ProtoNet's defeat shook the entire net-society.

Humanity's decade-long threat has been neutralized. Shut down.

And with it, every other system connected to its interface.

While scientists celebrates, a group of civilians mourn. Both over the same fact.

ProtoNet's defeat has brought peace for net-society and the years to follow, but has also sent a girl comatose, somewhere else, far from the fanfare and spotlight.

Technology truly is a wild card.

:: Beginning of October ::

-5:34 PM. Odori Hospital, Tekõga City-

"Your vitals are stabilized, and your body is responding well to the new chip's implant. You are not under any risks, but I still advise you to continue with your antiseptics and report back at the occurrence of any unusual symptoms."

Dr. Auturo finishes his examination as Luiza heaves in a mix of acceptance and discontentment; she's been to the same plain white room in the past few months and has grown tired of the sharp scent of rubbing alcohol, sterile, and sickness. Not the best smells to expose her new recovered olfactory sense.

"For how much longer do I have to keep coming here?" Luiza breaks the silence, albeit impassively as she sighs at the monotony.

The man frowns. "We have already addressed this matter before, Bluemoon," He sighs, understanding her disregard. "Your case have us restless; We need close inspection of how you are faring; Essentially due to your high peaks of daily activity. At best, you shall no longer need constant monitoring in the future. Professor Redsun is also working right now to devise the next update to better accommodate your needs and welfare-"

"Update my ass!" The girl snapped, pulling back from the stretcher after removing the electrode headband. "Don't speak like I'm some sort of navi. I don't need your scientific crap to further hurt my spirit."

After a heavy sigh, the blond man nods. "Very well; I'll see to your blood test results and contact the professor. Please, wait here." He cleans his table from some of the paperwork in his departure, leaving the teenager in solitude.

For mere moments, that is, as a honey-blonde with dark roots snoops in. "Hi!" Garbed in a lab coat similar to her dad's, the goth girl strode inside the office, carrying her trademarked notepad. "How's my patient today~?"

"Tch." Luiza turns away from her dismissively.

Not intimidated by her cold-shoulder, Dr. Auturo's daughter smiles and saunters near, pen and paper in hand. "How are you feeling? Any headaches? Migraines? Censorial disturbance? Nosebleed?"

The tomboy was ready to retaliate until she heard the last question, echoing it for confirmation. "...Are you serious?"

"Of course I am! We never know what side effects may occur. In fact, you're one of a kind~! That's what makes examining you so exhilarating."

Luiza stared back in disapproval before getting out of her seat, headed for the window seal and letting some of that Autumn breeze to freshen up her mind. She needn't any further reason to sulk.

"Don't jump." Rina readily jots the pen off of her notepad to point at her, watching the tomboy giving her a questionable look over the shoulder.

"As tempting as it seems…" She lets her words sink in, lacking the energy to finish her sentence.

While contemplating on recent events, something dawned on her -almost at fault of forgetfulness. She scolds herself for letting it escape her mind and turns to Auturo, her features darkening.

"Hey. Do you know anything about the city blackout an year and a half ago?"

Auturo has been a part of a clandestine laboratory. She has sided with those scientists for some time, too. They were the ones most wired to technology, so of course…

Something…

Anything…

She must know-

"Are you talking about the one caused by Vamos Facility's overload?"

Vamos.

Vamos?!

The tomboy freezes; a maelstrom swallows all tiles underfoot and herself. She feels the very pressure of an eighteen-wheeler wedging her against shattering glass.

"Bluemoon? You are zoning out-"

"Are you sure that's the name?"

Rina took a step back, surprised with her sudden gravity. "Yes, that's right. Vamos."

"Variable's operator?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Bluemoon, I don't understand-"

"Just answer me!"

"Y-yes! There's no mistake about it!" Rina shrieked, clutching her notepad with palpitation. Luiza had just stalked up to her, grabbing the shorter blonde by the shoulders and she felt threatened.

After seemingly analyzing her for sincerity, the taller girl releases her grasp, running her hand up her bangs in disbelief, pacing a few steps away as she struggled to process it.

Vamos Research Institute. Colleges with Tekõga's Science Labs.

Recently issuing studies on Dimensional Fields.

Vamos...

She gazes out of the window, straining her eyes upon Odori Park in the distance. With a sharp inhale, the patient faces the young Auturo, already phasing past her in mid-sentence. "I'll text you later. I swear."

"Bluemoon—! Wait!"

Out in the hospital halls, Luiza absently calls for her right pouch, signaling Alpha -her navigator- to email Donovan Vamos.

"Already did. Should I ask...?" He replied, aware of the tension.

"I'm setting things straight. Once and for all."

Author's Notes

This is a collab among friends. I'm merely rewritten and making sense of our discussed ideas and scenes. I have seen potential in the idea of "how big was the impact of ProtoNet/AlphaNet? And what if it affected other people in different ways?"

I'm shifting the spotlight from the Hikaris to better delve into this new concept, and new people.

Any correlation to the main-story line is merely for reference with no intentions of obstructing the timeline. View this as a separated work of fiction, focused on exploring different aspects of the world of Rockman exe

Trivia: Tekõga is a fan-made sub prefecture up north within Electopian boundaries. It's located on an island, Yezo, with several sub-prefectures forming a thriving society bordered by mountains.

ACDC is believed to be the setting's Akihabara (as the japanese name suggests). Tekõga is, in this case, Sapporo-Hokkaido prefecture.