Rockman.EXE (Keep Quiet)

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Rockman.EXE (Keep Quiet)
Instance	I-KQ
Age	~20
Pronouns	He/Him
NetOP	Netto Hikari

Maybe you're better off this way.

Rockman.EXE is a main character of Keep Quiet, and the NetNavi of Netto Hikari.

Appearance

Rockman stands at 5'5" (165.1cm), with blue-black hair. Previously, his hair was brown, and he was 4'11", but he requested Netto edit his frame to match his age. In a copyroid, he often wears a blue hoodie with the Hikari emblem on it. He is almost never seen with his helmet on.

Personality

Rockman is still a lot like the hero he always was. However, the things he's endured has made him more volatile, prone to lashing out when he feels a perceived threat. Despite this, there is a deep, quiet kindness that he tries to lead with. While more distrusting than he used to be, he still tries to hold onto a glimmer of optimism- even if he falls back into fatalism more often.

History

! The following contains triggering content. The following content warnings apply: Depictions of torture, depiction of trauma, drug usage (minor), and identity distortion. !

Middle — Highschool Era

Following the events of Battle Network 6, Rockman lived a more quaint life. With less world-threatening stressors on his and Netto's plate, he was able to grow up more closely with his Operator and his friends. Using the copyroid formerly owned by Iris, he often attended school with Netto and tried out life as a human for a while. However, during this time, his past endeavors were starting to catch up to him, and he found life as a human dissatisfying. After middle school, he began to retreat back into the net more often, finding more comfort in a space he'd known for most of his life.

During Highschool, Rockman began to develop a fairly pronounced identity disruption. While subtle, he would often have periods of time where he would lose himself; this is when his DarkSoul returned, and their agreements were made in order to keep the peace. He also found a resurgence of the BeastOut returning as well; he knew it had graphed itself to his memory, but he did not know to what extent.

Alongside this time, Rockman began suppressing this experience from Netto, who he didn't want to hold back from growing up. While supported by his partner, Blues.EXE, graduation approached with much apprehension from Rockman.

Graduation & Post-Graduation

Upon Graduation, Netto and Rockman were posed with two paths; a traditional college experience, or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the Officials (properly) right out of high school. Dissatisfied with school, Netto opted for the latter– and let Rockman choose for himself if he wanted to come along with him. Afraid of holding him back and unable to make a determination for himself, Rockman opted for a year away from Netto— so that the both of them could grow for themselves.

Not long after Netto went away to the Officials' "bootcamp", Rockman was taken by Regal.

Regal Kidnapping

In The Beginning marks the start of Keep Quiet canon. Rockman and Enzan are kidnapped in late winter by Dr. Regal, who was formerly presumed to be amnesiac. For a few weeks, Rockman and Enzan are experimented on– to what end, Rockman had no idea. In his mind, all it could be was a horrific revenge plot— anything else didn't make sense with the amount of violence they were both subject to.

During this time, Regal created a near-perfect replica of Rockman in order to fool his loved ones into thinking that only Enzan was missing. In order to make the replica convincing, Regal removed the eye-programs that Rockman had, since their green were very specific and influenced by his human DNA.

During the experimentation, Rockman was subject to a full breakdown of his programming. Regal inspected all parts of him, and took special interest in the Saito.BAT program. While Rockman was shut down in order to inspect these parts, Regal inserted a virus of his own creation into Rockman's code— SAViOR. This virus was able to mimic the existing identity disruption Rockman was experiencing, and mask as his own thoughts and feelings– while it eroded him from the inside out.

To escape Regal's torment, Rockman and Enzan performed full synchro while Regal was not in the facility. Rockman offered Enzan inhuman strength in return for a chance at getting a message out– which was found in a SubPET set to transmit a message the next time Regal connected with it.

The two of them were caught after setting up the message, where they briefly attempted to threaten Regal's life. Unsuccessful, Rockman would synchro with Enzan more often, trying to comfort him through the unspeakable horror they were going through.

Rescue & Aftermath

Rockman and Enzan were rescued by Pen, Blues, and other assorted officials. Regal was not apprehended at the time, evading blame for the kidnapping. While Enzan was detoxing from the constant barrage of drugs, Rockman was called to attempt to give report to the police & officials.

Without any visual data to back up his account, and Enzan's inability to report with the amount of drugs in his system, their case was difficult to maintain. Caught up in bureaucracy and red tape, Enzan and Rockman's case was eventually concluded as only that; tragedy.

Following the report, Rockman attempted to visit Enzan to check on his condition. The two of them, in no space to comfort each other, eventually argue, prompting a stunted Blues to pull Rockman out of the room. After encouraging Blues's emotions to return, Rockman enjoyed a brief comfort with him.

Isolation

Rockman's filesystem is very complex, and the restoration of his eyes prompted a long term, full body scan on his systems. While this was happening, Rockman was unable to leave Scilabs, and visiting navis needed to coordinate with Dr. Hikari in order to see him.

During this file scan, Pen advised Laika and Enzan to stay in a safehouse while a case is mounted against Regal, for their protection. During this time, Laika was kidnapped by Dr. Regal.

To Rockman, eventually, everyone stopped visiting him. The only company was his father, and even that was fleeting, since Scilabs was in a frenzy over the kidnapping that happened right under their noses. Isolation quickly set in, which was the perfect breeding ground for the virus dwelling within him to gain a foothold.

Rockman is part human; and therefore he understood that his reaction to a deep trauma was "normal". It was "normal" to have thoughts as intense as his, "normal" to feel like he was at war with himself— after all, he'd been that way since high school. Maybe that's just the way he was supposed to be.

Maybe he was better off this way.

Passenger details the moment Savior's constant mental barrage turns into control.

M0NS73R

Savior's control is difficult to remember for Rockman. While parts of him know what happened, Rockman does not recall what actions he took during Savior's reign.

One of the first actions Savior took was threatening Laika's life— who was in a coma in Seaside hospital at this point, following the events of The Game. Searchman and Savior fought, ultimately resulting in Savior's retreat– Searchman remaining by his operator's side.

Quickly after, Blues received word that there was something wrong with Rockman. Upon meeting with Savior, Blues was thrust into a hallucination– a mockery of Blues's memories, edited in order to break Blues down. However, because of Saito's influence, Blues found the strength to push back on Savior's influence– destroying the virus with the power of Soul Unison.

Following Savior's deletion, Blues had to encourage Searchman to forgive Rockman; who desperately needed the understanding and help to cope with the horrible violation he's just been through.

Point of No Return

After Laika's recovery was on the upswing, an echo of Savior re-appeared and called back out to the trio. Blues and Searchman forbid Rockman from going in an effort to protect him.

However, Rockman couldn't stay away for long– terrified that his closest friends had gone to get deleted, or worse– he sought out the only one he thought would know where the virus might be. Rockman found Regal in Seaside hospital, where his illness was keeping him out of prison. After threatening his life (again), Regal gave the address of the relay server that Savior was in.

Upon arriving to the server, Rockman found both Searchman and Blues in a worse-for-wear state. Mustering up all of his strength and courage for his dearest friends, Rockman used both of their broken forms and his own to create Trio Soul, to wipe out Savior once and for all.

Following Point of No Return, Rockman carries a piece of both Blues and Searchman inside of himself, which manifest as specters in his vision. His heartbeat also exists in Blues and Searchman in return, as an equivalent cost for their final gambit.

Netto's Return Home

Netto finally returned home. Throughout the events of Keep Quiet, Rockman found conversations with Netto difficult. How could he connect with his operator, with his already existing fear that he was holding him back?

And there was a lot of radio silence, too. Rockman would often reach for Netto and find nothing there. Upon his return home, Rockman felt both relieved and conflicted. On one hand, the most important person in his life— his twin brother— was finally back, and that was a comfort. But he was different and the same, both unknown and a reminder of what Rockman didn't get the chance to do. Grow.

While he was starting to settle back into Netto's extended leave from whatever he'd been up to with the Officials, Rockman couldn't allow himself to open up completely.

Current Day

It's been a good few years since the initial kidnapping that spiraled Rockman's life out of control. He finds his life much, much calmer now. While Regal still looms over them, Rockman is dedicated to trying to heal as much as he can.

He spends much more time with Netto, who now has a fancy apartment in Den City. Their relationship is still strained, but it's beginning to come to a head.

History: BNRP Extended Canon

Note: The following events are not canon to Keep Quiet, only to BNRP's Extended Canon.

A mysterious chatroom finds Netto and Rockman; though they've been through this once or twice before, it seems like this strange multi-dimensional chatroom is stabilizing. There are new, yet familiar faces on the other end– and all new threats to manage.

Threads

• Thread:and what good did sacrificing the lamb even do?
• Thread:Shepherd's Concert
• Thread:don't run away, it's only me!
• Thread:Rock n' Rumble
• Thread:almost a stranger
• Thread:rises the moon
• Thread:preservation of a martyr
• Thread:she thinks I'm a saint, but divinity was never the aim!
• Thread:brightside!
• Thread:visitation of the ghost
• Thread:if you'll be true to me
• Thread:look at all the broken things (i can be, i can be)
• Thread:history repeating
• Thread:dead things (like we are)

Relationships

• Lan Hikari (Cross Reflection): She's so much like him, and that scares him. But she's also so small and worth protecting.
• Rock.EXE (Cross Reflection): There's something really off about this navi.
• Triese Abysa: Poor girl. She's so nice, and so kind, and his world poisoned her.
• Netto Hikari (Falling Stars): More common ground between them than he thinks. He's a little intimidated by him, and feels like he should be on eggshells around him.
• Rockman.EXE (Falling Stars): Extremely intimidated by how normal and well adjusted this Rockman is. Wishes he could be kinder to him.
• Serpentine: ???