what he said. “I’m sure I would’ve woken up if someone walked in.”

   Lan cast his navi an offended glare, sticking out his tongue. Megaman reciprocated the gesture. Lan was a fairly heavy sleeper, but the PET generally alerted the navi to any noise. It wasn't Lan's fault necessarily that he could sleep though almost anything. 

    Yuichiro’s previously carefree demeanor fell away, replaced by worry and fright.

    “Lan… Have you—…” Yuichiro was interrupted by his phone ringing. 

    Lan’s father answered it, his father’s serious demeanor unchanging.

    “I’m sorry, honey, but we’ll have to continue this another time. I’m needed upstairs,” Yuichiro frowned as he got up from the table. “I’ll see you all later.”

    Lan watched as his father got up from the table and exited the room. The pre-teen’s expression fell, replaced by a deflated frown.

    “So much for having dinner with dad…” Lan mumbled.

    “Oh, Lan… You know your father. He’ll be back sooner than you think,” Haruka sighed.

    “Yeah, and then he’ll run off again…” Lan pouted. 

    He looked up at his mom, her eyes full of hurt. 

    “Promise me you’ll take it easy, okay?” Haruka was stern, looking into Lan’s eyes.

    “I promise…” Lan replied flatly.

    The waiter came back and set down three glasses of water on the table, hesitating at Dr. Hikari’s absence.

    “Where’s Dr. Hikari?” the waiter asked.

    Lan stared off around the room, not paying much attention to the conversation. Of course dad just leaves…

    “I’m sorry, he was called in just now. Do you think we could change his order to a to-go order? I doubt he’ll be back before the evening’s over and we can run it by his office on the way out,” Haruka smiled.

    “Absolutely. I’ll go change that. The wait is going to be about 40 minutes,” the waiter walked away from the table.

    From where Lan was seated, he could see Chaud lurking against the wall, not seated to have food and snacking on some platters of cheese instead. Megaman noticed the odd expression on his operator’s face and looked over, following Lan’s line of vision. 

    “Just cheese?” Megaman accidentally whispered aloud.

    “I know, right? Honestly, I don’t know what else I expected from him,” Lan sank down into his seat and whispered back.

    Chaud looked up to see Lan sitting in such an awkward position while Lan stared, the official netsaver pausing in his devouring of cheese. He gave Lan a weird look akin to saying “what on earth are you doing?” but with his face and body language— all while holding a piece of cheese on a fork in his hand. Lan took a picture with his PET, unable to resist. The camera noise wasn’t audible over all the chatter, but he would definitely be sending that image to Chaud later. 

    “I don’t think he ever apologized for what he said on your birthday,” Megaman grumbled, looking at the image on a hologram screen.

    His personality program raged at the image, a buzzing sensation floating around his systems, almost like his megabuster toggle was twitching. Chaud… I do not like you right now.

    “You’re right… which by the way, what was up with you that day?” Lan asked.

    “What a— huh ?” Megaman raised an eyebrow, turning to look at his operator.

    “You were getting really mad at him and activated the home security system on him,” Lan glanced back over at Chaud.

    “Is that…” Megaman buffered. 

  Did I make him mad? His personality program squirmed and complained, sending messages to his navi programs. It seemed to wave like the ocean around its edges and compulsively poke at his other systems with fear. It wasn’t a tremble, but some kind of stretching and cowering sensation, multiple of his systems reeling and seeming to try and escape Lan’s gaze. He could feel his thoughts thrashing about as his navi systems responded, quick blips and tugs at his connections flooding his processing system.

    “Are you upset with me for doing that?” Megaman asked, shrank back into himself.

    “No, it was kind of cool, actually. I appreciate that you would defend us like that,” Lan smiled.

    The navi felt his personality program whirr in contentment and send signals through his systems. It nestled into himself and pressed against his navi systems, his navi systems reciprocating the gentle gestures. The spike of data to process glided over himself, his frame relaxing in response. That’s a relief…

    “Thanks…” Megaman felt heat spread across the face of his frame, suddenly looking away from Lan. “I really just wanted you to feel comfortable.”

    “If anything, I should be thanking you,” Lan chuckled.

    The redness on the navi’s face deepened as his systems buzzed in happiness. And that’s something I love about you. 

    “I feel like he will apologize one day, but he just doesn’t know how to talk to people,” Megaman sighed. 

    “I know what you mean,” Lan hummed as he looked at Chaud again.

    “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Protoman said, appearing from off screen.

    Megaman jumped, turning to look at the red navi.

    “Speak of the devil,” Lan said, turning his attention back to his PET.

    “Chaud sent this to you and Lan,” the navi handed Megaman an email.

    “Thanks,” Megaman chuckled nervously.

    Protoman then disappeared, headed back to Chaud’s PET without another word.

    “Open it,” Lan whispered.

    “Lan? You’ve been down there a while. You okay?” Haruka asked. 

    “Hm? Yeah!” Lan replied, looking up at his mother briefly.

    Haruka raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. Boys…

    “Chaud sent an image of you,” Megaman informed him.

    “What!?” Lan exclaimed.

    Sure enough, there was an image of him all hunkered down in his chair at an awkward angle, his legs propped up on the center bar of the table and the other seat, giving his PET an almost perverse smile. It was joined with the message “Watch what your face looks like in public, Hikari. You look weird.”

    “Send the picture of him, with the message: ‘Explain to me how this isn’t weird.’ End message. That should be good enough,” Lan grinned.

    “Might I suggest adding the phrase, ‘if you want to see someone really weird, look in a mirror’? Or would that be too much?” Megaman chuckled.

    Lan clutched his chest as he burst out laughing. The convulsions of his muscles hurt, the stinging feeling turning into a sharp sensation that extended all over his chest. Ow…

    “Lan, is everything alright?” Haruka asked.

    Lan was now no longer even on the seat, sitting on the floor nearly under the table instead. He had slipped while laughing.

    “Yeah mom!” Lan smiled. “Also, yeah, yeah, Megaman! Add it! Then send!” 

    Lan chuckled and snorted. The navi had saved and was about to deliver the message when all of a sudden the lights went out. 

    “What the hell?” Lan said aloud.

    “Language!” Megaman scolded him, his navi systems forcing the word out of his mouth with a harshness he didn’t often use with his operator.

    Lan bristled, realizing what he had said. He hadn’t meant to say that.

    “Lan, you should sit at the table. You might get trampled down there in the dark,” Haruka said.

    “I’ll be fine!” Lan responded.

    “Lan… Don’t you think it’s a little weird that the restaurant over the power plant has an outage problem?” Megaman whispered.

    “You’re absolutely right, Megaman. This has World Three written all over it,” Lan whispered back.

    “We should go check it out,” Megaman suggested.

    “Hey mom, I’m gonna go ask about what’s going on. Stay here,” Lan told his mother.

    “Be careful, Lan! Don’t run into anyone in the dark!” Haruka insisted.

    The ambient light from the crowd’s PETs as attendees sent messages to staff was enough for Lan to avoid crashing into things as he wove through the crowd over to the door. He wanted to ask one of the employees of the Government Complex what was going on. 

    As Lan exited the restaurant doors, he was grabbed by the back of his shirt, gagging as the cloth caught his throat.

    “Going somewhere, Hikari ?” Chaud said, letting go of his shirt.

    The emergency lights were on in the hallway, allowing Lan to see the official netsaver’s face as he turned around. The door closed behind the two, leaving them alone in the hallway. Lan breathed harshly and brought his hand up to his throat as he looked at Chaud.

    Megaman’s personality program raged, thrashing about and gnawing at his systems, tapping on and tugging at his programming.

    “Yeah,” Lan coughed. “ I am .”

    “You should stay here with everyone else. I’m the security for this event,” Chaud glared at him.

    “Like I’m going to do tha— ack!” Lan was pushed into the wall by Chaud, the official netsaver grabbing Lan’s shirt.

    “HEY!” Megaman yelled. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?”

    Lan hissed in pain, his injuries from that morning not appreciating Chaud’s roughhousing. Megaman’s systems raged against each other, spiking his processing system and reaching out with garbled commands. Mad, mad, mad—...

    “Ow! Geez!” Lan yelped. 

    Chaud’s eyes widened and he released his grip on the shorter boy. Lan coughed and strained, clutching his chest.  Megaman’s navi systems jerked, his personality program convulsing at how his operator was being manhandled.

    “Lan! Are you okay!?” the navi panicked, his hands pressed up against the screen.

    “Y-Yeah, m’fine…” Lan grumbled and glared at Chaud. 

    It was a seething glare that Chaud had only seen in a few people, and one netnavi. Lan’s body was very visibly trembling, and Lan’s face paling was enough to tell Chaud that Lan was lying. 

    “Really? Because you were at the h—…” Megaman looked over to Chaud. “Chaud, scram.”

  Hub is mad. His personality program has silenced everything else, deafening his other signals and overwhelming his processors. Hub is mad at you, Chaud. He’s beyond mad. The onslaught of input from the program made the navi tremble. He’s seething.

    “What?” Chaud looked over to the navi.

    “I said scram. Aren’t you busy? Or do you just enjoy picking on kids?” Megaman huffed. 

    Mad, mad, mad, mad, mad—…

    “Lan is very obviously having some sort of—…” Chaud was cut off by Megaman.

    “And don’t you have an important job to do!? It was so important to you that you hurt Lan, so maybe you should go finish it before you piss me off any more than you have,” Megaman seethed. “ This is a private matter.”

    The glare that was burnt into his memory came back to mind, the fear while running through the Hikari household being brought to the forefront of Chaud’s train of thought. This is the glare he gave me then.

    “You’re just—…” Chaud was cut off once again.

    “If you finish that sentence I will show you just how wrong you are . You’re still in my house, kid ,” Megaman said flatly.

    I am not playing nice today. NO ONE HURTS MY BROTHER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT.

    Chaud blinked. No I’m not? The confusion from what Megaman had said was enough to distract Chaud from the fact Lan had put on his skates. Megaman stuck his tongue out at Chaud as Lan began to skate away, the official netsaver chasing after them on foot. Lan was much faster than Chaud like this. 

    “The power plant is beneath us, but the elevator won’t work without electricity. Use the vent,” Megaman informed him quietly.

    Lan jumped down the open vent, using his skates to aid in his escape as he was spewed out of the vent on the lower floor. Good riddance, Chaud. The navi’s personality program calmed down once the irritant was no longer visible.

    “Are you really okay though, Lan?” Megaman asked.

    “Let’s find someone who can tell us what’s going on,” Lan said, skating down the hall and ignoring the question.

    He came across the control room, a few staff frantically trying to figure out what was going on. It didn’t seem like they’d be much help. 

    “Are you the netsaver guy?” one of the staff asked him.

    It was dark, and they probably didn’t even know who Chaud was. Tck!-- Chaud. What help he was. He can’t be all smug about his job if I do it before he even gets here. Lan couldn’t help but smirk.

    “Yep! What can I do to help?” Lan lied.

    “There’s a navi hacking the power grid. We can’t get our systems online to return power to the building,” the staff member responded. “If we don’t get power back soon, everyone will run out of oxygen!”

    It’s gotta be World Three’s doing! Lan grumbled under his breath.

    “Alright, just tell me where to jack in and I’ll take care of it!” Lan shouted, already unspooling his PET’s cable.

    “Wait! If you do that the network will be running off your PET’s battery. If it dies, your navi will be deleted!” the staff member warned him.

    “Maybe we should’ve recharged the battery this afternoon…” Megaman grimaced. 

    The PET’s battery is only at 60%, Lan… The navi tensed.

    “It’ll be fine! We’ll wipe the floor with this navi! Jack in! Megaman! Power up!” Lan exclaimed.

    What happened to that gentleness you were showing me!? Or the concern!? The navi felt himself getting sent onto the power plant’s servers, though when he arrived, he was assaulted by lag, the freezes and jumps making him feel sick to his stomach. The headache it gave him was worse than any he’d ever had as a human. It was as if his whole being had a headache. 

    The pain from the lag and power drain wasn’t helped by his personality program squirming and crying out in offense, clawing at his programming. Hub is in severe distress .

    “Megaman, you okay?” Lan asked.

    “Yeah! I’m just fine!” the navi replied.

    Lan smiled, his breathing a little irregular. Megaman looked around the cyberspace and spotted another navi sucking energy out of the system. That must be the navi I’m looking for… Let’s get this over with.

    “Quick! Finish downloading that super program and let’s go, Elecman!” the mysterious netnavi’s operator shouted. 

    Megaman raised his right arm and toggled his megabuster, his personality program still writhing and pressing into the recesses of his mind. His navi systems diligently obeyed, sending signals to his personality program and jabbing at his systems. 

    “Hey, you! Just what do you think you’re doing!?” Megaman shouted, firing a shot from his megabuster.

    The shot landed square in the back of Elecman’s head, the taller navi turning around in a fury. It hadn’t done any damage.

    “Uh, Lan? We might have a problem,” Megaman’s eyes widened.

    Lan groaned as Megaman fired again. Still nothing.

    “My attacks aren’t working,” Megaman tensed.

    “Hahaha! You fools ! As long as he has power, I am unstoppable!” the mysterious operator cackled.

    “Power? But I thought the facility was off!?” Lan exclaimed.

    “It must not be! That navi must be diverting all the power!” the staff worker beside him exclaimed.

    Lan held out his PET to the stranger.

    “Hold this for me. I’ll be right back!” Lan insisted. “Give him these if you have to.”

    Lan gave a handful of recovery chips to the facility worker as the man took his PET. No Lan, please don’t leave me–... Megaman shuddered at his PET being in the hands of a stranger.

    “Wa-Wait!” the facility worker tried to get Lan to come back.

    Megaman waited, staring at Elecman as the electric type navi charged an attack. 

    “Your operator has left you! How sad... Now prepare to be deleted!” Elecman’s operator said. 

    Elecman fired the attack, however it didn’t land, Megaman managing to dodge. The action seemed to make Elecman hesitate. 

    “How dare you!” Megaman screamed. 

    Lan wouldn’t leave me!… He’s coming back!… Right? Megaman’s systems raged, confused nudges flooding the back of his sense of self. 

    “It won’t be long before you’re toast!” Elecman narrowed his eyes at Lan’s navi. 

    I have to hold out until Lan gets back! Megaman’s systems whined.

    Meanwhile in the hallway, Lan stormed into the room with the generator’s switch, his eyes widening as he saw the lever sparking with arcs of electricity. This is going to hurt… a lot… He stayed on the opposite side of the yellow and black striped line on the floor, hesitating to get near it. 

    Then Chaud burst into the room, behind him.

    “HIKARI!” Chaud yelled. “Just what do you—…” 

    Lan rushed forward, away from his rival, stepping over the danger line. At the same time, Megaman rushed Elecman in the cyberworld. Lan jumped, catching the switch in his hands. Horror filled Chaud’s face as he watched, reaching towards Lan in panic. He could do nothing to stop the reckless pre-teen. As Lan’s hands caught the switch, Megaman tackled the electric type navi, a strong shock flowing through both him and his operator. 

    Lan flew away from the lever, having been unable to pull it down with just his bodyweight. Megaman… Hub… He felt like he could see through his navi’s eyes, Megaman having been thrown to the floor with electricity convulsing through his frame. His navi could see the room Lan was in, but most of all, he could feel Lan’s pain. 

    Lan! His systems screamed, but then his personality program reached out, an odd silence filling Megaman. I’ll take your pain. Live. The navi screamed as he once again was filled with energy crackling throughout his frame. Flip the switch, Lan! I can take it! I’m a navi now!

    Chaud had hesitated, staring at Lan’s twitching body as it laid on the floor, the smell of burning flesh permeating in the room. He couldn’t do anything to help Lan without getting electrocuted himself. Dread began to settle in Chaud’s stomach. Is he… He is… isn’t he? That dumb—…

    The official netsaver couldn’t disguise his shock when Lan opened his eyes, getting up from the floor with his body still sparking. 

    “You’re going-ng down, Wo-World Three-ee!” Lan shouted, grasping the lever once again.

    This time he didn’t fly away in convulsion— something that should’ve been impossible— attempting to force the lever down. The lever still didn’t budge, the security mechanism preventing the bar from moving with the force of one person alone.

    “Take my strength, Lan, ” he heard Hub’s voice ring through his head, suddenly finding within himself the power to wrestle the lever into the off position. 

    The lever clicked, the power shutting off. Megaman’s screams finally died down as the electricity dispersed, though he was breathing heavily, his vision blurry. He was a little lucky as Elecman seemed to have paused, buffering from the sight of his opponent suddenly getting shocked like that. The electric type navi knew he hadn’t been responsible for it.

    Lan turned around and ran past Chaud, the official netsaver still in shock as Lan ran out the door as if nothing had happened. Lan was beginning to scare him. 

    “A-Alrigh-ight! Gi-i-imme back my P—…PET!” Lan stuttered, running back into the control room.

    “O-Okay!” the facility worker said with fright. 

    The staff worker gave Lan back the remaining recovery chips and the PET, though it appeared his PET was on the fritz, the screen glitching and flashing. 

    “La-an!” Megaman beamed, though the electricity still nipped at his systems. “You’re back!”

    He could feel the now familiar buzz filling his systems as he continued to fire shots from his megabuster, though the electricity jabbing into him was persistent. It hurts… It hurts so much. Please make it stop.

    “I-I’m here, Me-egaman!” Lan frantically looked over the screen.

    The sound of Megaman screaming as electricity once again sparked through his frame played through the speakers. Elecman had struck him with an attack while he was distracted. Lan couldn’t read anything on the PET, unable to see what was happening or why his navi was screaming. Fighting blind… Okay. 

    Lan bit his lip, shoving in a recovery chip. Let’s see if this works. The PET sparked in his hands, the chip data spasming as the PET read it. Megaman grimaced, feeling the data jolt in his systems. Thankfully, after a moment the chip data went through, restoring some of his HP. The chip did nothing to ease the ache from electricity pulsing through the navi.

    “The chip went through, Lan! Thanks!” Megaman responded.

    In retaliation to Elecman’s earlier attack, Megaman shot the World Three navi in the stomach. Elecman reeled in surprise, coughing from the force. Megaman smiled, his personality program reaching out and fitting together with his navi systems. That was for the pain you’ve caused Lan. 

    “A-Alright!” Lan smiled. “Long sword, ba-battlechip in! Download!”

    The chip glided effortlessly into the PET, Megaman receiving the data  in a matter of seconds and causing the navi’s right arm to change into a long blade. 

    “Fine… if you won’t give up— I only need a few more minutes anyway!” Elecman raised his arms, charging an attack. “Prepare for deletion!”

    “I d-don’t think so!” Lan’s fingers traced over the chips he had with him, drawing out the one he desired with ease.

    Megaman readied himself, preparing to receive data as he felt a chip slide into the slot of the PET, the action lighting up his processing system.

    “Area steal-al, battlechip in! D-Download!” Lan smirked.

    Elecman fired off his attack, laughing and putting as much energy into it as the navi could. When the dust settled, Elecman’s eyes widened as he realized he had missed. Megaman was already behind him, his arm back and preparing to swing. The hit landed, the blade on his arm slicing through Elecman from behind. The electric type navi gasped and then looked down at his frame, only to be logged out a moment later.

    “We won, Lan!” Megaman cheered, though his voice came out of the PET’s speakers a little garbled.

    Thank goodness… The navi could still feel the electricity from earlier flooding his systems, unsure what to do about it. He felt jittery, but also like if he didn’t do something with the energy that he would throw up. The sensation of it lingering inside of him wasn’t pleasant. The battery in the PET was way overcharged and he would need to talk to Lan about getting a new one. 

    I have to keep taking this until Lan will be okay. The navi’s systems whirred and strained. I’ll keep accepting the power and the pain.

    “Jack out, Megaman,” Lan sighed.

    The door burst open before Megaman even had the time to enjoy being back in the PET and let his aching systems rest with the recovery program. He looked through the camera, only to see the one face he didn’t want to see. Chaud. Lan unplugged the PET from the computer, re-spooling the cord.

    “HIKARI,” Chaud seethed. 

    The official netsaver was wearing thick rubber gloves, staring at Lan in horror. Then he glanced to the facility staff that had passed out on the floor. 

    “Oh, them? They’re fine. They just passed out when the air got kinda thin,” Lan looked at them. 

    “You’re coming with me!” Chaud grumbled, taking Lan by the shoulders and pushing him out the door. 

    Chaud was also breathing harshly, weakness showing as he pushed Lan back to the room the switch was in. However, Megaman’s programming raged, angry and still sparking with pain. Consider yourself lucky if I don’t taze you, Chaud.

    “Wait, why are you taking me back here!?” Lan exclaimed.

    “We have to get the power back on, you idiot! I can’t do it by myself!” Chaud explained.

    “Why’s that? You’re much stronger than me,” Lan raised an eyebrow.

    “Because there’s a safety precaution on that switch, Lan. It can only be turned on or off by more than one person,” the official netsaver grumbled. “Can you imagine what havoc it would cause if just anyone could waltz in here and shut off all the power to the government complex!?”

    Chaud stared at Megaman’s net op, reaching for the other pair of rubber gloves hung in the room.

    “What’s up with the gloves?” Lan asked curiously.

    “To keep us from getting electrocuted…” Chaud replied. “Speaking of, Hikari… You just survived a well-above lethal dose of electricity! ”

    Lan gulped as Chaud got in his face. 

    “Do you have any idea— no of course you don’t!” Chaud shouted, getting angry. “ You—… ”

    Megaman’s systems sparked and squirmed, pressing against his thoughts. 

    “Hey, now, Chaud. Let’s get the power back on. It’s priority one,” Megaman scolded the official netsaver.

    “Chaud—…” Lan had reached up a hand and placed it on Chaud’s shoulder, only for Chaud to suddenly convulse and fall to the ground with a shout. “Ah! Chaud! Are you okay!?” 

    Megaman’s systems sparked and squirmed, pressing against his thoughts. The navi couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. That’s what you get for manhandling my operator… for manhandling my brother.

    Lan bent down to try to help Chaud up, only for the official netsaver to grab his hand while staring up at him with a look of fear. Chaud clutched his chest where Lan had touched him with his other hand, wincing.

    “Do NOT touch me, Hikari,” Chaud demanded.

    “Huh? But why?” Lan was unsure what Chaud was so worried about.

    What Lan was unaware of is that high amperage electricity was still coursing through his body, slowly burning him inside and out. The pain and twitching— and even death —was being staved off by his brother, the painful surges and jolts passing through the navi’s systems instead.

    “Put these on,” Chaud took off the pair of gloves he had on and handed them to Lan. “You have to flip the switch again.”

    “Why can’t you?” Lan grumbled.

    Chaud groaned, rolling onto his side. Damn this hurts.

    “Ah! Chaud!” Lan panicked. “Do you need anything!?”

    “Just turn the power back on! We’re running out of time and air!” Chaud’s breath hitched.

    Seeing Chaud like this made Megaman feel sorry for him. That must’ve been a ridiculous amount of pain for Chaud to be willing to give up his task to Lan. Maybe I should’ve warned him?

    “Oh, right!” Lan exclaimed.

    Megaman felt the PET sway at Lan’s hip as his net op ran over to lift the switch. Just a little longer… Then I’ll turn on the recovery program and sleep. The navi’s consciousness struggled, the world starting to feel distant. Please get to safety quickly, Lan… Lan put on the gloves and his hands grasped the switch. His operator pushed, pressing his hands into the lever.  

    “Come…on…” Lan grunted.

    The lever didn’t want to budge. Both the navi and his operator were tired. One last push.

    “Hyaaaaa!” Lan yelled as the lever moved, raising with ease.

    Lan panted, the exhaustion catching up to him as the lights switched on. The air felt thin, his vision starting to swim as he stumbled backwards, clutching his chest.

    “Hikari! Lay down,” Chaud glanced at Lan with concern.

    Lan shook his head, attempting to walk to the door. “I need to get… to everyone… I need— help—…”

    Megaman activated the PET’s recovery program, his aches diminishing and a yearn for sleep calling to him. I can’t stay awake any longer… I’m sorry… His operator fell to the floor, unable to remain standing. You’ll feel better soon, Lan… The PET went into sleep mode, though the device itself began to spark and sputter. Lan collapsed, coughing and shaking. Light seemed to fade in his eyes as pain consumed him. Then he fell still.

    Chaud stared, his gaze trembling as he reached out a hand towards Lan. Is he breathing? It didn’t look like it. Oh god no… please no. It was silent. No one knew exactly where they were. It could be a while before anyone found them since everyone else down here had passed out already and also needed medical attention. Chaud tried to drag himself closer to Lan, trying to sit up though his attempts were futile. He needs help. 

    The sounds of the generator in the background fell away as Chaud focused on Lan, desperately trying to check and see if he was alive. The official netsaver trembled, unsure of the future. If Lan died here, he would never forgive himself. Lan rushed in here and took his job, and Chaud had only hurt him beforehand, not offering any direction or assistance. I should’ve known better than to try and stop him.

    “Protoman—…” Chaud hacked and coughed. “Get a rescue team down here.”

    The lights flickered, making Chaud jolt in surprise before his navi left his PET, leaving him alone with what he presumed to be the dead body of Lan Hikari. The lights flickered again, then they went out. 

    “What the—…” Chaud froze, the electronics in the room crackling with electricity alongside the body of Lan. 

    The bright light made Chaud close his eyes, and he raised his arms to cover his vital organs as he heard the lights popping and the bulbs cracking. The official netsaver found his heart racing with fear. Please be okay…

    “Lan!” a voice screamed with a shrill as if the person it belonged to had just witnessed a murder. 

    The door hadn’t opened. Why do I feel like I know that voice? The loud crack of electricity thrashed through the air, making Chaud’s ears ring. He found himself trying to peek open his eyes, shielding them from light as well as he could with his hands. 

  Hold on, Lan… Hub felt the electricity flowing through himself, not hurting like it did for his navi systems. He felt powerful, like he could bend the world around himself to his whim. His ethereal form craved the energy, and pulling it from the PET and Lan’s body wasn’t a difficult task like this. The energy was like to him what curry is to Lan— desireable, and somehow delicious in an odd way.

    YOU’LL BE OKAY, LAN. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE — Hub pleaded, crying and distraught. YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS! NO! PLEASE, LAN. Panic filled him to his entirety, at some point the very form of his hands and body beginning to waver and extend into the space around himself in sheer terror. I’LL DO ANYTHING —…

    Chaud winced from the light before it died down enough for him to see. The boy he had previously assumed to be dead convulsed, raising to a standing position from the floor in an eerie manner as he gasped for air. It took several moments for Chaud’s eyes to adjust to the now dimly lit room as he uncovered his eyes.

    Lan’s body stood up, stumbling as it contorted and spasmed with his wheezing. Somehow, the spirit found himself possessing his brother’s body. OW, OW, OW–... Hub felt the rush of pain hit him and his hands flew up to his head, the boy screaming and groaning in pain as he fell to rest on the wall across from Chaud. It was uncomfortable. Like when he was a navi, he could feel something else inside the body, but having organs and bones felt foreign.

    “I-It hurt-rts—…” Hub whined. 

    “Hikari! Lay down!” Chaud yelled at him once more.

    “It hurts—… hurts—… hurts—…” Hub continued, pressing on his head. 

    Lan… He could feel his brother’s presence inside of the body, though it was unconscious and not responsive. Much like his internal systems, he had to wait for his brother’s consciousness to come online— wake up .

    “Gah—!” Hub groaned, the body spasming under his control. 

    It was truly a disturbing sight.

    “Hikari! Are you deaf!? Lay down!” Chaud ordered him. 

    Hub struggled to move Lan’s body in any meaningful manner. It was different than controlling his navi frame, the signals he usually sent either not working or threatening to break part of the body. The muscles pulling and joints popping made him cringe, the loud cracks echoing in the room. He was breathing for Lan, making sure the body circulated oxygen, and he could feel his brother’s heart beating. Every pulse of it brought him comfort. That’s all that really mattered to him at the moment. I just need to keep Lan alive. THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS.

    Hub tried to relax, focusing on Lan’s right arm and raising it to Lan’s chest. This heartbeat is all I’m after right now. No wins, loses, revenge, attention, appreciation, or achievements. All I want is this. He sat down on the floor against the wall, raising his knees— a position he was well acquainted with. Let’s just stay like this a little while, Lan.

    “It hurts…” Lan’s voice rang in his thoughts. 

  It’s okay, brother. I’ve got you. You’re gonna be okay. Hub smiled, tears falling down Lan’s face. The pain coursing through himself didn’t cease, breath hitching in his throat as he tried to prevent himself from screaming.

    “Hikari. Are you okay?” Chaud asked, finally managing to wrestle himself into a seated position.

    Hub looked up at Chaud with Lan’s eyes, the few fizzles and pops of the broken lights breaking the silence that lingered. His neck jolted, head turning in a sudden, sickening way while his eyes remained locked with the netsaver’s.

    “Tell me,” Hub began, his voice strained and strangled by the sting at each breath as he forced out the words.

    Chaud bristled at the strange strength in Lan’s voice while Lan’s body stared into his eyes.

    “What… makes you think I’d-d tell you anything?” Hub hissed. 

    “Be reasonable, Hikari,” Chaud grumbled.

    Hub hacked and coughed, gasping for air though the glare he cast at the netsaver across from him didn’t waver. 

    “You’ve almos—... almost deleted me,” Hub said flatly. “I—…I think it is reasonable.”

    Chaud was taken back by the words, unsure what to make of them. I’ve… I’ve almost killed him?! When?! And why use that word?

    The door burst open, the netsavers’ paramedic team rushing in to treat both Chaud and Lan. Lan’s body fell limp from exhaustion, Hub still desperately trying to keep air in his brother’s lungs. 

    “Don’t—…D-Don’t think I’ll forget this…” Hub found himself growing dizzy, sound fading away and the world growing dark. 

    I can’t fall asleep now… no… please… An oxygen mask was placed over Lan’s face as Hub lost consciousness, his view of the world fading to black.

    “Hikari!” Chaud shouted with fear, trembling.

    Lan’s unconscious body was quickly placed on a stretcher, the paramedics’ chatter now filling the room. The uncomfortable weight of the situation sitting in Chaud’s chest. 

    “You okay?” one of the paramedics asked him.

    “Y-Yeah…” Chaud said.

    “You sure?” the paramedic pressed for information.

    “I was shocked. Literally,” Chaud replied, still dazed with wide eyes and not looking at her.

    Chaud was lifted up onto a stretcher as Protoman arrived back in his PET, an odd, momentary blip coming through seconds later.

    “Chaud, you have mail. It’s from Lan,” Protoman said.

    “What?” Chaud raised his PET, looking at it in horror.

    The message read “Explain to me how this isn’t weird. If you want to see someone really weird, you should look in a mirror,” and contained an attachment of him staring at Lan from across the room in the restaurant earlier that evening. How? Also, that is a very unflattering picture.

    “Protoman, when was that sent?” Chaud asked.

    “One minute ago,” Protoman informed him.

    Hikari is unconscious…

    “Megaman just delivered it… He seemed pretty mad,” Protoman explained. “He wasn’t in the greatest condition either.”

Chapter Text

    It had all started after the incident at the power plant, and Chaud hadn’t slept well since. It neared the final days of July, the end of summer just around the corner. The netsaver’s eyes were red and tired as he sat at his desk, the sun beginning to set. On his monitor was a couple of emails, addressed to him and from an address he wasn’t familiar with. He had been occasionally receiving emails from this unknown sender, his attempts at figuring out who it was dragging on. 

    “So, what did you find?” Chaud asked his navi.

    “They’re from a SciLab issued device, sir,” Protoman informed him.

    Hikari… It has to be Lan Hikari’s doing… Chaud hummed under his breath. But if Hikari is responsible… how does he hide it so well? He's not exactly the type to be able to pull this off.

    The vaguely threatening emails didn’t contain much. Just an address and a few sentences at most, all signed at the end with only the letter “H”. The first one was more odd than anything. It was a message containing very little but oddly specific information. 

    It read “It’s been two weeks now. You’ve only continued.” Not much to go off of, but startling nonetheless. The last email he received, late last week. was the one that unnerved him, saying “I’m waiting. I’m watching.” The sheer lack of information is what was off-putting. No name. No navi data. Nothing. 

    “Okay… Anything else?” Chaud sighed. 

    Even though it was likely, he couldn’t accuse such a high-ranking official’s son of being threatening without evidence. Why am I even concerned about Hikari? He’s a bit of a loose canon, yes, but hardly a threat… With ridiculous strength…

    “It was sent from your own computer,” Protoman pulled up the information on where the emails were sent from, highlighting the address.

    Impossible. Chaud looked at his monitor in exhausted aggression.

    “No… That’s wrong. It’s literally in my room, Protoman. It’s not physically possible unless someone broke into our house or hacked it— which is nearly impossible thanks to you,” Chaud insisted, rubbing his forehead before looking at his computer’s screen again. “I think we would know.”

    “It’s become obvious Dr. Hikari’s son is more capable than he appears. He could be deceiving us,” Protoman suggested.

    “Hikari is not capable of such deception. It—… It doesn’t make sense for it to be him behind these emails…” Chaud’s exhaustion had caught up with him, manifesting itself as anger.

    “What do you mean, he’s ‘not capable’? What about what happened at the power plant?” Protoman asked.

    “Didn’t you see the look in his eyes? He was completely innocent to what he was doing,” Chaud unceremoniously flopped back in his chair. “It was like he had no idea he should be dead from touching that switch with his bare hands.”

    But what he said… and that disturbing glare... Chaud tensed. What kind of person… no… rather, how could someone so happy and carefree as Lan be hiding so much pain? Something has changed… He continued clicking through the windows and documents that were pulled up on his monitor.

    The messages and timing all aligns with them being from Lan Hikari… It puzzled Chaud. Is it someone close to Lan? Who does Lan talk to? His father? No, no… his father isn’t so childish about grievances.

    “Protoman… I have no idea who these are from,” Chaud sighed. 

    “Awaiting further orders, operator,” Protoman replied.

    Chaud tapped his finger on his desk. Time to investigate… 

    “Is there any log-ins on my computer at odd times of day?” Chaud asked, scowling at his keyboard.

    His navi pulled up the logs of his computer, highlighting several late night log-ins, all of which Chaud was unaware of until now. Most of which were shortly before these emails were sent. Chaud couldn’t help but shudder at the idea of somebody being in his house at night while he slept.

    “All web activity data from these times was scrubbed. Only the email address remains,” Protoman informed him.

    “They sure know what they’re doing…” Chaud grumbled. “Nothing remains?”

    “Nothing,” Protoman assured him. “As if an invisible navi with power like myself deleted it.”

    A navi with power like Protoman… Megaman…

    “Were these log-ins from another netnavi?” Chaud asked. 

    “One. June 16th, 2:37AM. Netnavi,” Protoman read aloud. “SciLabs administrator. All others are from a person at your computer."

    SciLabs administrator!? Chaud’s eyes widened. This just keeps getting weirder… 

    “Keep digging. Trace the remote access,” Chaud insisted.

    Protoman followed the connection, disappearing from Chaud’s homepage. The red navi raced through the net at high speed, following the data that was highlighted. That was… until a thick door blocked his path, barred by many layers of security. The security system scanned the navi, but the door did not open. 

    “Remote access traced to SciLabs administration servers. No further trace possible,” Protoman explained. “You aren’t authorized for access.”

    “Not possible. I’m a netsaver,” Chaud spoke flatly.

    “Possible. It’s true,” Protoman frowned, pulling up the data. “Only the executive officers of the netsavers have access further.”

    Chaud groaned, hitting a few keys on his keyboard. Did Megaman tell Dr. Hikari something about me? Wouldn’t they call a meeting with me if that were the case? Why stalk my home computer and leave cryptic emails? The information just kept making less and less sense. Lan doesn't have access to those servers.

    “What about the email it was sent from?” Chaud asked.

    “It’s not a real email address. I can’t trace it further than SciLabs administration,” Protoman explained. “It’s from a high ranking official or someone with lots of knowledge about SciLabs, but that’s all I can tell.”

    “Just great. I have someone from SciLabs breaking into my house,” Chaud complained.

    What kind of email address is “lmoevmnyrixirxl@sl”? It was hardly readable, let alone pronounceable. The name attached was also just numbers, “89111189,” and an “H.”

    “Whoever it is, they don’t want you tracking them,” Protoman said.

    “I gathered…” Chaud got up from his seat. “Jack out, Protoman.”

    The netsaver pulled the PET’s cord from his PC, re-spooling it. He grabbed his coat from the hook by his room door. 

    “Where are you going? It’s late,” Protoman frowned.

    “The Hikari residence,” Chaud replied.

    “I thought you weren’t welcome back until you apologized to Lan Hikari,” Protoman hummed. “Am I mistaken?”

    Chaud paused, his navi’s words hitting a sore spot in his pride.

    “I don’t have to listen to a childish netnavi,” Chaud scoffed. 

    Especially not Megaman… The netsaver frowned, tossing open his room door. It took over an hour to get to the Hikari residence on foot, and by the time he arrived he was exhausted. The sun had set before his walk even started, making it dark and lonely. His shadow rested on the door to the Hikari residence as he paused, debating on his choice to come here.

    I just need to know… Chaud closed his eyes and rang the doorbell. It took much time before the door was answered, Haruka greeting the young netsaver. 

    “Chaud? Isn’t it a bit late for you to be out?” Haruka asked.

    “Well, yes, but I’m on official netsaver business and need to talk to Dr. Hikari… Is that alright?” Chaud responded with a gentle smile.

    “Make yourself at home. He won’t be back home until morning, but I will set up a place for you to sleep,” Haruka stepped aside, letting Chaud into the house. 

    Oh… Chaud was displeased. I don’t want to spend the night…

    “I think I can wait until morning. My apologies for waking you,” Chaud attempted to decline.

    “Nonsense. A young boy your age shouldn’t be wandering the streets at night, and you look dreadful. Please, make yourself at home. There’s some hot water on the stove,” Haruka insisted.

    Chaud found himself getting practically dragged inside, the door closed behind him as he was directed to take his shoes off and sit on the couch. 

    “Let me get you some blankets and a nice pillow,” Haruka trotted off to the living room closet, grabbing a couple blankets and an extra pillow. “We don’t have very many guests stay over, so I do apologize if they’re a little dusty,” Haruka stated. 

    “I thought Hikari has friends over all the time,” Chaud raised an eyebrow.

    “Oh, yes, but they rarely stay the night,” Haruka elaborated as she stacked the bedding in her arms. “He doesn’t really like other people all that much.”

    “He doesn’t? Hikari always seemed like he loved being with his friends,” the netsaver was surprised.

    Could there really be much more to Hikari than he lets on? I always thought he was such an open book. Chaud glanced around the Hikari residence, making note of all the things in their usual places.

    “Oh, no. Lan has always been very picky about who he lets sleep over. He doesn’t want anyone else in his room, either,” Haruka chuckled, looking up the stairs.

    She brought the blankets and pillow over to Chaud, handing them to the young boy.

    “Thank you, Mrs. Hikari,” Chaud replied. 

    “How has Hikari been doing, by the way? I understand he was just released from the hospital recently,” Chaud asked.

    “He’s been doing much better, but he still needs lots of rest,” Haruka’s expression fell into one of discomfort and sadness. 

    “I am truly sorry for what happened at the power plant. I wish I had been able to stop him,” the netsaver sighed, guilt paining his mind.

    “You know how he is. Once he sets his mind to something it’s nearly impossible to stop him,” Haruka looked deep in thought, her eyes growing watery.

    That sounds awfully reckless… The netsaver hummed with worry.

    “Has he ever… talked to anyone about how the aftermath of things like this have affected him?” Chaud raised an eyebrow.

    “Affected him?” Haruka chuckled. “He rarely talks about it at all. I don’t think he feels very bothered by it.”

    The netsaver sighed, biting the inside of his lip. I’m not getting much information this way either…

    “Feel free to stay for breakfast,” Haruka smiled before walking off back to her room.

    Hikari… why are you so difficult to understand? What are you hiding? Chaud waited a few minutes and set the blankets down on the couch, getting up from his seat and looking at the family photos hanging on the walls. No baby pictures… I can’t say I’d want mine shared. Still, they seem like a family that would be open about that sort of thing…

    The netsaver slowly crept up the stairs, making his way towards Lan’s room. I just need to know… His hand reached for the doorknob and he attempted to turn it, only to find it was locked. He really doesn’t want people in his room…

    “Recording, night of Tuesday, July 21st,” Lan’s voice was barely audible outside the door.

    Chaud tensed. He’s still awake. Shouldn’t he be resting?

    “Go to bed, Lan,” Megaman responded.

    “Hey! I’ve been planning this for a while! Go into sleep mode, Megaman!” Lan exclaimed. “It won’t work if the PET screen is on!”

    “I will once you turn on the recovery program, or did you forget about all those netbattles earlier?” Megaman commented. “And you should keep your voice down.”

    Netbattling already?! Chaud grumbled under his breath. Even a netsaver like myself needs rest after something like that. There’s a difference between being strong and stupid.

    “Can’t you turn it on yourself like you usually do?” Lan pouted.

    “Is it wrong of me to wait for my operator to activate the PET’s programs?” Megaman huffed. “And you kept teasing me about that.”

    “Fine, fine,” Lan got up from his seat on the floor, shuffling over to his PET. “There you go. Happy?”

    “Yes, very,” the navi replied with a giggle.

    Megaman giggles? Chaud wasn’t sure what to make of that.

    “Goodnight, Lan!” Megaman’s cheerful tone rang.

    “Goodnight, Megaman!” Lan replied, the bed frame creaking from Lan flopping down on his mattress.

    Lan seems so innocent… could he really be responsible? Chaud quietly shuffled away from Lan’s room door, walking back downstairs. Megaman… is so oddly protective… and he seems to be making decisions without Lan being conscious of them. Is there some sort of unspoken orders he’s following? 

    Is Lan speaking in some sort of code that only he and Megaman know? Wouldn’t a code have some sort of discrepancy in it though? If it was disguised as every day speech, something would give it away… and why would he speak in it when no one was around? Is he even smart enough to speak in code? 

    It wasn’t adding up. Unless Lan Hikari was somehow using Megaman as an administrator in the SciLabs network, ridiculously good at playing innocent, and could fake far better than what he was depicting at his birthday party… it couldn’t be him. Unless something unimaginably bad happened to him. That thought rang through Chaud’s mind like a flood of water enveloping him. 

    Chaud shook his head. There’s no way… that’s ridiculous. He’s just a kid. He has no idea what he’s doing…

    “Not today,” Megaman had said on Lan’s birthday. “I was gonna cry later anyway,” Lan had stated that day. June 10th… What does it mean? What could shake someone with so much resolve like that? Even in the face of death, Lan kept going, and he kept trying… He didn’t seem fazed at all. Maybe I was very mistaken… “Get out,” Megaman’s words from that day echoed in his mind. I had never seen a navi so offended and enraged before. 

    “Protoman,” Chaud whispered. “None of this is making any sense to me.”

    “Why don’t you get some sleep? I’m sure you’ll think of something in the morning,” Protoman replied.

    Chaud sighed, sitting down on the couch. 

    “Maybe you’re right, Protoman,” Chaud grumbled.

    The netsaver sighed, taking the pillow and putting it underneath his head as he laid down on the couch. The blanket easily unfurled and he rolled onto his side once the blankets had fallen gently on his body. He was quite tired, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Once Chaud closed his eyes, the sounds of the Hikari household faded away into silence as he fell asleep.

    His sleep was rather peaceful, the blanket keeping the netsaver plenty warm… all until it didn’t. The netsaver woke up on the couch, a shiver running down his spine. He had not a clue what time it was or what was going on. Chaud’s eyes blinked open, the dark room only illuminated by the nightlight next to the TV. 

    In the darkness, he could make out the faint figure of somebody standing at the bottom of the staircase. Hikari? What is he doing awake? The figure was standing still, just staring at Chaud. 

    “Hikari?” Chaud asked, rubbing his eyes. “What do you want?”

    They remained silent, unmoving.

    “Real mature, Hikari,” Chaud rolled his eyes.

    The figure was gone. What!? The netsaver frantically searched the shadows with his eyes. How can he move so fast!? He hadn’t heard any footsteps. Where is he?

    “Hikari?” Chaud whispered.

    The netsaver froze, the sensation of cold hands on his shoulders startling him. Whoever it was kept hold of him with a forceful grasp. He found himself unable to move, such a response alien to him. The sound of breath next to his ear made his heart race with fear, the cold seemingly source-less wind brushing against his skin. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, his shoulders bristling.

    “Apologize,” a voice that sounded a lot like Lan’s whispered in his ear.

    He flinched, jumping up from his position on the couch. The feeling of cold hands on his shoulders fell away, but when he looked behind the couch, no one was there. 

    “Chaud? Why are you awake?” Protoman’s voice came from the PET at his hip. 

    “What time is it?” Chaud asked. “Also, did you see anyone just now?”

    “It’s 3:14AM, Wednesday. No, I didn’t see anyone, the camera was covered. Why?” Protoman asked.

    Chaud raised his hands to his shoulders, gently pressing on them. I know I felt someone touching me… 

    “Lan… Quit playing games with me… This is childish,” Chaud taunted. “You should be resting…”

    There was no response, only the eerie silence. He found his heart continuing to race, anxiety like he had never felt before flooding his veins. 

    “You have mail,” Protoman said. 

    Chaud yelped, jumping in surprise. Why am I so anxious? The netsaver raised his PET, looking at his inbox. The sight gave him a sinking feeling in his stomach. How? It was another email from lmoevmnyrixirxl@sl… 89111189H… The subject line was one word, “apologize.” The actual email itself contained a brief message— more of a statement. 

    “I won’t hesitate. Do not hurt him,” the email read.

    They know I’m here… but who is “him”? Chaud was perplexed. Are they talking about Lan? The whole situation seemed to fold in on itself, any theories Chaud had getting tossed out the window. The netsaver quickly ran upstairs, not caring too much about being silent, greeted with the sight of an open door to Lan’s room as he reached the top. He crept closer, the anxious feeling not going away. 

    He reached the doorway, only to see Lan sleeping soundly in his bed. It’s not Lan. It’s not Lan, and they know I’m here. Someone else is here. Chaud noticed light coming from Lan’s desk, turning his head and staring at the monitor which was on. A message was visible on the screen, “Do not hurt him.” 

    The netsaver’s eyes flicked between Lan’s sleeping body and the monitor. After a few seconds, the message disappeared and Chaud watched as the monitor turned off all by itself, then the door slammed in his face. Chaud began to pound on Lan’s door in a panic.

    “LAN! Wake up! Someone is in your room!” Chaud shouted. 

    Lan yelped, falling out of his bed, twisted in his sheets. “Ow! What the hel-ck!” 

    “Get out of there, Lan!” Chaud exclaimed.

    “Chaud!? What the-…” Lan hurriedly got up and unlocked the door, opening it.

    The netsaver grabbed him, pulling Lan out of his room before rushing in to look around. Nothing… no one… but then how did the door close? Chaud looked in the closet, under Lan’s bed, and even underneath the desk. No one at all.

    “Chaud! What on earth are you doing!? Get out of my room!” Lan shouted.

    “Yeah! What’s the big idea waking up Lan like that!!? You could’ve seriously hurt him!” Megaman grumbled from the PET on the desk. 

    “I thought—…” Chaud muttered, eyes wide in shock.

    “Seriously! I’m busy in here. Go back to wherever and just leave me alone!” Lan huffed.

    He grabbed Chaud’s arm and pulled him back, shoving the netsaver out into the hall. 

    “AND STAY OUT!” Megaman added on as his net op slammed the door in Chaud’s face, quickly locking it.

Chapter Text

    Lan hurriedly pulled a black hoodie down his torso, having exchanged his typical orange vest for it. Said vest was tossed aside on his bed, disregarded. The young operator yawned, tapping his hand on his thigh to a rhythm. He was wearing a large, clunky pair of orange headphones that were connected to his PET and playing music with disregard for the volume. The same handful of tracks had been playing for the past couple of hours on repeat.

    "If I had a pen, I'd write your name,

on every wall, on anything,

over and over, knowing

my heart can't take the pain~"

    He checked himself over in the mirror, removing his headband from his forehead and shoving it in his pocket with a sigh. As he glanced out the window, the gray clouds in the sky made him frown. He had been hoping today would be sunny. 

    "And then it's all just the same,

the faded echoes of the rain,

searching for something, knowing 

that I can't take the blame~"

    “Lan?” Megaman asked from the PET at his hip.

    "That's when it all

falls apart and

you can't hear me screaming~"

    "LAN!" the navi shouted.

    "I can't bear the feeling~

What's been long gone

falls to pieces

my memory is fading~

You don't know the feeling~

If I had a pen, I'd write your name,

on every wall, on everything,

drowning in silence, knowing

my soul can't take the pain~"

    "LAN! TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN!" Megaman exclaimed, this time interrupting his operator's music.

    Lan jumped, startled by his navi. He quickly rushed to raise his PET, pausing his music. 

    "You don't have to shout at me!" Lan pouted, his face flushing with embarassment.

    "I've been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes!" Megaman huffed. "What's up with the hoodie, and why'd you take your headband off?"

    “Pull up directions to the park,” Lan told him.

    Megaman was quiet and did as he was told, though he raised an eyebrow at his operator. "I don't get what that has to do with the hoodie."

    "I need some answers, Megaman... I'm hoping something there will jog my memory. I—…” Lan hesitated, turning towards his room door. “It’s the last place I remember him smiling like that.” 

    The net op walked out of his room, gently closing the door behind himself. He slowly walked downstairs and to the front door, keeping an eye out for his mother. Please don't notice me...

    “I’m going over to Maylu’s!” Lan exclaimed as he opened the front door.

    “Okay! Just be back in time for dinner!” his mother responded from the kitchen. 

    The pre-teen swiftly left the house and clipped on his rollerblades. I have to know what happened… 

    “I think you should bring Maylu with you…” Megaman spoke up.

    I don't like this Lan... I don't think this will be good for you... The navi's systems whirred with worry. If no one knows where you are and you have an attack like that last one...

    “What!? But Mega, you said yourself that I’m not supposed to know about him!” Lan replied as he slowly skated down his front sidewalk.

    “I just—… nevermind. It’s fine,” Megaman shoved away his worry, replacing it with a comforting smile. 

    Lan sighed, pulling the hood of his hoodie up and over his head. He took a face mask out of his pocket and put it on. No one should recognize me like this… Some kids from his school played there often. He didn’t want to get caught.

    The sound of laughter and the memories of sunshine played in his head in a dizzying manner. Something happened… after that day… The creaking of swings, the smell of the summer breeze, and the feeling of his brother grabbing his hand. When he thought about that day, it was as if it all came flooding back… and then there was nothing. Silence…

    “It should be on your left…” Megaman’s voice drew Lan out of his thoughts. 

    The navi’s operator hadn’t realized he was already at the park, having been absorbed in his memories. He stood at the park gates, a tense anxiety building in his stomach. The navi too felt this anxiety as Megaman could see the swings and play structures he had become familiar with. 

    “I haven’t been here in ages…” Lan mumbled.

    The sadness inside of him continued to grow, aching as he stared at the picnic tables. 

    “What happened here?” Lan finally asked, unclipping his skate attachments and shoving them in his pocket.

    “Do you mean what happened when you were here with Hub?” Megaman asked, sorrow bleeding into every syllable.

    Lan stared at the swings before his gaze fell on a bench covered by a canopy of trees not that far from the path. “Mhm…” 

    “This is where you had your fourth birthday together… It was the last you ever got to celebrate with him,” Megaman spoke flatly. “Not long afterwards, he was admitted to the hospital.”

    “How long?” Lan walked across the park, along the path next to the swings.

    “Lan…” the navi muttered.

    Megaman felt his personality program squirm and cower, all whilst strangling his navi systems. The answer to that wouldn’t be good for Lan to hear. Please don’t make me tell you, brother. It was getting harder to keep this from Lan, but he was uncertain if Lan could handle the truth.

    His operator came to a stop just in front of the bench, placing his hand on the old wood. The sounds of a creek echoed nearby. Clear as day, he could remember the sight of his brother gasping for air on that bench, clutching his chest. Back on that day...

    "Hahahaha! You— You have a ladybug on your nose!" Hub had shouted, devolving into a fit of hysterical laughter.

    "EH!?" Lan looked at his nose, trying to see where it was so he could get it off.

    "It— It's a— hahaha! It's a LANbug!" Hub clutched his stomach and the rope of the swing he was sitting on.

    "I'm gonna get you for that one!" Lan laughed, brushing the ladybug off his nose as he sprang to his feet.

    "Only if you can catch me!" Hub stumbled off the swing.

    The joke had spurred a lengthy chase around the park, the two running after one another through the fields and the playsets.

    "Hehehe—..." the incessant giggling from Hub continued as he stuck out his tongue at Lan. "Come and get me, Lanbug!"

    "If you like laughing so much, then how about I do this—!" Lan had caught up to Hub and began tickling his twin. 

    The twin in blue fell to the ground, desperately pushing the other's hands away as he squealed from the torment of tickles from his brother.

    "Okay! Okay! I give—!" Hub continued to laugh though his brother stopped. 

    When Hub started to get tired, wheezing with laughter, the two walked over to a bench under a canopy of trees, sitting down to rest. Hub still didn't stop giggling, believing his joke to have been absolutely hilarious, though he began to cough, and his face paled. The memory of holding Hub’s hand as he watched his brother struggle to breathe on that bench brought tears to his eyes. I think I know the answer to my own question.

    “He didn’t make it home… did he?” Lan sat on the bench, placing his hand on the wooden boards of the seat where his brother’s hand had once been. 

    “I’m so sorry, Lan…” the navi hadn’t wanted to tell him.

    Tears streamed down Lan’s face, his body shaking with sniffles as he brought his knees to his chest. The memory of ambulance sirens infected his mind, the vision of lights flashing on all the structures in the park filling him with dread. He never got to come home again.

    “I’m so sorry, Hub…” Lan cried. “You didn’t deserve to die…”

    The navi was quiet, unsure how to react.

    “I wish—… I wish I could tell you how much I love you. I didn’t want you to die…” his operator continued to weep, occasionally wiping away tears from his face. “Why did I get to live instead?”

    What do you mean, ‘instead’? The navi grew concerned. I was sick. You were healthy... as far as we knew.

    “Lan… There was nothing you could’ve done. He was sick,” Megaman felt his personality program trembling, tears streaming down the navi’s face. 

    “How could they not tell me!? I—!… I miss him so much…” Lan pulled his knees up to his chest, cowering on the bench. “It feels like a part of me has died ever since he passed on…”

    Megaman fumbled, pressing his fingers together and tensing as he tried to find words to comfort his brother. This was rather difficult. How am I supposed to help my brother grieve over my own death? Hearing the distress in his brother’s voice made Megaman feel awful in ways he wasn’t sure how to describe. It made every bit of himself tremble and ache to bring Lan comfort, yet the navi knew there was nothing he could do. Knowing he couldn’t do anything made it hurt.

    “Whenever I think about it, I just feel so empty inside. I feel like I should’ve done something about it… I don’t want anybody else I care about to die ever again…” Lan said.

    The soft pitter-patter of rain swelled from his surroundings, only the canopy of trees keeping him dry from the sudden downpour. 

    “I wouldn’t have let him strain himself so much for me. I could’ve tolerated being inside too…” the net op breathed harshly. “It’s my fault that he died so soon. If I had just—…”

    The navi could feel his systems stagger and toss, an odd rage filling him. The buzz from talking to Lan he’d grown accustomed to had now turned sour. The feeling that used to flutter around inside of him now felt like some sort of droning, stabbing sadness.

    “Lan! Don’t say things like that!” Megaman scolded him.

    “It’s true, Megaman! If I had just let him rest, he could still be here!” Lan wiped the tears from his eyes. 

    Stop it! Megaman’s personality program rattled against its confines.

    “That doesn’t mean he would be!” Megaman insisted, discomfort spreading through his words. 

    “There are treatments for it now! If he had just been around a little longer, there’s a good chance that he’d be alive and healthy!” Lan raised his voice. “Just a few more years would’ve been enough…”

    “It’s not your fault, Lan! He was dying!” Megaman shouted at his operator. “He was dying long before the day at the park!”

    Lan was silent, attempting to ignore what Megaman had said. 

    “It was not your fault he passed away, Lan,” the navi reiterated. "It's not your fault."

    The sudden rain had made most of the park-goers leave or duck for cover under the gazebos, but one individual with a pink umbrella had come to stand beside him under the canopy. The sudden presence of someone else made Lan go quiet, not wanting his conversation with Megaman to be overheard.

    “Wow… it sure is coming down. Roll, when is the rain scheduled to let up?” Maylu asked. 

    The girl with the pink umbrella is Maylu… Why is she here? Lan raised his head and looked at his childhood friend. She hadn’t noticed him apparently.

    “It is estimated to stop raining in about 30 minutes,” Roll responded from her PET.

    “Thanks, Roll,” Maylu smiled, her boots splashing in the puddles forming from the sudden rain. 

    “What are you doing here, Maylu?” Lan asked, removing his headphones.

    Maylu jumped, startled. She turned around, locking eyes with Lan.

    “Ah! Who are you?!” Maylu shouted.

    Lan pulled down his face mask briefly. “It’s me, Lan.”

    She sighed in relief, letting her grip on her umbrella relax. 

    “Wait, what am I doing here? What are you doing here?!” Maylu exclaimed. “Have you been crying?” 

    Lan frowned as he stared at the dirt in front of him. 

    “I’m not doing anything…” Lan lied. 

    Maylu took a seat on the bench next to Lan, making her friend feel uneasy. He found himself glaring at her, fighting down the emotions welling up in his eyes. She doesn’t know… She didn’t do it on purpose…

    “Are you okay, Lan?” Maylu asked. “It’s a little weird to be crying in the park. Do your parents know you’re here?”

    “Stop, Maylu. Just stop,” Lan cowered, covering his head with his arms. 

    “Lan…” Maylu sighed, setting her hand on Lan’s.

    Her friend yanked his hand away with an annoyed grunt. 

    “Quit it! You shouldn’t be sitting on this bench with me!” Lan shouted, snapping at her in anger.

    “Hey! This bench is for anyone who wants to sit here! I don’t see your name on it!” Maylu grumbled.

    “Maylu…” Megaman’s interjection went unnoticed, Lan's headphones still plugged into the PET.

    “It’s not my spot you’re sitting in!” Lan exclaimed, tears pouring out of his eyes. “THAT spot belongs to him.”

    “What? Megaman? Your navi doesn’t need a spot to sit! He’s in a PET!” Maylu’s frustration bled into her eyes, mirroring Lan’s glare.

    “That spot belongs to Hub!” Lan’s rage boiled over. “It was always his spot when we came here! You shouldn’t be sitting there!” 

    Maylu’s rage fell away, replaced by confusion. By the time Lan had realized what he just said, it was too late— the name had been spoken.

    “Who is ‘Hub’?” Maylu asked.

    “Lan, don’t—…” Megaman felt panic flood his mind, desperately trying to keep Lan from spilling any more information.

    Unplug your headphones, Lan! The navi sifted through the systems of the PET in desperation. I need to be able to talk to you!

    “Oh, of course you wouldn’t know. It doesn’t really matter who he was anyway… No one seems to know he ever existed,” Lan got up from the bench and ran.

    “Lan! Wait!” Maylu got up from the bench, reaching after him.

    Lan got a few yards down the path before he slipped and fell in the rain, scrapes on his knees stinging as he pushed himself up. The fall had knocked the wind from Lan’s lungs temporarily when he hit the pavement, making him stumble. He wheezed as he tried to pry himself up off the ground, pain stinging in his chest with each breath.

    If I had just been a good navi and stayed at SciLabs… Lan would be happy and not know I ever existed. Him knowing I exist is what’s making him sad… The navi's systems reeled at the sight.

    “Lan! Are you alright!?” Megaman asked, worried for his brother.

    Maylu trotted over, holding her umbrella over Lan while he stood up from the path. His knees and wrists were bleeding from scrapes, rainwater and dirt getting in the abrasions and tiny cuts.

    “I’m fine…” Lan mumbled.

    “Here…” Maylu extended her hand. 

    Lan took her hand, his body trembling from the stinging pain. 

    “Hub—… is he the friend that died?” Maylu asked. 

    Her gaze was filled with sadness and pity.

    “He wasn’t just a friend,” Lan spoke gruffly, yanking his hand back. 

    Maylu raised an eyebrow.

    “Lan! Remember! You aren’t supposed to know!” Megaman pleaded. 

    “I’m sorry, Maylu, but I’ve already said way too much,” Lan said.

    Maylu sighed, looking at her best friend. 

    “Fine…” Maylu didn’t press the issue. “I’m sorry for sitting in Hub’s spot though. I didn’t know.”

    “It’s okay… how could you have known?” Lan mused. “My parents have practically scrubbed him from existence.”

    Well, that’s not a very pleasant thought. Megaman shuddered at Lan’s use of words.

    “Hm? Was he a family member?” Maylu asked.

    Lan gave her a side-eyed glare.

    “Right, no more questions about him… sorry…” Maylu frowned.

    Her friend sighed, pulling out his PET as he hobbled back over to the bench. When he sat down, he gave his navi a dejected look, eyes watering.

    “Lan, please… don’t look at me like that…” Megaman tensed, seeing the look in Lan’s eyes. 

    The way Lan was looking at him made his systems squirm, fighting one another over what to do. Pangs of guilt flooded the navi. His programs entered a frenzied panic, the quiver in Lan’s eyes making Megaman’s resolve falter and soften. The emotional tugs of conflict strained his systems, the navi finding himself unable to look away from the sorrowful eyes. Maylu glanced at Lan’s PET, noting the stress in Megaman’s expression.

    “Lan…” Megaman sighed, giving in. “Fine. If you really think she won’t tell…”

    His operator paused a moment, thinking. 

    “I know this is very important. I can keep a secret as important as this,” Maylu insisted. “I’m not some busybody.”

    Lan smiled, looking at his friend.

    “Thank you, Maylu,” Megaman mirrored Lan’s smile as he looked between the two.

    Lan tensed, turning his gaze away from his friends.

    “Hub… was my brother…” Lan explained. 

    “Oh, I’m so sorry…” Maylu gasped. “Wait... I don’t remember you having a brother…”

    Megaman frowned, minor annoyance flicking the back of his thoughts. The annoyance was accompanied by a sensation of numbness filling the limbs of his frame. That doesn’t feel normal…

    “Remember how you said you remember me wearing blue inside and orange outside?” Lan fiddled with the hem of his hoodie. “And how you said I’d act like I didn’t know you when I was wearing blue?”

    “Yeah? What does that have to do with you having a brother?” Maylu raised an eyebrow.

    “I always wore orange… The boy in blue was Hub…” Lan sank back into the bench, placing his hand on the wood once more. 

    “Huh?” Maylu blinked. “I don’t—…

    “They were twins, Maylu…” Megaman spoke up. “Lan and Hub.”

    Lan and I… Megaman had many thoughts about this conversation he had to keep to himself.

    “Oh… oh no. Lan! That’s awful! I’m so, so sorry…” Maylu placed a hand on Lan’s shoulder, tears prickling at her eyes.

    “I don’t want pity, Maylu,” Lan grumbled. “Pity won’t bring him back.”

    I’m right here, Lan… I’m right here. You can see me. Please. Don’t cry. I don’t want you to be sad. Megaman’s systems complained, pulling and pushing against one another. There it is. Wanting again... The numbness persisted.

    “It’s not pity, Lan. I care about you and I’m here for you,” Maylu said.

    Lan’s breathing hastened, the boy bringing a hand to his chest. The navi felt a jolt of anxiety coursing through his systems at the sight.

    “Lan!?” Megaman exclaimed. “Do you need to go home?”

    Please don’t die, Lan. I want you to live. Megaman’s thoughts raced. The wanting again… it makes me feel sick. The feeling of wanting anything made his consciousness swim.

    “Hm?” Maylu was shocked by the navi’s sudden change in attitude, looking between Megaman and Lan.

    “I’m fine…” Lan mumbled. 

    Lan’s grip on his clothes weakened, his face pale and eyes distant. 

    “What’s wrong, Lan? You don’t look so good,” Maylu commented.

    “I’ll be fine,” Lan insisted, trying to stand up.

    The boy’s legs wobbled and he found himself struggling to balance. 

    “Sit down, Lan!” Megaman ordered his operator. 

    Lan complied, gasping for air as he grabbed his chest with his hand.

    “Take deep breaths. You’ve got this,” Megaman instructed him. “Try to focus on something other than the pain. Don’t make your heart race.”

    I never should’ve taken you here, Lan… Regret ate at the navi's thoughts. I knew it would stress you out too much.

    “What’s wrong?” Maylu asked, crouching down next to her friend.

    Megaman hesitated, looking at Maylu. Something awful…

    “He… gets like this sometimes. He’s not diagnosed with any illnesses,” Megaman deflected. “Please just make sure he doesn’t pass out.”

    “I’ll be fine, Mega… I just need to get home-…” Lan gasped for air.

    You’re not fine, Lan… It’s getting worse.

Chapter Text

    Today was one of the peculiar days where Yuichiro took Megaman with him to work for a check up, leaving Lan without a navi for the day. At least it gives him a second chance to finish his homework he didn’t do last night… So here the navi was, in the computers at SciLabs, feeling the computers root around inside of himself and pick him apart. As much as he wanted to complain about the feeling, he knew it was pointless to do so and his father already had been told how it felt, many times before. There was nothing his father could do about how navis had to be diagnosed and their treatment for injury. Megaman could tolerate the minor scans, the replacements of parts on the PET, and even having his files and systems examined on the computer. It was a different thing that he hated the most. 

    Above all else, what the navi dreaded was having his data accessed and messed with by a person. It made the navi shudder, his discomfort showing up in the scan his father was doing. Yuichiro raised an eyebrow, a wary concern on his father’s face. 

    “Hub, are you doing okay?” Yuichiro asked.

    “…Could be better,” Megaman groaned. “Are we almost done yet?” 

    “No. We still have a long while left to go before we’re done with all the scans,” Yuichiro informed him. "At least another hour."

    Megaman whined. His systems bickered, the jabs and tugs showing up on the scan.

    “In a moment we’ll move onto the next one though,” Yuichiro smiled.

    “Good,” Megaman sighed.

    “It’s more invasive than this one, but once it’s over with I should be able to determine what the strange anomaly in your sleep records are,” Yuichiro said.

    “M— …What?” Megaman blinked at his father.

    “Hm? Didn’t you know?” Yuichiro hummed.

    "What anomaly? You never said there was anything wrong,” Megaman frowned.

    “Oh, it must’ve slipped my mind,” Yuichiro chuckled nervously.

    The navi felt his systems twist and contort, readings showing on his father’s monitor. They squirmed at the invasion from the scan.

    “Actually… I had been wanting to talk to you about something regarding that…” the navi refused to make eye contact, his gaze darting around the SciLab office cyberspace.

    “So you knew about it?” his father’s face adopted a curious expression.

    Megaman nodded. “I was afraid to tell you.”

    “Afraid to tell me? Why?” Yuichiro seemed offended.

    The navi’s systems lurched with anxiety, his father glancing at the readings on the monitor before giving an apologetic gaze to his son. 

    “I—… I didn’t want you to take me away from Lan,” Megaman informed him. “Yeouch—!” 

    Megaman couldn’t help but yelp at the sudden jerk of his systems from the scan invading his mind. He bristled, the prickling numbness in his thoughts drowning out whatever his father was saying until the scan was over. When the navi came to, he was dizzy and wretched, sticking out his tongue from the sensation. Oh, I hate that feeling SO much.

    “Hub?” Yuichiro tapped his keyboard to get Megaman’s attention. 

    “Huh? What did you just say?” Megaman raised a hand to the side of his helmet, trying to quell the ache in his thoughts through the gesture wouldn’t be of any help.

    The navi looked to his father in confusion, having no recollection of the past minute or so.

    “I said I would never dream of such things. The only reason I would ever take you away from Lan is because he was hurting you or threatened your safety,” Yuichiro frowned.

    Megaman knew the unspoken other reasons. Or if I hurt Lan or threaten HIS safety. The navi feared whether this would fall in those categories.

    “Do you think it’s reason for me to take you away?” Yuichiro said, typing something else into the computer.

    “I don’t think so… but it has to do with me… being Hub,” Megaman gulped, tensing as he looked at his father.

    Yuichiro paused, his eyes wide and his focus shifted entirely onto the navi. 

    “Yo-You see… I’ve been sort of… slipping out of the PET sometimes,” Megaman informed his father.

    “What do you mean, ‘slipping out?’” his father hummed in curiosity. "I need you to use your big-boy words, Hub."

    The navi took a deep breath, readying himself for revealing the information. It’s better if I get the chance to explain this rather than him finding out on his own. Something inside him whined and cowered.

    “As in… I’ve been finding myself standing in his room, and… able to touch things,” Megaman admitted. “Able to interact with the world outside the net…”

    His father hummed, leaning back in his chair as he fiddled with his pencil and clipboard, a look of deep concern growing on his face as he stared at the navi.

    “Did you hurt him the night before the party?” Yuichiro asked. 

    “That gets into another thing you’re not going to like…” Megaman sighed.

    “Well, spit it out, Hub. We haven’t got all day,” his father frowned.

    Megaman could feel his systems complaining as his father looked at him with disdain.

    “Lan has HBD,” Megaman tensed. “I had to resuscitate him after he stopped breathing from an attack in his sleep.”

    His father dropped the pencil, the clipboard on his lap sliding off onto the floor. Yuichiro was in shock. 

    “But I thought—…” Yuichiro muttered.

    “He—…” the navi found tears pouring from his eyes. “I thought he wasn’t going to make it, papa.”

    Megaman sobbed, covering his face with his hands. Saying it out loud made it feel so much worse. Speaking those words had forced him to acknowledge the reality of the situation, which was that his brother had the same chronic condition that he had suffered from… the same one that caused his own death. It was horrible. It was the last thing he wanted for Lan.

    “Shhh, shhhhh… It’s okay, Hub. I’m glad you were there,” Yuichiro smiled gently in an attempt to comfort the navi, though his eyes still showed immense pain. “Thanks to you, I still have both my sons.”

    The navi took deep breaths as he wiped his eyes, sniffing and trying to restore calmness to his systems. 

    “Let’s get that second scan going and then you can tell me about more of this. I want to make sure this… ‘slipping out of the PET’, as you called it, isn’t hurting you, and then we’ll talk about what to do about Lan,” Yuichiro typed on his keyboard, pulling something up.

    “Please give me a moment, papa,” the navi trembled. “I don’t like these scans.”

    His father sighed, rolling his chair away from his desk to pick up his clipboard. “You never have.”

    The navi continued to cry, his attempts at calming down doing little to stop his tears. He was scared of how the next scan would feel and scared for his brother, his emotions overwhelming him.

    “Are you ready yet?” Yuichiro asked.

    Megaman shrugged. “How invasive is it?” 

    “It’s… I don’t think it’s the worst you’ve ever had, but you probably won’t enjoy it... not that you ever do enjoy a scan. I have to scan your sleep functions and your personality program thoroughly as they were the main culprits of it, but you’ll be awake for the only the later scan,” Yuichiro tried to reassure Megaman.

    The navi breathed harshly, anxiety twisting and jabbing at his systems. That doesn't sound pleasant. 

    “Ju-Just get it over with!” the navi said, cowering as he prepared for the start of the scan.

    His father hit the enter key on his keyboard. In less than a moment, the navi felt something invade his systems, triggering his sleep functions. The world fell away and at first it was like nothing was happening, but then… The rush of excruciating pain assaulted his processing system, waking him up. His eyes flew open but he couldn’t scream as much as his systems cried out. It was silent in the room, nothing telling of the navi’s pain. 

    The scan crept into his personality program, the pain somehow getting worse as it split him apart, contorting his mind and making his processing program shriek. Had his frame been able to move aside from his eyes, he would’ve been convulsing from the sensation. I can do this. All I have to do was deal with this one last scan for now. Then I can go home and see Lan. Right?

    Please just make it stop. As the scan dug deeper into himself, the navi found himself struggling to remain aware of anything other than the pain. His identity wavered, any emotions he felt becoming jumbled and unable to read. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this… The minutes dragged on, feeling like an eternity.

    Am I really okay with this? Megaman found himself unable to answer yes or no, all he knew was this was no pain a human felt. It dragged through him, sinking its claws into Hub. This is no pain any human should feel. Is it even pain? The words to describe it were lost on him. 

    He found his personality program to be reacting violently about the scan. Hub doesn’t like this. It’s hurting him. I can do this. I can do this. I can’t do this. I CAN’T DO THIS.

    Before he knew what he was doing, Megaman found himself fighting the scan. The clawing sensation was only made worse by his struggling, making the navi’s systems cry out. His eyes began to water, the virtual gag in his throat from the freeze of his frame preventing the navi from screaming out for help. The navi couldn’t send commands or open any tabs. His systems writhed, wishing for the pain to end as he fought harder and harder against it. 

    The scan stuttered. Megaman couldn’t take it anymore. Please stop. His personality program pushed back against the scan and the restraints of his frame. It stretched and twisted his consciousness, nausea from the strain flooding his thoughts. Everything started to become blocky and hazy. HELP. HELP ME. PLEASE. Stop doing this to me! PLEASE STOP THIS, PAPA!

    He was no longer certain how much time had passed, his thoughts spasming and fizzling as his consciousness contorted around the scan, the computer looking deep into his systems. HELP ME, LAN! Awareness of himself faded away to lines of code, simple yes and no, growing uncertain of his own intentions. Thoughts turned to static, a sickening sensation passing through his entire being.

    As the scan came to a halt, finalizing the data, Megaman’s frame jolted back to life, a blood-curdling scream exiting his throat and playing through the speakers of his father’s computer. 

    The navi grasped at his frame, holding the emblem on his chest gingerly as he tried to nurse the pain in his systems. Nothing he could do would help such a pain.

    “Ow— WHAT THE HE-ck—!” Yuichiro yelped, spilling his hot coffee all over the front of himself as he bolted out of his chair across the room and over to his desk.

    Megaman cried, continuing to scream in pain.

    “I’m sorry dad! It hurts! It hurts too much!” the navi sobbed. “It hurt me, papa!” 

    Yuichiro panicked, typing something into the computer at a dizzying speed.

    “It’s okay, Hub!” Yuichiro said. “It’s okay! It’s all over. Thank you for letting me know.” 

    Megaman screamed once again, the pain too much for him to bear. The navi fell to his knees, sitting on the cyberfloor as his frame wracked with shivers and tremors. He was gasping and coughing, wheezing as every breath stung. He felt something on his father’s computer connect to his systems, startling Megaman.

    “I’m just checking you over,” Yuichiro said gently.

    “No more scans,” Megaman pleaded. “Please, no more.”

    The navi whined and screamed, every little movement sending jolts of pain through himself. 

    “I’m not running another scan. I’m just figuring out how I can help you,” Yuichiro insisted.

    Suddenly there was someone pounding on his lab door.

    “Dr. Hikari! Are you working on torture devices for navis or something!?” his coworker shouted from outside his door.

    “Shhh, shhh, Megaman,” Yuichiro whispered. “I’ll be back in just a moment.”

    His father turned dashing towards the door and answering it all while Megaman continued screaming in the background.

    “How can I help you all?” Yuichiro opened the door and glanced over the crowd that had gathered in his lonely hallway.

    “Aw, it’s Megaman again isn’t it?” his coworker groaned. “Guys, it’s just Megaman!” 

    A handful of murmurs, grumbles, and sighs could be heard from the hallway.

    “Megaman!? Really? That navi again!?” another coworker of Dr. Hikari exclaimed in the hall.

    Yuichiro’s brow twitched, grumbling under his breath.

    “I knew it sounded familiar,” the coworker behind the guy who knocked rolled her eyes.

    “I’m sorry. If I could please return to my work, I assure you his screams will stop then,” Yuichiro wiped his face of the coffee he’d spilt earlier with his hand, shaking it off onto the floor.

    “Dr. Hikari, warn us next time you bring that thing into work. Maybe then I can leave before all this starts,” his coworker walked away from the door. “We put up with it for 7 years and then when that navi is finally gone he just keeps bringing it back!”

    Yuichiro sighed as he closed his office door, walking back over to his desk where Megaman was still writhing in pain. The navi gasped as he clutched his chest emblem, any physical input sending droves of pain through his processors though it was all he could do to quell the stinging in his systems.

    “I’m sorry, papa,” Megaman’s breath hitched, tears streaming down his face.

    “Nono. Don’t be sorry. I never know how your systems are going to react to testing, though I know you don’t like scans,” Yuichiro tapped away on his keyboard, opening up tabs and checking the information he had from previous scans. 

    Please help. Megaman’s frame spasmed, the unfriendly movements causing him to scream loudly. The shrill in his voice cut through any thoughts Yuichiro had, the research director covering his ears from the sound. In a split-second decision, the navi’s father lowered the volume of his computer, though it didn’t help much.

    “I’m sorry, Hub,” Yuichiro frowned. 

    “OW!” Megaman whined and screamed, resting his head against the cyberfloor as he felt nauseated.

    “Tell me what’s wrong,” Yuichiro said, concern flooding his eyes.

    “Paaaain! IT HURTS,” Megaman screamed. “ITS TOO MUCH PAIN!”

    “I need a little more information, Hub. Where does it hurt?” Yuichiro asked.

    “In myself! Me!” Megaman informed him.

    The navi’s programs reeled, his processors overwhelmed, and his systems screamed. Something was wrong with his personality program.

    “What do you mean?” Yuichiro wasn’t understanding.” What is ‘me?’”

    “My personality progra—OW!” the navi flinched. 

    Yuichiro was puzzled. It wasn’t a physical pain, though it was presenting similar to one. A navi’s programs were connected to the frame, but they were always more of a separate network of documents and code than a physical part of a navi. Their data could be interacted with in the physical sense by a navi manipulating the program as a whole or deleted through damage, but the data never hurt. 

    He had never asked Megaman much about what kind of pain it was, only if he was in pain. Who would even consider that a program could hurt? Such an idea would be widely considered preposterous. 

    “Hub, what kind of pain is it? Mental or physical?” Yuichiro asked.

    “My systems ache! They sting!” Megaman responded. 

    “I don’t understand how your systems can ache… or feel pain…” Yuichiro grumbled to himself.

    He didn’t know what to do. Megaman was presenting a gap in his understanding of netnavis. The navi was very obviously in terrible pain, but Yuichiro didn’t understand it. How could he heal something when he doesn’t even know what exactly is in need of healing or how to? The simulated pain a netnavi felt could be tackled with a recovery program, but this was different somehow. Could anything be done about it?

    “It feels like I’ve been stabbed with hundreds of knives in my chest, except in my personality program, not in my frame,” Megaman continued to cry.

    “But Hub, your programs and systems don’t have pain receptors or anything to even signal that. How are they feeling pain?” Yuichiro said. “How do you know that they are?”

    “I don’t know! OWHAOW—! GAH—” Megaman clutched his stomach, the room starting to spin in his vision.

    “I need you to try to describe it to me,” Yuichiro furiously looked through the readings on his computer from previous scans, trying to understand what was happening to his son. 

    The sound of his father’s typing hurt.

    “Please just make it stop!” the navi was trembling, unable to focus on what he was seeing from the overwhelming input he was processing as pain.

    As if his father’s computer became possessed, the entire system began making noise, his screen flashing and windows opening and closing rapidly. Anything Yuichiro had pulled up was wiped off his screen. A text box opened up in the center of the main monitor, staying amidst the chaos. A countless number of the phrase “IT HURTS” filling the window at an alarming rate, the navi’s screaming getting louder and more agitated in the background. Yuichiro was stunned, having not expected such a violent response. 

    “Hub, please. I can’t help if I don’t know what pain you’re feeling,” Yuichiro pleaded, his fingers hovering over his keyboard. “Please give me back control of my computer and just try to explain as best you can.”

    All of the windows Yuichiro had previously pulled up returned, plus a few, and the text box cleared itself as the navi gasped for air. Within a fraction of a second, the blank text box was filled with information, the text garbled and the box itself glitching in a way that made it hard to read. He was starting to doubt if Hub could explain it in a way he would understand.

    “Do you want me to put you in sleep mode?” Yuichiro asked, not wanting his son to suffer while he did research.

    Megaman nodded, the navi’s breath hitching in his throat once more as he desperately tried to cease the pain. 

    “Alright,” his father entered a command on the screen.

    Yuichiro pressed enter… and nothing happened. The navi was still awake. Megaman could feel sleep mode trying to engage, pestering his processing system, but the command wouldn’t go through.

    “Uh… Hub?” his father hit the key a few more times. 

    It still didn’t work. Megaman’s personality program continued to lash out, getting more desperate for the pain to cease. Please make it stop. How do we make it stop? Stop. Stop. STOP! 

    His father was panicking in a way the navi had never seen before, terror filling Yuichiro’s eyes as he brought the information Megaman was processing to the front of his screen. It said there was an error with his personality program, but that was like a blip by a roaring waterfall of distress warnings. No wonder he doesn't feel like talking.

    The pain was unlabeled and indeed originating from his personality program, but not just the program as a whole— it seemed to be coming from the very information that made it up. It was coming from the very make up of his son, Hub. To someone who didn’t know how Megaman was made, it likely would’ve been disregarded as an error in his processing system and left at that. Pain was not supposed to come from lines of code, and this pain wasn’t even labeled as pain, as if his systems didn’t know what it was at all.

    Perhaps it’s more of an abstract pain as the information is missing any sort of label as to what exactly Megaman is experiencing? Is it simply a side effect of being a person in a computer? Either way, such a thing was new to Yuichiro and he wasn’t sure how to solve it. The researcher in him was tempted to do more testing around the subject, but his parental instincts told him no. Such a thing would be unacceptable to do to his son. 

    The screaming persisted, and he was still unsure how to solve the problem or put his son at ease. Recovery programs mainly just recover data, and as far as I can tell, nothing is missing... Yuichiro clicked on the error message and opened it up, his computer getting assaulted by unintelligible text, covering his monitor’s screen and infecting the rest of his displays as if it had been infested with a virus. The screen flashed and made Yuichiro jump. The message wasn’t even in English— or any language he knew of for that matter. 

    His printer started going haywire, spewing paper with ink dotted on it in seemingly random places, the disk drive spitting out the disk that was in it, all while alarming noises came from the device. Yuichiro backed up from the computer as he was assaulted in the chest by the disk flying out of the drive, stumbling as he saw the PET lighting up in an array of glitches and strange text as well. Perhaps I am not meant to know… This made the violent reaction earlier look like a slap on the wrist. 

    As suddenly as the outburst began, it ceased, the room going completely silent aside from a few whirrs of his computer as it returned to normal. Megaman had passed out from the overwhelming input, unable to take it anymore. His systems had crashed, forcing him offline. The navi’s unconscious frame laid on the cyberfloor of Yuichiro’s computer, still and unmoving.

    Yuichiro was hesitant to step closer to his computer, the error still showing, though it was blank. My wife is going to kill me if I don’t fix this. Yuichiro gulped, staring at the screen. I’ll have to do what I can for now.

    He opened up Megaman’s systems and examined them. Where is it? Cross referencing the input from earlier, as well as the documentation from previous scans, he attempted to find the code responsible for making the navi feel pain. It has to be somewhere…

    Come on… Sifting through so much information was taxing, though knowing it was from Hub’s personality program narrowed down the possible culprits. I can’t make it stop if I don’t know what it is… What if I just change how his processing programs process it? That might work… if I’m lucky. In a change of plans, Yuichiro opened a tab and started putting together a patch that would re-label this mysterious “pain” as something else. The pain had no real label, and how do you designate something without a label? 

    Yuichiro grumbled under his breath, wracking his thoughts as he hastily put something together. I don’t like doing this… this is messing with my son’s emotions, but I don’t want my son to be in pain. He continued typing despite the ethical concerns. I’ve played god before, this is nothing in comparison. 

    What do I reassign it as? Dr. Hikari pulled out his notes, dusty and crinkled from years of use. The paper itself was discolored in some places. Hmmm… Would a generally positive emotional state be too much of a jump? There were many concerns that came along with reconfiguring a navi’s sensory input perception. 

    Yuichiro ran his eyes over the list, humming and tapping his fingers. Eventually, he decided to mesh something together, the concept of what exactly the scan did to the one-of-a-kind navi still not making much sense in his mind. I hope I’ve interpreted this correctly… Finalizing his decision, the patch was completed. 

    He sighed, applying the patch to Megaman’s systems, anxiously watching the progress bar as it slowly moved. It felt like hours watching it progress across the small window, though it was maybe fifteen minutes at most. Please work… Yuichiro carefully pressed a few keys on his keyboard and initiated a reboot of the navi. I’ll have to finish that different way to scan him so this doesn’t keep happening.

    "Rebooting… Megaman.EXE 

… please wait."

    The navi’s frame was brought back to the normal upright position on his feet as the computer restored his systems from the crash. 

    “Megaman? Are you alright?” Yuichiro asked. 

    The navi stirred, raising his hands to his frame’s chest emblem again. 

    “Ugh—…” Megaman groaned. 

    It feels like the room is spinning… The navi stumbled. An icky feeling filled his sense of self, making him gag. Someone’s been messing with me… 

    “Hub?” Yuichiro’s attention was locked on his son. 

    The navi buffered, confusion filling Megaman’s features. Wait… that doesn’t feel like that… why does it feel—… What???

    “Hey… Hub,” Yuichiro spammed keys on his keyboard to get the navi’s attention. “Look at me.”

    The navi was still trying to process his confusion, lazily looking around. I feel weird… 

    “Look at me, Hub,” his father tapped on the keyboard again.

    “Hm?” Megaman said, his tired gaze resting on his father.

    “Hub, do you feel alright?” Yuichiro’s hands shook with fear.

    What? Where am I? What’s going on? The navi was still reorienting himself. I feel strange. 

    “Dad?” Megaman spoke slowly. “What happened?”

    That doesn’t feel like that, so why does it? Aren’t I in pain? My personality program is still—… I still am getting overwhelmed with feedback. Megaman stumbled, sitting down on the cyberfloor. The navi’s short term memory had been damaged from the sudden crash, recollection of the few minutes just before hand hazy and uncertain.

    “You crashed and I had to reboot you. I added a patch to your systems while you were out,” Yuichiro explained.

    “Huh?” the navi had a distant look in his eyes. “What kind of patch?”

    That explains why I feel so strange… Megaman shook his head in an attempt to re-center himself.

    “You should be able to tell for yourself what I changed,” Yuichiro insisted. “You aren’t screaming, so I guess it must’ve been successful.”

    The navi snapped out of his daze, patting over his frame while he held an expression of offense and disgust on his face. He desperately tried to brush something off of his frame, though nothing was there, clawing at the model.

    “Eeeghhh! I don’t know what this is, but I am not used to that,” Megaman’s eyes were wide as he stared at his frame, scanning over it, the re-routed processing making an odd crossover between his programming, systems, and frame’s input. 

    The navi dug his fingers into his frame, trying to make the odd sensation go away. It felt like a subtle pressure all over him, though the presence was more intense in his thoughts. Something weird was happening with the input from the camera as well, the light levels poking him and pestering his digital extremities.

    “I’m not surprised. Hopefully it’s better than the pain,” Yuichiro smiled gently.

    “It’s… not bad,” Megaman replied. 

    I don’t know if I’d describe it as “better”… It still hurts some… The navi could feel pain prickling the back of his thoughts despite his consciousness being deceived, and the odd rerouting of input was annoying. It was as if the taste of something like watery orange juice lingered in the back of his mind, making the navi reflexively shake his head as his programs convulsed. DISGUSTING!!! I HATE THIS TOO!

    “Just promise me you’ll tell me if the patch starts making you sick,” Yuichiro said sternly. “I can always restrain its use to SciLabs if necessary.”

    Megaman nodded, looking at his hands. The navi stuck out his tongue in disgust again, eyes wide and distracted by his own internal senses. I hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, HATE IT—

    “What did you find out from the scans?” the navi asked, still clawing at his frame in an attempt to dig the uncomfortable pokes and static out of it.

    “Oh, right,” Yuichiro turned his attention to his clipboard.

    Please be nothing serious… The navi could only hope. AND FOR THE LOVE OF— RAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Megaman began to get angry at the uncomfortable feelings tormenting his sense of self.

    “It doesn’t appear to be damaging… also, looking over your records I noticed it only occurs when there’s a recovery program running. It’s almost as if the computer is trying to recover your original body when it reads your personality program,” Yuichiro explained. “Otherwise, it’s doing nothing to harm you and appears to just be a side effect of… being you.”

    Megaman sighed in relief, his hand grasping the emblem on his chest. It’s okay… I really hate how that patch feels still. I don't know how much longer I can put up with it...

    “What’s this about Lan possibly having HBD though?” Yuichiro turned his attention back to Megaman.

    The mention of HBD made the navi’s already struggling systems panic and thrash, sending all sorts of odd sensations through his processing system. UWAAHGHAHAHA—! WHAT THE HELL— Megaman shuddered, his eyes wide with surprise. The complaints from his systems were now being processed as physical sensations, sending an array of displeasing signals through his mind. DON'T LIKE THAT—... I DON'T LIKE THAT AT ALL!

    “You alright, Hub?” Yuichiro raised an eyebrow.

    “Yeah… Yeah… I’m ok,” the navi took a deep breath.

    Maybe I’ll get used to it… It’s just a small patch. How bad could it be? Megaman tried to remain calm.

    “I know he has it. He hides it,” Megaman informed him. “When he feels an attack coming on, he hides in his room.”

    Yuichiro frowned, tensing and looking at his son’s PET.

    “I see…” Yuichiro mumbled.

    “He’s been living his whole life thinking it was normal,” Megaman sighed. 

    “We should get him professionally diagnosed,” Yuichiro stated. “You know how deadly it can be, and no one will be looking to help him when he needs it if they don’t know.”

    “Please don’t tell everyone,” Megaman pleaded, scratching at the arms of his frame.

    His father raised an eyebrow.

    “Why? His friends and classmates will need to help him if he has an attack,” Yuichiro pulled up Hub’s documents on his computer.

    “I know, but there are treatments now. I’d like for him to live a life without being fussed over like a baby,” Megaman insisted. “He usually is fine, and I’m always with him now anyway.”

    I SWEAR IF THIS DOESN'T GO AWAY— The navi stared at his gloves, nearly tempted to start trying to bite the feeling off. 

    His father sighed, rubbing his forehead. “We’ll discuss it more later, but we’ll have the hospital test Lan for it later this week.”

    “Why not tomorrow?” the navi looked at the documents Yuichiro had pulled up, sadness washing over himself and making his personality program wince.

    The response from his systems made Megaman jolt in surprise.

    “… What makes you think he needs to be checked so soon?” his father seemed surprised.

    “I want us to be prepared,” Megaman pressed the issue. “Once he’s diagnosed, he can take medication for it to decrease the frequency of attacks and lessen them.”

    And I don’t want him to die. The navi felt a twinge in his systems, tears threatening to fill his eyes as a prickling sensation spread across his chest. I shouldn’t be wanting anything, but if I must commit such a betrayal of my navi systems, it should be for the wellbeing of my operator. I don’t want Lan to die and he is dying.

Chapter Text

    “Are you okay, Megaman?” Lan asked.

    The navi tried his best to smile. “Yeah. I’m just a little tired after all those tests earlier today.” 

    Megaman’s navi systems complained at him for lying, sending all sorts of weird signals through him.

    “Dad did keep you for a long time today… was something wrong?” Lan frowned.

    The boy stared at the screen of his PET while sat at the desk in his room. The sun was setting, the golden rays painting his face.

    “I just needed to have a patch installed. Nothing too serious,” Megaman laughed nervously.

    These weird feelings in my systems and my frame just won’t go away because of it though… The experience he had defined as his “normal” was now changed into something else. Every tug and poke of his systems was now translated into something entirely different and re-labeled before being fed into his sense of being and consciousness. Everything was far more concrete in a sense, but it made it confusing to tell what was from his systems and what was from around him. It turned the feelings he had between parts of his self into emotions, smells, tastes, and textures.

    “Alright!” Lan smiled. “How about some netbattles then!? We need to up our win ratio if we want to qualify for the N1 Grand Prix!”

    “Sure, Lan!” Megaman responded.

    Surely I can manage a few… right? The navi found himself not having much time to question it as Lan jacked him into his PC and sent him off to the net. Ugh, this feels even worse out on the net… The prickling sensation all over his frame fed off of the input his personality program received from the bright colors and stray data as he connected to the servers Lan usually netbattled on. As soon as Megaman materialized on the server, he already knew he just wanted to leave and return to the PET. All the visual input made the feelings worse. 

    “I dunno if anyone’s up to our skill levels, Lan,” Megaman chuckled, though he was trying to convince Lan to jack out without saying so. 

    This is what my operator wants. There’s nothing wrong with him wanting this, and if he does get diagnosed with HBD… The navi sighed, looking around for a navi waiting for an opponent. It seemed he wouldn’t have to do much looking as an out-of-the-box yellow navi came up to him and challenged him to a battle. 

    “Alright! You’re on!” Megaman exclaimed.

    As much as I hate this feeling, I need to make this enjoyable for Lan. He deserves to have some fun before being condemned to that life. Megaman toggled his battle mask, readying his stance. The yellow navi backed away to the regulation distance and readied themself, clearly more experienced in netbattles than was let on by its appearance. The words “Battle Start” appearing on the floor signaled the start of the battle.

    “Mini boomer, battlechip in! Download!” Lan shouted.

    Megaman’s eyes widened as he felt the chip data getting received by his systems. Okay… a little weird, but not too bad… He quickly threw the spherical bomb in his hand at his opponent, the yellow navi jumping out of the way just before the object hit the cyber floor. 

    “Not bad,” Megaman commented before raising his right arm to point at the yellow navi. “Megabuster!” 

    His lower arm began to change into his built-in weapon of choice, but Megaman found himself yelping in surprise as he felt his frame shift around. That didn’t used to feel like that! He fired anyway, ignoring the weird sensation. The feeling made Megaman begin to recall his days in navi training for netbattling. Knowing Lan’s love of the game, Yuichiro insisted upon Hub training for two years before he would be allowed to be Lan’s netnavi. 

    It took months for him to adjust to the megabuster toggle. Once it was added, there were times Hub had accidentally toggled it, the odd feeling of his arm contorting and bending in inhuman ways making Hub feel very uncomfortable. It was disturbing to watch your body bend like that, even if it was just a digital model. Back in those days, nearly four years ago now… 

    “Hub, your arm is fine. You can return it to normal by just using the toggle function,” Yuichiro explained, a worried expression dawning his face as he stared at the navi.

    Megaman was freaking out, flailing his arm around and crying while refusing to look at it. 

    “Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!-“ the navi shouted, searching for the toggle in his systems.

    The movement combined with Megaman using the wrong toggle caused the blaster to fire a few times, the navi screaming in fright and eyes wide with tears. 

    “Navi out of control. Restraining navi. Navi out of control,” the assistant programs in Yuichiro’s computer alerted as they began chasing Megaman.

    “AaaaaAAAAAAA! Turn it off!” Megaman shouted, running away. 

    “The other toggle! Use the other one!” Yuichiro shouted in panic.

    “REEEEEEEAAAAAH-!” Megaman shouted, bristling and freezing up as he finally toggled the megabuster off. 

    The feeling made him shiver, his teeth gritted as he stared at his arm in disgust. Because of his distraction, the assistant programs had caught up to him and tackled him, restraining him by holding the navi by his digital extremities in the air. 

    “Let me go!” Megaman shouted, trying to pull his arms and legs out of the restraints they were in. 

    I hate this! I hate this so much! The navi’s personality program trembled.

    “I’ll have them let you go but promise me you’ll stop flailing that weapon around. You’re going to damage the computer,” Yuichiro explained.

    I didn’t do it on purpose! The navi looked at his father with guilt. Please don’t make me do this again!

    Megaman sniffled, his eyes watery. “Wahaha-! Netbattling is hard!”

    “I know. We’re taking it slow,” Yuichiro sighed.

    "Please don't make me keep doing this," Megaman frowned.

    "You still want to be Lan's netnavi, right?" Yuichiro raised an eyebrow.

    The young navi nodded. "Of course..."

    Yuichiro took a deep breath, looking at Megaman with an odd sadness in his eyes.

    “Promise me you will be more careful with the megabuster, okay?” Yuichiro said calmly.

    “Okay…” the navi continued to cry, sniffing and sobbing as he was released and set back on the cyberfloor.

    Refusing to look Yuichiro in the eye, he curled up into a ball, closing off the rest of the world as much as he could. I want to be in my folder again.

    “I’m sorry, papa…” Megaman apologized.

    “Nono, you’re fine. You’re doing great, Megaman,” Yuichiro smiled gently.

    “Really?” Megaman peeked out from behind his knees.

    “Yes. Every great warrior starts off not knowing how to use their weapons! That’s what learning is for,” Yuichiro insisted. 

    Now, in his current situation, Megaman was glad he had acclimated himself to the net over the years. The yellow netnavi he was battling easily dodged his ranged attacks, firing back with their own. Megaman was very experienced in ranged battle, having a range weapon of choice, but clearly whoever this was had nearly as much experience as he did if not more so. 

    “Cyber sword, battlechip in! Download!” Lan shouted, inserting the chip.

    “Ga-hah-!” Megaman shouted in alarm.

    A jarring sensation in his frame from the chip data as it began to change his arm was enough to make Megaman distracted, leaving him vulnerable. The yellow navi took the moment of advantage and hit Megaman with a spreader chip. It threw Megaman to the cyberfloor.

    “Megaman! Are you alright!?” Lan exclaimed.

    “Mmmnnn-…yeah...” his navi groaned in pain, getting up.

    I definitely need dad to remove this patch! The data of receiving damage had come through as normal, but the pain… it no longer was registering as pain. His normal feelings of pain, the feeling of actual pain not just data, was being replaced by happiness, of all things. That is NOT how I should feel about this! It was disturbing. His father’s heart was in the right place, but he couldn’t battle like this!

    I need to end this… quick… Megaman’s eyes locked onto the navi and he rushed towards them, the yellow navi panicking and trying to run. Not well versed in close-combat, eh? Just as Megaman brought the cyber sword down on them, the yellow navi released a Hi-canon chip shot, straight to Megaman’s shoulder, point blank. The force was enough to send Megaman flying, though the yellow navi was logged out from the damage they sustained themself. 

    The feeling of joy, happiness, elation, or whatever you may wish to call it, filled Megaman’s systems, flooding his sense of self and thoughts as his programs poked and signaled one another. You know what? Maybe this isn’t so bad… There had been significant damage done to his frame, and yet he found himself smiling uncontrollably, just relishing in the joy of battle as he breathed harshly.

    “Jack out, Megaman!” Lan returned him to the PET.

    “What’d you do that for?” the navi raised an eyebrow.

    “What do you mean!? You’re hurt!” Lan shouted.

    Megaman turned to look at his left shoulder, the view of leaking data startling him. That would hurt a lot… but I feel no pain… only joy from spending time with Lan… I wish it was always like this… The navi raised his right hand to cover the tear in his frame. No… I should go back to the way I was before. It’s better that way. This is just weird.

    “When’s my next appointment with Dr. Hikari again?” Megaman asked nervously.

    “A week before the N1. Why?” Lan asked.

    “Oh… Uh… Well… I think something is up with the patch your dad gave me,” Megaman looked away from his operator.

    “What do you mean? Do you want me to remove it?” Lan asked, already reaching for his keyboard.

    Megaman’s personality program squealed and cowered. Absolutely not! The thought of Lan rooting around in his files was not something he wanted to have come to fruition. 

    “NO! No. No… I’m sure I can tolerate it for the next two weeks. Maybe just cut back on the netbattles until then…” Megaman insisted.

    I can barely tolerate dad messing with my files when absolutely necessary, there’s no way I’m letting you mess with them. The navi bristled. I’ve seen what you do to your computer. Leave me out of it!

    “We still need to raise our win ratio by a whole point though, Megaman!” Lan groaned.

    “Let’s plan to do that this weekend then! For now, I need to get this repaired!” Megaman laughed as he gestured to his shoulder.

    “You’re right. You are acting weird,” Lan pouted.

    Oh not this again-… The navi felt frustration bubble up within himself.

    The navi chuckled nervously. “Your father managed to reroute my frame’s sensory inputs somehow…”

    “PFFFT- how on earth did he manage that!?” Lan snickered. “Just don’t get all weird about it!”

    His net op’s face started turning red as Lan glanced away from the PET screen.

    “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean!?” Megaman scowled.

    “I don’t want you smiling all giddy like you were while we’re battling all the time! It gives people the wrong idea!” Lan exclaimed, refusing to look Megaman in the eye.

    The navi tensed, his eyes flying wide and the face of his frame flushing pink at his operator’s words. 

    “You’re the only one who was thinking that, LAN!” Megaman shouted back. “GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!”

    Lan reeled back, nearly knocking his chair over. The navi turned around and looked away in a huff as his systems scrambled to generate an appropriate response to the situation, his personality program spasming and desperately wanting to just hide from his operator. Megaman stuck out his tongue in disgust at the sensation. Lan pouted, staring at the navi who was silent for a brief moment before speaking again.

    “My face wasn't that weird… was it?” Megaman asked, glancing at his operator.

    “It- uh… It was hard to see,” Lan looked away.

    “It did look weird, didn’t it! Aagh!” the navi covered his face in embarrassment.

    His personality program did backflips in his systems, fighting and squirming about against its confines. Every little blip of input from the turmoil between his systems sent waves of some kind of emotional or physical feedback through him, only making the situation worse. I don’t want to netbattle like this… it’s embarrassing.

    “I can have dad look at you tomorrow while I’m at the hospital,” Lan suggested.

    “You’re going to the hospital tomorrow?” Megaman asked.

    “Yeah, mom set me up an appointment shortly before I picked you up from SciLabs,” Lan explained. “I thought I told you.”

    The HBD diagnosis appointment… I should be with Lan for that. The navi hummed. I can last another day like this. It’s fine. 

    “IT’S NOT FINE, IT’S AWFUL,” his personality program complained. 

    But Lan needs me… The navi sighed. I’ll have dad fix it first thing after the appointment.

    “Nono. I’ll email dad about it tonight. What time is your appointment?” Megaman asked.

    “6:00AM…” Lan grumbled.

    “You should be getting to bed then! You don’t want to be late!” Megaman insisted.

    “Yeah…but I don’t really wanna go to the hospital… y’know?” Lan whined, playing with his hair.

    “That’s not an excuse, Lan. Make sure you’re on time for that appointment,” Megaman told him. “I know you don’t like hospitals, but you’ll hate it even more if you don’t get enough sleep.”

    His operator sighed, looking at the bed.

    “You’re right… and maybe Hub will be with me…” Lan smiled. 

    The buzz in his systems returned, filling the navi with genuine warmth and joy. Of course I’ll be with you. I always am.

    “Mhm! That’s the spirit, Lan!” Megaman beamed. “Now get some sleep.”

    Lan put the PET back on the charger and initiated the recovery program as he got out of his seat. He wasted no time in turning off the lights and climbing into bed, grabbing the blue blanket— Hub’s blanket —that he had left on his nightstand to snuggle up with it. 

    “Goodnight, Megaman!” Lan exclaimed with a smile.

    “Goodnight, Lan!” Megaman responded as he turned off the PET’s screen. 

    The navi quickly fell asleep, the familiar buzz gently humming around his systems in the background. It wasn’t long before the form he was beginning to grow more accustomed to with each passing night returned, standing in the middle of the room. The pain was sudden, sending waves of alarm through the spirit as he began to tremble. Though he didn’t need to breathe, Hub’s breath hitched in his throat, dizziness overtaking him. IT HURTS. 

    His gaze fell to his hands, odd lines and streaks peppering them. The same deformities and holes through his arms littered his spectral body, fizzling out at the edges and compressed into itself. Hub stumbled, falling to the floor as he grasped his body with fear. It was like his body was smudged with an eraser, hard to tell exactly what he was looking at in some places. However, by far the worst part of it was the blood.

    The deep crimson red oozed from Hub’s spirit, splattering on the floor with small drips and splotches. Papa… What have you done to me!? The pain persisted, the spirit whimpering and hissing in pain. All he could do to keep from screaming was dig what was left of his fingers into his chest, clawing and pulling at what remained. 

    Hub trembled as his gaze turned to Lan’s desk. Please… help… Coughing wracked the spirit as he grabbed the edge of Lan’s desk, forcing himself up from the floor. He reached towards Lan’s computer, clutching his throat and gasping for air. 

    I need something to fix this… I need to feed off of something. Electricity crackled through his fingers as his form began to contort and compress, fazing into the electronic device. Give me your power… It was easy to drag himself into the cyberspace of the net, the weight he felt in his lungs subsiding as he found himself on Lan’s homepage. 

    Hub raised a hand to his chest, feeling his cold, spectral skin. In front of his eyes, little bits of himself began to fall back into place, though the bleeding hadn’t ceased. I feel sick… How could I let this happen to myself?

    July 15th, Lan had decided to delve into the world of the supernatural, looking up information on Megaman’s worst fear. With so many contradictory stories and theories, it had become intriguing. The navi found his operator spiraling down a rabbit hole of questionable information and pseudoscience. 

    “Hey, Megaman? You done sifting through that document yet?” Lan asked, staring at the screen of his PET in the dark.

    It was well past his bedtime, and he should’ve been resting. He had his monitor switched off and the cord to the PET strung across his room so he could hide under his covers with it while surfing the net.

    “I don’t know how this is going to help. This information seems questionable and isn’t backed by any reputable sources,” Megaman muttered under his breath.

    “Well if it doesn’t work, I can actually find out!” Lan snickered. “I just want to make Hub happy. I mean, surely ghosts need things too.”

    The navi sighed, continuing to sift through the lengthy text. I still don’t think you should be messing with this, Lan. His personality program reeled in offense to some of the information he was processing.

    “So, what have you found so far?” Lan was already bored of waiting for answers. 

    “Well, your question was ‘what do ghosts need to live’, which is contradictory in the first place,” Megaman shuddered. “But I believe I found something that could help.”

    I doubt lots of this… Megaman frowned.

    “Sweet! Could you read it off to me?” Lan smiled.

    “Yes, Lan,” the navi pulled up the paragraphs of text on the PET so Lan could see. “Of all things that may cause a ghost, spirit, or entity to dwell in the world, it is largely assumed that they have unfinished business.”

    I don’t really have “unfinished business”… I had my consciousness and soul shoved into cyberspace by my father. The navi raised an eyebrow as he stared at the text. Does that mean I’m not a ghost? Am I technically alive??? Am I technically dead???

    “What most people don’t know is that these spirits are mindless, unable to accept their own death…” the navi frowned. “Ghosts are spirits that are attached to and desire their possessions from when they were alive, repeating actions they used to do frequently. Spirits with intelligence beyond their life before death are not ghosts, but rather entities of the world behind the veil. Entities are deceptive, dangerous, malicious, and often violent.”

    Hey, now wait just a minute! Megaman grumbled at the document before he looked to his operator, who was frowning just the same.

    “That doesn’t sound like Hub at all!” Lan whined.

    “What all these creatures from beyond the veil have in common is a desire for energy,” the navi continued. “Fear, the energy of the soul, and electricity are all things spirits can consume to gain more power.”

    “OHHHHH, is that what happened at the power plant?” Lan’s eyes sparkled with wonder.

    Megaman’s systems buffered, scrambling in a panic at Lan’s words. WHAT—

    “What do you mean?” the navi’s eyes were wide.

    “At the power plant. That was a lot of electricity that I saw,” Lan said, terror briefly filling his eyes. “Hub saved me from it. I saw him.”

    LAN, YOU WERE UNCONSCIOUS— The navi tensed.

    “What else does it say?” Lan continued.

    Megaman slowly turned his gaze back to the text, his eyes lingering on Lan with shock and worry. I’ll worry about that later…

    “Spirits are often attached to certain objects or people, and without these objects of attachment they can disappear… If they are injured, they may cease to exist in this world…” the navi read the text aloud. “Spirits are incredibly protective of their objects of attachment because of this.”

    I’m starting to doubt that I’m really a ghost. The navi bit the inside of his lip.

    “That kind of sounds like him,” Lan said.

    Megaman looked at his operator skeptically, tilting his head to the side slightly.

    “What do you mean?” Megaman asked.

    “He’s very protective of me,” Lan smiled. “Which I’m very thankful for.”

    The navi smiled in return, albeit giving a side-eyed glare to the text.

    “He’s not malicious, or unaware of himself though… he’s just Hub,” Lan continued to smile, lost in his own thoughts.

    “I think it might be best to apply what you already know about Hub and take the rest as possibility…” Megaman sighed.

    There was a good portion of information on the internet that now Hub knew with certainty was false, including many of the ramblings he had read off to Lan over the past few weeks. What he did know now is whatever that scan did to him was so damaging to his spirit that it lingered. Never again… Never again will I let him scan me like that.

    Hub continued to lay on the cyberfloor, reaching out to the computer and drawing more power to himself. How much can I take from the cyberworld before I start to lose touch with the human world? The thought of becoming permanently trapped— or even losing his sense of self —terrorized his mind. He looked over his hands, the strange smudges and lines having faded and disappeared. He no longer appeared as though he was an image printed with low ink, the feeling of power from the computer crackling through him. I'm already in here all day... 

    I don’t really belong in here… The thought rang through him, making him bristle. I don't belong on the net at all... but it's my home. Without it I wouldn't be... alive? something in between? The pain didn't truly cease, fading into the back of his mind for the time being though it remained. I want to be with Lan... I don't want to be permanently separated from him. Lan makes it worth it, despite the pain.

    Turning his attention to Lan, Hub fought his way out of Lan’s computer and back onto the floor of Lan’s room, the process of exiting the device pulling and squeezing his spirit in ways he wasn’t fond of. It felt like being squished by a press followed by pins and needles all over your body as it tried to find itself. Bleh—! 

    Once his arms had found their way into the human world, he pulled on the edge of Lan’s desk, yanking the rest of himself through. He found himself falling to the floor with a thud and an audible yelp. As he stood up and stumbled away from the desk, his eyes immediately fell on Lan’s sleeping body, Hub’s blanket clutched tight in Lan’s hands. The ghostly specter smiled, walking over to the side of his twin’s bed. You make this pain tolerable.

    “Lan…” Hub whispered. “Lan, wake up.”

    Lan’s eyes fluttered open, a smile adorning his face when he saw Hub’s. 

    “Hub!” Lan beamed, sitting up in his bed.

    Hub raised a finger to his mouth. “Shhhh…”

    The spirit used his other hand to ruffle Lan’s hair.

    “Oh, right. Hehe-…” Lan spoke with joy. 

    The room was dark with only a gentle backlit glow behind the spirit, the gentle patter of rain hitting the window filling the silence. 

    “So, what’s up? Usually, you don’t wake me on purpose,” Lan said with worry, rubbing his eyes as he was still groggy.

    The spirit tensed, chuckling nervously as he scratched his head. I don’t really want to tell you… His gaze flicked around the room, and he leaned towards Lan.

    “Everything is going to be okay,” Hub whispered in his ear. 

    “Is this about the hospital visit?” Lan asked.

    Hub nodded solemnly before crawling up onto the bed next to Lan. Suddenly, Lan’s attention was drawn to the dark splotches on Hub’s body, anxiety filling the living twin’s thoughts. 

    “Hub, is— Is that blood!?” Lan’s eyes were wide in fear as he cowered behind his blankets.

    The spirit looked down at himself, sure enough covered in patches of blood. I got so excited to see Lan I forgot about that… I forgot about the pain. The ache all over himself and the radiating sharp sensations throughout him were brought to his attention.

    “You’re not hurt, are you?!” Lan asked.

    Hub wiped off some of the blood with his hand, though it too was bloody and dripping still. “I’ll be fine.”

    "You are hurt... " Lan trembled as he reached his hand out, hesitating.

    Hub frowned, cowering away from his brother. It's not a big deal...

    "Let me see," Lan insisted. "I want to help you."

    Sighing, Hub gave in and sat down next to him on his bed, getting comfy. Despite being able to be seen, his voice wasn’t louder than a quiet whisper.

    "You can't heal me, Lan," Hub leaned over to his brother and whispered in Lan's ear.

    "Why not?" Lan asked. 

    "It just takes time," the spirit's voice was full of sorrow. 

    Hub looked away, grabbing the blankets on the bed and lifting them to make room for himself. The blood on his hands smeared and stained the fabric. 

    “Geez, you’re getting my sheets all bloody without a care like that? Rude,” Lan frowned.

    The spirit rolled his eyes at the comment. Not much I can do about it, and they already need to be washed. Once next to his brother, Hub laid down and burrowed under the blankets, and patted the surface of the sheets next to himself.

    “You want me to lay down next to you?” Lan whispered.

    Hub nodded in response, smiling eagerly.

    “You're... you're sure this is okay? Don't you think the blood is a problem?” Lan was hesitant, staring at the blood stains that now littered his bedding.  

    Well, there's not much I can do about the blood. I already tried to stop the bleeding and it didn't work. Hub stared dejectedly at Lan's pillow. 

    "Sorry..." Hub apologized. 

    Much to his surprise, he felt the mattress shift as Lan nestled himself under the covers once again. 

    "Eh, well... I think I already have some on me anyway..." Lan sighed, closing his eyes as he rested his head on the pillow. 

    He soon felt the familiar feeling of Hub stroking his hair, soothing his anxious thoughts.

    “Please don’t go away…” Lan reached out his hand towards Hub. 

    To his and Hub’s surprise, it made contact. Lan’s eyes flew open, staring at where his hand rested against his brother’s chest. The familiar sensation of a heartbeat was missing, the spirit cool to the touch.

    “Don’t worry. I’m here to stay,” Hub smiled. “I’m always with you.”

    Lan was quiet, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

    “What’s wrong?” Hub asked, though Lan could barely hear him.

    “When we were little and I was scared… you did this to make me feel better,” Lan said. “But… I’m not really scared right now.”

    Hub’s smile fell as he placed his hand over Lan’s. 

    “Are you scared?” Lan asked.

    “Lan…” Hub clutched Lan’s hand tighter, tears falling from his eyes onto the sheets. “Be strong for me. Okay?” 

    “Why? What’s going to happen?” Lan looked at his hand clutched by his brother’s. “Why are you worried? Is this about the blood? Did something happen to you?”

    Hub was quiet, merely taking his hand that had previously grasped Lan’s and placing it on Lan’s chest. I can’t burden you with that… not yet… The spirit sighed, unable to make eye contact.

    Suddenly, Lan grabbed his arm and pulled Hub close, squeezing his brother and burrowing his face into Hub’s torso despite the spirit being a bloody mess. The spirit was surprised, mouth agape from the sudden yank of Lan pulling him across the bed. LAN, you're gonna get my blood all over you, you idiot!

    “Please, stay with me tonight. I don’t want you to go,” Lan sobbed. 

    At Lan's words, the spirit found himself unable to stay annoyed, though the sight of his own blood on Lan was alarming. It took Hub a moment to wrangle his other arm out from under himself due to the weight of his brother, wrapping it around Lan as he leveraged his shoulder underneath Lan’s head. He gently kissed Lan’s forehead as a comforting gesture and began to run his fingers through his brother’s hair once again. 

    “I’m not going anywhere”, Hub whispered. “I’m always right by your side.”

    Lan wept, only grasping his brother’s spirit tighter. 

    “Promise?” Lan squeaked out.

    Hub nodded. “I promise, little Lanbug. I’ll always be here with you.”

    “Agh! Hub!” Lan nudged his brother with his hand. “Why did you have to call me that again!”

    “Shhhhh…” Hub smirked. “If you hate it, I can stop.”

    Lan was quiet for a moment.

    “No… but it’s still just between us,” Lan insisted. 

    “Whatever you say, little Lanbug,” the spirit snickered.

    The living twin began to laugh, smiling for a brief moment though it soon returned to sobbing and wailing sorrow. I miss you so much, and you’re still right here… Lan held his brother close, sniffling with his eyes shut tight.

    The pitter-patter of rain on the window swelled, bellowing winds blowing against the house making themselves known. Hub tensed, turning his gaze towards the window. Lightning flashed in the sky, making the spirit jolt. He suddenly cowered under the covers, thunder booming as it rolled through the sky. It’s THUNDERSTORMING.

    “Hub?” Lan lifted his head as he felt the covers get pulled over him.

    The spirit began to tremble, closing his eyes tight. Late summer storms… I hate storms like these.

    “Aw, it’s okay, Hub,” Lan wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m right here.”

    Hub peaked his eyes open, letting the blanket fall as Lan reached his hand up to ruffle his brother’s hair. 

    "I knew something was bugging you..." Lan chuckled though his nose was congested from crying. 

    You can be honest with me. Lan hummed, grabbing the blanket that had fallen loosely away from them.

    “Do you not like thunderstorms?” Lan snuggled up to Hub, snugly wrapping the blanket around the spirit. 

    It was warm and cozy, feelings of comfort and security replacing the cold emptiness of the rainy night. Hub found himself trying to hide under the blankets, the shivering of his body at each flash of lightning only serving to betray him. I'm supposed to be helping you be strong right now, Lan... not the other way around. 

    "I didn't like them either... They're not so scary now that I'm older though. I'll be right here all night with you, so don't worry about a thing," Lan insisted, hugging Hub tightly. "It's all gonna be okay."

    I love you, brother…

Chapter Text

    “Mom, dad, why are we here?” Lan asked, concern evident in his expression. 

    He was tired, the early morning taking its toll on Lan. He was never a morning person, and after seeing Hub's condition last night he hadn't slept well. Every few hours he had awoken, seeing his brother's sleeping form, the dried blood uncomfortably making his pajamas stick to himself. The exhaustion from his nearly restless night was present in his expression.

    Meanwhile, Megaman was quiet, his gaze flicking around the waiting room of the hospital. That question carries a lot more weight than you realize. Pangs of anxiety filled his systems, his personality program squirming about at the sight of the familiar walls. Seaside hospital… my old nemesis. Will I ever truly escape you? It seems not.

    Haruka looked to Yuichiro, the scientist sighing. Lan cowered, familiar with the expressions exchanged between the two.

    “There’s a genetic disorder that runs in my family… It’s called HBD,” Yuichiro spoke with an air of caution. 

    That’s what Hub had… Lan felt his body tense.

    “It’s a condition that affects your heart and your lungs, and it’s very rare,” his father explained. “I heard from Megaman that you’ve been having trouble breathing, so I think it’s best if we get you tested for it just in case.”

    “Megaman!” Lan complained to his navi. 

    You mean… I could have the same condition that killed my brother? Lan clutched his PET in his hands, his fingertips blanching. Could that really be the reason why—…

    “We’ll know as soon as we get the results back, okay? Either way, your mother and I are going to do all we can to help you,” Yuichiro smiled, though there was pain in his eyes.

    “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Lan, just—… I didn’t want you to be worried,” Megaman looked away from his operator, ashamed.

    “Now, now, we don’t even know for sure if he has it yet,” Yuichiro briefly looked at the navi. “Let’s not forget that it’s possible that Lan doesn’t have it. This is just a test to check.”

    Lan gulped. “What’s the test going to be like?”

    The young boy cowered behind his PET, his mind wandering to whatever it could conjure up about what might be awaiting him in the other room. 

    “It’s just a simple scan and some bloodwork,” Yuichiro insisted. “It’ll be nice and quick.”

    “So... when will we know if I have HBD or not?” Lan nervously picked at the handle of his PET.

    “Well… It will take nearly a month to get the results,” his father sighed. 

    Lan frowned. So, I won’t know until after the N1 Grand Prix starts…

    “What about the N1 Grand Prix, dad?” the young operator frowned. 

    “Promise me you’ll take it easy with the netbattles,” Yuichiro told his son. “They’re not off-limits, but I don’t want you getting hurt.”

    Lan clutched his PET close to his chest. Just great…

    “What about Megaman?” Lan looked to his father with worry.

    “Keep Megaman on you at all times,” Yuichiro said firmly.

    Just as Lan was about to ask another question, the nurse called his name to come back and see the doctor.

    “Hikari?” the nurse looked around the room.

    Yuichiro and Haruka stood up, Lan slowly trailing behind them. 

    “Wow, it’s been a while… Lan,” the nurse smiled nervously. 

    Right! These doctors knew Hub! Lan’s eyes lit up as he walked through the door. I wonder if they could tell me anything about him...

    “Alright, Dr. Aldridge will see you shortly, I’m just going to discuss this process with you all, as it has changed some recently,” the nurse stated as she led the group down the hall into a room. 

    Yuichiro and Haruka hesitated as they stepped past the threshold, and as soon as Lan saw the room he began to understand why. It was like getting smacked in the face with the memory of seeing a little itty-bitty Hub up on the table, at three years of age, kicking his feet around and trying to eat the doctor’s stethoscope. The sound of his brother’s laughter echoed in Lan’s thoughts. I’ve been in this room before.

    “Alright, so to get started I need you two to sign these,” the nurse handed his mother and father clipboards full of paperwork. 

    “What’s that about?” Lan asked curiously.

    “It’s just to authorize the tests,” Yuichiro explained.

    “Speaking of, there have actually been recent developments concerning medical knowledge about HBD, so part of that paper is about research. You can opt out of it if you want,” the nurse informed them.

    Lan couldn’t see what his parents were marking on the paper, anxiety making his heart start to pound in his chest. 

    “Hey, you’re gonna be fine, Lan,” Megaman whispered.

    The young operator looked down at his navi, who was smiling up at him. While he was distracted, the nurse collected the paperwork from his parents. The nurse didn’t stay to chat much longer, rushing off to file away the paperwork.

    “Lan the man, you’ve gotten so big!” Dr. Aldrige, an older man with a fluffy grayish brown beard and an almost gray head of hair walked in the room.

    “Dr. Aldrige! It’s good to see you!” Yuichiro smiled. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”

    “As do I,” Dr. Aldrige gave a strained smile, turning back to Lan. “So, tell me, has he been exhibiting any symptoms of HBD.”

    “Yes,” Megaman piped up.

    The doctor seemed taken aback by the sudden introjection from the navi. Lan grumbled, angling the screen to glare at Megaman.

    “Oh-hoh, and who might this fella be?” Dr. Aldrige raised an eyebrow, looking at Lan’s PET. 

    “This is Megaman! My own, personal netnavi, programmed by my dad! Isn’t he great!?” Lan beamed, turning his PET to face the doctor.

    The doctor nodded, humming in agreement as he looked at the screen. Megaman cowered off to the side, hesitant to let the doctor see his face.

    “Why of course, I should’ve known such a fearsome warrior could only belong to someone like you,” Dr. Aldrige smiled and chuckled.

    “Hear that, Megaman? He said you’re a fearsome warrior! This guy really knows what he’s talking about!” Lan laughed, turning his PET to smile at his navi.

    “Megaman was the one who brought it to my attention, Dr. Aldrige. I’m sure you’re well aware that with my family history… I just want to be certain,” Yuichiro tensed.

    “Well then, Lan. Have you been experiencing any chest pain, shortness of breath, or sudden fatigue?” the doctor asked.

    Lan glanced over at his parents before looking back to the doctor.

    “Yes…” was all Lan said.

    “Alright, let’s have a look at those lungs then. This might be a little cold,” Dr. Aldrige took the stethoscope around his neck in his hand. “Turn to your left and lean forward a little.”

    The metal end of the stethoscope was indeed very cold, making Lan tense. 

    “Take some nice, deep breaths for me,” the doctor instructed him.

    Lan did as he was told, inhaling deeply through his nose and exhaling. The doctor’s face remained pensive, listening carefully.

    “You’re doing great, Lan,” Megaman whispered.

    Lan smiled in return as he slowly exhaled once more. 

    “Hm… Well, I think it’s good that you got him in to see me as soon as you did,” Dr. Aldrige said.

    Haruka and Yuichiro tensed, looking at one another. 

    “I can’t say if it’s HBD for certain yet, though I’m sure you’d like me to be able to give a diagnosis today if it is. All I know is it does sound like he may have HBD,” the doctor sighed.

    “How did no one notice before?” Haruka said, worry filling her features. 

    “Sometimes HBD is practically undetectable until later in life,” Dr. Aldrige explained. “Like with Yuichiro’s father.”

    “Dad…” Lan found himself trembling, looking to his father for comfort.

    Hub died from HBD... Does that mean... Lan's thoughts raced, anxiety flooding him.

    “Now, it can of course be something else,” the doctor sighed. 

    “You don’t need to worry, doctor,” Yuichiro tensed. “I’m well aware of all of this.”

    “Alright. He does seem fairly healthy though, so if he does have HBD he has a fighting chance,” the doctor smiled.

    Fighting chance... A sick feeling began to develop in the pit of Lan's stomach. Somehow that doesn't sound very positive. The memories of a very similar conversation being had when he was little began to come into focus. He could remember the sound of his mother crying, his father getting uncharacteristically upset with the doctor. The phrase "please save my son" accompanied the memory of tears in his father's eyes as he pleaded with the medical staff.

    “So, after getting his vitals, we’ll get the blood work started and send that off to labs. After that we’ll take him down to get a CT scan with contrast so we can see what may be causing any issues Lan is having, HBD or not,” the doctor informed them.

    Haruka and Yuichiro nodded in affirmation. The hour dragged on. Lan’s vitals registered as normal, though he nearly passed out while getting his blood drawn. He was now laying down on the table, an empty juice box in his hand as he waited for the room to stop feeling fuzzy. His face was a little pale and his hands a littel shaky, but other than that he seemed to be doing okay now.

    “You’re almost done, Lan. I’m so proud of you!” Megaman cheered on his operator.

    “Thanks…” Lan mumbled.

    The nurse came back into the room, smiling as she got Lan's attention though it was forced. "It's time to go get that scan done. Are you feeling any better?" 

    Lan nodded, slowly sitting up on the table.

    "Good, good," the nurse responded. "We love to hear it."

    The young operator climbed off the table, his PET in hand, only to be stopped by the nurse. 

    "You won't be able to have your PET with you during the scan. Why don't you leave it here with your parents for the time being?" the nurse spoke gently in an attempt to comfort Lan.

    Lan looked to his parents, then to his PET.

    "I'll be fine, Lan. I'll be right here when you get back. It'll only be a few minutes," Megaman smiled. "You're doing great."

    "You sure?" Lan tensed, holding his PET close to his chest. "You just told me to keep him with me at all times."

    "You're under the care of hospital staff right now. I'm sure it'll be fine," Yuichiro sighed.

    The navi nodded. His operator reluctantly handed over the PET to his father. 

    "Don't worry, Lan. Nothing will happen to him," Yuichiro said. 

    Without another word, Lan was led out of the room. The tension in the air rose as Megaman saw the way his parents were looking at him, concern and sadness emanating from the scene. Don't look at me like that... I hate it when you look at me like that... Anxious feelings sent rushing waves of input through his systems, making the navi shudder. 

    "Hub... I'm sorry," tears pricked at Yuichiro's eyes. 

    Something about his father apologizing to Megaman like that made it hard for the navi to maintain a calm demeanor, his frame beginning to tremble as the signals of emotional distress in his systems were garbled and misrouted into visceral displays of a psychological monstrosity. An expression of horror crept up onto the navi's face as his eyes began to water. Haruka was on the verge of tears herself, hand held over her mouth as she tried to fight down the emotions welling up in her throat. 

    "It's not your fault, dad," Megaman insisted.

    The pings and pokes of his systems amalgamated inside of him, giving the navi both the strength to discuss such a subject and simultaneously shredding his known perception of his feelings and warping his already fragile foundation of comfort. The emotions that coursed through him didn't abstain from the vicious snapping and contortion from the patch that mistreated and battered his programs. This isn't just hard for me to accept. It's difficult for our parents as well... 

    "Hub is right. At least our suspicions will finally be answered," Haruka took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. 

    "Lan is strong," the navi smiled, attempting to bury the uneasiness within himself. "You won't lose another son."

    "We haven't even truly lost you," tears began to fall from Haruka's eyes as she took the PET from Yuichiro.

    "I'm going to do everything I can to keep Lan alive, Hub," Yuichiro frowned. "Everything I can."

    Megaman pressed his hand against the screen, a longing look in his eyes as his programming chewed itself up inside and complained. The innate feeling inside himself painted horrific images within his processing system, tearing and clawing at his thoughts. The sensation brought him only suffering though it was routed incorrectly, finding shame in the joy that lied to his mind. If he dies... will I finally have him back? The forbidden thought crossed his mind, and echo of dread and morbid curiosity left in his expression as he fought to snuff it out with all his being. No... stop it. He felt as though his systems were a jigsaw puzzle with all the pieces shoved together the wrong way— an abomination of jagged edges and tears from force and abuse that was ever growing in upon itself.

    "Are you alright, Hub?" his father asked. 

    The navi hesitated, his arm falling away from the screen as he stared at the cyberfloor in discontent. 

    "Not really..." Megaman mumbled. 

    "Not really?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?" 

    The question sent shivers through his frame, the navi reflexively crossing his arms in front of his chest emblem.

    "It's about the patch... dad..." Megaman cowered.

    "Something's wrong with the patch I gave you? Why didn't you say something sooner?" Yuichiro frowned, leaning over his wife's shoulder to look at his digital son closer. 

    Guilt flooded Megaman's systems, his personality program squirming and stretching, feeling as though it wanted to simply disappear from existence itself. The feeling made the navi lurch, biting back the impulse to gag.

    "I was trying to tolerate it as I'm still in pain..." Megaman sighed. "It feels awful though."

    "What do you mean?" Yuichiro asked. 

    "Yuichiro!" Haruka scolded her husband. "You should just remove it. You don't need to press him for details."

    "Honey... I'm curious because it may help me come up with a permanent solution," Yuichiro insisted. "Hub is a one of a kind navi and not everything works how I think it will on him."

    The navi tensed, finding himself taking a step back from the screen. 

    "I don't feel any pain at all, in the sense that I'm not consciously aware of it, but..." Megaman trailed off. "It—... I can taste my systems."

    "That's impossible. Netnavis don't have a sense of taste," Yuichiro explained, matter of fact-ly. "I didn't even give you one."

    Haruka looked between her husband and the navi, not really understanding what was going on though she had some thoughts about that statement which she'd definitely be talking to Yuichiro about later. Megaman felt frustration and anger come to the forefront of his emotions, tired of his father listening more to how other netnavis worked than what his own son was telling him. 

    "That's part of the problem, dad!" Megaman exclaimed. "I can also feel my anxiety ON my body, and when I experience pain, it has been making me smile."

    Yuichiro hummed, getting lost deep in thought about something as Lan returned to the room. The subject was immediately dropped by all parties as Lan walked in. The young operator didn't seem like he was happy, a frown dragging on his face as he walked past to sit back on the table.  At the sight, the navi became concerned and immediately focused in on his operator. 

    "Lan! You're back!" the navi eagerly took in the sight of Lan with at first beaming joy, though it quickly changed to worry. "What's wrong?"

    "I have this awful taste in my mouth now and everything feels weird! I hate it so much!" Lan shouted, sticking out his tongue in disgust. "EVERYTHING FEELS WRONG."

    "Don't worry, Lan. It'll go away soon," Megaman sighed.

Chapter Text

    The sun beat down on the floating arena, the hot, early August weather making the first preliminary rounds of the N1 Grand Prix sweltering. The competition hosted a wide range of netbattlers from all over Electopia, though many were from the local area. Amongst them was Lan Hikari and Chaud Blaze, the two glaring at one another as Lan stepped away from his first win of the tournament.

    “We’ll be back after this intermission! Be sure to stay hydrated! You don’t want to miss out on these amazing netbattles due to heat exhaustion!” Ribbita’s voice carried over the speakers. 

    Lan stepped up in front of Chaud, casting the official netsaver a childish smirk. 

    “I didn’t know you’d be here,” Lan said.

    "Of course I'm here. Blaze Quest Games has a reputation to uphold," Chaud stated. 

    “Reputation? If you mean reputation of being a—I mean stuck-up snobs, then I guess I could see why,” Lan grumbled. 

    “Listen, this is a professional tournament. If I were you, I’d stop acting so childish before you get yourself hurt,” Chaud pointed towards Lan’s PET. 

    Lan huffed, rolling his eyes. “You’re just mad that we are absolutely crushing it out here today! Isn’t that right, Megaman?” 

    Lan’s navi seemed distracted, only being pulled out of his thoughts at the sound of his name. 

    “Hm? Yeah, we’re doing okay, but are you sure you’re not pushing yourself?” Megaman asked, taking deep breaths and focusing on recovering from the battle.

    The navi was unnerved by something, fear seeping into his thoughts. Something feels wrong… 

    “What’s that supposed to mean?! I’m feeling fine!” Lan smiled brightly. 

    Chaud stared at Lan’s PET, an odd expression on the official netsaver’s face. The odd tone in Megaman’s voice had gotten his attention. A feeling of anxiety began to creep into the netsaver’s chest, making him hesitant to say much more.

    “I dunno, I just… have this feeling,” Megaman insisted. “I think you should take a break, Lan.”

   A feeling? It's strange for a navi to be making decisions based on just a feeling... The netsaver narrowed his eyes.

    “I’ll be fine!” Lan beamed. “I’m starving though! Let’s go get some food!”

    “Wait! Hikari—!” Chaud attempted to stop Lan from running off, though he was too late as his rival ran off into the crowd, completely ignoring him.

    Something is wrong… Chaud found himself pondering over the actions of Lan and Megaman. The last time I heard that tone in Megaman’s voice was at the power plant… Was it desperation? Fear? Concern? Whatever it was, Chaud knew it meant something was the matter with Lan. 

    If I know anything about Hikari, then I’m certain he’ll be eating for a while. Chaud hummed, making his way through the crowd. I need to find him before whatever Megaman thinks is going to happen happens.

    “Why the rush?” Protoman suddenly asked. “You seem anxious. It’s most uncharacteristic.”

    “Megaman knows something about Hikari that I don’t. The last time I heard that tone in his voice… Hikari almost died,” Chaud stressed. 

    “I think you may be overthinking this, Chaud,” Protoman said.

    “Call it a gut instinct,” Chaud sighed. “I know it seems crazy, but I’d rather be wrong, believe me.”

    A gut instinct… could navis have such a sense? The netsaver found himself at the food court, looking around for a vantage point. Lan wouldn’t be very hard to spot in his bright orange vest. The color made it look like Lan was a walking traffic cone. Sometimes it almost feels like Megaman has such an instinct, but instinct isn’t based on logic… computers have a hard time understanding things that aren’t based in logic.

    “Protoman… What do you make of Megaman?” Chaud asked, walking up the stairs to the upper floor. 

    “Do you mean what do I think his motivations are?” the navi asked quizzically. 

    “No, I mean—… Well yes, and no. He’s just so odd,” Chaud grumbled. 

    “Yes, he is a rather unique navi. He makes his own decisions, a trait that has rubbed off on the navis he frequently interacts with,” Protoman explained.

    The navis he frequently interacts with… Is Megaman effecting the learning AI of other navis? Chaud’s eyes glazed over the crowd, searching for the bright orange he’d become very familiar with spotting from a distance. I wonder what information I could get from his friends…

    “What do you think he wants?” Chaud asked.

    “Navis don’t want. We have likes and dislikes, but wanting is a human emotion,” Protoman frowned. “You know that.”

    “There’s just something different about him,” Chaud sighed. “He is so uniquely protective of Hikari.”

    “As a navi should be protective of their operator,” Protoman shrugged. 

    The netsaver squinted as the sun gleamed down into his eyes, scanning the shadows for Lan’s vest. He still hadn’t located his rival.

    “It’s not the same. There’s something wrong with him if navis do not want,” Chaud began to grow frustrated with his own navi. “He wants.”

    “How do you know that?” his navi grew worried. 

    “He lies. He lies and he lies even when it doesn’t benefit Hikari,” the netsaver grew more agitated. 

    “How so?” his navi was genuinely curious.

    “The day I went to visit Hikari in the hospital after the incident at the power plant,” Chaud stated. “He lied to me for his own personal gain.”

    It had surprised the netsaver, though at first even he had overlooked it. Most people didn’t consider a navi to be capable of lying without its operator ordering it to. However, back in the hospital, as Lan rested in a hospital bed, the small, blue navi had been quite agitated. Megaman had been pacing the cyberfloor, lost deep in his own systems. Something made had made him mad long before I had gotten there.

    “I hope you learned your lesson,” Chaud had scolded Lan from across the hospital room. 

    “If you’re here to be rude, you can leave,” Lan spoke weakly, tiredness in his eyes as he stared at the netsaver.

    Lan’s head lolled to the side, his face pale and hair a mess. Some of the devices in the room occasionally beeped, and an IV was hooked up to his arm, injecting him with painkillers every so often. 

    “You’re not in this position because of me, you’re in this position because you couldn’t mind your own business,” Chaud stated. “You should be more careful. That was reckless and dangerous.”

    “I said you can leave if you’re here to be rude,” Lan emphasized.

    “Will you listen to someone for once in your life?” the netsaver began to grow increasingly frustrated. “Do you even care what happens to you or if you live!?”

    It was something about that last sentence that got Megaman’s attention.

    “That’s enough,” the blue navi turned his focus, appearing on the monitor on the room’s wall and staring at Chaud who sat adjacent to it. 

    “What do you think you have to gain from this?” Chaud hissed at Megaman. 

    “Can’t you see he is hurting? What kind of friend are you to kick him when he’s down!?” Megaman scolded the netsaver. 

    “Can’t you see that you’re just letting him get away with this behavior!?” Chaud rolled his eyes. “You hardly look after him.”

    “What did you just say to me?” Megaman’s jaw dropped, having taken significant offense. 

    “What, is the microphone broken? You fail to look after him. You’re not doing your job as his navi,” Chaud reiterated. 

    The blue navi’s face flushed red, possibly from embarrassment, possibly from anger, or maybe both. 

    “You don’t know everything, Chaud! You’re just some stuck up kid!” Megaman shouted, anger getting the best of him.

    Chaud smirked. Hit a nerve, did I?

    “Oh no, it’s a navi having a fit because I threatened its sense of purpose,” Chaud spoke flatly. “You navis are so predictable.”

    “Like you have any room to talk!” the blue navi began to express his annoyance in a quite childish manner, tears forming in his eyes. “You’re only here because you think you know what’s best for Lan! You are just as predictable as any navi!"

    "That’s—…” Chaud wasn’t given any room to speak.

    “You think you can solve everything so easily by being so blunt and just saying things without actually giving any advice at all! You’re just as bad as Lan and you don’t even realize it because you’re blind to your own stupidity!” Megaman was fed up, speaking his emotions before he thought them through. 

    He just insulted me—! Chaud’s eyes widened in surprise.

    “Well now it’s my turn to be blunt with you! Even if what you say is true, saying it right now just makes you A JERK!” the blue navi continued his rampage of spewing insults. 

    The netsaver sighed, simply taking a brief moment to collect his thoughts before turning to the screen. 

    “It’s your fault he’s in this position,” Chaud muttered. “You should’ve stopped him.”

    As he spoke those words, he saw Megaman’s expression change, guilt pilling on to the lengthy list of emotions the blue navi was processing. 

    “It’s NOT my fault!” Megaman insisted though the look in his eyes spoke of differing feelings he didn’t speak of. “I did everything—“

    “You’re his navi. His safety is your responsibility. That makes it your fault,” the netsaver continued to poke at Megaman’s sore spots. 

    You are just as responsible as I am. We both had a role in all of this… Chaud frowned.

    “NO!” the blue navi snapped. “I AM NOT THE REASON LAN—… I am not the reason.”

    “You are. If you can’t talk sense into him then you shouldn’t be stopping people from doing it,” Chaud sighed. “You’re a useless netnavi if you can’t keep your operator safe.”

    A look of emotional anguish began to emerge on Megaman’s face, the blue navi struggling to fight it down. 

    “You shouldn’t be Hikari’s netnavi,” Chaud stated. 

    The final nail was driven in, Megaman breaking down into tears. 

    “Chaud!” Lan spoke gruffly, shakily propping himself up in bed as anger filled his eyes. “What gives you the right—…”

    The netsaver did not so much as flinch from him.

    “What gives you the right to say things like that!?” Lan grumbled.

    “Do you have a problem with what I said?” Chaud raised an eyebrow.

    “Did you think I wouldn’t!?” Lan exclaimed in alarm, breathing harshly from the strain. 

    “Lan… It’s fine,” Megaman said. 

    “It’s not fine!” Lan insisted. "He can't just say things like that about you!"

    “It’s alright, really. I know that I’m not really fit to be your netnavi. I’m not a good netnavi at all,” the blue navi tried to smile though tears fell from his eyes. “I know…”

    That’s so obviously untrue. It took a moment for Chaud to process what Megaman had just said. I wasn’t actually being serious… 

    “Megaman! You’re the perfect navi for me! Why would you say that!?” Lan was shocked at what his navi just said. "Our synchro rating is evidence of us being the perfect navi-operator duo!"

    “The why isn’t important. I’m sorry,” Megaman apologized. “I need to go get Lan’s homework he’s missed.”

    Another lie… he said he already collected Lan’s homework two hours ago. Chaud hummed to himself as he mulled over today’s events in his head. The blue navi disappeared from the screen, only making Chaud curious as to where he went. What is he actually doing? Is he running away? Peculiar…

   "See what you did!? How dare you talk to him like that!" Lan shouted, grasping at his chest in pain.

    “Did you tell him to do that?” Chaud asked.

    “Do what?” Lan blinked.

    “Do you have more homework you needed him to pick up?” the netsaver clarified.

    “Hm? What do you mean ‘more’? I haven’t sent him to get any of it yet,” Lan said, scratching his head as he laid back down on the hospital bed. “Well, I guess I don’t need to now…”

    It was difficult for Chaud to hide his surprise. But he said—… was THAT a lie!? What benefit did it provide Lan to lie about such things!? Or was THIS a lie? 

    The whole conversation had been quite eye opening in terms of his knowledge about Megaman, and in turn Lan. Megaman doesn’t see himself as worthy of being Lan’s navi, even though they’re the only real competition I have in this entire tournament… Chaud remained on the balcony, still scanning the crowd.

    “I’m not sure if you noticed, Protoman, but Megaman has been lying about where he runs off to,” Chaud explained. “It serves himself when he does that.”

    “Maybe he just doesn’t wish to trouble his operator,” Protoman suggested.

    “It’s not just that. I’ve noticed that he spaces out and isn’t always paying attention to what Hikari is doing. He has something he’s focused on,” Chaud stressed. “He was doing that earlier which is why he didn’t snip at me as soon as Hikari noticed me.”

    “Why are you paying so much attention to a single netnavi?” Protoman was confused. 

    “Because I’m starting to understand what Dr. Hikari means when he says he’s a special navi,” Chaud stressed. “He’s not like other netnavis.”

    I just can’t put my finger on it, but he’s just so much… more expressive. It’s uncanny. The netsaver finally spotted Lan, who was walking across the food court as he scarfed down a couple hotdogs, practically inhaling them.

    “What exactly is so special about him?” Protoman asked, still confused.

    “When I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know,” Chaud raced down the stairs and made a beeline towards where Lan was headed, determined to catch up with his rival.

    The netsaver looked around, now his turn to be confused as Lan was nowhere to be seen. I know I saw him around here… Chaud scanned the crowd, looking at those sitting at tables or on the benches. Did he sit down somewhere?

    “GIVE HIM BACK!” the sound of Lan shouting was barely audible above the chatter, but it immediately grabbed the netsaver’s attention.

    Lan is in trouble! Without a second thought, the netsaver ran in the direction Lan’s voice came from, led into a practically deserted hallway. He was surprised to see Lan fighting with a much taller contestant of the tournament, the unknown competitor holding Lan’s PET high up and out of reach. 

    “You can’t compete without a netnavi, now, can you?” the unknown competitor laughed. “I’ll just delete your navi and then I’ll win the next round by default!”

    “Freeze!” Chaud exclaimed, grabbing the bully’s attention.

    “Oh? And who are you? Playing hero, are we?” the unnamed competitor sneered, giving a gruff chuckle. “You’re just a kid.”

    “LAN! Quick!” Megaman exclaimed.

    Without a moment’s notice, Lan grabbed the ladder that was bolted to the wall and hoisted himself up, pushing himself off and lunging for his PET. The man who had stolen it from him was stunned, unable to react quickly enough to evade Lan’s attack. Lan’s PET ended up clattering against the wall, the case breaking and the device sustaining a hefty amount of damage, while Lan himself fell on top of the person who'd stolen it. He grunted from the sudden impact, wincing in pain.

    Lan shoved himself off the bully, running to grab his PET in a panic. He was breathing harshly, adrenaline coursing through his veins from anxiety. 

    “MEGAMAN!” Lan yelled. “Come on! Speak to me, Megaman!” 

    Chaud glared as the unnamed competitor ran off, making note of the crest on his jacket and his appearance. I’ll get that guy removed from the tournament later… He was more focused on Lan, watching as his rival desperately tried to turn his PET back on.

    “Is he alright?” Chaud asked, visibly worried.

    “I don’t know! My PET won’t turn on!” Lan exclaimed, pressing the power button. 

    Chaud looked at the device, noting the damage to the case and the back panel that had half popped off.

    “Give it to me,” Chaud insisted, unclipping the case on his belt.

    “What!?” Lan turned to face him. 

    “Your PET is damaged. I have a repair kit on me,” Chaud explained. “Let me help.”

    “No! Only dad gets to fix my PET!” Lan insisted, clutching the PET to his chest and preventing the netsaver from taking it.

    Well, that’s an… interesting reaction. The netsaver took a deep breath before speaking once more, noting his rival’s shaking. He’s incredibly worried over this…

    “If it’s not repaired soon, Megaman will lose his memory of the past few minutes,” Chaud explained. “You don’t want that for him, do you?”

    Lan tensed, his eyes watering as he tightened his grip on his PET.

    “Dad told me not to… not to let anyone else do it,” Lan struggled to determine what he should do. 

    Why’s that? The netsaver couldn’t help but wonder.

    “It’s an emergency. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Chaud placed his hand on Lan’s shoulder, attempting to comfort him.

    The trembling in Lan’s body became more apparent to the netsaver, feeling each shake and tremor as his hand rested on Lan’s shoulder for the brief moment.

    “Just be extra careful! He can’t be backed up…” Lan said, tears falling from his eyes.

    Can’t be backed up? What kind of navi CAN’T be backed up? Thoughts raced through Chaud’s mind. Does he have some absurdly large file size? How on earth would you make a navi with data so large you can’t have a backup? I’m pretty sure that’s impossible.

    It’s irresponsible to not have a backup of your navi, especially one as special as a custom navi from SciLabs… but he sounds genuine. Chaud glanced at Lan’s expression. He knows what a risk it is to not have a backup.

    “I always am careful,” Chaud assured him.

    Lan slowly handed over his PET, the netsaver accepting it and being cautious about how he applied pressure to the device for fear he may accidentally snap something internally. Chaud carefully held it up in his hand, examining the back. Lan stared as his rival examined the broken device, concern and worry overtaking him.

    “He really threw the thing hard…” Chaud frowned, taking the back plate the rest of the way off. “Luckily everything looks mostly intact inside.”

    “Do you think you can fix it?” Lan’s head hung low as he somewhat pathetically watched as Chaud assessed the device.

    This isn’t a standard PET… Realization hit Chaud as he saw the inner workings of it. It looks the same on the outside… but it’s a complete custom build inside… That’s definitely odd, but not completely unexpected.

    “I think so…” Chaud hummed. “It looks like it just got a little shaken up and the case is dented on the corner.”

    “I’ll have my dad fix it properly later, just please help me check on Megaman!” Lan pleaded. 

    “Alright, alright. Stop whining like a little kid, I’m almost done,” the netsaver sighed. “The battery just popped out from the force of the impact. It happens sometimes when people drop their PETs. It’s no big deal.”

    It only took a moment for Chaud to pop the battery back into place and position the back plate back where it was meant to be seated. He took some spare screws from his repair kit and carefully secured it, making sure it was properly secure before handing it back to Lan. 

    “THANK YOU,” Lan eagerly grabbed the device, pressing the power button. 

    “Be careful with it. Some of those screws may not hold as well as they used to. Getting ripped out like that probably made the old screws strip some of the holes,” the netsaver informed his rival.

    The screen turned on and the device played the familiar chime that Lan had become very accustomed to hearing. The PET booted up without a problem, loading in all the files, though Megaman was quite disoriented, taking longer than usual to load all his systems. 

    “Ugghhh… What?… LAN!” the navi looked around before smiling as he saw Lan’s face. 

    “How ya feelin’, buddy?” Lan smiled.

    “What do you mean?” his navi raised an eyebrow.

    The blue navi had no recollection of the altercation. 

    “Oh great, you forgot,” Lan whined. “This sucks!”

    “Hey! Slow down! What did I forget!? What- CHAUD!?” Megaman jumped as he noticed Chaud just barely in frame of the camera.

    The netsaver wasn’t surprised, simply accepting what had happened. Of course he’s still mad at me…

    “If you had been paying more attention, the situation that caused this wouldn’t have been able to happen,” the netsaver grumbled.

    “I’m just so glad you’re okay…” Lan spoke with joy, though his expression grew tired, and his eyes became unfocused. 

    “Huh? Uh… Lan? You doing alright?…” Megaman became worried, seeing his operator start to lean to one side as Lan’s eyes fell shut. “LAN!?”

    The PET clattered to the ground once again, Lan falling unconscious. Luckily, Chaud had grabbed Lan’s shoulder, rushing to keep his rival from face planting into the cold concrete. I just repaired that—!

    “LAN! LAN, WAKE UP!” Megaman screamed in a panic. 

    “What’s wrong with him?” Chaud asked, worried. 

    The netsaver's eyes focused on Lan's face, turning Lan's body so he could see it. His face was pale, a sickly look to the boy's skin.

    “He must’ve gotten overwhelmed by something. You HAVE to wake him up!” the blue navi demanded. “What happened?!”

    The netsaver tried shaking Lan, but it didn’t wake the unconscious boy. Lan's body remained limp, drool spilling out of his mouth.

    “Lean him against the wall if you can,” Megaman said, worry evident on his face. “And make sure he doesn’t stop breathing!”

    “Can’t you tell me what he has instead of giving me vague information?” Chaud grumbled, lightly slapping Lan’s face as he propped his unconscious rival up against the wall in a sitting position. "Lan! Come on! Wake up!"

    “Prop his knees up!” Megaman insisted in a panic.

    “Again! A name for whatever this is would be appreciated!” the netsaver frowned, panicking as he did as he was told by the navi. 

    “Megaman, it would be of great help to us if you could tell us what’s wrong with Lan. Should we call an ambulance?” Protoman asked.

    I don’t want Lan to be forced to stay in a hospital. He’s been looking forward to this tournament for so long… but… his life is in danger.

    “He’s not looking good…” Chaud tensed, still desperately trying to wake Lan.

    “He—… I’m not at liberty to say, I’m sorry,” Megaman apologized. “But yes, call an ambulance.”

    I swear if you did this to him, Chaud, you will wish you had never met him by the time I’m through with you.

Chapter Text

    Chaud sat next to Lan, letting the unconscious boy lean against him as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Tension filled the air, every second feeling like minutes. Megaman found his systems assaulted by a barrage of thoughts and calculations, breathing heavily as anxiety wracked him in his entirety. The navi’s eyes watered, panic stricken and confused. This day wasn’t supposed to end like this...

    “He’s still breathing,” Chaud stated.

    The phrase caused more blips to travel through the navi’s system, lighting up even the deepest recesses of his programming. Please live. Please live. PLEASE. He had no idea what had even happened to Lan, countless possibilities of what caused this attack running through his thoughts. Last thing he remembered, Lan was smiling and getting food while talking about his excitement about the tournament, and then he woke up to… THIS.

    “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh…” Megaman muttered under his breath.

    Did someone hurt him? Did Chaud hurt him again? Did something make him upset? Did something make him anxious? Did he fall or trip? The void in his memory left so much uncertainty, and without knowledge of what happened he feared the worst.

    “Megaman?” the netsaver turned to the navi. 

    The blue netnavi’s eyes were wide in horror, his gloves clutching his chest as he paced around the inside of the PET. His frame shook and jittered, his hands mindlessly grabbing at his chest and arms, sometimes resting on the back of the navi’s neck. He inhaled and exhaled loudly, a sick feeling threatening to overtake him. 

    A pain grew in Megaman’s chest, weakness emanating from it as his navi systems and personality program argued, ripping him apart inside and burrowing a deep wound into his being. I never should’ve let him do this. I SHOULD’VE STOPPED IT. Thoughts ate away at him, guilt consuming him. 

    It’s what he wanted… It’s what made him so happy… His personality program argued. HE’S IN DANGER BECAUSE I DIDN’T MONITOR HIM PROPERLY. IT’S ALL MY FAULT. Megaman’s navi systems retaliated, squeezing and strangling any signals his personality program could get out. WHAT DO I DO NOW!? 

    “Megaman, are you okay?” the netsaver asked, glancing between the navi and Lan. 

    NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO… The navi found himself gasping for air, fingers digging deeper into his own frame. It made him HAPPY. BUT THAT DOESN’T MATTER IF HE DIES! The war waged on inside himself, battering his emotional regulation and drowning him in rage, despair, and fear. YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR NAVI DUTIES BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE. I AM HIS BROTHER BEFORE I WAS EVER A NAVI. YOU DON'T JUST GET TO TAKE ME OVER!

    Megaman’s systems tore at each other, a symphony of snaps and agonizing emotions making themselves knows. A jumble of strain formed from an emotional laceration, the parts of himself continuing to bicker and scream at one another with a delusional indignation. His systems shredded themselves apart, blaming one another for this tragedy.

    “HEY! MEGAMAN!” Chaud shouted, though his voice went unnoticed. 

    WOULD A BROTHER LET HIS OWN BROTHER DIE!? WOULD A BROTHER LET HIS BROTHER BE IN DANGER!? YOU HAVE HURT MY OPERATOR. The pain continued to spread, enveloping him as Megaman fell to his knees. Blood-like data falling to the cyberfloor went unnoticed by the blue navi. I EXIST TO SERVE HIM. WITHOUT HIM I HAVE NO PURPOSE. Tears streamed down the navi’s face, sobs making his frame jolt. I EXIST FOR LAN. LAN IS MY LIFE. HOW COULD YOU THREATEN HIS LIFE!? 

    I DIDN’T MEAN TO HURT HIM. BUT YOU DID. I DID. His navi systems jabbed his personality program with malicious intent, ripping at it and suffocating it. YOU’RE THE PROBLEM. YOU GET IN THE WAY. I WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU. A shrill voice, screaming violently, filled his mind, the pain becoming worse. Please, let me go. It was an accident. You’re hurting me.

    I’M GOING TO DELETE YOU. YOU NEED TO BE REMOVED. The navi found himself shaking, grasping his throat as he suddenly found himself unable to breathe. His navi systems strangled his personality program, tightening its grip with every passing second. The act served as a violent outlash, Megaman unable to stop it. I NEED TO PROTECT LAN FROM YOU. PLEASE STOP. I NEED TO REMOVE YOU. REMOVE. REMOVE—

    Megaman’s vision began to become fuzzy, a face he knew mainly from battle appearing in front of him. Protoman crouched down, saying something. The blue navi couldn’t hear it as his own thoughts were too loud. The navi’s rival seemed very confused, something that was rare to see.

    “Help… me…” Megaman’s personality program managed to squeak out, the words barely audible as they exited the navi’s mouth. 

    Protoman seemed lost in this situation, unsure what to do. The red navi panicked, turning to shout something at his operator. Chaud was just as confused, fumbling with Lan’s PET’s buttons as he also talked to a person Megaman didn’t recognize.

    THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, HUB. YOU PUT YOUR SELFISH IDEALS ABOVE LAN'S HEALTH. I JUST WANTED HIM TO BE HAPPY. YOU HAD A CHOICE! YOU MADE THE CHOICE TO LET HIM BE HAPPY JUST SO YOU WOULDN"T HAVE TO SEE HIM LIKE YOU WERE BEFORE YOU DIED. Megaman's navi systems continued to sink its metaphorical talons into him, his frame shaking as he coughed, gasping as the mere attempt at screaming in pain was futile. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT! IT IS AND YOU KNOW IT! LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU'RE A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A NAVI, LET ALONE A BROTHER!

    IF YOU DELETE ME, DAD WILL LOSE ONE OF HIS SONS AGAIN. That statement made his navi systems reel, turning against itself for a brief moment and allowing the navi to breathe. I CAN’T ALLOW YOU TO HURT LAN. IF YOU HURT ME, YOU’RE HURTING DR. HIKARI’S SON. IT WAS JUST A MISTAKE.

    WE DON’T MAKE MISTAKES. I DON’T MAKE MISTAKES. YES, WE DO. YES, I DO. I’M A HUMAN. I’M A NAVI. I’M NOT A HUMAN ANYMORE. I STILL AM LAN’S BROTHER. I’M IMPERFECT. IF YOU HURT ME, YOU’RE STILL HURTING A HUMAN. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!? The mental metaphorical gun had been aimed square at his navi systems, point blank. I AM HUB HIKARI. DO YOU WANT TO HURT ME!? The trigger remained just one input signal away. I need to survive… I need to survive so I know Lan is okay.

    Megaman’s navi systems quelled their assault on his personality program, though growls of rage and seething anger reverberated through his systems. The metaphorical talons that once scorned his sense of self retracted, the emotional pain coming to the forefront. This is still my fault.

    “Hey… you alright?” Chaud asked. 

    Lan was loaded in the ambulance, the paramedics having arrived at some point. Chaud sat in the back as it left the arena. Right…Chaud is here… As Megaman finally reoriented himself, he noticed that Protoman was looking at him with a deep concern rooted in his expression. 

    “So-sorry…” Megaman was still trembling, the fear of his own navi systems still raging through him. "What' sgoing on?"

    The blue navi moved his hand but was met with the uncomfortable feeling of having his insides pushed around. He tensed, eyes widening as he looked down to his chest. His hands were dug into his frame, blood-like data spilling everywhere. He had unconsciously damaged his frame, his own blue gloves rammed deep inside of himself and strangling his systems. 

    Panic flooded the navi once more, finding himself taking deep breaths in an attempt to keep calm as the sight was burned into his memory. I’m glad I’m not in a human body right now. The urge to vomit resurfaced with each breath, pain lighting up his processing system. 

    “Take it easy there… You’ll be fine,” Protoman spoke sternly. “Lan is going to be okay.”

    “I—…uh… thanks…” Megaman sputtered out. 

    The blue navi’s face paled. Chaud looked through the PET earlier…

    “We’re on the way to the hospital. Dr. Hikari will be there,” Chaud said.

    Oh… He’s going to be very worried… Megaman breathed slowly, trying to not aggravate his wounds as he coughed, data spewing from his mouth. I need to fix…this… dad has enough to worry about with Lan. I don’t need to add this to the list.

    The blue navi looked to his chest that was leaking data, then to Protoman and the netsaver. 

    “Um… Could you insert some recovery chips to the PET?” Megaman asked. “…Please.”

    “I’d highly suggest removing your hands from the inside of your frame first,” Chaud replied.

    Hesitantly, Megaman began to remove his hands, shaking as it only made more of his data spill out onto the cyberfloor. As soon as his hands were removed— causing a gush of blood-like data to pour from his chest —the familiar feeling of a chip being inserted into the PET hit him. Most of the damage that had been done was healed, though not entirely, the blue navi still feeling woozy.

    “Better?” Chaud asked.

    “…Mhm…” Megaman placed his hand back on his chest, still trembling. 

    “Good, because I want you to tell me what just happened to you,” Chaud ordered. 

    “I can’t…” Megaman insisted.

    IF I TELL YOU, I’LL BE TAKEN FROM LAN. Maybe I should be… The blue navi’s systems began to bicker again, jabbing and nudging at one another. 

    “I don’t get it…” the netsaver sighed. “I saw what happened. I could just as easily go to Dr. Hikari and ask. I don’t need you to tell me.”

    “You wouldn’t…” Megaman glowered. 

    “Oh, really? What makes you so sure?” Chaud smirked. 

    I’ve got you now… The netsaver cast a glance at Protoman.

    “Okay, fine. Tell him,” Megaman said. “See if I care.”

    Wait what- Megaman’s response stunned Chaud momentarily. But you just—…

    “I have more important things to worry about than you,” the blue navi resolved. “Go ahead.”

    Ruin me— destroy my life if that’s what you want. I don’t care anymore. I just want Lan to live. Thoughts buzzed around his systems.

    The netsaver had been unable to disguise his surprise at Megaman’s response, though he certainly tried. Is he playing games with me? Is this a trap?

    “Actually, you know what? What are you waiting for? Why not send him an email,” the blue navi narrowed his eyes. “I could even deliver it myself, residual damage on full display.”

    Megaman sneered, remnants of tears still left in his eyes. He tensed, glaring into the netsaver's eyes.

    “Do it. I DARE YOU,” Megaman insisted.

    Chaud was taken aback, staring at Lan’s navi in alarm.

    “IN FACT, WHY DON’T YOU JUST FINISH THE JOB,” the blue navi gestured to Protoman. “SHOW ME JUST HOW FAR YOU’LL GO. GO AHEAD AND COLLECT THE REMNANTS OF MY DATA AFTER I’M GONE TO EXAMINE LIKE SOME SICK SCIENCE EXPERIMENT.”

    “Megaman, I—…” the netsaver was cut off.

    "THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, RIGHT!? DO YOU GET SOME KIND OF SICK JOY OUT OF THIS!? FULFILL YOUR DISGUSTING HUMAN CURIOSITY IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT!" Megaman shouted.

    "Now is not the time—," Chaud insisted.

    “GO AHEAD. I WON’T EVEN FIGHT BACK,” Megaman continued. “I’M JUST A NETNAVI, RIGHT!? I DON’T GET A SAY.”

    “I’M NOT GOING TO DELETE YOU!” Chaud began to let his emotions get the best of him. “ARE YOU CRAZY!?”

   An emotional pain the netsaver hadn't felt in a long time began to fill the pit of his stomach, a feeling of offense and betrayal all wrapped up in a desire to soothe such an idea from the navi's mind. The fear in Megaman's eyes as the blue navi spoke was unhidden, whatever walls the navi had built up to hide it having crashed down long ago as his thoughts now displayed themselves in undeniable disclosure.

    “ARE YOU SURE!?” Lan’s navi pressed the issue, tears pouring down his face.

    “HOW WOULD I NOT BE SURE!?” Chaud exclaimed, confusion filling his expression.

    Megaman went silent, not speaking another word. All of a sudden, the ambulance stopped. Are we at the hospital already? No…that’s not what our location says. Why are we stopped? The navi was suddenly drawn out of the argument. LAN IS DYING, WHY ARE WE STOPPED!?

    “I’m sorry, but we can’t get to the hospital with traffic stuck like this. The lights are messed up all the way through town,” the paramedic in the patient compartment explained. “Your friend may not make it.”

    “Is the ambulance going to Seaside Hospital?” Megaman asked.

    “No. It’s going to the closest one. Why?” the official netsaver raised an eyebrow.

    “You HAVE to take him to Seaside. They’re the only ones who can treat him,” the blue navi stressed.

    “Is the road any better on the way to Seaside Hospital?” Chaud raised the question. 

    “Hey, is the road to Seaside any better?” the paramedic asked over the intercom. 

    There was a moment of silence followed by unintelligible chatter.

    “If we get out of this after the next few lights on a turn off to the highway, we may be able to get him there,” the paramedic explained. 

    “Let me out. I’m a netsaver. I’ll deal with the lights,” Chaud insisted, calling Protoman back to his PET and putting Lan’s PET in the holder on his belt.

    “Alright,” the paramedic didn’t say much more, the doors to the back opening and letting Chaud out into the street. 

    “Jack me in with Protoman! I can still help!” Megaman insisted.

    “Lan isn’t availible. He’s your operator,” Chaud stated. 

    “Did I stutter? I SAID JACK ME IN,” the blue navi continued to insist.

    The netsaver sighed as he wove through traffic, some of the drivers honking at him as he made his way over to the lightpost. 

    “Protoman, do you think you can handle being on your own for this?” Chaud asked.

    The red navi nodded in affirmation. “Of course.”

    “Alright,” the netsaver ran up to the lightpost, unspooling his PET’s cord and plugging it in. “Jack in! Protoman! Power up!”

    Chaud reached for Lan’s PET as Protoman was transferred into the traffic control system, raising it in his other hand as he put his own PET in his pocket for a moment. Don’t make me regret this…

    “Jack in! Megaman! Power up!” Chaud exclaimed, unspooling and plugging in the cord to Lan’s PET.

    The blue navi felt himself get transferred, materializing near Protoman who was already hard at work fighting viruses. WHO WOULD DARE MESS WITH PEOPLE’S LIVES LIKE THIS!? Megaman was eager to meet the face of the perpetrator.

    “You ready?” Chaud asked.

    “Ready…” Megaman agreed. 

    “Longsword, battlechip in! Download!” the netsaver inserted the chip into Lan’s PET effortlessly, the chip gliding into the slot without hassle.

    Lan’s navi recieved the data, bellowing a scream of both frustration and animalistic rage. He began to tear into the viruses, slicing them and ripping them apart, sometimes jabbing them through and then smashing them into the cyberfloor. When the sword was used up, he resorted to using his hands for a moment, crushing one of them into data with a look of fury in his eyes. NO ONE GETS TO HURT LAN. 

    The display of digital carnage didn’t cease, the navi making his way through the network of lights and cameras with Protoman as the netsaver followed along in the real world, getting in and out of the ambulance at the different intersections. Chaud rushed as fast as he could, practically ignoring everyone else. He didn't pay mind to the other cars or pedestrians other than making sure they didn't get in his way. This was an emergency, and he couldn't afford to waste such valuable time.

    “HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH SOMEONE’S LIFE IN YOUR HANDS LIKE A TOY!” Megaman screamed, slamming a billy virus into the cyberfloor. “DO YOU HEAR ME!?”

    “Oh, goodness!” an unknown navi exclaimed.

    The direction the voice came from was immediately bombarded with blasts from Megaman’s megabuster, the navi not caring if they were friend or foe. 

    “GET BACK HERE!” the blue navi raged. 

    “Wack-o-ball!” the unknown navi attacked, sending a large spotted ball flying at Megaman. 

    It struck the smaller navi, sending droves of pain through him before it bounced back to its owner.

    “We’re just having some fun! What’s so wrong with that?” the unknown navi replied, hopping back on top of the spotted ball as it came back.

    “FUN!? YOU CALL THIS FUN!?” Megaman growled.

    “Wait here. I’ll—“ Protoman stuck a hand out in front of Megaman, though the blue navi immediately smacked it down, running straight towards the unknown navi.

    “TAKE THIS!” pure anger radiated through the small navi’s systems, all backing his fist as he swung it at the odd-looking navi.

    The unknown navi yelped, ducking out of the way. 

    “YOU CAN’T RUN FROM ME!” Megaman grabbed the unknown navi’s arm before punching them across the face with his other. 

    That look on Megaman’s face… The netsaver stared at the screen of Lan’s PET. ...is of pure desperation. He’s not going to let anyone or anything stand in his way… just like Lan. The actions the blue navi was taking were something Chaud had never seen in him. 

    “Cybersword, battlechip in! Download!” Chaud loaded another chip into Lan’s PET. 

    The sword manifested itself as Megaman’s right arm, the blue navi holding it just inches from the unknown navi’s neck. The small navi’s body shook violently with his frustration, breathing harshly and his face contorted in a deep scowl staring into the odd-looking navi’s eyes. The unknown navi shook with terror, eyes wide and filled with confusion and fear.

    “MY BR— OPERATOR IS IN AN AMBULANCE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, DYING. CHANGE THE LIGHTS BACK. NOW,” Megaman inched the sword closer, nicking the unknown navi with it. “DO IT OR I’LL DELETE YOU, RIGHT HERE.”

    “Okay! Okay! I don’t want to kill anybody!” the unknown navi suddenly logged off, disappearing from view.

    The viruses disappeared with the odd-looking navi, though Megaman was quickly jacked out of the net and didn’t have much time to look around.

    “What is with you?” Chaud looked at Lan’s navi as he sat back down in the ambulance, growing increasingly concerned.

    This display Megaman was presenting was uncharacteristic of a navi at all— not even close. Is there something wrong with Megaman? This behavior seems dangerous.

    “IS LAN OKAY!?” Megaman asked.

    “He’s still in the same condition as before,” the netsaver told him. “Are you okay?”

    He's distraught over this... Chaud waited for Lan's navi to respond.

    “We need to get Lan to the hospital. Please let him be okay. Please let him be okay…” the blue navi breathed harshly, hands raised to the sides of his head. 

    “Send me over to Lan’s PET again. I’ll stay with him until we get there,” Protoman said. 

    Concern filled Chaud’s expression, looking back and forth between the two navis. Megaman doesn't seem stable... He sighed, giving in and sending his navi back over. 

    “Megaman… hey…” Protoman waved a hand in front of the smaller navi’s face.

    Megaman didn’t notice or react, the only change being tears pouring from the blue navi’s eyes. 

    “Listen… Lan is going to be okay,” the netsaver tried to assure him. “If I know him, he’ll bounce back from whatever this is.”

    “He’s not invincible, Chaud,” the smaller navi’s attention had been grasped finally.

    “What has you so convinced he won’t survive this?” Chaud asked.

    Lan’s navi went quiet once more. It killed me. It can kill him too… The navi's thoughts were filled with the memories of being stuck at the hospital, barely able to breathe, machines keeping him alive until his last day. It was cold, the beeping of the machines merely background noise that he had tuned out long ago.

    The countless lonely days and nights, being in a constant state of never knowing when he'd take his last breath. Will I die today? Will I die tomorrow? The thoughts had crossed his mind many times and anyone's guesses were as good as his. The only joy he had found at that time was when Lan or his parents got to visit, or he got to leave that stuffy hospital room. I don't want that to happen to Lan.

Chapter Text

    The hospital room was dark, only a small light in the corner and light from the moon illuminating it. In the bed was Lan, sleeping rather peacefully despite the beeping machines, and his father slept uncomfortably on the fold out bed from the bench. He hadn’t wanted to leave his son alone, insisting upon spending the night at the hospital though he was still in his lab coat and had brought no supplies. Yuichiro had gone to bed hungry, unable to focus on anything but what the doctors had to say about Lan. 

    Every once in a while, a nurse or tech would come in and check on Lan, though he was too exhausted to stay awake. He merely acknowledged them before falling back asleep if he even noticed them and woke up at all. Hub found himself standing next to Lan’s bed, analyzing every breath Lan took and keeping an eye on the monitors. Whenever people came in, he rushed to hide in a dim corner of the room, none of the staff paying him much mind. They didn’t seem to realize he was even there. 

    It had been roughly ten minutes since they had last come in to check on him. Lan was stable— looking much better already —and that made Hub happy. The tiredness in the spirit’s eyes began to grow as the night progressed. He had been watching over Lan for hours, anxiety getting the best of him. Hub refused to sleep though he began to sway on his feet. 

    I have to stay awake… Hub insisted upon this exhausting task. He needs me to watch over him…

    It’s selfishly a selfless act, caring about someone so much you’d destroy yourself just to see them live. To care about someone so much you’d leave them with the pain of loss rather than have to suffer it yourself is inherently to your benefit, yet it is to benefit the other. Why… why must I feel compelled? 

    I feel compelled to be your friend, to be your support, to be your own heartbeat if I have to… A love so unconditional that it was for Hub's own selfish desire for happiness that he accepts Lan no matter the living twin's flaws. I do not care what you become, nor what you were, you will always be by my side. I will always protect you, even if you despise me because of this.

    “Some people have to look to the edges of the universe to find the secrets to joy in life, but all I have to see is you, Lan,” Hub whispered as he crouched down next to the hospital bed. "You are everything to me. Please..."

    You are everything I want. You are the only reason I am still here— my tether to this world. You make my soul happy. I need nothing else. The spirit reached out his hand towards his brother. I only want for your safety. I need not the slightest thing save for your joy, your smile, your life to be yours. 

    When you smile, I am smiling with you. When you are sad, I cry with you. With every breath you take, I am right by your side. With every heartbeat, I live on with you, Lan... So please, don't go. Hub's hand rested on Lan's face, brushing some of Lan's hair out of the way so he could look at the sleeping boy.

    Had his eyes not already been tired from crying, exhaustion prevalent on the spirit's face, he would've been bawling his eyes out. His body trembled as emotions he was far too tired to process flooded Hub, head falling to rest on the edge of the hospital bed. He could barely stay awake.

    In the silence of the room, the faint sound of waves on the shore could be heard, as if straight out of a memory from Hub's time here. I remember that sound... Do you, Lan? The memories of Hub's time here brought with them strain, sadness, and also an odd fondness of familiarity. One of the days Hub remembered fondly he was in this exact room.

    "When can I go home, mama?" Hub had asked weakly, though Lan sat across from him at the end of his hospital bed. 

    Sun beamed in through the windows that day, light reflecting off the ocean waves and cascading into the room. Summer... The rays lit up Lan's face, the smile his twin gave him in that light remaining a vivid memory to this day.

    "I'm sure it'll be soon! Right, mama?" Lan chuckled.

    Lan had no idea how wrong he was... Hub wouldn't get to go home for nearly seven years, and even then, it was in a completely different body, unrecognizable, and only after a ridiculous amount of training and hard work. Learning to move a body that wasn't even really a body at all took years in itself. Learning how to walk again, how to talk again, how to feel again…

    "Don't worry... We'll see you again tomorrow," his father had said to Hub when he was the one in the hospital, young Lan reaching back towards Hub as Yuichiro practically dragged Lan out of the room.

    He had said that all while having other intentions... Hub had been barely holding onto life, lying pathetically in bed, all he could do was look longingly after Lan, desperately trying to raise his hand and hug his brother... to make Lan stay for those final hours. Yuichiro had taken Lan away from him when he wanted his brother there the most. All I wanted was him to be there... He made my suffering so much easier, papa... Why did you take him from me? Why did you take me from him? 

    Hub could remember standing on the beach, wishing… waiting… pleading for everything to be okay. He could remember the pain getting worse… and worse… and there was nothing they could do at the time. The taste of blood was vivid, so many horrid memories flashing in his mind as he recalled his time at the hospital… his time being truly alive.

    The sound of the waves… The spirit breathed deeply. It brings a lot of it back to me… Does it make you remember too, Lan? I wonder if you can hear them right now like I can…

    The memories of being in the network at his father's lab, stumbling around as his awkwardly configured frame shook and trembled, fighting to even move his own legs, made him fearful. I don't want what happened to me to happen to Lan. The experience of not recognizing your own senses, the lack of anything material, feeling yourself clip into objects... All of that is what Hub had grown to consider normal. By no means was it anything the human mind was meant to experience, and it wasn't Hub's choice. 

    His father hadn't told him about it in advance. Hub didn't even know it was an option. After he had passed, the first thing Hub had become aware of was he couldn't speak, everything foreign and strange as if he was detached from his own body. He couldn't feel his own limbs... He didn't feel hunger, didn't feel pain... He didn't know what was happening.

    His humanity had been ripped from him, stripped down to the bare framework of what and who he once was, and done by his own father in a desperate attempt to preserve something that should've been gone. He had stood there in cyberspace, panic rising as he tried to breathe air that wasn't there, tried to grasp his own hands just for them to react violently and spasm through themselves. It was an experience he wouldn't wish on anyone.

    Navi's don't need air to survive, but it had felt like he was suffocating in himself, even an attempt to breathe was futile as any attempt at movement didn't ever seem to do what he wanted, the attempts to find someone only ending in disaster. He had fallen to the floor, frame clipping through it and not making any sense to him. It made him want to cry but he found there were no tears to be shed.

    Any attempts at shouting for help came out wrong, manifesting as shrill spikes of improperly tuned sounds and inflection that made him cringe. He couldn't even say a single word, it all coming out as just a dissonant symphony of half-human, glitched out sounds, that sounded more like a computer being totally eviscerated while it's programs were still being used than a human being. The sound of his own voice scared him.

    Despite having the capacity to see, Hub wasn't aware of how to, the feelings and sounds manifesting themselves and going through his new processing system while leaving him in complete darkness. The feeling of having a processing system made him feel sick, trying to reach back for it to make it stop causing his frame to contort and in turn make him feel worse. Everything... the fact he existed... just felt wrong. 

    What is happening?! PLEASE MAKE THIS STOP. The very act of having thoughts about it at the time was overwhelming, feeling like every second he was getting bombarded with something he had no idea how to come to terms with. It was uncomfortable. 

    "Hub!? Can you hear me!?" Dr. Hikari had called out to him, the researcher shouting despite his close proximity to the microphone of the computer.

    Processing his father's voice just made him scream in fright, perhaps the one sound that came out almost as intended. Despite knowing his eyes were open now, Hub still couldn't see, and the sound seemed to be coming from all around him, having a dizzying effect on him. His entire self felt molded into a form unbefitting of his identity, a web of patterns and thoughts, all able to be felt as it reconfigured its structure to accommodate with every new input. His frame felt more like threads he pulled on a puppet in his own mind than a body, each and every axis of rotation programed as a joint tickling his senses, threads getting crossed in a panic as he tried to pry himself up from the floor he could barely feel and flee. 

    Then it started to hurt as the input he was giving his frame made it splinter, his joints bending in ways they weren't supposed to from commands he didn't know how to control, the entire process running rampant on its own. The newly-made navi sputtered a cough as he still tried to breathe, the attempts to control his muscles that no longer existed strangling his throat as his frame bent in unsightly ways. Then all of a sudden he couldn't move at all, feeling his frame moving under someone else's control. 

    "Shhh, shhh... Hub. It's okay. Calm down," Yuichiro insisted. 

    Calm down!? The very thought sent a vicious response through him, the newly-made navi beginning to get a loose grasp of what was what in his new mind.

    "I'm sure you're very confused... I'm sorry... but... this is your new home..." Yuichiro sighed. 

    No more meals cooked by mama, no more warm, soft bed, no more warm baths, no more... I feel like someone is missing... Hub hadn't even remembered what all he lost that day. 

    I hope you can go home soon, Lan. Hub’s eyes began to fall closed, his thoughts fading away as he relaxed with his face pressing into the hospital bed’s mattress. He reached out towards Lan as his eyes fell closed, though he found he didn’t have the strength to grab his brother’s hand.

    “Goodnight, Lan… I love you…” the spirit mumbled.

    Across the room from Lan and Hub, Yuichiro began to stir, the anxiety from the situation making it hard for him to stay asleep. He rubbed his eyes, reaching for his glasses in the dark. He couldn't see anything. His glasses fell to the floor with a clatter as he knocked them down.

    "Lan?" Yuichiro whispered as he reached towards the floor where he could see his glasses as a faint dark smudge in his vision.

    He got no response from the sleeping boy. His hair was untidy, looking disheveled as he had pulled an all-nighter at work just before this. Dark circles were prevalent under his eyes. 

    Dr. Hikari picked up his glasses, groggily sitting up and looking over at his son as he put them on, but he jolted awake at the sight of something strange. Was it hair? Maybe... some sort of fur? It was hard to tell at a distance, but a gentle glow came from it, and it just barely peeked over the edge of Lan's blankets.

    Concerned for his son and curiosity piquing his interest, he stood up and stepped a few paces closer. It didn't take long for him to realize it was hair, and that it also was connected to an entire head full of it. Yuichiro walked around the hospital bed wondering who was the owner of said glowing hair, his eyes widening as he saw it was Hub, passed out and leaning against the bed.

    "... Hub? " Yuichiro crouched down to the floor.

    The spirit opened his eyes, at first looking to Lan before his gaze panned over to his father in shock. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Yuichiro started asking questions.

    "Why don't you have any clothes? You're going to catch a cold sleeping like that," Dr. Hikari said, as if that was somehow the weirdest part about all of this.

    The researcher removed his lab coat, extending his arm out towards his late son with it in hand. Hub practically snatched the coat from his father with an awkward smile. The spirit wrapped it around himself, the garment appearing comically large on him as he buttoned it up in the front. It was warm and comforting.

    "I should have Haruka get you some clothes. You can't just be walking around like that," Yuichiro frowned.

    "Dad, I didn't choose to be this way. I'm... not alive. Humans don't have natural clo—..." Hub's interjection went unnoticed.

    "You still like blue, right?" Yuichiro asked.

    "You can't hear me, can you?" Hub sighed. "And you're not even paying attention now."

    Dr. Hikari was already absorbed in his own thoughts, the beeps and the noise of Yuichiro's own voice drowning out Hub's whispers.

    "I'm sure Haruka will pick something nice for you... Why are you out here?" his father raised an eyebrow.

    Hub stood up from the floor, stumbling as he turned to face Lan. Seeing Lan in a hospital bed was as depressing as ever. It didn't get any easier with time.

    "Oh, you're worried about him, aren't you?" Yuichiro hummed. "I suppose that makes sense."

    "It's my fault for letting him participate..." Hub mumbled.

    "Now, now... I let him participate in the N1 too, and so did your mother," Yuichiro insisted. "It's too bad that they won't let him continue because of this, but it's for the best..."

    Yuichiro stood next to the spirit, placing a hand on his late son's shoulder. Hub turned to face his father, unable to hide the shock or sadness in his eyes. Lan did all that work...

    "I never should've let him... I thought that—... it doesn't matter now," the researcher patted Hub's shoulder. "Thankfully you and Chaud were there."

    Yuichiro tensed, beginning to tremble. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tightened his grip on Hub. Though he tried his best to be strong, Dr. Hikari found himself unable to hold back his tears. He’d been through this before. Not again…

    The researcher pulled the spirit close, holding Hub tight as if the researcher was afraid he would disappear if Yuichiro let go.

    "He'll be okay..." Yuichiro sobbed. "Your brother is going to be fine... I can't lose another son."

    "I'm—... I'm still here, thanks to you..." Hub whispered.

    "I know... I know," his father breathed harshly as tears peppered the lab coat on Hub's shoulders. "I will do everything in my power to make sure Lan stays alive..."

    "Please don't make him into a navi like me..." the spirit found himself insisting. 

    "I hope I don't have to... I really do..." Dr. Hikari sobbed. "But I won't lose him. I don't care what it takes."

    I don't know if I could take seeing him go through what I went through... Hub reached his arms around his father, hugging Yuichiro tightly. 

    "I don't want him to suffer, papa..." Hub gripped his father's shirt firmly in his hands, scrunching the fabric up. 

    "I know... I know, Hub... I know," Yuichiro said as he ruffled Hub's hair. 

    The researcher put his arm under the spirit's legs as he lifted up his late son in his arms, stumbling slightly as he wasn't expecting the weight. He cradled Hub in his arms, rocking back and forth on his feet. 

    "It's okay, Hub... He's gonna be okay. Don't worry," Yuichiro stated. "The doctors are doing everything they can."

    Dr. Hikari leaned his head against Hub's, gently kissing the spirit's forehead as Hub clung to him. The motion of Yuichiro swaying back and forth had begun to make Hub tired again. 

    "Thank you... papa..." Hub mumbled, his eyes falling shut with a small yawn.

    He fell asleep in his father's arms, curled up with his head resting on Yuichiro's shoulder. 

Chapter Text

    Megaman stared up at the face of Yuichiro, his father silent as he stared down at the clipboard in his hands, tapping his pen against the paper. Something was bothering the researcher, and he kept glancing to the PET on his desk, opening his mouth to ask something before suddenly shutting out the thought and shaking his head. Dr. Hikari muttered several things under his breath, sighing as he leaned back in his chair. He had a frustrated glare in his eyes and a tenseness in his shoulders.

    Yuichiro frowned, looking at the wall next to his desk.

    “So, there is… Listen, I understand that you have—…” Yuichiro started. “I guess I just have some concerns.”

    “Like what?” Megaman replied with a sigh.

    The navi suspected he knew what this was about, but he didn’t want to jump to conclusions and make things worse. What happened a few days ago… in front of Chaud… It wasn’t good.

    The researcher sighed, tapping his pen a little more before he leaned closer to the computer.

    “I—…” Yuichiro tensed, adorning his fatherly tone. “I’m worried about you, Hub.”

    Megaman frowned, fidgeting under his father's stare.

    “You don’t think you’ll have to—…” the navi didn’t know if he dared to finish that sentence.

    Everything he had worked for up to this moment had the capacity to vanish from his grasp with just one sentence. Please don't take Lan away from me.

    “Well, you seem fine, and I’d like to think that the fact I still have you here is a blessing,” Yuichiro dodged the subject. 

    Dr. Hikari looked away from the screen, staring down at his notes once more. The crinkled, abused paper that was littered with ink smears and splotches from coffee had only been on the clip board for the past day, but the researcher hadn't been able to sleep away from the hospital.

    “Still… These, uh… odd behavioral patterns accompanied by this ‘slipping out of the PET’ are a little concerning,” Yuichiro explained. “Are they related?”

    Megaman hummed, eyes flicking down to his hands as they examined the polygons of his frame. I’m not trying to be an inconvenience…

    "...No..." The navi's voice was barely audible.

    "That's good... That's good," Yuichiro stressed, looking back to his notes as he scribbled something down.

    The researcher grabbed his glass of coffee, taking a quick sip before putting the glass aside on some old notes detailing a shopping list he had yet to actually organize. He had been far too stressed to bother with cleaning his desk as of late. 

    “Tell me what’s wrong,” Dr. Hikari sighed. “I’m your dad. You can tell me anything.”

    “Papa…” Megaman mumbled, biting his lip as he tried to come up with something to say.

    The navi fiddled with his gloves, nervously rolling his foot on the cyberfloor. I don’t want to tell him about these thoughts in my systems… he has enough trouble already with Lan… He couldn’t find the strength to meet Yuichiro in the eyes. But I can’t say it’s nothing either.

    “I’m not really sure what happened… The thought of Lan… passing…” Megaman tensed, suddenly bristling as the last word left his mouth.

    A feeling of terror flooded the navi’s senses, something inside of himself contorting under pressure as he pressed his gloved hand against his chest again. The feeling of not being able to breathe…strangled by my own body…

    Dr. Hikari sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face. “I’m sorry.”

    The navi went quiet, emotionally shutting down and curling up on the cyberfloor. I don’t want to talk about it. Megaman stared blankly in front of himself.

    “Did you get scared?” Yuichiro asked. “I know it must be a lot for you.”

    Megaman did not reply, turning his head to look away from his father. His navi systems complained while his personality program kept himself quiet, odd blips filling the back of his thoughts. The researcher hummed with a frown, tapping his pencil on his clipboard.

    “Was it an error?” Dr. Hikari continued questioning him.

    The navi still didn’t respond, only blinking his eyes a couple times as tears threatened to pour from them. Tiredness and the guilty, sinking feeling he felt in his mind made it feel much easier to look at the floor than his father.

    “Hub… talk to me,” Yuichiro’s expression saddened.

    The researcher was worried for his sons, and Megaman’s lack of responses gave him that much more concern. The navi still hadn’t said anything— or even shaken his head yes or no. What can I do? I need an answer out of him…

    Dr. Hikari took a deep breath, centering himself as he checked over his computer, opening different windows and looking at his notes. Something in the PET’s files caught his attention as he flipped through them, making a small, gentle smile appear on the researcher’s face. He clicked on the program, opening it.

    “Here. Does this make you feel a bit better?” Yuichiro asked.

    Megaman looked back in the direction of the screen, noticing something sitting on the floor in front of him. It was the plush program dressed like Lan, sitting just out of reach. While the navi still didn’t speak, he found himself relaxing as he unfolded his legs and arms to reach out for it. Once it was in his hands, he pulled up his legs in front if himself and clutched it firmly in his arms, dedicated to not letting it be lost.

    Much to Dr. Hikari’s appreciation, Megaman finally nodded in affirmation. The navi fiddled with the plush’s arm as he looked at it fondly with care and affection. It was the closest he could get to actually hugging his brother at the moment. The action made him happy, a pleasant buzz echoing around his systems and extending into his frame.

    “Now, I’m sure you’re well aware it’s not normal for navis to injure themselves— and it’s also not normal for humans…” Yuichiro’s eyes looked away briefly before they returned to his late son’s. “No matter what you tell me, I’m not going to be mad. I promise. I just want to help.”

    The navi pulled the plush closer, drawing his lips together in discomfort. His systems complained, pushing and contorting against himself as his emotions fought. We should tell him… I should tell him…

    “Papa… I didn’t mean to—…” Megaman’s breath hitched as the memory of the incident came back. “I think it’s my fault that Lan ended up like that…”

    “He’s doing fine. It was his own decision to enter that tournament and it’s not your fault that another competitor attacked him,” Yuichiro explained. 

    “But I knew he could get hurt and I didn’t do anything to stop him… Papa… am I a bad navi?” Megaman asked, tears in his eyes.

    “Oh, Hub… is that what this is about?” Yuichiro asked.

    Dr. Hikari was saddened by his late son’s response. The navi nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes.

    “I was so scared, and I feel like it’s my fault,” Megaman replied. “I’m supposed to protect him, and he got hurt because I let him go despite knowing he was sick.”

    “Hub, you can’t just keep him away from the world either. Things happen,” his father spoke gently.

    “I didn’t want this to happen,” the navi sobbed. 

    Megaman felt a twinge in his systems, jabbing his personality program.

    “…How long has this been going on?” Yuichiro asked, his expression void of much emotion.

    “How long has what been going on?” Megaman asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

    “This… harming yourself,” Dr. Hikari sighed. “How long?”

    The navi shied away, cowering behind his own legs with his arms latched tightly around the plushie of his brother. He didn’t want to answer that. If you tell him, he may take you away from Lan. Maybe I should be taken away from him. I cannot forgive myself for what I’ve done to him.

    “Since around the time you gave me to him…” Megaman mumbled.

    Yuichiro’s shoulders fell into a slump, the pain from what the navi said visible in the researcher’s eyes. 

    “Hub…” his father’s voice twinged with guilt. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me.”

    Megaman was about to speak up when he felt his father tampering with his files. It caused a flood of alarm through his processing system, fear spreading into the navi’s eyes. WAit, wait, wait, WAIT—!

    "I’ll make sure to fix it. Until it’s fixed, I’ll let you sleep so you don’t have those impulses anymore,” Yuichiro insisted, clicking through the tabs.

    Wait! Please— Before Megaman could object, Dr. Hikari prompted the PET to go into sleep mode. The navi’s consciousness slipped away, replaced by static and the usual silent void against his own will. The next thing Megaman knew, he was greeted by the sight of Lan’s room, his operator sleeping in the bed with a gentle rise and fall of his chest. 

    Early morning sunlight beamed in through the window, slowly illuminating the room and Lan’s face. Hub smiled, taking in the gentle warmth. It's 7:30AM, Lan gets up now. It's 12:30AM.

    “Lan! It’s time to get up!” Hub exclaimed with a smile.

    His sleeping brother didn’t respond, as was typical, merely rolling over and ignoring the noise. Lan isn't here.

    “Lan!” Hub complained, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. 

    Lan grumbled, finally acknowledging his twin’s presence as Hub walked across the cold floor and threw himself onto Lan’s legs. Lan yelped, attempting to push his twin off.

    “Alright! Alright! I’m up!” Lan grumbled, though a chuckle was hidden under his breath.

    “It’s almost time for breakfast!” Hub smiled vividly as he thought about what mom may have been cooking. 

    Lan ruffled his twin’s hair as Hub crawled up next to him. Don't believe him.

    “Don’t worry,” Lan said sternly.

    Hub listened to the sound of Lan’s voice, falling into an almost dazed state. I love being here with you. The sparkles of sunlight continued to grow brighter, the taste of fresh, cold lemonade filling Hub’s senses as the room filled with light. The scent of fresh hydrangeas and evening sea spray assaulted his mind as his excitement mellowed into a relaxed comfort. 

    The sounds of the walls echoed in his thoughts, the static of the bright colors igniting the same patterns as always. The colors played a symphony of emotions in his thoughts. I love being here with you. Downloading files shifted colors as they progressed, prompting reveries that felt like shards of stained glass. 

    “I love you, brother,” Lan said softly, continuing to hold Hub close.

    Hub accepted it, latching onto Lan’s pajamas with his hands. The colors of Lan’s voice brought peace to him. Happy colors. Lan is happy. Lan is in pain.

    “I love you too,” Hub replied with a tired smile.

     I love being here with you. I want to stay. Don't stay.

    “Stay as long as you want, Megaman,” Lan responded.

    Sounds stitched up the discrepancies, contorted feelings inside Hub mending and shattering into a mosaic of files. Phrases he longed to hear surfaced, seeming to spill out of Lan’s mouth as they walked to the dining table. The TV played soothing emotions, threads holding them together. This isn’t right. I want to stay. An odd tone in Lan's voice caught him off guard, making Hub begin to tremble. Lan is in pain.

    "That's interesting," Lan frowned suddenly. 

    I smell blood. I'm sorry, Hub. Maybe I'm mistaken... maybe I should tell you.

    Memories faded as he was enticed by Lan to play games, playing hide and seek. I can hear him. Lan’s voice seemed to come from the television, further drawing him in as he became increasingly disoriented and distracted. He’s— He’s talking to me. —not here. Lan is speaking to me.

    “It’s okay, Hub!” Lan insisted.

     The navi’s programs stuttered, the feeling of invisible strings pulling Hub towards his brother growing ever stronger as the sound of ocean waves was drowned out by the television. His voice is warm. Lan’s words were orange and yellow, cutting the senses welded inside his mind apart. He is happy to have me here.

    “I’ll never get rid of you,” Lan whispered. “Thank you for being my navi.”

    The sound of Lan wove new life into Hub, every pause raising or lowering the heddle for the gentle words to pass the shuttle in between groups of threads made from his warmth. Memories inside Megaman’s systems cried out all of a sudden, a mess of strings and loose connections making themselves known. You’re broken. I want to stay. I want to stay…

    Frequencies of sound patched the fear and discomfort, warmth from the embrace filling his body as he began to feel tired once more. I want to stay. You’re a fucking idiot. I want to stay here. The taste of pancakes and lemonade, the smell of fresh flowers, the sound of Lan’s voice, a soothing warmth, and the gentle embrace of his brother— it was all he ever wanted. 

    Pain stabbed his systems, a sour taste making Hub grimace. He hates you. He knows this is your fault. Lan wouldn’t be like this if it wasn’t for you.

    “He’s hiding and waiting for me to find him. He’s safe,” Hub insisted.

    Hub could feel his navi systems forcing his thoughts in certain directions, making things click together that shouldn’t, and leaving him feeling like he wasn’t himself. Nothing felt real anymore. Stop. The volume increased. Dread mocked him as it began to steal away his thought, taking over. Tears and blood. Blood and tears. Hub began to lose himself as his mind betrayed him, confronted by the scent of ink and metal. All my thoughts are written down on the page. My blood and tears must be hidden.

    “Stay here, Hub,” Lan’s voice instructed him. 

    Stay… I’d like to stay. Where is Lan? WHERE IS HE!? The sounds from the TV changed, becoming unsettling as they overlapped. I need Lan.

    "Is it some sort of out-of-body experience?" Yuichiro asked, grabbing a glass from the cupboard. "Obviously there's a physical component to it, but I really want to understand what it is you're going through."

    Hub didn't respond, only clutching Lan's pillow closer and pulling up his knees as he sat on the couch. It smelled of hydrangeas and evening sea spray. RED AND YELLOW. I'm sorry.

    "...Not feeling very talkative, are you... hm..." Dr. Hikari sighed, filling up the cup with water. 

    The spirit sank down into the pillow in his arms, giving his father a guilt-ridden stare. His mind was too preoccupied with worry to care about answering a few questions. Perhaps he was distracted by the sounds of sunset. I SMELL BLOOD. LAN IS IN PAIN.

    "Lan will be home this afternoon you know... We should both try to relax some so we can be well rested when he gets home," Yuichiro walked back over to the couch and set the fresh glass of water down in front of his late son. 

    Hub refused to respond, sinking further into the soft pillow. This is my fault. I let him end up like this. The spirit felt tears spill from his eyes again. Tak, tak, tak-tak, tak, the sound of typing made itself known. My last words are on the page. Invisible blades cut the patchwork of his mind apart, unraveling the delicately constructed system as something stitched him back together. Hub looked down to his hands, finding the gloves of his navi self sewn into his skin. THIS IS BAD. THIS IS BAD.

    "Aren't you going to drink the water you asked for?" Yuichiro asked.

    You are safe here. You are safe here. You are safe. HELP ME. Lan's voice seemed to speak to him from the TV in the colors of bright orange and yellow. It felt fuzzy and warm. I can't smell blood.

    "I'm sorry. Please stay," Lan's voice said. 

    The words felt like needles stitching pixels to his skin, but he could only lay there in a somber daze. I'd like to stay. Pieces of his frame pierced his body, leaving Hub feeling faint. 

    "Please, Hub. Drink something," Yuichiro handed Hub the glass. 

    His father's voice sounded gray and dissonant, feeling like sandpaper in his wounds. It did not console him, and neither did the waves of the ocean. His body was prompted to sit up, taking the glass not of his own volition. I've lost myself in the static. It's all black and white. 

    "You'll feel better when you wake up," his father smiled innocently, though tears of black and red fell down Yuichiro's face.

    Hub lazily raised the glass to his mouth with a lethargic, emotionless stare, drinking the contents. It burned, an agonizing pain filling his stomach and spreading to the rest of his body as he kept drinking, though all he could do was let tears fall as it continued to burn his throat. The glass shattered in his hands, a viscous cough shaking his body and worsening the pain. His voice sounded like a mutilated speaker with loose wires, blood splattering on his legs and staining his frame. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts, but I can't feel any pain. 

    The room seemed like it was spinning, everything turning to black and white as Hub felt like something was being ripped out of his chest. PAPA, HELP ME! The setting flickered and changed sporadically, lighting up hundreds of different mutilated connections and causing several errors to ignite a wildfire of chaos and fear within the navi. He ran to the kitchen, tripping over his own feet as he desperately clambered to get away from the noise. GET OFF OF ME! STOP! I'M NOT A NAVI! The threads got tighter, cutting his flesh as he reached for the knives. 

    Hub grabbed a sizable blade and began to hack at the armor and digital polygons in a disorganized manner, attempting to cut the threads that tied it all to him. I'M NOT A NAVI! PLEASE JUST LET ME GO! It was no use as each thread he cut grew more, further entangling him with the navi parts of himself. They wouldn't let him go, strangling and defiling his flesh as it relentlessly stitched itself down to his bones. He wasn't given a say.

    STOP! PLEASE! I'M HUMAN! I'm ALIVE! The blade dug into his frame as it turned into flowers, branches quickly growing over Megaman as he screamed in protest of his new confines. I'M ALIVE. I'M ALIVE. I'M ALIVE. The colors that came from his throat cast an agonizing splatter on the floor. He closed his eyes, clutching his head as he tried to shut out the discordant chaos of sound and colors that made him feel ill. He fell back into a daze, vision blurring and fading to sparkles as he collapsed on the floor.

    "You should be dead," Lan's voice echoed around him. "Wake up. Wake up... HUB. WAKE UP!"

    It's all just black and white. I can't smell anything. There is nothing of life here. There is no color. Hub opened his eyes, finding himself in Lan's bed and tangled in the sheets, Lan standing over him with a smile on his face as they were surrounded by static. I love being here with you.

    "It's time to wake up, Megaman," Lan whispered. 

    The feeling of Lan's PET powering on cut off the odd scene that played out, the systems booting up as all the files were accessed to display Megaman. The navi felt woozy as he realized where he was, looking through the camera and seeing Lan smiling and happy to see him.

    "Good afternoon, Megaman!" Lan greeted him, though a twinge of sadness remained in Lan's voice. "...Megaman?"

    "Yes, Lan?" the navi looked to his operator, rubbing the tiredness away from his eyes. "What's going on?"

    Megaman's memory felt blurry, estranged from himself. 

    "Oh, good! You can hear me! I was a little worried for a minute!" Lan chuckled. 

    Megaman rolled his eyes, returning the weary smile that rested on Lan's face. He looks tired... why can't I feel it in his voice?

    "Hey... Are you ok?" the navi asked. 

    "...I'll be ok," Lan sat down on his bed, looking out the window. "I'm just a little... lonely is all. Hub didn't talk to me while I was in the hospital."

Chapter Text

    No one ever tells you how lonely being a navi is. Navis hardly consider themselves lonely by any standard other than the occasional “I missed you” and “I’m so happy you’re back” they say to their operators. In Megaman’s case, it wasn’t so clean cut. His life was filled with silences, being left behind, or sometimes even being prohibited from spaces his operator could otherwise go.

    Despite Lan being back from the hospital, he had once again been tossed aside on his operator’s desk, practically forgotten about. Lan was so preoccupied with spending time with his father— who was home a lot more than usual in light of recent matters —that it didn’t occur to him how much he left Megaman alone that day. The sadness of being alone had begun to manifest itself in an unfamiliar manner ever since the day Yuichiro put him into sleep mode. 

    Instead of a patient, disappointed droning in his systems, he felt a deep, emotional pain within what seemed to be his very being. Even when Lan was in the room, his operator’s voice no longer brought him an absurd amount of joy. It felt more like static than Lan actually talking to him, as if Lan was talking to a thing instead of him. The vibrant emotions that used to well up from within his systems from the sound of Lan’s voice now were gray and lifeless. 

    This isn’t what this is supposed to be like… The navi recalled his days of waiting in silence for his father to return to the Lab from a visit home. In his loneliness, he had taught himself what he could from the progs in his father’s computer, keeping himself entertained until a real person returned. Other navis didn’t understand his loneliness as much as he tried to explain it to them. None of them could make sense of it when he said he was lonely and needed a hug or just a hand to hold.

    Back in his father’s lab, when he was just a small netnavi with the Hikari crest. The internet hadn’t been much more than scaffolds so long ago, an idea, and loose connections held together with threads of data. It was hardly recognizable by the standards of the current technology. After becoming a navi and having adapted to his frame, he tried to make the loneliness more bearable by playing games.

    “Hey! Hey! You’re going to be my brother! Okay?” Hub insisted to one of the progs.

    “I am not a brother! I locate files on Dr. Hikari’s computer!” the program insisted. 

    Hub frowned, his green eyes filling with frustration.

    “It’s pretend! It’s fun!” the small navi insisted.

    “I do not ‘pretend’,” the program continued. “I will put you back where you belong.”

    The prog lifted up Hub and began to carry him through his father’s computer, not listening to the small navi’s commands to put him down. 

    “Put me down! Put me down!” Hub insisted.

    “Stay here,” the program ordered him.

    “No!” Hub complained. “I wanna play! I’m lonely!”

    “Stay here,” the prog repeated as it finally set him back down.

    Hub huffed, begrudgingly sitting on the cyberfloor.

    “I’ll stay here if you play with me!” the small navi smiled cheekily.

    “I do not play,” the program stated.

    Hub crawled across the floor and latched onto the prog, climbing up it as it began to panic, trying to remove the small navi from itself.

    “It’s easy! Look up what brothers do and do that with me, ok? We’re gonna fight a dragon together!” Hub’s eyes lit up with wonder and excitement as he imitated a dragon’s roar, startling the program.

    “There are no dragons here,” the program insisted, growing worried for the small navi.

    “Uhhh… it’s invisible, obviously. I’ll tell you where it is,” Hub told the prog. 

    “Invisible!? I need to alert Dr. Hikari immediately that there’s an intruder dragon in the network!” the program began to scramble around, searching for the security program.

    “Shhh! SHHHH! No, silly! We’ll deal with it ourselves! You and me! We’re gonna be warriors!” Hub smiled, climbing onto the prog’s head and leaning down in it’s face.

    “I am not qualified to fight dragons,” the program told him.

    “Look it up! I order you to fight this dragon with me!” Hub pressed the issue. 

    “I have no weapons!” The prog began to panic, taking the small navi off its face and setting him down on the floor.

    “Use this!” Hub ran over to the corner of his folder and picked up a very odd-looking metal stick.

    It was obviously no real weapon, but it had the words “monster slayer” haphazardly carved into one side.

    “Papa said to use it if I ever am in trouble!” he handed it to the prog, who flailed around with it, having no idea what to do with it.

    Hub laughed, picking up another object from the floor. It was a half-finished canon file with no actual function. He had to hold the proverbial “toy gun” in his hand by a handle that was awkwardly placed. 

    “I don’t know what I’m doing!” the prog exclaimed in terror.

    “Relax! You can be Progman and I’ll be… Megaman! Okay? Onward to the dragon’s lair!” Hub imitated a dragon’s roar once more as he raised up the non-functional canon, running off to another section of his father’s computer. 

    When Yuichiro came back the next day, his computer was a bit of a wreck. The stressed researcher tried his best to remain calm as he questioned Hub about the incident, but he couldn’t disguise his frustration. He sat with his arms propped up on his desk, cradling his forehead in his hands as he gave an exasperated sigh.

    “Tell me exactly what happened while I was gone. I’m not mad, I just wanna know,” Yuichiro stated.

    The small navi was very poorly hiding the toy cannon behind his back, slowly bringing it out to show his father as he was confronted.

    “I was lonely and wanted to play with Lan… but he wasn’t here so I asked the search program,” Hub told him. “We were playing as Megaman and Progman, but things got too… real…” 

    “Hub… my computer’s programs are not playmates,” Dr. Hikari stated. “They don’t have the complex reasoning needed for such games.”

    “But papa…” Hub pouted, looking up at his father with teary eyes. “It’s lonely here when you’re away…”

    “I know… I know, Hub. Why don’t you talk to one of the other navis here?” Yuichiro suggested.

    The internet was different back then, and most navis weren’t capable of much independence. Any navis he did come into contact with at that point in time were incredibly inhuman, bound to their tasks and nearly incapable of free thought.

    “They don’t understand, and they don’t want to play. They just want to fight me,” Hub said, rolling his foot on the floor. “They’re mean.”

    Yuichiro frowned, looking at the notes strewn about his desk.

    “I don’t wanna fight for real. I just want to play,” Hub insisted.

    “Oh, alright… I’ll see what I can do, but no more playing ‘slay the dragon’ with the programs, okay?” Yuichiro smiled nervously. 

    The small navi reluctantly agreed though he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Hub hadn’t gotten much sleep that night as he’d been too busy playing.

    “Aw, is it nap time?” Dr. Hikari asked playfully.

    Hub nodded, his eyelids starting to droop.

    “Okay, I’ll get you back to your folder so you can rest. You really shouldn’t push yourself so hard,” Yuichiro clicked through various tabs on his computer, sending a prog to transfer the small navi.

    “Papa… when am I going to see Lan again?” Hub asked with a small yawn.

    His hands gently wrapped around the prog as it picked him up, Hub’s vision growing blurry from tiredness. 

    “… I’m not sure yet, but I’ll let you know when I find out,” Dr. Hikari tried his best to smile, though he couldn’t hide the fact his eyes had begun to water from the question. 

    The months had dragged out, and Hub went on to ask that question many times before he finally heard an answer— an answer he didn’t like. The final straw was a few days before his 6th birthday, when his father decided it was time to tell him the truth.

    “Hub… I’m sorry,” Yuichiro sat in front of his computer, tears in his eyes. “I’ve thought about how to say this to you for a long time… but there just isn’t a good way to tell you.”

    The small navi was devastated, smile falling away as his eyes began to water and he tried to hold back all the emotions he was experiencing. His father could barely stand to look at him, knowing how much Hub had hoped to see Lan again.

    “It—… You’re not going to see Lan again…” Dr. Hikari explained.

    The researcher couldn’t disguise the suffering in his voice, pain leaching into every syllable. He had known the nearly two years Hub was like this that he would never be Lan’s brother ever again, and yet he had led on the small navi because of his own selfish desire to keep Hub happy… Rather, the program he viewed as Hub happy. He had no way to confirm if this navi was really his son at all— or at least that’s what he thought at the time.

    “But… he’s—…” Hub muttered in shock.

    “I’m sorry. I really am… I’m so sorry,” Yuichiro braced his head against his hands on his desk, tears falling from his eyes onto his notes.

    The small navi began to sob and cry. 

    “No! I wanna see Lan!” Hub shouted. “Let me see Lan!”

    “I can’t. I’m sorry,” Yuichiro’s breath hitched in his throat.

    “LET ME SEE LAN!” the small navi screamed and whined.

    Dr. Hikari didn’t respond, overcome with grief and guilt. What have I done? He couldn’t stand the thought of what he had created. This navi was what seemed in the moment to be a futile attempt at resurrecting his late son, and he was learning the lesson of why you don’t play god. I brought this upon myself… Forgive me for what I’ve created, Hub…

    “You told me I’d get to see him again! Was that a lie, papa!?” Hub shouted.

    “…Please just listen to me,” Dr. Hikari felt tears running down his face as he spoke. 

    The small navi shook his head, stomping his boot on the floor in anger. 

    “No! Leave me alone!” Hub demanded.

    Yuichiro rushed to punch a command in, only to hesitate and leave his hands hovering over the keys. …I can’t… I can’t… He stared at the monitor, the pain in the small navi’s expression as it cried proving to be his weakness.

    Hub’s eyes lit up with fear as he saw the look his father was giving him. He noted how Dr. Hikari’s hands hovered, inching closer to the keys.

    “…Papa?” The small navi slowly stepped back, cowering.

    “Listen to me… You—… You’re not—… Lan can’t know that you’re his brother,” Yuichiro explained, slowly typing in a command.

    “…Why not? He deserves to know,” Hub fussed, nervously flicking his eyes to his father's hands.

    The researcher was quiet, not wanting to hurt the navi’s feelings. He knew that the reason why would only make Hub upset.

    “Tell me. Why not?” Hub pressed the issue. “Papa, TELL ME!”

    In the stressful moment, Dr. Hikari gave into his frustration, a hostile undertone making its way into his voice as he glared at the monitor on his desk.

    “He doesn’t deserve to have a navi constantly insisting it’s his brother when he is in enough pain already,” Yuichiro had raised his voice. “You have Hub’s memories, and you have his face, but—…”

    Dr. Hikari found it difficult to say the rest of that statement aloud. He didn’t want to say it, as much as he knew it was true. Seeing the horror in Hub’s expression was enough for him to know he had already crossed a line he could never go back from. Yuichiro knew he had committed a serious mistake, and he couldn’t take it back. 

    “… Just go to sleep,” the researcher said with grief, trembling as he initiated the command he had typed.

    It was the first time Yuichiro had ever forcefully shut him down, not giving him a say. It was the day Hub started to realize Yuichiro no longer viewed him as a human— he no longer viewed the small navi as truly being his son.

    "Hub?" Yuichiro's voice came through to him as he was activated for the first time since that incident. 

    The small navi felt sick, stumbling on his feet and coughing up spit as he tried to steady himself. He felt all sorts of wrong, waiting for the weird feelings hovering in his frame to fizzle away as they usually did. 

    "Hub, can you hear me?" his father's voice registered as flat and solemn.

    "Yeah..." Hub sighed, sitting down on the cyberfloor and wrapping his arms around his legs.

    Dr. Hikari exhaled under his breath, saying something the small navi couldn't quite hear. 

    "I'm sorry, Hub. I shouldn't have said those things to you, you're just too young to understand why you can't see him anymore," Yuichiro insisted.

    His father's office was dark, only the light from the monitor illuminating Dr. Hikari's face. The minimal gleam of dried tears and unkempt hair told Hub of the researcher's emotional state. 

    "I don't want to be away from him. I hate it here," the small navi whined. 

    "You can't tell anyone you're Lan's brother, okay?" Yuichiro stated.

    Hub didn't respond.

    "You're a navi... so when other people are here, you have to act like one," Dr. Hikari sighed. 

    "So... You want me to lie?" Hub said. 

    "I want you to be what you are now. You're an AI internet navigation program," Yuichiro explained. "Don't worry about being human anymore."

    The conversation had sparked a series of thoughts and within the next year Hub was committed to talk Yuichiro into compromising with him about Lan. Step one to his plan went better than awful, but not great. It was harder to keep still and robotic than Hub initially thought. One of Dr. Hikari's coworkers had come into his lab looking for him, and while Hub usually heeded Yuichiro's concerns and hid in the furthest recesses of his father's computer while Dr. Hikari was away, Hub found himself determined to prove himself. 

    I'm nearly seven now. I can do this! Hub remained visible on the screen, following the man with his eyes as he walked into the Lab and began looking around. While every stand of code in his personality program wanted to beg the researcher to play and tell him jokes, he simply stood there silently with focus on not being noticed. As long as I blend in, I'll be fine. 

    Eventually, Yuichiro's coworker noticed him, and only then did the small navi begin to understand the severity of this. 

    "Well look at you. Are you what Dr. Hikari is always so busy with?" the man asked, crouching to be level with the computer's camera.

    Fear coursed through him, biting at the back of his thoughts and picking at the seams of his frame. He couldn't help but step away in fear, trembling with a nervous fright. 

    "Mhm," Hub nodded hesitantly. "Are you looking for Dr. Hikari?" 

    "Yes, I am. Where is he?" the researcher asked him.

    Hub froze, the shock from the question sinking in and his face unable to hide his panic. His eyes widened, eyes darting around as he tried to recall where his father was. Yuichiro had never told him where he was going. Hub didn't know where his father was at all.

    "I—... I-I don't know... sir," the small navi didn't know what to do in this situation. 

    "What do you mean you don't know? Aren't you connected to his schedule?" the man pressed the issue. "Isn't it on his computer?"

    Hub panicked, looking around frantically as he tried to think of an excuse. 

    The researcher sighed, walking away from the computer. "What use is a navi that can't access files? Dr. Hikari really needs to take some time off."

    While Hub had never learned that associate's name, having seen so many faces come and go from SciLabs over the years, the incident was ingrained into his memory because of what happened afterwards. It was the decision that changed the trajectory of the rest of his life. Yuichiro sat at his desk, frustrated and annoyed, trying to not make Hub feel worse about the incident though he didn't like how his son so deliberately disobeyed him. 

    "Now I may have expected this from Lan, but I didn't expect it from you," Dr. Hikari looked at his navi son with disappointment. "All I want to know is why?"

    Hub rolled his foot on the cyberfloor, staring at any place other than his father. Given such a poor outcome from his attempt at proving himself, Hub didn't want to reveal the reason why.

    "I'm not mad, Hub, I just didn't expect this behavior from you," Yuichiro explained.

    As if he was guilty of breaking his father's favorite coffee mug, the small navi looked up his dad feeling ashamed. 

    "I was hoping that if I could prove to you I could be helpful that... maybe you would let me be Lan's navi..." Hub sniffled as he tried to keep himself from crying. "I'm sorry, Papa..."

    "Oh, Hub... what am I going to do with you..." Dr. Hikari sank back in his chair with a sigh. "You really want to see him, don't you?" 

    He looked to the small navi with pain in his eyes, the sadness in Hub's expression getting under his skin as the navi's green eyes focused on him with tears in them, his son's frown drawn into a pout. Don't look at me like that... This feels like a mistake... but being able to see my son grow up, even like this... is something I can't bring myself to give up. The researcher felt his resolve withering away, unable to stand seeing Hub so upset. He wiped his hand across his face, finding himself unsure of what to do. If Hub stays here, he won't be happy... but I need him to be safe.

    "You do know what being someone's navi would mean, right?" Yuichiro asked calmly.

    "No..." Hub admitted. 

    "I—... I would have to... alter you. I would have to give you other programs and connect them to you," Dr. Hikari tensed, mildly horrified at the thought. "You wouldn't—... You might feel different."

    "...I miss him..." Hub spoke softly with his voice distorted from all the emotions he was feeling, tears falling from his eyes. "I want to be with him, even if I have to be like other navis to do it."

    Truthfully it was more than missing Lan. His brother was responsible for his happiness. Whenever he had felt sick, Lan was there, taking care of him. When he was sad, Lan was there, and he always did everything he could do to put a smile on Hub's face. When Hub couldn't walk or run, Lan would carry him so they could still play.

    Even though life had been full of pain and poor health, missing out, and every moment was just staving of death, Lan always found a way to make it better for him. He was the reason Hub held on so long. I just wish I was like you. Lan was so strong, and always had so much energy. He was full of life. The memories of Lan getting injured and laughing it off for the sake of him, wheeling him around the hospital even though he wasn't supposed to just so that Hub could see the ocean, and staying behind so that he wouldn't be alone on bad days all served as his resolve whenever he began to doubt.

    Part of Hub wanted to tell himself that he was just a disappointment and a defect. He felt like he wasn't meant to survive, but what he wanted more than anything was just to keep pace with Lan wherever his brother wanted to go, maybe even having something to show for himself. He never asked to be stuck in a hospital or sick. Lan made that life bearable, and he felt as if he owed that happiness to Lan in return. Lan deserves to be happy... but most of all he deserves to be free. 

    In present day, a deep part of him felt regret, the feeling cascading over him before it was swept away. The sound of Lan rushing upstairs drew Megaman out of his thoughts, though he no longer felt emotions within the tugs and pulls of his systems, only the ache of what was missing. 

    “There you are!” Lan exclaimed, running over to his desk.

    It seemed the dash up the stairs had winded him, the navi’s operator flopping down on his bed once the PET was in his hand. He smiled up at the device, though he was unable to dismiss the sadness in his expression. The navi was silent, not responding to Lan with more than a glance.

    “Are you okay, Megaman?” Lan asked, suddenly very worried.

    “The PET is running a little warm, but everything seems to be working. No viruses detected,” Megaman responded with a depressed sigh.

    “It does feel a little hot now that you mention it. Let me take a look at it,” Lan said, prying himself up and trudging over to his desk chair to sit down.

    For whatever reason, Lan’s voice didn’t feel like words. It just felt like gray and static. It no longer got the navi’s attention.

    “Okay… wait, what?” Megaman tensed, feeling a twinge of panic.

    The panic fell away, subdued by something he couldn’t quite pinpoint. In every aspect, Megaman just felt meh if not generally disappointed or just ok. It was weird.

    What the navi could tell was Yuichiro did something to his personality program and navi systems that blurred the lines between them. There were more connections, more regulations, and more programs than he recalled there being before, but the navi hadn’t been told what his father had changed. He didn’t feel like himself. It felt like something had sunk its claws into his mind, controlling him like a puppet. 

    My navi systems are in more control than I am. Something about that thought hurt, and it hurt deeply, like it was ripping him apart from the inside.

    “OW!” Megaman yelled, clutching his chest as he fell down onto the cyberfloor.

    “Megaman! I haven’t even done anything yet! Quit playing games with me!” Lan pouted.

    I’m not playing games with you. The ache didn’t go away, only becoming exacerbated the longer Megaman focused on it. 

    "Nono, something doesn’t feel right…” the navi insisted.

    “Well, you have been acting weird lately, that’s for sure… huh,” Lan grumbled under his breath as he pulled up his navi’s status window on his pc. 

    “Is something wrong, Lan?” Megaman looked to his operator with worry.

    “You’re all… I don’t know how to put it even,” Lan stated.

    The boy’s expression was that of worry and stress— something Megaman knew his operator didn’t need right now. Lan’s eyes darted around as he tapped his fingers on the table. Staying calm was not something he was good at, but the navi could tell Lan was making an effort.

    “This is a mess!” Lan finally exclaimed with annoyance, tossing his hands up in the air and spinning around in his chair.

    “Define: a mess. That could mean a lot of things,” the navi began to feel the onset of fear, but it too was stripped away from him in a painful manner, causing him to yelp. “Ow!”

    “Who would do this to you? I don’t understand,” Lan flopped his upper body onto his desk, staring at the screen. “I’ll fix it, just don’t complain about it.”

    Overwhelmed from the dizzying pain within himself, the navi couldn’t find the strength to object. Despite knowing better than to think it would be less painful than what he was already experiencing, he found himself wanting to believe that whatever Lan did would feel better than the stabbing sensation in the metaphorical web of his programming.

    “I never asked dad to do this,” Lan frowned. 

    The net op had found Megaman’s personality program was being practically ignored, most of its input being displaced and an odd secondary process was running in the background, sending the navi constant messages and prompts. The processes were causing the navi to lag or outright not respond to signals in his internal system at all, and an error was recorded repeatedly showing up between the navi’s personality program and certain functions. 

    “You can’t netbattle with this! It’s completely compromising your speed and accuracy,” the navi’s operator whined. “And you’re not complaining about me changing your system settings, so I know something’s very wrong.”

    The error in his systems stung once more, the navi’s personality program fighting and resisting his navi functions as much as it could, only to be forced into submission to his navi systems yet again. Megaman hissed through his teeth. Stop fighting me. Why are you fighting me?

    “There’s that error again…” his net op sighed.

    “Stop…” Megaman tensed, clawing at his frame with his fingers.

    “Hm? Sorry, but… I’m going to fix this,” Lan insisted, continuing to locate the source of the problems.

    His operator stopped the rerouting of Megaman's personality program, a jolt of strong emotion filling the navi's processing systems as everything it had been desperately trying to output was received. I don’t want this. I don’t want you to be in charge of me. Megaman began an attempt to pry his navi armor off, hyperventilating as his personality program was no longer being repressed. LET ME GO! No. 

    Lan's voice no longer felt like static, but his navi systems continued to pry at his thoughts. I don't want to be controlled like this. Megaman could feel his navi systems taking hold of him and puppeteering his frame and programs like a doll. It felt like having a stranger living underneath his skin.

    "Megaman! What's wrong?!" Lan exclaimed.

    "Stop. Please, stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. I don't like this," Megaman replied, shaking his head. "Please, Lan."

    "Tell me what's wrong! Why did dad do this?" Lan frowned. 

    Seeing the state his navi was in, Lan re-initiated the rerouting system. A sharp pain stabbed at his chest as he saw Megaman tense and fall to the cyberfloor. Lan was trembling, nervously gazing at how his navi was staring wide-eyed up in the air, seemingly terrified.

    The last input Megaman's personality program was able to make before being silenced again rang in his systems like an alarm, painfully tearing at him while his navi systems shrieked with static. Nothing could drown it out or make him forget though his systems tried. I DON'T WANT TO BE A NAVI. I WANT TO BE HUMAN.

Chapter Text

     “Megaman?… Megaman! Talk to me!” Lan shouted at his PET.

    The navi didn’t respond, just staring at the cyberfloor. 

     It had been a couple hours since he attempted to fix his navi, and all Megaman had done since was stare silently and give the occasional nod.

     “Are you sure you feel ok?” Lan asked with worry. 

     The net op found himself shaking as his navi once again nodded despite being very obviously not ok. There was a disturbing feeling rising in the back of Lan’s mind telling him that his navi was suffering, and he didn’t know why. 

     “Why… WHY ARE YOU SAYING YOU’RE OKAY WHEN YOU’RE NOT!?” The navi’s operator fought to hold back his tears. “I know you’re not alright.”

     As much as Megaman wanted to respond, he found himself unable to.

     “Talk to me!… Please…” Lan pleaded.

     He felt devastated, everything that had happened recently coming crashing down on his emotional state. 

     “I can’t do this without you. I don’t know what’s happening. I haven’t heard anything from the doctors yet, and you’re the only one who really knows anything about this who will talk to me… I need you. Please... You’re my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without you,” the operator began to cry, holding the PET to his chest as he sobbed.

     Lan feared the worst— that Megaman was broken and irreparable. It felt like loosing his brother all over again. There was still no response. Please… I can’t lose you. 

     He didn’t bother mentioning it to his father, nor his mother, holding himself up in his room until morning. His night was nearly restless, tossing and turning from either pain or worry about his navi. When he woke up in the morning, he was already two hours late for school…

     The navi hadn’t even attempted to be his alarm, still just staring at the cyberfloor in silence. Lan had no idea what had happened to his navi and believed it to be beyond his control. Despite being late already, he didn’t hurry. He was preoccupied with his thoughts and continully checking on his navi to see if Megaman would respond. Maybe I should just skip school today… but that’s not what Megaman would want… It’s not what Hub would want…

     “Megaman? I can’t participate in class without you…” Lan frowned.

     Suddenly there was a knock at Lan’s room door. 

     “Lan? Are you staying home today?” his mother asked.

     …Staying home? She’s not mad? Lan began to grow concerned about his mother, but then he glanced down at his PET. Even if he would want me at school, he deserves to be given priority today.

     “Um… Can I talk to you for a minute, mom?” Lan asked, walking to his door and unlocking it.

     He opened the door, his mother standing on the other side.

     “Sure, sweetie. Is something wrong? Are you not feeling well today?” Haruka asked.

     Must be because I recently got out of the hospital. The operator sighed, showing his PET to his mom.

     “I—… dad did something to him, and now he won’t respond. I’m worried about him. He seems... uncomfortable,” Lan explained.

     “Oh, no… Megaman? Can you hear me?” Haruka asked, terror bleeding into her eyes.

     The navi nodded.

     “That’s all he does. I don’t know how to fix it,” Lan said.

     “I’ll have your father take a look at him,” Haruka tensed.

     “No,” Lan huffed. “I don’t want dad messing with him again. Dad hurt him.”

     “…Did Megaman say that?” the undertone of anger became prevalent in Haruka’s voice.

     “…no, but I just—… I just have this feeling about it, and Megaman usually throws a fit when I look at his files, but… this time he didn’t…” Lan sighed. “I know I sound silly. Just forget about it…”

     “No, you don’t sound silly. Tell me more about what happened,” Haruka stated, walking into Lan’s room and closing the door behind herself.

     “Well… he was acting weird, so I looked at his systems and tried to sort it out myself, but he started looking like he was in pain… I couldn’t bear to watch that so I undid what I changed and now… now he’s just there,” the operator explained.

     “Are you certain you didn’t change anything by accident?” Haruka asked.

     Lan nodded. “I even tried rebooting him, but he still… just stands there…”

     “Poor Megaman… your father does want the best for him too you know…” his mother attempted to console him, embracing her living son in a hug. 

     “I don’t think he’s going about it right… he can’t even be my navi like this…” Lan grabbed his PET back from his mother, staring at the screen with sadness.

     “Why don’t you tell your father that? He’s downstairs right now,” Haruka said. “Maybe he can take Megaman with him to work and get things sorted out.”

     Lan shook his head. “I don’t want to leave Megaman alone.”

     “Do you want to go with him?” his mother asked calmly.

     Lan only grasped the PET tighter.

     “Do I have to have dad look at him again, mom?” Lan asked.

     “Let me talk to your father about it…” Haruka smiled gently. “Can I have the PET?”

     His mom extended her hands to accept the device from him, though her son hesitated, looking down at the screen. Megaman’s eyes were now focused on him with an unwavering, unsettling gaze. A tiny bit of light had returned to the navi’s expression, though the disturbing, souless silence remained.

     “…Dad will fix him… back to the way he was, right?” he looked up to his mother.

     Haruka smiled gently and nodded. “He will be okay. Let me talk to your father about it.”

     Lan sighed, his worried expression deepening as he handed his PET over to his mother. The last glimpse of it as she left the room stuck with him, painful memories coming back to his mind. This feels like when Hub was taken to the hospital… it feels like the last time I ever got to see him alive… He felt tears filling his eyes as he turned and flopped onto his bed. 

     The very feeling of being upset began to cause a soreness in his chest. The physical pain was startling, but there was nothing he could do to make it stop. It was these little sudden bouts of pain that had been getting worse recently, the feeling sinking into him like knives whenever he began to cry or someone startled him. Lan couldn’t help but fear what this was from— despite everything lining up with his memories of Hub’s HBD, he didn’t want to believe it was HBD.

     This nagging feeling ate at the back of his mind— a memory old and distant that he had pushed away. Why couldn’t things have been different? Echoes of childish laughter and the memory of the warm sunshine remained in his head, yet it was incessantly followed by the disturbing image of blood splattered on the ground. He could still remember the sound of it hitting the dirt as his brother began to cough and try to beg him for help.

     The creaking sound of the swings remained in the background of his memories, all of a sudden the chains rattling in a moment he had looked away from Hub. I wish we had never gone to the park that day. It’s my fault…

     The sound of a frustrated shout from his father got Lan’s attention and drew him out of his thoughts, having not heard his father shout like that except for in dire distress. He quickly rushed to step outside his room, wanting to see what the fuss was about. Is Megaman okay?! 

     “He has been harming himself, Haruka. I can’t just let him do that!” Yuichiro paced the floor, holding Lan’s PET in his hands.

     “He’s your son. He’s worried. Lan’s condition is only going to be aggravated if his navi isn’t functioning,” Haruka explained. “He loves Megaman and would do anything for him.”

     His father took a deep breath, turning to Lan’s mom. 

     “The situation is very complicated, but Lan is just going to have to understand that Megaman is going to be like this until I have a better solution,” Yuichiro insisted. “I will not allow him to harm himself.”

     “I haven’t been harming myself! It was an accident! Someone attacked me!” Lan exclaimed, running downstairs. 

     “Lan! You should be resting!” Haruka’s eyes widened and she dashed over to Lan with worry, “Please go back upstairs while I discuss this with your father.”

     Lan refused, pushing her to the side as he made a beeline to confront his father. Dr. Hikari sighed, placing Lan’s PET in his pocket.

     “Please go back to your room, Lan,” Yuichiro insisted.

     “No!” the boy refused. “Not until you agree to fix him! It isn’t right to make Megaman suffer like this!”

     His father’s expression of anger and frustration melted away and turned to sadness and shock.

     “…You... think I’m making him suffer?” Yuichiro asked.

     “I know you are! I can see it in his eyes! He doesn’t like what you did to him! Fix him— please!” Lan pleaded, wrapping his arms around Yuichiro and hugging his father tightly. 

     “Lan… you need to understand that he—…” Dr. Hikari looked to his wife for direction.

     Haruka sighed as she gestured to Lan. 

     “Go ahead and tell him. The only thing that will put him at ease is to know what is going on,” Haruka said.

     Yuichiro frowned, looking back to his son’s tear-filled eyes. He didn't want to tell Lan what his navi had been doing, fearing the consequences.

     “H—… Megaman… has been harming himself. Obviously, navis are not supposed to do that, and I needed to protect him,” Yuichiro told his son. “I didn’t want you to know because I thought it would upset you.”

     “Of course it upsets me! He’s my best friend in the whole world! But you can’t just do that to him!” Lan shouted. “Doesn’t he get a say!?”

     I can’t believe Megaman was hurting himself… I’m such an awful operator. Tears fell from the boy’s eyes as he pressed his face into his father’s shirt. 

     Guilt began to consume Yuichiro, feeling the horror of what he had done to his son Hub dredge itself up from the back of his mind once again.

     “Fine… I’ll return him to normal… but on one condition,” Dr. Hikari said sternly.

     “Anything, just please fix him,” Lan sobbed.

     “You have to promise me that you won’t do any more netbattling unless it’s absolutely necessary, okay?” Yuichiro insisted. 

     “…none?” Lan said in shock, looking up at his father.

     “None. No battles at all. Not until we know what’s safe for you at least,” his father clarified.

     There was a moment of silence before Lan responded.

     “Fine. No more netbattling,” Lan resolved himself. “Deal.”

     The look in Lan’s eyes took Yuichiro by surprise, reminding the researcher of a memory from years ago. I know that look… It was a look Hub had given him many times, but the phrase that had been burned into his mind reignited and struck his emotions, “not even the end of the world could stop me.” Just as back then, I thought my offer would be too high of a price... and I was wrong.

     Despite his frustration, he hugged his son as a few tears slipped out of his eyes, finding the strength to smile though it felt like the world was collapsing around him. He has always been your brother… and you both have always been my sons.

     “I’ll get Megaman... back to normal... then…” Yuichiro said, glancing at the PET with worry.

     “Let me come with you,” Lan insisted. “I don’t want to leave him alone.”

Chapter Text

    It all started with the chimera of a human soul and the machine. Desperation, the creation of an atrocity, the human desire to defy death… A grieving father in denial turned manic scientist, with too much power at his fingertips, fought against time and circumstance to make a devastating, morally ambiguous decision. And now… when Lan and Hub were only seven and a half… in the dead of winter, riddled with cold and seasonal depression, this experiment was undertaking a previously unforeseen turn.

    “Are you sure about this…er—… Hub?” Yuichiro stared at his computer monitors with fear.

    The process had been told to Hub many times already, but the small navi didn’t waver, pulling at the metaphorical strings that controlled his digital frame to straighten his spine. His father’s desk was littered with papers and empty coffee cups, a few lab coats with coffee spills staining them having been tossed to the side. Yuichiro hadn’t been home in days, the stress and guilt eating away at his resolve. 

    “It will be incredibly difficult to go back from this… you understand?” Dr. Hikari said, drawing his attention to Hub’s eyes.

    “This is my only way to be with Lan. I will do anything,” Hub insisted.

    “Let’s go over this one more time, okay? Carefully,” Yuichiro sighed as he maintained eye contact with his late son.

    Hub groaned, growing irritated. “Papa! Ugh…”

    “Currently you have no true navi functions. You are just a personality program, a voice, a frame, and some programs to help you move and see. Inserting these files to your core data will make you into a fully-fledged netnavi AI, as in… a system,” Dr. Hikari explained as he had several times before. 

    “I know,” Hub nodded.

    “It will change you. You will have regulations to your thoughts, be interlaced with non-human behaviors, see patterns in data that humans cannot understand without assistance from a computer, have constant connections directly into your mind, and not even your wants will be the same,” Yuichiro said. “Are you sure you want this?”

    Hub stood his ground with his resolve and nodded.

    “Yes. I want to be with Lan so badly that even if I no longer am the way he remembers me I would happily give up even my own memories just to spend the rest of my existence with him,” Hub assured his father.

    “Even if it is painful?” his father pressed the issue.

    “Yes,” Hub agreed once more.

    As if Dr. Hikari was trying to convince Hub to say no, despite everything being ready, he still continued to pester the small navi with questions. 

    “Even if it takes away your freedom?” Yuichiro asked.

    “Yes! There is nothing you could say to convince me not to do this! I want to be with my brother,” Hub fought to keep from crying as he shouted. “It is all I want!”

    “You won’t see him again till both of you are ready, even when this change is complete, understand?” Dr. Hikari sighed, the fact he was really going to do this to what remained of Hub starting to sink in.

    He hadn’t even pulled up the files to inject into Hub’s systems yet, fearing the worst. Even though at this point Yuichiro believed the small navi was just a copy of his son, it felt devastating to change him. It was like losing his son all over again, but this time it would be by Yuichiro’s own hand. His creation would never be exactly like Hub ever again if he did this. 

    “I understand…” his late son nodded. “I will see him again when he’s in the 5th grade. Three years and three months from now.”

    I miss you, Lan. Hub smiled as he thought about being able to see Lan every day, even the bad days. 

    “You’ll need to train and become strong enough to defend yourself out on the internet, you’ll have regular checkups and updates, and even after you leave SciLab to become Lan’s netnavi, you will have to come back for every service to either the PET or your systems,” Yuichiro said explained.

    “Papa—…” Hub shook his head, “Dr. Hikari, I will do anything it takes to be with Lan again. There is nothing you could tell me to make me change my mind. Not even the end of the world could stop me.”

    Dr. Hikari finally gave in, pulling up the files to inject into his son’s systems. I am sorry, Hub… please... forgive me… Yuichiro pushed the dread in the pit of his stomach aside.

    The sound of his father typing and opening windows reignited fear in the small navi. It reminded Hub just how powerless he really was as a digital being. 

    “I’m about to start the process, okay? When you regain consciousness you’ll be in an entirely different frame…” Dr. Hikari explained, hesitancy underling every word. "Don't freak out. Everything will be fine."

    Hub nodded, humming to himself. He new this is what he had to do, and yet… there was this feeling in him of resistance. He would be giving up this existence he already felt wasn’t truly his, and yet he would be claiming another that felt like a prize he wasn’t meant to win, though he wanted it so badly... This agreement was him giving up any remnants of his childhood he had left. i want to be happy with my brother again. I want to be able to play with him. I want to see him smile... I want him to be my brother again...

    “…Hub… are you ready?” his father asked, fingers just inches from the keyboard.

    “I—… I believe so. Yes… I’m ready,” Hub told his father.

    Dr. Hikari tensed, nearly unable to bring himself to press the key that would start the process. He took a deep breath and pushed through, the resounding click being a noise that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The unsettling scene that played out on his screen was hard to forget.

    Hub’s old frame had stopped being controlled, no longer mimicking breathing, and beginning to deteriorate as his son’s data was transferred into a new arrangement. The eyes were blank and lifeless, the human-like three dimensional render standing perfectly still as if he was frozen in time.

    All while this was going on, his son was experiencing the worst pain of his existence and unable to cry out for help. It was dizzying, the feeling of having information inserted into his mind and drilling through his thought patterns and pre-existing habits. Regulations and commands snapped his sense of identity and humanity, mangling it into a tangled mess of “why”s and wonder. The name “Hub” was scratched out and replaced by the one that had been chosen.

    He was unable to think, unable to speak, held in a state of confusion and painful limbo that began to feel like he was laying on the hot sidewalk of the park again… blood spilt and listening to the sounds of the ambulance as his ears began to ring and his vision clouded. Each successful connection of a new program weighed on him, feeling like he was being stabbed— and yet that wasn’t even the worst part.

    The most painful thing was when part of his personality program was overwritten, sensations like jagged knives digging in and pulling himself apart to reach eveything they needed to cut and paste back together. He felt splintered into tiny pieces that extended into his other systems, this new identity he adorned becoming a complex knot of threads of code that bound him into himself. It was revolting.

    The process took hours, each little snip, and paste, and change, and pull, and twist, and connection adding onto the navi’s torture, but he knew all the same that this is what he asked for. This is how Hub would get what he wanted. This is how he would achieve what wasn’t meant for him— a life alongside his brother.

    As the process was near finalized, Megaman found he didn’t have the energy to scream or cry, standing there in a daze as he saw Yuichiro dozed off in his office chair. A cup of coffee was spilt all over his father’s shirt and jacket with the mug still in hand. It had been a long time since the process started… 18 hours… 43 minutes… 23 seconds… 24… 25… 26…

    Despite having seen his father before, it felt like this was his first time seeing the researcher, fascination overtaking him despite the dull pain flowing through his systems. Megaman looked down to his hands, wiggling his fingers around as his systems finished booting up, finding himself taken by the sight of his blue gloves. So, I’m a fully-fledged navi now… 

    Something pinged inside of his new systems as they awoke, startling the navi as light filled his eyes. Dr. Hikari needs to get up. His alarm went off 13 minutes ago.

    “Yuichiro!… Wake up!… DR. HIKARI!” Megaman shouted.

    The researcher jumped, stumbling and knocking his chair over, while spilling the rest of his coffee on his face as he tried to keep the mug from shattering.

    “I swear I wasn’t sleeping here again!” Yuichiro exclaimed, wiping off his face as he got up.

    He looked around his office for someone before looking back at his computer. Yuichiro’s expression quickly changed from fear and annoyance to shock and surprise as he saw Megaman on his monitor’s screen.

    “Hi…” the navi said, giving his father a strained, sheepish smile.

    Why am I in pain? The sensation of thousands of needles poked into his thoughts remained, tempting him to whine, though he resisted. 

    “Hello, Hub… or should I say, Megaman.EXE?” Dr. Hikari smiled in return.

    Megaman smiled, hearing his new name for the first time. Something about it eased the odd pain he felt in his systems and made him feel at ease. 

    “How are you feeling?” Yuichiro asked.

    “I’m not quite sure, but it’s weird… I can feel everything on your schedule and… I know Lan’s habits…” the navi found himself overwhelmed with shock and joy the more he looked into it, a bright smile building on his face.

    "The navi systems that just integrated with you should take care of most of the work but let me know if it ever gets to be too much," his father said.

    “I feel like I’ve been able to know him these past few years and see him, even though we’ve been apart. I know his favorite foods, when he has homework, his grades, his behavioral patterns, sleep schedule… isn’t this a bit much, Dr. Hikari?” Megaman raised an eyebrow and looked at his father with concern.

    Pain continued to drone through the navi's systems, something in the back of his thoughts whimpering and squirming about, but he didn't know what it was.

    “You are training to be his navi, not mine. From now on you will be on his schedule, and whenever he does good or bad, you will know,” Yuichiro explained. “I pulled all of this information from his current PET which I gave him a few months ago. It’s nothing that his current navi doesn’t know.”

    “… He has a netnavi already?” Megaman pouted. “What if they’re already really close?” 

    Whatever was inside of him that ached hated hearing that, cowering and lighting up his processing programs with information Megaman had never experienced before. He was taken aback by the sudden onslaught of input, stepping away from the screen even though logically his systems told him that wouldn't help.

    Yuichiro chuckled. “It’s not a custom navi. It’s for school and doesn’t have a personality program.”

    “But I’m supposed to be his navi…” Hub’s newfound sense of purpose had been dimmed by this new information.

    The feeling of a knife twisting in his thoughts made the navi wince, frame flinching... he was once again reminded by his new navi systems that this reaction would not help. So many pointless reflexes...

    “You will be, but the world is moving forward with technology faster than ever before and he needs one until you’re ready,” his father explained.

    Megaman was still upset, sighing and hanging his head in defeat. He held one of his blue-gloved hands to his chest, rubbing at the sore spot around his navi emblem that pulsed with pain from time to time.

    “He’s very excited to meet you, you know…” Dr. Hikari attempted to cheer up the navi, seeing Megaman's discomfort.

    “He knows about me?” Megaman’s eyes lit up with joy once again.

    “He was complaining about not having a navi like his friends and how he wanted a custom navi, and I told him I would make him one when he entered the 5th grade…” Dr. Hikari explained. “He’s really excited to finally get one.”

    Megaman smiled brightly, tears of happiness making his eyes water. The pain didn't subside, though hearing that made it bearable. 

    “I’m so glad he actually wants to have me,” the navi sighed in relief.

    “Make sure to rest and acclimate yourself to the new frame. Your training starts soon,” Dr. Hikari gave the navi a half-hearted smile.

    The researcher was still unsure how he felt about giving him to his brother, but the navi was too excited to worry about his father's change in expression. Megaman's thoughts were wrapped up in fantasies about what his new life with his operator Lan would be like to care about a pensive stare from Yuichiro. Megaman nodded, once again gathering his resolve.

    “I will. I want to become strong enough to be anything Lan needs me to be. I want to be a good navi,” Megaman smiled, moving the fingers of his new frame.

    If I am not a good navi, then I am nothing. If Lan doesn’t want to use me, I am worthless. All of a sudden, he felt a stabbing sensation within himself, the squirming, writhing bits of data in his systems falling still.

    "Hey, Dr. Hikari? Why am I in pain?" Megaman asked, tilting his head to the side slightly as he maintained a disturbing eye contact with his father.

    "Hm?" Yuichiro's attention was drawn out of his thoughts, his happy smile quickly changing to horror. 

    Blood-like data appeared to leak from the corners of Megaman's mouth, the navi reaching up to wipe it off his face. As he pulled his hand away to examine it, Megaman found himself frozen in fear. "...Dad?" 

    "Hang on! Hang on, Hub! You're going to be okay, just hold on," Yuichiro panicked, scrambling to see what the problem was. "Oh, god."

  Pain... pain... pain... This pain is my punishment for trying to have what was never meant to be mine. Megaman stared at his hand in shock, feeling more of it dripping down his face. 

Chapter Text

    Lan eagerly followed behind his father as they made their way to Dr. Hikari’s lab, some of the staff staring at Lan with concern as they passed or congratulating him on his recovery. He thanked them without much mind, significantly more focused on the PET in his father’s hands. All he wanted was for his friend to be returned to him, but he grew nervous. The long hallways, following his father, and the uncomfortable silence that hung in the air between them as they walked together, reminded him of feelings he would rather forget.

    When they stopped at the door to his lab, Yuichiro turned to his living son with a sorrowful frown on his face. Knowing what would happen behind that door, he was reluctant to let Lan observe. He is under enough stress already...

    “You should stay out here until this is done… I’ll let you know when—…” Yuichiro stopped as he noted the annoyance in Lan’s expression.

    “No. I’m not going to wait out here. I want to watch. I want to be sure you’re fixing him,” Lan pressed the issue.

    “I will not permit you to watch, Lan,” his father shook his head.

    Yuichiro clutched the PET tighter, holding it closer to himself.

    “Just this once, dad,” the boy insisted.

    “My answer is no,” Yuichiro said, turning away from his son.

    His father opened the door, prepared to close it behind himself when Lan spoke up again.

    “Is it because you’re going to hurt him?” Lan asked, looking at him with fearful innocence.

    The question stunned Dr. Hikari prompting him to face his son again and search for answers in Lan's expression. It made him feel like a horrible father for Lan to have even thought that, and yet... he knew his son was right. The horror of acknowledging what he does to his late son every single time the navi was brought to SciLabs being brought back from where he had shoved it away in his mind. Yuichiro tried his best not to think about it, but currently the reminder of his gruesome actions was something he couldn't escape from.

    “What? No, I’m not going to—…” Dr. Hikari sighed. 

    But he's right... His father tensed, nervously glancing at the PET. I am making him hurt... I am making him suffer... even if for his own good.

    “Then why?” his son longed for an answer.

    The researcher paused and tapped his fingers on the doorframe.

    “…Do you really want to know?” Yuichiro asked.

    Lan nodded. “Yes, and there is nothing you could do to convince me otherwise."

    I know there isn't, Lan... Dr. Hikari fought to hold back tears, looking away from the still navi on Lan's PET as the sight of what he had done to Lan's brother proved to be too much for him emotionally.

    “Fine… come in,” Dr. Hikari allowed his son to follow him into the lab, closing and locking the door before he sat at his desk.

    Pressing the power button, Yuichiro turned his lab’s monitors on and they displayed an array of information, some of which was about Megaman.

    “Aside from confidentiality issues, which I can avoid, it is because Megaman is a unique navi,” Dr. Hikari explained.

    “You’ve told me that before, dad,” Lan sighed.

    “Yes, and I mean it," the researcher sat down at his desk, gently placing Lan's PET down in front of himself.

    His living son followed behind him with an eager curiosity about what his father was doing.

    "I have never let you sit in on a scan or new patches because...” Yuichiro spoke flatly. “I didn’t want you to see him in agony.”

    “What do you mean agony!?” Lan raised his voice. “What have you been doing to him?!” 

    “I’m working on developing another method to do maintenance on him that hopefully will fix the problem, but it’s not done yet,” his father typed something into his computer, refusing to tell Lan more.

    “That’s not what I asked,” Lan grumbled, scowling at his father. "So, you lied to me!? You said you weren't going to hurt him!"

    Yuichiro tried his best not to let what Lan was saying get to him, knowing that as a navi it was something Megaman would have to endure, no way around it. It was a curse Dr. Hikari caused himself to suffer, and he had only desired for Lan to not have to suffer it as well.

    "Lan... please..." Yuichiro stopped his work for a moment. "You don't understand."

    "Well then make me understand! LET ME even! You keep saying he's a special navi and that's the reason you give me for everything, so why don't you show me WHY!?" Lan shouted at his father. "Actually tell me something for once!"

    “Do you want to see your navi in pain or not?” Dr. Hikari snapped, unable to restrain his own torment from leaking into his voice. “I can’t give you another answer, please just accept that.”

    The complaint on the tip of Lan’s tongue fell silent and he swallowed it up before it was ever spoken. I don’t like it when dad gets upset.

    "Well?" Yuichiro remained still as he waited for his son's answer.

    “…No... of course not… but I want to be there for him, and if he’s in pain, I want to be there to help him feel better,” Lan explained.

    His father smiled gently, though the sorrow and frustration in his eyes remained.

    “I don’t want to see him in pain either,” Dr. Hikari frowned. “You’re a good… friend...”

    Silence filled the void between the two as Yuichiro plugged Lan’s PET into his computer, placing the device back on the desk. It was heavy, the sound of his father's typing only making Lan sink further into the tangle of complicated emotions he was experiencing. Lan didn't really know what he was feeling, a mixture of good and bad filling him as he stood there paralyzed by his own thoughts.

    “You know… I really thought you wouldn’t believe me when I said I could see suffering in his eyes…” Lan fiddled with his fingers as he looked down at the floor. “He’s a navi after all… not a person.”

    “I believe you, son… I am only sad I did this to him. I wanted the best for him…” a bittersweet tone emerged in Yuichiro’s voice. “I guess there are just times you can’t protect everyone from everything… you can’t just… keep them away from the world… things… happen…”

    The researcher sighed, tears filling his eyes. He cradled his head in his hands as he waited for the program that would suspend the navi for maintenance to engage.

    “If only I ever took my own advice…” Yuichiro muttered under his breath.

    “I guess now I know why he always hates coming here…” Lan muttered. “I mean… he never said it, but I could tell.”

    Dr. Hikari looked to his son. A deep-seated worry had sunk into Lan’s expression, a slight tremble in the boy’s body.

    “You can wait out in the hall like usual Lan. It will only take a little while,” Dr. Hikari stated with a gentle tone. "It might... not be something you want to see or hear..."

    Lan narrowed his eyes at his father.

    “How long is ‘a little while’? But regardless, I said I want to be there for him and I meant it,” Lan said begrudgingly. “I’m his best friend. He deserves to have some support.”

    What Lan had said stung, making his father feel even worse about what he had done. Did I really do this out of Hub's best interest?... Or was it from my own selfish desire to not see him in pain?

    "Alright, Lan..." Yuichiro said, his depressed gaze staying locked on his computer.

    The process of removing the patch Yuichiro had added began, the tedious work of picking it out of the navi’s data proving to be slow and time consuming. He carefully cut open the intangible seams that stitched it into Megaman’s systems, working to separate the navi from the crude, sedating patch. Piece by piece it came undone, and with each release of its invisible spines, the greater agony the navi experienced, both emotionally and in his systems. 

    "Why didn't you shut him down for this?" Lan was worried for his navi.

    "In order to make sure I get all of it, I need to be able to see how the data is being routed, so I have him in a half-awake, half-asleep-like state," Yuichiro explained. "I'm deactivating it and then will remove the deactivated programs when he's fully offline."

    Megaman’s operator felt uncomfortable watching as the navi began to look sickly. With each passing second, Megaman seemed to sink further into pain and suffering. I asked for this… how could I ask for him to be in pain like this? I wanted my friend back, but... not like this...

    “Megaman?... Are you alright?” Lan asked.

    The sound of Lan's voice surprised Megaman as he became aware of what was going on, released from his half-responsive state. Why is Lan here? WHY IS LAN HERE!?

    “Lan…?” the navi groaned, though it took nearly all his strength.

    “I’m here. I’m right here… You’re gonna be ok, Megaman,” Lan struggled to smile, but he did his best. 

    “Of course I’ll be okay… silly… Dad… he was worried,” Megaman tensed as he squeaked out some words, fighting to even speak.

    “Please rest, Megaman,” Yuichiro sighed, not looking away from his work. “You’re making this even harder on yourself.”

    “Lan... Please don’t watch this…” the navi muttered, feeling the strange pain flowing through himself.

    I don't want you to see me suffering. You've seen enough of that already... Memories of Lan watching him have attacks, being powerless to stop them, raged through his thoughts and only deepened the soreness he felt within. You only hurt him by being around him.

    "No, I want to be here with you," Lan insisted, tears in his eyes. "I don't care if it means I have to see you in pain, I want to be here to support you."

    The navi tried to move his arm in an attempt to protest, the action proving to be painful as Megaman shouted in pain. IT HURTS. PLEASE STOP.

    “Megaman! Hey! Speak to me! Are you alright!?” Lan panicked seeing the anguish in Megaman’s expression. 

    "Don't try to move—... You'll only hurt yourself!" Yuichiro exclaimed, glancing back and forth between the navi and the extraction of the patch.

    “Yeah… don’t worry about me, Lanbug,” the navi smiled gently.

    Lan’s eyes widened as he heard what Megaman had said, a horror building behind his eyes as he stared at his navi. How did he… How did he know about Lanbug? Did I ever say it in front of him?

    “I can handle this. It’s—… It’s what must be done. I’m used to it,” the navi insisted. "Please, just... go."

    PLEASE MAKE IT STOP. PLEASE MAKE IT STOP. TELL HIM TO STOP. PLEASE MAKE HIM STOP, LAN! TELL HIM TO STOP HURTING ME! No matter how badly the pain hurt, the navi refused to say anything.

    “Megaman…” Lan mumbled. 

    More screams of pain from his navi stung at Lan’s emotions, finding himself beginning to question his decisions. His chest had begun to ache, though he tried his best to ignore it.

    “I’m—… I’m sorry. If I had known… I swear—…” Lan attempted to apologize, holding a hand to his chest.

    “No, Lan. Don’t apologize,” Megaman winced. “I—…”

    I don’t want to see you sad… I love you. The navi frowned, not finding the courage to say the rest of that sentence out loud. His navi systems clawed at him, angry about the loss of control. NO! STOP! LAN WAS SAFE!

    "That was the worst of it. You did great, Megaman. I'm going to put you offline momentarily now, and you should be fine afterwards, alright?" Yuichiro said. 

    The rage-filled attacks from within himself sapped the rest of Megaman’s energy, his eyes falling closed as he was turned offline by his father. 

    "He'll be okay when he comes back online, right?" Lan asked. 

    Yuichiro nodded. "I'm extracting the files now."

    Lan found himself intrigued, watching as the progress bar made its way across the screen. It didn't take very long for it to give his father a notification that the files had been removed, a small chime playing as the window popped up on the screen.

    "See? All done," Dr. Hikari smiled gently, closing a few tabs and preparing to reboot the navi. 

    With the click of a button, the reboot was initiated. 

    "Rebooting… Megaman.EXE 

… please wait."

    The air in the room was full of tension as Lan stared at the reboot's progress bar, waiting for it to make its way to the other side… but it stalled just before the end. The researcher’s son began to feel dizzy, sitting down on the floor to catch his breath. 

    “Come on… come on…” Yuichiro grumbled, panic in his expression as he furiously flipped through tabs.

    Something had gone wrong during the reboot. 

    "Error 202... Processing could not be completed. "

    Retry… The researcher clicked the button to retry the rebooting process.

    “Dad?” Lan asked, wheezing. “I don’t feel so good…”

    Dr. Hikari bolted up from his chair, sitting down next to his son on the floor. 

    “What’s wrong?” Yuichiro asked, eyes wide in terror and fear.

    “My chest hurts… and… I feel really tired…” Lan mumbled, leaning against his father. 

    “Do you need to go to the hospital?” his father was already halfway in the process of picking him up from the floor when he asked.

    Lan shook his head. “I’ll be ok…” 

    The sound of a notification on his computer drew Yuichiro back to the matters of his other son, prompting the researcher to pick Lan up and hold him as he sat back down at his desk to work. It had failed again. He kissed the boy’s forehead and held him close as he continued to attempt the reboot of his late son Hub. 

    “Don’t worry, I’m right here,” Yuichiro said, cradling his son.

    What could possibly be wrong?! The researcher grumbled under his breath as he searched through files, attempting to find anything that maybe he missed, but nothing seemed to be out of place. Again and again and again, nothing worked. No matter what he tried, the navi wouldn’t reboot.

    “Dad… he’s tired,” Lan said, half asleep.

    Dr. Hikari looked down to his living son, the boy clutching onto his lab coat. His son’s eyes were barely open, the boy fighting to stay awake.

    “Don’t fall asleep, Lan. You’re scaring me,” Yuichiro said, shaking him slightly.

    Lan whined, wanting more than anything to sleep.

    “Let us sleep, dad,” Lan pleaded, weakly laying his hands on his father's arm.

    “No,” Dr. Hikari refused, shaking his head.

    Suddenly, his computer acted on its own, initiating the reboot process.

    "Rebooting… Megaman.EXE 

… please wait."

    This time it seemed to work, the navi opening his eyes though he looked exhausted.

    "Megaman? Are you alright?" Yuichiro asked the navi.

    Megaman stumbled, unable to find his footing as he shook his head. Waves of nausea made him fall to the cyberfloor, feeling ill and weak. His sense of self felt garbled, the icky feeling overwhelming him. IT HURTS. IT HURTS. IT HURTS. IT HURTS. IT HURTS. IT HURTS—

    "What's wrong?— Lan! LAN! Wake up!" their father panicked, shaking Lan, who had fallen unconscious as he tried to question the navi. 

    I knew this would be too much stress for him—... Yuichiro's thoughts were a mess, full of fear and uncertainty.

    "Lan!" Megaman said, attempting to stand on his feet. "Dad! Is he alright!?" 

    The dizziness hadn't subsided yet, leading him to stumble and fall once more. OW, OWOWOWOWOW—!

    "Worry about me later!" the navi insisted as he winced. "I'm just exhausted... I'll be ok."

    Dr. Hikari pressed his ear to Lan's chest, halfway expecting to not hear anything. Relief washed over him as he heard Lan's heartbeat, the steady rhythm easing his fear. He listened to it for a few minutes, reaffirming in his mind that everything was really okay.

    Megaman watched silently, anxious that he may hear his father demand for an ambulance to be called. He pressed his hands against the screen, wishing that he could be there to help. At least dad is with him... he will make sure Lan is ok. The longing to be out there, helping his father tend to his brother, weighed on him like the weight of the world. ...I would only get in the way...

    The sudden movement of Lan got the attention of both the navi and his father, the boy having wrapped his arms around Yuichiro. The tension in the room was still there, both of them silent in anticipation of what may happen. 

    "Hey dad?" Lan said. "I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?" 

    Yuichiro sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. Of course... He scares me half to death and then asks me for food. I should expect nothing less.

    "Yes, Lan," their father said, wiping the tears of fear from his eyes before they could fall. "I can get something for you to eat."

    Megaman smiled brightly, happy to know his operator— and also brother —was alright. The scene of Yuichiro taking care of Lan, the boy's head resting on his father's shoulder, was heartwarming to the navi, and he carefully tucked away the memory in his easily accessible files for later. Despite the smile his brother adorned, and the relief in his father's expression, Megaman couldn't help but feel something was wrong, a gentle tingling sensation fluttering in the chest of his frame accompanying the pain in his systems. He wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for me... It's my fault...

Chapter Text

    It was a sunny day, a few clouds in the sky. The weather contrasted the way Chaud was feeling as he stood at the street corner, waiting for a certain pink-haired girl to pass by on her way home from school. If anyone would know about what happened last night, it would be her. The culprit of the emails had finally been revealed, but it only gave the netsaver more questions than answers. How do I bring up something like that without sounding crazy? 

    He paced back and forth, absorbed in his thoughts and only occasionally checking the time. The seconds felt more like minutes as his mind pestered him with the memory of the previous night. The appearance of the boy in his room, silhouette illuminated by light from the window and his PC monitor, had made him feel uneasy.

    In the middle of the night, the sound of a thud had caught the netsaver's attention, though he struggled to wake up at such an early hour. The feeling of cold air on his skin made him shiver, pulling the blankets tighter around himself. He paid the oddities not much mind in his grogginess, rolling to his side and trying to go back to sleep. The cold continued to sting at his skin, beginning to pester him. 

    He opened his eyes suddenly feeling his heart beginning to pound as he slowly rolled over again to face his desk. There's someone in here... He felt a sinking sensation in his gut as he saw the person sitting at his desk. Lan? No... That can't be right... It definitely looked like Lan... but it wasn't. Whoever this was, they were distraught, tears pouring down their face as they cried for some unknown reason.

    Their silhouette was illuminated by the window and his PC monitor, the sound of light sobs piercing the silent air.

    "Hey, who are you?!" Chaud sat up in his bed, shivering from the cold air as his blankets were thrown off. 

    Hub gasped, turning and looking at the netsaver in horror. 

    "You're awake!" Hub exclaimed, though it was too quiet for Chaud to hear. 

    No matter how hard he tried, the feeling he had seen this person before wouldn't go away, catching him off guard as surely this was a stranger.

    "Stop what you're doing!" the netsaver shouted, attempting to grab the mysterious person.

    The spirit had reached for his computer, disappearing into it in a display that shocked the netsaver. People don't go into computers. Now he was left with worries about his own sanity.

    Did I really see someone in my room last night? Was it all a dream? It sure didn't feel like a dream. He remembered the feeling of the person's skin somehow phasing through his fingers, a sick disgust flooding his mind.

    "Protoman, is my schedule cleared yet?" he asked his navi, trying to rid the awful feeling from his mind.

    "Affirmative," Protoman replied. 

    "I'm hoping Sakurai will know something about this... I want to finally get some answers," Chaud grumbled lowly under his breath.

    The sight of the girl walking down the street, Lan missing from her side as she walked home alone, grabbed the netsaver's attention from the conversation he was having with his navi. He immediately locked his gaze onto her, walking towards her on the street.

    "Hello, miss Sakurai," Chaud greeted her from a few paces away. 

    He appeared to have gotten her attention, her head raising as she put on the best smile she could muster. Many of Lan's friends had been upset since the incident involving Lan at the N1 Grand Prix, and by far she was one of the most affected. 

    "Hi Chaud, what's up?" she responded, stopping in her tracks. 

    "Why isn't Hikari with you? I heard he was out of the hospital," the netsaver asked, raising an eyebrow.

    He had been expecting them to be walking home together, but the lack of Lan's presence would actually be beneficial for him in this situation.

    "He still isn't feeling well enough to go to school. Megaman stopped by the school to get his homework this morning..." Maylu sighed. "It just isn't the same without him though... It's awful that he got attacked like that."

    Chaud nodded in agreement. That's not what put him in the hospital though...

    "Speaking of Hikari... I have some official netsaver business I need to talk to you about regarding him..." Chaud lied through his teeth.

    About the emails... The netsaver flashed his badge to her, ignoring the fact she was already aware he was one.

    "Oh no! Is he in trouble!?" Maylu asked. 

    "He could be, but I'm trying to figure out the identity of someone committing cyber-crimes, and they are very close to Hikari..." Chaud explained. 

    "Do you think it's a cousin of his?" the pink-haired girl asked. 

    The netsaver shook his head, sighing as he thought about how crazy this could make him sound. Am I really risking my career over a potential stalker hacking my email?

    "Do you know if he has, or has had any siblings?" Chaud finally popped the question. 

    There was nervousness in Maylu's eyes, and she looked to her PET for a moment, seeking advice from her navi— Roll remaining silent.

    "Will you tell his parents what I tell you?" she asked, looking back up to Chaud. 

    Why would that matter? Chaud wondered.

    "Your input in this case will remain confidential and anonymous, and no, I will not be telling the Hikari family about anything you tell me," the netsaver assured her.

    Maylu looked around before grabbing Chaud's hand and dragging him off the sidewalk and into the park. The action surprised him, causing him to yelp as he stumbled over his feet. 

    "You could've just told me to follow you," the netsaver complained. "...What's wrong?"

    "I can't talk about this in the open," Maylu insisted, letting go of his hand. 

    She led him over to a quiet spot that was out of earshot of anyone she could see. She stood in front of Chaud, crossing her arms as she stared at him quizzically. There was worry in her expression, confusion filling her once vivid smile. 

    "So, why do you want to know if not to tell his parents?" Maylu raised an eyebrow. 

    "Honestly, I don't even know why I would want to tell his parents..." Chaud sighed, grabbing his PET. "It's... a complex situation."

    "Hm?" she was intrigued. 

    "I just need to know if there's anyone I haven't considered in this case," the netsaver explained. 

    The pink-haired girl was pensive, thinking about whether or not to tell him. She turned to her navi for advice.

    "What do you think, Roll?" Maylu asked. 

    "Chaud wouldn't do anything to hurt Lan, and this could be very serious," Roll hummed to herself in thought. 

    "There's potential that Hikari could be in danger. It's... a potential stalking case. I'm trying to figure out this person's motivation," Chaud stated. 

    And who it is... the netsaver grumbled under his own breath. I feel stupid for even considering the idea that it's a ghost.

    "Stalking case!? Hm... well..." Maylu frowned, the difficult decision weighing on her thoughts. 

    She sighed, guilt prying at her pride.

    "There is one sibling of his I know about..." she frowned, knowing Lan would not like she was sharing this. "But please, if you ever tell Lan you know, do not say you heard it from me."

    Chaud nodded, raising his PET. "I won't tell anyone you told me. So, who is this sibling? Do you know anything about their whereabouts?"

    Maylu glanced at Roll with sadness in her eyes before returning her gaze to the netsaver.

    "His name was Hub Hikari... He's dead now..." Maylu spoke dejectedly.

    ...Dead? Chaud's eyes widened in shock. 

    "He was Lan's brother," she explained.

    The netsaver nodded, attempting to not let his emotions show. 

    "I see... Thank you for your time..." Chaud thanked her. 

    "I do hope Lan isn't in trouble, but I know you'll take care of it if he is," Maylu smiled. 

    Chaud walked away without so much as another word, deep in thought about the interaction and already making his way towards the library to check death records.

    "Let me know how things go!" Maylu shouted after him, frowning as he continued running off without another word to her. 

    "Suddenly, it doesn't seem so insane," the netsaver muttered, picking up the pace. 

    He felt sure of himself now, but he wanted to check the records for added clarification.

    "Protoman, did you get all of that?" Chaud asked his navi. 

    "That you're considering Lan's dead brother to be the one sending you mysterious emails from your own computer? Yes," Protoman stated. 

    "You say that like you don't believe what I saw last night," the netsaver said.

    "It only sounds odd," Protoman insisted. "I believe you..."

    His navi frowned, thinking about something for a moment. 

    "The name Hub Hikari sounds familiar..." Protoman mused. 

    "What do you mean?" Chaud asked, confused as to how his navi would've heard the name before.

    The navi thought about it for a moment, searching for the name in his files. 

    "There is documentation of his name in relation to Dr. Hikari... but it all stops roughly seven years ago," Protoman explained. "I remember having seen the name a long time ago, but nothing ever mentioned him being Lan's brother."

    "What kind of documentation?" the netsaver came to a stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. 

    "Leave of absence notices," the navi informed him.

    The information his navi had to offer puzzled the netsaver, Chaud wrapped up in his own thoughts until he got to the library. He quickly flashed his badge to the desk clerk without much consideration, the unsuspecting citizen jumping and falling out of their chair in surprise as he bolted past. Chaud didn't care at the moment, too preoccupied with his quest to find documentation of records pertaining to the individual "Hub Hikari". He ran over to the library's computer, dedicated to finally solving this mystery.

    "Jack in! Protoman! Power up!" Chaud exclaimed, plugging his PET into the terminal.

    In seconds, the navi was on the library's server, looking around the space he had become accustomed to over time. The walls of files that towered all around him were ingrained into his memory, having come here so often to do research.

    "Search the death records and we'll go from there," the netsaver ordered him.

    The navi searched for Hub's name, filtering through the thousands of documents held in the public records. It all filtered down, the navi finding the files that had been highlighted relatively easily with his knowledge of the place. There were very few that even mentioned Hub's name, but one of them was a record of death, filed seven years ago. August 11th... 

    "Hub Hikari, birthday, June 10th... died August 11th, seven years ago. Place of death; Seaside Hospital, Cause of death; sudden cardiac death (SCD) caused by severe HBD..." Chaud whispered to himself. "But, that's Lan's birthday..."

    His eyes glanced over the file, finding the image of Hub at the top. He does look a lot like Lan... Hub was smiling in the picture, seeming happy and full of joy.

    "Perhaps it would help if you saw this..." Protoman interjected, pulling up a different file for his operator. 

    The netsaver paused in reading through the death record, glancing over at the other file.

    "What's this?" Chaud asked. 

    "Hub was born June 10th, same day as Lan, same year..." the navi summarized. "He was Lan's twin brother."

    The amount of emotional baggage tied to that information did not go overlooked by Chaud, and all of a sudden, things seemed to make much more sense. "Not today. Of all days, not today. Do this some other time," Megaman had said on June 10th, giving him that stare full of more emotion than he thought possible for a navi. Lan saying he was "going to cry later anyway", the awkward distraught stares he gave the table, the hesitancy about the birthday cake, Megaman's anger about the situation— EVERYTHING FINALLY MADE SENSE. 

    All the netsaver found he could do in that moment was stand there, reading through the documents in shock. No wonder he's pissed at me... "You need to find a way to move past whatever is making you so distracted," Chaud remembered himself saying. I feel like such a jerk for saying that now... The netsaver hit the desk, the pain of realizing what he had done to Lan that day becoming too much for him to keep inside as his eyes began to fill with tears. Chaud took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself and prevent himself from crying. 

    "...Are you alright?" Protoman asked him, this behavior being rare to see in his operator. 

    "No... I'm not," Chaud admitted, holding his breath as he choked down his sobs. "He said I wouldn't understand... How could he think I wouldn't—... I only wanted to stop him from getting hurt, I didn't mean to—... to hurt him."

    And now Hub is mad at me for making his brother cry and saying such awful things... He looked to his navi guilt in his expression.

    "I told him to move past the death of his twin brother..." Chaud breathed deeply, wiping the tears from his eyes before anyone could notice. "What could I possibly do to make up for that?"

    God, I feel like such a jerk... His eyes fell on one specific part of the text in front of him, mentioning Hub's cause of death. HBD...

    "...I think you should apologize," Protoman said.

Chapter Text

    Hub’s spirit danced along the edges of the light from the streetlamps, careful to stay in the shadows as Lan leisurely skated on the sidewalk. He giggled and laughed, glancing up at the stars on the clear night with the nearly full moon shining brightly. The spirit stopped briefly every so many yards, waiting for Lan to catch up, his incessant giggling causing a smile on his brother’s face. 

    In a moment of curiosity, Hub stopped and let Lan catch up, the living twin standing in the light of the streetlight as the spirit clung to the edge of the shadows. He stared at Lan with an unease that dredged up fears from deep within him.

    “Is something wrong?” Lan asked with hesitancy.

    The spirit raised his hand towards his brother, the light making the illusion fade as his form turned nearly invisible in the light— a stark reminder that he was in fact dead. Hub had been trying to forget that recently. His smile fell, eyes resting on Lan’s vest. 

    “Hub…” Lan reached out and gently grasped his twin’s hand. “Let’s just have fun tonight, okay?”

    The living twin beamed, making his way out of the light and back into the shadows to embrace his brother.

    “The first of many. You’ll always be by my side, right?” Lan squeezed Hub firmly, taking in the odd cool sensation that touching the spirit made spread over his body.

    Hub nodded, returning the embrace.

    “Always…” the spirit replied, though his voice held an odd tone.

    After a moment, Lan grasped his brother’s hand. The action had surprised Hub as the two returned to walking along the dark patches of the sidewalk, leaning against one another. The warmth of the living twin’s skin made Hub smile.

    I wish I could stitch our hands together into one so that you might never let me go. The spirit tensed as the thought crossed his mind, the jarring mental image of thread tugging their skin together and tying both flesh and bone into one making him feel uneasy with himself. 

    “Is everything alright, Hub?” Lan looked over to his brother.

    Awkwardly, the late twin nodded, giving Lan an uncomfortable glance. Their hands remained intertwined as they walked to the park, taking slow, easy strides in the brisk night breeze. Eventually, Hub found Lan leaning his head on the spirit’s shoulder, practically clinging to Hub’s arm as they arrived at the park.

    “This is where you wanted to go?” Lan raised his head, looking at the sign. 

    Technically the park was closed right now, and this park was home to some of both the best and worst memories they had together. The spirit slowly nodded.

    “I really loved coming here with you,” Hub sighed. “Can we swing together?”

    The living twin nodded with a beaming smile. “Sure!”

    Lan took the lead, walking rather quickly over to the swing set as he practically dragged Hub along by the hand. The spirit hadn’t been expecting his brother to be so excited, stumbling as they arrived at the swings, each taking a seat as their hands remained clasped together. It seemed that neither wanted to let go. Both of them stared at each other’s hand with longing and a bittersweet smile. I wish I never had to let you go.

    “Hub… I miss you so much…” Lan frowned, his eyes beginning to water.

    “Lan… I’m sorry, but I’m… I’m not—…” Hub found himself retracting his hand from Lan’s, staring at his spectral form in horror. 

    I’m not alive… I’M NOT ALIVE. I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ALIVE. I’M NOT REAL. I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO LIVE. WHAT HAVE I BECOME!? The spirit found himself panicking, looking around the park, at the swings, and then to his brother. 

    Lan looked at him with concern… and fear. I never grew up. Hub found himself grasping his chest, breathing harshly as the world around him started to feel like it was spinning. This isn’t what happened. Nononononono—

    “Hub! Hey! Look at me!” Lan hopped off the swing and grabbed Hub, propping up the spirit on his shoulder as he walked Hub over to the sidewalk.

    The spirit looked at him, a fearful tremor radiating through Hub’s body as they sat down on the sidewalk. 

    “Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,” Lan soothed his brother. “It’s ok. Shhhhh. I’m right here.”

    All of a sudden, Hub woke up in Lan’s room, back on the floor as his chest heaved with each anxious breath. His brother was still resting peacefully in bed… A dream?

    The spirit stood up, looking around the quiet room. The night had become his freedom, and yet the freedom terrified him. It was a freedom he was supposed to have given up years ago… coming back to haunt him. I need some air… This room gets a little stuffy after a while.

    The memory of the odd dream remained in his thoughts. I haven’t had a dream in a long time… Why is it always that park? Much of the details had faded from his memory, but he could still remember the terror he felt at the end, the horror of the realization that he wasn’t supposed to be alive… it was still bothering him.

    As he walked past the mirror, he was reminded of his lack of clothes by his reflection. He turned to Lan’s closet, an emotional ache that came with a small smile filling him. Surely, he wouldn’t mind if I borrowed some of his… The short walk to his closet was filled with hesitation and worry.

    They aren’t mine… I don’t have any clothes to call my own… Hub sighed, opening the closet door. The familiar sound filled him with joy, though it was melancholic in nature. Careful to not make much noise, he snatched a set of clothes from the closet, including a pair of shorts and a light green T-shirt Lan never wore much. 

    Something about the clothes felt familiar, like he had seen them before, yet he knew Lan had never worn that shirt in front of him. Maybe I saw it in a photograph somewhere… He closed the closet door without much more thought about it.

    After putting on the clothes, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, excited to see what he looked like. He hadn’t been able to share clothes with Lan for years, and the thought of participating in typical sibling activities made him excited. The sight made him smile at first… but quickly brought him to tears. He began to sob and cry, staring at his reflection. 

    These clothes weren’t bought for me. These clothes… I—… This is the life I never got to have. It is the life I will never get to have… Hub covered his face with his hands, turning away from the mirror and walking out of the room. He closed the door a little louder than he had wanted to, but he ignored it as he wiped tears from his eyes and made his way downstairs.

    “Stupid HBD… it ruins everything…” Hub sobbed, tears still running down his face and falling onto the hardwood.

    The spirit flopped down on the couch, making muffled grumbles of aggravation into the cushions. Why couldn’t things have been different? Hub looked down at the clothes once again as he sat up on the couch, holding the fabric close to his spectral body. I want my own life. I want my own body… and I can’t have it.

    This house, Lan’s room, a place at the table… none of it is mine anymore… I’m—… I’m just an object. Looking around at the house, seeing everything he usually only saw through a camera just hurt. The sight of it all only reminded him of how he wasn’t a person anymore, all the things he could’ve had, permanently never his. I need to go…

    Without much of a second thought, Hub got up from the couch and ran to the door in tears, fumbling as he put on a pair of shoes Lan rarely wore. He wasn’t good at tying laces, having died before he had much practice— just another reminder... The door was unlocked with a quick flip of the lock, and Hub ran out into the world, feeling the breeze on his ethereal skin. 

    It was refreshing, even better than it had been in his dream. This was the first time he had felt the breeze on his skin in years, and he wanted to savor it. He just kept running, yearning for something to take the never ending pain away from him, but nothing did. Even the twinkling starlight seemed to only deepen the wound in his soul. 

    He didn’t know where he was, not bothering to keep track of what street he was on, running and running… running from his own pain. Tears continued to pour out of his eyes, hand held to his chest as he continued to run. Nothing… No matter how much he ran, his heartbeat wasn’t there. 

    Please… Please… It all felt so close yet so far. His fingers dug into his skin as he yearned for the very thing that killed him— his own heart. The desperation he felt to feel it beating inside of his chest, to feel it pumping the warm blood in his veins, was undeniable. Hub wished for life.

    Like the world was mocking him, an insufferable sensation of loneliness filled him as he came to a stop. The park again… In his stupor, his feet had led him to a place he both loved and resented. It stung at his emotional wounds, and yet feeling it’s sting only worsened his insatiable hunger for life. He wanted to be back in his body, back on that day… back when he could make the decision to rest instead of play. He wished to change his already sealed fate— to change what had already been done.

    In his state of distress and internal torment, he touched the gate as it seemed to entice him, the metal creaking as it swung open. Why isn’t it locked? As soon as his hand crossed the threshold of the gate, a sense of joy and excitement flooded him, pulling him in. It felt like a tether to his soul, drawing him in like a trap. His feet slowly crossed the threshold as he found himself subconsciously walking in, unable to resist the urge that he found consuming him.

    The tears had stopped as he stumbled down the sidewalk, aimlessly walking and staring. He was mumbling was sounded like nonsense under his breath as his feet dragged, horror plastered in his expression. June 10th… There was an odd ringing tone he could hear, captivating him… the sound of a voice. It called to him as he searched for it all around the empty park. 

    Hub's eyes were wide, body trembling with each uneven step he took in search of the source of the sorrowful tone. It was as if nothing else mattered to him anymore, the familiar sound pulling him in. Something about it struck a chord within him, both terror and joy burning inside of him more and more as he listened to its sound on the breeze.

    “Hello?” Hub asked aloud.

    The creaking of swings that swung back and forth with no one there, the rustle of leaves and the sound of the stream, the park lights flickering and dimming as he walked past, the seesaw creaking as it moved on its own, the playground spinner squeaking as it spun slowly… It all stopped as quickly as Hub noticed it, leaving him in silence. The quiet brought tears to his eyes once more, the spirit beginning to scream and wallow in his emotions. 

    In his grief-stricken delirium, Hub had forgotten what was going on, desperate to change what had happened on his birthday. His spirit was pleading to bargain, ready to pay the price should an offer be given to him.

    “Lan!? LAN! Please!” Hub pleaded as he stumbled over his own feet. “Lan? Where did you go? Where are mama and papa?” 

    His steps were uneven, every wheeze and sniffle only serving to further incentivize this delusional behavior. The spirit's hands remained at his chest, squeezing as he descended further into his instability.

    "Laaaan! Come out! We need to go home!" Hub shouted. "Where are you!?"

    I'm all alone... I'm all alone... I'm all alone... I'M ALL ALONE... I'M ALL ALONE— The torment in his own thoughts continued. No matter how much he cried or pleaded, Lan wasn't there. He walked over to the bench he always sat on with Lan, but he still remained alone. Lan wasn't there. Lan isn't here. I can't feel my heart. Something is wrong. I'm scared.

    "I need you. I'm scared..." Hub fell to his knees in front of the swings, sobbing. "You left me behind!"

    I'm still here... The scenes of blood and the hospital all flooded through his mind, the panicked screams of Lan and his parents... I'M STILL HERE... The memory of falling off the swing as he felt the piercing pain in his chest of an HBD attack, Lan reaching out after him... his brother carrying his tired body over to the sidewalk as Hub choked on his own blood.

    "I'M STILL HERE!" Hub screamed with every ounce of strength he could muster, the sound echoing through the empty park. "I'M STILL HERE LAN! PLEASE COME BACK!"

    The sound of someone running towards him grabbed the spirit's attention, Hub slowly turning his head to look behind himself. As Hub's eyes connected with his brother's the deep-seated fear he had melted away.

    "HUB!" Lan shouted, nearly falling as he ran up the sidewalk. "I'M HERE!"

    Lan's chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, pulling the spectral form of his late twin into a snug embrace. The action soothed the raging pain that Hub had been feeling, his arms falling around Lan as he returned the hug.

    "I never left you! I'm right here, buddy. I'm still your little Lanbug. I'm right here," tears poured down Lan's face as he tightened his grip on his brother. "You don't have to worry, I'm not going anywhere."

    A strange feeling from within himself caught Hub's attention, his eyes flying wide. The memories of the park no longer seemed to torment him, his recollection beginning to clear. He's still with me... The wind no longer felt empty, it felt friendly and full of life. He smiled, genuinely, basking in the presence of his brother. 

    "Thank you, Lan. I love you so much," Hub grasped the hoodie Lan was wearing tighter. 

    "I love you too," Lan replied, pressing his face into Hub's shoulder. "I'm never going to leave you."

    "But, Lan..." Hub attempted to interject, mildly embarrassed.

    Lan pushed away to look his brother in the eyes his expression changing to one of shock as he had forgotten what he was about to say. "...Hub?"

    "Hm? What's wrong?" Hub raised an eyebrow. 

    "You're not blue anymore," Lan was surprised. "or as glowy..."

    "HUH?" Hub reached up, grabbing his bangs and moving them in front of his eyes. 

    His hair was now brown like Lan's, most of the glow having faded away except for on his skin. What... changed?

    "Hahaha! You should see your face!" Lan chuckled. "Wah!— " 

    In his laughter, Lan had caused them to fall over, both wincing in pain as they fell onto the sidewalk. 

    "You okay, Lanbug?" Hub asked, chuckling under his breath. 

    The spirit's voice was strong now, no longer just a whisper on the wind, but it maintained an odd, eerie tone that sounded like a slight echo.

    "Of course!" Lan continued to laugh, clutching his stomach.

    "Don't you die on me from silly, you hear?" Hub reached over, tickling his brother. "Or I'll never forgive you, you little weasel!"

    Lan pushed away his brother's hands in a fit of laughter, kicking his legs around. "HAHAHA— No! Stop!" 

    Lan exacted his revenge by tickling Hub back, a symphony of laughter coming from the spirit as Hub rolled across the sidewalk and guarded his stomach.

    "Okay! Okay! You win!" Hub pleaded, gasping for air. "No more tickles..."

    Hub sat there, frozen in shock with a hand on his chest. A feeling that had become foreign to him had made itself known. 

    "Is everything alright, Hub?" Lan asked, getting really worried. 

    The spirit looked down to his chest, tears building in his eyes. I can feel a heartbeat... He sat up, still holding his hand to his chest as he looked at Lan.

    "It's back..." Hub muttered.

    "What do you mean, 'it's back'? Your HBD!?" Lan rushed to shove his hand out of the way, pressing his ear up against Hub's chest. 

    "...My heartbeat... It's back," Hub clarified. "Lan... I have a heartbeat again."

    The sound that Lan heard, feeling a small movement each thump, backed up what the spirit was saying. No matter how difficult it was for Lan to believe, it was a sound he hadn't heard in years, and he didn't want this moment to end, no matter what it meant. He stayed there on the ground, resting his head against Hub's chest, staring up at the stars that they could see through the light pollution from the city.

    Listening to his brother's heart, while it brought him joy, reminded him how he needed to be responsible. I don't want to lose this again.

    "We should get you home," Lan decided, a solemn look in his eyes. 

    "Hm? Why?" Hub asked. 

    "Don't you want to go home?" Lan frowned. 

    Hub smiled gently, turning his gaze from the stars back to his brother. 

    "I would love to go home," Hub responded. "With you this time."

    And as your brother. The two got up from the sidewalk, tiredness evident in Lan's expression. Hub’s spirit danced along the edges of the light from the street lamps, careful to stay in the shadows as Lan leisurely walked on the sidewalk. He glanced up at the stars on the clear night with the nearly full moon shining brightly. The spirit stopped briefly every so many yards, waiting for Lan to catch up, causing the living twin to smile. 

    In a moment of curiosity, Hub let Lan catch up to him completely. The living twin stopped in the light of the streetlight as the spirit clung to the edge of the shadows.

    “Is something wrong?” Lan asked with hesitancy.

    The spirit raised his hand towards his brother, the light falling on his arm and covering up the ethereal glow. Hub sighed in relief, happy that disappearing in the light had just been a dream. Lan looked at it in confusion before taking his brother's hand.

    "If you wanted to hold hands, you could've just asked, silly. I didn't know you were so tired," Lan teased him.

    "What!? I—..." Hub felt his face turning red. "I'm not tired!"

    "Oh, so you just wanted to hold hands? What are you, a baby?" Lan snickered. 

    "Laaaaan!" the spirit whined, yanking his arm away. 

    "Aw, come on! I was just teasing! Give your hand back!" the living twin reached over, trying to snatch Hub's hand again as they walked. 

    He missed, Hub reaching his hands up and away from his brother.

    "Nope, I don't want to anymore," the spirit teased him. "You made it awkward. Now it's not fun."

    "Aw, come on, man!" Lan sighed in defeat. 

    "Maybe you're the baby. Do I need to get your baby blanket for you again?" the spirit smirked. "I mean, you seem to be fairly attached to mine."

    Lan froze in front of their home, staring at his brother. The sudden change in attitude from the living twin prompted Hub to turn around, raising an eyebrow at Lan.

    "What do you mean my baby blanket? I haven't had mine in years," Lan looked at him with confusion.

    Does he not know? Hub took Lan's hand scanning the boy's face for any discrepancies. 

    "Did you ever look at the name embroidered on the one in my box?" the spirit asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "There's a name on it?" Lan was surprised, running up the sidewalk and opening the front door. 

    He left the door open while quickly kicking off his shoes, Hub following behind him. The spirit closed the door softly behind himself as the living twin ran upstairs to his closet. Lan rummaged through the winter blankets he had hidden Hub's belongings in, finding the box he treasured so dearly. He placed it on his bed, opening the lid as Hub walked into the room. The spirit closed the door, making his way over as Lan unfolded the blanket, searching it for a name. 

    "I'm not seeing anything," Lan complained with a frown as he looked over the small blanket. 

    "Look in the corner," Hub instructed him. 

    "There's four of them!" the living twin whined, grumbling to himself.

    He checked a couple of the corners before he found the right one, a slight sinking feeling in his stomach as he read what it said, the text illuminated by the light of the sunrise. "Lan Hikari" was embroidered along the edge. 

    "But... I don't understand...  It's in your box. It even smells like you..." Lan deflated, sitting down on his bed with it in his hands in a defeated stupor. 

    "It does... because you always let me sleep with it," Hub smiled, sitting down next to Lan. "I used it more than you did, and even after some time we started calling it mine... I guess you just... forgot... I always had it with me at the hospital, and you insisted on it."

    Lan held the cloth close once again as he smiled, feeling the familiar texture in between his fingers. 

    "You wanted me to have something of yours so we could be together every night, even when you weren't able to be there with me..." reminiscing old times, the spirit looked down at the blanket in Lan's hands. 

    "So, where's yours then?" Lan raised an eyebrow, looking into the box to see if he had missed another somehow. 

    Distress at the thought of having lost his brother's blanket consumed him, worried that he may have lost something of what little remained from his life with Hub still alive. The feeling of someone messing with his headband got his attention, his hands flying up to try and stop hub from taking it off him.

    "Hey!" Lan exclaimed, whipping his head around to look at his brother with a glare.

    His frustration fell away as he saw how Hub was looking at it— rubbing the fabric in between his fingers lovingly, with a longing gaze and a gentle smile on his face. The spirit ran his thumbs over the Hikari family crest, his eyes watering slightly. 

    "You've had it with you every single day..." Hub said, fighting to keep himself from crying.

    Lan watched as his brother brought the headband close to the blanket, both the crests and materials matching up. On the corner of Lan's headband, in tiny text that nearly matched the fabric, was "Hub Hikari", washed out and distressed from so much use. Lan had long since forgotten...

    "You mean—..." Lan found himself speechless.

    "Your 'good luck charm'..." Hub wiped the tears from his eyes that had begun to interfere with his vision. "You calling it that made me so happy..."

Lan hugged his brother, wrapping his arms around the spirit and holding Hub with a snug grip. 

    "You—..." Hub swallowed, clearing his throat to speak. "I was there when you ran back to get it on our birthday... I saw everything. I saw your smile, your friends... you eating my piece of cake— haha... and I saw how much you cared... Thank you for remembering me."

    "You should be thanking Megaman for reminding me..." Lan insisted, squeezing Hub tighter. "And we should both get to bed! He's going to be so mad at me!"

    Lan let go of his brother and bolted up from his seated position, glancing out the window and realizing the sun was already rising.

    "Yeah, you're right..." Hub frowned.

    I'll just be your navi again when it's time to wake you up... Just an object that nags at you... the one who will be "mad"... The spirit stood up and walked across Lan's room, hanging up Lan's headband on the corner of his monitor, his gaze full of a tangle of emotions.

    "I'll let you borrow some pajamas!" the living twin exclaimed, rushing to his closet. "I'll get you your own in the future!"

    Hub smiled, staring at the headband before his gaze fell on the PET. He loves me either way. He turned around, only to be surprised by Lan holding a set of blue pajamas for him. 

    "Now we can match! Blue and orange— just like old times!" Lan looked at him with a beaming smile. 

    The spirit accepted them, holding the cloth gently in his hands. Just for one night...

    "Thank you, Lan," Hub smiled. 

    Just for one night, let me forget that none of this is mine. By the time Hub had changed clothes— something he was out of practice with, leading him to fumble several times with the buttons on the pajama shirt he had been lent —Lan was already fast asleep in bed, hogging the entire mattress. Hub's box had been put away, and the closet closed, everything prepared for a good night's sleep.

    The spirit stared down at this predicament he was left with, sighing in exasperation. His brother looked so peaceful, snuggled up in his blanket and fluffy pillows, that it was difficult for Hub to decide to move him so the spirit could sleep somewhere besides the floor. Regardless, he shoved Lan over, the living twin not waking and only groaning in defiance from being so forcefully moved. Some things never change...

    As Hub was climbing in bed, excited to finally rest, Lan rolled over, invading the spirit's side of the bed.

    "Lan!" Hub grumbled, no longer having enough room. 

    "Mm?" Lan was half asleep, not understanding what was going on.

    "Get back on your side of the bed!" Hub demanded, pushing Lan over again.

    "My side? It's my bed!" Lan exclaimed groggily, purposefully taking up more of the bed out of spite.

    "Not right now it isn't! I need a place to sleep too, you know!" Hub complained, trying to shove his brother back over to the other side.

    "Well, I had just gotten comfortable!" the living twin huffed, resisting.

    "You were asleep!" Hub exclaimed. 

    The spirit crawled underneath the blanket, attempting to get comfy. 

    "I will not take this attack right now. I was all comfy and you woke me up," Lan stuck his tongue out as he rolled over, turning away from his brother.

    The blanket had been effectively stolen by Lan as he turned over, momentarily stunning Hub as he was left blanket-less.

    "Only because you're a bed hog!" the spirit scoffed.

    "You take that back!" Lan sat up and whipped his head around to glare at Hub, throwing the blanket off.

    "Nuh uh," Hub crossed his arms and shook his head. "You are a bed hog."

    "Take it back!" the living twin whined, poking his brother. 

    "Nope!" Hub grabbed the blanket and laid down, curling up on his side and facing away from his brother to go to sleep.

    Now having had both his bed and blanket snagged by the spirit, Lan pouted.

    "Well—... You're a blanket hog!" Lan grumbled, yanking on the blanket to take it back from Hub.

    "Laaaan!" the spirit complained, holding onto the blanket even tighter.

    The spirit didn't even bother denying what Lan had said.

    "Give it back!" Lan pleaded. "I'm cold!"

    "Noooo! You're the one who threw it off!" Hub insisted.

    "Fine," the living twin said, crawling under the blanket he had left and wrapping his arms around Hub. "Problem solved."

    It was finally quiet and peaceful as the two settled down to sleep next to one another, Lan finding himself listening to the sound of his brother's heartbeat. Everything was calm, and it appeared the two would finally be able to rest... until...

    "Lan! You're overheating me! It's too hot for this!" the spirit whined. 

    "Then gimme the blanket back!" Lan said. 

    He tugged on the blanket once more, trying to free it from Hub's cold hands.

    "No," Hub refused, snuggling further into the pillows and sheets.

    Lan sat up, putting his hands on his hips as he assessed the situation. His brother remained huddled up in his only blanket, conveniently also hogging the plethora of pillows their mom had put there, that Lan had pushed aside as he preferred to use only one. And I'm the bed hog? Suuuure... He sighed, deciding the best course of action was just to get another blanket from his closet rather than fight the spirit for the one he was cuddled up in.

    Despite his tiredness and exhaustion, the living twin climbed over his brother to get off the bed and made his way over to the closet again. he didn't really care what blanket he grabbed, so long as it was something light and not too heavy for the weather. He grabbed whatever was on top of the stack of folded blankets, but before he climbed back into bed with it, he noticed Hub was already asleep. Lan smiled gently attempting to not disturb his brother as he placed the blanket on the other side. The happiness of the sight was short lived when he noticed a strange glowing light coming from under the blanket Hub was using.

    The task of getting back in bed was forgotten as he crouched down on the floor, tugging his blanket away from Hub's face. The spirit whined in his sleep, but with the blanket pulled back, Lan saw it was coming from the center of hub's chest, pulsing about once per second. Seeing his brother peacefully resting despite it, Lan tucked the blanket back in and climbed back in bed to try and sleep. There was something about the glow that unsettled him, but he tried his best to ignore it. I'll worry about it in the morning...

    The morning came and went all too quickly, Lan finding himself waking up all on his own. Megaman's voice didn't greet him as he woke up, he didn't recall the navi ever trying to awaken him... He found himself wondering if he had somehow forgotten to charge his PET, rubbing his eyes as he rolled over to look at his desk. The operator's PET was indeed on the charger, leaving him with more questions than answers. 

    Lan swung his feet out over the edge of the bed, giving the empty pajamas and the blanket a somber glance. He sighed, getting up anyway despite the heaviness he felt in his limbs and the sudden headache from standing up. The screen of his PET turned on as he lifted it from the charger, his groggy curiosity being whisked away by shock and fear as his navi woke up, hacking and coughing while clutching the chest of his frame. 

    "Megaman?! Are you okay!?" Lan shouted.

    The navi had been abruptly awoken, something in his systems sputtering and not liking whatever had just happened to him. Ugh... where am I? What just happened to me? Megaman's eyes were wide with fear, his frame shaking as he propped himself up with one of his arms. His legs trembled, the navi wondering if he had the strength to support himself much longer. Something in his frame pulsed in a rhythm, the seemingly unfamiliar sensation catching him off-guard. 

    "I—... I think so..." Megaman took slow, deep breaths, the pulsing feeling inside of him slowing slightly. 

    What is this? The navi pressed his hand against his chest emblem, feeling the pulsing with his palm. It feels... wait...

    "You sure? That look on your face isn't very convincing, you know," his operator frowned. 

    Wait, wait, wait... no... that's not—... Megaman buffered, struggling to make sense of what had happened to him. It can't be... All of Lan's email notifications went ignored for the moment, the navi's processing hosed up.

    A knock at Lan's room door got his attention, the boy looking up from his PET, disgruntled by the distraction from something so worrying.

    "Yeah? I'm a little busy..." Lan complained. 

    Much to his shock, Chaud opened his room door, a slightly-more-depressed-than-usual look to the netsaver's expression.

    "Chaud!?" Lan blinked in surprise.

    The netsaver closed the door behind himself before clearing his throat. An awkward silence hung in the air as Chuad tried to search for the right words to say, eye contact suddenly seeming to be a struggle for him.

    "What? Did you come by to gloat or something? Last time we talked you were insulting me and Megaman, saying I was too weak for the N1! Don't think I forgot that," Lan hissed. "Now really isn't a great time, and I already know you won, so if that's what you came here to tell me, then leave."

    "That's not why I'm here..." Chaud muttered, hands clasped in front of himself in thought.

    Lan looked down to his navi, worry and frustration building as Megaman still hadn't finished processing whatever was hosing him up.

    "Then spit it out," Lan huffed. "I don't have time for you to play games with me."

    "I wanted to say I'm sorry," Chaud suddenly said, bowing deeply. 

    The netsaver's rival blinked in confusion, anger falling away.

    "...What?" Lan asked.

    His rival didn't raise his head as he spoke. 

    "I'm sorry for what I said... especially for what I said on your birthday..." the netsaver apologized. "I didn't know you were mourning..."

    Panic flooded Lan's eyes as he heard what Chaud said. 

    "Wh— What do you mean 'mourning'? Hahaha—..." Lan laughed awkwardly, stepping back.

    "Hikari..." Chaud raised his head to look his rival in the eyes. "I know."

    Lan gulped, holding his PET close to his chest as he began to feel a little dizzy. How does he know!?

    "I looked into it alone, and no, I didn't tell anyone," Chaud sighed. "I know about your brother... and I'm sorry for what I said on his birthday."

    Megaman's operator fought to hold back his tears, trembling in his body as he looked at his rival. 

    "Who do you think you are, man? You can't just go looking at people's private information!" Lan wiped his eyes, looking down to his PET. "But, yeah. He's dead... Hub is dead."

    "Lan..." Megaman finally responded, shaking his head as he reoriented himself. 

    "I know that having a clear head is important to being a netsaver, but... now that I know more about the situation... I realize I was in the wrong for judging you so harshly about it," the netsaver frowned. "Please know that I am deeply sorry for telling you to move past his death."

    Lan's navi looked to Chaud, seeing the guilt in the netsaver's expression. He apologized... It felt like another piece of himself clicked back into place as Megaman smiled, his anger towards his rival's operator diminishing and dissolving away. As he took a moment to relish in the satisfaction of finally having Lan receive that apology, the navi was notified of an email from the hospital in Lan's inbox. It was urgent.

    "Lan! Lan!" Megaman exclaimed. "You have an urgent email! It's your results!"

    I hope he doesn't have HBD... Maybe it's something else? Megaman could see the worry fill Lan's eyes. I can only hope...

    "Really?" Lan asked, nervously glancing to Chaud and then back to the PET. 

    "...You really should open it as soon as possible..." Megaman said. "But I'd also understand if you're nervous..."

    "What results?" Chaud asked. 

    "I-..." Lan sighed. "My parents had me get tested... for the thing that killed him..." 

    Chaud's eyes widened in shock. 

    "HBD?" the netsaver was curious. 

    Lan nodded, staring down at the email in fright. In response, the netsaver resolved himself, straightening his back as he placed a hand on his rival's shoulder. 

    "No matter what it says, it doesn't change what you have managed to accomplish," Chaud assured him. 

    He needs me to be supportive right now...  The netsaver tried his best to smile.

    Megaman nodded in affirmation. "You're still an amazing operator, and I wouldn't have you any other way than the way you are— no matter if you have HBD or not."

    Lan took a deep breath as he readied himself, opening the email. No matter what Chaud and his navi said, nothing could've prepared him for the effects of reading the email, a sinking feeling filling the pit of his stomach as he read. Horrific memories of Hub in pain, bleeding, and experiencing horrible side effects from medication, all came rushing back into his mind.  Remembering the lifeless stare Hub had in his eyes when he didn't feel well made Lan feel sick. "...You have been diagnosed with moderate to major HBD. Please follow these instructions listed below until further assessment of your condition. HBD can progress with age and is a potentially life-threatening condition. If you feel any dizziness accompanied by chest pain, back pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty breathing, call emergency services immediately, and do not wait until your next appointment..." The email continued, listing off things that he had seen Hub experience, only having not known the severity until he read the information with his own eyes.

    "I'm so sorry, Lan..." his navi attempted to console him, placing his gloved hand on the screen.

    Megaman's operator broke down into tears, unsure what to do now. He had been hoping this entire time that he didn't have HBD, but now it only seemed to mock him. 

    "Hikari... You'll be ok," the netsaver said. 

    "You don't know that!" Lan shouted, sobbing. "It killed him..."

    Everything felt uncertain now, and all that Lan could think about was the worry from the pain in his chest, wondering if he would even survive another day.