Essence of Humanity PG-13 *Stream* AA/An Finished

[YaminoMiko]

Whoot! New chappie! I love this story Neko-senpai! Netto's human again, that's a good thing.
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I wanna sleep, but I don't wanna sleep at the same time. @_@.
Repetition(RnREXE)

[spiecas]

As much as I loved five year old Netto, it's still refreshing to see him at his normal age again. Although I do wish that you would have included Ribbon in this chapter.
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“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
—Albert Einstein

[Midnight]

Ahh, fantastic. You decided to get back to this one after all.

I'm glad that it went off without that much of a hitch, but to me, it seemed all too simple, to tell you the truth. Not that I do not enjoy seeing Netto back to his original form, mind you, and I enjoy watching him suffer, but it seemed too quick.

Other than that, it was a great read as always.
_________________
Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[Kitty-Chan]

Interesting; not much action, but still good setup. I can't wait for the next part.
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Need more Zero/X, Netto/Rock, Rock/Netto, Forte/Netto, & Blues/Netto. PLEASE!
Ano sa...could someone please make me a Zero/X, Blues/Netto, or Forte/Netto avatar/banner? I would greatly appreciate it...
Thanks for the avatar, Mandi!
People! We need more Blues/Netto & Forte/Netto on the net. Come on; help me out here! *gives everyone her Super-Adorable Irrisistable Sad Kitty Eyes(TM)*

[Neko]

Netto ran into the sci labs building as the dimensional area came up behind him. As he got into the room, Rockman was already logging back into the real world with the help of the dimensional area.

“Netto-kun, are you okay?” Rockman asked him.

Netto held up his hands, “I’ve already told you, I’m fine.”

“But…” Rockman said slowly.

“Fine,” Netto insisted.

Roll giggled and walked over to where Rockman was standing over Netto. “Rockman, we should be worrying about Lividity,” she reminded him gently.

Rockman blinked and nodded, “Right.”

Netto peered around his navi and saw Ribbon standing next to Blues. She smiled and walked over to him. “Hello!” she said cheerfully.

“Do you really like looking like you’re eight?” he asked her dubiously.

Ribbon shrugged, “I told you, it’s not my body that matters. Besides, I like getting treated like an eight year old. Everyone tells me I’m cute!”

Netto blinked then looked slightly awkward. “Right,” he said slowly and turned to his navi. “Do we know where Lividity is?” he asked Rockman.

Rockman shook his head, “We only know where Lividity last was.”

“Where?”

Blues and Searchman nodded towards the computer screen behind them. “Lividity just appeared near here when you logged out. We’re not sure what it took but some kind of file is missing.”

“We’re trying to find which file was taken,” Rockman explained.

Netto frowned, “Did you look at the file database?”

Rockman nodded, “Yeah, but we haven’t found anything yet.”

Netto shrugged, “Okay, then I’ll look on the main computer.”

Rockman smiled, “Need help?” he asked.

Netto nodded and sat down in front of the large computer in the center. “If the main database didn’t list it then…” he paused and tapped a few buttons to bring up several windows.

“It should be a prototype,” Rockman realized. “Of course. Prototypes aren’t mandated to be put in the main database. Only the final product.”

“What would Lividity want a prototype of?” Blues asked.

Ribbon opened her mouth then closed it and looked thoughtful. Roll looked down at her and smiled sweetly, “Do you have an idea?” she asked.

Ribbon frowned and put a finger to her lips, then she nodded. “Lividity-sama wanted to make the Net World not need the Real World. Is there some kind of program that could make one or the other obsolete?”

“No,” Rockman frowned. “Sci-labs would never make something that dangerous.”

“Then why bring it up?” Netto asked.

“We’re looking for a prototype, Netto-kun,” Rockman reminded him. “Prototypes often don’t do what the final product do. Something similar to making a world obsolete would be…” his eyes widened in realization. “Netto-kun, look up he prototypes for the Dimensional Area program!”

Netto blinked and looked confused. “What?”

“Just do it,” Rockman commanded.

Netto nodded and pulled up the program Rockman commanded him to. “Here,” he paused and pointed to an area on the screen. “It’s missing,” he said slowly. “Why would Lividity…”

“Pull up the specs,” Rockman said softly.

Netto looked at the basic set up of the program and his eyes slowly widened. “Oh wow,” he said.

Rockman leaned over and read what Netto was looking at and merely stood there silently.

“What’s wrong?” Blues asked them.

“I think we know why it was rejected as a prototype,” Rockman said softly.

“Why?” Searchman asked, finally making the effort to cross the room to look at the file.

“Its effects are permanent,” Netto said in an equally faint voice to Rockman’s.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Lividity smiled and pulled out the program that it had stolen. “Well, well, well, that was quite easy,” it said with a grin. “Too easy,” it whispered while licking its lips. “I want more…”

The program shimmered and pulsated in Lividity’s dark grip. It smiled and gripped the lump of data even harder while cackling softly. “Come on,” it chided the program.

Finally the program dissipated and scattered over the area that Lividity was standing in and began to glow in certain areas. “Perfect,” Lividity grinned as the area it was in began to absorb the data into its main structure.

Over in sci labs, a small data signal abnormality appeared on the main screen. “Netto-kun,” Rockman shook his twin’s shoulder and pointed at the screen. “Look.”

Netto blinked and looked, “No way,” he said slowly.

Roll, Blues, Ribbon and Searchman peered over the twins to look at the computer. “What is it?” Ribbon asked.

“According to the computer it’s the prototype, only the data is horribly corrupted,” Rockman said with a frown.

“How bad is the corruption?” Blues asked.

Netto hit a few keys on the board and glanced at the data that appeared on the screen. “Bad enough that this computer no longer recognizes it as a sci labs file,” he explained slowly.

Roll winced and leaned over to press a few more keys. Another screen came up that pointed to the location of the corrupted file. “Not in the net nor the real world,” she said softly when she looked at the coordinates.

Ribbon sighed heavily. “Lividity-sama acted so soon.”

Rockman frowned, “We have to go before it gets any worse,” he said quickly and looked up. “Is that okay?”

“What if it’s a trap?” Searchman asked.

“Then we deal with it,” Netto replied matter of factly and pulled out his PET. “Or at least Rockman and I do.”

Rockman nodded and stood behind Netto. Ribbon cheered and linked her arms between Netto and Rockman’s arms and leaned forward, making the two boys wobble a bit to support their weight plus hers. “I’m in!” she cheered.

Roll nodded, “Of course,” she said while giving Rockman a shy smile.

Blues and Searchman merely nodded solemnly.

Netto nodded and walked over to the Dimensional Area control panel and looked at the button. “Well then, I guess I’ll see you guys there.”

They nodded and he deactivated the Dimensional Area. Rockman called out from his PET two seconds later. “Ready, Netto-kun?” he asked.

Netto took in a deep breath and picked up his back pack. “Sure,” he said while walking out of the building.

“Really?” Rockman asked.

Netto smiled and clipped on his rollerblades. “Yeah, I’m ready, nii-san.”

Ribbon’s shrill voice came out of Netto’s PET making Netto and Rockman wince simultaneously. “Yay!” she cheered. “We’re all ready then!”

Netto sighed and began to skate down the empty roads towards where in the distance Lividity was sitting on a small chair and looking thoughtfully into thin air. “They’re coming,” it said with a grin. “Of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only one or two more chapters.

Now I go collapse on my bed and sleep till tuesday.
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Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF. All my base are belong to you.

Avatar, credit Yakitate@devart

[Midnight]

Isn't today Tuesday though? o_o

Anyway...this was thrilling. Kudos for the plot twist in the middle of the chapter, and the pressure is beginning to build. As you said, this is definitely in its final stages, and it seems to be unfolding beautifully. Keep up the fantastic work, and if it means you're going to sleep for a week, do so. You most definitely deserve it.
_________________
Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[YaminoMiko]

You never cease to amaze me Neko. Please continue.
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I wanna sleep, but I don't wanna sleep at the same time. @_@.
Repetition(RnREXE)

[SereneEXE]

Wow... Neko! This fic is running very smooth. I don't see any flaws, but the bulid is strong. This is an amazing fic Neko, you have done may astonding works, And I have have to admiot this is one of my favorites. I hope Netto and group makes iot through in the next part!

[Neko]

Netto skated into the perimeter of the area and looked around. “Well, here we are,” he said slowly. “You guys ready?”

“Yes!” Ribbon said cheerfully.

“Go ahead, Netto-kun,” Rockman told him softly.

Netto nodded and skated into the area. He could tell as soon as he set foot into the area that something wasn’t right. Everything around him felt different and unnatural. It was the same feeling that dimensional areas gave him, only the feeling was increased several times over.

“Are you all right, Netto-kun?” Rockman asked.

Netto nodded, “I’m fine. We’re in the area though, try and see if you can link out of the PET.”

“All right,” Rockman said and several moments later they all appeared around Netto in the area.

Netto waved at him cheerfully, “Hello.”

“Well, looks like our hunch about this place was right,” Rockman said, looking around. “There’s no visible sign that this place is corrupted with data, but it is. If Lividity learns how to do this on a world wide scale, we’re all in very big trouble.”

Netto nodded, “No kidding,” he said while looking around. “And it feels so… creepy too.”

“Why?” Ribbon asked him as they walked further into the corrupted area.

Netto shrugged, “I can’t really explain it. All I know it that it doesn’t feel right.”

Rockman nodded his agreement, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence until they came up to Lividity. Lividity smiled at them and jumped off the car it was sitting on. “Interesting, isn’t it?” it asked. “How little it takes to bring down the barrier between the human and cyber worlds. Think of the possibilities,” it said softly. “Creating a world just for net navis. No more dependence on humans. We’ll have everything we need to survive on our own this way.”

“You’re wrong!” Rockman yelled. “We need humans, just like humans need us. How can you say that we can get along without the people that gave us life?”

Lividity smirked, “And those that take it away so easily?”

“So! What you’re planning to do is no better!” Rockman yelled at Lividity.

Lividity smiled cruelly, “I hope so,” it hissed.

Netto put a hand on Rockman’s shoulder. “Don’t waste your breath Rockman. It’s not going to work.”

“Oh?” Lividity smirked. “Says the brat who isn’t even fully human?”

Netto’s eyes flashed angrily as he glared at it. “Shut up!” he snapped.

“Netto-kun,” Rockman said softly and shook his head. /You can’t loose your cool, not here,/ he told Netto softly.

Netto took in a deep breath, /Right, sorry Rockman./

Rockman smiled, /It’s all right./

Lividity walked over to them. “Well, since words merely seem to be delaying the inevitable, let’s get this battle out of the way, shall we?”

Netto pulled out his PET and everyone else got their default weapons ready. Lividity lifted up and hand and summoned a pulsating energy into it. “Come!” it yelled.

Rockman ran up to it first, downloading a sword chip Netto gave him and slashing at its hand. Lividity jumped away but Rockman turned backwards in mid air aiming for the energy that it was cradling in its left hand.

Lividity smirked and pulled its hand away and thrust out its other hand, catching Rockman in the shoulder. Rockman retaliated by thrusting the tip of his sword into Lividity’s shoulder. He then pushed back and skidded a few feet away.

“Hm?” Lividity smirked while looking at its shoulder. “Clever,” it hissed then lashed out with the energy ball. It flew forward and almost hit Rockman but Ribbon jumped in the way and entwined the data in her ribbons and absorbed it. “Oh child, you’ve finally betrayed me?”

Ribbon grinned, “I’m not a child!” she yelled and formed a sword between her hands. “Not anymore!”

Lividity blocked the first blow and turned to the right to avoid the next one. Ribbon was very quick with her blade, but each time Lividity managed to block or dodge each strike.

Blues summoned his own sword and looked at Searchman. “Do you happen to have a vaccine chip in your sniper?” he asked.

Searchman nodded, “Yeah, why?”

“When you get a clear shot, I want you to shoot Lividity with it. That might keep it from using dark energy,” Blues said and jumped into the fight just before Ribbon was nearly hit by one of Lividity’s attacks.

Searchman nodded and loaded his sniper. “Roll,” he said.

“Yes?” the pink navi asked.

Searchman nodded at Netto who was slotting in battle chips for his navi to use at a furious rate. “Make sure he doesn’t get hurt. Something tells me that Rockman is going to be the one to end this battle.”

“Right,” Roll said and ran over to Netto.

“Hello Netto-san,” she said as she summoned a heart to her hands.

Netto glanced up at her then grinned. “Either Rockman, Searchman or Blues told you to come over here,” he said while giving Rockman an area steal chip to avoid another attack.

“Searchman,” Roll agreed. “Is anything changing?”

Netto shook his head, “Not yet. There’s too much going on. Searchman is trying to get a clear shot right?”

Roll nodded, “Yeah.”

Netto took in a deep breath, “All right then.”

/Netto-kun, what are you planning?/ Rockman asked as he listened in on the conversation.

/Tell Blues and Ribbon to jump out of the way when I give you the Roll Soul chip. I bet the healing technique can freeze it for a second,/ Netto said.

/Right,/ Rockman agreed.

“Roll?” Netto asked as he took out the chip.

“Yes, Netto-san?”

“Can you aim a cure at Lividity?” Netto asked her.

Roll blinked, “I can try, why though? Don’t we want to defeat Lividity?”

“Yeah, and this is how to do it. Lividity is made of corrupt data, I’m sure about that now. It was the one who corrupted the prototype in the first place. So, healing data is what makes corrupt data revert to it’s original form right?”

Roll nodded, “Yes. But is my attack enough?”

Netto smirked, “Probably not, but you and Rockman together should be more then enough. Just make sure to aim well and fire when I say so.”

Roll grinned, finally catching on to his plan. “Okay,” she said and transferred healing data into the heart she was holding.

/Ready?/ he asked Rockman.

/Ready when you are,/ Rockman replied.

Netto nodded and slotted in the chip. “Now!” he yelled.

Rockman jumped back and fired a Roll Arrow at Lividity that was full of healing data while Roll threw her heart. Blues and Ribbon jumped back as Lividity was hit with the attacks full force.

Searchman took aim and fired his own vaccine bullet into the navi and watched as it took effect. Slowly the dark purple energy around the navi died as Lividity sunk to its knees. “NO!” it yelled. “NOT YET!”

Netto gave Rockman a shield chip, just to make sure he wasn’t hurt in case anything happened. Lividity yelled out in pain as its corrupted data slowly rewrote its self. “No…” it whispered.

Blues went over to the weakened navi and knocked it offline with his sword. “You are placed under arrest by the Net Saviors organization,” he said coolly.

Netto used his PET to scan for the thing that was controlling all of the humans. “Netto-kun?” Rockman asked.

Netto pointed at a radio dish above them. “There!” he yelled.

Ribbon jumped up and held her sword at the ready. “May I?” she asked.

Rockman nodded and let Roll Soul fall off of him.

Ribbon jumped up gracefully and slashed at the dish where it came apart and exploded. “Yay!” she cheered.

“How do we get rid of the corrupted data in this area?” Netto asked.

“It should wear off soon,” Searchman said. “Now that Lividity’s corrupted data is not longer feeding it.”

Netto nodded, “All right. So, things are back to normal?” he asked.

“There’s really only one way to find out,” Rockman said softly.

Netto nodded, “All right,” he said as he put on his roller blades.

Blues picked up Lividity and nodded at them, “I shall see you soon then,” he said with a curt nod and made sure that it was really unconscious before logging out.

“Bye, Netto-san, Rockman,” Roll said with a blush. She ran over to the blue navi and hugged him tightly. “I’ll see you at home.” She smiled, waved then logged out.

Searchman nodded, “Thank you for your help,” he said. “Netto-san, Rockman, your secret is safe with me.”

“Thanks,” they said gratefully.

Ribbon looked up at them. “Well?” she asked.

Rockman grabbed her hand, “You’re coming with us until we know what to do with you,” he told her and logged into his PET.

Ribbon giggled, “I don’t mind. It seems like it would be an adventure and a half just to be with you two anyways.”

“Ha ha,” Netto said dryly as he skated home.

Netto saw people coming out of their houses looking confused and upset but no one was hurt or in danger and that’s all that mattered at the moment. He quickly skated up his driveway and into his house where he hastily kicked off his shoes and ran into the kitchen. “Mama?” he called.

His mother came in behind him, “There you are,” she breathed. “I was worried about you when I couldn’t find you. What’s going on?”

Netto grinned and hugged his mother tightly. Haruka looked surprised but hugged him back nonetheless. “What on earth happened?” she asked him softly.

Netto sighed, “It’s a long story.”

Haruka stroked his hair softly, “Well, I apparently made hot chocolate and we have time,” she said softly.

Netto nodded and followed her into the kitchen where he and Rockman began to tell of their adventures over the past few days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The end... @_@ Whew
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Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF. All my base are belong to you.

Avatar, credit Yakitate@devart

[Midnight]

And again another great fic comes to a close...

I must admit, the final tactic threw me for a surprise. It's pretty clever, seeing as how it's counterintuitive, but it still nonetheless puts a very satisfying feel to the end of the combat, and the end of the story as a whole. I admit that I was expecting a touch more out of it, but a clever tactic is better than outright blowing **** up, I suppose....

I offer you my congratulations again for completing something quite enjoyable to read. This is certainly quite a strong way to start off your new year of writing--excellent job.
_________________
Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[Kitty-Chan]

An excellent story! This is one of my favorites.
_________________
Need more Zero/X, Netto/Rock, Rock/Netto, Forte/Netto, & Blues/Netto. PLEASE!
Ano sa...could someone please make me a Zero/X, Blues/Netto, or Forte/Netto avatar/banner? I would greatly appreciate it...
Thanks for the avatar, Mandi!
People! We need more Blues/Netto & Forte/Netto on the net. Come on; help me out here! *gives everyone her Super-Adorable Irrisistable Sad Kitty Eyes(TM)*