"Yeah!" Rock nodded in a agreement. He was about to say more, but someone beat him to it.
"Netto-kun...?" a voice said behind them. Netto turned around to find Meiru standing, looking guilty and embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I don't want to bother you, but I really have to talk to you about this..."
Netto blinked a few times. "Uh, sure, Meiru. What's up?"
"Well, do you remember how I gave you that Roll chip?"
"Yeah..." Both Netto and Rock couldn't really see where this was going, but both thought it best to refrain from saying so. "What about it?"
"Did you use it any time just now?"
Rock nodded. "I just used it. It's a pretty useful chip too. Thanks, Meiru!" Here he smiled brilliantly, a smile which Meiru weakly returned.
"No problem, Rockman, but see, I think there's a problem with it. Just now I was surfing the Net with Roll, but she suddenly disappeared. Then she came back after a few minutes, and told me this really weird story of how she found herself fighting viruses for you guys before coming back to me."
Netto and Rock exchanged looks. "Um, Meiru, I really don't know why this is happening..."
"Netto!! You've got some explaining to do!!"
Much to the duo's horror, who should they see bumbling towards them but none other than Dekao, and a particularly angry Dekao at that. The boy growled at Netto in a menacing way, and shook his fist threateningly at him. "I knew I never should've let you walk out of there with that Gutsman chip, Netto! Just because you beat me and Guts doesn't give you the right to go around kidnapping my Navi and making him fight for you!"
Netto's mouth worked soundlessly as he struggled to digest the accusation. When he failed to come up with a answer, he looked down at his PET for help. Unfortunately, while Dekao had been talking, Rock had cleverly chosen to sneak away, and could not be found anywhere. Which meant that Netto was on his own. Rats, what good was a NetNavi if they couldn't even back you up in times like this?
Backing up away ever so slowly, Netto wondered if he had any chance of escape. Dekao looked absolutely livid, and ready to knock some teeth out. Especially my teeth, Netto thought fearfully. Before Dekao could hurl a punch, however, some behind them screamed.
"THERE YOU ARE, YOU LITTLE NAVI-STEALING PUNK!!"
The three kids turned to see Enzan speeding towards them, fire blazing hotly in his eyes. With unnatural strength that normal kids his age would normally not possess, Enzan shoved Dekao to the side and grabbed a hold of Netto's collar. "You think you can just steal Blues and run off like that, huh Hikari?!" Enzan barked into Netto's face, shaking him violently with each word.
Netto clamped his eyes shut, trying to drown out Enzan's furious voice, or at least make it quieter. The poor boy waved his hands in a defensive manner, giggling nervously. "Ano, I don't know what you're talking about, Enzan-kun - "
"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Hikari!! How dare you make Blues fight for you and Rockman. I never thought you could sink this low!!"
Meiru tugged at Enzan's sleeve. "C'mon, Enzan-kun, calm down and talk to him rationally - "
"HEY! HEY!! DON'T LOOK AWAY!! I'M TALKING TO YOU, HIKARI!!" It was no use. Enzan was completely beside himself with rage, and there was no way to calm the normally cool boy down.
Deciding to use this moment to his advantage, Dekao slung an arm around Meiru and dragged her away. "C'mon, Meiru, we'll let them settle it themselves."
"Hey! No! Don't leave me here with him! He's gonna kill me!!" Netto pleaded to their retreating backs. "No! Hey! Help! HEEEELP!!!"
Why couldn't he just black out and die? It would've been a sweet, almost heavenly mercy if he did. But the pain shooting through his body proved that he had been denied such a thing. Netto groaned and opened his eyes, staring up groggily at the blue sky. Why did it have to be such a bright day? He wondered, squinting.
Beside him his PET beeped. "So… uh… How is it, Netto-kun?" Rock asked hesitantly.
"How is it? How is it?! I think that Ijuin creep just broke every single one of my bones, that's how it is!" Netto snapped back at his Navi. When he turned his head (god, it felt like someone was pounding his skull when he did that), he saw how Rock was hiding off screen, occasionally peeking out at his Operator. "No thanks to you, you Operator-ditchin' Navi!"
"I'm sorry, Netto-kun. I uh... found a virus in the PET and had to go delete it before it could ruin your PET. But I don't think I could've helped if I had been there anyway." Rock smiled apologetically.
Netto only humphed in response. "I'm getting a new Navi," was all he said.